Arika and Ryan made their way to an abandoned building from which they could observe the hideout without being seen. From that distance, the place looked like an old industrial facility surrounded by vehicles and the remains of buildings. There were men guarding the entrances; some were walking among the cars, while others were stationed at strategic points.
Ryan crouched behind a broken window and watched intently.
—There are too many people inside —he murmured—. If we go in together, we'll draw attention to ourselves.
Arika stood beside him, silently studying the place.
—Then you go in first.
Ryan nodded.
—I'll try to figure out where they're holding your friends, and then I'll come back for you.
Arika discreetly pointed toward the main area.
—And where do I go in?
Ryan looked toward one end of the complex, where there was a building set apart from the rest.
—That way. That area is less heavily guarded.
—Why?
Ryan paused before answering.
—That's where they burn the bodies of the infected. Almost no one stays there unless they have to.
Arika looked around for a few seconds and finally nodded.
—All right.
Ryan then pointed to a three-story building.
—When you go inside, head to the second floor. There's a hallway with several rooms. The third door has a sign that says 'Maintenance.' Hide there and wait.
—How will I know it's you?
—I'll knock on the door four times. Four knocks. Not before.
Arika nodded again.
—Got it.
They both stood up.
—Then we'd better hurry —Arika said, turning to leave.
Ryan reacted instinctively. He reached out and grabbed her arm before she could walk away.
Arika stopped and looked down at the hand holding her. Then she looked up at him.
Ryan seemed to realize only then what he had done. His eyes widened slightly, and he let go of her arm immediately.
—I… I just wanted to tell you to be careful —he explained, looking away for a moment.
Arika watched him in silence for a few seconds.
—I'll get it.
Without giving it a second thought, he turned and started walking toward the indicated area.
Ryan stood still, watching her walk away for a few seconds, still feeling somewhat uncomfortable about her reaction. Finally, he shook his head slightly and began heading in the opposite direction. He made his way through the abandoned vehicles until he reached one of the main entrances. He moved naturally, trying not to draw attention to himself. As soon as he walked through the gate, one of the men guarding the place recognized him.
—Ryan! —he called out —. Are they back already?
Ryan stopped and raised a hand slightly.
—Yes.
The man approached.
—What about the trucks?
Ryan shook his head.
—They were gone.
His partner let out a sigh and patted him on the shoulder.
—The boss is going to give you a good scolding.
Ryan let out a small, nervous laugh.
—Yeah… I guess so.
He kept walking as if nothing had happened. He greeted a few men he passed along the way and kept a calm expression, though inside he was trying to remember every detail of the place.
Then he ran into another one of his colleagues.
—Ryan, what happened with the mission? —the man asked —. Did you find the trucks?
—No. By the time we got there, they were already gone.
—Wow… the boss is going to be in an even worse mood than we thought.
The man looked around.
—What about the other guy who went with you?
Ryan reacted immediately.
—He's… in the bathroom.
His partner burst out laughing.
—Seriously? After all that traveling?
—You know how he is.
—Yeah, yeah. Leave him be. When he gets back, he'll surely get his share of the scolding, too.
Ryan smiled slightly, but then he noticed that something had changed in his partner's expression.
—What happened while we were out?
—Didn't you hear?
—About what?
The man leaned in toward him slightly and lowered his voice.
—Two of the prisoners escaped.
Ryan felt his heart skip a beat, though he managed to keep a straight face.
—They escaped? How did that happen?
—Yeah. They took advantage of a lapse in security and ran off. We still don't know where they are.
The man sighed lightly.
—The boss is furious. And you know what that means for the one who's left.
Ryan stood motionless for a moment.
—The one who was left…?
—Yeah. That guy—the one who gave us the most trouble.
Before he could ask anything else, the man's radio began crackling with static.
—Can you hear me? I need you to come to the northern sector.
The man picked up the radio.
—I'm on my way.
He turned off the device and looked back at Ryan.
—Don't worry. After you talk to the boss, you'll be able to get some rest.
Ryan frowned slightly.
—Rest?
His partner smiled.
—Well… first there'll be a little fun.
Ryan looked at him, confused.
—What are you talking about?
—They're going to take the kid to the cage.
Ryan felt the air escape from his lungs.
—To… the cage?
His voice came out more tense than he'd intended.
The man nodded, somewhat uncomfortable with his reaction.
—Yeah… Are you okay? … You're acting weird…
Ryan gripped his shoulder tightly.
—What time?
—Hey, calm down! —the man protested—. It'll be before dawn.
Ryan didn't let go of him.
—The exact time?
His companion swallowed hard.
—At four.
Ryan finally let go of him.
—I'm sorry.
—Ryan?
But he had already turned away.
He started walking quickly, and as soon as he turned the corner of the hallway, he broke into a run.
—What's wrong with him? —his partner muttered, confused.
The radio crackled again.
—Where are you? —asked the voice on the other end.
The man looked down the hallway where Ryan had disappeared and then replied.
—I'm on my way.
Meanwhile, Ryan was running through the facility's hallways.
It was four in the morning; he didn't have much time.
He had to find Arika as soon as possible.