𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 - 𝘙𝘌𝘚𝘐𝘋𝘌𝘕𝘛 𝘌𝘝𝘐𝘓 2 𝘙𝘌𝘔𝘈𝘒𝘌✓

𖥔18. 𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘳

For your safety, please stand clear until all the doors are fully open.

The first of three high-powered mechanical doors started to rise. It led to a wide hallway with a carbon fiber tiled floor lined with expensive lights. The bright white shine was a severe contrast to the dim, grey lighting throughout the sewers and the amber in the RPD.

As the second door began to open after the first, Chloe took a step forward, sliding her flashlight into her belt and exchanging it with her pistol. She could feel Leon looking at her from the side.

"So..." he began. "You're quiet all of a sudden."

She glanced to the side at him. She shrugged. "Okay."

The third door began to open. He stared at her. "Well, I have a right to be concerned, right? I mean... you haven't been... you know, that quiet tonight."

She glared at him. "Really? That's what you come up with?" She rolled her eyes. "Rude."

"No, I didn't mean it like that!" He moved closer to her, extending his arm out to her as a sign of truce. "I--"

Suddenly the third door groaned and jolted, not opening all the way. A few loose wires gave off a shower of sparks beside Chloe. On the other side of the broken door was a receptionist's desk. The bright white lights suddenly illuminated upon welcoming its two new guests. A large Umbrella emblem sat on the wall behind the desk, with the words Umbrella Corp. in bold chunky font. 

There were various doors and hallways extending out from the area, leading to different and deeper parts of the lab. It seemed untouched for now.

Welcome to the NEST. Enjoy your visit.

Chloe turned to Leon. "We don't have time to waste arguing." She said. "I'll just... let everything slide. We have to focus on getting what we need and getting out."

Leon gazed at her silently. In his eyes, there was a genuine tinge of concern. He frowned slightly. "Chloe, I know I've only known you for a few hours, but I can tell something's eating at you." He breathed. "Nothing will get done if you don't say anything."

She stared into his eyes quietly. She looked away. "Something's eating at me? How kind of you to notice." Her reply came out way angrier than she expected. But there was no taking it back. "I dunno, maybe because we're stuck miles underground in a mysterious lab filled with biohazardous creatures and substances? That might be a little unnerving, yeah."

He rolled his eyes. "Come on, don't be like that-" he reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She pushed his hand off. "Stop." 

He put his hands up in fake surrender, stepping back. "Alright... Fine." He conceded. "Fine. You don't wanna tell me that's your business. But you have to tolerate me at least." He looked over at her. "Please. We've come this far. Let's get through this together."

He extended his hand. Chloe glared at his outstretched gesture. But she soon found herself clasping her hand around his. 

As much as she wanted to refuse his efforts to reconcile about something he knew nothing of her thoughts about, she couldn't. He was right. They have gotten too far to quit over something as stupid as this. 

She nodded. He held her hand tightly, perhaps a bit longer than he should've before lowering it.

"Alright... Well. This G-Virus is not gonna find itself so..." Chloe looked into his eyes. "Start searching."

He smiled a bit. "Yes ma'am."

...

Chloe and Leon split ways briefly to assess their situation better. And it wasn't a good one, to say the least.