Disclaimer: All Resident evil characters, places, and things all belong to Capcom and other involved companies. I own none of them except for my own original characters. This fanfic is purely for the fun and enjoyment of others and myself. I make no money from it.
RESIDENT EVIL: ROAD TO DESTINY
CHAPTER 12
Walter Risakes looked on sadly as he walked up to the still form of the man that used to be his best friend. The fight had just ended minutes before yet all that remained was a terrible loss. The stench of dead flesh and mutilated innards continued to wafer through the air yet it didn't seem to bother him at all. Nothing fazed him now. All he could perceive was the painful realization that his friend was dead. And he would never come back.
Risakes forcefully clenched his hands into fists and slammed them against his knee's. "Damn!" He seethed silently. Suddenly the light crackling of boots upon glass alerted him to someone's presence. Risake snapped his head up then lowered it back down slowly upon recognition of who it was.
"Derrick… I'm sorry man… There was nothing I could do…"
Derrick looked as if he bore the weight of a thousand terrible tragedies. His eyes were sullen and his shoulders drooped so low it made him into the image of looking pathetic and weak despite the bulk of his huge massive muscular structure. "It's ok Walt." He replied quietly. "There was nothing you could have done anyway…"
He quietly walked over to the body of his brother and kneeled down to glance at him one final time. Suddenly his eyes shot wide. He quickly reached out and grasped his brother's body up in his arms and put his finger to the man's neck.
Risake was flustered by the man's sudden actions and found himself slightly speechless. "W- what is it? What's wrong?"
Derrick didn't answer as he continued to keep his finger pressed against the man's neck. Slowly the deep line across his brow eased along with the symbolic weight upon his shoulders. The man sighed heavily and a soft smile stretched across his grief-stricken face.
"Risakes, grab me a medical pack quick!" The big man raised his eyes to look up at the still shocked man. "My brother's alive!"
****
A bead of sweat trickled down the face of Chris Redfield as he continued to walk down the corridor carrying the heavy weight of his Umbrella hostage. The foul smell of excrement and burnt tar continued to assault his senses yet he pushed it all to the back of his mind. The very fact that this Umbrella guard was now their hostage was proof enough that the situation had become more drastic then before.
Chris stopped in his tracks as he and Leon came to a two way intersection in the hallway. He began looking around at his surroundings once more, desperately trying to remember the exact layout of the facility they were in. The assault on the compound had done much to disfigure the surroundings and effectively obliterate any previous recognition the young S.T.A.R.S officer might have had in regards to figuring his way around. Now he continued to feel the growing sensation of alarm and uncertainty as he trudged forward.
"What's up?" Leon said with a touch of irritation. He too was struggling with the weight of carrying Claire Redfield, while at the same time still dealing with his own previous injuries. None the less, the rookie cop tried to hide it all under a façade of calm indifference.
"Just thinking." Chris replied in a distracted voice. He meticulously lowered the weight of his hostage onto the floor then rubbed his chin in thought. The Umbrella hostage was effectively bound both feet and hands, by two thick cords of rope. There was no way he could escape.
However, the escape of the Umbrella soldier was the least of Chris worries right now. When they had originally found Claire, he wasn't completely oblivious to what was transpiring around him. He could still feel the searing heat of the adjoining fire biting at his skin, sucking every ounce of oxygen away from his parched flesh. He could hear the soft hiss of the flames as they licked around, expanding their growth. Chris knew right off the bat what room that was. One glance and it was confirmed. Leon was clearly flustered when Chris had taken such great effort in walking as fast as he could away from the area. He wanted to tell the young cop but he knew that it was quite possible the young rookie might panic and the last think he needed now was an overactive cop dashing around and unknowingly running into a pool of freshly transported zombies. Or even worse, they could end up stumbling on an Umbrella swat platoon or even falling through a vacant pit hole.
There were tones of possibilities yet Chris mind was so drained he simply didn't have the time or the patience to go through them all, one by one. He had to think clearly and accurately. He couldn't be distracted by possibilities when faced with an even more drastic reality.
Suddenly a hand clapped him on the shoulder, startling him enough to break him out of his brief spell of concentration. He turned his eyes to see Leon staring at him with a mixture of amusement and understanding painted on his face.
"You don't have to be embarrassed about it. You're lost are you?"
A slight smile touched the dark haired man's lips. Yet again the rookie cop had astonished him with his sharp eye and easygoing nature. Chris hadn't even notice when the young cop had deposited his sister onto a more clean area of the hall. Even more confusing was how fast the young cop had managed to find the blanket that was now covering his sister's shoulders.
'Hmm, well now…' Chris thought to himself in thought. 'Maybe my sister didn't make such a bad choice in companions after all.'
Meanwhile, Leon continued to look in all directions, obviously trying to help out by finding some familiar route they could take.
"Hmm… what was the last big area we passed through?" Leon asked helpfully. "You know, the room where we rescued Claire? If we knew what room that was, it may give you an idea to where we are now…"
Chris nodded slowly but didn't say anything as to the name of that room. He knew if he mentioned the name, Leon would quickly put two and two together and probably throw a fit. Instead, Chris sighed slightly and began looking around, searching for more clues around the hall they were currently in.
"Hey what's this?" Leon asked curiously, pointing to a half-burnt sign on a nearby wall. Chris turned his head casually over to see what the young cop was pointing at.
Thump… Thump… Thump…
Both men's heads turned immediately to the new sounds. The sign completely forgotten in the ex-cop's mind, he immediately rushed towards Claire's limp figure.
Chris turned his face towards Leon, noticing what he was doing. "Get her out of here Kennedy! Take the left exit, I'll take the right."
"What do you have in mind?" Leon asked, growing tense as the seconds passed by while the sickening sounds of feet became louder in the distance.
"I'm going to see if I can buy us some time! No matter what, You need to make it to the hanger bay and tell everyone to take off! I'll meet you there as soon as I take care of this threat here!"
"Chris!" Leon protested vehemently. "Don't be stupid! You don't know what's down that hall! You may not be able to handle this on your own!"
"There's no time for this Kennedy! We don't have a choice any more! The clock is ticking now MOVE IT!"
Leon shot Chris an angry look then turned his eyes back towards the unconscious Claire. In the end he knew he didn't have a choice to begin with. "We're not going to leave you behind!" The ex-cop called out to him.
"I know. There's no more time now. GO!"
Angrily, Leon turned on his feet and ran down the left corridor as fast as he could with the limp weight of Claire on his shoulders.
Chris checked his magnum and saw that it had a full chamber. "Excellent." He breathed silently to himself then cocked the weapon back into place.
Thump… Thump… Thump… THUMP
The sounds continued to increase in volume and Chris suddenly knew that this wasn't any ordinary zombie. Realization hit the ex-S.t.a.r.s officer like a brick.
'It can't be!' Chris frantic mind screamed loudly though he knew the reality. He knew he was wrong. He suddenly realized why he and Leon found his sister so worn out. She had been duking it out with the S.t.a.r.s greatest enemy of them all. Tyrant!
Chris could feel the beating of his heart beginning to pump in sync with the Thumping of the beast's feet against solid concrete.
The dark shadows of the hall slowly parted revealing maimed burnt flesh and a ghastly ripped and torn arm hanging limply from a disproportional huge monster figure.
Chris world suddenly froze for a split second. The next sounds that reverberated off the walls were the sounds of loud gunfire tearing into organically enhanced flesh.
****
Leon didn't know what to do. Every time he convinced himself that leaving Chris was the right thing to do, he would hear another discharge of gunfire and then a loud inhuman cry of pain. The very sound unnerved the cop to his very core. There was no mistaking that sound. He knew exactly 'who' Chris was fighting now and it made him feel all the more sick about it. He could feel his heart pulsating faster and faster as his legs continued to pick up speed. His mind began to wander in all directs. Was it right to leave Chris? If he hadn't, what would that have meant for Claire's safety, and then, why had Claire all of a sudden become so important to him? Leon shook his flustered thoughts away as he neared a turning point in the halls. He could feel his side burning with pain once more. He was sure at this point that, at the rate he was going, his injuries would never heal. He had to push the excruciating pain to the back of his mind for so long yet now the pain was becoming overwhelming. He tentatively turned his glance towards his injured side only to notice a mass of blood building up through his shirt.
"Damn!" He swore to himself silently then rearranged Claire to a better holding position. His eyes unintentionally traveled towards the peaceful face of the woman he was carrying. As he stared off into the realm of her beautiful features and the way her perfectly sculptured face captured even the smallest hint of light off the corridor in the most delicate way, suddenly his burden didn't seem so heavy anymore. Despite the pain, despite the agony, despite how bad he felt leaving Chris behind, there was one thing Leon found that he would uphold. He would protect this woman, even if it cost him his life.
Fueled with new vigor, Leon, once again, picked up speed and began running as fast as he could. Whether or not he got out of this alive, he was determined to ensure Claire's safety. That was all that mattered to him now.
****
"We got a green light!" Carlos yelled over the roaring sound of helicopter rotors as their transport came to life even after the brutal assault it had gone through.
"Engines are looking good!" Aiken added. "It's a miracle this baby survived all this."
"Well let's not push lady luck any further today!" Barry said hopping into the 'copter, pulling the last box of equipment in with him. "I wouldn't be surprised if Umbrella has even more back up ready to attack us again at any second."
"Then let's not give them the opportunity!" Carlos yelled from the pilot seat.
They were all firmly secured inside the helicopter. One of the chairs had been pulled into a bed like position where they had strapped a completely comatose James Mathy. Rebecca Chambers diligently continued treating the young man, patching his head up and aiding him to the best of her abilities. Derrick Mathy was on the other side of his brother's makeshift bed, clutching the man's limp hand feverishly. Risakes was in the next seat over, an equally concerned look on his face. Barry quickly strapped himself down in between Belivan and Jill. Sherry too had been treated with a medical guase wrap securely fastened around her head, she had been securely seated in her chair across from Berry next to Risakes. Aiken and Carlos were finishing their preparations for lift off.
Barry cast his eyes on Jill who wore a deeply concerned look.
Barry gently cupped her hand in his. "Don't worry Jill. This is for the best. We won't leave them behind. We're just going to get some distance and collect our missing companions from the air."
Jill slowly turned her eyes towards Barry. "I know, it's just… Nothing's for certain now… Barry… we don't even know if they're alive…"
"Barry's face darkened slightly. "They 'are' alive Jill! I'm certain of it. Don't worry, we'll get them out of there!"
Barry would have said more but suddenly, he was jerked slightly back into his seat as the helicopter quickly began to take to the air. Barry flipped the remote switch in his hands and the Hanger bay wall doors slowly hissed open.
"Looks like we've got a clear path." Aiken said, continually scanning around to make sure nothing could go wrong.
"Let's take her up and get some distance before those Umbrella bastards can get on our tails again." Carlos suggested.
Aiken complied and increased the speed slightly as the helicopter rose up into the air and zoomed off higher into the skies.
Belivan's eyes widened suddenly. "Hey wait a minute! I see something!"
Barry snapped his head towards the man. "What do you mean?"
"I've got a visual on somebody exiting through the rear doors down below!"
Barry whipped his head to either side, trying to look and see who it was. Jill too began to search around anxiously.
"Don't worry." Aiken said calmly. "I see them now. Look's like two people. One man carrying a girl."
Barry's mind was working overtime. "Belivan throw down a line."
The man complied and quickly tossed over the corded rope ladder.
"$hit!" Carlos shouted. "We got another visual here! Incoming Umbrella S.W.A.T.T troops coming in fast! Lets make this quick people!"
Jill looked off to the side and saw that the two people now trying to climb the ropes were Leon and Claire. She fought away the heavy stone that edged towards her heart and focused her eyes now on the dangerously close squad of Umbrella troops closing in on the couple's position. Without warning, she released her safety harness straps, pulled out her berretta and opened fire on the Umbrella troops. They retaliated in full and began opening a barrage of machinegun fire. Leon seemed surged on by the sounds of gunfire, as he quickly grabbed hold of the ladder while at the same time clutching Claire in his arms desperately. Aiken pulled the helicopter back slowly so that they could avoid getting shot.
"They ain't gonna make it this way!" Risakes shouted. He released his safety harness as well then quickly moved past Jill and made his way down the ladder taking care to avoid the incoming bullet fire by Umbrella.
Barry whipped his arm out, firing random shots from his Colt Python to provide backup fire. Belivan too yanked out a machine gun and began firing relentlessly.
Risakes skillfully scaled down the ladder then threw his arm out to leon who was still struggling on the cords. "Give her to me!" He yelled above the wail of helicopter rotors and flying bullets.
Leon nodded his head, hair whipping through the wind. He carefully moved Claire's limp figure towards Risakes. The man quickly grabbed hold of the young woman and positioned her over his shoulder. "Let's go!" He yelled to Leon then as fast as he could, quickly scaled up the ladder skillfully. Leon took only a second to admire the man's skill in being able to ascend a ladder while at the same time carrying a woman over his shoulders. However a second was all he had to think about it as a bullet zipped dangerously close by his head. Leon sped up, frantically climbing up the corded ladder as fast as he could. His arms grew tired with fatigue yet he fought the urge to simply let go into the bliss of unconsciousness. He wouldn't give up yet.
Risakes promptly got to the edge of the 'copter then pushed Claire in before climbing over into the machine himself. Once over, he threw his arm out to Leon who grasped it firmly in his outstretched hand.
Suddenly a loud tearing sound rang out closely followed by a splash of blood hitting Leon's face together with an angry cry of pain.
"Argh! Damnit!" Risakes screamed but didn't let go. Leon pulled hard on the man's hand, using his other to wipe the blood away from his face.
"They're getting hostile down there, I'm going to have to break for more distance!" Aiken called back then moved the 'copter more.
Leon lost his grip and felt his hand slip away from Risake's grasp. "No!" He screamed as he felt his body weightlessly falling.
At the last possible second, a strong arm suddenly reached out and grabbed his falling hand once more just before he fell out of reach. This time it was Barry.
"I've got you kid! Don't worry!" He grunted as he summoned all of his strength and lifted the man into the helicopter.
Jill pulled back as soon as he was through then Closed the helicopter door shut so that no bullets could pass through.
"How's your arm?" Barry asked Risakes as he began making his way back to his seat.
Risakes gave him a weary look. "I'll be ok. Thanks for the save." The man then turned his face towards Leon, an apologetic look in his eyes. "I'm really sorry about that man."
Leon was still breathing heavily as he just lay on the floor of the helicopter. "D- don't worry about it." They young man breathed heavily in an exhausted voice. "You still saved my life… all of you. I owe you guys one. But… we gotta go back!"
"Is it about Chris?" Jill asked almost too anxiously.
Leon gulped and nodded his head. "He…he's still down there. Down there fighting the Tyrant!"
::::::::::To Be Continued::::::::::
Author's note: Thanks for reading and please stay tuned for chapter 13.