January 13th, 1978

Assistant Director Davids' death had no doubt been disheartening in many regards. Even Marcus, of all people, could agree to that. On that same note, for the sake of his research, he couldn't deny that the man's passing had been a true blessing.

Due to the fact that the man was no longer around, there was no one left with enough authority to question why so many people were going missing. And frankly—no one seemed to care, either.

Because of the hypothetical scenario of Davids' having voiced his suspicions over the missing residents with one of the other staff members, Marcus was required to examine the surveillance footage throughout the facility to be sure that this didn't come to fruition.

To his relief, the worst-case scenario did seem to be avoided.

The footage from the assistant director's office revealed that the man spoke his concerns solely to himself. And while perhaps he should have already known this, it did appear as though Davids had no genuine misgivings about Marcus' role in the state of affairs. He truly was only questioning him on the issue because he had no options left, but even still, he did not suspect him of nefarious involvement.

Davids' fate was therefore sealed due to his own diligent nature. If only he had neglected the issue and left it to linger as one of life's many unsolved mysteries, then perhaps…

…No, it didn't matter. The truth was that the man had too much authority to begin with. For as long as he worked at the facility, he would pose a threat to Marcus' work. Sooner or later, such power was bound to catch up with him, resulting in this same conclusion.

The reality was…Davids was always bound to die.

It was tragic, but inescapable nonetheless.

Regardless, the rest of the cameras had shown that Davids did not disclose his worries to any of the staff even while he was outside of his office. Thankfully, this meant that there should have been no credible allegations about Marcus' role in relation to the vanishing occupants.

With the only employee that possessed even a shred of a hardworking and duty-bound mindset gone, and with the rest of the employees having been apathetic to the point of being nothing more than mindless drones—not a single remaining soul could have posed a threat to him.

The best efforts they could muster was their typical meaningless gossip, where a few likely did make seemingly baseless theories about Marcus' involvement. But had they acted on those theories? No, of course not.

This was perfect for Marcus, but not so great for the rest of the inhabitants. In the end, their lethargy had been the hand that hammered the final nail into their coffins.

Coffins…as in, eight.

…Suffice to say, Marcus had been rather busy over the past month.

It all started after he finalized the experiment on Davids. The man had been preserved as a specimen so that he could serve as yet another checkpoint for the T-virus. So, while the man's fate was ultimately unfortunate, at least he did possess a significant role in this way.

He always had such a hard-working attitude, and this development only seemed to aid that quality. Even in death, the man was still faithfully working, doing his absolute best to help make Marcus' life easier!

…The joke might have been in poor taste, yet that didn't detract from its validity.

That aside, Marcus was able to proceed with his work and thus began his alterations on the origin virus.

To his surprise, his progress on the virus' modifications turned out to be even more remarkable than previously expected. This was no doubt due in part to his decision to act a bit more daringly, as that choice caused him to apply quite a few more adjustments than he ordinarily would have.

He did consider that it might have been a poor choice, as the modifications possibly could have triggered a different mutation than the typical zombie he was accustomed to. Or perhaps it might have even caused the virus to break down altogether. But what sort of scientist would he have been if he let that stop him? Nothing valuable in life had ever gotten done by one who refused to take chances, so it was only natural that he took the risk…

In spite of his mental preparation, the resulting transformation was still a zombie.

It was honestly almost a pity, as he had gotten himself rather excited by the thought of an entirely different mutation taking place. He didn't pout too much, however, as his efforts did not go unrewarded.

Within less than a day—approximately four hours, to be precise—the transformation finalized. Marcus thought the symptoms proceeded rapidly with the last strain of the virus, but goodness, was he mistaken!

Using the new variant, the subject fell unconscious for almost the entirety of the four hours, only to awaken just in time to experience a rapid burst of severe symptoms. There hadn't even been time for the subject to utter a single word of discontent, since they were much too busy tearing apart their body with the merciless scratching and incessant groans of agony. Then, within a measly few minutes, their skin turned to that familiar greyish hue...

That was truly an outstanding, albeit repulsive, outcome!

But perhaps he wasn't quite appreciative enough. The four hours was certainly astonishing, but why stop there? There was still visible potential for improvement, so he jumped at the opportunity. Hence, he decided to tweak the virus just a bit more after conducting a few more experiments. And since he didn't foresee himself going too crazy with the changes, he didn't bother preserving another specimen this time.

The eleventh test subject had been the result of the modifications, and he took two hours to transform, amazingly enough. The symptoms displayed were relatively the same as the prior subjects, only much more accelerated, of course.

This was a wondrous outcome in itself, and it actually caused Marcus to consider halting his modifications and to instead complete his work with the T-virus.

Yet…perhaps he was merely being greedy, but he decided to alter the virus once again. He just couldn't shake the thought that there might have been even more potential to be found. It wouldn't have sat right with him to quit without determining that he had explored every inch of the virus' capabilities…

Greed or not, his decision turned out to be an excellent one.

It was the fifteenth subject that ended up getting the new version, and the results were quite impeccable. In nearly one hour, they had transformed. In addition, the symptoms even began to change and grow stronger.

The subject's voracious hunger had intensified, resulting in an even more aggressive approach to its attempts at escape. Perhaps the strain of its exertions was the primary cause of this—although the virus' increased potency might have also played a part—but its body functions did appear to suffer somewhat. As in, the subject charged at the glass so fiercely that it broke its arm as well as its jaw.

It was possible that the virus became so strong that it was now triggering a degradation of the bones, but that didn't appear to be the case. The subject was still capable of standing and stretching their arms without issue, so it was likely heavily due to its laborious attempts at finding a nice meal.

Furthermore, Marcus already suspected this was beginning to occur through the last experiments, but it did appear that the zombies were growing an even greater tolerance to typically fatal methods. He attempted to use the poison-filled chamber as he had done a few times before, but it appeared to have no effect on the monster.

It continued its futile pursuit even as the room was enveloped in the deadly substance, so it could be assumed that the virus created an immunity. Or maybe it impeded the zombie's ability to inhale properly, allowing it to disregard the chemical entirely.

From his research, the zombies didn't necessarily require oxygen to survive, so if they were entirely unable to breathe at this point, then that shouldn't have been of any further detriment to them.

Whichever the case, the zombie had definitely grown stronger. This unfortunately did make it more problematic when it came to disposing of them, as the poison had proven to be useless. Marcus was forced to hold off on opening the door until the monster had exhausted its energy, which he supposed was bound to happen after running into a wall for so long.

Upon opening the door, the zombie—who had been so preoccupied with walking into that door—tripped and fell to the ground. However, there was no need to worry about the monster scrabbling to its feet. The impact alone had caused a severe fracturing of its skull, along with heavy damage to the brain. Thus, its long-held hopes for dinner were shattered…along with its head.

Despite Marcus' outwardly cool and levelheaded demeanor during the brief process, he was actually quite frightened. If the zombie didn't basically kill itself, who knows what would have happened? He might have ended up as a zombie himself!

To avoid such a disastrous outcome, he was sure to bring his secret weapon—a simple handgun.

As for the exact model, he was uncertain. He only purchased it a few months ago due to the dangerous turn that his experiments were taking. Because of this, he was quite lacking in actual experience with the weapon. The entirety of his trifling knowledge on the subject came from an intense studying of the instruction manual, along with a few attempts at target practice.

So, while his expertise was still at the bare minimum, it was enough to deal with a dumb zombie…at least he hoped.

But of course, he didn't need to use it anyway, much to his relief. He couldn't imagine the lab manager sitting idly by after hearing a gunshot from a few doors away, so that would have been another problem in itself. For now, his secret weapon would continue to collect dust, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

As for the dangers involved with the zombie situation… While it might have been concerning, it also proved to be a great asset to his research. He now knew that the zombies possessed yet another skill that would enable them to be an even better B.O.W..

And with those developments, he had reached a conclusion…

The T-virus…was complete.

He saw no further need to improve upon the virus, especially seeing as the strength of the zombies was nearly out of control. Uncontrollable, yet perfect…

In the game of war, they would work fine as peons, lowly soldiers sent out to do their damage before their eventual death. Whether that death was from their enemies exploiting their weakness, or simply from them having served their purpose so that they could be put down by their superiors, it was ultimately the only solution to dealing with them. They were disposable, after all.

Marcus didn't care one way or another about what fate awaited those depraved creatures. The military could do as they wish with them, once the time comes. Instead, his full attention now shifted to the entity with a far greater potential…

…His leeches, of course.

They were the foundation of his research as well as the direct cause of his success with the zombies. Without them, none of this would have been possible to begin with. He couldn't help but think fondly on them, knowing just how valuable they truly were…

And now that his work with the T-virus had concluded, his leeches were essentially complete as well. All that was left was to observe the full effects that the finalized Progenitor virus would have on them, which was a simple enough task. His work would soon become even easier, yet all the more prosperous at the same time.

Realizing the sheer magnitude of this milestone, Marcus was unable to suppress the wide grin that took its place in his expression. He grasped the small glass container, holding it at eye-level while blissfully observing the contents within.

"At last, they are ready. My wonderful leeches!" He spoke joyfully as he gave a light shake to the container, seemingly disturbing the sizable creature that floated inside. "Those of low intelligence, they will never have the privilege of tasting this sense of joy and satisfaction!"

This particular leech was his latest, which he had used to acquire the final version of T. Nearly a week had passed since the administration, but it was growing quite a bit. It was almost twice the size of its initial form, actually. This rapid growth was far beyond the rate of an average leech, so the virus' effect on the creature already appeared to be quite promising.

Even though that had been the only notable difference as of now, he did theorize that more changes would become apparent throughout the upcoming weeks. Naturally, he would be keeping a close eye on each and every development.

Although, this leech was not the only one that Marcus would be scrutinizing, soon enough. He already had plans for this, but seeing the wondrous new evolution from the leech only added to his eagerness to get started.

He would soon be conducting an extensive observational experiment in order to discover more about the development of these leeches.

He would first inject several leeches with Progenitor. Over time, he'd be able to determine whether or not the growths are consistent, or if they vary on an individual-basis. In addition, he'd be able to discover the extent of time it takes for those developments to finalize.

Not only that, but the interactions displayed between the creatures was also a key point of interest. It was imperative for B.O.W.s to be capable of cooperation in order to achieve their mutual goals, so he needed to be sure that the creatures were up to the task. After all, how could he prove that his leeches were the most superior B.O.W. if they were unable to complete such a simple and yet essential act?

Overall, there were many reasons for him to conduct this experiment, but he did have a rather good feeling about it. From what he already knew about his leeches, they were capable of incredible progress within even a short period of time. How would they fare over months of development? It was too soon to tell for sure, but he suspected a few excellent discoveries awaited him.

And with those discoveries, at long last…the time to receive his well-deserved recognition would be close at hand.

"Now, finally, I can move against Spencer." He muttered to himself, gently setting the container down. With a turn, he leaned against the metallic edge of the tabletop and crossed his arms. A faint smile crept its way onto his lips. "Soon, I will control everything…"

Such powerful words, ones he never believed he'd be permitted to utter. The sensation felt illusory, as if he had fallen into the realm of the unconscious and was engaged in a fantastical dream.

To think, all of the hardships he endured for the sake of a brighter future, a future where his ambitions would finally be realized…they all had converged upon this moment. The path of blood that followed close behind had reached its end, now replaced by the radiant light of hope.

No longer would he need to carry so many burdens, while at the same time continuously creating more. This was truly a moment of liberation…

And perhaps this relief couldn't have come at a better time. His list of human test subjects had become so lengthy that it was starting to put him on edge. With fifteen souls lost as a result of his actions, the situation was becoming increasingly risky. The staff might have been too inept to consider taking action on it so far, but could he count on that to continue? He couldn't say for sure…

But that was part of the reason that he tried to be a bit smarter with his choice in subjects. He made sure to keep his usage of the students to a minimum, instead opting to use the employees more than anything.

The workers were more expendable in a sense. They were mere small fry working for a corporation that couldn't even feign an interest in anyone that they deemed valueless. If a few of them went missing, oh well. They could easily be replaced with a flick of the hand, so it was entirely inconsequential.

The students, on the other hand, were a different story. With only one set for each school year, there was no chance of their numbers being swiftly replaced if they began to dwindle. This in turn would surely catch Umbrella's eye, resulting in them having no choice but to start looking into the matter. That was something that would be best avoided, if possible.

Therefore, he only used six students in his experiments, while the remaining nine were employees. And while this might have seemed like a large number of casualties, it actually wasn't so bad. A quick glance at the facility certainly wouldn't have given the impression that it was vacant, especially due to the considerable number of employees that could still be seen roaming about. Even fifteen losses hardly caused a dent in the quantity, fortunately.

Although, his decision to favor the employees did come with its fair share of issues, namely that he needed to appoint a few new teachers for the students. Specifically, they needed new business and biology instructors, since those had been Assistant Director Davids' forte. Thankfully, however, two of the remaining employees were well-versed enough in those subjects, so they took up the mantle in the departed man's place.

Marcus was able to take care of that issue immediately, thanks to his quick-thinking. Why, it was almost as if he was actually doing his job as the school's director for once!

And yet, regrettably, his motives were not for the sake of the school and its inhabitants, but rather, for the sake of Umbrella not sticking their nose where it didn't belong. Perhaps this purpose wasn't as noble, but it was undeniably a necessity. The more he could do to keep those fools from starting an investigation into him, the better…

…Well, aside from the fact that history had proven they already were investigating him. He hadn't forgotten about the incident from a few months ago. Of course, it was simply too hard to forget, particularly due to the knowledge that there had been even more discrepancies since that time.

The slightest shift in the position of his files, a drawer having been left open in a nearly indistinguishable crack, or even just the mere feeling of prying eyes watching his every move… Anything and everything had become a matter of critical significance.

Some might have laughed at such seemingly unfounded paranoia, but it was certainly no laughing matter to Marcus. Especially at such an increasingly crucial time…

Now that the T-virus was complete, he knew that those irregularities would become even more common, and likely more conspicuous. Spencer must have been growing particularly frustrated with his lack of progress by now, so there was no doubt that his hand would gravitate straight towards the radiance of Marcus' concluded research.

The reality was, he was certain that Spencer would discover the finalization of the T-virus regardless. It went without saying, but the man had more than enough means to accomplish such an underhanded effort. Although, it was also possible that his latest telegram might have helped to tip him off…

He had been so eager about the conclusion that he immediately sent a telegraphic message to Bailey—a simple one, nothing more than a quick declaration of the T-virus' development being a success. He couldn't imagine Bailey would go blabbing about it to everyone, though he undoubtedly must have felt quite a bit of excitement over it himself.

However, there was always the chance that Spencer had some way of monitoring those messages, perhaps even through a mole at the African facility. It was conceivable, and maybe even likely…

Still, he couldn't let himself get too hung up over the theory, due to the fact that he now had the wondrous capabilities of his finalized T-virus to work with. He couldn't waste any more time worrying about the inevitability of Spencer's grubby mitts coming his way…

After all, his own hands would soon be full once more. He would need to devote all of his energy to his upcoming leech-focused experiment—the remarkable experiment that would aid him in putting an end to Spencer's arrogance. With utter certainty, he knew that the man would be furious and ashamed of his own lack of success, once he acquired a glimpse of those magnificent creatures.

Marcus couldn't wait to see the man's expression on that day. He'd have a good laugh, and with the newfound status he'd have within the company, that old fool would be unable to do anything to stop his amusement. He'd be so distraught that he might just crawl into a cave and never emerge again. That'd certainly be something!

But Spencer wasn't the only one that would bear witness to his upcoming glory. All of Umbrella, the self-important so-called experts of the field, and even the conceited little nobodies that didn't yet know their place…

Soon, all of them would have no choice but to remember the name Dr. James Marcus!

Marcus would never allow himself to give up on this dream. He would never allow himself to end up like Ashford, who now remained as nothing more than a faded memory…

That wasn't to discredit Ashford's work, not in the slightest. That man was another one that sought to achieve greatness, yet he was snuffed out all too soon. If he had remained on this earth, then no doubt, he would have been another worthy adversary in Marcus' quest for results.

But now…he was gone. In the end, he was never able to provide anything of value to Umbrella. His legacy within the company was—to be blunt, nothing. Was this unfortunate outcome his fault? No, of course it wasn't. He was unable to control his own death, obviously...

Although, it led one to wonder…had someone else possessed that ability instead?

This was based on pure speculation alone, as Marcus had no means of acquiring any sort of concrete evidence. But…

If there had been a chance that Spencer played a part in their old friend's fate…it stood to reason that it was only possible due to Ashford's lack of status and power.

Yes, he did have his family name, but that meant nothing to the hierarchy of Umbrella. The title of "founder" was worthless to those people, as they never paid any mind to neither Ashford nor himself. Within the company, Ashford might as well have been nothing more than another nameless lackey. Deprived of any grand contributions to Umbrella, he was as simple to eliminate as it was to swat a fly.

That's why his work was of the utmost significance to Marcus. The T-virus, his leeches… They were truly his saving grace. They would be the contribution that Umbrella could never ignore, elevating his prominence to altitudes far beyond that of a worthless and disposable peon.

His leeches would become his ladder to splendor… With them, he would rise to heights that Spencer could never reach.

It was somehow impressive, the way one's outlook could change so completely given certain circumstances…

Marcus had always been a man that cared little for the weight behind company positions and, in essence, power itself. Even when Spencer offered him the status of becoming one of Umbrella's founders, he couldn't have cared less. As long as he was able to do his research in peace, he was content. He had no interest in putting his faith into silly terms and the like…

Then reality set in. By simple observations, he had seen just how cutthroat business could truly be. Those who sat at the throne would always possess the loudest voice; this was a fundamental law of life.

So, what then, in the case of a business based in competition and an endless struggle to show your own capabilities?

Life was not fair, and it was never all fun and games. The elites did not give their underlings equal odds, especially when knowing they could one day grow into a threat to their own position. They did whatever it took to eliminate any risk, long before it even stood a chance.

Perhaps somewhere deep within his mind, he was always aware of this. But only once he began to analyze the circumstances surrounding Ashford's death did the gravity of the statement truly set in.

With this newfound awareness, Marcus knew he had no choice but to play this game himself.

He never would have been able to do his research without complications arising due to his own trifling position. He needed to prove that he was not some lowly corporate drone that could be written off so easily…

If power was a necessity in life, then he would acquire it.

All for the sake of his research…

However, the power struggle within the company didn't take away from his genuine interest in his work's results. Good results were obviously a tremendous boon when it came to Umbrella, but the discovery alone was still more than enough to pique his interest. The finalization of T was an incredible milestone on its own, regardless of it also being a necessity for the sake of his position.

Likewise, while his leeches were essentially already finalized, the moment that he completes his research on them would be yet another milestone. His excitement to begin his next experiment was tremendous, nearly resembling the joy a child feels while opening their presents on Christmas morning. But perhaps his joy was a bit excessive, considering there was always the possibility that he wouldn't be too fond of his "gift."

Although he personally didn't believe his leeches would let him down, even if they did, that failure would become yet another valuable component to his research. In science, or even life itself, every mistake helped pave the way to the grand finale. The data he would require would be more than enough to shine a light on his upcoming path—he was certain of this.

Even still, despite his clear enthusiasm, he did intend to wait a bit before getting to work on his next experiment. The last couple of months felt like an eternity, no doubt heavily due to all the treachery he had committed.

To some, these words would surely come across as despicable, but…he really needed a break.

With all the nonstop paranoia he was dealing with as of late, he barely ever had a minute of relaxation to himself. Any time he wished to take a seat, close his eyes, and have a brief moment's respite…the image of spies waltzing in and pilfering his virus would suddenly pervade his mind, swiftly putting an end to any thoughts of tranquility.

There might have been questions to be had on whether he deserved any rest, considering the eternal rest he forced onto so many people. But unless the angered spirits of those who departed were the ones keeping him from getting some sleep, then that was not an answer he was willing to accept. Instead of outraged ghosts, he was stuck dealing with Spencer's meddlesome ruffians…

On that note, that was another reason he thought a small break might do him some good. With him constantly slaving away over his research and working himself to the bone, his ability to remain on alert was seemingly beginning to suffer.

It was quite possible that more clues had been left within his lab—ones that his jaded eyes could no longer discern. Despite the discrepancies he did discover, he couldn't bear to miss anything of even greater importance.

In addition, it was also a fine idea to simply lay low for a bit. He already had a list of fifteen individuals that died because of him, so it probably wasn't the best strategy to jump straight into another round of questionable experiments.

Although, he was quite certain that his work with the leeches would not be nearly as condemned by society as the human experimentation would have been, but the point remained. In the end, those leech experiments were still an indirect result of his work with humans…

Thus, for the first time in months—or perhaps even years—Marcus would pull himself away from his research and use the opportunity as a period of rejuvenation.

At any rate, the hiatus wouldn't last for too long anyway. It was most likely only going to span the remainder of the month. In the beginning of February, he would resume his work.

In truth, he didn't want to take this break at all. He was so eager to jump back in that he wanted to start the experiment the next day!

Not only that, but it had been so long since he last took time off that he frankly couldn't remember how to take time off. Hobbies were such a hazy memory at this point… What did he usually do when not at work…?

After some thought, he recalled that he often wrote to Bailey. Perhaps he should think about sending the man a letter sometime soon. With how devoted Marcus had been to his work, his replies were put on hold for much longer than he would have liked. He was sure he'd hear an earful from the man once he did finally reply, likely scolding him for overexerting himself again. But it had been so long since the last lecture, he was almost looking forward to it, oddly enough. Maybe he was just going senile…

He was sure to have plenty of time on his hands throughout the upcoming weeks, so he figured he could catch up on his reading as well. The school did receive some new books on biology and chemistry not long ago, so even if they were meant for the students, they were sure to be a fun read! Unsurprisingly, he already knew more than enough about everything the books covered, but a review was always a fine idea.

…He truly didn't have a life outside of his field of work, did he…?

January 31st, 1978

"Honestly! This is supposedly college-level, but it may as well have been middle school-level, at best!" He exclaimed with a scowl, shaking his head as he opened the door and tossed the book onto the nearest table. "Perhaps I shouldn't be so critical of the students… If this rubbish is what they're forced to learn, then it's no wonder that their brain capacity leaves so much to be desired."

The book in question was the newest book on biology to enter the school's curriculum, which Marcus took the liberty of reading in his free time. Suffice to say, it was not up to his standards.

Thankfully—albeit predictably—it didn't take long to read at all, despite being a relatively hefty book. He was glad to be done with it, but at least he was able to preoccupy the time for a few days, even if the value of the time spent was highly debatable…

"Well, now that that's out of the way…" He muttered to himself as he shook his head in relief. He soon raised his gaze to observe the rest of the lab, cautiously searching for any deviations from the usual.

Seeing as he was on his break for the last few weeks, he hadn't spent much time in his main lab at all. Typically, he could instead be found in his office on the lower level of the building. And goodness, what a change of scenery that was!

Instead of the grey and metallic view he was so accustomed to—especially since he virtually lived in his lab—he was able to enjoy a more somber and cozier domain. His office was surprisingly quite nice, now that he actually spent some time in it.

A comfy leather chair with a sturdy oak desk, as well as the soft plush carpet beneath him… And from his desk, he had a great view of the painting across the room. It was a beautiful work of art by Caravaggio, specifically, Judith Beheading Holofernes.

Stunning though it was, it might have suggested a sense of…peculiarity for him to place such an ominous painting within the room that he was supposed to primarily remain in, as well as to have it directly across from his desk, but…he just really loved art.

He found even the most cryptic and ominous works to be utterly fascinating, and this one had especially caught his eye. It certainly helped that it was by his favorite artist, as well. There were a few more paintings by the same man hanging within the facility, but this one was such a perfect fit for his office, he just couldn't resist!

Aside from the art, he also appreciated the calming quiet that was present within the room. There was a welcome absence of the constant creaking and squeaking from his movement—something that could be heard almost constantly within his largely steel-covered lab.

The only noise in the office was instead the soft hum of the ceiling fan, as well as a subdued bubbling from the large aquarium in the corner. That tank was currently occupied by his newest leech, a portly little creature that frankly did not get as much exercise as it should have.

The former inhabitants, the regular leeches, always swam around quite eagerly in there. But that one…it was just lazy. It only crawled around on the bottom, occasionally moving enough to stick itself to the sides of the glass. It wasn't remarkably entertaining to watch, but Marcus thought it would help the creature reach its full potential if it had more space to grow in, hence the use of a sizable tank.

Yet…with how apathetic it was…he was beginning to miss the other leeches. They were exiled back to their jars, all so that this lazy creature could have an entire tank to itself. It was quite tragic…

Regardless, he intended to use that tank for his future leech experiments, anyhow. That leech would likely be banished soon enough so that he could make room for the new set. Somehow, Marcus figured the leech wouldn't even care…

In spite of this, the tank actually hadn't been installed for the sole purpose of his experiments, though it certainly seemed to work out that way.

He had it set up quite a while ago for the sake of keeping a few fish, a suggestion proposed by Savage. Because of Marcus' tendency to spend so much time in solitude, the man thought a pet might have been good companionship for him. And of all pet choices, a fish or two did seem to be the easiest option. It wasn't a bad idea, he supposed, so he eventually agreed to it.

As it turned out, he never did get any of the water-dwelling creatures. He was always so busy with his work that he simply didn't have the time, resulting in the empty tank taking up space in his office for so long. Having a pet was just another responsibility he couldn't afford, so it was a wasted effort in the end. He was never much of the "pet owner" type, anyway. Although, it might have been nice to give it a try…

If nothing else, at least he was finally making use of the tank for the sake of his leeches. It was better than allowing it to continue collecting dust…

Overall, Marcus had gotten quite comfortable with his office through the past few weeks. But despite the lengthy amount of time he spent in there, he did still pay a few visits to his lab throughout the month. He couldn't bear the thought of something going wrong while he was away, so even though he was supposed to be on break and putting his work on the backburner…that didn't exactly happen.

His mind was continuously occupied with thoughts on the future of his research, and he was unable to remain away from the lab for more than a few days before deciding to make a quick trip to check on it. Even still, despite his paranoid nature, there hadn't been any reasons for concern during these inspections.

That is…until today.

His eyes scanned the interior of the lab vigilantly, making sure that not even a single flask nor tool was out of its proper location. He would occasionally move something aside solely to determine if the items underneath it were abnormal in any way, but everything appeared to be clear. He was unable to give a sigh of relief, however, until he was certain that that item had gone untouched…

In the far corner of his table laid a few stacks of robust books, composed namely of lengthy novels as well as a few guidebooks on various scientific fields. They were piled rather carelessly, though it didn't serve as much of a contrast to the rest of the table's disordered surface…which is precisely what he had hoped for.

Marcus stepped closer to the chaotic heap, slowly reaching out to the pile that was second to tallest. He removed some of the books from the top and put them to the side before grabbing a large hardback book with a dull blue color. Despite its outwardly heavy appearance, it had been surprisingly light—with good reason.

With a small trace of anxiety clear in his countenance, he gradually began to lift the aged cover, only to release an alarmed gasp.

"Damn!" He spat in frustration, slamming the book onto the table and snatching the small flask from within the hollowed-out cavity. His gaze became so intense in an instant that one could have anticipated the flask cracking from the pressure.

With his piercing eyes appearing almost fixed onto the small vessel, he soon shook his head in dismay, finally calm enough to remove his vexed stare.

"Of course…" He muttered, his voice retaining a touch of disbelief. "Of course, I should have known… I leave for only a few days, and what happens? This happens!"

His sudden anger was a product of the tiny flask that had been carefully hidden within a hollowed book. The item contained none other than his T-virus; the bright green fluid swishing around within its containment gracefully.

But if the flask was still present within the book, and the book had been in its original location…then what was the issue?

Naturally, the issue…was that some of the T-virus was missing.

He remembered the precise amount that had filled the bottle, and there was no doubt—at least one-fourth of it was missing.

Perhaps such an amount seemed trivial in the grand scheme of things, but when it came to his work—nothing was trivial.

He was certain that the fluid had been at the proper amount during his last visit to the lab, which was around four days ago. And seeing as there was no evidence of it having leaked into the book, there was only one possibility…

…Within that short period of time, someone had broken into his lab and stolen a sample of his T-virus.

"It appears someone came looking for T and the leeches… Fool." His voice was soaked with disdain as he glared at the crime scene one last time before returning the flask and slamming the book shut. "No doubt the work of Spencer's group."

True to his expectations, one of those disgusting spies must have discovered the extent of his work during their previous infiltrations. They already were fully aware of his work with both the T-virus and the leeches themselves, surely. This allowed them to conduct yet another intrusion, only this time—they knew exactly what they were looking for.

As much as he wanted to shout about how unbelievable it was, the reality was that it was very believable. His only grief remained with the question of if there had been something he could have done to keep his work even safer…

It occurred to him that he could have carried it around with him, but that was an accident just waiting to happen. What if he ended up dropping it and its containment shattered? It was a fairly sturdy flask, but surely it had its limits.

He also could have, and perhaps should have, locked it up within a safe. That did appear to be the securest choice in a sense, and he did initially lean towards that option.

But the problem was—what was a more conspicuous hiding spot than a safe? There were only so many places he could hide the container, and with those wretches rummaging around however they pleased, they were bound to discover it regardless.

Then, what if they were somehow able to discover the lock's passcode? Or perhaps they were so desperate that they might have found a way to destroy it in order to obtain the treasures within. It would have given away much of the secrecy they attempted to portray, but going by previous incidents as well as this one, they did appear to be amateurs within their trade.

It was honestly surprising that Spencer hadn't hired people better than this. Unless…was he implying that Marcus was so daft that he wouldn't even have noticed their shoddy attempts at thievery…?

Somehow, the insult to his intellect was almost more hurtful than the actual theft…

Continuing on, Marcus just wasn't a fan of using an ordinary safe to hide his work. He always remembered hearing about how in the olden days, people often hid important things within hollowed-out objects, particularly inside of things such as books. After all, what person would expect to find something with such high value hidden within an ordinary household item?

The practice of using these sorts of containment devices had fallen out of fashion within recent years, no doubt due to the constantly advancing technologies. In the current age, securing your possessions had been easier than ever, so no one was interested in a method so archaic…except, of course, Marcus.

He thought it was absolutely genius! Using a simple book to hide items of significance was perfect, it could easily blend-in with its surroundings without provoking any suspicion. Sure, the book did meet an unfortunate fate of being cut apart in order to create the space, but that was fine. He didn't have any intention of rereading that novel, anyway.

The only regrettable thing was, well…his genius idea didn't work out quite so well. It ended up being discovered regardless of its hiding spot, but he supposed even that was inevitable. The intruders clearly were thorough; they left no stone unturned during their search. Perhaps there hadn't been a chance for this outcome to be avoided…

It was what it was, he supposed. The good news was that they didn't take the entirety of the virus, they only retrieved enough to study it. It wasn't even sufficient for them to make actual use of it, so that was the important part.

All he could do was to simply move on and continue with his own work. February was a mere day away, so it was nearly time for his upcoming experiment to commence.

Therefore, if Spencer was so curious about his T-virus, then lucky for him!

He'd be learning all about it soon enough…

February 3rd, 1978

"Yes, yes… Excellent!" Marcus gave a joyous smile as he marked off the last box on his list, taking one last look at the fully completed paper. "Finally, my preparations are complete…" He placed the clipboard onto the table and gave a sigh of relief.

It was time to get to work!

He removed the lid from the water-filled jar across from him and then grabbed the neighboring pair of forceps. He used them to transport one of the leeches onto the metal tray beside him, quickly following this action with the administration of the Progenitor virus. He repeated this process three more times, for a total of four leeches.

Once he was finished with each of them, he dropped them back into the jar. They did appear to be somewhat distressed at first, as each of them began to writhe around in an apparent agony. But after a few minutes the pain subsided, allowing them to resume their prior exploration of their temporary home.

He had initially kept the four in separate containers, but as part of his preparations, he added them all to the larger jar earlier. They would be leaving this residence soon enough as well, but it did make it easier to carry them to their destination.

Finished with his arrangements, Marcus took the jar along with a notebook with him to the lower level of the building, quickly arriving in his office.

On the way, he did need to pass by the lab that Savage resided in, but the man simply waved and paid no mind to the leeches. Even if he did think anything of them, it wouldn't matter much. Most of the facility was aware that he worked with leeches, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise. It's not as if they looked like some sort of monstrous mutants…perhaps not yet, at least.

Upon his arrival in his office, he immediately dumped the jar into the aquarium. All four of the creatures seemed appreciative of this upgrade, as they all began to swim to each and every corner with great enthusiasm.

Marcus shook his head with a light chuckle. "At least they appreciate it more than the last leech…"

The last one he spoke of was now placed into a jar and left within the storage room, along with the earlier leech subjects. It never appreciated the tank while it was in it anyway, so that jar was clearly where it belonged…

"I do wonder…" He trailed off as he approached the glowing tank, leaning closer in his observations. "How will you respond to the virus? There are quite a few possibilities, but…I do believe this is a species with much potential to be discovered."

He placed a hand on his chin as he turned away, reflecting on everything he had learned from his previous research on the species. "Their will to survive leads them first to parasitism and predation. Then, they breed and multiply. Such a single-minded biology does make them attractive candidates for bio-weapons research…"

His stoic gaze soon relaxed, shifting into one of relief as he returned his attention to the swimming critters. "That is to say, I do believe all of you will make me very proud. But, ah…no pressure, all right?" Though he stared at the creatures with eyes of affection and encouragement, they didn't care. They just wanted to swim.

Putting aside his slight disappointment in being ignored, he went over to his desk and took a seat. He had a great view of the tank from that position, so taking notes would be both easy and comfortable.

It was certainly a change of pace conducting his experiments in his office instead. He did initially consider moving the tank to the lab, but he didn't bother. Not only was it more strenuous work that he didn't feel like dealing with, but it also just wasn't necessary.

If an office is a place meant to take care of business, well, was that not what he was doing? His experiments were his business!

Accordingly, Marcus spent the rest of the day in the comfort of his office. Typically, he could be seen jotting down something or another relating to his theories on the experiment. There hadn't been much he could add in terms of observations, however, seeing as there were no changes worth noting just yet.

He wasn't concerned, though. Going by the previous leeches' progress, the next point of interest would likely occur within the next few days, perhaps a week. All he could do until then was to simply wait…

February 10th, 1978

"My… How fascinating!" His face couldn't have been much closer to the tank as he stared in awe, ignoring the slight strain in his eyes from the fluorescent lights. After almost a full minute of his immovable gaze, he finally stood up straight and turned his focus to the notebook in his hand. "Perfect, this absolutely must be written down…"

Words similar to this were uttered nearly every day of the past week, due to the leeches engaging in a cycle of constant progression. Yet it was undeniable that today, of all days, was one jam-packed with exciting circumstances.

At this point, the leeches' growth could be considered as them having reached twice their original size. And considering they were at peak maturity to begin with, they were already rather large. But now, it wasn't an understatement to say that they were, at the minimum, larger than his hand.

Amazingly enough, their physique even began to shift, gradually losing the lengthy and thin shape that they formerly possessed in favor of one that was more compact. Outwardly, they were becoming less flexible but more robust, a likely tradeoff resulting from the loss. Still, this shift was only in its beginning stages, so it did appear that it would become even more distinct as time went on.

Although, with the way their shape began to change, it did seem to affect their ability to swim. They were still capable of it, but their movements were more sluggish than they used to be. He did notice something similar with the last leech, it seemed to become even more lethargic as its body changed. Though in fairness, that one had been rather lazy even before the transformation, so it wasn't a perfect comparison.

Regardless, it was something he would need to keep an eye on. He was definitely interested in seeing where this form would take them, especially since he already had a theory on it.

If their ability to swim was impeded by the virus, would there be another tradeoff as a result? Perhaps they would gain an increased aptitude for traversing land. There were several species of leeches that preferred land, and while this particular one was amphibious, he typically had known them to prefer water. At the least, that was always the case with his leeches.

Was the virus capable of changing their preference altogether? It was certainly possible. If the virus deemed the leech better suited for land, it undoubtedly would have no choice but to comply.

Marcus wouldn't test this theory just yet, though. He intended to wait for their transformation to come closer to its end. They still seemed to enjoy the water well enough, as of now, so why interrupt their happiness? He wasn't that heartless…

"Hm? Wait, is that…?" His reflections were interrupted by the sudden perception of something in the far corner of the tank. He leaned closer, squinting his eyes to better make out the source of the discrepancy.

There was a small and shiny object sitting there—a slimy, nearly translucent sphere of some sort. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be trembling in a subtle but consistent manner.

He briefly pondered why he only noticed it just now, but before he could determine the reason, something suddenly burst forth from inside the heap of goo…

It was a baby leech. And not only one—three more had followed.

It was at that moment that Marcus suddenly remembered. Just a bit ago, he did see one of the leeches hovering around and even sitting in that same corner for an extended period of time. That must have been its parent trying to protect its young!

This was quite remarkable in itself. From what he knew of leeches' breeding and reproductive patterns, it never happened quite like this. It varied by the species, but it would typically take some time to actually form the cocoon in order to deposit the eggs. In addition, it took at least two weeks for the young to hatch.

Considering his overall experiment had only just surpassed a week, there was no chance that these eggs were able to receive the average amount of time that was sufficient for their development…

Not only that, but the leeches of the hirudo medicinalis species typically preferred to breed on land, despite their general fondness for water. Accordingly, their average mating season was within the summer months. As in, quite a while away from now…

He couldn't be sure of when the leeches actually bred, but it must have been within the last few days.

…This might have been a stretch, and yet…was it possible that they had only done it today?

He couldn't imagine the process being completed that swiftly, but on that same note, he was confident that he hadn't seen the cocoon sitting there yesterday. He surveyed and scrutinized every aspect of the tank constantly, and he was sure that this was a new addition. Truthfully, even just an hour ago, he couldn't remember seeing it…

For the leeches to breed, lay the eggs, and have them hatch within a mere hour… It was nearly too astounding to be true, yet he couldn't shake the sense that it was conceivable nonetheless. After all, Progenitor had already proven to be capable of causing things far beyond what was ordinarily conceivable. This entire situation was proof of that.

Alas, he lacked the evidence to determine a concrete answer at this time. But since the leeches would likely breed again at some point, next time, he'd most definitely need to pay closer attention…putting aside how troubling the notion might have come across as.

He finally prepared to add this information to his notes, but as he glanced towards the tank one last time, he immediately realized something was wrong.

The young leeches began to swim, leaving behind the safety of their former cocoon in order to explore their new home. Their swimming was clumsy and nearly erratic, almost as if they were looking for something in particular. One could assume the youths were in search of their parents, hopeful to have a figure of guidance within their newfound life.

Which two were their parents, they couldn't determine, but…apparently, they didn't need to.

One of the grown leeches had detected an unfamiliar movement within the water nearby, causing it to cease its swimming and turn around. As soon as it faced the small cluster of babies before it, something snapped. It immediately took to charging at them as the young ones did their best to evade their furious elder. Their movements were heavily in vain, however, as there was no way for their own speed to rival that of the adult.

All of the leeches now became aware of the commotion. One by one, they swam closer, only for their speed to become as swift as the initial predator's once they caught wind of their prey.

In a flash Marcus threw his notebook aside and ran to his desk to grab the food he previously prepared—a dead frog. He pushed the tank's lid aside and dropped the creature in, watching it fall with a splash.

This act caught the attention of the adults; each of them leaving their previous target in favor of a much more appetizing meal. Within seconds they were at the top and latched onto the frog, devouring every drop of blood they could get.

Regrettably, Marcus hadn't been quick enough to save all of the infants. Two of them laid at the bottom of the tank, having been ravaged by the teeth of their elders. What little blood their small bodies once possessed was now present within the others' stomachs.

With some luck, two of the babies did survive the encounter. After getting over their fear of their cannibalistic hunters—they actually joined the group.

Taking their place beside the others, both attempted to obtain whatever sustenance they could from the frog's corpse. Most likely, it was already practically empty as a result of the starving adults, so Marcus tossed another one in.

He watched the creatures eat until they were full to bursting, then as they all went their separate ways upon the meal's conclusion. He bent to pick up his fallen notebook and pen, then proceeded to write.

"Such voracious appetites…" He mumbled as he wrote, glancing towards the tank once more before resuming. "An expected outcome. All of my previous B.O.W.s shared the same trait, it's only natural that the leeches would as well…"

He fed the initial four yesterday, so the natural assumption would have been that their hunger would be sufficient for some time. The average leech could go months between meals, but as he now knew for certain, the hunger that Progenitor had been known to bring about was inevitable even here.

Since that hunger was a result of the creature's highly amplified metabolic rate, which in turn was due to the up-regulation of hormones from the virus—this did not come as a surprise. And while Marcus did assume that their hunger would have been sped up, he wasn't aware that they would resort to cannibalism over it.

The initial leeches hadn't attacked each other, even when they were first introduced. The virus was still in its early stages at that point, so it could be expected that their appetites were still average. But even today, despite their apparent hunger, they hadn't attacked each other at all.

It was possible that this was due to their previous association with each other. Leeches lacked strong enough eyes that would allow them to truly differentiate, but they could communicate through chemicals emitted from their skin, as well as by touch. Since they spent so much time together, they likely were already aware that the others were not food.

But, since the new leeches were so young, the group had no way of realizing that they were among their brethren. The only thing they knew was that they were moving, so that was enough for them to determine that they were edible. Even the parents of the infants forgot all about their part in bringing those few to life when it came to settling their famished stomach…

As for what he had primarily been using to keep their hunger pangs at bay, it was mostly dead frogs.

He ordered frogs fairly frequently a few months ago, since he had been using them to create his Lurker B.O.W.s. But this time, he did order them for the sole purpose of feeding them to the leeches.

They weren't the most typical nourishment for a leech, but they seemed to do the trick. Plus, their soft skin did make it easier for the young leeches to feed off of them as well, since their teeth were not yet strong enough for their usual choice of meal. So, apparently it was actually a rather good decision.

He would have added the frogs to the tank while they were alive, but he had no idea how the leeches would fare in that scenario. The frogs weren't necessarily aggressive, but he didn't want to take any chances. He was especially worried because of the leeches' swimming abilities seemingly diminishing.

Although, they didn't seem all that slow while charging for the infants…

He now knew that it was in his best interest to keep the leeches well fed. For such a fleeting moment, he was up to eight test subjects, only to end up with six so swiftly. It was quite disappointing…

Nonetheless, he wouldn't let it get him down too much. His experiment was only beginning, so only time could tell what the leeches' future held. But he had a sense that things would soon get quite exciting around here…

February 11th, 1978

When he said that things would soon get quite exciting, this was not what he meant…

His firm eyes were fastened onto the floor, his mouth curved into what seemed like a permanent scowl. The issue that warranted such resentment was a small, virtually discreet marking on the floor. It was of a dark green hue. Its original form was a mystery, but it appeared to be smashed into the steel tile.

After a few seconds of glaring at the flooring, he finally stood up straight and sighed in dismay. "…It's a leaf."

That was what his rigorous examination had determined. An ordinary man might not have been capable of realizing this, seeing as it was only a small, circle-like dot on the floor, but Marcus was confident that his judgement was correct.

…This was problematic.

He was not the one who brought that ragged leaf speck into the lab, which could only mean that once again—his lab was infiltrated.

The fool must have gotten the piece stuck on their shoe, then accidently lost it once they were inside. It did rain recently, so the chance of getting a soggy leaf wedged in the heel wasn't all that uncommon. This was especially true given the lab's close proximity to the multiple trees that surrounded it.

Apparently, those trees wished to help sabotage the intruders.

Thankful though he was for this symbol of revelation, it didn't exactly make him feel much better. He thought that Spencer would have been content with his thievery of the T-virus a few weeks ago, but evidently, that man was never satisfied. Perhaps this time he didn't wish for a sample, but instead, the entirety of the virus…

In a startling shift from his formerly disgusted grimace, he laughed triumphantly. "Does he truly believe me to be such a fool?" He shook his head as a low chuckle escaped his lips. "I'm not so senseless that I would use the same failed hiding spot twice."

As his moment of humor concluded, he stepped closer to his table, paying close attention to the organization of it. It didn't take long for him to sigh once more, shaking his head in disgust.

"As I figured. Those idiots did expect me to use the same location…"

This was made evident by a subtle misarrangement of the books' order. Conceivably, the intruder was so taken off-guard by the absence of the virus that they became paranoid and quickly returned the book to the spot underneath the top, rather than its proper place below the second. They might have suspected that they were being watched, or perhaps that it was an ambush of some sort.

If only that had been the case… Instead, the moron could just feel distressed over the fact that they wasted their time and that their previous infiltration was never a secret.

In actuality, they were bound to waste their time regardless.

Marcus brought the T-virus with him to his office, where it was carefully hidden within one of his locked drawers. He knew that he'd be spending much of his time there, so he wasn't going to take the risk of leaving the virus within the lab itself once again.

He only visited the lab today to see if there happened to be any new evidence of intruders, but he didn't truly expect anything. He actually made the mistake of believing Spencer would temporarily cease his efforts of robbery, only to regrettably be proven wrong.

"…If that's what they're after, I must find a suitable way to deal with them." He pulled a chair out, taking a seat before resting his elbows upon the cluttered table. "But the question is…how?"

Frankly, Marcus wasn't well suited for all of this detective business. His observational skills were unparalleled, that much was true. But he lacked the means to actually act on any of his suspicions. The best he could do was complain and then move the T-virus somewhere else, but that was far from being a solution. He needed to put a stop to their treachery once and for all!

After much thought, he finally came upon an answer.

"Perhaps I should have William and Albert smoke out the pests…" He mumbled aloud, placing a hand on his chin for a mere moment. "Those two are the only ones I trust." His thoughtful features turned to amusement as he chuckled. "…Apart from my beloved leeches, of course." Though his words were meant in jest, one couldn't help but notice a tinge of sincerity hidden within them…

It was true, however, that despite his overall distrust of people, those two students were among the few that he had given a chance to.

William Birkin, Albert Wesker… They were special ones, no doubt.

With everything he asked of them previously—whether it was a task of great significance or as simple as them grabbing him something from the facility—they completed everything with no questions asked and commendable efficiency.

Likewise, they were wonderful conversationalists, capable of discussing even the most profound of matters without showing any sort of lacking intellect.

Marcus was generally too busy to discuss with them often, and he didn't want to intrude on their time anyway. They were occupied with their studying and schoolwork, so it would have been improper for him to bother them too much. But whenever they did sit down for a conversation, it was always great fun!

They were young, but they were good kids. And perhaps he was simply tooting his own horn, but he got the sense that they were fond of him as well. They were always so polite and respectful to him, despite having much more impassive mannerisms when speaking with their classmates. Why, they even seemed to admire him!

…Could he have been a role model to them? He didn't wish to sound arrogant, but it wouldn't have been such a peculiarity. He was a well-established scientist with many discoveries under his belt, even before the founding of Umbrella. He was a respectable man, truly!

…To the eyes of those who were unaware of a certain aspect of his latest experiments, perhaps.

But since the students didn't know about that, the point still stood.

Anyhow, he was going to ask them to help with this intruder business. Obviously, he had no intention of telling them the specifics of why he was making this request, but they would likely agree regardless.

All they really needed to do was to keep an eye on the other students and staff; making sure that none of them expressed an interest in going near the lab. And if they happened to see someone heading in that direction, then of course, they would then let him know.

Now, whether or not they were actually capable of discovering the spy was a question he had to ponder. At this point, he wasn't sure if the person was even a member of the facility or a mere spy that was wholly unrelated to any of them.

It made more sense for them to have been one of the inhabitants, since they could easily sneak over to his lab while no one was looking. If they weren't even living there, how were they capable of these consistent infiltrations? The facility was in the middle of nowhere, it was unreachable, aside from the occasional shipments they received via the Ecliptic Express…

…Which was where the problem arose.

What if the train was dropping off spies when he wasn't looking? He never paid any mind to the train's trips to the facility, so if people were a part of those deliveries…

It was a devastating yet feasible theory, which only served to increase his desire to discover the truth. With that in mind, he decided he would ask Wesker and Birkin to pay attention to the train's next delivery as well.

If he could determine that the train was in fact, not the cause of these incidents, then that would be a tremendous relief. Dealing with someone in the facility was one thing, but having to fend off who knew how many people whose existence completed eluded him… It would be a disaster.

With those two on the case, that would at least help take a bit of his stress away. He was never too fond of keeping friends and allies, always having been incapable of placing much trust into anyone else. But in times like these, they did serve as a blessing.

He leaned back in his chair, finally able to take a breath and relax. Thinking of the terrible possibilities was causing him quite a bit of unease, so a moment of reprieve would do him some good…

He so desperately wished that it didn't need to be like this—that he could instead focus on his work and waste no energy on anything else. Yet that was how the die had been cast, he supposed. He dug this grave, so as he always knew, he needed to lie in it.

"But Spencer…" His eyes grew forlorn as he trailed off, followed by a deepening of his frown. "It wouldn't end there, would it?"

Perhaps the thing he grew most tired of was not this game of cat and mouse; this running around of hiding viruses and stealing viruses. But rather, it was the fact that it was Spencer who initiated this folly in the first place.

Spencer… The man who he once called his closest friend, as well as the one who he first placed his trust into. It was he who convinced Marcus to give others a chance, and that not everyone merely sought to cause him pain and deceit.

Yet here they were, with Spencer being the very man that became everything he promised he would never be.

This had gone far beyond Spencer simply wanting to discover what Marcus was working on, and perhaps to swipe a bit of his discoveries for himself. He was actively trying to steal everything Marcus spent the last nine years working on.

This was truly…the ultimate betrayal.

They could no longer be considered as rivals. This could no longer be considered as a simple competition.

The truth was, they were now enemies. This was a game of life and death.

There was no turning back from the life that they had chosen.

"Even still…it cannot continue like this." He slowly rose to his feet, dusting his suit off briefly as he walked towards the exit. After he approached the door, he looked back at the cold lab once again. His eyes were now firm in their resolution. "I will announce T at the next directors meeting and collect my just rewards..."

"…I will be bringing an end to this game of ours, Spencer."