Blind, Deaf, and Dumb
A Resident Evil 0 Fanfic
Hi, everyone ... thanks for reading my story. Reviews are much appreciated, as they motivate me to continue. I'm really pleased by how many people have responded already. This story follows the Resident Evil Zero storyline, with a few necessary changes, but explores what might have happened if Rebecca had gone through with arresting Billy in the beginning. I'm planning four different endings ... and I would love feedback on what people think is the best one. I'll try to update every day, or as my rather busy schedule allows.
Chapter One:
The Innocent Convict
As the once-well-dressed zombie's rotting hands closed around her throat, and the smell of death choked her senses, the only thought that Rebecca Chambers could muster was: it's ridiculous for me to die here, before my mission even really started.
Weakly, she brought her own hands up to try to fend the monster off, but the strength in its dead limbs was terrifying. It clung to her tighter the more she struggled, and she felt the blackness of unconsciousness overtake her.
No! Not yet … I can't die yet … there are people I have to save! I need to know what's going on here!
As if in a dream, she felt the pressure around her throat disappear, and heard a bone-chilling groan, followed by the sound of a knife striking flesh. Then she felt rough hands taking her pulse.
"Hey," a deep, masculine voice said. "Are you all right?"
Rebecca opened her eyes and blinked a couple of times, stunned by the realization that someone had saved her life. Someone else is in the same position that I am, facing the same dangers.
She looked up at her rescuer and gasped in surprise. He was a handsome man, in his late twenties or early thirties, with dark, slicked-back hair and tanned skin. He was tall, well-muscled and looked like he could take care of himself. Rebecca's eyes zoomed in on the distinctive tattoo on his right arm, and she felt cold horror strike her heart.
I've been saved from death by a murderer. How ironic.
"You're ex-Marine Lieutenant Billy Coen!" she said accusingly, sitting up straight.
The man in front of her sighed deeply; it seemed as though he had been expecting her reaction. "Yeah, that's me. And you are?"
None of your business, Rebecca wanted to say, but she could not stop herself from blurting out, "Rebecca Chambers, rookie member of the S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team." She hesitated for a moment, and then brought her handgun up to point squarely at Billy Coen's forehead. "I read your file, Coen. You're under arrest."
Billy gave her a wry glance. "Do you do this to all the guys that save your ass?"
"Only the convicts," Rebecca quipped back. Keeping a firm grip on the gun in case he tried any slick maneuvers, she brought a pair of handcuffs out of her backpack. "Drop your knife, turn around and put your hands behind your back."
"You know, it goes against the grain to let the woman be on top," Billy commented as she slapped the metal cuffs over his strong wrists. He was already wearing a pair that had been broken on one side.
Rebecca snorted, not even bothering to acknowledge his ridiculously out-of-place remark. "Come on," she grunted, getting to her feet. "The sooner we get out of here, the sooner I can turn you in."
Billy shrugged. "As you like, Ma'am. I suppose that you have a good plan for how to safely exit a moving train?"
She did not, but she wasn't going to admit that to this arrogant man. "I've got a train key. Let's see where it goes. You walk in front, Mr. Coen."
She had expected him to put up a fight, but he meekly accepted her instructions. Rebecca was puzzled; he seemed awfully relaxed for someone who was guilty of such heinous crimes. From the fact that he had been running around a train full of vicious zombies equipped with only a combat knife, she could tell that he was a force to be reckoned with, but yet he had not resisted her at all when she arrested him.
He's probably biding his time, waiting for a chance to escape. And in the meantime, he's letting me do all the dirty work.
She was brought sharply forth from her thoughts by the shuffling sound of more undead monsters. She shot a glance and Billy, and he smiled brazenly back.
"I guess it's up to you, Officer," he said.
Rebecca fired as soon as she saw the putrid heads through the doorway. She didn't stop shooting until the chamber was empty, and her enemies lay unmoving on the floor. She reloaded quickly, taking note that she was running low on rounds. I really hope there's more ammunition somewhere on this train.
She unlocked the door in front of her and stepped quickly inside, raising her gun to unsure there were no threats. The room was silent, and still. Rebecca grimaced at the bloody stains on the walls, and headed for a small stairway in the corner. Thudding footsteps behind her told her that her prisoner was following.
Rebecca reached the top of the stairs and stopped short. An old man was sitting at a table, staring blankly at the food in front of him. The S.T.A.R.S rookie approached cautiously, unnerved by the fact that the strange man was not moving at all.
"Get back!" Billy said sharply. At the same time, the man's head suddenly detached from his shoulders of its own accord and thumped onto the ground. The body writhed, and a mass of leeches spread out from the apparent corpse, swarming towards Rebecca, who jerked backwards in horror and tripped, falling on her butt. She closed her eyes, forgetting all about her handgun as the ugly creatures flew straight for her.
There was a loud squelching sound, followed by another. She opened her eyes, amazed. Billy was standing in front of her, his boot planted firmly on the ground. A dark blot of gore indicated the leech that he'd smashed. The others, wary now, wriggled backwards and disappeared into the darkness.
"You saved me!" Rebecca gasped, getting to her feet. For the second time this day, she thought, but didn't say it.
Billy gazed steadily back at her with dark eyes. "I can't watch a woman in danger without taking action," he said.
Rebecca nodded curtly. This man might seem likable, but he was a convicted murderer, and it was her duty to bring him to justice. "Thanks," she said, "but no matter how grateful I am, I can't let you go. Wait here. I'm going to climb that ladder and see where it leads."
"What makes you think I won't run off?" Billy challenged.
"You need me," Rebecca said boldly. "How far do you think you'll make it, in handcuffs, with no ammo, and no way to heal yourself if you get hurt?"
"You've got a point, sweetheart," Billy said, sitting down on a nearby bench. "I'll be waiting right here for you."
Rebecca shook her head, wishing that he'd show more respect. After all, she was the officer that had captured him. She climbed the ladder and found herself on top of the train. The howling wind pushed her short hair away from her face as she crawled along the metal, trying to keep her grip on the slick surface.
It was fairly obvious what the trouble was. Some of the wires that supplied power to the train had been severed and were flapping loosely in the wind. Rebecca reconnected them, being careful to avoid touching the metal part. The last thing she needed right now was to get electrocuted.
She was just standing up to head back along the train when the weakened metal roof collapsed under her feet, sending her plummeting down into the room below. She landed hard and lay still for a moment, mentally checking to see if she had been injured. She was all right - a bit scraped up, but nothing serious.
Standing up, she walked over to the door and reached the handle. It was sticky, and she wiggled it a bit. Then a deep frown spread over her face as she realized that it wasn't sticky - it was locked. There was no keyhole on her side.
What asshole designed this train? she wondered in disgust. Now I'm stuck in here, with no way to get out. The door is too solid for me to kick down.
A sudden thought hit her: Billy. He had come to her rescue before; perhaps he would again. She slapped her hands against the door as loudly as she could, yelling his name.
It was a few minutes before she received an answering knock, and the convict's rough voice said, "What trouble have you gotten yourself into now?"
"I fell through the roof of the train, and now I'm locked in," she admitted, her cheeks crimson with shame. What kind of police officer am I?
"What do you expect me to do about it?" Billy asked, his voice unexpectedly gentle. "I don't have a key."
She looked desperately around, and spotted a little silver object on a table. "There's a key in here," she said. "I can send it through the dumbwaiter. You'll just need to go down and get it, and then come back up here and let me out."
"Okay," Billy said. "I'm on my way." She heard footsteps retreating. Snatching up the key, she ran over to the dumbwaiter and placed the precious object inside, manipulating the buttons to send it down. Then she sat down and wrapped her arms around her knees, waiting.
At least I'm moderately safe here, she thought. A brief moment of concern for Billy - possibly having to face zombies with no way to defend himself - flashed through her mind, but it was gone before she even recognized it. She hummed to herself, watching a clock on the wall as it ticked away the minutes.
When ten of them had passed with no sign of the convict, cold realization froze Rebecca's heart.
"Oh my God," she whispered. "He's not coming back. He's left me all alone to die in here."