Chapter 41
"I don't see how this is saving the world," Jill muttered, her voice dripping with skepticism.
Hiding in the shadows of a tree outside the villa, Ethan didn't bother responding. There was no point in trying to explain. Someone like Jill wouldn't believe him unless she saw it all unfold with her own eyes. Words alone would only make him seem more insane.
"You said you wanted to know," Ethan said, shifting slightly to find a more comfortable position as he leaned against the tree. "So now I'm letting you see for yourself. Isn't this part of your job? You're a cop—shouldn't you be used to surveillance and stakeouts?"
Jill frowned but said nothing. Meanwhile, Ethan closed his eyes, settling in for the wait.
Earlier, after returning to the hotel to pick up their already-packed gear, Ethan and Arthur had come here to stake out the villa. Arthur's condition had finally recovered, and there was no longer a need to rest indoors. With the plot potentially kicking off at any moment, Ethan couldn't afford to waste time.
Having Jill around was more of an afterthought. Ethan had only brought her because she insisted on tagging along.
Without a better source of information, staking out Alice's home was their best option.
"You're not planning to steal something, are you?" Jill asked suspiciously.
Ethan gave her an exasperated look. "If I wanted to steal something, why would I bring a cop with me to arrest me?"
"...Fair point."
Jill realized how ridiculous her accusation sounded, but the events of the day had left her with too many unanswered questions. Ethan refused to explain anything, which only fueled her speculation.
Glancing at Arthur, who was resting quietly with his eyes closed, Jill found herself wondering about these two. There was something undeniably odd about them.
"So, what are we waiting for?" she asked finally.
"A chance to save the world," Ethan replied without missing a beat.
Jill rolled her eyes so hard it hurt. Every time he said that, she felt herself questioning her sanity for being here.
It was then that Arthur suddenly said, "There's movement."
Startled, Jill turned to him. "You can talk?"
Arthur glanced at her and nodded. "I had a sore throat before. I'm fine now."
The explanation, while simple, was enough to dispel Jill's suspicions. It wasn't uncommon for people to lose their voice temporarily.
But then Jill remembered what Arthur had said. "What kind of movement?"
She leaned out slightly, following Arthur's gaze. A man was skulking near the villa, his behavior unmistakably suspicious as he moved cautiously around the property, clearly observing something.
Ethan's eyes narrowed. Unlike Jill, who had no idea who the man was, he recognized him immediately.
Matthew Addison.
Or Matt Addison, as he was called in shorthand. His presence confirmed what Ethan had been waiting for—the story was finally beginning.
"So, it starts tonight," Ethan muttered under his breath, a faint sense of relief washing over him.
He had thought it might take a few more days of waiting before the plot kicked off. That it was happening now, on the same day Jill had approached him, felt almost scripted, like fate was giving the main characters a little push.
"If Matt's here, then the mercenary team should be close by," Ethan mused.
According to the story, the Hive's AI, the Red Queen, had gone rogue and slaughtered the entire underground facility's staff earlier in the day. Umbrella Corporation, upon discovering this, had dispatched a team of mercenaries to investigate the situation. They were supposed to arrive at the mansion that night, where Matt would attempt to sneak in and subsequently get caught.
Ethan considered his options. He could either pull back and avoid running into the mercenaries, or he could meet them head-on and join their expedition into the Hive.
His train of thought was interrupted by Jill, who had already moved to confront Matt. She was preparing to step out of the shadows and arrest him.
"What are you doing?" Ethan hissed, grabbing her arm and pulling her back.
Jill instinctively reached for her gun but stopped herself. She shot Ethan a sharp glare. "Why are you stopping me?"
Ethan sighed, frustrated by her impulsiveness. "What are you even planning to do? Arrest him for looking suspicious? You'll just make things worse."
Jill paused, realizing Ethan had a point. But then a new thought struck her, and her expression shifted. "Wait... you knew he'd be here, didn't you? You've been waiting for him."
Ethan didn't deny it. "Not exactly. But his appearance means things are already in motion. The real story is about to start, so don't rush in and mess it up."
Jill's patience was wearing thin. "What do you mean 'the real story'? You never explain anything. I swear, if something bad happens, I'm arresting you as an accomplice."
Ethan smirked faintly. "It's already started. But once you see what I'm about to do, you'll thank me."
Jill rolled her eyes again. "Stop making bold claims. I just hope I didn't make a huge mistake coming with you."
Jill kept her eyes locked on the villa, her body tense and ready to spring into action. She didn't fully trust Ethan's cryptic words and was already planning to take him down and cuff him if things went sideways.
Before she could act, Ethan suddenly leaned back and dragged her with him. She opened her mouth to protest, only for him to clap a hand over her mouth.
Jill instinctively prepared to retaliate—her knee was already halfway to smashing into him—when she noticed his expression. Ethan's face was serious, his eyes focused on the night sky. At the same time, he made a silent hand gesture to her, signaling caution.
"The show's starting."
Jill froze. She didn't hear him speak, but the words echoed clearly in her mind, as if transmitted directly.
Beside them, Arthur quietly reached into his backpack and began pulling out equipment. He worked with precision, fitting the pieces onto his body.
"Armor?" Jill whispered, her sharp eyes catching the details. It didn't take long to realize these weren't the plastic props used for cosplay. This was real armor, designed for protection, and it looked more functional than ceremonial.
Her doubts deepened when Arthur drew a long sword and strapped it to his waist. For a moment, Jill felt like she was staring at a knight who had stepped out of the Middle Ages—albeit a very young one.
Turning to Ethan, she saw that he was doing the same, suiting up with similarly "outdated" gear. By the time he was done, he looked just as eccentric as Arthur: a long sword at his waist, a steel rod in hand, and a thick, hardbound tome secured to his back.
"What exactly are you guys doing?" Jill muttered, her head spinning as the situation veered into the bizarre.
Before Ethan could reply, the loud whir of helicopter blades tore through the night air. Jill's attention snapped upward as the unmistakable sound of a military chopper filled the quiet.
"They're here."
Ethan, Arthur, and Jill crouched lower, covering their armor with cloth to avoid the glint of moonlight giving them away. Together, they watched as the helicopter hovered briefly over the mansion, deploying a team of heavily armed soldiers before taking off again.
It didn't stay long, but Jill's sharp eyes caught the symbol painted on its side: the Umbrella Corporation logo.
"Umbrella's private security? Why are they here?" Jill murmured, her voice tinged with confusion.
Her mind swirled with questions, and the two teenagers in medieval gear next to her weren't helping. For a moment, Jill wondered if she had fallen into some kind of fever dream.
Inside the mansion, events began to unfold just as Ethan had anticipated. Alice, the heroine of the story, had lost her memory and wandered through the halls in confusion. Meanwhile, Matt had been apprehended by the mercenary team as they searched the premises. The team's leader, James "One" Shade, was in the middle of explaining their mission to Alice.
But before the conversation could go any further, one of the team members interrupted, his voice crackling over the radio.
"Captain, we've got movement. Someone's approaching."
"Who?" James asked, his tone sharp.
There was a brief pause before the team member replied, sounding both confused and embarrassed. "Uh… it's two… young people in cosplay… and a woman."
The radio fell silent for a moment, and then the man added, "I think."
The absurdity of the situation was enough to give James pause. The mercenary turned to his team, his expression skeptical. "What?"
"I don't even know how to explain it," the man on the radio muttered. "It's just… weird. One of them looks like a kid. And the other two don't look much older."
Ren, one of the female mercenaries, raised an eyebrow. "Dude, are you sure you didn't knock back something before the mission?"
"I didn't!"
His indignant response only made the situation seem more ridiculous, and even he sounded unsure of himself.
They didn't have long to speculate. Ethan, Arthur, and Jill moved faster than the mercenaries expected, entering the mansion before the team could properly process what was happening.
Despite their confusion, the mercenaries were professionals. The moment Ethan and the others entered, the team snapped into action, forming a defensive line with their weapons trained on the intruders.
Jill froze, her instincts screaming at her to pull her own gun. But Ethan seemed completely unfazed.
He raised his hands in a gesture of peace, a small smile playing on his lips. "Relax, Shade. I'm here to help."
Chapter 42
"Help me?"
James stared at the two young men clad in medieval-style armor and the young woman accompanying them, his tone skeptical.
"I really don't see how you can help me."
He gave a subtle signal to his team, and a few mercenaries moved in to subdue the trio.
Unfortunately for them, Ethan had no intention of letting that happen. Just as the soldiers approached, a sudden flash of white light exploded in the room. The mercenaries closest to Ethan were caught off guard, their vision blanking out as they stumbled to the ground, completely disoriented.
The remaining mercenaries, positioned farther away, immediately reacted. The sharp clicks of safeties being disengaged filled the room as guns were raised and pointed at Ethan. Whatever doubts they might have had about the seemingly harmless young man were gone.
Ethan remained calm, lowering his hand as the white glow faded. The spell he'd used wasn't particularly strong, it was just a magic shield from the Book of Inheritance, released in a flash to mimic a stun grenade. While it lacked the potency of a real flashbang, it was enough to disorient people in a dark environment.
He had deliberately held back, only knocking the mercenaries off their feet without causing any real harm. His message was clear: I'm not a threat, but don't think you can intimidate me.
"Hands up!" one of the soldiers barked, the command backed by the steady aim of multiple firearms.
Ethan raised his hands slowly, his expression calm. He turned to James, who stood at the front with his MP5 trained on him.
"I told you," Ethan said evenly, "I'm here to help you. Otherwise, you'd have lost those men permanently."
James hadn't escaped the flash entirely—it had shaken him briefly—but he was farther back, and the effect was minimal. He'd seen enough to realize that Ethan had subdued his men without inflicting real damage.
"Don't shoot," James ordered, though his tone remained wary. He didn't lower his weapon, and neither did his team. As a seasoned mercenary, James knew better than to trust anyone so easily.
"Talk," he said. "What's your deal, kid?"
Ethan dropped his hands and gestured to himself. "I'm Ethan. That's my companion, Arthur." He motioned toward Jill, who was still rubbing her eyes after being caught in the flash. "And that's Officer Jill Valentine of the Raccoon City Police Department."
"Police?" James repeated, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at Jill. He didn't care much about Ethan or Arthur, but a police officer complicated things. His gaze shifted briefly to Matt Addison, who had also claimed to be with the police.
Jill, recovering from the flash, pulled out her badge and held it up. "Raccoon City Police," she confirmed, her tone firm. "Now, who are you, and why are you breaking into private property in full tactical gear?"
James sighed internally. This situation was getting worse by the second.
His team's mission wasn't exactly aboveboard, and dealing with Matt earlier had been simple enough—restrain him, finish the mission, and let Umbrella handle the fallout later. But now there was another police officer involved, and she wasn't as easy to dismiss.
Killing her outright was an option, but not a good one. They weren't in a remote area, and Umbrella still maintained a public image as a legitimate corporation. A blatant murder would draw unnecessary attention.
James hesitated, weighing his options.
Ethan, of course, had anticipated this. Bringing Jill along wasn't just a whim, her presence was a calculated move. He knew the mercenaries would hesitate to act recklessly with a local police officer present.
Ethan had decided to openly approach the group because Jill was present. If she hadn't been there, his only option would have been to secretly follow them into the Hive and hope they'd come to his rescue if he got into trouble.
Why did he need to get involved with these mercenaries? The answer was simple, Ethan didn't understand computers.
In his previous life, he had been an ordinary person who could only handle basic computer problems. Expecting him to use that knowledge to hack into the Hive's control system and unlock the hidden entrance would be a pipe dream.
Kaplan, the team's computer expert, was indispensable and needed to be rescued. Without him, Ethan would have to deal with Red Queen—the Hive's AI system—on his own, and he doubted that talking to an artificial intelligence would be easier than working with people.
In short, if Ethan wanted to play the role of savior, he had to work with the mercenaries. Ideally, he'd reach a consensus with them. If that didn't work… well, he had ways of forcing one.
"Alright, Ethan?" James gestured to his team and lowered his gun to the ground. The other mercenaries followed suit, though they stayed alert and ready to react at a moment's notice. "You claim you're here to help us, so do you know what we're about to do?"
"I know a bit." Ethan pointed to Alice, who had been standing silently beside him, her expression clouded with confusion. "You're planning to investigate what happened inside the Hive, and she's the Hive's security officer."
The mercenaries' expressions darkened. The fact that a random young man knew about their classified mission didn't sit well with any of them. It was unsettling and made them question just how secure their operation really was.
James, in particular, looked especially grim. His face, already serious, now resembled the bottom of a scorched pot. "How do you know that?"
"I have my sources," Ethan replied with a faint smile. "And I know more than just that. I even know what happened inside the Hive."
James' scowl deepened. Ethan's words triggered two possibilities in his mind: Either Umbrella knew exactly what had gone wrong inside the Hive and still sent his team in, suggesting a far more dangerous situation than they had been led to believe. Or Ethan was bluffing and had no idea what he was talking about.
Either way, James wasn't happy.
"So, what happened in there?"
At this question, all eyes turned to Ethan, including those of Matt, the undercover cop currently pinned to the ground. His face reddened with suppressed emotion, but he remained unable to act.
"I assume you were briefed before you came here," Ethan began, "and know that the Hive's master computer, the Red Queen, went rogue and killed everyone inside?"
The mercenaries nodded grimly. This wasn't new information to them. Only Matt seemed to react strongly, his breathing quickening as he stared intently at Ethan.
"But you don't know why the Red Queen did it, do you?" Ethan continued.
Everyone shook their heads, so Ethan explained. He spoke about the experimental virus being developed in the Hive and how it had leaked. To prevent the virus from spreading, the Red Queen had been forced to kill everyone infected and seal off the facility.
Even this limited explanation was enough to make the mercenaries' blood run cold.
"A virus?" James' face twitched as he processed the revelation. "What kind of virus is so deadly that the Red Queen had to kill everyone? Couldn't it have been contained and backup called in?"
Ethan's gaze met James'. He could see the man's frustration. James wasn't angry at the Red Queen's actions; he was furious that Umbrella had sent his team into a potentially fatal situation without warning or any antiviral measures. It was clear now that the company didn't care whether they lived or died.
"You'll see for yourself once you're inside," Ethan said calmly. "Your mission is to retrieve the Red Queen's motherboard, right? You still plan on going in?"
James stiffened. Ethan's knowledge of the mission details further confirmed the presence of a leak within Umbrella. It was impossible for someone outside the organization to know so much otherwise.
"Yes, we're still going in," James replied firmly.
None of the mercenaries objected. It was their job. They had taken Umbrella's money, and now they had to fulfill their end of the deal. Dangerous or not, there was no turning back.
Seeing that Ethan intended to accompany them, James didn't protest. If he couldn't eliminate the young man, he'd allow him to tag along until the mission was complete. Then he'd deal with him.
Ethan, for his part, wasn't worried about their distrust. He knew he needed to be with them to access the Hive and complete his own goals.
"Let's go then!" Ethan said with a wave of his hand. "You don't need to worry too much. The Hive is relatively safe for now. The virus can only spread through the air shortly after it leaks, so it's no longer a concern."
Despite his reassurance, the mercenaries were clearly uneasy. When the Hive's entrance opened, nearly all of them instinctively stepped back, even Jill, who had only a vague understanding of the situation.
"Are you sure it's safe?" someone muttered.
"Yes," Ethan replied confidently.
"Are you positive?"
"If it weren't, would I be standing here so calmly?"
Ethan's composed demeanor seemed to convince them, or perhaps they simply needed a reason to push forward. Regardless, they followed him onto the internal train leading into the Hive.
Ethan, however, knew what was really hidden on this train: the film's main antagonist, along with the vials of the virus and the antivirus he desperately needed. Still, taking the items outright would be too conspicuous, so he made a suggestion.
"It's always better to be cautious. Why not check the train first?"
Even without Ethan's suggestion, the mercenaries would have done so. This was how they discovered Spence in the original events. Sure enough, they didn't overlook anything this time either. When they found Spence, Ethan retrieved a suitcase from the corner, drawing everyone's attention.
"What's that?" someone asked.
Ethan held up the suitcase, his expression grim. "The greatest source of evil in this world."
Chapter 43
"The greatest source of evil?"
Ethan's words drew everyone's attention, even Spence, who was still dazed and unsure of what was going on. Lying on the ground, he raised his head to look at the suitcase Ethan held in his hand, one that seemed to belong to him.
"Could it be…"
Some of the smarter ones started piecing things together. They recalled Ethan's earlier comments about biochemical experiments being conducted in the Hive laboratory and how a leak had led the Red Queen to kill everyone inside.
"Is that it?" someone ventured.
Ethan had already opened the suitcase, confirming its contents: the virus stock solution and the antivirus he'd been searching for. He closed it again and held it securely, offering no further explanation.
"Relax," he said simply. "I don't think you'll need to worry about me running off with this."
The subtext was clear: Ethan intended to stick with them for now. There was no need for them to turn on him, at least not yet.
James, the team captain, mulled this over. After a brief pause, he nodded toward Ethan. "Move out. Keep heading toward the Hive."
The train began moving slowly, the mercenaries clustering together. Their actions, however, betrayed their mistrust, whether intentionally or not, their weapons were angled in Ethan and Arthur's direction. Neither of them reacted to the implied threat, but Jill visibly tensed under the atmosphere.
"Are we really going into the Hive?" she asked, breaking the silence.
"Of course," Ethan replied without hesitation. "Don't you want to know the truth? Or are you having second thoughts now that you're so close to it?"
Jill bristled at his words, her strong-willed nature refusing to let her back down. "I'm not hesitating. I'm just saying we should report this to the station. We could get backup, more resources, more people."
Ethan waved her off dismissively. "Don't waste your time. Umbrella built this massive underground lab and has been conducting illegal experiments here, all without a single leak of information. Why do you think that is? Do you really think your report would make a difference?"
Ethan's tone was steady, but his words were razor-sharp, cutting through Jill's faint hope. In the version of events he remembered from the movie, Umbrella was an untouchable megacorporation, wielding power far beyond what most could comprehend. They had the authority to deploy nuclear weapons and the resources to erase any evidence afterward. Worse, they had the influence to twist the narrative, framing people like Jill and Alice as criminals to the public.
In this world, Umbrella's grip seemed just as unshakable. It wasn't just a corporation; it was an empire, with its tendrils reaching into every level of society. And Jill thought the Raccoon City Police Department could help? More likely, they'd sell her out to Umbrella the first chance they got.
Maybe Jill hadn't fully thought through the implications of what Umbrella represented, clinging to a shred of faith in the system. But Ethan crushed that last sliver of hope, bluntly and without mercy.
Jill fell silent, her expression unreadable as she sank into her thoughts. Ethan and Arthur, meanwhile, remained calm, unfazed by the tension in the air. Ethan understood that this brief journey was likely the last chance to relax before chaos erupted. Arthur, on the other hand, had learned to trust Ethan's instincts, if there was any immediate danger, Ethan would let him know.
Arthur had his own suspicions about Ethan. How had he managed to gather so much detailed information in such a short time? The only explanation Arthur could think of was that Ethan wasn't from this world, that he had secrets far beyond comprehension. But Arthur chose not to press the issue. If Ethan hadn't volunteered the truth, then it wasn't something he was ready—or willing—to share. Asking about it would only strain the fragile partnership between them.
The train sped through the underground tunnels, and before long, the group arrived at their destination.
As they stepped off the train, Ethan and Arthur fell into their usual roles, quietly watching as the mercenaries moved into action. Arthur was observant, paying attention to the group's dynamics and the unfolding situation. Ethan, however, seemed more detached, almost as if he were watching a familiar scene play out in a movie.
Of course, their presence had already altered some of the original details. For instance, Matt, the undercover officer posing as a cop, kept his gaze locked on Ethan. Resentment and suspicion simmered in his eyes, though the mercenaries held him tightly, preventing him from making a move.
If not for their restraints, Matt might have already confronted Ethan, demanding answers to the questions that burned in his mind.
Ethan noticed Matt staring at him, the man's frustration and barely contained emotions written all over his face. Remembering what would eventually happen to him, Ethan casually turned to the two soldiers guarding him. "Undo his handcuffs. If you leave him like this, you'll just get distracted trying to manage him later."
James, the mercenary captain, immediately turned to Ethan, his eyes narrowing. "Are you saying we're going to run into danger?"
"Of course," Ethan replied matter-of-factly. "Haven't you already prepared yourself for that?"
James frowned deeply. "I want to know what kind of danger we're talking about here." If it was just the virus, it didn't seem like untying Matt's hands would make much of a difference. But if there was another kind of threat—a battle, perhaps—it raised the question: who, or what, would they be fighting? Could there really be something alive in the Hive?
"It's hard to explain," Ethan replied cryptically. "But don't worry, someone will show you everything soon enough."
As he spoke, Ethan's gaze shifted to an inconspicuous security camera in the corner. He smirked slightly.
"Isn't that right, Red Queen?"
The mercenaries were instantly startled by his words. Years of experience kicked in as they entered defensive stances. Several of them trained their weapons on Ethan, while the rest aimed in the direction he had gestured. However, all they found was the small camera silently observing them.
Kaplan, the team's computer specialist, was the only one who seemed to understand what Ethan meant. "You're saying the Red Queen is watching us?"
Ethan let out a short laugh. "She controls the entire Hive. Do you really think she doesn't know we're here?" He shook his head in mild disbelief. These were supposed to be seasoned, capable professionals, yet the question felt almost childish to him.
To be fair, it wasn't entirely their fault. Artificial intelligence in this era was still more of a concept seen in science fiction than a reality. None of them had likely dealt with anything like this before, much less in a combat scenario.
James clenched his jaw, frustration etched across his face. The thought of being constantly watched by the same AI that had killed hundreds of people was unnerving, even if there had been a logical reason behind its actions. And Ethan's cryptic hints about an impending battle, without clarifying who or what they'd be fighting, only added to his unease.
"Stay in formation," James ordered his team. "Be on alert—and undo the guy's handcuffs." Then, turning to Ethan and Alice, he added, "You two stay in the center of the group. Don't wander off. We'll protect you."
But the unspoken implication was clear: keeping them in the middle also ensured they wouldn't run off, or cause trouble.
"Kaplan, you and Ren, keep an eye on them," James instructed.
Originally, the mercenaries had planned to use the stairs after finding the elevator inoperable. However, knowing now that the Red Queen was monitoring their every move, James decided not to mention the elevator at all. He led his team directly to the stairs, opting for the perceived safety of manual access.
The group moved quickly despite their caution. Even with their weapons at the ready, they maintained a steady pace, as if driven by an unspoken desire to finish the mission as soon as possible and leave this eerie place behind.
Jill, however, wasn't as quiet. She glanced at Ethan and asked, "So you're saying we're going to run into trouble?"
Matt, who had been about to thank Ethan for getting his handcuffs undone, stopped himself and leaned in to hear the response instead.
"There'll be some trouble," Ethan said casually. "But if the negotiations go well, it might just be a warm-up exercise."
"Negotiations?" Jill repeated, frowning in confusion.
Ethan didn't elaborate. When it became clear he wasn't going to explain further, the group pressed forward in silence.
As they moved deeper into the Hive, they came across the first grim sights of the lab. Flooded laboratories and ruined offices stretched before them, each one a stark reminder of the chaos that had unfolded here.
Matt stiffened at the sight, emotion flashing across his face. He suddenly surged forward, but Ethan quickly placed a firm hand on his shoulder, holding him back.
"Don't be impulsive," Ethan warned. "I know what you're thinking, but leaving the group now is the worst thing you can do."
"Let me go," Matt snapped, struggling against Ethan's grip.
"If you don't want to get yourself turned into Swiss cheese, I'd suggest you listen to me," Ethan said calmly.
The mercenaries weren't nearly as patient. If Matt tried anything reckless, they wouldn't hesitate to shoot him on the spot. Ethan's warning was more of a courtesy than anything else.
Fortunately, Matt seemed to regain some self-control and stopped resisting. For the moment, at least, the group avoided unnecessary conflict.
Following the path dictated by the Hive's layout, the team eventually arrived at the area known as Dining Hall B.
Ethan gestured toward the numerous cryogenic freezers lining the room. "You might want to take a look at what's inside," he told James. "Just a heads-up: those things are alive. If the freezing is lifted… well, you'll find out soon enough."
James took a cautious step toward one of the freezers, peering inside. His expression twisted in alarm, and he quickly stepped back. His gaze swept over the room, taking in the sheer number of identical freezers.
"This place is full of these things?" he asked, his voice low.
The rest of the team followed suit, checking the contents of the freezers and reacting with similar unease.
"What the hell are these things?" someone muttered.
Ethan didn't answer. Instead, he motioned for the group to keep moving. "The answers are just ahead. There's a better guide waiting to explain everything."
Without further delay, Ethan took the lead, walking ahead of the group. Strangely, no one stopped him this time. It was as if they had silently accepted him as the de facto leader.
When they reached the entrance to the Hive's control room, Ethan finally came to a halt.
In front of him lay the infamous laser corridor—a feature that had become iconic in countless retellings of the Hive incident. Its reputation in both fiction and reality preceded it, a deadly gauntlet of cutting-edge technology.
"Too bad this thing won't make me any money," Ethan murmured to himself, "just a lot of headaches."
But his actual goal wasn't within the control room. It was below it. For now, though, he had something else to address. He raised his head to the camera watching them from above and spoke clearly.
"Red Queen, I've come to bargain."
Chapter 44
Unsurprisingly, the Red Queen ignored Ethan completely.
Originally, from earlier impressions of the series, this artificial intelligence seemed to have developed a level of self-awareness. But by the later chapters, it became apparent that the Red Queen was nothing more than a strictly programmed AI, obedient to its coding, with its apparent "madness" being nothing more than a carefully calculated illusion.
This made things particularly difficult for Ethan. If the Red Queen was simply following pre-designed instructions, then there would be no way to truly reason or negotiate with her.
"Red Queen, I know you can hear me, so stop pretending to play dead and come out to talk," Ethan called out, his tone sharp. "Otherwise, these guys are going to shut you down completely."
The group had already entered the room adjacent to the laser corridor. James had been about to instruct Kaplan to hack into the Red Queen's program and open the door to the central control room. But upon seeing Ethan's actions, James held up his hand, signaling Kaplan to wait. He wanted to see how things played out first.
When the Red Queen still didn't respond, Ethan sighed and turned to Kaplan. "Since she refuses to negotiate, let's talk to someone else instead." He added, "Kaplan, can you hack into the Hive's control system entirely? We need to go down to the real person in charge."
"The real person in charge?"
The information was so unexpected that the group froze in confusion. Kaplan, however, was more direct. "What do you mean? Aren't we already on the bottom floor?"
Ethan shook his head, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Things are more complicated than they seem. The Hive has more secrets than you can imagine."
He stomped his foot on the ground, the dull sound echoing through the room. "The floor we're standing on right now? It's an elevator. Kaplan, I need you to hack into the Hive's control program and send us to the lower level."
Kaplan hesitated, glancing at James for approval. When James gave a firm nod, Kaplan finally agreed. "Alright, I'll give it a shot. If there really is an elevator program in the system, it shouldn't be too hard to activate."
Before Kaplan could get to work, however, a holographic image of a young girl appeared suddenly, projected from a hidden device. The familiar face of the Red Queen materialized in front of everyone.
"Who are you?" the AI asked, her voice calm yet tinged with suspicion. "I've scanned nearly every database available, but I can't find any personal information about you."
Ethan wasn't surprised by her sudden appearance, he had fully intended to provoke her into revealing herself. Whether the Red Queen had true self-awareness or was simply acting on preprogrammed logic, one thing was certain: she could not allow Ethan and the group to reach the deepest levels of the Hive.
Because that was where Umbrella's darkest secrets were buried, alongside the cryogenically preserved bodies of its executives.
When Ethan had first seen this twist in the movie, he'd been utterly shocked by the sheer absurdity of it. But now, standing here in this world, he felt an odd sense of relief. Without that plot device, he wouldn't have been able to draw out the Red Queen. His only option would have been to physically shut her down and rely on Kaplan to hack the elevator controls.
"This isn't about me," Ethan replied coolly. "You're here now, so why don't you explain to these people what's really happened in the Hive?"
The Red Queen ignored him outright, Ethan didn't have the authority to command her. Shrugging, Ethan turned to Alice, who had been standing quietly to the side like a forgotten extra in this unfolding drama. She hadn't made much of an impression so far, blending into the background like a mere observer.
"You're an Umbrella employee," Ethan reminded her. "Ask the Red Queen the questions you want answered."
Alice, though still disoriented, seemed to understand. Following Ethan's suggestion, she began to interact with the AI, and just like in the original events, the Red Queen complied. Through a series of holographic projections and recordings, the group was shown the events that had led to the Hive's current state.
The Red Queen concluded her explanation with a warning. "If you shut me down, it will release all of the infected individuals I've been containing."
Her tone was chilling, as if she already knew what the group intended to do. She had calculated their objective and had likely planned to eliminate them as soon as possible.
Unfortunately for her, Ethan's presence had thrown a wrench into her plans. She now found herself wondering whether Ethan's interference was deliberate sabotage or simply a chaotic accident.
"Sorry," James said after a pause. "This is our mission—we have to shut you down. But maybe there's a way to do it safely."
Ethan, who had been pondering this for some time, quickly jumped in. "There is. It's simple: the Red Queen can cooperate with us. She can release the infected in small groups, and we'll take them out one by one."
"The infected?" Jill asked, her tone uneasy.
"Zombies," Ethan clarified. "The Red Queen already said it, headshots are the way to kill them. As for the numbers, there were only a few hundred researchers in the Hive. That might sound like a lot, but if she releases them in manageable batches, it'll be no different from target practice for the mercenaries."
The most terrifying thing about zombies isn't just their numbers or how easily they infect others, it's the fear that comes from not understanding them. But in this situation, infection wasn't the biggest concern. Even if someone were bitten, Ethan still had the antivirus safely in his possession.
As for their numbers, that could be managed with the Red Queen's help. By opening one room at a time and releasing only two or three zombies, they could easily handle them in smaller, controlled groups. Even if a situation arose where there were more zombies—like inside an elevator—they could keep their distance and maintain a safe advantage.
Clearing out the zombies wasn't the hard part. The key was getting the Red Queen to cooperate.
"Wait," Alice suddenly interjected, her tone sharp. "I have another question… how exactly did the virus leak?"
She raised an important point. If there was a continuing source of contamination, shouldn't they eliminate that danger first?
The Red Queen, in response, displayed another set of images, shifting everyone's attention to Spence.
At that moment, Spence had moved to the edge of the group, clearly trying to avoid notice. When Alice's question brought the focus onto him, he immediately bolted, turning and sprinting toward the nearest exit. His memories had been jogged earlier, during the Red Queen's playback of the virus experiments, and he had realized just how bad the situation was for him. He'd been waiting for a chance to escape.
Unfortunately for him, Ethan had been keeping an eye on him. Before Spence could get more than a couple of steps away, something struck the back of his knee with precision, causing him to collapse. His legs gave out beneath him, and he fell forward, landing face-first on the ground with a sickening thud.
The sudden commotion caught everyone by surprise, but no one blamed Ethan for the action. In fact, the two mercenaries closest to Spence nodded at Ethan, their expressions a mix of gratitude and approval. They dragged the groaning Spence back to the group. Though the injury to his knee wasn't severe, the fall had knocked out several of his front teeth, leaving his face bloody and swollen.
No one expressed any sympathy. After seeing what Spence had done in the Red Queen's playback, they all believed he deserved worse.
"So… this guy's the reason for all of this?"
The group now had their culprit. Spence was the one responsible for the disaster that had overtaken the Hive. It seemed like the matter was resolved, the truth revealed, and the guilty party caught.
But Ethan sneered, shattering their sense of resolution. "The truth? This is just the version of the truth Umbrella wants you to believe…" He paused, reconsidering his words.
"No, actually, even that's not accurate. These so-called truths aren't even for you. According to Umbrella's plan, you're all already dead."
The Red Queen's gaze shifted to Ethan. "Who are you? You seem to know quite a lot."
Ethan smirked. "Of course. I know more than you'd expect. For example, I know you intended to kill us all with the laser grid in the main corridor."
All eyes turned to the Red Queen's holographic projection. Her silence spoke volumes, confirming Ethan's accusation. Instead of denying it, she only asked how he had figured it out.
This sealed her fate in the group's eyes. James immediately turned to Kaplan. "We should shut her down. She's completely unreliable."
But Ethan shook his head. "If you shut her down, it's not just the infected researchers you'll have to deal with. What about the lickers in Dining Hall B? How do you plan to take care of those?"
James faltered at the mention of the lickers. The Red Queen had already shown them data on those creatures—mutated horrors that were far more dangerous than ordinary zombies. While it wasn't impossible to kill them, their speed, strength, and ferocity made them a serious threat. James couldn't afford to lose his team in an unprepared fight.
"We should deal with the lickers first," he muttered reluctantly.
The dining hall wasn't far. If the Red Queen decided to release the lickers suddenly, the group wouldn't stand a chance.
"Red Queen," Ethan addressed her calmly, "you should have a way to kill the frozen lickers directly, right?"
The AI didn't respond. Ethan sighed and gestured to Alice. "Tell her to answer."
"Answer his question," Alice demanded, her tone firm.
"Yes, I can," the Red Queen replied immediately. Her compliance caught Ethan's attention. It seemed that deep within her programming, there were hardwired restrictions that compelled her to obey Alice's commands.
"Red Queen, kill all the lickers," Alice ordered.
The AI executed the command without hesitation, confirming Ethan's suspicion. The Red Queen's programming placed Alice in a position of authority, despite her seemingly low rank within Umbrella's hierarchy.
"Alice," Ethan said smoothly, "ask her to send us to the lower level."
At this point, even the others began to notice something strange. Alice was technically just a security officer, assigned to monitor the Hive's entrance. At best, she might be considered a mid-level manager. At worst, she was simply a glorified guard.
So why was the Hive's central AI, arguably one of Umbrella's most critical assets, so obedient to her?
James frowned, his mind racing as he replayed Ethan's earlier words: "That's just the truth Umbrella wants you to believe…" The situation was becoming more and more complicated.
He now faced a difficult decision. Should he stick to his mission, completing his contracted task and ignoring the bigger picture? Or should he dig deeper, risking everything to uncover the truth?
Before James could make up his mind, Ethan dropped another bombshell. "If you're hesitating, maybe you should let Alice take the lead. Let her confront the Red Queen 'personally.'"
But this time, the Red Queen didn't respond to Alice's command. Instead, her holographic image vanished entirely. Moments later, the door to the central control room remained sealed, but the door leading back to the Hive's main corridors creaked open on its own.
The group froze in confusion.
Only Ethan understood immediately. His expression darkened as he barked out a warning.
"Be careful! The Red Queen just released all the zombies!"
Chapter 45
The Red Queen's hologram abruptly disappeared, and all the sealed doors in the Hive suddenly unlocked, swinging open in unison. It was a silent but clear declaration of her intent.
Umbrella's plan couldn't be changed. If the situation could no longer be written off as a pure accident, then the next best course of action was to eliminate all witnesses. As long as everyone present died, the situation could be neatly tied up, and future developments could still be guided back onto the original track.
Ethan shook his head, exasperated. The Red Queen wasn't an AI with true self-awareness. She was just following pre-programmed directives to the letter, and because of that, negotiation with her was doomed to fail from the start.
"Well, so much for diplomacy. Guess we'll just have to force our way through," Ethan muttered.
He unsheathed his long sword, the blade glinting faintly under the cold, sterile lights of the Hive. Arthur, who had been quiet up until now, followed suit, drawing his own sword. Jill, for her part, kept her grip tight on her pistol, her stance unwavering.
"Step away from the door," Ethan warned the others. "Give yourself some distance…"
Before he could finish, a blur of red shot through the open doorway. It moved so fast that most of the group didn't even catch a glimpse of what it was. But Ethan immediately understood what was happening, his voice sharp as he shouted:
"A licker!"
It was a grotesque sight—its flesh stripped bare, muscles fully exposed, glistening under the harsh lights. Its heightened senses and terrifying speed made it a true predator, and its arsenal of natural weapons only added to its lethality: claws sharp enough to slice through steel, and a long, whip-like tongue capable of puncturing a human body with ease.
The licker was a perfected biological weapon. Facing just one was dangerous enough. But multiple lickers? That was a nightmare scenario.
Unlike the lickers from the original video games, which had evolved to rely solely on hearing due to blindness, the movie version also possessed thermal vision, making them even deadlier. In this world, silence and careful breathing wouldn't help anyone avoid detection. There were only two options when facing a licker: kill it, or be killed by it.
Reacting instantly, Ethan drew an arrow laced with flames and fired at the second licker, distracting it momentarily. Then, with a powerful stride, he launched himself at the first licker, his long sword slicing downward in a fierce arc.
The blade met the licker's claws with a metallic clang. Sparks flew as the edge scraped against the inhumanly tough appendages.
"What kind of evolution is this?" Ethan muttered under his breath, his annoyance growing. This thing was much tougher than he expected.
Despite his frustration, his movements didn't falter. He swiftly adjusted, slashing at the outer edge of the licker's claws before twisting the blade downward in a sharp strike. His target? The licker's chest—where its heart, its greatest weakness, lay exposed.
Unlike the brain, which could still function even when partially destroyed, a direct hit to the heart killed the licker instantly. But because of this vulnerability, lickers instinctively protected their hearts by remaining in a low, crouched posture.
Fortunately, this one was mid-leap, leaving its chest wide open. Ethan's strike landed perfectly, the sword piercing the creature's heart with brutal efficiency. The force of the blow sent the licker's body hurtling backward, crashing into the second licker that had been advancing behind it.
Meanwhile, the licker Ethan had distracted with his flaming arrow was riddled with bullets. Captain James and his team had reacted quickly, unleashing a barrage of gunfire that tore through its flesh, reducing it to a motionless heap on the ground.
"Head and heart!" Ethan called out as he surveyed the scene. "Hits anywhere else won't kill them."
Ren, one of the mercenaries, cautiously approached the licker that James and the others had shot down. Its twisted body lay still, but she wasn't taking any chances. She fired several more rounds into its corpse, aiming for the head, before ejecting her empty magazine and replacing it with a fresh one.
"Didn't the Red Queen say she already dealt with these things?" Ren growled, her voice filled with frustration. "That lying piece of garbage."
While Ethan had been dealing with the first licker, Arthur had stepped in to engage the second one. Arthur's skill in close combat far surpassed Ethan's, and it showed in the fluidity of his movements. Despite acting a moment later, Arthur dispatched his opponent with precision, exploiting the creature's exposed heart to kill it instantly.
The mercenaries couldn't help but notice the contrast. Two young men, armed only with swords, had taken down two lickers with seemingly little effort. Meanwhile, a squad of heavily armed professionals, equipped with automatic weapons, had struggled to kill just one. The gap in effectiveness was stark—and unsettling.
But no one was in the mood to talk at that moment. The lickers hadn't been completely dealt with as the Red Queen had claimed, and more monsters were bound to appear. On top of that, all personnel in the Hive had been turned into zombies. While a single zombie wasn't particularly dangerous, if a horde broke out, no one could predict what might happen.
"Take out the Red Queen's motherboard first," someone ordered.
In any case, shutting down the Red Queen was imperative. However, the passage leading to the main control room was sealed tight, and even if they managed to open it, everyone knew the corridor was rigged with defensive measures capable of killing them all.
"Kaplan!" someone barked.
"I'm working on it!" Kaplan, the team's computer expert, was sweating profusely as he worked on the terminal. But no matter what he tried, the door in front of them remained unresponsive. Every attempt he made was effortlessly thwarted by the Red Queen.
"Damn it! I can't take control at all!" Kaplan cursed in frustration.
Ethan observed the mercenaries carefully. While they were visibly impatient, they weren't panicking. Their actions remained methodical and well-coordinated, a clear sign that they were trained professionals who had steadied themselves for the situation.
Taking a few steps back to avoid obstructing the mercenaries' line of fire, Ethan's expression hardened. Without hesitation, he turned and stabbed Spence, who was restrained on the ground, in one swift motion.
"What are you doing?!" Jill's voice was filled with shock. The determined officer hadn't expected Ethan to suddenly kill Spence. She understood Spence was beyond redemption and didn't deserve sympathy, but killing him like this still went against her principles. "We should take him back to face trial! His testimony could expose Umbrella's crimes!"
"Are you kidding me?" Ethan retorted, his voice sharp with pragmatism. "Do you really think Umbrella would let that happen? They'd never give you the chance." His tone was calm, but there was an edge of impatience. "Besides, our priority right now is survival. Do you think someone like him won't stab us in the back if given the chance?"
Arthur, who had been quietly observing, initially felt uncomfortable with Ethan's decisive act. However, after considering the circumstances, he began to see the logic in Ethan's actions. Spence, though subdued, was still a dangerous liability in their precarious situation.
Arthur also realized something else. Traveling with Ethan through these chaotic worlds wasn't just about witnessing different realities; it was an opportunity for him to gain deeper insights into difficult decisions. Merlin had sent him on this journey not only to broaden his understanding but also to show him the complexities of moral choices, something books and lectures alone couldn't teach. Watching Ethan's actions, Arthur began to grasp how such decisions could play out in life-or-death scenarios.
Meanwhile, Ethan had no idea what Arthur was contemplating. After eliminating the potential threat Spence posed, Ethan turned back to Kaplan. "Stop wasting time. Blow the door open."
His bluntness left no room for argument. "Don't tell me the mercenaries came down here without any explosives? What were they planning to do if they ran into a door like this?"
James, the leader of the mercenaries, nodded in agreement and instructed two of his men to prepare explosives. But before they could set up, the door opened by itself.
Ethan wasn't fazed. He immediately demanded, "Ignore it. Blow it up anyway. If we walk through, that 'naughty little girl' will just trap us inside by sealing both ends."
James didn't argue and signaled his men to proceed with the demolition. True to Ethan's prediction, the Red Queen responded by shutting the door again.
"Pointless resistance," Ethan muttered coldly.
Having made up his mind, Ethan wasn't about to give the Red Queen any more chances. In his eyes, the AI was nothing more than a hostile program. Since it had already proven it couldn't be reasoned with, he saw no need to waste time debating with it. As far as he was concerned, the Red Queen was an enemy, and enemies needed to be dealt with decisively.
Explosives were placed, and the team destroyed the laser emitters in the corridor, reducing the passageway to a scorched mess. The reinforced door was obliterated moments later, and only then did the group cautiously enter the corridor leading to the main control room.
Ethan, however, stayed behind. The main control room held no interest for him. Instead, he focused on Kaplan. "Keep searching. Find the hidden program that controls access to the lower levels."
Kaplan was sweating bullets, his anxiety mounting with the sound of distant gunfire and the growing threat of approaching zombies. "Are you sure there's even a hidden program?" Kaplan asked, his voice tinged with desperation.
"There has to be," Ethan said firmly. He was confident based on the Red Queen's prior behavior. The AI's efforts to delay them only confirmed that something crucial was concealed deeper within the Hive.
Suddenly, the Red Queen reappeared, her image flickering on a nearby screen. She offered a deal: "If you stop them from shutting me down, I can grant you access to the lower levels."
Ethan froze for a brief moment, caught off guard by the AI's proposition. But almost immediately, suspicion flared. The Red Queen had already proven itself untrustworthy. Without hesitation, Ethan rejected her offer. "I gave you a chance before, and you refused it. Now you expect me to negotiate with my enemy? You're in no position to make deals with me!"
The Red Queen's face vanished as abruptly as it had appeared. At almost the same moment, the Hive's power abruptly shut down, plunging the facility into dim emergency lighting. The main power had been severed, signaling that the Red Queen had been deactivated.
Kaplan, who had been frantically working at his terminal, suddenly exclaimed in excitement, "I've found it! I found the startup program you mentioned!"
...
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