Resident Evil Recall: Operation Arklay

Episode Six: The Arklay Mountains

Part Three

Redbend Road, Arklay Mountains, 10:00 AM…

There was no more idle chatter or joking around as the SUV backed out of the Scenic Overlook and back onto the main road, giving Chambers plenty of time to look at the single piece of tent material and ponder the surrounding area before they resumed the trip toward whatever their base was. Like Lopez, he had secured a good number of scenes for the Detectives, but hearing all those details was starting to mess with his head. That place was now no longer just another crime scene as it got smaller in the distance, it was a place where something absolutely horrific had taken place.

"The left path on this fork takes you to Arklay Village." Liquid said as they passed a sign that described the same. "The path we're going down splits off again in a couple miles to The Arklay Resort, and but we stay on this road to get to base."

Even with just the details of the crime scene itself, Chambers would have been okay, but the names and history of each victim was what impacted him the most. They had always just been nameless victims before, and once the bodies had been shipped to the morgue and the scene reopened to the public, he never gave them much thought. However, hearing the story and background of Maddison and Jonathan put a whole new set of images into his head. He imagined them going to the movies and having a good time, then deciding to stop off for as Liquid put it, their own happy ending as a lot of teenagers did.

"The day is still young." McGee said. "After we get set up, I say we hit as much of the known scenes as we can, since as far as I can tell, the attacks always happen at night. I hate to say this, but it might mean splitting up so we can cross off more of the old stuff before something new happens."

Chambers was only dimly aware of the conversation as he imagined Maddison and Jonathan, probably madly in love with each other, in the middle of doing something that is supposed to be a special moment in a young person's life, when the unthinkable happens. Suddenly the tent flap is pulled open and Jonathan cries out in surprise as he is ripped from Maddison's arms. Two or three men drag him outside and the girl screams as they throw him on the ground and restrain him.

"Hold on a second." Lopez argued. "Wouldn't splitting up make us more vulnerable to being attacked or ambushed or something. I know you're out of your mind, Liquid, but whatever happened to strength in numbers?"

The mental images kept coming as Chambers saw Jonathan's struggling and yelling turn into desperate flailing and screaming as the assailants began to bite into his flesh. Maddison was probably paralyzed with confusion and terror as she watched from in the tent while her boyfriend begins gurgling and choking and blood starts to run along the ground. She wants to help him, but can only sit there helplessly as Jonathan slowly stops moving. He makes a final rasping sound before going limp, and the assailants continue their feast.

"Actually, we should be fine if the attacks happen at night." Ashwood said. "The way I see it, if we break up into two teams, one of two and one of three, we can safely investigate certain areas and regroup before nightfall with no problems."

Chambers tried to pay attention to the plans that were being formed by the others, but the images in his mind continued like a twisted horror film as poor little Maddison cowers in the tent before it suddenly collapses onto her. Something heavy falls onto her along with it, and she struggles to get out from under it before screaming as she feels something clamp down onto her shoulder. It continues to clamp down harder and harder, tearing through the flesh as she cries and flails her arms helplessly at it. Then she screams again as she feels another bits in her leg… then another in her back…

"Then we would need to decide who is going to go where." Liquid replied. "I would imagine that the rest of the old crime scenes will be as barren as the last one, so they're low priority. I still need to get in touch with the Arklay County Sheriff, and, um… I suppose the resort still needs to be investigated as well."

"Well, everyone in Arklay County knows you, Tobias." McGee replied. "You'd probably get the least pushback about jurisdiction and whatnot, so you should go into town, and I'll check out the resort."

Finally the mental images were stopping, allowing Chambers to rejoin the current discussion. So, now they were talking about splitting up, he thought. That was never a good idea in the movies, but on the other hand they were short staffed, so he supposed that it would be the only way for them to get anything done in a reasonable amount of time. But how were they going to split up the teams? Chambers didn't really feel safe going with Liquid, but he also didn't want to be split up from Lopez, but couldn't leave poor Ashwood alone with him either. Even if their leader was already having an affair with Detective Carver, he had heard about the whole Valentine Saga, so he wasn't sure what to do.

"The resort already has security, so the smaller team should go there." Liquid continued. "After we get settled in, I want you to take Chambers and head down there."

Well, okay, Chambers thought happily. Really dodged a bullet that time, and now instead of heading into some hick town to find Farmer Jack or whoever the Sheriff was, he was going to get to spend the day hanging out at a high-end resort. It was a bummer that he had to separate from Lopez, but at least Ashwood would be okay with him to look after her, because who knows what a bunch of people who were friends with Tobias Liquid were going to be like? Also, he highly doubted that the noises reported by the resort had anything to do with the case, since the attacks had all happened in isolated areas so far, so it was going to be an easy day.

The SUV continued down the road, passing the sign for The Arklay Resort, and keeping on going until the vehicle started to shake as the pavement ended. Dirt and dust was kicking up behind them as they rounded a curve, making it almost impossible to see what was behind them, and it was a particularly dry day, so the cloud around them just got worse and worse until they were blind on the sides as well. Still up and up the road took them, and Chambers was beginning to think that it would never end, but then the vehicle started to slow down as they pulled into what looked like a driveway. It was graveled, making for a smoother end to the journey, and as the dust cleared, he saw that they were parked in front of a really nice cabin.

"Okay, kids, we're here." The Lieutenant announced as he put it in park and shut off the engine. "Everybody out; grab some gear and bring it on inside."

It had two floors and a basement, with a large yard where the grass was getting overgrown. Around the sides and back, there was a quickly thickening presence of trees as if the forest was trying to eat the residence, but off to one side the trees suddenly stopped and the sky was visible as if there was nothing beyond them. Besides the grass there were a couple other flaws that Chambers began to notice. For one, the door looked like it had been improperly installed, or maybe once broken and quickly repaired. And then there was the window; instead of glass and a screen like all the others, a single one of them, one of the larger ones, was boarded up completely with wooden planks.

"Cozy." Lopez said as they got out. "A bunch of people from the city taking a trip out to a creepy cabin in the middle of the woods… isn't this how, like, every horror movie ever made starts?"

"I know, right?" Chambers replied while stretching his legs. "Helpful hint: If you find a strange book that's written in another language, just leave it alone."

They all grabbed a share of the equipment and weapons in the back of the SUV, and Liquid was leading them toward the front door when Chambers noticed the burned-wood plaque that was mounted next to the door. It was about the size of a small pizza box, shaped like a sideways oval with routed edges, and across the body in elaborate lettering was written: The Liquid Family. There wasn't really anything wrong with this in itself, although strange that Liquid would choose his own cabin as base during a complicated mission. Although, it did offer certain advantages, like the comforts of home while not investigating, and a relaxed setting for making plans.

Except Liquid didn't look relaxed as he stepped onto the porch and unlocked the door with a key from his pocket. He looked stressed or maybe anxious, and this feeling only intensified as he pushed the poorly repaired door open with a slow squeak of the hinges moving. Only a moment ago their leader had been calm and collected, even while reading off the details of the crime scene, but now something was definitely wrong. Liquid motioned for them to set what they were carrying down on counters and the table, and the next time Chambers looked at him, the Lieutenant's hands were shaking a little as he looked down the hall.

"Are you okay?" Ashwood asked with uncertainty in her voice.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Liquid replied with even more uncertainty in his. "I'm sorry, it's just… it's just that it's still a little hard for me to be here. I thought enough time had gone by, but it's just…

The Lieutenant had to turn away, and took in a labored breath that sounded more like a gasp as he leaned on the counter top, and he pointed to McGee, whom nodded in return before clearing his throat.

"Welcome to the new base of operations for Task Force Arklay." The Detective began. "This is also the first site of, um… Case #5081-G… the first reported incident in a string of violent deaths that would become known as The Cannibal Murders."