Sigma Squad: The Railroad - 18. Chapter 6 Terminus (3/4)

After arriving at the northernmost station, we once again relied on the help of a group of sewer rats to exit the maze of sewers.

Bert led the way ahead, clearly in worse shape. He occasionally rubbed his head and let out soft groans.

"Once we're out of the city, the final stretch will be taking a boat to the other side, entering the territory of the Grand Duchy of Germany," the yellow dog said, slowing his pace, his voice tense with forced composure. "The Greenland (*The Verdant Isle)."

"Do we need any documents or anything?" I glanced at 74258, who looked sleepy and seemed to be barely listening.

"No," Bert chuckled twice, turning around with a teasing smile. "We'll use the fast-track checkpoint reserved for the Railroad."

I figured he was trying to lighten the mood, but the exhaustion in his voice was too obvious. I didn't say much, just nodded to show I understood.

It was still early, or perhaps the sewer exit was in a remote area, because the city seemed to still be asleep, with only a few robots and drones moving about the streets.

That's why I quickly noticed we were being followed. After so many turns, they were still behind us--no way that could be a coincidence. But the main reason I could tell we were being tailed was that they weren't even trying to hide it.

That only made me more nervous.

Ignoring the chill that crept up my spine, I checked on the condition of the weary fox, then moved closer to Bert.

"Let's see... the streets around here are a bit tricky, not easy to navigate without a map," the yellow dog muttered, clumsily fiddling with his terminal.

"We're being followed!" I whispered, and the yellow dog immediately tensed up.

"The Council already approved it... why..." he mumbled under his breath. Using the reflection from a storefront window, he confirmed that the two Labradors behind us were indeed keeping a close watch. "It's Ed's team..."

I could hear a hint of unease in Bert's voice as he urged us to pick up the pace.

The yellow dog glanced at his terminal again, perhaps trying to figure out how to shake off the tail.

But just as we rounded another corner, two Labradors appeared at the end of the street, walking slowly toward us. One black, one white, both wearing that same smile.

The collars! Damn it, we were all in such bad shape that we'd completely overlooked such an important detail!

I tugged hard at my collar, cursing my own uselessness as a burden.

"It's probably nothing serious, just looking to squeeze a bit more credit out of us," Bert said, though his tone wasn't entirely confident. "The Council approved it. They wouldn't dare do anything." The yellow dog glanced at the two of us in turn, then handed over a white capsule. " Swallow this, just in case things go south. This capsule will let me track your location."

We did as Bert instructed, and after tapping a few more times on his terminal, he stowed it back in his arm strap. 74258 seemed fully awake now, his wide eyes darting around.

"I'll go check out the situation," Bert said softly, rubbing his temples again. "If things escalate or whatever..." He gritted his teeth. "Run. Run as far as you can. I've already sent a request for additional support."

The yellow dog strode toward the black and white Labradors. We stopped and watched Bert walk away, while the two who had been following us also stopped, not moving any closer.

I fiddled with my terminal, trying to identify possible escape routes, but soon realized that the electronic records didn't match the actual layout of the alleyways.

I couldn't hear what Bert was saying to them, though there were occasional paw gestures. I could sense the tension in the air.

Even though the Labradors wore smiles on their faces, their body language told a different story.

"I disabled the command reception on the collar earlier; it should still be effective, but I'm not sure how much longer it'll last," 74258 said as he moved to my side.

"For now, that's enough," I replied, grateful. "Can you run?"

The Labradors were wagging their tails now, and their smiles showed more and more teeth.

This was definitely a bad sign.

"I can." Though 74258 didn't sound very confident.

"Leave everything behind..." I said, glancing at the purebreds out of the corner of my eye. "We might have a small chance if we dive into that tangled alley."

"But didn't Bert say they wouldn't do anything?" 74258 didn't seem convinced by his own words.

"It's good to stay positive, but being cautious doesn't hurt," I said, shifting my focus back to Bert.

Suddenly, I saw the black Labrador change his stance, as if preparing to attack.

But Bert was still arguing heatedly with the white one, completely unaware of the other's intent.

I tried to shout a warning, but the black Labrador moved too fast. He punched Bert in the nose, and I could even hear the pained grunt that followed.

"Run!" I didn't waste a second checking on the yellow dog's condition, sure that I wouldn't be of any help and would only burden Bert.

74258 was just as decisive, dropping his backpack and dashing in the direction I had indicated earlier.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the pedigrees behind us making exaggerated laughing gestures, like predators toying with their prey.

But I wasn't about to waste my energy on them. I just ran as fast as I could.

Just as we were about to reach the alley's entrance, my collar emitted a binary electronic beep--a signal that the command had been rejected.

Praise 74258 is a genius!

A frustrated, confused barking erupted behind us.

I couldn't help but smile as I kept widening the gap between us.

A burst of heat grazed my ear, blasting a small hole in the wall ahead.

I didn't want to know what would happen if I got hit by that, so I just ran even faster, plunging with 74258 into the dim alley.

"Are you alright?" I lightly tugged on 74258's coat as his steps began to falter.

"I'm fine." He stopped, leaned against the wall, and shrugged off his coat, tossing it aside.

"We can take a break," I whispered, trying to convince him that we were temporarily safe. "The pedigrees should still be far behind us."

I wasn't entirely sure, but I knew that if we kept running like this, 74258 would pass out.

The fox nodded, accepting my suggestion, and slowly slid down the wall to sit.

I took the opportunity to catch my breath and tried to get my bearings.

"There's a sewer entrance ahead. We should be able to lose them down there," I whispered.

74258 acknowledged with a nod.

Just as I was about to peek around the corner to check the alley, loud swearing erupted nearby.

I could hear growls of interrogation, panicked screams, and the sounds of crashing and shattering objects. Then, there was another explosion, sending dust flying.

Damn it! That was too close!

Turning back, I saw 74258 struggling to stand, but he was still panting heavily, barely able to keep upright.

I locked eyes with those stubborn olive-green eyes and made a decision.

"It's time to split up," I said calmly, placing my paw on 74258's shoulders to stop the protest he hadn't yet voiced, then pressed my terminal into his paw. "You know as well as I do that if we keep going like this, we'll get caught. As long as the collars are on, there's no way we can shake them--not even if we run into the sewers."

The fox looked like he wanted to argue but was interrupted by a violent cough.

"Sorry, but it looks like we can't hang together after all." The commotion was getting closer, and I was sure that if we delayed any longer, we'd lose our chance to escape completely.

So, gritting my teeth, I avoided 74258's gaze, pushed him away, and then turned and sprinted toward the next fork. "Goodbye," I muttered through clenched teeth, unable to bear the abandoned expression on the fox's face as I left him behind.

As I passed the source of the commotion, I heard some loud shouting. I had probably succeeded in drawing the bounty hunters' attention to me.

Using the same trick as before, I ducked into every available alley, trying to lose the pursuers in the maze of winding, chaotic streets. If I kept moving, even with the collars helping them, there were only four of them--catching me shouldn't be that easy.

But this time, luck wasn't on my side.

Unlike what the digital map showed, I had run straight into a dead-end alley.

I immediately turned around, only to see two Labradors, one black and one white, already blocking the only way out.

"Hey, no need to be so tense," I forced a smile, raising my paws to either side of my paw, palms open, trying to buy as much time as I could. Anything would help--just a little more time, and 74258 would have a better chance of getting away. "You've caught me."

"Turn around," the black one said, stepping closer. "Kneel."

I complied, hoping to lower their guard, like how Hunter had underestimated me.

As soon as the black Labrador locked the metal cuffs around my wrists, I sprang up and slammed my head into his nose. The satisfying crack and groan that followed sent a wave of pleasure through me, and the black Labrador collapsed, rolling on the ground and clutching his snout.

I shot a defiant glare at the white Labrador, baring all my teeth like a challenge.

But my tiny victory was as fleeting as my luck had been today. The white Labrador moved with a speed I couldn't follow, pulling something from his waist, and the next thing I saw was the gravel on the ground.

Indescribable pain followed, and then my world went dark.

In the darkness, I was sinking into a freezing cold ocean, slowly drowning.

There was no sound around me, except for the deafening screams of my own guilt.

No matter how hard I struggled to swim upwards, it was all in vain.

It was the collar.

The collar was too heavy, dragging me deeper and deeper into the abyss.

With fury, I gripped the collar tightly, shoving my fingers into the gap between the collar and my neck, pulling with all my strength.

But it was useless.

I was born bound, trapped in chains, reduced to a series of numbers, compressed into a flat surface with no depth.

Like an object.

It felt like I had sunk to the bottom. That realization pushed me to try to lift myself up, only for me to understand once again just how powerless I truly was.

I sobbed, but in the deep sea, tears left no trace. Instead, more saltwater filled my mouth and nose, choking me. Countless bubbles escaped from my lips, and my lungs burned in agony.

Kneeling at the bottom of the world, I seemed to touch something. It was smooth, yet hard.

I lowered my head, bringing my snout closer. It seemed to be some kind of surface.

On the other side of that surface, blurry and indistinct, was... my own reflection?

I widened my eyes, pressing as close as I could, trying to see more clearly.

Finally, through the dim reflection, I saw a red fox, its olive-green eyes staring straight back at me.

In the next instant, it felt like something had yanked the collar around my neck, and I was pulled out of the water, the searing pain forcing me back to consciousness.

"...Looks like it's back to normal. Must've been a bad connection, huh?" The first thing I saw was the black and white Labradors, seemingly studying the terminal in their paws.

Before I realized I was tied to a chair, I first noticed the smell of burnt flesh in the air. Judging by the stinging pain radiating from my neck, it seemed that the commands set by 74258 had failed in the end.

"Ah, our Sleeping Beauty is awake." The white Labrador approached, a sneering grin of contempt on his face. "Comfortable enough?"

"Almost caught a cold," I mimicked his expression, glaring at them both with hatred. "I'm afraid I might have a 'running nose' soon!"

The black Labrador's expression hardly changed, but I still noticed the slight twitch of his nose, wrapped in white bandages.

Before I could revel in my small victory, a jolt of electricity from the collar coursed through me, making my entire body spasm. The rough ropes binding my limbs dug into my skin.

"Hey, if you kill him, we won't be able to handle it when the boss comes down on us."

I vaguely heard the white Labrador's voice. I lifted my head, trying to sit upright, just in time to see him take the terminal from the black Labrador.

They argued over something, and the black one shot me a hateful glare, clearly still holding a grudge for how I had broken his nose.

I sighed, not wanting to remind myself that the smell of burnt flesh came from my own seared skin. To distract myself, I studied my surroundings, hoping for any clue as to where I was.

At first glance, the room seemed bare, aside from the metal table in front of me, so I finished scanning it quickly. But when I realized I was sitting on a gridded drain cover, the fur on my back stood on end.

Behind the black and white Labradors was a prison door, made from the same transparent polymer material as the walls connecting the corridor. Occasionally, a guard robot would roll by, the heavy weapons mounted on its treads indicating that it was a high-end model, capable of taking on an entire well-armed tactical squad.

I had a rough idea of where I was--some kind of heavily guarded fortress, likely a base for the upper echelons of the pedigree House. Although I never had much hope of escape, this realization crushed even the tiniest sliver of it.

I clenched my fists, fighting against the despair gnawing at my mind. I couldn't let myself be defeated like this. Every second of resistance, every moment I refused to submit, created a precious opportunity for something to change.

"Take it easy, Fox." The white Labrador sauntered over to me, sitting on the metal table. "If you burn through your energy too quickly and collapse right away, it'll be a problem for us too."

I glanced at the weapons strapped to his waist, including several small knives.

"Staring like that, it's pretty rude, you know." He licked his nose with a quick flick of his tongue, smoothly drawing out a serrated knife and placing it on the table. The sharp tip gleamed, reflecting a cold, deadly light. "And it makes me a little impatient."

The black Labrador chuckled, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall, his expression brimming with anticipation.

"Alright then, how about a little appetizer to warm things up?" He pulled out his terminal, swiping it a few times before setting it down on the table. "Just so you understand the situation."

It took me a moment to comprehend what it was.

My blood froze.

"...In most cases, they'll pierce through the chest. So when the boss smoothly, without the slightest deviation, had the stake drill out from the mouth, I was almost excited enough to clap," the white one was saying. I wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying, his voice sounded a bit distant. "...Gamma-level is different, though. Hundreds of people, and with just a few paw gestures, it was all done."

On the terminal screen was 86138. His pale eyes were staring into the sky, a bloodied stake protruding straight from his mouth, dislocating his upper and lower jaws. The snow fox, completely naked, with his paws tied behind his back, had fur still as white as snow, standing in stark contrast to the scene. My gaze shifted downward, to where the stake pierced between his legs, with the end buried deep in the ground. The exposed part had dried blood stains from before.

I could vaguely make out that there were many more stakes like this in the distance, each with...

"...That Texas guy got his territory stripped and his whole family banished. A shame--I liked him, well, liked the jokes he provided. As for the Railroad station manager, turns out he's 'untouchable.' Kinda disappointing," the white Labrador brought his face close to mine, a mocking smile on his lips. "Hey, you look like you've got something to say?"

I clenched my teeth tightly, forcing my jaw not to tremble any further. I spat my question through gritted teeth.

"How... did you know?" Was I trying to lessen my guilt? I wasn't sure.

"A quick test, really. The morphine levels in Hunter's blood were way past recreational use," the white Labrador shrugged. "Don't tell me you didn't know. All the products from plant factories are specially designed, with unique markers added to the final product. Just run a photon mass spectrometer, and you can tell exactly where it was grown."

Blood rushed to my head, and I felt the limbs bound tightly to me start to go numb. My vision blurred, and in the haze, I begged for my senses to be dull, but everything remained too vivid. I could still hear the distant, piercing screams, and the low growl escaping my own throat. Instinctively, I wrinkled my nose, baring my fangs.

I didn't care how pathetic it made me look. I couldn't help it; the endless rage demanded release.

"Look at that expression! It's perfect!" The white Labrador clapped his paws. "He's trying to intimidate us!"

The black Labrador approached, a cold smile growing deeper on his face, exposing a single white canine. When he reached out toward me, I tried to bite him, but he skillfully dodged and slapped me hard across the face.

"That's the spirit!"

Dazed, stars dancing in my vision, I thought I heard the white one cheering joyfully.

The pain of having my head slammed against the metal table scattered the static clouding my sight. The echo of the impact rang through my skull as I felt a cold, hard object forced into my mouth.

My head was pinned down, and I felt the metallic pressure on my fang.

Realizing it was a pair of pliers, my fur barely had time to bristle before the excruciating pain surged from my upper jaw.

The Labrador held me tightly, leaving no room to struggle, though I doubted any struggle would have done more than worsen the pain. As the sickening crack of my fang echoed through me, I couldn't hold back a scream. When the cold pliers were finally pulled out of my mouth, they were replaced by the warm taste of blood flooding my tongue, iron and salt overwhelming my senses.

"Wow, look at this!" Something bloody was held in front of me. From its shape, I could guess it was my fang. "Is this a piece of upper jaw? Man, your technique could use some improvement."

Before I could even recover from the horror of it, the pliers were jammed back into my mouth. I let out an involuntary whimper. This time, they gripped a lower fang. The dreadful scraping lasted longer as the pliers twisted, and finally, with a pain so intense it nearly drove me unconscious, the fang was wrenched free.

"It's the root! You see, high standards really push you to improve, don't you think?" The repulsive voice was a blur.

I wasn't sure when I'd been let go, but I lacked the strength to sit up, collapsing against the table, feeling the warmth of the blood soaking into the fur on my cheek. I couldn't stop sobbing, my throat throbbing faintly, suggesting I'd spent a lot of effort screaming, though I hadn't even heard it myself.

Pain... it hurt so much.

"Any progress?" A new voice entered the conversation, its arrogance suggesting this was the boss. "Don't overdo it. Interfering with the 'extraction' will waste more time."

"Don't worry, boss. We're being very careful," the white Labrador replied, his tone almost obsequious.

My ear was yanked, forcing my head up. It took a moment for my blurry vision to focus, letting me see who had just spoken.

It was a tall, slender golden retriever. His silver eyes gleamed with a dark hue, giving off a strange vibe.

At first, I thought it was just a trick of the light, but when he stepped closer, I confirmed what was off about the golden fur--fine strands of gray hair were interwoven throughout, giving him the appearance of being lightly dusted with ash.

"I have a few questions for you. You should be able to answer them," the golden retriever said, glancing at the metal table before dusting off his sleeve and collar.

"Was it you... who did it?" Missing my largest tooth on one side, my words were slurred. "Why...?" A flash of 86138's lifeless eyes staring into the sky crossed my mind.

"Does this seem like the time for you to be asking questions?" The golden retriever sighed, pulling out a handkerchief from his breast pocket and dabbing near his nose as though holding back his temper. "I get it, hacking the territory subsystem is one thing. But breaking into the civil registry? That's part of Central. Someone like you shouldn't have been able to breach it."

I glared at him, determined not to give him satisfaction.

"Who's behind you?" the golden retriever continued, but I didn't answer, and we just stared at each other.

I knew this was a losing battle. The only thing I could do was delay the inevitable as long as possible.

"Is it related to this guy?" The golden retriever pulled out his terminal, tapped a few times, and then displayed the image in front of me. "Texas didn't report anything, and no one else has given me any useful information, so now I'm wasting my time on you."

On the screen was Adam's head nailed to the wall.

Rage welled up again in my chest, filling the emptiness. My jaw trembled uncontrollably, and I wanted to curse, but only broken sounds escaped my throat.

"What?" The golden retriever raised an eyebrow and leaned in, trying to make out what I was saying.

Seizing the moment, I mustered all my strength and spat a mouthful of bloodied saliva at his face. But the mixture of blood and spit hit an invisible wall before it reached him, splattering in midair.

The pedigree's silver eyes flicked toward the mess, and the thick liquid dripped to the ground.

"I take it back. My assessment was wrong." The golden retriever stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest. "Do as you wish."

"No problem, boss." The white Labrador bowed to the golden retriever, then turned to me with an exaggerated grin.

The black Labrador pressed down on the back of my hand, his pliers tapping idly against my fingertips.

"Eeny, meeny, miny, moe," the white Labrador hummed a haunting nursery rhyme. "Catch a fox by the toe, if he hollers..." He tilted his head, scratching his cheek in confusion. "I forgot the rest. Make something up."

The black Labrador clamped the pliers onto my middle fingernail, his warm breath blowing over the top of my head. He seemed to enjoy my reaction, not moving on to the next step just yet.

I didn't want to show weakness to these pedigrees, but my fear of pain made me tremble uncontrollably. My breath came in ragged gasps, and I could hear the sobs bubbling up in my throat.

I was so close to breaking. If the golden retriever asked me anything right now, I'd gladly tell him everything. Just to make the torture stop, I'd say anything. The only thing holding me back was the stubborn determination biting down on my own tongue.

Was Adam subjected to this same torment? How did he last for three months?

In the end, I was still being protected.

Shameful tears once again slid down my cheeks, warming the fur on my legs.

So, for Adam, for everyone, and for myself. I sniffed, lifted my snout, and met those eerie silver eyes, clearly conveying the only thing I wanted him to know.

Then, as if the pain pulled my very nerves along with it, an unbearable agony surged from the tips of my fingers. My uncontrollable screams echoed throughout the room.

My throat was already hoarse, and I didn't even know when my tears had dried up. All I could manage was a pathetic sobbing sound as I weakly lay against the blood-stained metal table.

"It should be enough. I didn't expect the little fox to endure until all ten of his nails were pulled out." Someone grabbed my ear and dragged me up. A white Labrador brought his snout close to my face for inspection. "It makes me want to cut off one of his ears, or maybe..." His expression was one of intoxication. I felt the sharp sting of a blade against my cheek and the sound of fur being cut. But just breathing took all the strength I had left, so I couldn't muster much of a reaction. "Look at those emerald eyes..."

"Enough. I told you going overboard would backfire. I've tried extracting from a deranged mind before, and it was a terrible experience." A golden retriever walked over, pushing the white Labrador aside, though he kept hold of my ear to prevent me from collapsing. "Once I get what I want, you can play with him all you like." With three fingers, the golden retriever pressed against my temple. His silver eyes turned pure crimson.

I felt as if my brain was being directly compressed. A very specific question began spinning madly in my mind.

Countless images flashed by, completely beyond my control, as if my memories were being forcibly torn from me.

At last, the rapid, blurry images stopped, settling on a scene of 74258 at my workstation terminal, browsing through our plans.

"Unexpected," the golden retriever said, pulling me back to reality. He wiped his fingers with a handkerchief, the crimson in his eyes gradually fading back to silver. "But that'll do."

My brain hadn't fully recovered, but the relentless spinning left me feeling incredibly weak and horribly nauseous. Then, I vomited all over the golden retriever's expensive suit. Before I even realized what I had done, the strange smell of strawberries was the only thing I could detect.

The golden retriever's face was one of utter shock, as if he couldn't believe what had just happened. Even the white Labrador next to me had gone stiff with shock, a reaction I could sense all too clearly.

If I weren't on the verge of passing out, I would've laughed out loud.

"You!" The golden retriever moved quickly; all I saw was a blur. "This!" He grabbed a serrated knife that the white Labrador had left on the table. "Bastard!" A flash of silver, and he stabbed the knife into my right arm with such force that the blade pierced through the chair's armrest beneath it.

I screamed again, but a bizarre sense of victory welled up inside me.

I must be going mad, right?

"You'll regret this..." the golden retriever growled, but suddenly stopped, turning his head sharply.

A thunderous explosion shook the room, followed by a shockwave that sent me crashing into the wall. The chair shattered beneath me, and I thought I heard the sound of my bones breaking. Limp and motionless, I lay there like a broken rag doll, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Amid shouts and continuous blasts of gunpowder, debris rained down on me like a torrential storm.

When the chaos finally quieted and the smoke began to clear, I forced myself to lift my head and take in the room, which now looked like a battlefield.

Countless holes of varying sizes had torn the walls to pieces. The black and white Labradors were now mostly unrecognizable, their remains scattered in pools of their own blood. Finally, somewhat disappointingly, the golden retriever stood tall, unharmed, raising a clenched fist in front of his face.

He unclenched his fist, and with a loud clang, two twisted hunks of metal fell to the floor outside the room. Judging by the slightly recognizable parts, those had once been sentry robots.

I wanted to slip away amid the chaos, but my body was too weak to obey my commands.

Damn it, move!

"We're not finished yet," the golden retriever said, his voice cold as he turned toward me. He waved his paw, and I was thrown against the wall, pinned tightly with my feet off the ground.

The pain in my already battered body became unbearable, and I let out a muffled cry.

"Let him go!" To my complete surprise, 74258 stepped out of the smoke. He pointed the gun at the golden retriever, his olive eyes filled with determination.

"You've come to me yourself, it seems," the golden retriever glanced back coldly, snorting. "I'll deal with you later."

"I said, let him go!" 74258 shouted, shaking the gun for emphasis.

"Isn't that Hunter's gun?" The golden retriever rolled his eyes, clearly disdainful. "You know, firing a gun is more than just pulling the trigger. It takes guts." He glanced sideways at 74258 again. "And I seriously doubt you have them."

The golden retriever turned back to me and took a couple of steps closer. At that moment, 74258 pulled the trigger.

"A day full of surprises," the golden retriever muttered, but didn't stop or turn around.

I could see a flattened bullet floating in the air behind the golden retriever. Just like when I spat at him earlier, the bullet collided with an invisible barrier and was deflected.

The golden retriever's eyes searched the floor before he picked up a piece of steel rod.

"It'll have to do," he shrugged, talking to himself. "Now, where were we, before we were rudely interrupted?"

The golden retriever hefted the steel rod, and I forced myself not to think about what he intended to do with it.

74258 kept pulling the trigger, but the bullets continued to be blocked by the golden retriever's invisible shield. I figured this must be the "defense circle" Bert had mentioned.

"Say 'ah.' I'm sure you can swallow it..." The golden retriever's expression grew distant as his eyes once again turned crimson.

I felt an invisible force pulling at my snout, forcing my jaws apart.

It hurt!

I fought back, and a low whimper escaped my throat. Seeing this, the golden retriever laughed before raising the steel rod and moving to shove it down my throat.

"Well, let's see if you can--" The golden retriever's words were cut off by a gunshot. He fell to the ground, toppling over, the steel rod clattering loudly beside him.

The pressure holding me vanished, and I collapsed into the rubble, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Abel!" 74258 rushed to my side, checking my injuries. "By the Rationalism, what did they do to you?"

I felt a needle prick in my neck, and immediately the overwhelming pain across my body vanished.

"I don't know how long it'll last. It's just an emergency measure," 74258 said, helping me to my feet. "Can you walk on your own?"

"I think so." I wiggled my legs, thankful that most of the injuries were concentrated on my upper body.

With 74258's help, I stepped over the debris, only stumbling slightly on a patch of sticky blood.

"You!" The golden retriever pushed himself up in a half-kneeling position, yelling at us. "This isn't over!"

"He's right," I said, tugging at 74258's sleeve. "We have to kill him."

The golden retriever's expression darkened. He snarled at us, baring his fangs and wrinkling his nose. His paw, previously clutching his abdomen, began digging into his wound.

Yes, for everyone you've hurt. Kill him... kill him... kill...

"No!" 74258 snapped me out of it, grabbing the steel rod I hadn't realized I'd picked up. "Do you even know who he is? If we kill him, it won't matter where we run--we'll be hunted down!"

"I don't care! Someone has to pay!" I gritted my teeth, tasting the blood in my mouth. "For everyone who's died!"

I wanted to break his damn legs, then grind that disgusting golden retriever into a bloody pulp!

How could you... how could you!

Fragments of memories scattered around me like leaves in a whirlwind.

86138 held my head down, forcing me to apologize to the senior engineer. But that night, he gave me a vanilla-flavored ice cream and a bag of fleas, telling me I could use them however I wanted; Adam and I sat beneath the massive oak tree as he hummed the first verse of the railroad tune, the pleasant breeze carrying the fresh scent of soil; a raucous banquet filled with loud laughter and noise kept me awake despite my closed windows. Suddenly, a group of drunken foxes burst into my room, half-forcing me to join their rowdy toasts and off-key singing. Despite myself, I couldn't help but smile.

I... I want to...

A tug pulled me back--it was 74258.

I turned to look at him, his olive-colored eyes full of determination.

"We have to keep moving forward." The fox's voice was choked with emotion, but he still managed to give me a sincere smile. "For... all those who are still alive."

In that instant, something inside me shattered. The emotions I thought had long been exhausted somehow found a crack, blurring my vision.

Survive... keep... moving forward... for all those who are still alive.

I stumbled, almost falling, but 74258 held me up.

"We need to go!" he said urgently, glancing down the hallway as the sounds of gunfire drew nearer.

I could faintly hear the chaotic noises getting closer. I nodded to the fox, clenched my teeth, and forced myself to take a step.

And so, ignoring the meaningless barking of the golden retriever behind us, we continued on together.