The next morning came slow. Sunlight peeked through the heavy curtains of Alex's bedroom at Umbrella Corporation. The bed was a mess. Sheets twisted everywhere. Pillows on the floor. Alex woke up first. He stretched his arms and looked beside him. Peggy slept naked under the blanket. Her dark hair spread out on the pillow. Her face looked peaceful. He smiled at her. Leaned over and kissed her cheek soft.
Peggy stirred. Her eyes opened slow. She saw Alex and smiled back. "Good morning, Alex."
"Good morning, Peggy," he said. His voice was low and warm.
She sat up. The blanket fell a bit. She did not care. They both got out of bed. Alex went to the bathroom first. He brushed his teeth. Splashed water on his face. Peggy did the same after him. They showered quick. Separate this time. Fresh clothes next. Alex put on his black pants and shirt. Peggy wore something simple. Jeans and a top. They felt good. Ready for the day.
They walked to the kitchen. Just about to leave for breakfast. Alex's phone rang. He picked it up. Howard's name on the screen. "Hello?"
Howard's voice came loud. "Alex, I'm coming to meet you. Be there soon."
Alex knew why. The factory raid. The monsters. Questions burned. "Okay, Howard. See you."
He hung up. Looked at Peggy. "Howard's on his way. With Steve probably."
Peggy nodded. "They want answers."
They sat at the dining table. Breakfast waited. Eggs, toast, coffee. Simple food. They ate slow. Talked about the raid. Peggy said, "Those soldiers owe you their lives."
Alex shrugged. "Team effort."
Door buzzer sounded. Jarvis announced them. Alex let Howard and Steve in. They walked into the dining room fast. Howard led. Face red with questions. Steve right behind. Serious look.
Howard did not wait. He pointed at Alex. "What the hell, Alex? What are you exactly? Why don't you tell us?"
He pulled a chair. Sat at the table hard. Steve sat next to him. Eyes on Alex. Wanted to know too.
Alex leaned back. Smirk on his face. "What, can't you figure it out on your own with your intelligence?"
Howard frowned. "Don't play games. Tell us."
Peggy sipped coffee. Watched quiet.
Howard thought hard. "According to me, you are biologically enhanced. Either you created Erskine's SS serum. Or you got permission from Erskine to inject it. Or you stole it and injected yourself."
Alex stopped. Howard's guess stunned him. He started to laugh loud. Deep laugh from his chest. Peggy laughed too. She covered her mouth. Steve sat speechless. Mouth open a bit.
Howard crossed his arms. Face turned red. Embarrassed. But he had thick skin. Did not show it much. "Laugh all you want. Makes sense."
Steve spoke up. Voice steady. "Alex, what are you really? You jumped from the jet without a parachute. Landed perfect. No injury. Even with mine or Peggy's super soldier body, we are not totally confident about surviving that fall. And those monsters. You have a squad of them. And your eyes. They are like devil's eyes."
Alex stopped laughing. Looked at Steve. Then Howard. Peggy watched close. Room went quiet. Tension built.
"Okay," Alex said. "Hear me out. My body, or you can say my biology, is different from you all. I have a strain called Alpha strain in me. It's a blood type different from normal humans. I am human. But I injected myself with some very dangerous viruses. So my body changed totally. I am much more powerful than you super soldiers. I have incredible healing. That's why my eyes are like this."
He reached up slow. Took off his black glasses. Placed them on the table. His red eyes glowed. Slit pupils like a demon. Sharp. Scary.
Steve leaned back. Howard's eyes went wide. Invisible pressure filled the room. Heavy air. Like something pushed down on them.
Howard swallowed. Found his voice. "If you have this much power, and this strain and the virus, then you can create more like yourself, right?"
Alex's face turned serious. Grave look. "Howard, it is dangerous. Not only to other people but to the world. My virus and strain—if given to normal people—they die. And get converted into zombie-like existence. That only wants to eat other people. If they bite someone, they turn into zombies too. Soon, in less than a month, the whole world enters apocalypse. The end for all."
Silence hit hard. Howard stared. Steve's face went pale. Peggy put her coffee down. Stunned. They got it now. Why Alex kept it secret. Why no army of him.
Steve spoke first. "But you created those monsters. What about them?"
Howard jumped in. "Yeah, Steve told me about those monsters as we were coming to meet you. What about them then?"
Alex nodded. "Those were created using my blood. But they are not as strong as me. They are stronger than you, Steve and Peggy. I made them so they can be a good team for me. So the people I love and my friends don't get hurt. I created many failsafes too. So my blood won't get into wrong hands. And also, you all don't know how many hidden things are in this universe. Even if I told you, you are not going to believe me. So for now, just know the monsters are only for protection. Nothing else."
They sat stunned. Howard rubbed his chin. Steve looked at the table. Peggy touched Alex's hand under the table. Quiet support.
Steve broke silence. "The higher-ups agreed. They are going to send me and Peggy into the battlefield against the Nazis and HYDRA."
Peggy's eyes went wide. "What? They changed their minds?"
Alex smiled small. He knew this came. Canon moved forward. "I know this was going to happen. I am happy for you and Peggy. But not only you two. I will also send my Tyrants and Lickers into the battlefield."
Howard raised his eyebrows. "Tyrants and Lickers? Nice names you gave them."
Alex smiled wider. "Thank you, Howard."
He kept going. "Not only this, but I am thinking about putting together a team after the battle is over. For the protection of the world. In the future, you will know what I meant."
Room went silent again. They thought about it. Breakfast plates empty. Coffee cold.
Howard stood first. "Well, that's a lot. I need to get back to the lab."
Steve nodded. "Me and Peggy to the base. Battle plans."
Peggy squeezed Alex's hand. "See you soon."
They left. Door closed. House quiet.
Alex went to his lab. Deep in Umbrella. White walls. Machines hummed. He sat at the main console. Tweaked settings. Planned next virus batch. Moved tools around. Busy work.
Then a sound. Ding. Notification popped in his vision. Blue screen only he saw.
[Ding... Host has finally completed his first Template. Now the Multiverse Template system is getting updated. It will take 3 months for it to get updated. Meanwhile, the host can still see his status window.]
[Ding... System is getting updated. Time remaining: 3 months.]
Alex froze. Stunned. What? First template complete? When? How now?
He called out fast. "Status!"
Window appeared. Clear text.
[Name: Alex Reyes
Age: 22
Template: Albert Wesker (A-Rank): 100%
Abilities:
- Dominant Genetics: Alpha pheromones
- Superhuman Strength
- Superhuman Speed
- Superhuman Durability
- Superhuman Endurance
- Regenerative Healing Factor
- Longevity—Resurrection]
100%. Full integration. He stared. Never saw percentage before.
Ding again.
[Ding... There were many bugs when host got the system. But now the system is getting fully operated. It would tell you more about the things that you not got to know.]
Alex blinked. "Why the sudden change? And also, there are many things. Like, if I have Albert Wesker template, then why don't I have to inject with PG67A/W for the stability of my alpha genes? And why was there never a percentage of my template integration seen till now?"
System replied fast.
[Ding... The system was not fully ready at giving the host his first Template. It was still recharging. Many functions were not unlocked. But now after the update, the system will recalibrate. Host will have access to all its functions. That's why host don't needed the PG67A/W. Because the System have removed this weakness from the template. And now host being 100% would not need that thing anyway.]
Alex sat back. Speechless. Head hurt a bit. When he got the system as a baby, it just dropped Albert Wesker template. Gave Resident Evil items for Umbrella. Manual mode. Read manual. No talk. Now? Interactive. Alive.
He rubbed his temples. Headache from thinking. What new functions? Quests? New templates? Shop? Stronger powers? Eager. But three months wait. Too long.
He stood. Paced the lab. Looked at empty tanks. Thought about Wesker. Full power now. No virus weakness. Alpha genes stable. Pheromones worked better. Eyes glowed stronger.
"What else?" he asked air. No answer. Update locked.
Alex sighed. Back to work. Tweaked a console. Moved a vial. Waited. Eager for month end. New system. Bigger things.