Henry didn't use the stairs anymore.
There weren't really stairs left in this part of the maintenance structure.
Only vertical shafts filled with pipes, support beams and half-broken platforms that looked unsafe even when they weren't collapsing.
He moved upward by jumping between pipes.
At one point, he stopped mid-route and landed silently on a horizontal pipe thick enough to hold him. It groaned under his weight but didn't break.
Below him, the building felt different here.
"Something is wrong about this place..."
Then he tilted his head slightly.
Why my neck is itching all of a sudden...
He exhaled once, steadying himself and continued upward.
He jumped one pipe to another without wasting a second.
His hand slipped slightly this time.
His breathing had become heavier without him realizing it. His vision became blurry for half a second before returning again.
He steadied himself against a pipe hard.
For a moment, he simply stood there, staring ahead like his body had forgotten how to continue.
Then his knees gave out.
As he fell sideways between the pipes, fingers barely caught one metal before slipping loose.
His blurry visions caught a figure in sight...
The shape looked familiar but his vision kept blurring.
The figure moved slightly or maybe Henry just couldn't focus anymore.
"You…"
....
Henry woke up choking on pain.
The kind that sat inside the skull and refused to leave.
His head throbbed hard enough to make thought difficult. Something warm slid near his lips. He blinked slowly and realized blood had already dried near the corner of his mouth.
His nose and ears rang.
When he swallowed, the salt taste became worse.
"…What…"
His voice barely worked. His whole body felt restraint. Cold metal pressed against his wrists.
He looked down slowly.
He was strapped near a large water tank connected to maintenance pipes humming with low pressure.
Henry frowned unable to speak.
"Great..."
He exhaled painfully vomiting blood from mouth. His vision still wouldn't settle properly.
Several masked figures stood around him with weaponry.
Each wore smoke-colored armored masks hiding their faces completely.
And in front of them, a woman in silver stepped closer.
White traditional clothing layered beneath military gear in a way that somehow looked deliberate instead of strange.
Her mask covered most of her face. Yet the posture felt unsettlingly calm.
Henry looked up slowly.
"Who are—"
The woman suddenly laughed.
Henry tried opening his eyes properly. Blood had dried beneath his nose and near his ear.
Then the woman stepped closer.
White layered clothing beneath smoke-colored tactical armor.
She looked at Henry for several seconds.
Then laughed again.
"Oh. You look disgusting! My God! Fhahahaha!"
Henry tried moving up again.
The woman crouched slightly near him.
"I suppose introductions matter. The person responsible for your current inconvenience. Savietta Laurens."
Her gloved fingers tapped lightly against the metal restraint near his arm.
Henry's eyes narrowed weakly.
Savietta smiled faintly beneath the mask.
"The third faction. The internal conflicts between Adam, Zenon, the little whispers pushing your precious allies toward collapse. The nuclear powerplant as well."
Henry's expression shifted in shock.
Savietta noticed immediately.
"Oh, don't look so surprised. You people keep imagining villains appear suddenly. I have been here for a very long time. I even went backward for this."
Henry's breathing faltered.
Does she mean—?
"No. Don't force yourself to think too hard. You are already struggling. The previous King of the Third Hand?"
She laughed again very hard.
"I guided him to death!"
Henry thoughts processed the events ongoing.
That's impossible. No… no, wait— Roland… the Avery was gone… the things that didn't align….
Savietta watched his realization fight confusion behind his eyes.
"You're wondering why your body feels useless?"
She tapped her finger lightly near his shoulder.
"You really should pay more attention."
Henry's thoughts stuttered.
When—? How did she—
"It was Cyanide, you fool! I pinned it onto you earlier."
Earlier…? No… when?
The blurred memory refused to come together.
"Relax."
Another amused laugh.
"You are alive because I still find you useful. Of course, to be my crocodile's dinner."
Savietta watched Henry struggle for a moment.
"You really are stubborn."
She stood upright again and folded her hands behind her back.
"The sad thing is that your friends already know about me. Maybe not the name exactly but many details."
Henry's breathing slowed for a second.
Roland? Avery?
Savietta tilted her head slightly.
"Yes. At this point, there isn't really a clean way home anymore."
Henry tried forcing words out.
"…Wh…at…"
Savietta pointed lazily toward one of the masked figures nearby.
"Show him."
The masked operative stepped forward immediately and placed down a portable monitor.
" Your friend went to inspect in the powerplant. He was kind hearted. "
Roland was there hung upside down from a damaged overhead structure inside the nuclear facility, hung by one leg.
Blood dripped slowly onto the concrete beneath him. Several armed agents surrounded the area.
Henry's vision sharpened for the first time since waking.
"…Ro…"
The word barely came out.
Savietta watched his expression carefully.
"He caused trouble far more than expected."
The footage shifted.
Several injured agents stood nearby bandaged and limping.
"He actually managed to hurt some of our better personnel. Resourceful. Annoyingly so."
Henry tried pushing himself upward against the metals straps.
"…St…op…"
Savietta glanced at the monitor.
"Unfortunately, I can't allow loose ends."
She raised her hand slightly.
"Proceed."
On-screen, the surrounding agents moved closer pulling their pipes upwards.
Henry's breathing turned uneven.
"No…"
Roland twisted weakly against the restraints but couldn't properly defend himself.
One after another hit landed on Roland's torso and face hard enough to puncture the skull and ribs.
Henry strained hard enough that the restraints dug into his wrists.
"ROL—"
The sound broke apart into blood and air. His body refused to cooperate.
Savietta watched him silently.
"You hate helplessness. Interesting. What a disgusting insects you are!"
Henry kept trying to move anyway. As if effort alone could somehow cross the distance.
Savietta looked at Henry for another long second.
Then raised her hand lazily.
"Enough."
The monitor went dark.
Henry's chest tightened.
"Ro…"
The word never finished.
Savietta turned slightly toward the masked figures.
"Bring the girl."
Avery stumbled forward as some of the masked ones pushed her with might.
She hit the ground hard directly near Henry's feet.
Hands handcuffed behind her back.
Blood stained parts of her hair, sticking unevenly near her forehead. Her breathing was weak but steady.
Henry froze.
"Hey…"
His voice cracked into almost nothing. Avery slowly looked up.
Even exhausted, she still tried smiling.
"Wow... you look terrible."
Henry's throat tightened.
"No…"
She crumbled slightly, clearly in pain.
"I guess… we really messed this one up."
Avery looked at Henry again.
"You know… I kept thinking maybe there would be more time. You, Roland and I... could go on beach... I wanted us to do normal things like others do... stupid things. Eat bad food... fight about dumb stuff."
Her eyes lowered briefly.
"I don't think I gave you enough good memories."
Henry shook his head immediately. Blood at his lips again.
"Stop…"
Avery smiled widely lifting her gaze at Henry as much she could.
"No. Listen for once. If this goes bad… and fate gives you another chance..."
Henry stared.
"No."
"You hear me? Live normally, Henry. Be free. Don't turn into one of those miserable people who forget how to smile."
Her expression softened.
"…Best friends, okay?"
Savietta suddenly landed a furious kick on her head. Avery collapsed sideways with a gasp.
Henry snapped.
"STOP!"
The scream tore through blood and weakness.
Savietta looked at him calmly.
"There it is. Attachment. You still don't understand. Authority. Power. Everything loses its streak eventually. I simply chose to stand above the orders."
Henry struggled violently now. A cracking sound came from the metal straps.
"…Take me… Kill me… spare her..."
Savietta tilted her head.
"Hm?"
She acted like genuinely hadn't heard.
" Boys, peel her. "
Two of the masked ones brought out saws and proceeded to march toward Avery.
As one saw was pushed in her stomach, she shouted in broken syllables.
"He... He... "
What was remaining, was just a lifeless doll.
Then they began peeling her skin, flesh from toes to the skull. Helpless.
Henry lunged forward and this time, the straps broke.
Before he could do anything Savietta's hand caught him by the head and slammed him violently into the wall.
Everything blurred instantly.
Couldn't stop anything.
"Can you feel it? Now I think you understood what true helplessness feels like."
Savietta stood over him quietly.
"You are not strong enough yet, kid." she said softly.
Then looked away.
"To be continued."
Henry lying there, could only hear the world breaking around him.