Chapter Three: Affinity

/December 20, 1997/

It was five days until Christmas, and inside the supermarket was shoulder to shoulder with people; all preparing for the holidays. A small child could be heard wailing an aisle over provoking a grumbled oath from Lilly. Stupid Wesker, my apartment wasn't ready until yesterday. Now I'm stuck doing grocery shopping during the Christmas rush...Steering her cart through the packed aisle to the frozen food section where she needed to be. All the while avoiding people like the plague.

A slight shiver same over Lilly as she stalked the rows of frozen goods; only a person or two was around, allowing her to lallygag while trying to make up her mind. Decisions, decisions...Should I be festive and go for the turkey T.V. dinner, or the classic Salisbury steak? She took a few of each and tossed them into her cart. She looked forward she saw a familiar face in front of her. Brad Vickers had the same idea to brave the holiday rush to get his grocery shopping finished. He smiled meekly "Hey, surprised to see you here. At least I'm not the only one crazy enough to shop in this nut house." Said Brad laughing awkwardly.

"Yeah what are the chances?" replayed Lilly with a lopsided smirk.

Brad peeked into Lilly's shopping cart he wasn't always nosy but, curiosity always got the better of him. She didn't have much in the way of real food other then some cuts of beef in the bottom of the cart, and a disgusting amount of frozen dinners stacked on top. "You don't know how to cook do you? That's all Joseph eats, other then pizza." he said bluntly quivering in remembrance the stacks of moldy pizza boxes that accumulated in Joseph's living room.

Gawking opened mouthed for a spilt second before she could respond "That obvious?...Yeah my annex of cooking is macaroni with hot dogs." Lilly shamefully before admitted hanging her head down low. She was not accustomed to preparing her own meals. Food was pre-made and freeze dried, or take-out. Being out on her own was more difficult then she originally thought. Her university teachings never covered how to fix a simple meal, or anything practical for real life.

Brad covered his mouth to stifle a on coming chuckle to spare Lilly's dignity. He'd only seen her a few times around the office they only had the chance to speak once or twice. She didn't speak much, kept to herself; he used to be the same way after he first transferred to Raccoon City. "Haha...Don't worry about it, Joseph can't even boil water with out screwing it up." Brad half seriously joked.

"How do you know so much about Frost?" she asked feigning ignorance. She knew about all their background's; and aware of the fact Brad transferred four years ago from a police station in his sleepy home town of Delucia.

"Oh, he's my roommate, we share a house." Brad answered. They had lived together for over a year it took a lot of work to get along. Joseph and Brad were like oil on water.

Lilly liked a quiet place to conduct her work in peace Joseph's obnoxious antics were gumming up the works "I hope for your sake he's not as loud at home as he is at work." she said holding back the bitter tone in her voice.

Brad sighed in contempt "It's not too bad, he's mostly in the garage, or at Jack's. Aside from some 'nightly visitors' he's pretty laid back." he told her trying to avoid too many personal details about what Joseph did during his off hours, although Brad thought he deserved it. Not like the bastard call's me chicken-heart when he thinks I'm not listing. "Ah sorry, err, I should let you finish your shopping. See ya' at work." He said all too quick to leave as he briskly traveled down the aisle.


/December 22, 1997/

Early morning outside the Raccoon police station was peacefully silent; dawn had still yet to come leaving the streets of Raccoon city in darkness. A silver Chevy Corvette pulled up into a free parking space close to the side entrance; the head lights shut off the moment the engine ceased and the driver's side door swung open. Lilly stepped out of her car hearing the crisp crunch of virgin show under foot. Pushing the door shut before walking towards the side entrance to the station, she pressed the remote key attached key chain. Her Corvette beeped in response to let it's owner know the doors were locked; proceeding to slip the key ring into her coat pocket keeping at a brisk pace towards the door. Her fingers were inches from the handle when she herd someone shout from behind "Hey wait up!" Lilly could see Joseph from the corner of her eye. A oath was grumbled under her breath before turning her head over her shoulder to face her fellow Bravo; bearing her teeth in a veiled smile.

Wind rustled through his short curly locks of blond hair as he jogged to catch up with her "Four O' clock should not exist!" Frost protested before yawning his mouth opening widely. Lilly grimaced trying not to wrinkle her noses, forced an amused chuckle. I've indulged in his insufferable curiosity so far, can I really keep up the nice girl shrade? Running her fingers through her black hair "Heh, well crime never sleeps I guess." She replied holding the door open for Joseph they hurried inside to escape the cold. Lilly clicked the collection of snow off the bottom of her boots she checked her watch

"Looks like there is some time to kill before our shift, how dose coffee sound to you?" Joseph asked as they walked in the direction S.T.A.R.S office. Lilly only shrugged her shoulders in response and fallowed him to the break room where the coffee was kept. Their trek to the break room lead them into the main lobby Lilly thought about the queer police station and about the priceless art works decorating it.

They passed by the ivory saute of a water bearer the curiosity nibbling at the back of her mind. "Hey Joseph? You've been here for a while; don't you think this place is a little too gaudy for just a police station?" She asked out of the blue, catching Joseph by surprise.

He shook his head "Never thought about it. I heard from Barry that this place used to be a museum back in the day. When the city got bigger they relocated the police station here, something about parking, I think." He told her stroking his chin. "Although the taxidermy creeps the shit outta' me." He said and shuddered when he thought about the chief's office.

"I think we're in agreement. My father used to have a stuffed deer head just outside my bedroom when I was a child; felt like the thing was just staring at me with those black beady eyes. I was too scared to even go to the bathroom at night." Lilly told Joseph, the first really personal thing she ever shared about herself.

"Then you'd love Irons office. He has Bambi and his woodland friends positioned around his office; if that is not bat-shit crazy enough for you: He kills then stuffs them himself, or so I've heard." Joseph chuckled awkwardly looking behind his back to be sure the seedy police chief wasn't lurking near by.

Lilly sneered her lips in a disgusted manner "How lovely." she bitterly replied.


Inside the S.T.A.R.S office Rebbecca Chambers busied her self with cleaning her mixing kit-A present from her parents.

She took great care to keep each vial dust free. Squeezing in the cloth into the glass tube while humming a catchy tune she heard on the radio on the way to work. She looked up from her cleaning the moment the door opened she saw Joseph and the new comer Lilly enter with hot coffees in their hands. Both carrying on in a conversation, Joseph had taken a shining to the new girl. Frost had a talent for making people feel welcomed, and could brighten up any dismal situation with a joke. She looked to Lilly. The dismal healer was just like Rebbecca: Both were rookies in S.T.A.R.S, and fellow medics. However the two weren't on great terms-Or at least that was the younger girls impression of the situation. Lilly never said anything that implied hostility, but it was the cold glint in her coal black eyes that made Rebbecca feel uneasy. It's probably about my age, she's not the only one around here glaring daggers at me.

Rebbecca shifted her attention to her 'IN' pile there wasn't much no more then an inch of papers, and one folder she picked up her ballpoint pen and got on with her work. No sweat, looks like I got lucky today. Maybe this will be the day I finally get to do some field work; instead of sitting around this office chained to a desk. Bravos younger medic hoped biting on the end of her pen; painfully aware that everyone just thought of her as some dopey kid. She was the youngest person on record to serve in Raccoons police force that definitely turned some heads. Especially the senior force members who had the misfortune to try out for S.T.A.R.S when she did. Because S..S watched their own nobody harassed the youth, but she could feel the component radiating out of a few of the senior officers like a bad stench. I don't see what age has to do with my qualification's. At least that Kevin guy took it in stride, maybe he'll have better luck next time I hope.

Hours past and the pile of work dwindled Rebbecca decided she earned herself a break; reaching down to the desk dower she opened it up to take out a granola bar, banana and a diet soda to drink as lunch. There was still some leftover baby fat she wanted to shed. It's not fair! Jill's the one with a bomb shell body and breasts the size of her head, and Lilly's the dark mysterious vixen. While I get blessed with a flat chest and a bubble but. She thought exhaling nosily through her nostrils.

A side glance in Lilly's direction she could see the older woman sitting back reading a novel; while occasionally sipping on a meal replacement shake. Her wire framed reading glasses slipped half way down the bridge of her nose

She stood eager to learn more about her fellow medic and slaunterd off to the desk Lilly occupied by herself. Clearing her throat "Um, what novel are you reading?" Rebbecca asked her voice in a near whisper.

Lilly looked at Rebbecca standing beside her from the corner of her eye she pursed her lips. "Mary Shelly's 'The Last Man'." Answered Lilly before setting the bookmark between the pages before setting down her novel.

"I've read that book; It was chilling, a pandemic capable of eliminating humanity is frighting." She told Lilly hoping the older women would open up to her.

"Humph...Not like it has not happened before. The bubonic plague, Spanish flu, small pox, cholera, typhus and AIDS are responsible for over million's of deaths. Why are you here, did you need something?" Asked Lilly her dark eyes set on the girl standing before her. A few black strands of hair limply falling in-front of her face casting a sinister shadow over her gleaming orbs.

Biting her bottom lip shyly before working the nerve to speak up "Oh, um I was just curious. Do you mind if I sit with you? I don't want to eat lunch by myself?" she batted her large bubbly eyes innocently.

Rebbecca's sickeningly sweet voice was crawling under Lilly's skin the feeling made her want to claw at the youth's face. Faintest of muscle spasms under her left eye made it twitch ever so slightly. "What ever floats your boat kiddo." Lilly replied aloofly while keeping a indifferent face to mask her raging emotions under her surface.

Doing as she was told the youth pulled up a chair beside the somber woman watching her sip down some more of the meal shake. She spotted a Umbrella logo printed along the side of the shiny chrome can. Hmmm you now that I think about it I've never seen her eat actual food. From what I've seen in the locker room she appears to work out too. That can't be healthy. Mused Rebbecca looking away as the older woman turned her gaze back to the youth. "What did you major in? I was top of my class in biochemistry and medical science." She asked desperate to make small talk the silence between them was too unsettling for her to bare.

Running her bony fingers through the razor straight fridges before brushing them off her ashen face; Lilly looked to Rebbecca. She could see deep in those starry cerulean eyes the hopefulness reflected in them. If it will shut her up... "I excelled in Immunology and microbiology."

From the seclusion of his desk Wesker watched S.T.A.R.S medics converse analyzing their body language and the movement of both women's lips. Tight creases formed around the corners of Lilly's mouth giving away her glass thin smile-at least to himself. Rebbecca blissfully ignorant, continued not aware of the tempest storm raging behind that smile. How childish, looks like I'll have to intervene to nip this problem in the bud. Thought Wesker he stood from his chair briskly striding to the girls with a folder in hand. Hoarsely clearing his throat both medics lifted their heads putting a halt to their conversation "Ms. Trevor seeing as how you are not preoccupied; I'd like to have a word with you momentarily-in privet." Ordered Wesker holding an authoritative bass in hi voice..

Obeying her captions order compliantly Lilly fallowed him out the door half curious as to what he wanted, half glad to end the dismal conversation with Rebbecca. They traveled down the narrow long winding halls looking for a secluded spot inside a unoccupied office. Inside was stripped bear of any furnishings only boxes of yet to be organized sat on the floor of the vacant room; serving as S.T.A.R.S unofficial storage. Shutting the door behind them Wesker stared his subordinate through the tinted sun-glasses.