Chapter seven:

They approached the facility in their SUV, running down a few undead along the way. After running through the chain link fence, they were met with both zombies and Umbrella security. Artemis pulled her dual blades, setting them aflame, as she took on the zombies. Alice handled the Umbrella security guards. Carlos and Claire helped where they could, though Artemis and Alice were in control of the situation.

"Wow. I was expecting a much bigger—and nicer—facility. You guys did tell me they were the biggest commercial entity in the world once," Artemis commented.

"Umbrella usually has their top secret facilities underground," Alice explained. As she walked ahead, she slowed beside a ditch. A tear fell from her cheek as she spoke. "Artemis."

Artemis joined Alice at the ditch. There were countless Alices, dead. Artemis lowered her chin. "What the hell is going on here? Why are these freaks so obsessed with us?"

"I don't know. But we're going to find out," Alice returned.

With a renewed sense of purpose, and a great deal of anger, Alice marched to the facility and kicked open the door. Though the room was initially empty, the table in the center of the room split apart, revealing an elevator. Everyone climbed aboard and headed down.

When they got to the lower levels, they were met with some resistance. It was nothing that Alice couldn't handle. The others merely followed her lead. They soon found themselves inside of a laboratory. No one was around, but there was a sphere with an Alice clone that had yet to be activated. Alice walked towards it, having flashbacks to when she was in a tiny water tank in Detroit.

"You really are magnificent," a familiar voice called from the shadows. None other than Dr. Isaacs stepped forward. He looked at Alice first, and then he looked at Artemis. "As are you. I've been watching you on the satellites. Most impressive."

"We're here about the portal," Alice said curtly.

Dr. Isaacs smirked. "Got lost for a bit, did we?"

"Shut it down," Alice snapped.

"I have it in my power to do just that, but let's say for the sake of argument that I don't feel like it. What are you willing to do for me?" Dr. Isaacs asked.

Alice hissed. "There's no need to infect another world, Isaacs. You've already done enough to this one. Now, shut it down."

Dr. Isaacs sat at his computer. After typing for a few moments, he showed them a satellite feed of the storm. The storm dissipated. "There. It's been shut down."

"You shut it down just like that?" Carlos asked.

"Yeah…what's the catch?" Claire asked.

Dr. Isaacs had that smug smirk. "As Alice pointed out so astutely, it'd be a shame for the T-virus to spread even further. I see no need to risk that when the very reason for the portal is already standing in front of me."

"How'd you know about me?" Artemis asked.

"I didn't. Not you specifically. The concept of alternate realties has been around for a long, long time. When I decided to expand the scope of my research, I knew I'd need another Alice—but a human version. One I could start over with so I could change certain aspects of my research. So, I started looking into how to access an alternate reality. We can't, unfortunately. Not from this world. But there is a world beyond this one. The one through the portal. It acts as a gateway, a conduit if you will, between realities. It can connect to any of them. We thought we'd use that world to find an alternate reality. I never thought there'd already be an Alice in the other world."

"You knew enough to open a portal, but you didn't know about Artemis? You expect me to believe that?" Alice asked.

Dr. Isaacs shrugged. "Believe what you will. Do you know what I choose to believe? I believe this is fate. There is no other explanation in my mind. You, Artemis, were meant to come here. You are meant to be part of my research. Isn't that exciting?"

"I'm flattered," Artemis flatly said. "What about the portal? Did you shut it down permanently just now, or are you keeping it open in case you want to go Alice fishing again?"

"It's only been temporarily shut down. It'd be a shame to destroy it permanently. As you said, I may need another Alice."

"Why bother getting more of me when you have the clones?" Alice pressed.

"I've been cloning you to get access to your blood, but the results have been unpredictable. I needed the real you, samples of your pure blood. Your genetic code is the key, Alice. It's the key to finding a cure to the T-virus, and it's the key to altering the virus in many useful ways. That's why I need you. Project Alice for my current research…and Artemis for further testing. It's as simple as that. But enough chitchat. There's work to be done," Dr. Isaacs replied. He hit a button and more Umbrella troops came into the room. He spoke directly to them. "I need both Alices. Dispose of the others."

Alice and Artemis glanced at each other. They quickly moved and pushed Carlos and Claire between them, acting as living shields. Carlos and Claire fired at the Umbrella troops over the shoulders of Alice and Artemis. Alice and Artemis fired their weapons at the troops, doing a fair job of taking them down.

Then, their fire accidentally shifted towards the glass enclosure that was holding the Super Undead. Dr. Isaacs had been observing quietly. Now, he stood and shouted over the gunfire. "Not the glass! Do not damage the glass!"

His warning came too late. The glass was weakened, and the Super Undead were pounding through it. While the Umbrella troops had been defeated, the Super Undead were now about to escape. They came pouring through. One went after Dr. Isaacs. He bit Dr. Isaacs in the arm, leaving Dr. Isaacs to scurry away in terror.

"These guys move way faster than the other ones," Artemis commented as the Super Undead charged.

"Dr. Isaacs did something to them," Alice realized.

Alice and Artemis pulled their blades, getting to work on the undead nearest to them. Carlos and Claire worked on shooting down the ones nearest to them. They had taken down almost all of the Super Undead, but Carlos and Claire were out of ammunition. Alice saw one of the undead charging Carlos. She stepped in between them and slit its throat. That appeared to be the last one, though the one that had gone after Dr. Isaacs was just beginning to return to the lab.

"I think we got them," Artemis commented.

The last of the Super Undead was coming up behind Artemis. Claire saw it approaching. Without hesitation, she lodged herself between them. "Artemis!"

Artemis was saved as the Super Undead bit Claire's forearm instead. Artemis spun and sliced the Super Undead's head clean off with her dual blades. Her heart was pounding as she looked at Claire's wound. "Oh, Claire…"

"They should have the anti-virus around here somewhere," Alice said.

Artemis relaxed slightly. "There's an anti-virus?"

"There is. We just have to find it quickly," Alice said.

Carlos took the gun off a dead Umbrella soldier and joined Alice in the lead. Artemis followed behind with Claire, who was already feeling the modified T-virus. She stopped to spit up black, prompting Artemis to put a soft hand on her back.

"Hold on, Claire. We'll find the anti-virus. You shouldn't have done that, you know. You should have let me take the bite."

"Your gratitude…it's overwhelming," Claire returned with a slightly amused expression.

Artemis smirked. "Thank you. Really."

"Down here!" Carlos called out.

Artemis and Claire caught back up to Carlos and Alice. They'd found another lab. When they entered, they came across Dr. Isaacs. He had injected himself with all but one of the anti-virus tubes. Alice was quick to grab the last one before he could. He was looking pale with sunken eyes, and a good chunk of his arm was missing.

"How much of the anti-virus have you used?" Alice asked as she saw the multiple empty containers.

Dr. Isaacs struggled against the virus, panting. "I made the T-virus stronger in those subjects. That makes the infection stronger."

"So, one injection isn't enough?" Alice asked with a glance at Claire.

"No," Dr. Isaacs replied. He began to morph and mutate before their eyes. "It can't be stopped. I can't be stopped…"

Claire looked at her arm. "I guess that's it for me."

"No. It can't be," Artemis said as her eyes started to water. "It can't be the end for you because we've just met, and I like you too much to say goodbye. So, we'll think of something."

As Dr. Isaac's arm mutated, Carlos gestured to the others. "We should probably think about how to deal with this thing first."

"If you'll excuse me," Artemis said to Claire with her blades at the ready. "I need to gut this monster, but I'll be right back."

Alice had her blades ready. She attacked Dr. Isaacs first, only to watch as his body sewed itself back together like it was nothing. The same thing happened when Artemis tried her blades. Dr. Isaacs then blew past them. They ran together, side by side, after him. They pursued him all the way to the testing floor, where they found themselves inside a replica of the mansion.

The mutated form of Dr. Isaacs traded blows with Artemis and Alice. They did the best they could with their blades. Alice used her powers to send the doctor backwards through a wall. He returned the favor by sending Alice through the opposing wall, causing her to flop into the room with the laser grid.

Artemis rushed to help Alice to her feet. "What is this place?"

"I don't know, but I recognize this room. There's a laser that travels through. We need to get out of here," Alice said.

Dr. Isaacs joined them in the room. By then, Carlos had caught up to them. He had found an even bigger gun, and he was using it to draw the attention of Dr. Isaacs. Alice saw the laser grid starting. She leapt up into a hole in the ceiling and put her arm down for Artemis. Artemis grabbed her arm and joined her in the ceiling.

Alice stuck her head down. "Carlos!"

Carlos came running. Alice and Artemis each took an arm and pulled him upwards. The bottom of his boot was sliced off by the laser, but at least the laser grid had found Dr. Isaacs. He was sliced into dozens of pieces.

"We got him," Carlos said with a smile.

Alice smiled in return. Artemis huffed, causing Alice to glance. "What?"

"Kiss him already. Seriously. I'll even crawl down the other way to give you some privacy."

Artemis left Alice and Carlos. Carlos raised his eyebrows. "Well?"

"Don't look at me like that," Alice replied.

"Like what?"

"Like I'm a whole person. I'm not."

"Broken or not, you're a wonderful person, Alice. You're my favorite person."

After a line like that, Alice couldn't help herself. She leaned across the air duct and kissed Carlos quickly. That wasn't enough for Carlos. He brought Alice closer and kissed her again, slowly and softly. When it was over, Alice smiled and gripped Carlos by the hand. "C'mon. We have to see about Claire."

They crawled down the duct, joining Artemis around the corner. Artemis smiled at the bashful look about the couple and then showed them how they could drop out of the duct. They leapt to the floor and made their way out of the testing area. They went back to the lab where Claire was resting on the floor.

She was already looking very sick. Artemis kneeled next to Claire, holding her hand gently. She looked up at Alice. "Tell me you know how to fix this, Alice."

"I might have an idea," Alice said.