Chapter 37

"So, what's the game plan here?" I asked as we all sat down around a table in a busy bar.

"Well, I don't like to talk about it, but I did work for the CIA as an operative for a while," J.D. said as he reclined back into his chair while looking around at the STARS team members and ex-UBCS members that were all seated with us.

"What do you recommend?" Captain Marini asked.

"Well, some of us should stay in Raccoon City," he said as he leaned forward. "Mostly those who are being investigated with exceptions made for those among us who have larger families and have more to lose."

"So someone like Jill, Chris, or Forest?" Captain Marini asked.

"That'd do the trick," J.D. nodded. "Kenneth is going to want to go dark, and you should probably let him and his wife do that because he was the one doing the filming for the most part, so I'll pull some strings to help him disappear for a little while."

"What about you guys?" Chris asked with a gesture towards the mercenaries, Forest and Edward nodding in agreement. "What are you going to do?"

"We're going to have to go loud, and very very public," J.D. sighed. "I'd like to stay in the shadows, but I know our chances of survival are best if we are the subject of the public eye for long enough that people are likely to take notice if we die," he shrugged. "Sarge here isn't going to want to go public so she'll likely stay dark until this whole thing blows over."

"Got that right," Rain muttered. "I'm not one for the spotlight. Is there any option where I get to take the fight directly to them?"

"Not unless there's another outbreak," the CIA agent-turned-UBCS member shook his head. "Which means that we get to submit evidence to government agencies and be public enough that we aren't killed when Umbrella tries to bribe their way out of this."

"I'll stay here in Raccoon City," I said with a shrug. "I know Barry is going to want to keep his kids and wife out of this though. Same with you Captain Marini. Besides, this is one of Umbrella's major R&D areas, they post about it everywhere, so I might do some low-level sleuthing while I'm here."

"Keeping an eye on Umbrella might not be a bad idea," J.D. said with a frown as he considered it. "But considering that you're in some of the video footage that we're going to be going public with you should probably stay out of sight."

"I'll go public," Captain Marini said. "And I'll help us all stay in contact with each other as we move around."

"I'm certainly not going to miss the opportunity to snipe at a target like that," Forest drawled. "Besides, I never got my revenge on Wesker, so I might as well get some shots in at the company that he worked for while I've got the chance."

"Count me in as well," Edward replied. "I've got nothing tying me down to Raccoon City, and I might as well make a difference."

"I'm going to be doing some detective work," Chris said after having been silent this whole time. "There has to be something or someone who Umbrella has pissed off that'll have more evidence we can use. So I'll start diving into that, see what I can find."

"I'm not going to be much help on any of those fronts, I'm afraid," Alicia Marcus said with a sad expression on her face. "I signed many NDAs when I started working for Umbrella in smallpox research, and I didn't encounter any illegal activity or research until the HIVE was locked down."

"So you and Rain lie low," J.D. suggested. "Natalia, Kaplan, and I will be the public faces along with you STARS members that are willing to join us."

"And I'll disappear and get out of the picture while I do my detective work," Chris said with a shrug. "Seems like we've got it all planned out."

"I guess," I shrugged. "But the biggest thing to remember is that it'll take years for everything to finally be dealt with. The courts will take their time, and that's without taking into account the money sink that this is going to be for Umbrella."

"Agreed," J.D. said as he took a sip from his beer. "It might end up being the money sunk into this that brings Umbrella down in the end. Well, that and the damage this is going to do to their reputation across the globe."

"So we do this and then basically just wait everything out for what might take years?" Jill asked with a sigh as she put her head down in the crook of her elbow.

"That about sums it up," I said as I looked at her. "Look, on the bright side, we've got the job of staying here in Raccoon City and trying to figure out if there are any more labs where Umbrella is conducting that sort of research."

"Either way, we're going to have to put together statements and have the evidence presented in such a way that it can't be disproven," Kenneth finally spoke up.

"I'm going to head back home for a bit," Rebecca spoke up. "My parents have been calling me since the incident in the mountains and I think I should spend some time with them before dragging them into this sort of thing."

"I'll take my time leaving Raccoon City," Barry said with a grunt as he began eating some fries that had been bought as an appetizer. "Make sure that you've got some backup," He indicated me and Jill.

"So we're splitting up into groups to get done what we can," Chris said as he looked around to various nods from people. "Rain, Alicia, you two want to help me out?"

"I'm always up for a good fight," Rain said with a grin. "And I can tell you'll be getting into plenty of trouble."

"I'm gonna stick around here," Alicia said with a glance at Jill and me. "I may be able to help Mark and Jill with some of their work given that the world thinks I'm dead."

"We change your hair and get you a new style and no one will be able to tell that you were Alicia Marcus," Jill grinned. "Call you something similar but different and you'll be set too."

"Getting off topic here," Captain Marini said as he leaned back. "But I reckon we're about done here anyway, only thing left is to see about clearing out our offices in the Precinct HQ."

"Well, that and I've got to find a good lawyer," I said with a sigh. "I thought my contract didn't allow me to be fired, and so I may have a wrongful termination suit on my hands."

"Sounds like we're all about to be very busy," Forest said with a small smile. "We should probably enjoy spending time together like this before we all separate."

"Agreed," Natalia finally spoke up while raising her glass of vodka. "To hurry up and wait," her Russian accent bled through.

"To hurrying up and waiting," we all echoed as we clinked our drinks together before taking a gulp.