| 10:24 pm |

Laura's POV

"Looks like we're not alone," I stated the obvious aloud, after seeing what happened on the monitor. Taking all of us by surprise.

"What was that captain?" Piers questioned Chris. I turned around—glancing up at the both of them.

Chris thought for a moment, before answering, "A B.O.W. you wouldn't want to mess with, that's for sure."

My uncle directed his gaze directly towards Tyler and I, staring at us for a brief moment before looking back at Piers. His eyes burning with perseverance. "Tyler, you stay here with Laura. Piers and I are gonna head over to the cell block to go get Claire. Once we find her and meet up again here, we're leaving and heading for the evac location," Chris briefed us, right as Piers and him began to tread over towards the door.

"Chris wait!" I called out to him, prompting the two of them to halt in their tracks and turn around to glance back at me.

"Are you sure that splitting up is the best idea right now? What if something bad happens to you, Piers, or even to Mom while you're out there? What if neither of you guys don't make it back alive...?" I questioned them, using an apprehensive tone of voice. As I steadily directed my gaze onto the metal floor.

The sound of Chris's footsteps echoed throughout the room; his combat boots clinking against the solid, cold flooring. The B.S.A.A. captain placed his gloved hand on top of my left shoulder, in a reassuring manner. I directed my gaze back up at him; anxiety clouding my features.

"Don't worry about us Laura. We'll be fine, Piers and I are professionals at this. Remember? We've been working for the BSAA for quite a while, so there's no need to worry. This is nothing new to us. On the other hand, it is for both you and Tyler. Even though you guys shouldn't be here at all, but you are and we're only doing this to keep you two safe."

"I know I worry too much Chris, but I still don't feel comfortable at all with this. Just standing around in here, doing nothing or contributing to help find Mom. While you two go out there, not only risking your safety but including your very lives as well," I argued, as my shoulders tensed up.

"Laura, it's not always about being on the front line in order to lend a helping hand. There are other ways to provide help for a certain cause. You are gonna help us, Laura. You and Tyler will be our eyes and ears through the facility. By staying in here, you two will be able guide us through the underground complex. Using the surveillance system and monitors in here, two you would be able to warn us through your comm link about anything we should be aware of. Like an incoming B.O.W. coming our way, for example. We'll still be able to contact each other in case something does happen, but it's for the best that you stay in here with Tyler. For your safety," Chris explained to me, using a diligent tone of voice.

Out of habit, I pulled Chris into a bear hug. Not wanting to let go of my uncle, even though I would have to eventually. He responded by wrapping his big muscular arms around me, gently embracing me back as well.

"I already lost too much today, I don't want to lose you too. Uncle Chris..." I mumbled with a quiet tone of voice. Not sure whether he heard me or not.

"I know Laura." I pulled away from Chris, looking back up at him with round eyes. "We'll be right back, I promise." He reassured me. "I'll contact you and Tyler in a little bit, okay?" I nodded my head at him in response.

Chris glanced at me one last time, before leaving the room with Piers. Heading deeper down the fathomless corridor. I stood there, silently in the middle of the security office. Zoning out from the realm of reality, all while feeling very fretful and edgy about all of this. I'm trying my very hardest to remain calm, cool, and collective. I really am. However, our situation only seems to become more difficult, for every second that we stay here. In this bloody hellhole.

I don't know how long I zoned out for, it almost felt like an eternity to me. I was brought back to reality, when I felt my lover's warm, soft gloved hand engulf mine. His fingers intertwining with mine, in a comforting and succouring manner. I shifted my gaze over at Tyler, as he looked back upon me. With his shimmering hazel eyes.

"I know that feeling too Laura. You're not the only one who's worried about Chris and my brother Piers. Come on, let's go check the monitors to see where they are now," Tyler advised, then he tenderly kissed my forehead.

"Alright," I replied, as a smiled curled onto my lips. The both of us rushed over to the high-tech computer and the surveillance monitors. To find out how far Chris and Piers were in the facility so far.

Piers's POV

After splitting up with Tyler and Laura, Chris and I delved deeper into the research facility, looking for Claire. Whilst being well aware and cautious with each step we took. But so far, we haven't seen anybody else. Well... alive technically. Just the decaying corpses of some of the remaining staff, researchers, and other scientists that worked here; littered practically all over the place. Ever since we got here, it's been really quiet... Too quiet.

As we ventured further into the facility, I was starting to see the resemblance between Laura and Chris. They're both natural-born leaders. Despite the fact that Laura is rather the type of person that prefers to observe everything from behind the scenes, then strike when the perfect opportunity is presents itself. They're both very passionate and committed to the things they do; even when it comes to standing on the sidelines of everything. I know for a fact that Chris is the type of guy that rather be in the battlefield, fighting for our cause. Instead of sitting back in some stuck-up office—handling paperwork for new recruits or pending operations for our cause. Laura definitely possesses that prominent trait. Unlike her mother, Claire, who's usually more patient and conscientious. Even while she's working (at TerraSave). Laura definitely has Redfield blood flowing through her veins.

To honest, I felt really sorry for her. Not because she has my commanding officer Chris for a loving and stubborn uncle. But for having to go through all of this. At such a young age, especially on her sixteenth birthday. I'm no expert on sweet sixteens, but I know for a fact that they should be spent celebrating with the ones you love, like friends and family. Not having to fight for your life during a fucking biohazard outbreak. While the two of us kept treading down the large corridor, Chris pressed his finger over his comm link. To contact Laura and Tyler.

"This is Chris. Laura, do you read me? Over," He asked over the link.

It didn't take very long for Laura to respond. "I read you loud and clear, Chris. Over."

"Copy that. Have you guys seen anything out of the ordinary so far on surveillance since we've split up?" Chris inquired.

"Negative captain, we haven't seen anything except you two traveling down the main corridor. Everything else looks normal so far," Tyler responded over the link.

"How far are we from cell block A?" I inquired.

"You're still pretty far from it, Piers. If you guys keep going straight though, you two are actually quite close to a shortcut," Laura stated.

Chris and I immediately quickened our pace, treading faster down the main corridor.

"Just about ten feet up ahead, on your right, there should be another hallway with a door at the very end of it. It leads to one of the research laboratories here in the facility. After you guys head in, keep going straight until you see a grey old-looking steel door with an oval window and a large black biohazard sign on it. It'll lead you guys straight to the cell block area, where you'll find Claire," Tyler informed us.

"Thanks Tyler, we're on our way," I thanked him over the link.

Chris and I followed the directions he gave us, making our way into the research lab that was located up ahead. The room was filled with countless organized rows of desks, cabinets, tables, shelfs, incubators, and some mainframe systems that were aligned all along the light grey walls. Most of the desks and tables in here were centered in the middle of laboratory; more than enough room to maneuver through like a maze.

The place was a complete mess; all sorts of research and medical equipment like microscopes, spot plates, test tube racks filled with test tubes, flasks, beakers, bunsen burners, forceps, beaker and test tube tongs, petri dishes, pipettes, etc, were scattered all over the table tops and all over the floor.

There were even some broken bottles of spilled different colored chemicals, research papers, and a few corpses of scientists could be seen decomposing and rotting on the floor right next to the desks and tables. It seemed like the crumpled research papers covered most of the floor; like a thin blanket. While Chris and I observed our surroundings, I caught sight of the door that we're looking for located on the other side of the laboratory. Directly across from us.

"Piers, over here," Chris spoke up, as he started heading over towards the door.

I trailed right behind him; hurriedly maneuvering through the endless rows of desks and tables. Having to carefully step over some of the corpses along the way. After reaching the door on the other side of the room, Chris tried opening by turning the door knob, with no success what so ever.

"Dammit, it's locked," Chris hissed.

I glanced above the knob—seeing that it had an electronic key card panel with a miniature room digital screen that said 'LOCKED' on it. I directed my gaze over at the right side of the door on wall—seeing an access control keypad with a screen above the small numeric keys.

"Tyler, the door's locked. Can you bypass through the locks on the door using the computer?" I asked him over the link.

"I'm working on it bro, just give me a sec," He replied.

After a couple minutes passed by, Tyler was able to hack and bypass through the lock on the control keypad, but not the one on the door handle.

"Sorry guys, I can't bypass through the lock on the door. You're gonna have to find the keycard for it. That's your best bet."

Chris's POV

"Where the hell are we gonna find a keycard? It could take forever just to find it since it could be anywhere in a place this huge," Piers conveyed, using a perturbed tone.

As I scanned all the rotten corpses, laying lifeless all over the floor in the laboratory, I caught a glimpse of something sticking out the pocket of one of the dead scientists near us.

"Looks like luck is on our side," I uttered, as I walked over towards the corpse and kneeled down beside it.

In a heedful manner, I slowly lifted a part of the white lab coat the corpse wore, taking the keycard from his jean pocket.

"That was easy," Piers thought aloud, as I went over towards the door to unlock it.

Just as I was about unlock the door with the keycard, an alarm suddenly started going off. Red lights flashing all over the room.

"Warning...! Unauthorized personnel have been detected in the main elevator! I repeat, unauthorized personnel have been detected in the main elevator!" A female robotic voice announced over the intercom.

'What's going on?! Who the hell tripped the security alarm?!?' I thought to myself as the alarm continued going off.

"Initiating the lockdown sequence in all sectors within the facility. Locking all doors and exits until further notice," The female robotic voice stated over the intercom.

The large steel door to the cell block area locked automatically, including the door we just came through too. 'Fuck.'

"Chris, do you read me?! Over," Laura asked over the comm link, with an alarmed tone of voice.

I placed my finger over my link. "I copy Laura. Where are you?! Are you still in the office with Tyler?!?"

"Yes Chris. I'm still in the office with Tyler, because we got locked in here when the lockdown sequence activated."

"Same here. We're stuck in the lab, and now we can't get to Claire with the lockdown sequence operational," Piers informed them.

"I know, I can see that. Tyler is trying to deactivate it right now. Unfortunately, that's not even the worst of it, we've got com–" Then line abruptly went all static.

"Laura?! Do you read me?!? Over," I asked over the link. She didn't respond. I tried again, but I got the same response. Nothing. We were cut off. 'Double fuck.'