𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

8:22 PM | 1998 SEPTEMBER 22
NEST FACILITY — OUTSKIRTS

  CLICKING block high heels
against the pristine polished
tiled floor trailed behind the
woman walking through the
white hallways of the facility
underground along the three
or six researchers she passed
on her way.

Lights of the square led ceiling
panels shone above her as she
casually, insipidly wander her
eyes around the place she goes
whenever she's unoccupied.

Glancing to her right, Krüger
stopped, seeing a certain lone
man stuck still on his lab.

Turning to the direction of the
room, Reed slides the hermetic
door open quietly, careful not
to disturb the scientist.

Upon entering the laboratory,
seeing empty white counters
and only the doctor working
in there, Reed rests her arms
on the nearby counter.

Staring at the scientist's back,
whose too observe staring at
the Golgatha Virus Project in
front of his eyes, working on
it with his everything that he
didn't notice the woman.

Golgotha was determined to be
able to genetically alter a living
being repeatedly unpredictably
also, be able to repair damaged
cells and revive the dead.

It ran counter to the Umbrella's
plans to create reliable military
grade bio organic weapons that
could be controlled by the Army
trainers.

A loud tap of a finger on the
counter snapped the scientist
out of trance, out of his mind
completely wrapped around
on successing the virus.

Birkin turned his head and saw
Krüger, smiling at him ever since
the day he shook her hand back
at 1969 "Oh. . . It's just you." He
said and turns away back to his
work.

"Aren't you going to take a
dinner break?" asked Reed,
eyeing the disheveled man
in wrinkled coat, a little bit
concerned of his state,

"Last time I saw you out was ten
days ago. Don't you have a plan
on stepping out. . .see the sun at
least, for a bit?"

"I don't have time for that."
Birkin deadpanned, staring
intently into a petri dish as
he scribble notes at his pad.

"Well," Reed smiled, shaking
her head, looking away from
Birkin to the violaceous vials
placed at spiral holder inside
the large glass machine.

It's almost done. Krüger guess
it, and just need to be polished.

It didn't even surprise her.
William Birkin was a child
prodigy afterall, who earned
his doctorate as a teenager.

One of the leading scientists
behind the T-virus also, and
the discoverer of the Golgotha
Virus of which he was head of
the research project.

But what deflates her image
of him was his pride, which
was severely stomped down
when the ten-year old child

prodigy, Alexia Ashford was
employed as a senior virologist.

". . . that's awkward." Reed
wheezed and walk around
the counter she's standing by,
exploring the laboratory she
was very familiar of.

Birkin shaked his head at the
Umbrella employee's strange
behaviour and constant visits.

It makes the doctor wonder if
the rising suspicion of him as
the one who cause the recent
facilities infection caught the
ears of those up there.

And they sent Krüger here to
keep an eye on him. Oh well,
the woman has been always
there ever since that facility
was built.

"Don't you have errands to do?"
asked Birkin

Reed paused on her little lab
exploration and glances over
the scientist still busy on his
project "My," She smiles and
chuckles in surprise.

"That's a first. Never heard of
that before. Well," Shrugging
"I have all the time in my life.
They don't like really my guts.
Don't need me that much, too.
Only when the situation turns
severe."

"You doesn't seem to mind me
being here. Oh well, you don't
respond and just listen to me."

Placing his pen down, looking
to the grey computer monitor,
"You're talkative." said Birkin

"Thanks for the compliment."
Reed grinned casually at him
and head to the exit, knowing
that she caused enough bother
"See you at Emmy's later, Doc."

   "I'm busy."

Krüger glanced back at the
man "Thirty minutes won't
hurt." Reed frowned at that
"It's not like the virus will
jump off the vial and walk
around."

"Plus, Sherry would be upset if she
saw those," She pointed under her
eyes "Eyebags, you know."

   Birkins sighs defeatedly "Alright."

Clicking her tongue, pointing
a gun finger childishly at him
"My treat." Reed grinned

"It's your offer." Birkins sighed

Waltzing out the door, "Take
Annette, too!" Reed shouted

Birkins watches the woman
outside until she's out of his
sight and shake his head.

1:13 AM | 1998 SEPTEMBER 23
——— STAGLA GAS STATION

   "What's that back there?"

Staring amusingly, asking the
same question for a hundred
goddamn time since the man,
looking young as police cadet
standing across a woman was
caught tipping was Krüger.

And again . . for a hundredth
goddamn time, the boy cadet,
Miles Dobber didn't respond
and just sip embarrassedly on
his canned cola, eyes ahead on
the silent road of Raccoon City.

Krüger grinned, curious, and
almost amused of the police's
silent treatment as she slide a
hand to her coat inside pocket,
pulling out a steel flask, "Why
so quiet, kid?" She asked

   "I have nothing to say." said Miles

   "I caught you red handed, did I?"

"You sure do, Ma'am. . ." Miles
sighed internally at the stupid,
unexpected way of getting caught.

"S.T.A.R.S, huh. . ." Scent of rum
whiffed to her nose, making her
insides happy "What brings you
back there, tailing that guy."

   "Chief Plump ordered you?"

"You know, the usual." Miles
frowned, ashamed for being

a weak "I don't want to do it
but I, I have no choice. . .I'm
just a cadet."

"Should've been Branagh."
Reed sipped on her drink

"Yeah. ." Miles trailed off and
heaved in disappointment as
he glances down his soda can,
rubbing it with his fingers.

Snorting, leaning off the wall,
"Come on, lad! Man up." Reed
tousled his hair, "Being a little
dirty won't hurt you know!"

"But that's—that's wrong!" He
exclaimed "That's against law.
The principles of a good cop."

"Listen here, bud." She slinged
an arm around his shoulder, a
serious yet puckish expression
was set on her face "There's no
such things as good cop if you
are blindedly following orders."

   "No. That's not it!"

The buzzing, vibrating phone
on her coat pocket ceased the
conversation in an instant.

Slipping her hand to her left
pocket, she pulled it out and
saw that self-set notification,
indicating that the alarm she
planted on the NEST complex
facility was on alert.

Frowning a little, she glanced
back up the cadet and smiles,
"And that's my cue for duties."
Reed grinned and dust off his
shoulders and head to her car.

"Have a good night, Ma'am!"
Miles shouted, watching her
slam her car door shut.

"You too, Miles!" The woman
shouted back at him, starting
the engine and simply drives
away but raises up the speed
once she's far enough.

Driving, dialing the Umbrella
Security Service, she gripped
the wheel tight, concerned of
the alert, a man's voice finally
picked up.

"The alarms broke off at the
NEST. What's the status, Ro?"

"First Squad. Alpha Team.
Operation NESTWRECKER
has infiltrated the lab and
retrieve a duralumin case
containing T & G samples."

   "The extraction point?"

   "Sewers, Ma'am."

Shit. Krüger grittedly ended
the call and sped off her way.

1:28 AM | NEST LABORATORY

Running down the white halls,
gripping a handgun, she reach
William laboratory, welcomed
by blood splatters on the white
wall and now empty container.

"Aw." Reed clenched her jaw,
seeing that the virus samples
was already taken away and
maybe also the scientist.

Walking further in the room,
Krüger paused on her tracks,
feeling something bumps the
tip of her boot. Looking down,
she saw an aspirating syringe.

Reed crouches down, picking
it up and inspects it carefully,
thinking what and who used
that for.

Ever so slowly, the realization
creeps up to her, almost send
shivers down her back as she
frowns, gaping "Oh good lord."

Wasting no time, the woman
goes out to search the facility
while heading to the sewers,
knowing all too well who've
taken the deadly shot.

Dashing around warily, gun
pointing at everywhere she
laid eyes on, Krüger reached
the flights of stairs and rush
down but stopped, seeing a

soldier slumped on the wall,
dead with his chest mangled.

Reed crouches down at the
soldier's level and picks up
his gun and his ammo, and
his radio as well just in case.

1:43 AM |  SEWERS

Clicking the flashlight placed
over her wrist on, narrowed
black eyes roam on the dark
long tunnel. One light blinks
at the end in front of her.

Taking silent steps forward,
putrid murky green puddle
of water that was left undry
moves just above her soles.

The distant rippling noises
of water somewhere away,
the dropping beads echoes
through her ears.

A venomous, guttural snarl
of an wild dog jumbled with
bubbling, popping noises of
a gaping fish perks her ears,
causing Krüger to spun unto
her boots, aiming her gun at
what's behind her. 

Pointing the flashlight to left
to right, seeing black nothing,
an ophidian hiss, a thick, long
mushy flesh plonked down to
her view.

Seeing the thick as pole, wet
flesh hanging from whatever
was on the ceiling, Reed lifts
the flashlight to see what's on
the above.

An astonished gasp escapes
her parted lips, seeing that
cracked open, split-headed
dog. It's corroding flesh was
abysmally seared and seem
to be basted back again, like
an dripping candle.

   "Right." Reed mumbled

With a bent growl, the hound
clinging on the ceiling leaped
to her, causing her to fire and
shoot it on the head.

The hound huffed, landing on
the ground with a light tap of
its hooves of a feet, wobbling.

Before the woman knew it,
its thick tongue whisked to
her way like a knout.

Pulling herself far back, the
split-headed hound seemed
to explode out its restraints
as it wildly pounced at her.

Reed swiftly lifts the deceased
soldier's gun and blasts bullets
directly to the dog's wide open
mouth before it reaches her.

Headless, the dog dropped to
the ground, completely dead.
"Sorry. ." Reed bit her lip and
turn her back from it and go.

Reaching the end of tunnel,
she took a careful turn and
found two soldiers lying on
the ground.

Reed strides towards them,
flipping the one body near
her and check for his pulse.

The woman frowned and sigh,
feeling none and looks around
and found the case she's after,
discarded like an tin can next
to the other soldier's body, it's
contents was gone, crumbled
to shards on the ground.

Krüger stood up and goes to
get it but stopped, feeling an
mushy flesh under her boot.
Lifting her foot, glancing on
the ground, she saw a rat.

It's small half body mushed
by her boot. Carcases floats
on the shallow green water.
Blood swirling, mixing with
the dead soldier's.

All she knew, they were fucked.