Chapter 26: The Encounter

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯, 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴.

Alice's silhouette was framed by the dim light from the hallway, her figure tense, muscles coiled tight like a spring ready to snap. Her eyes darted around the room, scanning for threats, calculating her next move. The air seemed to thicken with the hum of the facility's ventilation system, the silence between them almost suffocating.

Ethan stood at the far end, a silent observer. His Umbrella 1911 rested in its holster, but his hand hovered close, fingers twitching. His eyes narrowed, cold and analytical, studying Alice as if she were a puzzle he was determined to solve. He didn't know her, didn't trust her. A stranger in a place like this could mean trouble.

Shade, always the strategist, shifted his stance slightly, his eyes moving between Ethan and Alice. He could feel the tension crackling like electricity in the air, and he knew one wrong move could light the fuse. His voice, low and controlled, broke the silence. "Who are you?"

Alice's lips tightened for a moment before she spoke, her voice carrying a hint of frustration. "I don't remember… Not everything. But I know this place. I was involved… with the Hive."

Rain, standing off to Ethan's right, felt a chill crawl up her spine. Her grip on her H&K MP7 tightened, the weight of the weapon comforting. Her instincts screamed at her to act, to put a bullet in the woman standing in front of them. But she held back, waiting for a sign from Ethan. Her eyes flicked to him, trying to read his thoughts.

Ethan didn't blink. "How do we know you're not one of them?"

Alice took a slow step forward, her eyes locked onto Ethan's. "If I were with them, you'd be dead already." Her tone was cold, matter-of-fact, carrying the weight of someone who had seen too much, someone who wasn't bluffing.

Shade's jaw clenched. He knew the truth when he heard it, and he heard it now. Still, trust was a luxury they couldn't afford. "You say you know this place. You better start proving it."

Alice's gaze flicked to the others, taking in their weapons, their stances. Her own hand brushed the grip of her Umbrella Beretta 92FS, still holstered. "I'm trying to remember. But I know one thing… Whatever's down there, in the Hive, it's not just a threat to us—it's a threat to everyone."

Miller, his nerves taut, finally spoke, his voice low and wary. "We're all looking for answers. If you're hiding something, it could get us all killed."

Alice's face hardened, a flicker of determination in her eyes. "I'm not hiding anything. I'm here to find out what the hell is going on, just like you."

Kaplan, trying to steady his trembling hands, glanced down at the prototype PDA in his grasp, sweat beading on his forehead. "I've got… I think I've found something. Blueprints… An entrance underground."

Ethan's eyes snapped to Kaplan, his posture shifting, ready for action. "Good. Then we move."

Alice nodded, sensing the shift in the air. "I'll come with you. I can help."

Ethan stepped closer, his voice a low growl. "If you're lying…"

Alice cut him off, her voice sharp. "I'm not your enemy."

Rain exhaled slowly, her finger easing off the trigger guard. "Then let's get moving before we all become someone's dinner."

As they made their way to the underground entrance, the weight of their weapons seemed heavier, the shadows in the hallways deeper. The door ahead was an old steel bulkhead, rusted at the edges, with a faded Umbrella insignia. It loomed before them, a cold, metallic promise of whatever awaited below.

Ethan's hand tightened around his rifle, the cold metal pressing against his palm. "Open it," he commanded, his eyes flicking to Kaplan.

Kaplan, swallowing hard, stepped forward, fingers dancing over the controls on his PDA. The door groaned in protest, and with a final hiss, it began to open, revealing nothing but darkness beyond.

Ethan stepped to the edge, his heart pounding in his chest. "We go in. Stay sharp. Whatever's down there… we don't know what we're walking into."

The last light from the hallway flickered, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch and reach for them, and then they were gone, swallowed by the darkness.