Chapter 4

I sat in the office fidgeting with my hands. It wasn't that I was nervous; I was bored beyond belief. Finally I was called into the room. As I walked through the door, I glanced around at my surroundings. They were extremely sterile and white. Sitting at a table on the far end of the room were Albert Wesker, William Birkin, and two other men I was unfamiliar with.

"Well?" Albert looked at the panel expectantly. "She's obviously the most qualified for the experimentation and completely dedicated to Umbrella."

One of the men who I didn't know sighed and turned to William, "Dr. Birkin, it's your call. This is your experiment after all."

"It's both my experiment and Albert's. Not only is it both of our experiments, it's not finished!" William leaned into the other members on the panel, spit flying from his mouth as he spoke.

"I say it's ready William, and Miss Hadley is the most obvious candidate for selection," Wesker was getting frustrated now, I could tell.

"Fine. Fine. We'll use her, but there's no knowing how she will turn out. But Albert, if that's what you want, go right ahead," William pushed his chair out and stormed out of the room. Wesker just grinned at the two men he was sitting with. Of course, with Wesker, a grin was never just a grin.

"Men, will you please excuse us. I need to brief Miss Hadley on the opportunity she has been given," The men collected their things and left the room through the door William used. Wesker and I were alone.

"Well those men were helpful. Was it really hard deciding Albert? Did you use them like you do everybody else?" I was angry with him. It wasn't that I didn't want to be a part of the experiment, I just didn't want to be the experiment.

"Ryker, if this experiment is successful, you will be more powerful than anyone could possibly imagine! Not only that, but when Umbrella's impending demise comes, you will have the ability to control the world they will no longer be a part of."

I closed my eyes and sighed. I knew that Wesker wanted power, but that didn't appeal to me like it did to him. I didn't want anything but him. And my love was going to kill me.

Leon, Jill, and I fired at the incoming monster, but our bullets did nothing to slow him. He was still advancing. Leon angrily looked at me and shouted, "What are we supposed to do? You should obviously know!"

"I don't though! I have no idea!" I was tired, hungry, and frustrated. Above all, I was angry. Alfred experimented on his own father like he was just some sick experiment. Looking at the outcome, Alfred must not have had a plan. He probably just injected various viruses into his father, eagerly waiting to see what the outcome would be.

The creature was still advancing toward us at a rapid pace. The guns weren't working, we couldn't run fast enough to get away, and Alfred would make sure that the monster killed us in as slow and painful a way as possible. I felt guilty for getting Leon and Jill into this mess. My own problems were hurting others, and that, I promised myself, would never happen.

I had no choice but to use my last resort. They would die if I didn't, and I knew Steve and Rebecca couldn't survive and make it off of the island alone. I promised myself I would never be a monster, and by letting them die, I would become the very thing I hated.

"You guys need to go find someplace in the room to hide," Leon looked at me, angry that I would even suggest such a thing, but something in my expression must have caught their attention.

"Come on, Leon," Jill pulled Leon away, warily watching me. I didn't watch them go. Instead I focused on the virus running through my veins. I began to change, my body twisting and turning, veins poking out from under the skin. My hair snaked together across my head as my skin changed to a dark shade of gray. My teeth grew longer and sharper, as did my nails. I looked at Alfred's father with red, bloodshot eyes and charged toward him. Raising my hand, I slashed through his face, cutting his head into sections. I didn't stop there; I had to be sure he would stay dead. I slashed and chopped his body until it was just a bloody pulp.

Shifting back into human form, I collapsed on the ground. My clothes were torn, hair knotted, and body bloody. I knew the monster didn't stand a chance against me, but I was hoping to never have to resort to becoming that monstrous thing again.

Leon and Jill slowly walked over to, and I lifted my head. They head both of their guns trained on my head. "Don't move!" Jill yelled.

I gave a dry laugh, "I save your life, and this is what I get?"

Jill looked guilty, but her expression stayed hard. I understood why they didn't feel safe around me. I probably wouldn't either.

Leon crouched down next to me, his head tilted toward the ground. When he looked up at me, I expected to see more anger, or even hatred, but instead I found pity. "Ryker, you need to tell us what happened to you. You need to start at the beginning."

"And if I don't?"

"We'll kill you without a second thought."

"I could kill you before you even took the safety off your gun," I said, glancing at Jill.

"But I don't think you'd do that, would you?" Leon was standing now, looking down at my hunched form on the ground.

"No," I admitted, "I'll tell you. I'll tell you everything. It's about time I told someone."