Another chapter! 2,200 words...a bit short, but the scene should be worth it. A final crack into Jill's stubborn resolve. The next chapter may be a songfic, so beware. I think I picked a perfect song for them thanks to a friend. So without further ado, here is the next chapter! Please review, let me know what you think. I need to sleep. =.= work tomorrow. And be lucky if I get 6 hours at this point. Later!
Chapter 29: Only in the World We Create Here
[ 7:00 PM]
The day had dragged. Insufficient reports still were coming in, with no news of any progress. It seemed they might have reached a stalemate. There was hope, as they were studying the adverse effects Uroboros had on subjects. The rate at which the virus infected was much too quick, and he wondered if putting them in cryogenic sleep would help as it did with Alexia Ashford. That would take much too long though and such effort that required more manpower than he had.
Wesker sat at the table, fingers drumming against the glass as he read over the reports. It was putting him in a foul mood. the papers were pushed away as he could guess what the rest would have entailed. All day he been in the labs, trying to better the virus' introduction to the human body. Still it proved fruitless. Jill's antibodies did make it last longer, and prevented the virus from instantly killing its victim like before...but it was not the adhesive he needed to make the virus stick and adapt. He needed stress relief...
Jill was in her room. No one had come for her. Wesker didn't visit, or come calling. She put on a pair of skinny blue jeans and white top. It wasn't exactly her taste but it somehow made her feel more...normal. No battlesuits. No hospital gowns. The perfectly common attire reminded her that there was another world up there, one she had been trying to defend. Clothing also reminded her of pleasures, for instance, going to the mall and clothes shopping, testing various perfumes, trying different candy, listening to music and tasting delicious, traditionally greasy McDonald's or Burger King. It made her nostalgic thinking of what a normal life used to be like, and angry at what Wesker took away from her.
As she was straightening her bed, she heard a beep at the door, a beep she had grown accustomed to. Wesker entered and she felt ice go up her spine. This man. Why did he like to torture her so much? Why was he such a sadist? At this point, was there any reason to fight back? Anytime she did, it only caused pain.
"Why are you here?" she asked angrily. Wesker only greeted her with a smile, walking slowly towards her. This made the woman nervous. The behavior he was displaying was exactly the same when he attacked her and pumped her with the P30. Jill backed away, keeping her eyes up front and on him at all times.
"Is that any way to greet someone who went out of their way, and busy schedule, to retrieve such luxuries for your comfort? It's quite rude," Wesker drawled as he continued to close the gap between them. With each step, her heartrate increased.
Wesker mulled over his thoughts. It was true he had a hard time before not caving into such desires that was base and instinctual. The fondness he felt for her was just as that, a simplistic fondness. It was fostered from the lack of abiding by those instincts, and using her to achieve other gains. Their history together may have played a role...as he looked back on it, he never really held her for blame for the mishaps in his plans; only Chris. It was only until this last incursion that he held her name solely responsible. And again...he did wish he knew a way of converting her to his idealistic plans. While Excella was intelligent...she lacked true survival skills and combat knowledge. Jill possessed it, and she didn't have a bad head on her shoulders either. It was only a plus he found her attractive, highlighted only by the attributes he secretly praised. It was confusing, and conflicting, feelings he harbored for her but always in the end, business prevailed above all else. It was only by luck that he found a way to utilize the attraction for a gain later on down the road.
" Yes, for someone who keeps drugging me and using my body against me, you sick fuck," she insulted. Wesker tsked at her word choice and tone of voice.
" I do not have it on me," he lied, fingers spread and showing he had no needle hidden in his hands. There were some in his inner coat pocket, but he only carried it in case it was an emergency and he wanted a fast way of subduing her. For now, he wanted to work with her as Jill. Jill's narrowed eyes were proof she still didn't trust him. the long coat was shrugged off and thrown on the back of the chair.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" she demanded.
Wesker grinned at her. There was so many avenues to take to pacify that question. A large portion would be all lies, considering he was a master at them. He had worked many lies over Excella, flattering her, playing to her vain ego to get her to comply to his plans, and ensure more power and wealth to her.
" I remember you made a confession to me in bed last night," he said, stopping only a foot away from her. Her back was rigid as she stood against the wall, alert and on the defensive. Jill thought about it and averted her eyes sharply, yet keeping him in her periphreal vision.
" That you used to respect me," he reminded. No answer came from Jill as he continued. " My confession is, I have always found you attractive...desirable. You think it is merely chance or luck that I would always knock you to the side while I went after Chris?"
Jill glanced to him a moment, and thought about it. She had found it odd, and had reflected on that a few times, but could draw no solid conclusion why, and had only theories. Was he going to provide a real reason behind that?
" I could never figure out an answer that made sense," she admitted. Wesker approached her at a slow pace, eying her in case she retaliated. To his surprise, her curiosity kept her rooted and stole her desire to try and rebel against him. Not many knew much about Wesker personally, even herself and Chris. The chance to understand his reasonings freely was highly tempting. The only issue was discerning if he was lying.
" I always found you desirable...attractive...and I wish there was a way to adapt you to this virus...to make you mine," he admitted. Wesker was careful to change the pitch of his voice to try and make himself believable. He lowered his head and cast his eyes to the floor, trying to show a bit of embarrassment, or embitterment. To lie, one had to make the body language match the words. Now he just had to wait for her to rise to the bait and take it.
"Wesker...I could never be. And you know that! After everything..." she said, shock evident in her tone. This was the time to take advantage, while her mind was clouted with confusion and scrambling to comprehend what he just confessed. He ripped the sunglasses from his face and cast them to the floor, stepping in and putting two hands on the wall, pinning her. He looked straight into her eyes, the irises glowing softly.
" Yes. Our history is rather...complicated. I can never expect you to understand why I labor so hard for this reform and enhancement of humanity. It still does not stop me from wishing you would though," he said, leaning in. It would seem he captured her attention and she was trying to grow accustomed to the closure. He leaned his head forward, nuzzling the side of her head. She was stunned, rendering her immobile as she was working to understand this. It was sudden and definitely out of character...for Jill, she could only see this as a ploy to divert her attention from something.
"Only in the world we create here...in this room, where my business doesn't matter, where your mission doesn't matter...can something as taboo as this sustain a chance, and be kept secret...if you had any admiration for me in the past or any desire, you ought to take advantage of my offer...and live them out. This chance may never come again for us in you refuse now, " he pressed.
Jill knew there was something devilish hidden behind this offer, to the effect of a Faustian deal. Still...he did smell good. Old, fond daydreams resurfaced and the fresher memories of his experience in bed made her yearn. He also was physically attractive, even at his age. Feeling his skin against hers made her shake, still unsure if she should rebel hard against this temptation, or give in. Giving in would grant her guilty pleasure...rebelling only promised pain and punishment. If only Chris was here to save her. God, where was he?
"I know you like it, Jill. You cannot lie about it...but I want you to consent on your own accord. No drugs. No force. Just your own words, your own acknowledgement," he informed. the low growl and accent of his voice at her ear was still harder to resist. Alone, behind closed doors, and away from the icons of Umbrella, bio-weapons, BSAA, terrorism...did she begin to see him as someone relatively...human. With needs, and desires, same and common as billions of others. Jill also knew he was not the sort to go boasting about the things that went on in these rooms. If that Excella ever got wind of it, it would decimate all his plans he been slaving away to achieve. If it was only their secret...and this was the only place where they could shed their morality, and enjoy baser pleasures, without judging one another...was it so bad? He was the only one who ever was company anymore...
" Wesker...I...I can't...if I do, it feels like I am...like I'm...losing a sense of myself...a major component of myself. It was to hunt you with Chris...to exact justice on you...if I don't..."
"You will always be Jill Valentine. What your missions are, your affiliations...that does not make you who you are," he smoothly said. His voice was like silk and she feared she would give in willingly. A slight blush had developed on her cheeks and she was clenching her teeth urging herself to not give in to the devil's temptation. No one else would know...but she would, and would forever feel ashamed of it.
"Stop denying what we both know..." he goaded. The weight of his temptation was pulling her down, forcing her to lose her grip on her resolve. Whaatever was making him want her so much had eluded her. Trembling fingers reached out and curled into his shirt sleeve, the fingers curling into a fist on the fabric.
"Wesker...I...I hate you...I know you've employed psychological warfare on me...and I can't find a way to avoid it..."
" Come with me," he murmured at her ear. Jill remembered the dreams she had of him, always saying that. Come with him. Were those dreams a premonition? Was she supposed to? Should she abide by the dreams? When he stepped in closer, her hair brushing against his chest, she sighed and gave in. Giving in was the only option...
[7:40 P.M]
"Hey doll! I finally got to work on perfecting the Las Plagas...here," Ricardo said, showing Excella the reports. The woman's carfully manicured hands flipped through the papers, noting the remarkable improvement. She knew Albert would be glad to hear about this; perhaps the only good news he had laid eyes on in a while. A smile came ot her glossed lips as sparkling eyes lifted to Ricardo.
"Very good! I am sure Albert will love to see this," she said with excitement. Ricardo sat down, feeling pretty good about himself. Not to mention, safe from Wesker's wrath.
"I will give him a call and set up a meeting for him to go over it," she said. She took the sleek phone out and pushed a few numbers. A dial tone rang over the line for a while before going to voicemail. Excella frowned. Normally Albert picked up without fail. She hung up, and tried again but only got the same result. Excella thought nothing of it. He could have been in the labs working directly on Uroboros himself. Wesker was a creature of habit, and very meticulous. If he felt someone was not doing an adequate job, he would step in to make sure it gets done.
"Albert! Ricardo has good news! Let's all have a meeting in the morning and discuss it in the meeting room. Ciao!" she hung up and sat back in the seat. Ricardo shrugged, seeing no reason to hang around.
"I will take my leave then! Get some rest, doll," he said and winked. He left Excella by herself. She tapped her polished nails on the table and thought best to take Ricardo's advice. Some rest would do her a world of good. Lately she hadn't been getting the sleep she needed due to the high demands this project had. Looking to her gaudy watch, she figured if she could get into bed by eight, she could get a decent nine hours in and be refreshed for the meeting tomorrow. Wesker was a punctual man, so she didn't have to worry he would call her back with a time to meet. She would never expect him to be anywhere else than the labs, and didn't even search for him as she grabbed her purse and left to go to her own quarters.
