James Michael Valentine

Chapter Two

It was raining heavily by the time James drove into Raccoon City from the main highway. It was odd because the rain had seemed to come out of nowhere, when James was driving to the city the sky was clear aside from one or two clouds.

It was almost as if the weather was mirroring the mood of the people who inhabited the city, as soon as James parked his car outside of Jill's apartment complex and got out a teenager bumped into him he had apologised, he hadn't been looking as he got out of the car. The teenager sneered at him and said he should be sorry before walking off.

So after that fun encounter he entered the building and walked up the stairs to the fifth floor where his sisters apartment was located. He didn't take the lift because…he was maybe a tiny, little, so very little it didn't even truly bother him, deathly afraid of being stuck in an elevator. And on the plus side, his studying had really cut down the time he had been going to the gym so a bit of exercise would be good for him.

After reaching floor five he went to find apartment 402, it had been nearly two whole years since he had lived in the apartment but he had spent the majority of his life living their, he would probably be able to find it blindfolded.

He found it a minute later, the number 2 had fallen off and James couldn't help but chuckle, the landlord of this place was a total deadbeat and never listened to the complaints of the tenants, the sign had fallen off when he was six and it still hadn't been replaced. If Jill had told him about it then he probably just waved her off. He couldn't help the rush of nostalgia that came with the sight.

James wondered if that nostalgia was the reason why Jill didn't move into a nicer place, it couldn't be money. S.T.A.R.S members made a lot of cash, Jill was practically putting him through collage and in her own words, it was not putting a strain on her bank account.

But speculation was not the reason he was hear, he was hear to find out what was wrong with his sister and why she wasn't returning his calls. He must have rung her a dozen times and left messages and not one got a reply.

James knocked on the door and waited for it to open. It didn't and he frowned, he knocked again louder this time and longer and still nothing.

James sighed and looked left and right to see if he could see anyone, and then pulled a lockpick out of his pocket, like with his older sister his father had taught him how to pick locks, he wasn't a master of it like his sister was but he could open at least a simple lock.

He slid the lock pick into the door's lock and fiddled with for a few moments, after a few moments their was a click and James smiled in triumph and pocketed the lockpick. He opened the door and stepped inside.

James closed the door behind him and gazed around the apartment, very little had changed since he had been gone the table was still exactly where it was when had left, the air still smelt of stale coffee and his father's cigars and the family pictures hadn't been moved from their position on the wall above the TV.

James walked over to his sister's bedroom door and pushed it open, there was no sign of Jill in here and he decided to search the rest of the apartment. His search turned up nothing. James sighed heavily and left the apartment, remembering to close the door behind him.

James made his way to the stairs and tried to think about where he could go next to try and find Jill, before he could think to long on this his stomach interrupted him by growling loudly. He hadn't really ate anything since he got Jill's call, he was too worried and now he was paying the price.

There was a gas station just across the street from the apartment building, it was exactly a five star restaurant but he was hungry and he could at least get some candy bars.

Stepping out on to the street James walked across the road the gas station and entered the store, pushing open the glass door. Standing at the counter was a teenage girl who look dead ahead, obviously bored out of her skull.

James glanced around the shelves and picked up three candy bars, a bottle of water, a sandwich and a newspaper. He walked over to the counter and the girl quickly scanned them and brought the total, James handed her a twenty dollar bill and mutter a thank you and then left the store.

James exited the gas station store and sat down on a nearby bench, he unwrapped his candy bar and bit into it. Savouring the sweet taste he picked up the newspaper…and nearly choked when he saw what was on the front page.

S.T.A.R.S Massacre in the mountains!

Only five survivors of S.T.A.R.S mission!

Due to the recent slew of killings by the Raccoon City cannibal killer the R.P.D S.T. were dispatched to the Raccoon forest to follow up on a lead which suggested that the killer or killers were operating in the area.

S.T.A.R.S bravo team were dispatched late at night on July the 22nd however shortly after leaving all contact with the team was lost, following standard protocol S.T.A.R.S alpha team were deployed on a rescue mission twenty-four hours later.

In the early morning of the twenty-fourth of July S.T.A.R.S returned to the city, however their numbers were severely depleted. Only five members returned from this mission.

From Alpha team.

Chris Redfield

Jill Valentine

Barry Burton

Brad Vickers

From Bravo team

Rebecca Chambers.

On their return to the city all members of S.T.A.R.S were taken to the city hospital for treatment of injuries and possibly for shook.

As one witness who works as the R.P.D said "It looked like they had been dragged through hell and back."

Nether S.T.A.R.S members not Chief of Police Brian Irons could be reached for comment.

Story By

Alyssa Ashcroft.

James tried to find his thoughts, the S.T.A.R.S had been almost completely wiped out! Jill was alive through! But was she okay? Was she still at the hospital or did she stay over at one of her team-mate's apartments due to not wanting to be alone?

So many question and no where near enough answers, James stood and left everything he bought on the bench. They weren't important right now. James strode over to his car and jumped inside. He put the key in the ignition and started the engine. He knew where at least on of Jill's fellow S.T.A.R.S member lived, Chris Redfield lived in a slightly more upscale apartment and James had been there once before.

If Jill nor Chris weren't their then he would try the hospital.

With the plan in mind and determined to know if his sister was alright James drove the car away from the apartment complex.

End of Chapter Two