Kaplan's Death
Chad Kaplan had never been so terrified in his whole life. If someone had told him yesterday that a monster with a twenty foot tongue would try eating him, he would have ignored you. Add that he would be on a speeding train without his firearms, he would have laughed.
After today, Kaplan doubted that he would ever laugh again.
The unstable bio-weapon, "licker" held him in the coils of his tongue. In that final moment Kaplan thought it was all over. He could see the large jaw of the beast widen, beckoning . . .
Just before the Unstable Licker shoved him into his mouth, Kaplan shut his eyes. That was all the time needed. The Licker's curving tongue began pulling Kaplan closer, a ridge in the tongue reaching the roof of the tunnel. A tunnel light slammed into the Licker's tongue shocking the muscles and forcing it to drop the ex-Umbrella employee.
Chad rolled to a violent stop and watched as the train rolled on.
The terrors closed in on him as he blacked out.
Kaplan's eyes floated open, but all he could see was a blanket of pain, glazing over his eyes. He moaned and squeezed his eyes shut. When he reopened them, all he could see was a black tunnel. The power was out. That meant that his exit was sealed.
He was going to starve to death and rot down here.
Kaplan guessed that he had fallen midway between the Hive and Raccoon City. If he was going to die, he was going to die trying to escape. Not after a month of suffering. Besides, who was to say that Umbrella's monsters couldn't reach the tunnels?
Kaplan stood, hissing through the raging pain in his side. He inspected it and saw a tear in his chest. The Licker had lifted him from his chest with that ugly tongue. Kaplan was bleeding, but still alive. That meant that he could not have been unconscious for long.
He removed his shirt and made a makeshift bandage for himself. He tied it and cursed when it squeezed his wound together.
He checked his pulse. It was weak, but clear. He looked to one direction, then the other. Both were identical. Kaplan chose a way and began walking. He was too dizzy to tell if he was walking uphill or sideways. He closed his eyes and continued walking.
"Umbrella," Kaplan checked his memory. "They're the assholes that got nearly got me killed. Rain . . . she got the Anti-Virus . . . but that Licker was unstoppable. Alice . . . Janus. She's got to be dead too. One . . . . If I ever manage to get in touch with my superiors . . ."
Kaplan swayed across the walkway. His foot bumped something. The train tracks. Kaplan smiled weakly. "I've cheated death twice today and I have the gall to play on the train tracks." Kaplan stumbled as he walked along the metal bars. "The train's not running anymore," he bitterly stated. "Have a fucking field day."
Kaplan continued walking. He was hungry, but didn't think anything sounded good. "I'm becoming a vegetarian now." He took more steps before collapsing. "Damn it." Kaplan stayed on his hands and knees, gasping silently. He looked to his livid wound. Blood soaked the cloth that barely covered it. A scab began to form over the darkening flesh. Kaplan went to grumble, but then squinted in amazement. He could see the wound clearly. He was close to something. Kaplan looked up. Lights streamed from far away.
He let out a skeptic laugh, then slapped himself. The light was still there, shining like heaven at the end of purgatory.
Kaplan broke into a hobbled run. Hope. There was hope for him yet. He was sealed in this Hellhole and someone had left the lights on for him!
Chad Kaplan slowed, then stopped after he was in visual range of the lights. He was back at the Hive. He let his breath escape as he felt defeat wash over him.
Kaplan turned around to head back, a walk which he knew he wouldn't make, and stopped short. A balding man stood before him – a zombie. Kaplan didn't use the time to take in the carcass's rotting gums and missing scalp. He turned and ran. Turning seemed to take forever, and he couldn't run fast. The ravenous zombie gained on him. Kaplan knew what to expect.
Ahead, lights appeared. Kaplan looked to them, fascinated. He then noted the steel rail beneath his foot and moved aside, turning to the zombie as he backed up. Kaplan watched the zombie near him, its maw flexing silently, the fogged, stagnant eyes widening before the kill.
There was a thick splatter as the train impacted the zombie, then dragged it along the rails as the Alexi-500 came to a stop. Kaplan watched as the train fully stopped then the doors opened. Ten men exited: one heavily suited scientist and nine men dressed in black with Kalishnikov machine guns and goggles over gas masks. Umbrella.
Kaplan went to back up, but one of the men in black came to him. "A survivor over here!" he said to the others, then looked back to Kaplan and checked him over. "Are you hurt?"
"Course not," Kaplan hissed. "I was born this banged up."
"He's still conscious." The Umbrella man noted, showing he was still human. "My name's Randy. Can you tell me yours?"
Kaplan stared at the man, unsure. "It's . . . um."
"This one has memory loss as well."
Kaplan took in his words. Janus still lived? He wanted to know more, but wanted to give nothing away to these men. "What's the date?"
"In two more hours it will be July 27th," Randy revealed. "Boss, over here!"
Another man came up to Kaplan. "Why is he down here? Are you with the scientists?"
Randy spoke, "He ain't dressed like one."
Kaplan still felt the need to lie. "I was brought here by a woman. She tried to run tests on me. When the virus broke out, I ran. I had out here until they escaped." Kaplan swallowed, hoping his alibi was airtight.
Randy studied Kaplan. "Seems about right, sir."
The leader looked to Randy, then hesitated. He turned back to Kaplan. "You've been here a while?" Kaplan nodded slowly. "Did you hear of or see a man named William Birkin?"
Kaplan knew the name. It had been one of the higher people in Umbrella. He shook his head. "No."
He heard gunfire from the distant rooms. He looked to the man, then to Randy. Kaplan held his breath. The gunfire drowned out the whispers between the two. When the gunfire stopped, Kaplan heard the captain finish speaking, ". . . his uniform."
Kaplan inhaled sharply. The army of men returned from the rooms. "Radio Trent," said one of the masked men. "Tell him he's full of shit. Birkin escaped before the virus could get out."
"I still want a full cleansing of this area," said the leader, "and I want the plans he kept on the G-Virus."
Randy moved to the leader. "Did you go through the Red Queen's database? She could help you now that we've reset her reaction status."
"Don't speak to that little bitch." The leader said. "Birkin programmed her and she thinks like he does. Zealous and egotistical. She is to be drained of her databank files and scrapped. Spend her resources on the rail gun."
The eight Umbrella employees looked to Kaplan. "What do we do with him?"
The captain looked to Kaplan and shrugged. "He's one of us." Kaplan's face dropped to despair. "We could kill him or invite him to the hospital."
"We could use him in the U.B.C.S." Randy suggested.
Kaplan spoke. "I just want to get out of this death-zone."
The dark one smiled under his mask. "We'll take you back to the Umbrella Hospital, but after we sweep this place end to end. Would you like to help us or wait here?"
Kaplan grabbed a gun, feeling reassured by its protection. "I'll go with you. I still have a score to settle with some freaks."
The ten walked and Kaplan followed them, his machine gun high. He inhaled and held in the heavy air. He would never be seen again outside of Umbrella's ranks, but while hidden there, he may want the opportunity to tear them apart. He just needed to be sure they couldn't place him as Chad Kaplan. He adjusted the goggles over his face.
"By the way," Randy said. "What's your name?"
The survivor took a breath. "Cooper. Lieutenant James Cooper of the RPD, Umbrella Employee. If that's too hard to say, you can call me Hunk."
Chad Kaplan had never been so terrified in his whole life. If someone had told him yesterday that a monster with a twenty foot tongue would try eating him, he would have ignored you. Add that he would be on a speeding train without his firearms, he would have laughed.
After today, Kaplan doubted that he would ever laugh again.
The unstable bio-weapon, "licker" held him in the coils of his tongue. In that final moment Kaplan thought it was all over. He could see the large jaw of the beast widen, beckoning . . .
Just before the Unstable Licker shoved him into his mouth, Kaplan shut his eyes. That was all the time needed. The Licker's curving tongue began pulling Kaplan closer, a ridge in the tongue reaching the roof of the tunnel. A tunnel light slammed into the Licker's tongue shocking the muscles and forcing it to drop the ex-Umbrella employee.
Chad rolled to a violent stop and watched as the train rolled on.
The terrors closed in on him as he blacked out.
Kaplan's eyes floated open, but all he could see was a blanket of pain, glazing over his eyes. He moaned and squeezed his eyes shut. When he reopened them, all he could see was a black tunnel. The power was out. That meant that his exit was sealed.
He was going to starve to death and rot down here.
Kaplan guessed that he had fallen midway between the Hive and Raccoon City. If he was going to die, he was going to die trying to escape. Not after a month of suffering. Besides, who was to say that Umbrella's monsters couldn't reach the tunnels?
Kaplan stood, hissing through the raging pain in his side. He inspected it and saw a tear in his chest. The Licker had lifted him from his chest with that ugly tongue. Kaplan was bleeding, but still alive. That meant that he could not have been unconscious for long.
He removed his shirt and made a makeshift bandage for himself. He tied it and cursed when it squeezed his wound together.
He checked his pulse. It was weak, but clear. He looked to one direction, then the other. Both were identical. Kaplan chose a way and began walking. He was too dizzy to tell if he was walking uphill or sideways. He closed his eyes and continued walking.
"Umbrella," Kaplan checked his memory. "They're the assholes that got nearly got me killed. Rain . . . she got the Anti-Virus . . . but that Licker was unstoppable. Alice . . . Janus. She's got to be dead too. One . . . . If I ever manage to get in touch with my superiors . . ."
Kaplan swayed across the walkway. His foot bumped something. The train tracks. Kaplan smiled weakly. "I've cheated death twice today and I have the gall to play on the train tracks." Kaplan stumbled as he walked along the metal bars. "The train's not running anymore," he bitterly stated. "Have a fucking field day."
Kaplan continued walking. He was hungry, but didn't think anything sounded good. "I'm becoming a vegetarian now." He took more steps before collapsing. "Damn it." Kaplan stayed on his hands and knees, gasping silently. He looked to his livid wound. Blood soaked the cloth that barely covered it. A scab began to form over the darkening flesh. Kaplan went to grumble, but then squinted in amazement. He could see the wound clearly. He was close to something. Kaplan looked up. Lights streamed from far away.
He let out a skeptic laugh, then slapped himself. The light was still there, shining like heaven at the end of purgatory.
Kaplan broke into a hobbled run. Hope. There was hope for him yet. He was sealed in this Hellhole and someone had left the lights on for him!
Chad Kaplan slowed, then stopped after he was in visual range of the lights. He was back at the Hive. He let his breath escape as he felt defeat wash over him.
Kaplan turned around to head back, a walk which he knew he wouldn't make, and stopped short. A balding man stood before him – a zombie. Kaplan didn't use the time to take in the carcass's rotting gums and missing scalp. He turned and ran. Turning seemed to take forever, and he couldn't run fast. The ravenous zombie gained on him. Kaplan knew what to expect.
Ahead, lights appeared. Kaplan looked to them, fascinated. He then noted the steel rail beneath his foot and moved aside, turning to the zombie as he backed up. Kaplan watched the zombie near him, its maw flexing silently, the fogged, stagnant eyes widening before the kill.
There was a thick splatter as the train impacted the zombie, then dragged it along the rails as the Alexi-500 came to a stop. Kaplan watched as the train fully stopped then the doors opened. Ten men exited: one heavily suited scientist and nine men dressed in black with Kalishnikov machine guns and goggles over gas masks. Umbrella.
Kaplan went to back up, but one of the men in black came to him. "A survivor over here!" he said to the others, then looked back to Kaplan and checked him over. "Are you hurt?"
"Course not," Kaplan hissed. "I was born this banged up."
"He's still conscious." The Umbrella man noted, showing he was still human. "My name's Randy. Can you tell me yours?"
Kaplan stared at the man, unsure. "It's . . . um."
"This one has memory loss as well."
Kaplan took in his words. Janus still lived? He wanted to know more, but wanted to give nothing away to these men. "What's the date?"
"In two more hours it will be July 27th," Randy revealed. "Boss, over here!"
Another man came up to Kaplan. "Why is he down here? Are you with the scientists?"
Randy spoke, "He ain't dressed like one."
Kaplan still felt the need to lie. "I was brought here by a woman. She tried to run tests on me. When the virus broke out, I ran. I had out here until they escaped." Kaplan swallowed, hoping his alibi was airtight.
Randy studied Kaplan. "Seems about right, sir."
The leader looked to Randy, then hesitated. He turned back to Kaplan. "You've been here a while?" Kaplan nodded slowly. "Did you hear of or see a man named William Birkin?"
Kaplan knew the name. It had been one of the higher people in Umbrella. He shook his head. "No."
He heard gunfire from the distant rooms. He looked to the man, then to Randy. Kaplan held his breath. The gunfire drowned out the whispers between the two. When the gunfire stopped, Kaplan heard the captain finish speaking, ". . . his uniform."
Kaplan inhaled sharply. The army of men returned from the rooms. "Radio Trent," said one of the masked men. "Tell him he's full of shit. Birkin escaped before the virus could get out."
"I still want a full cleansing of this area," said the leader, "and I want the plans he kept on the G-Virus."
Randy moved to the leader. "Did you go through the Red Queen's database? She could help you now that we've reset her reaction status."
"Don't speak to that little bitch." The leader said. "Birkin programmed her and she thinks like he does. Zealous and egotistical. She is to be drained of her databank files and scrapped. Spend her resources on the rail gun."
The eight Umbrella employees looked to Kaplan. "What do we do with him?"
The captain looked to Kaplan and shrugged. "He's one of us." Kaplan's face dropped to despair. "We could kill him or invite him to the hospital."
"We could use him in the U.B.C.S." Randy suggested.
Kaplan spoke. "I just want to get out of this death-zone."
The dark one smiled under his mask. "We'll take you back to the Umbrella Hospital, but after we sweep this place end to end. Would you like to help us or wait here?"
Kaplan grabbed a gun, feeling reassured by its protection. "I'll go with you. I still have a score to settle with some freaks."
The ten walked and Kaplan followed them, his machine gun high. He inhaled and held in the heavy air. He would never be seen again outside of Umbrella's ranks, but while hidden there, he may want the opportunity to tear them apart. He just needed to be sure they couldn't place him as Chad Kaplan. He adjusted the goggles over his face.
"By the way," Randy said. "What's your name?"
The survivor took a breath. "Cooper. Lieutenant James Cooper of the RPD, Umbrella Employee. If that's too hard to say, you can call me Hunk."