Chapter 1 - Outbreak
Downtown Raccoon City
08:00 hours
3 hours before outbreak
The city had a magical way of coming alive in the day time. Bright lights from the many stores, the way the sun rose from the east, peeking over the buildings. All seemed normal, calm even as The clouds slowly uncovered the bright sun. A man stood beside another, silently watching as the sun rose. They stood on the platform of a large building. It overlooked most of the city, it's height only rivaled by that of the towering Umbrella Corporation building. The door behind them opened as a women stepped into the light. She stood five feet and two inches tall. Her skin dark as the night and hair curly, pulled into a ponytail. She wore black BDUs with padding at the knees. Her shirt was compressed at her body. It's collar laid down and her sleeves neatly cuffed. Her uniform was in all black. The two men who wore matching uniforms opted to keep their collars up as their uniform tops were zipped completely. Their hands were clasped behind their backs as they spoke. "Briefing in five boys. Don't get too starstruck at the sun. We will be out of here before dawn according to the plan of attack." The two men turned to address her.
"Good morning to you too Trigg." The man to her left said. His skin was caramel in color. His hair was cut at the sides while his mohawk grew out long and curled. His goatee hung low while his mustache was trimmed close to his face. His dog tags read "Wolf" but she had a history with him, knowing his real name long before their military life. The man to her right was of her matching complexion. His hair was cut short and eyes hidden behind glasses. His facial hair outlined his jaw and was trimmed close to his face.
"One of these days she's gonna shoot you Wolf," the darker of the two said.
"If she wanted to, she would have," Wolf said as he started through the door.
"I hate that guy Dragon," Trigg sad.
"How can you still have bad blood towards him? He's done nothing but watch over you since you were assigned to this unit Trigg," Dragon replied.
"Doesn't change the past," she said as she stormed off towards the door. Dragon signed and palmed his face before following. A few flights down and they came to a long hallway with large double doors at the end. Wolf was already entering by the time they reached the base of the stairs.
"Damn he's fast," Trigg said aloud. Dragon opted to stay silent in the matter as they reached the double doors and stepped in. When the doors opened, they saw a large rectangular table. At the head of the table was a large monitor mounted on the wall. The room itself was dark, the windows tinted so no one from the outside could look on even though it was considerably high up from ground or neighboring roof view.
"Now that my entire team is here we can get started," a voice called out from the head of the table. Trigg took her seat next to another woman. Her hair was straight and her skin light. She was considerably thicker than Trigg but the two worked in tandem well. This was Trigg's best friend and team demolition woman Boom. She earned her name through rigging a remote control to explode for fun on her first day in the academy. Across from Boom sat a skinny, dark skinned male. His hair was cut low and wavy. He only kept a mustache and low trimmed goatee on his face. He sat with poise and kept his eyes focused on the monitor. His tags read Phoenix and he was the team support. He never stayed too far from a gun and always kept more ammo than needed, just in case. Finally, sitting at the head of the desk with the monitor to his back was a tall lengthy man of medium skin complexion. He wore a taliban around his neck. His hair was short and curly and facial hair created a full beard. His tags read Shade and he was captain of the team as well as the field medic. He made it his mission to keep his team safe.
"Alright boys and girls the day has come, we've been watching Umbrella for years and today, we take them out. Our job is to infiltrate and arrest all leading executive members of the Umbrella Corporation here located at this branch." He spoke with complete conviction. "Trigg, you'll be on overwatch a mile out. We will be swapping your usual M110 rifle with something a bit bigger. Phoenix you'll stay with her as point man and support, once they figure we have a sniper on their asses, Umbrella will send all of their dogs. On the ground, Dragon you will take Boom and lead on point. Your job is to clear a path while myself and Wolf circle around, clearing out all security."
"So we are a distraction?" Boom asked.
"That's a different way to put it, any objection?"
"None at all sir, just wanted to be sure how loud I could be," Boom spoke with a sinister smile on her face.
"These are our targets," Shade said as he stood to the side allowing the team to see the images of multiple faces. "Dr. Oswell Spencer, Dr. Edward Ashford and Dr. James Marcus are to be brought in alive and to trial. I want no missteps. We do this by the book and are back in time for diner you get me?"
"Yes sir!" The term stood and saluted while speaking in unison.
"Good, dismissed," Shade said. The team exited. Trigg gave Wolf a dirty look that he met with one of no emotion. Wolf entered the door to his quarters. He grabbed a knife and held it invertedly before swiping at the air in practice of his basic and advanced inverted cuts. It wasn't until he heard a loud boom from outside his window that he slid the knife into his holster that was attached to his left leg along with his sidearm. He looked to see smoke in the distance. Seconds later he could hear the screams. His eyes widened as he noticed something strange in the corner. A few blocks down, barely visible but clear as day to him, a woman was pinned to the side of a building, her throat being ripped apart by the teeth of an attacker. As the blood sprayed from her neck, more people charged forward and joined as they gorged themselves on her body.
"All operatives we have a situation, gear up and prepare to move on the double!" Shade's voice was heard over the intercom. Wolf quickly motioned to his gear station and began to strap on his armored vest, pads and grabbed his guns and combat axe.
Downtown Racoon City
09:00 hours
2 hours before outbreak.
The team began to arm up. Their vests had a collar and metal plates that were separated by flexible fibers and kevlar allowing them to move freely. Dragon slung his M4A1 over his shoulder while holding his Mossberg M500 shotgun. It was outfitted with dual extractors and a positive steel to steel lockup. The stock was adjustable, he kept it short to keep more control over his weapon in tight corners. His shotgun was finished with a flashlight attached under the barrel. As for his M4A1, it was outfitted with a forward grip, reflex sight and suppressor kit. Wolf slammed a mag into the feeder of his HK416 rifle. His stock was also adjustable with a vertical short grip attached to the rail along with a reflex sight. Phoenix lugged his HK MG4 Light machine gun along with him. The machine was almost as large as he but he handled it with ease. Slung over his shoulder was an MP5. Trigg pulled back on the hammer of her M110 sniper rifle to chamber a round. The Rifle came outfitted with a bipod, adjustable stock, KAC free floated rail system, one piece thirty mm scope mount and suppressor. The woman was dangerous enough with the rifle she trained with until she felt as if she could shoot the wings from a fly. Boom stood beside Trigg with her pump action, twelve gauge shotgun in hand. Her belt housed one too many grenades and remotes that Wolf understood were wired to either explode themselves or make something else explode.
"Alright boys and girls change in plans. We will be joined by teams Alpha and Beta." Shade entered the garage holding is Scar L. He unfolded the stock and held his rifle facing down as the others did. "Seems intel didn't have all the information needed. There is an underground facility to this Umbrella Corps building. Alpha and Beta will assist in infiltration. Alpha will then stay behind to insure we have an evac route while we proceed on mission with Beta. For them to call in two more teams, expect heavy resistance. Watch your asses out there and don't forget to watch mine now move out!" The team stayed silent as they loaded into the truck wolf caught a glimpse of Beta and Alpha squads loading up as well. The trucks road in a single file formation as they reached a block away from the industrial area where Umbrella was looking to expand.
The teams exited the vehicles in silence. Shade motioned to Dragon with his index finger and pointed forward, this altered him to take point. Shade stuck behind Dragon. Wolf, Trigg and Phoenix took up the middle while Boom covered the rear flank. Alpha and Beta were close by but rounded a corner to take a different approach. Beta swung themselves out wide right while Alpha went left, leaving Delta to push down the middle.
"I don't like this," Dragon said in a low voice over the communications system. They reached the gates as Dragon held up a fist, altering the team to stop. Shade motioned past Dragon and pulled out thick rubber gloves and heavy duty bolt cutters. As he began to cut away at the links in the gate, the team kept watch. Trigg's back was pressed against Wolf as he whispered.
"Trigg you got a read on anything?" She scanned the rooftops and perimeter of the building.
"Not a soul Wolf, scared?" She joked.
"When have we ever faced Umbrella and not been greeted with resistance?" The question took her aback. She knew he was right but wouldn't give him the satisfaction of the admittance.
"Cut the chatter," Shade said as he pulled away a section of the gate. The team continued along before stacking up against a door. "Delta in position sound off Alpha and Beta," Shade called through the coms.
"Beta prepared for entry." A voice replied.
"Alpha on stand by," said a second.
"Breach and clear!" Shade yelled. Boom slapped one of her remotes to the door as everyone stepped to the side hugging a wall. Three seconds passed before the bomb went off and the door blew inwards. Dragon was the first in, he immediately checked left as Shade came in behind him and checked right. Wolf checked front and continued moving as Trigg and Phoenix covered the corners. Boom backed into the room keeping the rear covered. In that instant, the room was cleared and Delta formed up on Wolf. Phoenix was right behind Wolf and Boom behind him. Trigg and shade stood side by side as they inches down the hallways checking all doors with Dragon covering the rear. They moved quickly and in silence only hearing the occasional "clear" come through the coms.
"This is Alpha, ground level is clear." Shade heard through his headset.
"This is Beta, same here, I don't like this."
"Rendezvous on us in the center lobby." Shade commanded before returning to silence. Wolf stood from his kneeling position and continued forward. The team entered an open space with a dark and glass surrounding it. They stretched themselves out against the wall with their sights aimed high in case of ambush. They hid under the ledge for overhead walking as they saw Alpha and Beta enter the room casually.
"No need, the entire building is cold," Alpha leader said as he walked up to Shade. "Whole building is empty."
"Is it strange that that's even more unsettling than a pharmaceutical company having hired militia in the first place?" Phoenix asked.
"Stow it, so what's the plan?" Shade asked.
"Continue to the passage that leads underground and complete the objective. We clear the facility out.
"Then let's move."
Umbrella Corps, Raccoon City Branch
10:00 Hours
1 hour before outbreak
The three teams proceeded down a large corridor. The walls and floor were made of metal and every door sealed shut. "Just when Umbrella couldn't get any creepier," Dragon said. He returned to his point position. This time the three teams were in a loose formation. As they came across a large double door. Shade found a keypad but was shoved out of the way by a member of Beta.
"This is our job thank you," she said as she got to work. The rest of the teams took covering positions.
"Hey Dragon, what's your take on this?" Boom asked him.
"Right corners, we have shotguns… looks like we get to pick up all the work." Dragon replied.
"We are underground, I can't exactly make big booms down here." Wolf and Trigg motioned to Phoenix and kept a three point position. The doors slid open, grabbing everyone's attention but hey all looked into a dark abyss. Dragon sighed before turning on his light and taking point.
"We need to find the generator and get them running or we can be lost on the dark forever," a member of Beta said. "Alpha, stay behind, we will proceed forward.
"I really don't like this," Trigg said. She turned to check on Wolf who was looking into the darkness in silence. She knew him, she knew silence meant fear and that's not an emotion he felt too often. The two teams merged as they moved forward. Time passed and everything was silent. A flickering light from a room titled "generator" caught Dragon's attention. He motioned towards it as two operatives from Beta stacked up against the door. Wolf hand his hand on Dragon's shoulder as someone had their hand on his. In one motion they charged in. Dragon covered left, Wolf covered right while the others pushed in.
"Beta team get the power running. Delta on me, we keep this place guarded. The team trained all their weapons on the door. They waited until the sound of the generator starting before their eyes adjusted to the horror. There was blood everywhere along with dismembered bodies.
"What the hell happened here?" Trigg asked as she covered her mouth. Wolf turned his head but heard movement. Instantly his weapon was aimed on the sound. Delta team aimed in the same direction as a woman in a white coat stained in blood slowly inched from a crevice of the room.
"Are you… are you the extraction team?" She asked. Shade lowered his weapon and looked to Beta team leader. He shrugged unaware of what to do.
"We are from BCAA, what happened here?" Beta team leader demanded. The woman flinched. She was short and thin. Her coat looked as if it could cover her entire body. Her hair was tied into a messy bun and her glasses were cracked as they sat on her face.
"The virus… it got out." She said trembling.
"Virus?" Shade said but before he could question her, moaning was heard outside the door. Wolf and Boom moves to the door creating a cross fire as the checked. It seemed like civilians. The doctor cowered back into her hiding place, crouching with her head in her lap and hands covering it. Both squads moved out to check on the civilians.
"Hold up," Trigg called out. "They seem a bit off."
"They have no heat signatures" a Beta team members said. The civilians turned around and shocked both teams. Their bodies were covered in blood and dismembered. The iris of their eyes were crystal white and skin pale. Wolf looked around and quickly noticed the lack of dead bodies on the ground.
"What the hell?! Dead people dog just get up!" Wolf shouted as he was ground. On instinct he twisted the arm that grabbed him before leaning in, striking the temple with an elbow. The person barely seemed affected by the blow as it lunges forward. Wolf ducked low and scooped the man overhead with a kneeling fireman's carry slam before driving his fist into the head. The man continued attempting to lung, hissing and moaning while snapping his jaws. Wolf finally trained the barrel of his rifle on the man and squoze the trigger, blowing his brains all over the floor.
"Form up, keep them away from you!" Wolf yelled as the moaning people suddenly came to life. They charged the soldiers, ignoring the feeling of bullets as they ripped through their flesh and bone.
"Aim for the head!" Trigg yelled as she continued to fire and rechamber a new round. One shot, one kill. She repeated in her head over and over. A young woman from Beta squad was grabbed by her ankles as a legless doctor bit at her calf. Wolf drew his knife and quickly round kicked the legless woman before driving his knife through her eye socket.
"Back into the room, draw them into smaller numbers, conserve ammo!" Shade yelled. Dragon and Boom moved closer to the walking dead. Their weapons had a greater blast radios and kept them back as the others funneled into the generator room. Wolf and Phoenix were the last in before Dragon and Boom. They shut the door and let the people bang on it in hopes it would tire them.
"Sir, I doubt they get tired," Phoenix said. He noticed Trigg sling her rifle over her shoulder and pull up her side arm.
"Door's coming down, get ready!" Beta team leader called out. As the door was banged on the hinge nails creaked out of the wall. The loud thug caused their hearts to race. More thudded against the glass but it sounded strong enough to hold up. The door was barely hanging on by the last thud. As soon as it started to lean, Boom chucked a grenade into the gap. The teams cleared the cemetery, expecting the door to fly forward. They were right to do so as the door blew forward.
"Fire at will!" Shade called out as the remaining lifeless beings charged in. Their skulls seemingly exploded as the rounds of various assault rifles, submachine guns and a light machine gun ripped through them. "Hold fire!" Shade yelled.
"Beta, secure the are" Beta Leader called out. As he and his team secured the area Shade sat in front of the injured soldier.
"What's your name kid?" She winced when he pulled her BDU leg up.
"They call me Mags," she replied.
"Another supple trooper, good we may need all the ammo we can get." Shade could see the bite marks in her flesh and how multiple layers of skin were ripped away. The muscle ripped from the bone as blood continued to gush from the wound. "It's not that bad, you won't be walking easily for a long while though." Shade began to treat and bandage the wound while Dragon and Phoenix checked the downed bodies.
"Alright girl you have one chance and one chance only," Wolf said as he trained his rifle on the young woman still cowering in her corner. "Who are you and what the hell is happening here?!"
"Alright alright," she said holding her hands up in fear. "My Name is Doctor Elaine Rose. I'm a bioengineer hired to help Doctor James Marcus with his project of reanimating of dead cells."
"What?" Wolf said as he pulled her from her corner. So then what the hell happened.
"As you can tell, the experiments became a success and have been for a while but the objective became to weaponize it." She shook as she spoke while Wolf flared into her eyes.
"You sick fucks," Dragon yelled from across the room.
"Shhh, you idiot." She frantically pressed her index finger to her lips. "Any louder and you'll wake up the rest of them."
"There's more?" Shade interjected.
"Yes, there was an accident and the weaponized project we called the T Virus is now exposed and infecting people. The infection is spread through biting or scratching." The doctor looked to the young woman Shade just treated. "You should kill her before to too late."
"The only one about to stare into the barrel of a gun is you," Phoenix threatened. Beta squad returned in full.
"Where is James Marcus?" Shade asked.
"When the infection broke out he locked himself in his lab, it's three levels down from here but there's a lot of bad things down there."
"Listen lady," Beta Leader said, " you're taking us to Dr. Marcus and then coming with us."
"To hell if you think I am," Dr. Rose said before feeling the cold steel of a blade to her throat.
"You gave us our info, so either come with us or die here," Wolf threatened her. As she remained silent he slowly pulled the blade from her throat and placed it back in its sheath.
"Beta team take point with the woman, Delta we will move parallel to Beta. It's currently 10:30 hours meaning we have thirty minutes to get this shit bag and evac. Alpha won't wait forever so let's make this fast people." Shade ordered. Beta and Delta formed up in two parallel lines. Dragon stayed on point with Shade right behind him keeping an eye on the doctor. They reached down two more floors without resistance but the shakes set in. The closer they got everyone started to feel colder, a stiffening chill crawling up everyone's spine.
"Where's all that bad stuff you were talking about?" Someone from Beta said. Just as he spoke, moans were heard coming from multiple rooms in the corridor.
"Just has to ask huh?" Wolf said as he tightened his grip on his rifle. Dragon and Boom both fired. The rear and front were starting to crowd with dead people.
"Blocked off both ends, push forward and keep the doctor alive!" Beta Leader shouted as he fired his MP5. Wolf and Phoenix motioned to help support Boom in the rear. Wolf would only squeeze his trigger twice in intervals as he insured to put two rounds in the skull of each attacker as he steadily moved back. Phoenix followed suit with Boom in the middle to blow back anything that got too close. Trigg was on the middle of the group, supporting both front and back flanks. Shade was mixed in with Beta as they kept formation in the front, using Dragon to make sure the hostiles stayed at a distance. Their push was slow until the numbers ahead broke.
"Wolf, Boom, Phoenix, move your asses!" Dragon yelled. Boom pulled a grenade from her belt and pulled the pin as Wolf and Phoenix backed up. When she rolled the grenade on the ground, the three took off in a sprint down the corridor, following their team. Within three second, the grenade went off. The sound of muffled screams and moans could be heard as more distance was put between themselves and the rekilled men and women. The hallway leading to a large metallic door. There was a thin line of glass overhead and a keypad to the left of it. The door read, "lab of James Marcus," causing the two teams to stop. Shade held up four fingers of his left hand and point them towards the door, signifying he wanted four men stacked on it. Dragon took the left covered by a Beta member while Phoenix took the right side also covered by a Beta member. Wolf and Boom watched the rear.
"Open it" Beat Leader ordered. The woman hesitated and was shoved to the keypad. She paused, stood there looking at the pad before feeling cold steel press against the back of her head. "If I don't hear a button pressed I'm going to paint the wall with your brains do you understand me?" Dr. Rose swallowed hard before punching in the codes. The keypad lit up in a green light before the metallic door slid up.