Author's Note: I do not own anything within the Resident Evil Universe, though I do own Hannah/Annabelle/Melody.

I am new to the world of fanfiction, and this is my first story. It is the first installment of a quartet that I will write, but I really need the reviews and constructive feedback on fleshing out characters, emotions, and action.

Chapter Four: Labyrinth

Wesker's gloved fingers flew over the keyboard, opening files to be downloaded to the USB drive he brought. A couple mercenaries watched the two doors, expecting guards to close in any moment. Satisfied all the relevant files were downloaded and ready for view later, he retrieved his portable drive and secured it on a necklace around his neck. Krauser signaled his men to gather around the blond tyrant when a sudden sound like a large metal door locking into place made the walls tremble.

Wesker frowned in fury. "How did we not see this coming?" he demanded, turning to Krauser, who turned to Gorge, who turned to his digital readout device, or DRD. Gorge shrugged and was about to speak when Wesker's hand flew out to crush his trachea. The mercenaries held stock still while Wesker, sneering, picked Gorge up by the throat and slammed him into a wall. Gorge hit the wall with the gristly sound of bone and tendons breaking, blood smearing the wall as he slid down, pooling around his dead body.

"You," Wesker pointed to a random mercenary. The mercenary jumped and stood at attention. Wesker rolled his eyes, hidden by glasses. "Pick up that DRD, and find us a route out of here."

The mercenary scrambled to do what the tyrant ordered before he got killed in another rage. Wesker turned away to survey the room for a route out. The one thing he could not abide was incompetence. Those who were judged to be so were quickly eradicated.

Wesker's eyes went to the door on the opposite side of the room. Striding purposefully towards it he asked where it led.

"Sir, that leads to another research lab, no exits discernable…wait," the mercenary replied. He had stepped to the door next to Wesker. "Sir, the blueprints are changing, and new tunnels are being added."

Wesker frowned. He did not appreciate surprises. "What do you mean?" Krauser stepped behind his man to read the DRD.

"Exactly that sir," Krauser reported. "These blueprints are being amended. The DRD constantly scans the area around it sir, and updates immediately. I surmise there is a metal nearby that was hiding this part of the schematic sir."

Wesker nodded. "Very well. Fan out, and let's see where this path leads. Can you find a path all the way out?"

The mercenary shook his head. "There is interference sir. This can only read about five hundred feet in any direction."

Wesker snarled but nodded the men forward, senses poised for input. The mercenary led them through another research room to a well concealed door that was flush with the wall. Opening it, a couple mercenaries when ahead and deemed it clear to continue.

In the distance, Annabelle could hear voices. She smiled, thinking it was about time. She was starting to get cold. Hearing the voices approaching, that tingling excitement was starting to fill her veins again. Then she could hear them outside the door. She wondered how they were going to get into the center of the labyrinth. That door had a specific way of opening it.

Then she heard that cold as ice voice speak, angry. "Fool! Get out of my way."

After a moment the stone door exploded in a shower of dust and chunks of rock. Wesker stood in the doorway, striding through as if he owned the place only to pull up short when he saw Annabelle there in her white dress. Annabelle saw that smirk, and suddenly wanted to wipe it off his face. She did not feel like being smirked at.

"Hello, Mr. Wesker," she greeted calmly, as if they had met in public somewhere.

"Ms. Davenport," he greeted in return, nodding his head in gallant mockery, still smirking. Behind him his men raised their machine guns at her, her torso and head covered into laser dots that quivered a bit.

Annabelle coolly gazed at those aiming guns at her, but chose to ignore them in favor of the blond man before her. It was slightly humorous to note that while his black clothes were covered in ash, his blond hair was still perfectly in place. "The guns are a bit rude, Mr. Wesker. I am unarmed, and hardly a threat."

Wesker smiled sourly at that. "It is odd to find you gracing this room with your presence, Ms. Davenport. Why are you here?" He could not help but indulge his curiosity. Annabelle noted that.

"Frankly, Mr. Wesker, you are in bind here," she continued to smile, enjoying this back and forth. "You now stand in the labyrinth, the collection of corridors in the catacombs meant to trap those who dare to intrude in our space with ill will." She stepped forward, and noted the mercenaries get even more tense, if it were possible. "A Davenport built these traps, Mr. Wesker. Only a Davenport may navigate them successfully."

Wesker raised an eyebrow sardonically. "What makes you think I need a little girl to handle traps? I barely even need mercenaries."

Annabelle stiffened, while Wesker's eyes flashed in cold humor. "Because, Mr. Wesker," she answered primly. "Everything you know about these catacombs are wrong, products of information intentionally leaked out or put somewhere it could be found."

Another blond man to Wesker's right laughed. Annabelle narrowed her eyes on him. She may have dealt with her parents cold tyranny for a decade, but she would not sit here and be laughed at. "Little girl, we have means that show us in the moment the layout of his place." He lifted his gun, "So there is no real use for you, is there?"

Annabelle looked at his finger slowly squeeze around the trigger as she asked, "A Digital Readout Device?"

The blond mercenary's eyebrows twitched together and glanced at Wesker, who studied her with a calculated look on his face. "It wont work," she told Wesker. "We have technology that feeds false blueprints to a DRD, leading those who think they are headed to safety right into the hands of a T-Virus mutant. Sometimes multiple mutants."

Wesker's face did not give his emotion away, but Annabelle surmised from his extremely still form that she had managed to surprise him deeply. Annabelle smiled right into Wesker's eyes.

"I don't believe you!" said the mercenary that Annabelle could see had the device. She looked at him sidelong. "Sir, she could be tricking us into thinking she would be leading us out, only to lead us to a tyrant."

"Agreed," said the blond mercenary.

Annabelle could not help it – she sneered. She had never sneered before, and noted the sensation away for later, but sneer she did. "Oh really? And why, pray tell, would I risk my bodily safety to appear to you only to lead you to a place I could very well be killed also?" Annabelle's tone made her low opinion of his intelligence quite plain. She looked back at Wesker. "I came to help you, but the more time we spend talking this over, the more likely my father will come here en force, or order the release of all T-Virus mutants into this room."

Wesker raised his eyebrow at the young woman. He had not given her nearly the amount of credit which was her due. She was obviously highly intelligent, and quick witted. Affecting a bored tone he responded to her. "You pose a very interesting question, Ms. Davenport, but I have one for you in return." He smiled coldly. "Why should I believe their daughter would willingly come to me and help bring down her family? You do not appear to be a sociopath."

Annabelle felt a fire in her veins as she whispered, "I hate them."

Her whisper lingered in the air, a cold draft suddenly flowing through the room. Wesker continued to gaze at the pale girl in white. Then the silence was shattered by the mercenary with the map.

"That is bullshit," he sneered dismissively. He strode over to a door on his left. "Sir, my DRD says this is the way out, about four hundred feet to the surface, close to the initial entry point." Confidently, before anyone had time to react, the man shot the keypad for the code, opening the door.

"No!" Annabelle cried as Krauser started forward. Wesker turned slowly to gaze at the open door. Clicking was heard within, and Wesker's gaze turned to disgust at the mercenary who opened the door.

"Idiot," Wesker told the mercenary slowly. Suddenly a long whip of a tongue grabbed the bold mercenary around the neck, and a Licker leapt out of the darkness to feed on the rapidly suffocating mercenary. Two more Lickers came into the chamber.

Annabelle held stock still as the mercenaries opened fire, gazing in wonder as Wesker calmly brought out an aimed a pearl-handled gun at one of the Lickers leaping towards him. With a shot like a deafening roar, the Licker was propelled backwards to the wall, bubbling into nothingness. The mercenaries disposed of the other two Lickers efficiently.

Silence hung in the air. Annabelle's mouth was slightly parted, breathing in as she stared at the mangled corpse of the mercenary. His DRD was crushed and useless. Wesker noted her apparent rapture with what had just occurred, and filed that away for consideration later.

"Well, Ms. Davenport." Annabelle turned those blue eyes slowly back to the blond man now approaching her slowly. "It appears we have no choice but to follow you."

After a moment Annabelle smiled.

James was moving through his security camera feeds, looking for Wesker's location while Elena prepared the sample. His phone vibrated again, its LED screen reading:

LABYRINTH TRAP ONE ACTIVATED.

"Found you," he whispered in his whiney voice, flipping rapidly through is his security feed channels until he found the dome chamber. The scene wasn't precisely what he expected. "Elena," he called.

His wife came towards him, carrying a syringe. She too looked at the security feed, a look of shock and fear crossing her face before it was replaced by a smile slowly forming on her lips. "Good girl, Annabelle. Very good girl."

James looked at her in confusion. He had expected her to be furious.

Elena saw him looking at her and said, "She will lead them right to us. To this. Everything is just…moving ahead of schedule."

She held up the syringe. It held an emerald green liquid. She and James looked at it reverently as she placed it down on the table, turning to kiss her husband.

Annabelle turned her back to Wesker and walked confidently to the door that lead to freedom. Inputting the code on the keypad next to the door, she waited as the door slowly opened. Snarls suddenly filled the air, and a Great Dane appeared at the entrance. Its face ripped in two, large jagged teeth dripping with saliva as red eyes zeroed in on Annabelle. Wesker and his men raised their guns, the mercenaries crying out at the betrayal.

Annabelle though stood calmly as the Great Dane jumped at her. A couple of the mercenaries shot at it, only to find that bullets did not affect the dog. Then, the dog passed through her! It settled on all fours and turned to face her again, snarling. Out of the corner of her eye Wesker lowered his gun, though his mercenaries still had theirs half raised.

The image of the dog flickered, and faded. Annabelle looked at Wesker. "A holographic projection, Mr. Wesker, meant to alarm the intruder into wasting ammunition, and thus be unprepared for the next chamber."

Annabelle smiled and walked into the dark hallway. The smell of hard water filled her nose, water droplets sounding impossibly loud. She was on a high again, the whole world looked super sharp. Her bare feet made no noise, unlike the combat boots of those following her. After twenty minutes of walking, they came to another door.

She leveled her clear blue eyes at them, eyes that shined with excitement. "Stay back," she warned, and gave the code to the key pad next to the door.

The door opened into a dark graveyard inside a chamber, lit with walkway lights dispersed randomly. Moans of the undead filled the air as zombies shuffled around. This was no illusion. The smell of rotting flesh filled everyone's nose, giving Annabelle the urge to throw up. She steeled her shoulders though and took the rifle that was strapped to the wall next to her. It was at that moment the zombies noticed her. Annabelle was terrified of the slow approaching zombies as she took aim at the rope that held a wide granite block high above the center of the graveyard, where a corresponding hole was in the ground. Focusing though, she quickly scoped into her target and let fire.

The block of granite plummeted into the hole in the ground. A loud clunk was heard, and slabs of red meat were sliding up from the ground. The smell of meat closer than the people drew the zombies, who fell on their feast with fervor.

"Hurry," Annabelle said as she ran forward. "We don't have much time." Right when they were three quarters of the way through the graveyard, a group of zombies had finished their meal, and focused on the people in their midst. They moved forward, less sluggishly than before to close ranks on the group.

Annabelle and the mercenaries sprinted forward to the other door. Rapidly, her face calm as her body trembled, Annabelle inputted code. The door quickly opened, Annabelle and the others rushing into the hallway just as the zombies were upon them. Annabelle turned to another keypad, ignoring the screams of two mercenaries who were not quick enough as she even more rapidly punched the code to close the door.

The door closed just as the other zombies were about to rush into the hallway. Gasping, Annabelle leaned against the cold stone walls, feeling her heart pounding. So rarely did she ever hear her heart pounding. She closed her eyes and relished the feeling of blood pumping through her ears creating a loud drumming noise. Opening her eyes she said to nobody in particular, "I hate that trap."

The blond mercenary glared at her in suspicion, raising Annabelle's eyebrows. She figured he would be more grateful for the help. It appeared she was wrong. "How do you know how to shoot a rifle?"

Annabelle's lips came together in a firm line. She was quickly getting tired of this man. "We hunt in our forests," she snapped. "Mother wanted me instructed in all activities of the gentry, and once allowed me to learn and shoot a bird off a branch." Annabelle did not mention that had been when she was thirteen, and that when she shot the release for the slabs of meat she had prayed her one day of shooting would help her after all. She just did not want to leave it to Wesker's men – the opportunity was too tempting.

Wesker stared at her. "It appears I underestimated you, Ms. Davenport."

Annabelle walked over to him, noting the remaining two mercenaries and the other blond whose hands tightened on their weapons. She ignored them. Wesker simply watched her approach, emotionless.

"What did you take?" she asked baldly.

"The research your father has been conducting on a serum to enhance the mental abilities in a subject," Wesker calmly replied. He had no secrets. If the girl did prove to be a threat, he would simply kill her. There was no way she could stop him. Her next words surprised him, yet again.

"That is all? Just research?" Annabelle looked at him incredulously. She let out an air of laughter as Wesker frowned. "Let me guess – your little DRD, and your tidbits of information did not tell you about level B2?"

Wesker scowled. "Krauser!" he said sharply, moving around Annabelle to stand in front of the blond mercenary. "Give me a good reason not to kill you. This girl has been more helpful in affecting my plans than you have!"

The man Krauser glared at Annabelle, who suddenly wanted to laugh at the whole situation. She supposed she was getting a little cracked to want to laugh at a moment like this, but she did not care. She in fact relished in feeling a little cracked. It was as if a whole world full of freedom stretched before her as Wesker laid into his mercenary.

Wesker turned away from his failed mercenary to see the mirth on Annabelle's face, as well as the slight dissociation in her eyes. He suddenly wondered at her mental state, but brushed it aside in light of her revelation. "Level B2?"

Annabelle nodded, a dark eagerness shining in her eyes. Once again, she was given an opportunity to destroy her parents. All those years of torture came back to her in a rush and she wanted nothing more than to get revenge through this demon before her.

"That research you were tracking and wanted to develop your own serum out of?" Annabelle began. She did not know how she knew of his plan, only that it was the most logical thing to do. He did not seem the type to be someone's puppet to order where they may. So this must be a personal project. She ignored the glowering look that was slowly building on his face as he realized she knew more than was comfortable for him to leave behind alive. It looked like he had to kill her after all.

Annabelle continued, oblivious to all the murderous plans going through Wesker's mind. "It is no longer in the research stage. Father created it."

One corner of Wesker's mouth lifted in a chilling smile. "Where?"

Annabelle returned a cold smile of her own, and walked down the hallway.

James turned the digital display off and turned to Elena, who was alive with excitement. "They're on their way."

"This could not have gone any better," breathed Elena. She faced the door and waited.