Then—
Men in police uniforms barged into the morgue, guns pointed at Zachary and Cole, their fingers resting on the triggers.
"Police! Where did you take Hunter Blake!?" one officer shouted, his voice loud enough to echo off the cold metal walls.
Zachary and Cole froze.
For a split second.
Then—
They slowly raised their hands.
"W-we didn't take Blake, sir," Cole stuttered, his voice shaky but trying to stay calm. "We're his friends."
Zachary nodded slightly.
"Yeah," he added. "What he said."
The officers didn't move.
Didn't lower their guns.
Their eyes stayed locked on both of them.
One of them stepped forward.
Slow.
Careful.
"…Friends?" the officer repeated.
Cole swallowed.
"Y-yes, sir."
The officer stared at him for a second longer.
Then—
"Cuff them."
Click.
Cold metal wrapped around Zachary's wrists.
Click.
Cole flinched slightly as his own cuffs tightened.
"Wait—!" Cole tried to speak, but—
"Move."
They were pushed forward.
Not violently.
But firm.
Zachary didn't resist.
Cole stumbled a bit as they were led out of the morgue.
The cold air followed them out.
The hallway was brighter.
Too bright.
People turned their heads.
Nurses.
Doctors.
Patients.
Some confused.
Some whispering.
"…Aren't those the kids from earlier?"
"…What happened?"
"…Did they do something?"
Cole lowered his head.
Zachary didn't.
They kept walking.
Step.
Step.
Step.
The automatic doors opened.
Then—
They were outside.
The air felt different.
Louder.
Cars passing.
People talking.
But it all felt distant.
They were led to a police car.
The door opened.
"Get in."
Cole hesitated for half a second.
Then got in.
Zachary followed.
"Watch your head."
Zachary didn't.
Thud.
"Ouch—!"
The officer shut the door.
Slam.
The car started moving.
No one spoke.
The ride was quiet.
Only the sound of the engine.
And the faint crackle of the radio.
Cole glanced at Zachary.
"…You good?" he whispered.
Zachary leaned his head back slightly.
"…Yeah."
Cole looked away.
The car stopped.
The door opened.
"Out."
They stepped out.
The police station stood in front of them.
Gray.
Plain.
They were led inside.
Through a hallway.
Past desks.
Officers looked up.
Some didn't.
They stopped at a desk.
"Two suspects. Possible involvement in a missing body."
Zachary's eyes shifted slightly.
Missing.
Not dead.
"…We told you, we didn't—" Cole started.
"Save it."
They were pushed forward again.
A door opened.
Then—
A cell.
"Inside."
They stepped in.
The handcuffs were removed.
The door closed.
Clang.
Silence.
Cole let out a long breath.
"…Sir," he called out to an officer passing by the bars.
The officer stopped.
Turned his head slightly.
"We are hunters," Cole said.
The officer looked at him.
Blank.
Then—
"And I'm a Hollywood actor."
He walked away.
Cole blinked.
"…Seriously?"
Zachary sat down quietly on the bench.
"…Guess that didn't work."
Cole let out a small, tired laugh.
"…Yeah."
Silence filled the cell again.