No Strings Attached || Chris Redfield

Unforeseen

A spark of electricity from a busted warehouse pendant caused Céline to recoil in fright as she descended the stairs into the entrance hall of the Security Office; the light on her AR revealed that the bulb was shattered. A hand on her shoulder assured her that all was fine – she wasn't sure who came in behind her – but her heart was hammering in her chest. The dark concealed horrors from her trained eyes and the sacs in the hedge maze were still in her thoughts. Were there more of them? How was she to see them in the dark?

In the foyer, Céline shined her light around the room. A desk sat at the opposite end, and near it, another door with a mechanical lock on it. The office was in far better condition than the previous building was in, with clean modern art-inspired tile flooring and leather guest chairs. She wasn't expecting such a nice setup.

"I chose the wrong career path," Céline said with a whistle.

Oliver snorted, walking towards the desk.

"Must be nice," he mentioned. "Security guards make more than we do."

"And yet, we are here, saving their asses," Karidja added.

Chris grunted, motioning for Céline to open the door.

"She's right. Appreciate what you've got. These guys are not suited for the sort of work we do."

Someone is serious about his career, Céline opted not to say. She took out the key card and typed the number into the lock pad. A faint beep alerted her that the code worked. Turning towards her captain, Céline puckered a brow.

"Is anyone?" She asked.

Chris hummed.

"No, but someone has to do the right thing," he answered back.

That someone is not me.

Céline cleared her throat and moved aside as Chris swung the door open. It gave a whoosh as dry air poured into the foyer. He shined his light down the hall, squinting to see beyond the darkness where his light did not illuminate.

"Captain," Oliver called. He was hunched over the desk, staring at a computer screen. A light illuminated his face in a soft white glow. "The power works in here."

Céline puckered a brow. Did someone turn out the lights on purpose? She thought back to the bulb in the stairwell; it was shattered, unlike the others. Her eyes grew wide. Was someone alive?

"I think someone is hiding down here," she mentioned.

Chris hummed.

"The same thought crossed my mind."

He motioned towards the computer.

"What can you find out?"

"It looks like a receptionist's computer," Oliver answered as he clicked away on the keyboard. "There are some records of in and out visitors, some computer games – our lad enjoys Candy Crush – but not much more."

Karidja walked over to his side and peered at the screen.

"Go into the save file on the desktop," she ordered. "And there."

Oliver hummed.

"We have a map."

"Whatever would you do without me?" Karidja asked with a gorgeous smile.

Oliver nudged her arm and moved aside so she could transfer the map onto her tablet.

"There appears to be an exit tunnel that leads to another area of the park near the monitor room. Do we want to take it out of here?" Karidja asked.