A/N: I don't own anyone but Alex...

*Okay so to get to that oh so wonderful point where Chris is finally brought back, each 1-2 chapters will be a month further into the story.


"Tell me about the C-Virus."

"I don't know much about it."

"Tell me what you do know."

"When we were in Edonia, at the City Hall, it was Ada who called it that. Chris said it was what creating those J'avo; those mutated mercenaries we fought."

"Did she say anything else?"

"No, no I'm afraid not. But we noticed something about them. When we shot at them, the bullets would rip their arms or legs apart but they regenerated so fast. It took seconds. But it was chaotic when it happened. Something else would form. Some mutated more than once. That's not all."

"Go on."

"Their skin was grotesque; discolored like a dead body with random veins pulsing across the arms neck and face. Their teeth were rotted and what I did see were jagged. The eyes had multiplied with blood rupturing from the edges. It was like a human fly! But that wasn't the worst part. They were intelligent."

"Like they were still had human intelligence or had dog intelligence?"

"They followed orders, could use weapons...Fuck they could communicate with one another; like a wolf pack. They were highly organized They operated anti-aircraft artillery for Christ's sake!"

"This...this is very alarming Piers."

"It was what she used on Ben, Finn, Carl, and Andy. It was some kind of device that launched needles and injected the virus."

"First it was the T-Virus, then G-Virus, T-Veronica, and on an on..."

Piers watched as Alex clicked furiously on the laptop. Her brow was furrowed deep in concentration, reminding him of Chris. The leads in London had fallen flat, returning nothing but additional grief and gouging old wounds.

"Josh, what do you have for me?"

"Nice to see you to Alex." The accented voice chided her but a layer of gentleness softened the salutation.

"Sorry, it's been a long month already. Britain was a bust."

"I am sorry to hear that my friend. Where are you and Piers now?"

"Trencin, Slovakia Republic."

"Ah," Josh nodded but Alex observed in his eyes he had no idea where that was.

"It's in Eastern Europe; close to Hungary."

"Oh I see now."

"Have you or Sheva heard anything?"

"Not recently. The BSAA has been combating a B.O.W. attack here."

"Really?" Alex perched on the edge of the sofa. Her fingers linked together before coming to rest beneath her chin. The subtle wavering on her jaw flexed and relaxed as she listened with a sickening sensation falling over her mind and body. "Who was behind it?"

"That we are still investigating but they did find something. Perhaps you can help us."

"Sure," Alex nodded. "You won't get in trouble will you?"

"No, it has already been processed but I will send you the photo."

"Okay," the tension in her shoulders, which she now realized due to the burning between the planes of bone, subsided.

Piers came alongside her, not waiting for an indication of acceptance of his presence.

"There is also some notes that we found as well. No one seems to know what they mean but..."

"We'll give it a shot." Piers reassured his comrade.

"They're on the way now."

The envelope icon on her laptop blinked along the bar. Alex felt her hands starting to shake as one reached for the mouse. It was happening all over again. The knotted twisting in her chest that locked her lungs, allowing the long dormant stench of rotted flesh and putrid ordure to infiltrate her nose and throat. The steamy curtains of moisture surrounded to her skin, penetrating every pore until it clung to her bones. The low menacing growl ascended her hearing, saturating the air save for one chilling word.

Alex...

Alexandra...

"No," the feeble whisper slipped between her lips. "No, you won't get me..."

I won't? But that is where you are wrong Dear Heart. I have you...I've always had you...

"Alex? Alex are you alright?"

The deep shiver pierced her spine, beginning at the base which surged upward, increasing in speed and magnitude. It was a feeling she had been forced to become intimate with: The impression that someone had crossed her grave.

"Alex? Alex?" Piers was carefully shaking her by the shoulder.

The lost expression melted away. Alex blinked and rolled her eyes as if she had been revived out of a trance.

"I'm okay." The light reappeared in the sweet sapphires. Alex reached out, curling her hand around his. It was burning to his touch causing Piers to think of a person who was febrile.

He didn't question the lapse in consciousness but retained a level of misgiving.

Alex pulled up Josh's email, mentally preparing herself for whatever awaited. Piers subconsciously tightened his hand over hers. They traded an anxious look as her finger clicked the download command.

Her heart slammed violently against her sternum, hastening the adrenaline that already flowed throughout her veins.

"What the..." Piers tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at the image staring back at them. Alex was deathly silent. Her body was paralyzed.

There, filling the screen was a crest. But it wasn't any crest.

The golden six sided insignia was engraved with the puffy outlines of a face with eyes squeezed tight and lips puckered together, blowing out a spiral into the air. The luster was dull but the image was able to be made.

"It's Wind." She spoke in a tone akin to a biology teacher explaining the life cycle of a frog.

"How do you know that?"

"I've seen it before." Her eyes never wavering from the screen. "I thought it was over."

Her fingers danced over the keys, drawing up the next file.

"This is written in code," she shook her head. "Josh do you have any idea what this is?"

"No, no one here has been able to crack it. BSAA has used every decryption tool and software but nothing."

"Hasn't stopped you guys before." She released a rare smile.

"Of course not." Josh chuckled heartily. "But if you perhaps..."

"Of course. I may not be an agent my services are always available."

"You never know Alex. Sheva turned out to be a great agent! You would make an exemplary agent for BSAA."

"Thanks for the confidence," she let her smile falter.

"Good luck Alex; Good luck Piers."

"Thanks Josh," Piers nodded. He waited until the connection was silenced before turning towards Alex. She was shaking her head.

"I thought it had ended."

"What had ended?" He collected her hands in his.

"It was a long time ago. I really don't want to talk about it. Please understand Piers."

"Of course," he nodded.

"I promise someday I will tell you." The face that lifted to meet his worried gaze mirrored pain; a abysmal chasm void of light. Whatever had been afflicted upon her the wounds ran deep, perhaps not fully healed but still fresh. "But right now I just can't."

"Hey," Piers squeezed her hands. "You don't have to justify anything to me."

She said nothing, instead dropping her head and averting her eyes away.

"I think we need to go out and begin looking again. Perhaps the smaller taverns and bars that locals will patronize. I mean if I wanted to be left alone that is what I would do."

"Right," he agreed.


Breaks in the snow permitted the sun to tease them with the fleeting kiss of warmth.

Alex kept her face forward, scanning the streets and occasional pedestrian; ever alert for any indication of trouble. It was second nature for her now.

"There it is," Piers pointed towards a small out of the way building that was sandwiched between to larger contemporary structures. It reminded him of one of those old taverns he would see in pictures of London or Dublin; more closely like those he had seen in Edonia.

The first thing that both noticed upon entering was the thick cloud of cigarette smoke that filled every crevice, crack, and space in the bar. Alex's nose twitched in displeasure while Piers lightened on his breathing.

The patrons who were occupying the humble accommodations didn't waste their time looking at the pair. It was nothing out of the ordinary to see a traveler or two find this quiet corner of the world. Piers took lead, making his way around the tight round tables, mindful of the ones taken up. Alex followed two steps behind him, observing the few bar goers who did find it worth their time to scrutinize the strangers with mistrustful glares or perverted leers aimed at Alex.

She just stared them down while maneuvering around the tables until she found a post to lean upon. Her hands remained fixed in her pockets, knuckles cracking and popping keeping her mind occupied. Eyes that had trailed her path continued fixating on her to which she narrowed her eyes to a set of ominous slits that morphed into icy daggers. If these fools thought they were going to succeed in stirring up shit, they had another thing coming.

It wasn't exactly a dump; well at least by American standards. It was rustic. There was no sign of Westernization anywhere; no television, gaudy lights or commercialization which ranged from brand names of the mainstream brews which catered to tourists and city dwellers. It was more from the 18th century and not of the 21st century.

"Excuse me," Piers produced the photo of Chris and lowered it on the bar. "We're looking for this man and were told he had been seen here."

A rugged man peered down and hard at the image. Hairs that had been black as night were gray as smoke. Wrinkles lined his mouth, eyes, and nose, time's stamp from the years of hard labor. His hands didn't cease wiping the inside of the plain stein; slowly turning and swinging while his mind attempted to place the nameless man.

"He was here."

"Was? When?"

Alex's head turned up at the affirmation.

"About a month ago. The son of a bitch sat over in that corner," his rag flung from the stein and wavered with the disgust in his gesture. "Smoking and drinking. He depleted my stock of vodka! And it wasn't that cheap shit you can buy anywhere! This was my finest Russian stock! Fortunately he had the money to compensate for such loss. Where he got such I don't know and I frankly do not care. It is not always wise to ask where or how one obtains financial gains in this part of the world."

"Did you hear or see of where he went?" Alex was suddenly at Piers' side.

"No," the bartender shook his head. "One day he was gone. I cannot say I am sad to see him gone."

"Well thanks anyways," Piers returned the photo back inside his jacket and looked to Alex. Her face was tense sending an electrical shock up and down his spine.

"We need to go. NOW."

The dead calm that conveyed her words incited the quickening of his heart as they made a brisk retreat for the door.

"What is going on with you? You acted the same way in London and now it's happening again; here. Alex, is there something you know I don't?"

She remained quiet, refusing to divulge. Her gait quickened creating distance between them and the bar. It had been the cold that emerged from its hibernation in the darkest corner of her mind, awakening then rising like a serpent.

"Alex," Piers grappled her bicep, swinging her back around. The incredulous reaction stung at him.

"We are NOT safe here."

"What is-"

Before Piers could finish his sentence his came across the reasons for her distress. Standing between them and safety were two J'avo. No matter how many times he had been deployed, Piers would never succeed in keeping his heart from sprinting at the sight of a B.O.W.; especially this close.

The larger one's face was wrapped in random bandages, shielding the grotesque visual appendages from its prey. Both hands were occupied with a machete and hunting knife that were comfortable in its hold. Its partner was smaller but no less threatening. It too carried blades and not firearms which wasn't uncommon for J'avo. Both were dressed in soiled cargo pants, shirt, and jacket; Piers suspected blood and mud from the dull stiff attribute of the stains. But it was what resided on the sleeves that captured Piers' attention: It was the insignia he had seen on Jake Muller's coat in Edonia. The red background with spider outlined in yellow with the Latin phrase La Vita Nuova, The New Life running across the bottom. The Edonian Liberation Army. What were they doing here?! Edonia was at least a 1,000 miles away!

The larger one pointed at Alex with the machete as the smaller one nodded. The same hand then slashed and stabbed the falling snow to which its partner nodded eagerly like a child who was asked if they wanted dessert after dinner except they were the dessert.

"Piers, I need you to get the fuck out now."

"No way!" He opened fire on the pair without hesitation. While he wasn't in uniform, Piers never went anywhere without a weapon. This was why.

Alex narrowed her eyes to a challenging stance, feeling her body react. Her fists tightened inside the protective leather as every fiber of muscle and inch of nerve sparked. It rushed down her spinal cord then back into her brain, preparing her for a fight. And fighting equated to surviving.

Piers continued squeezing the trigger, aiming for the head of the smaller one. Bullet ripped degraded flesh, splattering the wall with blood, brain matter, and bone. The J'avo stumbled back, howling in pain as the bullets shredded its eyes temporarily blinding it.

"Shit," he saw the mutation starting the regeneration process. Where injury had been inflicted a pair of engorged mandibles erupted from where the head had been moments before. By now people had fled the area, screaming in sheer terror as the Americans were left to defend themselves.

The rumble gathered in the thorax, collecting speed and intensity as it raced for the rows of teeth like appendages until it materialized as thick viscous webbing. Alex and Piers dove to the sides, averting the sticky entrapment as it sailed above and landed on a nearby Yugo in a harmless mess. Piers, still clutching his gun, aimed and pulled the trigger. "SHIT!" He was out of rounds and Alex had one little knife. Like a one legged man in an ass kicking contest they were on the losing end. But being on the losing end didn't mean giving up.

He spotted the piece of pipe resting on top of a crate and went for it. Alex saw what he was doing and started making a ruckus while flailing her arms and keeping the beast distracted. The larger one saw through her rouse and went for Piers.

"Piers! Incoming!" She alerted him in a short loud yell. He spotted the charging creature and swung the thick narrow steel conduit, making contact with the heart line of the chest. It was hurled back, flying backwards several feet before crushing the brick wall. Several bricks toppled over, smacking it on the back of the skull and base of the neck as if it was putting in its own contribution to the battle.

The mutated J'avo flung a mandible at Alex, swinging the bulbous joints and pincher with precision. She sprang up, catching the bottom of a fire ladder but her boots caught the tip of the limb, cutting through the leather and steel.

"FUCK!" She felt the hardened shell slice through the top of her foot, severing tendons and cracking bone. It could've been worse, she told herself but the pain was burning, no it was greater than that. She compared it to someone cutting her foot then dumping sulfuric acid in the open wound followed by dousing it in kerosene and lighting a match. Yes, that sounded right. Blood seeped through the sock and boot, dripping on top of the creature. It seemed to laughing as it lapped the fresh infusion. She kicked it with her good foot, using every reserve of strength left. Now she knew how a worm on a lure felt.

Piers grabbed his makeshift weapon and took aim at the head. He would be damned if Alex became another BOW or dead. Holding it like a javelin, he took a deep breath and launched it.

It cracked the tough exoskeleton and cored the brain and stem, liberating the hot mess of fluids and tissue across the narrow walkway. Its body convulsed and twitched with brief hard jerks before it crumpled to the ground.

Alex released the bar and landed in a crouch. She grimaced at the stab of pain that traversed her foot and ankle but that was the least of their problems. The other J'avo was charging at them, flailing both arms in psychotic fury. Piers tugged and pulled at the pipe but it was embedded in the deceased J'avo. He frantically searched his immediate surroundings for something, anything that would slow this fucking thing down!

Suddenly Alex was leaping on top of closest pile of crates and boxes then propelling off the filth encrusted wall. Piers was stunned, mouth agape like a bass as he watched her aerobatics cut through deceptive gentility of white. She was a black and brown blur! His eyes followed or rather struggled to keep up until he saw her landing on the larger J'avo that had emerged from the alley. The hunting knife that faithfully clung to her hip was out and poised in an strike position.

"Shit!" Piers gasped as he became witness to his friend having taken down the creature with a sharp punt of her boot to the gathering of misshapen eyes. Adrenaline drove her actions, instinct propelled her. Her mind had ceased listening to Piers' shouting and screams as she pounced on its chest then curled a hand around the wet wrinkled throat. Blue black roads pulsated beneath the skin around the lips eyes and nose. The multitude of eyes bulged at the increasing pressure with the central largest one never departing from its attacker. Had it been human the eyes would be partially expelled from their sockets while the surrounding flesh turned violet red in hue. Its hands clawed furiously at her sleeves, gaining no traction for its futile desperate act. She kept it down, using her knee to pin the core of the body to the street.

Alex stared the pinpoint pupils down, snarling like a feral animal. She squeezed harder, crushing the larynx or rather what she thought was the larynx. But did it matter now? The tendons in her hand tensed and jutted from bone, a sign of the deep strength restraining the creature. It hissed and spat in what could be called a hybrid of Czech and the dialect J'avo used.

"Say hi to the others for me," she lunged with blade extended, plunging it in the center eye, driving it deep until it came to rest at the hilt. Her wrist snapped right, cranking the blade a full ninety degrees.

"Alex," Piers rushed to her side in time to see the second yank of the wrist. "Holy shit."

His heart raced as he attempted to comprehend what had just happened. Alex was still, leaned over the body. Her index finger tapped her left thigh, for several seconds.

Without warning, she unleashed a shrill cry, jerked the blade out and sliced it across the width of the head, severing it into to bloody chunks of spilling gray matter and thick pools of coagulating blood. It had happened so fast; if one blinked too long it they would've missed it. The closest thing Piers could compare it to was watching water spilling over a cliff. It was smooth, fast and deliberate.

"Like I said," she calmly retracted the blade, wiping the thick oily essence off with the dead mutation's jacket. She straightened up and returned the weapon to its resting place before greeting the marksman with deadpan eyes. "It's not safe here. We need to let B.S.A.A. know about this."

"Right," Piers continued to remain in a state of disbelief. Where had Alex learned to move like that?! But it was more disturbing to see how she had taken out that J'avo on her own. Those goddamn things were strong; superhuman strong and yet she had matched it with equal ferocity.

"What?" Alex raised an eyebrow over his reaction.

"What?! What?! You killed a J'avo hand to hand! And what about your foot?! The other one sliced through your boot! I saw the blood!"

"It was superficial Piers." She remained collective as they awaited the nearest B.S.A.A. Unit to arrive.

"No, you could be infected!"

"If I was infected wouldn't I be growing several sets of new eyes and look like a Tyrant reject? No, I'm not. J'avo mutate fast once they've been infected. We've been standing here for an hour and I'm still me."

"How did you move like that? I have NEVER seen a human move that fast or in such a way."

"I took advanced gymnastics when I was teen."

Piers just drop it please...

"That's not like any gymnastics move I've ever seen." He continued to prod. "Is this related to your condition?"

"Yeah, you could say that." She responded in a sullen voice. Piers came around, seeing she was staring back into the alley. The J'avo they had killed were breaking down, deteriorating as cell by cell died and disintegrated into a gelatinous mess.

"Alex," he blocked her line of sight making her look up at him. He deserved to know, especially now after this. But she had to do it. If those J'avo had gotten past them the whole town would've become infected!

"I did it to save you and the town. That is all you should be worried about."

"What is that supposed to mean?! I just watched you take down a J'avo! And you expect me to disregard that?! No, what is going on?"

Alex shook her head and diverted her eyes away.

"Piers, please, you promised," she felt the burning prickling in the corners of her eyes.

"I know that but-" His hands curled into fists which pounded the air. Alex hung her head, finding herself struggling to create the right words. Piers had promised not to ask but she couldn't lie herself out of this as she had with so many others before. What was she supposed to say? That she was on steroids?! Or perhaps some far fetched bullshit excuse that only the most simple minded of person would buy!?

"I'm infected Piers."

The marksman shook his head, unsure if he had heard her correctly. Did she say what he thought she had said? Her eyes parted from the sidewalk and gravitated upward to his. Questions were gathering in his eyes, darkening the light that was normally dominant turning soft brownish green turned to murky moss.

"I know that look and yes it's true. I am infected."

"How?! You-"

"Aren't mutated? It's not the C Virus that's in my body; it's the Tyrant Virus."

"What the-"

"I'll tell you more but not out here. It's too open and anyone could be listening. I've said enough standing here. But I'm not contagious so don't worry."

"I never said I was."

"A part of you entertained the thought. They all did and I came to accept that."

Her ears perked up as the road thundered beneath them. Piers knew that sound.

"About time." He watched the approaching B.S.A.A. Humvees roll down the street in military fashion.

"Must not have been too far away." He waved his arms overhead, signaling where they were. The convoy came to a gradual stop with the lead vehicle's door swinging open. A tall man with a wool B.S.A.A. cap stepped out from the passenger side. The wide shit eating grin cause Alex to grin in kind allowing her to momentarily forget the somber conversation.

"I love the smell of dead B.O.W.s in the morning!" The booming voice boasted as the other vehicles opened up and additional agents spilled out into the side streets and alleways. Overhead a chopper scouted the rooftops.

"Quint?! Quint is that you?!" She hurried around the front to the man's waiting arms.

"Alex! Holy shit what are you doing here!?" He grappled her into a tight bear hug and swung her around lifting her feet off the ground. She felt herself growing dizzy and a little nauseous. Quint always did like to fling her around like this.

"No but seriously what are you doing here?" He finally let her down. "There were reports of B.O.W.s in the region."

"Looking for Chris." She frowned then looked back at her friend. "Where's Don Juan?"

"Would you believe Keith's been taken out by the influenza of all things? But searching for Chris? Seems like a daunting task; you may have a better chance at locating the Ark of the Covenant."

"Quint, really with the movie references?!"

"Sorry Lex but he's been MIA for what almost three months now?"

"I don't care Quint! He wouldn't give up on me! Sure it seems like mission fucking impossible but that doesn't mean it can't be done."

The lead agent shook his head. Some things never change.

"Did you two take those down?" He gestured at the decomposing corpses.

"Yeah, we had to think fast but pipes can be very handy." Piers intervened. "Blows to the head."

"You're Piers Nivans," Quint stuck out his hand. "Word about your sharpshooting skills reach far and wide. It's an honor!"

"Thanks," the younger man felt his ears burning despite the bitter cold. "It's nothing really."

"Well when you can shoot over a mile away and hit a B.O.W right between the eyes I wouldn't say that's nothing!" Quint seemed to be a little starstruck. He had heard about Piers' abilities but to meet the man with the keen eye was something entirely different.

"We didn't see any others and hopefully there won't be."

"Right, well we'll need your statements of course."

"Right," Piers nodded while Alex sighed.

"They were J'avo. Both carried blades. Piers pumped one full of bullets but it mutated and sprouted mandibles like an insect's. It spat some nasty looking webbing that's over on that car." She gestured with her head to the car behind them. "Piers found a pipe and rammed it through the bastard's skull. He did the same with the other one but also pumped it full of lead. It didn't mutate. So I think you have enough to go on with the huge loogey and stank corpses."

Quint watched as the accompanying man collected samples of the materiel for R & D. They would want to analyze this in the lab along with anything they could salvage from the bodies. He could see Alex was exhausted as her eyes were lined with violet black circles. She was pretty tough given the "loss" of Jill and subsequent deployments. Most women would've walked away but not her. Her tenacity rivaled a pit bull's.

"Alright get going. If we hear anything we'll call you."

"My number is still the same," Alex took him in hug. Her arms barely looped around his waist to which Piers couldn't but help to softly laugh at. "Keep your ass down Quint. I've lost too many friends already. I don't know if I handle going to another funeral or service."

"I will Lex. Just promise me you won't do anything stupid during your search?"

"Like what?" Her face shifted to a pout.

"How about the time you tried to track down -"

"I get it! I don't think you have to be anxious about anything in that respect."

"Alright," Quint grabbed her for a final hug. He couldn't see how her face was smooshed against his tact belt and vest.

"Quint...Can't...Breathe..."

"Oh sorry!" Alex took a frigid rush of air into the spongy warmth of her lungs. Leave it to Quint Cetcham to take her breath away; literally. "Sometimes I get a bit carried away."

"Take care, and no stalking Jessica Sherawat! She's BAD news!" she drew the hood back over her head and began the trek back to the hotel. "And get a damned flu shot Quint!" She made a cross with her fingers to which Quint laughed heartily. "And I'm serious about Jessica! She has a murky Chi."

"Whatever," he dismissed her friendly warning.


The way back to the hotel was quiet, tense, and cold. Alex drew the collar further around her throat, shielding her throat from the warmth stripping wind. Any bit of skin left exposed was at the mercy of Nature's wrath. The cut in her boot didn't help matters. Snow seeped through the clean gap, melting against cotton and chilling her toes. She would have to purchase a new set which wouldn't be hard to do. The weight of his eyes baring down on her was constant, feeling like a weight was draped over her back like a tactical vest.

"You wanna know how and when."

She waited until they were in room and went straight for the liquor that had patiently been waiting since they departed that morning. Patience paid off.

"Yeah," Piers was sitting over by the bed, letting his mind translate what this meant. Was she able to infect anyone!? Who else was aware of this?! Questions mingled together, en massing into a large clusterfuck of words and trepidations.

"I wasn't infected accidentally. I was intentionally infected."

She extended a tumbler of whiskey to which he found himself accepting.

"I'm 100 times stronger than any bodybuilder. My movements are like watching the Flash. I can smell the finest amounts human odor even after bedding has been washed and dried multiple times. I can hear a person breathing from three stories above or below me. I have a level of telekinesis in which I can hurl a sonic wave at anyone or anything. It also explains my feverish episodes."

Alex took a long slow drink before stating the last thing.

"And I can sense when other B.O.W.s. are in the vicinity."

"Sense how?"

"You remember when you were a kid and you would wake up before your parents pulled into the drive way because you could sense you were home?"

"Yeah." It was a feeling that had no definition only that when home was close he would wake up in time to see his dad flipping the headlights off and putting the car in park. It was a sensation; a warmth that fanned from pit of his belly to the tips of his fingers.

"That feeling is what I get when any B.O.W. is around."

It dawned on Piers.

"So in London you were-"

"Yep something was close by."

"And now-"

"Now you know how I was able to take down that thing."

"But it cut you shouldn't you be infected with that?" He was confused.

"The T Virus was derived from a powerful virus called Progenitor which was discovered in West Africa in 19th Century by Henry Travis. Does that name sound familiar?"

"Vaguely," Piers took another drink.

"Well remember Excella Gionne?"

"Now that name I do remember. She was involved in the Africa outbreak."

"Okay now she is descended from Henry Travis who was part of the Travis Family. Her grandmother came from that family. Now fast forward to the end of the 19th century. Henry was ostracized for his book by the scientific community which was his brother's doing. This allowed for Travis Enterprises to get first claim on the vast wealth of natural resources outlined in Henry's book. But his book described a flower called 'Stairway to the Sun' which was the reservoir for the virus. It was found in one place: The Sun Garden. This was a cave where conditions were ripe for this flower to flourish."

She paused to dispense more liquid gold. It was smooth going down; just the way she liked it.

"After Henry died, the company moved in and started exploiting the resources described. It wouldn't be until the 1950s that the search for this flower would resume. It was a result of the learning of the potential pharmaceutical and monetary value of some of the flora and fauna. Alright so now the third cell, pharmaceutical is created and along with shipping and natural resources you have TRICELL which came about in the 1960s. By 1968 the Ndipaya tribe had been evicted from the area. You see, they believed that when fed the flowers, if that person lived through consumption they were the next leader and inherited great strength; or so the legend goes."

"Damn," Piers cursed.

"It gets better from there," she noted sarcastically. "In 1966 the Three Stooges, Ashford, Marcus, and Spencer began cultivating samples in the States. Every single one failed because they couldn't replicate conditions. So they built a lab there, in the cave and a scientist by the name of Brandon Bradley harvested samples for the Umbrella Corporation. But the virus had been altered from its original structure; used to fit the needs of men who wished to dominate the world all on it. They didn't care about human life for it was collateral in the grander scheme. Spencer's greed was the greatest sin."

"How was that?"

She offered a humorless smile. "He wanted to cheat Death. He was determined to outsmart the very thing that he couldn't control. The old man had grown arrogant, flush with hubris in his knowledge of the virus. Spencer then upped the stakes. He didn't just want to beat Death; he wanted to be a god. But that pride became his demise."

"I heard about Wesker killing him."

"That wasn't all. Spencer had authorized a project called The Wesker Project. It was named for the head researcher. Children of identified capabilities were taken and their DNA infused with the virus then brainwashed like drones to carry out Spencer's idea of values. They were known as the Wesker Children. Original right?"

Alex snorted and took a drink. No matter how much she consumed, it would never dull the ache. It was like a wound that had become infected and festered, resistant to any treatment or cure. But it was turning into a cancer as far as she was concerned. Feeding off her weaknesses, puncturing her being.

"Wesker was not happy to say the least but then again I couldn't blame him for being deceived in such a manner. Spencer only cared about one person: HIMSELF."

Piers observed her rolling the wrist that held the crystal tumbler. He didn't have to be a psychic to see how speaking of this was excruciating. He knew from talking to Claire that Wesker was not a person to bring up unless she did first. So he listened.

"I wish I could've been the one to thrust my fist into his withered pathetic heart." Bitterness would've been an understatement. Alex turned her head. Piers' heart was at a quicker rhythm. The narrow sideways smile reassured him.

"Relax Piers, I'm not going to go Darkside. But I haven't gotten to the best part. The part where I became a human test subject."

She claimed the last of the booze, shaking it until the last drop splashed into the pool of gold. It wasn't enough but she would have to make do.

"It was after Rockford Island. Chris was tracking Wesker somewhere. I was in the apartment, alone, catching up on paperwork..."

HA! CLIFFY!