Chapter 93: Mackenzie

The snow had been falling uninterrupted against the windshield of the car they had rented for the past four hours. The wipers were going left and right non-stop to give a clearer view of the road ahead for Rick.

Angela was in the passenger seat riding shotgun next to him, asleep. Headphones were over her ears and while the volume wasn’t loud, he could hear Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on Prayer without difficulty.

Rick should have woken her up a few hours ago so they could switch the drivers but he didn’t. He decided that it was better if she was fully rested to start the day after more than twenty hours of mind and body numbing voyage. Besides, not that he was sexist, he trusted his driving skills more than hers. Angela didn’t have enhanced senses and reflexes unlike him. Furthermore, he was still pissed at the difficulties they had encountered with getting their gear through custom at the airport.

It had been quite the ordeal. Security were immediately on him and Angela when they put the weapon cases on the rail for an X-ray. The man behind the screen had seen the shotgun, the P90 and the rest of the military equipment and immediately called for backup. They had been held at gunpoint and told to surrender. The idiot thought he had caught terrorists.

Neither he nor Angela resisted their arrest and when they were brought to a detention and interrogation room to explain themselves. When Rick told them to check the paperwork he had given the officer standing next to the one who checked luggage, his interrogator had been confused as he hadn’t been aware of any paperwork.

After a basic search and investigation, security found out they screwed up big time all thanks to a Marshall who had been there. Angela and Rick had their BSAA badge and the paperwork was flawless so they were released with apologies. The one guy who created the whole mess would probably be demoted or fired. Since he hadn’t read the papers Rick had given him, he created panic for security but also the travelers when it could have been avoided. Termination for cause was on the table.

Thankfully they had been able to board the plane ahead of everyone and secure their equipment with them at the back. Their arrival at Vancouver had been uneventful in comparison just like Elizabeth had told them.

Rick stopped at a gas station after Prince George. The tank was half full but it was prudent to fill it to the brim. They were going North to a rural town and the snow reached above their ankles already. If they had to go out the road for an extended period of time, the odds of being out of gas and being stranded were lowered.

He picked a few snacks while he was at it. Beef jerky, chips and some gummy bears to satiate his hunger. There had been no other stops so far, wanting to reach their destination as fast as possible.

When he got inside the SUV, Angela was stirring up from her sleep. Her first sight was the snow falling behind the side window, then the windshield. Her head turned to Rick who was busy chewing on his beef jerky while looking ahead.

“You were supposed to wake me up.” She fidgeted in her seat to find a better position, relieving the numbed part of her ass.

Rick didn’t look at her and offered a piece of his meat. “Good morning to you too.”

Frowning, Angela stared at it as if it had insulted her and her ancestors before taking it. “Thank you.”

“We’ll be in Mackenzie in… an hour.” He checked his watch. “Also you wouldn’t have been able to drive through the heavy snow. No point in waking you up.”

She kept frowning at him in silence but enjoyed the food. Since she was now up, their stop at the gas station was lengthened. She needed a bathroom break and some coffee to start the day. Rick gave her the keys and let her drive the rest of the way.

“Isn’t it about time you inform me of what’s awaiting us?”

Rick should have done that on the plane but thanks to the sleeping pills, he slept almost the whole time. “To be honest? I have no clue but a remote town like this? Perfect ground for experimentation. Be careful of the law enforcement.”

“Why?”

“From experience, I’d say they’re usually bribed to cover things up. Things got ugly very fast in Raccoon City because Irons was on Umbrella’s payroll. The orphanage that he directed was used to get test subjects.”

The thought that poor children who had nothing in their lives were used in Umbrella’s sick experiments made her stomach turn over. That the very chief of police was the one behind it facilitating everything didn’t make her feel better.

“It may not be the case but it’s important to stay alert. Do not go anywhere without a weapon on you.”

Angela nodded in acknowledgement, keeping the advice in mind. “What about a lab? It came up a few times in Washington and you’ve been talking about experimentations.”

“Underground lab. It’s always an underground lab. Easier to isolate and do unethical things that way. Raccoon City had two. The same in the Arklay Mountains albeit at different locations. If there are BOW involved, they must come from somewhere. Bio-terrorists wouldn’t deploy them for testing in such a remote region. They’d go to a third world country for that.”

The last time had come across a remote lab in the snow was in Greenland and he had lost seven tenths of his unit back then. While Rick hoped it was just a freak of nature bear or that the experts had been very incompetent, he knew it was futile to do so.

Half an hour into the rest of the road the snow stopped falling. One would think it was a good thing but the truth was that it didn’t matter how much there was above a couple inches. Movements would be restricted anyway.

They passed an information sign warning of their arrival in Mackenzie. As the sun rose and the sky was clearing, they could clearly see that it was the typical countryside town. Mostly houses, a few apartment buildings and hotels which could be counted on one hand. It was smaller than Raccoon City, something that Rick was very much happy about, with a population that seemed to be around a dozen thousand at best.

After checking the address O’Brian gave them, Angela found the correct streets after a few mishaps. They parked next to a police car and took a moment to talk.

“I don’t think I need to remind you but we’re not in the US anymore.”

Angela nodded. “Not expect things to be like back home.”

“And?”

She smiled. “Not acting like a jerk because we’re experts and they’re not. I've been in the police too, remember? I’ll never forget how Leon dealt with us.”

“Yeah… He used to be a more optimist kind of guy before he joined the government. If fighting BOW won’t literally kill you, it will kill your soul for sure before you retire. Be sure to give up on the field before that.” Rick was sincere. He’s been fighting ever since he was seventeen and already he felt like he was twice his current age.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

After exiting the car, they walked towards the entrance of the police station. It was early in the day and the town was mostly sleeping. Thankfully the police never really slept and there were already a couple agents inside enjoying coffee.

“Hello.” One of them, a man that looked to be in his thirties greeted them jovially. “What can we help you with this fine morning?”

Rick put his hand inside his coat to pick up his wallet. Once opened he displayed his BSAA badge, Angela doing the same next to him. “Good morning to you too. I’m agent Wald and this agent Miller, BSAA. We received a call yesterday asking for our help?”

The man blinked. Next to him his colleague, a woman in her early twenties, perhaps younger than Rick, opened her mouth in disbelief.

“You did make a call, right? Or did we get the wrong Mackenzie, British Columbia?” Rick tried to be diplomatic.

The officer finally answered, as if his brain had finally rebooted. “Yes, yes, we did! Well, Chief Campbell did but you’re in the correct place. We weren’t expecting you so soon. Tomorrow at the earliest and that was with good weather which hasn’t been the case recently.”

“Di-did you drive through the blizzard last night?!”

Rick gave a polite smile to the woman and nodded. “The BSAA tries to be as fast as possible when we receive a call for help. If BOW are involved, the faster the better.”

“I… Nicole, call the chief to warn him the BSAA is here, please?” The female officer put her mug down on her colleague’s desk and immediately pulled her cellphone, walking a few feet away. “I admit, this is the first time Mackenzie received people in law enforcement. From outside of town, I mean. I’m not too sure how to proceed. Who has authority, who hasn’t.”

Rick gave a side glance at Angela. An invitation to answer.

“Until it is proven that either BOW, bio-terrorists, or viral agents are in play, the BSAA is only here to assist the local law enforcement in charge of the investigation. If it is, then we’re taking charge as we are more knowledgeable about them.”

“God, I hope it’s not any of those.” The officer commented, then realized how he had sounded. “Not like we’re not happy to have you here but… you know.”

Angela smiled at him. “We do.” She lied a bit. It was her first assignment after all but it was common sense that no need for the BSAA to intervene was better than the opposite.

Nicole came back to the desk, her call being over. “Robert, the chief will be here in five minutes. He was already on his way.”

“Please, take a seat,” Robert invited Rick and Angela to take a chair. “Coffee?”

Rick agreed on the spot. “Gladly.” He had been driving for eight hours straight and the small coffee from the vending machine in the gas station had not been enough to warm him up.

Robert stood up and went to pick up two mugs with the logo of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on it. When asked, both BSAA agents answered they were taking their coffee black. No sugar, no milk or no whatever Canadian used to sweeten the bitter beverage.

“Hmm... Sorry but… What is the BSAA, exactly?”

Angela thanked Robert for the coffee and seeing as Rick was already drinking his, she answered Nicole. “It stands for Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance. We act across the whole world to prevent viral outbreaks, or put an end to them, when they are started by bio-engineered viruses created by terrorists. We’re a NGO and while supported by the United Nations, we’re not really law-enforcement but we do have investigators and can deploy military assets if needed.”

“Huh, not law enforcement but you investigate and have military assets. That’s a new one.” Robert took back his seat.

“It will change soon.” Rick finally spoke up and they all, Angela included, turned to him. “With the end of the FBC, the world still needs a law enforcement agency to deal with bio-terrorism. The BSAA has already received its resources and it is only a matter of time before it becomes the new… police. The nations just need to come to an agreement about what the BSAA would be allowed to do. They don’t want a repeat of the FBC.”

Nicole proved she was completely clueless about what was happening beyond her small town or country. “What happened to the FBC?”

“Have you heard of the Terragrigia Panic?”

“Everyone heard of it. Didn’t the FBC put an end to it?” The woman asked.

“And started it. The head of the FBC wanted to more or less control the world through fear, so he revealed the existence of Bio-terrorism with Terragrigia while orchestrating it.” Robert answered. “He was arrested in December I think?”

Rick gave a small nod. “That’s more or less that. Hence why the UN are taking their time with the BSAA.”

The door of the station opened and a short man with greying hair came in. From his uniform and the timing it was obvious he was Chief Campbell. Rick stood up and so did Angela.

“Jesus, you really are here. I thought Nicole was pranking me.” Campbell cleared his throat and offered his hand. “Thomas Cambell, Chief of Police of Mackenzie. Welcome to our little town.”

Rick shook his hand and so did Angela while they introduced themselves. Campbell invited them to his office for a private talk and offered them a seat, himself sitting down behind his desk.

“I honestly didn’t believe you’d be coming so fast to such a remote town in the far cold North of Canada.” The man confessed.

Rick made a confession of his own. “It is in fact Mackenzie’s location and remoteness which pushed it at the top of the BSAA’s list of investigations.”

That took the wind of Campbell, dumbfounded. “Oh? Really?”

“Yes.” Angela confirmed, crossing her legs. “Towns like Mackenzie are more often than not the base of operation of bio-terrorists for the development of BOW or viral agents.”

Campbell blinked. “Mackenzie a terrorist base of operation?” He really couldn’t believe it.

“Not the town itself, of course.” Rick clarified. “But there may be one in the surroundings. Hidden in the mountains or deep underground. The town could also be used as a testing area.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.” Campbell frowned. “There are only good hard working people here.”

“Hopefully, there is nothing of the sort and our investigation will prove it swiftly.”

“I hope so too. I called the BSAA because Albert and Dylan— That’s the coroner and the Conservation Officer— They’re good friends of mine. Been knowing them since we were six, trustworthy men. They said… whatever killed the victims wasn’t something they knew. It was Albert who suggested calling you and Dylan supported him.”

“You did well.” Rick reassured him. “It’s better we came and confirmed a false alert than having an outbreak on your hands and us unaware.”

“Alright… What… Do you need?”

Angela took the initiative this time. “All reports on the victims. Location where they were found, circumstances of their disappearances… We also need to meet the coroner to see their remains. It may give us an idea of what we’re working with.”

Rick chimed in. “An office or a huge desk for us to go through all that and the address of a good hotel for our stay.”

“I’ll have Nicole bring you the reports. There isn’t much regarding clues but we recorded everything we could. You can take the interrogation room, we rarely use it. As for the hotel, when you’re leaving the station go on your left and move forward through the crossroad, it will be directly on your left. It belongs to my cousin’s sister-in-law, I’ll make a call so you can have a discount.”

Angela thanked the man with a bright smile and stood up. The first thing she and Rick needed to do was settle down and take their marks.