The Deal
"3:27!!! What the hell kind of time is that?" Carlos asked frustrated tapping the back of his had repetitively on his knee.
"Guess as good a time as any." Jill answered his question handing him a cup of coffee.
Chris had called them all early to gather for a meeting to discuss last nights happenings. The "them" consisted of Claire, who seemed to be in her own little dream world, Barry, who was also staying quiet but only in a contemplating manner and Jill and Carols who were taking were the only ones talking to Chris about the matter at the moment.
"You couldn't get a trace on the call?" Carlos asked brows knitted already knowing the answer.
"No, of course not." Chris sighed.
"Wesker has always been meticulous." Jill stated taking a seat on the arm of the chair Carlos was sitting in.
"He's bluffing." Barry abruptly stated making everyone remember his presence.
"Possibly." Chris stated "That's where we'll have to come up with a Wesker-proof plan."
"And if we can't?" Barry asked skeptically.
"We will." Chris stated sounding sure of himself.
"But if we don't?" Barry said refusing to let it go and pretend to be optimistic.
No one responded to him that time knowing full well he had a point.
"Hey any new news on Leon?" Jill asked to end the sullen moment.
"As far as I know he's still MIA." Chris said looking around the room for any corrections to his statement, but found none.
"Ok so anyone got an plan in mind?" Carlos asked switching back to the task at hand.
"Well we could have him call us at the drop off spot and let us talk to Sherry and Steve to make sure they are both with him and ok." Chris offered the thought.
"Ya and he'd kill them as soon as we hung up the phone." Barry once again shot down their hope.
"Well, I guess in that event we'd have to have him out in the open for us to see that they're ok." Chris directed to Barry feeling he was getting into a pro and con fight. "He'll have to leave enough space in between himself and them for you to be able to pilot the chopper in-between to do the drop off and pick up."
"And once we take off he can shoot us out of the sky." Barry said narrowing his eyes.
"No, that's not his style. And even if he did try it we still have some connections to give us an ace up our sleeve." Chris stood as he answered to go make the phone call to that would hopefully make his statement fact.
Barry just sat as if defeated. "........but."
"What!" Chris turned half yelling. He was so sick of Barry's pessimistic attitude. He just wished the older man could have a little faith in him. "Listen Barry if you don't want to fly me in there that's fine. I'll find someone else to do it okay?"
"It's not that." Barry said softening his voice to almost a whisper. "He's going to kill you. You realize that don't you?"
"Well, I wasn't planning on going in there totally unarmed." Chris gave him a reassuring smile and walked out the door.
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Chris sat back rubbing his forehead. "I think we're ready." he said to an empty room. He had spent the entire afternoon getting a hold of all of their contacts to ask for favors. He was still at the new secret S.T.A.R.S. headquarters. He had had the all wires that someone might use to get a hold of the members tapped to be intercepted here or his apartment. All he had to do now was wait. It was only 2:49 so he decided he'd try to get some rest. He hadn't been able to fall back to sleep after Wesker had hung up. There had just been too many questions running through his head. Now he felt a little more assured that they would be able to pull through this with everyone okay. He slouched down in his chair and began drifting off to sleep.
"Hey Chris get everything set to go?" Carlos asked entering the room. "Oh hey man sorry didn't mean to wake you."
"Don't worry, I wasn't asleep." Chris said trying not to let his irritation be heard as he sat back up. "Ya, I found a chopper for us that should do the trick."
"Man I'm hungry. You got anything to eat around here?" Carlos asked sorting through the contents of his desk to find only a half eaten Jolly Rancher stick. He shrugged to himself and tried to peel the wrapper off to no avail. He tossed it into the waste basket and redirected his attention to Chris who hadn't answered him.
"Hey you alright?" He asked waving a hand in front of Chris's face to get him to snap out of his sleep trance. "You didn't get bit on your last trip or anything right?" he teased.
"What? Oh sorry. No, I don't think I have anything. We have a while before he's suppose to call you could run out and get something if you want." Chris said wishing he'd just leave so he could sleep.
"Nah, who wants the bother?" Carlos said now routing through everyone else's desk in search of food. He smiled as he found a strawberry Nutra-Grain bar. "So what'cha gonna do about you?"
"Bullet proof vest, a gun, a knife and a prayer." Chris replied staring of into the distance.
"What is he shoots you in the head? And even if he doesn't there's no way you can outrun him." Carlos began to get a bad feeling about all this.
"Well, I'll just have to take him out before he takes me out." Chris answered settling back in his chair again.
"That's your plan!?" Carlos asked not believing what he heard.
"First Barry now you. Don't you worry about it. I do have a plan just trust me." Chris closed his eyes mentally going over his plan again.
"Okay if you say so. Just don't want to see you end up dead. Be a shame after what your sister's gone through to get you back and all." Carlos sat for a few moments waiting for a reply before realizing Chris had fallen asleep. He stood up to exit the room with as little noise as possible.
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Everyone had piled into the room about ten minutes before the call time and were now at their desks engaged in small talk trying to get their minds off the current situation.
"Ya, I think if I had seen it a couple of months ago it might have scared the crap out of me, but I think I'm pretty much ruined for scary movies anymore." Jill said talking to Claire about the hottest horror release. Jill had worked all day at it, but she finally got Claire to come out of her trance around lunch time. 'Wow all it took was a can of soup and Carlos's jacket. It lifted my mood too, but I'll hate to see it when he goes to put it on.'
When the phone rang everyone jumped. Chris picked it up steeling himself. "Hello."
"So what's your answer Redfield?" Wesker's voice was heard throughout the room from being placed on a one-sided speakerphone.
"Yes, but we have some conditions." Chris said waiting for a fight.
Wesker was silent for a moment. "Alright what are they?"
Chris gave him all their conditions and was amazed when Wesker actually agreed to them. Wesker gave them the coordinates to be at at 6:15.
"All right group who's going?" Chris asked after hanging up the phone. "We'll need at least one person to stay here."
"I'll pilot you in." Barry said clearing anyone's previous thoughts of his unwillingness.
"I'm going too." Claire spoke up as if afraid they might make her stay behind. "That's the only way you'll know if it is really Steve and Sherry." she further stated to discourage anyone from trying to talk her out of it.
Chris just nodded.
"Well, I'm going too." Carlos joined in sounding a bit like a child whose friends were going to the fair. "You always should have an extra pilot on hand."
"I guess that settles it." Jill said with arms crossed. "I'm staying."
"You're okay with that?" Chris asked trying to make sure there were no conflicts with the decision.
"Sure. I wasn't to thrilled about seeing Wesker again anyway. I might have accidentally shot him." she said smiling.
"Okay." Chris said fully understanding the feeling. "The chopper should be here shortly. Let's go get suited up."
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The drop-off coordinates had ended up being in the middle of barren desert which would make it easy for the helicopter to set down and take back off.
Carlos sat in the back of the chopper with Chris and Claire. He was glad he hadn't brought his jacket. It was so hot. 'Come to think about it were is my jacket.' he thought remembering he hadn't seen it where he had last placed it. 'Oh well, worry about it when we get back.' He looked back at Claire who was resting her head against Chris's shoulder.
"So Chris what's your plan anyway." Carlos asked remembering that he had never got a straight answer.
"This" Chris said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a tube of clear liquid.
Carlos flinched away a bit. "Virus?"
Chris shook his head "Tranquilizer. It's powerful enough to take down a large elephant. I'm just hoping it's powerful enough to take down a vengeful Wesker." Chris said setting it in a special made gun.
"Then what?" Carlos asked intrigued.
"Then I get a safe distance away and make sure no one's following me and have one of you guys come pick me up." Chris said making it sound like a piece of cake. He took his phone out of his vest pocket knowing the phone call would come soon. He handed it off to Claire who hung on to it for dear life. "Loosen up on it Claire. You're going to break the damn thing."
"Sorry. I'm just nervous. That's all." Claire said not able to hide the fear in her eyes.
"It's alright." Chris said placing an arm around her shoulder allowing her to rest her head on his once more. "Everything's going to be okay Claire."
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The phone call came a few minutes later. Claire had to let her brother speak to Wesker first before she could talk to the others.
"Claire?" came Sherry's small frightened voice "Claire get me outta here!"
"Don't worry sweetie we'll be there real soon okay?" Claire said trying as much as she could to calm her.
Next was Steve. At first there was nothing. "Steve?" Claire asked fear rising into her voice.
"Uhhh Claire?" Steve's groggy voice came through the phone.
"Steve are you alright?" Claire asked the fear turning to anger at whatever Wesker had done to him.
"Ya, I'm fine just come get me out of here okay?" Steve said still sounding a bit groggy.
"Sure thing we'll be right there." Claire said. She hung up the phone and handed it back to her brother who placed it back in his pocket.
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Within two minutes they had reached the drop off destination. Claire hugged her brother and told him to be careful and come back safely. Carlos shook his hand, pulled him into a swift hug and asked him to rough Wesker up a bit for everyone. Chris laughed and agreed to everyone's requests.
Steve and Sherry were tied together and were waiting five-hundred feet away from Wesker giving the team plenty of room to set the helicopter down for the drop-off. Claire and Carlos said there goodbyes and good lucks to Chris again and hopped out the opposite side to gather up Steve and Sherry. Chris took a few steps away from the helicopter and motioned for Barry to take off. Barry hesitated for a moment then gave a nod and took off.
Chris stood watching Wesker and prepared to draw his gun waiting until the helicopter was a distance away to where he knew Wesker could do nothing to them if he should fail. Wesker stood smiling at him. Same old black jump suit, same old black glasses, same old Wesker.
"I must say Chris I'm quite impressed. I didn't figure you'd actually stay and not try to steal a ride back with your friends." Wesker said arms crossed not moving.
Chris drew his weapon quickly and shot. Everything happened so lightening fast he Chris didn't even see it. He didn't need to the sound of the vial hitting the ground and shattering said it all. Wesker had dodged it. Wesker chuckled and began to slowly walk up to Chris then seeing Chris reach for a second gun he swiftly finished of the rest of the distance to put Chris in a headlock readying himself to break the younger man's neck.
"It's finally over Chris." Wesker stated coldly "I've been waiting too long for this to play games now."
Chris struggled in vain unable to think of what to do. 'God if I could just get him to keep talking.' he thought preparing to start a conversation.
There was a snap and everything went black.
"3:27!!! What the hell kind of time is that?" Carlos asked frustrated tapping the back of his had repetitively on his knee.
"Guess as good a time as any." Jill answered his question handing him a cup of coffee.
Chris had called them all early to gather for a meeting to discuss last nights happenings. The "them" consisted of Claire, who seemed to be in her own little dream world, Barry, who was also staying quiet but only in a contemplating manner and Jill and Carols who were taking were the only ones talking to Chris about the matter at the moment.
"You couldn't get a trace on the call?" Carlos asked brows knitted already knowing the answer.
"No, of course not." Chris sighed.
"Wesker has always been meticulous." Jill stated taking a seat on the arm of the chair Carlos was sitting in.
"He's bluffing." Barry abruptly stated making everyone remember his presence.
"Possibly." Chris stated "That's where we'll have to come up with a Wesker-proof plan."
"And if we can't?" Barry asked skeptically.
"We will." Chris stated sounding sure of himself.
"But if we don't?" Barry said refusing to let it go and pretend to be optimistic.
No one responded to him that time knowing full well he had a point.
"Hey any new news on Leon?" Jill asked to end the sullen moment.
"As far as I know he's still MIA." Chris said looking around the room for any corrections to his statement, but found none.
"Ok so anyone got an plan in mind?" Carlos asked switching back to the task at hand.
"Well we could have him call us at the drop off spot and let us talk to Sherry and Steve to make sure they are both with him and ok." Chris offered the thought.
"Ya and he'd kill them as soon as we hung up the phone." Barry once again shot down their hope.
"Well, I guess in that event we'd have to have him out in the open for us to see that they're ok." Chris directed to Barry feeling he was getting into a pro and con fight. "He'll have to leave enough space in between himself and them for you to be able to pilot the chopper in-between to do the drop off and pick up."
"And once we take off he can shoot us out of the sky." Barry said narrowing his eyes.
"No, that's not his style. And even if he did try it we still have some connections to give us an ace up our sleeve." Chris stood as he answered to go make the phone call to that would hopefully make his statement fact.
Barry just sat as if defeated. "........but."
"What!" Chris turned half yelling. He was so sick of Barry's pessimistic attitude. He just wished the older man could have a little faith in him. "Listen Barry if you don't want to fly me in there that's fine. I'll find someone else to do it okay?"
"It's not that." Barry said softening his voice to almost a whisper. "He's going to kill you. You realize that don't you?"
"Well, I wasn't planning on going in there totally unarmed." Chris gave him a reassuring smile and walked out the door.
************************************************************************
Chris sat back rubbing his forehead. "I think we're ready." he said to an empty room. He had spent the entire afternoon getting a hold of all of their contacts to ask for favors. He was still at the new secret S.T.A.R.S. headquarters. He had had the all wires that someone might use to get a hold of the members tapped to be intercepted here or his apartment. All he had to do now was wait. It was only 2:49 so he decided he'd try to get some rest. He hadn't been able to fall back to sleep after Wesker had hung up. There had just been too many questions running through his head. Now he felt a little more assured that they would be able to pull through this with everyone okay. He slouched down in his chair and began drifting off to sleep.
"Hey Chris get everything set to go?" Carlos asked entering the room. "Oh hey man sorry didn't mean to wake you."
"Don't worry, I wasn't asleep." Chris said trying not to let his irritation be heard as he sat back up. "Ya, I found a chopper for us that should do the trick."
"Man I'm hungry. You got anything to eat around here?" Carlos asked sorting through the contents of his desk to find only a half eaten Jolly Rancher stick. He shrugged to himself and tried to peel the wrapper off to no avail. He tossed it into the waste basket and redirected his attention to Chris who hadn't answered him.
"Hey you alright?" He asked waving a hand in front of Chris's face to get him to snap out of his sleep trance. "You didn't get bit on your last trip or anything right?" he teased.
"What? Oh sorry. No, I don't think I have anything. We have a while before he's suppose to call you could run out and get something if you want." Chris said wishing he'd just leave so he could sleep.
"Nah, who wants the bother?" Carlos said now routing through everyone else's desk in search of food. He smiled as he found a strawberry Nutra-Grain bar. "So what'cha gonna do about you?"
"Bullet proof vest, a gun, a knife and a prayer." Chris replied staring of into the distance.
"What is he shoots you in the head? And even if he doesn't there's no way you can outrun him." Carlos began to get a bad feeling about all this.
"Well, I'll just have to take him out before he takes me out." Chris answered settling back in his chair again.
"That's your plan!?" Carlos asked not believing what he heard.
"First Barry now you. Don't you worry about it. I do have a plan just trust me." Chris closed his eyes mentally going over his plan again.
"Okay if you say so. Just don't want to see you end up dead. Be a shame after what your sister's gone through to get you back and all." Carlos sat for a few moments waiting for a reply before realizing Chris had fallen asleep. He stood up to exit the room with as little noise as possible.
************************************************************************
Everyone had piled into the room about ten minutes before the call time and were now at their desks engaged in small talk trying to get their minds off the current situation.
"Ya, I think if I had seen it a couple of months ago it might have scared the crap out of me, but I think I'm pretty much ruined for scary movies anymore." Jill said talking to Claire about the hottest horror release. Jill had worked all day at it, but she finally got Claire to come out of her trance around lunch time. 'Wow all it took was a can of soup and Carlos's jacket. It lifted my mood too, but I'll hate to see it when he goes to put it on.'
When the phone rang everyone jumped. Chris picked it up steeling himself. "Hello."
"So what's your answer Redfield?" Wesker's voice was heard throughout the room from being placed on a one-sided speakerphone.
"Yes, but we have some conditions." Chris said waiting for a fight.
Wesker was silent for a moment. "Alright what are they?"
Chris gave him all their conditions and was amazed when Wesker actually agreed to them. Wesker gave them the coordinates to be at at 6:15.
"All right group who's going?" Chris asked after hanging up the phone. "We'll need at least one person to stay here."
"I'll pilot you in." Barry said clearing anyone's previous thoughts of his unwillingness.
"I'm going too." Claire spoke up as if afraid they might make her stay behind. "That's the only way you'll know if it is really Steve and Sherry." she further stated to discourage anyone from trying to talk her out of it.
Chris just nodded.
"Well, I'm going too." Carlos joined in sounding a bit like a child whose friends were going to the fair. "You always should have an extra pilot on hand."
"I guess that settles it." Jill said with arms crossed. "I'm staying."
"You're okay with that?" Chris asked trying to make sure there were no conflicts with the decision.
"Sure. I wasn't to thrilled about seeing Wesker again anyway. I might have accidentally shot him." she said smiling.
"Okay." Chris said fully understanding the feeling. "The chopper should be here shortly. Let's go get suited up."
************************************************************************
The drop-off coordinates had ended up being in the middle of barren desert which would make it easy for the helicopter to set down and take back off.
Carlos sat in the back of the chopper with Chris and Claire. He was glad he hadn't brought his jacket. It was so hot. 'Come to think about it were is my jacket.' he thought remembering he hadn't seen it where he had last placed it. 'Oh well, worry about it when we get back.' He looked back at Claire who was resting her head against Chris's shoulder.
"So Chris what's your plan anyway." Carlos asked remembering that he had never got a straight answer.
"This" Chris said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a tube of clear liquid.
Carlos flinched away a bit. "Virus?"
Chris shook his head "Tranquilizer. It's powerful enough to take down a large elephant. I'm just hoping it's powerful enough to take down a vengeful Wesker." Chris said setting it in a special made gun.
"Then what?" Carlos asked intrigued.
"Then I get a safe distance away and make sure no one's following me and have one of you guys come pick me up." Chris said making it sound like a piece of cake. He took his phone out of his vest pocket knowing the phone call would come soon. He handed it off to Claire who hung on to it for dear life. "Loosen up on it Claire. You're going to break the damn thing."
"Sorry. I'm just nervous. That's all." Claire said not able to hide the fear in her eyes.
"It's alright." Chris said placing an arm around her shoulder allowing her to rest her head on his once more. "Everything's going to be okay Claire."
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The phone call came a few minutes later. Claire had to let her brother speak to Wesker first before she could talk to the others.
"Claire?" came Sherry's small frightened voice "Claire get me outta here!"
"Don't worry sweetie we'll be there real soon okay?" Claire said trying as much as she could to calm her.
Next was Steve. At first there was nothing. "Steve?" Claire asked fear rising into her voice.
"Uhhh Claire?" Steve's groggy voice came through the phone.
"Steve are you alright?" Claire asked the fear turning to anger at whatever Wesker had done to him.
"Ya, I'm fine just come get me out of here okay?" Steve said still sounding a bit groggy.
"Sure thing we'll be right there." Claire said. She hung up the phone and handed it back to her brother who placed it back in his pocket.
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Within two minutes they had reached the drop off destination. Claire hugged her brother and told him to be careful and come back safely. Carlos shook his hand, pulled him into a swift hug and asked him to rough Wesker up a bit for everyone. Chris laughed and agreed to everyone's requests.
Steve and Sherry were tied together and were waiting five-hundred feet away from Wesker giving the team plenty of room to set the helicopter down for the drop-off. Claire and Carlos said there goodbyes and good lucks to Chris again and hopped out the opposite side to gather up Steve and Sherry. Chris took a few steps away from the helicopter and motioned for Barry to take off. Barry hesitated for a moment then gave a nod and took off.
Chris stood watching Wesker and prepared to draw his gun waiting until the helicopter was a distance away to where he knew Wesker could do nothing to them if he should fail. Wesker stood smiling at him. Same old black jump suit, same old black glasses, same old Wesker.
"I must say Chris I'm quite impressed. I didn't figure you'd actually stay and not try to steal a ride back with your friends." Wesker said arms crossed not moving.
Chris drew his weapon quickly and shot. Everything happened so lightening fast he Chris didn't even see it. He didn't need to the sound of the vial hitting the ground and shattering said it all. Wesker had dodged it. Wesker chuckled and began to slowly walk up to Chris then seeing Chris reach for a second gun he swiftly finished of the rest of the distance to put Chris in a headlock readying himself to break the younger man's neck.
"It's finally over Chris." Wesker stated coldly "I've been waiting too long for this to play games now."
Chris struggled in vain unable to think of what to do. 'God if I could just get him to keep talking.' he thought preparing to start a conversation.
There was a snap and everything went black.