Chapter 7
The sound of rolling metal came down the tunnel, and the dim effect of a light began to grow around the bend. A few moments later, the source emerged, illuminating the platform. As it approached, a pair of figures on top of a rolling platform quickly moved, causing the whole thing to slow with a horrifying screech of metal on metal. The platform decelerated quickly, stopping next to the maintenance door.
Manuela squinted as she watched through the small device in her hand. The camera they had set above the door was of good quality, but it still had trouble seeing with the contrast in light. Even so, she could see that three figures were on the platform. Two of them were wrapped in the same heavy clothing as the rangers, and judging by their position on the cart, they must have been the ones doing the transport detail.
The third stepped off the cart, and Manuela got a clear view of her face as she approached the door, her face basked in the reflection from the metal door. Yoko Suzuki. Manuela angled the device so that Sherry could confirm it as well, and the younger woman nodded intently, shifting her gear quietly as she stood up, ready to move out from the ruined train in order to flank the lab. Both of them watched as the men on the cart began working back into motion, causing the platform to start sliding backwards, disappearing off screen back into the darkness it had arrived from. Yoko watched the cart for a moment before entering though the door.
"Alright, go, go!" Manuela commanded, motioning for Sherry to get moving. The blonde didn't need to be told again, as she was practically out of the train by the time Manuela hit the tracks. Wasting no time, Manuela hurried silently towards the door they had first entered through, readying herself. Checking her watch, she watched the seconds tick by, and all she could hear was the sound of her own breathing. Mentally, she counted the seconds, feeling everything begin to slow down as she did. The moment of breach approached, and she took a deep breath, slipping into her agent mindset.
Everything nonvital began to fade away in her mind, and in that moment, she could feel her senses working overtime. The sound of her uniform, the slight sound of her hands against her gun, it was all amped up. Finally, she watched as the hand ticked into position, and she opened the door silently, feeling lighter on her feet than she'd ever been. Gliding silently along the wall, she stuck to the shadows, approaching the room. As the room came into view, she could see the other door, behind which Sherry would be waiting, in case things went south. She allowed a small breath and she could almost sense the position of both her partner and their target. It was like a strange warmth that pressed against her skin. Yoko was the closer of the two, and so Manuela felt her more presently.
Pressing against the corner, Manuela peered out with her peripheral vision, able to see clear as day despite the angle. Yoko had wasted no time settling back over the table, and was just putting on her mask and surgical gloves. Slowly, Manuela stepped around the corner, aiming her gun at Yoko. "Freeze where you are and put your hands up."
Yoko twitched slightly in surprise at the sudden intrusion, but she obliged, slowly raising her hands. Her whole body seemed tense, but Manuela didn't sense any kind of immediate flight response on her, nor did she feel like she was going to attack. "Turn around."
Yoko followed this command more eagerly, turning her head before her body. Her eyes immediately swept from head downwards, catching on Manuela's arm, where she doubtlessly saw the American Flag. To Manuela's surprise, the woman sighed in relief, looking a lot calmer. "I thought you guys would be coming."
"Step away from the table please."
"Of course. Trust me, I'm on your side here," Yoko assured, stepping forward slightly. Manuela glanced over at the other door, nodding her head as a silent command. The door opened and Sherry slipped in, looking mildly menacing in her full combat gear. Yoko seemed slightly nervous by the sudden addition but regained control of herself quickly.
"We were sent to retrieve you," Manuela explained.
"I can't go yet," Yoko insisted, stepping back as Manuela moved forward to restrain her. Sherry raised her gun menacingly to dissuade Yoko from trying anything. "Please, can we at least talk? I am more than willing to tell you what's been going on."
"Once you're restrained, we can talk. If you really want to help, don't resist." Manuela tried moving forward again, and this time Yoko didn't react. Carefully, she put the cuffs on, before stepping back. "Alright. Take a seat. Let's talk."
Yoko nodded, taking a seat on one of the boxes, while Manuela sat across from her. Manuela nodded to Sherry before handing her the camera feed. Sherry took her seat on a box close to the hall, while monitoring the screen carefully.
"Why did you come here?"
"After Raccoon City, I was one of the people who helped bring down Umbrella. I was hailed as a hero for my role in their downfall. But every day I had to go on knowing that the worst specimens, the Tyrants, were my fault. Through each of their monstrous bodies, my cells coursed through every vein and artery. It was hell. Do you know what it's like to have that kind of burden?"
"You'd be surprised," Manuela replied. Yoko looked at her strangely, squinting to more clearly see through the faceplate. Leaning closer, Manuela allowed her to take a good look, and she could see in the reflection that the light caught her eyes just right, revealing the dark red that hid within them. Yoko's breath hiked and she leaned back in surprise.
"You're the agent from the Harvardville Incident! I...I'm sorry, I didn't realize," Yoko apologized.
"It's alright. The helmet's there for a reason," Manuela pointed out, waving off Yoko's concern. "But back to the point: what made you come in here?"
"For the longest time, I tried to work on the t-virus, and find a vaccine, but I wasn't exactly trained in anti-virals. There wasn't a lot of progress being made, and no matter how hard we tried, the we couldn't crack the Tyrant genetic code."
"You say we, but we have no records of you after Raccoon City. Who were you working with?"
"Anyone who I thought could help. I didn't ever apply under my actual name. After Raccoon City, I never used my name. It would have made me an easy target for the remaining Umbrella members. It just became habit to avoid detection, even after they were gone."
"So why did you only come now?"
"Because of you, actually. When the virus hit Harvardville, I decided that I had to crack the code. Even though they created the antiviral, they still hadn't dealt with the Tyrants. The only place I knew that I could research what I needed to was here."
"But there haven't been any reports of Tyrants in the zone," Manuela pointed out.
"The rangers have a couple. They're dead, but the bodies were preserved. They have the R and Nyx Tyrant corpses."
"They...what?" Manuela felt her mouth go dry and she could see Sherry look up in horror from the monitor. The room fell deathly silent as the information sank in. Manuela's mind flashed to the artist concepts that had been drawn of the aforementioned Tyrants. The Nyx Tyrant particularly disturbed her; the hulking mass of half formed monster had been one of the most difficult enemies the survivors had come across. It wasn't nearly as resilient as the Tyrant R, but its ability to absorb other mutations was unsettling. The thing also bore an uncanny resemblance to William Birkin's final form aboard the train, and she could only imagine what that made Sherry feel.
"I'm not sure how they thought to do it, but somehow they managed to cart off the bodies for preservation. I just saw them myself."
"You went to their base just now?"
"Correct. If I had the capability, I would have taken pictures. Needless to say, I memorized as much as possible. I could provide your teams with accurate maps of the passage I was brought through, as well as a rough approximation of where they're hiding."
"It would help greatly," Manuela agreed, offering Yoko some papers from her desk, as well as a folder to write against. Yoko struggled for a moment to adjust it so that she could write while handcuffed, but managed. "We have many questions you still need to answer."
"I know," Yoko sighed, not looking up from her diagram. "I'll be happy to answer anything you want to ask after the Tyrants are seized from their possession; on one condition."
"You're not really in a position to negotiate," Manuela pointed out.
"I know that very well. But I will not cooperate with you beyond this point if you don't listen to me. I'm fine with assisting in their downfall, considering the risk they pose. But you can't destroy the Tyrants," Yoko insisted. Manuela began to speak, but Yoko spoke forcefully, trying to get her words in. "These creatures are horrific mutations, but we still don't understand them after all this time! If we can look at the both of them, we might finally understand what makes a Tyrant! Just think about it! If we can figure out what makes a Tyrant, then we can take steps to prevent them. People with genetic markers could get special injections to prevent the Tyrant mutation from activating, or we could find some kind of weapon that would be able to target the mutated Tyrant gene in order to bring the creatures down."
Manuela was silent as she listened to Yoko's rationale. "I see your point. If it were up to me, I would look for the possible uses of the information, but the government might decide that it's too risky. Even if they agree with you and me, the situation might call for the destruction of the site."
"What do you mean?"
"If we invade, and they fight back, nothing's stopping them from taking some of the Tyrant material and injecting it. I'm not sure what would happen, but I doubt it would be pretty."
"It would be a horrible loss, but I see your point," Yoko admitted with a sigh. "At least try and convince the higher ups that it's worth their investment. Please?"
"Everyone quiet," Sherry whispered viciously. "We've got some Lickers."
The air turned tense and Manuela quickly drew her machine gun. Her eyes flicked to Sherry, who was flashing signs to her. "Three, that way. Platform."
"Help me," she motioned back, slowly getting up. Creeping forward, Manuela laid her hand on one of the cabinets, gently pushing on it to test its weight. It would be heavy enough to bar the door if the Lickers got through the other one, but light enough that they would be able to move it relatively easily. She met Sherry's eyes, and motioned for her to assist her in moving it in front of the door. Sherry nodded, holstering her equipment before crouching beside the locker.
Manuela placed her hands on the top of the locker, tilting it slowly towards Sherry, who gripped the bottom of it on the sides, bracing the main mass against her body before lifting it up. Manuela slid her hand underneath as well, allowing Sherry to tilt more weight back away from herself. The two carried it silently over to the door, carefully reversing through the procedure, while being careful not to hit the locker against either the floor or door too quickly.
Yoko watched silently as the women worked at turning her small, rickety lab into a fortress. They moved another one of the lockers against the other door down the hall, blocking the creatures' way to them. Most of the people she'd dealt with over the years had little idea of the horrors she and the others had suffered through in Raccoon City, but here...these people understood it even better than she did. They had not only seen the face of evil, but gone back against it. As she watched, she caught glimpses of the viruses inside them; Sherry's abnormal strength and endurance, Manuela's grace and focus. Both were signs of their enhanced nature. Try as she might, she could still feel a small amount of disgust towards the idea of anyone living with the virus, but she could hardly imagine either of them choosing to be this way. She would have to ask them about it when the situation permitted.
Eventually the two finished their fortifications, inspecting everything once over before sitting down in the middle of the room, weapons at the ready. She watched as the two quickly communicated, seemingly coming to an agreement. Manuela stood up and walked over to Yoko, grabbing a piece of paper and pen. She quickly scratched out a message.
"Do you mind if we take a look through your work?"
"Go ahead. I can explain anything you might want to ask about," she replied, scrawling it quickly. Manuela nodded thankfully, walking over to one of the cabinets they hadn't moved, opening the drawer slowly. Yoko knelt beside her, grabbing one of the folders. They were going to be there for a while, so it only made sense to start at the beginning.
"Agents Kennedy and Miller, reporting in."
Leon looked out over the city as he spoke into his headset. The pair had woken up only a little bit ago, and it would be a few minutes until the sun came up. One of the first things he'd woken up to was a looped message from command for him to report in as soon as possible. He'd woken Angela and given her a minute to wake up before sending their response.
"Glad to hear from you." Leon recognized the voice answering them as Ryman, and he could tell immediately that something big was going on. "Agents Hidalgo and Birkin reported in just a little while ago that they have located and secured the target. They're getting currently communicating as much of the data as possible over on another channel, but they should join our communication in a minute or two."
"I'm going to guess the situation's changed," Leon replied flatly.
"You'd be right there. Priorities have changed. We're going after the ranger base. Yoko was able to confirm the fact that they posses a pair of semi-intact Tyrant corpses. We've already contacted the appropriate forces, and due to some leeway from a friend of yours, we've got all the clearance needed to mobilize forces to assault the position."
Leon was stunned at the news, but he realized that time was going to be very quickly of the essence. He turned to Angela, unslinging his rifle. "Angela, we're moving out. Talk us through the plan while we walk."
Angela nodded her understanding, quickly strapping on her body armour and following Leon out of the room. As the two walked through the ruined building, Ryman kept talking.
"Once the forces arrive, we'll be deploying on top of them. It'll be a fast assault, at the same time. A few forces will be deployed early in order to get into position to take the most advantage of the initial confusion. Unfortunately, we can't deploy any sleeping gas, so this is going to be a primarily guns-blazing mission."
"If you're just going to shoot them, why can't we gas them? We can arrest them that way," Angela asked, obvious displeasure on her face.
"Back in Raccoon City, there was a special breed of Licker that were more vicious and intelligent than the others," Leon answered. "Though we don't know what caused it, the scientists think it was caused by exposure to chemicals. If we deploy the wrong kind of gases against the rangers, we'll be potentially exposing nearby infected to them, which makes this place all that much harder to manage. Not to mention that it's never been established whether or not infection by a stronger variety causes more of its type. Within minutes of landing, the fight will draw nearly every infected for some distance around, so we'll probably have a few attacks by Lickers, and worrying about whether a mutated strain bypasses antibodies is the last thing we want to have to worry about."
"Couldn't have put it better myself," Ryman commented. "If anyone lays down their guns, we have orders not to fire on them, so we're not going under a no prisoners mentality."
"That's reassuring," Leon commented neutrally. He wasn't particularly a fan of the idea of going and assaulting the base, but he'd dealt with enough terrorist organizations to know that they often didn't give in easily. It seemed to only be amplified in the case of bioterrorism. He'd seen some fanatics…
"Sorry for our lateness. Agents Hidalgo and Birkin reporting in," Manuela's voice crackled into the line. Leon immediately perked up.
"Manuela, good to hear from you. I hope you didn't have too rough an evening?" Leon joked lightly. He could hear the slight chuckle from Manuela over the line.
"Nothing too bad. We holed up in Yoko's lab while the Lickers were active, so we were fine. You?"
"The hospital was pretty much clear, so we had a calm night. We're headed off towards the factory now."
"Now that everyone's here, we can talk tactics," Ryman interrupted gently. All agents went quiet as he took a deep breath. "Alright, so Leon and Angela are going to have their hands full getting to the Dead Factory. We're going to deploy a team on site after it has been cleared however. We need to be able to get into those labs, and without bringing in digging equipment, it's our only access. Leon and Angela will hold position until the team and an escort arrive, and then help them through the factory."
"Manuela and Sherry will escort Yoko back to the surface, where we'll deploy a pair of helicopters. The first will bring Yoko back to the base, while Manuela and Sherry join the front-lines. If anything goes wrong, we need your skill with B.O.W.'s. Each of you will be temporarily promoted to field officers for the sake of command. Understood?"
"Yes sir. I would like to allow Yoko to speak however," Manuela requested, surprising Leon. There was silence over the line for a moment, and he thought for a moment, Ryman would refuse.
"Permission granted. Put her on," Ryman commanded.
"Do you want us to sign off this channel?" Leon inquired, but Ryman shut him down immediately.
"No, it's alright. Go ahead Yoko."
"Hello Kevin. I heard you got in a bit of trouble for letting me in. I promise this will be worth it. As you know, I provided the evidence about the existence of the Tyrant pair. Now, I have one more favour to ask of you; when you take the base, please, please don't destroy the bodies. We need to study them. The research team should have received my notes by now, and any one of them can tell you the potential value out of this. So please-"
"Yoko," Ryman interrupted calmly, his voice calm. "Dr. Mason already informed me of their value herself, and made a similar request. While I can't guarantee they won't suffer some damage in the skirmish, I can guarantee that unless we receive direct orders from a higher up, no one in this base is going to touch those corpses. But if the call comes, you'll have to deal with them, not me."
The line was silent for a moment before Yoko spoke. "Thank you, Kevin. I'll put the agent back on the phone."
There was a brief noise as the switch occurred. Commander Ryman could be heard breathing in, collecting himself. "Alright agents, continue with your missions. We're counting on you!"
"Yes sir!" Came the unanimous reply. Leon listened for a moment to make sure no more orders would be coming before turning to Angela, a determined look in his eyes.
"You ready?"
Angela smiled, and for a moment, Leon remembered her bravery in the airport. She lifted her pistol, a challenging look in her eye. "I'm always ready. Let's get to the factory."
