Chapter 6

"Well boss, it looks like I'm going to have to try and open the doors from here" said Kubo, seating himself in the leather chair behind the large control panel. "You do know I have no idea what to do."

"Just try."

"Are you sure about this Commander?" asked Obata.

"What's the matter, getting cold feet?" joked Yukari.

Obata's facial expression didn't change. "The other team failed their mission with the help of an employee here. They knew the traps to avoid and still haven't returned."

"Do any of you even know what is down there?" asked Kagura.

"Don't worry, apart from Yukari we all know how to be careful and take care of ourselves" replied Minamo.

"That is true" called out Kubo, ducking beneath one of the screens as Yukari glared at him. Kagura turned to Kimura who merely shrugged (as well as he could while handcuffed).

The group shortly fell into silence, the only sound to be heard being Kubo tapping on the keyboard. Just like Yukari, Kagura found herself getting annoyed by the noise as it continued. She felt the annoyance and fear growing as she merely stood there, dependant upon people she didn't know.

"Success!" called out Kubo suddenly. "This wasn't so difficult, I don't think it was meant to be. It seems to control an alternate entrance into this place- probably automated in case of fire."

In silence the door across from the team slowly began to open. Kagura saw a bag sitting just beyond the open door. Obata cautiously walked across to it as Kubo downloaded something onto a small USB stick, placing it in a tiny handheld computer like device. She'd have to ask him where he got it.

"Empty" said Obata holding up the bag.

"Lets go" said Sadamoto, "The sooner we do this, the sooner we can leave."

"Thank God for that" called out Yukari, grinning nervously as Sadamoto glared at her. He didn't see the hand sign the woman gave him after he turned around.

"Come on Ohyama, we're going now" said Kagura, holding out her hand to the person roughly her age. He stood up.

"Shouldn't Miss Kagura, me and the cop stay here?" he asked.

"Why?" asked Minamo. Kagura agreed with the soldier. She didn't want to stay here. Not in this dank place next to the entrance that couldn't be forced open. And who knew what type of psycho could possibly be hidden down in this place?

"Like Kimura said, we aren't trained soldiers. This could be a dangerous situation, we don't want to get in the way and put the whole plan at risk. You don't want to be forced into babysitting us do you?"

"Whatever happens we will be forced into looking after you" said Sadamoto, "Because I'll be enforcing protection for you. I've lost one man so far, I am not having three civilians die on me."

"Then why bring us down here?" asked Kimura.

"For your protection Mr Kimura. Now we can either have you come along, or leave you here and weaken my team by having someone stay behind. And to be honest I'd prefer to be able to keep a watch over you, so we move out now." Sadamoto spoke calmly, but definitely in a tone of authority. He had no intention of leaving them.

"Can't you at least un-cuff me then?" asked Kimura, straining to move his arms. "My arms are getting tired and more then a bit cramped now."

"We will do when we are deeper in the Hive" said Sadamoto. "Wouldn't want to do it close to the exit and have the thought of trying to escape become strong in you huh? Because I certainly wouldn't want to have to put a bullet through your knee."

"He'd probably miss and hit you in the ass" whispered Kubo. "So Kimura you aren't too sure, and Mr Ohyama isn't certain either. But we do have another person down here, and she's much cuter then the other two" continued the man. "How do you feel?"

"I want to go with you" replied Kagura. "Whether I like it or not I'm here now. Anyway I'm not a coward; I'd rather see what happens then hide in here. This way we don't have to split up either."

"Hey boss, I'm beginning to like this girl" said Kubo. He smirked and nodded at the girl. She nodded back. She was slightly scared of course, but she wasn't going to chicken out of this, make excuses to try and hide. She wanted to face problems head on. She slowly had a vague recollection of a rivalry, a rivalry with someone she couldn't quite remember.

Without saying a word, the others followed Sadamoto along the undecorated polished steel corridor, boots, shoes (and in the case of Kagura trainers) slowly moving along the grated metal floor. Ohyama slowly removed his glasses and began cleaning them to try and ignore the awkward silence that had fallen, while Kagura found herself studying the others. Kimura appeared to have accepted what was happening. Yukari was busy checking her shotgun shells, ammunition for her weapon. Kubo held up the small device for Sadamoto to see, as the reached a fork in the hallway.

"The route to the right leads into the Hive, into what appears to be a series of labs."

"And the other."

"Takes us to the home of something called the Red Queen, which I assume is something to do with the task you had for me?"

Sadamoto nodded.

"Of course it's off limits, so we better be careful, we don't want to annoy the company do we?" joked Kubo.

"No, don't want a sternly written letter" replied Sadamoto. Kubo nodded and sprinted along the hallway, pushing open an unlocked door.

"I've found another computer" he yelled down to the others. He fell silent for a moment. "There's some kind of corridor, I can see it through a locked door."

"Open it up for us" called back Sadamoto.

Kagura along with the others joined Kubo in the surprisingly spacious room, the man busy working on a computer. Kagura peeked through the small glass panel built into the door. Through the dim light she saw what appeared to be a small glass corridor. Through the glass she thought she saw some kind of metallic equipment. The corridor was straight and short, another door at the end. Kagura didn't know why such a thing deserved a thick secured door. She guessed it was just a security feature.

Sadamoto stood behind Kubo as the man sat passing through numerous screens attempting to bypass the locks on the door. Sadamoto squinted as he looked at the screen; these damn things gave him a headache. Kubo leant back.

"I should have this door open in a matter of time."

"Good" replied Sadamoto. He pulled a small device from his pocket. "In case the other door is secured by an access code we can use this little thing."

"Oh, what's that?" asked Kubo as he continued typing.

"Some kind of prototype" replied Sadamoto, "They gave it to me just in case. I think it can figure out the numbers needed to open a keypad locked door."

"Sounds nice. Do you know how it works?" asked Kubo.

"Not a clue" said Sadamoto chucking it up in the air and catching it. "But it makes us look better in front of other people" he whispered as Ohyama eyed the device eagerly.

"Shame it doesn't help to make us look competent" joked Kubo. He pressed down on a key and the door slowly opened, Kagura backing away.

Sadamoto reached into his bag and pulled out a small rifle, before placing the bag back down on the floor.

"I'll go open the door at the other end. When it's secure, Obata, Minamo move up and join me" said Sadamoto slowly stepping into the corridor. She didn't know why, but Kagura had a bad feeling.

Authors Note: Well I suppose some of you know what happened to the medic in the film. Let's help Minamo doesn't loose her head.