Another dull, tiresome day in the Raccoon City Police Department- despite its location in the heart of Raccoon City, a bustling, industrialized town with endless potential, Chris Redfield found himself craving the adventure he had once had as part of the prestigious United States Air Force. It was true that the small unit to which he now belonged was brand new, but even he had anticipated more than just paperwork and phone calls during its first week.
Discharged without honors a few years ago, Chris had only just begun a promising career as an air pilot at the age of 17. Although a talented airman, unfortunately, his strong sense of justice often put him in direct conflict with his superiors. After hanging on by the skin of his teeth for a couple of rough years in the service, his outspokenness eventually lead to his release.
With little else to do, Chris became a drifter, until an old friend suggested that he give the RPD a call. Surprisingly, it was the RPD that contacted him- and he was recruited by the elite and unique S.T.A.R.S. division.
Apparently, S.T.A.R.S. had only just recently been given life as a supportive element to better the city, part of Mayor Michael Warren's "A Bright 21st Century for Raccoon" campaign. Funded by the Umbrella Corporation, a renowned pharmaceutical giant, the new unit appeared to be a godsend to a booming urban metropolis with ever-rising crime rates.
It seemed promising; as a member of the Special Tactics and Rescue Service, Chris expected what he had been told to expect- to be a privileged component of a specialized police force against terrorism and crime. After all, that was what S.T.A.R.S. had been formed to counter. Instead, he found himself face to face with a seemingly endless, boring agenda of 'future' plans and procedure run-throughs.
Half of him wanted to blame Barry Burton for his offer- just because the ex-S.W.A.T. team agent was comfortable with his new job didn't mean he had to drag Chris into it. But Barry had done just that- God bless his guilty conscience.
Aware that tragically, Chris's parents were deceased, Barry knew that someone had to support the kid, not to mention his younger sister, Claire. But Barry's hands were full as it was, trying to support his own family. His wife, Kathy, and two daughters, Moira and Polly, kept the man plenty busy- but being the compassionate fellow he was, Barry just hoped to push the older Redfield in what he thought was the right direction- even if neither were sure where that road would take him.
Perhaps it was inevitable, but if given a chance, Chris's new job just might begin to grow on him. Sure, things were a bit quiet and uneventful at the moment- but that was common with a newly formed division, right? They were getting their bearings together, that was it.
It was just a matter of time…besides, Chris had already befriended his new S.T.A.R.S. teammates- well, most of them. They say old habits die hard, and for Chris, this was painfully true. Even out of the Air Force, he couldn't seem to escape his challenging nature towards those 'in charge'. It was a curse, but at least he wasn't the only one.
Regardless of the unit being separated into two parts, all ten official members worked closely together- and not only because they were forced to share the same tiny, cluttered room. Currently, Chris was on good terms with the regular members of both Bravo and Alpha team, to which he was assigned. Comprising the former were Kenneth Sullivan, Richard Aiken, Edward Dewey, the joker Joseph Frost, flirtatious and wild Forest Speyer, and Bravo team Captain Enrico Marini. The latter included Chris himself, Barry Burton, Brad Vickers, and Alpha team Captain Albert Wesker. Marini and Wesker gave Chris the most trouble- namely his own team coordinator. Luckily for him however, both Speyer and Frost too at times rattled the nerves of their blonde boss.
But aside from his S.T.A.R.S. superiors, it was RPD chief Brian Irons who often clashed with Redfield. Something about the guy made him sick- and Chris refused to fall for his nice-guy façade. There was little he could do about it, but at least he didn't have to share an office with the head of the department. It was a small blessing that made his life all that much easier- for the meantime.
Even so, it was probably his coworkers that kept Chris from walking out on the job- even though he was hardly one to give up in a challenging situation, Chris struggled to conform to the slower pace of S.T.A.R.S. Yet, he found it interesting- how each member had their own story, their memorable personalities drawing him to them.
Chris's newfound relationships were proving useful already, but inside an office filled with determined, hard-working men much like himself, real trouble was just around the corner.
Weren't there any determined, hard-working women around?
"Attention, gentlemen."
The calm but well-projected voice of his captain shocked Chris back to reality, and his reminiscing was abruptly halted. But as his gaze traveled to his team leader, someone else caught his attention.
Had his prayers been answered?
Beside Wesker stood an attractive young woman, dressed and ready for a day of work at the RPD- she even donned a cute beret, complete with the official S.T.A.R.S. logo.
Chris blinked and did a double take, unable to help himself from gawking at the female stranger.
Somehow, the woman's blue attire, the same color of her bright eyes, seemed to fit her, and further complimented the female's appearance. As the S.T.A.R.S. team sat quietly, scrutinizing their visitor, the air began to thicken- but Wesker kindly allowed for a brief period of evaluation.
It was strange- the more Chris saw, the more he doubted the woman's apparent profession. She had a flawless, light complexion, with creamy skin that seemed to emanate a rich, healthy glow. Her lips were full and pink, and her straight, chocolate brown hair was tucked behind an ear, stopping right at her jaw line. Yet this woman was an officer? She looked more akin to a model. The two were on appallingly opposite sides of the career spectrum…
Wesker cleared his throat suggestively, capturing the team's attention once again.
"I'd like you all to meet Jill Valentine, our newest recruit. She'll be joining us on Alpha team."
Chris chuckled to himself as he heard the males of Bravo curse under their breaths, and he snuck another look at Officer Valentine.
She was still and silent, but he could feel the energy rolling off of her in waves. It wasn't entirely positive, but it wasn't quite negative either- it was…balanced.
With Wesker continuing his lengthy introduction, Chris took the time to speculate about this mysterious new addition to Alpha Team- and S.T.A.R.S.
Her soft facial features made her look innocent, yet her short, edgy haircut screamed rebellion. She had a serious, pouty look to her that gave the illusion of danger, but added to her striking beauty. And that confident stance…
Chris quickly concluded that she was a walking contradiction- in every possible way; a woman not to be misjudged or misread. He had a hunch she'd help keep some of the guys in line.
"Chris,"
Captain Wesker continued, visibly eager to get the team back to work, his voice raised slightly in annoyance.
"Valentine will also be functioning as your partner. She has vast experience when it comes to minding her superiors. Given your recent history, having you two as a unit should even out the scales. See what you can learn from her."
The room was now awkwardly hushed, a deadly, embarrassing silence that allowed his Captain's words to seep deep into Chris's brain.
The ex-airman blushed furiously, ashamed, and for no reason in particular, his eyes traveled timidly to Jill.
He was surprised to see her staring back at him- she offered a teasing grin for his eyes only, before her expression returned to normal. Oddly enough, Chris found himself comforted by the newcomer's smile. It wasn't spiteful, but friendly- like they'd known each other for years. She had successfully restrained him from retaliating against Wesker, but his public humiliation was not something Chris was likely to forget.
He'd give Albert a dose of his own medicine soon enough…