A/N: Sorry guys, but you have to go read Chapter 5 – Communication
Breakdown. I previously forgot to upload it. Thanks for Captain for beating
and Shak for keeping me company as always. This is the lead up for the shit
hitting the fan
"Oh..." the word was a slur, unfocused and confused. Alanna tried to sit up. "Where am I?"
The blond man from before. She let out a wail, thrashing wildly in her bonds.
"Quiet." he said commandingly. "Quiet!"
She stiled her cries, sniffling.
"Please don't turn me into a zombie." she said. "I'm sorry I didn't do anything please please please." She looked around wildly at her surroundings. It was one of the labs - but not the type that she would work in. Instead of anything pristine, shining and white, it looked like a torture chamber out of a horror movie. Medical tools were drab - if clean - and unadorned metal seemed to be the predominate theme.
He backhanded her casually, and she bit her tongue, shaking with fear and sobs. He smiled, then pulled out a small camera and took two pictures.
"Why?!" she demanded.
"You are the bait to make Gregory White and Gabriel Turnbull go on a trip that they would not consider otherwise."
"No! Gabe! Please!"
"Have fun. We'll have someone feed you." the blond man leered, an insane smile that lit up his face. "Oh yes, Spencer thinks he pulls the strings, but it is Alexia. She made that outbreak occur, and she will have what she wants. Alexia..." he finished in a sigh.
"You're nuts!" Alanna said. The man shook his head.
"If you persist with this irksome behaviour, I shall be tempted to withhold your food rations, my dear." He gave an insane giggle and a jaunty little wave and he left, leaving her in darkness. She struggled to get loose. She had to warn Gabe and Greg about this Alexia. She had to warn them. She was powerless, though.
*
Albert Wesker sighed, arranging his shades. The board meeting had gone on for well over half an hour now, and he was growing tired of the petty corporate backbiting which had ensued throughout the tiresome gathering
"If we mimimize output..."
"Yes, but then the profit..."
"What if we were to merge some of our branches together?"
There was a general murmur of opinion. Wesker sighed heavily. He did not know why they insisted on having him here for these. His specialty was killing people and doing missions, not listening to a group of old men droning on.
He leaned back in his chair, rolling his eyes between his sunglasses. Then he allowed the shades to slip a bit down his nose, enough to reveal his eyes.
"Gentlemen," he asked in a calm voice - calm in a dangerous way. "We have yet to reach a satisfactory conclusion for your little troubles, and there is another problem to bring up. My patience wears thin."
"Uranium City is the fault of Umbrella, not us." one man said. "I have no desire to risk the lives of agents in Reject Labs!"
Wesker narrowed his eyes.
"Gentlemen," he said again, languidly. "That city holds a wealth of viral information and potential combat data." His tone was soft, but the hard line of his mouth made it clear that he would not be dissuaded. He crossed his arms over his chest with a gesture of finality and informed them, "I will select my team and leave as soon as I am ready." He didn't bother to ask for permission, as far as he was concerned, the matter was settled."
"Fine then, Mr. Wesker." the head of the board rolled his eyes. "Select your men and go off to Uranium City. We give you our grudging permission." he gave Wesker a look that Wesker supposed meant that he was supposed to apologize and forget the idea.
"If you'll excuse me, I have a mission to plan and a team to choose."
The board of directors looked furious, but they knew that he was right- which only served their anger.
"Fine!" one snapped. "Chase your pipe dream, Albert!"
He ignored them. He was beyond rising to petty pokes. He would just arrange to have the man killed later. But for now, he had a job to do. He just wished he could shake the feeling that there would be surprises that he did not like waiting for him. *
Wesker had no way of realizing that in Paris, the same discussion was going on.
Delta Team and Team Biohazard were eyeing each other warily as Spencer strode to the front of the look. Pale and drawn looking, Gabriel Turnbull was debating quietly with Gregory White. And Alexia Ashford stood as far away as she could from a glowering William Birkin, hands folded calmly and smile on her lips. Alfred dashed in beside her, giving her a nod of confirmation. Her expression did not change.
Oswell Spencer, looking harassed, strode into the room. Cassandra and Catherine followed him. For once, the resemblence as sisters shone through. They both wore determined, if frightened, expressions, and were clad in the gear of soldiers.
/So, they really are serious about this./
Cora and Amelia Merandez were the only two soldiers from the opposite teams mingling with one another, and from the expressions on Linden and Scythe's face, neither of them approved.
Amelia was snuggled against her sister, an inane grin on her face.
"We." she stated to her older sister. "are going on a mission. Together!"
"Great." Cora could keep an eye on her sister.
Oswell Spencer strode to the front of the crowd, speaking in a loud voice that drew every eye. Curiously enough, Alexia merely arched an eyebrow.
"Uranium City." Spencer said in a loud voice. "Was established in 1950 in Saskatchewan, for the drawing of uranium for the Earth. Sadly, this could not last forever, and the city was abandoned in 1970. Of course, Umbrella moved in, and soon, all sorts of activity was bustling."
"They call Uranium City Reject Labs." Alexia spoke up frostily.
"Well, some very benefitting research went on there." Spencer said.
"Like zombies with six arms? Chameleons so large that had to be housed in warehouses, and could kill hundreds without being seen? Hunters that were immobile, but had claws larger than helicopter blades? Viruses that could do ntohing to the host for years, then cause them to mutate horribly?" Birkin, not to be outdone by Alexia, spoke up.
Many of the UBCS soldiers gathered there went noticably pale. Amelia clutched onto Cora, knuckles turning white.
"It's okay." Cora said. "Just listen."
"There was an outbreak there, very, very recently." Spencer confirmed the suspicious of the gathered crowd. One man fainted, being caught by a grimacing Linden.
"For God's sakes, Marx. Have to embarass me, don't you?" Linden muttered.
"Now. We are going to need a few scientists to collect samples. These scientists will be Gregory White, Gabriel Turnbull, Alexia Ashford, and William Birkin."
"What about me?!" Alfred Ashford leapt forward. "I will not leave my Alexia!"
"I am perfectly capable of ensuring my own safety." Alexia brushed past her brother calmly. "You will only be a nusiance. Kindly desist from this purile emotional dependency. Make yourself of service by safeguarding the welfare of a girl like a good worker ant."
/What girl?/ Cora noticed Gabriel and Gregory ashenfaced and furious looking. /What is she talking about? What is she up to?/
"Go suit up." Linden said to his men, and Amelia reluctantly said good bye to her sister.
"No briefing?" Scythe asked.
"There's no briefing that's gonna be able to prepare us for this." Linden told Scythe. "Just stay out of my way and let me give orders."
"No fucking way am I allowing you to take over this mission!"
"You'd be too incompetant to do it anyways!"
Scythe growled, clenching his fists, before growling a promise to the other team leader.
"What, do you think that you are somehow *better* than me? Your team is pathetic! Salven? Marx? A fourteen year old."
"Hey!" cried Cora and Amelia indignantly. They were ignored by the team leaders. They each scowled at each other, then stalked away.
"Cora, we're going to be working together again!" Ruben Salven smiled slyly at Cora.
"Salven, fuck off."
"Don't use such language in front of the children!" Salven admonished. Cora scowled, shrugging him off, then stalked off to suit up. This wasn't her day.
*
The scientist didn't even notice the two shadows creeping quietly through the large courtyard. He simply gave the Cerebruses a large quantity of red meat, then took notes, before wandering back into the labs.
"Whew." Claire whispered. "That was close."
The Cerebruses caught scent of them, growling at their chain link fence. A few threw their body weight against the fence, going mad. The scientist rushed back out, and Claire and Chris moved on quickly.
There were suddenly loud voices and footsteps. Banter, arguments, bragging... it was at least a dozen people.
"Hide!"
The two of them clambered onto a sleek black jet with the Umbrella logo emblazoned on the side. After ducking into a cargo room, they exhaled almost as one. Chris was clutching his Glock tightly, while Claire had her eyes closed.
Suddenly, there was a hiss as the door for the plane opened.
"They know we're here." Claire said faintly.
"They might not."
The cargo room door opened to the sound of laughing men, and Claire and Chris pressed against the wall. Claire was shaking slightly. The men did not come in, simply tossed duffle bags on the floor then strode out.
The engines started.
"Where are they going, Chris?" Claire demanded.
"Hell again." he responded.
"Oh..." the word was a slur, unfocused and confused. Alanna tried to sit up. "Where am I?"
The blond man from before. She let out a wail, thrashing wildly in her bonds.
"Quiet." he said commandingly. "Quiet!"
She stiled her cries, sniffling.
"Please don't turn me into a zombie." she said. "I'm sorry I didn't do anything please please please." She looked around wildly at her surroundings. It was one of the labs - but not the type that she would work in. Instead of anything pristine, shining and white, it looked like a torture chamber out of a horror movie. Medical tools were drab - if clean - and unadorned metal seemed to be the predominate theme.
He backhanded her casually, and she bit her tongue, shaking with fear and sobs. He smiled, then pulled out a small camera and took two pictures.
"Why?!" she demanded.
"You are the bait to make Gregory White and Gabriel Turnbull go on a trip that they would not consider otherwise."
"No! Gabe! Please!"
"Have fun. We'll have someone feed you." the blond man leered, an insane smile that lit up his face. "Oh yes, Spencer thinks he pulls the strings, but it is Alexia. She made that outbreak occur, and she will have what she wants. Alexia..." he finished in a sigh.
"You're nuts!" Alanna said. The man shook his head.
"If you persist with this irksome behaviour, I shall be tempted to withhold your food rations, my dear." He gave an insane giggle and a jaunty little wave and he left, leaving her in darkness. She struggled to get loose. She had to warn Gabe and Greg about this Alexia. She had to warn them. She was powerless, though.
*
Albert Wesker sighed, arranging his shades. The board meeting had gone on for well over half an hour now, and he was growing tired of the petty corporate backbiting which had ensued throughout the tiresome gathering
"If we mimimize output..."
"Yes, but then the profit..."
"What if we were to merge some of our branches together?"
There was a general murmur of opinion. Wesker sighed heavily. He did not know why they insisted on having him here for these. His specialty was killing people and doing missions, not listening to a group of old men droning on.
He leaned back in his chair, rolling his eyes between his sunglasses. Then he allowed the shades to slip a bit down his nose, enough to reveal his eyes.
"Gentlemen," he asked in a calm voice - calm in a dangerous way. "We have yet to reach a satisfactory conclusion for your little troubles, and there is another problem to bring up. My patience wears thin."
"Uranium City is the fault of Umbrella, not us." one man said. "I have no desire to risk the lives of agents in Reject Labs!"
Wesker narrowed his eyes.
"Gentlemen," he said again, languidly. "That city holds a wealth of viral information and potential combat data." His tone was soft, but the hard line of his mouth made it clear that he would not be dissuaded. He crossed his arms over his chest with a gesture of finality and informed them, "I will select my team and leave as soon as I am ready." He didn't bother to ask for permission, as far as he was concerned, the matter was settled."
"Fine then, Mr. Wesker." the head of the board rolled his eyes. "Select your men and go off to Uranium City. We give you our grudging permission." he gave Wesker a look that Wesker supposed meant that he was supposed to apologize and forget the idea.
"If you'll excuse me, I have a mission to plan and a team to choose."
The board of directors looked furious, but they knew that he was right- which only served their anger.
"Fine!" one snapped. "Chase your pipe dream, Albert!"
He ignored them. He was beyond rising to petty pokes. He would just arrange to have the man killed later. But for now, he had a job to do. He just wished he could shake the feeling that there would be surprises that he did not like waiting for him. *
Wesker had no way of realizing that in Paris, the same discussion was going on.
Delta Team and Team Biohazard were eyeing each other warily as Spencer strode to the front of the look. Pale and drawn looking, Gabriel Turnbull was debating quietly with Gregory White. And Alexia Ashford stood as far away as she could from a glowering William Birkin, hands folded calmly and smile on her lips. Alfred dashed in beside her, giving her a nod of confirmation. Her expression did not change.
Oswell Spencer, looking harassed, strode into the room. Cassandra and Catherine followed him. For once, the resemblence as sisters shone through. They both wore determined, if frightened, expressions, and were clad in the gear of soldiers.
/So, they really are serious about this./
Cora and Amelia Merandez were the only two soldiers from the opposite teams mingling with one another, and from the expressions on Linden and Scythe's face, neither of them approved.
Amelia was snuggled against her sister, an inane grin on her face.
"We." she stated to her older sister. "are going on a mission. Together!"
"Great." Cora could keep an eye on her sister.
Oswell Spencer strode to the front of the crowd, speaking in a loud voice that drew every eye. Curiously enough, Alexia merely arched an eyebrow.
"Uranium City." Spencer said in a loud voice. "Was established in 1950 in Saskatchewan, for the drawing of uranium for the Earth. Sadly, this could not last forever, and the city was abandoned in 1970. Of course, Umbrella moved in, and soon, all sorts of activity was bustling."
"They call Uranium City Reject Labs." Alexia spoke up frostily.
"Well, some very benefitting research went on there." Spencer said.
"Like zombies with six arms? Chameleons so large that had to be housed in warehouses, and could kill hundreds without being seen? Hunters that were immobile, but had claws larger than helicopter blades? Viruses that could do ntohing to the host for years, then cause them to mutate horribly?" Birkin, not to be outdone by Alexia, spoke up.
Many of the UBCS soldiers gathered there went noticably pale. Amelia clutched onto Cora, knuckles turning white.
"It's okay." Cora said. "Just listen."
"There was an outbreak there, very, very recently." Spencer confirmed the suspicious of the gathered crowd. One man fainted, being caught by a grimacing Linden.
"For God's sakes, Marx. Have to embarass me, don't you?" Linden muttered.
"Now. We are going to need a few scientists to collect samples. These scientists will be Gregory White, Gabriel Turnbull, Alexia Ashford, and William Birkin."
"What about me?!" Alfred Ashford leapt forward. "I will not leave my Alexia!"
"I am perfectly capable of ensuring my own safety." Alexia brushed past her brother calmly. "You will only be a nusiance. Kindly desist from this purile emotional dependency. Make yourself of service by safeguarding the welfare of a girl like a good worker ant."
/What girl?/ Cora noticed Gabriel and Gregory ashenfaced and furious looking. /What is she talking about? What is she up to?/
"Go suit up." Linden said to his men, and Amelia reluctantly said good bye to her sister.
"No briefing?" Scythe asked.
"There's no briefing that's gonna be able to prepare us for this." Linden told Scythe. "Just stay out of my way and let me give orders."
"No fucking way am I allowing you to take over this mission!"
"You'd be too incompetant to do it anyways!"
Scythe growled, clenching his fists, before growling a promise to the other team leader.
"What, do you think that you are somehow *better* than me? Your team is pathetic! Salven? Marx? A fourteen year old."
"Hey!" cried Cora and Amelia indignantly. They were ignored by the team leaders. They each scowled at each other, then stalked away.
"Cora, we're going to be working together again!" Ruben Salven smiled slyly at Cora.
"Salven, fuck off."
"Don't use such language in front of the children!" Salven admonished. Cora scowled, shrugging him off, then stalked off to suit up. This wasn't her day.
*
The scientist didn't even notice the two shadows creeping quietly through the large courtyard. He simply gave the Cerebruses a large quantity of red meat, then took notes, before wandering back into the labs.
"Whew." Claire whispered. "That was close."
The Cerebruses caught scent of them, growling at their chain link fence. A few threw their body weight against the fence, going mad. The scientist rushed back out, and Claire and Chris moved on quickly.
There were suddenly loud voices and footsteps. Banter, arguments, bragging... it was at least a dozen people.
"Hide!"
The two of them clambered onto a sleek black jet with the Umbrella logo emblazoned on the side. After ducking into a cargo room, they exhaled almost as one. Chris was clutching his Glock tightly, while Claire had her eyes closed.
Suddenly, there was a hiss as the door for the plane opened.
"They know we're here." Claire said faintly.
"They might not."
The cargo room door opened to the sound of laughing men, and Claire and Chris pressed against the wall. Claire was shaking slightly. The men did not come in, simply tossed duffle bags on the floor then strode out.
The engines started.
"Where are they going, Chris?" Claire demanded.
"Hell again." he responded.