His head hurt. The world also hurt, cracking in two and three and even more as Chris opened his eyes and tried to focus on something. Anything.
"You're finally awake, Redfield. You do understand that it can't be like that forever, right?"
Chris turned his head to the right and saw the blurry figure of Kirk, one of his B.S.A.A. comrades and commanding officers.
"Bring her back to me and I'll stop"
Kirk sighted, running a hand through his short spiky hair, styled similiarly like Chris's when he still was in S.T.A.R.S.
He decided not to answer to that particular question.
Chris's gaze travelled past him and stopped on the familiar figure of his partner; he was leaning on the doorway, a cigarette between his lips.
"I didn't know you smoke, Oliveira"
"Well, good afternoon to you to, Redfield - smirked Carlos, puffing out a curl of while smoke. - As a matter of a fact, I don't. I gave up"
"How many cigarrets back did you give up?" - chuckled Chris, making an attemt to sit up. Somehow he managed, even though the world was still spinning. Carlos shrugged, dropping the cigarette and smashing it with his heavy combat boot.
"What's it to you?"
"Nothing. - Chris stood up and walked to Carlos, still feeling a little unsteady but nevertheless more sure with his actions. - I just wanted to ask if you had some for me"
"I thought you didn't smoke?" - asked Carlos rethorically, pulling out his pack of Chesterfield and offering Chris a cigarette.
"I gave up 12 years ago" - confessed Redfield honestly, snatching the lighter right from Carlos's hands and lighting his personal health killer. Carlos didn't say anything, only melancholically hid the lighter in his pocket when Chris threw it to him. It was a habit that Chris had recently picked - throwing things at people even if they were standing mere sentimetres from him.
Kirk anxiously studied the two partners, his eyebrows frowning; you could practically see gears in his head turning as he was silently thinking about saying something.
As Chris puffed out the white smoke, Kirk stood up and walked to Carlos.
"Can I talk to you privately?"
Chris winced.
"Jeez, your gentle side is always there, comrade" - with these words he walked out to the balcony, closing the glass door behind himself.
"You were supposed to look after him!"
"What am I, his mommy!? Maybe I also have to wipe his drool and ass after he shits himself!?"
"Easy there; we both know his on the edge, he may go insane! We can't afford to lose him, he is our best operative, after all!"
Carlos smiled bitterly.
"So is this all he's to you? The best operative?"
"And, of course, a good friend" - Kirk added quickly.
Carlos didn't answer anything, just turned away from Kirk.
"You disgust me. You're thinking only about yourself and you're just scared shitlessly that the B.S.A.A. would hand your ass to you on a silver plate if Chris goes insane. It's your fault she's dead."
"Watch it, Oliviera! I'm your commanding officer after all!" - barked Kirk.
Carlos turned to him, his smile poisonous and eyed him sarcastically.
"Well, sorry, officer, - Carlos said, his voice dripping with anger he could barely contain. - but if I recall well, it was you who said that Redfield and Valentine could handle everything themselves in the Spencers Estate!"
Kirk stepped closer to Carlos, his hands clenching into fists.
"If you remember they especially noted that they didn't need any help!"
"What kind of a shitty commander are you if you listen to the stupid requestes of your comrades!"
Kirk breathed heavily through his gritted, clenching and unclenching his fists angirly, but he was helpless; he knew that Carlos was right. Deep down he knew that the ex-mercenary was telling the truth, and he also knew that this fight was lost beforehand.
But he wasn't the one to go down so easily; what the hell of a commander was he if he wasn't so stubborn and couldn't defend his opinion? Even if this opinion wasn't right. But in Kirks mind there was only one way - his. All others were wrong.
"You're in no position of blaming me! I didn't do anything!"
Immediately Kirk nearly bit his tounge.
Exactly. He didn't do anything. Nothing.
Carlos chuckled bitterly as he observed his comrades expression, clearly reaing through the expressionless mask that was Kirks face.
The memories were still fresh in his mind, he remembered...
[Two years ago, 4 hours before the Spencer Estate incident]
The door to DeChant's office burst opened, and Kurk sharply turned around just in time to meet the excited Jill and Chris rushing inside, their eyes glowing maniacally.
"Sir, we've found..."
"Sir, we did..."
"Silence!" - DeChant boomed, looking first at Redfield, then at Valentine. Both best operatives shut up, and Kirk could even see a girly blush on Chris's cheeks. Or it was just a stupid hallucination because of the dim lights of DeChant's office?..
"Please do tell" - said the head commander when Chris and Jill calmed down. Although Kirk, sensetive to other people's emotions, could feel pure excitement babbling inside of him.
"Sir..." - started Chris and Jill tpgether. Glaring at each other (although more in a playful manner), Chris finally sighted and gave up. Jill started to speak. When her partner mumbled something that suspiciously sounded like "bleh, women", she completely ignored him.
"Sir, we've found the important information on Ozwell E. Spencer, one of the original founders of the Umbrella Corporation whom we've been tracking down for nearly four years..."
"I know the side story, you know the training, split it already out, Valentine!" - DeChant waved his hand. Kirk snorted. As patientless as always. He never changed.
"Well, - Jill smiled somewhat mischieveously - we kind of had found the place where he is now."
"And we want to be sent on the misson to inflirate the place!" - Chris blurted out, unable to contain himself. Jill elbowed him in the ribs and Redfield bent in pain, gasping for air. Kirk laughed, and quickly masked it as a cough when DeChant looked at him strictly. It was just so hillarious - when the all-mighty strong operative that handled zombies and all the Umbrella shit was that vulnerable when it came to Jill. Sometimes Kirk wondered... Of course, it was the top B.S.A.A. gossip - that Chris had a crush on Jill, or that they were secretly in love with each other. Kirk half-listened to them, they were professionals and only friends, but still...
DeChant made a stopping gesture with his hand.
"Hold your horses you two! You know that it's not legal to break into people's houses, right?"
Chris's face showed such shock that Kirk barely contained himself from laughing out loud. How naive sometimes he was, that Redfield.
"But sir, he was the original founder of the Umbrella corporation, the man who is responsibe for being the creator of the T-Virus and..."
"I know who Spencer is, Redfield, it's not what I intended to say. I just wanted to remind you, that you have no rights to break into his house without an order."
Jill clenched her fists.
"Then give it to us!"
"Valentine, do not order around here! If you recall, the captain here is me"
Jill and Chris glanced at each other, wincing slightly. Captain. They never had captains after... Well, after the Mansion incident eight years ago...
DeChant sighted and cracked his fingers. The index finger gave the loudest sound, and it made Kirk wince. He didn't like it when his boss did that. The sound was... Disturbing. It sounded as if someones life was sealed, the final gesture of someones life before the eyes of a human would close forever.
Realizing his little mistake at the choice of words, DeChant sighted.
"Look, I know we've been searching for this man for years... But I don't know if I can let you go alone. I don't know what'll be awaiting for you there... we can't afford to loose our best operatives."
DeChant looked Jill sternly in the eyes, and she held his gaze with ease. He was looking at the woman who lived through the Mansion Estate nightmare and the Raccoon city Hell. Did he really think she could be broken so easily?..
Their boss sighted in defeat.
"Okay, okay... I'm sighning it. But only if you make a promise that you won't be reckless..." - he glanced at Chris and sighted once again. In the Redfields eyes there already was such a look that it was clear that he didn't even consider the option to be too careful. Through the shell of a hardened operative a young naive hot-headed S.T.A.R.S. member could be seen for a moment. However, Jill had a stoned expression on her beautiful features, and DeChant instantly relaxed. In this duo, at least Valentine was sane enough not to do anything stupid. And she was sure to keep an eye on Chris.
"And Redfield, - DeChant pointed a finger at his best operative. - Bear it in mind that if it wasn't for Valentine, you'd stay here and won't go anywhere. So you should thank your partner"
Somehow it reminded of a way a kid was given sweets under the strict eye of his older sister. Chris turned to Jill and sincerly said:
"Thank you Jill"
Kirk had to bite on his fist so he won't laugh out loud looking at Redfields almost childish expression that looked too ridiculous on the hardened man's face with a five day stubble.
And when they got the order and stormed out of the office, Kirk and DeChant heard a victorious cry from behind the door that apparently belonged to Redfield and Valentine. Her's was even louder; DeChant couldn't take it anymore so he started to laugh hysterically.
"God, I just love this sweet pair." - he gasped, laughing. Kirk choked on his babbling laughter when a sinking feeling appeared in his stomach. He had a sudden feeling that it would end bad. That he sould have stopped them somehow. But how? They would've laughed at him, for sure. And Kirk didn't like to be laughed at.
So he laughed aloing with DeChant, although the sinking in his stomach got even worse; he had a feeling that if something was eating him from inside.
[End of the flashback]
"I couldn't do anything, Carlos..." - suddenly Kirk looked much more older then his true 29 years. The ex-Umbrella mercenary could see wrinkles around his eyes and thin mouth.
Oliveira sighted.
"I'm... I'm sorry - he mumbled, lighting another cigarette. - You know, it's just..."
"I understand" - Kirk put a hand on his comrades shoulder.
Carlos gritted his teeth. Yeah, these cliche words. In fact, he didn't understand shit.
"But that doesn't mean that you can freely touch me" - spat the ex-mercenary. Kirk put his hand away quickly, chuckling.
"As sharp as always. I assume you don't like to be touched because..."
"Finish that phrase and I'll blow your brains"
"Geez, and when I was younger I wanted to be a psychologist..."
"Why didn't you become one then?" - asked Carlos in a robotic voice. He wasn't interested, really; he was already deep in his thoughts.
"I grew up" - came Kirk's dry reply.
Before Carlos could respond, Chris emerged from the balcony, his face wet.
"Stopped your chit-chat, girlies?" - he asked, his voice husky. Carlos looked at his partner suspiciously.
"Were you crying?"
Chris wiped his face with his large hands and sighted.
"No, it is just rain" - Kirk glanced outside. Indeed, it was raining, and raining hard.
"By the way, I have a mission for you" - smirked their commander. Carlos and Chris looked at him, their eyes lighting like if Christmas came early.
"Go get some beer I'm dying of thirst" - Chris's and Carlos's hands rythmically punched his ribs and Kirk grasped his sides.
"I'm serious!" - he managed to gasp.
"We're too" - reassured him Redfield and Oliviera.
Suddenly Chris's PDA gave a squeaking sound. Chris satched it out and his face paled.
"Carlos, - he whispered to his partner. Kirk was forgotten. Oliviera looked at his partner, his face immediately loosing all the immatureness it held just seconds ago. - Barry is dead."