'Crap! It's awake! Oh please Claire don't-'
"That sounds familiar..." Claire said to no one in particular.
Clickclickclickclickclick
"Oh well. Let's just-" Claire began.
Both of them froze at the sound¾something between a hiss and a growl. Leon and Claire looked up just in time to see a Licker scream, drop from the ceiling, and pounce on Claire, sending her Grenade Launcher clattering to the floor.
Nothing went through Leon's mind at this point except, 'Claire!'
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Resident Evil
Silver Blood
By: Xenogears
Chapter four
In no way do I own the characters of Capcom's legacy, Resident Evil. These characters are used for no-profit purposes, only for entertainment.
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'What are you doing?! Leon's mind screamed .'Act!
Without thinking he aimed at the monster and fired, not realizing until after pulling the trigger, that if he aimed wrong he could hit Claire.
BLAM!
Fortunately, he hit the Licker's arm that was in the air, poised to strike. The body part was instantly severed from the thing, and went flying into the wall, while the Licker tumbled off Claire, trying to regain its balance. Claire quickly recovered and grabbed her weapon.
Pomph!
A sulfuric acid grenade came hurling at the creature. When it hit its target, it leaked the deadly substance onto the Licker, melting away its skin. In a moment it was dying, screaming a bone-shaking cry.
Leon and Claire stood in place for what seemed like minutes.
"My...god...I can't believe that those things are still in production!" Claire exclaimed as she loaded an explosive grenade into her launcher.
"Yeah...um...sorry for...not acting sooner." Leon said as he lowered his head.
Claire walked up to him and perked his chin up with her hand.
"It's all right. You saved my life. That's all that counts."
She turned around and walked down the stairs. Leon just stood there for awhile, then he followed Claire down the stairs..
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"Jeez. Nothing here either," Ryan said to himself.
Meanwhile, back on the first floor:
Chris and Ryan were exploring a sleeping quarters. Multiple bunk beds were against the wall. That was the only clean thing about the room. The place was ransacked; bed sheets were crumpled, tossed aside, (some even had a few dead bodies on them), papers were scattered everywhere, food was strewn around, there was blood on the walls, and among other things covering the floor were several 9mm brass casings and a few dead bodies.
"Huh," Chris reflected. "I wonder what happened here?"
"Well, some of the corpses look like they're rotting...zombies."
"If everyone else is dead, then who took care of them?"
Silence.
Ryan explored the room a little, but found nothing new.
"Hey!" Chris said. "I found what looks like a journal of some kind."
Ryan hustled over to Chris's side and read the text.
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Diary of Claude Harrinson
Oct. 10, 1998
By now, everyone is talking about the destruction of Raccoon City eight days ago. I mean, two of our labs, gone! Just like that! While the destruction of the first one was Dr. Birkin's fault, the destruction of the second (not to mention the whole city) was done by Umbrella. And that Nemesis project¾ ten scientists' lives were lost in vain. Nemesis escaped, but with his mission still intact in his brain. He was sent to kill any S.T.A.R.S. members left in Raccoon. From what I hear, one of them was killed, but the other, Jane or Jill or something, escaped, AND killed Nemesis in the process. What a waste.
Dec. 1, 1998
We just received word today that the lab off the coast of the U.K. was lost, along with the leader of the base, Vincent, all done by a single man. Ark Thompson. I pray for that man's safety, 'cause once you're added to the Umbrella 'Black List', you're going to die.
Jan. 12, 1999
Now the Trinity base and the Antarctic labs were lost! What the hell is going on here?! A rival company of ours attacked the base, but there are so many, it's hard to tell which one. The Antarctic was lost thanks to the actions of the Redfields, Chris and Claire, two of Umbrella's most wanted. While we don't know where Jill Valentine, Barry Burton, Rebecca Chambers, and Leon Kennedy are, we got a pretty good idea of where the Redfields are hiding out. The boy's back in Paris, (where they captured Claire Redfield and transferred her to Trinity) didn't give the green to go after them. I wonder what those bastards got up their sleeves?
Jan. 19, 1999
I played a game of chess with Alex Hartford down in B.O.W. research. He told me that HQ approved the use of the new S-Virus, and the ultimate product of it, Silver Blood. He seemed very excited about it. I, on the other hand, am not. I mean, we already got enough of those monsters running around. Do we really need more?
Feb. 21, 1999
The new Silver Blood creature just got through its final growth stage today. Its power is about ten times that of a Tyrant, and its growth rate is faster than that I have ever seen of any mammal...actually, I wouldn't classify it as a mammal. More like a Thin Golem. Alex was thinking of letting it out, until a phone call from Vincent Johnson sent that idea down the crapper. He said, "Save it for when we really need it." When Alex told him about the importance of a test run, Vincent asked him if he had faith in his product or not. That shut Alex up, and Silver Blood was put in Gyro Stasis.
Feb. 31, 1999
Charlie in the weapon department has finished with a new weapon. He calls it the Pulse Rifle. It's a special gun that magnifies the light that can be shown through a crystal, and makes it into a lazer. (Suddenly I feel like I'm in an episode of Star Trek...) The weapon is so powerful, that it can kill Silver Blood with about thirty seconds of continuous fire. It was placed in the main control room on floor B14. Oh yeah. Just our luck, the elevator broke down, and so we gotta take the stairs from now on.
Mar. 4, 1999
Yesterday, that idiot Mark from Bioengineering on B14 spilled a container of the T-virus. It spread from levels B14 to B9, and the ventilation ducts were cut off for the whole day. Everyone on B8 and up were tested for T infection, and turned out okay. However, over half our staff was down there at the time. That's about 250 flesh-eating zombies to worry about. We should hear them knocking on the doors in about three days.
Mar. 7, 1999
We were told to stay until help arrives. Well, our only help was Vincent calling, saying to release the B.O.W.'s for help in exterminating the Zombies. Though there was some protest at first, the B.O.W.'s were released. All except for Silver Blood that is. Is Vincent trying to turn us into some sort of testing facility?
Mar. 9, 1999
Alex came and woke me up today with a gun in his hand. At first I thought he was going to shoot me, but then I saw that the room was arranged like a barricade, and everyone was armed with a firearm. He told me that the doors were unlocked, and the vent ducts opened, so now we were surrounded. He handed me an M92F, and said good luck. I hope my time in the NRA comes to use here...
The next entry was scribbled in frantically.
Mar. 10, 1999
The monsters broke through the barricade. While no strong B.O.W's were spotted, the Zombies were our welcome guests. Alex was screaming to aim for the head, but almost no one was listening. I saw Dave get cornered and eaten by one of those things, screaming to the very end. I almost tossed my breakfast when I saw his heart fly and hit the wall next to me. I went berserk, and fired at the Zombies. Ten seconds later, it was all over. I got to see what was left of Dave, and there wasn't much. We were forced to shoot anyone that was too badly wounded. After that, we decided to end this. Alex and anyone else left alive tried to get to the main control room to set up the self-destruct. I hope he gets to it in time. The system may take the whole city, with the labs, but it would be over run by zombies anyway. Everyone followed him, but I stayed behind. I can't take this anymore... this is Claude Harrinson, signing off.
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The rest of the page was splattered with blood. 'Probably shot himself...in the head, I hope...' Ryan thought. He looked around the room, and for the first time he saw the corpse of a man hunched in a corner. There was a hole in his head, and his chest was ripped open. The Zombies had gotten to the body.
"Think I'll file this." Ryan said as he placed the diary in his backpack.
"Nothing else of use here," Chris said. "Let's go."
Just as he finished the sentence, he heard a rustling noise from the bunk beds. Both of their hearts skipped a beat and they whirled around, pistols ready. They found nothing. Everything looked as it had when they came into the room. 'I don't like this at all,' Ryan thought.
Ryan turned for the door once again, and heard a noise. This time however, it was a very distinctive moan. 'What the hell...?' Ryan thought. Tightly gripping his .380, he scanned the room. The moans became louder, and Ryan looked around to see that the corpses were rising from the floor all around them.
"Damnit!" Chris loudly cursed.
Chris quickly took out the ones closest to them, but there were still about fifteen more. He looked at Ryan to see he aiming his gun at the zombies, but not firing. His gun wasn't jammed. He was panicking.
"Come on! Aim for the head!" Chris shouted once again. Ryan didn't seem to hear him, for he just kept swinging his gun around. 'I KNEW something like this was goin to happen!' Chris thought.
Chris shot the three zombies closing in on Ryan, and just managed to take down the ones coming toward him.
"Ryan! Help me out, or we may not survive!"
Ryan snapped to attention.
Powpowpowpow!
Three more zombies bit the dust. The other one Ryan was aiming at got hit in the stomach, unfazed. Chris finished that one off. Four shots later, the room was cleared.
"Jeez! What the hell were you thinking? You could've got us killed!" Chris shouted at Ryan.
"Sorry. I was just afraid. You have to admit that you felt the same way when you capped your first zombie, right?"
"Yeah, but I didn't think. I just shot the damn thing, and because of that, I'm still alive here today."
They said nothing more as they left the room.
=======================================================================
Meanwhile, Floor B2...
Leon and Claire had wandered into the meeting room. It was big. Big enough to hold about seventy-five people at one large rectangular table. The walls were made of red brick. There was a projector at the head of the table, pointed toward a projection screen. The only thing that was unsettling about the room was the zombie hunched over a body that lay on the table, eating it. Claire could clearly see intestine being pulled out of the body. Wasting no time, she quickly shot at it with her M93R, hitting it in the right shoulder. The zombie flinched, and rose.
"Nice shot," Leon said, dripping with sarcasm. He sighed and calmly aimed his Desert Eagle.
BLAM!
The round hit the zombie square in the chest, and with a loud crack, the spine broke. The brain must have taken some damage too, because the zombie didn't rise again.
Now the once semi-clean room was doused with blood.
"Forgot how sick doing that was." Leon remarked as he wiped some blood away from his face. He took out a handkerchief, and after cleaning his own face, he offered the cloth to Claire.
"What do you mean, 'forgot'? Anyone with common knowledge of ammo would know that a .50 caliber slug would make a big mess."
Leon checked his ammo.
'Four clips left...that's twenty-eight rounds. I better save this for when I need it.' Leon holstered his Magnum and brought out his H&KVP70.
After finding nothing else of use in the room, they exited into the hall. The hall was identical to the one on the first floor, except it was messier. There were human bodies and blood everywhere, and two Lickers were sprawled out on the floor. Leon remembered taking care of them when he went to the labs with Vincent. Almost cost him his life.
Taking the room closest to the conference room, they found a small room labeled: 'B.O.W endurance testing'. The room contained many cylindrical glass containers. In them were Hunters, Lickers, and other creatures that both did not recognize. The one that caught their attention was the one labeled 'Golem'. The 'Golem' looked like a four-foot muscular human body with silver skin. With the exception of the mouth and ears, it had no face to speak of, and also had no genitals. Leon and Claire decided to leave it alone, not wanting another nasty surprise.
'Man. This room gives me the creeps.' Claire thought. 'What am I saying? This whole CITY gives me the creeps.'
Looking through a desk in the upper left-hand corner of the room, she found something very interesting.
"Leon," she called out. "Check this out."
Claire produced a few sheets of paper, and read the files out loud.
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UMBRELLA B.O.W'S CURRENTLY IN USE
Zombie
Usefulness: 5/20
A former human, now one of the living dead. Zombies can be created through infection of a human being with the T-Virus. The mutation time is anywhere from five hours to three weeks. Zombies aren't very dangerous, as long as they are far away. The only way to kill a Zombie is puncture of the brain, or complete decapitation. A pushover when alone, mildly dangerous when in groups (if you are a good marksman, that is).
Cerebus
Usefulness: 8/20
Also known as 'Hell Hounds' and 'Zombie Dogs,' the Cerebus is exactly that; a zombie dog. The cell degeneration/mutation time is shorter than a zombie's, because the cells' mutation stops at a certain point, giving the animal a thirst for blood, and the speed of a K-9. However, a simple shock, such as a bullet wound, will knock the animal to the ground, giving the prey enough time to destroy the head. Not very dangerous alone, but don't get cornered by three or four.
Licker
Usefulness: 15/20
The result of a zombie injected with the T-Virus. Fast and deadly, the Licker is a great adversary. Its aggressiveness depends on its hunger. When on a full stomach, it will usually just run away, but when hungry, it will attack until routed. The only drawbacks of the Licker are the exposed brain tissue, and the metabolic rate, which is three times that of a normal 16-year-old human male. A worthy threat when alone, deadly when in packs.
Tarantula
Usefulness: 6/20
A Tarantula spider injected with the T-Virus. Not much is to be said about the Tarantulas. They can climb on walls without effort, like the Lickers, and can spit poison fluid, but their footsteps can distinctly be heard as a soft thump. They tend to pause when attacking prey. You can easily get by them by running. Not very deadly alone, or in packs.
Hunter (Alpha, Beta, Gamma)
Usefulness: 17/20
The most useful B.O.W tested, with the exception of the Tyrant series. Hunters are created when a human is injected with the T-Virus- infected genes of a frog or toad. Hunters are even more deadly than Lickers, which you can see just by looking at them. They have a surprisingly low metabolic rate, so they usually just kill for the fun of it. Really the only weakness of the Hunter is the fact that they tend to stop and scream, giving a person more than enough time to shoot them, and that they tend to kill and eat their own kind. Deadly when alone, but when you're faced with more than two or three, it will be a miracle if you survive.
Tyrant
Usefulness: 18/20
One of the most effective B.O.W's that we have created, the Tyrant is a work of art. The Tyrant is aggressive, feels no pain, and never stops pursuing its target until death of the target, or itself. The Tyrant is a force to be reckoned with, but it truly shines in the endurance department. It's so strong in that retrospect, that simple shots to the head will not kill a Tyrant, even with .50 rounds. The only proven way to kill a Tyrant is through the use of a Rocket Launcher.
Nemesis
Usefulness: Unknown. (Not tested)
The Nemesis creature escaped from captivity before test runs could begin. Idiotically, the researches placed in its brain the program to seek out and kill the S.T.A.R.S and destroy anything that gets in its way, before even the tests could begin. Because of that, no real data can be given on Nemesis.
Craw
Usefulness: Unknown. (Not tested)
The interesting thing about the Craw is how it is created. When the T-Virus is injected into a severed claw of a Lobster, the virus actually seals up the wounds, mutates it, then makes a brain five feet away from the claw (inside the shell). Other noticeable features are: The Pincher grows to three feet, the teeth become razor sharp, the Craw grows caterpillar-like feet, and a large eye grows in the center of the creature. Tests are still under way.
Bandersnatcher
Usefulness: 10/20
At first thought to be a failure of a Tyrant, we were soon proved wrong. The Bandersnatcher is simply a Tyrant experiment gone wrong. The thing about the Bander that got our attention was the long rubber-like arm that could be extended to 35 feet, and the ability to grapple onto any surface without error. The only bad thing about the Bander is that it lost out on the traits that it would have gained if it were a Tyrant. The endurance and strength are weakened, and the 'feel no pain' ability is gone, but the no-fear factor still remains. Slightly deadly when alone, but very deadly when in groups of two or more.
Golem
Usefulness: Unknown. (Not tested)
The Golem is the step-down from the Silver Blood. The Golem looks exactly like the Silver Blood, except for the fact that it has no claws, only hands, so it can only attack through the use of martial arts. The Golem has however proven to be very intelligent, with a human IQ of 200. That intelligence leads the Golem to be less savage, so it will only attack when it has been made angry, or some one has invaded its titertory. The Golem stands at a minimal of 3' 5'', and 235 pounds.
Sliver Blood
Usefulness: Unknown. (Not tested)
Believed to be the ultimate B.O.W, the Silver Blood is a one of a kind creature. Unlike the Tyrants who are usually made to be alike, each Silver Blood is made to be unique. (Although there is only one in existence) The one thing that all Silver Blood's will have in common, are the claws on both hands. The claws can be extended to five feet, then retract and return into hands. The Silver Blood can reach speeds of 0-60 in 7.35 seconds, and is very savage. Just like the Hunter, it will kill just for the thrill, and then even eat its prey when on a full stomach. The only weapon that is thought to be even the slightest bit effective against the Silver Blood is the newly made Pulse Rifle.
END DOCUMENT
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"Jeez," Leon marveled. "There are a lot more creatures made by Umbrella than we thought."
Leon filed the report using a folder in a desk in the northwest corner of the room. After that, they continued down the hall, which led to a steel blast door with a keypad on the right-hand side. Of course it was locked. Leon considered using his Umbrella ID card, but then he remembered whom he was with.
'No,' he thought. 'I don't want my cover blown just yet.'
Claire fiddled with the wiring, trying to unlock it, but to no avail. After that, they decided to leave, agreeing that they had done enough for one day. They met Chris and Ryan on the first floor, and arrived at the gates. Suddenly, hearing voices behind the door, they stopped short.
"Are you sure?" One voice said.
"Yes sir!" Another voice said. "I swear I saw them! The Redfields, that Davidson kid, and one other guy."
'Good,' Leon thought. 'They don't know who I am.'
"Okay, it looks like we're going on a man hunt." The commanding officer said. The sound of weapons cocking could be heard.
"Perfect! What the hell are we going to do now?" Ryan whispered. "Ten to one, they're wearing Kevlar vests."
"Just aim low," Chris whispered back. "It sounds like there are only four guards outside, and I bet you that they aren't expecting us to be here, and so they'll be aiming high."
The Umbrella "terrorists" hid in the back of the room, got on one knee, and aimed with their pistols at the door. Shortly after, the four guards came through the door. It all happened in just five seconds, but to Leon, it was all in slow motion. Leon, Claire, Chris, and Ryan started to fire at the guards' legs, and sent them to the ground. Three of them were dead due to some careful aiming on the part of Chris. After the whole fray, Leon calmly walked over to the last guard, and bent down over him.
"Hey!...You're...Leon Kenn...edy...Why are you...siding with them? I thought-"
Leon knew what he was going to say next, so without thinking, he quickly shot the guard in the head.
"Leon! Why did you shoot him?!" Claire asked in alarm. "We could've got some info out of him!"
Leon frantically looked around for an excuse. His eyes saw that the guard's hand was close to his holstered pistol.
"He...he was going for his side arm. I had no choice, unless you wanted him to shoot you," Leon responded, trying not to show his fear.
Claire thought for a moment.
"...Whatever. Let's just get back, okay?" She said.
Final note: For those of you who noticed Vincent, I've got to say this: HE HAS NO RELATION WHATSOEVER TO THE VINCENT OF RESIDENT EVIL: SURVIVOR. Thank you.
Draft: 9/27/00
Final: 10/22/00