A/N: Alrighty we are heading into uncharted territory with this chapter because I am changing some things up. I hope you guys like it, either way any questions/comments on this are welcome. As a side note, this is the longest chapter in this fic and it holds some obvious hints at other plots in the mix, as well as some very well hidden ones.

Updated:02/10/17

Allure and Darkness

Chapter Ten: Tangled Webs

Casino 2:14 A.M.

"He never got the hint, what a drag." Jessica said as the duo walked away, and Parker only shook his head.

"Maybe he's already taken Jessica." The woman gave him the dark look at this, and the large man only shrugged as they walked away.

"Yeah, sure. Can we get started already?" She said looking to her old partner, then to the red head seated on the ground not far away. There was a distinct distrust in her gaze, as if the other woman was a piece of a puzzle that she couldn't quite place. But this look was soon masked, and Parker wasn't sure what to think of her anymore.

"Sure, we've been through hell before." The man said good naturedly. "Nothing new for us right?"

"Yeah, just like old times." The brunette said voice dull. "The good ole FBC."

Parker sent one last look in the direction of the red haired woman, and the man on the floor before joining his partner in walking up the stairs and out the door. The ship swayed heavily as they walked out of the casino and into the grand ballroom, weapons ready.

"So, what's the plan?" Jessica asked as the moved towards the stairway leading to the second floor.

"Get to the bridge, activate the bulwarks, and pray the ship stops sinking." The man said, pulling out his weapon. "Now that the power's back, we should be able to access the maintenance systems."

"Okay," Jessica said voice dropping into a purr. "We should split up then."

And this was for Parker a major red flag, as there really was no logical reason for the two of them to go in seperate directions; Raymond had warned the man to be careful around his ex-partner, but she had been his partner first. It was hard to believe that she might be a mole. He gave her a questioning look.

"There's something I need to check on first." She said, clearly dancing around trying to come up with an actual excuse. Parker almost felt disappointed, he thought he knew her- he thought she knew him. But if she thought this excuse would fly without inspection and not raise any red flags? She clearly didn't know him at all, but he would let her go- if only to set the trap he was about to spring.

"Okay, fine. I'll see you on the bridge." He said, unable to keep his disappointment out of his voice sadly. He watched the woman go, before turning to head towards the bridge.

Casino

The subtle twitch of his fingers told me I was correct in my assumptions, and I watched as the man who had been 'dead' sat up- in pain but alive. A man whom I promptly smacked.

"Augh! Priss what the hell?" he said clutching his chest and giving me a dirty look as I stood, putting my hands on my hips.

"Don't you 'what the hell' me!" I said, proceeding to help him to his feet. "YOU DIED! I thought you were dead, again!"

I was certain my voice was hitting previously undiscovered heights, and I couldn't bring myself to care- there was still painful clenching in my chest. The sick feeling of loss in my gut, and the haunting certainty that if I pinched myself I would wake up to find I'd passed out and this was just a dream.

"I had to, Jessica shot me- if I wasn't certain who l was the mole before I am now." he said voice rough as he looked at me. Now probably wasn't the ideal time to be having this little snit, but I didn't think I could do much to quell the pain I was feeling, or the way it was making me act.

"Well it's a damn good thing you were wearing a fucking bullet proof vest now wasn't it." I said sounding a bit more like my adoptive mother then intended. "IF she'd shot you in the head you wouldn't have been as lucky- no matter how hard it might be. That fall could have killed you too!"

"Calm down," he said with a voice of nonchalance, and I smacked him again. Making him finally snap "Could you not do that? I might be wearing a bulletproof vest, but getting shot still fucking hurts."

The next thing I did wasn't really planned, but I was never good with plans- or that was what I told myself when I found my fingers gripping the front of his shirt, pulling his face down to mine, soft lips meeting chapped ones. But the moment I thought to let go of him, his hands came to rest at the back of my neck and we were kissing properly- not the rushed pressing together of lips in the vain hope that we somehow might have still find the spark we'd had so long ago. His kiss was hard as one hand slid down my back to lock around my waist, the other burying itself into my red hair. And for a moment that seemed to last forever- it was all teasing lips, and repressed emotions.

Toes curling as his tongue joined in, and my knees seemed to waver beneath me- then I was reeling as we moved away from each other, breathing raggedly I watched from the corner of my eye as he stood straight, pulling a mask over his emotions. I let out a small sigh turning to face him again, and he looked at me expression neutral- it hurt but we had more important things to focus on. Part of me couldn't leave it at this however, so I decided it was as good a time as any to say what I was thinking.

"Losing you, was one of the hardest things I've ever had to deal with. I couldn't do that, not again." I said, swallowing in the face of a suddenly dry throat "So, what exactly should we be doing? I suspect that woman isn't just going to let us find whatever it is this ship is hiding and get away with it."

The sudden shift of subject seemed to catch him off guard at first, but he latched onto it as it was something that took us away from an uncomfortable subject.

"We follow Parker, Jessica will try to make her move when he least expects it." he said moving toward the door, and I followed him out into the empty grand ballroom- towards the Promenade, around the bodies of hunters that had obviously met the business end of Parker's shotgun- and the bodies of BOW's I'd never seen before. The only thing left of them were their lower halves, and I spared a grimace at the last one we came across in the hallways to the elevator. We stood in an silence as the elevator carried us up to the Bridge, stepping out into the hallway quietly- both of us were walking softly, him because he was trying to and me because I was trying not to step on glass.

Walking without boots on made my 90% quieter on all surfaces guaranteed- unless it was hot pavement, or glass and as we approached the bridge door he motioned for me to walk behind him, and my ear caught why.

"A spy had infiltrated the BSAA." Parker's voice drawled from the bridge, and Raymond put his hand to the door handle, turning it slowly and letting the door swing open quietly with as Parker's voice continued, "Morgan's mole. And it may be you. That's what Raymond told me."

"What are you talking about?" Jessica said, her voice not nearly as good at masking her unease as she thought it was. "We don't have time to-"

A gun went off, and I heard the bullet ping of metal as I slipped into the room behind Raymond, closing the door quietly behind me. The stairway hid our entrance from sight, but the gunshot had been Raymond and he gave me a small stay put motion as he moved up to join the man.

"Parker, we need to subdue that woman.

"Raymond.. how did you?" Parker said, and I moved to grab an item that I'd had hidden in my sling since our jaunt out to the foredeck. The slick silver barrel glinted in the dim light of the moon, and I checked the clip creeping up so I could see what was going on I ducked down as Jessica made to turn and look at the men. I may have been out of bullets for my own sidearm- but Hank's gun was something entirely different, and that was what I'd tripped over on the deck when we were running for our lives. Hank. Or what was left of him- that thought really wasn't helping, and I had to mentally slap myself and focus on the current events. Hank's Lady Hawke was heavy, heavier in my hand then I thought it would be and I had very few bullets to my name- but it would be enough, it would be enough if I had to pistol whip my way out of here.

"But you… you were." Jessica said quietly.

Raymond snorted before thumping himself on the chest, and despite his tough act I could tell he was still hurting. It was in the subtle pinch in his features, and the uneasy way he held the arm that wasn't aiming a gun.

"She's trying to activate the ship's self-destruct mechanism." He said giving her a hard look. "To destroy the evidence."

"What?" Parker said, his accent momentarily thickening as he spoke.

"Guys," Jessica began almost flirtatiously "This is getting out of hand, not funny! Come on, say something."

She was trying to appeal to her ex-partner, and I could see it there- the subtle way she turned to him as if she'd done this a million times before. Jessica might have- who knew if she was a spy for the FBC the entire time, it was likely that she'd played them all for fools. But Parker seemed to waiver- just a bit, I guess old habits died hard. I might have to step in, because this was looking like it might get nasty.

"Parker, it's me."

"I can't trust either of you completely." The man said finally, and I felt that if there was a table I would be flipping it right about now. You have got to be joking; okay I know that if I were in his shoes I would- after shuffling right of out of them because they were several sizes too big, probably be doubting Raymond too. He didn't know the Red head like I did, and the man had been leading them on- us I guess along the entire time. But there was definitely a glaring hole in this woman's story that was not adding up to the larger man. I mean, I could hear doubt in his voice aimed at both of them.

"Put your gun down Raymond."

"You're being too soft, don't be fooled Parker- she's using you." Raymond protested, and I was g decided to question where I was.

I saw her reaching for the controls- hand inching towards a rather large and obvious button, so I acted before anyone could see or stop me. The report of the gun was defining, and my arm ached but the resulting shriek was worth it, even as she pulled the her gun firing at me in retaliation. I'd hit her wandering hand, but her other hand went immediately to the gun she'd placed on the control panel. She fired off two shots at me, one skimming my cheek and the other- I wasn't certain as found myself knocked on my ass, heavyweight covering me.

"PARKER!" Raymond's voice said, and I looked down to realize the large man had been the one to knock me over a hand going to his chest and coming back stained red.

"Stupid bitch!" The brunette woman said, gun wavering as she was wracked with pain- I couldn't imagine the bones in her would ever set right after a shot like that. Raymond had no compunctions about shooting her however, and his gun was unwavering.

"Tell me Jessica- is your life really worth throwing away for a sleaze like Morgan?" He said, voice low and dangerous. He was backing her away from the control panel, and I moved to set Parker against something as the man threw dagger like looks of betrayal in her direction.

"I guess not," She said with a sneer in her voice. "Don't worry about dinner Parker. Now we're even."

"Jessica!" The dark haired man said, clearly in pain and not just because of the bullet wound. She dodged left running out the door even as Raymond fired a few shots at her, and I looked at his bullet wound- it was pretty bad.

"Raymond!" I called to the man, and he turned moving towards us. "I have stuff in my pack- but you need to look at this."

I pulled the zipper on my pack, hard enough to make it whine from the abuse, upending it and spilling things on the ground. Gauze and sterile pads for staunching wounds joined a pack of gum that I'd have forever on the ground, batteries for my radio a pack of playing cards- a bottle of aspirin.

"Go after her..." Parker gasped, shoving on my arm.

"But you-" Raymond said.

"Go!" Parker insisted and I put a hand up stopping the man.

"You stay, I'll go. You have medical training anyways." I said moving to run after the woman.

"Wait!" Raymond said, but I was already out the door following her loud footsteps. Really, who wears high heels to a place like this? I mean, not to knock her it did take skill to be able to stand upright let alone run in heels- but this was probably a poor choice on her part. I felt my own feet slap hard on the metal ground of the ship, through the corridor, around the lockers set back to back, down the L shaped corridor that I was now so familiar with. Into the room that sat above the library, I fired a shot at her in the showroom, missing but causing her to stumble- down into the dining room where was this woman even going?

She knocked over chairs and tables in her wake trying to slow me down, but I've been in Raccoon- I'd vaulted a few tables in my day. Through the double doors leading to the grand ballroom, back towards the Promenade- I knew where she was going. she was going to loop back around! She ran full tilt through the double doors, into the long straight corridor, her long legs meant she gained ground going around the walkway. But I caught up by jumping down from the balcony, through the open door up the long street like plaza. But she was exposed here, and I took the chance to fire at her- making her dodge and duck into the kitchen like building.

"Oh come on!" She shouted from her hiding place, "I didn't kill him, you should be grateful."

"Yeah, I guess you want me to just let you walk away right?" I spat back from my place near the planter- she took that chance to fire off a few rounds, missing but definitely hitting close to home.

"I found you~" Seemed to echo through the room, in a low feminine voice and I felt my eyebrow rise at this, I didn't recognize the voice- did Jessica have backup?

"Very funny," Jessica said, and I found my frown deepening. "Yes you found me, like you haven't been chasing me this entire time. Stop being a creep."

"I didn't say anything." I spat back at her.

"Oh yeah? Who said that then- santa?"

I took a chance to look around the edge of the planter, and blanched at the sound of creepy giggling that filled the air.

"Now who's being a creep." I shot back at the woman.

"That wasn't me." Jessica said, and I think it was about that moment when both of us realized that we weren't alone. A shriek from the kitchen caught me by surprise and I looked over the planter to see Jessica firing feverishly at a rapidly approaching BOW, I brought my gun up to help the woman I'd been shooting at only second early. And promptly found myself cursing as the gun clicked empty, I hadn't checked to see how many rounds were left in the gun before pulling it- something that I should have considered before chasing someone down in a BOW infested nightmare. I pulled a clip from my pouch with my bad hand, grimacing as my little finger seemed to go numb.

"Tasty MORSEL!" Echoed through the air as the BOW moved towards the woman at a rapid pace, slashing at her with one mangled limb. It was- or it looked like it might have been a rather buxom blond woman in a wetsuit- but now, well it definitely was not. The high heeled woman took the brunt of the blow stumbling, stepping back she put too much weight on the heel of her shoe- snapping it and the BOW took the chance to grab her while she was unbalanced the top of her head rearing back to reveal the long tube like mouth that these creatures used to eat. Biting down hard and fast on Jessica's exposed neck as I brought the gun up again and began to fire. The thing let out a shriek as my first shot clipped its shoulder, pulling back away from the woman violently as another shot hit and it dropped the brunette.

"It HURTS! IT HURTS!" The thing shrieked, and I fired again striking it in the face as it began to charge me, it swung its mangled appendage at me- knocking me tail over teakettle across the planter I'd been hiding behind. I kept hold of the gun however bringing it up as the thing grasped the front of my shirt, picking me up much like it had Jessica- but instead of coming down on my neck, like it did with Jessica. The soft tissue met the cold hard end of my gun, and I fired.

My ears range after this, and I felt the world seemingly dip and sway under me as the BOW literally dropped dead on top of me. I wasn't sure how long it took me to push the BOW far enough away for me to get up, or how long I stood trying to get the world to stop swaying, and the ringing in my ears to reside. But I do know that by the time I stumbled my way over to check on Jessica, she was very dead. Blood was everywhere, and my nose twitched as the tangy of fresh blood in the air- oh there was plenty of blood throughout the ship, not as much as anyone might expect, but the smell of fresh blood always got to me. I put a hand to my neck, pulling out a small bottle of essential oil that I used to clear smells out of my sensitive nose and took a snif.

My only verbal response was to swear really, I hadn't intended to kill her- logically speaking it was the right choice, but morally speaking it was the wrong one, and a small part of me had hoped to be able to talk her down. It seemed like such a waste, and I had wanted to bring Parker some good news tonight- but this definitely wasn't it. I turned to look towards the BOW, catching sight of something and felt my heart drop further- it looked like I wasn't going to be able to give either of the men a good news. The woman was unknown to me, but the canister on her back was printed with the FBC logo- if I was right this was Rachel.

"Raymond, Parker are you there?" I said looking down at the woman, or what had once been a woman.

"Priss? Did you stop Jessica- are you safe?" Came Raymond's voice.

"Yes, and mostly. Jessica is dead because she made poor life choices." I said simply.

"Damn it." Raymond said, and he sounded frustrated- although why was beyond me.

"Did she suffer?" Said a familiar breathless voice- Parkers and I took a moment to answer.

"No." He didn't really need to know the details now, I would tell him later.

"I should be glad you killed her, she was trying to kill all of us."

"But you aren't," I said, kneeling to close her eyes I felt responsible for this. "If it makes you feel any better, I was trying to take her alive."

"But you killed her."

"No, I didn't kill her.

"But she's dead." Parker's voice said skeptically. "You can see how I would be confused."

"I ran into Raymond's old partner." I said finally, getting to the point.

"Rachel's with you?"

"No." I said rubbing a temple. "What was left of her mauled Jessica, she nearly mauled me too but turns out they can not in fact eat bullets."

I felt callous saying it like that, but I was tired. Dead tired, how many ways could a person say they were weary to the point of giving up before it became true? I moved on towards the elevator, leaning against the wall as the vertigo I was suffering from refused to abate- shooting something so powerful that close to my ear was a bad idea, for a plethora of reasons. Paramount being that my ear was to close to a sudden overpowering noise- eardrums often burst from less, and they were actually a very important part of our sense of balance. The ear closest to the gunshot was still ringing, and I ended up rubbing it unconsciously as I listened to my radio with the other.

"Priss, have you been able to raise Chris or Jill?" Raymond said, breaking me out of my momentary contemplation.

"No, why?"

"We have a problem." He said and I frowned.

"I'm listening."

"The self destruct system that Jessica was trying activate is still active- the button was apparently just to accelerate the process. I can't turn it off, according to this we have a little less than twenty-five minutes to evacuate."

"And we can't get a hold of the others." I took a moment to asses the situation and decided on a course of action. "You should take Parker to the Foredeck and hail the BSAA for an evac."

"On it, I was just about to head up to the foredeck as we speak. You should rendezvous with us there."

"No, I'm going to head down to rendezvous Chris and Jill and warn them."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Raymond said, "If you get ambushed by a BOW-"

"I already have been; I've been on this ship for three days now. I can handle myself." I said reassuringly. There was a deep sigh from the other end of the radio before Raymond replied.

"Alright, there is a shortcut through the cage of the casino- but you'll need to find the key. I think-"

"I have keys Raymond." I said using my calmest and most rational voice "Just tell me where to go."

A few minutes later I turned ready to go stopping short as I realized that something was missing from the area, and I blanched as I realized what exactly 'it' was. Rachel was gone, and I noped out of the Promenade at a speed that made my feet hurt. Through the grand ballroom, into the casino and down the escalator- stopping as I heard a radio beep. I pressed the receive button, but got nothing but static. What? The noise occurred again, and I realized that it wasn't actually coming from this radio, I let out a deep sigh pulling a separate high powered radio that I carried- pretty much because I had no choice, flipping it on.

It only received and sent messages to one person, and he was not someone I wanted to deal with at the moment. But as with carrying the radio, I didn't have a choice- I mean of course he had something to do with this, when did that man ever keep his hands out of the virus cookie jar?

"Hello Miss Kenton, I need you to pick something up for me."

Laboratory 3:50 A.M.

"I knew O'brian and his dog Raymond were sniffing around my business." Lansdales voice said, echoing in the large chamber of the lab, reverberating in the ears of the BSAA agents as they viewed the man in question on the computer screen. "I didn't account for your involvement however. That was my only mistake."

"So it was you!" Jill said, anger building in her voice. "You attacked Terragrigia!"

"Jill! Look out!" Chris said, as the sound of something thumbed hitting the deck vibrated through the deck behind the woman. She spun gun raised, pulling the trigger as she confirmed that it was indeed a BOW. It dropped with a shot to the head, and she moved over to stand next to Chris as more BOW's began to drop into the room- seemingly from the vents in the ceiling.

"And it looks like my mistakes are about to be remedied. You stowaways aboard the Queen Zenobia, I hope you don't mind me watching you die."

Standing back to back the duo opened fire on the BOW's surrounding them, slowly and methodically taking them down one by one. One dropped to Jill's left, too close for her to comfortably shoot with her shotgun and she smacked it with the butt of her weapon, knocking it over the railing and into the slurry below, and without missing a beat something breached the water from below snapping the thing up in a vast worm like maw. Another BOW moved in- this one carrying the blade arms that she was all too familiar with, and she grabbed Chris as it struck out making them both duck low. Its blades caught another in the stomach, sending it flying and both let out an angry shriek as the Jill and Chris ran for one of the raised platforms in the room. Having higher ground made it easier to pick off the weaker enemies, and as the last of them fell the agents took a moment to breath.

"Virus neutralization complete." The voice of the computer said as if to mock them, and the pair jumped down moving back toward the vat in the center.

"Ahhhh." Came the sound of Lansdale's voice, clearly taken off guard by their success. "I should have expected as much from the duo that brought down Umbrella. However, your days of playing cops and robbers is now over. I do hope you understand the gravity of my making a personal appearance. Hn I have a great weakness. I am fearful of things, even little things. And must clean up every last imperfection. The BSAA, my dear Director O'brian- your whole organization. You cause nothing but trouble."

The screen changed, showing them an overview of a ship that was all too familiar.

"The Queen Zenobia." Jill said, voice disbelieving. For a moment nothing happened, and then it began, from the furthest end of the ship to the front explosions went off, one by one. The hull titled slipping below the waves, gradually sliding out of sight into the murky depths.

"Well, the proud Queen Semiramis; She chooses death rather than suffer indignity. As will the Queen Zenobia." He said, and it was at that moment the sound of something heavy hitting the deck drew the attention of the duo. "Oh my, you seem to have missed a spot."

A pair of the sword and shield wielding enemies were advancing on them from, and Jill gripped her shotgun.

"I'm out of explosives." She muttered to her partner, and the man nodded as they began to back towards the door. But even as Jill tried it, she realized that there was nothing she could do- it was locked, and they both lifted their guns as the BOW's began to charge towards them, and that was when the door opened to a very welcome sight.

"Priss!" Jill said dodging in through the door, Chris on her heels. The red haired woman slammed the door behind them before rushing to a computer that was set to the side of the morgue, hands tapped keys and the sound of the door locking again reached their ears before the sound of hammering came from the other side.

"Heya guys, happy to see me?" She said, moving towards the doorway to the lab, her wetsuit was soaked, and she looked like she'd just come from a tough swim.

"You have no idea." Chris said.

"Well you're about to hate me because we have to go!" She says as the hammering on the door seemed to increase.

"What and leave behind our gracious hosts?" Jill said sarcastically.

"Well there is that, but I was thinking that it would be a good idea to get the hell out of here before the ship blew up." The redhead said before muttering something under her breath,that sounded vaguely like. "It's in the morgue he says, you shouldn't have any trouble finding it he says."

"Priss?"

"It's nothing." She said finally waving it off with a sheepish look, they moved through the lab and out the door

"This is Hat Trick! Kirk here at your service." Came across their radios as the moved through the corridor. A low murmur of 'Of course the can get ahold of them now' was uttered by the redhead as she gave her own radio a dirty look, but the duo ignored her. "I'm on standby over the Zenobia, I have two with me already. Rendezvous on the Foredeck. There's not much time, so get moving. Repeat, this is Hat Trick. "

"On our way Hat Trick." Chris said through his radio as they bolted down the walkway on the outer rim of the lab. Through a door at the end that they hadn't had access to before, into another brightly lit hallway through the door at its end and down a flight of stairs towards a ladder shaft. The shaft was flooded, and the trio leaped in one by one, swimming down into the depths through collapsing flooded hallways as the ship finally announced its impending demise.

Up a set of stairs and down another hallway to an area that overlooked an area, the moved towards a hallway that led off to one end stopping short as it the ground shook, and the hallway was covered by flaming debris.

"Oh good, and now we're on fire." Priss muttered as they turned towards the lower area and jumped down into the thigh high water. Down this hallway, and around an engine component in time to watch it explode behind them, down another half flooded hallway as Chris pulled ahead leading the way. Reaching the far door, he waved them on. The ship rocked beneath the women, and they sloshed through the water towards the man- stumbling back as the ceiling collapsed in front of them.

"CHRIS!" Jill yelled, steadying Priss as they searched through the debris.

"I'm okay!" Came a much welcome voice, and the duo breathed sighs of relief. "I can't get back through, I'll find a way around and meet back up with you two okay?"

"Better double time that Chris," Priss said as the ship bucked.

"Roger that, see you on the other side." He said, and the sound of a door opening queued his leaving.

"Why does shit like this always happen?" Jill said turning to Priss, the red haired woman only answered with a shrug as they turned towards the only other door in the corridor, up a set of stairs, and down another into a flooded room that looked to be where the BOW's came to party as a number of them seemed to be floating listlessly in the water. A steam valve burst, blocking off the corridor forwards and the woman had to dodge some of the more lively BOW's to find the valve shut off button. Into the corridor beyond- to find a very welcome sight.

"Chris!" Jill said moving towards him giving him a half hug and a kiss on the cheek before moving on- there really wasn't time. Into a room that hosted several large boilers, and towards the door on the other side.

"Did anyone else noticed that, that room was both sinking and on fire? That's a nice look, remind me to talk to my interior decorator about this." Priss said as the moved along the next corridor.

"Your being worryingly nonchalant about this whole, 'ship blowing up thing'." Jill said as they moved of a set of stairs, breathless.

"Well," Priss said as they moved along a wire mesh catwalk, "You should be too, I mean I am almost always surprised when we go somewhere and people don't ask us to leave by putting on their own personal self destruct sequence."

"Not everybody is Umbrella." Chris added with his own breathless laugh, and the trio pushed through the door into what looked like a portion of the engine room. They came out on level above the main walkway, and the trio took turns jumping down. Turning off another steam valve as the moved along, up a ladder along a catwalk weaving around several large vents. Up another ladder into a service corridor, only to jump down onto the top of a damaged elevator. Up an exceedingly long ladder set into the side of the elevator shaft Priscilla cursing vehemently.

"FUCK LADDERS! Why are there so many ladders on this ship?"

"Just to spite you!" Jill said reaching the top, "Is it working?"

"You think your so funny." The redhead said coming to the top, "But looks aren't everything.

"Come on you two! Lets gun it." Chris said moving through the corridor and out onto the side deck of the ship.

"Kirk here!" Said a voice across their radios as a helicopter buzzed the side of the ship. "Are you guys good? I'll fly along to the foredeck, hurry!"

The ship bucked and tilted, and Jill grabbed Chris for balance dodging a loose container- Priss gripped the metal railing, and for a moment the trio waited assuming the ship would right itself, but it didn't take them long to realize that this was the way it was going to be. They pushed on, hiking up the deck dodging debris as it was torn loose. Jill and Chris had to waited for their comrade after the ship shook some particularly, as she was using the banister for balance- it was clear that the woman was flagging badly.

"Priss?" Chris said, and the woman looked at him.

"Sorry, it just hurts so much." She said pushing herself along- it was clear to the duo that her right arm was suffering from the nights abuses.

"We'll make it." Chris said, grabbing the back of her wetsuit and dragging her along. His voice was confident, and he refused to think of the alternative. He'd lost his friend once, he wouldn't do it again. "We're almost there."

The trio moved into the inner hallway, through a door and out onto the foredeck- there appeared to be a helicopter on the flight deck, but it wasn't the same one they were in contact with and there was a moment of confusion. The ship rocked with an explosion, and the BSAA agents stumbled back as Priss was thrown to the ground completely. The three watched as a massive twisted tentacle slammed down on the copter, crushing it as something an inexplicable reared out of the ocean to look down on them. It was a massive mockery of something that looked to once have been a whale, it had several of the large tentacle like appendages and it seemed to ooze a red virus laden liquid from its mouth.

"This is Hat Trick do you read- extraction in not possible at this time. I'll execute a holding pattern, and try to provide air support Hat Trick out."

"What the fickle de uck." Priss said pushing herself up, "Are those parasites?"

The tentacles did in fact appear to be massive worm like creatures with hissing mouths, and the trio found themselves scattering as one of said parasites struck out at them, face smashing into the deck. The sound of gunfire from above caught the attention of the trio on the ship, and one of the parasites quailed under the gunfire.

"This is Raymond," Said a familiar voice across the radio, "If we can beat back these things, we can drop a ladder."

"Roger that." Chris answered, and the trio unleash fire on the nearest parasite, it reeled back with a shriek- disappearing back into the body of its host, a second doing the same as fire from the helicopter drove it back. The thing reared back with a shriek, parasites retreating as someone somewhere used a rocket launcher and the helicopter came in low dropping a ladder to the trio. Jill scaled the ladder with a vengeance, Chris not far behind as Priss brought up the rear. A second screech echoed through the air as Jill made into the helicopter's open door, and one of the monsters parasites lashed out grabbing the bottom of the ladder pulling on it and sending the helicopter spinning dangerously. Chris gripped the edge of the deck as Jill pulled on him, and the man turned back to the third person on the ladder.

"Priss, grab my hand!" He said as the pilot fought for control of the aircraft, and the redhead hesitated for a second before reaching for the man. The sound of something snapping and giving way under pressure registering as the partners watched the ladder pull free from its moorings. And their friend drooped down still gripping the ladder with a look of terror, the ladder wrapping around the parasites head as the woman dangled like a pendulum from the end before slipping a short way to the deck- landing on her back, and for one long moment she didn't seemed to move.

"No!" Came the voice of the red haired man in the helicopter as Jill pulled Chris into the aircraft shaking. "PRISS!"

He all but shouted into his radio, emotion making his voice crack.

"Get up! You have to get up."

"Hat Trick, pull around!" Chris said, moving towards an item in one of the many nets- a rope used for repelling down onto the surface of an area, not ideal but better than nothing.

"I can't do that Chris, I would be putting us all in danger."

"We are not leaving her there!" Came Raymond's voice, a sentiment that Chris, Jill and Parker all echoed. But before Kirk had the chance to respond, a hail came across his radio.

"Hat Trick, this is Side Swipe. Come in Hat Trick."

"This is Hat Trick," The man answered as a sleek black military grade helicopter came into view- stopping to hover in place.

"Has the ship been evac'd?" Said a masculine voice.

"All but one- we can't get to the deck." Chris answered for the man.

"Roger that, if you can distract this giant son of a bitch we can fly in for the pick up."

"You bet your ass we can." Answered Chris, moving to pull out the big guns. "We can't let this thing roam free."

Chris moved to ready two massive chain guns grabbing on, Jill taking hold of the other as they began to pepper the thing with bullets. It reared back again, away from the deck allowing the other aircraft access to it and the pilot didn't hesitate to swoop in.

"Priss. Priss. Come on. Wakie wakie- eggs and bakey." Came a familiar male voice on my radio as I lay gasping for breath. I wasn't dead but I wasn't sure I could get back up after this, my arm was numb- and not the happy kind of numb the dull aching kind that said I might have popped it back out of the socket again. My lungs were struggling to get air, as the landing had knocked it out of me. But I tried as hard as I could to ignore this, to ignore the pain in my back and move. "Prissy I'm not fond of pressuring people- but I didn't fly my ass all the way up from Africa at your request to leave you on this thing. GET UP!"

The voice again- a male voice that I was familiar with, but my mind was having trouble connecting the dots. I pushed myself up roughly as the sound of something sliding open reached my ears. Turning I caught sight of a black helicopter hovering above deck, and an open inviting door, there was a woman standing at the edge in a black outfit complete with bulletproof vest and she seemed to be beckoning to me, sort cut dark hair fluttering in the breeze. I stumbled across the deck drunkenly reaching the aircraft, clawing at cold hard metal of the deck to pull myself in as the woman in question hefted me up before slamming the door close. The hard metal of the floor felt good on my cheek as I lay there panting, but I wasn't there for long as she hefted me onto a medical bench in the back and moved to secure me. My arm scream in pain at this, and I voiced this sentiment for once as the helicopter rouse into the air away from the deck of the ship.

"Package collected- feel free to shoot the shit out of this thing. I know I do!" Said the pilot, and the sound of gunfire filled the air.

A/N: Am I the only one who thinks 'Hat Trick' is the coolest call name? I mean come on, Vermillion isn't bad but Hat Trick is pretty damn cool.