The team reaches the emergency stairs and the sounds of monsters could be heard faintly from below.
Everyone looks down to see the monsters.
"Direwolves and Prattas… They're scary…" The workers say.
"Adding Sujins to that, three types of monsters. Our terrorists must've thought it through." Arvena said.
Rean looks over slightly to see the floor below them. There is a hole in each floor, and those holes are not on the flooring outside of emergency exit but exactly on the stairs. The position will make it harder for the monsters to jump over the hole because it's ascending.
'Only the Direwolves that are capable of jumping over the hole. But since the smell of dusty iron is different from blood, it's bound to stop them from going up. Not to mention the momentum they must have before jumping because the holes are wide.' Rean thought. He also thinks it was clever of Patrick to have an efficient thinking.
"T-They're jumping over the holes!" One of the female workers points below. "W-Will they get here?"
"They won't." Rean said. And his deduction is proven right when the Direwolf in front stops at the 10th floor then enters the emergency door. It's quickly followed by the other Direwolves behind it.
The sight relieves the workers slightly. Then there's static noise coming from the cadets' Arrows.
"Team Jake. Status."
It's the Captain.
"This is Patrick." Patrick wonders why she sounds out of breath, but he immediately explains the situation. She doesn't sound happy with it though. "Sorry for making rash decision. But we think it's for the best."
"You're supposed to supervise them and protect them. That's why we paired you up." Natalie scolded.
"Sorry, Natalie." Jake apologized. Terrence is partnered with him, so it's his fault for allowing him to go like that.
"It's Captain." Natalie corrected. "Report everything later. Now go to floor 18 and rendezvous with Team Rufus."
Arvena frowns. "Rufus? Isn't that the bull—"
"Shh, Arvi." Patrick shushed her.
"Are they alright?" Rean immediately asked.
"They're fine. It seems 18th floor is safe. Go there to catch some breath before going up. Arvena also needs some treatment, treat her there. After that, rendezvous with Cadet Terrence in floor 20, and—" She pauses. "I have to go."
"Wait, Captain, can I ask something?" Rean asked.
"Over."
Then the line is cut off.
"Ah." Rean then turns off his mic, dejected.
"Let's move." Patrick said.
Rean walks in front, followed by two survivors, Jake and Arvena, the other two workers, and lastly Patrick. They walk up the emergency stairs calmly.
"What did you want to ask, Rean?" Arvena asked.
"Ah. It's… It's just strange to me." Rean said.
"What is?"
Rean is silent for a moment, then he asks. "Don't you find it the terrorists' movements strange?"
Being one of the Go Team members, Arvena answers. "I thought so too. I have a hunch but I'm not sure."
"What do you mean?" Jake asked. Patrick doesn't seem to get it either.
Arvena and Rean look at each other in thought.
"I'll report this anomaly later. Senior Arvena needs treatment and meeting more cadets means more help." Rean said.
"He's right. We better get moving." Patrick said.
"Umm, kids."
The cadets turn to the workers.
"Let me carry you on my back until we reach the 18th floor." The male worker said.
Arvena is startled by the suggestion. "Eh? N-No, I couldn't possibly—"
"But what Terrence said was right!" One of the female workers said.
The other female worker nods. "We cannot fight, so you have to protect us. There are three of us but only two of you who can fight now. We don't doubt your ability, but it's better to have you boys fight."
The man nods. "Even though I'm a civilian, I'm still strong enough to carry a girl!" He punches his own chest proudly.
"And we won't scream!" The female workers looked determined.
The cadets contemplated with each other. The suggestion isn't bad, it's just that the seniors feel their pride gets trampled a bit because they have to be helped by the people they've just saved. Rean is quite confused at their line of thinking, because he thought it is actually very helpful. But eventually, they accept.
"I'll be in your care." Arvena said.
The man laughs. "Hang on tight, missy!"
"Let's go, people." Rean leads them up front.
-
Just a few moments ago.
"Cadet Terrence. Status report."
My Arrow suddenly lights up. I got spooked quite a bit because it's very sudden. "Damn operators."
I don't respond right away and just continue what I was doing.
I had reached the 17th floor and am currently looking through every single room for something. Because I don't remember which room the thing is in.
"Cadet Terrence. I can see you're moving to different rooms. Are you suspecting a survivor?"
I flinch when she said that. 'She can 'see' me?'
I look at the camera on the ceilings. If I remember correctly, the cameras in this building had been disabled prior to Terrace's arrival. It was mentioned in the game, that's why they want us to do a sweep from below and rescue whoever we can rescue. So how did she exactly 'sees' me?
I turn on my mic. "You see me where…?"
"Conference Room in 17th floor. Is there a survivor there?"
I look at the room I'm currently in. It does look like a meeting room.
I'm kinda spooked at this sudden revelation, so I decide to do a little experiment real quick.
I approach the water dispenser. I get myself a cup of water while looking at the camera. "Do you see what I'm doing?"
"I don't. I can't. Although I head running water."
"Guess." I said, stopping the waterflow.
There's a pause. Then she said. "Please don't tell me you're doing number 1 in a Conference Room."
'So it's not through a camera. That's a relief. She can't see what I'm doing beside moving from one place to another. But what is it then?' I drink the water in one gulp before sighing relaxedly. "Yup."
"Ugh. You're disgusting!" The disgust is very apparent in her voice.
I put the paper cup above the gallon. "Relax. I was drinking a cup of water. How did you see me anyway? The cameras are all dead."
"It doesn't matter how. Just tell me your status."
"Alive." I turn off my mic and walk out of the room.
"Urgh! Tell me your situation!"
I don't answer immediately and just run lightly to the end of the hallway.
"Cadet Terrence!"
There are three office rooms on this side and a pantry on the other end of this hallway that also connects to a toilet.
I walk steadily past the first room before slowing down in front of the second room. It's to avoid the operator suspecting me, since she said she can see me moving. Then I enter the second room.
The office is not that in a mess. There's a bag on the chair though, which means the worker was present when the building was invaded. There are paper strewn on the table and on the floor, a half-eaten sandwich, and an unopened bag of chips. But those are not why I'm here.
"Is there a survivor in that room?"
There is a small action figure beside the computer. A famous character from a popular game in this world. I don't know the game, but I know the character's name. It's 'Baby Kapo'. It's a chick with beak like a parrot, blue streaks in its small folded wings, round body and white feathers, and it's smiling with its beak open.
It looks so cute and it's an adaptation of a real bird monster Kapo. It's actually a very cute monster, and I'm looking forward to see it one day before I depart for the end game.
"Cadet Terrence!"
I keep the Baby Kapo figurine in my bag and turn on my mic again. Then I open the bag of chips.
"What? You're being noisy." I put one chip in my mouth and purposefully eat loud. I mean, crunching the chips exaggeratedly.
"What is that sound? What are you doing?"
"Eating chips." I answer flatly, then I crunch some chips in my mouth.
"… You're…"
"It's seaweed flavor."
Then I see the camera light on and I think she might have forced open my Arrow camera. So I help her see the chips bag I'm holding. "See? Seaweed flavor?"
"You're… UNBELIEVABLE!!"
I snicker. "I know." I crunch another chip.
"We're in crisis! Check on the civilians now!!"
"I 'am' checking."
"You're eating chips!"
"While walking and looking around." I crunch another dramatically. I wasn't lying, I'm walking and eating.
I hear her growling before the connection got cut off. The camera light is also switched off.
I snicker again. 'She's gonna call Natalie now. Messing around is so fun.'
There's a static sound then a different voice speaks. "Terrence. Report your status."
It really is Natalie. I grin widely because the first girl can't handle me. "Hello, Captain. I'm okay and hungry."
"The floor's status." She corrected.
"Uhh… It's marble white." I answer before I crush yet another chip.
I can hear her sigh. "Terrence. We're all tired."
I swallow the chips. "You should rest, Captain."
"I can't. Not until all of this is over."
"Oh well, then hang in there." I fish more chips and eat them.
"Will you help me get through it like the others are doing?"
Her voice does seem a bit tired. Or maybe it's just me?
I finish the chips before I crumple the bag into a ball. Then I stop by the normal stairs and throw it in the garbage bin nearby.
"Don't worry, Captain. I am helping. You just have to trust me like the others are doing." I deliver her words right back at her cheerfully.
I can almost feel her smile from the Arrow.
"Alright, then. I will." She caved in.
I smile. 'Of course you will.'
"Can I hang up now?" I asked.
"Yes. And Terrence?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't die."
I snicker. "Hell nah I won't. You owe me coffee."
The line cut off.
At the base, Natalie leans back to the chair. Sheena is looking annoyed at the screen.
"Why is he listening to you but not to me? He listened to me before." Sheena asked.
Natalie is smiling. "I was his instructor, Sheena."
"I don't like him. He's like that junior bully in the student committee. Hard to handle." Sheena puffs her cheeks.
Natalie then sits straight with a soft grunt. "Tell Kal to come back. We need him to set up a drone."
Sheena punches a button and speaks to the intercom. "Kal!"
Natalie stares at the screen, looking exactly at the dot in 17th floor that is moving up to 18th floor. Then she watches as the dot skips 18th floor and goes up to 19th floor. "Oh yeah, I didn't brief him about Rufus's Team. But he was asked to disable the Connector, so that's maybe why he ignores 18th. Well, anyhow, I really hope he doesn't die. No one has checked above 18th."