AN: Okay sooo have had this for over a year now and finally in a show of good will towards all men (but not women because they are shit) You may enjoy this you unworthy peons.

S&C xxx

-

As promised, they were in a theatre. Claudia wasn't sure why, but the atmosphere alone made her entire body tense. The auditorium had that certain smell to it that all old buildings have, and for some reason it made her think of Daniel. All the wooden structures were made from mahogany, the various curtains and seat coverings red velour. The place was obviously worth a fortune, judging by the various carvings into the wooden structures. Winged demons doing battle with angels wielding swords stood out particularly, but the image was wrong. The demons were deformed, while the angels were smooth skinned and pleasantly attractive. But she knew better now.

The prince of darkness is always a gentleman…

The Shakespeare quote seemed frighteningly apt at this moment, in these surroundings. The curtain was down, and only the stage was lit, creating monstrous looking shadows which loomed from the darkness and seemed to be whispering to her forebodingly. Her eyes wandered nervously to the viewing balconies, and she felt sick as she wondered if he'd invited people to come and watch.

Or maybe she'd been set up. He was going to murder her for Shak to watch, or something equally grotesque. Her stomach churned. There was nothing out of the ordinary, no indication that something horrific was going to take place. She'd been half expecting blood up the walls and stacks of dead bodies, perhaps even a medieval torture chamber. But the normalcy of the auditorium was more chilling than any of these, and she was betting Wesker knew that was exactly how she'd feel.

There was no music, no noise, not even the creakings of an old building. And Wesker was lost in his own thoughts. She could only imagine what that meant, and decided to go with the safest option of keeping quiet until he was ready to speak. He was looking over the building with an almost loving air.

"An impressive structure," he said at last, "Don't you think?"

She looked about and nodded mutely, her eyes wide.

"A theatre should be a sensory indulgence," he continued, and so utterly unfathomable was his tone that for a moment Claudia actually dared to hope that he'd just come to show her the building.

"It's…very nice," she said at last, in a half whisper because the echoes scared her.

"It could almost be a building I commissioned myself, had I time for such egoistic pursuits," he mused.

"Can I go now?" she blurted out.

"Don't be so rude, Miss Graham. We've only just arrived." It was the serenity of his voice which frightened her the most. "While I do not normally approve of decadence, this place was a financially sound expenditure."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Patience is a virtue." He brushed her question aside nonchalantly and continued talking, fully aware that the effect of his continued, seemingly trivial discourse was having on Claudia's nervous state. He pointed to various wooden object d'art around the hall. "Every one was hand carved. They make for quite exquisite pieces, would you not agree? Perhaps you would care to join me on stage…" he motioned forward and she followed him dumbly, their footsteps echoing in time over the wooden boards.

"Although the view from the balconies is magnificent," he continued conversationally, "Standing here, one can appreciate how much the actors must have enjoyed performing in such beautiful surroundings. Would you find this acceptable as the last thing to see before you die?"

On his last word, slipped in so casually, she felt as though an icy hand had just closed about her throat. There was a delay of a few seconds before she choked in a combination of a gasp and a sob, and her eyes went as wide as saucers as she stared desperately out over the chilling beauty of the hall.

"So, Dr Graham, this formula…?"

She shook her head. "No," she said simply, "I won't betray Daniel."

"While I also regret Dr Lancaster Senior's passing, I see no reason why his virus should have to die with him."

"Because he never wanted you to learn about it."

"I suspect that he also did not want you to have relations with his murderer," Wesker pointed out frankly.

She felt a wave of nausea wash over her. "No! I didn't know!" she protested, "That wasn't my fault, I didn't know that he…" she trailed off.

"I wonder what he would have thought about your match with the one person he always tried to protect you from?" he shook his head, "His layabout, good for nothing son. He wanted to keep his precious daughter away from him. Did you not even find it mildly disconcerting that you were with Daniel almost every waking hour, yet you never once heard about Jonathon? Jonathon Lancaster, the dirty little family secret."

"If I'd known who…what he was…do you really think I would have…?" she clenched her fists.

"It doesn't really matter what I think, because it wouldn't have been me you disappointed."

Claudia took a step back and swallowed hard. He was right. Daniel would have been disgusted with her. "But I didn't know…" she said weakly.

"In time he would have forgiven you. Daniel was a very understanding man. As in time, he would have forgiven me. So perhaps, wrapped as he was in a blanket of paranoia, in his last few days, had he survived, any disputes would have been resolved."

And she wanted to believe him, so badly. That things could still be alright. But she didn't think they ever could be. "He would never have trusted you again after what you did." But her defiance was half hearted.

"Unless, of course, you had been allowed to return to him. And as you've seen, in light of recent developments, that was not the impossible scenario he believed it to be."

"You were really going to let me go back?" she asked incredulously, in spite of herself. She could feel a lump welling up in her throat.

"Time heals all wounds," he remarked prosaically, and she looked him in the eye for the first time since they had arrived at the theatre.

"I don't believe you. And even if I did, it wouldn't change anything. It doesn't change the fact that Daniel's last wish was that no one, especially not you, was to have it." She found herself wondering if she had got it all wrong, but shook the thought as soon as it entered her head.

"But not at the cost of you endangering yourself," he remarked with such an even tone that it took her a few moments to realise that she was being threatened.

"This formula is worth more than my life," she said, more to herself than to him.

"And those you care about? Those you care about who are left?" he enquired with gentle malice.

"Shak…" Claudia's eyes blazed, "You leave her out of this!"

"She's not far from here, you know." Wesker smiled. "I can hear her singing. Something about being a sugar coated doll…"

"Keep her away from here!" she hissed desperately. "Wesker, I mean it, she doesn't deserve this, none of it."

"The question is, Dr Graham…if she knew you were here, how could I possibly hope to keep her away?"

"She doesn't have to know I'm here!" Claudia's voice was rising to fever pitch.

He took a couple of steps towards her, looming in the half light. "But if she hears you scream, surely she will come…?"

"No!" Claudia started to stumble backwards, "Please no…" She turned on her heel and began to run, off the stage and out into the auditorium. He let her gain some distance before appearing before her in a flash of motion. She let out a muted squeal, trying desperately not to cry out and alert Shak, before tripping and running in the other direction. Wesker stood and listened to the faint strains of Shakahnna's voice, which only his enhanced hearing could pick up on, before rounding on his quarry once more. Claudia sobbed under her breath as she ran, but everywhere she escaped to, he appeared effortlessly, until she dropped to her hands and knees and scampered under one of the seats, where she remained, shaking.

Wesker simply lifted the chair up and grabbed her by the scruff of the neck. "We are both in possession of something the other requires. An exchange seems to be in order."

"But you don't actually have Shak," she blurted out.

"Miss Graham, I think you are more than aware that the effort that would take to become reality is minimal." He set Claudia down and continued in an altogether more genial tone, "Shakahnna was merely a way for me to alleviate my boredom while waiting for you to disclose the formula. The secrets that Minataur holds will keep me busy for decades to come. Once you hand it over, I will have no further use for either of you."

Even in her frightened state, she couldn't deny that it made perfect sense. Hand over the virus, and neither of them would ever have to hear from him again. He would have what he wanted, and Shak would be safe.

But Daniel…

Daniel's dead…but Shak isn't…yet.

I can't let him down. Not again. This whole mess is my fault.

Then make it right…

"You'd leave us alone…?" she asked, pleading with her eyes, "But there must be some other way…but you'd leave us alone?"

"What conceivable reason could I have to act otherwise?" he said, as though he was mildly hurt that she would doubt his word.

"And…" she hesitated for the longest time, "If I give it to you, you won't hurt her? You won't make her come here?"

"I won't make her come here," he repeated, reassuringly.

"Promise?" There were a hundred voices in her head all screaming out against what she was about to do.

But there's no other way.

"I give you my word."

And so, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she told him, keeping her eyes fixed miserably on her shoes the whole time, and fighting the urge to burst into tears.

"So…can I go now?" she asked wretchedly.

"Of course, doctor. You may take your leave whenever you wish," he replied.

She exhaled deeply and ran towards the exit before he could change his mind. It's over… she thought, as her hand closed around the doorknob and she let out a shaky sigh of relief. She was not proud of the bargain she had struck, but it was better than the alternative. At least Shak would be ok now. She opened the door and was about to step out when she felt a slight gust of air at her back.

Wesker's hand shot out and he grabbed a fistful of her hair, pulling her neck back. She struggled wildly for a moment before gasping out, "You promised!"

"And I have every intention of keeping my word," he told her. "Shakahnna would never answer my summons. She will, however, acknowledge yours."

"I won't! You can't make me bring her here!" Tears began to prick her eyes as she continued to flail, "You can't make me!"

"Were you not listening, Dr Graham?" he chided, "I had informed you earlier this evening that it would be you who forced her hand."

"You said you'd leave her out of this!" Claudia hissed through gritted teeth, her eyes wild. Under normal circumstances she would have been screaming loud enough to wake the dead, but she was now painfully aware that she couldn't alert the STARS Captain to her whereabouts.

"Are you perhaps in possession of some form of emergency suicide pill?" Wesker asked, a hint of a chuckle in his voice. It was vaguely amusing that Claudia thought she would be able to hold out for five seconds, let alone indefinitely. "Because if so, Miss Graham, now would be the time to make use of it." Despite Daniel's and Hunk's repeated attempts to inform him as though he believed to the contrary, Wesker was more than aware that she was just a child, barely able to understand what was going on.

Almost as if to confirm this, Claudia began to sniffle uncontrollably, her breath hitching in her chest.

I want to go home…

Where's home?

Don't know…but I want to go there.

"We'll do it in steps, Miss Graham, since you are new to these particular types of games," Wesker said in a jovial tone as he took one of her arms and forced it behind her back. "We'll start at stage one, which will be minor discomfort." He proceeded to demonstrate. "I should warn you that, should you reach stage ten, your arm will break."

Claudia's body tensed rigidly, and she squeezed her eyes closed, but remained sullenly silent.

"As you wish, doctor," he said nonchalantly, and twisted her arm a little further up her back. As Wesker continued to proceed leisurely, he paused at each interval to inform her at which stage they were at. He lifted her arm away from her body as he lifted it, to add an extra dimension of pain. By the time it reached stage five, it was unbearable.

She was trying to curl up into a ball while on her tiptoes, and at stage five the breath which she had been desperately holding came rushing out, along with a series of pleas. "Wesker…for God's sake…stop it…stop it please sir stop it!" Tears were spilling down her cheeks as the pain showed no signs of relenting.

"Well, since you asked so nicely, doctor…" He let go and her arm dangled uselessly by her side for a moment, as the blood came flooding back into it. She was about to run when he grabbed it and pulled it straight back up to its former position. Because it was sudden, it was a different sort of pain, but agony nonetheless. If anything, it was worse from having the circulation return to her arm for a brief period. "This will stop, Dr Graham, when you honour my demand," he reminded her.

She could no longer formulate any words as her breathing came in choked sobs, a last attempt not to cry out.

"Stage six," he announced, and moved her arm a fraction higher.

It was too much. The pain went blazing through her shoulder and for a moment she swore that her arm was already broken. And before she could stop herself she was screaming out hysterically, short sharp wails which tore themselves from her lungs violently.

"A valiant effort, doctor," he commented. Off in the distance he could hear sharp footfall which stopped whatever task it was doing and quickening in the direction of the theatre. Shakahnna was on her way. "Miss Graham, she may not understand that she is summoned here, if you do not address her personally," he said above Claudia's screams, twisting her wrist clockwise, putting further strain on the limb. By this point it was more for his own amusement than any real purpose, but the doctor obliged nevertheless by shrieking out Shakahnna's name, anything by that point to make him stop.

He gave her a rough push back into the auditorium, and closed the doors with a smirk on his face.

-

A loud scream caused the stars captains head to shoot upwards, temporarily loosing all contact with the trails on the ground. Her emerald eyes widened in horror. Big green circles that instantly recognized the scream and voice calling out unintelligible words. It could only be one person.

Claudia. Fucking hell! Claudia I be's coming. Just sit tight I am on my way. Like some dashingly handsome bulldozer.

The redhead broke into a sprint, quick as a panther, muscular calves pumping with an urgency that caused the pain in them to increase ten fold. Which just did not matter as her loud steps almost slammed to a stop in front of the structure she had mocked earlier. Wrenching the door handle, opening it up and allowing some natural light into the very dim room.

-

Wesker stood calmly in the centre of the amphitheatre, an imposing presence that seemed monstrously huge despite the cavernous size of the auditorium. He had affected a casual stance, his bulging arms crossed smugly over his barrel-like chest, but there was tenseness in his movements that betrayed his impatience.

Claudia was huddled in the corner, half hidden under a seat, with her head in her hands, sobbing quietly.

Her suffering went unheeded by the reptilian demon who waited for his redhead, a thrill of excitement at Shakahnna's impending agony rippling through his taut body.

Three...

He could hear her anxious footfall as it raced through the complex.

Two...

She was close. He could smell her hot blood, her trepidation and determination washing over him with one sweet breath of that sticky crimson.

One...

She was on the other side of the door now. Wesker smirked in anticipation.

And let the games begin...

With an almighty crash the door burst open, and there she stood, bruised and bloody but determined and ready to fight. Just how he liked her.

"Ah...Miss Taylor..." his Anglo-American resonance echoed through the high-ceilinged room as he revelled in the moment. "So good of you to join us at last..."

Her eyes trailed upwards, Wesker had always looked impressive but at this moment in time he commanded more respect than usual. The lights shone down on his beautiful physique, his form standing out despite the ornate carvings which covered the inside of the massive hall. The limited illumination caused strange light effects on his face. He could easily pass for Satan himself should the young woman have believed in such an entity.

Abso-fucking-lutely peachy.

Deep down she knew that no one else was causing her charge to scream out but the hope of finding her alive was suddenly less likely.

But fuck you, you gotta try.

"Hello lover... " The reply a confident swagger to try and compensate for all the negative emotions which currently washed over her body. She placed both hands behind her head in a motion of complete and utter cockiness. She betted she looked fucking hot right now, with her guns hanging from her waist and her Wesker Is My Bitch t shirt. Wesker arched an eyebrow.

"Do you like my shirt?" she asked widely, "The implication is that I own you. If you give me Claudia, I promise not to hurt you."

Wesker didn't know if he loved or hated her at that moment.

"Your little charge and I have been indulging in the most delightful games," he arched an eyebrow and cast a surreptitious glance to where Claudia was huddled in the shadows of the cavernous hall, his momentary diversion from Shakahnna more than enough to indicate the doctor's presence. "Haven't we, Doctor Graham?"

The young scientist squeezed her eyes closed in mute acceptance of her fate, even as Wesker's voice struck fresh terror through her. "Shakahnna...run..." she whispered.

"Didn't your mum ever tell you that you weren't supposed to hit a lady." Shak waved her finger in the universal "naughty naughty" gesture. She was, however, rather relieved at the fact that Claudia was alive, and the fact that she could still speak was reassuring. "Hey, Clauds, how you holding up back there?"

Wesker opened his mouth to speak, and she cut him off with a gesture of her hand. "Don't interrupt," she chided, "It's rude."

As you wish.

"Swell." Claudia found her voice, a little shaky, but Shak's bravado was catching. "King."

Waaay. Nobody's realised that I'm fucking shitting myself.

Deep down, Shak was terrified, but it was important that nobody saw that, and for the most part her inner monologue was informing her that she was, in fact, fantastic.

This was always how these things went. It was like some form of warped social graces. Shak would be cocky, he would allow her to be, and then she would get her head kicked in. So if she could usher Claudia out before the last part happened, then things might be ok.

In her hands was a .45 calibre Chicago Typewriter. It would eat him.

"Do you honestly believe that will have any effect?" The words came from his mouth, a mixture between scorn and something which came pretty close to scaring his prey.

"No I am brandishing it cause it's fun and guys dig chicks with guns," Shakahnna replied.

Get Claudia outta here and then blow the place.

The thought of resting finally and taking out a cancer like Wesker was enough to bring a manic grin to her face.

"I'm really pleased to see you girlie." Shak strode over to where Claudia was crouching, and Wesker allowed her because he knew what was to come. "I hope you didn't take any shit from this fudge eating bastard."

"Nah…" Claudia replied weakly, her arm still throbbing like all Hell, "I kicked his arse."

Wesker watched the two females with a haughty sneer on his face, letting the scene play out before him as an appetizer, a prelude of the mental anguish he was about to let loose.

"Shak...you came..." the words which should have been full of hope and gratitude held only a pitifully heartbroken echo as she got to her feet, wincing slightly.

The redhead helped her to her feet and pointed to the exit. "Proceed."

"False," Claudia replied. "You proceed. Proceed and fuck off because this is my mess and did I mention fuck off?"

Shak gave her a puzzled look, "Did you sleep with my boyfriend?" At this statement she wasn't sure who looked more horrified, Claudia or Wesker. She gave the girl a shove and said sternly, "I don't have time for this pish of yours. Go."

Claudia's eyes darted wildly from the wrathful Shakahnna to the impassive Wesker, her heart knocking against her chest, threatening to deafen her with it's clamouring. She wondered if he could hear it, if he could smell her fear, her overwhelming indecision at her predicament. She suspected that he could and the idea made her feel even more uncomfortable. Swallowing down her nausea, she looked back to the redhead with remorse. I'm sorry... was all she could think, but her mouth could not afford the luxury of forming those words as she broke out into a last-ditch, desperate dash for the exit.

A sensation of relief surged over Shakahnna as her charge complied. It would be so much easier to take down her former lover if she did not have to worry about Claudia's safety too. It was the last thing she wanted to do.

And then it all blew up in smoke, suddenly although her eyes had not moved, Wesker was gone from her line of view and her stomach lurched.

He pressed the shocked girl against the door, not bothering to do anything except keep her back against a wall. It was certainly something to feel a sense of disgust at, the fact that the doctor barely raised a finger to defend herself. It was a loathsome action which could only further fuel his sadism towards her. Taking one heavy step towards her he leaned down so as to cause her more distress, leaning in as though to share sweet nothings with her trembling form. His warm breath tickled the side of her neck, trailing upwards in a hot pant which was almost unbearable to both parties.

"If you try to leave Miss Graham, I will rip her throat out and paint your face in her blood." he gently whispered in her ear, his hands barely keeping her in place. There was simply no need to use force when having her obey through her own conscious will was infinitely more satisfying. "Then my dearest child, we shall see just how complete Daniel's life's work was. And who better to serve as a subject than you" he growled, shoving her forward into the door with one large fist. "Stay." came his command.

"I hate you," she hissed, trembling with a mixture of fear and anger. But she did not move. It was breathtaking, how little regard on his part it had taken to destroy every hope she had of happiness. Claudia wondered if he had even spared a thought about her after he had torn apart her only dream in life, and sent her to stagnate in OCRC instead. But she already knew the answer; of course he didn't. The scientist cursed herself, cursed her own weakness and inability to pull herself back from the inevitable carnage she would soon be victim of.

"Fuck you!"

Claudia could see the tiniest of smiles on his face as the redhead ran up behind him, as though he had just proved himself right on a matter of small importance. He knew that the redhead would react exactly in this manner.

"Don't you ignore me," she demanded, thrusting her claws into his ribcage exuberantly. "I know you want to play with me."

Wesker let out a very small, very controlled gasp, a brief flash of euphoria dancing through his snake-like pupils. With a disgusted sneer he tossed Claudia aside, letting her sprawl on the floor safe in the knowledge that his threats had ensured her continued presence, and turned his attentions to his former lover.

His sneer intensifying, the faintest hint of colour heightening his cheeks, he grabbed her wrist where the claws had entered, wishing that he was able to watch the expression in those green eyes of hers as he tightened his grip on her arm, forcing her claws deeper into his skin, exhaling deeply in satisfaction at the pain.

Shakahnna snapped her wrist in an abrupt motion, twisting the blades further into his flesh, mangling the muscle.

"Good start..." he murmured softly, his tone grotesquely tender as he bathed in the pleasurable torment of the blades piercing his vital organs, revelling sardonically in the virus that coursed through his veins, the substance which enabled him to take such masochism to bold new heights such as this without sustaining mortal damage. At last he pulled the claws out from his side and spun round gracefully to face the flaming haired girl with a teasing smirk playing about his cold lips.

"My turn..." he stated with a brutal simplicity as he effortlessly swung his arm, tightening the muscles to transform that casual arc into a violent burst of sadism. He stopped himself from giving her the full force of the blow at the last minute, as his knuckled impacted with her face. He wanted to start slowly and warm up.

Shakahnna gave him a surprised look. She'd braced herself for a locomotive, and had been hit by a moped.

He gave the redhead a mock bow as if to say "let the festivities commence". For all the world he might have been a gentleman introducing himself to a young debutant at a society ball. He was in a good mood. He had the formula, and now that business was taken care of, it was time to move on to pleasure.

He swung another punch at her, fluidly executed, but lacking in real power, and she caught it easily, twisting his wrist, and pushing against the heel of his hand until the backs of his fingers were touching his forearm in a sickening crack. It would heal within minutes, but for now that hand was out of action.

"You like that," she informed him authoritatively, and he nodded appraisingly.

As they exchanged blows, it struck Claudia that it looked more as though they were dancing than fighting. There seemed to be an intensity in their movements which was almost devoid of anger.

Wesker slipped behind her, wrapped his arms about her and sunk his sharp white teeth into her neck. Shakahnna responded with crossing her legs.

"Get a room," Claudia muttered under her breath. She felt utterly disgusted that Wesker had insisted she stay, only to watch him indulge in what she now knew to be his equivalent of foreplay. Unbeknownst to her, the words they were exchanging, which she couldn't quite hear, were far from trivial.

"Events do not need to transpire in this manner. I'm sure you remember how well we functioned together."

"Then you let go Claudia," she said insistently. "Quit Umbrella, come work with me and we'll murder your former colleagues." He was the only male who indulged her the way she wanted to be indulged. While it was perverse affection, their relationship could have been perfect. But in a stunning twist of irony, he had turned out to be working for the enemy. Life was a right bastard sometimes.

It was a tempting proposition, but Wesker was nothing if not stubborn. It would be his way, or it would be brutal murder. Even if it meant shooting himself in the foot along the way, he would never yield to compromise. It was important, he reflected, to stand true to one's values.

His arms still wrapped about her in a bear hug, she dropped her weight, bent her knees and grabbed one of his arms and brought him forward over her shoulder, knocking him utterly off-balance. As he fell to the floor, she straddled him. He brought his arm up towards her, and she yanked a knife from her pocket and slammed it through him palm, pinning his hand to the floor, crucifixion style. She pinned his other hand with her foot, still sitting atop him, and delivered a forceful blow to his abdomen. She locked eyes with him, gave him a mischievous smirk, and swiped her bladed glove across his throat, slicing his skin open and listening with satisfaction as he gurgled.

"Go on yourself, Shak!" Claudia whispered triumphantly to herself. "Nail the bastard."

The knife which was imbedded in Wesker's hand began to move upwards, as his flesh knitted together, pushing the blade out of his body. It clattered on the floor, and he picked it up in his newly healed hand and swiped at her stomach. It was a surface cut, but all it did was expose what looked as though it might be body armour. Wesker didn't pay it much attention. He stood up effortlessly, knocking her flat on her back, and then suddenly their positions were reversed, and he was on top with the knife still in his hand. He ran the point of the blade delicately down the unscarred side of her face, trailing a thin cut from her temple to her chin. Pressing his face close to hers, his tongue snaked out to lick the blood from the fresh wound, before pressing his lips onto her mouth, smearing her own blood in a twisted kiss. Grabbing her shoulders, he picked her clean off the ground, and she wrapped her legs around his waist and stuck her fingers into his throat wound.

He slammed her back against the wall and grabbed her underneath the chin, turning her face in the direction of Claudia, and forcing her to lock eyes with the scientist.

"Myself and young Dr Graham are more similar than you realise," he whispered into her ear.

Shak responded by kneeing him in the testicles. She thought her reply was very polite. Wesker's wedding tackle disagreed. On reflex, he slammed her harder into the wall and she let out a groan at the impact. She kicked his leg, before ramming her blades into his kneecap, and as he dropped, she grabbed the back of his head and smashed her own knee into his face.