Masuki Tran looked over his paper work from the corp. Umbrella. He sighed reading it over. He had no Idea why he bothered with this job. Sure it paid good, good but the dangers of being an Umbrella lab rat were vary. He shook his head and looked out the window. He sat on the private express train for the Umbrella workers. Looking out at the pitch blackness rain patting hard on the glass windows. He watched as the trees of the forest flew by.

He didn't mind the train ride since Umbrella had went through the trouble to make it as classy as possible. Everything from velvet seats to chandeliers in the dinning car. A lot of the employees brought family or friends along to experience the atmosphere.

Tran sighed working for Umbrella wasn't to bad he guessed in the cities. Umbrella was a huge pharmaceutical, but Umbrella did way more then it let the world go on.

Tran looked up as one of the car attendants walked past, nodding at Tran when he saw the Umbrella pin on his lapel. The small pin marked him as a regular commuter. Tran nodded back. A flicker of lightning was quickly followed by the rumble of thunder, it seemed there was a bigger storm brewing.

Sighing he sat back in his chair turning his attention back to his file. A ten year old girl named Teresa Hardy had been involved in a clinical trial for a new pediatric heart medication, Valifin. As it turned out, it also caused renal failure, and in Teresa Hardy's case the damage had been severe. She'd survive, but would likely spend the rest of her life on dialysis, The case had to be settled quickly, The hardy family kept quite before they could drag their ailing cherub-cheeked moppet in front of a media-packed courtroom... which was where Tran and his team came in. The trick was to offer just enough to make the family happy, but not so much to encourage there lawyer. The lawyer was the type who used the saying "We don't get paid unless you get paid " bullshit. Tran had a knack for handling these situations. He'd have it settled before little Teresa got back from her first treatment. It was of course what Umbrella paid him for.

Rain pattered against the window, as though someone had thrown a bucket of water against the pane.. Startled Tran looked out just to see several dull thumps sounded on the trains roof. Terrific. Had to be a hailstorm or something....

The lights flickered off making the peopled in the train look up. Tran looked out the window to see in the distance a small hill, a man in a black robe stood. He could make out the man had long black hair. He had his airs held out his face to the sky. Trans frowned. 'What is that Idiot doing' he thought.

Lightning struck again, train jumped as more water splashed across the glass-except it wasn't water. Because water didn't stick in great dark clumps....Water didn't break apart revealing dozens of shining needle teeth. Tran blinked, not sure what he was seeing as someone started to scream at the other end of the car, a long rising wail. As more of the dark slung like creatures each the size of a mans fist, smashed against the window. The sound oh hail on the roof went from patter to a storm, the thunder of it drowning out the screamer. The screams of many now

'Not hail! That's not hail!' Tran thought. Hot panic shot through Tran's body, sending him to his feet. He made it to the aisle before the glass behind him shattered before all the glass all through the train was shattering. The high jagged sound of it melding with the screams of terror, all of it nearly lost beneath the ongoing thunder of attack. As the lights went all the way out something cold and went and very much alive landed on the back of trans neck and began to feed

~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~

The helicopter spun through the darkness over Raccoon forest.

Kagome Higurashi sat up straight, willing herself to look as calm as the men around her. The mood was solemn as dark and clouded as the skies whipping past, all jokes and jabs left behind at the briefing. This wasn't a training exercise. Three more people, hikers had gone missing, in a forest as large as the one surrounding Raccoon, Not that the unusual., but with the rash of savage murders that had terrorized the small city over the past several weeks, "Missing" Had taken on a new meaning. Only a few days earlier there'd been a ninth victim found, this one as ripped up and savaged as if it had been run through a meat grinder. People were getting savagely attacked by someone or something around the outskirts of Raccoon city., and the Raccoon police weren't getting anywhere. The cities chapter of S.T.A.R.S had finally been called in to investigate. S.T.A.R.S. stood for "Special Tactics And Rescue Squad" They were the ones people sent in when things got to much for the police.

Kagome raised her chin slightly, a pulse of pride edging through her nervousness. Although her degree was in biochemistry, she'd been tapped as a Bravo team's field medic, joining the team less than a month earlier.

'My first Mission. Which means I better not mess up' Kagome thought. She took a deep breath letting it out slowly, working to keep her expression casual. Inuyasha shot her an encouraging smile, and Miroku leaned across the crowded cabin to reassuringly pat her leg. So much for looking cool. As smart as she was, as ready as she was to begin her career, she couldn't help her age, or the fact that she looked even younger. At eighteen, she was the youngest to be accepted into the S.T.A.R.S. since its creation in 1967....and the only female on Raccoons B team, everyone treated her like there kid sister.

She sighed , smiling back at Inuyasha nodding at Miroku. It wasn't so bad, having a hand full of hardass big brothers watching out for her. As long as they understood she could take care of herself when the need arose. 'I think" she silently amended. It was her first assignment after all and though she was in good shape physically, her combat experience had been limited to video stimulation and weekend missions. The Special Tactics and Rescue Service wanted her in their labs, eventually, but the field time was mandatory and she needed the experience. Anyway they'd be sweeping the woods as a team. If they did run across the people or animals that had been attacking Raccoon's citizen, she'd have backup.

There was a flicker of lightning in the north , close. The subsequent thunder lost to the drone of the 'Copter. Kagome leaned forward slightly, scanning the dark. It had been clear all day, the clouds rolling in just before sunset; they were definitely going to go home wet. At least it would be a warm rain; she supposed it could be a lot-

'BOOM!'

She'd been so focused on the coming storm that for a crazed split second, she thought it was thunder, even as the helicopter tipped wildly and dropped, A terrible rising, clattering whine filling the cabin, the floor vibrating beneath her boots. A hot smell of burned medal and ozone singed her nose. 'Lightning' She thought.

"What happened?" Someone shouted. Inuyasha, riding shotgun.

"Engine failure!" The pilot Koga Wolf shouted back. "Emergency landing!"

Kagome held a strut and held on, she looked at the others so she wouldn't have to watch the trees rushing up at them. She saw the grim determined set to Mirokus jaw. Hitens clenched teeth, the look of anxiety shot between Manten and Bakotsu as they grabbed the struts or handholds on the shuddering wall. In the front Inuyasha was shouting something she couldn't make out over the scream of the dying engine. Kagome closed her eyes for a beat. Thinking of her parents, and then the ride was to wild for her to think, the crack and crash of the tree branches battering the helicopter to loud and jarring for her to do anything but hope. The 'copter spun out of control, whipping around in a tilting sickening lurching circle.

It was over a second later, the silence so sudden and complete that she thought she had gone deaf, all movement stopped. The she heard the tick of metal, the strangled last gasp of the engine, and her own thundering heart, and realized that they were down. Koga had done it and without a single bounce.

"Everyone ok?" Inuyasha Tashio, there captain was craned around his seat.

Kagome shot her own shaky nod to the chorus of affirmations

"Nice flying Koga" Bakotsu said, and there was another chorus of nods.

"Is the radio down?" Inuyasha asked the pilot, who was tapping at controls and flipping switches . "Looks like everything electrical is fried" Koga said "It must have been the lightning. We weren't struck directly, but close enough. Beacon too"

"Can it be repaired?"

Inuyasha addressed it as an open question looking at Bakotsu, their communications officer. Bakotsu in return and looked at Hiten, who shrugged. Hiten was the Bravos team mechanic.

"I'll take a look" Hiten said "But if Koga says the transmitter's toast, its probably toast"

Inuyasha nodded absent mindedly running a hand through his black hair, considering there options. After a few seconds, he sighed. "I called in when we were hit, but I don't know if it went through" he said. "They'll have our last coordinates, though. If we don't report in pretty soon they'll come looking" he said.

"They" was the S.T.A.R.S. Alpha team. Kagome nodded along with the others, not sure if she should be disappointed or not. Her first mission, over before it started.

Inuyasha smoothed his hair back one more time before sighing. "Everybody out. Let's see where we are"

They filed out of the cabin, the reality of the situation hitting Kagome as they gathered together in the dark. They were incredibly lucky to be alive. 'Struck by lightning on our way to search for mad killers, no less' She thought, amazed at the very idea. Even if the mission was over, this was hands down the most exciting thing that had ever happened to her.

The air was warm and heavy with impending rain, the shadows deep. Small animals rustled through the underbrush. A pair of flashlights clicked on, the beams cutting through the dark as Inuyasha and Hiten moved around the helicopter examining the damage. Kagome fished her own flashlight out of her bag, relieved that she hadn't forgotten to pack it.

"How you holding up?"

Kagome turned , she saw Miroku grinning down at her. He had his weapon out, the nine millimeters muzzle pointed to the overcast sky, a grim reminder of why they were there in the first place.

"You guys really know how to make an entrance don't you?" Kagome said smiling back at him.

The tall man laughed. His short pony tail swaying a bit as he did. "Actually we always do this, for the new recruits. It's a waste of helicopters, but we have our reputation to maintain"

She was about to ask how the police chief felt about the experience , she was new to the area, but she'd heard that Chief Nabunga was notoriously stingy. When Inuyasha joined them, pulling his own weapon and raising his voice so everyone could hear.

"Alright people. Let's fan out, Investigate the surrounding area. Koga stay with the 'copter. The rest of you, keep close, I just want this area secured. Alpha could be here in as little as an hour"

Kagome slid the nine-millimeter out of its holster, carefully checking the magazine and chamber as she'd been taught, raising the muzzle to avoid aiming at anyone. The others were moving out to either side, checking weapons and turning on flashlights. She took a deep breath and started to walk straight ahead, swinging the flashlight's beam around in front of her. Inuyasha was only a few meters away, moving parallel to her position. A low mist had cropped up, wafting through the underbrush like a ghostly tide. There was a parting in the trees about a dozen meters ahead, a path nig enough to be a narrow road, though it was hard to tell for the mist. It was quiet except for a rumble of thunder, the sound closer than she would have expected; the storm was almost upon them. She swept the beam across trees and darkness and trees again then a glint of what looked like.....

"Captain, look!" she yelled

Inuyasha stepped to her side and within seconds, five more beams of light had jerked toward the gleam of metal she'd seen, illuminating what was, in fact, a narrow dirt road, and an overturned jeep. Kagome could see MP etched on the side as the team moved closer. Military police was what MP meant. She saw a pile of clothes spilling out from beneath the shattered wind shield and frowned, stepping in for a better look...and then she was holstering her gun and fumbling for her med kit, hurrying over to kneel next to the crashed jeep, knowing even before she sat back on her heels that there was nothing she could do. There was too much blood

Two men. One had been thrown clear, was crumpled a few meters away. The other, the fair-haired man in front of her, was still half under the jeep. Both will military fatigues. Their faces and upper bodies had been badly mutilated. There were massive tears through the skin and muscle, deep gashes across there throats. No way the crash had done all of it.

Kagome reflexively reached down and felt for a pulse, nothing the chill of the flash. She stood and moved to the other body , again checking for any sign of life, but he was as cold as the first.

"You think there from Ragithon?" Someone asked. Manten. Kagome saw a briefcase near the pale, outstretched hand of the second corps and crouched walked to it, half listening to Inuyasha answer as she flipped the case's lid.

"It's the closest base, but look at the insignia. There're Jarheads. Could be from Donnell" Inuyasha said

A clipboard was on top of a handful of files, an official looking document attached to it. There was a small headshot in the upper left corner, of a handsome Amber eyed man in civvies. He had long silver silky looking hair. Amber eyes. He had beautiful markings on his forehead and cheeks. Neither of the corpses looked like him. Kagome lifted it out. Reading it silently, and then her mouth went dry.

"Captain!" She managed, standing

Inuyasha looked up from where he was crouched, next to the jeep. "Hm? What Happened?"

She started to read the pertinent parts aloud. "'Court order for transportation...Prisoner Sesshomaru Masamune , ex-lieutenant, twenty-six years old. And sentenced to death, July 22end. Prisoner is to be transferred to the Ragithon base for execution'" The lieutenant had been convicted of first degree murder.

Hiten pulled the clipboard from her hands, saying what was already formulating in Kagome's mind, his voice heavy with anger. "Those poor soldiers. They were just doing there job, and that scum murdered them and escaped"

Inuyasha took the clipboard away from him, scanning it quickly. "All right everyone. Change of plan. We may have an escaped killer on our hands. Let's separate and survey the immediate area see if we can't locate lieutenant Sesshomaru, keep your guard up, and report back in fifteen, regardless"

There were nods all around. Kagome took a deep breath as the others started to move out, checking her watch determined to be as professional as any one else on the team. Fifteen minutes alone, no big deal. What could happen in fifteen minutes? Alone in the dark, dark woods.

"Got your radio?"

Kagome jumped and turned at the sound of Hitens voice, the tall man standing directly behind her. The mechanic patted her on the shoulder, smiling.

"Easy kiddo"

Kagome smiled back at him though she despised being called "kiddo'. Hiten was only twenty-five for God's sake. She tapped the unit on her belt.

"Check"

Hiten nodded, stepping away his message was clear and reassuring, She wasn't really alone, not as long as she had her radio. She looked around, saw that several of the others were already out of sight. Koga , still in the pilot's seat, was going through the briefcase that she'd found. He saw her and snapped her a salute. Kagome gave him a thumbs-up and squared her shoulders, drawing her weapon once more and heading out into the night over head, thunder rumbled.

~~~~~~~~

Next chapter will have sesshomaru in it. This is a step up from my other storys but I really like the game R.E. so i worked on this thinking up ways to twist it and who to put in as the inu charcters as. For those who are R.E. fans as well and if i have offened you by this I am sorry.Next chapter coming soon! Rate and review please! I worked Hard on this one

M.B.

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