Another chapter complete. Please tell me what you think of it.
RE lady- sorry I didn't respond to your review in the last chapter. I posted it before I checked my email. smiles nervously sorry bout that but thanks for reviewing.
James Bond- you're right, I really have no idea what happens in the next games. In fact, I don't really have a clue where this story fits into the series. Still, I went to that site. I'm not sure if I want to be explaining myself to any diehard PS2 fans out there. Thanks for the headsup.
Shady 77- I LOVE your stories. You should go professional. I bet you'd make a fortune XD
Chapter 3.
Ian turned to the girls. "I'm not seeing things, trust me."
Rosanna nodded, surveying her boyfriend with an expression of concern. Sena, however, smirked, disbelief etched into her features.
"I swear!" Ian insisted, though his blue eyes showed a certain element of doubt. "A guy dressed in black just ran over here" (Ian dashed left as a demonstration) "and… heck, you're probably right. Maybe the heat's to me."
He wandered back to his friends and sat down. Rosanna squeezed his hand for comfort. He smiled at her, and then turned to the still smirking Sena. "Don't say anything," he ordered her, pointing an accusatory finger.
Sena held her hands up in submission. "I wasn't going to," she grumbled, "give me some credit." She sat back down on the grass and re-arranged her regulation scarlet blazer while muttering inaudibly.
A young man in some blue uniform foreign to the teens walked up to the group, followed by three women. "Everything okay here? You guys looked a little startled before."
Rosanna gave a small smile and nodded. "Ian here's seeing things," she explained, giving Ian a playful shove and flicking her long reddish hair over her shoulder.
A woman, who resembled the first man slightly but was wearing jeans and t-shirt, stepped forward. "Hi, I'm Claire. These are my friends Jill and Rebecca, and my brother Chris." The STARS members gave a little wave when she said their names. "We're from out of town."
Sena nodded. "I'm Sena and this" (she indicated Rosanna) "is my friend Rosanna. That's Ian there. I guessed you weren't from Brideswell."
"Is it that obvious?" the one called Rebecca asked.
Sena shrugged. "When you live in a small town like this, you know everybody. It sucks at school cos the teachers always say stuff like when your father was in this class he used to pay attention to my lectures, Miss Leaven. You would do well to learn from him. It sucks."
Rebecca nodded in understanding. "I could see how that would happen. I'm from… was from Raccoon City."
The teenagers sat up, alert. "Really?" inquired Ian. "My friend, who's staying with us, he's from Raccoon. I don't believe what the newspaper accounts say, something else must have happened."
Jill nodded. "Yeah." (She deliberately gave no details. The kids looked somewhat disappointed.) "So we came to Brideswell to check that nothing… strange… has been going on."
Rosanna frowned. "I don't think so… unless you count those disappearances."
"Disappearances?" Chris asked, thinking this could be the information they required.
Sena nodded. "There's usually only one a year or something, and the kid has always been found within a couple of days. But this year there's been three disappearances in as many weeks."
Chris began to say something, but Jill cut over him, remembering what he told her about the mystery informant. "Kids? How come they go missing so often?"
Rosanna explained. "Besides the Junior School, there's Eons Forest. The kids go there to play all the time, even though it's forbidden. It's a dangerous place, because the mines from ages back aren't all discovered and closed off."
"Mines?" Chris asked. "This town was built on mines?"
The teenagers turned to Ian, who was obviously the leader in the field of local history.
"Yeah," he frowned, thinking, "I think coal mining began in this area in about 1840. Then, for some reason, the mining was abandoned about 10 years later. People having been trying to start it up again, but can't hire anyone, I guess miners are just superstitious. But the mines are still there. Some say they eventually join with the sewers."
Claire was excited; the guess about the sewers was a good one. "Do you guys know how to get to the sewers?"
This time, everyone turned to Sena. Chris raised an eyebrow. "Sena was one of those hard-outs as a kid who searched everywhere for the Seven Steps. It's this game where if you find the seven steps, you die before you reach the seventh. I think it was in a book. If anyone knows where the sewers are, Sena's your gal." Ian explained, sending a sneer in Sena's direction. She glared at him in response.
"Well," she considered, getting down to business, "The best place to go is probably Kenly Bridge, which leads into the older part of town. I heard that there's an old manhole just over the bridge. I was never enough of a 'hard out' to go and check out though. I'll ask my sister. She's in the Juniors and might know something else. Meet us here at the same time tomorrow, and I'll tell you more." Sena turned to Rosanna and swung a small blue bag onto her shoulders. "Come on, Roz, let's roll."
"Where are you going?" Rebecca asked their retreating backs.
"To school for exams," Ian replied for them.
"But I thought this was their school."
"Naah," he shook his head. "This is the boys' school. The girl's school is in the center of town. Some of the classes are mixed though, and the boys' school is bigger. We wear the same type of uniform though." Overhead, a bell rang shrilly. Ian sighed. "I'd better get going, math exam."
He gave a wave and left.
"Do you think inspecting the sewers is a good plan?" Claire asked her brother once he'd gone.
"It's the only lead we've got," Chris replied, "where else could the virus spread from?"
Jill gazed thoughtfully after the boy. "And those disappearances," she reminded them, "It could just be coincidence, but I doubt it."
Rebecca shuddered and pulled her red jersey more tightly around her lithe form. "I hope those kids are okay." Nobody said anything. It was doubtful, if the virus had gotten loose.
"Maybe one of them was our caller," Chris wondered. "But still, how would they know to call us of all people?"
The STARS walked away to find Barry, each feeling a twinge of apprehension for the missing children, and hoping that Sena's information would be helpful.
**
Wesker took another sip of his coffee and surveyed the restaurant. It was small but cheery. The light wooden tables and comfortable chairs made him relax. All in all, meeting with his cousin hadn't been such a painful exercise after all. First he'd been escorted around town- that didn't take long- then he'd been forced into grabbing a cup of coffee. His cousin sat opposite him, talking constantly. James had his brown jacket swept over the back of the wooden chair and was now wearing only a teal short-sleeved shirt. Thankfully, no questions had been asked about Wesker's sunglasses.
"So, it's worrying what happened at Raccoon City. I'm glad you're okay. No one had heard from you and we were starting to get a bit worried." James smiled benignly over the rim of his cup of tea.
Wesker felt a little uncomfortable. "Sorry about that. I was a bit tied up relocating all my stuff and everything," he lied, "I completely forgot to call anyone."
Actually, Wesker was, quite frankly, amazed that James even remembered what he looked like. It had been since the birth of James second daughter, Amy, that the family had gathered. And that was 9 years ago. Being an only child, Wesker did not go to many family reunions. Besides, he was a ruthless mad scientist. He wasn't supposed to have a family; it didn't seem to fit the picture.
James smiled indulgently. "Liar," he said, not unkindly, "you just didn't want to call us." Wesker didn't reply. What could you say to something like that?
"We're not as… troublesome as you might think, us relatives. We all hate going to reunions, but that's just part of the fun." Wesker still disagreed. James continued, oblivious.
"Where are you staying?"
Wesker started. He hadn't thought of that yet. "I'm sure I'll figure something out," he replied. He began folding the napkin idly.
"Nonsense," James said. "Stay with us. There's a spare room. The house has seemed unnaturally small since Sara moved out." He sighed ruefully. Sara was his ex-wife. They had split, Wesker remembered vaguely from a family e-mail, about two months earlier. "We would love to have you stay with us. You don't really know my two girls."
Wesker shook his head automatically. He wasn't a family man and being inside while wearing glasses 24/7 was bound to start some awkward questions. He adjusted the shades uncomfortably. "I would hate to intrude so soon after the divorce."
James grinned a bit. "So you DO read the family e-mails. I can't stand them myself. Come on, stay with my family. It'd be no trouble at all. I refuse to take no for an answer."
***
Ben sat on the fence, twirling his thumbs. Checking his watch again, he realized it was 4:15. Ian was supposed to meet him here quarter of an hour ago. He sighed and gazed about for a sign of Ian. The fence was at the start of what was called "The Woodland Path". Trees with dark trunks and canopies of green blocked his visibility of the track after the first bend. The ground appeared to be strangely orange, like it would be, he imagined, in autumn. Ben wondered if he would still be in Brideswell then. His thoughts drifted back to his injured brother. He was improving, his mother's letter had told him. It didn't make Ben feel any better. He should be with his brother instead of in this lazy town.
Ian ran up. About time, Ben thought.
"Sorry 'bout the wait," he wheezed, "Exam ran late. I never want to see a math's paper again in my life." Two girls in uniform came into view further down the woodland path. Ben recognized them as being Ian's companions from the night before.
"What's happening?" Ben asked.
"Not much," Ian replied after gathering his breath. "I'm gonna go to the Brideswell Pond to search for that lost boy and girl tonight. Do you want to join?"
Ben shrugged. "Sure. Did you know the kids?"
Ian shook his head. "Not really, only by sight. They seemed to be nice kids though."
The girls caught up. "Hi," Rosanna greeted them.
The boys acknowledged her with a head-bob. "Do you know when volunteers can join the search tonight?"
"Half seven," Sena answered. "But I plan to be there earlier than that. It's a good thing it's warm tonight, or it would be hard to search. Kids have got to stop playing in these woods." She gestured to the area around them.
"Would you have?" Ben's question took Sena by surprise.
She stared for a moment in to his deep brown eyes. "No," she replied sheepishly, "the danger was all part of the fun."
She looked as if she planned to say more, but her cell phone began ringing. "Hello?" She said, walking away from the group a bit.
"Are you coming with us tonight?" Rosanna asked Ben. She liked the boy much more now that he didn't seem so surly.
Ben nodded and smiled. The action completely changed his face. "I think I'll help."
From beneath the trees, Sena gestured frantically at them. "Do you guys want to come round for dinner tonight?" she hissed at them.
"Sure," Rosanna answered.
Ian shrugged and turned to Ben. "Do you want to, or would you rather stay home?"
Ben glanced at the faces in front of him. "I'll come," he said, strangely proud to be involved.
Sena nodded and began talking to her phone again. A moment later she stuffed it into the small duffle bag she was wearing. "Do you guys want to stop by your houses and change? Then we can go to the search straight after."
Ian and Rosanna nodded. The red blazers and gray skirts and trousers were not particularly comfortable. The looked like something from the 60s. Ben felt lucky he didn't have to wear the uniform and go to school until after mid-year exams were over.
"Right then, let's go, I have to pick up Aims and some food from the supermarket on the way home." She turned and walked off.
"Ian," questioned Ben as they followed down the woodland track, "Who's 'Aims'?"
"Her little sister, Amy," Ian replied.
***
I keep trying to figure out where to finish a chapter. As a result, I always have the next chapter partially finished by time I post the first one. That might change when I go back to school, I don't know. I don't really have any class work to do 'til the end of the year so I'll probably get through this story pretty quick. Anyways, at least I'm finally writing a fanfic. Please review so I can know what you think of it ; ).