Part I
The abnormal phenomenon that had swept through Raccoon City had come so suddenly that its effects were as unexpected as the virus. People became violently sick, complaining of nausea and skin irritation. The hospital in the downtown area became overrun with people who suffered from the disease, and the question of a quarantine came up. But since the city was so large, and it was undetermined as to how far the virus had spread, many were happy to simply nip it in the bud and soon the hospital was held under a strict quarantine. No one left, and only those who were showing the peculiar symptoms were taken in. Not long after that, patients who seemed to have been suffering from an acute case of hysteria attacked hospital staff members and other patients. Strangely, no one stepped in to cease the attacks, and soon the hospital stood quiet.
And then there were the strange creatures that had begun to make appearances. The wild dogs that had been spotted in the Arklays a few months back were now being sighted within the suburban areas of Raccoon. Mysterious, supposedly "skinless" animals were being reported to local authorities, and a handful of citizens were actually attacked by some. People began to drop from site and within one month over 3/4's of the city had become infected by the virus or killed by the creatures. Zombie like persons were roaming the streets, more unnatural creatures were spotted, and through all of this the authorities were losing all of the control. The number of murders and suicides rose dramatically as the population was slowly, and quite literally eaten away. Soon, there was nowhere left to run except the Raccoon City Police Department, and even then there were massive attacks waged by the zombified citizens.
Jace Hall held his head in his hands as he listened to the drone of the horrified murmurs and sobs which echoed throughout the magnificent lobby of the PD. Once it was a library, and even after the renovation it still felt like it. The ceiling was high enough to accommodate three balconies. A rather lavish fountain stood 40 feet from the main entrance, the RPD's seal painted on the floor before it. Two ramps, one on each side of the fountain led up to a receptionist's desk, a door to the west of it in an alcove. A set of double doors were also on the west wall, propped open and leading to the waiting room which was reserved now for the wounded, and another one was on the east wall.
Tiredly, Jace stood from his spot on the small set of steps in front of the entrance and slowly walked over to the waiting room, half expecting to see his sister in there. But he knew better than that. She was gone, probably dead like their brother Sean who had gone so insane with fear that he had shot himself in the head right in front of Jace. It was an image he wasn't soon to forget.
This is all just too crazy to be real
, Jace thought to himself. It's all just some kind of nightmare come true...The waiting room was practically overflowing with injured citizens who were now beginning to resemble the living dead. Unlike the majority of the people at the PD, Jace thought it to be very unwise to keep them in such close proximity to the others. The virus that was going around was already ruled not to be airborne, but what if an attack like the one at the hospital came about? The wounded-to-survivor ratio was dreadfully unbalanced; Jace and the others would never stand a chance. But there didn't seem to be anything he could do to change everybody's minds. People weren't about to just shoot their family members or loved ones once they started complaining about itchy skin. Once, when speaking out against harboring the wounded in the waiting room, he had been accused of becoming callused to the situation, that he was probably just a drifter with no family of his own. Those comments had abruptly shocked him into silence, and he retreated to the steps at the front of the lobby.
Maybe I HAVE become callused. Maybe I've learned to accustom myself to the site of death so well that I just don't care anymore...
Well, he wasn't a drifter, that was for sure. He had held down a steady desk job in Raccoon for 3 years, working to support himself and two siblings, only to have all of that flushed down the crapper in the seconds it took to fire a gun. I should just eat a bullet like Sean...there's nothing else here and there's no way out of the city...
A sudden scream coming from the back of the lobby yanked Jace out of his thoughts. Glancing in the direction of the reception desk he instantly spotted the source. A burly, unstable looking man had a gun held on a rather frightened secretary.
"Where the fuck is my wife!" he shouted furiously.
"I don't know!" she replied in terror. "She may be with the injured--!"
The crazy man lunged forward and grabbed the scared young woman by the throat as he pressed the barrel of the gun to her forehead. "She wasn't bitten! Tell me where she is you little bitch before I kill you!"
Jace was stunned. Nobody made a move to help the young woman, it was as if everyone was doing their best to ignore the situation.
Pushing away from the door, Jace ran up the ramp, picking his way through families who were camped out on the floor. Before the receptionist could be harmed, Jace grabbed the man by his thick arm and pulled him away from her. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Jace growled. "She doesn't know where your wife is so why don't you leave her alone!"
The man had a glazed, drunken look in his eyes that Jace recognized as dangerous. "Who the fuck are you?" the big man demanded.
"That doesn't matter--"
The drunk pivoted gracelessly to face him and said, "Why don't you keep your fucking nose out of other people's business? You may live longer!"
"Is that a threat?"
"Of course it is--"
All of a sudden Jace brought back his fist and slammed it into the drunk man's face. Already dazed from excessive alcohol, he groaned and crumpled to the floor. Rubbing his aching fist, Jace glared down on him. He had never hit somebody like that before, but the feeling it gave him was exhilarating.
Jace looked at the woman who gawked at him in shock. "Are you okay?" he asked, shaking his hand a little.
"Y-yes," she stammered, the surprise slowly fading from her green eyes. "Thank you..."
Jace smiled, deciding he liked this girl. She looked about twenty two, a year or two younger than him, and she was attractive, in a...'cute' kind of way. Her long brown hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, and even though she still appeared to be a little shaken, there was something in her eyes that told him she was a relatively smart, tough young woman.
If she wasn't, could she have survived this long?
"I'm Jace Hall," he said, nodding to her.
"Lena Lawrence," she said.
"Nice to meet you Lena."
"Likewise," she replied as she looked down at the man who had attacked her. "He would've killed me if it weren't for you."
"Ah, it was nothing," he said nonchalantly.
Lena gave him a small smile and for a moment, neither of them said anything. Noticing her casual attire (a blue RPD jacket over a white shirt and blue jeans) Jace asked, "How long have you worked here?"
"About two months," she said distantly, turning her attention to the computer next to her upon hearing a small beep. "I moved here from New York to get out on my own. Just my luck something like this would happen." She sighed. "I'm just glad I was able to dissuade my parents from coming here."
Lena's brow furrowed when another electronic sound was emitted from the machine. "Damn I hate technology," she muttered. "What about you? Are you here with family?"
Jace felt his stomach clench. "No," he said sullenly, his voice devoid of emotion. "They're all dead."
Lena looked at him apologetically. "I'm sorry."
Jace shook his head as if to dismiss it. "Look, I'm just going to go sit down for awhile. I don't feel so hot..."
"Was is something I said?"
"No, no, I'm just a little tired, and all of this...it's just draining." He gave her a wan smile. "But it was nice meeting you. Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you, all right?"
Without waiting for a response, Jace turned and headed back to the steps.
Lena watched as Jace slowly walked away from her, still nursing his hand. He's too nice. I hope he didn't hurt his hand too badly...
Sighing to herself, Lena came around the desk to the drunk man on the floor, who was now quietly moaning to himself. She picked up his gun that he had dropped, sparing it a glance before she tucked it into her waistband.
A magnum. This could come in handy.
Pulling a pair of handcuffs from her back pocket, Lena rolled him over onto his stomach somewhat awkwardly and cuffed his hands together. "Congratulations," she murmured. "You're under arrest for assaulting a police officer."
"Ugh," he groaned. "Laws are useless now you stupid bitch."
Lena glared at him. "Not until every last one of us is dead."
"Heh, that won't be long..."
Rolling her eyes, Lena sat him up against the desk and went back to the computer. She had been trying to get the door lock mechanisms back on line before another battle could ensue. If she could just get the doors open then they'd be able to find safer places for people to take refuge.
If the library hasn't been attacked yet, it'd be perfect. Or upstairs reception...
She typed in another command, only to receive another rejection. "Dammit!" she yelled, slapping the countertop in frustration. "What the hell is wrong with this thing?"
And then a message came up:
HALL SIDE DOOR LOCKED....USE KEY CARD?
She couldn't believe it. "A key card?" Sighing exhaustedly, Lena slumped to the floor. She was so tired, she hadn't slept in a long time, and, once again, her efforts to try and help had proven fruitless. Granted, she knew what she needed to open the doors now, but that key card could be anywhere, and the police station was huge! She'd never be able to find it on her own... "Lena?" At hearing the sergeant's voice, Lena slumped down even lower. No, not again...
The sergeant had kept her on a 24 hour call since she was the only one qualified enough to be a medic. ...except for that S.T.A.R.S. girl. I wonder where she disappeared to?
The sergeant yelled for her again and Lena considered just hiding under the desk. She didn't feel that she would be able to treat another disease ridden citizen without collapsing.
"Lena, we have an emergency! Where are you?"
Moaning, she climbed slowly to her feet and turned to the sergeant who was standing before her.
"What were you doing down there?" he asked.
"Resting," she said softly. "I'm dog tired, sir."
The sergeant threw his hands up and said, "There's no time for us to rest, Lena! We have a job to do! It is our duty to serve and protect these people!"
Resting on her elbows she said casually, "Well, I think I've got the 'protect' part down fine, it's the 'serve' that's worn me out completely. Sir, if you want to save these people, you have to give them proper medical attention that I just can't provide. They need doctors, not field medics."
"You know as well as I do that the hospital is unserviceable--"
"But there are plenty of doctors in this town! Are you telling me that not one of them are in here?"
"They were among the first to become infected. Their patients gave it to them and it circulated that way."
Great...
"I can't even do anymore for them," she argued. "I'm all out of medical supplies. The hospital is a warehouse."
And that's when it came to her.
"Sir, why don't I go to the hospital and get more supplies?"
The sergeant's eyes grew wide in surprise. "No, I can't let you do that! It's too dangerous!"
"But it's dangerous here too. There have already been attacks, most of the force is dead and wandering the halls, and I can't get these damn door locks to work. If you'll just let me get to the hospital, I might be able to save some of these people."
"Lena," he started, but paused. What she said made a little sense and he began to consider her words. There was a few moments of thoughtful silence, the murmur of talking citizens echoing dimly in the spacious chamber.
Finally he said carefully, "If you can find someone who's willing to go with you AND can use a handgun...all right."
Only mildly insulted at the insinuation that she couldn't take care of herself, Lena thanked the sergeant and immediately left the reception desk to find Jace.
Luckily she didn't have to search long. He was sprawled out on the steps, his hands crossed over his chest as he gazed at the ceiling in silence. Lena stifled a smile. He was tall with dark brown hair and turquoise eyes, and a form that hinted subtly that he worked out once in a while. Not completely gorgeous, but not bad, either...
"Jace?"
He instantly looked in her direction. "What's up?"
"I need to ask a favor of you," she said quickly. "I need someone to come with me to the hospital. I need to pick up some med supplies."
"You get right to the point, don't you," he smiled. "Yeah sure, I'll go."
She hadn't expected him to answer so quickly. He could at least think about it...
"You will?"
"Yeah. I'm not really helping anyone here and I really don't care about life or death seeing as how we're damned anyway. Sure, let's go."
Lena raised an eyebrow at him. "My my, aren't you cynical."
"It isn't cynicism, it's honesty."
She gave him a questioning look and said, "Fine. Let me just inform the sergeant and we're out of here--"
"Whoa wait, you're an officer?"
She nodded.
Now it was Jace's turn to look at her questioningly. "You didn't tell me that."
"Well, it's pretty much assumed seeing as how I'm wearing the jacket and carrying a gun. Plus, you never asked me."
"Touché."
"Wait here." Lena walked back up to the reception desk where the sergeant was waiting patiently.
"You find someone already?" he asked.
"Yes sir."
"Do they know how to use a gun?"
"Yep," said a new voice. Lena turned around to face Jace who was standing right behind her, his hands in his pockets. "You manage to learn pretty quick in a town like this," he said.
The sergeant nodded. "Come with me. I'll get you both some sidearms and ammunition."
Lena and Jace followed the older man through the door on the west wall, into the main office. The sergeant opened a weapons locker and produced two Berettas and six clips. Lena refused the semi-automatic and pulled out the magnum. "No thanks, I'm already armed."
"Where did you get that?" the sergeant inquired.
"Confiscated it from a crazy citizen, sir."
The sergeant nodded in approval, handed Jace a gun and three clips, then replaced the other gun and ammo with four speed loaders for her magnum.
"One more thing," he said as he reached back into the locker. "I want you two to remain in close contact during this, er, operation." The sergeant handed them each a radio. "I want you to contact me once you reach the hospital. If anything happens, twisted ankle, fatality, whatever, I want you to report. Understood?"
"Yes sir," said Lena and Jace nodded.
"Good. As for transportation, there should be a serviceable patrol car outside of the building. It's been hard keeping track of keys lately, but I can get someone out there to hot-wire it for you if needed."
"We should get going before it gets too dark," said Jace. "Once twilight comes it REALLY gets dangerous."
Lena could see that he knew what he was talking about, but there was something else, something that told her he was a little frightened, contrary to what he said. He did a good job at concealing his fear though, and she decided that the sergeant couldn't tell, which was for the better.
She looked to her sergeant and felt an emotional pang. He was a good man, late thirties, married with two children, a boy and a girl; Lena had met them earlier. But in the two months that she had known him he had been good to her, unlike her previous sergeant who was no beginner when it came to sexual discrimination.
He smiled, a small, remorseful smile. "Good luck Lena," he said.
"Thank you sir," she said softly. "Good bye."
