Someone's coming

You and Grace both quiet down and look alert. The others have noticed the footsteps too.

Several figures emerge from the gloom. They’re players like you, but they are not like you and your colleagues.

Jill, Claire, Rebecca, Sheva, and Sherry all wear the types of shorts, shirts, and flip flops that most of the girls favor when they’re off the football pitch.

Jill is their leader.

“Hi guys,” she says, walking up to Eliza, who acknowledges her with a nod.

“Why are we here?” Eliza asks bluntly. She is always blunt. She folds her arms, her body language blatantly hostile.

“We needed to ask you guys what you’ve seen,” Jill replies firmly, placing her hand on her hip and matching Eliza’s gaze. “It’s been a week since we’ve talked.”

“We aren’t doing your fucking job for you,” Taina says, waving a hand.

“She’s right,” Aria says lightly.

“They’re onto us,” Claire says, walking up beside Jill. “But they aren’t onto you. You guys may still be able to look around without them watching.”

“That is not what we were sent here to do,” Eliza counters. “Our orders are to support you if you make a move. Do you have a target for us?”

“Of course not,” Jill says with a sigh, looking back at Rebecca, who joins her.

“There’s a mansion to the east that looks very similar to the one that was in the Arklay Mountains,” she says. “Jill and I saw enough there to know that it’s not good.”

“You want us to hit it?” Eliza asks, unimpressed.

“Of course not. We have no probable cause at this point,” Sherry says quickly, giving the others a look. “We think there’s another lab, but it must have a hidden entrance in the forest somewhere.”

“So is it in the mansion or not?” Taina asks impatiently.

“It may be that the entrance in the forest just leads to whatever’s under the mansion. And then there’s Annette’s house. We haven’t managed to get in there,” Jill says, clearly annoyed by the admission. “She has a very advanced security system. I was wondering if you guys could help with that. Isn’t that your specialty?”

“That’s not in our orders. We’re here to apply ****. Not to conduct an investigation,” Eliza says, shutting that line of discussion down instantly.

For a moment it’s quiet. Both groups of girls gaze at each other. You and Grace keep quiet.

“So you won’t help,” Jill says.

“We will help you if you identify a target,” Eliza says.

“This is a bullshit operation,” Taina bursts out. “There is nothing happening here except capitalism. These people are exploiting sexy girls to make money. It’s gross, but it’s not illegal.”

“Annette was married to the man responsible for Raccoon City,” Rebecca reminds her. “And she was working on the same project. She’s working on something here. We already know that Moira is here somewhere. She wouldn’t be here if they weren’t up to something. Just ask Ana at the infirmary, or Angela.”

“Barry’s daughter?” Sherry asks, startled.

“Different Moira,” Claire mutters.

“Oh.”

“Enough,” Eliza snaps. “We’ll do our job, and you do yours. You find proof that Annette is doing something, and we will shut her down. That’s the deal. You investigate, and we’ll back you up. We aren’t deviating from that. Was there something else?”

“No,” Jill says, scowling.

“Then we’re done here.”