Chapter Text
Victor was sitting in a new office, almost identical to his old one, but the location was different. His old equipment and data - or at least what could be salvaged - neatly placed and organized, ready to be used for work again.
Was there even a point to continue, to move on? Elpis has been taken from him, much of his master's work and ARK practically destroyed, just like his Care Center. Part of him felt lost, so much time has been wasted, so many resources. His life's work and his master's legacy, almost gone! It made his blood boil to think about all this failure. But there had to be a reason The Connections brought him back, he must have been too valuable an asset to let go. Zeno will likely make his return eventually as well if he hadn't already. Maybe it was him who gave the order to bring him back too? Though, judging from the few surviving recordings of their last interaction, that was at the very least questionable. Zeno clearly didn't appreciate the genius behind his master's plan.
Still, Elpis was gone. What could they want from him? He could think of a few reasons but for now, no one has confirmed anything. Perhaps they still wanted to fulfill Spencer's legacy and Victor would be a fool to turn his back on all of it, decades of work and research. Not to mention one huge victory; some of his previous memories survived - likely embedded deep within his surviving genetic material gathered from the now defunct ARK base after it collapsed, right after his defeat by the hands of Leon S. Kennedy. What an ignorant fool, that one.
Though these memories were scattered and fragmented, this was an extraordinary achievement on its own, certainly worthy of further study. Their earlier research into memory transfer was limited and mostly unsuccessful, and Victor's own upgrades may have had something to do with this notable achievement. Either way, it showed the viability and value of his experimentation, both on himself and others. He still had purpose and while he won't be able to unleash his master's final work and bring about absolute anarchy with Elpis, but perhaps the course of human evolution could still be furthered, like Spencer wished. The Connections will continue this work with or without him, no doubt, he just had to make a decision whether he wanted to be a part of history or not. The answer to that was almost painfully obvious.
The T-virus research was promising as well, albeit still too unstable. It will take more time to find ways to improve upon it further, but they had most of that data intact and no shortage of subjects. He could start there, or well, continue from there.
Suddenly, a faint knock interrupted his train of thoughts, such things were quick to anger him, especially now, but whoever stood outside of his office didn't seem to be aware of Victor's nature. An unfamiliar man entered his office without waiting for approval. Clearly, he lacked even the most common courtesy and for that, Victor would have liked to rip him apart. Such blatant lack of respect ought to be punished, but he will deal with this insolence later. The name "Dr. J. Carlyle was written on his tag. Victor will file that information away in his mind for later use.
"I'm sorry for interrupting sir, but I've been asked to deliver this to you urgently." He was holding a hefty looking folder out for him. Without sparing a single word, Victor grabbed the folder and motioned for the man to leave. He did just that and left Victor to his thoughts once more.
He eyed the folder, he was curious after all. A man of science through and through. He still wanted to make an impact on the world and wanted to see his master's dream come true. With or without Elpis, he will bring about change, and perhaps this folder held some much-needed answers to how he could achieve that.
~~~~
Here she was, sitting in the same coffee shop, sipping the same Latte, looking out the window and watching people pass by. This little habit seeped into her every day without her even noticing. She didn't even enjoy it that much to be honest, if anything it made her feel more alone and outcast, deepening the ever-growing bitterness in her heart.
It's been like that for a long time now. Her days went by quickly; work, coffee shop, home, sleep, repeat. An endless cycle, and such a dull, dry existence.
There were times she felt more hopeful and spent precious energy trying to connect with people; at work, outside work, anywhere, but nothing really stuck. In the end it all felt unnatural, like a lie. No matter what, they'd never know her truly and if they did? Well, they surely wouldn't stay for long. There wasn't much point in trying anymore and it exhausted her to no end to even think about.
Even her mother was afraid of her, the very person who brought her into this world couldn't accept her fully, so then why would anyone else? She could swear she saw relief in her mother's eyes when she decided to finally move out and away from "family". Just thinking about it now, so many years later it still stung. A rejection so deep and profound, that it made her resent the very person who raised her. If it was at least her fault she'd understand, but it wasn't. She was born this way, it was never her choice to make. It was all thanks to the myriad of bad decisions her mother made and the signs she then ignored. And she was the one punished for it all. Such unfairness.
Reminiscing always drove her mind into dark and dangerous places, evoking a strange aching hunger that refused to fade. Tonight, she had to find some relief for the pain, and it will cost someone a life.
~~~~
The folder's contents were not something he anticipated or was familiar with, but it was an interesting read nonetheless. It contained information about the trip that set his late master down his path of greatness, his discoveries of the "Mold", the Megamycete, and why it was disregarded in his own research.
Some scattered subject data was included as well; a mention of subject E-001, aka Eveline and why she was deemed a failure, and the most recent subject, codename UMWV-1. Subject UMWV-1 was a woman in her late 50s, not created by The Connections or Umbrella, but found in a village in northern Poland and brought to one of their labs for further testing.
After the initial questioning of the subject, the researchers determined she was exposed to a similar organism as the Mold while exploring an abandoned mine and falling into a pit, resulting in multiple broken bones and a concussion that rendered the woman unconscious for an undetermined amount of time. Under normal circumstances the woman would have perished down there, but thanks to this organism, she recovered fully within a few days and found her way out of the mine on her own.
Subject UMWV-1's abilities included an increased rate of regeneration, a surprisingly high tolerance to physical damage and enhanced mental capabilities, but most notably, no outward mutations present on her body. To the untrained eye, the woman looked completely normal. Unfortunately, the researchers were unsuccessful in isolating genetic markers of the subject, and a mere 2 weeks after being brought in, the subject terminated herself by explosives, leaving little to no material left for further testing. The data concluded that locating this abandoned mine failed, as the subject became completely uncooperative shortly before expiration, no longer responding to questions.
Victor set the page down, he has yet to understand how this could aid him in reaching his goals. His master deemed it useless, so what help could this be for him? The genetic marker for these improved abilities couldn't be isolated in such a short time, the subject expired and there was nothing of use left of her.
Turning to the last page, he decided to continue reading and he immediately had his reward for doing so. The last page contained something truly interesting; Subject UMWV-1 had a biological daughter. Despite her best efforts to leave this crucial information undiscovered, her medical records showed a pregnancy carried to term, a live birth, and the possible name of the child. This was of course not a child anymore, they'd be looking for an adult woman.
Now, he had a path of breadcrumbs to follow.
~~~~
The man was writhing underneath her curious gaze, laid flat on the cold concrete, he was unable to move or scream. Whatever she did rendered him almost completely paralyzed. To think all he wanted was to have a little fun, to follow this bitch and corner her in one of the alleys. Well, here he was now, in an empty alley yes, but on the receiving end of the abuse.
She's been eyeing him carefully from the window of the coffee shop earlier, his demeanor was that of a predator waiting for prey in the late afternoon. Such scum in plain sight. And an easy pick for her.
When she left the coffee shop, she made a point to cross to his side of the street, looking distracted and playing the clueless idiot, taking all the dangerous shortcuts in the filthy, trash-filled alley-ways. And he fell for it like a moron, following her from a distance before finally making his move.
Now he must have realized he was the one being hunted all along. He tried to talk, to reason or threaten, but couldn't form a single word, only hushed whimpers left his quivering lips and none of his limbs moved an inch. All she did was tap the side of his neck after he grabbed her by the arm and spun her around, then he fell back. He only felt the little twinge a few moments later.
She crouched down to look into his eyes, searching for any form of regret, but all she saw was that if this man had the chance, he'd kill her then and there. Perfect, he will do. She hovered her right hand above his torso, just under the hem of his sweater, while she leaned herself on the left for stability, then she carefully slid her hand under his clothes to feel around his bare chest, looking for the perfect spot. It was clear the man had no idea what was coming, but she'll make it quick.
With a sudden move, her hand penetrated his chest, his warm entrails coating it with blood. His whimpering intensified, now his eyes were wide and full of terror. She understood of course, it was a natural reaction, but in the end, it was all a consequence of his own actions. Being in the wrong place, at the wrong time, doing the wrong thing.
She moved her hand up towards the heart and once found, her submerged hand shifted into a shapeless, dark liquid, releasing a web of thin, thread-like spikes piercing through the organ. This was the ending to the man's suffering and life faded from his eyes completely. She will devour his entire body from the inside out, her matter spreading through his whole body, engulfing and absorbing everything in its way. It will leave nothing behind but his clothes and whatever accessories he may have had. Not much mess to clean up.
The process is clean and fast, and most importantly, it keeps the strange hunger in her at bay for a while. She simply threw the clothes into the nearest dumpster, and she was on the go. Part of her wondered why she felt no remorse for these murders, but ultimately, it was simply a matter of her biology. It was necessary for her survival. The wolf never ponders the struggles of the hare either, he hunts because he must. At least that's what she kept telling herself.
Perhaps this was one of the reasons her mother felt the way she did about her, but still made the choice to take care of and raise her, for whatever unknown reason.
Her first unwilling victim was the family dog, Suzy, when she was only 5 years old. That's when the "aberrations" began showing. She was of course not in control of them back then, hardly even aware of what was happening, and she kept looking for the dog afterwards, until her mother told her Suzy's not coming back anymore. It was a sudden and unwelcome wake-up call for her mother. One that meant a life of seclusion and secrecy for the unforeseeable future. She could have just left her child to die, but for some reason didn't. No, instead she'd bring "food" whenever the condition demanded and force them both to live in a velvet prison.
All of that might have been just fine if it wasn't for the way her mother looked at her, and treated her like a burden, an unwanted pet she was stuck with. It was a relief for both of them when they parted ways, but it was no consolation for growing up so unloved and emotionally neglected. She was well aware of how abnormal she was, growing up she hated it and it took years to accept reality for what it was. Eventually, she realized it wasn't a curse, but a blessing. Unlike her peers who were so defenseless and weak, she wasn't. If no one else can see it that way, then so be it. She was done hating herself for something completely out of her control.
While these thoughts ran through her mind, her body carried her home and into her bedroom. A hot shower will clear her head enough to sleep until morning. Then, the cycle continues.
~~~~
Victor was standing before the gates of a home, the address of the woman they've been looking for. It wasn't difficult to track her down since they had the name and she never bothered changing it. It was clear he needed to take her alive, they couldn't risk losing another prospective subject.
He motioned for the armed soldiers to stay behind, he'll go ahead alone. Backup was likely unnecessary anyway and would only alert their target. The gate was open, and so was the front door although it gave a small squeak when he opened it. The woman didn't have much care for safety from the looks of it, hopefully she was a heavy sleeper too.
This was unknown territory and they knew nothing of the target save for her name. The recorded abilities of the mother were an indication, but such mutations were seldom easy to predict. He knew that better than anyone else. If all goes well, he'll walk out with an unconscious woman on his shoulder and they can start working again once they get back to the lab. If not, well, then he'll resort to violence.
Inside he was faced with a staircase, a kitchen on his right and a living room on his left. His mask showed no signs of life downstairs, but a faint heat signature was coming from one of the upstairs bedrooms.
That's where he's headed then.
~~~~
Someone was in her home. The small creak of the front door rose her from sleep and now she could hear heavy footsteps coming up the stairs.
It's not the first time someone broke into her home, but something felt different this time. There was a weird shift in the air, and whoever it was seemed to know exactly where to go to find her. She could fight, but she wanted to see this invader first and come to her senses a bit more. She rarely felt fear anymore, even now she was more annoyed her sleep was interrupted. Perhaps it was a bit conceited of her, but most regular people weren't a match for her strength and speed at all. For now, no one proved to give her much trouble at all.
Pushing the blanket off of herself, she scooted to the edge of her bed, placing her feet on the floor. Her eyes fixated on the bedroom door, waiting for it to open but the footsteps stopped and the door remained closed. She knew someone was standing outside though. What were they waiting for?
"Are you going to stand there all night?" She called out, her voice still raspy from sleep. Only a low chuckle came from the other side as the handle started moving. This was no robber, that was for sure. The hidden figure pushed the door open, revealing his large silhouette standing on the other side. "Awake, are we?" His voice was breathy, calm but still menacing in a way. Even without that, his sheer size would surprise anyone. He was enormous.
"I presume you have a reason for barging into my home...?"
The man stepped inside the room, cocking his head to the side with a smile. "Why, I came for you, of course!"
Creepy. His size, his voice, his mannerism. Everything. It set some alarms off in her body and that usually meant danger. Now that he was inside the room, the streetlight seeping in from the bedroom window revealed him more; his skin was beyond scarred and he was wearing a strange looking mask. Something was seriously off about him. He also smelled heavily of antiseptic. That smell always made her stomach turn with unease.
"And if I say no?"
"I'm afraid that's not an option."
She let out a heavy sigh, dropping her head a little. Not an option huh?
As she was contemplating his words, the man took a step forward. She quickly raised a hand in a chiding manner "Names first"
He didn't skip a beat answering. "Dr. Victor Gideon. A pleasure to meet you."
Doctor? Was this some kind of joke? Did her mother send him?
He could clearly see her puzzled expression upon hearing his name and title and it pleased him to finally see some emotion in those eyes of hers. She's been far too calm up until this point. It's not the usual reaction he's used to, there's usually much more running and screaming involved.
"I don't need or want a doctor. You should leave."
Her voice was downright unfriendly now, but he did say it wasn't an option and he meant it. Perhaps he could persuade her somehow? This was certainly an interesting exchange and it would be a shame if it ended in bloodshed, even if he would still get some enjoyment out of it.
"You're special you know. Don't you want to know more? I could help you."
This scenario gave him a bit of a deja vu, reminding him of Grace Ashcroft. He retrieved her for a similar reason, thinking she was unique and the key to their success. In the end, she was just an ordinary orphaned girl and they were all wrong about everything. Second time's the charm, right?
The woman was intently staring at him still, and he took another step forward to close the distance. One more, and he can reach her.
This was a mistake. He was too close for comfort and her mind was screaming at her to put some distance between them. In an instant, she obeyed her instincts. Her left arm shifted into a dark shapeless form and expanded quickly, pushing the man into the wall of the hallway outside her bedroom with great force. His back hit the wall with a thud, but the pain was nothing substantial. It was the force that surprised him the most, he wasn't expecting it at all, and now the dark substance had him pinned to the wall on all sides like a web. He tried prying it open but it wouldn't budge. Interesting, and mildly inconvenient.
He watched the woman rise to her feet, flipping the hallway lamp on while exiting the bedroom to get a better look at him. She still held a safe distance from him though. The lit hallway revealed just how monstrous this man really looked. His skin was grey and almost dead looking, scarred beyond reason, if he wasn't moving she could mistake him for a cut up corpse. And he is a doctor? Just what kind of doctor would look like this?
"What are you...?" Victor couldn't tell if she was asking him or thinking out loud, but he decided to indulge her a little longer. "I'm a man of science, my dear. Tell me, do you believe in human evolution?"
She looked at him with eyebrows raised, what kind of question is that? The doctor continued "I've devoted my life to studying it you know, and now the path has led me right to you..."
Right, so not medical doctor but a scientist? She's seen this in movies before; a mad scientist, running all sorts of ungodly experiments and creating monsters in the process before everything goes to shit and the world explodes. Of course, maybe not so dramatic in real life, but it was plausible for something like that to exist. Humanity always had a way of tempering with the unknown. All in the name of science! But she still had no wish to become a lab rat in some remote disgusting lab only to be poked with needles relentlessly. She enjoyed her freedom and bodily autonomy even if this turn of events was at least a bit interesting.
What were the other options? She could escape today, but will she have to spend the rest of her life on the run from now on? Killing the doctor was... something to consider, but he was a complete wild card. Who knows what he was capable of. She could try her luck though, but did anyone else know about this? Or was it only this scarred freak she had to get rid of?
"Are you alone?" She asked, breaking the silence.
Oh, he knew why she was asking, she was considering violence as an option.
"No, my dear. I'm working with an organization. A quite extensive one at that."
Great, just great. Potentially more freaks they could send after her.
So, escape and murder were not the best options here.
"Can we negotiate?"
Victor was certainly amused, this woman kept surprising him and he made no effort to hide his amusement as his smile widened "I'm listening."
Maybe it was foolish of her to consider leaving with the man. Only a blind idiot would trust this "doctor" and whatever help he was talking about, but this pitiful, dull life of hers wasn't really that great either. She wondered if he was anything like her? That would mean she wasn't just a one-off freak of nature. Could there be others? Aside from her mother anyway. If he accepted her terms, then maybe it could even work out in her favor. If not... well then, we'll see.
"You can run your tests, but on my terms. I'm not your lab rat and you can't keep me locked up like a caged animal. Ask, and I'll answer, but I also need answers from you. If you agree, I'll go with you willingly. If not, one of us dies here tonight."
Quite extreme, and given the family history, unlikely to be an empty threat. Her boldness kind of impressed him as well, it was rare for anyone to defy him so brazenly and usually he didn't let it slide, but the playing field was more even right now. She did have him pinned against the wall after all. He'd have to call for backup to get out of her grasp.
He nodded affirmatively, he can work with these terms, or work around them, once she's where he needs her to be. "I'm certain we can accommodate your requests." A cooperative subject was more valuable than an unwilling one. Hundreds of questions circled in his head already, all of which the woman could surely answer with ease. He was excited to discover her mutations and get to work. There was so much to do!
The woman let him go, turning her back to him and returning to the bedroom with haste. She was looking for something and found it in one of the wardrobes; a small backpack. She grabbed piles of clothes and underwear, stuffing them into the bag without much care, then she threw a few garments on the bed. She was about to take her pajama shirt off but her head spun to where Victor was still standing, watching her. She let go of her shirt and slammed the bedroom door on his face.
Victor chuckled. Oh, how excited he was to start working again. This one was indeed an interesting specimen he couldn't wait to study in greater detail.