Chapter 21: Whispers Beneath the Flesh part 1
Silence swallowed the last crackling radio transmission. Rebecca swallowed hard. "They've erased us," she said, voice breaking. Richard's jaw clenched at her words even before he squeezed the handheld radio for the reply.
Outside, the dark cabin pressed in around them—only the thin beam of the small lamp on the table cut through the gloom. "We're receiving you loud and clear. Report," came Elena's urgent voice over the static. Rebecca kept her tone low. "We think it was Umbrella… or someone on the inside," she whispered. "Brad left a coded message before we took off, but they scrubbed it from the system. We thought it was a glitch… until tonight."
Richard drew a steadying breath, heart pounding. He gripped the radio tighter. "What about Team Alpha?" he asked quietly. Elena's voice on the other end was tight with worry. "They were sent into the mansion in Arklay County a few hours ago," she answered. "Something about missing persons. We lost contact with them about thirty minutes ago—the channel went dead."
Rebecca's teeth ground together. "They're heading right into the same hell we escaped," she muttered, eyes darting to the dark forest outside. Elena's reply was urgent, desperation threading through the radio static. "Officers are demanding to send another team in, but without official intel there's no way. And nobody here even knew you were alive. Now that we have contact, everything changes."
Richard slid his hand off the transmitter. The cabin felt suddenly ten feet smaller. He met Rebecca's gaze. "We need to get to the station. We have to warn them what's at that mansion. They have to listen to us." His voice was firm. Elena chimed in: "I'm sending you safe coordinates. Move now—and be careful. There are people here who can't be trusted."
Instantly, the radio died. Richard lowered it slowly. Rebecca looked at him, wide-eyed. "What now?" she asked.
He peered out the rain-streaked window into the inky forest. The trees outside were giants looming in the night; the only sound was the rain and the occasional creak of the old cabin. The place had been safe enough before, but now it felt like a trap. "We're not safe here," he said grimly. "Someone's been listening. We've got to move—now."
Rebecca placed the radio on the table and wrapped it in an old blanket. Her fingers trembled. "What if they track the signal?" she wondered aloud, fear creeping into her tone.
"They already have," Richard replied quietly. He stepped toward her and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "They know we're here. But they also know we're no longer alone."
They never spoke again as they packed. Without another word, they gathered what they could. Each motion was tense, as if chased by unseen eyes. Rebecca grabbed the bare necessities: a battered flashlight with a cracked lens, a can of beans, some rope, and the wrapped transmitter. Every item felt too meager for what lay ahead, but it was all they had. Richard checked his pistol and remaining ammunition, stuffing them into a small satchel he slung over his shoulder. They exchanged a determined glance, knowing hesitation could be fatal.
Then, without looking back, they pushed open the cabin door into the cold night. A damp wind rushed in and their breath puffed in the lamp light. The world outside was a shadowed maze. Night hung over the Arklay Mountains like a thick cloak. Every distant sound—rustling leaves, a snapping twig, the sigh of the wind—made their hearts leap. They didn't dare speak. Each step along the hidden forest path they used was slow and cautious. Umbrella patrols or worse could be around any bend.
Arklay Forest – Hidden Trail to Raccoon City (Midnight)
The route to Raccoon City would be slow and dangerous. All the main roads had been blacked out by private Umbrella patrols and roadblocks. Even taking a shortcut to the highway risked running into their armored convoys. Instead, Elena's coordinates pointed to an old forest maintenance trail—a narrow track rarely used, snaking through dense pines and rocks. Rebecca unrolled a crumpled map under the flashlight's glow to confirm.
"According to this, we should reach the outskirts of the city in about an hour," Rebecca said quietly, folding the map. In the far distance, through a gap in the trees, they could see a faint glow of lights—Raccoon City's cityscape, smeared low on the horizon. She rubbed her shoulders for warmth. "That's a tiny pinprick of civilization," she added. "We'll make it, I think."
Richard peered ahead into the darkness and let out a quiet breath. Off in the black distance, the rumble of traffic and occasional neon signs confirmed they were on the right track. He pointed ahead. "Once we get there, we head straight to the station. No detours—no home, no hospital. Just STARS." Every syllable was sober; they both knew they couldn't trust anyone else now.
Rebecca nodded and swallowed down her doubt. The forest air was frigid and damp, pressing on their faces as they marched uphill. Each breath came white in the beam of her flashlight, small steamy clouds disappearing into the dark. Every crunch of gravel underfoot made them flinch. "We should keep our voices low," Richard murmured, wiping sweat from his brow despite the cold. "We have to assume Umbrella might be trailing us. Stay alert."
Rebecca managed a faint, tense smile. "Always," she whispered back.
Another mile of twisted trees and muddy trail, and finally the woods began to thin. Rebecca pointed through the parting pines. "Look," she whispered. "There—that faint glow in the sky. That's Raccoon City, down there. I see traffic lights."
Relief flashed on Richard's face now that the city lights were visible. He allowed himself a slight grin. "We made it through the worst of it," he said softly.
But reality tightened immediately. "Keep moving," he urged. "We're exposed now." Behind the veil of trees, the distant rumble of sirens blended with the city's nightlife. They quickened their pace.
Ahead, a narrow dirt road appeared. Beyond it stretched the edge of the city—glittering and ominous. Rain was heavier here; the night sky cracked with distant lightning. They walked a small distance to a rundown building on the road's edge, just as Elena had described. The rain-slick surface and emptiness around it made the place look abandoned.
Richard pointed to a dim overhead lamp. "There," he said. "Service entrance to the STARS annex." The single flickering bulb revealed a rusty metal door tucked next to a loading dock. Exactly where Elena said it would be.
Rebecca tucked the map away and approached carefully. "Back door only," she breathed, more to herself than to Richard. Her wet cloak clung to her; cold water dripped off the brim of her ruined hat. She pressed her ear to the door. Faint sounds drifted from within—muted voices of people talking, footsteps, perhaps machinery. Danger and hope warred in her chest. Taking a deep breath, she punched in the access code Elena had given: 0–4–1–8–7–6. The lock clicked open.
Richard crept inside first, pistol raised, checking each shadow. The corridor beyond was dim and nearly silent, lit by flickering tubes. Dust motes floated in the stale air. The walls bore peeling posters and a thick layer of neglect. The doorknob creaked as Rebecca followed him in, and the heavy door shut with a thud behind them. For the first time in days, they were inside the STARS station's annex. The building was eerily quiet, unused for who knew how long.
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