Prologue
Marcus and Isaacs discovered the Progenitor Cell. Once injected, it would detect and repair damaged cells within the body almost instantaneously. It was a miracle. The life of Marcus's daughter was saved. Alicia had been saved. The Progenitor Cell had a myriad of applications, treating a thousand different diseases. Overnight, it seemed that a new era was dawning. A world without the fear of infection, sickness, or decay.
But it was not to be.
The Progenitor Cell had certain unforeseen side effects…
Twenty years ago in Cape Town, South Africa an incident was quickly covered up. It never became public...
But in their own secret internal investigation, Umbrella discovered that the little boy in Africa had been taking a Progenitor Cell product to treat his asthma. When he choked to death, the Progenitor Cells within his body continued to work. They replaced their dying host, reanimating dead cells and bringing him back to life.
The first of the Undead were born.
In the aftermath of the incident, the two founders of the Umbrella Corporation argued furiously. Marcus now saw the Progenitor Cell as dangerous and wanted it to be contained or destroyed. Dr. Isaacs, on the other hand, wished to profit from it. There was a deadlock. But the untimely accidental death of Marcus meant that the course was set.
Marcus was killed by my own hands on Dr. Isaacs orders. It wasn't something I had in mind but it was going to take me far in the company. His daughter Alicia was raised by Issac himself. After the events of ten years ago in Ration City, the rest of Umbrella and humanity joined forces in Washington D.C. After taking control of the White House with the soldiers under my command and technology, thanks to the Umbrella Corporation, I sent a couple of volunteers to rescue Alice from one of umbrella's labs.
Among them were Leon S. Kennedy, survivor of Raccoon City, and Bary Burton, survivor of Spencer Mansion who was on my team when we were sent to open the Hive again by Doctor Issac's clone ten years ago. Jill Valentine was also there under the Red Queen's command which received orders directly from Dr. Isaacs laddog. I escaped Raccoon City with my life that day thanks to the Umbrella Agent Ada Wong who I have kept close to me even though I don't totally trust her because of her past in Raccoon City with that rookie cop. I have to thank the doctor for keeping the Redfield siblings locked up and transported to the Hive for me. However, I did hear that one of the V-22s was down. I expect nothing less from the Redfields. But apart they serve me best. Chris and I have a history. One I plan to end with his silence.
Now Alice comes before me to whom I was happy to return her powers monetarily so that she could finish my work for me.
The instant that Alice regained control of her body, she leaped to her feet, prepared to make me regret that I'd transformed her into a living weapon once more. But I reminded her that I'd been the one to engineer her escape from Umbrella Prime because I needed her to help me stop the Red Queen from destroying the last remnants of the human race. A lie. Her purpose was to take care of a simple task, protecting my own skin from an old foe.
I then led her to the roof of the White House, along with Jill, Ada, and Leon, and showed them what they were up against. Quite simply, it looked like hell on earth. The White House grounds were enclosed within a barricade formed from fifty-foot high ferrocrete walls. Inside the walls, soldiers ran back and forth, some working feverishly to reinforce the barricade, others taking up defensive positions between the walls and the White House, while others manned weapons installations that contained large flame-throwers.
Beyond the walls, thousands of Undead and mutated monstrosities pressed against the barricade, climbing atop one another so they could get over the walls and begin slaughtering the fragile humans inside. The sight of so many ravening creatures howling for their destruction took everyone's breath away, and for the first time in a long time I felt a spark of panic flare up inside me. It was more adrenaline and excitement really. But I fought it down, took a deep breath, I said, "All right. Let's get to work."