Chapter Twenty-One.

The Bus had been pumped full of gasoline and its reserve tanks had been filled. The gas to spare had been tied to the roof of the Hummer. With the vehicle's fuel conservation system, it was likely they could drive to Alaska without stopping if they decided to do so. Seras had helped them stock The Bus with supplies as well as the Hummer.

Using the GPS maps, Ashley plotted a course for them to go towards north of the Nevada facility. The need to keep moving was still present, but a battle plan had to be devised.

"Seras, you're going to be the one that opens the place up for us," Integra said the evening after Seras had gotten a full day's rest. They had formed a plan of attack during the day and were now parked in a the lot of a shopping mall. "I trust you'll want to use the full force of all the power you can muster. From what little we've been able to judge, the entrance to the facility is an elevator shaft leading underground. Wesker will likely be waiting for us with heavy firepower, so you'll be the one to soften it up."

"Yes, sir," Seras said.

Integra took in a breath, letting Seras know she was about hear something she might not like. "There's a second way in," she said. "A disposal tunnel a mile off in a quarry. The Iscariots, along with Claire and Carlos are going in that direction."

"Why are we splitting our forces?" Seras asked quietly. Jill and Ashley were asleep on The Bus, along with Heinkel and Yumiko. Space in the Hummer was cramped.

"To make them split theirs'," Integra said. Alice and the rest us will come up behind you. Remember, the hallways will make it so numbers won't count for much. The secondary force will draw their attention and weaken the main line. And to be quite honest, the quality of our force isn't something to brush off."

Seras nodded, but was skeptical. If it were only Wesker and some Umbrella soldiers to fight, it would be an easy victory. Alice had mentioned someone by the name of Krauser, who Leon also seemed to be aware of. Whatever Krauser was, he was likely dangerous. Then there was the fact that it was an Umbrella lab and contained God only knew what.

"Have we thought about the alternative?" Seras asked.

"What alternative?"

"The one where say to hell with those loons and go off on our own. I'm not saying we need to run around and rescue everyone, but it's likely some of us are going to die in all of this."

Integra sat back in her chair and removed her glasses. It was a gesture of annoyance Seras found condescending. "You know…"

"I do know," Seras said, being careful not to speak too loudly. "I don't think it's so outrageous to think a group of humans can survive in this world. We don't even know if we'll be able to make a vaccine with the researchers that might survive our assault. The odds are quite long we'll come out on top."

Integra put her glasses back on and patted her breast pocket for a cigar that wasn't there. It was a gesture Seras had only recently noticed. "Our lives are our own, Seras," Integra said. "Is it us dying you're worried about, or is it you living?"

For the first time in Seras's life, she felt the strong urge to slap Integra. She didn't when she realized she was right. The thought of outliving everyone she knew had become more prevalent in recent years, and she was even beginning to fathom why Alucard had turned her in the first place. Loneliness was a terrifying thing, even for monsters.

"Put yourself in my shoes," Seras said. "I'm just as human as you are, you know. What the Major said about our will making us human was true, even if he was wrong about himself. I'm the one who's likely to be left standing after all of this. I'm the one most likely to see how this all comes out. If it comes out good, then fine, but if it's bad…" she shook her head.

"We're all going to die," Integra said. "Whether we're killed within the next few days, or die of starvation in a year. I commend humanity for surviving in this world as long as it has, but it's a losing game without a vaccine. Eventually the T-virus will infect everyone or the carriers and mutants will do their work. It's as though we've been thrown back into prehistory only the dinosaurs are still walking about. We need an edge."

Seras let an unpleasant smile creep across her face. Integra seemed taken aback, and they both knew what Seras was about to say. "So being human doesn't cut it anymore?"

She didn't move as Integra's hand came towards her face. The sound of the slap made the others stir and Leon turned his head for a moment, but kept driving and remaining silent.

Not looking at Integra, Seras was quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry," Integra said.

"You're right," Seras said. "I am afraid to lose you. To lose any of you. Even those Vatican women." She was speaking quietly, but wondered if a few weren't awake all the same. Privacy for the past few months had been non-existent and she had learned to do without it.

"You've lost people before," Integra said.

"I'm running out of people," Seras said.

"Well then you'll just have to protect all of us, now won't you?" Integra said, smiling. "Besides, if I can do without my cigars, you can go with a few less friends."

Seras looked at her and then broke out into a loud laugh which she stifled with her hand. Integra chuckled as well.

"Both of you shut up or I'll shoot," Heinkel said from beneath a blanket.

Integra stood up. "Good night, Seras. Make sure Leon doesn't drive the entire night."

"I won't," Seras said, moving up to the passenger's seat. Leon nodded to her as she sat down. He was due to be off in an hour and Seras somewhat dreaded having maneuver the large vehicle on her own. Driving it was tricky, and while they all had learned to do it, Leon was the best.

"I don't think anyone is going to die," Leon said after a few minutes.

"How do you know?" Seras asked, tapping the dashboard. "Does this thing have a psychic hotline?"

"No," Leon said. "It's just that we've come this far, it doesn't seem likely we'll kick off anytime soon. Raccoon City, Los Illumindados, the end of the world…what's another Umbrella base?"

"I think being up all this time is getting to you," she said. "Go to bed and let me drive."

"I take it back, we're all doomed," Leon said, as he hit the cruise control to let Seras take the wheel. She hated it when he didn't stop first before switching and didn't have time to hit him as he headed for the bunks.

To be continued…