The metallic corridors of the Umbrella facility were cold and hostile, pulsing with red emergency lights and mechanical hums that never stopped. The group advanced cautiously—Leon taking the lead with Ada behind him, Claire and Sherry close together, and Erick bringing up the rear, alert and tense.
His hearing, sharpened by instinct, captured every distant echo. Each noise became a possible threat. Erick's gaze was fixed forward, but his thoughts were racing.
The Tyrant. Birkin. They're still out there. And every step we take brings us closer to both.
He knew that saving energy and resources was crucial. He couldn't waste his most powerful ability—the Snow Leopard's speed and reflexes. Not yet. That had to be reserved for a confrontation he might not survive.
The group passed through a storage area filled with broken crates and bloodstains. Claire knelt to examine something.
— "Supplies," she whispered, holding up a small medkit and some ammo clips. "We'll need this."
— "Take everything we can," Leon said. "We don't know how long we'll be down here."
As they advanced, the silence was broken only by the mechanical sounds of the facility and the tension between the members of the group. Ada remained observant, always one step apart, as if calculating more than just the next move.
Erick stole a glance at Claire. Her determination, the protective way she held Sherry close... It stirred something in him.
In the game, I already admired her. That tight outfit, that clean and fierce face... But seeing her like this, real, wounded, human—it's different. Stronger.
Claire met his gaze and gave him a small smile before quickly looking away. A faint warmth touched Erick's chest.
Suddenly, a sound—heavy, rhythmic steps—reverberated through the corridor.
— "Shit..." Leon muttered. "He's close."
Erick's eyes narrowed.
— "I feel him too... The Tyrant. We have to change direction. Now."
Ada led the group to a side path, through a maintenance duct. They moved quickly, avoiding any direct contact. The monster hadn't reached them yet, but his presence was drawing nearer.
At the end of the corridor, they found a small operations room. Leon secured the doors while Erick checked the map displayed on the monitor.
— "We're not far from the lower labs," he said. "And that's probably where Sherry's mom is... or Birkin."
Claire hugged Sherry closer.
— "Then we need to be ready."
Erick nodded.
Whatever happens, I'll need the Snow Leopard's power to hold back the worst. The Tyrant isn't someone you run from forever.
He clenched his fists, silently preparing for what was coming.
The facility's corridors looked more and more like the inside of a nightmare—dark, metallic, filled with the scent of blood and rot. The group advanced in silence, every sound a threat.
Erick led the way, but his mind remained restless.
The Tyrant… He doesn't just chase. He hunts. Patient. Calculated. When he appears… I'll have to give it my all. But not yet. I need to conserve the Snow Leopard's edge.
Claire and Sherry walked close together. Leon took the rear, his weapon drawn. Ada trailed silently, eyes sharp.
— "This way," Leon pointed to a side corridor. "There's a security room. We can block some paths."
They entered quickly. Leon approached the terminal while Claire and Sherry searched nearby drawers. Erick stepped aside, leaning against the wall to breathe.
His body still ached from previous fights.
My movements are cleaner now. But power's not enough… Timing matters. Precision. And when the Tyrant comes—I'll need everything.
Sherry found a small medkit and ammo box, running over to Erick.
— "This could help!"
Erick smiled. — "It just might save us, kid."
Claire watched the exchange, a soft warmth in her eyes. She stepped closer.
— "You're good with kids."
— "Maybe because I still feel like one, trying to make sense of this hell," he replied with a tired grin.
The terminal beeped.
— "Got it," Leon said. "Closed off two corridors. Fewer paths to get ambushed."
Relief settled over them for just a moment.
Then a sound.
Heavy footsteps. Like steel striking steel.
Erick froze.
— "He's here…"
The metal door exploded inward. The Tyrant stepped through—tall, unstoppable, eyes cold and soulless.
Claire grabbed Sherry.
Leon raised his gun. — "We need to—"
— "RUN!" Erick barked.
The group hesitated. But Erick stayed put, eyes locked on the monster.
No more time.
— "Damn it…"
He tapped into the Snow Leopard's power. His muscles tensed. His breathing slowed. Eyes sharpened.
Then he moved.
Blindingly fast, Erick dashed forward, skimming past the Tyrant's wide punch with impossible agility.
— "Hey, ugly! Over here!"
He dodged again, drew the monster's attention, and bolted down the hallway.
The Tyrant turned, slowly but surely, and pursued.
Leon grabbed Claire and Sherry. — "He's buying time! Move!"
They ran.
Erick sprinted, navigating the corridors like a phantom. Jumping over debris, twisting around corners, just ahead of death.
The Snow Leopard's power pushed him beyond human limits.
He reached a walkway, leapt over the railing, and landed in another section, panting hard. Behind him, the Tyrant's steps grew distant.
Lost him. For now.
He leaned against the wall, heart racing.
They're safe. That's all that matters.
Meanwhile, Claire, Leon, and Sherry regrouped further ahead. Ada reappeared from a side duct.
— "Where's Erick?" Claire asked.
— "He's stalling the Tyrant," Leon replied. "We owe him our lives."
Claire said nothing—but worry flooded her expression. More than that, fear. Not just of the monster—but of losing someone she was beginning to care about.