The office wasn't much to look at. A few shelves lined with books leaned against the walls, an encrypted monitor on the desk, surrounded by scattered papers, with dust coating everything.
Alex was already at the bookshelves, occasionally pulling a book out and flipping through its pages. Billy crouched in front of the computer, his brow furrowed in concentration.
I moved to the desk, carefully rummaging through the disorganized mess of files and notes. It didn't take long to find a hidden compartment beneath it. The wooden panel came loose with a loud creak, its hinges weakened from years of neglect.
Inside was a small leather-bound diary, its brown cover cracked and worn.
"Found something." I said, holding it up.
Alex glanced over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't think he'd be the type to keep a diary. Especially one so poorly hidden."
Billy groaned in frustration, still focused on the computer. "Probably because there's nothing of use there. If only I could get into this thing…"
I shrugged, flipping open the diary. "We won't know if it's important until we read it."
They nodded and went back to their searches as I began reading what could still be deciphered.
…
27th August:
This is something unprecedented in the history of mankind. All of my life, my decisions, have led me to this moment. The next evolution of mankind...the Progenitor Virus.
My dreams have never seemed closer than today.
…
13th November:
Left with no other choice, I joined Spencer's new company. Seeing my achievements in analyzing the virus, he seemed more than happy to make me a co-founder.
Worthless nonsense.
Status and money pale before pure, unbridled power. Power that I will achieve. But to get there, I will need sufficient funds.
As long as I can continue my studies undisturbed, Umbrella Pharmaceuticals is my only choice.
…
July 20th:
At Spencer's insistent urging, I began overseeing Umbrella's newly established training school.
The students are mediocre at best—aspiring researchers without true vision. But the facility is well-equipped, allowing me to continue my work.
I am so close. The T-virus will finally begin initial testing!
…
"The Progenitor Virus…" Alex's voice broke the silence. "So this is where it all started?" His tone was calm, but there was a hint of anger, maybe disbelief, in his voice.
"It looks that way. The T-virus must be a strain. Probably the same with the Redlight Virus." I replied, intentionally studying his reaction and noticing a slight flinch at my words.
"Bastards…" Billy muttered, leaning back from the computer, his fists clenched. "At least this confirms it. Umbrella didn't just take part in this—they created it."
"Yeah…" I murmured, the weight of it settling over me. Once, I had admired Umbrella, believing it to be the pinnacle of scientific achievement. Now, that admiration felt like a cruel joke.
Alex's voice broke through my thoughts, softer this time. "Anything else in there?"
I shook my head, flipping quickly through the pages. "Nothing so far. Let's keep looking for the key."
They nodded and returned to their tasks, but my hands hesitated over the diary, the name "Mercer" catching my eye in one of the entries.
…
January 11th:
Another batch of trainees has arrived.
As incompetent as ever… is what I would have normally said. But William Birkin, Albert W–r, along with Victor, and Helena Mercer stand apart.
Each of them possesses unique qualities, putting them far ahead of their peers.
…
January 27th:
William and Albert— they're remarkable. They share my drive, my hunger for power. Truly impressive.
Victor Mercer, however, shows untapped potential. He has already begun to make his mark, earning praise even from my assistant director.
Helena is equally talented, but her moral restraint holds her back. And Victor lets himself be dragged down with her.
…
My breath was cut. Mercer. Alex had never talked about his parents, not once, but this couldn't just be a coincidence. Could it?
I didn't know what to think anymore. It felt like I was chasing signs that didn't even exist. I glanced at Alex, who was still absorbed in his search, completely unaware of what I had just read.
Forcing myself to keep calm, I skimmed the pages, skipping the less relevant details.
…
March 15th:
Spencer's desperation grows tiresome. His "branch associations" with the government show a distinct lack of vision.
Still, this new initiative intrigues me, particularly since it involves her.
However the T-virus is far from complete. I can't waste time on such distractions. But his choice of spies astounds me. He threw away such talented researchers. Did he believe their fates would differ simply because one of them was pregnant?
I cannot fathom his stupidity.
When they came to me, faces pale with fear, I knew they were initially unaware of the pregnancy. But killing an unborn child holds no value for me, so I agreed to spare them—for now. Their talents may yet serve my research.
…
This is it. I could feel it. A sense of foreboding hitting me, alerting me this was a point of no return.
Despite all the new found questions starting to circle my mind after reading the diary's entries, their importance paled in comparison to what I was about to uncover.
The truth lay right before me, and I might not be ready for it, but I have to force myself to continue, to finally be sure, that Alex Mercer, my partner, my friend, is–
…
September 20th:
This ordeal is finally over. Considering the peculiarity of the situation, only a few select people know about this.
And as expected, this was the best outcome. With their help, I finally found a suitable host for the T-virus…leeches.
Now, I can start to develop these findings, starting with testing it on animals.
As for the Mercer's, they'll have to spend one more year in this institute. I'm sure their expertise will offer me even more insights.
Speaking of…as I temporarily spared them from their fates, I only found it fitting that I am to leave my mark on their…prodigy.
Alexander James Mercer, I'm sure you will become something great under my tutelage.
As for your parents…William and Wesker seem to be getting close to them, but once the testing period is over, I'm sure they'll understand we'll be in need of…human volunteers.
…
"Rebecca." I called, my voice cutting through the tense silence.
No response.
I stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder and giving it a light shake. "Hey! You alright?"
She jolted slightly, as if waking from a deep trance. Her eyes blinked rapidly before she glanced at me, startled.
"What? Did you say something?" She murmured, her voice distant and uncertain. Slowly, she lifted her head from the journal she was clutching like a lifeline, stepping back as though needing space.
"Alex found the key." Billy said, his casual tone filling the void. "Unlike me. Couldn't even unlock this damn thing." He gestured toward the computer with a resigned sigh.
"At least we know hacking isn't another one of your secret skills." I said, attempting to lighten the mood.
"Hilarious." Billy rolled his eyes at my words, but Rebecca didn't react. She stood frozen, her expression clouded with unease.
"You alright?" I asked again, worry now creeping into my voice.
"Yeah, I just…I'm…" Her words faltered as she trailed off, her gaze flicking back to the journal.
It didn't take much to guess that whatever was bothering her had something to do with what she'd read.
She didn't resist when I reached for the journal, her grip loosening as she let me take it from her hands. Instead, she let out a sigh filled with resignation.
"We really need to talk." She finally said, her voice steady but lined with something I couldn't quite place.
My stomach twisted.
"What's gotten into you?" Billy asked, his curiosity evident as he glanced between us.
Rebecca didn't answer him, her focus locked squarely on me. Her gaze was sharp and unrelenting, the kind that pierced through layers.
"There are…some things I'm picking up on, and I want to put an end to them, now." She said, her tone leaving no room for argument.
"Well, if you could please fill me in on it." Billy interjected, folding his arms as he shifted his weight.
Rebecca flicked her gaze to him briefly before returning to me, her expression hardening. Then she dropped the words that sent a cold chill down my spine.
"You're infected."
The air seemed to freeze around me.
The room felt smaller, suffocating, the walls closing in as the weight of her accusation pressed down on me.
I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. Her words echoed relentlessly in my mind, each syllable a dagger.
Infected.
Their eyes bore into me—Rebecca's sharp and demanding, Billy's skeptical but growing with suspicion. I could feel their unspoken judgment, their disgust, their fear.
Or maybe it was just my imagination.
Run. Fight. The instincts surged, clawing for control, urging me to act. But I was rooted in place, paralyzed by the magnitude of what was happening.
How could I speak? How could I tell them when every word that tried to form in my throat felt like it would shatter everything I'd built?
'God, am I really this pathetic? Just tell them, get it over with. Rip off the bandage and prove to myself that this illusion of normalcy was doomed from the start.'
"I…"
The single word barely escaped before a smooth, mocking voice cut through the tension.
"I'll have to stop you there, Alexander."
The voice reverberated from the walls, soft but chilling.
Rebecca's head snapped toward the source, her expression shifting to startled recognition. "That's…!"
Billy's hand moved instinctively to his weapon, his posture tense. "Marcus." He growled, his voice laced with disdain.
My focus shifted, the dread of Rebecca's revelation momentarily eclipsed.
"What do you want from us?" I demanded, forcing myself to push our conversation to the back of my mind.
"From you? Nothing in particular." Marcus's faint chuckle drifted through the room. "I merely wished to see what Umbrella had scavenged from my private office. And judging by your thorough little investigation, it seems they took everything." His voice grew colder, edged with hatred. "A pity—those were my last vials. But no matter, I have alternatives."
'You could've interfered earlier, you bastard.' I thought bitterly, though the rage quickly subsided as the sound of approaching footsteps drew my attention to the office doors.
Marcus continued, his voice growing more unhinged. "Now, as much as I've enjoyed this reunion, I'm afraid it must end. I don't have time to waste on you—there's still that meddlesome Umbrella rat sniffing around, not to mention Umbrella itself!" His laugh turned sharp, hysterical. "So please, have fun as you meet your end—be it here or in the depths below!"
The speakers crackled, and his voice faded, leaving a heavy silence in its wake. That silence was soon shattered by a guttural roar that reverberated through the facility, shaking the walls.
"Goddamn it!" Billy cursed, glancing at Rebecca and me. "It sounds like it's still a ways off, but we need to move. Now."
Rebecca opened her mouth to argue, but he cut her off sharply. "Whatever it is, it can wait!" He marched toward the door without hesitation.
"Wait, don't open it!" I warned, my voice sharp.
Billy froze, confused. "What are you—"
The answer came in the form of the door being violently slammed from the other side, making all of us jump.
Without hesitation, we raised our guns, ready for whatever monstrosity was about to come through.
With a deafening crash, the door gave way, and something grotesque stumbled into the room. It was humanoid, but barely—its slimy body was a patchwork of leeches, its rotting face grotesquely mimicking Marcus's features.
Rebecca gasped. "Don't let it get close!"
We opened fire immediately, bullets tearing through its decaying flesh. Chunks of its head and body disintegrated, leeches spilling out onto the floor.
Billy inspected his shotgun with a grimace. "This is my last mag. What about you two?"
"Not much better." Rebecca admitted, her voice tight.
"We need to keep moving." I said quickly, stepping over the remains.
Billy nodded, leading the way down the hall. Rebecca followed, her expression clouded with frustration.
The sound of something slithering across the floor made us all freeze. We turned, dread pooling as we watched the leeches on the ground began to converge, reassembling themselves into the same monstrosity we'd just destroyed.
"There's more of them!" Rebecca yelled, pointing to the incubation room as a flood of leeches began pouring out from under the door.
"Cable car! Go now!" I shouted, and we broke into a sprint, the hall seeming to stretch endlessly before us.
Finally, the entrance to the platform came into sight, but a sense of unease clawed at me.
I didn't have time to voice my warning. As Billy and Rebecca reached the platform, a deafening roar erupted above us.
"Watch out!" I bellowed, rushing forward as the Redlight-infected monster dropped from above. Its massive claws arced toward Rebecca and Billy, but I managed to intercept, raising my arm just in time. My skin hardened, red veins bulging across the surface as its claws skidded off ineffectively.
"Start the cable car!" I yelled, throwing the key to Rebecca.
She hesitated for a moment before nodding and rushing to the controls.
A sudden movement caught my attention, and I barely ducked in time to avoid the infected's massive blade as it swung wildly, slicing through the air above me.
Billy fired his shotgun into its legs, but the creature barely faltered. "Why the hell is this thing all healed up?" He muttered.
"That doesn't matter now!" I shouted, my other arm morphing into claws. "I'll handle it! You hold off those leech monsters before they overwhelm us!"
He hesitated, eyeing my transformed arm, but nodded. "Be careful."
The infected and I were left alone, facing each other on the platform. Its yellowed eyes burned with animalistic fury, and it let out another guttural roar before lunging at me, blade raised high.
I sidestepped its swing, the blade slamming into the floor with enough force to crack it. Using the opening, I drove my claws into its chest, but it backed away with unnatural speed, escaping serious damage.
Rebecca's voice called out from the cable car. "It's working! Let's go!"
"Good timing." Billy muttered, slowly backing up toward the car, shooting at the leeches that began to pour in from the hall.
The infected monster roared again, surging toward me with renewed aggression. Rebecca hurled a smoke bomb, firing a shot to detonate it. Thick smoke engulfed the creature as it thrashed blindly, its roars shaking the platform.
"C'mon!" She shouted, throwing a Molotov into the smoke. It shattered with a sharp crack, followed by a burst of flames that erupted in a violent explosion.
I turned to run, but the leeches swarmed toward me, clinging to my legs and dragging me down.
"Shit!" I growled, slashing at them with my claws.
"Keep moving!" Billy yelled, firing into the swarm to give me an opening.
I finally broke free, but the infected burst from the smoke, its form bathed in flames. Its burning blade sliced through the haze as it charged.
"Behind you!" Billy shouted.
I spun just in time to avoid a lethal strike, but pain erupted in my side as the blade slashed my abdomen. I stumbled, blood dripping from the gash.
Grimacing, I pressed a hand to the wound, my body instinctively diverting all resources to heal it. But the infected wasn't giving me time to recover.
It charged again, blade raised for a killing blow.
I dug my claws into its chest as it lunged, using the momentum to flip the monster over me and off the platform.
Its claws raked my leg as it fell, dragging me down with it.
"Alex!" Rebecca and Billy's voices rang out as I clung to the edge, the infected dangling below me.
Billy grabbed my arm, straining to pull me up. "We've gotta get rid of it!" Rebecca shouted, firing at the infected's head to no avail.
"Don't think that's an option." I muttered, forcing out a bitter chuckle despite the searing pain in my abdomen. "The drop can't be that bad, right? I'll survive."
"Don't even think about it!" Rebecca snapped, her voice shaking with urgency.
"There's no need to take the risk!" Billy added, straining as he tried to pull me up. The weight of the infected creature dangling beneath me made it almost impossible.
"I don't really have a choice!" I shouted back, glancing down at the black void beneath us. My stomach churned at the sight of endless nothingness, but it was better than being sliced in half. The creature below me snarled, its blade shifting for another attack.
'It's either fall or let this thing carve me up.' I thought grimly. My fingers twitched, loosening their grip. 'Maybe it's better this way. The world doesn't need someone like me anyway.'
"No!" Rebecca's voice rang out, desperation laced in her words as she leaned closer. "Alex, don't—!"
My hand started to slip. But before I could fully let go, a deafening bang echoed from below. My eyes widened in shock as the monster's head exploded, its claws slackening from my leg. I stared as its body plummeted into the darkness, swallowed by the abyss.
Billy let out a strained grunt as he hauled me up, Rebecca rushing to grab my other arm. With one last heave, they managed to drag me back onto the platform.
"Shit, that was way too close!" Billy panted, slumping for a moment to catch his breath before slinging my arm over his shoulder to support me. Blood still dripped from the gash in my abdomen, but the pain had dulled as my body worked to heal it.
"Can you stand?" Rebecca asked, her gaze darting between my wound and our surroundings.
"Barely." I muttered, wincing as I adjusted my weight. "Thanks."
She didn't respond, instead rushing to the control panel and frantically pressing buttons to start the cable car.
Billy helped me limp toward the car as the grinding sound of gears echoed through the air. The doors hissed open, and we stumbled inside, collapsing onto the cold metal seats.
"Damn it, Alex." Billy muttered, rubbing his face. "Don't do something stupid like that again."
"Noted." I replied weakly, leaning back against the wall.
As the cable car began to move, I caught a flash of light out of the corner of my eye. My gaze snapped toward it, and for a brief moment, I thought I saw something. A red visor stared back at me from the distance.
Before I could process what I'd seen, the doors clanged shut behind us, and the light disappeared into the darkness.