(Editor's note: thanks for reading, and if you have a question about something that seems unclear to you, don't hesitate to ask. I'll try to answer and explain my point of view ^^)
As I enter the cabin, my eyes quickly scan the emergency plan posted on the wall, confirming the train's emergency brake mechanism. Just like in the game, you have to activate the device at the back and front of the train to stop its mad dash.
Rebecca and Billy enter just after I finish my inspection. "I'm going to activate the manual brake mechanism in the last car. You have to activate the manual brake here," I tell Rebecca firmly, before heading for the exit door.
The sense of urgency pushes me to act quickly. I know that every second counts in this race against time.
After giving my instructions to Rebecca, I launch myself out of the cabin, crossing the crowded corridor of cars with unwavering determination. The rain beats against my face as I deftly leap onto the roof of the first car, my boots skidding slightly on the wet metal surface. Despite this, I hold on tight to the railing and sprint toward the back of the train.
The wind whips at my face as I sprint from carriage to carriage, the rain making every step uncertain. Each second seems to last forever as I make my way through the carriages, my heart pounding in my chest.
Finally, I make it to the last part of the train. My hands shake slightly in anticipation as I insert the card into the braking mechanism. The device activates with a soft click, signifying that my mission is accomplished.
I grab my walkie, my fingers sliding lightly over the damp keys. "I'm good on my end, hurry up," I say breathlessly, the urgency palpable in my words as I hold on tight to the railing, eagerly awaiting Rebecca's response.
In the precious seconds that follow, the brakes finally come on, but each second seems to stretch into an eternity of waiting. I feel the tension in the air as the train begins to slow, the metallic sound of the rails grinding under the pressure.
Once the train has slowed enough, I pull out one of the Stingers, gripping the stinger tightly with my arm. The rain continues to fall, forming slippery beads on my skin as I desperately cling to the train, digging my arm through the metal of the wall to find solid footing.
The giant scorpion that I summon stands at my side, its massive pincers clawing at the rails in a desperate attempt to slow the train even further. I can feel the tension in its limbs, its pincers deteriorating under the strain of the effort, but it continues to fight, determined to help stop this train.
Each sound of metal against metal echoes like a scream in the tumult of the rain, but we hold on, doing everything we can to stop this train before it's too late. Each moment seems to last an eternity as we desperately cling to the hope that our combined effort will be enough to save those aboard.
The train continues to decelerate until it collides with the maintenance platform, violently shaking the car but narrowly avoiding a catastrophic overturn or fire.
I pull my arm out of the train leaving a huge trace of my presence before turning to my summon. Its tail is quite damaged where I held it and its pincers are completely broken.
"Thank you," I say to my Stinger, looking at it gratefully despite its injuries, before sending it back to the factory so it can regenerate.
I quickly exit the train, feeling the adrenaline still pumping through my veins, and join Billy and Rebecca at the front.
"Are you okay?" I asked as I joined them.
"I'm okay, I'm impressed, Officer King, you were quick to reach the back of the train which probably saved us," Billy said.
"You can call me Gerald, both of you stay careful. I'm going to inspect the surroundings of the tunnel and I'll join you after. I have the impression that there is an entrance further on," I said as I stopped after looking further.
Turning around, the two of them face what I see, about twenty zombies have stood up further away. They are dressed in workman's outfits. I quickly advance, taking my two Tonfa in hand before starting a brutal and deadly dance within this crowd.
The zombies try to grab me clumsily as I twirl my batons, exploding the skulls of those who are within my reach. In less than fifteen seconds, all the zombies are at my feet with sharp skull fractures. I put my Tonfa back in their holsters along my hips as I turn to Billy and Rebecca who have their handguns drawn. They put their weapons away with a strange expression oscillating between amazement and admiration.
Billy shakes his head, impressed. "I've rarely seen anyone handle weapons so effectively. It was impressive to see, Gerald."
Rebecca nods, a slight smile playing on her lips. "You're damn good, Gerald. I'm glad you joined Bravo Unit."
I smile at them once more before handing the grappling hook to Billy. "Here, this could be useful to you," I say.
Billy grabs the grappling hook with a grateful look. "Thanks, Gerald. We'll join you as soon as we can," he says, before leaving with Rebecca towards one of the service doors.
I stop as I approach the crates to pick up some equipment. Among the tools and parts, I find a coil of steel cable. By twisting a few metal bars, I make a homemade grappling hook that I connect to the wire. The advantage of having immense strength, I thought to myself.
A grappling hook with thirty meters of rope should be enough to pass the obstacles that are too annoying. After quickly checking that everything is secure, I head towards the tunnel entrance, ready to explore what lies on the other side.
I quickly exit through the entrance destroyed by the train. The sky was dark, obscured by threatening clouds and pouring rain. I then headed towards the top of the hill to reach the surroundings of the research center from the outside.
Unsurprisingly, a multitude of zombies were around, wandering slowly in the pouring rain, their mournful growls echoing in the air. I begin a methodical cleanup of the surroundings, collecting as many zombies in my factory for later.
But as I stocked up on supplies from the ranks of the undead, I was pleasantly surprised to find two Pale Heads emerging from the darkness. Their movements were agile, almost fast, but nothing I couldn't handle.
Once close enough, I seized the opportunity and absorbed them, feeling their life energy further strengthen the regeneration of my own monstrous creations.
I arrive in a clearing that is a little clearer before feeling a lump in the pit of my stomach, a feeling of unease as I begin to pay more attention to my surroundings.
All around me, I hear the sinister cawing of crows, a mournful sound that echoes in the humid and anxiety-laden air. Looking into the branches of the trees around me, I spot at least twenty of these winged creatures, their glowing eyes fixed on me with a menacing intensity.
Without a moment to lose, they swoop down on me, their sharp talons ready to tear my flesh apart. Reflexively, I place my forearms in front of my face to protect myself, but even with that defense, I feel the burning bite of their claws against my skin. "How is it possible that their claws can hurt me?" I wonder, surprised by the force of their attack.
As the crows continue to swoop down on me, I make a quick decision. I summon T-zombies to create a diversion, sending them rushing towards the crows to distract them. Taking advantage of this momentary respite, I quickly grab one of the crows that is still within reach, gripping its wings tightly between my fingers.
Then, without hesitation, I throw myself to the ground in a turtle position, protecting myself from the crows' relentless attacks. I feel their talons clawing the air above me as I hold the captured crow tightly in my hands. My breathing is slightly ragged from the sharp pain but I remain focused.
DING
A T-virus mutation detected, absorption will take 5 seconds.
5, 4, 3,
Under the crows' assault, I feel a multitude of claws and beaks scratching my back, the pain mixed with an intense burning sensation. Yet, despite the impact of their attacks, I feel my wounds healing quickly, the heat of my own regeneration counterbalancing the pain of the assault.
Each peck and claw that reaches me seems to be immediately neutralized by the healing power of my own body. It's a strange, almost supernatural feeling to feel my skin tighten and my muscles strengthen almost instantly after each hit.
2, 1, 0
T-virus mutation or successfully absorbed crow available in the factory
1 crow will be produced every 30 minutes. You have 20 crows directly in the factory.
You will be able to instantly subdue any crow that is not under your control with a simple touch.
As the crows pounce on me, one by one, they disappear into my factory, sucked up by an invisible force until there are none left. Each mutated bird is absorbed by my power, incorporated into my reserve of evolved creatures.
Unlike the T zombies, whose recovery can be useful but remains limited, I intend to make the most of this opportunity to recover as many mutated animals as possible. These modified crows could prove extremely useful in my future confrontations, whether to serve as a distraction, a means of transport or even a weapon.
"Since I have this power, I should not set myself any limits in its exploitation, only my imagination should be a limiting factor and perhaps the law as long as I am not immune to the rocket launcher" I thought, smiling at my humor.
Faced with the horde of zombies and dogs heading towards me, I feel a surge of adrenaline. Their number is impressive, a good fifty, but unlike my STARS colleagues, it is no longer a sufficient threat level to scare me. On the contrary, it is an opportunity to further strengthen my troops.
I throw myself into the fray, absorbing each mutated creature that crosses my path. The fight is non-existent, every body that touches me or that I touch is absorbed.
However, a group of zombie workers manage to escape the rule somewhat due to their thick clothing and gloves.
The clothes I am wearing are starting to tear under the incessant assault, and I know that I will have to find new clothes before the end of the night.
As I arrive at the edge of the complex, I notice that the bridge leading to the entrance has fallen, the destruction is not recent since there is almost no debris below.
However, the distance to the other side is not an insurmountable obstacle for me, thanks to my superhuman jumping abilities. I prepare to make an impressive leap to cross the chasm and reach the complex.
I feel so alive feeling the air and the rain whipping my face but I have not taken into account a detain. the ground on the other side is a huge expanse of mud.
As I touch the ground, I slide for several meters, managing to catch myself in extremis on a stone column, avoiding a mud bath.
I destroy the locked metal entrance door of the research center thanks to one of the grenades that I had kept to come across Billy and Rebecca searching the hall. They point their weapons reflexively towards the source of the noise before lowering them.
"Gerald, are you okay, are your clothes in tatters?" Rebecca asks me, looking worried. My appearance is no longer really worthy of the elite unit. Bravo, I quickly threw away the piece of ragged t-shirt, remaining shirtless for the moment.
"I'm fine, I took care of the surroundings but you have to be careful if you go outside, there are crows that are quite dangerous and do not hesitate to attack humans. Speaking of clothes, what's that smelly liquid on your pants?" I asked Billy and Rebecca as I looked at their stuff.
"We passed through a place filled with sewage, it's not important" Billy said clearly embarrassed and bothered by the smell.
Looking at the two with a slight smirk, I glanced around before pulling out my gun to shoot a surveillance camera.
"Systematically destroy the cameras, I don't want to be an easy target here and something tells me we'll end up going around in circles before we find a way to escape"
"Good point, Gerald", Rebecca agreed with a nod. "The cameras could be dangerous if someone decided to trap us"
Billy, for his part, adjusted his gun with a determined look. "You're right. We don't know who's behind this, but if they're watching us, we might as well make it difficult for them."
I smiled at their reaction, appreciating their understanding and cooperation. "Exactly. We need to stay one step ahead of our enemies. Now, let's keep searching this place. Who knows what we might find."