One Killing Maze

Chapter 13

A sigh left the masked woman's lips as she held the side of her head with her right hand, her figure crouched low beside a few trees and hidden behind the foliage. The shadowed sight of the old building before her was surprisingly relieving, but at the same time, it brought back unsettling memories.

"Tired already?" A teasing voice asked as they approached from behind. Jane didn't move her head to see who it was as she already knew who had joined her on this mission.

"Of course not," Jane stood, brushing off the front and back of her short dress, "I was waiting for the two of you to catch up."

Jane wasn't too pleased to hear that Masky had assigned her a resonance mission with her former rival and his psychotic mutt. She had protested a case against going until she had heard about their current situation. Jane could tell that the proxy didn't want this information to spread among the group until the time was right, that's why he was sending the three of them out here... in disguise of this being a patrol.

Smile let out a snort, lifting his head to scent the air.

The three of them stared at the building for a few moments, watching the various openings for any sign of movement. Due to it being so dark, Jeff and Jane could only see so much, but Smile had a variety of strengths during the night...and because he was a canine with otherworldy abilities. The dog let out a rumble and approached the side of the building. The two humans looked at each other and then followed along slowly.

The One Killer Maze facility wasn't the same as they had left it. Of course, time had worn the walls and many protestors (or fans) had destroyed the interior, taking all the valuables they could before fleeing before the police could arrive. Jane was certainly glad that she and the others had gotten out of there as quickly as they could; she had vowed to never enter this building again but...

"Unlocked," the male commented, pushing one of the back doors with his foot. It creaked quietly at his touch, rust, and soot decorating the hinges and other surfaces. Smile huffed and pushed the door open a bit more with his nose, slipping inside. The two of them could hear the mutt's sharp claws clicking against the tiled floor; maybe Masky should've thought a bit ahead about sending the dog on this mission.

The room was cold, obviously due to the wear and tear of the building, most walls covered in dust, dirt, and other earthly things that had gotten inside the once sleek structure. There was no light illuminating from the florescent bulbs above them, but the trio didn't exactly have to worry about such things as they were very familiar with the interior of this place, that, and that they would know if someone was approaching.

Accompanying the ruined building were many scattered items littering the ground. Papers, once belonging to the many employees here, were skewed across the tile. The female was sure that some people might've taken a look at them in case there was any relevant information about the contestants or the killer themselves, but now they were tossed aside as it wasn't what the finder was looking for. The three continued in silence, surveying the place with a close eye, making sure to scan for any working cameras within the place. The two humans had Smile take the lead as a dog would at least be a bit more regular walking around the abandoned building rather than a group of seemingly gothic teenagers.

Smile stopped in his tracks, causing Jane and Jeff to stop not a second later. They could see the dog's shadowed figure twist its head in confusion, its ears twisting to listen for any sound around them.

"What is it?" Jane spoke softly, her voice barely echoing within the dark hall. Smile trotted over near a corner, a right turn, and peeked carefully around it. After standing defensively for a few moments, not allowing Jane nor Jeff to pass, Smile walked backward, growling lowly. Jane turned to look at Jeff who frowned, "well?"