Kain kicked open the door to Nadula while the morning was still dim. Echo didn't turn around in surprise. She simply glanced back from where she stood with her back to the medicine shelf. Her silver short bob swayed. The piercing in her left ear caught the light of the chemical lamp for a moment. "Today I'm bringing Rin back for sure." Kain spoke the words while keeping one hand on the door frame, breathing hard. He'd decided on this line since last night. Echo paused for a moment, then spoke with a calm expression. "You said the same thing yesterday and came back alone." "This time I'm serious." "You were serious yesterday too." Kain fell silent. He couldn't deny it. Echo continued while returning a medicine bottle to the shelf, not even looking at him. "I hear you go there every day now. You're practically like lovers." "Th—That's not it! I'm just worried, I can't just leave her alone—" "Your face is red." "It's cold! It's cold outside!!" There was no "outside" in the underground streets of Zaun. Kain realized it the moment he said it and went completely silent. He could see Echo's lips curling up. Kain forced the conversation back on track with all his might. "—Anyway, today we move her for sure. There's also what the information broker told us yesterday. We don't have time to waste." "I see." Echo's voice took on a more serious tone. The laughter vanished—the face of a physician. "Then go quickly. I'll head over after you." "I'll talk to her first. You have to come." Confirming Echo's small nod, Kain left Nadula. —— Kain stopped halfway down the stairs to the basement of the old Vander lodging. Light was leaking through the gap in the door. That was wrong. The basement only had the pale blue light of the apparatus. What he saw now was much brighter. White and sharp. A Hextech spotlight. Kain's body froze. His feet stopped. His heart beat once, heavy and dull. He slowly pushed the door open. Three lights were on inside the basement. Pursuers. He knew immediately. The armor was different. Three men in Piltover Enforcer-standard armor, post-war reinforced plating fitted to their bodies, stood in the room. Rin was against the wall. Her golden eyes were narrowed, the ends of restraint devices pressed against both her wrists. Not yet locked in place. But she couldn't resist either. The man in front looked at Kain. Thirties, maybe. An old scar on his jaw. His movements were calm. The movements of someone experienced. The movements of a former Enforcer—someone from the upper ranks. "A salvager?" His voice was quiet. "This doesn't concern you. Leave." "[cold]Recovery of Experimental Subject Number 11 is complete. Don't interfere." The air in the room changed. Kain looked at Rin. Rin's golden eyes caught Kain's, and she shook her head slightly. Maybe it meant: don't come. "[angry]She's not an experimental subject." The words that came from Kain's mouth weren't words he'd thought through first. "[angry]She's not a thing. Don't take her." The man in front—Servus—narrowed his eyes slightly. His eyes were emotionless. "I warned you." Kain ran. Straight at Servus. Fist clenched, arm drawn back—— Bang! His wrist was flicked back. The moment Kain's fist hit the reinforced armor's surface, the impact shot directly through his bones. It hurt. But Servus didn't have a scratch. Against a body protected by armor, a bare fist meant nothing. The next instant, something dug into his stomach. Servus's knee. "—Ugh!" All the air left his lungs. His vision warped. He flew to the wall and crashed against the stone with his back. He felt the stone dig into his spine. Still, he stood up. His arms had no strength. His legs trembled. But he stood. He threw his body between Rin and Servus. "Move." "[angry]No." Servus jerked his chin. His two subordinates moved. Arms grabbed him from both sides. The strength was different. Enhanced arm strength. Kain's body was slammed to the floor. His knees hit the stone pavement. Sharp pain shot through him. But he twisted his body, trying to wrench his arms free. Servus approached slowly. The stock of the Hextech rifle fell on Kain's ribs. Thud. A dull sound. A sound from deep within his ribs. Something cracked from the inside. Kain's breath cut off as if his mouth had been sealed before he could cry out. Another blow. The rifle stock came again to the same spot. Crack. This wasn't just a sound. It was a sound from inside his body. His ribs. They broke. Kain collapsed from his knees. The men holding him let go. Without support, his body fell to the floor. His right hand hit first. Then his jaw. The taste of iron spread through his mouth. The floor was wet. His own blood. He tried to move. He put strength into his right arm. The arm trembled and wouldn't lift. His vision blurred. The joints between the stone pavement seemed to spin around and around. He looked at Rin. He saw her. Rin stood against the wall. Her golden eyes watched Kain lying on the ground. For just an instant, something flickered across those eyes. Kain didn't know what it was. But he saw it. "Run—" No sound came out. Air wouldn't pass through his throat. Because his ribs were broken, every breath burned his ribs like fire, and he couldn't make a proper sound. Servus pointed the rifle's muzzle at Kain. "One more shot and you won't be able to move." His voice was cold. Emotionless. Businesslike. "Stop." It was quiet. Rin's voice didn't shout or scream. She simply spoke, quietly. Just that changed the air in the room. Rin turned forward and took a step. The subordinate pressing the restraint device was startled and loosened his grip slightly. "If no one else gets hurt—I'll go." Kain reached out his hand. Lying on the floor, he lifted only his right arm. It trembled. His entire arm shook. Because his ribs were broken, even that movement made his ribs feel like they were tearing, and it hurt. But he reached out anyway. Don't go. It didn't become a voice. He could feel his throat moving. But it didn't become sound. His mouth just moved. Don't go. Don't go. Don't go—— Rin looked toward Kain. Just for an instant. Really just an instant, Rin's eyes looked at the hand Kain had reached out. Her golden eyes wavered slightly. Something like pain dwelled in those eyes. Then Rin closed her eyes. It wasn't a face of resignation. It was a face turned forward, choosing herself, protecting someone. Kain's consciousness began to fade. The amount of blood was increasing. The pain in his ribs was growing dull. This was a bad sign. His body was nearing its limit, so the strength to feel pain was fading too. Don't let her go. Don't let her go. Don't let her go—— The words repeating in his head wouldn't become sound. His hand fell to the floor. The strength drained from his outstretched arm. ——Then. Bang!! The door shattered. The hidden door at the back of the basement, the one connected to the waterway. It kicked open with a sound, and wood fragments flew. "[angry]That's enough!!" Silver hair swayed. Echo stood in the entrance. Her white apron was gone. Four large men poured in behind her. Men with the build of those who'd survived in Zaun. They held pipes and iron plates in their hands. "[cold]I gave all my medical supplies on hand to the Scrappers' fringe faction. It was an expensive purchase." Servus's eyes quickly calculated the situation. Three against seven. The numbers had reversed. And the Zaun roughnecks knew the lay of the land. This basement, these pipe networks, how to move in this darkness. Retreat. Kain could tell that's what Servus decided. Servus signaled his men with his eyes. The two began moving quietly. Hands released from Rin's arms. "[cold]The organization is already moving. Even in Zaun, there's nowhere to run." His parting words. A voice without emotion, like a business report. The footsteps of the three men faded and disappeared beyond the hidden door. The sound of the waterway came. Then silence returned. "[serious]Kain!" Echo rushed over. She knelt down and began checking Kain's body. Her fingers touched his ribs. Just the slightest pressure sent sharp pain through him, and a sound leaked from Kain's mouth. "...Two ribs for sure. Need to check for internal bleeding." Her voice was that of a physician. Calm. But fast. "Can you move? Back to Nadula—" Kain's vision wavered again. At the edge of his consciousness, he felt something warm. His right hand. The right hand that had fallen to the floor, the one he'd been reaching out with. That hand was now held in both hands. He felt fingers. Thin fingers. A left hand. Not armor—a hand of flesh. Rin. Rin was on her knees, holding Kain's right hand in both of hers. She said nothing. She didn't say anything. Her golden eyes watched Kain lying there. The wavering he'd seen before was gone from those eyes. She simply held Kain's hand, quietly. Warm. Kain's consciousness faded there. The last thing he felt was only the warmth of Rin's hand. —— Echo gave instructions to the roughnecks and let out a small breath. "That was an expensive price to pay, really..." She murmured it in a voice no one else could hear. Rin didn't let go of Kain's hand. She kept holding it all the way back to Nadula. Servus's words lingered in the basement air. The organization was already moving. Next time, it wouldn't be three men. Whether there would even be time to treat Kain's serious injuries was unknown.