Chapter 34: For Love and Loyalty

Billy Brolin was now out of the prison cell, and Porter Harmss stood ready to confront the grotesque threats lurking outside. The tension in the room was palpable, a silent acknowledgment of the dangers they were about to face.

The sheriff's station was dimly lit, the flickering fluorescent lights casting eerie shadows on the walls. The air was thick with a mixture of fear and determination. The scent of sweat and stale coffee mingled with the metallic tang of blood from the bodies lying on the floor.

Porter looked at Sheriff Angela and said, "I have to go outside. I bet those guys are now hunting more prey."

Sheriff Angela nodded, her expression serious. "Be careful."

Porter nodded back. "Thank you."

Suddenly, Billy interjected, his voice firm. "I'm going too."

Julian, pacing nervously nearby, was taken aback by Billy's sudden declaration. "B-Billy?"

Billy looked at Julian, his eyes filled with determination. "I gotta find Cruz and others, man."

Julian gulped, unsure how to respond. "I don't know, man, it's just—" Suddenly, a sinister laugh echoed through the room. It was Maynard Odets, chuckling from his cell.

Moses, watching from a distance, muttered, "What the heck?"

Billy turned his attention to Maynard, his anger boiling over. "What's so funny, you bastard?"

Maynard's smirk widened, his teeth gleaming in the dim light. "It's funny you're still looking for your girl."

Billy's face darkened. "What?"

"She's dead, lover boy." Maynard taunted, his eyes gleaming with malice.

Billy's voice dropped to a dangerous low. "Shut the fuck up."

Maynard leaned closer to the bars, enjoying the torment he was inflicting. "Probably being digested right now."

"I said shut the fuck up!" Billy shouted, stepping toward Maynard's cell, but Sheriff Angela moved quickly to stop him.

"Stop it, kid." Sheriff Angela said, holding Billy back.

Maynard just kept smirking, the taunting smile never leaving his face. "My boys have a taste for flesh... especially cute little blondes."

"You bastard!" Billy screamed, trying to lunge at Maynard again.

Porter, seeing the situation escalating, quickly drew his gun and aimed it at Maynard, pulling the trigger. The shot rang out, echoing through the station. Everyone startled, their eyes wide with shock as Maynard shouted in pain, clutching his shoulder where the bullet had struck.

"Aurg!!" Maynard screamed, the smirk wiped off his face, replaced with a grimace of agony.

Sheriff Angela turned to Porter, anger flashing in her eyes. "Porter!"

Porter, his gun still trained on Maynard, replied calmly, "I didn't kill him, Sheriff. I was just warning him."

Sheriff Angela sighed, the tension easing slightly. "This isn't the way, Porter."

Porter lowered his gun but kept his gaze fixed on Maynard. "Then.... We need to focus."

Billy Brolin, freshly freed from his cell, glared at Maynard with a fierce intensity. "If anything happened to her, I am going to fucking kill you."

Maynard gritted his teeth, clutching his bleeding shoulder. Despite his pain, he smirked. "Let me go... and maybe the rest of them will live to see the dawn."

Sheriff Angela Carter, standing firm with her arms crossed, shook her head. "You're not getting out of there."

Maynard's eyes glinted with malice as he look at Porter. "There's four of you and one of her," he said, gritting his teeth through the pain. "Think how much you want to live."

Porter stepped closer to Maynard, his expression one of hardened resolve. "You're out of your mind if you think any one of us is going to let you out."

"Suit yourself, bastard." Maynard spat back.

Billy turned to Sheriff Angela. "I am going to look for Cruz and my friends."

Sheriff Angela held up a hand. "Hey, I told you, no more unnecessary risks."

Billy, his face set with determination, replied, "Well, then you better lock me back up."

"What?" Sheriff Angela looked at him, puzzled.

Billy continued, his voice unwavering. "All right, I may be a fuck-up." he admitted, locking eyes with her. "I am irresponsible, I am unreliable, and I am definitely juvenile, but I am loyal to my friends and to Cruz."

The room fell silent as everyone absorbed Billy's words.

"I love Cruz," Billy said, his voice thick with emotion. "I love her more than anything I have ever loved in my life..." He paused, looking around at each of them, his desperation clear. "...and I am not going to sit in here while she's out there on her own. I couldn't live with myself if I did that."

Porter watched Billy, a mixture of emotions playing across his face. He was reminded of his own sacrifices, leaving his girlfriend Kenia for the sake of revenge. Porter's heart ached with the memory of his love for Kenia and the relentless drive that had pulled him away from her.

Billy took a deep breath, standing firm. "So either lock me up or let me go." He pointed to his bandaged wrist, a silent testament to his willingness to do whatever it took.

The tension in the Fairlake Sheriff Station was thick. The room was dimly lit and smelled of stale coffee, making it feel cramped. The flickering fluorescent lights cast eerie shadows on the walls. Porter Harmss, still holding his gun, spoke firmly, making his decision clear.

Porter Harmss lowered his gun but kept his gaze fixed on Maynard. "Then... that settles it. Billy will go with me."

Sheriff Angela Carter, standing firm with her arms crossed, looked taken aback. "Wait, what?"

Porter met her eyes with a resolute expression. "Sheriff, we need to know what happened outside, and we need more manpower out there."

"But I can go there, and they can stay here." Sheriff Angela insisted.

Porter shook his head. "No... you're too naive. No wonder cops like you always die."

Sheriff Angela's eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"

Porter sighed, trying to keep his patience. "Look, what we are they dealing with here is different. These bastards aren't your typical serial killers. They are monsters; aren't human."

Sheriff Angela frowned. "What do you mean?"

"These bastards don't feel pain," Porter explained, his voice grim. "Not only that, their endurance is also top-notch."

Sheriff Angela looked shocked. "What?"

Mose's voice was incredulous. "What the hell?"

Billy, equally stunned, echoed the sentiment. "You serious?"

Julian, visibly shaken, stammered, "Wh-what do you mean?"

From his cell, Maynard Odets chuckled darkly. "It means my children are dangerous." he said, laughing.

Porter glanced at Maynard with a look of disgust. "You heard him. That's why we need more manpower outside to defeat these things. If they just stay here and protect this place, we don't know what the outcome will be outside. Worst case, Billy's friends might die out there. So it's better if I have a companion to go outside and investigate."

Sheriff Angela sighed, conceding the point. "Okay."

Julian stepped forward. "Can I go too?"

Billy immediately turned to him. "No, you stay here."

Julian protested, "But I can fight."

Sheriff Angela placed a hand on Julian's shoulder. "No, you stay here with us. We also need manpower here."

Julian looked around, frustrated. "But you have that drunk old man."

Mose bristled at the comment. "Watch your mouth, kid. I am sober now."

Sheriff Angela nodded. "Look, if Maynard Odets is really the father and if what he said is true that his sons are coming for him, we need to be prepared. We need you here."

Julian sighed, resigned. "Fine." He turned to Billy and Porter. "Billy, be careful, man."

Billy nodded. "I will."

Porter adjusted his grip on his weapon. "Let's go."

Billy nodded, determination in his eyes.

The two men, Porter and Billy, stepped out of the sheriff station into the cool night air. The small town of Fairlake was eerily quiet, the distant glow of the festival barely visible. They moved quickly but cautiously, their senses on high alert for any sign of danger.

Inside the station, Sheriff Angela and Mose prepared for the worst, while Julian watched with a mixture of fear and anticipation. The weight of the situation pressed down on all of them, but they knew they had to be ready for whatever came next.

The hunt was on, and every second counted.

...

[Lita]

Lita Marquez, frantic and desperate, continued her search for her boyfriend, Gus McKaley. The night air was cool and still, the only sounds being the rustle of leaves and the distant hum of crickets. The motel courtyard was dimly lit, casting long shadows that played tricks on her eyes.

"Gus!" she shouted, her voice echoing in the quiet night. "Gus, where are you?"

Her eyes scanned the area, but the run-down motel, with its peeling paint and flickering neon lights, seemed almost deserted. Most of the rooms were dark, indicating that the occupants were either asleep or had gone out for the night. The festival, where concerts and fun were held, was miles away, leaving the motel in an eerie silence.

She continued to call out, her voice growing more desperate. "Gus! Gus!"

Lita's footsteps echoed off the cracked pavement as she walked past rows of parked cars, their windows reflecting the dull glow of the motel's lights. She peered into each room, hoping to catch a glimpse of Gus.

"Shit, shit, shit," she muttered under her breath, her frustration and fear growing. "Where are you, Gus?"

Her heart pounded in her chest as she reached the end of the courtyard. She paused, looking around in every direction, but there was no sign of him.

"Stop doing this, Gus! This isn't funny!" she called out, her voice breaking slightly.

Lita sighed deeply, trying to steady her racing thoughts. "If this is about what I said earlier, then I'm sorry, okay? I just need some me time, babe. And accounting is my dream job, you know that right?."

Lita's mind raced with worry. She imagined all the worst-case scenarios, her anxiety feeding off the silence around her. The shadows cast by the flickering lights seemed to move, making her feel like she was being watched.

Unbeknownst to her, Gus McKaley was already dead at the hands of the Trio Brothers. Lita's desperate search continued in vain, her shouts echoing into the empty night, the silence around her a grim reminder of the reality she was about to face.

...

Inside the Fairlake Sheriff Station, the atmosphere was tense. The door was locked securely, and only a sliver of the outside world could be seen through the small window. Sheriff Angela, Mose, and Julian stood watch, their eyes darting between each other and the window.

"Look." Mose whispered, pointing to a car pulling up outside.

Sheriff Angela squinted and then relaxed slightly. "That's Jason's car."

As the car came to a stop, Sheriff Angela quickly unlocked the door and opened it. "Jason!" she called out, relief evident in her voice.

Jason stepped out of the car, carrying a lasagna in his hands. "Angela, babe!" he called back, hurrying towards her.

As he approached the station, his eyes widened in shock at the sight of blood and the three disfigured bodies lying nearby. "What the fuck!" he exclaimed, nearly dropping the lasagna.

"Shit," Angela muttered under her breath, quickly stepping forward. "Okay, okay, calm down, Jason. Breathe in and out."

Jason tried to follow her instructions, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. "Tell... tell me what's going on here?" he stammered.

Angela noticed the lasagna in his trembling hands. Despite the situation, she managed a small, strained smile. "Is that for me? Ah, thanks."

Jason shook his head, his face pale. "I told you, what the hell is going on here, babe?"

Angela sighed deeply, her expression turning serious. "Okay, okay... I'm gonna fill you in on all the details about what happened here."

She guided him inside, closing and locking the door behind them. The station's dim lights flickered slightly, casting an eerie glow over the room. Mose and Julian watched silently, their faces tense.

Angela began to explain, "These disfigured people, they're not just random attackers. They're part of something bigger, something dangerous. We've been dealing with them all night."

Jason's eyes darted around the room, taking in the gravity of the situation. "How did this happen? Why are they dead... and all these shit?"

"We're still piecing that together," Angela admitted. "But for now, I'm going to tell you all I know about what happened here."

To be continue

....

I've just finished editing the chapter, but my brain and eyes are killing me. My head is pounding, and I probably can't post tomorrow as planned. As I mentioned earlier, I need to go to the hospital for a check-up to determine what illness I have. Well, I didn't go for a check-up because I thought it was just a normal flu. I apologize to my readers that I won't be able to upload another chapter right now due to my ongoing health issues. Thank you all for your understanding and continued support. 

I'm sorry for any mistakes in this chapter; my sickness has made it difficult to focus on editing properly.