-Return of the Ashfords-
It's not polite to stare. It's not polite to stare.
Eva had gone back to her expressionless and businesslike demeanor. She was standing next to Wesker and now that he knew they were father and daughter, the two really did seem identical. Both wore black clothing, betrayed no emotions, and spoke in the same knowledgeable and assured manner. The only real difference between the way they talked was Wesker's distinguished accent, and his habit of extending every word he said as if savoring it. He was speaking this way at the moment.
"I did not think I saw, I did see them," Wesker corrected his daughter, sounding a bit irritated.
He peered at Chris. "You remember the Ashfords, don't you? Ten years ago but still... Hard to forget such a loving family."
It was easy to detect the sarcastic tone in his voice with the last sentence. Chris grimaced, remembering them better than he would like. They were one of the families who founded Umbrella, and they were as crazy as the others.
"Impossible, since you claimed to have defeated her, hm?"
"I did kill her. I watched her blow up into a million pieces and that's beside the fact the entire place self-destructed moments later."
A thought struck him. "Wait, you said them."
"Yes, her brother was with her."
"What's going on?" he demanded. "I know Alfred Ashford is dead without a doubt! I saw his body and the amount of blood... There's no way you saw him."
"Fine, Chris. Maybe I saw a different pair of blue-eyed, blonde-haired twins wandering around."
The agent was ready to snap at Wesker, tired of the older man always implying he was an idiot or misguided. But he didn't get the chance to when Sheva interrupted. She didn't seem aware of the conversation ongoing as she strolled over, smiling.
"He was telling the truth!" Sheva shared. "There are even rounds for the magnum you're carrying, Chris."
There was some relief with knowing they would have defensive capabilities again, but it didn't sit right the help came from Wesker. He claimed he was dropping his plans for creating a new world because Eva asked him to stop. After getting this far. After all his chatter about saving the planet by destroying what presently existed to create a new world. It was impossible to believe.
It was a nice thought to think he could have the kind of man he thought Wesker once was back. The former captain was someone he idolized to an extent, who saw he was worth something and capable. He believed in giving him a purpose and improving his skills when the military discarded him like any other soldier. He used to look for guidance in Wesker. That was all gone now.
A question nagged at the edge of this thoughts, interrupting the reminiscing on more positive days. His peripheral vision hooked on Sheva, making him change tracks in his mind. She was here. But where did she go when she disappeared on them?
"Hey Sheva, where did you run off to before?"
Coming to stand in front of him, she handed over the ammunition. Several clips for his handgun and a dozen rounds for his magnum. He promptly secured these to his belt as he waited for her reply.
"What do you mean?" she asked while stooping down to pack some ammo in a backpack.
"Before, when we ran into you. In the courtyard."
Sheva stared blankly.
"You told us to follow you."
His voice rose as he tried to understand why she wasn't comprehending. The others were looking at Sheva as well.
"We saw you," Dr. Patel told her, confirming Chris's story. "And you ran on ahead but it led us here."
"What are you talking about?" Sheva asked. "I found you here when I heard fighting."
Chris was getting a sinking feeling in his stomach. The feeling he got when there was an unseen danger nearby. It was something he couldn't explain. He removed his eyes from Sheva, taking the time to scan the area. His eyes paused on Wesker's head. There was a red dot resting just above his ear and Chris formulated what it meant.
"Wesker, move!"
When he chose to turn his head speculatively at him instead, he sprang forward, shoving him out of the way. Startled by the sudden action, Wesker was unguarded enough to be knocked off his feet when Chris rammed his midsection. The two went sprawling to the floor right as a sharp sound echoed throughout the room.
The laser moved to Lucas's chest, rising to his forehead. It went unnoticed by the man himself, but Steven saw it and kicked his feet out from beneath him. His fall saved his life and the bullet hit the ground somewhere past him.
Immediate chaos ensued as everyone tried to figure out where the shots were coming from. Chris noted Eva dropped to one knee, scouring the room for possible sniper positions. Jones prioritized his daughter's safety and grabbed Claire's hand to lead her somewhere for cover.
The two ran for shelter behind boxes stacked to the left of the doors. Same boxes that had the ammo. Another shot rang out.
Nathan and Dr. Patel were there and Agent Anderson joined them. Anderson was clutching his left arm, hand covered in blood. Chris crossed the floor in a crawl, keeping low to hopefully not attract attention. He was nearing the only source of cover in the room that wouldn't put them closer to danger. Did somebody have eyes on the sniper?
"Barely got me," the FBI agent said in response to a few glances.
A bullet dug into the stone centimeters from his hand. Shit. He rolled onto his back, drawing his gun out. Tracking the trajectory, he watched a shot narrowly miss Wesker, who didn't use his speed to avoid it. It was apparent the overdose of his serum was affecting his abilities more with the passage of time.
Jones perched on the end of the crates. He was searching for the shooter, handgun ready to fire. Sheva stood with her back against the wall and gun out but stayed still to avoid attracting sniper fire. He and Wesker were standing out in the open, avoiding the red light as it tried tracking them. Eva remained in her crouched position and hadn't moved from the spot as she tried to determine the location of the sniper. Everyone else was at least behind crates, but it wasn't best.
The sniper seemed preoccupied with mainly trying to hit Wesker and him. He saw the moment Eva used this to her advantage following another close call. He had to dive to the ground to avoid that one.
Eva smiled. "Gotcha."
She took off running to the farther staircase. Jones must have located the source from her path or by his own means. Chris saw him aim and squeeze off a shot which did seem to miss its target. However, a surprised squeal emerged from the sniper, who jumped up and forward, exposing himself to those below.
A man dressed in an old fashioned red royalty outfit stood there, befuddled. His light hair was combed back and he had a sniper rifle in his hands.
"Hey you!" Eva yelled up to him.
She leaped over the final stairs, onto the railing. Showing skillful balance, she ran across the thin bar to reach where he stood. It was a close quarters fight now.
The sniper swung his rifle around to shoot at her but she got to him first. A booted foot smashed into his hands. The gun dropped from his grasp and she followed up with a thrust kick to his face. Releasing a whimper, he stumbled away from her and then ran for it.
Eva chased after him and Sheva pursued them, prompting Chris to run after them too. It was difficult to think on how he was running after a psycho, who by all rights should be dead. How many times did he have to stop his enemies before they didn't come back to haunt him?
He paused on the stairs when the others emerged from hiding unscathed except for one. He checked on Agent Anderson's injury. The man had made a makeshift tourniquet with a piece of his undershirt, stained through with blood.
"You alright?" he asked.
Anderson assured he was okay.
"He is the lesser Ashford," Wesker said. "Eva and your partner will have nothing to worry about."
Chris moved up the remaining stairs, calling back to the other, "Alfred's not the one I'm worried about. What if Alfred leads them to his sister. What do you calculate the odds are in a fight against Alexia?"
Wesker's features darkened and he quickly reached the stairs. The others followed his lead without hesitation.
Really? Did they forget he wouldn't have minded killing them all a few minutes ago? They didn't seem afraid of him. Cautious and on guard, maybe, but otherwise they almost seemed glad to be moving with him.
"He's strong but come on," he muttered, moving for the door again. "Stupid Wesker isn't better. He's crazy. I could beat him in a fight... I just need to blind him..."
"Troubled, Chris?"
Startled out of his personal rant when he thought he was walking alone, he ordered in a loud voice, "Just keep moving."
The resentment was obvious in his tone but he didn't care.
When they went through the doors at the top of the stairs, Chris knew where they were. It was ten years later, but he could never forget Ashford manor. The building had been designed to look similar to the Spencer mansion and it did appear a lot like the residence which used to be located near the Arklay Mountains.
"Does this mean we're in Antarctica?"
"Unlikely," Wesker answered. "Someone brought this place to us."
"How could anyone bring a building somewhere?" Nathan asked with a frown.
"They can't. It's not possible," Jones dictated firmly. "Places don't just spring into existence."
Wesker eyed the man. "Do you have an explanation for our current predicament?"
"No. But it's not plausible for a person to move entire locations, nor can a person spontaneously make a location appear."
"The past few years I have learned a lot of things are possible," Dr. Patel said to Jones. "I entertain the notion incredible things can happen in the world we live today."
"You people said you didn't know how you came to be in the mansion, right?" Chris asked them.
The parties involved more or less confirmed his statement by their general expressions of agreement and confusion.
"So it's possible whoever is making these places appear is the one who brought all of you to the mansion."
Lucas laughed with derision. "I suppose it's possible. But what's the point? Did we die and this is purgatory or hell? It would be good ol' Agent Redfield's hell then, wouldn't it? Nothing makes sense and it's hilarious."
"How could someone do that?" Dr. Patel questioned, pretending he didn't hear Lucas's opinion much like the rest of them were doing. "More importantly, perhaps, why?"
"Come back here, you big sissy!" Eva bellowed.
The group standing in the foyer of the manor turned as one to see where her voice came from.
The sniper in red, a terrible color for a sniper to wear, came through the double doors on their right. Alfred ran right by them and up the stairs. Eva and Sheva burst through the doors seconds later.
Sheva halted to stand beside Chris when she saw them. Eva headed for the steps. She abruptly stopped when Alfred stopped running once he reached the top of the staircase. He turned to face the group and sneered cockily down at Eva.
"Now you're going to pay for hitting me!" he declared.
Eva narrowed her eyes. "Oh yeah? Then stop running and come fight me."
"Ahahahahahahaha," came the cold laugh of a female. "Do not be so eager to die."
A woman came into view, blonde hair falling down her back which matched the hair color of her brother. She was dressed in a long purple dress, white gloves worn halfway up her arms. She had obvious beauty, marred by cold blue eyes. Looking down at them from the second floor railing, she smiled.
"Alexia!" Chris exclaimed.
He ran forward to stand by Eva and held his gun ready. She peered at him, fingers subconsciously stroking a red brooch she wore around her neck. Her icy gaze examined him for a moment before a wicked smile tugged up the corners of her lips.
"Ah, the other sibling. You and your sister destroyed my plans for this world. I will destroy you."
Following her promise, she motioned to Alfred, "Fetch the Redfield girl."
Alfred nodded and hurried off to do her bidding, disappearing behind a wooden door on the right.
Alarmed by her words, he shouted, "What are you talking about?"
He didn't have long to wait. Alfred returned, dragging a woman with him by the arm. The woman had reddish brown hair pulled back in a ponytail. She wore tight blue jeans, a long sleeve pink shirt, and a white jean jacket over her shirt. He couldn't see her face right then, but he didn't need to.
"Chris!" Claire yelled when she saw him, and attempted to run to him.
Alfred yanked her backward by the ponytail and she cried out in pain. He dragged her over to stand by Alexia, holding onto her arm and hair. Chris stared up at his sister in horror and fear.
"Claire! Don't you touch her!" he raged, glaring at the twins and itching to move on them.
"Taking hostages, Alexia? My, how you've lowered yourself. I thought the Ashford family prided itself on honor. Do you consider this honorable?" Wesker ridiculed as he came to stand with his daughter and him.
Alexia shifted her gaze to the man and she gave a sly smile. "You again... Peculiar to see you standing beside a Redfield. Perhaps it is you who have lost their way."
They stared at each other, each wearing their own manipulative smiles on their faces. He no longer visibly showed his current weakened condition from the extra dose of serum, however, he soon learned Alexia could detect it with her inhuman senses.
"Perhaps you are forced to side with such weak creatures because you yourself are too powerless. I told you before when you came for my virus, you are not worthy of its power," she shrewdly informed Wesker.
"Your research on the T-Veronica virus proved to be somewhat useless in practical application, so don't get too prideful, Alexia," he retorted.
She didn't care for his insult and she didn't care for his brisk tone. Alexia's eyes grew dark and she lowered her hand from her brooch. Her cold eyes stared daggers into the man.
"I came for the elder Redfield sibling, but perhaps I shall first remove you from this earth. Witness the power of the T-Veronica virus. I remember the last time you saw it, you fled. You will not escape this time."
With those words, Alexia began her descent down the staircase and Chris felt like it was total deja vu. The transformation was happening like it did ten years ago when he first saw it happen. As the woman descended the stairs, her body engulfed in bright flames.
Her clothes burned away, the clasp of her brooch breaking and falling onto the steps. But even as her pale white skin was exposed, it hardened and became stone. Her blonde hair blew behind her and froze as it turned to the same rocky texture as the rest of her body. Her blue eyes began to glow with a fiery power and they transformed to a yellow-gold color. Strange veins spread from her hair to her arm. Around her back they wrapped, her entire right arm and left hip and leg covered in them.
She resembled the very monster she was inside. He already dealt with this bitch in the past and it hadn't exactly been a picnic. Unfortunately, it didn't look like he had a choice in this. Alexia was nearing the bottom of the stairs. Although she was coming to kill Wesker, if she killed him, she would go after the rest of them. Alexia desired all of humanity to become her slaves.
Chris took his magnum out and pointed it at her. He fired three magnum rounds into her face. She appeared vaguely disgruntled by the powerful rounds and nothing more encouraging. It would serve to provide an opening.
"Claire! Run!"
His sister made her move, elbowing Alfred in the face. She tried for the stairs. Hearing Alfred cry out in pain, Alexia slowly turned her attention onto Claire. Well, he would have liked a longer opening.
"The rest of you get out of here!" Chris ordered and turned back to Alexia, who was advancing toward his sister.
He hesitated to shoot since his sister was so close and Wesker ran by in a blur. He smashed a fist against Alexia's face and the woman turned, waving an arm in his direction. Blood spurted from her wrist onto the floor, and the blood self-combusted into fire within seconds. Wesker flipped away to avoid the flames and Eva sprang into action.
The girl was acrobatic. She dove to avoid flames and jumped onto the railing, running up and then leaping off. She attacked Alexia with a twisting kick in mid-air. The girl wasn't even using a weapon as she fought the powerful woman. That was some training she got from her dad.
Chris wanted to take this time to retrieve his sister. He was forced to fling himself away from the stairs when fire erupted beneath his feet. He moved out of the spot fast and could feel the searing heat licking at his boots. Lifting his head after regaining his breath and stance, he saw his sister standing by the doorway waiting for him.
"Chris, come on!" she shouted.
He scrambled to his feet and yelled for everyone to retreat back the way they came. When they exited the manor doors, they stood in a stone courtyard different from the one in Spencer's mansion. This was the courtyard Chris remembered from his time in the Antarctic.
Wesker raced through the doors with Eva slung over his back. The teenager was kicking and hitting at him to get down. They were the last to retreat.
"Let go! I can beat her!" Eva shrieked. "Let me kick that bitch's ass!"
Wesker stopped running when he reached the others gathered near the large reflecting pool in the courtyard. He put the enraged girl on her feet. As soon as she was free, she ran for the manor doors. When she tried to open them, they didn't budge. Eva swore and kicked the door angrily. Somehow, they must have locked behind them.