Three tense bodies scuttled up the narrow staircase, neither of them too excited about being the one to knock.

“They'll probably treat you better, Cole. Could you… You know?” Evelyn said in a half-whisper.

“… Sure,” Cole said.

Once at the door, Cole teetered toward it, the others close behind.

He knocked. Nothing happened at first. No one spoke up either.

Eventually, the lock turned with a soft click, and the door creaked open, only pulled slightly ajar. Through the thin sliver, Cole caught a glimpse of the person inside. Reid.

He glanced back at the others, putting a finger to his lips. “Stay calm. Don't say anything unless provoked,” he whispered, wholly aware the apartment building was quiet enough for Reid to hear.

“Come in,” Reid said, opening up all the way. In his hand, a pistol with a metallic shine.

Cole's heart sank. Silently, the group entered. Reid stepped back as they did, keeping a cautious eye on all of them.

“Lock it,” Reid said.

The quickest to react was Aleksei, who did as asked.

Without Reid needing to say anything else, all of them naturally followed him, further inside.

“Reid… why did you threaten me with termination, but also want me to stay?” Cole wanted to stall him, to avoid escalation for as long as possible.

“There’s no better feeling than having a new employee you can mold into the perfect person for… us,” Reid said.

“I don't make mistakes. You won't be one,” Reid continued. He managed to keep being cryptic until the very end.

“That's… absurd,” Cole said.

“Is it?” Reid said, gesturing his arm dramatically through the doorway and into the living room, as they all gathered there.

There were four other people in the room. Three of Reid's security men and Ilya. One of them was crouched on the ground, struggling to keep Shoko in check. His sleeve had been torn, with a bite mark carved into his arm.

Near the wall, Ilya was being restrained by the other two men. He didn't speak up, despite not being muzzled. With these people, you never said more than was absolutely necessary.

“Ilya!” Evelyn exclaimed.

Ilya stared at them, only exerting himself mildly in the tight grasp of his captors.

“Eve—no,” Cole said.

Reid let out a curt laugh, striding across the room toward the three men standing by the wall, as he leveled his gun right at Ilya's head. Ilya didn’t react.

Evelyn grit her teeth, and even Aleksei was frowning. His eyes constantly darted over to the dog.

“What do you want?” Cole asked.

“You know what,” Reid said. “Although… it would be a lot easier to just get it done with, don't you think?”

Reid planted the cold metal against Ilya's temple.

“Stop,” Cole said.

“Why do you care about these people? You have so much more to gain with us,” Reid said.

“I… I don't know how to explain it. I finally got the chance to join a group of good people. It's been way too long since I've had anything like this,” Cole said.

Ilya's stern expression softened as their eyes briefly met.

“Really? That’s it? At least try to convince me,” Reid said.

Evelyn shoved her hand into her bag, yanking out the revolver. Before any of them could react, a sharp, high-pitched screech sounded as the bullet went directly through the man crouched by Shoko. He groaned, collapsing to the floor.

Ilya's eyes widened. He twisted his head back, narrowly dodging Reid’s counter, when another shot rang out by his ear. He witnessed the bullet graze his cheek, burrowing into the drywall at the other end of the room. Blood seeped out of the end of the long, thin wound, dripping onto the floor.

Seeing Evelyn aim at him, Reid didn't go for it again. Instead, he tilted his arm down to ensure the next one wouldn't miss.

The now free Shoko leaped toward his nearest target. One of the men holding Ilya. Shoko gnawed at his leg, forcing him to let go and drop to the floor to fight the canine off.

Aleksei lit up at that.

Though one of Ilya's arms had been freed, he still didn't move. There was, after all, a certain something trained right on his chest.

With no empathy for his own security men, Reid just shrugged. “We didn't really expect the dog. Should've brought more people.”

Reeling from the scuffle, the man on the ground pulled his handgun out, aiming for his attacker.

“Dracu'! No.” Aleksei exclaimed. Without much self-preservation, he sprinted toward the scene. As he got closer, the man switched his target to him. He shot right through Aleksei's shoe, no hesitation.

“Alek—” Both Cole and Evelyn cried out at the same time.

Aleksei managed to reach the two before falling on top of the other guy.

With the gun knocked out of his hand, and as the two mauled him by way of Shoko's clamping teeth and multiple consecutive jabs from Aleksei, the man coughed up spurts of blood, croaking out his last breath.

That was something Cole never expected to see Aleksei involved in.

Shoko paced restlessly around the men on the floor, his tail stiff, and his body tense. He occasionally growled as he circled them, watching for any movement.

While kneeling on the floor, Aleksei scrambled for the handgun that was left behind, grabbing it with unsteady hands as he pointed the muzzle at the man who was still holding onto Ilya.

In reaction to that, he got his gun out as well. His aim was steadier than Aleksei's, but less certain. He kept switching between Evelyn and the others. This was getting ridiculous.

“Alright—Can we just… relax? For a second?” Cole asked, exasperated.

“Oh? Got a great suggestion on how we should proceed? Please, let us know.” Reid said.

Cole had to put on his polished side if he ever dreamed of getting through this unscathed. Luckily, he had a great teacher. “It's pretty clear this is just going to end in disaster. For everyone involved.”

“You aren’t offering a solution,” Reid said.

Cole advanced toward Reid, keeping a close eye on him and the guns pointed at both Ilya and himself.

“Answer me. Honestly,” Cole said, sliding his hand along Reid's held-out arm, his fingertips barely brushing against the metal in his grasp. “What do you want?”

Reid glanced around the room, likely weighing his options. But with a pitiful sigh, all emotion drained from his face.

“I already told you,” Reid said. His grip loosened just enough for the pistol to slip from his fingers. With sharp metallic clinks, it clattered across the floor. “Well… I guess my perfect track record is over.”

Cole's face fell. “I… I don't get it. I don't—”

Seizing the opportunity, Ilya reached for the wrist of the man restraining him, twisting it to the point of cracking. His gun made the same sound as Reid’s, as it similarly skipped across the floor until it bumped against it.

Ilya wrestled him to the floor. Once on top, he pushed his knee into his neck. He didn't savor a single moment. Every action was executed with the cold precision of someone well-adapted to combat, to ensure his enemy wasn't able to move.

Only once the man had sufficiently passed out did Ilya ease up on him, instead resting his leg on his stomach. He was the first guy from the security team to avoid anything fatal, and that was the vet’s work. Which… might have been why.

Aleksei shifted his target to Reid, though neither he nor Evelyn made a move.

Reid had calmly watched it all go down, refusing to act in any way, subtle or not.

“Explain yourself. Explain all those people I've met at the company. Why… are you like this? Why did I almost fall for it too?” Cole's voice was hoarse and frantic.

Reid pulled him closer by the arm. “I thought your friends would've answered that by now,” he said. “I can't tell you. Once everyone—all of you willing and hopeful people—know, it'll be over for the prosperous world I often dream of.”

Sick of Reid's cryptic apathy, Cole shoved him to the ground, much like he had seen Ilya do. Though not as elegantly.

Towering over him, Cole clamped down on Reid's throat, his fingers digging into his skin until he gagged.

“Enough. Just shut up,” Cole said.

Reid barely did anything to stop him, his legs scraping against the wood, as he snaked his fingers around Cole's wrists.

“Have fun dealing with this mess later. I might even be treated as a victim if the company works hard enough to frame it that way. We'll see,” Reid said.

“Why do you never listen? Never…” Cole pressed down harder.

It didn't take long before only gasps of pain escaped Reid.

“I'm… sorry,” Cole said.

Blood pooled beneath Reid's skin, a deep violet spreading through his cheeks. Cole didn't relent.

And then, silence.

Even after all this, Cole still didn’t understand anything about Reid. He seemed to care a lot about the company and the work he had been doing. And yet, at the same time, not at all. He played these weird games with Cole and the others, like he just wanted to entertain himself.

It was deeply unserious. Unprofessional. The illusion Cole had built of all these people was crumbling. Everything was just a game. No one here actually wanted to create a better life for anyone other than themselves. They were just doing it for the thrill. For the money. And power.

These people were no more valuable than the ones cast from society.

Reid's body lay limp beneath him. Removing his hands from his throat, Cole hurried to his feet. He couldn't bear to look at him any longer.

Everyone's adrenaline was still running high. They didn't know what to say or do. As Ilya got up as well, they just kind of looked at each other.

Cole leaped over to the newly released captive. “You're okay.”

Ilya watched him calmly, unbothered by the tendrils of blood trailing down his cheek to his jaw.

Instinctively, Cole reached a hand up and drove his fingers through the dark red liquid, trying to wipe it away.

“Ngh…” Ilya shuddered, but let him do what he wanted.

“I-I didn't mean to,” Cole said.

“It's alright,” Ilya said. “Thank you, Cole. And everyone else.”

Though they only exchanged a few words, there was an unspoken air of excitement, of victory.

“This favoritism is getting out of hand,” Evelyn said.

Ilya laughed, offering them a much-needed release of tension.

“Uhm… I'm—I feel… lightheaded.” Aleksei slumped to the floor, holding onto his shoe to put pressure on the wound.

All three turned at once. Evelyn rushed over to Aleksei, sitting down beside him.

“Are you gonna be okay?” she asked.

“I… I don't know,” Aleksei said.

“We should probably call the nearest hospital. For Ilya, too,” Cole said.

“I'm fine,” Ilya said.

“Shut it.” Cole made sure to soften his tone. Those words reminded him of Reid now.

It was surprising Ilya had been able to stay cool after all that. He grinned, continuing Cole's work from earlier by swiping at his own face. Not very precisely. Perhaps to make the point that it wasn't important.

“You're right,” Evelyn said. “Which means… the law is getting involved after all.”

“I doubt the company is going to overlook… Reid, anyway. But you expected the risks, so it's fine… right?” Cole asked.

“Yeah… Yeah.” Her eyes kept flickering between Aleksei and Cole.

“You're not going to prison, are you?” Aleksei asked. His expression was that of a wounded dog. The real thing was currently sniffing at him, still assessing the situation. “Wait, what about me? Or Cole?”

“I'll be honest. We're pretty fucked,” Evelyn said.

Aleksei didn't respond, the side of his head landing on the wooden floorboards. He stared deadpanned at Shoko's legs, shifting back and forth next to him.

“We saved them. That's what matters,” Aleksei said. “And none of us died.”

“You're including Shoko in that?” Evelyn asked.

“Yes.” Aleksei held his hand up to the dog, who reciprocated his gesture with a few licks. A smile returned to his face. “Of course.”

“I'll see if it's possible to bring him to the hospital when I visit,” Ilya said.

“Or you could just give him to me,” Aleksei said.

“Alyosha…” Ilya said in a gentle tone.

“I'm kidding,” Aleksei said. “Kind of.”

Evelyn noticed Cole's tilted stare. “He keeps calling him that, but I haven't asked why. I'm guessing it's a nickname. It feels like a special thing between them, so I don't use it.”

“Oh. Cute,” Cole said.

Ilya gave him an embarrassed glare, not letting any slights to his masculinity pass by. He just dishes it out, huh?

Cole grinned at him, reaching for the phone in his pocket. “We should call them now. It's been long enough.”

“Yes, please,” Evelyn said.

It was over. For now.