Title: Trust
Summary: [AU, Apocalypse]: When Chris agreed to help Jill Valentine, he wasn't counting on finding himself embroiled in a conspiracy. Implied Alice/Carlos, Chris/Alice eye flirting.
Prompt: "Information Leak"
Disclaimer: "Resident Evil" and all things related are property of Capcom, Paul W.S. Anderson and Sony Pictures.
At first glance, Chris had mistaken her for a mannequin sitting next to Jill. Her face was completely devoid of emotion until she turned to regard him with her steely green eyes. He stepped back as the door opened and she turned to step out of the car. Chris studied her unkempt appearance with suspicion; the woman was about average height, fair skinned and the only person in the car dripping wet.
She paid little or no attention to him as she slid from the passenger seat and proceeded toward the trunk of the sleek Umbrella-issued vehicle. Jill caught his lingering gaze and shrugged. "I'll explain later," Was all Valentine offered to by way of explanation as she exited the vehicle on the other side. Chris, however, needed very little explanation from Jill. He could connect the dots and thus he deduced that was the little "information leak" Jill was telling him about earlier that week.
A spiky-haired man joined the former RPD officer. He looked to be his in early forties, a solider, not unlike himself. He was followed by another who looked rather awkward in security detail uniform fit for those trained in Umbrella. One look in his eyes told Chris that he was no soldier, let alone a security detail. "Is where we're going to stay?" The voice the little girl startled him; he watched her step out from behind the SUV, the perfect image of a British schoolgirl on holiday with her parents - if you call Jill and her motley crew "parents". Jill led both the girl and the morose woman toward the sidewalk where the vacant safe house awaited them. Chris watched her speak in a hushed tone to the girl, who nodded eagerly to convey her understanding. It was long before Jill was focusing all her attention on Chris again.
"That woman-" He began, "she wouldn't have anything to do with why the police and the FBI are after you, would she?" Jill's expression remained calm as ever, she folded her arms across her chest and nodded. "Yes, she's part of the reason-"
An immediate knot of dread formed in the pit of his stomach, eliciting a sigh from the older man. This was the last thing he wanted to get involved in. "Jill-"
"Chris, I wouldn't ask you help if I didn't think it was important," Jill interjected, placing a hand upon his shoulder. The universal sign for "trust me".
"I know you wouldn't, but you don't think their not watching me? You think I'm the safest person for fugitives be around?" He demanded, steely-eyed.
"I know you wouldn't have come if you didn't think you could loose whatever tail was tracking you," Jill replied. "Does anyone know about this place?"
"Besides myself and Claire? No, no one. Not even the military," Chris answered. "It won't stay that way forever, however."
"I know. We'll need six days tops and then we're ghosts." It wasn't the best reassurance in the world, but Chris would take it knowing Jill would do her damndest to keep her word. The two stood in silence, absorbing the exchange that passed between them in the span of a few minutes. Chris broke eye contact to steal another glance at the woman who stood next to the little girl. She met his gaze almost immediately and offered a small, but smug smile.
"Who are they?" Chris inquired, masking his major curiosity for the woman. Jill scratched the bridge of her nose in exasperation, seeing right through the lieutenant's mask. "The girl there is Angela Ashford. She likes to be called "Angie". The woman next to her is named Alice-" She paused, a frown gracing her features. "She used to work for Umbrella before the outbreak in Raccoon City."
"Outbreak?" Chris asked. "I thought they said the city was destroyed by a meltdown at the chemical plant?"
"They lied," Jill nearly snapped. "Why do you think we're in this mess? Don't you watch the news?"
"Sort of." He turned to regard the two men behind him. "And these two?"
"Carlos Olivera, ex U.B.C.S. and Lloyd Jefferson Wayne." She paused. "Lloyd here is a scam artist. He prefers L.J., though," Jill motioned toward the bearded man with a grin.
L.J. extended his hand in greeting, a chipper smile on his face. "Pleasure to meet you, Chris," All pretense of mistrust had been dropped by this man, Chris relaxes a little. However, when Carlos extended his hand and Chris shakes it, he cannot ignore the tighter-than-necessary grip on his hand. A clear sign of asserting one's position in the group, but Chris didn't see the need for it. "Pleasure to meet you both," He said. I think. Jill certainly had fallen into the company of a strange lot. Not that he could argue knowing anyone normal (Barry was definitely not normal). Mirroring Jill's last position, Chris gave a curt nod his head. "Well, I guess I better go."
"I guess you should," Jill replied. Her body language had become fidgety. He pretended not to notice the switch of her waist as she shifted her weight from left to right. Her impatience was mounting. Pulling the collar of his fur trimmed jacket closer around his neck Chris proceeded to return to his car when Alice started forward. "Chris Redfield, right?" She spoke as if they were previously engaged in a conversation. It leaves Chris temporarily confused by her sudden display of motor skills.
"Yeah?" Said Chris.
"The moment you leave here, they'll know you helped us," Alice stated. "I wouldn't return to your apartment." Her words hang in the hair, leaving everyone, except Jill, in a momentary state of surprise. Chris thought to rebuke her advice, but thinks better of it after a while. Instead, he simply nods and moves at a quicker pace toward his car. Once he's inside the confined space, he catches one more glimpse of Alice before she vanishes behind the stone wall.
Her eyes find his with little trouble, it scares him to think she can see him from this distance. She doesn't even seem to notice Carlos' arm wrapped protectively around her waist, her entire focus is on him.