A few moments after chapter 7

Chris slowly carried her back the way they had came, spotting the tissue on the floor. He frowned, and continued. When they had made it back outside, he stood there with his eyes closed. "So, where to now, cheif?" he said, smiling.

She let her eyes adjust and pointed down a trail. "That way. About eighty feet."

Wesker laughed again. "I'm sure you've seen those...zombies? Including the Bravos? He'll be like them soon enough...mindless...thoughtless...the only thing he'll ever be able to do is feed..." The man seemed to enjoy telling them this, and he was grinning gleefully.

The containment unit opened completely.

Chris nodded, and carried her down. Then something occured to him. "That cat...it's not...viral, is it?" he asked, getting a bit worried.

Jill closed her eyes.

She shook her head. "No, he's safe as long as he doesn't bite you. I made it so he can only infect someone through a bite. Figured it would be helpful against bad people like Glasses..."

Fluffy mewed slightly.

Jotaru was silent, until... "I can see why you'd be so excited...you're one of the researchers, aren't you Wesker? You knew all along what the Hell was going on, and you did all this for some kind of sick test for some damn bio-weapon you could see to the military...isn't that right, you selfish bastard?" His voice was quiet, yet forceful. Out of character for the one STARS that seemed eternally and pathetically joking.

Jill looked at him. What's going on...

Wesker blinked, then smiled knowingly. "I see I'm not the only one hiding secrets, am I?" He laughed, and pressed the muzzle of one gun against the base of Jotaru's skull.

Sue closed her eyes starting to fade off. She shook her head trying to clear it. No... I'm not going to sleep.

Chris sighed in relief. "Good...anyway, we're almost there...just a bit farther..." He started to run faster, his heart pounding against his chest once more.

Jill moved to grab Wesker's gun.

Wesker was about to aim his other gun when Jotaru stopped her. "He's not going to shoot...he's too concerned about the damn virus...unless we get to the lab, he won't have any samples for his masters..." He spat again.

Jill reluctantly gave in.

Wesker smiled. "I always knew there was a reason I had you assigned to the team, Ogami...you really are like me...a cold, calculating business man...too bad you had to pick the wrong side...I could honestly see us as partners in this..." Then he shrugged, and pushed them forwards again. "Now, get a move on."

Jill stumbled, but kept her footing. Something moved in one of the rooms they passed.

Jotaru thought for a moment. "Something doesn't add up, though...why the Hell did you send in the Bravos? Or was even Enrico in the dark about this whole mess?" His eyes were closed, and the pain in his arm was becoming a light itch.

Wesker grinned. "Let me put it this way...STARS was a problem...we needed to get rid of them...now, almost all the RPD STARS are gone....fitting end to your career, eh? Your first time out with Alpha Team, and you end up a casualty....such a waste.." He clicked his tongue. "Well, we're here..."

Jill moved to open the door, careful of anything inside it.

Jotaru blinked his eyes repeatedly - they were burning for no reason. Then he remembered. That was one of the first stages of infection. He cursed mentally. The virus' maturation rate had increased considerably than was indicated by the files he had studied, and the notes given to him before he ever came to Raccoon City.

Sue fumbled with the key. She opened the grate and Tried to stand up again. "I'm tired..."

Sighing, Wesker urged them forwards. "Come on, step lively..."

Jill got into the elevator first. No bodies...

Chris held her in his arms, and caught the key. "I know...but we're almost there...just a little bit longer....and I promise you can go to sleep when it's all over..." He looked down at Fluffy, still cautious.

Fluffy jumped into the grate to make sure things were okay. Sue clung to him. "Small nap..." She asked. "This tunnel will lead right to the main lab."

Wesker then pushed Jotaru in. He followed, and pressed the button to head down to the next floor...where the lab should be. He studied Jotaru. "Well..you don't look so good....it seems the T-Virus has improved since the last time I've been here..." The grin on his face was broader. "A beautiful thing, isn't it Valentine?"

Jill spat at Wesker. "Hang in there... Chris might have Sue to the lab already..."

Jotaru opened his eyes, and smiled weakly. "Maybe...but I'm not going to last much longer anyway..." His eyes were red and bloodshot, and his arm was itching. "Maybe...another five hours...before I'm just another rotting corpse, shambling along the halls until someone shoots me, or worse..." He laughed, a shadow of the one he had only hours ago. Wesker just watched them, grinning like a jackal.

Jill reached behind her for her knife, really wanting to cut the grin off him.

Chris nodded, and climbed in, holding her close. "Okay...you can rest if you want....I won't let anything happen to you...just as long as that cat doesn't scowl again...that was creepy enough the first time.." He grinned down at her as he made his way through the tunnel.

Jotaru shook his head. "He's not worth it...bastard'll end up like me..." With a grin to match Wesker's he faced the other man. "If I end up one of those things...I'll come after you first, asshole...."

The cat scowled again, this time making sure Chris wouldn't see it. It bounded ahead making something human yelp.

"What the fuck is that thing?"

Chris blinked, and slowly made his way out of the tunnel. He drew his gun. "Who's there? This is Chris Redfield, STARS Alpha Team....come out, or I'll open fire.."

"Rebecca Chambers... Bravo." She came into sight clearly unarmed. "The... the others... Did you find any of the others of my team?" She asked. She then noted the little girl.

Chris sighed. "All of them are dead...thanks to Wesker..." He looked around the lab. "Crap...what happened in here, anyway?"

Becca shrugged. "I haven't been able to get into the computers... And the notes don't make sence."

Wesker tapped the stop button. "We're here....time to get ready..." He looked at them, but made no move to open the elevator doors, still grinning.

Sue climbed down from Chris's arm and went to the computer banks putting in her key.

Chris looked around, then pulled out a handgun. He tossed it to Rebecca. "Here...this was...IS...Jotaru's..." he caught the stumble to late to hide it.

The flat tone of the automated system told them that the computers were coming on

"I said I'd help him..." Sue said as her hands danced over the keyboards.

"Who's she?" Becca asked watching the child.

"That's Sue...she has some kind of connection to all this..." Chris told her, before looking at the little girl. "We don't even know if he's still alive...he could already be one of...THEM now..." Chris ejected the M92F's clip, and checked it before sliding it back in, clicking it in place. "We have to be ready for anything..."

Jill moved to slice at Wesker with her knife.

Wesker dodged, and tripped her with one foot. Then he stepped on her hand, pressing down on it with his boot. "Please Jill, behave....we don't have much time left..." he smirked down at her.

"I'm bringing up the security channels..." One screen showed different parts of the labrinth. "It's not there.." She sounded scared.

Jill gasped as he pinned her.

Chris made his way towards her. "What's not where?" he asked her, his gun in hand. "Is it more bad news? ...Could this even get any worse than it is now?"

Jotaru made a move forward, and found the other gun pressed against his forehead, dead-center. "Now, now...don't make me shoot...." Wesker moved his boot, and lowered the gun. Jotaru knelt down to help her, and tried to smile reassuringly.

"Tyrant... It was a super soldier they were toying with... Using the basics I did to create Fluffy..." Another Camera showed the interior of the elevator the others were in.

Chris was about to respond when he saw the screen. "Shit...he's right here...and things don't seem to be getting any better..." he commented lamely as he watched their former captain threaten the other STARS.

Jill let Jotaru help her up.

Sue grinned. "I can start on the Antivirus. Chris you take that hall you can make it to warn them. I can't get the comunications on line."

The young man was still there, though now the itch had spread. "Well, things sure went to Hell fast, huh?" Jotaru cracked as he leaned back against the elevator inside for a moment after helping her. Then he looked over at Wesker. "Stop holding us up, you bastard...we both know that the 'zombies' retain their intelligence for at most ten minutes after total conversion....I'd rip you to pieces before anything else happens..." The grin on his face was another cold one. Wesker nodded, and moved his hand to the open button.

Becca caught the girl as she wavered. "You don't look like you're in any shape to do anything." Sue struggled feeling the other girl moving her to a small cot. "You tell me what to do okay kid?"

Chris nodded, and unlocked the door from their side. He slowly made his way down the hall, and watched the elevator doors open slowly.

Sue started rattling off things and Becca worked to both understand what she was doing and to do it.