Hey Everyone! Here is another chapter, and to answer Kumo Ito's question, I'm going by the original game. Thanks for the positive reviews and enjoy this thrilling chapter! =D


Chapter 7: Tumbling Deeper into the Rabbit Hole

"Ugh… Where could she be?"

Richie sighs as he continues to wander the dark corridors.

I know I have been here before… Great I'm lost.

It has been a couple hours since that mysterious encounter with Ada, and Richie is beginning to lose the scent of her erotic perfume. Continuing his stroll, he finds a decapitated zombie on the floor.

I have been going in circles! I killed this guy already!

Frustration growing, Richie kicks the severed head across the corridor, exploding upon contact against the wall. Halting in his tracks, Richie looks around.

Did someone say something?

Refilled with new hope, Richie marches on, straining his ears for the slightest murmur. Walking past the door that he has gone through before, the voices begin to get louder, there are two!

Turning a corner, he is face to face with a large metallic door, they are on the other side… Sounds like they are having an argument.

Slowly opening the gate, the door creeks in protest.

Shhh shut up shut up.

Entering another room filled mostly with water and a metal beam in the middle, Richie sees two women fighting on the platform above.

Ada! Wait… isn't that Sherry's... Mom?!

Before he could say anything, Ada knocks over Mrs. Birkin over the railing, sending her flying to the water below. Stunned, Richie runs toward the landing, dumping his gear to the side and diving in to save her.

I'll help her first then catch up to Ada later.

With his improved strength, Richie grabs Mrs. Birkin like a rag doll and quickly makes his ascent to the surface. Slowly lowering her to the ground, she coughs and hacks up the remaining water in her lungs.

"Thank you for saving me, I must go and stop that woman."

Looking up, she is shocked to see the young boy staring back at her, "Richard?"

Richie winces at the sound of his proper name.

"Mrs. Birkin it's Richie, and what were you and Ada arguing about?"

With the mention of Ada's name, Sherry's mother draws her weapon on Richie.

"How do you know her? Are you two working together? Are you too trying to steal the G-virus sample too? That's why you got close to Sherry isn't it? Answer me!"

Richie throws his hands up, speechless that he is being accused of such random things, crazy bitch! What is it with Sherry's parents trying to kill me?!

"Mrs. Birkin! I just met her, and I'm here looking for Sherry! She said that she would be in the police station and I got lost in here."

Dr. Birkin looks at Richie hesitantly, unsure of his motives, "what happened to your face?"

Geese again with my face!

"Your husband did this to me! All I'm trying to do is save Sherry but you people just keep getting in my way!"

Before he could go on his rant, horror strikes her face, "you saw William? Did he hit you?! Tell me what happened exactly!"

Lowering his hands, Richie eyes the weapon aimed at him, which doesn't sway the mad woman, who is so transfixed with the scar across his face.

"Ugh, if I tell you, will you help me find Sherry?"

Mrs. Birkin lowers her weapon, slowly regaining her composure, and nods slowly to his request.

"I found Mr. Birkin, or rather he found me near the sewers right below the police station, and before I fell off the platform, this tentacle thing struck me across the face… When I came around, I noticed that my blood became gooey and I have been getting stronger."

A slight burn smears across his face as he recalls the incident, "How long ago did this happen?"

She asks calmly, a small smile looming on her face.

"Umm, about four or five hours ago, not sure to be honest."

Hearing the time frame, she gets up and turns away, muttering to herself, "that's impossible, the virus should have killed him. How could he be getting stronger? There must have been a mutation when he became infected…This needs further investigation…"

"Mrs. Birkin I can hear you, does this mean that it isn't normal for me to be ok?"

Turning around, she tries to hide her excitement, "I'm not sure, but let's hurry and we can find out."

Strolling off toward the metallic door, Richie follows behind, strapping on his gear. Something is off, be on your toes Richie.

"Mrs. Birkin, are you going to help me find Sherry too?"

Passing though the door and into the corridors, she stops to look around for her next path out.

"Oh, someone else is already taking care of her, another woman I ran into is helping Sherry, so you don't have to worry about it for the time being. Let us take a look at you and after we will continue our search for Sherry."

Without looking back to Richie, she decides on her course of action and continues down a different corridor that Richie missed.

How can she tell me all this and not have a hint of concern for her daughter? Man, when I find her, I will be the one to take care of her, no one else…

Walking cautiously, Richie's uneasiness begins to fester, something is definitely wrong here, but what? Mrs. Birkin seems more excited about me being infected than finding her own daughter…

"Richard, you say that your strength has gone up? What else has improved?"

Wincing at his name, Richie sighs, how many times do I have to correct this lady? The sooner I get this done, the sooner I can find Sherry.

"Besides strength, my senses have gotten sharper. Also, my injuries heal so much faster…"

Chuckling, Dr. Birkin continues down the corridor, into a dead end.

Great, we're lost again, and now I'm stuck with this crazy lady.

Before he could question her sanity, Dr. Birkin reaches up and touches a stone that sits on the wall, followed by the sound of a click. Standing back, the wall begins to rumble and vibrate as it slowly opens up into a metallic corridor, wow…

Ushering him inside, she pushes a switch to close the secret portal.

"This is a secret shortcut to the lab, its safe and we will get there faster."

She boasts, revealing a toothy grin. As they continue their walk, Richie is both awed and angry at Umbrella, while everyone suffers the hell that they have unleashed, they have their own exits, to continue their research, their maniacal plot for power.

"You said another woman is helping Sherry, does that mean she isn't in the police station anymore?"

Mrs. Birkin shakes her head, "no she isn't. William was chasing her and eventually she made it to the sewers. The young woman seemed more than capable to protecting Sherry, yet I just pray that they don't run into William, especially as the virus continues to evolve…They wouldn't stand a chance."

Please Sherry, be alive, let me find you alive…

A gnawing feeling resurfaces, "why is Mr. Birkin going after Sherry?"

Stopping in her tracks, she looks down, avoiding to look at the young boy in the eyes, "because he wants to spread the virus... Someone who is infected with the G-virus can do so by inserting the embryo into another host… the only way for it to be successful is to have a genetic match and Sherry shares that genetic trait. How you are still alive still-"

"HE IS GOING TO HAVE SEX WITH HIS OWN DAUGHTER!"

Richie explodes, unable to hold in his anger, this is beyond sick!

"It doesn't bother you that your husband is on a rampage to find and impregnate his daughter with a virus that you both created?! How could you let this happen!? How-"

Turning around and throwing her hands onto Richie's shoulders, she meets his volume of anger.

"You think I like this?! Knowing that my husband is after my only daughter?! I'm putting my faith into that woman, who seems to have made it this far! My number one priority right now is to save you! Save you so you can help me save my daughter…"

She tightens her grip around Richie and slowly tears begin to fall. Not knowing what to do, Richie brings her in closer, letting her release her emotions.

I hope your right Mrs. Birkin… I hope your right…

Looking up, she wipes away her tears, revealing puffy eyes that seem to have missed days worth of sleep, she is trying her best…Alright, ill help her first then we can find Sherry together.

Putting his hand on her shoulder, she smiles weakly and nods of his reassurance. They continue their journey toward the Umbrella laboratory, drawing nearer to the exit.

Seeing a shinny metallic door, Richie watches as Dr. Birkin pulls out a key, opening the door to reveal an elevator.

"This is one of the emergency elevators. If anything were to happen, take it to the lowest level, where there are emergency evacuation transports, they can get you out of here."

Nodding to the instructions, Richie walks into the ominous elevator as Dr. Birkin walks over to the control panel and begins to input a few commands, followed by a twist of the key and the elevator begins its descent to the 4th floor.

Experiment room?

Reading Richie's thoughts, "the few capsules left to hold the vaccine are in the experimenting room, and we need it to help cure you. I believe there is one in the Vam room as well but it's surely over run with infected."

Feeling a bit relieved, Richie leans against the wall as the elevator continues its descent deeper into the laboratory from hell.

"Is there a vaccine made already?"

Dr. Birkin looks away, masking her emotions, Richie catches a quick smirk, yet disappears before he could realize his suspicions.

"No, we will have to make one and in order to do that we need to retrieve a sample of your blood and use it with the creation program, there it will create a vaccine… Don't worry, everything will be fine."

The last statement left a chill, unable to shake the weird feeling that continues to haunt Richie's bones, he swivels his thumb around the handle of his knife, trying to reassure himself that everything will be alright.

Something bad is going to happen but what?

"Bing"

The elevator has reached its destination, slowly opening the doors, inviting whatever lurks outside. Welcoming the two are surveillance monitors, all over the wall, showing only static.

"Come, we're almost there."

Walking at a fast pace, Dr. Birkin walks toward the door with a letter "B" over it.

"Where are we?"Richie continues to gawk at the vast metallic room.

"This is the C-2 Hangar, surveillance for the fourth level. In order to ensure optimal safety, we have these rooms in every level."

Swiping her card, the door retracts upward, revealing a metallic hallway. Continuing onward, Richie cant help but be amazed of the complexity of the whole situation. There must have been severe mistakes and mishaps to cause such a mess that happened in Raccoon City.

If there is this much security then how could there be such a disaster? How?

Arriving at the end of the corridor, Richie can smell rotting flesh combined with rotten eggs, a horrific smell that almost causes him to gag.

"Don't worry we aren't going that way."

Making a left turn, Richie sees a large vault looking door with the words written largely above, "P-4 laboratory." Taking out her card, Dr. Birkin swipes it again, releasing the locking mechanism and inviting them in.

Briskly walking inside, they enter another room to the right, where the door automatically opens to their presence. Lying on the floor is a dead scientist, deep within its slumber.

Quietly tip toeing to the next room, a few more bodies sit on the floor. At the end of the room, sits a large fax looking machine.

"Grab a chair and meet me over there, I have to grab a few things for this to work."

She instructs before she walks off toward a cabinet. Looking around, Richie spots a comfortable looking chair and brings it near the machine. Unloading his equipment, Richie sheds the extra weight, slightly relieved that he can finally get better.

Do I really want to lose the extra strength and all the cool perks I got? If it means not worrying about turning into Mr. Birkin then hell ya!

Chuckling to his good fortune, Mrs. Birkin returns, looking both nervous and excited at the same time.

"Richard, before I do this, I have to warn you… There is a large chance that this might not work, I have never seen the virus act like it does with you, so adding anything different might be fatal… Do you still want to do this?"

Richie closes his eyes, remembering every minute that he endured throughout the day, remembering who he's fighting for. He promised that he would stay alive not only for the family but for Sherry as well.

I have come so far and ill be damned to let this virus beat me now...

"I'm ready…"

Looking up to Dr. Birkin, she begins begins to tighten a plastic band around his arm. Reaching into her lab coat, she pulls out a gun, only it has a large needle at the end of it.

"Since your blood is very thick, we will need to use something more heavy duty, it will be painful, but I think you can handle it."

Closing his eyes, Richie turns his head and tries to relax into the chair.

Great, I fight zombies and other ugly things and this needle is scaring me the most…

"Here I go…"

Feeling a sharp pain on his arm, Richie feels a hot sensation on the injection, as the needle begins to suck up blood. Feeling his whole body shrivel up in the process, Richie clenches his fist, trying to fight the feeling of extreme vertigo.

Feeling the large needle exit, he opens one eye to see the mess, yet disappointingly sees nothing.

"Sit tight Richard, the worst part has yet to come."

She remarks as she takes out the capsule of the deep red. Trotting toward the machine, she glances back to Richie who nauseously sits in the chair, his back toward her.

Before Inserting the capsule into the machine she pulls out something from within her blouse, a small necklace, just the same as Sherry's. Opening it she is greeted by a family photo of the two loves in her life, smiling down she opens a secret compartment, reveling two small vials.

Taking them out with great care, she looks back at Richie who is still slumped over, trying to recover his equilibrium. Turning toward the machine, she brings out an empty vial and mixing the two liquids into it, and placing the concoction into the machine. Imputing the commands, she takes a moment to look at the picture of her family, of her husband.

Pushing go, the machine roars to life and begins the process. Turning back to Richie, she puts her hand onto his shoulder and marvels at the young boy, the boy who's genetic makeup was able to handle the G-virus.

Powering down, the creation machine comes to a halt and opens up its glass door to the newly created virus. A deep vibrant shade of orange, Dr. Birkin reinserts it into the gun, ready for injection. Walking over to face Richie, she kneels down to the floor, looking into the boys eyes.

"Richard… Once I do this, there is no turning back… Are you sure that you want this?"

Richie slowly comes back, still feeling a little nauseous but has recovered all the same.

"Yes, anything to save Sherry."

With a pang of guilt, Dr. Birkin injects the needle and slowly pours the poisonous liquid inside him, slowly hoping that this boy is the key to the evolutionary jump that her husband was working so hard for. Richie could feel the cold liquid spread throughout his body, soothing his tired muscles. She pulls out the needle once it is empty.

What was she talking about? This feels amazing…

Looking up, he sees Dr. Birkin backing away slowly as she draws out her pistol, worry and excitement etched onto her face.

"Richard, remember, Sherry already has someone protecting her… She wont need you anymore… And as for the virus…"

Richie grows concerned as the she continues to back away, shielding herself behind a large desk. Before he could question her, the cool feeling he was experiencing begins to grow hot, replacing his veins with lava.

Richie begins to groan as he falls onto the floor, unable to handle such pain, its like in my dream only worse… What did she do?

"Richard, I'm sorry… You are the only one who has adapted to the virus and this was the only opportunity I had to push it further. All of the work that William has done falls onto this one moment… The next evolutionary jump!"

Richie's body begins to convulse, contorting in ways that should break his bones.

"ARGHHHH!"

Richie screams as he feels his muscles rip and tear, muscle fibers shredding from the new viruses.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!"

He yells out, fighting with all his will to stay conscious. Feeling courageous, Dr. Birkin slowly walks toward the convulsing boy,

"I inserted two other viruses within you, the T-virus and T-Veronica virus…I was able to get a sample… Months and months of promises, bribes and arm twisting, I finally got a small sample of the T-Veronica… It was a gift for William, to help him get that next push for human evolution… Richard, I'm sorry... but this is for the greater good of mankind."

She continues to study her experiment, observing the changes in his skin, as his muscles shred to pieces, leaving black bruises all over his body.

When I was so close…No! I didn't come all this way to die!

"ARRGGHHHHH!"

Richie continues to fight the pain, hoping to go unconscious but his body wont let him, in some cruel way he must endure this pain, endure it and maybe then he might die.

This torturous torment continues to ravage his body, twisting his limbs beyond human capacity. His heart racing at an alarming rate, Richie feels all the heat burning into his eyes. The excruciating pain sends sudden jolts to his body as he tries to fight his way toward Dr. Birkin, but no amount of willpower will help him move.

"The virus has affected the corneas and pupils, causing them to become more serpent like, further observation will entail what else might change as the subject continues to undergo muscle tissue decomposition."

Richie struggles to open his burning eyes, yet manages to see Dr. Birkin talking to a tape recorder, documenting his slow painful death. Slowly feeling his life draining, Richie struggles less and less to the pain, as he prepares himself for death.

I'm sorry…

"AHHH!"

Richie can hear Dr. Birkin screaming, followed by a few gunshots. Barely opening his eyes, he can see a small group of dead scientists trying to feast on her.

"Get away!"

Firing a couple more shots, she runs toward the door, taking a moment to look back and mutter something into the tape recorder, Richie couldn't hear her last words.

Lying alone in a cold room, drowning in his own infected blood, Richie feels lighter as he drifts in and out of consciousness, finally able to let go of the hell that almost engulfed him...