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The night stretched endlessly over the Nevada desert, blanketed in silence and dust. A few small bonfires flickered weakly, fighting the cold wind. Static crackled through an old radio, a woman's tired voice echoing through the dark.
"This is Claire Redfield's convoy. We're looking for other survivors. Location—Desert Camel Inn, coordinates thirty-five by one-fourteen. Does anyone hear us? Repeat, does anyone hear us?"
A gloved hand reached out and switched the radio off. It was Alice. She sat alone by the fire, the orange glow reflecting in her weary eyes. Earlier that day, she had picked up a notebook from an abandoned gas station—pages filled with Umbrella's codes and sketches. Now, under the pale moonlight, she studied it carefully, tracing each symbol as if it might whisper an answer.
After a while, she sighed, closed the notebook, and lay down beside her motorcycle. Her body relaxed, but her mind stayed alert. Even in sleep, there was no peace in this world.
---
High above the dunes, two silhouettes hovered quietly in the night sky.
"Pervert," a woman's voice teased softly. "You're not spying on Alice while she sleeps, are you?"
Jack chuckled under his breath, eyes glinting faintly in the dark. "Am I that kind of guy? There's nothing exciting about watching her sleep. If I had to look at someone, I'd rather look at you, Jill."
Jill Valentine folded her arms, turning her face away. "Who asked you to look at me?"
Jack's grin widened. Below them, Alice stirred in her sleep, the firelight flickering across her pale face. He whispered, "Wait for it… things are about to get interesting."
Jill frowned. "What do you mean?"
Jack only smirked. "You'll see. If I told you, it'd ruin the surprise."
"Typical," Jill muttered, rolling her eyes.
Below, Alice's body began to twitch. Her brow furrowed, her head moving side to side as though trapped in a dream. The sand around her started to shift. Small stones near her campfire trembled—then slowly rose into the air.
Jill's eyes widened. "What the hell…?"
Jack's voice was calm, almost analytical. "Her thoughts are resonating with someone else's."
"Someone else?" Jill asked. "Who?"
Jack glanced at her with a strange half-smile. "Her."
"She? What do you mean?" Jill's confusion deepened, but before Jack could reply—
Alice's eyes snapped open.
The stones dropped instantly, clattering to the ground. She sat upright, her breath sharp and quick. Her hand shot to her weapon, scanning the empty night.
Bang!
Her motorcycle crashed back down with a deafening thud, splitting in half as it hit the sand. Dust exploded upward, swallowing the scene in a gray haze.
"Damn it…" Alice muttered, looking at the wreckage. She tilted her head back and glared up at the sky. "I knew it was you. Come out."
A familiar male voice echoed from above, confident and amused.
"Worthy of the name Alice. You sensed me after all."
She froze. That voice—she hadn't heard it in years. Her expression hardened as two figures descended through the dust-filled air. One was unmistakable.
"Jack…" she growled, her tone low and dangerous.
Jack landed lightly on the sand, his coat brushing against the wind. He had that same half-arrogant, half-charming smile that always made people unsure whether to hit him or laugh. "Right. It's me," he said casually, setting down the woman in his arms.
"Jill," Alice said, her voice softening just slightly. "It's been a long time."
Jill smiled faintly. "It really has, Alice. I never thought we'd meet again—especially here."
Jack crossed his arms, gazing at the stars. "Ah, memories. Raccoon City… short but unforgettable days, weren't they?"
Alice's eyes narrowed. "I don't feel the same. I only remember wanting to kill you."
Jack placed a hand on his chest dramatically. "Ouch. Straight to the heart. You always had a way with words."
Alice's tone turned sharp. "You didn't come here to talk."
Jack tilted his head. "Don't be so sure. Maybe I did. I was hoping we could have a nice, civilized chat under the moonlight—share a drink, sing a little, maybe even talk about life."
Jill gave him a withering glare. "Can you ever be serious?"
Jack sighed theatrically. "Apparently not."
Alice raised her weapon, her eyes cold. "Then you know what comes next. I'm going to kill you."
"Put the gun down, Alice," Jill ordered, raising her own weapon in response. "Don't make me choose sides."
Alice smirked faintly. "Looks like you already have, Jill."
Jill's expression didn't waver. "Say whatever you want. But I'm not letting you shoot him."
Jack stepped between them, lightly pressing Jill's gun downward. "Easy, both of you. Too many deaths lately. Let's not add to the list."
Alice's eyes didn't soften. "No deal."
Jack's grin returned, darker this time. "You know you can't kill me, Alice."
"I've changed since Raccoon City," she said coldly.
"I know you have. You're stronger now. But…" He took one step forward, his boots crunching against the sand. "…you're still not strong enough."
Alice's finger tightened on the trigger. "We'll see."
Gunfire erupted—Bang! Bang! Bang!
But Jack was no longer there. His figure flickered like a mirage, vanishing and reappearing a few meters away. Only a faint afterimage remained where he had stood.
Alice's eyes widened. "That speed…" Her breath hitched. It wasn't speed anymore—it was teleportation.
Jack's voice came from behind her, smooth and quiet. "You can't win against me, Alice."
Cold sweat trickled down her temple. She spun instantly, kicking backward, her boot slicing through the air.
Jack caught her leg easily, his grip firm. "Nice try."
Alice's other hand flashed behind her, pulling out two curved blades. She swung both toward his chest, fast and clean. The steel gleamed in the moonlight.
Jack's pupils narrowed. For an instant, they glowed with a strange, shifting light—three rotating wind-like rings. An invisible force burst outward, stopping both blades mid-swing.
"Ahhh—!" Alice screamed, pushing forward with all her strength. But it was useless. The air around Jack rippled like solid glass, unmoving and absolute.
"How—how is this possible?" she gasped.
Jack's expression didn't change. "Nothing is impossible."
The next instant, an invisible blast of power erupted from him. Alice was thrown backward, crashing into the sand with a heavy thud. She rolled several meters before coming to a stop, coughing, clutching her ribs.
Pain laced her voice as she stood again. "That energy… it's the same as mine…" Her eyes widened in disbelief. "How can you have it?"
Jack tilted his head, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Looks like you're not the only one Umbrella experimented on."
The desert wind howled between them, carrying the scent of smoke and ash. The shattered remains of Alice's motorcycle lay half-buried in the sand, the bonfire flickering weakly nearby. Jill watched in silence, her gun trembling slightly as she tried to decide where to point it—at Alice, or at the man beside her.
The night felt endless.
The fire burned low.
And above them, the moon glowed cold and silver—witness to another confrontation in a world already buried by the dead.