Chapter 55: Loaded Words

Things went from bad to hell. The explosions had destroyed all the vaccines for the T-virus. Rick wondered how it could happen in the first place. They’re in a quarantine camp surrounded by rangers and other law enforcement.

The equipment needed to blow up multiple trucks couldn’t be found at every corner. He was sure that the rangers had the stock of explosives under constant surveillance. One agent wouldn’t have been able to steal without being caught, not even a mole.

An infiltration would have been impossible too. There were guards everywhere to stop people from leaving the quarantine or people from entering. Every twenty feet had a pair of soldiers on guard duty.

‘Either someone was already in the airport, loaded with enough explosives to blow up everything or that person came in with the trucks. There is no other explanation. In the former case it’s highly improbable the rangers wouldn’t have found the explosives on the saboteur and he couldn’t have placed them around when he didn’t know how the outbreak was about to go down. Unless that person wasn’t just loaded but ultra loaded and hid explosives absolutely everywhere in the area. In that case we need to search every— No. It was a very targeted action. The vaccines. Not the barriers or fences which would have created more chaos. Just the vaccines.’

His train of thought was interrupted by Leon. “What do you think?”

“I think… That we need to do two things.” Everyone present turned to Rick. “Director, would I be wrong to think it’s possible to make more vaccines at the institute?”

“Not at all. We had the raw data stored there. It would take time to produce more. Everything we had was in those trucks.” Downing answered.

“Then you will be escorted there. It’s almost midnight so I suppose most of the personnel are home?”

“You’d be correct. But why an escort?”

Leon understood Rick’s reasoning. “I’m throwing out a guess here, but only the institute has the formula for the vaccine, no?”

“Why? Yes, it’s —” Downing’s face suddenly became horrified. “Without the data there is no vaccine. The terrorist may very well— We need to go. Now.”

“I’m coming with you.” Claire volunteered as she began to follow the WilPharma employee, making his way towards a vehicle.

Rick caught her by the arm. “Not unarmed.” Then he turned to Leon and the two members of the SRT. “If you lead us to where the weapons are stored. I also need to know the location of one Angela Miller.”

To his surprise the female SRT answered. “That’s me. What can I help you with?”

“Your brother had been seen in the airport minutes before the outbreak started. He’s the primary suspect.” As Rick expected, she didn’t take that well from her facial expression. “I need to know everything about him.”

“I’ll take care of it.” Leon interjected. “Catching the one responsible is my mission, go with Claire.”

Rick gave him a look for a moment then nodded his agreement.

“The weapons are this way.” The male SRT signaled.

The exes followed the man to a tent filled with neatly stacked up weapon crates. Rick immediately opened them to have a look, Claire doing the same on the other side. He found everything that he wanted, starting with a M1911.

“.45, huh.”

Rick checked if the gun was clean while answering the man. “When you’re dealing with zombies, a higher caliber is better. More stopping power than a 9mm. With a bit of luck, you blow one’s head and hit the head of another behind.”

“Why not use a .44 or a .357?”

It was a good question in Rick’s opinion. “While a magnum is definitely a better option because of its firepower, it’s way too loud and the number of bullets is too small. A .45 is the perfect alternative between magnum and 9mm. At least for zombies. If it’s something bigger, then yeah a magnum is better.”

“Bigger?”

Rick found a tactical vest and put it on after attaching the M1911 and its holster on his right leg. On the front pocket he put magazines loaded with Full Metal Jacket ammunition for it.

It was Claire who answered. “Bigger. Zombies are the most basic B.O.W. out there. Not the most difficult to deal with when they’re small in numbers. Compared to that a Licker is far more dangerous alone.”

“What’s that?”

Rick found the second love of his life in one crate. A Benelli M4. He hadn't touched one since Greenland. As luck would have it there was a bandolier with it. Fully loaded. He didn’t hesitate to put it around his shoulders, load the shotgun and put it on his back.

Walking towards the grenades Claire was picking up he offered a reply. “You don’t want to know. Unless you want to join the fight against bio-terrorism? I’m warning you though, once you’re in there is no retirement. The pay is not great, the odds of dying an horrible death are high, the life expectancy is around thirty and if by luck you survive, you’re plagued with nightmares, trauma, severe PTSD while being a cynical drunk.”

“Reminds me of the army.” The man commented.

“Pretty much. Having experience in both, I’d say fighting bio-terrorism is worse because every bio-weapon you fight used to be an innocent percent who had been infected or experimented on.”

“Damn. You guys are crazy.”

Rick picked multiple flashbangs and hooked them on a strap he wrapped around his waist like a belt.

“It’s not like we have much of a choice. We found ourselves at the wrong place and the wrong time.” Claire checked the cylinder of the revolver she chose. “It sticks to you and you can’t get it off. Look at me, I survived Raccoon City and joined Terra Save to fight bio-terrorism as a non-combattant, yet here I am gearing up and going through another outbreak.”

Rick wanted to scoff. Claire had chosen the easy way out in his opinion. He understood why; she was a caring person at heart despite being a true survivor and put no blame on her shoulders but the fact she spoke as if it was her lot in life when the last epidemic she experienced was seven years ago irked him. He had spent five years fighting bio-terrorism in the black ops, and 18 months more as a BSAA agent. He was now at 21 outbreaks so he could talk but not her. At least not like this.

“Thanks for the help. Good Luck.” Rick said when he finished putting the last knife he took inside his boots. With nothing more to say he left the tent, Claire in tow. “So…” He started a conversation with her with a neutral tone.

“Yes?”

“You’re into older men now?”

Claire frowned at the question. “That’s none of your business.”

“It is when the man in question is my prime suspect as the mastermind behind everything.”

“Right.” From her tone Rick heard she was unconvinced. Her next words proved him right. “I didn’t take you for the jealous type.”

“I’m not and you broke up with me years ago,” Rick replied non-chalantly. “If I was, I would have asked if it was the British accent and mannerism or something else. I just broke the ice to know where you stand because if I’m right and he’s the mastermind behind all this… Well… Unlike me, you’re not an insensitive, heartless, remorseless monster and it could get in the way of your decision making.”

Claire did her best to not wince and maintain a stoic face. Those were the exact same words she had thrown to his face all those years ago in Antarctica before she broke up with him. They were all true of course but the way she had delivered them had been very hurtful. It took a couple months for her to not think of the broken look Rick had in his eyes when she shouted it all at his face. She had apologized on the spot of course, taking it all back but it had been too late. Her emotions and temper had gotten the best of her that day.

“You don’t have to worry about that.” Even she was surprised by how cold she had sounded. She didn’t want to be so hostile but once again her temper had flared for using her own words against her. “Are you sure that he’s…” she didn’t know what to think as they were approaching the car with Downing behind the wheel.

“No. But that’s what my guts are telling me. He has always rubbed me the wrong way.”

“I hope you’re wrong.”

“Why?” He asked out of genuine curiosity.

Claire didn’t give him an answer. Not like she hadn’t one, she did but she just didn’t want to share. WilPharma seemed to be a good pharmaceutical corporation since they were giving the T-virus vaccine for free and Downing seemed like a caring, all around nice, man. She didn’t want to believe that it was all a façade and that Rick with his accursed pragmatism was right.

She didn’t want to hurt him again by saying the truth but the wrong way.

When they got to the car, Rick climbed at the back. His presence surprised Downing. “You’re accompanying us, Captain?”

“Yes. Someone else is following the Miller lead. It’s more prudent for me to act as your body guard.”

“Well, I already feel safer,” The WilPharma director replied with enthusiasm and his posh tone.

He started the car and immediately left for the institute. A twenty minute ride done in absolute silence.