IMPORTANT! Please read.
Here is where we start to see some of our favorite old RE pals again. =D Yay. Barry is featured in this chapter, however beforehand it's important to know that in my story, many of Chris/Jill's friends have also joined the B.S.A.A. I found it made the most sense- Carlos, Barry, Rebecca, Leon, and even Claire feel very strongly about wiping out the threat of bio-terrorism, especially after their experience with Umbrella. Since Jill and Chris didn't stop their fight there, I don't believe they did either. So in this story, they are involved in the same organization.
Here are some character updates:
1. Barry works for the B.S.A.A. as mission briefer/intel mainly for the special operation agents. When needed, he also functions as an Air Travel/Attack pilot and assists the lesser experienced.
2. Leon isn't technically a full, certified member of the B.S.A.A.- still working as a government agent, he more or less helps them out by providing tips, important information, and intel. He retains his work as an agent in his field, with missions of his own.
3. Rebecca is an experienced Doctor for the B.S.A.A. and is responsible for various examinations/testings, studies, research, development of medicinal technology, and of course, caring for patients.
4. Carlos works in Brazil for the most part, in the B.S.A.A.'s South American Branch. He is an active agent, taking part in various missions.
5. Claire, like Leon, isn't a full-fledged member. She still works for Terrasave, though her trust in her superiors is dwindling. She also provides intel when she can, and is an expert at infiltration. If needed, she will do anything to assist her brother and friends, though she generally tries to keep out of life-threatening situations if possible. However, she is certainly not afraid to get her hands dirty. =)
6. Ada is still up to her usual antics. She's not quite ready to join the 'good side.' She's involved with some mysterious companies that hope to follow in Umbrella's footsteps- though, without crumbling. The many samples Ada has provided them makes this a strong possibility. Though of course, she remains with a soft spot in her heart, mainly for Leon. She works as an agent and specializes in infiltration and gathering of samples/bio-weaponry technology. Her personal interests are generally unknown, but most likely include the seizure of power and should not be taken lightly.
Lastly, Steve, Sherry, and Albert Wesker may possibly make appearances. On to Chapter 10!
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"Chris…I need to go."
The severity of Jill's voice had been shocking- it made Chris exceedingly uneasy. He began to sweat as he sensed something wasn't right- the look of fear on Jill's face, the tone of her voice, demanding but nervous. This was Jill…terrified.
"Go where…?"
He had so many questions, and he was dying to hear her reasoning. His brow creased in worry as he grew angry at himself; helpless and confused as he struggled to understand the situation.
Jill inhaled, her eyes searching Chris's as she fought with herself- just tell him!
"Center of operations…I can't avoid them anymore. The B.S.A.A. is bound to be asking questions by now, and I…I need to get checked out."
Despite her intake of air, she sounded breathless, practically panting her words as her body tensed like a coiled spring, sensitive and ready to act at any given moment.
"Now…"
Her resolution was firm, yet her body began to tremble the more she thought of it.
She knew the procedure. She'd seen it all before. Infection spreading; contaminating- but never in a million years had she thought she'd become the one under siege.
If she was a said carrier of a dangerous viral strain, she couldn't guarantee her complete safety. But as always- to Jill, the safety of others undoubtedly came first.
At this point, all temptation for further detail had been quelled. Chris didn't need an explanation- when he heard Jill like this, his body acted automatically. He quickly pulled on a pair of jeans from the floor, her words giving him much reason to hurry.
"Okay…"
Distant and unsure at first, Chris could only respond quietly, acting on instinct. But his protective nature kicked in, filling him with courage and confidence as he realized the magnitude of what they could be dealing with.
"Roger…! "
Slipping on his boots, Chris offered a different pair to his partner. With no footwear whatsoever, Jill graciously put them on, her heart still pounding in her chest. Chris took a moment to grab his PDA- with its many functions, it could come in handy at any time. He never knew when he might need it.
Though this impromptu visit was so short notice, the time being 2:00 AM, Chris had no complaints. He had no reason to object- he too feared the outcome, but Jill's safety was his top priority. He couldn't let this go on any longer. Something was going down, and it was going down inside of his partner. For the most part, he was helpless to help.
Chris knew he'd even seen it himself- glancing now at Jill's chest, he only became more convinced. The proof was right before his eyes:
The wound was no longer there.
Not a trace of her external attachment was evident- completely healed without a scratch or scar left behind. Not even redness was present; it was as if she had never suffered the injury in the first place.
Chris only knew of one other person with this amazing ability- and that had been Albert Wesker.
The two rushed out to Chris's car as the night closed in on them, headed straight to Headquarters.
They were going to figure this out…
---
Rain fell from the skies as Chris gripped the steering wheel tighter, his mind swirling with his own fears. He thought of losing Jill for a second time- he just couldn't do that. And he wasn't going to take the chance. He'd make sure of it; despite punishment, despite any and all repercussion. His life couldn't handle that- not again.
Watching as the rainfall grew stronger, Jill switched on the windshield wipers, staring blankly as they swept back and forth… They would be there soon.
Anxiety getting the best of him, Chris picked up the pace, stepping harder on the gas. When they reached security, he flashed his B.S.A.A. identification as he had done a thousand times before- both with and without Jill.
Cringing, Chris sped through the open gates.
Jill's throat tightened as they came to a stop, and the car's life faded away. The blurry structure of HQ was just ahead. She knew that soon, she'd be past those doors, surrounded by people that wanted to help her. Help her…she tried to remember that. These were her people. They were Americans just like her, not the violent, infected civilians of a foreign land. Not evil masterminds who turn brilliant women to whores; who squash the pride of businessmen, reducing them to nothing more than an obedient pet…a little lackey. Just like she had been.
No. This was clearing Wesker's influence from the face of the Earth; insuring the safety of its people.
Under the mask of the night rain, Jill ran for Headquarters, Chris not far behind. This was the first step- just the first of many, many more to come. But it was progress- the hardest part is making that first step. Now Jill was on her way to recovery; the precious gift of life not yet ready to leave her side.
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"You hold the answers deep within your own mind. Consciously, you've forgotten it. That's the way the human mind works. Whenever something is too unpleasant, too shameful for us to entertain, we reject it. We erase it from our memories. But the imprint is always there."
To Jill, the B.S.A.A. North American Branch's Center of Operations hadn't changed a bit. The moonlight reflected off of the granite floor's glossy finish, the lobby eerily quiet and dark. Jill listened as the rain pattered against the windows, calming her nerves while Chris stood protectively beside her. But the strange peace didn't last for long- her body spun around in a flash as she heard the faintest of footsteps. Tensed and raring to go, she was about to call out. But just as she opened her mouth, something else startled her.
Looking back at Chris, they listened as a faint beeping sound seemed to emanate from his back pocket. He pulled his PDA out hastily, answering the call he'd received.
"Chris…! Chris, you there?"
It was a voice that brought him much needed comfort in this high tension situation. Even Jill overhead the gruff, deep voice coming from the device. It was so loud; so recognizable…
It almost sounded like-
"Barry…? Barry, is that you…?!"
Before she knew it, her body was pressed tight against Chris's backside as she fought to get her old friend's attention. Peering over Chris's shoulder, she finally let her head rest on the bicep of his upper arm- making sure she was as close as possible to his wonder-machine.
"Barry…"
Her voice lowering to a whisper, Jill thought that perhaps she had the wrong person. But Chris smiled, knowing better- Barry was probably registering the fact that Jill was really alive.
"Jill!? Jill! My God!"
Though her sense of urgency was still brewing, Jill couldn't help but smile, her eyes welling with tears. She fought them back as she took a minute to dive into the crook of Chris's neck, his masculine smell providing a delicious distraction- much to her surprise. Embarrassingly enough, she found herself stuck inhaling his scent for much longer that she wanted to.
Smiling, it warmed Chris's heart to hear Barry and Jill finally reconnecting again. But he also found that he quite enjoyed the sudden turn of events a little too much…Jill was so close to him.
"Whoa, Jill. Easy there…! Did I miss something…?"
He chuckled, realizing with little concern that he was becoming scatterbrained. It was so easy to joke; to pretend he'd been shocked at her action- half of that was true, but at the moment, he couldn't ask for more. Her lips brushing against his skin had sent shivers down his spine, her pleasant, steamy breath sending his blood rushing all over the place. Flesh against flesh created a friction that brought sweat from their pores, moistening the skin of their necks.
Lifting her head, Jill was glad to have effectively prevented making an emotional scene- especially with Chris and Barry to bear witness. Feeling somewhat awkward, she patted Chris on the back, awarding him for his assistance. She wasn't about to apologize for doing something she had to.
Chris rolled his eyes, delighting the woman when he handed her the phone. She grasped it carefully, cradling it in both hands as she brought it too her face.
"Sorry about that, Barry."
Jill sniffed quietly, hearing a hearty laugh from Barry on the other line. She hadn't expected to get in touch with him so soon, and it truly thrilled her- but she couldn't help but wonder, what was he doing calling Chris at this time of night?
"It's so good to hear your voice… Man, I can't tell you how happy I am! When I heard you were alive, I thought Chris had lost it for sure!"
Chris heard this and grunted, but it only made Jill giggle.
"Yeah, I'm pretty surprised myself. Anyway Barry, I'm just wondering- why did you call?"
As always, Jill wasn't one to beat around the bush. She didn't want to sound rude, but Barry's sudden call almost seemed suspicious. However, Barry was probably just as bad a liar as he was years ago- she'd know if he were hiding something. But Jill bit her lip as everything became quiet, leaving Jill anxiously awaiting an answer as the mood slowly began to darken.
Had she done something wrong?
"Jill, where are you and Chris right now…?"
Her eyebrows pulled together slightly in her worry, uncertain of what Barry was getting at.
"We're at the B.S.A.A. Headquarters, why?"
"Jill- I need you to put me back on with Chris. Can you do that?"
Nodding firmly, Jill handed Chris his PDA, noting the look of deep concern within his eyes.
"Barry. What's going on?"
Jill wasn't short of biting her nails- as if she hadn't felt rushed already, there seemed to be bad news from Barry Burton in addition to her rapid-healing-dilemma.
"Chris, I just got a call from Rebecca. Said she'd been called in to headquarters to examine a patient- the B.S.A.A. sent her a file that she detailed over the phone. I didn't believe it until I heard her voice- but now that I know Jill really is still alive; I realized that Rebecca was right."
Silence.
Chris's brow furrowed in confusion, unable to find the words to respond. Barry lowered his voice a considerable amount, coming as close to a whisper as the man could.
"Chris, the file that Rebecca received was of Jill. Now I don't know what the hell they did to her back in Africa, but the B.S.A.A. won't let it slide. If they find any abnormalities, either she agrees to be held or she'll be handled as a criminal on some bad charges. If she gets the all clear…she's free to go."
Chris's palms grew sweaty as he gripped the phone, ready to slip from his hands. His eyes were bloodshot, Jill watching him curiously as she waited for an update.
The Redfield listened for more, as if hoping to be told this was all a bad joke. But nothing came; and Barry's words began to sink in.
What…?
"Listen, I know this sounds crazy. But believe me, Rebecca's doing all she can to protect Jill. If Rebecca's her doctor, if she does find something, well- she's decided she won't report it. She doesn't want Jill kept in the labs. Neither do I.
But Chris- if something goes wrong, I'll warn you- the charges aren't pretty. Bio-terrorism with attempted international genocide, murder, distribution of bio-weaponry, working with the enemy, protection of illegal weapons dealers…all that good stuff. The list just goes on and on…"
Barry coughed as he waited patiently for Chris to reply; he needed to know that he'd been listening and understood- this was a risky operation.
"Affirmative…I should've known they wouldn't let us off that easy."
Chris let out a sigh, turning to his eager partner.
"Okay. Be careful you two. And try to relax…let's have a little faith in our Jill."
Chris shut his eyes almost painfully as the line went dead, his fingers moving to end the call.
"What was that all about?"
Jill tried to keep up as Chris walked swiftly to the elevator, mashing the down button with his fist.
"…Nothing."