Shizuoka Military Base, Japan

Umbrella Corporation Facility

0600hrs_

"You know what to do," Wesker said to Dryden. "I trust you will not fail me."

"Never, Father," Dryden assured him. "Jill and Spence will be there to capture Project Alice. She will be in our power before the week is out."

Wesker smiled thinly and stepped into the helicopter. He glanced over at the two stationary figures standing behind his son. "You have your orders. Now do them."

"Yes, Sir," Spence and Jill said in unison.

Dryden cast a wary glance at Spence; for some reason, the older man's appearance unnerved him. Dryden couldn't understand why, and for the first time in his life, he felt fear.

He feared that Spence Parks held a shattering truth, one that would change his life forever.

Los Angeles

En route to the Umbrella Corporation Facility

1800hrs_

"We have received visual reports of massive gatherings in the area, Sir," an officer manning the radar declared. "We cannot fight our way through."

"How many aerial bombs do we have?" Spence asked.

"Ten, Sir."

"Drop them."

"No," Dryden interjected. "We risk destroying the underground facility. Lower the plane, Lieutenant."

The lieutenant looked dubiously at Spence, who nodded. "Do as he says."

As the plane made its descent, Dryden sensed someone standing behind him.

"Do you require my assistance?" Jill asked.

"No thank you," Dryden replied thinly. "I can handle myself. Position the plane close to the Hive entrance."

The plane approached a high-rise building and Dryden wrenched the door open. The blast of wind nearly caught him off guard, but he managed to land smoothly on the rooftop and roll. Several growls rose, but Dryden calmly used his psionic ability to turn their brains to mush. They dropped to the ground, truly dead.

The wind continued to whistle around his ears and he kicked the metal door that led to the stairway. He quickly ran down the steps, his breathing carefully controlled. He knew he would need a huge amount of energy for what he planned to do.

When he reached the main lobby, Dryden involuntarily winced at the strong stench of rotting flesh. Beyond the clear glass doors was a horde of infected. One of them spotted him and began beating on the glass. It didn't take long for its comrades to follow suit, and soon cracks began to appear.

Dryden closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and reached deep into his ability. The air around him swirled slightly, and still Dryden made no move. He could feel the power growing stronger, and as he heard the glass give way he released it.

The growls were quickly silenced, and rubble began to rain down on him. Dryden opened his eyes and saw that the entire horde had been eradicated, and that he was covered in congealed blood. He scanned the area and began walking. He snatched a shotgun from the police desk near the entrance, cocked it, and went outside. Above him the planes were circling, as they headed in the direction of the Hive.

Dryden broke into a jog and followed. Whenever there was a lone infected in his path, Dryden shot it down. When an entire horde rushed at him, he merely threw them back using his psionic ability. He hated to extinguish his energy soon; for all he knew clearing the entrance to the Hive would take a toll on his energy.

Another infected rushed at him, and when Dryden raised the shotgun and pulled the trigger, it merely clicked.

Empty.

Dryden cursed and telekinetically shoved the infected away, not bothering to kill it properly. Instead he picked up his pace. He could hear the steady hum of the airplane engines and knew he was getting close.

Every step he took brought him closer and closer to the horde that was clogging the streets of Los Angeles. Every step he took slowly drained him of his energy as his psionic abilities cleared the area surrounding the entrance to the Umbrella base.

With Spence and Jill covering him from the plane, the area surrounding the imposing building of Axel Corporation became devoid of all undead. The plane hovered atop the building and Dryden could hear the troops disembark. Dryden made his way into the grand lobby. All the windows had cracks – an unfortunate side effect of his mental blasts – but the furniture was still intact. The area opposite the elevators was caked with dry blood, but Dryden spared no thought for the lives that had ended there.

Instead, he pressed the elevator button.

It was time to work.