September 17th, 1998, 2:05 PM – Raccoon City Park
"Defame him?" Katherine glared at him, her blue eyes flashing with anger. "Benjamin isn't like that. He's a kind person."
"Kind?" Eddie laughed, a bitter sound with no humor. "Kindness doesn't pay bills, Miss Warren. And neither does stealing someone else's work." He leaned closer, his voice dropping into a low, conspiratorial hiss. "Listen, I don't care about your little crush on him. That's none of my business. But he took something from me. Something I worked on for months. Now, you can help me take it back, or I'll do it myself. And I promise you—my way will be far less… civil."
Katherine stepped back, rattled by the veiled threat. She could see the cold, calculating anger in his eyes. And the doubt—the poisonous seed he had planted—began to take root. What if he's telling the truth?
"What… what if… you're right?" she stammered.
"If I'm right," Eddie said, straightening up, "you'll buy me a pizza. And some burgers. With a large Coke."
She stared at him, stunned. The absurdity of the demand, so at odds with the gravity of the situation, unsettled her completely. A small, involuntary smile tugged at her lips. "And if you're wrong?"
"If I'm wrong," he replied, his gaze hardening again, "I'll apologize. And I'll leave you alone forever."
It was a wager. And he knew, with absolute certainty, he had already won.
Far from the dust of the park, inside a lavish mansion, Ozwell E. Spencer read a report. A thin smile creased his dry lips. Young Cai was playing spy for the mayor, manipulating a naïve girl. A mere amateur. An ambitious puppet, but a puppet nonetheless. Perfect for his designs. The boy had no idea that every move he made was part of a greater stage play—crafted to lull Spencer himself into false confidence. And neither he nor Cai knew that on the other side of the world, Alex Wesker was already sharpening the knife she would one day drive into his back.
September 17th, 1998, 3:00 PM – Restaurant
They sat at a table, Eddie's food already served. Silence hung between them until Katherine, eager to break it, asked about his "research." Eddie spoke. He told her about virology, cellular mutation, the theory of cancer cells as the key to immortality. His explanations were sharp, passionate, more compelling than any university lecture. Katherine was enthralled. The image of the bitter delinquent dissolved, replaced by that of a misunderstood genius.
"Could you… could you really cure cancer?" she asked, her eyes bright with awe.
"Maybe," he answered. Then his gaze shifted past her shoulder. "Ah. Your friend has arrived."
A man in a worn leather jacket approached the table. Benjamin.
"Katherine," he said, ignoring Eddie entirely. Then he noticed him. "And who the hell are you?"
"We've met before, Benjamin," Eddie said flatly. "Six months ago. You secretly photographed my notes while pretending to interview me."
Benjamin went pale. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Katherine turned toward him, her face a storm of confusion and fear. "Ben? You… you know him?"
"I saw him once," he stammered, avoiding her gaze.
"Once?" Eddie laughed. He pulled out a small voice recorder and pressed play. Benjamin's voice filled the restaurant, unmistakable, discussing payment for stealing Eddie Cai's "research data."
The color drained from Benjamin's face. His legs buckled, forcing him to lean heavily against the table.
Katherine stared at him, tears welling in her eyes. The betrayal cut sharp. "You… lied to me."
Pa!
The sound of her slap cracked through the suffocating silence. A red mark bloomed instantly across Benjamin's cheek.
"Bastard," she hissed, her voice breaking with sobs. "Don't ever come near me again."
She turned and fled the restaurant, leaving behind the wreckage Eddie had so carefully orchestrated.