Chapter 133: Deployment Arrangements (Patreon)

Hearing Katherine open with "Mayor Ivan," Brian was left a little speechless.

Well, damn. Warren's daughter was even savvier than he was. Talk about eager to get ahead.

And don't forget, her old man and this kid weren't exactly enemies, but they were certainly political rivals.

And yet… Having thought that far, Brian decided to follow her lead.

"Katherine, why don't you step out for a bit? I need to talk with Mayor Ivan about something."

Brian's tone made it plain he wanted her gone. Ivan, by contrast, wore a smile as warm as a spring breeze.

"Ms. Katherine, I understand the situation. Rest assured, since this is the Mayor's wish, I won't fail the trust he's placed in me."

"You can rest in the S.T.A.R.S. office for a while. I'll talk with you in detail later."

Seeing how things stood, Katherine took the hint.

"Of course, Mayor Ivan. Uncle Brian, you two go ahead and talk."

With that, she gave Ivan a lovely smile and turned to leave the office.

Brian watched the monitor on his computer until he saw Katherine had really gone far enough away. Only then did he relax.

"Mayor Ivan…"

"Chief, there's no need for that between us. Whatever happens, you'll always be the Chief. Just call me Ivan."

Listen to that. Brian felt a warm glow spread through him.

He'd always said Ivan was a decent man, someone who hadn't forgotten a single kindness.

After all, if Ivan wanted to kick him aside right now, it wouldn't be any trouble at all.

Never mind the ordinary officers. Even department heads like Marvin had started calling Ivan "Chief," openly or otherwise.

Though that was deliberate, too…

So when Ivan talked like this, Brian really did feel at ease.

He pulled himself together, straightened up, and spoke in a heavy tone.

"Ivan, that old bastard Warren has run off. Under the pretext of going abroad to study."

"He must have caught wind of something…"

Ivan folded his hands over his abdomen and nodded.

"It looks like something has happened at the mother nest."

"Yeah. That old man's heart is black as pitch. Leaving his precious daughter all alone in a hornet's nest like this."

"I can't believe he was able to do it."

Even Brian had to marvel at how ruthless his old boss could be.

Ivan didn't offer much of an opinion. He knew that in the original course of events, Katherine had been cruelly turned into a human specimen by Brian.

In the game it was bearable, but the novel's description was far more savage, almost unbearable to read.

Meanwhile, Brian studied Ivan's unruffled face.

Warren had entrusted Katherine to Ivan. He had to admit the old fox hadn't lost his touch.

On one hand, Ivan's character was beyond reproach, so he really was the best person to leave her with.

On the other, Warren could use it to send the outside world a signal that he and Ivan were on good terms. It was like a rat dropping stuck to the sole of a shoe: you couldn't shake it off, and if you didn't, it stank up everything.

Ivan had realized this as well. He hadn't expected Warren to toss him one last problem on his way out.

Katherine had probably sensed it too, which would explain why her tone had been so deferential.

She knew her father was using her. Ivan's reputation was spotless, of course.

But what if… he was hiding it well, and decided to quietly get rid of her because of her father's little trick?

Then she'd have nowhere to even go and cry.

Of course, it was also possible that Katherine truly didn't understand, and it was simply instinct.

As for right and wrong, Ivan had no interest in wasting more of his precious energy on it.

The pressing matter was to figure out what was going on at the mother nest.

"Chief, besides whatever happened at the mother nest, could Umbrella have revealed something that forced Warren to leave?"

"That might be what made him think about running."

Brian thought Ivan's guess was fairly plausible.

"Mm, you make a good point. If that's the case, we're in big trouble."

"But from what I know of that old man, he's always been a coward who fears death."

"So there's another possibility for why he fled in such a sorry state: he didn't want to shoulder the responsibility."

"Enough about that old man. His leaving may actually give us more room to act."

He was right. At present, the greatest power in Raccoon City didn't belong to the Deputy Mayor. It belonged to the entire Raccoon City Police Department.

While Warren was in office, the department had managed a fragile balance with him.

Now that he'd run off, Brian didn't give a damn about anyone else.

As an old hand who'd run the Raccoon City Police Department for years, he had every right to that confidence.

And now he could finally discuss with Ivan, freely, how to take all of Raccoon City in one stroke during the coming upheaval.

By then, with Ivan's promise in hand, so long as Brian behaved and didn't pull any stunts, a safe landing was guaranteed.

That was Brian's real purpose. Katherine was only a minor interlude.

"Ivan, don't take offense at my bluntness. Don't make a move. Whatever you do, don't make a move."

"The enemy is in the dark and we're in the light. With the old man gone, Raccoon City has a huge power vacuum."

"As long as we move steadily, hmph, I can guarantee you that after all this, Raccoon City will fall into your hands."

Ivan didn't pick up on that. His brows knitted, but he couldn't come up with a better approach for now.

After all, the situation was just as Brian said: far too murky.

Acting rashly would surely leave the Raccoon City Police Department holding all manner of blame.

"I understand. When I get back, I'll keep reminding everyone to step up patrols and report anything out of the ordinary immediately."

Brian nodded.

"That's the right approach. I'll stay here in the Chief's office, keep a close eye on how things develop, and help you plan."

With an understanding reached, the two went back to their own duties.

Ivan returned to his office and briefed everyone on the situation.

Then he went to the police department's dispatch center.

"Rita, notify the officers on duty that I'm sorry to ask, but I need them to step up patrols."

"And tell everyone their allowances are doubled."

Rita did as told at once.

She arranged every one of Ivan's instructions.

When it was all done, she turned back to him.

"Chief, did something happen?"

Ivan didn't hide it from her.

"The National Guard has withdrawn, and Mayor Michael Warren is no longer in Raccoon City."

"Every sign says Raccoon City is in the eye of the storm."

The quick-witted Rita thought back over recent weeks, to Ivan drilling his colleagues and buying new weapons and equipment for everyone.

She connected it all at once.

The Chief had never let his guard down against Umbrella. All his preparations were being put to use today.

Rita clicked her tongue in admiration. The Chief was something else. That kind of foresight was just incredible.

"I understand. Chief, should we contact our superiors?"

"Not for now. We have no evidence, and empty words won't carry weight. If they send people down and the other side happens to lie low…"

"We'll be put on the defensive."

"Yes, Chief."

Rita understood. Ivan was right.

The National Guard's withdrawal was an anomalous signal…