Chapter 2- I'm Leaving

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Chris was very worried about Claire. She was always the one telling Chris to stay cool and calm when situations were bad. Chris sighed and reminded himself that he was doing the right thing. Wesker is not a man to be messed with... Leon coughed, breaking Chris's thoughts.

"Don't worry about Claire, she'll come around soon," Leon told Chris in a cheery tone.

Chris looked at Leon, "Yeah, she's just very stressed out I guess."

"So... tell me more about the T-Veronica virus," Leon said in an attempt to change the subject. "Did you manage to retrieve a sample?"

"No. There was no time," he told Leon. "I had to find Claire. But I'm almost certain that the only existing sample was in Alexia's body."

"Who's Alexia?"

"Just another Umbrella employee. She's dead now though and-"

Chris paused and remembered what Wesker said.

"Wait-Wesker told Claire and me that Steve has a little of the virus in his body now, thanks to Alexia. I guess that's why Claire wants to find him, cause she thinks he's alive," Chris told Leon slowly.

Leon shifted uncomfortably in his chair, "Do you think Steve is alive?"

Was it my imagination- or did I hear Leon exaggerate Steve's name? Chris thought to himself.

"Well- I'm not sure, to be honest. But if Wesker can, I don't see why Steve can't."

"Oh," Leon said getting off the couch. "You're not going to find Wesker, are you? Do you even know where he is?"

"He's definitely not at the Antarctic Base, because he's already got what he came for. I'm pretty sure he's at the HCF base in Europe. Err... HCF is the name of the company he works for now. But we can't tell Claire that, otherwise she'll force us into going and I am not about to put Claire in danger... again."

Leon nodded, "Don't worry. I'm not going to say anything."

Claire smiled to herself, for little did Chris and Leon know that Claire had been listening to their conversation the whole time.

"So- the HCF base in Austria, huh?" Claire said to herself. "I'm so there."

Claire walked into her room, and took out her passport. She felt guilty, leaving Chris to worry about her after she's gone. But she had to do this. She owed Steve. Once she infiltrated the base, she could find Steve and get the hell out of there. She'd be back in no time... with Steve.

Lets just hope Chris doesn't come after me, she thought.

"Knock! Knock! Claire it's me... can I come in?" Chris said from outside her door.

Claire quickly put her passport under her pillow, and pulled the blanket over her head.

"Yeah, come on in."

Chris entered her room, and closed the door behind him.

"Listen, Claire-," he began. "I'm sorry we can't go and find Steve."

Claire didn't answer.

"Things will be back to normal soon, you'll get over it. It wasn't your fault Steve died."

He just doesn't get it, does he?

"Chris, I'm kinda tired," was all she said.

Chris frowned, "Ok..."

He got up and left the room almost immediately. He could tell Claire wasn't about to talk to him about this just yet.

That night, Claire slipped into her jeans and shirt and opened the door to the small hall. The house was quite old, and the wooden planks on the floor would creak when stood on. She walked stealthily down across the hall, and to Chris's room. He was fast asleep. She crept beside his bed and left a note. She quickly went down the stairs.

"Easy does it," she told herself. "You're almost there..."

Claire made it to the front door, she took her jacket from the closet and left. She rode on her bike all the way to the airport.

"I'm sorry Chris," she said before she left. "Please forgive me"

Chris woke up a few hours after Claire's sudden departure. He had a terrible dream about Wesker.

'Man, I've been thinking too much', he told himself. He went into the bathroom and poured water onto his face. Chris sat down at the side of his bed and reached for the bottle of water on the side table. Instead, he picked up a paper. He raised a curious eyebrow and read the first part of the letter.

'Dear Chris, I know you're going to be mad when I tell you this. I have left to go to Europe. I think you know the reason why. Don't worry about me, cause I will come back. And that's a promise. Love, Claire.'

Chris immediately ran to the phone and rang Leon. The phone rang a couple of times before he answered it.

"Hello? Whoever you are, you gotta be kidding me! It's two- no, three in the morning!" Leon exclaimed.

"Leon, it's Chris. Claire's gone. She's gone! She must've heard us when we were talking about the base in Europe- Austria, right?!" Chris screamed.

"I'll be right over Chris, don't panic."

It wasn't long until Chris heard the sound of Leon's footsteps outside the door. Before Leon could knock, Chris had already opened the door.

"Leon, I'm going after her. She's nuts! She's going to get herself killed!" Chris screamed as he packed the shotgun in his bag.

"Then I'm going with you. I can help. I can definitely get a couple of guys to come along too." Leon said. "And you don't have to worry about transport. Be ready in two hours, and I'll meet you at the police station, got it?"

Chris smiled at Leon. He was someone Chris could depend on.

"I'll meet you there," he replied.

She couldn't have left long ago... maybe we'll be able to stop her!  Chris felt like kicking himself. Don't get your hopes up too high.

Will Claire be able to find the HCF base in Austria? And will Chris be able to make it in time to prevent Wesker from harming her?