Project S.T.A.T.I.C. Part 4: Worlds Apart

Pam dropped down to the dark and stagnant sewers. Once the others landed, Pam reached up and slammed the cover back in place. It wasn’t a guarantee that it would stop their pursuers, but it would at least slow them down. The second they landed, Pam conjured a ball of light from her hand to illuminate the darkness. The stench of the sewers was just as unpleasant as the last time she’d been here. “Hurry, we need to keep moving,” Pam commanded as she looked around, “Be on your guard and stay alert in case of any surprise attacks. Ashley, Courtney, I’ll let you two take the lead on this leg of our excursion. Rebecca and I will keep our senses open for any opposition and deal with them accordingly.”

Ashley and Courntey nodded as they moved to the front. Rebecca kept close to Pam and readied her magic. The four of them made their way into the underground maze to try to find the right branch to the Birdcage. Pam’s conjured orb of light trailed behind Ashley and Courtney and expanded to illuminate the sewers. Already they could hear the sounds of bat wings flapping and scuttling in the distance. The scuttling and shuffling in the distance was getting closer. Whatever it was, was human. It didn’t sound like the same shuffling of the undead that Pam had grown accustomed to in Courtney’s world. It wasn’t insects either, at least that wasn’t all it was. 

Courtney and Ashley led them through the sewers and through a sharp right that led to a small branch. Pam was trusting that between Jake’s memories and Courtney’s history they’d find their way to their destination sooner rather than later. Pam saw something moving out of the corner of her eye. It looked like some kind of small swarm of something shuffling across the ground. It might have been nothing, but Pam had a bad feeling about whatever this thing might have been. She didn’t slow down as she twisted her wrist and pointed two fingers up. Her focus was on the swarm inching closer. A series of small flames sprung up on them, and a number of shrill shrieks filled the air as they burned to pieces.

The sudden shriek gave the four of them pause. They stopped for the briefest of seconds, but it was long enough for them to see a figure crawling out from the shadows. Pale, flaky skin, reddish green eyes, a distinct lack of hair, whatever it was was some sort of deformed monster. Pam saw it first and didn’t waste time alerting the rest of her party. Whatever it was was moving fast, but Pam had a spell at the ready. She summoned a set of chains out of thin air and launched them at the lurching monster. The ends pierced through its chest and Pam pulled it forward. She made sure that one of her chains managed to pierce through its heart to be on the safe side. This thing didn’t seem like a typical vampire, but Pam wasn’t going to rule out the possibility that it might be something else.

Ashley looked behind them as she heard the body splash into the filthy water. Her eyes widened as she recognized the thing that Pam had just killed. “Shit,” she said, motioning for everyone to pick up their pace, “We need to hurry. If there is one of those things, there are bound to be more.”

Rebecca glanced behind them to try to see what it was they were dealing with. Whatever it was looked familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it. “Care to elaborate on exactly what we are dealing with?” she asked.

“Rejected turns,” Ashley replied, “They’re the result of what happens when a halfbreed tries and fails to convert someone. The results usually result in a feral mud blooded with a terrible mix of powers that range from strange to deadly.”

“How many are we likely to encounter here?” Pam asked, looking around as she tried to keep up with the rest of her group.

“It’s difficult to say-” Ashley began.

“Estimate!” Pam shouted, noticing the sound of shuffling in the water and footsteps getting closer.

“A couple dozen at least,” Ashley replied, “Typically, failed experiments like these are dumped down below and used as a deterrent.”

“That would have been nice to know before we went underground,” Courtney sighed, looking around and grabbing a birdarang from her belt.

“This is still the fastest way for us to infiltrate the lower levels of the Birdcage,” Ashley defended, glancing behind them, “If we had tried going through the front gate, we would have been met with far more elite resistance. Down here, at least all we have to worry about are the sheer numbers versus a squad of elites.”

“I’m not sure if I prefer a few dozen mutants to a handful of well-trained soldiers, if I’m being honest,” Rebecca admitted, looking around and spotting three more shadows shuffling through the water and picking up speed.

“Trust me, it’s better to have things that we can pick off with ease rather than waste our energy in a full on assault,” Ashley argued.

“Now she wants to admit that,” Courtney grumbled, launching her birdarang into the skull of one of the mutants crawling towards them, “Shield, now!”

Rebecca didn’t hesitate at the order and raised a barrier around the four of them. Courntey pressed a button on her utility belt and the birdarang exploded with a bright flash. A wave of heat and fire spread through the sewers and tore down portions of the surrounding walls. Not only that, it revealed more shadows stalking through the darkness. They were going to be surrounded if they stopped for even a second. They’d need to keep on their toes and on their guard if they were going to make it through the sewers. Thankfully, Courtney wasn’t the only one leading the way to the Birdcage. If they worked together, then there was a good chance that the four of them could just work together, they could overcome the odds stacked against them.

“Ashley, take the lead for a minute,” Courntey instructed, fishing her fingers into one of the pouches on her utility belt.

Ashley wordlessly agreed and let Courtney shift a couple of steps back. Courtney pulled a series of darts out of her belt. She had four of them, but she hadn’t had the chance to test them back in her world yet. In theory, they would be perfect for this scenario, but that theory was all she had for the time being. The growls and howls these things made reminded her of the shamblers from back in her world. Hopefully, her latest invention would translate well against these things. She let one slide to her free hand and launched it at a nearby brick without stopping. She did the same with the next one , but she aimed it higher and across from the last one. Courtney repeated the process two more times without stopping as they tried their best to outrun the monsters chasing after them. 

Courtney flipped a switch on her wrist and activated the first part of her invention. Cables shot out from the ends of the darts and stretched out to form thick wire traps. Another flip of a switch on her wrist caused the wires to crackle and hum with electricity. She looked behind her when she heard several shrieks of pain from the mutants as they stumbled into her trap. They didn't last long, though, not as long as she'd hoped. She swore she heard someone breathe a warning to watch out. Her traps would slow them down, but these things were smarter than the monsters in her home world. A deterrent was better than nothing, though. Anything that could help keep the hordes off of them while they worked their way through the underground maze would be invaluable.

“Hard right up ahead,” Ashley said, shifting and keeping her eyes open for any signs of movement around the corner.

One of the advantages of her bloodline and Jake’s merging was the level of low-light vision from her vampiric genes. It was because of this, and Pam’s light, she could see a figure lurking behind a nearby wall. Ashley didn’t break her stride as she rounded the corner and launched a surprise attack. The mutant waiting around the corner was a larger man with skin that looked almost rotted. His teeth were jagged and bent fangs, and there was a powerful odor emanating from him. It was noxious and toxic. Her bet was that this particular monster was likely cursed with some sort of poison; whether that be poisoned breath or some fumes he might emit. Whatever the case, she wasn’t going to take the chance and let this thing get the jump on her or any of her allies.

Ashley’s hand shot out and grabbed the arm of the mutated man before he could surprise her. Her grip tightened around his forearm before she pulled him forward. Her knee shot up and slammed into his stomach, and she quickly pivoted and spun around to slam the back of her foot into his head and knock him back. She let go of his arm as he stumbled backward, and her other hand shot out to rip out what was left of his throat. Just as she suspected, a thick cloud of green smoke rolled out of the opening in his neck. Ashley pulled back a bit and shoved his body away. With any luck, that smog would serve as a deterrent to the other mutants lying in wait.

“Not bad,” Jake remarked, running alongside Ashley, “I could have done that, but not bad at all, Ash.”

“Not now,” Ashley replied, looking around, “Which way to the railways?”

Jake looked around and thought for a second before replying, “Twenty feet straight, and then there is a small opening on the left that should take us to one of the old stations. From there we just have to follow the H train route to the Manor.”

“Lovely,” Ashley sighed, turning and relaying the information to her team, “Twenty feet then a hard left to get us where we need to be. Once we hit the railways, it should be a straight shot!”

“That tunnel collapsed halfway through!” Courtney added, blocking a grab and stabbing a mutant with a birdarang to push them away, “It's passable, but we can use the rubble to lose some of these things.”

“Assuming all of our worlds share the same structure that is,” Rebecca remarked, firing a purple beam through the skull of another mutant trying to ambush them as they ran, “Let's hope that's the case.”

“Focus on moving and staying alive!” Pam shouted, summoning four sets of chains and sending them at an incoming mutated woman, “I don't give a damn if I have to tear the place down, just get us where we need to be!”

Pam's frustration was growing by the second. They'd wasted so much time bickering already, and now these things were trying to delay them further. It was maddening, but it added fuel to a growing fire within her. The four chains she pulled from the murky water shot out and ripped into the body of one of the mutants as it tried to rush her. She pulled her arm back with hateful intent and jerked the thing face down into the water where it struggled to get back to its feet. Her frown deepened as she twisted her wrist and curled her fingers to direct the chains. They snaked around the neck of the mutated woman and began to strangle her. A final flick of her wrist snapped whather neck and silenced her struggles once and for all. 

Rebecca could feel more of their ambushers encircling them. There were clear feelings of malice, hunger, and bloodlust that rolled off of them in waves. It wasn’t unlike some of the minions she’d summoned or made in the past, but their numbers were almost staggering by comparison. For each one they killed, it seemed like four more would rise in their place. Exactly how many of these things had been dumped down here? It was nauseating to use sources of water like the sewers, but she had to work with what she had. They were getting closer by the minute, but they’d be overrun soon if they weren’t careful. Perhaps a combined tactical assault might work to slow or silence some of these monsters.

“Birdgirl,” Rebecca called, already formulating the plan of attack in her mind, “Do you have any electrical weapons in that belt of yours?”

“A few, yeah,” Courtney called back, throwing a fierce right punch at a fanged balding man that tried to sink his teeth into her throat.

“On my signal, I need you to use them,” Rebecca said, pulling her right arm back and making a small circle with her right hand, “You’ll know it when you see it, before you ask. The rest of you, I apologize for the smell.”

Either the others were too busy to acknowledge her, or they didn’t hear her. Whatever the case, she didn’t wait for them to respond before she worked. The circles she made grew faster and wider by the minute. Her focus was on the water in the canals surrounding them. She bent her right arm up as they continued to run and started to swirl it rather than just her wrist. The waters foul and murky waters began to churn and splash against the walkways. As the seconds ticked by, the current grew more violent and rough. A vortex started to form and grow in the waters. It rose up slowly and started to spin at a much faster rate. A cyclone of water continued to form until it touched the roof. It had a pull with it from how fast it spun, and splashes of dank and smelly water flicked off of the torrents as it did.

Unfortunately, it stirred the smell of filth that was already heavy in the air. It had already been stagnant, but now it was borderline overwhelming. Still, it was doing exactly what she’d hoped. The mutants that were within range of the vortex began to get pulled off their feet. They growled and groaned as they ran and tried to escape the swirling cyclone, but the pull was too strong. She didn’t count how many of them had been picked up by her spell, but anything more than a handful was a win for them. They were getting closer to their turn and the subways. She could hope that whatever was outside of the sewer systems wouldn’t be as plentiful as these monstrous mutants roaming these dark corridors. 

“Now, girl!” Rebecca shouted as her vortex spell reached its crescendo.

Courtney had felt the pull, the chilling splashes, and caught whiffs of foulness filling the air. The stench of rotten flesh and filth was heavy, but she hadn’t bothered to look back. They were so close to their destination that she hadn’t been interested in seeing whatever it was. She was putting her trust in Rebecca with whatever she was planning, and she grabbed a modified birdarang from her utility belt. She pressed a button on the side and the wings opened and started to crackle. Without breaking her stride, Courtney pivoted on her heel and launched the birdarang at the vortex. She saw the towering cyclone for a brief second before she stopped, spun back around and resumed her run. It was still something unbelievable to see magics like this in person.

Courtney’s birdarang cut through the air and found its home inside of the smelly vortex Rebecca had summoned. A quick flip of a switch on Courtney’s utility belt activated the charge within the birdarang. The parts shattered in a burst of electricity and a torrent of bolts. In an instant, the murky and foul cyclone was transformed into a crackling and deathtrap. Rebecca was still connected to the vortex, and she could feel the shift as a new element was introduced. It was exactly what she was hoping for. She paused to clench her fist and seize control of the new combustible side of things. The thunderous bolts from Courtney’s addition bent and moved on her command. They whipped and cut through the air to find homes within the bodies of the mutants that had been swept up by her spell. Their soaked bodies were charred and fried within seconds. She could have held the spell to deal with more, but doing so meant she’d have to hold position. That was something that they couldn’t afford right now.

“Up ahead!” Ashley shouted, shifting and sliding into the narrow passageway to the railways.

“Ack, of course it’s a small passage,” Rebecca grumbled as she watched the others file in with quick ease, “Curse my height…”

She had to get lower than usual to make it into the small opening, but she made it without too much difficulty. The scent in the air shifted from musty and muddled to dusty and thick. They came out into one of the old sections of the tunnel. They were miles away from any station, and by the look of things this section had been abandoned long before whoever had taken over the city. Puddles of water from the connecting pipelines were scattered around them. There were pieces of rubble laying around from parts of the tunnel that had collapsed; whether it was from natural decay or from fighting up above wasn’t clear. Despite all of this, the four of them had much more room to move than they’d had seconds ago. The question was now what was waiting for them down here?

“We can’t afford to stop,” Pam said, expanding her light orb as they looked around, “You’re sure that it’s a straight shot from here?”

“Jake seems to think so, and so does she,” Ashley replied, keeping her eyes peeled for any signs of movement, “I don’t like how quiet it is here.”

“Those things stopped following us,” Rebecca agreed, “Any idea why they might suddenly pull off like that?”

“There’s only two reasons,” Ashley sighed, stepping forward and trying to see anything, “Either because they’re not permitted down here, or because they’ve given up. The latter is highly unlikely. Yes, we dealt with several of them, but they don't typically scare easily. Which means that this place has another guard.”

“A sentry?” Rebecca asked, scanning the area for any emotions that didn't belong to the others.

“Possibly multiple,” Ashley replied, “My guess would be that since there are more than one hiding throughout these tunnels. If they connect to the Birdcage then there are likely several standing guard throughout different sections.”

“What makes you so sure?” Courtney asked.

“Because that’s what she would do,” Pam sighed, “You’re starting to believe this might be another version of you, aren’t you?”

Ashley frowned and shook her head, “I’m not ruling that possibility out anymore. Everything that we have seen thus far has been indicative of something that I would have done. The creatures we’ve seen, the state of the city, the layout and manner of defenses are exactly what I would deploy. More than that, I used similar defensive plans in one of my earlier and more successful regimes when I first rose to a station of power. The best way to protect your vulnerabilities is with a multi-pronged garrison.”

“Or a Night Sentinel,” Rebecca remarked, feeling a sense of dread creep in as they slowly made their way deeper into the abandoned and collapsing tunnel.

“What do you know of the Sentinels, witch?” Ashley scoffed.

“Despise me all you wish, you should know I am familiar with your clan and legacy,” Rebecca replied, “There was a reason that I chose you to summon and attempt to bind. Irksome as you wound up being, your strength and abilities have never been a question to me.”

“Hmph, I suppose that was intended to be a compliment,” Ashley rolled her eyes, “How sweet, but don’t think that this wins you any favors with me.”

“Can someone tell me what the hell a Sentinel, or whatever, is?” Courtney asked, hitting a button on her wrist to activate thermal vision.

“A Night Sentinel is a high ranking member of a vampiric clan,” Rebecca explained, “They are considered to be elites in many regards, and they are often tasked with safeguarding the overseer, or overseers, of their families. Sometimes they are purebreds, other times half-breeds, but they all show capabilities far above that of your basic vampire. A single Night Sentinel can be the equivalent to ten vampires with abilities that can range from mystic to raw power.”

“I’d be impressed if I didn’t hate you,” Ashley hummed aloud, “That is almost entirely correct. The only thing I would add is that one Sentinel can outmatch a battalion of the lesser mutants that we’ve just dealt with. We need to keep our guard up while we are down here.”

“I’m not sure if I should respect your honesty or let that hate comment add to my disdain for you,” Rebecca remarked, raising her left hand and summoning her familiars from a cloud of violet smoke, “Go forth, scan the path ahead, and show me what you find, my pet.”

“Was the hate part really necessary?” Jake asked, sitting atop the ruins of a train car that appeared to have crashed many years ago as Ashley and the others passed by.

“I will not hide my feelings to spare someone like her,” Ashley shrugged, “As Beth might say, she can go fuck herself.”

“Cute,” Jake rolled his eyes, “At least you two are working together. It’d be nice if you could do it without constantly talking trash and smack, but I guess this is a start.”

“If she doesn’t want my opinion, then she needs to keep her mouth shut,” Ashley said, “I agreed to work with them, not like them.”

“It’d be nice if you’d agree to let me back in control,” Jake sighed, frowning and looking off into the darkness, “Something is coming. I don’t know what it is, but I heard something down there.”

“A slip,” Ashley nodded, following Jake’s gaze, “An unlikely misstep from whoever is guarding the passage, but fortunate for us. It’s possible it could be rubble shifting, but given what we’ve seen thus far I wouldn’t count on that.”

“Are these Sentinels as powerful as you remember?” Jake asked, getting to his feet as Rebecca’s raven flew off into the darkness.

“Different world, different breeds, different rules,” Ashley replied, “However, the fact that the lessers are refraining from following us it’s a safe bet they’re strong enough.”

Rebecca’s raven crowed in the distance before its body was flung back and landed at her feet. It slowly shook off its stupor and cawed as it climbed to its feet. “This is going to be trouble,” Rebecca frowned as she stepped in front of her pet, “Whatever got hold of my little bird managed to do it without being seen. I can sense something out there, but it can hide from my shared sight.”

“We need to move,” Ashley said, stepping forward, “If we are lucky then they just have the ability to hide themselves from magic.”

“And if we’re unlucky?” Courtney asked, scanning the area as they walked.

“Then we’ll be dealing with someone with the power of invisibility,” Ashley replied, “While not impossible to beat, it is an uphill battle at best. Pam, can you conjure me a weapon?”

Pam kept her eyes peeled and senses on high alert as she extended her hand to grant Ashley’s request. A short, double-edged sword took shape in her hand and she tossed it over to Ashley. “I trust that will suffice,” Pam said, stopping and sending a bolt of raw arcane energy shooting down the tunnel, “It had better because whatever is guarding this place is coming for us. We have to run and fight, now.”

Pam’s bolt of energy cut through the darkness, but it never connected with the Sentinel hiding in the darkness. “They’re coming for us,” Ashley said, motioning for all of them to pick up their pace, “Unlike the mutants, they won’t stop until we’ve either been disposed of or they’ve been dealt with.”

Rebecca’s raven took flight once more and she summoned her wolf from the shadows. It growled and stayed close to her towering form for a moment. “Do me a favor, ladies, try not to attack me while I take a more…predatory form.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Courtney asked, following the others as she tried to spot the fiend moving in the distance.

“She’s showing off,” Ashley rolled her eyes, “She’s going to transform and try to use her strength and speed to catch our adversary off guard.”

Rebecca chuckled as she stretched and rolled her shoulders. Her back arched forward as she began to shapeshift into her werewolf form. Her arms elongated and swelled, her legs bent, and patches of pitch black fur began to form over her body. Her eyes began to glow bright purple as she finished her transformation. She growled before taking off down the tunnel in search of their opponent. Her wolf trailed close behind her. They spread out and worked their way down opposite sides of the tunnel. Courtney watched for a moment in stunned silence before shaking it off and chasing after her. Pam shook her head and followed suit with the hope of sticking together and finding a way to surprise their would-be assailant.

Courtney was amazed by how fast Rebecca could move in her transformed state. She had, of course, heard stories about creatures like this, but she’d assumed they were just works of fiction Then again, she’d also assumed that other worlds were bogus as well. However, her intense conditioning and training helped her to keep pace with Rebecca. Her goal wasn’t to lose her, but rather to try to use her thermal goggles to find the bastard that was waiting for them. Of course, vampires, witches, werewolves, and everything else was new territory for her personally. There was no guarantee that this thing would give off any sort of heat signature. Still, it was the best she could offer.

Ashley kept close beside Pam who maintained her irritated and stoic mask. Both of them were struggling with the situation they found themselves in, albeit for very different reasons. Pam was clearly annoyed by the time they’d wasted, whereas Ashley was struggling to wrap her head around the prospect of her being the sole threat to all of them. She’d been the villain before, but that had been before she knew Jake. Even when she’d returned, her villainous approach had been born out of a need to serve her family and save Jake. The thought that it could be another version of her pulling the strings here, achieving everything she’d once dreamed of, was harrowing to say the least. 

“Watch out!” Courtney shouted, spotting a moving blur on her goggles.

It was too late, though. Rebecca stopped short, but she received a hard shot to her jaw that knocked her back a couple of steps. Rebecca couldn’t see whoever it was, but Courtney watched as whoever it was practically disappeared. They were faster than anything she’d ever seen before. Whatever this thing was, it was powerful and fast. Was this a Sentinel? The blur came again before she could call it out, and another hard blow came at Rebecca and knocked her back a few steps. She needed to try to figure out something to use against whatever this thing was fast before they found themselves in a more compromising position.

Rebecca growled and snarled as she felt the second punch hit her in the stomach. It was one of the Night Sentinels, but she hadn’t expected one to pack this much strength. Invisibility was indeed one of the specialties that this one possessed as well. That spelled trouble for her and the others. Judging by Courtney’s warning, she was using some of Jake’s tech. That was great for her, but it wasn’t going to do much to help the rest of them unless they could coordinate. However, Rebecca had an idea that might work to her advantage. Unfortunately, it meant she was going to have to take a few more hard hits if it was going to work.

Pam and Ashley paused and slunk back to the shadows after Courtney’s warning. They could see Rebecca getting knocked around. They shared a look as they clung to the darkness and tried to formulate a plan. Courntey tried to call out whatever movements she saw, but they came too little too late. They were going to be in deep trouble if they didn’t figure something out quickly. Pam waited and watched for any signs of movement as she tried to figure out the best approach. They couldn’t see their opponent, but that didn’t mean they were entirely outmatched. They’d need to be abel to outsmart the Sentinel if they were going to stand a chance of winning this fight.

Ashley seemed to be in agreement with Pam as she bided her time and waited for the prime moment to strike. Pam watched as Ashley crouched down and readied her sword. She kept low and poised to attack at the first opportunity, but she remained patient while Rebecca took another couple of strikes. Pam closed her eyes and tried to sense where the Sentinel was going to appear next. Courtney was trying to do the same, but both of them were struggling to nail down exactly where it might appear. Every time it showed itself, it disappeared within a second. Whoever it was had an incredible amount of control over their mental and emotional state. However, Pam noticed that Rebecca wasn’t making a move to engage. She seemed to be holding her ground as though she were waiting for something, but what? Pam frowned and tried to concentrate on a plan that might work to aid them.

Rebecca winced as she took a third punch to her jaw. It was then that she caught the scent of the Sentinel. It was faint, but she smelled it on the wind from their last attack. Blood, mud, and an unusual aftershave that stood out on the wind. If it weren’t for her heightened senses in this form, she likely wouldn’t have caught it. She stepped back and waited for the next attack. She suspected that whoever this was shared the arrogance of their master. The wind shifted and that aftershave came through again, but this time Rebecca reacted in time. Her clawed hand shot out and tore through the shirt and flesh of their chest to bring them to a sudden stop without warning. The blow elicited a surprised cry and forced them back. This was the opening they needed, but she could only hope that everyone seized the moment. 

Pam sensed it the second it happened, and she immediately hurled a bolt of energy at the area beside where Rebecca stood. She’d seen Rebecca react and counterattack, and she knew that they only had a few seconds to capitalize on the moment. Her energy bolt collided with the debris around them and covered the pair in a thick layer of dust. It was enough to show the outline of the invisible Sentinel, and finally she could see that it was indeed a male. As she tried to ready another spell for a follow-up attack, Courtney flung a series of birdarangs that landed in and around him. It caused him to stumble backward as the ones on the ground exploded and peppered him in further debris.

Ashley saw what was happening and decided that it was as good a time as any for her to join the fray. Their enemy was exposed, and if she could work with the witch long enough, they could dispatch this one before too long. She moved with breakneck speed and launched herself into a leaping overhead spin with her sword. The edge of her blade cut through his shoulder before he could move back, and Rebecca was quick to follow her attack. Her canine familiar threw itself at him while she lurched forward and sank her teeth into his neck. Their combined assault brought the Sentinel down to his knees and gasping. Ashley didn't give him a chance to speak before lobbing his head off. She saw his eyes and knew then that her suspicions were right. He was one of hers. Unfortunately, that meant he wouldn't be the last.

“We did it!” Courtney exclaimed.

“Don't get cocky,” Ashley warned, listening for movement in the tunnel, “He won't be the last.”

“How many more, Ash?” Jake asked, watching their surroundings.

“It could be three, it could be half a dozen,” Ashley sighed, looking around, “We cannot afford to wait. They know we are here, they know we're moving to their base, and they're going to do everything they can to strike us down before we reach the Manor.”

“Great, this day just gets better and better,” Pam sighed, motioning for everyone to move, “As before, we keep moving. Rebecca, take point with Courtney. Ashley, you and I will bring up the rear this time.”

Rebecca nodded and howled as she took off in a short sprint. Courtney was right beside her this time. Ashley shared a look with Pam, and Pam knew the truth from her eyes. It wasn't skepticism anymore, but a true belief that these were all being manipulated by another version of her. The odds were that they were running headlong into a trap, but staying here would only bring about their end quicker. Whether they liked it or not, they had to continue to move into the unknown if they were to save Beth.