Summary: Alexander Ashford tells Oswell E. Spencer his version of the Antarctic base incident.
Spencer refused to light a cigar and settled for a simple cup of tea. Alexander had invited him urgently to Ashford Hall to explain what had happened at the Antarctic base. The Essex nobleman came to his call without delay to get his version of the incident and to announce to the co-chairman that James Marcus had escaped from Umbrella with his strain of the T-virus.
"Marcus has escaped from the Training Centre." Spencer began with the bad news and then focused on the substance of their meeting. "The technical team has informed me that they have found indications that Marcus may have developed an undisclosed strain of the T-virus. There are traces of the new strain in the discarded leeches he used as guinea pigs, but the samples taken are useless."
Alexander didn't react. Spencer glanced at it. The same blank stare as when his father died.
"The Antarctic base losses amount to eleven million," he continued. "Twenty-three dead or missing. The installation workers: all dead. The research team: all dead. The only survivors: you, your daughter and your domestic staff. Damn it, Alexander! What the hell happened?!"
"Veronica..." he muttered.
Spencer raised his eyebrows.
"Veronica?"
"The self-destruction code. The base... They invaded the base." Alexander strangled his hands on the armrest of his chair. "They rebelled and invaded the base. Veronica was the self-destruction code."
"Who invaded the base?"
"The communists."
Spencer didn't react.
"Alexander, son, what the hell are you saying?"
"The workers rebelled. They went after my daughter. They wanted to hurt my daughter. I activated the self-destruction system and killed them all."
"You killed all the base personnel without distinction?"
"They wanted to harm my daughter."
"Why did they rebel?"
"There was trouble. I cut their rations. I increased the working hours. And they rebelled. Spies."
Spencer didn't believe his version of a Soviet conspiracy, but he'd accept it as long as Alexander was willing to sort out the mess he'd made.
"Eleven million," he sighed. "An eleven million hole."
"I'll pay for it," said Alexander.
"How is your daughter?"
He didn't answer.
Spencer cleared his throat.
"We're going to restructure Umbrella and unify research lines."
Alexander nodded.