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Sophia and The Virus
Rating: PG
All was quiet, finally. After hours of senseless banging and noise, the compound was silent. For those who were still sitting at their workstations (and there weren't many), the only thing to be heard was the drum of fingers on a keyboard. Slowly even that small number dwindled down to one.
She was accustomed to going without sleep. It certainly wasn't the first time she was given an assignment late in the evening, and it wasn't the first time that she would get it done before first light.
She knew she was being tested... Right from when her boss had hired her, he had given her a heavy workload, with no deadline. Normally, in her line of work, that meant it needed to be done five minutes ago... But kids weren't being trained the old-fashioned way anymore.
She reached for her tall cup of tea and without looking, brought the ceramic cup to her lips, tipping it back for another shot of caffeine. Much to her surprise and dismay, the cup was empty.
"Damnit." She cursed and stood, looking over her shoulder before locking her desktop. She snatched the cup off of the table, grabbed a notebook and a pencil and walked out of the room to the elevator that would take her to the kitchen.
It was all a ruse of course... the mansion secluded in the woods… hiding an underground facility. All built for the King of all pharmaceutical companies… Oswald E. Spencer.
When she walked into the kitchen, heels tapping rhythmically on the tiled floor, she saw she was alone. She walked over to the stove to put the kettle on for some hot water, and hoisted herself up onto the island counter top of stainless steel. She began making notes in her notebook, crossing things out and writing down new formulas. Both for her own personal project and for Birkin's. After several minutes, she realized the kettle wasn't whistling, and turned slowly to see someone standing in front of the stove. Realizing who it was, she jumped off of the table and stood up straight.
"Dr. Birkin… I didn't even hear you come in." Birkin never came out of his office. This was only the second time she saw him outside of the subterranean labs in her three month stay.
"At ease, Sophia. I ran out of coffee, so I came to see if there was any left that I could heat up." He walked over to the island bar and sat down, only after turning the water back on. "I saw you sitting there, obviously working, and didn't want to disturb you."
" I see… Well, don't let me stop you. I can always come back later for tea." Without even looking at him a second time, or waiting for a response, she strolled out of the kitchen back to the elevator, as quickly as possible.
Back in the kitchen, Birkin smirked and took the kettle with him. Someday soon… You can't evade this forever.
***
She didn't realize she was racing back to her station until she shut the door behind her and realized she was panting. She leaned her back against the door and let her head fall against the thick glass. That means he's waiting up for the report… I'll be damned if I'm going to be the reason for his bad mood tomorrow… Larry will never let me hear the end of it… and I don't feel like putting up with his whiny attitude.
"Okay, Birkin… here we go." She worked until an hour before dawn, paying no mind to the hunger pains in her belly or her body screaming for rest. Finally, she finished the report and waited for it to print, all the while maintaining her excitement of her findings... No doubt Birkin knew about them... but so long as he didn't notice the variant of the mother virus she had discovered... well.... Thing's would remain calm.
Grabbing it from the printer, she gathered up her things and checked her watch… I've got three hours to sleep. Plenty of time. She put the paperwork in a file with her own personal notes, and took the elevator back up to the kitchen. She grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and headed back into the lavish mansion. She always loved this part of her job… the beauty of the architecture never failed to amaze her. The servants were about polishing everything, and the security were changing shifts. She slipped by the door guards and headed for the second floor, where her quarters were. She turned into the storeroom, gazed at the old-fashioned typewriter and large storage box and shook her head. Spencer had some strange tastes, that was for sure. She opened up the box and placed Birkin's report into one of the trays. She typed the destination on the small computer hidden at the bottom, and watched it zoom off. She then turned to the typewriter, checked her watch and entered the time, and day of the transaction. Umbrella was frugal; they had typed reports on where everything went within the facility, but why they chose such strange means, she didn't know.
Finally getting back to her room, she collapsed onto her bed and fell asleep almost instantly, not even bothering to change.
August 3, 1988,
Dr. Birkin-
Attached is my report for the Subject. Using your analyses and reports, I have come up with a formula for the virus infecting The Subject. Do with it what you will, but this is something unlike anything I have ever seen in the field. The Subject has taken over the Nemesis parasite. I won't insert my opinion in this report, as per your request, but I had to write you this memo… This is something completely groundbreaking.
Sincerely,
Sophia Galante.
Birkin smiled when he received the report. The girl is good, no doubt. Too good. At 18, she's shown more promise than any of my other researchers… It was too bad that she was so good. But alas… Annette and I hate competition. He looked over her calculations and saw that they were spot on. It was interesting to him to see her in her working state. Her normally long hair was tied back into a bun on her head using only a pencil, and thin glasses were perched on her nose. She was so interested in her work that she failed to notice him walking into the room with a vial of liquid in his coat pocket, and most certainly didn't notice him put a few drops into her kettle of simmering water.
He had hired Sophia just to be his research assistant. He gave her the tedious tasks that would take him away from his work and family. Raising a two-year old wasn't something he was cut out to do… he just used that excuse to be left alone. Gradually, her reports began exploring an angle he hadn't thought to take. It was only after his associate, Albert Wesker suggested it, and that he should implant the Nemesis Parasite into Lisa Trevor's body that he realized just how much she was worth.
Not to mention the variant on the T-Virus she had discovered... Something that didn't include the rapid deterioration of the tissue cells, but rather made them stronger. Such a pity...
And it was Sophia who had detected it. But no one would know that. Especially not after tonight.
*******
Jill Valentine looked up from her chair at their latest hideout.... a shady motel on Rt. 6. Blinking, she looked down at the open envelope in her hands. It was a diary... a Researcher's Diary.... From the Spencer Mansion...
There was no note attached to it... only a stick-y note with the word W. ORIGINS
She put her booted feet up on the end table and began to read, growing evermore horrified with each entry.
********
April 23rd, 1988.
It's been 4 months since I started working here at the Mansion. When I was hired by Dr. Birkin, he told me that what we were working on was going to be a medical breakthrough, and he needed me to be his lab assistant.
At the time, it was exciting to go into work every day. Now, I'm terrified.
Birkin is a monster. If anyone even takes a breath in the wrong way, he's screaming at them. He looks tired, like he hasn't gotten any sleep. I don't know if I would be getting sleep if I had a two year old either, but from the time's I've met her (Sherry I think her name is…), she seems like a mellow little kid.
No, something else is going on here. I'm not just talking about the T-Virus and it's true purpose either.
May 18th, 1988
I stole a sample of the T-Virus, and am using it in my own project. I've had first hand experience seeing what happens when T is introduced to live tissue. The rabbits we've been testing have shown constant decay of their flesh. This is T's true purpose. A Biological Weapon. But that isn't to suggest that T is all bad. Its ability to keep flesh animated long after the subject is deemed "deceased" is extremely valuable. I started thinking and jotting down a few possibilities, and have decided that I want to see how T reacts to the regenative growth in Stem Cells. I know the human genome hasn't even been mapped yet… that could take years… but if I'm able to isolate the gene I want to modify… then all won't be lost. I just have to keep it from Birkin.
As if my problems couldn't get worse, The Mansion has a visitor for the next few weeks. Someone by the name of Albert Wesker. Nobody knows much about him, except that he has a murky past and is close friends with Birkin. Let's just hope I can keep my head down about this project.
June 10th, 1988
Birkin is in a better mood now that Albert Wesker is gone. Everyone is. From the moment he arrived at the mansion, I didn't like him. At least Birkin has taken his eyes off of me for now. For a little while, two weeks ago, I thought he knew I was up to something. He even had his wife take me out to dinner to a French restaurant in the City. She reeked of bullshit. It's a good thing I had a career as an actress before I got my doctorate… Annete tried every way to get into my head.
I've begun synthesizing a new 'virus'. So far, T has rejected and infected every stem cell that I've thrown at it. The most frustrating part is, the cell puts up a good fight every time, but ends up losing. They need to coexist in a symbiotic relationship for anything to happen the way that I want it to. I need more time, damnit.
July14th, 1988
I've done it! I've discovered a way for T and the stem cells to coexist! I had to infect myself with T, and then with the anti-virus. This way, when I introduced my own harmless infected cells to the Stem Cells, they were able to coexist. Now that I've proven it on a molecular level, it's time to snag a few of the house rats and see if any changes can be made. This is so exciting! If this works the way it should, it could cure millions of handicapped and sick people.
July 20th, 1988
I can't believe this. The rats have shown an unreal improvement in cell regeration. Injuries sustained to the subjects heal in minutes, and within an hour, there is no sign of injury including broken bones AND lacerations. I'm half tempted to take this myself, but I need more subjects, and I need more time.
August 3rd, 1988
Birkin found my rats. Apparently they escaped confinement. He knew they were mine because they were found right outside my room. Luckily for me, he killed them, thinking that all I was doing was keeping pets. He didn't seem to notice their physical changes.
I took one of the killed rats back to my workstation to determine how they had done on the synthetic virus. Their coats were beautiful. These are rats I'm talking about, and they had a softness comparable to a mink. Their nails were healthy. Not a single sign of malnourishment, injuries or sickness… In fact, they were perfect. If the cells kept on regenerating… there's a chance that it would stop visible aging as well.
What was noticeable though, were their eyes. They had developed cat-like slits in their pupils, and their iris' were an orangey red color. Remember, these rat's weren't albino… they were fresh from the kitchen of the Mansion.
For now, I'll call it the Claudia-Virus… even though it doesn't appear to have any short term negative effects. Long term will need extensive study.
I need to get out of this mansion. I just received a summons from Birkin.
August 30th, 1988.
He knows. He found my secret lab notebook… on the same day that he discovered a new virus in the Lisa subject. Who knows what monstrosities he'll come up with. He had me check on the Lisa subject to confirm his findings, and he's unknowingly synthesized…..
(The rest of the diary is illigible. Burn marks singe the rest of the pages.)
Sophia And the Virus - Parte Deux
Rating: PG
Dedicated to: Locust Girl (for getting me off my a** and actually tying up some loose ends.)
~~August 30th, 1988.
He knows. He found my secret lab notebook… on the same day that he discovered a new virus in the Lisa subject. Who knows what monstrosities he'll come up with. He had me check on the Lisa subject to confirm his findings, and he's unknowingly synthesized…..~~
Sophia jumped when she heard the door slam shut behind her. Instinctively she shut the cover to her Diary and put her arm over it, gently sliding it underneath her paperwork. She didn’t need to turn around to see who it was.
There he stood in his scientific glory. He lab coat was dirty from his hours and hours of relentless experimentations on the creatures below the earth in the labs. Her back was to him and she could sense… no… she could practically smell his insanity.
“Sophia, my dear. About your lab notes…” He grinned as she swiveled around in her chair, eyes stone cold behind those elegant oval rimless frames. For a moment he studied her, like a rival studies his nemesis. She was quite tall for a woman; she must have reached nearly six feet. She was very slender and had, or so it seemed, no feminine-defining curves underneath the lab coat she always wore. Her hair was a burnt auburn and not very long. It went to about her mid-back and she always kept it in a tight French Braid, which made the younger techs enamored with her because she ended up teaching them how to braid their hair themselves. Blinking, Birkin met her gaze once more, amused by the annoyed look on her face at his staring.
“I left it in your mailbox, along with the Synthesis Report. Was there a problem?” She tried so desperately hard not to let him know how utterly petrified she was of him in that moment. It was a good thing she was sitting down… had she been standing her legs would have shaken so violently she would have fainted.
“Oh no, not those notes. These notes.” He threw a photocopied pile of papers into her lap. She didn’t need to look down to know just what they were, the look in Birkin’s cold, empty, satisfied eyes. She was looking at a Wolf who had just caught a Doe in a death-trap.
“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about, Doctor.” She started to look through the papers in a disinterested fashion, although nothing could hide how hard her hands were shaking, rattling the paper like a young kid would.
“Nice try. I want you to tell me everything about this… Claudia-Variant on the T-Virus.” He took a step toward her and she immediately slid her chair back until it hit her desk, her breath damn near hyperventilating.
“I… I don’t have any idea about what you mean!” She should have seen it coming, but the swiftness of his hand slapping her across her face still made her jump and stifle a cry.
“Don’t you dare play coy with me! We can do this two ways… The easy way, or the hard way. Either way, you won’t be seeing the next sunrise.”
“d… Doctor… P…please!” She flinched when Birkin raised his hand again, poised to strike. He laughed heartily when she damn near curled up into a protective ball. He lowered his hand and bent down so he was eye level with her. Beaming with pride, he lifted her chin with his index finger, pleased to see tears of fear rolling down her cheeks. His expression softening a bit, he ran his thumb over her cheek, and then touched it to his lips, tasting her tears.
“Oh for god sakes, William. Just get it over with.” Sophia hadn’t even heard the door open and shut again, but she heard Annette’s sarcastic banter even though she could not see her. Annette was a woman whom Sophia never trusted, not for one nanosecond.
“Ah, my darling, but it’s so much fun to watch them squirm.”
“I’ll be waiting for you when you’re done. Sherry is getting fussy.” With that, Annette walked out and slammed the door shut behind her. Birkin chuckled and turned back to Sophia, who was horrified.
“Hmm… where were we…. Ah yes. . . The easy way or the hard way. Would you like to hear your options?”
Sophia closed her eyes in defeat, took her time and nodded. Birkin sat on the edge of her bed, which happened to be quite close to her desk and working area. Sophia kept glancing to the door that was only a few steps away, and Birkin saw the flight fluttering in her green eyes.
“Now now, you know better than that. Running won’t do you any good. I’ve already sent out an APB on you to Security to shoot and kill you onsite.” Seeing her slump in defeat, he continued. “Now, either you tell me everything and I take mercy on you, or you make things difficult… and then I’ll make things difficult. I’m sure you’re aware that the MA-121’s have a new obstacle course for live prey that we’re simply dieing to test out on intelligent subjects.”
Instantly, Sophia paled. She had worked with the MA-121’s for a few weeks, knew what they were capable of. Hell, she was even present when one of the lab techs got careless and lost an arm. Of course… he was silenced.
So, Sophia began talking. She told him about the Claudia-Virus and how it very nearly regenerated damaged tissue. She explained her notations to him, still trembling, and helped him to understand how it worked. The light in his eyes grew brighter as he realized what she had synthesized.
When she had finished, he put his left hand on her shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. He stood her up, even though her body had given up on her, and she kept slipping and falling back down into the chair.
“True to my word, I’ll take mercy on you.”
Sophia heard the click on the gun but it didn’t register in her brain until she felt the concentrated burning sensation in her stomach. Revolted, she looked up into his face and stumbled back into the chair, her lifeblood flowing from her abdomen. The gun went off again, this time at her heart. She didn’t even have the voice to scream, the blood now staining her once white lab coat. Her vision blurred as she looked up to the ceiling, coughing up blood. She thought she heard the door open, and she thought she heard Birkin say something…. “Must… sample… still… fresh..”. It didn’t matter any more. She heard laughing, saw cruel things as she spiraled down toward the blackness, for the last time.
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A.N - Well howdy! This is a compilation of the diary that I wrote and a short fic I wrote at work. There may be some inconsistancies... so if you find them, I'll fix them. I really just wanted to post something up here to hold over until my bigger projects get finished, so..... Comments are welcome!
heart
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A/N: (for part 2)
Well, here it is folks. The Sequel. Now ya’ll know what happened to Sophia, poor thing. It’s given me some more ideas for different fictions, which I’ll get started on later, when it ISN’T my birthday. biggrin
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