Progress From Arasaka, Infinitely

"Oh?"

Simmons leaned forward, his expression one of interest. "I'm all ears."

"Establish a Biohazard Strategic Prevention Department. The old method: recruit from Umbrella's former 'White' and 'Blue' umbrella departments. In exchange for long-term service to the Federation, their criminal responsibility can be appropriately reduced. Use them, but be cautious. I believe the White House already has a contingency plan."

"As expected, nothing gets past you."

Simmons extended an invitation. "Vera, are you interested in participating in the establishment of the Bio-Terrorism Defense Organization?"

"Not interested."

Tsk, she's testing the waters, seeing if I'm interested in the Super Virus.

Taking a sip of apple wine, Vera refused outright, shaking her head with little enthusiasm. "If you need technical support or custom equipment, come to me. I'll definitely help you solve it. But... my research is entering a critical phase. The new generation of Enhanced Cybernetics and Prosthetics... I don't have the time."

"..." Simmons chuckled, as if realizing the obvious.

Asking Vera to set up the Bio-Terrorism Defense Organization, let alone a civilian one, she probably wouldn't even do it for an official one. She had her own career and her own hobbies; she was a genuine genius.

They were strategic allies.

"However..." Vera changed the subject. "Your words reminded me. I thought of someone you might be interested in." It was as if she had no idea Simmons was already interested in the Super Virus.

Simply as an ally, Vera added matter-of-factly, "If you're organizing the Bio-Terrorism Defense Organization, you'll undoubtedly need top-tier researchers for professionalism."

"Who is your candidate?"

"Annette Birkin."

Washington D.C., Military Science Building.

A small room.

"Mom, Dad..." Curled up on the sofa, the girl murmured in her sleep. Tears had already streaked her small face.

A pale woman with blonde hair, blue eyes, and long, loose hair gently stroked the girl's back. "Sherry, Sherry, don't cry... Mommy is here."

Creak.

Thump-thump—

"Annette Birkin, Executive Russell wishes to see you."

The company guards pushed the door open. The loud noise startled the girl awake. The pitiable child immediately buried her head behind her mother in fear, peeking out with half her head, her eyes filled with dread as she looked at these fully armed 'thugs'.

"Annette Birkin, I thought she was dead. While not as brilliant as William, she's still a rare talent in virology."

An unfamiliar male voice.

"It was just a casual act. I wouldn't go so far as to hold a grudge against William's widow... Besides, it seems this entire family has an issue with me." Vera's voice.

A shadow fell over Annette.

"Annette Birkin, I bear no ill will towards your family. Now, an opportunity lies before you: a chance to live anonymously, sever ties with William Birkin, let Sherry grow up safely, and serve the Federation."

Chapter 040: T-Virus to Night City

Annette Birkin was taken away by Drake C. Simmons.

Sherry Birkin remained at Vera's Militech.

On the surface, she was being cared for by the Military Science's welfare agency as an orphan from Raccoon City. In reality, she was a hostage. Yes, Vera was the honorary director.

She couldn't fully trust Annette, or rather, she was also wary of Simmons.

Although Vera had a thousand ways to monitor Annette, rationally speaking, Annette's greatest strength was loving someone with all her heart. Before it was Dr. William, she hadn't given up on waking her husband even after he turned into a G-Creature. In the original timeline, this was precisely why she died.

Now, Dr. William, as a target for Militech's product exhibition, had turned to ashes.

Annette was forcibly taken from the underground research facility by M.S.F., altering her fate of dying. Moreover, Sherry was still alive. As long as her daughter was alive, the possibility of Annette acting recklessly or going mad was extremely small.

This was also why Vera dared to use her and hand her over to Simmons.

As a condition, Annette would become a secret federal employee. Vera wouldn't interfere with how Simmons used her.

She would seal the information that Sherry Birkin was Dr. William's daughter.

Ahem, thanks to Vera's notoriety, William Birkin, as her biggest dissenting voice at Umbrella and the prime suspect in the Raccoon City incident, had a very bad reputation.

In the employment contract, Annette would have the opportunity to visit Sherry at the Military Science welfare home every month. Subsequently, there would be no time limit. Militech would also provide Sherry with an education above the average level and personalized development, including financial assistance and protection against bullying.

If Sherry died, without this chain binding her, Vera would eliminate Annette immediately.

What a load of crap. Once "emotion" was involved, Vera couldn't predict Annette's behavior patterns. Who knew if one day she'd have a nightmare, recall her memories with William and Sherry, and then take her anger out on Vera, going dark and causing some mess that Vera would have to clean up.

"Mom... Mom, I want Mommy."

After Annette was taken away, even though the room was filled with dolls, cute animal pillows, Barbie dolls, and other items, decorated warmly, Sherry still cried and curled up in a corner of the sofa, wiping away tears. She was so scared that she didn't even dare to cry loudly. During the Raccoon City disaster, Sherry, who inherited her parents' intelligence, already knew that adults disliked that kind of sound.

She was sensible and endearing.

"Don't cry, it's just a temporary separation, just like before. Your mom just went out to work. Be good... At the latest, she'll be back within a month."

Vera, who was about to leave the room, paused. She waved her hand, signaling the bodyguards and guards to exit the room, then walked to Sherry's side. She bent her knees slightly, leaned forward, and gently stroked the little one's hair.

"Waa..."

Sherry stole a glance at Vera, then quickly looked away.

"You should recognize me. I'm your father's colleague, his former colleague."

"Mhm..." Sherry's voice was as faint as a mosquito's hum, and she nodded with tears welling up in her eyes. "Dad... Dad said you were a bad person..."

Vera: "..."

"What an honest, good child. As for whether I'm a bad person according to your father, I think little Sherry will be able to judge for herself when she grows up." Vera's voice was very gentle, but it carried an irrefutable tone. "Lift your head..."

"Mmm..."

Sherry bit her lip, her small face, so pitiable it could melt anyone's heart, slowly lifted.

"Remember my face. I'm, for all intents and purposes, your half-guardian. I'll support you until you grow up. If you ever face any difficulties, contact me anytime."

Vera took a small, silver-plated card with a black background and gold edges, embossed with crimson patterns, from her pocket. "This is my private business card."

"Lost cards will not be reissued. Take good care of it."

"...Mm."

Screech.

The sound of the door closing softly.

"BOSS, there's a secret communication request from Oswell E. Spencer." The secretary, who had been waiting outside, stepped forward as Vera emerged. She stayed half a step behind Vera and reported in a low voice, "As usual, should we ignore it?"

"As usual."

After Vera 'discovered' and exposed the Raccoon City incident and Spencer's private embezzlement of funds from the 'Black Umbrella' department, she had unilaterally cut off contact with Spencer.

That old geezer, don't come near me!

"Have the M.S.F security forces and the security departments of industrial parks in California and other states increase their vigilance, especially around my mansion and residences in San Francisco..."

After giving some instructions to prevent Spencer from making any desperate moves, Vera couldn't be bothered to deal with anything else. She left the Washington Military Science Branch Building and headed for Capitol Hill. After a few more rounds of negotiation, she would seize the opportunity to leak the location of Spencer's ancestral castle to the black market... and then, return to San Francisco.

Three days later.

San Francisco, Militech Industrial Park. The headquarters building of the industrial park, which was still undergoing logo replacement and interior decoration changes.

Tap-tap—

After a brief administrative meeting at the Military Science Building in the city, Vera walked into the lobby with light steps.

After attending Chris Redfield's Medal of Valor award ceremony and banquet on October 1st, she had proactively ended her trip to Washington and returned to the West Coast.

The Medal of Valor, officially the Public Safety Officer's Medal of Valor, was the highest national honor that USA police and fire departments could receive, equivalent in status to the military's Medal of Honor.

Regardless of what Chris thought privately, being summoned by the President and awarded the Medal of Valor was a great honor for him, a former Air Force member, Raccoon City police officer, and SWAT member. He certainly craved recognition for his achievements and those of S.T.A.R.S., so he had to go.

At the White House, Chris, along with his sister Claire and surviving members of the former S.T.A.R.S., offered Vera a salute of gratitude.

During this time, Vera extended another invitation, asking Chris to join Militech.

As she had expected, Chris refused. Afterward, Vera introduced Chris to the biohazard prevention and emergency organization that Simmons was still planning.

The kind that had no name, no funding, insufficient personnel, and no established structure yet...

Chris readily accepted.

And bringing his own resources, he roped in Jill and found Simmons, declaring his firm resolve to bring the remaining perpetrators of Umbrella to justice.

Seeing them engrossed in conversation, Vera excused herself and left.

Ah, that's a relief.

Any remnants of Umbrella who refused Vera's reorganization would be dealt with severely. It was good to let experts like Chris handle the BOWs. Militech, as a strategic partner of the Pentagon, would then receive and collect virus samples, providing appropriate support and treatment.

Under the guise of Militech's professionalism, they would recognize the characteristics of the virus, research prevention and control methods, compile them, and mass-produce vaccines, inhibitors, and neutralizers...

Chris would also have to cooperate, doing his best to preserve and deliver virus samples.

Beep beep—

Dismissing her bodyguards, Vera entered the underground storage room via the direct elevator in her office.

With nuclear bunker-level protection, Vera passed through layers of access control and arrived in front of a set of embedded, sealed glass cabinets.

Entering the password, identifying facial and physical features, access granted.

The airtight compartment opened, revealing several metal boxes with the red and white umbrella-shaped logo resting inside.

Click, click.

Vera operated the built-in mechanical arm to enter the password for the mechanical lock, opening the metal boxes. Spiral containers filled with blue and green liquid were quietly stored within.

Green was the T-Virus; blue was the T-Virus vaccine.

These were the samples that Vera had secretly ordered the M.S.F to transport from Raccoon City.

"Super Virus... I feel like it's not very feasible. It's too ugly."

"The byproducts of T-Virus research are more useful than the virus itself acting directly on people. Instead of aiming for instant evolution, making it into a special medicine, just being able to extend human lifespan and alleviate aging is enough to entice those who are on the verge of death and have developed significant resistance to all sorts of 'elixirs of immortality'."

Vera shook her head slightly.

She didn't intend to use it herself.

Then she once again manipulated the mechanical arm to close the metal box, securing the container, sealing it, locking it, and then clamping the metal box to precisely place it into the card slot. Through a complex mechanical transfer process, the metal box slowly rose on the operating table.

Picking it up, Vera weighed it in her hand.

"Ready?"

She turned her head to look at the wall. The gleaming, mirror-like metal wall reflected the silhouette of a tall woman with light blonde hair standing quietly.

With a thought, Vera's eyes flickered. In the next instant, on the metal wall's surface, her own face seemed to have a few imperceptible lines indicating subcutaneous contours. The mark of the metal cybernetic implant below her forehead appeared. At the collar of her clothes, a faint black background with white stripes of a clover logo materialized.

Arasaka Clover.

"Give it to me."

She said, and I said.

Cyberpunk world, Night City, Westbrook, Corporate District.

Russell's apartment, basement, newly built, small microbial research laboratory that had just begun operation.

"Hiss..."

As the metal object was gently placed down, Vera couldn't help but fall back onto the swivel chair, rubbing her throbbing head. "Cough cough..." She coughed, a little short of breath, feeling dizzy. "This... was really something. Why do I feel this sense of release and exhilaration..."

It took a while for Vera to regain her senses.