I apologize for the long hiatus. As always, please read, review, and enjoy!
Violence
"I'm not killer, son. Neither is Maguriete, nor my boy Lucas. Not even Zoe here. She takes a hold of you by putting a part of herself inside you, and you can't fight back. Please… free my family."
A pair of eyes suddenly opened, slowly as they trailed off to a certain familiar person covered in cuts and a bruised face. Follow by a shining light from a lantern in what appeared to be a cave. She sat down completely beaten in old miner boots and a miner's coat.
"Jess?"
Said girl eyes were wide as she weakly walked over. "David! Oh, thank god."
"Where am I?" David looked at Jess up and down in her current condition. "And what the hell happened to you?"
"I was beaten and carried. And then, I fell in…" she trailed, shedding tears from her eyes. "Oh God…"
David placed his hand on her shoulder and gave her a comforting hug, before asking as he stared at Jess's face. "Jess, who the fuck did this to you?"
"It wasn't a who. It was something. A thing did this to me! It dragged me here and pulled me down into this fucking nightmare!"
"What the hell am I wearing…?" David raised an eyebrow noticing he was a sweater with overalls, as he put his hands firmly on Jessica's shoulders. "Jess, we're not alone on this mountain. There's this strange family that's here with us and-"
David stopped when he realized that Sam was not with him and Jess. The last thing he could remember was checking Mr. Washington's study for more clues regarding any details about the Winters family. His final memory before being unconscious was being hit from behind.
"Shit. Sam!" He turned to Jess. "Can you walk, Jess?"
"Barely."
He lifted Jess off her feet and carried her on his back as David pressed on while she held the lantern to shine the way. He walked step by step, while Jess held her arm around him to hold on as she used her other hand on the lantern. Based on the look of their surroundings, the two were in an abandoned mine under the mountain. David deduced the family took Sam after they got him. But one thing he did not expect was to run into Jess in some abandoned mine over the mountain. He figured, well hoped she and Mike were at least safe from the mystery caller's family back at the guest cabin. He got a bad feeling it was more than just the family on the mountain with them, something more threatening and more deadly. He wondered this when he saw covered in scratches and cuts that appeared to be from some sort of animal. David stopped when he noticed a broken elevator shaft, completely damaged beyond repair.
"Jesus, how the hell did that happen?"
"That was me."
"What?!" David incredulously asked
"I fell down the goddamn roof." she weakly stated
David remarked. "I'm just surprised you're still alive after that."
David continued the path with Jess on his back, carrying her as he moved through every direction that could lead them out of the mine. While they try to look for a way out, David wondered if anyone was alive. Last time he saw Chris and Ashely, they were with Josh and Francesca performing a séance he and Sam did not take part of. Matt and Emily were looking for her missing bag before heading back, while Mike and Jess went to go check out the guest cabin. Even though he found Jess, she was barely able to move and seem incapable of running indicating a couple of broken bones to add with her other injuries.
David glanced at Jessica over his shoulder. "Jess… can I ask you something?"
"Yeah. What is it?"
"Do you remember seeing anything strange happen here before you got taken back at the guest cabin? Anything at all?" David asked
"There was… I thought I saw someone or something at the guest cabin. But I didn't get a good enough look to see who or what it was." she explained
"How did you even find me here?"
Jess shrugged her shoulders. "To be honest, I didn't think I'd find anyone else here. When I did, you were covered in this black mold wearing those tacky overalls."
"Do you know how I got there? Did you see anyone else when I was unconscious in this dark mold?"
"No, I don't know. I woke up before you did. The only face I've seen since I got here was just yours." Jess stated
"When I find out whoever the hell clothed me in this damn thing and took Sam, I will…" he stopped when he heard a scream that sounded familiar to him and Jessica. "Did you hear that?"
He sat Jess down dimming out the light in the lantern before it was turned off, putting his finger on his mouth signaling Jess to stay quiet and seeing a shovel at the corner of his eye. They began to hear footsteps echoing with each step taken, rapidly heading into their direction on the other side as David grabbed the shovel with one hand. The footsteps were getting closer and closer, leaving David to ready the shovel as the footsteps got much closer. With a yell, he charged forth with the shovel, only to hear a feminine voice scream in terror. Jess lit a fire in the lantern using a lighter on the ground, as her and David saw that it was Emily worse for wear. A graze on her chin, a bloody nose, and a large gash above her left eyebrow curving around her temple. Not to mention, there was a torn piece off the hem of her sweater that served as a bandage for a wound she had on her knee.
"Emily?" David extended his hand to her
Emily accepted the offer as she pulled up the ground by David. "Oh my God, David! What are you doing here?!"
"I could ask you the same thing!" David exclaimed. "I thought you and Matt made a bee line for the cable car station after the last time me and Sam saw the two of you!"
"We did, but it was completely trashed. So, we took a detour and headed for the fire tower to call for help."
"And...?" David trailed off for Emily to continue
"We manage to get through to someone, but they won't be able to get here until dawn. Then the tower fell down and we ended up here in the mines. I just ran away from a pile of skulls before I bumped into you." she concluded
"Damn it. Just our luck." David muttered. "The last thing I can remember is being at the lodge before I got taken."
Emily looked over David's shoulder to see Jess in her current state. "Jess? Oh my God, what happened to you?!" her voice was filled with shock and concern
"She got taken by something when she was with Mike at the guest cabin." David explained to Emily. "When I woke up, Jess had already found me."
"Wait, you said something took her." Emily looked to Jess. "Jess, what did it look like?"
"Em, she probably doesn't know what took-"
"I don't know what it was. It… it was pale. It had sharp teeth, white eyes, and it was horrifying." Jess said to them, describing the creature that took her
David raised his eyebrow and queried. "What did you think took Jess?"
"Matt and I saw some kind of monster covered in black mold with part of its flesh and bones still intact."
"Did you saw black mold? I was webbed up with that same mold you described when Jess sprung me out."
"What do you mean-?" an eerie screech caught the three's attention. "What was that?"
"I don't know, but we need to find a way out of this mine. Alive." David declared as Emily nodded in her head in agreement
Emily took the lantern from David's hand. "I'll hold the lantern while you carry Jess." She said
"You know the way out?"
"No, I'm just as clueless as you are." Emily shined the lantern's light on the two different paths, with David carrying Jess on his back. "So… which way do we go?"
"Which way did you come from?"
"Left… I think."
"Then we'll go right. Just to be on the safe side here."
The three of them followed the path on the right, step by step as the light brightened their surrounding while they walked. Emily could not believe the odds that she would ever cross paths with David and Jessica while she was in the mines, not what she was expecting. Since she was alone in the mines, the only horrifying thing she has ran into were human skulls that led her right to two people she didn't expect to see. From what gathered there was a cave-in in the fifties, but the odd thing was the bodies she encountered among the skulls. They were a few years old, with half bloodied clothes while the other half were dismembered. Most of their bodies were nothing but skeletons, meaning the corpses have decayed for some time. Their uniforms had a red and white emblem that resembled a red cross with the sides being white.
"What is this? It looks like a red cross or something."
"A red cross- Looks like an umbrella…" David trailed off before his eyes widened when he saw the insignia. "No, no fucking way! It can't be!"
Emily looked to David. "You know what this is about?"
"Remember Mr. Hawkins talking about the Raccoon City incident back in high school? He was giving us the lecture about the T-virus. These Umbrella assholes were responsible for it."
"Jesus Christ! Why the hell did Josh's family even bother living here on this mountain!?"
"I don't think Josh and his family even knew about this." David held the mp7 sub-machine gun as he realized it was surprisingly in decent condition. "A little rusted, but still in surprisingly standard condition all things considered. It'll do for now until I can find another gun that's in pristine condition. Check the corpses and see if they have any ammo for this gun."
Emily began picking the skeletal bodies for anything that could be useful to their survival. "Gross! Eeeww." David shook his head at her as he checked on Jessica, while Emily checked for ammunition. "No, no, nothing-" she stopped when she felt bullets and a half magazine clip. "Here." David sat Jess down while he loaded the magazine as Emily found another full clip for the sub-machine gun along with a .38 pistol. "Take this too."
"Thanks. You know how to use this?" he asked handing the pistol to Emily
"What… No. I never fired off a gun before."
"It's easy. Just aim, keep it steady, and shoot." David replied nonchalantly
Emily sighed. "Fine. I'll take it for protection, then."
"What about Jess?" David queried in a concerned tone as he and Emily looked at Jess
"I'm pretty sure she can move on her own, for now anyway." Emily said, walking toward Jess to offer a hand to help her off the ground
David took the mp7 aiming at the sight, before taking a quick glance at Jess. "Jess, can you move?"
"Yeah… I think so." Jess said weakly
"Just stay close to us, okay?" David gave Emily the lantern. "You're on our twelve, I'll hang back and cover our six." Emily and Jess looked confused at David as he sighed. "I'm saying you lead the way and I'll watch our backs."
Emily nodded as the three continued to find a way out of the mines. "Right. Yeah." she looked back at David. "How did you get here, anyway?"
"I think I got brought here. All I remember was Sam and I were looking for clues about what happened on this mountain." he explained. "Anything that can tell us about this family that rented the Washington lodge."
"Did you find anything?"
David shrugged. "Maybe Sam found something out before whoever got the drop on me, but I don't know. Where's Matt?"
"I… I don't know." Emily said in a worried tone. "The last thing I remember, I was hanging on the tower by a thread and it- it's just a blur after that."
"We'll find him and get out of here." David assured with a touch on the shoulder, before noticing a worn down barrier. "We can break through that."
David and Emily smashed through the wooden planks blocking their path, continuing down the passage, getting closer to the path as they had to climb the ledge. This caused Emily pain after reaching the top on account of her wounded knee while David had Jess carried on his back. They continued onward, finding a switch that controlled the power due to the sound of electricity as Emily flicked the switch. They took the path to another tunnel hoping to find a way down the chamber. Instead, they reached a cavern flooding with moonlight which showed a slope leading to another way out. Emily immediately ran to climb up the slope, unfortunately it was too steep and slippery for her to climb.
"Shit." she groaned as Jess got of David's back
"Well, power still works here. Maybe there's an elevator we can use." he suggested
"It's better than nothing. But what if we cross paths with the people who took you here from the lodge?" she asked genuinely worried. "Or those mold monsters?"
"We can still use these guns to scare, or hold them off if things get worse. I'm leaning more on the latter. Should be enough, right?" David looked around for Jess, only to not see her at all. "Jess? Jess, where are you?"
He and Emily had a scream as they rushed to the sound of Jessica's voice, they found her on the other side. However much to their horror, they found something else far more terrifying and shocking. A human head, Beth Washington's human head near a rock.
"Oh GOD! NO, BETH! NO!"
"What the- WHAT THE FUCK?!" David screamed, completely on the verge of breaking at what he just seen in front of him while Jess was fighting the urge to not vomit
"I... I-I found her like that! And... guys, I found these." Jess showed them a pair of broken glasses, along with a photo of a certain girl with a butterfly tattoo on her right arm
Emily spotted a locket laying on an old barrel. "Hannah?" she gasped
"What the fuck happened here?"
Before any of them react, David's ankle was suddenly grabbed from behind. He was being dragged away terrifying Emily and Jess leaving David to fire off a few shots from the sub-machine gun, as a pale hand pulled itself away from him. David kept his finger on the trigger while he had the mp7 trained, aiming left and right. He heard a loud footstep catching his attention as he kept the gun in the direction of the sound. The footsteps became closer and closer as David's finger remained on the trigger, ready to fire at the attacker. To his shock along with Jess and Emily's, it was Josh wearing the same overalls as David. However, there was something different about him. His skin was completely pale and black veins showed throughout his body, even his eyes were jet black.
"Josh?"
"Hey, guys." he said throwing David aside with unusual strength
Emily looked at their friend with bewildered shock. "Josh, what the hell?!"
Josh grinned sinister at Emily and Jess. "Oh, come come come now... why the long faces, huh?" he laughed pulling out a bloody knife, acting fully unhinged before picking up Beth's decapitated head. "I thought you'd be glad to see her, guys. Remember how it feels to be terrorized, humiliated? All those emotions my sisters had to feel six years ago? Only thing is that they didn't. No, no, no! They're all gone!"
Jess helped David off his feet as he cautiously narrowed his eyes at Josh. "The fuck is wrong with you, man?"
"It's good to get the heart racing. I mean just pitter-pat, pitter-pat!" he grinned evilly at David as he took a step forth. "I mean David man, you... you were so good to my sister Beth. Always the knight in shining armor. Perfect boyfriend material, only... you didn't stick with you in the end, did you?"
"Yer a good boy, Joshua." said a voice which catch the three off guard
They turned around to see a pale, white old woman with black veins and elongated limbs which distributed and horrify them. Her eyes were moonlight white and her scleras black, smiling creepily at the three as David fired off shots from the mp7. Few missed the unnatural woman, fewer bullets only manage to scratch as she swatted the gun away from David's hands and grabbed him by the throat. A suddenly gunshot struck her cheek while another hit her forehead, causing her to let go of David. She glared deadly at the shooter, leaving Josh to grab Emily by the wrist as Jess grabbed a large rock. Using whatever strength she had left in her, Jess struck Josh from the back of his head but to no avail. In a struggle to free herself from Josh's grip, Emily pulled the trigger as three shots were fired toward Josh's head. Blood oozed out from his head, taking two steps backwards before falling on the ground. Emily's eyes turned wide with shock at what she done, seeing Josh's body lay lifeless on the cold ground before David was tossed aside her.
"Shit. Shit, shit, shit! I can't believe I just killed Josh! OH GOD!" she screamed, only to suddenly hear laughter... coming from Josh who was standing up from the ground
"Wow... just, WOW!" Josh exclaimed in a sinister tone, as Emily and Jess saw bullets sled off his forehead and cheek before he walked toward them. "That was pretty good, Em! An A for effort! The fear, the panic! Very well done!" the wounds on his face beginning to heal instantly
"No, no, no! Get away, Josh!"
"Shh, shh, shh, shh." he shushed grabbing her hands. "You're going to be part of the family, Em. You, David, Jess. All of us, just for Evie. It's all she wants from all of us is to be whole. Like a family. I mean... family is precious, right?"
A spray of fire suddenly hit Marguerite's back, causing her to fall and holler in pain. She glared at her attacker with deadly intent. The attacker was a man wielding a flame thrower wearing a brown trench coat and hunting pants, with nothing but a pair of black welding goggles and bandanna covering his mouth. He doused Marguerite with fire again, scattering away from the flames before Josh ran toward him. Josh tackled him to the ground, his hands gripping the flamethrower man's neck. Unknown to Josh however, a figure from behind shot him in the back of the head two and a few rapid shots went toward his back. The figure turned out to be David as he extended his hand to the man with the flamethrower, he accepted the hand up getting off the ground.
A scream caught both of their attentions as they looked to see Marguerite holding Jess by the neck with her hand, using her other to crawl. The flamethrower man aimed his weapon at Marguerite who just Jess in front of them, with David lowering the man's flamethrower as she chuckled. She jumped from point a to point b toward the cavern walls as David sprinted off following her, flipping the switch on to power the elevator before entering it. He moved the lever going upward as the elevator came to a stop, training his gun left and right once he heard clattering from the cave. David took a step forward at a time, cautiously keeping his weapon on the ready unaware of a dark limb behind him. He turned back with gun in hand, narrowing his eyes before being grabbed by the neck all of a sudden as he dropped his gun. Marguerite stared at him with her pale scleras, her sadistic smile getting only wider. A sudden gunshot between her chest and neck caused Marguerite to drop David and Jess, falling along with them. Before she could get up, she was burnt alive to a crisp by the flamethrower man as she hollered in pain while Emily helped David and Jess up from the ground.
Marguerite stared at David sudden tears. "Oh, child… we ain't killers." she broke up in quiet, but regretful sobs. "We were good folks once… my family and I were a good one… we were... we were good people… please, save my family..." Marguerite said as her body started calcifying and crumbled away afterward
"What just happened to her?" Emily queried, looking down at Marguerite's crumbled remains
"I have no clue, but she's definitely dead. I can tell you that much." David carried Jess on his back as Emily still held the shotgun in her hands before hearing eerie screeching. "Something tells me we don't want to stick around here for too long. Let's find a way out of this damn mine while we still can and meet up with the others."
"Maybe it would be better if you use this instead of me, you know…" she trailed giving David the shotgun as Emily had Jess's arm around her shoulder. "Because you're more experienced with guns than the two of us, I mean. I can help carry out Jess while you cover us and the old man."
"I'm capable of taking care of myself, kid." The flamethrower guy said, sternly staring at the three college students. "You three stay close to me and you do exact as I say." He ordered. "Got it?"
David nodded in reply. "Yes, sir."
"No, you're not real. NOOOOOO!" they heard Josh yelled out as Emily leaned Jess on a nearby wall for support
"What the hell?" David and Emily looked down to see Josh get dragged away, only catching a slight glimpse of a few pale elongated arms covered in black mold . "I need to get down there."
"What? No!" Emily exclaimed, standing in David's way. "David, you saw how Josh was. He is NOT himself! We saw him survive bullet holes for Christ's sake!"
"Emily, we can't just-" the flamethrower man interjected
"You go at it alone and it's suicide. As for your friend, it's already too late for him. You need to focus on your own survival at this point, son."
"But-" Emily cut him off by firmly touching his shoulders
"David, he's right." she said agreeing with the stranger. "I don't think there's anything we can do for Josh."
"Then what the hell are gonna tell Fran?"
"The truth. We'll tell her Josh is gone."
David reluctantly agreed. "Fine. We shouldn't be staying here too long. You help out with Jess and-" he was cut off when Jess was being dragged off by an unknown force. "Jessica! JESS!"
They heard a scream as David ran with lantern in hand to the sound of her voice. What he saw next, horrified him to the bone. He saw Jess dead, her lower jaw ripped off from her mouth by a pale white clawed hand. The hand belong to an elongated arm leading to an 8 foot tall creature, with milky white eyes and disfigured teeth. But what shocked him the most was a mark on its right shoulder, a butterfly tattoo to be specify. It looked at him, due to the shaking motion of his hand carrying the shotgun as Emily and the man with the flamethrower saw the creature from behind. It screeched with deadly intent as Emily screamed before the flamethrower man spewed fire at it, leaving the creature to move away from the flames.
"Shit. Take these!" he handed Emily a bag of his personal affects. "You two need to move! Now! Get the hell outta here!" he exclaimed
The creature dashed forward slicing the man's head off as it dropped on the ground, staring at them. It looked at them, ready to pounce as David's instinct took over shooting the flamethrower's fuel tank. It exploded causing all three to fly back from the explosion, leaving David and Emily to quickly get up and make a run for it. The creature glared deadly at the fleeing prey before it as it let out a angry inhuman shriek and chased them.
In the administrative office of the sanatorium, a light shined to the right as Mike and Fran stepped out of the medical center. Mike was already patched up, all bandaged up and ready to go. There wasn't much medical supplies left, only taking some morphine and painkillers. To their side it was a set of TVs, all showing them both Sam, Chris, and Ashely tied in different rooms.
"Sam! Chris! Ashely!" Fran cried out
the TVs flicked to show Lucas, grinning sinister at the two. "Ah, ah, ah. Not so fast, you two." he said teasingly
Mike then glared deadly at Lucas who only grinned evilly. "Let them go, you fucking psychopath!"
"Not until you two participate in a little activity I put up together. You win, I promise to let ya'll go free all safe and sound. Lose, and well…" Lucas's grin widened. "I think y'all know the rest. Two of them are already dead."
"WHERE ARE THEY?!" Fran shouted angrily, glaring at Lucas
"Easy there, little spitfire. Your friends are safe… for now, anyway. As for the rest…" Lucas trailed as the television screens showed David and Emily running away from something, before showing Lucas on screen again. "I say they're a bit preoccupied right now."
"Oh, my God! David, Emily!"
A box opened with a walkie talkie and a map of their destination. "Clock's tickin'! If I were y'all I'd pick up the pace!" he exclaimed as the TVs flicked to show a screen of a scary clown.
"I'm gonna fucking kill that prick." Mike spat angrily as he took the walkie talkie and map from the box. "Rip his goddamn nuts off one at a time, when I get my hands on him."
"Get in line. I'm looking forward to giving that fucker a piece of my-" the walkie talkie suddenly scratched out static and a voice off in the distance. "What the hell?"
"Can you hear me? I say again, can you hear me?"
"I don't think that's Lucas." she walked toward the direction before Mike stopped her by grabbing her wrist. "What?"
"What are you doing? We don't know who that is."
She loosened his grip on her as Fran walked near the direction of the voice. "What if it's David? Or Emily?"
Fran walked inside another room of the administrative area, hearing the static getting closer and closer. She looked down and saw another walkie talkie on the floor, picking it up off the floor as Fran pressed the button. Mike followed her into the room, observing the room they walked into. There were signs of a struggle, seeing a busted up desk laying flat on the floor and broken door at the end of the room.
"Hello?"
"Ashely? Chris?"
Fran looked suspicious at the walkie. "Who are you and how do you know the name of my friends?"
"Shit. Lucas must've got them."
"Hey! Hold on! Who the hell are you?" Fran demanded
"Zoe. I'm Lucas's sister."
Mike took the walkie from her hand as he glared at it. "You're with that fucking psychopath family of yours?! Where are you keeping our friends, huh?!"
"I'm tryin' to help you people out here!"
"And how's that going, huh? Did you have something with our friends being taken?! Huh?! I've had enough of you and your family's goddamn games!" Mike retorted in disbelief
"None of this has ever been a game." they could hear the anger in her voice. "Your friends, Chris and Ashely were helping me with somethin'. Somethin' I needed them to look for."
Francesca and Mike looked at each other, before she raised an eyebrow at the walkie. "What? What did you send them to get?"
"Something that could get me off this mountain and her hold over me."
Whoever this her was got their attention as Francesca asked. "Who the hell are you talking about?"
"It doesn't matter now. Just play along with my brother's game. But before you do, you're about two rooms away to a room that's to your left. Hopefully, it'll give you a little insight in what's going on and what happened here. There's also an executive keycard if memory serves for the armory. Somethin' tells me y'all are gonna need it."
"Armory? How much firepower we're taking about here?" Mike queried
"Should be enough to make you survive the night. Now get movin'."
Mike scoffed. "Well, that was vague."
"Let's find this room first, then we can think about how to save Chris and Ashely along with everyone else." Francesca suggested as Mike reluctantly nodded in agreement
Mike and Francesca wasted no time in finding the room Zoe spoke of. They closed the door and flicked on the lights, seeing a working computer right of them. Francesca walked forward to it as she flicked the mouse, seeing the screen pop up for the password. She looked around for a password, finding a written word that said Remington. She typed in the word as she was granted access. Mike walked over to here after finding the keycard behind a file cabinet, while Francesca found video files available as she clicked on one of them. They looked at the screen to see two people. One was a man wearing a labcoat while the other was female wearing a security uniform.
"Bragg says that the two of you are creating a new virus fusing some weaponized super fungi with the T-virus? He said it was the Morgana virus."
"It's not new, and it's not called the Morgana virus. We're naming it after the mountain itself which is more fitting." he stated. "If anything this is just another variation of the T-virus at best, nearly the same as its predecessor with certain... improvements. And it's because of our cooperation with our new partners, we are allowed this chance. Bragg doesn't know what the hell he's talking about. To him, that old man thinks he created a new masterpiece to surpass Oswell E. Spencer."
"So it's just the T-Blackwood virus, then." she replied. "God forbid you plan to use that damn Uroboros if it was still around."
The man stared coldly at her. "Do not ever mention Uroboros. That fucking Wesker with his goddamn superiority complex. Asshole thought he could do anything with his hands tied behind his back."
the woman smiled coyly. "How spiteful and envious of you, Gordon. You really despised Wesker that much, did you?"
Gordon only scoffed. "He was a smug and arrogant prick. Good riddance the prick's finally dead along with Spencer who threw us all under the goddamn bus to cover their own asses."
"If I'm being honest, I thought we would been caught by now."
"Thank the Connections for that. Because of them, we're ghosts nobody remembers in the entire world. Whoever these people are, they got deep pockets and make sure we don't even exist since they got some pull with the authorities here both and possibly everywhere else for a syndicate. Beats us being found by the BSAA."
"Didn't Wesker had a dealing with the Connections before?"
"Who knows? Maybe with HCF, but back to the topic at hand…" he looked at the woman. "What are you doing here, Ana?"
"Bragg says he's ready for you in the labs, brother. He says he's got a new test subject." She said handing him a file. "Escaped convict. No one would miss him."
"Alright. Let's see what we got."
"So that's the first video." Mike said
Fran gasped in disbelief and shock. "I can't believe these Umbrella remnants have been hiding here on this mountain for so long."
"All thanks to whoever the hell this mysterious organization is. Let's see what the second video can tell us more." Mike clicked on the next video as it showed Dr. Bennett and Dr. Bragg talking about an experiment.
"Subject exhibits rapid changes to the body such as an increased level of strength and speed, as well an added deformation of spinal disfigurement. It also shows signs of violence tendencies toward other subjects and personnel to the point of consuming human flesh, whether dead or alive." Bennett stated to Bragg as the video showed the creature displaying the actions on surveillance cameras, before typing a key to show two different sequence patterns. "Normally I would say the subject is showing a uncanny combination of zombie series and Licker symptoms related to the T-Virus, however this could possibly be entirely different based on something else. Upon account of further study, the characteristics of the T-Virus have merged completely with the Molded Fungi the Connections have sent us due to a small sample of the G-Virus. The subject appears to further display abilities such as clinging to walls with sharp claws, white eyes, canine and disfigured teeth along with losses of hair. The skin is turned absolutely pale white, and the subject utilizes predatory aspects of a carnivorous animal after transformation of its mutated physique. Rendering itself no longer human in all regard. Its sight seems to be based on movement akin to toads along with attaining some human patterns to lure in whoever or whatever they deem a threat or just common prey."
"Interesting. We have just created a new bioweapon, possibly unlike any other. Maybe even surpassing the licker sin a sense, superior to the hunters and possibly holding its own against a Tyrant given time." The elder man said in both curiosity and amazement. "This demands more study and analysis."
"Don't get too cocky with overconfidence. I'd rather we confide this thing in the mines with security personnel keeping an eye under constant surveillance and lockup after the subject has been sedated."
Bragg shook his head in disagreement. "Nonsense."
Gordon formed a cautioned look on his face. "That thing is a hinderance, Bragg. We can't take our chances underestimating this new B.O.W. we created."
"None of the other subjects with the M virus haven't shown any similiar-" Gordon cut Bragg cut from his sentence
"T-Blackwood virus." he corrected. "I think your dementia is starting to finally get to you, old man."
Bragg sighed agitated at Gordon's remark. "None of the other subjects have not reached the same level as our Patient zero so far. We've been over this, Gordon." He said as Ana walked in the room
"We can't let our guard down with this B.O.W., Dr. Bragg." She cautioned the elder doctor. "We know what it's truly capable of. It's prove it's slippery and damn near unpredictable. Hell, we lost some of the interns and nurses here due to this freak of nature."
"I am well aware, Ana." Bragg said as he let out a sigh. "Fine, then. Have Patient zero transferred in the abandoned mines and under constant surveillance. As per to the arrangement of your brother regarding the other subjects, confided and chained in their cells if they don't show the same symptoms of our patient zero. Which remains me…" Bragg glanced at Ana with his hands behind his back. "What are you doing here, my dear?"
"I wanted to inform you both that there's a family staying at the lodge away from the facility." Ana reported to them
"Is it the original residence occupying the lodge? The Washington family, was it?"
Ana shook her head. "No. According to one of our lookouts, it's not them. Just a family of three from what we can gather. I highly recommend that we properly secure or incinerate the Wendigo we have inside and-"
Bragg interjected as he quirked his eyebrow. "Wendigo?"
"It's what some of the personnel are calling the new bioweapon, sir. Took the name moniker out of a scary Native American folklore Edwards read about."
"Doesn't seem fitting."
"Security would disagree with you, doctor. My point is, I suggest that we agree with Gordon to lock it in the abandoned mines. Same thing goes for the other subject, just in case if they're anything like our patient zero." Ana advised in a cautiously and professional tone. "You and the rest of the eggheads have been using it as a test site anyway. We have air filtration systems equipped and completely soundproof from some of the secluded areas to knock them out with anesthetic sedatives. I say let it be their cage. Incineration units to roast them alive if they get dangerously unpredictable again and break out."
Bragg sighed in defeat. "Very well, then. I will have our staff sedate the B.O.W. and confide it into the mines. The same would go for the other subjects as a precaution if they show similar symptoms of Patient zero." he ordered
"What about the family in the lodge?"
"Keep an eye on them and remain out of sight as usual. Do not engage until I say otherwise. Understood?"
"Yes, sir." Ana answered leaving the room
"This could attract some unwanted attention if we don't play this whole thing smart." Gordon said as the video cut to an end
"A family…" Francesca's eyes slowly widened upon realization the family Bragg and Bennett were talking about. "It's them! The photo of the family who rented the lodge."
Mike glanced at her confused. "What?"
"Before we got taken, there was a photo of a family that was renting the lodge before any of us came back here." Fran explained. "Maybe even when Hannah and Beth were still alive the last time we came the lodge six years ago."
Mike raised an eyebrow and folded his arms. "And these damn things were just here the whole time without anyone noticing?"
"These Umbrella remnants were thorough in making sure no one knew where they were with their partnerships to this Connections group." Fran concluded. "Or so it seemed, anyway."
Mike pointed at the screen. "There's one more video left. Let's see what's on this last one, then." They played the last video as Mike and Francesca saw Bragg and Bennett arguing
"This was a complete fucking disaster!" Gordon tossed a chair to the floor
"Calm down, Gordon."
Gordon glared at the elder man. "Calm down? CALM DOWN?! Patient Zero got away from confinement! It escaped and drew out unwanted attention to us, leaving a pile of dead bodies to clean up in that goddamn lodge! Surviving witness to keep silent, coerced or bribed!" Gordon snared at Bragg and pointed at him. "I fucking told you that thing was too unpredictable!"
"I said... CALM DOWN, Gordon!" he scowled, glaring sternly at Gordon
Gordon glared back at him. "How the hell can you expect me to be so goddamn calm about this, Bragg?"
"There is a silver lining to this, my friend." Bragg flicked the control as the cameras showed Eveline surrounded by black mold around her, the child's eyes flickering between pale white and her regular colored blue eyes. "This child is unique. An unknown variable to the virus itself that is yielding mysterious result due to unfortunate circumstances for us to discover. She could be the next stage in human evolution and genetic advancement, or a unique bioweapon for all we know."
Gordon placed his hand on his head and sneered at Bragg. "That's your pitch for the Connections? A little brat with untapped potential for human evolution? There's no way in hell they would ever go for it, Bragg."
"As a matter of fact, I believe they will. Especially since the child's surviving parent works with the Connections. This will give them our full divided attention." Bragg leaned forward while he sat in his chair. "We are nearly there, my friend. We are nearly there." a computer error popped up ending the video
"Damn it..." Fran muttered under her mouth
Mike stared at her. "What?"
"I can't get anything else out of this. It must be some sort of data corruption." Fran stated before turning to Mike. "So one of Eveline's parents works for the Connections?" Francesca asked herself
"The question is who survived. Was is it her mom or dad?" Mike pondered. "There has to be something to that, right?"
Fran shrugged her shoulder, facing the computer. "I feel like there's more that we still don't know, but it doesn't look like we're going to find it here."
"We can deal with that later. Right now, we need to save the rest of the guys from this goddamn nightmare." Mike declared as he and Fran headed for the armory on their way out
"Ash? Ash! What did he do to you?" Chris called out as Ashely groaned in pain, revealing to Chris the black eye mark he saw on her face. "Did he- Did he hit you?!"
She hissed in short pain. "I think he did more than that."
Chris scowled. "That piece of shit. I'm gonna murdering his fucking face."
"Where are we?" Ashely looked at their surroundings, seeing they were inside a three story room filled with old plant pots. "This place looks like an old greenhouse."
"This is that psychotic prick, Lucas. The one who killed Josh. Let us out of here, you son of a bitch! Come in here and fucking fight me, you piece of shit!"
Ashely screamed out in terror and sobbed as tears streamed down her cheeks. "We're gonna die, Chris! I'm not ready to die!"
"We're not gonna die, Ashely." he assured
"It's just not fair. I never got to tell you-"
"Tell me what?"
"Isn't it obvious? We were always talking around it. And now it doesn't matter."
"Ashely, of course it matters. Every second I spend with you was the only thing I ever wanted to do." Chris said tenderly, looking into her eyes
Ash stopped sobbing as she looked back at Chris. "What are you saying, Chris?"
"What I'm saying is I should have told you. How I really feel about you."
"Chris…" she trailed, completely lost for words
"Ashely, I swear as soon as we get out of this-" Chris was suddenly cut off by a unfortunate familiar voice
"We'll be together. Forever and ever, and ever!"
The two looked up to see two circular saws situated above them. The saws began their high-speed rotation slowly, but inexorably descended downward toward Chris and Ashely. The TV screen popped up, showing the face of Lucas Baker.
"Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen for another round of life and death! Coming to you live from Blackwood mountain." the sound of a fake applause could be heard from the TV as Lucas's sadistic grin wider. "Tonight, we have seen Chris make a fatal decision on who lives and who dies." Lucas stared at Chris and Ashely with sadistic eyes. "Marking his best buddy Joshua for death, all just for pretty, little Ashely to live. Now tonight, we decided to make it Ashely's turn."
"What-?" a light shined at the table Chris and Ashely sat beside, a gun laid out near Ashely's side
"We have a gun on the table for Ashely here to use for this challenge. What will she do? Will she shoot the man who is in love with her so she can live? Or will she shoot herself just for good old Chris to live? Or maybe they'll both die instead?" his smile faded however as he looked to his left. "What do you mean what I'm doin'? I'm entertain' myself. The fuck's it look like? I know Zoe's a problem, but- what do you mean you'll handle it as usual?! Fuck her! She just doesn't understand that she wants everything to be normal before the night my father ever found y'all! You think they ain't like Hannah? Fuck it, fine! I will deal with her now if it bothers you so fuckin' much."
Chris and Ashely formed a look of confusion on their faces. "What the hell-"
Lucas turned his attention to Chris and Ashely outside the TV screen. "I have a little problem to take care of. If I were y'all, I make a choice and fast. The clock's tickin'! Tick! Tick! Tick!" he said as the saws went further down
"Ashely, don't play this guy's game. He's bluffing!"
"Chris..."
"Just don't give in to this fucker, Ash! We're gonna find a way out of here!"
"Chris..."
"We can't-"
"Chris." Ashely said as she took the gun to her hand. "We know he's not. It's either you, me, or both of us. Someone's dying either way." she then aimed at the gun toward the side of her head, seeing the shock in Chris's face. "I won't let it be you. I would rather die in order to let you live."
"Ashely, don't. Don- don't do this." he said tearing up
"I love you. I want you to know that before what happens next, happens." Ashely slowly placed her finger on the trigger and closed her eyes. "I love you, Chris."
"ASHELY!"
They suddenly heard the door burst open, catching them both off guard as Chris and Ash looked to see who it was. A familiar face wearing a red hooded jacket and gray yoga pants with black vertical lines, dark sneakers covering her feet. She rushed over to get the restraints off Ashely while another figure ran to free from his. She was pale white with dark brown hair wearing only a tank top shirt and baggy jeans. They moved the two out of the way as the saws sliced off the chairs and table in pieces, diving away as Chris and Ashely at their saviors.
"Sam!" Ashely hugged their friend, Chris joined in the embrace a second later
"Thank God you guys are safe."
"We could say the same. I'm glad you showed up in time to save our asses." Chris looked at the dark haired girl. "But who are you? Whose this?"
"You already know who I am."
Ashely stared wide eyed at her. "Wait, you're Zoe?"
"She found me tied away in the hotel that connects this asylum with the lodge, and got me out."
"Come on."
Sam stopped. "Wait, where's Josh? He's not with you guys." she asked as Chris and Ash's mood was saddened by the mention of Josh
"Josh, oh my God."
"Look, Sam... about Josh-"
"Hey!" Zoe interrupted them. "You can talk later when you get out of here. But right now, we need to go before my brother knows somethin's wrong. Come on!" the others followed her out of the greenhouse
Mike and Francesca headed for the armory first before participating in Lucas's mind games, with only half a pistol clip Francesca took from the dead park ranger. While Mike was looking for the armory, Francesca's mind on the videos she watched, primarily about the T-Blackwood Virus. This new variation of the T-Virus was apparently capable of creating a new bioweapon, one that escaped and killed a lot of innocent people because. A virus Eveline was infected with, but it seem to different results that seemed more impressive to the scientists than the Wendigo bioweapon. All of the deaths, the experiments for just some mad scientist to play god without any consequences. A touch on the shoulder stopped her train of thought, quickly glancing to see it was Mike.
"Look over there." he pointed at a portable DVD player taped to a wall, next to the armory. Mike cautiously walked toward the player as he ripped the tape off, flipping the screen up to see a sticky note that said "Play Me".
"Play it. See what's on it."
"What if it's that shithead Lucas trolling us?"
"Only one way to find out." Fran replied as she hit the play button
The beginning of the video showed Lucas dragging a poor soul into a room that connected with another, with the man revealed to be a park ranger from two years ago. They saw the man participate in Lucas's game, following every instruction to the letter to avoid certain death. However it was just cruel torment to watch, but it did showed what Mike and Francesca could expect from Lucas's challenge. The last part of the video showed the park ranger lighting the candles on the cake. Once the candles were lit, the cake suddenly exploded as the park ranger was covered in flames. Screaming in agonizing pain, his entire body being engulfed in flames as he fell to his death.
Fran gasped. "Oh, God."
"Jesus fucking Christ!" Mike swore. "Motherfucker gets a goddamn kick out of this shit. Let's load up in the armory and find the others."
"What do we do after that?"
"We deal with Lucas and get back to the lodge. Then we can look for David and Em in the morning. Or at least hope they're at the lodge by the time we get back there alive."
They entered the armory taking any weapon that was left available. A few handguns, specifically M19s and a 44 MAG. A M37 shotgun and a saw off double barrel, the latter which Mike took and armed himself with as he put the shotgun in a duffle bag while Francesca kept the park ranger's G17 pistol for now. Mike found an old olive green army jacket laying on a table and a black long sleeve turtleneck sweater strapped a grenade launcher to his back as Fran held a P19 machine gun in her hands, putting the G17 in a holster she found for a hip. Francesca stored all the ammo for the weapons in a backpack hanging by a locker, along with grabbing two mp7s. She gave Mike a hip holster for his sidearm as he equipped it while Fran strapped the backpack, nodding his head for both of them to leave after getting every ounce of ammo left. The pair took a little detour to the medical station for supplies just in case if any injuries, either they or their friends would receive before following their objective.
They arrived at the room as they were suppose to go, cautiously taking one step closer. Mike and Fran glanced at each other before they started searching around until they spotted a walk in closet, seeing a large metal valve handle hanging on the far wall. Fran pulled it down as it opened a wall leading to another room, along with a winding key hanging by. Fran took the key as Mike was the first to enter the room, only for sudden pop to make both of them jump.
"Shit!" Fran cursed. "Jesus." she and Mike looked down to see the room floor covered with balloons and the creepiest dummy clown in the far wall they had ever seen
"I'm beginning to get sick of this shit..." Mike spotted something peculiar, staring at a bigger and sturdier balloon. "Hold on." he touched the larger balloon, poking a hole in the balloon as Mike saw a quill pen inside the deflated balloon
"What's that at the end of that pen?" Fran asked, picking it up off the floor. "A finger?" she looked at the clown as she walked toward it
"Whoa, whoa." Mike firmly gripped her wrist. "We don't know what's gonna happen once we put that finger in that hand. Let's just be careful here."
Fran nodded. "Right." she put the finger in the slot of the clown's hand
Fran leaned forward with the key, shoving it in the slot of the clown's torso. She turned it several times, causing the dummy to twitch once the key began to turn in the opposite direction. A worn out ice cream truck son began to play as the dummy raised the pin, causing Fran to gasp as Mike pushed her away. It grabbed his hand instead of Fran's with its other arm as Francesca tried to pry off it's hold off of Mike once she saw it happen. Unfortunately, the grip was incredibly strong when the quill pen began to spin around at high speeds. Before they knew what was happening, Mike's wrist was pulled sideways as it was making her off balance that Fran grabbed him, trying to keep Mike stable. He then screamed when the clown dummy stabbed the drilling pen into his forearm, causing a light spray of blood to drag into his flesh. It repeated the same step twice before releasing its grip on Mike's forearm, feeling nothing but pain as the ice cream truck music stopped.
"Fuck!" Mike stumbled backwards before he fell as Francesca helped him up
She pulled down the sleeve jacket and sweater of Mike's forearm, seeing the bleeding scars as he winced in pain. "Shit. Hold on, okay?" she took out the antiseptic from the backpack, opening the cap. "This is gonna sting like a bitch." Francesca said pouring it on his cut forearm as she grunted in sharp pain. "Easy, easy, easy. Now I'm gonna bandage this is up. In the meantime, take a couple of painkillers." Francesca applied bandages to his forearm as Mike swallowed painkillers, before standing up on his feet
"This shit better be fucking over."
"I hear you. But for what it's worth, I would've been the one to-" Mike cut her off
"No, no. It's better if it's me." he assured Francesca. "Besides, chicks love scars."
"Not for scars that spell out loser." Fran mentioned jokingly as Mike looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "That's what that clown dummy wrote when it stabbed your forearm." she stated
"Okay, I changed my mind. I'm gonna shove that fucker's balls in his mouth when I get through with him. Give him a grenade launcher up the ass to boot while I'm at it." Mike declared, earning a short laugh from Francesca
"Gross, but evaluating statement. That would also be overkill." Fran spotted a five letter combination on a padlock to the dummy clown's left. "And I think we just figure out the password."
Mike scoffed before he let out a sigh. "Goddamn it." he walked over and set the letters on the combination. "Well, now what?"
A set of lights shined on Mike and Fran as they stared at cake set on a table in the third room in front of them. In the room was a candle holding on the wall with a sign that said "Light the birthday cake!", Fran took the candle and walked toward the birthday cake. She slowly leaned the candle toward the birthday candles. Once the candles were lit, nothing happened for a couple of seconds until the cake exploded. Sent flying back by fire and force, Mike and Francesca were down on the floor. They quickly hurried off the floor, scooting by the wall and sat up for the unexpected to happen. However, it never happened. The scattering flames fizzled out on their own in a few seconds, leaving both Mike and Fran stunned with no idea what to do next.
"Are you alright?"
Fran nodded as Mike helped her up off the floor. "Yeah. I'm fine, Mike."
"Motherfuckers! YOU'RE SUPPOSE TO DIE!" said the furious voice of Lucas Baker on the intercom
"Next time, don't leave any fucking clues lying around for someone to find! You goddamn dickhead!" Mike retorted back in a shout, as a pack of dynamite dropped down on the floor in front of them from the ceiling. "Shit, shit, shit! It's timed!"
"Wait!" Francesca pointed at the hole in the wall. "Put it over there! Quick!"
Mike grabbed the time bomb and set it inside the hole in the wall in their direction, as he and Francesca made a run for it and took cover. The bomb exploded destroying the wall as it laid to another room, which was completely empty aside from an old hospital bed covered in cuts and worn out. They exited the room and walked in the hallway leading up a kitchen area, crouching down as they saw a shadowy figure leaving the kitchen. Mike pulled out the saw off shotgun while Fran brought out the M19 from her holster as they walked toward the figure slowly. Being completely silent and not making a sound, Mike went forward first as he kept the shotgun aimed at the figure nearby.
Before they could get even closer, Mike accidentally kicked a can to his left causing the mysterious figure to run out of the cafeteria. Behind them were walking human corpses that made their presence known to Mike and Francesca. A shadow peeked out of the kitchen door before fleeing away once the small distraction was over. Francesca and Mike ran out after the distraction as they followed every path the mysterious person went, seeing a glimpse of them running outside. They followed the figure outside, seeing a door to the church closed as Mike and Fran cautiously proceeded to enter the church.
Mike was about to go inside the church first, but Fran beat him to it as she stepped inside while he followed after her. They had their guns aimed steadily, as they surveyed the church but remained alert of their culprit. Fran looked at Mike and he did the same before they heard a sound coming from the right of the church pew, leaving Mike to move up ahead of her as he aimed at the source of the sound. In his wary predicament, Mike flashed a light at the pew only to see it empty. Before he could check the next pew, Francesca was grabbed from behind by Lucas catching the two off guard. He held a syringe that was near to Francesca's neck, as Mike aimed at Lucas's face waiting for an empty to present itself.
"Easy there, Mikey. No funny ideas, now. Ya hear?" he said in a sinister and sadistic tone. "How did y'all get help, huh? From my sister, that fuckin' cunt?"
"Lucas, I swear to fucking God if you hurt her-" he threatened before Lucas cut him off, making a "tsk" sound three times while wagging his finger
"Now, why would I ever want to hurt this saucy little number for?" he tauntingly replied, slowly licking Francesca on her cheek. "I got plans for her and some of yer lady friends. I didn't buy all those maid and nurse's outfits for nothin'."
Fran groaned in disgust. "Mike, just shoot this fucker!" she pleaded, side glaring at Lucas
"Ah, ah, ah. I don't want to hurt ya, Frannie. Can I call ya Frannie?" he stopped her from responding as he kept her hostage, while taking a step toward the stairs
"How about no, you fucking psycho!" she screamed in fury
Lucas smacked his lips as a wide evil grin formed. "Quite the mouth on you, girl. How about we put that to use when we're done here."
"I'm dead serious, Lucas. If you hurt her or do anything whatsoever, I will fucking kill you where you goddamn stand." Mike scowled, glaring at Lucas who only laughed
"What's this? Yer little tough guy act, huh? How you gonna kill me, Mike? Happily blow my brains out all over this church? Burn little ol' me to the stake? Or do ya got a little somethin' else in mind?" He interjected in a demeaning and condescending tone. "You fire off a shot of that small double barrel of yours and you'll splatter Francesca's pretty little head off too. I can come back from that, no problem. But Frannie on the other hand..."
"Mike, take the shot!" Francesca said, struggling to break free from Lucas's surprisingly strong grip on her. "I don't care if I die! If this prick does anything to me, it'll be a fate worse than death!"
Mike lowered the shotgun once he saw someone in the shadows, someone familiar. "I can't do that, Fran." he looked behind them before glaring directly at Lucas. "Not yet, anyway." he muttered under his breath
"What the hell are you-"
Before Lucas can finish that sentence, he was suddenly hit in the head from behind causing him to lose his hold on Francesca as he received another blow across the forehead. The attacker was Sam as he lunged another hit toward Lucas, only for the Baker scion to grab her by the neck and held her up before throwing her aside a pew. Francesca helped Sam while Mike took a shot at Lucas, but dived left out of the way as he ran up the stairs to the second floor with Mike running after him. By the time he did however, he saw Lucas being thrown back to a wall making a crack in the process. He aimed his shotgun at whatever sent Lucas flying, seeing the attacker revealing to be a short haired woman with pale white skin. Before Mike did anything, Chris and Ashely jumped beside the woman stopping him.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy, Mike. She helped us. This is Zoe." Chris assured
"She saved us from her brother! She's a friend!" Ashely added as Mike glanced over his shoulder to see Francesca and Sam walk behind him. "Fran..."
"You alright?" Mike asked Fran
"Yeah, I'm fine." she assured as Fran looked up at Chris and Ashely . "Thank God we finally found you guys."
"Same goes for you. Now, come on up."
Mike and Fran grabbed the concussed Lucas as his sister Zoe bind his wrists together, dragging him near a pew. While they were keeping Lucas confided and tied to a rail, Zoe walked over to a machine... which housed a severed head and arm inside the machine itself. She started up the sequencer machine, as the severed off head and arm began to dissolve and liquefy until a red light beeped. Once the machine was finished, it dispensed two large syringes showing a strange brown liquid inside as Zoe grabbed them while Francesca looked around the church. She noticed Sam, Chris, and Ashely were here with her and Mike. However, there was one other thing. Someone that wasn't with them.
"Guys..." all three turned to Francesca. "Where's Josh?"
The relieved mood suddenly changed after Fran asked them that question as Chris looked away hiding his face. Sam looking down and Ashely covered her mouth, nearly in tears regretfully thinking about what fate awaited Josh. Mike noticed the expression on their faces, knowing full well what had happened to Josh but begrudgingly hope it was not true for Francesca's sake.
Chris decided to break the silence. "Fran..." he trailed off, unsure of what to say
"Guys... where the hell is Josh?" Mike queried firmly, only to hear Lucas cackled sadistically as he eyed the group
"Would ya like ta know." he said mockingly
"Shut up." Fran muttered under her breath
Lucas eyed Fran tauntingly, forming a shit eating grin. "Aw, come on. Don't ya wanna know what happen to yer boyfriend?"
Fran gripped the pistol in her hip holster. "Shut. Up." she snarled, now glaring at Lucas
"If only ya coulda seen him. Begging for sweet life itself. Just... tore up in half about the whole thing." Lucas taunted as Sam saw Ashely have a mortified expression while Chris was trying to keep his composure
Fran furiously walked over to Lucas and pulled out the handgun angrily. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!"
"I wonder what's going on with your friends right now. David and Emily running away from God knows what, and Mattie boy's probably just... hanging around somewhere." Lucas then formed a sinister grin as he looked at Mike. "And what about Jessica? I mean, you were the last one with her, Mikey boy." he taunted, taking delight in seeing Mike ball his fist. "You were so close to givin' her a road to the bone zone. But then, the ultimate cockblock happened and ya lost her for good."
"Jessica and Josh are dead, along with anyone else you might've killed. And you're gonna fucking pay for what you done to them, you dick!" Mike pistol whipped Lucas in the head a couple of times as he fell to the floor unconscious. "Alright, you guys head back to the lodge and we'll haul this piece of shit to the-"
Ashely looked wide eyed at what was behind Mike as did the rest, scooting to the far back near the stairs. Mike slowly turned around and gave a horrified expression at what he saw, seeing what was staring at all of them. A monstrous gigantic face looking at the group through the interior window, taking up a row of windows as its eyes were a combination red and yellow. Its skin black resembling the mold Mike and Fran encountered, only more hardened. The monster swung its arm at the window as it pulverized the entire wall, leaving the others to quickly head downstairs once the second floor started crumbling down. Mike was suddenly upside down as the monster stared him in the eyes, while the others now on the first floor saw the creature staring at them with eyes on the lower body.
"What the fuck is that?!" Chris shouted in shock
"Shit! It's my father!" Zoe answered, frantically in horror. "Get out of here, now! GO!"
"Zoe!" Jack's booming and monstrous voice was heard. "You and Lucas get your asses back in the sanatorium! I will deal with you later!" he then tossed Mike toward the stairs of the church as he fell downward
Fran ran to Mike's aid, catching the eyes of the mutated Jack. "Where do you think yer goin', girl?" he demanded covered the path to Mike with his monstrous body. "You really think yer gonna get out of here that easily?"
Fran aimed the G17 and fired a few shots at the monster sized Jack, having no affect on him at all as he swung his arm at Fran. She dived under a pew, away from the incoming arm as the park ranger pistol was smashed to pieces. Francesca dashed toward to Mike's aid, seeing an incoming arm swing her way as she ducked down. She was near the stairs as Fran felt something grab her leg, dragging her away from coming to Mike's aid before being slammed to a wall. Francesca saw all of the mutated Jack's eyes staring at her, then back at Mike.
"Why are you tryin' to save him for, Francesca? You know what he did to you." the abomination said, lifting Mike up with its other arm as she saw Chris moving toward the M37 shotgun from the duffle bag. "He's responsible for what happened to your friend, Beth. Played a goddamn prank on her poor sister, even post it on video. Broke that girl's heart. The same goes for those involved." it then stared deadly at Mike. "Did ya ever regret what you did to her, son? Did ya, Michael? Taking a part in that prank? Do you feel anythin' at all, I wonder."
"How do you know about Hannah? What did you do to her?!" Francesca demanded
"I did nothing, child. That poor girl... you have no idea what she went through. No idea what she had to do in order to survive." the mutated monster brought Francesca near to its face, bringing Mike closer to it as well. "But don't worry. All of us are gonna be whole. Like a family... all of us are gonna be a big happy family for Evie."
The mutated Baker monster screamed when one of its eyes was hit from behind by Chris, dropping both Mike and Francesca from its grasp. It furiously roared at Chris as it swung its arm towards him, swatting him across a pew. Mike made a beeline for the duffle bag to grab the grenade launcher, avoiding the incoming swipes from Jack's arms as he was in near reach of the duffle. Unfortunately for Mike, he was sent flying across a wall toward the window as Jack grabbed his foot and dragged him back toward him. Before Mike could be face first to the Baker monster, a grenade shell hit its face causing it to lose control of Mike's foot. The creature's remaining eyes stared at its attacker, shocking all three present that was it Sam as she fired another shot from the grenade launcher. However, she was inexperienced in using the weapon as she fell on her ass and dropped the launcher.
"I think that's a little bit hard for you to handle, girl." An elongating arm stretched out and grabbed Sam by the leg, lifting her up. "Samantha, Samantha. I expected better from you, child. Saving Mike? For what? Why? You know what he did to Hannah. How he, Emily, and Jessica humiliated her. Don't worry, we're gonna correct that problem."
Here!" Zoe tossed the syringe to Sam who manage to catch it in time. "Use the serum on him!"
"What good will that do against your father?" Sam asked
"Just do it!" Zoe interjected as her mutated father swatted her away
Sam injected the syringe near its biggest eye, jamming it directly into his side and pushed the plunger as hard as she can. The effect was instantaneous as Jack's grip on Sam's leg was loosened and releasing her while the monster roared, with Mike and Francesca getting her and Chris out of the church. Its body began to change, slowly becoming stiff and hard while being coated with a strange whiteness the group except for Zoe none of them has seen. A giant hand broke out of the church as the creature stopped roaring, the whiteness continuing to spread throughout its body.
"Ooooohhhhh... That feels nice. Looks like I'm finally about to meet my maker. Sweet death at last. I'm finally free. Zoe..." Jack trailed as the whiteness finished spreading. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart." it finished as its body calcified and crumbled, colliding with the snowy ground
"The serum... what did it do to him?" Francesca asked as Ashely helped her off the ground
"That syringe's for low-level infections. Since my father's infection was at this stage of his transformation, it was sudden death for him from the start due to long term exposure." Zoe explained
Mike gasped staring at the deceased Jack Baker. "Holy shit."
Sam looked over to Zoe. "I'm sorry, Zoe. I know he was a monster, but he was still your father."
"It's alright." she brought out the other serum and she was shocked to see it was damaged when her father struck. "No, no, no! It's destroyed! I needed it to-" A sharp pain ached inside her cutting off her own sentence. "EVIE! Evie, please! I..." Zoe's body began to calcify as her entire body was covered in front of the group's eyes, widening with a mixture of horror and shock
"Jesus, what the- what the hell happened to her?!" Chris interjected still in shock
"The same thing that happen to Jack, but she's not..." Sam trailed staring at the calcified Zoe Baker. "Breaking down like her dad." Sam concluded
"Maybe she's a different case since she didn't flake out like her dad." Fran theorized. "It may be because of how long the infection spread between her and her family."
"Come on, it's time we got back to the lodge." Mike declared. "We should check and see if the others made it."
Ashely asked what was everyone's mind as her and the others stared coldly at the unconscious Lucas. "What about him?"
Chris and Mike were escorted Lucas to an old shed that was a few yards away from the Washington Lodge. Sam, Ashely, and Francesca stayed there in case there was a possibility that anyone such as David, Matt, or Emily made it back. Mike knew he had to be the one to keep an eye on Lucas. It wasn't that he didn't trust Fran, it was the fact of what would happen instead. Either Lucas would do something heinous to her or Francesca could snap at any moment. In either case, Mike did not want to give the man any satisfaction regarding both the former and latter. Mike continue to push Lucas further down the path to the shed, his hands bound tight.
"Fucking so-cal little shits!" he viciously spat. "Do you know who y'all fuckin' with, huh!? I own ALL OF YOU! YA AIN'T NOTHIN'!"
Lucas received a quick right hook across his face from Chris, causing the Baker son to kneel on the snowy ground. "Why did you hit her, huh? Why did you have to fucking hit her, you piece of shit?!"
"I don't have to explain shit to you, boy!" Lucas retorted, glaring at Chris. "That redheaded bitch shoulda known better! Where the hell you two shitheads plan on taking me anyway?"
"We're locking you up, asshole." Mike answered giving Lucas a shove
"You're "Locking me up", huh? Yer gonna leave me here for five-o to come get me? Little wannabe mystery gang? Y'all don't even have a fucking animal as yer goddamn mascot. Couldn't get a dog? A wolf? A honey badger? Not even a goddamn squirrel?" Lucas taunted as Chris and Mike led him toward the shed. "That's gotta be the worst fucking plan ever! Think you got it all figured out, do ya? Ya'll only wasting your time trying to-"
This angered Mike even further, causing him to pin Lucas to the cold and dirt covered ground while keeping his arm in a tight grip. He put enough force in Lucas's arm to twist his wrist as the Baker scion grunted in agony.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Mike said sarcastically taunting Lucas. "Did that hurt? Right there, huh? Does that hurt, Lucas? Oh God, I am SO SORRY."
"You gonna fucking get yours, Munroe! I don't even know why the hell Hannah wasted her goddamn time pining for you!" Lucas formed a sinister grin as he side glanced at Mike. "Back then I give that girl the good fucking of a lifetime, and she still thought about ya. While you were gettin' yer dick wet for Emily, I had some fun with that lovely fuck toy."
"Shut up."
"Hell now that I think of it, I don't even know why Jessica wasted her time on you either. YA DONE FUCKED UP THERE ON BOTH COUNTS, MIKEY BOY!" Lucas licked his lips as Mike and Chris pulled him up, taking him towards the shed. "And now, you want a piece of that Latina beauty. Yer like a goddamn bike, boy. You just think everybody wants a ride on ya."
Mike and Chris forcibly sat Lucas down on a stool in the shed, tying his arms behind his back.
"Oh, just stuff already." Chris said irritated. "You're the biggest coward here, Lucas."
"I'm the coward? This coming from the man who let his best buddy get killed all for some girl to give 'em some head. A girl who'd friend zoned his sorry ass for not makin' the first move." He snarled tauntingly at Chris, before sending a sadistic grin toward him. "Oh, Ashely I never thought in my wildest dreams that you'd ever love me."
"Stop."
Lucas made kissing noises, taunting Chris even further. "That's the sound of never kissing Ashely, you pussy! The sound of you never getting to fuck her in bed either! Time to say bye bye to the bone zone, boy!"
"Stop it, goddamn it!" Chris exclaimed grabbing a 2x4 from his right
"You might as well just let David- or hell even better yet, let Mike here have a better chance at plowing her. I mean at least the boy here got some notches in his belt! He'll treat her JUST RIGHT!" He mocked giving off vulgar pelvic thrusts forward in front of them. "YOU'RE FUCKING PATHETIC, CHRISTOPHER! Just a little pussy who can't do shit where it counts the most!"
Chris took a few steps closer to Lucas. "I'm about to beat this bastard's head on!"
Mike held Chris back from Lucas as he moved him a couple inches away. "Don't listen to him, man. He's not worth it."
"So…" Lucas trailed off grinning wildly at Mike. "Michael. Mike. Mikey Mike! MIKE!"
"What?" Mike said, mildly irritated at Lucas
"What really did ever happen to Jess? Huh, Michael?" he asked in a cackle
Mike coldly glared at Lucas and scowled. "You know what happen."
"Ah, no I really don't know. You see, Michael… I don't recall ever killing your girlfriend. Or is it ex-girlfriend now? Dead ex-girlfriend? That girl… she looked so soft, a tight bod. Along with a smokin' piece of ass that probably wouldn't quit in that guest cabin. Those cameras... they don't even do it justice, man. A helluva waste to go."
Mike violently pointed the barrel of the gun at Lucas's head. "Shut your fucking mouth!"
"What you gonna do? Shoot me? You know I'm can't be killed that easy, you dumb fucks!" Lucas then sneered at Mike and Chris. "Neither of ya'll have the fucking balls to get ruthless when it matters, none of you. Especially you Christopher. I figured that out when you saved Ashely instead of Joshey boy just in the hopes of gettin' some pussy. I made you kill your best friend to save a life on the off chance you'd get laid! And you couldn't do anything when I knock ya on yer ass … no matter how many times Ashely kept screaming "help me Chris!" when I was having my way with her, you couldn't do nothin'." a sadistic smile crept on Lucas's face as he chuckled at Chris who only tightly gripped the 2x4 in his hand. "There you were. Knocked out cold. Deep down, you're hopeless and pathetic. Just like Josh-"
Chris repeatedly bashed Lucas's head on with a 2x4. "You son of a bitch!" he snapped hitting him repeatedly
Mike grabbed Chris from behind and began to hold him back from Lucas. "Chris, Chris! Stop! Chill out already, dude!"
"I'm sorry, okay?! This guy… he killed Josh! I wanted to-"
"I know, believe me. I want this piece of shit dead as much as you do right now, but we need to keep this fucker alive so the police or whoever can deal with him. On a plus side, at least he's quiet now." Mike glared at an unconscious Lucas, before turning back to Chris. "Go back to the lodge."
Chris was taken aback. "What? Why?"
"I'm gonna keep an eye on him until morning." Mike replied. "And I don't need you beating on him every two minutes."
Chris sighed in disbelief. "Dude."
"Go back to the lodge, Chris. Now."
"What about David and Emily? They're still out there with God knows what." Chris interjected
"Which is why I'm sending you back to the lodge to check in on the others. I need you to see if they made it back and make sure everyone's still safe."
"What if David and Emily aren't even there?"
"If they're not there… then we'll look for them when help arrives, or hope to God they at least make it back alive on their own."