Chapter 3: Umbrella and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Year
Or, In which a Small Band of Very Angry Scientists and One College Student Resolve Several Games' Worth of Crises in a Madcap Onslaught of Explosions.
Article from Le Monde
December 19th, 1998
Umbrella Headquarters Attacked!
An explosion rocked the business quarter of Paris in the sleepy pre-dawn hours of morning. The DuMont building, current home of the multinational pharmaceutical giant Umbrella, suffered an attack by unknown assailants at 3 a.m. Fire and police crews arrived at the scene only to be denied entrance by Umbrella's security staff, who insisted the attack had caused a leak of dangerous chemicals throughout the building.
Two full hours would pass before the company allowed anyone, even the firemen, to enter their doors. By that time, their laboratory complex was completely engulfed in flame. Despite massive structural damage, the main office building remains standing. The surrounding block has still been evacuated as a safety precaution.
Several radical environmentalist groups have claimed credit for the attack. Police have not named a suspect at this time.
Umbrella's only comment to the press has been a warning that the leaked chemicals could cause hallucinations to anyone in the surrounding area, and that this may explain several reports of 'monsters' sighted within the building's upper windows.
-Christine Leroux
Incident Report
December 20th, 1998
Pertaining to the attack on our Paris HQ December 19th, 1998
It is everything we feared and worse.
At 0230 we were alerted to an intruder within the building. I sent out the usual response of two heavily armed teams to capture the intruder. Upon determining it was the infamous Claire Redfield, I sent a 3rd team.
We soon became aware of two very unpleasant facts. First, that the Redfield sister has joined forces with our rogue scientists. Second, that Dr. Birkin has acquired tentacles.
We discovered both these things when the assault helicopter sent after Redfield was grabbed out of the air and slammed into the ground by a purple appendage the width of a tree trunk. Dr. Birkin was then heard cackling and gloating about his abilities to Albert Wesker, who we may assume does not possess the same mutation.
Redfield was a distraction, and we fell for it. The rogue scientists were able to access our labs, plunder our data, and activate the self-destruct. They also unleashed a number of B.O.W.s on the office building. As we do not house many specimens here, they must have brought their own.
I do not know how they acquired access to the labs in the first place. This security leak must be dealt with.
-Temporary Chief of Security, Nikolai Zinoviev
Printout left in corner of rental house basement, Paris
Rockfort Island Facility Evaluation
Attn: Chief of Security
CC: Sir Oswell Spencer
Renovations on the prison and training facilities are at 90% completion and expected to finish within the month. The training facilities have received additions of questionable utility, and we are getting numerous complaints from recruits about 'that cackling lunatic,' Alfred Ashford, and his new training programs. However, the results cannot be questioned. The survivors complete their training in record time and perform better in the field than any of the mercenaries we've picked up from South America.
As to the science side of the Ashford properties, they are as stagnant as ever. Only a handful of successful B.O.W.s have come out of their labs in the past 2 years, all of limited combat potential. Alfred simply does not share the same genius his sister once had.
There is an odd rumor going around the island on that subject. Some of the recruits say they have seen glimpses of a blonde woman in the upper windows of the closed-off Ashford manor. Normally I would not report the gossiping of the men, however, when I questioned Alfred on the subject his reaction was so extreme and violent I became suspicious. Could she still be alive?
I've asked Henrich to have a closer look at their budget reports over the last ten years. I have a feeling there's something in the works there which we have not been told about.
-Gerlach
Notes written on printout:
THAT BITCH IS ALIVE SHE MUST BE DESTROYED
We are not chasing a rumor just to fulfill your old, petty vendetta. Another expensive attack is the last thing we need.
IT IS COMPLETELY NECESSARY
Note found crumpled in park trash can
Albert,
I see you're making your move. Would you like some more funds? 'Father' just happened to have a lot of money sitting around which he's not using.
-A
Singed note, found in mine shaft on Baltic island
A,
You may never understand the context for this. I just want you to know that you are a terrible enabler.
-Albert
Singed Diary Page
(illegible text)
Wesker said he wished to do this with a little more 'subtlety.' Dr. Birkin insists explosions are more efficient. And you know what? I agree with him. Annette thinks it's more satisfying, so that was three against...(illegible text)
...too dangerous to stay in France any longer, but Ms. Muller can't...(illegible text)
...leaving her in a hospital in...(illegible text)
I hope she'll be okay there. Umbrella's not above using our loved ones against us. Wesker tells me the best solution is to keep her somewhere they'll never...(illegible text)
(remainder of page missing)
Note found in German Hostel
Claire,
There are important things I must tell you about new friends before you go, things I should not say in their face. So I write this for you. My English not so good but I try my best. Stay safe please.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR KEEP IDIOTS ALIVE:
Albert's small friend not sleep enough, works to death. Drug tea if need. Albert show where.
And Albert. My mišić not sleep enough either. Do not drug, he gets mad. Get kids to nag him. I tell him he has too many job, he does not listen.
NONE OF THEM COOK. I catch girl microwaving peanut butter on—I do not know word for, the flat disk bread from Mexico. My mišić only eats carry-away and the doctors live on noodles. Make sure they get 3 proteins and their vegetables every week. Jake best likes apples.
DO NOT LET THEM TEACH JAKE THINGS. You know which? The body disposal, attacking intruders, these things. Kids should not know these things.
If attacked, lady doctor is better shot than husband. Give her gun.
Watch out for my mišić. Is big charmer when he wants to be. Thinks 'sterile,' is not!
Report covered in graffiti, taped together from shreds found in waste basket
I am keeping this record separate from the rest of our research so William doesn't find it.
YOU NEED A BETTER HIDING PLACE :(
As I feared, Rockfort Island contained nothing worth our time. We targeted the labs first so the virus could leak and wipe out most of the staff. Some of the prisoners survived the attack. Claire was very insistent we get them to safety. I tried to explain they would be mostly Umbrella employees, however she was too busy flirting with one—a young red-head who sounds like he swallowed a kazoo—to pay any attention.
Claire's morality causes us grief at times. It is well worth putting up with it, knowing how her brother will react when he discovers who his dear sister is working for. Perhaps I should send him some photos?
AL YOU HAVE A PROBLEM
Did I say the young prisoner had an annoying voice? Alfred Ashford was far worse.
INBREEDING!
It is only still more evidence of Umbrella's poor judgment that Alfred was left in charge of anything. The loneliness and stress of leadership clearly shattered his mind into confetti.
PREACH!
It turns out the trauma of his sister's early death caused Alfred to develop a second personality which believed itself to be his dead sister. The sightings of the blonde woman in the Ashford Manor were none other than himself, in drag. How sad. William lost all interest in the raid once he realized Alexia wasn't present. He went off to sulk in the plane while we wrapped things up.
WAS NOT.
As I wanted to get something out of this debacle besides a gang of liberated prisoners and some sniper rounds embedded in my shoulder, I insisted we check out the old Antarctic facility.
The place was already teeming with zombies when we got there. No, I do not know how, nor for how long. Perhaps improper sample storage...? At any rate, we soon discovered Alexia was alive. She had injected herself with her own strain of T, dubbed T-Veronica, and put herself in cryosleep for 15 years. It's fascinating. Her method of stably integrating the virus into her system worked, without help from my antibodies. She revived without mutation, all faculties intact and zero evidence of intellectual degradation. A more perfect illusion of humanity than even my own.
WASN'T MUCH TO DEGRADE
That is, until she decided to set herself on fire, triggering a cascade of mutations that left her covered in slimy, chitinous growths. I was so confused by this action that I did not react before she slapped me across the room. William was more than happy to take over the fight from there, so I left them brawling while I helped Claire spread the C4.
I TOLD YOU SHE'S A MORON. WHO PUT THIS IDIOT KID IN CHARGE OF HER OWN LAB?
I managed to save some samples of the T-Veronica for study. I'll have to do it while William's away from the lab.
THEY'RE TRASH AND THEY BELONG IN THE TRASH. YOU'RE WELCOME.
Singed note found in office ruins
A,
It doesn't look like we'll be able to have our usual commiseration night this year. Sherry insists we have a proper Christmas and I don't think I'll be able to slip away.
-Albert
P. S. If I die, you're not going to develop a split personality and dress up as me, are you?
Note found in rubbish bin along London street
Albert,
A shame. Shall we postpone it to New Year's, then?
-A
P.S. Why would I want to copy your outdated 1976 David Bowie style? I'll put your sunglasses up on the mantle, how's that.
Security Report
December 23rd, 1998
We can now add Rockfort Island to the list of facilities which have been demolished in the past six months. But why a backwater base like Rockfort? I will not waste everyone's time with obvious questions like 'who is responsible.' I'm sure we can all guess.
I understand the Ashfords and Birkin did once have a feud, but it seems unreasonably petty for him to wipe out a base on account of a 15-year-old rivalry. Perhaps there is something we have missed?
In any case, we must tighten security on our other labs. Production is down 30%, and we cannot afford more public attention. CEO Spencer has authorized the deployment of Nemesis, as well as any of the better behaved mass-produced Tyrants.
It is time we took the gloves off.
-Temporary Chief of Security, Nikolai Zinoviev
Memo to temporary chief of security
Silver Wolf,
Yes, he can be that petty.
-Sergei
Diary of Sherry Birkin
12/24/98
Christmas in England Is SO COOL!
All the store windows have these awesome moving figures and robots and we had to drag Jake away from the Fenwicks because he wouldn't stop watching the model train. Mom bought me a big tin of cookies with a music box in it! It plays The Holly and the Ivy and it's really pretty.
There's no snow, and it gets dark by the middle of the afternoon, but that's okay. I don't like snow very much. It's only good for canceling school.
I thought carolers were just something you see in movies but they really do it here! And they take it really seriously! One guy wouldn't leave our doorstep until we gave him some mulled wine. And he kept singing louder and more off-key until Uncle Wesker ran out and got him some. I'm not sure what 'mulled' means. Maybe it thinks really hard?
There was one really weird caroler who came by after dark. He was REALLY tall, and wearing a big trench coat and reindeer antlers, and he wasn't singing with the rest of the group. He just scowled. Uncle Wesker kind of froze up after he opened the door and saw him. The carolers were barely through the first verse of 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' when the trench coat guy punched Uncle Wesker! He went flying all the way into the kitchen!
Mom was just coming around the corner, and Wesker only missed her by like an inch. She stopped and said, "W-Wesker?"
Uncle Wesker got up and ran back to the door. He said, "I'll handle it," and then he tackled the guy back through the door. I didn't see where they went after that.
So I asked mom, "Was he mad because we didn't give him wine?"
And one of the other carolers laughed in a nervous way and said, "Think that one's had enough already." Then they left.
(That means he was drunk.)
Uncle Wesker didn't get back until after my bedtime. I'm still awake now because I'm too excited. I can't wait to open presents tomorrow! I hope everyone likes my gifts. I was even able to find dad a godzilla figure he doesn't already have! (he pretends they weren't important enough to bring but I saw them hidden in a box under some beakers)
I should try to go to sleep. The sooner I sleep, the sooner I can see what I got!
Article from the North Yorkshire News
December 30th, 1998
Hooligans Cause Late Night Ruckus
Police responded to numerous noise complains late last night in Hampsthwaite. About four people, reports say, were running about the countryside, one of whom was dressed in a long black trench coat, and arguing loudly and setting off small explosions. Mr. Wycott, age 53, who lives on Hollins Lane, says he was awakened by a boom directly in his back garden.
He said, "Bugger kids setting off crackers at one in the morning. They blew a hole in our garden wall, they did. Who's supposed to pay for the damages on it now?"
The vandals could not be found, however, it seems at least one of them may have met a bad end, as a scrap of black leather was found caught on the rocks within the Bolton Strid, that infamous stretch of water whose powerful currents have claimed the lives of any unfortunate who mistakes the thin stream for an innocent brook.
Police are continuing to search the area, but the Bolton Strid runs deep, with numerous pockets carved out underneath the rock. If anyone did fall in, a body may never be found.
-Mary Watts
Singed Diary Page
Holy shit that freak had a rocket launcher. A rocket launcher.
What is wrong with Umbrella.
Cryptid Hunters International
January-February Edition, 1999
Tentacled Beast in the River Wharfe!
A monstrosity straight out of Lovecraft's worst nightmares has been terrorizing farmers all up and down Wensleydale in the United Kingdom. The beast, a hulking crossbreed of man and octopus the size of two men, rose from the riverbed early Saturday morning and has been wandering the countryside ever since. We have chosen to call it the Wensleydale Whipper.
The Whipper is said to have devoured not one but several sheep, and none of the angry farmers who confronted it have come back alive. The Whipper was last spotted far to the south of its point of origin, inside Dartmoor National Park, where a contingent of armed men chased it into a crate and airlifted it away.
Never stop searching for the truth, no matter how hard they try to hide it!
-Ken Longtail
Note found hidden in basement desk, German rental home
Will,
Next time you see Chris or Jill, give me warning so I can steer Claire away from them. We got lucky on Sheena Island. If you let them meet, I guarantee we will lose your favorite babysitter.
-Wesker
Note written on previous note
Al,
You're not fooling anyone. Someone snuck condoms on to the shopping list and I know it wasn't Annette.
-Will
Security update
April 23rd, 1999
Sir Spencer,
I return to my duties in time to give you a great deal of bad news. Now I understand why Nikolai was so smug about returning to his previous position.
The Tyrant plant on Sheena Island and our R&D labs in Chicago have both been hit. If I were not sure how badly our two enemies would like to kill each other, I would suspect them of coordinating. Both were sighted during the attack on Sheena Island.
If they follow their current trend and continue targeting our B.O.W. Production, they are most likely to come to Caucasus next. I have already tightened security as much as I can, and I will be staying there with the Red Queen to watch over it myself. This crisis will not end until those traitors are destroyed. We MUST catch them.
Our rogues have also inspired copycats. Do you recall that useless daydreamer, Morpheus D. Duvall, director of our Atlantic disposal facility? I would hope you do, as you fired him after laying the blame for the Arklay outbreak at his feet. I remain impressed that you pulled that off, given everyone knew he was in the middle of an ocean at the time. He has decided it is a fine time to take revenge on Umbrella. After decimating the Chicago lab and stealing samples of the T virus, he hijacked one of our luxury cruise liners, the Spencer Rain, and has sent us several threatening messages.
I have leaked rumors that Duvall also stole a sample of the G virus. With luck, the right ears will catch it, and one of our problems will take care of the other.
Everything for Umbrella,
-Sergei Vladimir
Company Memo
April 25th, 1999
In light of our recent difficulties, I have determined it prudent to take a short sabbatical while I rethink our company's direction and brainstorm solutions to the challenges we face.
For now, the daily operation of both red and white umbrella will fall to Sergei Vladimir, head of white Umbrella.
Signed,
Oswell Spencer,
Umbrella Founder and CEO
Singed Diary Page
Jesus Dr. Birkin almost gave me a heart attack this morning. Things I don't want to hear on walking through the door a week after dodging more of those trench-coat freaks:
"William, no."
"But they have my baby!"
Both him and Wesker got really awkward and quiet when I barged in asking if Sherry was okay and how they got her. Turns out Sherry was in the kitchen, eating cereal with Jake, totally fine. I'm still not sure what 'baby' Dr. Birkin was really talking about.
It turns out some creep from Umbrella has stolen the T virus and flooded a cruise ship with it. I'm fuzzy on the details, but I guess he was fired and wants to take revenge? I don't see how infecting a bunch of innocent bystanders helps with that. God, does Umbrella have some kind of special psyche tests during the hiring process to make sure they don't employ any sane or well-adjusted people by accident?
So I asked them when we were moving and how we were planning to take this guy down. William got really excited—typical, he loves explosions too much for a virologist—and Wesker just face-palmed. Annette sighed and said she'd always wanted to take a cruise.
(remainder of page missing)
Diary of Sherry Birkin
4/20/99
Mom, Dad, and Uncle Wesker got back from their cruise today. I'm still really mad at them for not taking us along, so I've been staying in my room with Jake and Claire. Claire really wanted to go too, but she had to stay and watch us. Why couldn't we all just go?
It doesn't look like they had much fun. Mom has a black eye, and Dad lost his eyebrows. I tried to ask how that happened and they just looked at each other. Then mom said, "drunks."
We've been having a lot of problems with mean drunks these days. They're always wearing trench coats and scowling. I think alcohol is a bad thing.
Dad's been yelling a lot, too, when he thinks I'm not around. Weird stuff like, "Flesh heels! Flesh heels! How could any self-respecting scientist confuse that junk for my masterpiece?"
Maybe dad's drunk too?
Final Report
March 9th, 1999
Sir Spencer,
I am sending this to you now, so however this ends, you will have an idea what happened.
As I write this, the Caucasus facility is under attack from two fronts. On one side we have the meddling S.T.A.R.S. survivors. On the other, Wesker and Birkin. Both groups decided to attack at 0300 hours. I barely had time to throw my coat over my pajamas as the alarms went off.
I have released the T virus and every last B.O.W. throughout the facility, so no one will greet our friends but monsters. I have no hope that this will stop them. I only know that Wesker loathes dealing with the products of his own creations.
I take some satisfaction in knowing I am not the only one to suffer a Wesker-style goodbye. I was watching on the cameras when the younger Redfield was reunited with her brother. I can guess from the shock and rage on her face just what he told her.
Wesker waved to her from up on the catwalk before an explosion covered his escape. I would say the rosy days of that partnership are over. Later, Wesker threw a small notebook into the fire. If enough of the facility is left standing, it may be worth recovering.
At this moment, the S.T.A.R.S. survivors plus Claire Redfield are fighting the T.A.L.O.S. prototype. I see from the cameras that Wesker and Birkin have made their way to the bottom level, and are quickly approaching this room. They have defeated both my Ivans.
As a man, I cannot match their strength. As a Tyrant, I may have a chance. I have already prepared a syringe of the T virus for injection. Soon, we will see how Wesker likes breaking walls with his face.
One way or another, this place will burn. I will do what I can to take them with me.
Everything for Umbrella,
-Sergei Vladimir
Note found in ruined office, Baltic island
March 9th, 1999
Alex,
Sergei has fallen.
I want you near me. Your vengeful 'brother' may come after you next.
Bump research on reproducing his virus to top priority.
-Spencer
Note found in wastebasket, Polish hostel
Albert,
I found him.
Shall we do the honors together?
-A
Article from The Raccoon Press
March 14th, 1999
The End of Umbrella?
The world was shocked today when Oswell E. Spencer, CEO and founder of pharmaceutical giant Umbrella, Inc., was found murdered in his stately home late last night. A maid discovered the 76-year-old corporate mogul laid out on the floor of his library, apparently stabbed through the chest with an unknown object.
Yet the murder was not the most scandalous discovery of that stormy night. Stacked up beside the corpse was a small mountain of printed files, correspondence, lab data and other evidence of a dark underside to Umbrella which no one suspected. It documented years of illegal, unethical experiments on human subjects, black market dealings, bribery of public officials, kidnapping, and extortion.
This blow comes shortly on the heels of the death of another leading executive, one Sergei Vladimir, who died along with numerous Umbrella employees after a disastrous accident at one of their chemical plants. As the company struggles to appoint a successor in the wake of these deaths, numerous countries, including the U.S., have imposed a suspension of business decree on the multinational corporation, pending an investigation into Umbrella's practices.
Spokespersons for Umbrella hotly deny the legitimacy of this evidence, claiming it has all been fabricated by a group of insane environmental activists. Police investigating the crime scene declined to comment at this time.
-Alyssa Ashcroft
End Note: R.I.P. Sergei, you were the most entertaining to write. And R.I.P. Spencer, you still win the biggest asshole of the century award.
Just got the epilogues to go now.
