Chapter Ten

The immediate second that Barry had knocked Leon to the floor Joseph had lunged forward with what strength he could. His shoulder, however, hindered his movements and Barry had instinctively rose his Colt Python to defend himself as he bellowed, "Get back Joseph! I'm sorry but there's no other way! Just get out of here while you still can!"

Joseph felt every impulse rise against the gun that just waited for him. He wanted to charge. He wanted to grab the fat man by his beard and beat him to a bloody pulp. But…dammit he'd be too slow.

"Barry, why are you doing this?" Jill pleaded.

"I can't explain! Now leave this place and forget about everyone else. Tell everyone that you three were the only survivors, now get out of here!"

"Barry this isn't like you," Rebecca was practically speechless.

"That doesn't matter, none of this matters and none of it happened, understand? Now listen, on the west side of the mansion there's a second residence next to a garage. The garage should have vehicles you can drive out of here, okay? Just get to the mansion, and get out of here!"

Barry gazed at them all pleadingly. There wasn't hatred, wasn't betrayal, but subsidence. Barry's eyes went to Joseph, and he started a moment longer before picking Leon's body up and carrying him up the stairs, disappearing into shadow. They heard a door open and slam shut, and immediately Joseph yelled and kicked over the nearest stand of candles in frustration at his failure. Leon had rescued him, why the hell didn't he do the same?

"Joseph!" Jill yelled, grabbing him by the arm, "Calm down, that's not going to help any of us."

Joseph turned towards her, the tension of his hatred for himself building as he looked at the floor, "Jill! He took Leon!"

"I know, Joseph, I know. But right now, there's nothing we can do, all right? He has a gun, and we don't, he's strong and we're not, and he has a hostage. All right?"

"But…but we have to get Leon back…" Joseph's fists were quivering.

"I know, and we will, Joseph. We will. But right now we have to worry about getting out of here so we can come back with help."

"Go and come back?" Joseph said in astonishment, "You mean leave my friend?"

"Joseph…"

"No! I'm going to get him now!"

Joseph turned to follow Barry. Jill had to say something, she had to stop Joseph. Reluctantly, she said the only thing she thought would stop him, "Joseph! Don't go! We need you!"

Joseph stopped and turned to her, in partial disbelief, "You what?"

"We need you…to…protect us."

Joseph began to step back towards Jill and Rebecca. He bit his lip and nodded grimly, "All right, fine. Let's go."

An explosion of lightning and thunder sounded together, illuminating the dark hall, but that was not all that startled the three survivors. From every side of the mansion, a horrible cacophony of chanting and hollering cries rose up with the thunder. Louder and louder, the haunting chants grew. Drum rolls of fists began to thud and echo against the doors, walls, and windows. The two large main doors leading to the outside rattled and shook upon their hinges. Roaring and screaming, moaning and clawing, scraping and scratching in want for the three inside the main hall.

"God…" Jill whispered to herself, "What is it?"

"Go," said Joseph as he stared at the doors, every last one on the first floor rattling and quivering as the pounding force upon the other side screamed in hunger, "Go!"

He pushed Jill and Rebeca towards the stairs as suddenly a loud crashing sound threw open the doors to the dining hall left of them. Lightning and thunder roared, and in the white flare Joseph saw them. Teaming hordes, like a furious mob stained with blood and rot they came. Zombies, all of them slumping, crawling, groping towards him. He looked behind him to see the main doors thrust open, and another wave of zombies flooded in. The doors at the right burst open, and a third wave of the hideous dead came urging forth.

"Joseph run!" Jill called from the upper balcony.

Joseph bolted, pumping his legs up the first set of stairs as the masses of zombies mobbed after him. Above their concerted cries he heard an intense wailing moan, turning to see several of them running. Running. Their bleak white eyes glowered at him as they broke through the mobs, coming towards him as they gnashed their yellow teeth and stained claws.

"Oh shit!" Joseph exclaimed before he turned and pounded up the stairs.

He reached the balcony just as the mob flooded after him upon the stairs. There Jill and Rebecca waited at one of the doors.

"Come on! Joseph run! Faster Joseph they're coming!"

Joseph ran into the door way and turned to help the two close and lock the door behind them. No lock.

"Keep running," demanded Joseph.

The three pounded down a dark red hallway, the wall paper ripped and torn from the walls, bits of wood scattered about as though it had been completely ransacked. As they rounded a corner the sound of splintered wood and roars lit a flame beneath their adrenaline, and Joseph pushed the girls faster. The thunderous roll of feet pounded closer around the edges of the hall behind them. They rounded another corner and came to the first door, Joseph through his foot into it.

"Ow! Mother fucker!" the door didn't even budge.

"Joseph…" Jill mumbled as she threw her own foot into the door and it was thrust open.

They broke into yet another hallway, and Joseph turned quickly to close the door again. It wouldn't shut completely, the luck was busted. Oh what a coincidence. The hallway rounded right, guided by a railing that overlooked the first floor. Stairs were to the right, and further down the hall continued.

"Go down the stairs," Joseph demanded, "Go!"

"Joseph, come on!" Rebecca pleaded as she looked over her shoulder going down the stairs.

"No, move! They won't see you! I'll meet you at the other mansion!"

Just as Jill and Rebecca reached the bottom of the stairs the door was thrust open and the ravenous monsters rampaged through. They rounded the hall and were completely oblivious to the stairs as they saw Joseph standing further down the hallway beside an array of windows.

One of the zombies who was running stopped and stared, snarling as its brilliant white eyes glared. Joseph's own eyes shifted from every bloody, rotting face that looked at him. They didn't see Rebecca and Jill, good.

The crimson headed beast in front lunged, and the horde of zombies followed him. Joseph bolted, coming to the nearest window he opened it and slipped out.

Joseph immediately collapsed upon a slanting roof below. He rolled to his feet and began his escape again, carefully moving along the roof. The heaving mass of creatures began to rattle and break at the glass, their clinging hands of blood and torn flesh curling at him with gnarled expressions. Suddenly an explosion of glass erupted beside Joseph as he felt bloody clawed hands grope him, and one of the faster zombies tackle him headlong. Joseph was tossed down on his back, the monster's long hair thrashing as it beat his head into the roof in a pulsating rage. Joseph managed to scramble away, pausing briefly to look at his attacker. Jesus Christ it was Forrest Speyer. His once fellow teammate snarled at him, his matted hair sticky with blood, his body a perforated massacre of bones and blood. He charged and the two toppled off the roof into the woods below.

Joseph landed, his adrenaline throwing him to his feet before the monster could even reconcile with where they were, and he ran. Through the woods, down a slowly descending hill. Soon he heard the gruff, determined pants of Forrest as he hunted Joseph. Joseph turned to see the white eyes and flailing hair of Forrest, his mouth gaping and screaming. Faster, must go faster. Joseph cursed his shoulder, cursed the forest, cursed Forrest, cursed police business, and cursed his crappy boots. Suddenly he could see the second residence, he could see the lights of what looked like a massive log cabin. Ahead of him was a black wrought iron gate that lay open. Gotta make it, gotta move faster. Joseph felt the growing tension that built behind him, making him desperately want to turn to see the beast behind him. But he refused.

Joseph burst through it and swung it shut behind him just to hear it begin rattling at Forrest shook it in frustration, trying to open it. But Joseph didn't stop, no he didn't stop as he pumped through a small, overgrown garden. He didn't stop as he slammed into the single door, opening it and falling in, and slamming it shut behind him. He slumped against the door, finally at rest. There he panted, thanking god for the silence.

"Joseph?"

Joseph screamed and fell flat on his back, throwing his feet up into the air. It was Jill and Rebecca, their horrified faces staring at him in the dim light of a hallway.

"You okay?" asked Rebecca timidly.

"Oh…you know," Joseph said between his gasps, "Can't complain."

They helped him to his feet and Joseph began to relax enough so that he could observe his surroundings. The walls were lined planks of wood, as was the floor and ceiling. Everything was made of wood. Cobwebs covered the ceilings and walls and any possible corner. Floorboards were pried up, uneven, and rusted nails jutted out all over the floors and walls. It smelled strongly of fresh pine mixed with must and decay.

"What is this? The guesthouse?" asked Joseph.

Jill hesitantly opened a door, it's rusted hinges squeaking as it revealed a dark room lined with several beds and bookshelves, lamps, and dressers. The room was covered in cobwebs, and a single window was at the far end, light spilling in from its curtained mouth. She closed the door.

"It looks more like a housing facility," she said gazing around the room to find other doors.

"For who?"

"Maids, cleaning staff, any sort of employees probably," said Jill as she they treaded quietly down the hallway. They came to a door opposite the first, it's frame and face covered thickly to find another bedroom. A ceiling fan was on, its light shining upon the room. Slowly the fan's blades spun around and around, making an uneasy squeak that repeated again and again. And there upon the bed was a shotgun.

"Oh hell yes!" exclaimed Joseph as he picked up the Winchester and held it thankfully.

Beside it was a box of shotgunshells, and he loaded six into the empty gun and tucked the rest into his pockets. He tried to hold it, awkwardly setting it because of his damaged shoulder. His arm jointed to the wound was weak, and it ached, but he bit his lip and dealt with it. Jill and Rebecca entered somberly behind him, both of them noticing what he had not: a dribbling trail of blood that led along the floor and up the wall. The vertical blood trail smeared up the wall and disappeared into a dark hole in the ceiling, the entire ceiling was draped in cobwebs. Joseph noticed the girls' frightened glances and followed their eyes to see the hole himself.

"Oh shit," he said.

"Let's just keep moving," Jill demanded, grabbing Rebecca and walking out of the room.

Joseph followed, closing the door behind him. Once back in the hall, Joseph became aware of the stirring silence that sought for his trembling fear. Nothing moved, nothing sounded, nothing lived. It was utterly silent, and none of the three felt it easy to breathe. They moved cautiously down the dark hall towards the only remaining door at the far end, opposite where they had entered the residence. It was a set of double doors, dark oak, blanketed completely in thick webs. Their breath drawn from their lips disturbed the draping cobwebs above them, which drooped down and clung to their shoulders in thick white masses. The three came to the doors and Jill waited for Joseph to continue first. Nodding reluctantly, Joseph did as he had been silently ordered, and moved to opened the doors.

They quietly opened, a gentle clicking clunk of the lock being turned as Joseph pushed the doors open. Inside it was musty and hot. Jill and Rebecca entered behind Joseph and closed the doors. The room was dark, smothered by cob webs and dust. To their left was a railing overlooking what seemed to be a kind of recreational area with a bar and tables. There was another balcony across from the one the three stood on, and upon it were pool tables, the multicolored balls still littering the green.
"Well," came Jill's hurried voice behind Joseph, "This isn't where we want to be, let's go. We need to find the garage."

"Wait…" Joseph cut in desperately as he turned around, "Let's see if there's a phone that would ring back to the mansion. Maybe we can call and…and…"

His voice dropped and tripped over his lips, his shoulders tensed, and his eyes rose to the rafters above Jill and Rebecca. Long, spindly hairy legs felt their way down from the ceiling against the wall, slowly trickling down a hairy body. Two more bristly legs, groping along the walls, two more and two more, convulsing and feeling about as they grew closer.

"Run!" screamed Joseph raising the shotgun.

Immediately Jill grabbed Rebecca and dropped just as the monstrosity leapt and Joseph fired an echoing shot as the eight-legged shadow tackled him. He felt it, the hairy legs twitching and touching for the sweet seduction of flesh, the wet fangs jittering as they drew close to him; the dozen black, lifeless eyes staring down their meal. Joseph screamed and fired again, the shotgun blast spilling the rotting abdomen's innards all over Joseph and the floor. Joseph scrambled and shook away, standing in horrification at the ooze that stained his chest. From the abdomen of the spider came its tiny, crawling maggot young, the mother spider screeching and hissing in pain as its young began to eat it. Joseph rose the shotgun, pointed directly at the skull, and said, "This is my boomstick, you bitch."

Another echoing roar from the shotgun, and nothing could be heard but the quiet crunching as the baby spiders ate their mother. After a moment Jill said, "This is my boomstick?"

"Okay, well I felt obligated to say something witty, you know, because…it called for it."

Jill was about to respond but a low hiss sounded above them. More of them.

"Come on!" Jill turned towards the door they had come in and screamed as another descended, staring at her blankly.

Joseph blasted the shotgun again and again until the monster dropped to the floor, its massive legs curling up about its shriveling body. Jill kicked the door open and the three ran through. Behind them came the scuttling, the dropping thuds as the ravenous arachnids began the hunt from above.

000

"Now now, Leon. Let's not jump to conclusions," Wesker took a step closer to Leon, "You have no idea the benefactor in this predicament. You could be a god, Leon, and unstoppable god. You would be respected, feared."

"No…"

"Yes! You will not defy me, Leon! I am your master now!" and suddenly Wesker lunged and grabbed Leon by the throat.

He was too fast and too strong, Leon had no power to react as he was flipped up and over and thrown down upon his back. Then Wesker was dragging Leon, dragging him away from the mint green glow into darkness. Suddenly he was lifted and slammed down upon a table. Quickly Barry and Wesker strapped his legs and arms down, and Leon screamed in rage as he tried to object. A brilliant light was illuminated above him, and it hovered down upon Leon. He was in an surgery room.

"Relax, Leon," said Wesker as he hovered over him, stroking his hair, "First I'm going to administer the antidote for your bite. You've been infected and I can't have my perfect specimen turning into a wasted zombie."

"Wesker! No-!" Leon screamed.

He watched as Wesker opened a silver briefcase he had with him, watching him withdraw a glass tube filled with a glowing blue liquid. It was a syringe needle. He struggled in vein, watching the needle come closer. And then- it pricked his arm He could feel it, He could feel the ice cold liquid as it seeped into his body and began to mend his wounds. He watched Wesker return to the briefcase, and remove another syringe, filled with purple fluid. The T-virus…oh shit no no no. Leon stared at the needle getting closer, closer…

"Wesker…NO!" but the needle dug into his neck, and Leon felt the liquid begin to seep into his veins.

No…he couldn't be infected. And then a figure roared behind Wesker, and a massive array of blood blossomed into the air as something hard collided with Wesker's skull. The madman screamed as he fell to the floor, and Leon felt relief fall with the needle from his neck. The figure slammed the weapon down upon Wesker again and again, and Leon could hear the meaty crunches and smacks of a body being pulverized. Then suddenly the figure loomed upon Leon, and it was Chris Redfield.

"Just relax, buddy. I'm getting you out of here," he said, a bloody crowbar in one hand.

Leon watched Chris raise his eyes to Barry, who looked utterly broken.

"Barry…not you too," Chris said as he rose the crowbar in defense."I'm sorry, Chris," Barry said, his voice breaking in fear, "The man overpowered me. He told me he'd kill my family…he'd kill them, he said it. I swear, Chris…"

"It's true Chris," Leon said between gasps of air, "Wesker forced him to do all this."

Chris nodded, he believed Barry without Leon's input. Leon was unbuckled and he sat up, rubbing the penetration point on his neck. It burned strangely. Some of the virus was inside him, would that mean he'd become a horrible monster? Screw it, he didn't want to think about it now.

"Leon…" said Barry as Chris went to check Wesker's pulse, "I-I'm so sorry…"

Leon, still trembling, patted Barry on the arm and said, "It's all right. No one's going to hurt your family. It will all be okay."

Barry could only nod, the trauma keeping its shackles tight about him.

"Wesker's dead," Chris replied as he stood from the crumpled body, "Son of a bitch, I never saw it coming."

"Chris, Barry shot him in the head. I think he was dead to begin with," Leon said solemnly.

"Well if he gets up after this, we're all fucked."

Leon noticed Chris was limping, and then he noticed the blood. Chris had been attacked, and brutally. Lacerations and puncture wounds were scattered over his entire body.

"Chris…" Barry said, he'd noticed it too.

"I know, you guys, I know. But I've got no choice but to live with it."

"You can't live with it, Chris. You've been infected," Leon cut in, "We need to get you treated with the antidote."

"I know, I know all about the infection, and the T-virus or whatever. But I've got no choice, we've got no time to find the cure."

Leon went to search the briefcase Wesker had held while Barry explained, his disturbed voice shaken by worry, "Wesker had the cure, he gave Leon a dose. There's got to be more of it. We don't want you becoming one of them."

"One of them?"

"You haven't noticed the zombies, the wild dogs, or whatever the hell that thing is?" Barry suddenly lashed out, throwing his index finger at the green tank-

Leon knelt down and examined the chrome briefcase. It was filled with papers and manilla folders. A smaller chrome box was inside, it must be the containers for the T-virus and the antidotes-

Chris was urgent, "So there's still an antidote left?"

"Yes, Chris. Now just give us a minute so we can give you the shot."

"No-"

A small, gentle ticking sound silenced them all. Tap tap tapping, that echoed throughout the entire room. Leon froze from his rummaging through the briefcase, looking up at the glowing tank before him. Through the thick fluid, he saw a black silhouetted claw tap, tap against the glass then disappear into the liquid. Again it tapped, and again it disappeared. Leon turned his gaze towards a blood trail that slid along the floor and away into the shadows of the laboratory. Wesker was gone. Leon then turned to the computer screen on the controls and saw the words "Revival Complete, Awake" flashing again and again in brilliant red letters.

The Tyrant Project was alive. And suddenly a thick, meaty fist was thrown through the glass. The entire tank shattered and the green, warm fluid lurched forth.

"Leon get back!" Chris yelled as he grabbed the crowbar.

Leon had no time to grab the chrome briefcase before he was forced to leap back, the monstrosity lashing at him with its massive claws, stepping forth from the shattered remains of the tank. It showed the distinct features that it had once been human, but no longer was it so. A lipless face, wild stained teeth in a maniacal grin, white eyes glaring at its prey. Its skin was deathly blue, its black veins pumping through the cold flesh. It was massive, nearly twice the size of the men. One arm looked relatively normal, but the other…masses of black meaty muscle pumped and pulsated by seeping and stretching veins that darted across exposed bone and tissue. The massive hand was webbed and long claws protruded from the flesh. It's chest looked as though it turned inside out, the organs and muscle visible in a pallet of burgundy, black, blue, and crimson. It wasn't anything, it was a horrific demon spawned from a madman's sinister thoughts. It breathed heavily, it's heart and lungs pumping, expanding and beating together. Slowly it began ripping every tube and cord plugged into its body, trying to get free. Despite the thud of its heart and the deep breaths, the beast was silent. It was patient as though it felt no rush to kill them.

"Run!" Chris yelled suddenly, pushing Leon back to where Barry was standing, "Get out of here! Go!"

"No! Chris!" Barry bellowed, "Come on!"

"Go Barry. Go now! Take Leon to the others!"

Reluctantly, Barry grabbed Leon by the shirt collar and the two ran. Chris watched them disappear into the shadows of the back room before he turned back towards the Tyrant as it pulled the last tube free from its wrist. The Tyrant pulled the tube away from the gaping hole and dropped it to the ground. The tiny clinking sound it made was like an explosion, igniting Chris' fear and adrenaline. Squeezing the crowbar, Chris whispered, "Come on, you test tube freak."

Barry and Leon scrambled about the massive array of laboratories. Some of the rooms contained simply operating tables or computer storage systems. Others however, were lined with large tnaks similar to the one the "Tyrant Project" had emerged from, each tank like an ungodly showcase.

"Barry!" Leon yelled, "Where are we going?"

"This way! Just trust me!" Barry called back.

Trust him. Leon was so damn confused he thought he might as well. Everyone was switching roles, and his head…Jesus. His head felt as though it would rupture at any moment. Everything was illuminated by slowly flickering and buzzing fluorescent lights, their power waning. Leon and Barry had been traveling down a hallway smeared with blood along its metallic walls and floor when suddenly red lights began to flare on and off. A horrible squawking alarm began to sound, filled with a soothing female voice behind it that said simply, "The self destruct sequence has been activated. This sequence cannot be aborted. All personnel must evacuate immediately. The self destruct sequence has been activated. This sequence cannot be aborted. All personnel must evacuate immediately…"

"What-"

"It's Wesker," Barry cut Leon's inquiry short, "He must be trying to destroy all of the evidence. Come on."

They continued down the hall, the resonating clamor driving Leon's splitting headache to pierce at what he thought was his goddamn sanity. Questions drove through his head. Where were his companions? Were they all right? Joseph didn't do anything stupid, did he? Where was Wesker? Was he watching them or following them? How much time did they have before the self destruct went out? Self destruct, Jesus it was like a cheesy sci-fi horror with a grand finale bang. Literally.

Barry reached for a door on the right and broke into it, Leon following closely as his panic swelled. They were in a large laboratory, similar to the ones previous. The minted green glow of tanks conflicted with the red flare of the alarms as Leon and Barry ran past the aisles of computers and tables. Leon noticed several tanks withholding nightmarish creatures with long, crooked claws and beady yellow eyes. They had not skin but scales, and they stood tall and hunched. "The Hunter Program" read a sign that hung above the three tanks.

"There!" Barry pointed ahead, "That ladder! That leads down to the boiler rooms and electrical rooms. We can take that as a shorter route and go back to the mansion. Come on."

"How will we get the hell out of here?"

"We can meet with the others at a second residence, it's not far form the mansion. They have vehicles there, but we have to move."

The ladder protruded from an open square hole in the floor, steam rising from its open mouth. Barry leapt into the hole, wasting little time as he slid down the rims of the ladder. Leon knew Barry's need for rush, he knew the only thought that embraced Barry's mind was getting to his family. Leon hesitated, looking down into the steam and red flashing lights below. As if he had any choice. Leon leapt down after Barry. He slid on the sides of the ladder, his boots scraping against it tightly as he felt hot air rush up from beneath him.

His feet collided with a catwalk, and he stumbled away from the ladder. Looking around, he saw that the catwalk disappeared into the fumes and steam of a massive boiler room. Surrounding the catwalk were massive tanks, fuming systems and intricate mechanics. Below him there was a shallow pool of water, steam rising from it's apparently scalding surface. Above him pipes ran in a maze along the ceiling. Steam billowed thickly throughout the room, rendering his vision nearly useless. He could only hear the hissing of the boilers, the flashing alarms, the female's warning voice, and the trickling and steaming of hot water. Everything was illuminated by the brilliant red lights. Everything was red. Leon looked down the catwalk away from the ladder, but he could not find Barry. He turned to look behind the ladder to see a dark alcove covered in steam so that he couldn't see anything inside.

"Barry?" Leon asked, silently drawing his combat knife from the sheath along his belt.

Suddenly he heard something above the array of noises. A tiny clank from the alcove, how he heard it over the clatter he didn't know. Leon stared into the shadows as two red eyes began to glow from within the blackness.

"Welcome to my domain, Leon Scott Kennedy," came the smooth, deep voice of Albert Wesker, "Heat and mechanical red that devour everything. Fire intermixed with the smell of chemicals and science."

He emerged from the alcove, holding Barry tightly by his throat, his other hand digging into the man's spine.

"Hell," Albert continued as he tightened his grip upon Barry's back, "Hell is my domain, and I am so glad you could feel the breath of Satan as I stand now before you."

Suddenly he hurled Barry at Leon who barely managed to catch the lumbering giant. Barry grunted sharply upon the impact, but Leon held him upright.

"Barry, are you all right?"

"Ow…yea. Yea I'm fine."

"Barry," Leon said, breaking from his firm gaze at Wesker to stare at his friend, "Get out of here. Get to Joseph and the others and I'll meet you there. I've got to stop Wesker so he can't stop us."

Barry turned back towards Wesker a moment, stepping beside Leon to face those sinister, red eyes.

"He hurt my family," Barry snarled, turning around to Wesker, "he murdered my daughter…"

"Barry…Barry no!"

Barry grabbed a crowbar that hung from the railing and Barry lunged forth to strike at Wesker who easily sidestepped and grabbed Barry. Wesker twisted Barry's wrist, forcing the crowbar free from his massive hand. He then picked up the massiveBarrywho was grabbing furiously at Wesker's collar and kicking him. In the midst of their struggle, Wesker's phone was knocked from his belt and slid along the catwalk to Leon's feet. Leon looked up to see Barry thrown into the air. Leon rose his hands and caught the large man, the both of them collapsing against the catwalk. Leon helped Barry up, and Barry was on the verge of striking again when suddenly he heard something. It was coming from the phone that Wesker had dropped, and he picked it up, staring at it. Footsteps, a sudden scream, and then a gunshot that silenced everything. Barry shook his head in disbelief, but then he heard it again. Footsteps, a sudden scream, and a gunshot. And again it played over, and again. It was a recorded message.

"So you see, Barry?" asked Wesker with a cackle, "I really don't have all that man power. Haha, you fool. Did you honestly think I could send a team of soldiers to assassinate your family? It was a hoax!"

Barry stepped forth again, but Leon managed to grab him and hold him back.

"No Barry!" Leon said, "Just go, you can't face him, you're wounded."

Barry acknowledged the gunshot hole in his arm.

"Okay," he murmured in distinct reluctance, "Will you be all right?"

"Yes. Go."

"Okay, I'll get the others. Meet us in the front hall, "Barry hesitated, staring gruffly at Wesker in a gnarled vengeance before whispering, "Kick his ass."

He then jogged off down the catwalk that veered right around the boilers. Leon made sure Barry's escape was uninterrupted before turning back to face Wesker.

"So," Wesker said, "You're aware of what you become."

"I'm aware of what you did to me," Leon said as he held his combat knife tightly.

Wesker began to walk forward, "Then I hope you realize that you are eternally mine."

Wesker stopped inches from Leon's face, staring down upon Leon's figure. The two stared at one another, nothing but the loud hiss reverberating around them. Leon suddenly drove the knife into Wesker's sternum, feeling triumph as Wesker choked and coughed, lurching back. He coughed and hacked, gasping as slowly his chokes became stutters, his coughing mutating into laughter.

"You goddamn fool! After all this you still believe that a miniscule knife can slay me? They never really help anyone here, you should know that," he said as he tore the dagger free from his ribs and tossed it away.

Leon shook his head and charged, Wesker waiting patiently as Leon sprinted closer and closer before suddenly leaping in the air to drive a kick into his opponent. But Wesker spun around, grabbing Leon's outcast leg and driving him to the floor. Leon flipped to his back with his free foot and drove his boot into Wesker's jaw, feeling it crack beneath the blow. He was freed and he stood to meet Wesker's grip to his throat. The two backed into the ladder, and Wesker brought his face in close as Leon struggled for air.

"Good," Wesker snarled, "Can't you feel the virus inside you? Infecting you? Growing and prospering upon your weaker cells to give you the power that only titans could possess?"

Leon gasped, wincing in pain as though Wesker's words triggered the surging pain to burst in his chest. He was becoming a monster.

"Yes…you are mine."

And with that Wesker flipped Leon over the edge of the railing into the water below.

000

There was an immense shatter as Chris was thrown screaming through one of the mint green tanks. He felt the splash of the lukewarm chemical as he broke through the glass, landing and sliding along the metallic floor. He choked and gasped in his own blood, submerged in broken glass and fluid. Again he heard it, the relentless thump thumping of heavy feet that walked towards him. He could not escape them, he could not get up as they thumped closer. They never stopped, they never thought once to end his torture. Chris looked up to see the Tyrant's massive hand reach for him yet again. He was lifted from the ground and brought to meet the monstrosity's gaze. The bleak white eyes, massive fangs in a maniacal smile, the heavy breath that smelled of formaldehyde.

Chris stared back, subdued in pain as he muttered, "Wesker calls you the strongest creature in the world, and you can't even kill me."

The Tyrant Project sneered, grunting before it threw Chris yet again. He felt his stomach lurch as his body was hurled into an operating table in the giant lab. He slumped to the floor and felt random objects as they were knocked from shelves around him, everything clattering over his body as he crumpled to the floor. He lay there, listening to the beating footsteps come again. He couldn't take the pain anymore, his entire body felt as though it was torn by slowly rusting poisons. Every bit of him stung and ached and throbbed. He was going to die.

"I can't give up," he murmured to himself, "I have to think of everyone, I can't let this thing go after them. I can't let it go near Jill…"

Sluggishly, Chris felt a gentle prick in his thigh, and he turned to see several syringe needles filled with that strange purplish fluid. The T-virus, the contents that Wesker had in the briefcase. Chris turned his gaze from the poison back to the approaching Tyrant. He couldn't let the Tyrant get out, and he couldn't let the T-virus get out either. Jill, do it for Jill…

Grabbing the three needles he could reach, Chris sat up on his knees. The Tyrant stopped abruptly, looking down at him in curiosity as to what he was doing.

"Better prepare yourself, asshole," Chris growled, and suddenly drove all three needles into his gut, feeling the liquid wash into his organs.

His entire body began to convulse, his veins bulged as he lurched and felt nausea choke him. His eyes saw only scarlet, his mouth tasted only blood as his muscles mutated and burst. The Tyrant snarled, and rose its fist to crush him in one final blow, but suddenly was stopped as Chris lunged forth into its stomach. The Tyrant stumbled back as Chris rose to his feet, his eyes beginning to glow red.

The Tyrant snarled and jerked his chin, acknowledging his prey's sudden worthiness. He was, in fact, no longer prey, but an adversary. And the Tyrant hated adversaries. It suddenly burst into a sprint, flying towards Chris with its muscled claws readied. Chris leapt at the monster, sailing just over the claws and bringing the Tyrant into the floor with an echoing crash. The Tyrant kicked, and Chris was flung away, smacking against the wall. But he didn't care, he no longer felt the agony of pain as he rose to his feet and groped for a pipe that had been torn loose from the ceiling. The Tyrant pounded forth again, claws outstretched. Chris met it with the pipe, dodging the claws again and driving the jagged end of the pipe into the beast's stomach, skewering the bastard. He twisted the pipe around, flinging the Tyrant upon the floor. Tearing the pipe loose, Chris rose it again to strike but was kicked away yet again, thrown into a row of chrome canisters. Stumbling to his feet, Chris looked behind him as he heard the forthcoming footsteps. He didn't need to read the words as he saw the symbol representing highly flammable. Grabbing the container, he turned to meet the Tyrant's face with a heavy blow. The end of the canister was knocked loose, and immediately the unknown fluid began spewing forth. Chris hurled it forth into the Tyrant who caught it, its maniacal grin stained with blood as it began to rise the tank in a returning blow.

But Chris reached into his pocket and pulled out the Zippo lighter, flicking open the top with a clink. The Tyrant's eyes went wide as Chris pulled down upon the flint. A spark flickered out, and everything ignited in flames.

000

Joseph blew every round he could upon the onslaught of the spiders as he and the girls pounded down a set of cement stairs. Somehow they had managed to find a sublevel to the second residence, leading to the garage. The spiders were relentless, and when they could not chase their prey then their masses of children spewed forth from their dying bodies and followed. At the bottom of a second set of stairs were two metal doors. Joseph stumbled down into them after Jill and Rebecca, Jill slamming them shut as he passed through.

"Lock it!" demanded Joseph.

"I can't!" she replied.

"Here," he slid the shotgun through the metal handles of the doors as a temporary brace, "I'm outta fucking shells anyways."

The three watched for a moment as the spiders rattled and raged at the doors.

"Come on," said Joseph, and as he turned his jaw dropped in a heavy sigh of failure as he said simply, "Oh shit."

And immense parking garage lay before them, lit with fluorescent lights that quietly hummed against the dull gray of the cement. However the parking garage was completely deserted, all except for one vehicle. A piece of shit minivan.

"Wha-what…" Joseph stuttered, "What is that!"

"Come on Joseph," said Jill as she and Rebecca began to approach the vehicle.

"What the hell is that! The hugest fucking estate in Pennsylvania, and these bastards can't even afford a decent issue of goddamned transportation! It's a minivan for Chrissake!"

"Come on, Joseph."

"God dammit."

Jill opened the driver's door, and began looking for keys. Joseph threw open the sliding back door to look inside just in case any of those spiders were doing some unwanted business in the back.

"Joseph, there's no keys," Jill said in frustration, "Check that control room over there. It may have them."

Joseph turned to see a small cement box with tinted windows, not much bigger then the size of a toll booth. He approached the door and kicked it open hurriedly, jumping inside the dim light to find a corpse torn to pieces, baby spiders crawling in and out of his eye sockets and the other orifices that lay in black and crimson upon his body. A wall lined with keys was on the left aside a cluttered desk and a monitor screen and a computer. The monitor screen was for a camera, what looked to be just outside the massive garage doors. Joseph looked out the window towards the two doors, he could get them open by a switch in this room, probably. But first the keys. Joseph turned back to the wall with the key hooks and…oh god dammit.

"Uh Jill…there are hundreds of keys…"

"Dammit!" Jill hissed.

Rebecca, meanwhile, was standing quietly off to the side of the van when she noticed something strange. The license plate tag of the black minivan had only the number "06" on it. She thought it was strange, but said, "Joseph! The license plate number only says 06. Look for the number 06!"

Joseph turned back towards the wall of keys, dragging his finger along the lines of all the keys.

"O6...06...06...got it!" he said as he snatched the key and its tag off of the wall, "Let's go!"

He looked for the button that might open one of the garage doors, and smiled at the simplicity as he found it. He slammed his fist down on it in triumph as he heard the mechanical groan of the garage beginning to open. Bringing his proud gaze around to the door, he caught a brief glimpse of the monitor screen, and his pride began to melt and seep away. He just barely saw the tiny image of a black and white Barry slip under the opening garage door. His oozing pride suddenly ignited in a fire of revenge, and he rushed from the room to face Barry.

Rebecca was in the car, and Jill beside it as Barry approached them in a subsiding manner.

"Jill…" Barry said, "Please listen to me-"

"Get back, Barry," said Jill warily, "Get back!"

"No I've got a better idea then that," said Joseph suddenly behind Barry.

He violently brought his elbow into Barry's temple and knocked him to the ground.

"How about you tell me where the fuck my friend is, and what you did to him! If not, I'll just fuck you up some more. Now how's that sound?" Joseph snarled, stepping on Barry's throat.

"Joseph! Joseph don't-" Barry choked, struggling for air, "Wesker made me do it! Please! You don't have much time! Joseph you know me! You know I wouldn't do something like this!"

Jill watched, tears forming in her eyes. Could they trust Barry? She'd known him for so long. But after what he'd done to Leon…

"I thought I knew you, you mother fucker! But I don't, and now I don't have to. Tell me where Leon is, and I'll break your neck real quick," he began to twist his boot.
"Agh! Joseph don't! Please! My family!"

"One last chance!"

"Joseph! Please! I'm your friend!" Barry wheezed.

"Leon's my friend, you fuck hole," Joseph spat, and he rose his foot, holding it above Barry's head, before furiously driving it down.

"Joseph no!" Jill screamed, and pushed Joseph away, his toe just barely scraping Barry's nose.

Joseph fell back, bewildered at what Jill had done. He sat up to see Jill help Barry up. Oh shit, no he's going to kill her! He's moving to get her in the sleeper hold! Oh wait no no, he was just hugging her. He…he was crying.

"Jill…" whimpered the big teddy bear, "He forced me too…he said he'd kill my family. I-I'm so sorry…I betrayed everyone. Leon and Chris are still down there, their fighting Wesker and some monster…I betrayed them…"

"Shh, it's okay, Barry. it's okay," Jill said, "Come on, we're getting out of here."

"Wait a minute, Jill! What are you doing? What about Leon?" Joseph exclaimed in rage.

"Joseph…" Jill turned, "We can't. We have no defense…"

"No, Jill," Barry broke in, "We're going back to find him. He's in the main mansion, in the labs in the back. We have to go and meet him at the front doors of the mansion. I told him we would."

Jill looked at the two of them, amazed that men could be defying her. She was their commanding officer. She ranked higher then both of them.

"Jill…" Joseph pleaded.

Oh well, they still were too macho, "All right, but we have to hurry. Joseph, you're driving."

"Damn right, I am," Joseph said as he hopped around to the other side of the van, Jill sitting in the passenger seat. Barry climbed in back beside Rebecca.

Joseph was about to open the driver's side door when suddenly he heard something. A squeaking, squelching sound followed by a metallic scrape.

Joseph turned to see a single zombie at the garage door, its contorted wet legs and feet stumbling forth as they squeaked upon the ground. It dragged a bloody axe behind it, moaning softly through its wet mangled hair. Suddenly a chorus of moans and grunts went up as from out of the shadows of the forest outside the garage door came the figures of the dead.

"Oh shit," he murmured, staring down their scarlet-splattered faces, their mangled and twisted bodies in heaps of flesh and rags.

"Joseph! Drive!" Jill screamed, and Joseph hopped in the car as the mob of zombies rushed the minivan.

He brought the engine to life, cranked the stick back into Drive and slammed his foot on the gas. The wheels screamed against the pavement, and the van took off in a blossoming burst of crimson blood that sprayed everywhere at the collision of the zombies' bodies with the grill of the van. They slammed into the sides, the hood, the car, each body painting the windows of the van with blood as they were crushed and smothered into gushing pieces of rotted meat by the tires. Suddenly Jill felt the glass to her left crack as a fist was thrown into it. She screamed as again the fist thrust forth and broke through. Long finger nails scratched at her face and groped for her throat, but she stuck her survival knife deep into the attacker's skull.

In an eruption of blood and rotted innards, the van burst free of the garage and tore off down the road towards the mansion, the mob of zombies trailing behind them.