Home sweet home...

[Albert Wesker]

In varying states of disgruntlement, the members of Delta Team filed out and went to work gathering their gear and equipment. "Prepare for anything, just in case," Lupo had advised them, and though Wesker remained silent on the point it was one he agreed with. Even with just a relatively small slice of experience with this Omniverse under his belt, he could tell this place was not liable to be something one could underestimate. Only a small stroll through two of the verses, and they had proven very dangerous in quite different ways.

But The Wolfpack would be fine. They would survive, or at the least last long enough to make their excursion worth it; and if they did come to their deaths, they could be resummoned again. He had already experimented with that.

When the last of them had left, he rose from his seat and left the room. The doors shut quietly behind him automatically. At the end of the hall, he could already see their newest guest waiting.

"It...it looks like you've got some big plans," she said quietly. As Wesker drew nearer, she looked down, pointedly avoiding meeting his gaze for more than a few seconds. "Sending them out to so many places like that, I mean."

"Yes...I suppose you could say that." His amusement crept in all over again as he drew nearly alongside her, at just how much he towered over the little snake. Such a diminutive, deceptive little thing she was; he'd seen her in action firsthand during the arduous setup process for this place. "Though I have something else I'd like to discuss." A faint smile curled at his lips as he strode right past her. He was confident it would be easy enough to get her to agree; that quiet demeanor act wouldn't let her refuse. And that bloodthirsty, cruel nature she had wouldn't want to refuse, either.

He heard her turn and scurry up to fall into step with him as he paced on, down the hall and toward the stairs. "O-Oh, well...what is it?" She cleared her throat slightly, speaking up a little more. "That you want to talk about, I mean."

"While I was searching out and doing a bit of research for where to send my scouts..." He internally chuckled at that designation; it would no doubt have displeased them. Little better than mercenary soldiers they were, after all. Brought in by Umbrella to make use of their services and skills when they had nowhere else to go. "...I came across information about something rather interesting." One hand came up, reaching into an internal pocket of his suit, pulling his phone out. A quick button press, and the screen lit up, displaying holographic images over it. He could hear the surprise etch itself onto the expression of the small one at his side. "Dante's Abyss..." He turned his eyes down toward her. "I take it you've heard of it?"

She just nodded slowly. "Y-Yes, I...I've heard of it. A yearly event. It's quite popular." She shook her head. "It's different every year, though, so...I don't really know terribly much about it beyond that."

"Well, luckily, knowing about it won't be a requirement for what I had in mind." He clicked the phone off and stowed it away again as they reached the top of the stairs. "I'd like you to enter this competition."

Cerise stopped dead in her tracks on the first step. Wesker didn't even need to look back at her to know that the news had been a surprise, one that she was having trouble processing. He had almost reached the bottom of the stairs when he finally heard her step forward after him again. "B-But why? Why would you want me to? I'm not..."

"I have seen you in action," he said, cutting her off. "Whatever you might think of your combat abilities, you are currently far more experienced and capable than one such as myself." He stopped at the base of the stairs, one foot resting on the ground, the other still on the final step, and turned back to look up at her. "I've no doubt in my mind you would fare far better than I ever could, especially in such an environment." He lifted a hand to lightly pull his sunglasses from over his eyes. "As much as I would enjoy being there to participate, and witness things first hand...I am a simple businessman and scientist." He let a smile crawl onto his face. "I lack the skills and capability to last for long in such an environment. Based on what I observed of the previous years' events, I doubt I would perform very well at all. Certainly I wouldn't get to see very much."

The small snake shivered faintly, both hands coming up to rest against her chest, one clutched tightly in the other. "I...I don't know..." she finally spoke up, quietly again. "I'm not really sure how well I'll do, either." She started forward, down a few more steps. "Depending on what the event is this year, I might not even last as long as you."

"Oh, come now, my dear," Wesker spoke up gently. False kindness in his voice; an act he had put on many times in the past. "You think far too little of yourself. After that display you put on, I'd be surprised if you didn't perform admirably." He shook his head slightly, reaching out a free hand up the stairs toward her. "And remember...regardless of how well you end up doing, no one can ask or expect more of you than the best you can do, yes?"

For several seconds there was only silence, then a faint smile twitched at the corner of Cerise's lips and she took the last few steps down to meet him. "Yeah...yeah, I guess so. Alright, I'll enter, then." She flinched slightly as the man in black brought his outstretched hand down on her head, gently. She tried not to shiver from it all; mostly that unnerving, red-eyed stare. Like a giant predatory cat, or some reptile of a much higher order. It was unsettling, and if her blood hadn't already been cold, feeling that gaze on her -- that dead, cold gaze, with a smile that didn't reach all the way to the eyes -- would have turned it to ice. "I'll do my best."

"Yes...I know you will." And he turned away, sliding his glasses back over his eyes. "I believe it said there should be a signup facility at most major locations of civilization. There is one such near enough to here." And he simply strode off at a brisk pace. "Let us not delay."

"R-Right!" She hurried after him.