Still caught me by surprise when it actually found us. Thought maybe we'd have longer, that Washington would've got some actual useful information on how to beat the damn thing by then that Command woulda passed on, but...

Nothing. There was fucking nothing.

[ Her fists ball in the sheets beside her. ]

I figured maybe you could hold you own long enough to stay alive and then I'd... come in after it had what it wanted and we could make it out together. So I ignored you calling for me. Waited.

But by the time I reached your position, the only way to stop it woulda been to throw myself at it and...

[ Her knuckles are white. She swallows again.

His life, or hers. ]