Resident Evil
Silver Blood
By: Xenogears
Chapter three
In no way do I own the characters of Capcom's legacy, Resident Evil. These characters are used for no-profit purposes, only for entertainment.
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Leon and Vincent had picked up breakfast and stopped by the hotel for Leon's weaponry. They were at the entrance to the labs. Two guards were standing in front of the entrance this time, each holding what looked like an M-16 A-2 assault rifle, and wearing UBCS (Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service) uniforms.
"State your identification," one of the guards barked.
"Vincent Johnson, Umbrella Special Agent."
"Leon Kennedy, Umbrella Special Agent."
Leon and Vincent handed the guards their ID cards.
"All right. Looks like you're who you say you are. You may pass."
One of the guards walked over to the keypad next to the garage-like doors and entered the access code. The doors slowly opened with a low mechanical hiss, and Leon's nostrils were assaulted with the scent of blood and day-dead human flesh. Leon and Vincent stepped inside and noticed where the smell was coming from.
The room was about as wide as a normal-sized alley and about twenty yards long. On the right, a UBCS agent was lying dead on the floor with his back hunched on the gore-stained wall. Leon crouched over the body. Bite marks were placed in random places, he was missing an arm, and trails of blood led to another garage-like door where his arm lay. Leon was thinking about putting a bullet through the body's brain, when he noticed that it had already been done for him.
"Don't worry about that guy," Vincent said. "He was expendable."
"So are we." Leon said with a hint of anger. Vincent didn't respond.
Vincent punched in a code by the second garage door and it slowly opened. They were in a space about as wide as a normal-sized alley. The space stretched on before them as a long tunnel whose end wasn't in sight.
"Oh man. We gotta go down this way?" Leon complained.
"No. There's a door right here." Vincent took Leon's arm and turned him toward the door that was visible in the wall.
With a small hiss, the door rolled open to reveal a corridor. Leon could feel something was wrong, but he kept silent. Vincent must have felt it, too. He was taking out his TECH 9 machinegun pistol. Leon quickly ran to his side, and smelled it before he saw it. Six zombies were slowly stumbling toward them.
"We've got company." Leon said as he raised his Shotgun.
Vincent aimed his gun at head level. He shot off a ten-round spread fire, adding a thick layer of crimson to the walls, and six new "dead" zombies to the room.
Vincent went over to the closest door and said sarcastically, "Let's see what's behind door number one, eh?"
Leon once again held his tongue.
=======================================================================
"So what did you do, Ryan?" Chris asked.
Meanwhile, back at the hideout...
"My dad's the real target. They just want me for interrogation so I can tell them where he is."
"What did your father do?"
"He got a little too involved in finding out Umbrella's plans, thanks to a friend of his who is now dead. My dad fled with my mom and sister to some other country that Umbrella doesn't have control over."
"A place like that exists?"
"Yeah. Umbrella is slowly starting to lose its control over the U.S., and it still hasn't gotten its hands on other small countries."
"Why didn't you go? You would have a better chance of surviving."
Ryan's face registered annoyance.
"Is this some sort of interrogation?" he asked.
"I'm just looking for some background info."
"Well...I wanted to meet you guys ¾ the infamous Chris and Claire Redfield, and Leon Scott Kennedy ¾ and help you take down Umbrella.
"You put your neck on the line just to meet us?!...Wait. Umbrella knew we were coming here?"
"Yeah. Now we're trapped in a city soon to be overrun with zombies."
"Whaddya mean by 'trapped'?!"
"This city has been under Military quarantine for the past two hours."
"Goddamnit! This isn't good... You just wanted to meet us?" Chris said, repeating his question.
"Not only that, I want to join you."
"SAY WHAT?!"
"I want to join you guys. I know how to shoot, and everything. Thanks to Boot Camp¾"
"No way. Sherry is an exception. She lived through a nightmare already. All of us have. You have no experience."
"I'm about to get some first-hand, though."
Chris groaned.
"The answer is NO. After this is over you'll be goin' to see your parents."
"If you send me off, I'll just find you guys again."
knock, knock, knock
Chris got up, went to the door and looked through the eyehole. A few seconds later he opened the door and Claire came into the house, followed by Sherry.
"Hey Chr-"
Claire froze as she saw Ryan sitting down on the couch.
"Y-y-you're that kid who shot those Umbrella goons..." Claire stuttered.
"Uh...Yeah. Claire Redfield, right? My name's Ryan Davidson. Nice to meet you."
"Yeah...nice...to meet you..."
"What do you mean, he shot those Umbrella Goons?" Chris asked.
"He was being chased by two Umbrella agents. He hid in some bushes nearby, and then after I diverted them, he came out guns a blazin'," Claire answered.
Ryan held up his Beretta 92.
"Yep. This gun saved my ass a few times."
Chris scratched his chin.
"Re-thinking my offer?" Ryan asked.
"What? No way! I'm not having a kid slow me down!" Chris snapped. Sherry 'humphed'.
"Hey. I'm not a kid. I'm fifteen," Ryan said sternly.
"Chris...Let me talk to you for a second." Claire said.
Claire and Chris walked into the kitchen, and Sherry sat down next to Ryan.
"Hey."
"Hey."
A long pause followed.
"Sherry Birkin? Nice to meet you," Ryan said as he held out his hand.
"Yeah. You too," Sherry said as they shook hands. "So, Ryan. What are you doing here?"
"Me? I just wanted to meet you guys and help you against Umbrella."
"Say what? You risked your life just to meet us?"
"Yep."
"You're crazy."
"Most people would agree," Ryan replied. At that moment, Claire and Chris came out of the kitchen.
"All right. We've come to a decision." Chris said.
"You can come with us," Claire said. "But you have to watch your back, as well as ours."
"No problem, But can I ask you guys a favor?" Ryan asked. "I'm kinda runnin' low on ammo. Can you guys spare me a .380 or something?"
"Sure," Chris answered. He dug through the mess on the floor, and came up with a small handgun, and five magazines. "Take this...and I think you may find these useful." Chris handed him a few 9mm magazines.
Ryan put away the magazines in his hip pack, and holstered his Beretta 92.
"Maybe we can get a little more socialized first?" Sherry offered.
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Leon Kennedy tried not to breathe through his nose. He had been used to the smell of Raccoon before, but he had forgotten what it was like. Now it was coming back at him with a vengeance.
They had searched through the first floor. Apparently, the hall where the six zombies now lay, was the main hall. All the other rooms branching off the main hall were mostly just sleeping quarters for scientists, and maybe a restroom or two. The rooms were lit with bright lighting, but the steel-walled hallways were very dim. The walls of cafeteria, where they were now, were of red brick.
There hadn't been any other zombies, except in the cafeteria. Leon and Vincent had split up to explore the room. Leon had taken the kitchen. There he met what looked like three cooks, and a Lab worker. Two well-placed Shotgun shells laid them to rest. Leon then rejoined Vincent at one of the fold-out-of-the-wall tables.
"...So I say we take the stairs." Vincent said, looking over a map of the first floor.
"What about the elevator?" Leon asked.
"The fuses controlling the elevator blew one week before the viral infection," Vincent continued. "Why they didn't fix them is beyond me. Now, the layout of the B1 floor is basically the same, but the room below would be a meeting room, not a cafeteria."
"Okay. Let's get going."
The two men got up and left for the staircase. When they reached the stairwell, Vincent motioned to stop. He slowly looked up, and saw an Ma3, better known as a Licker. Leon raised his weapon on instinct, but Vincent touched his arm, whispering,
"It's sleeping now. Just walk quietly, and it won't notice you."
Leon lowered his weapon and walked cautiously down the stairs to the B1 floor. Vincent followed. Together they explored from B1 all the way to B4, dispatching some undead and a few Lickers on the way. When they were satisfied that there was nothing more, they left the facility.
Vincent drove Leon back to the hideout, and drove off. Leon entered, where Chris introduced him to Ryan. Everyone was checking and loading weapons. Leon looked questioningly at Claire.
"We're preparing to infiltrate the labs," she told him. "You're coming with us, right?"
Leon suppressed the hesitation in his voice. "Ah...Sure I am."
The preparations were complete a few minutes later. Claire looked at Sherry. "I'm going to have to leave you here, sweetie. I don't think there's a chance Umbrella will come looking for you here. We should be back in awhile, so don't worry. If you get hungry, you know where the food is." Claire grinned. "And if anyone comes to the door who isn't one of us, cap 'em."
"Don't worry." Sherry replied.
Claire rubbed Sherry's head, and left with Chris, Leon and Ryan. Using Leon's car, they got to the labs. By the time they arrived, it was already nightfall. Leon was surprised that the two guards that were guarding the entrance were gone.
"Okay." Chris said. "Check your weapons." Chris readied his Glock 17, Claire her Grenade Launcher, Leon his Desert Eagle, and Ryan his .380. When they approached the door, Chris attempted to crack the code on the panel that controlled the shutter doors. After several failed attempts, he just shot the panel out of frustration, causing the doors to open. Everyone but Leon held their nose as they walked past the dead body. On the second code panel, Chris shot it again, not wanting to go through the task of cracking the code. The door opened with a loud metallic creak, and they were in the tunnel-like area of the labs. Upon entering the main hallway of the first floor, Claire commented on the six dead Zombies,
"Looks like someone was here before us..."
Leon was feeling a little paranoid, like everyone was watching him at that moment.
"Well," Chris said. "Whatever the cause, let's split up. Ryan, you're with me. We'll explore this floor. I want you guys to go explore the floors below us."
"Right," Claire said. She turned toward the staircase with Leon.
"Leon." The single word from Chris made Leon turn around. Then Chris's voice came a little softer that usual. "Take good care of my sister."
Leon nodded and entered the stairwell with Claire. But, something didn't seem right.
'What's going on?' Leon thought. 'Oh no...That monster's gone!'
Leon scanned the stairwell frantically, hoping to see the monster. No such luck.
'We can't make any sudden movements or too much noise,' he thought.
"Come on Leon! Whattcha doin'? Day dreaming?" Claire mocked.
Click. Click. Click.
'Crap! It's awake! Oh please Claire don't-'
"That sounds familiar..." Claire said to no one in particular.
Clickclickclickclickclick
"Oh well. Let's just-" Claire began.
Both of them froze at the sound¾ something between a hiss and a growl. Leon and Claire looked up just in time to see a Licker scream, drop from the ceiling, and pounce on Claire, sending her Grenade Launcher clattering to the floor.
Nothing went through Leon's mind at this point except, 'Claire!'
Draft: 8/23/00
Final: 9/11/00