Chapter 134: A Real Man Never Looks Back at an Explosion
With Alice's help, Jake instantly killed the Nemesis that had been locked in a stalemate with him.
Just as he prepared to regroup, Alice turned back to engage the remaining one.
As the battle wore on, she grew stronger—even more powerful than when Jake had first encountered her that evening!
"Get clear!" he shouted to Alice, firing several rapid shots at the Nemesis with both pistols.
Without hesitation, Alice charged forward and kicked the creature square in the chest, sending it staggering backward. Using the recoil, she launched herself sideways, rolling twice across the rooftop before clearing Jake's line of fire.
Several more shots rang out. Though the bullets didn't penetrate its thick hide, the Nemesis grew more enraged.
It clutched at its face defensively, for Jake's bullets seemed laser-guided, specifically targeting its eyes. One moment of carelessness would seal its fate just like its fallen counterpart.
"Now!"
As Nemesis covered its face, Alice and Jake charged simultaneously!
Four boots slammed into the creature's chest—the combined force of two enhanced fighters knocked the massive bio-weapon to the ground without question.
Then the previous scene replayed itself.
This time, however, Alice delivered the killing blow.
The tough woman grabbed the short-barreled shotgun from her hip and fired several rounds point-blank, obliterating the creature's skull!
"Phew~"
The battle ended, and Alice exhaled in relief.
It had started abruptly and finished quickly—less than ten minutes total—but for everyone watching, those ten minutes had felt like an eternity.
"What do we do with this bastard?" Jill had freed herself from her restraints and now held a gun to Major Cain's head. "Should I just shoot him?"
The Umbrella executive sneered, still radiating confidence despite his position. "You're the most perfect specimen we've ever created."
Jill had her arm around his throat, keeping him off-balance, but even so, his attitude remained arrogant, as if victory was assured. He addressed Alice directly: "Now, you can choose to come with me."
"No!" Alice refused without hesitation.
Just as everyone wondered why this man could still act so confident, a helicopter rose from beyond the rooftop edge at a safe distance, and its mounted machine guns opened fire!
Bullets rained down on everyone, but they all carefully avoided Major Cain, sparing those in his immediate vicinity.
Fortunately, while the gunfire was intense, it proved insufficient against Alice, who had achieved near-perfect viral evolution. Though she couldn't dodge bullets after they were fired, she could read the shooter's intent and move before they pulled the trigger.
Alice began running across the rooftop, and the helicopter instinctively pursued this fleeing target.
The pilot grinned maliciously as he controlled the aircraft, clearly enjoying himself.
He relished the feeling—like a cat toying with a mouse.
As he lowered the altitude to about six feet above the rooftop, the helicopter suddenly shook.
The pilot ignored it, continuing his lethal game.
Suddenly, through the cockpit window, he saw a man in a black tactical suit, both pistols aimed directly at his head.
The rapid spinning of the rotors generated powerful downdraft, whipping the man's short dark hair into disarray and sending his red tie fluttering wildly across his chest!
The man's lips moved.
He seemed to be saying, "Land it, or I shoot!"
The pilot quickly nodded to show he understood, then abruptly increased altitude!
In the air, as long as he stayed high enough, he didn't believe this lunatic would actually kill him and risk the fall.
However, he severely miscalculated.
The man actually fired!
BANG!
The bullet pierced the helicopter's window, drilling through the pilot's forehead and leaving a bloody exit wound.
At that moment, the helicopter was only twelve feet above the ground!
Jake immediately jumped clear of the aircraft, spreading his arms to slow his descent.
As he neared the rooftop, he tucked his head and took the impact on his back, rolling several times before coming to a controlled stop.
Jake calmly stood and walked toward Dr. Ashford. Now that all immediate threats were neutralized, it was time to handle his own business.
The pilotless helicopter swayed dangerously, tilting at severe angles before finally losing all stability.
It plummeted straight down toward the rooftop.
BOOM—!!
The helicopter exploded in a massive fireball, flames shooting skyward. The searing heat from the blast whipped at Jake's clothes, but his steady pace never changed. He didn't even glance back at the explosion.
Holding his pistols loosely at his sides, he walked step by step toward Dr. Ashford, the wall of flame rising behind him like a backdrop, until he reached the wheelchair-bound scientist.
"Now that all the immediate problems are handled, perhaps we can discuss our arrangement, Doctor," he said, holstering his dual pistols and offering a professional smile. "Allow me to properly introduce myself. My name is Jake Hawkins, and I represent an independent organization with significant resources."
"I'd like to formally invite you to work with us. We have great appreciation for your talents and could provide you with resources Umbrella never would."
Alice and the others had already boarded the remaining helicopter.
"Hurry up and get on!" Jill shouted to Jake and Dr. Ashford from the aircraft.
Jake waved his hand casually, indicating they shouldn't wait, and continued his conversation with the doctor.
"What are they talking about?" L.J. asked, craning his neck.
"Something confidential, probably," someone suggested.
Alice remained silent. She had a strong feeling Jake didn't intend to board this helicopter—she'd seen enough of his capabilities to know he had his own exit strategy.
"Let's take off," she told Carlos, who sat in the pilot's seat.
"Take off? But that guy isn't even on board yet!"
"He has his own way out," Alice said firmly, gripping the camera she'd recovered. If she hadn't still harbored some hope of stopping Umbrella and saving what remained of the world, she might have chosen to leave with Jake instead.
All of Jake's predictions had come true.
Umbrella had unleashed this nightmare, and the city had been overrun. Now Alice's only goal was to prevent the infection from consuming the entire planet.
She was making a final stand, even though the odds seemed impossible.
The helicopter lifted off, but Jake, Dr. Ashford, and Angela remained on the rooftop.
Jake had ultimately secured Dr. Ashford's cooperation by offering him something Umbrella never could—freedom, resources, and most importantly, a chance to cure his daughter without corporate oversight.
A world without the T-virus running rampant, and two brilliant scientists working together—they could potentially create a refined version of the virus that could cure Angela's genetic disease without the catastrophic side effects.
The specific details of their negotiation remained private, but both parties seemed satisfied with the arrangement.
"They abandoned you!" Major Cain, still bound nearby, laughed maniacally at the three. "You're all dead!"
"No," Jake shook his head, regarding the pathetic man with something approaching pity. "We simply have different destinations."
A sliver of dawn broke across the horizon. The battle had lasted all night, and finally, the sky was brightening.
Dawn also meant that Umbrella's sanitization protocol would commence.
A helicopter appeared in the distance and released its payload—a single warhead arcing downward...
"Then you'll all die with me!" Major Cain screamed triumphantly.
"I'm afraid you'll be disappointed," Jake said with genuine regret in his voice. He grabbed Angela and Dr. Ashford, and in a blur of motion, all three vanished from the rooftop.
Only the Major remained, staring in wide-eyed disbelief at the empty space where they'd been standing.
The tactical nuclear warhead descended toward Raccoon City...
[A/N: The "real men don't look back at explosions" trope is a classic action movie reference, popularized by films like The Hurt Locker and countless action films. Jake's calm walk away from the exploding helicopter is a direct homage to this cinematic tradition.]
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