It was Steven Berry's second week working at Umbrella, and he

didn't understand what everyone had been so worried about. It was

definately a good job, all the people treated him well, and he made

good money, even at his currently low status. "Hah, I knew it was all

just a bunch of talk. Why in the world would a place like this nuke an

entire city? I bet it was the government, they're never up to any

good. I'm sure Umbrella had nothing to do with it. I mean, it's just

a pharmeceutical company for God's sake." Steven had thoughts on the

same topic since he applied for the job, but after finally making it

in, he had no idea why so much commotion was caused. He idly waited

and thought while sipping at his cup of coffee, waiting for any phone

calls he may need to transfer. "Yep, nothing wrong at all with

Umbrella." A man in a very fine, expensive red suit walked stiffly

over to the main desk, over towards Steven. Politely, he sat up

straight and greeted the gentleman. "Hello sir! Fine day isn't it?"

Seemingly unaffected by Steven's optimism, Mr. Red continued on until

he was behind Steven's chair. Steven rotated around in order to look

the man in the eyes. "Anything I can do for you sir?"

Mr. Red slicked back his already slicked back black hair and

in a low, solemn voice said, "Could you please come and follow me?"

Steven's mouth went dry as he quickly nodded and stood up,

following the man through what seemed to be an endless eternity of

hallway after hallway. They arrived at an elevator and Mr. Red's

finger hit the button to the top floor. "Oh no, what could I have done

wrong, why would they want to fire me? Please no, I love this job!"

Steven arrived with Mr. Red in what appeared to be a large

conference room. Organized stacks of paper sat at the grand glass

table which was occupied by seven other men and women, each wearing a

different colored suit. Upon their arrival, the woman in the black

suit stopped talking and a man with thin-rimmed glasses and a deep

emerald suit rose from his chair, holding up his hand towards the

woman, "Hold that thought for a moment, would you Ms. Black?"

The woman nodded as Mr. Green led Steven to another room,

rather small but with a large window that had a brilliant view. In the

room was a desk whose only occupant was a phone. Mr. Green offered

Steven a seat, which he nervously yet graciously took.

"Now I'm sure you're very curious as to why you are here."

Steven nodded. "Well, one of our laboratories located on the U.S.

border with Canada was destroyed. The head researcher Doctor Peter

Keyes went ballistic and released his bioengineered supersoldiers,

entitled the Four Horsemen, into the facility. S.T.A.R.S. was sent in,

and later the U.B.C.S. We believe that Keyes's son led the S.T.A.R.S.

into the facility and one of them demolished it with SEMTEX

explosives." Steven's face was as pale as a sheet. "Everyone was

believed to be killed. Now watch me." Mr. Green picked up the phone

and removed a paper from his pocket. As his finger rested upon a

number on the paper, he dialed it and put it on speaker-phone. The

resident answered the phone.

"Hello, Montgomery residence. This is Pauline speaking."

"Greetings Mrs. Montgomery. We have discovered that your

husband, Richard, was found at a laboratory on the U.S./Canada border.

He had led his military team, the S.T.A.R.S. Beta team, into the

facility with the intention of destroying the work of the scientists

there. The facility's attack team was forced to retaliate and your

husband was killed." Mr. Green then hung up the phone without another

word, neither consolation or apology. Steven was astounded at Green's

heartlessness, showing no sympathy, telling the woman that her

husband died as if it were a fact, being totally emotionless. Before

he could speak, Mr. Green started, "Now, I need you to do the same

thing for the remaining ten families of the deceased S.T.A.R.S.

members." Mr. Green slid the list down the table to Steven.

"But, that's not really what happened, sir!"

Mr. Green simply smiled, his eyes hidden behind the glare of

his spectacles. "A little coverup never hurt anyone did it?"

With that, Green exited the room, leaving Steven with the

phone and the list. Steven found himself drastically trapped, either

he lied to these poor people, or left this well-paying job. He stood

up from the chair, determined not to stood so low. However, Mr.

Green's cool, collect voice chimed in on an overhead speaker in the

room.

"You're risking a lot by leaving that desk my friend. My

personal recommendation is that you call those people and tell them.

Keep in mind that we can hear everything that you're saying. Please

don't make this difficult."

The announcement ended and Steven could hear the door, his

only exit aside from the window, lock. He was now officially stuck.

Steven sulkily shuffled back over to the desk and picked up the phone.

The next name on the list was a man named Lyle Morris. Steven

regretfully dialed the number and waited for an answer. The answer

came in the form of an eight year old boy.

"Hello?"

"Uh...hi..is this where Lyle Morris lives?" A heavy lump was

sitting in Steven's throat as he prayed he had dialed the wrong

number.

"Yeah, he's my daddie!"

Steven cringed and bit at his lip, his voice now heavy with

sorrow. "C-could you please get your mom?" The little boy responded

with a small okay before he could hear tiny footsteps over the phone.

He could hear the phone being handled until a female voice cut in.

"Hello?"

"Um..yes..Mrs. Morris. I hate to report that," Steven paused,

his heart heavy, on the brink of sobbing, "I hate to report that your

husband, he, well he attacked a laboratory with his S.T.A.R.S. team and

their attack force had to kill him." Steven slammed down the phone

before he could hear any reaction from the woman. He sobbed with his

face buried in his arms as Mr. Green once again began to speak via

intercom.

"You see Steven, that wasn't so hard now was it? Only nine

families left."

What used to be love for his newfound job had quickly U-turned

into pure, untapped hatred.

--------------------

"I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider

held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror

bent on conquest.

...Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. its rider was

given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each

other. To him was given a large sword.

When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living

creature say, 'Come!' I looked, and there before me was a black horse!

Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what

sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, 'A quart

of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's

wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!'

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the

fourth living creature say, 'Come!' I looked, and there before me was

a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close

behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill

by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth."

-Revelation 6: 2-8