Raccoon City Police Department.The Helipad.
Captain Enrico's reprimand washed over Havel like a gentle breeze.
Hidden behind the impassive mask of the S10 respirator, Havel sneered. If Enrico could see his face, the captain would probably punch him.
"Under the shotgun," Havel intoned, raising a gloved finger to the sky, "all beings are equal."
He struck a pose that he thought looked cool but probably just looked ridiculous to everyone else.
But he was serious. He knew why Bravo Team was destined to be wiped out. They were walking into a meat grinder with pea shooters. There were at least forty or fifty zombies in the Training Facility, not to mention the leech swarms, plague crawlers, and eliminators (zombie monkeys). If the whole team combined their 9mm ammo, they wouldn't have enough to kill half of them.
And their medic? Rebecca? Her "healing" capacity was directly proportional to her chest size—which was to say, nonexistent. Most of the team would die simply because they couldn't get a proper heal.
"Who..."
Smack!
Enrico slapped Havel's helmet.
"Who asked you for philosophy? I asked where you got this gear!"
Havel didn't even flinch. The heavy ballistic helmet absorbed the blow perfectly. Enrico, on the other hand, shook his hand, wincing in pain.
"Cough..."
Havel straightened up. "Report, Sir! I requisitioned this equipment from the armory using your name. The Chief was very cooperative. He said you were a man of great foresight and approved it immediately."
Enrico's face went dark.
Using my name? This brat had forged his authorization? That was insubordination! That was theft!
"You..." Enrico sputtered.
He wanted to scream. He wanted to throw this walking tank into the brig. But then he looked at his watch.
"Forget it," Enrico growled, massaging his temples. "We don't have time for this. I'll deal with you later. Bravo Team! Listen up!"
He turned to the squad.
"Our mission is to fly to the Arklay Mountains, investigate the serial murders, and locate the missing Ecliptic Express. We are on the clock! Move out! GO! GO! GO!"
Enrico knew better than to argue with a subordinate when lives were at stake. He shoved Havel toward the helicopter.
Whirrrrrrrr!
The rotors of the UH-1 Huey sliced through the air, creating a deafening roar. The skids vibrated against the concrete.
Havel climbed aboard, feeling a mix of excitement and dread. This was his first time in a helicopter. The rest of the team looked at him with amusement. Despite his weird behavior, the rookie had a sense of humor. He was a "character," and in a high-stress job, characters were welcome.
Edward Dewey took the pilot's seat. Enrico sat co-pilot. The rest of the team strapped into the rear bay. It was spacious enough for five men, even with Havel taking up the space of two.
"Liftoff!" Edward shouted.
Thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack...
The bird rose into the night sky. The wind rushed in through the open doors, cold and biting.
Below them, the lights of Raccoon City glittered like a sea of jewels. It was beautiful.
But ahead...
The Arklay Mountains were a void. A black abyss that swallowed all light. It looked dead. Silent. Foreboding.
Havel shivered. He knew what was waiting in that darkness.
The flight was short. Raccoon City was practically built on the edge of the wilderness. The mountains were rugged and undeveloped; aside from the train tracks, there were no roads, no streetlights, nothing. It was the perfect place for Umbrella to hide their dirty secrets.
As they flew over the dense forest, Enrico turned in his seat to brief the team.
"Listen up!"
"We have two objectives, so we're going to split up. Efficiency is key."
"First: Rebecca and Havel. You two are the rookies. Rebecca is our medic. Your priority is Search and Rescue. You will locate the Ecliptic Express and search for survivors."
"If you find anyone alive, radio Richard immediately. He has the comms gear to call for evac."
Enrico pointed a stern finger at Havel.
"Your job is to protect Rebecca. You're carrying enough firepower to level a small country. If I find out she got so much as a scratch because you were goofing off, I'll have your badge! Do you understand?"
"As for the rest of us... Kenneth, Forest, Richard, and I will head into the forest to investigate the source of the murders. We need to find the killer tonight."
Havel listened to the orders, feeling a sense of tragic irony.
Split up? Investigate the forest?
It sounded like a death sentence. It sounded like the kind of plan people made right before they died in a horror movie.
"Don't worry, Captain," Havel thought. "I'll keep Rebecca safe. She's safer with me than she is with your suicide squad."
Comparing the two missions, searching the train was actually the safer bet. The forest was crawling with Cerberus dogs and Marcus's leeches. The train was a confined space—perfect for shotguns.
"Underst—"
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Suddenly, the instrument panel lit up like a Christmas tree. Red warning lights flashed violently.
"What the—?" Edward's eyes went wide. He grabbed the collective, fighting the controls.
BOOM!
A violent explosion rocked the helicopter.
Black smoke poured from the rear engine cowling. Sparks showered into the night. The rhythmic thwack-thwack of the rotors turned into a sickly, grinding whine. The helicopter lurched, dropping like a stone.
"Damn it!" Edward screamed over the alarm. "Engine failure! Main turbine is gone! Did those mechanics fix this thing with duct tape?!"
The horizon tilted crazily. Trees rushed up to meet them.
"Hold on! Brace for impact! We're going down! I'm going to try to autorotate!"
Edward fought the stick, trying to flare the landing to keep them from turning into a fireball.
In the back, the team grabbed whatever they could hold onto.
Havel, encased in his armor and mask, remained oddly calm.
"Here we go," he whispered.
The classic Resident Evil helicopter crash.
The ride had officially begun.