Chapter Nine: The Emissary

En route to Sunrise Towers

New York

1200hrs_

Dryden consulted his watch for the second time. Twelve o'clock. He would make it to Sunrise Towers in a few minutes, and he wanted to make sure his guest understood where she stood.

"Signal Project Alice in any way, and I will kill your friends," he told her without a hint of emotion. "And you will be the honored guest at their execution."

K Mart glared at him. "I was wrong. I thought you were like her, but you're more like that shithead with red eyes."

Dryden's temper flared, and he controlled his psionic abilities. The helicopter they were riding in rocked slightly though, and the pilot struggled to keep them steady.

When K Mart looked at him again, her eyes were wide. "That was you?"

A smirk played on Dryden's lips. "Yes, and it would be wise of you not to insult my father again. Not if you want your stomach torn to pieces."

She clamped her mouth shut but continued to watch him warily. Dryden turned his attention from her to the co-pilot, who was now requesting permission to land on the helicopter pad on top of the building.

Sunrise Towers was a luxury condominium, which catered to Upper East Siders (who lived on the penthouse suites) and other exclusive companies. A few businesses had opened there as well, including a high-end 'diner', a bookstore, a clothing store, and strangely enough, a gun shop. A helipad had been built for some of the more 'elite' customers, including the owner of a software company.

The helicopter eased onto the helipad and Dryden turned to the soldiers under his command. "Remember your briefing. I shall have no failures on this mission."

The soldiers nodded, slipping the safety off of their guns. K Mart was escorted out of the helicopter, while the second, which held Claire and Chris Redfield, landed on the other side of them. The wind whipped at Dryden's smart white shirt, causing it to cling to his body as he made his way to the door.

Alice took another sip of orange juice while Leon checked the magazine of his Glock. The two were seated in the dining room of the finest suite in Sunrise Towers, waiting for the arrival of Wesker's so-called emissary. They had received a direct broadcast from the Los Angeles base of the Umbrella Corporation, where Wesker expressed his desire to meet with them – in their territory.

"I know our last encounter was more than unsavory, so I propose a ceasefire. Let us talk out our differences, and I assure you, neither of us shall go home disappointed." Wesker sounded so smooth, so reassuring, Alice knew it was a trap.

Leon seemed to think so, for he had warned Phil and the others to be ready for an attack. He and Alice had armed themselves as well, although Phil, ever the handyman, had built a secret 'pocket' where they could slide their guns under the table without being conspicuous. They were attending some form of bullshit 'peace meeting', after all.

By twelve o'clock they were getting a bit antsy. Wesker had told them the emissary would arrive by half past eleven, but he still wasn't there yet. Alice wondered if they were being distracted from the true point of the attack. She was about to suggest it to Leon when Ada came in.

"They're here."

"Chris?"

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"Not really."

Claire bit back a smile. She knew it was wrong to smile given the circumstances, but somehow Chris' dry humor always cheered her up. A few weeks ago she didn't remember him, but as time went by her memory returned. Most of it came to her while she was in the cell with K Mart and the other Arcadia survivors. Now she had most of her memory back, thanks to Chris and K Mart.

Claire heard Chris edge closer to her until she felt his body bump against hers. Wordlessly his fingers sought out hers and he gave her thumb a gentle squeeze.

"Don't worry, I'll get us out of this," he reassured her.

"I know you will. I'm just worried about K Mart and Alice," Claire murmured. "That Dryden completely unnerves me. But K Mart was right, you know."

"About what?"

"About him being eerily similar to Alice." When Claire first clapped eyes on him in the cell, she was shocked to see Alice's eyes looking at her. She was even more shocked to see Dryden pull the trigger on an innocent; she had expected him to be more humane. "He's more like Wesker though."

"Alice's son or not, he's a threat," Chris muttered. "We should kill him the first chance we get."

Dryden followed the woman called Ada down the smooth marble hallway. He had to admit, these New York survivors certainly managed to live in style. The floor was still polished, and his shoes squeaked slightly as he walked. If all went well, he and his father would have a luxurious place to live in a few days.

Ada opened the door to what seemed to be the largest suite, and he stepped in. Only two people were seated at the 18th century mahogany table, but Dryden knew who they were already: Project Alice and Leon Kennedy.

"Hello, Alice Abernathy and Leon Kennedy," Dryden said smoothly. "I am Dryden Ainsley Wesker."