It was around 8:00 a.m. on June 18, 1976.
I was on my way back to my office after bringing breakfast to the children.
It was an ordinary morning, no different from any other.
Alfred had asked if I had any questions today, and Alexia had given a brief report on what she had written in her notebook last night.
That small, everyday routine felt especially precious today.
Then a familiar face appeared at the end of the corridor.
It was Dr. Ross.
He was walking toward the children’s rooms with two assistants in tow.
'So he’s already here...'
I had expected it ever since Herman told me the researchers would be visiting today.
But actually facing that man made my stomach turn.
It felt as if the warmth of the morning I had just shared with the children went cold in an instant.
Dr. Ross saw me and bowed his head.
"Director, as I mentioned before, three days have passed. I’ll proceed with the interim examination to resume research."
Before I could even open my mouth, Dr. Ross continued.
"Based on the examination results you submitted yesterday, I judged that both children’s recovery levels have reached normal standards. Therefore, if today’s evaluation confirms the specimens’ values are normal, there is no medical need to complete the full week of quarantine you proposed."
So that was how he was going to play it.
But I had no grounds to extend the period.
I had personally written that they were recovering on the record, and I had already told Dr. Ross before that I would answer positively on that point... and now it was coming back to bite me.
"...Fine."
I gave a short reply and led the way.
The first room we entered was Alfred’s.
When I opened the door, Alfred had been sitting at his desk, but he stood up when he saw me.
Then, the moment he saw Dr. Ross and the assistants coming in behind me, his expression hardened.
Just ten minutes ago, he had been talking about the question game with a shy but much brighter face...
"It’s all right. It’s just an examination."
Alfred looked at me once and nodded. But I could see his shoulders drawing in slightly.
This time was different from before.
While Dr. Ross personally took out the thermometer, one assistant wrapped a blood pressure cuff around Alfred’s arm.
Another assistant checked his breathing with a stethoscope from behind and pulled out a small hammer for reflex testing.
Knee reflexes, pupil response, fingertip sensation tests, and more... unlike the previous examination, this was a little excessive.
And finally, Dr. Ross personally took out the blood collection kit.
Alfred’s gaze fixed on the tip of the needle.
His small hand was trembling slightly on his knee.
He was clearly trying to hold it in.
Dr. Ross took Alfred’s arm and brought the needle close.
Alfred flinched and hunched his shoulders once.
He didn’t make a sound.
But I could see him clenching his lips hard to endure it.
Honestly, considering Alfred’s age, even that was impressive restraint.
When I was that age, getting a shot felt like the end of the world.
After the blood draw was finished, Alfred let out a quiet breath.
Then he turned his eyes away as if nothing had happened.
While the assistants wrote down their numbers on their respective forms, Dr. Ross compared them one by one and checked them.
"Temperature 36.8 degrees Celsius, blood pressure 92 over 70, normal. Breathing is good, reflex response normal. Pupil response normal, blood sample shows no abnormalities."
After writing everything on the form, he reported it to me.
"All values are normal. The test results are consistent across the board."
I kept my expression unchanged.
Damn it. I thought he was being unusually thorough, and this was why.
He had come prepared to keep me from nitpicking like last time.
He had made sure I couldn’t object, so this time he was determined to drag these children back to the lab.
As if certain of victory, Dr. Ross gave a short laugh.
"We used a kit that can be analyzed on site immediately. The results are already in. There is no longer any medical basis to delay."
He had prepared everything meticulously. He had anticipated every excuse I might try to use.
He had shut down the possibilities of tampered temperature readings, breathing issues, and blood abnormalities before even showing up.
"...Understood."
I hadn’t realized how heavy those two words would feel to say.
Alfred had heard the whole exchange.
After Dr. Ross and the assistants left the room, Alfred looked at me cautiously.
He didn’t say anything.
He just looked at me.
He must understand what it meant.
"We’ll talk later."
Alfred gave a short nod.
Alexia’s room was the same.
When I opened the door, Alexia had neatly put away her unfinished dishes and was sitting at her desk with her notebook open.
Even when she saw Dr. Ross and the assistants come in, her expression didn’t change at all.
This time, too, everything proceeded in the same order.
Temperature, blood pressure, breathing, reflexes, pupil response, and so on. While the assistants recorded their numbers, Alexia watched the process in silence.
She didn’t look intimidated, and she didn’t look resistant.
And then it was time for the blood draw.
Dr. Ross took out the needle.
Alexia glanced down at it once, then looked straight ahead again.
That was all.
Tsk.
She didn’t even blink, and her shoulders didn’t flinch.
Was this child not in pain, or was she simply not showing it?
Dr. Ross closed the chart and looked at me.
"This side is also normal across the board. The other three test results are all consistent as well."
With that, he finally revealed his real purpose.
"Therefore, based on the conclusion that both specimens—no, both children’s health is in good condition, we will resume the ‘regular examination’ tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. Please authorize the preparations and payment."
He held out a sheet of paper to me.
It was the approval form for resuming the experiment.
Without the director’s signature, it could not proceed.
'Shit... he even prepared this.'
I took the document.
I picked up the pen.
My hand stopped for a moment.
The instant I signed this paper, I would be personally approving the children’s return to experimentation.
I would be allowing it with my own hand...
But what if I refused?
Unjustified delay of the experiment would be judged as refusal of duty, and that would violate Umbrella’s internal regulations.
At worst, someone above me might catch on and strip me of my directorship.
If that happened, I would lose even the minimum position I had for protecting the children.
In this deadlock, I closed my eyes and opened them again.
Then I slowly moved the pen.
And as I swallowed dryly, the signature was completed.
Maybe I wanted to delay the situation even a little longer, because my hand that tried to return the paper to Dr. Ross could not move easily.
Dr. Ross accepted the document and gave a short bow.
"Thank you, Director. Then I’ll see you at the laboratory in a little while."
Then he left the room with the assistants.
I stood there for a moment.
Alexia quietly spoke up.
"You couldn’t stop it."
"Yeah."
"When does it start?"
"Tomorrow morning..."
Alexia lowered her gaze for a moment, then looked back up.
"Is there a way?"
I looked at her for a moment.
Honestly, right now, there wasn’t. Not one.
But I couldn’t tell her that there was nothing.
"I’ll find one."
After hearing that answer, Alexia thought for a moment, then closed her notebook and stood up.
"Then I’ll think about it too."
This child was trusting me right now.
Giving the children hope when I couldn’t offer a definite answer felt even heavier.
As I closed the door, I quietly steadied my breathing inside.
When I stepped into the corridor, Alfred was standing in front of the door.
I didn’t know how long he had been there, but he was leaning against the wall, waiting for me.
"Father."
"Yeah."
Alfred chose his words for a moment, then asked carefully, "Do we really have to do it tomorrow?"
I looked at him for a moment.
He was scared, of course.
"For now, tomorrow can’t be avoided."
Alfred’s face tightened slightly.
"Then... you won’t come see us tonight or later?"
As I thought about what he meant, I remembered.
On the day before a regular examination... no, before the experiment, the children had to be forced to fast.
For the past few days, I had been bringing dinner myself and using health checks as an excuse to meet them, but now even that pretext was gone.
"No, I’ll come see you tonight too. And before you go to sleep, of course."
Alfred looked at me for a moment after hearing that.
"...Can I believe you?"
I met his gaze for a moment.
"Yeah."
Alfred nodded and returned to his room.
I stood alone in the corridor for a moment.
Four days... I had tried, but in the end, this was the limit.
I slowly made my way back to my office.
When I opened the door, I saw the empty desk.
Without even turning on the light, I sat down in the chair.
I had held out by using quarantine as an excuse, tampered with the records, and brought meals myself morning and evening.
I thought I had done everything I could... but in the end, I had signed it myself.
It hit me hard.
Maybe it had been naive to think that knowing the game’s setting, or having the director’s position in this possessed body, would be enough to change anything.
Umbrella was not that easy a place.
Even if I changed alone, this enormous organization still saw those children as specimens.
What could I possibly do by myself?
I closed my eyes.
Then I remembered what Alexia had said to me two days ago.
That question about whether I could endure the disadvantage of sacrifice for their sake...
What had I answered then?
I was sure I had said yes.
Then could I really sacrifice myself so carelessly for these children now?
I never managed to answer that question for myself.
I opened my eyes.
Still, I couldn’t give up.
I had told the children I would go to them tonight. I had said I would stop by before bed too.
I had to keep that promise.
Even if I had no way right now, even if I couldn’t stop it tomorrow.
At least for today, I would just be their father.
That was all I could do...
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