The lobby of the office building was almost completely empty. Most of the employees had already left because of the evacuation order. Only a few lights were still on, casting long shadows across the marble floor. Outside, the storm raged against the glass doors, rain streaking down the windows. Rennie, Tyler, and Tommy rushed inside, their wet footsteps echoing through the quiet space. Tyler looked around nervously.
"This place feels like a trap."
Tommy walked toward the security desk and checked the hallway cameras on the monitor. Most of the screens showed empty corridors, flickering under dim fluorescent lights.
"That's the point," Tommy said calmly.
Rennie stood near the window, looking out into the rain-soaked street. She couldn't see Jason. But that didn't make her feel safer. Tyler leaned against the desk, trying to catch his breath.
"So what now?"
Tommy turned to face them.
"Now we talk about how to stop him."
Tyler gave a tired laugh.
"You make it sound easy."
Tommy didn't smile.
"It isn't."
Rennie crossed her arms.
"You said before that you stopped him once."
Tommy nodded slowly.
"More than once."
Tyler frowned.
"Then how is he still walking around?"
Tommy hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Because killing Jason isn't simple."
He walked toward the large glass windows, watching the dark street outside.
"Jason Voorhees died a long time ago. But something… kept bringing him back."
Tyler shook his head.
"That's impossible."
Tommy looked directly at him. "I've watched him survive things that would destroy any normal person." Gunshots. Fire. Even drowning. Tyler's voice dropped.
"So what is he?"
Tommy answered quietly.
"Something driven by rage."
Rennie stepped closer.
"Rage?"
Tommy nodded.
"His mother's death. The camp. Everything that happened at Crystal Lake."
He looked at Rennie again.
"And anyone connected to that past becomes part of his hunt."
Tyler slowly realized what that meant.
"You're saying he's chasing her because of Crystal Lake."
Tommy nodded.
"Exactly."
Rennie lowered her eyes.
"But I didn't do anything to him."
Tommy's voice softened slightly.
"It doesn't matter."
Jason didn't hunt based on fairness. He hunted based on connection. Fear. Memories. Anyone tied to the lake. Tyler rubbed his face.
"So what do we do? Shoot him again? Because that's clearly not working."
Tommy shook his head.
"No."
He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small folded photograph. He placed it on the desk. It showed Camp Crystal Lake, surrounded by dark water and thick forest.
"That place was the center of everything."
Tyler looked confused.
"What does that have to do with Manhattan?"
Tommy pointed at the lake in the photo.
"Jason drowned there."
Rennie slowly understood.
"The water…"
Tommy nodded.
"For reasons no one fully understands, the lake was always connected to him."
Tyler crossed his arms.
"So what, we drag him back to New Jersey?"
Tommy shook his head again.
"No."
Then he said the one thing neither of them expected.
"We make Manhattan become his lake."
Tyler stared at him.
"That makes absolutely no sense."
Tommy looked toward the windows again.
"Jason's weakness has always been water."
Rennie remembered the visions she had seen on the cruise ship. Jason beneath the dark water. The feeling of drowning. Her voice trembled slightly.
"You're saying we have to trap him somewhere with water."
Tommy nodded.
"Yes."
Tyler thought for a moment.
"Like the docks?"
Tommy shook his head.
"Too open."
Rennie spoke quietly.
"The subway tunnels."
Both men looked at her. She continued.
"Some of the tunnels flood during heavy storms."
Tyler blinked.
"Seriously?"
Tommy considered the idea carefully. Rain thundered against the windows outside. Finally he nodded.
"That might actually work."
At that moment, one of the security monitors flickered. Tyler glanced at the screen casually. Then he froze.
"Guys…"
Tommy turned.
"What?"
Tyler pointed slowly at the monitor. A camera outside the building entrance showed the empty street. Rain pouring down. Police lights flashing in the distance. Then a large figure stepped into the frame. The hockey mask was unmistakable. Jason had found them again. Rennie's heart dropped.
"How does he keep doing that?"
Tommy didn't answer.
He grabbed the keys from the security desk.
"We don't have time to argue."
Tyler's voice shook.
"He's literally at the front door."
Tommy nodded.
"Then we use that."
Rennie frowned.
"What?"
Tommy looked at both of them.
"If we're going to trap Jason, we need him to follow us."
Tyler's eyes widened.
"You're kidding."
Tommy opened the emergency stairwell door.
"We lead him to the subway."
Rennie hesitated.
"That's insane."
Tommy looked directly at her.
"It's the only way."
Outside, Jason stood beneath the building's glass entrance. Rain poured down his mask. Through the lobby windows, he could see them. Three figures inside. One of them was Rennie. Jason slowly pushed the door open. Inside the building, alarms began beeping. Jason stepped across the marble floor. His footsteps echoed through the empty lobby. Then he looked up. The stairwell door slammed shut above him. Jason tilted his head slightly. Then began walking toward the stairs. Several floors above, Rennie, Tyler, and Tommy ran through the emergency exit and out into the rain again. Tyler was breathing hard.
"We're literally bait now."
Tommy nodded.
"Exactly."
Rennie looked back toward the building entrance. Jason stepped outside seconds later. Still walking. Still following. Tyler groaned.
"This plan better work."
Tommy looked toward the distant subway entrance down the street.
"It has to."
Because if it didn't… Manhattan would never stop running from the monster it had awakened. And Jason Voorhees would never stop hunting.
AFTERWORD
Jason is always slowly pursuing Rennie. Tommy knows Jason from Crystal Lake .Police and the city are escalating their response .The story is building toward a final trap involving water.
The story is going that way....i have already announced when ill upload the remaining chapters on my discord....you can join that.....once again thankyou to my Friend/Editor SDK for helping me out and was the first person to read it...
Thank You
BHARATH_SHYAM