The panel red light bleeped onto green turned indicating the door had been unlocked as the metal door slid open; Leon swept inside checking the area aiming his light around. As with the rest of the precinct grounds, a cold dark hall was equally as unwelcoming; the sound of his footsteps echoing along the walls. Leon's torch was the only source of light accompanying him although he was still happy he at least had a gun. His soles scraped and scuffed along grit, dirt and broken chips of glass, the place hadn't seen a mop or a broom in a while, even before the attack. An abrupt metallic groan caught his attention, couldn't quite place which direction it came from but it sounded like something heavy being dragged over the floor.
He spun around looking down the sight of his barrel, for whatever was about to attack, the noise stopped but there was no-one in sight, the only sound came from his boots bumping and scraping down each cold hard step. Reaching the bottom he noticed a dimly lit canopy which sheltered a small box room that seemed to be used for filing; there several tiny cabinets and a photocopying machine next to a small desk terminal "A computer…" Leon thought in the hope that he might be lucky enough to send contact to someone outside the city, he walked over to the computer and tried the power button, but nothing happened. The terminal was hooked up but there didn't seem to be any juice from the power outlet, unaware as something watched him from atop the concrete steps remaining in complete darkness. Finding nothing of use, he moved to exit heading straight for the door, slowing at the sudden noise on the other side and watched as the door handle was slowly pushed downward. Reaching for it cautiously before, Leon grabbed the handle quick as a lightning with his gun pointed straight forward, only to meet the snub-nose of a sig-pro "You!" their voices fell into each other, Leon surprised to see Elaine looking back at him.
"How'd you get down here? You look like shit" - Fuck you! She barked defensively but didn't answer him, instead observed the area, wide eyed and on edge "This shit storm is about to rain a second front! I'm talking full into F.U.B.A.R territory!" Leon no more clearer "Wait slow down. Just tell me what's going on?" - "Search and destroy, those bastards know we're here and after what i just saw, our chances of getting out of this fucking place just dropped from slim to zero." Elaine continued "What, are you talking about?" - "Umbrella, Leon! They sent those soldiers here to-kill-us! And if they don't, that THING will do it for them." Leon rubbed his eyes in frustration, still perplexed and desperate for some scrap of context within her rambling "What thing?" the giant weapons cases sprung to his mind "Some thing, i don't know. Some kind of...super soldier, i wouldn't have believed it if i hadn't seen it, but it's big and really pissed off! Shit, Rebecca...she was with me down there, she thinks she can fight that thing. It's after S.T.A.R.S, that's what she said" Elaine pondered for a moment trying to make sense of it all in her head, S.T.A.R.S were tough, the best of the best, but one girl was no match for a seven foot leather-clad monster.
What terrible secret did they uncover at the Spencer Estate? So terrible, The Umbrella Corporation were willing to commit mass murder... "NEMESIS" was proof of the companies might against anyone who dared trifle with them. A biological impossibility, yet there it stood, a giant disfigured monstrosity, its cold piercing glare still fresh in her mind. Looking down its ugly nose at them, with a single purpose - to brutally execute S.T.A.R.S members and anyone else foolish enough to get in its way.
"Head back up those stairs, contact the others and get the hell out of here." She ordered, distracted by the familiar sound of feet scraping across the floor, a chilling groan bounced toward the edge of the steps "OK, that sounds like a plan. But, you're coming with me!" Elaine gave an anxious look toward the stairs her eyes filled with uncertainty as the noise grew closer. The two of them made a swift exit back through the doorway just as several shadows stretched across the edge of the steps.
Elaine slammed the door shut and brought the lock bar down to keep it that way "Might hold zombies but it won't keep that thing out" Elaine thought, Leon glanced around, figuring out their move in order to get Claire and the others out safely and soon "We need to find the generator room" Leon said Elaine looked at him puzzled for a moment "The power room, anywhere we need to get the power back at least then we can start locking down the doors" he wondered "The backup generator's down the north hall…" Elaine said looking in the most northern direction "I came in from the other east wings old offices, I don't know what's down here" Elaine said to an hardly surprised Leon, suddenly the zombies began fighting and struggling to get through the door "I lead, you follow" she said firmly "How about we just watch each others backs" Leon could already sense Elaine was a handful and clearly the 'tough cop' type "Whatever, just watch my back" she said, Leon merely grunted quietly in response his gun sights aimed straight over her shoulder, a sudden scream, muffled though, that of woman, sounded like it was coming from upstairs.
Briefly they glanced up at the ceiling, they knew there was nothing they could do and moved further down the corridor, a rather short stretch. The floor was dark and murky and the walls were riddled with cracks, and stains from condensation, suddenly another bump, this time the noise seemed closer. "We better pick up the pace" Elaine hissed, Leon kept close behind her "Here" She motioned for him to look at the large metal door to the left "In there, c'mon" Leon followed as she opened the door suddenly a shape jumped down from the chain-link fencing built highly in the center of the room, a red blotchy faced police officer came running at them, two consecutive flash bang from both muzzles, put it down. "…Okay" Leon thought before the creature suddenly got up again growling and snarling with blood dripping from his teeth and bite marks down his shirt "Just…die" Elaine said putting several more rounds into its face and neck, the crazed freak fell face first to the ground.
Suddenly another appeared from around the corner, holding a severed limb in one hand, it grumbled and growled "Jesus, is that a leg?" Leon thought catching its gaze, before the thing came tearing after him snarling, before taking three bullets to the chest, having no effect "The head, they stay down with one in the brain" Elaine suggested, Leon aimed more precisely and dispersed a suitable punishment, shattering part of its skull.
"These things can run now?" he wondered slowly lowering his gun "I didn't know they could do that…" Elaine replied, herself puzzled, more came in from the doorway; choosing their targets both Elaine and Leon let off pot shots for more successful hits "Get the doors" he screamed, Elaine ran for the doors as one more jumped into frame, and dropped to her backside before making a sweep for the door cutting off a few decrepit fingers. Leon dragged a bloody great steel shelf in front. Looking down to see a woman in need of a hand, his gesture sharply rejected as she got back on her feet, slight bruise, dirtied slacks, nothing fatal "Good work...thanks" Leon gave a nod acknowledging her efforts, Elaine returning his praise with a small barely noticeable grin.
Leon strolled over to the what appeared to be the main control panel for restoring power to that particular area if nowhere else, luckily for him the room was well lit, and the generator was still running "Whatever you're gonna do, hurry up" Elaine urged keeping a close eye on wobbling shelf as the shaky door suffered a relentless attack from the other side. Leon glanced at the panel for a second, browsing through the stapled pages taped on its side "Give me a second" Leon asked trying his best to speed up the process "Got it" he pulled two fuse pins out and began flipping several small switches, up, down, up, down, down, up. Leon pulled his radio out again "Claire…you there? …Over" a brief pause before the radio crackled and got a response [Leon…] Claire answered "I've fixed the power I…I think"
Claire still locked in the parking lot with the others sighed in relief "Oh thank god…I'll check" she said walking over to the entrance door glowing a gentle green from the emergency light above the frame. Claire pulled the handle and twisted but it wouldn't budge, she tried again but it still wouldn't open "Damn it…" she thought still holding the radio
"Bad news Leon, the doors still locked"
[…Great…is there any other way out?]
"No, we're completely holed up…there must be another way"
Suddenly she had a thought looking up at the ducts in the ceiling.
Leon seemed to have the same idea noticing the vent shaft overhead "You're kidding right?" Elaine asked "I've powered up the areas upstairs, we still need to deactivate the emergency lock down from a computer" - "We can do it from reception, in the main hall but..." Elaine's idea deflated remembering most of areas upstairs were all boarded up, and closed off from each other, probably infested with zombies. Leon was looking back at her, she saw the determination on his face "You're going back up there? Are you crazy?" Elaine thought impressed at his tenacity, but he was still just one human up against scores of the undead all over the police station. The notion was absurd. "Unless there's another terminal around here, i don't see any other options on the table" - "Leon, those things are everywhere, as well as that monster" She thought trying to convince him out of it "...Back up" Leon said reaching up for the air duct grate, being just tall enough to pull it down, a loud clank as it hit the hard cold floor. He clambered up the side of the fence just beneath the edge of the grates frame, he used his light to look around inside for a few moments.
Dust balls, and grit, but otherwise looked safe enough, he thought before stepping back down a moment, relinquishing his side arm over to Elaine "Keep a channel open. I'll radio back once I get to the lobby" Leon said "Got it." Elaine replied, taking hold of the radio clipped around her waist to reassure herself, as they stood beneath the open panel "Stay alive!" Leon gave her another nod, before hooking himself to the edge and disappearing up into the vent "Be…careful" Elaine said passing the gun up to him before watching him disappear, she stepped back hoping him luck that he would somehow survive and make it to the top.
A brief silence followed, suddenly she reeled back in horror as a long brown leather arm dropped down through the open grate, a sigh of relief realizing it was Leon "You didn't think I was really gonna leave you here, did you?" she smiled, as the new guy took firm grip of her fore arms gradually pulling her from the floor "C'mon" he motioned warmly for her to follow him and that she did. There was barely enough space inside the duct to breathe though Leon was still just able to move through the crawl space, Elaine made sure her gun and radio were secured before moving along with him; both shapes became a blur melting gradually into the shadows.
Water dripped incessantly from a leaky pipe in the wall, next to Kevin who was propped up on the bonnet with legs crossed, Claire leaned against the wall near the entrance door. Sweat glistened from her temples due to the rooms' humidity despite its size, sighing and resting her eyes "How much longer?" Grahams wondered, in an even more erratic mood, next to a weary Mark "Hey" Claire asked noticing his condition "You okay?" she asked but he seemed too distracted to respond and simply dropped his head down "Mark?" Claire asked again, he opened his eyes "I'm okay…Just tired" he answered; Claire nodded giving a final glance before wandering over to the shutters, feeling a slight breeze coming through the grills "Air" she thought, looking wantonly out at the ramp on the other side obviously leading back to the surface outside.
"Shit... What if he really didn't make it?" Kevin thought, Mark making sure that no-one was watching checked the bite mark over his left wrist. The surrounding tissue had darkened, become swollen and the veins surrounding it became more apparent, shit. Kevin wandered into the back of the police van for what had to be the tenth time in an hour, needlessly checking the compartments for any scattered ammunition, or snack bars hidden in police vests and jackets. He moved to the front into the drivers den and checked the radio for a possible signal. "Hello…hello?" nothing, just crackling fuzz from dead air waves "Screw it" he flung the radio down in annoyance resting his elbows between the seats for a moment. Claire rubbed an itch on her wrist letting her gun arm hang; she noticed Mark looking for worse for wear just barely holding it together. Her eyes looked down at the gun for a moment, she'd contemplated but slapped herself back into focus C'mon Claire.
Kevin stepping out of the van, turned to look at Grahams still fidgety and nervous, and Mark still sat, his breathing became heavy, and began hanging his head, the night had been long and taxing; he just wanted to go home and drink himself to sleep. "The air con system always was a piece of shit" Kevin remarked looking around trying to distract himself from turning into a pool of sweat on the floor "Hopefully those fuckers die from heat exhaustion". He froze in a trance like state, feeling as if the ground beneath his feet was about to give way, acute vibrations running through his legs. "Whoah...you guy's feel that?" Kevin asked, the others gave him a look of uncertainty "Feel what?" Claire thought "It was probably nothing" Kevin took a deep breathe as he sat down gradually resting his eyes, his shoulders began to relax and his body eased down *plop, plop* the sound of a leaky pipe helped him to drift. The sound continued, his shoulders went cold, the leak was right above him and he was about to brush the water from his shoulders. It felt strange, like slime or mud, suddenly Claire jumped up gazing in his direction "What the hell is that?" she screamed pointing her gun at the blackish snakes falling from the ceiling "What, the fuck!?" Kevin screamed as he leaped out of his sitting spot. "What are they?" Claire asked, looking at the damned things, snake like but they behaved like bee's in a hive, Mark sluggish but mustered the strength to remain alert, and took a shot blasting one of the things off the wall. "Jesus" *BANG* another one practically split from the shells impact, green blood oozed from its body, the vans front was flooded with the things. Wriggling and slithering quick as lightning, down all over the ground, their hideous squeals and hisses as they darted around,. One reared its ugly head and shot for Grahams, quickly put down by a random bullet as Kevin went on the offensive.
"Watch out, they're everywhere" He cried watching one of the snake like creatures writhe in pain. Suddenly another dropped down from a vent behind Grahams before slithering silently toward, unaware as it violently wrapped around his leg "No! Get it off me!" He screamed in disgust, Claire began shooting at another crawling down one of the walls, distracted by the sound of bumping and banging overhead as more fell out from the ducts. "The vents, they're coming form the vents!" She cried, Grahams still struggled to free his leg, the horrid thing tightened its grip hissing before snatching his pant leg trying to get to flesh and bone. He screamed in agony as it bit into flesh twisting and tearing before *BANG*. It dropped to the floor dead, Claire wasn't the best shot, but she got lucky, just missing his leg by a millimeter "Move" she urged; Grahams turned to run suddenly the diary fell out of his pocket and fell open on the ground, Claire paused speechless as she went to pick it up before looking up at him. "Where did you get this?" she asked him amidst all the commotion, another slapped onto the bonnet near Kevin and spat a viscous fluid in his direction, he shrieked veering away narrowly avoiding being hit.
Mark took care of one more before the attack slowed suddenly and they began to slither away, disappearing into whatever nook and cranny they could find. "…They're retreating" he thought whilst Kevin lifted his leg and stamped on one trying to get away, squishing it under his boot; green blood splattered out from both ends. Claire turned back to see Grahams on his way down the manhole "Grahams wait…come back here…" Kevin and Mark also saw and ran after Claire who chased him to the manhole "Where the hell does he think he's going" "Get back here…don't you dare go down there…don't you dare go down there" Claire screamed but it was too late as he had quickly disappeared down through the hole "Damn it"
Standing there for a moment Claire gasped and for a moment the ground beneath their feet shook violently , backing away Kevin appeared confused startled by a heavy thud sound coming from underneath. The banging became louder when suddenly a section of the parking was forced open gradually as if something was fighting to get through "What the now?" Mark stepped away just avoiding the concrete mole hill; a huge shape burst out into the parking lot in the form of some gigantic worm, it let out a shriek . Sharp bone like mandibles protruded from the horrid aperture that was its mouth "Christ, just kill it!" Kevin screamed pointing his gun at the hideous creature letting off rounds, Claire backed away firing at it trying to hit a vulnerable spot but flesh wounds seemed to have little effect, the creatures swayed its mass toward for Mark who jumped behind a pillar, just avoiding being crushed instead a car suffered mass damage.
"It won't die…" Claire thought whilst Kevin proceeded to empty his magazine into the things hide, dozens of the black slug like creatures peered out from its worn, thick rocky hide, out pouring all over the floor in effort to defend the beast. "Those things must be its offspring" Mark tried to keep out of the way taking pot shots at the black slug like creatures following him, Kevin was almost pinned the bloody great creature swayed back toward him; he caught what seemed to be one of its eyes, that burst into a splat of green ooze. The worm flexed and veered about, the black spiny quills protruding from its back would surely turn any unsuspecting prey into mince meat. Kevin dive-rolled under its abdomen, trying to get shots into its underbelly, but merely created more flesh wounds.
Claire quickly hopped onto a car bonnet trying not to get her feet bitten off in the process "I'm almost out" she cried; Kevin quickly threw her a final clip from his waist, Claire released the spent magazine and packed in fresh rounds "We need a strategy" Mark said shooting another slug down and kicking it away, Kevin backed up into one of the vans trying the doors, but they were locked "Shit" he thought frantically trying to find a solution so running around to the back of the vehicle luckily the doors were open; inside lay a few discarded S.W.A.T helmets and a rack of nerve-gas canisters. Kevin rushed inside and rummaged through the rack plucking out grenades; a lot of them had already been used and simply retrieved for appropriate disposal.
Running to Marks position, Claire shot back at the hungry slugs, Mark took a large heavy duty wrench from the maintenance troll, a slug shot off the ground before being smacked aside, and again hitting it repeatedly until it was nothing but a smear on the concrete. Kevin jumped back out into the parking lot looking around he saw the creature going for Claire, hurriedly he threw a single canister into the area. "Cover your mouths!" Claire ran out of harms way as smoke quickly filled the area, it seemed to have an effect on the creature, smothering its sensory perception, grumbling and moaning as it tried to find focus. Mark still hid behind the one of the support pillars, coughing violently trying not to breathe in any of the gas, the slugs were nulled slithering over one another aimlessly "It's working...they're going crazy!" Claire cried, having no reply as her voice broke through the sound of hissing vapor. She took her jacket off, wrapping it around her hand to cover her face, as she looked around trying to lock on their positions.
Looking around she could not find a clearing, and for a moment almost convinced she'd lost her eyesight "Mark" her voice cried out once more "Over here" he answered "Where?" Claire replied none the wiser as things went completely silent for a moment suddenly a huge wormy mass fell down smashing onto the squad car beside her. Having the ever living shit scared out of her, Claire shuddered and impulsively snapped back firing blindly, before a figure ripped her out of harms was Kevin, who was a sight for Claire's now sore stinging eyes, they looked around trying to find a clearing and get a lock on the things position. The enormous beast swayed around violently, smashing into pillars and gradually pulling apart the foundations, before finally falling toward their position, about to crush them. Claire cowered squeezing her eyes shut but froze at the sound of tires angrily screeching in reverse, like a champion swimmer she dived off away, catching sight of a van ramming into the monstrosity. She noticed a woman in the drivers' seat! Gears struggled and scraped as the van screeched forward once more gaining momentum to put more force into a second ram.
Stunned for a moment the creature writhed screaming in distress, as it tried to regain control of its sensory functions. A high heel slammed down hard on the reverse peddle, tires screeched and the van roared back quickly slamming into the creature once again, now incapacitated, the wall behind it gave in slightly.
Leon and Elaine still inside the vents froze from the massive boom that shuddered through them "Jesus, what the hell was that?" He wondered, Elaine turned to look back for a second somewhat in shock "Just keep moving" Leon crawled onward as Elaine followed banging her elbows against the sides momentarily. One of the sections gave in slightly, startling her, but she continued though, suddenly again the section this time totally collapsed, a gasp as she fell through "Elaine!" Leon cried grabbing out for her but she was too far down for him to reach, Elaine got back on her feet and found herself slowly surrounded by zombies "Oh, fuck me" she pulled out her gun, immediately firing into the head of whichever was closest, more of the stumbling fools hurried toward her before each receiving a bullet through the temple.
"Elaine... c'mon" Leon urged holding his arm out as low as he possibly could to grab her arm "Just…" her words were interrupted by momentary gunshots "...Get to the lobby, now! I'll meet you there" she screamed "This is suicide! C'mon!" Leon pleaded with her still trying to swat for her "I'll find you…go!" Elaine snapped adamantly. Leon had no choice but to continue alone as he pulled himself back into the ducts hoping he wouldn't suffer the same fate if the lobby was compromised. Taking his radio out, Leon attempted to contact the others "Claire…does anyone read me come in over…" he could get no response the signal seemed too weak from disturbance "Claire…Claire!"