Hours passed when Earl was let back into the facility, his tired eyes red and puffy.
"Earl?"
His messy orange hair shifting as he picks his head up from his desk, deep seafoam eyes faded with exhaustion. He hums staring up to where I stood fingers gripping the desk to keep balance.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah... No." He responds sitting upright, his scared fingers running down his taupe brown skin. "I don't know how to explain but, Arius... They won't be around, and I don't know how this is going to affect my abilities."
"Understandable... You kept mumbling about some new hunger, I am hoping it's not a new Horror."
"I'm hoping its nothing more than a scare tactic by the Acolytes."
Earl hums falling forward onto the hard wood of his desk.
"Alright boys."
Looking up Elliot steps over to us, moving out of the way he leans against my desk his bad leg limply swaying a bit as he places his hand over his knee.
"We have a few ways to proceed, one being to dig through the US divisions files and finding out what they're hiding. The second being we dig through the pits and other horrors." Elliot grumbled, "But with your." He gestured toward Earl. "Predicament I believe it to be best to go through files first."
"I can go through the pits." Earl interjects slamming his fist against his desk. "I can at least try and talk to the pit and the crawlers that live within."
"NO!" I shot up taking a step forward and jabbing a finger against Earl's chest. "You are doing nothing of the sort."
"Then what are we going to do?"
"We could talk to Emlyn." Elliot suggested eyeing me for a moment before throwing his hands out in defense as I glared down at him.
"I... I, I don't know if I could get a hold of them..." The rage quickly dies down as I fall back into my seat. Running my hands through my peppered hair, I could barely think.
"Well while you try to find a way, I am going to go hunt down Alpha team and go look through the US database."
With that, Elliot hobbles off his cane clicking until the door to our office closes.
"You still haven't seen Emlyn? Why haven't you told me." Earl questioned, his tone worried and surprised.
"Because what happens between my partner, and I is no one's business Earl... besides you shot him last time so they're not very keen on seeing you anytime soon."
That makes Earl chuckle shrugging his shoulders as he taps a finger against his desk.
"That's understandable."
Our office seemed far too distant as the clock's audible ticking became static. Not another word fell in the room for a good ten minutes before Earl spoke up.
"What if we put you in danger? They might pop up right?"
"Earl if you try to get me killed it will be far more trouble than what it would be worth..." I retort standing up, fixing some papers, and walking across the room to the dusty filing cabinets that we barely use.
"But it would get their attention, right?"
"Perhaps, but what if it doesn't? Then we will have one last archivist to deal with your chaotic mess."
That makes Earl smile, shaking his head and standing up.
"I would take the hit before it even touched you."
"You're not supposed to die idiot."
Earl shrugs walking towards the door and sticking his head outside. Looking back and forth he waves his hand for me to follow. Begrudgingly I do.
"What is your plan exactly?"
"Oh, you're going to love it."
Trekking through the labyrinth of halls we find our way towards the portal doors. Amora nowhere in sight as we walk from door-to-door Earl mumbling as he opens and closes each one.
"What are you looking for?" I question him as he slams another door.
"You'll see... now where the hell is that door? They couldn't have taken it out already..."
"Are you--"
"Ahha! There you are." Following Earl's eyes, the US Division doors stand ajar.
"Looks like someone's already here to ruin your plan."
Earl cursed under his breath, pushing the door open and stepping inside.
"We can still try." He mumbled ushering me inside the now dark covered walls.
"I don't think this is a good idea."
"Trust me. I know." Earl joked, hitting my shoulder as he walked past and into the foyer everything far too quiet.
"Shouldn't Beta Team be here already?" I mumble looking around the room, no noise besides our footsteps against the debris. That is before a low groan responded and Earl took a deep breath.
"Let's get this party started!"