ETHAN DRAKE: WORLD HORIZON GAMES

The train's rhythmic clatter echoed through the steel corridors, a relentless reminder of the inevitability ahead. Overhead lights flickered, casting jagged shadows that danced along the metal walls. I stood near the back, my fingers tapping against the grip of my pistol, eyes locked on Rain Ocampo as she struggled with the jammed door.

She snarled under her breath, slamming a fist against the stubborn metal. "Piece of shit..."

"Having trouble?" James "One" Shade's voice cut through the tension, his stance rigid, arms crossed over his chest.

Rain exhaled sharply, shooting him a glare. "The damn thing's stuck."

JD Salinas stepped up beside her, rolling his shoulders. "Step aside. Let me work my magic."

Rain backed off with a sharp nod, her jaw tight. JD gripped the mechanism, muscles tensing as he yanked hard. Metal groaned in protest before the door finally gave way—

—A body collapsed through.

Weapons snapped up in unison, safeties clicking off. The figure groaned, sluggish, disoriented. The team medic, knelt without hesitation, her penlight flicking across the man's glazed eyes. "Do you remember anything?"

"Nothing… nothing at all." The man—Spence Parks—his voice hoarse, eyes swimming with confusion.

Kaplan, already at the nearby console, didn't bother looking up as his fingers flew across the keys. "Spence Parks. Security officer. Same designation as Alice." He paused, reading. "Looks like he suffered exposure to the nerve gas too."

I stepped forward, narrowing my gaze at Spence. "If he's in the same boat as Alice, he should've been found in the mansion. Why is he here?"

Kaplan shrugged, focused on the monitor. "Not necessarily."

I frowned. "Think about it. If everyone else was inside the Hive, but this guy was trying to leave... why? What made him risk it?"

Rain's eyes flicked to me, arms crossed. "You got a theory?"

I studied Spence, the wheels turning in my head. "If he bolted when the incident happened, he knew something we don't. Question is—what was he running from?"

Silence gripped the compartment like a vise. Alice shifted in her restraints. "What… incident?"

I offered a dry smirk. "You want the short version, or should James here do the honors?"

Before Alice could answer, Kaplan's voice cut in. "We're here."

The train screeched to a halt. The doors hissed open, revealing a sterile platform bathed in dim red emergency lighting. The Hive.

"JD, Rain—scout ahead," James ordered with military precision. "Commando One, Two—move the instruments. The rest, with me."

I lingered behind as the others filed out, my eyes following Spence closely. Something gnawed at me.

"You guys go ahead," I said to James. "I need to check something."

His brow furrowed, but he nodded. "Just don't take too long."

Rain shot me a suspicious glance. "You know something we don't, Drake?"

I met her gaze. "You know who you work for, Rain. Think it through."

She held my stare for a beat before turning away, following JD into the Hive's dark corridors.

Alone now, I moved with purpose, retracing Spence's steps. I crouched near a luggage rack, fingers tracing the cold steel. Something was off. Then I saw it—a black duffel bag secured in a tightly wound net above. Climbing up, I retrieved it, my pulse steady but rising.

I opened the bag. A silver briefcase sat inside.

My fingertips hovered over the keypad lock, my mind racing. The web of possibilities in my head spun rapidly, pulling threads together. Numbers. Patterns. Sequences.

Click.

The case opened, revealing vials of the T-Virus glistening under the flickering lights. Beside them, neat rows of antivirus syringes.

"Looks like you found it," KP's voice murmured in my mind, smooth and calculating. "Seems your talent's more than just passive, huh?"

I smirked, shutting the case and slinging it onto my back. "Guess I'm full of surprises."

KP's tone darkened. "You'll get your reward when you deliver it to Dr. Isaacs in Raccoon City. Not before."

I shook my head. "Yeah, yeah. Just testing my luck."

His chuckle crackled through the line. "Luck's for amateurs, Drake. Don't forget that."

I moved out, rejoining the others just as James stood before a massive steel door. Kaplan displayed schematics on his handheld device.

"This is the Hive layout," Kaplan explained, tapping the screen. "The Red Queen AI is in the core. That's our target."

Alice listened intently. Matt stood beside her, tense. Spence watched in tight-lipped silence.

Rain's voice crackled through the comms. "Hive door's breached. We're clear to move in."

James nodded. "Let's go."

I took a step forward, then froze as my earpiece flared to life.

"—Do You Love Me speaking. Me and Bastard are pinned down at the mansion. Hostiles—military, U.S. commandos. We need backup."

I stiffened. "Hold your position. I'll—"

Rio's voice cut in, calm but firm. "Negative. Ethan, continue your mission. T-Virus is priority one."

My grip tightened on the strap of the case. Bastard's voice growled through the static. "We can't hold much longer, Drake."

I exhaled, my mind racing.

"Change of plans," Rio said flatly. "We're extracting. Orders from Wesker. Who's coming?"

Bastard sighed. "I'm out. No point in dying for nothing."

Do You Love Me's voice carried resignation. "Same here. You coming, Ethan?"

I stared at the dark maw of the Hive entrance, feeling the weight of my decision crushing down.

"No."

Rio's voice sharpened. "Ethan, you're defying Wesker's orders. You sure you wanna do that?"

I clenched my jaw. "I have my own way."

A beat of silence. Then Rio's tone turned cold. "Good luck, then. We might cross paths again."

The comm went dead.

I watched the others advance into the Hive and followed, the briefcase strapped to my back feeling heavier than it should.