Alyssa turned to the door and instead found it missing. Where the entrance they walked through minutes ago now stood jagged, cavern stone. Alyssa pressed herself against it. It had to be there! Instead, she fumbled over solid rock, and dread settled in the pit of her stomach.

“Where do you think you’re going?” She felt his breath hot on her neck. Alyssa turned, back pressed to the wall.

“You’re not Vince!” she shouted as she lashed out for his face. He nimbly avoided the wild blow and put space between them, laughing.

“Why? Because I trapped you in here? Because you thought we were friends? Because I acted scared to lower your guard?”

Alyssa opened her mouth to speak, but couldn’t find the words. Maybe it was all a rouse? Was he really capable of this?

“You should know deception when you see it, Alyssa,” Vincent began as he paced the water’s edge. “You’ve been lying to us since day one. Did you really think by escaping that lab, you would be able to run away from what you are?”

Alyssa felt her heart quicken. She searched the dimly lit cavern for any sign of an exit. Even the gap between the men and women’s side was replaced with stone. Could Vincent truly be this powerful?l?

“It’s not what you… That’s not why I ran! I’m not… I won’t --”

“Kill indiscriminately like you were designed? Oh, you will. Look what you did to Bertha!”

“But you told me t--”

“You could have just sealed the doors, left her behind. She wouldn’t have gotten through. You knew that.” Vincent fiddled with his cane, spinning it in his fingers before taking a seat atop one of many stone decorations.

Alyssa’s stomach churned. It had to be done, right? If Bertha told him to, then… or did he make that up too? Was that also part of the plan? Alyssa’s knees felt weak.This couldn’t be real. This wasn’t Vincent. Pode tried this once before, maybe she was doing it again? The blonde shook off her spiraling thoughts and reached for her pistol.

“You’re not Vince!” she repeated, this time louder as if trying to convince herself too. She rose her magnum toward him, but its muzzle trembled to stay on aim.

“Really? Me too, Alyssa? Are you going to shoot me like you shot Bertha? Who else is next? Stella? Rayleigh? You’re very existence with us is a dangerous line I’m tired of walking.” He threw his hands in the air and rolled his eyes. “Fucking unbelievable! Should’ve listened to Leona when she told me to take you out sooner...but no! She knew this would happen…” he muttered running a hand through his hair.

“L-Leona?!” Her gun lowered slightly.

“Yeah, but don’t just take my word for it…” Vincent shook his head and snapped his fingers. The sound echoed in the humid cavern before silence took over. Alyssa brought her gun up and looked around.

Nothing.

Then, from behind a large boulder to Vincent’s left, a tall, dark figure strode into view. Alyssa’s heart stopped. Her hands shook so violently, the magnum clattered to the floor.

“...T-Tobias?!”