Resident Evil.
Click click—
After issuing the support response order to the M.S.F. task force, Vela left her office and took a direct elevator ride, navigating through the high-security underground base of the Militech industrial park's headquarters. After a few twists and turns, she finally entered a newly activated enclosed space.
Or perhaps it could be called a prison.
Pausing in front of a semi-transparent liquid-based bio-cultivation tank prison, Vela's gaze rested on the figure inside.
A tall, lithe woman with a curvaceous body lay sleeping within the tank.
"Alexia Ashford."
Vela scanned the surroundings, taking note of the destruction measures, particularly the security scanners armed with anti-B.O.W. (Bio-Organic Weapon) linear particle shock cannons.
Both the blonde woman inside and the technology behind the anti-B.O.W. particle cannon had been brought back by the M.S.F. counter-terrorism team after a mission at Umbrella's Antarctic research facility.
Crunch crunch. Vela gently pressed her hand against the thick glass, feeling the cool touch as her indigo eyes locked onto the woman within.
A mix of curiosity and desire stirred inside her.
She wasn't interested in the woman for her appearance, though.
She was interested in the virus—T-Veronica, a virus that had almost perfectly integrated with Alexia Ashford. She was the highest compatibility subject for the T-Veronica Virus.
As the blood extraction equipment activated, Vela simultaneously pulled up Alexia's health parameters for today.
"Spencer... he should be the last trace of Umbrella left." Vela pondered as she examined the data.
The three Umbrella founders: Dr. Marcus was killed without heirs; Edward Ashford died of the virus, his family all but wiped out. After a series of paternal deaths, Alexia was the last Ashford, and Spencer, the old man, was the last survivor of the original Umbrella.
Vela was very clear about the situation in the Caucasus region—it was merely Umbrella's final act of resistance.
What she needed to do was simple: aside from showcasing some top-tier bio-defense contracting services, she needed to drive the final nail into Umbrella's coffin.
From then on, there would be no more "true" Umbrella.
Because the most legitimate form of Umbrella had already been reorganized by her into Militech.
...
Southwestern Russia, the Caucasus region.
Inside a large, windowless, modernly equipped room, the lighting was dim compared to the near-futuristic design of the walls. The air was thick with the heavy smell of smoke and alcohol.
Sizzle…
"My Colonel... cough cough... what is it you need? How is the progress on the T-011 project?"
The frail, coughing old voice came through the speaker of the communication device.
Click!
Accompanied by heavy footsteps, a tall figure dressed in a CCCP-era naval blue double-breasted military coat and Soviet-style high boots stood silently before a screen glowing with faint blue light.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Spencer, but it's the BSAA. They've tracked us here. It seems they've figured something out... I must report this to you."
Cough cough cough... Spencer's voice came after a few harsh coughs.
"Then kill them all, Colonel. They're irrelevant! I'll have the Balkan branch distract them for you. Now, I need to know the progress on the T-011 project."
"The final stages aren't going smoothly..."
The tall man let out a tired sigh as he spoke.
"Although 'Talos[1]' has successfully synchronized with the Red Queen's database and overcome the Tyrant's lack of control, without strong enough, stable subcutaneous armor, external armor, internal enhancement implants, and remote weapons modules, 'Talos' remains a half-finished product."
"After the practical combat tests of BOWs during the Raccoon City incident, it's clear that the T-103 Tyrants, Hunters, Lickers, Nyx... even G-Birthing creatures, the pure flesh and madness, are of no use in the modern, advanced warfare promoted by the traitor Vela Adelheid Russell."
"In this area, our research is far behind hers, I'm sorry, Mr. Spencer."
At this, the large man, referred to as Colonel by Spencer, clenched his teeth and let out a deep sigh.
Sergei Vladimir, who had served as a Colonel in the CCCP military and built Umbrella's private army, had to admit that Vela, the traitor, was exceptionally talented.
"Vela Adelheid's sudden betrayal... and William Birkin, that arrogant fool who messed everything up, he secretly colluded with the U.S. military. They were the ones who directly caused the Raccoon City incident, and afterward, the U.S. distanced themselves and pushed the blame entirely onto us."
The U.S. military knew about BOWs and biological weapons—they had even developed their own. Sergei, a former CCCP soldier and old rival of the U.S., knew exactly how those bastards operated.
On the screen, Spencer sat in a wheelchair, his once sharp face now gaunt and weak. Even his once-pristine bald head had wrinkles. "Vela..." he murmured.
She had once been one of his last hopes, a genius he had placed great trust in.
"Is this God's punishment for me? Greed, at the crossroads of choices, William or Vela... I couldn't choose either, and now she's gone from me..."
Spencer sighed.
He had wanted it all, everything—but in the end, he had nothing.
William went mad, infected by the G-virus, and died.
Vela, the survivor of the Arklay Mansion incident, had severed ties with Umbrella after uncovering the truth behind the Raccoon City incident, and restructured her influence in California and the U.S., directing it in what she believed was the right direction.
As for Spencer, due to the U.S. government's comprehensive freeze and restructuring of Umbrella, he had to go into hiding. He had lost control over most of Umbrella's remaining power and vanished from the public eye.
But he still had a chance!
Spencer had not given up.
After William's death and Vela's departure, he had found a new candidate.
Alex Wesker, a virus expert he had personally trained and indoctrinated with his philosophy. If he provided her with enough resources, the research into the immortality virus could accelerate.
In Spencer's cloudy eyes, there was a hint of madness.
And so, he needed more resources.
To obtain these resources, he needed to exchange for them, and Talos, based on Vela's bionic tech products and new military weapon stockpiles, became his last-ditch effort to resurrect Umbrella.
"Colonel, the Caucasus branch and your research will be Umbrella's last line of defense."
After coughing a few times, Spencer spoke again.
"The remaining experimental materials in the European sub-bases are insufficient for new research under sanctions and suppression. Therefore, I officially inform you that the remaining resources from bases like Paris are being transferred to the Caucasus base. Among them are the first-generation bionic prototype and new military weapons invented by Vela... it should be enough for you to complete at least five Talos units."
"It's all up to you, my Colonel. Before the experiments are complete, eliminate all invaders, including Wesker, that traitor."
Sergei quietly listened to Spencer's words and nodded solemnly.
"I will not fail you."
Beep beep beep—
Spencer hung up the call.
After a while, Sergei brought up footage from the surveillance system at Umbrella's hidden sites around the villages and towns near the Caucasus base.
The BSAA had passed through wild mutated wolf attacks and visited the villages.
And, through the snow patrol cameras, they caught sight of a black figure.
Sunglasses, a thin black jacket and pants, a man with a slick golden hairstyle walked slowly through the heavy snow.
"Wesker."
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[1] T-A.L.O.S. (Tyrant-Armored Lethal Organic System)