Hello, again.
I know I said this was going to be a short story, but I am finding myself unable to stop writing long chapters, wanting to cover all details possible. And I'm really starting to like writing backstories and flashbacks. This was originally going to be one chapter, but I'm splitting it into two.
Here it is. Read and review.
Chapter 2: Severance: Part 1
10:03 AM, 12th February 2021, BSAA European Headquarters, Berlin, Germany
Two days after the Village Incident…
"Not happening, Chris!" Ethan gave a low shout.
It had been two days since they had escaped the valley and Miranda's clutches. Ethan and Bela were finally glad to be rid of the nightmare The group had arrived at the BSAA European Headquarters safely and soundly, but Chris' people didn't show any kind of hospitality to Bela. During the chopper rides and subsequent stops, Ethan remained close to Bela, ensuring her safety when Chris and Wolf Hound Squad would attempt to separate her away from him.
It didn't help that they arrived at a place filled to the brim with monster-hating soldiers, but Ethan stood his ground. There were no major incidents so far, but Ethan did end up giving a particularly bigoted soldier a broken arm and Bela's sickle found its way slashing another soldier's abdomen. Needless to say, those events complicated things more than ever.
Right now, the group were in the common room of the Living Quarters Building on-base. And Ethan was having a heated disagreement on their future with not just Chris, but the remaining members of S.T.A.R.S.. Jill Valentine, Barry Burton and Rebecca Chambers had arrived to the base a day earlier to see Chris, but now they were caught in between the ongoing fight.
"This is not up for discussion, Ethan!", said Chris.
"Like hell, it isn't, Chris," growled Ethan, "I've told you that Bela help me stop Miranda. Why can't you get that through your skull that she isn't like the others? And you want to kill her now all of a sudden when she did nothing wrong?"
"I only let her tag along because you wouldn't allow anybody else near her for the duration of the trip." retorted Chris, "I don't see why you're making such a big deal over a freak. And she did give Mendez some serious cuts, if you recall."
"I'm standing right here, y'know!" growled Bela, "I'm perfectly capable of defending myself, you insolent man-thing. And if you recall correctly, that asshole tried to take a shot at me, but you failed to stop him from getting himself hurt. No wonder so many of your comrades are dying by the dozens in such stupid way in the bloody war you wage against terrorists. Their blood is on your hands."
Chris glared at Bela before turning to Ethan.
"Bela is my friend and saviour," Ethan retorted, using Bela's name with insistence, "And I guess I'm just more capable of showing mercy than you when all you care about is killing first and thinking second."
"But you're showing that mercy to all the wrong people." protested Barry, "Chris told me how you tried to reason with Miranda. Why on earth did you try to convince her to stop when you know what she did to your daughter?"
"It was worth a try," said Ethan, "And, honestly, she reminded me so much of Eveline. They both wanted something that they longed for, but ended up doing atrocious acts in the process. I thought I could be able to succeed with Miranda where I didn't even try with Eveline."
"And we still had to put her because of what the threat she posed." said Chris, "Ethan, you and Rose can still lead a normal life. Once we have the completed the necessary tests, we're going to relocate you and Rose to a new BSAA safehouse.
"And how long will those tests take?" asked Ethan, "And don't forget. Bela goes with us as well."
"No, Ethan. She's too much of a threat to be allowed to be anywhere near you and Rose. Or the rest of humanity, for that matter." said Jill.
"Fuck you, Wesker's puppet bitch!" retorted Ethan.
"What the hell did you just say?!" said Jill in a threatening tone, while sitting up from her chair.
"You heard me, Wesker's puppet bitch." replied Ethan, repeating the insult with more emphasis, "You don't get a say in this."
Ethan could feel his hatred for these S.T.A.R.S. members intensify every moment. And every moment, he could feel the Mold cells in his body. They screamed out to be made into a blade or claws to end their lives, but Ethan repressed those thoughts.
"Okay, Ethan. Let me spell it out for you on why I'd rather kill this freak rather than let her leave this place," said Chris, "There is always that chance she can revert back to her old ways. She can kill you and Rose in your sleep. She can harm all the people around her in their sleep. She might even try to use Rose for her own ends."
"And what ends could those be, huh? I'm not Miranda. I never lost a daughter to a sickness, so I have no reason to use Rose. Finding out what Miranda did to Rose one of the reasons I decided to aid Ethan in the first place," said Bela, "And speaking of which, I've no desire to kill Ethan when he's the one who saved me from an icy death and got me out of the valley."
"And I promised her that I would help her start a new life." added Ethan.
"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep, Ethan," said Chris, "And even if she has no intention of harming you, Rose or anyone else, that's not going to stop bioterrorists from finding out about her. Having her around will just attract unwanted attention. And when they do finally get to you, they'll never stop until you are hunted down."
Ethan was close to losing it with Chris, Barry and Jill's xenophobic bigotry shit against Bela. In a sense, they were like Miranda. Too far gone in their own paths to rethink their actions. Miranda wanted her daughter back while they wanted to kill Bela. But Ethan knew had to face facts eventually. They were going to get what they wanted and, even if he resorted to fighting them, he knew that he was dangerously outnumbered.
But then he remembered something that Duke had told him when they were on their way to confront Miranda.
"Beside the supplies and ammunition, I've also taken the liberty of putting a little something into your bag, Ethan." the Duke's words echoed in Ethan's mind, "It's a great big world out there and there are places that I can consider safe enough to call home and far from any bioterrorist eyes. Or from those you don't trust. If you are ever in need of my services, don't hesitate to give me a call."
"Wait a minute." Ethan said to himself.
Ethan walked over to his backpack, which sat on a nearby coffee table, and began digging through the items while the others watched on in confusion. He pulled out an old cell phone with the Duke's business card taped to the back of it. Ethan saw a phone number written down as well as a friendly message.
Bringing Great Service To Those In Need!
Ethan knew very little about the Duke's true nature and how he had a certain sense of clairvoyance and wisdom to him, but the man had been extremely invaluable in his search for Rose and defeat of Bela's sisters, two Lords and Miranda. Duke did mention once or twice that he would offer a favour to people in need when he encountered them. But one thing that tugged at Ethan was if the Duke was even still alive. He knew the Duke got around quick, but was he quick enough to get out of the village before it was blown sky high?
Only one way to find out.
"Excuse us a moment." said Ethan, gesturing Bela to follow back into their bedroom.
Entering the bedroom, they saw Rose was playing with a small stuffed animal inside her crib. After dialling the number written on the card, Ethan pressed the phone to his ear and heard the ringing. After a few moments, a voice answered.
"Hello?" Ethan instantly recognised the jolly voice of the obese merchant, sighing in relief that he had indeed made it out of the valley.
"Duke, it's Ethan Winters." said Ethan.
"Ah, Mr Winters. What a surprise to hear from you so soon!" the jolly man declared on the other side of the line, "How have you been and to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"
Ethan sighed. He couldn't say he was in the best of spirits, but he masked it before he responded.
"I've been better, Duke, but I've certainly been through worse before. I'm glad you made it out. I've called you because of a situation that has arisen." said Ethan.
"Do tell." said Duke.
"Remember how you told me to call you in case I needed your assistance again?" asked Ethan, "Well, this is the time. Bela, Rose and myself are in need of your assistance more than ever now."
"Is that so?" asked Duke, his voice booming with jolliness as always, "Well, you've called the right person for this, my friend. What services are you in need of?"
"Things between myself and the BSAA have pretty much deteriorated beyond any reasonable salvaging. They want to relocate me and Rose, but they have no intention of letting Bela out and they are completely taken in with thinking that she is dangerous when she isn't,", explained Ethan, taking a moment to breathe before continuing, "I'm not certain that if you can provide the service I'm about to ask for, but you're the only one I can turn to right now. So I just need to ask."
"If you've read my message that came with the phone, then you should know that I'm all about providing my customers with high quality services and products," replied the Duke, "So what is it that you need?"
"Okay," Ethan sighed before he asked his golden question, "What are the chances that you might be able to find a new place for us for myself, Bela and Rose? A place to start a new life away from the BSAA?"
Ethan didn't mention the promise he made to Bela, but because the Duke seemed to know more than he let on, Ethan had a feeling that he already knew about it. Even if Bela didn't tell him. There was a short pause on the Duke's end before the jolly man spoke up.
"Ah. Well, this is quite a request. And a coincidence, I might add, Ethan, as the timing could not have been better," spoke the Duke excitedly, "It just so happens that a dear friend of mine has passed away very recently. He ran a small, but successful vineyard near a hillside village, which itself is not too far away from the city of Florence, Italy. He has no living family or relatives, so he has nobody to take over the place."
"A village? Is it-" Ethan began before being abruptly stopped.
The man on the other end interrupted with laughter, "Not to worry, Ethan. The village is free of any cultists or monsters. It's essentially a small tightknit community. There are plenty of small family-run shops to visit. The residents there are friendly and everybody knows everybody. It has a generally warm climate. Plus, it is a great place to raise a family."
Ethan couldn't believe his luck. Just when he was worried about the future of his daughter and life of the woman who had been through as much as he had, the prospect of a new life was offered to him. He knew a vineyard was more different than any city he was used to, but if that was the price to pay to make sure Rose would grow up in a safe environment and keeping his promise to Bela, then so be it.
"So what do you say, Mr Winters? Does that sound like a good deal?" asked the Duke.
"Hold on a moment, Duke." said Ethan, as he cover the phone and turned back to Bela, "Bela, Duke has offered us a place in Italy. A now-vacant vineyard. Near a village. Warm and close to a supportive community. What do you think?"
But rather than answer with words, Bela threw herself at Ethan into a strong hug. Ethan progressed to hug her back.
"It's perfect, Ethan." said Bela, "It sounds absolutely perfect."
Ethan put the phone back to his ear.
"Duke, we'll take it." said Ethan happily.
"A excellent decision, Ethan." said the Duke, who sounded just as happy.
But just then, Bela snatched the phone from Ethan, putting it to her ear.
"Duke, this is Bela." said Bela, "I assume that payment for this particular request will cost a good chunk?"
"Ah, Lady Bela," said the Duke, "So good to hear the voice of one of my best customers. As for your question, there will be a fee for this service, but I'm sure we can arrange something."
"I'm way ahead of you," said Bela to the Duke, "When we left the valley, Castle Dimitrescu managed to survive the explosion since it was outside the blast radius. Not only that, but my mother and sisters are dead, which means that it should be uninhabited. Apart from the Moraica in the dungeons below, but I locked that area off before I encountered Ethan. And that also means that all the family's belongings in there are free to take for anyone, money and items of great value. Whatever is in there that you can find is yours. You have my verbal consent. There are plenty of things in the castle you can sell off that can more than cover the necessary expenses for this move. Paintings, sculptures, rare books, bottles of Sanguis Virginis. It's all there."
"Splendid! That will more than cover this service and your previous tab. And because of our relationship, I'll throw in a little something extra to the bunch." said the Duke.
"What do you mean by that?" asked Bela.
"You'll know when you see it after you move in," said Duke, "But may I know of your current location?"
Bela handed the phone back to Ethan.
"We're at the BSAA European Headquarters. That's just outside Berlin, Germany to the north." said Ethan.
"Excellent. I'll call in a few favours from some business associates who can assist in the transition. Give me until the end of the month and I'll have a friend by then to pick you up and fly you to your new home."
"Once again, Duke, you don't know how much this means to me. To Bela and Rose, too."
"It is always my pleasure, Mr Winters." laughed the jolly man, "I'll be seeing you soon. And before I leave you, be sure that you break the cell phone. Don't want the BSAA to track this number. Farewell for now."
Ethan promptly hung up before removing the battery and breaking the phone in half.
"Bela, are you sure about letting the Duke take possession of your family's belongings?" asked Ethan.
"Don't worry about it, Ethan. If a vineyard is where we are going, then there's no way I'll be able to fit all of my family's belongings there. Besides, there aren't that many things that had that much sentimental value to me other than the necklace I'm wearing now.", said Bela, "And you took a big risk to bring me here when everyone else wants to kill me, Ethan."
"I've still got my end of the deal to hold up, remember? It's not complete until we get there." said Ethan.
Ethan looked over to the crib, where his daughter continued to play. He smiled, knowing that his daughter was going to have a chance at living a normal life.
The duo walked back out into the common room of the building, where the others were waiting for them.
"Well?" asked Chris.
"Here's what's going to happen, Chris. Ethan, Rose and I will stay here until the end of the month," said Bela, "But we've just made arrangements with a friend, who's agreed to help us move to a new home."
"You've gotta be shitting me." said Barry.
"Who and where?" asked Chris.
"For once, that's none of your business, Chris." said Ethan defensively, "In the meantime, wherever Bela or Rose go around this base, I go with them. I don't trust you or your buddies enough to not do something that will make them uncomfortable or get Bela killed. But once the end of the month comes by, the three of us will be walking out of those front gates to be picked up. No tracking devices. No microchips. No guards. Just the three of us and the things we brought with us from the valley."
Ethan walked up to Chris until they were just inches from each others' faces. Chris stood unfazed by Ethan's attempt to get in his face, but Ethan had a face that said he was dead serious. Barry attempted to intervene, but Rebecca held him back, shaking her head.
"And the moment we step out of those gates, you and I…" said Ethan, intent on making sure the next words that came out of his mouth sunk in with Chris completely, "…we're done. For good. The same thing goes for the rest of the BSAA. I don't what you interfering with our lives anymore."
"Interfere?!" scoffed Chris, "We're trying to protect you and Rose, goddamn it! Why can't you understand that?!"
"You forcefully took my daughter from our home and had one of your men knock me out rather than explain the situation to me," said Ethan, "And when I further tried to question you at the reservoir, you blew me off. Some protector you turned out to be."
Ethan then looked at Bela. "Bela, on the other hand, was there with me from the first chance she got. She was there with me when we fought off her mother and sister. She assisted me in fighting off the Lycans. She helped to save my life when I needed her the most. And, finally, she helped me bring down Miranda. And she did it all through her own choices. I'd trust her right now more than I'd ever trust you, Chris! And she deserves a chance at a normal life in return."
"But what kind of life can you possibly lead with this monster, Ethan?" said Jill, "Don't you know what she's done? Even before helping you? Are you just going to watch over her for the rest of your life so that she doesn't go back to being a blood-sucking fiend?"
"I don't need blood to survive, you damn hussy!" said an angry Bela, "And I care about Ethan and Rose' well-being. Which is more than what I can say for this insolent man-thing you call Chris! All he cares about is killing inhuman things rather than looking out for people. If anything, he's the monster!"
"Enough!" Rebecca sat up suddenly and spoke for the first time, which the others took notice of, "This is getting us nowhere!"
"Damn right." said Barry, "I think we should just-"
"Chris, just give them what they want." said Rebecca.
The other three S.T.A.R.S. members looked he with bewildered expressions.
"Are you out of your mind, Rebecca?! I've told you about what Ethan's now capable of and you think it's a good idea to let him live outside the BSAA's watch? With a bioweapon, no less? That poses a serious threat to humanity." said Chris.
"Fuck you, Chris! I gotta agree with Bela, here," said Rebecca angrily, "Ever since Finn Macaulay and Pier Nivans died, you've changed for the worse. You hardly give a shit about the innocent people and the collateral damage caused by the missions under your leadership. That's what's given the BSAA bad publicity in recent years. All you care about is killing anything that isn't even remotely human without giving a care about your own teammates. Probably explains why you came back with only half of Wolf Hound Squad and you haven't mention a single word of them since you got here."
"Ethan shot Night Howl in the knee and he drowned in the reservoir." growled Chris, "And don't ever mention Finn and Piers again."
"Because he was going to shoot Bela. And because Chris wouldn't answer my questions, I had reason to defend us from him." defended Ethan.
Rebecca just continued. "But Ethan is clearly looking out for his daughter. He wants to watch her grow up and live a normal life. Being constantly under BSAA surveillance is no way to raise a child and you know it. And he's willing to give Bela a chance to live a normal life as well."
"But she won't fit-" started Chris.
"Because you won't give her a chance! She's not like the other monsters. She's different," insisted Rebecca, "In fact, you're starting to be as monstrous as any B.O.W.. So, for once in your miserable, fucking life, do the right thing for someone other than yourself. Just let Ethan and Bela live a normal life with Rose, get some help for yourself before you go over the edge, and stop being so fucking selfish!"
The last part of Rebecca's outburst caused the sounds of Rose's crying to emanate from the next room. Jumping to the task, Bela quickly ran back into the bedroom to calm the baby down.
"Fuck. Sorry about that." said Rebecca with guilt in her voice.
The crying soon stopped, indicating Bela was successful in soothing Rose's crying. Ethan just glared at Chris, who turn his attention back to him and gave off a sigh.
"You don't want our help? Fine," grunted Chris in frustration, "But while you guys are still here, you adhere to our rules and protocols like everybody else. Additionally, you and…"
Chris momentarily gave the room where Bela and Rose were in a disgusted look.
"…her will have to go the labs on-base for mandatory tests whenever asked and you'll attend daily therapy sessions. You three are not allowed off the base until the end of the month. If there's anything you need from town, just ask one of our staff and they'll get it for you."
"But mark my words, Ethan," growled Chris, "If I so much as see any blood on her face or eating anything that even looks remotely like human flesh, then I won't hesitate to put her down."
"I'll make sure she doesn't…" retorted Ethan, clenching his fists, "…and I'll make sure that you don't get a chance to fulfill your sick longings."
The others were quick to notice that small Mold veins began to form on Ethan's fists, ready to morph his hands into a melee weapon if he so desired. But rather than spitting out a retort, Chris simply walked past Ethan, exiting the common room with a huff. Ethan relaxed, allowing the Mold veins to retract. Barry and Jill followed suit, not wanting to be near Ethan or Bela any longer. This just left Ethan and Rebecca alone in the common room.
"You're…helping me?" asked Ethan in confusion.
"Nowadays, I feel like I'm the only rational S.T.A.R.S. member among us left. All these years fighting bioweapons has taken a toll on them," sighed Rebecca, "Besides, Bela's proven that she can be trusted around Rose and you. They deserve a life that doesn't involve conflict."
"You believe me? And Bela?" asked Ethan.
"Chris has become volatile as of late. He doesn't believe that people can change," said Rebecca, "If you or Bela would like any counselling, tips, or anything from town, I'm your go-to girl.
"You'd do that?" asked Ethan.
"Sure. You've gotta have at least one person around here who's willing to look out for you when Chris is around." laughed Rebecca.
"You're the only person besides me to call Bela by her real name." said Ethan, "I've noticed that just now."
"She's got a name. Might as well give her a sense of individuality. And I can see you're in love with her. I get it," giggled Rebecca, causing Ethan to blush a little, "Or at least starting to feel that way about her. But we're kinda in the same boat, you and I."
"What do you mean?" asked Ethan.
Rebecca came closer to Ethan and whispered, "Just between you and me, I met a guy back in 1998 who was believed to be a criminal, but turned out to be innocent. We parted ways after a short time together, but I found myself more concerned for him overtime. We eventually reconnected."
"Where is he now?" asked Ethan.
"I helped to prove he was innocent in court a some years later. Right now, he's waiting in America, with our twin son and daughter, for me to get back," said Rebecca, revealing a wedding band underneath her gloved hand, "Funny how things turn out, huh? But don't tell the others. They don't know I'm married."
Ethan chuckled, but noticing Rebecca's wedding band made him look down at his own in a mixture of sadness and nostalgia.
"Don't worry, Ethan. I'm sure things will turn out well with you and Bela when you leave." smiled Rebecca before walking to the exit and turning back to Ethan, "Just promise me two things."
"What's that?" asked Ethan.
"Do your best to ensure your…abilities are not seen by anyone else. And no matter what happens between you two…," said Rebecca, "…don't ever give up on her."
And with that, she left. Ethan entered the bedroom, where he found Bela playing with Rose in her arms.
"What happened out there, Ethan?" asked Bela.
"Rebecca sees things our way." said Ethan, "She's even willing to help us out if we need it."
"Really?" asked Bela.
"Really," said Ethan, "Hey, Bela?"
"Yes, Ethan?"
"We're going to be alright." assured Ethan, "All of us."
With Rose still in her arms, Ethan embraced the vampire girl and his daughter in a warm hug. Bela gave Ethan a peck on the cheek, who gave off a light blush and gave her one back.
9:15 AM 28th February 2021, BSAA European Headquarters, Berlin, Germany
Sixteen days later…
The day had finally come. The day when Ethan, Bela and Rose would leave the BSAA base and begin a new life in Italy. And they did well to keep the Duke's involvement and the location of their new home to themselves. Even from Rebecca, but she didn't have any interest in it. Rebecca had been pretty helpful with the two, but more so with Bela, who was hesitant at first. But the two women warmed up to each other, quickly becoming something akin to friends. Whenever Bela asked for advice or tips on living in the world, Rebecca was there to lend her wisdom to the vampire girl.
In the time they spent being monitored practically twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, Ethan and Bela got to know each other more as well. Ethan told Bela about his life before Romania. How he was an ordinary person who met Mia after college and got a career as a systems engineer before getting married. Ethan shared with her how his world got turned upside down when he had to rescue Mia from the Baker Estate when she sent him an email out of the blue. How afterward they had Rose and lived under the BSAA's protection until they were targeted by Miranda.
Bela, in return told Ethan her life story. She explained that she had begun to regain her memories some years earlier about her past life before she received the Cadou implant from Alcina. It was in fragments, but she felt she could remember more of it as time would go by. All that she remembered was being a normal resident of the village, but not much beyond that. And the more she remembered, the more horrified she felt at what she had been doing while being Alcina's adopted daughter. All the slaughter, cannibalism and blood-drinking made Bela sick to her stomach just thinking about it, but Ethan comforted her about it. He assured her that once they began anew in their new home, he was certain that she would begin to recover faster under a most positive environment.
True to Chris' word, they had to attend daily therapy sessions. Every time, it was a different therapist who talked to them about their problems and how to make change in their lives for the better. It became a subject of boredom to them rather quick, but Ethan could tell that Bela was beginning to improve. Since he already was in therapy numerous times after the Baker House Incident, Ethan was making good progress on his own pace.
It was only a few times, but they also had to go to the labs to get check-ups and samples taken from them. Bela turned out to be rather uncomfortable around the doctors, fearing they would kill her, but Ethan kept to his word and accompanied her at all times. This made her feel more relaxed around him and she returned to a state of comfort whenever they left the labs. And when it came to eat, the trio always ate together. Ethan and Bela couldn't help but feel a romantic atmosphere when they would sit together, whether it be to eat or in the common room.
Now, Ethan, Bela and Rose were at the main gate, waiting to be let out for the very last time. Bela had changed to a more civilian look, but she still wore her necklace and her robes were stuffed in Ethan's backpack. Soon, they would leave this place behind and start a new life away from the dangers posed by the war on bioterrorism.
It seemed that word had gotten out around the base very quickly about the imminent departure of Ethan's group. Staff members, soldiers and scientists had come out into the open to watch the events unfold with their own eyes.
And who could blame them? Especially when Ethan, Bela and Rose were, in their eyes, a trio of sentient bioweapons. Leaving the anti-B.O.W. organisation behind and going out into the open world like they were normal people. When in fact, they were far from such. But the very idea of them just going without resistance like nobody's business was absurd to them.
Then the gates opened, allowing the trio to see their escort.
A lone man leaned on an old blue jeep. A jeep with that had no license plates. The man wore a red leather jacket over a plain white shirt, blue jeans and black shoes. His baseball cap and sunglasses obscured his facial features. The trio approached him
"You Ethan, Bela and Rose?" asked the man.
Bela nodded, "You with the Duke?"
"I am. Call me Richter. I will be driving you to an old airstrip on the country. There will be a plane waiting to take you out of the country to your new home.", said Richter, "Do you have everything that belongs to you?"
"Yeah," said Ethan, still holding his backpack. The pistol was slung in a holster and the shotgun was strung to the backpack.
"Then hop aboard. We have some ground to cover." said Richter.
The four quickly entered the jeep, intent on getting away from the base as soon as they could. As Richter shifted the car into drive, Ethan took a moment to look back at the BSAA base. He could see at least a hundred pairs of eyes looking back at him with various that practically said at least a dozen different things that ranged from threats to lukewarm warnings. But then he caught sight of Chris looking directly back at him. There was clear disapproval in his eyes about Ethan's decision, but Ethan knew it was too late for him to do anything about it. Spotting Rebecca, he saw her giving the only smile among the crowd and a thumbs up. Ethan nodded her way.
Ethan hoped that this would be the last he would ever see of Chris Redfield, knowing full well of his determination to destroy bioweapons without prejudice and the legitimate threat he poses to Bela and Rose because of that.
The jeep drove away, leaving the BSAA behind them.
1:36 PM Monday 14th February 2022, Florence, Italy
Present Day…
Ethan frowned at the sound of his former ally's voice. He wanted to hang up at first, but he knew that Chris' stubborn nature would continue to bother him if he didn't answer. So he just continued to talk.
"What the hell do you want, Chris? And more importantly, how the hell did you get this number?"
Upon hearing Chris' name, Bela frowned, not liking where the situation was going to go.
And another chapter is done.
This chapter was not easy to write when so much needed to be covered. I decided to make Rebecca an ally rather than an adversary because she went down a path of knowledge rather than combat. And she sees that Bela genuinely means no harm towards Ethan or Rose. I'm assuming Chris would have told Ethan about Jill being Albert's puppet, so I came up with the insult.
Also, I made a reference to a certain someone from Resident Evil 0. Can you guess who it was?
Until next chapter.