Without any flourish, I snapped one man's neck with a casual twist of my hand and tossed the body aside. The other would sate my hunger—newly awakened once more.
Two movements blended into one. To an outside observer, it might have looked as though I bit out the mercenary's throat straight through my own hand, so quickly did I pull it away and lunge in toward my prey. The span of my jaws didn't allow me to merely pierce his throat—I tore it away, beheading the victim outright.
I spat out the chunk of flesh, well aware that my diet is liquid, and bent over the headless body, quite literally absorbing his blood—along with that of the others present, save for the one at the very top. Yamata, having descended by then, had already drained him.
"Is it just me, or has your behavior become more aggressive?" Yamata said a couple of minutes later, having eaten her fill and replenished her ammunition. "I think all those viruses have affected you a little."
"It's not even aggression," I replied instantly. "It's more like a long-forgotten feeling has returned. Hunger. And it's… pressing."
"I see. Then the second floor?" Yamata said pointedly.
Through our perception, we could clearly see that the one who had clashed with Carlos was now half-lying, half-sitting, slumped against something—most likely a wall—on the second floor. I suppose a fairly well-trained Umbrella mercenary managed to get a shot in at his opponent. And why not? Look at Nikolai—he's practically Batman, diving out of buildings like a swallow. So why should Carlos be any worse?
We descended the stairs at an unhurried pace and reached the second floor.
Ah. This layout I like better—just one corridor and two pairs of rooms, likely operating theaters or examination rooms. At least, the slightly ajar door to the left led into a wrecked operating room, while the door opposite it—torn from its hinges along with a chunk of the frame—opened into what looked like an office.
But the person we were interested in was farther down the hall, slumped against the wall of the room adjacent to the operating theater, behind a tightly sealed door.
"After you." I made an exaggeratedly gallant gesture toward the door. It was clearly locked, and breaking it down would be pointless. That's what an infected brute would do. A survivor using a lockpick, however, might be coming to help a wounded comrade—or finish him off. So let's play into the perception of whoever was inside.
If it was Ada… well, whoever it was, they'd traded gunfire with Carlos Oliveira. Which meant they were definitely armed.
"Move already. Step aside," Yamata said with a grin.
I could understand her amusement. I was now far smaller than a Tyrant or Nemesis, but I was still well over two meters tall—five or ten centimeters beyond that, even. And in terms of build, I could easily compete for the title of "bodybuilder," and any gallant gesture on my part was about as fitting as an elephant in a ballet tutu..
Ten seconds later, the door was unlocked.
I stepped into the room—and immediately entered acceleration.
I intercepted Ada Wong's pistol, which until then had been aimed at the door. And after I appeared, it had begun to turn—slowly—toward its owner. Someone had assessed my overall appearance and decided to end her own life rather than risk being turned. Not a bad move. It takes a certain courage, no matter what some might think.
"What…?" the girl breathed in shock when, instead of killing her as she had expected, I tore the weapon from her hands. Carefully, too. No point in further injuring a woman who'd already been shot.
Judging by the pool of blood that had gathered beneath her—blood that immediately began to draw toward me—and by her left hand, crimson from pressing against her right side, we didn't have much time for conversation. Especially in light of my ability, which even now I couldn't manage to control, let alone shut off for a moment!
"Do you remember me?" I tried to make my telepathic voice resemble the one I'd had in my third evolutionary form as closely as possible.
From the way she flinched—and the fleeting, desperate glance she cast at the pistol now in my hand—oh, she remembers all right, and even managed to see more than I would have liked her to. Had she dug through the laboratory's surveillance footage?
"You! And she's here too?! No surprise. You're both monsters. Yes, I've already realized she's not human. What, did you come to have a snack on me?" Ada said, with a touch of defiance.
Out of the corner of my eye I noted the cause of the girl's reaction—Yamata had entered the office. Well, yes, she must have put everything together in her mind by now.And she'd probably come up with all sorts of theories about Kate's absence—up to and including the idea that we'd eaten her. Humans do tend to let their imaginations run wild.
Ah, Kate… how foolishly it all turned out, and there's no one to blame for it but myself.
"No. We came to make you an offer. One you can even refuse—but I'd advise you to hear me out before you decide." I added the second part upon seeing the girl open her mouth, fully aware of what would follow, and being dismissed right at the start of the conversation was not part of my plan.
"Fine. I'll hear you out before I die," Miss Wong replied with dry irony. Wow, she even has self-irony in a situation like this. Bravo, I'm impressed.
"That's exactly what I want to talk to you about…" I began, but was cut off.
"No! Absolutely not! I won't become a monster like you!"
(End of Chapter)
🙌Bonus chapter for 50 power stones!
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