Ben Bertolucci

"Damn! I don't believe this! I almost got the story!"

- Ben to Leon, after being attacked by William Birkin. Ben_quote_-_Almost_got_the_story.ogg

Ben Bertolucci (ベン・ベルトリッチ) was an American freelancer investigative journalist who worked in Raccoon City prior to the 1998 Raccoon City Destruction Incident. Though he was not from Raccoon City, he visited Arklay County frequently enough he was familiar with local reporter, Alyssa Ashcroft.As shown in ad-libs during Resident Evil Outbreak File #2's "desperate times" scenario. He was arrested when the Chief of Police, Brian Irons, became the target of investigation.

Biography
In the Summer of 1998 Burtolucci began investigating the bizarre murders that took place in the Arklay Mountains.Tahara (ed.), Official Guide Book, p.10.Excerpt from Official Guide Book, p.10: "相当な切れ者として知られるフリーランスのジャーナリスト. ラクーンシティで発生した猟奇事件が、 少なくない犠牲者を出したにもかかわらず一向に解明されないことに不審を抱き、 その真相をスクープすべく、 ひと月ほど前からこの街に滞在して取材をつづけていた.  アイアンズ署長の身辺を探ったことからラクーン市警察署の留置所に拘置されていたが、 事件の発生後は敏感に危険をかぎ取り、 看所からくすねたカギを手に、 みずから牢に閉じこもっていたようだ. 噂にたがわず記者としての技量は一級で、 口を閉ざしがちなラクーン市民からアンブレラに関する情報を収集し、 早くも一連の事件に関する重大な証拠を入手したと見られている.  金銭にうるさく、 功名心が強いところが見え隠れするが、 本質的には不正や悪を白日のもとに暴こうとするジャーナリスト魂の持ち主である. " Believing there was something at work preventing the police investigation, he stayed on the case for another month, staying over at the Apple Inn.Resident Evil Outbreak (2003), file: "Ben's datebook".Resident Evil Outbreak (2003), file: "Ben's passport". In September he began to suspect Brian Irons, the Raccoon City Police Department chief, was receiving bribes to botch the investigation from within. Bertolucci gained information from Umbrella employees, either confidentially or through spying, and became aware of a serious incident taking place in the city. Meanwhile, Irons became aware of Bertolucci's investigation of the RPD funding and ordered for his immediate arrest.Tahara (ed.), Official Guide Book, p.259.Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles (2010), file: "Ben Bertolucci". He was found entering the South Raccoon Street Station and may have attempted to flee, given his briefcase and rail pass were discarded in different spots.

When taken to his cell at the Raccoon City Police Station, Ben managed to steal the key from an officer. On September 28 he assisted survivors in evacuating the station, offering the Sapphire Crest in exchange for the paperwork proving Irons' guilt, which had been confiscated.

On September 29, undercover agent Ada Wong entered the police station in search of Ben, having heard he had important information on the disaster that could be useful in her mission. Because of his incriminating evidence, Ben was locked up by Irons in a cell in the RPD's basement. Upon meeting Leon S. Kennedy, he requests Kennedy to open his cell door, offering the parking garage's key card in exchange. Not knowing of Chief Iron's corruption, Kennedy was hesitant to do so. While Leon is thinking of what to do, Mr. X breaks through the wall of Ben's cell and crushes his head within his grip. Leon later opens Ben's cell to take the key card.

Further Notes

 * In the original Resident Evil 2, exactly how Ben dies depends on the scenario: In Leon Scenario A, he is killed from being impregnated with a G-Embryo and then it bursting out of his chest just after Ben tells Leon to "get that scum" and "make him pay" (referring to Brian Irons and his discovery that Irons was acting as co-conspirator to Umbrella); in Leon Scenario B, he is instead mortally wounded by William Birkin, A discernible difference between the two scenarios is that in Scenario A, he is apparently lacking of any blood stains, while in Scenario B, he's fully drenched in blood.

Ben Bertolucci ベン・ベルトリッチ

Ben Bertolucci