Disclaimer: I do not own Resident Evil.
I just want to take some space up here to thank everyone for coming back out of your hardships to check on this story! It really means a lot to me that you all came back despite how busy you were. I seriously thought that all of you died or something. Please stick with me as I continue to give you and this story all of my love!
Tomoko Takami: I promise that this chapter and the next few will be nice and long!
DarkCrimsonPhantom21: Hi there! I'm Abby and it's really nice to meet you, Albert! I hope you enjoy my stories as much as your sister and I really look forward to seeing your reviews here on Shadow of Me! Stick around, bro!
Maleficmistress: YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH I'VE MISSED YOU! ALL'S I WANTED WAS FOR YOU TO COME BACK AND LOVE ME! How ya doing, my friend? I hope everything is going good for you as I am over here wailing on myself to write. And yes, somebody slammed my work but I'm over it now. The words that were exchanged between us weren't that friendly especially on the other persons side, but, I've learned to move on and not let that little, immature bastard, stop me from loving this story and you guys!
AngleInTheDark19: Thank you so much for your kind words :)
Chris Coard: Even though your reviews are simply one to two words, they really sum it up! Thanks for all your reviews and I hope you continue to love me!
Bhernandez02897: You're back too! Wow! I'm raking all of you guys back in! Take it easy, friend! Take as much time as you need to settle down, feel comfortable, and catch up.
Naoko Suki: I FUCKING MISSED YOUR BITCHASS! Sorry lol. Congratulations, mommy! I hope you're healthy and I sure to hope that your baby turns out healthy as well! I would love to hear news where you can muster it! Keep it touch, girl! Thank you for the review as well; I missed your words around here. Yes, Wesker is really pushing himself but for good reasons! But trust me, his strength won't last very much longer, he's going to start breaking down in this chapter and the next few so be aware of a mad Wesker! Our favorite!
MOONLIGHT SHADOW HUNTRESS: Welcome back! Can't wait to hear from you again on Chapter 26!
Chapter 26: All Weak Hearts
Living just to keep going.
Going just to be sane.
All the while I know,
It's such a shame.
I don't need to get steady.
I know just how I feel.
There is was. Room 109. Her room.
Claire ran up to the door and tried to push the hospital gurney out of the way but to no avail. She had blocked it up and had used her adrenaline to do so. Now she was bone dry of energy. She beckoned to Wesker who ripped the bed from in front of the door with all of his weakening might. He strained and the veins on his neck popped up, his face got a ted redder, and his muscles flexed. The bed, heavier than he thought it would be, screeched out of the way with a horrid sound. And with a roar, Wesker flung the gurney four feet from its original spot and landed it on its side. He heaved in most wanted breaths and put his hands on his knees, bent over, he looked up at Claire and nodded.
She reached for the handle, only to hesitate.
"What's wrong…?" Wesker asked quietly?
"What if she's—"
Wesker cut her off, "No." He walked towards her and grabbed her arm firmly. "Don't you dare believe that she didn't come through. She's our daughter, she's strong and you know that, Claire. Don't you ever deny the impossible."
She only nodded, for words could not give her an answer. Claire reached for the doorknob and turned it slowly as if the buildup weren't exhausting enough. She closed her eyes, for the stench of decay had given her a migraine, and the very thought of death had made her stomach churn. With the door now open, the room was dark. The curtains were still drawn, just as Claire left them.
There she was.
Sleeping peacefully in her bed. Her hair was amiss, and her face was pale. Claire rushed over to her bedside, placing a hand on her arm. "She's cold…" She said quietly.
Wesker approached from the other side and checked for a pulse as if he was experimenting on a subject. "She's alive." This news made Claire sigh with utter relief. Her baby was alive; however, she still remained in a coma. Claire began to lift her from the bed when she and Wesker head the muffled moaning of a Walker.
Wesker looked about the room for something to defend Claire and Kaya with. He ran to the other side of the room where he broke open the glass to a fire axe case. "This will have to suffice…" Wesker mumbled under his breath. "Let's go." They exited the room as Claire carried her daughter bridal style and Wesker lurched in front of them with the axe. The sun was now beginning to set and soon, night would fall and the undead would roam an even more extensive territory for they would come out from parking garages and out from under highways, out of the sun and into the night.
"Stay close to me," Wesker prompted. "We need to get the hell out of here and onto the roof."
"What? The roof?" Claire asked strenuously.
Wesker nodded. "We have a better chance locating our next destination or signaling for help. Besides," he added, "We might be able to send Christopher and Patrick a signal."
When their walking became much more sluggish due to Claire holding Kaya and Wesker's body breaking down, they were almost to the emergency flight to the roof where they would set up an S.O.S.
Wesker twitched ever-so-slightly as he could have sworn to hear whispering coming from the very end of the hallway. "Did you hear that?"
"No."
"You don't hear that whispering?" Wesker said sternly and he rubbed his ear as if the noises ached in his head. He heard it again, this time much more prominent.
Kill them.
Kill them all.
Take their lives.
Snuff them out.
"No!" Wesker roared and he swung the axe into the wall. Claire jumped back slightly.
"What the hell, Albert?"
"They're telling me to do it…"
"Who's telling you to do what?"
"They're telling me to kill them. Catch them and kill them. Take their lives…"
Claire knew that this was just a stage in his body's mental and physical breakdown. She swung Kaya around so she held her like a baby, he legs dangling around Claire's waist and she approached Wesker with utmost caution. Although she trusted him, she still felt slightly uncomfortable with his renegade attitude. Right now was one of those times to be frightened. She touched his arm softly and yet, he still flinched as if it stung. He turned to face her, his red eyes blazing with hatred. She could tell that this was not passion, or sadness, or regret. This was pure anger.
"Put it down…" She said softly, so as not to anger him even further. She wouldn't tell him what to do, he hated that. He was his own boss and when people ordered him around, he took no liking to that whatsoever. He could handle himself, which was something he would always recite in his head. He was a man; loneliness was something he had dealt with all of his life.
Never breaking eye contact, he did as he was told and wrenched the axe from the wall and it slammed onto the floor. His eyes were beginning to look sunken, his skin was etched with something short of despise for everything that moved. He turned around and continued walking down the hallway, dragging the axe behind him like some crazed murderer, and reciting these words as follows:
"Obey your Master. Your life burns faster. Obey your Master. Master of Puppets is pulling your strings."
Claire kept her distance knowing that he either wanted it or needed it. Whichever one it happened to be, she wasn't going near him without something to defend herself with. Although Wesker was a super-human mastermind, that didn't mean that Claire couldn't overcome him in his state of weakness. She was sure that with one hearty slam to the head, Wesker would be out cold and as useless a shark on land.
Claire heard Wesker yell out in frustration as she looked up; he was proceeding to rip his axe from a Walker's head. He slammed the weapon into another as they flooded from a room on the left; she squashed her body against the wall so as not to reveal herself to them. Wesker ripped into more and more waking corpses and one by one they fell at his feet, victim of his axe. He wasn't going to take shit from anyone right now, let alone a bunch of undead freaks.
He was done.
Wesker looked about, his eyes flicked back and forth to a door that was closed and covered in blood. He could smell life in there, he could hear a beating heart pound in his ears, he could taste the very flesh of a living being.
"Albert…"
Wesker didn't listen or maybe he wasn't hearing her, she did suspect that he may lose his hearing…
He brought the axe above his head, the muscles in his back crushing together, with a wild, untamable swing; he struck the axe upon the doorknob, making it spark when metal slashed metal. There, from inside the door, was a scream so desperate that Claire thought it might break her very heart.
"Uncle Chris! Don't let it get me!"
Patrick. That was her baby! She ran over to where the door now lay on the ground, splintered into pieces. Inside, Chris and her son we huddled around a radio, static emulating from it.
"Chris!" Claire could not fathom her excitement or rather her relief. Patrick ran up to her, sobbing, and flung himself into mother's arms.
"What the hell were you doing, Wesker? You could have fucking killed us!" Chris yelled while pointing at the axe.
"He didn't know, Uncle Chris!" Patrick yelled, "He didn't know…"
Chris turned around to see Claire and looked over his shoulder at Wesker who was staring at him with those hollow eyes. "He could have killed us…" He mumbled under his breath.
Wesker didn't say a single word; he looked down at Patrick who almost cowered in his presence. He could tell that there was something wrong with his father, yet he did not know what. Claire explained to Chris how her and Wesker were headed to the roof to try and flag down help, Chris reluctantly agreed that it was a good idea and the group, although Wesker yet again said nothing, kept on the journey to the top of the hospital.
"Is he ok…?" Chris asked Claire in her ear, pointing at Wesker who was leading, dragging the bloody axe behind him.
Claire shook her head. "No, he's sick. When he got his ass kicked by Alex, it worsened it."
"So practically, the guy's been bleeding to death for the past few hours?"
Claire's eyes welled, "Sorta… I guess."
The group shuffled into a dark stairwell that would take them up the remaining floor of the hospital and onto the roof. Wesker swung the axe into his hands, clutching it until his knuckled brazed white. The blood still dripped form the edge, the blood still dripped from his wounds. The shirt he was wearing was useless, for it was soaked.
When he kicked open the door to the roof, the dim sun from the fading day stung their eyes and Wesker looked about, trying to gain his bearings. The roof was covered in small pebbles and there was a helipad for emergency fly-ins.
Chris started on his radio, "This is Agent Chris Redfield of the BSAA, NY Division. Do you copy?" Static only followed, menacing static that, to Wesker, sounded as if it was mocking him. "I repeat, this is Agent Chris Redfield—"
"You won't get anybody, Christopher," Wesker remarked, cutting him off. "There's no one left in this town. You know that just as well as I."
"It doesn't hurt to try, Wesker" He shot back.
Wesker smiled ferociously, "And when has trying ever gotten you anywhere? You always end up screwing yourself over."
Chris seethed and threw the radio on the ground, "Wesker? What the hell is your problem? Do you just love seeing people worry? Do you love seeing people break down because they have nowhere to go? You're fucking sick and don't you ever think I trusted you for a minute because I would never."
"Valid point," Wesker said flatly. "But it is you who has lost faith, not I. I see it, hell, Christopher, I can feel it. Your slowly becoming insane because you can't stand the fact that this whole time you were kidding yourself."
Claire was about to intervene when someone, somewhere spoke up. "Now, now, let's not start another one of those."
Wesker turned around to confront his brother, the owner of that horrid voice. "Alex."
He smiled falsely in response to his name, "Albert."
He stood on the ledge of the roof, his eyes glowing in the very dark of the night that had just set. "I had this feeling I would find you here." He applauded him, "Yet I'm surprised you're still alive! I thought I had done it right."
"Obviously not," Wesker retorted.
Alex cracked his neck and then his knuckles, "Well then, I guess I'll just have to fix that" Before he was able to transmit right towards his brother, Alex heard a click against his head. Chris pulled back the hammer of his gun and bore his heavy brown eyes right into the side of Alex's head.
"I wouldn't." He said grimly.
Alex only found amusement in this and he chuckled. "You think, a mere mortal, are a match for me."
"Trust me," Chris said confidently. "I've faced things just like you."
Alex chuckled again, this time, more horrid than the last. "That is where you are wrong, Redfield." In one swift movement, Alex rammed his elbow into Chris' gut then delivered a strong kick to his collar bone; he could hear it break on impact. He flipped the larger man onto his back, crushing his neck with his shoe. "Would you like to try again?" He looked up at Wesker. "You leave my brother to me."
Wesker, again, showed no signs of being ready to fight, his hands were down and he was hunched over slightly due to the pain in his abdomen. Alex circled him like a predator stressing its wounded prey. Claire dragged Chris back to the corner they hid in, hoping that Alex wouldn't come after them next.
"Did he get me…?" Chris asked strenuously.
Claire nodded and smiled a bit, "Yeah, he got you."
Wesker remained rooted to the ground, never tearing his eyes off Alex who began preaching to him. "Do God's Pray?"
Wesker didn't respond to him. "I would if I were you," Alex said smugly. "Because you won't live to see another day!" And with a burst of speed that could rival light, Alex grabbed Wesker be the neck and slammed him into the ground. He picked him up by his shirt, and flung him into the door, denting it. "You are so weak."
Wesker shook this off, hoping that he would come up with something clever so he could get out of this. There were literally no escape routes… Although… he looked over at the edge of the building. If he could get Alex over there, he could very well shove him off and hoped he fell to his death.
Unlikely but it was well worth the attempt.
He rose from the ground, gravel in his wounds and hatred on his sleeve. As if they were thinking the same thoughts, and Wesker didn't doubt that, both men charged, throwing wicked punches. The fists collided with a sort of crack as their bones broke from an impact that could rival an atomic bomb. The locked hands and grappled, both of them almost equal in strength. Wesker shoved Alex into the ground with a roar and slammed his boot into his temple then his stomach. He went for another kick to the side when Alex grabbed his foot and flipped him onto his back. He reined over him, and brought down his shoe, crushing Wesker's ribs.
All of them.
Wesker screamed in pure agony. Claire winced and had to turn her eyes away from the fight as well as her son who watched the fight with the very look of terror on his face. Blood trickled out from his mouth and Wesker knew that one of his ribs must have punctured something to get him to bleed like that. He rolled over on his stomach, crawling away towards the ledge, unbeknownst to his brother.
"You are pathetic!" Alex told him while walking beside his crawling figure, "You have no idea to the power I have over you. There is so much you were blinded to and now, I almost pity your ridiculousness."
Wesker stood and the silence of him deafened all ears. "You are nothing." He said boldly. "Will be nothing. Will get nowhere. You are just as pathetic as me, Alex." Wesker laughed mockingly, spitting blood as he did so.
This is where he wanted him. The brothers were now a mere foot away from the ledge and this was Wesker's final show. "Come," He mocked. "Show me how pathetic I am!"
Alex seethed, he raged with so much might that Wesker could feel the very air around them heating. "You've been dying since the day you've been born!" Wesker yelled.
Alex ran into his brother, crushed his arms around his waist and his neck in an awkward headlock, Wesker kicked back and sent them teetering over the edge.
"Albert!" Claire ran over to the brothers who were just inches away from falling to their possible deaths. "Albert no!" She clutched the shirttails for a brief second… yet it was to no avail.
Wesker kicked his brother away from his as they began to free fall. Alex tried to snatch him back but they were both falling too fast to even fathom when they were going to land.
The Wesker's plummeted towards the very earth they sought to destroy.
A/N: BLAAAAA Hey school is over so that means, more time to write! Stick around, yo!