A/N: With the way I had ended the last chapter, I pulled out all the stops to ensure that this one was up and ready to ease the minds of you readers. Things are going to come to light in this chapter as we draw closer to the end of the mansion incident. And no one's coming out of this without scars. But to everyone who has ever played this series knows just how fucked up the world is when it comes to Umbrella's sick experiments.
Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil.
Chapter 20:
"Strength does not come from physical capacity, it comes from indomitable will." - Mahatma Gandhi
The air within the tunnels chilled them to the bone, but none were affected as deeply as Rebecca was.
Her whole body was numb, Beretta nearly slipping from her grasp as the image of Ethan being tackled over the edge of the dark elevator shaft by the enraged Hunter played out again and again in her mind. The medic ran to the broken railing, looking down into the dark pit, heart feeling as though someone were crushing it when she couldn't see any sign of the profiler.
"ETHAN!" she screamed, her voice echoing back at her from the stone walls as anxiety and fear gripped her. Spinning around, she jogged over to the control panel and tried to get it to work, but no matter what she did it wouldn't power up without the component that was laying a few feet behind her.
"Rebecca! Rebecca calm down!" Richard said approaching her and trying to get her attention.
Fighting back the prickling in her eyes, Rebecca kicked the panel in an attempt to get it to activate. Slamming her small fist against it as well until a hand grabbed her forearm and stopped her. She turned and saw Jill giving her a look of understanding.
"He-He's alive," the younger girl said with her voice trembling. "I know he is, we have to find him."
"We will," Jill replied strongly, "But we need to work together. Alright?" Chris crossed the chamber, scooping up the dropped assault shotgun while Richard found the completed shaft for the elevator's control panel. All four of them stood around the machine and looked at the part.
"There's a bunch of numerals on the side." said the comm specialist looking it over in the light and turning it around revealing the marks in a certain combination; 'IV, II, III, I.' . "Think it means something?"
"Won't know until we try." replied Chris as they inserted the part into the console. Almost instantly all lights came on along the panel, four red lights flashed above a line of buttons on the bottom when the open compartment closed.
Pressing a couple of the buttons in a certain order, the only thing the STARS got in return was a loud beep and the lights reset themselves. "Damn, we need a combination to activate the lift." said Jill. Richard perked up, leaning forward and punching the keys in the same order as the numerals on the side of the shaft.
All the lights flashed from red to green, the machinery all around them kicked on and the deep groan of the elevator raising behind them.
They stood ready, Chris handed the assault shotgun to Jill while he hefted the one he had been carrying. Seconds ticked by as they waited for the lift to appear, breath held as they hoped that their friend/comrade would be standing there with his usual smirk.
Out from the shaft, the metal platform rose up and stopped on their level. The low lights revealing a dead Hunter, but no sign of Ethan. The four STARS stepped on to the platform and looked around for any sign of the missing profiler. Jill and Richard looked over the BOW and found that it had died from the impact of the fall given how its slanted head was caved in.
Rebecca scanned the lift, her green eyes searching for anything that could help find her boyfriend. The tip of her boot connected with something on the ground, bending down she discovered a damaged radio. Ethan's damaged radio.
'Ethan, where are you?' she thought gripping the damaged device in her hand.
X A Few Minutes Prior X
The traveler raised his boot and kicked the Hunter away from him as hard as he could as they fell farther down the dark pit. The BOW slammed against the far wall, shrieking when a jagged rock sliced across its chest.
Ethan spun in the air so that he was facing the ground and saw the lift platform approaching fast. 'Gotta think or I'll be nothing but a smear on the ground!' Catching sight of the frame-work of the elevator he made a snap decision and prayed that it didn't backfire on him.
Holding his hands out, he braced himself before grabbing the beam over the doorway to the lift. The momentum of the drop nearly popped both his arms out of socket as he was swung out and hit the floor, he had enough time to curl into a ball and roll before he connected with an old wooden crate and crushing in the side.
He barely registered the Hunter slamming into the platforms surface with a loud crunch as he laid amongst the shattered chunks of wood on the ground.
Laying motionless, his body aching from the impact as he tried to assess the damage. 'Can still feel my legs, nothing broken...I think, head pounding but no blood or CSF leaking from the ears.' Rolling on to his stomach, Ethan slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position and leaned against the ruined crate.
Warmth leaked down his forehead and on to his nose, he didn't have to check to know that it was blood. Most likely from a cut on his head after he landed on the uneven stone floor. Taking a few deep breaths to calm his nerves, he surveyed the new area he was in. The map of the tunnels appearing in his mind's eye letting him know what was behind the door next to him.
The elevator was out, until the others were able to...He paused in mid-thought realizing that everyone else got a front row seat of the dive he and the Hunter had taken a moment ago. Including Rebecca.
'They probably think I'm dead,' the thought reaching for his radio only to find it missing. Looking back to the platform he found it laying there visibly broken and obviously useless now. "Shit." he grunted as he pushed himself to his feet, the pain already starting to fad a bit but still very noticeable.
A low, warbled groan echoed through the chamber making his head snap up and he was reminded who else was down here with him. 'Lisa...figured that grenade to the chest wouldn't be enough to keep her down for long.' he winced as he shuffled toward the door, pressing his ear to it and listened as the sound of scuffling feet and metal chains dragging on the floor was heard somewhere beyond.
When the sounds faded, he leaned back and began rummaging through his hip pack. Pulling out a couple of green herb leaves and a bottle of aspirin. Eating the plant and swallowing a couple of pills, he waited a few moments for the medicine to take effect.
Feeling the pain fade to a dull ache that wouldn't hinder him if things went bad, he retrieved his combat knife from the dead Hunter and drew his magnum before grabbing the door knob that led out. 'Shouldn't be doing this alone, but we need that stone piece to the metal object. And with Wesker taking potshots at me we don't have a whole lot of time.' steeling himself, he pushed the door open and stepped into the tunnel.
Grip tense on the heavy weapon in his hands, the traveler strained to hear the unkillable woman over the sounds of water running over the rock walls around him. Treading slowly through shadowed corridor until he neared a fork in the path.
Taking right, he moved toward where the switch he needed to pull was located. 'Need to get into Lisa's room. Only way to do that is to undo the locking mechanism outside her door.' Rounding the corner, he found the switch he was looking for imbedded into the wall. Pulling it down, he heard mechanics moving somewhere down the corridor where he knew the room was located.
Smirking, he turned to head back the way he had came-
-A pair of boney hands encased within a restraining device swung straight for his head. Ethan leapt back as the dense, rusted metal struck the wall with a loud 'clang' sending out sparks and small pieces of rock.
Lisa Trevor growled as she began skulking after the profiler, fleshy tendrils waving around behind her as she shuffled her feet forward. Ethan raised his magnum and fired, the heavy round punching through were her head was hidden beneath the flesh-cloak she was wearing and making her recoil, screeching in pain as her infected flesh mended itself at an alarming rate.
Reaiming, the teen fired a second round into the creature's leg and knocking her to the floor before spinning on his heel and bolting down the tunnel behind him. He had to find the piece he was looking for an fast, Lisa would eat up all his ammo and still keep coming, not to mention he was still recovering from the fall he had taken before.
And he couldn't use the grenade launcher, if the explosive hit one of the supports in the tunnel it could cause a cave-in and that would make things several times worse than they already were.
Rounding his third corner in the circular chamber, a smirk appeared on the traveler's face when he saw his target. A rusted, metal door with broken chains hanging along the frame. An old, metal frame set up next to it with a pair of hooks sticking out, waiting for something to be placed on to them.
It was here Ethan realized his error and cursed. The door wouldn't unlock if something heavy enough wasn't placed on to the waiting hooks. He could hear Lisa from back the way he came, drawing closer and proving that he was running out of time.
He shifted and felt the grenade launcher bump his hip. Looking from the powerful weapon to the hooks he realized that he didn't have many options. "Worth a shot." he muttered holstering his revolver and unslinging the launcher. Placing it on the hooks and watching as the hooks lowered slowly until a loud click was heard from the door.
"Thank, fucking, god." he said pulling the door open and slipping inside just as Lisa came around the corner. Looking for the one who had wandered into her domain and not finding any sign of him.
The chamber before him resembled a bunker that had been made into a jail cell. The door was wide open and allowing Ethan to step inside without any kind of trouble as he looked at Lisa's home.
Unlike the other rooms in the tunnels, this one looked well kept considering. Multiple candles were lit all around the room providing ambient light to see, shelves, bookcases and dressers lined the walls filled with an array of old things that must have come from around the estate. Various dolls were set up along the shelves looking old and worn but still set up as though someone were still playing with them.
Ethan couldn't help but feel pity for the infected woman. At one point she was just a girl with a loving family that was torn away and turned into a viral nightmare. She was a prisoner within her own skin as well as this hell hole that Umbrella had created. Another piece of evidence to how heartless the company truly was beneath the surface.
Shaking himself, he stepped around the room toward the back, being careful not to disturb anything while he moved until he entered an alcove that was filled with water. Moving forward until the waves were up to his shoulders, the traveler continued on through until he found himself standing in a well lit, well kept bedroom.
Water dripping off his form, Ethan turned to his right and went for the small dresser in the back where a lone jewelry box sat on top. 'Bingo.' he thought taking out his knife and prying the lid of the small chest open, finding a hexagonal stone ring sitting within that he quickly picked up and pocketed. "Now to get back to the others."
With his knife still in hand, he went back into the water-filled pipeline and went back to the chamber he had entered before...only to be met face to face with Lisa who had found the door unlocked and came in not too long ago.
The creature screeched in rage seeing him in her dwelling and immediately went on the attack, swinging her arms in a wide arc in an attempt to cave his head in.
Ducking under the strike, Ethan held his knife up in a typical CQC stance as prepared to fight, his mind already planning on how to handle his opponent and make his escape. 'Too close to draw either of my remaining guns, gotta stick with hand to hand.' he thought clenching his jaw as Lisa came in for another attack.
Moving aside at the last minute, he drove his knee into her midsection then slammed his elbow into her head and knocking her back a few steps.
Now dazed, the female creature swung her arms out in a wide haymaker that the traveler was able to avoid before delivering a roundhouse kick that sent her crashing into the shelf on the wall next to them. She was on her feet almost instantly, coming back at him with her tendrils slashing through the air behind her.
The creature swung her arms out again in an attempt to take his head off his shoulders. Ethan ducked, feeling the air shift as the boney, metal-braced limbs flew over his head. His arm slashed out and cut deep into Lisa's chest and spraying blood across the floor, flipping around and driving the blade hilt-deep into the center of the mass of tendrils on her back.
Screaming in pain, George Trevor's only child thrashed while trying to grab on to the traveler who pulled his blade free and kicked her hard, sending her crashing through the nearby table.
Seeing his chance, he bolted for the door while Lisa struggled to her feet, screeching in rage behind him as he ran up the steps two at a time and went through the door at the top. Slamming it behind him, he pulled the grenade launcher from the cradle and heard the lock re-engage without the counterbalance weight.
Taking a few deep breaths and ignoring the pain that was slowly coming back to him, Ethan ran back toward the elevator room. Pausing halfway there and looking over his shoulder when he heard a loud crash behind him, the enraged scream of a pissed off Lisa Trevor making him double time it back to where he hoped the others had arrived.
X
The lift touched down on the bottom level of the shaft allowing the group of four to step off. Guns ready as they searched around the new chamber for their missing companion.
"He's not here." Chris said after they did a through search, looking toward the lone door in the room. "He can't have gone far, he most likely went this way to look for a way out."
"Then let's keep looking, if he's hurt from the fall he's going to need help." said Jill, catching the not so subtle flinch from Rebecca at the mention of the profiler being injured in anyway. Getting agreements from everyone, they all made to head for the door when it suddenly burst open.
Ethan stumbled into the chamber, blood partially dried on his face from the top of his forehead to his nose. Bloody knife in hand as something resembling the shriek of the damned echoed behind him until he slammed the door shut.
"Ethan!" Rebecca exclaimed crossing the room and embracing him, a soft grunt came from him making her move back and look him over. "You okay?"
"Took a bad fall, but we got bigger problems." as if on que the door burst open again and Lisa skulked inside. The profiler spun, drawing his magnum and firing two shots into the infected woman and knocking her back several steps. Bolting across the room, he swift kicked the dazed creature hard in the chest and sending her back through the door and slamming it shut again.
Shocked by what had just happened, the other STARS all raised their weapons but the older rookie shook his head, "Forget that! The bitch will just keep regenerating no matter what we throw at her!" he said making a B-line for the elevator.
"Take his word for it, we've fought her before." Richard agreed as they all piled on to the lift and activated it, the platform raising as the door opened below them and Lisa screeching after them.
X
The cool night air was a relief on his heated skin, wincing slightly as Rebecca dabbed at the wound on his head with iodine. "Anything else hurting?" the medic asked as she finished with the the small gash and began cleaning the dried blood from his face.
"My arms feel like they were torn off at the shoulder, and the rest of me feels like Paul Bunyan used me as a hackie sack, but other than that I feel okay." Ethan replied rolling his shoulders to work out the stiffness that had settled in.
Rebecca smiled, holding his face and pressing her lips to his warmly. "Don't ever scare me like that again." she mumbled pressing her forehead to his.
"Can't promise that, darlin. But I'll do my best." he said smiling while rubbing his nose against hers.
"At least you're alive, that was one hell of a fall you took." said Chris as they all sat around the small fountain in front of the waterfall in the courtyard. After they'd made it out of the tunnels Ethan had taken the time to explain the new developments that he and Jill had missed since they had separated.
Kenneth's death and turning, the threats made against Barry, and now with Enrico being killed. "I still can't believe how more complicated things have become in such a short time." the point man muttered running a hand through his hair.
"That's putting it mildly," said the profiler as Rebecca finished up and sat down next to him. "Wesker's obviously stepping up his game, using Barry as one of his pawns is bad enough. And he's doing whatever it takes to make sure that he isn't found out."
"Which explains why he took a shot at you when our backs are turned." added Richard.
The traveler sighed, "I won't let Enrico die in vein. Becs, you still have that metal key we found in Spencer's office?" The medic nodded and pulled out the piece and handed it to him. Reaching into his pocket, he produced the stone ring he had located in Lisa's room and slipped the metal part into the center of the ring. The two clicked together forming the completed key.
"Anyone else feel like getting out of here?" he asked slipping the second 'Stone and Metal Object' back in his pocket. Everyone agreed and got their supplies together, reloading their weapons and preparing to head back to the mansion.
Jill shared a glance with Chris, their conversation regarding the device given to her and the files contained within it coming to mind. "Wait." she said catching the attention of everyone, reaching into her hip pack and producing the micro-disk player that she had been carrying this whole time. "Ethan, there's something that you need to know."
Ethan looked to the device than back at Jill, "What is it?" he asked.
"Before we shipped out to come look for you guys, I was approached by a man named Trent back at the police station. He handed me this and told me things. That I should be careful who I trusted. But more than that, he told me that you were in great danger and wanted by several people." she explained. "This thing holds a bunch of files that I haven't had a chance to look at with everything that's going on."
Everyone now had their attention on the profiler who had his gaze narrowed on the expensive piece of equipment, "Did he say anything else?" he asked already having an idea who this man was and who he may have been working for.
"He said that he was a 'friend of STARS', but was very cryptic about it." said Jill.
Chris stepped in then, "Ethan, is there something you haven't been telling us?" he asked pointedly. "We trust you, after all the time we've been around you and after what's happened in the last couple days we have no reason not to. But if you're in some kind of trouble, and Umbrella is involved, we need to know."
The traveler was silent, his mind whirling as he tried to think of something that wouldn't sound too crazy. He couldn't openly tell his friends, and girlfriend, that he was from another dimension where everything here was a fictional world within a video game franchise. He felt a small hand grip his and looked up to see Rebecca looking into his eyes imploringly. "Ethan?" she asked.
He sighed, "I...don't know. You guys know I was adopted, there isn't a whole lot of my past that I can even remotely remember. But I can honestly say that throughout most of my life I've felt...odd." Not a complete lie, but he was walking the thin line between that and the truth.
"What do you mean by 'odd'?" asked Richard curious.
"I mean that for as long as I can recall I've felt different than everyone else. It wasn't just my heightened intelligence, my adopted parents also saw things that could never be described as normal." Ethan went on. "I was stronger than kids my own age, and even those that were older than me. I was also faster, had quicker reflexes, mom always said that I was unique and that it was a good thing. But with how different I was, I also had the feeling that someone was always watching me."
Taking the device from Jill he flicked it on, the screen lit up with data scrolling across it before revealing a bunch of digital files. The others gathered around and watched as he went through the files, many of them regarded the mansion, maps depicting each and every level including the labs in the lower levels.
A few others gave a little insight into what Umbrella was really doing, but didn't go into nearly as much details as the files that they were able to uncover during this little adventure from hell.
'Didn't need those, but I guess Trent wanted Jill and the others to be ready incase Rebecca and I couldn't find anything to help.' he thought while going through a few other pieces of data. He paused when one of the files caught his attention, the label reading 'E.M.' 'My initials.' he clicked on the screen.
The file opened up and revealed a dossier that had been compiled about him. All the information Oracle had compiled about him when he first arrived in this dimension was laid out before him, but that wasn't all that was there.
A medical report had also been attached to the dossier, one showing his blood type, physical characteristics, and an image depicting a strand of DNA that must have been his. A few notes picking out certain chromosomes within the strand as though someone had been picking out anomalies
"What is all this?" asked Rebecca reading over the medical file closely with him. Her knowledge in this particular field coming out as she tried to understand what they were seeing. "I think I can understand what you meant by someone watching you. It looks like someone has been keeping a close eye on your medical history and compiling it for some purpose."
The data went on with a few notes listed below as Ethan kept scrolling. Shaking his head as he shut down the device and handed it back to Jill. "I don't know who's been keeping tabs on me, or who this Trent guy is, but he obviously knows the people who have been. As for the why?...I don't have a goddamn clue. But if it turns out that Umbrella is after me for some unknown reason, all the more reason to prove to everyone what their up to."
"But if that's the case, that would make you a bigger target if they are after you." said Rebecca not liking the idea of the conglomerate being after him now that they knew what they were up to behind the scenes.
"I'll just have to be more careful, Umbrella's not unstoppable. And any evidence that we can use against them is in the labs. We get that evidence, shut this place down and get back to the city." he replied as they all made their way through the courtyard.
Richard's radio started beeping making them stop outside the storage shed that led back into the mansion. "This is Brad, to all STARS Alpha team. Respond!" spoke Alpha's pilot sounding anxious and more than a little afraid. "I'm still in the area, give me a si-" whatever else he was going to say was lost in static.
"Damn, hell of a time for my radio to be busted." Richard cursed slipping the broken piece of equipment back on his belt. "But it's good to know he's still in the area and can evac us."
"Small favors." Jill muttered heatedly, still pretty pissed that the coward had left them to die at the hands of the undead horrors out in the forest. And from the looks of it, Chris, Ethan and Rebecca were just as angry with Vickers.
They entered the mansion for what felt like the hundredth time that night and began making their way toward the main foyer. "How do we shut this place down?" asked Chris as they passed through a couple of doorways that led to the front of the building.
"If the lab here is anything like the training facility Becs and I escaped from, there must be a self destruct sequence that can be initiated. We just need to get to the main computer terminal in the basement levels." replied Ethan as he pushed the door open and entered the entrance room. The group stopped when they saw a familiar red vest wearing gun specialist turn around at their arrival.
"Barry?" asked Jill as their fellow Alpha stood seemingly waiting for them.
Barry smiled, "Good to see the whole gang still together." he said looking at the five younger STARS as they all grouped together. "What beings you guys back to this part of the estate?"
"We found a way out, the door under the stairs should lead to an underground exit." said the traveler, his eyes flickered from Barry to the rest of the group catching the older man's eye. He looked around and saw subtle nods from everyone and he knew that they knew about what Wesker had threatened him with.
"Well then what are we waiting for?" asked the veteran STARS, they all headed to the alcove that led to the back of the main staircase, down a small flight of steps where a gated door was built into the wall blocking a long tunnel and steps that led to into the depths of the mansion.
Ethan pulled out the Stone and Metal Object from his pocket while Rebecca took out the other, slipping both into the empty slots on the gate and hearing a soft click as the locks disengaged. Looking back to the group, the profiler got nods saying they were all ready before pushing the doors open and began stepping down the long flight of steps. Foot steps echoing off the walls was joined by the chorus as the others followed behind him, guns in hand in preparation for what might be waiting for them at the bottom.
Turning corners, the lights around them getting dimmer the deeper into the Earth they went until only a couple of light bulbs hanging from wires above their heads were the only source of illumination. At the base of the steps, the STARS found themselves in a tunnel system similar to the one they had been through under the courtyard. Moving along the wooden planks that lined the floor of the dark, cold corridor until they reached a steel door at the end.
Stacking up outside, Ethan pushed the door open and they stormed in guns ready. Another flight of steps greeted them lined with lit candles, "How much farther do you think this goes?" asked Jill as they continued their descent.
"Who knows, but I'm pretty sure that we'll be finding out." replied Chris when they approached a steel ladder, taking it down one at a time and securing the bottom level as they pushed onward.
Barry kept his wits about him, checking to make sure that his magnum was loaded as they drew closer to a wide chamber at the end of the short tunnel. "So...I take it you all know now." he said still feeling a bit uncomfortable.
"We do," said Rebecca turning to the older man. "And we won't let anything happen to your family, Barry. We'll stop Wesker and Umbrella."
Chris patted the man's shoulder, "She's right, we're backing you up and there's no way in hell that traitor will hurt Kathy or the girls as long as we're here." he said easing the man's fears little by little.
All conversations paused when the group stood at the edge of a high ceiling chamber, a wide stone platform was before them with a stone casket taking up the center surrounded by a dark abyss. Four large stones took up the corners of the platform with chains attached to them leading up to a pulley system that ran along the chamber itself.
On the opposite side of the platform was the exit with two stone statues of women holding up large pots that had flourescent lights glowing from within them. But the doorway was blocked as a familiar horror skulked her way down the tunnel.
Lisa Trevor's feet slid across the uneven stone floor, unhindered by the uneven surface as she stopped between the two statues. A deep, horrifying scream emitted from her throat as she swung her shackled arms to the side and destroyed the statue on her right, arms swinging back and doing the same to the opposing statue and leaving the light within it to flicker as she turned to the intruders and screeched loud enough to resonate throughout the entire tunnel system.
Tendrils burst from her body and waved through the air like angry serpents as a rusty gate slammed down behind her and blocked the entrance. A second gate slammed down behind the STARS blocking their only escape as they leveled their weapons at the infected woman.
"Shit, this bitch just doesn't wanna quit!" exclaimed Richard as Lisa approached the platform. Ethan was looking around the chamber, following the pulley system and how all the chains intersected along the ceiling and led to the casket that sat in the center of the chamber.
"There's a way out of this!" he said getting their attention. "Chris, you're with me, we need to push the stones off the platform to open the doors! The rest of you, keep that walking nightmare from getting to close to us!"
"You sure this will work, Ethan?" asked the point man as Lisa began moving around the casket toward them.
"Trust me and follow my lead!" The traveler ran forward and took a sharp left toward the closest stone. Ramming his shoulder into it and pushing with all his strength until the stone fell over the edge and disappeared into the blackness below. The chains connected to it tightened as it fell and before breaking completely, the sound of stone and metal could be heard moving from the action.
Trusting the rookie, Chris ran to the next one and pushed it over the side while the others opened fire on the infected woman. Driving her back with each successful hit and making her screech in pain.
Ethan leapt over the gap that was at the foot of the coffin, keeping his balance as he pushed against the next stone. "Ethan behind you!" Jill screamed from across the chamber. He dropped to the door as Lisa smashed her hands into the stone, knocking it off the platform and breaking the third chain. His leg swung out and caught the creature in the knees and tripping her over the edge of the platform.
Shrieking, Lisa grabbed on to the edge of the ledge, nails digging into the stone as she pulled herself up and giving Ethan plenty of time to fall back while Chris handled the last stone. The chain broke as gears began grinding in the walls.
The gate blocking the way out raised back into the slot within the archway, at the same time, the cover of the casket slid back enough to reveal a skeleton laying within its confines. Pulling approaching the opening, Lisa leaned over the edge reaching in with her bound hands and pulling out the skull that belonged to the dead person.
"...Mo...ther..." she groaned before turning to the edge of the platform and jumping off, disappearing into the abyss and never seen again.
Everyone took the time to take a deep, relieving breath. The four that hung back to provide cover fire moved around the platform and stood with Chris and Ethan as they all moved down the tunnel the infected woman had come from. Finding a round, metal lift platform at the end that began rising when they stepped on to it.
They rode in silence, Jill and Richard leaning against the railing, Barry and Chris checking weapons, and Ethan and Rebecca leaned heavily on one another. The night had been hard on them and they all were feeling the emotional, mental and physical strain everything was having on them. Especially the rookies, since they had to go through this nightmare twice within a 48 hour period of time.
The lift came to a stop a few moments later within a small structure that let out to a stone path that led to a smaller courtyard dominated by a massive fountain. The group of five approached it and began looking around of anything out of the ordinary.
"Where's the way into the lab? There's nothing here." said Chris peering into the dirty water within the fountain.
Ethan walked around the edge of the fountain and found the statue depicting a wolf with a round indent at the base of it. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out the wolf medal and slipped it into the open slot and heard the resounding click. "It's another puzzle. Did anyone find a medal with an eagle on it?"
Jill perked up and pulled the one she had found in the fireplace after she and Chris had dealt with the plant BOW. "I've got it here!" she said moving to the eagle statue and slipping it into place with another loud 'click'.
The water within the fountain began do drain at an alarming rate, the bottom of the pool slid apart and revealing a lit interior with a set of stairs winding down part way to where an elevator sat waiting. A section of the stone railing around the opening slid down and allowed access.
"Well...who wants to go into the creepy hidden passage first?" Richard asked with an uneasy chuckle. Ethan shook his head as he went down first, being careful not to slip on the metal steps that were still coated in water that had drained out. The others following close behind as they managed to cram themselves into the lift that would take them back under the estate.
When everyone was on Jill pressed the button on the panel and the lift began to lower.
'Almost there.' Ethan thought as he had his arm wrapped snug around Rebecca's waist. The aches that had been caused by his fall earlier had all but vanished, but exhaustion was starting to settle in which would make the next hour or so very difficult if he wasn't careful.
He looked around at everyone, the people he was able to save with his quick thinking and prior knowledge. The worst was still yet to come with what was waiting for them down in the labs. But he was going to do every thing he could to make sure that they were on Brad's chopper on their way back home with nothing but a smoldering crater behind them.
And as for Wesker...he'd be damn sure that bastard suffered for the lives he had ruined and what he had done to his friends. No matter what it took.
X
Staring at the monitors before him, Wesker narrowed his gaze as he watched the hidden elevator that led into the labs as it descended. Despite his cold expression, anger was bubbling below the surface as the five remaining members of STARS drew closer to his location.
Granted, there was still a good number of BOWs and carriers prowling around the corridors outside the lab he was situated in. And with Barry acting as a mole within their ranks that chances that all of them would make it to this room were slim at best.
But a small part of him believed that it wasn't as cut and dry as he believed. And the source of all of this was standing in the lift with his arm around the young medic as he rode with the others. For someone who is supposedly a rookie that barely joined STARS a few months ago, he was incredibly hard to kill. Even Lisa Trevor couldn't do the job and she was supposedly unkillable according to the files on her he had read.
Ethan Mercer was an anomaly, one that was proving to be a bigger problem. But Wesker couldn't help but think about another possibility. The youth was very resilient, intelligent, and had been one of the main things that kept his fellow STARS alive. He'd survived the training facility and the mansion using his wit and ability to survey a situation and solve it.
Leaning back on his heels, Wesker put a hand to his chin as he thought more on the subject. Perhaps there was another solution to this dilemma. One that would benefit him much more than simply killing the profiler.
Eyes traveling up to the contained specimen before him; if all else failed then he would see how Mercer would handle taking on an enemy much more fierce than what he has encountered so far.
And when he fell...the others would soon follow.
A/N: And BREAK! And for any non-believers, it is possible to survive a fall like that if you can think fast enough on your feet. Granted you won't walk away unharmed but you'll be alive. The constant fight and flight with Lisa Trevor has come to an end, and the labs are going to be a real challenge for the group. But Wesker has more plans brewing regarding Ethan, and their confrontation is drawing ever closer.
And that's a conversation/fight I think all of you will be waiting for.
