The jeep peeled off in pursuit of the truck. Kuroki had gained a good head start despite the vehicle's weight.
"We'll lose him at this rate!" Jake exclaimed frustratedly. "C'mon, Wondergirl, punch it!"
"If I stomp this pedal any harder, my foot'll go right through the floor!" Sara retorted. "65 is the max."
"You're shittin' me."
"These things aren't built for speed," Leon called back. "Just keep going!"
"Leon, come in!" Ingrid Hunnigan called through the earpiece.
"Yeah, Hunnigan," Leon answered.
"I wanted to trade sitreps and let you know― Wait, is that an engine I hear?" Hunnigan inquired. "Did you find Sara and Jake? What's going on? "
"Hey, Hunnigan," Sara greeted her above the engine's roar. "The gang's all here."
"Sara! It's good to hear you," Hunnigan answered, relievedly.
"Sorry about the silence," said Leon. "We had our hands pretty full. Here's the Cliffsnotes update : Hana Matsuo's dead, and we're in possession of the Bakuro virus sample. Unfortunately, we're not out of the woods yet. Queiros is hellbent on spreading the virus. He's taken a shipment of tainted products out on the road. We're in pursuit now."
"This is serious," Hunnigan worried. "Well, I've got some positive news for you: Far East BSAA has been notified of the situation, and they're deploying an aerial unit to Fukushū for a search and rescue operation to be followed by a purge."
"Great. Did you get a hold of Captain Redfield?" Leon asked.
"I did; he and his unit are headed to Fukushū as we speak."
"Actually, we could use their help out here," Sara said, swerving to avoid a pothole. "We need support to stop Kuroki―Queiros―whatever the hell his name is. Any way you could patch us through to Redfield?"
"Give me a second."
A moment later, Chris Redfield came on the line. "Leon, Sara! How're you doing out there?"
"Got the usual lineup: monsters and mayhem," Leon answered. "But we're holding up. Listen, we're in pursuit of an all-silver rig heading out of Fukushū. We're gonna need you to support us on the way. On the wheels we've got, I'm not too optimistic."
"Where are you heading?"
"Kūchū Airport," Sara supplied. "I remember Oiwa mentioning that the shipments were being exported via that airport."
"Captain Redfield, I'm tracking them," Hunnigan chimed in. "I can forward you the location data."
"Perfect. My unit will converge ASAP," Chris said. "Be careful; stay sharp. We're comin' for ya."
"Thanks. Copy that," answered Leon.
"BSAA's on the way," Sara explained shortly to Jake.
"Ah, support from the jarheads," he wisecracked.
"Can it!" she returned.
The truck sped on, and Sara did her best to trail it despite the widening distance between the vehicles. Leon's mind raced as well as he pondered exactly what Queiros' plan might be to unleash the virus.
Realization struck him sharply.
"Kuroki― Queiros―can't ship the products; he's going to strike at the airport. He's gonna launch a bioterrorist attack on Kūchū Airport. I've seen this before!" he shouted to his companions.
Panic surged through him as he recalled the incident at Harvardville Airport some years before, when a fatal viral outbreak had destroyed hundreds just like in Raccoon City.
"My God! We've gotta stop this!" Sara exclaimed.
"On this snail-mobile? Don't bet on it!" Jake remarked.
Leon set his jaw tightly. "Don't bet against it. Sara, just stay out of his mirrors and keep on him."
"You know it," she answered.
The truck sliced across a worn road through the Akumu Forest at a worrisome speed. Though unable to match the velocity, Sara followed as best as she could.
Leon gripped the side of the jeep, his body rigid as he stared hard at the zooming truck ahead. Gut-wrenching tension blanketed the team.
The chase through the forest was rutted but otherwise uneventful. As they emerged onto the main road leading into Kuraishi, however, everything changed.
The fire that had razed the unfortunate town had long since extinguished after consuming the remaining businesses, but the blackened ruins were now haunted by several of the mutated citizens.
The horrid fox-like creatures were shambling out onto the main road, drawn by the din of the oncoming truck. Leon could see their distorted figures which seemed to materialize from the shadows. Several of them lunged at the truck, but Queiros plowed through them, scattering their broken bodies over the pavement.
The jeep rapidly approached the scene, and soon they were close enough for Leon to make out the creatures' hideous, snarling faces which now turned eagerly to look at the advancing vehicle. Their eyes reflected the headlights eerily, and their mouths hung open in ravenous anticipation.
"Shit! These things again?!" Jake exclaimed.
One of the creatures leaped out from the black portal of a burnt-out shop. Sara uttered a panicked cry as the monster hit the driver's side, clutching the door and roaring in her face.
Leon attempted to shoot it, but as the jeep careened off the road, he fell backward. He grunted in pain as his back struck the side panel with stunning force.
Jake seized the steering wheel. "Just shoot it!" he shouted to Sara.
"I can't!" she exclaimed, grappling with the snapping, snarling creature. "I lost my gun back at the castle!"
Leon surmounted his pain and struggled to his knees despite the erratic motion of the jeep. As he got up, his leg hit something hard buried beneath gray canvas cloth. Flinging it off, he made an exhilarating discovery: a shotgun and two submachine guns were stowed in a wooden crate along with ammunition.
"Hello, gorgeous," he muttered, seizing the shotgun.
He looked back to see Sara punch the creature. It whimpered and released her, but it didn't relent. It clutched at the windshield frame and roared, ready to attack again.
"Sara, get down!" Leon ordered.
Sara ducked low as Jake maneuvered the jeep back on course.
Leon fired. The creature's head exploded from its body into a mist of blood that speckled Leon's face as the air rushed past. As the corpse fell away, two more creatures rushed out to feed on the remains.
"You okay, Sara?" he shouted.
Sara took the wheel again firmly, regaining control of the jeep. "I'm good," she panted. "Thanks, Leon."
"You found a shotgun back there?!" Jake asked incredulously.
"Got a mini arsenal here," Leon replied. He drew one of his handguns and passed it up to Sara. "Take this."
"Thanks."
"So much for stealth," Jake remarked. "They probably heard that blast in Tokyo!"
Leon glanced up at the truck. Queiros was glowering back at his pursuers out the window. Scowling, he withdrew and increased his velocity.
"I never thought a truck could move that fast. We'll never catch up at this rate!" Sara worried.
"Doesn't matter," Leon replied. "We know where he's headed, and there's no way we can miss that rig."
Three more of the savage B.O.W.s leaped out at the jeep, but Jake and Leon promptly dispatched these with swift headshots.
Fortunately, Kuraishi was soon behind them, and the road ahead was clear at last. As Sara had predicted, however, the distance between the truck and the jeep had widened vastly.
Queiros sped out onto the freeway where the first onset of rush hour traffic was beginning to pour in.
"Shit. Rush hour," Jake said. "It's hell in Japan."
A car suddenly cut in front of the jeep as it turned onto the freeway. Sara swerved aside sharply and reduced the speed, narrowly missing it.
"Too close," Leon breathed.
"Oh, dear God," Sara fretted, staring up ahead. "There's gonna be serious collateral damage."
Leon looked up. His heart sank as he realized that the roadway ahead was completely congested. "Oh, no…"
Scarcely checking his speed, Queiros turned the truck onto the shoulder. Being far too wide for the narrow strip, it sideswiped all the cars it passed, leaving a trail of battered automobiles in its wake.
Leon cringed inwardly at the sound of blaring horns and enraged drivers who jumped out of their cars or leaned out their windows to shout in consternation.
"W-what do I do?!" exclaimed Sara.
"Pull over, damn it," Jake ordered. "We're not catching anybody in this kiddie car. We need a real ride."
Sara scoffed. "Yeah? And where are we getting this 'real ride'?"
Jake jabbed his forefinger at a firefly green Lamborghini convertible. The driver and his girlfriend were standing beside the damaged car, shouting and swearing in Japanese.
Leon sighed. "I don't like it, but we don't have much choice."
Sara pulled alongside the sports car, and Jake leaped out. He strode purposefully toward the driver.
"Be civil," Sara called after him.
"Uh-huh."
"Not exactly Jake's style," Leon remarked, climbing out of the jeep. "But in all fairness, there's no good way to tell someone you're hijacking their $200,000 car."
Sara squeaked strangulatedly at that.
Leon took the attaché case and removed the virus sample. "We can't tote this thing around like this."
He handed it to Sara.
"Keep this in your pack. Be careful with it."
Sara nodded gravely as she stowed the vial away.
Leon quickly grabbed the weapons and some ammunition before heading over to Jake, Sara striding briskly beside him.
Amid the din, he heard Jake's voice making his demand of the unfortunate driver. After a brief parley, the man took a hard swing at Jake who dodged the blow and returned it with a swift right hook. The man crumpled to the ground. His girlfriend shrieked and knelt beside him, exclaiming in panic.
"Shit…" Leon muttered.
" Jake!" cried Sara, reprovingly.
" 'Civil' didn't work; I had to take the direct approach. Works every time," Jake returned coolly. "C'mon!"
Leon glanced down at the stunned couple apologetically. " Gomen (sorry)," he said.
The team piled into the car with Sara at the wheel and Jake on the passenger's side. Leon sat between them on the header bow of the retracted car top.
"Okay, hit it, Evel Knievel!" Jake said.
Sara exhaled sharply. "Actually, I could really use a little Letty Ortiz right now," she said somewhat tremulously.
Leon gripped his unsafe perch tightly and set his teeth as Sara backed the car up then shifted it onto the shoulder. The engine purred loudly as she increased the velocity.
Soon they were rushing down the freeway past the halted traffic. The next moment, the truck was in their sights again.
Queiros continued bulldozing his way past every car in his path.
As they tailgated the rig closely, Leon made a dangerous decision. His eyes narrowed determinedly.
"Sara, get as close to the truck as you can. I'm gonna board it," he declared.
Sara's eyes darted to the rearview mirror, staring at him hard. "Leon, you could get killed!"
"Look, we can't head Queiros off in this traffic, and we can't just blaze our way through without causing casualties. Boarding the truck is our only shot."
Sara pinched her lips and turned her gaze forward again.
"You've got a set on you, Hero," Jake said, glancing back at him. "Godspeed."
Grunting in acknowledgement, Leon lifted himself and began clambering unsteadily over the gear stick toward the windshield.
Pale and tense, Sara pulled up closer to the rear of the truck, keeping pace with it evenly. "Go for it!" she called.
Leon crawled over the windshield and onto the hood. His balance failed momentarily, causing him to pitch sideways. Sara exclaimed inarticulately, almost veering off course in her panic. Jake caught hold of Leon to steady him.
Working to keep his nerves in check, Leon straightened himself out and continued his daredevil's mission. He carefully made his way over the hood then took hold of a grab bar on the door.
Leon proceeded to climb the trailer's hardware, using the bar locks, grab bars and door hinges as footholds. He was halfway up the trailer when Queiros sideswiped a tow truck. Leon gasped sharply as the impact made him lose his grip. He plummeted back down.
" Leon!" Sara cried. She sped up again, bringing the car beneath him just as he fell.
The breath exploded from Leon's lungs with the force of the landing. Adrenaline flashed through him, igniting and chilling his blood all at once. He exclaimed in alarm as he slid from the hood.
A hand grabbed his forearm tightly, and Leon looked up to see Jake bending over the windshield, clutching it with his free hand while he gripped Leon with the other. "Hey, you're not gonna let a little thing like gravity stop you, right?"
Leon huffed in reply and pulled himself up with Jake's aid.
"Thanks!" he wheezed. He glanced at Sara whose features were petrified with concern. "Try again."
Sara's frown deepened, but she inclined her head and accelerated.
Leon repositioned himself and hunkered down, preparing to make the climb once more. The vehicles were soon aligned, and Leon seized the opportunity. He grasped the grab bar on the door and made his way up again.
At last he reached the roof of the trailer. He expelled a relieved breath as he lay flat on his stomach for an instant. "Out of the frying pan, into the fire," he muttered.
Leon crawled forward then carefully dropped down between the trailer and the tractor. He glanced aside at the blur of cars he rushed past. Moving forward in the midst of that traffic was impossible.
Leon's earpiece went off.
"Leon!" Sara called. "Are you okay?"
"So far. But I really don't recommend this ride," he responded.
"What're you gonna do?" Sara asked.
"I have to get into the cab with Queiros, but I can't move while he's plowing the damn freeway."
"We're approaching the head of the traffic jam," said Sara. "As soon as you pass it, you can move out."
"Cue me."
"Okay."
Leon inched closer to the driver's side, listening for Sara's signal.
" Now… Go!"
"Roger."
Leon headed out carefully, reaching for the grab bar on the tractor's side. He pulled himself up toward the driver's door. At that moment, Queiros glanced at the side view mirror and caught sight of Leon.
Their gazes locked for an instant.
" Merda!" Queiros thundered. "What's it take to get rid of you?!"
He drew his handgun and fired out the window.
"Shit!" Leon ducked down and retreated behind the tractor again as Queiros continued to shoot.
The gunfire ceased presently, and Leon realized that Queiros had run empty. He peered out cautiously. Through the mirror, he could see Queiros hastily trying to reload his weapon.
Leon seized the brief opportunity to venture forth again. Moving as quickly as possible, he made his way to the door.
Having reloaded his gun, Queiros looked back up. Seeing Leon approaching, he thrust his arm through the window to fire again. Leon swiftly snatched Queiros' wrist and forced his arm upward. He bashed it repeatedly against the tractor door until Queiros finally dropped the gun with a furious roar. It clattered to the asphalt, falling far behind.
The truck sheered to the left as Queiros momentarily lost control of the vehicle, causing Leon to nearly fall off. He clutched the grab bar desperately, hitting the tractor hard as Queiros hastily corrected course.
Leon rallied his wits and reached for the door handle. He flung the door open abruptly and dealt a surprised Queiros a hard punch squarely in his face.
Leon kicked him aside then forced his way into the cabin, seizing the wheel and carefully braking.
Queiros growled ferally. He freed his legs from the driver's side and kicked Leon hard in his ribs.
Leon grunted in pain, striving to block successive shots while trying to keep the truck from sheering into traffic. He elbowed Queiros in the face and reattempted to slow down.
Queiros recovered quickly, however, and he stomped on Leon's foot, crushing it against the gas pedal.
The engine roared as the truck tore through the freeway. A deadly struggle for the steering wheel ensued as it zigzagged across the lanes, causing multiple collisions and spinouts as it passed.
Through the skirmish, Leon became aware of a helicopter searchlight beaming down overhead. A torrent of Japanese words were uttered over a megaphone. Distracted, Leon found himself pinned against the door, throttled by Queiros. The truck swerved wildly.
"Leon!" Sara cried through his earpiece. "The Japanese police are on scene; they're about to open fire on you!"
Gasping and grunting, Leon pushed at Queiros' face and clawed at his eyes. Queiros bellowed and cursed, releasing Leon to clutch at his lacerated eyes.
Leon hurriedly shifted himself back into position in the seat. He grabbed Queiros by the scruff of his neck and bashed his head against the dashboard. Queiros crumpled aside, semi-conscious.
Leon gripped the wheel tightly and straightened the truck. "Sara, you and Jake fall back," he called into his comm piece. "I'm pulling this thing over."
He reduced the speed, turning toward the shoulder. Suddenly gunfire erupted overhead, and he felt two tires blow out under the immense vehicle.
"Shit! Whatever happened to firing a warning shot first?!"
The truck veered dangerously and tilted sideways despite Leon's efforts to steady it. It cut in front of several cars, barreling toward the concrete divider. Unable to regain control, Leon dove to the floor and braced for impact.
A moment later, the truck careened across the inside lane and plowed into the divider before tipping onto its side and sliding into oncoming traffic.
The truck cabin rocked and quaked violently, buffeting Leon about until he was almost insensible. The thunderous cacophony of screeching tires, colliding metal, and blaring horns was deafening.
At last the truck came to a stop with a deep metallic groan. Leon slowly uncurled himself, panting heavily. Blood trickled down the side of his head, tickling his face. He stretched his bruised limbs and looked over to the passenger side. Queiros was no longer in the cabin. Glancing up at the windshield, Leon realized why.
The glass was shattered, its remaining shards dripping with blood and the gory remnants of flesh and clothing, like the teeth of some savage creature after a fresh kill. Queiros had been ejected from the truck.
" Leon! Leon, do you copy?!" Sara's panicked voice transmitting in his ear startled him slightly.
"C-copy. I― I'm… still here," he croaked.
"Oh, thank God! We're coming for you. Just sit tight."
"Okay."
Leon shifted out awkwardly from between the seats. With some difficulty due to the truck's overturned position, he climbed over the dashboard toward the shattered windshield and punched out the remaining glass.
Fighting back a wave of nausea and dizziness, Leon hoisted himself out of the cabin and scaled the hood. As he dropped woozily to the ground, Sara pulled up in the Lamborghini.
She hurried out of the car while Jake vaulted over the door, quickly catching up to her.
"Are you okay?" Sara demanded, running up to Leon. She gazed into his face anxiously, her countenance terror stricken.
"Nothing's broken," he answered rather faintly. He reeled backward.
Sara grabbed him quickly, propping him up against her. He slung an arm across her shoulders gratefully and steadied himself.
"Damn asshole police just started firing," Jake said. "Look at this friggin' chaos; it's hell."
Trying to shake off his disorientation, Leon looked about. The freeway was a disastrous sight. Car pile-ups dotted the road. Several vehicles had hit the dividers, and were reduced to crumpled, smoking wrecks. The passengers who were uninjured had exited their cars and were exclaiming in fury and horror. High above, the police helicopter hovered over the scene, its searchlight highlighting the group below. The pilot called down to them through the bullhorn.
"They'll shoot if we move," Jake translated.
Shielding his eyes from the blinding beam, Leon glowered up at the chopper. "Damn it! Another minute, and everything would have been under control. It didn't have to go down like this."
"Wait; where's Queiros?" asked Sara, squinting.
Leon turned around to scan the pavement. "He's―"
He stopped, catching sight of Queiros' body two yards away. "There," he finished.
Queiros lay prostrate in a dark pool of blood. His head was halfway detached from his body, and his left arm had been ripped off at the elbow. His face was mutilated beyond recognition. Leon could only identify him by his clothing.
"Jesus…" whispered Sara.
"Well, looks like the Black Demon is on his way to hell," Jake declared.
No sooner had he spoken than the body began to twitch. The twitch quickly escalated to violent convulsions. Queiros flopped onto his back. Bloody root-like fibers burst from the gaping gash in his neck and climbed up to his head, suturing the wound then winding around his face.
Queiros' eyes opened wide, large and black like a raven's. He uttered a wet, inhuman cry of agony as his body grew larger and misshapen, his flesh tearing open in showers of blood. The tears were quickly grafted by a bark-like substance that grew over his entire frame. A translucent red resin flowed from the stump of his maimed arm, hardening quickly into a crystalline lobster claw extremity.
After several more moments of rending, roaring and terrifying transformation, Queiros rose up on massive legs, bellowing deafeningly as he towered over the pavement.
Those who could escape raced madly away from the scene, scrambling over halted vehicles and screaming. Jake and Sara exclaimed in dismay, but Leon could only stare in grim silence.
Queiros howled shrilly. "What is this?! What's happened to me?!" he shrieked, his twisted mouth slurring the words.
"Congratulations, Queiros; you've just received your retirement pension," Leon called up to him.
Queiros glared down at the group, bridling at the sound of Leon's voice.
"Hana played you, pal. There was never any money or safe asylum; this was your reward for services rendered!"
Queiros snarled and advanced to strike, but at that moment, the police helicopter opened fire on him. The group retreated, moving away from the truck for fear of explosion.
Queiros roared furiously and blocked his hideous face with his resinous pincer arm. He stepped back and reached for an abandoned scooter with his regular hand. Growling deeply, he flung it at the chopper.
" Malditos sejam todos para o inferno! (damn you all to hell)"
"Take cover!" Sara shouted.
Everyone dove behind a tour bus filled with terrified passengers.
The scooter hit the helicopter with deadly accuracy, and the night sky was momentarily aglow with the resulting explosion.
Once the flash of the blast had dissipated, Leon dared to peer around the bus. Queiros roared bestially then bolted, stepping on cars and leaping over trucks and buses.
"Shit. He's on the move," Leon remarked.
A series of bloodcurdling screams made the trio turn away from Queiros' departing form. The sight they beheld was petrifying.
Upon overturning, the trailer had burst open like a crushed tin can, and dozens of boxes had been ejected from it. Many of the boxes had exploded open on impact, releasing the deadly cargo of tainted products. Shattered glass serum bottles were strewn on the pavement and over automobiles. As a horrifying result of the spillage, the fluid had splashed onto several people through broken windshields and open vehicles.
Those who had been showered by the viral serum were rapidly mutating. Their eyes glowed pale yellow. Their bodies had become bloated masses of translucent purple flesh with networks of pulsating red veins climbing over their faces.
Several yards away, a mutated young woman seized a man in a business suit by his throat and lifted him off the ground bodily. Snarling viciously, the woman tore his head from his neck then flung the bloody remains at the screaming crowd.
Sara moaned low in horror. "This can't be happening."
Leon drew a steadying breath and raised his gun. "The situation just got seriously out of hand," he said dourly.
Jake scoffed dryly, aiming his own weapon. "'Out of hand? This is gonna be a real clusterfu―"
The group opened fire simultaneously.