Rival company

Prime universe
(Capcom's primary storyline)

The rival company of Umbrella Corporation was their biggest opposing faction on the bio-weapons black market. This unnamed group otherwise known as "the organization" devoted much of its resources to industrial espionage, primarily on Umbrella, to dominate in the manufacturing and selling of bio-weapons. The leadership of the rival company was ambiguous, but it was taken over by Albert Wesker around 2004.

History

The organization was shown to have advanced technology and deep resources - financial, political and otherwise - at their disposal, and had an effective free-reign in their area of society. The organization made repeated attempts to cripple or damage Umbrella's key operations and facilities, knowing that these acts of sabotage could eventually dismantle Umbrella's influence and power.

Mansion Incident

The organization's activities began in 1998, when Ada Wong, a loyal operative of theirs, was sent to infiltrate the Arklay Laboratory near Raccoon City and was romantically involved with the new head researcher, John Clemens, as a means to steal intelligence for her company. John was very serious about his relationship with Ada and even used her name as his computer account's password. John lost his life, due to the biohazard caused by the t-Virus in the Arklay Laboratory, after writing one final letter to Ada instructing her to get evidence of Umbrella's experiments and expose them to the public. She never read the letter because she was not in Raccoon City at the time.

In July 1998, Albert Wesker, a prominent researcher of Umbrella, decided to form an alliance with the organization. As a means to introduce himself, he required combat data from various B.O.W.s released during the outbreak in the Arklay Laboratory. While working undercover for Umbrella, he personally led his own team in, the Raccoon Police Department's S.T.A.R.S. unit, to serve as test subjects and facilitate the acquisition of the necessary data.

Wesker would activate the Tyrant (T-002 Type), the creature whose combat data was most needed, to dispose of the S.T.A.R.S. members, and to help him fake his own death. After the remaining S.T.A.R.S. members destroyed the Tyrant, the newly superhuman Wesker was lacking combat data, and initially considered the plan a failure. However, Wesker did manage to secure combat data from other B.O.W.s that his teammates had fought, and this was surprisingly enough for him to become a high ranking operative of the organization.

Raccoon City

Wesker's next mission was to secure a sample of the newly created G-Virus from the lab of William Birkin in Raccoon City. By that time, the t-Virus was released in the city and slowly leading to the advent of the Raccoon City Destruction Incident. The rival company introduced him to Ada Wong, who formed an effective partnership with Wesker. Under Wesker and the organization's direction, she went to the underground lab to retrieve the G-Virus from Birkin and his wife, Annette.

An Umbrella U.S.S. team lead by HUNK got to Birkin prior to Ada and stole a sample, mortally wounding Birkin in the process. Before dying, Birkin injected himself with his creation and became a monstrosity that killed almost everyone in the lab, and spilled the t-Virus into the sewers where it was eventually carried into the city by rats. Leon S. Kennedy, a rookie cop, went down to investigate, and met Ada. The two formed a strong bond, partially changing Ada's outlook on herself.

When it appeared that Ada was killed in an encounter with the T-00 unit, Leon was saddened by Ada's supposed death. However, she recovered and made her way out of the lab. She met up with a contact for the organization at the Apple Inn, only to find him dead, having "lost his will" and committed suicide. After making contact with Wesker, who was watching her from a projection screen nearby, he told her there would be consequences for her betrayal of the organization by helping Leon.

Ada redeemed herself by producing a sample of G-Virus-infected tissue she had acquired earlier. Pleased with this, Wesker reassured Ada of her value to the organization, despite her previous actions, and provided her with a Hookshot. He then informed her of a helicopter leaving Raccoon City with an Umbrella executive and a missile launched by the government that would destroy the infected town in minutes. Wesker expressed that it was in the best interest of the organization and himself that she survive with the G-Virus sample. Ada fought her way through the city and managed to board the helicopter undetected.

It was Sergei Vladimir who had organised the escape, as well as a plan to keep Umbrella in power. Ada safely made it out of Raccoon City as it was blown to ashes thanks to Wesker's warning, but was aware that it was only because of her recovered sample of the G-Virus. With the sample gained by Ada, the organization had one more advantage in succeeding Umbrella's power.

During the chaos, Ada discovered that Birkin's daughter, Sherry, unknowingly had the G-Virus in her possession, hidden in a locket she wore around her neck. Despite obtaining the locket intact, Ada only presented only one G sample for the organization, claiming it to be the tissue of William remain.  The locket's whereabouts after the Raccoon Underground Laboratory incident are unknown, since Ada is not seen wearing the locket after the lab incident. There is a possibility that she lost it after the incident.

Rockfort Island

All the previous events were recorded by Wesker and noted in Wesker's Report. The next desired virus the organization targeted was the t-Veronica virus, created by Alexia Ashford. Wesker was sent to secure a sample of it from Rockfort Island, the location of one of Umbrella's bases. Leading a Special Forces group belonging to the organization known as HCF, Wesker openly attacked the Umbrella facility, causing the t-Virus samples on the island to escape and contaminate all remaining personnel, turning them into zombies.

Wesker continued his activity after this, making use of his superhuman powers to maneuver around the area. He would soon reveal himself to Claire Redfield and her brother Chris Redfield, Wesker's former S.T.A.R.S. comrade and hated nemesis. Wesker despised Chris because he had ruined his plans months ago in the mansion and wanted revenge, also taking out some of his hatred on Claire.

Wesker and his men later had to instead go to Antarctica, where Alexia and her virus truly were in another Umbrella base. All the while, Wesker made repeated attempts to get a t-Veronica sample, but soon had to deal with the awakened Alexia. He demanded the t-Veronica sample from Alexia, who selfishly declared Wesker to be "unworthy" of the virus' power.

After a brief battle between them, Wesker left Chris to fight Alexia. Chris did so, but destroyed her, preventing Wesker from getting what seemed to be the only existing sample in her body.

However, Wesker was undaunted, and grabbed Claire as Chris pursued them. Outside the burning lab on a dock where a submarine was located, Chris demanded Wesker let his sister go. He complied, and pointed out that he no longer needed Alexia, since his men had recovered the body of Steve Burnside, who had been infected himself and contained a sample.

Chris told Claire to get to an airship inside the crumbling lab while he dealt with Wesker. Attempting to avenge his fallen comrades, Chris was no match for the superhuman Wesker and was nearly killed. He luckily managed to pin Wesker under several steel girders.

Undefeated, Wesker prepared to kill him, but was blocked by an explosion from the lab and scarred. Chris escaped, and Wesker, knowing he would have to wait until he met him again, laughed maniacally and left the destroyed island in the submarine. Wesker brought Steve's body to the organization, who recovered a sample of the t-Veronica virus from him.

Umbrella's End

The organization had gained combat data on various B.O.W.s as well as samples of the t-Virus; G-virus, and t-Veronica virus. All of this had given them an immense advantage over their competitor, Umbrella, which was slowly losing influence in the world. Albert Wesker, however, had plans of his own while working with the organization, and conducted secret activities behind the scenes. Wesker infiltrated Umbrella's final stronghold in the Caucasus in Russia.

Sergei Vladimir was planning to use the ultimate B.O.W., T-A.L.O.S., and the Red Queen to ensure Umbrella's survival at the request of Oswell E. Spencer, who was in hiding. Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine also went to the base in hopes of destroying Umbrella once and for all. Wesker personally raided the facility, fighting past every B.O.W. and t-Virus infected scientist in the lab and found Sergei. Defeating and killing him after he mutated, Wesker cleared out the U.M.F.-013 computer core.

The Umbrella Archives, the summation of the entire company, were put on a single disc for Wesker, and he shut down the Red Queen. Wesker proved instrumental in bringing Umbrella down, as he brought his findings into court and personally testified against Spencer. While the Umbrella CEO was hunted, the organization had succeeded in destroying their biggest opponent thanks to Albert Wesker. However, Wesker would keep the archives he recovered and took over all of Umbrella's assets, planning to establish a new Umbrella.

A New World

Sometime after 2002, Wesker was approached by rogue US Army veteran Jack Krauser, who had been discharged after an injury during the attempted arrest of crime lord Javier Hidalgo, a business partner of Wesker's. Having faked his own death, Krauser sought out Wesker after hearing about him from Leon S. Kennedy, wishing to become stronger with the power of the virus. He then became Wesker's loyal follower in the organization, which conducted numerous background checks on Krauser.

Following Umbrella's demise in 2003, Wesker contacted TRICELL Inc, Africa member Excella Gionne and formed an alliance with her, giving her samples of the t-Virus and t-Veronica. With these and Wesker's backing, she became Director of TRICELL's Africa division, which Wesker sought to use as a backup plan to realise his ambitions should the rival company betray him.

In 2004, Wesker recruited Ada Wong and Jack Krauser in the mission to retrieve samples of the Plaga from the Los Iluminados cult, particularly the dominant species Plaga. While the mission was a success, the top brass of the organization had secretly ordered Ada to deliver them the dominant species, leaving Wesker merely with samples of the subordinate species. Unphased by this foreseen betrayal, Wesker retrieved a sample from the corpse of Krauser.

Products

Three B.O.W. products are known to have been engineered by the rival company, all based on research and samples obtained by Dr. Albert Wesker:

• Hunter II - A copy of Umbrella's Hunter series of B.O.W. based on information on the Hunter α.
• Sweeper - A poisonous variant of the Hunter II designed to further ensure to eradication of resistance in combat.
• Jabberwock S3 - A creature created through the t-Veronica virus retrieved in Antarctica.
• Eveline (possibly) - A biological weapon capable of manipulating the minds of others, designed to infiltrate political and military organisations. Wesker was indirectly mentioned where it was revealed that his H.C.F. group was involved in the creation of Eveline during the 2000s.

Further notes

• In the English localisation of Resident Evil 2, this group was referred to as the "agency". This, however, was a mistranslation, as in the original Japanese script, Annette Birkin refers to it as "a certain organization". This error was carried on into the S.D. Perry series of novels.
• The Albert Wesker file in Resident Evil 5 mentions Wesker working with a number of Umbrella's rivals and selling them samples of viruses for financial gain. This was a mistranslation; the actual file only makes mention of one rival company and Wesker used the viruses to rise within it, not for financial gain.

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