Rain was falling down upon Raccoon City, coating it with tainted water, rejuvenating the city, caressing it with a cold touch. Thirsty plants were soaking up the water, insects' bodies stilled in pools of water that seemed like floods for their small bodies, and the human-made roads became splashing and slippery.

Leon parked his car, the tires making a muted splash as they came to a stop, and sat still for a moment, watching the water cascade down the glass, distorting his view of the city beyond. His mind wandered to thoughts of cyclists weaving through traffic, their vision compromised by the downpour, or drivers speeding blindly past obscured signs. The gloomy weather had a way of creeping under the skin, making it easy to imagine tempers flaring in cramped apartments as frustrations boiled over in the early morning hours.

With a sigh, Leon finally opened the car door. The rain immediately soaked him, its cold touch sending a sharp jolt through his body, and he quickly made his way toward the entrance of the police station, with his feet splashing through shallow puddles. Though the rainwater clung to his clothes, he only half-registered the discomfort.

The early morning quiet was thick in the station; not bustling yet, the staff preoccupied with their own tasks, eager to ease into the long day ahead. Leon caught the eye of one of the older officers weaving through the main hall with a paper in one hand, a coffee in the other. Their gaze met for a brief moment and Leon offered a polite nod, though his stomach tightened with irritation. He recognized the man instantly—remembering the smug, condescending grin the officer used to flash when calling him "rookie". The memory hit him like a dull ache, a reminder of how they'd treated him when he'd first joined the force, as if he were some naïve kid stumbling into a fraternity house for the first time.

Prick, Leon thought bitterly. He knew it was immature to hold a grudge, but he couldn't help but miss how idealistic he had been in the past. He could vaguely remember once being impressed by the grandeur of the station, only for his light to be extinguished by the very people he had yearned to impress.

But before he could lose himself in his thoughts or escape further into the station, the scent of fresh coffee interrupted him. He turned to see a figure approaching him, holding out a steaming cup of coffee.