A/N: As usual, I would recommend putting the video on loop.

Momentarily, the handle stopped moving, but both men remained focused on it. The picture of the food in the mini freezer was long forgotten, and they made sure that all of their supplies, but their flashlights, were secured in their backpacks. Nick stepped in front of Ren, who looked ready to protest, but the older male gave him a stern stare, which kept the younger male silent on the matter. They soon heard metal hitting metal, like the sound of keys tapping against each other.

Distinctively, they knew that was what it was when presumably one of the keys was inserted into the lock. Their heartbeats grew faster, and a scratchy, bored chuckle met their ears. "I haven't even opened the door yet, and you two are getting so excited." He chuckled again. "Or rather, you both are probably fearful. I'm surprised that one of you hasn't fainted yet. I practically can taste your terror." The creature's tone held a lifeless quality to it, but it almost was as if he was purring at the same time. If they weren't in such a dire circumstance, they both would've thought the combination odd and somewhat ... hilarious. Since that wasn't the case, they continued to concentrate on the door handle.

Steadily, the handle turned. Both of them shone their flashlights on the entrance, but the door didn't move once it popped open with a click. The creature didn't step inside, but his nails were tapping against the door as though they were knives ready for a cutting board. Seconds ticked by at an agonizing pace, and both men wondered what the creature was planning, but they knew that it was nothing for their benefit.

Ren, not being able to take it anymore, was about to ask Nick what they should do, but his attention snapped entirely on the door again. Immediately, Nick and he raced forward and slammed their bodies against the door before the creature could throw it open. Barely, they managed the task as they held their entire body weight against the metal. Another chuckle greeted their ears, and they desperately searched for a solution to their growing problem.

In the far right corner of the room, there was an air vent which looked big enough for either of them. Much to their surprise, there was no covering on it, which made them grow suspicious as to why the creature would leave around such a vulnerability. Unfortunately, the vent was their only other option of escaping the creature. They glanced to each other, and Nick motioned for Ren to climb in while he held the door. Ren shook his head, but Nick mouthed, "He's going to kill me last. I have time. Go."

His brown optics met Ren's green-hazel ones in an unyielding and serious manner. Ren wanted to argue more, but another bang on the door threw him into action. "Hurry into the vent after me," the younger male mouthed back even if he had the feeling that his friend wouldn't make it that far. Nick gave him a reassuring nod and held the door closed, which he knew the creature could open at any time with his strength. The creature no doubt was giving them a false sense of security, but Nick hoped that one of them would be able to get away from the creature still.

Racing across the room, Ren unplugged the mini freezer and pushed it just below the vent. Hurriedly, he climbed atop it and began to hoist himself into the vent. His flashlight illuminated all of the dust inside, and he saw a few beetles skitter across the metal. Inwardly, he grimaced, but he crawled into the vent more just as he heard a loud slam behind him. Groaning followed after, and Ren easily recognized it as Nick's. A pit in his stomach formed, and he wanted to turn around, but he never was given the chance.

Harshly, his ankles were grabbed, and he cried out in pain as the creature's nails scraped across his left leg. Crimson dripped down and impacted the floor below while the creature threw Ren back. "Ren!" Nick cried out, pushing himself up from the floor. Ren's back hit the door hard, which opened widely in the process. The younger human male groaned and rolled on his right side while his left hand clutched his ankle.

Blood greeted his hand and coated it in its warm, yet chilling embrace. His pants were torn around the area, and he wished that he had been wearing more secure shoes. Otherwise, the wound wouldn't have been as bad, but he had little time to dwell on the matter as Nick lifted his friend up and pulled him out of the maintenance room with him. Nick slammed the door shut and wished he had the key to lock it even if that would give them little benefit.

Draping Ren's left arm over his shoulders, Nick pressed forward down the tracks and back towards platform three. If the creature had jammed the other end, he wouldn't be able to lock the door from their side, which meant that it was unlocked again. Whether they would make it that far or not was another story. "Ren, keep your flashlight pinned behind us. Blast it on high power when he leaves the room." Nick knew that the creature could hear him, but the creature would have to face their flashlights if he wanted to get near to them regardless.

"Right," he muttered, looking over his right shoulder and aiming the light back at the maintenance room. His green-hazel optics widened, though, when he noted that it already was open. "Nick!" he cried out as he faced forward with the light. It just hit the creature in the eyes before he could collide with both of them. A hiss echoed through the tunnel, and Nick brought up his left foot and kicked the creature right in the groin. A pained grunt followed, and Nick wasted no time in hurrying around him.

Shining the light back once more, Ren kept the beam on the creature as he turned and faced them both. A scowl was on his lips, and his nails were coated in red from Ren's leg, which was slowing them both down. "Nick ..." Ren began, but the older human male cut him off.

"Not right now. Remember, this doesn't change anything. We're getting back," he commented in a strict tone as his feet impacted the tracks roughly. Ren, though, knew that he was slowing them both down significantly. He barely could run due to his left foot now limping along, but he didn't say anymore since in truth he didn't want to die; he desired to get back to Chris, especially if she was trapped. Deidre ... he forced back a torrent of negative feelings; she couldn't be dead. Only would he believe that if he saw and examined her body himself.

"Getting back?" the creature chuckled out, shielding his eyes from the light. Ren didn't move the light. "What kind of pathetic encouragement is that?" The creature's steps grew faster, and Ren ordered for Nick to give him his flashlight. Without hesitation, the older human gave the younger one the requested item before the younger shone the light brightly at the creature. Another hiss left him, and he paused momentarily. "Even with this weak attempt, you're not going to be leaving here." Without another moment of delay, the creature sprung forward.

"Nick, let go!" Ren cried out, but his boss did no such thing, causing Ren to shove him aside. The rough push sent Ren to the tracks as he lost his balance. He landed on his bottom while Nick stood a few feet from him. The creature zipped by, and both males witnessed strands of their hair being whipped back. Both of them blinked before Ren grew horrified. "Nick!" he screamed out as the older male collapsed to the tracks, unconscious.

Nick never hit metal, however, since the creature held him up by the back of his grey coat. The human male's head slumped forward, and Ren presumed that the creature had zipped back around and impacted Nick's head with the back of his hand. Once the shock of the event wore off, though, Ren aimed both flashlights at the creature, but the creature used Nick as a shield and advanced forward. "D*mn it!" he cursed loudly while he tried to pick himself up to his feet. His injured ankle sent a wave of sharp pain through his leg, however, and he collapsed again.

"Are you done yet?" the creature asked, peeking out from behind Nick. Ren shone the light on him again, but the creature sighed and hid behind Nick once more. Before the creature grew too close, though, he stopped and mentioned, "I'm growing tired of this. I want to punish this idiot already." The creature moved Nick up and down like he was some puppet on strings.

"Then, maybe, you should drop him and go somewhere else," Ren suggested angrily, but the fear in his voice for Nick's and his own life was very evident. It was a surprise that he didn't stutter at all.

"Oh? Like where Chris is?" the creature teased darkly. Ren's eyes widened in pure horror upon realizing his mistake. Using that shock value against him, the creature tossed Nick towards the younger human. Barely, Ren reacted in time, and he caught his friend as a slight grunt left him from the impact. Nick slumped and slid down Ren partially, with Ren's chest as his support. Both of Ren's hands held up Nick until the creature snatched up his left one.

Securing his fingers around the human's wrist hard, the creature grinned wickedly. "But, I can bring her to you, and since you'll be tied up, I'll even hand you her left ring finger." Bile formed in the back of Ren's throat as a rage-induced frown met the human's lips. Before he could shout back anything in protest, the creature tossed the male's wrist aside and punched Ren in one shot. Instantly, the younger human male joined the older one in unconsciousness. Both men fell back on the tracks, and the creature kicked Ren roughly in the side. "Nuisance. But, you'll serve your purpose here soon enough."

Changing his focus to Nick, Callest stared at the older human male with a bored expression, but his eyes did glow with wrath. "It's time you paid the price, just like (f/n) and Ether, and you're going to be paying it for a good few days as your friends drop one by one." With next to no effort, he lifted both human males up and dragged them off to gate three. There only was one of them left, and she would be easy to catch since she was a trapped little mouse. Even if she did manage a way out of that hallway, the woman only had one path to take to leave, and he easily could cut her off due to that.