July 23rd, 1998, 11:30 AM
Eddie devoured Birkin's notes. Every page was a revelation, a brilliant algorithm, a shortcut through the labyrinth of virology that would have taken him years to navigate. It was like reading the mind of a mad god. He felt humbled and galvanized at the same time. William is a fucking genius, he thought, a mixture of anger and admiration burning in his stomach. No wonder he's number one.
As he was lost in that world of protein sequences and forced mutations, he didn't notice he was being watched.
From the other side of a one-way mirror, William Birkin watched him with an almost palpable contempt. His face was drawn, his eyes circled by sleepless nights. Beside him, Annette was tense.
"What do you think?" she asked in a low voice. "Should I take the notes back?"
"Let him have them," Birkin replied, without taking his eyes off Eddie's focused figure. "They're obsolete. All the research is already here." He tapped his temple with a finger. "You handle him. Give him what he wants, if you have to. Use him. Try to figure out what Spencer really wants from me." He turned, giving her his back. "The G-Virus is almost complete. I don't have time for these distractions."
And he left, leaving her alone. He hadn't told her that he had already made contact with the U.S. military to betray Umbrella. He didn't want to involve her. Or perhaps, he didn't fully trust even her. Annette sighed, a cloud of frustration and worry. Her husband was increasingly consumed by his obsession, by his posthumous rivalry with the memory of Alexia Ashford. And she was trapped in the middle, with the single, desperate mission of protecting their daughter, Sherry.
In the observation room, Karen had remained motionless for hours, a silent shadow behind Eddie. On the outside, she was the elite soldier, cold and professional. On the inside, her body was a battlefield. Every muscle ached, a dull, pleasant pain that reminded her of the brutality of the previous night. She would never admit that this man, seemingly so fragile, possessed such… power. It was dangerous information. And strangely, exciting.
When Eddie finally closed the binder, the last page read, the laboratory door opened. It was Annette again, this time with a steaming cup of coffee in her hand.
Click. Click. Click. The sound of her heels was the only noise in the aseptic silence.
"A break," she said, placing the cup on the table next to Eddie. Her voice was controlled, but her eyes were sharp, scrutinizing.
Eddie handed her the binder back. "It's extraordinary work. Some of his theories on viral replication… they're almost poetic."
A faint smile touched Annette's lips, flattered by the praise. "My husband is the best. Many would kill to have access to those notes."
As Eddie reached for the coffee cup, she added, with feigned nonchalance, "Don't worry. It's not poisoned."
Eddie laughed, a nervous laugh that didn't reach his eyes. He took the cup. "Of course not. So, is Dr. Birkin still… busy?"
"Yes. Very." Annette stared at him. "I'm wondering… what exactly is Lord Spencer's purpose in sending you here?"
The question was direct, a scalpel pointed at his throat. Eddie took a sip of coffee, buying time. "Officially? To gain experience. To learn from the best." He chuckled. "Maybe one day I'll have a project of my own. And unofficially?" He shrugged. "Who can say what goes on in that old man's head? I know about their… difference of opinion. But that's none of my business. I'm just here for the serum. The science. It's the only thing I care about."
His answer was a mix of truth and lies, credible enough to create doubt. Annette frowned, trying to read him.
"If you have no ill intentions," she said slowly, "then I can assure you that you will get all the help you need here."
"Fantastic," Eddie said, finishing his coffee in a single gulp. He stood up. "Well, if there's nothing else, we'll be going. I have things to do."
He was about to leave when Annette's voice stopped him. "Wait."
She rummaged in a lab coat pocket and pulled out a small data disk. She handed it to him. "This contains some raw experimental data. You might find it useful." Her eyes were cold, calculating. "As I said. As long as your intentions are pure, I'll give you everything you want."
Eddie took the disk. A fox-like grin spread across his face. "'Everything I want'… except the G-Virus, I imagine?"
Annette's eyes narrowed. "Yes."
"Don't worry," he said, his tone suddenly becoming serious, almost threatening. "I'm not interested in the G-Virus. Because very soon, I'll create a serum far more powerful."
He turned and walked away, Karen at his side, without another word.
Annette remained motionless, her hand clenched into a fist. A shiver ran down her spine. Killing him would be a risk. It would alert Spencer. But letting him live… letting him near her husband… was perhaps an even greater risk.