The Gradient Strain

Chapter 1: Virus Reborn.

Dr. Rince cackled as he stood opposite over the lab bench. He held the virus in his hands. He had it. So much power contained in such a small tube. Nothing could stop him he'd leave the lab with a small fortune under his arm. So much for his counter part Dr. Birkin. His virus was ten times more virulent and more effective he knew full well that he could walk out now and hold Umbrella to ransom.

"So that American thinks he was better then me?" he spat. After all he was alive Birkin had fallen at the hands of his own virus. While here under London he'd been studying and modifying the strain of the T-virus that Umbrella had given him to work on. Little did they know that by now he'd simply be leaving and then his research would come and bit them in the ass.

He laughed at the thought of the head of Umbrella screaming in anger as he found out. After all Rince had pledged his allegiance to Umbrella and promised never to leave just after the Raccoon City incident in America.

What he'd give to figure out what had happened there and why the virus had been unleashed. However Umbrella had managed to pass the incident off as none of their doing. God knows how they did it, but Rince considered it a work of genius.

Not as ingenious as his work though. He had a virus that was so deadly when it was first opened that those around it would be effective. His gradient strain could kill any one with a few meters of it instantly and then after that those with several hundred meters would instantly become infected. Then within a few hours they would be one of the shambling undead. Or not as the case may be his virus was so much more effective. Those infected did not suffer muscle deterioration and still maintained complete control of their bodies. Thus they could still run. It was horrific they could take more damage then the average human it would take several bullets to the torso to stop one of the infected. He'd tested it personally; it took him five shots with the handgun, he now had tucked under his arm in a holster, to render his test subject useless after he'd infected them.

He grinned as he held the test tube still; its green full body had taken him in. His complete work and his baby, his child, his project. It was almost mesmerising looking into the green vial. How long had he standing here staring into the bubbles, ten minutes, fifteen minutes? No matter now was the time for him to leave. Money to be made in all sorts of business these days. He never thought he'd consider commercial terrorism as a way of doing it. However he knew Umbrella couldn't afford another cock up. They had to stop another virus release to avoid people pining the blame on them for Raccoon City. If that happened they'd be shut down surely.

He'd already heard news of somewhere in America on an island they'd stormed it trying to take a new strain of a virus as the creators had rebelled against them. So hopefully Umbrella's hands were tied on the matter and they couldn't have a hope in hell of knowing what he was planning. Only he and his partner Daniels knew what was going to happen. The pair had agreed to watch each other's backs to stop anything from going truly wrong. They had it all figured out.

He was to collect the virus from the store at midnight. The time it now was as he stood there in the lab. He was going to take the service stairs out to the car park the two would take the car to Heathrow. Where they had their company jet over to France. Then a long drive to the boarder of Spain and then a boat trip out to Minorca. They had it all planned nothing could go wrong.

CLICK! The sound of a gun cocking.

He span round the test tube still in his hand. He span and saw Daniels standing there a pistol in his hand. He held the sleek black object almost like it was it was natural to him.

"Daniels? What are you doing?" Rince asked.

"Put the tube back into the case Rince…I'm not going to hang around…our arrangement has changed since we last discussed it." Daniels replied, "I'm not going to have any arguments I'm taking the money on this one mate. Sorry I just get a little greedy sometimes but lets face if I didn't do this first you would have done" he said pointing out the obvious.

"I would have at least waited till we'd gotten away you little weasel." Rince spat.

"Really…I was originally planning to ditch you in France…guess I would've won any way." Daniels mused.

"You fucking weasel!" Rince spat again, "This is my project I worked on this, I made this what it is!" he pointed up at the vial containing his work.

"We worked on that together you forget…I was always a nobody in your eyes any way Rince…well now this nobody has a gun pointed at you…and is holding the best cards. So put the vial back into the case and step away." Daniels ordered

"No!" Rince shouted.

"Do it or I'll shoot you." Daniels said calmly, contrasting Rince's anger with the sense of calmness and logic to the room. He always was the level headed one out of the two.

"You'll never take this virus without me!" Rince spat.

"Come now you know that isn't true." Daniels grinned, "This gun can solve that problem."

"If I can't have it no one can" Rince grinned.

"How do you mean?" Daniels asked a hint of worry creeping into his voice. He had no idea what Rince was planning but his hot temper and anger always made him act in a ridiculous manner.

"This vial could kill us both and infect half the lab staff as they work in the other labs…by tomorrow morning for change over the new staff will come in and add to the number of infected…then a day the undead will be running around London…eating innocent people…feasting on them…a whole city…perhaps a whole country full of the undead…and it'd be your fault." Rince explained, the mad man gleaming in his eye.

"Or shall we find out what happens to an individual who is injected directly with the virus?" Rince suggested.

"You wouldn't!" Daniels gasped, "You're mad"

"You think my plan to unleash the virus was a mere bluff?" Rince asked grinning, his teeth showing and the madness in his eyes apparent.

"What shall we do now?" he asked, "Or is this a stale mate?"

Daniels looked at Rince with a look of disgust. "I can't let you do this…it's one thing taking money from that disgusting corporation but you're worse then them…you want to see the virus flourish don't you?" he asked.

"One other ambition does a parent have for their child?" Rince replied.

"It's not a child Rince!" he yelled.

"NO!" Rince countered back. "This is my work…you… you in your ignorance never saw how great we could become…you nothing more then one of those commoners who walks around the city above us oblivious to his potential…I saw my potential and I'm going to take it." He replied.

He turned and grabbed an injector of the lab bench. He slotted the vial into the injector and then held it to his arm

Daniels gasped not sure of what to do he pointed the gun at Rince again indicating his threat.

"Go on can you kill another person…can you risk me dropping the vial?" Rince asked

"I have to take the risk." Daniels replied.

The both pulled their triggers simultaneously. The green liquid entered Rince's veins as the bullet ripped into his lungs. He dropped the injector struggling for breath and the pain as blood seeped out of his chest.

Daniels almost jumped at the force the bullet slammed into Rince. He saw that all the liquid had gone into the mad scientist and he'd killed him. He must have stopped the virus from getting out there.

He hurried over to the bench and began to load the case full of vials and he then zipped the carrier up and let out a sigh. He'd killed a man, but he was mad, he had to get this done. He had saved London and now he could make some money and save the world from the virus. Once he had the money he would destroy the virus.

He turned to leave when he stumbled and almost fell as something snagged on his foot.

He looked down and saw Rince grabbing his leg.

"RINCE!" he gasped.

Rince was breathing heavily and he looked up at his old partner. Daniels could see all the veins in his face; they were distinct in his now extremely pale face. The purple lines swam across his face. He cried out in a scream and there were several cracks as though his whole body structure was being rearranged.

"LET GO OF THE CASE!" Rince screamed.

"No" Daniels said and turned to run. He got a few feet when he felt something grab the scruff of his collar and he was thrown forward a few meters and slammed into the ground.

He scrabbled around on the floor to roll over onto his back. He looked up and saw Rince standing over him.

His face still pale and his veins sticking out more then they should be. He rolled his neck as though it was stiff and Daniels heard a loud series of cracks. He saw that the man's teeth were also now pointed so much that he couldn't close his mouth.

"See the next step of humanity" Rince said spitting everywhere through his teeth.

"YOU'RE MAD!" Daniels screamed

"Maybe" Rince mused, his finger nails lengthened into claws. His eyes seemed to black out completely and he hunched over slightly and he cried out as spikes as white as bones began to shoot out all over his body like spins. His shoulders looked likw armour plating and a long line of the followed the curve of his spine. His cheekbones had small spikes jutting out of them. His brow had two small horns.

He seemed to his as he breathed in and out. His teeth blocking the way and spittle flew from the corners of his mouth.

He lunged forward slamming the spines into Daniels chest. Daniels screamed from the pain as it surged across his body and his blood flew across the room. He squealed as Rince removed his claws and cackled.

Rince leaned over the dying man and slashed the box of vials open. He laughed hysterically as the virus was released into the air vents. It would escape for around an hour air born it couldn't last that long in the air but it was long enough for it to infect the lab staff who were still there.