The silence hung in the air, thick and heavy, like a delicate blanket covering their shared breaths.
It wrapped around the memory of urgent kisses and grasping hands.
A memory that now seemed like a dream from someone else's life.
A lovely, intense dream broken by the harsh truth of slow, heavy footsteps and that deep, wet breathing coming from somewhere ahead.
Jun stood up, feeling a rush of energy coursing through him.
[Enhanced Regeneration] was already working its magic, healing his wounds and leaving just a faint pink line on his shoulder and a dull itch on his calf.
Thanks to [Pain Suppression], he felt strangely detached from his injuries, almost like he was watching someone else in his own body.
He turned to Rebecca, really focusing on her.
He saw the S.T.A.R.S. medic taking charge again, straightening her uniform and tucking a loose strand of her chestnut hair behind her ear.
Her fingers shook just a little, but her eyes locked onto his with a fierce determination, the passion from earlier now transformed into a stronger, more intense drive to survive.
"Engine car," he said, his voice deep and steady, making it clear that this was the only way forward.
She nodded quickly, her head moving sharply. "This is our only way out and our best shot at getting a radio," she said, her eyes darting to the unsettling noises before returning to him.
It was a quiet understanding of the new danger that loomed ahead, a danger that made dealing with leech spawn and a grieving mother feel almost easy in comparison.
He stepped out of the breakroom, leaving the comfort of its safety behind. The rebar felt lighter in his hand, almost like a part of him.
His [Threat Sense] buzzed in his mind, always alert, like a radar scanning the dark ahead.
It showed him a picture of something huge, something waiting, something that had a deep, unsettling hunger that seemed to be older than the train itself.
They walked through the staff car, passing by shelves filled with ordinary supplies that now felt like relics from a forgotten time.
They approached the next door, which led to the front of the train, where the sound of dragging footsteps was coming from.
Jun stopped for a moment, his hand resting on the cold metal handle.
He could feel Rebecca right behind him, a warm and comforting presence that pushed back against the growing fear around them.
"No matter what happens," he said softly, keeping his gaze forward, "just stay close to me. If I say to run, you run without looking back."
He felt her hand gently touch his back for a moment, a sign of support, a sign of trust. "We're in this together," she said softly, her voice steady and strong, making it clear there was no room for debate.
A part of him, not overwhelmed by the upcoming battle, felt a warmth in his chest at her bravery, at her determination to stand by his side.
He pushed the door aside and stepped through.
The carriage in front was like a big, dark storage room, packed with crates marked with the Umbrella logo.
Instead of excitement, it filled him with a chill of anger.
The air felt colder, carrying the scent of wet metal mixed with something else—something earthy and wild, like a forgotten animal pen.
The sound of dragging footsteps echoed around him, now joined by the noise of something heavy scraping along the metal floor, a sound that made him grit his teeth in discomfort.
They crept along carefully, hiding behind the big crates.
The noise of the train helped cover their footsteps with its constant creaks and that dragging sound.
Jun felt alert, his instincts telling him that danger was near, just beyond the next row of crates.
He cautiously leaned around the edge of a big metal container, and there it was.
It stood there, towering at least eight feet high, a strange mix of human and lizard.
Its skin was a sickly green, all bumpy and rough, covered in thick, hard plates.
One of its arms had turned into a huge, terrifying claw that dragged along the ground, making a scraping noise.
The other arm ended in sharp, bony fingers. Its head was a nightmare, with a twisted mouth full of teeth and no eyes to be seen.
It moved slowly, each step heavy, its big chest rising and falling as it took deep, wet breaths, like a living force of chaos.
A Hunter.
The name popped into his mind, a perfect match that sent a chill down his spine.
It stopped for a moment, its head tilting to the side like it was trying to catch a scent in the air.
Jun felt a chill run down his spine as he suddenly understood that it could probably smell them—could sense their sweat, their fear, and even the fresh blood from the wounds he had just bandaged.
He leaned back, pressing himself against the crate, locking eyes with Rebecca, who looked shocked.
He raised a finger to his lips, his thoughts racing.
They couldn't take this thing on directly, not out in the open like this.
The rebar wouldn't do anything against that tough armor.
They had to come up with a plan and find a way to exploit a weakness.
The Hunter made a deep, rumbling growl that echoed through the metal floor.
It started to move again, not directly at them, but alongside them, its clawed feet thudding heavily.
It was on patrol, like a guard dog for this moving Umbrella lab.
Jun looked around carefully, searching for something useful. Then he spotted it across the wide aisle—a control panel on the wall right next to a big, heavy door that probably opened into a cold storage area.
An idea, desperate and dangerous, began to form in his mind.
He leaned in toward Rebecca, his lips nearly touching her ear, and whispered softly, "I'm going to lure it over to that cold storage door. When I say the word, you press that red button on the control panel—the one that should open it."
She turned to see what he was looking at, and as she did, realization washed over her.
A new wave of worry for him surged within her. "It's going to tear you apart," she said softly, her fingers tightening around his arm.
"It has to catch me first," he said, his voice steady.
The words lingered between them, a mix of confidence and the stark reality of what they were facing.
His confidence felt delicate, not because of quickness, but because of the strong, raw power in his muscles and the new toughness in his body.
His [Basic Strength] and [Enhanced Regeneration] were the only things protecting him from a beast made to tear apart tanks.
It was a risky bet, a chance so small it was almost unnoticeable. "Get ready."
Without giving her a chance to say anything more, he inhaled deeply, moved out from behind the crate, and stepped right into the Hunter's way.
The huge creature came to a sudden halt, its head turning sharply in his direction.
Its face, devoid of eyes, felt like it was staring right at him with a chilling precision.
A deep, rattling hiss slipped from its mouth, sounding like a warning of a slow and painful end.
"Hey ugly!" Jun called out, his voice bouncing around in the big empty room, "looking for me?"
Jun focused only on the monster in front of him, the wide area around him, and the door he had come through.
This wasn't a graceful dance; it felt more like a frantic, life-or-death race against something unstoppable.
He knew that even the smallest mistake could mean the end for him.
•••
Time felt like it was stretching out.
The Hunter rushed forward, a frightening mix of green scales and shining bone, its huge claw slicing through the air just where Jun's head had been a split second earlier.
He didn't dodge smoothly; instead, he lunged forward with all his might, fueled by pure strength.
The wind from the near miss whipped through his hair, and the powerful rush made his ears ring.
He landed on the ground and rolled, the hit shaking him even with his [Pain Suppression]. He sprang up and started running, not straight away but at an angle, drawing the monster along with him toward the cold storage door.
His heart raced wildly in his chest, beating like a drum, driven by the instinct to survive. The Hunter let out a loud roar, filled with anger and frustration.
Its claw scraped against the ground as it turned quickly, its sharp feet gripping the metal floor. Then, with a burst of speed that felt like a living nightmare, it sprang after him.
"Rebecca, get ready!" Jun shouted, his voice tight as he darted between the crates, using them for cover.
The Hunter, however, just barreled through a smaller pile, sending bits of wood and metal flying everywhere. It was completely focused, and its hunger filled the air like a heavy weight.
Jun felt a loud warning in his mind, urging him to move. He quickly dove to the side just as a massive claw came crashing down above him.
The metal floor where he had just been standing buckled with a terrible noise, like steel screaming in pain.
The shock of it rattled through his legs as he hurriedly scrambled back, his gaze fixed on the creature, which was now only twenty feet away from the door he needed to reach.
Fifteen feet.
The Hunter shook itself off, its head moving to the side before it charged again. This time, it didn't use its claw; instead, it struck with its sharp, taloned hand, aiming straight for Jun's chest.
It was so quick that he barely had time to react. Jun twisted his body, but the sharp talons tore through his shirt, leaving deep cuts across his ribs.
The pain suppression made it feel less intense, turning the sharp pain into a hot, tearing feeling. Still, he could feel the warm blood soaking into his side right away.
Ten feet.
"Now, Rebecca! Now!" he shouted, pushing himself to run as fast as he could straight toward the cold storage door.
He heard the clear sound of the heavy door unlocking and watched as it slowly started to slide open, showing a dark and cold inside, with a rush of icy air spilling out into the cargo hold.
He was really close now.
A sharp, white-hot pain shot through his left leg as the Hunter's claw sliced in a low, sweeping motion.
The tip caught his already injured calf, and the force was so strong it lifted him off the ground, sending him spinning through the air like a doll.
He heard a bone crack, a horrible sound from inside that even the [Pain Suppression] couldn't completely drown out.
He fell to the ground in a tangled mess, sliding to a halt right at the entrance of the freezing chamber. His vision blurred, and his body felt like a map of sharp, intense pain.
[Enhanced Regeneration] kicked in, buzzing warmly and frantically in his leg and side, desperately trying to piece together what had been ripped apart.
He lifted his gaze, feeling a swirl of confusion in his mind. The Hunter loomed at the entrance, its huge body casting a shadow that swallowed the light.
With a fierce grin that showed off its sharp teeth, it stepped into the cold storage unit. Its claw lifted, ready to deliver a final, devastating strike.
Jun found himself trapped, hurt, and completely out of ideas. Yet, he knew that he wasn't alone.
From the side, Rebecca let out a loud, silent scream, and with all her might, she threw her body against the heavy door's manual override lever.
With a loud hiss and a deep, rumbling sound, the huge door came crashing down.
Jun's eyes widened as he caught sight of the Hunter. Its head spun around, filled with a mix of confusion and rage.
Just then, its claw slammed against the strong window of the door, making a loud, echoing CLANG as the lock clicked into place.
It was dark all around. And a deep, surprising chill.
The quiet was only interrupted by his heavy, labored breaths that turned to mist in the cold air. He could also hear the muffled, furious growls of the monster trapped inside, its fists thudding against the strong metal walls.
He had really done it. He had made it through.
He was sprawled on the icy floor, shaking from the cold, his body feeling like a mess.
He could hear the angry thuds coming from the other side of the door, each one growing softer than the one before, the biting cold draining the creature's strength little by little.
A gentle chime rang in his head, completely different from the harsh truth of his injured body.
[Hunter Gamma Neutralized. Points +150]
[Survival Objective Updated: Reach the Engine Car]
The points brought only a little bit of comfort. He attempted to lift himself up, but his broken leg wouldn't support him, and a new surge of unbearable pain hit him.
He could sense [Enhanced Regeneration] kicking in, feeling the bone pieces slowly and painfully coming back together. But it was going to take time—time they might not have.
The door to the cargo hold swung open once more, and there stood Rebecca, framed in the doorway.
Her face was pale, and her eyes were filled with a mix of fear and relief.
She hurried to his side, her hands reaching out to his leg, her touch both soft and steady.
"Your leg... I can see the bone..." she whispered, her voice shaking with fear.
"Regeneration... is working," he said, his teeth chattering as the cold seeped deep into his bones. "It's going to be fine..."
She glanced from his injured leg to his face, her feelings swirling inside her—fear, wonder, and a strong urge to protect him.
Without thinking about the chill in the air, she took off her S.T.A.R.S. jacket and placed it gently over his chest. Then, she started tearing strips from a clean linen pack in her kit to support his leg.
Her hands moved quickly and skillfully, her attention completely on what she was doing.
He looked at her, the woman who had just saved his life, now taking care of him in this icy place.
Her brow was furrowed with focus, and her lips were pressed together with determination.
He felt something change within him, a strengthening of the bond that had been created through hardship, a connection that was now being shaped in the cold.
The loud thumping from the cold storage unit had finally come to a halt. A strange quiet settled in the air.
Suddenly, a new noise filled the air, causing Rebecca to lift her head sharply, her heart racing with fear.
There it was, a voice—Marcus's voice. It was smooth and clear, filling the air as it echoed from the intercom speakers tucked away in the ceiling of the cargo hold.
"What a show," the voice said, oozing with fake praise.
"Honestly, you keep surprising me beyond what I thought was possible. But what you did has set off a safety measure.
"The train's self-destruct sequence has started. You've got just ten minutes before the thermal charges in the fuel line go off."
A chill that had nothing to do with the freezer crept into Jun's very being.
Marcus had moved on from just using monsters to try and take them down.
He was digging a hole and carefully placing them inside.
•••
Marcus's voice faded away from the intercom, and suddenly, there was a silence that felt scarier than any loud noise.
The only thing they could hear was the quick, uneven sound of their own breathing, visible in the cold air, and the soft ticking of a digital clock on the wall nearby.
Its red numbers stood out, a harsh reminder of the time running out for them.
09:59… 09:58…
"No," Rebecca whispered, her voice trembling like a leaf in the cold, her hands resting gently on Jun's injured leg.
Her face showed a deep shock, eyes wide with disbelief. "He's... He's rushing through the whole train, taking all the proof with him, and we're right here..."
Jun's mind, clouded by pain and cold, suddenly became sharp and clear.
The usual warning of monsters faded away, replaced by a chilling sense of death approaching, a death that would come from fire and shrapnel.
It felt like a huge wave of destruction was about to crash down on him.
He pushed himself up onto his elbows, gritting his teeth against the intense pain in his leg. His body trying to heal itself, the broken bones slowly coming together with a deep, grinding sensation in his muscles.
It was a race now, a race between his body's incredible ability to heal and the looming threat of an explosion.
"My leg," he said with a rough voice, "I need to get up. We have to go, right now."
"Jun, your bone is broken into pieces; you can't do this!" Rebecca cried out, her eyes filled with fear, but he was already on the move.
With his [Basic Strength], he managed to pull himself up using a nearby storage rack.
He carefully put some weight on his injured leg, and a wave of dizzying pain washed over him, making him feel sick. But the leg held strong; the new bone, though delicate, was there—a true miracle of biology and System help.
09:45… 09:44…
"I have no choice," he breathed out, sweat forming on his forehead even though it was chilly. His eyes met hers, holding her gaze tightly.
"Engine car... that's our only shot. There could be an emergency release or a way to uncouple the cars, anything really."
He took a slow, shaky step, leaning heavily on Rebecca's shoulders.
Her small frame supported him as best as it could, her warmth a comforting presence against his side, a source of strength he really needed.
Together, they made their way out of the cold of the freezer and back into the cargo hold.
Those red numbers of the countdown loomed over them like a watchful eye, tracking every painful move they made.
"..." x2
They moved slowly past the quiet cold storage door, which felt like a grave for the Hunter, and headed toward the front of the train.
With every step, Jun felt a sharp pain in his leg, which was still healing and protesting loudly.
The only thing that kept him awake was the [Pain Suppression], making the world around him shrink down to just the sound of their heavy footsteps and the steady drop of the numbers.
08:12… 08:11…
They arrived at the next door, which was much heavier than the last.
It had a sign that read 'AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY' and was locked tight, standing as a final, teasing barrier in their way.
"Let me try," Jun said softly, moving Rebecca aside with a gentle touch.
He focused on the lock, his eyes darting over the complicated electronic keypad. His heart sank as he realized his lockpicking skills wouldn't help here.
A chill of fear washed over him; this was it, they had hit a dead end.
"No, wait," Rebecca said, her voice suddenly sharp and full of determination. She leaned in closer, her fingers gliding over the edges of the keypad.
"This is a S.T.A.R.S. override model, a backdoor for field operations." Her brow furrowed in concentration, and her lips moved silently as she typed in a series of numbers—her birth year, her badge number, and the date she graduated.
As much as she attempted, the keypad always flashed red, rejecting her attempt.
07:01… 07:00…
"Damn it!" she shouted, hitting the cold metal with her hand in frustration, tears of hopelessness starting to fill her eyes.
Jun gazed at her, at the bright and strong woman who was brought low by a series of numbers.
His instinct, which had been shouting about the train's coming doom, suddenly flared with a new, urgent alert.
There was something else, something he recognized but found chilling, lurking in the shadows of the cargo hold behind them, keeping an eye on them.
He slowly turned his head, feeling his body tighten up.
James Marcus leaned back against a crate, looking like he was watching a play that wasn't too exciting.
His suit was spotless, and his broken nose had healed perfectly, showing off his unusual biology.
A slight, cruel smile lingered on his lips.
"What a shame," he said, his voice as smooth as silk. "I would have loved to explore you both, but sometimes starting fresh is better than dealing with a big mess."
He lifted his hand, and instead of a gun, he held a small black remote. His thumb was poised just above a bright red button that stood out clearly.
"The charges are all set. This just makes things go a bit faster," Marcus said, his sharp eyes shining with delight. "You get a five-second head start, just like we used to."
Jun felt everything around him slow down. His [Threat Sense] was blaring in his ears, and the countdown showed 06:05...
He saw Marcus's thumb starting to move down, and there was no time to think. All he could feel was the urgent, desperate need to keep the woman next to him safe.
He didn't push Rebecca aside; instead, he turned, using his body to protect her. He wrapped his arms around her and spun them both around, facing away from Marcus and the oncoming blast.
With determination, he propelled them forward, not away, but straight toward the locked electronic door, pouring all his strength into one urgent rush.
"HOLD ON!" he shouted.
Marcus pressed the button with his thumb.
A loud, booming WHUMP came from the back of the train, shaking the floor and sending them tumbling forward like dolls.
Suddenly, everything around them turned into a chaotic mix of loud noises—metal screeching and fuel bursting.
A huge wave of fire and heat rushed toward them, swallowing the cargo hold in flames.
Jun could feel the intense heat on his back, and the blast pushed them forward with incredible force, like being shot from a cannon.
His shoulder, fortified by bone, muscle, and system-granted power, slammed into the center of the locked door.
The metal screamed as it twisted and then suddenly broke apart with a loud crash. Sparks flew everywhere as the electronic lock burst open, and the door flew off its hinges.
Jun and Rebecca were thrown through the opening, landing in a messy pile of arms and legs on the hard, rough floor of the engine car.
Everything around them spun in a chaotic mix of sounds and movement.
Behind them, the long stretch of the train they had just crossed was filled with flames and smoke, a terrifying tunnel of destruction.
The explosion tore through each car, one after another, and the shockwave was racing toward them.
Jun, dazed, his back a sheet of blistering pain, his newly healed leg screaming anew, looked up, his vision swimming.
They found themselves in the engine car, a snug little area filled with levers and dials. A big windshield in front of them displayed the tracks speeding off into the shadowy forest.
And there it was, right in front of him, a big, bright red emergency brake with a pull handle.
Using the last bit of energy he had, with the flames crackling behind him, he stretched out his hand, feeling the cold, painted metal as his fingers wrapped around it.
He tugged at it.
(To be Continued)