Chapter 3

September 26th, 1998

Night

Spirits were pretty apathetic amongst the survivors. Jason, Anna, and Elran were helping to pass out supplies to the citizens lucky enough to be among the populations living. Jason knew that it was hard on every-body involved. Being up-rooted from friends, family, having their entire lives turned up-side down, but it was no use making the worst out of the situation. They were all in this mess together, and needed to work together to ensure each others survival.

Jason took a bottle of water and a pack of adravil. Ever since the battle in the west end corridor he suffered from a splitting head-ache. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but he could still smell the putrid flesh and blood. Jason pushed the images from his mind and opened the pack of adravil. He slipped two pills into his mouth and washed them down with the water. The liquid felt cool and refreshing traveling down his throat. He capped the bottle and looked at the blue adravil package. The red and white octagonal symbol was a familiar sight to anyone working in Raccoon City, if not the world.

Umbrella...

They were no doubt handling emergencies throughout the city on their own accord, but Jason hadn't heard anything about it. About thirty percent of Raccoons population was employed by Umbrella anyway, so it seemed likely that they would at least intervene in some way.

Jason pocketed the adravil and continued to hand out food and water. Some people snatched the supplies in hostility, others silently took them without hesitation, and others refused them all-together. Jason came across a worn looking man wearing a wrinkled button down shirt, brown slacks, and a red tie. A loose pony-tail hung from his unkempt red hair and he strangely smiled at Jason as he handed him a bottle of water.

"Thank you officer." The man said.

"You're welcome." Jason replied. He began to walk away when the man stopped him.

"Say officer, can I talk to you for a sec?"

"I'm sorry sir, but I really don't have the time now-----"

"Ah, come on! We got all the time in the world."

Jason sighed and looked around the room. Anna and Elran were still passing out supplies to the other survivors. "Alright, what can I do for you?"

The man smiled again and said, "no, not here, let's go some-where a little private."

Private? "Just what is it you want to talk to me about?" Jason asked, flustered.

"Trust me..." The man said.

Jason followed him to the back of the detectives room into a small enclosed office. The man leaned against a wooden desk and stretched. "Man, it sure is crazy out there, eh?"

Jason was becoming weary of the mans stalling. If he had something to say, spit it out already. The man could obviously see the unrest in Jason's face, as he straightened out.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you like this officer, my name is Ben Bertolucci."

Ben Bertolucci...

Jason had heard his name before. It was from the Daily Raccoon Newspaper. Bertolucci was a reporter. "I'm familiar with your work." Jason said.

"Oh really? Glad to see someone is reading my stuff. Hah, take that Ashcroft!"

Bertolucci began laughing and then calmed. Jason was becoming more confused by the moment. "What is it that you want?" Jason inquired, his voice raising a little.

"I was wondering if you knew the cause of all of this mess that's been going on."

Jason wasn't sure what Bertolucci was expecting to hear. He was just like every-body else when the shit hit the fan. He knew that the answers would reveal them-selves in due time, but right now all they had to worry about was surviving. "Sorry, but I don't have a clue as to how this shit started."

Bertolucci nodded. "Well, that's a bummer. Must sucks being left out in the cold huh?"

Jason leaned against a safe positioned in the corner and folded his arms. "What are you trying to say, you know something about what's going on?"

"Maybe, look, we just didn't wake up yesterday morning and have zombies banging on our front doors did we? This shit has been building for months, and the keg has finally exploded."

Jason wasn't sure what Bertolucci was getting at. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the cannibal murders in the Arklay Mountains back in the early summer..."

Jason recalled the events of that past summer. The string of random and brutal murders that occurred in the Arklay Mountain forest region. The Raccoon Police Departments S.T.A.R.S. had been sent it investigate the crimes, but were discredited after reports of "ludicrous creatures" and "conspiracy theories". The official police reports classified the murders as "unsolved" and the case went cold.

"There was a mansion in the Arklay forest, owned and operated by the Umbrella Corporation. It's gone now, destroyed in an explosion. It was actually a front for the companies illegal activities." Bertolucci continued. "Viral experimentation, genetic engineering, you name it."

Jason felt his blood run cold. "Viral...?" he asked.

Bertolucci leaned closer. "Yep, viral. Umbrella was working on something in that mansion. This shit happening around us...it wasn't no accident."

It all sounded so surreal, and yet Jason easily found himself being led into the reporters tale.

"Do you have any proof of this?" Jason demanded.

Bertolucci sighed. "Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get my hands on anything concrete...yet. I believe that police chief Irons was taking bribes from the corporation to cover everything up."

"Chief Irons!? What in the world?"

"How else do you think the S.T.A.R.S. were discredited so easy? Irons is on Umbrella's pay-roll. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if the mayor was too, even senators!"

The thought of all of this was too much. Umbrella creating viruses that turn people into zombies? They leak it into the city, causing untold amounts of devastation?

"But Umbrella is Raccoon City's biggest benefactor. Over a quarter of the population is employed by them. Why would they do something like this?"

Bertolucci shrugged. "Who knows. Maybe it was an accident, maybe not. It sure does feel good to put a human face behind this shit though. I tell you, when this is all over, heads are going to roll. Literally." He paused. "Unless they already have a cover planned for this too..."

"No way they can cover something like this up!" Jason exclaimed.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. Yesterday, Umbrella personnel were being evacuated by the dozens, I'm talking scientist, researchers, directors. Not only that, but the military blockaded off several roads leading out of the city. They knew this was going to happen!"

Bertolucci slammed his fist down on the desk. "There may not be a way Umbrella can keep this in the dark, but I betcha they have a fall guy, mark my words..."

The two of them sat there in silence, Jason still trying to let everything he had just heard sink in.

"Have you seen chief Irons?" Bertolucci finally asked, breaking the silence.

Jason tried to remember the last time seeing the man. "It was last night in the parking garage. I saw him taking cover with the mayors daughter. I'm not sure if they got out."

"Well, if they did, I think we need to have a little talk with Irons."

Bertolucci raised off of the desk. "Man, I tell you, if we do get out of here alive this shit is going to make my career!" He heartedly laughed and exited the room, leaving Jason all alone.

Umbrella...It was unfathomable to think that they would have had anything to do with any of this but now the pieces of a horrible puzzle seemed to be falling into place. No-body saw it, every-one just going about their routine lives, until it was too late. Damn them...

Jason felt a light weight pressing against the pocket of his pants. He took out the pack of Adravil and stared at it, at the red and white insignia.

He tossed the pack of adravil into the trash and left to find the other officers. He was sure they would be interested in Bertolucci's story.