Chapter 1: Reunion
"I'm sorry ...Captain...I did it for the BSAA... for the future..."
"I know. You did a real good thing..."
"As long as you-"
"I don't wanna hear it! ... We're both getting outta here, all right..."
I could still see his expression on his face. I've never felt so hopeless before and I only wish that I could have done more. I wish that I didn't have to see my partner in agonizing pain.
It has been a month since the destruction of the underwater facility, and when I lost him. The bio-terror outbreak that Ada had caused in tatchi was sterilized the next day, July 2nd, and most of its inhabitants were either killed by the missile or by infection. It has been calm since then and the BSAA has been in charge of clean up, along with the aid of many other organizations that focused on matters as such. I've been on leave since barely escaping the facility, but now I have to face and live with the burden of guilt.
I had only wish that I could have escaped with Piers but that wasn't the case. I still have recurring dreams of my escape and in them I keep seeing him, over and over again. I can't even sleep with him on my mind and it has become troublesome. I have to learn to accept reality but for some reason, I just couldn't accept the fact that he was gone. It was very strange to me. Since I lost all my other men and I've felt nothing but anger and sorrow, but when I think of Piers, I feel ... alone.
As I open my eyes, I see the room empty and I see a bit of light coming in from the slightly opened curtain. It was day time, and I have finally gotten some sleep. I thought a month would be enough rest from what had happened, but I still feel the same. As I got up to go to the bathroom, my phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Chris? Hey Chris, how are you holding up?"
"I've been better but I'm good."
My sister, Claire, called me to make sure I was ok. She is a part of Terra Save, and she works with helping people who have suffered bio-terrorism. She was actually part of the cleanup crew for Tatchi, helping the survivors. She is a sweet girl for caring and I'm glad to hear her voice.
"Hey, I called to remind you to book the flight tomorrow, remember your promise? You promised that we were gonna meet up with Jill."
"Don't worry, I already booked the flight a while ago, there's not much to do in Edonia so I had time."
"All right Chris, I love you so much! Thank you for doing this for me, I really appreciate it."
"No problem Claire, I love you too and I'll see you soon"
As I hung up, I threw myself to my bed. I looked up pondering on what I had to do before leaving Edonia. Today, a BSAA team stationed here is preparing to storm a facility they believed was used by Ada, who most likely was using the facility for her "research" and the manufacture of the c-virus that turns people into j'avo. I had stayed here long enough for them to find it and I as well, will be going into this mission as Captain. I only hope that nothing goes wrong.
I was stationed in a little village close to the facility. It was the little village I had strayed over when I had lost my memories. It was quiet and nice, but it brought memories of Piers. Seeing how Ada had research labs all over the world, HQ believes that this is the lab where she supplied the mercenaries with the c- virus, and it was considered one of her last labs in possession that they have marked down. I stayed here for that reason, and to my luck, they had found it the day after my departure from Edonia. I entered the bar where Piers had found me in, I'd figure now would be a good time for lunch. I went up to the counter to order.
"Well if it isn't the stray dog. What the hell do you want; it's too early to be drinking." The bartender said.
"I just want the steak special and a cup of coffee if you don't mind."
She looked at me with such contempt that everyone in the bar noticed.
"Also I'd like to apologize for my rude behavior the last time I was in here."
She stared me down for a while, before answering. Her eyes showed that she was angry, but when she looked at my face, it completely changed her expression.
"Your meal will be ready soon." She said as she left to the kitchen.
I entered the bar to kill some time before receiving the new orders from HQ. I couldn't go on an empty stomach, even though it was probably not a good idea, since these missions always have something gross in them.
She came with my meal and coffee and had just left it there in front of me.
"It's on the house" she said as she left to attend other customers.
"Thanks" I said
I looked down and remembered Piers. He was eating the same thing when he had found me. It felt sad but I sort of felt relieved. Maybe the good memories of him would give me closure. I can only imagine what he would be doing now if he were alive.
I solemnly took a bite, for him. It appears that Piers was right, it was not like back home. The steak was a little dry, but I continued to eat.
"Captain."
I look up to see Peter from delta team.
"We've received new orders" he said sternly.
I got up and looked him straight on.
"All right, better get to it then."
"Yes, Sir!"
He left and I followed. Upon leaving, I thought to myself the bad memories I had in this bar, as an angry drunk. But in the end the only thing I thought of was when Piers had saved me from myself.
We drove up to the warehouse district of the area. The rest of the team had already arrived before us. As I got off the car, I looked around to see abandoned warehouses everywhere. I walked to a big tent where the mission briefing was about to begin.
"Captain!" exclaimed all the soldiers as I entered.
"At ease" I said
"Sir, we've gone over the blueprints of this warehouse and we have found that it leads to a deep basement filled with numerous chambers. There are 4 floors in total and we have picked up vital signs."
"We're assuming that there is B.O.W activity in there so the main priority would be to kill anything that may be in there, and to obtain any other information that Ada may have left there."
"We've been going through other information obtained in other labs and the info says that this lab is top priority to be concealed after project 72-96i is 'reborn.' Most likely this may be a new B.O.W, or an old one that she is trying to remake. Regardless of what it is, we need to take it down."
"All right then, let's move out."
I quickly changed into my gear with my jacket on, it was freezing outside and I couldn't bear the cold.
"Captain are you ready?" Peter asked as he entered the tent.
I hesitated, thinking about Piers and the others who used to call me captain. It's been a month since I've been called that.
"Yeah, I'm ready. Let's move out."
We entered the facility and it looked very spacious inside, there was not much to behold; it was like any other abandoned warehouse I've ever seen. We then came upon a door and it was bolted shut. Demolition came through and planted the C4 in to blast the door.
"Clear!" He yelled out as the door busted open.
"Everyone listen, we agreed that we would go in two-man teams to each floor and remember if anything goes wrong, send out the distress signal if you need help and the nearest team will go to your aid, and don't ever lose your partner for a moment. It's something like that, which could either save your life or end up getting you killed." I said seriously.
"Let's go then." Peter said as he led everyone into the door.
The entrance looked creepy and eerie as we entered. The lights were flickering on and off and It looked like something from a nightmare. We split up when we reached the check point; I was going in with Ben, the rookie of the team.
We went down the stairs until we reached the last floor.
"Let's check every room and look for this new project."
I looked over and Ben had a strange expression on his face.
"What's wrong? It's okay if you feel scared, but I got your back." I said.
"It's not that, it's just... This may be the wrong place to say it, but I'm sorry about what happened to your old partner. I heard about it, and they said you were fine, but Peter said you looked a bit down."
"... It's fine, thanks for that, but you don't have to worry about me like that, I'm good to go and besides, that was over a month ago. I won't let anything like that come in front of our mission. Don't worry rookie, I'm fine." I said with a smile.
Ben lightened up and smiled back.
"Okay, Captain." He said proudly.
I should have felt like crap, but I didn't mind lying to the rookie. The truth was, I did feel down for losing him. There has not been a day that has passed by without me thinking about him.
We walked around and found three doors. Seeing how this hall was like a maze of some sort, we decided to go together to each one. As we approached the first one, we readied our guns and prepared to enter, but we stopped when we heard a strange noise.
"What was that?" Ben exclaimed.
"I'll go check it out, for now just wait here." I said.
I walked past the corner and saw nothing down the long hallway.
"Captain! Help!" Ben screamed
I quickly turned and ran to his position. He was being dragged by some arm to the room which had just opened.
"Shit! Hold on." I yelled as I aimed for its hand.
I shot at the arm and it had released Ben who had been grabbed by the leg. I ran to Ben to see if he was fine.
" Ben are you all right?"
"Yeah I'm okay," he said as he was getting up.
"Ouch AHH!" Ben screamed as he tried to walk.
" I think that thing may have broken my leg... Captain look." Ben said as he pointed out to the door.
A mysterious figure began to walk out and when it came out to the light, it started to laugh. It was a woman shaped thing; it lacked form and walked abnormally. She was also covered in some slime that I've never seen before. It was a pasty gray color and it smelled foul. She began to walk towards us.
"Hold on Ben."
I grabbed my gun and began to shoot. The creature began to scream as bullets pierced its flesh, but then it started to laugh. Eventually, it stopped and then melted away. I walked towards it and saw that it melted into some kind of puddle. I walked back to Ben and sent out a distress signal to the 3rd floor.
"They're coming to get you Ben, just stay put as I check what's in this room."
"Roger." Ben said
I walked in and saw it was a surgery room, or at least that is what it had appeared to be. I checked thoroughly and found nothing to report.
As I came out, Peter and his partner had arrived just in time.
"We'll be taking Ben outside, are you going to be fine by yourself Captain?
"Yeah, I'll be fine, just be careful. There is some kind of B.O.W. that takes the appearance of a woman, but it's covered in slime and it has great strength."
"Noted, we'll keep or eyes peeled for it." Peter said as he carried Ben and left.
I walked to the next door and found the door slightly open. I think that's how I remembered it when we came across it. I opened it and entered to find some kind of lab. I think I found what we were looking for.
I looked around and found some papers labeled 72-96i. I began to read and found some important information.
C-virus Delta retrieval
By doing this I can regain what I had lost, it was a "just in case" plan and I never thought I would have to rely upon it. I don't know how long I can keep this form, but I know it won't be for long. By giving new life to this, I can assure that the king will be reborn again.
The rest is illegible.
After reading the other documents they were about the c-virus and its formation, and of the mercenaries in Edonia. It was all the information that could have been in the facility. I took all the documents and folded the papers into my pocket. As I was preparing to leave a loud noise had occurred. It was dark and hard to see, but I managed to make out a hallway. As I entered, blue lights came on and I could see the hallway was scanning me. I made it across and found a bunch of monitors.
"Identify yourself." said a voice that came out of nowhere.
"What? Who's there?"
"Authorization denied" a different voice said.
"I asked first, so if you don't mind, identify yourself."
"Chris Redfield, SOU Captain of the B.S.A.A. Now show yourself."
"Authorization Approved"
"Ok ill bite. My name is Ada Wong-"
"Ada?! Your alive?" I exclaimed.
"Close, I'm Ada's personality interface for this facility, and if I'm not mistaken you're intruding."
I hesitated for a moment, I wondered if I would have to fight my way out of here.
"Mr. Redfield, I am going to ask you some questions before presenting you project 72-96i, if that's okay with you."
Realizing to what she had said, I figured I had to play along to get to this project.
"All right fine then" I said
"Let's get started then, first off, how did you find this place?"
"We've been investigating the area and narrowed down the location of this place from reports of other labs that we have investigated."
"Authorization approved."
"Okay, now then, where is Ada Wong?"
"Sorry to break it to you, but she's dead."
"Authorization approved."
She began to laugh.
"Interesting answer Mr. Redfield... You know, not everything is what it appears to be."
"Are you implying that she is alive?" I asked.
"I guess, it's just that I find it hard to believe. Continuing on, seeing how you're alive, my guess is that Haos was not released?"
"Haos?"
"Yes, from the underwater facility, the one you and your partner stormed into to save Sherry Birkin and Jake Muller."
"What? How'd you-"
"I know a lot of things Mr. Redfield, but disregarding that, the giant B.O.W. you faced is dead?"
"...yes, it was destroyed in the explosion."
"Authorization approved."
"Well now, for the final question, concerning your past partner, what was the last thing he gave you before he died?"
I hesitated to answer. I looked down to the floor and just thought about Piers. It was like this every time I thought about him.
"... He gave me his B.S.A.A. patch..." I said in a somber tone."
"Authorization approved."
She began to laugh again.
"How interesting, I could have never imagined something as such. Well Mr. Redfield thank you for answering all my questions."
The wall on the other side went up and there was another room.
"Before anything, let me just tell you, to activate and show you project 72-96i, it comes with a price. Are you willing to pay, even at the cost of your own life?"
"It doesn't matter, it's my job to stop your projects and I really don't have a choice."
"You can still walk away from this while you still can."
"No, I'm going to see this through."
"Very well, it's been a pleasure Mr. Redfield. Good Luck."
I walked into the room and saw a chrysalid in a glass chamber. It must have been an innocent person that was dragged in here for the project, a person who did not deserve to suffer.
It was quiet in the room. The chrysalid began to move and crack.
"It's about time I ended this nightmare, and about time I ended your cruelty Ada." I said as I readied my gun.
The chrysalid hatched slowly with a head popping out of the slime and out came a human like figure. I hesitated to pull the trigger as it hatched. I thought I was going crazy but I couldn't be sure. The person fell out of the chrysalid to the side. It was so strange, it looked so human.
"That can't be…" I said to myself.
I walked closer and I've never been so shocked in my life. It felt like a dream. I put my gun aside and bent down to pick him up. I had him, I held Piers in my arms.