Arklay 1980
My name is Galatea Volkova, I specialize in Biotechnology, field epidemiology, and hand to hand combat. I was taken from an orphanage by the Russian government at the age of five and was trained in a secret facility to become a secret agent. My only home was the secret facility, my only childhood was training with other children, survive. A man by the name Sergie Vladimir, took interest in my skills and recommended me to the international pharmaceutical supplier, the Umbrella corporation; I was hired within days. However, I was given a task by the secret facility to gather information about Umbrella's true purpose. I accepted the objective with pride, but I was not prepared for the nightmare that would unravel.
Upon my arrival at the Arklay research facility in the Arklay mountains, just outside Raccoon city, I was greeted by Doctor James Marcus, a brilliant scientist and one of the three founders of the Umbrella corporation. He toured me through the facility, explaining what my position would be and want I would be working on. After an exhausting tour of all the levels and laboratory, the doctor escorted me to my dormitory to rest for the night.
The next day, I was handed a file regarding the G-virus by the president of the facility. The virus was discovered a few years ago and I was to be placed under the command of one of the researchers as a trainee. Upon my arrival to the laboratory, the five men who were there paused their movement and stared, soon after, they resumed. One of the chief researchers, William Birkin, approached me as I sat down and gave me another file.
"You will be working under Albert Wesker, chief researcher like myself. You will follow his command without question. You are expected to do the same amount of working as we, and not to fall behind. Errors are not permitted, Volkova." He told me and pointed to the only man wearing dark spectacles. I quickly assumed the spectacles were enhanced.
I read the files twice and memorized it to prevent any errors, but even that was expected of me. I spent the first two weeks in the laboratory, completing an excessive amount of work and analyzing data from the T-virus that Birkin constantly spoke about. I had little to no sleep, Albert Wesker did not allow my dismissal until my work was completed, until he was satisfied. He only spoke to me when it was necessary, often he would stand behind me, stalking my work. My first task was to gather data regarding the scientists of the Arklay Facility and during the least amount of leisure time that I managed to acquire, I did just that. However, when I secretly invaded the office of William Birkin, I could not find enough information on Albert Wesker.
I worked under Doctor Marcus when Albert did not need my service. To my surprise, the old man was rather pleasant and I acquired his skills. Upon my service with Doctor Marcus and his development of the G-virus, I noticed that there was someone constantly watching doctor Marcus, and that someone was William Birkin. I was suspicious of him and of Albert, the pair seemed... adamant. My skills and intellect was at their level but even then Albert would not allow me to work in the program directly, instead he would insist I file data samples from the Ebola virus. I dreaded the demand and my demander, Albert, I also despised Birkin and his "know it all" attitude.
Years passed and my mission extended as long as I needed to gather enough data on the facility, the researches and the employees. I made a habit of reporting once a week because Albert wanted my services. I wanted to spend more time with Doctor Marcus because his research seemed interesting at the time, and he remained me of my grandfather. He shared information on his research and entrusted me with several secrets, he was a brilliant scientist. Albert was displeased that I preferred working with doctor Marcus, but I know that what really disturbed him was the fact that Umbrella had a assigned a ten year old girl to be chief researcher of the Antarctic research facility. I know this to be true because it had an effect on Birkin. I was four years younger than Birkin, but he did not care about me because I was not a scientist and I was only assigned to Wesker, but Birkin's pride was ravished by a mere child.
The intense atmospheres, dense working hours, the excessive amount of work, tasks and responsibilities caused me to be stressed, I needed to escape hell. Birkin overworked me and not even Wesker could keep up with him, even if he attempted to be collected, I perceived his irritation and could almost hear his brow furrowing. Birkin was out of control, his test subjects would die with ease and new ones were brought to the facility. I decided to ignore Birkin and sneak out of the facility whenever I could to escape the nightmare. I went into the forest because boarding a helicopter to leave the facility was not permitted. The forest was pleasant and humming with life, there were many animals and a river with a waterfall. I preferred to take long walks during the afternoon, there was so much peace and I could report without the concern of being discovered. I even took it upon myself to train in the forest, it was a perfect target course to enhance my abilities. The targets were rodents, birds, and sometimes deer.
One day, as I stalked a stag that I have been eying for weeks, I noticed a peculiar figure standing over the rotten carcass of a bird that I dismembered weeks ago. I watched him from above the tree I had climbed earlier for what seemed hours and he did not move, I was torn between the stag and him. So I decided to approach him in the most distinct manner. I sneaked behind him and when he noticed, I already had my knife against his throat.
"What are you doing here?" Was the first question he asked me and I could tell he was irritated because I caught him off guard.
"I was using my hours of leisure wisely. And yourself, chief Wesker? I thought your research was far more important than leisure hours." I was aware why he was not with Birkin, extending his research, but I never thought that he would walk in the forest.
"Your hours of leisure seem to involve some serious butchery and dismemberment."
"That does not concern you... Chief." Wesker attempted to knock me down and confiscate my knife but I counteracted his attempt and cartwheeled away to create distance.
"It is interesting how you, a mere adolescent, was able to counteract my intentions. Where did you learned that?" He asked but I remained silent. I needed to leave, my time was running out and even if I have been watching him for years, he was unpredictable. My eyes never left him, minutes passed, there was an unsettling silence between us. I decided to try a different approach. I created a diversion by throwing the knife at the tree behind him, in the fraction of milliseconds that took him to react, I fled.
After our encounter in the forest, I did not see Albert and Birkin directed my
services to doctor Marcus. Perhaps I frightened him or he no longer desired my
presence, regardless, I did not care. Every now and then, I would see Albert
Wesker standing outside the door. He never approached me, he just stood there,
stalking me like a predator, perhaps he knew my real purpose. Even when I
looked into the microscope, I could feel those eyes of his, eyes that I have never
seen yet somehow I knew.
