Chapter Ten! Ah, the joys of a sleepless night. There's a certain amount of pleasure that I get from constantly posting new things for people to enjoy on Fanfiction.net. Its like I'm speaking to a wide audience. I hope you guys are all having a restful evening.
A/N: This chapter, like the rest deals with the situation in Raccoon. With the fire I mean no disrespect to what's going on right now (How can I when I'm right in the middle of it?) And what people are doing. This chapter (out of all the others) for scenes of extreme horror, chaos, and insanity is rated R. Please beware
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Raccoon City
Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared.
Eddie Rickenbacker (1890 - 1973)
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Firestorm Mobile command post
"Alright!" The Replacement chief, a Mr. Jake Kenton, pointed to the map, "This is Raccoon City!"
Several snickers erupted immediately around the room. The Chief ignored them and pointed to a colorful map with a red section symbolizing the fire.
The hikers who had started it were both dead-it was unclear who made the 911 calls, since it was supposed to have originated in that area. Two crews had been hospitalized-sent out eastward toward Silent Hill.
They couldn't fight it.
That was what frightened the RFD the most. The fire was spreading quickly, its claws raking the sky while its teeth drove along the ground, consuming all in its path. Two minutes ago, a call had gone out to the Silent Hill Fire Department, asking for all their strength and speed-but many were worried.
"This is East Raccoon." The chief pointed at a smaller area containing a large construction paper square labeled hospital "This is a priority because it is directly in the fire's path. East Raccoon was more commonly known as Holland Heights-because of the new high class condos that Umbrella was paying for out in that direction.
"West Raccoon doesn't seem to be in the path at all." The chief made a sweeping motion-encompassing most of the town and the forest, "Therefore we'll focus our efforts on saving East Raccoon. The fire is spreading quickly gentlemen."
Nods and murmurs of assent. They had only delt with small residential fires, already the smoke was taxing their airwaves-and explaining it to the barking newshounds that collected outside the RFD was hurting their heads.
"Alright." The Chief continued, heavily speaking, "Christ-is there a window open?"
"Sorry Chief." A girl (No more then a girl!) with long, string like black hair stood quickly and shut the window against the oppressive gloom that was descending. He stared outside for a moment, his mind absorbing the dark gloom and rays of red that bled against the sky.
"Chief?"
"Sorry, lets return to the diagram."
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Raccoon Township.
The town had become a roman circus almost instantaneously.
One of the reasons why William Birkin and Ada Wong weren't being delt with in an expedient manner, had to do with this sudden change in daily activities. When people are cornered-it is inevitable that they will be concerned. Humans can preach about courage, about how far we've risen above the animals. It is a universal fact however, that people in large groups, put in situations of danger-revert quickly.
The police had set up barricades around the station.
"Irons!" the Mayor said in a tight voice, "Do you really think that you can keep this crowd under control?" The police who stared back at their mayor with wide eyes stared back at their chief trying to control their own fear.
Irons were a large man, shaped like the stereotypical image of a police officer. The proverbial "Fat cop stealing apples", Irons grunted in reply, and pushed his way through the crowd to where a thin young man with long brown hair was leading one of the protests.
"BURTOLUCCI!"
Irons anger was due, in part, to the fact that he had spoken with Ben Bertolucci a few minutes earlier in an offical statement. The lanky journalist had no business being in the front of a riot.
"Ah!" The young man smiled, "Care to comment on poor police procedure?"
Irons squinted at him, anger radiating from his face, "What the hell are you talking about?"
Ben smiled. His hair was damp and his eyes were watery-almost feverish. The smoke was filling the air now-and several of the hounds barking at the door were dropping back coughing.
"Listen to me!" Irons coughed, trying to be heard above the din, "SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU ASSHOLES!"
Times like these, called for desperate measures.
"Listen to the Mayor!" Irons waved his hands and jumped up and down. The sheer sight of this ridiculously large pig, jumping up and down and acting like a lunatic, was enough to make some of the mob quiet.
Marvin, one of those holding the barricade, smiled. The air clouded around him-he laughed before dropping.
"Shit!"
"He's hurt!" a woman moved foreward. Marvin's lifeless eyes rolled back into his head as he curled himself into a fetal position, coughing violently. They swarmed over him then, many offering advice-their own plights forgotten.
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RPD Jail block
William groaned.
"Wonder what's burning." Their dim windows let in sunlight-pale flakes of ash dancing downward to their position-like snow. They were getting in his hair-darkening its pale blond to a light gray.
"Fire must be big." Ada rocked back and forth against the wall, "Really big."
"You sound worried."
Ada bent her head and the shadows lengthened on her face. Her long black hair hid her features from view-an impenetrable façade against those who might wish to help her-or hurt her.
"Its nothing."
William tried to push thoughts of Annette out of his mind, "I'm worried."
Ada laughed heartedly, "Why would you be worried?"
"My wife." William snapped, "Annette is at the hospital. I haven't seen her in almost 24 hours."
"You never struck me as the type to worry about someone like that Birkin." Ada shrugged; "As for me…" she shook her head, "its not important."
Concern for Annette, and humanity in general prompted his next words, "What's the matter?"
Ada took a shuddering breath, twisting her head away from him. William raised his hands and put them over his face trying to rub away the sleep, the hatred for chief irons and for those who had put him here-
"I was five years old."
William looked up wearily, "What?"
Ada spoke without looking at him-a gargoyle curled up in the darkness.
"I was five years old when fire hit our home town in China. My father was a fireman, he was called away to fight the blaze-he told my mother that we weren't in any danger-so she didn't worry." Ada paused, drawing in a ragged breath, "The fire department came by in a truck blaring-horns screeching. My father-had died-" she sounded broken now, "My mother was hysterical-she shooed me outside and-and-and-" Ada looked up.
She was crying.
William moved across the room and held her shoulders trying to comfort her in her hour of need.
"I watched my life burn." Ada said, beginning to sniffle, "I saw it burn-and then-then-"
"Hey…" William smiled and patted her reassuringly; "We're going to make it through this. Irons will come back-let us out-I'll get to Annette…and-"
"I just…don't…"
William hugged her tightly.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of you."
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A few miles away
Maude's café
Lisa Sunderland smiled as Kyle handed her a coke.
"Thanks." She grinned, "Can't drink on duty, so I take a coke whenever I get a chance." Kyle nodded-absorbing her words-but focused outside on the oppressive cloud of smoke.
"What's the matter?" If there really is a fire, then I'd better get my act together. Lisa had seen what happened in the San Diego Fire of 1975. People had called it the worst fire to ever hit that part of the country.
"I'm worried about the fire." Kyle took a sip of his own drink absentmindedly, "And about that guy we arrested?"
Lisa frowned, "Mr. Scientist? I wouldn't worry." She turned away from him, distracted by his sudden bought of feeling for the predator that was attacking those innocent kids…
A distant plume of smoke lit their vision. A waitress-a young teenage thing with bright, wide eyes came running from the back, screaming.
"We've got to evacuate!" she grabbed a purse from behind the counter, "Forced evacuations! Come on! Haven't you been watching the news?"
This is the Raccoon City Police Department! The electronic voice of a bullhorn screamed into their ears, All people in the premises must be evacuated immediately! No questions asked!
"Oh my god…" Lisa raised a hand to her mouth, "And to think! We've been resting!" she vividly remembered the feeling of fear and horror, watching the homes on television-
"Lets go." Kyle grabbed the waitresses arm, "They'll need our help."
They walked out the door and emerged into hell.
What had once been gloom of a thousand foggy nights was now a Deeping blanket that covered the area with fine gray ash falling from the pale sky like snow. Moving in a surreal dream-Kyle, Lisa, and their baggage allowed themselves to be moved away from the area.
We need to get you to a secure area in town. Lisa shrieked and began to cough violently, her sudden intake of breath drawing in ash and poison. The bug that had moved out of the darkness pointed to a badge on his chest-identifying him as part of the department of fire and forestry.
You need to come with me now. The bug said in a mechanical voice, There's nothing for you here.
"What-* cough * about my- *cough * Parent's café-"
The bug pointed.
Later, when recounting her statement in relation to later events, Lisa would remember it in a half-dream. "IT was eating." She said in a dazed voice, "Just eating and eating. A horrific creature-a daemon-eating and eating."
The fire licked the remaining wooden beams and went to work on the gas vents.
Jesus! a bug was running towards them, McNitt! Get the hell out of there! Its going to-
Their world was consumed.
The group was thrown back-landing several feet away with a great smacking sound, like child pounding his fist against plastic. Lisa screamed-the fire loomed over her with its monstrous face and its glaring-burning-evil red eyes…
"COME ON!"
Kyle had her in his arms.
And she knew nothing more.
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Our Lady of Grace institution
Annette Birkin's room.
Annette studied her ceiling intently.
"Grandma Cass?"
An old, toad woman stood in one corner. Her ugly appearance detracted by the kind look in her eyes. Annette grunted as she pushed her uncooperative body into a sitting position.
"Hi Honey." Cass said kindly, "Not feeling well?"
"I'm sick." Annette shook her head, "I'm sick-"
"Well, I could have told you that." The woman moved foreward and patted Annette's arm with a slimy hand, "Working for that awful place."
"No…" Umbrella wasn't awful, how could it be? She met her husband there, she worked there-they did good work, "I'm pregnant."
"That's not being sick dear." The woman took a step back, "That's perfectly natural-although I never thought of you as the mothering type. I hope you take better care of her then your own mother did."
Annette frowned, indignant, "Mother did just fine."
Cass's eyes narrowed, "Ann dear…your mother left you for her work at the hospital. She married a man who drank and called you names. It was a blessing for the whole family when I managed to pry you away from the two of them."
Annette glared, cornered, "Grandma-Dad did what he did because-"
"Because he was hurt too. Well dear, the cycle obviously continues. I pray for the poor dear's soul-you'd better take good care of your daughter." Cass shook a skeleton finger at her granddaughter, "No running off to play with dead things-you've seen enough death and horror in your life."
"Speaking of death…" Annette said weakly, "Aren't you dead?"
Cass's eyes widened.
Annette dropped back onto her pillows, "God help me…" She gasped, "I think I'm loosing my mind."
"There seems to be a lot of that going around."
Annette raised her head again. The figure that had taken her grandmother's place was familiar-like a character remade from an old TV show and brought back to play some sort of ironic cosmic relief.
"You…"
"Don't you think its crazy enough as it is?" Sherry Delaney, "Without people messing around with things they shouldn't be messing around in?"
"You…"
Sherry continued. Ghosts are not ruled by conventions, or by ordinary means of getting someone to stop talking, or provide information.
"Your work is the cause of the fire you know."
Annette raised her head off the pillow, "UMBRELLA WOULDN'T DO THAT!"
"No." Sherry turned to face her. On her forehead-like stigmata-the bullet hole that had ended her life gleamed with a red-unnatural light, "They didn't. But they are indirectly responsible. As they will be indirectly responsible for the destruction of this town."
Annette twisted to one side, "No…No…"
"You've been seeing things."
Annette raised her hands to her face blocking out the apparition and the voice in her head-whimpering over and over. Sherry's dead face came swimming up in her vision-the face of her husband-infected-the face of everything she'd ever known falling into ruin.
"I'm trying to help you."
Annette shook her head. Sherry had been afraid-she was the one who had to help-wasn't she?
"You're in danger."
Annette raised her head slowly the figure vanished-now speaking with a thousand voices. It was as if the hospital itself was speaking. A moving entity with a thousand distinct voices, all-trying to impart information into a single human being.
"Listen very carefully…"
And Annette Birkin screamed.
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Our lady of grace instituion-continued.
The understaffed hospital that had been built to service raccoon city was overcrowded. Terrified civilians, and hospital employees milled about like livestock-on their way to a slaughter yard.
It was up to Katie to calm them down.
I feel a little hysterical myself. She gripped the corner of her dress tightly; I wish I knew when I'd be getting the call back from-
One of her surgeons tapped her lightly on the shoulder. Katie let out a shriek-then turned about angrily.
"Don't-SCARE –me like that." She hissed, "What do you want George?"
George's normally stoic expression was broken. He shook his head and pointed to a side door, where they could speak in private.
Katie sighed and put a finger to the bridge of her nose. The main headquarters in Europe were having problems. Apparently Sam had gone gallivanting around Europe looking for the great secret project-and now they had a top agent after her. Meanwhile, there was the "Albert Wesker" situation.
They had delivered her an ultimatum
Annette Birkin could not get better.
Which was why she'd been slipping her every possible Upper, along with a few cocktails that would make anybody see music dancing along every natural concert. That would explain her radical behavior-who knew what it was doing to her fetus-
"We have a problem." George was her confident in these matters. Unhappily married-he also represented a lifetime of yearnings that Katie-being his superior-had at last been able to act upon.
Katie shook her head, "Speak Caesar."
"What?"
"Never mind." She rolled her eyes, "What's the matter?"
"Birkin's gone missing."
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Outside, Ambulance area
Alyssa twisted the metal knob, before pushing gently.
This is Alyssa. She spoke softly into her micro cassette recorder. A good reporter was never without something handy to tell the truth to, I'm inside the Grace instituion-and about to enter Dr. Sunder land's private offices.
She smirked. When the news of the fire hit-she'd run back intending to get a closer look at some of Miss Katie's files. When they evacuated-she'd head out. She was probably missing a big break-by not covering the fire with ben.
But then who needed a fire when the whole world was suddenly there for the plucking?
She dug into a file cabinet
"Bingo."
Files, lots of files. Files tying Dr. Sunderland to two different major corporations-one mainly based overseas. Files of her and-could it be-
Then there came a knock at the door.
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A/N-CLIFFHANGER! WOOT!