Many revelations have been uncovered in the last few hours. The history of the Soldiers, some of the ancient Empress Reya's history, and the connections that the Soldiers share with their vessels. But, despite their bonds of friendship and strength, greater evil lies in the depths. Will their shared strength be enough to overcome the approaching shadows...?

The elevator would finally stop at the bottom of the cavern and the two carefully stepped off, glancing around for any signs of any undead wandering about. The only sounds that broke the silence were the occasional drippings of water from the ceiling above, and the waterfall in the distance. There must be a river down here somewhere... It smelled of mold and mildew.

"We've got to be far below the manor at this point. I wonder how long it took to create this place?" Jill wondered as she used her mirror like a light to guide their way.

"Trevor would have had to carve his way through the rock to build this machine. It must have taken years to complete." Chris observed, looking around at the platform they were standing on. Below, there was another platform with a trash compactor, and a line leading up through the rocks. It must be some kind of cargo transporter. The lift was at the other end, given that it wasn't here. A door in the rock ahead of the elevator caught their attention.

"Looks like this is the only way forward. I don't sense any enemies, but we should still be on our guard." Chris said, as he fiddled with the radio Richard had given him a while back. "I can't get any signal. We're on our own down here."

"Yeah… and already I'm getting chills about this place and it's not from the air," Jill replied, trying to hide her nervousness.

"I feel it too. Setsuna says that there is something down here with us… I think we may have entered its domain." Chris answered as he opened the door and moved on into another wet, fetid tunnel. It wound around a while, then split at a fork, with tunnels leading left and right. As they approached the fork, they heard a door further in open and close, and then there was that familiar moaning and dragging of chains…

"Shit! It's Lisa! This must be her living quarters!" Chris suddenly realized.

"Quick! Hide!" Jill dragged him back towards one of the crates and both of them would duck behind it, just as the hunched over figure of the poor girl would come shambling into view. She slowly peeked her mirror out from behind and the reflection once more showed that of the normal Lisa, wrapped in blood crusted chains and banging on a rusted door, screaming for help. "That poor girl… look at the reflection…" She whispered to Chris.

"No time to think about that now. We need to move. Look, there's another door there. Come on!" Chris said, grabbing her hand and pulling her down a tunnel to another door, at the top of some stairs.

Through it, was yet another tunnel. This one was littered with materials, boxes and trash items. The tunnel got larger as they progressed, opening up into a cavern with the other side of the cargo transporter. There was a large box here, near the lift. It was rather big.

"I don't think we'll be able to move it. Maybe we can use that transporter," Jill suggested.

"We got to push it onto the lift first… this is going to take both of us to move. Better put your back into it, partner. Work those muscles." Chris teased, placing his shoulder against the crate and waiting for Jill.

Sighing a bit, she joined Chris and together, they shoved the box onto the lift. It took a lot of work, but they managed it after a few minutes. "Phew…" Jill sighed with relief. "Whatever's in that crate, it's like pushing a large cinder block."

"Yeah, the thing was heavy. Was Umbrella transporting weapons or something?" Chris pressed the button and sent it on its way. "Well, now what?" He asked.

"I guess we follow it and see where it goes," Jill shrugged a bit. "Maybe it'll give us something useful."

Chris nodded. "Then we'll need to go back to the elevator platform, which means we'll have to avoid Lisa again."

Nodding, she would follow Chris along the path of the lift, wondering where it was going to take them. And hopefully, Lisa would be somewhere in the tunnels and not in their way.

Somehow, they avoided running into her again as they retraced their steps. Back at the elevator, they could see the transport lift at the bottom platform, with the large box on it. However, sparking caught their ears. The elevator's control system was busted. Someone, or something, had destroyed it…

"Dammit… probably Lisa heard it and destroyed it…" Jill muttered with a slight glare.

"We can't go back now… so we'll have to hope there's another way out of here." Chris sighed, punching the rock wall in annoyance. Composing himself, he walked over to the ladder and climbed down to the lower platform. "If we can push this box to the trash compactor, we can crush it and break it open. Might be something useful inside it."

Jill nodded and together once more, they pushed the box into the compactor. "Alright, Chris. Fire it up." She gave a thumbs up. He pressed the button and the machine pressed down on the box, squashing it and splintering it. When the machine raised, Chris jumped into the pit and rummaged around. He found something and held it up to the light. It was another broken flamethrower.

"Found another one. We might be able to use this to unlock something."

"Good. Let's hang onto that for now until we can figure out where we can stick it." She then helped him out of the pit and strapped the broken weapon to his back.

"In the tunnels where Lisa was, I saw some steps going down. Maybe there's another door there. She had to have come from somewhere. We should try to find it." He suggested.

"Alright, lead the way," Jill nods again. "Hopefully, we'll be out of here soon."

Returning to the tunnels, given they had nowhere else to go with the busted elevator, Chris and Jill did their best to avoid Lisa's attacks when she appeared again. After a short time and some exploring, they found the door Lisa had used. It was a large iron door wrapped in broken chains. Another hook/lock mechanism was next to the door, but the hooks were locked in place. After finding a lever, they unlocked the hooks, placed the broken weapon onto them and unlocked the iron door.

What lay behind was disturbing, even considering what they had already seen… a chamber was beyond a metal gate, within which was a room with a burnt out fireplace, a large table piled with broken chairs and dolls everywhere. The chairs and dolls had been mutilated and roped up in creepy ways, almost like tribal offerings. The floor and walls were also stained with blood, some old and brown, some fresh and red.

"What the fuck…" Chris could only say as he looked around.

"Jesus…" Jill muttered in horror as she looked around. "This… looks like something out of a horror movie."

"I think we really are in hell now… if that wasn't obvious enough already…" Chris shuddered at the thought. Looking around, another metal gate led further on, but the entire hallway was flooded. The water looked very deep. Chris breathed slowly and walked into the water. It came up to his chest, which was about neck height for the smaller Jill. "Bloody hell, this water is freezing… hope it isn't hiding anything…"

Jill had to walk slowly, so as to not go under suddenly from a small misstep, taking slow, steady breaths to stave off the nerves slowly building up in her. She reached under the water and found Chris' hand, holding it tight.

Slowly they pushed through the water, slowed by the friction against them. Hissing from behind them caused a slight panic. Several small snakes were slithering towards them along the surface of the water. "Fuck…"

"Shit… of all the times!" Jill cried out.

Be calm, Jillian… let me help you. Let me show what I can help you do~ Michiru said, and calm fell upon the frightened woman. Eyes glowing sea green, Jill let go of Chris' hand and underneath the surface, she swirled her own hands and in a thrust of her palms, a large wave would wash away the snakes. But they simply slithered back to the flooded hall and followed them again. Once more, Jill used another wave to push them back, but this time, created a flood wall. And when one tried to enter… its head came clean off from the force of the water.

"Freaky how you can do that…" Chris muttered, following the flooded hall around a bend. A light and steps at the end spurred him to move faster, despite the friction. Stepping out of the water and into the room, candles were the light within. It was, despite the wet floor, a rather cozy looking bedroom. A large bed piled with cushions, a vanity with a mirror, a chair, a bedside table and desk were arranged neatly around the room. On the vanity was another piece of a torn photo. There was writing on the back of it.

19

dadddy atached first momm atached scond

iNside reD and sLimy whiTe and haRd

not true moM wheRe

dunno dadd found mum again

when atachd momMy she moved no more she screaming

why? Jst want to b with her

4

mom where?

I mis you

"...more of Lisa's ramblings after being infected. That's… fucked up." Chris said, reading the note.

"That poor girl…" Jill felt her eyes well slightly with tears. "I can't begin to imagine what she went through…"

"There's a jewelry box over there. Looks the same style as the ones that held the death masks." Chris said, walking over to the desk by the bed and picking it up. It was surrounded by candles and dolls. There didn't seem to be any special way to open it, so he simply lifted the lid. Inside was a carved, stone ring.

{Key Item Acquired: Stone Ring}

"There's the missing ring. But there's something else here, another piece of the photo. And there's a note with it..."

Nov. 10, 1967
Progenitor Virus administered

Jessica

Administered virus: Type–A
Plasmolyzing of tissue during cell activation
Virus fusion: Negative
Action: Disposed

Lisa
Administered virus: Type–B
Plasmolyzing of tissue during cell activation
Virus fusion: Positive but delayed fusion.
Body modification: Observed constant results.
Status: Continue protective observation.

George
Action: Terminated (Nov. 30, 1967)

"Well, that's even more fucked up." Chris said. "Umbrella knew what they were doing."

"Goddamn them…!" Jill hissed in anger as she slammed a fist into the vanity. "They knew and they still did it anyway! They're sick...!"

"Don't blame the researchers. I imagine most of them were either following orders or were forced to with threats of death or worse. Spencer is the real bastard behind all this." He told her. Taking out the metal Umbrella plate from his bag, he combined it with the ring.

{Obtained Stone and Metal Object}

"Now we just need to retrieve the one from the Courtyard door, and head back to the safe room, where the others are waiting."

"Alright, let's get the hell out of here before Lisa sees us," Jill nodded. "The last thing we need is for her to see us in her house again."

"I hear that." Chris agreed, climbing up the short ladder by the bed.

A short passage led to another, much longer ladder. Upon climbing to the top and opening the hatch above it, it was revealed to them that they had removed a wooden board blocking the entry, and they were now back inside Trevor's cabin, out in the forest surrounding the mansion. So, they had come full circle back to where they started. At least now getting back to the mansion would be easy, and with Lisa in the catacombs, they didn't need to worry about being ambushed by her. They would however, need to avoid any stray zombies or zombie dogs still in the area.

Which wasn't a problem for them as they had previously cleared the area, making it safe to pass through. Once they got back to the courtyard, they retrieved the other piece and Jill stored it away. With that complete, the two headed back inside and made their way to the safe room. Jill heaved a sigh of relief as they came across the welcoming sight, having not been back here in quite a while. And quite frankly, she needed a break.

Entering the room, she was greeted once more by the welcome sight of the team together at last. "Hey, you guys." Jill waved as she and Chris walked in.

"Hey there, you two! Glad to see you're back. I was about to cook another meal before we head for the lab, if that's alright." Rebecca smiled at them as she began to prepare some food on the counter.

"Hell yeah. I could use a good meal before we head to the lab. If we get killed, at least I'll die with a full stomach~" Chris smirked to himself as he sat down in a chair. "So, what's the plan for getting out of here?" He asked, looking at Wesker as if expecting the STARS leader to give out commands.

"While you were away, I spoke with the others and formulated a plan. Here's how we're going to tackle the rest of this mission...

1. We split into four teams. Alana will stay with me, we're Team 1. Chris, Jill, you're Team 2. Richard and Rebecca will make up Team 3, and when we find Barry, he'll join Enrico as Team 4.

2. Team 2 will enter the lab first and disable security. That should open all the electronic doors, including those to the power room.

3. Team 3 will go to the power room and secure it. Restore power to the B4 elevator and the lab facility. Then remain there and wait for further orders.

4. Team 4 will head to the heliport to contact Brad and get him to land. The door will only open in an emergency, so take this, Enrico. It's my Master Key. It will unlock the door, even without an emergency.

5. Once power is restored to the B4 elevator, Alana and I will head down and hack the lab's mainframe. I'll download all the files I can get my hands on before The Red Queen (that's Umbrella's security AI) locks me out.

6. While I'm doing that, Team 2 will meet us there and eliminate the superweapon, codenamed Tyrant.

7. Once that is done, Team 3 will activate the self-destruct mechanism.

8. We escape on the helicopter before the mansion explodes.

"... Any questions?" Wesker asked.

"None here, Captain," Rebecca and Jill answered at the same time while the medic began to throw some uncooked noodles into the now boiling pot.

"Chris, any thoughts?" Jill then asked her partner.

"It's a pretty sound plan. Even Setsuna is impressed with the level of preparedness. You've thought of everything, Captain." He replied.

"I'm not the leader of STARS for nothing. I didn't earn these stripes by being stupid." Wesker almost laughed, cracking a rare smile.

The others nodded in agreement and fell into a comfortable silence. Chris and Jill sat by the crackling fire, which glowed warmly and brightly in the hearth while Enrico lay on the couch, relaxing after fighting for his life for God knows how many hours. Alana meanwhile sat on the bed while Wesker spoke quietly to her, reading something from a tome he had with him; anything to keep her mind occupied and away from the horrors she had experienced. Rebecca hummed happily to herself as she stirred the noodles in the pot while a sauce simmered in another pot. "Any suggestions for extra flavoring for the sauce?" She asked them.

"I suggest garlic, chives and a little Chinese Five Spice for kick. Maybe throw in some ground turmeric for color. It's good for your heart too. Also, they're noodles, so I'd suggest a splash of soy sauce as well." Chris said, shifting his gaze from the flames in the hearth, to the young woman by the stovetop. "It's an old family recipe. My mom used to make it for my sister and I when we were kids. Claire always liked the Five Spice mix. Me? I had a garlic obsession. I'd put it in all my cooking. I still do~"

Chris paused, thought for a moment, then turned his attention to Wesker. "By the way, Captain, there's something I should tell you. A vision I had earlier that I didn't mention to anyone..." Chris' words attracted Wesker's interest, and he leaned forward. "Yes? What did you see?" He replied.

Chris took a deep breath. How would he explain? Would they believe him? Only Jill, Alana and Wesker knew of what he was about to speak of, but no one had actually met the person in question… "I saw someone in the cells in the lab. There was a door with three locks, and a lock of each of those locks. Beyond it was a single cell, and someone was trapped inside… I'm not entirely certain of the person's identity, but it felt familiar. It felt like someone I should know… no, more than that. The presence in that cell felt like kin. Like whoever it was, carried Redfield blood."

Wesker raised an eyebrow. His cobalt eye narrowed behind his sunglasses. "Are you absolutely certain of what you felt? There was no access to the solitary confinement that last time I was present in that lab."

"Perhaps that was the reason… someone was in there. Someone Spencer wishes to keep hidden from the world. Someone only he knew of." Chris suggested.

"Chris, did you see who it was?" Alana asked next, now having gotten her attention as well. "If you said the person is of Redfield blood… then…" She looked down in thought before delving into her mind once more. 'Lady Reya… could it be…? But there's no way! She's supposed to be dead, right? We saw her ghost back at the Vault!'

Impossible. There is no magic on this Earth that could have brought her back from the dead. Nothing that I created, that is… For someone to have retrieved her soul from the Spirit Realm after this many ages have passed, is a nigh impossibility…

'You think Spencer had help getting her? It seems possible. From what you've been teaching me, with enough powerful magic, one could resurrect the dead from a single speck of essence, right? Did… he have help from a necromancer?' Alana asked next.

"Kid? What's going on? You've gone quiet." Richard asked.

"She's probably mentally communicating with Reya right now, trying to figure out what Chris saw." Jill replied.

"Huh? Reya? What's she saying?" Richard perked up now, remembering what he saw earlier with her silhouette.

All of her essence vanished after her death. The only specks that remain lie with her descendants… of course! How could I be so foolish? When Spencer had you in captivity, he had access to your bloodwork! It's possible he could have discovered traces of her magic in your DNA! But… you're a child. What power she could have passed down to you would be too miniscule… he could not have used it. Reya said after some thought.

"Alana, what is she saying?" Jill asked.

"...that whoever is down there, Spencer may have used my blood to bring them back somehow." Alana said after a moment of getting over her shock.

Actually, I said that the trace amounts of her essence would be too weak to restore. He must have done something else…

"You're both jumping to conclusions. I don't know who was in the cell. I didn't see their face and it was too dark to determine their gender. It might not be who you think it is…" Chris interjected.

"But who else could it be? It sure as hell can't be your sister, Claire. She's several states over at college," Jill shook her head.

"Again, you're jumping the gun. I said it felt like kin. That doesn't mean it is. It could be anyone. Perhaps someone whose blood work is similar, but unique enough not to be a relation. The vision was vague… all I can say is that whoever it was, they felt very weak, on their last legs so to speak. They might be dead before we get to them." Chris added.

"Nonetheless, the fact that you had the vision at all, is cause for concern. Setsuna would not share the vision with you if it wasn't important. While you're working on disabling security, see if you can get into solitary confinement and ascertain the identity of the prisoner, dead or alive." Wesker commanded.

The food was finally done, and they gathered around the table while Rebecca dished them up as they still discussed what Chris saw and how they were going to get down there. "So, it's settled. Once we eat, we gather what we can, and we head down. And hopefully we'll find Barry and whoever is in that prison, preferably both alive." Richard chimes in.

"There is something you'll need to know before you can get through the triple-lock door. The locks are connected to three security terminals scattered around the lab. You'll need three separate MO Disks containing the security passcodes to disable the system and allow entry. It cannot be disabled any other way, not even if the self-destruct is active." Wesker informed Chris and Jill.

"Where can we find those terminals?" Chris asked.

"There is one in the morgue, a second in the B3 security office, where the refueling device for the power room is located, and the third is in the power room itself, near the self-destruct mechanism." Wesker replied.

"What can you tell us about the Tyrant? How strong is it?" Rebecca asked while she sat down next to Richard once she got her own food.

"The T-001 Tyrant is our latest model, and the ultimate BOW in terms of attack and defense. It is a vaguely humanoid creature with a clawed arm and the most powerful form of the virus flowing through it. It is immensely strong, and very tough. It is also quite fast for its size. However, during development it developed a fatal flaw: its heart grew outside of its body and became exposed. Sufficient damage to the exposed heart will kill it. But good luck pulling it off, as the heart itself is resilient and resistant to gunfire. You'll need explosives or a high caliber weapon to deal any significant damage." The STARS leader explained.

"So basically, we need to hit it hard." Jill summarized.

"It's worse than that. Weapons alone won't stop it. As a safety feature to prevent the BOW expiring too quickly in battle, it was outfitted with a combat booster. When it has sustained major damage, it will collapse into a dormant state. Shortly after, its body will enter a second mutation phase, becoming stronger, faster, smarter and most importantly, extremely aggressive. In this state, the only way to destroy it completely is with high explosives. Bullets will damage it, but more than likely only succeed in pissing it off."

"I see. Alright, we'll have to go big for this monster then. Duly noted." Jill nodded.

"Your best strategy would be to overwhelm it with firepower, then hope we can escape and blow up the mansion before it revives. Otherwise, we might be in some serious shit. I don't think anyone brought a missile launcher with them…" Wesker stated.

"If I recall, Brad packed one on the helicopter. We may need to use it." Chris said.

"Pray that it doesn't come to that." Wesker grimly answered.

The others nodded. With that information in mind, the rest of the time was spent in comfortable silence as the team ate. As some of them looked around the table, a grim reality set in: out of 13 STARS team members, they were all that remained. The two Captains Wesker and Enrico, Chris, Jill, Barry, Brad, Richard and Rebecca had survived. But Kenneth, Forrest, Edward, Kevin and Joseph… gone. All taken by Umbrella's monsters. That was half of Bravo and one from Alpha. Sure, it was only five people, but those five were friends. More than that, they were family. It felt far too quiet without them… especially without Joseph.

Of the members in the room, this realization was hitting Chris the hardest. Forrest and Joseph had been his best friends, and both of them were dead. One of them had been torn apart in front of him, the other… dead long before he found him. He refused to cry, but the raw emotion he felt was written clear across his face, his expression being one of anguish.

Why did this have to happen...?

Why had Spencer and Umbrella done this...?

What was it all for...?