Resident EvilDie Hard

Chapter 1

Chris Redfield stepped his way off the plane and into a crowded terminal, it's Christmas, why wouldn't it be crowded? He hated crowds, he hated flying, he especially hated flying halfway across the country, during the holidays, only to see his wife and kids who should have never moved from New York in the first place.

His stomach sank as he begun to remember why his wife and kids moved all the way out to California from New York. The last year hadn't been easy due to the move, his health, and police work had suffered, he was drinking more and going through way too many packs of cigarettes as well. This trip was not only to see his kids, but to see if he could get his wife and marriage back. He hadn't been the easiest husband to live with, though they argued a lot she was right about so much, but his own stubbornness caused this.

This was his last chance to get things right, he didn't want to mess up his marriage anymore and loose Jill and the kids for good. If he could stop being so stubborn and blockheaded then he could get past it all and get them back. The plane ride wasn't easy, and some middle age business man had told Chris to take his shoes off at the hotel, stand on the carpet, and make fist with your toes, helps you relax he says. Chris thought the guy had one to many drinks on board.

Coming down the escalator of the crowded aiport, he noticed a small young man, african american, blond short hair, wearing a chauffeurs outfit, holding a sign reading Chris's last name. Jill did say that the company was going to send a ride for him.

She must really be working hard if she had the bosses set something like this up. A limo for just one guy? Maybe she was on step away from actually being a C.E.O. I could have asked if we didn't argue so much. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Chris walked up to the unsure young man and stopped a few feet from him. "I'm Chris Redfield." He said.

"Name's Jim, Jim Chapman, I'm your limo driver."

He spoke with a hint of nervousness in his voice as he quickly turned around and began walking to the terminals exit. Chris juggled the giant stuffed bear and his own bag as he followed Jim out the terminal to a black limo parked right out front.

Chris reached the limo and watched as Jim walked his way around the limo and to the drivers side, and opened it, but watched him quickly look back over to Chris himself.

"Aren't you supposed to take this stuff?" Chris asked, propping up the bear and his bag.

Jim quickly shut the door and jogged back over in a hurry. "Do I? I'm sorry you are gonna have to help me with this, man. This is my first limo gig."

Chris smirked a little and walked him self to the back of the limo and opened the door himself. "That's ok, it's my first time riding in one." Quickly shutting the door once his gear was in, he walked back to the front and sat himself in the front seat of the limo. Jim shut the door for him and laughed a little. "Looks like it is, man."

Dusk was showing up in L.A. as the two pulled out from the airport and hit the highway with heavy traffic, but it was moving, a good sign so far. Chris had watched the traffic go by and it didn't make him miss the New York traffic, especially when he was a flatfoot and he had to handle traffic details, New York drivers didn't care or just didn't see anyone, he had almost been clipped more times than he could remember. Least everyone here seemed to move even in traffic.

"Hey, just kick back and relax, man. We got everything you need, TV, DVD's, food, phone, got some crosswords here and a full bar!" Jim quickly looked into the back seat and then back to Chris. "If your friend is hot to trot, I know a couple of mama bears that would love to hibernate..." He stopped and thought for a moment, after seeing the ring on Chris's finger. "Or is he married?"

"Married." Chris simply said. He edged himself over near the window and heard rustling below as he reached down and pulled out discarded wrappers from a fast food joint, or four.

"Sorry, the maid was off today. Hey, I didn't expect you to sit up front, even if you never road in a limo, everyone still knows what one is and what you do in it." Jim quickly changed the subject after passing a large truck. "So, she lives out here huh?"

Chris nodded, keeping his eyes forward. "Yeah, past six months."

Jim thought about it for a second. "Meanwhile, you are still living in New York?

"You're nosey, you know that, Jim?"

Jim shrugged. "Sorry, I used to be a cabby, see people expect a little chit chat, comaraderie, and I forgot how stuck up limo guys were, so excuse me."

Chris was amused and smiled a bit. "It's okay, it's okay."

"So you divorced?" Jim instantly said.

"Just drive the car Jim." Jim wasn't gonna let him off the hook that easy. "Well come on man, are you, or aren't you? What happened? She beat you up? You are a pretty big guy ya know?" Chris just gave up at that point and decided to entertain Jim. "She had a good job, then it turned into a great career..."

"Which meant her moving out here?"

"You're fast, Jim."

"So, why didn't you come with her?"

"Cause I am a New York cop who used to be a New York kid, and I got six months backlog of New York scumbags I'm still trying to put behind bars, I can't just pack up and move across the country to L.A."

Jim cut straight to the point. "You mean you thought she wouldn't make it out here, and she would come crawling back so why bother to pack."

Chris grinned a little. The kid was sharp, he liked that, a bit direct, but he liked the kid. "Like I said, Jim...you're fast."

Jim laughed and reached over to the radio, his finger hovering over a touch key, but stopped short. "Mind if I play some tunes?"

Chris just nodded and waved his hand, but his smile faded to the tunes which blasted from the speakers. Heavy rap shook the car and destroyed his hearing quickly, Chris wasn't a fan by any means.

"Got any Christmas music?"

"This IS Christmas music, man!"

Chris watched as Jim began grooving to the beat and lip synching to his version of Christmas music, all Chris could do was sit back, and look out the window at the skyline, trying to focus on what he would say when he finally saw Jill. This was going to be tougher than any case of his career. He was a damn good cop, but as a husband, he needed much more work on that.

After a steady ride, with brutal music, Chris's destination came into view. Umbrella Plaza, a massive tower that seemed to reach high into the L.A. skyline. Chris hated tall buildings, just as much as he hated flying, but he took a 6 hour flight to get here, so he could handle something like this. Though just looking at the looming tower made him desperately want to get back on the plane and go home.

The limo reached the plaza's main area, nobody around, all was quiet. Jim pulled up to the entrance and watched Chris exit quickly, barely even letting the limo stop. "So, you go upstairs to the party, your lady sees you, you run into each other arms, and live happily ever after, right, man?"

Chris nodded as he lit up a fresh cigarette and lit it with a gold plated zippo, which was given to him by Jill. "It's corny, Jim, but I can live with it."

"And what if it doesn't work out? You got a place to stay?"

"I'll find someplace."

"I'll tell you what, since I have no other job for the night, I'll pull into the garage and wait. You score with your wife give me a call on the car phone, and I'll leave your bags inside at the desk. You strike out, I'll get you to a nice hotel. Deal?" He said, handing out his business card to Chris.

He leaned back into the car to grab the car and smiled. "You're alright, Jim."

"Just remember that when it comes time for the tip! They're paying for it, so don't be shy now."

Chris took the card and lightly closed the door and began a slow walk to the front door, enjoying his smoke and thinking about what he would say yet again. He just wanted to say he was sorry for being an idiot and for being so stubborn, she didn't deserve it and neither did the kids. well, it sounds all good in my mind, but my stupid mouth with fuck it up most likely. I just need to bite my tongue and admit I was an idiot and everything was my fault, yeah simple, right, yeah...ahh Christ...

Chris walked himself through the doors and was blasted by the buildings air conditioning system, back home it would have been heat blasting him. The lobby was clean, like brand new clean. Spotless floors all around, exotic plants off to the left and right, the place was more sterile than most hospitals he'd seen back in New York.

He made his way to the desk, one lone security guard sat behind the desk, his eyes meeting with Chris. "Jill Redfield?"

The guard pointed to a glowing red touch screen with the Umbrella logo on it. Chris tapped the screen and watched the umbrella break off into separate sections. Chris quickly located employee as he typed in Jill's name. Waiting only a short bit, the computer buzzed showing nobody with that name. Chris frowned and then thought on another name. "V-A-L-E-N-T-I-N-E..." He typed out, waiting again and saw the result he wasn't happy to see. The screen changed and formed and outline of the building, a light went off on 30th floor, indicating Jill's office.

Chris looked up to the guard. "Cute toy..."

"Yeah, when you have to take a leak it'll help you find your zipper too."

Chris ignored the bad joke, and smiled. "Thirtieth floor." "Yeah, take the express elevator," Said the guard, point behind him. "it'll get you up there no problem, just get off at the noise." "Thanks."

Chris walked his way to the express elevator, passing another guard, both nodded in politeness and Chris signaled for the elevator which quickly reached him. He stepped into the elevator, and as he shot up to his destination, he felt his stomach being left on the ground floor, still hoping everything went as planned.