Chapter Seventeen: End of the Road
"Isn't that a beautiful sight?" Billy asked. The room he and Rebecca entered must have been some kind of guardroom—with two bunk beds on each side of the room. Two desks stood beside their respective beds. The one to the left was made of old oak with a typewriter on its top, and a corkboard above it. The other was a bland metal office desk, bare except for an office lamp. Billy walked over, brushed the Playboy and fallen pills off the bed, and laid down.
"Don't get too comfortable," Rebecca said, grinning.
"Just five more minutes, Mom," Billy replied, closing his eyes. His once tense body suddenly loosened. The side of his head throbbed, and his body ached, but even that couldn't stop the tidal wave of unconsciousness threatening to wash over him. He heard Rebecca cross the room to the desk beside the left bed. Maybe he would wake up, and this would all be a dream. Yeah, he thought. And maybe I'll have a girl built like a bombshell, a college degree, and pigs will be flying. Billy chuckled.
"Hey, Billy," Rebecca said. "Check this out."
Billy grunted, but turned his head toward her and opened an eye. Rebecca yanked a sheet off of the corkboard. The more she stared at it, the wider her grin became and the more awake Billy suddenly felt.
"What is it?" he asked, pulling himself into a sitting position. Rebecca turned the paper over so Billy could see the diagram on the other side.
"It's a map of the facility," Rebecca said. "By the looks of it, we just have to go through a few more corridors, up a lift, and we can get out of this place."
"Man," Billy moaned. "I'd kill for some sunlight."
"Yeah," Rebecca said, taking a seat beside him. "You know when you were a kid and had a nightmare? Everything seemed terrible in the dark…but in the day, those things don't seem so big. Hope the same concept applies."
"I'm sure," he said. "Besides, you're still a kid." Rebecca punched him lightly on the arm, and the two burst into laughter. Her face flushed and it made him laugh harder. "After all, I'd get to meet your lovely teammates." Rebecca's laugh died. She looked down, a hard expression passing over her face. Billy scratched his head, his laughter dying down to an awkward chuckle. "Sorry. Mood-killer."
Nice going, Coen, he thought.
"It's just not right though…" She said.
"Hey," Billy said, placing a hand over hers. "We gotta do what we gotta do." He was surprised that he no longer felt fear at the thought of death when it seemed so looming about an hour ago. Now, he was just tired. Death might be a relief. Still, the guilt of pulling a gun on Rebecca still sat in his stomach like a gallstone. He stood and examined the pinup on the opposite wall.
"Billy…"
"What I say?" he said. "Let's just search this room and blow this popsicle stand."
Rebecca nodded and rose. Billy checked the draws of the metal desk. Nothing but paperclips and a stapler. A sturdy cabinet stood beside it. Inside was an M1911 pistol with a box of ammunition on the top shelf. Below, leaned against the cabinet's side, was a grenade launcher. Billy glanced up and mouthed 'thank you.'
Like Rebecca had said, the corridors were short, yet there seemed to be a ton of them. Rebecca started to feel jittery at the thought of finally escaping this place. They crossed a few zombies here and there, but these were naked and slightly bloated. As though they had been dumped into the water plant. Rebecca felt sick thinking about how many Umbrella might have dumped.
Everything seemed to go quickly now that they knew where they were going—passing through a series of rooms filled with treated water or large humming machines. They opened a door and walked out into the corridor that seemed to have no ceiling. For a moment, Rebecca thought they were outside until she looked up to see earth and rock far above. Chain link and metal pipes lined the walls on either side of them, white stem sprouting from the former with a low squeal. Two giant vats stood to their right, each with 'UMBRELLA' with its red and white octagonal logo. A windowless building stood in front of them with a single steel door. It reached up like one large rectangle into the darkness to the highest part of the cavern.
Rebecca squinted at the map in her hands, despite the flickering florescent lighting of standing lamps.
"I think this is it?" She said. "The lift to the surface should be in there."
"Oh, how lovely," Billy said, tightening his grip on the grenade launcher. The handle of a handgun peaked out of the waistband of his jeans. "Not ominous, whatsoever."
Rebecca grinned and shook her head, but she couldn't ignore the knot in her stomach. With each step toward the building they took, the knot tightened. When they finally reached the door, it took a moment for Rebecca to finally grab it and push it open.
Heat washed through the threshold, making Rebecca stagger. She stepped in, hand tightening around her weapon. A thick wall of darkness hit her vision. When her eyes adjusted, she gasped. On every surface of the room—from the floor to the walls, to the ceiling, to even the railing of the walkway above—were hundreds of fat leeches. They slithered over one another, leaving trails of translucent goo in their wake. Though, as many leeches that there were, there were twice as more eggs scattered in mounds across the room. Every one of them white and glossy. Something shifted within each of them, ready to break free.
A boiler, broken and rusted with flames sprouting from its stack heated the area to a stifling degree. Rebecca took a tentative step forward. The leeches slithered about and took no notice of her. In fact, they slid aside, clearing her path.
"Wondrous creatures, aren't they?" a voice said from above. The young man stepped forward on the of the metal walkway. A leech glided from the man's outstretched hand up to his arm, slithering around the limb like a pet. The man watched it, something close to affection shining in his dark eyes. "This beautiful virus of mine. It's changed them…made me into something so much more."
"It made them into freaks," Billy said. The young man's stare shifted from the leech to Billy. His long, black hair framed his face, and with the shadow of the boiler's fire, made his face look long and gaunt. Rebecca eyed the leeches on either side of them. They had stopped their movement, and several lifted their heads as though listening to the conversation.
"I wouldn't expect you to understand," the young man said. "But I do understand you, Billy Coen."
"How do you…?" Billy asked, eyes narrowing.
"Umbrella has files on all of their subjects," the young man said, a grin spreading across his face. Billy leaned away, eyes wide.
"What?"
"Do you really think there would be a military base in the middle of a forest?" the man said, chuckling. "Many a noble officer brought a prisoner to their fate, only to end here for testing. Many an officer in the pocket of Umbrella. Many, in fact, who remind me of your young companion."
Rebecca checked Billy out of the corner of her eye. His jaw tightened, and she noticed his grip shook ever so slightly. The young man watched the scene below him with a crooked grin.
"He's just trying to raddle you," she muttered to Billy.
"Yeah," Billy replied. The response was so bland, it felt like a fist to the stomach. Rebecca pushed the feeling aside and turned back to the walkway.
"Doctor Marcus," Rebecca said. The man's grin faded, replaced with a raised eyebrow. "He was your grandfather or your father, wasn't he? Is that what all of this is about?"
Again, that expression returned to the man's face—as though he were playing a sadistic game with mice. A thick silence fell between the three of them, only broken by the slick sounds of leeches and the crackling of boiler's fire.
"Allow me, if you would, to tell you a story," the man said.
"I'm not listening to your damn story," Billy said, charging forward, but Rebecca held a hand out to stop him.
"No, Billy," she whispered, nodding toward the leeches. They bristled at Billy's movement and inched closer to them. Billy glanced down, and with his stoic expression, nodded curtly. Rebecca turned back to the man. "Go on, then."
"Very well," the man said. "Doctor James Marcus was a talented man in his own right. He, Alexander Ashford, and Oswell Spenser created a corporation to further the development of mankind. It was through his brilliance that Marcus created a marvel of modern biological science—the T-Virus, and it was all thanks to my children.
'However, Spencer grew jealous of the good doctor's discovery and had him assassinated by Marcus' own assistants. Marcus was thrown into the waters of this very plant, like a mere failed subject. Though the queen of his leeches found him, and then something miraculous happened. It took years for his queen to procreate, and create his new life and a new, younger body. All to take help in his vengeance on Spencer and Umbrella, and to ensure that the world will burn in an inferno of hate!"
Rebecca stood dumbfounded, unable to stop looking at the young man. No, that was impossible. Yet, how many impossible things had she witnessed that night? The thin, crooked grin spread across the young man's face. This whole night, she thought that he looked familiar, and there was something off about the leech men. Everything fell into place so violently it made Rebecca stagger. This man wasn't Marcus' grandson. He was James Marcus.
"To ensure that the world paid for what it did to us," Marcus said. "We learned long ago that even those closest to us inevitably betray us. Of course, you know that bitter sting, don't you?"
Rebecca's brow furrowed. Why was he even mentioning this? She turned toward Billy. Billy was more ridged that he had been before. His eyes were two slits, and his hands gripped the grenade launcher so tightly his knuckles whitened.
"Do you believe this young woman—this police officer—is your friend?" Marcus said. His high laugh bounced off the walls, making the hairs on Rebecca's arms raise. "She will betray you. It's in her nature, as is the nature of your relationship. After all, do you expect this friendship to continue beyond these walls?"
Billy turned on her, glaring. Rebecca took a step back.
"No," she muttered. Marcus watched the scene, a smirk across his face and a spark in his eyes. He's waiting, Rebecca thought. This is all a game to him. "Don't listen to him, Billy."
"It's the end of the road for you, my friend," Marcus said. "Though, you could dispose of her." Billy released his hand from the launcher and pulled out the handgun from his waistband. Rebecca's body trembled, looking down the gun's barrel. Something seemed to have changed over Billy. His mouth twisted into a grimace, and every feature of his face hardened. It was a look of pure rage, unlike anything Rebecca had seen. "You're so close to escaping. It's all within your grasp. All you must do is reach out and take it. Here, let me help you, Mr. Coen."
This couldn't be happening again. All the betrayal that she felt earlier that night—when Billy tried to escape—rushed back. Only this time, it hurt twice as worse.
"Please, Billy," She said, trying to get her voice steady. Billy didn't answer. A flash came from the end of the gun barrel with a bang that popped Rebecca's ears. She screamed and instinctively reached for her own weapon. Though, nothing hit her—no pain, no impact. Instead, what sounded like a thousand tiny screams came from behind. She spun around to find one of the leech men, now half-formed and splintered, trying to piece its self together. Finally, it gave up, and the remaining leeches spilled to the ground. Marcus yelled and beat a hand against the handrail.
"You can go to hell, buddy," Billy said.
"Moron!" Marcus said. "Looks like there will be two deaths tonight—AH!"
Marcus flung his hand. The leech still clung to him, no matter how he tried to throw it off. A trickle of blood dripped from the leech's underside while it dug its teeth into its master's flesh.
Dozens more of the shining leeches crawled toward him.
"No!" he yelled. "I am in control. I AM. STOP!"
Rebecca and Billy watched the man thrash about, leeches tearing at his robe and flesh. Smile and blood flew off him in globs. Marcus yelled, to no avail, for the leeches to stop. Eventually, those yells turned into gargled noises as the creatures climbed into his mouth and down his throat. The mass of slug and man tumbled over the slick railing and fell, face down, on the ground level. At least thirty more leaches crawled toward this malformed creature and latched on. Its form smoothed membrane and mucus, creating something far removed from humanity.
Rebecca looked around the room. There should be a way to the lift…two iron doors stood to the far left. She took a step forward when—something slammed into the ground in front of her, causing her to leap back. It was one of Marcus' arms, only now it had a greenish hue and twice its length. It retracted back to his side as he stood. Tentacles emerged from his back, whipping and lashing out in the air. Two feelers twitched at the top of Marcus's faceless head. The creature staggered for a moment, but quickly gained footing. It arched back, and thousands of tiny mouths opened from its body—all giving a unified scream.
Rebecca and Billy staggered back, unable to do anything but stare at the creature before them. Then, almost out of instinct, Rebecca raised her handgun and fired. Two rounds hit Marcus' pulsing chest. Though a couple of leeches fell away, curling in death, the creature didn't even flinch. It took a step toward them.
"The boiler," Billy muttered. "We have to get him over there."
"Wha—" Rebecca said, but then remembered what happened in the communication room. "Right."
"Hey! Over here!" Billy said. He grabbed the grenade launcher and then fired. The round exploded near Marcus' left shoulder. Dead leeches flew off, yet new ones crawled up and replaced the fallen. The creature cried out again. It launched its arm toward him, and Billy dove out the way just in time. Rebecca took a few steps toward the boiler. Though it was only a few feet away, it might as well have been a mile away.
Marcus raised a shining tentacle, aiming it right at Billy's chest. Rebecca fired, and the creature staggered slightly as the bullets hit it in its bulbous head. It instantly forgot its previous target and lumbered after her. Rebecca took off. The boiler loomed closer and closer. Flames nearly wreathed the red-hot metal. Just keep going, she told herself, even when she heard Marcus' squishing steps. She could feel the heat press against her flesh. Just a few more inches—
Something wet and long and very much alive wrapped around her midsection. Rebecca lifted into the air, old having time to gasp. Its tentacle twisted her around to look at its face. The creature's looked at her with its eyeless face, its two antennas wiggling in excitement at its kill.
The tentacle tightened, and Rebecca found the breath forced out of her diaphragm. Pressure continued. Rebecca clenched her teeth. How much longer could her ribs take this before giving out? Blackness invaded the edges of her vision. Her head bounced, feeling too heavy for her shoulders. Still, even as she felt her body go limp, she couldn't help but smile.
I'll be seeing you soon, Dad.
Rebecca!
There was his voice, as though calling to her from the end of a long tunnel.
I'm coming, Rebecca, he said.
A flash of light flared in the darkness, and air rushed into her lungs like a burning gust. She fell, crumpling onto the floor. A high-pitched scream filled the chamber. Rebecca fought her light-headedness and followed the source of the noise.
The Marcus-creature staggered. Smoke and cinders rose from its blackened side. Another explosive round hit the creature. It shrieked once again, lost its footing, and tumbled into the boiler. The fire consumed its body upon contact. Marcus thrashed about, as though desperately trying to get one last strike on the two. Dozens of roasted bodies fell in curled lumps. Finally, Marcus shuddered and plummeted to the ground. Billy and Rebecca watched the creature for several seconds, weapons poised on it. Marcus didn't move.
"Holy crap, Rebecca," Billy said, tossing the grenade launcher aside and helping her sit up. His hand rested on her shoulder, and she placed her own hand upon his. She felt her strength returning.
"I'm alright," she said. "Just…you know me…tripped over my feet."
Billy gave her a half-smirk. He glanced back at the Marcus' lifeless form. Flames lingered upon its crisp skin.
"Have fun in Hell," he muttered before turning back to Rebecca. "Do you need help getting up?"
Rebecca shook her head, though she still leaned heavily on Billy as she stood. Once she was finally up, she felt a lot better. Her eyes fell upon the double doors at the other end of the room.
The doors to the lift. The doors to freedom.
She started toward them, and Billy followed.
As Billy and Rebecca made their way to the door, they didn't bother to look back at the corpse of the thing that was once Marcus. If they had, they would have noticed something that would have made them quicken their pace toward the lift. While the smoldering body lay still, leeches who had just watched the battle from the shadows crawled out. They climbed onto their queen's host, prying off their burnt brothers.
As the lift doors closed behind Billy and Rebecca, movement came from within the hundreds of leech eggs around the room. Almost simultaneously, they burst open. Newborn leeches emerged, linking to the body as their elders did now. Hundreds of the creatures piled on, their bodies shifting and morphing.
The thing that had once been Marcus twitched.