Thank you guys so much for reviewing and saving this story! Here's Chap. 7, but a few notes first: Leon knows most of the plot points available in RE2. Remember how Jill, Carlos and Mikhail had to take that trolley all the way across town to get to the Cathedral? OK, so Claire walks there. I'm not sure how much time that would actually take, but I'm hoping enough that Leon had time to play through the A scenario. Don't ask me how he knows anything other than that...I just had to figure in RE2's storyline! Also, I'll go more in depth about Richard's last request later. See you Again!
S.T.A.R.S. Girl
"Look," Jill said quietly. "I'll tell you...How do I do this? Brad, you should remember Richard, unless you're way dumber than I thought." She snickered a little. "Claire, I don't know if you ever met him..."
"I did," Claire said quickly. "He seemed like a great guy. But I heard he di..." Now why couldn't she make herself finish that sentence?
"He's dead, that's right. He died in the Spencer Mansion a few months ago, along with half of S.T.A.R.S."
"Y...Yeah."
"He...Well I guess...How do I explain this? He was poisoned by a huge snake. I went to go get him the serum but by the time I got back it was...too late. He wasn't dead, but he sure...sounded it. Looked it. Anyway, he made me promise something before he died. I can still hear exactly what he said..."
"But," Jill continued, "I'll simplify it. Quickly. He basically said that I shouldn't let anymore S.T.A.R.S. members die, he asked me to watch their backs. Two in particular. He also asked me too look out for myself. But you see, we have a little problem here."
"I hope you're not going to say what I think you are," Claire said. But she could already hear it in her head, it was exactly the kind of thing Jill would say...
"It was my duty to watch out for myself. I can't let you guys go get that antidote for me. That'd only be putting you in danger. I especially can't let Brad do this for me because he is a S.T.A.R.S. member. I appreciate the gesture, man, thanks, but...." She trailed off, a little miserably. "It's my final word. It's what I want."
"NO WAY!" Claire even surprised herself at how loudly the words came out of her. "It may be your 'final word,' but I have my final word too!" She didn't even think about how dumb it sounded. All she cared about was keeping Jill alive...she knew how much Chris cared about her....
"I didn't mean it that way. I didn't mean that its what I say, and that is that. I mean its like my...my last request."
"W...what?" Claire's voice sounded like that of a little girl. Her eyes widened. "But it...It doesn't have to be! We could save you, you idiot!"
"Yeah, don't be a hero. It's not like Richard would've wanted you to die either...didn't he say that? After all, you're part of S.T.A.R.S. too." Brad said.
Jill looked uncomfortable. Sure, she thought, that was true. But of the two S.T.A.R.S. Richard had wanted her to watch out for in particular, Brad had been one. The other...she could've kicked herself for losing track of that one. Now she had no idea where they were and no way to protect them. Protect them? She squirmed under Claire and Brad's stares. Inadvertantly, Richard had left this burden on her, this feeling that it was always her job to have to look out for her former teammates. But she was sure---more than sure---that she would've done it anyway. It was just a part of her. She didn't want any more S.T.A.R.S. to die. After what had happened in the mansion, she had realised just how much she'd loved those friends that died. But now, what could she do? Nothing....There was no way she could put one of her special charges out there on the streets, especially not Brad, who was worse at fighting than her other.
But what about Claire? When she had first met this girl she had gotten the feeling that she was resourceful, independent. And she was, more or less, a biker, wasn't she? So maybe it would be alright if Claire went out there too. But she didn't want to risk losing Chris' little sister, the one he'd always talked about. No, she didn't want to cause him any pain....
Carlos. Carlos was a one-man army, for sure. And they all went out together? That worked. It really clicked, she realised suddenly. Brad was the only one who knew what to look for, Claire could find a way out of any situation, and Carlos would be the firepower.
Claire stared as Jill smiled up at her weakly. "OK," she said. "You guys can go. I wouldn't want you to but....Brad's right. I also said I'd look out for myself. It's not as important as keeping the others alive, but I can't give up when there's still a chance, can I now? Besides, it's not what Chris would want."
"Damn straight." Claire smiled. "So who's going?"
"I want you guys to take Carlos. You three: Claire, Brad and Carlos. Claire, you're resourceful if I remember correctly, aren't you? You can make it through any tight spots. Carlos is a one-man army; he'll be your firepower. Brad, you'll know what to look for and can deal with any technical crap."
"Me?" Carlos called from behind them. "I thought I'd stay with you..."
"Yes, you can stay and watch me die, or you can go with them."
Carlos nodded, but he looked a little miffed. Claire backed up. "We'll be back soon, Jill. 'Til then Leon and Ada will watch you, OK? You can trust them."
"I know it, if you did too." Jill waved at her feebly. "I don't doubt I'll see all of you again."
"Well, maybe two of us..." Brad said quietly.
"Sometimes its OK just to look sad and shut up," Jill snickered. Brad stuck his tongue out.
"So this is S..T.A.R.S.," Claire said, a half-smile on her face. With that, the three of them made a dash for the front door and were across the courtyard in a few minutes.
This part of Raccoon looked more ravaged than the rest. Although the section Claire had initially wandered through had been enough to put her on the edge of a mental short curcuit, the damage was so awesome, this side of the city looked as though it had taken the most beating.
Not only were cars stacked on each other and broken-windowed, but they were flipped over, or still flaming, or crushed to such an extant she couldn't believe it. She was surprised to see that Carlos and even Brad didn't seem as flustered. But they have been here longer, she thought. But how much longer...? She didn't really have time to think about it.
Another thing that was bothering her was Carlos himself. Jill had proclaimed him a "one-man army" but he was an army that until very recently had been part of the organization that had apparently killed this town and mutilated its inhabitants: Umbrella. She didn't trust him. But she had to. Besides, Jill and Brad had seemed at ease with him, to a point. But what was that point?
And then, she had no way of knowing that Brad wouldn't choke under the gun again, like how Chris had described at the Mansion. Taking off and leaving them. Undoubtedly some good had actually come of that, like finding Rebecca, discovering Wesker's betrayal, and uncovering Umbrella's true motives. And he had come back and flung them the launcher. But still, she didn't want him running back to the Cathedral when they needed him most.
"Look," Carlos said in his heavy Spanish accent, pointing ahead of them. Claire looked up from navigating the twisted wreckage around her feet, and so did Brad. A huge building towered in front of them, but it seemed to be falling in on itself, listing to one side. However, it was almost certainly the hospital; it had a huge red cross next to what looked like doors. But still, she told herself, trying to believe this sagging wreck wasn't it, it could be, like, maybe a...a blood bank or something...
"That's not the hospital, is it? Please tell me its not..." she said, grabbing her ponytail and twisting it with her hands in anxiety.
"It's not." Brad said.
"Without lying."
"Then it is."
"Wonderful." She climbed over a smashed golden chevvy and clambered towards the front doors. It was dark inside, and she couldn't see very well, but...oh, no.
It looked like the hospital had been the reciever of some storms greatest blow. The inside was torn to pieces---the information desk was spilintered, the waiting chairs were broken into fragments, and a nurses body was flung over some metal table. Other than that she was at a loss for words to describe the carnage and destruction.
"Uhm, guys..." she called back to them. "It looks pretty bad inside..."
"So what do you want to do?" Carlos snapped. "Run back to Jill and tell her we didn't find her an antidote because we were afraid of getting our hands messy?"
"I didn't say..." she sighed. She sure as hell didn't feel like arguing with them. Whatever...
"I guess we should maybe go in," Brad said, shoving a broken door open. "Let's see what we can find."
Jill listened as the sound of rain became audible. It was raining outside, she thought, a little groggily. She could hear it hit the old roof and smack against the stained glass windows. I wonder if they're getting rained on...she pictured Carlos and Brad in her mind. And oh, wait, Claire too. But she didn't want to think about it now...she felt too tired.
Leon looked over at Sherry, who was lying down on a pew. He sighed. What kind of emotional baggage would result from THIS? But then, that was assuming that they actually escaped from this nightmare...don't think like that! He yelled at himself inside his head. Claire and those people went to get the antidote to the T-Virus for this woman.
T-Virus. He hadn't gotten to tell Claire all he knew. Such as Sherry being the daughter of William Birkin, an Umbrella researcher responsible for the development of a new and more powerful mutigenetoxin: the G-Virus. Or that chief Irons was with Umbrella, had been working with them from the start, had been partly responsible for getting so many S.T.A.R.S. killed. Or that Ben Bertolucci, the reporter, had been murdered by Birkin himself, for the scientist had injected his own poison into his body. Or that Annette Birkin, his wife, was still searching for both her husband and her daughter. Or, as Ada had discovered, that Birkin was looking for his little girl. But for a disgusting and inhuman reason....
"Leon," Ada said in her suave voice, shattering his train of thoughts. "You don't look so hot."
"I always look hot," he said, joking with her. She made a clicking sound with her teeth, but she was smiling.
"Say..." she began. "We were separated for a while in the station. Do you remember if you maybe found a sample...of the T-Virus or G-Virus lying around? Or do you maybe have one with you?"
He looked at her strangely, regarding her question. "Why do you want to know?" he asked, tone changed now, searching. "What's your reason?"
"Well, I was just wondering. So then we could both keep it safe."
Leon thought about what Annette had told him: "A sample of the virus is in Sherry's locket." But he didn't want to tell Ada that, for some reason. "No. It's a little weird you ask though." He settled back against the wall he was sitting against. "I don't know where..."
"Well, that's OK then. Never mind." Ada turned from him. And in his head warning bells went off: she doesn't believe me.
Claire hit the button for the elevator. Her hand was shaking, and so was the rest of her. She glanced behind her once more, at the smoldering corpse of what Brad had called a "Hunter." It looked sort of froggish, reptilian. She shuddered again and slammed on the elevator's buttons. They were in the Head doctors office, but they hadn't closed the door, so the monster was still visible.
Carlos, who had done most of the fighting, looked shaken too. The Hunter had huge claws and bulging eyes, and something seemed to be almost seeping out of its grotesque body. A ding alerted her to the incoming elevator: a private elevator. The doors opened to reveal a nicely carpeted floor and reflective, polished walls. "Ritzy," she murmured, stepping inside.
"What floor should we go to?" Carlos asked.
"I don't figure it makes much difference," Brad said, and pressed the button with a bright red "4" on it. "Let's just search thoroughly..."
Claire leaned back and looked at her reflection in the sparkling walls. It seemed like a different world inside this pristine compartment. But by looking at herself and her compatriots she could remember that it was not; it was just a preserved pocket of all that she knew.
She glanced at the others. Carlos' shirt hung open, and his hair clung to his face. He was sweating bullets. His grey army trousers were still loose, but damp with muk and blood. He had some kid of rifle slung half-gingerly over his left shoulder. Brad's vest was torn in several places, and splashes of blood marred its initially yellow pallor. His army camo pants were torn, like something had been ripping at them. All too likely, Claire said, sighing in her mind. She herself looked better than both of them. But she had no idea how long they'd been here; they looked very much the worse for wear.
"How long have you guys been here?" she asked.
"Three days," Carlos said. Claire could hear the tension in his voice.
"That's a long time," Claire breathed. She couldn't imagine three days in this hellhole.
"Jill and I have been here five days," Brad cut in. "At least, the zombie invasion started five days ago."
"Five?" Even more astonishing than the fact that this city had been completely decimated in such a short space of time was that Brad had managed to survive for so long in this enviroment. He wasn't exactly King of Fighters material. But her thoughts were ripped to pieces by the strained "ding" of the elevator reaching their chosen floor.
The fourth floor was in better shape than the entrance hallway, but her heart clenched up in horror upon seeing the shape down the corridor. "Hunter..." Carlos said, unslogging his firearm from his shoulder. "I've got it!" He aimed at the mutant---but Claire could see his hands shaking. "You and Brad go on," he said, rather unevenly. "I've got this motherfucker!"
"No way," Claire said, pulling out her battered handgun.
"Do you really think that will help?" Carlos said, shoving her back. "Go find something that will---like an antidote!"
She didn't want to argue. She grabbed Brad's arm at the elbow and dragged him down the hall with her, to the nearest door. Behind them, around a corner, they could hear the steady blows of a rifle firing.
"Leon..." Ada's voice came from her still body. Leon looked over. She wasn't facing him. She was motionless. But he could hear her speaking. "Where is the sample?"
"Ada," he said, alarm rising in hiis chest, "I really don't have any idea." He studied her, in shock. She hadn't moved.
"At the precinct," she said suddenly. "I told you we should split up. I told you to go on without me. But no....YOU wouldn't LISTEN!" she whipped suddenly around, a small semi aimed at his face. "I TOLD YOU TO RUN! TO FORGET ABOUT ME! NOW TELL ME...WHERE IS IT?"
Jill pushed herself up on her elbow and looked around at where the shouting was coming from. Who was that? That woman...Ava? Ara? Ada, that was it. She struggled to unholster her gun from the belt sitting next to her. That rookie kid might need help....
Sherry stared with wide eyes. What was happening? Claire had told her she could trust Ada. But now...What was she supposed to do? She lay back down and pretended to be asleep, the way she had when her parents had fought. If they thought she was asleep they'd leave her alone...
"WHERE IS IT?" Ada demanded once more, voice breaking. "I...I TOLD you...." With her free hand she gripped her other shoulder. "TELL ME!"
Leon looked around him. Jill had one hand around the handle of a pistol, aimed at Ada. Sherry was lying down, shaking. He knew she wasn't really asleep. But he couldn't risk them getting hurt. Couldn't risk Claire returning to find nothing but more death.....
"In Sherry's pendant." He tried to make his voice sound even, but in his own opinion he failed miserably. He sounded betrayed. Ada moved from him over to Sherry's small form, but her gun was trained on him. She shook the 12-year-old. "Up," she commanded. "Or else."
Sherry bolted upright and took off her pendant. She opened it slowly and took something out. It looked like a piece of paper, maybe a picture. She clutched it posessively before slowly handing it to Ada.
"Why are you doing this?" Leon asked suddenly. Ada's eyes softened when they fell on him.
"I'm a spy, sent to obtain a sample of one of Umbrella's viruses. I got close to John Fay on purpose, just so I could figure out how Umbrella worked inside. 'They' sent me...But why the hell am I telling you this?" her voice hardened. "I'm going...now!" She grabbed the locket to her and sped for the front doors.
Blam, blam, blam. Ada's form slumped against the doorframe suddenly. Leon and Sherry turned to see Jill, arm wobbling, gun smoking, pointing right at Ada. But the Asian woman managed to stagger out of sight.
Should I go after her?! Leon thought. If she gets that thing to another company...But I can't leave Jill and Sherry here alone! He looked back towards them, than towards the open door. No. Ada probably wouldn't even make it with those bullets in her. The thought stung him, but in Raccoon you learned to accept things quickly. He walked over to Jill, a little shakily. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly.
Wow, that's almost a cliffhanger! I had Ada show her true colors. I know this chapter wasn't exactly up-to-par, but I didn't have long to write it. Sorry about that. As per usual, if you've read this far, please review! Thank you! Chapter Eight will be up soon.
S.T.A.R.S. Girl
S.T.A.R.S. Girl
"Look," Jill said quietly. "I'll tell you...How do I do this? Brad, you should remember Richard, unless you're way dumber than I thought." She snickered a little. "Claire, I don't know if you ever met him..."
"I did," Claire said quickly. "He seemed like a great guy. But I heard he di..." Now why couldn't she make herself finish that sentence?
"He's dead, that's right. He died in the Spencer Mansion a few months ago, along with half of S.T.A.R.S."
"Y...Yeah."
"He...Well I guess...How do I explain this? He was poisoned by a huge snake. I went to go get him the serum but by the time I got back it was...too late. He wasn't dead, but he sure...sounded it. Looked it. Anyway, he made me promise something before he died. I can still hear exactly what he said..."
"But," Jill continued, "I'll simplify it. Quickly. He basically said that I shouldn't let anymore S.T.A.R.S. members die, he asked me to watch their backs. Two in particular. He also asked me too look out for myself. But you see, we have a little problem here."
"I hope you're not going to say what I think you are," Claire said. But she could already hear it in her head, it was exactly the kind of thing Jill would say...
"It was my duty to watch out for myself. I can't let you guys go get that antidote for me. That'd only be putting you in danger. I especially can't let Brad do this for me because he is a S.T.A.R.S. member. I appreciate the gesture, man, thanks, but...." She trailed off, a little miserably. "It's my final word. It's what I want."
"NO WAY!" Claire even surprised herself at how loudly the words came out of her. "It may be your 'final word,' but I have my final word too!" She didn't even think about how dumb it sounded. All she cared about was keeping Jill alive...she knew how much Chris cared about her....
"I didn't mean it that way. I didn't mean that its what I say, and that is that. I mean its like my...my last request."
"W...what?" Claire's voice sounded like that of a little girl. Her eyes widened. "But it...It doesn't have to be! We could save you, you idiot!"
"Yeah, don't be a hero. It's not like Richard would've wanted you to die either...didn't he say that? After all, you're part of S.T.A.R.S. too." Brad said.
Jill looked uncomfortable. Sure, she thought, that was true. But of the two S.T.A.R.S. Richard had wanted her to watch out for in particular, Brad had been one. The other...she could've kicked herself for losing track of that one. Now she had no idea where they were and no way to protect them. Protect them? She squirmed under Claire and Brad's stares. Inadvertantly, Richard had left this burden on her, this feeling that it was always her job to have to look out for her former teammates. But she was sure---more than sure---that she would've done it anyway. It was just a part of her. She didn't want any more S.T.A.R.S. to die. After what had happened in the mansion, she had realised just how much she'd loved those friends that died. But now, what could she do? Nothing....There was no way she could put one of her special charges out there on the streets, especially not Brad, who was worse at fighting than her other.
But what about Claire? When she had first met this girl she had gotten the feeling that she was resourceful, independent. And she was, more or less, a biker, wasn't she? So maybe it would be alright if Claire went out there too. But she didn't want to risk losing Chris' little sister, the one he'd always talked about. No, she didn't want to cause him any pain....
Carlos. Carlos was a one-man army, for sure. And they all went out together? That worked. It really clicked, she realised suddenly. Brad was the only one who knew what to look for, Claire could find a way out of any situation, and Carlos would be the firepower.
Claire stared as Jill smiled up at her weakly. "OK," she said. "You guys can go. I wouldn't want you to but....Brad's right. I also said I'd look out for myself. It's not as important as keeping the others alive, but I can't give up when there's still a chance, can I now? Besides, it's not what Chris would want."
"Damn straight." Claire smiled. "So who's going?"
"I want you guys to take Carlos. You three: Claire, Brad and Carlos. Claire, you're resourceful if I remember correctly, aren't you? You can make it through any tight spots. Carlos is a one-man army; he'll be your firepower. Brad, you'll know what to look for and can deal with any technical crap."
"Me?" Carlos called from behind them. "I thought I'd stay with you..."
"Yes, you can stay and watch me die, or you can go with them."
Carlos nodded, but he looked a little miffed. Claire backed up. "We'll be back soon, Jill. 'Til then Leon and Ada will watch you, OK? You can trust them."
"I know it, if you did too." Jill waved at her feebly. "I don't doubt I'll see all of you again."
"Well, maybe two of us..." Brad said quietly.
"Sometimes its OK just to look sad and shut up," Jill snickered. Brad stuck his tongue out.
"So this is S..T.A.R.S.," Claire said, a half-smile on her face. With that, the three of them made a dash for the front door and were across the courtyard in a few minutes.
This part of Raccoon looked more ravaged than the rest. Although the section Claire had initially wandered through had been enough to put her on the edge of a mental short curcuit, the damage was so awesome, this side of the city looked as though it had taken the most beating.
Not only were cars stacked on each other and broken-windowed, but they were flipped over, or still flaming, or crushed to such an extant she couldn't believe it. She was surprised to see that Carlos and even Brad didn't seem as flustered. But they have been here longer, she thought. But how much longer...? She didn't really have time to think about it.
Another thing that was bothering her was Carlos himself. Jill had proclaimed him a "one-man army" but he was an army that until very recently had been part of the organization that had apparently killed this town and mutilated its inhabitants: Umbrella. She didn't trust him. But she had to. Besides, Jill and Brad had seemed at ease with him, to a point. But what was that point?
And then, she had no way of knowing that Brad wouldn't choke under the gun again, like how Chris had described at the Mansion. Taking off and leaving them. Undoubtedly some good had actually come of that, like finding Rebecca, discovering Wesker's betrayal, and uncovering Umbrella's true motives. And he had come back and flung them the launcher. But still, she didn't want him running back to the Cathedral when they needed him most.
"Look," Carlos said in his heavy Spanish accent, pointing ahead of them. Claire looked up from navigating the twisted wreckage around her feet, and so did Brad. A huge building towered in front of them, but it seemed to be falling in on itself, listing to one side. However, it was almost certainly the hospital; it had a huge red cross next to what looked like doors. But still, she told herself, trying to believe this sagging wreck wasn't it, it could be, like, maybe a...a blood bank or something...
"That's not the hospital, is it? Please tell me its not..." she said, grabbing her ponytail and twisting it with her hands in anxiety.
"It's not." Brad said.
"Without lying."
"Then it is."
"Wonderful." She climbed over a smashed golden chevvy and clambered towards the front doors. It was dark inside, and she couldn't see very well, but...oh, no.
It looked like the hospital had been the reciever of some storms greatest blow. The inside was torn to pieces---the information desk was spilintered, the waiting chairs were broken into fragments, and a nurses body was flung over some metal table. Other than that she was at a loss for words to describe the carnage and destruction.
"Uhm, guys..." she called back to them. "It looks pretty bad inside..."
"So what do you want to do?" Carlos snapped. "Run back to Jill and tell her we didn't find her an antidote because we were afraid of getting our hands messy?"
"I didn't say..." she sighed. She sure as hell didn't feel like arguing with them. Whatever...
"I guess we should maybe go in," Brad said, shoving a broken door open. "Let's see what we can find."
Jill listened as the sound of rain became audible. It was raining outside, she thought, a little groggily. She could hear it hit the old roof and smack against the stained glass windows. I wonder if they're getting rained on...she pictured Carlos and Brad in her mind. And oh, wait, Claire too. But she didn't want to think about it now...she felt too tired.
Leon looked over at Sherry, who was lying down on a pew. He sighed. What kind of emotional baggage would result from THIS? But then, that was assuming that they actually escaped from this nightmare...don't think like that! He yelled at himself inside his head. Claire and those people went to get the antidote to the T-Virus for this woman.
T-Virus. He hadn't gotten to tell Claire all he knew. Such as Sherry being the daughter of William Birkin, an Umbrella researcher responsible for the development of a new and more powerful mutigenetoxin: the G-Virus. Or that chief Irons was with Umbrella, had been working with them from the start, had been partly responsible for getting so many S.T.A.R.S. killed. Or that Ben Bertolucci, the reporter, had been murdered by Birkin himself, for the scientist had injected his own poison into his body. Or that Annette Birkin, his wife, was still searching for both her husband and her daughter. Or, as Ada had discovered, that Birkin was looking for his little girl. But for a disgusting and inhuman reason....
"Leon," Ada said in her suave voice, shattering his train of thoughts. "You don't look so hot."
"I always look hot," he said, joking with her. She made a clicking sound with her teeth, but she was smiling.
"Say..." she began. "We were separated for a while in the station. Do you remember if you maybe found a sample...of the T-Virus or G-Virus lying around? Or do you maybe have one with you?"
He looked at her strangely, regarding her question. "Why do you want to know?" he asked, tone changed now, searching. "What's your reason?"
"Well, I was just wondering. So then we could both keep it safe."
Leon thought about what Annette had told him: "A sample of the virus is in Sherry's locket." But he didn't want to tell Ada that, for some reason. "No. It's a little weird you ask though." He settled back against the wall he was sitting against. "I don't know where..."
"Well, that's OK then. Never mind." Ada turned from him. And in his head warning bells went off: she doesn't believe me.
Claire hit the button for the elevator. Her hand was shaking, and so was the rest of her. She glanced behind her once more, at the smoldering corpse of what Brad had called a "Hunter." It looked sort of froggish, reptilian. She shuddered again and slammed on the elevator's buttons. They were in the Head doctors office, but they hadn't closed the door, so the monster was still visible.
Carlos, who had done most of the fighting, looked shaken too. The Hunter had huge claws and bulging eyes, and something seemed to be almost seeping out of its grotesque body. A ding alerted her to the incoming elevator: a private elevator. The doors opened to reveal a nicely carpeted floor and reflective, polished walls. "Ritzy," she murmured, stepping inside.
"What floor should we go to?" Carlos asked.
"I don't figure it makes much difference," Brad said, and pressed the button with a bright red "4" on it. "Let's just search thoroughly..."
Claire leaned back and looked at her reflection in the sparkling walls. It seemed like a different world inside this pristine compartment. But by looking at herself and her compatriots she could remember that it was not; it was just a preserved pocket of all that she knew.
She glanced at the others. Carlos' shirt hung open, and his hair clung to his face. He was sweating bullets. His grey army trousers were still loose, but damp with muk and blood. He had some kid of rifle slung half-gingerly over his left shoulder. Brad's vest was torn in several places, and splashes of blood marred its initially yellow pallor. His army camo pants were torn, like something had been ripping at them. All too likely, Claire said, sighing in her mind. She herself looked better than both of them. But she had no idea how long they'd been here; they looked very much the worse for wear.
"How long have you guys been here?" she asked.
"Three days," Carlos said. Claire could hear the tension in his voice.
"That's a long time," Claire breathed. She couldn't imagine three days in this hellhole.
"Jill and I have been here five days," Brad cut in. "At least, the zombie invasion started five days ago."
"Five?" Even more astonishing than the fact that this city had been completely decimated in such a short space of time was that Brad had managed to survive for so long in this enviroment. He wasn't exactly King of Fighters material. But her thoughts were ripped to pieces by the strained "ding" of the elevator reaching their chosen floor.
The fourth floor was in better shape than the entrance hallway, but her heart clenched up in horror upon seeing the shape down the corridor. "Hunter..." Carlos said, unslogging his firearm from his shoulder. "I've got it!" He aimed at the mutant---but Claire could see his hands shaking. "You and Brad go on," he said, rather unevenly. "I've got this motherfucker!"
"No way," Claire said, pulling out her battered handgun.
"Do you really think that will help?" Carlos said, shoving her back. "Go find something that will---like an antidote!"
She didn't want to argue. She grabbed Brad's arm at the elbow and dragged him down the hall with her, to the nearest door. Behind them, around a corner, they could hear the steady blows of a rifle firing.
"Leon..." Ada's voice came from her still body. Leon looked over. She wasn't facing him. She was motionless. But he could hear her speaking. "Where is the sample?"
"Ada," he said, alarm rising in hiis chest, "I really don't have any idea." He studied her, in shock. She hadn't moved.
"At the precinct," she said suddenly. "I told you we should split up. I told you to go on without me. But no....YOU wouldn't LISTEN!" she whipped suddenly around, a small semi aimed at his face. "I TOLD YOU TO RUN! TO FORGET ABOUT ME! NOW TELL ME...WHERE IS IT?"
Jill pushed herself up on her elbow and looked around at where the shouting was coming from. Who was that? That woman...Ava? Ara? Ada, that was it. She struggled to unholster her gun from the belt sitting next to her. That rookie kid might need help....
Sherry stared with wide eyes. What was happening? Claire had told her she could trust Ada. But now...What was she supposed to do? She lay back down and pretended to be asleep, the way she had when her parents had fought. If they thought she was asleep they'd leave her alone...
"WHERE IS IT?" Ada demanded once more, voice breaking. "I...I TOLD you...." With her free hand she gripped her other shoulder. "TELL ME!"
Leon looked around him. Jill had one hand around the handle of a pistol, aimed at Ada. Sherry was lying down, shaking. He knew she wasn't really asleep. But he couldn't risk them getting hurt. Couldn't risk Claire returning to find nothing but more death.....
"In Sherry's pendant." He tried to make his voice sound even, but in his own opinion he failed miserably. He sounded betrayed. Ada moved from him over to Sherry's small form, but her gun was trained on him. She shook the 12-year-old. "Up," she commanded. "Or else."
Sherry bolted upright and took off her pendant. She opened it slowly and took something out. It looked like a piece of paper, maybe a picture. She clutched it posessively before slowly handing it to Ada.
"Why are you doing this?" Leon asked suddenly. Ada's eyes softened when they fell on him.
"I'm a spy, sent to obtain a sample of one of Umbrella's viruses. I got close to John Fay on purpose, just so I could figure out how Umbrella worked inside. 'They' sent me...But why the hell am I telling you this?" her voice hardened. "I'm going...now!" She grabbed the locket to her and sped for the front doors.
Blam, blam, blam. Ada's form slumped against the doorframe suddenly. Leon and Sherry turned to see Jill, arm wobbling, gun smoking, pointing right at Ada. But the Asian woman managed to stagger out of sight.
Should I go after her?! Leon thought. If she gets that thing to another company...But I can't leave Jill and Sherry here alone! He looked back towards them, than towards the open door. No. Ada probably wouldn't even make it with those bullets in her. The thought stung him, but in Raccoon you learned to accept things quickly. He walked over to Jill, a little shakily. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly.
Wow, that's almost a cliffhanger! I had Ada show her true colors. I know this chapter wasn't exactly up-to-par, but I didn't have long to write it. Sorry about that. As per usual, if you've read this far, please review! Thank you! Chapter Eight will be up soon.
S.T.A.R.S. Girl