Chapter 3: Schism
Two years later...the Spencer Mansion is complete.
The ride through the Arklay Forest was anything but smooth as the Trevor family journeyed to the completed Spencer Estate. Lisa stared at the setting sun beyond the sea of branches obscuring the sky, more excited then she would have ever thought to see the completed mansion. After the completion of the mansion, Spencer invited George and his family for a celebration, a dinner party.
It took more than two years of hard work for her father, two missed birthdays and many lonely days, but in the end it just felt right to finally see her father accomplish his dream.
Well...Spencer's dream actually.
The Trevor family's new Mercedes Benz traveled down a dirt path towards the mansion, finally coming to rest in front of the grand estate amongst a plethora of other vehicles. Lisa finally set her eyes on the luxurious house, and marveled at the three story abode. It reminded her of the old Gothic haunted houses she saw in movies like House on Haunted Hill and 13 Ghost.
Rows of intricately designed hedges stood adjacent to the giant abode, their shapes casting strange shadows in the setting sun. A set of large, wooden double doors were flanked by large marble pillars and a bust of an angel sat high atop the doors, its omniscient gaze surveying the vast forest. The place was simply a palace.
As Lisa stared at the magnificent edifice, one which her father had poured his very heart and soul into, she could not shake the feeling that there was definitely more to this house than meets the eye...
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"A cemetery?"
Jessica Trevor's voice cut through her husbands drunken stupor like a hot knife. George closed his eyes, desperately trying to shake the headache that he knew was coming.
"Yes honey, a cemetery." George replied in a monotonous drawl, pouring himself another glass of bourbon. It was several hours after Spencer's dinner party, several hours after learning of the mansions many unplanned 'features', features including a previously undisclosed cemetery and vast spaces underground for unknown reasons.
"What does he need a cemetery for in the back of his home?"
George took a giant swig of the bourbon, serenading himself in its intoxicating power.
"I don't know honey. Maybe it's for relatives that have passed."
"Spencer really does have a taste for unusual design."
George chuckled. It always amused him as to how his wife didn't like cemeteries. "What's the matter, it's not like you're living here."
George playfully extended a hand towards his wife, his index finger pointed menacingly in her direction. "They're coming to get you Jessica. They're coming to get you!"
"Stop it." Jessica demanded, slapping his finger away.
George fell back into the couch, resting his heavy head onto the plush red cushion. "To tell you the truth, a lot of the things designed in this mansion don't make any sense. Very cloak-and-dagger type mechanisms, secret passageways, strange keys, none of this stuff wasn't even in my original design!"
Jessica playfully fiddled with her husbands neck tie, running the silky material through her slender fingers. "Maybe he's a Bond fanatic like yourself."
"Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised to find an Aston Martin in that huge garage."
"Don't you think you should be privy to those changes? It may be his home but it's still your designs."
"I'm sure whatever Spencer's intentions are for changing the designs are warranted. And architecture 101 sweetie; whatever I want is automatically subverted by the client."
"By the client or just by Ozwell Spencer?"
George sighed. It was Jessica's way of riling him up, massaging that special back bone which she felt he was sorely lacking.
"Jessica, please don't start. You know how volatile these relationships can be. It's not my position to undermine the clients wishes."
"Undermine the clients wishes? You've spent two years of your life, our lives, slaving away for this mans 'wishes'. The least he can do is respect you enough to tell you about the changes to the designs. Those changes halted the completion of the mansion by four months!"
Georges agitation began to rise. He steadied his voice, trying to sound as calm as possible. "Well, you weren't complaining when I bought you those diamonds and pearls that you're wearing."
Jessica eyed her husband with a look of disdain. "I'll trade every single piece of jewelry if I can have all of the time we lost back." She left George alone in the room, his only solace the rapidly depleting bottle of bourbon.
Ungrateful, that's all. Telling me how to do my job...
George finished off the last of his liquor, skulking in the bowels of his creation.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Inside of the mansions security room, Ozwell Spencer watched the scene between George and Jessica play out like a soap opera. He watched the grainy monitor with a mixture of intrigue and dread. A dread someone in his position of power should never feel.
He knows...he knows too much.
Spencer knew that it was entirely impossible for George to discover the secrets this mansion holds, the crest, trekking underground, but leaving this situation to fate was just too big of a risk.
He has to be dealt with...they all do.
George designed this manor. The grounds, layout, and overall architecture was all inspired by George's taste. What George did not know was the mansions true purpose, its purpose as a front for what was hoped to be many 'experiments'.
It was around ten years ago when Spencer and his colleagues had first discovered it. The mutagenic agent that would bring about a tremendous change to the world as we know it; the Progenitor Virus.
After discovering the virus and its potential as a biological agent, Spencer, along with his colleagues Sir Edward Ashford and Dr. James Marcus created the Umbrella Corporation through the allocated funds of their research. With the cover of the pharmaceutical company intact, they were free to indulge in the viruses effects to their hearts content.
That is, until he found out.
Spencer tried to shake the thoughts out of his mind, but he knew the element of secrecy was of the utmost importance. Our plans could not leak into the outside world...
Spencer continued to stare at the grainy monitors. He watched the Trevor family in all of their ignorance, pondering what fate would await them in his new home.