Chapter 25

Crow stormed through the hall, his anger blocking out everything save for the furnished double doors ahead of him. One hand hit the knob while he raised his other arm to their surface, bashing them open hard enough that they swung out and slammed against the wall, nearly coming back to crack him in the head had he not already stomped into the room.

"Fucking bitch!"

Excella, who had been sitting on the other side of the room at her desk, jumped in her seat at the sudden, and loud, intrusion. She put a hand to her chest in surprise, eyes wide in shock, but he barely noticed. His expletive hadn't been exactly clear, but if she thought it was directed at her, he didn't care. The last thing on his mind was her petty pride and attitude. He didn't care about anything at the moment…

…except Ada Wong.

He went straight to the small wet bar in the corner of her office and grabbed the first bottle of bourbon he saw, pouring himself half a glass worth. No ice. He needed something hot, something to contest against the desire to wrap his fingers around her throat and squeeze the life out of her.

"James! What on earth—" Excella managed to get out, but stopped herself at his disheveled appearance. His jacket was smeared in white plaster, scuffed and ripped in areas. His face was dirty, hair askew from its normally slick, gelled look. Some of his best clothes, ruined by that selfish, arrogant bitch, and that was only at the bottom of the list of what she had done.

The first glass of alcohol went down smoothly, so he poured himself another and downed it just as quickly. It wasn't helping. Ada's last taunt, her last refusal to submit to him still burned in his mind. She had tried to kill him, and he had to run from her with his tail between his legs. He was supposed to have the power over her. He was supposed to own her, and yet—

"Stupid, fucking, cunt!" he yelled, then pitched the empty glass across the room. It shattered against the wall in a thousand pieces. Excella jumped again, sliding back on her office chair apprehensively.

If he hadn't been so blinded, he might have noticed the low cut of her white silk dress, and the way her hand rested on the curve of her bosom. Her desk was glass, and those creamy tan thighs seemed to go on forever beneath it. He didn't want that cool refinement. He wanted Ada Wong, her fire and passion. He wanted to take her and kill her with his bare hands for what she had done, for nearly ruining everything he had worked to achieve. She needed to suffer a hundred times over for what she had done, and when she was begging for mercy, he'd do it all again.

…so why did he want her more than ever? Never before had she made him so amorous just by thinking of her. There was only one woman who could turn him on by trying to kill him, and that was Ada Wong.

His turned back to the bar, his hands curling around the edge hard enough to where he heard the wood creak under his fingers, to where his knuckles started to burn from the exertion. The urge to tip it over was overwhelming. Destruction for the sake of destruction; to have glass, wood, and liquor mar and stain the pristine rug of Excella's office.

He almost jumped when he felt Excella's cool hand on the back of his neck.

"James, I've never seen you in such a disheveled state," she exclaimed. Her other hand tugged at his arm. "Sit down and try to collect yourself. Tell me what happened."

Her soothing purr worked into his ears, easing some of the fury. He relaxed a little bit and let her guide him to the sofa along the wall. From the bar, she collected some ice cubes and used them to dampen a cloth to dab at his face. The coolness did wonders against his hot skin, and he was able to settle down further. Thoughts began to come a little more clearly, though they were still filled with Ada. Never before in his life had he gotten so worked up.

"It was Ada," he said heavily. "She tracked me to the conference and attacked. Nearly leveled the entire hotel."

There was a pause in Excella's dabbing. "Wong?" she asked crisply. "In Italy? Does she—"

"I doubt it," he interrupted. "She was grasping at straws when she found me, so it's unlikely she made the connection between myself and Tricell. You'll be safe, but we need to be cautious. I need to leave the country as soon as possible."

It was all coming back into control. Tricell security had picked him up at just the last time. Again, he had to admire their efficiency, but he doubted they'd be able to apprehend or eliminate Ada. He could only imagine the chaos he left behind, but he was certain there was no way to link him to Tricell. The chopper was unmarked, as were the security forces. She had nothing.

Crow rested his head on the back of the sofa. His pulse was starting to go down to normal levels. Now that he thought about it, how had Ada provoked his anger so much? She had been difficult in the past, yes, but he had always kept it together. Then again, she had never come quite this close to putting a bullet in his head before.

He settled further, closing his eyes. Excella dabbed away, the cool damp clothing feeling even better now that he was thinking straight. Who needed an unstable element like Ada Wong when he had her? All he had to do was—

—a sharp, stinging pain suddenly plunged into the side of his neck. His entire body tensed, which only made it burn worse, and then it was gone. He clapped a hand to the afflicted spot, thinking a wasp or hornet had made its way into the office. Instead of a small insect, he felt smooth, warm skin, and pulled it into view.

It was Excella's wrist, and she was holding an empty syringe.

Crow blinked and went pale not quite sure of what he was seeing. "What…what did you do?" When he turned to look at Excella, she was smirking, her green eyes narrowed in malicious slits.

Almost effortlessly, she rose from the armrest, plucking her wrist from his grip with a twist of her arm. "It doesn't have a name yet. Batch 23 is its laboratory designation. A splicing of several toxins, most notably taipoxin."

His hand went to his neck, which was starting to sting. Taipoxin…what was…

"What…neurotoxin?" Crow nearly shrieked.

Excella smiled wider, her grin predatory. "Precisely, James." She frowned suddenly. "Odd, it should have taken effect by now…"

His mind was spinning, still trying to take in what just happened. He gaped at Excella, who only stood there, poised with the empty syringe in hand and smiling. When the gravity of what happened settled in a second later, his face twisted into rage.

"You bitch!" he yelled, leaping forward off the chair. As he did, nearly every muscle in his body when into a spasm, then froze entirely. He stumbled in front of her and crashed to the floor.

"Ah, there it goes."

He could barely move. There was some feeling in his extremities, but that wasn't what was causing the panic to rise. It was getting harder to breathe. Every breath he drew in was labored to the point where he was wheezing. Whatever was paralyzing his muscles was moving to his lungs. He growled into the carpet, willing his arms to claw forward, dragging him towards Excella inch by inch. She would pay for her betrayal. He would crush her throat!

"You will find that batch 23 is quite efficient, James," she remarked. All Crow could see were her ivory pumps, and they weren't moving. The edges of his vision were starting to blur. "Taipoxin paralyzes the subject, then moves to the respiratory system. You'll be dead in only a few minutes, though it does appear to need a faster activation."

He snarled again, reaching forward towards her ankle. Breathing was laborious now. With one final reach forward, he grabbed her ankle and squeezed. She would pay…

…but Excella gave a wag of her foot, breaking his weak grasp, then turned on the sole of her foot and strutted to her desk. Crow made another grab for her as she passed, but she was already out of reach.

"I have no more need for you, James," she said, setting the syringe down on her desk before moving to the couch on the opposite side of the room. She lowered herself onto it, long legs crossing in front of him. The rest of his vision was starting to blur, and what little air he had was quickly growing stagnant in his lungs. "You see, I can be so much more without having to deal with your creeping hands and lecherous stares." She scoffed, then inspected the manicure on one of her hands. "It makes me sick. Such knowledge and power, and you'd use it all to get me to spread my legs. Despicable."

In his last few moments, Crow could only wonder how he had been betrayed and how he never saw it coming. Excella had been under his control. He had nurtured her with Umbrella's legacy, and she slipped a needle in his neck without so much as batting an eye. How much of it was simply her laying in wait like a venomous snake?

Everything turned darker and darker until it was black.

Excella gave a small hmph as Crow went motionless, sprawled across the carpet of her office like a ragdoll. The last gasp of breath squeezed from his lungs was chased with a spray of drool as his eyes went glassy. The urge to spit on his corpse was overwhelming, but she wouldn't bring herself to that disgusting level.

The high of killing someone with her own hands was exhilarating, so much that she even felt a little dizzy as Crow slipped away when it caught her off guard. Her heart beat within her breast wildly, as if the eyes of the world were watching her every move. It was one thing to order a death; it was another to take a life and watch it fade before you.

Eventually, the high dissipated, and she was left staring at his cooling corpse, eyes empty and mouth hanging open in a rather unattractive manner despite just how handsome he was. It was a pity, really, when she thought about it. If he hadn't been so manipulating her, so keen on coaxing her into bed, he would have made a handsome partner and loyal servant when the throne of Tricell was hers.

She poured herself a quick glass of cognac, downing it in two gulps, then hastily powdered her face at her desk. The aftermath of the rush was so powerful she feared she might break out in a light sweat.

The phone rang suddenly, making her jump even though she was expecting the call. She shook her head, trying to clear away the nerves, and picked it up. "Yes?"

"Signora Gionne, your limousine has arrived."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Grazie, Enrico. I will be down momentarily. I shall be gone for a few days, so I expect this mess in my office to be cleaned up when I return."

"Of course, Signora. It will be handled quietly.."

He was here, right on time. Excella fanned herself with her hand as she threw her things into her handbag. All the while, she wondered how it could have gone wrong: what if he had been late? What if she lost her nerve, or if Crow had overpowered her? The possibilities were almost endless, but she had succeeded, and that was all that mattered. The future lay ahead, and there was no point in dwelling on past what-ifs.

She slung her wrap around her shoulders, taking her handbag around her arm, and with one final look at Crow's body, she turned her nose up and strolled through the door.

Her limousine, a long white stretch with dark tinted windows was waiting in the driveway to the office with its engine idling. The chauffer opened the door for her as she approached, and with a final, deep breath to cool her nerves, she stepped inside. Albert was waiting for her. A briefcase was in the seat next to him, so she took up the spot across from him

"Is it done?" he asked quietly, barely acknowledging her.

She looked back into the reflective surface of his sunglasses, her face neutral, professional. "Yes. He is dead."

She almost missed the tiny tip of his head as he nodded, then looked away. "Good."

He seemed even quieter than he normally was, but she suspected it was because of his injuries. The suture above his eye had healed remarkably fast since she last saw him, now barely more than a scratch, but there was no telling of how extensive the damage was that she couldn't see. The other scar that had been on his face had vanished completely, and she supposed this one would too. It was just one of the many things about Albert Wesker that fascinated her.

However, despite her fascination, his abrupt reply stung a little. She had been hoping for praise, approval, something that showed he was impressed. Instead, he'd given her one compliment, if even that.

The limousine pulled out of the driveway, providing a smooth ride to the freeway. Excella tried to act disinterested and nonchalant, checking her phone for the dozen or so emails that had since spilled in, but she kept stealing glances at his silent, brooding form, wondering if he was going to say anything else. Finally, she couldn't stand it any longer, and cleared her throat.

"I believe I've shown you that I can be trustworthy, Albert," she stated firmly. "and now I believe it's time that you share your plans with me."

"You've shown me that you can stab a man in the back, nothing more," he corrected instantly, as if he knew exactly when the question was coming. The gaze of his sunglasses didn't even turn towards her. "If anything, you've proved that I should trust you even less."

Her temper flared, eyes narrowing in contempt. She had risked everything! Were it not for the complacency of her subordinates and her authority, she would have never been able to eliminate Crow so quietly within her own office. Her career was at stake for this move, her image, her very life, and not to mention her family reputation. Now he threw it back in her face, even going so far to call her dangerous in the same breath!

"I risked everything to kill that lecherous filth with my own hands as you demanded," she snapped, pointing a finger at him. "You dare to call me untrustworthy?"

"Tell me, Miss Gionne, what is trust?" he asked suddenly, cocking his head towards her. Despite not being able to see his eyes, he had an amused expression on his face.

She glared at him, then opened her mouth. "I…" Just as quickly, she faltered, and her face grew hot. "What are you talking about? What does this have to do with anything?"

The top of his lip curled in a smirk, and he dug into the inner pocket of his jacket. "Trust is about demonstration on a personal, Miss Gionne. You can never truly trust someone until your life is in their hands."

He procured a small syringe, holding it on the flat of his palm to offer it to her. Excella eyed it apprehensively. It was unmarked as to what it held, save for a dosage. Did he want to inject herself with it?

"What is that?" she asked after a while.

"A dose of PG67. I require precise and regular injections to maintain my bodily functions. Without it, I will die…or worse." The shift of his gaze turned to her face. "If you would be so kind, Miss Gionne. I'm placing my life in your hands."

The limousine stopped. They had reached the airport, where they would be traveling the rest of the way. Excella eyed the syringe again, then took it in her hand and moved next to him. When she did, Albert offered her his arm. She rolled back the arm of his jacket to expose his wrist. It looked normal for a man of his age, only when she touched it to find the vein on his wrist, his skin was cool, not warm.

He didn't flinch when the needle pierced his skin, or when she depressed the plunger of the syringe. The only movement he made was to flex his hand after she withdrew the needle, and she doubted it was due to discomfort. Possibly a reaction from whatever she just injected him with? Whatever it was, that was the only reaction it invoked.

He didn't offer or allow her to swab the site with disinfectant. He only rolled down the sleeve of his jacket, but then picked up the briefcase that was sitting next to him and handed it to her. It was armored in black, and framed with steel, but not locked. Upon his indication, she opened it. Inside, set in neat, foamed rows, were several dozen identical syringes of PG67. She didn't know by what schedule he required doses, but she would wager it had to be several month's worth. At least.

"As you can see, this is what trust is, Excella. Between you and I, and no one else."

She nodded slowly, realizing what a gesture this was to her. It was his weakness, the power to give him life and take it, and he was openly sharing it with her. That's what she was trusted with, not simply how well she could follow orders. Coming from a man of such status like Albert Wesker it was…humbling.

She latched the case, shifting it to the seat next to her. "Of course, Albert, I understand. Perfectly. You have my trust."

"I'm glad I do, for I will need both it and Tricell's. You and I are going to uncover Umbrella's legacy. Its origins. What they started with will secure the Gionne name at the top of Tricell, and all pharmaceutics companies across the world."

Excella smiled widely. If what he said was true, then it would be the realization of every ambition and dream she ever had. "Where do we start?"

He glanced to her, and with another small smirk gave her a cryptic answer.

"Africa."

The End

Author's Notes: I just wanted to take this time to thank all of the readers for their dedication to this story, and even more so to this series of stories I've written. I've seen familiar faces, as well as new ones pick up all three Butterfly Effects. Whether you loved them or hated them, thank you for reading!

People have urged me to continue this series, but I think it will stay as a trilogy. Coming up with new ideas in the same setting grew hard for me at the end, and I want to explore new concepts. I honestly feel the story started to slack at the end, as did the quality of my writing, so I will tie this series off into RE 5 like I originally planned. It's just my take on the events that span between RE 4 and 5, and pure speculation otherwise.

For now, I'm actually going to break off from Resident Evil for a bit. I'm currently working on novelizing Mirror's Edge, which has become one of my favorite settings. If you are unfamiliar with the game, or are familiar with it, I would love to hear your input on it. Obviously, you can find it in on my profile.

After that, I would like to return to the RE universe and try some concepts I've been thinking of, such as re-working an older concept from an earlier story of mine, crossing the series with Inception, or doing another spy/action thriller with our favorite Ada Wong. I hope to see you all in the future, and thank you once again!