Chapter 2: Umbrella Secrets

The platform hummed beneath my feet as I led the team forward, my M4 carbine aimed squarely at Max, whose wrists were locked in a pair of cold, steel handcuffs. Alice and Spence flanked Max, each one tense, eyes darting as if expecting something to spring from the shadows.

My eyes flickered to the stairs ahead, catching Rain's sharp silhouette against the dim light. Her gloved hand gestured for us to follow, and without a word, JD, Kaplan, and James trailed after her. Commando 1 and 2 moved in a silent formation near the Black Crate, while the medic hovered nearby.

We reached James, standing like a sentry in front of a massive steel door, the unmistakable Umbrella logo emblazoned on its surface. Alice shot him a hard glance, the tension in her voice clear. "Listen to me," she demanded, "tell me who these people are, what's going on here."

James remained silent, his jaw locked tight.

I stepped forward, letting the weight of my presence hang in the air. "I want to hear it too."

James sighed, the sound almost lost in the hum of the Hive around us. "You and we," he said, his voice low, "have the same employer. We all work for Umbrella Corporation."

Alice's eyes narrowed. "Then the mansion?"

"The mansion above is an emergency entrance to the Hive," James explained, the words falling flat as if they were rehearsed a thousand times. "You are special operatives placed there to protect the entrance."

"And this ring?" Alice held up her hand, the silver band glinting in the artificial light.

James didn't even blink. "It's all fake. Part of the cover to protect the secrecy of the Hive."

Spence, standing just behind Alice, shifted uneasily. "And where is the Hive?"

James nodded toward Kaplan. "Show them."

As I moved to follow, Rain's hand shot out, her fingers gripping my arm with surprising strength. She pulled me aside, her lips curving into a smirk. "Why are you going there?" she asked, her voice low and teasing. "You already know that."

I shrugged, keeping my tone light. "Just for fun, I suppose."

Her smirk widened. "We can have fun later," she whispered, her voice dangerously close to my ear, "you and me, alone, in bed."

I blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the sudden shift in her tone. The suggestion hung in the air between us, and for a brief second, my mind blanked.

"Begin drilling," James barked, snapping me back to the present.

Rain winked at me, her grin wide. "I'm doing it," she said, before adding, "we'll talk in detail later." She turned and marched toward the door, starting the drilling process while JD loitered nearby, shooting me a wink like he knew something I didn't.

I shook my head, walking over to James just as Spence's voice cut through the air again. "Then why can't I remember anything?"

James gave a slow, deliberate nod, as if he'd answered this question too many times before. "The Hive has defense mechanisms. Nerve gas was released into the house. People were unconscious for four hours. Side effects can include memory loss."

"For how long?" Alice asked, her voice sharp, demanding.

James didn't miss a beat. "It depends."

Matt, who had been quiet up until now, finally spoke, his voice hard as steel. "So this place was attacked?"

James' response was immediate, but curt. "It's more complicated than that."

Before the conversation could go any deeper, Rain's voice rang out. "Will!" she shouted, "Come here. This is boring as hell."

James' face twitched with annoyance, but he said nothing.

I moved toward Rain, my boots heavy on the cold platform, as she leaned against the wall, casually watching the others. "Tell them we've breached the Hive," she said with a smirk, her tone almost mocking.

I turned on my heel, walking back toward the group. "We've breached the Hive, sir," I reported flatly.

The door slid open with a hiss, revealing only darkness beyond. JD took the lead, slipping on his night vision goggles and disappearing into the darkness. The rest of us followed, our weapons raised, our breaths shallow.

As I stepped through the threshold, my carbine pointed forward, the scene that greeted me was like something out of a nightmare. 

The Hive's interior was a bizarre mix of deception and reality—a fake city sprawled before us, its streets and buildings plastered in 3D wallpapers, meant to mimic the morning life of a normal world. Through the window, it was nothing but illusion. 

Two elevators stood like silent sentinels at the far end of the corridor, and as I took it all in, a cold chill ran down my spine.

---

My hand tightened around the grip of my M4 carbine. I had never liked enclosed spaces. And here we were, buried beneath layers of concrete, steel, and secrets.

JD and James were hunched over the elevator panel, their faces illuminated by the soft, ghostly glow of the screen as they fiddled with the controls. My eyes darted to Matt, sitting against the wall with his hands cuffed.

"Well, with scenery like this, it must be easy to work here," Matt said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

I didn't hesitate. I swung the barrel of my M4 toward him. "Shut up."

His grin faltered, but only for a second. Good enough. JD and James exchanged a glance before there was a metallic clunk, and the elevator door creaked open.

There was no elevator.

JD tossed a glowing stick down the dark shaft. It bounced, flickering briefly before disappearing into below. His voice was tight, a thread of frustration beneath the calm. "Looks like we have to take the stairs."

Great. Because everything was better with a side of claustrophobia.

We moved, rifles up and alert. JD took point, Rain in the middle, and I brought up the rear. My boots barely made a sound, the combat armor's exoskeleton taking the strain off my legs. The place was dead quiet, aside from the distant hum of machinery buried somewhere deep within the hive.

"Status, Kaplan?" James' voice crackled over the comms.

"The Red Queen's locked all doors. She knows we're here," Kaplan responded, static breaking over his words.

"Who the hell is the Red Queen?" Alice asked, her voice laced with confusion.

James sighed. "The AI of the hive. She controls everything in this facility. We shut her down, or we don't get out."

As we descended, I saw it. Water. The corridors ahead were flooded. Windows cracked, water leaking through like the place was suffocating. My boots splashed as we moved through the ankle-deep flood.

I turned right, M4 raised, eyes sweeping the narrow hallway. Rain veered left. JD moved straight. 

"Clear," I muttered, tension winding in my chest. 

"Clear here too," JD echoed.

Rain's voice followed. "Clear here."

We regrouped, the air thick with something unspoken, the weight of it pressing down. Kaplan's voice returned, tight and concerned. "This is bad. Labs are flooded. If we need to get through them, we're screwed. It'll slow us down."

James' jaw clenched. "Rain, JD, find out what's causing the flooding."

They nodded and disappeared down a side corridor.

Spence sidled up next to me, his eyes scanning the water-filled labs through the glass. "What happened here?"

James barely glanced at him. "Five hours ago, the Red Queen initiated a lockdown. Everyone inside? Dead. We were sent to shut her down, but she's locked us out of half the system."

Alice's voice cut through the air, trembling slightly. "Why did she do it?"

James' answer was clipped. "We don't know."

I shot him a look. "Maybe... an experiment gone wrong? Something they couldn't control."

James turned, eyes hard. "We need proof, not speculation, recruit."

I bit back the retort that threatened to rise and stepped toward the lab window, water rippling beneath my boots. As I stared through the cracked glass, a corpse drifted past, pale and bloated. The stench hit me a second later, a sour tang that clung to the back of my throat. 

"Jesus," I muttered, taking a step back. 

James' voice was sharp. "Did you say something?"

I shook my head. "No, sir."

Alice jumped, her face pale as she stared at the corpse. I crossed to her, lowering my rifle slightly. "You alright?" I asked, my voice softer than I intended.

She gave a small nod, but her eyes were still wide. "Hmm."

Spence moved next to her, draping his black jacket over her shoulders and whispering something I didn't catch. I turned back to the body, studying it, mind racing. Could it be a zombie? 

Before I could dwell on the thought, Rain and JD returned. Rain's face was grim. "No way through the labs. They're completely flooded."

James cursed under his breath. "We don't have time for this."

As we started to move again, Rain caught sight of the body and muttered under her breath. "Poor bastard."

I knocked on the glass, more out of frustration than anything. The body twitched. Eyes shot open, pale and dead, but filled with something. I jumped back, my carbine aimed squarely at the window.

Rain scowled. "Don't mess around, Will."

"Something's wrong," I muttered, heart pounding. 

JD gave a short laugh, though there wasn't much humor in it. "Yeah, no kidding. But let's not spook the others. James won't like it."

They started walking, but I lingered for just a second longer, staring at the corpse through the glass. It was still, but the way its fingers floated just beneath the surface sent a chill down my spine.

---

The hum of the generators echoed through the dimly lit hall, like a distant growl in the belly of the hive. The dining hall, labeled B in thick, red stenciling, stretched out in front of me—cold, sterile, and silent. A place meant for human interaction, now more of a tomb waiting to swallow us whole.

My eyes flicked to the containers lined against the far wall, each one laced with thick black cables that snaked up to the ceiling like veins feeding into a dying beast. I stepped closer, squinting at the transparent surface, trying to make out something inside. But the only thing that stared back at me was my own reflection—green eyes wide with unease.

"Damn…" I muttered under my breath. "Must be lickers in there... damn, damn."

"What're you muttering about?" Rain's voice cut through the air, sharp and direct.

I glanced over my shoulder. She stood there, arms crossed, her expression a mix of amusement and suspicion.

"You look beautiful," I said, deflecting. The words tumbled out before I could stop them, and they felt like a weak shield against the tension thickening between us.

Rain's eyebrow shot up, and before she could say anything more, James barked orders, stepping into the room with authority. 

"This cop, Rain, and JD, you stay here. The rest of you, with me," James said, already moving toward the next set of doors. His voice was a whip of authority, and no one questioned him.

I scanned the group. Matt, Rain, JD. JD looked like a deer caught in headlights, mouth hanging open like someone had short-circuited his brain. Rain gave him a sharp smack on the back of the head, the crack of it echoing.

"Y-yes, sir!" JD stammered, rubbing the spot where Rain had hit him, eyes wide like he hadn't seen that coming.

Rain's eyes narrowed, and she turned to James. "Take JD with you. Let Will stay here."

JD's jaw hung even lower, his shock almost comical, but the situation left no room for laughter. Rain didn't bother to look at him again, and James... well, James wasn't one for debates.

"It's an order, not a suggestion. Everyone understand?" His voice was low, final.

"Understood, sir," Rain and JD both muttered, though JD's voice lacked the bite.

A medic wandered nearby, muttering something to himself. "No network here, none at all."

I exhaled through my teeth, the pressure building in my chest. "Maybe... the Red Queen is blocking it."

James didn't miss a beat. "Kaplan?"

Kaplan, busy with the equipment, nodded. "He's right."

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck as JD dragged Matt toward the far wall, gun pointed but hands shaking. This wasn't good.

I walked over to Rain, my boots hitting the ground with a muted thud. Leaning in close, I whispered, "Listen."

She cocked her head toward me, her ear close enough to catch every word.

"If you see anyone wearing white clothes… and they're carrying an axe, don't get close. Shoot them. In the head."

Rain turned to me, her eyes narrowing. "You crazy or something?"

"I mean it," I said, lowering my voice further, but there was an edge to it now. "You can give a warning shot if you want, but if they get too close, don't hesitate. Headshot."

She tilted her head, lips curving into a mischievous grin. "If I do that, you owe me—mine for a week."

I blinked, momentarily dumbfounded. That was... not where I thought this was going. "Don't you think about anything else?"

"It's been a while since someone made me interested," she shot back, a spark in her eyes that was impossible to ignore.

"If you follow through with what I said, fine. Deal." I couldn't believe the words were leaving my mouth. What the hell was I agreeing to?

"Good," she said, satisfaction rolling off her like a tangible thing. "Or, you know, I could just put a bullet in your head."

Before I could respond, James's voice cut through again. "Will."

I turned, barely able to shake off the last exchange. "Don't let anyone get bitten or scratched. Got it?"

Rain chuckled, but her tone shifted. "Sure thing, boss."

"I'm serious," I said, more forcefully now. "I'm asking you, Rain. When this is all over, I want to take you on a proper date."

Her face softened, just for a second, before the usual sharpness returned. She gave me a small nod, not her usual cocky smirk, just... a nod.

Shaking off whatever the hell just happened between us, I walked over to Alice, who stood near one of the containers, staring hard at the cables, as if they would give her answers. I could feel the weight of her uncertainty before I even said a word.

"It'd be better if you didn't look inside," I muttered, stepping up beside her.

Alice didn't turn her head, just kept her gaze locked forward. "Yeah… feels like it's better if I don't remember anything from this place."

I hesitated. "Stay safe."

Her hand shot out, gripping my arm tighter than I expected. "Do you know something they don't? I can feel it. You act weak, but you're not."

I pulled my arm away, carefully

. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Alice's eyes burned into me, unblinking. "You do. You're more like James than you let on."

Her words clung to me as I walked away, heading toward James, Alice trailing behind me.

---

Kaplan's fingers flew over the keyboard, his face taut with concentration as I entered the chamber. The sound of his rapid typing echoed in the steel confines of the room. 

Alice, pressed her face to the small window, straining to see into the next room where the Red Queen's mainframe lay in wait.

"Red Queen's making this more difficult to hack than expected," Kaplan muttered, frustration in his voice.

I glanced over my shoulder. James, along with the medic, stood behind him, their weapons ready but their faces uncertain. They knew just as well as I did that this whole thing was about to spiral. There was no trust when it came to Umbrella's tech—not with something like the Red Queen.

Then Kaplan's voice cut through the tension. "It worked." His hand hovered over the enter key before the door to the mainframe slid open with a hiss.

Alice moved closer, her body tense, as if every muscle was coiled to spring. She didn't speak, just stood near Kaplan as he surveyed the access panel.

James nodded at me. "Will, you're coming with us."

The words stopped me cold. **Me**? He had to be joking. There was no way I was walking into that death trap. I shot him a look, shaking my head slowly.

"I'm not doing that," I muttered, almost to myself. I stepped toward Kaplan, the sinking feeling in my gut twisting tighter. "Kaplan, you should double-check that."

Kaplan barely glanced at me. "I did. Relax. I'll handle it if something happens."

**If**? That wasn't comforting at all. I stared at him for a beat longer, thinking to myself, *You'll handle it? You're gonna handle my dead body if something goes wrong.* The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Something nagged at me as I eyed the computer. No way was this going to go smoothly. I reached out, my hand brushing the screen. A jolt ran through me, data flooding my mind in an instant—how to use it, manipulate it, control it. My fingers twitched, eager to move.

"What the hell are you doing?" James's voice pulled me back.

I didn't even bother looking at him. "I'm making sure we're not walking into a trap. Don't forget—Red Queen's an Umbrella product. She's cunning." My fingers danced over the keys, faster than even I expected. The data poured into my brain as Kaplan stared, dumbfounded.

"How…" His voice wavered. "How are you doing that?"

"Got some training," I muttered, still focused.

"Some training? No one does **that** with 'some training.'"

I ignored him, my hands moving on their own. "Okay, done. I'll go first. Kaplan, don't screw around."

I stepped into the corridor. The moment I crossed the threshold, harsh white light flickered to life, casting long, sterile shadows. A low hum filled the air, setting my nerves on edge. Then, with a grinding sound, the gate slammed shut behind me.

I spun on my heel, heart thudding in my chest. "Kaplan, what did you do?"

"I didn't do anything! You pressed something wrong—I fixed it!"

*Wrong my ass,* I thought. This felt off—**way** off.

Alice banged on the door, her voice sharp. "Open the door, Kaplan!"

James's voice followed. "Kaplan, get it open! Now!"

Finally, the door hissed open, and I exhaled, the tightness in my chest easing—slightly. I leaned against the wall, wiping sweat from my brow. "Let me handle this," I started, before James, Commando 1, 2, and the medic barged in. The door slammed shut again behind them with a deafening clang.

"Kaplan, what the hell are you doing?" James growled.

Kaplan's voice crackled through the comm. "I'm opening the other door. Go."

Commando 1 and 2 moved forward without hesitation, but I grabbed James by the arm, holding him back. "Wait."

The mainframe door creaked open, and James jerked his arm free. "What are we waiting for? Let's go."

I sighed, falling in behind him as we crossed the threshold. But halfway through, another door slammed shut with a sharp thud.

"Kaplan! What are you doing?"

I backed up to the door and looked through the small window. Alice stood on the other side, a frown creasing her brow. I sighed again, already regretting everything about this situation.

Then it came—fast, silent—a beam of light slicing through the air at head level. I threw myself down as James tackled Commando 1 and 2. The medic wasn't so lucky. Her head severed cleanly from her body before I could blink.

"Shit!" I shouted, staring at her crumpled body.

I scrambled back to my feet, but the beam was already coming again, this time lower, aimed at our knees. We had no choice but to back toward the door. The commandos jumped, trying to dodge it—but the light shifted, cutting them both clean in half. 

"Fuck!" I stumbled back, adrenaline surging. The stench of burned flesh hit my nose, sickening and sharp.

James and I backed ourselves against the door, panic rising. There was nowhere left to go. The laser hummed as it approached again, no escape in sight.

"Kaplan! Stop it, or we're dead!" My voice cracked, desperation clear.

The beam slowed, hovering inches from our faces before it suddenly disappeared. The door slid open, and we collapsed back into the room, gasping for breath.

I lay on the cold floor, staring at the ceiling, my heart pounding. "That was too close," I whispered, my eyes sliding shut for just a moment.