A small set of seats were on both sides of the carriage, and the main deck was just on the left. The lights everywhere were all dim, and most sections of the areas were only a little dark. Sherry rested on one of the orange pull-out seats with Parker at her side.

"Did you guys kill the Tyrant?" asked Parker.

"Yeah," said Leon, "Bloody didn't make it easy, though."

"And not a moment too soon; there's no telling how long we got until this place blows." Parker went back to Sherry and knelt. "Scott administered the vaccine; she should wake up soon."

Claire nodded. "Where is he?"

"At the controls. I think there's something wrong; he's been quiet in there."

"I'll slap some sense into him."

Inside the main deck, Scott found everything he needed within an arm's reach. The controls were easy and fair, much like a typical car. A thick lever for acceleration and braking. Birkin's wristband allowed the fullest access to evacuate, but the self-destruct system made things considerably more difficult as some things remain restricted, if not unusable.

The gate ahead was closed, and on a good day, they were automatic. The controls for activation was set to manual, and no level of access would change that…

Claire entered through the door behind Scott while he was slouched over the controls. "Get this train moving, Scott; we don't have much-"

"I can't..." said Scott. He had his back to Claire; his glasses were shattered on the floor.

"What?"

"The gates… they have to be opened manually… I… I can't open them from here."

"Are you telling me that someone has to get out there and open them by hand?"

Scott sighed. "The gate controls are on the catwalk." He turned around and leant on the control panel. "Someone needs to hold down the lever to fully open the gate; only then we can be allowed to leave."

"But… that would mean someone would be…" Claire paused, thinking about what Scott was saying. "Shit!" She left the deck.

"Claire!" Scott called.

Claire bumped into Leon as Parker was getting up. Seeing her scale down the stairs quickly, Leon knew he had to see what was wrong. "Whoa Claire, what's the rush-" He cleared his throat, knowing that saying was slightly inappropriate. "I mean… what's going on?"

Claire was working up a mean sweat. "Big problem…"

Scott came down the small set of stairs down from the deck. "Very big problem." He sighed, slouching a little. "The gates out there have to be opened manually."

Leon nodded. "Is that a problem?"

"The lever has to be held down to keep the gates open," Scott clarified.

"But… for someone to... Aw shit..."

Scott lowered his head. "It's an old fail-safe that Umbrella never updated; all the corporate funding went into the facility itself."

Claire brushed her head back and sighed. "There are no words in the English library that can describe the level of stress I'm feeling…"

"Are you saying one of us has to stay behind?" Parker stood up. "But we came so far… This isn't bloody fair!"

"Unfortunately." Scott pointed at the door outside, waving his finger in a circular motion. "There's a control system on the catwalk that watches over the emergency train; the lever has to be manually held down to open the gates for the train to follow through." Silence consumed the air, filling the carriage with fear...

"So who's it gonna be? Who wants to stay?" Parker asked, trying her best to sound brave.

"Who wants to die," Claire corrected.

Everyone took some time to think clearly, but each of them knew there was no time for that luxury. If someone was going to take the chance to stand up and die for the others to escape, it was now. Silence. Complete and utter silence.

"I'll do it…" Scott announced. "I'll stay..."

"No..."

Scott stopped Claire with a wave of his hand. "I did… horrible things in my life I'm not proud of, Claire, and this… this feels right…"

"To die here, Scott?"

Scott went to the door, and it slid open automatically. "It's about time I grew a pair and fess up to my mistakes… even if it means I have to…" He sighed, not wanting to finish the sentence.

"No one has to die…" said Parker.

"Look!" Scott turned around. "What kind of life would I have if I got out of Raccoon? A future of running and hiding? Judged and executed? Heh, maybe I could run away and redeem myself from the shadows… Tell me, how long could I enjoy that lovely compromise before my war crimes catch up on me?!" He sighed, losing a majority of his steam. "Either way… I'm finished…"

"There has to be another way," Claire said softly, being wary of Scott's instability.

"There isn't. Deal with it!" Scott pointed at the briefcase resting below Sherry's feet. "Take those files and expose all the things that happened down here-"

"No-"

"Take them and avenge us! Tell the world that I'm... sorry..." Scott stared at the unconscious Sherry; she was looking better now. "She's my sister… and I love her…"

Scott was about to bolt out of the train, but Parker gripped his left arm. "Scott, wait!" she exclaimed, stopping Scott from leaving.

Parker kissed Scott on the lips, their eyes closed as their lips blessed their minds with bliss and bitter ecstasy. Scott opened his eyes last and caught the first glimpse of her clenched fist making contact with his gut.

Scott's whole body jerked and contracted from the sudden loss of breath and strength; the blow was solid, sending shivers down his arms and legs. With him off balance, Parker threw him back into the train and ran out the door. Leon helped Scott get his bearings, but Claire ran out after her.

"Annette!" Scott called," Noooooo!"

Parker was already standing at the controls on the catwalk above the last carriage. With a deep groan, the emergency gate ahead separated from and stretched to the sides of the dark tunnel. The train started to move at a dreadfully slow pace but gradually increased from a crawl to a walk.

"Okay, I guess this is me sacrificing myself… But, oh, God... I'm going to die!"

"Annette!" Claire called at the top of her voice, her saddening voice. Parker smiled and nodded in response.

"Can't save everyone, Claire!" Parker called back, equally as loud though quite the opposite in emotion.

Parker was happy for someone to die. To die unloved. To die a virgin. To die with her whole life ahead of her. But, if she was going to end her life, she had to do it on her own terms. A selfless act to protect the people. That's all she wanted, to make her friends and colleagues proud.

The train moved quicker, and Claire still didn't board it. Parker saluted with her free hand. "I'll send Zaac your regards!"

Claire returned a salute back and finally boarded the train. The facility's walls and ceiling began to crumble; crumbs kicked up dust, dust kicked up some vibration on the ground. It was happening…

The building wasn't holding, and the train just passed the gate. Parker let go and sighed with a big smile. Thinking of Zaac brought her to tears; she saved his girlfriend and his brother, plus a good officer. Zaac deserved that sense of closure.

"One life to save a few…"

Suddenly the ceiling above Parker cracked away and collapsed upon her. A large flat piece of sandstone covered her like a blanket and flattened over her; the impact struck her head. The platform crashed down onto the tracks, with more parts of the ceiling coming down; a small series of explosions caused a chain reaction and increased in magnitude. The whole underground level was blasting away at the seams.

The train was going full speed, autopilot at over a hundred miles per hour. Nearby explosive forces shook the cart violently; the mayhem knocked everyone to the floor. Claire and Leon held Sherry down under their bodies, and Scott was still distraught over Parker's sacrifice. He stared at the ceiling, oblivious to the cart's shaking.

"Stay down!" Leon yelled. The shockwaves of force abruptly ended as they got further out of range. NEST was almost entirely destroyed, including Parker. "Is Sherry okay?"

"Still unconscious..." Claire answered.

Scott's facial expression never changed from his shocked and surprised one. "It will take some time," he clarified.

Sherry groaned and moved her arms slightly. "Where am I...?"

Leon smiled. "Yes! The vaccine worked!"

Claire brushed Sherry's blonde hair. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Scott sat up. He seemed to be his usual self, only he wasn't wearing his glasses. "Thank heavens… we made it."

"Thank you…" Sherry sat up. "I feel… better… all thanks to you guys."

Leon stood up and walked towards the cockpit. "It's over now..."

"Not yet," said Claire, "I still have to find my brother."

"Guess this is only the beginning." Leon stood at the controls, they were on autopilot, and there was still a lot of tunnel to be traversed. He decided not to touch anything. "Goodbye, Ada..." he said to himself, "You too, Annette..."