Hearing Javier's provocation, Davis said nothing more, but his eyes turned cold, and no one could tell what he was thinking.
As the team tried to contain the remaining zombies, a new wave emerged from the rear compartment, advancing directly toward the group. Panic spread among the civilians—some screamed, others simply froze in fear.
Javier immediately opened fire on the zombies that appeared.
Davis observed the scene from a distance. Below him, the runway area was nearly cleared. Only a few zombies wandered across the tarmac. Then he glanced at the little girl beside him—Rani.
Without warning, Davis shoved Rani to the ground and ran, using the distraction to escape through the evacuation route.
The girl's scream cut through the air.
Javier quickly turned around. When he saw Davis fleeing and Rani lying among the undead, his eyes filled with rage.
"Bastard...!" Javier muttered, charging forward.
He rushed to Rani, scooped her up in his arms, and eliminated all the surrounding zombies.
The others soon arrived. Javier handed Rani to Claire.
"Protect her," he said firmly.
Leon and Javier fought their way to the exit, clearing out the remaining zombies in their path. The evacuation was chaotic, but the group finally made it out.
Outside, a military unit awaited them. As the survivors passed through the gate, they were directed to a quarantine zone. Armed troops took control of the airport, beginning the final cleanup operation.
After testing and finding no signs of infection, the main members of the team were cleared.
Javier and Claire brought Rani to the security fence, where the girl's aunt cried in relief upon seeing her again. It was a brief moment of peace… abruptly interrupted by a disgusting comment.
"Ugh, kids... I thought I'd never get out of that hell. And now I have to put up with this brat yapping," Davis said with a sneer, holding a cup of coffee.
Javier stared at him. Without a word, he walked up and punched Davis square in the face.
POW!
Davis hit the ground, unconscious. The punch was so powerful that the imprint of Javier's fist was left on his face.
A nearby soldier ran over to check on him but made no move to reprimand Javier. In fact, he even looked a bit relieved.
"That was the least he deserved," Claire said.
"After what he did to Rani, he should be grateful that's all he got." Claire felt a sense of relief watching Davis get taken down.
Two soldiers dragged Davis away like a sack of garbage. Even as a congressman, his cowardice was obvious—especially to the military.
While Claire calmed Rani, Javier spotted Leon, Angela, and Greg approaching.
"Thank you for saving me," Greg said sincerely.
Javier simply nodded. Angela, on the other hand, looked at him with an unreadable expression.
"This attack… it's a lot like what happened in India," Leon commented grimly.
"We captured one of General Grando's men. I believe he's behind this."
After hearing Leon's words, the group fell silent. Ever since Umbrella's downfall, the world had descended into chaos. The black market for the T-virus had grown, and terrorist groups were using bioweapons to spread panic and destruction worldwide.
At that moment, several armored trucks arrived. They bore the WillPharma logo on the sides. Technicians began unloading crates of vaccines to be administered to the people at the airport.
From the driver's seat, a man in a white lab coat stepped out: Frederic Downing.
"Well, well, you're still alive," he said, smiling.
"What are you doing here?" Claire asked, suspicious.
Davis, now conscious but with a swollen cheek, replied sarcastically:
"He's WillPharma's chief researcher. The mind behind the vaccine. You should be thanking him."
"The vaccine greatly reduces the virus's effectiveness. Even the government acknowledges that," Leon added.
Frederic Downing smiled. A soulless smile.
"This incident, in fact, is great for business. The vaccine will be sold in mass quantities. Every tragedy has its profit, after all," Frederic said with a grin. He didn't care about those who had died because of the virus—only about profits.
Claire and Angela exchanged uncomfortable glances. Still, they knew the vaccine was necessary. Saving lives was the priority.
Before anyone could respond, an explosion rocked the base.
One of WillPharma's trucks was engulfed in flames. Within seconds, more explosions followed. Chaos returned. Soldiers shouted, trying to contain the fire and rescue the injured.
"What happened? Why did it explode?" Claire asked, confused.
"The vaccines... they're all gone," Frederic muttered in shock.
"Those were all the doses?" Leon asked, stunned.
"Yes... our entire stock. That was everything we had."
"This was sabotage. Where's the terrorists' message? Why haven't they claimed responsibility yet?" Davis shouted.
"If you want, I can call the president right now!"
Leon looked at the group, his expression serious:
"The terrorists demand the truth about what happened in Raccoon City be revealed. If not, they'll spread the virus nationwide. The deadline is midnight."
Javier checked his watch. Only four hours remained.
"And without a vaccine..." Claire murmured.
"Do you have any leads on who's behind this?" Davis asked.
"I saw someone at the airport. I recognized him instantly... Curtis Miller," Leon replied.
"I know him. He's one of the most vocal opponents of building new research facilities," Davis said, intrigued.
"But if the terrorists just want the truth about Raccoon City revealed, they wouldn't need to recreate what happened there…" Claire said.
Angela's expression changed the moment she heard the name Curtis.
"What's wrong?" Javier stepped closer and asked.
"Did Leon say Curtis?!" she asked, visibly shaken.
"Yeah, do you know him?" Javier asked.
"Yes... He's my brother..."
The group went silent. Angela stayed strong.
"He would never do something like this," she insisted.
"Really? He's already been arrested for threatening a pharmaceutical company," Davis said cynically. "His record speaks for itself."
"He only wants the truth to come out!"
"Is that so? Too bad the others don't seem to share that goal. If what you say is true, then why not bring him here and let him tell us himself?" Davis said, taunting her.
Overwhelmed by anger, Angela turned away and walked off without another word.
Javier watched her for a moment, then turned to Claire.
"I'll go after her."
Claire nodded. Rani was still trembling in her arms, and the flames from the destroyed trucks continued to light up the night.
Time was ticking.
(End of chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."