The Arklay Mountains.The Summit.
Thick, roiling clouds smothered the peaks. Thunder rumbled like distant artillery, signaling an approaching storm.
Yet, amidst this oppressive atmosphere, a figure stood atop a cliff, arms spread wide as if to embrace the coming deluge.
James Marcus.
He had received the intelligence. Tonight, the Umbrella Corporation had dispatched a special express train to the Management Training Facility. Their mission: to seize his virus research data and destroy everything in the facility. The leak had become irreversible, and Umbrella was desperate to scrub their scandal before the public caught wind of it.
But Marcus had no intention of letting them succeed.
Decades ago, they had exposed his "unethical experiments" to steal his work. Now, he would return the favor. He would expose their negligence, their leaks, and their monsters to the world.
Hummmm...
Click-clack, click-clack.
The steel rails of the Arklay line began to sing.
Through the gloom, a sleek black train bearing the Umbrella logo cut through the forest. Its yellow headlights pierced the darkness, and its whistle shrieked, scaring away the wildlife near the tracks.
It also drew Marcus's gaze.
His prey... had arrived.
Inside the Ecliptic Express.
"Phew..."
"It's pitch black out there. What a pain. I can't believe we have to trek all the way out to the Arklay Mountains this late to clean up a mess. Didn't the news say there are man-eating beasts in these woods? Tsk! If I knew it would be like this, I wouldn't have come."
"Heh, quit whining. The work is annoying, but the hazard pay is fantastic. Besides, this train isn't bad. Fast and stable. It's about to pour outside, but in here, we've got hot coffee. Could be worse."
In the dining car, a group of well-dressed passengers griped as they looked out at the passing trees.
They weren't ordinary commuters. They were elites—Umbrella researchers and corporate fixers in tailored suits. They knew exactly what Umbrella did in the dark. They knew about the virus. They were here to sanitize the facility to protect their own careers and stock options.
Despite the grim task, some found comfort in luxury. They sipped hot coffee, read newspapers, and waited for the job to be over.
But in this moment of cozy complaints...
THUMP!
A heavy, wet sound came from the roof of the train.
Scrape...
It sounded like something crawling.
The researchers paused, coffee cups halfway to their mouths.
"What was that?" one asked, looking up. "Did a branch hit the roof?"
"..."
"Apologies, ladies and gentlemen," a conductor in a crisp uniform announced, stepping into the car. "That noise was likely just debris or a branch caught in the wind. There is no cause for alarm. This train is state-of-the-art, sponsored by Umbrella. Mechanical failure is impossible."
He smiled reassuringly. Even with the rumors of "cannibal murders," he doubted a bear or a maniac could board a moving train. And a breakdown? Ridiculous.
"I will go check the rear cars just to be sure," he said, turning to open the door.
However...
At that exact moment, the sky outside split open. A blinding bolt of lightning illuminated the forest in stark white, followed by a deafening crack of thunder.
BOOM—!!!
Thud-thud-thud-thud...
Squelch... Slither...
Amidst the thunder, the sound of rain hitting the roof changed. It became heavier. Wetter.
Something was raining down on the train. But it wasn't water.
The passengers turned to the windows. Their faces went slack with confusion.
"What... is that?"
Pressed against the glass were hundreds of fist-sized, pulsating masses. They looked like tumors—black on the outside, a sickly yellow underneath. They secreted a thick white mucus that smeared across the pane. They had no eyes. They were hideous.
Marcus's children. The mutant leeches.
Hiss—!
Before the researchers could process what they were seeing, the leeches on the glass shrieked. Their bodies convulsed, and their "mouths" opened.
Rows of razor-sharp teeth, spiraling inward like a meat grinder, spun into action.
Crunch. Crack.
The reinforced glass began to spiderweb.
SMASH!
Another loud crash from above. The ventilation grates in the ceiling buckled and gave way.
Like a dam breaking, a torrent of black slime poured into the luxurious cabin. The leeches rained down on the screaming passengers. They latched onto faces, necks, and arms with terrifying speed.
"AHHH! NO! GET IT OFF!"
"HELP ME! AHHH—!!!"
Chaos erupted.
The leeches burrowed into flesh. In seconds, they drained the blood of full-grown men, leaving behind pale, shriveled husks riddled with bite marks.
Crash! Crash!
The side windows shattered completely. The swarm flooded in from all sides.
The researchers, armed only with briefcases and arrogance, didn't stand a chance. They were the creators of monsters, and now they were feed. The screams were shrill and desperate, but brief.
Within minutes, the Ecliptic Express went silent.
It rolled to a stop on the tracks, a steel coffin sitting in the rain.
It was a massacre straight from hell.
Raccoon City Police Department (R.P.D.).The Helipad.
Whirrrrrrrr...
The rotors of a helicopter were spinning up, cutting through the night air.
"Listen up!"
Enrico Marini, Captain of S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team, stood before his squad. He was a sturdy, no-nonsense veteran, geared up in full tactical loadout. His voice boomed over the engine noise.
"We just received a report. The Ecliptic Express, which was heading into the Arklay Mountains, has gone dark. Two hours ago, they signaled distress regarding an attack by unknown organisms. It could be cultists, it could be wild animals—but it's almost certainly related to the recent string of murders."
He looked at each of his team members: Kenneth, Forest, Richard, Edward, Rebecca, and the rookie, Havel.
"We've lost contact with the train. Survivor count is unknown. RPD has ordered S.T.A.R.S. to deploy via helicopter, investigate the site, and secure any survivors. Alpha Team is currently understaffed, so Bravo Team is taking the lead!"
Enrico's eyes flashed with determination. S.T.A.R.S. was divided into two teams, and Alpha usually got the glory. This was their chance.
"Everyone... this is a rare opportunity to prove ourselves. We cannot let Alpha Team swoop in later and take the credit. We need to show the RPD and the citizens of Raccoon City what Bravo Team is made of!"
"Load up! We move out now!"