Many members of Vera's U.S.F. security forces, bodyguard teams, and emergency response units—or simply the organizers and trainers of entire departments—came from that collapsed pole of the world.
It could be said that after the dissolution of the CCCP, every military contractor, security company, and force aspiring to build a private army for its corporation, including Umbrella, had their fill.
After 1991, thanks to the "shock therapy" of the newly installed drunkard, the economy of the newborn Russian Federation did not improve. It continued to deteriorate, teetering on the brink of collapse.
The increasingly brutal pressure of survival made life even more agonizing for the already impoverished masses after the upheaval of '91. Countless unemployed people who had resigned or been cut from the military, and who had once worked in the CCCP's vast internal affairs and intelligence department, had no choice but to completely abandon their former ideals and seek work elsewhere.
Otherwise, they would have nothing to eat, and their entire families would starve to death.
And what else could they do?
Other than their professions, what else did they know how to do?
The former CCCP had trained their skills. Now, with their faith and ideals shattered, they were starving and freezing. Vera took them in and gave them respectable work that could support their family members, and they served Vera's company.
Moreover, Vera brought their family members over from Russia as well.
She purchased vast tracts of wasteland near Canada in Washington State on the West Coast and built several Umbrella employee communities. They had elementary schools, hospitals, and basic recreational facilities, and nearly all of them were employed by the Umbrella California Branch under Vera's control.
Using them as living examples and leveraging their former circles, Vera continuously poached talent from the Russians: soldiers, security personnel, internal affairs officers, teachers and graduates from architecture, engineering, and mathematics departments—she wanted talent from every field.
At the same time, she did not forget to send numerous procurement agents to the Russian Far East, Ukraine, the Baltic states, Kazakhstan, and other newly independent nations to buy, buy, buy, exchanging daily necessities and food for all kinds of advanced equipment and weapons blueprints.
It was not until early 1998, when signs that a certain formidable figure in Russia was coming to power became increasingly clear, that Vera stopped.
By then, her private armed forces had long since been assembled and trained.
Naturally, Vera understood the principle of not putting all her eggs in one basket, so she began recruiting more heavily from the US Military, Europe, Mexico, and other Latin American regions.
"U.B.C.S.—recruit as many as you can, but mind the limits. One sentence: the mission takes top priority. I have reviewed the personnel list of the company administrators and researchers rescued from Raccoon City. Their survival and testimony are important."
After sorting out Andreyev's motives, Vera did not micromanage him further. Instead, she successively asked about the filming of the U.S.F. rescue footage and the progress of collecting evidence of William Birkin's crimes, the data from B.O.W. human experiments, and information on the Tyran Project...
"Very good. I will speak with the National Security Advisor shortly. Watch for the military's contact signal. They will send people to receive the T-Virus and its inhibitor."
Toying with the red-and-white silver umbrella-shaped brooch in her hand, Vera's lips curved slightly after receiving a satisfactory answer. She then ended her call with Andreyev.
Buzz buzz—
Vera picked up her phone and glanced at the text message that had just arrived. "Have you been waiting long?" This was her private number.
Sender: Drake C. Simmons
It seemed you had finally taken the most correct step.
Under Spencer's mistaken leadership and desires, Umbrella had already threatened social stability.
Happy independence, my friend.
Now, I suppose I should call you the Chief Executive Officer of Militech.
The President wanted to see you, Ms. Vera Adelheid.
The curve of Vera's lips shifted again as she tapped her phone's touchscreen.
Send.
I have a gift for you too, Mr. Drake.
Simmons: I look forward to it.
Good. Let your family help me study it first, then. Carla Radames, do not disappoint me...
Vera revealed a thoroughly ill-intentioned smile.
Vera was very interested in researching and improving the T-Virus, but the timing was not right. Since Simmons and the Pentagon were so interested, she might as well grant them a favor.
It would also further establish her ignorance and public image.
I, Vera, have nothing to do with the Raccoon City incident!
For years, I had focused only on my own little patch of land. I had never touched virus research, nor did I know anything about the mass-production progress of B.O.W.s.
Though she had noticed and suspected some things, she had not expected Spencer and William Birkin to go this far.
That was the truth.
As for completely giving up genetic research and use of the T-Virus and its derivative viruses? Impossible. Vera was not that foolish.
It was simply not the right time yet.
Umbrella... no, it should be called Militech from now on. As a strategic partner of the Pentagon, it would always have opportunities to access the results. Besides, the T-Virus and inhibitors rescued by the U.S.F. department when it arrived in Raccoon City days ahead of schedule were far more than a single dose.
They had even found the Progenitor Virus, along with the experimental "Great Black Leech" used to extract leech DNA.
One copy would go to the Pentagon, one Vera would keep for herself, and one... needed to travel to a very distant place—Arasaka.
By restructuring the Umbrella California Branch into Militech, inheriting the USA regional lobbying system, and building good relations with Washington officials and the Pentagon, Vera had extricated herself.
But everything had its advantages and disadvantages.
It meant that for quite a long time, she and her Militech could not engage in research involving B.O.W.s or bio-weapons.
Although Vera had never thought highly of pure B.O.W.s and believed Cyborgs combining B.O.W.s with cybernetics had greater development potential.
But her competitors in the industry would not care. They would keep a close eye on her.
Militech might inherit Umbrella's pharmaceutical and medical hardware businesses, but related improvement research would likely be unable to move an inch. After all, it was based on virology. At least for the next few years, Militech needed to be extremely cautious about virus research and keep it hidden.
Vera was not in a hurry.
Umbrella's current legacy was enough to sustain her for several years.
She would first build Militech's framework, then talk.
While Umbrella was burdened with sanctions, its assets frozen, and headed toward bankruptcy and collapse, was this not the best time for her to gather and restructure Umbrella's legacy? Especially the African Research Center in the Dibaya region of West Africa...
Calming herself, Vera quietly waited for the connection arranged by Simmons, the White House National Security Advisor, with the White House Side.
Beep beep—
At that moment, the screen emitted a dialing sound.
Connection established.
Adjusting her posture, Vera stopped monitoring Raccoon City and accepted the video call.
After the emblem of a bald eagle with a shield design on its chest appeared, a middle-aged man in a dark suit came into view. The iconic oval room with white walls and blue carpeting was the famous Oval Office in the West Wing of the White House.
Before the presidential seal appeared, Vera hid the joy on her face and spoke with an expression of grief. "Mr. President, I am Vera Adelheid Russell."
Everyone Ate Their Fill
Military.
The first impression it always gave people was stability, reliability, and durability.
That was the new image I hoped to present to the public.
Military products might not always mean the most expensive or the best, but they certainly emphasized mass-produced models, standardized quality, and reasonably priced bulk goods.
The most advanced science and technology were always applied to the military field first.
It was not that better products could not be made, but rather a matter of economic consideration.
Military represented the forefront of exploration in technological fields.
Technology.
It linked science and engineering together.
Science solved theoretical problems; technology solved practical ones.
Every advancement in human society was accompanied by progress in science and technology.
Militech was my answer.
Military represented that I would fulfill the civic responsibilities granted to me by God and the Constitution, never fleeing from them. Technology was a warning to remind me not to forget my original purpose. We would rise from the ashes, break through the shadow called Umbrella, and once again stand at the forefront of technology.
Rustle—
In the House of Representatives within the Capitol Building atop the twenty-five-meter-high Capitol Hill in the District of Columbia, clerks and reporters in the second-floor gallery either frowned in thought or bent over their notes, recording the non-legislator speaker's account at this emergency session of why Umbrella was being restructured into Militech.
An emergency legislative session was underway.
1998/9/26
Morning.
Inside this 233-meter-long, three-story Neoclassical building, the world's first extraordinarily severe Resident Evil incident—the Raccoon City incident—was fully exposed.
Vera Adelheid Russell, former Umbrella Board Member and head of its USA region, submitted to the White House, Congress, and Supreme Court the evidence rescued from Raccoon City proving that Umbrella Corporation had secretly conducted research into bioweapon viruses and bioweapons!
If it were adapted into a Hollywood movie, it would be a story filled with overcoming adversity, finding one's way back, and turning over a new leaf, with the classic American lone-hero spirit.
From that moment onward, former Raccoon City Police Department S.T.A.R.S. member Chris Redfield became a hero known throughout the United States and even the entire world!
In Vera's vivid account, it was this young special officer named Chris who had secretly infiltrated Umbrella's industrial park in San Francisco, prepared to be shot dead by guards on the spot just to meet her. He convinced her with his own experiences and the evidence he had obtained.
William Birkin's conspiracy had lured the young man and his S.T.A.R.S. teammates into the mansion Umbrella built in the 1960s and 1970s, turning them into Little White test subjects for bioweapon viruses and B.O.W.s.
Most of his teammates were killed or wounded. Only he and a few others barely escaped death.
After finally escaping alive, he faced Umbrella's relentless suppression. Even S.T.A.R.S. was forcibly disbanded.
When he wanted to expose them, he received death threats more than once.
He did not even dare meet the sister he depended on for one another's survival. He could only go to Europe alone to investigate. Even after finding nothing and seeing no possibility of victory, he did not give up. He still dared to stand against Umbrella head-on.
Finally, hard work paid off. A surviving teammate's suggestion and speculation showed him another path.
Even though that method was far from mature, the sense of justice in his heart and his guilt toward his fallen comrades made him unwilling to keep waiting. Every day of waiting meant more innocent victims, so he resolutely put it into action.
The result was good. Through his efforts, Umbrella split apart, and since there were still more good people in the world, the evidence from Raccoon City was transported out before it could be destroyed.
Look, what a proper story, was it not?
That Chris Redfield was supposedly still in Raccoon City at that very moment, rescuing teammates and digging up Umbrella's crimes.
A true tough guy—he did not compromise, yield, or retreat. He had clearly escaped the hell that was Raccoon City, yet he went back.
A retired Air Force pilot, a crack shot, a former police officer, a special officer...
With all those buffs stacked together, what a righteous image!
As for Director Vera, a genius and billionaire who had long been at odds with William Birkin, the instigator of the Raccoon City incident—it was normal for someone inexperienced in the world to have been deceived by that old vampire Spencer. And Americans loved a story of finding one's way back and turning over a new leaf.
Before the central dais modeled after the Roman Pantheon, built primarily of white marble and steeped in ancient Roman Revival style, Vera, as an invited speaker, concluded her appearance before the House of Representatives by pledging not to repeat past mistakes, emphasizing civic responsibility and duty, and announcing the restructuring into Militech.
Yes, an appearance.
Although Vera still did not have the status of a legislator, after speaking with the President, she had obtained the title of advisor.
A White House technology advisor, a think tank-type role.
Claiming she had absolutely no power would be nonsense, but it certainly could not compare to Simmons's role as National Security Advisor.
The Speaker of the House brought down the gavel heavily.
"Three hundred ninety-nine votes in favor, five against, and thirty-one abstentions. Three hundred ninety-eight to eighteen. I declare that the sanctions and asset-freezing bill has passed. Umbrella Corporation bears primary responsibility for the Raccoon City Resident Evil incident and has committed serious violations of the law. All Umbrella activities in the United States shall cease immediately."
Clap clap clap—
Thunderous applause erupted.
"A perfect speech. Militech—what a good name... Ms. Russell, have you considered entering politics? I could serve as your party sponsor."
"Sir, thank you for your kindness, but I do not have such plans for now. Whenever I think of Raccoon City..."
As she stepped down from the podium, Vera looked at the balding middle-aged politician with deep-set eyes who had approached her and shook his head gently. "The mess William Birkin caused was far too great."
House Majority Whip.
Before you continue