Linda shifted her wide eyes between Rebecca and the door. "Do you know him?"

Rebecca rushed to the door, as soon as the lock disengaged, Billy came bursting in. His shoulders heaved as he caught his breath, leaning against the metal table for support.

"Are you alright? What happened?" Rebecca asked, her voice laced with concern.

"I'm fine, I just need a...shit." Before Billy could finish his sentence, his knees gave out from under him.

"Billy!" Rebecca cried out, dropping down beside his limp body. She gently smacked his cheeks, trying to rouse him. "Billy!"

Linda crept towards the open door Billy had stumbled through moments earlier. An ominous feeling crept over her as faint noises echoed from the dark passage beyond.

"Rebecca?" Linda's voice quivered slightly.

Rebecca's focus remained on Billy as she examined his shoulder, peeling back the torn, bloodied fabric of his shirt. An inky bruise surrounded two small puncture wounds. Billy's eyelids fluttered open and he let out a pained groan.

"No, no, how did you get this?" Rebecca questioned urgently, rummaging through her medical kit. She shined a flashlight into Billy's eyes, checking his vitals.

"I fought...a giant fucking spider." Billy's words came out slightly slurred.

"Did it bite you? Can you tell me what it looked like?"

"No, and it looked like a giant fucking spider." Billy snapped, his face contorting into a scowl.

"Are you sure it didn't bite you?" Rebecca pressed, her brows knitted together with unease.

The noises from the hallway were increasing in volume and frequency, putting Linda further on edge. "Rebecca?" She called out again, her voice cracking.

"Give me a minute, Linda!" Rebecca responded impatiently, not bothering to look up.

"I'm sure!" Billy barked. "I was in contact for a few seconds at most."

With a trembling hand, Linda reached closer to the door. The cacophony of shrieks and bangs was almost upon them. "Rebecca, something's coming!"

At Linda's panicked warning, Rebecca's concentration finally broke. Her shoulders stiffened as the noise registered.

"Shit, those monkeys." Billy grimaced, clutching his still-swimming head.

"Monkeys?!" Linda squeaked in disbelief.

Billy collapsed to the floor, his legs giving out beneath him as he struggled to stand. He leaned heavily against a nearby shelf, his face etched with pain.

"Hold on, I'll take care of this and then I'll treat you," Rebecca Chambers said, her voice calm yet insecure. She turned to Linda. "Lock the door."

Linda hurried to comply, the lock clicking loudly in the tense silence. Billy gritted his teeth and pushed himself up once more, clutching at the shelf for support. He pulled his colt from its holster and held it out towards Rebecca, arm shaking with the effort.

"Just cover me while I get-"

Rebecca cut him off, pushing the weapon back towards him firmly. "No, YOU cover ME while I take care of this." She met his gaze. "Can you move?"

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Billy's jaw clenched but he gave a slight nod.

"Linda, take him with you in the back," Rebecca instructed.

Linda moved to Billy's side and offered her shoulder. He leaned on her heavily as she helped him hobble away.

Rebecca turned her attention back to the task at hand. She hefted the old trench shotgun, checking the ammo with quick, but novice movements. This was what she had trained for, even if nothing could have prepared her for the hellish reality of this night.

Behind her, Billy called out, "Rebecca"

She spun around to see him holding out a handful of shotgun shells, Linda still supporting him. Rebecca snatched them up with a grateful nod. As she loaded the rounds into the chamber, Billy grasped her wrist, his fingers smeared with blood.

"Don't...miss" he said through ragged breaths.

"I won't" Rebecca promised.

The three took cover behind the veterinary table, across from the door. Billy sat slumped in the corner, pistol resting in his lap. Linda crouched next to him, pressed between Rebecca and Billy.

"You know, if you're feeling real bad maybe I can..." Linda trailed off meaningfully, glancing at Billy's gun.

Disgust flashed across Billy's face. He shoved the weapon further out of Linda's reach. "Go sit down, lady" he muttered.

A thunderous pounding against the door made them all jump. The thin wooden barrier shook under the assault. Rebecca's knuckles turned white from her viselike grip on the shotgun. Billy cocked his gun, the sharp sound echoing in the small room.

"Ready?" Rebecca asked tersely, wiping sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.

Linda covered her ears tightly. They watched the door, waiting. The pounding grew more frenzied, the wood beginning to splinter. It seemed as if at any moment the creatures would come crashing through.

Just when it appeared the door was about to give way, gunshots rang out in the hallway. Rebecca and Billy exchanged startled looks as the scramble outside shifted, the screeches fading as if the creatures were retreating.

In the abrupt silence that followed, Billy gestured to the door with his gun. Rebecca nodded and crept forward cautiously, shotgun at the ready.

"Hey, any luck with that electronic door?" Billy called out in a hoarse whisper.

Linda shook her head, face pale.

Billy fished an ID card out of his pocket. "Try this one" he said, holding it out to Linda.

She took it from him with a suspicious look. "Where did you get this?"

"From some idiot who didn't make it," Billy responded flatly. "Now go"

Rebecca reached the door and peered through the narrow window. It was too dark to make anything out. She pressed herself flat against the wall and slowly pulled the door open a crack, just enough to stick her head out into the shadowy hallway.

"So? Who's there?" Billy asked tensely.

In a flash, a knife sliced through the gap in the doorway, grazing Rebecca's cheek. She recoiled with a hiss, slamming the door shut once more.

"I don't know, but it's not friendly" she bit out, touching the stinging cut.

"You, the door" Billy ordered Linda tersely.

She hurried to swipe the stolen key card. A welcoming beep sounded as the lock disengaged.

"It worked!" Linda cried.

"Come on, let's go!" Rebecca said. She scooped up the shotgun shells from the table as the three slipped out of the veterinary office, closing the ominous door firmly behind them.

The communications room was a huge hall with a mechanical tint and a floor made of metal grating. To the left, metal stairs ascended to a corridor and then to a room. At the end of the hall was a mechanical-looking door. On the right were some containers placed side by side with a door between them.

"Is it locked properly?" Rebecca asked, her voice echoing in the cavernous space.

Linda nodded, her bun bobbing with the movement.

Rebecca pointed to the stairs along the far wall. "Okay, the radios should be up there. Let's hurry."

"You're bleeding," Billy noted, his dark eyes flashing with concern as they settled on the red trickle working its way down Rebecca's cheek.

Rebecca touched the wound gingerly, examining the blood on her fingertips. "It's not deep," she dismissed with a shake of her head. "I'm fine."

Linda opened her mouth to protest but Rebecca cut her off. "We don't have time, Linda. I'm fine." Her tone brooked no argument.

In the veterinary room, the metallic clicking of instruments sounded as the doorknob twisted.

Billy's voice filtered through from the other side. "You go. I'll stay here and keep watch."

With a heavy clunk, the lock disengaged and the door swung open, revealing the knife embedded in the wood. The surviving soldier's hand reached for the knife as he entered the scene.

On the radio, William voice crackled to life. "Do not under any circumstances let them communicate with the outside, do you understand me..." The sound of papers shuffling came over the speaker. "HUNK?"

At the mention of that codename, HUNK himself passed by the reflection in the veterinary room, nothing more than a shadowy figure gliding with lethal intent. He paused in the doorway, head cocked as he listened for activity on the other side. With ease, he leaned forward and rested a keycard against the electronic pad.