CHAPTER 1

The sky was getting dark and threatening. Nicholai had landed the chopper just in time. He didn't know exactly where he was, but it didn't matter much to him. He was far away from Raccoon City and that was enough. He had heard the blasts from what he assumed to be nuclear warheads. Umbrella was not joking around. He was considering himself lucky to be alive and in one piece.

Despite his precarious condition, he was feeling deceived. He really had thought he would have earned his place in the sun by working for them. They had promised him heaven and earth for a single mission in the hellish place. and now, it was no more.

Walking on an empty field, he was inwardly cursing against Umbrella. They had failed to assure his safe escape. Despite their lies, Nicholai wasn't stupid. He knew that if he would seek revenge against one of the most powerful corporation in the world, he would find death instead. No, it was wiser to play their game for a while and see what was going to happen.

In any case, it was out of question for him to go back to Russia for the time being. There were too many people out there who would be delighted to see him dead or even worse. In fact, it was maybe his chance to disappear and start anew.

Approaching a road, he decided to stay away. If anyone would see him in this military attire, they would suspect him of something immediately. It was better to blend in the crowd just like the rest of normal civilians.

Now, he needed to figure out his next step. In order to do so, he needed to find a safe place as far as possible from the disaster zone. A hotel room would do the trick for the moment.

Over the horizon, the shapes of houses and buildings began to appear.