Dr.William Birkin

The cold night stretched out endlessly in front of David, but he couldn't stop, he had to keep going, farther into the depths of the unrelenting, unfeeling hell that Gaines had become. His thoughts stalked and nagged at his presence of mind non stop...conflicting figments of the situation all eventually adding up to one inescapable mantra, repeated a million times in the depths of his consciousness...You are a failure, and now you've REALLY screwed yourself over, death is what you deserve... . Reaching the end of Cotton Ave, he saw the edifice of the city hall looming above him like a haunted house out of an old horror movie. The stone and marble exterior showed signs of its late 19th century construction. Tightening his shaking grip on the browning hi-power, he made sure the Beretta and Ingram had enough ammunition in them, and walked up the cold stone steps...

The door creaked open to reveal an empty office where once there had been an overflow of local business to be conducted, The dim glow of David's flashlight..the only thing that stood out was a trail of blood, leading to a slaughtered troopers body. Death had come to city hall, and now David was right in the middle of this....

Markenson's eyes glazed over as he saw three other bodies at the guard posts, the hunters had apparently found their way into the upper levels of the building. They'll never get in here,.... he thought, smiling at the fact that Blair had thought to convert the bomb shelter areas beneath the government buildings into control facilities. "Piers..our friend Sunderland is here...let's let the rat know he's closing in on the cheese....". "Consider it done...". replied Piers, walking off to the holding cell down the hall.

The intercom crackled with static, causing David to turn and aim his weapon. He froze at the next thing he heard, a cry of terror, and a plea for help. No...if they hurt her.... . "David....if you're wondering..yes, that is her...and yes, she is here....come on down here Sunderland...we've got a BIG surprise for you!!!" bellowed Piers over the intercom, followed by an insane cackle.

"Its done...he's on his way now...." said piers into a wall mounted radio. "Excellent..make sure that the subject behaves according to the plan...we need her to be fully conscious when he arrives...just slightly more vacant mentally..." replied Markenson. The door opened, and 4 doctors came in with assorted ivs and syringes. Piers smiled an evil, malicious smile. "Commence the mental restructuring...." laughed Piers, before dropping into a fit of hysterical and psychotic howling laughter.

The maze was open, the bait was set, and the rat was about to run to it....

Infinity-X

David slowly walked down a hallway looking for Alex. He knew they wouldn't make it easy for him. Their plan was still working, and he was still falling for it.

"Why can't they just go to hell!"

David slammed his fist into the wall. He then heard a voice on the intercom again,

"Oh, good...your almost here"

then he heard another psychotic laugh.

**meanwhile......**

A scientist pushed a needle with a strange colored fluid into Alex's arm. When it went into her unconscious body she jerked. About a minute later she started to regain consciousness. Markenson then walked onto the cell....

"Hahaha....miss, do you know who you are, and do you know who David is?"

Alex couldn't quite open her eyes, and she was breathing heavily.

"....I'm Alex...Alexandra....and,..who, who is David?.."

she tried to say, but she went unconscious again. A smirk formed on Markenson's face...

"Heh..good, just a little longer...."

Claire Redfield

With buildings, sidewalk, and the occasional zombie becoming blurs as Nathan sped down the streets, Winsor was starting to grow tired of playing "hide 'n seek". Everyone would split up and then they would have to find each other which is quite tiring.

Nathan made a sharp turn almost sending Winsor and Ryan out of their seats if they didn't have their seatbelts on.

"We shouldn't be going this fast," Ryan said with a groan. "If something is in front of us..."

"Nothing will be in front of us," Nathan said smiling. "And if something is in front of us, it will probably be a zombie or something."

Winsor sighed and closed her eyes. She was very tired. They all were. If they found the others, they would have to find a safe place to spend the night. The church or the police station seemed safe...

But that isn't bugging you is it? It's Nathan and the others....Admit it, Sam. You like them.....

No, she wouldn't make herself that positive. She wanted to isolate herself from everyone. She was afraid of caring for someone and then losing them or them rejecting her. It would break her heart...

If I have one...If I didn't I would be stillborn, her mind said sarcastically, but she knew that she was getting soft. She hated the feeling, yet something wanted her to make her like it. She wasn't sure, but she thought it was Nathan that made her feel that way.

With her eyes still closed, a light hit her eyelids and she opened them, just enough to be blinded. She was blinded for a few seconds, but she wasn't deaf.

"OH SHIT!" Ryan shouted.

"WHOA!" Nathan shouted also. He swerved the car to the side. The smell of burning rubber and the screeching of tires filled the silent air. There was another chorus of screeching tires nearby. Winsor could only think that they had almost collided with another car-

-and their car slammed into a brick building on Winsor's side. They felt it shake and heard the metal crunch, signaling that the passenger's side door would not have the ability to be opened.

The three of them were gasping for air, sweating from a near death, not from a monster, but from an everyday car. Their eyes were wide with shock, fear, and relief. Nathan put his head on the steering wheel and Ryan laid back into his seat.

"Mgrlph... what a ride," Ryan whispered loudly enough for Nathan and Winsor to hear.

"Shut up," Winsor snapped. She was still in shock from their crash.

Nathan lifted his head from the steering wheel. "I think I seen the others in that car. I'm not sure. Did you guys see anything?"

"Nothing," Ryan sighed.

"Only my life flashing before my eyes and I just realized it was boring. Except for the water part," Winsor said and sneaked a small smile at Nathan.

Nathan smiled back and looked forward. Three people were jogging to the car. Actually, two of them were lifting someone up in between them.

"It's the others," Nathan said and opened the door.

"Can we make this quick. I hate to rush things, but we are in a city full of zombies and bio-genetic creatures and we are out in the open," Ryan said, making Winsor remember about Pier's men after them.

Winsor nodded in agreement and they both got out of the car on the driver's side.

"Hey, you guys alright?" Vanessa asked.

"You were behind the wheel? Figures," Winsor muttered and looked back at their car. The right side was crushed somewhat and it was stuck on some broken metal and stone. It wasn't going anywhere.

"No sign of...Alex or David...?" Ryan asked weakly.

"No Alex, but we seen David. I think we shouldn't trust him," Nathan said.

"Why?" John asked. He shifted Jarred's arm on his shoulders.

"He's been acting weird and he's hiding something from us."

A sudden chorus of moans came from behind them. The zombies were coming. Winsor looked at a nearby street sign. They were on Georgia Ave. They had a choice to go to the church ahead of them or to the police station behind them, where the moans sounded like they were coming from.