[Part 1; Nightmare]
The hallway was lit only by the moonlight which gently descended into the hallway from the few grand windows that were spaced. Chris could count four of them as he moved carefully, eyes trained ahead. His breath was shallow, his pulse thudding in his head. He could hear every groan the house let loose, every creak of the boards under his combat boots. Sweat dripped down his brow, a reminder of how running from those...those things was possible and yet wasted a lot of energy that he desperately needed to conserve. He wouldn't survive long if all he did was flee. The Beretta 92F handgun was trained, ready to kill if the need rose. Chris, a young man of twenty three, paced himself as his chocolate brown eyes took in every little detail that the house had to offer. The dust on the walls and floor. The cobwebs that hung from the ceiling. Honestly, this place was like out of a horror movie. But what was he doing here? He wracked his brain, trying to remember why he was here, what he was running from, or at least where he was. Why did this old abandon house seem so damn eerie? Like something could pop out of the walls? Was he on a mission? Looking for some captive or something like that. Chris halted his movement, standing still as he listened to an old grandfather clock's ticking at the far end of the hall.
What was going on and why did he sense his doomsday was creeping up on him like the shadows that stretched along this narrow hallway? Chris lowered his weapon slowly, shaking his head. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he felt like he was having de javu. Like this was all vaguely familiar. His lips pursed as he walked over to a mirror that hung on the wall and wiped the thick layer of dust from it with his gloved hand. His reflection stared back at him, a worried expression on a generally handsome face. Suddenly, the mirror version of him was moving on it's own. He watched with astonishment as his own face twisted in horror. He seemed to be screaming 'run' as he turned and fled down the same hallway he was now standing in. Was he losing it. He was officially crazy. His attention was pulled away once again as loud crashing, like glass breaking, rang out at the far end of the hallway. It had him whirling around, his weapon back into it's ready position though his hand was far from steady. And then he realized what he had been running from. The things that just came jumping through the window, the monsters that were still in hot pursuit.
The dogs looked like they were overly large Doberman pinchers. However, there was something very, very wrong with them. Chunks of flesh were missing from the creatures, their organs and bones exposed. And without hesitation, they turned their sharp teeth towards Chris. The leader of the pack let out a gruesome howl and charged. He could see it's jaw, half way gone on the right side as the mutt sprung at him. Part of it's ear was gone, chewed away by another member of the pack; it's ribcage hung open on the left for all to gaze upon.
The stunned male fell backwards, his gun going off and luckily hitting the zombie dog clear in the head. It gave a yelped of pain and fell backwards in mid-leap, black and red blood oozing from it. However, it's kin were rushing in. They sensed weakness and the heat of new flesh. The first of the remaining three was nearly on him when another shot rang out, and the monster fell in a heap at his feet. "Chris, this way!" Came a harsh toned command.
The voice belonged to his captain, Albert Wesker. Chris blinked and suddenly he was in a very dense forest. All signs of the room he was once in were gone, but the mongrel that tried to eat him was lying at his feet. His eyes turned to his superior who held a flashlight in one hand and a standard handgun in the other. His sunglasses covered his cold orbs which Chris was sure, were concentrated on the remaining zombie dogs that were still there. The brunette picked himself up quickly and began to run towards his savior. Wesker shot twice more before striding along side the other police member. Chris' eyes swung to the left, catching sight of another co-worker. Jill Valentine ran with them, her beautiful woman features twisted into horror and shock as she sprinted towards their destination. Blood adorned her face, though he wasn't sure it was her own. His eyes went back towards where the team had been moving to. A lone mansion suddenly stretched out before them, Wesker's voice barely behind him as he commanded for them to head for the seemingly abandoned building. They were nearly there, the doors opening and the white light swallowing him whole.
Chris felt himself stumble and fall to the oak wood floor. Wincing and yet in one piece, the dark haired male looked up to find that his settings had changed again. He was in some kind of lab, like the ones from a scifi movie. He stood up carefully, examining the large tubes that seemed to be carrying millions of human like creatures with overly large arms, claws the size of rhino horns and their living hearts beating from their chests. "Ah, hello there Chris." Wesker whispered from the shadows, sitting in a large chair in the middle of the large white room. "Were you able to get that paperwork done for me?"
As if on cue, a large stack of papers popped up next to the startled officer. "I see you've been slacking Christopher." Wesker said, though a smirk was evident on his face as his hand reached over to a small button that was on his arm rest. "How disappointing."
The floor opened beneath the male and he screamed as he plunged into ice cold water. Shivering and treading water before looking up at what was now the ceiling, he called the other male's name in anguish as the trap door closed, stealing the light away with it. Chris struggled to get his bearings, swimming forward when he felt something nudge his leg. He didn't want to know what was in this dark water with him. He hit a wall after a few moments. Banging on it with his fist, he could tell it was glass by the texture and the thudding sound. Again, something nudged by his waist. Turning in the water, he pressed his back to the glass. A blinding light suddenly flooded the area, blinding the officer.
And when he opened his eyes, he cursed loudly. The tank he was in was huge. About the size of a large personal swimming pool across and about thirty feet deep. But that wasn't the worst part. A large dorsal fin was circling him, and below him were two more great white sharks. Chris began to glance around, looking for something, anything to help him. He turned back to the glass, where he could see Wesker and two more scientists, or at least that's what they looked like, watching him. "The virus will be complete and you are going to help make it happen. You should be proud Chris. You served some use to me." Wesker said, waving to his coworker as though he were saying farewell to an old friend.
"Wesker, you son of a bitch!" Chris growled until he turned back to locate the sharks. A set of jaws was opening, heading straight towards him. He placed his arms up, closed his eyes, and waited for impact. And he sat up straight in bed. His eyes wide and his head twisting and turning for the beast that attacked him and realized his alarm was screaming at him. Time for work.
[Part 2; Another Day at the Office]
The smell of coffee in the morning usually made Chris in a better mood, but not when he could smell it on his clothing. He had gotten up, still dazed from the bizarre dream, slipped on the bottom step and effectively hit his head, spilled his coffee on his vest and thus had to quickly try and get the stain out before grabbing his keys and heading to his car. It was snowing in Raccoon city, Christmas on the way. People were setting up decorations of light up reindeer and placing trees in their living rooms. A small smile came to his features as his eyes went back to the road, reminding himself to call his father later and wish him a merry Christmas early, since usually, he was in the office all day for the holiday. People liked to get drunk then and Wesker wasn't the type to let any task force member off, just cause it was some silly day that everyone celebrated. Of course, this didn't suit well at all with his sister.
Claire Redfield reminded him a lot of their mother or what they had been told she was like. She was stubborn and it was her way or the highway and she had that look in her eyes that said 'do it, or you'll regret you didn't'. Even if she was younger, she always was able to make Chris do what she wanted, but it wasn't because she demanded. It was because Chris was a softy when it came to family. He was protective of Claire and because she was so close to him, he couldn't tell her no unless the situation was dangerous or she wanted to date some guy. The two lived together since their father had been very sick and was constantly in the hospital. He was in a frail state, as far as Chris knew anyways. When he left the air force, his father had been very disappointed.
But the connection was still there. He still called for Christmas and his father still wished him happy birthday. Their mother, well, they didn't talk about that. To Claire, the woman was a traitor and dead; for running off when they were young. To Chris, he never considered that he had a mother. He only knew the stories his dad told him and how he remembered her from his fifth birthday party; the only real memory that stuck out of her. He sighed as the light ahead turned red and pressed lightly on the brake, waiting for the traffic. His lips parted, taking a deep breath and watching a cloud of white smoke float in front of him. He had a leather coat on over his normal green vest and white shirt, but he was sure that he'd be fussed over because he didn't have a scarf or gloves that didn't have holes in the fingers. Claire wasn't the only 'sister' he had.
The thought made his lips curve into a smile as he pulled into the parking lot. Outside were a few of the officers, having a smoke before they were to go into the office and be plagued by the phones and their superior. Chris locked the car and smirked at Joesph Frost, who was waving him over. "Chris! Damn weather is a bitch huh?"
"I didn't have any problem with the roads." Chris said with a small shrug and turned his eyes over to the other two officers; Kenneth Sullivan and Richard Aiken.
"Yea, but the cold weather reminds me of a certain person's attitude and we have to deal with him enough as it is." Joesph whined, flicking the rest of his cig into the snow.
He was talking about Albert Wesker. The man was like a cobra. He struck when he knew he had the prey down where he wanted them, or when he felt threatened. He was about as sentimental as one too.
"Don't forget his pig secretary." Richard muttered, shaking his head. "At least you can't question his sexuality anymore. Before he hired in a secretary to help him with filing, I swore he had eyes on you, Chris." He said, nudging the man in the side.
Chris glared at Richard who gave him a smile of a hyena. Chris had personally trained under Wesker, as did Jill Valentine, Barry Burton, and Enrico Marini. "Yea, well. Maybe he did it so you'll have something to stare at all day, instead of causing more trouble than needed." Joesph piped up, snickering as Richard's jaw dropped.
"I don't stare at anything. Excella is a bitch, and everyone knows it." He protested, red as a tomato; which he soon blamed on the wind.
Excella had come in two years ago from a company called Tricell. She was a beautiful woman in body but ugly in the face and personality. Her hair was always up in a bun, dark mud brown. Her face was always pasty with too much make up and her voice had an accent like she had been watching too many Dracula movies. "Her voice makes my ears bleed."
"I hope you aren't talking about me." Came a feminine voice from behind Chris, though this one was much more mature and made his lips curve into a smile.
Jill Valentine walked to the small circle the men had formed, crossing her arms and shaking her head. "You guys better watch your mouths or she'll be using you as her personal pick on pet." She teased, grinning at Chris who raised a brow and mirrored her facial expression.
The two were partners and had always been very close. "Yea, well, it wasn't me that was talking about her. Besides, if she hears someone is actually staring at her chest-"
"And who are we taking about, gentlemen?" Came the annoying sound they had all been waiting for.
The pig in all her glory stood there, a white fur coat keeping her warm in her skinny black dress she had on, which as always, showed off how well equipped she was. Enrico was the smartest on excuses, so naturally he didn't miss a beat. "Some bimbo at the doughnut cafe. Where do you think all of us cops go, after our breaks? Surely we have to stuff our faces full after a days' work. Wasn't that what you said before, Mrs. Gionne?"
The whole force broke out into laughter as she rolled her eyes and stormed past inside. "Albert will hear about this."
"Albert doesn't give a flying-" But the door slammed before Kenneth could finish.
Enrico sighed and headed in after her, giving it a few seconds so she could go to her office and shut the door, to avoid having to look at her anymore than he had to. Richard winked and walked in with Joesph as well, while Jill grabbed Chris' arm and held him back. "Where the hell is your gloves? Your hand is freezing and your neck is going to get wind burnt." She scolded, like he knew she would.
"I'm not five, Jill." He said, flushing from her worrying over him, but his eyes widened when she took off her black scarf and placed it over his neck.
"There. Now you know what to get me for Christmas." She said, offered him a teasing smile, and strolled passed him. He watched her walk inside, hearing a wolf whistle behind him once the door shut with a click.
Picking up and handful of snow, he turned and threw the packed ball at Forest, who laughed as it hit his arm. "Hey now, I'm only admiring from afar." He said, walking over to Chris and slugging his shoulder playfully. "Looks like you got a keeper, ohhh buddy."
"Me and Jill are just friends...partners...nothing more. You are reading too much into it, Forest." Chris assured him, but he had to admit; he was starting to wonder too.