JOHN WAS ON HIS FEET BEFORE LEON HAD finished his warning, hopping out into the aisle and stepping in front of Leon in a single stride. "Who the hell..." John snarled, his shoulders set, ready to break the thin mam in two if he so much as blinked wrong. The stranger held up pale, long-fingered hands, looking as though he could barely contain his de- light - which made John all the more wary. He could easily pound the guy into hamburger, what the hell was he so happy about? "And you're John Andrews," the man said, his voice low and calm and as pleased as his expression.

"Formerly a communications expert and field scout for the Exeter S.T.A.R.S. It's so good to meet you -

-tell me, how are your ribs? Still tender?" Shit. Who is this guy? John had broken two ribs and cracked a third on the cove mission, and didn't know this man - how the hell did this man know him? "My name is Trent," the stranger said easily, nod- ding at both Leon and John. "I believe your Mr. Trapp can vouch for my identity...?"

John flicked a glance back, saw that David and the girls were right behind them. David gave a quick nod, his expression strained.

Trent. Goddamn. The mysterious Mr. Trent.

The same Mr. Trent who had given maps and clues to Jill Valentine, just before the Raccoon

S.T.A.R.S. had discovered Umbrella's initial T-Virus spill at the Spencer estate. The Trent who had given a similar package to David one rainy August night, information about Umbrella's Caliban Cove facility, where Steve and Karen had been murdered. The Trent who'd been playing games with the

S.T.A.R.S. - with people's lives - all along. Trent was still smiling, still holding his hands up. John noticed a black ring made out of stone on one slender finger, the only affectation that Mr. Trent seemed to have; it looked heavy and expensive.

"So what the hell do you want?" John growled. He didn't like secrets or surprises, and he didn't like the fact that Trent seemed totally unimpressed by his formidable size. Most people backed down when he got in their face; Trent seemed amused.

"Mr. Andrews, if you please...?"

John didn't move, glaring into Trent's dark, intelli- gent eyes. Trent gazed back impassively, and John could see cool self-assurance in that bright gaze, a look that was almost but not quite patronizing. As big and buff as John was, he wasn't a violent man, but that confident, mirthful look made John think that Mr. Trent could use a good beating. Not by him, necessarily, but by someone.

How many people have died, just because he decided to stir things up a little? "It's alright, John," David said quietly. "I'm sure that if Mr. Trent meant us harm, he wouldn't be standing here introducing himself."

David was right, whether John liked it or not. He sighed inwardly and stepped aside, but decided that he definitely didn't like it; from what little he knew about the man, he didn't like it at all. Gonna be watching you, "friend"... Trent nodded as though there had never been any question and walked past John, smiling at all of them. He motioned for them to sit in the seats on one side of the cabin; he took off his trench coat and put it aside, moving slowly and carefully, obviously aware that any sudden moves could be detrimental to his health. Beneath the coat he wore a black suit, black tie, and shoes; John didn't know clothes but the shoes were Asante. Trent had taste, anyway, and a shitload of money if he could afford to blow a couple thou on footwear. "This may take a few moments," he said. "Please, get comfortable." He pushed himself up to sit atop one of the chairs opposite their group, moving with a smooth grace that made John feel even less comfort- able. He moved like someone with training, martial arts maybe... The others sat or leaned against the chairs, each of them studying the uninvited guest, each looking as unhappy about his appearance as John felt. Trent studied them in turn.

"Mr. Andrews, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Trapp, and I have already met..." Trent looked back and forth between Rebecca and Claire, his sparkling gaze finally settling on Claire. "Claire Redfield, yes?" He seemed a little more hesitant, which wasn't a surprise. Rebecca and Claire

could have been sisters, both brunettes, same height, only a few months difference in age. "Yes," Claire said. "Does the pilot know you're on board?"

John frowned, irritated with himself for not having asked first. It was a fairly important question, and it hadn't occurred to him. If the pilot had let Mr. Trent aboard... Trent nodded, running one pale hand through his tousled black hair. "Yes, he does. In fact, Captain Evans is an acquaintance of mine, so when I realized that you were going... traveling, I arranged for him to be in the right place at the right time. Much easier than it sounds, really." "Why?" David asked, an edge coming into his voice that John had only ever heard in combat situations. The captain was right on the verge of being seriously upset. "Why would you do that, Mr. Trent?" Trent seemed to ignore him. "I realize that you're concerned about your friends on the continent, but let me assure you that they're in the best of health. Really, there's no reason for you to worry your- selves..." "Why?" David's voice was steel. Trent stared at him, then sighed. "Because I don't want you to go to Europe, and making it so that Captain Evans is your pilot means that you won't. You can't. In fact, we should be turning back any moment now."

Claire stared at him, feeling her stomach knot, feeling that knot transforming into a burning, leaden anger. Chris, I won't see Chris... John pushed away from the seat he'd been leaning on and grabbed Trent's arm before Claire could even open her mouth, before anyone had time to respond to his statement.

"Tell your 'acquaintance' to keep right on goin' the way we're goin'," John spat, glowering at Trent. From the way John's hands were shaking, Claire thought there was a good chance that he would break Trent's arm - and found that she didn't think that was such a bad idea. Trent wore an expression of mild discomfort, noth- ing more. "I'm sorry to interrupt your plans," he said, "but if you'll hear me out, I think you'll agree that it's for the best - if you really want to stop Umbrella, that is." For the best? Chris, we have to help Chris and the others, what is this shit?

She waited for the others to explode into action, to storm the cockpit, to tie Mr. Trent to a chair and force him to explain himself - but they were all silent, looking at one another and at Trent with shock, anger - and interest, guarded but interest nonethe-less. John loosened his grip, glancing at David for direction. "This had better be a good story, Mr. Trent," David said coolly. "I'm aware that you've - helped us in the past, but this kind of interference isn't the kind of help we want or need."

He tipped his head at John, who reluctantly let go of Trent and stepped back. Not very far back, Claire noticed. If Trent had been worried at all, there was no sign of it. He nodded at David, and in his low, musical voice, started to speak.

"As I'm sure you're all aware, Umbrella, Inc., has facilities in locations all around the world, factories and plants that employ thousands of people and generate hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Most of them are legitimate pharmaceutical or chemi-cal companies, and have no relevance to this discus-sion, except that they're quite profitable; the money generated by Umbrella's legal enterprises allows them to finance their lesser-known operations - operations that you and yours have recently had the misfortune to come across." "These operations fall into a division known as White Umbrella, and mostly have to do with bioweap- ons research. There are very few who know all of the ins and outs of White Umbrella's business, but the ones who do are extremely powerful. Powerful, and committed to creating all sorts of unpleasantness. Chemical weapons, fatal diseases... the T and G series viruses that have been so troublesome as of late." That's an understatement, Claire thought nastily, but was intrigued in spite of herself. To finally know something about what they were up against... "Why?" Leon asked. "Chemical warfare isn't all that profitable, anyone with a centrifuge and some gardening supplies can come up with a bioweapon." Rebecca was nodding. "And the kind of work they're doing, applying rapid fuse virions to genetic redistribution - it's incredibly expensive, and as haz-ardous to work with as nuclear waste. Worse." Trent shook his head. "They're doing it because they can. Because they want to." He smiled faintly. "Because when you're richer and more powerful than anyone else on the planet, you get bored." "Who gets bored?" David asked.

Trent gazed at him for a moment, then started talking again, blatantly ignoring David's question.

"White Umbrella's current focus is on bio-organic soldiers, if you will - individual specimens, most genetically altered, all injected with some variation of virus intended to make them violent and strong and oblivious to pain. The manner in which these viruses amplify in humans, the 'zombie' reaction, is nothing more than an unexpected side effect; the viruses Umbrella creates are designed for nonhuman use, at least at this point."

Claire was interested, but she was also getting impatient. "So when do we get to the part about why you're here, why you don't want us going to Europe?"

she asked, not bothering to keep the anger out of her voice. Trent looked at her, his dark eyes suddenly sympa- thetic, and she realized that he knew why she was angry, that he knew all about her reasons for wanting to go to Europe. She could see it in the way he gazed at her, his eyes telling her that he understood - and she suddenly felt deeply uneasy.

He knows everything, doesn't he? All about us... "Not all of the White Umbrella facilities are the same," he continued. "There are some that deal strictly with data, some only with the chemistry, some where specimens are grown or surgically pieced to-gether - and a very few where these specimens are tested. And that brings us to why I'm here, and why I'd rather you postponed your plans." "There's an Umbrella testing facility about to go on line in Utah, just north of the salt flats. Right now, it's staffed by a very small crew of technicians and... specimen handlers, and is scheduled to become fully operational in about three weeks. The man overseeing the final preparations is one of White Umbrella's key players, a man named Reston. The job was supposed to have been handled by another fellow, a despicable little man by the name of Lewis, but Mr. Lewis had an unfortunate and not entirely unplanned accident... and now Reston is in charge. And because he is one of the very important men behind White Umbrella, he has, in his possession, a little black book. There are only three of these books, and the other two would be nearly impossible to get hold of..." "So what's in it?" John snapped. "Get to the point."

Trent smiled at John as if he had asked politely.

"Each book is a kind of master key; each has a complete directory of codes used to program every mainframe in every White Umbrella facility. With that book, one could conceivably break into any lab or test site and access everything from personnel files to financial statements. They'll change the codes once the book is stolen, of course - but unless they want to lose everything they've stored, it will take them months."

No one spoke for a moment, the only sound that of the plane's insistent hum. Claire looked at each of them, saw the thoughtful expressions, saw that they were seriously considering Trent's implied propos- al. - and realized that it had just become highly un- likely that they would be going to Europe after all.

"But what about Chris, and Jill and Barry? You said they were okay - how do you know that?" Claire asked, and David could just hear the barely hidden desperation.

"It would take a very long time to explain how I come by my information," Trent said smoothly. "And while I'm certain you don't want to hear this, I'm afraid you'll just have to trust me. Your brother and his companions are in no immediate danger, they don't need you at the moment - but the opportunity to get Reston's book, to get into that lab, will be gone in less than a week. There's no security detail right now, half the systems aren't even running - and as long as you stay away from the test program, there are no creatures to contend with."

David wasn't sure what to think. It sounded good, it sounded like exactly the opportunity they'd been hoping for... but then, so had Caliban Cove. So had a lot of things.

And as for trusting Mr. Trent..."What's your stake in this?" David asked. "Why do you want to hurt Umbrella?" Trent shrugged. "Call it a hobby."I'm serious," David said. "So am I." Trent smiled, his eyes still dancing with that twinkling humor. David had only seen him once before, hadn't exchanged more than a dozen words, but Trent seemed just as strangely happy now as he had then; whatever it was that made him tick, it was certainly bringing him a lot of pleasure. "Why have you been so cryptic?" Rebecca asked, and David nodded, saw that the others were doing the same. "The stuff you gave to Jill, and to David, before - all riddles and clues. Why not just tell us what we need to know?"Because you needed to figure it out," Trent said. "Or, rather, it was necessary that you appeared to figure it out, all by yourselves. As I said before, there are very few people who know what White Umbrella

is doing; if you seemed to know too much, it might come back to me." "Then why take the risk now?" David asked. "For that matter, why do you need us at all? You obviously have some connection to White Umbrella; why not go public, or sabotage them from the inside?" Trent smiled again. "I'm taking the risk because it's time to take a risk. And as to the rest... all I can say is that I have my reasons." He talks and talks, and yet we still don't know what the hell he's doing, or why... how exactly does he manage that? "Why don't you tell us a few of those reasons, Trent?" None of it was sitting well with John, David saw; he was scowling at their stowaway, looking as though he might have to be talked out of punching the man. Trent didn't answer. Instead, he pushed himself off of the seat and picked up his coat, turning to look at David.

"I realize you'll want to discuss this before you make your decision," he said. "If you'll excuse me, I'll take this opportunity to visit our captain. If you decide against collecting Reston's book, I'll step aside. I said before that you had no choice, but that was my dramatic side showing, I suppose; there's always a choice."

On that, Trent turned and walked to the front of the cabin and slipped behind the curtain without a back-ward glance.