....
Leon heard that and turned his head toward Allen, then glanced down at the lightsaber still in his hand.
"Well, Allen... I didn't expect you to have something this... strange," Leon said as he walked closer, one hand gripping his injured side. His breathing was still uneven, the adrenaline from the fight slowly fading.
"Leon, are you alright?" Carlos asked, stepping in to check him over, his eyes scanning Leon's neck and chest for any serious injuries.
"Yeah... I think I'm okay," Leon replied, rolling his shoulders as if testing his body. The pain was still there, but it wasn't enough to keep him from standing.
"Hahaha, that's a relief," Kevin said with a light laugh as he approached, clearly glad Leon was still alive. "But seriously, Allen—why didn't you share something this good earlier? And why only pull it out now?"
Claire, still being carried on Allen's back, looked just as curious. Her eyes remained fixed on the strange weapon in Leon's hand, clearly wondering why Allen had kept something like that hidden until now.
"Well, it's not like I was being stingy," Allen replied calmly. "That thing is just a prototype. It's unfinished—and extremely power-hungry. It can only stay active for a few minutes at most. After a single use, it burns itself out. Besides, I can only make one unit for now."
Almost on cue, the lightsaber in Leon's hand began to flicker.
The crimson blade dimmed, then vanished completely as the weapon lost power.
A faint hiss followed, and the casing started to discolor. Heat damage spread across its surface as if the internal components were frying themselves from the inside out.
"Oh... I see. Well, uh... thanks, by the way. For this," Leon said, looking at the now-ruined device before handing it back to Allen.
"No problem, buddy," Allen replied, taking it and inspecting it briefly.
"Well, it looks like this thing is completely junk now," he said after checking it. All of the internal components had melted beyond repair.
Then, without hesitation, he tossed it straight into a nearby trash bin.
Leon watched the lightsaber get thrown away so casually, feeling a brief sense of regret.
It was a shame to see something that powerful discarded without a second thought. But considering it was completely useless now, there wasn't much he could say.
In the end, all he could do was shake his head.
"Alright, if things are finally calm for now, how about we take a break at the evacuation shelter?" Carlos said, lowering his weapon as he looked around, making sure there were no more immediate threats.
After that, they headed toward the public parking area near the Clock Tower. The place was crowded—hundreds of civilians had gathered there, huddled together, waiting anxiously for the next evacuation transport. Some sat on the ground, others leaned against vehicles, their faces filled with exhaustion, fear, and fragile hope.
Allen scanned the area carefully. Amid the crowd, he noticed a familiar figure—Mikhail. He was clearly injured, sitting against a barricade with makeshift bandages, his posture stiff but still alert.
"Captain," Carlos called out as he approached.
Mikhail lifted his head and looked toward him. "Oh… thank God. You're all alive," he said with a tired smile. Then his gaze shifted to Allen. "Looks like you brought some impressive people with you."
"Good to see you again, Allen. I didn't expect to run into you here," Mikhail continued. "And by the way—thank you for the vaccine supplies. They really made a difference."
He exhaled slowly, relief clear in his voice. Thanks to the vaccine previously delivered by the Black Rose team, they had been able to save more civilians—and just as importantly, keep their own men from falling to the infection.
"You're welcome, Captain. By the way… when do you think we'll be able to get out of here?" Allen asked. It was clear from his tone that he had no intention of staying in this place any longer than necessary.
Mikhail let out a slow breath before answering. "The next helicopter is scheduled to arrive in about four hours," he said. "We're also trying to contact the federal troops stationed in the northern sector, hoping they can send additional helicopters to speed up the civilian evacuation."
He paused, his expression darkening slightly. "But so far… we haven't received any response."
Mikhail shook his head faintly. At this point, they weren't expecting much from the military anyway. Their current affiliation with Umbrella had only complicated things—trust was thin, and suspicion ran high. Whatever help might come would likely arrive too late, if it arrived at all.
Allen simply nodded when he heard that, but his attention quickly shifted. Not far from them, he noticed a man walking with a limp, heavy bandages wrapped around his groin. Allen recognized him instantly.
Nikolai…
Seeing that, Allen stepped toward Carlos.
"What is it, Allen? Do you need something?" Carlos asked, noticing Allen approaching with a serious expression.
"Hey… why is that guy here?" Allen said quietly, glancing toward the man sitting in the corner, drinking water. "Didn't I already warn you about someone named Nikolai?"
Carlos followed Allen's gaze and frowned slightly. "Ah… sorry. I didn't know that was him," he replied. "We found him near the northern sector. After treating his wounds, we asked for his name—but he claimed his name was Sergei."
Allen blinked at that.
Unbelievable… this guy really has the nerve to use that name, Allen thought to himself. For a brief moment, he almost felt like giving Nikolai a thumbs-up for the sheer audacity.
"Don't worry, Allen," Carlos said. "I'll talk to the Captain about this."
Carlos immediately walked over to Mikhail and pointed discreetly in Nikolai's direction. After hearing the report, Mikhail turned his gaze toward Nikolai, his expression hardening. He gave a short nod, then called over several men and issued quiet orders.
Not long after, Nikolai was summoned and escorted away to a location far from the evacuation area.
What happened next remained a mystery—whether he was executed, expelled, or simply left to his fate was unknown. What was certain, however, was that Mikhail wanted that man nowhere near his team ever again.
"Allen, what were you talking about with Carlos earlier?" Claire asked, her tone curious. She couldn't help but wonder if something serious had happened.
"Oh, that?" Allen replied calmly. "I was just warning Carlos about a mercenary who was working as an Umbrella spy. But it looks like Mikhail already dealt with him."
"I see…" Claire said, understanding. Not long ago, she had noticed a few mercenaries escorting someone away from the area. From the way things looked, she guessed that person had been taken care of and wouldn't be a problem anymore.
"Alright then," Allen said after that, "we should rest here for now while we wait for the evacuation helicopter."
With that, Allen gently lifted Claire again and sat down, letting her rest her head comfortably on his lap. The tension in her body slowly eased as exhaustion finally began to catch up with her.
"Yeah… okay," Claire replied softly, clearly pleased by the attention.
Naturally, Rachel and Ada weren't about to be left out. Rachel leaned against Allen's shoulder, while Ada settled beside him, resting against his thigh. Seeing this, Claire let out a small laugh, amused by how the girls clearly showed a hint of jealousy. She shifted slightly, making room and allowing Ada to share the space with her, the moment settling into a quiet, fragile peace as they waited.
....
Meanwhile, over at Raccoon City University, Vector was leading Black Rose Team through the ruined campus. It didn't take long before they ran into Echo Six.
The moment Echo Six spotted them, the atmosphere instantly turned hostile.
"Hey! Stop right there! Who the hell are you?" Jertingham shouted, raising his weapon as he stared at the three armed figures ahead of them.
The Black Rose operatives—three soldiers clad in black combat gear—turned toward Echo Six in unison. Their armor looked different from standard military equipment, completely sealed from head to toe, leaving no visible gaps at all. In a split second, all three raised their weapons and aimed straight at Echo Six, ready to fire.
Before things could escalate, Vector lifted his hand.
"Hold your fire," Vector ordered calmly, stopping Hector and Spectre from pulling the trigger. His voice was firm but controlled. He had noticed someone familiar among Echo Six—Sienna.
Seeing that the three soldiers hadn't fired, Jertingham hesitated for a moment before signaling his own team.
"Stand down. Don't shoot," he commanded, though his grip on his rifle remained tight.
"Captain… I think I know who they are," Sienna said suddenly. She quickly stepped closer to Jertingham, lowering her weapon. There was recognition in her eyes now.
She had seen them before.
These weren't just any soldiers—they were Allen's private mercenaries, the elite unit known as Black Rose, led by Karena.
Sienna then explained who they were to Jertingham, and his reaction was immediate. His eyes widened slightly as the realization sank in. The fact that Allen had his own private military unit was clearly not something he had expected.
"That's… unexpected," Jertingham muttered under his breath, giving the Black Rose operatives another cautious look.
Vector stepped forward a few paces and lowered his weapon completely.
"Miss Sienna," Vector said respectfully, giving her a slight nod.
"Oh—hey. By the way, what are you guys doing here?" Sienna asked, tilting her head with curiosity.
"We're currently on assignment," Vector replied calmly. "Our objective is to hunt down Umbrella military personnel responsible for attacking evacuation helicopters using sniper teams."
That explanation made the situation suddenly feel much heavier.
"Hey, Sienna," Marissa said as she walked closer, lowering her rifle. "Why do these guys seem way too respectful toward you?"
Sienna crossed her arms, a faintly smug smile forming on her face.
"Well, besides working as Allen's personal mercenary unit," she said casually, "they're also secretly assigned as protection. For the women close to him."
She paused for effect. "Including me" there was a hint of pride in her voice as she spoke.
"Damn," Marissa whistled quietly. "That explains why they're treating you like VIP royalty."
The Black Rose operatives remained silent, disciplined, and unmoving—silent confirmation that Sienna's words were absolutely true.
"Alright, enough small talk," Jertingham said, finally stepping forward. "By the way—do you know anything about a professor named Peter Jenkins?"
Vector didn't answer.
He didn't even look at him.
The deliberate silence was obvious, and it made the tension hang in the air for a brief moment. Jertingham frowned, then slowly turned his head toward Sienna, clearly hoping she'd step in. Caroline and Marissa couldn't help but chuckle quietly at their captain being ignored so cleanly.
"Okay, okay," Sienna sighed. "Just answer the question, Vector."
Vector shifted his attention immediately.
"Negative, ma'am," he replied calmly. "However, if you require it, we can assist in locating him."
Sienna glanced back at her captain. Jertingham nodded without hesitation—having three heavily armed professionals like these on their side would make the search a lot easier.
"Alright then," Sienna said. "Come with us."
The three Black Rose operatives fell into formation without another word, moving alongside Echo Six as they advanced deeper into the university laboratory sector.
The difference in combat efficiency quickly became apparent.
Zombies barely had time to react before precise shots dropped them. B.O.Ws were neutralized with cold efficiency—clean movements, perfect coordination, no wasted motion. The Black Rose team moved like seasoned predators, clearing corridors as if they'd trained for this exact environment.
"Damn," Jertingham muttered under his breath, watching another creature fall.
"Their combat technique… it's insane. This isn't just training—this is what hunters look like after years in the field."
The Black Rose operatives didn't respond.
They simply kept moving forward, weapons ready, eyes locked on the darkness ahead.
.....
Meanwhile, Albert Wesker had already returned to Raccoon City.
He entered through a hidden underground railway line—one of Umbrella's classified transit routes that connected directly into the city. This time, his objective was clear: infiltrate the area once again and secure a sample of the G-Serum.
Wesker moved through the shadows with ease, a tablet device glowing faintly in his hand. The screen was linked directly to the city's CCTV network as well as Umbrella's underground laboratory surveillance systems.
"Where are you, William…" Wesker muttered coldly, switching between camera feeds with practiced precision.
Street cameras.
Laboratory corridors.
Transit tunnels.
Finally, he found him.
William Birkin—alive, injured, and currently hiding along the transport route sector.
Wesker's expression darkened slightly. Disappointment flickered across his face when he realized what that location implied. A confrontation was imminent—Umbrella's private military forces and Federation units were converging on the same area.
However, that disappointment quickly turned into interest.
According to the data feeds, Nemesis had already been deployed.
And more intriguingly… Thanatos was also active.
Two Tyrants.
One battlefield.
The potential combat data alone was invaluable.
A slow, satisfied smile formed on Wesker's face.
Without another moment of hesitation, he shut off the tablet, adjusted his dark glasses, and stepped forward into the darkness—moving swiftly toward the transport route.
This was an opportunity he had no intention of missing.