Midnight,
Survivors Island.
The night was quiet — the kind of quiet where even the ocean seemed to sleep. Most survivors were in their homes, wrapped in blankets, exhausted from another freezing December day.
Then the sky suddenly exploded.
A massive burst of red light bloomed overhead, spreading across the darkness like a giant flower. A moment later, another explosion followed — then another — and then the entire sky lit up with a breathtaking spread of fireworks.
The noise shook the island.
People jolted awake, stumbling outside in confusion.
"What the hell—!?"
"Is it an attack!?"
"No, wait… that's… fireworks?"
Children rubbed their eyes, staring upward.
Grown adults froze mid-step, shocked.
No one here had the time or luxury to celebrate holidays anymore — they barely survived day to day.
But now…
The sky was glowing with brilliant colors: red, blue, gold, green. Each explosion painted the ocean in a different shade. Then the fireworks shifted, forming giant glowing letters in the sky
HAPPY NEW YEAR
The moment those words appeared, something in the survivors cracked — the tension, the fear, the exhaustion. It all loosened, just for a moment.
Smiles appeared.
Real ones.
People began cheering. Some cried. Some laughed. Some hugged.
In a world where everything had collapsed, a new year still mattered.
It was the one celebration every culture shared — a moment to hope, even when hope felt impossible. A fresh start. A reminder that life could move forward.
On a balcony overlooking the center of the island, Selene stepped out, wrapped in a thin coat as the glow of fireworks reflected in her eyes.
"It seems like he's returned," she said softly, smiling at the sky.
Jill appeared beside her, leaning on the railing. "Yep. Except him, no one could pull off something this dramatic."
Alice joined them last, arms crossed but a faint smile on her lips. "And that also means Umbrella is gone."
The three women watched the sky brighten again as the finale of fireworks burst overhead — huge spirals of golden light and crackling stars.
Selene exhaled gently. "Then this really is a new year."
Jill nodded. "A new year without Umbrella."
Alice's smile widened. "A new year… with an actual chance to live."
Below them, survivors shouted and laughed, some dancing, some crying, some simply staring up at the sky like they were seeing color for the first time in ages.
Hope — something they thought they'd lost — returned with every firework burst.
***
The next day,
In the meeting room,
As usual the core members were gathered around the long table. Selene Jill , Alice , Peyton , Dr. Ashford , and Luke sat at the head like he always did — casual, relaxed.
Peyton looked at him first. "Well… you returned fast."
Luke nodded. "Yeah. Thanks to some help, everything went smoother than I expected." He rested his elbows on the table. "Anyway, for this meeting, there's something important I need to talk about. It's about humanity's future."
It's about time he reveal truth.
He placed his watch on the table and tapped it.
"White Queen, contact Red Queen," Luke said.
"Understood," White Queen replied in her calm digital voice.
Alice's expression immediately darkened. "Red Queen. That bitch."
Luke sighed quietly. "I know you two have history, but please… we don't need a pointless argument right now."
Jill raised an eyebrow. "Who is Red Queen?"
Alice didn't hesitate. "A homicidal AI bitch who tried to kill me, that's who."
A moment later a new voice came from the watch — cold, sharp, and annoyingly confident. "Your opinion of me remains inaccurate, Alice."
Alice glared at the device. "Last time you literally tried to kill me."
Red Queen responded without emotion. "I executed the necessary protocols to prevent the outbreak from spreading. That included eliminating anyone who posed a risk."
Alice scoffed. "Yeah. Totally sounds like saving humanity."
Luke leaned forward slightly. "Actually, Alice… in this case, I agree with Red Queen."
Alice blinked, confused. "You what?"
Luke shrugged. "She really was trying to save humanity. Her methods were extreme, sure, but the goal was the same."
Alice stared at him with disbelief, her tone sounding exactly like a wife offended that her husband took another woman's side. "You're taking her side?"
Luke didn't flinch. "There's a reason. Red Queen, explain the real cause of the T-Virus outbreak. And who actually started it."
Everyone turned their eyes toward the watch.
Red Queen's voice came out calm and emotionless. "The T-Virus outbreak was not an accident. It was a mass genocide plan created and executed by Umbrella High Command to reduce the global human population."
The room fell dead silent.
*****
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