Notes:- So, for those of you who are wondering, this story was deleted by the site and I'm not entirely sure why. I'm going to upload it all again and hope that it stays up this time! Thank you to everyone who took the time to write me a review telling me how much they liked the story. It's sad that your reviews went with the original upload but I'm grateful for your words!
The Facility Endgame
Chapter One
Leon Kennedy leant against the smooth white wall and looked down at the bay below him. The water was a breathtaking clear blue, sunlight sprinkled across its surface like silver glitter. It was calm and unmoving, untouched by the tourists that flocked to the country on a daily basis. A small strip of sand nudged up to the water's edge, creating a small beach. He was looking forward to walking along it later.
The wall he was leaning against was built into a large hill that lead down to the bay. Covered in slightly yellowed, patchy grass and dotted with the odd bushy green tree, it was relatively untouched by mankind. Atop this hill was a small, traditional style chapel with clean white walls and a terracotta roof. A couple of flights of stairs lead down to the wall. Leon turned around to observe the building. It had a large, dark oak door and above that, a large brown circle of marble built into the wall. A small bell tower with a grey slate roof and a golden bell were the only giveaway to it being a place of religion. It was perfect.
He walked up the couple of flights of stairs, holding onto the black handrail, and took a deep breath before pushing open the oak door. He entered into a small porch area, painted white with a stone tiled floor and grinned at the man he found there waiting for him.
"Thanks for organising this Dennis, it's beautiful," He said, shaking Dennis' hand. The older man smiled back at him whilst adjusting the lapel of his charcoal grey suit.
"Not a problem at all" Dennis replied. "I'm just glad I could be of service"
"Hey, cut the formal shit Dennis! You're with us now"! A voice from the other side of the porch said. Chris had appeared from the other side of a small oak door and grinned at Dennis and Leon. Leon sighed heavily. Leave it to Chris to swear in a church. Although, he couldn't help admiring how the older man's navy blue suit made him look. It was cut perfectly, showing off his impressive body and had been paired, no doubt with Maria's help, with an expensive looking dark grey shirt. Maria was Dennis' wife and had agreed to help Chris find something suitable. She'd done a good job. A very good job.
"Where's your tie"? Leon asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Ugh do I have to wear one"? Chris whined.
"It's our wedding day"! Leon protested. He was wearing his own navy blue suit but had paired it, completely by himself, with a wine red shirt and a thin navy tie. His black dress shoes were polished and his hair was styled and glossy.
"Exactly" Chris complained, running a hand through his messily spiked hair. "I don't want to spend the happiest day of my life feeling like I'm stuck in a gallows" As if to emphasise his point, Chris undid the top button of his shirt. Leon sighed. He supposed he couldn't argue with that logic. He wasn't exactly comfortable either but he was more used to wearing this sort of stuff than Chris who was, and probably always had been, a dedicated jeans and t-shirt man.
"Are you two ready"? Maria appeared from the same door as Chris, looking resplendent in a pink silk dress that went with Dennis' charcoal grey perfectly. Her black hair was a halo of soft curls and she was proudly wearing the silver heart-shaped locket that Dennis had bought her for their first wedding anniversary. "The minister is ready for you." She continued in her strong Spanish accent.
Chris nodded and planted a kiss on Leon's forehead. Leon smiled happily; feeling a slight pang as he thought about the one person he felt should be here on their wedding day. Two years had passed since Sherry's death but she was still very much a fixture in his head. He'd have loved her to be here right now, sharing his special day. He pushed the feelings back down, concentrating on the fact that he was about to marry the man he loved with someone who he considering to be his closest friend at his side.
As it happened, Dennis and Maria were the only ones, besides the minister of course, who would be their to witness their civil partnership. They hadn't originally planned to get married in Spain but as it was the place where they first met, it seemed like a good idea. Their original plan was for them to marry in America, with their friends and family present. When Leon agreed to marry Chris, he hadn't banked on Jill and Claire. Well, Jill and Claire's input to be more precise. As soon as he and Chris had told everyone about the proposal, Jill and Claire became a whirlwind of joint activity. They'd descended on the apartment with stacks of wedding magazines and spoke in excited tones about cakes, clothes, photographers, flowers and wedding china. He and Chris had agreed fairly early on that all they wanted was a nice, simple wedding, not some over the top flashy fairytale event. That sort of thing just wasn't their style.
They'd both tried to express this to Jill and Claire but the woman had been relentless in their plans. Eventually, after listening to them talk for two solid hours about what song would be perfect for their first dance, Leon had had the idea of running away to get married. They wouldn't tell anyone where they were going, they would just run away, have a nice holiday somewhere and return married. They knew that Jill and, particularly Claire, would be unhappy about it but they'd thought, what the hell, it wasn't their wedding and no doubt they would be forgiven eventually.
And this was what had led them to Spain. They'd called Dennis who had been brilliant. Helping them to find and book the church and allowing them use of the same holiday home in which Chris had proposed. Maria had also been invaluable, taking Chris on shopping trips to find his suit and arranging a minister to marry them. They were going to have the wedding they wanted, quiet and intimate, and Leon couldn't wait.
A loud, insistent trilling suddenly filled the small porch. All eyes turned to Chris who smiled sheepishly and rummaged around in his pocket before pulling out his PDA. He pressed a button and held it to his ear.
"You answered it"? Leon hissed incredulously.
"It's the BSAA emergency number," Chris mouthed back. Leon let out a growl of frustration. He was about to snatch the damn thing from his lover's hand when another ringing noise filled the porch. This time, a ring that was horribly familiar. It was his own PDA. Ignoring Chris' smug look, Leon pulled the thing out of his pocket and checked the screen. Another one of the BSAA's emergency numbers. If they were both being called, it was bound to be serious. Dennis and Maria watched in confusion as he answered the call.
Shortly after the events of Antarctica, Leon had been released from the Government's employ. They'd been in contact with his therapist and were concerned about his mental state after Sherry's untimely death. Wanting to leave his post anyway, Leon hadn't argued when his superiors had told him they didn't think he was up to the job anymore. He'd been released just like that, with nothing more than a pat on the back and a thank you for his years of service and hard work.
His freedom from the government had given him the opportunity to do what he'd decided he'd wanted to do shortly after meeting Chris. Join the BSAA. The more he'd found out about it and the sort of work they did, the more it seemed like an appealing choice of career. There weren't as many regulations and restraints as the Secret Service and he was working with a great bunch of people that he'd gotten to know well since becoming a part of Chris' life. For the past year he'd been mainly doing administrative, office based work, which Barry Burton had insisted he do until he was done with his therapy sessions. Leon didn't mind. It meant he could finish at the same time every evening and he could spend more time at home with Chris who was taking an extended break.
The call consisted of a voice message from Barry himself. Apparently there was to be an emergency meeting at his cabin in Canada. His grave voice explained that something major had happened and that he was to head to Canada as soon as possible. The message ended and Leon hung up with a heavy heart. Judging by the expression on Chris' face, he felt exactly the same.
"So much for getting married huh"? He said disappointedly. Leon nodded. He knew that they could just get married and then go to Canada but it wouldn't feel right knowing that their friends and colleagues were sitting around waiting for them. Barry wasn't the sort of person who would create a storm in a teacup. When he called you into action it was for something serious, something big.
"What's going on"? Maria asked with a frown. "The minister is waiting…"
"We're going to have to rearrange" Leon said sadly. "Work commitments"
"Not a problem" Dennis replied, giving Leon a sympathetic pat on the back. "I understand" He gave him an encouraging nod. "We can sort this out later"
"Thanks Dennis" Leon replied gratefully. He knew that Dennis would understand. He, like Leon, was dedicated to the causes that he believed in and that, as hard as it was to do so, your personal life had to take a back seat when important things cropped up. Maria nodded too, obviously still perplexed but disappeared back into the church, no doubt to explain the situation to the minister.
Leon hadn't even noticed that Chris had left the entrance porch until the older man came back. He'd been back in the church and was clutching a pair of bright red skater trainers, a grin spreading across his face.
"What the-"? Leon started to say before he pretty much got his explanation. Chris quickly removed the black dress shoes he was wearing and slipped his feet into the trainers. He held the shoes aloft, a disgusted look crossing his features.
"Thank fuck for that"! He said triumphantly, miming relaxation as he jiggled about in his new footwear.
"You brought trainers to the church"?
"Course I did" Chris replied simply. "Hid them under the first pew" He'd obviously noticed the reproachful look he was being given as he said petulantly. "The shoes were too tight"!
"Our wedding's just been cancelled and you're bothered about what's on your feet"? Leon demanded, crossing his arms across his chest.
"No"! Chris' voice was shrill and defensive. "Of course I'm bothered that we're not getting married. But I know that we will someday and that's enough for me" He pulled Leon close and kissed him. "Someday soon, I promise" He kissed him again. "Love you Agent Honeybunch"
"What did I tell you about that name"? Leon moaned, breaking their embrace. "Anyway, I'm not even a secret agent anymore so it doesn't work" He narrowed his eyes. "Oaf"
"Yeah, but you're a BSSA Agent now, so it does" Chris replied cheekily as he winked at Leon. He picked up his shoes and thrust them into Dennis' arms. "As a thank you for everything you've done" He said by way of explanation.
Chris couldn't help but feel disappointed that he was returning to America minus a husband. As they boarded the plane that took them back to the US, then the helicopter that took them to Canada and finally the rental jeep that would take them up in the mountains to Barry's cabin, Chris realised just how badly he wanted Leon as his husband. Not that he didn't want it before of course, he'd pretty much decided that he was going to propose when he saw how well Leon had handled himself in Antarctica.
Chris shuddered at the memories. Unlike Leon, he hadn't opted to see a therapist. He'd been passed about between therapists like some kind of demented parcel when he was younger and he wasn't keen to repeat the experience again. Instead, he'd chosen to talk about his fears and worries with Leon and it had cemented their already solid relationship. Never before had Chris felt like he could be so open and honest with another person and have someone being open and honest in return. He looked over at Leon who was now leaning back in the Jeep's passenger seat, fast asleep. He didn't blame him. They'd been travelling for the best part of a day and darkness had fallen a couple of hours ago. It had taken god knows how many months for Leon to sleep and not be disturbed by brutal nightmares of Sherry's fatal fall.
As he drove through the seemingly endless rows of pine trees, he couldn't help but wonder why Barry had called this meeting. Barry wasn't the type of person who would make a fuss about nothing. He was the most experienced out of everyone Chris knew and in his voicemail he'd sounded horribly urgent. What made the situation especially worse was that Barry had arranged for the meeting to be at his cabin. He'd moved to Canada shortly after the events of the Spencer Mansion and as well as a big family home, he'd also purchased a small log cabin up in the mountains which, if you asked his wife, was where he stayed when he went hunting. Ask anyone who really knew and they would tell you it served as a base of operations for the BSAA.
For a fleeting second, the knot of worry in Chris' stomach tightened. His first instinct on hearing Barry's message was that it something to do with Wesker. It was only afterwards, on their flight back from Spain when he realised how ridiculous that was. Wesker was dead. Leon had killed him. He, Chris, had been there whilst Leon had chopped the evil man's body into multiple pieces with an axe salvaged from a fire cabinet. Whatever Wesker had been infected with, or however strong and inhuman he might've been, there was no coming back from that sort of death. Particularly since the BSAA had blown the facility sky high shortly afterwards.
As he rolled into the small gravel driveway of Barry's cabin, he felt the knot in his stomach loosen. Wesker was dead. It felt good to know. After years and years of chasing him, they'd finally ended things. Whatever this news Barry had to impart, Chris felt he would be able to deal with it.
Opening the door into Barry's cabin was like opening the door into a peaceful, cosy, long ago time that busy city life seemed to have forgotten. In the centre of the back wall, a large fire crackled in the fireplace, embers occasionally escaping the black grating and landing on the thick maroon rug in front of it. The solid oak mantelpiece had some of Barry's personal belongings on top. Silver framed family photos of his wife and children and one of the old S.T.A.R.S Alpha Team minus, of course, Wesker. The grey stone chimneybreast reached all the way to the ceiling, nestling between two heavy wooden beams.
Arranged around the fireplace and against one of the other dark brown walls, was a pair of old maroon armchairs and a sofa made from cord material. The fabric was bald and faded in patches and it was obvious that the set had, at one point, taken pride of place in the lounge of Barry's house before migrating up to the cabin once replaced by his wife.
Against the other wall was a set of stairs that led to the second floor, more family photos lined up on the wall, this time of his daughter's respective graduation ceremonies. In the centre of the room was a large oak coffee table, which, at this present moment in time, held cups of coffee and a few gun magazines, lazily spread out over the surface. After a few hours of travelling on planes and then the jeep, the cabin was a welcoming sight.
"Leon! Chris"! Before Leon could do or say anything, a warm pair of arms had descended on him. Dressed in a soft green jumper and dark blue jeans, Claire enveloped him in a hug. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before releasing him and doing the same to Chris who hugged her back just as hard.
"Hey Sis" He grinned widely at her. "You've fatter than ever"! He exclaimed, motioning down at her heavily pregnant stomach. She frowned at him and stroked it defensively.
"Thanks for that" Another familiar, sardonic voice spoke up. Claire's husband, Kevin Ryman, was sitting in one of the armchairs, rolling his eyes expressively but smiling all the same. "I've spent the last seven months convincing her it's a natural and beautiful thing and you've just gone and undone it in four words"
Chris gave Claire an apologetic kiss before shrugged easily and hitting Kevin playfully on the shoulder. Kevin was tall and well built, not as muscular and large and Chris, but still capable of holding his own. He had dark, chocolate brown hair that, according to him, had once been longer than Leon's but was now short and spiked. There was a slight smattering of stubble across his jaw and around his mouth.
"Still working the designer stubble look are we Ryman"? Chris said, throwing himself into one of the free armchairs.
"Someone's got to show you how it's done Redfield" Kevin replied easily. He turned his attentions to Leon. "Alright Kennedy"?
"Will you stop with the surnames there"? Chris fired back. "My name's not Redfield, it's Chris and the guy with the butt that won't quit over there? His name is Leon," He continued haughtily. "You don't see me calling you Ryman"
"You just did" Kevin pointed out as Leon settled into the other armchair. Chris appeared wrong-footed but only for a moment as he quickly bounced back.
"Whatever you say Kev" He said with a casual shrug. Claire caught Leon's eye and gave him a withering look that said 'They're-at-it-again'. An outsider wouldn't have guessed that these two guys actually liked each other and that Chris had been Kevin's best man at his wedding to Claire.
"What is it with you Redfield"? Kevin asked, taking great care to enunciate Chris' surname with expression. "You always seem to be able to instantly figure out what annoys someone and you stick to it. It's like you've got some innate ability to do it"
"What can I say"? Chris shrugged and put his feet up, still in their bright red skater trainers, on the coffee table. "Where's Big Fat Barry"? He asked, looking around for any sign of his former S.T.A.R.S colleague.
"On the phone to his wife" Claire answered, taking a seat next to Kevin who put an arm around her protectively. "Kathy thinks he's on another hunting trip"
"I'd love to hear you call him that to his face" Kevin smirked at Chris. "He'd snap you like a twig and man, what I wouldn't give to have a front seat ticket to that particular show" He snorted. "So Kennedy, since you're the one in the relationship who actually has a knowledge of how to behave in social situations, you got any idea why we're here"?
"Nothing more than that it's important," Leon replied. He liked Kevin a lot and although he hadn't really gotten to know him well, he knew he was a good guy to have around in a crisis. Another survivor of Raccoon City, Kevin was actually supposed to have worked with him as part of the then newly formed Special Police Force Chief Irons had created to replace the recently disbanded S.T.A.R.S. After the incident Kevin had spent some time working as a cop in Miami where he'd met Claire in a chance encounter whilst she was doing some fieldwork for Terrasave. They'd dated for a while and finally married last year.
"Chris! Leon! Excellent, you made it" Barry appeared in the log archway that led to the cabin's small yet comfortable kitchen area. He was wearing a red-checked shirt tucked into blue jeans with a black leather belt. According to Chris, Barry hadn't changed much since his S.T.A.R.S days. He was heavier and a little more lined and had grey hair dusting his jowls and smattering his hair but he still cut an impressive and formidable figure, easily towering over most in the room. "We're just waiting on Jill and Carlos and then I can start explaining why I've dragged you all here"
"Since we've got to hang around a bit longer" Kevin smiled evilly. "Redfield's got a new nickname for you, isn't that right?" He added teasingly, grinning at Chris who'd suddenly begun to look rather uncomfortable and shifty.
"Really"? Barry asked with a raised eyebrow. He folded his arms across his wide chest and stared at Chris. "What nickname would that be"? His tone was not of genuine interest, more of a retired sort of attitude that Leon supposed came from dealing with Chris for years.
"Bad Ass Barry" Chris said smoothly, although he looked a little nervous. "The baddest man in the whole damn town…" He added after a moment's frantic deliberation. "It's not very respectful of the man to call him fat now is it Kev"? He paused for a moment as if truly relishing his revenge. "Shame on you" He shook his head as if in disgust.
Barry sighed heavily and muttered something under his breath. It was obvious that he was used to Chris and had grown far beyond bothering to correct him or rebuke him in any way. Instead he disappeared back into the kitchen and reappeared a few minutes later with a bottle of brandy and a few glasses, and some juice for Claire, which he laid out on the coffee table in front of them.
"So, what were you two up to"? Claire asked Leon, taking a proffered glass of apple juice. She sipped it gratefully. "Barry said you were in Spain"
"Holiday" Leon answered just as Chris answered 'Business'. They looked at each other sheepishly. They hadn't really discussed what to tell people if they asked. Obviously, Leon had made sure they'd changed out of their wedding suits and back into regular jeans and hooded tops but they'd both hoped that the question wouldn't come up. Both of them should've really known better though when it concerned Claire. "A business holiday" Leon corrected himself, suddenly showing interest in the photographs along the mantelpiece so that he could avoid Claire's probing eyes.
Luckily, a distraction came in the form of the cabin's front door opening. A very cold looking Jill Valentine entered the room, wearing dark jeans and a tight, red, fur-trimmed coat, a matching red woollen hat crammed over her head. Her cheeks and nose were bright red with the cold. As she was closing the front door, Carlos came in behind her, having to quickly put his hand against the wood to avoid it slamming in his face. He looked equally as cold in his black jeans and black leather jacket, an olive green scarf tied around his neck, his brown, floppy hair dotted with snowflakes.
Leon couldn't figure out what it was, but the mood seemed to have instantly changed following Jill and Carlos' entrance. Normally a very happy couple, the pair seemed to be acting differently. The others had obviously picked up on this notable difference too as they were all shifting somewhat uncomfortably in their seats due to the sudden silence that had descended. Thankfully, Carlos broke it first.
"Hi everyone" He greeted with what seemed to be forced cheerfulness. He looked over at Claire and smiled. "Hola Claire" He added sleazily. Claire simply rolled her eyes but Kevin's arm tightened around her.
"You make eyes at my wife Oliveira and it'll be the last thing you do" Kevin warned with only a slight hint of good nature behind it.
"Fear not Compadre"! Carlos replied, holding his hands up. "Why do I need to look at other ladies when I have the lovely Jill at my side!" He turned around and smiled at Jill, thus acknowledging her for the first time since their arrival. She shook her head and pushed past him to sit on the sofa beside Claire looking decidedly unamused.
"Give it up" Jill said with a tired sigh.
Oblivious to the obvious awkward atmosphere between Jill and Carlos, Barry drained the contents of his glass before standing up and making his way over to the fireplace. The already silent room turned to face him as he began to speak.
"I won't beat about the bush. For a while now, a small contingent of our British BSAA members have been watching a spot on the North Sea on the edge of the Arctic Circle. There's been a lot of regular activity in the last year, helicopters, Container ships, that sort of thing" He announced. Out of the corner of his eye, Leon saw Carlos' attempt to get Jill's attention only to be studiously ignored by her. They'd obviously had some kind of argument. Claire was cuddled up to Kevin and Chris was, for once, listening intently to what Barry was saying. "Now, none of these checked out with any oil, shipping or tourist companies operating in the area but our agents did find out that all the activity seemed to centre around an oil rig which, according to records, has been unmanned and out of action for years" Barry continued to explain, his expression grave. "In the last couple or months, activity surrounding the rig has completely stopped dead. The agents were able to use sonar imaging and they found a huge multi-levelled structure below the oilrig. Now" Barry paused to observe the room. "I know what you're thinking. These sorts of things were built by the United States in the eighties to attack the USSR by launching nukes from under the sea-"
"To be fair Barry" Chris cut in. "I don't think any of us were thinking that" He looked around for confirmation of his point but everyone, Leon included, were too busy focussing on Barry.
"Learn your history" Barry snapped back, effectively shutting Chris up. "But the fact that there was activity up until very recently makes that explanation extremely unlikely"
"So it's another facility"? Leon asked darkly. "Another one of Umbrella's leftovers"? As he said the words, he felt a familiar sickness return to his stomach. His and Chris' naivety over the past year had been nothing short of idiotic. They were so concerned with relief and celebrating Wesker's death at their own hands, they'd missed the bigger picture. Just because Albert Wesker was dead didn't mean the remnants of Umbrella were.
"So what if it's another facility"? Carlos said with a careless shrug. "Wesker's dead. Why bother ourselves with it? It's probably abandoned because he's not around to give his orders or whatever"
Chris snorted.
"Wesker wasn't the only problem Oliveira" He replied as if Carlos was being deliberately stupid. There was something about the older man's tone that made Leon think he was rather relishing putting Carlos right. Chris and Carlos weren't enemies as such, but they weren't exactly friends either. "You of all people should know that" He added. Carlos merely rolled his eyes at this point. Part of the reason that Chris felt some enmity towards him was because Carlos used to be under the employ of Umbrella as part of the U.B.C.S.
"He's right Carlos" Claire said. "Even if I don't agree with how he delivered his point" She gave her brother a dirty look, which he merely shrugged off. "Wesker may be dead but there's going to be some die-hard Umbrella fanatics that continue his work"
"Which is why it needs investigating" Barry said loudly, taking control back as everyone starting chattering away at once, throwing in their points of view. "And that is why I asked you be here. You've all got experience of dealing with Umbrella, which far outweighs that of the British BSAA agents. It's a big location so you're going to need to scout for activity to find out exactly what's going on down there. If it's all clear then you can call in backup and have it destroyed like the Antarctic facility"
"Then why not just destroy it right away"? Carlos asked.
"Well I'd say that's pretty obvious," Chris said haughtily. He opened his mouth to speak but obviously realised that he didn't actually have an answer as he looked at Leon helplessly.
"We don't know who's down there," Barry explained. "The BSAA don't want to harm any innocent people that might've been taken down there against their will"
"Exactly what I was going to say Barry"! Chris exclaimed. He smiled smarmily at Carlos who narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything in return.
"Shut up Chris" Barry said idly as you would do to a persistently naughty child. "Now if everything goes to plan you should be in and out in one night to avoid any unwanted intervention from outsiders. The upside to this whole situation is that we have reason to strongly believe that this is the last of Umbrella's facilities"
"Do the BSAA have permission to carry out demolition in British waters"? Jill asked.
"Good point" Carlos nodded emphatically, obviously hoping to get back into Jill's good books. He reached out to take hold of her hand but she moved it away quickly. Carlos sighed audibly.
"Our British agents will liase with local militaries through our links with the UN to gain permission but as far as I've been told, it's a done deal" Barry answered. He turned his attentions to Leon and Chris. "I know the two of you haven't been on active duty of late but I was hoping you would agree to do this"
"Of course we will" Chris replied confidently with a nod. Leon felt himself nodding along too but he couldn't be as certain and as adamant as his partner. He wanted to bring Umbrella down just as much as the others did but whenever he'd thought about active duty, Sherry's death and the horrible beating Chris had received played in his head like a relentless march. After years of dodging the diagnosis, it was finally on his medical records that he was suffering from PTSD. His therapist had been very reassuring and had helped him achieve a level of functionality after the dark days following Antarctica but he knew that he was far from recovered.
He noticed Barry watching him, looking somewhat doubtful. Leon pushed aside whatever doubts he was feeling and tried to match Chris' confident face. If Barry thought for a second that he wasn't up for the task then he would be forced to stay in America whilst Chris went and that, Leon decided, was a million times worse than whatever Umbrella had left to throw at them.
"Wait a second" Kevin's voice interrupted his thoughts. "There's no way in hell Claire's going"
"I can speak for myself," Claire argued, a frown crossing her delicate features. Leon didn't really know all that much about Chris' sister but he did know that she could be very forceful and kick some ass when she really needed to.
"No arguments honey. You're not going" Kevin's voice had a tone of finality to it. "There is no way I'm going to let you risk our baby or yourself for that matter"
"Well I can't just sit around here waiting for you"! Claire shot back, her eyes filling with tears. She wiped them away fiercely with the sleeve of her jumper.
"You'll be here with me." Barry said simply, causing the rest of the group to look back towards the former S.T.A.R.S member. He'd obviously seen Chris' disappointment and Jill's surprise as he explained. "I'm getting too old to go running around Umbrella's facilities. But don't worry, I have this"! He suddenly brandished a sleek looking black PDA. "I'll be maintaining contact with you throughout your mission. Claire, you can help me. Your contacts in Terrasave may be of use"
Claire nodded, seemingly a lot calmer now. As the others descended into a flurry of chatter about equipment and weaponry, Leon watched as Chris got up from his seat and pulled his sister into a tight hug. She seemed to be getting upset again but as they spoke for a couple of minutes in hushed tones, a smile slowly spread across her face. Leon couldn't help but smile with her. Although he might often play the goon and be frequently annoying, Chris always knew the right thing to say.
The tender moment between the siblings now obviously over, Leon stood up and joined them by the fireplace. Chris had his hands on Claire's stomach and pulled a face as he felt the baby kick.
"That's so gross" He remarked as he pulled his hand away. Leon walked up behind him and wrapped his arms around his lover's waist. "I can't believe the baby's gonna be a Ryman" He added mournfully as he leant into Leon's embrace.
"Aw Bro, you know he's always going to be a Redfield at heart" Claire replied with a happy smile.
"It's a boy"? Leon said, giving the back of Chris' neck a quick kiss. "Have you thought of any names"?
"I hate to interrupt but you two have a plane to catch" Barry interjected, placing a hand on Leon's shoulder. "You going to be alright Kid"? He asked it quietly enough, presumably so that Leon could choose to ignore it if he really wanted. Chris, in a rare show of tact, freed himself from Leon's arms and started saying his goodbyes to Claire.
"Fine" Leon replied with a nod, slightly resenting the 'kid' remark. If he didn't respect Barry so much, he might've been tempted to show him how proficient he was with a knife.
"I know we planned on waiting another six months before returning you to active duty but with your Secret Service background, you're indispensable"
Leon nodded again and went to join Chris in saying his goodbyes to Claire. He wasn't entirely ready to face whatever was down there but if Barry was right and this really was Umbrella's last major facility then it would allow him to close the book of what had been a traumatic and eventful period of his life.
Barry had arranged for the group to meet a pilot in Scotland. This pilot would then take them to the oilrig via helicopter. They caught a domestic flight early the next morning after saying goodbyes to both Barry and Claire who promised they would be in touch. The flight was long and uneventful and they were all glad to get to their hotel rooms to get a good night's sleep before heading out to meet the pilot the following morning.
Barry had booked three rooms for them and, after a quick hot meal; they retired to their respective rooms for the night. Jill and Carlos took one room, Leon and Chris the other and Kevin the final room.
Chris threw himself onto the hard hotel bed and let out a contented sigh. Even though the mattress was stupidly saggy, it was still a lot more comfortable than a hard plane seat. He was trying not to think too much about what they were going to face tomorrow and was instead concentrating on happier things, like destroying the final Umbrella facility, Claire and the baby and, of course, Leon.
"Do you always have to watch me get undressed"? The younger man asked as he stripped down to his boxers. He flung his jeans and t-shirt over the back of a nearby chair before joining Chris on the bed.
"Obviously" Chris replied. "You're pretty hot. Not as hot as me but pretty damn close" He pulled Leon in for a kiss, simultaneously running his hand along the younger man's thigh as he did so. He smiled through the kiss when the felt the goose bumps rise on his partner's sensitive skin. Chris loved how pale and smooth the younger man's skin felt. His left hand continued to trace tiny circles on the inner thigh, his right ghosting over Leon's flat stomach, calloused fingertips rubbing over the shiny pink scar before moving upwards to the whiter scar tissue from the wound he'd received in Raccoon. He knew Leon's skin and body as well as he knew his own.
"Well that's nice to know" Leon said, his hand tightening in the back of Chris' hair and tugging lightly. His other hand dipped down and skimmed the waistband on Chris' boxers or, at least, where the waistband would be if Chris was actually wearing underwear.
"Underpants just slow me down" Chris explained before he reluctantly released Leon's lips and started to make a trail of kisses along the younger man's neck whilst slowly removing his boxers. He knew from experience that one of Leon's weak spots was his neck. As his gentle kisses turned to nips and then to bites, Leon melted into his arms and started to moan, his left hand starting to stroke Chris' rapidly hardening member.
END OF CHAPTER ONE.
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