RE - Chapter 371: Mind Your Manners When Meeting Someone (Patreon)

Leon snorted. “Didn’t know we had a fan. Want an autograph?”

“The reports didn’t mention how full of yourself you are.” HUNK paid him no further attention and motioned for everyone to lower their weapons.

Alan lowered his gun too, looking HUNK up and down. “You planning to keep that mask on while we talk? That’s a little lame.”

“Privacy matters in our line of work.” HUNK pressed his radio. “Proceed with cleanup as planned. Squad leaders have full authority. I’ll deal with our guests.”

“Roger!” came the replies from several men.

All the soldiers filed out, leaving HUNK, Alan, Leon, and Ada behind. The drug lord and government official were taken away too.

Wind poured through the shattered floor-to-ceiling windows, rustling the uniforms of those who remained.

“Enough to show you I’m acting in good faith?” HUNK walked over and sat on the sofa, still showing no sign of removing his mask.

“Not really.” Alan removed his mask, pushed his damp hair back, and stared at HUNK.

After Leon took off his mask, he tossed it onto the table and asked, “Are we supposed to pay for these uniforms?”

“If you want to, I won’t stop you. Anyway... I was surprised when Ada told me you were looking for me.” HUNK spoke in a steady voice that gave away almost nothing.

“Because we took down Umbrella?” Leon raised an eyebrow and sat, placing his gun beside him where he could reach it instantly.

Alan sat down next to Leon and chimed in, “Sorry if we put you out of a job.”

“...Heh. Hard to believe you two are the ones who turned the world upside down.” HUNK leaned forward, sounding amused. “I don’t care about Umbrella falling. There’s no shortage of work for me.”

“That much is true... You’ve beaten me to quite a few targets yourself.” Ada leaned against the seat beside Leon, watching HUNK.

HUNK glanced at Ada but ultimately said nothing more. “You’ve upheld your end of the deal, so let’s get to the point. What do you want to know?”

“Remember what happened at the care center a little while ago?” Alan asked calmly. “A squad of highly trained soldiers dropped in and pulled Victor out...”

“It was a job. Once I accept a contract, I see it through. If you want to settle that score, I’m ready whenever you are.”

“Fine. But what we want to know is who hired you.” Leon fixed a hostile stare on the dark red lenses of HUNK’s mask.

HUNK leaned back, folding his arms across his chest. “That’s confidential client information.”

“Is that really that important to you, HUNK?”

“Not particularly. But why should I tell you?” HUNK shook his head. “I have men to look after. If I give you that name, those people may come after us.”

Alan’s eyes narrowed. “So you’re saying the people behind it are powerful?”

HUNK paused for a moment, then couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “I underestimated you... Yes. Powerful enough to let us engage federal agents openly in American airspace and get everyone out without consequences.”

“You know better than anyone what that means.”

“…Simmons. Achieving that wouldn’t have been possible without his influence,” Leon analyzed quietly.

“But Victor wasn’t in any of Annette’s intelligence... At least, Simmons wasn’t the one who arranged Victor’s rescue.” Alan and Leon compared what they knew and concluded that the client could not have been Simmons.

HUNK watched the two of them talk without interrupting, instead turning to Ada beside him. “You’re really using your favor on these two? Even knowing I can’t give them the answer they want?”

“It’s not doing me any good sitting unused. Besides, as if you’d ever put yourself out to save me just because you owed me a favor.” Ada rolled her eyes, making HUNK laugh.

Was he really that easy to read?

HUNK considered that for a moment, then decided the problem probably wasn’t him. His clients and teammates knew him as a dependable professional.

These people probably had intelligence sources he knew nothing about.

The thought that they might have planted someone in his team crossed his mind. A brief murderous glint entered his eyes before he suppressed it.

“I’m not wasting any more time here.” HUNK stood and looked at Ada. “For the sake of that favor, I’ll give you one warning. They’re everywhere... and that includes around you.”

Watching HUNK’s receding figure, the three fell into deep thought.

Alan picked up his gun and rose, gazing out over the city from the high-rise. “Looks like we’ll have to start with Simmons after all.”

“Hmm... What do you make of HUNK’s warning? ‘Everywhere.’” Leon looked grave. He had no reason to doubt it.

Ada raised an eyebrow. “I might have an idea... Let’s go home. This isn’t the place to discuss it.”

Outside the office at that moment, HUNK picked up the gun by the door and was standing there waiting for the elevator when he suddenly heard footsteps approaching from behind. He turned his head and saw that the three of them had followed him.

HUNK looked at them through his red lenses, making his reaction impossible to read. Alan shrugged. “Just taking the elevator. You don’t mind, do you?”

“Of course not.” HUNK turned back to face the doors. “Only an idiot would take the stairs.”

...

Inside the safe house, Ada sat on the couch and rubbed her temples. “I still have no idea where he came from.”

The fact that HUNK had appeared behind her without a sound still unsettled her. “Not a great start to our first job together.”

“Maybe he can walk through walls?” Leon took a sip of water. “Sneaking up on you like that... I have to admit he’s good.”

“And his men covered the whole building in no time. I’d bet they came over on cables from the building next door. As for the inside, they must have prepared it in advance.” Alan leaned back on the sofa. “I knew HUNK wouldn’t walk into a job unprepared. I just didn’t realize how thoroughly he’d planned it.”

Ada glanced at the time on her wristwatch and said slowly, “Remember when I was being hunted? HUNK was warning us that the people after me are connected to whoever hired him at the care center.”

“Oh? Now things are getting interesting.”

“‘Everywhere’ means their influence isn’t limited to America. They operate worldwide. We may be dealing with another organization on Umbrella’s scale.”

Alan considered the current situation and finally said, “We’ll still have to go through Simmons. He knows something we need.”

“What if we hired HUNK to capture Simmons?” Leon suggested after a moment’s thought.

Ada shook her head. “He wouldn’t take a risk that big right now.”

“Let’s wait... Annette and Sherry should have good news for us.”