by S. D. Perry
Leon told himself to shut up, sighing a little. He was committed; what Umbrella had been doing wasn’t just criminal, it was evil—or at least as close to evil as some money-grubbing corporate dickheads could get. They’d murdered thousands, created bioweapons capable of murdering billions, wiped out his carefully planned future and been responsible for the death of Ada Wong, a woman he’d respected and liked. They’d helped each other through some rough spots on that terrible night in Raccoon; without her, he never would have gotten out alive.
He believed in what David and his people were doing, and it wasn’t that he was afraid, that wasn’t it at all…
Leon sighed again. He’d given the matter a hell of a lot of thought since he and Claire and Sherry had stumbled away from the burning city, and the only real reason he could come up with was so stupid that he didn’t want to credit it. Standing against Umbrella was the right thing to do—it was that he didn’t feel qualified to be there.
Yep, that’s pretty stupid.
Maybe it was—but it was holding him back, making him feel uncertain, and he needed to examine it.
David Trapp had made a career of the S.T.A.R.S., only to watch the organization fall under the control of Umbrella; he’d lost two close friends on a mission to infiltrate a bioweapons testing facility, as had John Andrews. Rebecca Chambers had just been starting out in the S.T.A.R.S., but she was some kind of scientific child prodigy with a deep interest in Umbrella’s work; that and the fact that she’d been through more than anyone else made her continued dedication understandable. Claire wanted to find her brother, the only family she had; their parents were dead, and the two of them were close. Chris, Jill, and Barry he’d never met, but he was sure they had compelling reasons of their own; he knew Barry Burton’s wife and children had been threatened, Rebecca had mentioned it…
And what about Leon Kennedy? He’d stumbled into the fight without a clue, a cop fresh out of the academy on his way to his first day at work—which just happened to be with the Raccoon PD. There was Ada, true—but he’d known her less than half a day, and she had been killed just after admitting to him that she was some kind of an agent, sent to steal a sample of an Umbrella virus.
So I lost a job, and a possible relationship with a woman I barely knew and couldn’t trust. Of course Umbrella should be stopped… but do I belong here? He’d decided to become a cop because he wanted to help people, but he’d always figured that meant keeping the peace—busting drunk drivers, breaking up bar fights, catching crooks. Never in his wildest dreams would he have figured on being caught up in an international conspiracy, cloak-and-dagger infiltration-type stuff against a giant company that made war monsters. It was crime on a much bigger scale than he felt he was ready for…
…and is that the real reason, Officer Kennedy?
At exactly that moment, Claire mumbled something from her light doze, nuzzling her head against his arm before falling silent and still again—and making Leon uncomfortably aware of another facet to his involvement with the ex-S.T.A.R.S. Claire. Claire was… she was an incredible woman. In the days after their escape from Raccoon City, they’d talked a lot about what had happened, the experiences they’d had both separately and together. At the time, it had felt like an exchange of information, filling in blanks— she’d told him about her run-in with Chief Irons and the creature she’d called Mr. X, and he’d told her all about Ada and the terrible thing that had once been William Birkin. Between them, they’d been able to come up with a continuous story, with information that was important to the fugitive team.
In retrospect, though, he could see that those long, rambling conversations had been essential for another reason entirely—they’d been a way to leach out the poison of what had happened to them, like talking out a bad dream. If he’d had to keep it all inside, he thought, he might have gone crazy.
In any case, the feelings he had for her now were convoluted ones—warmth, connection, dependence, respect, others that he had no name for. And that scared him, because he’d never felt so strongly about anyone before—and because he wasn’t sure how much of it was real and how much was just some kind of a post-traumatic stress thing.
Face it, stop bullshitting yourself. What you’re really afraid of is that you’re only here because she is, and you don’t like what that says about you.
Leon nodded inwardly, realizing that it was the truth, the real reason behind his uncertainty. He’d always believed that want was okay, but need? He didn’t like the idea of being led around by some neurotic compulsion to be close to Claire Redfield.
And what if it isn’t need? Maybe it’s want, and you just don’t know it yet…
He scowled at his own pathetic attempts at selfanalysis, deciding that maybe it would be best just to stop worrying about it so much. Whatever the reason for becoming involved, he was involved—he could kick ass with the best of them and Umbrella deserved to have their ass kicked, big time. For now, he had to pee, and then he was going to eat something and do his best to catch some sleep.
Leon gently moved out from beneath Claire’s warm, heavy head, doing his best not to wake her up. He slid out into the aisle, glancing around at the others. Rebecca was staring out her window, John was flipping through a muscle mag, David was dozing. They were all good people, and thinking that made him feel a little easier about things.
They’re the good guys. Hell, I’m a good guy, fighting for truth, justice, and fewer viral zombies in the world…
The bathroom was in the front. Leon started toward it, steadying himself by touching each seat as he passed, thinking that the steady drone of the plane’s engine was a soothing sound, like a waterfall—
—and then the curtain at the front of the cabin was pushed open, and a man stepped out, a tall, smiling man in an expensive-looking trench coat. He wasn’t the pilot, and there wasn’t anyone else on the plane, and Leon felt his mouth go dry with an almost superstitious dread even though the thin, smiling man didn’t seem to be armed.
“Hey!” Leon shouted, backing up a step. “Hey, we got company!”
The man grinned, his eyes twinkling. “Leon Kennedy, I presume,” he said softly, and Leon was suddenly absolutely sure that whoever he was, this man was trouble with a capital “T.”
THREE
John was on his feet before Leon had finished his warning, hopping out into the aisle and stepping in front of Leon in a single stride.
“Who the hell—” John snarled, his shoulders set, ready to break the thin man in two if he so much as blinked wrong.
The stranger held up pale, long-fingered hands, looking as though he could barely contain his delight— which made John all the more wary. He could easily pound the guy into hamburger, what the hell was he so happy about?
“And you’re John Andrews,” the man said, his voice low and calm and as pleased as his expression. “Formerly a communications expert and field scout for the Exeter S.T.A.R.S. It’s so good to meet you—tell me, how are your ribs? Still tender?”
Shit. Who is this guy? John had broken two ribs and cracked a third on the cove mission, and didn’t know this man—how the hell did this man know him?
“My name is Trent,” the stranger said easily, nodding at both Leon and John. “I believe your Mr. Trapp can vouch for my identity…?”
John flicked a glance back, saw that David and the girls were right behind them. David gave a quick nod, his expression strained.
Trent. Goddamn. The mysterious Mr. Trent.
—The same Mr. Trent who had given maps and clues to Jill Valentine, just before the Raccoon S.T.A.R.S. had discovered Umbrella’s initial T-Virus spill at the Spencer estate. The Trent who had given a similar package to David one rainy August night, information about Umbrella’s Caliban Cove facility, where Steve and Karen had been murdered.
The Trent who’d been playing games with the S.T.A.R.S.—with people’s lives—all along.
Trent was still smiling, still holding his hands up. John noticed a black ring
made out of stone on one slender finger, the only affectation that Mr. Trent seemed to have; it looked heavy and expensive.
“So what the hell do you want?” John growled. He didn’t like secrets or surprises, and he didn’t like the fact that Trent seemed totally unimpressed by his formidable size. Most people backed down when he got in their face; Trent seemed amused.
“Mr. Andrews, if you please…?”
John didn’t move, glaring into Trent’s dark, intelligent eyes. Trent gazed back impassively, and John could see cool self-assurance in that bright gaze, a look that was almost but not quite patronizing. As big and buff as John was, he wasn’t a violent man— but that confident, mirthful look made John think that Mr. Trent could use a good beating. Not by him, necessarily, but by someone.
How many people have died, just because he decided to stir things up a little?
“It’s alright, John,” David said quietly. “I’m sure that if Mr. Trent meant us harm, he wouldn’t be standing here introducing himself.”
David was right, whether John liked it or not. He sighed inwardly and stepped aside, but decided that he definitely didn’t like it; from what little he knew about the man, he didn’t like it at all.
Gonna be watching you, “friend”…
Trent nodded as though there had never been any question and walked past John, smiling at all of them. He motioned for them to sit in the seats on one side of the cabin; he took off his trench coat and put it aside, moving slowly and carefully, obviously aware that any sudden moves could be detrimental to his health. Beneath the coat he wore a black suit, black tie, and shoes; John didn’t know clothes but the shoes were Asante. Trent had taste, anyway, and a shitload of money if he could afford to blow a couple thou on footwear.
“This may take a few moments,” he said. “Please, get comfortable.” He pushed himself up to sit atop one of the chairs opposite their group, moving with a smooth grace that made John feel even less comfortable. He moved like someone with training, martial arts maybe…
The others sat or leaned against the chairs, each of them studying the uninvited guest, each looking as unhappy about his appearance as John felt. Trent studied them in turn.
“Mr. Andrews, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Trapp, and I have already met…” Trent looked back and forth between Rebecca and Claire, his sparkling gaze finally settling on Claire.
“Claire Redfield, yes?” He seemed a little more hesitant, which wasn’t a surprise. Rebecca and Claire could have been sisters, both brunettes, same height, only a few months difference in age.
“Yes,” Claire said. “Does the pilot know you’re on board?”
John frowned, irritated with himself for not having asked first. It was a fairly important question, and it hadn’t occurred to him. If the pilot had let Mr. Trent aboard…
Trent nodded, running one pale hand through his tousled black hair. “Yes, he does. In fact, Captain Evans is an acquaintance of mine, so when I realized that you were going… traveling, I arranged for him to be in the right place at the right time. Much easier than it sounds, really.”
“Why?” David asked, an edge coming into his voice that John had only ever heard in combat situations. The captain was right on the verge of being seriously upset. “Why would you do that, Mr. Trent?”
Trent seemed to ignore him. “I realize that you’re concerned about your friends on the Continent, but let me assure you that they’re in the best of health. Really, there’s no reason for you to worry yourselves—”
“Why?” David’s voice was steel.
Trent stared at him, then sighed. “Because I don’t want you to go to Europe, and making it so that Captain Evans is your pilot means that you won’t. You can’t. In fact, we should be turning back any moment now.”
* * *
Claire stared at him, feeling her stomach knot, feeling that knot transforming into a burning, leaden anger.
Chris, I won’t see Chris—
John pushed away from the seat he’d been leaning on and grabbed Trent’s arm before Claire could even open her mouth, before anyone had time to respond to his statement.
“Tell your ‘acquaintance’ to keep right on goin’ the way we’re goin’,” John spat, glowering at Trent. From the way John’s hands were shaking, Claire thought there was a good chance that he would break Trent’s arm—and found that she didn’t think that was such a bad idea.
Trent wore an expression of mild discomfort, nothing more. “I’m sorry to interrupt your plans,” he said, “but if you’ll hear me out, I think you’ll agree that it’s for the best—if you really want to stop Umbrella, that is.”
For the best? Chris, we have to help Chris and the others, what is this shit?
She waited for the others to explode into action, to storm the cockpit, to tie Mr. Trent to a chair and force him to explain himself—but they were all silent, looking at one another and at Trent with shock, anger— and interest, guarded but interest nonetheless. John loosened his grip, glancing at David for direction.
“This had better be a good story, Mr. Trent,” David said coolly. “I’m aware that you’ve—helped us in the past, but this kind of interference isn’t the kind of help we want or need.”
He tipped his head at John, who reluctantly let go of Trent and stepped back. Not very far back, Claire noticed.
If Trent had been worried at all, there was no sign of it. He nodded at David, and in his low, musical voice, started to speak.
“As I’m sure you’re all aware, Umbrella, Inc., has facilities in locations all around the world, factories and plants that employ thousands of people and generate hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Most of them are legitimate pharmaceutical or chemical companies, and have no relevance to this discussion, except that they’re quite profitable; the money generated by Umbrella’s legal enterprises allows them to finance their lesser-known operations—operations that you and yours have recently had the misfortune to come across.
“These operations fall into a division known as White Umbrella, and most have to do with bioweapons research. There are very few who know all of the ins and outs of White Umbrella’s business, but the ones who do are extremely powerful. Powerful, and committed to creating all sorts of unpleasantness. Chemical weapons, fatal diseases… the T and G series viruses that have been so troublesome as of late.”
That’s an understatement, Claire thought nastily, but was intrigued in spite of herself. To finally know something about what they were up against…
“Why?” Leon asked. “Chemical warfare isn’t all that profitable, anyone with a centrifuge and some gardening supplies can come up with a bioweapon.”
Rebecca was nodding. “And the kind of work they’re doing, applying rapid fuse virions to genetic redistribution—it’s incredibly expensive, and as hazardous to work with as nuclear waste. Worse.”
Trent shook his head. “They’re doing it because they can. Because they want to.” He smiled faintly. “Because when you’re richer and more powerful than anyone else on the planet, you get bored.”
“Who gets bored?” David asked.
Trent gazed at him for a moment, then started talking again, blatantly ignoring David’s question. “White Umbrella’s current focus is on bio-organic soldiers, if you will—individual specimens, most genetically altered, all injected with some variation of virus intended to make them violent and strong and oblivious to pain. The manner in which these viruses amplify in humans, the ‘zombie’ reaction, is nothing more than an unexpected side effect; the viruses Umbrella creates are designed for nonhuman use, at least at this point.”
Claire was interested, but she was also getting impatient. “So when do we get to the part about why you’re here, why you don’t want us going to Europe?” she asked, not bothering to keep the anger out of her voice.
Trent looked at her, his dark eyes suddenly sympathetic, and she realized that he knew why she was angry, that he knew all about her reasons for wanting to go to Europe. She could see it in the
way he gazed at her, his eyes telling her that he understood— and she suddenly felt deeply uneasy.
He knows everything, doesn’t he? All about us…
“Not all of the White Umbrella facilities are the same,” he continued. “There are some that deal strictly with data, some only with the chemistry, some where specimens are grown or surgically pieced together—and a very few where these specimens are tested. And that brings us to why I’m here, and why I’d rather you postponed your plans.
“There’s an Umbrella testing facility about to go on line in Utah, just north of the salt flats. Right now, it’s staffed by a very small crew of technicians and… specimen handlers, and is scheduled to become fully operational in about three weeks. The man overseeing the final preparations is one of White Umbrella’s key players, a man named Reston. The job was supposed to have been handled by another fellow, a despicable little man by the name of Lewis, but Mr. Lewis had an unfortunate and not entirely unplanned accident… and now Reston is in charge. And because he is one of the very important men behind White Umbrella, he has, in his possession, a little black book. There are only three of these books, and the other two would be nearly impossible to get hold of…”
“So what’s in it?” John snapped. “Get to the point.”
Trent smiled at John as if he had asked politely. “Each book is a kind of master key; each has a complete directory of codes used to program every mainframe in every White Umbrella facility. With that book, one could conceivably break into any lab or test site and access everything from personnel files to financial statements. They’ll change the codes once the book is stolen, of course—but unless they want to lose everything they’ve stored, it will take them months.”
No one spoke for a moment, the only sound that of the plane’s insistent hum. Claire looked at each of them, saw the thoughtful expressions, saw that they were seriously considering Trent’s implied proposal— and realized that it had just become highly unlikely that they would be going to Europe after all.
