As shadows flickered across the room, Alice's thoughts drifted to her mother. She could almost see her auburn hair catching the light, hear her laughter ringing out, feel the warmth of her hugs. But one thought anchored her, keeping her steadfast: He's coming. He has to. Clayton wouldn't leave her here. He couldn't.

Philip's voice droned on in the background. "The thing about loyalty, Miss Clarke, is that it's remarkably flexible. Everyone has their breaking point." He adjusted something on the IV stand, her veins were as black as ink. "Even Clayton."

Through half-lidded eyes, Alice watched Vanessa and Helena's hushed argument unfold by the supply cabinet.

"This is where we should draw the line," Helena hissed, her fingers trembling as she sorted through vials. "She's seventeen, for Christ's sake."

"Helena," Vanessa's voice cut like a blade. "This is what Philip wants. We let him play, kill or rape whoever he wants. We don't want to disappoint the master. Do we?"

"She's seventeen, Nessa. A child. This isn't what we signed up for."

"No? Then what exactly did you think this was?" Vanessa's laugh was brittle. "The moment Clayton brought her into the game, this became inevitable. You know that."

"He was protecting her—"

"He was compromised. And now it's payday. Master wants revenge."

The numbness had reached Alice's waist now, spreading like ice through her veins as she was tied down to the gurney. Her head pounding.

"Tell me, Helena," Philip interrupted, turning from Alice. "Would you prefer to end up like Louis or Marcus, hell, maybe Sylvia? Is that what you want?" His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Because I still remember how they all begged at the end. Don't you, Vanessa?"

Helena's face crumpled as Vanessa beamed. "We could tell Clayton it was too late. That we found her like this—"

"Jesus Christ," Vanessa spat. "Listen to yourself. This isn't about Clayton. This is about Booth, and what the money he is worth. Dead or alive. More fun dead."

"But she's in high school!" Helena's voice cracked. "She doesn't know anything , she hasn't—"

"That's exactly why we need her," Philip's voice dropped lower, almost gentle. "She's leverage. Pure and simple. The less she knows, the more valuable she becomes. Louis understood that, right before the end."

Alice's mind raced even as her body betrayed her, cataloging every detail: the crack in the concrete ceiling, the smell of copper and bleach, the way Helena's hand trembled as she finally picked up the syringe.

"I can't—" Helena started.

"Then you'll join them," Vanessa snapped, pulling a knife to her throat as she backed away. "Six feet under the warehouse floor. Is that what you want?"

Philip moved back to Alice, his shadow falling across her like a shroud. "Your defenders keep disappearing, one by one, Miss Clarke." His fingers traced her collarbone, each touch sending shivers down her spine. "First Louis, now Helena. Must be lonely, being so... disposable."

EW.

He leaned closer, his cologne cloying in its sweetness. "You know what the beautiful thing about chemical paralysis is Allie Bear?" The pressure of his hand increased incrementally around her throat, playing with her hair. "You feel everything. Every. Single. Thing. And the best part? You can't even scream."

"I'm going to really enjoy this Allie Bear. " Philip whispered. Tears welling in her eyes, pain coursing through her. He licked her face, from her cheek to her earlobe, tugging at the nap of her neck.

The fluorescent light above began to dim, or maybe it was her vision failing. As consciousness slipped away, Alice heard Helena's footsteps retreating as Vanessa ruthlessly attacked, the door clicking shut as the bloody screams got louder.

****

Alice awoke to searing pain. Her body screamed in protest, every nerve alight. Blood—thick, crimson, and inky—dripped from her hairline, blurring her vision. Her nose throbbed, her lip stung, and her fingers ached where nails had been torn away. She was broken, battered, but alive. She soon realized, she wasn't in on the gurney anymore but dumped into a mental tub, blood mixed water rising just below her chin.

A sudden motion jolted her. She was lifted from the tub in one swift, effortless movement. Her heart pounded as she struggled to focus on the figure before her, her vision blurred.

"Babe? Alison. Breathe. Fuck. Allie!" Clayton's voice cracked, raw with emotion as he ripped the duct tape away from her face. He cradled her gently, lowering her onto the floor. Ruth knelt beside them, rolling her jacket into a makeshift pillow to support Alice's head.

"Ruth, is she okay? What's wrong with her?" Clayton's voice wavered, his control slipping.

Alice blinked, her lips stinging beneath the duct tape. She tried to smile, a faint, fragile gesture that spoke volumes.

"What took you so long." She managed to murmur, laugher bellowing. Alice's vision blurred as she tried to focus on Clayton's face, his features etched with desperation. The pain was overwhelming, but the sound of his voice—raw and trembling—was an anchor in the chaos.

"Allie, stay with me," Clayton pleaded, his hands trembling as he brushed a strand of blood-matted hair from her face. Sam's voice cut through the haze, sharp and commanding.

"Clayton, we need to move her. Now. If they find us here—" Sam's words hung in the air, heavy with urgency.

Alice's lips parted, a faint whisper escaping. "He's... still here," she managed, her voice barely audible. She could see that her words sent a chill through Clayton, his jaw tightening as he glanced around the bare, cold room.

Daniel's eyes narrowed, scanning the shadows. "We don't have time for this. Clayton, pick her up. We need to get out before—"

A sudden crash echoed through the building, the sound of an explosion and heavy footsteps reverberating through the walls. Clayton's grip on Alice tightened, his eyes darting toward the source of the noise.

"Too late," he muttered, his voice laced with dread. Alice watched Clayton stand up, square, widening his shoulders.

The door burst open, and Philip's silhouette loomed in the doorway, his unnerving presence suffocating. His pitch black, beady eyes gleamed as he stepped forward, a twisted smile curling his lips.

"Going somewhere?" Philip drawled, his voice dripping with mockery. Vanessa standing behind him.

Alice watched as Clayton's body tensed, his protective instincts kicking in. "Stay back," he warned, his voice steady despite the fear coursing through him.

Philip chuckled, a low, menacing sound that sent shivers down Alice's spine. "Oh, Clayton. You really think you can stop me?"

Daniel stepped forward, his stance defiant. "You won't touch her again. Anyone again. You hear me?" he spat, his voice filled with anger.

Philip's smile widened, his gaze shifting to Alice. "Oh, but I already have. She was so tight. Warm. Forgettable." he taunted, his words cutting like a knife, looking directly at Alice.

"Liar!" Clayton hissed, noticing.

Alice wanted to throw up. Clayton moved without hesitation, stepping between Alice and Philip. His broad stance still commanding as ever, though Alice noticed the tension in his shoulders, see the clenched fists at his sides. "You take one step closer, and I'll fucking kill you," Clayton warned, his voice steady, eyes narrowing.

Philip laughed—a deep, guttural sound that sent chills down Alice's spine as she barely managed to climb to her feet, distancing herself behind the tub. "You can try," he sneered, before lunging forward.

The impact was brutal, their bodies colliding like two alpha grizzly bears – a sickening thud of flesh and bones cracking. It echoed through the room. Clayton stood his ground, landing blow after blow, but Philip barely flinched. His strength was monstrous, each counterattack driving Clayton backward.

Sam tackled Philip from behind, his arms locking around the man's neck in a desperate attempt to bring him down. Philip roared in anger, thrashing wildly as he tried to shake Sam off. Clayton seized the opportunity to land a solid punch to Philip's ribs, but it only seemed to make him angrier as he fell to the ground, Clayton standing over him, Sam moving to protect Alice.

Daniel joined Ruth against Vanessa, their aggressive combined efforts keeping her on the defensive. Vanessa was ruthless, her strikes quick and precise, but Ruth and Daniel fought back with equal ferocity, holding her attention. Ruth managed to land an elbow to Vanessa's jaw, forcing her to stagger, while Daniel followed up with a punch that sent her crashing into the concrete wall, her knees giving away as she fell to to floor.

"Fucking stay down." Daniel warned, a gun finally drawn.

As the four of them regrouped, bruised and bloodied. Alice moved closer, staring at the man who had taken lives and left her with scars she could never erase. The memory of Helena's blood haunted her—it was everywhere: smeared across her face, tangled in her hair, soaked into what remained of her dress. Her body quivered as the image refused to fade.

Philip was almost unrecognizable beneath Clayton, who loomed over him with fists smeared crimson. His knuckles were raw from the relentless blows, and Alice wondered if Philip would be able to walk again, had Clayton not paused.

"He's mortal." Alice whispered in a haze, Clayton glancing over his shoulder at her.

Vanessa's voice cracked as she screamed at Daniel, clawing at his arms like a desperate animal, begging him to spare Philip's life. Daniel held her back with frightening ease. Another sickening thud echoed through the room as Clayton's fist connected, and Alice winced at the sound of shattering bone.

Tears spilled down her cheeks when Vanessa's pleading eyes found hers.

"Alice, please!" Vanessa's voice, soft for the first time, wavered like it might break.

"Don't you dare talk to her." Clayton hissed, punching Philip again as a warning, his fist shaking.

Philip turned his head toward Alice and managed a crooked grin through a bloodied maw, gaps where teeth once were. A drip of crimson trailed down his chin as his dark, knowing smile etched itself into her memory.

Alice's stomach churned. Her mind screamed at her to throw up.

She averted her gaze, just for a moment—and in that flash, her memories flooded in. She could still feel his hands pinning her down as he tormented her for hours, the haze of Vanessa and Martha's voices filling the air, drowning her cries. The tremor in her hands betrayed her as she fought back tears and swallowed the lump rising in her throat.

Clayton can never know. Her thoughts vowed. Ruth tiling her head to a nervous Alice, her eyes pleading.

"He's done a hard number on you, Vanessa. Just like Ruth—at least she had the decency to leave when she could," Samuel spat, his voice dripping with venom as he loaded the gun.

The sharp click of the chamber echoed in Alice's ears.

"Clayton, maybe we should wait. This isn't justice," Alice said, her voice trembling but firm.

Samuel scoffed, "Saint Alison the Gentle"

"Enough. I'm sorry Allie. It's business," Clayton said, his gaze fixed on Vanessa as she crumpled to her knees, her sobs growing louder. Daniel pulling Ruth closer, shielding her.

"Alison, you don't want to see this. Wait outside," Clayton whispered, his voice low and steady, refusing to meet her eyes.

"Clayton!" Alice shouted, her voice rising above the chaos as her jaw stung. The room froze as all four sets of eyes turned to her, waiting for her next move.

Before she could speak, Philip staggered to his feet, blood dripping from his mouth. With a guttural growl, he lunged at Clayton, tightening a thin, black cord around his neck with all his weight behind him.

It happened so fast.

Alice's heart raced as panic surged through her. Clayton was pinned, his eyes wide with desperation. Despite his gigantic size, he was losing. Vanessa stood frozen, her face pale and blank. Ruth, Daniel and Sam had guns drawn, waiting for the shot.

Alice seized her chance, quickly prying the gun from Samuel's fingers. Her hands shook as she aimed, her breath catching in her throat.

The shot rang out, deafening and final. Philip's body jerked as the bullet struck, his grip loosening as he crumpled to the ground. Clayton gasped for air, clutching his throat as silence fell over the room.

Blood seeped from the hole in Philip's forehead, pooling beneath him in a dark, crimson stain.

Vanessa's scream shattered the stillness. She crawled to Philip's lifeless body, her sobs wracking her frame as she cradled him.

"Our baby. No. No. NO. I love you. Don't leave me. My marito," Alice heard her sob, over and over again, her voice breaking with every word as Clayton shakily moved to her side, taking the gun from her slowly as he caught his breath, holding her tight.

Alice sobbed with the realization that the sick and twisted mind of Philip had ended.