Author's note: Chapter Two-Summer is sad because you can't find anything else to do other then writing fanfiction…hooray!
Disclaimer: I, own…a stuffed monkey. No, I don't even own that just like I don't own the fanfic characters (accept some original ones to give the story flavor) Pravda is not a real restaurant much to my knowledge…but then again I'm not omnipotent
Thank you for your reviews! * Huggles the two reviewers* more reviews=more cookies! Come on peeps!
Dedication: This is dedicated to Fusion Tapion and Chibi. Many fond wishes and cookies for the both of you-what you got is special. Don't ever loose it!
1986
A Fortnight later
Evening.
Pravda had a long waiting list. They looked down on being late for a reservation-and they most assuredly did not like the Umbrella Corporation.
However-if they wanted to stay in business-they had to bribe like everyone else in town.
He was sitting across from William Birkin-who's attention was focused entirely on the woman sitting next to him. Wesker couldn't blame them-it was about damn time that William found somebody since he regarded women as a separate species…
"So…" Albert Wesker said, "Um…"
Silence. He pondered digging further into his food.
"Dr. Wesker…I'm excited to be working on the project." William had promoted (Annette? She was Annette. ) Almost directly after their first meeting.
"That's good." Wesker had ordered prawns-prawns did not agree with him. He might have to bolt to the bathroom if this continued.
"Exciting-yes, project." He stuffed a prawn into his mouth, "Good for you." He'd chosen this particular food because it would require his swift leave of absence.
"Wesker no longer has the devotion to our work that he once had." William had ordered Pasta-which Wesker was now contemplating shoving down his throat, "I am sorry you missed him before that." In truth Albert Wesker had never been as devoted to "the cause" as William Birkin. William's method of praying was to go into the labs every Sunday and make offerings to the gods of science and progress.
"Now, now," Wesker dropped his fork, "I never had the dedication that you did. Yours was freakish."
William Birkin said nothing. He studied his friend across the table.
Then smiled.
"Regardless…." Annette did not like the way this conversation was going, "I'm excited. Will you be coming back to Arklay?"
"No…"
The truth was he never wanted to go back to Arklay again. Apparently, William had been lax in telling his girlfriend (wow, there was a sentence he never thought he'd have to say) that he was applying for a different position with the secret service.
"Sir, your bill."
Birkin peered at the waiter before taking the check, staring briefly at it-and promptly fainting upon the floor.
"Didn't anyone tell you?" Wesker set the last prawn back on his plate, grinning, "William's a fainter."
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1986
Arklay labs-dormitories.
Late evening.
Scientists stayed in the honeycombs of rooms above the labs. There was a curfew of course-few people liked to be awoken in the wee small hours of the morning because of a raucous group of partiers who had stayed out late-but senior and chief researchers could break this curfew-
From time to time.
Wesker and Annette were helping William to his room-since the three glasses of cold water that had been used did not rouse him.
"This one." Wesker shifted his friend's weight more to Annette's side and tried to bend backwards to get his keys. Birkin groaned.
"Will he be alright?"
Wesker turned around with his key in hand. She stared down at her employer (What was he now?) with an expression of mixed pity and concern.
"Yeah." Wesker turned away quickly, his reptilian features made him look like he was striking some kind of prey, "Yeah. He should be fine."
William groaned again.
Annette giggled.
I never figured Bacteria Birkin for a fainter! This was the guy who once yelled at an employee for using a cell phone!
That had been amusing.
They had been working on a tissue sample-a body donated to science. Annette hadn't bothered to ask "How" they'd gotten the body-but she'd dutifully administered the appropriate sample of virus- and sat back to watch the results.
That was when the phone had rung.
For some reason, Umbrella was not readily familiar with phones. Birkin and the rest of the team had looked up confused; as a very young tech had picked up a phone the size of a cereal box-and began speaking in hushed tones.
Then, the zombie had awoken-and gone for the phone.
Annette vaguely recalled that Birkin had smashed it against the wall. When the Tech had asked who was going to pay for his phone, Birkin had said, "The Company does not pursue fruitless investments into "flavor of the month" electronics."
She smiled.
"Hey! Sleeping Beauty!" Wesker prodded her with his finger, "You gonna help me with Prince charming or what?"
"Sorry." Annette said, "I was a million miles away."
"Yeah?" Wesker hefted his friend into his arms, "Well take the express back." He whispered, "Now come on."
To say that William Birkin lived in sparse surroundings would be like saying that a bear shits in the woods and promptly goes off to hunt in a stream. Annette saw no pictures on the walls-nothing but a desk and computer-and a bed off in the corner.
"Come on." Wesker gently eased his friend onto the cot, "William wake the fuck up already…"
"I think he's asleep." Annette giggled again. Bacteria Birkin looked a hell-of-a lot more peaceful when he was asleep then when he was awake. His blond hair pulled back from his face, his eyes closed…
"Lets go."
"Should we undress him?" Annette stared at him expectantly, "Wouldn't he be freaked if he found out he went to sleep in his clothes?"
Silence.
Wesker studied Annette LeDour, "Two things-firstly: I wouldn't give you the satisfaction. Secondly: I am not-nor will I ever-"dress" my friend for bed." He folded his arms across his chest and stared down at her.
Annette sighed, "Can…you walk me back to my room?"
" You afraid of the mansion at night?"
Annette said nothing. This place was easy to get lost in…and she didn't want to end up in the labs without the comfort of light and day and hundreds of other people.
"No-no-its just that-"
"Come on."
Wesker led her out to the hallway and shut the door behind them. Annette padded softly behind him-ignoring the gruesome statutes and paintings that adorned the men's dormitories.
"Yeech!"
A painting featuring a man being hung from a birch tree hung in a long hallway next to a Candelabrum. The man's eyes were open-rolled back into his head. He screamed at something-the light flickering across the canvas made it seem like he was screaming at her.
"What?" Wesker was beside her-staring at the image, "That? Its nothing."
"What the hell is up with these fucking paintings?" they were worse then the pictures that hung in the old haunted houses down in the Bayou, "This is like a haunted house, La maison d'esprits hantés."
"Hardly." Wesker grabbed her arm, "This way."
The two people walked in silence for a moment brooding on spirits that seemed to peek out from behind corners demanding blood from the several hundred employees of the Umbrella Corporation.
"Where-Where did all these paintings come from?"
"They've been here since the mansion was built." Wesker pointed to the door of the woman's dormitories, "What floor?"
"Fifth-but-Why? I mean-Sir Spencer was a great man-"
Wesker laughed. The sound echoed off the hallway and made Annette shiver.
"Fifth floor." The door to the woman's dormitories actually led to an elevator, "going up." Wesker stood at attention beside the buttons-Annette stepped in quickly.
"My feet hurt." She removed one of her heeled shoes, "Sometimes I hate being a woman." She rubbed the toes and sighed, "I would be so much more comfortable in pants and a shirt."
"The modern woman." Wesker was absorbed by the reflective surface of the door.
"Let me give you some advice LeDour."
Annette froze. Wesker's tone offered no chance to refuse.
"Stay away from Birkin. Stay away from this place. Be with anybody besides an Umbrella employee." Wesker spoke in a monotone-like the man who offered directions if you called information, "You'll be doing yourself a favor-and you'll be living longer."
"Was that a threat?" she said in a small voice. All of her training was against her now, she was told to obey without question-any senior employee.
"No. Merely, advice from a friend."
"Why would anyone want to hurt Birkin? He's just…"
He's funny, and smart, and kind when you get to know him. He's loyal, one hundred percent dedicated to the company! Why would they have any reason to hurt him?
"He's insane." Wesker stared at her-his brown eyes were unnerving, a lot like Birkin's, "So am I, so are you Miss. LeDour."
Annette laughed shrilly, the elevator was so slow! She wished it would open-so she could flee from this serpent man-this daemon…
"You don't think so?" Wesker leaned against the door of the elevator, "Only the insane survive in Umbrella-only they get promoted. Ask Birkin someday Annette; ask him how he and I were chosen from the executive training faculty. Ask him…who taught us."
"He'd never hurt me!" Annette cried, "He-He loves me!"
"I have no doubt of that." Wesker smirked, "You'd be very easy to love."
Yet again there was a magnetic attraction. Annette acquiesced leaning into his kiss against the elevator door.
Mon dieu! Are all men as starved for sex in this place as these two?
"No!" she pushed him off of her, "No-not now-I'm with-I'm seeing-"
"You're seeing him on the rebound." Wesker's eyes were wide-awake. The elevator jerked to a halt.
The two gasped for breath.
"How-How-"
"Listen-stay away from Birkin, he's insane-but you and I-"
"Get away from-" Annette shrilled, "I'll scream for a guard!"
He covered his mouth with hers.
"You-" she pulled away from him again. They were in the hallway now-delicate rooms patterned with roses, "You're married!"
Wesker took off his ring and put in his pocket, "That better?"
"Jesus!"
He kissed her again-the two stumbling to her room. Wesker pushed her against the door as it succeeded like its owner. Annette felt herself land on the soft mattress of her bed-completely absorbed in this man-
Then she knew nothing more.
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Saturday.
Silent Hill Airport.
William Birkin did not like big cities. He liked small out of the way places where people could be private if they wanted to. He'd lived in a big city for a good part of his young life-and it only brought terrible memories.
Silent Hill was the largest city near Raccoon. Since the backward "peasant" folk who lived in the tiny Hamlet had never seen the need for an actual airport William Birkin was stuck making the two hour long drive to the airport to pick up Wesker's wife.
I wonder why he didn't want to come with me?
William turned onto the on-ramp-the distant skyscrapers of Silent Hill bright in the early morning sun. He'd found Wesker in the breakfast room-and he'd seemed vehemently opposed to making any trek out to see her.
William was glad for the opportunity.
The airport was a sprawling complex made of glass and concrete. No doubt it was designed to look like some sort of futuristic hanger-but the off color patterns and bright large hair of the various airport occupants ruined the effect.
I cannot wait until that fad passes. He thought to himself as he cruised past two women in spandex and gigantic spray-teased hair. Dimly, he wished that Annette were with him…but she seemed to be avoiding him.
As he parked the car and began the long trek to the airport he filled his mind with her-which somehow seemed to make the world of bright hair and colors more bearable. He found himself less interested in his work (it too priority never the less) since becoming an offical, "couple" Annette was trusting and beautiful and-
Flight 1223 now arriving-flight 1223 now arriving-
"William!"
William found himself wrapped in the arms of a woman.
"I'm sorry-madam I-"
"Birkin? It's me? Remember?"
"Irene?"
Irene Wesker smiled at her husband's friend. William was a little thinner then she'd remembered-but a good boy never the less. Albert could have taken a few lessons from him.
"Is Albert here?" Irene glanced anxiously back behind Birkin, the look in her eyes confused, "He said he was going to come and pick me up-"
"He said he wasn't feeling well today." William said. He sighed, "He asked me to take you out to Raccoon. He'll meet you at the mansion."
"Tell me the truth now William Birkin." Irene was older then both Wesker and himself, William realized. He looked down at his feet and gestured helplessly at the exit sign.
"Is it another woman?"
"No!" William frowned. Albert Wesker may be a cold-hearted murderer-and an arrogant asshole-but he'd never sleep with another woman. Irene smiled, and William found himself thinking of Annette.
"You're such a good friend to him William…" Irene began to walk towards the exit, William followed, "So You'll be the first to hear the good news…"
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Arklay Labs
Saturday
Abigail Stone stared at the specimen intently, as if doing so would cause Mitosis to occur faster.
She brushed brown hair from her face and ignored the loud barking of the dogs. The sample had come from a cadaver that was brought in yesterday-a man they found lying in the woods…
"Shut up!" she yelled at the dogs. Dr. Birkin and Dr. Westlake's latest creations-the Cerberus were supposed to be better behaved then this. They were trained to take orders and attack people-not bark like maniacs.
There was a loud crash from the back of the lab.
"God Dammit." Abby swung away from the sample and looked back towards the morgue, "Mike? Mike is that you?"
Mike was the noon morgue attendant. He was fond of playing practical jokes.
Abby sighed and returned her attention to the biopsy sample. Dr. Westlake would have a fit if she didn't have her report in on time.
I ask you, if science is supposed to be reasonably leisurely-why the hell do they push us so hard to make progress? There were days when the senior researchers drove at them like slavers. Abby sighed, vexations were all too common…
Another crash-this one far louder. The Cerberus barking had strangely stopped.
"Hey-Mike?"
Abby was suddenly aware of the warning that everyone was given when they first joined Umbrella…
Never go into the labs alone…And Abby stone started screaming then-and she did not stop.
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Author's note: Wow! How creative! A love triangle! What could be Irene's good news? (As if we all couldn't guess) Why is Annette engaged with two men? What Will William Birkin do when he finds out? Why did this seemingly random story about a little known relationship include a side story about a girl and a bunch of dogs?
Birkin- cause it wouldn't be resident evil without some horror?
Annette- I think the author is trying to say that sometimes horror can be in relationships and mankind can make their own horror dear.
Birkin- I'm not talking to you! You slept with Wesker! * Sniffles *
Author- Aww…
Birkin- stay the hell away from me! * Runs and hides*
Well whatever. Peyton Westlake is from "Darkman" (This explains why he ultimately ended up insane * lol * ) and Irene is a name I picked off a name site. More to come.