After awhile of just trying to take a beating, it seemed like Ajax was beginning to get bored, no longer being amused by the sounds of Sans' troubled screaming. He lazily tossed the plank aside, while Sans sat still restricted in his chair, just panting weakly for air he so desperately needed after having to take so much abuse from this horrid man. He didn't know how much more he could take. He really didn't. He felt so unbelievably dead to the world that he felt like he could pass out or maybe even dust at any minute, not that it was something he wanted to do. He didn't want to give up on Frisk and the others. But what if they couldn't get out? What if no one came to save him? What if--

"Sir?" A voice spoke from Ajax's earpiece, loud enough for Sans to just barely make out what the person on the other end was saying. Ajax turned his attention away from Sans momentarily to see what was up.

"What is it?" Ajax huffed. "Can't you understand I've got better things to do? What? What do you want? And I swear, this better be a good reason to interrupt me otherwise you'll be paying for this later." Ajax growled. The man on the other end of the line gulped, but he continued to speak anyway.

"He got out, sir." They said fearfully. When Ajax questioned in an angered voice as to what the hell he meant, he went on. "The skeleton's dad, he got out. And now he's let his friends out and I think they're on their way to find you." 

"God dammit." Ajax snapped under his breath, not even flinching when it sounded like his ally just got attacked on the other end. Seemed like he wasn't lying about that. "Well then, looks like I might be able to make more good use of you before I kill you." Ajax smirked, going to remove the restraints that kept Sans down in the chair. He harshly yanked Sans up by the arm, and if Sans had the energy or even the strength to fight back, he would. However, he was too weak. Even talking at this point felt like nothing more than a painful chore. "Let's go see your friends." 

****

Luckily for the group of five, they so far hadn't had any more issues while trying to storm this strange facility. It took a lot of wondering and exploring, but eventually they managed to take over the security room by taking care of any of Ajax's men that were inside. "Alright, Sans. Where are you?" Gaster muttered thoughtfully, looking at a bunch of screens before them that showed many different rooms. So far, in all of the ones his eyes had scanned over, he couldn't appear to spot his son. 

"There!" Undyne pointed to a single lone screen, where Ajax was pushing Sans along down a hallway. With what looked like... A gun held to his head.

"Sans!" Frisk yelped at the screen, as if he could hear him. She was slightly creeped out when Ajax glanced and smirked at the camera, almost as if he knew they were watching. But he couldn't hear them, right? 

"I know you guys are watching me. Very impressive." Ajax spoke. "Listen, if you don't want your friend's head blown off, I'd suggest you come along quietly." He said towards the camera. The group all turned around in shock to see a group of Ajax's allies ambush them in the door way and they became surrounded. Grillby narrowed his eyes behind his glasses, going to prepare one of his flame attacks, only to be stopped in his tracks as he was suddenly struck by a strange beam of light from what had looked like a gun. It felt painful, and it caused his magic to slowly weaken, making him no longer able to use said magic as he groaned and fell onto one knee. 

"Back off!" Undyne wanted to attack - only to have the same fate at their flame friend. Papyrus and Frisk glanced at each other worriedly, while Gaster gritted his teeth in anger, as he clearly was disgusted with these people for striking against them. When one of them tried to fire what could only be described as an anti-magic tool at Gaster, he used one of his magic hands to block the attack. 

"Don't be foolish." Gaster spoke in a stern tone. "We'll come quietly, as long as no harm is done to any of us or Sans. I'm guessing you're taking us to Ajax, right?" At their nod, he slowly nodded himself in response. "I see. Well, fine. We'll come quietly, won't we?"

"Yeah, yeah..." Undyne huffed. Everyone else seemed to agree with that idea as they were led against their will out of the security room and down another corridor, to end up coming face to face with Ajax still holding Sans in front of him as a hostage. He smirked.

"Well, well, well... I got to say I'm impressed." Ajax said. "I have to admit, I guess I slightly underestimated you." He grinned at Gaster. 

"Why don't you just put the gun down and let him go? What is even the point of all of this? What do you think it's going to prove?" Gaster answered, glancing towards the others who were all being closely watched and guarded by Ajax's allies. "Is this really going to create peace for humans? By provoking monsters who don't even do a single thing to you? We live and we work and we breathe the same air as you because you know what? Just like you humans, we're only trying to get on with a comfortable life just as much as you are. We're not asking for war, we're not asking to fight. Especially because I have seen some things from that war that I wish I could un see. And so has my friend here." He said, pointing towards Grillby who gave a small nod of agreement from where he was standing. "So, just put the gun down." 

"Ha! Doesn't prove anything?!" Ajax laughed, breaking into a laugh that was too sadistic for Gaster's tastes. He glared at Ajax with anger. "Please. Killing Sans here will only show you freaks what happens when you cross me. And trying to live a comfortable life? Don't make me laugh. It only takes one small thing for you weirdos to be startled and then you'll wreck havoc among us humans. You're nothing but trouble and you're going to cause us nothing but trouble." 

"But Gaster here helped develop the core further!" Frisk argued. "Which is beneficial to humans! Why would you want to--" 

"Just shut up, Frisk!" Ajax snapped. "You've always got on my nerves, during all those meetings with your two parents, who aren't even actually your parents. They're just monsters. So, tell me, where are your real parents?" He questioned. "Why is it that you had to run away from a life you already had just so you could join a bunch of circus freaks? I really don't get it. You're nothing but a traitor to your own kind, befriending those who humanity has feared for years." 

"For what reason?!" Frisk cried back. "You should be grateful that when they came up to the surface they didn't want to rip you to shreds! All you people did was trap them under ground for many years and make them live in fear. Yet they were civil with you and they allowed you to do your own thing, as long as you let them live a normal life just the same. Why can't you just leave them alone?!" 

"You never stop talking, do you?" Ajax glanced to one of his minions and motioned for them to step towards Frisk. Sans' eyes widened when he saw one of them going to grab for her.

"what are you doing?! leave her!" Sans argued, wanting to try and struggle against Ajax. But he really didn't have the strength to. Papyrus wanted to do something, but was held back by the other humans. Undyne and Grillby did not have the power to fight if they wanted, their magic had to take its time to return, and it still hadn't done for this moment in time. 

"Leave her!" Gaster warned them, looking like he was about to activate his magic until Ajax made a threat. 

"I wouldn't if I were you." He said, cocking the gun whilst it was still aimed at Sans' skull. "You make a move and I'll do it." He said. 

"You wouldn't dare." Gaster muttered.

"Try me." Ajax responded without even a second of hesitation. Gaster stared back at him, actually feeling uneasy with the stare that Ajax returned. 

"You truly are a madman." Gaster shook his head in disbelief, being restrained by two of the guards. "You're practically the devil in disguise." 

Feeling afraid, Frisk was shoved forward by one of the men. She had no choice but to oblige, being brought forward just a couple of feet in front of Ajax who smirked when he got what he wanted. He sighed, shaking his head before beginning to speak.

"You know, it's a shame..." He started. The tension was so thick in the air that you could cut it with a knife. Ajax seemed to have power over the entire situation, and all everyone could do was watch in fear as the humans were once again trying to take everything from them. "If you had just agreed with me from the very beginning, none of this would have happened. But that's fine." He said, aiming the gun at her which caused everyone's eyes to widen with terror, especially Frisk's. "You can die with a guilty conscience." Ajax finished, and then...

He pulled the trigger.