Chapter One: Distress in Arklay

Two Weeks Later

July 23, 1998

Rebecca sat rigidly in her seat, hands interlaced in a tight grip. She tried keeping her breathing even, but it didn't do anything for the rapid beating of her heart. If it weren't for the sound of the helicopter blades, Rebecca was sure that the rest of the team could hear it.

Richard nudged her.

"Hey," he whispered. "How are you holding out, kid?"

"I'm fine," Rebecca said, doing her best to keep her voice steady. She glanced over to find Richard looking at her with that look—that half smirk and soft eyes. It was the look you gave a child. Rebecca straightened and checked to see if anyone else was listening in. Beside him, Forrest gazed off out his window. In the seat in front of her, Captain Marini and Kenneth stared straight ahead.

"We're all nervous our first mission," Richard said. "Nothing to worry about though."

Rebecca nodded and turned toward the window to watch the forest pass below. Everything seemed to go so fast. It had only been six months earlier that she graduated from the University of Indiana with her Masters in biochemistry. Rebecca remembered her mother's face when she had raced down the stage.

"Your father would be so proud of you," her mother had said.

"I hope so," Rebecca muttered.

Granted, her mother hadn't been thrilled to find out that Rebecca had taken a job with the Raccoon Police Department, much less with the famed Special Tactics and Rescue Squad.

Even so, who would have thought her first mission was to investigate cannibal murders?

Those pictures, she thought and cringed. One picture from the briefing stayed with her in particular—it was of an infant, no more than three. The little boy's shirt was ripped, showing a small chest torn apart. Glossy bone of his ribs shined against crimson meat. Yet, the boy' face remained untouched. In fact, it had looked as though he were sleeping. Rebecca felt her stomach twist.

BANG!

The helicopter descended too quickly for Rebecca's tastes. Red lights flashed from the consoles as the pilot, Kevin, held onto the controls with a vice grip. The helicopter's rear propeller struck the branches of a tree, sending the whole cab into a spiral. Rebecca felt as though she were going to vomit. Her body warmed with adrenaline. Finally, the helicopter slammed into the ground. Rebecca had to swallow a few times to make sure no bile came up.

"Unbelievable," Kevin said, his voice muffled by his pilot helmet.

"What's the status," Marini asked.

"Some kind of engine failure.," the pilot said. "I told Wesker these 'copters need a tune up weeks ago…"

Rebecca watched the captain's lip curled beneath his mustache.

"Right," he said, before turning to the others. "This doesn't change our mission. Everyone move out. Dooley, do what you can to get this thing working."

Kevin nodded. Rebecca, who was closest to the door, swung it open and hopped out. She turned back to see Kevin give her a salute. She smiled and returned the gesture with a thumbs-up, before closing the helicopter's door.

The grass felt slick beneath her boot, and a low mist covered the ground. Under the eaves of the forest, the area was practically pitch black.

"Check the current position and investigate the surrounding area," the captain said as Rebecca brought up the rear. She drew her handgun, body tense. The night was quiet, and not even a cricket made a sound.

"How're you holding up," Edward asked, his voice hardly above a whisper.

"I'm fine," she said with a small smile. "Just wish everyone would believe me."

Edward laughed under his breath.

"Yeah, they're like that," he said. "They mean well."

"I know," Rebecca said. "I just don't want anyone to feel like I can't do anything because—"

"You're only eighteen," Edward finished. "Totally understandable. It'll take time, but they'll stop. Promise." He gave her a little wink and continued on. Rebecca smiled, not knowing that she was doing it until several seconds later.

Something glistened out of the corner of her eye. Rebecca turned to find an overturned van on the edge of a dirt road.

"Captain!" She said, pointing at the vehicle. "Look."

Marini stopped. Even in the dim light, she could see his brow furrow. He shined his light on it, revealing 'MP' in black, bold letters on the side. The windshield was shattered. Two men in green military uniforms lay—one several feet away, while the other lay half out of the van's cab.

Rebecca darted forward. Her knees slid on the wet grass as she reached over and pressed her fingers to farther man's neck, and then ran to check the other. No pulse on either. Her heart sunk.

"Court order for transportation," Edward said behind her. Rebecca turned to see him pulling a clipboard out from under the vehicle. "Prisoner, Billy Coen. Ex-lieutenant, twenty-six years old. Court marshaled and sentenced to death July 22nd. Prisoner is to be transported to the Ragathon Base for execution."

While Edward had been reading, Rebecca walked over to look at the papers on the clipboard. In the top, left-hand side of the document was a mug-shot of Coen. His long, dark brown hair was slicked back with his chiseled face forward—green eyes pointed directly at the camera, emotionless. Edward's lip curled.

"Those poor soldiers," he said as the rest of the team gathered around. "They were good men, just doing their jobs, and that scum murdered them and escaped."

Marini took the clipboard from Edward, taking a moment to glance over it.

"Alright, everyone," the captain said. "Let's separate and survey the area. Our friend is brutal and ruthless. Keep your guard up!"

The rest of the team went their separate ways, leaving Rebecca on her own with a frantic mind. She took a deep breath. It kept her body from shaking. Now's not a time to freak out, she told herself. Rebecca jumped as a bird flew from a branch above her.

Maybe her mother was right…maybe she wasn't cut out for this. No, she thought, thinking of her father. He never gave up, and neither would she.

What looked like a red wall became visible through the trees. Though, as Rebecca drew closer, she found that it wasn't a wall, but a train. It looked as though it had been untouched, as though someone had just parked it there and walked away.

Didn't even know that there were train tracks out here, she thought.

Rebecca looked up at the dark windows of the cabin in front of her. No sign of activity. Ecliptic Express was written in curving gold letters on the side. She grabbed the walkie-talkie from her belt and pressed down the button.

"Chambers to Captain Marini," she said. "Do you read?"

Rebecca eyed the train. Coen could be hiding in there…or worse, the murders. Though, there was another question that was bothering her more—what was a perfectly good train doing here?

A minute passed, yet no response.

"Chambers to Marini?" she repeated. Again, there was nothing. She should go back and get someone…and then they would think that she would always need help. Rebecca straightened her posture, tightened her grip on her berretta, and walked toward the cabin's door.