[Chapter: 95 Transaction]
Alice listened to the voice on the phone, her expression slightly changing as she asked, "Who are you?"
"It doesn't matter. What matters is that I can get you out—all of you. But first, you need to do something for me. If you do, will you get out of there?"
Jill glanced at the camera above, noting that it seemed to be monitoring their position. There also appeared to be many other cameras scattered throughout the area.
"Do we have a choice?" Alice asked.
"If you want to live past tonight, then you have no other choice."
After a moment of silence, Alice hung up the phone.
"Who was it?" Jill asked.
Alice started walking forward and said, "First, let's find somewhere safe to stay."
"The bus in front of us is a good choice," William said, pointing to the empty vehicle ahead.
Alice nodded. "It looks good."
They approached the bus, but the door was closed. William, taking the lead, said, "I'll push it open. You can check if there's anything inside and back me up just in case."
"Is it going to be dangerous?" Terry asked worriedly.
"Some things must be done. We can't live in fear of an attack," William replied indifferently as he slowly reached out to push the door.
The door opened slightly, leaving a gap. As the gap widened, the interior of the bus was gradually revealed to those outside.
William cautiously stepped into the bus. There was no one in sight—especially no zombies. Still, William sensed something. Not even the faintest breathing or slightest movement escaped his sharp ears and eyes. His gaze shifted upward, and with a smile, he said, "Aren't you going to attack?"
"Hou!" A licker clinging to the roof of the bus lunged at William.
Without hesitation, William raised his gun. "You might have taken one of them if you hadn't met me," he said.
Bang!
The licker, mid-lunge with sharp claws poised to strike, froze as a bullet tore through its brain.
Its body was flung backward, landing heavily on the ground.
Alice and Jill rushed into the bus and stared at the licker struggling on the floor. They were shocked. In such a confined space, William had killed a licker with a single shot, a feat requiring extraordinary reflexes and seamless coordination between the body, eyes, and brain.
"It's all right, come on in," William said nonchalantly, opening the door.
Terry climbed aboard and asked, "What happened—ah!" She let out a slight cry, startled by the licker on the ground.
"It's dead, don't worry," William replied calmly.
Alice turned to William. "Now I believe the lickers in the church were killed by you alone. How did you do it?" She knew that her ability to be faster than the lickers and kill them was due to her T-virus injection, but as far as she knew, William was still human.
"He's a hunter," Terry answered for William.
Alice smiled faintly. "A hunter? Then he must be a really good hunter." Clearly, she didn't believe that William was just a hunter.
"Even I couldn't do it in such a small space," Jill added lightly.
William shrugged. "Come on, don't be so skeptical. The most important thing right now is that we trust each other."
"Okay," Alice nodded. "Then let's talk business."
"Wait, let me record this," Terry said, grabbing her camera. "Start."
Alice nodded and began, "I was on the phone with Dr. Ashford, the director of the Umbrella Corporation's genetic and viral research department."
"What does he want with us?" Jill asked, lighting a cigarette and taking a drag.
"His daughter, Angela, is trapped in the city. The Umbrella Corporation originally planned to retrieve her, but they failed. She's now hiding in the school. If we rescue her, Ashford will help us escape," Alice explained.
"Impossible," Peyton interjected. "We should find a place with thick walls and sturdy doors, lock ourselves in, and wait for the government to save us."
William looked at Peyton sympathetically. "Why are you still living in a dream? From the moment the Umbrella Corporation closed the bridge, everyone in this city was abandoned and left here to die."
Peyton glared at William angrily.
"It's impossible for anyone to come," Alice said flatly. "The Umbrella Corporation knows they can't control the spread of the virus, so at sunrise tomorrow, Raccoon City will be completely 'cleaned up.'"
Terry frowned. "What do you mean by 'cleaned up'?"
"They'll bomb the city," Alice stated.
Jill sneered and cursed under her breath, "Fuck!"
"What does that mean? Why would they do that?" Terry asked, her voice rising.
"It means they'll destroy this city to stop the virus from spreading—and to erase all evidence," Alice explained.
William shook his head. "The virus won't be eliminated that easily."
"They won't get away with it. The media won't let up," Peyton said angrily.
"They'll cover up the facts," Terry countered. As a news anchor, she was all too aware of the media's shady dealings.
"It's already done. Destroying the city is just part of covering their tracks," Alice said.
Peyton stubbornly argued, "Even the Umbrella Corporation can't hide the whole truth."
"You're underestimating them," William interjected. "You can't imagine how powerful this company is."
Jill nodded. "Don't dwell on it. What should we do now?"
"I think we need to flee the city before dawn," Alice suggested calmly.
"Then go, Peyton. You can find a place with high walls and thick doors to hide," William said with a chuckle.
"Damn!" Peyton clenched his fists angrily.
With that, they left the bus and headed toward Raccoon City Junior High School.
*****
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