Chapter 6 " Underground Reunion "
Popping the vent hatch, Charlotte lifted herself inside and followed the line for thirty feet before taking a left at a cross-section. Every vent hole she passed she glanced down into the hallway below tracing out in her mind a map of her location. The next shaft dipped sharply causing her to brace herself as she inched along. It was taking her down to the next floor, level nine.
"We've arrived at sub-level nine. Proceeding to the lab with caution." Crawling to the nearest vent Charlotte peered down at the soldiers below. 'U.B.C.S...'
"Shit." She whispered. There was no time to waste. They would be looking for Birkin as well. 'If they find him first...' She might never find Wesker. The thought only pushed her forward as she hurried to beat her opponents to the finish line.
William leaned over his computer and smiled as he destroyed the last of the data files making sure his research did not fall into the hands of Umbrella. Any moment now, Annette would arrive from finishing her own preparations with the self destruct sequence. Then they could detonate the explosives, get Sherry and go into hiding. 'Finally, some freedom to create without those fools trying to interfer.' Hitting the return key he turned his attention to the heavy pistol on the desk beside him. It wasn't something he liked to have; he was a scientist after all. Though Annette had insisted he carry the piece for protection.
"Dr. Birkin." He hadn't even heard the door open let alone the two Umbrella operatives that stood in the enterance.
"How the Devil..." Birkin grabbed the gun and then the steel case containing the last samples of the G-Virus.
"We're not here to hurt you. We have orders to retrieve G-Virus."
"It's not Umbrella's. It's mine! Do you hear me. You can't have it!" Birkin waved the gun wildly hoping to deture his assailants. 'They're too close. I have to widen the distance...' Moving backwards William kept his eyes on the men, oblivious to the obstruction behind. One step and he backed into another counter causing a thermus of coffee to upset and clatter to the floor. The sudden noise triggered the reaction of the nearest man and he opened fire.
Pain. Seering pain. It ripped through his entire body and each bullet dug itself deep inside.
"Hold your fire!" It was an order given too late. Birkin crumpled to the floor, a mass of wounded flesh. Stepping over his struggling form the second man grabbed the case containing the samples. Setting it on the nearest desk he unlocked it and examined the contents then pressed his hand against the ear piece he wore. "HQ this is Delta Team. We have the samples. Returning to base." Giving his partner a curt nod he once again stepped over Birkin and disappeared, case in tow.
"This...can't be...happening." Pulling himself to the counter he leaned his back against it's cold metal side. The pain was unimaginable. Slowly escalating into an inferno that sapped his very strenght. "Annette, Forgive me."
Gunfire echoed through the vent reaching Charlotte with a defening volume. 'NO! Not when I'm so close.' Quickening her pace she tried to save what little hope was left. 'So close. Don't die on me...' Her mind raced, and as it did, created senerios that possibly awaited her. Taking another corner she felt the steel vent shift then the panel beneath her gave way and she was falling. Charlotte hit the floor hard. Her shoulder breaking her fall. It didn't hurt; nothing hurt anymore, but it still shocked her. Lifting herself up she felt the air break in front of her. Something slicing, trying to find her. Rolling to the right with lightning speed Charlotte unholstered and steadied her pistol. Her quick fingers pulling the trigger in a quick succession. Each bullet slammed home, ripping tormented screams from the Licker. CLICK. The clip was empty but the creature, riddled with bullet holes, was no longer moving. Ejecting the clip she let it fall to the floor then replaced it with a fresh one.
"It's about time you showed up." Spinning around, Charlotte stooped to one knee and leveled her weapon at her new target. "Whoa! DON'T SHOOT!" Keving threw up his hands as he rose from the floor.
"Where's Birkin?"
"Who?"
"He isn't here?" Kevin offered a hand to Cindy, helping her up.
"No one here but us." Pushing past them both she ran into the main room.
"It's locked." Cindy called as she and Kevin followed. 'No... Not when I'm so close.'
"God Damn it!" Placing her hands flat against the door Charlotte balled one trembling hand into a fist and slammed it into the thick metal barrier. The sound that eminated from the crumpling metal made her companions turn away.
"Kevin?" Cindy clutched at his arm and Kevin followed her gaze to the doorway. Again and again, Charlotte drove her fist into the door. Each time the metal was thrust outwards until it buckled; folding outwards as though it had been hit by a wrecking ball. Then she was gone, leaving the two in a state of disbelief.
'What the hell happened to her? No one should be able to do that kind of damage...'
"Where is she going?" Climbing over the ruined door Cindy emerged in the hall with Kevin on her heels.
"I have no idea, but we better keep up."
Birkin lay in a pool of his own blood – an all too familiar site when working with Umbrella.
"Birkin!"
"well,' he gasped. 'If it isn't Albert's better half." Ignoring his remark Charlotte knelt beside him.
"what did Albert ask you for? What did you give him?" Grabbing him by the collar she shook the dying man. "What did he do to me?" She pleaded.
"You?" Birkin smiled. "It had nothing to do with you." His eyes seem to brighten after a moment. "Unless...He wanted to test the virus. I don't know what he was planning."
"Lies!" She spat. "You wouldn't have given up your pressious research to anyone unless there was something in it for you, and Albert isn't stupid enough to use an untested virus still in its development stage. Were you enticed into it by Umbrella?"
"I was just following orders. Besides,' he said as if matter of fact. 'He asked me for it himself. He needed it for what he had planned." Finding one of the bullet holes she dug her thumb into it making him cry out in agony.
"And what did he have planned?"
"He didn't tell me. He said it was best if I kept out of it. Why do you care?" Letting go of him Charlotte ripped the sunglasses from her face and Birkin finally understood.
"I found his body. His blood was everywhere. It must have..." She trailed off for a moment. "When I regained consiousness he was gone."
"Then he survived the initial infection, as did you. Any contact you had with his blood would have carried the virus into your body." 'Chris shot me.' She remembered. 'My wound...his blood...' "You must tell me, what happened? What has changed? Did it work?"
"I'm still alive if you can call it that. It turned me into nothing short of a freak."
"It works..." His eyes filled with a type of lust that Charlotte couldn't possibly understand.
"Birkin, Where's Albert now?" He was not longer paying attention to her. His was babbling something about his 'creation'. "WHERE THE HELL IS HE?" She could feel the anger rising inside her again. If he didn't start talking she'd kill him before the bloodloss could.
"You tell me! You share an even closer bond now. Even closer then your so called 'marriage'."
"What do you mean?"
"All you have to do is let the virus search him out." Grabbing her wrist with his bloodied fingers he pulled her closer. "Embrace it; the gift he has given to you." Wrenching her hand back she stood up and turned her back to him. 'His gift?' It was no gift.
"Give my regards to Albert when you see him!" It was a request of both errie cheerfullness and pyscotic delight. Feeling utterly defeated, she left the man to die. She wasn't in any mood to do otherwise.
"Lieutenant?" Catching up to her Kevin stopped to get his breath.
"I want you two to keep moving. Take the service lift to the train platform at the bottom level."
"A train? In here?" Charlotte looked at Cindy and nodded.
"Don't be so surprised."
"What about you?" She could scense concern in Kevin's voice.
"I still have one more thing to take care of. Don't worry about me. Just look out for yourselves." Starting down the hallway Charlotte was almost out of sight when Kevin broke from his place beside Cindy and chased after her.
"Hey!." Stopping, she turned around to look into his weary face. "What's happening to you?"
"I wish I knew."
"Then let me help you." It was more a plea then a request. She knew he felt useless. 'He's a cop. He needs to feel like he's helping someone.'
"You can't help me. I'm sorry." Reaching out she let her hand fall to his shoulder. "Get Cindy to the platform and get out of the city." Shifting her gaze she looked at his broken wrist. "I'm so sorry."
"It'll heal." They both smiled awkwardly. There was tension in the air, yet it was irrelevant to their situation.
"Take care."
"You too." He whispered.
