Chapter 6 I have to go
"Alice? What happened?" Alice heard Claire asked. Kmart and Carlos were just right behind Claire, both worried from what's happening to Alice.
"N-nothing. Just leave me alone for a while." The three hesitated to go.
"Please, I need some time alone." Alice begged. With that, the three walked away from her.
"Claire what do you think is happening with Alice?" Kmart asked.
"I don't have a clue either. Do you know anything about this, Carlos?"
"Well, we were just talking before you called me out." Carlos replied.
"Then what were you two talking about?"
"About Angie our little friend, who went missing." Carlos replied.
Alice is sitting on the rock, clenching her fist. She already stopped crying. Thoughts of Angie are racing through her mind. She couldn't imagine how everything happened without her notice. Umbrella might have been controlling her before. And now she has to take revenge for Angie and herself. She has to kill Dr. Isaacs.
Alice didn't eat anything since she learned the truth. Kmart went to her spot bringing some canned goods and a bottle of water.
"Alice, these are for you. You haven't eaten anything tonight." Kmart said and handed Alice the canned goods and the bottle of water.
"Thank you, but I'm not hungry." Alice said and smiled weakly. Soon, Claire and Carlos joined them.
"Got a minute?" Claire asked. Alice just nodded. She knew what will happen next. They will ask what the matter with her is.
"We are your friend, Alice. You can tell us everything." Claire said. Alice looked at Carlos. She decided to tell him everything.
"I already knew everything and what happened to her." Alice said.
"What do you mean?" Carlos asked, a little confuse.
"I killed Angie." Alice declared. The three turned to look at her. Kmart dropped the bottled water, while Claire's mouth fell open.
"What are you talking about, Alice?" Carlos asked who is reaching out to her.
"Carlos, I killed Angie. Umbrella, they made me kill Angie." Alice's eyes welled with tears again. Carlos got more confuse.
"I don't understand." Carlos said. "How?"
"They controlled me. Dr. Isaacs, through the microchip in my head. He gave me orders to kill Angie. I don't know, but I can't control myself. And it happened."
The three was shocked from Alice's revelation. Carlos is trying to hold his emotions. Alice burst into tears again. And Claire comforted Alice.
"It's okay Alice." Claire said. "You didn't mean to do it."
"It's not okay Claire. I killed Angie." Alice sobbed. Carlos came to hug Alice.
"It's not your fault. They made you do it." Carlos comforted
"I will never ever forgive them and I from what happened."
Claire couldn't imagine Alice breaking down. She's really shocked from what she's seeing now. Well, it just appeared to her of Alice being strong, tough and emotionless. Kmart welled with tears for Alice.
The next day, Alice felt a little lighter. Well, Claire, Carlos and Kmart had been comforting her all night. They are trying to get into her stubborn head. As a matter of fact, she's just refusing to let the guilt go and move forward. Claire reached out to her.
"Hey." Claire greeted.
"Hey. Good morning." Alice smiled a bit.
"You feel okay now?" Claire asked.
"Yeah. A little." Alice replied.
"You don't need to keep the burden. Just let it go." Claire said.
"It's not that easy Claire. You don't know the feeling of killing the closest person to you unintentionally." Alice said. Claire sighed.
"Alice, don't refuse to move forward. Never let yourself be left in the past." Claire commented. Alice looked at the convoy leader who suddenly had a sadness in her blue eyes.
"So, you wanna come scavenging with us?" Claire asked as if she hadn't said anything.
"Yeah. Sure."
Dr. Isaacs is watching Project # 87 in the monitor surviving from the first parts of the test he had set. Unfortunately, Project #87 failed. A blonde man with green eyes, who is in his mid thirties, came in to the room.
"Sir." The blonde man called out.
"You have a report soldier?"
"We've located Project Alice. And it's far. We've located her east of Nevada early this morning."
"That's good news. How far is it?"
"We have to travel for two days to reach her."
"Bring her to me. Bring her to me whatever it takes, even if it means killing her friends or kidnapping them."
"I'll do everything in my power, sir."
"Good. Keep me updated. And take her to me as soon as possible."
"Yes, sir." With that, the blonde man walked away and left Dr. Isaacs who is currently smiling upon hearing the news.
The convoy is searching the mall for supplies. Alice stopped walking. Something is flickering in her head. She felt this before. It's as if she's malfunctioning. Maybe Umbrella is trying to control her again. But this time, she's going to fight it.
Back in Umbrella laboratory, the young blonde man is giving orders to his subordinates.
"Try to shut her down." He said.
"Yes, sir."
Claire frowned as she noticed Alice stood motionless.
"Alice? Are you okay?" Claire asked.
"Yeah. I'm fine let's get moving."
They heard a loud sound from the second floor. A glass dropped and got broken. All of them turned their heads from where the sound came from. They are not alone in the mall, and now they are searching for "something."
"Kmart." Claire whispered.
"Claire?" Kmart is a little bit nervous.
"Go back to the Hummer now."
"But." Kmart hesitated.
"Go now. Mikey, go with Kmart." Claire ordered the two.
"Okay Claire. Let's go Kmart."
The turned their backs from the group and started to go out, while the team moved forward, a little careful with their steps.
"Team, we're not alone. If given a chance, don't shoot. Just break their neck, and do not disturb them." Claire replied.
"Copy." Carlos replied.
"Okay, Claire." LJ agreed.
The team went first inside the department store to look for clothes. Alice is behind Claire, trying to feel if there's any of "them" inside. Then they heard a growling sound.
"Oh shit! I think there are lots of them here." LJ hissed.
"Calm down guys. Feel them." Claire ordered.
Then coming from one room, a horde of infected came approaching them. The team fired at them one by one.
"Damn it!" Claire hissed.
"Here they go again." Carlos shouted.
Alice stood motionless. The Umbrella was successful to shut her down. Claire is now firing at the infected in front of her. But at the corner of her eye, she can see the people she's trying to protect being bitten by those bitches.
"Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!" Claire screamed, trying to control her emotions. She wants to help them but she can't. There are lots of them approaching now, while Alice is still standing motionless. LJ was dragged by one of the infected in front of Alice and dropped his gun.
"LJ!" Claire shouted. She could see Alice motionless. LJ got bitten on his right chest. LJ moaned from the pain. Fortunately, Claire shot the head of the infected. But three more came approaching LJ and started to bite him again.
"No! LJ!" Claire screamed.
"LJ!" Betty ran towards LJ, but an infected bit her from the back. Claire lost her ammo for saving LJ.
A moment after, LJ's body and Betty's were lying on the floor, lifeless. After them was Chase. Alice is still motionless. Good thing, they finally got rid of the infected. Claire is standing, looking at the lifeless bodies of her friends. She wants to scream, but no voice came out of her throat. Carlos put her hand on Claire's shoulder.
"Claire" Carlos called softly. Claire approached the motionless Alice and started to shake her.
"Alice! Please, wake up!" then Alice's fingers moved.
"Please fight whatever Umbrella is doing to you."
"Sir, Project Alice is fighting the condition." The soldier reported.
"What?"
"Sir, we're losing track of her." Then the monitor said "DISENGAGE"
"She really is good. I guess we have to move on our plan B." the young man said.
"Do we need to prepare the chopper now, sir?"
"Yes."
Alice finally woke up. She's now seeing bodies of LJ, Betty, Chase and the others lying on the floor. She was shocked from what she's seeing.
"Claire? What happened?" Alice asked, confused.
"Zombies attacked us. And they are dead." Carlos replied then looked down at the lifeless bodies.
"LJ? Oh my God. What did I do?"
Carlos looked at Claire first who is looking from nowhere. Alice looked at Claire, too.
"Uhmmm. You just stood there, motionless.
"What?" Alice almost shouted at Carlos.
"Uhmmm. You just stood there, motionless. From that spot. Maybe Umbrella was trying to control you again." Carlos replied. Alice clenched her fist.
"Claire." Alice called softly. "I'm sorry." With that, Claire walked away.
Claire hadn't said anything or talked to anyone at all. She was trying hard to hide her emotions, though deep down inside, she wanted to scream and give up. Only blank expression can be seen on Claire's face. "Why did this keep happening?" that question kept repeating in her mind.
Alice and Claire didn't eat anything at all that night nor talked to each other. And now, Kmart is beginning to worry about the two and feeling the tension between them. Kmart and Claire are preparing to go to sleep when Alice joined them.
"Claire, I need to talk to you." Alice said. Claire and Kmart looked at her.
"Not now, Alice, please."
"I know you're blaming me from what happened, especially to LJ, Betty and…." Alice wasn't able to finish her sentence.
"I'm not blaming you, Alice. You have nothing to do why I'm like this."
"Then what? Why were you refusing to talk to anyone or to me?" Kmart is feeling the tension down to her spine now.
"Because I don't understand everything! I don't understand why this shit keep on happening!" Claire bursts out. Tears started to roll on her cheeks.
"Claire" Kmart whispered. This is the first time she had seen Claire crying. She hadn't seen her cry with all her years with Claire until now. Kmart wanted to comfort her friend but she felt the barrier between them. Alice came to hug Claire.
"Ssssshhh" Alice hushed Claire. "Here."
Claire's tears are not for her. It is for her friends that she already considered as family. And for Alice who is suffering from something. Claire broke free from the embrace.
"I'm not blaming you for what happened. I'm blaming myself." Claire said.
"No. it wasn't your fault."
"It was my job to protect these people. But I wasn't able to do it." Claire sobbed.
"But you don't have a control on everything. Nobody knows what will happen next."
"I just can't take it anymore." Claire is now losing hope to survive.
They fell silent for a moment. Kmart is in the back of the Hummer weeping silently. Claire is staring at nothing but sand. Alice sighed, as if she's gaining her strength to say what's on her mind.
"So, what do you wanna tell me by the way?" Claire finally spoke
"I have to go."
"What? What do you mean you have to go?" Claire is a little shocked.
"I have to leave you guys."
"You're leaving us?" Kmart bobbed her head upon hearing Alice's news.
"Alice, why?"
"I have to keep you safe."
"You want to keep us safe? And you mean by keeping us safe you have to leave?" Claire couldn't believe what she's hearing now.
"Yes. With me being around you guys, your lives are in great danger. And I don't wanna risk that."
"No Alice. You're not leaving us. Not this time. I don't wanna lose a friend again." Claire said as if she's going to break down again.
"Claire is right. Please don't leave us Alice." Kmart is reaching out to Alice now.
"Okay. I will not leave you." Alice half meant that.
Alice stayed awake after her conversation with Claire and Kmart. She really love being with them. But whenever she's around them, they will always be in danger. And she doesn't like it. So, she made up her mind. She has to leave though she promised the two, that she will stay. And she has to do it now when everyone is still sleeping. So without a second thought, she grabbed her satchel and her blades. But before she left finally, she looked at Claire and Kmart for the last time. She left a note before leaving. And she knows she will regret this someday.
Kmart woke up first before Claire. She saw a note beside Claire, so she got it and started to read it. Tears fell down on her cheeks as she finished reading the note.
"Claire" Kmart started to shake Claire who is still asleep. Claire was startled by Kmart's shake and sat up straight.
"What is it Kmart? Why are you crying?" Kmart handed Claire the note that Alice left. Claire looked at it first before started reading it. When Claire finished reading the note, she crumpled it and threw it outside. She clenched her fist from Alice's decision.
"I guess we have to move forward now. Tell Carlos and everybody to start moving. We will go to the next stop now." Claire ordered Kmart who got off the Hummer quickly.