Instantly, they couldn't comprehend what had just happened. Josh had already started the car when Mark hurriedly drew his gun. Almost simultaneously, the woman in front of them pulled a firearm from her coat. The cannon aimed at them was unmistakable.
Mark quickly rolled down the window, preparing to fire—but Josh jerked the wheel, cutting him off.
"Aah!"
"Oh, shit…! Son of a bitch, do you have a death wish?!"
Chase, sitting in the back seat, cursed under his breath.
Mark shot him a glance but quickly realized Chase wasn't fully conscious yet. He was rubbing his forehead, as if nursing a headache, when the car suddenly lurched again.
"What the hell are you doing, Josh?!"
Mark slammed against the door and shouted, but Josh kept his eyes on the road, responding sharply.
"Don't roll down the window! It's an ambush!"
"What?"
"It's too obvious! We can't fall for such a shallow trick!"
Josh gritted his teeth and abruptly reversed the car. The vehicle behind them, caught off guard, hesitated.
"What the hell? That bastard turned around?!" Henry, in the other car's driver's seat, shouted in disbelief. But before he could react, Josh had already passed them, reversing at full speed.
"What is this? What the hell is going on?"
Henry glanced around, cursing. But there was no time to process the situation.
From the roadside, figures emerged—hidden gunmen stepping into view.
Henry's eyes widened in alarm.
"What the—?"
The gunfire erupted before he could finish. A barrage of bullets struck the car, ricocheting off metal, shattering glass.
"Argh!"
Laura's scream pierced through the chaos.
"Seth!"
Isaac yelled, leaning out of the window in desperation.
But there was no time to check on anyone. Henry whipped his head around, unleashing another stream of curses. By then, Josh had already sped off into the distance.
"Open the sunroof!" Isaac ordered, his voice urgent.
Henry didn't hesitate—he pressed the button. The sunroof slid open, and Isaac immediately positioned himself, careful not to lose balance. As he aimed, the gunmen came into view. The sharp crack of gunfire resumed, echoing in all directions.
✤✤✤✤✤✤
"Argh!"
"Ah! Josh, man! Damn it—!"
Screams filled the car.
"You insane bastard—how the hell are you driving?!"
Chase gritted his teeth, his voice still sluggish from disorientation. But Josh didn't respond. He was too busy swerving the car in erratic zigzags, trying to evade the relentless hail of bullets.
He couldn't keep running like this forever.
Luckily, Henry and Isaac had started covering him, buying him some time. Taking the opportunity, Josh finally attempted to slow the car—
But then, out of nowhere, a dark shadow loomed behind them.
"Josh!" Mark shouted, startled.
A massive truck, parked on the shoulder, had suddenly pulled onto the road. The moment Josh spotted it, he slammed the brakes and yanked the wheel to the limit.
The tires screeched.
A deafening sound of metal scraping asphalt filled the air, mixing with panicked shouts. The car spun wildly, leaving chaotic skid marks in its wake. Even with seatbelts on, everyone was thrown violently against their seats.
It was madness.
But Josh clenched his jaw, gripping the wheel with white-knuckled determination. Alternating between the accelerator and brakes, he wrestled control of the vehicle.
Finally, the car steadied.
Then, without hesitation, he gunned it forward once more.
"That crazy bastard…!"
Henry cursed when he saw Josh's car speed off at a breakneck pace.
But he couldn't give chase—not yet. As Henry braked, another massive truck emerged onto the road. Quickly switching gears, he accelerated again.
Meanwhile, Isaac—having tossed aside an empty magazine—loaded a fresh one and yelled, "Go straight!"
He fired.
One gunman went down, screaming. Then another. A third and fourth followed, collapsing in succession.
Still, the enemy continued their assault, refusing to back down.
Grinding his teeth, Henry pushed the car faster.
"I'm taking every last one of them down, those bastards!"
Isaac, from the sunroof, yelled in response, "Seth's not dead yet!"
"If they so much as touch him, I'll kill them all!"
Henry growled in agreement. Isaac quickly glanced toward the driver's seat before refocusing on the battlefield.
Seth, meanwhile, was slumped against the side of the car, trying to stay out of the line of fire. Amid the chaos, he had managed to take down two of their attackers, but there were still too many left.
They needed to end this quickly.
Take out the remaining three, and then—
A thunderous horn blared.
The truck behind them.
"Oh, shit!" Henry cursed, slamming on the gas.
Laura let out a sharp yelp, covering her ears as she shrank into her seat.
The sudden acceleration made the car lurch. Isaac, caught off guard, slipped from his position and crashed into his seat.
But that wasn't the end of it.
Ahead of them—blinding headlights suddenly flared to life.
Henry's blood ran cold.
"Henry?!"
Isaac called Henry's name urgently, but Henry seemed completely out of it. His hands were still gripping the wheel, but his vacant stare made it clear—he wasn't in control.
Isaac, alarmed by the car's erratic movements, hurriedly tried to move to the front seat. But before he could react, Henry suddenly turned his head and lunged, his hands wrapping tightly around Isaac's throat.
Laura screamed in horror.
✤✤✤✤✤✤
"…!"
Things were even worse for Josh's car. A deafening sound from behind sent a shudder through his entire body. Mark, caught off guard, instinctively covered his ears and sucked in a sharp breath.
Josh, gripping the wheel tightly, nearly slammed on the brakes—but he managed to keep his foot on the gas. Henry, however, wasn't so lucky. He swerved dangerously close to the slowing car ahead, nearly causing a collision.
Josh reacted instantly, yanking the wheel to the side. The car narrowly missed the other vehicle, barely skimming its bumper.
"…What the hell… just happened?" Mark's voice trailed off as a blaring horn cut through the chaos. This time, it didn't stop.
Ahead, the bait vehicle came into view. If they stayed on this course, a crash was inevitable. But just as Josh tried to change lanes, Henry's car veered directly into their path.
"What the hell are those bastards doing?" Mark muttered, his eyes narrowing at the sight of Henry's car swerving erratically. He strained to see what was happening inside when Laura's panicked voice crackled through the phone.
[Mark, we're in trouble! Henry's acting strange—Isaac and—AAH!]
Her terrified scream was followed by a sickening thud before the call cut off.
Mark clenched his jaw, his fury boiling over—but there was no time to process it. The truck was closing in fast.
Josh gritted his teeth, yanking the wheel once again. Henry's car, now moving much slower, created an opening. Josh managed to slip past the bait vehicle, but relief was short-lived.
"Oh, shit…"
Mark let out another curse.
A massive truck, just as large as the one behind them, was barreling toward them from the opposite direction. At this rate, they were going to be crushed between the two.
Mark tried to warn Josh, but the ringing in Josh's ears muffled everything. Mark shouted again, waving frantically.
Then, as the parked vehicle in front loomed dangerously close, Josh let out a sharp yell.
"Hold on!"
He twisted the wheel in one violent motion.
The car spun, momentarily lifting off the ground.
Mark instinctively threw himself over Chase as Josh clenched the steering wheel, foot pressed to the floor. The tires whirred madly in midair, propelling them forward.
Time stretched unbearably long.
Then—
With a brutal impact, the car crashed back down.
A cloud of dust exploded around them, swirling into the air. Without hesitation, Josh sped down the dirt road. Behind them, the truck rumbled after them, the sheer force shaking their entire vehicle.
But Josh didn't slow down. He gritted his teeth and shifted gears. Somehow, they had to get out of this. But how?
At that moment, the truck door swung open, and a man leaned out of the passenger seat.
Josh spotted the machine gun in his hands—
Too late.
Gunfire erupted.
Bullets hammered into their vehicle, the bulletproof glass rattling violently.
Josh swerved, but the uneven dirt road made maneuvering difficult.
"Think. Think."
He muttered the words under his breath, like a desperate mantra.
There wasn't much time. If they got any closer—
"Josh! C's acting weird!"
No time to process that either.
Josh made his decision.
"Get down!" he shouted, pulling his pistol. Without hesitation, he fired at the rear windshield. The glass shattered instantly, raining shards onto Mark and Chase as they ducked.
Josh yanked the wheel hard in the other direction.
For a brief moment, the gunfire outside ceased.
"Mark!"
"On it!"
Mark shot up, gun at the ready. Taking advantage of the momentary pause, he aimed for the truck's wheels.
He fired six shots in quick succession.
He wasn't sure which bullet hit—but the effect was immediate.
A thunderous pop echoed through the air.
One of the truck's tires exploded, the vehicle lurching violently. The gunman, caught off balance, tumbled out with a strangled yell.
The driver struggled for control—but there was no saving it.
The roaring truck skidded off course as Josh sped away.
"…Fuck. Fuck!"
Just as Josh thought they were finally in the clear, his hands slammed against the steering wheel.
Mark turned, startled by his unusual reaction.
"The oil's leaking," Josh muttered darkly. "We won't last long."
A quick glance at the dashboard confirmed his fears. Navigation was down. The car was still moving, but not for much longer.
Then, the dreaded warning beep.
Fuel low.
Seconds later, the engine gave out. The car rolled to a stop.
✤✤✤✤✤✤
The landscape around them was desolate. Sparse patches of grass dotted the dry, cracked ground, with scattered trees barely offering enough shade to be called a forest. The region had suffered years of drought—wildfires had been common, helicopters often seen battling the flames.
But today, the skies were empty.
"Dammit!"
Josh kicked the useless tire in frustration. But, of course, it changed nothing.
He scanned the horizon, hoping—praying—for any sign of life.
Nothing.
"Shit…"
"Hey, calm down," Mark said, trying to ground him.
Just then, the car door creaked open.
Chase stumbled out, leaning against the side for support. His face was alarmingly pale.
Then—he doubled over.
A pained gagging sound escaped him.
"Woo—wook."
His stomach convulsed, but nothing came up. He dry-heaved again, body trembling with exhaustion.
Josh's frustration faded, replaced by a rare flicker of concern. He watched as Chase slumped against the door, eyes shut, breathing heavily.
After a moment, Josh quietly opened the car's small refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water.
The sharp pop of the cap made Chase stir.
His dazed, unfocused eyes lifted to Josh. Despite his exhaustion, there was something striking about his gaze—deep, dark eyes still burning with frustration, emotion pooling at the edges.
Josh felt an odd pang of guilt.
Without a word, he handed over the bottle.
Chase, who would normally scoff and curse him out, simply took it. No energy for a fight. Just a brief sigh before tilting the bottle back, drinking deeply.
Josh watched in silence as his throat bobbed with each swallow.
Finally, Chase pulled the bottle away with a long exhale, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Then, without a word, he held out the empty bottle.
Josh took it and tossed it aside.
Only now did Chase seem to regain some semblance of himself.
Mark sighed, breaking the silence.
"We're out of options."
Chase, still breathless, scoffed. "No shit."
Josh sighed, already expecting Chase's next outburst.
Mark's voice remained firm. "We either wait for rescue or go find a way out ourselves."
Josh gave a practical answer.
"We've got enough water for a day or two."
His plan was simple—rest in the car overnight, move at dawn.
But it all depended on Chase. If he was willing to walk.
Predictably, Chase's response was instant.
"You're telling me to wander aimlessly into the middle of nowhere? Are you out of your damn mind?!"
Mark and Josh fell silent.
Chase grumbled another curse under his breath, rubbing his eyes. Then, with an irritated sigh, he pulled out a cigarette.
As he stepped away to light it, Mark and Josh exchanged glances.
Josh exhaled.
No signs of people anywhere.
Mark sighed again.
"What do I do with this?"
When he saw him suddenly furrow his eyebrows, Josh looked at him, puzzled. Mark held up a hand as if to say he was fine.
"I guess I'm getting dizzy. It's been a long time since I've had such a good time."
"Wow," Josh said seriously, with exaggerated exclamations.
"I can't keep doing this anyway. I'll have to find my way and get out."
"You'll have to walk quite a bit."
"But what can I do? Someone has to go ask for help."
Josh was cautious because he couldn't do anything else—he had to accept it. Mark nodded and spoke.
"Maybe C's manager is out of our reach now, so she must have done something. Maybe she sent a search party… First, you stay here and protect C. I'm sure there's still medicine… Will you be fine?"
Mark looked at Chase with a puzzled expression. He was still alone, only smoking. Josh said, "Well, I don't know."
Mark shrugged. "I have no choice."
After a short discussion, Mark opened the refrigerator in the car to grab water and a simple snack. Of course, Josh and Chase contributed their share too.
"Well, you should be careful too."
"You too."
After wishing each other safety, Mark turned first. After that, Josh was left alone with Chase.
Josh jumped into the driver's seat as he saw Mark pull away as far as he could. Suddenly, Chase's voice came from behind.
"What are you doing? You said you couldn't use the car." He was standing next to him. Josh looked at him and answered mechanically.
"Yeah, but I was wondering if something was working. It's probably a rescue request for an emergency."
He checked its status by pressing the buttons around him. As he stroked the monitor for a test, the screen flickered. It wasn't perfect, but it seemed useful. Josh worked the blinking screen patiently. Chase looked at Josh with an irritated expression as Josh raised his head after setting the signal that gradually came and went. Josh spoke.
"We've sent the signal, so if someone detects it, they will come for help."
"What?"
"…"
Josh tried to explain the emergency system, but soon gave up on the idea. He was also upset and tired.
"Someone will come."
"…"
Chase, who had not spoken for a moment at the insincere response, began kicking and hitting the car while cursing. Since it was already scraped and not his own car anyway, Josh left him alone, too tired to care.
He especially missed Peter today.
✤✤✤✤✤✤
When it was completely dark, an icy wind blew, and the temperature dropped sharply. Josh found a blanket when he opened the trunk. As expected, there wasn't much to use except a few tools. Fortunately, there was a blanket inside. Josh, who inadvertently shivered, grabbed the end of the blanket, immediately unfolded it, then put it in his arms and walked over to Chase. When Chase opened the door on the side where he was sitting and looked inside the car, he immediately glanced at Josh. Josh spoke, pulling out the blanket.
"Cover yourself, it'll be cold."
As he said, there were only sparse trees and grasses, but the cold winds blew as soon as the sun set on the desolate plain. It was clear that if left unchecked, body temperature would drop, and the only way to counteract it was to snuggle up in the car with a blanket. Even so, the rear window of the car was broken, and the wind blew in. But Chase just looked at the blanket and turned his head again. Josh stared at him silently, then turned and unfolded the blanket tightly. He could feel Chase looking at him. He put the blanket over his shoulder as if he didn't know.
"Ha," Chase muttered, downcast, from behind. Josh ignored it and enjoyed the warmth of the fabric. When he exhaled, his breath appeared white before disappearing. Suddenly, a strange sound came from behind Josh, who frowned. He listened silently and looked back. Chase, whose jacket was all he had on over a thin shirt, blew into his hands.
"Shit."
He brushed his hair back with a low curse. His long, graceful fingers were white and trembled slightly. Chase bit his lip, turned his head, then looked Josh in the eye.
"…"
"…"
The two looked at each other for a moment without saying a word. Josh just stared at Chase's pale face from the cold as the color slowly rose. Chase wrapped a hand around his mouth, and finally, his entire face flushed. A ruthless wind swept over him. The golden-blonde strands of his hair ruffled over his clean forehead, causing the skin under his eyes to blush even more. His blinking purple eyes seemed to shift to the side in embarrassment, and his long lashes flicked over them. Josh, following the line from the end of his well-shaped nose to his lips, had no choice but to remove the blanket from his shoulder and hand it over as soon as he saw Chase's breath come out shaky.
This man could live well for the rest of his life just with his face. What good is personality? Josh really thought that. He was the only warm person who had covered his shoulders without hesitation. Chase didn't refuse this time. Of course, he didn't take it willingly either. Looking away, Josh silently covered him with the blanket. He didn't forget to wrap it half a turn under his neck like he had done with Peter. Only then did Chase's face faintly regain warmth, and his tremors subsided. Holding the blanket effortlessly, he leaned comfortably back on the seat. The moment Josh saw it, he hesitated. Wait, is he hurt? He realized it too late, but it was already done. Chase, chained to the back of the passenger seat, closed his eyes, his long lashes casting shadows.
"Close the door, you useless bastard."
"…"
Josh obeyed him silently.
The cold wind blowing through his back felt even more fragile.
✤✤✤✤✤✤
About an hour later, he opened his eyes to the cold that suddenly passed through his entire body.
Josh, who had been sleeping soundly in the driver's seat, blinked and looked at the watch on his wrist. Soon after, he rolled his eyes to check the rescue signal reflected on the monitor. It blinked, fainter than before. The signal, which glowed like a firefly before disappearing, did not reappear for quite some time.
He let out a sigh. Looking back, he saw Chase buried deep into the seat with his eyes closed. Asleep? That might be for the best. Josh resisted the urge to brush away the hair that had fallen over Chase's pale forehead. Looking down at his long shadowed lashes, his parted lips came into view. After staring at his profile for a while, Josh quietly got out of the car.
"…!"
A gust of wind hit him full force. The car, with its broken glass, had been cold enough, but it was nothing compared to facing the night breeze head-on. The shock of it brought him back to his senses. Now was not the time to be mesmerized by Chase's face. Josh flinched once before quickly gathering himself. He had to raise his body temperature somehow. Using a simple and familiar method, he dropped to the ground and started doing push-ups.
"… 99, 100."
After moving his arms like a madman and counting at full speed, he sprang to his feet. His back was on fire, and his whole body felt heated. Finally, the cold seemed manageable. With his hair disheveled, he shook his head sharply and then ran back to his seat. As he kept moving to maintain his body temperature, he suddenly felt a strange sensation. When he turned his head, he was met with Chase's open eyes.
"…"
Josh slowed his pace and soon came to a halt. A cold wind passed between them.
"…"
"…"
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Chase's expression seemed almost… pitying? Josh felt embarrassment creep in. Scratching his head awkwardly, he forced a smile. Chase immediately frowned. Josh quickly turned his face away, but it was too late.
"What's so funny, you son of a bitch?"
Josh, too tired to apologize, shut his mouth. He averted his gaze and continued moving to stay warm. Chase, watching him, finally spoke up.
"What are you even doing?"
"Don't you know? I'm running because I'm cold."
Josh's response was blunt, and he didn't bother to correct it. What interested him, however, was Chase's reaction. It was brief, but he hesitated—almost like he was flustered. No way, Josh thought. What reason would Chase have to be embarrassed? He kept exercising, ignoring him. Chase, however, was clearly unimpressed.
"Listen."
"…"
"You son of a bitch, can't you hear me?"
Finally, Chase opened the car door and kicked an empty water bottle, forcing Josh to stop and look at him.
"What is it?"
Josh tried not to sound annoyed. Chase opened his mouth but didn't say anything immediately. That alone caught Josh's attention. He didn't like being deliberately ignored. Josh frowned at Chase, who hesitated as if unsure what to say. Chase, in turn, didn't back down.
"Do you have something to say or not?"
Josh wanted to tell him to stop acting like this. But instead, what came out of his mouth was entirely different.
"How do you remember me?"
"What?"
This time, Chase frowned. Only then did Josh realize what he had just asked. Chase merely looked at him in silence. He could avoid answering. Maybe it wasn't even that important. But Josh wanted confirmation.
Chase, however, remained quiet. If I tell you that my dream was the reason I remembered your face, you'd probably just look at me like I was crazy. Chase frowned, recognizing the look in Josh's eyes—the one that demanded an answer. He had seen that expression countless times before. This wouldn't be any different.
Chase didn't want to explain. If he did, it meant talking about his dreams. And why should he?
A dream about someone whose face he hadn't even been able to recall until now.
Chase bit his lip and narrowed his eyes. The memory was still blurry. Back then and even now, he couldn't be certain of anything. Above all, why was he suddenly dreaming of something that had happened years ago? Annoyed, Chase ran a hand through his hair.
It's just a stupid dream. That's all.
Just as he settled on that thought, a distant howling shattered the silence.
Chase's face tensed, and Josh reflexively scanned their surroundings. They weren't alone. The presence of other living creatures prickled at his senses, making him survey the area carefully. It took only a moment to recognize them.
A dozen pairs of glowing eyes emerged from the darkness, tense bodies poised to strike.
A pack of coyotes.