Chapter 3

Leo began systematically checking their supplies. Weapons. First aid. Communication.

"No cell signal," Elijah reported, holding up his phone.

"Good," Jesse responded immediately. "Less chance of tracking."

Phoebe watched them, bewildered. "Tracking? By what? Those... things?"

Leo's eyes were cold. Calculating. "Not things. Monsters."

Chase started to ask a question. Jesse's hand came up. Silencing him.

"We are secure. We rest. We plan," Leo said. Each word is precise. Military-like.

Juliet noticed how they moved—synchronized—like they'd done this before, like they knew exactly what those creatures were.

"Water," Jesse said to Elijah. "Check our supplies. Inventory everything."

Phoebe whispered to Juliet, "This isn't them. This isn't our Jesse and Leo."

But it was. A version they'd never seen before. A version forged in something darker. Something more dangerous.

The ranger station's windows seemed to pulse with darkness outside.

They weren't safe.

Not yet.

Jesse was the first to press his hand against his temple, a low groan escaping.

Leo followed moments later, his face contorting in pain. "Something's... wrong."

The headaches came in waves. Sharp. Intense. Like something was probing their minds.

"Hey," Juliet stepped forward, her voice commanding. "Look at me."

Both boys were hunched over. Fighting something invisible.

"What's happening?" Elijah asked.

Juliet ignored him. Focused on the boys.

"Breathe," she said. Not a suggestion. An order.

Something outside the ranger station scraped against the window. A sound like broken glass and distant whispers.

Jesse's hand gripped his weapon, even through the pain.

Leo's eyes were wild. Unfocused.

"They're in our heads," he muttered.

Juliet grabbed a first aid kit. Started checking their pupils. Their responses.

Something was hunting them.

And now it was trying to get inside their minds.

The headaches intensified. Jesse's nose started bleeding first—a thin trickle of red against his pale skin.

"Something's trying to get in," Leo muttered, his voice barely a whisper.

Juliet grabbed a cold compress and pressed it against Jesse's forehead. "Talk to me. Describe what you're feeling."

Images flashed—fragments of memories. Darkness. Violence. Things that didn't feel like their own thoughts.

Phoebe and Elijah watched in horror as JJ and Leo seemed to fight something invisible.

"They're trying to—" Jesse started, then stopped. His body went rigid.

Leo's hand clutched his weapon so tight his knuckles turned white.

"Stay with me," Juliet commanded. Her voice was steady. Sharp. "Focus on my voice."

Outside, the darkness pressed against the windows. Watching. Waiting.

Something was trying to break through.

Not just the windows.

But their minds.

"Listen to me," Juliet's voice cut through the chaos. "You are stronger than whatever this is. Fight it."

Jesse's hands were shaking. Leo's eyes rolled back, then suddenly focused.

"You can push back," Juliet continued, her hand gripping Jesse's shoulder. "Whatever is trying to get in—you control your mind. Not them."

Something outside seemed to react. The windows vibrated. The darkness pressed closer.

Leo started first. A low growl—more defiance than pain. His body tensed, then relaxed.

Jesse followed. His breathing changed. Became controlled.

"That's it," Juliet whispered. "Push back."

The mental pressure seemed to recede. Slowly. Reluctantly.

Jesse wiped the blood from his nose and looked at Sarah.

"How did you know?" Leo asked.

Juliet's smile was dangerous. "I know you both. Nothing gets inside your head unless you allow it."

Outside, the darkness retreated. But only slightly.

Jesse was the first to move, checking the windows. Military precise. Leo took the opposite side of the room. Juliet positioned herself between them and the others.

"We need a plan," Leo said, his voice calm now. Controlled.

Jesse nodded. "Those things. They're hunting us. Specifically us."

"Not just hunting," Juliet interjected. "Probing. Testing."

Pope and Phoebe watched in stunned silence as the three of them began to map out a strategy. Chase remained near the door, on guard.

"They know our names," Jesse said. "Which means they know something about us."

Leo's eyes narrowed. "Not just something. Specific things."

Juliet pulled out a map of the area. "We've got limited resources. Limited time."

"We're not running," Jesse said. A statement. Not a question.

"We're fighting," Leo finished.

The others recognized this new dynamic. Jesse. Leo. Juliet Three Minds. One purpose.

The group settled into an uneasy silence, each lost in their thoughts as they processed the terrifying revelation.

Outside, the darkness seemed to pulse with malevolent intent, as if the very night had turned against them.

"We need to understand what we're dealing with," Jesse said, his voice steady, belying the turmoil within.

"Those things are after us, and we need to know why." He turned to Leo, his gaze intense.

"You and I both know this isn't the first time we've encountered the supernatural. We've dealt with the shadows before, and we can do it again." Leo nodded, his face set in a grim mask.

"We've got to assume they're still coming for us. We need to be ready for anything." He paused, his eyes scanning the group.

"We've got to be prepared to fight, and we can't afford any more surprises. From now on, we operate on a need-to-know basis. We share only what's necessary to keep everyone alive." The weight of their words hung heavy in the air, and the others exchanged glances, understanding the gravity of the situation.

They faced this together, but something fractured the trust between them. Jesse sat next to Leo, their shoulders touching as they huddled together in the abandoned ranger station.

Juliet couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as she watched the two of them exchange knowing glances.

They had always been close, but at this moment, it was clear that their bond went beyond friendship. She could see the unspoken understanding between them, a connection that seemed to transcend the chaos and danger surrounding us.

As they waited in silence, Juliet noticed the way Jesse's hand lingered on Leo's shoulder, offering silent reassurance. It was then that she realized the truth: Jesse and Leo were more than just friends. They were dating.

The revelation hit like a ton of bricks, but Juliet couldn't help but. Feel a sense of admiration for the way they had kept their relationship hidden in the midst of this chaos.

Juliet exchanged a knowing look with Phoebe, Elijah's sister, and could tell she had also put the pieces together. We both knew that Jesse and Leo had faced the supernatural before, and they were prepared to do it again.

The tension in the room was palpable, but Jesse's voice cut through the silence, commanding and steady. "We need to understand what we're up against," he said, his gaze sweeping over each of us. "Those things are after us, and we need to know why." He turned to Leo, determination shining in his eyes. "You and I both know this isn't our first encounter with the supernatural. We've faced the shadows before, and we can do it again." Leo nodded, his expression grim.

"We've got to assume they're still coming for us. We need to be ready for anything." His eyes scanned the group, and Juliet could see the worry etched on his face. Juliet knew he was trying to protect them all, but she couldn't help but wonder about the secrets he and Jesse were keeping. "We operate on a need-to-know basis from now on," Jesse declared.

"We share only what's necessary to keep everyone alive." she couldn't help but feel a twinge of resentment at being left in the dark, but as I looked at Jesse and Leo, she knew that their secrets were necessary to keep us safe. The flickering light of the campfire illuminated their faces, and she could see the determination and sacrifice in their eyes.

As the night deepened and the ranger station became our temporary fortress, she couldn't help but feel grateful for Jesse and Leo's unwavering bond and their determination to protect us all. They may have kept secrets, but she knew that their actions were driven by one purpose: to keep us alive.