Jealousy is jealousy; if you can't have it, you destroy it, so you slap a random crime on someone else.
The two stood in silence for a moment, as if lost in thought.
Leon still summoned his courage and asked,'Sir, I think Kevin's death was suspicious. Before he died he told me we were all pawns. Someone must have framed him, and they never found his body—I suspect he's still alive.'
'You suspect he joined a terrorist group and is attacking the Federation?' Benford's expression was grave.
Leon nodded. 'Exactly. Only Kevin could know the Federation's city layout, patrol assignments, National Guard posts, and disaster-response times so well.'
'Investigate this in secret. We can't let an agent suffer injustice. The root lies with us; looks like I need to reform the Special Ops.' Benford sighed—there was so much still to do.
In fact, Leon had guessed wrong this time; the one who attacked the city was Nikolai.
After his homeland revived, his wish was fulfilled. His new mission was to wreck the Western Federation and make those so-called elites pay.
While the city's defenses were being organized at breakneck speed, in another city…
Nikolai appeared in a villa. One Guard after another dropped, replaced by masked mercenaries.
The surveillance showed nothing unusual—Guards could still be seen on patrol.
On the villa's third floor, Nikolai gripped a blood-stained dagger and kicked open the study door.
Inside, two panicked courtesans cowered while a white-bearded tycoon roared, 'Are you courting death? Can't you see I'm studying a foreign language? Get out!'
'Studying? Your method's quite special, Mr. Khazak,' Nikolai mocked, twirling the dagger.
This man was Simmons's moneymaking right-hand man—Khazak!
He owned casinos, cargo firms, and real estate, a high-level lapdog of the family.
'You know who I am—so scram! Want money? Ten million—now get lost!' Khazak raged, mortified.
Nikolai took out a syringe, kicked Khazak down, and jabbed his neck. 'Enjoy some old-fashioned vengeance!
Flames burst from Khazak as he screamed, his skin melting into a humanoid cocoon.
The courtesans shrieked in terror.
'So noisy! Want a shot too?' Nikolai slapped both women down and injected each with Pupa Virus.
They died shrieking—one became a cocoon, the other a Strelok, a high-tier C-Virus zombie that keeps most of its intellect.
Chapter 600: The Dutiful Eldest Daughter Kailie
Fortunately the Guards' heavy fire—Gatling and Rocket Launcher—obliterated the three pupated monsters before nearby Guards could be alerted.
Simmons kept wondering who was framing him; some conspiracy seemed set to overturn everything.
'Chief, a carrier from the Far-East fleet has vanished—Dr. Daniel is missing too,' an aide reported.
'What!' Simmons slammed the desk; losing a carrier was no small matter.
'The South India oilfield base is deserted—no trace. Meanwhile a group called Neo-Umbrella has surfaced internationally; Dr. Daniel is confirmed as a member,' the aide continued.
Simmons calmed quickly; the deed was done—he had to survive and fix it.
'Upload all related personnel to the wanted list. Get Wesker here—convene the family council at once!' he ordered.
Again he cursed: women were the death of him!
After Carla left, Simmons still yearned to clone Ada.
If Carla could succeed, so could someone else.
Daniel was perfecting Pupa Virus while Simmons oversaw Ada cloning, yet still no suitable candidate appeared.
The only hope was the student Deborah—now in Europe working for Mysterious Pharmaceutical.
Kidnapping anyone from Mysterious Pharmaceutical was harder than reaching heaven.
Some nannies inside—Marguerite, Madam Yasi—had terrifying combat strength; think twice before trying.
Not even an ant could crawl in, let alone a person.
Meanwhile Eddie was honeymooning with Carla in Vadoren—now swarming with Lycans.
Besides Pupa Virus, these Lycans were implanted with Las Plagas parasite, restoring high intellect and obedience—stronger than synthetic troopers.
On the hotel balcony Eddie smoked, watching the looting below; the city was chaos at night.
Carla was still unconscious—two hours from recovery.
Beep—his phone rang. 'What's up, baby?'
It was his eldest daughter Kailie—his child with Jill.
'Daddy, Daniel made his move. He tricked three battleships and a carrier into vanishing; the Western Federation's hunting him. Simmons is going nuts.' Kailie's tone carried glee.
'Oh? Simmons got fooled again—great. Looks like he'll step down; anyone who loses a carrier doesn't deserve to be chief.' Eddie savored the schadenfreude, glancing at the comatose Carla.
'Should we install our puppet?' Kailie asked suddenly.
Eddie's face turned odd. 'You raised a puppet?'
'Of course. I've raised lots, heh—it's what you want to do but dare not.' In her office Kailie smoked, swinging her heels, her Jill-like eyes lethal.
Eddie wouldn't admit or do it. 'I'll back whatever you do, baby.'
Kailie's eyes narrowed. 'Thanks. I'd do anything for Daddy—no one threatens our family.'
She teased, 'How's the honeymoon with Aunt Carla? I won't disturb you. Vadoren's no paradise—it's a Neo-Umbrella stronghold. Their strategy is revenge on the Western Federation. Bases in Eastern Europe and the Middle East will be hit—stay out of it.'
'Neo-Umbrella? Interesting. Don't wade into that mess; watching tigers fight from the hill is much better.' Eddie warned.
'I know. I'll snipe quietly like you. Oh, Daddy, Aunt Claire's changed—no more reckless mercy.' Kailie tattled; she loathed charity that endangered the family.
'I've spoken to her; she gets it. Ugh, my schedule's packed—what can you do? Next time I'll take you to an amusement park.' Eddie sighed—such is manhood.
'Okay, I won't bother you. Have fun, Daddy.' Kailie hung up, eyes on the night sky. Men—disgusting.
In Vadoren, hordes of controlled Lycans armed themselves and crept around the Federation base perimeter.
A sniper bullet punched through a sentry's head, killing him instantly.
'Enemy attack! Enemy attack!' The vigilant partner radioed—then a second bullet dropped him too.
The base held nearly six thousand personnel—only a little over four thousand actual combatants.