---

"Kick those this way. Don't need either of you doing anything else stupid."

... Unfortunately for Gregorio, they beat him to the punch. By the time he looked over there, Cindy and Meifeng were gone.

And Cindy was completely dumbfounded by this stupid white girl. Like absolutely confused as to how somebody this stupid would have lasted this long. Instead of just keeping her hands up - or, in all honestness, just going with Meifeng's plan that would have been a lot smarter - the girl just chucks a knife at him. A fucking knife. And there are two of them, both better armed. Cindy's eyes were wide opened and it came to no surprise when the earth-shaking bang of the pistol came out of the other chick's pistol. She was glad that the psychopath didn't just unload on all of them, but she wasn't going to let this go to waste.

Using the distraction, Cindy shoved Meifeng as they dove back behind the rock. The closest piece of cover and reunited with their weapons! The girl who got shot was probably not going to make it - probably not the guy who got stabbed either without the proper medical equipment. Infection is a bitch in the apocalypse. Cindy knew they simply didn't have the supplies on hand... and to be frank, she didn't see the worth in going out of her way to save her when they can just worry about cutting and running.

Cindy looked at Meifeng as she clenched the shotgun tightly. The two grinned at each other.

"Sorry big guy, you were a little slow on the draw there!" Meifeng shouted from behind the rock as she pumped her shotgun. "Stupid's our middle name!" She pumped her shotgun again.

"But I think this has gone a little too far, don't you all think!? How about weeeeee just kindly call it good and walk away?! You got a guy that's wounded and probably needs medical attention ASAP! A lot of people die from infection, you know!" While Meifeng tried to bargain, Cindy peaked from behind cover at the two. This wasn't good... if she was able to she would just unload her entire clip on them and run. However, that'd be tough and she would prefer to just walk away. This was getting way out of hand.

Then a third one approached. Perfect. Cindy got behind cover, this was gonna suck.

Little did they know, in the veil of the night. The crimson fog was approaching them fast.

"Hey! What the fuck?"

"Jane! Watch your mouth."

"He took our gun!"

"Yes, I saw. But had he wanted us dead, he would have shot us by now. Come on, let's see what's going on outside."

"He said stay here..."

"Oh, so you do what you're told now?"

Jane shot her step-father a certain look before walking down the hall and then down the stairs, Dean following suit. "Oh lovely, it's a party," she remarked once she was downstairs and able to see through he window the group of people that were gathered outside. Someone had been shot, yet they weren't jumping at each other's throats. Maybe they were talking it out, but that would seem a little off as someone was gravely injured.

The two stared at each other.

"I don't suppose our unexpected visitor brought the rest of them here. But whatever his story is, we need to get our gun back from him-"

"Sounds good!" Jane started moving towards the door, but Dean lunged forward to grab her upper arm, the girl protesting in turn. "Hey! Didn't you just say we ought to get the gun from him?"

Dean let go of the grasp he had on her arm. He hadn't intended on grabbing her as hard as he had just then, but he couldn't let her go outside given the current conditions. "Sorry if I hurt you. We get the gun back once whatever his name is comes back inside. We don't go out there for now; we're not sure what those people are capable of."

"Well, a little verbal warning would have sufficed." Jane sighed, knowing that their plans had been ruined without much of an option. Her step-father had on his typical troubled expression, one she wasn't too fond of given that it usually meant they were in some sort of predicament. They were already in enough trouble with her missing mom and grandparents, and they didn't need to be fighting other people when they had those monsters already out for blood. "Okay, let's wait in here I guess. No use getting in between all of them."

Belen stomped her feet on the ground. Why did this have to happen? Couldn't just find a fucking house with a shower and relax. No. She had to deal with a crazy white chick with a death wish, and two idiots that thought smashing a rock through her car was a good idea. She was done. Just fucking done. This isn't her job. She shouldn't have to deal with this shit. She wants to go home, back to San Diego and stay locked in her house and wait for her mother to come home. Not be out here in the desert with a bunch of weirdos from the gutter!

"The sound of you voice is grating my ears." She pistol whips the girl, then kick her in the face just because the bitch is ugly and pissed her off. "I'm out." She storms away back to the house, Cruz follows behind her, never taking his gun off the three with Gregorio pulling up the rear. Once they clear the threshold, Gregorio locks the door behind them. "And who are these two? Are they with them?" Belen points to the father-daughter duo waiting by the door.

"That's Jane and her drunk step-dad. They seem like good people." Gregorio pulled the gun he took from them out the back of his pants and hands it back to the man, trusting his intoxication won't cause him to do something stupid. "We'll be sharing the house with them."

"Right." Belen shook her head, because she didn't care anymore. As long as they stayed the fuck out her way, they could whatever the hell they wanted.

"Srta. can you take Cruz to the bathroom and help him tend to his wound. I have to pull the truck into the garage." Then he turns to step-dad. "I need you to cover me. We have a vehicle with supplies we'd be willing to share, while we wait out the night, then we'll be out of your hair once the fog clears." Gregorio went to the garage door off the kitchen and pressed the button on the side to let the door up. He held his gun up, crouched down, and ran to the car furthest from the girls he encountered before. He hoped they wised up and won't try a repeat.



Belen helped Cruz to the bathroom on the first floor. He placed his gun against the sink and did his best to wash his hands. "Srta. I need you to create a tourniquet and tie it around my upper arm to staunch the blood flow, so I can pull this knife out."

She grimaced. That's disgusting. She doesn't even want to handle her period blood. How's she supposed to deal with someone else's blood? Still, she did it anyway and went to get her purse from the living room where she left it, then came back with a LV handkerchief and tied it twice around his arm, tight.

"Gracias." Cruz took two deep breathes, then pulled the knife out slowly. He grunted behind his teeth, a dizzy spell hit him, but he stayed up right against the sink. He threw knife on the counter and took a look at himself in the mirror. He was a hot mess. Blood and sweat stained his white t-shirt, and he looked a little pale. "Do you have a lighter?"

Through the whole thing she couldn't look. Just the sound of the blade sliding through flesh and the metallic smell of blood made her gag. They should've stayed in San Diego. "Why would I have a lighter?" She dug around in her purse anyway. Nope. "Nada."

"Fuck." He grabbed a towel off the rack and held it to the wound. "We'll have to wait for Gregorio to pull the truck in." In the meantime, he motioned for Belen to grab his gun. She stared it.

"You want me to carry that?" He nodded. "Hah. You're funny. It weighs half as much as I do and the kickback on that will knock me off my feet."

"I didn't say you had to shoot. Just carry it for me. Por favor, Srta?" Belen sighed, stomped her feet again, because she didn't want to, then picked up the gun anyway and dragged to the living room following behind Cruz. He sat on the couch, breathing kind of labored and looking worse by the minute. He better not die on her or she's going back out the kill that bitch.

---

"I'm out."

"Oh shit, it worked?" Meifeng peeked over the rock and saw that the psycho-bitch had fucked off with her bodyguards. "It worked!"

"... Well, that's a first." Cindy said as she peeked over the rock.

"What?"

"You managed to reason with somebody," Cindy said as she put her gun back in her waistband as she got up to her feet. This was fuckin' ugly - well, at the very least they didn't get shot or have to use any of their resources. However they lost the house and, well, Cindy was willing to take those losses - looks like they're sleeping on...

"Fuck!" Cindy shouted as she turned the horizon and saw the mist coming.

Fast.

"We gotta get inside!" Cindy shouted as she ran towards the house - damn that ho with the goons. However, she looked behind her to see Meifeng kneeling over the chick that just got shot. "C'mon, Feng!"

"We can't leave her!" Meifeng said as she grabbed the girl from under the shoulders. "She'll be another thing for the monsters to claw at that aren't us!"

Cindy stood quietly for a moment.

"... You're right!" Cindy said before she ran up and grabbed the girl by the legs and they power lifted the chick and ran into the house fast as possible. They put the girl down and Cindy ran to close the door... other people came in - and she wondered how many jackasses are out here in one house in Nevada. Then the fog hit... and all they could hear outside were shrieks of the beasts and their screeching as they were on the house.

There was a bang on the wall that kept going until it was all the way to the roof... and Cindy let out a sigh as she faced Meifeng. She pulled out a towel from her assault pack and she really didn't want to contaminate it but she had no choice. She pressed against the bullet wound on Lena and kept the pressure on it the whole time.

Now, before she went to work patching this girl up, Cindy had to do something first. She gave the girl a light pat on the cheek as she said,

"Hey, hey," She started off very quiet as she was trying not to alert the monsters outside, "Can you hear me? Hey."

“Yea-yeah...I hear you...” She said, swallowing a bit of blood from the Spanish Kick of Death no Jutsu she recieved just then. She was going to try to pull the coat off to make things easier but by then she was already being helped. Lena silenced her breathing as best she could out of habit from a long while back, and clutched a knife in her other hand as she immediately locked her gaze into a window. She couldn’t see the mist just yet, but she could hear what sounded like monsters, and that window wasn’t entirely covered. Lena wasn’t quite aware of the rest of the people in the house, aside from the clanking of the knife -which she made herself, fun fact - falling out of that guy’s arm. She looked up at the woman who was helping her.

“They’re outside, aren’t they...” She whispered. She was just a little off out from getting kicked.

Dean glanced over at Jane, giving her a reassuring nod. "Stay put until I get back, I won't be long."

She sighed in response, not wanting to be left alone with those people but not having a choice in the matter. She stared at the man and the girl as they headed towards the bathroom, the thought of offering them her first aid kit momentarily popping up in her mind but it just as quickly diminishing. They'd already been screwed out of a quiet night in the house due to a number of strangers, and to willingly relinquish their supplies wasn't a smart move in her book.

Shaking her head as she walked away, Jane took a few steps before she sat not he couch, not that much time passing when a few others entered the house. To say she was unhappy was an understatement. Now they'd have to worry about surviving the night in a big house with a bunch of strangers, some of which may not have the best intentions in mind. Please hurry up, she thought to herself right before noticing the familiar and utterly terrifying mist slowly beginning to make its appearance from the corner of her eye.

Instinctively, the girl got to her feet and rushed to the garage door, calling out to her step-father who was still outside.

"Hey, get back here, the mist is approaching!"

Jane saw him waving at the man to come back inside, and she was glad Dean was within a reasonable distance. "There are more people inside." The hint of urgency was evidence in her voice.

"It's alright babygirl, we're coming back." Dean was feeling the effects of the alcohol a little less now that they were in a life-threatening situation, his head was clearing and he was already preparing his next move.

---

The House in the Middle of Bumfuck Nowhere, Nevada

---

"Shite, shite, shite." Cheung Ji cursed under his breath as he darts toward the house atop the hill. To be honest, he is out of breath. His lung is on fire. His heart boiled. His muscles tensed, and his skin is having goosebumps on goosebumps. For despite being a "survivalist" for more than half a month now, he wasn't very keen on staying in shape per se, often spending more time reading and collecting various goods on his way. But, he wasn't keen on the idea of stopping for breaths either. The limited experiences between him and the mist are not exactly something worth remembering, with him usually hiding in some corner while waiting for the horror to go over. And there is no good hiding place except for the house. So, using all his strength, he ran.

He passed over the three that just arrive in a car. And almost barreling into the living room had he not hold himself against the doorframe to stop the momentum. Even then, he wasn't relieved. Not because the room was filled with strangers, they can kill each other later, but because the mist was here. Its scarlet color promised blood to be spilled. And Cheung wasn't ready for his blood to spill. So, gulping for breaths, he moved himself to one of the corners, where he coincidentally placed behind the girl holding a golf club and the duo who are taking care of an injured.

Perhaps this is where he should stand by the girl's side. Perhaps this is where he should hold his ax and protect the women. Perhaps this is where his morals would win and he will be a hero. Thankfully, it is his fear that is in control. So god be damned and so are these women. Holding the fire ax across his chest, Cheung slowly placed his flashlight on the floor, making sure that the light is directed toward the window.

"God. Just let me live..." Cheung Ji muttered under his breath, tracing imaginary figures in the blood mist like a fisherman in the open sea.

Belen hefted the gun onto her lap, using the couch as back support just encase she had to shoot a group of people. First to die is the bitch with the busted shoulder.

"Oh, great. You're back. Well," she kept her finger on the trigger. "You're all staying right there. If you move from that spot I'll shoot you. Best be glad I didn't do that when you came through the door."

"Srta. please." Cruz nudged her in the arm, but she shrugged him off. Because of them he got hurt. Meaning, they're no friends of hers. Fuck them.

"Every alright?" Gregorio asked, back from pulling the truck in the garage, gun aimed at the newcomers. As far as he's concerned, if it's not his people, Jane and her step-dad, everyone else is a threat.

"Just peachy. Be a dear and get first aid for Cruz. He's probably dying." Gregorio sighed and went into the garage. It was just as secure as the rest of the house, which was good or they'd be ass out of supplies. He got the large red case from the trunk, closed it back, and carried it into the living room. He opened it and got to work on Cruz's shoulder. He put on gloves, poured peroxide into the wound, then stitched it up. Cruz breathed in sharply, but he didn't make any other noise than that.

"I'd give you something for the pain, but..." he motioned to the new group. They had to stay alert. He wrapped up the wound, then handed Belen the bandage wrap to keep in her bag, before he carried it back to the garage. She put the bandage in her bag, then handed the gun back to Cruz.

He's fortune he got hit in his left arm and not his right. He aimed the gun at the crowd and kept an ear out for the noises outside. It wasn't the same as back home where they bunked in the panic room during the night. He felt exposed. He looked at Belen, she seemed calm and collected. Break a nail, she freaks out. Someone talked shit about her on social media, she'd end their career. She gets dumped first, and she's out for blood. But monsters take over the world, nothing, nada, it's just another Tuesday.

Gregorio came back with waters, chips, and a bag of fruit. He got Cruz situation with his snacks and water, then handed two bottles, two chip bags, and apples to Jane and her step-dad, before he took a seat next to Belen, gun aimed for the next sign of trouble.

Belen rolled her eyes, because of course Gregorio would feed these two nobodies. But they haven't irked her yet, so they probably deserve some type of reward for that, especially since the man had Gregorio's back out there. Good enough for her. Three adults on the couch was crowded though, God she needed her space, but she's safer where she is. She pulled her feet up against her chest and pulled out a protein bar. She needs to eat while it's still early. Just cause it's the apocalypse doesn't mean she can skimp out on her diet.

---

Good, she's responsive.

"Sssssh, honey, there's nothin' out there," Cindy tried to reassure her... because this chick's probably going to panic. If she goes into shock, then she's as good as dead. Which is what Cindy's going to try to avoid. She smiled at the girl as she stood over her... and this other chick (was she the one poking her head over the rock?) handed her some rubbing alcohol and some cloth. Perfect.

"Thank you... name's Cindy." Cindy was honest here - there was no way that she could pronounce Hyoyeon's name, it took her ages to get Meifeng's name right. Alright, it was time for Cindy to get to work. She wished that she had some pressure dressing. Before she turned to Lena, "I'm going to get you patched up, don't worry."

Now, Cindy wished that she had her army equipment but they lost that awhile ago. They had to grab what they could and get a move on - which was her biggest gripe. However, she knew what she could do best. She turned towards Meifeng and asked,

"Can you any blood on her back?"

Meifeng glanced over and saw no blood, and said, "Nope."

"Good... no exit wound," Cindy said as she finally got to work as she pulled her knife out of her assault pack. She let go of the towel and grabbed onto the bottom of Lena's shirt... she turned towards the other stranger and narrowed her eyes at him. She whispered to Meifeng, "Block his view with your body."

Meifeng nodded as she put her back to him and made sure he couldn't see anything. That was when Cindy pulled off Lena's shirt by the bottom until it was completely off. Now Cindy got a good view of her wound and it was nasty... Cindy never saw this shit firsthand but years upon years of training have taught her exactly what to do. Also, they had to be quick because there was a chance that the mist doesn't leave in the next hour or so.

In that case,

Cindy was going to take her chances.

Cindy sighed. The wound was still bleeding, however, so she had to be quick. The first thing she did was put the rubbing alcohol to the side... Cindy knew that wouldn't help even in the slightest. Instead, Cindy reached into her assault pack again and pulled out a bottle of water and a container of hand soap. She poured a bit of soap onto the towel and then added some water and wiped off the wound. That was when Cindy wrapped the cloth against the wound but after one loop she pulled out a pen that she had on hand with caps on both ends. She tucked the pen underneath the wrapping, holding it together. Before she began wrapping it the other way. She kept wrapping it. Conveniently it was on her shoulder and it'd be a lot easier to get her makeshift pressure bandage on nice and tight.

Cindy thought of it as the field training exercises where they made it abundantly clear that this was life and death and her battle was hit with shrapnel. This was key to saving her life... even though all her battle buddies are probably dead. Cindy then finished wrapping it and tucked slack underneath the wrapping.

With a sigh, Cindy said to the girl,

"Are you feeling lightheaded or woozy o-"

That was when a window upstairs broke and Cindy immediately shut up. Maybe it was nothing... before they heard a loud growling sound and footsteps. Cindy held her hand to her mouth as she looked up at the ceiling - with every step a piece of it fell. Shit.

"It's in..." Cindy whispered before she turned to her friend, who brandished her baseball bat and held it tightly with both hands.

"Somebody, go kill it."

“No..I’m fi-“

Shit.

Lena instinctively grabbed her knife and held it in front of her. Her face went from painful to almost pissed. “God dammit” she had zero intention of actually hunting it down, since she was already hurt, but whatever that thing was, it made her reflexes kick in. She also reached into her bag that was now on the ground, and pulled out a second knife, a chopper kind, the kind you could cut a limb off with if you’re crazy enough. She slowly took it out and handed it to the girl helping her. “Here...In case you don’t want to waste bullets.” She whispered, bullets were already pretty hard to come by without them being unloaded into a monster. She held onto her other one with a death grip.

The window was upstairs, so they had time to run and hide, but that would just make more noise. “The fuck do we do?”

Belen didn't pay any attention to the three no names that tried to appeal to them with the "doctor" act. Maybe the man could help, but she wasn't the one that was hurt. If Cruz needed it he could speak up for himself. She finished up her protein bar and uncapped her bottle for a drink, when an upstairs window broke. Everyone froze, the only ones making noise were the troublemakers. One girl with a golf club crept towards the stairs. Suicidal much. Belen pulled out her gun. She had five bullets left and an extra mag in her purse. She's not sure what it takes to get rid of these things, but this ain't it sis. Better than nothing and she has two lines of defense if push comes to shove. Except, Gregorio stood up and went after the girl.

"Gregorio, where are you going?" She whispered.

He held a finger to his lips and shushed her. Belen rolled her eyes. He motioned towards the stairs. Of course he's going up there, and while she can't agree with this, it's better to handle it before it came down a slaughtered everyone else. She didn't want to spend the night with corpse and blood might get on her clothes. She shooed her hand. Cruz looked forlorn like he might lose his friend, but he knew he had to go to keep Belen safe. He nodded, crossed from his forehead and across his chest. Belen did the same halfheartedly. Obviously God ain't home if the demons are out having field day.

Gregorio nudged the girl with the golf club out of the way, then motioned for her to follow him, but quietly. He got to the top of the stairs and pulled out his mirror. It wasn't in the hallway. Good. He heard moving around in one of the rooms. Sounded like it was in the room Jane and her step-dad were in earlier. These things ate people, maybe it smelled them on the sheets. He stuck close to the wall on the side of the hall the door was on, then crept swiftly, but quietly to the door. He checked with his mirror again. It wasn't too big. About the size of a person. Big enough to fit through the window at least. It's wings fluttered as it sniffed around the bed. He looked back at golf club girl and told her to stay. He could shoot it and draw attention to the others outside, but that's dangerous. They need a plan. Gregorio looked again. The monster's back was to him. He quickly grabbed the door, pressed the lock on the other side, then closed it. The door wouldn't hold it long, but it might buy them time.

He turned around and went back to the stairs and down. "I locked it in the room, but we need a plan. We gotta get rid of it without making too much noise. There won't be a house left if we get into a gun fight and draw attention."

Dean accepted the snacks offered to him and Jane with a quick "thanks" and a smile, giving the other share to his step-daughter. They weren't necessarily hungry per se, but it was good to eat now before anything happened. The duo were seated on the floor with their backs to the wall, and they simply watched when another group came in as they continued eating. Three newcomers through the door, their arrival not a surprise anymore. It seemed the house they'd found earlier was a hotspot. Or so that's what Jane thought.

"At this rate, we'll be getting kicked out of this place," she whispered with an annoyed look on her face.

"You better change your attitude and stop being selfish. There are beasts out there and no one can be outside," he whispered back to her.

"Great, we'll just die from within..."

"That's enough! Now finish eating."

They both heard the crash from upstairs. Jane froze for a moment, her grip suddenly tightening around the bag of chips. Dean's reaction was to drop his snacks beside Jane and stand up

"What are you doing?" Her voice was shaky as she suddenly grew concerned. She wouldn't allow Dean to go upstairs, not when there were other people there with bigger, better guns who could very well blow the monster away whenever it came for them.

"We've obviously been compromised," he responded.

Jane too got to her feet, standing between Dean and the stairs. That's when the Asian chick and their "friend" went upstairs to investigate. She thought they were suicidal for volunteering themselves, but she wasn't about to say anything. Why not just hold the position and react accordingly instead of looking for trouble? But eventually they came back down not so long after the fact, and she was relieved. It that thing hadn't killed them yet, her and her step-dad would be alright for the time being, though now they had other issues such as trying to kill the damn thing that was still in the house.

"Please stay with me," she begged, hoping he'd agree to her request.

---

The girl, who just had a bullet go through her, was pulling out her knife like she was in any condition to fight.

Once they get to safety they'll have to get that bullet out but Cindy was, unfortunately, not a medic. And they'll definitely have to get out of here - especially if the storm persists. The longer they stayed in an area, the more of those... things, showed up and the more likely one of them is gonna get killed by it. The pair already had one lucky break so far and Cindy was definitely not dumb enough to bet on a second. She sighed as she pushed the girl down.

"It's nothing to worry about," Though, after examining the girl's chest there was something off about it, she didn't know what. "Just... stay down and we'll figure something out." Like Hyoyoyo or whatever her name was said, just put pressure on it and not move. Thoooooooooooough, at this point it wasn't Cindy's problem and she only felt any sense for responsibility for Meifeng. The girl was guarding the two like she was ready to die if it came down to it... what a great friend, Cindy knew that keeping her was a good choice.

A group went upstairs and there was a crash as Cindy was worried if the monster was attacked but that woman's goon came down and said they locked it in the room. Perfect, but that wasn't going to hold it forever. It would have been better if they killed it.

Cindy sighed,

"Let's not poke the hornet's nest," Cindy suggested, "We can leave it there until it does something."

There were screeching and all sorts that sounds that Cindy knew felt alien outside and she knew that even the slightest trigger will have them getting swarmed. She could hear them scraping against the walls and her heart started racing. The only thing saving them from certain death was luck and this flimsy ass house. What brought her back to reality was the older gentleman saying that he was looking for a fire source.

"Can we set it on fire?" Meifeng asked and Cindy rolled her eyes.

"No, Meifeng, go with him to get stuff," Cindy ordered her, "Her condition can change in a heartbeat."

"What about you and Jessica Voorhees?" Meifeng asked.

"We'll be fine, I'm watching her to make sure she doesn't go into shock or something," Cindy said, she wished they at least had some ice.

Following Cindy's instructions, Meifeng threw her baseball bat over her shoulder and casually walked over to Tom or whatever his name was. Though she felt like it was weird they were loosely using names, "Name's Meifeng, lead the way."

---

The House in the Middle of Bumfuck Nowhere, Nevada

---

It is strange to see how people still able to care these days, Cheung Ji thinks as the Asian girl left her friend to join with the man to find something to stabilize the girl with the gunshot wounds. The monster or whatever that just broke through the window is still upstairs. The mist is circling like hawks and yet, people care for other people skins. Like why? Why risk their lives for a stranger? And that makes Cheung Ji has all these sorts of thinking at the back of his mind. Mainly about whether these strangers would do the same for him and the extend that he would go to save them.

Maybe he could just slice the woman. She doesn't seem to be very attentive to him than the girl she is trying to save. Maybe, if he could just injure her so that all of those outsides would just swarm in. And meanwhile, he would just run in a different position."

Cheung Ji looks at her. At the African American. At the stranger that is trying to save another stranger. He could feel it. How his blood begins to race. How his jaws clench and the vision of him splitting this woman's head like a watermelon.

How he would run.

And he shuddered at such thought.

Letting out a long sigh, Cheung decided to focus things at hand. Things that he can control.

"Here." Cheung Ji said, placing a lighter and a roll of toilet paper next to the African American girl before retreating back to his position. Usually, these would have traded for something much better than a connection. But, he overheard their conversation earlier, so this is his way to help.

"I'm sorry for not helping much." Cheung Ji said before retreating back to his corner, his grips are still firm on the ax handle. He wants to say something, to ask whether the stranger would make it, to show them that he cares and not this completely selfish prick. But all that he was able to do was opening his mouth and yawn.

Belen's hand shook during the minutes that Gregorio was gone. She stuffed her hands in her purse to hide her fear. She already lost her mother (maybe), she couldn't handle it if Gregorio disappeared too. Or died in this case.

"Srta. it'll be okay. Gregorio's strong, smart, he'll survive." Cruz whispered to her, his thigh pressed against hers. She knows he's right, but she's never lost anyone before and doesn't want to think about it. Having one missing person on her mind is bad enough.

"I know that. He'll be fine." No sooner had she said it Gregorio and the girl came back down. It's locked in a room, seems like it didn't notice them, since it's still knocking around up there.

"Let's not poke the hornet's nest. We can leave it there until it does something." One of the troublemakers said.

"I agree, but if it does move we'll be sitting ducks." Gregorio looked around the room, a plan formed in his mind. "Alright. We need defense and that means." He look down at the girl Belen shot. "We need to move from this area. It's too open. Get her up." He said pointing at girl bleeding out. He went back to the living room. Two sectionals, an arm chair, and a TV stand case almost a long and as tall as the wall. That'd be too heavy to move.

"Srta., Cruz, I need the couch." He addressed everyone in the room, Jane and her step-dad, the man with the ax, the girl and the boy that followed him upstairs, and the woman that came with the doctor. "I have a plan. We need to move the couches to block the stairs and the front door, the arm chair to block the black door, and someone to help get the girl off the floor and back towards the garage door. We'll set up a line of defense. Anyone with a gun in the front, melee weapons in the middle, and the injured and anyone attending to the injured in the garage. Let's get to it."

Cruz struggled off the couch, still a little dizzy, but Gregorio grabbed his arm and held him steady. They looked into each other's eyes, an understanding passed between them like when they were in the same unit and crazy shit was about to go down. "You good?"

"Never better."

Gregorio clapped his arm. "I'll be right behind you."

Belen rolled her eyes, and stood up, her bag on her shoulder. She peeped whatever was going on between them years ago. It's almost like watching her dads. Grossly cute. Cruz moved as fast as he could to the garage door, Belen right behind him. He opened it, then handed her the key fob. "Get in the truck. We might need to make a getaway if the house comes down." Belen climbed into the truck, her hands gripped the steering wheel, her eyes forlorn while she watched Cruz go back into the house. Gregorio said for the injured to stay in the garage. That's only two people. Of course he wouldn't listen.

Gregorio set his plan into motion.