Hello again, it is I. Hee hee. I just want to thank all my reviewers: Thank you ever so much for taking the time to read my story. Yay! So here's chapter 5. If Ch.4 didn't suck as I thought it would, then maybe this one will, but I don't know…you'll have to tell me. Okay enjoy and don't forget to review.
Chapter 5: Bon Appetit
"Joe? It's Forest. Are you in here?" Forest asked as he stepped into the locker room.
"Up here." He called from on top of the lockers. "Are they pissed?"
"I don't know. I left before they said anymore." Forest climbed the lockers across from where Joseph was up. "Do you think they'll find us here?"
"No, I hid here before and they couldn't find me." Joseph said.
"Don't you think we're a little too old for this?" Forest asked.
"No one's telling you to join me." Joseph said.
"Well whatever, I don't feel like being a punching bag today." Forest said.
"Ssh. I think I hear someone coming. Get down!" Joseph flattened himself on top of the lockers.
"I don't hear anyone." Forest said.
"Shut up! Just shut up!" Joseph said.
"Is someone in here?" Someone called out.
"No." Forest immediately covered him mouth. Joseph shot Forest an icy glare, but said nothing hoping that he can still stay hidden.
"Are you sure?" The voice called out.
"Yep." Forest slapped his head this time.
"No really, who are you?" The person said
"No one just go away." Forest said.
"But I'm the janitor. I have to clean." He said.
"Oh, okay. I'm a member of the S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team. But if anyone is looking for me and my buddy, we're not here. Okay." Forest said absentmindedly.
" FOREST" Joseph yelled at him from his hiding spot.
"Naw it's cool. He won't tell, wont you buddy?" Forest said.
"Are you playing hide and go seek or something?" The janitor asked.
"Yes! Yes we are and we are hiding! So don't tell. Okay?" Joseph said before Forest could even open his mouth.
"Yeah sure thing. I'll see you, or not." The Janitor said and then left the locker rooms.
" Forest, you stupid son of a bitch!" Joseph cursed.
"Sorry. My head was somewhere else." Forest said.
"That could've easily been Chris, disguising his voice. Ever thought of that, you retard." Joseph said.
"Oh. Well it wasn't, so it's nothing to cry about." Forest went back to hiding.
-Somewhere in the Precinct-
"Chris, I don't think they're in here." Jill said while she took a peek in the ladies restroom.
"Chris?" She turned around to face him. "Hey, where'd you go?" He wasn't behind her, so she decided to look for him instead. Upon taking the next turn, she spotted him at the vending machine. "There you are! What the hell are you doing! I thought we were supposed to look for those two?"
"I'm hungry. Can't a guy get something to snack on before lunch? Geez, so inconsiderate." Chris forgot that he was ever mad.
"Psh. Whatever, lets go, but don't think that just because I let you get away with this, that I'm letting you off the hook for what you did to me earlier."
"That was an accident. I needed to stretch my legs and you happened to be in front of me when I did it." He lied
"Shut up, I'm not gullible you know." She took the left turn towards the shooting range.
"Yeah, and I'm a monkey's uncle." Chris followed her while he munched on his Chips Ahoy! Cookies.
"I wouldn't be surprised." Jill said.
"Me either." He smiled at her.
"Genius, you have crumbs on your chin." She said.
"Here?" He wiped the wrong side.
"Here, let me get it." She reached her hand over to his chin.
"NO, I got it!" He stepped out of her reach and used his whole hand to wipe his chin, thus removing all the crumbs.
"Okay." She said while waving her hands in front of her as if she was surrendering.
"Wonder what go him spooked?" She thought. "I think he gets nervous around me. I think I intimidate him. I could use this as an advantage. OH MY GOD! I just thought of the perfect scheme to get him back!" She thought deviously while wearing an evil grin.
"What the hell you grinning about?" He asked.
"What? Oh, I'm happy I guess." She said.
"That doesn't look like a happy grin to me." He said.
"Why do you care?" She asked slyly.
"Because you might be planning my downfall?" He said unsurely.
"Don't be silly. I'm planning…on what to do to those two." She lied.
"Oh, cool." Chris totally bought her. "So?"
"Shit! Now what am I supposed to say?" Jill thought. "Um, well, they're hiding somewhere right?" She began.
"Yeah." Chris said.
"And they think that we're going to look for them so, we'll just leave them hiding until they get tired and eventually turn in at the office." Jill said.
"Uh okay, great plan, I guess. We can go relax and wait for a call in the office then." Chris said.
"Okay." She said. They left the shooting range and walked back to the office, where they would wait them out.
- Locker Room-
"Dude, I don't think they're coming." Forest said.
"If I know Chris, he isn't giving up until we're found." Joseph said.
"Yeah, you're right, but when do you think he will?" Forest asked.
"Never. He is on persistent son of…"
"Shh. I hear someone coming." Forest said. The both of them quickly shut their mouths.
"Where the hell do you think they're went?" They heard Brad ask Richard from the other side of the locker rooms.
"I don't know and I don't really care." Richard said.
"Hey…did you hear that?" Brad looked around for the source.
"Yeah, sounds like your bones chattering." Richard laughed and walked towards the door.
"I really think this place is haunted! I heard that the museum owner committed suicide in the place where the holding cells are at now. That's why they closed this place down, but they opened it up and eventually renovated it for a police department." Brad said.
"No. It's not true. He had a boating accident and besides, nobody ever went to the museum anyways. So when the guy died, the mayor made it into something useful, like a police department." Richard corrected. "Whoa, what was that!" He asked Brad upon hearing some creaking noises.
"This place is haunted I tell you! The museum owner is not happy that they renovated his museum to a police department!" Brad said.
"I'm beginning to think you're right. Even though he died far away from his museum, he still haunts it." Richard said.
"Yeah, the museum owner must really be pissed. Let's get out of here." Brad said, anxious to leave the locker room.
"Would you stop referring him as 'The Museum Owner.' He has a name you know."
"What's his name then?" Brad asked.
"I don't know. Never mind, let's get out of here. I'm getting the chills." Brad and Richard left the locker rooms and returned to the S.T.A.R.S. Office.
"Hey Joe?" Forest whispered, "I'm scared."
"Get a hold of yourself soldier! This place isn't haunted! They're just trying to scare us." Joseph said.
"But they didn't know we're here." Forest said.
"Hmm, okay maybe it is but which would you rather face, Chris or some stupid old zombie haunting the place?" Joseph said.
"You have a point, but you mean ghost right? After all, it's the guy's spirit lingering, not his undead body, right?" Forest asked, trying to make himself feel better.
"Whatever makes you happy." He said.
"What was that!" Forest asked, looking around after hearing something.
"It's your imagination! Shut up already, they could be outside!" Joseph said irritably.
-Office-
"Hey Chris, Jill." Richard said upon entering the office along with Brad coming in behind him. "Did you find them?"
"No," Chris answered, "but I have this sneaky suspicion that they're in the locker room on top of the lockers."
"How do you know that?" Jill asked from her desk. Chris just shrugged.
"Well, if they are, then why don't you go get them?" Richard asked.
"Jill thinks that we should just let them stay there and think that we're looking for them." Chris said while Jill nodded her head.
"So what are you going to do in the meantime?" Brad asked.
"Don't know." Chris glanced at his watch, "I'm hungry. You guys want to get lunch?"
"Yeah, I'm starved. What time is it anyways?" Richard asked.
"12:25." Chris answered.
" 12:23" Jill corrected.
"Same smell." Chris said.
"It's two minutes advanced." She got up from her chair.
"Big deal." He shrugged it off.
"Whatever." Jill said.
"Anal." Chris retorted.
"What?" Jill asked.
"Okay, okay guys. Let's just go before you finish your argument at 1:00, alright?" Richard cut in before Chris could say anything more.
"Yeah let's go." Chris said in defeat.
"We're not done." Jill said haughtily.
"You're such a bitch." Chris said.
"Hey, hey, hey. Let's just go." Richard said.
"Yeah okay, but what about Joe and Forest?" Brad asked.
"What about them?" Richard asked bemusedly.
"Oh, yeah, wait them out. Forgot." Brad said, "But I'll go check if the others want to come." Brad went to ask if the others wanted to join them for lunch.
"So," Richard began, "Where we going to eat?" He asked before Chris and Jill could get into another stupid argument.
"Don't know. Anywhere I guess." Chris said.
"Same here." Jill said.
"Okay." Richard said.
"Hey we can go." Brad came in, "They already had lunch."
"Okay let's get out of here." Chris said. They all grabbed their jackets and the four of them left the building and headed to the parking lot to Chris' jeep.
"So any idea of where you guys want to eat?" Chris asked while unarming his jeep.
"Wendy's?" Brad suggested.
"Any objections?" Chris asked, getting into the drivers seat.
"Nope." Richard and Jill said in unison
"Okay, Wendy's it is." Chris started the engine. Richard and Brad climbed into the back and let Jill have the front seat, which she hesitantly took.
- Locker Room-
"Hey Joe, I'm hungry." Forest complained.
"That's what Chris wants you to do." Joseph said.
"Huh?" Forest was a bit confused.
"I mean, this would be his opportune moment. I bet he's waiting at the front door right now to catch us as we're leaving for lunch." Joseph said.
"Why that sneaky…well, two can play at that game. We'll just make him wait and wait and wait." Forest said.
"Good plan." Joseph said.
-Wendy's-
After they finished their meal, Chris told Richard to order something for Joseph and Forest. Chris knew that they wouldn't get out of hiding so it was the least he can do just to show that he wasn't mad anymore. Brad tagged along with Richard to help him out and Jill went to the restroom. Chris didn't want to sit at the table so he stepped out to wait for them as he satisfied his nicotine craving. Jill came out of the restroom and found their table empty. She found Brad and Richard at the counter and joined them.
"Hey, where'd Chris run off to?" Jill asked.
"He's not at the table?" Richard asked. "Maybe he's outside waiting for us." They looked out the windows and spotted Chris with his back facing them. "Yep, there he is."
"I'll meet you guys outside." Jill said. She walked out of the restaurant and greeted Chris. "Hey."
"Hey back at you." Chris blew the smoke out of the side of his lips.
"So you smoke, huh?" Jill asked.
"No, I just thought this would be a good dessert." He said sarcastically.
"Guess that large Frosty didn't satisfy you, huh?" Jill said.
"Guess it didn't." Chris said, taking the cigarette in his mouth.
"Yeah, I hate smokers." Jill said straight out.
"So do I." Chris replied dryly, letting the smoke escape as he spoke. Jill just looked
at him in disgust. Chris just smiled at her.
"You know, if it weren't for you charming personality, I wouldn't find you so amusing." Jill smiled.
"Right back at ya." Chris said.
"Hey…we can go-" Richard said.
"Hey, I thought you quit!" Brad asked Chris.
"I did." He said pessimistically.
"No seriously, Chris." Brad said.
"Seriously Brad. I quit…trying to quit. " He walked back to his jeep, while the others trailed along beside him.
"He's your friend and he's just looking out for you. Why do have to be such a dick." Jill said.
"Like I told you before, it's my intuition." Chris said.
"No, if I recall, it was your intuition to be a smart ass. You never said anything about you being a dick." Jill said.
"It comes with being a smart ass. Two for the price of one, sweetheart." He flicked the bud to the side of the road.
"Hey, I'm the only Dick here." Richard said, referring to his nickname, which he never goes by. Everyone shot him a 'what the fuck' look. "Oh please, don't stop arguing on the account of me." He backed away.
"No, I think we will." Jill said.
Everyone got into Chris's jeep. As he started the engine and put the car into gear Jill said to him, "Seatbelts saves lives."
"Does it?" Chris said. Jill didn't know exactly what he was implying but it didn't stop her from opening her mouth.
"You're a police officer, a S.T.A.R.S. officer to be exact. Why don't you show an example." Jill said.
Chris ignored her and drove out of the parking lot. Nobody said anything to anyone on the way back to the RPD. All that was heard was radio. Chris was driving pretty fast and scaring the shit out of his passengers, which he was starting to enjoy.
"Chris, slow down. We still have ten minutes." Jill said, "you're not even wearing your seatbelt!"
"Yes Chris, SLOW DOWN!" Brad yelled from the back seat. Chris didn't say anything and just kept on going.
"Chris, we're going to get pulled over!" Richard said. "How embarrassing is it for S.T.A.R.S. officers to get pulled over."
"Pulled over! We could very well die! Shit, we're going to DIE!" Brad yelled.
"Chris, get off your high horse and slow the fuck down!" Jill yelled at him. He stared at her with no expression, so she couldn't tell if he was mad or not. Suddenly, Chris slowed down, but not to speed limit. He took his foot completely off the pedal and let his jeep roll until they went from 65 to 2 mph. "What are you doing!"
"You told me to slow down, so I…" Chris said.
"I told you to slow down not drive like a grandma! Speed up! You're causing traffic!" Jill yelled.
"Yeah Chris, this is getting embarrassing." Richard said, as the cars went beeping by them.
"Not only is it embarrassing, but we're going to be late." Brad said.
"I go fast, and you tell me to slow down. I slow down and then you tell me to speed up. What's with you guys?" Chris smiled, enjoying every minute of it.
"Drive the speed limit then." Jill was getting irritated. Chris sped up and drove the speed limit back to the RPD, satisfying everyone. Chris parked and everyone got out of the jeep.
"You drive like shit! I should've listened to Joe when he said never to ride with you." Richard said as they made their way into the building.
"Does he always drive like that?" Jill asked.
"Apparently." Brad said.
"Yeah, I think it's those years of him being a pilot. He has the need for speed." Richard said.
Chris just laughed at them. "I can't help it but I'm working on it." He opened the door for everyone. As Jill passed him on the way in, he gave her an iniquitous grin. She immediately stopped and turned to face him, blocking the entrance. They stood in front of each other, staring into each others eyes.
"You despise me, don't you?" She finally said.
"If I gave you any thought, I probably would." He said, moving from the door and letting it close on her face. She opened the door and immediately went after Chris. She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him aside as though he were a kid being scolded.
"Alright!" Jill said, 'He's got muscular arms.' She thought while she hung onto his bicep.
"What is it now?" Chris said. She shook her thoughts and continued to her point.
"Enough of this smart ass remarks, cause it's getting old! You don't like me, fine, I don't give a shit. But never will you disrespect me or treat me as an unequal." She told him straight out.
"Are you done?" Chris asked.
"No, I'm not done! For the sake of my job, I will put up with your childish behavior! I will even pretend that I get along with you. I need the money to pay for bills and other necessities to keep me alive! And if it means, liking you or at least pretending, then bloody hell, I will!" Jill said.
"Now are you done?" Chris asked again.
"Yes, you may proceed with your rebuttal." Jill said.
"Okay, so then will you let go of my arm?" Chris asked.
"Oh, sorry." She said, blushing of embarrassment. "Forgot I was still holding on to you."
"Yeah, I get. Once you get a hold of me, it's hard to let go." He smiled.
"ARG! Can't I ever have a civil conversation with you? Jeez!" Jill sighed.
"It's plausible." Chris said.
"I will never understand your kind!" Jill said.
"Hey, hey. What do you mean by my kind?" Chris asked.
"Nothing. You're a guy and I'm a girl. I don't exactly fall into your category, now do I?" Jill said.
"Wow, you're almost as smart as I am." Chris laughed.
"Wow, I guess you didn't see that coming?" She said sarcastically.
At the same time Jill and Chris were arguing at the bottom of the staircase, Richard and Brad were having a little chat of their own on the way up. "So, I'm thinking of changing my bet." Richard said.
"Why?" Brad asked.
"Don't you see! Chris likes her!" Richard said.
"How? Do you see how he treats her?" Brad said.
"That's the point! If he didn't 'like' her, he would just treat her all the same. Like Lily, Erica, and Amanda. He ignores them. But, he's being a smart ass and a dick to her only to make her hate him because he doesn't want anything to happen." Richard said.
"So why doesn't he just ignore them like he does with the other women?" Brad asked.
"Because he wants to keep in contact with her even if it means behaving like he is now." Richard said.
"So okay, why doesn't he want anything to happen?" Brad was a little slow on catching up.
"Okay, first of all, what's Chris's 'number one' rule?" Richard asked. Brad took a moment to think about it.
"Come on, you know it. He says it whenever Joe points out a cute or hot girl in the building." Richard said.
"Ah! I got it!" Brad yelled excitedly.
"Shh, they'll hear." Richard said.
"Sorry. No office romances." Brad said.
"Bingo!" Richard said.
"So how do you know what you conjured up is true?" Brad asked.
"I don't. We'll just have to wait and see, and keep a close eye on Monsieur Redfield."
"Hmm…if what you're saying could be true, I think I'm changing my mind as well." Brad said.
"Good call. Um, here they come. Pretend we're not talking about them." Richard said frantically.
"Hey, what you guys talking about?" Chris asked.
"Nothing, nothing. And if we were, it sure wasn't about you and Jill." Brad said nervously.
"Okay." Chris and Jill said in unison.
Jill and Chris walked ahead of them and when they were a couple of feet away, Richard whacked Brad at the back of his head. "What the hell was that!" Richard whispered to Brad, who was clutching the back of his head.
"I can't help it. I crack under pressure." Brad said.
"What pressure did he have on you?" Richard teased.
"Shut up. Lets just get to the office already. I'm tired of standing. I just want to relax in my chair." Brad complained.
They joined up with Chris and Jill and together they strolled into the office. Before Brad took a seat behind his desk, he and Richard placed the order on Chris's desk. They also noticed that Joseph and Forest were still M-I-A. And as usual, Enrico and Wesker were not in the office. Kenneth was relaxing from behind his desk and Barry was on the phone. "Uh, yeah, hold on he's here now." Barry said to the person on the phone.
"CHRIS, it's for you!" Barry said, covering the mouthpiece of the phone, so that the receiving end wouldn't hear.
"Who?" He asked, taking off his jacket and throwing it on his chair.
"It's Claire! And she's pissed! You know how long I had to listen to her rant about how you don't know how to call!" Barry said.
"Shit. I completely forgot." Chris rushed to the phone.
"Oh, you're in trouble." Richard laughed from behind his desk.
"Claire, I'm sorry." Chris told her over the phone with the others snickering in the back.
'Who's Claire?' Jill wondered, 'Perhaps she is Chris's girlfriend. No it can't be. He never mentioned a girlfriend. –That's because you never asked. -Why the hell would I ask? Not like I'm interested or anything. –Yes you are. –No I'm not, okay maybe just a little.' Jill argued with herself while standing in the middle of the room as though she were lost. 'Just ask one of the guys already.' She then decided to walk over to Richard and ask. "Hey, who's Claire?" She whispered to him.
"Claire? She is a feisty chick, who enjoys bikes, I tell you that much." Richard said as though he were impressed.
"Have you ever met her?" She asked.
"No." Richard said.
"So how do you know all that?" She asked.
"I've talked to her a couple of times when she called for Chris. I'm sure a couple of the guys each had their share in her complaining as well." Richard said.
"Oh, so, um, what's his rel…" Jill began.
"I have to go, I'll call you tonight. I promise!" He said loudly, distracting Jill from finishing her question. "Alright, take care." Chris told his sister and hung up the phone.
"You were saying?" Richard asked
"Huh? Oh, nothing." Jill walked back to her desk.
"What the hell was that about?" Barry asked Chris.
"Nothing. She called last night, and by the time I got home, it was too late to call back. I reminded myself to call today, but I completely forgot." He took a quick glace at Jill to see what she was doing and without thinking, she looked at him and he immediately turned away. "Is Joe and Forest still in hiding?" He asked to avoid further embarrassment.
"Yeah, I think so." Barry said, "Oh no wait, here they come now." He said, as the two of them stepped into the office.
"Hey guys." Chris laughed.
"You son of a bitch! You planned this didn't you!" Joseph said to Chris while the others all sat behind their desks, watching.
"Her idea." Chris said, pointing to Jill.
"Is that right?" Joseph stared Jill down.
"Guilty." Jill smiled.
"Why? Why would you do such a cruel thing?" Forest asked.
"Because we went out for lunch." She answered.
"Hardly qualifies as a reasonable answer." Joseph said.
"Is too." Jill kept her smile.
"We knew, or at least I knew you guys were in the locker room, hiding on top of the lockers, but I didn't bother telling her because I thought it would be fun to let her walk around a bit." Chris said.
"You're an ass." Jill said.
"So are you. But I have to admit your plan was okay." Chris said.
"Just okay?" She asked.
"Hey, any idiot could've come up with that plan." Chris said.
"So why didn't you?" Jill asked.
"Cause I'm not an idiot." He said plainly.
"Are you sure? Cause you sure look like one to me?" She tantalized.
"You sure you're not just looking into a mirror?" Chris asked.
"Trust me, my reflection is not as ugly as you." Jill said.
"So you admit you're ugly." Chris asked.
"That's up to you to decide." Jill retorted.
"Really, let me take a closer look then." He advanced towards her. As he grew closer and closer, Jill became slightly nervous because she didn't know what Chris's intentions were. Jill was ready with a slap just in case he decided to come any closer. Chris kept his gaze on her in a way that would make her think otherwise.
"What the hell is going on?" Joseph asked.
"I don't know, but with the way things look, he might kiss her." Richard said.
Jill immediately tensed up when Chris moved closer. "Here guys, got you lunch." He swerved to the side and grabbed the Wendy's bags and tossed it over.
"Hey thanks." Joseph said as he caught the bag.
"So what's the verdict?" Richard asked.
"I'd say…50/50." Chris smiled.
"More like 60/40…you being the 40 that is." She smiled back.
"If you say so." He smiled, grabbing the drinks and catering to Joseph and Forest.
"Thanks, man." Forest said, munching on some fries.
"No problem. It's the least I can do since Miss Valentine came up with the plan to starve my two buddies." Chris said.
"Hey, you agreed with me to 'wait them out.'" She said.
"Shut up already! You two are always at each other's throats, every second, minute, hour, whatever! I can't tell whether you like each other or just plain hate each other." Kenneth said, annoyed of their frequent fights, even though he didn't witness all of them.
"Why is that Sullivan?" Barry asked and the others eager to know.
"Its just the way they talk to each other. You can't tell whether it's a compliment or an insult!" Kenneth said.
"Amen." Forest said, taking a sip of his soda.
"So which is it?" Kenneth added.
"A little bit of both." They answered, freaking themselves and the rest of the guys out.
Jane's Note: Err…okay that's about that…not much to say but review…later folks