At the bottom of a dark and eerie manhole, a loud monstrous scream emerged from the shallow pits. It had a distinctive volume. Not only was it loud, it didn't have similarities between that of land dwellers. No. It was different. So different in fact that the sound of it was closing in, faster than anyone could quickly muster the courage to act; it seemed almost impossible to react.

Hayden thought otherwise.

When the scream reached the platform hanging just within the manhole attached to the side, the scream infused a type of paralysis upon contact on hearing. Hayden felt it, although he wasn't affected by it at all. When he turned to his side, he saw that Alice was standing still. She looked up, her eyes white as snow as she if something took hold of her.

"Snap out of!" Hayden said as he walked over to Alice and shook her out of the dream. Fortunately, the paralysis isn't fatal or permanent. All it needs is a mere interruption and the dream passes. Alice woke and found out about it.

"W-what happened?" She asked.

"Nothing much, but it could worsen from here," Hayden replied. He then tightly held Alice on her arms and spoke again, this time with alertness, "Listen to me Alice, we don't have time to idle around, it's time we take action. If we don't do anything, Refguard might at any time escape and we'll be doomed to stop it. It's up to us......."

"We have to alert everyone before it too late!"

Hearing Hayden's words with a clear purpose, Alice took charge and sprinted off. "Then what are we waiting for, let's go!" She said. But should she be good of trusting others, even in times of uncertainty.

As Alice was about to enter the entrance they came out from, she suddenly felt something behind her back almost like a tap, and before she could realise what it was, she was pushed inside of the entrance, tumbling down to her inevitably stop.

"Och, what the," Alice groaned in pain. She looked up and saw that the entrance door was closing. "Wait stop!" Alice screamed. She stood up on her legs at high speed and got to the door, but the moment she did, the door was already closed shut with a screeching sound.

Cchhzzzzzz!

"Hayden what are you doing, open the door!" Alice shouted as she tried so desperately to unlock the door. Unfortunately, to Alice's dismay, the door wouldn't budge even if she were to focuse all her strength at once. The door is fully made of metal. It's design is that of a military class level. A tight sealing door.

The metal door has ways of entry. On either sides, there is a wheel shaft on each side that allows for opening and closing. But if one wheel is damaged and breaks from the door, the door becomes unusable, so much so that a compartment hidden within the door does the trick - instantly screwing the door over, a liability hazard. For a wheel to come off easily it has to rust for years and years, or using any tool of sorts to pry open the door, or something that strong enough that can take it off without issue.

Standing just beside the door, Hayden felt sorry for Alice. He didn't like it, but looking at there situation, he made the painful decision that he was the only one who has to do. That's why he did it. He cared for Alice's safety.

While looking into the glass panel that separated the two, Hayden apologised. "I'm sorry Alice," he touched the surface of the glass, "but I have to do this on my own." He took his hand off the glass walked back to the edge of the platform.

Back to Alice, it might have looked like she was sad and exchanged words with Hayden as they shared their goodbyes by the glass panel that separated them from seeing each other like two loving bbirds. That, didn't happen. What did happen is that Alice cursed Hayden for pushing her and leaving her behind. "Why you piece of shit!" She would say even though as Hayden said his goodbye, she didn't mind him.

When Hayden finally left, Alice felt betrayed.

'Seriously! You're just gonna live me here.' She though aggressively.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

But as she was in her thoughts, her phone in her left pocket trousers was ringing. She heard it and picked it up. She answered, "Hello who is this," she asked.

"Alice is this you."

"Max, is that you!"

"How did you get my phone number?!"

"Pretty simple actually. We've been tracking you guys."

"So you're a stalker, huh?"

"No. Since Greenhills is off grounds to the public, and not much known, there isn't anyone dumb enough to venture out there. Then, there is the signal that is generated from a certain device coming from there that I tracked using satellite and radar."

"......."

"I don't know what you guys are doing there but I have to warn you guys, Refguard is rising from your exact location."

"I also know that your not on ground level. I guess your in the manhole, right."

"Y-yeah."

"Don't worry. That just makes it perfect."

"What do you mean?!"

"That manhole is part of a mining venture between two companies back in 1999. But since it was closed back in 2006, there hasn't been any way of reviving the mine due to legal issues growing between the two companies.....however, I think the place is still operational," Max gave a brief explanation.

"If I can get into the system, I may be able to turn the back up generators online."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Have you come across an operating hub?"

"Yeah I think so, why?"

"Go to it. We'll talk about it later. Trust me."

After getting a lecture, Alice proceeds to the operation hub. She descended the stairs and came to the first floor. It was dark. She had a torch on hand and used it to brighten the area that was creeping her out.

"Ah, creepy," Alice had a shiver down her spine.

'When's that power coming on?'

Just then the lights flickered, then lit brightly as the power had come on just after 25 years.

Ring.

"Did the lights come on?"

"Yeah it did."

"Great. The door to the operation hub should open...."

Patiently waiting for the door to open, Alice noticed something on her right side eye. She flashed her torch to the side and heard an explosion. Boom! - she slightly cowered in fear. When her mind calmed down she looked up and watched from the glass panels from the side of manhole that it was Hayden.

He was getting ready for something. But what was it. She focused her irises and saw particles of light hovering just close to Hayden. Just then another big explosion entered, again.

Alice wasn't afraid this time.

She was awestruck.

Coming from the explosion was of heat and fire shaped like an ever extending rod. The edge of the flames reached the bottom of the pit snd had hit something in it's way. Alice was baffled. The thing that the fire hit what was they feared would never come to pass. It was Refguard.

The door opened to the operating hub. Alice stepped in a rush and held her phone close to her at all times for Max's instructions.

"ALICE!"

"REFGUARD HAS REACHED THE PIT OF THE MANHOLE...but, something seems to be slowly it down-"

"It's Hayden!"

"What?!"

"Hayden!"

"I dunno how or why but it's working. I've got one of the camera's working and all I can see is A HUGE ROD FIRE. Gotta hand it to, him, never thought he'd do it."

"FOCUSE!"

"Right, here are the instructions."

'I don't know how long Hayden can keep up but I have to hurry up.'

'I have to help EVERYONE!'