Lucario's fists clenched, and Pikachu's cheeks began sparking with electricity in response to the threat, but Ash quickly held up a hand to stop them from attacking. He knew that making any sudden movements could escalate the situation further.
"You're coming with me, kid," Vector continued. "And don't try anything funny, or I'll make sure you regret it."
Ash slowly raised his hands. His mind raced as he tried to figure out what to do. The worst part was that he didn't even know why this man was after him, but he could guess it had something to do with his immunity to the T-virus.
"Why are you doing this?" Ash asked, trying to stall for time while Lucario subtly scanned Vector's aura for any opening.
Vector chuckled. "Orders. You've piqued the interest of people far above your pay grade, kid. That little immunity trick of yours… Let's just say some folks are eager to figure out what makes you tick."
Ash gritted his teeth. "I'm not a science experiment."
"Doesn't matter what you think," Vector replied coolly. "Now, start walking."
Before Ash was forced to walk forward, Ash and his Pokémon felt a wave of relief wash over them as Dee-Ay, Echo Six's leader, appeared and pressed his own weapon to the back of Vector's head. The tension was palpable as Dee-Ay glared at the USS operative.
"Lower your weapon, and back away from the kid," Dee-Ay commanded. Vector chuckled darkly, which put Dee-Ay on edge. "What's so funny?" Dee-Ay demanded, tightening his grip on his gun.
Without warning, Vector twisted, knocking Dee-Ay's weapon aside, and the two men engaged in a brief but intense scuffle. Fists flew, and the clatter of their struggle echoed through the alley. Despite Dee-Ay's skill, Vector managed to kick him square in the chest, sending the Echo Six leader stumbling back.
In the blink of an eye, Vector activated his camouflage, disappearing from sight.
"Pikachu, Lucario, find him!" Ash called out urgently, knowing they couldn't let Vector slip away.
Both Pokémon focused, Pikachu's cheeks sparking as he sniffed the air, while Lucario shut its eyes and honed in on Vector's aura. After a tense moment, Lucario pointed to where Vector was hiding.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted.
A powerful bolt of lightning shot from Pikachu, hitting Vector's cloaked figure directly, causing the man to flicker into visibility as his camouflage shorted out. He grunted in pain, electricity coursing through his body.
"Lucario, Bullet Punch!" Ash followed up.
Lucario darted forward with incredible speed, its fists glowing as it delivered a barrage of rapid punches. The force of the attacks sent Vector crashing into a nearby dumpster with a loud metallic clang. He groaned, his body slumped against the dented container.
Dee-Ay, having recovered from the earlier blow, approached quickly, gun raised and aimed at Vector, who was struggling to regain his footing.
"Not so tough now, huh?" Dee-Ay muttered, catching his breath. He glanced at Ash and gave him a quick nod of approval. "Good work, kid."
Soon the rest of Echo Six caught up with Ash and Dee-Ay. Party Girl didn't waste a second. She grabbed Ash's arm, pulling him aside with an irritated scowl. "What were you thinking, running off like that? You could've gotten yourself killed, you idiot!" she snapped.
Ash scratched the back of his head, about to respond, when the sharp sound of gunfire cracked through the air. The group was immediately under attack.
Spectre, hidden on a nearby rooftop, was sniping at them. His shots hit the ground near their feet, causing everyone to scatter. Tweed cursed under her breath, ducking behind cover. "Sniper! Of course, they'd have one."
Dee-Ay's voice cut through the chaos, commanding everyone's attention. "Fall back! We need to get out of the open!"
Party Girl grabbed Ash's arm again, pulling him close as they quickly dashed away from the relentless gunfire. Lucario and Pikachu stayed close while the rest of Echo Six followed, sticking to the shadows and buildings for cover.
Vector, who had managed to regain his footing after Lucario's earlier attack, snarled as he watched Ash and the others retreat. He grabbed his radio, barking into it, "Lupo, the kid's on the move. Heading your way."
Lupo's voice crackled back through the comms, laced with irritation. "Get your ass moving, Vector! You and Spectre regroup with me. We're going to corner these government rats and grab the kid."
Vector gave a grunt of acknowledgment, knowing they were close to trapping their targets. He reactivated his camo, blending back into the shadows, as Spectre continued providing cover from above, making sure Ash and Echo Six had no choice but to fall straight into Lupo's trap.
Ash, his Pokémon, and Echo Six ran as fast as they could, dodging Spectre's relentless sniper fire from above. Spectre moved with frightening agility, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, all while firing rounds that whizzed past them. Harley, panting and struggling to keep pace, yelled out, "Does anyone have a plan to deal with the sniper? I'm getting tired of this!"
Tweed spat in frustration, "Why don't you figure it out, genius!"
Willow, noticing the tension, stepped in between them, trying to keep the group focused. "We need to find a clearing, somewhere we can regroup and take cover. We can't keep running in the open like this."
Dee-Ay nodded. "Agreed. Everyone, stay sharp!"
Just as the group sped ahead, they were forced to a sudden stop. Standing in their path were the remaining members of U.S.S. Delta team—Lupo, Bertha, Four Eyes, and Beltway. Lupo stood front and center, her cold eyes locking onto Ash and his group.
"Shit!" Dee-Ay cursed under his breath as he raised his weapon, but even before anyone could move, they heard another sound from behind them. Vector deactivated his camouflage, blocking their retreat, while Spectre leapt down from a nearby rooftop, closing off the only other escape route.
Harley, Tweed, and Dee-Ay swore simultaneously. "Shit!"
It was clear: they had walked straight into Delta team's trap.
Willow sighed grimly. "It looks like we've been herded into a corner like cattle."
Lupo took a step forward, her eyes narrowing at Ash. "That's right, and now the game is over. Hand over the kid, and maybe we'll let you all live."
Ash clenched his fists, glancing quickly at his Pokémon—Lucario and Pikachu were already in a fighting stance, ready to protect him. His mind raced. There had to be a way out of this.
Dee-Ay growled, "You think we'll just roll over and hand him to you?"
Lupo smirked under her mask, raising her rifle. "That's exactly what's going to happen. Or... we'll do this the hard way."
Dee-Ay cautiously demanded answers. "Who the hell are you people, and what are you doing in Raccoon City? And more importantly, why do you want Ash?"
Party Girl, standing protectively in front of Ash, glanced at Dee-Ay while Lucario and Pikachu growled, their bodies tense and ready to defend their trainer at all costs. Ash could feel the tension in the air, but he stayed focused, determined to face whatever was coming.
Lupo waved her hand dismissively. "Who we are doesn't matter. What matters is that you're in the way, and the kid is coming with us."
Dee-Ay pressed further. "Last warning, lady. You better start talking, or we'll make you regret it."
Vector scoffed at Dee-Ay's attempt at a threat. "We've already gone over this. Umbrella wants the kid for… research purposes." He glanced at Ash with a smug grin beneath his mask. "You've got something we want. We're not leaving without it."
Tweed, annoyed and ready to fight, muttered sarcastically, "Great. The kid's popular. Lucky us." She glared at Ash, who was just as confused as anyone else. Why was Umbrella after him?
Each member of Delta team raised their weapons, aiming directly at Echo Six and Ash. "Last chance. Hand over the kid, and no one else has to die," Lupo warned.
Of course, Echo Six wasn't about to give in. Dee-Ay barked back, "Like hell we're handing him over to some evil Umbrella lackeys."
Harley gritted his teeth, aiming his gun toward the enemy. "You want him? Come and get him."
Willow, standing next to Dee-Ay, added, "We're not letting you take him. Not without a fight."
Tweed spat on the ground, taking her position. "Let's see what you got."
The air was thick with tension, both teams prepared for the inevitable clash. Lupo, seeing that negotiations were pointless, exchanged glances with her team. Her expression hardened. "Fine. Kill Echo Six—but don't touch the kid or his freaks. We need them alive."
Suddenly, the battle erupted.
The Delta team opened fire, sending a hail of bullets toward Echo Six and Ash. Dee-Ay and his team immediately took cover behind nearby debris, returning fire. Party Girl grabbed Ash and pulled him down behind a barricade while Lucario and Pikachu stood firm, guarding him from stray shots.
Willow cursed under her breath, firing at Beltway, who was advancing with heavy explosives. "We're pinned down! We need some cover!"
Ash, crouched low behind cover, could feel his heart pounding. He glanced at his Pokémon, knowing they wouldn't back down from a fight. But against armed soldiers, this was different. He had to think fast, or they wouldn't survive this.
"Allow me!" Tweed grinned widely as she unleashed a barrage of machine gun fire toward the Delta team, the rapid hail of bullets forcing them to duck behind cover.
Vector swore under his breath as the gunfire pinged off the nearby wreckage. "She's got a damn machine gun!"
Behind cover, Beltway's chuckle echoed ominously. "I've got just the thing for that." He reached into his vest, pulling out a live grenade, and with a dark grin within his gas mask, he hurled it toward Echo Six.
Harley's eyes widened in panic as the grenade sailed toward them. "Grenade!" he shouted, diving for cover.
Without hesitation, Lucario sprang into action, moving swiftly. With a quick motion, he grabbed the grenade, tossing it high into the air just before it exploded.
BOOM!
The blast was deafening, sending chunks of debris flying and shattering nearby windows. Car alarms blared all around them, creating a cacophony of noise. The explosion sent ripples through the street, and the shockwave from the blast rattled everything in its vicinity. Tweed, still firing, cursed under her breath as she ducked behind some cover, the sound of breaking glass and blaring alarms drowning out the chaos of the fight.
Ash peeked out from behind cover, shielding his eyes from the flying debris. He saw Lucario, steady and calm, despite the chaos unfolding. "Good job, Lucario!" he called out, but his relief was short-lived.
The explosion had drawn unwanted attention. The distant groans of the undead quickly turned into an ominous chorus, and within moments, the streets were flooded with infected. Dozens of them, lured by the noise, were shambling toward both Echo Six and the Delta team.
Dee-Ay, taking quick stock of the situation, shouted, "We've got a new problem!"
As the infected swarmed the streets, Delta Team took advantage of the chaos. They opened fire at the horde, using the shambling undead as shields to advance toward Echo Six. Lupo and Four Eyes led the charge, slowly approaching Echo Six, the infected soaking up the bullets meant for them. It seemed like the perfect strategy until Four Eyes glanced down at her wrist-mounted tech watch, her eyes narrowing as an ominous signal appeared.
"Commander," Four Eyes reported. "We've got a T-00 incoming!"
Lupo's usual steely demeanor faltered for a brief moment, her eyes widening. "A T-00? Here?!" she snapped, her hand tightening around her weapon.
Just then, the distant screeching of metal on metal filled the air, and out of nowhere, a damaged bus was hurled through the wreckage, careening through the battlefield. Echo Six and Delta Team scattered, scrambling to avoid the massive vehicle. It crashed into the ground with a deafening impact, skidding past Lupo and narrowly missing her. The bus collided with a gas station sign, which fell and shattered with a loud thud, the reverberations echoing down the street.
Ash, crouching low behind cover with Pikachu and Lucario, watched in horror as the dust began to settle from the massive crash. "What was that?" he muttered, his heart racing.
Dee-Ay, his eyes scanning the area, called out, "Everyone stay alert! We've got something big!"
From the swirling cloud of dust and debris, a hulking figure began to emerge. The ground seemed to tremble with each of its heavy steps. Clad in a tattered, bulletproof overcoat, the towering creature's white, glowing eyes pierced through the haze. Standing at over seven feet tall, the T-00—also known as the Tyrant—appeared, its expressionless face locked in an eerie calm as it surveyed the battlefield.
The sight of the monstrous B.O.W. caused a ripple of fear to sweep through both Echo Six and Delta Team. Lupo cursed under her breath, backing up a few steps. "Damn it, this thing wasn't supposed to be here," she muttered.
The Tyrant, however, had no intention of waiting for orders. Its cold, mechanical gaze fixated on the closest threat—Echo Six. Without a word, the T-00 began marching toward them, its heavy footsteps reverberating through the ground.
Tweed's voice cracked as she aimed her weapon. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me!"