Chapter Thirteen: At the Door
"A little farther," Rain said over her shoulders, her two captors close behind. The darkness before them was nearly impenetrable and not even the combined effort of all their flashlights could help penetrate it to any substantial degree. Rain tried to keep her head up and her expression even, attempting to maintain that air of knowing what she was doing. That this was the right path all along.
Even act like I don't know what I'm doing for a second and they'll blow you away, she thought.
In the beginning, she tried to devise ways in which to get rid of them-perhaps lead them into a tunnel on the verge of collapse or just make a run for it. Though, each idea she came up with became more implausible. Even with a clear map of the tunnel's schematic in her mind's eye, most of the passages were either closed off or hidden by debris by the destruction of LAB B. It didn't help that they always made her lead. Every time she faltered, she felt the mussel of Chris's assault rifle press against the middle of her back, forcing her on.
"How much farther," Jill asked.
"Shouldn't be too much longer," Rain thought. Rather, she hoped it wasn't too much longer. "There should be an elevator to the upper levels of the tunnel network. Should take us to the Lab's entrance.
"How's the elevator going to work if the power is down?" Chris asked, his voice laced with skepticism.
"It's connected with its own generator," Rain replied. "Shouldn't take much to get it started. If it has gas."
"Umbrella sure thinks of everything, don't they," Chris replied, his voice dripping with irony. Despite herself, Rain couldn't help but smirk. Tell your little jokes, you sorry sack of shit, Rain thought. Before this night was done, she'd have them right where she wanted them-dead. She just had to find the right moment, is all. Maybe once they got to the lab...or maybe if ol' Lisa came abling about…
A bit of green caught the corner of Rain's eye. Her body tensed and she pivoted toward it.
"Hold-" Chris said before his light caught what Rain was aiming for. A series of vines clung to the wall like a network of spiderwebs. Each strand was nearly as thick as Rain's arm. A closed bulb grew from the middle of it.
"What the…" Rain said. She no more than uttered the word than one of the bulbs nearest to her opened up. Within its rich purple inside lie a cluster of black barbs. Rain took a step closer to it. The colors were beautiful in the darkness, the purple of the flower was a breath of fresh air in the confining black and brown hues. Rain took another step closer-a firm hand grabbed her shoulder and locked her in place. She turned to find Chris gripping it with a firm grip but his eyes remained locked on the plant. He slowly released her, her gaze never leaving the flower. He slowly raised a finger to his mouth and gestured onward with his gun.
Rain only nodded. The three trotted quietly through the corridor, each of their gazes darted toward the flowers. Most times, the bulbs remained closed. However, now and again when someone footstep connected with a rock, one of the nearest flowers would open. Rain and her captors froze, waiting with bated breath for something, anything, to happen. When the plant did nothing, the trio slowly continued. After several yards, the flowers grew less and less numerous.
Rain sighed in relief when the passage opened to a cavernous room. In the center stood the iron supports of a large cargo lift. Rain shifted her light's beam past the lift to a metal box in the rear of the room.
"There," she said. "The generator should be enough to get the lift working."
Chris stepped forward, gave rain a quick side glance, before brushing past her toward the generator. Rain glanced over her shoulder to Jill. Though she held her weapon aloft, Rain had no doubt that the woman could whip it up and fire off a few shots before she could so much turn around.
"Do you mind if I take a seat?" Rain asked over her shoulder.
"No. Go ahead," Jill replied. Rain nodded her thanks. Her legs nearly fell out from under her, trudging through the rocky, uneven tunnels finally taking their toll. Jill leaned against one of the lift's support beams. She glanced around, no doubt keeping an eye out for danger, but her eyes always returned to Rain.
"So, who you working for?" Rain asked. Jill's attention snapped to her once again, her brow furrowing.
"What do you mean?"
"Tricell? Wilpharma?" Rain replied, shrugging. "No one in their right mind would come out here on their own."
"You'd be surprised," Jill replied, shifting the weight of her gun to her other hand.
"Yeah?" Rain asked, cocking her eye. "So, if you're not here for another company…" She leaned back. What had the papers said had happened to the S.T.A.R.S.? They came out to investigate the recent murders, took a lot of drugs, and blew up an Umbrella lab. Rain chortled. The explanation was so flimsy, anyone who even had the faintest idea of what Umbrella was up to could tell it was bullshit. "No, you want revenge."
"We want justice," Jill shot back.
Rain chuckled, shaking her head.
"Justice, revenge," she replied. "Same thing. Just depends on how righteous you feel."
"Righteous?" Jill shot back, the glimmer of indignation lacing her words. "Exposing Umbrella has nothing with being righteous-"
"Ah," Rain said, having to suppress a grin at her own deception. "So, that's the game."
Jill's eyes widened and Rain detected the woman's grip tighten around her weapon. Rain raised a hand defensively.
"Easy. I don't blame you. After the Hell they put you through, I'd want blood too...So, that's really the endgame for you and Roid-rage over there?"
Jill only nodded.
"What's your endgame?" Jill asked. "Why are you working for Umbrella?"
Rain's expression tightened. The question struck a nerve, and she wasn't sure if it was because the question had been personal or it was a question she had never asked herself. A moment passed in silence before Rain could find the best answer.
"They pay the bills," Rain said. "My skill set isn't exactly perfect for a cashier."
Jill chortled. The laugh, as small as it was, let Rain know she was going in the right direction.
"I get that," Jill replied. "You someplace long enough...you start feeling like there is no other place for you. After I left the military, I wasn't sure if I could fit back into civilian life. After the things I witnessed...the things I've done. You start thinking all you're good at is killing. You're not. You're always more than what your mind tells you that you are."
Rain grinned but the words hooked into her mind once again. What was this damn woman and making her words stick? Yet, Rain couldn't help but think 'Did she really need Umbrella?' Sure the pay was good, but after tonight-after all this-was it really worth it? Rain's expression tightened, grasping for a rationalization that was just out of reach.
Before she could come to it, the cavern lit up with a low, electric hum. Wall lights connected by a string of cable flared to life.
"Well," Jill said with a hit of trepidation. "Time to head up."
The lift rattled up the shaft. Rain stood to the other side while Jill and Chris watched her. The single lit bulb of the lift cast shadows off the passing earthen walls. When the lift came to a halt upon the landing, the corridor was quiet. Lights lit the tunnels, though they seemed to cast more shadows than shed any light.
"I remember this place," Jill muttered as she stepped out. Her complexion grew more livid and her expression tightened. The other two followed her down the passage and through a metal door at the end. The corridor on the other end was far shorter and turned at the end. Around the bend was a small chamber.
Rain's eyes darted toward the laboratory door. It's metal siding bent outward-no doubt from a shockwave from the other lab's explosion. Rain was amazed that this place wasn't caved in. It's Umbrella, she thought. The crafty bastards must have reinforced the caverns so that didn't happen. A laboratory would be difficult to get to if you kept getting caved in. Regardless, Rain couldn't help but grin. Her mission was close to being complete, then she could get the Hell out of her. She took a step toward it when she realized the other two were huddled in the corner.
Past Jill and Chris, Rain noticed a corpse slouched against the wall. Decay had long since taken it, making its features indistinguishable. It wore a brown vest and green cargo pants.
"Enrico," Jill muttered. Then, it all seemed to click into place for Rain. He had been their team member. Rain felt her stomach tighten. Hadn't she seen her team ripped apart this evening? But they don't matter, she retaliated against the thought. Kaplin, Olga-they were hired grunts. Couldn't give a shit about them. But what about J.D.
The thought of seeing J.D. slumped there, half-decayed, made her want to be sick.
Don't get distracted, Rain reminded herself, bringing her attention back to the blasted laboratory door. Now's your chance while they're distracted! Go, dumbass!
She took another step toward the door-
Jill and Chris spun around, their weapons trained. Rain froze until she noticed that the weapons weren't trained on her. They were trained upon the tunnel from whence they had come. The sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the passage.
Someone, or something, was coming.