September 26, 1998, 3:10 PM – Raccoon University Underground
THUD.
The sound wasn't a crack but a dull, sickening thud. Flesh and bone collapsing under the weight of a punch that forced the air from lungs. Eddie hadn't hesitated. His fist slammed into Mueller's sternum with inhuman speed and power. For a man experimenting on an innocent human being, he felt no remorse.
"Cough—Gah!"
Mueller crumpled against the wall, sliding to the floor, hands clawing at his chest, struggling against the blow that had nearly stopped his heart.
"I gave you a choice, and you refused…" Eddie's voice was a calm murmur as he approached. He crouched in front of Mueller, gaze cold, emotionless. "Now tell me where you keep the anti-virus data."
His eyes shifted to the transparent tank, the pale figure drifting in murky fluid. "Don't try anything foolish. Your project will take a long time to complete, so don't think you can threaten me with the stupid ideas running through your head." His words were precise, cutting. "Or do you want me to inform Umbrella about this place? You know the consequences, don't you?"
Mueller's hand darted toward his lab coat pocket, reaching for a smaller pistol. Eddie's hand moved faster. He caught it midair, his grip crushing down like steel.
SNAP.
"GAAAAH!" Mueller screamed, high and strangled, as the bones in his hand shattered. Humiliation burned hotter than the pain. He was powerless.
"Don't want to give me the data? No problem," Eddie went on, his tone unchanged. "I'll hand you over to Umbrella. Then I'll search your computer myself. Shouldn't be too difficult." A threatening smile curved his lips.
"I-I'll give them to you!" Mueller cried, his voice cracked by pain and fury. That grip was inhuman, the strength of a monster. And an old man like him feared death above all.
Eddie watched as Mueller, with one trembling hand, transferred the data onto a flash drive. It took time to verify the files, but in the end, he was satisfied.
"If you'd given them right away, none of this would've happened." He stepped closer to the man curled on the floor. "Don't be nervous. Relax." He patted his shoulder twice, almost friendly, a grotesque contrast to the brutality seconds earlier. "If there's anything important, you can call me, alright?"
He turned and left the lab.
Mueller glared at his retreating figure, his face a mask of hate. Wait and see, boy. One day, I'll kill you! he seethed inwardly.
"Hmm? Did you say something?"
Eddie's figure reappeared at the doorway, silent as a ghost, one eyebrow arched in a questioning look.
Mueller jolted. Cold sweat beaded his forehead. With a forced smile, he croaked, "Oh, of course not, hahaha… You can go now, have a nice day~."
"Okay." Eddie gave him a thumbs-up, grotesque and mocking. Then he vanished again into the dark.
Outside the university building, Eddie whistled a random tune. From a distance, Ada Wong watched him. She had trailed Yoko Suzuki for days, disappointed to find her just a normal student, lacking the intel she sought. But Eddie was different. He carried something. Something valuable.
As he strolled toward the parking lot, a woman suddenly blocked his path.
"Hey! We meet again! What a coincidence!"
The short-haired woman was Sienna Fowler. Member of Echo Six. Same tactic, different approach. Clearly desperate for intel from him.
Eddie looked at her with sheer, weary irritation.
"Listen, I don't have time for these games," he said flatly.
He stepped to pass her, but she blocked him again. He stopped. His hand shot out, gripping her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. Not seduction. Evaluation. The way one might assess a bothersome animal. "Please, stop. I'm losing patience…"
He released her with a dismissive shove, climbed into his car, and drove off, leaving her standing frozen in the lot.
Sienna didn't react at first. She had failed. Again. That bastard ignored me? Rage burned inside her. But then she remembered his grip, the cold judgment in his eyes. It wasn't disinterest. It was disdain. An insult. A cold smile curled on her lips. Alright, Eddie Cai. You have my attention.
Ada Wong had seen it all from afar. Sienna's second appearance confirmed her suspicions. Eddie wasn't just a big fish. He was the bait everyone was biting.
"Echo Six, Sienna Fowler. Spy, excellent combat training…" Ada muttered, reading data off her gadget. "Interesting. Even the government's gotten involved…"
Her eyes narrowed. The game had just become more complicated. And complicated games were her specialty.