S.T.A.R.S

Right after Zach and Enrico entered and walked a few steps they were immediately noticed by a male African-American police officer. He was probably debriefing the guys from outside that went past them just a second ago.

"Marini!" After a slight shout, he came over and sighed in relief. "Good thing you are here. Irons is already chewing me up since morning. You better get to your unit. Looks like there is work for you."

"Got it. You in a hurry or something? You look a little bit exhausted. Don't let yourself get shoved around by Irons.", answered Enrico and commented his look.

"It's alright. It's just those damn murder cases start to pile up more and more. We barely have enough man at the time as it is. And don't even mention those missing cases."

Then his gaze fell on Zach.

"Oh, right. You must be the new S.T.A.R.S member, correct? I am Marvin Branagh. The one that is responsible for most of the officers here. Above me are deputy Douglas and chief Irons. But both names should be already familiar to you, right? It is nice to meet you. And welcome to the Raccoon Police. Every help is dearly needed." Marvin stretched out a hand to greet him with a smile.

"Yours is also familiar. I have read every file I could to prepare myself for this job." Zach was not really lying in this regard because his brain was already full of various information about the people working in the RPD. Even information beyond his own knowledge from the games.

"So the pleasure is all mine." With those last words, Zach accepted Marvins hand and shook it as a greeting. On his face was also a friendly smile. Normally people with military experience would salute each other but rank wise Zach was far above this guy and Marvin himself didn't need to do it because he was a group leader and a senior.

"Good, meeting Marvin is already a good thing. Just makes my job easier. You said Irons was searching for me?" He sighed and thought about something for a short moment before looking at Zach again.

"Zach, the STARS-Office is to the left on the second floor. Meet your new comrades there. And get yourself changed. The locker room is close by to the office. You shouldn't miss it. I will make a visit to chief Irons and see what he wants. I will introduce you properly later on."

"Roger." Zach just confirmed his orders and accepted them. Then he looked at Marvin and nodded at him to say he will be going now. He just received a nod back from him and then Marvin went on to do the work that he was already on.

Enrico Marini also didn't stay and put words into action. Having to deal with the incompetent police chief got to be a doozie.

At least Zach remembered the chief being a corrupt bastard that took every money he could from Umbrella. All the while also hiding his own little hobby of dissecting things. People included.

But it had to be said that Irons was good in hiding about everything that Umbrella had its fingers in. That even included the current genocide and missing files.

Sadly for him, the public was already getting riled up and public order was down the drain. He was pressured from higher up and now had to act at least somewhat.

Zach knew that he was roughly put into the timeline when a mission for the STARS team would be issued to investigate the murder cases. Good thing for Irons that Umbrella had him backing and also executed its own plans.

It was Umbrellas home city after all that demanded the action of the special unit.

That aside. Zach already reached the doors of the STARS office and could hear some music from the other side.

Breathing in deeply and exhaling, he was about to open the door. No matter when, but such situations are always annoying and nervewracking.

When he opened the door some faces immediately looked at him.

"Hey, Barry! Where the hell did you put my gun? I wanted to go to the stand and practice."

"Come on. I told you I put it in the weapons cabinet after I modified it, remember?"

And then there were those people that didn't really give a fuck.

"Hey, guys. Look who we have here. A new face!" A guy with brown hair smiled at Zach when he saw him. "New face, you better got and ID. Just marching in here is a no-no."

"Cut it, Sullivan." Another guy interrupted his behavior and came over to Zach. His muscular body just screamed muscle brain. Seeing this guy up close in person made Zach only agree to everyone´s saying that this guy is not that bright in the head.

Chris Redfield, to be precise, really did not make a great impression to him when standing right in front of him. But Zach just smiled. "I am a new member of this unit. It's surprising to see that all of you were not informed."

That immediately got the attention of the others. Even those that kept themselves busy.

"What team?", asked another guy.

"Team Bravo."

Then someone started laughing. "Alright. He is your problem. Another rookie to your collection it seems."

"God damn it.", mumbled someone else.

Zach just frowned and stared at the guy that snickered. "You should be careful about what you are saying. I may dislike it and give you some annoying tasks to do. How about cleaning the restroom?"

"What!" The guy who laughed a moment ago immediately became agitated. "Who are you to give me orders. You should be careful about what you are saying."

"Joseph Frost, right? I still need to get the hang of all your names so I may get them wrong from time to time. Anyway, you seem to be quite gleeful. Are you not supposed to be in the Bravo team as well?"

Hearing his full name and the information that only someone of higher rank could get his hands on made Joseph become somewhat silent. He looked at Zach and then glanced over to the smaller room inside the office that was Albert Wesker´s room. He was the leader of the STARS unit.

"I was shifted to the Alpha team by Captain Wesker.", he stated truthfully since no one else argued his statement. And it seems everyone in the room became somewhat awkwardly stiff. "Still, who are you?"

"My name is Zach Orlow. I will be the future Team Captain of Team Bravo. A pleasure to meet you all. Captain Marini is talking to Chief Irons at the moment so he could not be with us right now."

"Really? How did Marini react to that? I don't feel like he took that information well at all.", asked a woman with brown hair and a beret on her head. It was Jill Valentine.

Zach smiled at her question. "Don't worry. The higher-ups came to a conclusion it was about time that our dear captain got a promotion. He will soon be the leader of another special unit formed at this RPD. One that was not under Wesker's control of course. So he took that quiet well actually. To answer your question that is."

Everyone became silent to some extent.

"Right, if Joseph switched the team then who is the one that joined? I do at least hope I get a replacement?", asked Zach as if he didn't know the answer to that already.

At that moment a young woman with short brown hair came forward and saluted to him. She wore green military pants and a white bulletproof vest with a medical red cross on her left shoulderblade as well as on her back.

"Rebecca Chambers reporting, sir! I am the new member of this unit, sir!"

Zach just arched up one of his eyebrows and looked at her.

Rebecca, on the other hand, saw that and became a little bit nervous. She didn't think there would be a new captain for her squad so soon after she herself became a new member. And since she didn't know if he was a harsh leader she would need to be as disciplined as possible. At least look like it.

She thought that she really had somewhat bad luck. Hopefully, she could make a good impression. But that look he gave her was already foreboding bad things. So she even frowned her brows in worry.

"Pretty young. How old are you?"

"18, sir!"

"Only 5 years younger than me, huh." He looked at her up and down. Zach really had to admit that Rebecca was really eye-catching. A beautiful and cute girl. She even has a very warm personality to boot. "And a damn good looking girl to boot. Are you single?"

"Yes, sir!" realizing what she said she looked at Zach with a surprised face. "Wait, what? Sir?"

Zach chuckled a little and put up a very laid back expression now after finally finding a moment where he could put his serious personality back. It was exactly such a moment that could be used to get closer to people. "It's alright to relax a little. I am not your captain yet. Now, back to the question. So can I convince you to join me to a dinner?"

"..." Rebecca actually didn't know what to say now. She glanced over to the others in search of help. But what she saw surprised her even more. Most of them actually smiled after seeing that scene. They actually dare to let her be stranded like that.

But Chris could not help it and act. He chuckled as well. "Zach, right? Can I call you that? Teasing our little Rebecca will bring you nothing good. She is actually pretty smart for her age. Even though she may look somewhat naive."

"Hey!", rebuked Rebecca now after his words. At first, she was happy for his support but hearing his words made her somewhat angry.

"But I really meant what I said." deadpanned Zach to his words.

Chris became silent and Rebecca looked back at Zach. On her face was a little bit of a red hue. She was definitely embarrassed now after knowing he really meant what he said. Someone that would become her captain actually tried to hit on her at the very first meeting.

"You actually knocked them both out speechless. Congratulations.", smirked Jill now from the sides. Chris did try to help but was pretty rough himself in regards to such things. He was probably thinking something along the lines that he couldn't just tell his superior to behave differently. "But is such a move really appropriate? Everyone is watching, see?" Jill was different in that matter and pointed with her finger and all the members of STARS. They all saw this.

Zach put his hand to his chin and made a gesture as if he would be thinking. "I guess some of you would become extremely jealous if I snatched the girl from you?"

Now even Jill was flabbergasted. How can someone be that thickskinned?

At that moment Barry Burton started laughing. "Way to go, kid!"

"Kid?", asked Zach back with a raised brow.

"Sorry, for me you are still a kid. You said you are 23? I am already nearly 40. What experience do you have?"

"...Point taken. Navy Seals..."

"Why is it that I don't believe you?"

"...You are asking me about the blacked-out stuff, my friend. You know the rules."

Barry just chuckled.

Just at that moment, someone came into the office. It was a blonde-haired man with sunglasses. His hair was slicked back to the extreme. Talk about bad taste. But who was Zach to judge? He was in 1998.

Wesker looked at Zach and seemed to analyze him for a moment.

"Shouldn't you have gotten changed already?", he asked him.

"Right, that I do. Where is Enrico?"

"He prepares for the mission. You should as well." Then he changed his focus to the others as if everything was said. "Bravo Team, prepare for a mission. You are to engage soon and undertake an investigation about the murder and missing cases in the Raccoon Forest around the Arkley Mountains."

"My guns?" Zach interrupted him again.

Wesker looked at him once more. "They were delivered a few days ago. Here is your magnet card for the gun storage room. Your equipment is there." While saying that he took out a magnet card and handed it over to him.

Zach took it and nodded. Not taking anything more for granted he went ahead to change his clothing. The others also became serious again and started to prepare. It has been a while that they had a mission like this.