Epilogue

Professor Peter Jenkins strolled into the darkened council chamber, a clear and present arrogance to the way he moved. Lights slowly rose, revealing multiple people sitting in a simi-circle. He stopped at the center to where everyone there could see him. They were the leaders that had been directly underneath Dr. Brandon Bailey in The Connections.

"What news do you have to report?" the head of the council asked. He wore a suit and a lab coat, and something didn't look right about his face. It was scar tissue from having survived a fire. He held hands with a woman sitting beside him that also had similar scars.

"Dr. Bailey crashed in Russia," Peter replied. "It's likely that Sergei has joined him in death as well. I couldn't get him to evacuate with me."

The scared man glanced to the scared female before facing forward again. "Then we are now in charge of The Connections. So be it."

"Your Scarab Protocol was almost completely successful," the scared female stated.

Peter raised an eyebrow. "Almost? The plan should've gone flawlessly."

"Courtlandt and Sidney survived," the scared man told him. "They have a powerful tyrant on their side that stopped the attempt on Courtlandt's life and removed the scarab from Dr. Sidney. Multiple lower-level targets escaped from the other locations as well."

Peter shook his head and cursed under his breath. "Thanatos."

"Courtlandt and Sidney have the technology now," the scared female stated, not catching what Peter whispered. "They should already know that it traces to Dr. Bailey, which will ultimately lead them to discovering the truth about everything… like the truth about my husband and I."

"Perhaps it's time to bring your son in," Peter offered.

"Leave Victor out of this," James Trenton Darius, the scared man, said, anger oozing off every word.

Peter bowed. "Forgive me. I only offer that we could use his allies."

"Those allies would seek to destroy us," Helen Black-Darius, the scared female, told him. "We cannot risk it, especially considering that we're the ones that have Dick Valentine, Sherry Birkin, and Kate Boyd."

Another man in the simi-circle stood up. He was Major Timothy Cain, a well-dressed soldier that had defected from Umbrella ages ago. "If Courtlandt and Sidney become aware of us, they will discover you both survived their attempt on your lives. We have to stop that."

James held up a hand weakly toward Cain. "Yes, we know this, but patience is necessary. We shouldn't tread off of our current path because of two men and their tyrant. They will be dealt with along with all of the other stragglers."

Cain nodded and took a seat once more.

"And what of William Coen?" another member of the council that sat near Major Cain said. It was Commander Samuel Regan, the man that had condemned Billy Coen to death. "If he is still out there after what happened in Italy, he will eventually be an issue."

"One that will be resolved should he try anything," Helen said. "Our son's organization will protect him otherwise."

Regan stood up, clearly frustrated. "They will bring us down if we don't –"

James narrowed his eyes at Regan. "Do not continue down this line of conversation, Sam. The Connections always have a plan."

Regan slowly sat back down, a hint of fear on his face.

"What of that new parasite that I'm supposed to study?" a new voice wearing a lab coat, Dr. Nathaniel Bard, asked.

"Our agent should be here momentarily to begin the mission to retrieve a sample," James replied. "Your services are about to become crucial, Dr. Bard."

A door to the side opened and a gruff, muscular man with a red beret on his head moved in, twirling a knife. "You sent for me?"

"Mr. Krauser," Helen said. "You've read your mission briefing?"

Jack Krauser nodded as a smirk formed on his lips. "Three times, front to back."

"Then your mission is now active," Helen said. "Go forth. Long live The Connections."

"Long live The Connections," Krauser repeated before moving out.