Chapter Fourteen: Well here's Chapter Fourteen. And since I can't really think of anything majorly awesome, creative, and cool to do in the story to thank all of you guys for reading…I'll have to-keep thinking!
Disclaimer: Every few chapters I just have to go off and say the usual. I don't own it-I never will-blah, blah.
Yes.
To BioVirus: Thank you for your opinion! I wish I could fix it, but sadly the story has already been written. Your constructive comments were really, really helpful. This is a simple opinion-nothing more, and just as you are entitled to your opinion-I am entitled to mine. * Slow smile *
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Hannah-are you trying to kill me?
Selena-No sweetie, I'm making you not care
-28 days later
Dr. Peter Silberman- When you're in a traumatic situation you can see things, impossible things…crazy things…insane things…things that will take years to get over…
Terminator 3 "Rise of the Machines"
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Spencer Mansion
Annette LeDour, Sherry Delaney, and Albert Wesker were trying to survive.
And they were doing a terrible job.
"FIRE THE DAMN GUN!" Wesker raised the rifle again and hit one of the zombies in the head. They were spawning-biting the employees of Arklay labs and leaving them to turn a few minutes later. They'd seen collections of survivors-mostly scientists clinging to the arms of commandos.
Sherry fired-hitting the boy No more then a kid… right between the eyes. Annette's smaller gun was doing just as well-she pegged two in succession, and glared angrily at Sherry.
"We should have left when we had the chance!"
The three of them had been in the labs throughout the "Explanation stage" A few minutes after the declarations of the past-they had found themselves mobbed.
"YAOW!" Sherry pushed the zombie off her leg, "The fucker almost got me!"
This is too fucking weird.
She tried to think of something rational. Something to keep her from losing it as she watched heads explode as Wesker and Dr. LeDour fired.
Terminator! Think about Terminator. Who was he? Who played him?
"Mrs. Delaney-"
Big guy-young guy. First scene-think about the first scene-what happened? What did he do? He walked up to a group of kids' and-
"DELANEY!"
Sherry frowned and stared upward. Dr. LeDour and Wesker were both staring at her expectantly the creatures-their friends-were howling at the door.
"Into the vent ma'am." Dr. LeDour said. They were standing atop a collection of tables that had tumbled over in the fighting, "It's the only way out."
"O-okay."
She hesitated for a moment, and then stepped gingerly over to the next island staring down at one of the bodies, Was that one of mine? Did I kill him?
Wesker had removed his helmet. He stared upward into the vent for a moment, and then turned to Dr. LeDour.
"I'll go first."
He was actually kind of homely looking without the helmet. His sunglasses had gotten lost in the fight and his eyes were wide blue and intense. He placed a hand securely on the lip of the vent and hoisted himself up-his green foot was the last thing that both women saw.
"You first ma'am." Dr. LeDour's eyes were downcast, "Civilians before employees."
"I'm not a civilian." Sherry growled, "And anyway, Doctor-you'd better stop calling me Ma'am."
"Get up into the vent ma'am."
"My name is Sherry."
"Get up into the vent Sherry."
Sherry turned her eyes upward seething. Wesker's hand reached out of the darkness. She gripped it tightly, and felt hands on her behind and on her legs.
"Get your hands off my-"
Her body moved foreward and she put a second hand out to steady her. The vent was cramped-Wesker was curled up into a fetal position staring down at Dr. LeDour.
"Ready Annette?"
Dr. LeDour nodded from the floor.
Annette-her name is Annette. That sounded like something she should remember. She pulled herself back a bit and lowered herself to her stomach-lifting a hand outward to help Annette into their little hidey hole.
Once the three of them were in-Wesker put the cover back on. The only light emanating from the three slits that made up the ventilation shaft.
"Well this is cozy."
"We can get to the upper levels by going through the vents." Wesker said, "Normally they lock down in the event of an outbreak-to prevent the spread of infection."
"Why didn't it lock down then when the two of you were in the basement?"
Wesker frowned, "It should have…but maybe there wasn't a spread of infection then. The Virus can't get airborne-it translated by touch.
Annette was stabbed with fear, "Is there any chance-either of you-"
"Birkin." Wesker curled up tighter. The three of them could hear moans and growls from beneath them. "Birkin was attacked-I have no idea-if-if"
He took his helmet off.
Annette shivered and backed into Sherry.
"Listen…" Sherry bit her lip, "I'm-sorry okay? I don't think I can ever forgive you guys-but you saved my ass back there and I'm grateful." She had decided to make amends when she saw how sad they seemed about this "Birkin" fellow. He was the guy I hit…
Am I infected too?
"Its okay." Annette smiled. Wesker was moving ahead of them, "Don't worry about it." She patted a reassuring hand on Sherry's shoulder and Sherry smiled.
Everything was going to be okay.
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Spencer Mansion
Main Dining Hall.
Irene adjusted Birkin's head so that it rolled foreward-making him look like he was drugged.
"There now." she smiled and patted his cheek, "Isn't that better?"
Birkin groaned and said nothing.
Poor Birkin… Irene shook herself to slay the feelings of good. William Birkin was one of them-one of the ones who-by no fault of his own-was responsible for his father's death. She could not allow herself a moment of weakness!
Where to from here?
She had to lure Annette and Albert here.
The question is-how do I do that? She glanced back at Birkin who appeared to be asleep. There would be no greater pleasure then watch the man that Annette LeDour loved devour her alive.
Irene smiled.
"You hungry Birkin?"
William Birkin shook his head feebly. He tried to shift his body so that the chair would tip over-and failed.
"Aww, don't worry. Albert will be here soon enough dear brother-and Annette." As far as she knew they still had feelings for each other. The poor boy had been torn in two when he'd gotten the news of Annette's betrayal.
A perfect time for vengeance-
She stopped short.
She'd wanted vengeance for so long that she'd told herself that her love between Wesker was ultimately nothing. They did share a connection-which was why she was willing to forgive his constant infidelity, but now-that her revenge was so near its completion…
Is it really the right thing?
She glanced back at Birkin-silhouetted against the early dawn outside. She could free him and go find one of the scientists who were still left alive. They could heal him-give him a vaccine-he wasn't yet to the point of no return-was he?
"Birkin?"
Birkin remained motionless.
"William? Are you okay?"
William Birkin raised his head feebly. His eyes were glassy and rolled back into his head-his look filled with loathing.
You cannot stop now. Would your father have stopped?
No.
Irene Wesker's father-Lord Oswell Spencer, would not have stopped for anything.
(A/N: OMG! Yet another major plot-twist! Stop yelling all ya die hard fans-there's no record of Spencer's family-so I can make up what I please * sticks tongue out * at least right now…hrm. )
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In the Vents
Once it was decided that the surest way to reach the outside world would be to go up through the vents-they went. Wesker led-shining a portable mag-lite. Sherry came up the middle coughing because of years of accumulated dust and debris. Annette led the rear-saying nothing.
It's cold in here. She balanced her foot on one of the sidewalls and pushed her up just as Sherry and Albert were doing ahead of her, I want to get out.
She wanted to get out and apologize.
Birkin is such a moron. She thought, I'm only 24 years old! What does he expect? Complete maturity?
He expects honesty, just like I did.
She shuddered. Her grandmother Cassandra LeDour's voice would sometimes appear at the most inopportune times.
Grandma LeDour wasn't 24 years old and working for the greatest company ever. Annette thought as Wesker led them down a side tunnel that was getting awfully cramped, "Hey-are we anywhere near where we're supposed to be?"
Albert blinked at her-owlish. He was far in front-so his eyes were dim pools of light.
"What?"
"Are we anywhere near where we're supposed to be?" Annette repeated wearily, "My ass is getting sore." And I'm sick and tired of listening to the voices in my head.
Up Ahead-Albert peered into the murky gloom. Earlier they had hit the three hills that meant they were going up a level-but now he was not so sure. In between the two of them, the woman Sherry was coughing violently.
He turned back and put a hand on her shoulder, "Are you alright?"
Sherry coughed harder. Her blond hair was soaked with dust and her clothes were in a worse state then his, "Yeah-I'm-*cough* okay-I think its just-" Sherry shook herself, "Spiders-we ran into a big web of them awhile back-I'm violently allergic to their webs-to their bodily fluids-everything."
"What?" Albert squinted. He'd never heard of anybody being allergic to Spiders…
"My mother always said it was a delayed reaction to a bite that I had when I was a kid. I get a whiff of them-their webs especially-and I start coughing, I get a horrible rash, and my throat swells up."
"You're serious?" he'd seen stranger things.
"Absolutely." Sherry coughed again, "Although I have no idea as to why I'd get so sick…"
Annette froze behind them-her face pale as the moon.
"LeDour?" Wesker glanced behind him, "You okay now?"
"I just remembered something." Annette's voice was barely above a whisper. Sherry growled as Wesker leaned into her to hear, "The spider it got loose after killing that technician remember?"
The spider had been an ill-timed but appropriately named experiment. One of the many tests to determine the affect that the T-Virus had on non-human organisms. Unbelievable growth, unaccountable ferocity, all these and more were factors of something that escaped-almost three months ago.
"I thought you gassed the vents."
"WE did!" Annette's voice was shrill now, "But we never sent in a team to see if it was dead! We used Zykolon B gas-"
The same gas the Nazi's had used.
"And we figured that it was dead-but along the way I've been seeing hundreds of smaller webs-and I'm thinking that maybe this wasn't the best idea-going into the vents because it'll be dawn soon and-"
"We stay in the vents." Would the creatures rest if dawn came upon them? "Agreed?"
"Fine." Annette rubbed her arms, "When we find Irene can we see if-William-"
Albert Wesker nodded, "Did the two of you patch things up?"
Annette stared down at her dirty hands.
"I wanted to-but he-said we-we were through." She sighed, "I'll talk to him when we get out of here-surely he has to see-see that-"
"Annette." Wesker's voice was calm, patient. The older brother-rather then the lover, "Do you even know what you're feeling?"
Annette stopped.
Birkin had come on so strong to her. They had exchanged looks, words, private glances throughout the two weeks-but never anything else. Never a single date until the Pravda incident. Birkin had treated her like nothing more then a colleague. Then there had been the incident outside-unrivaled lust that had been hibernating within the both of them.
He just didn't know how to express his feelings. He treated every conversation like he was giving a lecture, or completing a business transaction, Like me…
She wanted the kind of warmth that Jack had given her (Jack? From so long ago…) and Birkin hadn't provided it. He acted like a robot-that was all he was-
But you stayed with him, you wanted to help him. What does that say about you?
The Attraction. Annette decided, Was mutual.
"If-I might interject something-" Sherry spoke up suddenly between the two of them, "When I first met Daniel, he was a bit of a cold fish. I didn't understand why he looked at life so differently-from me." She blushed gracefully, like a queen, "I had to give a lot in the beginning…because I believed that the heart wanted what it wanted." She sighed, "We got married-and then the bastard lied to me…"
William would never lie. The truth hit Annette like a slap in the face, I did, but he wouldn't. Not to me-because He made me an equal partner.
"Ladies-I hate to interrupt this little-chat…" Wesker's voice was distant ahead of them, "But I think I might have discovered why the medical examiner is having such a crazed reaction…"
The eyes of the creature appeared like lights-one, two, and three-eight. A huge furred leg reached itself out of the darkness and hissed.
The three humans reacted like any normal human would if they were trapped in an enclosed space with a gigantic spider.
"RUN!"
Or in this case, scramble. Annette felt herself fall backward as Sherry screamed and clawed over her body. The three of them temporarily forgetting that the vent sloped directly down to the next level-
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH."
Annette became "Annette-Sled" as Sherry and Albert piled on top of her.
"Is it still following us?" She looked up into Sherry's wide eyes. The journey grew darker and the world was filled with the shrieks and moans of the three people.
"Maybe-I can-get off-a SHOT!" Wesker triumphantly produced a gun and fired backward at the advancing spider-which didn't seem to be plagued by the drop.
It was moving faster.
"Shoot the eight legged freak!" Sherry cried. They hit a level with a turn off. Annette cried out when she felt herself stop a few feet from the edge-and breathed a sigh of relief as sherry climbed off of her. Wesker put out a hand and twisted his body so that he stopped before pushing her off into the darkness.
"Thanks." She said in relief.
He didn't offer a reply as the Spider came tumbling after him. Dim light from yet another vent illuminated its ugliness-eight eyes, eight legs-horrific size with terribly long fangs-
Annette pushed herself into the turn off and followed the rapidly moving Wesker and Sherry. She paused only a moment, to smile in satisfaction as she heard the Spider's final hiss as it dropped suddenly into darkness.
Sherry was now in the lead.
"Where too from here?" it was colder here-the vent system apparently having been activated, "We need to get out!"
"This is the Dining room level." Wesker said from the back, "Make a right up at the next turn and we'll come to one of the minor dining halls."
"Ya know…"Annette turned back to him, annoyed by his superiority, "How is it that you know exactly where we're going all the time? What kind of person memorizes the ventilation system in a haunted house?"
"The dedicated kind."
If this is what passes for dedication, them I'm really sorry I took that guy up on his offer. Annette followed Sherry for what seemed like hours through the vents.
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William Birkin-
He had to fight it.
Think of something-happy-keep you-human… it was hard to find a happy memory in his all too short life. He was 26 years old and most of his achievements seemed to involve dead people.
Damn.
Annette's face floated out of the darkness, she was arguing with him about something what was it? Something about the T-Virus…
Irene was looking into his face with concern, That bitch. Who knew that she was Oswell Spencer's daughter? He barely remembered the man, and Lord Spencer had hardly seemed the type to have a family.
That seems to run strong in Umbrella…
He tried to imagine what it would be like to be a father and shook his head feebly. He'd be terrible. There were more important things in his life and he couldn't lie to himself about them.
Live for your work…
But his work was what had brought him to this end!
Annette?
Her face swam out of the darkness again.
Live for her?
Could he do that? She had betrayed him, but she was his partner-one of the few-who he considered equal in some small way. The only one who gave her work, as much attention as he did his-and didn't try to mushy it up, or anything-?
Or is that what she wanted? Closeness? More of a relationship then just that one kiss-
The kiss that decided so many things.
"Birkin…make it in time…"
William Birkin swallowed and tried to speak, "Wh-wh-What?"
"I said…" Irene's voice was soft; "I hope that Albert and Annette make it in time."
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A/N: Yes! Chapter Fourteen! Recently, I've been getting a lot of people (mostly friends who read the fic) telling me that my portrayals of some of the characters are a little off. Let me promise you now, the entire adventure-that accompanies Annette and William's romance does have a purpose that should become clear shortly. I'm not saying that my way is the right way-I'm just expressing my opinion * sorry but I need to rant, I've had kind of a bad day *
My entire goal was to bring warmth to characters that didn't really seem to have a lot of it. Even workaholics have things that mean things to them in their lives-they're people too-not just mindless drones that do nothing but, "Work, Work, and Work!" I wanted to portray William and Annette as flawed people cause that's the way I saw the character-and that's the great thing about games and anime and stuff-is that they are flawed! That's why we can relate to them! Unlike Loony Tunes where it's just, "Cat hit mouse, mouse run-etc." Anyway, I just wanted to say that, and I hope it makes sense. If I were to do something about Leon and Claire, or Chris and Jill, I would probably do something of the same thing. People are flawed, sometimes weak creatures-even characters. (God knows I've written about my fair share in my own stuff) get-used-to-it.
Sorry, that's just my two cents. * Wince * Chapter Fifteen forthcoming.