Chapter Seven

For a Pessimist I'm Pretty Optimistic

This was the desperate fact, this place was becoming hell on earth. After transmitting the data in

the abandoned hangar bay, the two partner's hope of retreating were quickly dashed The orders

to capture Irving still stood. Delta team had been dispatched to meet them at the village way

point. The last thing either one of them had wanted however, was to go back into the fray of what

the locals had become. Faced with no other choice, the pair ventured back out in the residency

area. Floods of locals hard corralled them into the center of the town, surrounding the two

partners with dirt bikes in the deadly circle. Alomar and Redfield were forced back to back,

handguns drawn, and constantly moving in order to protect themselves. Biting her lower lip,

Sheva began to wonder if their backup was really ever coming... Shots were fired next to her as

Chris downed two advancing cyclists. The dirt bikes kept moving despite the fact their riders were

now dead. Rolling out of the way, the two narrowly escaped being crushed. Whirling, Sheva

opened fire, punching a hole clear through another one of the rider's skull. Her eyes were drawn

curiously down to her weapon, a mysterious waft of smoke filtering off the muzzle. "Oh god no.."

Alomar desperately shook her jammed gun, the horror and fear of death quickly spreading

through her mind. A rider skidded to a sudden stop a few feet away, revving his engine and

cursing. Time seemed slow, the air thick as he aimed his vehicle directly for the defenseless

woman. Surrendering herself to the oncoming collision, Sheva stared ahead angrily as the man

pumped the gas pedal into life... The sound of unfamiliar gunfire broke the hazy dread. The

infect rider's skull imploded, the motorcycle spinning out to the side. Three BSAA Delta team

members jogged into view, their captain, Josh Stone, advancing and firing. Within seconds it was

all over, only corpses strewn about the ground. Breathing heavily behind her, Chris reholstered

his weapon as the second party regrouped with them. The opposite captain grinned, a thin layer

of sweat gleaming off his dark skin. Alomar pushed forward, joy and recognition overwhelming

any emotion she had beforehand. "Josh!" Turning back towards Chris, the excited woman

inclined her head towards the team captain. "This is Josh Stone. We trained together, taught me

everything I know." Smiling humbly, the man directed his piercing gaze towards Redfield. The

two men shook hands gratefully, acknowledging each other as brothers in arms. Josh smiled at

Sheva one last time before settling down for business. "We retrieved your data. Delta team is to

accompany you as backup." Holding up the familiar micro disk, he handed it to Redfield once

more. "There was some information you missed. We can use it to find Irving." Redfield began

scanned through the files calmly, after a few moments he clutched at the monitor of the PDA.

Whispering half to himself, the normally calm individual looked rattled. "Jill."

Sheva blinked slowly, trying to peak over her partner's massive bicep. Her eyes focused upon

the image that displayed upon the screen. It was the bad quality picture of a blonde woman. The

female looked passed out or dead, the skin paler than death. Alomar's eyebrows rose in

question, but before she could query, Redfield had passed onto another image. Biting her

bottom lip, Sheva looked sideways at Josh, slightly surprised. "Is that the oil field at Kijuju? That's

halfway across the marshlands." Patting down his gear, the Delta team captain nodded and

beckoned them. "Our caravan will take you there. Let's go."

She was loving the power..the responsibility. Excella Gionne was known for her beguiling ways

and sharp wit. After all that is how she became one of Tricell's prominent figures. Eyeing the

security cameras, the woman blinked and rubbed at her eyes. For a brief moment, she thought

she had seen a shadow moving Against the wall... It must have been sleep deprivation. Shaking

her head, Gionne tried clearing her thoughts. Ever since partnering with Albert Wesker, the

woman had seen more unnatural things than she could count. Grabbing a silver case that lay

next her, Excella paused before leaving her desk. She didn't want to seem too eager to see

him..that was a sign of weakness. But she was eager...more than she liked to admit. The man

was powerful, handsome...and powerful. Yes the power was a far more attractive thing to her

than anything. After all, she was a business woman. Mulling over her greedy thoughts, finally she

reached the main control room in which he normally secluded himself. Pushing open the door

quietly, the lovely Italian strode quickly over to the couch. "Albert, it's time.." Nodding silently, her

superior moved to her side, settling onto the plush seat. Flicking the side of the needle expertly,

Gionne turned gently. "The final preparations are almost complete. Then, we can leave."

Stabbing the needle almost excitedly into his arm, she watched as his flesh excepted the cocktail

welcomely. It had been over a decade since the Angel Virus had bonded with him, and yet it was

still unstable. The blood types had not matched, causing an unstable link within Wesker's DNA.

But..he had found a genetic loop hole that would serve as a temporary fix.

The man nodded approvingly as he stood, rolling down his sleeve. Excella followed smoothly

after, he sultry voice trying to entice him into conversation. "You know I had my doubts when you

first brought Las Plagas. But now...Uroborus is complete." Wesker's jaw flexed, his gaze looking

out over the facility." The you would be happy to know your position at Tricell is secure." The

woman lowered her eyes seductively, letting her fingertips graze over his leather clad shoulders

as she moved closer to his side. Excella almost seemed to chuckle, her lips parting slowly. "Oh I

have my sights on something much bigger. You'll be needing a partner, right? I believe I have

proven myself..." Intentionally, she let her hand begin to trail below his waistline.. Growling,

Wesker's gloved hand clamped about her neck. It was like an iron vice, fending her advances off

immediately. His voice lowered dangerously in a warning, face stolidly cold and close. "Perhaps

you have." Gionne jerked free as his hand pushed her away, lust turning into quieted rage. It was

as if he was mocking her...

Chris slumped next to his partner, both physically exaughsted from the last couple of days. On

the way to the outlying villages, more of the cyclists had turned up, attacking the caravan. Several

more BSAA had lost their lives, and at what cost? Finally pulling into the waypoint, they remaining

survivors were met with another one of the monsters that were parasitical spawn. Las Plagas

was running rampant amongst the remaining villagers, making a death experience a bi-minute

occurrence. A man almost larger than a two story building lay dead at the last caravan's side, the

spider like parasite that had altered the grotesque creature laying in pieces. Redfield and Alomar

had gotten separated from the rest of the Delta team, leaving the two of them trying to survive the

night. Sprinting from the abandoned vehicle, the two headed towards another that had been

overturned during the battle. Leaning down, Sheva picked up a bloodied pair of dog tags, her eyes

looked distant and frightened. "Where are you Josh..." Josh Stone was far more than a comrade

to her...

Chris looked at the wreckage, feeling hatred boil to the surface. Stiffly he started walking towards

the water, his shoulders together in stress and fury. Outraged at his emotionless state, Alomar

followed, raising her voice in heat tipped anger. "Where are you going?" Redfield looked over his

shoulder, the dark hues of his eyes were smoldering and in a dangerous state of warning.

Moments before the beast had attacked the caravan, they had been given the order to retreat. He

had no intention of following that order. Setting his jaw, her partner huskily answered his partner's

question. "I have a personal stake in this. I'm going on." Furiously, Sheva stood up to Chris, a

cocky side finally showing through her normal, sweet demeanor. "Personal stake? There's people

dying out there!" Advancing angrily, Chris' voice rose, desperation and hope finally showing

through the surface. "I'm going after Jill, Sheva." Spinning upon his heel, Redfield started walking

away, from his partner, from his life, from everything just for this one hope.. Throwing her hands

into the air, Alomar would not let the man have the last word. "You don't even know if that woman

in the picture is her.." Chris slowed, cocking his head to the side. Slowly his misted eyes looked

back, the deep sorrow he had carried for over three years finally exposed for the world to see.

Whispering slowly, the man looked Alomar directly in the eyes. "It's her, ok? I know. I have to

believe it's her. I know it is.." Alomar gripped the tags that still remained in her glove, falling silent

in sudden understanding. Jill was his Josh. something more than just a partner...something more

than just a friend. Looking up, she saw that Redfield was moving farther away. Jogging to catch

back up to the emotional man, Alomar cleared her throat. "So, where are we going, Chris?"

Turning in surprise, the man stopped in midst ride. "We? You were going to throw in the towel a

second ago." Placing a comforting hand upon his forearm, Sheva's lips curved into a defeated

smile. "Those are my people dying out there." Raising an eyebrow, Chris threw one last challenge

to his partner. "There won't be any orders from here on end, no backup. we're on our own."

Smiling wider, his challenge was only met by stone cold resolve from the small woman. "We're

partners. to the end.." Redfield's eyes softened, a smile breaking through from the man finally.

"Partners.."

She was trapped... Had been for over three years. The loathsome hate for her master masked

by forced obedience. Life's recoil was a torture that seemed never ending, suppressed memories

always trying to resurface. They were only to be quelled by the overpowering calm that was

forcibly thrust upon her. Jill Valentine was a hollow shell of the woman she once was, a glorified

puppet now replacing everything but her soul. She had been forced to become Wesker's

emissary, his forerunner of destruction. Even through all the drugs and machinery that he had

forced upon her mind, the strong willed woman could still remember the night that had brought

her into this fate.

It had been storming that night, lightning illuminating the shadowy hallways of what had been a

carbon copy of the Spencer Estate. But this was eight years after the Estate incident, and both

her and her partner, Chris Redfield, were now inducted in the BSAA. They had been dispatched

to try an apprehend Albert Wesker, but every lead had proven false and a dead end. Instead, the

pair were going to question Umbrella's founder and now only living hermit, Ozwell E. Spencer.

The night had been a nightmare, horror's still haunting those halls like they had many years ago..

Despite the trials and hardship, the two partners finally reaching the inner sanctum of Spencer's

quarters. Chris slammed his shoulder into the heavy, oak doors, swinging them wide open. Within

the crash of thunder and the flash of lightning came a view neither had come to expect. The cold,

dead body of the old man was lying upon the floor, residing in a pool of blood. Albert Wesker...the

man they had been hunting for so many years, stood above victoriously. Flaming eyes locked

onto the pair, the familiar smug superiority splaying across the man's face. Jill stood momentarily

stunned, azure eyes wide and angry. Redfield lept into action, firing a quick blast of gunfire at

their enemy. Advancing into a run, Wesker dodged the bullets, inhumanly teleporting in and out of

sight. Extending his hand, a powerful cobra strike sent Jill's body crashing into a bookcase.

Crumpling in pain, she tried to gather herself . Redfield was resorting to hand to hand combat,

throwing punches wherever an opening presented itself. Wesker seemed to be enjoying this,

almost like a cat toying with a mouse before it consumes it. Countering, he caught the younger

man off guard , quickly knocking him off balance. Grabbing the jacket firmly, Wesker slammed

Redfield onto a long table that adorned the ornate room. Dragging the man roughly, the polished

surface of the table became marred and damaged. Throwing Chris onto the stone steps, the

demon before him lorded over the broken body like tiger does it's kill. Leaning down, Wesker

wrapped his hand about Redfield's neck, lifting the man with an alien strength. Chris could only

struggle to breath, his face growing red with oxygen depletion. Growling, a deadly smile toyed at

Wesker's lips, raising his other hand for the strike. "Let's finish this." Looking up as she

crouched, Valentine's eyes grew wide with fear. He was killing Chris..

Leaping up the woman ran blindly at their enemy, arm wrapping about his waist as she surged

into his body. The stain glass window behind them did not hold their impact, breaking into many

shards of glass that pelted Redfield as he fell to the floor. Jill and Wesker plummeted from the

window, and down into the night below. The last thing she had felt was the freefall. the rain as it

slicked in her now then dark hair, and the pain...then blackness. After waking she had found

herself restrained from her own body, unable to even show the frustration that her sacrifice was

useless..

Sitting at a comm. center, Jill tilted her head slightly. There had been a noise...

The trained ears caught the sound too late. Something painful slammed into her low back, the

paralyzation caused the woman to slam upon the desk. Rising from behind Valentine's slumped

form, the dark ghost from before reached around the slumped body. The other woman gently

whispered to her quarry, throwing what looked like an epidural needle away from them. "You will

thank me later for that my friend. You will not be able to move for awhile, but it will help you fight

what he's done to you. Be strong, Jill. Know that Chris is coming for you.. When you wake. Tell

Him the BSAA are here. remember.." Jill's eyes were fluttering closed, their sight impaired as the

mysterious stranger moved close. Dark, red eyes bore into hers. the only thing she could see in

the murkiness that swam before her eyes. Slipping into unconsciousness, Valentine knew she

had to tell Wesker something...

Smiling in triumphant glee, The other woman gently pushed Jill over a little. Typing upon the

comm. monitoring keypad, she readjusted the feed system, a constant loop of white noise

crackling in the background. There wasn't much time left. everything had to be perfect otherwise

everything would fall apart. Looking to side, the fiery eyes softened. Gloved fingers smoothed back

some of the blonde hair upon the other woman head. "You were a good teacher. you will not

have suffered in vain, Jill Valentine."

Crouched low, Chris sent a sidelong glance at his partner, huffing as a spray of marsh water hit

the side of his face. After hitting the east section of the oil field, Irving had yet again evaded them.

Ironically enough though, Josh Stone had survived, and was now piloting the secondary boat

that the three had commandeered. There they had learned that the facility extended out, and

underneath half of the ancient ruins that covered the area. Irving didn't get far however, his

escape boat nearly running aground their tiny motor skiff. The idiot had injected himself with a

new strain of Playas, creating a fight all three BSAA partners had rather not had happen. But it

did teach Redfield the usefulness of turret guns.. The virus had volatile effect, eventually killing

the host, but not before his ominous warnings. The man had been nothing more than a puppet, a

forerunner to something far more sinister. Chris had felt no sympathy for his self inflicted demise.

Both Sheva and Chris felt there was a storm coming..

After parting with Josh at a sea cave entrance, the two ventured deeper into the African

countryside. The ruins Josh had spoke of before had been far more extensive than any one of

them had imagined, reaching several miles under the surface. The city looked long dead, except

for the odd plant life that covered the area. Redfield stood awestruck at the botanic garden before

him. Sheva's face displayed confusion and wonder, before her boots an unidentified species of

flower blooming virulently. "How could these survive down here?" Not answering, Redfield lept

forward. Rubbing dirt and rust from what looked like an old storage crate that was laying upon it's

side. A familiar symbol showed through the grime. "Umbrella.." The very name haunted him,

sending a shiver spiking down the man's spine. Chris ground his teeth together, eyeing the

various equipment that was strewn around the garden site. More Umbrella equipment and some

of another company's came into view.. "Some of this is Tricell... Were they working together?"

The Tricell Corporation had been a prodigy of the Umbrella Corporation, growing larger within it's

shadow. Rising from it's predecessor's ashes, the company had managed to keep it's nose clean.

Until now...