Before The Reunion
Before The Reunion
November 13th, 1988
The rhythmic rotations of whirling blades of an idling helicopter echoed like thumps from rushing water. The whooshing noise was swift and gentle as it rushed through the air. Wind has always been a gentle and smooth being; it's the calmness of nature. Lost in a sea of wind is no different than being lost in an ocean of water, there is a mild peace to it, but it was a peace that could change without warning, becoming violent and deadly. The thumps of the whirling blades came faster and a spin of tortured wind came to pass as the rising helicopter became lost in the ocean of wind and air, disturbing the peace of the calming air. It was humanity's way to torment nature to the point that it turned against.
Tranquility had been trapped away from the coiling streams of violent air; within the military transport helicopter a small cabin housed people that weren't looking for tranquility or peace. Lacing shadows glazed through the darkness of the cabin and over the faces of its six occupants. The darkness housed over their already harden faces, most of them had seen more than what the dark could hide from humanity's simple eyes. Their eyes were the property of the Umbrella Corporation, whose secrets were the responsibility of those same eyes that they owned. They were Umbrella's must trusted and one of the major reasons why Umbrella's research has been able to reach the levels it has. They were Umbrella's children, their thieves, and their soldiers; they were Umbrella's Special Forces.
"Drop zone ETA in six minutes." The voice was rash and harsh, quiet with a sense of boredom behind it as the pilot of the helicopter spoke over the intercom.
"Be Ready!" The order came like a cautionary growl from the man only known as SilverFang, the leader of Alpha Team.
The call from their leader wasn't meant for them to even move an inch from their secured seats, their bodies were already primed enough, it was their minds that needed to be sharp and clear. Most of them were like SilverFang, their nerves conditioned to the point that they had complete control over them. All of them had served together through plenty of missions to feel comfortable enough to do anything as long as they were a team. Like most teams in the Special Forces, they had formed a bond that could never be broken, but a wedge could still be driven through that bond and led to the one thing that they feared. Among the Special Forces teams, they had certain taboos, ones that they if allowed would cause certain death. Alpha Team had made sure that none of these taboos had befallen them, which had they believe is the reason why they have had a 73 survival rating for their team. Though, by special orders from Oswell E. Spencer, Alpha Team had been forced to take on a new recruit, a taboo that made them all uncomfortable. They knew that death was just waiting for them.
"Hey fresh meat, you look a little too tender for the grinder that we are about to go into." Cameron's face was like a clutched fist, tense with rage and hardened with seizing bone. His distaste for the new recruit was a bitter one.
The new recruit's face didn't even change from its harsh expression as his brooding eyes stared right back into Cameron's. He didn't care about feelings or emotions; they had no merit on the battlefield. It was emotions that fueled the reason to kill or be killed. But they weren't here to kill; they were here to complete a mission. They were tools that were being used by Umbrella and tools didn't have emotions and they were always able to complete their job.
"I don't think any piece of shit with a codename like Hunk, will be able to survive in the type of hell that we have been through. Make sure of it, Hunk, none of us are going to save your sorry ass. I rather you die than you being the reason the whole team gets slaughtered. Tell me you limp dog dick, what did you do to get placed on Alpha Team without even a single mission under your belt?" Cameron's words were filled with disrespect and mistrust. Suspicion had grown in his head when he heard how Hunk was able to join his team, that Lord Spencer requested that Hunk become a member on his word. Cameron thought it very strange that a lowly grunt had leeway from the owner of Umbrella. Cameron had never even seen what Spencer looked like and he had been working for Umbrella for the last four years. Something wasn't right and Cameron didn't want to be dead because of it.
A chuckle of amusement came from Weaver as he listened to the whole conversation. Cameron and him believed the same thing about new recruits. He also held suspicious about Hunk and how a 24-year old was fit enough to join the top ranking Special Forces team without even a single kill. There was something that was being hidden from them.
"If only I die or the whole team, that is of no importance…" Hunk's youthful and clean face came from the grim shadows that banded around him as he spoke. His eyes were silence as they were reflected in Cameron's. Hunk didn't care about the others and what they thought; he was only there for one reason and one reason only.
"Suit up!" SilverFang's tongue sliced through the air with his words like a dull knife, breaking up the hostility that was seething behind him.
A dance of arms and fingers came over their respected uniforms inspecting every inch that covered their skin; they were dressed for protection from physical and biological harm. Their bodies were clad in greenish gray jumpsuits able to absorb heavy amounts of liquids before soaking through, which are just the first layer of their outfit, fitting easily against their sizeable bulk. A secondary layer of armor came in the form of thick and knobby knee pads, elbow pads, a contrasting dark green bulletproof vests that was outfitted with hefty and bulky shoulder pads, and broad, padded black gloves that covered over the middle and ring fingers. Draping hands, pulled over a masking cloth, attached to a blacken front that slid over their faces. Two large round black extensions horned outward, forming a sort of sinister mouth. They were held on to by a hard plastic that molded into a smooth surface that was molded around their the structure of their faces, but held no features, creating a detachment from the comfortableness of the human face. Glinting plastic lens came rounded largely from the eyes of the mask, tiny flicks of flared crimson light tunneled from back of the solid foggy lens that decorated the chemical gas mask with a set of almost demon eyes. A clamping shatterproof greenish gray helmet compressed on to their heads, the last piece of protection that they were granted.
"ETA in 45 seconds!" A breeze of rushing air came from the pilot's mouth as he hollered behind his shoulder.
A sturdy falter of sliding metal came as SilverFang tore open the side door of the cabin of the helicopter. Tense rushes of blasting wind screamed its hatred as it came flowing into the once air-locked compartment. The steam of blanketing air came to a halt as the transport helicopter came into a hovering position, slowly swaying like a rocking chair that had been brushed with an easy gust of wind. The fragrance of the vast forest was a strong one as it wove through the cabin. One's sight was filled with stocks of over grown trees as they matured along the mountain ridge, only known as the Arklay Mountains.
"Cameron, Weaver, Go!" SilverFang gave a quick motion with his finger, not even giving them a glace as he ordered them out of the helicopter.
Tethering lines of rope joined together as they harassed the weight of the two members as they repelled down them, easing and tightening their grips as they paced their fall with their free hand, their other hand tense against the handle of their MP-5 Submachine Guns. Thickening black leather boots sponged against the mucky, sinking mud, a comfort to be on the ground from being confined in the compact of the helicopter. With the release of the rope, Cameron and Weaver surveyed the murky forest for any irregularities that could be hazardous to their mission.
"All Clear!" Cameron transmitted via through his two-way radio.
"Gouki, Ricco, Let's Go!" SilverFang let the words burst from his mouth as he stood like a stone statue next to the open door issuing his orders.
Flexing coils of tight and straining rope fluttered slightly again before they stiffened as the two cascading bodies of weight slipped down. Grips loosened from the rope as Gouki and Ricco jumped from the weaving rope as they came close to the group. Safely on the ground, Ricco and Gouki take up a defensive position at the back of Cameron and Weaver's position, creating a protective circle for their leader to jump safely into.
"Hunk, Go!" SilverFang gives his command as his fingers laced against the stiff rope, pulling his body from the gravity of the helicopter and into the thinness of the air.
Hunk's shape propelled through the strips of air as he swayed his body with the movements of the rope, his grip relaxing as he came nearer to the ground where the rest of the team already had landed. With a final push, Hunk shoved his weight hard, picking up a hefty amount of speed as the rope burned against his glove before his dropping feet slammed into the wet dirt below. With a flex of muscle, Hunk stood up, his finger tapping against the trigger of his gun waiting for his first set of orders.
The turbulence of swirling air and wind lifted away as the transport helicopter skimmed the tops of the trees before reaching the faded horizon, coming under the disappearance of the shimmering light. All that was left now was the quietness of the forest, the coolness that only belonged to the growth of life that birthed from that same quietness. The Arklay Mountains were known for their serenity, an easy cover for things that should be kept hidden. This was a place with no roads and plenty of trees to provide enough cover from any passing aircrafts, they were too deep to be bothered by a society that didn't want to know went on behind close doors.
Within a heavy brush of trees, walls of massing gray concrete had been formed into a solid building, spanning nearly two hundred feet wide. It was an odd looking compound, devoid of any markings to help hide it even further. To a normal eye, it looked nothing more than an oversized fallout shelter, simply designed with nothing different than square walls and a flat roof. The light of the sun came against its face, with no windows for it to intrude upon. There was nothing more than a single heavy metal door, large enough to fit a truck into; it was the only entrance to the mysterious complex. This building was meant to never been seen by eyes that weren't meant to.
"Any activity?" SilverFang easily whispered next to Cameron's ear as both of them kneeled in a swarm of overgrown bushes, their dark combat suits blending into the heavily green foliage.
"I haven't seen anything as of yet. No guards, no trucks, no activity what so ever. Though, I still don't think that we should just go up and knock on the front door." Cameron read from his thoughts, his eyes never leaving the steel entrance of the compound.
"It may be a trap, a false sense of security." Gouki questioned, knowing that silence always lead to something bad.
"I say we just go in. We can handle whatever comes at us." A strong hiss spilled from Ricco's mouth. He was never one that liked to wait for the action to come to him; reconnaissance was the one thing that he hated about this job.
"No, let's wait to see what Weaver founds. If there is another way in, he will be able to found it." SilverFang said as his eyes spread wide across the outreaches of the compound, watching if the forest was looking back at them.
"Where do you think they are keeping him?" The question was leaked out of Cameron's mouth, his words vague since they concerned the mission's main objective.
"It's hard to say, Umbrella doesn't know anything about this other company. All they know is, that known enough to be able to kidnap one of Umbrella's top scientists and quiet a bit of his experiments in order to get information on the T-Virus. We don't know their plans or how large they really are. They've completely come out of leftfield and taken Umbrella by surprise. Which means I want us to take this mission real easy, nothing flashy. I want by the book protocols." Deep breaths came through SilverFang's gasmask as he addressed information that was only concerning to them.
"What about this scientist that was kidnapped? The only information that we were given about him was just a recent picture. Why weren't we briefed on anything else about him?" Ricco said as he shifted his body towards the other three as they laid kneeling in the brushes, still waiting for their field scout to come back.
"Umbrella thought it was best that we only went in with just an image of the guy, because we aren't looking for anything else besides his face. His bio is of no use for the mission. But the only information I know about him is that he's a 26-year-old researcher and has just taken over Umbrella's top research project and is a high asset for the company. Umbrella won't allow us to return without him, that is if he still is alive." SilverFang's voice was low and muffled as he tried to keep his voice as close to as a whisper as he could.
"He's still alive. They have no reason to kill someone that has something that they want." Hunk's gruff voice rasped from the heavy gas mask.
Splintering snaps of twigs and leaves crunched under heavily placed footsteps, they came from the distance, bounding against the stone like complex. It was the only noise that came from the dead forest. Scuttles of leaves crept and crumpled under prodding feet as they raced through the rustle of noise. The footsteps were filled with information ready to be unloaded. With short and even placed strides, Weaver toddled back to the watching group.
"Did you found anything?" SilverFang let the words lash out fast, even before Weaver was able to get close enough to the group to speak.
"There's a sewer pipe large enough to fit the whole team that leads right into the compound." Weaver gasped out in-between taking in breathes.
Spattering droplets of dirty water ruptured from their foundation as a race of running feet nudging through the sewer pipe echoed through. A rush of flowing water come under their feet like a running stream, an endless surge of freezing water that soaking through their jumpsuits easily. Their movements were quick, their legs marching against the bitter cold water moving in the total darkness, only the rhythmic splatter of water echoing in a loud spiral around the tube of metal that they traveled in.
"How much further?" SilverFang heaved seriously as he kept an even pace as he spoke over his shoulder.
"We should be seeing a ladder or some way up soon and that should be our way in." Weaver screamed the words against the bounds of bouncing water before they reached the front of the group where SilverFang led.
"Wait, hold on. I hear something." The words rushed passed Hunk's halted body as he came to a complete stop. He lowered his head, getting a location on the sound that alerted him.
Empty and open spaced bounded between Hunk and the rest as they treaded ahead, leaving behind the young rookie. Hunk had fallen into his own world, his ears blocking out everything besides the distance sound that intrigued him. It sounded of something familiar, but it was also something that Hunk couldn't figure out. He didn't want to take the risk of it being the enemy sneaking up on their position. Hunk knew that sound was the key on surviving, that was one of the most important things that he remembered from his training, but his in-field skills were still young and not use to the sounds of a environment that he wasn't use to.
"Hunk, on your feet!" The words were turned into no more than a whisper seconds after they left SilverFang's mouth lost against the stronger noise bellowing from the walls of the sewer pipe.
Rising speakers of noise vaulted horribly as it came louder and closer. It was a clear and rushing sound, like a horde of wild animals stampeding in a metal drum. Hunk's eyes slipped back and forth, only creating a blur of synthetic red from his infrared goggles. The blur wobbled violently as the earth came undone around itself. Gripping leather slipped against the watery ground as Hunk's legs were swept from under him. The noise came intensely in Hunk's ears, rupturing his senses with its ghastly scream. A dripping coldness washed over Hunk's body, soaking his muscles in a freezing numbness as his body was carried away. The bursting wash of hurrying water that had swept Hunk off his feet rose again, easily carrying his weight within its own moving body. Hunk's arms reached through the forcing flow, gripping for the invisible bar that he knew wasn't there. His breathes came gurgled in bubbles as the water bathed over his mask, slipping the young Special Force member in the shadows of its mass, taking him back to its dark home.
"Shit, where'd he go?" Gouki vaulted his disgust from his mouth for the missing teammate.
"He's dead. Rookies always die first. No reason to waste time founding his corpse; the mission is what's important." Cameron's voice came with a grin that spread widely cross his hidden face. He was pleased with himself that death had come that fast for the young rookie.
"Fine, we keep moving then." SilverFang directed, even though he knew that the rookie was his responsibility, but the mission always came first.
A dreaded sense came around them as they gracefully walked, the beginning of the mission had already claimed its first life and a young one and they knew that this wouldn't be the last one. The patter of springing water pressed through the bounding echoes as Alpha Team moved forward, leaving behind their newest team member to die poorly. Though, in the void of silence, gurgled moans reverberated gently from behind.