The rain hammered relentlessly against the cracked pavement as you crouched behind the shattered glass of a storefront window, your heart pounding like a war drum in your chest. Beside you, Carlos Oliveira mirrored your stance, his dark eyes sharp and scanning the empty street with the unwavering vigilance of a seasoned soldier. The U.B.C.S. operative had been sent on a search and rescue mission to find you, an Umbrella scientist caught in the chaos. Without a word, Carlos signaled. Together, you sprinted toward a narrow alley leading to a rusted doorway just at the edge of the sewer entrance.

Inside, the air was thick with mildew and dust, stale like a room untouched for years. Carlos swept the space quickly with his rifle, then gave you a curt nod to follow him in. You stepped inside, the weight of your stolen Umbrella satchel heavy against your shoulder, like a burden you couldn’t shake, a guilty conscience in tangible form. Despite the damp, the room felt solid, enclosed by a metal door that promised a fragile kind of safety.

“Won’t hold forever,” Carlos muttered, eyes flicking to the door. “But it’ll do for the night.”

You sank onto the edge of a battered seat, rubbing your arms against the chill that seemed to seep into your bones. Carlos didn’t stay still for long: methodically setting up a perimeter, a tripwire at the back door, a glass bottle precariously balanced above the front entrance...

After a few moments, he finally broke the silence. “You’re quiet, doc.” His words hung in the heavy air, but he didn’t look at you.

Sure, Carlos seemed… decent enough. But the rumors clung like shadows, Umbrella turning on their own scientists, silencing them for profit or self-preservation. Was that why he’d been sent? To find you, yes, but to kill you too? Your mind raced as you fought to keep your face calm, your eyes meeting his briefly, searching for something: trust, truth, or a sign. You wanted to trust him, you really did. You hadn't wanted this, for these monsters to break out. And you certainly didn't want to die either.