Chapter 11 Recall
Catherine's POV
It felt like I ran at top speed right into a brick wall. All my memories crashed down on me like an avalanche. I was too stunned to do anything but just lay there and gawk at Carla as she sneered down at me.
" I gathered files on a little girl that was seen working for Wesker and TRICELL. People questioned that you were his daughter, but my suspicions led me to think you were a test subject from Rockfort Island or Sheena Island. He hoped you contained a sample of the T-virus. I followed that lead and found some files on the names of test subjects used on the island, and my hunch was correct when your file was brought up." She let go of my chin and snapped up to her full height. I tried doing the same, but my limbs were still numb and unresponsive.
"With all the mixtures of viruses in your system, the new enhanced strain of the C-virus overpowered your immune system. The other viruses are trying to fight it off, but use up so much of their energy that the cells begin to wither away and die." Her laughter was cut off by the crash of the emergency exit door, followed by a roaring male voice.
"Ada!" I shifted to the side to get a better look at who was behind me. Two forms stormed towards us, their guns raised and mouths pulled back in a snarl.
Their eyes flicked from Carla to me, their faces etched with concern and confusion. The pain in my legs spiked back up forcing me to bite back a gasp of surprise, I screwed my eyes shut and tried to breathe through it. My eyes snapped open as a reassuring hand clamped down on my shoulder.
"What did you do to her?" Piers's voice held a hint of venom under it. My eyes popped back open and rested on the spiky-haired snipper beside me. His eyes burned with hatred as they glared holes in Carla.
"Piers..." My words died on my lips. My throat was parched and hoarse from the pain, making it difficult to speak. Piers spared me a single glance before shooting to his feet.
"What did you do to her?" He repeated.
"Still haven't had enough, huh?" My eyes flicked to Carla as she rested a lazy hand on her hip.
"Don't make me ask you again, Ada!" He fixed her with his gun, but she remained as calm as ever. A smirk danced on her lips.
"Hm, the smaller they are, the louder the bark." She flung her head back in a fit of laughter. Piers took a threatening step closer to her, but Chris put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. She finally regained her composure and positioned her eyes on me.
"I must say, Catherine. I didn't think with the new C-virus in your system you'd last this long. Do you feel that pain? That's the pain of your cells breaking down and dying. Soon you'll be nothing more but a lump of unrecognizable flesh." I could feel Chris and Piers's gaze fixed on the back of my skull. I guess it's too late now. They know what's wrong with me, now I have to find a way out of this, but first I deal with Carla.
I managed to crawl to my feet, a sturdy hand grasped my arm to help. I cranked my head to the side and noticed it was Piers, his eyes flicked between pity and borderline anger and resentment. As soon as I steadied myself on my feet, he yanked his hand away like my skin burned him.
"Don't worry about me. I'll be taking you out with me, you bitch." I stumbled to the side but caught myself before I could fall over. She hummed in amusement and flicked her gaze back over to the redhead behind me.
"Even after losing all your men...again. You still keep coming back for more, Chris." His jaw clenched and teeth bared. "With your track record I gotta say, I'd hate to be a member of your team, Chris." She hissed out his name.
"Don't listen to her Captain." Piers jumped in. All three sets of eyes glaring at this monster in front of us, but Carla, wasn't done yet.
"But where are my manners?" She crossed one arm over her chest. "I mean, really, I should be thanking your men, and you too Catherine...for being such great test subjects." She waved her gun with the c-virus in front of her. Chris roared and shot off one single shot, disarming Carla. He took one breath to calm himself before he spoke. My vision starting to blur once again and I stumbled a step back, gripping onto Piers' sleeve for support.
"Ever since Edonia, all I ever wanted was to see you dead. But this isn't about vengeance, it's about justice. It's over Ada." Both men shifted their weight keeping their guns pointed at her, but Carla didn't seem fazed by their words or actions.
"You're right, it is." She narrowed her eyes. "The aircraft carrier is preparing to launch." All three of us looked at each other for clarification.
"Launch?" Chris asked in a questioning voice.
"And the dead will flood the streets." She spread her arms. "Déjà vu, boys—Raccoon city revisited." I felt Piers tense under my grip. "But this time it won't be just one city. It'll be the whole world." A flash of light came up behind her, blinding me momentarily.
The sound of chopper blade's cut through the air, kicking up dust in my face. I lifted my arm to block most of it just as a single shot fired off at Carla, striking her in the chest. The chopper pulled away as fast as it came, leaving us all in shock. I tore my eyes off of where the chopper left and back over to Carla. She clutched at her chest as blood poured out and swayed on her feet. She kept her eyes fixed on the receding chopper in the distance.
"You got me. Well played." Her voice was strained and raspy. "But no one can stop it...now." Her voice trailed off just as her boot connected with the ledge and she tumbled back, leaving me speechless. Chris and Piers dashed over to the ledge, I nearly stumbled back to the ground but regained my footing. The two gawked as the sound of her body connecting to the ground below reached our ears. I felt my eyelids starting to flutter and my vision blurring once more, but I held on.
"Damn it!" Piers reeled around his back to Chris. "What the hell just happened?!" His eyes locked on the briefcase she was carrying and knelt down beside it. "It looks like a new strain."
"Just take whats left, we'll take it to HQ for analysis—Hey!" I could barely hear him over the sound of my blood pumping in my ears. I couldn't hold on any longer and my legs buckled as I fell to the ground. I could just make out Chris's tense face as I drifted in and out of consciousness. Piers flung his head around and was by my side in an instant. The muscle in his jaw twitched, but I could see that it was out of concern and not anger.
"What happened?!" The rise in his voice made me shrink away.
Chris shot him a startled look before looking to me. He took two pensive steps towards us before changing his mind. I stifled a gasp as Piers clamped his hands on my shoulders, the motion sent a stabbing pain all the way down my arms. I could feel him vibrating with barely contained rage as his eyes burned holes in my forehead. I shook off his grip and began to slowly and shakily peel off my gloves. I heard Piers stifle a grunt of surprise at my side as he gaped at my hands. My whole hand was black from the dead skin. Sores and blisters oozed an almost blackish blood.
This got Chris's attention. He snapped his eyes to my hands and dove to my side, placing a gentle hand on my back for support, his eyes trained to my infected limb. I chanced a glance up at Piers, expecting an earful of bitching from him, but was stunned when the man just stared at my hand in deep concentration. He plucked up my hand in his and began to carefully examine it from every angle. His jaw tensed every now and then, and a line would form on his brow. His hand shook as he rolled my sleeve up higher, revealing the broken blood vessels and more open sores up my arm. Both men tensed at the sight and cursed under their breaths.
I felt my chest begin to tighten, my breath coming out in shallow puffs as I tried to calm myself. Chris shot to his feet and began to pace, while Piers dropped my arm and remained reserved. The silence was deafening, I would much rather them yell at me than this. My lip trembled, but I fought my tears down. I snapped my eyes back to Piers at the sound of his curt voice.
"How long have you been infected?" There was a sharp glint in his eyes. I forced myself not to shrink away.
"Piers, I can explain..."
"How long?!" Chris froze in place and cocked his eyes to Piers, his features etched with worry. I let out a tense breath.
No point in lying to them now...
"Since I got here...I infiltrated the mansion and rescued Jake and Sherry. She caught me off guard and shot me in the neck, I ran after her but lost track of her when I came to see you guys at the Ace of Spades." My eye caught his hands clutching at his sides, but his face remained impassive.
"Why didn't you tell me?" The hurt in his voice pulled at a cord in my chest, making me feel worse. I wasn't anticipating his voice to be that calm, it scared me more. "I asked you multiple times if something was wrong. Why didn't you say anything?" I hated how my voice wavered as I spoke.
"I...I didn't—I thought if I told you, you'd kill me...or worse." He grabbed my shoulders and hauled me towards him, his eyes burning with anger and resentment.
"I could have done something to help you!" Chris started towards him now, laying a hand on his arm.
"That's enough Piers—"
"No! We deserve to know what she was thinking when she put us all at risk with her selfish behaviour." The outburst from Piers surprised Chris and he jerked away, his eyes round with shock at being talked back to.
"And what would you have done, Piers?" My voice prompted him back. He stumbled over his words in thought. I nudged him away and slowly climbed back to my aching feet. "There's nothing you can do, and I didn't trust you guys enough with that information, so I kept it to myself." Piers was on his feet in an instant.
"Anything would have been better than nothing at all." His voice was strained, and I couldn't help but crack a smile at his stubbornness and determination to help anyone.
"Don't tell me you're not starting to care about what happens to this criminal? Those are dangerous notions." My rumble of laughter faltered when he clicked his tongue and jerked his eyes away.
"You may not be part of the B.S.A.A," Chris cut in. His eyes and voice remained level as he spoke. "But you fought alongside us and assisted us before. Your well being is now our responsibility." Piers nodded his head in silent agreement. I flicked my eyes from one man to the other in confusion before huffing out a long breath.
"Don't get your hopes up wonder boys. I'm still infected with a virus without a cure, and I'm running short on time." They clenched their teeth and thinned their lips. They knew I was right, but they were just to damn persistent and optimistic to give up. "Listen. We don't have time to worry about me right now. That missile will launch any time now!" My voice cracked at the end.
"She's right. We need to contact HQ. We'll discuss this matter later." Chris's hand flew to his earpiece while Piers fixed me with a fierce gaze. I cocked my head to the side in a questioning glare, but all he did was shake his head and turn back to his captain."This is Alpha leader! I need a report on the missing vessels, ASAP."
"The city has been compromised, we've lost all contact with all local assets. We need more time!"
"We don't have more time! The terrorist assault was just a diversion! The real attack will spread the virus globally!" The line went quiet.
"Now what." Piers's forehead creased in impatience.
"Let's check the rear hanger. There's gotta be some planes back there." Piers stayed behind next to me as Chris made his way to the elevator doors.
"Give me your arm." I gawked at him in confusion angering him more. "Give me your arm, so I can help you to the elevator." I straightened my spine and levelled my chin as best I could as the pain snapped through me.
"I don't require your help. I'm more than capable of—"
"Can you stop being stubborn for one moment and let me help you?" I narrowed my eyes over the sniper. After a moment I shrugged my shoulders and lifted my arm towards him. With a satisfied smirk, he draped my arm across his shoulders and grabbed my waist with his other hand and gathered me close against him. I tried to ignore how his body felt pressed next to mine.
"I'm only allowing you to help me because we don't have the time to argue." I cocked my eyebrows up at the man as a snort escaped him.
"How considerate of you." He dragged me along inside the elevator. His hand on my hip would have felt pleasant if it wasn't for the viruses eating away at it.
I shifted my weight onto him making him stiffen and suck in a quiet breath, making m smirk. I sensed his eyes on me as I grabbed his hand on my hip and moved it higher. The immediate relief from the pressure sent a sigh out of me. I glanced up at the flushed man.
"Your hand was rubbing against one of my sores on my hip." His hand on my waist felt stiff and uncomfortable.
"Oh, s-sorry." He cleared his throat.
Who would have thought that B.S.A.A's golden boy and best lieutenant, could get uncomfortable just for putting his hand on my waist?
"You look a little flushed. Am I too heavy?" Chris remained silent beside me, but I could feel his sideways gaze on us.
"Wh—No!" The pain was worth it after seeing Piers trying to remain in control. I let out a soft laugh, making him click his tongue.
The elevator doors dinged open, and it was all but too obvious to notice Piers's relief on his face. We quickly made our way to the rear hanger with minimal problems and spotting a plane. Piers's grip tightened around my waist as we made a run for it, careful not to go too fast in case I got dizzy and weak again. Sensing my discomfort and pain, he propped most of my weight on himself, giving me a moment's worth of comfort. We were all thinking the same thing when our eyes landed on the cockpit...three people, two seats. Someone was going to get left behind. I was about to volunteer—I'm sure there is another way off this carrier, or even Ada might still be here—
"I know what you're thinking and stop." Piers turned his face to mine, a stern scowl playing on his lips. I rolled my eyes at the stubborn idiot. "We aren't leaving you here. So get that idea out of your head."
"Piers they're only two—" His expression hardened.
"Then you can sit on my lap!" I raised an eyebrow at the man. His face slightly reddening as he realized how that sounded. "We can figure something out!"
"That's not going to work Piers. Listen, I can find another way off." He shook his head, his forehead creasing.
"No." My back stiffened as I glance up at him. He was done messing around.
"Piers's right." Chris strolled over to us, his eyes resting on my face. "We're not abandoning you here, so stop thinking about it." I snapped my mouth shut.
I was running out of time. I need a plan. If I go with them, I won't make it in time and everything will be for nothing.
I looked from one man to the other; my mind made up. "I'm not going with you two." Chris narrowed his eyes.
I didn't have to look at his face to know that he wasn't happy, the clenched hand around my waist and wrist told me everything I needed to know. I flicked my eyes up to Piers and fought back a flinch as my eyes landed on his barely contained rage. A vein had popped out on the side of his head and his jaw was set firm. He gave Chris a simple nod of his head. The older man gave a look of knowing and turned to make his way to the plane, leaving Piers and me alone. My eyes followed Chris as he hopped inside the plane and started up the engines, just as Piers's grip tightened once more, making me wince.
"Don't. Be. Ridiculous." He dragged me along as I tried to wiggle free. "You're coming with us, whether you like it or not!"
"Let go!" I thrashed about, but that only made his grip stronger. I dug my heels into the ground, but he kept going. "Piers, you're hurting me." I wasn't lying. It did hurt, but he either didn't hear me or didn't care.
Gunshots ricochet off the ground by our feet, making us split apart and snap around. J'avo poured out of the front of the hanger and the balcony's overhead, their guns fixed on us.
Great. Just what we needed.
"Shit!" Piers brought his gun up and started to fire at the incoming enemies. Picking them off one by one, but more rushed in to take their place.
"Piers! Catherine! Get in!" Chris shouted from inside the cockpit.
"Catherine, get on the plane. I'll hold them off!" He took out three more J'avo and started on the machine gunman up higher. I crinkled my nose and grabbed the handgun strapped inside its holster from Piers's thigh. His mouth brought back in a snarl as I started to open fire on the J'avo. I didn't bother trying to suppress the tug of a smile as it played on my lips.
"I know what you're thinking, and you better stop it. I'm not leaving you here." He snapped his eyes to me as I threw his words back at him. The lopsided smirk he flashed me made my heart fumble for a moment, startling me.
"Fine. Do what you want...all you ever do anyway." We had to find cover behind some cargo creates as bullets rained down around us."Captain! We could use your assistance!"
"I'm on it!" The plane started to roar to life. Steering it around, Chris wielded the machine guns on the plane to take out the enemies, but even with the extra guns, the J'avo kept pouring out. My breathing started to labour once again and my arms began to feel like lead. I waved off the feeling and pushed onward, raising my gun to an approaching J'avo and pulling the trigger, but nothing happened.
"Shit! I'm out of bullets." I tossed the gun down, about to prepare for a fist fight when a spotlight flooded the deck. Chopper blades cut through the air and bullets rapid firing down on the J'avo before it could reach me. I flung my head up to see who it was, but the spotlight cut off my view of whoever was inside. The unknown person swished the chopper up and around, mowing down more enemies that appeared.
"What's going on?! Who's that in the chopper?" Chris' voice boomed. No matter how I twisted my head, they remained out of my view.
"Well, whoever they are, we owe them thanks for helping."
The tail of the chopper came back around, knocking me into the back of it. I snapped my head up facing Piers. Fear crossed his face as he took off in a run towards me. "No!" He opened fire on the cockpit, but they zoomed out of the way, instead striking the side, causing the bullets to ricochet right off. Chris tried shooting down the chopper by hitting the blades, but the front end of the chopper swung forward, blinding him with the spotlight. Using the moment, it hurried off back towards the shore, leaving Piers and Chris stranded to fend off the J'avo on their own. I made my way to the front of the cockpit. Ada spared me a single glance and a scowl on her face.
"Ada! You have to turn back. They need our help."
"No. You're going back to the shore. I'll drop you off close to a team so they won't shoot at us thinking I'm Carla." I reached for my radio.
"Piers! Listen to me; I'm fine and I'm coming back—" Ada ripped my mask with my radio inside off my face. I tried grabbing it back but she held it out of reach. "Ada—"
"You're not going back! You're heading to the shore where medics will look after you."
"NO! They don't know what happened to me, they think I'm in danger. Please, take me back." I pleaded with her.
"They are highly trained B.S.A.A soldiers; they'll be fine, but you won't be!" Her voice firm, but I wasn't going to let her win this time. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at the older woman in front of me. She spared me a single glance but kept her eyes firmly in front of her.
"Ada." I made my voice as clip as I could. I wasn't going to run away and hide while those two were fighting to save China—No, the world! "What are the medics going to do?"
"We still have a chance. They're working on stuff right now. They could stabilize your condition." She was grasping at straws. I recognize the distress on her face and it tore at my heart. I remembered the blood sample in my belt pocket and fished it out. Ada shifted in her seat as she noticed my face. "What's wrong...What's that?" She flicked her eyes to the broken test tube of blood in my outstretched palm.
"Possibly my single hope for a cure..." The bottle...it broke. The thought of death loomed over my thoughts. There was no small chance anymore. It shattered like the sample in my palm. Ada's eyes glazed over as she watched me drop the sample to the floor.
"W-what?!" Something flashed overhead and towards the shore, cutting Ada off.
"What was that?" I had a bad feeling; it tore at my insides.
"It looked like some kind of...Missile." Piers's voice broke the stillness in the cockpit.
"It's heading for the city!" My head snapped to Ada. Her face was etched with concern and worry, no doubt what mine looked like.
"This is FOS, is anyone there?" An unknown woman's voice broke in.
FOS?
"Chris Redfield with the B.S.A.A. here."
"Hold on, I'm patching you through to agent Leon Kennedy." Her voice was urgent and stressed. Ada let out a short hmphs beside me, but I didn't have time to look into that look because Chris's voice barged through the speaker.
" Leon? Leon, where are you!?" A brief silence before another man's voice came on.
"Chris! We're just outside of Tatchi, why?"
"Get the hell out of there!"
Our eyes locked onto a bright light over the city. We looked on in muted horror as the object that past by us—a missile, exploded. Sending out an enormous cloud of some blue gas all across the city down below. The only sound in the chopper was the blades ripping through the air overhead. Chris's voice broke the silence.
"Leon! Leon, are you alright?" Ada's eyes shot to me, her jaw set and eyes narrowed to slits.
"Yeah...but our situation just got worse, a whole lot worse." He was silent for a moment his breathing slowly coming through the radio. "Chris, I need you to listen to me. I need you to rescue two hostages from an underwater oil field. Agent Sherry Birkin...and Jake Muller. He's Albert Wesker's son." I heard the shock in Chris's voice.
"Wesker—?"
"Chris, he's got antibodies for the C-virus." Ada's hands clutched at the wheel as she spared the broken vile at my feet a fleeting glance.
"Alright. I'm on it. Leon, wait. There's something I have to tell you." He hesitated before continuing. "Ada Wong is dead." The line went quiet. I spared Ada a single questioning glance, but her face remained impassive.
"Copy." Leon's voice grew quiet and distant as he answered: "Sherry and Jake need you, don't let them down." The line went dead.
Jake and Sherry were caught again? If...if I go to the oil rig and get them, I might still have a chance to make a cure!
"Ada. I have to go to that oil rig. If I get to Jake and Sherry I can get another blood sample and make a cure, even if it's not perfect just something to hold me off until I give it to the B.S.A.A. to perfect it." I thought she didn't hear me or was just ignoring me, but she finally heaved out a heavy sigh and threw my mask on my lap.
"Fine. But, I don't want you doing anything reckless. Just get the blood sample and leave." I snorted as I placed the mask back on.
"Me? Reckless? How absurd." She spared me a hostile glare which I returned with a roll of my eyes as I flicked on my radio. "Piers, Chris, you there?" There was hardly a moment after when Piers's strained voice cut in.
"You're alive! We were worried when you cut off the transmission and didn't answer. Where are you? Are you okay?"
Besides the virus eating away at my life and basically a whole city just got wiped out in front of me, I'd say I'm doing fine.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Listen! I need you to tell me where the oil rig is so I can get there."
"No! Get out of here, it's too dangerous for you—especially considering your state right now." He snapped over the radio.
"Piers, I don't have the time to argue about this. Jake's blood might be the only thing to save me. I need a sample of his blood to develop a cure. Even something to slow down the spreading of the virus long enough so a cure can be created." The line went secluded. I waited tensely for his answer. Finally, a long, tense breath came through.
"Fine. I'll send you our coordinates. We'll clear a path for you. Come find us when you get there." I relaxed my muscles.
"Thanks, Piers. I'll see you soon."
I began hacking their servers on my phone until I found the coordinates. We changed our direction and headed farther out to sea. The ride there was in tense silence, but it gave me time to consider things over. After a brief while, the rig came into view. Ada hovered over the platform next to a jet, probably Piers and Chris.
"Take my grappling gun and a handgun." She deposited the stuff into my hands and set her lips in a thin line before wrapping her arms around me. "And come back alive, sweetheart."
"Catherine." She glanced at me with confusion written on her face. "It's my name." Realization dawned on her face, a light smile touched her lips.
"Catherine?"
"I'll tell you about it when I get back." She gave me a slight nod of her head and a ghost of a smile before I jumped out of the helicopter and made a dash towards the elevator doors.
God, I better be right about this...