Chapter 1b: A Moment's Thought

"Hmmm. I wonder why I remember so well."

The tall brunette standing alongside her, Rachelle looked up at the comment.

"Remember what?" she asked her. Danielle pulled the collar of her beige overcoat up around her neck.

"My first few days."

Rachelle nodded. "They were eventful, weren't they. You know, I remember the first time Brad came into the office after you started. Do you?"

Danielle nodded. "He'd been on a short vacation because of stress, or so he said. Personally, I thought he just wanted to get away for a while, I couldn't blame him, the way the guys always treated him. It seemed as if I was the only one who tried to stand up for him. Although, Jill and you didn't approve of it at all, and one or two of the others didn't appreciate it either. The poor guy had such a hard time, it wasn't funny......."

Danielle sat on Jill's desk and yawned. Jill looked up at her.

"Are you bored?"

Danielle shrugged, and nodded. "When Wesker's not around, it gets very boring."

"And quiet," Jill added.

Danielle nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that too."

She glanced up slightly as the door opened slowly, and a young man wearing a S.T.A.R.S. uniform in the style of a yellow vest over a while top and camo pants crept into the room, apparently with the intent of not being noticed. He carried a small suitcase with him. Danielle tapped Jill's shoulder as the young man sat down at a computer in the far end of the room, glancing around to see if he'd been noticed.

"Jill, what's with him?"

Jill looked over. "Well, what'dya know. Brad's back. He went away for a while. About a day before you started."

They all looked up as a very lively looking Rachelle waltzed through the door.

"Hellooo, everybody!" she chimed. Looking around, Brad caught her attention immediately as if he were someone she had never seen before. Walking briskly over, she leaned on the desk and looked down at him. "Hey Brad! The name's Rachelle McDermott. Presumably you've forgotten who I am, because everyone who hasn't knows that you're meant to bow when I enter the room."

Brad's face had a look of pure annoyance on it, and he looked away without even bothering to at least glance at Rachelle. Danielle put her foot in before Rachelle could go any further, walking over and tapping her shoulder.

"Rachelle, leave the poor guy alone. He doesn't look like he wants to be bugged."

Rachelle looked up at her and was about to argue, but stopped. Instead she smiled and walked away. Brad glanced up at Danielle.

"Who are you?" he asked in a hushed voice. He seemed as if he really didn't want any attention to be brought to himself. Danielle smiled.

"Danielle Lanza. What inspired you to endanger your act of solitude and ask?"

Brad stared at her. She kept smiling, and seemed to have not a care as to how he might have interpreted her statement. Then he shrugged.

"I don't know. I noticed Rachelle, I didn't notice you, and so, I had to know."

Rachelle was standing on the other side of the room with her hands on her hips, giving Danielle a look of pure evil. Suddenly, one of the guys from the other side of the room finally noticed Brad.

"Hey everybody, Chickenheart's back!"

Brad put his head in hands and sighed. "Oh no, not this again."

Danielle felt sorry for him. She had heard about Brad Vickers and how the rest of the guys treated him, just because he had a fear of death, and wasn't too enthusiastic about danger. It wasn't long before most of the guys were either calling his attention by his nickname 'Chickenheart', or trying to get him riled up. Danielle shook her head. Despite her almost need to tell people where to go and to pick fights with superiors, she did have a lot of sympathy. And she could tell that he wasn't enjoying this very much.

"Shut the hell up, you immature dickheads!" she yelled.

That shut them up straight away. Brad stared at her in shock. She had turned from quiet and pleasant, to loud and very dynamic. She grinned.

"Excuse me."

Brad nodded cautiously. "You're excused," he said slowly, with a very surprised tone.

"It's not a matter of the fact that you can't pull your weight, Jason. It's a matter of the fact that you won't pull your weight. There are certain members of this unit who do their jobs well, and you're not one of them. At the moment, you're on the list of people who will be out of the S.F.S. And even then, they'll be lucky to stay in this precinct."

"But you can't do that, captain. Even if you could, you wouldn't!"

Danielle crossed her arms and leaned back on her desk. "Oh yes I can, and yes I will. Don't underestimate me, O'Connor. If I threaten something, I don't bluff. If I say I'll rip your tongue out for lying to me, I will rip your tongue out for that very reason. Would you like me to prove that I will carry out my threats? Or would you like your belongings still on your desk in the morning and not in a cardboard box on the floor?"

Jason looked at the floor submissively. "No captain."

"Can I expect you to start doing your job like you actually deserve one?"

"Yes captain."

"Dismissed, O'Connor."

Jason left her office, not daring to look up at her. When he got out, Elliot Edward and David Ford, both S.F.S. members, greeted him.

"Lanza kicked your ass, didn't she, O'Connor," David poked, laughing. Jason rolled his eyes.

"She'll get hers one day. She is such a bitch."

"Yeah, you're tellin' us," Elliot agreed, nodding. "That's why they put her in charge. She can sniff out talent and knack in a herd of deroes."

David shrugged. "You're only saying that, because she takes it easy on you Edward, just like she does with Zoë and all them. I'll bet you guys won't get fired when she starts ticking off her list that we're all supposedly on."

"I bet Irons doesn't let her fire us, and she gets the boot herself," Jason said, looking in the direction of her office. Elliot shook his head.

"That's not a bet, that's a wish. And it's pretty farfetched, I'd say. Lanza's too much of an idealistic captain. She's got Irons wrapped around her finger. Hell, she's exempt from all the dress code regulations. And the only one, too. I don't see any of us, or any of the S.T.A.R.S. walking around in casual."

Jason shrugged. "I don't care, really. I hope she goes to hell."

"I won't, O'Connor."

The three of them looked up at Danielle as she stopped in her path in front of them. She leaned down and pressed her finger against Jason's chest.

"And if I do, I'll meet you there," she hissed. The she kept walking. Elliot called after her.

"You look good today, captain! Your hair looks lovely!"

Danielle didn't turn around. She opened the door and called back at him.

"Kiss someone else's ass, Edward."

Then she walked off down the hall. Brad saw her leave the office from where he was standing out in the hall, and ran after her, catching her just as she reached the door into the lobby.

"Hey, umm......Danielle?"

Danielle turned as he caught up. "Oh, hi. Brad, wasn't it? Did you want something?"

Brad nodded and subtly sized her up. Danielle was about an inch or two shorter than him, about 5'8". She was quite thin-framed, but he could tell by the way that she stood and gestured that she was in no way weak. He guessed that she was probably very fast, and he already knew that she had a sharp tongue. Rachelle had told him that she had a bad side to every good quality, and to be careful with what he said to her. In fact, Rachelle had gone out of her way to fill him with fear for the young woman. He caught a glimpse of a strange model gun in a holster partially hidden beneath her overcoat. She didn't wear a uniform. A short navy skirt and vest, a white blouse and a rather long, beige overcoat. She also had a very steely gaze, and looked up at him expectantly, as if waiting to hear his excuse for momentarily interrupting her reign of terror.

"Uuuh. Nothing. I....I guess it's nothing," Brad stuttered, backing off. Danielle covered a smile and softly grabbed his sleeve.

"Hey. Let me guess. You've heard the following: I'm a tyrant, I'm a bitch, I'm a woman Hitler, I have no respect for my peers or superiors, etc.....And you heard it all off Rachelle."

Brad nodded slowly. Danielle smiled.

"Has to be seen to be believed, I guess. I'm not going to bite your head off, I save it for Wesker and the S.F.S. Tell me, if you're so filled full of terror for me, why did you come over?"

Brad shook his head and shrugged. Danielle sighed.

"Tell me something else. I'm shorter than you, so why are you the one backing up?"

Brad grinned sheepishly. "I guess. Pretty sad, hey?"

Danielle shook her head. "No, I think it's sweet."

Brad looked at her in surprise. Danielle smiled.

"As I said. I might be a bit of a bitch, but I save it for they whom deserve my wrath."

Brad laughed. "Even though Rachelle-"

"Rachelle sometimes ruffles my fur. That's all."

"You've only been here how long?"

"Two weeks."

"You know how to make yourself well known, don't you."

Danielle shrugged and smiled. "As I said on the day I set foot in this precinct, 'if I'm not going to make waves, I'm going to make tsunamis'."

"Heads up! Here comes Captain Lanza!"

Wesker looked up. "Thanks for the warning, Frost. Back inside."

Joseph kept his head out the door, ignoring Wesker. "Hey Dani! Come and say hello!"

"Don't call her!" Wesker whined sarcastically. Jill laughed.

"She's not that bad. 'Sides. She was probably going to come in here anyway."

Joseph pulled his head in as Danielle walked in.

"Did someone call?"

"Don't you have your own office?" Wesker prodded impatiently.

"Well excuse me!" Danielle said, putting her hands on her hips. "I know when I'm not wanted."

"You can't possibly. You're in here all the time."

Danielle rolled her eyes. "I'm collating with the sister unit."

Wesker mirrored the action. "Sister unit my ass."

"It's big enough."

Wesker stood up. "I've had enough of this."

He walked out of the room, just as Brad walked in. Wesker glared at him as he walked past.

"Whoa. What crawled up his ass this morning and died?"

"Danielle," Rachelle said with a laugh. "As she does every day."

Danielle shot a glare in her direction, but didn't say anything. Brad looked at her.

"What's the problem?"

"Wesker hates me and I treat it like a game, which pisses him off."

Jill sighed. "Dani, you treat everything like a game. It just so happens that this precinct is your favourite."

Danielle shrugged. "So? When you have the attitude and charisma to pull it off, pissing off your peers can get you places. Like out of Chicago."

"You purposefully pissed off your chief to come here?"

"No, I turned the CPD into a circus and told my chief that I would fix it all if he'd send me to the first place that came to mind when I mentioned the company Umbrella. Just so happens it was here."

Joseph laughed. "So if I want to get out of this place, I come and see you?"

Danielle shook her head. "My chief was a little more incompetent than Irons. Irons wouldn't go for the circus thing. Besides. I kind of like him."

The S.T.A.R.S. all coughed sarcastically.

"What? What? I have him wrapped around my finger. What is there not to like about someone who, when you say jump, they ask how high?"

"How, dare I ask," Jill inquired, "Did you get him wrapped around your finger?"

"I'm not just a Grade-A bitch, but I'm also a Grade-A sweet talker and flirt."

"I'll believe that," Joseph said with a laugh. "But you didn't really....'Do' anything with that scumbag, did you?"

Danielle laughed. "Are you kidding? Any woman who dares to get that close to him has a hell of a whole lot more guts than I do. I wouldn't dream of taking it any further than just charming him into doing what I want."

"So you could practically run the precinct like that."

Danielle shrugged. "I'm not that good. Rachelle could probably be just as good at it as me."

Rachelle shook her head. "I appreciate the modest break in your big-mouthing yourself, but to be honest, I get quirked about being in the same room as the guy, let alone leading him on like that."

"So do I, Rachelle, I'm not super-human, you know."

Joseph looked at her. "You sure?"

"Shut up, Joe."

It was a few months later when Danielle had her next major run-in with S.T.A.R.S. She decided to increase the limited knowledge the S.F.S. had in the field by taking them to a rifle range on the edge of the city. She stood in the middle of the field and watched as the S.F.S. milled around like a class of school children on a field trip.

"Get in line and shut up! My year five class was better at being in order."

It was to no avail. The group ignored her. She sighed and pulled the Flashgun from its holster, firing it into the air. The team was instantly quiet, and the only sound was the buzzing resonance of the after-charge the bullet left in the air. She lowered her hand and put the gun back.

"Now. If you will listen up, kiddies, we may even get to shoot a gun today," she said sarcastically, producing an air rifle. "This is a big gun. Most likely it is bigger than the little cap guns you have in your holsters. This air rifle is loaded with rubber bullets. Now, rubber bullets, I'm sure you know, hurt a hell of a lot, but they aren't deadly, unless of course you're weak-skinned or you're shot in a vulnerable area, such as-"

"Such as the ol' fella?"

Danielle lowered the gun and looked up. "Yes Jason. Such as the 'ol' fella'. But I don't think you'd really need to worry about that, now would you?"

There was a low murmur from some of the others. Jason crossed his arms.

"Yeah? And how would you know, Captain?"

She instantly lifted the gun and aimed at Jason, dropping the barrel a few extra inches.

"Let's find out then, shall we?"

Jason pulled back instantly, covering himself and ducking away, shaking his head quickly. He wasn't about to take any chances with Captain Lanza.

"No! No! It's alright!"

Elliot looked up. "Here's trouble. Looks like Captain Wesker had the same idea."

Danielle lowered the gun in a flash, spinning to face Wesker. He had his hands crossed, trying not to laugh.

"Captain Lanza. I didn't know you taught children."

"That's so not funny, Wesker."

"I know. It sounds like something you'd say."

Danielle weighed the rifle up and looked at him. "I have a loaded firearm in my hand, Wesker. Do you really want to get me riled up?"

Wesker shrugged. "It's loaded with rubber bullets. And besides. You wouldn't shoot me."

"You wanna try me?"

Wesker turned away and walked back to the S.T.A.R.S. Danielle glared at him and turned back to her team.

"You will all be issued with one of these rifles. At the far end of this range, there are multiple dummies of Jason O'Connor. Your task is to blast out of existence and otherwise maim these dummies from the opposite end of the range," she leaned forward and slid the safety off the rifle, smiling up at Jason. "I'll give 50 bucks to the first person to bean him in the 'ol' fella'."

Jason screwed up his nose at her. "You're a bitch, Captain."

She shrugged passively. "Oh, I know."

"Oh, and Captain Lanza?"

Wesker walked up behind her. She spun around and lifted the rifle, aiming and pulling the trigger before Wesker could react. The rubber bullet struck him in the shin, and he jumped back with a yell, grabbing his leg. The S.T.A.R.S and the S.F.S. had to try not to laugh. Rachelle ran around the side of Danielle and leaned right on her shoulder.

"I can't believe you did that! You legend," she added quietly. Danielle turned away.

"An example," she said, shouldering the rifle, "Of how much a rubber bullet does in fact hurt."

.........Rachelle grinned, and agreed. Then she looked over her shoulder.

"Hey, here comes Brad now."

The two girls turned around. Brad walked up and put an arm around Danielle's shoulder.

"I reckon that Wesker wanted you to go in the hopes that something happens to you."

"I wouldn't be too surprised," Rachelle said, shrugging. "They hate each other."

Danielle smiled, and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry about me, Brad. It's not you out there, and that's all you've got to worry about, now isn't it?"

Brad grinned and shook his head. "Oh, you."

Danielle looked up as one of the new members of S.T.A.R.S, a young girl named Rebecca Chambers, walked past. She sighed.

"Do you remember when she first came in? We were so mean to her."

Brad shook his head. "I wasn't there."

"Neither was I," Rachelle put in. "But Jill and Chris said you were pretty slack."

"I was.".........

Danielle sat on the desk as usual in the silent S.T.A.R.S. office. Jill and Chris were sitting at their own desks, frantically tapping away on their keyboards bringing up as many files as possible on the latest case. They were having a race. The timer went of with a sharp ring, breaking the silence. Chris sat back in his chair, stretching.

"I bet I got more than you did, Jilly-babe."

"Don't call me that Chris, I hate it."

Danielle smiled. "I know that entire database. Out of 89 files Jill has...."

"76."

"And Chris has....."

"Argh! You beat me again Jill. I only got 64," Chris started to spin around in circles on his chair. "Don't you reckon swivel chairs were the best office invention since a fax machine?"

"No, masking tape was," Jill said, standing up and whacking a piece across Chris' mouth. He ripped it off with a laugh and stood up, walking to the dartboard that was hung right next to the door. He pulled out the darts and sat back down.

"Let's pin a photo of Wesker up there and see who hits him first," Chris suggested. Jill laughed.

"Yeah. He'll walk through the door just as you take a sour shot."

"Bullseye! Right in the old kisser!" Danielle cheered, as Chris took a mock throw. Chris threw the dart and it missed the board just as the door opened. The young girl in the doorway ducked to the side as the red dart shot past. She squeaked and looked around in surprise.

"I.....Is this.....S.T.A.R.S.?"

"Unfortunately yes," Danielle said as she jumped up and retrieved the dart, nodding to two officers who looked at her oddly as she picked it up. As she walked past she led the girl into the room and closed the door. "And what can we do for you?"

"I...I'm Rebecca Chambers....and uhh, I'm meant to be here they said."

Jill smiled. "You must be the new girl. Your desk is right there, make yourself at home. Sorry about the dart."

"You really would've been sorry about the dart if you had've hit her," Danielle put in. She turned to her. "So tell me, how old are you Rebecca? You just look a little young to be in a special services force."

"I'm 18...." she said slowly. Danielle nodded.

"And you've completed high school? What do you specialise in?"

"Uhhh medical."

"Uh-huh. Well that's nice. I'm Danielle Lanza. I'm 25 years old and I've worked as a Detective Sergeant in Chicago, and I'm now the Captain of the RPD Special Forces Service. I've attended Oklahoma State and passed through academy in Boston. I'm a weapons expert and a crack-shot. I modeled my own gun and completed high school in my spare time. Nice to meet you."

The shorthaired girl was silent. Danielle nodded to her and left the room quickly. Rebecca turned to Jill.

"Is that all true?"

"Danielle never lies unless it's absolutely necessary, so I'd say that would all be true. But she's only doing that because she's sizing you up. If you let her stomp you flat now, she's gonna see you that way for the rest of your working life. When she comes back, stand up to her. Muster all the strength you have inside to tell her where you stand. Don't worry, she won't get angry."

Rebecca looked around nervously. "I...I guess so...."

Chris was watching the clock. "Barry.........."

Rebecca wandered around the office, looking at the trophies in the bookcase on the far wall.

"......Rachelle........"

Jill rolled her eyes and smiled. "Most of those are Chris' for marksmanship."

"......Brad........"

Rebecca looked at a photo of the S.T.A.R.S members. "They're all in this team?"

".....Kenneth.....Forest....Joseph......"

Rebecca looked at him, then at Jill. "What's he doing?"

"5..........4..........3.........2........1-"

Suddenly the door burst open and Danielle rushed back in and grabbed Rebecca.

"Hey! This is Rebecca Chambers. She's a medical officer and is only 18 years old. Say hello to your new team member guys!"

The S.T.A.R.S. members she had managed to gather up all laughed. Rebecca turned to Danielle.

"Can I just say one thing, Captain Lanza?"

"Say away, Rebecca."

"You can't walk all over me like you seem to think. I'm quite capable of introducing myself and though I must admit that you are an extremely frightening person to a rookie, I hope that we can get along. I'm not a doormat."

Danielle stood stock still for a moment. Then suddenly she burst out in laughter.

"I know you're not a doormat, Rebecca. Good thing you stood up to me. There are worse people than me in this force, and you're gonna need to stand up to them too."

With that she turned and bustled the others out the door again as quickly as she had come in, and the room was once again silent. Jill and Chris were quiet for barely a few seconds. Then they cracked up. Jill shook her head.

"She likes you. You can tell. I honestly thought she was going to flip her lid for a moment there!"

Rebecca laughed awkwardly. "So did I."

Raccoon City's idea of a municipal pool was merged with a nice café-cross-milk-bar that was usually populated by teenagers and young adults in search of their disappearing youth. Today it was invaded by a group of young off-duty cops. Some of the S.T.A.R.S. members were hanging around one of the tables outside the café. The bright sun reflected off the creamy yellow tiles and the pale concrete footpath that led down to the pebblecrete walkways that surrounded the fifty-meter pool and the kiddies wading pools off on the other side where the actual pool gate was. This café and its milk bar and pool-shop (as well as the building for the indoor heated pools) lined the entire pool on all sides. It was nice little place to go out, and they'd chosen it today.

Brad, Jill and Joseph were sitting around the table and Chris floating around the counter. Jill was wearing a small blouse tied high up at the front and a sarong, Brad and Joseph both in board shorts and tees. Chris was too. As they sat there chattering loudly and laughing with each other, Rachelle, Forest and Danielle walked up. Forest was wearing red and black board shorts past his knees and a white singlet top with a towel slung lazily over his shoulder. Rachelle had similar boardies, blue and pink and a bikini top. Over one arm she had a satchel bag. Danielle for once had nothing covering her arms: a spaghetti-string bikini top and a white denim skirt. She'd managed to talk Forest into carrying her bag.

Rachelle hailed them loudly and Joseph slapped his hand on the table, laughing.

"How's it goin' ladies?"

"And Forest," Forest added in.

"Yeah, I used the term collectively."

"Do I look like a chick to you?" he pressed with a faked expression of dissatisfaction. Joseph shrugged.

"Yeah man."

Forest's only reply was a one-fingered salute. Rachelle tossed her things onto the table.

"I'm getting right in. See you in the pool!"

With that she ran off. Forest watched after her, and then turned to Danielle.

"Rachelle's wearing baggy pants, so you can't see her ass."

"Forest," she shrugged him off. "Hey guys."

"Hello Dani, you aren't wearing sleeves for once?" Jill smiled. Danielle shrugged.

"It's kinda a bit hot, don't you think?"

"That's a nice skirt."

"Yeah?" she looked at it. "Found it the other day at the mall, you should go have a look."

"I think I might," she grinned. "I like it."

"Here we go," Joseph looked at Brad. "Dani, Jill and Forest are going to start talking about fashion again."

"Shut up Joey," Forest returned.

"Well Mr. Designer-Board-Shorts, how come you decided to rock up with the girls?"

"'Cos Dani has a nice ass," he replied simply. Brad glanced at him, but Danielle just shrugged when she noticed it.

"He's shit stirring," she whispered to him. "Don't worry about it."

He gave her a funny look. "What?"

"Oh I've seen you," she smirked. "Everytime he makes a comment like that you start to get defensive. He's only stirring."

Brad smiled. "Transparent?"

"Clear as water."

"Damn," he grinned. "But you know…"

"I know what?"

"He's right."

"Brad!" she planted her hands on her hips and tried incredibly hard not to start laughing. Forest reached out and high-fived him, all laughing. But as he looked back to Dani, he frowned.

"What's that?" he pointed to three thick white marks on her left pale-tan arm. Danielle looked at it and tried to answer normally, but Forest and Brad, who could see her gaze, knew that she'd answered false.

"Oh… an accident when I was a kid. Nothing much."

"That's a ripper of a scar," Joseph stood up and leaned over the table. "What the hell did you do, anyway?"

"C… can't remember," she answered quickly. Joseph bought it, but Brad and Forest met eyes. They didn't. But they stayed quiet. Forest replaced his confused look with a smile.

"C'mon Dani, let's go join Rachelle."

"You coming Brad?"

He shook his head. "I just had lunch. I'll join you guys later."

Joseph jumped up and grabbed Jill's arm as Chris came over and said a hello through a mouthful of hot chips as he sat down.

"Come on Jill! Let's see who can do the best bomb!"

She laughed and let him drag her down to the pool. Forest shook his head.

"Dickhead. Awww! Joey you can't bomb for shit!" he called out as they entered the pool. Forest pulled off his singlet revealing a toned six-pack. "I'll show you how to do a goddamn bomb!"

He ran off after them and Danielle just stayed where she was and laughed. Chris offered her the plate of chips, which she shook her head to, leaning back on the table.

"Forest works out."

"Oooh. Danielle's perving on the team," surprisingly it was Brad who said it. He was always the one to get defensive about stuff like that. "'Course Forest works out. He's Special Forces."

"He's alright," she admitted. "But he's a better friend."

Chris laughed. "I thought you were going in?"

"I'll wait till I'm asked. I'm not in a hurry to run around in a swimsuit."

"We are," Brad joked, pointing to him and Chris. "I mean we're in a hurry to see you run around in a swimsuit."

"I'd pay money," Chris grinned. Danielle was gaping, trying not to burst into laughter.

"Oh Chris, Brad I'd expect that from Forest!"

The boys laughed.

"We're just having some fun," Chris leaned back and smiled. Brad pinched one of his chips.

"Yeah. I don't get to take the mickey out of people often, it's usually the other way around," he said. "We're all friends here."

"Sexist bastards," she hissed playfully. "I get it from Mister Speyer all the damn time."

"You're quite welcome to pick on us," Chris invited. Danielle held out her hands.

"That's just it, I can't pick on you both! Not without it seeming like I'm a hussy."

"Forest's a man-hussy," Brad said and the two boys started sniggering to each other. "He likes the ladies."

"I can't remember when he last had a girlfriend though," Chris thought. "You just can't imagine a Mrs Speyer. God'd have had to have made two of 'em to get away with it."

"I'm getting in the pool so I can get away from you chauvinistic prats."

"We're behind you all the way," Chris called. "We love to be behind the ladies."

"You play Tomb Raider just to watch Lara Croft's ass, Chris," Brad accused and they started laughing. Danielle sat on the edge of the pool and Rachelle swam up.

"Get in the water you wuss," she laughed. Danielle shook her head with a laugh.

"I had to come down here. Chris and Brad are acting like Forest."

"Brad?"

"Believe it or not."

Rachelle burst into hysterics, splashing water up. She waved and freestyled away. Danielle leaned her elbows on her knees and stared away at the buildings beyond the pool. Everything began to fade as she put herself into a trance. But she was suddenly snapped out of that trance as she found herself toppling down into the cold chlorinated pool. Floundering from utter shock, she surfaced to see Forest roaring with laughter. He'd come up silently and shoved her in, seating himself where she'd been sitting, laughing. Rachelle, Jill and Joseph swam up, also chuckling to themselves.

"What's wrong Dani? I thought you wanted to get in the pool?"

"In my own time you prick!" she cried at him. Forest laughed.

"Hey, I'm no mind reader, you know."

"Bastard!" she threw water up at him and he put an arm up to block it. When he wasn't looking she jumped up and grabbed his arms, dragging him in. He fell with a huge splash, and surfaced a moment later. The four of them began trying to dunk each other in a childish play of water games. Forest got Rachelle aside for a moment.

"What happened to Danielle's arm?"

"Huh?"

"How long has she had those three scars on her arm?"

"Dunno. Didn't even know she had scars on her arm."

"In Academy?"

"No, she didn't have them then."

Forest frowned. "I think there's something she's not telling us the full story of."

"Between Academy and here? She could've taken a hit in Chicago."

"I guess," Forest replied dubiously. "But I have a weird feeling that it's something else."

"Forget about it," Rachelle laughed chirpily. "We'll find out if it's anything worth worrying about, obviously it's something she wants to forget, so let her forget. Let's go. Jill, Joseph and Danielle are racing."

"Hmmm."

"What?"

"Huh?"

"What's hmmm?"

"Nothing you rotten eavesdropper," Danielle threw a Mintie at Forest, and he caught it before it hit.

"You don't 'hmmm' for nothing," he grinned, and tossed the Mintie into the air a few times as Danielle shook her head.

"I do."

"Oh?"

"I hmmm when I'm trying to remember what it was I was going to say to you."

"So you were going to talk to me?"

"I think so," Danielle grinned. "But it must've been important."

"Must've been a lie," he replied, unwrapping the sweet and sticking it in his mouth. "Thanks."

"No worries. Are you going to the 4th July bash?"

"Yeah," he replied. "After all, Chris' sister has a nice ass. All the ladies have a nice ass. You can't see Rachelle's ass, her pants are heaps baggy. Jill's got a tight ass. You've got a real nice ass."

"I'd really prefer it if you kept your eyes off my ass, Speyer."

"It's compliment," he laughed indignantly. "You've got a nice ass. What's so insulting about that? I'd love it if some chick came up to me and said 'Jesus Forest you have got a nice ass'. I'm sure Brad thinks you have a nice ass too."

"Yeah well Brad's a nice guy and he's not into being extroverted."

"Well, it's so obvious that he likes you, you know. Joseph likes you. I just think you have a nice ass."

"Will you shut up about my ass? You've got an obsession over my ass."

"I was telling you the truth!" he clapped his hands at her and she threw another Mintie at him. "I love the ladies. All the Special Forces ladies have nice asses. I'm sure Rachelle has a nice ass; she just hides it in baggy pants. I love the mini-skirt dress and blouse ensemble you've got. It really brings out your ass."

"Shut the hell up!" she was beginning to laugh. Forest did have that effect.

"Alright," he conceded. "Give me another Mintie and I'll shut up about your gorgeous ass."

"Try hard," she accused lightly, throwing him another lolly. "So if guys had nice asses you'd be into them too?"

"I am not that way inclined nor will I ever be," he began. "But if a guy had a nice ass, I'd tell him."

"What about the S.T.A.R.S. guys?"

"Well, Joey has a bit of a case of 'Skimpy-Ass'. In other words, he hasn't got much ass to begin with. Chris has a 'Macho-Ass', where his ass is big, but it matches his chest and ego size, so it's all in proportion. Kenneth has 'I'm-To-Sexy-For-My-Ass' syndrome. That's where he spends so much time fluffing himself up, he don't care what his ass looks like. Enrico and Barry have 'Old-Guy-Ass'. Their asses are getting floppy 'cos they're getting old. Brad, he has 'Computer-Guy-Ass. His ass is tight, but it gets flat 'cos he's on the radio and the computer all the time. Wesker… well, Wesker is a different matter. You see; it ain't about his ass at all. Wesker's 'Anal-Retentive', so all that his ass comes out like is a bit of two-by-four, cos he's so busy clenching the damn thing into his actual asshole, it turns into a tiny little excuse for an ass. I wouldn't waste my time on Wesker's ass. 'Becca doesn't count. She's got a nice ass 'cos she's only eighteen. That's natural in teenagers."

Danielle was in hysterics. "I am seriously concerned for you, Forest," she managed through her laughter. "You are one sick little boy."

"Why? 'Cos I think you've got a nice ass? Oh wait, I'm not meant to say that. Okay, you've got great tits… no, that's not PC. Okay, you've got a great personality… no, that's what you say to someone when you wanna screw 'em. Dani, let's just leave it and say this is a totally platonic relationship we have here and the only one of us two who'd ever want to change that is you, cos you think I'm damn sexy."

"Forest, quit while you're ahead."

"Do you think I have a nice ass?"

"I don't have to answer that question."

"Ah-ha! You do think I have a nice ass," he accused triumphantly, pointing at her. "You won't answer my question, so you must think I have a nice ass. Do I have a nice ass?"

"Alright, yes Forest, you have a nice ass. Happy?"

"Did you mean it?"

"Yeah, you have a nice ass."

Forest laughed and leaned back over his chair to look up at her. "Thanks for the Minties."

"No worries."

"Tell you what?"

"What?"

"Chief Irons has a huge ass."

........Danielle shrugged. "What a bore this is. We've got so little to do we're reminiscing."

"That's sad," Brad said, rolling his eyes. Rachelle suddenly laughed.

"Oh, I remembered something else. What about the Joseph-Danielle-Brad thing!"

Brad looked up darkly. "I rather that you wouldn't."

Danielle smiled. "I thought it was sweet. Even after that little disagreement. Joseph looked cute with a black eye."

"Danielle!"  Brad exclaimed. Danielle looked up at him curiously.

"What's wrong, Braddy? Do you like me or something?"

Brad went silent and looked away. Rachelle and Danielle looked at each other. Rachelle laughed again.

"Yeah, I think there's something goin' down here," she said delightedly. Then she nodded. "How about Joseph's nose?"

Brad shook his head. " I'm going to strangle you, Rachelle."

Rachelle smiled sweetly. "Well now, why would you want to do that?".............

Rachelle looked across the table at Brad and Danielle. He was glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, but not making any attempt to talk. Rachelle grinned, and set down her milkshake. They were at a diner called 'Emmy's', a favourite of the group. Lately, and for a while actually, Brad had been acting very strangely around Danielle, and Rachelle was growing suspicious about him. But she also knew that Joseph was working on trying to win her over somehow. Rachelle pushed her milkshake away and looked across at them, smirking.

"Well, what's up with you two? You've hardly said a thing to each other since this morning, when you both said 'hi'. There must be something going on."

Danielle shrugged. "Nothing up with me, I've just got nothing to talk about at the moment."

Brad was a little more reluctant to answer, and for a moment, it looked like he was about to shrink away to avoid the question. But he quietly mirrored Danielle's shrug.

"I'm not in a talkative mood, that's all."

Rachelle eyed him suspiciously. "Oh? Okay. Listen, Dani? You know about Joseph, right?"

Danielle suddenly began to giggle and grabbed Brad's arm to get his attention.

"Oh, oh. You have to hear this. You'll never guess what Joseph's been up to lately."

Brad rolled his eyes. "Do I want to?"

Danielle shrugged. "I think it's sort of cute, you know."

Rachelle nodded. "Yeah, Dani's got a secret admirer who isn't so secret. Joseph's been all cushy over her for the past couple of days. He's got a major crush."

Brad looked up, a weird look in his eyes. Danielle nodded.

"He asked me out."

Brad looked at her. "What did you say?" he asked quickly.

"I said not to get his hopes up."

Rachelle nodded. "But you've gotta hand it to him, though. You have to have guts to ask Danielle something like that. She's shot down every guy who's made a pass at her for the past God-knows how many years."

Danielle sighed and shook her head. "There's only one person I'd ever agree to, but I'm not sure who they are just yet."

"Aww, that's so cute," Rachelle mocked. "Snow White over here is waiting for her prince to come."

Danielle glared at her. "You know, Rachelle, one day I will kill you."

"No you won't," Rachelle laughed, "Because deep down inside, you're not as much of a tyrant as everyone thinks you are."

"Hello ladies and Brad," Forest slid into the booth next to Rachelle. "Hello and how are we all this fine lunch-hour?"

"Oh, good," Danielle smiled. "We're just talking about Joseph."

"See? I told you he thinks you have a nice ass. Brad thinks you have a nice ass, don't you Brad?"

He didn't say anything but glared daggers at Forest, who grinned and winked. Forest then smiled a charming smile he was famous for.

"Joseph isn't your type, Dani."

"I know. He doesn't seem to realise that though."

"I'll have a chat to him if you like," Forest shrugged. "Joey listens to me."

"Oh, it should be alright," she smiled. "I'm sure he'll get the message eventually."

"Joey gets over things fast. Once he's completely shot down, he'll be alright in about a week."

"I don't want to hurt his feelings, I like him as friend, but not in the way he's trying for. Like you Forest. The other day you were going on about my goddamn ass. I can take it from you because we're only friends; you're only joking around. I know when I say to keep away from my ass you're going to take it as a joke because it was intended as a joke. But when it's serious, it's a little harder."

"True," he replied, "But if you want someone to have a talk with Joey, I'm your man."

"My Tree."

"Shut up."

"What?" Danielle laughed, and Brad began to smile. "Come on Tree, we've all got nice asses here, as you so eloquently always put it. What harm's a nickname?"

"Oh, well, when Wesker found out he was Albert Wanker, he wasn't too pleased."

"That's Wesker though. And besides. We're all cops. We're allowed to be sub-mature."

Brad stormed into the room, throwing the door open, and sat down beside Rachelle in the S.T.A.R.S. office. Rachelle noticed him.

"Hey Brad, what's up?"

He slumped in his chair, sulking. "Nothing," he said aggressively.

"Come on, what is it? You'll feel better if you talk to me."

Brad sighed. "Oh, it's Joseph. He's been saying shit about me, especially to Danielle. I'm sick of it."

"I know, but sitting there getting grumpy isn't going to fix things. Talk to him. Sort it out. Anyway, I'm not sure if Danielle is going to listen to him. She's getting really annoyed with him since he keeps following her around and keeps asking her out and just harassing her in general."

Brad's voice changed. It started to get quieter, as if Brad was concentrating all his energy on not getting angry.

"Really?" he said through clenched teeth.

"Yeah. She's trying to keep from punching him out."

Just then, Joseph walked into the office. Brad rose up out of his seat and tried to walk over to Joseph, fists swinging. Rachelle jumped up and tried to physically restrain him, but Brad was so strong when he was angry that he broke her usually strong grip. He walked over to Joseph, grabbed him by the collar, lifted him out his seat and slammed him against the nearest wall, which was behind his desk.

"Brad! What the hell are you doing! Let go of me!" Joseph pushed Brad off him.

"No! Why don't you leave Dani alone? I mean, she doesn't even like you! She's this close to punching you out!" Brad pushed Joseph back.

"Well, if she had told me to leave her alone, I would!" Joseph shoved Brad again.

"She did!"

"Anyway, why are you sticking up for her? Do you like her or something?"

Brad couldn't control himself. Joseph had hit a weak spot. Before he could stop himself, Brad swung out and punched Joseph so hard in the nose, he could hear the crack as the cartilage in Joseph's nose shattered and blood sprayed everywhere. Joseph, blinded by pain, instinctively reached out and hit Brad in the eye. Danielle, sitting bewildered in the back of the room discussing something with Barry and Forest, stood up and ran over. She sprang between them, and threw her arms up, separating them.

"Oh, stop it!"

Brad fell back, startled, but also in pain and he could feel his eye beginning to swell. Danielle stood back and brushed him off.

"You boys are so immature!" she yelled, turning to the two of them. Then she looked at Joseph, who was doubled over in pain, his hands covering his face, blood seeping through his fingers.

"Joseph," she said quietly, "I did tell you to leave me alone. Now let me see that. You fool. This is what happens when you all fight like little boys. You get hurt," she looked up at Rebecca, sitting at her desk with a look of pure shock on her face. "Rebecca, could you get some ice for the boys please? Thanks," she turned back to Joseph. "You brought it on yourself, you know, and Brad did a much better job of what I was about to do to you than I would have had the heart to do."

Joseph looked up. "Rachelle was right, you are a bitch."

Danielle stood up, her hands on her hips. "Look. As far as I'm concerned, you can all go get stuffed."

Then she left the room with Rachelle, and as they left, Brad turned to follow, glaring at Joseph before he left.

........Danielle shook her head. "To this day, I don't know why you got so worked up about Joseph having a crush over me. After all, the way Forest talks to me…"

Rachelle shrugged. "I thought it was more fun at the Fourth of July thing. That was so much fun. Remember, we met Chris' sister?"

Danielle nodded. "That's right. She fit in really well."

"Chris forced her to."

Danielle laughed and sighed, looking up at the helicopter. "Oh well.............."

Danielle leaned against the wall and sighed. Looking around the room she knew she recognised everyone's faces, but she felt like she wasn't even meant to be there. Parties weren't her thing, even semi-formal ones. She rolled her eyes as Rachelle came running up to her.

"Have you seen Chris' date?" she asked excitedly. Danielle shook her head.

"Chris has a date? You see something new every day."

Rachelle grabbed her arm and dragged her into the center of the room where the S.T.A.R.S. were gathered in a little group, talking to each other. Chris was a little way away, talking to a young brunette. Rachelle pointed.

"See? Over there."

Danielle squinted at them for a moment and shook her head. "Hang on a sec, there's something strange about this set-up, I'm gonna get to the bottom of this."

She briskly walked up to them and waved. Chris motioned to her.

"Oh, Claire. This is Danielle Lanza."

The girl extended her hand with a smile. "Hi. I've heard about you. I'm Claire. Claire Redfield."

Danielle nodded smoothly. "That explains everything," she replied, and looked over her shoulder at Rachelle, who wasn't even paying attention. She was talking to Richard and Kenneth about something. Claire looked at her strangely.

"Beg yours? What?"

Danielle laughed. "Oh, just a minor misunderstanding. Rachelle couldn't be bothered coming over herself so she told me that you were Chris' date."

Chris burst out into laughter and so did Claire. Claire shook her head.

"Chris? Get a date? Come on, get real!"

"Hey!" Chris retorted. "I could get a date with my eyes closed."

"No, that wouldn't be enough," Danielle mused. "You might need a paper bag too."

Chris glared at her for a moment before shaking his head, laughing. Claire shrugged as Chris craned his neck to see if he could spot Rachelle.

"Shellie! Hey! Rachelle! Come over here!"

Rachelle nodded and excused herself from Richard and Kenneth as she came trotting over.

"What's up?"

Danielle motioned to Claire and Chris. "Meet Chris' 'date'."

Rachelle shook her hand. "Rachelle McDermott."

"Claire Redfield."

Rachelle seemed surprised. "You're not Chris' date?"

She shook her head with a laugh. Rachelle nodded.

"You must be Chris' wife."

"Rachelle! You are so dense!" Danielle cried through a fit of laughter. Chris and Claire were almost falling over with laughter. "Claire is Chris' sister!"

"Ohhhh. Okay. Sorry about that."

Claire waved her hand at her. "No, it's alright. I haven't had a good laugh in ages."

Rachelle turned to Danielle and shrugged. Danielle returned the shrug.

............"I didn't see Brad at that party though," Rachelle cast a sideward glance. "Or Joseph, for that matter."

Brad looked at her, but didn't say anything. Danielle smiled and walked over to the helicopter.

"I'll see you later."

"Do you know how long this'll take?" Rachelle asked.

Danielle smiled. "We'll get in, kick their backsides black and blue, save the lost hikers and be back before supper."

Rachelle grinned. "Don't you think it'd be the other way around?"

"If what you're implying is what I think it is, I wouldn't go any further on that statement."

Brad and Rachelle laughed and waved goodbye to their friend. Once the rest of the S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team was in the helicopter, it took off, leaving the well-wishing Alpha Team standing on the rooftop. But to the back, the slyly grinning Wesker stood, contemplating his plans, and knowing that what awaited the fated group was more than what they ever dreamed they'd have expected.