[Raccoon City]

[March 3, 2022]

I smiled as I stood on the platform with Mayor Perez. The white warthog got redesigned to hold several people in the back. The gun emplacement was now a thick metal plate. It was very stable as I stood with the Mayer.

Cameras flashed and a several people tried to yell out to catch my attention. As our procession had stopped here, and the various news crew had disembarked. They then hounded us once again.

The nation wanted to know everything it seemed. General questions about Val Verde. Opinions on this, and on that. Personal questions about myself and the girls around me.

The mayor of Raccoon City was grinning ear-to-ear. The light glowed in his eyes as he pointed out the tour through the small city. It was simple, but very enjoyable as the man showcased the downtown core.

This was great, affordable publicity for him. A few high class meals, and boom! Another good chance of getting reelected.

He could taste the slogan that his PR team had come up with. The man who stood beside the Supreme Leader of Val Verde.

The Mayer had reached out to every major local in the city. It had the news station. There was banners of Val Verde on every major intersection. The procession following us included the local university’s marching band.

My armed escort, all power armor cleaned and waxed, earned cheers as we drove by. The people of the city were also out see us. My worries of Val Verde's implied violence got disproved.

Children gawked at the lines of warthogs manned by the armored Jade Falcon soldiers. I remember being that young, and seeing the various parades the Supreme Leader had shown.

The warthog guns were not loaded, and currently locked in a up position. Locking bolts were present to prevent accidents. Though it was more for show then anything else.

My Jade Falcons each received regimented training. Equipment use was like the Great Good. It was practical, and honored.

It was important to showcase our power, and our restraint. With today's cameras, they could zoom in to see the thick bolts, and unloaded guns.

Though the ammunition was at their feet, and the bolt was easy to remove. It was one thing to be cautious, it was another to be stupid.

Many people cheered as they saw me. I guess at this point, my image was well circulated here with news stories and online articles. I hoped that they were positive things.

though from my understanding of how the news worked, it could start out nice, but end up vicious.

I stood on my white warthog and waved. I had one hand on the rails as I greeted the people.

It was odd to see how people cheered as I waved to them.

We were not so different, where we? The people of Venezuela, and the Val Verde had more in common then not.

I smiled as I took a moment to consider taking over the country. If it wasn't for all the paperwork, I would consider it. Though I doubt the people would cheer as hard a year into my leadership.

“This is the town square!” Mayor Perez showcased the large glass building. A huge fountain was currently spewing water into the air. Rainbows faded in and out of view as the breeze met the mist.

There was pride in his voice. I understood it very well. The city was a product of the people, even if it there was generous investments by foreign companies.

I hummed along. It was a nice looking fountain. People were sitting and chatting. Were until we showed up. Now they stood on the edge of the fountain to look at us.

I made a statement in my nice suit, and stood beside two beautiful women. Kara who wore a black mask that highlighted her exotic blond hair. Kori who had a bronze tan, with flaming red hair and green eyes.

I smiled and waved. To some, I must have been a savior. I gave food to hungry people. Starving people. Hopeless people.

To some, I would be a wonderful, exciting outsider. I could never compare to a natural citizen. This was something I could understand.

After all, there was no country I would rather live, and die, for. I felt my heart grow warm. Val Verde forever.

I wondered, as I stared at these people, if living here enabled them to live better lives. Umbrella was many things, but it, first and foremost, a corporation.

If it was anything my memories said it could be... I wondered if these people would be still willing to work here. To allow them to stay?

Money was a powerful tool. A fact that had etched itself into my mind as the first year was a hot brand, scarring the very surface of Val Verde.

From what Batman had told me the presidential race was a trap for me. They could have masked the results, or shown a much smaller percentage.

No. They wanted me here. My only task here to spring that trap, and reveal their plans.

There was far too many powers in this world I would be eager take over a country. There was only so much land in the world. To take a nice piece of it would be to take wealth into one's own hands.

Something that the Justice League would be oppose to. They believed that justice would always prevail.

My time as a mercenary skewed that. Might often made right. Regardless of your choices, people always suffered.

With Val Verde, it showed how Hydra could leech out resources and lives. Leaving ruins in their wake. Only the citizens could bury their own dead, as the 'glorious' forces slunk back to their dank caves.

“Over there is our patron of Raccoon City. Umbrella Laboratories!” Mayor Perez said as he pointed to the building on our left.

It was perfect timing as my thoughts lifted from those dark places. I gave him a winning smile.

I looked over what was the largest building in the city. By Metropolitan standards the building wasn't big, but for a small city it was huge.

It was a 4-story monstrosity. While it was not tall it was very wide. Taking up four city blocks.

Umbrella Corporation had invested into the city. Money gave them influence and their grip was like solid iron. Umbrella Laboratories was their only local branch and employed some 40% of the city.

The other 60% were services complimenting the 40%.

“Its wonderful that you have such dedicated support,” I smiled at the man and congratulated him. His smiled widened in return, feeling as though he had impressed me.

The man’s smile deepened as that statement was on camera. He understood the importance on receiving such a generous backer.

Raccoon City had the highest standard of living in the country at the moment.

I knew about umbrella corporation's secrets. I prayed my knowledge was wrong. That everything I was preparing for, was for ghosts of another world.

—

[Raccoon Mansion]

[March 3, 2022]

The soldiers saluted me as I walked by. With a methodical path, I made my way from tent to tent. Inspecting them all.

All so that I could get into the ‘tent’. On the outside, it looked like the rest. Though the tent material was a complex thing. It was something a made to mask energy signatures when AIM agents went out on assignments.

Layers of lead, carbon fiber, and gold. It worked very well but it did not block whatever unique signal doom-tubes used. It was that mystical part of the energy transference that Sue had yet to figure out.

AIM knew about magic, but did not have the tech to manipulate it with ease or finesse. That required the special magic gene that was unique to the Homo Magi species.

I doubted that Zatanna would drop by tomorrow and dedicate her life to Val Verde. Which left the slow, methodical methods. Builds things, and test it out on a micro scale.

Inside our special spacious tent was a simple doom-tube gate. Based on Doctor Doom’s design, Sue had altered, printed, and then assembled it.

This portable design was more robust, and could allow faster travel. The old system worked, but had a tendency to break down, break, or flat out not turn on after transport.

The food delivery to Venezuela in January showcased issues. Which was embarrassing, but not life threatening.

Luckily Kori, and Kara were both fast and strong. They were able to bring in replacement parts within an hour.

These second generation gates were better.

The portal turned on. The thin green circle hummed, and a blond woman in a military dress stepped out.

“Hello Johnny,” Sue greeted as she made her way over to me.

“Hello Sue,” We shook hands as I greeted her with a smile.

I watched as more people in military dress stepped through. A motorized flatbed trolley hummed itself into the room.

“The Doom-Tube Anchor are now finished. In case of emergencies, we can teleport you, and the warthog, back home. Or to any base you want to go to,” Sue said as we both watched the team meet up with the other team.

My white warthog was currently having its back disassembled. Now that the day’s event was over, we were placing the military add-ons back on. Though I was keeping the gull wing doors.

The only difference? The regular mounting bracket was being replaced. The anchor would be another safety net for me.

“Great job as always Sue. I don’t even want to know how many decades it would have taken,” I looked into her brown eyes. Her blond hair was starting to show its black roots. “For us to do what you have done in a ten months. We would have required more help from Doctor Doom.”

I made a face, and Sue smiled.

“Its been my pleasure,” Sue said as she watched her scientists with a critical eye.

It had been many years since she had felt this relaxed, and happy to do so much annoying work.

She eyed the man who had greedily gobbled up her and her team. It made her think of her last love, a very greedy man. Curse her simple, twisted heart.

Yet where the differed was both their goals, and their outlook.

Johnny Rico was a leader of his people, for his people.

To that goal, he had tried provide everything she had asked for. No extra guards. No supervising overhead.

It was foolish. It was stupid.

Sue smiled as she stared at the white warthog. At least she got to build fun things. She had so many projects at the moment that even the old her would have screamed.

The difference was that AIM expected results. Val Verde expected progress.

A simple enough difference. The results would showcase themselves soon enough.

Johnny, for all his childish behaviors, had some very imaginative requests. She looked forward to seeing how the world reacted to the new, and modern Val Verde.

Perhaps there was something to that Greater Good they kept talking about.

—

Chapter 30: Raccoon City