Disclaimer: Ioomoc

J.L.: Now, for the chapter you have all been craving, the actual beginning. The first chapter was more of a prologue, and thus the rushed viewpoints. Anyways, cutting to the chase.


Chris

I picked Jill up from the airport, the usual animosity still in place. She had more than the necessary amount of bags with her and civilian clothes on.

"Are the feds working on the case?" She asked as she threw her bags into the car and slipped into the passenger seat. Once she buckled herself in, I pressed my foot down on the gas pedal and started towards the house.

"Yes and no. Foreign diplomacy issues are halting the case/" I answered as we sped up onto the highway.

:"You're kidding me. We're allies, how can there be issues?" She protested.

"They are a little hesitant to let American agents comb through the castles. Historical significance to their country. Their government is offering to handle the case, but that's not going to be enough." I explained.

"What do we do then?" She asked, determination written on her face. I was relieved by this; Jill was serious about Claire's wellbeing.

"We're going in. We have diplomatic Amnesty." I answered. Jill nodded and faced the road.

"Do you have a plan?" She asked.

"Not much of one. There's only so much information available. Basically, we're going in as tourists and start our investigations at the castle. All I was told was that Claire's tour group went into the castle and no one had come out. There is an undercover American agent stationed nearby to help us, but our government wants his involvement kept to a minimum. Can't afford to blow his cover or something." I replied. Jill seemed a bit satisfied by this.

"Two more questions. Firearms and when do we leave?" She inquired, indicating that this would be the last exchange of words between us, to which I was more than happy to oblige.

"The agent will supply us and as soon as we dump your shit off at the house." I answered, returning to our normal hatred for each other.


Jill

Leon Kennedy handed us a handgun each and tried to help me conceal mine. Chris tucked his in the back waist band of his jeans while I lifted my pants leg up to tuck my handgun in my boot.

"What cover story did you use at the airport?" Leon asked. I glared over at Chris, who was fixing his shirt over his jeans.

"A couple on vacation." Chris answered. Leon nodded slowly.

"I thought you two were step siblings?" Leon questioned.

"Were for five years. That was dissolved last year." I answered, straightening my jeans.

"She's here because of her training with the Delta Force." Chris explained. I felt the intense need to punch him.

"I'm also here for Claire, thank you very much asshole." I retorted. Chris locked eyes with me, the tension seizing priority.

"Hey now, if you two want to get there in time, you need to get going." Leon coolly reminded us. Chris and I tore our gaze apart and returned our focus to the task at hand.


Chris

As Jill and I sat in the back of our tour group bus we tuned out the tour guide, looking acutely at our surroundings. I leaned over to whisper into Jill's ear.

"Could you stop trying to crush my hand?" I gruffed. Jill smiled sweetly, evil faintly hidden in her features.

"Oh, but sweetie, this is so romantic." She giggled out. I attempt a grin and squeezed my hand hard in return.

"It sure is." I remarked sarcastically. Jill's eyebrows furrowed and a truce was silently called as the tour stopped before the infamous castle.

"This is the castle of the late duke Malic Cartigan of the sixteenth century. Unfortunately it is closed today for the investigations of several missing people." The tour guide spoke. Jill was examining the castle entirely, as I counted guards.


Jill

It was relatively easy to sneak past the guards and get across the moat. I had been initially surprised at Chris's willingness to follow my orders but he had made it clear that it was only because of my knowledge in breaking and entry. The castle gate was locked, iron bars preventing our entry. However, a quick search revealed the hidden guard's entrance that had been recently renovated and therefore free game to pick the locks on. This only took several minutes and we were in the courtyard.

"We split up and cover more area." Chris whispered. I agreed with this, happy to be rid of him.

"Take care; there may be some medieval traps still active." I advised. Chris shrugged it off and headed for the left wing. I watched him leave and silently hoped we would find Claire alive and soon. It was only one castle, but we only had until dawn to search.


Chris

Everything was downright creepy but I pressed forward, reminding myself that this wasn't the Middle Ages and I had a gun. I was in what appeared to be the dining area, plastic covering every bit of ancient furniture. Off to the side, a set of stairs leading upwards spiraled. Satisfied that Claire wasn't in the dining room, I took the stairwell up into another hallway with closed door. At the end of the hall, someone was crouched over a still figure lying on the ground. I took silent steady steps towards the person. The person slowly rose and turned to me.

"Are you okay?" I asked as my flashlight shone on the person's face. The flesh was patchy and grey with milky white eyes. Its mouth opened, bloody drool spilling from it. My gut instinct yelled for me to shoot it. Something pushed me aside just as the creature lunged.

"Shoot it!" A young female yelled as the creature pinned her. Without a second thought, I did. The girl pushed the creature off her and sat up.

"What was there?" I asked as I helped her to her feet.

"I'm calling them zombies. My name is Rebecca Chambers. Are you here to save us?" She asked. She looked no older than Claire.

"Not exactly. I'm looking for my sister, Claire Redfield." I answered.

"She was in my tour group. I haven't seen her since we ran through the dungeon." Rebecca offered. I thought about my options.

"Where is the dungeon?" I asked. Rebecca pointed to the other side of the castle.

"It's underneath the right wing of the castle, but I wouldn't go. The bats were picking us off like flies down there. Not that here is any better." She answered.

"What is going on exactly?" I asked, feeling unprepared.

"Something unnatural. Stay away from the throne room; you don't want to meet James Marcus. He's already killed two from our group." She advised.

"I'll just shoot him." I replied. Rebecca shook her head.

"Bullets won't work on him. There's something in this castle that will though, that's what the government agent said." She reasoned.

"What government agent?" I asked.

"His name is Wesker…he's stuck in here like us. He was babbling about a curse holding us here until the source is destroyed. I've tried to leave, but it's like an invisible wall around the castle." She said.

"Sounds like a bunch of crazy talk." I suggested.

"Trust me, nothing is natural in here. The only safe place is the Cathedral, which is where I'm going." She responded. I stood still, contemplating my options.

"I'll send anyone I find alive there while I look for Claire, just where is the Cathedral?" I asked.


Jill

At some point in following the sounds of footsteps, I went downstairs. My gun was now firmly in my hands as I walked past various torture devices. There was blood, new blood, dripping from an iron maiden. I was fighting with myself to open it. A great crash froze my hand to the maiden, my eye venturing over to the now gaping hole in the wall. A man with a broken and bruised body lay breathing ragged. I ran over to him, helping him up as I became increasingly aware of the touring creature standing in the new hole.

"Run…" The man choked out. I couldn't remove my gaze from the eight foot black leather trench coat donned humanoid with tentacles before me.

"What the hall…" I muttered, the man pinching me out of my trance.

"Think….Frankenstein." He croaked. A tentacle swatted me aside to puncture a hole in the man's skull, blood running down his yellow vest. The stapled face roamed to me, its lipless grin giving me more than enough persuasion to bolt to the last door in fear. The monster walked after me. I ripped the door open and ran in, dashing down the dim lit hall to unknown places. Something hit my back and rolled me though. My gun skid across the cold stone floor. A hand reached down, grabbed the gun and within seconds shots echoed through the damp air. The monster howled, and then a thud echoed. The guy who had my gun offered me his hand. I took it as he helped me up off the floor.

"Let's keep moving, Nemesis will not stay down for long." He said. I nodded and ran with him further down the way from Nemesis.

"I'm Jill, I'm looking for Claire Redfield." I said as we ran.

"Richard, and I know where she is." He answered. I smiled knowing that I wasn't sticking around this hell much longer. My smile faded slightly.

"That Nemesis…it killed a man in a yellow vest." I offered. Richard opened a door and we ran through.

"Brad, damn, there's not many more of us alive." Richard said.

"What's going on here?" I asked as we ran down another hall.

"It's a game with our lives. There's a scientist who has all kinds of monsters and traps set around in here and we have to kill him to escape. That's the game for the guys anyway. Almost all the girls have been rounded up for the master to choose his bride from. Claire's one of them. There's no escaping, several of us have tried. It's an invisible wall around the moat, and the guards can't see or hear you." Richard explained. I stopped and motioned for my gun.

"Where's this mad scientist?" I demanded, reloading my gun as soon as Richard returned it.

"You can't shoot him, Wesker already tried. There's an ancient weapon around here that can, that's what all of us survivors have been looking for." He answered. I placed my hand on my hip and breathed out.

"I guess that's my objective now. Any clues?" I asked.

"It's over in the left wing." He offered. I looked back down from where we had run.

"You said Nemesis wasn't dead?" I questioned.

"Yeah…He shouldn't be there by the time you get there." Richard replied. I nodded and started back, dreading the second tour of the torture chamber sights.


J.L.: See, a lot of the "monsters" are really just RE monsters we all know and love matched to legend and a lot of our favorite characters have major roles in here. Pop me a review and let me know if you like this, or if I should just go the route of step bro/sis conflict only. I personally like this idea, as it allows more story grow and trust me, future hilarious conflicts. I do plan to team Chris and Jill up together to get through the castle, allowing for more bickering.