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savage-rhi · 4 months ago

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Duality

Chapter 6: The Escape I

Summary: Sawyer Kiddo has walked a razor's edge as a hacktivist for several years, driven by the loss of her family in the Raccoon City incident. Haunted by past choices and fueled with desire for vigilante justice, Sawyer's work takes an unexpected turn when she ventures to Spain and crosses paths with Luis Serra—a man with blood on his hands long thought to be dead. Together they unravel a web of corruption and face an impending bioterror threat, fighting not only monsters but also the darker elements of their humanity. As they delve deeper into each other's pasts and the conspiracy at large, Sawyer begins to sense something unsettling about Luis—something that might be even more dangerous than their mutual enemies.

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Sawyer walked in silence; her head held high while trying to note anything significant that stood out in case she managed to escape from her captors. The cold air from the vents above bit her skin, and the concrete floor echoed with each step. Whatever was left of the animal noises she had heard were long gone as the halls grew smaller and never-ending. That gave her some comfort, despite not knowing where she was being hauled off to--the farther away from BOWs, the better.

The trio passed several offices and a large door leading into a storage unit, where Sawyer spotted crates full of lab equipment marked with the Umbrella Corp logo. She flashed back to memories of Carmen and herself seeing the supply trucks rolling into Raccoon City with the same emblem when they were teens.

These must be decades old… she thought, furrowing her brow. How did Soldado get his hands on all this?

"Keep your eyes forward!" barked the stout henchman to her left, tightening his grip on her arms. “Nada de cosas divertidas…” (1)

Sawyer's thoughts snapped back to the present. Of course, she should've known better than to be given any courtesy from the two morons at her side.

"Care to translate? My Spanish is rusty as hell," she quipped, earning a sharp slap from the taller man.

“Cállate y sigue moviéndote!” (2)

She had no doubt he said something unpleasant.

As they continued, Sawyer focused on the men's murmured conversation, catching snippets of Spanish intermingled with broken English. Her mind was heavily focused on what they were up to as she struggled to capture every detail that slipped past their mouths. The taller one, whom she dubbed "Thick Neck" for his prominent Adam's apple, seemed uneasy.

"No me gusta esto. Why move her now?" he muttered, his eyes darting nervously around the corridor. (3)

"Beats the hell out of me," replied the shorter henchman, "Shorty” with a casual huff. "Algo sobre querer acabar con los hacktivistas con un arma bioorgánica. Sin testigos ni cadáveres. Tu sabes como va.” (4)

Thick Neck made a noise. “Si, pero ¿por qué tanta prisa? We could've locked her up until Soldado was ready with the others. Luego está el tipo Serra al que todo el mundo le está dando mucha importancia.” (5) (6)

"Who knows? They don't pay us to ask questions," Shorty sighed with a shrug.

Sawyer's blood went cold as she absorbed their words. She tried to piece together the fragments of information as her mind raced. Although she couldn't understand their Spanish well, the moment she heard hacktivists, she knew Samuel, Kari, and Mobley had to be here in this godforsaken place. That or they were already dead, and she was tip-toeing close to joining them. She kept her face blank and breathing steady, trying to remain collected to not draw attention to herself. Acting meek and dumb was crucial right now. Every word uttered by the two idiots was a potential clue to understanding why she was here and, more importantly, how she could get out.

"Oye, Americana!" (7)

"Yeah?" Sawyer retorted, suppressing a grimace at the situation. "I thought you wanted me to shut up."

"Trust us, we do." Thick Neck bitterly muttered, casting her a sidelong glare.

Sawyer quietly rolled her eyes. She pushed her anger down, reminding herself now wasn't the time to get too snarky.

"It seemed you and Serra hit it off in the basement," The stout man chuckled, a leer creeping into his voice. "Did you two discuss anything we should know?"

To say Sawyer resented the insinuation was an understatement. Nevertheless, she shrugged and answered. "Not really. He rambled about getting snatched off the street. Said his last name was Navarro, not Serra. Guy's got a screw loose if you ask me."

The two men exchanged a glance, skepticism clear in their eyes. Shorty leaned in closer, his breath hot and foul. "Are you sure? Because if you're holding out on us, carino , things could get a lot worse for you." (8)

Sawyer met his gaze and sighed, feigning innocence. "I'm telling you, he was talking nonsense. Something about getting mixed up with another guy or some shit. I barely understood half of it on account that he was speaking Spanish. I told you, mine's rusty."

She could see them weighing her words, deciding if they believed her. Beads of sweat trickled down her neck as Sawyer kept her expression neutral, hoping they'd buy the act.

“Ella no sabe nada sobre él. Dale un descanso.” Thick Neck muttered. (9)

Shorty curtly shot back. “Pero eso no significa que ella no sepa que él está tramando algo. Soldado y Álvarez dijeron que no lo subestimen. ¿Y por qué le diría a la mujer que se apellida Navarro?” (10)

While they seemed distracted, Sawyer quietly processed everything they'd discussed. They knew something about Luis--at least, something that had them on edge, enough to try to get something out of her about him, a man she barely knew. Then again, hearing the names being mixed up, perhaps Luis did get mistaken for another guy. In which case, it sounded like Shorty and Thick Neck were in deep shit with Soldado and whoever else was in charge here.

"Just one more question, American, did he--"

Suddenly, both men's walkies crackled to life, interrupting their conversation as all three halted. The abrupt noise made Sawyer jump as she heard the static, followed by panicked voices coming from the end of the lines. She couldn't make out the exact words, but the fear was unmistakable.

"Are you guys gonna answer that? Seems urgent." Sawyer sarcastically pointed out, swallowing afterward. She ignored the glares both men gave and watched as Shorty and Thick Neck exchanged a concerned look as their expressions hardened. She was surprised when Shortly let go of her, focusing on pulling out a Glock from the holster on his pants. With trembling hands, he began to load bullets into the firearm. Thick Neck took his walkie off his utility belt.

“¡¿Qué demonios está pasando?!" Thick Neck barked into the device, but there was no coherent response, just more frantic shouting and a few indistinct words about "something loose" and "containment breach."

Sawyer's pulse dropped. She realized this could be her chance—whatever was going on was big enough to distract her captors. All she had to do was wait for an opportunity to turn the situation to her advantage. She could do it. Just like she did at the Plaza.

The Plaza…

Goosebumps traversed her skin when she remembered what had become of the cop, how he mutated into that…thing. The corpse of the old police officer covered in flies staring at her in shock, and the screams of the civilians who had no idea what was going on. It all played in tangent with Carmen's pleas for mercy as the doctors sedated her, along with Sawyer's vivid imagination of what had become of Raccoon City based on survivor accounts she had personally heard.

She had second thoughts about escaping from Thick Neck and Shorty as fear cushioned itself at the forefront of her mind--almost too frozen to do anything.

"What the hell is going on?!" Shorty snapped at Thick Neck, the latter shaking his head as something fell with a loud clang. All three snapped their attention toward a pipe that fell from the ceiling about ten feet ahead, and with bated breath, Shorty continued. "We should return to the basement and wait for Soldado to say something. Surely he's-"

"Shh. Mantenerla baja." Thick Neck interrupted. By now, he had drawn out his own weapon, keeping it poised and at the ready as he took a few steps ahead of Shorty and Sawyer to investigate. His steps were meticulous and slow, his posture like that of a soldier who had seen his share of combat. (12)

Sawyer felt like a sitting duck standing next to Shorty. She wished there had been a safe way to steal one of the guns from the men.

Thick Neck cautiously approached the fallen pipe, his eyes scanning for any sign of tampering. As he reached down to inspect it, Sawyer strained to catch any clue, any indication that might hint at what was going on. But there was nothing—no sign that the pipe had been deliberately loosened or moved. It was just an ordinary piece of metal lying there, as if it had fallen on its own.

Thick Neck straightened, his face plastered with confusion as he walked back toward Sawyer and Shorty. Before he said anything, a low guttural growl echoed through the hallway, sending a chill down Sawyer's spine. The noise came from behind the trio, somewhere in the low light. She watched as Thick Neck's eyes widened, his grip tightening on the trigger of his gun.

"Let's get out of here…" He muttered to both Sawyer and Shorty, turning to lead the way.

Thick Neck was suddenly yanked off his feet.

He hit the ground with a heavy thud, a cry of surprise and pain escaping his lips.

Thick Neck was dragged backward across the floor, his fingers scrabbling desperately for a grip on the smooth surface, trying to find anything to help him escape. His screams echoed in the halls. From the shadows emerged a dark, hulking figure—the same creature from the Plaza. Its wide eyes gleamed with a twisted excitement as it screeched in victory, long saber fangs framing its hollowed face. Sawyer's jaw dropped as she took in the creature's form: skinny, thick arms, broad shoulders, a protruding rib cage, a skeletal waist, and thin but muscular digitigrade legs ending in sickle claws. This creature was built to run, to ambush—just like a cheetah.

The creature flipped Thick Neck onto his back with terrifying ease, its claws glinting in the dim light as it struck. In an instant, it began to gut him—the sounds of tearing flesh and Thick Neck's choked gasps filling the air. The Saber wasted no time, diving its head into the open cavity of Thick Neck's abdomen, pulling out his intestines. Its long tongue slurped against its lipless mouth as it swallowed the heavy lump that was Thick Neck's liver.

Shorty screamed every profanity in the Spanish tongue, and his face contorted in terror. He raised his gun and fired wildly at the creature, the bullets sparking off metal walls and the floor. The noise was piercingly loud, mixing with the chaos of the attack. The creature cried out and flinched, but showed no signs of backing down from its meal.

A second Saber—just as monstrous as the first—burst from a nearby vent. It moved with velocity as it clamped its powerful jaws around Shorty's head. His screaming was cut short in a sickening crunch, the force of the bite silencing him instantly.

Sawyer didn't wait to see more of the carnage. She turned and fled down the corridor, her heart pounding. As she ran, Sawyer snatched up the fallen pipe, gripping it tightly in her right hand. Behind her, she could hear the roars and the wet, slopping noises as the creatures finished off their prey--and then the unmistakable sound of claws clattering against the floor, giving chase.

Panic surged through Sawyer. Everything except the instinct to run, hide, and fight shut off in her head. She could sense the monster closing in, its breath hot and ragged on her heels. She could almost feel its slender arm reaching out to grab her. Her eyes darted around, searching for an escape route.

Spotting a door slightly ajar, Sawyer made a sharp turn and burst into a large lab. The room was a maze of tables, equipment, and scattered tools—offering a chaotic landscape she could use to her advantage. Without hesitation, she shoved a heavy table over, creating an obstacle behind her, and kept running. As she sprinted, she knocked over chairs and smaller items, desperately trying to slow the creature down.

Glancing back, she saw the Saber barreling through the doorway and clambering over the overturned table. Its eyes locked onto her, a predatory gleam in them. Sawyer pushed on, and cried out; a desperate idea formed in her mind as she spotted another table near a doorway. She darted through, quickly ducking behind the doorframe, gripping the pipe like a baseball bat. Holding her breath, she positioned herself as the Saber charged mindlessly in her direction.

The timing had to be perfect.

As the creature rushed past the door, Sawyer swung the pipe. It connected with a mighty thud against the Saber's head. The beast uttered a loud cry, stumbling and collapsing onto its back. The moment of triumph was short-lived; with surprising speed, the Saber grabbed her left leg. She fell forward, hitting the ground hard. Pain shot through her body as the creature's jaws snapped at her. The foul stench of its breath made her gag, and Sawyer screamed as a set of mandibles suddenly protruded from the Saber's cheeks.

A fire was lit underneath Sawyer. She kicked wildly at the BOW's face, each impact making the creature recoil. She managed to pull her leg free and scrambled to her feet. She swung the pipe again without thinking, driving it into the creature's right shoulder. The beast flung its head back, letting out a horrific scream as it momentarily staggered. Sawyer stepped back and took off running again, navigating through a maze of interconnected rooms, desperately searching for a way out. She stumbled into another area—a locker room with lab tables and scattered hiding places. She quickly realized she had hit a dead end.

Sawyer slammed the door behind her with no other options, plunging the room into near darkness as she quickly shut off most of the lights.

She sprinted toward the nearest cover, dropping into a low crouch, and used her momentum to slide across the slick floor. Sawyer skidded effortlessly and came to a halt underneath a table, laying herself flat and keeping her eyes fixed on the door. Her whole body quaked from exertion, and she tried to steady her breaths, forcing herself to remain as quiet as possible.

For several minutes, there was a deafening silence. A part of her dared hope she could move on. Then she heard it: faint, deliberate footsteps from the other side.

Clank.

Every muscle in Sawyer's body tensed.

Ka-chunk-ka-chunk-creeeeeeak.

It opened the door.

It opened the fucking door.

The creature moved cautiously inside, inhaling deep as if savoring the scent of its prey. Its talons clicked softly against the floor, each step gentle and calculating.

It was close, too close.

Sawyer bit her lip, stifling a gasp as the Saber's shadow passed over her hiding spot. The dim light barely outlined the room, but she could see the BOW's form moving methodically, its head ducking into nooks and crannies. To add insult to injury, Sawyer heard the creature rip out the pipe from its shoulder and threw it across the room--snarls conveying disappointment that the noise didn't draw her out. She prayed it wouldn't find her, knowing she couldn't outrun it again. The only thing Sawyer had going for her was that damn pipe, and even that seemed a flimsy defense against a monstrous predator in the grand scheme of things. Her knuckles turned white as the creature continued its little game of hide and seek.

Her eyes darted to a glass beaker near her hand. With a slight shake in her fingers, Sawyer grasped it. Adjusting her position under the table, Sawyer flung the beaker toward the door. It shattered against the far wall, and the Saber's head snapped toward the sound, using its powerful limbs to propel it forward. As it followed its predatory instincts, Sawyer slipped from under the table and darted towards a row of lockers lining the opposite wall. She squeezed into an empty one, quietly closing the door behind her. The metal interior felt cold, like a coffin.

Peering through the narrow slits of the door, she could see the Saber prowling the room after it fiddled around with the glass. Its posture was tense as it sniffed the air, clearly pissed off that it hadn't found her. The creature's large skinless eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of movement.

"Plaga Type E is uniquely attracted to carbon dioxide. The very breath you exhale draws it in."

Soldado's voice returned to haunt Sawyer---she realized too late that she hadn't controlled her breathing. Panicking, she covered her nose and mouth, holding her breath.

The Saber's head snapped toward the lockers, nostrils flaring. It took two steps forward, then ducked out of sight.

Sawyer's eyes widened, her pulse skyrocketing. She could only see a narrow slice of the room through the locker, making it impossible to track the Saber's movements once it crouched.

Suddenly, the Saber's head rose into view---right in front of her locker.

It knew she was there.

Everything seemed to freeze as Sawyer and the Saber locked eyes in a silent, horrifying stare down. The creature's orbs gleamed with sick anticipation, its breath fogging the metal. She felt her breath quickening, a mix of terror and disbelief washing over her. The locker felt unbearably small, the walls closing in on her.

The door swung open, and Sawyer let out a blood-curdling scream.

Bang.

The monster fell to the ground, and Sawyer watched as the life drained from its eyes. The creature's final moments were a grotesque dance, its muscles contracting and releasing in erratic spasms as blood pooled from its wounds. A final puff of air escaped its body before it stilled.

She was too much in shock to register what had happened, except that--by some miracle--she was alive.

Sawyer's body shook uncontrollably, her legs weak beneath her. She felt light-headed and disoriented. The lights suddenly flicked on, and she blinked several times, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness as her left arm came up to shield her face. Her gaze shifted ahead as a familiar voice called out.

"Onyx!"

In a million years, Sawyer never thought she'd be so happy to see Kari.

Surprise washed over her as she limped over the carcass, eyes welling with tears. Kari rushed to meet her, latching her gun onto her belt before she rested her hands on Sawyer's shoulders to steady her.

"Are you okay?" Kari's voice was firm but caring. Her eyes scanned Sawyer for any signs of injury. "You're not infected, right?"

Sawyer shook her head, her voice shaky. "No, no, I'm fine. Just…scared. I think…my soul was about to leave my ass. I almost…god, it almost got me."

Kari scoffed, nodding as she squeezed Sawyer's shoulders before letting go. "I see your humor's still intact. You don't know how relieved I am to have found you."

Sawyer took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. "Where… where did you come from? What the fuck is going on?"

"Slow down, one thing at a time." Kari glanced around the room before gesturing for Sawyer to follow. She led them into a smaller lab, then down another set of hallways to a cramped storage unit. Kari quickly drew another handgun from her belt, loaded it with bullets, and shoved it into Sawyer's quivering hands.

"To answer your questions," Kari began, rummaging through a pouch tied around her waist. "We're in an old Umbrella lab. They call it Unit D. I found out while I was being kept hostage on the top floor. This place is three stories—the top level is above ground, the other two are below. We're on the second level right now."

"Are we outside Madrid?" Sawyer coughed, feeling the exhaustion from running catching up with her.

"Yeah, somewhere up north in the woods. Not sure how far," Kari replied, taking a deep breath as she fished out more bullets. Without hesitation, she shoved them into Sawyer's pants pocket, noting her dazed expression. "Looks like Soldado took over after Umbrella fell. He's been using it for black market operations, maybe even continuing their research. It's perfect—isolated, off-grid, and loaded with equipment nobody's watching."

Sawyer sighed, shaking her head. "How did you even find me? This place is a damn maze."

"Got lucky," Kari said matter-of-factly. "Heard screams, found the remains of your friends , killed a BOW chewing on one, then tracked the other ugly. Didn't realize it was you getting chased until I took it down in the locker room."

"No shit…" Sawyer's expression hardened as she listened, grabbing the rest of the bullets from Kari. She still had a million questions. "What happened at the Plaza? How did you guys get caught?"

"I was hoping you could tell me that." Kari's brows knitted in a fierce glare. "What happened between you and Soldado?"

"The young guy—" Sawyer exhaled sharply, still catching her breath. "He sold us out, tipped off Soldado, and killed the other cop. I heard you guys getting picked off over the network before Soldado tried to shove a damn bug up my nose. I barely escaped, ended up in an alley, then got tranquilized."

"I'll be damned," Kari said, her face darkening as she exhaled slowly--piecing together the plot. "So, the rookie gave away our locations, and Soldado's men moved in fast. They rounded us up before we even knew what hit us."

"Yeah, that's what it sounds like. So, what happened to you up there?" Sawyer gestured towards the ceiling, indicating her reference to level one, which Kari had mentioned.

"I was knocked out cold at the Plaza," Kari said, her voice shaky. "When I came to, I was in an office. They tried to interrogate me, but then alarms blared, and BOWs poured in left and right. They tore through everyone—scientists, Soldado's goons—didn't stand a chance."

Sawyer grimaced. "So, all of Soldado's people are dead?"

"That's what I gather," Kari said, shivering as she recalled the gruesome details. "It's been a madhouse. I grabbed a gun in the chaos and started looking for you, Spector, and Atom."

"Have you seen the others?" Sawyer's voice was tight with worry.

Kari hesitated before nodding. "I saw Mobley briefly on my way down. He looked terrified and then just ran like he was leaving us for dead. A bloody coward."

Sawyer clenched her fists. As much as she wanted to lash out, Mobley wasn't her primary concern. Her eyes pleaded with Kari's. "And Samuel, have you seen him?"

Kari shook her head. "No sign of him. We need to get out of here, Onyx. There's an exit on the first floor—I saw it myself. We can't stay here much longer. Before I found you, there was an announcement—this place is going to self-destruct."

"What? Self-destruct? When?!"

"I don't know," Kari said earnestly. "But we can't take any chances. Have you seen Soldado or any survivors?"

Sawyer hesitated, thinking of Luis, when a pack of canine-like beasts, Dires--emerged from behind several crates. She could barely make out all their details, but the creatures reminded Sawyer of movie werewolves, but on meth. Their eyes held a feral intelligence as they spread out, coordinating in a lethal formation around the two women.

Kari and Sawyer exchanged a brief, tense look before moving in opposite directions to avoid the Dires that charged for them in the middle. Kari aimed her gun toward a large crate precariously perched on a nearby stack. Her shots were precise, shattering the crate and sending it crashing down to crush several Dires beneath it. The debris created a temporary barrier, separating Sawyer from Kari and the rest of the pack.

"Go, I'll catch up! Get to the first level! Head for Toledo, no matter what!" Kari shouted over the commotion. "I'll hold them off!"

"I can't just leave you!"

"Onyx, go now!"

Sawyer hesitated, torn between helping Kari and following her directive. When Kari shot a Dire charging toward her, Sawyer finally turned and ran. Her legs felt on fire as she retraced her steps through the labyrinthine paths the Saber had led her through.

Several minutes later, Sawyer soon found herself running past the grisly remains of Shorty and Thick Neck, their bodies ravaged by the earlier attack. She stopped to catch her breath, turning her head to look at what was left. As much as she could care less about them, she didn't have the heart to wish such a brutal death on anyone. The thought of being disemboweled alive made her stomach twist, and it took all her willpower not to throw up.

Rebus, that better not be happening to you back there...

Whatever pittance of energy she had left disappeared as the sound of running footsteps and heavy breathing reached her ears.

Sawyer's pulse throbbed as she drew the gun Kari had given her, almost forgetting to take the safety off. The gun shook in her hands as she tried to steady her fingers, her chest heaving as she glared toward the noise.

"Whoa, easy with the pistola, I come in peace!" (13)

"Luis?"

"In the flesh!" Two Legs grinned, raising his hands in surrender before slowly lowering them, mirroring Sawyer's actions with the gun.

A wave of relief washed over her, and she let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding back, eyes at her feet. "Oh, thank god…"

"Eh, I'm not that great, but I'll take it," Two Legs quipped with a half-hearted smile. He stepped toward her, his right hand hesitating mid-air, as if wanting to touch her but unsure why. His expression flickered between confusion and something softer--almost vulnerable--before he briefly dropped his hand and looked away. Then, meeting her eyes, he added, "You have no idea how happy I am to see you in one piece!"

"I almost wasn't just a bit ago," Sawyer glanced around, ensuring they were safe. She noticed the concern in his eyes but focused on the blood dripping from his hands. "What happened there? Did you get hurt?"

"What?" Two Legs looked surprised, then glanced at his palms and chuckled. "No, it's not mine. You should see what happened to the guy though, your fella--the bioterrorist. I found his body."

"Holy shit, he's dead," Sawyer gasped, primarily to herself. "Did you see what got him?"

"Well," Two Legs glanced at the corpse of the Saber, not far from the remains of the two humans. Something unreadable crossed his eyes before they stiffened with contempt. "It wasn't one of these...creeps skulking around. Some bald guy, pretty sure he shot him."

"Mobley…"

"Friend of yours?"

"Only by association," Sawyer muttered bitterly. The picture wasn't clear, but it was becoming evident to Sawyer that something nefarious was happening with Mobley. She wouldn't be surprised if he was in on this charade the entire time and bit off more than he could chew.

"I hate to interrupt your thoughts," Two Legs cleared his throat, concern evident in his voice. "Did you find your other friends?"

Sawyer nodded, gesturing towards the hallway she had come from. "One of them is back there. She said there's an exit on the first floor."

"Shouldn't we help her?" Two Legs asked, a hint of worry in his tone.

"No, she's got it covered." Sawyer's response felt wrong, but she pushed the thought aside. "She said there's an exit on the first level."

"I wouldn't go that way," Two Legs cautioned, shaking his head. He noticed Sawyer's questioning look and exhaled, steadying himself. "There's security footage where I found Soldado's body. That's how I knew you were here—I saw you on the cameras and the creatures sneaking up on you. On the way over, I found the staircase and elevators leading to the first level. There were too many monsters; I could hear them through the vents. I doubt you have enough bullets to handle a swarm, let alone however many are up top."

Sawyer blinked, the weight of his words sinking in. He had been watching her, tracking her movements--and, from the sound of it--had even planned to help her. She didn't know what to feel about Luis overall, but gratitude came to mind.

"Shit and this place is going to self-destruct on top of it…" Sawyer muttered, trying to process everything.

"I know," Two Legs replied. "I saw that too in the office. I think your pal Mobley activated a protocol to flood the lab with BOWs before destroying the place. There was a timer."

"How much longer do we have since you last saw it?"

Two Legs bit the inside of his cheek, glancing around anxiously. "Probably thirty minutes left, give or take. It took me a while to get here."

"Fuck!" Sawyer exclaimed. She shook her head in defeat. "This place is gonna blow to kingdom come, and we have no fucking way out?!"

"Actually, we do!" Two Legs forced a smile, though his heart wasn't in it. "There's a waste hatch. Right here, on level two! I'm pretty sure it leads out to a water source!"

"How do you know?" Sawyer stared at him, her eyes a mix of skepticism and hope.

"I could smell it when I found the tunnel," he replied, wrinkling his nose at the memory. "It's gross, but it's our best shot."

Sawyer bit her lip. Doubt crept in, just as it had when the Sabers attacked and when she left Kari to fend for herself, making her second-guess every decision that led her here. She glanced behind her, almost hoping Samuel would pop up behind her and Luis.

"You okay?"

Sawyer let out a breath as she faced him. "I can't just leave him."

"Leave who?"

"Samuel—I can't leave him here in this place."

"But we need to--"

"Luis, I need to find him. You gotta help me find Sam. I need you to help me find him."

Two Legs' expression was torn. The instinct to flee and ensure his preys survival clashed with the realization that this Samuel meant a lot to her—more than her other companions. He couldn't help but wonder why. The urge to grab her by the hand and force compliance crossed his mind, more than once.

"Look at me," Two Legs sighed and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, meeting her eyes. "Let's get to the hatch first and make sure you're safe, hmm? If we have time, we'll go back for your friend. I promise. But we have to go, now."

"Okay," Sawyer muttered, her reluctance clear. Nevertheless, she knew she had no choice but to work with Luis once again.

“Confía en mí, remember?” Two Legs nodded, giving her a soft smile before gesturing with his head. "C'mon, we can't keep standing here!" (14)

Together, they started to run, ignoring the blaring alarm systems around them. As Sawyer followed Two Legs--with him leading the way toward the hatch--she couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.

Notes:

1. Nada de cosas divertidas…= No funny business / no fun stuff 2. Cállate y sigue moviéndote! = Shut up and keep moving! 3. No me gusta esto = I don't like this 4. Algo sobre querer acabar con los hacktivistas con un arma bioorgánica. Sin testigos ni cadáveres. Tu sabes como va. = Something about wanting to take down hacktivists with a bio-organic weapon. No witnesses or bodies. You know how it goes. 5. Si, pero ¿por qué tanta prisa? = Yes, but why such a rush? 6. Luego está el tipo Serra al que todo el mundo le está dando mucha importancia. = Then there's the Serra guy that everyone is giving a lot of importance to. 7. Oye, Americana! = Hey, American (female) 8. Cariño = Sweetheart 9. Ella no sabe nada sobre él. Dale un descanso. = She doesn't know anything about him. Give it a rest. 10. Pero eso no significa que ella no sepa que él está tramando algo. Soldado y Álvarez dijeron que no lo subestimen. ¿Y por qué le diría a la mujer que se apellida Navarro? = But that doesn't mean she doesn't know he's up to something. Soldado and Álvarez said not to underestimate him. And why would he tell the woman that his last name is Navarro? 11. ¡¿Qué demonios está pasando?! = What the hell is going on? 12. Mantenerla Baja = Keep it down / keep it low 13. Pistola = gun 14. Confía en mí = Trust me

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