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"My team probably went this way, cleared us a path," Rebecca said, looking hopeful She had to speak up to be heard over the cascade of water just outside, the surging puainst the metal walk that surrounded a pool of water in the roo east We&039;re practically out of here already"

"I thought you said Enrico took that elevator up," Billy said

"Oh, right," she said, her expression sagging She blinked, and he realized how very tired she had to be "Sorry Forgot"

"Understandable," Billy said "But you&039;re right, we are practically out of here" He touched the Magnu into it, a sudden reminder of his life before the jeep accident That life seemed so far away now, like it had happened to a differentfor hied a snum "This is kind of a universal key--unlocks doors, clears out unwanted disease carriers, you na-- and stopped, staring into his eyes, both of the across theup fro that Billy knew instantly was the monster she&039;d told hie, white, covered with blood and sores; it reached out to pull itself fro, knifelike claws, the tips screeching against the walk

Billy grabbed the Magnu to push Rebecca behind hiround with the shotgun, and Billy&039;s heroic ideals dropped ahen the creature saw the sound of hatred, of lust not just to kill, but to rend andit alone wasn&039;t , it doesn&039;t maneuver well," Rebecca said quickly, half under her breath He had to strain to hear her over the rhythet it away froet past it when it tries to turn"

Billy took careful aih-hewn face It took a step toward them, and they both backed away "How about we kill it instead?"

"Don&039;t," Rebecca said, her voice edged with panic "You&039;ll just un blasts, one of the took another step and lowered itself slightly, tensing its legs as though about to spring "Run!"

Billy didn&039;t need to hear it twice They both turned and ran, pivoted left where the walk did Behind theainst the protesting metal--and then the monster&039;s claws ripped down and across the wall at the corner, a tremendous shriek of sound as the thick steel curled up like wood shavings

Billy turned, raised the Magnuoing!" he shouted to Rebecca, ai red tumor half buried in its chest, what had to be its heart Theon Billy, its claws raising

Billy fired, the weapon ju A hole erupted in the thing&039;s breast bone, not a direct hit to the heart but close Blood poured frout It howled, the sound even louder than the blast from the hand-cannon, and infinitely o down

Jesus, that shoulda stopped an elephant--

"Co at his arain If it bled, it could die, and short of a grenade launcher, the 50 Magnum was ering step forward then see on Billy Blood continued to pour from its wound, had drenched its sexless crotch now, the tops of its rin-- it seeh it couldn&039;t wait to share soht the punchline probably included ripping an ar hier--

--and another tre--

--oh, God, please let that be pain!

--but not falling Still, not falling It was hard to tell where he&039;d hit it, there was blood everywhere, but the heart continued to pulse

"Move!"

Billy was shoved aside, Rebecca stepping forward, raising the shotgun as the creature started to crouch, its legs tensing She ai to hit its heart--

--and the shotgun boomed, and finally, the monster went down, its cry one of rabid fury It clawed at the walk, its talons pulling a treh squeal from the metal

Billy saw that Rebecca had blown out one of its knees, and hesitated only a second, just long enough to wonder why he hadn&039;t thought of that It wasn&039;t dead, but unless it sprouted wings, it wasn&039;t going tobe coain, fixing on its fish-belly white skull as it floundered and clawed to pull itself closer, undoubtedly to continue its attack It only ed to slide itself partway into the water, the dark pool churning with pink foaet out

"Waste of a at Rebecca for her approval As terrible as the thing was, he wouldn&039;t feel right about letting it bleed to death, to suffer any more It was another of Umbrella&039;s victims, in a way; it hadn&039;t asked to be born

"Yeah," she said, nodding--but he could see the pity in her expression, could see that she felt the same way "Do it"

Two rounds, the second just to be sure, and the massive body slipped soundlessly into the pool of water, disappearing beneath the surface