Chapter 6

It was more than obvious to Joseph Frost that Victor Darius was being true to his word. A couple days later, he sat in the passenger seat of a car, wearing a pair of sunglasses to keep the massive glare of the sun out. He was on his way to see his little brother, Bobby Frost, and it was relieving to know that he wasn't being played at all. Everything had changed so much in just a few days' time, and he was still just trying to catch up.

Turning his head to his driver, a Latina in army fatigues, he cleared his throat. "So, where exactly are we going?"

"A dinner on the road between here and Lathum," she replied.

"Is that where Victor had my brother sent?" Joseph asked.

"On a first name basis with the boss, huh?" she asked in response.

Joseph grinned. "Should I not be?"

She shrugged. "You're apparently going to be one of his higher ups. Hell, you outrank me, because Mr. Darius said to listen to your every order since he couldn't bring you himself, so maybe first name basis makes sense."

"What is he doing since he isn't here?" Joseph asked curiously.

"An important meeting with Raccoon City higher ups at City Hall," she replied. "Very significant stuff for the next few months."

"If I outrank you, tell me why my eyes aren't adjusting to the light," Joseph ordered.

"It has something to do with that virus in you," she replied. "None of it makes any sense to me. I don't pretend to know anything about Umbrella's dark exploits. Mr. Darius recruited me a week after I came out of Special Forces training on Rockfort Island."

"Rockfort Island?" Joseph asked.

"Training facility out in the South Pacific Ocean," she told him. "It's run by the Ashford family."

Joseph snapped his fingers. "Victor mentioned an Ashford to me. He went missing."

She nodded. "A lot of tragedy has come from that family over the years. It seems they can't really catch a break."

"We weren't properly introduced," Joseph said. "Name's Joseph."

"I was told to call you Commander Frost," she informed. "I always go by what Mr. Darius wants. No offense. I'm Lt. Ocampo."

"I order you to tell me your first name then, Lt. Ocampo," Joseph said with a smirk.

Ocampo shook her head but smiled regardless. "It's Rain."

"Nice to meet you, Rain," Joseph said.

Thirty minutes later, they'd arrived at an off-road dinner called Sal's, and before Joseph could even get out of the vehicle, he saw Bobby running in his direction. They met in a hug as Joseph bent down to him. "I'm so glad you're safe."

Bobby pulled back, looking Joseph over. "Cool shades, bro."

Joseph grinned. "I need them. My vision is a lot different now."

Rain moved over to the passenger side of the car, closing the door. She then nodded toward the soldier that had been following after Bobby. He was her partner: J. D. Salinas. "J.D."

"What's happenin, Rain?" J.D. asked. "Stabbed anyone lately?"

Rain smirked. "Day's still young."

He grinned. "Let's get these two inside."

Sitting in a booth, Joseph Frost stared across to his brother as he sipped from a cup of coffee. Bobby was shoveling spaghetti into his mouth. He couldn't help but smile. Turning to the side, he nodded to Rain and J.D. sitting at the next table over, trying to give them a little privacy.

Joseph sighed, looking back to Bobby. "What all do you know?"

"I guess as much as they figured I could take in," Bobby replied. "I know you got hurt. I know your friends from work are in trouble. You would be too, but everyone thinks you died."

Joseph nodded. "That's how it has to stay."

"They're moving me to some abandoned base," Bobby told him. "It's hidden. Mr. Darius uses it for his followers or whatever."

"What about your studies?" Joseph asked. "I figured you were going to be transferred to Lathum's school district."

"He's got a homeschool teacher waiting for me at the base," Bobby told him. "He's one of the best, Mr. Darius says."

"Good," Joseph replied. "I want you to get your degree." He reached his hand forward, grasping hold of one of his brother's. "I need you to be on your best behavior. I should be able to see you soon. I doubt they'll have me out in the field for too long. I'm apparently going to be one of Mr. Darius' higher ups, so I'll probably be needed at that base before long."

"You don't really know though, do you?" Bobby asked.

Joseph shook his head. "I don't know about anything anymore."

"What really happened in the woods?" Bobby asked.

Joseph sighed. "I don't want to give you nightmares. I'll tell you once you're old enough. It's not something for someone as young as you to concern yourself with. You need to be happy, learn, and get strong. If they have a gym on that base, I want you using it. Someday, you're going to be fighting with me, side by side."

Bobby smiled. "I hope so."

"I know so," Joseph assured him.

Joseph Frost wiped a tear from his cheek as he rode back with Rain Ocampo toward Raccoon City. "You hear anything important from that J.D. guy?"

Rain sighed. "Yeah. None of it is good though. Apparently, I missed a debriefing because I was in Raccoon City. Most of the Special Forces are located in Lathum, and if they need to be dispatched to Raccoon City, they will be."

"What was in the briefing?" Joseph asked.

"Some of the same things that Mr. Darius is meeting with Raccoon City's officials about," Rain replied. "But there was one thing in particular that I'm certain you're going to want to know. I just don't know if Mr. Darius will kill me for telling you."

"If he asks, just say I ordered you to spill the beans," Joseph assured her. "We're working together here. I'll have your back."

A smirk came to Rain's face. "You're a good man, Commander Frost. Not many of those in this world."

"Speaking from experience?" Joseph asked.

"I was married once," she told him. "He abused me, and I stuck around for far too long. He took too much life out of me, and J.D. was the one that helped build me back up. He beat the living hell out of my ex-husband when he found out what was going on."

"You've known J.D. for a long time, I take it?" Joseph asked.

"Since high school," Rain replied. Then she shook her head. "Anyway, the S.T.A.R.S. are getting an overhaul."

Joseph snapped his head in her direction, shock crossing his face. "What?"

"Umbrella has been infiltrating all levels of The Special Tactics & Rescue Service for a very long time," Rain explained.

"That's what Victor was talking about," Joseph said. "He told me I was going to find enemies where I thought were allies."

Rain nodded as she turned the car down a different road. "Director Palmieri is going to be forced into early retirement, and Assistant Director Kurtz is set to take over. Mr. Darius fears for Palmieri's life. Once he gets removed from his position, he may get away from the building safely, but it'll be open season on him afterwards."

"Then we need to do something," Joseph told her.

"I'm sure Mr. Darius is going to," Rain assured him.

"No, I mean, you and I should do something," Joseph told her. "I apparently have gifts now. I need to be using them."

Rain glanced at Joseph in confusion for a moment before turning her focus back on the road. "Why does this matter to you so much?"
"I joined the police force right after I got my GED," Joseph told her. "I spent too long being a bum, not accomplishing shit in my life, but then dad got sick, and I realized that I had to step up. The Police Academy was brutal, but I did everything asked of me, and I did my job at the RCPD to the best of my ability, and that got me noticed by Captain Enrico Marini. Then I got promoted from the Bravos to the Alphas. When that happened, I told Bobby that I was going to continue rising or die trying. The S.T.A.R.S. are my life, and if they're being corrupted, I'd see them be repaired. Marco Palmieri is the only man that can pull that off. We need to get him out of danger."

Rain nodded. "Then we'd best contact Mr. Darius and prepare for a trip to New York if he approves."

"Watch out!" Director Marco Palmieri yelled from the backseat of the black Umbrella standard SUV.

Rain Ocampo swerved to miss a vehicle as she drove through oncoming traffic. "We need to lose them, Commander Frost!"

Joseph Frost, wearing his cloak and hood so he could hide his identity from their pursuers, was leaning out the passenger window, firing double magnums, wishing that Barry Burton could see him now. He'd finally get that thumbs up that he'd always wanted from the bearded bear of a muscle man.

Just barely managing to duck from bullets that came at him from the multiple NYPD squad cars that were chasing after them, he moved back inside. "I'm trying, but when you keep interrupting my fun –"

"You call this fun?" Rain asked at a yell. She was panicking.

"Calm down, Rain," Joseph told her. He opened the glove box and pulled out a handgun, tossing it to Palmieri in the back. "Help me out, Director Palmieri. You take the other side of the vehicle."

"Just call me Marco," Palmieri told him. "I'm no director anymore."

"You'll always be the true director of the S.T.A.R.S.," Joseph assured him. "In my eyes, at least. Now let's do this."

Palmieri sighed as he scooted across to the other side of the backseat. "You're certain these cops are dirty?"

The back glass broke, causing all of them to duck down before Rain finally looked up to continue driving. She suddenly had to make a wide turn.

"Trust me," Joseph said. "These guys are on Umbrella's payroll."

"I thought you two were Umbrella," Palmieri stated in confusion.

"All smoke and mirrors," Rain told him. "Now get me some cover fire. We're nearly to the airstrip, and I need to lose these guys."

Joseph pulled himself back out the window, and Palmieri did the same on the other side of the vehicle from the back, both opening fire.

Because they were so close to the airstrip, Rain had to make multiple unexpected turns, causing the men to nearly lose their grips on their weapons several times, but they continued to fire as Rain swerved to continuously avoid traffic.

Finally, an accident occurred from many New Yorkers being unable to move out of Rain's way in time, crashing into each other, blocking the NYPD from continuing their pursuit.

The Umbrella SUV was worse for wear by the time they arrived at the airstrip and drove all the way to the awaiting private jet that bore the logo of Mr. Darius' shell company that he simply called The Agency. They got out of the vehicle and moved for the jet, constantly glancing back to make sure they weren't being followed.

Trent moved down the ladder from the jet and shook his head. "For just once, Lt. Ocampo, I wish you'd actually bring a vehicle back undamaged."

Rain smirked. "Sorry to disappoint you, boss."

"We'd better get out of here," Joseph warned. "The NYPD were hot on our trail. It won't take them long to pick us back up."

Trent nodded before looking to Marco Palmieri. "Welcome to The Agency, Director Palmieri."

Palmieri sighed. "I don't really feel like a director anymore, like I told your Commander Frost earlier."

Trent smiled, doing his best to make it a genuine one. "Trust me. I'm going to need someone with your skill set. Step on board. I'm going to take you to a private base."

Marco nodded and then turned to Joseph and Rain. "Thank you, both of you. You saved my life, and I'm eternally grateful."

"I'm a S.T.A.R.S.," Joseph told him. "A true S.T.A.R.S., just like you. I would see the real S.T.A.R.S. return someday." Joseph saluted him.

Palmieri returned the salute.

"Your family have already been evacuated from your home by another team," Trent assured him. "You'll be reunited at the base."

Palmieri shook Trent's hand. "Thank you, Mister?"

"Darius," Trent replied.

Joseph smiled lightly.

Palmieri moved up the stairs, entering the jet.

Trent turned to Joseph and Rain. "I have a ride on the way to pick you both up." He nodded outward as they both turned. A massive black truck was moving in their direction. "I'd take you both with me, but things are getting bad in Raccoon City."

Joseph looked back in concern. "What's happened?"

"First, I want to make sure you know that the mission I sent Rebecca Chambers on with the S.T.A.R.S. Exeter Team to Caliban Cove was completed, but not without losses," Trent said. "She's fine. Don't worry about her."

"Oh, I know Rebecca can take care of herself," Joseph said.

The truck moved up and then J.D. Salinas stepped out of the driver's seat. "Let's go. Let's go. The police band is screaming that they're on the move, trying to get back on the pursuit."

Trent ushered them both toward the vehicle. "I'll make this quick, and then you'll both just have to be debriefed when you're back in Raccoon City. Jay Reston's team that was sent to retrieve the Birkins and the G-Virus failed. There's been an incident, and a lot of accidents are occurring throughout the city, just like how the Cannibal Cult murders started. It's happening again, but Raccoon City itself is going to fall this time. You three are going to go in with a team to rescue people that can be brought into our cause. Anyone that can be useful in any career field is needed. This is very important."

"You can count on us, Victor," Joseph told him.

Trent nodded. "I know. Watch each other's backs out there." With that, Trent jogged in the direction of the stairs back to the jet and moved up them.

Joseph and Rain both got into the truck as J.D. moved back into the driver's seat. They all took off in their respective directions, mere minutes before the NYPD arrived to only find the empty Umbrella SUV and nothing within that would give away who they were.