Resident Evil 2: Living Nightmares
Joshua
Joshua grabbed the filing cabinet and pulled, he was distraught when the metal screamed and tore for him…but he was feeling more human. It dawned on him… that's what the medication was for, it helped suppress his…defect.
He stared at the pill jar for a second…staring deep into the brown depths – then he hurled it against the floor with a shout of rage. Dr Birkin's office had been thrashed already, who knows who by…too many suspects, too little time… but Joshua knew his medical file would be here.
He pulled out the shiny black folder and checked the label…Joshua Cameron West… there was a barcode beside it – a code was typed across it. Joshua sat into the high backed leather chair.
Slowly he opened the pages out.
Project #981172 – T275
The Tyrant Development Project
The aims of this project are as Follows:
To research the possibility of making young Tyrants and growing them to maturity
The possibility of age in relation to strength and powers will be investigated
The effect of the Tyrant Hormone on young humans
The first serious field test of Virus 35491 –Y
A joint project by the higher minds of the Umbrella corporation on several candidates at various ages and stages of life that will revolutionize the research into BOW creation
Carried out by: A. Wesker, E. Spencer, A. Ashford, W. Birkin, M.D. Duvall, D. Irons, K. Sarimova, H. Kaplin, H. Irons
Underneath was stamped: FAILED.
So that's what he was…a failed project…he knew Umbrella were depraved but their objectives were beyond Sick and Wrong they were Pure Evil. Joshua checked another page.
4th of July
Dearest Dr Spencer
Congratulations on your marriage I am sorry I could not attend the ceremony however as you know Annette was there and represented my congratulations. I am most impressed that you have already been given control of an installation.
West Valley is a small one but it is very well provided for. I am sure you will be working closely with Doctor Walker and his – selective projects. A word of warning, be careful of his unstable personality.
I felt it necessary to write this letter to you as soon as possible, it is a matter of great import: Joshua.
The boy fully believes his parents were scientists that died, legally he is a ward of Umbrella and his forged background stands, sadly he believes it so greatly it has given rise to typical problems teenagers experience. Rebellion and such…
Joshua is top of his class, this is of course natural given his genetic make up, however he has hit puberty and not only has this made his body more volatile it has done the same to his mutation.
This evening Annette and I took Joshua and Sherry to the picnic in the park…Joshua disappeared with the few friends he has and organized for the fireworks to go off 30 minutes early. When I went to find him I found he was with Felicity, the mayors daughter.
The subject of procreation was never discussed – the boy seemed asexual up until he met Felicity, I've not been able to get semen samples of course, he either does not emit or is very careful at hiding it. I hoped you could propose a theory and possibly the best action for handling this.
With Regards
William Birkin
"That explains…all those times he was in my room…"Joshua murmured. He shuddered as he thought about what the man had done to get… it wasn't a nice thought.
He flipped over to another page and shivered, words leapt out at him, fading others into mindless gabble
The Mutation
Attempt at genetic perfection - several imperfections- stronger and faster then many previous models – exoskeleton deflects small and medium arms fire – claws are extending – poison tipped – acidic chemical secretion – impressive regeneration – unsually altered sensory perception – regrettable flaw of human form – animal based adaption – combustable – acidic – excellent immunity – unusual bacteria cultured – maximum nutrition – agile – flexible – skeletal structure is warped – some traits present – unstable – tenacious and unstable – revert to human – close to ideal – pheremones – hormones- imperfect change controls – faulty obedience learning – defective personality separation noted– deficient – imperfect – lacking – unsatisfactory – imperfect – deficient– imperfect – imperfect – imperfect
With a cry Joshua hurled the desk over. The file skittered across the floor to rest at a fallen lamp right beside his pills. Slowly Joshua calmed himself, aware of a prickling sensation in his lips and fingertips…the pain was tingling at the back of his neck… he kneeled down and picked up his pills.
"This is no way to live" he whispered. "I'm a monster" he crouched with the folder in one hand and the pill jar held to his forehead.
LEON
Leon recoiled, the heat in the room was worse then before – he pushed into the horrible heat and looked around. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he moved on intot he room, Joshua was staring into the churning iron like it was some sort of mirror – reflecting things that shocked him into stasis.
"JOSHUA!" Leon shouted as he advanced. Joshua looked at Leon and took a step towards the end.
"Go away Leon" Joshua exclaimed. "Turn around – you have to help Sherry and Claire and Marvin escape!"
"You're coming too" Leon said, he'd been trained to deal with suicidal people, don't try and force them or they'd go the other way. "We need your help"
"No you don't!" scoffed Joshua. "I can't help anyone!"
"We want you with us"
"Think about it this way: how long before I run out of my meds and start killing people left, right and centre?"
"Joshua, that's not an issue, we'll find help – whatever they did to you – we can find more medicine, maybe even some way to turn you back!"
Joshua's eyes were tearing, shimmering gold in the light of the pit. "I wish I could believe you…just go with you and live happily ever after" Leon stepped forwards and reached for Joshua's shoulder…the boy spun around and slammed a palm into Leon's chest, knocking the officer back with inhuman strength. "I just couldn't live with myself!" he growled in a not-quite-human voice.
Leon pulled himself up…as the floor shuddered. There was a crash and the wall exploded inwards. Mr. X strode forwards – his body caked in dirt, slime, vines and covered in ash and dust. "I come on" Leon growled. He fired his shotgun at the monster but the effect was far from ideal, the monster swayed back a little and kept walking.
Joshua pulled out his pistols and fired. The Monster wasn't interested in them – it was looking for something else. It grabbed Joshua by the head and slung him into Leon like he was a paper cut out.
It walked onwards…it's feet were on the verge of crushing Leon and Joshua when the shots rang out, knocking the monster off balance and forcing it to turn 90 degrees. Ada was standing at the other end of the walkway, her gun drawn. She was bruised and bloodied…but looking pissed off.
A strange shocked relief filled Leon as he saw her fire…it quickly turned to terror as the monster advanced and lifted her up by the throat. She fired into it's face, yellow puss and dark brown-red blood bubbled out of its face, it hurled her into a control panel, she screamed in pain and collapsed.
"ADA!" Leon screamed as he rushed to her side, cradling her in his arms.
"Another time…another place" Ada whispered. "And I might have cared for you like a should have – Leon…I'm…sorry" she gasped, a trickle of blood from her hairline snaking down her cheek. "So – so – sorry…I guess…someone else loved you more and I – I – I was the runner up."
"Ada…Ada I love -"
"Don't" whispered Ada, touching a finger to his lips…she placed her mouth to his for a brief, chaste kiss. "There's never room for two in love when it's destined – my mother used to say…I always believed – ugh – I hope you find who that other person is…the person that won the fight of fate…for you – because – if they feel stronger for you than I did…they are worth seeking"
Her body went limp as she gave a small gurgle from her throat. Her arm flopped down and she stared into space. Leon closed her eyes, sniffeling not willing to cry just yet.
He looked up – Mr. X was almost upon him… "I don't care" he croaked. The man shaped monster stared down, dark eyes staring into blank ones, pitiless white eyes that had no true soul or mind behind them… Leon stared back – wondering if there ever had been a mind there…
JOSHUA
Joshua charged, he felt it, something bubbling up his spine, trying to take over, a black ink of darkness that was clawing at his soul, trying to make him succumb, taunting him with athletic medals and good grades achieved because of it.
The black claws slid from his finger tips…he roared, leapt and struck…
Mr.X went shooting backwards, away from Leon and Ada. Mr.X raised his heavy fists and advanced…with boneless agility Joshua flipped forwards, a blue stripe forming across his face... his eyes burned a bizarre colour, dilating to pitch black…with a hissing cry he slashed down and then flipped back, knocking Mr.X backwards.
Mr. X was strong – very, very, very strong, he hit Joshua with enough force to send the boy down to his knees violently…
LEON
Leon grabbed the Shotgun. "Joshua! DOWN!" he fired…Mr. X staggered backwards, it reached its hand out towards Ada. Leon grabbed the side pack and snapped it open… the vials taunted him with Ada's life. He pulled one out and thought about Sherry. Then he hurled the satchel.
MR. X
Target…moving…grab it… achievement…human…gun…pain…heat – not – possible – failure?
LEON
Leon stared at the monster as the shotgun shells knocked it backwards into the smelting pit. For a moment it teetered on the edge, confusion in the blank eyes apparently. Then it tipped over and fell into the amber metal.
Leon slowly pulled away from Ada. Joshua was crunching tablets, he was wretching but lacked anything to vomit – his breathing was erratic and he was shivering. Leon helped Joshua to his feet, the boys frame was wracked with fear it's lean muscle shifting and spasming with agony.
"Let's go" Leon said. "Sherry's safe" he held up the vial.
Joshua gave a weak smile…overhead the control stem exploded in one part, then in another like mushrooms on a tree, spreading out and in all directions… a curtain of flame rose up between Leon and Ada's body…he backed away and followed Joshua out.
MR X
…pain…hurt…find…kill…
CLAIRE
"LEON!" Claire launched herself at the cop as he came in the door. "We lost visual on the smelting room…what happened?"
"Ada died…trying to help us…" Leon shook his head. "We killed the trench coat man"
Claire could see he was trying to make a positive note but his voice betrayed how he really felt… distraught, disturbed and despairing.
"Marvin and I are heading to the vaccine lab…maybe we can find-"
Claire stopped. Leon held out the vial. "I took it for Sherry" he said slowly. "Joshua and I will get her to the train" he looked at the teenager who was taking Sherry from Marvin. "We'll survive – you see to it Sherry does…"
Joshua nodded and Claire embraced Leon, kissing him on the cheek for good luck. "Don't die on me" she whispered.
"Guys…problem" breathed Marvin. A red light was flashing on the wall – a siren was coming on from the distance, getting closer and closer.
"Self destruct initiated, reactor severely compromised – self destruct in 30 minutes all personell please evacuate" the androgynous female voice reported.
"Well shit" Marvin groaned he and Claire sprinted from the room.
JOSHUA
Joshua clutched his foster sister to his chest, his limbs were on fire and he felt like crap warmed over and vomited on…but he followed Leon. His pistols were out of ammo so Leon was the only armed one.
"Joshua…it hurts" whimpered Sherry.
Leon used a keycard to open the doors of the control room and blasted away every zombie inside.
"It's okay Sherry, we'll be fine" whispered Joshua.
"The computer's not accepting out card" Leon shouted, frantically hitting buttons on the control panel. "It won't unlock the train!"
"Here" Sherry said weakly, she handed the black card to Leon, her hand sweaty and trembling. "The master card, beats all of them"
"Thanks Sherry" Leon said. "Stay strong"
"I'll try" she whimpered, clutching her stomach.
MARVIN
The blackened licker fell into a heap, seeping black and red fluid all over the floor. Claire opened the doors with the key card and entered the lab, the sterilization room smelt of disinfectant – the rest of the lab was of death and blood.
Bullet holes peppered a desk and the glass around it was shattered and crushed into a pool of blood and chemicals.
Claire was efficient she followed Annette's notes perfectly. Marvin could see her tense under her biking gear…there was no room for error – not with Sherry's life in the balance.
"I thought I'd die back in the police station" Marvin said abruptly. "Those things…were everywhere – and there was worse then just zombies…we've made it this far…" Claire was looking at him carefully. "We've lost friends but – we can make it out…and expose Umbrella"
"My brother will know what to do – if I find him"
"The STARS team went to Europe…think you'll find him?"
"I'll search every Umbrella office until I do" Claire said, the determination in her voice was stronger then iron, it impressed Marvin beyond belief. The room was silent, heavy with things unsaid only to be broken by the hiss of the machine as it released three vials of green liquid.
Marvin grabbed an injector gun. "Ready?" he asked as he handed it to Claire who tucked it into her medicine bag.
"Yeah – let's go we've got less then 20 minutes left" Marvin said as the voice continued reminding them of the impending explosion. He and Claire sprinted down a hall towards the elevators that would descend to the area connected to the train via a storage area.
So complicated, Marvin thought as he and Claire stepped into the elevator.
LEON
The train passage was clear and once Joshua had settled Sherry in the lead car he looked over at Leon. "The train needs to be turned on, the power source has to be connected up, a security precaution, you can use the key card to unlock the extra fuses across the platform if you need to"
Leon nodded. "I'll just be a second. Keep an eye on her…"
"What else would I be doing?" Joshua smiled sadly.
Leon nodded and headed down the platform, his worst fears were confirmed when the bars covering the fuse box pulled away to reveal smouldering, blackened fuses.
"Damn" he growled as he headed for the overpass. Retrieving the fuses was no problem for him, he took them back with a grim determination…slotting them in he inserted the card key and turned the switch. The lights crackled and shadows recoiled as the train hissed and lights flickered on in it.
The bellow was disturbing, a gargle that could not be truly human, the smell of burning plastic hit Leon…standing before him stood the blackened, flaming, spiked shape of a creature with the face of Mr. X.
"Son of a bitch you're hard to kill" whispered Leon.
The monster reached out with a claw…and slashed swiftly. Leon threw himself backwards as the burning talon slid by, cutting the air with a hiss. Leon rolled and emptied his pistol into the monsters chest…to no avail.
The charred monster batted Leon across the face with the back of it's claw and knocked him down the platform.
Leon scrambled to his feet and fired his shotgun into it's head, black blood splattered out in a burst like a fireworks display but the monster merely continued walking, a grey skull peaking out through the butchered flesh.
It grabbed Leon by the throat and hurled him into a wall.
CLAIRE
The store room was filled with vats on racks…it was cold and echoed horrible emptiness with every footstep she and Marvin took. Instinctively Claire loaded her grenade launcher…something felt wrong.
There was a roar and the bladed man dropped down.
"Birkin!" Claire exclaimed, the elevator was still below, lighting up slowly as it approached. "How long have we got?" she said with a grim quietness.
"17 minutes"
"That's 16 minutes more then I need to blow it's brains out six times over" Claire said. She fired the grenade at Birkin's eyeball. There was a wet sounding explosion and puss splattered the surrounding area.
Birkin toppled backwards, gouts of ooze splashing out of his body as he spasmed.
"It's finally over" Marvin whispered.
Birkin reared up, body shifting, twisting, his chest bursting open and legs bulging – the dog like beast took his place all signs of humanity long gone. Claire fired her launcher but the monster simply charged, shaking off the attacks. Marvin shoved Claire aside and dived away as the monster smashed into the elevator doors, denting them with its mouthful of spears.
Marvin fired his Sub machine gun. "Die you BASTARD" he roared.
The monster lurched forwards, its blades pierced Marvin's body like he was made of melted butter, Marvin gargled as he was slammed into the ground, thousands of javelins tearing his flesh, the monster shook, ripping skin off bone like it was wrapping paper, mincing him into a bloody mess of organs.
"Marvin…"Calire whispered. She opened her bag and pulled out the grenades…shetook the side pack of explosives and tossed her bad down in front of the elevator. With a careful run she leapt onto a crate and then onto the back of the monster, it's leathery back providing a wide landing space.
"Just…die" she spat as she pulled a pin on a grenade and jammed the pack into the spiked main of the monster along its flat spine.
Hurling herself away Claire prayed this would work.
The creature once called Birkin growled and approached…it stopped as if realizing what was about to happen. The explosion burst its head like a balloon, the brain tissue and skull fragments pelted the walls in all directions, leaking brain fluid and blood the body crashed down, most of it's spine was gone and a mound of grey was still floating in the front part of the skull…
The smell of death made Claire want to vomit, but she swallowed that wish as the elevator arrived, she picked up her bag and looked at Marvin's body…he was cut into ribbons, pieces of his torso were dripping from a railing…
"You nearly made it Marvin – I owe you my life" Claire said, wiping tears from her eyes, berating herself for crying. "Umbrella will go down…I promise…"
Claire let out a breath and leaned back against the rail of the elevator. She had about 6 minutes left…she needed to pace herself. She checked her Colt as the doors opened and raised it… she ran down the passage, shooting the festering zombies that got in her way. The vaccine was in her bag…she was going to save Sherry
God help ANYTHING that got in her way.
LEON
The pipe skittered across the floor to Leon's finger tips. It was a rocket launcher. The sheer shock forced him to look up, seeking some angel of mercy…all he saw was a fleeting shadow on the overpass.
"ADA?" he shouted. But the shadows didn't move.
Leon shook himself off and turned his attention to the approaching monster.
"This is for everyone who died…because of monsters like you" hissed Leon. The blast hit the monster and a plume of flame and smoke rose up into the air, time slowed as the dense cloud covered out the monster…Leon couldn't breathe, he had to know if the thing was dead.
The legs stepped forwards, sharp nailed toes scraping on the charred platform tiles. Leon raised his gun… and lowered it.
The thick oozing black spine in the smouldering remaints of the lower limbs ended abruptly. The body stepped forwards and crashed to the ground…a claw had landed on the side of the platform and part of the skull was slipping down the other wall.
"Ada?" whispered Leon, looking to the overpass but seeing nothing.
"LEON!" Joshua cried. Leon turned and ran to Joshua and Sherry in the lead car. "She's gotten worse!" Sherry was thrashing and making choked noises, her eyes blank and dark. "Damn it! CLAIRE!" Joshua cried.
"Someone call?" Claire was sprinting towards the train…it had begun to move. Leon reached out.
"Grab on!" Leon shouted.
Claire pushed herself and Leon could see her crushing her tiredness to pump her limbs to all their ability. She leapt and grabbed his hand, he dragged her in seconds before a girder flashed past.
"Here" Claire said as she removed the injector gun from her bag. "I have two more if she needs them…"
"Maybe…I don't know…" whispered Joshua as he took the gun. "It should be enough – just one, it's meant to be fast acting…Jesus…I hope it is" he pressed the gun to Sherry's neck and pulled the trigger
The wicked hiss went off and the liquid vanished into the girl.
Immediately she stopped seizing and in a few moments the twitching in her fingers that had lingered was gone. Joshua clutched her hand.
She groaned and sat up, very slowly. "That hurt" she mumbled. "I feel really…terrible but…better then before"
Joshua gave a cry of joy and Leon and Claire hugged the girl and boy… Leon laughed. "We've made it" he said.
"Careful…that'll jinx it" smiled Joshua.
The violent lurch knocked Leon and Claire off Joshua and Sherry. "What was that?" Sherry shouted.
"I don't know…" whispered Leon.
"Biohazard on board – detection verifies a massive bio mass that cannot be moved. Train will self-destructed in 10 minutes"
"Why the FUCK do they have self-destructs on EVERYTHING" Joshua exclaimed.
"Leave it to me" Leon said. "It's probably a licker or something"
Joshua grabbed a Spark Shot from the wall rack and stuffed some rounds for his pistols into his side pack. "I'm coming too" he said firmly.
"We need to stop the train" Claire exclaimed.
"You work on that" Leon said, his heart hammering in his ears as he and Joshua walked through the back door. "We'll go have a look around."
CLAIRE
The door didn't move, Claire slapped the button beside it and tried the handle again. "It's locked – damn it!"
Sherry moved to the door and then kneeled beside it. "Here's a vent – I can squeeze through" she exclaimed as she pulled the metal aside and slipped in easily.
"Wait! Don't!" Claire exclaimed. Sherry was already in the driving room. Claire beat on the door. "Sherry open the door!"
"I can't, it's locked by a computer" Sherry replied. "But if I turn on the brakes the door will open…I hope."
JOSHUA
The creature was a mess of cellular jelly, bone shards and a warped monster face.
"Jesus…Dr Birkin?" Joshua whispered. "Have to say…you really aren't looking your best". Swiftly he fired the spark shot at a tentacle that swiped the air at him… it recoiled and the monster gave a guttural moan of rage, somehow making a sound through the gel it was made of
Leon fired at the monster but it simply absorbed the bullets. It spewed out a blast of puss. Joshu shoved Leon acide and felt the slime hit him. He could feel the lukewarm gel on his body letting bacterial mutations slide into his body
He felt good. Really good.
"Y'know doc…I figured out why you always used a HAZMAT bin for me when I used to vomit…" Joshua said. He opened his mouth and a cloud of gaseous-liquid slime burst forth, the dark green projection hit the monster, clotting it's body. Not killing it but…stunning it.
Leon stood up. He hurled the petrol canister down the car as the monster pulled it's way towards them, slower now… "Burn in hell" Leon whispered as he kneeled down with his lighter and let the flame touch the liquid.
The fire whipped up in a dance and spread forth, hitting the monster and raising an amber aura around. Leon dragged Joshua back…away from the hypnotic sight of the jel bubbling and frothing, congealing and then melting like wax depending on where you looked.
For a moment he felt a pang as the man who'd raised and tended to him cried out – for a moment in a human voice. Flashes of good times ran through Joshua's mind, of days and nights spent in the labs and the doctors room or study discovering things and disproving theories people held close, of Annette and Sherry bringing Joshua to school, of his soccer games and swim meets and…family junk.
He watched the door shut.
"Rest in Peace" he said slowly.
SHERRY
Her body ached but it was an ebbing pain that was growing weaker and weaker by the moment. She glanced around, the flashing button had to be it, quickly she pushed down on it, the power shut fown and the emergency brakes locked down.
"Now for the auxillary breaking" she said quietly as she pulled the lever back. The scream of metal on metal rang out through the tunnel, behind her the door hissed open.
"Sherry!" Claire breathed a sigh of relief and Sherry gave a thumbs up.
"Just call me a master of Vent Fu" she smiled.
"Let's go" Claire said as they ran to the side door and wrenched it open. Joshua and Leon were there, gravel crunching under foot.
"We've got 3 minutes" Leon shouted. "MOVE!"
"Deal – go!" Claire said, holding Sherry's hand tight and running. Sherry forced her body to push its weary self onwards, she was determined not to die and that pumped adrenaline into her body.
There was a roar, long tentacles extended from the sides of the train.
"5 – 4 – 3- 2- 1"
The explosion sent a wave of heat shooting after the escaping survivors. "RUN!" Claire screamed as they raced towards the gap of light, away from the cloud of flame spewing towards them. Sherry's throat was dry, they were so close. Claire grabbed Sherry into her arms, holding her tight and diving, they rolled in the grass, Leon was on top of Joshua who slithered out and covered Leon instead - the flames burst into the air behind them...heat of unimaginable levels filled the air.
"There you have it" Joshua said at last as he stood uo, the back of his jacket was singed badly but he was all right. "Is it over now?"
"No" Claire said. "We have to find Chris and the STARS members...and get the secret of Umbrella out into the world before it's too late...
"Then let's get to it" Leon smiled. "Today is a new day and the best time to start"
"Maybe find out things we need to know" Joshua said quietly. He smiled. "I am starving!"
"Tell me about it" Leon laughed, hooking an arm around his shoulders as his stomach growled. The sombre atmosphere remained as they headed into the sunset
THE END...of this chapter...
Well, that's my rewrite done, I decided to kill Marvin because he's best remembered for fighting to the bitter end and I really admired that, but I wanted him to make a mark in the story before he bowed out, I hope I did okay... I have another story ready to go which will bring in Billy and Joshua in a small town that's been polluted by a virus outbreak. Joshua gets closer to his past and we find out what Sherry, Claire and Leon do next (which will lead to my rewrite of Code Veronica! There... I said it...)