Sacrifices
Chapter 10: Observations and Interrogations
Chris approached the door with caution, casting a quick glance over his shoulder to look at Claire and Sherry.
"This is it?" he asked.
Sherry nodded. Chris pressed his ear to the door as Claire kept an eye on the empty hallway. Satisfied there was no one moving around on the other side, he gripped the doorknob and gave it a quick twist, only to find it locked.
"Where are you when I need you, Jill", he muttered under his breath.
Claire looked over at him. "What was that?"
"Nothing. Just keep an eye out. I'm gonna have to make a little noise."
"Chris…" she warned.
Chris threw his shoulder against the door, putting most of his considerable muscle weight into the movement. The door shook in its frame but wouldn't budge. He stepped back a couple of feet and rammed the door again, feeling it give way as he steadied himself to keep from falling over the threshold.
"Well, that certainly won't attract any attention", Claire said, sarcastically. She gripped Sherry's shoulder as the young girl attempted to follow Chris inside. "Give him a minute, Sweetie, so he can take a quick look around." She continued to look back and forth down the hallway, certain that someone would come running out of their apartment at any minute to see what the noise was all about.
Sherry watched in silence as Chris held his gun aloft and entered the apartment. She knew something wasn't right. If there was one thing she had learned from all of the horrible events of recent memory it was to pay attention to her instincts. As if confirming what she already knew, Chris' voice traveled out to them from behind the door.
"Shit."
Claire removed a gun from beneath her jacket and stepped around Sherry to look inside. She peeked around the door to get a better view of the interior, only to find it in utter chaos, completely and thoroughly ransacked.
Chris looked back at her. "Looks like someone beat us to it."
Claire frowned. "Maybe coming here wasn't such a good idea. Whoever did this could still be watching the place, waiting for Leon to come back." She tucked her gun away and motioned for Sherry to follow her. "It's okay, Sherry."
Sherry's eyes went wide as she stepped inside and took a look around. The apartment she and Leon had been staying in just prior to their reunion with Claire was unrecognizable to her. Furniture had been turned upside down, the cushions strewn about, stuffing protruding through gaping slashes. The small kitchenette was in a shambles. The cabinet doors stood open, the previous contents now lying all over the tiled floor in pieces. The small desk in the corner was turned on its side, the drawers having been removed and thrown to the floor. The young girl stood in silence, watching Chris move about the place. Even though she didn't know him very well, she could certainly tell he was getting upset. And she knew she wasn't the only one who noticed.
Claire approached Chris and reached a hand out to touch his arm. "We shouldn't hang around here, Chris."
"I know." He sighed, heavily, while rubbing his palm across his forehead. "It was a long shot, anyway." He shot a quick look at Claire. "How are you holding up?"
Claire looked taken aback. "Me? I'm fine."
Chris eyed her skeptically. "You must be worried about him." It was a statement.
"Well. Of course I am. But, Leon can take care of himself." She had no intention of letting on just how concerned she was, certainly not with Sherry in the room.
Chris caught himself as his eyes wandered to look over at the younger girl. He wasn't used to having a child around, even though Sherry thought of herself as more of an adult. Sometimes, Chris found himself thinking of her that way, as well. She had already experienced more hardship in her short lifetime than most people, and handled it incredibly well. He realized she must be sick with worry about Leon, as well, probably more than anyone.
"Did you leave anything behind, Sherry?" he asked.
The young blonde made eye contact with him, briefly, before turning away. "No. We always traveled light. Leon said we should be able to pack and go on a moments notice."
Chris smiled. "Smart guy."
Sherry offered a tiny smile in return. "Yeah, he was…" A look of horror flashed across her face as she cupped her hands over her mouth. "I mean…is…he is", she stammered. Tears began to well up in her eyes.
Claire immediately went to her and pulled her into a hug. "It's okay, Sherry." The young girl continued to cry in near silence as Claire spoke softly into her ear. "I'm sure he's fine. I know we'll hear from him any minute--"
The cell phone in Claire's pocket began to ring, making her jump. She pulled it out and hit the button, keeping one arm draped around Sherry's shoulders.
"Leon?"
Chris could see the look of relief on his sister's face. He watched as Sherry reached up and entwined her fingers with Claire's hand as it rested on her shoulder, her intense gaze pinned on the older woman.
"Where are you?" Claire looked at Sherry and mouthed 'he's okay' before turning back to the conversation. "So am I", she responded. "Chris and Sherry are with me." Claire smiled at Sherry and squeezed her hand. "She's fine." Sherry smiled back.
Chris walked over to stand in front of Claire. "What about Jill?"
Claire stood up as Sherry released her hand. She reached out and gripped Chris by the arm. "Did you find out anything about Jill?" She listened, intently, to his response.
It was all Chris could do to keep from grabbing the phone out of Claire's hand. He was getting desperate. Jill had been gone for days now, and he was about to go out of his mind if he didn't find out something. Even just the knowledge that she was still alive would be enough to keep him going. As long as he knew she was still out there, he would never give up searching for her. He felt Claire's grip on his arm tightening. She kept her gaze pinned on him.
"That's great news, Leon", she answered, breaking the silence that had descended on the room. "But, there's something else I have to tell you. There's a chance that Albert Wesker is working for the same group as you. He was the cop that was working for Umbrella." Claire hesitated, waiting for a response.
There was none.
She felt her heart begin to beat faster.
"Leon?"
Still no response.
"Leon!" she shouted into the phone. "Leon, answer me!"
Chris grabbed the phone from her hand.
"Leon?" He spoke, loudly, but continued to hear silence on the other end. He tried one more time. "Leon?" There was only dead air.
Claire reached out and took the phone back, hitting the button to end the call.
"Maybe he just lost a cell, or something", she said, softly.
Chris put his hands on her shoulders. "What did he say about Jill?"
Claire shook her head. "I'm sorry…um, he said she 's being held somewhere in Virginia and they sent a team in to rescue her. In fact, it should be going down right now."
"Where is he…and where are they going to take Jill?" he pressed.
Claire stared at him for a moment. "He's in LA, but that's all I got. I told him we were here, as well, but he didn't get a chance to tell me anything else. I don't even know how much he heard about Wesker."
Chris took a few steps back and turned to face the wall. "Goddammit!" he shouted, slamming his fist into the wall. "We're no better off than we were when we started!" He leaned against the wall, resting his forehead on the cool surface.
"At least we know she's still alive, Chris" Claire offered. "And, hopefully, they'll get her away from Umbrella."
Chris pushed away from the wall and spun around to face her. "Yeah…so she can end up in Wesker's hands. I don't know which is worse."
Claire sighed, heavily. She had never seen her brother like this before, had never heard him sound so defeated. Although she knew he cared for Jill, it was obvious those feelings ran deeper than she had realized.
In the aftermath of their flight from Antarctica, Chris had spent some of that time trying to coax her into talking about Steve. Mostly, she tried not to think about him. The pain was too intense with everything still so fresh in her mind. But late at night, when her defenses were down, the horrible nightmares would plague her sleep. It was during those awful nights that her brother would hold her hand while she poured out her grief. She had never needed him more, and he was there for her every step of the way. It was time for her to return the favor.
She walked over to him and placed her hands on his face. "Don't give up on her, big brother. After everything the two of you have been through, together and separately, you still managed to find each other again. There's no reason to think that this time will be any different."
Chris reached up and pulled her hands away, still clasping them loosely as he brought them down to her sides. He was struck by the memory of Jill using that same gesture when they had been alone on the mountain the day she was taken away. He closed his eyes, briefly, conjuring up an image of her face in his mind. He opened them again to find Claire still looking up at him. He smiled and squeezed her hands before releasing them.
"I'm sure we'll hear from Leon again", he said. "In the meantime, let's get the hell out of here."
Claire grinned and looked over at Sherry, holding a hand out to her. "You ready, kiddo?"
Sherry gave a quick nod, trying to return her friends enthusiasm. "You bet."
The two girls left the room hand in hand, followed by Chris, who closed the door behind him. Claire and Sherry began talking quietly as they headed out the front door of the building. Their soft tones were punctuated by an occasional giggle from the younger girl as Claire hugged her from behind, poking her in the stomach as they made their way down the street. Chris stayed a few paces behind, a small grin forming on his face as he watched his two companions.
On a rooftop across the street a lone figure observed the trio in silence as a camera shutter clicked away.
***
"What the hell did you do that for?" Leon demanded.
Ellen calmly walked over and picked up a few stray pieces of the cell phone she had thrown at the wall only seconds before. "For your own good, Leon. You know the rules." She dropped the pieces on the bed where Leon sat.
"I wasn't telling them anything I shouldn't have."
Ellen raised one manicured eyebrow. "You told them you were in LA."
Leon scowled at her. "So?"
The redhead eyed him, coolly. "So, that was something they didn't need to know."
Leon threw his hands up in a gesture of futility. "That's ridiculous, Ellen. I didn't tell them where we were, just what city we were in. LA is a big place. Besides, I had to tell them about Jill."
"So far, there is nothing to tell."
Leon stood up and pointed a finger at her. "That's where you're wrong. I had to make that call."
Ellen watched him as he began to pace back and forth. "Who were you talking to?"
He stopped in front of her. "That's something you don't need to know."
Leon dropped back down to lay on the bed, crossing his arms behind his head. He was glad that he was able to get a message to Claire, but there was something else she had wanted to tell him. Unfortunately, he never got to hear what that something was, thanks to Ellen. Now, with no phone at his disposal, he would have to wait for an opportunity to contact Claire again. He just had to find a way to get rid of his redheaded watchdog.
After Ellen picked him up at the airport, they had driven straight to HCF Headquarters. It was an unassuming building, nestled in among a group of warehouses in a somewhat dilapidated part of the city. The run down appearance of the brick and steel façade did a nice job of helping the company to keep a low profile. It certainly didn't look like the type of place a business trying to overthrow Umbrella would operate in.
Each time Leon entered the premises, he was still taken aback by the sheer size of the facility. The street level area was comprised of mostly small administrative offices, along with a loading dock on each end, nothing particularly impressive to look at. But, it was the lower levels that served to astonish him.
The first time he had been given a tour, he was overwhelmed by the amount of activity taking place within its walls. There were pharmaceutical laboratories on one level, research and production areas on another. Although the company was considered new to the game, it was apparent that its star was on the rise.
But, this was not really the company that Leon worked for. The business operations held no allure for him. It was the level below that he was interested in. The highly secretive department engaging in industrial espionage. This was the place where he waged his private war against Umbrella. And, so far, it seemed to be the only way to hit them.
"Is anyone home?"
Leon glanced over at Ellen. "Huh?"
Ellen looked annoyed. "I asked you a question, but it's obvious your mind is somewhere else."
Leon turned his gaze back toward the ceiling. "What was the question?"
"Do you want anything to eat or drink?" she repeated.
Leon sat up and ran his hands through his hair. "No. What I want is to get this show on the road. I've been here for almost a whole day, and I haven't seen or heard a goddamn thing, except you." He added as an afterthought. "No offense."
Ellen was unperturbed. "None taken." She got up and disappeared into the bathroom, returning a moment later with a glass of water. "I already explained about the delay to retrieve you friend. We had to be very careful about the timing, and our source told us to wait. We got the green light shortly before eight o'clock and our team has been dispatched."
"What about our meeting?" he questioned.
"He's been tied up with other matters. I'm sure we'll hear from him soon. When we do, I'll take you to meet him."
Leon was beginning to lose his patience. "During all this waiting around, I could have gone to Virginia and helped."
"That would not have been wise. We couldn't afford another rescue mission."
Leon smirked. "Was that supposed to be funny?"
Ellen smiled. "No." The beeper in Ellen's pocket went off. She pulled it out and glanced at the display. "That's our cue." She set her drink down on the table and headed for the door. "Coming?"
Leon jumped up. "Right behind you."
They headed down the corridor towards the elevators. Leon began to wonder which level they would be heading down to when Ellen reached out and pressed the top button.
"We're going up?" he asked.
"Yes." Ellen glanced over her shoulder. "You seem surprised."
Leon shrugged. "I guess I was expecting something more covert. I mean, you people are so nuts about secrecy, I figured he had some elaborate digs at the bottom level, or something."
"Who says he doesn't?"
Leon was about to pursue that topic of conversation when the elevator arrived.
As the doors opened, Ellen made a gesture with her hand. "After you."
The two rode in silence back up to the street level. Leon followed close behind as Ellen lead the way toward an office in the back of the building. When they reached the door, she held a hand up to knock. Suddenly, she paused.
Leon narrowed his eyes at her. "Is something wrong?" For the first time since the day they met, he thought she seemed unsure of what to say.
"No." She hesitated, trying to choose her words carefully. "I just thought I should warn you about something before we go in."
Leon began to feel uneasy. "Warn me about what?"
"He can be a bit…intense."
Leon frowned. "What does that mean?"
Ellen shook her head. "Just be careful."
"Be careful of what?" he asked, irritably.
The young woman sighed. "Of giving away too much." She reached up and knocked on the door.
A voice on the other side called out. "Come in, Ellen."
She opened the door and stepped into the office. "I've brought our most recent member, as you requested. Leon Kennedy, this is the vice-president of HCF Enterprises, Andrew Wallace."
Leon stepped forward and reached a hand out as the man seated behind the desk rose to greet him. The first thing he noticed was that the man wore sunglasses…even though it was dark outside.
"Nice to meet you" he said, casually.
Andrew shook his hand, firmly. "Hello, Leon."
"Would you prefer me to stay or leave?" Ellen asked.
"You can leave, Ellen" Andrew responded. "It's time Leon and I got better acquainted. And I think you've done enough babysitting for one day."
Her expression remained neutral. "Very well. Good evening, gentlemen." She spun on her heel and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Leon watched her exit with some amusement. It was obvious to him that she was annoyed at being dismissed so soon, even though she didn't show it. He turned his gaze back to Andrew and studied him carefully. The man was an imposing figure when standing up, being at least several inches taller than Leon. Something about Andrew Wallace made Leon uncomfortable, although he couldn't explain what that something was. Maybe the fact that he couldn't see the man's eyes was the first place to start.
"Sit down." Andrew sat back down in his chair and clasped his fingers behind his head as he leaned back. "I've heard good things about you."
Leon took a seat. "I wish I could say the same."
Andrew narrowed his eyes. "Excuse me?"
Leon sighed. "What I mean is, I haven't heard a thing about you. I've been working for HCF for months now, and this is the first time we've met."
Andrew waved a hand in the air. "Well, I'll admit I'm a bit obsessed about my privacy, but I'm sure you can understand why. After all, you've been trying to keep a low profile, as well."
Leon nodded. "True. But that didn't really do me any good, did it?
Andrew leaned forward and rested his arms on the desk. "Listen, Leon. When I needed to put together a group of people to do this job, the logical place to start was in Raccoon City. No one has a better understanding of the danger Umbrella poses than the survivors of that horrible tragedy do. It seemed likely that at least some of their police force would have made it through. And I also know that trying to get any other authorities to believe the stories that they have to tell would be impossible. Believe me, I know."
Leon remained silent.
Andrew continued, "When I first found out about the lab accident at the Spencer estate, I tried to tell myself it was an isolated incident. I arrogantly believed that the work Umbrella was doing was infinitely more important than anything else, and in my mind, I could justify the cover up."
"You worked for Umbrella?" Leon interrupted.
Andrew nodded. "Yes…as much as I'm ashamed to admit it. But, I paid a price. A very heavy one, at that." He stood from his chair and walked over to the window on the far side of the room.
"We've all paid a heavy price for Umbrella's ambition." Leon said, angrily. "And you're right about the authorities turning a blind eye to what's going on." He stared at Andrew's back for a moment before continuing. "There are other people who are fighting back."
Andrew smiled to himself. "Like your friend?"
Leon hesitated, Ellen's warning still ringing in his thoughts. He wasn't sure how much he should say about Jill. "I'm just trying to help her out."
Andrew turned to look at Leon and strode back to his desk. He sat down, opened the top drawer, and removed a manila folder. He flipped it open and took a moment to study it, closely. "Gillian Valentine. Born February 14, 1976 in Deerfield, Illinois. Mother: Elizabeth, died of cancer in 1989. Father: Richard, was serving a 15-25 year sentence for Grand Larceny at Leominster County Corrections until his escape eight days ago, current whereabouts unknown."
Leon began to drum his fingers on the arm of his chair. He sat silently watching Andrew's eyes as they skimmed down the page.
Andrew continued, "A member of Raccoon City, Oregon's elite 'Special Tactics and Rescue Squad'. Injured in an attempt to rescue fellow officers who went down in a helicopter crash in the Arklay Mountains. Suspended from the RPD amid accusations of bribery and extortion, along with several other officers. Investigation was still underway at the time of the environmental disaster, which claimed the lives of thousands of city residents. Although unconfirmed, it is believed that Valentine left Raccoon City prior to the U.S. Military's intervention."
Leon finally spoke. "Well, you've certainly done your homework. Do you know what she eats for breakfast?" he quipped.
Andrew looked up at him. "This is some friend you've got here, Leon." He closed the folder and laid it down on his desk. "You asked for our help. I have to make it my business to know what we're getting into. Care to tell me why she's so important to Umbrella?"
"Like I said, there are other people who are fighting back", Leon answered.
"Any chance she'd want to work for us?" Andrew asked.
"You'd have to ask her." Leon stood up and began to walk around the room. "So, have you heard anything from the extraction team?"
"Not since they went in…which was about twenty minutes ago."
Leon stopped and looked at Andrew. "I am grateful, you know."
Andrew smiled. "I know. Why don't you head back to your room and I'll inform you as soon as there's any news."
Leon nodded. "Okay. But, I am getting a little stir crazy here. Maybe, I'll just take a quick walk before I head down. The night air might calm me down." And, hopefully, there will be a pay phone around, he thought.
Andrew sighed. "Sorry, Leon, but we've already shut down for the evening. You know the rules. No one goes out after 8pm. Security reasons."
Leon shook his head. "Right. I forgot." He headed to the door and opened it.
Andrew called out. "One more thing before you go."
Leon looked over at him. "Yeah?"
"You owe us for this."
"I know." Leon closed the door on his way out.
The man behind the desk smiled, broadly, as he opened the folder, once again. Leaning back in his chair, he removed the blank piece of paper from inside, crumpling it in his hands. He tossed it across the room in a high arc, where it landed in a small wastebasket. He knew all he needed to know about Jill Valentine. In fact, he knew everything about her. Her and the rest of those miserable S.T.A.R.S. that left him for dead. It was only a matter of time before he would have his revenge.
Albert Wesker began to laugh.
***
Jill was floating in a haze. She was still conscious on some level, but only truly aware of two things.
The pain and the voice.
The pain had ceased, but she knew it was only temporary. The voice would begin to murmur softly into her ear, and she would try to resist the temptation to speak. If she were successful, the agony would begin again, but, either way, she would have to listen to that voice.
She hated that voice…
"Gillian?"
Jill squeezed her eyes shut.
"Gillian, I want an answer."
She was even beginning to hate the sound of her own name.
"Where are they?"
Her throat was so dry. She wanted water. "Wa…"
"What was that?"
Jill forced the word out, her voice sounding hoarse and rough. "Water."
"Alright, Gillian. I'll give you some water…if you give me an answer."
Jill turned her head, slightly, and tried to focus on the woman sitting beside her. It was mostly a blur of light and shadow. The face leaned in so close; Jill could feel the other person's breath on her cheek.
"Fuck you", she croaked.
"How very disappointing, Gillian."
The rush of heat went through Jill's body so fast that she didn't have time to take a deep breath. As her muscles seized, her limbs went rigid. Every part of her body was in agony, but she could no longer cry out. The cramping in her extremities was so intense, she prayed that she would pass out.
But, the doctor made sure that didn't happen. The voice began to drone on in her ear while she endured the indescribable torture the woman inflicted. And just when Jill could feel herself falling into darkness, the cold flushed through her veins and brought her back. And the pain subsided…for now.
But, not the voice.
"Gillian…" The doctor was trying to hide her frustration. "Why don't you make it easy on yourself and answer my question." She softened her tone. "You're in control, Gillian. You have the power to end this. Your friends wouldn't blame you. You've held out for so long, but it's time to ease your pain. Don't you want it to be over?"
Jill tossed her head from side to side as the woman's words tried to break her down. She couldn't remember when this all began. It seemed like she had been laying on this table forever. Why couldn't the voice just leave her alone?
"Your father wouldn't want you to go through this, would he?" The doctor cradled Jill's face, gently, as she wiped her forehead with a damp cloth. "He must be worried sick about you. Don't you want to see him again?"
Jill made a small sound. The doctor smiled, knowing she struck a nerve.
"They're not interested in him, Gillian...just the others. If you tell me where they are, you can see your father again."
"No…" Jill whispered.
"Yes, Gillian", the doctor soothed. "They've promised me they won't hurt him. They just want information. If you answer my question, you can see your father. And the pain will stop. You know it's what your father would want you to do." The doctor leaned in closer, her lips brushing Jill's ear, lightly. "Tell me and they'll let you go."
Jill could barely form a coherent thought. But, she knew one thing; the voice lied to her. She knew that she had to hold on to that. It was so tempting to just be done with it, to just answer the questions. Her mind and body were so tired. It seemed to be the only way of escaping from this torment. But, she knew there was no escape. Except for dying…
But, they wouldn't let her die. She knew that, too.
"Tell me." The doctor was getting impatient. She had been at this now for more than two days and still had nothing to show for her efforts. Interrogating people was something she had gotten extremely proficient at, yet this one girl resisted all of her attempts, thus far. What had started out as a worthy challenge was quickly beginning to blight her reputation. And she would not stand for it.
The doctor reached a hand up and flipped the switch on Jill's I.V., watching with satisfaction as the young woman's body began to seize. She stood up and gripped the sides of Jill's head, holding it in place as she spoke.
"You should have told me what I wanted to know, Gillian" she whispered, looking down at her patient's face as it twisted in agony. "I would have made it painless."
Jill's body suddenly went still.
***
You know, I wasn't going to end it there, but I couldn't resist. This chapter was a bit longer than I intended, so you'll have to tune in next time to find out what the heck happened to Carlos! In regards to Jill's birthday, I read that on a web page somewhere (I seem to recall it was a timeline of events from the entire series, although I can't remember who did it), but I thought it was a hoot. It seems whenever I mention when the next chapter will be posted, fanfiction.net has some kind of problem. I think I must be jinxing it. So let's just say I'll post it asap, okay? And I just wanted to say a quick thanks to Bloodlover for the faithful reviews. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Later, folks.