Alex slammed the drawer shut and stood up. There was nothing left in Bate's office worth taking. She suspected that it might have been raided, especially after seeing the zombies wandering around the elevator room. She sighed and stepped back outside. She glanced at the train sitting atop the platform elevator, then turned her head and glanced at the emergency elevator. She'd have to head for the synthesis lab, which meant that she would probably run into more of her former co-workers. Her eyes shifted to the zombie that lay in front of the emergency elevator. If it hadn't been for the uniform, she never would have recognized Keith.

"This is worse than I imagined." she mumbled, heading through to her left.

She moved carefully across the catwalk, well aware that she was an easy target in this large open space. Quickly she made a right, at the red lighted doorway, headed across the second catwalk then through the door.

She had to head to B5. Ordinarily it would be a simple trip, but the moment she saw the closed shutter, she knew things were worse down here than she had originally thought. Which only reaffirmed her decision to wait a couple days to enter the labs. The emergency shutters only closed in the event of a Level 3 Outbreak. A Level 3 meant more than zombies were running loose, a prospect that did not reassure Alex in the slightest. Taking a deep breath, she pulled the magnum and switched it to her left hand, before slapping the shutter with her right.

The shutter railed and Alex's worst fears were confirmed, the plant subjects had escaped their labs. The Plant 43's, created after analyzing the data from the Plant 42 project at the Spencer mansion, were still in their original forms. Alex was relieved to see that no one had tried the experimental P-E gas on them. If they had, she might have had even more of an issue. As it was, they were blocking her way. She knew form lab reports, that a gun wasn't really going to do her much good…even loaded with hollow points.

She retreated down the hall. Keeping a close eye on the plants, she hit a nearby key pad. Blessedly the room was empty of any threats. Excluding, of course, the plant tendrils flapping around in the air vent. She ignored them, just as she ignored the dead lab tech on the floor. She slid the magnum back into the shoulder rig, as she opened one of the biohazard lockers.

The lockers had been her idea and despite Bates' bitching, they had been installed. Their purpose was simple, in the event of an outbreak they unlocked giving techs or security personnel access to the guns, ammo, anything else they might need to contain said outbreak. Alex was relived to see that a least on of the lockers was unpillaged. She yanked the door open and her eyes brightened behind her dark sunglasses. Sitting inside, in all its pristine glory, was a fully fueled flamethrower. Her one contribution to the Plant 43 project, a flamethrower specifically designed to combat the Ivy's and other Plant 43 hybrids.

"Time for a bit of gardening."

Alex stepped back into the hallway, pleas to see the Ivies hadn't moved an inch. She stepped forward, pulling the flamethrower's heavy trigger. Flame shot out, hitting the first Ivy dead center of its bulbuls head, which looked more like an open flower than anything else. It writhed, swiging its vines wildly and emitted a high hissing sound, like escaping gas, as it toppled to the floor. Without missing a beat, Alex turned slightly and hosed the second Ivy. It went down as easily as the first.

Moving quickly, she stepped around the two dead plants and opened the door to the main shaft. She was unsurprised to see an Ivy waiting patiently for her by the ladder. A split second before the Ivy could spit, Alex fired it. She stepped around the still dying plant and climbed down the ladder to the platform below.

The vines climbing up the shaft did not escape her notice, but she had a limited supply of fuel and the vines had made no move to do her any harm. Therefore, she ignored them completely. After all, she had a mission, one the did not include the eradication biohazardous threats in the labs. Her only directive was to get a G-Virus sample and once she reached the synthesis lab that part of her mission would be completed.

Annette Birkin watched the monitor carefully from her location in the upper security room. She recognized the intruder immediately, after all hadn't the girl been with William from the beginning? Hadn't she assisted in the Tyrant program and later been reassigned when William and herself had begun work here?

Oh yes, Annette recognized Captain Alexandra Wesker and she knew precisely why she was roaming the labs, killing anything that got in her way. She was after a sample of William's greatest achievement. Captain Wesker wanted the G-Virus.

Annette patted the left pocket of her lab coat, an insane smile spreading across her face. Umbrella had tried to get it from William two days ago. They had succeeded only in forcing her husband to inject himself with hi work, thus creating the monster that now roamed the sewers. She now had the final sample safely in her possession and the traitor's sister would never get her hands on it…never…

Alex slammed her hands on the table, feeling stupid. She had hoped there would be a sample in the synthesis lab, but she'd been wrong. Now, she'd have to head back to level B-4 and to Birkin's personal lab. It wouldn't be easy, the flamethrower was empty and lay discarded in a previous hallway. The five dead zombies scattered about the lab and the six dead in the monitor room had severely cut into her Beretta ammo, leaving her three full clips and two rounds in the gun itself…for a grand total of twenty-six shots. The magnum was down by three, thanks to a licker dropping from the ceiling in a previous hallway.

Of course she had little choice in the matter, Birkin's lab was her last chance for a sample. Alex didn't bother to dwell on what would happen if Birkin's lab held no sample, she'd cross that bridge in and when she came to it.

Annette ran across the catwalk heading for her own lab in the eastern area. She had underestimated Wesker. She had thought the Umbrella lap dog would cease her search after discovering the virus was not in the synthesis lab. Annette had been wrong and knew it the moment the girl had headed back toward the main catwalk and turned down the last of the three available routes through the lab complex.

The Umbrella scum was heading to William's lab, she was positive. Well, Annette would be waiting in her own lab. Once Captain Wesker discovered William's lab empty she would undoubtedly turn to that lab next…and Annette would be ready to welcome her.

Alex finally made it to the main lab area. She opened the shutter and walked to the security reader. It required the fingerprints of two people. Unless of course you were William Birkin or herself. She entered her thumb print, and security code. There was a soft click as the door unlocked.

Alex grimaced at the sight that greeted her. Bullet holes perforated the small lab table and blood was splattered across the floor. It appeared this was where Birkin had met his end, but she didn't see any signs of a body. She did see signs of something massive wreaking havoc in here though, the floor was littered with papers and shattered lab equipment.

Alex sifted through the wreckage, her hope at finding a sample fading with every second. Finally way back under the counter and covered by debris, she found a small metallic case about the size of a pencil box. She pulled it out and snapped it open. Inside lay a vile of purplish liquid with a small tag on it labeled "G-Sample 12". She smiled and stuffed the sample into her bag. A few more seconds and she'd grabbed as many files labeled "G" as she could find. They too found a place in her bag. Finally she dusted herself off and headed out the door. It was back to the emergency elevator, then down to the train, and finally out of the city.

Annette still sat waiting in her lab. But she was growing concerned. Did she indeed have the last virus sample? What if she'd missed one in William's lab? Her eyes widened as the soft sound of footsteps moved passed her continued moving farther away from the labs.

"No!"

She jumped to her feet and scrambled out the door.

Alex moved cautiously across the catwalk, heading back toward the door to the platform elevator. She had just reached said door when a shot rang out, echoing loudly. Alex gritted her teeth, as her left leg buckled.

"You can't have it!"

Alex immediately recognized the voice of Annette Birkin. She also recognized that the woman had completely lost her mind. Alex pushed herself against the railing, trying for as much cover as possible. She had never cared for the openness of this area and had argued it was perfect for an ambush. From the look of things she had been correct.

Alex fired several shots of her own, as she awkwardly pulled herself to her feet. Her leg was on fire, as blood streamed from a wound in her upper thigh. Annette ducked behind the fuse mechanism, firing back. Alex slipped through the door , shots ricocheting off the door frame. She took a few seconds to tie a bandage around her leg. It was a clean hit going straight through, but it still hurt like hell. She limped to the emergency elevator, pulling the key from her pocket.

"Son of a bitch!"

Alex slammed a hand against the now power dead elevator, cursing Annette to hell and back. She must have cut the power at some point. Alex leaned against the wall, considering her only two options. Go back through the labs and figure out where Annette had hidden the fuse. Go back through the sewers and into Raccoon itself.

Either choice, was risky. Annette could have hidden the fuse anywhere, not to mention cutting power directly. Alex certainly didn't have an M.O. disk to get into the C-2 hanger where the second elevator was located. That too could be stashed anywhere in the labs. Not to mention Annette running around with a gun. That left her heading back up to the R.P.D. and the streets of Raccoon City. She sighed, running a hand across her face. It appeared she would have to take the long way out of the city…