A Star's Descent

By evolution-500

Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.

Chapter Six: The Investigation

In the eighth car, Enrico Marini trudged through the hallways with his subordinates, his composure slightly disconcerted.

It took all of the self-control within his body to keep himself from falling into a hysterical mess. Refusing to think about what he had witnessed for the sake of his own sanity, his lips pursed and jaw clenched as his mind shifted into a more productive operating mode.

The Marine within was telling him that the only thing to do was to push forward and salvage what they could find, knowing that things would get progressively worse from here on.

It was hard to provide a definite assessment of the Bravos' situation.

Somehow, they had unwittingly crossed over from the boundaries of everyday rationality, spiralling downward to some nightmare world of insanity, horror, and dark secrets, a world where specters were made tangible, no longer the subjects of fairy tales and campfire stories.

Moving his team back to the previous car to search through the passengers' private quarters, Marini entered a room by himself and looked around at its contents.

On the right side of the room was fancy desk with a chair, its top concealed beneath various scattered papers. To the left was a black bunk bed, its occupant, a man in his mid twenties, lying peacefully underneath the blankets. As he came closer to inspect him, Marini saw the tell-tale sucker marks on parts of the cadaver's skin.

He frowned.

He had been less than inclined to believe the albino's self-proclaimed innocence. Part of the Bravo wanted to believe that the youth was just some crazed hick, and that these visions were the result of being exposed to some sort of elaborate booby trap cleverly set up by him, but the more rational part of Marini poo-poohed the idea. It was too inconsistent. He had felt those damn lips just barely brush against his face when the owner tried to take a bite out of him. Since that incident, Marini was forced to uncomfortably accept what the albino said as fact and had since treated the other bodies with heightened wariness, determined to not have a repeat of history. The first time was more than enough.

Seeing the marks on the man as he slept discouraged him. He knew the futility of his actions, but Marini proceeded to check for a pulse, for some sign of life, of hope even. Finding nothing, he shook his head in disgust, sickened by how many lives were lost. As his hand brushed against the blanket, Marini's eyes crinkled at the sight of what looked like a small journal held loosely beneath the sleeper's arms. Pulling it from the dead man's grasp, he opened its cover, curious to see if there was anything within that could shed some light on what was happening here.

He blinked as he read each sentence. He double-checked to see if he was reading the journal correctly, and then he triple-checked. What he found raised more questions.

From what was written, it was obvious that the passenger hadn't arrived for the pleasurable experience of sightseeing.

'July 14th - Orders came from the boss today. Looks like we're in charge of investigating the remains of the Arklay Mountains laboratory. We're moving in two groups, with us in the initial group, assigned to start checking what's left of the abandoned experiment.'

The Bravo Captain raised his head from the page, confused by this revelation.

A laboratory, here, in the Arklay Mountains?

Marini was certain that it was the first time that he had heard such a thing.

He made a mental note to check with Kenneth and Rebecca on the subject, given their respective backgrounds in chemistry and biochemistry.

He was also curious about this 'abandoned' experiment.

'What could it be? What kind of research were these people involved with? And most of all, who's funding it?' he wondered.

As Marini looked back down to continue reading, what he found chilled his blood.

Written in the next few pages were as followed:

'July 16th - Unfortunately, test production of B.O.W. (Type - Y139) had to be suspended because of this investigation. It's the same with Type Y-139. There's still so much we don't know about responses to the crustacean T-Virus. Depending on the species and nurturing conditions, only minute doses of 't' bring about remarkable changes in solidity, size, multiplication of internal toxins and brain development. If these effects can be controlled, a powerful weapon could be produced.'

Marini raised his head up, deep in thought.

His mind was still trying to process the information. It all seemed too much for him. What caught his attention and drew great concern from him were the words 'virus' and 'weapon.' At first, he tried to convince himself otherwise.

'Perhaps they were trying to create some form of pesticide?' He thought, trying to be rational. However, no matter how many times he would try to flip it, there was no looking past what was already there.

Were these people doing research on viral weaponry?

If so, Marini surmised, it would be a very unusual weapon. The Bravo Captain had a vague notion of what the term 'crustacean' referred to.

A viral weapon that would enhance the size and intelligence of a lobster?

That was the grand plan? To create jumbo lobsters that would be utilized as weapons?

It sounded like the plotline for a crap B-film. Marini could almost imagine some James Bond type-villain played by Vincent Price rubbing his hands deviously together as he gleefully announced to the audience his maniacal plan, punctuating it with a cackle or two for added effect. It was an absurd image, and Marini wanted to laugh.

But he couldn't. There was nothing funny about any of this.

His mind drifted to the leeches and the walking dead onboard. Where did they fit in? Were they also results of this 'T-Virus'?

The Bravo Captain shivered at the thought. The entire concept was unnerving.

More thoughts barraged his brain, raising even more questions, including the disturbing question of who would utilize these weapons.

As a former Marine, Marini was exposed to countless horrors during the Gulf War. He had seen bodies of men, women and children, civilian and soldier alike, mangled by tank shells and high-caliber bullets. He'd seen whole men disappear into nothing but bits of red mist and burn-covered pulp upon triggering a single landmine. The thought of anyone, including his own government, using this 'T-Virus' or these creatures as weapons terrified him.

Marini eagerly read on, hoping that the author could divulge more info. To his disappointment, nothing much else was shed save for a small detail about the flaws within crustacean-based specimens, noting how certain sections of their shell would become fragile as a result, especially around the head.

He snorted derisively.

'Great, now I have the means to protect myself from jumbo shrimp, he thought sardonically as he pocketed the journal.

Searching through the room, Marini discovered a rather peculiar object concealed within a suitcase. It looked like some sort of ring, though one that he never saw before. The interior structure was pointed, meaning that it couldn't have been worn on one's hand.

Marini studied the structure carefully.

'What is this?' he wondered.

Shaking his head with uncertainty, he tucked it away into his pocket. Maybe the others would be able to tell him.

Marini turned and hurried to meet with his subordinates, his heart heavy and troubled.

* * * * *

Richard Aiken fidgeted with his Samurai Edge handgun as he continuously moved in and out of different rooms, pondering whether or not their efforts were a waste.

So far their search had yielded nothing save for the discovery of a weird-looking ring, an item that the Captain had found himself. None of them knew what the hell it was supposed to be.

For all that he knew, it could be one of those Prince Albert piercings that he kept hearing about at the Station.

Aiken let out a shudder before he went on to examine the room that he was currently in. A quick search led to the discovery of two items that provided some relief to his spirit, namely an eight-millimeter handgun along with three fresh clips of ammunition, both of which were hidden underneath a pillow. The owner was lying on the floor, his hand reaching out in death for his weapon.

'Sorry to do this,' he apologized as he took the items and departed, rejoining the others in the hallway.

The last room to be examined was identified by the stenciled lettering as the conductor's quarters.

Entering the compartment with the Captain and Sullivan close behind, he peered around the room. A small desk sat to the right, while a comfy-looking bed with red sheets was positioned to the left. What caught Aiken's attention on the far side of the wall was a panel with a red flashing light.

Curious, he went over and scrutinized it. It appeared to be some sort of switch, but like the ring he had no idea what it was for. Looking over at his CO questioningly, he received the go-ahead to activate it with a single nod.

Aiken looked back toward the panel, his brow sweating. After he lightly tapped his finger on the button, he recoiled and backed away, expecting something bad to happen. To the Bravos' surprise, a ladder descended down from the ceiling next to him. His joints loosened as he let out a sigh of relief, enjoying the freedom given to them. The feeling lasted until his CO signaled for him to take point. Nodding back, Aiken reluctantly crept up the ladder, worried about what waited for him above.

His eyes widened simultaneously with disbelief and joy.

It was a large open space with several tables that were knocked over onto their sides. At the opposite end of the room was a door. What made Aiken's heart swell with bliss was positioned right beside him - a bar counter with several different alcoholic beverages. Five stools that were positioned in front of the counter were currently unoccupied.

Aiken smiled.

"Thank you, God," he said softly as he pulled himself up to his feet.

THOOOM!

Aiken's smile disappeared as he aimed his handgun at the ceiling.

It creaked and groaned, as if trying to support something heavy. A series of taps circulated around the room, slowly becoming even more audible with each tap. Aiken tried telling himself that a tree had landed on the roof, spilling either acorns or pine cones along the top, but as the taps progressed around the car, accompanied by the squeaks and groans of the roof, he kept craning his neck up, expecting some unthought of mass with multiple legs to come crashing down at a moment's notice.

The Bravo was deathly still as the sounds moved away from him, waiting for whatever that made the sound to appear. He had not known how long he stood in that spot. Time seemed irrelevant.

Aiken glanced along the roof for some sign.

Where had it-

Something tapped his shoulder, forcing him to whirl around to his right, only to find himself face-to-face with Marini.

"Whoa!" The latter said with his hands raised. "Easy, Richard, it's just me."

Aiken exhaled in relief, shuddering as he lowered his weapon and wiped his damp forehead.

"I really hate this fuckin' train, sir," he muttered.

Marini nodded.

"I know."

"Well, at least we get free drinks," Aiken replied, pointing to the empty bar, a partial smile creeping up his face.

Marini breathed out a small chuckle.

"I know, very tempting, especially with all this," the Bravo Captain nodded. "Unfortunately, duty calls."

The younger of the two frowned.

As they looked over at their silent third, Sullivan, they watched as he walked quietly around the bar table, looking around carefully.

Aiken glanced up to the Bravo Captain questioningly.

Both men had the same thought in their minds, though it was Marini who voiced it.

"Noticed something out of the ordinary?" he asked.

"Yes, sir. Over here," Sullivan spoke up.

Aiken followed his CO around the counter, wondering what else was found. Barely concealed beneath was a small switch.

"What is that?" Marini muttered.

"You tell me," Sullivan shrugged nonchalantly. "Should I flick it?" 

"Do it."

There came a loud click and a creak as the shelf underneath the bar counter rotated downward to reveal a large rifle with boxes of ammunition. What had caught Aiken's attention were the size of the rounds. They looked to be about as long as his fingers!

The Bravos stared at their newest discovery, but it was Aiken who had voiced their surprise.

"Jesus."

* * * * *

Marini reached down and carefully studied it.

From its design, he identified it as a .557 Tyrannosaur elephant gun. A formidable weapon, the elephant gun, as its name suggested, was used for taking down big game in Africa. Finding it concealed onboard a train within the grasp of a bartender was no less than worrying.

'What the hell was this monster of a thing doing here? And how the hell was it brought onboard unnoticed?' Marini wondered.

A further pressing question drilled itself into his skull.

Were there more weapons concealed away?

The idea of train staff installing hidden doors with dangerous weapons which could be brought up with the flick of a switch unnerved him greatly.
Marini shook his head.
None of this was making any sense.

Then again, maybe it had, and he was just refusing to look at the proverbial horse in the mouth.

He frowned.

'Christ, what's happening to me? I sound like a possible candidate for the mental ward,' he thought to himself.

A grizzly image appeared from the plutonian recesses of his mind. A figure was strapped securely in a straitjacket, all the while singing 'They're Coming To Take Me Away, HA HA!' as he was lead down a corridor. The figure's hair was messy, his eyes wide and glassy, his voice hoarse and full of hysteria as he continued to sing. Looking sadly upon this figure's mental state was his wife Maria, holding one child in her arms while the other stood numbly next to her, all the while listening to some quack's diagnosis.

'Am I going crazy?' he wondered.

The thought made his insides cold. Revulsion and horror filled his heart. The idea of having Maria and Paquita witnessing him on the deep end of his sanity horrified him to no small extent. The stigma and the shock would be too much for them. He really hoped that would never come to pass.

He sighed.

As horrible as it sounded, he would rather believe the horrors onboard to be of the flesh and not just of the mind.

He shook his head.

'Get a grip, Enrico,' he said to himself, 'there are people who are depending on you. You're not going insane, even though it may feel like it. Bat-fuckin shit crazy or not, you have an obligation to fulfill, Marine.'

Marini quickly glanced at the men under his command.

Should he tell them?

Part of him wanted to inform them of the information that he came across, but another part of him was worried about their condition.

Aiken was already spooked, and he had not wanted to stress him out further. On the other hand, it was his obligation to look after those under his command.

The Bravo Captain pinched the bridge of his nose with one hand, lowering the mammoth weapon down with the other.

He hated the idea of keeping secrets from his team.

'I'll tell them later when we reassembled with the rest of Bravo,' he thought.

"Are you okay, sir?" Aiken asked with concern.

Marini took his fingers off the bridge of his nose

"Yeah, just a slight headache. It's nothing," he said reassuringly.

Aiken didn't look convinced.

Ignoring him, Marini turned his attention back to the weapon. Taking the two shell boxes, both of which were loaded with ten rounds each, the Bravo Captain loaded in two rounds into the .557. With a loud click from the barrel as it snapped back in place, the weapon was now ready for some action.

"Let's do this," Marini said as he went toward the door further down.

* * * * *

After passing through, Aiken followed after Marini into a dark hallway, all the while wary of their surroundings.

Despite the elephant gun's discovery and the assurance that it brought him, it had the flip-side of also serving as a reminder of how powerless they truly were. That became apparent the moment they were barely less than four steps in when an outlandish being sluggishly wobbled into their field of vision from a doorway located to their left. Humanoid in appearance, the thing had pulsing green skin, the texture reminding one unpleasantly of fungi.

What was even more disturbing about the creature were its limbs and the way it had moved - they were far too long and had a hideous elasticity with each clumsy step that made the thing seem as if it were from rubber.

Aiken shuddered.

It was like some grotesque marionette led around by invisible strings.

No one moved as it made eye contact with them.

Aiken had no way of knowing what the others were thinking, but he was doing everything he could to keep himself from losing his shit as those dead puppet eyes stared. After two seconds of anticipation, it swung its neck down and rotated it forward in an arch with a disgusting crack as it lurched over around the corner, moving away from them.

Marini moved forward in the direction where the creature disappeared, gesturing to the other Bravos to follow.

"This way," he waved.

"You do realize that's the direction where that thing went, right?" Aiken asked with uncertainty.

"Yes, Aiken, I know that," Marini said impatiently.

"I thought the idea was to get away from the scary fucking thing, sir."

"True, but the fact that it moved away from us first makes me curious. C'mon," he gestured.

The Bravos followed suite, wondering what madness was hidden behind these walls.

* * * * *

"What..the...fuck?" Marini said lowly.

Covering the walls and floor were dozens upon dozens of small, pearl-like orbs oozing with slime.

"The fuck's going on here, Captain?" Aiken asked, his face taut, pale and sweaty, a look that either suggested nausea or crumbling nerves.

Marini made no reply as he ran his gloved hand along these strange pustule-like objects.

Moving closer for inspection, Marini unconsciously winced as a powerful stink assaulted his olfactory senses, making him gag with revulsion, forcing him to pull back while covering his nose with his shirt in his other hand. At first he thought that it was some sort of fungal growth, but upon examination in the light from different angles, he saw that they were glistening, as if filled with liquid.

"I think these might be eggs," Marini said as he wiped his hands with disgust with a piece of tissue from his pocket. "I don't even want to know what laid them."

Aiken muttered curses under his breath while Sullivan remained quiet. Looking at the latter, the Bravo Captain shook his head.

'How does he do it?' Marini wondered in amazement.

The calm and control exuded by him was remarkable, especially given his background. Before he was a S.T.A.R.S. member, Kenneth Sullivan worked as a chemist at the Raccoon City University. For the most part, the man was aloof, which struck Marini as odd. Then again, he reflected, people cope in different ways - for all he knew, Kenneth was probably scared deep down by what was happening.

'Still, it's nice to see that his head's on his shoulders,' Marini thought to himself as he shook his head.

"C'mon, let's get out of here. That thing shouldn't be far ahead," the Bravo Captain said, grimacing with disgust. As they continued forward, the men stumbled upon a single cabin. Marini reached out with a trembling hand and grabbed the handle. With a flick of his wrist, the door was flung open.

Marini sprung into a combat stance, weapon armed. The door banged with a loud thud as it hit the wall. With quick and efficient movements, he searched high and low with his sidearm, checking for signs of the strange entity.

Nothing.

Confusion etched itself onto his features. The creature stood roughly around six feet in height. Looking around at the room as a whole, there weren't a lot of places where it could hide without being exposed.

'Where had the creature disappeared to?' he wondered.

The room had a single bed with a cabinet next to it. On the bed itself was a white jewelry box. The occupant was lying face down on the floor. Marini reached toward the neck and checked for a pulse, only to find none. Sighing, the Bravo Captain signaled to the other two to search the rest of the room, especially the cabinet, hoping for survivors.

As the Bravos searched the area, Marini's thoughts became melancholic at the sight of the small jewelry box on the bed, for he had recognized the kind of box that it was used for. To Marini, there was something truly saddening about the sight of the white ring box.

Life was interrupted.

The ring's value was no longer the same, nor had it the same meaning. What might have been a symbol of love was now nothing more than a memento mori.

Unconsciously, he touched the wedding band on his left hand.

'Poor souls,' he thought glumly.

Slowly, Marini reached down and gingerly lifted up the box. With the same delicacy and deliberate slowness, he opened the box, curious to see was concealed within.

All melancholic thoughts turned to puzzlement as he gazed upon the object within his hand. He blinked as he discovered, to his surprise, another ring similar to what he had found in the lower levels. He pulled the bizarre object out from the box, carefully studying it. Before he could analyze it further, the lights started to flicker.

"What in the world-" Marini was cut off by the static of his radio.

"Captain! Are you there? Please pick up! Over!" Rebecca spoke frantically from the radio's speaker.

The Bravo Captain listened as the young girl repeated, startled by the fearful, panic-laced tone in her voice. Picking up the radio, Marini pressed into the call button, wondering what could have made the medic spooked.

"I can read you five-by-five, Rebecca, now settle down. What's your sit-rep?" He asked into the receiver.

Click.

"We're still in the same area, sir."

He frowned. "Why haven't you done what you were ordered, Officer?" Marini asked sternly.

"There's something headed for you!"

Sullivan and Aiken stopped checking the cabinets, both of their heads raised upon hearing what was said over the radio.

"Say again?" Marini spoke into the radio.

"We were attacked by some sort of creature - it's outside on the roof, and it's heading straight for you! You have got to get out of there NOW!" Rebecca said with urgency.

Before Marini could respond, an elk bugle-like shriek cut through the rain and the wind like glass, causing him and the others to recoil and cover their ears.

"The fuck was that?!" Aiken yelled over the noise.

Marini didn't answer, his mind trying to calmly formulate some sort of strategy as he considered their available options. Raising the radio, he spoke again.

"Listen, we're currently located on the second floor of the semi-last car. There's a ladder in the conductor's cabin. At the top is a bar. We'll meet you there. Get your asses down here ASAP!" He ordered.

With that, the radio fell silent.

Marini turned to face the others.

"Alright, guys, let's hustle back to the bar double-time! GO!" he bellowed.

Without even hesitating, the trio exited the room, slamming the door shut behind them.

* * * * *

"Listen up. We''re currently located on the second floor of the semi-last car. There's a ladder in the conductor's cabin. At the top is a bar. We'll meet you there. Get your asses down here ASAP!"

After Marini had said those words over the radio, Star burst into action, moving down the hallway toward the doors swiftly, startling Rebecca and the others.

"Hey!" Forest shouted, but to no avail. "Goddamn kid!"

Scowling, he, along with Coen and Rebecca chased after the albino, her small frame trying desperately to keep up with them.

* * * * *

Slamming the doors behind them, the Bravos moved further back toward the bar. Shakily re-checking his weapons, Marini directed their attention toward the hallway entrance.

"Space yourselves out," the Bravo Captain rumbled, "we have to-"

He was cut off by a loud inhuman shriek, the sound originating from somewhere behind them.

Turning slowly, the group listened as a series of loud and sharp taps pattered along the walls. Following them upward, they watched as lights started to flicker, the chandelier swaying from side-to-side as the taps increased in frequency.

Each time it swung, shadows danced along the walls, furnishings and ceiling, giving the room a fascinatingly hypnotic quality. Time itself seemed to slow for the Bravos as the chandelier shifted in a metronome-like rhythm.

Raising the elephant gun, Marini stared with dreaded expectancy, so focused that he couldn't tell if he was drawing the weapon up quickly or slowly. That sensation came to a halt as something violently smashed into the ceiling, causing the chandelier to collapse. Bouncing off a counter, cracking loudly on a chair, its spell and glass crystals fragmented each time they made contact with a surface before finally shattering onto the floor.

Seemingly taking the chandelier's destruction as a cue, the ceiling caved in.

As the debris died down, Marini became aware of eight eyes - two large round black orbs symmetrically bordered by three smaller ones along each side - staring at him from a cracked yellow and brown carapace, its head and thorax fused together and supported by eight long limbs. Its mouth, or what constituted as such since they resembled claws, dripped with fluid and twitched with predatory anticipation.

As the creature flexed its claws and raised its spear-like tail, Marini's mind caught up with him as he began to realize the dangerousness of their situation.

"GET BACK!" he barked, "EVERYONE, GET BACK!"

"A giant scorpion?!" Aiken exclaimed. "Why is that even a thing?!"

"Concentrate, Richard!"

Putting a safe distance between it and them, the Bravos raised their weapons.

"ON MY MARK, RIP THE BASTARD!" Marini growled.

It moved two feet forward before stopping abruptly, looking around with claws and tail raised. Marini blinked. What-

A shrill cry reminiscent to nails on a blackboard shrieked into the night, causing the group to flinch.

It was a wonder that their eardrums were not shattered.

Uncovering their ears, the Bravos looked back at the creature. Whatever had made the noise had made it even more agitated. A loud hum or roar of a powerful engine, followed by the grating sound of metal being cut into drew the Bravos' attention to the space behind them as a whirling blade emerged from the ceiling. Sparks were flying everywhere as the blade effortlessly sliced clean through steel, causing the Bravos to cover their eyes to avoid being blinded.

Ten grueling seconds of insufferable, agonizing waiting and cutting led to the appearance of an entity so strange that Marini himself believed that he was hallucinating, the victim of either a cleverly devised trap by the albino or stress.

It was a thing that could only be from a dream or nightmare, from a drug-addled mind, so outlandish in its design and contour that it couldn't possibly exist except within the context of some Freudian landscape with touches of H.R. Giger.

Unlike the shelled creature behind them, the entity that stood before the Bravos was humanoid in shape, clearly female based on the hip structure.

However, aside from certain features, that was where any semblance of humanity ended.

Bluish-black in color, a pair of heavy metallic boots clanked with each step as the thing rose, its towering form gloating over them. Though mostly clad within some sort of combat suit, the creature's arms and legs were covered with thick layers of blue wire and cables, the forelimbs wrapped in leather straps and braces that gave prominence to its impressive musculature.

Marini trailed his eyes upward to see a sleek torso confined within an enormous metal casing, which was designed and armored to such an extent that it almost appeared as if the entity had no neck. A large dome-like helmet that had a smooth featureless face-plate at the front stared at them through red goggle-like lenses that glowed with a sinister aura.

What made the entity even more insidious was held within both of its hands - two enormous, custom-built chainsaws powered by what looked like V8 engines, spray painted orange and bound together in a series of leather straps, they formed a single and formidable-looking weapon that was capable of murderous mayhem and absolute carnage.

The titaness let out a mechanical howl of challenge, then revved the chainsaws, the metallic teeth hungrily whirling. As she maniacally laughed, Marini tried desperately not to panic.