Chapter Text
Baseball cap? Check. Obnoxiously large camera? Check. Fannypack? Unfortunately, check. You were just glad you were able to convince HQ that you didn’t need to be wearing socks and sandals. You needed to be able to GTFO if shit hit the fan. Plus you were supposed to look like the average American tourist but even the dreaded socks and sandals combo was taking it too far. At least the college branded t-shirt and hat screamed “why yes, I am an alumni of this American college. I do enjoy its sports teams. Go team!”
“Remember, be a normal American tourist. Do tourist things.” You murmured as you readjusted your hat, trying to find the most proper curvature of the bill so it looked natural and not like the higher ups had given you this hat before the mission. No, that certainly wouldn’t be the case.
Satisfied, you shoulder your daypack and go to leave the shitty, rundown inn that HQ insisted was safe. You strongly doubted it. But the target had many of the villagers under her thumb…whether by true loyalty or fear…only time, and you, would be able to tell.
People talked where food was served, that’s the advice to received from the more seasoned folks…so you followed your nose. The smell of some sort of savory food that seemed promising was wafting down the street. You couldn’t read the script or understand what the name meant but you at least knew from briefings that it was a restaurant owned by a man named Bogdi, so Bogdi’s it was. Bogdi was neutral or so the initial recon told you. People needed a safe place to congregate and eat but any true rumblings of anything were said to be snuffed out. The perfect place for a loud-mouth tourist to go.
Eyes were on you the second you walked in, the small space going quiet. For a moment you felt like you were in a western, busting into the local saloon.
You walked to the counter and smiled widely and obnoxiously at the man who was working, presumably Bogdi. “Hi! How are you?” you cringed internally but, hey, you survived Raccoon City…you could survive this. You ordered a coffee and a pastry for breakfast, light and cheap. No superfluous spending money while on the job. Bogdi served it to you with a suspicious expression which you replied with a thousand-watt smile. You pretended to take a few selfies and even a few photos of your small breakfast. You hated acting like this.
The normal chatter had returned, hushed whispers but HQ would be able to listen and translate. You fiddled with your camera for a moment, the battery was full and the SD card empty, just as it was when you left but it never hurt to check. You spent some time pretending to scroll on your phone but a young man, his face small and tinged red like a mini-version of Bogdi…presumably his son, came to your table, frowning.
“You should go.” Bogdi Jr. said, menacingly. Was your life suddenly a horror film? Well technically it already was Ms. “I survived Raccoon City and all I got was this lousy t-shirt and trauma” You just looked at the young man, confused “you are done with your meal. We need the table for other customers.” Well that was a polite way to put it, though, you had to wonder if that was truly the case. In the thirty minutes you had been sitting there, not another soul had come in. Strangers made people uneasy.
“Oh Em Gee.” You exclaimed, trying not to gag, “I'm sooo sorry. I was just texting my sorority sisters about how just so cute and rustic this place was. I'll get out of your hair ASAP.” You shot the baffled young man a wink and began to pack up. The conversation in the room had died down as well. So much for that intel.
You exit the restaurant and mentally flip through your rolodex to determine where to go next. A young girl selling flowers catches your eye. She has a small, round and chubby face with ruddy cheeks. Her dress was pale blue and honestly she was the damn cutest thing you had seen since arriving in the town. Her father or older brother you presumed was next to her chopping wood. The little girl saw you and waved, smiling shyly. How precious. You smile and wave back, the man now taking notice and quickly beginning to usher her back inside towards their home. How bizarre.
Your eyes flit up and down the street at the hustle and bustle of people going about their business and the sudden realization hit you.
Where were all the young women?
Fear, all too familiar, crept up your spine so you took out your camera and snapped a few candid shots of the locals. Most ignored you while those who did take notice said nothing. Why bother with an obnoxious American tourist? The perfect cover. There were a couple of major landmarks besides the big, damn scary castle in the distance that you wanted to check out first.