Bam! Bam! Bam! Cora's target shattered, sending splinters of wood scattering across the floor.
"Damnit, Merandez, that one was mine!" Salven shouted.
"Clearly, I was the one who got it." she retorted. To Salven's disappointment, there hadn't been at TV at the shooting range. The Shooting Range was practically deserted. Everyone was too busy trying to figure out was going on at Raccoon.
"Merandez, we've been here for three hours. I want to find out what's been going on."
"Well aren't you special. You argue with your wife all morning, but now you want to watch TV? Jesus, aren't you the Citizen of the Year."
"Hey, shut up Merandez. This is big. Like you said, they might start sending Intermediates into Raccoon."
"They've already sent out the teams." Cora sighed and shoved her Glock into it's holster. Salven followed suit. Cora shook her head at the woman on Salven's holster. "You really think that Umbrella would just sit by idly? They're drunk on power. They like playing God!"
"Stick with 'em long enough, and you can become a Goddess, Merandez. It's the way things work."
"Being a Goddess doesn't sound as great as it's cracked up to be." Cora said. "What, raising the dead, killing people ... I have better things to do." Cora scribbled her name on the sign out sheet and let the shooting range. Salven followed her.
"Now that you're with Umbrella, you might as well enjoy yourself." Salven said. "Money! A job! Women!"
"Aren't you married?" Cora said, disgustedly.
"What Lydia doesn't know won't hurt her." Salven said. "Look, Merandez, relax! We're set for life!" Then Salven hesitated, and a sly grin came over his face. "You know, with everyone so worried about Raccoon, I bet that you and me could go out. Just, you know -" He was cut off by Cora slapping him.
"Nice try, you filthy pervert." Cora said, disgusted. "I'll see you later, Salven. But first, get your mind out of the gutter." and with that, she strode off furiously.
"Touchy, touchy." Salven said, with a grin on his face.

When Cora arrived back in the labs, it appeared that two or three teams had been sent off to Raccoon.
"Don't worry." one scientist said reassuringly. "Umbrella'll fix everything up real fine."
"Yeah, I'm sure they will." Cora said. All she wanted to do is go to sleep. Her wrists were sore and she had a pounding headache from thinking too much and from the blasts of her gun. She still had training with Dinzali tomorrow, and class, and she would want to be visiting Amelia and...
Cora staggered back to her room, fiddling with the lock. It was temperamental, and Cora found herself hating it. Her door swung open and Cora examined her room. Plain walls, painted a royal blue color. Pale floor boards were covered with a fuzzy dark blue oval rug, and the bed seemed to be pretty high quality. To Cora, they seemed poor quarters for someone who was expected to put their life on the line to fight off zombies and monsters.
Cora changed into her pajamas and flopped down on the bed. Everything was spinning around inside her skull as fast as it would go. Salven, Dinzali, zombies, Umbrella, Oliveria... she fell asleep with her thoughts a jumbled mess and with her hands clenched tightly on the covers.
When she awoke, it was morning. She squinted as the light hit her eyes.
"Blarugh." she said, but got up. Dressing in plain slacks and a black sweater and arming herself, she considered her plans for the day. She noticed a note slipped half under her door, and she slipped it up.

Merandez,
There's been trouble with Raccoon. The place has been destroyed totally. Thank God they didn't send any of the Trainees or Intermediates back in. They would have been slaughtered. They sent in three teams. Only three people made it out alive, not counting any S.T.A.R.S. members or civilians.
Umbrella's treating them all as heroes, of course. They really don't have a choice. These guys have seen things that would have some of the tougher higher ups here with their tail between their legs. Pitiful. But it's not my place to say things like that. It still is true.
Anyway, Umbrella's giving anyone a day off. Come see me anyway. If you don't come, I'll have your spine in three pieces. And try not to make a fool of yourself, or me? At least look presentable. And come armed. You'll need to showcase your skills. It's important, so don't tarry. And again - look presentable and sharp, if nothing else!
-Trainer Irene Dinzali

Cora whistled between her teeth as she hoisted up her duffel bag onto her shoulder. The warning to come armed wasn't necessary. Cora hadn't been without a weapon since she had seen that zombie. She'd feel naked without at least a dagger or seven.
Three teams sent out, and only three survivors. That had to be rough on Umbrella. No wonder they were giving everyone a day off. But what did Dinzali want? She was constantly complaining about having to work when the Intermediates or Trainees were skipping free. She seemed to take it as a personal insult.
Cora quickly made herself 'presentable." She changed into a black t- shirt and a a pair of snug jeans. Cora didn't own anything nicer than that. What, was she supposed to fight in a dress?
It was a very interesting puzzle, and one that Cora wasn't going to solve by sitting around doing nothing. She shrugged and headed down theh hall. She might as well find out now before she ended up being late. Then Dinzali would kill her before she could get anything done.