Cass felt a strong urge to punch Daniel as he happily led them through the building. It was no wonder Dr. Wesker had been worried about him getting shot. The only wonder was how no one had killed him yet.
"And this is where I kept my Hunter Gammas… before corporate decided they weren't 'cost-effective'. But they were so cool! Which I feel adds substantial appeal."
Kevin gave her a look that echoed her feelings perfectly.
"We're almost home free! This is the door to freedom," Daniel said as he typed in a security code. "Are you ready, ma minette? Soon we'll have to part ways… for now at least."
Cass watched Kevin's hand tighten around the gun. Quickly putting her hand on his arm, she shook her head. As much as Daniel deserved a few bullets, she had an agreement. Daniel's Dr. Wesker was probably one of the least trustworthy people she'd ever met, but it was better than nothing. Kevin sighed but then gave her a reassuring smile.
The opening of the door caught her attention. A gust of fresh air breezed into the building. Cass took a deep breath before following Daniel into a forest. It had been sunset when she'd first arrived, and now she'd need to navigate through an unknown forest… at night… with Daniel. Her own grip tightened on the gun.
As though he could read her mind, Daniel stopped and smirked before saying cheerfully, "Do try to keep up. These woods are dangerous after all."
"No kidding," Cass snarked back. "But Umbrella labs are always so safe and well-guarded."
The sarcasm in her voice made Kevin chuckle. Daniel looked back with irritation. Ignoring Daniel, Cass focused on making sure they saw an enemy coming and looked into the trees as they quickly but quietly walked past. Sounds of distant gunfire and blood-curdling screams could be heard in the distance. No doubt that at least one Umbrella bioweapon had escaped the facility in the commotion.
Cass' eyes met Kevin's. She could see her thoughts reflected in Kevin's eyes; they needed to get out as soon as possible. Kevin kept his eyes on Daniel, while Cass watched for signs of movement behind them. Aside from the chaos in the distance, she heard nothing unusual. At least the screams meant Umbrella was too busy to look for them.
"Ah, there she is. Isn't she a beauty?" Daniel said cheerily and gestured to a helicopter.
"Good," Cass replied and pointed the gun at him. "Now… give me the flash drive on the Wesker project."
"Aw, but, ma minette… that was going to be a surprise… Make sure dear Albert doesn't find it. If he does… he may never let you go."
Cass felt a chill go up her spine as she reached out to take it from Daniel's hand. "I know… which is why I want you to take it to Gats," Cass told Kevin, placing the flash drive in his hand.
Kevin seemed to be searching for something to say as Daniel hurriedly got into the helicopter. As Daniel started the helicopter, he shouted, "There's always room for you, darling!"
"Hard pass!" Cass shouted before turning her attention back to Kevin. "I can't go with you either, Kevin."
"Why not? We can protect your family."
"Just like how I was protected?" Cass asked, watching Kevin flinch. "I'm not blaming you… or Chris or Gats. He was going to find me one way or another, and he'll find my family. He'll use them as leverage, and I'll be back where I am now. Except without any freedom."
Kevin looked away in deep thought. Cass put her hand on his arm and continued, "Even if they were safe, I still couldn't go with you. I'm different now… He injected me with something. I think it must have been back when he trapped me inside that enclosure with the hunter… He found me at the house, and… I died, Kevin."
Kevin's hands found hers and gripped them helplessly.
"I died, but whatever they gave me brought me back."
"You're still you," Kevin told her and held her hands in his as though they were precious. "Whatever they forced onto you… it doesn't change who you are."
"But it does change what I am… I need injections of a serum to keep me stable. I don't know what's in them, but I would need it sooner than Gats could figure out what I need."
A sudden idea made her remove her hands from Kevin's hands. She took out a small kit with a needle and syringe. If she had found something different from Umbrella's usual experiments, then she would have needed to take back a sample. Tying off one of her arms, she waited for a vein to become apparent. After finding a vein, she drew some blood. After putting the cap back over the needle and putting it back in the kit, she handed the kit to Kevin.
"I don't know if Gats'll be able to get much, but… it's the best I can give her," Cass said, taking the tie off her arm.
Kevin stared at the kit for a moment before wrapping his arms around her. Cass was shocked for a second. She hadn't expected it, but she realized that she found it a welcome surprise. Returning the hug, she relaxed into his warm embrace as she heard Daniel's helicopter taking off, and Kevin's large frame shielded her from the wind.
After the sounds of the helicopter faded into the distance, Kevin whispered, "I'll find a way, Cass. I promise… One day, you'll come home."
"Yeah," Cass whispered back as conflicting thoughts raced through her head. She had to believe in him. What other choice did she have if she wanted to stay sane?
Letting go of him was incredibly hard, but she knew if she didn't soon Wesker's men might find them. If Wesker knew that she'd not only met Kevin but had teamed up with him… no, she couldn't let him know. With that in mind, she gently pushed Kevin away. His eyes glistened, and he looked away to compose himself.
"Don't forget about… our promise," Kevin said before he started walking into the forest.
"I won't!" she called out at his back before he disappeared from sight.
With a breath to compose herself, she started to walk to the rendezvous location. Luckily, Kevin had went a completely different way. They'd never need to know that he was even here. Especially Wesker. A low growl caught her attention, and she looked to see a Cerberus sprinting at her full speed. But not fast enough, she thought as she easily dodged its mouth and caught it by the neck. A sudden sound from the bushes made her turn in time to see two more leaping at her. She dispatched the one in her hands and leapt above them. As the two dogs hit each other midair, she shot them in the head. All three Cerberus dogs laid still on the ground.
Cass heard a shot in the distance and begun sneaking around, using her speed to remain out of sight. As she got closer to the gunfire, she knelt on the ground and waited to see what was happening. A man in an Umbrella SWAT uniform came running toward her but fell to the ground. A long arm had grabbed onto him and was pulling him back where he came from. A Bandersnatch… Cass watched helplessly as it tore the man to shreds.
The Bandersnatch scanned to see if there were any more victims nearby before walking back to the facility. She quietly crept through the underbrush. Cass could easily handle most of Umbrella's monsters now, but getting caught here would lead to unnecessary questions. After a few more moments of checking to make sure the coast was clear, she started booking it towards the rendezvous point. Taking too long would also lead to questions.
A ship could be seen waiting in a cove near the shore. Putting her sunglasses back on, she strode to the ship with a confidence that she didn't quite feel. The men aboard the ship greeted her as she reached the dock. The men quickly prepared to sail out, taking care to chart a course that would avoid Umbrella's notice. As she walked inside the ship and sat down, she could feel the presence of someone coming from behind her.
"Yes?" she asked irritably.
"Dr. Wesker wanted to make sure that you properly completed your mission," a man said reproachfully.
Cass very much doubted that. If she failed, then Wesker would just hold it over her head. She knew how most of the older men in this organization felt about her. Wesker's girl toy. With a sigh, she held up the flash drive. The man reached out for it, but she pulled it out of his reach before he could even blink.
"Whether I got the information he wants or not… that will be between Wesker and me, not you. Don't overstep, sir," she said and pulled her sunglasses up to show him her eyes. "It's none of your concern how my mission went. Just get me where I need to be."
Watching his face redden with rage, she walked past him to her quarters. He grabbed her hand and said, "I've been with this organization since before you were in diapers, little girl! You have no right—!"
Cass grabbed his neck and effortlessly lifted him into the air. As he gasped for breath, she said in a calm manner, "I have every right. Whether you like it or not, I'm in charge here." After a quick throw, the man bounced off of one of the tables before collapsing on the floor. "I'll be in my room. Bring me any information that I need to know; otherwise, don't disturb me."