Title: Unsung Hero: The Corinne Chronicles
Rating: PG-13
Author: Jediferret
Summary: Leon Kennedy takes flunky agent Corinne Payne on a mission that could very well determine the fate of her career and future.
Disclaimer: Resident Evil and characters do not belong to me. I'm making no money and claim no rights with this story. All characters and original story belong to Capcom. However, original characters, Corinne Payne and Charlotte Williams do belong to me and came from my own imagination. I ask that they are not used without my permission. Thanks!
Special Thanks
Weskershouse, Carmen Beckard, Theora and the crew at The-Ward
April 3, 2002
Her senses were dulled, but she felt cold. She was aware, but couldn't move. She was calm, but afraid. Things were not as they should be. Her will seemed to be suppressed because she just had no desire to move at all… yet, something in the back of her head screamed danger.
She sighed inwardly, trying to remember anything that would help her assess her current situation. She didn't feel any pain, nor did she feel restrained. She could tell she was lying on her back on something cool and hard. A metal examination table, perhaps? That thought wasn't comforting in the least.
All she could hear was a low hum of machinery… possibly to keep her from regaining full consciousness. She could see nothing, her eyes unable to open yet. Besides all that, the only thing she was terribly aware of was her own steady breathing.
She found that unsettling.
Albert Wesker smirked to himself, proud of his new find. Apparently the US Government was working on a brand new project. What struck his curiosity was not that it was viral, but it was something else. They had found a more powerful way to make soldiers.
Before him was the most current project. The subject was female, young, even innocent looking. She was lying on a table, covered by a flimsy white hospital gown for examination. So far, the scientists he had working for him were unable to get any real readings on her.
A scientist beside him seemed to stare at her as if trapped in some sick fantasy. Wesker knew what he was thinking. The pudgy scientist wanted nothing more then to cut her open and see just what made her tick. But now wasn't the time… not yet.
"Admiring your new toy?" Came a smooth voice behind him.
"Undoubtedly."
Ada Wong walked into the small room, picking up a folder with the specimen's records she had just stolen from the Pentagon.
"Immunity to the T and G viruses…" She raised an eyebrow. "I wonder how they managed that."
"She also has accelerated healing capabilities." The scientist said, pushing his glasses up with a finger. "Exquisite… don't you think?"
Ada gave Wesker the crazy sign behind the scientist back earning a small smirk. Wesker was a nut job in his own right, but this new lackey of his wasn't just dumber then a post, but he looked as if he hadn't bathed in about a month.
"Any idea why she was created?" Ada asked.
"With her immunity, I would presume she was created in case we released some evil, viral experiment on the unexpected public."
"Why on earth would we do that?"
"Because that's something we would do. No thanks to your friend, Leon, I'm sure the whole Pueblo incident made everyone at the White House wet their pants."
Ada looked at the girl's readouts… steady. Her brain activity, breathing and heart rate were all normal, steady and calm.
"The cure for the common tyrant. Amusing." She said softly.
"But, not for long. We shall soon proceed with the autopsy." Wesker said, smirking again. "It's a beautiful day."
Later that night…
The lab was silent. There wasn't a single living thing moving about the empty corridors. The low hum of an air-purifying system suddenly came on, cooling the stale air.
Ada's mouth twitched. It was too quiet for her liking. She sat on a desk top flipping through a few folders, yawning at the dull aspect that nothing was going to happen. She looked ahead of her at the large window overlooking the lab. In the middle of the empty room on a cot, was the girl, still sleeping in a controlled coma.
She turned her attention to the folders and paperwork giving a detailed background of the girl's origins. Then she sensed it; the sound of shattered glass and a quick glance of something large being thrown in her direction. She threw herself behind the desk, slamming into the wall as the large object bounced off the desk and clattered to the floor.
She muttered a swear word as she got to her feet and hit a near by alarm with her palm. Peering in the direction of the lab… the girl was standing, looking at her. She had somehow managed to come out of her coma and had thrown the cot through the glass.
Once the alarms starting blaring, the girl bolted, jumping through the window and out the door.
"Oh, Wesker isn't going to be happy about this."
Three years later…
"You must be joking…" Chris said looking at the table before him. Claire stared at him with huge, innocent eyes. There was no other hint of emotion on her face.
"Alright… fine. I hate it when you look at me like that." He moved the stack of papers, leaving one folder lying in the middle of table.
They had been held up for weeks in a small apartment in Orlando. Chris had hoped it was would just be quiet so he could get a tan, maybe a date, hell… perhaps a life! Instead he was stuck in that apartment with NO air conditioning with Claire who only had to look at him to get him to do something.
Claire, on the other hand, was perfectly tanned from who knows how and perfectly happy with the situation. She grinned ear to ear waiting by the phone.
"He ain't gonna call, ya know."
Claire threw Chris a death look. "Says you."
Five minutes later, the phone rings. Claire checks the caller ID and grins even wider. "Told ya so." She said, picking up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Long time, Claire. You got the papers, I take it?"
"Yes. We've been doing some research ever since we got them. We have a little information, but we're being watched now."
"I understand. Find a safe place and I'll meet you. Call me with the new location."
"Sure thing." Claire paused. "Out of curiosity, why did you specify that you wanted me to pick up? Some secret plan of yours?"
"Nope. I just didn't want to talk to your boneheaded brother and we haven't spoken in a long time."
Claire grinned. "I'll tell Chris you called him bonehead. Good to hear from ya, Leon. I'll call ya soon. Day or two."
Chris is seen seething is a corner of the apartment, looking out a window, muttering to himself.
"Right. Be careful."
He hung up after that. Claire looked at Chris. "You're such a bonehead. Told ya he'd call."
"I'm sure you're tickled pink, aren't ya? Let's get this info to a safer location."
Chris wasn't exactly sure why, but something was amiss. He could feel it. He normally wasn't this grumpy, but he couldn't help feeling like there was a storm coming.
And it was gonna get ugly.
72 Hours Later…
Leon sat at his desk frowning. It had been three days and not even a phone call from Claire or Chris. He didn't like it. Sitting back in his chair, he stared at his computer screen in thought.
"Stare at that screen long enough and you'll go blind, ya know."
"Corinne. Thought you had today off." Leon commented to the tall blond who sat at his desk.
"I did, at least until I got a phone call from Hunnigan last night. Something about coming in, answering phones and if I didn't do it I was going to get demoted."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "Sucks to be you."
Corinne glared at him. "You know, you could be a little more supportive."
"Shhh… it'll ruin my reputation."
"I hate you." Corinne said crossing her arms.
Leon smirked. He loved getting her to fume. But there were more important matters at hand that needed to be taken care of immediately.
"Actually Corinne, I needed you to come in for another reason. I need you to come with me on a mission. You're the only one I can trust with this that has had some experience with dealing with the… unnatural."
"OH! Oh no… No more parasites…"
"No, Corinne. No parasites. Possibly viral, but not sure yet."
"What? Someone has a deforming case of the sniffles and we have to go in and disinfect it?"
"Did I hear something about disinfecting?" Came a voice from the entrance.
"Charlotte!" Corinne squealed, tackling her best friend in a hug.
"It's good to see you too. Please let go of me, I can't breathe."
"Can Charlotte come?"
"No."
"Please!"
"Corinne, stop pouting. I'm immune."
"No, I'm not going anywhere outside this office. I'm a paper pusher now and that means I'm far from danger. I'm happy with that." Charlotte said with a grin.
Corinne sat in her chair, head bowed in dejection.
Leon smiled at her. "Don't worry Corinne. If you do a good job, I'll buy you a new stapler."
"I really hate you…"
Several hours later…
Corinne stood, leaning against a crate in the pouring rain, her arms crossed and glaring at Leon. Leon on the other hand was standing under an overhang talking to their pilot. "Stay here and don't move, Corinne. I dare you to stay in one place for more then 10 minutes." She muttered, her brow furrowing in annoyance. "I hate men."
Leon trotted back to her side a few minutes later with an inquisitive look. "Why didn't you just stand under the overhang instead of standing out in the rain? You look like a drowned rat."
"I…" She sighed. "Forget it. Can we go?"
Leon looked at the plane they were about to take and smirks. "We don't leave for another 15 minutes, but get on board and dry off before you catch something."
Corinne raised an eyebrow and silently walks away. Leon sighed a little. He felt bad. Corinne was a decent agent, but he couldn't deny that her getting into her field was a fluke. He had just recently got a report after they got back from Spain that Corinne was failed to pass the necessary courses for her position. Somehow, there was a mix-up and she was hired. Leon found that to be very strange. The government didn't make mix-ups like that.
This mission was her last chance to prove herself. He was called earlier that week and was told that she should be terminated, even though she had proven herself under pressure. He argued with the person over the phone until they agreed to give her a chance. She had to successfully accomplish her mission in order to continue her employment.
One thing he did find amusing was why she had failed. It wasn't due to incompetence, but extreme laziness. He smirked at the thought.
Elsewhere…
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am." Ada said shifting her stance as Wesker stared at her.
"Hmm. Seems like our little pet is returning to us. Did she recognize you?"
"No. Doesn't seem to have any memory of who she is or about us."
"You have more information?" Wesker asked when Ada didn't leave.
"I do." She walked over to the black, marble desk and slid a folder over to him.
Wesker opened it and flipped through a few pages. Though his face was emotionless, Ada knew he wasn't pleased with what he was reading. Then she saw his mouth twitch.
"Leon…"
Corinne felt like she had weights strapped to her shoulders. She hadn't felt like this in a long time. She felt uneasy, like something was coming. Then she felt Leon staring at her from across the cabin.
"You look cheerful. What's wrong?" He asked.
She hated the way he looked her; that concerning look meaning that he worried about her. It just made her feel even more uneasy.
"Haven't been sleeping well lately."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
He was pushing for information, to open up to him. Damn him. "Nightmares."
"And?"
Corinne sighed, feeling less uneasy, but now very vulnerable. Should she lay her heart bare to someone she barely knew or trusted?
Seeing her reluctance, Leon backed off. "You can tell me, if you want to." He paused, trying to choose his words carefully. "But, if you don't, I understand. Just don't let whatever is bothering you get in the way of your job. Letting your personal feelings take over can get you killed in this line of work."
"Yeah, I know. I'll be focused." She paused. "Stop worrying about me, you big doofus."
Leon didn't say anything in return. Corinne had been acting weird for months and he didn't know why. Then again, maybe this mission was what she needed. If she doesn't get herself killed first.
Corinne stared out the window of the plane, still feeling Leon's eyes on her. She couldn't tell him about what kept her up at night. He was her boss, not her psychologist. She snorted to herself. She couldn't get him to even open to her about Ada Wong. He just got that distant look on his face; then told her to get him a cup of coffee. With an eye roll, she dully wished she had a martini.
Back in Washington DC
Charlotte Williams sat at her desk, feeling like a fifth wheel. A stack of paperwork sat nearby that hadn't been touched. Corinne had called her the night before and she hadn't been there. Corinne had been acting way too strange… like every member of her family had just died. Come to think about it, I don't ever remember Corinne talking about her family.
"I suppose I'll just have to break into her desk and find out the problem myself." Charlotte knew where Corinne kept her keys… she told her in case of emergencies.
Popping her head over the row of cubicles, she saw that there was hardly anyone there and quickly made her way to Corinne's desk. Sitting in her chair, Charlotte dug into a fake plant, finding a small key. After opening the main part of her desk, she searched through everything. She didn't see anything except some paperwork on various missions, some old Star Wars Insider magazines and a framed picture of her last boyfriend with the glass front shattered. Temper, temper, Corinne.
After a little more searching, Charlotte found something. It was an unmarked floppy disk hiding between a couple pages of one of her magazines. Hmm… this is something she wants to hide. I wonder what's on it. I'm gonna be the good friend and snoop into Corinne's private life.
Just as she started back to her desk, the power went out. "Shi…"
Orlando Florida
Leon stood in the middle of the apartment with one hand on his hip and the other scratching the back of his head. Corinne stood in the doorway with her arms crossed and leaning against the doorframe.
"I don't think they're here. And yes, that's a chair… I don't think it's gonna run off, Leon."
Leon ignored her as he carefully moved around the room. There were definitely signs of a struggle. Chairs were turned over, holes in the walls from gun shots, a shattered window, some blood on the carpet and a broken table.
"Well, that explains why Claire didn't call me." He said. "I hope this isn't Chris' blood."
Corinne raised an eyebrow. "You seriously need to get out more. Find a chick, get married, have a kid."
"Are you hinting, Corinne?"
"No. And if you even think about it, I'm giving you a black eye."
Washington DC
Charlotte sat at her desk with her laptop going over the files on Corinne's floppy disk.
"Well now, this can't be good."
As the lights came back on, Hunnigan was quick to call security and find out the problem. The main power was out, but the generators had kicked in long enough for everyone to see in front of their faces.
I've got a bad feeling about this. I'm getting outta here.
She grabbed her laptop and headed toward the front of the building near the elevator. Hunnigan and a few others were standing nearby.
"You look worried." Charlotte started to Hunnigan.
She pushed up her glasses. "Someone cut the main power cords. Everyone is getting an escort home while security searches the building."
"Can I ask you a favor?"
"As long as it doesn't include sitting in a communication's office for 48 hours, sure."
"I think Leon and Corinne are in trouble."
"How so?"
Charlotte held up the floppy disk. "She knows."
Hunnigan sighed. "She was bound to find out sooner or later. That would explain the strange behavior."
Charlotte nodded. "I have to get to Florida and fast. Wesker will make his move for sure."
To be continued…
Author's Note: The full finished story will be found exclusively on Weskershouse's website when completed. Please see my profile for links. Thanks for reading!