Hidden: In the Dark

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Ragdoll plays in the background while we trail towards a cash register. Leaning against it with his back turned and headphones on is Steve bobbing his head. ♪Don't mind, come on up and see me. Ragdoll, baby won't you-♪ "Steve." There's a voice from behind him coming from his coworker, Bruce. Steve slowly turns around taking off his headphones, stopping the music. "Turn your light on." Bruce says. Steve looks up and sees that his register light isn't on. He flicks the switch. "Can't believe you're allowed to listen to music." Bruce says. 

"Never said I was, but hey, it's a condition."

Steve rings up a customer. "Have a nice day." He looks at his phone. Bruce moves towards Steve's register. "Did you tell them about our survey?" He asks. 

"No, you know I didn't, you were standing right there! Fight me." Steve retaliates. 

"You're going to get in trouble." Bruce hangs over his head. 

"And what? Fired for not asking for a stinking survey that everyone is tired of hearing about?! You know you're too lenient for letting them make you-" 

Bruce interrupts. "Steve, your-" He points at his chest. Steve looks down and sees red starting to bleed through his shirt. "Oh...shoot." He walks over to the first aid cabinet. A manager comes out of the office room to see him. "I'll call an ambulance." 

"An ambulance won't be necessary..." Steve hisses from the pain as he waddles towards the door. "My sister is coming to take me."

Ragdoll continues in the background with the random noises the singer makes at the end as Steve walks outside and waits until the doors close behind him to stop limping. He gets inside the back seat of the car to see both Zip and Maze in the front seat. "Got your text. I ruined a shirt to get out here." Steve lifts up his shirt and takes off a taped ketchup packet. His scar has been healed for weeks. He laughs. The other two stay silent. 

They roll up to a red light which sounds like a good time to break that silence. "So, how was your vacation?"

"We found Vera." 

"At the beach?!" 

"Yeah that was part of the reason we wanted to go, we found a lead that someone that matched Vera's description was there." Zack assures while the traffic light turns green. 

"Where is she now?" 

"At the base." 

"Sounds like it really shook you up, is she alright?" 

"She's...different but trying." Maze says, fixing her hair. 

"I can imagine...after what she's been through." He starts to feel sympathy. 

"We think maybe if she saw you were alive, she might warm up to us, that way she doesn't feel AS guilty." She looks out the window. It's been a few days already; She ate a lot when they got back of course but hasn't been more recently.

"She's not the Vera we once knew. I know she tried to do stuff before but try to keep from being aggressive." Zip advises. Steve looks down at the floor. 

"So, did she say WHY she did it?" They stay silent for a moment. "The way I'd describe it is, she's like Free Willy, has to have someone help her escape her cage...not to say she's not capable of doing it on her own..." 

"No, she's not." Zip says bluntly. Maze bumps her elbow into his side. "Hey! I was just kidding." Zip defends himself but Maze pays no mind. 

"But I think Wicker was her way out."

"Is that why you were so quick to forgive her?" Steve asks. 

"Well...yeah, in a way, because I could see what she was going through and it's good to have help available." Steve thinks about what she said. "We'll tell you more about the interrogation later, we're here." Zip turns the corner.

"Hmm." Zip pulls up to park. "What's wrong?" Maze asks. "Emmy's car is here, that's unusual for a day like this." He looks suspicious. "And who's car is that?" Steve leans in between the front seats. "Where?" Zip looks all around. Steve points in the right direction and behind the building is the fender of a car peeking out. "Something's not right here..." Zip says worriedly.