22. End of the Road

The elevator door opened slowly and David stepped through to the first hallway on 3F, followed by Yoko, who held the T-Blood in her hands tenderly as if it were an infant. They made their way to the laboratory, where George, Cindy and Mark watched them enter.

"Did you find something?" George asked.

"How bout this?" David said with a smirk while pointing to the canister in Yoko's hands.

"Is that, T-Blood?" Cindy asked.

"Yes," Yoko responded, walking up to George and handing it to him.

"Thank you Yoko, David," he said courteously, then walked up to the incubator and inserted the canister into an open slot on the machine. "All we need now is…"

Before he could finish the door opened again and Kevin, Alyssa and Jim filed into the room.

"Got ya' a present Georgey Pordgey!" Kevin said, shaking the V-Poison canister in his hand in a taunting manner.

"Excellent!" George said. "That's all of the ingredients. We may begin the process now."

Kevin tossed the canister with one hand to George, who clumsily caught it, and placed it in the incubator. He pressed various buttons and the machine began to whirr as the placeholders that held all three canisters began to spin wildly. George took a step back

"Now what?" Alyssa asked.

"Now, we wait." George responded.

"What?!" Jim said, scratching the back of his neck. "Man, I ain't got time for this shit! I'm gonna be a dead black man soon if I don't that shizzle in my stomach soon!"

"What's the rush?" Kevin said. "I hear it's not all that bad being a zombie. Sure you got the slight inconvenience of being dead, but you get all the raw meat you can eat, and nobody ever asks you to pay for a bus ticket!"

"Man you a crazy ass fool!" Jim said.

"I share Jim's sentiment," George said. "I fear we cannot say how much Daylight will be created, or if there will be enough for all of us who are infected."

"I know there will be," Cindy said. "We just have to have faith."

"I hope you're right Cindy," George said.

Alyssa yawned as she leaned against a lab table.

"Ugh," she said dryly. "My eyes are freaking out on me."

"Yeah?" Kevin said.

"Yeah, cuz of sleep deprivation," she responded with a smile. "You only look half as stupid as you normally do."

Kevin laughed. "Touche'."

"I swear to God," she said, running her fingers through her hair. "As soon as we're out of this hellhole, I'm going to take the longest bubble bath I've ever taken in my life, and nobody is going to interrupt me for the next five hours unless they wanna be drowned."

"I love bubble baths!" Kevin said cheerily.

"If you play your cards right buster," Alyssa said slyly. "Maybe I'll let you join me…"

"Is that a date?" Kevin said with a smirk, to which Alyssa answered with only a wink. "I think I'm in love! I'll bring the cuffs…"

Yoko sat on the desk beside Alyssa, skimming through various papers she printed out from a computer in the laboratory. Alyssa glanced over to her and saw them.

"What are you doing, Yoko?"

"Oh, I, um…these are, documents about Umbrella, and the T-Virus."

"Could I have a look?"

"Okay."

Yoko handed the papers to Alyssa, who quickly read through them.

"Geez," Kevin complained while yawning. "Like waiting in line at the bank. I hate that."

"Yoko, would it be alright if you gave me these?" Alyssa said, still looking at the papers.

"Okay," Yoko responded. "Why?"

"This has all the dirt pinned on Umbrella; I want to expose them for what's happened, and this is just the proof I need. I know a man in New Haven City, a news reporter named Carl Graham, who works for a national news station. He's just the man to give that sort of exposure. Thanks Yoko."

"Your welcome." She said with a smile.

Towards the back of the room, George and Cindy stood by the window and stared out at the rising sun.

"Perhaps we will see tomorrow after all," George said. "I never imagined we would make it this far. And perhaps Daylight, the last hope of Raccoon City, will be the salvation we so desperately need."

"We're going to save lots of people," Cindy said.

"No," George said. "We are only giving them more time. Time is so very precious."

"George," Cindy said nervously.

"Yes?"

"Can I tell you, what I wanted to tell you before…can I tell you now?"

"Why?"

"I just want to."

"You can tell me after we've escaped."

"Please George, I want you to know."

"Nothing is going to happen, Cindy."

"I know, but still…"

"Very well then. What is it?"

"I love you, George."

George looked at Cindy silence, his face expressing nothing but maybe confusion.

"I'm sorry, but I do. I have since the first day we met, and even after I left the hospital. The day we kissed, I felt so guilty, that I was feeling lust. I went to church and prayed for the feeling to go away because it was wrong and evil. You were married, I had no right in doing what I did. But the feeling wouldn't go away, and I knew it was more than lust. I've wanted to tell you for so long now, I just couldn't bare it anymore. I love you George Hamilton. I love you."

Cindy put her hand out and grabbed George's hand. Her hands were soft. For a moment George let his hand rest in hers, but soon he pulled them away.

"I'm sorry Cindy," he said, shaking his head and putting his hand to his forehead. "This is so very sudden, I, I don't know what to say or do. Please, give me some time to process this."

Cindy's face saddened quickly, an inner hurt evident in her eyes at George's sudden with drawl to her confession. Her fears were confirmed.

"I'm sorry," Cindy said, a tear slowly welling up in her eye. George felt compelled to comfort her, but instead he turned around to face away from her and stare at the floor. She crossed her arms as if to embrace herself, her heart sinking, as she turned away from him as well.

David and Mark sat on the floor near a locked door beside the incubator, David poking the floor boards with his dagger.

"Where you learn ta' use that, son?" Mark said. "You too well learned in th' ways a' the knife ta' be a simple plumber."

David hesitated, then spoke. "Old man in the mafia, showed me the ropes to be a trained killer. First thing he showed me was how to use my hands, then a knife. Said only the sloppiest contract killers needed guns, and a man with a skilled hand only needs a knife to defeat an army. I could still hear his voice, back when I used to have dreams."

"Yo don' sleep?"

"Not anymore."

"Why?"

"Because of the dreams. Always the same."

"What were they like? If you don' mind me pryin'."

"We're gonna die anyway," David said with a smirk. "The dreams…all I can remember is they were all the same. Somebody I killed was climbing out of his grave, his eyes all white, no pupils, his wound still bloody…that horrible moaning for revenge, for justice. This whole fucking night has been a reliving of the nightmare. I was beginning to think maybe I'd fallen asleep for good, and the dream had become reality, that not even my insomnia could save me from it now. All those people I killed. And for what? To be left in the slammer for nearly 10 years, half my fucking life wasted. And now here I am with you jokers, waiting to die."

"Ah have the same dreams too," Mark said.

"Hm?"

"Yeah. Only it ain't jus' people ah killed, it's soldiers on the field a' battle from my platoon. Ah see their eyes, hear their voices, so clear an' empty, smell that aroma a' death that so permeated th' jungles a' Vietnam. Ah hear them cryin' out ta' me, askin' for mah help, an' I try as hard as a can ta' find em', but ah'm runnin' in slow motion, like mah bodie's under water. And all those Vietnamese soldiers ah killed, the horror. I can still smell the burning corpses in that hellish bonfire."

"I know that smell," David said. "Too well. I got rid of a contract once by burning them alive. I can still smell their cooking flesh, hear their screams."

"Ah ain't had a good night's sleep in almost 10 years. Most I kin get is maybe 3 hours a' sleep, rest a' the time ah'm pretending so my wife don' suspect nothin'. Ah fell asleep on th' way here, but this time a' dreamt a' Bob…an' Jerome…"

David and Mark sat in silence.

"I nodded off too," David finally said. "And I thought about that little girl in the hotel…she was so young."

"It ain't right," Mark said. "Children ain't…supposed to die…"

Mark began to sob and his eyes to well up.

"Ah'm sorry, ah promised mahself I wouldn' do this again."

David looked over to him and felt something he hadn't in a long time. Sympathy. Understanding. He had never met anybody else who had killed a man and regretted it, much less someone who also dreamt about it. David put one arm on his shoulder.

"It's alright Chief," he said. "It's gonna be just fine."

"Pffth, Maul'd whoop that raggedy haired monkey's ass," Jim said. "No contest."

"Lemme guess, cuz he's got that black face paint?"
"No cuz he whoops ass from this galaxy to the next with his double sabers bee itch!" Jim wove his arms around making the "zoom zoom" sound that accompanied the light sabers in the movies.
"Please," Kevin said. "You can't beat a Canuck with unbreakable claws, adamantium bones, healing factor, and a really pissed off demeanor! Plus Wolvie is and always will be the coolest, much more than that dress wearing ninny that died after one fight with Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon."
"It was two-on-one! Two white boys tryin' to keep a man down, literally! Down the damn shute after cuttin' him in half!"
"Oh please, save the Rodney King drama for your momma!"
"And here I thought I was hanging around with real men," Alyssa said with her arms crossed. "Not pimply faced teenagers arguing about comic book heroes."
"C'mon Wonder Woman," Kevin said, turning to her. "We're just killing time until that thing spits out somethin' good for us."

Suddenly the machine let out a click sound and a small clear tube emerged from a tiny slot on the machine filled with a white liquid. All eight survivors stood around the tube and stared at it.
"Is that it?" David asked.
"It would appear so," George responded.
"Who gets to dig in first?" Kevin said.
"Me! Make way for Jim!" Jim said, reaching out to grab the tube.
"Careful," George said. "Don't be too eager. If you drop it it will destroy easily."

Suddenly another tube emerged right behind the other tube.
"Shit, looks like we got plenty to spare! Gimme!"
George grabbed both tubes.
"We supposed to drink it or somethin'" Mark said.
"No, I'm afraid that would have no effect," George said. "The liquid must be injected directly into the blood stream in order to cure the infected cells. We need something to inject them with. I believe…yes." George rummaged through the various items on the table and grabbed a small, almost gun like device.
"This is an ampoule shooter," George said, holding it up. "We may be able to somehow insert this and inject each of us using this."
"Phew, glad I didn't get infected," Kevin said.
Suddenly the machine's normal purring came to a stop and the room was plunged into silence. Everyone turned to the incubator, which stopped functioning.
"What happened?" Mark said.
"The incubator!" George said, looking over the entire machine.
"Looks like the power is out," David said. "How do we start it up again?"
"I, I don't know," George said.
"What the fuck's goin' on man? What is this shit, huh?" Jim said, beginning to panic.
"Calm down Jim," Kevin said. "I'm sure it's no big problem."
"No big problem?! Shit man!" Jim said, throwing his cap. "I'm turning, I can feel it! Give me the potion George, now!"
"Please calm yourself Jim, I-"
Suddenly Jim grabbed Alyssa's gun out of her hand before she could realize what was going on and pointed it at George.
"Okay, I didn't wanna do this, but…"
Jim suddenly turned his head towards Kevin and aimed at him.
"Gimme that gun!" Jim yelled, the gun shaking in his hands.
"Jim, don't do this," Kevin said, pleadingly. "Just calm down."
Jim suddenly fired a shot into the air, startling everyone.
"Don't tell me to calm down dammit!!" Jim screamed, sweat dripping from his forehead. "I've been through fuckin' zombies, damn skinless monsters wit their brains showin' an' shit, those predator lookin' mothah fuckahs, dead dogs, oh and did I mention, MORE fuckin' zombies?! A black man can only TAKE so MUCH! Now GIMME your cannon Kev-O! Don' make me shoot you!"
Kevin frowned and painfully slid his .45 across to Jim, who picked it up and tucked it in his pants.
"Now put that shit on the table George, or I'll blow your ass to kingdom come!" Jim said, aiming the gun at George, who quickly complied, placing the shooter and the two tubes on the table. Jim stuffed the tubes into his pocket along with the shooter.
"Bet I'll make some good cash sellin' this extra one!" Jim said.
"You pathetic excuse for a human being!" Alyssa yelled, enraged and beginning to advance towards Jim, although Kevin stopped her with his hand. "How can you do this to us?! It's because of all of us that you even made it this far!"
"I thought that for a second you might have had some balls Jim," Kevin said. "But now we know what kind of man you really are."
"Yeah, the kind that's gonna get outta this shit alive, and rich!" Jim said. "Looks like my luck's finally changed! And now it looks like it's time for Jimbo to get the hell outta here. You can all just fuck yourselves, bitches!"
Jim began to walk out of the room when he passed by Yoko.
"Jim, please," Yoko said. "Don't do this."
Jim's expression changed a bit, guilt in his eyes. "Sorry my Asian Princess, but you got ta' look out for number one if you plan ta' make it in this world."
Yoko drooped her head sadly. Jim turned his head away to avoid looking at her disappointed face and walked out of the room, locking the door behind him.

"I KNEW I should have plugged that sorry bastard when I had the chance!" Alyssa said, clenching her fists tight. "You see? If I had done that, we wouldn't be where we are now!"
"Maybe you're right," Kevin said bitterly. "I was beginning to think he wasn't such a bad guy."
"What now?" David said.
"I heard something click behind this door," Cindy said, motioning towards a door at the back of the room. She turned the knob and saw it slowly open.
"Looks as if the power outage has unlocked the door," George said. "Let's see where this leads us."
The group entered the next room, which resembled something out of a bad horror movie. Hung on hooks were several bodies of the hunter creatures that invaded the RPD and lying on the operating tables were various corpses of zombies, university professors, and even a UBCS soldier.
"Ugh, disgusting," Alyssa said, looking at one of the Hunter's bodies.
"Keepin' their prey as trophies," Mark commented.
"Waiter! There's a lizard in my soup!" Kevin commented. "They're even uglier when they're dead."
"This is inhumane," George said. "But let us proceed."

The group stepped through a large clear plastic curtain that lead to an empty laboratory room, save for a large computer console at the back of the room.
"A computer," George said.
"Maybe it will be of help," Cindy said.
"I doubt it…" a voice said from behind the computer.
Greg suddenly stood up from his position sitting behind the desk in a revolving chair. He walked around the computer and stood in front of the group as he spoke.
"I have to admit I misjudged all of you," he said. "I did not expect all of you to make it here, not in one piece anyway."
"What are you talking about?" Alyssa said.
"I have been monitoring your progress from here," Greg said. "I watched as you gathered the chemicals needed to create Daylight, the salvation of this horrid plague that has befallen this city. It is because of Umbrella that this has happened, and it makes me content to see mere civilians get the better of them. Your will to survive, your drive, your teamwork has impressed me. If any people in this entire wretched city ever deserved to survive such a catastrophe, it would certainly be all of you. But, I'm afraid I cannot let that happen. I shut down the incubator that creates the Daylight. I cannot let you take it."
"What? Why, Greg?" George said.
"George, my old colleague," Greg said. "You see George, Umbrella has sent their soldiers here to find me, to put an end to my life's work, and certainly to find the cure for the T-Virus that Peter worked so hard to create…so hard he gave his life for it. It did sadden me to have to kill him, but I'm afraid it was the only way to avoid the creation of the Daylight. You no doubt have met Thanatos."
"The monster that attacked us," Yoko said.
"Hmph," David commented. "He got lucky."
"He is NO MONSTER!" Greg said angrily. "He is an entity all unto his own, a masterpiece! So unique, so beautiful…so perfect in all senses of the term! I was born unable to bear children, and for so long I believed that I was cursed, that the sins of my fathers had brought upon me a darkness I could not overcome. But instead, God gave me the knowledge and gift of life, he allowed me the talent to breath life into a once non-living human being, and allow it to thrive and meet its greatest potential! Thanatos is, in a sense, my son. My blood runs through his veins, and his through mine, because it was my pain, my tireless effort, that allowed him to live. Umbrella came to take him away, but they failed. They underestimated his power and my genius, just like everybody else in the days at this wretched University. You doubted me as well George, but now I've become greater than you EVER could hope! And that Daylight, the cure to the T-Virus, is the only thing that can destroy Thanatos. The one thing that can destroy my creation, my gift to the world, my legacy on this planet!"
"Nice going dumbass," Alyssa said. "The Daylight just took off with that coward."
"I have no need to worry of him," Greg said. "I have seen his behavior, there isn't an honorable tendon in his body. I doubt he'll even figure out how to use it. But all of you, on the other hand, are very capable of using it against my son. And I cannot allow that. I've already destroyed the inner mainframe of the incubator…there will be no more daylight for any of you."
"Dammit Greg! You're insane!" George said.
"Insanity is a convenient label the foolish of mind place upon the truly genius," Greg said. "Never in my life has my mind been more certain."
"That's it," David said, unsheathing his survival knife. "This ends now, you piece of shit."
"Let's fuck this jackass's world up, David," Alyssa said, beginning to advance and followed soon by Kevin and Mark. But no sooner did they get half way towards Greg did he pull out a handgun and aimed it at them.
"You forget that the power is in my hands now," Greg said. "And I did not plan on allowing you to leave. You know too much, all of you do, and there is still a chance you can tell somebody about what I've done here and reveal myself. Then I will be forced to take Thanatos away from here, and I cannot possibly manage that. I'm afraid each and every one of you, will have to die."
"At least let those of us who are not infected leave," Cindy pleaded. "They have no reason to hurt you or Thanatos. Please!"
"She's right," George said. "Let those of us infected stay, we shall perish soon, but please allow Kevin, Alyssa and Yoko to leave. They have no reason to harm you."
"Oh but I think they do," Greg said. "Especially the reporter, and certainly Yoko."
Yoko began to look nervous.
"You don't remember me, do you Yoko?" he said. "After what you've done, what you caused, I do not blame you for shattering what was left of your memory. You have had a great part in all this, this horror that has befallen us all. What you have done was beyond imagination, I cannot imagine you wanting to remember that. But if someday you do, it will be the end of my existence. I cannot allow you to survive."
Greg then scanned the other survivors.
"But you, mister police officer," Greg said, pointing at Kevin. "I have no reason to keep you here. You do not appear to be much of a threat. Perhaps, you can go."
"No way," Kevin said. "I'm not leaving without everybody in this room going with me. Except you, you can burn in hell for all I care."
"Hmm," Greg said, rubbing his chin with his empty hand. "Your devotion to these individuals is quite admirable. You must have been a fine police officer."
"I AM a fine police officer," Kevin said. "And it's my job to take trash like you out to the curb and leave it in the garbage bin where it belongs."
Greg laughed. "You amuse me. I thank you for that. But now, I'm afraid that means that you will be first….it is time to confront inevitability."
Greg then slowly aimed his gun at Kevin, aiming directly for his chest, and pulled the trigger. The bullet exploded from its chamber and cut through the air like a knife, its course already defined and imminent. But a single factor, a single sudden choice, altered its destination as Alyssa stepped in front of Kevin and absorbed the impact in his place. At first she stood stunned, Kevin screaming behind her, and within a moment her legs grew weak and she fell to the floor, Kevin catching her in his arms.

"Fool," Greg said. "How touching. At least her death will be overwith soon. But have no fear, you will have your moment of glory; I will allow you to die with her."
Greg aimed the gun at Kevin again, when suddenly a red laser reflected off of his glasses. "Hm?" he muttered, then looked up at the ceiling to see a Russian man, Nikolai, dressed in camouflage, aiming down at him with a rifle.
"Farewell, comrade," Nikolai said as he pulled the trigger. The bullet from his gun shot downward like an eagle shooting down at a snake, and it cut through Greg's right eye, ripping and shredding through his iris and into his brain, then exploding out the back of his head in a shower of blood and gore. Greg's lifeless body then slumped to the ground as he died instantly. Nikolai then saluted Greg in a mocking tone and pressed a button on a small blinking device at his knees. "Time for your glorious farewell, my friend. None will survive." He then quickly left as the bomb he left behind blinked violently.
Kevin held Alyssa in his arms.
"Well, shit," she said, cringing in pain. "I…can't believe, I did that."
"It's alright, don't talk," Kevin said, holding her hand. "Where were you hit?"
George walked up to Alyssa and examined her wound.
"Can ya' help me, doc?" she said.
"Oh no," George said. "The wound is too deep. It's only inches from her heart. I-that is, what I mean is…"
"Give it to me straight George," Alyssa said. "I can handle it, I'm a big girl."
"It's a fatal wound Alyssa," George said. "I cannot operate. You don't…have, a lot of time…"
"No," Kevin said, shaking his head. "No no, you can't say that. We're so close to getting out of here. Do something George, you HAVE TO!"
"I'm, I'm sorry Kevin," George said, standing up.
"Alyssa no!" Cindy said.
"I can't believe, this is actually happening," she said as she coughed. "This is it. My final sign off."
"No," Kevin said again. "You hafta make it outta here. C'mon, I'll carry you if I have to."
"Save it," Alyssa said. "I'd rather…die, than be carried out of here like some damsel in distress."
"Please Alyssa," Kevin pleaded, his eyes beginning to well up. "You can't die. You can't!"
Alyssa saw the pain emerge in Kevin's eyes, and her tough exterior melted away. Never in her life did she experience somebody care about her enough to cry, much less a man. She suddenly felt overcome with grief, and her eyes began to well up as well.
"Alyssa, please, let's just try. You have to make it. You're too strong not to!" Kevin said.
"C'mon Kevin," Alyssa said, putting her hand against his cheek. "I've had my days in the sun. It's time for you to go keep having yours."
"No! No I can't! I, I still have to save you, to return the favor."
"But you did, Kevin. I've never met anybody like you, ever, in my life. I used to hate everybody because I didn't think they could be trusted, but I know better now. You showed me that not all people are assholes, that there are some people in this world, worth…living for. And worth, dying for."
Alyssa coughed again, this time blood shooting from her mouth against Kevin's chest. Tears began to run down her face as pain coursed through her body.
"I don't wanna die…"
Kevin held Alyssa close to him, and she returned the embrace as tears ran down his face and into her hair. He then held her head in his hands.
"C'mon tiger, give mama some sugar before she goes." She said with a weak smile, to which Kevin responded with a weak smile of his own, then slowly pulled her towards him and kissed her on the lips. They both closed their eyes and lived in the moment until Kevin pulled back again and held her face tenderly, her arms around his shoulders.
"How was it?" Kevin said.
"I've had better." She said with a smile. "See ya' later, cowboy…"
Alyssa's eyes then slowly closed as she lay her head sideways against Kevin's shoulder, looking as peaceful as a child resting its tired head into bed. Kevin looked down at her, then shook her.
"Alyssa….Alyssa…."
Alyssa did not respond. Kevin put both arms around her head and pulled her close as Cindy cried into George's shoulder and Yoko covered her face in Mark's arm. More and more tears ran down Kevin's eyes, which he shut in utter agony. He then let out a horrid scream, his lungs nearly bursting, and cried against Alyssa's forehead, his tears running down her face, which looked serene, very much unlike all the other dead faces he had seen. For the first time ever, even in her entire life, Alyssa looked at peace.
Kevin cried for what seemed like hours until Mark finally crouched down with him and put his arm around him.
"Let's go son," he said. "Don't let her sacrifice be in vain."
Kevin looked up at Mark, then back at Alyssa's body. He slowly lay her head on the floor, then bent over and kissed her lips again. Mark removed his jacket and lay it over her face as Cindy tried to say a prayer, sobbing and weeping the entire time. George found an automatic door at the back of the room and motioned for the others to follow. Each of them did except for Kevin, Yoko and Mark, none of which took their sight off of Alyssa's body.
"If she doesn't go to heaven," Mark said. "There is none."
"She's too good for heaven," Kevin said.
"Let's hurry," Mark said.
"Thank you, Alyssa," Yoko said with a tear in her eye.
Mark and Yoko left the room as Kevin took one last look at Alyssa's body and stepped through the door.