Disclaimer: Resident Evil and everything else associated with it belongs to Capcom. This story however, belongs to me.
Resident Evil: Armageddon
Part I- Prelude to Destruction
Chapter 4- Setting Up Shop
Written by: Striker
Barry pulled off the main road and onto a dirt road. It was more like a driveway than a road. 'Maybe I'll put a sign up so people won't drive up to this place and cause a panic.' He thought about it a little more then shook his head. Putting up a sign would be like putting up an invitation. This was to be a secret hideout. If people thought that the driveway was just another dirt road leading off into the woods, the better. Unless it was for curiosity, no one would think of going down it. That's what he liked about the place. It was remote. Only a few people knew of its location, and most of them were dead. Barry knew that if the team needed a safe place to plan their offensive against Umbrella, no place was safer than this.
Barry pulled his van up to the building. It was a huge, two-storied cabin that had been in ruins when he found it. Barry thought back to when he and Robert Kendo had first bought the place. They spent a whole year remodeling it. They had help from a group of their friends who chipped in. They had made it into a little hunting lodge. For the past seven years they had come here for buck season or to get away from the stress of everyday life. Now, this building would soon be the new headquarters for the S.T.A.R.S. Barry parked in the little lot on the side of the building. He shut off the engine and got out. He walked over to a large power box set onto the wall. Barry stroked his beard as he studied the box. He was dressed in his hunting gear, complete with hunting cap. He wanted to create the illusion that he was a hunter so he wouldn't draw suspicion when he when to Atlanta request that the city turn on the cabin's power. The building was only forty miles from Atlanta, which would make it easier not only to get supplies, but give the team a place to rendezvous before going to the base. The only question Barry had now was whether the power was on.
"Well, here goes nothing."
Barry grabbed the large knife switch and pulled it down. He looked at the light indicator next to the switch. The red light shut off and the green light below it came on.
"Yes. Ladies and gentlemen, we got power." Barry strolled around to the other side of the cabin. He walked out to a little clearing to a large object covered by a huge camouflage covering. He lifted up the one corner on the cover and smiled. "Still here," he said with a smile. He walked over to a large ladder propped up on the side of the building. He set it up and began to remove the cover. It took him a half hour to remove it. It took him three times as long to put it on in the first place. As he stepped off the ladder and let go of the cover, he looked at the object. It was a helicopter. In fact, it was the same helicopter he had rescued Jill and Carlos in. He had dropped it off here before he took a plane back to Calgary to check on his family. He knew the team would need it in their coming battle.
Barry's mind flashed back to his family. It had been hard to leave them the first time. He could still hear his youngest girl Jenna begging him not to go. He could also still hear his wife Kathy telling her and Natalie that he would be fine. The second time was harder. He had to tell them he was going away and didn't know when he would see them again. Kathy and the girls had taken it better that time. He guessed that Kathy had explained the situation to the girls, and they understood. He even smiled when Natalie had said that she was proud that he was going to be a hero. It was hard to leave, but they all knew he had to if they were going to be safe.
"Kathy, I WILL make sure Umbrella NEVER hurts you or the girls. I swear it." Barry closed his eyes, his heart aching. He wouldn't know what to do if he lost any of them. He and Kathy had been college sweethearts. They met at Stroudsburg University, where she went for a degree in the arts and where he went on a football scholarship. They got married soon after graduation. They had moved to Pittsburgh, where Barry had joined the S.W.A.T. team and quickly rose to team leader. It was there that he learned to fly helicopters. Kathy had got a degree in literature and began to write children's books. He had also gotten a job as a part time member of S.T.A.R.S. when he was 23. In August of 1989, Kathy found out she was pregnant. They had then made the decision that Barry quit the S.W.A.T. team and they move to Raccoon so he could become a permanent member of S.T.A.R.S. They had moved in February of 1990, and Natalie had been born in May. Three years later, they were blessed with the birth of their second daughter, Jenna. Barry had enjoyed being a father. He would take both girls to the park almost every day. He fondly remembered how Kathy and the girls would stay up and wait for him when he went on a mission. He was surprised at how fast his daughters had grown up. Natalie was now 8 and Jenna was 5. God knows he would do anything to keep them safe. He had to once, or so he thought. It was at the Spencer place when Wesker had threatened them.
Wesker, the very mention of that name made Barry's blood boil. The snake had made Barry think that if he didn't help him, Kathy and the girls would be killed. He only found out later that Wesker's threat was empty, that he had betrayed his friends for nothing. He was glad when Chris told him that Wesker was killed, but had somehow felt sad that he wasn't the one that had finished the bitch off.
"Wesker, your lucky it was the tyrant that killed you. If it was me, I'd make you suffer you son of a bitch."
Barry headed back to the cabin. He knew that he had to repay his friends for his betrayal. That's why he went back for Jill, and that's why he had come back here. He had to get this place ready for his friends' arrival. He stepped onto the porch he and Rob had added on and unlocked the front door. He then stepped inside.
The place was nice. It opened into a hall with a staircase leading to the second floor. To Barry's left was a kitchen, fully loaded with every appliance the team would need. It also had a large, oak table that could seat up to eight people. Beyond the kitchen, there was the laundry room. To his right was the living room with a couch in the middle of the room, a loveseat and chair set against the left wall, a small table with a lamp at each end. On the right wall was a large window. There was a recliner in front of it and a small chair and table to the left of the window. A coffee table was set in front of the couch and a large TV was set against the back wall. A VCR was set on top, the LCD display flashing. Above that was a large painting of a deer leaping over a fallen tree. A door to the right of the TV lead to a bathroom.
The hall stretched back and ended with a door Barry had replaced a few years ago. To the left was the dinning room. It had a long table built to seat at least fifteen people. It also had a hutch Barry had brought from home set against the wall. It had several pieces of China Barry's parents had given him on his wedding day. To the right was the den. The walls in this room where covered with hunting stuff. A few rifles were set on the wall, along with several deer heads. Barry had considered taking the heads down, but decided not to. Another door in the den lead to the furnace room. That room also contained the hot water tank.
The second floor was also nice. The stairs led to a balcony overlooking the hall. It then went off in two directions. There were seven bedrooms, some with more than one bed. There was another bathroom on the floor so no one had to go down to the living room. The hall had a heavy, red carpet and the rooms had different colored carpets too. The floor down stairs was mainly hardwood. The only exception was the living room, which had the same type carpet as the upstairs hall had.
Barry smiled to himself. He knew the place was big enough for the group. Even if there were more people than beds, people could sleep on the couch in the living room and the two couches that were in the den. Hell, he remembered when people had to sleep in the chairs and on the floor. Barry decided to check the furnace and hot water tank. But first, he had to set the VCR clock. The blinking display was driving him mad. He walked into the living room and pulled open the curtains, letting light flood in. He went to the VCR and squatted down. He looked at his left wrist, checking his watch. It was a Rolex. Kathy had given it to him before he left. He promised he would think of her whenever he looked at it. He could almost see her smiling face in the glass cover. He shook the image from his mind and looked at the time. 3:30! It didn't feel this late, but he could tell as he looked out the window. It wasn't as bright out as before. Barry turned his attention back to the VCR. He quickly set the clock and got up. He figured he might as well call Jill and Carlos to tell them the good news. Hey, they might have found Chris by now.
Barry walked outside and dug his cell phone out of his pocket. It was likely that the phones in the cabin were shut off. He would have to call the phone company tomorrow, as well as the cable company, to get the phones and TV going. He quickly dialed the number of the cell phone he had given Jill. The phone rang three times.
"Hello?" A slightly agitated voice answered.
"Hey Jill. How are you?" Barry said.
"Hey Barry. I'm fine. I guess this means you found a new hideout." He could hear her voice change as she recognized his voice.
"I sure did, and it's a beauty. Is Carlos there with you?"
"Yes he is. You just caught us in the middle of dinner."
"Oh yeah, I forgot. It's 3:30 here, so there it's..."
"9:30"
"Sorry." Barry remembered that she was in Europe. It was later over there. "Tell me, where are you? Did you two find Chris yet? I'm getting worried."
He was worried. He and Chris were old friends. He had found Chris while he was still a drifter. The two hit it off and soon after, he convinced Chris to become a member of S.T.A.R.S. After Chris had left for Europe, he had taken Kathy, Natalie, and Jenna to Canada so they couldn't be used against him by Umbrella. He planned to link up with Chris, but got sidetracked by personal matters. He had wanted to go with them to search for Chris, but he had the important job of finding someplace where they could meet up. That's what he told Jill. In reality, he wanted to spend time with his family before he went to battle Umbrella. For that reason he had given Jill a cell phone and his number so she could let him know when she found Chris.
"Well, right now we're in Paris. Chris was here , but he left a few weeks before we got here. We think he went to save the person who got caught breaking into Umbrella's main HQ."
"WHAT! What kind of idiot would try to sneak into Umbrella's headquarters?" Barry knew whoever it was had to have a death wish. Even a small army had no chance in there.
"I don't know, but she had to have a good reason. We also think that she was a friend of Chris."
'A friend of Chris?' he said to himself. "Then why would Chris send in someone alone?" That seemed stupid, and Chris wasn't the one to make stupid moves.
"Maybe he thought that one person could moved around undetected better than a whole group."
"Yeah, well, if he did go on a rescue mission, he should be back in town by now."
"Chances are he won't. Umbrella had him under surveillance. That's how we knew he was in this city."
"CHRIST! Now it'll take a miracle to find him. He could be anywhere. Hell, at this rate, it'll take a miracle for us to bring Umbrella down." Barry shook his head. 'Damn, things are getting better and better, aren't they.'
"God, we shouldn't have split up." Barry could tell Jill was having regrets about this. He had them too. But what was done was done. They couldn't change it, even if they tried.
"It's too late for that now." Barry tried to think of how he could get Jill's hopes up. Then he remembered. He had a computer in the van. Now that he was here, he could help her search. "Don't worry, since I found our hideout, I'll start looking for Chris too. I'll check to see if Umbrella had any of their labs or facilities attacked within the last four weeks. If they did..."
"It's a sure bet Chris may be involved." Jill finished for him, "Carlos had the same idea."
Carlos. He didn't fully trust the guy. The fact that he had worked for Umbrella was strike one. The fact he was a mercenary, strike two. On the other hand, he did help Jill out in Raccoon. He was screwed by his commander, the same way Wesker screwed the S.T.A.R.S. team, and they did seam like close friends. Barry was just worried about how Chris would react to anyone from Umbrella being on the team. At this point though, they needed all the help they could.
"OK Jill. I'll let you go. Call me if you find anything. I'll call if I find something on my end."
"I will. Bye Barry."
Barry heard Jill hang up. He put the phone back in his pocket and headed for the van. He opened the back door and proceeded to take everything he had packed out. As he carried the stuff into the house, a dozen questions swirled through his head. Who was that nutcase that tried to break into Umbrella's HQ? Was he or she a friend of Chris? Did Chris go to save that person? If he already did, were was he? Would Jill and Carlos find him? Would Chris try to contact him? How would Chris respond to Carlos? Barry tried to work out the answers as he continued to bring in box after box. He had just about everything the team would need. He knew there was more stuff to get, but he would worry about that bridge when he came to it.
It was 4:30 by the time Barry had finished. He had set up the computer on the desk in the den. He was about to turn in on when he realized something important. The phone line was still shut off, he couldn't get online until it was activated. He cursed at himself for being so stupid. He quickly walked back outside and dialed the phone company like he had done for so many years. The woman on the other end was cheerful and took down the information Barry had given her. She told him the phones would be on in ten minutes. Barry thanked her and hung up. He walked into the kitchen and sat at the table.
'Don't worry Jill. We'll find him soon.' Barry knew the real reason Jill was so desperate to find Chris. It was the same reason Chris had been so depressed about leaving Raccoon. He cared for her, and vice versa. They wouldn't admit it to each other, or anyone else. Barry knew though. He knew the minute Jill had first seen Chris. Her jaw had almost hit the floor. He knew from then on they belonged together. He had seen them get close, very close. He wasn't surprised at what happened at that picnic. He wouldn't tell anyone, but he had taken the second picture on purpose. He then acted surprised by it. It was all a plan to get Chris and Jill to tell each other they were in love with each other. His plan had crashed when Jill insisted that she keep the second photo and made him promise not to tell another soul. He had another chance when Chris came up to him a day later. Chris had asked him how to tell if a girl liked a guy. Barry had told Chris all he knew, secretly using Jill as an example. That had come to a grinding halt when Chris had asked Barry to keep the conversation between them. Barry wasn't surprised when he went to Chris' apartment and found that Chris had taken the picture of him and Jill with him.
"Maybe when we get back together, those two will just confess how they feel for each other. Either that, or I'll have to tie them up until they do."
He smiled as he thought about how those two kids used to stare at each other. He also had found it amusing how they would try to make excuses when someone noticed. They tried to fool everyone, but they couldn't fool him. He knew because they were doing the same thing he and Kathy had done before they had started to date. In a way, Chris and Jill reminded him of how he was when he was a young man. He knew from experience that it was just a matter of time before those two became more than "just friends."
"I just hope they get the chance."
Barry glanced at his watch. Ten minutes were up. He quickly got up and took the kitchen phone off the hook. As soon as he heard the dial tone, he hung up and rushed to the den. He turned on the computer and waited for it to boot up. It was internet ready so it didn't take long for him to start browsing the web.
"I'm going to find you buddy," Barry muttered, "I'll find you if it's the last thing I do."
Author's Comments: Barry, Barry, Barry. You sneaky little monkey. Well, at least we know that Barry's little scheme was half successful. We do know what Jill's feelings for Chris are. Does Chris feel the same way? You just have to wait and see. I know, I'm just so cruel. A few things to mention. Barry's background I made up using the facts that I had about his life. His wife's name I took from S. D. Perry's novel, and his daughter's names and ages I made up. I also guessed at where in Canada Barry took his family and I also took a pot shot at when Barry quit the S.W.A.T. team and became a full-time member of S.T.A.R.S. Hey, if you think the phone call part looks a little familiar, it should. Turn back to chapter two and you'll see that I took the phone conversation between Jill and Barry and changed it to Barry's end of the line. Cool huh? Just another bit of proof that these first few chapters are happening AT THE SAME TIME. Also, I sort of picked Atlanta because my aunt and uncle live there. Enough of that, lets get down to business.
In the next chapter, we see what has
been going on with Ark. We find that Ark and his crew are a lot closer to Leon
than he knows. Where is Ark? Why did it take so long to send Leon an E-mail?
Find out the answers in RE Armageddon: Part 1, Chapter 5- Seeking Safe Haven.