Chapter Seven: I can at least get a head start on this. I REALLY want to get started on Avalon (My Matrix fanfic) but this is good too. I'm having fun can you believe it? More thanks to reviewers. I'm starting this at the same time I finish Chapter Six. I hope people like it.
Pinquicha- thanks for sticking with it! It's been a while since I've read Wesker's report. (Grumbles) consider it amended. * Should have remembered* and about William forgiving Annette that easily…the story's not over yet. ;) *Is pleased you like this fic so much *
Insanity in individuals is something rare - but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.
Friedrich Nietzsche
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1986
The rain continued to pour as the commandos that Wesker had sent out returned with their charges. He and Irene had gone to William's room-and then to Annette's. Someone said they'd seen Dr. Birkin and Dr. LeDour heading up to the old terrace on the roof so…
Annette's shirt was unbuttoned and her undershirt was thoroughly soaked. William was shirtless-the two of them looked like rejects from a bad pornography movie.
"For Chrissake." Wesker stood arms akimbo, "You two are adults."
"Wesker-there was a head on top of the gate!" Birkin said, "A severed head, just sitting there!"
"What does that have to do with why you were out there in the first place?"
Birkin bent his head. Both his head and Annette's were the same color-a dark mud on the marble of the entrance.
"Whatever that thing is-it's still here. And it's getting smarter. You need to let me go down to the labs."
"The labs are still locked down." One of the commando's said, "Dr. Birkin." Birkin stood, the water running down from him in pools.
"Regardless-why were the two of you out there?" He peered out into the night. One of the guards had left the door open, "I thought you would have come in when it started to rain…"
"We were tree climbing." Annette offered lamely. He stared down at her-reminding her of the night before last…
"Tree-climbing?" Wesker raised an eyebrow, "I wouldn't have expected that from a pair of scientists…particularly from you William." Wesker sighed, "Get the hell outta here."
"Who?" William muttered, "Us?"
"No, the group of eight or nine people behind you." Wesker growled at the commandos, "Go! Get me woods."
"Woods Sir?"
"Yes, Medical Examiner for the faculty. Long red hair-affinity with the dead. Go quickly and take Dr. Birkin with you to make sure that he sees all the details that wood has been required to provide to him."
"Yes Sir."
"Annette-will you wait for me?"
Annette blinked, "What?"
Birkin's eyes strayed towards Wesker; the look in his own bright blue eyes was pleading, "Wait for me? I'll be right back-it shouldn't take more then a few minutes."
"I-"
"Dr. Birkin." Wesker smiled, "The matter is urgent. Dr. Woods has been asking for you for some time."
"I'll go in a minute." He glared at Wesker, "Please…Annette…"
"You'd better go." She put a hand on his, soft, "I'll see you later okay? Don't worry-you saved me from the severed head."
Birkin glanced back at Wesker, his eyes studying his friend's face-then he followed the commandos out.
Wesker and Annette were alone.
"He climbed down the tree to get my book." Annette said, "I was touched. From there things…just sort of went."
Wesker said nothing. He had on sunglasses (odd, considering its raining outside, and its nighttime) and she had the distinct feeling that he was…thinking horrible thoughts behind those eyes.
"Listen…Wesker."
You don't want Birkin, you want a real man. There's something there for William but…there's something for Wesker too.
Wesker remained silent.
"I mean-technically I'm still with William."
He was on her in moments-kissing her. I'm soaking wet. I'm locked in an embrace with a married man and I'm soaking wet.
She needed to laugh.
"Please…" he was half dragging half walking her over to a nearby room. The two rooms off of the main hall were used mainly for conferences. It was a dining room-seemingly empty with a horrific statue of a dragon clutching a body-man or woman she could not guess.
Her attention was understandably preoccupied.
"Please-Wesker-no-"
She shuddered in pleasure and stopped protesting as he lay her down beneath the dragon like an offering. Woman. The naked body that the dragon held in its claws was a woman, It's a Woman.
And there was nothing more.
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1986
"I've made a few amendments to my original report." Woods handed Birkin a manila folder. The two of them were standing in the mansions bowels-named aptly because they smelled just as foul, "It wasn't…a primate of unknown origin."
"That's good to know." Birkin snorted, "For a minute I thought you were telling me tales about Bigfoot marching into our labs and taking vengeance for encroaching on our forest."
"It may be like that sir."
Birkin sighed, "I hope you aren't really considering that Woods."
"Three people have disappeared sir. Employees are walking the halls in fear." She bent her head, "We're all in yours and Dr. Wesker's hands sir. Will you keep us safe?"
"Oh please!" Birkin cried, "Will I keep you safe? No! You've lived her long enough, been responsible for enough experiments-enough death to accept responsibility for your own actions." He shook himself. A few minutes earlier he'd been standing in the hallway next to the woman he loved. Several hours ago he'd been speaking to her. Now he was chasing monsters.
"As you wish sir." Woods walked away, "I've got other things to attend to. The identification of the head that was found on the gate." She shook herself, "I don't like rain."
"Best dress warmly then." Birkin did not glance at her again." His attention was focused completely on the report in front of him.
Medical Log
Examiner: Kelly Margaret Woods
Date: March 15, 1986
It is important to note that the bodies were eviscerated with a five pronged object-in either similar design (construct?) to a human hand or lizard claw. We have yet to see any evidence of reptilian activity however so we must assume that the killer is of the primate class in origin.
Note: The second Victim-Morgue worker-had a lacerated wrist. Although his head was crushed in at three different points…
Birkin sighed; Michael had been an enjoyable sort. A bit too enjoyable. If you lost your focus in this particular business it was going to get you killed.
The laceration occurred first. This was the wound that killed him-and we unearthed a human set of teeth marks on the body.
Human teeth marks… his suspicions were suddenly very dark and terrifying. They weren't far away from, "The place" after all…
No team's been sent in since it was closed down after we left! How could we have been so stupid? Something might have gotten out.
He shivered. Dark things had gone on in those labs.
He turned on his heel, out and away from the darkness-back to the light where Annette awaited.
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Irene Wesker's room
Irene lay back against the pillows, a half an hour ago she'd sent Wesker out to go find Birkin and LeDour. There were days-when she got these feelings about people…
Like right now. Wesker wanted a woman who could match his passion-and Irene knew that he considered her a somewhat cold fish. When they married it had been more about attraction of the moment then a long lasting love. There was something that they'd shared.
She could be patient because she still felt that connection.
Let him sleep with all the women he needs to. She was the ideal wife in this aspect-she overlooked her husband's infidelities. She had faith that he'd come back to her-and he had.
In trying to fulfill some strange Oedipal complex. He'd confided one night in the throes of passion that she reminded him on an unconscious level of his mother. That was only slightly frightening.
She studied the ceiling, and then stood. The small green alarm clock read 2:30; all good employees were in their beds dreaming sweet dreams.
She walked over to her suitcase-still sitting against the wall from where William had carried it that morning. Pants, shirt, etc-she emerged from her room fully dressed and ran straight into a redhead who looked worse for wear.
"Are you alright?" Irene believed that Umbrella overworked its employees-either driving them insane or forcing them to have a nervous breakdown so they could not reveal company secrets.
"Yeah." The red head wiped dust from her eyes, then yawned, "I just had to give some medical exam reports to Dr. Birkin. Dr. Wesker's down there with Birkin's girlfriend-Dr. LeDour."
Irene said nothing. Her face was a marble mask.
Just like I expected…
"Have you seen Dr. Birkin?"
"He's down in the lower levels." The redhead said, "Mrs. Wesker…maybe you could go talk to him?"
Irene nodded.
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Video Monitoring
Lower Levels
William Birkin was staring at the screen in shock.
There in black and white-was an image of his girlfriend and his best friend engaged flagrant intercourse. The entire mansion was asleep otherwise they would have been caught.
He continued watching them. The video feed was bad-like images from a bad hotel room in some kind of horrible nightmare.
My Nightmare.
He wanted to weep.
Umbrella did not like their employees to show any emotion however-so William Birkin watched and brooded.
I'm so fucking Naïve. He'd figured that Wesker was just boasting. He'd only arrived a night ago and he tended to make inappropriate jokes. He hadn't believed that his girlfriend would have done that.
Any of it.
But then again science was easy-and science dictated that women would go for the stronger male. The more dominate creature that would be able to successfully protect them and allow them to bear strong offspring.
This was what women did…wasn't it?
His own mother had been like that-a foolish whisp of a woman who had allowed his father to get on with whatever indiscretions he saw fit to perpetuate. She had allowed him to beat her whenever his blood was up these were also his rights as husband.
Were they?
Since coming to work for Umbrella he had discovered that men and women looked for more then just sexual gratification in partners. That was why he had selected Annette-she had…a drive to her that other women did not. Even that annoying Alexia did not compare with Annette…who was intelligent as well as beautiful…
Is there more then that? He frowned and continued watching her, Maybe she's not any different from my mother. Or from Irene. Or any other woman. I thought-she was so…like me…
"William?"
The Darkness of the room lifted for a moment as Irene Wesker entered-her delicate features traced with grief.
"William, are you alright?"
"Perfectly fine." It's easy to hide my emotions away. I've always had to. Never mind that my girlfriend is down there with your husband satisfying a thousand year old desire for good sex.
It was more then the hurt feelings-it hurt his pride.
"I know you aren't fine." Irene stepped closer. In the darkness of the room he looked like a ghost wrapped in his lab coat for comfort, "I know what you're watching." Her brown hair was done up in a bun at the nape of her neck, and her eyes were kind.
"Watching? Trash. Filth-absolute filth." Birkin clenched his hands, "I was so trusting. That's not a mistake I mean to make again."
"You're so tense!" Irene began to rub his shoulders-which did nothing to distract from the image, "You need to understand that…well-Wesker's had needs like this for as long as I've known him…"
"But she's my-"
"Your girlfriend." Irene said, "I know. You forgave her once. She doesn't know what she's doing."
Birkin barked out a laugh, "Right. I'm president of the fucking Umbrella Corporation! No, wait-I'm Dr. James Marcus! No, I'm the fuckin' King of England-"
Irene slapped him.
Birkin staggered back a few feet hitting against the monitor. Irene folded her arms across her chest and stared down at him.
"The only reason why she's doing this is because she maybe things you aren't man enough for her-but you've already deduced that by scientific reasoning haven't you?"
"We-Well."
"Shut up Birkin. You said you've been together for two weeks-what does this mean? Have you done anything besides go out for dates and talk in the lab?"
William Birkin frowned-staring at the floor. He did not want to give Irene the satisfaction of having her look at him in the eye; he had taken their relationship for granted.
"You fool, you naïve little boy…" Irene got down on her knees, "Wesker and I…do things together outside of work. Not a lot of women will be contented with dinner dates. You took your relationship for advantage. And now you're suffering for it."
"But she betrayed me!" Birkin's voice squeaked, "And I loved her!"
"Did you ever tell her that?"
William Birkin said nothing.
He never told Annette about his feelings. He had first let his passion overrun him-and in his zealous desire to pursue her as a mate he had failed as a human being.
"Say it." Irene put a hand on his shoulder, sitting across his front, "Say what you have to say. No one's watching. No one's listening but me" Her voice was calm, "Say it William Birkin."
"I…Failed."
Irene stood up, "Good." She ruffled his hair, "I've always thought of you as a younger brother Will. So, I'm going to help you."
"How can you help me." Birkin slammed a fist down on the ground, "I'm fucking worthless!"
"Not to me my friend." Irene sat back in one of the chairs, "Albert will grow tired of Annette soon I hope."
"How do you put up with him?" William Birkin brushed off his pants. Outside dawn was creeping through the windows, "With all that he does-he doesn't even care about you! He-he says things-"
"One thing you have yet to learn about human nature William-is that people are capable of enduring much more hurt and pain then a single affair can cause." Irene closed her eyes, "and I've seen many."
"I couldn't be that forgiving." But even as he said it the words caught in his throat. He had forgiven Annette the first time-he had accepted her so completely-but it had been his fault-
William put his hands on his head, "This is confusing!"
"I know it is." Irene smiled, "But there's another matter we must discuss…."
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Outside Michael Redfield's Home.
Michael Redfield, Alexander O'Neal, and Mrs. Delaney were staring down at the body that had dropped itself directly across his doorstep.
"Well." Sherry Delaney was Thirty-two, a police coroner, and a personal friend of Michael Redfield, "He's dead."
"Brilliant Sherlock." Alexander O'Neal was the cop assigned to the case, "Absolutely fucking brilliant-you know I'm proud to be spending my tax dollars on such intelligent-"
"Shut up O'Neal." Michael peered at the corpse, "How long?"
"Well that's the funny thing." Delaney said, "The body is showing late stages of decay-this guy shouldn't have been able to walk around the way his body was decomposing. It's almost as if he was hit with something. Look here." She raised a wrist, "See the lacerations? This guy was chewed on."
"But he must have struggled." O'Neal said, "Hence the blood on the door."
"I'm amazed he was able to crawl this Far." The sirens were far below them-flashing like a distant midway, "Mike? Can you think of anybody that might be a homicidal psychopath in the area?"
"Not who…" Michael regretted the word the moment it was out of his mouth, "Nothing." He dismissed it, "Nothing at all. No-one I mean."
"That's a relief. I'd hate to think we'd have fuckin' Hannibal Lector for a neighbor." O'Neal laughed, "This is a nice town-not like New York eh Delaney?"
"No." Sherry Delaney studied Michael-who found something very interesting on the floor, "Not New York."
"Sherry can I speak to you for a moment?"
Sherry Delaney's short blond hair was soaked with sweat. Her hands were covered in blood and her uniform was stained in various places-but she nodded and followed Michael into his apartment-her green eyes serious.
"What the fuck do you want me to do?" O'Neal whined, "I have to go explain to Chief Irons that we have a mad stabber loose-and he's gonna flay me alive!" He waved his hands helplessly, "Alive!"
"Tell Detective Vickers what I told you." Delaney said, "I'll get a final statement from Michael."
And with that, Alexander O' Neal, Raccoon City's finest-exited growling and fuming.
"Listen Sherry." Michael dragged her into the confines of his kitchen, " I have an idea as to who might be involved-but the why and the how and such elude me." He ran water in the sink and began to wash his hands-the man's face peering up out of his imagination.
He retched.
"This your first corpse?" Delaney joked cheerfully. She paused when she saw that Michael was weeping quietly.
"Redfield? You alright?"
When the Chief of the Fire Department started crying you were supposed to do something about it. Sherry took a tentative step foreward-Michael's head was a black shape in the sink.
"No." he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, "No…Delaney…Sherry-I saw something." He leaned against the sink, "Gods…"
"Paper Towels." Sherry Delaney saw a stack of "Bounty" against one wall. Michael's kitchen had all the air of a bachelor's apartment. No Organization…Daniel was the same way…
Sherry Delaney handed him a roll and watched him tear off a few sheets and wipe his face.
"Sherry…I've been keeping a secret for eight years…and I think its time I told someone…"
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Author's note: Chapter seven! (A Day late, but what are you gonna do?) Are you enjoying it? What's Michael Redfield's connection to Albert Wesker? What is this "other Matter" that Irene wants to discuss? And will William Birkin ever forgive Annette? Will he ever stop being naïve?
Birkin: *smiles cheerfully * doubt it! I trust Umbrella fully and completely! They'll give me credit for all of my work!"
Author: * sweatdrops *
Birkin: What? They'll give me complete credit and promote me to the board of directors by the time RE2 rolls around…
Author: uh huh…
Neway, Chapter Eight forthcoming!