The group moved deeper into the sewers, the oppressive air thickening with every step. Azizah's enhanced reflexes kept her on high alert, her mind racing to predict the dangers ahead. With Sherry Birkin holding tightly to Claire's hand, the little girl's soft whispers were the only thing breaking the silence.
Azizah's heart was heavy. She knew the road ahead wouldn't be easy—and that not everyone might make it.
---
As they turned another corner, they found themselves in a small, dimly lit utility room with a desk, some monitors, and a few scattered papers. Ben Bertolucci, ever the opportunist, immediately began rifling through the documents.
"This might be it!" Ben exclaimed, pulling out a worn folder. "Proof of Umbrella's involvement! This is exactly what I need."
Azizah tensed. She remembered this scene from the game all too well. This was the moment Ben's greed and arrogance would catch up with him.
"Ben, we don't have time for this," Leon said, his voice firm. "We need to keep moving."
"You don't understand!" Ben snapped, clutching the folder like a lifeline. "This is my ticket out of here. I'm not leaving without it."
Before anyone could respond, a deafening crash echoed through the room. The monitors flickered, and the ground shook as a hulking figure emerged from a nearby tunnel.
It was William Birkin—his grotesque, mutated form now even more terrifying. His glowing eye fixated on the group, but his attention quickly turned to Ben, who was frozen in fear.
"Ben!" Azizah shouted. "Run!"
But it was too late. In a horrifying display of power, Birkin's massive claw swung through the air, slamming into Ben and pinning him against the wall. The journalist let out a blood-curdling scream as Birkin's claws tore through his chest.
"No!" Leon fired his weapon, but the bullets barely slowed the monstrous figure.
"Everyone, move!" Azizah commanded, her voice sharp. She grabbed Claire and Sherry, pushing them toward the exit. Kevin and Leon provided cover fire, while Ada moved with calculated precision, her shots aimed at Birkin's weak points.
Azizah spared one last glance at Ben's lifeless body before turning away. I tried to save you, she thought grimly. But you were too stubborn to listen.
---
System Update
As they regrouped in another section of the sewers, the system chimed in Azizah's mind.
---
Objective Update:
Officers Remaining: 14
Bonus Survivors Found: 4 (Kevin Ryman, Rita Phillips, Claire Redfield, Sherry Birkin)
Challenge Progress: 98%
---
Azizah clenched her fists. Losing Ben wasn't entirely unexpected, but it still stung. She shook off the guilt—there was no time to dwell on it.
---
The group pressed on, their path leading them to a large, industrial area of the sewers. The sound of rushing water echoed through the tunnels, and the air grew colder. As they entered a spacious chamber filled with pipes and machinery, a figure stepped out of the shadows.
A woman in a lab coat stood before them, her expression cold and unyielding. Her hair was tied back tightly, and her piercing eyes scanned the group with a mix of suspicion and disdain. Azizah recognized her immediately: Annette Birkin, the mother of Sherry and the wife of William Birkin.
"Annette," Ada said, her voice calm but firm. "We need answers."
Annette's gaze flicked to Ada, then to Claire and Sherry. Her eyes softened for a brief moment as they landed on her daughter, but her expression quickly hardened again. "You shouldn't be here. Any of you."
"Mommy!" Sherry cried, running toward her.
Annette knelt down, pulling Sherry into a tight embrace. "Sherry, my sweet girl… I'm so sorry."
Claire stepped forward, her voice steady. "Annette, we're trying to help. We want to get Sherry out of here."
Annette stood, her grip on Sherry tightening. "You can't. This place is too dangerous. William… he won't stop until he gets her back."
Azizah stepped in, her voice firm but calm. "Then help us. Tell us how to stop him."
Annette hesitated, her eyes scanning the group. Finally, she let out a heavy sigh. "There's a vaccine. It's in the lab, but getting to it won't be easy. The entire facility is on lockdown."
"Then unlock it," Ada said sharply.
Annette's gaze shifted to Ada, suspicion flickering in her eyes. "And why should I trust you? You're not FBI."
"I don't care who you are," Annette continued, her voice icy. "If you want to help, you'll need to follow my lead. Otherwise, you're just in the way."
---
A Plan Takes Shape
Annette led the group to a small control room filled with monitors and equipment. She began typing furiously on a keyboard, pulling up schematics of the lab and its security systems.
"The lab is heavily guarded," she explained. "There are bioweapons everywhere, and William knows the layout better than anyone. If we're going to get the vaccine, we'll need to move fast and stay together."
Azizah nodded, her mind racing. The stakes had never been higher. She glanced at the group—Claire holding Sherry protectively, Leon and Kevin checking their weapons, and Ada watching Annette with a calculating gaze. They were all counting on her.
"We'll make it," Azizah said, more to herself than anyone else. "We have to."
---
To Be Continued…