Author's Note: Wow. I am so sorry I haven't posted. It's been over a month since this was updated. After the end of November, I decided to take a break—writing frantically for the month took its toll, and I took a month off. Now I'm back again, determined to finish this novel. I decided to do something new with this chapter. Claire, in her process of entering the facility, discovers a character from another game! Can you guess? Hope you enjoy this next chapter.
Chapter Fourteen: Hiding Under the Umbrella
She had never seen so many stars in the sky at once. The entire black sky was dotted with stars of various hues and luminosities. Without the ambience of light pollution from any nearby major city, the sky over the dark ocean was beautiful, to say the least. The last time she remembered seeing this many stars was in the planetarium of her former high school when she took a half-year course in astronomy. The only sound she could hear was the loud whirring of the blades as the chopper headed for its destination, and with each mile past, the nervousness grew, starting off in her stomach and slowly expanding. According to Ark, they were about two hours away from the facility, and that they would be flying over the U.K. in a few minutes. Looking out at the dark night ahead, she could just make out a small coastline about a mile or so in front. For the last five or so hours (so it seemed, probably a lot longer), she had been thinking about her pending mission, the gravity of the situation beginning to bear down upon her. She was taking a huge gamble—she was riding on a hunch. The possibility that Chris was still there was uncertain, yet since that was the last place he last contacted anyone, Claire had to go on that. Hopefully, she'd be able to find him and then get the hell out of there before anything happened.
"Welcome to France," Ark said, his voice cutting over the sound of the spinning blades. Claire looked down, and sure enough, she could see land whizzing below her, rolling green pasture accompanied by dirt roads and stone houses. From the looks of it, this was rural U.K., area where people lived in a laid-back sort of way. It was a welcome sight after seeing seemingly endless stretches of ocean below. The change of scenery also took her mind away from another small detail—her sore ass. Sitting for all this time without stretching made her butt sore as anything. It made her almost eager for this bird to arrive there quickly just so she could stand. How Ark could manage, she didn't know. Maybe he had an ass of steel or something. She leaned back in the seat, closed her eyes and sighed, trying to suppress the butterflies multiplying in her stomach.
Almost there…
* * *
She could see it in the distance. Lying on a nice chunk of land on the outskirts of the city, the illuminated edifice gave off this creepy persona, a feeling that would never be known by the ignorant public, those who didn't know what was beneath that logo. The feeling of nervousness and anxiety welled to new heights within Claire's young body, to the point where her facial expressions were showing it, despite her fruitless attempts to hide these emotions.
"Relax," Ark yelled over the loud whirring of the rapidly spinning blades. Claire let out a tense chuckle.
"Do I look that nervous?" Claire asked.
"Enough so that I picked up on it," Ark laughed. "Calm down. It'll be fine. I have faith in you. Now grab a couple of chaff grenades—we're coming up on the heliport now."
Claire unfastened her belt and crept slowly toward the back of the chopper where the small weapons cache was stored. Quickly she realized that she had no idea what a chaff grenade looked like.
"Where the hell are they?" Claire yelled, feeling embarrassed as her face quickly grew red.
"In a box that's labeled 'chaff,'" Ark replied. Claire, reaching to a spot on the wall where a flashlight hung, felt relieved. A beam of cool white light filled the chopper rear. In just a few seconds, she found the box, and saw it was filled with these grenades.
"How many do we need?" She asked.
"As many as you can carry," Ark said. Claire realized that she wouldn't be able to carry much with the way she was dressed. She dressed for ease of movement, which meant tight clothing all around. She wore dark blue jeans which accentuated her shapely buttocks quite nicely, from Ark's observation. She wore a tight short-sleeved black shirt made of a material similar to spandex, with the top part of the front gone, just showing the smallest hint of cleavage. Over that, she wore her red vest, the same red vest she wore during her tenure in Raccoon City. Her vest had a few pockets, enough to hold two grenades, her Palm OS and several clips of 9mm Beretta rounds. To her left was the cockpit door, and she saw a rolled-up rope ladder attached to a sturdy metal beam designed for such. She took a few second once over. Taking four grenades, she turned around and headed back to the front, and instantly noted that the heliport was just a few hundred feet away—they'd be over it in a few seconds.
"Is the ladder secure?" Ark asked, his gaze straight ahead.
"Yep. I also took three grenades—I can fit two in my vest pockets here. I know we're gonna need one or two," Claire replied.
"Good. The heliport no doubt is laced with security cameras. Those chaff grenades will last one minute exactly. As soon as you open the door, pull the pin and drop the grenade. From this height, the grenade will detonate just before it hits the ground, the ideal place to jam the signals. As soon as you drop, roll the ladder out and quickly descend. When the minute is almost up, I will drop another grenade and give you another minute. Once you're inside, you're on your own. Now get ready." Without a word, Claire crept to the back of the chopper once more and opened the heavy metal door, sliding back slowly, the cold, crisp night air blowing into the aircraft. Claire felt the chopper slowing to a stop, and as she took a fleeting glimpse down, she noted that they were directly above the tarmac of the heliport. She took one of the chaff grenades, pulled the pin on it, and released the thing, watching it fall rapidly to the ground below. Without a second to waste, she pushed the rolled-up rope ladder outside, letting it fall to the ground. A couple of seconds later, she could hear a soft explosion, but not too loud.
One minute on the clock…
Checking to see if she had everything—gun, chaff, and ammo, she took one final parting glance at Ark.
"Good luck," Ark said solemnly, flashing her a thumbs-up. Claire gave him a quick nod of acknowledgment before placing herself on the ladder and beginning her descent. She disappeared from his sight and made haste to the ground.
Inside, in the main security office, the guard looked at his watch. It would be another couple of minutes before his shift ended and he would be relieved of his duty. He looked at the myriad of screens that lined the entire room. The massive security network that was created for this facility was immense, and to reduce confusion, the screens were arranged by section of the facility. Doing his normal routine, he looked at the screens for signs of any trouble. So far, nothing out of the ordinary—just the typical scientist, researcher, or official made an appearance, but that was it. He had noticed an increased security presence in the last several months—rumors about secret facilities and bioweapons created by Umbrella had made their way to Umbrella HQ, and he guessed that the increased security was probably in response to the increased media attention as a result. There was no doubt in the guard's mind that all this mumbo-jumbo about Umbrella doing secret research involving viruses and bio-organic weapons were made up, falsified, created by tabloids or some shit like that. Usual highlights of most evenings involved the cameras going haywire or some shit like that. He looked at his watch once more. Another minute. A shrill beep suddenly cut through the silence, and the guard moved around quickly in his swivel chair to find the source of the annoying sound. He saw the problem at once—the entire security network at the heliport suddenly shut down, every monitor in the heliport section suddenly went to static.
"Damn cameras. Always going down, pieces of shit," the guard muttered. He picked up the phone near him and put in a call to the techie's office. If anyone knew how to navigate the tangled web of wiring that made up the gigantic network, it was Hal. The phone rang once, twice, three times before a male voice came on.
"Hal," he said, his voice laden with sleep.
"Hate to disturb you in whatever sex dream you were having, but we have a problem here—all the cameras for the heliport just died. Can you take a look at it?"
"I'll get on it," Hal said.
"Jim will keep in touch with you via walkie-talkie," the guard said.
"Yep," Hal said, hanging up the phone. The guard placed the receiver down just as the guard to relieve him walked in, named Jim.
"Have a good evening?" Jim asked, his voice carrying a heavy French accent.
"No trouble, except for a minute ago when all the cameras at the heliport suddenly died," the guard answered.
"Hal on it?" Jim asked.
"Yep, just got him on it. He'll get to you over the two-way when he fixes it."
"One more thing before you go," Jim began. "Tell Rachel that Hal is on his way to the warehouse. After that, you may go. See you tomorrow,"
"Will do. Have a good night," the guard said, taking his jacket and heading out the door.
Jim took a seat in the swivel chair and looked at each screen for anything amiss.
Claire Redfield took one final glance at the receding chopper before opening the double metal doors and stepping into a small space. The door closed, and Claire realized she was in an elevator of sorts, but there were only a few buttons on the control panel—buttons labeled Main, Heli, W.H.. No numbers at hall. Below the letters, there were little pictures showing what each one meant—a helicopter below the word Heli, a crate below W.H., and a door below Main. Getting through the main entrance would be quite difficult, but she'd have to manage. she pressed Main, and suddenly she felt the elevator move…back. Not up. Not down. Back.
What the fuck?
Claire pulled out the Palm OS device that contained the digital maps of the facility and went to a Map program that Ark himself had made. According to the map, she was on the elevator that led to the main entrance, obviously. W.H. probably meant warehouse, which would be a basic dead end. If Chris was anywhere in the facility, he was probably deep inside. She looked at her watch. Those chaff grenades would wear off in about thirty seconds, but she had the immediate problem of getting inside in the first place. Surely the door had some sort of keypad or card reader, some sort of security check to gain access. A few seconds she felt the elevator slow down suddenly, catching her unawares, making her lose her balance. The bright cheery ping signaled the elevator's arrival to the main entrance. Claire grabbed the modified Beretta, already loaded, and aimed at the elevator door. The elevator came to a full stop, and the door opened suddenly—revealing a man, probably in his late twenties. He was clean-shaven, but his blond hair was a little unruly. His oversized glasses gave him a look of a stereotypical nerd. He looked tired. His short-sleeved white shirt adorned with the Umbrella logo was partially tucked into loose-fitting jeans. A lopsided name tag just under the red and white logo read "Hal." It took a second or two before Hal actually realized that someone was pointing a gun directly at his face. Claire put the gun in her holster as he let out a sudden scream of surprise, and Claire grabbed him and pulled him inside the elevator quickly. She slammed the door close button, then placed a hand on Hal's mouth while taking him in a headlock.
"Shh! I'm not going to hurt you!" Claire whispered. Hal whimpered softly, frightened out of his mind. He dared not move, but a tiny part of him began to desire being captured by such a beautiful young woman. A few seconds later, he stood there quiet. "If I take my hand away, will you be quiet?"
Hal nodded quickly. "Mmhmm," he said, muffled by Claire's soft hand. Claire pulled her hand away slowly.
"Good," Claire said. He immediately wriggled free of her grasp and Claire moved to block his exit. Resigned, he sat in a corner and began to whimper like a lost puppy, the jangle of his keychain loud against the tile floor.
"Relax," Claire said soothingly, as if she was consoling Sherry. "I have no desire to hurt you. I just want some answers." Hal nodded, his face beginning to turn red from embarrassment. Claire drew a look of confusion, but soon realized the cause—a wet spot was forming at the crotch of his jeans.
Oh, fuck. He wet himself. That's just great. Soon I'll have to leave this elevator because it'll reek of damned piss. Better make this quick, then.
"Who are you?" Hal asked, trying to remove some of his embarrassment.
"My name isn't important right now," Claire said, a look of seriousness on her face. Claire kneeled down to his level, trying hard not to gawk at the moist spot, spreading to his legs. "All I want are just some answers. I have no intention of hurting you at all."
"Okay," Hal eked out softly.
"Have you heard of Chris Redfield?" She asked hurriedly, almost cutting him off.
Hal looked at her, his brow furrowed in thought. "That name does ring a bell…"
Claire's eyes widened. "Concentrate."
"Wasn't he…wait…something S.T.A.R.S.?"
Claire tried to hide her feelings. "Was he here?"
"Um…not that I know of. I heard his name a few times just from rumors and talk amongst the higher-ups." Hal's face drew a look of confusion. "Why?"
"He's someone near and dear to me," Claire said, part of her mind nagging her for telling him, but he looked trustworthy. Hopefully her instinct would hold true. She hoped she wasn't caught, especially early on. A beep cut through the brief silence, then a male voice came on, sounding muffled.
"Hey, Hal," the male voice said, Claire noting the French accent. "Come in."
Claire stood rigid.
Shit…that's probably some guard and he might turn me in…
Claire slowly reached for the holstered pistol, fear welling inside her. Hal reached behind him and pulled out a radio and spoke.
"Hal here."
"No need to check those Heliport cams. They all work now," The guard said.
"Typical of them. I'll still check the wiring to see if that's the problem."
"Fine. Do that. That is all. Over and out."
Claire relaxed her tense muscles, pulling her hand away from the gun. Hal looked at her and grinned.
"As for this Chris, I don't know where he is. Sorry."
She looked disappointed, but tried to hide it. "Fine then…my other question: how do I get in?"
"You want to go in the main entrance?" Hal's eyes grew wide with fear. "That's suicide! That area is riddled with security cameras! You won't even get in the door—you'll be captured. Besides, you need a key card to get inside."
Claire smiled slyly at the techie. "This is where you come in."
"I was afraid of that," Hal bowed his head.
"You know the inner workings of the cameras and how they're set up, right?"
"Yes, but—hey! What made you guess that?" Hal asked, confused.
"You look the type," Claire replied. "Just took a wild guess."
"Oh…"
"Is there any way you can disable them?" Claire asked.
"Well, yeah…through the control panel in the warehouse. The control panel in there is linked to the security system for the heliport, warehouse and the front of the facility."
"Yes…" Claire nodded, motioning him to continue.
"I can temporarily disable the cameras to the main entrance…" his voice trailed off.
"But how do I get in the door? I still need to get in. Didn't you say something about a key card?"
"True…tell you what. I'll lend you my key card, scan it, then drop it by the door. No one should be entering through there. It's a little elaborate, but it works," Hal said, sighing. "I can't believe I'm doing this. You know, I wish you luck. Trying to get through the network is no easy task."
"I'm well aware of the risk," Claire agreed. "But if there is a chance that he's here, I must take it."
"I still think this is foolish. You won't be here for long! You'll be—" Claire put a finger to his lips. "I already know, Hal. Even so, I appreciate your help. Will you help me?"
How can I say no to that beautiful face…
Hal sighed. "Yeah, fine."
"Good!" Claire pressed the W.H. button, and the elevator jerked to life once again.
"Okay…" Hal began. "The control panel to this part of the network is visible from the elevator. It was made like that to allow quick access in a case such as a failure, or an actual emergency. When I disable the cameras to the entrance, I'll look directly at you and give a quick nod. I'm only gonna leave them inactive for a minute or so. Scan my key card, drop it, then enter. After that, you're on your own."
"Thanks," Claire said.
Ping!
Hal placed a rectangular plastic card in her hand. On the back of the white card were four printed numbers—5-8-9-1.
The elevator jerked once again to a stop at the warehouse level.
"Quick…hide yourself somewhere!" Hal whispered, his eyes growing wide.
"It's an elevator!" Claire snapped. Her only bet would be to press herself against the wall to the right of the elevator, a narrow space. The door opened slowly, and Hal walked calmly and casually into the huge warehouse. Crates and boxes stood on shelving that appeared sky-high. Claire took quick glances at Hal before ducking back behind the slim cover the elevator offered. She heard the receding footsteps make a stop. Claire peeked once again, and saw Hal unscrewing some sort of metal cover about a hundred feet or so in front of the elevator. Claire heard the sound of metal being placed on the floor.
Hal pulled out a control panel laced with wiring, light-emitting diodes, and buttons labeled where each respective set of wiring and lights corresponded to.
"Which one…which one…" Hal muttered to himself. "Ahh…" He pushed a button on the panel, turning the power to the main entrance cams off. A second later, a voice came on, that same French guard.
"Hal! The cameras for the main entrance are off! What are you doing?" the guard yelled.
Claire shot another glance at Hal. "I know, Jim. I accidentally hit the wrong switch. They'll be up in a minute!" Hal looked at Claire and gave the signal. At a moment's notice, Claire slammed the Main button and the door seemed to slow at a reduced speed—something that always happens with elevators and someone in a hurry. The elevator suddenly moved to the left, catching Claire off-guard once again, slamming her into the wall.
"Fucking elevator!" Claire yelled, kicking the wall. She swore to herself under her breath as her kick proved to be a little harder than she anticipated, and she hopped around on one foot, trying to ease the sharp pain in her right foot. A few seconds had gone by when the elevator jerked to a sudden slowdown once again, but Claire was prepared for this one. She quickly pulled out her PDA once again to see where she would go once she entered the facility. The entrance would give way to a large room, most likely a lobby, and in this lobby would be an elevator. She tapped the screen where the elevator was and discovered that the elevator went to several basement levels. A little popup on the small screen told her that out of the five basement levels, the B4 and B5 levels were only allowed for authorized personnel. These would be her destinations, since she felt that these two levels contained some of Umbrella's darker side, more of its viral research. Her train of thought was quickly interrupted as the elevator signaled its arrival. Wasting no time, she ran out of the elevator, not even waiting for the door to open fully.
Racing across the concrete walkway, she spotted the glass double doors, marked with that familiar logo of Umbrella. Looking frantically around the door for any type of card reader, her heart was racing. She knew she only had seconds left before Hal would reactivate the main cameras, which were currently aimed straight at her. To her right, she spotted the two little red lights above a small rectangular box with a slit in the middle. She swiped the card through the reader. A small green LED confirmed the card, and she heard the sound of a door unlock. Hurried, she dropped the card as per Hal's instruction, and she raced inside. Not even stopping in the gigantic lobby, she saw another elevator dead ahead, her current destination. Luck seemed to be on her side, for she saw that the elevator door was open as if awaiting her arrival. Dashing across the well-maintained white tile floor, she practically dove into the elevator, almost slamming into the rear of the small enclosure. Taking a look at the control panel, she pressed B4, and thus the door closed. The gears and machinations of the elevator began to move as the elevator began its slow descent to the B4 level. Claire pulled out the device once more to see what the B4 level entailed. Looking at the map, both the B4 and the B5 levels were exactly identical in structure. Claire didn't know how Ark managed to do it, but he did, and she was thankful for creating such a program—Ark had made it so that each room was clearly marked—whether it was lab, break room, etc. The elevator would open into a hall, from which she could go right or left. Hopefully, most of the scientists would be gone for the evening, making her task a little easier. She decided that she'd go left first, explore the rooms there before making her way to the right. One of the first rooms to her left was marked, "Laundry room." Maybe she'd find a lab coat or something, an attempt at disguise. This way, she could walk in front of security cameras without being an intrusion, or so she hoped. Hopefully that Raval character wasn't around. Looking at the top of the doorway, the time was 0500, 11 PM in New York. However, this didn't give her much time. Dawn would break soon, and that meant the scientists would be slowly trickling in.
"Please enter your four-digit passkey," a female voice said, breaking the silence. Claire was startled by the sudden intrusion, but soon collected herself when the voice repeated itself. The small alphanumerical keypad below the control panel lit up, and another voice, male, broke in.
"Approaching B4 level. Authorized personnel only. Input passkey to allow access to restricted B4 level."
What four digit passkey?
The elevator began to slow down, arriving at the B4 level. Claire began to think hard, searching for any four digit combination she saw during her short tenure. Her mind flashed back to Hal's keycard, and suddenly she remembered the four digits, 5891. She punched it into the keypad, and waited.
"Processing," the same female voice said. A few seconds seemed to drag endlessly on, until the keypad emitted a small beep. "Confirmed. Welcome, Hal." The door pinged and opened slowly, revealing a well-lit hallway. The first thing she saw was that same industrial gray wall and the Umbrella logo, and the lettering reading B4. Cautiously, she took one foot out of the elevator, and looked all around for any sign of trouble. Directly above her head was a security camera, and she quickly moved out of the way. With no guards in the immediate vicinity, she made her way to her left, finally beginning her mission. The search had begun.
A/N: I predict 2 more chapters before I bring this narrative to a close. The ending has already been planned, I just have to set it to paper. So did you discover who the other video game character was? Teehee. As always, if you like it (or not), send me a review! The next chapter is Chapter 15: At the Heart of the Matter, which I'll have posted in a little while.