NightStalker92: I appreciate that a great deal, as it was with my Resident Evil stories I set out wanting to do something that hasn't been done before properly and make a definitive story that people will seek out. Time will tell if I succeed, but I am fairly confident in this work. Wouldn't have spent so much time and effort on the story if I weren't lol. And yes, there are a lot of games out there, especially third installments, that could use a do over, which is what we have here. Getting things back on track. I want some story to exist to show what could have been, so others disappointed by the third game will have an alternative. Thank you for the review, I'm not likely to get many proper ones for this story, mostly spam from bots, not sure what has happened to this site, didn't used to get those.


"Rise and shine, sweetheart. Shake it off. Have a good catnap?"

The distant, familiar voice spoke somewhere overhead... and slowly the Point Man opened his eyes from behind the goggles... wearily looking up. A figure loomed over him... a light shining above... illuminating him. A hand descended to his shoulder, giving him a firm shake and squeeze... and the world returned gradually again. He looked up to find Holiday's bruised features grinning back at him broadly. His heads up display didn't return... but he remembered turning it and his comlink off. He remembered more than that. He looked beyond the Sergeant Major, to the window for a moment... to see only Holiday's standing reflection and his own seated one. Alma was gone, along with the ringing in his head... and he was here again. Fairport. The Orange Line. It all came back. The train had stopped at some point... he hadn't even heard it... felt it. He had been somewhere too far away. Taking Holiday's extended, offered hand, he rose back up to his feet steadily, shaking off the tendrils of sleep.

The Point Man tilted his helmeted head from left to right, rolling his shoulders and popping the tense muscles, uttering a breath through his mask. There was no pain emanating from his bullet stricken body, by now... and he looked back down the train car they were on. Jin was down there, standing up and with some assistance from Passalaqua and a couple others, was ushering the injured operators and the civilian through the open door. Out on to the platform. She stood back from the door, looking through one of the broken windows, looking at him thoughtfully again. Still with that lingering concern. She smiled lightly at him... and he nodded back at her faintly. She reluctantly looked away again, keeping close to Passalaqua and the injured Jenkins, inspecting his wound. Jankowski's bloodied phantom was not present near her... or at least, not visible to him. Outside the broken windows was no sign of Replica or Armacham corpses... he had not missed a battle in the exit station it seemed... and the Point Man looked back to Holiday. The Sergeant Major clapped him on the back encouragingly, taking charge again and explaining.

"I know, didn't want to have to wake ya for nothing. You looked comfortable and everything. Figured you earned a break from kicking ass since you got to Fairport. Legs must be exhausted. Betters called us up while you were out, assured us there were no Replica waiting for us at the exit station. Didn't want to wake you for nothing. Looks like that turret of yours will live to save the day again as well. Better power it down and collect it on your way out. Waste not want not. Gear up, we'll be just outside when you're ready to take point again."

The Point Man nodded his helmeted head, and Holiday, satisfied, rose his assault rifle a bit more and moved out of the open doors, making his way out on to the platform to go inspect the station. The Point Man looked back down to his other gloved hand at his side... still enclosed into a fist. Opening it, Alice's necklace remained where it had been. His jaw tightened beneath the mask at the sight of it... the guilty memories and feelings... and he tucked it back out of sight in one of his pouches again, trying to repress them. Refocusing on the present. His duty. Reaching up, he reactivated his comlink and heads up display alike, the familiar images and text flashing on in his vision once more. Then turning his attention to the seat he had vacated, and the seat all his primary weapons resided. He scooped up his RPL and slung it, as well as the VK-12 Shotgun, taking up his own G2A2 Assault Rifle again in both hands, inspecting it, until satisfied. Then he looked down the aisle, to all the glass shards, blood stains and bullet casings around the area. It helped bring him back. The grim reality. What they had just escaped from... or at least, had postponed. They still had a chance, at least. He breathed slowly through his mask, returning to the present, and marching down the aisle to the doors, stepping through them and out on to the platform as well.

He passed all the Delta Force operators, feeling them watching him, moving down the Orange Line exit platform to the central car. The familiar whirring of the AP-5 Deployable Turret greeted him, its automated gun shifting back and forth. Reaching up, the Point Man tapped the deactivation button, watching as the gun descended back inside the device, and it closed up with some more whirring sounds before going silent altogether. Uncoupling it from the metal surface it was adhered to, the Point Man grasped it, removed it and tucked it away back inside his backpack before taking up his assault rifle again. He stepped away from the train and moved down closer towards the middle of the desolate station, taking point again up ahead of the others. Surveying the area. It was quite still, and abandoned... neither a sign of life, nor any corpses. After the last stations they had been to, it didn't seem right that they should be so lucky. It seemed too good to be true. He looked back along the heavily bullet stricken, dented train cars to the rear carriage... to the darkened tunnel beyond it they had come from. It wouldn't surprise him if right now Fettel had his Replica pursuing them from it... but they had enough of a head start. Looking back to the others, he gestured for them to move up after him. And turning ahead, he moved on, watching the balconies and upper levels... but knew there was nothing waiting for them here. No ambush.

They had gotten in ahead of the Replica, here, while they had been gradually occupying other sections of the subway system. Good. They had something going for them here, at least. Of course it probably wouldn't be long before the place was garrisoned by them... unless Armacham was tying up the Replica forces.

Even so, he kept his guard up, G2A2 scanning the area. All the security gates were risen, here... all the power functional... but he moved ahead for the stairwell up to the main one. Entering the corridor of the Orange Line Exit Station and proceeding down it carefully. There were still no bodies, but like the platform area, there was debris, scattered news papers, drinks, tickets and various other things. He passed by a ticket booth and some newspaper stands, turning around the next corner and glimpsing the stairwell up to the surface. Back to ground level. He paused, looking back down the corridor to the others... waiting for them to catch up a ways. When they reached a certain point, he turned again, moving on towards the stairwell. Passing pay phones along the way, hanging off their hooks, and a number of billboard ads behind glass, maps... it looked little different from where he had woken after the crash. Right down to the white tile walls, benches and vending machines... again displaying the wrong types of beverages.

Still no people. It was for the best. He had seen enough corpses, of late. Enough insanity. Knew he would see a great deal more soon enough.

Reaching the stairwell he swept over it... hearing the distant patter of rain again outside, beyond the flights of stairs... the low rumble of the thunder now and again. The storm was still quite in effect. He heard even more distant gunfire and explosions, deeper into the city, south of their location. He heard the team behind him, passing around the corner and following him, covering him with their weapons. Hearing Holiday curse and comment when he saw the vending machines, kicking it... drawing a faint smile to the Point Man, in spite of himself. He passed over the first flight of stairs, ascending to the second and towards the third. He glimpsed the open entrance of the subway, its security gate deactivated as well... and he hurried ahead, moving faster. Taking the last stairs, he stepped up, through the gate and found himself outside on the sidewalk in the rain, on the surface again. Lights of the subway flashing down at him. In an instant, the rain water was trickling down his goggles, over his vision and armor, bouncing off his helmet.

He looked out in the streets to find them mostly abandoned... empty, save the occasional car. Tightly compacted buildings, apartments, shops. Bus stops. Newspaper machines. As everything seemed to be on the outskirts of Auburn.

The Point Man heard their boots on the stairs, ascending to join him, and he moved out into the middle of the road in front of the station, boots passing through the puddles, standing guard while the others caught up. His comlink activated again as he came to a stop, and a man's familiar ID appeared in the corner of his vision. That unmistakable, relieved voice spoke over the line.

"Smile, buddy. I got you on camera again. Good to see you finally made it out."

The Point Man looked up into the darkened, stormy skies, in which tracers flew now and again. He didn't have any idea where exactly the Hannibal-3 was... but it was welcome to know they were being visually tracked again from above. That the Commissioner and others were watching over them. He heard footsteps behind him, and glanced back to find Holiday, moving ahead of the others and running up to his side. The Sergeant Major didn't look at the Point Man, he was too distracted peering somewhere ahead, down the street. He let out a low, impressed whistle upon reaching his side, standing out on the rain soaked road with him, bruised and swelling features already damp.

"Good golly, Miss Molly. I ain't never seen a hospital that big before."

The Point Man's head turned in the Sergeant Major's direction, following his gaze upwards. Sure enough, there it was. Rising high over the rest of the district, dwarfing it. It wasn't a skyscraper, but there was no denying how massive it was, just from the direction they studied it from. There were visible lights on it, but not on every floor, some darkened... at least the windows from the side of the building. Most of it was beyond, out of sight, long as it was tall. Still, the red cross on it stood illuminated and defiant, along with the words.

Auburn Memorial Hospital

"Fifteen stories, gentlemen, plus an underground parking area and a subterranean morgue. Several landing pads up on the roof. You can thank Armacham, they donated generously to the place. Helped build it too, top of the line everything. It's connected by three skybridges to an adjoining medical center on the opposite side as well, almost the size of the hospital... but it's been abandoned and locked down since the blast. The remaining staff, police and Delta Force personnel can only man so much of the hospital as it is."

As he listened to Betters rundown of the extraction point, he heard more footsteps, and he looked to find Jin had moved to his other side, looking between the hospital, and up at him as the three stood out in the open. The rain streaming down her bruised face as well... despite everything that had happened, again she looked relieved and happy. He felt her gloved hand take his at their sides and give it a light squeeze... a gesture he slowly returned... the distant thunder and sounds of battle seeming even more distant when she looked at him like that... when she smiled. She didn't say anything, but somehow he knew what had happened down in the tunnels was already in the past. He glanced at the Sergeant Major, who was watching the two of them now with a knowing grin... visibly mouthing the words 'what did I tell you?'.

"According to Den Mother, they're already waiting for you. Don't bother using the front door, that area has been barricaded off by Delta Force. Take the back road around the side of the hospital to the underground parking level, and make your way to the primary life flight elevator. They're standing by to take the injured off your hands first."

"Copy that, Betters. We're hearing gunfire and explosions from down here... not getting closer to our position, is it?"

"Negative. Most of it is happening Downtown, far from your position. Nothing for you folks to worry about, as yet. Armacham and the Replica have bigger fish to fry than stragglers taking sheltered in a devastated district. Let's just hope it stays that way."

"Got that right. We're moving to the hospital now. Holiday out."

Holiday withdrew from his comlink, looking back up at the looming hospital. Visibly impressed and as relieved as Jin. The Sergeant Major looked back at them, and to the rest of the Delta operators and the civilian, standing close behind them in the rain. Most of them also studied the hospital... though the civilian was watching the Point Man, and Passalaqua was looking at the Point Man and Jin's joined hands. He could almost feel the burden lifting off the group of survivors, the lights on the hospital standing out like a rescue beacon. The extraction point so close at last, other survivors awaiting. He couldn't disagree with the feeling of relief... having a proper base of operations to secure and defend for a change instead of rushing through hostile territory would be different. Although he would hold out on whether it would be better for them, or if this was leading them somewhere worse. For the moment... he was satisfied. Felt a relief he had only felt when he found out Jin and Holiday had made it.

When he had thought he had rescued Alice Wade at Armacham Headquarters.

"You heard the man people, we're in the home stretch! Focus! Let's not fuck up now that we got this far! Taylor, you and yours watch our perimeter! Passalaqua, you and yours keep helping Jin and the wounded! Big fella, you're up too! Do what you do best, Point Man."

Sergeant Major Holiday tapped his shoulder encouragingly, while Jin gave his hand another squeeze, and she reluctantly retracted her touch. He looked sideways into her eyes for a moment and nodded, looking back up ahead the rain soaked road and taking up the G2A2 in both hands again. Marching forward steadily towards the hospital. Boots splashing through the puddles, tapping over the pavement, scanning the area through the sights. Still nobody in the vicinity... it wasn't right how empty it was, as it had been back at the exit station. Holiday had been right, no city could empty this quickly, not even after a blast like the one at the Vault. The cars should have been piled up... people on their way swarming to the hospital. Still, he saw the truth with his own eyes, right before him. The lightning flashed a vibrant blue overhead, arcing through the clouds. With it came the rumble again, forboding, troubling him more than the distant sounds of battle Downtown. He moved steadily onwards, until he reached the fork in the road, between the way to the front of the hospital and the side road around Betters had spoken of. Some signs designating it was a parking area, especially for hospital workers, with an ambulance bay down there. He moved where they needed to go, keeping his pace balanced, not rushing too far ahead of the rest of the team, checking all sides consistently.

Before long, they reached the back of the hospital, to the pavement road leading down beneath the hospital, into the underground parking lot. He waited until the others caught up, and they continued on together, down the final section, heading down deeper into the darkness, around the bend. The lights that should have been working along the way were deactivated. If he had to guess, a city wide power outage was in effect... emergency lighting only. It would explain how it was only partially illuminated on the outside. They all activated their headlamps accordingly. As they descended down the wide road into Auburn Memorial, they finally moved out of the pouring rain, underneath concrete cover. The water dripped and ran, flowed down each side of the road, steadily towards the parking lot, being caught in drains along the way. Soon, they moved on to dry pavement, their wet boots tracking a plethora of prints through it, and just around the last corner, he spotted it... stopping for a moment. A great sealed security gate, and lights visible in the parking lot beyond it. It was difficult to make out many details beyond it... but he saw at least two armed and armored figures standing guard on either side of the gate within.

Extraction point or not... he wasn't taking any chances.

Raising his assault rifle again, he signalled for the others to hold their position, then hurriedly swept around the corner ahead of the survivors and marched towards the gate. That was when they noticed him, scrambling for their weapons and pointing them through the gates, taking up positions. Shouting for backup, a couple more armed and armored figures running over to the gate to lend a hand. One of them shouted at him from his position, hardened voice echoing through the underground parking area authoritatively, ringing up towards them.

"Halt right there! Drop your weapon and identify yourself at once, or we will shoot you where you stand! Now!"

The Point Man did not lower his weapon... he merely stared and aimed back at them... ready to respond to the threats if they took action. Ready to fall back into his red world. Fortunately, it didn't prove necessary. He heard Sergeant Major Holiday's voice barking down towards them as the others moved to catch up with him instead of holding their position, Jin moving ahead of them, urgently calling for the guards to stand down, waving her arms... the Sergeant Major running down to his side hurriedly to intervene.

"Hold your fire, boys! Contrary to appearances, he ain't a Replica! This man is with First Encounter Assault Recon! With us!"

Holiday stepped up in front of him, and the men beyond the gate focused his way. Looking Holiday and the Point Man over with their flashlights, then the rest of them... and at last they gradually lowered their weapons one at a time. The man in charge of the men beyond who had shouted before leaned in a bit, getting a better look through the gaps in the security gate. Voice turning from hostile to startled all at once.

"Sarge? That really you?"

"Who else were you expectin', boys? Think a nuke was gonna stop me? You all look like you've seen a ghost!"

"Heh. Damn good to see you, sir. When Den Mother told me you guys were coming we half thought he was full of shit. Brought a couple Ghostbusters with you and everything. Sorry about that. On edge, obviously. Stand by, we're opening the gate now."

"That's more like it. Don't make me huff and puff. Or have the Tinman here chop down that door."

The Point Man watched as the guard in charge went over to a control panel on the side of the gate, shaking his helmeted head with amusement. Tapping a few buttons, he activated it. The security gate began to whir and lift, retracting back up, bit by bit. When it had lifted all the way, Holiday gestured for the Point Man to follow him up, as the rest of the team did the same behind the two of them. Drawing closer, the appearances of the guards were revealed, clad in their familiar armor, uniforms and helmets. The lead Delta Force operator on the other side stepped through the open gate to greet them, while Holiday's voice spoke up again first.

"Winters, what's the situation here?"

"FUBAR, sir. We're stretched thin... need all the manpower we can get."

"How many men left in the company made it here so far? What are their statuses?"

"Fifty three able bodied men, and now we can add your guys here that aren't injured. Another fourteen too injured to help on defense, and another twenty one injured but capable of fighting. Company got all kinds of fucked up. We've made contact with a few more squads out there, but they're far away, in Replica and Armacham held territory, or underground. All we can do right now is hope they survive and make it here on their own, or hold tight until the cavalry arrives en mass. We can't afford to lose manpower here sending out search and rescue teams. Everyone is pitching in, including the civvies that are able to."

"How many civilians are we talking here?"

"Not too many, few dozen tops, and that's including what's left of the staff. Maybe a couple dozen officers of the Fairport Metro Police Department, stragglers from the Quarantine Zone, and some men from the Fairport Fire and Rescue Department. You'll have to check with the staff on the exact numbers, they handled the head counting. Some of them are waiting for your injured down in the parking lot. I know, should be a hell of a lot more... it's like most of city's population disappeared in the blast. There's no way a city this size can just evacuate in such a short time. Even without the blast and if there had been help from the national guard. I can't explain it. "

"Unfortunately, I think we can. Knew I should have called in sick before this op..."

The Sergeant Major muttered under his breath and looked among the operators at the gate, and beyond into the parking lot. The Point Man followed his eyes, glimpsing a number of ambulances parked in sections, along with some civilian cars. For the most part though, the sections were empty. He imagined it was the same on some of the other levels of the parking area. There were a number of closed metal doors along the far cement walls of the parking area... doors for a series of elevators, likely going all throughout different sections of the vast hospital. It would probably be easy to get lost quickly... he would have to see if there were some schematics or diagrams of the place for his datapad, just in case. The injured and rest of the team, along with Jin, moved through the open gates, stepping inside the parking lot... and Holiday and the Point Man followed suit. When they all moved through, Holiday looked back again to the operators guarding the place, bruised features smiling with a nod.

"Takes all kinds, Winters. You guys did a damn good job with what you have. Would stay here and play catch up with you boys, but as you can tell we got some bigger fish to fry. Namely, getting this shit all figured out and running properly. Been away too long."

"No worries, Sarge. Get moving. Like I said, docs are waiting back that way. I'll radio ahead to the other squad leaders and let them know you just got in, if Den Mother hasn't already. Good to have you calling the shots again. Was looking pretty damn bleak for awhile there."

"Don't I know it. How many are losing the dead pool over my showing up in more or less one piece?"

"No comment, sir."

The operators saluted the Sergeant Major on that note, who chuckled at the grimly wry remark and promptly returned the gesture... then turning back towards the Point Man. One of the operators went over to the gate control and activated it again. With a series of mechanical noises, it began to descend once more, sealing down into place and locking securely. The other operators were quite openly staring at the Point Man with surprise, evident curiosity. He seemed to draw it wherever he went, whatever he did or didn't do. It didn't bother him, but it felt strange. He was only here to do his job, complete his objectives... not to draw attention. He turned back and started away down to the parking area along with the Sergeant Major, soon hearing them whisper among themselves about him, following Holiday away from the guard station as Holiday moved further up ahead to Passalaqua and his team, authoritative voice echoing through the parking garage already.

"Passalaqua, you and your men stand watch down here in the parking area until further orders. Reinforce these boys. That's a vital opening for a Replica assault, and we need to keep this place secure as possible."

"Yes sir.", Operator Passalaqua replied at once with a nod of his helmet, looking back to Jin. Nodding her way as well, her bruised features smiling at him in return, then looking back between the Point Man and Holiday. "We'll be here. Just give the word on any updated orders or intel. Sooner be in the know than not."

"I'd say we're all waitin' on bated breath about now for Den Mother, there. Until then, double time it."

The Sergeant Major agreed with a smirk, and on that note Passalaqua and his two remaining men hung back, watching them all depart deeper into the parking garage... before turning and moving back down towards the main gate. Joining and supplementing Winters and his own squad stationed there. Ahead, just past one particular section of ambulances, sure enough as Winters had said they saw more people in the distance. Three people... a couple nurses and a doctor, all wearing their hospital uniforms, waiting for them, the doctor beckoning down towards them. They stood by what was undoubtedly the life flight elevator, the central, primary elevator of the place... along with a gurney and wheelchair. The group crossed the distance towards them in no time, boots tapping on the concrete and echoing about the parking garage, switching off their headlamps as they neared all the lights, and as they drew closer the dark haired doctor, somewhere in his late thirties perhaps, stepped up swiftly to meet them part way. Addressing Holiday, who had moved to the front of their unit, looking between him and the injured operators.

"Good to see there's more survivors. You must be Sergeant Major Holiday. Den Mother told me you guys would be here soon. Name's Doctor Ross. We need to get these men up to the tenth floor, surgery right away. It's where most of the survivors are located."

"Who's in charge of the leftover staff?", Jin inquired, looking at the doctor and the pair of nurses behind him with the gurney. "I'll need details on the staff and other injured. My name is Jin Sun-Kwon, a Technical Officer and Field Medic with First Encounter Assault Recon. I'll be assisting your staff, when needed."

"That'd be Doctor Samuel York, our chief of surgery. Luckily he made it over here a few hours after the blast. He took charge of things again. He's ready for these two up in the O.R I'll have him come meet you after he's done his surgeries, or you can come up and observe. Guy's a miracle worker. You boys couldn't be in good hands. He's been operating on Delta Force operators all day and night."

"Long as I can keep this leg, I'll name my next kid after him.", Grunted opeerator Cole as he was supported by another operator over closer to the awaiting wheelchair. One of the nurses drew closer to the two, helping the operator with Cole settle him down carefully in the chair. Once he was in it, she started to wheel him out of the garage's ambulance bay and towards the life flight elevator, moving inside the spacious interior. "Until then, let's get the hell to that operating room already."

A couple of the operators brought the unconscious Jenkins over to the gurney, and with the help of the other nurse, they carefully settled him down on top of it. Making sure the spike didn't press in any further. Jin meanwhile walked the blood stained, traumatized civilian over towards the open doors, her hand on his shoulder, guiding him inside, where he stood of his own accord. Then she drew back out of the elevator and moved back to the group. Doctor Ross went over to examine Jenkins' wound, as well as Cole's, gesturing the nurses to get the gurney into the elevator. As it was, he moved up behind them, stepping in with them all and turning back towards Holiday, Jin, the Point Man and the rest of the Delta Force men.

"You guys should head up to the first floor when the elevator gets back. Main level. You can check out the defenses your guys set up... get something to eat and drink. We got the vending machines on every floor, and the cafeteria is still running on the tenth floor. First Sergeant Speirs is running the first floor now. You all look dead on your feet. Well... maybe excluding this guy."

Doctor Ross gestured to the Point Man with a hint of a smirk, before pressing a button inside the elevator. The doors closed and the lift activated, beginning its steady ascent to the tenth floor, leaving them all behind. Holiday took a step closer to the elevator, and then back towards Jin and the Point Man standing side by side. The Sergeant Major's bruised, stubble lined face smiling wearily as they waited for the elevator to be clear and ready.

"Fucking hell. We got our work cut out for us here, people."

"Was there any doubt, Doug?", Jin shook her head with a grim, tired smile, folding her arms comfortably. "Everything of late considered?"

"No, but all the same. If it ain't one thing, it's another. Still... any port in a storm. And I'd say we're in the middle of the mother of all storms."

Holiday rose a gloved hand, rubbing his sore face with a grimace, and looking between the two of them and the men behind them. He looked back up to the elevator, to find it was stopped on the tenth floor. Reaching over for the call button on the wall beside the doors, he pressed it, looking back over to the F.E.A.R. operatives. Switching the safety on for his assault rifle, crossing his arms and leaning back against the wall beside the doors, looking deep in consideration, for a time.

"Least we can settle in one place for awhile. Put our backs to the wall and defend something, for a change. Not eager to be underground again, anytime soon. Time we were topside and got to work, people."

Before long, the life flight elevator arrived, doors parting with a beep and revealing the sizable interior within. Easily big enough to hold the remains of the group and quite a few more. They all moved inside swiftly, the Point Man moved to a corner and Jin joined him, keeping close. Her hand settled on his arm again instinctively... and as Holiday entered last and prepared to activate the lift, looking over the control panel, the Point Man met her eyes again. She smiled up at him... the relief from outside only more palpable in the illuminated interior of the life flight elevator. It was nice to see her relaxed... they had all been through more than enough already. It was clear enough she had set aside what had happened in the Orange Line tunnel... at least for the moment. There could be no forgetting that sight... and the matter would inevitably raise its head again. Alma would raise her head again. For the moment... he shared Jin's relief... to be away from all that... the visions and phantoms. Abominations. The other world of shadows and fire. The corridor of blood. The respites were coming fewer and far between... so he enjoyed them while he could.

Even the hesitant stares of a few of the operators his way meant nothing. Let them stare, he had larger priorities, of late. And they were all stuck in the same mess, in Fairport.

Jin leaned in and pressed her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes for a moment. She didn't say anything to him... nothing needed to be said... he understood. The lift activated and rose, the hum emanating through them. The Sergeant Major turned from the control panel and looked back to the two of them, rolling his eyes good naturedly and grinning broadly. Within a few moments, they reached the first floor, the doors parting to reveal the main level of the hospital. The Delta Force operators filed out ahead of them... and Jin withdrew from his shoulder reluctantly, following out Holiday, with him following suit. The doors closed again behind them, and the Point Man looked ahead down the corridor. There were a couple more elevators around the area... either powered down or not in use. It was likely they were for only accessing a few different levels, compared to the life flight elevator that went from the top to the bottom of the entire hospital. A sign hung overhead, illuminated by lighted lettering, just beyond a pair of open doors.

Nurse Station

The area was dimly lit, not every light on the floor active... there were a few receptionist desks, with XPS computers lined along them, as there had been at the Armacham offices. It made sense, given they had built this place as well. Only one of the receptionist desks had a civilian nurse working at it, from what he could see, a pretty young woman with tied back red hair. It was further in the distance, and she was talking to a Delta Force operator. Both of them looked up at the unit as they moved out of the elevator and down towards them. The operator said a few more words to the nurse, then turned and strode down the hall towards them, meeting them half way with a respectful nod, looking from Holiday, to the F.E.A.R. operatives and the rest of the arriving operators as he spoke.

"Sergeant Major, glad to have you back, sir. All of you. Right in the nick of time too. It's been a clusterfuck for us ever since the blast. Going to need all the manpower we can get."

"Likewise, Speirs. You've done a damn fine job from what I've heard, but now it's time to really set up shop around here. Get organized."

"Better late than never."

"What happened to Major Silva? Has he reported in here since contact with command was restored?"

"Negative, sir. Nor his squadron. Assumed KIA... they were in Auburn when it happened. The Quarantine Zone, giving the Replica hell. None of us have heard anything since. Neither has Den Mother, as I'm sure he told you. That makes you the ranking officer of the company. What's left of it."

Holiday was silent at the sudden, unpleasant information for a few moments, considering it, visibly troubled, rubbing his stubble coated chin absently. He looked back up at Speirs, then down towards Taylor and the other operators. In his ever familiar authoritative voice, he nodded and took charge of the situation. Breezing through his assessment and commands with ease that left the Point Man taken aback, with how well he adapted to the sudden leadership requirements. Unaffected by the pressure and expectations.

"Taylor, take your men with Speirs to inspect and man the defenses. Help out where you can. I want a complete roster on the supplies, equipment and weaponry we got. I want every bullet, every gun, every blade hand counted if you have to. I want to know everything we got, what we're working with. When that's done, I want a squad and armory on every floor of this building, even if they're small. Vital floors will be prioritized. Get a map of each level's schematics and the ventilation areas either from the staff or call Den Mother to transmit them to your guys datapads. Either way. I want to know all the ins and outs of this building. We need to close our ranks here, circle our wagons. And make sure all access points to the medical center's skybridges are sealed, blowtorched shut if need be. Barricaded. Security gates, fire escapes, ventilation shafts... you name it, shut it all down. Get a roster of and monitor all security cameras as well. If we got turrets and AT-S Proximity Mines, I want them at vital sections as a deterrent to future interlopers... same with M77 Remote Bombs, for some nice surprises. I want this motherfucker locked down tighter than Fort Knox. Any spook house bastards, corporate thugs or test tube sideshow freaks come for us, they're going to have to pay dearly for the price of admission. You get me, gentlemen?"

"Understood sir, we're on it."

"You do that. We'll be by shortly for information and inspections. And to pitch in. I'm sure the big guy here has plenty of ideas... after all the asses he kicked. Now move out."

"Sir, yes sir."

The Delta Force operators before them immediately snapped to action, Taylor and his men following Speirs around a corner beyond the receptionist desk and through some doors, the heavy echoing patter of their racing boots gradually fading away in the distance. The Point Man took the time to look around the first floor... what he could see from where he was, anyways, there were other corridors and access areas he couldn't see around. The manned main front and entrance of the hospital not in view. There were some terminals along either side of the wall... but their screens were overtaken by flashing static. Above each terminal ran a warning message in bright yellow letters. Citywide power outages. Emergency lighting activated. Hospital closed until further notice. He didn't enjoy being right. Hopefully the backup power would hold long enough for them to get everyone together and evacuate. Down the hall he could see a few pay phones in one section, and the waiting area for the floor, quite abandoned, where it should have been packed. There was an eeriness perpetually suspended around the place... and it was clear they resided in the eye of the storm now. The three moved down towards the waiting room, passing the nurse's desk, the young woman glancing up from her computer and tracking their movements for a moment or two, her hazel eyes lingering on him... before evasively getting back to work when he met her gaze.

Entering the waiting area, the Point Man looked along his vicinity, over the leather couches and seats... a few were drawn up close to a TV suspended to the ceiling. It was on, but displaying the same static and white noise as the terminals were. He could only imagine what reports had been playing before the blast... the sheer pandemonium... the attempt to evacuate the city... before she had stopped them. He heard Holiday's pleased voice then, from somewhere off to the side, breaking his train of thought and redrawing his focus.

"Hello... what have we here? Better come take a look see, big guy. This is right up your alley too."

The Point Man looked back, to find the Sergeant Major over near a wall, situated between a wall mounted phone and close to a pair of double doors to another wing of the hospital. He crossed the waiting room towards Holiday, and stepping around the corner of a column, he saw them, standing out like beacons at the end of a long tunnel. Four vending machines. The first was a machine for various snacks and chip items, candy, behind a glass screen. The second was neon blue, displaying a drink called Flight Fizz. But stepping up to Holiday's side, it was the other two that drew in his attention. A red machine and a green machine. Now he knew why Holiday's grin was so palpable.

Fizzy Kola. Diet Squish.

"Damn. Took long enough. Figures a hospital has better taste in vending machines."

Holiday looked between the two machines, stepping closer to the green one. Before he paused, coming to a realization, absently touching his various pouches. He looked back to the Point Man and Jin standing just behind him.

"Anyone got any change on them?"

"I packed for a day of performing forensics and medical work, Doug. And he packed for killing clone soldiers all day. Not to eat out of vending machines."

"Then I'll just have to improvise."

The Sergeant Major calmly and simply reached down to the holster at his side and produced his AT-14 sidearm from its holster, looking it over. Aiming at the glass of the snack machine, he fired a round into it, the roar echoing through the waiting room. The glass shattered at once, spilling apart under the force every which way and falling in shards all over the floor at their boots. He looked inside for the lock containing the change... finding it he took aim one more time and blew it off. All in casual, relaxed fashion. The Point Man looked back, to find the nurse watching them with alarm that quickly turned into relief and then disapproval... but all the same she retreated back behind her station. A few Delta Force operators quickly came running down a nearby corridor at the gunfire, but stopped in their tracks, taking note of what their Sergeant Major was doing, and laughing among themselves. Departing and returning back to their posts, down to the front of the hospital. Holiday casually rummaged around inside the slot, taking out a small handful of change in the process, a few falling from his hand to the floor, the lights overhead glinting off it all.

"You did hear from Doctor Ross that there's a functional cafeteria in the building, Doug?", Jin spoke with exasperation, shaking her head slowly, but the amusement evident in tone and bruised features. "You know, with real food?"

"Yeah yeah, we'll get there. Still. Hospital food has nothing on this."

Holiday flashed the two of them a smile, before looking back to the snack machine, tucking away his sidearm again. His eyes passed over it, until he found something. Reaching inside, he pulled it out, inspecting it with a satisfied nod. Turning back their way.

"Cheezee Pooz, Jin?"

Before she could say anything he lightly tossed the bag her way. She caught it instinctively in both gloved hands, holding it up a bit and looking it over. Glancing back at them with a risen brow. At last she sighed wearily, opening the bag and taking out a couple and giving them a try. A hint of a reluctant smile touching her bruised features.

"You boys are going to give me bad habits, the longer I stick around you."

"You could use a few, Jin. Flirting with the Terminator here don't cut it. No offense to him."

The Sergeant Major, still thoroughly pleased with himself, turned his attention back to the drink machines. Ignoring the blue Flight Fizz machine altogether, he stepped over to the green one first, inserting the right amount of coins and pressing the button. The machine whirred at once, coming to life, and dropped its selected contents. He plucked out the ice cold Diet Squish from the bottom, before repeating his actions on the Fizzy Kola machine. Scooping it out of the bottom, he held the cola drink out towards the Point Man.

"There you go. One Fizzy Kola, on the house. Take a drink, big guy. We've earned it. Gonna need the energy to get this place back up and running right. Enjoy the breather while you can."

The Point Man looked at the red can for a moment, then gladly took it from him, nodding gratefully. Then he switched on the safety of his G2A2 as Holiday had done, slung it, unclipped the strap of his ballistic helmet and reached within the collar of his body armor, rolled up his balaclava partially, at least until his jaw was exposed. He could see Jin out of the corner of his goggle lenses staring at him again, watching him quite closely. So was Holiday, more intrigued than she at the partial exposure of his features. She had already seen him as it were, at his medical checkups back at the F.E.A.R. Compound... it seemed Holiday had not, when they had recovered him from the aftermath of the Vault. He retracted his hand from the mask, cracking open the can, he touched it to his lips, leaning his head back and drinking it steadily, savouring all the while. Holiday was right. It was cold. And damn good. He didn't remember the last time something had tasted as sweet as it did. Almost made what they had been through worth it... and what still lie ahead of them. A faint hint of a smile touched his lips... but only for a moment.

It was then a familiar voice spoke up on all their comlinks simultaneously, redirecting his attention. Bringing them back to the unpleasant present. Updating their orders.

"Holiday, this is Den Mother. We just received a priority call. You have an updated objective. It's a matter that concerns us as well as First Encounter Assault Recon."

"What the hell could it be now, Den Mother?", The Sergeant Major returned with a grimace between sips of his drink. "As soon as we get here, start organizing shit and get ready to kick up our feet down here, you pull us back into the saddle. What's the problem?"

"I've just received word from the remnants of a Delta Force squad pinned down in an apartment complex a few blocks south from Auburn Memorial. I've got a couple survivors here on the other channel. ATC Security Forces are moving in on their position, and they need immediate assistance and a medevac to the hospital. One of them is critically injured. You are to take a team, commandeer a vehicle and move out immediately. Priority objective. The brass and F.E.A.R. Director McCullough want it done yesterday. The Point Man goes with you."

Holiday looked over towards the Point Man at the curious information and Den Mother's urgent tone, speculative brow risen at that, grimace evaporating. Considering the words for a moment, before taking another drink. Wiping off his mouth, he spoke into the comlink again with some evident growing interest the Point Man and Jin alike shared, glancing at one another and raptly paying attention.

"Who is it, Den Mother? What makes them such an immediate priority for both Delta Force and F.E.A.R.? We haven't even properly set up shop here, yet. Don't have much manpower to spare for playing search and rescue in this madhouse of a city."

"It's the Dark Signal squad... and they've been busy. Got a hell of a story to tell."


That they do, Den Mother. Strap in, people. This is where F.E.A.R. 2 starts to factor in.