Rebecca approaches the metal stairs with Linda right behind her, the sharp echoes of their footfalls bouncing off the walls. She turned and nodded at Billy, who was leaning casually against a container, arms crossed over his broad chest. He returned the gesture, signaling his approval.

Rebecca placed her foot on the first step, the contact producing a loud, resonating clang.

Back in the veterinary room, HUNK slid the keycard into the slot. The door emitted an affirmative beep as the lock disengaged.

All three heads whipped around at the sound, eyes widened in alarm. Before they could react, a stun grenade skittered across the floor, coming to a stop directly at Linda's feet, near where Rebecca stood.

Rebecca gasped, but it was too late. The grenade detonated with a blinding flash and a deafening bang. She collapsed to her knees, hands clasped over her ears, eyes clenched shut against the overwhelming onslaught to her senses. Beside her, Linda did the same, doubled over in pain.

Billy alone remained on his feet, though the blast had left him dazed and disoriented. Through the hazy fog clouding his vision, he could just make out a figure sprinting towards him - HUNK. Billy managed to squeeze off two shots before HUNK crashed into him, knocking his gun away and forcing him back against the containers.

HUNK stabbed at him with his knife. Billy seized the blade between his palms before it could sink home, stopping its momentum mere inches from his heaving chest. Twisting violently, he wrenched the knife from HUNK's grip and kicked out, driving his opponent back to create some space.

Billy pulled a knife from his belt with practiced speed and slashed at HUNK, who caught his wrist and halted the attack. The two men grappled fiercely, striking and blocking in a deadly dance. HUNK got the upper hand when he hyper-extended Billy's elbow, forcing him to drop his blade with a grunt of pain.

Undeterred, Billy smashed his fist into HUNK's face. HUNK barely flinched, and when Billy went to strike again, he caught both his arms in an iron grip. Before Billy could react, HUNK headbutted him viciously, breaking his nose in a spray of hot blood.

Staggering back, Billy hastily reset his nose with a sickening crunch, blood streaming down his face. HUNK feinted a right hand and Billy reacted instinctively, raising his guard. But it was a ruse - HUNK shot low and tackled Billy around the waist, hoisting him up and slamming him brutally into the unforgiving metal floor. He mounted Billy and rained down punishing blows as Billy struggled beneath him, landing ineffective strikes from his disadvantaged position.

Nearby, Rebecca was recovering sluggishly, still dazed from the grenade. She stumbled forward, shotgun clutched in one hand while the other massaged her throbbing temples. Through eyes that didn't seem to want to focus properly, she could just make out Billy getting pummeled.

With monumental effort, Rebecca tightened her grip on the shotgun and swung it around to point at the melee.

"What are you waiting for?" Linda cried hoarsely from where she slumped against the wall. "Shoot him!"

Rebecca's aim wavered uncertainly. "I could hit Billy!"

She took a deep breath, steadying herself. Then she lowered the shotgun into Linda's lap decisively.

"I'm going to give you a clean shot."

"WHAT?!" Linda protested in disbelief

Before Linda could continue, Rebecca drew her knife and charged straight at HUNK.

HUNK easily caught Rebecca's arm as she stabbed at him and knocked the weapon from her grasp with a swift punch to the gut that blasted the air from her lungs. She doubled over, HUNK grabbed her by the sides of the jaw with the intention of snapping her neck.

Seizing the opportunity, Billy snatched up the discarded knife and drove it viciously into HUNK's thigh. With a startled grunt, HUNK released Rebecca, who collapsed to her knees, spurting out a stream of vomit.

Snarling in pain, HUNK whirled on Billy, murder can be seen through his gas mask. But before he could strike, a gunshot cracked through the room. A group of lead slammed into his chest in a burst of pellets. The soldier was sent flying backwards from the impact. His body crashed to the floor like a rag doll.

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Linda sat slumped against the wall, shotgun smoking in her trembling hands, eyes wide with shock. "I did it," she whispered disbelievingly. "Rebecca? Billy?"

Rebecca curled up on the cold, hard floor, clutching her stomach in agony. Her face contorted with pain as she struggled to breathe. Beside her, Billy lay on his back, his face a bloody, twisted mess as he gasped desperately for air.

Linda rushed to Rebecca's side, propping up the shotgun as she gently rolled Rebecca onto her back. "Are you alright?" Linda asked, her voice laced with concern.

Rebecca writhed in pain for a few seconds before regaining some composure. As she opened her eyes, terror flooded her face. HUNK appeared from behind Linda, grabbing a fistful of her hair to expose her throat. In one swift motion, he slit her neck open, blood spurting out onto Rebecca's horror-stricken face.

Linda grasped at her neck frantically trying to stem the crimson tide. HUNK callously shoved her aside and grabbed the abandoned shotgun. With cold efficiency, he pumped it and pressed the barrel firmly against Rebecca's forehead.

Just before he pulled the trigger, Billy tackled HUNK with the last of his strength. They tumbled to the ground, Billy ending up on top as they grappled violently for control of the shotgun.

Rebecca turned her head and saw Linda staring back at her with pleading eyes, clutching her throat with both hands as garbled gurgles escaped her mouth. "Help..." she rasped weakly.

Panic surged through Rebecca's veins at the sight of her friend dying before her eyes. She shifted her attention to Billy and HUNK, still locked in their life-or-death struggle for the shotgun. With adrenaline fueling her muscles, Rebecca spotted Billy's pistol lying just a few feet away. Ignoring the searing pain in her abdomen, she dragged herself over to the gun.

HUNK managed to angle the shotgun's barrel at Billy's chest during the fray. With lightning quick reflexes, Billy pumped the shotgun a split second before Hunk overpowered him. The gun clicked uselessly without ammunition.

Rebecca grabbed the pistol and spun around, steadying her aim. She fired three quick shots into HUNK's back. He released his grip on the shotgun and retreated behind a large shipping container, using it as cover from the barrage of bullets.

Rebecca helped Billy to his feet and handed him the pistol. As Rebecca was grabbing the shotgun off the floor, a gas grenade landed at their feet.

"Gas!" Billy yelled as he kicked the spewing canister away. It exploded, instantly flooding the room with thick, choking fumes. They stumbled away, guns trained on the container as the sound of pounding footsteps rang out. HUNK was making a break for the stairwell.

Rebecca and Billy chased the noise with a hail of gunfire. The echoes of footsteps ceased, replaced by eerie silence.

Billy erupted into a fit of coughing from the noxious gas. "He's getting away," he choked out between wheezes. "But I think we're safe now."

Rebecca glanced back anxiously at Linda's dim silhouette in the fog, then met Billy's eyes with a pained expression. "You can't save her" he stated bluntly.

Sudden crashing sounds from above jolted Rebecca to attention. Her eyes went wide. "No...NO!" she screamed. wrenching herself from Billy's grasp. She raced frantically up the stairs, Billy close behind.

They burst into the communications room to find the equipment demolished - smoking, sparking ruins. Rebecca desperately tried to manipulate the defunct controls to no avail. Overcome with anguish and rage, she slammed her fists onto the panel.

"FUCK! FUCKING SON OF A BITCH!" she cried, banging her fists again in frustration. This had been their one chance, and now it was gone. An innocent life had been lost for nothing.

Rebecca collapsed to the floor, sobs wracking her slight frame. Billy rested a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. She recoiled from his touch.

"We can find another way," Billy offered gently.

"Like what?!" Rebecca snapped, glaring up at him with reddened, tear-filled eyes. "We tried our best chance and got a woman killed."

Billy's expression hardened in annoyance. "I'm trying to help here. Getting upset won't get you anywhere."

Rebecca rose to her feet, hands shaking. Her face contorted in anger and contempt. "Oh right, I forgot how little you care about innocent lives, you fucking war criminal."

Billy tensed. "Watch your mouth," he warned.

"Or what? You'll add me to your body count?" Rebecca taunted bitterly. "What is one more life, right?".

Billy lunged at her in rage, but Rebecca was faster. In one smooth motion she pressed the cold steel of her gun barrel under his chin, freezing him in place. Her finger rested on the trigger as tears streamed down her dirt-smudged cheeks.

"Come on, try me. Please. Give me a reason," she challenged, her voice breaking.

Billy just stared at her, his battered face conflicted. "Your face...this-" he murmured weakly before collapsing unconscious to the ground.

"Billy? BILLY?"

Boots whispered across the spotless floor as William Birkin paced anxiously, biting his nails while watching the security monitors. A door opened behind him and he turned to see a silhouette in the doorway.

"Sorry for the delay, things are getting tense at the station," said a man in sunglasses as he strode into the monitoring room, his face obscured in shadow. "I assume the problem is resolved?"

Birkin shifted nervously. "Only the finance woman. The other two are still alive."

The man leaned over William shoulder to scrutinize the monitors. One screen showed Billy lying unconscious on the vet's examination table, serum dripping into his arm.

"Not for long, it seems," he murmured.

"What about the girl?" asked Birkin .

"Her?" the man chuckled darkly. "She'll collapse soon enough. She no longer has the reo to take care of her."

Birkin wiped his sweaty palms on his lab coat. "What if she doesn't?"

The man gripped Birkin shoulder, his fingers digging in. "You should start looking for another job."