No one knew where Lisa went. By the time Javier realized she was gone and attempted to follow, she had vanished. He sighed deeply, frustrated. He still didn't understand the system's objective; if there was a branch mission to rescue Lisa, how was he supposed to complete it now?
Regardless, the mission had to continue. Finding a passage in the mine dungeon, the four survivors proceeded deeper into the tunnel leading to the underground research laboratory of the mansion. They would not leave until they had confirmed the status of all Bravo Team members and found irrefutable proof of the Umbrella Corporation's crimes.
Soon after entering the underground tunnel, Javier's group noticed numerous fresh footprints on the ground, tracked in with new mud, not the long-settled dust. This immediately put them on high alert. If there was anything down here, it could only be two things: monsters or people. Given the clear footprints, it was likely people—and potentially Umbrella personnel.
"Those are footprints," Barry muttered, crouching to examine the fresh mud. "And very recent ones, tracked in from the outside. Not likely a zombie. They don't have that level of intelligence—unless it's an anomaly like Lisa. It's almost certainly a living person who snuck in here."
Barry frowned. "But... is it someone from Umbrella, or someone else?"
This was a bad sign. The underground lab was dark and enclosed. An ambush would be easy to set up, and the difficulty of tracking a hidden enemy would be immense. The unknown situation fueled Barry's sense of dread.
"Don't worry," Javier said calmly, trying to reassure them. "What if it's Chris and Captain Wesker? They've been separated from the team for a long time. I tried calling them on the radio, but the signal is too poor down here."
"I'm guessing these clear footprints were left by Chris and Wesker. There are only two sets, after all, aren't there?"
Javier speculated that, apart from a possibly still-alive Captain Enrico, Chris and Wesker were the only potential living human beings left in the mansion complex. He had no idea how the world-line had been altered by his presence, or how his self-assigned partner pairings had affected things. He only wondered how Chris and Wesker were getting along now. This trip was surely proving to be a "memorable" one for the future arch-rivals.
Wesker's Gift
As Javier predicted, Wesker was preparing an unforgettable surprise for Chris and Enrico: the Tyrant T-002 model.
The T-002 was a slight improvement over the T-001 Prototype Tyrant, but its appearance was largely the same: a pallid body with minimal tissue decay, unlike common zombies. Crucially, the exposed heart weakness remained—a massive, external organ on the chest used for blood circulation, as the Tyrant's complex structure required multiple hearts (two more were internal). Umbrella's researchers had neglected this external heart, as it wasn't immediately fatal to destroy.
However, the vulnerable exposed spine of the T-001 had been retracted, fixing a critical control weakness. The T-002 also had a different weapon: instead of the T-001's giant spiked right arm, the T-002 possessed five massive claws for better tearing ability.
The most significant addition to the T-002 was the Power Limiter. This was a hidden feature designed to keep the Tyrant docile and briefly obedient in its base state. When the limiter was removed, the Tyrant would lose all rationality, turning into a pure killing machine with drastically enhanced strength and speed—a "second form" or a "red-health-bar" frenzy, exchanging intelligence for power. Overall, aside from the limiter, the T-002 was not a great leap forward, showcasing Umbrella's slow progress on its main Tyrant project until the far more successful, intelligent, and mass-producible T-103 Tyrant (the one in the black trench coat and hat).
"Thud, thud, thud..."
Footsteps echoed in the silent research lab tunnel.
Chris looked at Enrico, the Bravo Team Captain, who was currently handcuffed. Chris's expression was complex. Despite the mounting evidence against Enrico, he still harbored doubts about his fellow officer.
Enrico, meanwhile, kept glancing back at Wesker. He was convinced Wesker was the true culprit, expecting to see a smug look of satisfaction. But Wesker maintained his usual stoic poker face, betraying no emotion. Enrico sighed, realizing he was facing a formidable adversary with an unnervingly deep reserve of psychological control.
Wesker, for his part, coldly observed the two men in front of him. His expressionless demeanor was a result of his psychological conditioning through the "Wesker Project" and his subsequent injection with the Progenitor Virus, which had made him even more emotionally detached. His only interest was his grand ambition.
He saw through Chris and Enrico's intentions and knew Chris had not fully placed his trust in him. Perfect, he thought, I'll just make them the first test subjects. Seeing the tunnel entrance to the T-002 laboratory approaching, Wesker made his move.
He smoothly drew his handgun, chambered a round, and aimed at Chris and Enrico's backs. "Hey! Stop, Chris!" he commanded coldly.
The cold tone sent a terrible premonition through both men. Enrico, convinced Wesker was about to drop the facade, reached his hand toward Chris's pistol holster, attempting to preempt the traitor.
But Enrico's subtle movement was clear as day to Wesker, whose dynamic vision was vastly superior due to the Progenitor Virus. Wesker didn't hesitate to deliver a small punishment.
"Click—!"
"Bang————!!!"
A crisp shot rang out. Wesker pulled the trigger, and a 9mm round pierced Enrico's hand, leaving a bloody hole.
"Aaaahhh—!!!"
Enrico screamed, his hand instantly mangled. To numb the pain, he clenched his fist and shook his arm furiously, glaring at Wesker with intense hatred.
Wesker ignored the look, warning him dispassionately: "I wasn't the one who moved first. I advise you, Enrico, not to make any more foolish movements. I see everything. If you cooperated, you wouldn't have to suffer like this."
Wesker calmly walked forward, kicked Enrico down, and confiscated Chris's pistol—the only remaining threat.
"There! Now it's safe. Both of you keep walking. I have a gift prepared for you two—no, for the S.T.A.R.S. team. I was going to wait for all members to be present before opening it, but you've all been disappointing, dying off prematurely, and now you want to leave without accepting my present. I'm disappointed."
"Since that's the case, I'll let you two lucky ones enjoy this surprise first. Especially you, Chris. I still don't understand why you wouldn't trust me. You could have lived longer."
With the muzzle pressed against Chris's back, Wesker looked at the young man, whose eyes held an unshakable, righteous conviction. Wesker felt a cold surge of revulsion. He detested that look. It was an expression Wesker himself could never genuinely wear, no matter how much he tried to mimic it. He hated that self-righteous nobility.
"Wesker, you're the Umbrella mole—?" Chris asked, his voice cold and devoid of any respect. Faced with betrayal, Chris was black and white.
This challenging tone infuriated Wesker. He lashed out, slamming the pistol grip hard against Chris's face!
"Thud—!"
Chris was knocked to the ground, a gash opened on his forehead, and blood began to flow. He didn't cry out in pain but continued to stare at Wesker with the same cold intensity, judging him as a criminal.
"Hmph!" Wesker sneered. "Stubborn. Since that's the case, there's nothing more to say. Enjoy the gift I prepared for you. After that... you will have no further use, and you can simply die—!!!"
Ignoring Chris's gaze, Wesker strode forward. In the tunnel ahead, a vast research laboratory came into view. In the center of the lab, a colossal glass containment tank held a giant, sleeping figure—the Tyrant T-002.