Coatesville is in ruins, but the nightmare has only just begun
Turn the page for an exclusive sneak peek at the next thrilling chapter of the Resident Evil saga.
RESIDENT EVIL: THRONE OF THE HUNTER
September 3003
Chapter 1 Welcome to North Star
Exactly one year and sixteen days have passed since the Coatesville disaster, and the city's single survivor was in danger once again. After three months of extensive field training Lucas was appointed a full member of S.T.A.R.S the agency that rescued him from the ruins of the Dupont mansion. The agency was skeptical at first about having a member so young. But over time they were swayed by his genuine dedication to bringing the companies to justice and assigned him his first undercover mission.
The intelligence was vague, deep in the wilderness of Nevada; the Umbrella Corporation is building an exclusive planned community. This new town is constructed with technology at least twenty years ahead of its time. The entire city is liked to a super computer designed by Umbrella that orchestrates every aspect of its citizen's daily lives. Fully functional robots serve as both the police and servants to those fortunate enough to be granted access to the gated community. On the surface Umbrella's city appears nothing more than a simple real estate project, however, nothing concerning Umbrella is ever simple. On the eve of the opening of North Star Nevada, the city's founder, the eccentric billionaire Insert Name executed every single partner involved with the project leaving him sole operator of the city. All of this was intercepted from encrypted Umbrella radio transmissions, though curiously enough, Umbrella do not appear in the least bit concerned one of their top supporters has gone rouge. Instead the top Umbrella executives seem to only want to observe what becomes the city regardless what happens to it's innocent inhabitants.
Fearing the beginnings of another outbreak or worse, S.T.A.R.S sent Lucas, Jill Valentine, and her old partner Chris Redfield into the city disguised as a family. Their job is to determine what Insert Name is planning and to stop him if necessary. Once arrived in the city, Lucas began to explore the rows of neatly manicured lawns for some sign of danger. The city looked to be ripped straight out of an advertisement for the fifties, every house looking nearly identical to the next, and there was not a speck of dust anywhere. The city looked more like a movie set or a dollhouse than anything else, though no matter how unsettling the sterility of the neighborhood was, Lucas did not find real reason to worry until he came face to face with the mysterious Insert Name himself.
Insert was a very physically imposing man. He looked to be in his late fifties with perfect silver hair and the build of a marathon runner. He wore a finely tailored charcoal gray suit; his appearance very subdues except for a single ruby ring the size of a walnut on his left hand. He rested casually on the handle of an ornately carved ivory walking stick. He had the air of a king watching over his subjects. Lucas felt immediate respect and awe for the man, but he did not like him. Like Anubis, he to had a glint in his eyes that spoke of something far darker than simple ambition. Though with Anubis that glint was fear, with Insert, it was pure raw power. When Insert saw Lucas, He smiled at him, cold amused. As if he was just realizing the solution to a puzzle so complex, normal people couldn't even comprehend it.
"Ahh you must be Sam Klein" said Insert, "the new family, I have been looking forward to finally meeting you in person, what do you think of my little town so far, it is adequate I hope".
"It's very nice," replied Lucas still awkward with his false identity. He wasn't sure what to do or say. Part of him wanted to question the man to no end. Why did he eliminate all of his partners, what was he trying to accomplish here. But he had to be discreet. He was undercover after all, it was far safer to just let the man talk and learn what he could that way.
"May I confide something in you?" asked the old man with a conspiratorial smile. "In my profession, one has to be a good judge of character, over the years I have perfected the ability to read people. I see something very special in you." "What do you mean?" asked Lucas unsure where the conversation was going. "This is what I believe," explained the man, "There exists a very special energy inside every living thing. A primal voice to defend oneself no matter what the cost, I call this the killer instinct. Normally this voice is smothered by mankind's hopelessly pampered lifestyle, I fear we are in danger of losing this voice all together. But there is hope, the hunt, when a man hunts, he allows even if only for a moment that voice to heard in all its glory. I look at you, and I see a fellow hunter, you know what it takes to survive." "You don't like modern society," asked Lucas confused, "then why build a city like this that takes care of your every need?" "Modern society has it's uses" said the man smiling at something Lucas did not understand, "But one must never allow their inner voice to die completely, everyone fears death, so they put their faith in technology, but what they don't realize is that they are killing their true selves. There is more than one kind of death you know. To become so helpless that you owe your entire life to a machine, is that what you call a meaningful life?" "I think I understand," said Lucas still a little confused. Despite himself, part of him agreed with this man. He was sure eccentric. But he didn't look dangerous. But then again, Lucas had also come face to face with a serial killer and never suspected a thing until it was to late. So he didn't know what to think of the strange aging man. "I'm sorry" apologized the man as he glanced at his watch, "I have kept you far to long, there is much that needs to be done, remember what I told you, if you ever have any free time, stop by the office, I would like to show you my trophy collection, I am sure you'll be most impressed". After the man left, Lucas continued his tour of the grounds trying to make some sense of the whole situation. His thoughts were interrupted when a large dog leapt from the adjoining lawn nearly knocking him to the ground. "Hey, you ok" came a disturbingly familiar voice, it was the dog's owner no doubt, "sorry about that, down boy, down". Lucas gasped as he got a good look the man who now wrestled with the dog it was his father. Moments later his mother joined his father and looked over at Lucas with complete embarrassment. "He never normally acts this way," said his mother with a shy smile, "by the way, I'm Tara Rogers, we just moved in here. You must be with the new family, the Klein's, tell your parents we'd like to invite them over for a welcoming party sometime". All throughout his mothers rambling Lucas was too shocked to say a word, she didn't even recognize him, something was terribly wrong here. The last most frightening surprise came moments later, his brother Phillip came running up the hill carrying a beat up soccer ball. "This is our son Phillip" said Tara with a wide smile, "He must be about your age, I'm sure you have a lot in common, anyway, we had better be going, we really hope you and your family feel welcome here, though we haven't lived here long, we know it's a wonderful town, Umbrella is truly a great company for creating such a paradise on earth". With that he watched dumbfounded as his family walked away from him. Too many questions to even be considered spun madly in Lucas' head. How could his parents be here, why didn't they recognize him, and how could Phillip be alive and human a full year after the disaster, none of this made any sense. One thing was clear, was that something was very wrong in North Star Nevada.
Turn the page for an exclusive sneak peek at the next thrilling chapter of the Resident Evil saga.
RESIDENT EVIL: THRONE OF THE HUNTER
September 3003
Chapter 1 Welcome to North Star
Exactly one year and sixteen days have passed since the Coatesville disaster, and the city's single survivor was in danger once again. After three months of extensive field training Lucas was appointed a full member of S.T.A.R.S the agency that rescued him from the ruins of the Dupont mansion. The agency was skeptical at first about having a member so young. But over time they were swayed by his genuine dedication to bringing the companies to justice and assigned him his first undercover mission.
The intelligence was vague, deep in the wilderness of Nevada; the Umbrella Corporation is building an exclusive planned community. This new town is constructed with technology at least twenty years ahead of its time. The entire city is liked to a super computer designed by Umbrella that orchestrates every aspect of its citizen's daily lives. Fully functional robots serve as both the police and servants to those fortunate enough to be granted access to the gated community. On the surface Umbrella's city appears nothing more than a simple real estate project, however, nothing concerning Umbrella is ever simple. On the eve of the opening of North Star Nevada, the city's founder, the eccentric billionaire Insert Name executed every single partner involved with the project leaving him sole operator of the city. All of this was intercepted from encrypted Umbrella radio transmissions, though curiously enough, Umbrella do not appear in the least bit concerned one of their top supporters has gone rouge. Instead the top Umbrella executives seem to only want to observe what becomes the city regardless what happens to it's innocent inhabitants.
Fearing the beginnings of another outbreak or worse, S.T.A.R.S sent Lucas, Jill Valentine, and her old partner Chris Redfield into the city disguised as a family. Their job is to determine what Insert Name is planning and to stop him if necessary. Once arrived in the city, Lucas began to explore the rows of neatly manicured lawns for some sign of danger. The city looked to be ripped straight out of an advertisement for the fifties, every house looking nearly identical to the next, and there was not a speck of dust anywhere. The city looked more like a movie set or a dollhouse than anything else, though no matter how unsettling the sterility of the neighborhood was, Lucas did not find real reason to worry until he came face to face with the mysterious Insert Name himself.
Insert was a very physically imposing man. He looked to be in his late fifties with perfect silver hair and the build of a marathon runner. He wore a finely tailored charcoal gray suit; his appearance very subdues except for a single ruby ring the size of a walnut on his left hand. He rested casually on the handle of an ornately carved ivory walking stick. He had the air of a king watching over his subjects. Lucas felt immediate respect and awe for the man, but he did not like him. Like Anubis, he to had a glint in his eyes that spoke of something far darker than simple ambition. Though with Anubis that glint was fear, with Insert, it was pure raw power. When Insert saw Lucas, He smiled at him, cold amused. As if he was just realizing the solution to a puzzle so complex, normal people couldn't even comprehend it.
"Ahh you must be Sam Klein" said Insert, "the new family, I have been looking forward to finally meeting you in person, what do you think of my little town so far, it is adequate I hope".
"It's very nice," replied Lucas still awkward with his false identity. He wasn't sure what to do or say. Part of him wanted to question the man to no end. Why did he eliminate all of his partners, what was he trying to accomplish here. But he had to be discreet. He was undercover after all, it was far safer to just let the man talk and learn what he could that way.
"May I confide something in you?" asked the old man with a conspiratorial smile. "In my profession, one has to be a good judge of character, over the years I have perfected the ability to read people. I see something very special in you." "What do you mean?" asked Lucas unsure where the conversation was going. "This is what I believe," explained the man, "There exists a very special energy inside every living thing. A primal voice to defend oneself no matter what the cost, I call this the killer instinct. Normally this voice is smothered by mankind's hopelessly pampered lifestyle, I fear we are in danger of losing this voice all together. But there is hope, the hunt, when a man hunts, he allows even if only for a moment that voice to heard in all its glory. I look at you, and I see a fellow hunter, you know what it takes to survive." "You don't like modern society," asked Lucas confused, "then why build a city like this that takes care of your every need?" "Modern society has it's uses" said the man smiling at something Lucas did not understand, "But one must never allow their inner voice to die completely, everyone fears death, so they put their faith in technology, but what they don't realize is that they are killing their true selves. There is more than one kind of death you know. To become so helpless that you owe your entire life to a machine, is that what you call a meaningful life?" "I think I understand," said Lucas still a little confused. Despite himself, part of him agreed with this man. He was sure eccentric. But he didn't look dangerous. But then again, Lucas had also come face to face with a serial killer and never suspected a thing until it was to late. So he didn't know what to think of the strange aging man. "I'm sorry" apologized the man as he glanced at his watch, "I have kept you far to long, there is much that needs to be done, remember what I told you, if you ever have any free time, stop by the office, I would like to show you my trophy collection, I am sure you'll be most impressed". After the man left, Lucas continued his tour of the grounds trying to make some sense of the whole situation. His thoughts were interrupted when a large dog leapt from the adjoining lawn nearly knocking him to the ground. "Hey, you ok" came a disturbingly familiar voice, it was the dog's owner no doubt, "sorry about that, down boy, down". Lucas gasped as he got a good look the man who now wrestled with the dog it was his father. Moments later his mother joined his father and looked over at Lucas with complete embarrassment. "He never normally acts this way," said his mother with a shy smile, "by the way, I'm Tara Rogers, we just moved in here. You must be with the new family, the Klein's, tell your parents we'd like to invite them over for a welcoming party sometime". All throughout his mothers rambling Lucas was too shocked to say a word, she didn't even recognize him, something was terribly wrong here. The last most frightening surprise came moments later, his brother Phillip came running up the hill carrying a beat up soccer ball. "This is our son Phillip" said Tara with a wide smile, "He must be about your age, I'm sure you have a lot in common, anyway, we had better be going, we really hope you and your family feel welcome here, though we haven't lived here long, we know it's a wonderful town, Umbrella is truly a great company for creating such a paradise on earth". With that he watched dumbfounded as his family walked away from him. Too many questions to even be considered spun madly in Lucas' head. How could his parents be here, why didn't they recognize him, and how could Phillip be alive and human a full year after the disaster, none of this made any sense. One thing was clear, was that something was very wrong in North Star Nevada.