Ethan Cain: Ending Twilight

Chapter 3

     Ethan didn't know what to do from here. Sure, he thought about if he was found and how he would go about it, but never did he think that he would find others that had escaped from the Institute. Ethan had told the girls that they were safe for now and would go see if he could find them more suitable clothes to blend in. When he left, they were getting in the cleaning closet to wash themselves. They were most likely to be hungry as well, so Ethan snatched a wallet with some cash in it for a street vender or a gas station.

There was a thrift store for the homeless that gave away free clothes and other essentials about a mile and a half away; Ethan thought the folks that ran the store would be able to help him get what he needed for the two girls. This wasn't going to be awkward for Ethan. He entered the store and froze. The task became daunting. He didn't know anything about the girls, their sizes and such, that would help him complete his mission here.

"Can I help you find anything?"

Ethan had been wrapped up in his head trying to figure out what to do that he didn't realize a woman walked up to him with a smile. He blinked and cautiously told the woman that he found two girls, a mother and daughter, that were homeless, like him, and new to the city.

"Do you know their sizes or anything?"

Ethan said he didn't know but gave a brief size model of the Hellhound based off himself. The woman thought for a minute than flicked a finger at him to follow her. A bag was given to Ethan and the woman began to place various pants, shirts, socks, and other things, Ethan presumed, a woman would need. Another bag was given to Ethan, this one being for the little one with the same arrangement as the other bag. Then, a third bag was given to Ethan. This bag was H.B.C or the Health and Beauty Care as the woman told Ethan.

"This should be enough and hopefully at least something in here will fit the two. Now." the woman got close to Ethan. "Tell this mom to get herself and her little one to the woman's care center. They do free screenings among other things, okay?"

Ethan did know what to do except to nod his head and say he would pass along the message. The woman was satisfied with his response and led Ethan to the exit. Ethan was glad to be out of the store but grateful for the help. He stopped by a local ABC store and picked up some sandwiches and chips, enough for the girls and himself. He headed back to his home.

The minute Ethan opened the door, the Hellhound was there to greet him with red fiery eyes, fangs, and claws. One of her arms was raise making Ethan nearly stab her gut with a tentacle but then both recognized the other and dropped their defenses. Ethan handed the hound the bags of clothes and told her that hopefully they fit. He even passed along the message the woman gave him so that she wouldn't be living in his head anymore.

Ethan gave the two some privacy as they tried on clothes, walking outside again. After a few minutes, the door opened for him to come back in. The two were sitting on his matrass in clothes that fit well on them. The child had a blanket wrapped around her and hid her face from Ethan. Silence filled the room.

"W-why did you help us?"

The Hellhound's voice was a little horse still but better from earlier. Ethan didn't respond at first, folding his arms across his chest. He knew that by doing so placed him on the radar, especially with how he dispatched the extraction teams. If Twilight didn't know he was here, she did now.

A memory of an ebony skinned, shaved head, girl being held in Ethan's arms made him wince.

"Because somebody saved me even though it costed her life," he replied.

The door for conversation was open a little, and Ethan took the opportunity to continue it. He wanted to find out as much as he could.

"Did you escape from the Institution?"