As Cold Blood Runs

by Fuuraibou

(Complete Prequel to Eyes of the Beholder) In a short matter of weeks, Leon Kennedy's life will be shattered as he discovers love, hate, fear, and even himself in a struggle for his own life.

7. Shadows of the Past, Visions of the Futu...

AS COLD BLOOD RUNS

CHAPTER SEVEN: SHADOWS OF THE PAST, VISIONS OF THE FUTURE

Chris:

Welcome to Hell: 11:35 AM, South of Lansing, Michigan

I leaned back in the copilots seat, and closed my eyes. Shitshitshitshitshit. Am I crazy, I asked myself. Am I going to flip out like my sister's boyfriend, Leon whatchamacallit? Hell, I had to be crazy, leading some piteous damn rebellion against a humongus international corporation with strong foreign ties. Especially two of them. Fuck. And even worse, I am going up against a man I once called 'sir', who now was no better than those bioweapon freaks that he paraded around. But then was he ever? Hell, if I could actually get my hands on that little....

"Hey, chief, wake up," Jill chided as she poked my arm. I sat up, and took a good look at who was poking me. Kinda tall; soft, brunette hair and matching eyes, a body that could drive any man wild...

HEY! I screamed at myself. That's your partner and best friend you're talking about!

I coughed, and diverted my gaze downwards. I felt my face turn beet red, and I shook my head.

"Yeah, what's up?" I roughly said.

"We're landing in ten minutes. What the hell is wrong with you?" she asked, a coy smile playing across her thin, red lips.

Dammit, Chris, don't say a word...don't get yourself into more than you can get out of!

"Nothing...nothing's wrong. I just dozed off."

"Christopher Daniel Redfield, you know damn good and well that this isn't the time to be slacking," she laughed.

"How the hell...you know my middle name?!" I shouted.

"It would suprise you with what I know."

Jill:

Face it, Jillie. You're in love with that boy.

Dammit, I am. I never could understand it, but I just...am. The logical part of me, Dick Valentine's daughter, the one that should have died in the Spencer Estate, warned me about ruining the best friendship I'd ever had.

But then, my heart speaks louder than my mind. I was confused. And in love with my best friend.

"Ten minutes, you say?" I looked over, and Chris had put his shades back on, with the S.T.A.R.S ballcap he refused to get rid of, even with their evident betrayal of the remaining Racoon City S.T.A.R.S. Even with those dense amber sunglasses, I could feel his deep brown eyes penetrating my very soul.

Dammit, I'm really in deep for this one.

"Yep," I answered, trying to focus on the chopper's controls. But for some reason, I couldn't shake him from my mind.

"You ready for what could happen?" he said as he put a hand on my shoulder. I shivered, his touch electric.

"Hey, I got one helluva bodyguard, right?" I laughed as I put my hand on top of his. He lowered his head, and I saw that smile, the smile that I loved so much, that sizzled through my body like a thousand volts of electricity.

Hold your tongue, Jill. Don't you dare say a word!

"I'd say so, with the dynamic duo back there," he said as he pointed at Barry and Seth, the poor 19 year old that Umbrella had fucked up with their G-Enesis Serum. Barry was a weightlifter if I'd ever seen one (he could max on bench around 295 pounds), but Seth was still bigger. Both were conversing back and forth: I hadn't seen Barry so happy since before the Spencer incident. I turned back towards Chris, and saw he was checking out a GPS monitor.

"We best get ready," he said. "Prepare for descent...into hell."

Out of the glimpse of my eye, I saw a glint of shiny steel under Barry's vest.

Leon:

Gateway to Hell: 11:40, 1/4 mi. from Bio-Port HQ, Lansing, Michigan. 20 minutes to deadline.

"OK, people, get suited up," I said as we attempted to move around the crowded van. I had my RPD body armor on, with a heavy SKS semi-auto assauld rifle. Claire was in black body armor, imblazened with the S.T.A.R.S. logo on the right shoulder and a Remington M1600-A 10ga. shotgun strapped across her shoulders. Carlos was in his UBCS body armor, but any indication of the Umbrella logo was covered with black electrical tape. Ark was in government-issue S.W.A.T. fatigues, and both of them brandished M16s that Barry's friend in the S.T.A.R.S had gotten ahold of.

"Think we got enough?" Ark asked me.

"Hell, no I don't," I breathed as I handed each member of my team a Desert Eagle .50AE magnum pistol. How the hell Barry got this kind of firepower, I can't figure out, but I prayed it would work.

"Carlos, get the radio's up. I want to hear absolutely everything. Ark, get those monitors rolling," I ordered. They nodded, and set to work. I plopped into a small chair close to the monitoring equipment, and closed my eyes.

(We're in some deep shit now, Mr. Leader.)

No, not you. Go away!

(Leon, you're asking part of yourself to leave. How dumb are you?)

Listen. You scared the shit out of everyone once. And now, my life is on the line. GET THE HELL OUT!

(Leon, I'm not going to hurt you. I can't hurt myself.)

Bullshit.

(We can work together. We can survive.)

And what about the others? What about Amy? What about Claire??

(If we work together, I assure you....they will survive.)

All right...

(Now, we work as one.)

A light flashed across my eyes, and all of a sudden, I knew everything would be all right. Claire plopped down beside me, and put a comforting arm around my shoulder.

"Worried?" she whispered.

"Not anymore," I answered.

"Well," she said as she intertwined her fingers with mine. "I am."

"I'll protect you. I'll keep you safe, my love," I replied soothingly.

"I know. You always have," she said as she leaned her head against my shoulder. I could feel the warm trickle of tears flowing from her face.

"Don't cry. Everything will be..."

"Leon!" Ark shouted. "Movement in sector four! They're here!"

"Carlos!" I commanded as I jumped up towards Ark. "Commence radio test!"

"Si, senor!" he shouted back. "Alpha one, this is Echo four. Alpha one, this is Echo four. Do you copy?"

"Copy Echo four." came a whisper from Chris: silent, but determined. "Alpha Team accounted for."

"Roger Alpha one," Carlos replied.

"Echo one, do you copy?" I heard Chris calling for me.

"Roger, Alpha one," I answered.

"Keep her safe." I knew damn good and well who he was talking about.

"Roger that, Alpha one. Good luck."

Chris:

15 minutes to deadline

"Roger that, Alpha one. Good luck." And with that, we approached the gates. A guard in a snappy blue uniform acosted us.

"State your business, sir." he snapped.

"Confidential matters with President Wesker," I answered.

"Show your credentials, please!" he replied.

I pulled a fake passport Wesker had supplied us. Jake Aeroman, security captain of Bio-Port Pharmeceuticals in Shannonville, New Hampshire. The guard looked at it suspiciously, and then got on the radio. He then handed me back the ID card, and saluted.

"Yes sir, captain. The president is waiting in the Third floor, RAID office." I signaled for the others, and they reluctantly followed.

Our feet clamped along the stone pathway through the front yard of the facility, and it was more like an elaborate garden. We were dressed casually, t-shirts and blue jeans, but Barry had worn his S.T.A.R.S. issue vest for some reason. I couldn't tell. Hell, it was Barry.

"OK guys. Get ready for anything...and I mean anything," I stressed as we entered the twin glass doors. Jesus, the inside was just as elaborate as the exterior. Inlaid brick, stained-glass windows, the whole nine yards. I gave a signal to the team, and we entered a large elevator. I punched the button for the third floor. Jill was heavily breathing, Barry was sweating, and from the shiny elevator wall, I could see my face turned pale. Only Seth looked calm and collected. If Wesker pulled something, I felt only Seth had a chance. I heard a musical bell, and the doors slid open. A set of large wooden doors lay before us, with a bronze plaque next to them.

"Reconnasance, Assault, and Informative Directive (RAID) Office"

Great, I thought. Bio-Port's little version of the UBCS. I opened the door, trying to breathe normally. The remaining Racoon S.T.A.R.S. looked pale, were breathing heavily, and were sweating profusely. Seth, however, had his usual cool demeanor as the door creaked open. It was a typical conference room, with monitors and screens along the walls and a large table with chairs lined across it. One chair was at the head of the table, and was swiveled around, and the back was facing us. Somehow, I knew who sat in that chair.

"Ah, Lieutenant Redfield. So good to see you again," with that, the chair swiveled around. Albert Wesker sat in it. In a three piece with his typical slicked-back hair and black shades. "Jill, Barry, looking good." he added.

"Enough bullshit, Wesker. Where are the kids?" I nearly shouted.

"Still the same, Chris. Always ready to get down to business. Take a seat," he said, as he gestured towards the chairs. Reluctantly, the others sat, but I stood at the other end of the table, glaring at a man I once considered a friend, who now held my life in the balance.

"I see you have what we want. Now, for the prize. Commander, bring in the children!" as he said that, a false wall slid up, and a tall, built black-headed man brought in Sherry, Lily, Rott, and Leon's kid sister, Amy.

"All right. Get your blood sample, and let us go," Seth said, as he rolled up his sleeve.

"Not so fast, Mr. Hartford. I have a question for you all," he said, as more armed soldiers entered the room. "Why would I let some valuable hostages like yourselves go?"

"Oh shit..."

Leon:

"Oh shit..." Chris' voice crackled over the radio. I jumped up, and signaled the others.

"There it is, guys!! They're in trouble!" I kicked open the back doors of the van, and we rushed out. We broke into clear sprint, and within 2 minutes, we were at the gates. 2 guards stood, armed only with Beretta .385's. We crouched into some bushes, and I raised up my SKS, and fired two silenced shots, both penetrating each of their skulls. I waved the others forward, and we kicked down the gates. There was a large shed next to the building, I just prayed there wasn't more in there.

"Carlos, Ark. Check them, try to find an ID card," I ordered. They did, and both of them came up with one. Ark handed me his, and I swiped it through the reader at the door to the main building.

(Ching!!) The door slid open. We entered down the dimly-lit, white hallway, only to be encountered by three more soldiers. Claire blew off one's arm with her shotgun, and Ark and Carlos finished the other two. I gave the one-armed soldier a swift and timely death with a head shot from the SKS. We continued to run down the gloomy corridor, past several doors that looked like personell bunkers, and soon came to the cargo elevator. I punched the 'open' key, and the doors quickly slid open. We rushed in, and Ark punched the button to the third floor. The ride was noisy, but swift, and the doors swished open to a more brightly lit, carpeted white hallway. A set of wooden doors burst open in front of us, and we saw armed soldiers leading Jill, Barry, and Chris out.

"DUCK!" I shouted. The three of them got down, and the soldiers looked confused, until they saw us, and then they tried to bring up their weapons in time, but soon collapsed into pools of blood. The others ran over to us, and we untied them.

"Seth, where the hell is Seth?" I breathed.

"Wesker took him to the lower basement levels," Jill sighed. "We gotta stop him." Chris signaled for the others to pick up weapons from the fallen troops. Jill and Chris both picked up twin AK-47s, and lots of ammo for both. Barry stood there, and Chris looked confused.

"Barry? Don't you need a gun?" he asked.

"I have THIS!" he said as he pulled out his Colt Python .45 magnum.

Seth:

Meeting my destiny

"Get in there, 'til the Prez wants ya," the big southern guard said as he threw me into a dank, dark cell. I stood up, and looked around, and found only a flat, stone-cold bed and a metal shitter.

"Fuck," I breathed. I had sacrificed myself, and for nothing. "I really fucked this one up." I went and sat over on the rock-hard bed, and buried my hands in my face.

"Leon; Claire; oh, shit, I failed everyone!" I exclaimed. I sat there for what seemed like forever, but then was startled by a scream.

"AAAHHHHHH! GET OFF OF ME, DIRTBAG!!" Holy shit, something's going on! I rushed over to the thin wall, and put my ear to it. I heard a laughing old guy, and the screaming and pleading of a young girl.

"Shitshitshitshit! What do I do?" I thought. Finally, I got a vision. I walked to the very back corner of the room, and turned to the wall.

"Here goes nothing," I breathed as I sprinted for the wall, with my shoulders lowered. I busted through the concrete wall with little resistance. And what I saw horrified me. I saw a young redhead, no more than 18 or 19, with an older guard attempting to rape her. When the concrete wall busted, he snapped his head up, and his face turned white. His tan uniform pants were thrown on the other end of the cell, and he was in his unbuttened uniform shirt and his white brief underwear. I walked over, and gripped his throat, and raised him to face me.

"Listen...you...sick...bastard..." I whispered. "Give me your keys and your gun...and maybe I won't kill you for your sick shit!" He nodded, and pointed at his pants, and his face was turning purple. I put him down, and he handed them to me. I picked him back up, and threw him into the other cell. I walked over to the girl, who was shaking and trembling. I kneeled in front of her, and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, it's OK now. We're free," I soothingly said. "What's your name? Mine is Seth."

"Rebecca...Rebecca Chambers. Are you an angel?" she asked.

I laughed. "No," I said. "I'm a bioweapon." She looked at me weirdly, and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really? I thought all bioweapons were rotting killing machines?" she asked.

"Yeah, well, that's what they want from me. They started injections, but thanks to the survivors of Racoon City, they didn't finish..." I said, but she interrupted me.

"Wait...Racoon City? I'm a survivor of Racoon!" she shouted. "Is Chris or Jill with you? Or what about Barry?"

"Yeah, they're all here. Now here," I said, handing her the pistol. "Let's go find them." We took off up the stairs, and encountered a locked door.

"Here's where I come in," I joked as I ripped the door off the hinges. We came through, and saw we were on the ground floor. Two guards were coming after us, and I jumped in Rebecca's way.

"Stay behind me!" I shouted as they started firing. Bullet after bullet pierced my skin, but I kept running toward them. I caught both of them by the helmet, and threw them through the concrete wall. They wouldn't be running anywhere, any time. I then crouched by a wall, and fell to a knee. For once in almost two years, I felt pain.

"SETH!" Rebecca screamed as she ran towards me. She placed a hand on my shoulder, and started panicking.

"Holy shit, you're bleeding," she whispered. She tried to rip my sleeve off and make a bandage.

"No...I'll be fine," I answered.

"Bullshit, I'm a combat medic....what the?!" she stood back, held aghast as I began to heal myself. The muscles in my back that had been pierced by the bullets began to contract, and the shells started to fall out of me. Then, I felt the torn tissue reforming, and my skin stretching over the wounds. Within thirty seconds, the only signs that I had been shot was the blood on my shirt.

"Oh shit...I've never seen anything like that..." she whispered.

"I told you. I'm a bioweapon. Umbrella introduced me to a serum that increased my size, strength, and gave me the ability to heal myself, along with heightened senses of smell, hearing, and sight," I said as I stood back up.

"Oh God," she whispered. "That means...you're a..."

"Tyrant-class," I answered. "B.O.W. Classification number 63841-MO-8412-GNWB, Project: Genesis."

"And you still retain human capabilities?" she asked.

"I can still feel pain, joy, happiness, love, all that. All I am is a genetically altered human," I said, emphasizing human. Because no matter what Umbrella did to me, I was still human. I heard yelling and the stomping of feet, along with several familiar scents. It was the others.

"Seth! Are you ok?" Claire shouted.

"Oh my...BECKY?!" Barry shouted. Rebecca, or Becky, I guess, smiled, and jumped into Barry's arms.

"Howya doin'?" she asked. He just smiled. Chris and Jill both embraced their teammate, and then we turned back to what we first came to do.

"The kids..." Claire said.

"Kids? A guard brought four of them down to the cells, and they were brought down to a lower level than Seth and I were!" Becky shouted. We took off back down the stairs, and to the lowest level. There, a frantic Wesker stood, with a semi-auto machine gun pointed towards the kids.

"Another move...they die," he said. The others were his attention, and I grabbed a sharp piece of iron.

"Duck!" I yelled. They did, and I flung the iron, and it pierced Wesker's firing hand.

"SHIT!" he yelled as he dropped the gun, blood oozing out. His shades fell off...

Those eyes...

Eyes...like those of a cat...

I recoginze....

"Get the kids!" I shouted. "I'll take care of Wesker!"

Leon and Claire did, and I grabbed Wesker by the throat. Gee, I sure like doing that!

"Listen to me...stay away from us...or I'll come back for you." I flung him into a cell, and I locked the door.

"Now let's get the hell outta here," Barry said as we took off up the stairs.

We reached the top, and Amy was badgering Leon, Sherry was all over Claire, and Rott and Lily were with Ark.

"Well I think we can get to the reunion later," I heard Leon say as he typed something into a nearby terminal. "Because we got one minute before this place goes up into flames." We all nodded, and ran for the exit. Because of the commotion of the alarms, we weren't noticed as we made our way through the facility as quickly as we could. Finally, we were in safe distance, and we turned to see the building erupt into flame and debris. Becky walked over to me, and leaned up against my tall frame.

"Thanks...for saving me back there," she said. I didn't say anything. I put an arm around her shoulders, and went into a trance of thought. Becky Chambers was a really special girl...someone I wanted to get to know much better.

Is it over?? Is it over?? NO!!! What happened to Wesker? What's going to happen between Becky and Seth? I guess you'll just have to wait for chapter eight of As Cold Blood Runs. STAY TUNED!