Chapter Ten
"You are my family now...please, I beg of you."
How could anyone hear those words from the eight year old and not be affected? Carlos couldn't imagine it, but even still, he knew he couldn't fall victim to his own emotions. There were too many people out there trying to hurt her.
"We want to get you well, sweetheart," he explained. The tears that flowed down her cheeks were nearly his undoing, but he remained where he was, unyielding. "You know we'll be careful, but there are times when taking chances is necessary."
Angie nodded and swiped at her cheeks. She looked around the group and then hung her head. "Find another way, or let me die," she whispered as she turned away.
LJ reached out and smiled down at her when she curled her fingers around his hand. "It's gonna be cool, kid. You'll see." Her half nod told him she didn't believe him, but wasn't going to argue the point. "Let's go back inside before we become permanent icicles."
After they disappeared into the cabin, Jill turned to Carlos. She crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed her upper arms to ward off the cold that penetrated her clothing. "Then we hit another location?"
"Yes," he returned. He leaned against one of the porch's support columns and wearily ran a hand through his thick black hair. "There are two other locations LJ and I found after Riane disclosed the anti-virus we have is worthless."
He looked over at the porch swing to find Riane watching and listening intently. Her face was pinched with concern and it amazed him how she could find even a flake of compassion for them after what they had put her through. Fate may have been on their side when they were forced to choose her to aid in this venture.
"Where are they?" Jill asked, her hopes rising just a little. His disheartened 'humph' immediately sent them crashing again.
"Either one is at least eighteen hours of driving. We'd have to fly," he answered, pushing away from the post. His long stride carried him to the door in two steps before he turned back to address the women. "We can finish this conversation inside while we pack up."
Both Jill and Riane nodded and followed him inside. LJ was already busy packing up what little equipment they had brought inside. Riane helped Jill repack the clothing while Carlos brought up the information about the two other locations that housed the anti-virus. No one noticed little Angie standing in the doorway, her face flushed with fever, her eyes bloodshot, and her breathing labored.
"Maybe you're approaching this from the wrong direction," Riane commented, breaking the eerie silence in the room.
All heads turned in her direction and she felt her stomach knot up with fear. Not fear of them, but the fear of the unknown. What if she was wrong? From the moment she had discovered Angie's illness and the realization that the anti-virus was essential to her survival, she had been tossing around alternatives to breaking into another bio facility. She knew she wasn't up for the task, although the others might very well be. She wasn't trained for subversive activities, combat, or self-defense for that matter. What she was trained in could be of help, but if she was wrong, the child would die.
"Lay it on the table, Lady," LJ urged. "We ain't got all day."
"If you know something that will help..." Jill began. She shoved the last piece of clothing into the suitcase and slammed it shut.
Riane turned to the woman beside her. Her eyes bore a look of desperation that shook Riane down to her very limits. The self-assured, toughened Jill Valentine found loss of control foreign to her and it seemed she was fighting to hold on. Riane only hoped she wasn't making matters worse.
"I can't promise anything," Riane answered, glancing at each of them. "But you have the anti-virus. It's possible to remove the components that render it useless."
Silence greeted her as each mulled over what she had said until Carlos finally pushed away from his laptop computer and moved toward her. "You would have to know what to look for."
Was she reading a flicker of hope in the dark depths of his eyes? She couldn't tell, for it was gone in an instant. "I know most, if not all, of the components of the anti-virus," she explained.
"You can use this," Angie interjected. She had waited until her breathing returned to normal before speaking and offered a tired smile of apology for eavesdropping. They still thought of her as an ordinary child, one who would have nothing of consequence to offer to grownup situations. One day they'll learn.
She held out her hand, revealing the small data recorder she often used when the adults thought she was safely asleep for the evening. This was a special piece of equipment she never let out of her sight. Not even Alice knew of its existence. Placing it trustingly into Riane's hand, she wiped her brow and warily smiled up at Carlos and LJ.
"What's in here, Angie?" Riane asked curiously, voicing the thoughts of everyone else in the room.
"What I could recover of Daddy's personal files before I was discovered in Umbrella's core computer system," she explained.
"Why didn't you say something before now, Angie?" Jill asked softly, masking the pain she felt that the little girl did not trust them with this information.
Angie went to her and took her hand. "Please, don't be upset, Jill. I was hoping when I entered Daddy's files I could retrieve the formula for the anti-virus. Even if I could, I knew it was a long shot. We'd need to get the materials to create the formula, not to mention a well equipped laboratory to work in." She paused for a moment, taking in the perplexed looks of all her caregivers. She hoped, given enough time, they would understand why she hid this from them. "I was locked out before I could get the information I so desperately wanted."
"Then how will this help us, Angie?" Carlos asked, crouching on his haunches to lower himself to eye level with her.
"Because I did manage to download the formula to the T-Virus," she answered triumphantly.
Carlos looked up at Jill and then over to LJ. Each displayed on their faces what he knew was masked on his. Anger...betrayal...pain. He shook his head once, softly, to dislodge those thoughts. This child had been through hell, was a constant source of light and compassion, and he would give her the benefit of the doubt.
"Angie, you know this information could exonerate me and Jill, don't you?" he asked. The sadness that he saw flood her was immediate and unquestionable. She had to know what he said was true, but still withheld the information from them.
"I could not allow..."
Riane remained silent, fearing Angie would be put on trial by those she trusted. Relief came soon when it was evident that her fears were unfounded.
"Allow us to be cleared of the charges against us? I don't understand," Jill cried softly, joining Carlos at Angie's level. "Why, Angie?"
"If you will allow me to explain," she answered. She knew they were upset, and rightfully so. She was, however, thankful they were not becoming raving lunatics as so many adults would, especially when it came to saving their own skins.
"Go ahead, kid," LJ insisted.
But Carlos and Jill jumping up from their crouched positions cut off anything Angie might have said. LJ had seen the current look on their faces many times. Something was wrong.
Move out...they're coming!
101010
Isaacs scoured report after report on the Project Alice. She was a fascinating creature and one more powerful than Major Cain could have comprehended. He still hadn't found the information he was looking for and ran a hand over his mouth in frustration. Tests could not explain why the feed from her implants was faulty or delayed. He could only surmise that she was the cause behind the problem. She was aware of the implants and could control them, if only in a small way. That won't do at all.
The video phone rang before he had an opportunity to call down to the lab and check on Alice. He was not happy with his conclusions, but there was no other available answer.
Pressing the receive button, he waited for the image to appear. He immediately straightened when Major Skinner's skeletal-like features came into focus. Isaacs often thought he could make Hitler's maniac scientists cringe with fear. It didn't take long for Isaacs to determine that Skinner delighted in his appointment after Cain's demise. He was no less ruthless than his predecessor and perhaps just that much more deviant.
"Major Skinner," he addressed respectfully.
"Doctor," Skinner acknowledged. "My men and I are en route to the residence of Riane Kincaid's mother. I am personally seeing to this phase of the investigation."
"Please keep me informed," Isaacs requested.
"Of course, Doctor," he agreed. "And you will do the same, hmm?"
The call ended abruptly, leaving Isaacs staring at a blank screen. He had no intention of reporting the latest developments of the Project Alice to Skinner. The man would have her killed and Isaacs wasn't ready for that to happen...yet.
He pressed the button for the lab and waited impatiently while the phone rang. Moments later the security alarm began its blaring rhythm and Isaacs slammed the phone down. Alice
101010
The echo of her name swam within her mind just before the alarm sounded at the secluded Umbrella facility. Grinning sardonically, she ducked into the alley behind the large building. She needed transportation if she was going to be any help to her friends. Getting out of the building hadn't been much of a problem, although it was taxing on her mental abilities. Out here in the great wide open, there weren't any monitors to falsify reading on or display empty hallways. She wasn't strong enough to project images into the minds of the many Umbrella goons that undoubtedly patrolled the area.
She ran swiftly to the end of the building and peered around. Nine troopers in full gear were on watch near the garage. As she contemplated entering the garage to steal a vehicle, a Jeep exited, stopping by the troopers. The man stepped from the vehicle; he was out of uniform, his obligation fulfilled for the day, but the insignia on his jacket proclaimed his status as an Umbrella trooper.
While the others on duty were slightly distracted by their comrade, she hunched over and hurried across the lot to the guard shack that was located just outside the garage. She crept silently away from the building and approached the lone guard that stood outside. Without hesitation, she placed her hands on either side of his helmet and twisted wickedly to the left, snapping his neck instantly. He never had a chance to make a sound, and she caught his falling body before it could land with a loud thud. She lowered him slowly, and then relieved him of his baton and hand gun. After tucking the gun in at the back of her slacks, she stealthily made her way toward the jeep.
"Hey!"
The bellow stopped her in her tracks and she straightened to greet the approaching troopers. Nine men surrounded her; their guns were still holstered and their hands resting on their batons. The mask of their helmets hid their faces, but she didn't need to see them to know what they were thinking. She brushed back the tendrils of hair that fluttered against her cheek and gave an uncaring shrug as a half smile formed on her lips. "Yes?"
One trooper looked over to the crumpled form lying near the guard shack. "Drop the baton and surrender," he demanded through the electronically enhanced voice mechanism of his helmet.
Her head tipped slightly to the side before she shook it, indicating she was not going to cooperate. "Um...no."
The trooper waved his arm, directing to the others to apprehend her. Alice stood still, seemingly defenseless. The first two men approached, and she sprung quickly, reaching out to grab them each by a shoulder, and knocked their heads together. The sickening crack of their helmets signaled their demise as they crumpled lifelessly to the ground.
Without hesitation, she spun into a strong back kick, delivering the blow to the front of the next trooper's helmet. He flew back with great force into the three others, sending them to the ground, immobilized by the air knocked from their lungs.
Sensing the attack from behind, she forcefully jutted her elbow back and upwards, connecting with the goon's chin. Whirling around with her arm stiff and extended, she finished him off with a blow to the side of his head. While still on the turn, she heard the lock of a gun hammer and flicked her wrist, extending the baton she held to its full length. Both remaining troopers held guns on her, but neither managed to get a shot off. When she completed the turn, she slashed the baton downwards onto the forearm of one, simultaneously leaping up. The other trooper's head snapped back from a powerful front kick, his neck breaking instantly.
This left her standing toe to toe with the trooper whose gun she had whacked away. She dropped the metal baton, its steely sound echoing in the darkness as it bounced to a stop. She looked up through narrowed eyes, her expression cold and lifeless. "In the end, death is its own reward." Her fingers curled as she bent her wrists, her palms facing outward. She extended her arms in a violent thrust that caved the trooper's chest inward, killing him instantly.
Straightening despondently, she brushed her hands together and flipped her hair back while releasing a disgusted snort. She then hurried to the jeep. The engine of the now deceased off-duty trooper's jeep roared to life upon Alice turning the key that waited in the ignition.
...to be continued...