Hello my Infected people!! (that sounds really funny lol) I am indeed back. Bet you thought I'd quit! HA! You were wrong. I am going to finish this story, it may just take a while. I hope you don't sic all your zombie and rabid crow minions on me, but then you'd never find out what happens!! I am very sorry this took so long, but I'll have you know that it would have been longer if it wasn't for all the wonderful reviews!!! OMGosh!!! I love all your support, and hope you like this chapter as well. If you want to know why I've not written in forever, it's because I am trying very very hard to fulfill my dream of writing an original fantasy novel that will one day get published, and writing my own story has sapped me for all my creativity, leaving little for my fan fic. SORRY!!!! (bows down and begs for forgiveness) Anyway, here is the next chapter, and know however long this takes it WILL be finished eventually! Happy reading! (and reviewing XD)

Carlos was running so hard his lungs burned, but he didn't care. Alice was right next to him, and they were free.

Well, getting there. The whole facility was on high alert and several guards were hot on their trail.

Like that mattered much. Now that Alice was free of the programming she had full control over her considerable abilities. That spelled trouble for anyone who got in their way. Thankfully, the plan actually worked and they were met with very little opposition.

Breaking the surface into blinding sunlight for the first time in a long time, Carlos gladly welcomed the dry burn now settling in his throat from the parched desert air.

It wasn't long before the two escapees discovered the promised food and clothing, and donned them gratefully, more than happy to be out of the nasty lab clothes they'd been stuck in. Even before all hell broke loose Carlos had seldom been comfortable in less than a uniform equipped for battle.

Strapping the last gun belt with a satisfying click, Carlos began searching through his pockets for the keys to the promised hummer. Finding them in the breast pocket of his vest, he tossed them to Alice who nodded and headed for the vehicle, getting it ready.

They were in the hummer and ready to leave right as Maverick came stumbling out. He was bleeding heavily from his left leg.

Carlos' eyes went wide and he scrambled out of the driver seat to catch him as he collapsed. He coughed, splattering blood on the sand at Carlos' feet.

"What happened?" He asked in a panic, feeling terrible that Maverick had to suffer to get them out. Why hadn't he realized something like this was bound to happen? Because all he'd been able to think about was Alice, that's why.

"They shot me as punishment and sent me out to tell you-" He said quickly, getting stopped mid-sentence by more coughing.

His voice continued as a wheeze. "That if you don't come back they'll shoot my family! I'm so sorry Carlos, I want you free, I want you to just go- you and Alice both." He said, motioning a shaking hand towards where Alice still waited in the hummer. "But my daughter-" He chocked off, faltering. "I've got them into this by my selfishness, now my attempt at redemption may have killed them both!" He moaned, anguish contorting his face and voice. "I shouldn't ask you to come back-"

Carlos held up his hand, silencing him. "If they want us back, we will come. Can you make it back to the door?" Maverick nodded sullenly, guilt plaguing him.

As soon as the doctor was on his way, Alice stepped out of the hummer with a devilish grin on her face. "I can't read your mind Carlos, but I know that face."

Carlos grinned back. "No one said we had to come quietly."

It was only a moment later that Carlos was back inside the bowls of the beast, and hating every minute of it. The only difference was that this time he and Alice were in control. The moment they passed a video screen, they were met with a live broadcast from the head of Umbrella.

Alice stopped abruptly, halting Carlos by grabbing his sleeve. "Look."

The official that glared at them from the glass looked far to pleased with himself. "Hello my pets."

Carlos felt a surge of indignant anger, but Alice just stared at the screen with a defiant glare. "What do you want?"

"I simply want you to put down you weapons, kneel on the ground, and submit. I know you care about the excuse for a geneticist's family, and as long as you two are loose I will be holding his wife and daughter at gunpoint." The camera panned around to show a terrified girl, probably no older than four, and her mother, sobbing as she was held away from her child. The camera flickered back to the official. "We'll kill the girl first, of course. Can you think of any worse fate than for a mother seeing her child die in front of her?" His voice was dripping with false sympathy. "Oh!" He chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Wait, I know a worse one!" He leaned forward slightly, his eyes locking with both Carlos' and Alice's. "To see her daughter eaten alive."

Almost on cue, the angry snarl of a licker reverberated through the speakers, and the camera responded accordingly to show the caged creature pawing and sliming its barbed tongue against the glass.

"If you want me to let the girl and her mother go, and give the father proper medical attention, I want you to remove all your weapons, and go to room 1342 and wait. Oh and Alice? Don't bother trying to use your mental powers, this room is shielded. One wrong move, and this licker gets what he wants." The screen flickered blank with an electrical click.

Carlos threw down his weapons so hard one of them cracked and there was a considerable dent in the floor.

Alice had responded similarly, although the television had also suffered and exploded in compliance with her rage.

"We can't let them get away with this." She said through grit teeth.

"No. But at the moment, I don't have much of a plan. Do you?" Carlos asked, his voice harsher than he had meant. Another television down the hall exploded into a shower of sparks and metal, and the three cells directly across from Carlos shattered.

Alice jumped and looked at Carlos in amazement. "What?" He demanded, still angry.

"You did that Carlos. I didn't do anything."

Carlos' eyes widened. "I- but- you- didn't?"

She shook her head. "I think we just got that plan." She smiled and thumped him on the chest before heading towards the room they'd been told to go to.

Back in the control room, the head of umbrella cursed. If only they'd had time to implant a controlling chip in Carlos as well…….. He cursed again, standing and walking over to where the licker still thrashed, going insane at the sound of fresh food just beyond its reach. If Carlos had anything like Alice's psychic powers they were all in trouble. They had no defense against his brainwaves. Glancing down at his precious captive, he smiled grimly. All he could do was kill Carlos before he could kill them.

I know, I know, you all hate me and want me to die. Review? (runs and hides behind Carlos)