Resident Evil: Abduction

Chapter Fourteen

It could have been hours, minutes, seconds...whatever the length of time, it never registered to Riane. Her world was as blank as the white wall in front of her. Warmth had surrounded her during the lapse in time. She found strength and support within the arms that offered comfort, and in the words spoken in a soft velvety whisper that tried so desperately to soothe her aching soul. In the end, when reality resumed, the terror remained and her world was left in ruin.

"She's burning up."

Riane blinked several times while the words registered and her eyes focused on the little girl lying unconscious in the bed. Everything that took place after she learned of the destruction of her family had been a blur. She barely recalled extracting the anti-virus, in what she hoped was its more purified state, and inserting it into the injector gun. Neither did she remember giving the instrument to Carlos and following him to the room where Angie lay unconscious.

Firmly, but reluctantly planted in reality, Riane nodded, acknowledging Angie's condition. She reached for the thermometer and held it to Angie's ear. Within seconds, it registered. "One hundred five point eight...Jesus, Carlos! Her brain is cooking. She doesn't have much time left."

"It's now or never," he agreed. Inwardly he prayed to whatever god might listen to him. For Angie's sake...not for his. Uncharacteristically nervous, he bit down on the plumpest part of his bottom lip as he triggered the all too familiar injector, sending the anti-virus into her system.

"If this doesn't work..." Riane began; worry and uncertainty tainted each word. Her head bowed and her strawberry blonde hair cascaded forward, concealing the tears that rimmed her eyes.

Placing a finger under her chin, he slowly raised her head so that he could look into her eyes. Watery and deep green, they had turned almost black with fear and grief. "We did all that we could," he assured, catching the tear that escaped from the corner of her eye under the pad of his thumb. Tenderly, he brushed it away. "The rest is up to Angie. She's strong. She's a fighter, and she's a helluva lot smarter than the rest of us combined."

He released her chin only to reach for Angie's small hand. As it disappeared within the circle of his, he said, "And if she didn't have faith in us...in you...she never would have shared the secrets of her data recorder."

"Yes," Riane whispered, acknowledging the truth of his words. She held onto the wisdom and hope it built within her. It was all she had left.

"C'mon, Angela," Carlos encouraged in what he believed to be his authoritative voice, but Riane heard what he could never acknowledge. Love, concern, need, and fear all melded with the words he spoke, urging his little girl to come back to him. For both their sakes, Riane prayed it would happen.

Angie suddenly cried out, her eyes flying open in surprised agony causing both Carlos and Riane to elicit a frightened gasp. Frozen with fear, they watched horrified while her body stiffened and arched, holding still for a brief moment before convulsing violently.

"Angie!" Carlos cried, finally able to move. He held her down, hoping to keep her as still as possible so she wouldn't do further harm to herself. "C'mon, sweetheart. Stay with me," he pleaded.

As if in answer, she stilled, her eyes closed for a brief second before popping open to meet his. A tear rolled down her cheek before her eyes rolled back into her head. Then Angie lay still.

141414

Pain, dull at first, increased as she broke through the veil of sleep. Her subconscious nagged at her. Something or someone important awaited her. The need to fulfill an unspoken promise weighed far more heavily than the need for healing sleep.

Groggily, she pushed up onto one elbow to figure out where the hell she was. The blanket slipped away from her the further she rose, allowing the cool morning air to touch her skin. She dazedly wondered when she had gotten undressed and clutched the covering to her breast. She tried to survey her surroundings, but the room was dark and focusing was difficult. Blinking several times, her eyes began to adjust until the faint light that seeped through the cracks around the door showed what hid in the darkness.

A snore ripped through the silence and she turned her head a little too quickly in the direction it came from. Her vision blurred momentarily along with the swift nausea that built in her stomach. "God," she groaned, her hand moving to her abdomen in an attempt to calm the inevitable.

Sleep had been fitful and Jill's slight, but awkward, movements immediately awakened him. "How ya doin', Valentine?" LJ asked concernedly from the tiny, uncomfortable cot he had set up in the limited space available.

Mama had insisted he take himself up to his old room, but that was out of the question. He needed to be close by, just in case. Discovery was always a threat and he couldn't risk being too far away to help. Mama's room was on the other side of the kitchen, just off the living room, but close enough that he felt comfortable sneaking a few winks during the early morning hours.

As if in response to LJ's heartfelt interest, Jill leaned over the side of the bed. Her body shuddered with each heave, emptying her stomach onto the tiled floor. "Much better," she answered bitingly, wiping her mouth as she sat back on the bed.

"So I see," he remarked amusedly, tossing the blanket from his body as he sat up.

His chuckle only further irritated her already questionable disposition. "What the hell are you doing sleeping in my room?" she demanded. "And where the fuck are my clothes?"

Her obvious worry that it had been him who undressed her only made him laugh harder. "Better not let Mama hear that foul mouth of yours," he wisecracked. "She wields a mean bar of soap."

Somehow, the vision of Mrs. Walker washing LJ's mouth out with soap tickled her funny bone. Jill found herself laughing right along with him until thoughts of Angie and Carlos seeped through.

"We need to go," she insisted as her laugh abated.

LJ shook his head slowly. "Ain't no way you're leaving here, Jill." When she began to protest, he raised a hand, silencing her instantly. Standing, he walked over to the door and opened it. "Even I wouldn't be stupid enough to put any weight on that leg...for a few days at least."

Her face soured instantly. "LJ, there are more important things to worry about."

"Maybe. Maybe not." He gave a shrug. "Be right back."

The additional light from the opened door allowed her to see the small pile of clothing lying on the nightstand. She quickly donned her shirt before LJ could return and move them out of her reach. If he thought she was going to lie around while Angie needed her, he had another think coming.

Slowly, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and shook out her pants. Although torn from the bullet, they were clean and blood no longer stained them. "Thanks, Mama," she whispered and began the task of slipping her legs into them, which proved to be far more exhausting than she had anticipated. Her leg throbbed unmercifully and the small amount of exertion it took just to slip her feet into the leg holes caused her to break out into a sweat.

"Forget it, baby girl," Mama warned sternly from the doorway. "Yor too week from loss'a blood." She had watched Jill attempt to don her clothing and gave her credit for her tenacity, but there was no way she was letting her do further damage to her leg. Especially after all the hard work she put into mending it.

She smiled kindly while gently forcing Jill back down onto the bed. After covering Jill, she folded the pants and laid them back on the stand. "Now drink."

Jill accepted the cup of hot tea that LJ handed her. It smelled of flowers and herbs. Somehow, Jill knew the secretive look LJ and his mother shared when he entered the room signified the drink also contained a 'special' ingredient. Deciding to play their game, she nodded and sipped gingerly at the brew. She handed the cup back and relaxed onto the pillow, her eyes closing reflexively.

"She'll be out for a while, son," Mama whispered as she shooed him toward the door.

LJ felt a vibration at his hip and breathed a sigh of relief. It was the signal he'd been waiting for. He snatched the small phone from its clip and pulled up the text message. "Two hours...location Zebra."

"I hafta go, Mama."

Nodding as if she held all the knowledge in the world, Mama wrapped her arms around her lanky son and gave him a firm hug. "I'll take care'a your girl 'til you come fetch her."

"Thanks, Mama." He kissed her cheek and headed for the garage and the hidden SUV. "And she's not my girl." He ducked into the darkness followed by the sound of a familiar chuckle.

...to be continued.