Chapter Eight

Hernandez reached out for the handrail leading up to the roof door but fell short when something loud and frightening struck the floor above him. Vibration from the impact sent the soldier and the two women flying back against the wall. The sudden blast was so strong that pieces of concrete crashed down from the ceiling. An overwhelming smell of gasoline escaped from beyond the doorway. Hernandez immediately grabbed Arynn and pushed her back down the stairs towards the hall and Peter. The soldier quickly jumped from the staircase and landed awkwardly. Page too smelled the toxic stench and immediately got up. She heard what sounded like flames igniting against the gas fumes.

"Oh Shit!" Page cried as she jumped from the stairs just as another blast rocked the building sending the door flying into the wall and the stairwell crashing down into the many flights of stairs below.

Hernandez helped Arynn up as she dusted off her pants. Arynn turned to see the hunk of metal blazing from the large gaping hole in the ceiling. She could make out the helicopter cockpit and the charred body of the pilot.

"So much for going that way," Peter called. Arynn and Hernandez immediately turned to face him.

Hernandez took a step and immediately fell. Adam got down from Arynn's grasp while she helped the injured soldier. Arynn felt around on the man's leg finding the soldier's agony coming from his calf. Arynn didn't know the extent of the damage but it was probably going to immobilize Hernandez. There was a chance that his leg could have been broken. Arynn put the soldier's arm around her neck and she lifted him from the ground. Her strength was slowly coming back but there was still an ounce of pressure from her chest wound. Together, they faced the silent Peter. Adam stood next to the two while Page was on Hernandez's side. The mutated man smiled.

"Finally…" he said as he took a step closer to the two.

"Stop right there!" Hernandez shouted using his other arm to hold up his shotgun at Peter.

"You're in no condition to fire that weapon," Peter said.

"Don't push me, Ashford!" Hernandez responded.

Peter stood his ground looking at the group individually. "I have no issue with you, Eddie…" Peter began, "Just give me the boy and…Arynn."

The soldier looked at Arynn then to Adam. He saw that Arynn had a bitter grin on her face. The soldier couldn't do much with an injured leg so he had to try to keep Ashford from coming any closer.

"Where's Tripper?" the soldier asked the mutated man, trying to divert him.

"Funny you should ask…" Peter replied, "Give me Adam and Arynn…" He said as he narrowed his eyes, almost as if challenging Hernandez.

"Where is he?" Arynn sternly shouted.

"Come with me and I'll tell you." The ex-researcher replied.

"Bullshit!" Hernandez shouted. Peter smiled.

Arynn noticed something strange about Peter's posture; he wasn't standing up straight…he was slightly hunched. She wondered if he was in some type of pain. She nudged Hernandez. The young man looked at her instantly. With her eyes she pointed out the mutated man's posture to him.

"See that?" she whispered under her breath.

"Yea." Hernandez whispered back.

The two were looking at the unknown object that the mutated man was holding behind his back. They wondered what it was.

Peter started to take a few steps closer and Hernandez put his finger on the trigger. There was a gleeful smile on Peter's lips as he stopped inches away from the two. Peter held out his arm and Arynn gasped while Hernandez widened his eyes. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Peter's slimy hand held the decapitated head of Julius Taylor out to the group. Page looked away in disgust.

"See this?" The mutated researcher started, "Give me what I need and I won't have to do this to any of you…"

Hernandez turned his head from the scene, "Fuck." he half whispered.

Arynn heard him and she gulped. Whatever the O-virus' effect was on Peter, it was turning him into a vicious killer. She had to do something or else he probably would carry-out his slaughter.

"Alright." She said. Hernandez looked at her instantly.

"Don't do what I think you're about to..." he whispered.

"I have to," she replied, "Whatever happens, get Adam out of here."

Hernandez hesitated but gave in and stood his ground.

Arynn pulled the soldier's arm from around her shoulders and let him lean his weight against the wall. He watched as she walked towards Peter.

"I want to know the truth… How you created Adam." Arynn whispered to the mutated man.

Peter smiled and signaled for Adam to come.

"No." Hernandez whispered as the boy joined the two.

"Do you really want to know?" Peter taunted Arynn as he took the little boy's hand and started walking back into the darkness away from the group. Arynn turned to look at Hernandez. She wasn't sure if she would see the soldier again or if she would ever live to see anything. She gave him a reassuring look.

"Don't let him die," she called to Page.

"'Course" Page replied with a slight smile.

Arynn wasn't sure what that meant but leaving Hernandez in Page's care made her think twice. She turned and followed Peter into the darkness among the freshly killed zombies.

"Where is Sabriel?" she questioned the mutated man as she followed closely behind.

"Sabriel. Sabriel!" He replied glancing back at her. "When are you going to get over that? I only oversaw the creature back in Raccoon."

"Nathaniel was not a creature!" Arynn yelled stopping in her tracks. Peter turned and looked back at her.

"Oh he was in my eyes." He said, as he turned back and started to walk again.

"Fuck you!" Arynn yelled.

"Let's not play that game, "Peter said. "There are more important things to attend to than bickering over someone who is already dead."

Arynn fell quiet and thought back to the creature that used to be a man. She wondered why it did not kill her out there in the wastelands of Raccoon City. It killed Peter but it did not kill her or anyone else with her. Was it possible that the mutation had not fully absorbed Nathaniel's mind after all of those years? Besides after all of the running and blasting away the living dead, Arynn wasn't sure if she could take any more nonsense. She couldn't take wondering where Lead Commando Joseph Tripper was or Umbrella's tampering and surveillance of her life and her family. It was just becoming unbearable and all she wanted to do was to finish what she came to do and leave the nightmare behind her. Arynn stopped for a few seconds contemplating the mission at hand. She stood silent and glanced at the dark hall behind her. If she left then she couldn't save Adam and put an end to Peter's insane plans for the world. If she continued on, she could possibly kill Peter once and for all. Arynn stalled.

Peter stopped short and saw that Arynn was no longer following. He let go of Adam's hand and told the boy to stay where he was. Peter immediately walked into the darkness. He started to run and caught up to the young woman. He grabbed her by the arm.

"Now's not the time for second thoughts," He shouted as he yanked her around with unheard of speed.

Arynn narrowed her eyes and scratched Peter's inhuman skin. Peter clinched his teeth and slapped her clear across the face. The blow made her miss a step but she wasn't about to let it slide. Arynn retaliated with a punch that made Peter fall back to the wall. He regained his ground and lunged back at the woman. She dodged him and he immediately caught her by the hand.

"Don't try to play hard to get, Arynn." He said panting. He pulled the woman close to him.

"Get away from me, Ashford." Arynn replied pushing his face away.

He pulled her close again and whispered in her ear. "Even with your strength, I can still overpower you…just like I did in the forest…" He lifted her up and carried her on his shoulder.

"What are you talking about?" she shouted.

"I'll explain later." Peter replied.

"Put me down!" Arynn shouted as he started walking. His arms held her thighs tightly, almost too tight. She couldn't get loose.

"Don' struggle," He suggested lightly.

"Or what!" Arynn shouted from the back.

With one strong arm, he held onto Arynn's backside.

"See what she's doing to me?" the ex-researcher shrieked panting. He took his son's hand and led him down the remainder of the hall.

"Let me go," Arynn commanded sternly.

"Keep your mouth closed, Arynn." Peter replied. "I am getting tired of your whining." He let out an irritated grunt as he walked.

Arynn kicked the man and waited for him to release her, he wouldn't.

"You can't keep me from getting what's mine." The man called.

"You won't get anything from me…" She whispered.

Peter looked down at Adam. "Did they treat you alright?" he asked the boy. Adam nodded. "Was Arynn and Eddie nice to you?" the man continued to ask.

"Yes…" Adam said.

Arynn coughed up blood again. Her vision was becoming blurry again. He body went limp and relaxed on the man's shoulders. Peter smiled.

"When I first saw you at Mercy hospital, I couldn't imagine that you were a tyrant. I thought a woman that beautiful couldn't be altered. You knew you were special and not like the others."

"What were you expecting?" she replied struggling to breathe now.

"Something hideous. Something unstoppable with no weakness."

"Is…that…what…your uncle…wanted?" Arynn asked.

"No. He wanted someone who could cure people. He didn't want what Spencer wanted—"

"What was that?"

"Someone who could withstand firepower and bombs—the ultimate human weapon. He was going to sell that to the military."

"Let me ask you something…" Arynn said in one breath.

Peter stopped and listened.

"Are you working for Tricell?"

"Yes…" Peter muttered.

"Why?" Arynn whispered.

"For years I have sat down here trying to create the perfect virus. And with your help, I have succeeded. Finally Oswell will pay and we will witness a new existence…"

Arynn remained awake but unable to move. Her body was tired and needed to rest. She wanted to kill Peter and take Adam out of here but that would have to wait. She wondered what Peter had in store beyond the barren halls of the British facility.