(Editor's note: thanks for the power stones and don't hesitate to leave some comments or gifs in the paragraphs, it motivates me to continue the story. Happy reading ^^)
Rebecca strides confidently, her gaze fixed on the closed door, while I climb the first steps of the staircase, observing the scene carefully. When the door behind us opens again, Billy's silhouette appears, his gun pointed at me, while Rebecca reacts instinctively by pointing her gun at him.
I massage the bridge of my nose, letting out a small sigh. "Good evening, Lieutenant Coen. As I was telling Rebecca, I have no intention of arresting you in this situation. I choose to put my priorities elsewhere," I say, sketching a reassuring smile before motioning for Rebecca to put her gun away.
Billy seems slightly relieved. "I'm relieved that there are at least people like you in the police. You weren't really in my plans, but maybe we could team up?" he asks.
"I'm sorry, but I'm offering you a different arrangement instead," I replied, locking eyes with him. "As a combat specialist with STARS and a former member of the military who was in charge of infiltration and reconnaissance, I'd like to ask if you'd be willing to team up with Rebecca here. She's a medic, and together you could make an effective team. In the meantime, I'll use all my abilities to search this place. I'll stay within earshot, and Rebecca can reach me on the walkie-talkie if needed. What do you say?"
"That was what I was going to propose to the lady before I knew there was another STARS member around, but I'm fine with that," Billy replied in a more relaxed tone, showing a certain openness.
However, Rebecca still seemed concerned. "But, Captain Enrico said to watch out for him," she pointed out, her concern evident in her voice.
"Rebecca, I know I haven't been with the team for a long time, but think about it. Have I ever made a decision that could put one of our teammates in danger?"
She takes a moment to think about it because I can see the fluctuations in her facial expressions before she looks me in the eye.
I held her gaze, trying to reassure her. "I heard Enrico's report, but let me use simple logic," I said, staring at Rebecca. "Normally, soldiers are never alone, they operate in battalions, except in specific cases like mine, where I am tasked with solo reconnaissance missions. Lieutenant Billy does not seem to fit that pattern. How could he have killed 23 people without being subdued or shot by his own battalion?" I asked, raising a pertinent question.
Billy looked at me with a complex expression, as I removed the handcuffs with a quick movement. "If I am not mistaken, Lieutenant Coen, you were the only one who opposed the order to kill these people, but you ended up taking the blame, didn't you?" I added, showing a tacit understanding of his situation.
"Thanks, I told my side of the story but it was my voice against the rest of the unit" he replied, his voice filled with gratitude, as I felt his grateful gaze fall on me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rebecca put her hand over her mouth with a shocked expression.
"I'll leave you, I'm going to go throw the bodies off the train so those nice monsters don't get back up and waste any more ammo," I said, turning to Rebecca with a smile.
She caught the clip I tossed her and examined it curiously. "Aren't you going to need it?" she asked, a slight worry in her voice.
"No, those are Edward's bullets, I have my magnum, you forgot," I replied, teasing Rebecca with a look. "I kept his gun with a clip just in case, but for those zombies or even those dogs..." I snort, raising my Tonfa defiantly, under Billy's impressed gaze.
Rebecca smiles while Billy seems equally impressed. "You're pretty well equipped," he comments. This little comment from Billy momentarily brings back the memory of the shower with the coworkers but I quickly dismiss it.
I shrug casually. "Always prepared, that's my motto," I reply with a smile before heading towards the exit.
I hurry to transport the bodies of the passengers to my factory, feeling a growing tension in the air. Each movement is precise, almost mechanical, as I strive to complete the task as quickly as possible. Every second counts.
The darkness of the night envelops the forest, adding to the oppressive atmosphere. The silence is broken only by the rustling of leaves and the cracking of branches under my hurried steps.
Inside the train, sudden screams echo, followed by a burst of gunfire. Before I can rush towards the source of the noise, I catch sight of the white silhouette of James Marcus standing out clearly in the darkness of the night.
Without hesitation, I break the glass of the window and launch myself out of the train, my footsteps echoing in the silence of the night. As I am a hundred meters away from him, the bastard begins to sing, the leeches gather around him, answering his sinister call. They pounce on me, hungry for my flesh, but they are absorbed by my factory no matter where they try to touch me.
For form's sake, I shoot him in the head with a magnum but he magically dodges it, like a nimble dancer avoiding the attacks of a clumsy opponent.
Meanwhile, the train sets off, Rebecca and Billy watching me worriedly from inside. I have to act fast. I rush back to the train before jumping onto the roof of a carriage.
Despite my disappointment at not having defeated the big bad guy right from the start, I have managed to collect a hundred leeches, like a hunter bringing back his loot after a fierce fight.
In the dim light of the train's interior, I wave to Rebecca and Billy, inviting them to join me as I work to put out the fire, anticipating any risk of fire that might arise.
I go back inside and wave to Rebecca and Billy, inviting them to join me as I quickly put out the fire, just in case.
"I've already cleaned one car, I'll move on to the next one while inspecting the train," I announce as I head to the next door, ready to continue our search. Before Rebecca can even react, I'm dashing towards the door, determined not to waste any time.
With a powerful kick, I dislodge the door from its hinges, letting out an ominous metallic creak in the air laden with tension. Despite my attempt to hold back my strength, the door gives way almost immediately under the pressure, a testament to the power that lies dormant within me.
Rebecca interrupts my progress with a pertinent question: "Gerald, I read in a report that the switch to restore power to the door downstairs is located on the roof. Have you seen it?"
I pause for a moment, considering her question. "Yes, I saw it, but I'm going to force the door downstairs. The cables are exposed and it's raining heavily." I wouldn't risk touching that if I were you," I replied, aware of the potential dangers.
Entering the small room, I noticed a set of bullets and a key sitting on a shelf. Without hesitation, I grabbed them and tossed them to Rebecca. "Here, there are bullets and a key. I might have opened most of the doors by now, but take it anyway," I told her, before continuing my inspection, determined to uncover the mysteries hidden inside the train.
I went back downstairs and with a deft movement, I lightly took off the door, creating an opening large enough for one person. Here I was in the train's kitchen, surrounded by ovens and other equipment. With agility, I ripped the door aside and grabbed the zombie by the throat with my baton, thus avoiding absorbing it. With a sudden movement, I broke its neck. Simple zombies are no challenge to me, so I enjoy taking them out one by one.
After a quick check of the surroundings, I break down the next door and find myself facing infected dogs. With a well-placed Tonfa strike, I put them out of harm's way. Wasting no time, I continue my advance, determined to explore every corner of the train. I venture outside and summon a clone of Jordan to activate the lever, while I grab the grappling hook launcher. After retrieving the clone, I aggressively jump onto the roof and rush to the other side of the train, where I know the Stinger is, perched above.
Three cars later, I spot it in all its glory. Unlike in the game, I'm not sure the knife trick will work against it. In one fluid movement, I rush towards it, deftly avoiding its pincer strike. In an instant, I jump behind it and grab its tail, blocking its stinger to avoid any inconvenience.
DING
T-virus mutation detected, absorption will take 65 seconds.
65.64.63
As I prepare to face the Stinger, I can already sense its agitation growing. A quick glance around the factory reveals the presence of about twenty G-zombies. Without hesitation, I summon ten to help me subdue the beast.
Two of them rush towards the Stinger's pincers, holding them firmly to the ground, while the others attack its massive legs, methodically breaking them. The giant scorpion's limbs are now completely restrained, its strength annihilated by the combined efforts of my undead allies and the restraints of my two G-zombies.
The Stinger struggles furiously, but its movements are increasingly limited as its appendages are broken one by one. Despite its imposing size, the creature is now at my mercy, unable to fight back effectively.
The T-virus mutation has taken significant damage, absorption time reduced by 20 seconds.
58, 38, 37, 36
Like a titan captured by invisible chains, the Stinger struggles in a desperate fight. Its once menacing pincers are now reduced to mere useless appendages, tangled in a macabre ballet of broken limbs. Its once agile and deadly tail is now like a spear stuck in the mud, helpless and futile in its attempt to free itself.
4, 3, 2, 1, 0
T-virus mutation or Stinger successfully absorbed available in the factory
1 Stinger will be produced every 15 days. You have 2 Stingers directly in the factory.
You will be able to instantly subdue any Stinger that is not under your control with a simple touch.
The last part doesn't matter since there is no second Stinger in the games but I don't know if that has changed or not. After reuniting with my men, I move towards the roof of the next wagon.
The pouring rain adds an eerie dimension to the scene as I silently watch over a soldier, invisible in the shadows of the train. His radio call is lost in the roar of the storm, as another soldier joins him.
Suddenly, the leeches emerge from the darkness, rushing towards the soldier and his colleague. Their screams of terror mix with the roar of the storm as bullets fly through the night. But their resistance is futile against the bloody tide of the creatures, and soon silence falls again, broken only by the sound of the rain.
I quickly dismount from the train, taking advantage of the chaos caused by the leeches to approach. They try to overwhelm me as well, but I quickly absorb them, adding their strength to my own. With icy precision, I collect the weapons and ammunition of the fallen soldiers, barely paying attention to their lifeless corpses.
I put it in my inventory before throwing the two over the railing of the train after smashing their skulls as Billy and Rebecca arrive at that moment.
"Who was he?" Billy asked as he walked towards the cabin.
"Umbrella soldiers, I heard their communication but those idiots didn't watch their backs and they were taken from behind by the leeches. I decided to smash their skulls before throwing the bodies to avoid trouble later. They were the ones who restarted the train so we'll have to hurry up and stop it" I said as I hurried towards the cabin.