Written by sukura123 & kittykatbebe because we are epic like that XD
Chapter 1
Billy looked at Lupo, and she stared back. Her eyes easily chilled through his and he looked away, she was fiercer, and she was in charge. It made sense after all, she had years of experience with such matters while he was much newer to it. Instead, his focus returned to the flashing buttons of the radio, the occasional discharges of static shaking the cold air to its core and making the two jump when it occurred.
The nylon flapped above their heads, even the army grade tent protested the lethal winds. He shivered, tucking his hands into his coat. Lupo, a hard assed U.S.S. member who he'd met after the incident in Raccoon City. Now they worked together to bring the corporation which started the nightmare to its knees. Never had she given him a full explanation of why she left, nor did she tell him what the U.S.S. did exactly, but her actions clearly showed her full loss of loyalty to her previous employers.
She muttered something under her breath in French, one of her typical habits. A rouge U.S.S. member and an ex-convict teamed up together with nothing more than the common purpose of staying hidden, and tracking Umbrella's actions. Without the common goal he doubted they'd be able to stand each other. The radio hissed to life, "Everything's clear so far." One of the men who was out in the snow vehicle performing the perimeter search said, most likely Duncan, he figured, as Ronnie the vehicle specialist always insisted in being the driver. The nylon billowed above their heads again, rippling like a wave and making the thick cables squeal.
"Affirmative. Keep going, making it fast. Weather 's closing in." Lupo replied—Billy honestly didn't know her real name. She was 'Lupo' and he was 'Coen'. They worked together to find others like them, and eventually grew large enough set up their base in the Arctic in temporary, drafty tents. Several Umbrella agents were already apprehended thanks to their work, and hidden on such rough terrain, they were nearly impossible to find.
"We're approaching the Northbound boarder...hold on...we've got something." A silence followed, a painful silence where doors slammed and shouting voices echoed far away.
"What is it?" Lupo hissed, Billy sensed her fuming. She hated when her questions were not answered immediately. Several seconds passed, he strained listening. No gunfire, no shouts, only faraway talking. Did they meet someone else? Just as he was about to speak, Ronnie's voice echoed over the receiver.
"We have an unidentified female, unconscious; we're bringing her your way now."
"Okay and Hurry! Whoever she is probably needs immediate medical attention." They always searched, but this was the first time anything unusual popped up.
Lupo spoke up, "Wait." She hissed, heavily accented voice cracking through the cold air. She coughed into her sleeve and pressed the button again. "What the hell was she doing out there? Grab her. Bring her. I want you to make sure this isn't a security issue first, you hear me?" She glared at Billy. A small base in the Arctic, off the map. All of them felons, or wanted by Umbrella: whether it be selling out or plain treachery in Lupo's case, everyone had a price on their head. The danger they faced if their cover was blown was absolutely deadly. "We 'ave a bit of an issue." She rasped, coughing into her sleeve again and muttered, "J'ai besoin de vacances...trop des problemes..." She picked up her cup and frowned when she found it empty. "I need a vacation from you damn idiots."
"We aren't idiots. You love us." Billy joked as he cracked a sly smile. "You've been through hell and back with us on several occasions and keep coming back." She was, they wouldn't have been anywhere without her elite training and extensive knowledge of the shady corporation procedures.
"Damn lucky I do. A person just fell out of the sky into our safety zone…that's a little much for me. Hey!" She growled at one of the younger members of the group who happened to be stepping though the communications tent. He nearly jumped out of his skin and dropped the papers he was carrying. She motioned for him to come, "Don't be so scared of me. Harden your nose up. Get me a coffee and I'll leave you off the watch group tonight."
"Yes ma'am." He nodded and hurried off, Lupo leaned back on her chair.
"How nice of you. He needs a break anyway. He has a few documents to go through and decode for us." Billy grabbed his thermos of coffee off the table near him and took a few sips. This was going to be an interesting night.
"'e's a good kid." The man showed up again and handed her a mug of coffee, "Wonder who she was..." Their perimeter searches were precautionary at best, and always came up empty handed, serving the sole purpose of allowing the men on break to sleep a little sounder.
"Same here." He thought as someone familiar crossed his mind. He pushed down the uneasy feeling. He was sure she moved on. No. She wouldn't be out here.
"Backpacker wandered too far, I wonder." She replied, chewing on the words. Her knotted red hair fell messily out of the bun, curling around the fur collar of her coat, "I need to talk to Ruth." She said, "As soon as she arrives, the medic and I are having a talk. This is strange, even for our business it's strange and I want every precaution taken."
Billy nodded as he continued to stare out of the small square cut window of the tent. "I know, and the killer thing is, she has nothing on her. What in the world was she doing out here? And she seems to be alone as well." he said.
"That's what I don't understand." Lupo replied. It was fairly common for backpackers to get lost, but whoever was going out alone in the harsh Siberian wilderness needed their head examined. Didn't they have codes against such foolish things? Buddy system? She pondered over it, "B.S.A.A. usually doesn't sniff this far North. There's nothing for miles, that's why we're here." She tapped the glass nervously.
"You're right. Unless whatever she was searching for is hidden somewhere." He thought for a moment. The thing was they wouldn't have any answers until the girl woke up. About five minutes later, the sound the snowmobile was heard and the shadows appeared like ghosts out of the blowing snow bank. She looked away from the window as the two pulled a small person wrapped in a bundle of blankets out of the back seat. Billy and Lupo shouted the order for the medical team to bring the female inside to a separate tent.
"I 'ave a feeling I should check on 'er." Lupo said, yawning and taking another sip from her steaming mug. Crossing through the deep, drifted snow. It was not a trek she looked forward to. Regrettably leaving the mug on the desk, she stood and stretched her cold legs.
"Alright, keep me posted. Meanwhile, I'm going to see what else Ronnie and Hues found out there." Billy replied as he greeting the two men as they stepped inside the tent.
"I will. 'opefully it's fine and we can go to bed." She replied, zipping her coat and pulling her hood up before she braved stepping into the storm. Hopefully everything would be just fine. They'd feed the stranger some soup and then debrief her. It was fast and easy, station a guard with her for the night, then meet to discuss it again in the morning, after the stress of the winds and heavy snow hopefully passed.
