Playing The Victims [BL]

Chapter Eighty-Four | Third World

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There was no definitive change in temperature as they pulled themselves up the ladder and through a hatch that opened up into one of the high-rise buildings in the centre of the city. They made no rash moves, taking it as steadily and as quietly as possible. Even though Fahren hadn't been part of the world before the apocalypse, he knew not to take any unnecessary chances with Rotters. They could pop up from anywhere, sometimes in places you wouldn't expect.

In the initial panic, those vying for survival could have locked them in unassuming places. Which didn't bode well for people opening those doors at a later date.

Hitching his jacket so it was snug against his skin, Hansel peered around their new surroundings. It was odd seeing such a modern space go unused. And from where they stood, the building didn't seem to have sustained any damage. But they were located in the area created for the maintenance crews; who naturally went to and from unnoticed.

A breeze coursing through the open space made Hansel shiver even more. Niklas detected it too, leading them both in the direction it was coming from. They stuck to the walls; marble floors masking their movements. The time they spent in the tunnels ate away at the daylight, black clouds making it increasingly dull. The temperature was only going to drop further.

Peering around one of the many corners of the Mirage Hotel, both men were greeted with the skeleton of a once elaborate entranceway. From the looks of it, a majority of the construction was made up of glass. Which was always going to be the first victim in a state of chaos. Dark red splatters, long since dried, were embedded in the mosaic-style feature in the centre of the oval reception area.

Anyone could be fooled into thinking that the Mirage had been unaffected, but that would be after wading over a battleground of various shards of glass and questionable appendages discarded here and there.

As Hansel had previously guessed, they were in fact in the centre of the Hydro-City. Which meant that their current position was a focal point of the area. Now since the entire entrance of the building had imploded and opened to the elements, the two men could be considered to be in an exposed location. But ideal for potentially scouting any Advanced Rotters.

Niklas looked over his shoulder, expecting to see Hansel waiting on his orders while flush against the wall, but instead he was practically peering around him impatiently. The older man sighed, ushering him backwards with a series of nudges. "We need to get somewhere warm and then eat. The weather doesn't look promising and I don't want us getting caught outside."

Hansel nodded his head while looking around the reception, "I wonder if they have any rooms available?" He wondered aloud before tilting his head just enough to expose his small grin to the Commander. As if that wasn't a hilarious joke, Niklas ignored him and started doubling back towards the emergency staircase they previously passed.

There was a single window they were able to see through before opening the door. On the left hand side, stuffed in a corner, was an unresponsive Rotter. From the looks of it, bugs had feasted on the remnants of the corpse. The odd fly still lingering around the skeleton.

Niklas gripped the door handle and intended to use it when Hansel stopped him. "Pull your coat up and around your face," Hansel demonstrated with his own. "We should try and keep as many flies off us as possible. Since they've been gorging on that Rotter for who knows how long, they'll likely be infested."

Hitching the fabric around themselves, partially covering up their faces, they stepped through the doorway. Even with their heads protected, they both picked up on the buzzing that filled the compacted space. So they didn't hang around; with Niklas leading the way they reached the first floor in no time.