Chapter 1-3 Alice Winters
The young Winters felt her head spinning as she was coming back to consciousness. Alice moaned as her eyes began to open. She sat up on what felt like a bed, trying to gather her memories. The last thing she remembered was being attacked by some creature in the forest, only to be saved by some gunshots. She passed out in the snow and got covered in bruises and cuts from that car accident. Alice managed to look around so she could figure out where she was. She was in some sort of large tent, with black walls. It was a pretty large tent, with a lot of furniture here. Mainly many tables and a desk, of which held strange scientific objects like beakers, tubes, dishes, and various chemicals. On the large desk were monitors displaying screens of codes, charts and spreadsheets.
Alice looked down to see that she had been placed in some warm hospital wear and was also laying in the bed. She checked herself over, seeing a few bandages on her arms and legs where the cuts and bruises were. How did she get here? Who helped her? "Well, look who decided to join the land of the living." Alice jumped as she did not recognize that sophisticated, femine voice. Her eyes looked over to the opening flaps of the tent to see someone coming in. A woman wearing a white lab coat approached, having a cane with a sculpted bird on the head. She seemed like an older woman, having a few wrinkles on the dimples of her cheeks. Her hair was auburn brown, what it lacked in length it made up for with volume. Her hair matched the color of her eyes, which were sharp and had long lashes. Alice made an educated guess and assumed that this tent must belong to this woman.
"You took quite the fall there, though that is an understatement given you were in a terrible accident." She told Alice. "What on earth were you thinking? Driving in the middle of the road, out in nowhere in winter while it was pitch black out? Were you asking to crash into a ditch?" The woman placed her hands on her hips, raising a thin brow as her glossy lips were in a line.
Alice shook her head as she got up from the bed, checking herself over before looking at the woman. "W-who are you? Where am I? Where's my brother? Where's Chris?!"
"Are questions the only thing that you are able to speak about?" The woman asked. "How about instead of demanding answers, maybe a 'Thank you for saving my life in the cold forest from a monster?' Or is the concept of gratefulness not applied to Americans?"
Alice wanted to remark about how this woman called her out like that. Was it too much to get some answers for her questions? Though, one thing did catch her off guard at her sentence. "How did you know I wasn't local?"
"Well your accent mostly gave it away. But I read over your files, Alice Winters." Alice jumped as this woman knew who she was. But, what did she mean files? "I am Dr. Anastasia, a member of the BSAA, leading scientist if you will."
"W-wait… Dr. Anastasia?" Alice blinked as she heard that name. Since she was a part time scientist of the BSAA, she heard about the elder scientist that was the first one recruited when the organization was just starting out. "You're the one who found a cure for the T-Veronica Virus, the T-Phobos Virus, the C-Virus and even the Uroboros Virus! Your work is legendary in the BSAA!"
"So you have heard of me." A smirk appeared on Dr. Anastasia's face, while looking at the younger Winters.
"I heard so much about you from my peers. But, I never got the chance to meet you." Alice heard some stories about her. Dr. Anastasia was known to have been very demanding and also bossy. She tended to get her way and wanted things to be run in her own image. However, while she may come off as cold, she's also brilliant. She is the leading scientist in charge of examining the viruses and parasites that the BSAA collects in order to create treatments and vaccines to fight against them. It was not an easy job, but it certainly had its rewards.
The woman approached Alice in her heels, using her cane to walk over. "Well, consider this an honor." The female scientist reached her hand out towards Alice with a smile. "But do not think of me as some sort of hero. All I did was break down the genetic coding of each virus, re-engineer the data to create antibodies to form a vaccine, and managed to cure many lives. Surely anyone who had the same brain functions as me would be capable of doing such tasks. Then again, if such people existed, I wouldn't be here, would I?"
Alice ended up reaching over to shake hands with this person. Even though this was their first time meeting, Alice had a pretty strong sense that this woman would be on her side. And right now, she could use all the help she could get in terms of answers at least. "Now that the introductions are out of the way, I assume you want to get right down to business. Such as wanting answers to the questions you just asked." Alice should have figured that was what Dr. Anastasia was referring to. Either this woman was that perceptive, or she could somehow read minds. "Well rest assured you will get them, but first best to get you dressed. Your clothes are over on that crate. We managed to clean and patch them up. Luckily they didn't sustain too much damage."
The blond woman turned to where a pile of the clothing were, heading to the crate and picked up her pants which had some designer holes in them, her brown snow boots, white t-shirt along with her violet puffy jacket. She was relieved to have recovered them, and decided to get dressed right then and there. Taking off her night wear and placing on her undergarments first. The doctor in the room held up her hand to cover her eyes as she looked away. "Oh my! I see you Americans don't know the term 'decency' either."
"What? We're both women." Alice pointed out.
"Yes, but the least you could do was give someone a warning."
"Alright… I'm changing." Alice joked as she went on to get the rest of her clothing. Dr. Anastasia merely rolled her eyes, not wanting to fight on this one. Back in her regular clothing, Alice tied her hair up in a ponytail then turned to the older woman. "So, can I get some answers for my questions now?"
"Impatient I see. But given your predicament, I do not blame you. However, in exchange, may I request that you tell me about what happened to you?" Alice thought it over. Anastasia had been generous to have helped her out. And if she was with the BSAA, it meant they were involved with this. If so, she could figure out what was going on through the doctor. The blond nodded, agreeing to those terms. Though even when she was about to open her mouth, the flaps of the tent opened up as someone came inside. This one was of a slender woman dressed in all black. She had her silver blond hair in a bun as her piercing blue eyes looked over at the burnette.
"Dr. Anastasia, we managed to handle the specimen you brought. It's ready for dissection."
"Thank you, Tundra." Dr. Anastasia smiled.
The newcomer gave a small nod towards the BSAA member, before turning her gaze over at Alice. "I see our guest is up." Alice just glared at the woman. Part of her didn't trust this lady, though she didn't know why.
"This guest is also known as Alice Winters." Dr. Anastasia stated.
"Wait?! The Alice Winters? The one that Alpha has been talking about?" Tundra questioned.
"Alpha?" Alice repeated. That must have been the name of their team leader, at least a code name. Hold on… was this woman referring to…
"Yes, but do not berate her with any questions. She just woke up and is looking for answers instead. The last thing we want is to trouble her and make her believe we are integrating her."
"But… shouldn't we do that?" Tundra questioned.
"Does this look like a prison camp? You have your orders, and you are expected to follow them." Dr. Anastasia noted as her brown eyes glared at the soldier. "Besides, this woman is under my care, so you nor your other lackeys may touch her without mine or her permission. You're supposed to be soldiers, I don't pay you to think unless it involves combat tactics. Even then, your displays are considered questionable and even on the level of an ameturer at times. I put you as part of this BSAA branch because Redfield seems to have seen potential in you all. However, I have yet to see that said potential myself."
"W-Wait!" Alice caught the attention of the other women, turning their heads to her. "Did you say Redfield?! As in Chris Redfield?! He's here?!"
"A friend of yours?" Dr. Anastasia questioned.
"More like the guy who brought me here." Alice stated in an irritated tone. Anastasia and Tundra looked over at her, wondering what the story between the two were.
Though Anastasia had an incline idea of what was happening herself. However, she was not one to make decisions until she had the whole picture. "Emily Berkhoff," The scientist looked over at the woman in the bun. "Would you kindly take Miss Winters to where Chris Redfield is?"
Emily jumped as she looked at Anastasia. "B-but Alpha is-"
"I'm sorry, are you refusing an order?" Anastasia looked at her, crossing her arms over her chest as she gave a glaring feature. "As I stated before, you are a soldier, your job is to follow orders and shoot when you are told. I may not be your superior officer, but I hold as high a power in this squad as your leader, who only got that position because of me. Now, I am a busy woman and this young lady needs some answers, which Redfield should have the knowledge to give to her."
"Yes, but he is in the middle of-"
"Whatever he is working on, I'm sure he can take five, ten minutes to tell Alice Winters about why she is here and what we are working on. Surely he can manage such a simple task as that. And I am certain that you can follow my request." Her smile widened as her eyes looked over at the soldier. "I trust you will follow the order without any question?" Emily looked at Dr. Anastasia, opening her mouth to speak. However, Alice noticed that as the scientist glared harshly at Miss Berkhoff, the blond woman's face lost any resilience and soon shut her mouth.
"O-of course, Dr. Anastasia." Tundra turned towards the other blond. "Come along, Alice Winters. I'll show you to Redfield." Alice didn't object, she merely followed this soldier woman out of the scientist tent. When she went out, she noticed that there were many more tents scattered around, almost like a base camp. There were a few other people around the area, though there weren't too many. They seemed busy though, walking around carrying many things in their arms.
"So, what exactly are you guys doing out here? Did the BSAA station you out here for some special mission?" Alice joked as she kept up with Emily.
"Are you usually this sarcastic?"
"Only when I'm at my limit. And you do not want to be on that end." Alice warned.
Emily shook her head. "You sound like Dr. Anastasia…"
"I'll take that as a compliment. After all, she seems like a dependable woman."
"Well, I won't argue with that. She actually funded this small task force." Emily stated.
Alice shrugged, but figured that made the most sense. "So… what is this task force? And why are you all the way out here?"
"Wouldn't you rather hear this from Redfield if he'll just explain it all?"
"Look, I had to get out of a car after rolling around in the snow, fight off some beasts in the woods, all while looking for my brother and his family. I want some answers, and at this point I don't care who gives them to me. At the very least, tell me what and why you are here."
Emily sighed as she marched along the pathway. "We are called the Hound Wolf Squad. While we are an elite task force of the BSAA, we are a separate unit from the organization."
"What do you mean separate?" Alice questioned.
"We were founded in 2018 by Chris Redfield. He grew distrustful of the BSAA after they chose to cover up the Baker House Incident."
"You mean the Mold and Eveline?" Alice questioned. She was aware of the Baker House Incident, since Chris told her all about it while she was undergoing some training. She knew that Eveline was a B.O.W created by a rival organization of Umbrella, a former bio-weapon manufacturer that was destroyed years ago. While Eveline and her Mold influence managed to be destroyed, there were many victims that had been captured by her. Though something didn't sit right with Alice. "But, why is Chris upset about that? I mean, wouldn't it have been better that no one knows the truth so something like this doesn't happen? After all, if someone finds out about a real-life bio-weapon, wouldn't they be curious and try to mimic it themselves?"
"Have you been living under a rock lately?" Tundra jokes. "Bio-terrorism isn't exactly a new concept. It's been the backbone of so many attacks and destruction for almost twenty-five years, possibly longer. Many places were destroyed because some deluded scientists wanted to play god. From the Arklay County with the T-Virus, Raccoon City with the G-Virus, many villages in Spain and South America with the T-Veronica Virus and Las Plagas. Parts of China were infected with the C-Virus, half of the continent of Africa with the Urobors virus. Don't even get me started on that inhabited island in the Baltic Sea with the T-Phobos Virus and those cruise ships as well as Terragrigia with the T-Abyss Virus."
"I didn't ask for a list of the tragedies over the years. I want you to get to the point." Alice stated as she was once again feeling her patience was growing thin.
"The point being, the whole world knows about B.O.W's and the viruses that plagued so many countries. The BSAA never denied any of it… until Eveline." That did make Alice raise a brow. The BSAA was created in order to combat bioterrorism attacks. At that point, everyone knew what was going on, and it would help get the victims of those viruses and weapons some closure. So for them to be so secretive of the Mold, with many victims both local and tourists, that had been going on for three years, how could no one rule out B.O.W's?
"What exactly did the BSAA say was the cause of that incident?" Alice questioned.
"They dubbed it as a gas leak." Tundra answered.
"That definitely smells like a conspiracy, no pun intended."
Tundra nodded. "Alpha thought the same thing. It's why he wanted to create this squad. He wanted to be separated from the BSAA and look more into this."
"And how did he do that? Chris is more of shooting and eliminating mutants, not a man who creates and manages his own organization. He may be a soldier, but not a smart one."
Emily smirked as she walked further along. "Well, it was Dr. Anastasia who orchestrated this unit." Alice once again had many questions, though she did figure as much. Anastasia seemed more like the brains behind this operation, given how much authority she had over the other soldiers. Tundra kept going. "She also noticed that the BSAA was making some questionable choices, so when Redfield decided to branch out from them, she agreed to help out and fund them. On the condition she would be the scientist here. Of course, she still works for the BSAA, but she spends most of her time with us."
Alice nodded, taking all of this into account. Anastasia sure was a complex woman. She took her work very seriously, however she also appeared to be the top person according to her. She talked down to people that she sees are below her status wise, but could be nice to those who treat her with respect. She also seemed to keep emotions out of her workplace, yet was not shy to raise her voice at anyone who dare cross her. These were all the things that Alice heard about the scientist from the other peers in her lab. Again, Alice wanted to know more about Dr. Anastasia. After all, she felt like her and Alice were one in the same. "So… did her and Redfield ever wonder why the BSAA covered the Baker House Incident?" She asked.
Tundra shrugged. "From what I gathered, they believed that the BSAA didn't want to admit their failure to eliminate Eveline in Munich before she could board the Annabelle. Even though it seems like a poor excuse, given they managed to take her down regardless."
"So is that why you're out in Europe?" Alice questioned. "Is it related to the Baker Incident?"
"You're very perceptive. Actually, Dr. Anastasia has determined that the origins of the Mold came from Europe. Specifically, around this area." Alice was slightly surprised by that. So this country was where Eveline came from? That explained why they were stationed here. And if they could find the origins of the Mold, then perhaps they could get some questions in regards to the BSAA's coverup. Though Alice had to wonder, if this was the same Mold around the area, did it affect any of the residents? And could that be the reason why Chris wanted to take Ethan and his family away?
"Alright, we're almost there…" Emily stated as they approached a tent as large as Dr. Anastasia's, with the symbol of a wolf print on the fabric. Looked like that was their logo, as the Hound Squad unit. As they approached, a man walked out of the flaps and stood up. He was a tall fellow with dark skin and a patchy beard. His brown eyes looked over at the two women approaching. "Greetings, Canine." Emily greeted the soldier by his code name.
"Hey Tundra, I see Dr. Anastasia's guest is finally up." Canine stated in a thick accent.
"Yes, she requested to see Alpha." Tundra explained. Canine gave a nod as he walked away, probably not planning on staying. Alice didn't blame him. "So, do you want me to go inside with you?" Tundra asked.
Alice shook her head. "I'd rather do this myself if you don't mind." Tundra shrugged, deciding not to get in the way. She stayed outside of the tent while the blond took a deep breath. She headed inside, looking around. At the center of the small space, she could see a man wearing a black trench coat dressed up in warm layers. He looked at what appeared to have been a map. "Chris Redfield!" Alice called him. The man looked up, blinking a few times as he stared at the woman as she approached.
"A-Alice?" Chris was confused at first, wondering how she had gotten here. Though it was quickly replaced as he smiled at her, reminiscing in her company. "Jesus, I knew you'd be in the country, but I didn't think you would-" His sentence was cut off as a hand collided with his cheek, turning his head to the side from the impact.
Alice glared hatefully towards Chris as she practically spat at him. "You piece of shit! What the fuck were you thinking?!" Redfield slowly looked up at Alice as she kept scolding him. "It's one thing to put me through hell, but taking my brother and his family by force in the middle of nowhere without so much as telling me?! After I was going to see them yesterday, which you knew!"
"Alice… you don't understand-"
"OH I DON'T UNDERSTAND!" She screamed, slamming her hands on the surface of the table. "How can I understand anything when you and your Hound Squad are keeping secrets from me!? You took away Ethan after you promised you'd keep him safe!"
Chris rubbed his cheek where Alice had slapped him, as he tried to remain calm. He could have easily overpowered her, but knew for a fact that would do neither of them any good. "Alice, please listen. We're trying to help your brother."
"Really?" Alice remarks with sarcasm. "Tell me, what kind of help comes in an armored military truck driven by gun wielding soldiers?"
Chris winced at her sarcastic tone, but tried to keep reasoning. "You don't know what's going on."
"You think I don't know why your squad exists?! What are you trying to do!? I know that something is going on, with these monsters running around! And I know this is about the Mold from Eveline! That's where those creatures came from, isn't it?! The same ones that attacked me!?"
"Attacked you?!" Chris repeated, growing increasingly concerned.
"If that is why you wanted to get my brother out of there, that's one thing! But explain to me why you had to knock him out and drag him!?" Alice's volume raised as her harshness increased towards Chris.
Redfield raised up his hands to protect himself, trying to show the woman he meant no harm. "Alice, let me explain. Your brother was being targeted by someone who wanted to take your niece. We had to infiltrate the house and secure the subjects along with the spy. I had to take Ethan and Rosemary away to investigate."
"And you didn't tell me this while I was heading over there?!"
"I know you're upset-"
"I'm livid! Chris Redfeild, I have put up with a lot of your bullshit over the years! But you not informing me about this is crossing the line!"
"I didn't want to get any civilians involved."
"It's too fucking late for that!" Alice stated. "Ethan and I got involved the moment that we stepped foot in Louisiana. If there was anything that would have put us in danger, you should have told us!"
"This is a matter of those outside of the BSAA, and you still technically work for them." Chris pointed out as he was starting to lose his demeanor.
"Yeah! Part time! And I only joined so I could see my brother, because you wouldn't let me!" Alice pointed her finger in his face. "I have suffered for the past six years, as well as Ethan! And half of that was before the Dulvey Incident!"
"Alice Winters…"
"Chris Redfield…!" The two stared at one another, the tension so thick between the two that you would need a knife just to cut it. Clearly both of them wanted to defend their side, and neither showed any sign of backing down.
"What on earth is going on here?" The two were only able to turn away from each other when they heard a woman call to them. A certain brunette was standing in the entrance of the tent with her arms crossed.
"D-Dr. Anastasia!" Chris Redfield and Alice Winters said in unison, much to the dismay of the blond woman. "I… Night Howl told me you were going to begin the dissection of your specimen…" Chris stated as she approached him with a raised brow. She remained silent for a long while as her eyes were not taken off from the man himself.
"Uh… Dr. Anastasia?" Alice called to the woman, trying to get her attention. Though at the moment, it seemed like suicide just to get close to this scientist.
"Are you done with your conversation with Redfield, Miss Winters?" Dr. Anastasia asked while turning to Alice, for a split second looking very calm in demeanor. Alice didn't trust it though, but she also didn't object either. Though she didn't have time to protest as Dr. Anastasia looked at Chris again. "I just had a conversation with Dion Wilson, aka Canine. I asked him where you, he, Night Howl and Lobo were during the hours between 1930 and 2200, while I was mapping out the area of the village." Her smile widened, but for the wrong reasons. Chris gulped as he looked at the older woman as what Alice could only assume was fear in his eyes. "He informed me that you ended up going to the Winters estate."
"W-what… is it a crime for me to check up on Ethan and his family?" Chris questioned without making eye contact with her.
"I never forbid you to go and check up on Ethan Winters. But what I find very peculiar is that you not only took over half of the unit, but you also ended up taking many firearms as well as a large transport truck."
Chris began to stutter, as if he was trying to get an answer out of his body. Instead, Alice spoke up. "The same one that you dragged my brother and his family into before driving off!"
The scientist turned over to Alice when the blond interjected, then turned back to Chris Redfield as her smile was replaced with a scowl. "Are you out of your goddamn mind, Redfield!?" Her voice began to raise as her heels clicked with each step she took towards the captain. "All I have asked of you since I founded the Hound Wolf Squad was for us to be able to discuss our plans together! I specifically told you and your party not to go anywhere near the Winters Estate until we had found a way to neutralize the target!"
"Dr. Anastasia, you have to understand. We were running out of time, and Miranda was going to-" Chris was cut off from his sentence as the bird end of the doctor's staff came into contact with his head, hitting it and causing him to wince in pain.
"I gave you your orders to stand down, and what do you do?! Go in guns blazing! I know you are soldiers, but when I tell you to shoot, you shoot and not at any other times!"
Chris rubbed his head which still had radiating pain, but he held it down. "I didn't know all of my opinions and decisions needed to be reported to you. I am the leader here, I should have the final say in these decisions."
"I have been in the BSAA and the lead scientist when it was first established! I have also been working on the cures and antibodies for so many viruses, parasites and mold for the last 18 years! And this Mold has been number one on my main list of bioterrorism to take care of! I was going to create a fully planned out course to take to secure the target without scaring both Ethan and Rosemary. Now how do you think that stunt you pulled made me look?!"
"How you look?! Are you seriously concerned about appearances when lives were at stake?!" Chris blurted back, which earned him another whack on the head.
"You don't think that is a concern of mine?! Why do you think I didn't want you to go in using force?! Hasn't Ethan been through enough?! And you decide to traumatize him even more by shooting the person who looked like his wife and taking his newborn daughter away without even so much as giving some sort of explanation?!"
Alice intervened in the conversation upon what Dr. Anastasia stated. "You shot Mia?!" Alice shouted right at Redfield.
"That wasn't Mia!" Chris declared.
"Ethan didn't know that! And I'm pretty certain he still doesn't know and considers you the man who shot his wife!" Dr. Anastasia retorted.
Alice couldn't handle watching them argue over things she was not able to understand. Between Ethan being taken, Mia being shot, those strange creatures in the woods and talking about viruses, mold and parasites, she lost what little shred of patience she had and pretty much blew up at the both of them. "Will either of you tell me what the hell is going on here?! Where's my brother?! What did you do to Mia?! Why did you take him and his family?!"
The Alpha and scientist looked over at the blond, seeing how exasperated she was and became increasingly upset. Dr. Anastasia sighed as she knew how fed up Alice Winters was becoming. It was clear the older woman didn't blame her. "The reason why we are here is because we are on a lead in regards to the Dulvey Incident."
"Dr. Anastasia, we shouldn't be talking about this to a-"
"Alice Winters is not a mere civilian." Dr. Anastasia cut Chris off once more as she used the but of her staff to knock his gut, which caused him to step back. "She is involved in this as much as Ethan, so she has every right to know the truth. Besides, she has been through the proper training and is associated with the BSAA, so she can be in the loop so long as she does not disclose this information to the original BSAA, I am going to tell her everything."
"Yeah, whatever. I'm not interested in the BSAA right now. I just want to make sure my brother and his family are safe." Alice shrugged.
Dr. Anastasia gave a small nod as she began to speak with Alice now. "I assume you know from Tundra the reason we are here is to investigate the origin of the Mold which created Eveline. We managed to find out that the source of the Mold is being controlled by a singular person named Miranda. She infiltrated your brother's house by taking Mia away and disguising herself as her. We were aware of the situation and were planning to neutralize her so we can get information."
"Which we were able to take care of!" Chris Redfield stated as he looked at them.
"Redfield-"
"I know it's not what we agreed to, but I didn't want to take any chances! Miranda was unpredictable and we didn't know how long it would be until she would take Rosemary. We couldn't waste anymore time."
"If Miranda was going to take Rosemary that night, she would have! She could have easily killed Ethan the first time and taken Rosemary away. She has the power!"
"You're the one who said she knew we were watching her. Of course she wouldn't take Rose." Chris added. "But we didn't know what she would do!"
"And you think that gave you the reason to storm the place, shoot off your guns like you were robbing a bank in the 1950's, and forcibly take that man and his daughter away in the middle of the night?!" Dr. Anastasia questioned rhetorically.
"I know you are upset, and I will take full responsibility. But I had to act fast. Besides, we didn't know if Ethan had been infected by Miranda, so we couldn't tell him in case it made her suspicious."
"Do you honestly think that if Ethan was possessed by Miranda, he would be asking about Louisiana when she herself was avoiding the subject? That should have been your first give away that Ethan wasn't under her control!"
"What matters now is that Miranda is taken care of, and Ethan and Rosemary Winters are transferred to their safehouse. We eliminated the target, recovered the body and she should be on the way here." Chris reassured.
Alice scoffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "If they survived the crash, that is."
Redfield looked over at Alice in confusion, before Dr. Anastasia further explained. "Umber Eyes had informed me that the truck carrying the Winters and the target did not reach the destination. In fact, earlier this morning before dawn, he managed to get a call from someone who did not sound like one of the soldiers in charge of the transportation." The older woman held up a rectangular phone as she pressed a few buttons before showing off the screen as an audio log was being played out.
"About damn time! What's your status? Is the package safe?"
"What are you talking about? Where's Chris Redfield, and Rose?" Alice jumped as she heard that voice, recognizing it as her brother's.
"Who is this? This is a secure channel, you are not authorized to use this-" The audio ended, as Anastasia raised a brow towards Chris. Redfield stared with wide eyes, as he let that information sink in. She set the phone back in her pocket as Dr. Anastasia had that judgemental glare at him.
"When I confronted Umber Eyes, he explained your plan to me!" Chris tried to prepare himself, but was unable to stop the force of her cane right onto his head again. "You insufferable, unintelligent, and low-life of a man! You had military training and experience with B.O.W's for over twenty years, and your best idea was to not only take Miranda on the same route as where you were taking Ethan and Rosemary Winters, but to have her in the same vehicle?!"
Chris panted as he kept rubbing his head after taking a blow from the older woman. "W-We assumed she was dead… we put so many bullets into her… we didn't know-"
"Didn't know?! DIDN'T KNOW?! More like you didn't think!" Again, another whack to his head. The poor bird at the end of the staff must have been suffering, though not as much as Redfield. "I told you, the FIRST thing I told you when we found out about Miranda was to NEVER underestimate her! I also told you that Miranda could take the form of anyone with the Megamycete, so it would stand to reason she could also mimic a corpse! How many times have I told you that bullets are not always the answer?!"
"I-it worked in the past…" Chris moaned as his head was starting to bruise. He then turned over to Alice, as if expecting her to help him out. The younger Winters was not interested, after what she had heard.
Dr. Anastasia noticed this and whacked him again. "Don't you dare ask for her to help you! No one is going to help you! Jesus Christ could walk through that tent right now, and he would not be able to save you from my wrath!" Once again, another staff slam went to his head. Alice was surprised he didn't get a concussion at this point. Then again, Chris Redfield was usually empty headed. "This is what I get for trusting someone who uses his guts for battle strategies! I swear, you are beyond words at this point."
"Dr. Anastasia, please, calm down!" He was begging at this point.
"I most certainly will not calm down! I can't leave you alone for a whole hour without you going behind my back and planning. I literally have to follow you, observe your every move like you're a toddler reaching for sweets. You are going to drive me insane at this point! And if that happens, I will take you and this whole squad with me!"
Alice watched as Dr. Anastasia was punishing Chris like an 1800's teacher punishing a school boy with a ruler. The ruler in this case being her staff. Alice remained silent, mostly because a side of her enjoyed watching Chris getting scolded for his incompetence. A sight which was rare to see, given his reputation. The fact that Dr. Anastasia being allowed to give him this treatment truly showed her superiority over the Hound Wolf Squad. Of course, as much as Alice would like for this to continue, this was not going to give her Ethan and his family back. She needed help and so did he.
"Uh… excuse me?" Alice called out, causing both Chris and Anastasia to look over at the blond. Once all eyes were on her, she knew it was time for her to speak up. "Look, it's true that Chris is incapable of being trusted with going further into this… operation or whatever you call it. So, it might be better if you can handle the tasks from now on, given how much more informed you are about the conditions. Personally, I don't give a damn about what you're trying to do or what kind of stuff you have to blow up, what boulders you have to punch, or how many of those monsters you have to put lead into. I just want to make sure my brother, my sister-in-law and my niece are safe. I'll be happy to offer any of my services in exchange for the help and safety of my family, Ma'am."
Dr. Anastasia placed her cane on the ground, away from Redfield much to his relief. The young man sighed as he listened to Alice, while a gleam came to the older woman's eyes. "Ma'am? My, here I thought you didn't have any manners."
"Well, I only respect those that are capable of the tasks before them. Not to mention you seem to be the one who is truly in charge here." Alice spoke the answers that Dr. Anastasia wanted to hear, whether they were right or wrong. That seemed to have been the correct debate, as a smile spread on the scientist's face.
"I've heard many things about you and your brother, Alice Winters. But mostly stuff about you, in regards to your training and chemistry skills. The things I've heard were very promising, and you did not disappoint when I found you in the woods." Alice perked up when she mentioned that. So it was this woman who saved her back there before she blacked out? She was not only capable, but badass in Alice's eyes. Dr. Anastasia headed towards the exit of the tent, passing by Chris but stopped when she was next to Alice. "If you truly wish to save your brother and his family, then I will gladly have you be part of this mission. Of course, that means that you will have to follow my orders and my orders alone. But in regards to equipment and resources, I will give you whatever you need, courtesy of the Hound Wolf Squad. If you are serious, meet me at my tent and I will explain everything. I hope to see you there, Alice Winters." She then headed out of the tent, leaving Alice alone with Chris who managed to get himself back up on his feet.
Alice gave a sigh, as she already knew what the answer would be. The blond turned around to see Redfield, who stared at her with an expression of guilt and regret. "A-Alice I-"
She turned back and glared with ice in her pupils, her face a stony expression. "I bet Piers would be happy to know the choices you made potentially cost someone else their life. You are not the Chris Redfield they say you are… Not to me or my brother." That was all she said to him before turning her back on him, then walked out of the tent. He couldn't even respond to her, that hurt him both physically and emotionally.
When Alice was out of the tent, she was once again greeted by the woman with the bun in her head. Tundra looked as if she had been waiting for her. Along with someone else by her side, a white guy with light brown mop hair and a few stubbles. She looked over at them, raising a brow. "How much did you hear back there?"
"Enough to hear Alpha getting in trouble with Dr. Anastasia." The man chuckled with a sly smirk on his face. "Can't believe after twenty years of battling B.O.W's, it only took a middle aged woman and her cane to bring him down."
"Are you going to keep making fun of our captain, Night Howl?" Tundra questioned.
"Hey, he was the one that made the final decision to go against Dr. Anastasia. I was just following orders." He raised his hands up in defense. "Besides, it is kind of funny."
"I was just a spectator… though I would have loved to join in." Alice admitted as she began to walk off, heading towards the tent where she came from. Tundra and Night Howl followed behind her.
"So, are you gonna do it?" Night Howl questioned.
"Excuse me?" Alice turned her head to look at the man in question.
Tundra rolled her eyes as she further explained. "He wants to know if you are going to be part of this." Alice turned back to face forward while walking. She remained silent, but Tundra kept probing. "I mean, you do seem like a good candidate if Dr. Anastasia trusts you." That made Alice turn back to face that woman as they walked forward.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Redfield may be our leader, but Dr. Anastasia is the one pulling the strings. She founded the Hound Wolf Squad, helped give us our equipment, hired us, all that stuff. She just put Redfield in the shooting gallery because of his experience in the military and B.O.W elimination."
"That explains their dynamic." Alice noted with a slight chuckle.
"If you can even call it that." Night Howl mocked. "But Dr. Anastasia doesn't just allow anyone into this side project of hers. The fact she's taken an interest in you, shows that she believes you are capable."
"Or maybe she sees that I'm the only one taking this matter seriously." Alice retorted.
Night Howl nudged the other woman in his platoon and smiled. "I see the connection between her and the Doc."
Both women rolled their eyes at the remark, though Alice didn't mind being compared to Dr. Anastasia. After all, she seemed to have been the only one around here who had any common sense. And if she was willing to help Alice get Ethan back, then she would trust her. At this point, what other options did she have?
"Well, good luck." Tundra waved her hand as she walked away with Night Howl when they reached the tent. Alice looked at the entrance, taking in a deep breath as she knew there was no going back. Once she entered that tent, she would no doubt end up in a world of weird and scary places. Then again, after what she went through in Louisiana, she was confident in her skills. And if Ethan, Mia and Rosemary were in danger, how could she say no? Alice gripped the fabric of the tent and opened it, walking straight into the make-shift lab and went to the scientist.
Dr. Anastasia was there, sitting at a large table with two chairs. She sat at one, looking over at the blond with a satisfied smile. "So, you have agreed to this task." It wasn't a question, Dr. Anastasia knew Alice would come here.
The blond shrugged as she approached the table and sat on the opposite chair. "Honestly, what choice do I have? Between my brother and his family in danger, and Chris not doing a damn thing about it. I am all in."
Anastasia could sense her distress, as the older woman placed some files on the surface of the table. "Well then, let me give you the details of what you will be up against. First, I want to be aware of what you know in regards to the 'Fungal Root' of the Dulvey Louisiana incident."
"You mean the core of a Mold super-colony that has the ability to affect people both physically and mentally? I got to know about it through Redfield after he met up with me and the surviving Bakers." Alice explained.
"That's the basic premise." Anastasia stated. "But each Mold can have different properties and abilities. For example, the Dulvey fungal root spread for miles beneath swamplands into houses and salt mines for three years. Taking control of so many people and transforming them into plant based monsters who had no will of their own, all thanks to the ability of a B.O.W who looked like a ten year old girl."
Alice nodded nonchalantly. "Yes, I am all too familiar with the oil tanker Annabelle, who was swept up in a hurricane in October 2014, who took many victims including my sister-in-law. And even my brother…"
"Luckily the root was destroyed thanks to the BSAA sterilization of the area as well as my serum which neutralized the fungus." Anastasia noted. "We managed to track the origin of that Mold here, and even though it is mostly compatible with Eveline, we found out that this particular Mold in this area has different abilities than the one in America. For example, this Mold has the ability to duplicate and store the conscious minds of those contaminated. We dubbed this Mold here as the 'Megamycete'. It's being housed in a village up in the mountains, far away from society."
"Guess that explains why it took you so long to find it." Alice noted. "So, you're saying that Eveline came from this Megamycete?"
"That is the theory, one we are certain is true. We also believe that this Mold has connections to a cult in that village, referring to the substance as 'The Black God'."
"Black God? Odd and ominous name…" Alice remarked. "So, what do you know about this Black God or Megamycete or whatever you call it?"
"Not much. We only know it's an ancient organism that has resided in this region. We don't know for how long or where it came from, but we know that it has consumed the bodies of many that have been buried in that area. Especially during the Spanish Flu, where the death toll of that country increased and fed the Black God. The death toll was so high that the cemetery was soon full to capacity, forcing many survivors to bury their loved ones outside of the village."
"I feel sorry for the villagers, but it seemed that God was given more food."
"The Megamycete doesn't necessarily 'feed' off of people, it absorbs them. Collects their consciousness and stores it into its roots like a data system. Something that Miranda seemed to have understood."
"Who exactly is this Miranda woman?" Alice questioned, looking over the files as she took in the information.
"Miranda is a resident of the village, and apparently she has high power. In 1919, she discovered the Megamycete in a cave and when she made contact, she was able to access the memories of hundreds of thousands of people that had been absorbed by the fungus over the centuries. The Mold's most noteworthy trait is that it has the ability to take the genetics of those who became one with the fungus as well as their consciousness, storing it within itself. This way, the Megamycete can imprint knowledge of the consciousness stored within the Fungal Root onto a host it has symbiotically bonded with. In this case, Miranda."
Alice rubbed her chin as she looked up to the woman from the files. "So, how did we go from a fungus to a cult?"
"Miranda used the Mold to infect several villagers in order to cure them of their sickness. After all, the Mold can increase healing and resurrection abilities in humans. Even going as far as to immortalize a person."
"Not a bad trait…" Alice shrugged. "Too bad you lose your sanity."
"Yes, if it wasn't for that side effect, I'm sure the Mold would become next in a line of rejuvenation cream for women." Anastasia jokes. "Apparently, this gained Miranda superiority over the local church, proclaiming herself a prophet of this Black God. Of course, the villagers were under the mind-altering effects of the Mold, but it was more than enough to have them abandon their Christian faith and convert them to a pagan cult, where Miranda was addressed as 'Mother'.
"Alice shook her head at the ridiculous story. "This is why I don't believe in religion. It causes more problems than it solves them."
Anastasia waved her hand in the air. "Amen to that, sister."
Alice smiled slightly as she saw the scientist making jokes herself. Though, she was still confused about the main details. "So… why did she disguise herself as my sister-in-law and infiltrate my brother's house?"
Anastasia lost her smile as she stared back at the table, tapping her fingers on the surface lightly. A sense of dread was in her eyes, perhaps with a mix of sympathy. "According to sources, Miranda had a daughter who was born in 1909, Eva was her name."
"Eva?" Alice repeated. Was that were they got the name Eveline? Did that mean Miranda had ties with the organization who created Eveline? That would explain how they got the Mold sample. "What… happened to her?" Alice questioned.
Anastasia remained silent for a while, before explaining in a somber tone. "The child was a victim… of the S-Spanish Flu… She was only ten years old. The poor child…" Alice stayed quiet for a while, as she could sense how upset Anastasia was. She didn't blame her. Losing a child so young would affect anyone, especially the mother.
"You seem sympathetic with that news…" Alice couldn't help but state.
Dr. Anastasia noticed this, coughing a bit as she looked at the one in front of her. "Well, I am a mother myself… and even a grandmother." She admitted.
"Oh? You don't seem like the type to-"
"To?" Anastasia urged her to continue that sentence.
"It's just with your work… I would assume you'd be too busy for a family." Alice stated.
"Well, my daughter and I drifted apart a few years back, and I wanted to live my own life. After all, family is forever, but we have to think about ourselves." She bit her lip as she adjusted the necklace around her skin. "Anyways… one of those people that Miranda was able to see during her first contact with the Megamycete was her daughter, whose body was assimilated almost immediately after her burial."
So Miranda was doing this because of her daughter? That did explain a lot, Alice realized. After all, any mother who lost their child would resort to anything just to bring them back. "So, let me guess… Miranda figured she could find a way to use the Megamycete to bring back Eva?"
Dr. Anastasia nodded. "Miranda began to conduct research on the Mold. She created makeshift labs beneath and around the village. One result of these experiments was called the 'Cadou Parasite'."
"Cadou, which comes from the Romanian word for 'gift'." Alice added.
"Yes, the irony is not yet lost on any of us." Dr. Anastasia stated. "This parasitic nematode was altered by the Mold, and she used it to affect various villagers from peasants to the nobility."
"At least she wasn't classist." Alice pointed out.
"Ah yes, because that is her saving grace to make up for the many lives she ruined." Anastasia made yet another joke.
"So, she implanted these parasites into people for her research?" Alice questioned.
"She wanted to create a superhuman host for Eva's consciousness to manifest into." Anastasia explained. "Unfortunately, the vast majority of the test subjects failed. Either dying outright within a few days, or transforming into monsters. However, it appears there were four promising candidates of the Cadou experiments. They were descendants of the Four Kings who ruled over the region. While they weren't suitable vessels for Eva, Miranda recognized their powers and took them on as her court."
"Which means she's not working alone…" Alice pointed out as she looked back at the files, seeing a page with a picture of an old man in a wheelchair as well as an image of a few people in ski outfits in a winter setting. "What's this?"
"Ah! That is Oswell E. Spencer!" Anastasia answered.
"Spencer? Wait, the founder and creator of the Umbrella Corporation, who helped create the P, T and G virus series? Why is he in these files?" Alice became more curious as she looked at the prints.
"Reports state that in the early 1950's, Miranda rescued him from a hiking expedition and took him on as her research assistant. Of course they had a falling out due to a conflict of interest and ideology. Though there has been evidence that the two kept in touch and continued to hold her in high regards."
"So she was the main inspiration for Umbrella…" Alice realized, having her mind blown. She could only imagine how Chris reacted when he learned of this information. Kind of made her wish she had been there when he found out. "By any chance, was she involved with the H.C.F, or the Connections?"
Anastasia nodded. "In 2000, she was approached by the crime syndicate who wanted to collaborate with her. Creating a B.O.W that was more human, capable of brainwashing enemy combatants in war. She ended up giving them samples of the Megamycete and embryos of Eva."
"So Eveline was the first attempt to bring her daughter back." Alice realized. "But it couldn't have been a success if Miranda didn't take Eveline for herself."
"Yes, she oversaw the development and produced a number of prototypes. All of them were failures. The rest I assume you know what happened next."
Alice nodded. "Mia was tasked with transporting Eveline, got swept up in the storm, then the Dulvey incident. Where my brother went to get her back. That was three years ago…" Alice noted as she placed the files away from her. Taking a deep breath, she looked at Anastasia. "Is that why Miranda went after Ethan?"
Anastasia nodded as she sighed. "Reports indicated that there was a mole in the BSAA, who was in kahoots with Miranda. They informed her about Eveline's death and the Winters, who were responsible for her destruction. Once she learned they had a child, she thought that Rose would be an ideal host for Eva. So she abducted Mia and used her DNA to transform herself into your sister-in-law. I managed to find out something was off right away, since we have been investigating Miranda since the Baker Incident. I told that imbecile Redfield that we should have approached this infiltration delicately since we were unaware of Miranda's powers and we shouldn't cause Ethan any more stress! But of course, he decided the best course of action was to gun her down through the dining room window and put her body in the same car with Ethan and Rose! That man may be an excellent shooter and soldier, but clearly his intelligence is lacking on an embarrassing level. Not even his sister would commit such an atrocity behind her fellow supervisor. How that man became the leader of a large task force is something not even science can explain!"
"Trust me, I'm just as baffled as you are." Alice reassured. "So, I'm assuming that Miranda attacked and killed the soldiers on board and took Rose?"
"That is what we believe. We don't know the whereabouts of Ethan Winters. Although we believe he could be near the village."
"Knowing Ethan, he'll probably make his way there to find Rose. So, what's your plan now?" Alice questioned.
Anastasia held up more files and handed them to the other woman. "We managed to locate the Megamycete to the village. It has awakened to it's exponential growth and has begun to increase it's consumption of the village and people. No matter how much fire power the Squad uses, they can not make a dent in the Mgeamycete. Not surprising, I mean do they honestly expect that using man-made machinery on ancient Mold would be the answer?" She smirked as her eyes gleamed at that remark. "I don't know how it was when they dealt with viruses and parasites, but plant based organisms aren't so easily persuaded."
Alice raised a brow as she wanted to get to the point. "So what do you suggest?"
"Much like the Dulvey incident, I theorized that there is a way we can neutralize the Mold itself by concocting a serum to target the regenerative cells inside the Megamycete. Similar to what Ethan used on Eveline and the infected Baker family. If we can take down the Megamycete, then Miranda will be weak enough for weaponry to actually take effect on her."
"That sounds easier said than done." Alice realized.
"Well, I won't call you wrong. In order to create the serum, I'm going to need samples of the Mold itself. The real problem is I need to get these samples from specific areas of the Megamycete. Mainly the roots and the heart. I believe that the locations of these parts are within the village, most likely where Miranda and her Court resign."
Alice took mental notes as she could see where her role was going. "So you want me to go into the village, find these samples, collect them and bring them back to you."
"You really are the brighter of the Winters siblings." Anastasia remarked, which Alice wouldn't deny. "Oh, one more thing." The Doc continued. "Chances are the roots and the heart are going to be guarded by the very people who rule over the village. And trying to attack them with your limited amount of firearms would be beyond foolish and result in suicide."
"You want me to get the samples without being detected by the big bosses."
"I do hope I'm not asking too much from you." Dr. Anastasia stated in a sarcastic tone. "Your gear is over there." She pointed to the same crate where her clothes were before. Alice stood up from the table, heading over to look at the outfit. It was mostly in black shades, and there were plenty of bundles.
"Would it be alright if I changed here, or do I need your permission first?" Alice joked.
"By all means, put the outfit on and get your gear. The sooner the better." Dr. Anastasia answered.
Alice didn't object. She shed off the clothes she had on and placed the new outfit onto herself. It wouldn't be as comfy, but she needed to do this. The outfit was a black button-up shirt with hidden sleeves. Her pants were the same color, slightly baggy but she tucked them into her shoes. Or in this case her combat boots, that were slightly longer and the same shade as the rest of her clothing. She had on a cloak with a hood and shawl over her shoulders. It was torn up near the tail end, but it was durable. There was also an earpiece that was attached to a lens that fit over her right eye, possibly a communicator of sorts? She had on a thick belt with pockets for holding bullets, some grenades and even a grappling hook. In the back was a quiver, holding many arrows. Her main weapons consisted of a UK Webley Mk VI, a few flash grenades, her pocket knife, and a recurve pistol, wooden crossbow.
"So, how is it?" Dr. Anastasia asked.
"Well, a bit baggy, and kind of stuffy…" She admitted as she tried to adjust the clothing.
"Trust me, you'll need it in the mountains." The scientist stated. "That outfit was specifically tailored for a spy I was going to hire to get me those samples, but Redfield happened and I had to put that call on hold. Thankfully you were here or it wouldn't have worked out."
"Guess you could call me a guardian angel." Alice chuckled.
"Tundra will lead you to the village. But once there, you will be on your own. We can not risk losing more men and altering Miranda further. It would be best if you went in on a stealth mission. You just need to get the samples and get out, no time for sight-seeing. Though if you do find your brother and his family, you best get them out of there."
"Don't need to tell me twice." Alice stated as she adjusted her belt. "So, you want me to rely on stealth rather than going in guns blazing?"
"Unless you want to have all of Miranda's wrath on you." Dr. Anastasia mocked. "I'll also give you a map to help you find your way around. And I'll keep in contact with you via your headset. If you need any help or assistance, I'll be there."
Alice checked over her gun, cocking it and placing the bullets into the socket. "Appreciate the offer, but I think I can handle myself." She reassured the scientist.
Dr. Anastasia went to her desk, grabbed a briefcase and opened it. Alice walked over to see what it was, seeing five tubes in a cushioned packaging, along with some tools such as a scalpel and tweezers. "This is where you will pack all the samples. Each one is labeled specifically for that root and heart. Make sure to place the samples in their labeled contaminants. And make sure that they are cushioned well so they don't break. We may only have one shot at this point, and we can not afford any redo's."
"Tell that to Redfield." Alice mocked as she took the case, along with the matching backpack and wore it over her shoulders. "If that's everything, I'll talk with Tundra and have her lead me to the area. The sooner I get there, the better chance I'll have of seeing my brother in one piece. Hopefully the same can be said for Mia and Rose." Alice shrugged as she herself felt ready for the mission.
Dr. Anastasia walked over in her heels and cane, looking directly at her with gazing eyes. Ones that looked like they could stare into your soul, and command you to do whatever she wanted. Her expression became serious as her tone matched her features. "I will warn you right now. Miranda and her Court are ruthless and merciless. However, each one has their own form of torture. The moment they realize you are in their territory, they will not hesitate to toy with you and tear you apart."
Though most would have gotten shivers upon the spin, Alice merely dismissed it as she had her hands on her hips. "Find the roots, collect the samples, don't get noticed by the crazy cult leader and her followers-"
"And don't die!" Dr. Anastasia added in a stern voice.
Alice merely gave a confident smirk to the older woman, giving a small nod. "Done." That was all she said before heading out of the tent to locate her guide. Dr. Anastasia watched, biting her lip as she prayed that this would work.
