The Two Of Us
I want to believe in the miracle that you and I met
Well, whatever it is, thank you
You say that it's lovely
That it's beautiful, because it's a miracle
-Futarigoto, RADWIMPS (translation)
It was already morning when Claire woke up, and still no Wesker there. Good, more chances of me being able to email Chris and the BSAA, she thought as she rinsed her mouth and face before fixing the covers. It had been a routine to her, whether Wesker was there or not. The choker was still clasped firm around her neck, though she had tried to yank it off the night before, but to no avail. She just left it there, even when she took a bath that day before going down to eat breakfast, it was there, like some parasite sucking away at God knows what.
It would be the same day that the BSAA was going to gamble again, for her safety, as Nikolai Ginovaev, former Umbrella soldier, landed in America, greeted by HUNK and the rest of the BSAA.
"Good to have you here, Nikolai." HUNK said as the Russian gave him a bearhug that took the air from his lungs. Nikolai had definitely aged, but he was still quite handsome, with his neat gray hair touching the back of his neck, sharp icy blue eyes that took in every detail of where he was, and his trademark chiseled face. Sure he was in his thirties, but it didn't seem like it. Jill was eyeing him carefully, which made him chuckle. "Well, good day to you to, Miss Valentine." the Russian greeted. "It has been too long. Tell me, what is it like to be Wesker's dog?" Chris wanted to go for the guy's jaw, and HUNK gave Nikolai an "I wouldn't do that if were you" stare that made him lower his head.
"Gee, Nikolai, good morning to you too. Never thought I 'd hear something like that from you." Jill said, condescendingly. "Okay, break it up, everyone." HUNK said. "We just requested Nikolai to be here, and Nikolai, everyone went out of their way to greet you. So let's stop bitching each other and grab some breakfast at the BSAA pantry. Heard they've got casserole." "Dibs!" Leon and Piers called out, eyeing each other with a competitive stare as they drove back to HQ.
Claire ordered some old fashioned pancakes and French toast, along with some orange juice as her breakfast. She didn't want to go all out like the other guests did. She was, after all, just the average redhead. As she ate her food, her thoughts began to drift onto what she would send Chris in her next email. Taking out her trusty diary, which had been her constant companion, she wrote her thoughts down for the day.
"November 17th,
I've managed to send emails to Chris and the BSAA twice yesterday. Heck, it seemed too easy. In fact, this had been all too easy. I'm beginning to think there's something amiss here. And I hope I'm just being paranoid about this.
And this choker… Okay, I know it's just a leather choker, but Wesker gave this to me… Somehow I should get this off, but it feels like it's latched onto my neck when he put it on…"
She closed the diary and kept it inside her small bag as she finished her breakfast and headed up to the internet café. She had no idea how long she was to stay there with Wesker, so she knew she had to make the most out of it.
-Pantry, BSAA HQ-
"Seriously, Nikolai? Vodka in the wee hours of the morning?" Leon said, surprised at the Russian mercenary gulping down a glass of vodka. "Comrade, in Soviet Russia, we have vodka for coffee." Nikolai answered, still drinking the heavy liquor. "Now, HUNK, I heard you have a sort of plan to rescue Claire Redfield?" "I was gonna get to that." HUNK answered after taking a bite out of the casserole. At least this is better than the shit they called food back at Rockfort Island, the mercenary thought.
"Yeah, about that. Claire's been in the La Vie Hotel for some two days now, which is an opportune moment for us to rescue her, but we have to make sure Wesker's not there." HUNK said. "And how are we going to do that?" Nikolai asked. "Someone has to play secretary for Wesker, really. Someone he would least expect." HUNK replied, and all eys fell onto Helena Harper. "What are you looking at?" the former Secret Service agent asked. "You want me to do it?!" "Well, Wesker doesn't know you, which is a plus." Chris said, taking in a mouthful of the overcooked sausage. "Well, scrap it, because I'm not doing it, and he most likely has a secretary." Helena said. "Any other bright ideas?"
"Well, we could split in teams. One team heads off to the hotel and gets Claire, and the other team can secure the hotel perimeter. Whoever's left can do surveillance." Jill said. "Good, comrade." Nikolai said. "Why has this not crossed any of your minds?" "Well, the fact we don't know Wesker's schedule made it a tad harder to go with that strategy." Piers answered. "But at least we could do that." "And it had better be now." Chris said. "It's still early, and most likely he'll be in TriCell."
Wrapping up their breakfast quickly, the BSAA operatives already divided themselves into teams. Jill would be with Piers and Nikolai, securing the hotel perimeter to ensure no interruptions got past. Helena and Leon would act as surveillance to alarm the team of Wesker's arrival. Based on the pictures that Piers had taken two days earlier at the party, Wesker was fond of driving his black Maserati, so the chances of him using the same car was ninety-nine percent. HUNK and Chris would be the one to rescue Claire. But the mission had to be seamless, and inconspicuous to the hotel guests. Chris smirked to himself as he imagined the look on Wesker's face as they rescue Claire.
Claire was at her usual spot in the internet café. Although she had only visited the modest establishment for two days, everyone there knew her. But she didn't want them knowing of the predicament she got herself into as she typed away her next email, heart beating at the back of her throat.
"Chris, I know I'm probably nagging you right now, but please you have to help me…"
It was short and simple, and after sending it, she reached for the choker around her neck. Claire found the tight metal clasp that kept it in place. She knew Wesker was going to be enraged when he found out, but she couldn't care less. After almost five minutes of struggling with the piece of leather, she had finally undone the tight clasp. Rubbing the choker-shaped mark on her neck, Claire decided to get a drink from the restaurant.
Two hours.
Albert Wesker was going to be stuck in TriCell for two more hours. Just his luck that Excella was discharged that same day, and immediately decided to hold a board meeting. If I had only killed her, then perhaps I would have not stayed longer than my usual sojourn holds here, Wesker thought as his jaw clenched at the email he received. However, I would always find my dearheart waiting. He checked on his phone to monitor Claire via the choker he put on her, and he saw nothing but black. What is the meaning of this, he thought. Had she…taken it off? Before he could punch a dent to the wall, a nervous-looking secretary went into his office. "Mr. Wesker, Miss Gionne and the board of directors…are already assembled in Conference Room Ten. Th-they are…e-expecting you…" Growling out his frustration, Wesker stood and composed himself before giving a curt nod to the secretary, who was literally running back to her desk as the blonde made his way to the conference room for another two hours' session of Excella's preaching.
The BSAA rescue team was all set. Although they had to get a last-minute approval from Director Stephens, who didn't want to approve it after the party fiasco, only sighed and nodded as they departed for the La Vie Hotel once more. It was set. Helena and Leon wou;d keep their eyes out if Wesker came. Jill, Piers, and Nikolai went undercover as hotel guests to ensure that their mission wasn't obvious, and both HUNK and Chris would go up and rescue Claire, going undercover as guests at the same time. Chris' heart was beating loudly and hard against his muscled chest as he and HUNK went to the hotel's reception area.
"Excuse me," HUNK said to the hotel receptionist. "I am Harold Dalloway from Social Services," He held up a fake Social Services badge that wa made by Piers (which looked really genuine) " and I am with Chris Redfield, brother of one Claire Redfield, who is in this hotel." "Yes, she is." the receptionist said, scanning through the hotel's logbook. "She is currently staying at room 4516. Please leave your badge and sign on this log sheet." She handed out a log book and a pen, and both HUNK and Chris signed before going up to the elevator.
"Harold Dalloway? Where'd you get that?" Chris asked as he and HUNK waited in the elevator. "That's my real name." HUNK answered. "I'm surprised you didn't know." "Well, all I knew then was that you liked wearing a gas mask and a helmet." Chris answered as the elevator's door opened. All they had to do now was to find the room.
Jill and Piers went into the hotel's restaurant, for Nikolai decided to stay in the lounge to keep an eye out of Wesker as well. The duo hoped to find Claire there, and they weren't let down. Piers was the first to spot Claire from one of the seats near the window. "Jill, there she is." he whispered. "I'll approach." "Copy that, Piers. I'll let Chris know." Jill said with a jubilant smile as the ATL approached Claire.
"Eagle Eye, this is Red Fox. Do you copy?" Chris said through his transceiver. A short buzz, then Leon's voice answered. "Red Fox, this is Eagle Eye. We copy. No sign of the Maserati." "Good, just keep an eye out." Chris said as he switched to talk to Nikolai. "White Wolf, this is Red Fox. What's your location?" "Red Fox, this is White Wolf." Nikolai answered. "I am in the lounge, observing for any signs of potential threat. Jill and Piers headed to the restaurant in hopes of finding the target. Over." "Roger that." the former STARS member said as he and HUNK finally found the room.
"Chris," HUNK said. "Claire isn't here!" "Shit!" Chris swore under his breath. Where could she be? Did they move out already? Before he could lose his cool, Jill's voice rang through HUNK's communicator. "HUNK, Piers and I found Claire. She's in the restaurant. You'd better get yourselves over here. Over and out." "Hey, Chris, they found Claire." HUNK said, a wide grin on his usually frowning face. "She's at the restaurant. Jill and Piers are with her." "Awesome!" Chris said. "Come on, we gotta get her out of here."
Excella's accented voice filled the conference room as they discussed TriCell's expansion plans. She was still bruised, and was in a wheelchair, but she did not want to stay any longer in the hospital. As the meeting progressed, she shot fearful glances at Albert Wesker, who was merely smirking back at her in annoyance. She was not afraid of what other men can do, except for the blonde Tyrant. "In three months' time," Excella continued, masking her agitation with the confident tone she always had. "TriCell will dominate the pharmaceutical business. As of today, we have but eighty-nine percent of the world buying from us, but with the developments our R&D has been making in the field of vaccinations, we will raise this number to either ninety-two or ninety-five in the next three months." "What shall be your action plan, Miss Gionne?" one of the board directors asked. "We can definitely give the floor to Albert Wesker for that." Excella answered, gesturign for Wesker to speak.
"Definitely, Miss Gionne's plans are attainable and not impossible." Wesker said. "The action plan to achieving is goal is merely doubling the efforts of the R&D. Funding is not a problem, sicne I can fund them myself, and of course, part of the action plan would be," He clenched his gloved hands into fists. "to eliminate all unnecessary inconveniences."
"Hey, miss, is this seat taken?"
Claire looked up at the man who tapped her lightly on the shoulder. It was Piers, and right behind him was Jill with a big smile on her face. "Piers!" Claire said, jumping up and giving the yougn ace a hug. "Hey, we weren't giving up that fast." he answered, returning the hug. Jill came over and embraced the ecstatic Claire. "We're here, Claire-bear. HUNK and Chris are on their way down as well." Speak of the devil, HUNK and Chris did come down to the restaurant, and the Redfield siblings embraced each other.
"Chris! I missed you so much!" Claire said. "All the things Wesker did… He… I…" She broke off into a sob, while Chris caressed her back softly. "it's okay, Claire. We'll talk about it once we get to HQ." Chris said as they led her out to the lobby, where Nikolai awaited them. For good measure, HUNK took the Social Services badge and the BSAA ID Chris left. They proceeded to the black sedan that was parked outside. Once in the vehicle, Chris radioed Leon and Helena.
"Eagle Eye, this is Red Fox. We have secured the target. Repeat, we have secured the target. Now let's head back to HQ." "Copy that." Leon answered from the other end as he revved the engine to life and drove off. Not long after, Chris and the rest of the BSAA, with Claire in tow, drove back to the BSAA HQ.
Finally, what seemed to be an eternity for Wesker had already ended as the meeting was adjourned. He spared no word with anyone, not even Excella, and got into his black Maserati to drive back to the hotel. This was the first that Albert Wesker was to be surprised. After some twenty minutes of driving and waiting in the God-awful traffic, he had reached the hotel. Expecting Claire in the room, he went up and opened the door, hoping to surprise his dearheart.
There was no sign of Claire.
He checked the botanical garden, the casino, the bar and restaurant, and the Internet café she would frequent. He only found the choker he gave her. Wesker's jaw clenched, his hands balled up into fists, and at the moment he got back to the room, he punched a hole into one of the walls.
His dearheart had escaped.
He couldn't believe it.
But he will get her back. His eyes were glowing with the colors of Hell as he decided to pack the rest of the things in the room and go back to the penthouse. From there, he'd plan his next move. He already assumed the only place she would be in: the BSAA Headquarters. To think that those inferior men would best him? Ha, never. He smirked arrogantly to himself. He never ran out of playing cards.
And he had one in particular that he would put down on the table.
Claire escaped! Woohoo! But it ain't over for Wesker yet! Man never ran out of cards to play... Well, please rate and review this chapter! It ain't over til it's over! Question: What do you think that 'playing card' is?