Agent of the Dead
Seven Hours till Resident Evil: Spencer Estate lobby
Rick Stone pulled himself off the floor and rubbed his arm. Shaking the dust from his suit he offered a hand to Sullivan and helped him up off the ground. The man checked his M4 carbine then glared in Rick's direction. He aimed the carbine directly at his face and said "I want answers, now!!"
"Okay, let's just be rational." Rick said holding his hands up defensively. He needed to defuse this situation and fast, otherwise he would end up on the ground with bullets in his head.
"Just tell me, who the hell are you!!" Sullivan said flicking the safety off his rifle.
"Allright!! Allright!! Just put the gun away, please." Rick begged fearing for his life.
"Not until I get some answers as to what the hell is going on here." Sullivan said.
"Okay, just calm down." Rick said remembering his police training.
"Fine." Sullivan said slightly lowering the weapon.
"My name is Rick Stone. I'm a government agent investigating the murders here in Raccoon City." he said pulling out his identification.
Sullivan took the wallet and after a few moments nodded. Lowering the carbine he gave Rick back his wallet.
"So why wasn't the police notified?" he asked Rick.
"Would the government ever divulge information willingly?" Rick countered.
"Fair enough." Kenneth said with a nod.
Shouldering the carbine he looked up at the ceiling and studied it with intense scrutiny. Rick retrieved his sidearm and placed it in his holster.
"I thought the Spencer Estate was supposed to be abandoned in the late 70's." Sullivan said looking at the ceiling.
"No, that was a cover story." Rick said walking up to Sullivan.
"A cover story? For what?" he asked Rick.
Rick sighed and rubbed his forefinger and thumb together. He had a habit of doing this when he was aggrivated.
"The Umbrella Corporation has been using this as a secret lab. Though for what I do not know." Rick said taking out a piece of gum and placing it in his mouth.
"Let me guess, that information is on a need to know basis?" Sullivan asked Rick.
"Yes. The government likes to keep it's secrets even from it's agents." Rick said in between chewing his gum.
"That's fucked up." Sullivan said while looking at the door.
"I agree, but what are you going to do about ? At least they pay me well." Rick said walking towards the door.
"Wait. Where are you going" Sullivan asked.
"To find a way out of this mansion." Rick said before slamming the door behind him.
He had entered a dining hall furnished with a long oak table and a fireplace at the other end. Two huge windows gave the room a view of the outside world. Seeing as how it was early morning daylight streamed through the dust covered windowpanes and lit the room with an eerie light.
The table was decorated in a white lace tablecloth and plates were set out. A glass of wine was spilled onto the cloth soaking it in red wine. The wine must have been spilled recently since the liquid was still present. Giving the lack of evaporation and staining Rick guessed it must have been here well over a week.
"This is Agent Rick Stone. I am now inside the dining room of the Spencer Estate. It looks like everyone has left in a hurry. The table is set out as if it was meal-time. There is a large fireplace at the end of the dining room. There also appears to be a second story balcony that runs outside the main hall. I am now taking pictures of the said dining room." he spoke into the recorder.
Taking out a small camera he snapped several pictures of the room. A small noise made him turn around to see Kenneth entering the room.
"What are you doing?" he asked watching Rick take pictures.
"I'm collecting evidence. This is a crime scene." Rick said putting the camera away.
"We should be more concerned about getting out of here instead of sight-seeing." Kenneth said dissaprovingly.
"Look Sullivan. My mission is to collect evidence of Umbrella's criminal activities. That is my main priority." Rick said glaring.
"Do what you want. I'm going to look for a way out of here." Kenneth said pushing his way out of the dining room and into the adjacent hall.
"Punk." Rick said following him.
They found themselves in a long dark hallway. Burnt out candles lined the walls and the plastered wallpaper was peeling. The hall had a kind of musty smell, almost as if the area was covered in mold which it probably was. From the look of the hall no one had done renovations in quite some time. Heavy footsteps alerted the two men to another presense besides themselves. Whirling around they aimed their weapons straight into the face of a poor guard carrying a Glock pistol.
"Hey wait I'm human!!" he yelled raising his arms up in the air.
Rick raised an eyebrow as he and Kenneth lowered their weapons. The guard relaxed and sat down on a nearby couch. He was dressed in black stealth gear and wore a gas mask. The Umbrella Corporation logo was printed on the right sleeve and he had a small tear in his pant leg.
"You with Umbrella Special Forces?" Rick asked looking at his gear. The man nodded and sighed.
"Yeah. I was the head of security at this mansion when all hell broke loose." he said.
"What do you mean?" Rick asked flipping on his voice recorder.
"The virus the scientists were studying in the lab broke free of it's containment and infected the entire facility." the man said.
"What do you mean the virus broke out?" Kenneth asked pressing the man for more information.
"Umbrella was developing Bio-Weapons for the army to use in war. The virus was injected into dobermans and other animals. One of the dogs broke loose and then this happened." he said gesturing around him.
"Do you know if the virus has anything to do with the murders in Raccoon City?" Rick asked the guard.
"No, they bring us into the labs by train. I live a good fifty miles from Raccoon City." the man said.
"Train? How extensive is this facility?" he asked the man.
"Thirteen miles in circumfrance all located eight hundered meters underground." he said.
"Is there a possibility of communications with the outside world?" Rick asked forming an idea in his head.
The man looked up to Rick. "Yes, we have direct lines underground to the outside world. Why?" he asked.
"If so we can call in the army and then..." Rick trailed off.
"We can stop it from reaching the city!!" the man exclaimed.
"Exactly." Rick said with a smirk.
"Come on there is an elevator down into the labs. I'll show you the way." he said. "By the way, the name is William Jones." the man said sticking out a hand.
"Rick Stone." Rick said shaking his hand.
"Okay let's get to that elevator so we can get the fuck out of here." Kenneth said approaching the end of the hall.
Next chapter Rick and the others meet a very familiar Umbrella Special Forces member. Agent HUNK.
