Chapter 10
Chris had never had the chance to ride Piers' bike even though he has always wanted to. He loved everything about the bike the way it looks, feels the weight.
Chris sat for a moment getting himself acquainted with it, Piers stood watching while finishing off his drink. He liked the look of Chris on his bike, it suited him. All that was needed was a leather jacket.
A few more minutes pass before they place on their helmets and Piers takes his seat behind Chris arms wrapped around his waist. It only takes a few seconds and they are off not as fast as before but still fast enough. Chris leads them down a country road on the outskirts of the city trees and hedges lining the road side.
Piers had his body pressed against his partners feeling the warmth flooding off him, an hour passes by before there are fewer and fewer house. He gets a sinking feeling like being watched.
"Chris we are being followed..." He calls after looking around to see 2 black SUVs "they aren't neo-umbrella and I don't think they are friendly." Piers is beginning to worry.
"Are you sure?" Chris calls back. After receiving confirmation he slows down and then matches the speed of the first SUV he stays at the drivers window. The 4 men in the car are all hiding guns. Military grade from what Piers can tell. As one of them raises the gun Piers taps on the older man's shoulder.
"Go. Go. Go they have guns." He places a hand on the engine and floods power into causing the bike to race ahead so fast that Chris nearly lost control of it.
"Keep going." Piers shouts as he lets off a bolt towards the car but missed by a foot.
Chris makes a sharp turn down a very narrow lane too small for the SUVs.
After a few minutes of driving they find a farm house, Chris decided to pull up to the house but as they arrive an old lady steps out to meet them.
"Quickly into the barn" she points to the tattered run down building. Chris revs the engine and approaches the barn, he cuts the engine and both men climb off the bike and walk it in.
"Why is she helping us?" Piers whispers to chris.
"I don't know we will find out." Chris whispers back before turning to greet their hosts. "thank you for helping us but why did you?" He asks while approaching the old lady.
"I am no fool, I know who you are Mr Redfield and Mr Nivans I have seen you on the news. If someone is chasing you I know they must be to do with what happened in china. I'm too old to help fight but I can provide assistance" she smiled warmly. Piers steps forward.
"You must understand in our line of work we can't trust too many people." The old lady just nods and beckons for them to come to the house.
"My name is Cathrine. Come up to the house and I'll get some food for you both." She sets off for the house leaving the 2 men behind.
"We can't refuse her you know. Don't worry you seem to be able to pick up if something is gonna happen as you have proven already a few times." He grips Piers' shoulder "come on lets get going, we will have some dinner then head back before its too late." He turns to head up to the farmhouse but Piers gets his arm.
"I have a bad feeling we are unarmed and vulnerable I don't know if I have enough energy to fight much more." Chris just smiles and softly kissed him.
"I won't let anything happen I promise. I don't need a gun I have 2 here" he winks and flexes his muscles. Piers can't help but smile.
"Okay you go ahead I will get the bike ready to leave" Chris nods and heads up to the house Piers watches until he is no more than a small silhouette in the evening sky. He begins checking the bike over making sure it hasn't been damaged from the amount of power he put into it. The bike seems fine and as he turns away to head up to the house his phone starts ringing the caller ID shows as Claire.
"What's wrong Claire..." He is worried why did she not call Chris.
"Piers there is someone in the house looking for you. They have guns I think they are from Tricell I'm hiding at the moment is Chris there I have been trying to reach him." She whispered into the mouth piece.
" I will get him and I'll come get you where are you hiding, how many are there? " he needed to get as much information as he could.
"6 I counted maybe more I am in the space behind the walls in your room." She said almost inaudible.
Okay sit tight no sound don't move until you hear my voice say so okay. " Piers hangs up and Dials the only person he can think to call... Jill valentine
"Lieutenant Nivans how can I help you?" She said in her usual professional tone.
"We were chased down by 2 SUVs but have lost them and Claire has called saying Tricell is at the apartment looking for me she is trapped there I need support. How long will that take Director Valentine?" He gave a brief report of their location and got confirmation of an ETA for the backup team.
"Me and the Captain will head to the apartment now." He hangs up the phone and heads to find Chris who was stood in the lounge of the Catherine's house.
"We need to leave Chris it's Claire. She is in danger the BSAA is on the way it's Tricell." He grabs his arm and pulls him out.
They run to the bike and make their way to the apartment.
On the way a BSAA chopper hovers above the bike while its roaring down the road a ladder is lowered and Chris climbs on, the helicopter lifting Chris from the bike while Piers makes his way by bike.
Piers is the first one to arrive he jumps off the bike and makes his way up the stairs bursts his way through the doors fists charged with electricity he makes short work of the agents of Tricell, each punch shooting bolts through their systems frying everything all the bodies littering the floor he steps over them and heads to his room.
"Claire! It's safe come out" he calls. The wardrobe falls open and the redhead came tumbling out, she stood up and placed the false back in place and closed the wardrobe again.
Piers runs to her giving her a caring hug. "I'm sorry this is my fault you shouldn't have been dragged into this. Are you hurt."
The helicopter drops into the field just at the bottom of the street Chris and the new members step out and begin their sprint to the apartment. They notice a large grey armoured van parked outside as well as Piers' bike laying on its side as the reach the top of the steps they raise their weapons ready to confront whoever is inside.
Charred dead remains blackened from electricity, Chris knew Piers made it. He and Alpha team make a sweep through the apartment finally reaching Piers' room, there he is embracing Claire. A sight he is glad to see.
"Piers..." Chris started to speak.
"She is fine I got here in time. This time... I can't stay here it's me they want I can't put you or Claire in danger anymore." Piers is wracked with guilt he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if Claire had been hurt or worse, this was too close.
"No you are not leaving. If these fuckers want to try again I will be ready." Claire grabbed Piers' face and turned him to look her in the eye.
"There is no need we sort this out asap we have spoken to Director Valentine... You have been temporarily removed from Alpha team. As much as I dislike this you are being sent out to a Tricell facility in 3 days to find out what you can its strictly covert operation so no lethal kills." He pauses for a moment. "Alpha team will be your support but your only to call on us if they detect the BSAA's involvement or for extraction when the mission is complete. Full briefing will be given by myself in 2 hours time." Chris clearly was not happy with this decision.
"WHAT THE FUCK CHRIS!" Claire shouted. "So he is wanted by 2 bioterrorist organisations and now she is gonna hand him over and your gonna let her? " her voice raised now.
"Do you want to try and convince Jill?" Chris challenged. While the pair was arguing they failed to notice that Alpha team had left to return to base. They also failed to notice Piers leave amongst them.
Piers:
As they argued as to what should happen to me I could feel the need to get out. I left the apartment with Alpha team except I didn't go to the base with them.
When I got to the bottom of the steps I turned in the opposite directio and started walking no destination in mind, I don't know how long I was walking for or where I was going I just knew I had to walk. The guilt for the danger others around me were in was weighing heavy on me. The streets seemed to blur together, I find myself at a place I wouldn't normally go unless it was to pull Chris out from his drunken stupor.
Then it hit me. I need a drink.
I take a step into building and approach the bar it's a grim cesspool just what I need right now, Chris won't look for me here, hell I wouldn't look for me here... Perfect I get the bar mans attention.
"I'll have whatever is strongest." I didn't need the strongest I rarely drink.
"Okay it will just be a second" he nods then goes off to make the drink.
'I need to call it off with Chris get outta there, he can take care of himself but Claire she doesn't need this. No. I don't need it. Chris wouldn't forgive me for it if she got hurt so why not save the trouble and Claire. What if I didn't make it and they hurt her or worse. He has lost too much I can't do that to him.'
"Hello sir?" The man had been talking and I wasn't listening, he stares at me questioningly through his slim black glasses his short light brown hair smartly styled, he didn't fit in here either with all these fat old men self wallowing just like me.
"Sorry what?" I replied "I didn't catch that." He smiles at me warmly with understanding.
"Bad night?. I asked if you wanted to start a tab." He pointed to the drink. "First one is on me though" he slid the tumbler glass to me.
"Thanks but what is it? And yes I would like a tab" I handed my drivers licence over to him. He took the card and glanced at the name.
"Well Mr Nivans, it's a fallen angel. You wanted the strongest and that's the strongest I know how to make." I laughed at the name of the drink.
"Just Piers is fine. Okay bottoms up." I raised the glass and downed it. Considering I don't like the taste of most drinks this one was the easiest to drink. "When your ready can I get another few please." Even in a foul mood manners are a must for me.
"Sure thing, careful though that will knock you on your ass." He readies 2 more and sets them down, by now a few more customers had drifted in which kept the barman busy leaving me alone with my thoughts.
After the next drink I began to get fuzzy vision, the one after added dizziness to it. Everything was becoming unfocused and I had a hard time telling people apart. The drinks flying through me, I needed the bathroom after returning I noticed another drink on the bar with a napkin underneath.
On the napkin was written 'you shouldn't be alone tonight wait for me after I close and I'll take care of you x'
The barman had gotten the wrong idea so when he glanced at me I shook my head and mouthed 'no thank you' with the warmest smile I could manage.
He just nodded and proceeded with his work.
My thoughts trailed back to my issue although focus was becoming a problem so I settled on my drinking my drink and then I paid and left after thanking the barman. I staggered down the street not remembering how far it was to get back, I check my phone for the time I think it said 3am I'm not sure it could have been 2am who cares. I noticed all the missed calls and texts but one stood out it was from Jill.
Received: 01:36
I know about you and Chris.
End it or I will.
Jill.
I closed the phone too drunk to give a shit about that bitch.
"That phone looks like it's bothering you... Why don't you give it to me?" A strange man stepped in front of me dressed in dark but fashionable attire. Great a mugging.
"Fuck off pick on someone else I'm not in the mood." I snapped. My attempts at making myself intimidating in this condition fell short.
"Why I can pick on you." He smirks revealing some gold teeth.
I could easily zap him and be done but why should I? I don't want to rely on these stupid abilities. I sure as hell don't fucking want them.
I step around him but he sticks his foot out and I'm down face first on the concrete I think I smell blood. Sharp pains running through my nose. I raise my hand and check its not broken, luckily it's not.
As I stand up he pushes me into an alcove in a doorway.
"I saw you passing notes to the fag behind the bar. Are you a fag as well?" His voice getting more and more darker the lower it got.
"You sure your not the fag since you were watching me?" I knew I was just antagonizing him but I couldn't help it.
"What I am is not your biggest problem... It's what I'm gonna do to you that you should worry about." A filthy smile breaks out across his face. He grabs me by the throat and pulls a knife out pressing up to my jugular. "Your gonna get on your knees and your gonna make me a very happy man or I'll paint this door a new colour." I couldn't make out much more than the fact he was smiling as my vision blurred again.
"No." That was all I could manage the dizziness taking over this wasn't just the drink. I think I have been spiked.
A gun cocks and a familiar voice speaks.
"You touch him and you won't even live to regret it." Chris using his most threatening tone. I tried to look at him but I could only see his and one other outline along with the man.
"Behind you" I said weakly.
"It's okay Piers it's me Claire" she reassured me, I am glad to see them although not in such circumstances.
"I can't see anything" I said trying my hardest to keep calm.
"You don't need to see anything we have got this." I hear the sound of metal meeting flesh and bone them the sound of a man crumbling to the floor.
"Thank you." The drugs finally seem to be getting the better of me and then all fades to black.