Chapter 6: Into the Lion’s Den

The air in the Raccoon City Police Department (RPD) basement felt oppressive, the thick staleness punctuated by faint growls and shuffling echoes. Sienna Wolfe crouched behind a stack of battered crates, her sharp eyes scanning the dim storage room. Despite the tension wrapping around her chest, her breathing was controlled—a skill honed from years of survival training.

In her peripheral vision, the faint glow of the system interface pulsed steadily:

SYSTEM OBJECTIVE:

Secure the Armory Keycard.

BONUS OBJECTIVE:

Complete without triggering an alarm. Reward: Silencer Mod (SMG).

She muttered under her breath, "Bonus objectives. Why do I even bother?" But the reward was tempting, and Sienna couldn't resist the allure of stealth. Her lips curled into a faint smirk. "Alright, let's do this."

She slung her Glock 17 low, checking the chamber. Nine rounds. It wasn't much, but if things went south, every bullet would count.

The hallway outside was a mix of shadows and flickering fluorescent lights, their sporadic hum grating on her nerves. Her boots whispered across the floor as she crept forward, each step deliberate. The system pinged softly.

TIP: Lickers are blind but sensitive to sound. Move slowly.

Her eyes darted toward the mini-map displayed in the corner of her vision. Three red dots moved lazily along the corridors. Lickers.

"Perfect," she muttered, rolling her shoulders to dispel the creeping tension.

The first Licker emerged, its grotesque form crawling upside down along the ceiling. Its exposed brain glistened under the flickering lights, and its claws scraped softly against the metal.

Sienna froze mid-step, her heart hammering like a trapped bird. She slowly shifted her weight to balance herself, avoiding even the faintest creak of her boots. The creature's elongated tongue flicked out, tasting the air.

For a brief moment, it stopped, tilting its eyeless head toward her. Sienna's muscles screamed to move, but she remained perfectly still.

After what felt like an eternity, the Licker moved on, its claws clicking as it retreated down the corridor. Sienna exhaled silently.

The locked security office door came into view at the end of the hallway, illuminated by the faint green glow of the keypad beside it. A muted groan from somewhere behind her spurred her forward.

The desk near the door bore the signs of a frantic last stand—bullet holes riddled the surface, and a bloodied clipboard lay discarded among scattered papers. She scanned the documents, smearing away dried blood with her sleeve until she found what she needed:

Code: 1987

"Low-tech solutions. Gotta love them," she whispered. Entering the code, she felt the lock disengage with a satisfying click.

Inside, the room was eerily quiet. A faint layer of dust coated the equipment, though blood spatters across the monitors told a story of chaos. In the center of the room, encased beneath glass, sat her target: the armory keycard.

But it wasn't going to be that easy.

TIP: Pressure sensors detect weight displacement. Use an object of equal mass to disarm.

Her eyes scanned the room, landing on a hefty paperweight—a miniature bust of a police chief—on a nearby shelf. Retrieving it, she approached the pedestal with painstaking caution. The swap had to be perfect.

Sienna steadied her hand, slowly lifting the keycard and replacing it with the paperweight in one fluid motion. The system chimed softly.

OBJECTIVE COMPLETE: Secure the Armory Keycard.

"Not bad for a day's work," she murmured.

The victory was short-lived. A guttural roar echoed from the corridor, the kind that made her blood run cold.

Her system interface flashed an alert:

NEW THREAT DETECTED: HUNTER GAMMA. THREAT LEVEL: EXTREME.

The ground trembled slightly as the creature approached, its massive frame blocking the narrow doorway. Green, leathery skin glistened under the fluorescent light, and its oversized jaws opened wide, revealing rows of jagged teeth.

"Well, that's just great," Sienna muttered, pulling her Glock and firing three precise shots.

The bullets struck the creature's torso, but the Hunter merely staggered, roaring with fury.

Sienna darted behind a desk as the Hunter charged, its claws tearing through the metal like paper. Her system pinged again.

TIP: Environmental hazards can weaken enemies.

Her gaze darted toward the sprinkler system above. An idea formed.

Grabbing her crowbar, she swung hard at the nearest valve. Water burst forth, spraying the room in a frigid downpour. The Hunter faltered, its movements sluggish as the cold water seeped into its thick skin.

"Not so tough now, are you?" Sienna taunted, reaching for her flashbang.

She yanked the pin and lobbed the grenade. The room erupted in blinding light and deafening noise, disorienting the creature.

Sienna didn't hesitate. She vaulted over the desk, knife in hand, and plunged the blade into the base of the Hunter's skull. The creature thrashed violently, but she held on, twisting the blade until it collapsed.

Breathing heavily, she yanked her knife free, wiping the blade on her sleeve.

ENEMY DEFEATED: HUNTER GAMMA. XP GAINED: +300.

Alarms blared as Sienna sprinted out of the security office, the keycard clutched tightly in her hand. The system's mini-map lit up with red dots—enemies converging on her location.

The Lickers were back, drawn by the noise, and a horde of zombies shambled toward her from the other end of the corridor.

"Of course they're waiting for me," she muttered, reloading her Glock.

A quick scan of her surroundings revealed a narrow maintenance shaft overhead. It was risky, but it might be her only way out.

Sienna fired her last few rounds, clearing a path to the shaft. Jumping, she grabbed the edge and hauled herself up just as the first zombie lunged at her boots.

The shaft was cramped and stifling, but it led her outside. She emerged onto the cold streets of Raccoon City, the chaos of the outbreak stretching before her.

The system chimed softly:

BONUS OBJECTIVE FAILED: ALARM TRIGGERED.

REWARD LOST: SILENCER MOD (SMG).

She groaned, leaning against a wall to catch her breath. "Guess stealth isn't my strong suit."

But the keycard in her pocket was a win. It was a step closer to the armory—and to survival.

Above her, the night sky was lit with fire and smoke, a grim reminder that the city was dying.

Sienna tightened her grip on the knife. "Let's see what other surprises you've got for me, Raccoon City."