Resident Evil Modern Warfare II: Operation Deadbolt
Chapter 22
Jill enters the EZ the next day after her and Soap's encounter with Dokkaebi after learning about her potential involvement with Makarov and Konni Group.
"Soap?"
"Jill?"
"You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Terminus and Konni working together in the EZ? After we stopped Konni back in Al Mazrah? Yeah."
"Dokkaebi probably isn't the only Warlord in Konni's pockets. We need more intel. See what you can find on Keres. Likely another Aether Rift will be on my dance card today." said Jill.
"About that...We've detected the energy signal of a new anomaly in the EZ. Go check it out." said Ava.
"Speak of the devil..." said Jill.
"This is Ravenov, I am close to those co-ordinates. Jill, I will meet you there."
"Copy. On my way."
"Uhhhh. Might wanna move at the speed of heat ground-pounders. I got eyes on a Terminus convoy hauling some serious ass towards that anomaly." said Dobbs.
Jill heads for the nearest hatchback to intercept and rendezvous with Ravenov.
"I am on site. Fletcher is with that convoy. This must be very serious. Pizdets, he's trying to breach the anomaly with them!" said Ravenov.
"We will bury you, little soldiers!" said the entity.
"What the? Terminus forces just...vanished into thin air. Ravenov you receiving? Ravenov? How copy?" asked Dobbs.
"We lost his tracking with the anomaly. Jill, investigate and report back!" said Ava.
Jill drives over to the Tier 3 zone where the new anomaly is and Ravenov and Terminus' last known location.
"Jill has reached the anomaly" said Dobbs.
"I'll be back and I'll bring Ravenov home."
Jill entered the new anomaly into the Dark Aether once more. She arrives at what appears to be train tracks in Al Mazrah's Sa'id City.
"I'm in Al Mazrah again. Guess I proved my theory right." Jill said to herself.
"Jill!"
"Ravenov?"
"Bozhe moi! It is good to see a friendly face."
"Likewise." said Jill.
"Our priority is to find a way out of this accursed place, but, there is are Terminus forces trapped nearby. If we cannot put our differences aside in these circumstances, then we are little different than the beasts that inhabit this place" said Ravenov.
"Lead the way." said Jill checking her ammo for her Holger 556.
As Jill and Ravenov got to work, they received an incoming distress call.
"Deadbolt patrol. I know you're out there. If we want to survive where-ever the fuck 'this' is, we're going to have to work together. I propose a truce." said Fletcher.
"Acceptable, but Fletcher, when we get back to the EZ, you're coming with us." said Ravenov.
"We want to know your mining operation with the Aetherium." adds Jill.
"Yeah, yeah. We can work out the finer points, if we ever see the sun again." said Fletcher.
"We will. We're not leaving without you alive" said Jill.
Ravenov leads Jill to the location of the trapped Terminus squad as they both clear out the zombies surrounding them.
"Do you trust he'll hold up his side of the truce?" asked Jill.
"About as far as I can throw. Be ready if he tries to run." said Ravenov.
After securing the troops and getting them armed up back outside,
"We did what we could Fletcher. Now what?" asked Ravenov.
"Now? Gather the survivors, and get that ACV rolling. My scouts located part of the machine you used to wreck Zakhaev's plans. Get that ACV to its co-ordinates, then come find me"
"He's really making us work for it. Alright listen up! Your boss tasked us to get you back to him safely. Stick with us and we'll make it out alive. Regroup to the ACV!" said Jill.
"You heard her, move it!" added Ravenov.
Everyone heads to the ACV as Jill got on and Ravenov starts it up.
"Stay close and don't wander off." said Jill reloading.
The ACV drove a few miles passing by some housing and a gas station until reaching a next door amusement park and shuts down.
"Power out of band. Shutting down."
"Something is interfering with the ACV's electrical systems. Find it." said Ravenov.
Jill leaps off the ACV to investigate the area. She finds an interference tower as the cause of the problem. As she gets closer, it turns out to be a mimic in disguise, electrified and zaps Jill.
"It's a Mim- BZZZZZZ"
"JILL!" shouted Ravenov.
"I'm fine" said Jill as the electrocutions stopped.
"Take it out!"
Jill fights through the pain and kills the Mimic variant. The ACV restores power and the trek continued.
"Excellent. We are back in business. Jill are you alright?" asked Ravenov.
"Bastard got me by surprise. That's all" she says shaking off the effects.
The ACV makes another stop.
"Parts of Dr. Jansen's neutralizer must have rained down all over the localized Dark Aether" said Ravenov.
"I saw the fuckin' thing tear a hole in reality with my own eyes. You think it could do it again, maybe get us out of here?" asked Fletcher.
"If we could power it? Perhaps? But..."
"Right now a 'perhaps' sounds pretty good to me. There's more of your Deadbolt tech near my position. Bring that part here. Let's see what we can jury rig." said Fletcher.
The ACV collected part of the neutralizer and resumed the route. It reached the co-ordinates of a local mall which seems to be an infested stronghold.
"I uh...don't wanna hurry you gents and lady, but I've got company here." said Fletcher
"Over there. I cannot believe I am saying this. Jill, help Fletcher out." said Ravenov
Jill leaps off the ACV once more and puts on a gas mask to clear out the Aether nest of its cysts.
Jill opens to see before her the largest infested stronghold to date. There were cysts everywhere so she immediately got to work on popping them before her gask mask gave out. After popping all 15 cysts, She takes off her mask and finds Fletcher cooped up in a closet in one of the stores.
"Thanks for the assist. Didn't think you'd make it in time. " said Fletcher. There's more Deadbolt shit out back. Let's see if we can get that device power, and maybe get our arses home.
"Ravenov, Fletcher's secure, we're heading back out for the remaining parts." said Jill as she helped Fletcher up to his feet.
"Get moving. One wrong move, and I'll put a hole through you." said Jill to Fletcher handing him his gun.
Fletcher nods and does what Jill is told of her.
"Move it. Get to where the parts are." Jill ordered.
"Charming girl aren't you" asked Fletcher.
"I snapped your Lieutenant's neck with my legs and thighs. Don't get on my bad side or I'll show you it'll be mere child's play compared to what I can do to you."
"I mean...not a bad way to go out...heh"
Jill aimed her gun at Fletcher as he panics.
"It was just a joke! A JOKE! Jeez, you yanks really don't have a bloody sense of humor. Fine, this way."
"Good boy."
Fletcher leads Jill to where the stashed parts we're as she carried them back to the ACV. Fletcher regroups with her men as Jill hands the parts to the ACV to be applied.
"Not so fast Fletcher! You're not leaving my sight" said Ravenov.
Their path continued as there was a light in the distance.
"See that light over there? That's new." said Fletcher.
"In my experience, that is either somewhere we need to be, or where something wants us to be." said Ravenov.
"Well, only forward. Let's check it out." said Fletcher.
The source of the anomaly was at a concert stage with a PND device nearby.
"You think this'll work?" asked Fletcher.
"Hah. Look around. What's the worse that can happen?" asked Ravenov.
"Fair point. Well made." said Fletcher.
"How about we don't jinx it. Hmm?" Jill adds.
"Jill, activate that PND. Let us hope this works." said Ravenov.
Jill turns on the PND.
"Here we go." said Ravenov
"Everyone form a defense line, hold them back!" ordered Jill.
"You fuckwits heard her! Do what she says!" ordered Fletcher.
Everyone took defensive positions to hold back the undead as the PND did its job to open a portal. As they held out long enough, a rift back to Urzikstan formed on the stage.
"You can open your eyes Fletcher. We are still here and I think it is working." said Ravenov.
"Thanks. Couldn't have had done it without your help Deadbolt. Sorry to disappoint, but, I guess it'll be a while before I see the inside of that brig"
"Fletcher!" shouts Jill
Fletcher pulls out an Aetherium vial and tossed it at his own men, turning them all into zombies as he makes a break for it.
"You bastard!" shouts Jill.
Ravenov stops Jill as he says,
"This isn't over Fletcher. You do not understand the forces you are playing with."
The Aetherium vial turned one of Fletcher's men into a Mangler variant with electricity abilities like the Mimic from earlier.
Ravenov and Jill reload as they team up to put down Fletcher's men and the Mangler Variant.
Jill lands the final blow after hearing the popping sound of a mangler dying and it's armor blown to bits, the entity speaks and leaves gifts for Jill.
"Listen...Remember...Wake up"
Jill sees a strange key, a dog bone, an ammo surplus, drums, tattered MMA gloves, a perforated target and a pristine mirror.
"Jill! Quick! Through the portal!" urged Ravenov."
Jill takes the items and rushed with Ravenov back to Urzikstan.
"We will see you again, stuff of light, we will be waiting" said the entity.
Later in the med bay...
Ravenov was stitching his own wound from a cut on his arm, wincing in pain as he does it. Jill was applying bandages on her arm and applying red and green herbs to dull the pain.
"You both got some explaining to do! You're hurt" said Ava.
"I have had worse."
"I'm fine."
"I don't doubt it. Or I wouldn't have to, If your files weren't a black hole." said Ava throwing down tablets on Ravenov and Jill.
"Where did you get that?" asked Jill.
"My file, how did you.."
"Oh please. Breaking the locks on a few cold case CIA files? From a CIA terminal? Not exactly a challenge.
Ravenov grunts in pain with his stitching.
"You're making a mess of that. Give it here."
Ava goes to finish stitching up Ravenov.
Ravenov swipes the tablet of photos of his deceased Requiem allies.
"You were part of Requiem." said Ava.
"The hell is Requiem?" asked Jill.
"Yes."
"What happened to them?" asked Ava.
"Maxis, sacrificed herself to end the outbreak. We vowed we would find a way to rescue her. And when we failed it was...a blow. Some of us took it very hard. We vowed never let this happen again.
"Oh so you're zero for two on those promises." said Ava.
"But I am still here, am I not Dr. Jansen? I am still fighting." asked Ravenov.
"And here's the thing, you shouldn't be. Neither of you. That was 30 years ago, look at you" pressed Ava.
"We have good genes" said Ravenov.
"Oh that's a crock and you both know it. I mean look at you Jill, you have a dormant strain of the T-Virus from back in 1998 inside you after some nutjob named Albert Wesker tormented you with experiments and other viruses while literally keeping you on ice." said Ava
"You know I'm really getting tired of being reminded of how old I am and how long I've been fighting bioterrorism. And I'm not about to be lectured by someone who thinks they know shit about me just because of a fucking CIA file. I wasn't with Ravenov when whenever this shit happened but take it from me, I made a vow of my own to take down the Umbrella Corporation and the bastards who use bioweapons to hurt innocent people. You're right. Wesker did torment me, for three years after I sacrificed myself to save my Partner Chris. Wesker had me under his thumb and forced me to kill them until Chris saved me. Now imagine afterwards being tested on in labs day in and day out while being in rehab, benched for six years before being able to resume duty." said Jill angrily.
Ravenov signaled Jill to calm her down.
"What was the focus of Requiem's Aetherium research."
"Dr. Jansen...Ava. Perhaps once the outbreak is contained, we will talk of the old days." said Ravenov.
"Fine, if that's how you want to play it? If you won't help me, I'll find my own answers."
Ava storms off after finishing stitching Ravenov.
Jill pulls out a can of First Aid Spray to apply on Ravenov.
"That should kick in in a bit. Ravenov?"
"Oh Ava, Your parents would be...are...they are so very proud of you"
"Alright.."
"Jill, Soap. Got word that Keres has been sighted in the EZ. We need you back in the field at Orlov. Be wheels up in five. MacTavish out."
"You should go Jill, I will talk to Ava." said Ravenov.
Jill takes her leave as Ravenov looks at the tablet.