-Chapter 15-






"Okay," Razor said to Kat inside the Tnadiug building, "So what exactly are we doing here besides finding somewhere safety?"

"Quiet!" Kat replied with a harshness in her voice, "Shut up!"

She pulled the hammer of her handgun back, pointing the muzzle at his forehead, "I do not want to shoot you, Razor. But if you do so much as talk to me, God help me I'll-" She was interrupted by the sound of footsteps of boots on broken glass. She turned the gun away from him and aimed it a figure in the darkness, "Who's there?" she demanded

A large man about the same size of Mike's form when she last saw him stepped into the faded light. Kat gasps. The man was wearing a long green trench coat, bald, his face hidden by the shadows, his muscles bulged making round protrusions in the sleeves, wearing metallic chrome fitted boots, its arms to its sides stiffly.

"Who are you?" she said with a shaky voice, afraid that this "person" may be something like Mike. When the figure did not answer, she tried again, harsher this time, "I said... who are you?!"

The "man" just stared at her blankly, sending a cold shiver down her spine. As if in response to the hostility in her voice; the thing reared back its arm, she widened her eyes, sensing its intention. She tried to jump out of the way as it snapped its arm forward but she was smacked away in mid jump, and was sent hurling in the air and landing behind the reception desk and was knocked unconscious when she hit her head on the smooth marble tile.

"Kat!" Razor screamed, "Damnit!" He noticed that Kat's gun was knocked out of her hand when she was hit when he saw it lying on the floor in front of the man thing. "No way! There's no way I can get that gun in time."

"Don't act like such a wuss, Razor." Vash said casually.

He turned and faced him, "What did you say?"

"I could distract it. Besides, I'm sure there might be a dead security officer around here somewhere. I can just get a gun and defend myself with it, I'll see you later!" his friend said as he ran toward and past the thing. It turned around and stalked towards him, leaving Razor and the unconscious Kat alone in the dark lobby.

"Crazy...." he went to and picked up Kat's handgun, and walked towards Kat after that. He kneeled and sat down when he approaches her, keeping a guarding vigil for as long as he can. Outside, the mindless moans of the undead started to fill the air outside, making it seem that the damned have risen from the dark bowels of Hell to wander the planet. "Sleep well, Kat. Sleep well."

¤ ¤ ¤

"Hey Claire, wake up!" said Chris, waking his sister up from her peaceful slumber.

"W-what? What is it?" Claire yawned, "What's wrong?"

"Is that the place?" he pointed at the Tnadiug building fifty feet in front of the jeep.

She focused her eyes, "Yeah, that's it, the Tnadiug building. According to research done by Alex, the Umbrella Lab should be there." She groaned, noticing a lone bright red car in the valet by the front door. "Looks like someone's already there."

"That's a good thing, I guess." he replied reluctantly, "That means there could be survivors." He looked around, seeing the aftermath of the carnage that appeared to have happened over the past few days. Dogs, men, women, children, even some species of birds lay dead or dying on the blood soaked city street. "Damn... this seems as bad as Raccoon."

"Then we should investigate."

"Yeah. Let's go." he floored the gas pedal, speeding towards the building.

In no time at all, they stopped next to the red car, got out and immediately headed towards the front door. Claire heard the loud sound of gunshots come from inside the building, and the fiery thrust of a rocket being shot out of a rocket launcher.

The rocket struck the jeep behind them, sending them both flying towards the front door. She landed on her back, feeling the wind being knocked out of her. Chris landed beside her on his stomach, letting out a sharp grunt as he made contact with the hard asphalt.

She managed to regain her breath, "Chris!" she yelled, "Get up!" She tugged at his arms to help him up. When he managed to stand up, they both looked around to see where the rocket came from, seeing a young blond man in the second story window with a rocket launcher in his hands. A bright spotlight washed over the Redfields.

This looks familiar. Claire thought to herself, reminded of the time she first met Steve. She shielded her eyes and shot at the light with little accuracy but managed to shoot out the light. "Too familiar." she said quietly to herself. She pointed the firearm at the young man, shooting the window pane to startle him.

"Agh! You crazy bitch!" the young man exclaimed in surprise.

Slightly enraged by being called a bitch, she shot out the panes to the left and right of the young man; she started to maintain her cool. "Get down here!" she yelled

"Huh? Your not one of those things... Hold on! I'll be right down!" He jumped out of the window; his fall was broken by the shrubbery. He stood slightly taller than Chris, and was wearing a rookie S.T.A.R.S. uniform.

"S.T.A.R.S.?" Chris said with some astonishment in his voice.

"Yep, that's right. I just joined S.T.A.R.S. two months ago. By the way, sorry for shooting at you guys, I thought you were one of those...."

"Zombies, right?"

"Yeah. I was sent here to protect the workers in this building when the city started to go insane. Anyway, my name is Grant... Grant Reklaw. And you are....?"

"Chris Redfield, and this is Claire, my sister."

"Ah.... so you are Chris Redfield." he started to walk towards the lobby doors. "C'mon you two. Follow me, its safe here."

They followed him into the dark lobby, only to stop when they heard a click in the darkness.