Chapter 80: 8 hours

His body rolled to the ground and it was with a short grunt that Rick landed. The fall may only have been around one foot but it had been enough to wake him up. The first thing he did was to look at his watch on his right wrist.

‘Past 0300, huh? I’ve slept for eight hours? That’s curious. The T-virus had— Huh, is it because the T-Abyss is made with it? Did my body have a much easier time dealing with it because it already dealt with the T-Virus? Nevermind, that’s questions for later and for Annette.’

Pushing himself up, Rick realized he hadn’t just rolled off the bed, he had rolled quite a few feet away from it. It shouldn’t be possible unless the ship had rocked heavily to one side. The Queen Zenobia was a cruiser, to get it to rock so violently, a wave bigger than it was tall was needed.

Remembering the document he had found in the Conference Room, that meant higher than 93.97m. Waves in seas rarely reached the 10m mark and 30m in oceans. That meant something horrifyingly wrong had happened. Not only wrong but also very big.

Rick needed to move even faster than he thought. Using his radio to contact Jill crossed his mind and he hesitated to go through with it. She might be in a situation where radio silence was needed. On the other hand, he needed to catch up with the hours he had been out.

Reaching for the radio on his left shoulder he pushed the button on his communication device. “Jugs? It’s Rick. Are you there?”

He got no answer. After trying a few more times, he gave up. Information was needed and he wouldn’t find any in the Captain’s cabin. In front of the heavy metallic door, he raised his foot and slammed it against it. The blow was so strong that it actually went flying to the other side of the corridor, cutting in half an Ooze that was hanging around.

Drawing his .45 from its holster on his thigh and his tomahawk, Rick made his way towards the bridge. Hopefully either Rachel or Jill had updated O’Brian on the situation and the man could update him in turn. Steeping through the door separating the corridor to the stairs leading to the bridge, Rick heard voices which he recognized.

“She’s a mole! Working for Lansdale! Don’t let her activate the ship self-destruct!”

“What are you talking about? We don’t—”

“So say a F.B.C agent who’s working for Lansdale. You better have proof because—”

Rick moved as fast as he could. Jessica and Raymond were on the bridge and he wanted neither near the nuke button. To make matters worse Chris was there. As Jessica’s partner, he sure wouldn’t take Raymond’s words at face value which Rick wouldn’t either in his shoes. At the same time though, Rick wouldn’t trust Jessica either but this was him, a smart guy and Chris was a too trusting meathead.

‘Like brother, like sister.’

Rick arrived at the top of the stairs and immediately aimed at Jessica, flawlessly. Thanks to his altered perception, he was able to do so faster than the others could react. Right there before him was Raymond, holding an old shotgun and pointing it at Jessica who was right near the nuke button. A few feet next to her was Chris aiming his own gun at Raymond.

“Move away from the console, Jessica.” He said and walked slowly next to the redhead, taking everyone by surprise with his sudden appearance.

Raymond didn’t change his target but the flinch of his body told Rick he just had quite the scare. Chris’s aim turned to his fellow Raccoon Survivor.

“Rick?”

Rick ignored Chris completely, not having time for this. “It was your only warning, Jessica.”

She slightly turned around to face him and Raymond, her hand ending up in a better position to push the button.”

“Rick!” She shouted in a jovial and happy tone. It was as if she was delighted to see him again. “I missed you! Although, this is not fun—”

Rick didn’t hesitate and fired at her knee. It had been enough to make her lose her footing and fall to the ground in a loud scream of pain.

Chris reacted the way it was expected. “WHAT THE FUCK?! Why did you…”

“Raymond told the truth.” Rick still aimed at her and walked a little bit closer to Raymond. “She’s a mole working for Lansdale. Check the console, she was inches away from a nuke button.”

Jill’s ex-boyfriend stayed silent for a bit. With gritted teeth, he walked the few feet separating him from the console, coming near Jessica. When she raised her arm, gun in hand, Rick shot her again in the shoulder this time. The gun was sent flying, and she let out another scream of pain.

It was more than enough for Chris, who saw everything, to give him more doubt about his partner. However, he went on to check the console.

“One more move, Jessica and your head is next.” He warned.

Raymond lowered his shotgun, exchanging a look with the woman who glared at him and Rick with pure hatred. “Did you have to shoot her?”

“In this job, you give one warning. If people don’t comply, you shoot.”

“Damnit!” Chris slammed his fist onto the console and turned back to look with anger at Jessica. It was clear the betrayal hurt deeply. They had partnered a lot in the past two years.

“Sur…prise.” Jessica grunted, trying to make some humor. Her mind raced to find a way to get out of this situation but with a busted knee and shoulder, she knew she was toast.

Raymond looked at Rick “I’m surprised you—” He stopped talking when the barrel of Rick’s .45 was aimed straight to his face.

“Drop your weapon. Slowly.”

Not wanting to end up like Jessica, who was now laughing between grunts and moans of pain, Raymond obeyed Rick’s order. As instructed, he slowly crouched down to lay his shotgun on the ground. Hands raised in surrender he straightened up.

“Rick. What the hell?” Chris asked as he took a knee down, next to Jessica. He took her knife away, and began to make a tourniquet with a bandage from his own medi-kit pouch. “I thought—”

“That he was on our side since he was right about Jessica?” Rick’s eyes never left the redhead. “Not quite. He’s working for O’Brian to take down Lansdale. That is true. But I’m pretty sure he’s working for a third party interested in the T-Abyss. I wouldn’t be surprised if Jessica does too.”

“Oh, now… we’re both… working for a… OW!” She shouted in pain from Chris’s improvised first aid. “Chris, dear, be more gentle.”

Rick knew he was right. Raymond’s heart skipped a bit then accelerated when accused of being a triple agent. In his mind there was no doubt.

“Are you sure?” Chris asked, wrapping tightly Jessica’s wounded knee.

Raymond tried to defend himself. “That’s a bold accusation. My Il Veltro impersonation aside, I’ve done nothing to go against the BSAA. I even helped Jill and Rachel in getting to the lab.”

“You knew about the nuke button.” Rick insisted. He knew he got the man there.

The F.B.C. Mole wasn’t giving up. “Landsale told me. He sent me here to destroy evidence, remember?” Rick heard the lie.

“So was Rachel and she didn’t know.” Rick moved his gun up and down to indicate Raymond to get on his knees. “Maybe you’re telling the truth, although I wouldn’t bet on it. In that case you won’t have a problem being detained and interrogated, right?”

Getting on his knees in compliance, Raymond raised his hand and put them above his head.

“I won’t, no.”

The .45 went back and was tucked away back into its holster. He kicked the shotgun out of reach and with his free hand picked one of the two bandages Rachel had not taken when she left him in the Captain’s cabin. Soon enough. Raymond had his hands tied behind his back.

“You know… I really thought Rachel had killed you when she showed up with your gear, alone.” The redhead commented. “But now… After eight hours of not even a whiff of you… I wonder what you were doing all this time? That’s very suspicious. Maybe you are the one working for someone else. Just like Rachel does.”

That got Chris curious too but he trusted Rick. There was no way he would betray what he stood for ever since the Raccoon City outbreak. Not when it meant betraying Jill and him.

“He does have a point. I came across Jill and I suppose the blonde was Rachel… They never said anything about your whereabouts.”

Rick didn’t spare Raymond a glance and went to the communication equipment.

“Remember what happened to me in Antarctica?” He asked Chris.

“Yes, what about it?”

“It happened here too.”

“Oh... Well that explains it.” At this point, Chris was finishing bandaging Jessica’s shoulder. She had been very silent, listening attentively to the conversation.

Raymond wasn’t sharing the former’s STARS opinion however. “Not really. That makes you even more suspicious and you too, Redfield.”

“Maybe, but we’re in a position of strength and you’re not, so we’re calling the shots. If it makes you feel better, I’ll surrender myself once my mission is over.”

About to call O’Brian, Rick paused. He would have to explain why he has been missing for eight hours and he couldn’t do that. Not without Jill present and having a concerted lie ready to be given. Looking into it further, Raymond was present. Raymlond who was O’Brian’s man. It wouldn’t look good for Rick so he changed his mind and searched for answers from Chris.

“Where are Jugs and Rachel? I tried to contact Jugs with my Radio but I got no reply.”

Chris finished his work on his traitorous partner. Grabbing her, he made her sit and lean against the console. “They went down the bilge to destroy the T-Abyss.”

One of Rick’s eyebrows arched questioningly. “I’m surprised you didn’t partner-up with her.”

“Jill said it was better that way. She didn’t give me the details but you're acquainted with Rachel?”

“She’s his ex-partner.” Raymond reveals. “Hence why I find him suspicious when she’s bluntly stated she was a mole in the F.B.C. for someone else.”

When Rick saw the look on Chris’ face he gave a reply that sounded nonsensical to Raymond and Jessica. “She never changed employers and I would trust her with Cla—”

Rick was about to say ‘Claire’s life’ as she was the one person he cared about the most. It would have been a lie however. He was well aware that Rachel would just punch Claire a few times for breaking his heart twice.

“Jugs’ life.” He corrected himself.

Chris didn’t miss the slip of the tongue however. “Not my sister?” That got him curious and frowning. He was very aware of the fact Rick was still very much in love with Claire from his talks with Jill.

Rick winced. “She might punch her? Especially after what happened in Harvardville four days ago.”

Now Chris was even more confused. “What happened in Harvardville? Why was Claire there?”

“T and G outbreak.” Rick shared. He had forgotten that the man had been out of the country on Il Veltro’s trail for nearly a week. “She didn’t part on the best of terms.”

“Oh God, please kill me.” Jessica interjected in dejection. She was down, captured, a knee shot to hell and also a shoulder. She didn’t want to listen to love stories, right now.

“I’m not God, but I can make you meet him.” Rick drew his .45 and began to aim.

Jessica was quick to speak up. “I’ll shut up! I’ll shut up!” She had no doubt that Rick would do it. Her current state was proof of how ruthless he could be and she didn’t want more proof.

Rick turned back to Chris. “What’s the status of the mission?”

“To make it short: Lansdale used the Regia Solis on the ship. We launched one of the UAVs to act as a decoy. The resulting wave nearly toppled the ship.”

‘So that was the reason.’ Rick realized.

“Il Veltro is still active.” Raymond announced. He had stood up and walked toward the pair. “For real. Their leader, Jack Norman, made a declaration that he would release the T-Abyss into the world through a video.”

That made Rick frowned. Many questions came through his mind. The first of them was why Il Veltro had waited eighteen months to show signs of life?

‘Why make an announcement now? If they do have the T-Abyss to release it then there was more than one lab outside of the one on the Queen Zenobia. Did those eighteen months were used to produce more of the virus? Did they finally act because of O’Brian’s plan and they saw an opportunity for a comeback? Or was the video even recorded now and not at the time of the Terragrigia Panic? No. It doesn’t matter. Il Veltro’s leader is alive, meaning we have a key witness to Lansdale’s actions. It also means Lansdale will stop at nothing to have that man dead.’

“Then we find that man and arrest him.” Rick declared and looked down at Jessica. “Anything you’d like to say so you won’t fall with your boss?”

The woman simply huffed in defiance, which surprised him. He had expected her to sell Lansdale to save her skin and not to stay quiet. She was the type. Her reaction made his mind race. The way he saw it, by protecting Lansdale and making it harder to stop him, Jessica was stalling for time for the third party to intervene. At this point Rick was almost biased and the idea of no third party being involved and Jessica just being loyal never crossed his mind.

“Suits yourself.” Rick didn’t really care if she stayed quiet. Sooner or later, she’d talk anyway. “What now?” He wondered aloud.

“Now? We wait for Jill and your friend to come back and for the chopper O’Brian sent.”

Rick didn’t like that one bit. A lab working on viruses and bio-weapon was usually the most dangerous area of a complex. The nastiest B.O.W. loitered around there from his personal experience. However, Jill and Rachel were not rookies. They were survivors, especially the latter. They could handle themselves. Of that he had no doubt. That didn’t stop him from worrying. Being alive and being unhurt were two different things.

Everyone’s attention was caught by the sound of a helicopter approaching. It didn’t take long for their transport to get into view through the huge window and to land onto the helipad.

“I guess our way out of here arrived.”

Chris picked up Jessica from the ground to give her support for walking. Lansdale’s mole seized the opportunity and feigned losing her footing. Her body bent forward and her forehead hit the nuke button. She was violently pulled back, a smug grin on her face while looking at Rick.

“What did you do?!” Chris shouted in horror.

“Oops, I slipped.”

An alert echoed through the whole ship. The self-destruct sequence had been activated and they had ten minutes to get the hell out of here if they wanted to live.

‘It’s alright,’ Rick answered her taunt with a blank and unbothered face. ‘Even with all the evidence on the ship destroyed with it, the leader of Il Veltro is still out there. It’s enough to put Landsale behind bars. And we have a chopper ready to evac’ us. Now all that’s missing are Jugs and Rachel.’

He used his radio once again to contact Jill and this time he got an answer.

“Jugs?!”

“I’m here! So is Rachel!” She didn’t bother saying anything about how relieved she was that he was alive and not an Ooze. “We’re on our way back up and heard the announcement! What’s the plan?”

Chris grabbed his own radio. “There is a chopper on the helipad to get us out of here. Hu—”

He was interrupted by the Queen Zenobia shaking violently. Hard enough to make Jessica fall down on her face.

Looking out the window, Rick saw an immense thing rising above the front of the ship. Up and Up. The thing looked twice as tall as the Zenobia and couldn’t be anything else but a B.O.W.

“Oh, shit.”