“Kaiden,” I call out to him. I don’t get any response.

He’s still sitting there, just scooping his hands together. Still shaking. If we’re going to get out of this, I’ll need him to help me out. Right now, he’s a mess, but I need to get him back to this world. Just long enough for us to get out of here. I can deal with everything else when we’re free.

First thing is first, I take the jacket off him and toss it to the back of the room. I grab a roll of paper towels and wipe as much blood as I can from his hands and face. All of it won’t come off, but hopefully it’s enough to get him out of shock. I figure he’s cold, so I give him my own jacket. It’s big enough that it’ll cover his hands, so he won’t be able to see the remaining blood. None of it helped. He’s still there just scooping as if he’s broken a toy and can undo it. Okay, I can do this. What did Elser do when that guy went into shock after the we found that vampire hoard in Cleveland? What would Elser do? I never thought I’d be asking myself that.

I kneel in front of Kaiden so we’re at eye level, even if he won’t look into my eyes. I take his hands and hold one in each of my hands. He resists, attempting to continue his scooping motions. I refuse to let go and continue to stare into his eyes, but he won’t look up.

“Kaiden, I need you to look at me. I know this is crazy, and neither of us wanted things to go this way. I know I haven’t earned your trust, but if you can trust me just one more time, I can get us out of here. I promise. Please, just look at me. Let me know you’re in there,” he finally looks up. “Kaiden, we’re trapped, and it’ll take both of us to get out of here. Are you following me,” he returns a shallow nod. “I’m going to cause a distraction and you’ll need to run. Just run fast and make sure you get to safety. Can you do that for me,” another nod. “I need to hear you say it.”

“Yes,” he barely whispers.

“Good, just don’t look back no matter what.”

“No,” he grips my hands digging his nails into my flesh.

“Yeah, I’ll catch up. I promise.”

“No.”

Elser used to tell me two things all the time. Don’t make promises you can’t keep and don’t force someone to do something you know they can’t. I know Kaiden can’t do this. He’s too screwed up right now. I’ll tell him to run and he’ll cling to my leg. I need to find another way out of this. I’ve got two guns, a lot of bullets, a sunlight grenade and some smoke bombs. That might be my way out of this one. I’ll wait until they’re nearby, roll the grenade out and just shoot as many as I can. While they’re still blinded, I’ll get Kaiden outside where we’ll have a better chance of getting away. I force my hands free at the cost of some flesh, nothing that won’t heal.

I peek outside the door again. They’re getting closer, distant shouts sound like they’re coming from across the hall now. I don’t have much choice in the plan at this point. We’re going to shoot it out. That was probably the first time Kaiden killed anything, much less a walking, talking, and sentient person. Still, I need him to tighten up right now, just for the ten, maybe twenty minutes it’ll take for us to get out of this place.

“Can you walk,” I ask as I close the door.

“Yeah,” this time with a little more volume.

“Then tighten the fuck up, we’ve gotta move.”

“We’re doomed.”

“Shutup, and take this,” I force a gun into the pocket of my jacket he’s wearing now.

“I can’t.”

“If we get separated, you’ll have to. Hopefully you won’t need to. Better to be prepared. Now take my hand and close your eyes as tight as you can. When I say go, you just run with me. Don’t open your eyes for anything.”

I put on my sunglasses and lean out the door. I spot a single Orc at the end of the hallway and whistle. He yells out for help. I know the others won’t be long, and they aren’t. Soon they’re making their way towards the supply room from both sides of the hallway. I didn’t expect so many Orcs would want to avenge his death. I’d usually be excited for a moment like this, but I’ve got a frightened and panicked kid gripping my hand. For now, I wait until they’re just outside of the door.

They start the banging. I don’t even ask if Kaiden is ready to go. If he’s not I’ll drag him out myself. There’s no countdown, I just roll the grenade out and close the door. I hear them converse about what it is as I wait for the sound of the shell breaking on the grenade. I hear the boom, and the screams, matched by Kaiden’s own scream.

“Go,” I yell at Kaiden as I fling the door open.