RF0 Chapter 5

Everyone’s busy. Alpha Team is logging in to workstations, checking radios, and preparing maps. Bravo Team is gathering their equipment while Edna and Forest head to the helipad.

Rebecca slips an aerosol can of first-aid spray into her canvas satchel. “Oh, Jill,” she says, smiling.

“Hey, Rookie. I came over here to apologize for getting you into this, but now I just want to know what you’re looking so happy about. People aren’t usually stoked to go out in the middle of the night like this.”

“Nothing,” Rebecca says, blushing and avoiding Jill’s gaze.

Jill snorts. “You know I’m a cop, right? I’m happy for you.”

Rebecca’s face burns hotter. “I think you’re doing the right thing, standing up to Umbrella.”

“You’re sweet. Be careful out there. And remember, you and Kendall are literally the only smart people in this whole outfit.”

“The captain’s got a lot of credentials.”

Jill looks Rebecca in the eye. “She’s also got Umbrella on her resume, remember?”

“They’re the biggest employer in the country after Walmart.”

Jill sighs. “I know.”

“Rebecca,” Wesker says. She’s at the door with Carla and Kendall.

“Yes, ma’am!” Rebecca hurries to her, and they head into the corridor.

Wesker has her hand on Carla’s shoulder. “There’s an MP prisoner transport cutting through the property tonight. That gives us cover for the airspace and a little room to maneuver with the media if it comes to it.”

“Think that’s enough of a jump for us to get them with their hand in the cookie jar?” Kendall asks.

“No chance. But it’s better than nothing,” Carla replies.

They push out through the metal door with a bang, emerging onto the helipad. Rebecca lifts a hand to shield her face. Rotors thud and dust whips through the air. It’s a clear, chilly night. A few uniformed officers watch curiously. If S.T.A.R.S. is taking the choppers out without anything publicized about a training exercise, that sends a clear signal to people that something’s going down.

Edna leans out to help Rebecca climb up, then Kendall. Rebecca straps in with the others, and Edna returns to the cockpit.

Carla stands on the helipad with Wesker. They’re talking, but the beating of the rotors drowns out their words. Rebecca isn’t listening; she just stares wistfully at Wesker, who looks radiant and reliable in her dark uniform. She shakes her head and checks her straps, focusing. This is serious, and what happened between her and Wesker has made it almost secondary that tonight will be her first major mission with S.T.A.R.S. She can’t let them down. Kendall rummages through her forensics kit, then stows it under her seat before performing a brass check.

“If you have to use that thing, we’re all in big trouble,” Rochelle shouts over the noise.

“I heard a rumor that Umbrella uses dogs for security up there,” Forest yells back, handing her a headset.

“We love dogs,” Rebecca says.

“Probably not these dogs,” Kendall replies.

“All dogs,” Rebecca insists.

“OK, sweetie.”

Carla climbs up and hauls the door shut, then takes the headset that Forest hands her. “Everyone good?”

Rebecca gives her thumbs up and smiles.

“Dewey!” Carla shouts, and Edna pauses in the act of climbing into the cockpit and looks back. “Everyone, strap in, but stay off comms. Get us in the air.” She gives Edna a push.

Puzzled, Rebecca exchanges puzzled looks with the others. There’s no time for gossip as the engines roar and the chopper lifts off. The lights of Raccoon City shrink as they rise into the black sky. Rebecca presses her hand to the window, only for Carla to unstrap and climb back into the passenger area.

“Bring it in,” she shouts, covering her microphone. The others unstrap and grab anything they can to steady themselves as they lean in so they can hear. “Forget the plan, forget the search pattern. They’re screwing us. Six people to search that kind of territory with no dogs? I don’t think so. We aren’t going to land at the Axel Road gate. We go straight to the mansion and do our best to bluff our way in.”

“What are we looking for?” Kendall demands.

“We don’t know. We have to shake the bushes. Put them on defense. Someone will rattle and say something they shouldn’t. That’s our foot in the door,” Carla replies.

“People have rights,” Rebecca reminds her.

“Umbrella isn’t a person. And don’t give me any of that Supreme Court bullshit,” Carla adds. “We aren’t trying to screw any one person here. This is about exposing system abuse. For that to happen, individuals have to fold. That’s how it is, Rookie.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Rebecca says meekly.

“We’ll use the prisoner transport. It doesn’t just give us cover for the airspace. We were concerned that people were under duress, maybe because of an escaped prisoner.”

“If we fuck it up, Umbrella can sue the department into oblivion,” Kendall warns.

“But they won’t. Whatever they do, it’ll be quiet. It might be thin and raggedy, but at least three women have been attacked. They will not want to be anywhere near that,” Carla says confidently.

“You really don’t trust Wesker?” Rochelle asks.

Rebecca stiffens.

“I don’t trust Chief Orlova. And Wesker works for Orlova. And used to work for Umbrella. Let’s just see what we find, OK? Equipment,” Carla says firmly. “Flashlights. Batteries. Kendall, be ready to run field tests. We can’t trust anything that leaves our custody. Maybe they’re so sure we won’t get in there that there’ll be something worth looking at.”

“We’re supposed to keep in touch with Wesker and Alpha Team,” Kendall reminds her.

“Let me worry about that.” Carla returns to the cockpit.

Rebecca doesn’t like it. STARS is supposed to be a rescue team. She checks her medical bag and her Beretta. She’s a good enough shot, and she likes to think that she has a gift for treating injuries. She knows how to investigate crimes, to a point. But where is the crime? People have been attacked. Attacked by whom? Umbrella’s not attacking anyone. They might be doing shady business stuff, but something here stinks.

She opens her mouth to speak to Rochelle, only for the helicopter to give a sharp jerk. She hits her straps painfully and manages to keep her bag from spilling. There are cries of surprise and dismay as they dip.

“What’s going on?” Kendall demands. Horrible sounds come from above, and they’re sinking fast.

“Engine failure,” Edna shouts. “Hold on! I have to put it down!”

The chopper shudders, and Rebecca’s straps cut into her palms. She clutches tighter, squeezing her eyes shut. For a moment she’s weightless, and her stomach seems to shoot upward, then impact slams her against her seat. Branches snap and scratch at the chassis. Terrifying pinging and wails of tortured metal make Rebecca’s already surging heart rate faster. Her pulse in her ears drowns out cries of dismay from her colleagues, but not the shattering crunch as they land.

She tastes blood, but it’s just a bitten tongue. Acrid smoke makes her cough. She joins the others in swearing and hurriedly unbuckling. In a moment, they’re all out of the chopper. Everyone is standing. Rebecca doesn’t see any serious injuries, but Edna’s rubbing her shoulder.

“Holy shit,” Carla says, beginning to circle the chopper. “Good job, Dewey. Thank you.” There’s a murmur of agreement from the others. They owe Edna their lives.

“It’s totaled,” Rochelle says, pulling off her headset.

Rebecca turns on her flashlight. The ground is churned up where the chopper slid, and pieces of metal debris catch the light. A few leaves cling to spidery tree limbs.

“Where are we?” Kendall asks, one hand on her holstered pistol.

“Short of the LZ, but we should be inside the fence,” Edna replies.

“Come in, Alpha Team. God damn it,” Carla says, lowering her radio. “There’s some interference—I can’t reach them. Do we have a landmark?”

“We’re in a spooky forest,” Rochelle says helpfully. “Near the spooky trees.”

“That’s it, you just volunteered to fuck with the compass,” Carla orders. “Dewey, give her your map. Everyone else, secure the area.”

“From what? Ticks?” Rochelle asks.

“I would love to believe that it’s just mythically bad luck that we’re here like this. I would love that,” Carla snarls. “But I don’t believe it. Be ready for anything. No heroes.”

Rebecca’s pulse is hardly even beginning to settle down. The wreckage of the helicopter is right in front of her. It doesn’t feel real.