5. Diamond Eyes

"So, this is your office?" Claire says from the doorway. "God, you live like a monk…"

Alice nods, sitting down in a chair behind the desk while Claire enters the room taking the chair that's in front.

"All this stuff," Alice is pointing to the folders that are on the desk. "They've all got this stamp, UBCS, does that sound familiar to you?"

Claire shakes her head. "Let's take a look?" She leans forward and grabs the nearest folder, while Alice starts on the drawers. Claire begins to read what seems to be a report of weapons.

"Assault rifle… selective between automatic, semi-automatic, and burst… something about intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine…. Uhm then stuff about the StG 44, AK-47, M16 rifle, Enfield SA80. Ok, Weapons. Lots of weapons. Do you remember anything about guns?"

Alice nods. Looking at her.

"I think my work is related to some security thing; that must be why I know how to fight and handle weapons."

"Mmmm ..." Claire replies noncommittally. She throws the folder aside and grabs another.

Alice opens another folder, full of maps. She puts it aside, going to yet another: information on vessels, checklists, lots of numbers incomprehensible to her memory.

"I don't get it," She starts. "This isn't making sense."

"Well you should read this…" Claire hands over her latest folder.

"What is it?"

"It's some kind of report about a virus that has shown up in Africa. It's variations of the Ebola virus" Claire is looking at Alice, one eyebrow up.

Now Alice is moving, gripping the folder that Claire is holding.

The death rate of someone affected by this new strain of Ebola is 90 percent compared to the 70% of the original and other known strains. Unlike the original, this particular strain targets the organs and in as little as 48 hours, renders them irreversibly damaged. Death follows shortly after. This kind of strain was named Tyrant Virus because of the peculiar form that the virus takes in a host. There is no known prevention or cure and due to its possible use as a bio weapon it has been graded Bio-safety level four. If an outbreak occurred, it could quite possibly destroy a large part of the human race.

What the fuck?

"Look here." Claire is pointing something for Alice to look at.

The Biological Weapons Prohibition Pact created in 1980 stand that it is illegal to study the virus as a weapon. However, even if the company wasn't the one to research it, there was no proof that someone else wouldn't be doing that same thing and so it was considered legal for Umbrella to research it. There is a thin line in "international Law" between what is acceptable and what is prohibited….

UMBRELLA

Claire sighs, looking at Alice with wide eyes."Umbrella." She mutters. "Why in the hell do you have this information about Umbrella? Bio-weapons? What the fuck Alice?"

"I don't know." Alice has moved back to the desk grabbing another folder and opening it violently not prepared for what comes next. A picture of her, wearing a black uniform, a full sheet of information about her work, and above, in large letters: Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service.

Apparently Claire has noticed her discomfort. "What have you found?"

NAME: Alice Abernathy

AGE: 25

STATUS: Single

PLACE OF RESIDENCE: Raccoon City

POSITION: Head of Security Raccoon City headquarters

Oh God.

Claire has risen from her seat and is looking over Alice's shoulder.

"Shit ..." is the only word she can manage as she reads the paper. "No way! I cannot fucking believe it!"

Claire is moving away from Alice.

"Claire I ..."

"You what Alice? You work for Umbrella? "Claire is starting to panic. Alice tries to say something, anything but she can't. Everything is blurry, things have changed. They shouldn't be there. She feels bad, she wants to speak, to tell Claire to calm down but she can't, everything is moving around her. She knows this is bad and she's scared.

"Are you listening? God damn it." She can hear Claire yelling, but then nothing. She's trying to form words but they don't come out of her mouth.

Her eyes are wide open; her pupils are increasing their normal size.

"Alice..." Claire has notice that something is very wrong with the other woman.

There are flashes inside her head, sudden flashes of color and sound, unrecognizable at first but then it hits her, blurred images, distorted voices, memories, a life time of memories in violent short bursts.

Faces, lot of faces, she can't remember their names though. Flashes of places she's been, all over the world. More blurred memories, her past, when she was a child, her parents, she can remember them but she can't remember their names or if they are still alive. Memories of her job and training, lots of weapons, more people and then Umbrella.

She's closing her eyelid, feeling nauseous, Claire is moving towards her watching with horror at the R.E.M movements in Alice's eyes.

Suddenly, the images become sharper.

Alice is in a garden, it seems like winter as a deep layer of snow prevents her from moving gracefully. In front of her is a woman of about 20 years.

"I can help you get the virus. Access codes, security plans, the works."

"Good." The other woman is smiling.

"But there's going to be a price."

"Name it."

"You have to guarantee me ... You'll help bring the Corporation down."

The picture changes. She's in a black SUV with three other people, she can't see their faces but she knows that she's safe. The black SUV exits a freeway, there's a road sign that tells her that these are the outskirts of Raccoon City. The SUV pulls into a nondescript warehouse, inside there is a lot of activity. The BSAA headquarters, the resistance against Umbrella. There are vehicles, weapons, sleeping quarters and computers. There are dozens of people working there, keeping track of all Umbrella's dirty dealings.

There's a woman, a tall one. She wearing a police uniform, on one shoulder Alice can read S.T.A.R.S, her hair is short and black, and she's smiling at her, at her right there's a man, he's wearing the same uniform, he just nods at her with a wink. If only she could remember their names.

"We're almost there." The man is saying. "Now you just have to do your part."

"But you have to be careful," The woman is saying. "If anything happens…"

More blurred images. But this time she can't see anything.

"Don't fight it," A man says. "We have to blindfold you my dear, it's for our own safety."

She's feeling Panic.

"Relax…." and then there's a sharp pain in her arm, the prick of a syringe.

Suddenly her eyes get used to the light. A white laboratory, more like a hospital room, she's on a bed and there are some people around her wearing masks and white coats, a man looks down at her, he is smiling.

"It's ok my dear."

But within her, something is saying no, sounds of bullets, screams of pain, animalistic grunts, bloody memories.

"Alice!" She can hear Claire, she can feel her standing right beside her, but the images are still running in her mind.

An underground facility, people using white lab coats. A container being lifted from the lab refrigerator, gloved hands slip it into a foam lined carry case. The vials are delicate, filled with a cool blue liquid…

"ALICE"

Blue eyes snap open. Alice sits up looking around; trying to absorb all the new information her brain has handed her. Claire is kneeling at her side, looking at her with concern.

"What, what happened?" Her voice is more husky than normal. She's moving her head from side to side trying to dispel the grogginess.

"Hey don't. Your nose is bleeding," From the desk Claire reaches a handkerchief with which she cleans the blood off the other woman's nose. "You kinda zoned out for a moment then you started shaking, I thought you were going to faint..."

"Umbrella." Alice is trying to accommodate her thoughts. "I worked for them." She begins speaking, quickly. "I worked for them Claire, but I swear I was not following their plans, I was working with someone, we were about to reveal all this to the media, to expose it, to bring them down. Look at the desk, there is a folder with information about BSAA you have to believe me…"

"Wow, wait ... slow down. You remembered something?"

"I think that's why I nearly fainted." She tried to get up, still shaking; Claire leaned into her, supporting her weight.

"Feeling better?"

Suddenly Alice freezes.

"What's wrong?" Claire says.

"Get down, now!"

Claire doesn't think twice and she drops to the ground. As she ducks down Alice places herself over the other woman to protect what's coming.

Everything starts happening at once.

There's a silenced automatic weapons fire raking into the apartment leaving the window peppered with holes. Both women are on the floor, Claire cursing, Alice looking at the window as it shatters above her. A man appears in the office, as if from thin air.

Hunk is hanging from an abseil rope, firing blind strafing the apartment. Alice rises rapidly, kicking the office's chair across the room. Hunk reacts by instinct, moving to his approaching target as the chair is tossed aside. Alice is rolling away, moving faster than Hunk who is coming behind her, and still firing. Claire is still on the ground, no longer cursing, she is in shock not moving at all.

Alice crosses the living room buzzing, jumping over the couch to gain more time, she heads to the kitchen, looking for something she could use to defend herself, Hunk has caught up to her so she throws the kitchen table between them, with her right hand, she grabs one of the kitchen knives and throws it at Hunk, missing him, her only weapon now discarded she is left powerless.

Alice does not waste time, she jumps the table, intent on getting to Hunk, but he lifts his gun and starts to fire, causing her to jump back, pulling the table down to hide behind.

PFT!-PFT!-PFT!-PFT!-PFT!

Gunfire is tearing wildly around the room. The wall is shattered in no time; Alice hears the click of an empty cartridge, she jumps up, however there is no sign of Hunk in the kitchen anymore. Alice turns to the exit, walking towards the living room slowly, with another knife in her hand, before she knows what's happening Hunk is behind her kicking the knife up and out of her hand.

Alice is off balance, Hunk is driving his palm up into Alice's jaw, her body wants to fall backwards, but the man has her arm in his free hand jerking like a rope. In a surprising move Alice pulls him to one side, and he falls near the bathroom, she throws the knife at him, snarling in satisfaction as it thuds into his shoulder.

"Claire! Get away from there." She yells at the woman who's curled up near the door, looking in shock at the bloodied Hunk.

"What the fuck are you doing? Who the fuck is he?"

"Claire move!"

Claire scrabbles to get off the ground and dives into the kitchen, Muttering "fuck, fuck, fuck," as she passes the living room.

Alice goes to Hunk who is trying to move the knife from his shoulder; clawing for it with one hand and lifting his knees as a weapon, he kicks hard into Alice's chest and then down her foot. Alice is on the floor, breathing hard, all around her is turning black again, she's trying to get up but her body isn't responding.

Hunk is raising his gun again, pointing to her chest, about to pull the trigger when...

Hunk falls in front of her, crying in pain; one hand on the back of his head, behind him stands Claire with a toaster in both hands, the corner of the device dripping blood. Claire has beaten the unknown man with a toaster, which at another time would have been funny to Alice.

"Are you ok?" Claire is saying, throwing the toaster on the floor. Hunk is leaving a mess with his bloody hands as he struggles to get to his feet.

"Ru… uu..n…" Alice is trying to speak but she can't. Her body is refusing to do as she commands it.

Hunk is standing on his feet in no time, blood pouring from his shoulder and head; he aims his gun at Claire's chest.

No! Alice thinks. Not her.

She tries to stand with the little strength she still has left. But Hunk keeps her on the ground by placing his foot on her chest; she can feel two or three ribs broken. Alice tries to lift his foot, looking at Claire.

"Claire run!" She shouts with all the strength left in her.

Everything moves as if in slow motion. Claire is walking backwards, staring in horror at the man that means to kill her. Hunk squeezes the trigger not wasting time and not allowing her time to duck. Alice looks as the bullet leaves the man's gun, something happens inside of her, something is triggered; an almost explosive force rips through her mind and body.

Claire has closed her eyes, as if this would stop the pain she expects to feel. When nothing happens, she opens them again and gasps. The bullet meant for her is floating in mid-air, centimeters from her chest. A confused and surprised Hunk is also looking at the floating bullet, he moves toward her as he pulls the trigger again and again, and each time the bullets just hover, as through an invisible barrier surrounds her.

Claire darts her eyes to Alice, stunned that the woman's eyes are wide open, her pupils fully dilated, fixated on the floating ammo. She rises, her body rigid as she turns to a stunned Hunk and kicks his leg out from under him, breaking it with a sickening crack.

The bullets fall to the ground with a clang. Hunk is in the ground, leg hanging like a rag doll. Alice is above Hunk, who looks at her with horror.

"What the fuck?" Claire says, not sure of what just happened. Not sure if she's alive or just dead and imagining things in her head. Alice just ignores her, grabbing the guy's backpack and tossing it at Claire.

"Alice! Tell me what's happening!"

Alice looks at the other woman with wild eyes. "Open it"

Claire takes a few steps back, scared.

"Claire, What's he got in there?" Hunk tries to stand but Alice stops him placing her foot on his chest. "Who are you?" Kicking him down and listening to him groan. "Who are you?"

Claire is reviewing the man's backpack still stunned.

"Who are you?! Tell me who you are! Who sent you? "Alice's bearing down. "Tell me!"

Hunk is staring back, mouth shut, his expression is pure fear.

"WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?"

"Alice ..."

"TELL ME!"

"ALICE!"

Alice turns to the other woman; Claire is watching her with horror, backpack in one hand and a piece of paper in the other.

"What?"

"This ... this is my picture ... he's got my picture. "She's holding it up, in horror. "This is me, this is Zurich ... this ... shit… this is too much…"

Before Alice can say or do something the other woman is walking towards the bleeding Hunk, nudging Alice to the side.

"Where does this come from?" She begins, gripping the hem of his shirt. "Why do you have my picture?"

"Claire, just ..." Alice tries to speak but is interrupted by a murderous look from Claire.

"Where did you get my picture?" Claire is yelling. She's shaking him violently. "Who the fuck are you?"

"Let me do this, okay?" Alice is approaching the other woman.

"Do what?" Alice is trying to release the man from Claire's grip. "What are you doing? He's got my God damn picture! He was trying to kill us! I'm gonna ..."

Now there's knocking at the door and the concierge can be clearly heard, she's calling urgently.

"Mademoiselle Abernathy! Mademoiselle! What's going on? Is everything all right in there? ... "She keeps banging.

Claire is trying to kick Hunk with her foot, he is bleeding and shaking while Alice is holding Claire back preventing her from reaching the downed man, all the while desperately trying to think of a solution.

Suddenly Hunk is moving. And fast. He springs onto his good leg, Alice moves Claire aside trying to protect her from the attack but it never comes. Hunk is not attacking; he's running away. There's nowhere to go, absolutely nowhere except...

The window. Hunk is putting all his efforts into the last stride. The window shattering, and Hunk in a cloud of broken grass, sixty feet above the street, is falling and falling until he hit the ground with an aggressive impact, landing on the roof of a parked car.

Alice is in motion, doing five things at once, checking the window, grabbing the red bag, grabbing what she can from the drawers of the desk, grabbing the backpack from Claire's hands and trying to think what to do. There's no time to spare.

The concierge is still outside the door. "I'm calling the police, Mademoiselle! You give me no choice! I'm calling them right away! "

"Great." Alice scoffs.

Claire is standing there in utter shock, paralyzed. "He's dead isn't he?"

Alice looks up at her; they look at each other for a moment without speaking.

"Claire, there's no time…"

"He went out the window. Why? Why would someone do that?"

"We can't stay here. I can't stay here, it's not safe."

"He came to kill us."

"I can get us out of here, but we have to go now."

"You knew he was coming?"

"No."

"I trusted you."

"You're wrong. I didn't know. I swear to you, I didn't know."

"I don't trust anybody but I trusted you! And… and you work for Umbrella"

"I don't! I…. I didn't know this would happen."

"He had my picture! He knew I was here; you're the only one who knows that! He came here to kill…"

"Us Claire, he came to kill us. And where is he now?" That stops Claire's ranting for a minute. "And you were trying to kill him too, with that toaster…"

Claire gasps.

"Omygod…omygod… Why would I do that? What was I thinking?"

"I'd like to think you were protecting me…"

"I was not!" Claire snorted indignantly. "This… this shitty thing is your fault!"

Alice rolled her eyes. "You believe what you want, but I'm telling you the truth. I never would have brought you here if I thought it was dangerous." Alice is waving her hand around. "And yes, I used to work for Umbrella but I was working against them as a double agent. I was trying to bring them down"

"God…He was going to kill us and then…" She stops looking at Alice like she's from outer space, completely overwhelmed. "You… he was… the bullets… what the fuck?"

"Look, right now is not the time for this." Alice has finished packing and she's grabbing Claire's hands now looking at her straight in the eye. "We need to get out of here! Then I'll explain everything, I swear but first we need to get away…"

"We?" Claire is snorting sarcastically. "There's no "we" Alice!"

Silence. Alice looks as I she has been struck. She releases Claire's hands as she is walking backwards. Hurt. Claire quickly realizes her error.

"I…."

For a moment Alice gazes away still looking hurt, she turns and smiles sardonically. She starts moving around the office, looking for something useful.

"Alice I…"

"Yes, you're right. Stay here, it is better. But I can't stay here. I need to move." Her voice is bitter and cold.

"But the police…" Claire is trying to soothe the conversation.

"No time…" She's moving to the kitchen.

"But…" Claire is right behind her, moving through the shattered glass. "Would you please stop for a second?"

"No time." Alice repeats as she enters the kitchen.

"Oh God. Wait! Come on! We'll explain it."

"We?" She stops and looks at Claire. "There is no "we", isn't that what you said?" Alice throws her words back at her sarcastically.

"I didn't.."

"I need to move…"

"I'm sorry! Ok? But this shit is overwhelming." She says pacing round. "Look, we'll tell everything to the police when they get here, ok?"

"How?" Alice is throwing random food stuff in Hunk's backpack. Cans, bottled water.

"There's two of us. we'll tell them. We'll just…"

"We Claire?" She says sarcastically.

"Stop it!" Claire is grabbing her. "They'll have to believe us, we can explain it…I mean the things that they'll believe, not the force and Jedi stuff but…"

"Forget it."

"We'll tell them what happened!"

"I don't know what happened! I don't know who he is! I don't know what he wants! I don't even know who or what I am! The only thing I know is that if I stay here, I'm never gonna find out!"

That's it, she has already lost too much time with this. She's pulling the backpack on, just about to make her move.

"No, please don't go." Claire is panicking at the thought of Alice leaving her there alone.

Alice heads to the door, walking fast. But Claire is standing still, utterly swamped, lost. And Alice just can't stop the feeling that sits like a rock in her. She turns around.

Shit. This is such a bad idea.

"Come with me," Her voice has softened. Claire is looking at her sadly.

Alice is waiting. "Claire, come with me," It sounds more like a plea.

"We should stay…"

"You know I can't, it's too dangerous. You need to believe me…I… I can get us out of here, I know I can, then we can think and I'll tell you everything I know. I can protect you. Please come with me."

"How can I trust you?"

Alice looks at the floor.

"I don't know… truly…I know all this is my fault, but the idea of not having you around, leaving you here… Shit, I don't want you to get hurt.

Claire has lost her speech, the only thing she can do is look at those mesmerizing eyes. Alice's beautiful blue eyes.

"Ok." She nods. "Ok." She is still looking at Alice as a glint crosses those eyes.

Those deep diamond eyes.

Exit the Paris Apartment building

It's past midnight and a crowd is gathered around Hunks body. Rubberneckers pointing up to the broken window. The lady concierge running out to the street in panic screaming and calling for all the possibly deities she knows. The sound of sirens is bleeding in from the distance and a black mustang is pulling out of the alley, turning away from the scene. Disappearing into the streets of Paris.