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Chapter 3 Time to Fly The Coo-Coo's Nest
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There was a very loud clap when the spotlights came on, sparks rained down in the lit concrete hallway, and the sound of heavy booted footsteps played pong with the walls. Grey and dark grey cracks met her glazed gaze. Her hair for once wasn't mattered down by rain and the noise bleeding from her crappy earphones joined the pong match between the walls and her footsteps.
Alone she walked for a while, the halls were large service hallways and the lights hummed aggressively overhead. She took the same two rights and then a left to her work station. She swiped her I.D. card through the reader and a large bolted door slid to the side allowing her access. The green lights overhead flipped on one row after another, their loud claps acting like a dramatic stage reveal of all the different things in the room; beds with restraint straps, cages, giant cryo-tubes and in the very back, a computer with huge screens, and large medical machines lined the walls. At the massive computer she took her seat, getting comfortable on the revolving chair. She tossed her long coat to one side on the floor against the wall. The room was empty; none of her usual co-workers were there.
"Good. I can get some quality coding in."
The first thing she did after turning the monster rig on, was plug her earphones in and put her music on full blast. Then, sliding a MO disc in, a pink one this time, a large, strange text editor opened on-screen, and she got to work.
Not a few minutes later though, she wasn't alone in the room anymore, the hunched figure made an appearance once again. Usually the click clack of its claws alerted her of its approach, but not this time. It crept closer until it stood right behind her chair. She saw the dark blue hoodie it usually wore in the screen's reflection and while still bobbing her head to the beat, she grabbed her bag by the chair nearby and threw a bag of chips over her shoulder. The crinkle and pop of the bag being picked up and ripped open went with the beat. So did the loud crunching, at least, until the song ended.
"Enjoying those huh."
In the reflection she saw it eating. it was now tipping the bag into its mouth. She chuckled and cocked a brow continuing to type away at her code.
"How you even manage to eat those without molars, I'll never know."
Suddenly the door behind them opened and a tall bald man walked in. She glanced at a counter on one of the monitors before her.
"Right on time. Did the mission give you any trouble?"
"No. He was an easy target. I have your package." He fished something flat and bright out of his little side pouch and handed it to her, now standing next to her chair looking at the screens, reading them as she did. The hunched figure suddenly perked up its head and then ran out of the room, dropping the bag on the floor.
"Are you certain leaving him out is a good idea? Even if no one else is here yet, this seems risky.."
"Don't worry about it big guy, no one will even believe me if I told them I managed to befriend one. Besides he probably just ran off because he heard someone pull in upstairs."
He took a step back so he was behind her chair now and his massive hands rested on her shoulders as he furiously typed away. "Shhh.. relax. You're working too hard, I can smell the stress on you." He said his tone low. "I can help with that.." he began to massage her neck.
She stopped typing and leaned back into her chair a loud sigh escaping her. Her body relaxed, her arms limp on the rests. "Mmm.. I know you can. You're not allowed to be this good at it."
He rubbed her neck and then went to her shoulders and she allowed this distraction for a time, leaning her head back to look at him. Eventually she brought her hand to his after a while.
"You'll be free soon, I promise. I'm almost done, but right now I have to put you back under for the week."
He stroked her cheek softly, then walked over to one of the over-sized beds, her music coming back on blaring again, masking his steps, and he lied down just as the CCTV camera in the far left corner's recording light came back online.
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His phone vibrated on his desk. Wesker picked it up, his brow furrowed when he saw who it was.
"Wesker." he answered.
"Have you found out who is responsible?"
"Not yet. The new detective is a prime suspect."
"Then set up a sting. You have collected new bodies, da? Irons tells me they're scheduled for an autopsy this evening at the morgue. Stake the place out, report what you find directly to me. Irons has been acting strange, we do not trust him anymore."
"Affirmative."
"What about the disc that was stolen from the basement?"
"Nothing as of yet, should that change I will let you know."
The man on the other end hung up. Wesker sighed taking a sip of his morning tea.
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Seven in the morning and the station was already alive with hustle and bustle. The secretary greeted him when he rushed past her, up the stairs to the STARS office as quickly as he could. When he got there, Nikki and Wesker were waiting for him. Frost and Brad said their hellos but the Captain motioned for them to leave for their meeting.
"Barry, Mrs. Myers." He started, "I'm certain you've heard this by now, but in case not; the bodies from the first crime scene were allegedly taken from the morgue before an autopsy could be performed. Since then, we've collected two new victims, and they are to be autopsied. We suspect they'll try it again tonight, so I will be staking out the morgue, and you're coming with me Barry. I'll need a back-up man should things go awry."
"What!? The bodies were what? How am I the last one to hear about these things?" Barry said frustrated.
"Mrs. Myers, I'll need you as well."
"Me? Why? I'm not even part of your department."
"Your knowledge of this entire case will be crucial. I have my own questions to ask you as well, but not now. I shall call you later in the evening when it will be time for our stake-out. Dismissed."
Barry and Nikki walked out of the office and strolled down the hall, Barry walking the detective back to her office on the other side of the station.
"So what was that all about?"
"What, you mean he isn't always mister sunshine?"
Barry swirled his coffee around in his cup when they stopped to wait for the elevator. "Nah not that.. I don't know maybe I'm getting old but, you ever feel like there's something else going on that you're not seeing but others are in on?"
Nikki lowered her head. The double doors slid open and luckily no one was inside, so the duo meandered in, Barry still inspecting the quality of his black tea, semi-lost in thought. She pressed the floor they were headed to and neither said a word. She gripped something in her pocket, herself surrendering to her own introspection. 'On the nose yet off by a mile; Classic Burton. You ain't got a clue in hell...'
The cafeteria was practically empty at this time of the day, just the way Barry liked it. He made his way through the line of what few people were there, getting a can of pop and some snacks, and as he neared the cash, he spotted it; the last turkey club.
Barry strolled past a few tables after paying looking forward to devouring his bounty when he spotted Nikki sitting with a young blond woman. She saw him and waved him over.
"Afternoon ladies!"
"Barry, meet Alyssa Ashcroft. She's a reporter, we went to college together. Alyssa this is Barry Burton, my partner in crime I was tellin' you about."
"A pleasure" the blonde responded.
"Talking about me eh Nikki?"
"Oh, yeah, she's been following the case as closely as legally possible. I've been giving her what I can in exchange for some intel she gets from her circles. It's how I've been able to find most of them."
Barry was munching on his prize, but nodded. Alyssa took a sip of her cola.
"Because every time the bodies show up, the people closest to them reported that they weren't feeling well just before, like they were sick with something."
"Have you told Wesker?"
"Yeah." Nikki looked down. "I told him.." As Barry and Alyssa continued the conversation, Myers spied down the hall adjacent to them, watching Chief Irons walking away with his massive lunch tray.
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"Goooooooooooooooooood morning Raccoon City! We got a great line-up for you late risers out there, coming up first here's Britney's new hit—"
Jill's alarm clock sounded off with her favorite radio station right on time, and also right on time was her bicep-propelled pillow, perfectly aimed at the offending noise-machine. It landed with a bit of a loud crash on the floor behind her night table, right on top of that pesky broken picture of her and her ex. Perfect.
Jill woke with a stir carefully stepping around the mess in her room. Clothes were strewn about without a care and there were still bits of glass near her side of the bed from where the frame cracked a few nights prior. Her thoughts drifted to a delicious warm coffee when her foot touched the cold wet tiles of her shower.
She closed the door behind her and turned to lock it, then she headed for the spiral stairwell, heading out for a round of groceries, when footsteps coming up echoed up the hallway. It was her new neighbor Erica, walking up slowly. When she got to the top, Jill had to catch her-she almost fell. Jill noticed the bags under Erica's eyes.
"Whoa there, I got you! Wow, what happened?"
"The Red-eye shift.." Erica replied, her voice very low.
Jill helped her to her door and unlocked it for her; there was no way she'd be able to insert the key into the keyhole on her own in this state.
It swung open. Though Jill had only been here the night before, it was fully furnished now; Stylish black furniture, shelving units, coffee table, chairs, even a big black couch in the living room, along with a wall unit. Erica regained her balance and walked in depositing her keys in the big green clay pot on a stand next to the entrance, where Jill leaned.
"Hey, Jill was it? Why don't you stay for lunch; I could whip us up some sandwiches or something."
Jill looked puzzled, "Are you sure? You look so tired, I don't want to.."
"Nonsense! It's just the shift I had, all I need of coffee. Besides I didn't' thank you for all your help last night yet."
"Well.. I do have the day off today.."
"Perfect, then it's settled!" Erica walked back to her to coax her into coming in, closing the door behind her.
"So how did you manage to furnish this place overnight? Movers I take it?"
"No, my boyfriend helped. He's really tall and strong!"
The clink clank of china was piercing for a second in the larger apartment. It cut through the sounds of the city pouring in from the open window.
"You got a boyfriend, Jill?"
Erica was in the kitchen getting lunch ready and trying to keep the conversation going, but Jill was more fascinated by all the new furniture. Even if she did get help, Jill never knew of a mover who'd be willing to help with this much stuff at one in the morning. Besides, she'd much rather stay off the boyfriend topic after what happened between her and her ex. The shattered picture of them together lying on Jill's floor would have been the perfect hint if people could actually see it.
Jill had found her way to the couch when Erica walked back into the room with a neat, well balanced stack of plates, cold cuts, bread and condiments in her hands. She placed them gently on the coffee table before them and took a seat to Jill on the fat, comfy 3-seater.
"You're really good at stacking things."
"Thanks! I try" She flipped her raven hair back before beginning to fix herself a sandwich, Jill followed suit.
"Wait, so, your boyfriend moved all this stuff on his own?"
"Oh no, he had help from my…. Brother. Yeah."
"A brother huh? That must've been fun growing up."
"You have noooo idea."
Erica flipped on the TV. The news was on, the anchorwoman wearing a red vest, the topic veered to the curious cases of eaten victims that had been popping up around the city. Jill groaned, taking a bite out of her pastrami on rye. Though she would never admit it, this entire case had been really stressing her out. Her and Erica were becoming fast friends so her irritation was noticed quickly.
"I'm sorry, should I change the channel?"
"No, it's okay. This is just the case we've been assigned to recently. People are really getting pumped up over it and shit like this isn't helping."
"Yeesh, that sounds rough."
The room fell quiet except for the news on TV, but Erica changed the channel. Once the girls were done eating Jill helped put the dishes and food away, but they got caught up on a long conversation and before they knew it, afternoon had become evening. By then they were sitting on the couch with some beers on the table, having lost track of time to booze and the late night line-up, laughing along with a re-run of David Letterman. It was around 5pm when Erica's landline ringed. She lazily hung over the edge of the sofa to reach the phone; it fell off the table with a thud once she picked it up thanks to the infinitely tangled receiver coil.
"Hello?"
Jill took the cue to lower the television.
"yeah I'm still here. What!? Tonight? Fine." She slammed the phone down and leaned back against her seat defeated.
"Who was that?"
"That was work. They need me to go in. Like right now."
She stayed there nestled into the comfy cushion for a bit before springing to her feet and rushing to get her things together and putting on her coat. She gave Jill instructions while flitting around.
"Hey, so I got to bounce immediately. Can you lock my place up for me? I'll be back a little later, just keep my key, I'll get it when I get back! Thanks!—Oh and please close the window in my bedroom, it's going to rain again tonight!" She shouted at Jill from out of the hall and then bounded down the stairs her steps fading behind her as she left.
"Welp.. That was weird." Jill got up and started to bring the beer bottles back to the kitchen, but as she walked back into the living room she began to think and laugh to herself. 'Heh, if I were still a world class thief this would be too good an opportunity to pass up..' she shook the mischievous thoughts to the back of her mind and finished cleaning up, then headed to Erica's bedroom.
This room had also changed a lot since the other night; her bed now had those tall posts that hold a curtain around it, a new night table and her wardrobe was fuller. She still couldn't believe all this stuff had been brought in overnight. Nevertheless, she walked over to the open window and closed it. The carpet was green with black vine patterns and it was soft under her feet.
'…..'
"!?"
Jill turned around quickly. She was still alone in the apartment but she was hearing what almost sounded like vibrations. Her ears lead her to Erica's bed, so she bent over and started to inspect the blanket and the sheets, but still nothing. Then she looked under the box spring, and sure enough, there was a laptop tucked away by the wall, the noise of the fan starting back up hummed against the bed's legs and amplified the sounds. Jill couldn't help herself now; she took the computer in her lap and opened it. There wasn't much of interest; just a text editor opened with very strange looking code on screen. Her finger brushed the eject button as she gripped it to put it back down under the bed and a blue disc popped out, with the letters "M.O." written on.
"Hm. Is Mo her boyfriend..?"
When she finally pulled her eyes off the disc to tuck the laptop back under, she noticed a card on the floor and picked it up. It was an Umbrella I.D. card and the name on it read 'Rika Chambers'. Jill had been balancing on her feet, she fell back upon reading that. She instantly felt betrayed, remembering the fiasco with Barry and the bodies, their case and the bizarre happenings at work. In a huff she lacked sound judgement; she grabbed the MO disc and left, locking the door behind her and heading straight passed her own home, to the staircase and out the front door. She was headed to the station.
Chris had to see this. She had to show him.
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The station was quiet now that it was close to 6pm, but Valentine didn't' give a fuck about that now. She rushed past who was still there when they were in the halls, her footsteps creaking on the wooden floors on the second floor. She almost ran up to the STARS room and flung the door open. She got her phone out and dialed Redfield's number.
Luckily for her, Redfield actually picked up this time. "Hello?"
"Chris?! I'm at the station. I need you to come to my place, I need your help with something!"
"What? Okay sure, but what is it?"
Jill explained everything to him in as much of a hushed tone as she could, given the phone's shitty receiver.
"There's a new girl who just moved into the apartment next to mine. Last night I helped her with some boxes after you dropped me off. Today she invited me over for lunch and I ended up staying there all day, but then she suddenly had to leave after a phone call and.." she paused, scared of what he would think of her. She just realized she stole evidence; maybe she was following her old footsteps after all.
"…and what, Jill?"
"I went to close a window for her and under her bed I found a strange disc, and an Umbrella ID card. The name on it was Rika Chambers. She introduced herself as Erica."
"A phone call!? Shit, Jill! The bodies!"
"I know, that's what I thought." As they discussed what they should do next, Jill was busy using the station's computer to both inspect the disc as much as she could, and do a background check on both Nikki and Erica. Both tasks were proving futile.
"Barry called me earlier, he told me about a sting Wesker is doing at the morgue with Barry and Myers."
Jill paused. "Then we should stake out her apartment. Nikki will probably tell Rika about the sting, so she'll just come back home. That's why she's always tired and coming home at ridiculous hours! I feel like such a fucking idiot!"
"Relax Valentine. I'm getting in my car now, should I just pick you up at the station? It's supposed to be our day off, don't let the Captain see you there. He gets so mad." Chris laughed.
"Miss Valentine?"
Jill almost dropped her phone. Wesker was standing in the door. "I got to go Chris, see you outside in five." She tucked it in her pocket and got up to tell Wesker everything, forgetting the MO disc in the computer.
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As Jill left with Wesker down the hall towards the parking lot, Nikki arrived at the office looking for the STARS leader, but he was already gone. 'Fuck.' She was about to turn and leave when she noticed the code on the computer screen and panicked. 'WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS DOING HERE!?' The detective quickly ejected the relic and pocketed it, then headed with a start to her office to hide her bounty.
"Rika, you fucking idiot.." she said to herself under her breath.
"I'm here."
A female voice this time answered her.
"What?!"
Nikki sat at her desk eyeing the MO disc in her hand. "Your MO disk ended up at the precinct. I'm holding it in my hand right now. I don't know who but someone's onto you. Don't call me again until you shake them off, I can't have any of this lead back to me. They might be setting up a sting, get out of there now. I'm going to ditch this cell s—"
"Miss Myers, it's time to leave."
Nikki almost fell off her chair. She dropped the MO disc on purpose when she heard his low drawl; he was standing on the other side of her door ajar, peering at her. For once, his sunglasses were off. He had piercing blue eyes.
"I'll be out in a minute Wesker, thanks."
He left. She picked up the disc and shoved it into her desk, turned the lights off, threw her coat on and left as quickly as she could so as to not stir up any suspicion, but she was too late. Behind her, around the corner was the Captain of STARS, waiting for her to leave. He had faked her out. Using his master key, he walked right into her private office and started going through the drawers.
His face grew angry when he found what she had tried to hide from him.
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They had been waiting a solid 3 hours for her to return, and still nothing. Chris was sat on her bed. Her bedroom was big but covered with clothes everywhere. Like him she had an exercise machine in here; hers was an elliptical machine. This wasn't his first time at her place, but it was in her bedroom. He couldn't stop looking around, until he eyed the picture frame on the floor, of Jill and her boyfriend.
"So did you go out with her yet?"
Jill walked back into the room with some coffee for him for a change. She handed him the cup and sat on her bed.
"No not yet.." he said taking the cup. He took a few sips then placed it down on her night table. It was strange sitting on Jill's bed like this, but this was their best bet at catching her coming home; Jill's bedroom window overlooked the front entrance.
"Why do you want to know so much about my love life all of a sudden anyway?"
His defensiveness stung slightly, but she tried to shrug it off. "Because I care about you..?"
"Yeah well.. lay off."
Jill looked at him visibly hurt, but looked away sipping her own cup. Pieces of broken glass on the floor caught her eye and lead her gaze back to that same broken picture frame. She and her 'boyfriend' had broken up a few days ago, though Chris might have noticed that had he paid more mind to the empty booze bottles in Jill's trash.
"It's not like you have to deal with this kind of shit anyway." That was a very obvious quip, and Jill wasn't going to take his bitching anymore.
"Excuse me?! You're the one who bragged about scoring that woman's number! What happened to that!? You pull a stunt like that and expect me not to wonder?"
"I didn't want it! I never wanted it Jill! I had to get the guys off my back! You have that boyfriend of yours so I never-" he stopped himself. He looked away. "Forget it Jill. I'm glad you're happy."
In that moment, sadness and surprise befell her, what he meant sunk in. He didn't know it was over between them, and now it obvious that he felt the same way she did. He had always made it clearer than she had, though. Now that was biting her in the ass. She couldn't let him slip away again. Not this time.
"Chris.. Listen."
"No. I get it, im-"
She pushed Chris against the wall behind him like the stubborn mule he was.
"Jill what the f-"
"I broke up with my boyfriend a few days ago; I've been depressed and drinking wine every night since. You want me? I'm right here. Stop whining, shut up and kiss me Redfield!"
Chris almost didn't believe what he just heard, but he heard it. "Yes Ma'am..."
He cupped her face and pulled her against him but she wasn't wasting any time; she grabbed his head and furiously kissed him, her tongue seemingly trying to annex his mouth. He answered her passion with his own; he couldn't help himself, he felt her hands gripping and tugging his hair and it was exciting him so much. He dragged his hands down her back and back up under her shirt. Her back was so smooth. He dragged them up and down and then around to her toned belly and up to her chest.
"Chris..!"
His back was against the wall but he was ravishing her neck now, his fingers playing with her breasts for a bit before going back to her back, digging into her, desperately holding her. She was about to nibble his earlobe when he pushed off of the wall and purposely fell on the bed on top of her. They rolled around fighting for dominance, lost in each other. Jill wasn't going to just let him stay there. Chris had other plans, as they rolled off and landed on the floor with a crash, he snaked his hand in her pants and curled his fingers which made her jerk forward and arch her back.
Every flick of his finger brought a sharp gasp from Jill.
"You wanna be on top huh, fine.."
She brought her hands down on his shoulders and leaned on him grinding against his hand, now softly moaning, his name occasionally slipping through her lips in a soft whisper. Chris extended his thumb to try and hit another sweet spot. Jill's moans got louder. Then she pulled his hand out. Chris looked worried, maybe he had done something wrong-but her lips met his in a heat of passion before he could question himself more. He realized as she kissed him her hands were busy unfastening his belt, then the button and zipper. She looked him in the eye as she wormed her hand into his boxers and whipped it out. Chris felt a warm tight wetness surround his dick, she sat on him and didn't waste any time rocking back and forth.
"Oh shit..! Jill!"
"Fuck me Chris." she leaned down, grabbed his collar and pulled him into an aggressive kiss, he rolled them over so Jill was on her back and went to town. Her fingers curled digging into the back of his head pulling on his hair. Like a true marksman he was on point, and they couldn't keep quiet anymore, their pleasure sounding off in tune with the rhythmic thud of their bodies on the floor.
Jill's back arched, her eyes told him she was there. He felt her begin to spasm and she screamed his name. He loved hearing her and pounded harder and faster through her orgasm.
"C-Chr..s.. wha..!? S.." her eyes were rolling back, her breath was labored and she was covered in sweat. Chris panted above her, he groaned and growled with each thrust. He felt her tighten and spasm again, watched her arch again. She writhed on his member and squirmed under him.
There was a pause, just for a moment. They gazed at each other. Chris's hair was matted on his forehead. God, he looked good like this. She saw how hungry he was to finish and smiled. She pulled away from him. He contested for just a second until Jill pushed him back, he was leaning against the bed when he felt her go down on him. His mouth hung open and he laughed in shock a bit, moaning at just what the fuck her tongue was doing to him.
"J-Jill Im g... im close! Oh fuck I-"
His back arched; it was his turn now. He tried to get her off but she took his wrists and slammed them at his sides; she wanted him inside. He moaned out her name his voice raspy and spent and loud, she tasted him and purred on him making him squirm beneath her. She swallowed all of him and as he had done to her, kept going. He looked down desperate to catch his breath and locked eyes with hers amidst desperate please for her to stop, he was so sensitive now. She loved seeing him like this. Every time she brought her lips to his head, his eyes rolled back and every trip down his shaft made him twitch and beg. A hand cupped his balls and fondled them. Now he was gripping the blanket on Jill's bed behind him. His legs on either side of her twitched violently and he began pulling himself up onto the bed again in a gambit to get away, but she followed him. Deep down he loved it, and she knew it too.
She brought her head up and released him with a 'pop', which made him jerk and replaced her mouth with her other hand. Chris looked at her pleadingly and pumped.
"Got more for me Redfield?" she said in her low sultry tone.
"hh... ji..l.. "
He freed his left wrist from her grasp and held her hand tightly instead, with his right hand he grabbed the back of her head and shoved her back down onto him. She accommodated him immediately and moaned onto him sucking hard and slowly savoring Chris' anguish, that he was close a second time. His eyes shot open as he lost control, this time pulling out shooting some of his load on her face.
He collapsed hard on the mattress his body relaxing. She crawled on top of him and he pulled her up the rest of the way and held her against him. Their foreheads touched, their eyes locked their bodies were warm and wet. He whipped away the mess he made on her face and kissed her. They stayed like this for a long time. The room fell quiet again, the moonlight making shadows from her window. It bathed them in a blue hue. It made her discarded bra on his floor look bluer, contrasting her black comforter, the posters on her walls, his eyes..
"Hey, Jill?"
"Yes?"
"Can I.. ask you something stupid?"
"What?"
"...How lo.." he paused, catching his breath and steeling himself. "Did you want this for a long time or did you just.. Was that just a fling to you?"
Jill held his face looking intensely at him. "Since I met you. I've wanted that since I met you, Chris. I'm sorry I didn't told you sooner. I knew that you-"
"Shhh. You don't have to explain."
"So.. After this whole.. Situation blows over, go out with me?"
"Like you have to ask.." he went to kiss her again, "Jill, that was the best I've ever ha-"
"WHERE IS IT!?"
A loud slam across the hall snapped them out of the moment. The girl next door was back, and she was ransacking her own home looking for something.
"Whoops, guess we forgot about our op. We better get dressed."