Disclaimer: Ioomoc

J.L.: I ran out of things to put in these A/N's up here last chapter. Just keep reading on.

Jill

Finally another mission came up, sparing Chris and I from another week of reruns, pizza and awkward moments made possible by Claire and Sherry's absences. More importantly, this meant Chris wouldn't be panicking every time raw meat entered the house. One of the most distinguished side effects of his infection was that of an increase in appetite. He was beginning to bulk up in muscles thanks to all the additional protein and exercise.

"You can stop staring." He gruffed as we changed in the locker room. I grinned at him, pinching his bicep.

"You know, I think if you keep growing these, you might get to a point where you won't be able to scratch your own back." I teased. He glared me down.

"Drop it. Let's get this mission done quickly and quietly." Chris growled.

"Relax. Excella's dead and we can handle Wesker." I reassured him. He tugged on his white tee, which was loose weeks ago but was now tight, and left.

"It's not his time of the month is it?" Carlos, our team mate for this mission, asked. I grabbed a baseball cap and slipped it on.

"I'd keep the werewolf comments to a low." I suggested.

"But you can make them?" Carlos questioned.

"I'm his keeper, so it's between us." I replied.

"Just between lovers then." Carlos remarked. I spun around and glared.

"What do you mean by that?" I interrogated.

"One of you put it in your report. The whole office knows, succubus or not." He explained. So much for confidential.

"Look, I'm his step-sister…or at least I was. That alone makes it really awkward without the whole sex demon part. I'd really appreciate it if that was never mentioned again." I advised, keeping my temper cool and calm. Carlos smirked.

"So you're free game then, available for a date?" He asked. I rolled my eyes and started for the door. I rolled my eyes and started for the door.

"Keep my backside covered, and we'll talk." I teased.

Chris

As we cruised up the Amazon, Carlos went over the specifics of the mission. On more than one occasion his eyes would drift over Jill's tank top and jean shorts. Something clawed from inside of me to rip his throat out, but Jill's watchful eye kept me under control much like the gun loaded with silver bullets that rested in her lap. In the very least, Jill was keeping her head in the game and I was beginning to respect her for that.

"Wait, you're saying they didn't mind this el chupacabra before?" Jill asked.

"No. It was only killing livestock and eating them before. Now, they're finding rotting corpses of livestock and people. Something is going on that's making the chupacabra aggressive." Carlos answered.

"There were reports of a cultist gathering near the area. Maybe the cultists are responsible." I said.

"It's possible. The chupacabra are territorial and the cultists could be invading their territories, but it doesn't explain why they aren't eating the bodies. They're hunters; they kill for food and almost never leave scraps behind." He replied. A huge bump rocked the boat, jilting Jill from her seat to the floor of the boat. Carlos looked over the side of the boat.

"Did you hit a log?" I asked as I pulled Jill back up.

"No…worse." He answered, his face paling white. Spiny fins, large ones, rose from the water.

"What is it?" Jill asked as the fins cut through the water like a hot knife through butter towards us. A mouth big enough to swallow the boat whole gaped open meters from the boat, and slight fear waved over me.

"There's a good chance piranhas are in these waters, but I highly suggest we jump ship." Carlos said.

"Agreed!" Jill quipped and dove off to the right. Carlos dove left and I dove right as the creature's jaws clamped down on the boat. I pushed myself to swim as fast as I could to shore, making it safely as did Jill. Carlos was on the other side of the river.

"We aren't far from the village. Just follow the river until you get to the docks. I'll meet you two over there." Carlos instructed. Jill checked her gun magazine, and I saw a black spot on her neck. I pulled my lighter out and burned the leech off her. She glared at me for a second.

"There was a leech on you." I explained, tossing the parasitic slug back into the river.

"What? That's not right." She said, confused.

"Why?" I asked.

"There's not a single factory around here…leeches thrive in polluted water." She explained.

"It was just one leech. How are the mags?" I asked.

"A little wet but not drenched. Given time to dry, the guns will be fine." She answered. We started our hike quietly for a while.

"What's your guess on what that thing in the river was?" I asked, just to break the silence.

"Nothing natural, that's for sure." She replied.

"A connection to the chupacabras?" I pursued. She shrugged, water dripping off her cap.

"Could be pollution causing the aggression…but that thing back there? I have a feeling that we're going to find something similar to what we've been running into. Sure, chupacabra are a bit far-fetched, but for us to be called into it when the locals were happy with them before? I wouldn't be surprised is that cult has summoned a demon. Maybe that thing in the river is it." She brainstormed.

"I can see what Claire likes about you." I complimented.

"Don't go soft on me. The office already knows about Excella." She muttered, her face hidden by a slight tilting of her cap. An awkward silence settled between us and would stay there for the reminder of the hike.

J.L.: Like real estate, writing is about development, development, development. Or some crap like that.