Trench sat in the Bureau's medical bay, staring blankly at the sterile walls as a nurse bandaged the shallow gash on his forearm. The room smelled of antiseptic, its white lights too harsh after the gloom of Pinewood.
"This should heal up fine," the nurse said, snapping the bandage into place. She gave him a sympathetic look. "You're cleared to leave."
"Thanks," Trench muttered, his voice hollow. He slid off the table, grabbing his coat from the back of a chair. The weight of the day clung to him, every step back to his temporary quarters heavy with the knowledge of what he'd lost.
When he entered his room, Reyes was waiting. She stood leaning against his desk, arms crossed, her expression unreadable. The dim lighting softened her sharp features but couldn't hide the concern in her eyes.
"Ryan said you wanted space, but you've been gone for hours," Reyes said.
Trench dropped his coat onto the bed and collapsed into the desk chair. "I'm fine."
"No, you're not," Reyes shot back, her voice softer than her words. She took a step closer. "I know what today cost you. You don't have to pretend you're okay."
"I don't have a choice," Trench snapped, anger flickering through his tone. "People are dying, Reyes. And whatever this anomaly is, it's just getting started."
Reyes nodded, unshaken. "You're right. But you won't stop it by breaking yourself. Talk to me. Let's figure this out together."
Trench hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor. After a long silence, he said, "My dad said the forest had always been wrong. Like it was alive. He'd never talked about it before. And now…" He trailed off, shaking his head. "Now it doesn't matter."
Reyes pulled a chair closer, sitting across from him. "It does matter. Your parents might've known something—even if they didn't tell you directly. What else did he say?"
Trench closed his eyes, recalling the conversation. "He said this wasn't the first time something had happened in Pinewood. That whatever I was chasing was older than the town."
Reyes leaned back, her mind working. "Older than the town," she echoed. "Could be a reference to pre-settlement events. Maybe the land itself is tied to the anomaly."
Trench opened his desk drawer and pulled out his notebook. He flipped through pages filled with sketches and notes from previous missions, stopping at a rough map of Pinewood. He'd drawn it months ago during his first encounter with the train car anomaly.
"Look at this," he said, pointing to a series of markings near the forest. "These are spots where past resonance spikes were recorded. They form a pattern… like a boundary."
Reyes studied the map. "You think the forest is the epicenter, but it's… contained? What could've created a boundary like that?"
Trench's jaw tightened. "Something that didn't want whatever's in the forest to escape."
Director Northmoor stood at the head of the long conference table, his presence as commanding as ever. The Board Room was filled with agents, each of them poring over data collected from Pinewood. Maps and diagrams projected onto the walls showed the town's obliterated center and the expanding resonance field.
"We are dealing with an unprecedented escalation," Northmoor began, his voice cutting through the murmur of the room. "The anomaly has breached containment, spreading beyond its original boundaries. Preliminary analysis indicates this event may not be a simple AWE."
Trench leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his thoughts still clouded by grief. Reyes stood beside him, her focus unwavering as she listened.
"Agent Trench," Northmoor said, turning his gaze on him. "Your prior experience with this anomaly makes your insight invaluable. What do you make of this?"
Trench straightened, clearing his throat. "The anomaly's energy is tied to the forest, but it's no longer contained there. My parents…" He faltered, then forced himself to continue. "My parents hinted at a history of strange occurrences in Pinewood. It's possible the forest has been suppressing or binding this energy for centuries. Now it's broken free."
Northmoor nodded, his expression grave. "If the forest acted as a natural containment, we need to understand what disrupted it. Reyes, you and Trench will lead a recon team back to the site."
Reyes frowned. "The town's gone. What's left to recon?"
Northmoor's gaze darkened. "The rift remains. And if the energy field continues to expand, it won't stop at Pinewood. Containment is our top priority. You leave at 0500."
The Bureau's transport vehicle rumbled to a stop at the outskirts of Pinewood. The air was thick with static, and the landscape ahead was barely recognizable. The rift towered over the remains of the town, its crimson glow pulsating like a heartbeat.
"We're on borrowed time," Reyes said, stepping out of the vehicle and adjusting her gear. She glanced at Trench. "Ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be," he replied, though his hands tightened on his weapon.
The team advanced cautiously, their steps muffled by the ash-covered ground. Buildings were reduced to skeletal frames, their structures warped by the rift's energy. The hum in the air was oppressive, growing louder with each step toward the anomaly.
"Over here," Trench called, spotting an intact section of the forest boundary. Strange symbols were etched into the trees, their glow faint but unmistakable.
Reyes knelt to examine them. "These markings… they're not natural. Could be a containment ward, but who or what put them here?"
Trench's mind raced. "Maybe whoever built the monolith. If the forest was their way of keeping the anomaly locked down… they failed."
A low, guttural sound echoed from the rift, cutting through their conversation. The team froze, weapons raised as shadows began to shift and coalesce. Figures emerged, larger and more defined than before. Their forms flickered like distorted memories brought to life.
"Contact!" Reyes shouted, firing the first shot.
The figures lunged, their movements impossibly fast. Trench fired, each shot finding its mark, but the creatures dissolved and reformed almost instantly. The air vibrated with their inhuman screeches as the team fell into a defensive formation.
"We're not equipped for this," Reyes called out. "Fall back!"
Trench hesitated, his gaze fixed on the rift. For a brief moment, he thought he saw a figure standing within it—humanoid but indistinct, its form pulsing with crimson light.
"Trench, move!" Reyes grabbed his arm, pulling him back toward the transport.
The team retreated under fire, the creatures' howls echoing in their wake. As they sped away from the ruins of Pinewood, Trench couldn't shake the image of the figure in the rift. It felt familiar, yet utterly alien.
Back at the Oldest House, Trench sat alone in his quarters, staring at the map of Pinewood. His fingers traced the boundary markings, his mind replaying the day's events.
The figure in the rift haunted him. It wasn't just an enemy—it was connected to him, to the anomaly, to everything that had happened. He could feel it, deep in his bones.
A knock at the door broke his concentration. Reyes entered, a determined look on her face.
"We've got work to do," she said. "Northmoor's authorizing another mission. This time, we're going to the heart of the forest. Whatever's behind this, we're going to find it."
Trench nodded, his resolve hardening. "No more running."