Dog Days of PostParadise

by Project X

Time is irrelevant here.The world has had its life sucked out of it. The green plants that used to grow are no more, the animals that used to be so docile are now monsters, people are so sad and distant, and the sky is no longer its old blue color. The sky is grey and ugly, the Earth is a desert, and the world is strange. -Re-writing-

5. Dream's in your Eyes

Author's Note: Okay, this chapter ought to clear up a few questions you guys have been having, but in doing so will create more questions. XD You'll just keep getting more questions until the very end. I already know how this story ends and all the in-between bits. I really want to finish it before my Summer Break ends, but no promises. It might end up longer than I'm planning. We'll see.

Special thanks to the reviewers:

Fox Mew Brittany:Yeah, I actually got really sad myself when writing that bit about David. But it's just more John Lockheart hate fuel. Luckily he's not going to last much longer, but then he's replaced by an even bigger bitch! XD Yay, horrible ain't it? Sorry you got confused; I tried to avoid confusion as much as possible. But no, Angel won't meet a Chosen until she reaches Wesker's lair, 'cause that's where they stay. Here; I hope this chapter came soon enough for you and calms your mind. ^_^

BMD-X:I hope that end scene didn't freak you out too much. I just wanted there to be the intenseness that is between Lockheart and Angel. But yeah, the real angst hasn't even started yet my friend. I suggest you strap on your seat belt, it's gonna be a bumpy ride. XD

Toasty2006: I'm really glad you're enjoying it, and thank you! As for the drink, well, can't really help with that. XD But, really thanks, I hope you continue to enjoy the story, if not, tell me. ^_^ I'll do what I can.

-X-

Dog Days of Post-Paradise

Chapter 4: Journal Entry 17; "Dream's in your Eyes"

Journal Entry 17: July 8th, 2015.

Status: Dreaming after death…..

This journal, in my hands, feels wrong. Everything feels wrong…

I stop writing to look around. I see the trees filled with so much life around me, the green grass beneath me, the blue sky above me, the yellow vacation home behind me, and the beautiful multicolored ocean in front of me. Clouds float above me, puffed out and white, fluffy. Animals scurry around the forest near me, crickets and other bugs sing their songs among me.

I know something isn't right, I think, as I put my father's pen up and stare at the journal in my hands. It's my journal but I know it's not real, none the less I hug the sacred object to my chest as I feel the green grass beneath my bare thighs. I look down then, a butterfly on my naked knee, shorts hanging above my thin thighs, a muscle shirt that is not mine waving around my chest. I sigh contently and let my back gently fall back on the grass. I look up at the blue sky and smile, a warm feeling in my chest.

This is obviously a dream and I wish with all my heart to never wake up from it. It had been such a long time since I had a dream instead of a nightmare. Matter of fact; it was bizarre, me having this peaceful dream. Something in the back of my mind nagged at me, that tingling feeling there again, but I ignored it.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" A very familiar accented voice asks. I turn my head to see Darwin shirtless, looking up at the sky, his eyes a deep emerald green instead of red. He's smiling; freckles showing on his face that I'd never seen before. I watched him and took in how amazing he looked relaxed, muscular torso, handsome features, and no sour look on his face. He was lying beside me, arms behind his head as he looked up at the sky. "It's been so long since the sky was blue; I nearly forgot how beautiful it was." His voice was so calm, so happy, so alluring. I felt like melting in happiness at that moment as I turned to look at the sky again too.

But when I did it had changed; now there was a beautiful full moon starry night glistening over the multicolored ocean in front of us. I watched the sky in wonder, not at all surprised by the sudden change, but in fact still very content with my surroundings.

"See that?" I heard my father's deep voice then, and saw his tan finger point up at the sky. I turned my head again to see him, his glasses on over his stormy blue eyes. He's wearing a light blue button up shirt, hair lightly greyed. "It's the North Star." He pauses, taking a breath and crosses his arms over his chest as he lies in the grass beside me. "I know I owe you a lot, for taking care of your sister for so long, and I know it's just an old man's wish but…..Is it so much to ask that you come finish your studies at home? I know how much fun you've been having in Denver, but now that your sisters gone; it seems too quiet at home." My dad's tone is lonely sounding, and it rips my heart in two. So I do what I did when I was small; I put my hand over his and smile at him.

"If you asked me to stay at home forever I would. I love you Dad. The last thing I want for you is to be alone." I admit and seeing him sincerely smile at me as he pulls me up into a hug makes tears roll down my cheeks. It's a memory inside a dream and I remember that that night Dad had invited I and Lily back home for a backyard barbeque. I remember the sad look on Dad's face when Lily had refused the offer because she stated she needed to study for Semester College exams.

I guess I remember college being hard on me too, but I had never studied, I partied a little, but not much. Instead I spent my time hanging out, reading a good book with a friend, and going to my favorite coffee shop with free Wi-Fi as I played Elder Scrolls Online. I dated a little, got hit on more, but never found the guy that clicked with me. I ended up graduating when my four years were up, but I had gone to an Arts College, Lily was in Medical College, two completely different schools.

But the look my dad gave me when he said he was lonely, well, I knew how that felt, so there was no way I was leaving him alone. So I stayed and finished my social arts studies online while at home. I don't remember what exactly it was I was studying per-say, nor do I remember what my job was, but in Dream Land none of that mattered.

Next I found myself cooking pancakes, in my mid-teens again, my little sister bounding down the hall as she sung Christmas corrals as loud as she could. I joined her in singing as I made breakfast, my Dad never getting up early enough to make anything; he worked late hours at the garage. I made pancakes with Christmas tree chocolate chips, which Lily praised me for as she dug in.

This Christmas was my favorite as I remember my dad getting me my first electric guitar, one with black and white angel wings on it. Next me and my dad had worked together to get Lily a great gift, an amulet that had a pendant to it. The pendant would open up and have a picture of the three of us together; laughing at the chocolate milk dripping down my chin after it came out my nose. A silly picture, but a memorable night.

The necklace had a ruby in the center of the amulet, a rose carved into that, ironically Lily's favorite flower. The rest was made out of silver, just like the pen Lily and I got Dad that Christmas, the very same pen I use to write with in my journal.

After that memory I found myself somewhere I didn't recognize. A mug of hot chocolate in my hands, my naked body wrapped up in a heavy blanket as I sat near a fireplace in a lodge. I kept my grip tight around the blanket, walking over to the double glass doors of the extravagate wooden lodge. I looked outside to see snow everywhere. I was back in Denver again, but in a time I don't remember.

I walked back over to the refined kitchen area of the lodging and sat the mug down. When I did I looked down at my hand and noticed the Engagement ring wrapped around my finger. I recoiled, not remembering being engaged. I tilted my head and looked at the ring as if it was a creature devouring my finger.

That's when the phone on the kitchen counter rang. I instantly grabbed it to pick it up, the muscle memory of the memory itself taking over my movements. "Hello?" I answered as the phone was on my cheek.

"Sis! Thank God you're okay!" It was Lily on the other side, and she sounded panicked.

"What is it? What's going on?" I picked up on her tone in a heartbeat, older sister instincts kicking in; I had practically raised her after all.

"There's been an outbreak, here in DC! The presidents been killed!" She yelled, sounding out of breath.

I felt my knees shake, my heart picking up a beat, my sweaty trembling hands grasping the phone too hard. Something inside me told me I knew what day it was, that I knew exactly what was happening. I looked up from the phone, horrified as I turned my head to the calendar on the fridge. I dropped the phone, knees buckling as I saw the date.

May 8th, 2012. The beginning of Doomsday.

Everything changed as I blinked again. I was in DC, a gun in my hand as undead walked towards me. "Stay back!" I yelled, frantic as I shook and trembled in fear, my sister behind me in a far worse state, losing her mind. "Damnit!" I fired a shot, the hordes didn't stop. "I said stay back!" Tears were in my eyes as I felt fear, true and utter terror.

Oddly, it was not the undead that did me in. No, we survived the horde that attacked us thanks to the help of the BSAA and a government agent. They got everyone out of the city, everyone but me, 'cause I got shot in the head with a supposed stray bullet. It wasn't stray though, it was an Elite, one of the first, I know that now. Those red eyes, glaring me down, barrel between my eyes. Stray bullet my ass!

Lily screamed, the moon full, gun barrel in my face, and my blood on the street. Then I was encompassed by a familiar and welcome darkness, what I thought was death, but it was a coma. How could I not have seen this before? I was in a coma for two years! It all finally made sense! But now, how did I end up in an empty hospital, in an evacuated city, pumped full of virus, when I was left for dead? What the Hell happened to me?

Once again I found myself on that beach, near that yellow house I didn't recognize. The sky was blue, there was green grass beneath my feet, and Darwin was holding my hand, a look on his face that I couldn't read. I know if I did it'd scare me.

He smiled and held my hand tighter, the crashing of waves our ambiance. His deep forest green eyes looked deep within me and I felt vulnerable. I didn't like it. "Angel." He called to me and I looked back at him from where I had turned my head. His hand was under my chin suddenly, his thumb rubbing my cheek, and I felt so calm again, no more sorrow floating around inside of me. "Angel, you need to wake up." He said and I shook my head, hiding my head again his shoulder. I never wanted to wake up, this was my Heaven, the real world my nightmare. "You're dying Angel; Lockheart's trying to kill you. You need to wake up now, or you never will."

I looked back into those pools of green, confused, my mind muddled as things and thoughts became slurred and blurry. I felt so tired all of a sudden, everything so wobbly and wrong. I felt like I was about to fall back, but Darwin caught me by the shoulders. "Angel!" He shook me, and all that did was make me dizzy. "You pathetic creature! Don't you dare squander our deal by dying!" He shook me harder, his voice getting louder as the sunlight above me became unbearable. "Please," His voice was suddenly soft. "I have faith in you."

Then Darwin did something I never thought he'd do.

That's when I woke up.

-X-

I took in the longest deepest breath of air I'd ever taken in my life. My lungs filled up like a hot air balloon, then that air sputtered out of my mouth as I coughed up a large amount of blood. My head hurt, the worst migraine I'd ever had, my body ached like I had just gotten run over by a steam roller. My back popped, my body having shot up violently when my blurry watery eyes opened and I woke up. I rolled my shoulders out of mere habit, the shoulder blades popping, and I gripped the roots of my hair and pulled hard.

A tiny scream echoed in my dry and cracked throat, I felt involuntary tears running down my face, being caused by a mixture of sadness, loneliness, and from the pain radiating throughout my body in waves. I felt like I was on fire, the worst part actually being in my ass. I felt something poking me back there, my spine tingling in numbness and pain.

I blinked my eyes a few times before looking around. I was back in my containment cell, everything the same as before. I looked down at myself and saw the white jump suit stained with the blood I had just coughed up. I gripped my head and pulled my knees closer to me, my heart stammering inside of me, feeling like a fire about to go out, my body the same. I felt sobs wanting to force their way out of my throat, I just….missed them so much.

"Angel!" I heard the sound of fists hitting glass, that voice accompanying them. I looked over and saw Darwin standing to his full tall height, hitting the glass that separated us, an odd look of concern on his face. His red eyes swirled as he looked at me and I felt my stomach do flips. "Are you okay?" He asked, his tone so very soft I barely recognized the voice as his own. He must have seen this process before, an infected dying, by the look on his face.

I shook my head, looking back at my knees as I hugged them to my chest. "No." I answered honestly, my vision watery again. "I am very not okay." My voice cracked; my pain showing like an open wound.

"Angel." Darwin's voice was as soft as a feather and as sad as me. He sounded like he felt regret, guilty, and I knew why. I refused to look at him though, while I cried. I hated being weak in front of him, and I didn't really know why.

I let my body go lax, so very tempted to just start sobbing right there and then. But suddenly pain like fire going up my spine started again but worse, that poke coming back, like a knife trying to stab through where my tail bone was. My pelvis twisted at an awkward angle, popping, I found myself lying down, screaming at the ceiling as things moved that should never move. It felt like my spine grew longer, then a knife came through my pelvic bone, making another whole there. I heard pop, flesh ripping, I smelled fresh blood, and then I felt skin heal over quickly.

"Angel!" I ignored the yelling as I took in quick rapid breaths, letting the moment of pain pass as I lay on that mattress. Sweat covered my body, aches here and there but the real pain gone. I reviled in the peaceful feeling, like getting something off your chest, as I laid there.

That's when I felt something, a swooshing, something flexing. I sensed it, felt it, and heard it. Something wasn't right, so I opened the eyes I had closed in pain to see what it was. When I did the color drained from my face, my yellow eyes widened, and I would have gasped should I have been able to breath.

There, above me, was a tail. A damn tail! It was mine all right, 'cause I could control it, every little move, every swoosh it made. The tail was black and made out of elongated spine bones. It glistened with not yet dried blood, and the tip was pointed, sharp, like the tip of a blade. It was about three feet long, a little under half my own height, and scary as shit. Something directly out of Alien Versus Predator, or really just classic Alien with Sigourney Weaver.

I sighed, letting my head hit the pillow below me, just one more thing to prove I'm a monster.

The tail of a Devil.

-X-

It was hours of playing with my new mutated appendage, and of Darwin watching the tail go back and forth with curious fright, later that I finally broke the silence. The two of us had just been too enamored by the tail to speak.

"Can I ask you something?" I direct the question to my Elite bunk mate, who just watches my tail go back and forth, like a kitten watching a ball of yarn. His head shoots up from where it was sitting on his hand, him sitting on his own mattress. He makes a 'hmm' noise, as if to say 'go ahead' and I do. "Could you tell me a little bit about your past? Before Doomsday I mean." I ask as I myself watch the black bone tail now, swishing back and forth through the air. It still scares me and I hate it, yet I feel a certain affection toward it, it was my tail after all.

"I do not remember." Darwin voices a statement I myself have said far too many times. I look back at him, his back now turned, his shoulders tense. He sounds sad and I can sense the dark cloud around him, I know how he feels. So in sympathy and companionship I go and sit against the glass again, feeling closer to him, in reply he gets up sits back to back with me. "The first thing I remember is God, waking from what felt like a long sleep. It is the same, as I have been told, with my other kindred. Things seemed so much clearer, surrounded by my kin, led by such a creator. Everything seemed…..black and white I guess. That is," Darwin paused, hesitation in his voice as he spoke in such a sad tone. I found myself feeling bad for him again, since he had not only forgotten but never remembered either. "I met you."

His last sentence caught me off guard, and I looked over my shoulder at his still tensed back. "Me?" I asked, head tilted as my tail twitched curiously. I was starting to think that my tail might be connected to my emotions.

"Yes, you are grey in a world I believed to be only black and white." Darwin admitted and I couldn't help but feel happy that I was what made Darwin think outside his tiny brainwashed box. I wondered if all the Elite were exactly like him, people that had forgotten who they were, people that wanted to remember and needed a reason to be again. This thought made me think that maybe there was hope for the Elite, without Wesker maybe they'd grow to be themselves again.

I smiled and my tail swayed beside me. I straitened myself and looked at my knees, hugging them as I sat back to back with my newest friend. The aching was gone by now, everything was clear again, and I still remembered my dream. Well, it wasn't a dream; it was my glimpse of Heaven. I had been dying after all. Lockheart's serum nearly killed me, but in the end the virus and my altered genes soaked up that virus with no problem. Just like everything else, it seems like my body could take any virus thrown at it.

The Devil is more like God than any other creature.

I played with my bangs and took a deep breath, distant, thinking. I wondered if I should share some of my life to help out the poor soul who lost his. "Do you," I hesitate, looking up at the ceiling, the back of my head against the glass. "Would you like to hear a lullaby my dad taught me? It always makes me feel better." I admit, baring my soul to the other infected, hoping he doesn't throw it right back at me. I hear rustling behind me and there is a small pause between us.

"Yes, I would, very much." He says honestly, his voice still down but getter higher, happier, as if hope was being given back to him. I like to believe I was doing that, that just by me being here I was giving him hope. From what he says that's the case, but something tells me he had it in him the whole time. I take a deep breath and start then, my throat still a little dry my voice slightly cracked.

"Been a long road to follow, been there and gone tomorrow, without saying goodbye to yesterday." Memories flash in my head; I close my eyes to see them. I remember my sister when she is a baby, her chubby red cheeks, her starry blue eyes. "Are the memories I hold still valid? Or have the tears deluded them?" I can hear the silence of Darwin listening intently, everything not just calm but peaceful feeling as I sing. I remember my dad helping Lily walk for the first time, the fact she kept bumping her head on everything as she did. "Maybe this time tomorrow, the rain will cease to follow, and the mists will fade into one more today." Memories of rainy days away from home come to mind, the rare calls from Lily while she's at college, even then being away from her felt so lonely, now it's like there's a hole in my chest. "Cause the road keeps on telling me to go on. Something is pulling me; I feel the gravity… of it all." The song ends and I feel tears threatening to spill as images of my dad that night fill me, his face while looking up at the North Star.

I had missed them so much while I was in Denver. I know I was with someone then, that engagement ring on my finger, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't remember who it was. I let the peaceful quiet go on, being undisturbed as I hugged my knees and rocked back and forth on the soles of my bare feet. Whoever it had been he was most likely dead now, no reason to cry over someone who's been dead for a while.

So I take a long swallow, a gulp, downing the lump in my throat and I just let the feeling of Darwin's peaceful silence fill me. Being around him now, while there was no one else here for us, felt right. It hurts me to think that if we ever do escape together we'll have to separate, and I'll probably never see him again.

'Never say never.' A voice in my head chimes in, it sounds like my dad and I smile. I know he's right, the world was a smaller place now, and neither of us could die. After this, because I know we'd escape, we'd meet again. On what terms was what I questioned.

"That was beautiful." Darwin finally said, his voice with an admiring smile in it. I hear shuffling again and I know he's turned to me, so I do the same and turn to him. "It…..it has made me remember something." I give him an astonished look, happy for him as he's grinning his face off. "I used to have green eyes!" He states excitedly and I pause, my brows narrowing. He had had green eyes in my death dream; I had already known he used to have green eyes. Maybe I did used to know Darwin before Doomsday, a passing glimpse maybe, I remembered once that I used to travel a lot for my job, so maybe then.

"That's awesome! I'm really glad you remembered something about your past." I say, covering the confusion in me with gleefulness as I smile back at the practically glowing Elite. He's just grinning and smiling, every bad emotion that used to show on his face gone.

"It is invigorating! Knowing I was before God!" He shouted, still seeming brainwashed. But; baby steps. Being brainwashed was like being addicted to drugs; you take their supply then get them off of it slowly. Doing something like that to fast would be a shock to his system. If he could remember that then there was hope he could remember everything and realize Wesker wasn't God. Best part is, if he can do it, so can the other Elite.

I sigh and shake my head, a huge smile on my face as Darwin looks at me like a puppy just given a treat. He was really happy about remembering something, I was glad, but this was a bit too much, the poor guy was about to go super happy over this one little thing. Shows how happy he used to be, while under the watchful eyes of Lord Father God. It reminded me of Blondie, the crazy bitch that was the first Elite that tried to kill me. Just thinking about her nearly shattered my good mood.

"Ummm, Angel?" Darwin called, something else in his voice now, the opposite of happy. I looked over at him to see his eyes widening, breath quicken, his body reacting to fear and terror. He looked at me as if I could save him, as if I was the only one who could save him. I noticed the gas coming in through the vents in his room now, I heard it, and I could smell it. I turned and saw that same gas coming into my room too, my body doing the same as the Elite's as the gas entered my lungs. "Angel!" He yelled, putting his hand up to the glass. I put my hand to match his, seeing how much larger his hand was than mine.

"Don't worry," I coughed and he coughed, I tried to smile at him, our eyes never leaving each other's gazes. "I'm right here, I'm not leaving you." I state, hoping I can as my eyelids get heavy and I get tired.

The both of us sway, but we keep our hands like that as long as we can. Darwin looks at me, closely, something I don't recognize in his eyes. "You promise?" He asks like a frightened five year old, and I nod.

"I promise."

Then the both of us pass out.

-X-

I find myself on linoleum floor again. It's cold and plastic feeling, white and spacious. I come around a lot faster than last time, discovering that I was trapped in the same testing chamber as last time, the Ender's dead body cleared off of the floor and brains cleaned off the wall. The shattered two-way mirror is still the same, broken into bits with a fist shaped mark in the middle. I sigh as I get all the way up, into a full sitting position and look all over.

I hear a groan and turn to see Darwin lying behind me, curled on his stomach as if he had been kicked there. I snarl at the thought, thinking one of the Umbrella guards might have beaten him for the Hell of it. Well, they'd all be paying real soon, no mercies, no one left to live. After what I had been through, I was no longer a forgiving person.

"Darwin!" I yell whispered as I crawled over to him and nudged him. He rolled over and blinked his eyes at me. It seemed like there had been a bruise on his face, but it healed too quickly for me to tell. None-the-less he seemed fine, rubbing the back of his head as he sat up and quickly analyzed his surroundings. Before he could ask any questions I answered them. "We're in a testing chamber, I killed an Ender in here earlier, and they must have used me for testing data the bastards." I then quickly pointed to the two-way mirror, for-going any more nasty remarks. All though I did have a bag full of them. "We'll be able to hear them through that, the crack letting just enough sound in so that only our ears can hear it. I have a feeling we're about to re-enact Gladiator." I explained and Darwin just nodded.

"Yes, I understand." He said, looking at the mirror, pausing, and then looking back at me, a tilt with his head. "Just one question, what is Gladiator? Are you referring to the slaved human combatants during the Roman Empire, which would fight in coliseums for an Emperor's pleasure? If so, I highly agree." He questioned, as I forgot pop culture flew right over that Cuckoo's Nest head of his.

I sighed and shook my head, a palm on my face. "Yeah, close enough." I nodded then and got up, after I did I offered a hand to Darwin, instead of brushing it off like I thought he would he took it quickly, latching onto it. He seemed to actually feel up my hand, not willing to let go. I raised my brow at him and he just ignored the gesture as he refused to let go of our hand holding. I guess I can understand, God only knows how long he's been cooped up alone here, no contact with any of his own kind, and with us getting to know each other but separated by a sheet of glass.

I suppose he was interested to see how it felt to touch what was through the looking glass. I was Alice after all, post-paradise my Wonderland, and Albert fucking Wesker my white rabbit that had led me into all of this. The hole just kept getting deeper, Wonderland never ending in its complexities and dangers. I only kept going forward to catch that damn rabbit and cut his fucking head off. I guess now I could do that with this new tail I had acquired; just another thing that seems oddly normal in Wonderland.

"I'm so glad you're both awake! Yellow Eyes, Subject Twenty Three, I was worried you were both dead." The voice of John Lockheart echoed, once through the two-way mirror, second over the intercom in the room. His voice was dripping with insanity, his brain unraveling like thread. He was folding, I could hear it.

I looked at Darwin, his vice like grip on my hand tightened. He seemed mystified and horrified by the voice, most likely that voice being what brought him here like me, the voice that tortured him while awake and asleep. The voice that from this day on we'd never forget, the voice we'd hate 'till the very end.

"Yeah about that," I pointed to the abomination coming out of my ass. It swayed and swished, cutting through the air like a knife. "That serum that was supposed to kill me, well, it seems not to have worked." I paused and shrugged, then turned a very smug face, having to get Darwin to let me turn that is, to where I knew Lockheart was. Through that two-way mirror, he sweated, I could smell it. "Instead of killing me it gave me a fucking tail, Lockheart! I'd like to see you try and kill me again! What's gonna happen next? Am I gonna grow cute kitty ears?" I mocked him, and I could smell the chemicals of rage fill him.

"Here are your choices. Die, or kill the other. Whoever wins I promise them freedom. Good luck." John stated quickly, curtly, as he left the microphone that consumed the sounds projected from the intercom. He walked around, from what I could hear, in the room on the other side of the mirror. He must have caught himself in some deep shit to be this freaked out.

I smiled cruelly. 'Hmm? I wonder.' A thought occurred in my head, but I left it there for now to turn to Darwin. Now was our chance, an opening given to us, we had to take it! This was perfect! I finally got my hand away from the Elite, only to take his shoulders in my hands and look him straight in the red eyes. "Now's our chance Darwin! All we have to do is get these collars off!" I said, but something flickered in his eyes. He looked down in shame, his mind spinning cobwebs of doubt.

"Perhaps we should take the scientists offer, it will be nearly impossible for us to get these devices off our necks." Darwin motioned to his collar, putting his hand on it as he thought. I gaped at him, the light in his eyes vanished once again as he became unsure.

That's when I punched him across the jaw.

He reeled back, but not by much, his face flung to the right but he still stood, holding his jaw gingerly. He knew I could have thrown a MUCH harder punch if I had wanted to. All the same he glared at me, fire in his eyes again as I shook him by the shoulders. "Look at me you sorry sonofabitch, the Darwin I've been talking to for the last few days had pride, a damn spine at least! He wanted to rip every damn Umbrella agent in two for what they did to his kin! The Darwin I know would be more than eager to get out of this Hell hole, not bowing down to one insignificant madman with way more problems than a mother could ever love!" I yelled, trying to get through to him. From the way his facial expressions changed to guilt, then regret, anger, and lastly determination, I knew it was working. "So you listen up!" I pointed one finger at him, his expression strong now. "We're gonna do exactly like I promised! We're gonna get out of here, kill everyone in this place, then blow it sky high! So, I guess I only got one thing to ask you." He looked at me seriously, on the edge of his toes, waiting for my question. "Do you trust me?"

He smiled, a coy cocky smile that made me smile. His eyes flamed up brightly, that spark I saw the first time a thousand times brighter now. He shoved my remaining hand off his shoulder and looked me dead in the eyes. "Yes, we have been to Hell together, after all." He answered, teeth showing in such a grin he had.

I grinned back, the fire inside of me growing by watching his grow. "Then let's do the getting back part."

That's when I took a hold of both sides of Darwin's collar. He looked confused at first, and then he realized what I was doing and nodded to me. It was like pulling off a band aid, the collar sensed hands trying to pull it apart, but the shock waves just went into Darwin. So like pulling off a band aid, it hurt at first, but the faster you pull it off the less it hurts. I pulled on both sides of the collar and smashed it in two, Darwin groaning a bit but was okay. Those collars weren't designed for an outside infected to try and pull them off apparently, I guess they never thought of an Elite and Mutt working together.

I guess that's what I was, a Mutt. It's what Lockheart called me, it kinda fit. I was the Strayed Mutt.

"Now, do the same to mine." I told Darwin as I threw away the pieces of collar. He nodded and did the same thing I did, pulling the collar off quickly. It hurt, but only for a second. When my collar was gone I nodded to him. "Follow my lead, we'll look badass." I stated and Darwin smiled, an almost-laughing-smile. My new goal was to get Mister Grumpy Puss to laugh now, I mean later, after seeing that.

That's when I started running. I ran straight at the two-way mirror, Darwin right at my side. I then jumped and in mid-air put out my leg. The two of us together cracked and shattered the whole thing, us kicking the mirror in just to land on our bare feet on the other side. Lockheart had still been in the room, talking to someone on his cellphone. He fell back, shocked by our sudden and explosive appearance. He dropped the phone and his hand went directly to the clicker in his pocket that went to the shock collars.

Before the man could blink I had picked him up by the front of his buttoned up lab coat. I pushed him against the wall harshly and he groaned out in pain. I put my face as close to his as I could without throwing up, and breathed deeply into his eyes. "No collars anymore Lockheart, I'm a stray mutt again." With that I flung him against the wall, throwing him to the other side of the room. He landed with a scream, something breaking. I walked over to him and quickly put my foot down right where his naughty bits were. I crushed what I could there and he screamed in a higher tone. "Darwin."

I turned my head to the Elite, he stood straight, discipline and training in his stance, almost as if he was military. I almost expected him to salute me. "I got this one, you go kill the rest. Then find the main control him, find out if the information about us was sent to any outside source, destroy it if you can and take note of where it went. Make sure to burn every file here, and see if you can spike any other Umbrella networks. Lastly; set the self-destruction on this place for about five minutes. Leave no stone unkilled or unturned, got it?" I commanded, feeling as if I was an officer. It felt kinda fun to give orders.

"Yes, I will meet you outside." And before I could blink Darwin was gone, I could already hear all Hell breaking loose in the hallways. I'd just sent a demon to do my dirty work, just call me The Devil. "Now," I turned my full attention back to Lockheart, literally busting his balls under my bare foot. "Where were we?" I asked coldly, evilly, cruelly. No mercy from me, only the pain he deserved.

"Just kill me, if that's what you're going to do!" He spat, blood coming out of his mouth, blue eyes blazing as he looked at me. No more insanity, just anger and pain, that's all a man boils down to. We're all the same.

"No," I shook my head. "Not like this." Quickly I picked the man up and drug him by the front of his coat. He was as light as a kitten to me, easy to carry, and I opened the door and lugged him down the white blood stained hallways. "You're a doctor after all." I said, smirking at Lockheart's confused face. "It's time for you to taste your own medicine." I taunted, just grinning as I carried him and he began to struggle.

"No! NO! ANYTHING BUT THAT! JUST KILL ME! PLEASE!" He begged, terrified, horrified tears and eyes glistening. He struggled and struggled, kicking and punching. That's when I pushed him up against another wall, more blood came out of his mouth and he stopped struggling.

"HOW MUCH DID DAVID SCREAM?" I glared angrily at him, glared my yellow glowing eyes deeply at him. The Devil's anger coming out in me. "HOW MUCH DID HE BEG? Hmmm? HOW LONG DID HE SCREAM AND STRUGGLE, YOU FUCKING BASTARD! YOU DESERVE SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST THIS! I'M GOING TO SEND YOU STRIGHT TO HELL, AND PUT THE CHAINS ON YOU MYSELF!" I yelled, and when I was done I took a deep breath and pulled the man off the wall. I started carrying him down the hall again and all he did was stutter and twitch.

After a few minutes I finally found one of the testing rooms, operational room, torture room. I pushed the doors open and walked in, turning on the lights. The next thing I did was harshly drop Lockheart down on the operating table and strap him down. After I was sure he wasn't going anywhere I went sorting through the many viruses kept in the cabinets in the room.

"I'm not the one who runs this lab you know." A very tired and dry voice cracked, John being on the spot seemed compelled to talk, and I listened. "She's an even bigger bitch then," John coughs up more blood and I continue to sort through vials. "If you want someone to torture go to her." He slightly pleads, as if he was innocent. "She lives in Hope just like I do; she owns the biggest fucking mansion there. The bitch." He seems very un-fond of the woman, whoever she was. "She's controls all of this, she'll have all of the copies of the files here." I admitted, hoping it would get him off the rack.

I find the vial I want and put it into a syringe, oddly familiar with the procedure. I walk over to Lockheart, dead pan, as he wiggles and squirms, terrified. "You act as if you're innocent in all of this." I state seriously, flicking the needle, making sure there is no air in it. He trembles, no excuses on his tongue. "Thanks for the info though, I'll be sure to tell her you sent me before ripping her to shreds." I smile as I slide the needle into his arm.

"NOOOOOOO!" He screams at the top of his lungs as the liquid enters his skin. He keeps screaming, his voice starting to gurgle, his body started to change. My tail flicks back and forth in interest as I watch his body blow up like a balloon, after I step back. It's odd looking, as if someone was filling his body with hydrogen. His eyes pop out first, then blood splurts out from his mouth, the screaming coming to an abrupt stop as his tongue launches out to the other side of the room. His body is half the size of the walls now, veins popping out on thin flesh. Suddenly there's a pop and gurgle as flesh is all over the room, blood and skin strewn everywhere. Now where the rest of his body still lay strapped to the table, there was a bunch of larva sized parasites feeding off his insides, the remains.

I grimaced. "Eeeeow." Bad thing was I had injected him with a vial of my blood. "Uh." My eyebrows narrowed as I leaned over to observe the rest of John Lockheart, I shrug, letting the issue go quickly. "Burn in Hell for eternity, you bastard." I state as I begin to wipe myself off from where some of John's gooey flesh had gotten all over me. I took some of the towels and napkins I could find in the room and cleaned myself off as thoroughly as I could.

After I was done with that I headed toward where I thought John might have kept my things. I followed the scent of old journal paper and silver for a while, and then I opened the doors to a large lounge area. I went in and found all of my old stuff in a large plastic box; it was marked 'burnables'. 'Fuck'em all!' I thought as I slowly and meticulously took off the dirty white jump suit and put back on all of my old stuff. My cloak was a very welcome feeling to have around my shoulders. I even took my backpack, which looked unsorted through, and found my journal. I opened it and found my cherished picture of my dad and sister in it. Tears pricked my eyes as I smiled down at the picture. I kissed it and said lightly: "Almost there Dad."

As soon as everything was back in place, shoes on, gun on my leg, knife on my thigh, and so on, I went back out of the room. I followed one last scent that interested me. I looked down at my watch and wondered how long I had. Surely Darwin was still out slaying Umbrella goons. I flexed the sunglasses on my nose as I walked around a few more halls, then I finally found it, the main computer, the one I was after the first day I came here.

There was only one thing I wanted from this computer; every piece of information on Albert Wesker.

That damn White Rabbit.

-X-

I still had my pen out, writing down notes here and there about the information the computer had given me on Wesker, as I walked up to Darwin. He was outside, standing amongst the desert sand of the wasteland, something I never thought I'd miss. He was wearing a black beret on his head, a styled uniform on his body. He looked commanding in all black and leather boots, I'd give him that. I finished writing just as I was an inch away from him, putting my pen and journal up then.

Suddenly the ground quaked underneath us, fire shooting up the hole that used to be the front door entrance to the labs. Darwin stood there proudly, arms crossed, stance at the ready, as the both of us rode out the waves and watched the fire. When it was done he turned to me, such a fierce spark in his eyes again.

"I don't think I'll be heading back home." He admitted, his voice sincere and serious. "The world is not so black and white anymore; Devils and Gods seem like mere myth and legend now." He pauses and I watch him as his eyes grow distant. "I think I'll go looking for others like us, remembering but lost, lonely and forgotten." He looks back at me again, fondness twinkling in his eyes with my reflection. "I will do as you have done to me, save them."

I smile and pull my bangs back, my hood not over my head. We just look at each other for a while, not sure how to part or continue. It felt like a life time ago I was snarling at this Elite, reluctant to team up with him, now I'm reluctant to see him go. I look at him, dust and sand whipping by us, the sun over our heads. "How do I find him?" I suddenly ask, the question forming on its own.

"Who?"

"God." I answer, and Darwin's face drops. He looks away, brows narrowed, squinting into the sand. He is hesitant to tell me; somehow I sense he's worried I might get hurt. He thinks he's protecting me.

"Follow your instinct." He answers, still looking away. "All infected feel his presence and are pulled toward it. You will know that pull when it happens." He explains, putting his hands in his pockets, he stares off into the actual distance, thoughtful. I know I have felt that pull many times before, north the urge would say, but I did not want to admit that to Darwin. "What will you do now?" He asks, his red eyes upon me again.

"Find my dad." I reply curtly. "Make a side trip to Hope first though, then find Wesker and avenge every innocent person he ever slaughtered with his damn virus." I admit, feeling strong about my decisions and purpose. I was driven and without that drive I would have already been dead. My journey was finally nearing its climax though, now with the information I had I knew where to go to kill Albert Wesker.

I think our chat is over, so I begin to walk away, heading back to Hope City. But before I get far a hand is grabbing my arm.

"Wait." Darwin called suddenly, and I turn to him as he clings to me. "There is something else I would like to say." He says, eyes looking down to the ground as I turn to him.

"Wha-" I am suddenly cut off by lips being on mine, that familiar feeling in my mind. This is exactly what Darwin had done in my death dream. Kiss me.

My tails swishes back and forth quickly behind me, like that of a happy dog's. The kiss is a lot slower this time though, sloppy even, the both of us out of practice. But it had passion behind it, sparks, like fireworks. But before I can reach out to bring Darwin closer he's gone. My hand drops to my side, the Elite out of sight. My lips still feel warm, tingling.

And with that I'm alone again.

-X-

Getting into Hope City was a little harder this time, but still very easy. I knew how to get in and out of places just by being in the shadows. It comes with the territory of trying to avoid ever being noticed. I have to hide my tail this time though, under my cloak and down one of my pant legs, it is very uncomfortable but bearable. I find the large mansion John was talking about in the middle of town. I feel confident enough, actually, to go striding up to the front door in the middle of the night and ring the doorbell.

'Yeah, real badass.' I roll my eyes at my own thoughts and notice a gold plaque on the door. It says; Residence of Elnore Lockheart. Things click then, Elnore was a part of John's passcode into the computer, she was also apparently his ex-wife, David's mom, and she kept the name. Wow, that was some pretty bad mojo.

"Coming!" I now hear a familiar sing song voice heading toward the door and I tilt my head in confusion. But when the door is answered, the woman on the other side poking her head out, my jaw falls to the floor, my eyes wide, breath lost. Everything that had clicked springs right back out of place and yells, fuck you!

"Mom?"

-X-

End Notes: Ta-da! Another cliff hanger! Pretty surprising, right? Well you haven't seen the half of it yet, but stuff is starting to fall into place. It's maybe three or four chapters, maybe less, until Angel finally meets Wesker. Then there will probably be three chapters and an epilogue after that.

This was officially the hardest chapter to write! It took me forever! But then again I was playing Skyrim and Mass Effect 3 most of the time. XD Along with watching shows I'm catching up on after having three months without TV.

Okay, now I have a question for you guys! I'm going to have Angel run into more RE characters next chapter. Who would you guys like to see?

R&R PLEASE! PRETTY PLEASE!