Chapter 23
BSAA headquarters medical research center
Chris and Piers sat quietly as Rebecca worked nonstop collecting data on her computer. From sending emails to her friend down at the lab to exchange test results. Piers watch closely at the chemist's computer screen to try to make out any sense of the data she was working on, but mostly it was all gibberish to him.
"So, any word from your vet friend Rebecca?" Piers asked curiously to break the silence.
"Yes, I've actually got him active on this messenger skype. We've come to a conclusion that you have some sort of C virus mutation. However, we still don't have enough data to really understand were this pathogen came from to really know how to cure it." But don't worry the majority of your lab test revealed that your pretty healthy. It's your saliva sample that has us right now interested. We discovered it carried two specific compounds Hydrogen Peroxide and hydroquinone, and well let's just say. Your no ordinary canine Piers.
"Perhaps that would explain the effects of Piers's sudden Acids drool he used to attack that umbrella captain." Chris brought up at the thought of Piers's former behavior.
"Perhaps but that wouldn't explain why Piers lost control of himself while in that state of defense. All the more reason we do what we can to find a way to stabilize him before things take a bad turn."
Piers was about to respond but the sound of Chris's radio cracking broke off the conversation.
"Captain Redfield please respond over" the radio buzzes
"Just a moment I need to take this" Chris pardons himself from the two before replying.
"This is Chris what do you need Glen?"
"Please report to the security room asap."
"Is everything all right Glen?"
"If we can keep it that way. Now please get down here. I've already radioed Miss Valentine, she is already on her way. I'll explain more when you arrive." Just then the lights in the lab begin to flicker on and off.
"Glen, I'm on my way. Over and out."
"Chris what's happening? Did Glen mention why he needs to see you?" Piers asked anxiously walking along the lab counter. As he followed Chris towards the door.
"I'm sorry Piers he didn't say. But I think its best I go alone. You stay here with Rebecca."
"You don't' think he's onto us yet do you Chris?"
"As of right now Piers you're still a secret to Glen. But we still need to keep it on the down low."
"Chris is right Piers, besides I'm afraid to say this, but it looks like I'll need to take some more samples from you." Piers's tail just dropped like a brick sinking in a pond.
"Sorry vets orders, besides we just want to run these tests to see what temporarily vaccine we can use in order to hold you over until we have a full-on cure."
"I guess I understand, besides I did agree to help. Rebecca respected Piers decision to cooperate and began to make notes of test orders on her lap top.
"Very good, well I'm off to the security room." Chris says as he made his way to the lab door. But just as Chris turned the door knob and was just about to open the door. The sound of tiny claws came hurrying towards the door.
"Ah no, bad dog Piers, you stay here!" Chris yells slamming the door shut cutting off Piers's way of escape. Piers's response was nothing but grunt and a sniff of disappointment before finally shaking his senses back to normal.
"Chris, It, It's not my fault. I still don't have full control of myself. Maybe it's just per animal instincts saying I must go with you after all." Piers says with an innocent grin.
"Just stay and behave, I'll only be gone for a bit. Rebecca Feel free to throw Piers back in his cage if he misbehaves while I'm gone."
Without turning her gaze from the computer monitor Rebecca simply responded back by waving a thumbs up.
"Oh, come on you two, stop treating me like I'm a baby."
Chris left fast and slammed the door behind him before Piers even had the chance to argue.
"I hate to break it to you Piers, but your dog figure is estimated to be about 3 to 4 months old. Therefore, that makes you of puppy age."
"Rebecca, not you too." Piers whines, but only gets a laugh from the chemists.
Meanwhile down by the BSAA prison cells
Travis was taking guard outside of Ada Wong's prison cell. Fidgeting nervously, he glanced down at his watch to check to see how long Claire had been in the cell. Finding that it had already been longer then 10 minutes. He turned to knock on the cell door behind him
"Claire, Hey Claire Redfield, is everything alright in there, Claire?" there was no reply back. With a nervous tug in his stomach Travis unlocked the cell door to check and see if Claire was ok.
"Hey Claire, sorry to interrupt but, I think you've had enough time with…" Travis stopped speaking and reached for his gun immediately.
"Mind your step soldier we wouldn't want you to do something reckless." Ada say's while she holds Claire's body captive and holds a sharp knife up to Claire's throat. Tavis holds his violent advances back knowing full well that with one false move he would risk Claire's throat being slit at any moment.
"Now I'm going to let you off on a small little deal boy. You're going to let me go free and I'll give you your captain's precious sister back. It's that simple."
"Not a chance lady no deal. I'm going to take pleasure in taking you down." Travis raises his weapon again ready to shoot.
"You'd risk her life just to stop me from walking out that door alive, some hero. I wonder how your captain will react when he finds out that you played a hand in his sisters murder."
"Don't listen to her Travis she's only messing with your head." Claire gasps out with a mix of both fear and bravery plastered upon her face.
"Silence Redfield." Ada said as her grip around Claire's neck tightened.
"Ok ok, I see were this is going. Travis surrenders by placing his arms up and gently placing his weapon on the floor as a sign of peace."
"There's a good boy, now would you be so kind as to open that door behind you?"
"you'll have to hand over the Captain's sister first."
"mmm I don't know I'm beginning to like having her around she may prove useful in my daring escape out of this prison. What do you think Claire do you mind escorting me out of here?"
"Not a chance Bitch." Claire spat.
"What a shame and here I was thinking we'd be able to catch up on some quality girl time. Oh well I guess that changes things."
"What do you mean changes things? We had a deal!" Travis called out.
"Fine then, catch!" Ada throws Claire at Travis and with quick reflex Ada swiftly swings her leg and swings Travis's weapon towards herself to pick up and aim down at the two.
"I really didn't want it to come to this but I'm afraid our time together has ended." Ada moves her finger on the trigger ready to shoot but the lights begin to flicker and suddenly the room goes completely dark.
Chris strained his eye to try an see through the darkness. He turned on his flashlight on his utility vest and quickened his pace towards the security room. By the time he reached the sector Chris noticed that only some of the electricity had been fully turned off and thankfully the security room still had some power. Jill and Glen were already in the room waiting for him by the time he arrived.
"Chris, good glad you're here, I want you to take a look at this." Glen says waving Chris to come and view the security monitors.
"It doesn't look like this was some normal black out Chris. If you look closely, we think some of your Umbrella goons have decided to infiltrate our facility". Glen recaps as he reviews over the footage. See that, they cut through the fence took cover behind our military jeeps and then snuck on through."
"But that's impossible my team made sure we weren't followed unless maybe."
"Maybe what Captain?"
"It's just not too long ago my apartment had been broken into. I didn't want to make conclusions, but my sister had witness two suspicious men leave the complex."
"It's true Glen, Chris has been staying at my place since. I've inspected his apartment myself and it didn't look like anything had been stolen or damaged. It's more likely they were after Chris then any specific information. Let's just be grateful these guys are amateurs and don't do a good job covering up their tracks. I'm sure we can handle them" Jill said to help back up Chris's case. Of course, she was leaving out certain details. Like the fact that Piers was an escaped Umbrella experiment.
"In that case there's no doubt Chris. Those are your suspects. I want you and miss Valentine to go and remove these men from the premises. We don't want to cause any panic." The thought of the possibility of a panic couldn't help but make Chris realize the worst.
"Glen do you know what parts of the facility lost power."
"I'm afraid there are no specifics just that we have them scattered throughout headquarters."
"Alright thanks for your insight. Jill you're with me lets go. If we hurry we can cut them off at the research hall." Chris rushes as he leads Jill out.
"Good luck you two." Glen calls after them as they hurry done the hall way.
"So, what's the plan Chris?" Jill asks as she jogs to keep up with Chris pace.
"First things first I need to warn Rebecca of our unwanted guest. Maybe they can hide until we intercept these creeps." Chris says as he begins to start texting on his phone.
"Good idea, I'll go get August and we'll set up an ambush over by the hall as planned."
"Good, idea I'll try to take them from the back in case the try a retreat. If we can capture them maybe, we can figure out their true motives and put an end to this charade."
"sounds good to me, take care Chris."
"You to Jill. With the plan now in place the two split up and made their way down the halls.
Now Chris could only hope that both Rebecca and Piers were safe and that he wasn't too late to warn them.
(Authors note: Hello everyone I'm back with another chapter and look it didn't take me a full year to get another one out hurray. Of course, would have been nicer to come out sooner. But I've been distracted with other projects. For a moment I almost left the story alone. But after reading your comments I was happy to come back and return to this story. Thank you all for the support. I'll keep on pushing myself to write more. And hopefully there will be a ending to this story. I know some of you have asked about a possible sequel, and I haven't decided yet on if there will be one or not. Possibly maybe future short stories. But not as huge as this one is, but we'll see. Hope you all enjoy this long chapter though. And you have a great day :D )