Resident Evil Recall: Operation Arklay

Episode Two: A Proactive Reaction

Part Four

Traffic Department, RPD, 11:00 AM…

"I know I shouldn't let this get to me, Sarge." Chambers said as he picked up the next report. "But it felt like Captain Marini and the others were just screwing with us the whole time, you know?"

Having returned to Traffic shortly after separating from Ashwood, Chambers had been left feeling short-changed by the whole S.T.A.R.S. interview process. Sergeant Branagh always needed help with the daily reports during this time of the day, since there were so many minor things like parking and speeding tickets, so he took this time to express what he was feeling as he gave his Division Head some help.

"Don't take it so hard, Rookie." Branagh replied as he signed a Reckless Driving citation. "Your time to shine will come eventually, but for now Traffic's not such a bad gig, right? Hell, I've been working this Department for ten years, and we might not get the recognition of Homicide or S.T.A.R.S., but our job's just as important. Okay, give me the next one."

Chambers knew that Branagh was right as he handed him the next citation folder; Traffic really did have an important job, since no one else could even do their jobs if everyone was dying on the highway all the time. This still didn't make him feel any better, though, since he had been looking forward to joining S.T.A.R.S. since starting at the RPD, and according to everyone that he talked to, it wasn't going to happen.

"Sarge, I know what we do is important." He said. "But I don't want to be just another cop on the force, you know? I want to stand out somehow, and I thought that S.T.A.R.S. was the best way to do that. I mean, everyone knows who Barry Burton and Kenneth Sullivan are, but who the hell knows who Avan Chambers is? My partner does, and you do because you're my boss, but does anyone else?"

"I know who you are, Chambers." Another voice interrupted from across the room. "And I know your boss, too. Where're you at, Marvin?"

"Well, well, Lieutenant Liquid." Branagh said after they both turned to see who was there. "I heard some of the guys saying you were back, what brings you all the way down here to Traffic?"

The gruff looking man that Branagh had addressed as Liquid was followed by a woman with red hair, and the only thing they seemed to have in common was that Chambers didn't know either of them. Well, he had heard a few rumors about a Detective named Liquid who went nuts more than a month ago, but if this was him, then why was he back, and how did he know who Chambers was?

"It's good to see you, Marvin." Liquid replied as he and Branagh shook hands. "But I'm actually here for your man, Chambers here. I couldn't help but overhear that he wants a chance to stand out, so today is his lucky day. Irons approved a little idea of mine, and Chambers made the cut."

"I'm glad someone around here did." The red-haired woman commented as she folded her arms.

Well, this seemed promising, Chamber thought as he listened to their conversation. He wasn't sure exactly what this was all about, but whatever it was, they were requesting him personally, and that was an opportunity that he wasn't about to waste. However, the positive mood of the room was suddenly killed when Branagh took a close look at the folder that Liquid was carrying and gasped.

"Case Number 5081-G?!" He exclaimed. "Oh, no, no, no, Lieutenant, you were supposed to let this go."

Liquid began an explanation of how his proposal had been approved, and it sounded like a speech that he had given a few times, judging by how unenthused he was during it. This part got Chambers excited because apparently he wanted him to join a team that was investigating what some people were starting to call The Cannibal Murders, but then he got to the next part. Some of the excitement faded as Liquid explained about what would happen to them if they failed, so now Chambers had to make a choice.

"Chambers, I can't stop you, but think about it, okay?" Branagh asked. "Sure, this is a huge case, and if you solve it, you'll be a hero, probably even more so than S.T.A.R.S. But if you guys can't do it, it's the end of your career. I've known Irons since I was a Rookie, and he really will fry you if he says he will."

It was a gamble, that much was obvious. If he said no and stayed in Traffic, his career would be safe if this Task Force failed, but if they succeeded, he would always regret not going with them. On the other hand, if he said yes and went with them, the opposite was true and the conditions would be just as Sergeant Branagh described. He would be a hero, or he would fry like a fish and be a black mark on the RPD forever. There were risks on both sides, but an opportunity like this would probably never come again.

"I'm in." Chambers said, making Branagh shake his head. "I want to be a part of your team, Lieutenant."

"Somehow, I knew you would." Liquid replied as the two of them shook hands. "Welcome to Task Force Arklay, Chambers; first order of business is to meet us at the Grill 13 tonight after work. We're celebrating a new day for Raccoon City, and I'm buying."

Chief's Office, RPD, 11:00 AM…

"Yes, Mr. Mayor, I agree completely." Chief Irons said into the phone. "Yes… wait, no, there is no reason to alert the public, because there is nothing there to tell them. Mr. Mayor… Mr. Mayor, a few random isolated incidents involving drunk tourists is hardly a cause for alarm. Yes… I'm glad you think so… you too, Mr. Mayor, and thank you for calling… bye-bye."

Maintaining his smile until he hung up the phone, Irons' demeanor suddenly became annoyed as he let out a frustrated sigh. Last time he checked, he was Raccoon City's Chief of Police, so why couldn't these damn bureaucrats just leave him to do his job in peace? And why the hell did they have to tell the Press anything at all? Just a bunch of nosey-ass reporters who thought they could get away with murder just because the people had the right to know, and of course, Mayor Warren always had to be in their good graces.

"Douchebag." Irons grumbled as he opened the top drawer of his desk and took out a Snickers bar. "It should be me running this town, not him or Umbrella."

He unwrapped the candy bar and had just taken his first bite, when there was a knock on the door. Irons' mouth was full, so he was only able to grumble a response for the person to come in, and to his surprise it was Sergeant Dorian from Supply. This slender, nervous looking man certainly fit the part with his large glasses and obvious comb-over, but he hardly ever came out of the basement, so Iron's curiosity was piqued.

"I'm sorry to bother you like this, Chief." Dorian said as he came in. "But I thought you might want to have a look at this."

He set a small folder down on the desk, and when the overweight man opened it, anyone could see that they were requisition forms. Quite a lot of them, in fact, for several different types of equipment; communications, vehicles, weapons, supplies, just about everything someone could want before launching a full-scale operation, and the name T. Liquid was on the bottom of each one.

"Dorian, why are you bringing these to me?" The Chief asked. "It looks like everything is in order."

"Chief, I know your name is already on these, but I'm still concerned." Dorian continued. "Some of the things he's requesting seem a little extreme… there's normal things like radios and an SUV, but then he's got one in there somewhere for an Arwen 37 Grenade Launcher with Nitrogen Rounds… Nitrogen Rounds! Those are so new that we don't even stock them yet, but I just wanted to bring this to your attention."

Chief Irons looked down at the folder again, thumbing through the forms as he grunted at some, while chuckling a bit at others. It seemed that Liquid was serious about turning this into a large-scale thing, but that could still be useful to him. If he succeeded, Irons would be known as the Chief who was willing to do whatever it took and give his men whatever they needed to get the job done. But if Liquid screwed up, it was an easy thing to say that the unstable Detective forged a signature on the requisition forms as well as on the Operation itself.

"Give Liquid everything he wants." Irons said as he closed the folder. "If you have it in stock, let him have it, and if it can be ordered, then order it for him to pick up later… and let me know when these Nitrogen Rounds come in, I'd like to see how they work. You can go now."

Dorian started to protest, but a sharp glare from Irons made the nervous man stop before he could say anything else. Defeated, the Supply Sergeant vanished through the door as quickly as he had appeared, and Irons chuckled to himself as he took another bite of his candy bar. Either way this so called Operation Arklay turned out, he would benefit, so all he had to do now was sit back and watch.