The old man lunged with terrifying speed—far faster than his age should've allowed.
Steve shoved Katie and Mark behind him as the hunter's hand swiped where Steve's throat had been a second earlier.
"RUN!" Steve shouted.
Katie grabbed Mark's hand and bolted into the treeline. Mark didn't argue—he knew Steve needed every second he could get.
The old man pivoted toward the kids, but Steve grabbed him by the jacket and slammed him back.
"You're not touching them!" Steve snarled.
The grandfather smiled—a cold, dead smile.
"You're too soft, Detective. You protect children? I train them."
He swung a hunting knife from his sleeve.
Steve barely dodged the first strike.
The blade scraped across his arm instead of his throat.
Steve hissed in pain but stayed up. "You trained killers. I save the kids you destroy."
The old man laughed—a chilling, guttural sound.
"You can save them from the world. But you can't save them from me."
He lunged again.
This time Steve didn't dodge—he grabbed the old man's wrist mid-air. Their bodies crashed into the ground, rolling through leaves and mud.
The knife skidded away.
They grappled, fists slamming into ribs, knees, whatever they could hit. Steve was younger, stronger—but the old man fought like someone who had spent decades hunting, killing, surviving.
He wasn't just violent.
He was methodical.
Calculated.
And he knew this forest.
"You're out of your depth, Detective!" the old man growled, pushing Steve's face into the dirt.
Steve elbowed him hard, flipping the position. "And you're done hurting kids."
The old man grinned even with blood in his teeth.
"I've barely begun."
He slammed his head forward into Steve's nose with a sickening crack.
Steve fell back, disoriented.
The old man scrambled to his feet, grabbed a branch, and sprinted toward the direction Katie and Mark had run.
"No!" Steve shouted, chasing after him.
---
Meanwhile — Katie and Mark
Katie's lungs burned as they ran, tears blurring the trail. Branches whipped their faces and arms.
"Mark—slow down—please—my leg—"
Mark stopped only long enough to wrap an arm around her waist.
"Come on—almost there!"
They stumbled toward the edge of the woods where faint lights from the street peeked through.
But then—
The whistling started.
Low.
Mocking.
Growing louder.
Katie froze.
"No… no, Mark… he's right behind us—he's close—"
Mark pulled her toward a fallen log. "Hide—just for a second—hide!"
They crouched behind the log, trying to steady their breathing.
Katie covered her mouth with shaking hands.
Mark pressed a finger to his lips.
The flashlight beam flickered across distant trees.
Closer.
Closer.
"Kaaaaatie…" the old man's voice drifted through the dark.
"You've always been such a good little runner."
Katie felt like her heart was shattering.
"Mark… he's going to kill us…"
Mark shook his head fiercely. "No. I won't let him. You're not dying tonight. Do you understand me?"
Tears streamed down her cheeks. "I'm scared…"
Mark's fingers intertwined with hers.
"I am too. But we're in this together."
The beam swept inches from the log.
Katie's breath caught—
But then—
A shout thundered through the night.
"GET AWAY FROM THEM!"
Steve crashed into the clearing, gun raised, blood on his face from the fight.
Katie sobbed in relief.
"STEVE!"
The old man turned, still smiling.
"Well, detective… round two?"
---
Back at the Hospital — Courtney
Courtney stood with her back pressed against Arron's room door, heart pounding.
Security had locked down the entire floor.
Doctors rushed in and out of Keith's room; his vitals were unstable again.
Courtney felt like the world was closing in.
Arron called weakly from his bed. "Courtney… come here…"
She rushed to him, taking his hand.
"I can't lose you," she whispered. "I can't lose anyone else."
Arron brushed tears from her cheeks with trembling fingers.
"You won't. Baby… our kid… they're going to grow up with us. Not running. Not hiding."
Courtney leaned into him, sobbing quietly.
A nurse poked her head in. "Ma'am… the man claiming to be your grandfather—security lost him."
Courtney's blood turned cold.
"He's not my grandfather," Arron growled. "He's a monster."
The nurse nodded shakily. "We're doing everything we can—but with the lockdown, he may be trapped on this floor."
Courtney grabbed the side of Arron's bed.
"Oh my god… he's here?"
Arron squeezed her hand. "Courtney—don't leave this room. Don't open that door."
Courtney nodded, terrified.
But Keith—down the hall—was also waking up.
And he knew the truth better than anyone.
His father wasn't here to talk.
He was here to finish what he started.
---
Back in the Woods — Showdown
Katie and Mark remained behind the log as Steve and the old man faced each other.
Steve kept his gun trained.
But the old man didn't fear it.
Not even a little.
"You won't shoot me," the old man said calmly.
"You willing to bet on that?" Steve snapped.
The old man grinned.
"You don't understand, detective. I don't fear death."
He spread his arms slightly.
"I fear losing control."
Steve's finger tightened on the trigger.
"Then tonight's a bad night for you."
The old man tilted his head.
"We'll see."
He lunged, faster than expected—
Steve fired.
The blast echoed through the trees.
Katie screamed.
Mark grabbed her shoulders. "Stay down!"
Steve tried to fire again—but the old man knocked the gun aside. It flew into the leaf-covered ground.
They grappled again—harder, angrier, both men bleeding.
Katie watched, terrified.
Steve was giving everything he had, but the old man fought like someone who had survived horrors no normal person could.
"STOP!" Katie cried. "STOP HURTING HIM!"
The old man laughed.
"Katie, sweetheart… you were always supposed to be mine."
And he started toward her.
But then—
Mark stepped in front of her.
"No. You go through me first."
The old man paused.
"…Very well."
He raised his knife—
And Steve tackled him from behind.
The knife flew into the dirt.
All three toppled to the ground.
The fight wasn't over.
It had barely begun.