Resident Evil-Sins of the Fathers
Act One-Scene Two
He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.
-Friedrich Nietzsche
New York-New York
March 12, 2032
Homeland Security Agency HQ
The sunlight's gentle fingers streamed in through the thick canopy of trees that shaded the walkway from one plaza to another. Carl Cho breathed deep, and inhaled the scent of spring's flowers.
Morning.
Morning brought respite from the previous evening.
"Carl!" he groaned as the urgent voice called again. He'd done his best to avoid his partner that morning.
Mary Callahan appeared like a shadow over the nearest group of steps. Her red hair blew violently in the wind, the previously pleasant sky darkened with the threat of oncoming rain. Carl sighed and scratched behind his ear, loosening his tie.
"I have those new files-"
"Shit!"
Mary cocked her head quizzically, "What?"
Carl sighed. Mary had a penchant for picking out large corporations and attacking them. He vaguely saw her as a want-to-be Erin Brockavitch, who had government backing. However- Mary was also notorious for picking out companies with nothing to hide.
"Umbrella Corporation!" she gestured with the folder and Carl sat back, thankfully landing on the lip of a fountain.
The two of them were meeting beneath the "Walkway" between the two towers that now housed the homeland security agency. The towers had some kind of history-etched in the statue behind him-but Carl had never bothered to learn it.
"In relation to what?"
Mary paused and bit her lower lip. She was two years his junior-and gung ho about her job. He had other headaches; the recent "assassination" of Senator Morris left him with deep suspicions of a cult in Washington. It was not Homeland's Security's Job to investigate this killing-but the FBI had turned to him for help…
Because I have a doctorate in occult phenomenon. They must think I'm a goddamn Fox Mulder.
It wasn't that. It was his uncle…
"What," his voice was slow, "Leads you to suspect the "Paragon of Virtue" that is the Umbrella Corporation?" he folded his hands in his lap and filled his head with thoughts of the mounds of paperwork that awaited him back in his office. Mary snorted, sitting on a bench beneath yet another grove of trees.
Why suspect Umbrella?
Carl studied his partner intently, her green eyes were focused on the ground-completely serious. The sky darkened over the two of them, and Carl shivered.
" I just…"
Just was a thousand miles of forest in this business.
" I just have a feeling."
"Feelings." Carl stood up and stretched, "Are not reality."
Mary looked at him, her eyes rounded and wide.
"This is a reality." She shook herself, "A horrible-horrible reality." She gestured the files again, "Please…" a black and white spiraled out from between the manila lips.
"Please just take a look."
Carl sighed as he took the manila from her. His eyes fell on a statue that stood directly in front of the entrance to tower A. A man in what appeared to be a fireman's uniform stood stoic. In his arms he held a shapeless lump that might have been a child. The features were worn away with time and the poison gas attacks that had made this city famous, but the inscription was as clear as a bell.
In life they stood strong
They carried their flag to the ends of the earth
They proved our strength and determination
They made us proud.
-Senator Marshal Conrad.
Carl sighed and flipped idly through the folders, ignoring the expectant look in his young partner's eyes.
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Barbarossa California
March 12, 2032
Umbrella Corporation/Desert Fox Faculty
So Robert Verräter was somewhat disappointed I made it back first.
He pushed open the double-glass doors of the corporation's Barbarossa headquarters and sighed. Various figures traversed the tiled walkways-immersed in their own business. He nodded to a few as he passed-heading for the executive offices. Umbrella had a strict policy of no fraternization on company time-
But we're always on company time…
Such was one of the advantages to living in a Pullman town.
Robert spotted a white staircase and headed towards it. Besides being facility head he had all of the cares and woes of a mayor as well. After the incident at Raccoon, the board of directors had taken steps to assure that they would no longer be subject to the normal laws of man. Barbarossa was the first step on that road-a town completely self-sufficient. Home to three thousand Umbrella Corporation Employees and their families, it housed a mall, a first class hospital, and a first class research faculty.
The irony sickened him.
"Good morning Mr. Verräter."
Robert nodded to Michelle-head of processing.
He crossed the glass and carpet walkway over the main labs, honeycombed beneath him. The executive offices consisted of row upon row of oak doors-names outlined in gold. He passed each-taking note of their names and conditions as he passed.
"Mr. Verräter!"
Robert sighed. He winced as he turned his body incorrectly, causing pain in his neither region. He was only 38…he should have been the envy of men half his age…but stress does things to people.
The man who had accosted him was round-with the appearance of a hairy egg. George Collins was head of technical production and supervisor of computer research, and perhaps the only real academic on the management team. He'd come from Berkeley-as a professor, and Robert marveled at how he still wanted to be treated with the same respect he had at the college.
"Mr. Verräter…" George, affectionately called "Porgy" by the staff, was breathing hard, "I want-wanted-"
Robert stared at him-hoping to make him go away.
"I needed to speak with you about the Vault guard updates." Porgy said, "I'm prepared to complete the necessary algorithms, and I wanted to know if…" Porgy let the words hang, his eyes went into "Lamentable puppy-mode"
He still wants that promotion. Robert marveled. He listened to Porgy prattle with half an ear; you might be able to make use of him.
"I'll do what I can." Robert laid a comforting hand on Porgy's round shoulder, "But you have to realize that Daniel is the one who can speak to the board of directors on your behalf-not me." Robert shook his head and ran a hand through his slick blond hair. Porgy looked crestfallen-and Robert felt himself almost wishing he could comfort the poor man.
Then he remembered he was a professor.
Porgy slunk back down the hallway from whence he came. Daniel would never consent to upgrade George Collins security clearance-he detested the man. Carolyn wouldn't convince him-she and Daniel both had a grudge against the homely man. George was doomed to live out the rest of his life in his current position.
Robert sighed, it was sort of sad.
"Mr. Verräter-there's a call for you on line three." His secretary appeared confused, "A woman named Tochter-"
Robert snapped awake. He nodded at her, motioning for her to lead him to his office. Various other employees were out taking their ease, and nobody noticed Verräter as he walked down the hallway into oblivion.
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Barbarossa California
March 12, 2032
Umbrella Corporation/Desert Fox Faculty
The sweet moment between the nothingness, and the beginning of life.
Grimly, the Scientist pushed the needle foreward-gently pushing against the soft cellular wall. She was trapped-almost as an insect-in a cocooning device that magnified vision and prohibited dangerous human movements.
Ah! And so life begins.
Or it ends, depending on your viewpoint. The scientist reached a gloved hand from its prison and pressed the release. With a hiss, the spider slowly dragged its appendages from her head, revealing a long main of black hair done up casually in a ponytail. Electron microscopes were a pain in the arse…particularly these new ones…
But that was the price for correction.
"Regarding Sample 12/14." She turned abruptly at the sound of her colleague's voice, "I wanted to know if we could begin moving it into stage-three tests."
"Of course."
"Thank you Dr. Weismann." The researcher moved off, no warmth in his tone. He, like the rest of them-lived for the only true religion that Umbrella supported and allowed-
Science.
Attention all employees, attention all employees: This is a reminder that there will be an animal outbreak drill at 5:30 this afternoon. This will be a multi-division drill. All employees are expected to report to their designated areas no later then four thirty with medical personnel. That is all-Attention all employees-
Carolyn Weismann lifted off her beetle-like glasses and sighed. Her violet eyes scanned the room for familiar faces; then-seeing none-she picked up her pen and continued the report.
Mar 12: 32
Continued analysis of subject 12/14 proves that genetic enhancement of the mutation will occur should the virus G V. 0.2 be allowed to affect human tissue. It is the belief of current research staff that subject 12/14 must soon be terminated-and another subject requested.
She sighed, it was difficult to get raw material these days. The few factions in the government that did not require bribery were still unwilling to supply them with enough to work with. Recycling was tough in this business.
Very tough
Carolyn pushed a strand of hair from her eyes and stretched. Most people suspected that deep down Umbrella had managed to develop something new-a new virus. She snickered and collected her research, they only made improvements.
Improve on Ebola and get the T-Virus
Improve on the T-Virus, get the G-Virus.
Improve on G, get GV0.2…
Then there's omega X…
Daniel's masterwork, the one exception that proved the rule. Omega X did not affect the subject; it slew them…causing their flesh to melt off their bodies like that stupid movie about the Ark…
But it wasn't developed it. She and he kept it deep in the bowels of Desert Fox Faculty, testing it surreptitiously on various subjects. It was his one obsession other then-
"Carolyn!"
Carolyn looked up and smiled. Robert Verräter appeared in the lab doorway, smiling. Robert was like a father to Daniel and herself, having been the only adult at Umbrella Corporation who seemed to give a rats ass about what happened to them…he and Margaret played house with the two youngest children, until Margaret had been forced to leave…
"Lyn, Have you seen Daniel? I need to speak to him." Something in Robert's tone bespoke an urgency that Carolyn was not used to. She frowned, unconsciously backing up.
Dammit, I'm 24 years old-I shouldn't be frightened of a big man-
"No I haven't." Carolyn cocked her head, "Daniel isn't back yet is he?" he would have called her on the helicopter-or on one of the gigantic TIGER trains that criss-crossed the country. Somewhere trance music began to play, she cursed the work-studies that Umbrella had participated in saying that people work better when surrounded by music…
"He said he'd run into some delays." Robert put a hand into his pockets. He looked immaculate in black slacks and a white shirt-the perfect "Matrix" cast member, "Apparently the Vegas PD have put in a request for a STARS investigation."
Carolyn looked up sharply, "Is there anything to tie us to that attack?"
Robert shook his head, "Will you relax?" he put a large hand on her head, reminding her of her short height, "I've taken care of everything."
"Including your own assignment?"
The world around them darkened, the room seemed to grow colder. Carolyn backed into the white wall, suddenly oppressed by her supervisor and former friend-
"Sorry eh?" A maintenance man appeared next to them. He tweaked something in the power box much to the chagrin of both parties involved. The lights went back to their normal butter glow and the temperature returned.
"I should head to Washington." Robert's eyes were downcast, "I know I just got back but I want to make sure there's nothing here I need to worry about."
"I'll tell Daniel to hold down the fort when you return." She didn't want to push it, the work was calling. Robert nodded once, then turned back to her.
"Everything will be fine."
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A/N-Wow! Another chapter! I wish these didn't have to be so short * mournful whimper * my others were seventeen pages tho so I think this is long enough ne?
Bit of info:
Barbarossa- biggest battle and most causalities of WW2.
Desert Fox- Codename for Field Marshal Rommel who desperately wanted to pull out of the Russian Territories and retreat. Hitler ordered him to remain however which is why Barbarossa is considered the battle where Hitler lost the war.
(Btw, I'm not a neo-nazi or anything-I was just impressed with this…and if you think about it's a bit of foreshadowing. I love my subconscious. :)
