Chapter Four

Matted eyes opened slowly, confused by the blaring noise that seemed to rip through the back of her skull. Watery orbs blinked furiously in an attempt to clear the cloudiness. Squinting as the world began to become clear and vivid, Angelica realized the noise was the sound of an alarm clock. Waving her hand in the general direction of the nightstand, a stiff member slammed down upon the snooze button. Slowly, the disoriented female sat up, looking around the room in confusion. How did she get here? Crawling from the pile of sheets and clothing, she stumbled over the pillow she had been gripping so very close… It smelled of men's cologne…

Moving slothfully to the small shower room, Angelica began to shed her two day old clothing. Water hissed to life as she stepped into the stall, cascading down clammy, oil filled skin to clean away the previous day. Slicking back the blonde hair that washed into her face, Angelica pressed her forehead against the shower wall. The same, faint and unfamiliar scent of cologne melded into the steam, causing her nose to twitch. It wasn't all too unfamiliar…where had she smelled it before…

Quickly going through the motions of a thorough washing, minutes later she emerged. A haphazard blow dry and makeup splash, and Angelica moved to her suitcase. Casting a quick glance to the clock which told her it was a quarter after five in the morning, she mentally noted that there was forty five minutes left until the morning meeting. Fishing some underclothing out and hopping over to her terminal, Angelica flicked the switch out of the power save mode. The blue glare shone upon her skin as she buttoned a dress shirt down. Perusing through her company assigned email as she slid up black dress slacks, Burrows scrunched her brow together at a particular email. It was from…Wesker? Last night had become a blur, and the tiny part of her mind that that stared hazily at the subject line slowly had begun to function properly. Double clicking the 'read' icon, her eyes began to read the fine print.

'Miss Burrows,

I do hope that your rest was adequate. The folders that we had been sorting previously are now finished accordingly and await your attention upon your desk. Please inform your associate Miss Trevor, that if you are to requite my assistance with something concerning her own responsibilities, that she will be searching for a new position. My colleagues and I do not tolerate incompetence, and neither do we tolerate it from you.

Having that been made informed to you, I wish you a serviceable day.

Wesker

Growling openly at the message she was reading, Angelica flipped off the screen switch in disgust. That pompous jerk.. She needed help and he gladly offered… It was the first realization she had that this was a different world than the one she had grown accustomed to, and that everything came with strings attached. Gathering her key card and notepad, the angry female stormed out of her quarters. She was out for blood…

…

She hadn't eaten all, day…well morning. Ignoring the persistent growling of her stomach, Lisa typed furiously at a keyboard. Having not slept after last night's incident, the woman had decided to prove her worth. Completing all electronic transfers within an hour, Trevor was now printing out the backup copies, and filing them away within an oaken cupboard. The antique had been converted into a file cabinet, and was being filled at an overly efficient rate. Running purely off a coffee high, the jittery female nearly screamed as an unknown hand clasped down upon her shoulder. "Good…morning…Lisa?" Looking up from her work, the woman smiled as soon as recognition kicked in. "! Good morning..what do I owe the pleasure?"

Charles Trent chuckled gently, adjusting his glasses. The man had been one of the leading professors at the Raccoon training facility, but after it closed he had been bouncing back and forth where he was needed in the company. Angelica Burrows had been one of his prize students, keeping in touch with her via email and phone call over the last few years. Nodding as he took the adjacent seat, Trent cleared his throat. "Well, I had hoped to catch you and Angel..or should I say "Dr. Burrows?", before the meeting. Sat there waiting at breakfast and you both never showed. Everything alright?" Lisa grimaced at the thought of food, an apologetic smile smearing her chapped lips. "I'm sorry, but after last night, I'm lucky to even be here."

Chatty as ever, Trevor quickly relayed the story of yesterday's evening, her green eyes cloudy with worry and sadness. Their stare trailed to the floor, closing as the overworked woman sighed. Trent's hand gently squeezed her shoulder, his voice calm and comforting. "We all make mistakes. I mean, who had to help her, Spencer himself?" The attempt at stress relieving humor was immediately shot down by a stern glare that Lisa looked up with. "Almost as bad. It was Wesker." The man's soft, brown eyes enlargened at the statement, making them look comically giant behind the glasses he wore. Wesker had always been one of Spencer's favorites, and was well known for being devastatingly effective at keeping the employees in line. One could call the man an overachiever…and that statement would still fall short. No one dared to cross the brilliant scientist, and being in trouble with him meant serious business.

Clearing his throat, the older male smiled haphazardly. "I'm sure everything will work out. You have been with the company for quite some time now, afterall…"

The sound of the office door being slammed open tore their attention from whatever rallying speech Trent was about to give. Flying into the room, Angelica stomped to her desk. The woman was grumbling to herself loudly, taking the neat folders that had been stacked upon her desk, and spread them into disarray. Obviously not finding what she was searching for, Burrows began to rifle through the file cabinet that Lisa had been organizing minutes beforehand. Trevor looked genuinely concerned, her face blanching white when her superior retrieved a contract form from its ancient folder. Angelica stiffly walked back from behind her desk, smoothing out time's wrinkles from the page. Shakily, Lisa confronted her employer and friend. "W..what's that?" Quipping back sternly, Angelica sent a frustrated gaze back to her assistant. "Your business contract. I have a small problem to deal with concerning the terms of your employment." Icy hues leveled at the pair, a businesslike attitude having settled over Angelica's face. A petrified expression infiltrated Lisa's entire demeanor, the shock apparent on her round face. Trent stared at his former student dumbfounded, hurriedly moving to her side. "Angelica, may I speak with you a moment?" Nodding as she headed for the still wide open door, Angelica waved him to follow. "Yes, but quickly." Charles Trent quickly followed after the irate woman, leaving the traumatized Lisa Trevor alone in the cold, lonely office.

….

She was beyond angry. He could tell that merely by the way she walking. Gruffly clearing his throat finally, Trent confronted Burrows as a concerned father would his child. "Angelica, what exactly do you think you are doing?" His tone was friendly, but commanding, demanding the truth. Burrows kept walking, but gave her former mentor a sidelong glance in the process. "I'm setting the record straight, Charles." The older man scrunched his furry eyebrows together, obviously at a loss for what words he was going to say. "Eh?" His reaction caused the woman to finally crack, a light snicker trilling out of her throat. "Trent, Wesker threatened one of my employees. Did you think I was going to let that slide? He has no authority here, and I'm making sure he knows it." Trent began to smile at the information, feeling quite sheepish for believing she was being rash. It took a lot to make this young woman angry, but when she was, many of her co-workers would say her eyes turned red with fury. He knew she was confident, and had prayed that her new position of authority would not change her… And evidently, it hadn't…..so far.

Seconds later, Angelica came to a stop before an office door. The silver lined template on the front labeled: A. Wesker.

Aquamarine eyes blinked gently, turning expectantly to their friend. "Wish me luck? Oh and do keep Lisa company for awhile? We both may end up packing our desks by the end of the day…"

Slapping a hand to his forehead, Trent suddenly realized he had left the emotionally fragile woman in the office…by herself. Turning to walk briskly back down the hall in which he had traversed, Trent winked over his shoulder. "You don't need any luck! Just be yourself."

Angelica watched as her old professor skidded down the hallway, a light smile upon her face. The smile disappeared however, when she turned to face the door. She had never been in Wesker's many offices, and now it felt like entering the dragon's keep. Shaking the feeling off, Burrows twisted the door handle.

….

A holographic image of a projection board twinkled in the shadows as a singular hand modified the various lines it its satisfaction. Azure eyes snapped up from their task, the other hand moved to shut of the project and flick the dimmed lights back up to their fullest state. An irritating buzzing noise had interrupted Wesker from his weekly report, his annoyance evident across his chiseled face. Pressing his thumb upon the intercom device that was upon his desk, he spoke severely to the person on the other side. "Yes, what is it, Miss Wong?" A smooth, Asian accented woman answered back gently, sounding wary and confused. Ada Wong was a young woman, barely out of her teens. She was efficient, and not hard to look at either… Both were reasons why Wesker had transferred her from the Tokyo facility to be his personal assistant. The excuse had been he could see her going further in the company because of her work ethic..

"You have someone here to speak with you, Mr. Wesker."

Glacial orbs blinked in confusion at her statement. He didn't have any meetings due for another twenty minutes… Pressing down upon the button once more, Wesker calmly gave his common response. "Tell them I am preoccupied." A stifled snort came from the other side, the young woman's orient accent increasing with her frustration. "I have. They are insisting.."

Before Wesker could answer, the door to his inner office swung open. Angelica strode through the opening, her head held high. Wong skittered on her heels quickly behind. A frigid stare from the senior colleague informed Ada to back away. A stolid glare was received by the still seated male, Burrows speaking in a low, threatening tone to the female lingering behind her. "I do not care if he is 'preoccupied', Miss Wong. Wesker and I have a matter of importance to discuss. Please give us some privacy…" The receptionist gave a worried glance to her employer, not immediately moving at the request of Angelica. His nod affirmed the command, and she swiftly made herself scarce, shutting the door upon the retreat. Standing up from behind his desk and moving around the corner, Wesker slackly placed his wrists at the small of his back. The man looked aggravatingly calm, his sky blues never wavering from his companion's frosty stare. "I trust that the evening has refreshed you?"

Normally condescension was used as a tool to gain the upper hand in conversations. It angered most people, causing them to articulate rashly. In the process, it made Wesker out to be the level headed and correct individual, whether that was the true case or not. Unfortunately for him, this attitude prompted the very opposite reaction from this particular woman. Angelica's eyebrows merely lifted at the question, but no other emotional response was provoked by the tone.

"Indeed, but we both know that my sleeping habits are not the topic of discussion I had wished to broach. You have my gratitude for your help last evening, but I was unaware that your assistance would come with a catch…"

Wesker's eyebrow twitched unreceptively at her cool demeanor, his own nature being mirrored was not a tactic he was used to. None the less, he kept his composure unreadable. Feigning innocence, the man splayed his hands out plaintively. "A catch, dear heart?" Setting her jaw , Angelica placed the contract paper she had been holding forcefully down. It became tensed as the eerily quiet woman faced Wesker. "You made an employment threat to my employee. Do stay in your place, and I will stay in mine. We wouldn't want Miss Wong to find herself in the same situation for miss-filing our financial report for this month, now do we?" Slim fingers rapped the desk in silence , challenging the man to answer the gauntlet that had been. Wesker growled under his breath, his ice blue eyed narrowing in an attempt to intimidate the woman who defied him. She didn't back down…

Slowly, a smug smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. Inwardly Angelica mused as to his true intent, but she didn't let the bewilderment show. "Agreed, I overstepped my boundaries. Do accept my apologies." Blinking her almond eyes rapidly, the woman let her stiffened jaw relax finally. Hurriedly she spoke, realizing that her time frame with him was growing short. "Thank you. If that concludes our conversation, then I will see you at the morning meeting in ten." The former anger seemed to have magically melted from the woman's eyes, a complacent smile replacing the rigid posture of her lips. Angelica left the room as swiftly as she had come, leaving the cloying, flowery scent of her perfume behind. Wesker watched the woman exit, his fierce gaze glinting with amusement. She really had no idea who she was dealing with. Angelica was such a small guppy, in a sea full of sharks.

…..

Gathering the last of his files together, William Birkin stifled a yawn. He really detested early morning meetings, and they cut into his breakfast time with his wife on far too often an occasion. Between his district duties and overseeing the Arklay construction, they had little time to spend with one another anymore. Staring at the picture that resided towards the left hand corner of his desk, the man smiled to himself. Annette Birkin had been in the park that day, laying on a picnic basket that the two of them were sharing. His lips were pressed to the side of her cheek, and a hand protectively cradling her abdomen. Annnette was a lovely woman, well fit and always in the best of shape. But now, she was looking down gleefully at the obvious bump that protruded from her stomach region.

Sherry…that was the name they had picked out the day the proud parents found out they were having a little girl. Tracing his fingers down the metal rim of the frame, William sighed. Annette's due date was in three months… He hoped that he would be there for the birth. Hefting his stack of papers under one arm, Birkin moved for his briefcase. The sound of his office door creaking open caused his dark eyes to direct upwards. Wesker leaned on the doorsill, an evil grin plastered across his face. "You that eager for our meeting, Albert? Thought you always said they were rooms for you to be 'surrounded by incompetence.'" The other man shook his head, moving to his colleague's side in one, fluid movement. "Actually, I have a private matter to discuss with you." Pausing from stuffing his briefcase with folders, Birkin's eyebrows rose in query. "Regarding?" A triumphant glint passed into Wesker's eyes, the smirk never removing itself from his mouth.

"Angelica…"