Chapter 20
Hernandez picked up Page and started for the doorway back out into the lobby. Tripper started to follow but Arynn held him back. He looked immediately at her and he could see that there was disappointment in her eyes.
"What?" the Lead Commando asked softly. "What's wrong?"
"Are you working for Peter?" She asked.
"No." Tripper replied.
"Then I need to know how you're involved in all of this." Arynn said.
"Don't worry, I'll tell you when the time is right." Tripper said. "You just need to trust me."
"How can I when you don't even have the guts to tell me why you and your team went to Raccoon City in the first place." Arynn said.
Alright." the Soldier replied. "I'll tell you.
As Arynn watched Tripper bite his lip, she thought about when she first met the fearless Commando back at Mercy Hospital in Raccoon City. She remembered his wise-ass comments about her not having her pants on and how she had to cooperate with him. At that moment, she didn't know the soldier and didn't care to get to know him, the only thing that mattered to her was finding the cure. Now as she watched the Commando confess his true intentions, she still wasn't sure if she wanted to listen to him let alone get next to him.
"After the nuke," The Lead Command began, "I was told that they were going to relieve me of command. The government wanted to wash their hands clean. They didn't want anyone involved with the Raccoon tragedy." The soldier took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling. "I was told not to come anywhere near a military base or else I would be locked up for the rest of my life."
"That doesn't make any sense…" Arynn replied.
"That's what I thought." The soldier said as his eyes fell on the dark-skinned woman. "But there was more." He stood back up and crossed his arms. "I thought my life was over. I thought that everything I worked so hard for ended."
Arynn looked down at her hands and thought about the blood that coursed through them. She wondered about Tripper and what type of virus he had been exposed to. She wondered if the soldier felt the same way as she did about her own existence.
"Ashford bailed me out, on the condition that I worked for him..." The solider quickly said.
"Why?" Arynn asked.
Tripper took a deep breath then avoided eye contact. "I hated the government for what they did to my life. I hated that I followed orders to kill a whole city-"
"But the city was already dead." Arynn blurted out, thinking about the undead infected citizens walking through the streets.
"-I wanted to get back at them" Tripper continued, "I wanted show them that they couldn't get a way with destroying who I was."
"But why Peter?" Arynn asked.
"'Cause he could get the message across better than I could...I mean, at that time, I didn't really know who he was...but he seemed intelligent and knew what he was doing."
"What did you do?" Arynn asked.
"Well it wasn't what I did. It was what I was used for…"
Arynn narrowed her eyes at the sound of "used". She thought hard about the meaning of the word and to what context the soldier meant by it. Either it was that Peter used the commando as a guinea pig or used the man as leverage should anything fail. Peter must have somehow corrupted the soldier either mentally or physically…
"Ashford told me that there were certain individuals born with a dormant strand called, the Alphatic gene-one of many genes that made up the progenitor virus. It was responsible for accelerated cell regeneration. He said that it alone could cure most known human diseases and viruses in it's pure form."
"Really…sounds like a lie..." Arynn said under her breath.
"Tell me about it." Tripper said starting to pace the floor. "I was stupid. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Like an idiot, I volunteered to be his test subject."
"What happened?" She questioned.
"He injected me every week with dangerous viruses—viruses known to kill any man. One by one, my body resisted. I tried the bubonic plague-I tried AIDS, and I survived it all…"
"That's impossible." Arynn whispered.
"I know," Tripper said, "I had no idea that my body was able to do that. All these years, scientist tried to find cures to AIDS and Cancer and here I was getting past everyone one of them."
"Cancer?" Arynn asked as she turned away.
"Yes, anything you can imagine, Arynn." Tripped said taking her hand and drawing her near. She tried to get out of his grasp but his grip tightened. She looked into his eyes and saw a man that was desperate and crude for understanding.
"But why allow yourself to be a test subject?" Arynn asked.
"I don't know, I just wanted to be a part of something..." The soldier said.
"Tell me the truth. Are you still working for him?" Arynn bluntly asked as she looked at him.
"No." He immediately answered. "After everything, I joined a secret task force owned by a private non-profit organization founded by a sector of the Air Force, who's mission was to cease government corruption and biological warfare."
"So what happened back there in the laboratory? Why was Peter able to control you like that?" Arynn questioned.
The Lead Commando sighed and crossed his arms. He took in a breath. "I don't know. Must've been the injections." He calmly said.
"Like how he controlled me..." Arynn said under her breath as she thought back to the events on the train leaving from Raccoon between her, Peter and Tripper.
Arynn looked at the Lead Commando and fell into his gaze. She wasn't sure if she wanted to help him or leave him. There was too much at stake to deal with what he was telling her. She wanted to deny all of it and escape this nightmare. Why did it have to be Tripper? Why couldn't he be normal to make her feel normal? Why did he have to be an abomination like her?
"I don't know if I was born with this," Tripper started, "but I'm scared." He whispered. "I need you to be there—to help us in Washington—to stop Ashford from harming anyone else…"
"I can't…" she whispered. "I can't do this. I have other priorities. I have to get my son out of here."
"I'll make sure that no one harms you or Adam." The soldier said.
"No. I don't want you or anyone else near him. We've been through enough." She replied.
"Arynn, it's never gonna stop unless we do something about it." He continued.
"I don't care. Once Peter is dead, I'm done. I want nothing else to do with this. You can take that to Washington."
"There will be others to take his place, you know that." The soldier whispered.
"You're right." Arynn said, "That's why when the time comes, you have to end me and my son's life."
"What?" the soldier nearly shouted.
"It's the only way to prevent anyone else from using our blood." Arynn replied.
"No it's not. What about others who are just like you and me?" the soldier asked.
"It doesn't matter." Arynn said, "I am the one that Peter needs, not you, not Adam and not anyone else!" She shouted.
"Stop thinking of only you, here," He scolded her. "There's more to this than just you."
"No there isn't," Arynn said.
"Arynn, you just can't write people off." Tripper raised his voice. "They have a right to this life just like anyone else involved in Umbrella's plan; just like Adam…"
"Eliminating me and Adam will keep other bio-tech companies from continuing where Umbrella left off." She continued.
Tripper fell quiet and stared hard into the woman's eyes. At times he felt he could understand her and at times he didn't know who she was. He stepped back with a twisted look on his face. The Lead Commando could not believe what he was hearing. He wondered if Arynn was telling the truth or just trying to evade the conversation. He couldn't read her and did not know how to take her response.
"You and Adam can be protected…" He said once again as he went back to the desk.
"That's not gonna happen…" Arynn said.
"You just don't get it!" Tripper shouted.
Outside the room, Hernandez waited while Page leaned up against him. They could hear Arynn and Tripper arguing. Their voices were becoming loud and as the Lieutenant looked outside to the barren streets, he hoped that no one could hear the commotion.
Inside the room, Tripper grabbed Arynn by the arm. "I gave you so many chances. I saved your ass so many times." the Lead Commando said, "The least you could do is let me make this right." He paused and sighed. "Let me do this the right way and bring those bastards down. Taking this to Washington will assure all of us that Umbrella, Tricell and anyone else involved will be shut down for good."
Arynn looked away and took the Lead Commando's hand off of hers. He caught her hand and held it gently.
"I'm not looking for you to forgive me and I'm not looking to apologize." He whispered, "I just want you to understand that this is bigger than Ashford—bigger than Umbrella—bigger than your son-bigger than us." He let go of her hand.
"Just listen," Arynn said folding her arms. "Whatever or whoever you think I am…you're wrong. I didn't come here to be told what do and when to do it. I came to Raccoon to find a cure for me. I wanted to rid myself of what I became since the nuke. I don't want this burden on anyone else. If Adam is my son then I want a life for him where he can be a normal kid. I don't want to hide in fear of someone trying to kidnap him or me. If things get heated, I need you to get rid of us…"
"I already told you. I won't do that." The soldier flatly responded. "There is nothing in this world that will make me hurt you. I couldn't do it back in the lab and I won't do it here."
Just then The door creaked open and the solider and dark-skinned woman turned instantly. Page and Hernandez entered quietly. Page seemed to standing by herself but she leaned against Hernandez for additional support.
"What do you want?" Tripper questioned, "This is a private conversation."
"We've got company…" Hernandez responded.
"How many?" the Lead Commando asked.
"Five." Hernandez quickly whispered.
Page shut the door slowly and turned around. She approached Arynn then stopped. The dark-skinned woman looked at Page wondering what was on her mind.
"Stop being so f****** selfish!" Page said.
"What are you talking about?" Arynn said.
"You should listen to your friend." Page started.
Stay out of this," Arynn snapped. "This has nothing to do with you."
"I won't," Page immediately answered back. The two women came towards each other and glared at one another. Tripper held back the dark-skinned one while Hernandez kept Page on her toes. "You think it's always been about you!" Page shouted at the woman. Hernandez and Tripper both looked around to make sure nothing was coming from outside. They both pulled the women away back towards the desk area and closed the door.
"Calm down," Tripper said as he watched the women start for each other again.
"No, I've had enough of her!" Arynn shouted back.
"I don't know what Peter saw in you," Page replied under her breath. Arynn immediately punched the woman in the face and Page simply looked back her without flinching. Arynn took another swing and her fist connected with the young woman's mouth busting Page's lower lip.
"Ya done?" Page said wiping away the blood that formed from the obstruction.
"Sure," Arynn sarcastically replied, "No wait." She said as she tried for another swing but Page immediately dodged it and caught her in a headlock.
"Damn…" Hernandez whispered as his eyes lit up. Tripper remained by the door but was amazed by the young woman's sudden outburst.
"Like I said," Page continued, "You ain't the only 'special' one."
"What are you saying?" Arynn muttered.
"Peter made others just like you—" Page said.
"Tell me something else that I don't know." Arynn struggled to say.
"Alright," Page said, "What do you know about Project Caper?" Page smiled as her grip tightened and Arynn started to cough. Hernandez put his hand on the young woman's arm.
"Let her go," He said lightly. Page grumbled to herself and let the woman go. Arynn rubbed her neck and watched the young woman meticulously.
"What is it?" Arynn asked.
"Peter's other experiments…" Page said. "They were his first attempts at mirroring the work that Alexander did. Mainly he sought out others that had the same strand as you and used them to further his uncle's research."
Arynn sat down on the corner of the desk and watched Page lean herself against the wall. The two women scrutinized each other with their eyes, examining each other's physical strengths and potential weaknesses. Arynn wasn't sure if she wanted to know what Project Caper was. Everything that she had come to learn in the past few days had led her to feel more troubled about her own existence and where life would take her. Why couldn't she feel human instead of artificial? Why did her life have to be based on what one man contrived to do? She felt that there was no end to the entity that was Umbrella. She may have not been alone but besides anyone else with her dilemma, she felt transparent.
"So what are you saying?" Arynn asked. She rose from the desk.
Page looked at Tripper and the Lead Commando came forward. "Page and I are one of those that were involved with Project Caper before Umbrella shut it down…"
"Peter experimented on you to see the potential of the virus?" Arynn asked.
"Yes, that's why was I able to withstand the injections. I had no idea that it was there all this time," the soldier confessed. "When I met Page, she told me what I was and I didn't know what to do. I could either cure the world or destroy it. I just didn't want to deal with that responsibility…"
Arynn thought about the Lead Commando's words and an sudden realization came to her. It was not that she did not understand who she was or what she was, it was that she kept herself from all contact. She lived in fear that she could inflict infection to anyone or worse kill someone for her negligence. For five years, Arynn travelled from state to state, hoping to find closure and settle but it was her foolishness that drove her back to Raccoon City. There she wanted to put an end to the depression and frustration. There she wanted to either find the cure or find an end to her miserable life. It was among the ruined buildings and decrepit streets that she found her answers. Whether she wanted the truth or not, Arynn realized that she could move on and live whatever life she could.
The Lead Commando slowly walked to the woman and embraced her. His strong arms nurtured her body and gave hope to her soul. What she lost five years ago, she seemed to gain with just one touch from the soldier. All of the grief and sense of mortality came crashing down to her. She now knew Tripper's pain and embraced it as she acknowledged the soldier's compassion. She now knew exactly what it felt like to feel the weight of the world and the pain of loss. He was right, she was not alone.
Hernandez looked back from the door with a blank stare. He could not believe what he was hearing. All this time, he thought he knew Joseph Tripper but now the man that stood in the room with him was as strange to him as the nightmare that seemed to keep the soldier here in the deteriorating city.
"You're one of them?" Hernandez questioned the commando. "Whatever happened to everything you told me? I can't believe I let you talk me into taking this mission. I lost Gene because of you, man! I can't ever get that back. You know that, right?" the soldier protested. "I followed you. We all followed you…"
"Don't you think I know that?" Tripper questioned letting go of Arynn and leaving her. He walked towards the soldier and stopped inches away. "Eddie, I tried to tell you that there were things about me—things that you wouldn't want hear. Marks knew but I knew telling you'd be difficult."
"I don't wanna get into this right now." Hernandez responded, "All that matters is killing Ashford and getting the hell out of here." He looked into his friend's eyes and did not want to go deeper. Truth of the matter was he just wanted to go home and get back to a normal life.
"Alright. Fine. I can respect that," Tripper said slowly, "Just know that I'm sorry for what happened to Gene—I'm sorry for what happened to everyone. We did the mission that we were supposed to and we did it right."
"All I know," Hernandez started, "Is that I had a good friend back in boot camp and now I have nothing. No matter what you say to me, I will never forgive you."
Tripper gulped and turned his back. He had nothing else to say. There was nothing that could replace the loss of Gene or Marks. As the leader of the Counter Bio Terrorist Task Force, he had to acknowledge that all events that took place in Raccoon City were all under his watch and that he had to live with all decisions and losses that had befallen his team.
"And you!" Hernandez blurted as he turned to face Page. "You're infected?" He asked.
Page turned to him and Tripper remained still.
"No she's not infected. She's a carrier. She was born with the virus" Tripper said, "She can spread the virus like Arynn. But she doesn't eat flesh like everyone else-like me and Arynn."
"How do you know this?" Arynn asked the Lead Commando.
He hesitated then cleared his throat. "I was born with the same dormant stand, Arynn." He said, "Ashford used the viruses to confirm my condition." The tall slender built man walked up to the dark-skinned woman. "See I never set foot in Raccoon City. The strand turned active after an inmate bit me. Thing is, it did nothing to me but leave a scar. I thought that maybe I was lucky but I was wrong."
"Where were you all this time after we came to the facility?" Arynn continued to ask the man.
Tripper looked at Page then back to Arynn. Arynn caught sight of this and narrowed her eyes.
"I woke up on an operation table." Tripper said, "I had needles and everything you could possibly name in me. All I could remember was the pain. And then…"
"We made sure to keep him from you in hopes that Peter wouldn't force you two to mate." Page joined in.
"Mate?" Hernandez said cracking a smile. "What the hell gave you the idea that these two would do that? I mean look at them." Hernandez watched the soldier and woman look at each other slowly then let out a heavy sigh. "They hated each other. Alright, nevermind what I said." He scratched his head and went back to the door.
From outside the room, he could see the mindless infected individuals scuffling around. They had no idea that he and the others were in the room. He hoped that they would not develop a clue.
"But the Dorus strand that infected Ashford made him into that thing back there and he trapped me in that room." Tripper continued.
"Was this all planned?" Arynn called out.
"I'm not sure…" Tripper answered. Page simply stayed quiet.
Arynn grabbed Page by the arms and shook her. "What else do you know?" Arynn asked. "Tell me. Now!"
"The plan was to impregnate you and turn you over to Peter." Page continued. "He would then use your offspring to produce another massive army to take over Tricell and any other pharmaceutical company planning to distribute military bio-weaponry." Page confessed. "He would then meet up with Albert Wesker and discuss future production of the O-Tyrant…also known as…the Stalker…"
"Oh my God…"Arynn whispered. She could feel her cheeks start to flush. A rush of emotions went through her mind. She could still see Peter's face and how he had first helped her to fight off the gandharvas in the Mercy Hospital. She remembered his cocky attitude and intelligent demeanor. His piercing blue eyes held onto her soul tightly. All of this time, she wondered where the handesome mysterious man went and why he left her in the observatory room. As she looked up to the ceiling, she knew why she was different and hated herself for it. She put her face in her hands and sobbed.
The room fell quiet and everyone avoided eye contact with one another. All that was said lingered like a bad smell. As much as each individual despised the next, what remained on their minds was survival even if that meant helping each other.
Tripper walked to Arynn and took her in his arms. He tried to give her the comfort that she had avoided since they were trapped in the white room together. She wanted to push him away but his embrace was so strong that even her strength could not relieve him.
"You are a carrier, Arynn," Page said, "and if your blood ever got into the wrong hands, then we would see an outbreak so devastating that no one in this world would survive."
Hernandez grabbed Page's arm and put it around his neck. He helped her to the door and waited for Tripper and Arynn to take the lead.
"Let's just get out of here…" Hernandez said. "Look I don't care what you all are. I just want to get back to the US and end this sh**. Agreed?"
Tripper and Arynn turned and in unison replied, "Agreed."
"We have to take Peter out and eliminate any remaining stalkers or any other infected person." Page suggested.
"Well don't worry about the stalkers. They're all dead." Arynn said.
"Yea," Tripper said, "I watched the entire sub-level 1 cave in on them. There's no way those thing survived that."
"Are you sure?" Page said lightly.
Everyone looked at her in hopes that she was kidding… The group remained quiet and left the room.
As they re-entered the lobby they saw that there was something different about the infected individuals lurking in the room. The undead tissue that appeared under mangled skin was black and the creatures' eyes were dark. They seemed like a cross between Crimson heads and Dorus.
"Comb the other rooms for weapons and meet me on the stairs!" Tripper called to Arynn as Hernandez led Page towards the stairs. The soldier left the woman on the stairs. He tried to give her his knife but she hesitated. He left her and went for the last office.
Arynn dodged one of the dark beings and lunged for the second office. She quickly got behind the desk and searched for something to use as a weapon. As she reached for a paperweight at the end of the last drawer, she paused. A familiar emblem grazed the 6-sided crystal cube. No it can't be, Arynn said to herself.
"Arynn!" shouted Tripper as he pushed one of the hybrid infected people off of him. "We have to go!"
"I know, I'm coming!" She shouted back as she examined the item.
The infamous symbol of Umbrella glared at her as she turned it in her hand. The more she looked at the symbol, the more she thought about her family. She could still see the horror in her mother's eyes as flames engulfed her body rendering anyone from helping her. The umbrella symbol had once meant prosperity and ingenuity for the Raccoon City but as Arynn left the city frantically, she remembered the city limit sign covered in numerous hand prints of blood -as if the zombies had claimed territory over the devastation. Clenching the umbrella cube tightly, Arynn stood back up. As she was about to leave the room, one of the infected men came rushing towards her. Without thinking, Arynn threw the paperweight at the creature. Dazed and Dumfounded the creature fell backwards to the floor. A twisted expression of horror remained on the person's face as the cube sat firmly in its forehead. Arynn leaned down and plucked the paper weight from the carcass. She grabbed a nearby newspaper and wiped the blood off of the object.
In the last office, Hernandez had managed to find a loaded shotgun at the side of a fallen security guard. He cracked a smile then ran back out into the lobby. He took a shot at the infected group, impaling half of them. They fell to the remaining two ran for the soldier. He unloaded another round towards the two. One remained and Hernandez tried to pull the trigger but the weapon was empty.
"Sh***", He muttered as he dived away and landed on his side. The being jumped for the soldier but was caught in midair. The Lead Commando picked the creature up by the neck and snapped it.
"Let's go!" Arynn shouted as she emerged from the room.
"We need to scope out the rest of the building for weapons and Adam." Tripper said looking at her.
"He's not in the building." Page replied. "Besides weapons wouldn't be up there."
"She's right," Hernandez added. "The vault and possible weapons should be below."
"Alright," Tripper said. "Stay close and don't wander off." He turned to Arynn. "And that means you."
She gave him a smirk as she started down a hall that went passed the lobby. Tripper took the lead as Hernandez and Page took the rear. They opened the door labeled "Stairs" and proceeded down deeper into the building.