Chapter 8

The trip to Victor Darius' secret base had been extremely uneventful. Very little conversation had been done, more than likely due to everyone processing the horrors they'd experienced in Raccoon City, and Joseph Trevor Frost spent a lot of time observing Vance Drew's mannerisms. Thankfully, Olga Danilova was keeping him distracted from his thoughts, but Joseph could tell that he looked worse for wear.

It was difficult for him, but Joseph did everything in his power not to look in the direction of the Raccoon City survivors. He did know a few of them, especially Kevin, so he kept his hood up and his focus primarily on Rain.

"Any chance you know why Vance is taking the loss of Alphonso as hard as he is?" Joseph asked.

Rain sighed. "All I know is a rumor, but I have never taken stock in rumors."

"Humor me with the rumor anyway," Joseph asked.

"They were in a relationship," Rain replied.

Joseph tilted his head, slightly surprised. "They're gay?"

Rain raised an eyebrow. "Is that so hard to believe?"

Joseph shook his head. "Not at all." He leaned back in the chair. "I'm gay."

Rain practically might as well have snapped her own neck with the clear whiplash she put on herself when she turned toward him in shock. "Really?"

Joseph shrugged. "Maybe I'd be the best person to talk this out with Vance, but that's only if the rumor is true. Can you find out for certain so I don't make an ass out of myself?"

Rain nodded. "Sure." It was clear something was on her mind from the expression on her face.

"What?" Joseph asked, raising an eyebrow to her.

"Nothing," Rain clearly lied.

"Spill it," Joseph demanded.

"Well, I've been looking for a shopping buddy," Rain admitted.

Joseph rolled his eyes. "Cute. I'll have you know I'm not a typical gay. You're not going to be able to get fashion tips from a country boy."

When the massive cargo chopper landed at the base, everyone filed out with Joseph and his team in the lead, moving in the direction of the primary building.

"This is your first time here, right?" Rain asked.

Joseph nodded. "Yes. I'm going to find my brother first thing. Cover for me if there's some meeting."

"Oh, you can bet there's going to be a debriefing," Rain told him. "I've got your back."

"I appreciate that," Joseph told her.

Once inside the base, Joseph moved past soldiers, support staff, and civilians, or at least he thought they were civilians anyway. This being his first time at this location, he didn't have even the slightest clue who any of these people were.

"When you gonna tell me that you're not dead?" a familiar voice called from behind him.

Joseph stopped, recognizing the voice and knowing that Kevin Ryman had caught him. He was going to try anyway to throw him off. "Sir, you need to return to your group. The higher ups here have to debrief you."

"Fuck that, Joseph," Kevin said. "And fuck you too if you're going to act like this. Play it to me straight and tell me what happened."

Joseph turned his head slightly toward him. "I haven't ever done anything straight in my entire life." He saw a smirk cross Kevin's face at that comment. He sighed and finally turned around fully, pulling down the hood, revealing his face.

Kevin sighed in relief and rushed up to Joseph, hugging him. "I fucking knew it!"

Joseph returned the hug and closed his eyes. "What gave it away? My voice?"

"Not at first," Kevin said, pulling out of the hug. "You knowing who Lt. Branagh was, and then your pilot calling you Commander Frost. Those two things on top of your voice did it. You might want to consider a voice changer or something if you think you're going to fool anyone."

"Have you told Cindy or anyone else?" Joseph asked.

"I wanted to make certain before I did anything," Kevin said.

"It's best it stays between us for now," Joseph told him.

"Why?" Kevin asked, crossing his arms.

"When you and everyone else was told that I was dead, it wasn't a lie, per say," Joseph said. "I did die out there, but I was reborn." He pulled off his sunglasses, revealing the cat eyes.

"Holy shit," Kevin said. "What happened to you?"

"Remember all the news reports that said that The Cannibal Cult may have had animals?" Joseph asked. "There were animals. Doberman Pinchers. They were just as dead as the dead people walking around Raccoon City. I was killed by several of them, and Mr. Darius, who you saw at that base in Arklay County, had a virus injected in me that brought me back and made me something… more."

Kevin shook his head. "If I hadn't seen the dead walking around and those creatures on the RCPD roof, I wouldn't have believed a word you just told me, but I guess I have to open my mind to crazy things now."

Joseph nodded.

"Am I in danger now that I know?" Kevin asked.

"Mr. Darius, Victor, he knows that people are eventually going to start finding out the truth," Joseph replied. "I'll smooth this over somehow."

"Does Chris and the others know?" Kevin asked.

Joseph shook his head. "Trust me when I say that I wish they did. I hate that I'm not out there with them right now."

"You know they skipped town, right?" Kevin asked. "That bastard Irons had them completely discredited."

"And now everyone knows the truth," Joseph pointed out. "Or, well, they found out too late for it to matter."

"Aren't you guys going to do anything about Raccoon City?" Kevin asked.

"Pulling you and the others out was all we could do," Joseph told him. "Umbrella is behind all of this, and they caused our window to save people to get shrunken. Anyone else that survives is going to have to survive on their own terms." Joseph put a hand on Kevin's shoulder. "I'm just glad that you're ok. You wanna go with me to see Bobby?"

Kevin's eyes lit up. "Your brother's here?"

Joseph nodded with a smile and then put an arm around Kevin's shoulder, leading him along, down the hallway.

At the opposite end of the hall, the young Asian woman with the backpack on crouched, hiding behind a trashcan, having heard the entire conversation. She turned, and moved off back to the way she came.

A couple weeks later, Joseph Frost stood in the massive control room with Trent beside him. They stared at a wall with a massive screen, showing a world map with a bunch of blinking lights, flashing for various reasons, explaining different tales of their own. There were also many desks with computer systems and several technicians were at those desks, hard at work.

"I haven't seen you since Regason Base, Victor," Joseph said. "And you haven't spoken since I got in here."

"A lot has happened," Trent said. "I don't even know where to begin."

"I already know that Raccoon City was blown up," Joseph told him. "I was given up to date information as different things took place. Did you know that Jill ended up back there?"

Trent sighed. "It's because of Dr. Wesker, and more specifically the fact that David Bischoff was able to get Dick Valentine out of prison. Jill caught wind that her father was taken to Raccoon City. She went back in, and she got caught as the outbreak went into overdrive."

"So, I was still in the city when she first got there," Joseph surmised. "Great. Just great."

"I'm sorry," Trent told him. "You wouldn't have had time to pull her out of there anyway. Nor do I think she would've come. At least she got out safely."

"But Brad didn't," Joseph pointed out.

"Brad Vickers," Trent said was a sigh. "I'm sorry."

"He and I honestly didn't get along," Joseph admitted. "But that doesn't mean I would've wanted him dead."

"But you do get along with Officer Ryman," Trent said.

"You know," Joseph said matter-of-factly.

Trent smiled. "I know everything."

Joseph shook his head. "He isn't a problem."

"I know that," Trent said. "I just figured I wouldn't be able to get you to admit it otherwise if I didn't say something." He pressed several keys on a nearby keyboard. The massive wall display zoomed in, revealing the state of Utah. "This is my next concern. I'm going to have Rebecca's group go to a hidden Umbrella facility that some have nicknamed The Planet. They picked up a couple new people from Raccoon City. One of them is Chris's sister."

Joseph nodded. "I noticed Claire Redfield was running around the police department from the security cameras that you had hijacked."

Trent smiled. "The AI we had Simon Barr install did wonders for us getting the broader picture we needed."

"Thankfully The White Queen is more stable than her sister AI," Joseph said. "Did Vladimir ever figure out –"

"He's still working through systems to get his hands on TALOS, and that's the way I want it to stay," Trent replied. "We need to remain three steps ahead of Sergei." Trent picked up a nearby file folder. "This holds all of the information we have on The Planet, but I want you to pay particular attention to the information on the BOW codenamed Fossil."

"Fossil?" Joseph asked, flipping pages in the file. Shock crossed his face. "Oh, God."

"That's a classified image of it in stasis," Trent said. "However, it's one of the largest kept secrets in the company. I barely know anything about it, and that's saying something."

Joseph smirked. "It must kill you to be in the dark about anything."

Trent chuckled. "Yes, it annoys me greatly. That's why Fossil's history is going to be your new mission. I need to know where it came from, and how it came to be. One of the few leads I have are in regards to a failed deal down in Chili. Umbrella had been working on a business merger several years ago. The company founders were involved, and there were apparently some big wigs in other companies trying to get invested as well. Big genetics companies all trying to make the world a better place, or whatever nonsense."

"Why don't you ask Lord Spencer?" Joseph asked. "He's the only founder still alive, unless Edward Ashford's been found."

"Ozwell is in hiding," Trent replied. "Has been since the murders first started in Arklay County. I've been narrowing down the options for where he is, but it's still a complicated process. I want you and your team to figure out the Fossil mystery, and I would like for you to have your friend Ryman involved." He snapped his figures. "Oh, and we need to speak with someone else as well. One of the other survivors that you pulled out of Raccoon City."

Joseph followed Trent for the door to leave the room.

Joseph was confused when he walked into the interrogation room with Trent to find the Asian female, that he found out was named Yoko Suzuki from Kevin after asking him to find out. Currently, Yoko was handcuffed to the table, and her backpack was sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the table.

"What's going on, Vic –" Joseph asked before being interrupted.

"I am Mr. Trent," Trent said to Yoko, glancing to Joseph before looking back at her. "I'm sure you know my face. I'm part of the Umbrella Board of Executives."

"Good for you," Yoko said. "Now uncuff me. I have rights."

Trent took a seat in the chair beside the one that had the backpack in it. "Then you have the right to tell me what William Birkin did to you."

Yoko's eyes widened for only a second before going neutral again. "Who?"

"You can lie till you're blue in the face, but when I open this bag, I'm going to find vial after vial of the Anti-Virus, aren't I?" Trent asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Yoko said.

"We have you on camera snooping around this base," Trent said. "If I'd been here when you first arrived, I would've locked you up myself."

"I'm sorry," Joseph said.

"Don't be," Trent told him, keeping his eyes on Yoko. "You didn't know. See, Miss Suzuki here was an intern from Raccoon University. The Biology Department, right? One of the brightest minds there. Dr. Birkin took you and a few others on, but in reality, it was because he needed test subjects for the Anti-Virus."

"I thought Birkin was focused on G?" Joseph asked.

"His ultimate project," Trent replied before unzipping the backpack.

Yoko slammed her fist on the desk. "That's mine! You don't have a right!"

Trent pulled out a steel case and opened it, revealing several green vials of liquid. "You're massively infected, on a cellular level, and yet, the Anti-Virus that was developed by Dr. Mueller and Professor Jenkins keeps you stable." He closed the case and set it down. "Your blood could be the key to stopping Umbrella. You escaped Birkin in the confusion when the Special Forces murdered him. You found the secret entrance to the police department and waited for an escape opportunity. My dear, you're amongst people that can help you if you'll let us."

"You just want to study me like he did," Yoko said. "I watched him kill the other interns. Some of them I knew. They were friends."

"And William Birkin has paid the ultimate price for everything he did," Trent assured her. "He cannot hurt you anymore." He stood up, straightening his dress coat. "I'll have an escort take you to your room. I'm about to leave on a business trip. When I get back, hopefully you'll have a decision for me. We need your help, Miss Suzuki."

Joseph and Trent moved out of the room and into the hallway.

"That's a lot to take in," Joseph admitted.

"You've had larger information dumps before," Trent reminded him.

Joseph nodded. "I suppose. So, you're not staying?"

"I have to meet with Rebecca and the others," Trent replied. "I'll be staying at the safehouse in my mother's name while all of that is going down. The Utah situation needs to be dealt with. I want you on that Fossil case. Find out everything you can, and then let me know the destination once you've uncovered what you need."

Joseph nodded. "Of course. Be safe, Victor."

Trent patted Joseph on the shoulder. "You as well, Joseph."

After watching Trent move down the hallway, Joseph turned and moved in the opposite direction, saluting the guards that past him, figuring that they were going to pick up Yoko Suzuki. He rounded a corner and smiled, seeing Kevin and Rain waiting for him.

"How long have you two been waiting here for me?" Joseph asked.

"Long enough," Rain replied.

"At least we gave you your space to talk with him," Kevin pointed out.

Joseph looked back and forth between the two of them. "Should I be worried that you two have gotten so close that you're sneaking around together like this?"

Kevin shrugged. "I don't know, Joe. Should you?"

Joseph rolled his eyes at Kevin before looking to Rain. "Get the others. Victor gave me a mission, and I have a feeling we're going to need to start getting some big weapons ready."

Rain smirked. "Sounds like my kind of mission." And she moved off.