Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with Resident Evil. I do however, own the story.

Corruption

Chapter Ten: Desperate Attempts

Carlos wrapped an arm under Barry, helping him up. Rebecca got under Barry's other arm, and they helped him through the doorway. Jill and Leon in turn, got Chris up. He protested, claiming he didn't need their help, but Jill glared at him until he gave in. Claire couldn't help due to her arm, so she walked in between Carlos, Barry, Rebecca and Chris, Jill, and Leon, mumbling about her arm.

"I hate this hallway." Chris grumbled.

Suddenly, a spray of water hit Jill, Chris, and Leon. They looked up, seeing a small sprinkler. Looking ahead, two more sprinklers came down from the ceiling, and continued down the hall.

"Shit." Chris muttered, breaking loose from Jill and Leon. He grimaced, and held his side, as he limped toward the door they'd just exited. A metallic gate, like the one at the stairs, was in the place of the split door. He grabbed the sniper off of Carlos' back, and aimed down the hall. The magnified vision didn't surprise him. The door was sealed, just like the others. "Fuck!" He hissed.

"What is it?" Jill asked.

"We're trapped. The asshole has everything sealed off. Meaning, if we don't get out of here, or stop those sprinklers…we drown." Chris looked up at the flow of water in his face.

"How do we stop the sprinklers?" Claire asked, looking at the water puddles at her feet.

"Break them?" Barry suggested.

"No, that would cause a heavier flow." Leon replied.

"We could shoot our way out." Carlos removed his gun.

"If you have any ounce of intelligence, you will not do that." Barry said, grabbing the gun.

"Why not? You're just pissed because you didn't think of it, and your Colt got destroyed." Carlos retorted.

"You dumbass, the bullet will ricochet." Barry replied. His eyes then grew wide. "My what got destroyed?"

Carlos backed up. "Your Colt." He whispered. "That's why you got knocked out, Wesker crushed it and smashed it over your head."

"That motherfucker." Barry growled.

"Hey! More important issues like drowning here!" Rebecca scolded.

Barry and Carlos scoffed.

Chris began running as fast as he could go in his condition. His vision was blurring, and he began to get dizzy, and the footsteps and splashes of the others were becoming deafening. He continued on, until he finally met the entrance to the hallway. He dropped down, feeling for any holes. He found that one spot wasn't wet. He pushed at it, and felt it budge. "Carlos, you don't have any injuries to your hands do you?" He shook his head. "Good, you see this spot?" Chris pointed. Carlos nodded again. "Slam your gun into it. Eventually it will pop out."

"What good will that do?" Carlos asked, taking the gun from Chris.

Chris kicked at the water. "It'll let some of this out."

"Yeah, but not much."

"It's better than none." Chris replied.

The water was rising to their shins now, and Carlos wasn't having much luck. The water kept getting in his eyes, affecting his aim. Not to mention the water was also causing everything to be slicker, also affecting his grip. When he slammed against the door, and jarred back, landing in the rising water, was his last straw.

"That's it señor." He said, rubbing his now sore back.

"Becky? You injured?" Chris asked.

"Not nearly as bad as you." She replied, walking up to the door. Her aim was a little bit better than Carlos' was, but she didn't do much more damage, other than the small circle budged slightly.

"Hey Jill, you still got that knife?" Leon asked.

"Leon what are we going to do with a knife?" Claire turned, staring at him. She was a little taken aback, at what she saw. He was bruised and his hair was in his crystal eyes, but he looked very sexy wet.

"Yeah I've got it." Jill turned to Leon, with a questioning look.

He smirked at Claire, and replied. "Maybe you can pry it out?"

"That's actually not a bad idea," Chris said. He glanced at Jill. "Still got my knife?"

"Yeah." She replied.

"Good. And Claire?"

"Yeah bro?"

"Catch your drool."

Her cheeks tinted slightly, but quickly she quipped, "Like Jill wasn't just drooling over you."

Chris and Jill both glared.

Jill wedged the knife into the small space, and pushed down. The blade bent dangerously, but eventually the circle popped out slightly. She was able to push it on through. "Victory is ours."

Chris chuckled. "Have I told you how much I loved you lately?"

She grinned. "Not in last half-hour."

"Well then, I love you." Chris replied.

"And I love you too, but you look like shit." She replied.

"He always looks like shit." Claire replied sarcastically. "Now, since that little thing is out, what do we do?"

"I haven't figured that out yet." Chris replied.

The water was steadily rising, and was now above their knees. Rebecca and Carlos were leaned against one wall, and Barry was leaned a few feet beside them holding his broken ankle above the water. His arm was stretched out for support and balance. Chris was propped against the metal gate, holding his ribs. Blood was streaking down the side of his face among the dirt and grime the others possessed. Jill was standing next to him, rubbing the bruise on her jaw. Leon and Claire were holding each other the best they could with their injuries.

Claire kicked in the water. "So what are we doing, waiting on it to get high enough to swim in?" She looked at the battered group. "Here's a game, we'll dive for bullets." She added, sarcasm in her voice.

Leon looked down at the water. "If we can even see to the bottom. Look at all this shit."

"That's it, you two are geniuses." Barry said suddenly.

Carlos, Rebecca, Jill, and Chris looked at him puzzled.

"Well, you know bickering eventually pays off." He replied.

"What are you talking about? We don't bicker." Carlos replied.

"Yes we do." Rebecca answered.

"No we don't-" Carlos stopped. "Okay, we do."

"Don't worry. Chris and Jill do it more than you."

"Do not!" They both argued.

"Okay, whatever I would like to know why we're geniuses?" Leon said, ignoring the comments.

"Why would they flood the hall?" Barry asked.

"Well…because they're insane." Jill retorted.

"No, now I know why this hall is so long. If you didn't want someone to look on the ceiling what would you do?" Barry said excitedly.

"Um…cover it?" Rebecca answered.

"Exactly. So if you didn't want someone to look on the ground you'd…."

"Cover it!" Carlos answered, diving into the water.

"Okay Bec and Carlos look down here. Chris and Jill, you look down there where the other door is. Claire, Leon, and me will meet in the middle." Barry ordered.

~ * * ~

Chris and Jill trudged through the water, and down the hallway. Jill let Chris lean on her for support. When they finally reached the end, Jill helped Chris lower himself down.

"You know it's gonna be hell getting back up right?" Chris said bitterly.

"How bad do they hurt?" She asked, feeling the floor for anything.

"Not as bad as it did when I though I'd lost you." He said softly.

She stared up in his eyes. "You're too sweet for your own good."

He grinned, "I'll take that as a compliment."

She slid closer to him, and met his lips. She knew he was holding back feelings, Chris may have broken down once, but he hadn't when Claire had, and Jill knew in the worst of times, Chris would still bottle emotions. She didn't want to badger him though, She knew it wouldn't get then anywhere soon and he'd eventually tell her when something was wrong. They pulled back reluctantly, focusing on the task at hand.

Leon and Claire were scampering around with their good hands, trying not to drown. Barry was trying not to laugh at their comical antics. They looked like fish out of water, but he wasn't going to say anything to further piss them off. He batted at the water, trying to make it some amount of clear. He prayed they could get out of there soon, his ankle was killing him, and had started to bleed from the pressure the bone was applying form trying to pierce the skin.

Carlos was feeling around when he found something soft. He looked up at Rebecca, and pulled his hand from her thigh. She giggled slightly, scraping her hand across the bottom. Carlos' hand met hers on something slick, something with a keyhole in it. They looked at each other and both shouted, "JILL!"

Everyone shot their heads toward the end of the hall, alarmed. Chris pulled up too quick, and gasped at the pain. Jill grabbed him, and began dragging him down the hall through the now waist deep water. Leon and Claire jumped up grabbing Barry, trying not to apply pressure to their hurt arms. Barry let his foot drag through the water, as he was hauled through the murky river. They met at the end of the hall, looking at the young couple expectantly.

"You got your lock pick set?" Carlos asked.

Jill let go of Chris, and felt around in her pocket. "Shit." She mumbled. "They must've fallen out when Wesker threw me to the ground."

"What about the knife?" Rebecca asked quickly.

"Yeah." She dropped down in the water quickly. "What am I looking for?"

"Follow my hand." Rebecca replied guiding Jill's hand through the water, to the small indention.

Jill felt the small hole, and drove the knife into it, fiddling with it the best she could without actually seeing the lock. "I can't get it without seeing, I'm gonna go under." She said frustrated. Jill dropped down into the dark water, blinking the sting out of her eyes. She finally found the lock, and twisted the knife around. Finally, the lock clicked, and Jill rose up quickly, unsure of what was about to happen. She sucked in the clean air, and wiped the muck from her eyes. They were stinging, and blurry. Finally the picture came into focus. The water was draining down into a hole Jill had opened.

"Thank God for that knife." Leon praised as the water rushed from their shoulders and down. "It's saved us what…three times?"

Chris nodded, but then became puzzled when his math didn't add up. "Wait, it got that hole in the door, and then just now."

"No, Jill stabbed that into Wesker twice, he got all…drunk." Leon replied.

"Wait why?" Chris asked, suddenly angered he hadn't seen what had happened.

"Leon gave Jill your knife, and she stabbed him in the throat, then she got him again. He started stumbling around, and slurring. Like Jill had injected him with something." Rebecca explained.

Chris shot Jill a 'Did you inject him with something?' look. She shrugged.

"Wait Chris, did you stab him with the knife when you and Leon were in that room?" Rebecca asked.

"Yeah, in the side. Why?" Chris replied, looking at the young girl

The medic's eyes lit up. "Do you think maybe the virus counteracts itself?"

"Huh?" Carlos said, confused.

"Wesker's blood has the virus in it. If his blood was on the knife when Jill stabbed him, the virus would have re-entered his blood stream." She saw the confused stares and continued. "It's possible that whatever Tyrant Virus Wesker is infected with, could have totally opposite effects when met with already infected blood."

"Okay, but wouldn't the blood be the same as before?" Barry looked down at the draining water.

"Not necessarily. The blood had dried, and it was also mixed with oxygen. Maybe the Virus remakes itself into a cure, or possibly another form of the Virus." Rebecca retorted.

"So you're saying that by stabbing him, I re-infected him?" Jill asked. "Well, if that's true, then we just stab him again."

"Well, the water washed all the blood off." Claire stated.

"But there would still be come residue." Rebecca replied. "Only problem is, I don't know what the Virus morphs into. It could be a cure, it could turn him into a zombie, or it could make him stronger."

"You had to say that?" Chris grumbled.

"Still, once we see what happens," Rebecca glared at Chris. "We'll know what to do."

"Guys!" Carlos shouted, pointing at the drained floor. "There's a ladder."

The group stared down at the dark hole.

"I don't like what has happened the last times I was in a sewer." Leon said, backing away.

"Me either." Chris answered.

"What if it leads to that one floor that's not on the map?" Claire said, staring down.

"Only one way to find out." Carlos answered, starting down the ladder.

"Um, Carlos, honey, isn't that where the water went?" Rebecca asked sweetly.

"If you see another way out of that damn hallway, tell me." Carlos called.

She took a look around, and headed toward Carlos. Jill and Leon helped Barry down the ladder, who proceeded to hop down, rung to rung. He was fairly used to it, and climbing down, was easier than climbing up with a broken ankle. Chris hobbled toward the hole, easing his way down, trying not to strain himself anymore than he already had. Claire and Leon followed, their arms hanging limply, and Jill came down behind.

~ * * ~

Upon climbing off the ladder, they noticed something was wrong. There was no water. It was dark, except for a beam of light somewhere down the stretch.

"Did we die? I'm seeing light at the end of the tunnel." Leon remarked.

"We could only be so lucky." Carlos replied, letting Barry lean on him for support.

They moved down the hall cautiously. They were low on weapons, and if this was actually the unmarked floor, they would need more than luck. Chris refused offers to help him, and continued down the hallway, at a faster rate than should have in his condition. Causing Jill and Claire to swear at him for being incompetent and stubborn.

"Chris-" Rebecca began to start in after she grew tired of the feuding between Jill, Claire, and Chris.

"Becky don't start."

"Chris legally I'm a doctor. I have the degree to be one. So you know what? I'm going to tell you to get your ass over there next to your girlfriend, and let her help you." Rebecca retorted, startling Chris. "Doctor's orders."

He scoffed and limped toward his waiting girlfriend with a sheepish smile on his face. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and she placed her arm around his waist, supporting him. They all headed toward the light, with complete silence. When they reached the light, they found it was pouring in from a window. Peering in, all they saw was an office almost like the S.T.A.R.S. Office that Rebecca, Barry, Jill, and Chris were so familiar with. Carlos twisted the handle, and stepped in. Something didn't feel right. It was so quiet, and it was hot, despite the fact they were soaked with freezing water.

After a quick exploration, they found nothing, except for an answer to their prayers. In reality, it was just two office chairs, with wheels. Barry welcomed the seat, but Chris protested.

"I do not trust any one of these people to push me around in this chair."

"Redfield, get your ass in that chair." Barry growled at him. "They're comfortable."

Chris slowly sank down into the cloth.

"You know you are so stubborn-"

"Yes I know." Chris cut in on Jill.

Jill promptly took control of the chair, to Chris' alarm.

"Let's see what's behind door number two." Leon said, in a faux announcer voice.

Carlos took hold of Barry's chair, and Rebecca jerked the door open, raising her Beretta.

"Oh shit."

There were many capsules, large ones like the ones Tyrants were stored in. At least thirty cages were opened, and there were two bloody corpses, that were brutally mutilated.

"Yep, I'd say this was the unmarked floor." Chris said, as Jill pushed him passed the cages and bodies.

"Let's just pray that whatever ate them, ain't in here anymore." Barry said, as Carlos wheeled him past the bodies also.

There was no sign of Wesker anywhere, and the team was beginning to worry there was no way out of the hell hole, other than death. Jill wheeled Chris passed a desk, and he stomped his feet on the ground. Causing Jill to almost fall forward. Ignoring the glare he was receiving, he pointed at the small sign on the wall.

In case of fire, please use stairs.

"Wow Chris, you're not illiterate." Claire remarked.

Chris scoffed, "Where did we see those signs at he R.P.D.?"

"Near the elevator. Holy shit!" Jill exclaimed.

"Well, so where is it?" Leon asked.

They scanned the room, and found their elevator. It was a lift really, one that wouldn't lift all seven of them.

"Okay, injured up first." Rebecca said.

They wheeled Chris and Barry on, and Claire and Leon scrunched into the corner. They pressed the arrow. The four disappeared, and a minute later, the lift came back down. Jill, Rebecca, and Carlos got on the lift, and pressed up. The lift didn't budge.

"What the fuck?" Carlos began pressing the button rapidly.

Click-click, click-click, click-click, click-click.

"Shit." Rebecca and Jill chorused as the green reptiles rounded the corner.

~ * * ~

"Something's wrong." Chris said, trying to get up from his chair, but failing.

"Nothing is wrong. You're just worried because Jill is down there and you're not." Claire replied.

"And if Leon was down there?" Chris retorted.

"But he's not so…" Claire said, standing closer to Leon.

"No, I think Chris is right. They should have been up here by now." Barry stared down where the lift should be, but all he could see was black.

"Jill's probably prying Carlos and Rebecca of each other, I swear those two-" Leon was interrupted by gunshots.

Chris stood up out of his chair, ignoring the blinding pain. He quickly estimated how far they'd gone up. It could only be twenty feet or so.

"Chris, don't." Barry scolded. "You wanna break your neck?"

He knew Barry was right. There was no way he could make it with his broken ribs. Chris leaned over, listening. He then heard the dreaded voice. "Wesker's down there!" He yelled.

"Fuck." Claire said, standing next to Chris.

Leon and Barry shared worried looks. If Chris jumped, Claire might follow.

Leon pressed the call button for the lift. It didn't come up. He ran out to the door, seeing nothing another hallway like the one they'd experienced before. Six doors lined each side. "Hallway full of doors."

Chris looked at Claire, then to Barry, and finally at Leon. "I can't lose them. We can't lose them."

"Chris you need to stop. You are going to get yourself killed playing heroics. Wesker's right." Barry growled at him.

"I am not going to let Becky die. She's the best damn medic we've got. Carlos is her world, and Jill is mine." He growled back.

"You can't go." Claire said, grabbing his arm.

"Chris, remember what we talked about earlier?" Leon added.

There was a loud crash, and yells from downstairs.

Chris turned, and gave one last look, before leaping off the edge.

~ * * ~

Author's Note: Uh-oh, will Chris live? Will Jill, Carlos, and Rebecca survive? Will Claire jump after him? Will- Okay, I'll stop now. I got a few reviews last chapter, not too disappointing…Anyway, like I said last chapter, I'm thinking about doing a sequel, I need your opinion so tell me in your review, or contact me on AIM (AOL Instant Messenger), my screen name is in my profile. Thanks for the reviews, and please review again…it motivates me.