AS COLD BLOOD RUNS

AS COLD BLOOD RUNS

CHAPTER TEN: SPEED AND SNOWBALLS

(A quick note: Discrepancies are rampant with the actual location of Racoon City. CAPCOM mentions that it is a midwestern city, and hints that it is close to Chicago, so I'm thinking it's in Illinois, where it is placed in this fic, although I've read that it is in New York, or even Pennsylvania. So, bear with me, and please don't let this take from your opinion of the fic. Thanks and enjoy!)

Leon:

A new Strategy: 8:00 AM, Thompson family home, outside of Albany, NY

"All right, guys," Ark said as we all gathered around. "We need to take two vehicles, so who's going with who?"

"Claire and I will take the BMW," I offered as I signaled at my parents' sports car Dad was given as a gift from the NY southern precinct last year before he retired.

"I'm going with him," Amy said. "We lost our family...we're all we have left."

"And I'm going with Claire," Sherry said. Claire nodded; she was always protective of her.

"I'm going with my sister," Chris said. "Besides, I've always wanted to ride in a BMW convertable!"

"Sorry Chris," I said. "Top isn't going down in the middle of winter."

"Damn!" he shouted. Sometimes, he seemed really dull to me.

"I'll ride with Chris," Jill more than eagerly offered.

"OK, that's one group. So that leaves me, Seth, Becky, Barry, Rott, and Lily in the Ford, eh?" he laughed. "Well, we'll rendevouz with you guys back in the city," he said. "You agree, Commander?" he joked, making fun of my recent emergency commission.

"Yeah that'll work," I replied. "Remember: rendevouz in Crown Heights. Claire's got an uncle that can help us find the base, and then we'll continue on to Fort Renard. See you all later." We gave our goodbyes, and we parted ways. Ark and the others piled into the Explorer, and Claire, Amy, Sherry, Chris, Jill, and I turned towards the car. It was a silver BMW convertable (that registered 130 mph), but was amazingly big, because the six of us could fit inside and still have a lot of room. I turned, and saw that the Explorer already left.

"Always wanted one of these," Chris stated, and then his younger sister turned and gave him a look that could scare the hell out of the devil.

"Oh...sorry," he whispered. I buckled up, and saw the key was still in the ignition, thank God.

"Get ready," I said as I started the engine. "Cause we're going." I slowly backed out of the driveway, and swerved the car around. I hit the clutch, and put it into first, and we sped off. I took the turn onto the highway going about 55. I slid through it, and threw it into second. Claire looked scared. Very scared.

75...3rd.

95...4th.

110...5th.

I looked back to see the emotions of my passangers. Sherry was terrified, and was clinging to the pink "Made in Heaven" vest that hung over her blue sweater, and that covered part of her blue jeans. Chris was laughing like hell, Jill (as always) showed little or no emotion, and as stated before, Claire was scared shitless. Amy, well, she was like me. She didn't really give a damn as to what happened.

"Slow down, Leon," Claire said, clinging to the black leather jacket she was wearing.

I looked at her, and turned back to the road. I was catching up to the Explorer. Quickly.

"Leon," Claire said. "I don't think you're in the state to be driving so recklessly."

"Calm down, Claire," Chris said, still laughing like a maniac. He must have been enjoying this. "Just let him deal with it in his own way."

She just shook her head, and slumped down in her seat. In a minute, I was wheel to wheel with Ark, and in a few more seconds, he was eating my dust. After I got around him, I decided to slow down, to about 75, which was the legal speed limit.

"Thank you," Claire spoke, matter-of-factly. I couldn't look at her, I just pulled my ball cap closer down to my eyes, and prayed to God that the pain would go away.

Seth:

"Did you see that maniac?" Becky shouted as Leon, in his silver BMW, came flying past us going at least 125.

"Hey," Ark snapped. "He's going through a lot of pain...I've known him for some 20-odd years, and I know he doesn't deal with pain very well."

"Well, he doesn't have to try to kill everyone else for it," Barry added. "What kind of leader is that?"

"A damn good one," I said, sticking up for the man who had saved my life...and allowed me to meet the woman of my dreams.

"He doesn't seem like it," Becky smirked. "I have a really bad feeling about this guy." I pulled her closer to me.

"Don't worry...Leon may seem kinda quirky," I said. "But he's a good guy."

"Oh, I don't doubt that," Rott said. "But the crazy sonofabitch is going to get all of us killed."

"Rott!" Ark shouted from the front.

"Sorry..." he sheepishly said. I heard Lily giggle at Rott's obscene choice of vocabulary.

"Well, we really don't have a choice, do we?" I asked.

"Well..." Ark said. "No. We've all been given emergency commissions, and Leon is our commanding officer. So he's in charge...no questions asked."

"What about me?" Becky asked. "I'm not really a combat specialist, I'm just a biochemist."

"The boys in the Pentagon thought of that, so you've been commissioned as a lieutenant captain, in charge of a large biochemestry crew," Ark said. "Your basic duty is to figure out what it is behind these viruses, and figure out how to cure them."

"Just as I thought," she said. "At least I can help."

"Yeah, and not just us," I told her, trying to reassure her. "You could be saving the lives of millions of people."

"You know," she said, optimistically. "You're right. I could find a cure."

"Course you can, Beck," Barry said. "If there was anyone who could, it would be you."

"Yeah," I said. "You can do this."

"I know," she said. "I'm just worried about you guys."

"Ah, we'll be fine," Barry told her. "You know me, I fight like hell, or I die trying. I'm ready to kick some mutant ass."

"And sometimes I wonder where Rott gets it from," Ark muttered from up front.

Leon:

A glimmer of Light: 3:30 PM: Crown Heights, NY; app. 80 miles from New York City, NY.

"Crown Heights...didn't even know such a town existed," I said as Claire showed me the exit ramp, and I took it.

"It's pretty small, but it's where we lived right before my dad died," Claire said. "I'm just wondering if Uncle Martin still lives here."

"You sure this uncle of yours can help us out?" I asked.

"Martin Rennigher is one of the most known names in guns and ammo around, even more so than those in the city," she said. "Trust me, he'll be able to get us to any military base in the state."

"Well, I've never heard of a Fort Renard," I said.

"What about Renard?" Chris, who had finally woken up, asked.

"Fort Renard, where we're meeting Stevens," I said as I pulled into the town. 35 mph. Not fun in a Beemer. It was a small town, about 1000 population, one gas station and one grocery store type of town. Really calming...almost reminded me of my own home. Before we moved into the city. But I couldn't think of that now, not at the wheel, with the lives of five others, including the woman I loved, at stake.

"Pull over here," Claire said as she signaled for me to pull over at the local 76 station. "Maybe we can get directions."

"I thought you used to live here," I said.

"Yeah," she argued. "When I was twelve!"

"Great..." I moaned. She hadn't been here in eight years...just perfect. She pulled her coat over her tightly and ran into the station. Thank God I'd kept the top up, because it looked cold.

"Chris, do you even know where the hell we are?" I asked.

"Somewhat," he answered. "I turned eighteen when we lived in Pennsylvania in 1991, and I headed off for the Gulf with the Air Force. Mom's brother, Uncle Martin, convinced them to move down here, and he got my dad a construction job. He died five months after they moved here, and they stayed here for about a year before heading for the city. I got out of the Gulf in 1992, and a year later I was honorably discharged, after spending a few months in the Brig. But when I came back, they were gone and I finally heard from Claire two years later that Mom had died. I came back for the funeral, and took off again. I sent Claire a little cash every now and then, but I didn't see her for a couple years, until I got the job in Racoon City."

"Wow," I said.

"Yeah, losing both parents in a span of four years can really get to you," he said. I couldn't see his eyes through the amber sunglasses, but I knew that they were filled with pain. Such as I believed mine were. I decided to change the subject...quickly.

"The others still asleep?" I asked.

"Yeah, I think," he said. He took his dark green S.T.A.R.S. jacket off, and layed it over Sherry, leaving him in a thin black sweatshirt. He had a painful look on his face, and I could tell it wasn't exactly emotional.

"Well, I need to take a shit," he laughed. "Bad." With that, he jumped out of the car, and sprinted towards the gas station, nearly running over Claire as she came walking back.

"Problems?!" I heard her laugh.

"Not now, Claire, not now!" he shouted. She shook her head, and walked back to the car and opened the door.

"Looks like he's on the run...literally," she laughed. She turned and snapped her seatbelt back on, and turned back to look at the other three passangers...all asleep.

"Well, looks like your reckless driving didn't seem to bother them any," she laughed.

"Where are we?" I turned back, and saw my sister waking up.

"Crown Heights, about an hour out of the city," I said.

"Or fifteen minutes, if your brother is driving," Claire replied. Amy started to laugh a little and I looked at Claire with a irritated look, and Claire decided it best to shut up.

"So where are we heading?" Amy asked.

"Fort Renard, some rinky-dink fortification outside of the city somewhere, I'm not really sure," I said. "I've never even heard of it, much less going to serve there." I heard the little bells on the door of the gas station ring, and saw Chris dashing, trying not to slide across the ice. He slowed down to a skid, and unfortunately, skidded right past the car, and slipped and fell right on his ass. Claire, Amy, and I jumped out of the car, and we saw him slide on his ass right into a light pole. Amy and I ran to help him, but Claire stood and laughed.

"Hahaha, get what you deserve, asshole," she laughed at her brother.

Chris jumped up, and saw that there was fresh snow on the ground. He turned his back, and I saw him pick up a snowball, but Claire was headed back for the car.

"Hey, Claire," Chris yelled. She turned around, put her hands on her hips, and glared at him.

"What now?" she asked.

"Catch!" Chris shouted, and threw the snowball, which pelted her in the face.

"Wha?!" she shouted as she wiped her face. "Oh, you're asking for it now, you bastard!" She rolled a snowball of her own, and threw it at him. Unfortunately, I was the one who was hit.

"Hehe, good shot, sis," Chris busted out. I turned to Claire, gave her a sneaky smile, and picked up a snowball of my own.

"Hey...now, I didn't mean to hit you," she laughed, backing up.

"Right..." I groaned. I hatched back...

caught my aim...

and swiftly pivoted around and got Chris right in the face.

"What the hell?!" he shouted. "She hit you! I didn't!"

"I know, but you're the only one who hasn't got it," I said. "Oh, wait! You just did!"

That sent Claire into hysterics.

"All right, children," I turned back towards the car, and saw my sister poking her head out. "If you're done with your little games, we have some serious work to do."

"Aw, shuddup!" I shouted, as I launched a snowball, nailing her right into the face.

"LEON?!" she shouted. "I can't believe you!"

"Damn, didn't work," Chris joked. "Leon, you missed the mouth."

"Yeah, I know," I laughed.

"UUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHH!" she groaned, and got back into the car.

"You know, she's right," I said.

"Yeah," Claire moaned. "But I had more fun than I've had in a long time." I walked over and put an arm around her shoulder.

"I agree," I said as we walked back to the car.

"You know, there's not supposed to be any fraternizing between military officers," Chris said.

"Does it look like we're on base?" I laughed.

"Jesus," Chris griped.

We climbed back into the car, and saw that Sherry and Jill were still asleep.

"God, those two could sleep through World War III," I said.

"I don't think so..." Chris answered. "Cause we're probably going to start WWIII." I turned the key on, and put the car into drive.

"Well, at least we got the army behind us," I stated as I hammered out of the parking lot. I got to the turn lane, and had to hit the brakes hard as an old Lincoln Continental pulled right out in front of me.

"Holy shit!" I shouted, and I was still flying forward, and bashed my head on the steering wheel.

"What the hell is that guy smoking?" Amy said.

"Well, at least there isn't a tanker barreling towards us," Chris laughed, much to the distress of Claire and me, who have actually experienced it.

"Never mind that," I said as I got the car back on the road. "Claire, do you know where the hell we're going?"

"Yeah, it's just down this road, turn right onto a street called Granite Falls Blvd., and find the shop," she said. "It's called Specialty Sporting Goods."

"Specialty Sporting Goods..." I repeated. Sporting goods? Heck, we needed a damn tank right about now. "You sure this guy will know where Ft. Renard is?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure, Leon," Claire answered, sounding a little annoyed. I shrugged, and turned back to the road. I hammered the gas, and flew down the road.

"Uh, Leon?" I heard my sister in the back.

"What?" I asked.

"I think you just passed a cop going 55 in a 35 zone," she said. Oh shit, I thought. Definately not something we need right now.

"Is he following?" I asked.

"Doesn't look like it," Chris said, turning back.

"Hey, hand me the phone," I told Claire. She reached in the glove compartment, and handed my the cell phone. I quickly dialed Ark's number.

"Hello?" For some strange reason, Seth had the phone.

"Seth, where you guys at?" I asked.

"Just entering Crown Heights, why?" he replied.

"Listen, we're heading for Chris and Claire's uncle's shop, so you need to follow the road to Granite Falls Blvd., and look for Specialty Sporting Goods, we'll be there waiting," I told him.

"All right, see ya then," he said. I closed the phone, and put it in my pocket.

"Granite Falls, there it is," Chris signaled and I turned down the road. The four of us kept our eyes peeled for the store, but it wasn't there. We drove for at least fifteen minutes down the road, passing overly expensive houses, and didn't see anything. But Amy caught sight of it.

"Hey, there it is!" she said, and sure enough, Specialty Sporting Goods sat on the right side of the road. An old 1988 Chevy truck sat on the side of the road, and Claire recoginzed it immediately.

"He still has his old truck," she said. "I don't believe it." I parked the car behind the truck, and turned it off.

"OK, wake them up, but we're going to wait until Ark and the others get here," I told them. Claire seemed excited, but Chris seemed impartial.

"I don't believe this," she said. "I'm finally getting to see Uncle Martin again. Aren't you excited, Chris?"

"Whatever," he answered, seeming calm and collected. They continued bickering, and I turned around to see the Explorer pull up, and see Ark, the Kleins, Becky, Seth, and Barry pile out, and they came over to the car. We got out to meet them, and we had a little huddle on the sidewalk.

"OK, Martin may be able to help us," I said. "But we can't be so sure that Umbrella or Wesker and Bio-Port haven't been here first. So we need to keep on our guard." We headed for the door, and Claire pushed it open. The place had the look and feel of a log cabin, and there was guns, bows, tree stands; just about anything a hunter could need. There was an older man, well built, but bald, wearing a flannel shirt and khaki work pants standing in a corner.

"Sorry, we're closed," he said, not bothering to turn around.

"Uncle Martin?" Claire asked. He turned around, and fixed his gaze upon Claire.

"Claire...is that you?" he asked, more in a whisper than his husky bass voice.

"Yeah, it's me," she said. Martin ran over, and embraced Claire.

"Oh my God," he said. "You've gotten so damn big. It's been so long! How old are you now?"

"I just turned 20," she said.

"How's your brother?" he asked.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Chris said as he walked up. A bright look came across the face of Martin Rennigher as he saw Chris.

"My God, Chris," he said, shaking his hand. "You're looking more and more like your daddy more and more every day."

"You ain't lookin' too bad yourself, Uncle Martin," he said.

"So you gonna introduce me to your friends here?" Martin said, turning to Claire.

"Oh, yeah! This is Leon, my boyfriend," she said. "And this is Ark Thompson, Jill Valentine, Barry Burton, Seth Hartford, Rott and Lily Klein, Sherry Birkin, Rebecca Chambers, and Leon's sister, Amy."

"Nice to meet you all," he said. He then turned to me, and looked at me funny.

"Leon...Kennedy?" he asked. "Is your name Kennedy?"

"Yes, sir," I answered.

"So you're Patricia and Scott's boy," he said. "And Amy, you can be only, what, 16? How is your dad?"

"Well..." I said, feeling a new wave a pain. "He died...a while ago." I couldn't lead myself to say that he'd been killed 12 hours before trying to defend his children and wife.

"Oh, I'm so, so sorry," he said. "Scott and me, we worked in New York together, when your father was a member of Northtown precinct, but that was before you were born. He came back every now and then, always bragging on his son. The last time I saw him, about 16 years ago, he came and saw me, and he was bragging on his baby girl, he called you. But that was long, long ago. So what brings you all here?"

"Well, we need some help finding a military base around here," Claire said. "You were the first one that we thought of."

"Yeah, I had a feeling you were coming. I just got off the phone with some US marshal, said something about you coming here." Martin told us. "Fort Renard?"

"Yeah, that's the one," I said. "You know where it is?"

"Know where it is!" he shouted. "Hell, boy, I was trained there before they sent me to Korea, and I was stationed there before they sent me to 'Nam. Sure I know where it is!"

"Really?" I asked. "Can you take us there?"

"Yes, I will. And I think I just may hang around. I've got my own battle against those Bio-Port freaks myself," he said. "Come on, and follow me." He turned the lock, let us out, and closed the door behind him. He walked out to his truck, and fired it up. We separated back into our groups, and followed him out of town. The old man said he had a battle to fight. I sure wasn't going to question him.

Well, things are building up to a final battle. What is Martin's personal battle against Bio-Port? What will happen at Fort Renard? What, if anything, does Wesker have planned? All these and more answered in chapter 11 of As Cold Blood Runs.