Chapter 36: Same Shit, Different Day

Major Ethan Hunt was sitting at his desk, cigar lit and in his mouth. By his side was Captain Walker standing up and at attention. Like a silent vigil or secretary. Rick and Rachel were standing in front of him in their uniforms.

“You were the only one who understood what the tests were about and not only displayed natural aptitude for them but you also improved.” The Major’s eyes shifted to Rick. “You also were the only one to notice you were all being spied on the whole time, through hidden cameras in the walls and ceiling.”

He turned around the laptop at the side of his desk and showed Rachel its screen. The blonde controlled her shock when she saw multiple recordings being played at the same time from different rooms.

“Sergeant Foley. I commend you for quickly associating yourself with Private Wald. It was a smart move that showed you were a good judge of character, something that had been put into question right from the beginning with your association with Lieutenant Tyler and his… clique.”

Hunt turned the laptop back and closed the lid.

“Now… This Team you have worked hard to be part of is a very special Team. At the origin, it was supposed to be a black ops team, operating all over the world to raid the enemy of our nation and their bases. However, after the event of Raccoon City, POTUS had repurposed the unit.”

Immediately, Rick knew what was awaiting him for the next five years. Hunting down bio-terrorists and their bio-weapons. Inwardly he groaned. It felt like it was his fate. He had survived the Umbrella’s training facility in the Arklay Mountains to jump into Spencer Manor right after. When he had escaped that place too he thought it was over. Then the outbreak in Raccoon City happened. He thought it was over for real this time when he was in quarantine and the town nuked. Rockfort Island and the Umbrella base in Antarctica proved him overwise.

It was clear to him now that the nightmare would never end.

The Major noticed a subtle shift in Rick’s facial expression and called him out. “Anything you want to share, Private?”

Rick did his best to not shrug. “Same shit, different day, sir. That’s all.”

Hunt didn’t grin. He understood what was going through the young man’s head and secretly, a tiny part of him was sorry. However, shit needed to be done and Rick was the foremost expert in fighting bio-weapons. Not for his supernatural abilities but because he was the most experienced person in the world regarding fighting them. From the names of the people he knew had experience, most had survived two outbreaks at best. Perhaps three.

Rick was at five.

The look of confusion on Rachel reminded Hunt that the Raccoon City incident had been covered up to the neck. As far as the public was aware, the town had been subjected to a very aggressive pandemic, called the “Cannibal Disease” and the only way to stop its spreading was to nuke everything. There had been no mention of bio-weapons or Umbrella’s involvement.

“You’ll be brief in time, Sergeant. For now pack your bags, we’re leaving in one hour to our base of operation.”

Being dismissed, Rick left the office, Rachel following closely behind in silence. It was only once they were back in their room that she began asking questions.

“What is this all about? What has Raccoon City anything to do with…” She didn’t even know how to formulate it.

“Raccoon City was the epicenter of an outbreak. It wasn’t a “Cannibal disease” as the media tells everyone. It was a bio-terrorist attack made by the Umbrella corporation.” Rick answered, picking his empty duffle bag and putting it on his bed.

“The pharmaceutical company?”

“The very same. It’s just a front. Secretly they’re working on developing viruses and creating bio-weapons. The cannibals talked about? Infected people turned into what is commonly called ‘zombies’.”

Now Rachel was completely dumbfounded. “Is this a joke?”

“I wish.” He took his hanging pants in his locker, folded them and put them in his bag. “Much like Zombies, only destroying the head makes them stop. Shot anywhere else and they keep going. You get bitten? You become infected and soon enough turn into one of them. You’re not technically an undead though, you don’t die, but your brain activity is almost inexistant and your body, which had rotten because of the virus by the way, continues to move based on natural instinct. Mainly? Eating.”

“You’re serious.” She voiced her realization.

Rick put his tank tops next to his pants. “Yes. And those are the easiest to deal with. There are plenty of other monsters pulled right out of a horror tale. Giant scorpions, spiders, snakes. Unkillable mass of flesh, plants… I don’t know who named you for the team but they’re a dick. They threw you into a nightmare, Rachel. One which, as I just found out, you can’t escape from apparently.”

Rachel wanted to ask for more. What she had heard horrified her. Fighting other people was one thing but monsters? She hadn’t signed for this or rather, she didn’t know she had signed for this. There hadn’t been any fine prints at all on the contract.

She quickly packed her bag and joined Rick on his bed. “Tell me. Everything.”

It was the first time for him to see her with such a serious expression. There was no small smile or smirk. There was no teasing. He recognized her attitude. It reminded him of himself when he was in what he called ‘survival mode’.

Taking a deep breath, he began to talk about his own experience the previous year. From the weird murder in the mountain, then his fleeing of the zombie dogs then on and on. Up to the point of leaving Antarctica. The only thing he didn’t share with her was anything emotional and social. He had been about facts and facts alone.

His sexual escapade with Rebecca was unmentioned. His feelings developed for Claire and the profound love he found himself having for her after that night of survival too had been omitted. It was all factual. What he went through physically, what he saw, what he fought and that was it.

By the time he was done, the hour was over.

Rachel’s expression was unreadable. She was silent. Her eyes were both far away but also calculating. Rick couldn’t tell what it was but he had an idea. Picking up his bag, he bumped her shoulder to pull her out of her thoughts. It was time for them to leave and join the Major and Captain.

They waited at the elevator for their superior for a few minutes. No one came across them, the other candidates having left earlier. Some had protested to the Major, thinking it unfair they were not at the top of the rankings despite displaying more skills than either Rachel or Rick.

They were put in their place quickly. The Major had been quite clear about what the criterias of evaluation were and they all had fallen short. Those that didn’t simply made a worse display than the winning duo. Some even promised that someone higher in the food chain than the Major would hear about this.

Rick rolled his eyes at this. Major Hunt’s almost direct superior was the President himself. There was no way whoever was going to bother the military Officer would go out of it unscathed.

Soon enough the Major and Captain arrived at their location and entered the elevator. The latter gave Rick three different letters. He took them and had a look. From the sigil he could tell that one was from Johns Hopkins University, the second was from the University of Pennsylvania and the third from Princeton University. He looked at them for a bit then tucked them inside his jacket.

“You’re not going to open them, now?” The Major asked in surprise.

Rick looked forward and only bothered to pull the letters back. “No really but if you’re curious, sir, take a look.”

Ethan was amused by the reply. It showed on his face from the smile he had. He didn’t take the letters however but Rachel did. With a quick flick of the wrist she snatched them from Rick’s hand.

The blonde opened them with haste, her curiosity bursting. Three weeks ago, she had been surprised to find Rick at his desk writing motivation letters for Universities. When she had seen who they were destined to, she got all excited. Now three weeks later, she finally had her answer as to how smart Rick was. Two of them were Ivy League and the third wasn’t a no name University either. They were for the elites and elites only.

Rachel opened the first, and quickly scanned the content, then opened the second to do the same and finally the third.

“Damn. Two out of three.” She whispered in awe.

The elevator stopped at the first floor and its door opened. The Major took the lead, followed by the captain. Rick made a gimme gesture to Rachel who handed back the letters of admissions.

After walking ten minutes across the base, they arrived at a helipad where a helicopter was waiting for them. Captain Walker signaled the pilot to start the engine and they all got in the back.

The journey brought them near Washington DC. It didn’t last long but it was enough for Rick to be enchanted by the aerial view of the land. The rotors were still turning when Major Hunt stepped out of the vehicle and made his way toward a building which didn’t look like it was related to the military at all.

Once inside, they were welcomed by Doctor Hunt but also by seven other people in military uniform. Both Rick and Rachel instinctively knew, those seven were their new teammates.