†

"I still feel you touching me, changing me and considerately killing me…"

In California…

Rebecca heard somebody walk up behind her but before she could turn around a pair of strong arms slid over her shoulders and a rough voice whispered softly in her ear;

"Rebecca… Officer Chambers."

Closing her eyes against the happy tears welling up in them, Rebecca inhaled the masculine scent emanating from the man behind her; gun smoke, aftershave and earth.

"So… You seem to know me.' She said and slowly turned around, looking up into his dark eyes "Been fantasizing about me, have you?" Billy Coen cupped her face in warm hands and grinned.

"Every day and goddamn night, dollface."

Despite the chill of the air, his smile and words warmed Rebecca to the core. Billy's eyes widened in surprise when she suddenly threw her arms around his neck but soon he was pulling her close, his own arms wrapping around her waist.

"God, I missed you so much." Rebecca said into his chest and Billy laughed.

"I can tell, honey. I can tell…"

The midnight harbour created a backdrop as they embraced, the lights of the city reflected in the canvas of the darkened sea.

CIM, Civilian Intelligence and Military, were a small group; consisting of just Billy and five other members. It was clear in their eyes that they were haunted by the ghost of Umbrella but although they appeared sombre, they were a determined group and had more than once proved a thorn in the side of those attempting acts of bioterrorism.

The four S.T.A.R.S members had awaited them at the docks, Jill and Chris arriving early to ensure the area was clear of civilians. CIM had eventually arrived some time before midnight, their small boat having made it passed the coastguard.

Chris watched as Rebecca and Billy parted from their embrace and then went to introduce himself.

"Lt. Coen, I'm Chris Redfield, captain of the S.T.A.R.S. You're doing me one hell of a favour being here." He said and put his hand out. Billy hesitated for a second but then seemed to relax and shook Chris' hand.

"I'm not really a lieutenant anymore' He said with a wry smile "but all of us are happy to lend our assistance." Chris nodded.

"I swear on my badge that I'll do everything I can to help you clear your name.' He said and turned to Rebecca "Can you and Barry help CIM move any equipment they have into the vans? I've got to do something."

"Sure.' Rebecca immediately replied and then paused "What are you doing?"

Chris pointed to an approaching chopper heading for a helipad west of their position.

"Kennedy and McGivern will be expecting a welcome.' He said "We should be ready to roll out in fifteen." Chris laid a hand on Rebecca's shoulder and nodded politely at Billy before making his way to the helipad.

The chopper's rotor blades stirred the briny sea air, the noise of the craft touching down disturbing the quiet night. Chris waited patiently as Bruce McGivern disembarked the craft. Spotting the S.T.A.R.S. captain, a grin broke out on the Southern man's face and he approached him.

"Chris motherfuckin' Redfield!' He yelled over the noise of the chopper "How the hell are ya?" Chris grimaced and he laughed.

"Sorry! Shouldn't have asked." Bruce said as Chris shook his hand.

"How about you?' He asked "I never got the full report on the Spencer Rain incident." Bruce's grin just widened.

"Well, what can I say? I think I enjoy savin' the world." He said.

"Yeah, well if you can save the world, then you won't mind helping me with this equipment, McGivern" Leon S. Kennedy had appeared from the chopper, dragging a heavy looking crate down a ramp.

"Leon, good to see you." Chris said, nodding in the blonde man's direction.

"Just glad to have made it. It's great to be out in the open, the whole protected agent thing really blows.' Leon replied, finally setting the crate down and wiping sweat off his brow "It's like they're perfectly happy for me to be out there endangering my life just so long as it's on their terms." Bruce slapped him on the back.

"Which is why they must be so pissed that you slipped away to be here.' He jibed and Leon shoved him so he fell onto the crate laughing "Ouch, Mr. Grumpy."

"Stop fooling around don gua" a woman's accented voice echoed from the chopper and Chris looked up to see a pretty Asian woman scowling at McGivern.

"Is this your girlfriend?" Chris asked doubtfully and then cringed as the woman turned her glare upon him. It was like she was trying to fry him with her eyes.

"I am not his girlfriend" she snapped and Bruce stared at the ground as Leon tried not to laugh.

"Chris, meet Fong Ling. Fong Ling, meet Chris…" the STRATcom agent said weakly.

"Pleased to meet you." Fong Ling said icily. She was a slight woman, but Chris could tell she was a hell of a lot tougher than she looked.

"Likewise… Uh, I didn't mean to offend you; I didn't know you were the Fong Ling. Heard you managed and epic save of this reckless bastard first time you met." Chris said, pointing to Bruce and hoping to placate her. It worked, her frown softening at his words though Bruce shot him an absolutely scandalized look.

"Thank you. I am actually here because I owe the don gua a favour." She said.

"Fong! I know what that means!" Bruce protested. She just stared at him.

"I know."

"You weren't callin' me it that time on the life raft, if I recall!"

"We had just managed not to get killed by a rampaging blob, don gua! I was… Giddy!"

"Giddy? Excuse me, you were totally into it!"

"Wo hen ni!"

"Yeah, well, I hate you more!"

Chris rolled his eyes; it was going to be a long night.

†

In Ecuador…

"Damien? Damien! Oh, please wake up!"

Tammy's bloodstained hand slipped away from Damien's as she realised that there was nothing she could do. Shock chased away any tears from her eyes as she stared down at the corpse of her best friend. She felt numb and completely paralyzed; the sight before her unreal.

What happened? What in the world happened?

She couldn't stand to look into his open eyes anymore; the warm kindness that had always been there was gone. Her hand reached out as if on its own accord and brushed over his eyelids, closing them.

Tammy knew she had to do something, she had to tell somebody. As she staggered to her feet she felt Damien's cold blood begin to trickle from where it stained her knees and gagged, suddenly overcome by nausea.

Oh god!

Her stomach heaved again and thick, acidic bile threatened to crawl up her throat. Hot tears springing to her eyes, Tammy choked it back down feeling cold sweat break out on her neck. With her hand clamped tightly over her mouth, Tammy stumbled away from Damien's body and to the cell door. She screamed when she bumped into somebody and they grabbed her by the arms.

"Let go of me!" She cried, trying to jerk away.

"Miss Allen' The person said coldly "Stop that immediately."

Tammy froze and looked up to see Wesker

"Please sir, somebody killed Damien! We have to do something!" She cried and Wesker's hold on her arms tightened.

"This causes me great annoyance.' He said softly "You were not supposed to see this." Wesker's words made Tammy feel as if he had reached inside her very chest and began to squeeze her heart.

"What do you mean?' She asked, trying to shake his hands off her arms "Sir? Please let go, y-you're hurting me…" Wesker sighed and all of a sudden he had pulled her around and slammed her back against the cell wall. Tammy's scream was cut off as the collision knocked the air out of her lungs.

"Listen to me carefully, Tamsin Carolyn Allen;' Wesker growled "you are not to ask questions. You are to do as you are told. Obey, and perhaps you will live. All you need to know is that Saunders extermination was due to his ineptitude at hiding his true identity. He assumed I would not notice a CIA agent skulking about behind my back and has now paid dearly for that mistake." Tammy stared stunned into his eyes; terrified at Wesker's abrupt change in demeanour and at the impact of his words. If not for his rough handling, Tammy might have been able to convince herself this was all some kind of sick joke; that Damien would get off the floor and laugh at her any second, but the pain revealed what the reality was.

"Why?' She croaked, throat suddenly dry "Why are you doing this?"

"You're asking questions.' Wesker stated brusquely "I told you not to."

"Just answer me!' Tammy suddenly found herself yelling "why is Damien dead? What do you mean he is a CIA agent? Why would the CIA… ' She trailed off, her brain quickly processing the facts before her and in one short moment Tammy Allen knew the truth;

The virus… Steve… This entire thing has been a lie.

"You…' She breathed "All this time… You're not using T-Angelus to help people; you're making a bio weapon."

Wesker, who had seemed somewhat taken aback by her outburst, smiled almost fondly "very good, my dear; it's only taken you a year to figure it out.' He said "Don't let this little revelation get in the way of your good work; I will be needing your assistance with a few more things yet. Now let's go." He said and turned his back on her, starting to walk away. Tammy remained where she was, trying to remember how to breathe.

No… No.

"Go to hell." She said quietly and Wesker paused then, very slowly turning his head to look at her.

"I'm sorry. I don't believe I caught that." He said in a dangerously soft voice.

"You heard me.' Tammy hissed "Go to hell; I would sooner be dead than help you." The young woman had never felt such rage; it was as if she had surrendered control of her voice to the feeling. Wesker looked mildly perplexed.

"My, my…' he said quietly "I find myself being told to go to hell for the second time today, yet I can't quite believe that it is coming from such a little girl." Wesker began to take very slow, deliberate steps towards Tammy and she edged along the wall, automatically trying to keep the space between them.

"You can't make me help you.' She continued to say "I'll get out and tell people what you are doing down here." Wesker just smirked.

"Even if you did manage to escape, what makes you think anybody would believe a naïve child such as yourself?' He said "It is in your best interests to simply do as I say."

"Bastard!' Tammy suddenly spat at him "There is nothing you can do to make me help you; you've already taken away my only friend! You'll either have to kill me or let me go." Her green eyes stared into his golden-red ones, alive with a fierce courage Wesker had not known she possessed.

It was quite admirable, he thought, though Tammy did not seem to have a true understanding of whom she was dealing with. Wesker had assumed she would simply do as she was told, fearing for her own life, but there she was trying to stare him down; practically daring him to snap her neck. He sighed, frustrated. It appeared that this girl, not even yet a woman, was going to make him resort to rather harsh measures if he were to keep on schedule.

"I'm afraid you are incorrect there, Tammy.' He said as he backed her into a corner of the small cell "Though two of my choices are as you say; to either let you go or kill you, there is a third option that you neglected to mention, so I assume you simply failed to notice it."

Alarm bells rang in her head, but Tammy ignored them and glared back at Wesker.

"And what is it?" She demanded and the coldest look she had ever seen appeared on Wesker's face.

"I hurt you until you are so broken you cannot do anything but obey…" He said. Tammy suddenly began to look unsure, but she raised her chin to look up at him defiantly.

"You can hit me as many times as you like;' she said "I am not helping you to hurt people anymore."

But as soon as she had said it, Wesker was leaning over her so that his next words were spoken softly right into her ear and they were enough to cause all the colour to drain from her face;

"I never said that I was going to hit you."

Wesker's hand shot out and clenched around her wrist like a vice and Tammy screamed as he brutally pulled her towards him, grabbed her shoulders, spun her around and slammed her viciously face-first into the wall. Her forehead struck the concrete hard and she saw black spots dance before her vision. Momentarily dazed, she couldn't feel anything but as the pain started to recede Tammy soon became aware that Wesker had her pinned bodily to that spot, one hand still gripping her shoulder and the other… The other was at her thigh pushing up her dull-brown skirt.

"No…' Her voice came out in a strangled whisper and she turned her head as much as she could to look at him "Please…"

His eyes flickered to hers and seeing the expression in them, Tammy froze. What he was going to do… It was something she had mistakenly only ever imagined committed by frenzied panting men whose eyes spoke of violent lust or the desire for power though the domination of those physically weaker than themselves, but Wesker's eyes were calm. That look of emotional detachment mixed with that complete and utter focus told Tammy that this was simply a method to him; a method to get one step closer to what he wanted and because of that, Tammy knew there was nothing she could do to make him stop.

"No…' She repeated and then louder "No!"

"You can still stop this.' Wesker said "Simply agree to do as I say and this will not happen." His voice was soft, persuasive, all the while his hand continued to hike up the fabric of her skirt. Tammy felt his fingers brush against bare skin and squeezed her eyes closed.

How she wanted to give in. How she wanted to say she would do anything he asked and have him take his hands off her. But she couldn't. Maybe she could live with herself if he did this... But never if she aided him in his deeds. Tammy had long ago made a promise that she would use her gift to help people, never hurt them and this; it was going to be the ultimate, cruellest test of that promise.

But he could not be allowed to just win.

She took a shaky breath, opening her eyes and staring back at him defiantly through the tears now spilling down her face.

"I see…' Wesker murmured "You brought this upon yourself, Tammy Allen."

It was the worst thing he could have said; as if he were blameless in this and it was all her fault.

She tried not to make a sound as he finished pushing her skirt up around her waist and she desperately tried to keep her knees locked together as he began to pry them apart. His thigh was pushed hard between hers and she felt his fingers catch the elastic of her underwear, pulling them aside. She took a deep breath but it was as if there was no oxygen in the air. Tammy braced herself…

And cried out. She found that it didn't even hurt that much when he finally pushed inside of her but that just made it so much more terrible; physical pain was tangible but she couldn't even begin to describe the mental anguish this violation caused her; all she could feel was heat and rage and humiliation. Tammy clenched her hands tightly into fists, the nails digging into her palms as he pulled out, thrust, and pulled out again, repeating the motions over and over. Her eyes were sealed tightly and her teeth behind her closed mouth were gritted together so hard she was sure they would fuse together.

Why…?

Tammy wondered how the hell she could ever have been so wrong about a person. She hated the way his breath stirred her hair and drifted over the shell of her ear; he was too damn quiet and she could feel his heartbeat against her back; finding neither that nor his breathing to be all that elevated. It wasn't right, how could he be so calm about this?

What seemed an eternity later Wesker had finally finished with her. He said nothing, just let her slide limply to the floor and began to straighten his clothes. He looked at her once before he left her there on the cold ground, his expression impassive.

"Go clean yourself up." He said quietly.

Tammy waited until she heard his footsteps fade away down the corridor and hurriedly pulled her skirt down from her waist, as if having it bunched up there was burning her. She wanted to get up but her legs were ignoring the signals from her brain. She could only lay there feeling weak and sick, her heart pounding in her head. She couldn't handle the reality anymore; she felt her brain prepare to shut down for a while.

As Tammy willingly let unconsciousness take hold of her abused and spent form, she wondered if there would be another time when she would feel warm again. She wondered if she would ever be able to look at her reflection in a mirror and tell herself that she was alright or if she would only ever be able to remember this moment when he, someone more monster than man, had taken everything away from her…