Thanks to Maiafay for beta-reading -- don't know what I would do without you!
Chapter X
Wesker's case expanded beyond Birkin's highest expectations. He had taken more blood during their last meeting so he could perform a number of tests, which would reveal more about the virus's powers. Thanks to Umbrella, he had attained every strain of bacteria or virus he wished for without the slightest suspicion. The results were unbelievable. Wesker seemed immune to every illness, no matter how grave. Birkin had infected the blood samples with normal flu. Nothing. Closer inspection revealed that the T-virions pounced upon the intruders and devoured them in a matter of seconds before they could assail the host's cells.
After running the same test with equally weak bacteria, Birkin moved on to more. What he found shocked him. According to the results he received, Wesker was resistant to hemophilia. AIDS. Cancer. The list went on two more pages.
One infection took a very interesting turn, though. A contagion with more T-virus. Injection of small doses of the virus resulted in marginal changes. The substance that controlled the virus in Wesker's system would subject the additional virions to the same treatment. For every virion there was a particle of the substance. He had finally looked up the name: aTv51. It ‚swallowed' T-virus cells, rendering most mutagenic side-effects harmless. When the host needed the virus's additional powers, aTv51 removed its protective coat from the cells and allowed them to function.
A high-dose intake of T-virus – higher than the amount already existent in Wesker's blood – induced the collapse of aTv51. The free virions extricated their captive siblings, ripping the aTv51 cells apart in their rage. Depending on the number of attackers, the aTv51 cells had the chance of mounting a defense, catching stray virions before they could wreak more havoc.
However, these tests only minimally predicated what effects an infection would have on Wesker as a whole, and he first needed the man's consent before testing his theory.
Their next meeting was scheduled for this evening, so Birkin guessed he wouldn't have to wait long for an answer. Today he wanted to test Wesker's reflexes and his reaction to pain, perhaps, if they had enough time, see how his healing metabolism had developed.
The image of the blood-stained backseat came to Birkin's mind, only to be replaced by Wesker's equally soiled uniform. The crimson stain had swallowed the T of STARS, making the big, white letters read SARS.
He remembered the stench. The stench of blood, the stench of sweat and guts, and how the SARS Captain had been able to ignore all of the aforementioned. He should have been unconscious – or worse! – by the time Birkin reached him, yet there wasn't any such development. Wesker was irritated, angry, but he showed no sign of pain.
He still hadn't told him what exactly happened that day at the Mansion, and while the better part of Birkin was curious to find out, he also knew that it would be unwise to force Wesker to remember.
They still hadn't tested the aggression, the virus's most prominent feature apart from the desire to feed. From what Birkin had observed Wesker didn't suffer under the latter, but he had experienced the man's newfound strength himself. He absently brushed at his neck. All signs of strangulation were gone by now, the bruises faded, but Birkin didn't want to risk it again. Wesker hadn't used a fraction of his power to lift him off the ground on that evening and he didn't want to give him a cause to find his limits.
It was one of the reasons why he and Annette had decided to include her into the meetings from now on. She had insisted that he be armed until they had valid results on the matter, but Birkin had strictly denied. If an impalement by a Tyrant hadn't killed Wesker, he doubted a gun would have any such effect, other than enrage Wesker. Which was exactly what they wanted to avoid.
She didn't agree on the two of them meeting alone anymore, not after Birkin had told her of the night after the Mansion. She helped him evaluate most of the tests anyway, she argued, so she could be of assistance during the physical examinations, too. Especially the ones dealing with reflexes and pain. She stressed the latter and would repeat it every time they talked about the subject.
Eventually he gave in: For one thing because he knew Annette wouldn't yield, and because he knew she was right. Umbrella's security protocols stipulated that no scientist may be alone in a room with a subject, regardless whether it was a carrier or not. The minimum group number was three. In case of experiments with live hosts that were subjected to any viral agent at least one security guard had to be present.
And those were the old rules. Ever since the loss of the Arklay Facilities Spencer had intensified the precautions. The number of guards was raised to two. Umbrella installed emergency devices at various points throughout the Raccoon Laboratory. Application of such resulted in the release of Anti-BOW gas. While not lethal for the staff, it attacked the carriers nervous system, rendering them harmless through spasms and momentary paralysis. That way, he employees could be evacuated, while any escaped subject could be returned to its cage by Umbrella's special forces.
The comparison to Wesker might be a bit extreme, but Annette claimed that by scientific definition he was just that, a subject, a BOW. "Don't tell him that." was the advice he gave her. It would be better for both of them.
The meeting today was scheduled for 6pm down in Birkin's cellar. Sherry slept over at one of her friends. She was excited about it, had already packed in the morning. Annette, who finished work earlier, would drive her over. She said she didn't want Sherry present when Wesker came. It was too dangerous. She was right.
He looked at his watch, glad that it was time to go already. He packed his things and left the lab, escorted to the elevators by one of the guards – new security protocols. The men stationed at the entrance nodded a curt goodbye and twenty minutes later Birkin unlocked the door to his house. Annette's car was not in the driveway yet, indicating that she was still on the way with Sherry. They still had ten minutes left before Wesker was due to arrive. Though perhaps, Birkin contemplated, it wouldn't even be so bad if she wasn't present in the beginning. Wesker didn't know about the latest changes and it might be better if he could explain them first.
Birkin opened the door and searched the wall for the light switch. From here he could see into the kitchen and part of the living room. Both were empty, as they should be. However, that didn't calm him. Wesker was a punctual man, yes, but until now he had always been here before Birkin arrived. What if something had happened in the meantime?
Various scenarios flashed through his mind. Wesker losing control. The T-virus taking over. A human carrier, aimlessly wandering an empty corridor. Or worse yet, the beginning of an outbreak. He shook his head and dismissed the thoughts, deciding instead to check downstairs. Perhaps Wesker was waiting already.
He descended the stairs only to find the makeshift laboratory as empty as the rest of the house. From upstairs Birkin heard the clicking of the entrance door. He turned around. Annette was here, good.
It wasn't Annette who had entered, though.
"Wesker?"
Wesker stood in the doorway, pushing the sunglasses up the bridge of his nose. He wore a black suit, reminding Birkin of some of the business meetings for Umbrella they had attended together in the past.
"How did you get in?" Birkin asked, glancing at the door. It hadn't been forced open, at least he hadn't heard anything. "You don't have a key."
"Ah, no, I don't. I apologize for intruding, but it is preferable for me not to be seen in public."
"You didn't answer my question. How did you enter?"
"The key under the doormat. The one you left for Sherry in case she loses hers."
Wesker seemed satisfied with his answer and nodded into the lab's direction.
"Shall we proceed?"
"Oh, yes, yes - of course. Follow me. As I've told you last time I want to deal with the enhanced healing metabolism and your reception of pain. We'll perform the tests downstairs. I already prepared the materials."
"Very well." Wesker followed him, closing the door behind him that led down into the cellar. "Is your family out of house today?"
Birkin felt Wesker's glare bore into the back of his head, as if reading his thoughts. "Annette will join us later," he said, trying to bring it across as coolly as possible.
"She will assist you?"
"Only if you don't object."
They reached the bottom of the stairs and Birkin immediately moved to the opposite corner of the room, not wanting to face Wesker's gaze. He picked a pair of sterile gloves from the box, putting them on slowly. Wesker had stopped at the entrance.
"How much does she know?" he asked. His voice was as impassive as ever.
"Much," Birkin said. He had supplied her with the necessary information so she could help him perform and evaluate some of the tests after all. "Well, she knows enough. She wants to help… and she won't say anything."
An eyebrow arched behind the sunglasses. "You vouch for that? Ah, but never mind. She will access the information with or without my assent, am I right? I presume you have told her about the risks, too, then?"
Birkin frowned. "The risks?"
A smirk formed on Wesker's lips, and he replied, amused. "The risks that go hand in hand with this little secret operation of course. The ones you should be aware of, too."
Birkin looked at him waiting.
"I'm not speaking about the legal or ethical aspects, those are only relative terms in this line of work. The chance of infection has been rated zero by you and I am certain both you and your wife are well acquainted with the other health issues. What I mean is the risk that Umbrella learns about this."
"They don't suspect anything," Birkin said. "You don't suspect them of suspecting."
Birkin shook his head. "Nobody knows about this. Spencer is too concerned about making up for the loss of his facilities. He asks for results and advancements more frequently now, but that's all. He trusts me."
"He trusts the man who is responsible for the downfall of Marcus's Training Facility?"
Birkin frowned. "There was no other choice! You said so yourself."
"I did and I still have that opinion. Spencer, however, doesn't share it."
"Then it's your fault. You ordered the self-destruction. You were the supervising officer."
"You initiated it."
"I merely did what you said. You have the higher security clearance on that level!"
"And what did Spencer say when you handed him the disk and justified your actions – that you only followed my orders?"
Birkin balled his fist, but said nothing. He knew where this was going.
"Spencer doesn't like to put the blame on dead men," Wesker continued calmly. "He holds you responsible for the destruction of the Training Facility, possibly even the Mansion-"
"- I had nothing to do with that!"
"No, not directly. I'm merely assuming. The fact alone that he calls for you more often and has your work under stricter observation –"
"Those are security measures, you're reading too much into it. How do you know about the changes anyway?"
Wesker waved the question off. "I have my sources. The details do not concern you. I'm only trying to bring Umbrella's motives to your attention. The time when the main objective was scientific progress is long gone. The company suffers from severe financial problems. Granted, they managed to cover up their tracks and uphold their image as Raccoon City's 'guardian angel', but how long do you think they can keep the façade up?"
"What are you implying?" Birkin asked, crossing his arms defensively. Was Wesker kidding him? "That I'm not only responsible for nuking two facilities, but that through my actions the entire company is doomed now?"
Wesker seemed almost amused. It annoyed Birkin. "I never said that, William. I'm not accusing you of anything. Umbrella was doomed from the moment Spencer was the only remaining of Umbrella's three heads. Ashford and Marcus were the scientific minds of the company. Spencer is only interested in the money, not the work."
"How can you say that? Ever since we were put in charge of the T-virus research, we achieved inconceivable results! Just think about the Hunter series, the Chimeras, the G-virus! Marcus was much too transfixed on his leeches to grasp the full potential. Spencer knew about it, and he knew that we were good enough to hit the big breakthrough! You can't deny that. You can't deny what Spencer made us!"
"He made me a dead man."
Birkin snorted, rolling his eyes in anger. "You can't honestly blame him for that!"
"I can and I do."
"You're overdoing it. What transpired at the Mansion was tragic, of course, but if there's anyone to blame for unleashing the Tyrant – when you know about its powers – then it's only you, isn't it? You pressed the button, not Spencer." A small part of his mind advised him to stop just there, but the bigger, angrier part didn't give a damn. Wesker was wrong on this one, whatever way he put it and Birkin wasn't just going to nod and agree.
Wesker was silent, and even though Birkin could only see his own reflection in the sunglasses, he knew – he felt – Wesker's gaze piercing right into him. It made the small part of his mind grow in size, telling him again and again that he'd pushed it too far. Goodbye, William, it was nice knowing you, but don't worry it's Spencer's fault that Wesker kills you; at least you didn't do anything wrong.
Instead of snapping his neck in two, or rendering him lifeless in some other way, Wesker merely said, "You'll see in time what I mean. Spencer was never patient. You'll understand soon."
This is one of the last scientific chapters, I promise. For those interested aTv51 means
anti T-virus, 51 is the experiment number under which it was discovered/developed.
Have any thoughts/ideas? I'd love to hear them, even put them into the story!