The meeting had already been underway for some time. Because the documents, photos, and reports salvaged and transmitted from Raccoon City were so extensive—a thick stack—Vera selected the key points and went over the T-Virus situation once more.
Why not mention the G-Virus? Because she did not know about it.
Vera had no interest in what the Pentagon—or, more directly, those generals secretly colluding with William Birkin—were thinking. Judging by their expressions, though—We don't know anything.
After thoroughly reviewing the materials, the president said, "Okay, Ms. Russell, you are the expert in this field. Regarding the T- and G-Viruses, according to your side's on-site investigation, the Arklay Mountains have also been contaminated. Raccoon City's water supply system, underground sewage pipes, and the Mendes River basin within the city have all been polluted... If we want to eradicate it completely..."
"It will be difficult."
Vera shook her head.
"According to the files, the first case of 'Cannibal Disease' in Raccoon City occurred after a citizen drank water contaminated with the T-Virus. Although my knowledge of viral biology is limited, even a rough estimate shows that it will require enormous amounts of money and time. The best solution is to seal it off, like Chernobyl."
"Water can dilute the T-Virus. At its root, the T-Virus is an RNA virus; its genetic material is based on ribonucleic acid. Without a host, it cannot survive in nature for long. The only concern is rats, cockroaches, birds, and aquatic creatures that have consumed the T-Virus and now carry it. They can move. Though they lose the instinct to migrate after infection and remain where they are, leaving them unchecked for too long could allow the virus to spread."
The president frowned at Vera's words. "Simmons."
Having this mess of a Raccoon City incident happen during his term was frustrating enough. And now it could spread?!
Simmons said, "Mr. President, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have already taken action. The Colorado National Guard has also completely sealed off Raccoon City's major transport routes and erected dams to block rivers passing through the city."
The president looked at Vera again.
The meaning was obvious: keep going. You were responsible for filling in the gaps.
Of everyone present, you possessed the highest level of technical expertise. You also came from Umbrella. As a staff advisor handling the Raccoon City incident, no one was more qualified.
Vera pondered for a moment.
"Besides unprotected physical contact with raw T-Virus solution, infection can occur through bites from infected individuals or carriers, the mixing of bodily fluids... and contact with animals that have consumed infected carrion. These are verified transmission methods. At present, unless one is inside an enclosed space where raw T-Virus solution has vaporized, airborne transmission is unlikely."
"That is the only good news in this disaster," the Army Chief of Staff said. "Are there any preventive measures, Ms. Russell?"
"Yes. My U.S.F recovered samples and finished products of T-Virus vaccines, inhibitors, and neutralizers. Many Umbrella researchers who possessed this technology were also rescued."
"Excellent." The president and generals all showed approving expressions. "Mass-produce the T-Virus vaccine, Advisor Russell. This task is yours."
"No problem."
Vera accepted the assignment. The congressmen, generals, and politicians were afraid of dying. They needed vaccines for peace of mind.
The various parties exchanged questions and answers, quickly forming an initial plan for T-Virus containment. "That is the situation. As for Raccoon City itself, do any of you have further thoughts?" The president shifted the discussion back to Raccoon City.
The spread had been temporarily stopped, but no one could rest easy with a biological bomb like Raccoon City sitting on American soil. It would also consume time and resources. What if some idiot went in exploring and came back out carrying the virus? Vera's Chernobyl-style lockdown proposal was rejected.
"Use incendiary bombs. Carpet-bomb it, like LeMay's firebombing campaign. Set Raccoon City ablaze and burn every infected person and virus carrier inside to ashes. High-temperature incineration should kill the virus."
"Not suitable. The success of burning Tokyo depended on the fact that Tokyo in the last century was largely built from wood. Raccoon City consists mostly of modern concrete, steel, and masonry structures. Firebombing may not be very effective..."
"Spray T-Virus inhibitors into the atmosphere and conduct targeted artificial rainfall over Raccoon City."
"It treats the symptoms, not the root cause."
"I propose using a nuclear weapon."
As the generals and Secretary of Defense voiced their opinions, Simmons stood up.
His words were like pressing a mute button, instantly shrouding his White House colleagues in silence.
Without retreating in the slightest, Simmons braced both hands on the table and leaned forward, pressing his advantage. "Since the biological crisis in Raccoon City is beyond recovery, in order to eliminate all future dangers and completely solve the issue of viral leakage, I propose using a nuclear weapon to thoroughly sterilize Raccoon City."
"Mr. President, we absolutely cannot allow the virus to spread any further. The sooner this is resolved, the lower the possibility of further spread!"
The president's face showed his struggle.
North American soil had never been attacked. Japan was the only country in the world to have been hit by nuclear weapons. Now America was going to be bombed too? With bombs it dropped on its own home?
"I agree." It was the Secretary of Defense. He stood and swept his gaze across the War Room. "If none of you have a truly effective solution, this is the safest option."
"Agreed."
"Agreed." The generals raised their hands one after another in support.
Perhaps they had already considered nuking the city. They simply had not wanted to be the first to say it.
"Ms. Russell." The president looked at Vera last.
With a grave expression, Vera frowned and thought for a moment before nodding with difficulty. "In terms of subsequent containment costs and safety, this is the most reliable approach. I agree with Mr. Simmons's proposal."
"But..." She drew out the word.
Simmons narrowed his eyes instinctively.
"Spraying T-Virus inhibitors into the atmosphere surrounding Raccoon City while launching carpet incendiary bombing against the city—I believe that is feasible."
Vera emphasized the point, then looked toward the generals across the conference table.
"This is the world's first major biological crisis. The entire world is watching us. We must demonstrate that we have done everything possible and reduce the public pressure surrounding the final deployment of a nuclear weapon as much as possible. Militech is willing to do its part and provide the new incendiary bombs with our fullest support."
Vera seized the opening.
You were the ones who suggested it.
Militech was willing to become the military's supplier of aerial bombs. This was a perfect chance to clear inventory, upgrade equipment, and secure military funding. Did you want it or not?
The Air Force Chief of Staff understood.
"Agreed."
The generals from the other two branches merely smiled. Let the Air Force have this one first.
Simmons nodded at Vera as well.
He was very pleased with this ally.
"Then the resolution passes. Chief of Staff, draft an emergency bill authorizing the launch of a nuclear weapon and submit it to Congress!"
Having made up his mind, the president pointed at the map of Raccoon City on the screen. "Before the 28th, evacuate everyone from Raccoon City and carry out sterilization operations against it!"
"Establish a joint command. Advisor Russell, you will serve as coordinator. The federal government is formally hiring your private military contractor. Make sure the surviving civilians are evacuated. That fine young man named Chris Redfield must be brought out safely. I want to award him a medal."
With that, the president nodded to everyone present, then rose and left the War Room.
He needed to go argue with Congress and push the emergency bill through.
"Executive Vera, according to Delta Force, your company's U.S.F and its newly equipped individual combat system were quite impressive... We are very interested. Perhaps we can cooperate in the future?"
The president had left first, but the War Room did not immediately adjourn. While Vera and Simmons discussed matters in front of the map, the Army Chief of Staff approached them.
"It would be Militech's honor, General."
Vera smiled happily and extended her hand. "That was merely a pre-market combat test. The real customers are right in front of us. I believe the opportunity is already here—we need not wait until the future."
She issued an invitation. "Would you be interested in visiting Militech's exhibition center in Washington?"
Thirty minutes later, Vera suppressed her joy and left the White House wearing an expression of sorrow for the citizens.
The guards and bodyguards waiting outside on the White House lawn immediately gathered around her. Without slowing her pace, she strode toward her car beneath the gazes of White House staff and reporters.
The moment the car door closed and the one-way glass rose, Vera rubbed her face, which felt almost stiff, and pulled out a dedicated satellite phone.
"Andreyev, the evidence-gathering mission is complete. Change the operational objective: rescue the survivors of Raccoon City and cooperate with the military and U.B.C.S. in rescue operations. You know what I mean. Make sure to capture footage of the rescues. Deadline: before the military's carpet bombing at 6:00 p.m. on September 27, 1998."
"Broadcast across the entire city. Publicly announce that the White House Side has approved a complete sterilization operation through the deployment of a nuclear weapon on the 28th."
September 28—two days earlier than the original timeline. Because of her influence and efforts, the nuclear blast had been moved forward.
To clean up her image and go legitimate, she had to put on a complete show. Once everything was over, Vera's share of the T-Virus and the related extracted raw samples of the Progenitor Virus had already been transported back to California overnight.
Beep. Beep.
Then Vera made another call.
"U.S.F mobile units, Teams Two and Three, deploy."
"Team Three will cooperate with military special forces. This is an exhibition match, a product showcase. Team Two, locate the remaining U.S.S personnel in Raccoon City. Rescue them and persuade them to surrender. Save anyone still breathing. Missing arms or legs are no problem—I will replace them. Eliminate anyone who resists to the end."
Militech's Shadow Slowly Rises
September 26, afternoon.
Continuous gunfire and sporadic explosions still formed the main soundtrack of Raccoon City.
"Fire."
The gunshot thundered out, and brilliant flames looked exceptionally glaring beneath the overcast evening sky.
Blood splattered across the ground. William Birkin—no, more accurately, the G-Creature—spun helplessly through the air several times before crashing heavily onto the ground.
Dr. William's head had already been squeezed down into his chest by distorted flesh, covered by layers of membrane, and digested and swallowed by G's flesh.
"Roar—!"
It let out a roar. The eyeball on its enormous right arm, bloodshot and bulging, stared fixedly toward the source of the muzzle flash. At the wounds where its body had been torn into two, fresh flesh buds like foul-smelling blood and intestines, along with protruding shards of bone, entwined, connected, and expanded.
Visible to the naked eye, the monster became increasingly ferocious.
The G-Creature's upper and lower halves, which had been severed apart, fused back together. Its body swelled again, its muscles bulged anew, and sharp bone spurs pierced through the connection along its spine. Like a twisted long-bodied serpent, it crawled along the ground with its upper body heavier than its lower half.
It was even more deformed now, having completely lost any semblance of humanity.
Clang!
A shell casing fell. The soldier who had pulled the trigger ejected the spent round and loaded another shell.
On the rooftop of a high-rise, piled with weapon crates still bearing unwiped red-and-white Umbrella logos, a Delta officer lowered his binoculars and spoke gravely to the private military contractors around him.
"You U.S.F chose that thing as your showcase target. Be careful you do not screw this up. That monster absolutely cannot leave Raccoon City..."
"Of course. But please refer to us as M.S.F. U.S.F is a thing of the past."
The M.S.F commander crossed his arms and spoke proudly.
Umbrella; Militech. Now that they had become legal, their designation naturally changed from U.S.F to M.S.F—Militech Special Force, M.S.F.
"Militech came here for precisely that reason. This reusable recoilless rifle for individual soldiers is merely an appetizer. Watch closely. The future direction of recoilless weapons will be displayed here."
As he spoke, the monster—whose hands and feet had begun transforming into beastly forms—suddenly leaped forward, cracking the ground beneath its feet!
It was savage and ugly. If they suddenly encountered such a monster in urban combat, even fully armed Delta Force or SEAL teams would probably be wiped out, but—
This was a fire position established by a modern military.
Terrifying kinetic force slammed into the G-Creature's body. Whether thickened keratinous flesh or proliferated bone, all of it shattered at that instant.
The enlarged eyeball on its right arm burst apart. The joint where its arm had evolved into a massive claw exploded into a cloud of blood mist. Having lost its direction, the G-Creature crashed violently into a building wall. After a dull boom, broken stones and dust scattered everywhere. It fell down and smashed heavily into the ground.
"In the past, in order to ensure that a single shot struck its target, they had to account for countless factors that could affect the bullet's trajectory. Today, with an integrated observation helmet, after target data and magnified images are fed in, specialized optical sights and ballistic compensators automatically calculate deviations in the firing trajectory."
As the M.S.F commander explained, two former Umbrella, now Militech M.S.F soldiers at the rooftop sniper positions wore sleek integrated helmets and expressionlessly pulled the triggers of their massive weapons again.
Accompanied by two deafening gunshots.
Tungsten Dart Rounds tore through the air at astonishing speed and slammed into the fallen G-Creature. One struck G's head; the other struck the location where William Birkin's head had once been, where traces of dull yellow hair could still vaguely be seen.
At the moment of impact, the ground beneath the G-Creature seemed to have been struck by a massive hammer, instantly cracking apart. The bullets' impact left deep, charred holes in the G-Creature's body, surrounded by layers of split flesh.
"This is a prototype electromagnetic weapon. Though it remains far from meeting the requirements for individual portability, it is enough."
"Next is a demonstration of the long-range sustained-fire stability of the Militech Type 1 heavy machine gun. It uses .70-caliber programmable fin-stabilized discarding-sabot armor-piercing rounds. As long as you can observe the target, its effective range exceeds 4,000 meters..."
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
"At ranges between 300 and 10 meters, we will demonstrate the Ajax Type 1 assault rifle, Defender Type 1 light machine gun, and Tactician Type 1 shotgun in sequence..."
"That is outrageous..."
Drip.
Inside the dim cable-car tunnel, a red-clad Asian woman with short black hair cut to her ears, wearing an Umbrella researcher's white lab coat over her clothes, bent her knees and jumped down from the elevator platform. She entered the underground laboratory Umbrella had built for William Birkin's virus research, only to find the entrance guard station devastated.
The steel structures that should have been clean and bright were covered in dents. Several cables, sparking with flames, hung from the shattered ceiling and sizzled. A feeble warning announcement continued to play.
Before you continue