I took five minutes to fill Barry in on the status of Bravo Team and some crucial discoveries about Umbrella, including the evidence we've collected and the creatures we've faced. I also told him about the regenerative abilities some of the team members have acquired.
As Barry and I head back, I watch as he continues to massage his hand, a snicker escaping my lips.
"What's so funny, Gerald?" Barry asks with a childish pout, his brow furrowed and his cheeks reddening slightly in frustration.
"Nothing, nothing," I say, trying to contain my laughter. "It's just... I didn't expect you to react like a kid who just stubbed his toe."
"It's not my fault if hitting you hurts more than getting hit," Barry said as he managed to realign his wrist, relieving the pain and allowing his regeneration factor to complete its task.
"The pain should pass quickly," I said, before stopping abruptly, a wave of worry running through me. "Barry, can you tell me where the other four members of Alpha Team are?"
His face fell as he answered me, the anxiety evident in his voice. "Joseph went to check the underbrush behind the mansion, Brad stayed by the helicopter, but Chris and Jill... they went into the underground next to the mansion."
A horrible thought came to me when I heard Barry mention underground, the giant spider was down there with a few of its kind.
"Guys, go back to the room with Steve and Lisa and wait for me," I say as I start running quickly toward the surface, determined to find Chris and Jill before it's too late.
I rush into an underground tunnel, covering huge distances in a matter of seconds. The tunnel walls are rough, covered in moss and gnarled roots hanging from the low ceiling. The floor is uneven, strewn with rocks and pools of stagnant water. A faint light filters through cracks in the ceiling, casting eerie shadows that dance on the walls.
My gaze falls on the corpses of giant spiders, their chitinous shells shattered and their legs folded grotesquely. A little further on, I notice a giant dung beetle, its metallic wings scattered around it, crushed by a brutal force.
Crimson red ants, as big as dogs, lie scattered, their fearsome mandibles still open in a last-ditch fight. The tunnels are permeated with a pungent stench of decay and damp earth, adding to the oppressive atmosphere of the place.
I continue my run, the images of the slain creatures reminding me of the urgency of my mission. Chris and Jill must be here somewhere, and every second counts.
After a moment, I catch a faint voice coming from a pair of metal doors to my left. "Please, nnnnnoooooOOOOO!!!"
I recognize Jill's voice. Panic and determination fill me as I rush toward the door, tearing the hinges off with a powerful shoulder blow. One of the doors flies off with a huge crash, echoing in the dark and gloomy room that unfolds before me.
The underground chamber is oppressive, its walls and ceiling covered entirely in thick, sticky cobwebs. Silk cocoons hanging from the corners of the room move slightly, testifying to the life or death within them. A faint light filters through the gaps, casting eerie shadows on the whitened surfaces of the webs.
In the center of the room, a dark mass falls heavily on its back, the metal clapper digging into its flesh. It is a giant spider, its segmented legs flailing frantically in a desperate attempt to free itself from the weight that crushes it. The floor is littered with debris and the remains of other creatures, adding to the horror of the spectacle.
I see the relief in her eyes as our gazes meet. Jill is chained and surrounded by webs, her eyes wide with terror and pleading. Her screams still echo in the air, mixed with the sinister sounds of the spider's legs struggling. Next to her, Chris lies unconscious, apparently injured but still alive.
The spider manages to free itself from the door, revealing a massive wound. Its eight bulging eyes turn to me, then back to Jill.
"Oh no, you're looking at me, bitch!!" I shouted, pointing my magnum at it. My precise shot tears off one of its legs, making it stagger. I repeat the operation twice, tearing off two more legs, making it collapse heavily to the ground, unable to get up.
Taking advantage of the element of surprise, I hide my hand before discreetly taking my grappling hook out of my inventory. The dim light in the room works in my favor as I use one of my vines to securely attach the spider with the grappling hook. I pull violently, dragging the massive creature out of the room, its legs remaining useless against the combined force of my grappling hook and my vines.
The spider is dragged down the hallway, its massive body scraping loudly on the floor, out of Jill's sight. I hold it firmly, my vines wrapping around its remaining legs, reducing it to a state of utter helplessness.
DING
T-Virus Mutation Detected or Black Widow Absorption will take 30 seconds.
The time will be reduced by 10 seconds due to the bonus on T-Virus mutations.
The time will be reduced by 20 seconds due to the injuries and heavy bleeding sustained.
30, 0
T-Virus Mutation or Black Widow successfully absorbed available in the factory
1 Black Widow will be produced every 15 days. You will have 2 Black Widow directly in the factory.
You will be able to instantly subdue any Black Widow that is not under your control with a simple touch.
You gain a 10 second capture bonus for any species from an insectoid mutation.
Once the capture is complete, I put the Black Widow away in my factory. The heavy atmosphere of the room, permeated with the acrid smell of fear and blood, weighs on me. The walls and ceiling are covered in thick webs, cocoons dangling here and there like rotten fruit ready to burst.
"Gerald, help!" Jill cries in a desperate voice. I rush into the room to see her, a giant spider perched on her, its fangs pointing dangerously at her pale skin. Even if I am precise, my magnum risks hurting Jill.
I take out my wrench, gripping it tightly before throwing it with force and precision. The tool cuts through the air with a hiss before striking the beast, throwing it over Jill and Chris. The spider crashes heavily onto its back, becoming stuck in the Black Widow's sticky webs, its legs thrashing wildly.
My gaze quickly scans the room, spotting another foul creature. Its fangs embedded in a fiercely moving cocoon, it greedily sucks the life out of its victim. The scene is macabre, the thick, filthy webs trapping the silhouettes of the unfortunate captives.
Wasting no time, I bring the beast down with a well-placed magnum shot, tearing it into grotesque pieces. The cocoon stops moving instantly, the heavy silence of the webbed cavern regaining a semblance of calm. I then turn to the stuck spider, still struggling, and fire again, ending its desperate struggle.
The cavern, once filled with the sounds of struggle and screams, falls back into an almost oppressive silence. The canvases ripple slightly in the air, and I can hear Jill's panting breath as she tries to regain her composure.
"It's okay now, Jill," I say, reaching out to free her from her bonds, my hands shaking slightly from the adrenaline.
When Jill is finally free of the webs that held her, she throws herself into my arms, crying against my chest. I hold her gently, letting her tears soak into my shirt as she releases the stress of the near death she has just brushed against twice in a row. Her sobs are heartbreaking, and I feel all the anguish and terror she has endured.
After a moment, Jill composes herself, rubbing her face to wipe away the tears. She smiles at me, returning to the strong woman who inspired me to join the police. Her gaze hardens as she turns to the dead spider that nearly killed her. With a defiant gesture, she fires a pistol in revenge, even though the creature is already dead.
"I didn't know you could be so vindictive," I say to lighten the mood. Jill lets out a nervous chuckle.
"I guess you don't know me as well as you think," she replies, her eyes still red but bright with newfound determination.
I turn to Chris, still trapped in a thick canvas cocoon. Freeing him, I discover a deep wound on his stomach, blood slowly but steadily flowing out. The wound is severe, and without treatment, he won't survive long. His face is pale, and his breathing is shallow and irregular.
"You'll see, Gerald, that I can also be very grateful," she says in a lascivious voice, completely shocking me given the situation. I give her a puzzled look, and she smiles, sticking her tongue out at me teasingly.
So she manages to tease me even in these moments, I thought, sighing inwardly.
"Jill, can you check if there are other people alive?" I ask, trying to hide my embarrassment. I sneak a leech out of my factory, knowing it's my only chance to save Chris.
"Boss, yes boss," she says with a laugh, before walking away to inspect the cocoons further away.
I focus on Chris, his condition is desperate and I know there's nothing I can do for him without using my power. The leech bites Chris before I put it away, and I lean down to bite him as well. This is the third time I've had to turn a STARS member into a G zombie to save him, but it doesn't bother me as much anymore, knowing he'll keep all his mind and abilities.
Chris begins to show signs of regeneration, his breathing becomes more regular and his wound slowly begins to close. My heart eases at seeing my friend thus transformed, knowing he'll still be himself despite the slight loss of free will by becoming my subordinate.
"Hold on, Chris," I whisper. "We'll get you out of here."
"Gerald, there are no humans left alive, just a few ants in the cocoons and I don't want to deal with them," she said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"Well, we're going to get out of here," I said, picking up Chris, who was starting to wake up. His eyes slowly opened, and he looked at me in confusion before smiling weakly.
"Thanks, Gerald. I feel... different, but alive," Chris murmured, realizing the changes in his body.
"We'll talk about this later, Chris. For now, focus on healing," I replied in my mind as I did with Enrico to avoid Jill's suspicions.
Jill joined us, carefully avoiding the cocoons. "We better not hang around here," she said, looking around warily.
We left the room, leaving the nightmare of cobwebs and cocoons behind us. I carry Chris on my back, followed by Jill to bring them back to Barry and Wesker.
When we arrive in the room, I see my little ray of sunshine sulking with Steeve and Pascal trying to make her smile, which she finally does when she sees me.
I quickly put Chris down before being hit by Lisa in cannonball mode who shouts "DADDY!!"
"So we have a girl now," Jill declared while holding back her laughter. For once, I'm the one who's going to laugh. I lean towards Lisa before whispering to her.
"Go ask Mommy for a hug."
Lisa immediately turns to Jill, her arms outstretched. "Mommy, hug!" she says excitedly.
Jill freezes for a moment, surprised by the sudden onslaught of hugs. Her cheeks turn bright red as Lisa clings to her, an innocent smile on her face.
"What... Oh, uh, sure," Jill stammers, trying to keep her balance as she hugs the little girl back. "That's... unexpected."
The scene causes everyone to burst into laughter. Chris, despite his injuries, bursts into laughter at Jill's embarrassment. The Jordans and even Steve, who has fully recovered from his injuries, can't help but smile widely.
"Welcome to the family, Jill," I say, laughing.
Jill, still red with confusion, finally smiles back. "Okay, okay, group hug," she says jokingly, hugging Lisa.
The tension of the last few events seems to fade for a moment as we laugh together. We remember why we're fighting: to protect the innocent, to find some normalcy in the midst of chaos.
(Editor's note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter, now I have to go mow the lawn. Have a nice day ^^)