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Chapter 11

"The butterfly effect"

ACT 1

(About Her - Malcolm Mclaren)

The time was three in the morning.

Niles was sleeping peacefully in his room, without worrying about the world. The fur under his eyes was still damp somewhat from crying, releasing it all out before falling asleep. The argument he had just went through many hours ago with Ryan behind the door wasn't helping his situation. Of course, his boyfriend would stubbornly follow him and try to help. But nothing came out of it. He didn't open the door, as much as he was close to doing it many times. He just wanted to hug Ryan and tell what was really going on with him... But he couldn't.

It just wasn't something he was ready to release from the bottom of his soul as an ongoing trauma.

He hated his father more than anything... But he was also scared of him. Scared of what would happen after. How his father would react.

And the worst of all...

Part of him felt like he deserved. He had killed his own mother by being born. It didn't matter if he didn't intend it. He was still guilty of it. And as much as Randal kept beating him up and yelling on multiple occasions that his son didn't even care... He did. He did every single day.

It wasn't easy for him. He wanted to act like he didn't care, just as a defiance for his father that he hated. But he wanted to have a mother. He would spend each night wondering before going to bed, that how different things might have been for not just him, but for the vault if she had not died.

He knew exactly how much that woman meant to her brother, Calvin as well. All the old pictures that were there of Calvin before the tragedy... He was smiling in them. The weasel's hand was always over Randal's shoulder, and Niles's mother was always being hugged from behind by Randal.

It was so alien to him. To see both of these men look like someone totally different... And realize how they had ended up.

And he himself was to blame for that.

And that pain never left him.

If it wasn't for the relationship he had with Ryan, and the fatherly attention he got time to time from Charlie, or the daily presence of his friends...

He would have most likely done either two things... Turn out to be even somewhat of a son to Randal, practicing to become a preacher, and spending time to learn the ropes with Calvin as well, most likely feeling miserable still every day...

Or he would have ended his own life, as gruesome as it sounds.

What Randal didn't know... Was that Niles actually kept a photo of his past gone mother under the bed, just so he could look at her from time to time. Without really telling his father, he would sometimes as a child ask from other adults about how was his mother like.

And the people around him painted somewhat of a picture at least of her...

No one ever said anything negative about her... And reveal by a reveal of her personality, it only broke him down more and more.

Not as bad as it had clearly broken his father...

But enough to make him suffer and live in the self-hate for the rest of his life.

His dad was good at making sure that he wouldn't forget... And that he would not be forgiven.

And he wanted to live with that. Because it felt like a judgment that he just had to suffer.

The young lynx kept on sleeping calmly and peacefully... And without him having any idea, there was talking nearby.

Randal was behind the metallic door, talking to someone. That, someone, was Xavier, Calvin's most trusted guard beside Elliot. The two were talking something briefly, followed by Xavier giving a pointed-out remark to the old lynx about him being drunk as hell three in the morning. Which was followed by just quick and snappy insult. A few footsteps took place behind the door, Xavier having taken his leave from the area.

After a while of some muttering... The door opened up by click of a button.

Slightly dim light arrived into Niles's room from the hallway, the young lynx in the bed not reaction in any way.

The old lynx slowly stumbled into the room, pressing the button after him and closing the door.

A heavy darkness took the room once more, Randal staring at the bed and his son in it. He could see slightly better in the dark without light due to his feline senses, so there was no need to turn on the light.

He was reeking of alcohol, the empty whiskey bottle in his grip hanging around.

The old lynx took a few breaths quietly as he could and looked around the room, small flash of a memory coming through him. He remembered the day when his wife was pregnant and they had to choose a room where their future son would live in... They wanted him to learn to be independent from an early age.

The old lynx started to feel his eyes get slightly watery as he stared at the floor, muttering quietly.

"Don't fight it..."

He convinced himself a few times by repeating the words in the dark, getting mentally ready for the act that he was about to commit. He was surely drunk enough, so this would be the best way to do it... At least that was his line of thought.

The old lynx slowly started to approach his son's bed, almost stumbling his footing from being more drunk than he intended. He kept on going, feeling his heart beat faster as he knew that this would change everything. But if he would do this... It would truly play in his favor in the long run... More so for Calvin's, but... If he would indeed remarry, not out of love but as a necessity, he could have another child and wish that he would turn out better.

But it still didn't mean that after all this beating... All this harbored hate... And all the bad memories...

That he wouldn't love his son. Part of him did. Always would. But he had wanted to do this for a long time... And he needed to do it now.

The lynx still despite the cold expression gave a loud sniff, one tear running down from his eye as he whispered.

"You always hated me... And I can't blame you. I should have never... I should have never began hurting you. But how else would you learn? How else would you... Would you feel the burning hell you put me through? You wouldn't... You are just a... Just a child..."

The old lynx laid the bottle on the nightstand table, wiping his eye with the back of his hand.

"I know that you are going to hell, son... And if I do this... I might end up there as well. I will spend the rest of my days mourning you... And asking for forgiveness. He... He has to... He sees it. He knows. He knows that this is something I had to do... You are just... No good. You killed my angel. I know you-"

Randal couldn't continue speaking for a moment, lump catching his throat as he couldn't hold the cold expression anymore, staring to cry heavily and letting the tears come out.

He gasped quietly with an apologizing tone.

"I never wanted any of this... I.."

He tried to calm down but couldn't. He kept shaking and sniveling, trying to keep control. After a few gasps, he whispered again.

"God forgive me. Emma, forgive me... I have to... I have to do it... Don't... Please don't judge me when I... If I get there. You have to... Find that... That forgiv-oh god..." Randal cut out, feeling the words making him almost trip over the edge of hesitation.

He wasn't ready to do this. He wanted to be. He tried to find that hate, that rage... And use it...

He took few hysteric breaths again, looking as his son shifted a bit on the bed, chasing position.

The lynx froze his shaking form, his panicking eyes following as Niles just gave a small voice as he turned to sleep on his back from his sideways position.

The room was quiet for five seconds...

And after Randal was sure that Niles had not woken up...

He started to slowly calm down his breath.

He needed to get his head clear. To get a grip.

Close your mind. Find that same hate you always...

Find it... Use it. Get it over with.

You can't let Calvin down... And you can't let yourself down.

Randal took a few really quick breaths, mentally amping himself up to do it and relaxing his body as best as he could.

He slowly leaned his head down...

And gently placed a small kiss on his son's forehead.

"... I love you, son." He said with a heavy heart, fighting against the sorrowful emotion taking control again and making him switch up his thoughts.

The lynx closed his eyes, taking three seconds to prepare... And moved.

He quickly climbed on top of the bed, spreading his feet as wide as he could, placing his paws together and turned his head towards the ceiling as he whispered.

"Please have mercy on his soul... Heavenly father."

And the old lynx separated his paws slowly... And acted.

His paws quickly found their way around Niles's neck... And he closed his eyes...

Just so that his eyes wouldn't be the last thing his own kin would see before leaving this world.

(Clint Mansell - Moon OST #4 - I'm Sam Bell, Too)

And the moment his firm grip was there and he started to add pressure... Niles woke up, his eyes quickly opening up as a reaction.

"GHNNG!" The croaky voice was the only thing leaving his throat as the small lynx tried to breathe out, but couldn't. The shadowy figure on top of him on his knees was adding more pressure, making the lynx start to automatically go in full panic.

He started to kick with his feet, his hands waving and trying to reach anywhere at all, his eyes not seeing anything in the dark.

"GHHnnSs-hs-stop!" The lynx let out with all he could, begging the person on top of him to release him... Yet all he got was more pressure around his neck. If this would continue for a little bit more... he was going to die.

His panicking mind knew this. He was already running out of air, his eyes going bloodshot slowly as he was desperately trying to hit the person on top of him in the dark, but got no reaction.

His nose could smell the reek of heavy alcohol, his ears hearing the raspy grunts of the person on top of him.

His legs were kicking emptily at the end of his bed, trying to do anything at all... Yet his attempts were failing.

Finally,... There was only one thing that his brain could process as counter-attack with the last strength his panicking body had in it, trying to make it right. He lifted his knee as fast as he could with force, kicking up with all he could.

And it went straight into between Randal's legs, the person in front of him letting out a surprised yell of total agony.

"Gah,hnNFUCK!"

And just like that.

Niles was breathing again.

He gasped for air with full use of his lungs, his eyes rolling almost in the back of his head as he was seeing nothing but sparks in the darkness.

The violent couching was followed right after from him, the lynx barely understanding anything that was going on.

Randal had taken such a well-aimed kick in his groin that he had fallen onto the floor completely, holding his privates with his both hands and feeling like he was going to puke. He was cursing and gasping rapidly, his rage now going above all sympathy and sadness he felt anymore. Niles was now in more danger than he knew.

The lynx was still couching, holding his sore neck with his paw and looking around the darkness as his mind was trying to make any sense of this. His ears perked up, hearing the hateful voice spitting insults of some kind, aimed at him. The lynx was about to find the nightstand light of his to open it up, seeing who had attacked him... But before he knew... The person next to his bed had stood up with wobbly legs and lingering, intense pain, looking at him with a glimmer of kill hungry eyes.

"THIS HAS TO BE DONE, DON'T FIGHT BACK!-"

"DAD?!" Was the only thing the lynx could yell in a total panic, after getting a glimpse of the attackers face due to the glowing light of his pip-boy in the dark.

The only answer he got from the man, was his fist right at his fast as revenge.

It came hard right against his forehead.

It made the lynx hit the back of his head against the wall, his mind sparking up as the darkness around him made his situation almost helpless. The punch was hard... But not hard enough to knock him out. Now, the young lynx just backed against the wall and started to kick the air with his legs, starting to yell in total panic as his head was hammering.

"DAD, STOP! PLEASE!" The lynx started to cry, knowing now for sure that it was his father. And it just made him full of fear, not understand why this was happening.

"THIS IS FOR HER!" The lynx yelled in rage, trying to catch the legs as the lynx kept kicking as a desperate defense mechanism. The more he kept kicking, the more agitated the lynx got. This was getting out of control, and he needed to kill his son right now before some would wonder about the noise. Not that it was something he deeply was concerned about. He was so drunk that it clouded him from anything but just taking his son's life.

Randal quickly managed to grab his son's left foot and hitting it, getting kicked right after in the chest with the other foot. Randal was now just ravenous drunk animal, hating the resistance his son was giving to him.

"YOU DARE TO FUCKING KICK ME AFTER KILLING YOUR MOTHER!?-"

"I'MSORRYI'MSORRYI'MSORRY!-" The lynx kept repeating in panic, trying to get Randal to stop with the most fearful apology he could release. But it didn't matter shit to him anymore. He wanted Niles dead. Nothing he would say now would change that.

"NO MORE-"

The old lynx had enough of the kicking, hurting his thumb in the process and just taking an appropriate solution. He grabbed the empty bottle from the nightstand, smashing it right at the next incoming leg that was going to kicking him in the dark.

It hit Niles right in his right knee, smashing it to pieces.

Niles cried out in pain, his kicking stopping as he felt the burn. The impact had opened up his leg as a huge cut.

"GET the fuck over here now-"

The old lynx basically leaped on his son, using the opportunity. And just like that, Niles was getting strangled again as the old lynx had after a moment of struggling found his hands sloppily around his son's neck again.

"HGnnn!" The lynx let out, his mind buzzing and leg-burning, the tears running down his cheeks as he was begging for his father to stop. But it was clear just by looking at his eyes. He was not his father anymore. Not at this moment. Right now, he was a killer.

"God take this sinful little deviant..." The old lynx started praying.

Niles tried to kick with his legs again desperately but this time his father was pinning them down.

Niles felt his survival instincts kick in... As he knew that if he would not fight with all he got now against this man, he would die. So now that his eyes had grown a bit to see better in the dark, he attacked with his hands.

His thumbs hit his father right in both of his eyes, making Randal yell and let go again.

"YOU FUCKING ARGH! MY EYES!"

The moment Randal had let go of his son to hold his eyes, Niles freed his other leg and kicked his father in the stomach with full force, making the old lynx fly with his back against the floor.

The old lynx gasped for air in reaction, Niles crawling on his stomach and realizing that he had to do everything to keep his father away from him.

He took the nightstand lamp from on top of the table, throwing it right against his father.

"FUCK!-" Randal yelled as the lamp smashed against the back of his elbow, having used it to cover himself the moment he had seen the boy reach for the lamp.

Niles could barely stand in his condition as the shards of broken bottle dragged against his body on the blanket that was stained in a small amount of whiskey as well.

The lynx's white t-shirt and underwear were just stained slowly in a small amount of blood and alcohol.

Niles had no more things to really throw against Randal, so he had to try to escape. But Randal was already getting up with burning rage in his eyes from the floor, and he was blocking the exit on purpose. He wasn't going to let this lynx leave alive.

Niles had to tolerate his pain and quickly leap from the top of his bed towards the corner, getting away from the glass-covered bed to protect his footing.

His father rose up, looking at his son with rapid breaths as he was contemplating how to proceed with his attack. But the more he would give Niles time to recover, the more he would fight back. And right now, Niles's leg was bleeding badly and the youngling was still on such confusion that he was not level headed in the situation.

The scared lynx knew that his training with Ryan would now be the only thing that would save him, seeing that his father was about to use full-on rage attack on him.

And he did.

Randal swung with his fist towards Niles, the young lynx dodging down and giving a punch against Randal's stomach, making the old lynx grunt of in anger as he was aiming a knee kick in return. It hit the young lynx right in his wound, making him fall on his knees and letting out a cry of pain, Randal hitting his son in the side of his face and making him fall down on the floor.

The lynx's head was spinning, him huffing and using his other still healthy leg to quickly sweep the floor as hard as he could, hitting his father in the back of his foot.

Randal fell down off his balance due to being also heavily drunk, the force of Niles's leg being way too much. He fell right on one of the glass shards as well, it making a deep cut in his lower back and the old lynx yelling out in pain, trying to reach his paw right away to grab Niles.

"GET AWAY FROM ME! -" Niles yelled, aiming a kick right at his dad's face. Randal fell back against the bed, groaning out as his son was fighting back with everything he could in the middle of the dark.

Now, it was Niles's moment. He would have to make a run for it for the door while his dad was down.

But the moment he started to gather himself from the ground, he realized that his leg was bleeding and feeling so intensively bad that he had to limp. He couldn't even run anymore.

The whine of pain and squeezing of tears was all the lynx could do as he tried to get to the door... And when Randal saw his escaping son in the dark, he lost it.

"GET BACK HERE! -"

The old lynx leaped right behind him having risen up from the ground and taking his son into a chokehold from behind just before the boy could press the button to open the door.

"YOU ARE NOT LEAVING ANYWHERE-"

"STOP!-" The lynx begged, trying to his father with the back of his hands as much as he could but his father was overpowering him.

The lynx managed with his hands to somewhat fight against the hand around his neck to breathe air, leaning his jaw down and biting his father.

"AAAAAAFHH!" The old lynx let out, the intense pain in his hand making him let go once more.

The lynx used the back of his head to hit it back, smashing against his father's nose, almost breaking it. The old drunken lynx now fell on the floor against the bed again. Niles fell on his knees to hold his throat once more, coughing as his way of breathing was totally crumbled. His father had strangled him too long and too many times, that breathing now was nothing but pain.

The lynx crawled up to open the metallic door by press of a button, managing to do it.

The way to the hallway was now clear. An escape. All the lights were not on... So, he was greeted with almost equal darkness. He started to crawl desperately out of the room.

"NO!" was the last hateful yell he heard.

And just as he was halfway out of the room already... He felt it.

The most intense pain he had ever felt in his life struck him like lightning.

Randal had taken a huge piece of glass from the broken bottle, being the handle part of it... And struck it as deep as he could into Niles's already open wound in his knee.

The lynx wanted to scream... but the shock was so huge that it was making him unable to form words. He was just gasping, his eyes wide and open as they could be, the glass having cut open his whole calf muscle.

He rolled over on his back and looked down as he lifted his leg in shock of disbelief, seeing the sight of the glass sticking out of his leg. Blood was falling out heavily, the pressure shooting it everywhere.

He would never walk again with this leg.

The old lynx was looking at him on the floor in rage, panting heavily and looking at the face of his shocked son in the dark.

Niles was looking at his wound in disbelief, the pain being so intense that his paws tried to reach the wound, shaking like leaves. His father was not moving. He was just looking at him.

And this was that moment... Even in his drunken state, bruised and beaten up... It washed over him.

The regret.

Seeing his helpless, scared and shaking son hold his ripped up leg in terror, unable to even scream or whine...

It was not the sight he wanted to witness. It was not the sight he expected to witness.

This was meant to be painless... Calm and justified.

This... This was different.

He had just mutilated his son up and right now, this upcoming and very sure death... It was as far from painless as it could be.

"... It's over... Just... Give up and... Let me end it... N-Niles... Come back here..."

The old lynx's nose was bleeding, the sorrowful look lingering on his son that was still staring the wound with tears and snot falling on his face, the lynx looking too petrified to know if this had really happened to him just now.

Randal knew that he had won... His son wasn't going anywhere. But this was not any kind of victory to him anymore. This was a horrible turn.

The young lynx finally stuttered, looking at his heavily bleeding out leg and trying to stumble the words out as he was finally looking into the eyes of his father, still laying in the dark, trying to ask it. Trying to make sense of it. To hear the reason.

And his father kept panting, the eyes staring at his son in apology as he spoke.

"It was meant to be like this... It... SON IM SORRY! IT was... Not... Son, you are in pain... Let me... Just come back and...." The old lynx tried to stutter to his kin, begging him to muster his strength to come back to the room... So, he could end the pain quickly and do it the way it was meant to happen.

"... "Niles couldn't answer.

"C-come here, son... You... You need to understand... It... You have to..."

The old lynx now finally despite multiple fractures and spinning vision started to attempt rising up from the floor.

And now...

Niles was waking up slowly into the situation, his eyes following as the older lynx was getting ready to drag him inside and kill him.

He had to act quickly. He had to do something.

Because if he wouldn't soon die due the blood loss... He would die to his father's dedicated mind.

But then... He saw one last thing, he could do... He started crawling slowly out of the room as best as he could, struggling heavily.

"Stop... Just... Stop." His father told tiredly and in disappointment like resistance was useless.

But before he knew it... Niles was finally whining slowly out of pain and with a quick struggle, getting on one knee that he could still use, starting to press the panels of the door on the hallway side.

"WAIT- NILES!" The voice commanded in panic, realizing what the young lynx was doing. He was starting to move faster, trying to make his way towards the doorway before Niles would succeed.

Just as he was about to reach the door, it closed right in front of him.

The old lynx pressed the green button to open it again... Only to see that nothing happened.

"NILES, OPEN THIS FUCKING DOOR RIGHT NOW!" Randal yelled.

The lynx had pressed the red button instead of green, locking it down.

The whining and shaking lynx started to tinker the lock panel like he had many times before, knowing that it would give him at least a small lead... And he had to move now

The lynx started to slowly get up, crying his eyes out in pain and falling down completely, wincing and biting a cut in his tongue.

"YOU THINK THAT GUARDS ARE GOING TO HELP YOU?! CALVIN WILL KILL ANYBODY WHO IS GOIN TO TRY TO KEEP YOU SAFE! YOU GOT NOWHERE TO GO! NO ONE TO TRUST! YOU WON'T EVEN MAKE IT TILL THE END OF THIS HALLWAY! OPEN THIS FUCKING DOOR!-"

The rageful smashing against the metal kept going, Niles gasping in pain and for the first time in a long while praying that his father was too drunk to bypass the lock system on the door too quickly. His life depended on this lucky move that he had managed to pull barely in time.

He had to crawl away as best as he could and escape the area. He would leave a visible trail of blood around, but...

It would be his last hope. And he knew only one man, one place and one area that his father wouldn't go. And that was the place of a man that was a father to him more than his own ever was.

The lynx started crawling heavily in the hallway after realizing he couldn't walk. It would be also a bad move to yell for help at all. Because even if someone would most likely arrive from nearby, things could go terribly wrong. There was no telling how fast Randal could get the door open in his drunk state, but he had at least a few minutes lead on him, and Winchester quarters was not that far. He couldn't go to Amir, because that's where his father would most likely go first. It would only make sense for him try to get to the doctor, in which case Randal would follow and might even try to kill Amir as well since he was now a witness. He couldn't trust anyone right now without putting them in danger as well. The clock was ticking... And only one that he knew that was not scared of his father and could protect him, was Charlie.

ACT 2

The clock was four in the morning.

A room nearby the medical bay was in perfect silence, one certain bunny sleeping calmly in his bed.

The yellow furred bunny doctor was in deep sleep, only an antique alarm clock on his nightstand ticking steadily.

An old and valuable family heirloom that was among one of the oldest pre-war items that had found their way into the vault the day bombs had started to fall.

The bunny sure couldn't hear it despite the enhanced hearing due to his species, but someone was sprinting on the hallway right now where his quarters were located. The fast pace was not taking a break, loud huffing continuing up until it stopped.

The muffled voice from behind the door started to mutter something panic, taking about two seconds.

And then the yell came without warning from the bottom of someone's soul, Amir's ears spiking up.

"AMIR! AMIR OPEN THIS FUCKING DOOR, PLEASE! HURRY! AMIR OPEN IT!"

The bunny practically jumped from his bed, his heart starting to hammer rapidly from jumpscare. Terrible way to wake up, but the voice behind the door was not playing around.

"AMIR! AMIR PLEASE!" The person begged.

Amir had to take at least three seconds to rub his eyes and look around the room with an alerted gaze, not able to locate the yelling first. It was pitch black.

The clumsy and sleepy paw started to search for the nightstand lamp quickly, the confused voice speaking horrified in the darkness.

"W-who is it?! What is going on?"

Now someone was kicking the door loudly. Amir's eyes shifted at the source of the direction of the angry and aggressive tone. He finally managed to find the button to turn on the lamp.

A light swallowed the whole room, Amir shifting from his bed in total freak-out as the banging kept going on.

The bunny doctor was naked on top of everything. He was totally bare and scared out of his mind, wondering why someone was trying to force themselves into his room like this.

"AMIR!" The voice now yelled... And it sounded desperate, almost like the person was crying.

"W-Winchester?" The scared tone asked now in confusion, rapidly opening the nightstand drawer to take something out.

It was a small kitchen knife, meant for his personal protection. He had never taken it into his paws before.

(Outlast: Whistleblower OST - 03 CANNIBAL INTRO)

The bunny started to slowly approach the door with a shaky paw, holding the knife clumsily and going through in his head for possible reasons for Charlie to be here.

He sounded aggressive, and Amir's imagination feared the worst.

Maybe Charlie had taken overdose with the drugs he had stolen, running around in the hallways like a psycho out of leash. Or maybe he was here to extort him for some more. Or maybe he thought that Amir had been telling to the overseer about his crime and possible addiction.

It could be many things. But what was most alarming was to hear Charlie almost crying. He was desperate.

"AMIR, I SWEAR TO GOD OPEN THIS DOOR, I NEED YOUR HELP!" The dog begged loudly.

Amir answered back with a shaky voice.

"W-Winchester what do you w-want? Why are you yelling? It's four in the morning, mashallah!" The bunny asked, too scared to open the door from it's locked stance.

"AMIR, YOU NEED TO OPEN THE DOOR, ON MY CHILDRENS LIFES AND MY WIFE, LET ME IN RIGHT FUCKING NOW, PLEASE! I BEG YOU!" Charlie screamed out.

It almost sounded like Charlie was more scared of something than Amir was right now.

The bunny hesitated. His finger hovered near the door, and the bunny was swallowing hard, pointing at the door with the knife and stuttering back.

"C-Charlie, you sound very mentally unstable and scary right now, if you have used the drugs that you stole, I-"

"FOR FUCKS SAKE AMIR, NILES HOVAN IS DYING IN MY FUCKING ARMS RIGHT NOW, YOU NEED TO DRESS UP AND WE HAVE TO RUN TO THE MEDICAL BAY!!"

Amir processed for two seconds what Charlie had cried out in panic, the bunny's eyes widening and taking a deep breath as he opened the lock system, praying quietly that Charlie was not lying just to get access into the room to attack him. And that is what he feared more than anything because what Charlie said was very unlikely to be true. But if Charlie would attack, he would just hand over the password to the medical bay room and beg to not get beaten up.

"I-it's open!"

The metallic door slided open in front of Amir's eyes...

And the first thing he witnessed was Charlie Winchester.

The old, riled up and totally panicking brown-furred dog was breathing rapidly from apparent running and was holding someone with his two hands like carrying a child.

The young, injured lynx was like a ragdoll, his eyes looking dry and red, spinning around like he was...

Well, it was obvious to see the moment Amir's eyes noticed the mangled leg of the youngling, the big piece of some alcohol bottle sticking out of his leg.

He was dying.

The lynx had only underwear on, the white t-shirt of his having been torn off and been wrapped around his injured area to slow down the rapid blood loss.

The old husky's paws were covered in blood, his face having a smeared and small amount of it as well.

Charlie spoke with a panicked and begging tone, waking Amir up from his shocked reaction.

"AMIR DON'T JUST STAND THERE; HE IS FUCKING DYING ON ME, MAN!"

"SHITSHITSHIT BY ALLAH WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM!?" The naked bunny woke up, snapping to reality and realizing this was really happening right now.

The husky yelled right back to him with the emotional tone, the glossy eyes being totally in disbelief clearly himself as well of the situation.

"WE ARE WASTING TIME, AMIR HE IS IN A FUCKING HEMORRHAGIC SHOCK SOON IF YOU DON'T GET MOVING! HE NEEDS AT LEAST TWO STIMPAKS! GET DRESSED!"

"-I- I GOT SOME SPARE VAULT SUITS AT THE STA- LET'S JUST RUN! We have to hope he makes it till there, try to keep him awake, don't let him fall asleep!" The bunny yelled, knowing that Charlie was right. There was no time to spare for anything extra, they had to run and save Niles's life.

The dog nodded rapidly in agreement, starting to run already ahead and the bunny dropping the knife on the floor and storming out of the room after the two without even shutting the door down.

The bunny gasped and muttered repeatedly as he was running behind the old husky, seeing the blood trail that Charlie had brought with him on the floors.

"Min fadlik allah , de hdha alsabiu yaeish li'abiha! sawf yaqtaluni kalifayn 'iid!"

The bunny gasped a few times, yelling before Charlie was about to turn from the next corner.

"C-Charlie! The password is Medical 223!"

The old husky yelled something back in panic, Amir not really making a sense of it. But he was pretty sure that Charlie had still heard it loud and clear.

ONE MINUTE LATER

(Resident Evil 5 Original Soundtrack - 26 - Pursuer and The Pursued)

The door to the medical bay opened up, Amir quickly shifting to turn on the light on the nearby wall, bringing the needed vision into the room.

Charlie could smell the cleaning powder and the paw rub alcohol in his nostrils, the husky running into the room and yelling to the lynx.

"NILES! NILES, LOOK AT ME!"

The curling, painful and struggling voices form Niles's throat were the only answer he could get. His eyes were barely open at all at this point.

"HIS WHOLE BODY IS COLD AS ICE, GET THE STIMPAKS, NOW!" Charlie yelled.

"THEY ARE IN THE BACKROOM!" Amir yelled back in panic, storming into the other room to rip the medical cabinets open. One that he needed to open required a password.

"HURRY UP!" Charlie yelled, looking around and feeling totally lost as he gave slight slaps at Niles's cheek, whispering to the lynx.

"Don't fucking die on me, Niles! Don't do it!"

"Bring him in here!" Amir yelled.

The old husky cursed quietly, jogging into the room quickly and saw Amir trying to open some medical cabinet that was closed with numbers and small pip-boy sized monitor.

"Lay him on that bed!" Amir commanded, pointing at an empty bed on the corner of the room.

Charlie didn't hesitate, laying the lynx down and yelling at Amir.

"What is taking so long opening that cabinet?!" He yelled desperately.

The struggling bunny doctor was yelling back in panic, pressing the buttons of the glass panel desperately.

"I don't remember the exact password, we haven't used the stimpak inventory for years!- You know how strict Calvin is about using them!-"

"This is his brother in law's son! I'm sure he is okay with me saving his life! Figure out the password, Amir! Fast! His heart isn't beating almost anymore!"

"I don't remember it, Winchester! I have to run to the monitor in the other room to find it from the data logs-"

"OH, FUCK THAT!" Charlie yelled in frustration, quickly arriving to where Amir was.

Before the bunny realized what, the dog was about to do, he shoved him to the side and without hesitation, punched the glass into pieces from the cabinet. The glass cut at his paw, but the dog didn't care. He quickly dug out the smooth, highly technological looking white box. The title "stimpaks" was on it.

The dog quickly ripped the box open, Amir looking at Charlie take out two stimpaks out of five that were in for use. Looking preserved and ready for use.

The dog ran back next to Niles, Amir quickly arriving next to them as well after hesitating.

Charlie went on his knees and had the stimpak in his trembling fist, needle-pointed at Niles. The bunny doctor quickly started to unfold the white rages from around Niles's leg, Charlie waiting and muttering Niles to stay with them.

After five seconds of panicked unfolding, the bunny felt his expression turn into slightly horrified after seeing inside Nile's leg so clearly, the calf muscle being opened from the middle like a grape.

Amir quickly pointed at right into the calf muscle and yelled.

"Do it! I'll hold him down!"

The dog nodded and didn't hesitate.

The long needle hit right into Niles's leg, the lynx's eyes spiking up momentarily in reaction. Like he had woken up.

Then, to Charlie's surprise, the bunny grabbed the piece of glass quickly and winced already as he whispered.

"Sorry."

He pulled out with the whole glass piece with a strong grip, the blood starting to pour out now like a waterfall, the boy screaming out of pain.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The bunny held the lynx down as he started to loudly cry out pain, his head spinning from the confusion around him.

The husky injected the cell regenerating medicine into the muscle, taking the needle out and Amir yelling to him as he kept keeping the squirming and crying lynx down.

"Another one! Quick!"

Charlie threw the used stimpak to the ground, taking the other one from the bedside and sticking it right next to the spot where he had stuck it the last time.

Niles grabbed the bedsheets with his claws, this time not even able to yell as he was just seeing bright lights and feeling slowly the numbing effect of the first stimpak.

Charlie pressed the button again.

The liquid released itself into Niles's system.

Charlie took the needle out of Niles's calf muscle, dropping it slowly on the ground and looking at the wound.

Niles slowly started to stop his struggling and panicked moving.

The horrified eyes were now slowly looking more peaceful, getting back into their earlier and tired looking state.

Charlie held Niles's cold paw and whispered something to the lynx in encouragement.

Both looked at the huge and gaping wound... and save one of the miracles of life, the peak of medical achievements of mankind do its work.

The wound slowly started to close down, the flesh regenerating itself and the cut veins taking connection. The naked bunny spoke in awe, mesmerized into what he was seeing.

"Incredible..."

"..." Charlie didn't say anything, just feeling relief slowly take his mind over as he kept looking at the medicine doing his thing. He was having flashing memories in his head... He had witnessed this more than needed times in his life, from others to himself.

The wound was slowly getting fully closed. The grey fur on his knee was growing back slowly, and the bleeding slowly stopping. The bed was covered in a lot of blood for sure, but the mess was stopping.

Within the next five seconds, the wound was fully closed... and even as they witnessed the fur grow back slightly on top... The long cut mark still remained there as a reminder.

"Just... Wow..." Amir still said quietly like he had witnessed a thing of beauty.

"... Niles?" Charlie asked quietly with a concerned tone, looking at the lynx.

The lynx was sleeping.

"... He passed out. The pulse is weak, but... We saved him. He will live."

The old dog felt the exhale of relief come out, leaning his back against the bedside and sitting on the floor, rubbing his face and muttering.

"... He almost died on me, Amir... You don't even..." Charlie couldn't even finish his sentence, clearly still riled up and full of adrenaline.

The concerned bunny took his fingers off Niles's neck after checking the pulse, seeing the chest of the lynx lowering and rising.

"... Charlie... Now that he is saved and we can breathe... You need to tell me... What happened?"

The dog took his time to mentally get himself together, running his paw over his face once more and talking quietly.

"I don't know much, Amir... He... He was crying and clawing the door. I first thought that I was dreaming but clearly not. I walked into my living room and heard the voice continue. First, I thought it could be Dion or Ryan... Until I realized Dion had gone to spend a date with Jill, and for some reason, he didn't come over to sleep last night. Ryan just told me that Dion had decided to spend a night in her room-"

"Winchester, you think that was wise to agree to? -" Amir began, Charlie shaking his head and annoyed at Amir sticking into such non-important detail, clearly judging slightly Charlie for being okay with such a situation.

"Yes, her parents surely were aware and okay with such a thing. Young ones do sleepovers, its what they do. Dion is a respectful boy, he won't- Ah forget it. Ryan said that he would himself spend a night with Sam reading comics all night or something. So, neither of them was in their beds. So, it had to be someone else. Especially when I heard someone address me by my family name. And... Like he was yelling for someone to go away... Like someone was after him. I found Niles bleeding on the floor, crying and begging for help. And all I did besides obviously shitting myself was ripping his shirt apart and tie the wound up. He didn't give any info of what happened, he was just crying and scared out of his mind. I don't know who did that to him... but I'm going to find out. I will not leave this room until he has woken up and tells who is responsible for this. Because no one in their right mind will stick a fucking broken glass into their leg like that. I didn't see anyone in the hallway... I didn't exactly know how long he had been crawling either..."

"... S-so are you saying here, Charlie... That this was... A-a murder attempt?"

"... I'm trying to think of any other reason here. Which one makes the most sense to you?"

"... I don't know, b-but it doesn't make sense! Who would want to murder an innocent young boy like this?"

"... I don't know, Amir... I don't know..."

"I-it could have been an accident-"

"look, that glass was forced in that leg. That leaves two options. Someone else did it... Or for some godforsaken reason, he did it himself. That shit was not an accidental wound."

"... Whatever caused it, Charlie... Calvin is going to freak out once he hears."

"I know... But he better be thankful because we just saved him."

"... Out of all the places... Why your place?"

"... Your guess is as good as mine, Amir. We can sit here and play the guessing game all morning and wonder what went down... But right now, everything is just guessing before he wakes up."

"... Shouldn't you wake up Randal and Calvin for this? It is that serious. I could stay here with and keep an eye on his condition or in case he wakes up." Amir suggested like it was a necessary next step to be done by all sense.

Charlie was quiet for a while and then answered with a serious and concerned tone.

"...No."

"... No?" Amir repeated in confusion.

"... Amir... He told me not to."

"... Who?" Amir asked even more confused.

"Niles."

"What do you mean?"

"Look, besides dying, he kept repeating only one phrase over and over. Begging for it more like. I didn't know why he would ask it but... He was very persistent about it... He kept telling that I can't tell Calvin or his father about what happened."

"... Why on earth would the child say that?"

"... I don't know... But he made me promise."

"... Charlie, it could have just been a traumatized reaction from subconscious or something, when people are dying, they talk things they might-"

"He meant it."

"... Are you sure-"

"Yes. How long do you think that it will take for him to wake up?"

"... It... Might take at least two hours."

"Then that is what we wait."

"But Charlie... It just doesn't seem wise that-"

"End of discussion, Amir. We wait."

The bunny looked like he was about to argue back but Charlie's expression told him to not push it. He had made up his mind.

The bunny then sighed and nodded quietly, giving up.

"Okay."

"By the way..."

"What?"

"You should put those spare clothes on now if you have time. Makes this kind of awkward."

The bunny rolled his eyes and muttered as he rose up, Charlie shaking his head as Amir slowly walked to the other room.

"... Hsnana , la tuhadir al'atfal aladhin yamutun 'iilaa eatabat dariin fi alssaeat 4 sbahana , alhimar aldhaki..."

"You have a coffee maker here right?" Charlie asked.

"Yes, Yes," Amir muttered in frustration.

"... Niles... I hope you have a good explanation for this." Charlie said quietly in deep thoughts, clearly having a focus fully on possible suspects.

And yet... The way Niles had begged him not to tell Calvin or his father.

He couldn't shake the thought...

Could either be somehow responsible for this?

ACT 3

Calvin was taking a nap on the couch, having ended up closing his eyes after listening to his usual ink spots tune for too long. He knew that within a few moments, Randal would be here to wake him up anyway, telling that... The deed had been done. He had full trust in his brother in law when it came to this unethical yet necessary plan.

And he sure did wake up after sleeping a mere hour... Because the arrival into the office was far from being quiet and smooth.

The metallic door opened up by a press of a button, the old lynx limping into the room with agony and panic on his face, yelling loudly.

"CALVIN!"

The weasel slowly started to open up his eyes, muttering something in frustration.

"CALVIN, I FUCKED UP!"

"What, what, what?...." The weasel muttered, waving his paw in an annoyance and clearly hating the loudness Randal was surrounding him with.

"You need to wake up now! I... Screwed up! We are done!" Randal yelled in a desperate tone like the world had ended.

"Close the damn door before starting to yell!" Calvin ordered in an annoyance.

The lynx quickly ran to the door, closing it by the panel and shaking all over. The weasel meanwhile started to shift on the couch, talking in confusion.

"What-what are you talking about? What happened?! By fucking up, did you mean that someone possibly saw you? Because if it was not Charlie himself, just tell me the name... I figure something out and order the guards-" Calvin started answering in annoyance, thinking that as the most possible and logical reason for Randal's behavior.

But the old lynx fell down on his knees and shook his head, covering his face and sniveling.

"Randal, for god's sake, get yourself together? What went down? Did you manage to drag the body into where we planned... By judging all that blood on you, you really did bash him a lot with that baton of his-"

"He escaped!" Randal squeezed out like it was the most terrifying outcome possible.

"... Who escaped?" Calvin asked quietly, rubbing his eyes and slapping himself a bit, getting his head in the game.

"Niles! He fucking fought back like crazy and he got away!-" Randal yelled.

Calvin's face fell totally from an annoyance into terror as he saw that Randal was far from lying.

"You are going to have to repeat that," Calvin said coldly in the most disappointed tone he had ever aimed at the lynx.

"I--I tried to choke him to death, b-but he fucking kicked me in the balls and fought back like... Calvin, he almost turned that fight around! B-but I g-got him really good! He might be dead!"

"WOWOwo, slow down, you were beaten by your own son?!" Calvin asked like it was impossible.

"THAT FOX HAS THOUGHT HIM TO DEFEND HIMSELF WELL, Calvin I tried my best!" Randal defended.

"You drunken, fucking idiotic, stupid!-" Calvin couldn't even continue, shaking in rage mixed with panic.

This situation had gone out of control.

The weasel could do nothing but mutter how dead they both would be soon... But Calvin quickly hopped up from the couch and started shaking the lynx by his shoulders.

"Where did he run?!" Calvin yelled.

"He didn't run anywhere! He can't run!" Randal said, looking down again and repeating how it was all his fault.

"WHAT?! SPEAK SENSE!" Calvin yelled, slapping Randal in his face with an open palm to wake him up from the desperate state he was in.

The old lynx sure did stop sniveling, looking at Calvin now with wide eyes and seeing the serious gaze staring at him down.

"Randal, everything right now depends on you telling me step by step what happened, do you understand? I am NOT going to let whatever you fucked up, FUCK US BOTH UP. I am not letting Charlie win and take over here, and I will not go down as the hated old overseer who tried to plan a murder. GET YOURSELF TOGETHER... AND answer my questions.

Quietly. Not by yelling. Do you get it?" Calvin asked, looking insane as he was focused.

The old lynx sniffed loudly, his bloodshot eyes looking glossy as he spoke quietly.

"Yes... I... By god, I really screwed it all up, Calvin you have to forgi-"

"Tell me... Where. Did. He ran?" Calvin asked sternly, trying to keep the lynx focused.

"He didn't... He didn't run... I... I stabbed him." The lynx said, trying to stay calm.

"... You stabbed him. With what?"

"With broken bottle. It... It cut deep. He... He is most likely dead by now." Randal muttered, wondering if that was the possible case.

"... Where did you hit him with the broken bottle? I'm talking about his body."

"I ripped open his leg really bad... There is no way he was able to run. He was crawling. Really slow. He... He managed to crawl out of the room and... Lock me in there! That is how he escaped!" Randal said, raising his voice again in desperation and making Calvin wince in an annoyance.

"Shut up!... Alright... So, he... He was stabbed by you in the leg... Was he bleeding bad?"

"... Everywhere... He was... He..." It was hard for Randal to speak anymore, the glimpses of regret washing over by the seconds the more he saw the image of his crying and scared son holding his leg.

"... Randal... If he was crawling, why didn't you go after him to kill him once you opened the damn door?"

"... I... I followed him right after... I... I tried to get to him."

"... Then what the fuck stopped you? If he went to Amir, which is very anyone in his case would go to, it would take too long to reach the medical bay or Amir's quarters from where you were in time. You would have reached him by halfway there. So-"

"I did follow him... I ... I followed the blood. I was running... But... Calvin... He didn't go to Amir...."

The weasel looked confused for a moment, trying to figure out any possible place possible.

"... Where did he g-"

And the looks on Randal's face already gave it away before he could finish his sentence.

He realized it.

Winchester's quarters were way closer to Hovan quarters than Amir's place.

The weasel started to rub his trembling face with his paws, trying not to use claws as the desperate rage built inside him.

"FUUUUUUCKK! FUCK; RANDAL, FUCK!!!!!" The weasel yelled, realizing the obvious fact and the reason why Randal had barged in and yelled the way he had.

They were fucked.

The old lynx started to mutter in panic.

"I-I saw him by t-the door to their place... A-and as I was about to run to get him and drag him away... H-he saw me standing there by the end of the hallway, and he started screaming for Charlie to open the door. I-I had to run before he could see me as well... I-I... I ran straight here."

"FUUUUUUCK!" The weasel kept yelling, slamming the chessboard from the table and onto the ground.

The old lynx had never seen Calvin this outraged. The weasel was going insane.

"I TRUSTED YOU TO DO THIS ONE THING! YOU PROMISED THAT YOU WOULD DO IT JUST LIKE WE PLANNED, AND NOW YOU FUCK UP LIKE THIS?! DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?! YOU HAVE RUINED ME! WINCHESTER IS OBVIOUSLY GOING TO PINPOINT THIS TO ME AS WELL, THE MOMENT NILES SINGS ABOUT YOU STABBING HIM AROUND!"

The old lynx was falling with his shoulder against the couch, covering his face with his bloody paws and totally closing out, realizing that he had screwed up the worst way he could have imagined.

There was no way for this situation to get any more out of hand than this. Calvin's time as an overseer would be over.

The weasel was starting to spin in circles, feeling he was about to explode. The furious desperation and a helpless need to somehow was his hands from this was ongoing.

He kept thinking, trying to just form any kind of result here which would get him out of the trouble...

But he couldn't find one. Even if he could somehow with a very small chance to succeed, convince others that he had no part of this even if Randal was his brother in law... Randal would be publicly trialed and either banished from the vault... Or executed. The rules were clear. No one wanted to be around a person who was capable of murder. And a murder of his own son would make it even more straightforward judgment.

It was four in the morning... And he had to figure out what to do.

The most natural reaction for Charlie would be to wake Amir up and medical bay. That went without saying. He would try everything he could to save that boy's life.

The question was... Would it be too late to save him? If he had been bleeding up around the hallways with a cut leg...

It all depended on how fast Charlie would act... Open wound like that...

If Niles was dead, he could have very likely told Charlie who was to blame, before he would be gone...

But if he was getting rushed to the medical bay right now...

The weasel stopped walking. Randal was still talking by himself, fallen into desperation and self-guilt.

Calvin snapped his fingers, talking to the lynx.

"Randal. RANDAL!"

The old lynx slowly looked at the weasel in question, looking like it was pointless for Randal to try figuring escape from this at this point.

"What... What if..." The weasel thought out loud.

"... Calvin... We lost..."

"Shut up. The amount of injury that Niles had... Would he be saved by a stimpak?" The weasel asked.

"... I..." Randal thought for a moment. But remembering the image of his son's wound was the last thing he wanted to linger on.

"RANDAL, YES OR NO!?" Weasel yelled impatiently like they were in a hurry.

"Y-yes! The wound w-was not that bad... I-I mean it was bad enough to kill him in few hours but... H-he reached Charlie, man-" Randal said, drifting away in misery again.

"Wait, if they managed to use stimpak to save him in time... That shit leaves no traces, right? I've seen it happen once with my own eyes... It completely fixes the wound." Calvin said like it was common knowledge.

"..." Randal didn't answer, just looking down on the floor.

"Randal, that means that only two people, Charlie and Amir, are the ones that have witnessed the wound and knew that something had been done to him." Calvin pointed out.

"C-Calvin, I don't-"

"It means that they basically can't prove what happened! There is no clear trace of the wound... Only their words against ours-"

"W-Winchesters kids might have seen Niles as well..." Randal pointed out.

"Whatever. So, it's a family against our word then. You are a priest, I am the overseer, and assuming Niles survives, I can handle in a possible trial against their family with you. Amir... I deal with Amir. I will make sure that he won't say a fucking word about what happened to Niles." Calvin said, his mind working on full speed right now.

The old lynx shook his head like Calvin was just denying their loss, yelling the obvious.

"Calvin! There is blood around the floors of the hole vault and in his fucking room! That is evidence on a print that there was a fight! And within a few hours when everyone steps out of their rooms, they all notice it as well!"

The weasel was quiet for a moment.

He had indeed forgotten that. There was evidence of a big injury all around the hallways as the most visible clue possible. Leading from Niles's own room no less.

"C-Calvin... We can't win this."

Then the sudden idea hit Calvin.

His instincts kicked in without hesitation, the weasel quickly running towards his desk.

The old lynx followed with a confused gaze as the weasel leaped over the table clumsily, knocking down a few papers and small bobblehead figure of intelligence as he quickly started to scramble with something.

After a few moments of static noise, Calvin spoke loudly.

"Elliot! Wake the fuck up!"

The line was silent.

"ELLIOT!" The weasel yelled now, slightly desperate and knowing the obvious fact in the situation.

Every second counted if he was about to succeed in this.

After some odd noises from the other line, the person answered.

"... Mister Marston, it's... Freaking four in the morning? What is up?" The tired cat asked from the line.

"ELLIOT. I need you to listen to me VERY carefully." Calvin said, looking focused and clawing his table in anxiety.

The old lynx started to listen up and crawled slowly from the floor, looking at the weasel with a puzzled expression and wondering why was he contacting a guard.

The voice on the line answered tiredly after yawn.

"What is it? Is everything okay, Calvin? What are you doing in your office at this hour? Shouldn't you be at your own quarters, sleeping? -"

"Elliot! Focus. I need you to do something for me. And I need you to wake up Xavier." Calvin ordered.

"... Xav? Maaan, you know that he hates being cut from sleep-" The cat began in frustration.

"Shut up! Just do it! Or do you want to be fired?!" Calvin yelled, feeling like the threat was a bit harsh. But the clock was ticking.

"N-no maan! I-I'm sorry mister Marston, but I just don't understand-" The cat began in a scared tone.

"That is why I am asking you to listen! You need to wake up Xavier right now, and you two have to do something for me."

"... Okay, what do we have to do?" The cat asked quietly.

"Look, Niles had an injury just now," Calvin said like it was an unfortunate thing to say.

"... Hovan?"

The old lynx on the background looked at Calvin in panic, not understanding his plan right now at all. The weasel just waved on his way, signaling him to shut up.

"Yes. Niles Hovan. His dad woke up to odd noises and he found out that the kid had stolen his dads' bottle of whiskey." Calvin sighed, acting like that had been really the case.

"... Why would Niles steal Randal's whiskey? He doesn't strike me as a kid who would do that." Elliot said like it sounded rather bizarre.

The weasel rolled his eyes in frustration and sighed before answering.

"You know how the young ones are, Elliot. They want to try cool new things and break rules. He had apparently been getting drunk on his own in the room. And somehow, for Randal's confusion, he had stepped on the fucking bottle. It had broken down and cut him in his leg. Pretty badly for what Randal said."

"Aaaaaw, shit... I feel bad for the kid, Mister Hovan ain't going to take kindly to that-" Elliot began with worried tone, clearly knowing what kind of person Randal was.

"Yes, yes. I know. He is pretty heated up, and clearly, Niles knew this. So, he wanted to get away from his room as quickly as possible. But for some fucking reason, the blood trail doesn't lead into the medical bay, but the drunken kid went to most likely spend a night with the Winchester kid and to hide there from his dad till morning at least." Calvin explained, his mind working out fast on making up a story.

The old lynx still looked confused but didn't say a word. He just approached the desk slowly.

"... Alright... Umm... So, what do you exactly want for me and Xav to do? Drag Niles out of there and wake up Winchesters four in the morning?" Elliot asked, clearly hinting that it was not something he wanted to be involved in.

Calvin clawed the table a bit, shaking his head from the stupidity and yelling on the line.

"No, imbecile! The blood! The cut in his leg has caused a lot of bleeding, as Randal himself had witnessed. You both need to clean that shit up from the hallways before everyone wakes up! You both have two hours of time to do it, so run and get the buckets of water and soap and get to it! That means Niles's room as well! It's a fucking mess. Randal has no idea what he has been doing in there but he has been trashing the place up while drunk for some reason, obviously."

After a moment of silence, the cat muttered on the line with a lazy tone.

"... Fuck... Why not someone else, Marston? Why me an Xav-"

"Because you two are the most trusted and loyal ones I know..." Calvin began, closing his eyes and wanting to smack Elliot right now.

"... I don't think you need loyal men to clean hallways at this hour, Calvin." The cat said with a bored tone, clearly not up to it.

The weasel almost hit the table, composing himself from shaking as he spoke on the line quietly after taking a deep breath.

"LOOK. Just... Fucking do it. If you do it... I will give you and Xav both a reward. You both will be the only two guards in the vault to have the right to carry a firearm." Calvin said in frustration but saw no other choice to persuade the cat into doing what needed to be done.

"... Wait, seriously?" The cat asked with a surprised tone.

"Yes."

"Yooo, if I get to wear a gun, my girlfriend is going to think that as like... Most badass thing-" The cat began excitedly.

"LOOK, just wake up Xav and get it done! Time is wasting! Don't tell anyone you two cleaned shit up! Just do it. If Winchesters are not present at their quarters, clean that whole place too. Just do it. Don't leave a drop anywhere. And just... Get it done! And then arrive here." Calvin ordered.

"... Okay, we'll get on it. Sure. I'll wake him up. It's gonna take a while tho. If Ryan took Niles to see Amir and stuff, there might be blood in lotta places-"

"THEN WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! I don't want my people to wake up at the sight of blood everywhere! Get it done as fast as you can you two! Do IT!" Calvin yelled, feeling like he was losing his mind right now with the cat.

"Okay, okay! Sheesh... Don't need to be so aggressive. We get it done in an hour or some..." The cat said with a given up tone.

"The faster the better. Get going."

"Okay, mister Marston... We will."

Click.

The connection between the lines cut off.

The weasel collapsed on his comfy chair behind the desk, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath of somewhat relief.

The old lynx walked closer now, finally talking quietly to the weasel.

"Calvin... What did you just do?"

"... I possibly saved both of our asses, that's what." Niles said, really wishing it was the case. Xav and Elliot needed to do fast work.

"... What if Charlie catches the two sweeping the blood from their quarters? E-Elliot would say right away that you ordered him and Xav to do it..."

"Then we are fucked. Right now, I'm gambling... Just like Winchester does with me. All we can do now... Is put our hope on those two to clean up the evidence for us." Calvin sighed, feeling like he was about to get a headache of a lifetime.

"... B-but... What about Amir?"

"I told already... I deal with the bunny. If I have... Xav and Elliot visit his med bay..."

"... Y-you mean kill him?"

"No... Just... Threaten him. The bunny is not brave, he won't breathe a word if I make it clear that he would pay with his life for it." Calvin assured, implying that Amir was not the biggest threat to their plan.

"Calvin... How did you... Come up with all this just now?"

"... Because I am not totally drunk like you and thinking is my job. That is why I became an overseer. I think for others so they don't have to, Randal."

"... You... You really think that we might get out of this?"

"... Yes. I believe so."

"... But even if you manage to make Niles not talk... Or Amir not talk... What about-"

"Charlie's kids can spread rumors all they want, ASSUMING they were present at the scene. Rumour among kids is not a problem. It will quiet down with time."

"... And Charlie? What do you think that he will do once he finds out from Niles that I... What I did. Or if he comes to that conclusion on his own?... Calvin... You know his influence. People will believe him over me." Randal asked like that right there would turn all this around.

"..." The weasel was quiet for a while, his mind working on a solution. He had no idea of the situation Charlie was possibly going through right now... So, he had to come up with something.

Indeed, what would Charlie do? What would be his response, if Niles told him that Randal tried to murder him? Would he bring it to me? Would he go around telling everyone? Would he try to...

Calvin kept thinking more and more.

Knowing Charlie... He would do the most un coward thing possible. Calvin knew it. And that leads to...

Charlie confronting Randal about the act face to face... Most likely even attacking him.

That is what he would do. He would not talk. He would act.

So... What can you do at that point?

The weasel's expression changed slowly, his eyes widening.

He started to smile a bit, wondering if the ambitious plan would work out.

"Calvin... Tell me that you found a solution. Why are you smiling?" Randal asked with a hopeful one now.

"Randal... This idea... This idea that I came up with, just now... It requires you again. You... need to make a performance of your lifetime. And this time... Do not fucking screw this up."

"... W-what performance?"

"You need to act like nothing happened to your child. The last time you saw him... Was in the morning when he was going to med bay for casual health check. That is all. You never saw him or spoke to him after that. Everything last night went normally... And in case Charlie comes yelling and raging to you... That is the story you stick with. You are innocent, your usual grumpy self. You are our preacher like you always have been. You will take a shower to get rid of that reek of alcohol, change those clothes to new ones... And then you will join me in the adult hall."

"... Why there?"

"We are going to have a chess match. Public. People will be around. All the eyes are on us. It's not common for me to be among people that openly. So, it will get attention. Every single one of my guards besides Xav and Elliot will be ordered there as well."

"... G-guards?"

"... It's for our protection... Well, more like your protection."

"Why is that?"

"In case Charlie walks into the hall, which I know he will... And is going to publicly call you out for your crime. But if no one has seen the blood on the hallways... Or there is no mess anywhere, and Niles is fine... It leads to only one thing. Winchester will look crazy to everyone."

"..."

"It is fucking perfect! If this... If this works out... Everything will turn into our favor after all! But without Niles even dying!"

"... I-I don't know if it will work out that well... I-I'll trust you, Calvin... But... You do realize that... If Charlie makes claims that Niles is wounded and in medical bay... Wouldn't people right away find out if it was true? Wouldn't someone be sent there?" Randal questioned like it made sense.

"yes, they demand an answer... But... Niles will never risk anyone's life over his own. I highly doubt it... If Elliot and Xav are in the med bay when I contact Amir from the main hall in front of everyone... I bet on Niles telling whatever I imply for him to say... Or he will see Amir get shot down by Xav right in front of him... And then he will be next." Calvin said with an evil smile like he had come up with the best plan possible.

The old lynx processed the plan in his head, wondering if this was something they would really manage to pull off? Because it sounded risky... And it sounded like a pot for even a bigger mess.

"Calvin... What... What if Niles calls the bluff and... And tells the truth on the line? You know damn well that Elliot won't shoot Amir for you... Nor my son for that fact. He won't have the stomach for it."

"... No... But Xavier does. And Niles knows that." Calvin said like there was no doubt about it.

"... Are you sure that all this is the way to go?" Randal asked quietly, sounding like the plan was too ambitious to succeed. He was clearly still depressed and having that given up attitude despite all Calvin's thinking and planning.

The weasel was quiet, rising from his seat and laying his hands on the table, speaking with serious and confident tone to the old lynx.

"May I remind you that this is your fault, dear brother in law? You got us both into this mess when all you had to do was to strangle a sleeping kid."

"... Calvin..."

"I will not be remembered as a monster. I will not fucking let Charlie win. If I make him look like a crazy person, throwing murder accusations around and everyone hearing that he had made all that shit up out of nowhere and Niles is fine... That gives me leverage in our future back and forth. That will stir people's opinions about him." Calvin pointed out like it was really the best way to go.

The old lynx rubbed the back of his head, just overall feeling still tired and feeling guilty about Niles, the same flashing images of his helpless son going before his eyes.

He spoke quietly.

"I... I don't know about this Calvin..."

"... It is better than giving up and being trialed and sentenced. I intend to fuck Charlie over and I will do anything to get that done. Caught or not, failure ahead or no... We are already too fucked to have anything to lose. Might as well do the one last thing left. We gamble."

"..."

"Randal... Today is the day. It's all... Or nothing... So, get ready for the chess game. Because you owe me one."

ACT 4

(Fallout 4 OST - Wandering, The Foothills [Part 1])

It was half six in the morning. Charlie was still sitting next to Niles's bed, looking at the young lynx in thought and his mind wandering all around the place.

Amir was sitting on a bench nearby. He was drinking his coffee quietly, looking at Charlie and his gaze wondering time to time at the intercom on the wall. He wanted to report what had happened for Calvin... But Charlie would not let him. In his mind, Calvin had something to do with this... And he didn't want to have any possible contact right now with the weasel. And if Calvin was to come over here with Randal... He would have to be present in the room when Niles would wake up. Just to see how Niles would react at seeing his father. If the lynx would be too scared to talk... Only the reaction on his face and body language would be all Charlie needed to witness to know that these two had something to do with what happened to him.

The bunny awkwardly fixed his posture in the chair, staring at the clock on the wall and speaking quietly.

"... He should be awake soon."

"... Mh." Charlie hummed quickly in deep thought.

"... It's surprising, you know... If you don't mind me saying."

"... Huh?" Charlie asked, waking up to the moment and looking at the bunny.

"... You. Being so protective of him. He is not even your child... Yet you carried him like one and now you are just... Well, you are acting like a father towards him."

"... Maybe I am."

"... May I ask why?"

"Because I have taken care of him better than his own drunken excuse of a father. You know that."

"... But why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you see yourself as a father figure for this lynx?"

"... Because he needs someone like that. If his father is no good... then it doesn't hurt to have someone looking after him."

"You could say that again... But you would do that to any of these younglings, not just Niles. That is at least what I would believe of you."

"... I don't know what you are trying to say here."

"... I'm saying that it's admirable. You having that trait about you. No one asks you to look after Niles like you do. And still, you do it. Why? Why are you so keen on helping all of these people like they were your own?"

...

The old dog didn't answer, turning his gaze to look at Niles again and the silence settling in.

After Amir realized that he was not getting an answer from the dog, he sighed and leaned against the table with his elbows a bit, taking another sip of coffee.

The only sound in the room was the clock ticking on the wall again, along with Niles's restful breathing on the bedside.

As a very long minute passed by, Amir suddenly heard Charlie speaking.

"... I lost my own father when I was ten years old." The dreamy, sad voice spoke.

Amir looked at Charlie, his eyes opening a bit at that. The rabbit spoke quietly back.

"... Really?" The bunny asked with a careful tone.

"... It's hard to forget something like that. You know that. Since you have been through it as well." Charlie said quietly, rubbing his face a bit and looking at Niles still.

"... But at ten... That is a slightly different thing, Charlie. H-how did he umm..." The rabbit drifted away, wondering if he was pushing boundaries right now.

"... He was killed in front of me. Shot down."

Amir's face went slightly into shocked expression, the bunny laying the coffee cup on the counter next to him. Amir spoke back quietly.

"I'm... I don't know what to say."

"He did it to save my life... After all these years... That admiration never left. As blurry as the memory is and for my sake mostly forgotten... I'll never forget the way he looked at me, and... What he did that day. That fatherly pride he held. The protective courage to the end... The way that he was caring for others around, not just me... I wanted to be like him. More or less, I... I guess I got somewhat close to that. I'm not sure. But I'd like to think that I ended up having that same soul as him." Charlie said, passing through his memories.

"... What was his name?" Amir asked carefully.

"... Ethan. Ethan Winchester. The tribe called him... Raturu... The chosen father." Charlie said, smiling slightly.

"... The... Tribe?" Amir asked in total confusion.

"They were called Suturu. It's a... Long story... Hah... That life... Pretty much the only happy memories I've ever had." Charlie chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.

"... What about your mother? Did you know her?"

"... Yes... Yes, I did." Charlie said quietly, still smiling.

The bunny was quiet, wondering if these questions started to become too personal for the old dog.

But Charlie just turned to look at the bunny after a while. He then spoke.

"Tisha. That was her name."

"... That is a beautiful name."

"... She herself was very beautiful. She was a good mother to me."

"... Is she...?" Amir asked, knowing that he should not be asking questions really anymore. But it was fascinating to hear anything from the old mysterious dog who had never spoken about something this personal to him.

"... I don't know. When my dad got killed... I was separated from her. And I never really... I got a chance to say goodbye to her. She could still be alive for all I know. I never found her after the separation... And I... I guess part of me couldn't return to where I was from, for some reason."

"... That sounds terrible experience to go through as a child."

"... Some get it harder than others. As tough as it may sound... I hope she moved one with her life after losing my dad and me, but... I can never truly know how her life ended up. She was a strong woman, so... I hope she is alive and well still. I'd like to believe that." Charlie said with a faint smile.

"... You said part of you couldn't return to where you were from... Why?"

"... For more than a few reasons... But I guess... I guess my energy was never tied to the place where I was born in. It was beautiful, though... The place I mean. It was like... Well, I guess some would say a paradise. It's hard to remember a lot though... All I remember is a lot of red rock mountains... Caves... Trees and rivers." Charlie explained, the memories being too hazy.

"... That does sound wonderful. Not that I would personally know. But things you have mentioned, I have read about. Is... You haven't told a lot about your life on the surface, you know." Amir stated, trying to paint a picture in his head about what Charlie was describing.

"... Better that I don't, Amir. You wouldn't most likely be that happy if you knew about life up there." Charlie said quietly.

"You might surprise me, Charlie. I am rather interested. Was everywhere as pretty as the place you were born?" The bunny asked with genuine tone, relaxing and now actually feeling good that he was getting some information about things he didn't know.

"... No." Charlie said rather quickly.

"... Not at all?" Amir asked in confusion, raising his eyebrow.

"... Not one bit." Charlie pressed like it was rather a silly question. If only Amir knew...

"... So are you saying that there is no beautiful nature up there at all?"

The old dog was now quiet, for some reason having a small smile as he looked at the floor, speaking a bit softly.

"... I... I knew... Saw... This one place..." The dog let out.

Amir was quiet for a while, Charlie being quiet and drifting into daydreaming about something until the bunny spoke.

"So... besides this one place..."

"... It's called wasteland for a reason, Amir... The place looks... Well, you would have to see it with your own eyes to make a conclusion. If I'd have to use a word for it... It would be... Broken." Charlie said, Amir, noticing that Charlie was just getting moody of the subject.

"... It doesn't still hurt to talk about it. I mean... You are not there anymore. And most likely won't ever be, unless you decide to leave. Which I feel like some part of you wants to." Amir said, the very same tone being with him now as he did a few days ago.

"... Amir." The dog sighed tiredly, closing his eyes and rubbing his nose.

"... You didn't really answer my question before you left this room after taking the drugs-"

Charlie signaled with his hand for the bunny to stop reading him and spoke.

"Look, just... Cut it out, Amir. You should clearly know how to read the room. I CAN'T go back there... And the reason for that is... It's something you don't need to know. But if you really so desperately want to know, then yes... Maybe a small part of me draws me back there. It is what it is. That simple. But it won't happen. I have accepted that I will live the rest of my days here. But the thing is... After we are gone, the future generation here is going to have to wander out. There is no food left enough for the next generation to survive. No electricity. Me and your father knew it... If only Calvin truly cared about these people... He would let me teach about what is waiting out there and how to prepare for it." Charlie finished, getting a bit restless and scooting up from having sat down too long, the dog running his paw on his ruffled tail a bit.

"... Calvin's responsibility is for this generation... Not for the future ones." Amir pointed out.

Charlie looked at the bunny with a slightly disappointed face. But he clearly knew that Amir only thought so because he was angry that his dad had wasted so much time on trying to convince Calvin about the future of the vault, that he didn't pay a lot of attention to his son. At least as much as Amir had wanted.

"Is that really how you see it, Amir? Because I think a true overseer would try to maintain the health of the future people after him as well... The way the people have been living here since the start... It's just... Ugly to look at. Since the start of this vault, you people have been eating more than needed, drinking whines, using electricity like it's nothing, using showers even three times a day... While out there, everyone else had to just fucking bear things you couldn't im-"

The dog stopped on his tracks, realizing that he had been carried away a bit in his deep and long-winded frustration for thinking this through a lot.

The bunny was quiet now for a while, looking a bit alarmed and speaking quietly.

"Bearing things, I couldn't imagine...? Like what?"

"... Forget about it." Charlie muttered.

"Is there a problem with food there? Or water?" Amir asked with an interested tone and slightly worried.

Charlie looked at Amir by accident with a look like it was the stupidest question he had heard.

"... You could say that again. Look, I want to talk about something else. Sorry that I brought it up."

But Amir was not giving up. He just wanted to know more.

"... I mean, it's been two hundred years since this vault started... People still having a lot of trouble out there after all that time when it comes to food?" Amir asked like it made no sense.

"... It's just not the food Amir." Charlie said with a tired tone like he had no intention to really tell Amir the harsh truths. These questions just amused him because of how naïve they were.

"You guys don't have showers to use daily?"

"... Amir, I had not experienced an actual shower ever in my life before I came here." Charlie said with a grin, almost laughing at the innocent question.

"... That sounds... Terribly unhygienic." Amir said with a slightly disturbed tone.

"Uh-huh. I guess it is." Charlie said with a faint smile, shaking his head.

"So... No showers at all?"

"... I highly doubt it."

"... What about sleep? Do people sleep comfy?"

"... No. Not unless you have a lot of caps." Charlie said, rubbing his tired eyes a bit and chuckling.

"... Caps?" Amir asked.

"... Amir, I really don't feel like talking about all this, you know?"

"... Okay, so... No showers, no food, no water, no goods beds... That doesn't seem like a very healthy lifestyle to be living in." Amir admitted, not understanding why Charlie would even slightly want back there.

"... Like I already told... People who have lived here since the start... And even know... Don't know how good they had it. Out there... Amir, it is not a paradise. And that is putting it lightly. It's just hard out there... And being born in that world instead of in here... It shapes you into its image when you grow up as well." Charlie said, sighing and being so done with the subject.

"... A-are you saying that people there are miserable then?" Amir asked carefully, Charlie now looking visibly frustrated, especially after the question like that. It made him want to throw the bunny out of the vault himself so he could have a look.

"W-wh.... Wherhh.."

Suddenly the attention of both males shifted as they turned to look at the bed.

Niles was slowly waking up.

The young lynx's eyes were going slowly open, the light on the ceiling clearly making It harder for him.

Charlie rushed to the bedside rather quickly, laying down on his knees and speaking.

"Niles... Niles, can you hear me?"

"Wha... Hah...?" The lynx just muttered in confusion, until his eyes slowly looked in front of him and stopped there.

He was looking straight at Amir.

And suddenly, the tired eyes opened rather fast as reaction, the lynx starting to move.

"No... NoNONonON!" The young lynx began, almost like some deep fear growing within him, Charlie quickly taking his paw.

"NILES. It's okay! It's just Amir!"

The panting and panicking lynx had completely sat up, his gaze instantly shifting to Charlie.

And the moment he realized who was sitting next to him, instead of the worst possible person, his expression turned into relief, mixed with total breakdown. His eyes were getting glossy.

"Yeah... It's me, Niles... I brought you here."

The lynx was just shaking for a while, his head clearly trying to get things together.

But the main thing that he didn't understand, after realizing that he was in the med bay... Was that how on earth was he still alive? And most importantly... Why was his leg not burning from pain anymore? Why was it feeling tingly instead?

The young lynx slowly looked at his leg, his paws carefully touching the fur. He let his fingers slowly slide on the leg with a tremble, too stunned to speak out as he saw nothing but a healthy leg... But there was blood on the bed... A lot of it.

The lynx slowly heard Charlie speaking, the quiet and comforting voice easing him up.

"Me and Amir... We used stimpak to save your life... It's... It's highly effective medicine for cases as serious as you had... But we managed to help you in time."

The young lynx kept feeling the water in his eyes gather up as he whispered quietly after being quiet for a good while, still rubbing his leg in disbelief.

"I... I can... I c-can still walk?"

"... Just like you used to." Charlie said back with a comforting smile, nodding.

Niles couldn't hold it anymore after hearing that out loud. The fear of being crippled was gone.

The young lynx started to immediately cry, moving forward to hug Charlie. The old dog instantly reacted, giving into the hug and running his paw on Niles's back, letting him get it out.

Amir just watched from the side, not really knowing how to react and what to do. He just smiled slightly at seeing Charlie like this. They just both just had to wait for Niles to say something.

Niles cried for a solid minute as total release... And Charlie didn't speak a word during it.

The dog felt as the lynx started to slowly calm down, gasping and sniffing loudly and letting go of Charlie. He started to slowly rub his leg again, wiggling his toes. Just to feel his healed leg again.

The old dog slowly spoke.

"... Niles... Hey... Look at me."

The young lynx sniffed loudly, slowly turning to look at Charlie now.

The old dog gave a short gaze at Amir's way, then talking calmly.

"Niles... Do you remember what happened to you?"

Niles closed his eyes, wiping his tears again, but feeling them roll once more as he trembled. He gave a few slight nods, whispering as quiet as possible.

"Yes..."

Charlie was quiet now, Amir coming closer as well and speaking.

"Niles... We haven't contacted Calvin and your father yet... Because Charlie here told me that you told him not to... Is it true?"

"..." The young lynx first tried to answer, going quiet again. He clearly was traumatized highly by something... And Charlie just tried to read the lynx as best as he could.

After a moment, Niles did nod as an answer. Charlie looked at Amir right away, the bunny clearly now looking slightly more concerned. Suddenly Niles spoke.

"D-does R-Ryan know that I-I'm here?"

"... No. Ryan or Dion were spending the night somewhere else. They don't know."

Somehow, Niles clearly felt some type of relief over that, going quiet again.

Charlie carefully laid his paw on Niles's shoulder, whispering.

"Niles... I'm sorry that I have to ask this... But why didn't you want your dad or Calvin to know?"

"... I..."

"..."

"... Because... I-If my U-uncle knew... He would c-come here... A-and he would bring dad too..." Niles said with fear in his tone, Charlie looking at the young lynx intensively. He feared that already knew the answer.

Amir spoke quietly to the lynx.

"... Why would it be bad for them to check on your health? Niles, it would be more than understandable for them to be worried and come straight here. They are your relatives."

The lynx tried to keep it together but ended up covering his face with his paws as he started to cry again. And this time... He let the truth out.

"B-because my dad would try to hurt me!"

Besides the crying lynx, the room got really quiet. Charlie didn't break his gaze from Niles, but now he knew. But he needed to hear it clearer before he could be completely sure and determined.

"Niles... Did your father do this to you?"

The lynx started to yell, crying his eyes out in panic as the shaky, almost apologizing tone came clear.

"H-HE WAS DRUNK W-WHEN HE ATTACKED ME! I DIDN'T WANT TO M-MAKE HIM ANGRY! I-I TRIED TO APOLOGIZE FROM HIM! BUT HE JUST!... HE K-KEPT HURTING ME! H-HE YELLED THAT I-I KILLED MY MOTHER AND T-THAT I DESERVED TO DIE! I T-TRIED TO MAKE HIM STOP! I-I TRIED TO FIGHT BACK- B-BUT HE... HE!"...

Niles cut off, gasping air and going into shock again. Amir was horrified after hearing such confession coming out with such emotion, looking at Charlie. This was not a delirious imagination running around. Niles was clearly somewhat stable, and making up something like this was highly unlikely. The rabbit slowly spoke with a horrified tone.

"B-but... The man is a priest... How could he ever..."

Charlie was not hearing what Amir was saying. He was zoning out. He took his paw from Niles's shoulder, and he felt it.

The adrenaline was pumping inside him faster and faster... And he was about to blackout. The rage that was burning in his eyes was something he had not felt in a long time... And in some sick way...

It made him feel alive.

The old husky slowly rose up to stand, looking at the young lynx still crying and shaking in total fear over his near-death experience.

The rabbit spoke to Charlie with a scared tone.

"W-Winchester... What do we do?"

"... I am about to do something alright." The old husky said coldly.

"... C-Charlie... I don't like the way you sound right now... M-maybe... Maybe we should bring this to..." But before Amir could even finish, the piercing gaze that Charlie gave him, made him shut up.

Charlie spoke quietly.

"The man tried to kill his own son... With a fucking broken bottle... And you think that I should talk to... Talk to the weasel about it? You really think that is how we should proceed? That talking to Calvin about it is the first step to take?" Charlie asked like Amir was just plain stupid right now.

"I... H-he... I... Charlie... What else is there to do?"

"..." Charlie didn't answer right away. He slowly walked next to the bunny, stood there for a while.

"Winchester... Don't... Whatever you are thinking... You are scaring me right now." Amir said with an honest tone.

"... I am going to make sure... That this boy has to never fear his father after this day." Charlie said coldly.

"..."

"... Listen to me. You will stay here. You will take a knife from that drawer... And you will have it in your paw the whole time, and you will stay on this door. You will protect Niles with your life. No matter who comes in... While I go and set things straight." Charlie said like it was decided.

"... Charlie-"

"Do you understand what I just said to you?" Charlie asked. He was not going to repeat himself.

The determination and focus on Charlie made the rabbit realize that this situation was about to go worse from here.

"... Y-yes! But... By setting things straight... What do you... Winchester, you know that Calvin will do anything in his power to protect Randal... Murder attempt or not. What you are thinking right now... Is out of emotion and what you feel for this boy... But it is not the right solution." Amir tried to convince.

The old dog slowly laid his paw on the bunny's shoulder, speaking quietly and with serious, final tone.

"... Once again, Amir... Your concern is duly noted."

"..." The bunny was too scared to answer anymore. He just nodded slowly.

"Stay here... And guard him," Charlie said as his last words.

After finishing the sentence, Charlie kept on walking. And Amir knew that trying to argue or stop him at this point, was just the same as asking for a black eye.

The old dog was gone within moments from the room. The door opened up... And shortly after, closed.

Niles slowly started to stop crying, having taken his paws away from covering his face. After slight confusion, the young lynx looked at the bunny in panic and spoke with a shaky voice.

"W-where d-did he go?"

"... He... He wants to... Talk to your father, Niles. That is all."

"... Wh-what?" Niles asked in confusion. That was not the answer he expected to hear at all.

The bunny was nervous to talk first, gazing at the other room and speaking quietly.

"I... I guess what I'm trying to say is..." Amir said quietly.

"..."

"... I would not want to be your father right now, Niles. I really wouldn't." Amir said, not able to imagine how things would go once Charlie would find the old lynx.

Before Niles could answer, trying to get up from his bed... Something happened.

The door in the other room opened up... And now someone's voice was heard.

"That was definitely Winchester just now... How did Calvin know that he would be in there?"

Another voice answered the question right after.

"I will tell that later... Once this is all over. Or maybe Calvin will tell himself."

"Why did we have to wait for so damn long for him to leave? First the cleaning and now this..."

"Orders are orders... Just keep your head clear now and stop asking questions."

Amir felt his heart starting to hammer up as he quickly acted.

He stared to furiously rip open the cabinets on the counter, the two voices speaking up in the other room.

"Amir?... Amir, we know you are in there..."

Niles looked scared now as he had no idea what was going on. Who had arrived in the med bay?

Amir quickly managed to take out a sharp surgery knife from the cabinet, backing away from the open door and having his back to Niles.

The scared bunny raised his paw up, the knife pointing at the doorway and hearing the footsteps slowly arrive closer.

Shortly after, the bunny and the lynx ended up staring at two people on the doorway.

Elliot and Xavier were both standing there, looking at Amir right away with rather alerted eyes, after seeing him pointing at them with a knife.

"... E-Elliot? X-Xavier? Wh-what are you two doing here?" The rabbit asked with a confused tone from the two guards.

Elliot didn't answer, looking somewhat nervous now. He whispered to the weasel next to him.

"Yo... Why the fuck are you holding a knife, Amir? What is going on? Hey, Niles, you good? We heard that you had a little accident on your leg. It's good to see you are okay." The cat guard pointed out with a relieved tone as he looked at the scared lynx tremble and not answer.

"A-accident?" Amir asked, clearly not understanding what Elliot was talking about.

Until the weasel acted. He slowly took the gun from his belt into his paw.

And he raised his paw, pointing at Amir now.

Both Niles and Amir froze completely, including Elliot.

"Xav... What the fuck are you doing?" The cat asked nervously like the weasel was out of his mind.

Xavier just walked few steps forward, speaking quietly to the bunny that dropped the knife on the floor, looking like he was about to shit himself.

"... I'm sorry that I have to do this, Amir... It's nothing personal."

END