Alex sat on the marble steps of the mansion, a cigarette hanging out of her mouth. She took a long drag, flicking the ashes with a well practiced hand. Her right arm had begun to swell and it ached like a son of a bitch. On top of a mild case of nausea and a barley contained headache, she was having hot flashes and alternating between freezing to death and sweating her ass off.
"Just another fine day with Umbrella." She mumbled taking another drag on her cigarette. "If I hadn't quit I'd demand a bonus for this."
Her head snapped up at the loud clang of a gate. Claire bridged the gap between the gate and the steps in a matter of seconds. She looked Alex over for a moment, then sat down next to her.
"You look like shit."
Alex arched an eyebrow, slipping the cigarette between her lips. She reached into the waistband of her pants and pulled the extra berretta. She dropped the gun in Claire's lap, following it up with three clips. Finally she unslung the MP-5 and dropped that on top of the pile, along with its extra clip.
"Don't say I never gave you anything." Alex smirked, then coughed. "By the way, I feel worse than I look."
"How long are you gonna be like this?" Claire looked her over, concern etched in her eyes. "I mean I got the part about you being immune, but you look sicker than a dog."
"It varies. Unfortunately the effects started sooner than I expected…four maybe five hours." Alex coughed again and cleared her throat. "The important thing is that we find those damn proofs. I know where two of them are and I have a fair idea about the location of the third."
"So what's the plan?"
Wesker watched the discussion between the two woman, noting how bad his young sister looked. He drummed his fingers restlessly on the console, his eyes narrowing sharply. She looked ill, much worse than he had expected so soon after becoming infected. The wheels of Wesker's mind turned.
Fact. Because of her immunity, Aaron would not become a zombie when infected by the T-Virus. The symptoms of T-Virus exposure for Aaron did not show itself until at least one hour after initial infection. Aaron's symptoms of such an infection was nausea and headaches.
Observation. Aaron was suffering the effects after only a ten minute lapse in time. Aaron looked to be suffering from at least two to three additional symptoms.
Conclusion. There was something else wrong with her, other than a bite from a Cerberus.
Wesker's fingers continued to tap on the console, the rhythm and speed never wavering. Anyone watching, would think nothing was out of the ordinary. He looked calm and focused.
Only one person knew Wesker well enough to know that he was not acting anything like himself. Only one person would know that the incessant tapping of his fingers was a nervous gesture he'd had since childhood. Despite outward appearances and past actions, Wesker was worried. Worried to the point of nervousness by the condition of his baby sister.
The tapping halted as Aaron stood and walked out of the courtyard, heading back toward the catwalk. Claire headed up the stairs and into the mansion. Wesker switched cameras, tracking Aaron's progress carefully. She was walking slowly, an AK-47 slung over her right shoulder, a berretta tucked into the waistband of her pants. The magnum was resting in her left hand and the shoulder rig she normally had, had long since been discarded. As she stepped into the courtyard of the Training Center, the finger tapping started again…
Claire found the proof precisely where Alex said it would be, mounted behind a desk in an upstairs office. She yanked it off the wall and tucked it into her back pocket.
"Ok, one down, two more to go."
She grinned, typing a few words on the computer. The bookcase slide aside, just as Alex said it would. She stood for a few seconds, making sure nothing was going to come leaping out at her. Once satisfied, she investigated the new doorway.
"So that's how you get to the other mansion." Claire glanced back into the office, then up at the mansion. "Well, I might as get this done."
Alex stepped into the lobby of the Training Facility, breathing heavily and about ready to pass out. She leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths. If she hadn't known better, she'd have blamed her sudden dizziness on the cigarette hanging out of her mouth.
After gaining some semblance of stability she climbed the stairs to the upper labs. By the time she reached the hallway to the lab her breathing had finally evened out. Feeling at least marginally better, she pushed the door open to the observation lab.
She was not surprised to see the room in total disarray. She ran a hand across her face, grimacing at the heat radiating from her cheeks, before turning her attention to the wall behind her.
"Shit."
She frowned at the large gaping hole signifying where the proof had once sat. Her eyes trailed over the table and papers laying on the floor, looking for any clue as to where it might have gone. Slowly she approached the observation window, on the off chance some do-good scientist had hidden it in there.
Suddenly something lunged at the window. Alex let out scream, stumbled backwards, tripped on an overturned chair, and fell on her ass. Alex wasn't normally so jumpy, but it's not everyday a guy in biohazard suit pops up like a Jack-In-The-Box.
"Let me out! I'm not infected!"
Alex pulled herself up and approached the glass. The scientist looked well enough, but more importantly he was clutching the army proof in one hand. She could care less if he was infected, she just needed that proof. She reached out to open the biohazard door when the intercom snapped on…
"Biohazardous outbreak detected…lockdown initiated…"
Claire shook her head at the large gloomy looking doll hanging over the balcony. Someone in the family certainly had bad taste and/or a very sick hobby. She shuddered and headed toward the end of the landing and the furthest door, where Alex said Alexia's bedroom would be located. Just as her hand fell on the door handle a shot ricocheted off the door's trim. Claire spun around, expecting to see Alfred. Instead, what she saw was Alex wearing the taffeta purple ball gown from their first encounter and holding Alfred's rifle.
"I'm afraid I can't let you escape alive Miss Redfield."
"Alex, you bitch." Claire's face was flushed with rage. "I trusted you!"
As Alex pulled the trigger on the rifle, someone slipped in front of Claire…blocking her view. There was a scream, quickly followed by the sound of a slamming door.
"Hey Claire." Steve smiled, holding his upper arm. "Glad I followed you up here."
"Steve, are you alright?"
"Yea, just a scratch."
Claire took a few seconds to pull his hands away from the wound, which appeared to be bleeding quite a bit, so she could examine it. Despite the free flowing blood, the injury was indeed nothing much more than a scratch. Relieved she quickly bandaged it with a bit of Steve's shirt bottom, then turned her attention to the door Alex had disappeared through.
"I'm gonna kill her." Claire growled, ripping the radio off her belt. "She's dead."
"Who?"
"Alex, this is Claire. I hope you know I'm going to shoot you now."
Claire released the button and a second later Alex's harried voice came over the radio. She sounded worse than she had on the Mansion's steps and Claire had a hard time making out what she was saying over the blare of an intercom in the background. But the thought that the woman with the sniper rifle in her hand wasn't Alex, didn't appear to enter her mind.
"Claire, what in the hell are you talking about?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Claire snapped. "You just tried to kill me…where the hell are you?"
"Where the hell you think I am!" Now it was Alex who sounded angry. "I'm in the fucking training facility trying to get the last damn proof! As you can hear things are not going too fucking well!"
A second later Claire knew what Alex meant as the intercom message became clearer.
"Biohazard outbreak detected…lockdown initiated…"
"But Alex some chick that looks and sounds just like you shot at me!"
"Claire I don't know who it was, but it wasn…"
Claire's anger was replaced by fear as the radio went dead. She glanced at Steve then to the door where the mystery woman disappeared.
"Let's go."
Wesker inched closer to the monitor and the rhythm of his tapping increased. Alex looked ready to pass out at any second, something that appeared to worry him greatly. When the lights of the lab began to blink and the intercom snapped to life, Wesker jumped to his feet. He scanned the console, looking for something that might in some way help his baby sister…
As soon as the intercom began to blare, Alex fired three shots into the glass. Despite the sturdiness of the observation window it couldn't hold up to the hollow points of her magnum. The glass shattered and the scientist that had been begging for help took cover.
"Alex, this is Claire. I hope you know I'm going to shoot you now."
Alex grabbed the radio from her belt, as she ran to the now shattered observation window.
"Claire, what in the hell are you talking about?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Claire snapped. "You just tried to kill me…where the hell are you?"
Alex looked confused and frustrated as she leaned over the window's edge and grabbed the proof out of the scientist's hand. It was one thing to be accused of something when you're in the area, but being accused of something when you aren't even remotely close to the area is a whole other issue.
"Where the hell you think I am!" Now it was Alex who sounded angry. "I'm in the fucking training facility trying to get the last damn proof! As you can hear things are not going too fucking well!"
Alex shoved the radio toward the intercom speaker, giving Claire an earful of the message currently running on a loop, as she grabbed the scientist by the back of the suit and pulled him up.
"But Alex some chick that looks and sounds just like you shot at me!"
"Claire I don't know who it was, but it wasn…"
Alex back stepped, releasing her hold on the scientist, as something slithered across the floor of the observation room and latched onto his leg. She caught only a glimpse of his terrified face, before it was covered by over a dozen more of the slimy looking creatures. She knew just what they were, a new creature the scientist had been working with…Albinoid Juveniles.
"Biohazard outbreak now at Level 3...Level 3 lockdown now initiated…repeat…"
Her eyes snapped to the stairwell and a bright flashing yellow light. There was a loud hum of machinery and a biohazard shutter began to lower to the floor.
Alex sprinted forward, taking the steps two at a time, already knowing she wasn't going to make it. In a final desperate act she dove forward toward the ever lessening gap between the floor and the shutter. She hit the floor with a loud thud, jarring her injured right arm, and knocking the wind out of her. She rolled under the shutter and into the wall opposite, just seconds before it slammed shut.
Slowly she uncurled from her ball position, gritting her teeth against the ache in her arm. She closed her eyes, trying to even her breathing and somehow reassure herself that was indeed still alive.
"Self-destruct sequence activated…All employees please evacuate the island…Island will detonate in five minutes…"
As soon as Claire stepped into the bedroom her eyes fell on a discarded ball gown and a blonde wig. Steve stepped past her, lifting the wig up with his thumb and forefinger.
"I am very confused."
"You aren't the only one." Claire moved toward the vanity, where the floor was littered with broken glass and makeup. "Looks somebody was pissed."
"Yea, take a look at this." Steve held up an empty pill bottle. "Name says Alexandra Banks."
Claire started to comment when a figure suddenly dove off the bed's canopy. Claire dodged to the right as the figure hit the floor near the vanity. Steve was up in a second, pointing a gun at the attacker. Claire looked up and gasped.
"Alfred?"
Alfred Ashford's face was covered with makeup and Claire now knew why there was a wig and ball gown laying on the bed. She also knew why it was she had thought it had been Alex shooting at her. In that getup Alfred and Alex would look identical.
Alfred shook his head, but when he caught his reflection in the vanity's mirror his mind shattered. He let out a loud scream and pushed past Steve, before disappearing out the door. Claire spotted the proof hung above the music box. She grabbed it and nodded at Steve.
"Come on, I know where we can find a plane."
The both headed out the door and down the stairs as fast as possible. Claire was actually starting to think her luck was changing as they exited the residence, at least until a loud announcement echoed across the island.
"Self-destruct sequence activated…All employees please evacuate the island…Island will detonate in five minutes…"
Wesker was still on his feet as he watched his sister dive for the shutter. All his searching had produced nothing that might help her, she was on her own. He slumped back into his chair as she rolled across the floor and hit the wall, unaware that a relieved smile flashed across his face.
"Self-destruct sequence activated…All employees please evacuate the island…Island will detonate in five minutes…"
He glared at the ceiling, irritated by this minor setback. But his eyes were drawn to the monitor of his sister as she slowly stood up, some object clutched in her hand. He sat down, folding his hands on the console, once again tapping his index finger against its glossy surface…
Alex slowly climbed to her feet, still clutching the proof in her right hand. The arm itself ached and had started bleeding again. She chose to ignore it, heading for the doors.
"Miss Wesker, do be careful. I believe there are several agents in the courtyard."
Alex stopped, her hand resting on the doorknob. Gingerly she touched the ear piece.
"You're ever so kind to tell me. If they are yours, how about calling them off?"
Before he could respond Claire popped onto the other radio.
"Alex we're on our way to the plane."
"Who is we?"
"Steve and I,we have two of the proofs."
"Miss Wesker I would find that a bit of a difficulty."
"Like I don't have enough complications in my life." She keyed the radio to Mr. HCF Commander first. "Look man, I'm going to have to put you on hold for a moment."
Alex then keyed the radio for Claire.
"I'm on my way with the third proof now."
"Copy, we're just getting off the sub."
"Oh Miss Wesker, you are indeed entertaining. As much as I would love to call my men off of you, there is a slight problem, they are no longer in radio contact with me. It is out of my hands."
"Oh just wonderful, wonderful!" Alex snapped into the radio. "I'm supposed to believe that you cannot contact your own men, that is of course depending on the fact that I believe there are men out their in the first place!"
"Do calm down Miss Wesker, you're starting to become something of a hyper bunny."
All the color drained from Alex's face, what little color there was. She had told Davis once that she had four nicknames. Al, Wes, Alex, and one other she had not told him. One that only her older brother had ever called her…Bunny.
"Who the hell are you?" Alex's voice was clear and tinged with anger.
"Now, now Miss Wesker, no need to become hostile...and here I am trying to help."
Alex growled, letting her hand drop from the earpiece. Mr. HCF Commander had effectively ended the conversation and like before, Alex knew talking to him further would do no good. However, she had plans to find the son of a bitch and discover how he had learned something as secret as a nickname her brother only ever called her.
She swung the AK-47 around and cracked her neck, before kicking open the door…
Claire looked above the plane and groaned. Sure enough, Steve was right, there was no way they could take off with the bridge down. It would have to be moved. She shoved the proofs into Steve's hands and sprinted back to the door they had come through.
"I'll get the bridge, you just get the plane ready when Alex gets here with the last proof."
"But Claire…"
Claire disappeared out the door. He knew how to fly a plane, therefore he stayed while she did the dirty work. She skidded to a halt near the door to the sub, consulting a map. After several seconds she headed through the shutter on the right and into a lift. When she emerged from the lift she was standing on the bridge above the plane. She sprinted across the bridge to the controls on the other side. She watched with satisfaction as the bridge retracted, which would allow the plane to take off.
"Great!" Steve yelled from below. "But, uh, how you gonna get back down here?"
"I'll have to circle around! Be there in a few minutes!"
"You only have like three!"
"Then I'd better hurry!"
Claire ran through the door and headed around several crates. She finally stumbled across another elevator. Quickly she pushed a box out of the way, that was blocking the shutter from closing, and hit the up button. When the elevator shuddered to a stop and the shutter opened Claire found herself in the middle of a fire fight.
"Claire get down!"
Claire dove out of the elevator, finding shelter behind several crates. Alex was crouched behind another set of crates near a large set of double doors. In front of them both were three armed men.
"Alex we don't have time!"
"I know…working on it." Alex leaned out, firing a short burst from the assault rifle in her hand. "Hey Claire…duck!"
Claire started to ask why when three shots plinked off a stack of metal barrels near two of the men. Claire's eyes widened and she ducked behind the crates, just before they blew up.
The explosion was deafening and shards of metal rained down on both women. Claire lifted her head and saw Alex emerge from her hiding spot, firing a short burst at the last surviving attacker, he hit the ground and didn't move. Alex ran up and grabbed her by the back of the shirt.
"Come on, time to go."
Claire followed Alex out the door and back to the catwalk. Just a few short steps, one sub ride, and they'd be out of this hell. Unfortunately even the best laid plans are often easily upset.
Alex took only two steps forward when, without warning, several barrels similar to the ones Alex had just blown up, went off like Roman Candles. Alex threw her arm up, blocking her face from any flying debris. When she lowered her arm she groaned. A tyrant was blocking the path.
"Claire, here." Alex shoved the proof into Claire's hand. "When I say run, you run. If I'm not at the plane in two minutes you take off without me."
"But Alex…"
"No buts, I owe your brother." Alex lifted the assault rifle, taking aim at the Tyrant's head. "You run when I say."
Before Claire could protest further, Alex let off a short burst. The shots peppered the Tyrant's chest and he immediately turned his attention to her.
"RUN!"
Claire didn't say a word, instead she sprinted past the Tyrant and across the catwalk. She ignored the sound of gunfire, pushing herself to run faster. She reached the plane barley a minute later. She shoved the proof into the consol and both she and Steve climbed into the plane. She glanced at her watch, they had only two minutes exactly to get out of here.
She stared anxiously out the window toward the door, willing Alex to make it…
Wesker watched with helplessness as his sister battled the tyrant. He could never get there in time, even with his abilities. If she was going to live, it would be by her own doing.
"Remember what your brother taught you about fighting when the odds are not in your favor."
Alex stepped backwards, peppering the tyrant. As soon as she started shooting she noticed something very important, this tyrant was slow. Even though it had mutated already, it was slow…slower than any tyrant she had ever seen. This gave her a chance, it meant that the tyrant was already severely weakened.
She dropped the rifle, letting swing backwards behind her back. She yanked the magnum from behind her back and fired twice. The first shot took the tyrant right square in the head, the second shot fell on an empty pipe. Without looking she ejected the empty clip, slapped in a fresh one, and pulled the slide back. Three more shells slammed through the Tyrants head as Alex backed into the catwalk's railing. She was out of road.
"Alright you giant bastard, Momma isn't playing anymore!"
She squeezed the trigger in rabid succession, until the gun ran dry. She grabbed for her final magnum clip when the tyrant suddenly fell over unmoving. Alex didn't wait to see if he was gonna get up or not, instead she broke into a run, pushing her battered body as fast as it would go. As she rounded the corner in the courtyard and pushed through the gate toward the sub, the first explosion rocked the island…
Claire jumped as dirt and plaster rained down on top of the plane. She glanced at her watch…their two minutes were gone. The plane's engine roared to life and Claire looked at Steve, tears glistening in her eyes. Steve smiled back her sadly.
"One minute babe, all I can give her."
"Thank you."
Alex tripped and slid across the concrete. She picked herself up, ignoring the sharp stabs of pain in her right arm. She hit the recall button for the sub, stumbling as another explosion went off somewhere on the island. Just as she spotted the telltale bubbles of the sub a third explosion rocked the pier on which she was standing. She stumbled backwards, hitting her head on a low-lying piece of railing.
"No!"
She stared in disbelief as the tiny sub rocked to the right and finally flipped over on its side. She pulled herself to her feet, still not able to comprehend that her one escape was sinking before her eyes…
"Just go." Claire mumbled, tears tricking down her face. "Now."
Steve nodded silently, throttling the plane up. Claire stared out the window, still desperately hoping Alex would come crashing into the hanger yelling for them to stop and let her on. As the plane moved away, her final hope diminished and went out…
"Fuck it."
Alex slid her left arm through the strap of the rifle, positioning the strap over her chest, as she backed up taking deep breaths. Pulling on her last reserves of strength, sprinted toward the edge of the water.
"Aaron no!"
Alex didn't hear the plea as she dove into the water, using all her strength to swim toward the opening she knew was there. Her lungs burned, made even more painful by the virus that was plaguing her. She gritted her teeth, willing herself not to try to breath, not to give in to the pain and lack of oxygen. She spotted the opening and gave one last burst of energy. Her head broke the surface and she sucked in a breath of air, coughing.
She grabbed the bottom rung and somehow pulled herself up to brace her feet. Finally she rolled into the hallway. Still drawing on sheer will power she climbed to her feet and stumbled through the door. She kept moving, not thinking about anything other than escape as she pushed the final door open.
"No…"
Alex hit her knees, her head flopping forward so her chin rested against her chest. In the distance she saw the tail of Claire's plane receding from view. What drove her back to her feet was, ironically, Mr. HCF Commander.
"Get on your feet you coward."
Alex's head lifted slowly, a deep anger burning in her eyes. As explosion after explosion rocked the island, Alex took cover under the hanger's control panel.
As Steve circled the island and both of them watched the explosions with morbid curiosity. It was like a car wreck, heart wrenching, graphic, but you still couldn't turn away. Steve looked at Claire and touched her shoulder.
"I'm sorry about your friend."
Claire nodded. "Chris was right about her, she was a good person."
"Claire…you there?"
Claire's eyes blinked wide as she fumbled for the plane's radio mic.
"Alex?"
"Yea, you wanna swing by and pick me up or something? Maybe drop a rope?"
"You're alive!" Claire started crying again, but this time from joy. "We thought…"
"I can imagine, don't worry, I…"
The radio cut out and Alex's voice was replaced by the deep tittering laugh of Alfred, only Alfred as Alexia.
"So sorry but I'm afraid you have a date somewhere else. Please do not be late."
"What the hell?" Steve yanked the plane's yoke, but it wouldn't budge. "That cross dressing freak has taken control of the plane!"
"Claire, what's going on?" Alex sounded worried. "Your plane is making a sharp turn, unless this radar is screwed up."
"Alfred changed the plane's direction. How did he get off the island?"
"Harrier Jet. From the coordinates, he's taking you to the Antarctic. I know that base. Claire listen, I'm gonna find a way to get there, I promise."
Claire started to reply but the radio suddenly trilled with static. She didn't need to be told that Alfred had somehow cut their contact with Alex. Claire tossed the useless mic. on the console.
"Chris, where are you?"