How We Got Here - Resident Evil 1

Prologue

[July 24, 1998]
[Raccoon Forest 19:36]

Holding tightly onto the metal overhead railing, a man with broad shoulders and short black hair gazed out the window of the helicopter. His dark brown eyes intently scanned the dark forest in the dusk, mind swirling with millions of thoughts.

The man looked down at his green vest, dusting off the S.T.A.R.S. logo in the corner. He sighed before resting both his hands against the pole above, bracing his forearms as he continued to watch through the window.

"Chris?"

Chris lifted his head up gently and slowly turned his head, smiling tiredly as a woman in a blue beret, shirt, and combat pants walked at a casual pace toward him, swaying lightly as the helicopter turned.

The woman sighed deeply before meeting Chris' eyes. She rested one hand on the pole overhead, tugging at her collar. "Captain Wesker said Brad spotted the Bravo team helicopter within a mile radius of our current position. He's making a landing."

Chris looked away from his teammate and back out the window, then down to the pistol on his hip.

Sent out on a routine checkup on the surrounding Raccoon forest, including the observation of a prisoner's transfer, the Raccoon City Police Department S.T.A.R.S. Bravo team had disappeared overnight the day before.

Their partner team in S.T.A.R.S. grew more and more anxious waiting for their return, but it never arrived. His head aching from the anxieties of the impending retrieval mission, Chris had let himself listen to his thoughts too much these past few hours.

Chris nodded quickly before turning to the woman, who wore a grim smile on her face.

"Ready to find our team?" Chris murmured gruffly, shaking himself from his thoughts.

The woman nodded hesitantly, turning to look out the window as the helicopter began to slow down. "More than ready."

***

Heavy black boots landed on the soft soil of the Raccoon forest. A man with small sunglasses, light blonde hair, and tight fingerless gloves gripped the pistol on his side, turning to look into the helicopter behind him.

Chris landed on the ground behind him, moving past the first man to get a better glimpse at the second helicopter that rested a couple hundred feet away from where they landed, red emergency lights flashing dimly on the front of it.

Two other men climbed from out of the helicopter, one burly man with a red puffer vest and a scruffy beard, already equipping his sturdy gun. The other brushed his hands against his pants, pulling his long braid from over his shoulder. He gave a quick nod to the man next to him before following Chris.

The woman in blue sat at the edge of the helicopter, finishing tying the laces of her black boots. She glanced up at the man sitting in the front seat of the helicopter, with a bright yellow vest on and a dark headset resting on his head.

The woman smiled sweetly as she caught the man meeting her gaze, before his eyes widened and he whipped back around, facing the front.

The woman stood up, resting her arm on the passenger seat. "You watching over the fort, Brad?" She smiled and tried to catch his attention.

Brad's eyes widened further and his cheeks blushed, looking up at the woman nervously. "Er... yeah. Don't wanna get in the way."