the row and Reno stiffened. He sent the message, then shoved the phone in his back pocket and got ready for an attack. Then there was a scream. A very human, very female scream.

"ALINA!" Forgetting all else, Reno rushed forward into the darkness toward the scream. "I'm here!"

warehouse. "Alina? Are you here?"

His phone beeped and Rude's message came through. Pausing, the redhead typed back, "I do. But I need that antidote pronto. Can you get it here? Shove Barnes in the trunk if you need to. Getting Alina better is my first priority."

There was a sound down -

the shadows, he made his way slowly deeper inside.

"Alina?" he called, just above a whisper. Gods only knew what was living in this place. Reno swore he'd heard something skitter across the floor when he first entered. Electromagnetic rod at the ready, he moved into another row of the -

Water dripped from somewhere deeper in the warehouse, and it made for an eerie, horror movie effect as Reno followed the marker on his phone to where Alina should be. It was just one of many broken down places in this area, and if not for Rude's work, Reno would never have found it. Eyes scanning-

was normal.

Reno smiled and nodded, but something continued to nagged at him. Didn't he know this person? "Nice garden. This place really needed someone to care for it."

in a while, he encountered a monster that needed destroying, but it had been an easy shift. As he approached one of the old houses on the block, he noticed it now sported a nicely kept garden. Someone with hair almost as red as his own seemed to be watching him a bit more closely than -

It was the first good day they'd had in weeks. Not a cloud in the sky, and it was mid-week. Pre-drinking, pre-weekend chaos, so Reno was out before the sun went down and enjoying the moment.

He'd pulled a general patrol that day, which meant a lot of walking and no real expectations. Once-

restraint on how you do it, partner. Make the asshole hurt.]

Phone still in hand, he went to his computer to run the IP address and get a location.

realized that Alina's time might be short and killing Barnes wasn't going to save her. Rude would have more control. He'd get the information they needed.

And…he /needed/ to see Aline. Grabbing his phone back up, he typed, [I'll find her. Please…find Barnes. Get whatever information you can. No -

it in the flesh—

Finishing the message, Reno felt his fists curl. Barnes needed to die. All of the anger and fear he had felt for the last months came together like gasoline on flame. His first instinct was to go after Barnes himself. To string him up. Gut him. Make him pay…

But then he -

phone and tapped it to life.

It was a text from Rude. Frowning slightly, he opened the message and read it.

His finger hovered over the video's play button…then steeling himself, he tapped it hard.

At the sight of her, his throat tightened. He's expected something like this, but seeing -

living room when the text from Rude came through. Head cradled in his hands, he barely acknowledged the buzzing at first. This numb feeling had become who he was. No music playing. No television. Just a bottle and silence.

When the second buzz from the video came through, he picked up the -

he hadn't wanted to spill everything that had happened in the dealings with the Remak, once he started, he just couldn't stop. He did manage to get Tseng's loyalty to not pass the information on to anyone else, but had been put on two days of leave to regain his focus.

Reno was alone in his-

Not a night had gone by that his sleep had evaded the constant worry of Alina and where she might be. She had disappeared for long enough that his thoughts turned to despair and Tseng had noticed. Pulled him aside for a talking to over it, he started to explain where his head was, and though-

Missed you too! Yup, he will. He's wide awake and ready to rumble.

Clean up. Yeah. He really needs to do that. On many levels.

But right now? He's just going to cling to Rude like a koala bear.

Honestly wasn't sure I'd be back myself. But the change in venue is exhilarating. Thanks!