I stood against the elevator's wall, the metallic surface cold against my back as my body began to heal itself. The familiar sensation of regeneration coursed through me, but it couldn't quiet the chaos swirling in my mind.
Rebecca and Billy lay beside me, still unconscious, their breaths steady. The elevator hummed softly, its dim lights flickering. There were four floors in total, with us being on the third one.
'He must have come from the first two…' I thought, my gaze drifting to the ceiling, lost in memories of the fight with the Umbrella soldier. I slammed my head against the wall, frustration surging within me.
"What the hell was that? I let my emotions get the better of me, acting like some kind of animal…like the monsters in this place."
I shook my head, trying to dispel the thought. Now was not the time for self-pity.
"He ran with a sample of my blood…just what will they create now?" I muttered, my fists clenching as I recalled how all the other vials were lost in Gentek's destruction.
Silence enveloped me, heavy and suffocating, so I reached for Marcus's journal, trying to find anything of importance. I flipped through the pages, my heart pounding as I tried to ignore the memories of my past that threatened to resurface, but one passage caught my eye.
"A branch association working with the government…" I mumbled, my breath hitching. "This has to be it…Gentek." My teeth clenched as I recalled the researchers' cold stares, the soldiers clad in black poised to eliminate me at the slightest misstep.
"These bastards were all working together." The fury inside me bubbled to the surface, but as the familiar beep of my walkie-talkie broke the silence, it dissipated like mist.
Grabbing the device, I heard Edward's unmistakable voice, strained but familiar. "Alex…do you copy?"
"Yeah! Edward, how are you? What happened?" My worry surged to the forefront.
"Haha…not that good, to be honest. I'm locked in the helicopter…" He chuckled weakly. "Is Rebecca with you?"
"Yeah, she's…she's fine." I glanced at my unconscious partner, a wave of protectiveness washing over me.
"That's good. At least you two are safe…" Edward's voice trailed off.
"What are you saying? Did something happen?" My heart raced, a sinking feeling settling in my stomach.
"I'm sure you know…there are monsters all around. I guess I got careless…" He spoke softly, the weight of his words pressing down on me.
"Whatever happened, you'll be fine! Rebecca and I will come, alright? Just hang on!" I nearly shouted, desperation tinging my voice, unwilling to accept the implications of his words.
"No!" Edward's voice rose sharply before he succumbed to a fit of coughing. "Don't. I managed to fix the helicopter's command center…I called for help." His breaths grew shallow, each one more labored than the last.
"What? But the others are still alive! They're heading toward the mansion!" My mind raced.
"Is that so…?" He murmured, a pained resignation in his tone. "I know it may sound awful of me, but don't try to save them. Don't…don't risk it."
"What?" I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of his words. "They're our friends! I can't just let them be!"
"I know! I know…but you'll only send yourselves to your deaths." His voice trembled with the weight of his decision.
"It's selfish of me…but at least I can die knowing I managed to help you two. So please…save yourselves." He began to cough again, each rasping sound a knife to my heart.
I hesitated, the silence stretching between us like a chasm. "Alright…we'll go."
"Thank you…" He sighed in relief.
"Hey, is Rebecca there? I wouldn't mind hearing the kid's voice one last time."
"She…she's resting. This place took a toll on her." I fought to keep my voice steady.
"I see…leave her be then." His words were heavy, most likely forming his own conclusions.
"You two will do good in the future, I'm sure of that. After all…you both seem to have a drive, something that pushes you forward…" Edward chuckled softly, the sound mingling with a soft click in the background.
"Edward…" Before I could finish, the transmission ended, leaving an oppressive silence in its wake.
My eyes remained on the device in my hand, unmoving, unflinching.
…
"Are you two feeling better?" I asked, glancing at my partners.
"Yeah….still a little stiff." Billy replied, rolling his shoulder with a grimace.
"What happened?" Rebecca questioned as she pushed herself upright, confusion etched on her face.
"We got taken by surprise. That Umbrella soldier showed up, beat us, and then just left." I shrugged, my expression not betraying anything.
"What, why? Was he trying to prove a point or something?" Billy's brow furrowed in confusion.
"I don't know. Let's…talk about it after all this is over." I suggested, aware it was a weak excuse.
"You seem better." Rebecca remarked suddenly, studying me closely.
"Yeah, all healed up." I chuckled, reaching for the elevator button to head toward the fourth floor.
A silence fell between us, thick with unspoken thoughts, until Billy broke it again.
"We should find ammunition or guns—both would be nice." He said, his voice steady with determination.
"Let's just focus on getting out of here." I countered, hoping to redirect our attention.
"I don't think we'll get out without supplies." Rebecca chimed in, supporting Billy's suggestion.
I fell silent, recognizing the weight of their words but also feeling the burden of my own unique abilities. It was hard to speak for all of us when I was the only abnormal one.
"Alright. But let's hurry." I eventually conceded, my voice a blend of reluctance and urgency.
"What's suddenly gotten into you?" Rebecca asked just as the elevator doors slid open.
I brushed off her question, advancing quickly into the underground facility, the two of them trailing behind.
…
"Do you think something happened…?" I whispered to Billy, keeping my gaze fixed on Alex ahead of us.
"Who knows?" He shrugged. "Maybe he feels bad about getting beaten."
"He's not that kind of person." I shook my head, confident in his resilience.
"True, but he doesn't strike me as someone who'll share just because you ask." Billy chuckled, a hint of understanding in his tone.
"Yeah…I just don't think secrets like that should exist anymore." I sighed, lost in thought as we continued our march, Alex's expression remaining blank.
We soon approached a reinforced door, its bulk suggesting it concealed something far beyond the reach of ordinary employees.
"Stand back." Alex commanded, and with a swift, powerful pull, he ripped the door from its hinges.
Despite having witnessed his powers before, both Billy and I gaped in astonishment at the sheer inhumanity of it.
No matter how often I might see such feats, it was hard to accept that they could ever feel normal to me.
"C'mon." He shot a brief glance back at us before moving ahead.
Billy and I exchanged looks.
"Why can't I do that?" He muttered with a sigh.
"Don't be insensitive." I rolled my eyes, recognizing his attempt at humor.
'At times, it truly feels like I'm the most mature one here…' The thought filled me with an unexpected sense of pride.
…
As I focused on the task at hand, we entered a small room lined with shelves, each holding small, dusty boxes.
"Seems like luck is finally on our side." Billy said with a wide grin, eagerly opening the boxes to reveal a multitude of cartridges. "Let's hope these are still good to use."
Rebecca circled around, searching for her supplies. "I never thought I'd feel so safe with a loaded gun in hand…" She remarked, a wry smile on her face.
"Not much we can do about it…" I sighed, moving toward the back of the room where a large window showcased a vast warehouse behind it, its glass thick and unyielding.
"Looks like there's more on the other side." Billy commented, peering curiously at the crates stacked beyond the window.
"Restock here. I'll check it out." I told them, striding toward the reinforced door beside the window, its design mirroring the previous one.
With a swift punch, I dented it enough to pry it open, stepping inside to be met by a pungent smell of rust and oil, a clear sign that this place hadn't been maintained in years.
As my eyes adjusted to the near darkness, I scanned the room, maneuvering carefully to avoid tripping over debris.
I turned my attention to a half-open crate, prying the lid the rest of the way. Weapons, dusty but intact. Some had corroded, others still looked serviceable. Nothing worth grabbing—until my eyes landed on a sleek, metallic case nestled in the corner.
As I reached for it, a subtle noise made me freeze. A rustling in the shadows. My instincts began to flare.
Something was here.
I didn't move immediately. Instead, I let my fingers barely graze the case as I listened. There it was again—a soft scrape, like claws against metal. My grip tightened, every muscle in my body coiling in anticipation.
Then, without warning, a Hunter lunged from the darkness.
I twisted, barely dodging as its talons slashed through empty air where my head had been. The force of its leap sent it skidding across the floor, recovering with inhuman speed. It hissed, crouching low, ready to strike again.
Before it could, the ceiling above us groaned. A split second later, something massive crashed down from above.
The impact sent a shockwave through the floor, dust exploding outward. The Hunter shrieked, pinned beneath an enormous weight. Blood spurted across the ground as a massive hand clenched around the creature's skull.
The beast from before had returned.
My eyes snapped upward. A gaping hole yawned in the ceiling, debris still falling from where the monster had crashed through. It had been waiting up there—stalking me from above, watching, until the moment was right.
The Hunter let out a choked gurgle as the monster crushed its skull like wet clay. Then, without hesitation, it turned its gaze to me.
My breath steadied as I prepared for the inevitable fight.
A second Hunter screeched from the darkness, lunging. The hulking monster reacted instantly, snatching it mid-air. With a guttural roar, it flung the creature with such force that it shattered through the reinforced glass, sending shards cascading into the room where Billy and Rebecca were.
"Shit!" I cursed, anxiety flooding my mind. I needed to finish this fast.
The monster turned toward me, snarling. I met its glare head-on, a fierce grin stretching across my face.
"Round two, huh?"
We charged at each other.
It swung first—massive, metallic-like fingers slicing through the air. I ducked beneath the swipe, twisting my body as my own hand morphed into sharpened claws. With a vicious slash, I tore into its abdomen, blood spilling onto the floor.
The creature roared, stumbling back but not falling. I pressed my advantage, leaping high and reinforcing my foot before driving it into its skull. The impact sent it staggering sideways, denting a nearby metal shelf.
I landed in a crouch, already moving before it could recover. My claws flashed again, carving through its exposed flesh. The beast howled, retaliating with a wild punch that connected with my ribs, sending me skidding backward.
Pain flared, but I gritted my teeth and lunged forward again.
This time, I drove my claws straight into its heart.
"Aaaahhh!!" It let out a sound that was almost human, desperately stabbing and punching at me.
I gritted my teeth, knowing this was a battle of attrition—one I was determined to win.
"DIE!!" I shouted, feeling anger burn within me as small black tendrils surged from my body, sinking deep into its flesh.
Instinctively, I followed through, my entire being yearning for this connection—as if I had been made for it.
The monster roared, its body thrashing violently, but something was happening beneath its skin. My tendrils burrowed deeper, spreading through its muscle fibers, fighting against its instinct to resist.
I felt it—its pain, its rage, its primal instinct to survive. It wasn't just dying. I was taking it.
My body trembled, my muscles tensed. It was too much for a second—too consuming.
But something deeper inside me wanted this. My grip tightened.
"No escaping this time." I growled, tightening my grip. I felt its struggle—the giant's biological structure fighting back, its cells rejecting my influence. But I was stronger.
The roars soon turned to choked gurgles as its body convulsed. I felt it weakening, its monstrous strength failing, its essence breaking apart.
With a final, strangled cry, it stopped struggling.
…
I leaned on a beach, my ribs ached from the kicks that had sent me sprawling. Blood dripped from my split lip.
Jason sat beside me, sighing. "You alright?"
I pressed a cold pack against my bruised eye. "Yeah. No big deal."
"You should've fought back. At least landed a good hit." He nudged me, his tone light, but I caught the frustration beneath it.
"You know I'm not that kind of guy." I muttered.
Jason scoffed. "And that's why this happens. You let people walk all over you. Being smart isn't everything, you gotta stand your ground."
I smirked. "You could've stepped in."
"I got here too late." He said, shaking his head. "You know I would've."
I believed him.
Back then, I really did.
…
"What the hell are you doing…?" I whispered, heart pounding as I watched him hurriedly stuff a drive into his pocket.
Jason didn't even flinch. "Trying to stay out of trouble. You?"
I stepped closer. "You're stealing from Umbrella?"
"Not so loud." He scolded, rolling his eyes. "Look, I've got a buyer. Someone willing to pay real money for this."
"You don't get it—they already suspect there's a mole. If you go through with this, they'll find you sooner or later."
He clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Not if you keep quiet."
Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating.
"You wouldn't sell me out, right?" He asked, grinning. "Best friends and all that?"
I hesitated. Then, finally, I shook my head. "...No. Of course not."
Jason's grin widened. "Good. Tell you what, I'll cut you in. I'll have more money than I know what to do with anyway."
Despite everything, I laughed. Maybe I was stupid. Maybe I wanted to believe he had a plan.
I should have known better.
…
The operating room.
Blinding white lights. The sharp scent of antiseptic.
I struggled, my wrists and ankles bound to the cold steel table. My screams were muffled behind a thick gag.
A man loomed over me—Oswell Spencer himself.
"So this is our traitor." He mused, watching me like a bug under glass.
Jason stood at his side. Silent. His expression unreadable.
Spencer chuckled. "To think we were prepared to use convicted criminals, and yet you volunteered so kindly."
A choked noise tore from my throat as I thrashed against the restraints.
Spencer turned away, waving a hand dismissively. "No time to waste. I want to be present for the birth of a new era."
He left. But Jason stayed.
I stared at him, pleading.
Jason met my gaze at last, leaning in close. "This isn't my fault." He whispered. "You put yourself here. You never fought back. And now…well, now you're just another experiment."
A sharp sting at my neck, and everything went dark.
…
Pain. Endless. Unrelenting.
I was no longer human.
Glass walls surrounded me, colleagues staring in fascination at the thing I had become.
Hunger burned in my veins, twisting my mind, warping my thoughts.
A growl rumbled from my throat, deep and guttural.
I wanted out.
I wanted blood.
My fists slammed against the glass. Again. Again.
Cracks splintered through the surface.
Screams erupted as the glass shattered—
And then I was free.
…
I gasped as the memories wrenched away, my mind snapping back to the present.
"What the hell…did I just do?" My voice was barely above a whisper, my eyes locked onto my blood-soaked hands.
The weight of it settled in—an unfamiliar, suffocating feeling crawling under my skin. My breathing was uneven, my heart pounding.
I clenched my fist. Power—something far beyond what I'd felt before—surged through me, threading into every muscle, every fiber of my being. It was intoxicating.
My arm shifted. Flesh warped into steel. A gleaming blade extended where my arm had been.
For the first time since my infection, something inside me clicked into place. I felt whole. Complete. As if this was what I had been meant for all along.
"No." The word slipped out as I shook my head, snapping myself out of it. "Whatever this was…I didn't want to do it. My body reacted on its own."
I took a slow breath, forcing myself to let go of the high before it consumed me.
Footsteps then approached.
"What happened?" Billy's voice rang out as he and Rebecca rushed toward me. "We heard fighting, you good?"
"Yeah…I'm alright." My eyes flickered to them, my vision sharpening, as if my brain had to reprocess their faces. "What about you two?"
Billy scoffed, shaking his head. "Fine. That bastard of a lizard took us by surprise. Nearly slammed into me."
Rebecca, however, scanned the area, brows furrowed in confusion. "What did you encounter?"
"That monster we fought earlier." My voice wavered slightly as I searched for the right words. "I…I consumed him."
…
"You consumed him?" Rebecca muttered as we moved quickly, wary of another ambush.
Billy crossed his arms. "Made it sound like you ate the guy."
"That's not what I—" I stopped, exhaling sharply. "I don't know how else to explain it."
Rebecca's gaze flickered to my hand—at the blade still extending from my arm. She didn't look afraid. If anything, she looked fascinated.
"What did it feel like?" She asked, voice quiet but insistent.
I hesitated, my fingers flexing as the blade retracted into my skin. "Like I was…unraveling him. And now, it's like he's a part of me."
Rebecca didn't answer right away. Her expression remained unreadable, but I could see the gears turning in her mind.
Billy let out a low whistle. "And here I thought today couldn't get any weirder."
Rebecca sighed thoughtfully. "If what you're saying is true…then this virus isn't just a mutation. You can assimilate organic beings at a biological level. That means your body can actively rewrite itself."
"So I can just…continue to evolve?" I replied, wide eyes at the implications.
For a moment, none of us spoke. Then Billy slung the metallic case over his shoulder with a smirk.
"So…think you could tank a rocket launcher now?"
I blinked before laughing. "Not exactly something I wanna test out. Maybe later."
"Or never." Rebecca cut in with narrowed eyes. "Just because you can get stronger doesn't mean you're invincible."
Billy chuckled. "Aren't scientists all about trial and error? We won't know unless we try."
I shook my head, a small smile tugging at my lips. Despite everything, they weren't treating me like some kind of monster.
But as we pressed on, that lingering fear crept back into my mind.
The closer we got to the end of this…the more I began to fear myself.