Never Look Back

[B]

When I arrived at the Antarctic Base the soldiers were more than happy to have me. I put on a friendly face. I was in my suit again. They've still never seen my face. It's been so long. Some of them even had children.

I knelt down next to a few boys. They had toy guns in their hands and they looked up at me like I was a god. Surely they didn't spread rumors to their families of a cold blooded assassin did they? I knelt down by them and they asked questions calling me. "Mr. Hunk" When I was about to start answering some whenever I caught them suddenly a flash came to my mind. Soon there will be one more child on this earth like these. Running around with big grins on their faces eager to ask his "hero" questions.

Damn, I've left Raccoon to escape these thoughts. I merely patted my thick black glove on a child's thick brown hair. I stood back up and addressed Marcus, the father of the one so eager as to push through the other 6 children to get close to me. Marcus was also one of the ones to drool over me my first visit. "7?" I guessed. "5." He corrected. The child was smart, and tall. Amazing.

I nodded and turned away from him and went down the halls. I pulled out my cell phone and chuckled. Like I was getting reception out here, besides, the messages I see were from Sola trying to see where I had gone, and Gerard, trying to get me to come back. I chucked my phone into a nearby waste bin and continued my way into the labs.

I passed the many familiar faces then went down an elevator. This is where I headed into the model mansion. It looks so much more brilliant now in its older age. I entered through the double doors and touched the picture at the top of the stairs. I wanted to see Alexia and yet getting in was impossible. I need Alfred's and Alexia's trinkets, which are safely with Alfred, and also Alexander's which was placed back on his ear. I've gotten messages of violent outbursts from him. They now call him "Nosferatu."

Jerry, a very good kid, he seemed new to the Antarctic base but he knew his way around. The boy was in his teens and like everyone on this frozen rock, so eager to see the legendary Death, as he referred to me. He lead me to a hidden bookcase which opened into a hall which stood some lockers. Again, the lockers opened like the bookcase to reveal a small room. I entered and a shout startled me. I looked down and there was where me, Alexia, and Alfred had chained in their father.

The man had grown considerably and balded. His skin was pale white as snow. He was now a creation. One to be quite proud of too. The esteemed lord of Ashfords was now lord of the B.O.W's down here at the Antarctic base. With the exception of Alexia who I refused to consider a B.O.W.

My stay here was fine and relaxed. No missions besides some animal attacks. Bears were very volatile. I went back to my past time in snowboarding but the burden of my child never ceased. She had to have had the baby by now. My child was alive and well and his cowardly father was fighting to forget it.

A year passed and they had seen my face a lot in the time. Boy were they surprised. I was young. They all had guessed once that I had to be around 30 years of age.

I decided to leave them. Jobs were coming more frequently now that the remaining U.S.S members were failing occasional jobs. Information was leaking. It was my time now. I didn't go back to Raccoon though. Instead I went to the Paris lab facility. My gun was ready. I learned quickly that a killer like me doesn't rust. My winning streak keeps an unknown number of wins to not one defeat.

The years passed with much incident. Who knew information would leak so far as Germany. I surprised myself. In the time of trying to forget of my family, I was a plague. I killed and killed. More frequently than before and I did it mercilessly. However, I did not kill one child. I used to be able to kill them without much after thought. However, knowing that any child could be my child, I couldn't.

I got a message one morning. The Arklay lab had been infected. It was a plan to get battle data. Apparently things didn't go according to plan as a rogue scientist was collecting information for himself. He didn't survive. It was Wesker. I frowned. I admired that man. Thank god he did die though. Or else I'd be chasing him right now.

I went back to sleep and got another letter the next day. It was a job, and not one I liked. It told of yet another rogue scientist who was working on a project without Umbrella's consent. So it was likely that the research would not be shared with the corporation. The research had been reported as finished. The stronger virus called G was created.

The scientist, (Who I had already guessed correctly) was William Birkin. I took a deep breath. I was to take a team and get the virus. If Birkin resists I am told to shoot to kill. I knew to prepare my gun. Birkin wont just let us go with his life work. I'm off to the town I had forsaken. Raccoon City...

[B]

A fizz. "AHH!!!-" The line cut off then started again. "What are thes-" My eyes slowly open. "Find them! Kill the-" I pushed up slowly against the nearest wall. My shoulder was out of place and it stung like hell. I looked down and there was a gap through my flak vest but whatever meant to impale me didn't succeed. I remembered all that happened.

The hard steps of seven boots. The fast walk in the night. I was at the head of them. We were like a flock of geese. I pushed the RPD's entrance to the side as my men shuffled in line. I noticed Gerard at the corner of my eye, just staring blankly at me. We past the reception desk without a word to the officer I knew as Jay. He seemed intent on keeping us away from the ladder but we didn't listen. We went up it. We were in full armor. The Umbrella logo was clear on our shoulders. Jay wasn't going to mess with us. we were equipped like Navy Seals.

We entered the waiting room and passed a few people, again ignoring the reception there as well. An unknown blond was there. She had a southern accent but again, she wasn't going to try to stop us by force. We left through the door and pushed past an officer in the hallway. We then entered the next hall on our way to the chief's room.

We entered it and we stood, my eyes looking directly at him. "Irons, step aside." I said calmly. "What's the meaning of this?" He demanded and the six muzzles of my allies went up. "This is your last warning. Move." He did so and I went around his office right by him but he wouldn't try anything. I reached under the desk and pushed a button underneath. The wall to my left opened.

We continued through an elevator. (It was quite cramped.) After a bit of walking we were in the sewers. We had the emblems needed to gain entrance to the labs. We used them quickly and entered the labs. From there we continued through many different stations finding ourselves in one particular. Me and another ally slowly entered. The rest of my group were spread out to keep from any unknown attacks from Birkin supporter's. We had one seeking his wife as well.

Birkin was there, a handgun in hand. Surely he knew we were coming and what we were coming for. "Doctor, we've come for the g-virus sample." I said, my beloved gun raised at him and my ally doing the same. He hesitantly backed up. "I wont just hand over my life's work." I would've tried more persuasion but he had knocked something over. My comrade flinched and fired recklessly I put my hand to his chest. "Stop, you might hit the sample." He ceased.

We carefully made our way by Birkin and I quickly grabbed the case. (taking note that it was open when I took it.) We then left. We found ourselves in the sewer. I don't remember what happened. There was shooting then I saw Birkin, he was mutation. All I remember was him charging at me.

I looked at the ground and noticed the case was opened and one of the viles were busted. "Shit." I mumbled and quickly began to stack the unbroken viles into the case. "Find those fucking trait-" My radio was picking up signals from all over the city. Hopefully I'll be able to contact HQ. "Alpha team here, respond." I said into the radio. "Mr. Death, it's been nearly a week." The other line reported. Was I really out for that long? I had a shocking feeling. I took my vest off and unzipped my jacket. Then Lifted my shirt. I was hit. But someone had patched me up.

Oh yeah! My team! I looked around me and the bloody massacre that was my team were laying around. They had bullet holes in their heads. Maybe someone ambushed them? No, they turned and someone killed them. "They're surrounding the studio!-" My radio continued to blare. "Cross connection." I reported through the radio. "I have G. Birkin turned. He let the virus out. I believe the area's infected." I reported and the radio responded. "Infected? The city's a war zone!" Shit. "We're going to send a chopper to meet you at the RPD roof." I nodded and put my radio back on my belt.

I was even picking up advertisements. I'm not interested in Viagra. I continued through the sewers slowly. I only had about five.. Maybe ten minutes before they came and I knew they wouldn't stay for long. But I knew these creatures. If I hurry I'm going to end up meat.

Spiders. I glanced at them slowly. Their giant legs above me. I was walking past them slowly. They didn't attack. I wasn't too worried, spiders were easy to deal with save that I don't get hit by their acid spit. I cannot get infected. Wait.. I was hit by Birkin I must be. But that was nearly a week ago. I'm still alive. I'm not infected. It must've been the virus that kept me out so long. Yes.

I heard a second pair of footsteps ahead. Must be a zombie. I raised my gun and then I saw the figure. "Ah, so you've followed us here!" The figure shouted. It was a human, most likely French. In denial maybe? "...What?" I asked but he didn't hear me for he had already raised his gun and began to fire. This isn't part of my mission but I can't let him kill me. I fired back. He charged me, he had a bayonet on the nose of his weapon.

He was good I found myself on my knee from a blow to the leg but he was getting over confident. I drew my rural knife. This weapon was used for hacking and it was just half the size of a large machete. The tip was pointed enough. I jambed the weapon into his vest where his heart is. The man seemed shocked but wasn't dead, the knife hadn't gone totally through. I might as well give it a push. I picked up my left fist and beat the knife into his heart. He fell. Either he was dead or it was from my hit.

I wasn't going to retrieve my knife. This guy was wearing kevlar, getting the knife in was hard and getting the knife out is even harder so why try? I stood up to continue on my way when I noticed another person but I couldn't react in time. She ran up to me and shoved her fists into my shoulder and chest. They didn't hurt. My vest was strong enough. After a while she grew tired and fell to her knees. Was it my fault? Don't I have the right to protect myself?

I don't have time for this. I told myself and walked casually past her. Ah well, she wont survive this outbreak anyways. Soon enough I found myself down in the RPD's dog house. The growls gave me enough reason to turn and fire. The two dogs went down quickly. I slowly continued into the prison hallway.

More dogs, easilly dispatched with my beloved smg. I continued to the parking lot. Seems there had recently been a safe haven here, I wonder where they all went. Guess it doesn't matter. "Help! I don't want to die!-" My radio blared. "The army is nosing in t-" I knew that voice. It was German. UBCS maybe. Oh well, it doesn't matter to me.

I entered into the basement of the station. Someone was being eaten and screaming. "Help! PLEASE!" He shouted at me. "This is a war." I mumbled. "Surviving is your responsibility." I walked past the two gorging zombies and the dying man.

(Too be continued next post.)

[B]

I went up the basement steps into an RPD hallway. This place was packed with undead. There was no other way through here though. I calmly pushed my smg to my back, the strap was sustaining it. Then I withdrew the blacktail at my side. Why waste my smg when they could be taken down easily with a handgun?

They slowly lumbered forth. I fired at one and he dropped. The one following quickly lunged at me. I grabbed her neck so she wouldn't bite me then kicked her away. Not wasting a second I rushed behind her back and used my signature neck snap. I turned casually around and fired at another lunging undead. I dispatched the other three with easy precise shots. I left this hall.

"Be ready to ambush them!" The radio ordered. It was clear, they must be close. It must be the UBCS again. I was now in the station's offices. A few more zombies a few more bullets and I was safely through. I was now in the station's main hall. This was going to be tough. Shot a few more zombies down but my eyes were on them. Above me, spiders were crawling. They could bombard me from here. I aimed up and fired, one fell then the others jumped down. I pushed my smg into my left hand and fired inaccurately but the spray was enough to take them down.

The main hall's door was braying. And my radio was giving off an insane laughter that later turned into sobs. "We're fucked! WE'RE FUCKED!!" It cried. I ignored it and kept my eyes open. I heard a growl. I ignored it for now and went up the ladder to the second floor. I was walking slowly. The lights suddenly shut off. Power grid must've been hit. I pulled a heavy duty flashlight from my belt and held it with my left hand as my pistol was firmly in my right.

I heard a yelp and turned. Moving rather quickly was a hunter. I'd need to dispatch it at a distance so I fired my handgun but I missed many of the shots and soon it was close. It leaped at me and I span with a kick, hitting it away from me in mid air. It fell to the ground and I pumped in a few shots in the neck. (The scales are softer on its neck and belly.)

At a small jog I entered the waiting room. I slowed my movement to a cautious walk. I slowly went near the door when I heard the yelp again. I turned and my head shifted from right and left. Two Hunters and they both lunged. I shot a good four or five rounds at both of them and they fell dead.

I didn't want to risk more coming from my back so I shifted my head to gaze at my back as I back stepped through the open doorway. A plant. I knew these creatures. It brought up its tentacles and struck. I didn't do any super action flip to get out of the way, I merely took a step back and it missed simply. I fired one shot quickly. These things may be strong but they have a distinct weakness in their "mouth" area where what I like to call the "heart" is, just shoot it and they go down instantly.

I stepped over its carcass and continued into the last hallway I'd have to go through. "Asako! Get the-" "For fresh relief-" "What the fuck was that!? BIG TONG-" My radio continued its broadcasts. More frequently now. I walked through the hallway slowly and cautiously as I've been doing. I gazed out the windows as I did. I'd be first to tell you that these things like to jump out.

And they did. Birds. And alot of them. I dropped my flashlight and fired aimlessly hearing their death squacks. I felt a few land on me and try uselessly to peck through my armor. I shot them. Soon enough the sounds stopped and I bent down to pick my flashlight. My radio continued its nonsense and I heard monsters behind me. And a lot of them. I ran, ran through the door to the helipad and I was out into the open. I turned and monsters began to pour out. They included lickers, hunters, zombies. I fired, and fired. I wasn't going to give up now. I ducked from a lunging licker and it fell off the roof making a disturbing crack on the ground below me.

My clip ended and I fired ruthlessly with my handgun. Finally the pile of bodies were down for good. I moved and closed the door. I then walked slowly to the railing. The chopper was coming. Also I noticed the sun was rising. Despite all odds, I didn't fail this mission. It was this day I learned, that death cannot die.

I removed my mask and took a deep breath I let my hair blow with the light breeze. The helicopter drew near me and I entered it. I searched thoroughly as we flew up. The briefcase was still in hand. Suddenly I found figures on a rooftop. "Turn!" I shouted. "No!" The other called. I stuck my gun to his head. "Turn or I'll decorate your windshield!" I growled and he did as I commanded. 4 people. No.. 5. Three I recognized. Two were unknown. There was Jay, Jack, and... Sola. There was a woman by Jay and in front of Sola. A child. "Fly in close!" I commanded and sat closely to the edge.

This was my baby. Sola wont survive this but I wont let the child die. "SOLA!!" I shouted. Her eyes narrowed. "Give me the child!" I shouted. We exchanged a few words. This was my son too. I'll not let him die. In the end, for the child's sake, she did I told and handed me the child. We flew a bit up but I didn't want her to die. But I cant take her with me. I reached into the case near me and removed a green vile. I then tossed it to her. She caught it with ease. She'll need that.

The flailing, crying child in my arms fought but couldn't break my grip. With that the chopper turned and left. I survived.

[B]

We landed in a survivor safe zone. My son and I were the first ones off the helicopter. He had stopped crying a little before we landed, now he has that quiet frightened look on his face. We walked past many crying people, a few were injured. I picked Michael up and set him on a bench and I bent down to look at him. I was amazed. He looked so much like me save for the few features that he shared with his mother, especially those beautiful eyes. The boy didn't know how to take my astonished faces and soon enough I sat by him. I fought the urge to toss him in the air and catch him in my arms but I'm a soldier.

Not long later the pilot came to me and asked me aside. I nodded and went with him behind a tent. There he put a silenced pistol up to my gut. "I need the child." He said and I glared at him, he took a step back. "Come on Hunk, you know you can't win against these guys, just give them the child." I stepped forward and the pilot took another step back. "Wait.. Please don't kill me..." The pilot said, my face didn't flinch. The man handed me the gun and I shot him. I don't know why I did or why the pilot was so stupid, maybe he actually thought that begging would help him.

Either way I had to think of Michael. I went back to where the boy was still sitting quietly and picked him up into my arms. I walked with the child to the nearest car and checked for the keys. they were in them oddly and not even the door was locked. I turned the car on and waited a few seconds for someone to run up screaming at me but when nothing happened I drove off. My mind was set on getting an apartment for now then in the morning I will leave this part of the country and wait for the moment where I can find Sola.

I got into this town called Alderney a week later. This is where I'll be for a while. Two days ago Michael began to talk, as much as a toddler could anyways, he mostly asked about his mommy. I told him that we will see her soon, what else could I say? I felt a little left out, the boy didn't even want to know me. I never told him yet, not that he would understand anyways.

In Alderney I found a nice apartment. Me and Michael lived there for a while, I got him to call me Uncle Keith. I was too much a coward to tell him who I really was, what if she said bad things and the boy would look down on me or what if he doesn't even know what father means? I could handle people with 12 gauges, I could handle the demons I watched created, I could handle freezing cold temperatures but I couldn't handle my son's hatred.

A few more days passed and I found out how hard it was to keep a child, at first he was quiet and shy but now he's rambunctious and destructive, not to mention he had to eat a lot. It wasn't too hard though, I got the handle of it pretty quick.

I was relieved to see Umbrella didn't follow me yet but little did I know they were watching me all along. They knew I wasn't an easy kill so they would have to bide their time for the perfect chance. That chance was to happen really soon here...

[B]

I got up early as usual. It was customary that I got more awake time than sleep time, it stopped bothering me since my days as a child. I slowly slid off the bed and walked towards the closet. There were civilian clothes I had bought recently and hung up. I dressed in a simple white t-shirt and tan pants, as for shoes I wore rather stick with his combat boots since they had straps that could hold a knife.

I didn't think Michael would be awake; he was a kid after all. I opened my bedroom door and the child was staring at me with wide eyes. I cocked my eyebrow before I noticed the new decorations placed on the wall behind the child. I bent down and inspected the unprofessional inscriptions before coming to the conclusion that children weren't Picasso's; learn something new every day. I set aside the manuscript of the child's imagination as I walked past him.

Who said raising a child was hard? Let them do their stuff and I'll do mine, simple simple. Suddenly a tug raised my attention and I turned to the boy who had now begun doing a bad impression of Michael Jackson what with holding his nads and moving up and down uneasily. "Potty." The boy said simply. "Well go." I responded and the boy looked at me with a confused expression. "What?" "Potty!" "So go..." Suddenly the boy froze and his blue eyes went wide again and then he stood up straight. "Oops." The boy said and looked down. My eyes followed and stopped on the forming damp lining running down his pants leg. "Did you just piss yourself?" The boy never did something like that since he met him. Now that I think of it I had escorted him to the bathroom but he never really said anything at home and I had always shown him the bathroom and kept close to him out of paranoia.

"Go change." I sighed and the boy looked confused again. What, I have to change him too? Yeah, I had bought the boy clothes but I only just noticed he's still wearing the clothes he was wearing when I retrieved him from his mother. "Alright... Come on." I sighed and walked the boy to his room wear he laid down on the carpet, he's been through this before, man, if children weren't pampered like so, the world would be full of Einsteins. I went in his closet and grabbed a red and blue striped shirt and black pants. I walked over to the boy and and hesitated before removing his pee stained pants. Suddenly I saw what looked to be a half diaper and half underwear, it was gigantic with urine. "Uh.." I suddenly felt rather stupid for not getting any diapers considering the boy's age then even stupider at having grabbed a shirt and pants and not underwear. I turned and went back to the closet, he'll just have to sit with them until he gets some urine suckers later.

He was dressed, the clothes were a bit big but a cut old piece of wire was enough to keep the pants up, though it didn't keep the chonies underneath from falling down his waist under his pants so after a few steps the boy would stop and pick at his butt trying to get the underwear in a more comfortable position.

Finally that brutal moment was over. I wasn't completely kid-stupid, I know that the grown-ups have to get the food ready for the child like Sister Mai. Amazing I could still remember her name though I couldn't remember much else from my childhood. I made a simple bowl of Capt'n Crunch for the kid and set it on the table and put him in a chair.

I wasn't feeling much hungry so I went to check the news about the incident at Raccoon. It was front page news; "A nearby power plant exploded leaving a midwestern town, Raccoon City, demolished and leaving survivors with hard cases of amnesia and psychotic behavior." I glared at the headline, what a lie. I tossed the paper to the floor and it splattered in a puddle of mild. I looked down and looked back up to a display of stray Capt'n Crunches making their voyage in a shallow seas of Dairy Ocean. I shook my head. "Damnit Michael, not again." It didn't matter, I could use Umbrella's lies as a towel, even toilet paper if I wanted to. The boy was still eating random Capt'n Crunches displayed across the table while I noticed I would have to change him yet again. From now on, no more liquid objects that aren't in a spill-free container and it's dry cereal from now on.

Now that the start of the day had finished it was time to go to the store to get more stuff. I had gotten to the door and opened it and flipped the lock before closing the door behind me. I paused and thought a second before smacking my head. "Stupid." I murmured before turning and producing the keys from my pocket. I slid the correct key in and presto, instant access! I walked over to where Michael went back to drawing on the wall and picked him up from the ground. "Find your shoes." I said and he ran off and came back seconds later with his shoes. I slipped them on for him and tied them and I was off again to the store, son holding my hand.

I found myself in Walmart, remembering the greeter at the door had a red name tag, I laughed. All ranked security members had to wear a blood red ID card on their breast to show their rank. It looked stupid and I had refused, they didn't stress the matter to me. I pulled out a bag of diapers with both hands, having let go of Michael for a second to check it. "Pampers?" I grunted and put it back, the child's been pampered enough by his mother. Huggies, Drypers, Luvs? What the hell are these supposed to be teaching children? How to be pansies? Suddenly I stopped at a pair whose name made me satisfied. "GoodNites, these'll work; we'll need some good nights..." I held the package in one arm and turned to look at my son only to see nothing but the blue tiling. "Shit!" I growled and clutched to where my gun was hidden and kept my hand securely locked around the handle. I ran through a couple isles before an intercom went up. "We've got a lost child, black hair and blue eyes, wearing a striped t-shirt and-" I didn't even need to listen to the rest as I hurried to the check-out stand and saw my little hellion.

"Are you this boy's father?" This cute clerk asked me, there was another man beside her, possibly a manager with cocky glare. "Uh.. No, I'm his Uncle." The girl smiled and released the boy's hand as the little one walked over to me. The manager began to speak. "We found this little newt playing with expensive ceramic mini-statues and one broke and I will charge you for it." The man produce a legless horse... No, maybe it was a donkey. It didn't matter, either way I glared at the man. "Such things wouldn't happen if you kept your useless ceramic crap a little higher up, would it?" I growled and produced my wallet and took out the price for the diapers and two twenties for the twenty-dollar donkey. "Here's your money, now give me my ass." The man gave me the broken donkey figure and I left the store before I got too irritated at the man who dared called my son a newt.

outside I accidentally ran into a woman, she had a black leather coat that reached down a little past her waist. She had long brown hair and dark blue jeans. She wore what seemed to be black high heels. "Oh I'm sorry." She gasped and looked at me before cocking her head. "Do I know you?" She asked curiously. I shook my head, maybe she did, she could be an Umbrella employee. "Doubt it." I said and passed her quickly. She called to me to wait but I didn't. My pace was fast and little Michael was fighting to keep up.

The rest of the day passed without incident. I put a diaper on Michael, who was a little resistant as he preferred the cloth underwear instead, and I escorted him to the bathroom and waited as he did his thing. What struck me as odd was when he finished he got all happy and went "Yay!" while looking at me, expecting me to do the same. I suppose it was a congratulatory ritual so I mimicked his yay. Things settled down after that and I just put on cartoons for him despite my dislike for television. The day was over, being a dad was tough but I thought I would be able to handle it, however tomorrow will hold unwanted surprises...

[B]

I felt groggy when I woke up today. I moved my hands to my eyes and rubbed them roughly before issuing a yawn. I put my hands back to the bed when I noticed my left hand found a lump. I looked over to see Michael sleeping. Okay, guess the kid forgot where his own bed was. I looked over at the clock and noticed it was five in the morning, I had things to do today and I needed someone to watch Michael.

When I was dressed and ready for the day Michael was up and running around. I had picked up a phone book to look at baby sitters. I couldn't find anything I liked until I remember this girl a few doors down. She had said hi to me and took a shine to Michael so I decided to ask her. The girl was more than happy to oblige and I handed her a hundred dollars, seemed like enough money to take care of a child.

I was out and about now. First thing I had to do was contact an old friend to help me find Sola, then I would need to stop down and get some medicine for Michael since I had gotten a call not long after I left from Michelle that he was running a small fever. I needed a pay phone, like all people in my position the possibility of a bug was too much of a risk, besides, that woman the other day might've been their spy.

I had found a suitable pay phone in a nearby sub station. I waited for this fat pompous prick to get off the phone before putting in a few quarters and dialing his number. The phone answered after four rings and the man's voice spoke up. "Yeah?" "Rick." There was a small moment of silence before the man spoke up again. "What do you want Keith?" I smiled and spoke up again. "I need you do me a favor." "Last favor I did you got me shot in the kneecap, I can't walk straight anymore." "Don't worry, it's not a physical job, I need you to find someone." The man paused again and I could hear him cursing silently. "Okay, okay... Who is it.. Wait, don't tell me, it's that girl, Sola, right? What's her last name?" "Valance." There was another moment of silence, this time longer before he spoke up. "Nope, sorry, said she died in the recent Raccoon Power incident." I shook my head. "No, it's not like her. I want you to find out, she must've changed her name, I want you to find her." "I better be getting paid." "Think of it as pay back for my saving your life." "Yeah, when I was doing a favor for you." "Fine, fine, I'll pay you. Thanks Rick." I was about to hang up when he stopped me. "Wait, Keith, your name is sprouting off the roof here, I think Umbrella has tabs on you. Watch your back, but wait, why did you betray us?" I was quiet for a few but decided to give some sort of answer. "You find Sola and I'll tell you why." With that I hung up and walked away from the phone.

I didn't notice but there had been a black motorcycle following me. I've passed it twice now and seen it once following behind me, there was a person I couldn't make out due to the black suit and black helmet. The person obviously liked black what with the bike being black too. I entered the car and began driving. I saw the person get back on their motorcycle, start it up and began following. The motorcycle had a calming drone, not like normal cycles which scream until you think you have a brain tumor, that may have been one of the reasons I didn't notice it before.

I drove slow and the cycle passed me and made a turn, illegally I might add. I continued until I thought I was safe and I left the car to go into the drug store to get some Pepto Bismol. Once I had paid for it I had moved out of the store when two guys walked right by me, pistols placed on both sides of my gut. "Move, Mr. Death." One growled and I complied without changing my expression much. They had stuffed me into this red car, I couldn't tell what brand.

A few minutes passed and I found myself being led out into an abandoned warehouse. I thought I could've taken and killed them in a private place but I should've taken them down when we were in the open. Once inside I noticed five more people placed in a little baseball diamond way up on the rafters, they weren't taking any chances. "Well Former Agent Hunk, seems Death can die." The one pointing the gun at me said. Guess there wasn't room for small talk with these people, they just wanted to shoot me and get it done, I don't blame them. Suddenly a drove and a crash as a guy from the rafters was hit by a motorcycle in flight, the man fell from the rafters along with the bike whose driver arched it to make a complete landing. The cycle sped on to hit the guy with the gun who didn't shoot out of startlement, hell, even I was startled. Once the guy hit the floor from the bike he dropped his gun right in front of me. I grabbed it and shot the guy to my right, now all that was left were the guys on the rafters. They didn't matter much, they fired but they weren't great shots. I hopped on behind the bike's slim driver and we sped off through the door I entered at.

The droning of the cycle was now a powerful roar. This wasn't some bike you buy at any old store, it was a custom bike made for extreme sports or something, either way, the speed we were hitting was making me uneasy. I wouldn't doubt the men on the rafters had grabbed cars to pursue us but it was futile, within minutes we had to be a couple miles away and out of harm's way.

Five minutes later the bike began to slow to a normal pace before turning into a 7-eleven. The person got off and removed their helmet. It was a female, the same female I had seen the other day. "Oh, so you do know me?" I asked, why else would she attempt such a stunt. "Yeah, I saw you in Raccoon the day I came to see my brother, you work for Umbrella right?" I shook my head. "Used to, those goons were hired to kill me. You came in a nick of time." It was so perfect it might've been staged. "I like an entrance." She smiled and held out her hand. "Jennifer Ryman." I shook it. "Just call me Keith." "Aw, no Mr. Death?" She must've been there when I was first taken, so she had been following me.

After we went into the store just in case they passed by, I asked her. "Why were you following me." She looked up at me with a "are you stupid" face. "I thought you worked for Umbrella, so I needed your help to find someone." "Your brother?" "Yes." "Sorry, can't help you. Even if I had worked with Umbrella how do you know they would be of any help?" She smiled and picked up a candy bar and inspected it. "Well, I received a call from my brother the day of the incident, before the plant exploded. The plan was just a cover up, wasn't it. There was something going around, some kind of disease that made people violent. He said it had something to do with Umbrella." "So if you knew that how do you know I'd help you at all?" "I would've made you." "How?" "By gun point." "So why'd you save me?" "I wouldn't get my information had you died.. Plus I thought if you owed me a favor you'd be obligated to help me." I nodded. "Yeah, I guess I do." She looked at me with surprised as if she expected a fight to get me to cooperate. "I'm looking for someone too." I told her.

We had left the store and I had given her the directions to my apartment. Apparently she was staying at a hotel not far so she suggested that we see each other the next day to plan out our movements but I told her I wanted her to take my "nephew" with her to her hotel room for the night. I trusted her for some reason and I also trusted that Umbrella knew that I was here. Jennifer accepted and they left, Michael didn't put up much of a resistance. After they were gone I slapped my head, forgetting to give Jenn the medicine. Oh well, she'll find something.

[B]

"So.." Jenn started, a large smile on her face as she turned the steering wheel. "You're a trained assassin, no, one who is veered the greatest killer in the world?" It was obvious she didn't believe me but I only nodded. "And furthermore, you expect me to believe that kid in the back is you nephew? How stupid do you think I am, you're too calm to be killer and that kid's resemblence to you is uncanny. Michael is not your nephew, I put my bike on that. He's your son." I flinched and looked in the back seat, Michael was asleep, no trouble there. She flashed a smile in response to my action. "Okay, he's my son... But I was serious when I said I was a trained killer." She laughed again. "Oh, and a killer is on the run from other killers and just so happens to have a son?" "What if I said I had a gun." "I would say you ought to be one hell of a pissed of postalman." With a flash my gun was placed to her temple. She froze and the car swerved a bit but she regained it. "Okay okay!" She called, "You're a killer... But the gun away." I smiled and placed it back.

We had hit 150 miles from the starting town now, we had sat quietly after the gun incident but she had just spoken up. "So is your name really Keith?" "No." I responded. "Well?" "Hunk." She laughed and it was starting to annoy me. "Well.." I confessed. "It's a codename I was given when I was nine... I took it for my real name since, well, I don't remember my real name." She didn't laugh, she was considering the truth, in the end she shrugged, who is she to say I was wrong. "Okay, I'm going to call you a hunk of tofu then." She smiled and it was so stupid that I smiled too.

"So tell me about yourself now." I said. "me?" "No, the other driver." "Well.. I'm an actress." I laughed. "Actresses don't do stunts like the one you pulled, they're too pampered." She smiled embarressingly. "Okay... I'm a stunt double..." I nodded, that seems about right, they get paid alot and that bike strapped to the back of the car had to be worth a pretty penny but that wasn't all she did. "What else?" I demanded. She sighed. "A racer." I nodded and listened to her. Apparently her brother was named Kevin Ryman, he had been an RPD officer. Of course she's seen me. The only way we can get into the labs is through a secret door in Iron's office. Apparently Mr. Ryman was in the Raccoon incident, and Miss Ryman didn't like it when I said he most likely didn't survive. In the end I believe me and her had good chemistry, I was the killer she was the action "superstar" and we're both looking for someone and hate Umbrella.

She was discouraged when I told her I had no more power to try and find her brother but she also sympathized at the fact that I couldn't find Sola. When she asked why I wanted to find her, I looked at Michael and she understood immediately. We might not have the power to help each other with our missing persons but we did agree to be partners. But first, I asked that we look for Sola first. She agreed, it's a woman thing to feel sympathy for a child without a mother, but she also tried to say the same thign about a little boy without a father. I excused the subject almost immediately. Too touchy for a killer to handle reasonably.

(More to be added later...)

[B]

Finally we reached a town, "Delenquit", what kind of crack head named the town? "Jenn, I'm going to go to a payphone." The woman nodded and helped Michael out of the back seat, they needed to get a child restraint seat soon before they get pulled over by the police. That's all a "professional killer" needs is for police to try to get a background of a non-existing person.

I reached the payphone and looked through the names for "Valance" not one. It was stupid of me really, I'm so anxious that I would be willing to check a backwater town like this for a woman like Sola Valance. I shook my head and leaned against the phone booth's window. I thought a few and something came to mind. There was a man who worked for Umbrella in Paris. I knew him quite well and he knew me, he feared me. He was the operator there, if I can "persuade" him over the phone, he might be able to tell me where Umbrella is tracking Sola. I pulled the phone off the receiver and paused, I forgot to put quarters in. I placed it back on and placed two quarters in and reached for it again. I dialed in the number.

"Hello?" A woman's voice came through. "Hello, I need to be transferred to Ted..." I had to think to remember the man's last name but it came to me in half a minute. "Brannigan." The woman paused but confirmed. Seconds later. "Yes, yes, who is this?" "Hello, Mr. Brannigan." I said venomously. "Oh shit.." He squealed. "Listen, I wasn't behind nothing in Raccoon. Leave me alone." "No, Ted. I need information. If I fail to receive said information then you and I have a big fucking problem. Comprende?" I said in a voice calm yet ice cold. "Okay, okay. Calm down..." The other man replied. "What do you want?" "I need to know where Umbrella is tracking a few people." The other man paused but decided to confirm. "Shoot." "Sola Valance." There a pause for a couple minutes, I turned to check the road for anything suspicious, nothing, and it seemed Jenn was still in the store with Michael. "I don't have the clearance.." Ted said in a low voice. "You're lying." "No, I swear." "Don't think for a second you're the only on jeopardy here, Ted. Think of your family." "I FUCKING SWEAR YOU INSANE MOTHERFUCKER!... No, I'm okay. Linda get out, I said I'm fucking fine!" He was telling the truth. "Okay, Mr. Brannigan. I'll let you off on that for now, but don't think that we're done there. One more person." "...Who?" "A uh.. Kevin Ryman, a couple minutes passed. "I don't have any Kevin Ryman." I nodded, you can't expect them to take the name of every single survivor. "Okay, Teddy. We'll keep in touch, tell your wife one of your friends might drop by to say hi if a certain Umbrella Operator doesn't cooperate." Ted started to say something but the phone was already on the receiver. That was a load of nothing.

We decided to rent a room in a hotel. We walked in and saw two beds and a television. In the back was a small bathroom. "Oh, real nice." I heard Jenn and looked over, she was holding what looked to be a long glove at first glance until I got a better look at it. "Kids, huh?" I mumbled and he expression was disgusted as she threw the used condom in the wastebasket. "I have good news, and bad news." I stated as I pulled Michael's shoes off. "I'm a glutton for punishment, give me the bad news." "Your brother might be dead." I picked Michael up and put him at the head of the bed on one of the pillows. "And the good?" "He might be alive, and if that's true then you don't have to worry about Umbrella being after him." I pulled the blanket over though the kid was likely to kick it off anyways. "How do you know..?" "I have a contact in Umbrella." "Find anything out about your girl?" "No." She nodded and those were the last words of the night, Jenn went to take a shower and I laid by my son and fell asleep almost as fast as he did.

This was how life was for a whole year. It was traveling from place to place, looking for any clues and coming up empty handed. I was getting impatient but at the same time I was hoping I wouldn't find her. Michael was my son and I deprived myself of being with him once, but still, it felt like Neptune itself was gnawing at my side that Sola was in great pain without her son. I left the hotel in New York. I didn't like staying in big cities but we were just passing through. Snow was all over the ground, it was winter. It started to make me conscious of two things normal people do; celebrate Christmas and celebrate birthdays. How stupid I must've been, I must've long passed Michael's birthday without any sort of celebration. The kid had to be about three years old now. I went back into the hotel and went to tell Jenn who was dressing up Michael in appropriate winter clothes. She laughed. "It's easy. You get a birth certificate." "How?" "Come on." An hour passed after the doctor had taken blood tests to see if I was the biological father. I sat there a little nervous, what if Michael WASN'T my child? The doctor came in and confirmed it. Within minutes I had to fill out a form and use my old name Keith (Last name I forgot) because that was the name Sola had to have used and indeed it came through. Within minutes I had a copy of the kid's birth certificate in front of me. It was October the twenty-third. That was a couple months ago, it was already December fourth. I decided not to make up for the last but to just go along with the holidays so the kid could be somewhat normal.

When we left the hospital I turned to Jenn. "Uh... When does the kid have to go to that school thing?" She laughed. "You really were born under a rock. At least when they're five." I nodded, 2 more years and I get a break from the kid during the day to spend in my investigation.

Christmas came I allowed Jenn to buy some presents for the kid, I didn't know what to get him so I let her do all the shopping with my cash. I was a wealthy man still, after all those dark deals I had to have gotten something, and that was rich, I put all my money into a separate account as well so Umbrella wouldn't be able to screw me over, boy am I happy I did that, they probably don't keep accounts for traitors. So we celebrated with a very dim celebration. Jenn tried to get me in the mood but it wasn't happening, it made me feel awkward. She didn't get the kid too much, after all we couldn't travel with a ton of toys.

Months passed and someone knocked on the door of our hotel room. Jenn had taken Michael out for some fresh air so I was alone. I opened it and my mouth dropped a little. The man took a few steps into the room. "You're a hard one to find." He said and I cocked an eyebrow. "I heard you were killed." "I was." He wore a black tuxedo but the fibers looked easy to move in. The blond haired man turned to me, his eyes veiled by the black shades. "I can help you find her." He said and I shook my head almost immediately. "There's a catch to this and I'm done being someone else's dog. It seems the man wasn't going to stress it. "Of course... I'm biding my time anyways, but when you find that you are unable to track her. I'll be back." The man known as Albert Wesker left, I wasn't even sure he was a man, there was an odd feeling about him. It was like standing face to face with a tyrant. I wasn't scared of him. I just didn't trust him. Time will pass again before something comes up, it seemed we weren't being tracked by Umbrella very consciously, they had more to deal with. It appears someone broke into their lab facility and one of their islands was shot to hell. It seems they also lost contact with the Antarctic base, poor chaps, I actually liked them.

[B]

2 Years now I've had Michael. We've been staying in towns for weeks at a time before moving on because moving so quickly is draining the money though I still have plenty and Jenn wasn't exactly poor, in fact twice she's been asked to stunt a movie, they wanted a guy to do stunts too and Jenn asked me to but I declined, all this stuff I do in real life, why would I listen to some dick and let him screw up the enjoyment of it? Well, it was September now, Michael can talk quite clearly now and boy does the kid love to talk, I could already tell he took that gene from his mother. Jenn began to worry about Michael not having anyone his age to play with, I told her that she could take him to a playground or something every now and then and she gave me a "kudos" for actually thinking up something fatherly.

So Jenn was out at a playground watching Michael, I was leaving the hotel when someone walked up to me. "You're Hunk." Someone stated behind me. I turned, ready to fight when the woman. "Who are you?" "Alyssa Ashcroft." She stated straight out. "What do you want." "I want you to give me some quotes." "Who told you about me?" "Sorry." She shrugged. "I can't give away information, but my contact said you were very reliable." "Well they were wrong." "Or you're lying." I turned to her and took a step right in front of her. "Listen, you don't know who your dealing with but you need to leave." I said darkly and she took a step towards me, our faces close and she stared at me with brave eyes. "I think not. I need information, Umbrella is going down."

I looked up past her and saw a black car driving up, the window was open and something was sticking out, a rifle. I took the woman and threw us both to the ground as shots began bursting out. The car quickly darted off. "They found me!" Both myself and the woman fumed. I ran for the woman's car, hearing the engine still rumbling, the woman followed and entered the passenger side while I entered her side. I was planning on leaving the woman but she was fast and intent, your cliche bitch. I started with a screech. I need to take these people down. As I drove I fumbled into my pocket for my cell phone, seems the woman was doing the same. "Jenn." I said. "Nick." She said. "They've found us." We both said again. "Take Michael and leave the town until I tell you." I said. "Take Elizabeth and leave town... until I tell you." She looked at me oddly. They were after one of us. Just then it hit me, she's the woman doing the newspaper against Umbrella, I laughed. "What's so funny?" She asked and turned a corner hard. "Nothing." "Son of a bitch, can't you be a little smoother?" "Not my fault your car is crap." Minutes later we gave up pursuit, me and the woman had no idea where they went. "Shit." I mumbled and turned to her. "Look, if you want a source, I would suggest you look up one of these people." I paused and remembered all their names quickly. "Ayami Garnet, Jack Anderson, or Jim Chapman." She nodded. "Sure, now may I have my car back." "After I go back to my hotel."

Another couple months passed. Jenn tried to get more out of me about myself so I decided to play ball. "Okay... When I was really young-" "How young?" I shrugged. "8... 9... I was taken by a man named Alexander Ashford. He brought me to this island facility to be trained for-" "Killing?" "Yeah." I began to tell her a little more and she looked at me like I was crazy so in the end I stopped. We drove on, moving to another location, we were out in California this time, the month was nice and cool but no snow like the east coast. I made sure to celebrate Michael's birthday so that was all fine. Nothing really happened, it seems we haven't gotten any more problems from Umbrella, they weren't after me that day but that Ashcroft character, and judging by her name in some of the papers she's still alive and kicking. She has to be very strong, especially to get up in MY face of all people.

One day I found myself walking into one of California's large banks. This place was a sight to behold, it wasn't those small business banks, this is what I call a bit one where people go to see you face to face. I wanted to withdraw quite a bit of money because we needed a new vehicle because the other was acting up. I thought of getting a truck, it'd be easy to put the bike in one of those. I walked towards the elevator slowly until some sounds caught my ears. They were like bird tweets but I know that sound. I turned to see three men with silenced AK-47's enter the building and already brought 9 people. I span around to my left behind a marble pillar.

"Everyone stay calm!" I heard someone shout. "This is not a robbery, there is someone here we want." I looked around the corner slowly, they were in U.S.S. uniforms, one was in a uniform that almost completely resembled mine. I pulled my head away so they wouldn't see me. I looked over to see a bank security guard hiding behind a pillar not to far. "Psst." I called to him, he looked over at me. I mouthed. "Your gun." And pointed at his hand. He shook his head and I nodded. "Hurry." I mouthed. The guy was scared and he saw my calm posture and decided to trust me, I found it amazing. He slid his gun over and I caught it. By now they heard the noise. I look over to see three more, no four more. There were 7 guys. I looked a little more closely and three more shown themselves. 10 guys. I could hear their steps getting closer. Two people, a rhythm of two steps at the same time. I waited until they were a little clearer and moved from my spot and shot twice. The helmets would've stopped the bullets but the plastic eye holes would not. Both men went down. 8 more ago, and here I was worried that I had gotten rusty.

I pointed at the officer again and made a hammer motion at the bottom of the gun and mouthed. "Clip" he looked down and pointed at the clip at his belt and I nodded. He slid it over only it was just a few inches short. I stuck my hand out to grab it and heard a shot, the bullet missed by half an inch. They have quite the shot but not faster than me. I was behind the pillar again.

If only I had my gear, I’d be able to deal with all of them easier but I had to make due with what I got. It didn’t seem like any more were going to come and try to flank me, they were relying on their snipers. I could hear yells from one of them as they kept the civilians calm, no one behind the counters were alive. I needed to spot that sniper but if I was just a fraction slow I could very well lose my head. I braced myself and shoved my head out of the pillar for a fraction of a second, there was no gunfire. He might’ve assumed I’d be sitting but I knew where he was. This time I was going to swing around the other side of the pillar and get him when he doesn’t know It’s coming. I slid down to a crouch and with another breath I swung from the left side of the pillar and fired two shots. One missed the other hit him in the vest but assuming from his yells it went through. That guy wasn’t going to be a problem anymore. 7 more. I inched over to the right side of the pillar, I could see the pillar where the other guard was, I wanted to get by him. I turned the corner of my pillar and fired off another round. No scream, just a thunk. 6 more. I checked around again and noticed a blood pool running around my corner, one of the first guys I killed wasn’t too far, if I go for his gear then I could stand a chance. It was just a pillar away. I readied myself and busted from my spot and quickly turned and was already behind the other pillar, a body right beside me, I drug the body closer and grabbed the SMG. I heard someone running, they must have known what I was doing and tried to get the jump on me. Stupid. “Wait, you moron!” I heard someone call and I fired and the guy went down. 5 more.

“HUNK!” I heard someone call as I collected weapons, this guy was loaded; Ammo, grenades, smoke grenades, everything I need and for kicks I took off the man’s mask and was going to put it on but the hole in the eye wasn’t too appealing so I dropped the helmet. “I’m here to kill you!” “No shit.” I mumbled but he couldn’t hear me. “I was given the same training as you!” “Apparently so if your guys are dying around you. Sure happened to me a lot.” I mumbled again. “I took your place! I was a child when they took me too, and now I’m out to play!” “Is this your first mission?” I asked a little louder, my tone was dark. “Oh no, I’ve been on quite a few.” I wanted to laugh, quite a few wouldn’t cut it for me. I turned the corner and began spraying with the SMG and when they began to return fire I swerved around. I laughed. 2 more, the cocky bastard who thought he was better than me was already dead, what kind of leader dies before his team? “Shit.” I heard one of them growl. “Lets get the fuck out of here.” I heard some noises and when I felt the time was wrong I swung around the corner, nothing but the dead bodies and two who were too injured to fight, also some civilians who were still too afraid to get up. I dropped the gun and held out my hand with the guard’s handgun in hand, the man walked over and took it. “Who the hell are you?” He asked shakily. “No one, and I believe you owe me a favor. You confirm me as an unknown agent.” I left the bank and went back to the hotel, it was empty and the door was busted through. I bit my lip and cursed. It was time to get out my dusty gear once again and take on my true identity, seems Jenn will get her proof now.