Sacrifices
Chapter 11: Out of the Frying Pan…
Carlos crept along the corridor, moving silently as he watched Larry reach the corner just ahead of him. There were four other figures bringing up the rear as the group continued to make their way deeper into the complex.
Getting into the facility had been fairly simple, something that just didn't sit well with Carlos. He knew the way Umbrella worked, and leaving a building virtually unprotected was not their modus operandi. Still, he was grateful that at least there were no zombies to contend with. Somehow the idea of facing armed soldiers seemed like a day at the beach after some of the things he had encountered in Raccoon City.
Larry made a gesture with his hand as he peered around the corner. Carlos gripped his rifle a bit tighter, enjoying the weight of it, as he came up behind his friend.
"This is the right floor", Larry whispered. "The room we want is over there." He pointed a finger toward the last door on the right. The rest of the group took their positions as Carlos and Larry headed down to the end of the hall. They stood with their backs to the wall on either side of the door.
Larry held his hand up, counting down with his fingers. Three…Two…One…
Carlos stepped forward and kicked the door in as Larry charged in with his weapon held out in front of him. The two men quickly scanned the room for any possible threats before closing the door behind them.
The doctor turned around, startled by the intrusion, and began to back away from the two men. "Who are you?" she demanded. "You have no right to be here!"
Larry leveled his gun at the woman as he stepped closer to her. "Sorry to interrupt, Doc, but we're just here for your patient." He continued moving toward her, menacingly, until her back hit the wall. "Just keep quiet and we won't have a problem."
Carlos watched the two carefully as he made his way toward the figure on the gurney. The blood drained from his face as he recognized the still form.
"Jill?" he whispered.
Larry spun his head around at the sound of Carlos' voice. "You know her?"
Carlos slung his rifle over his shoulder and put a hand to her cheek, tapping it softly. "She's the friend I told you about." He undid the straps holding her down and called her name again, but there was no response. He placed two fingers against her neck, feeling a weak pulse. A sense of Déjà vu crept over him as he lay his hand across her forehead. She was burning up. Just like before…
Larry pulled the doctor by the arm, shoving her towards the gurney. He watched as Carlos continued to try and revive Jill. "I don't suppose your friend here is a scientist, huh?"
Carlos lifted his head, his eyes filled with murderous intent. "No…" he responded, reaching out to grab the doctor by her coat. "But, someone else here is." He twisted the collar, savagely, as he yanked her across his friend's prone body.
The doctor stared at him with contempt. "Let go of me!"
Carlos twisted a little tighter. "What have you done to her?" He pulled her even closer, leaving mere inches between their faces. "Tell me!" he shouted.
The doctor glanced over at the empty IV packs lying on the tray nearby. Carlos followed her gaze, a knot of fear forming in his stomach as he caught sight of them.
"Jesus…Is that--" A whistle from outside interrupted him.
Larry rushed to the door. "We gotta move. Now!"
Carlos ignored him; still keeping his attention focused on the doctor. "What was in those bags?" The doctor remained silent.
Larry moved swiftly, bringing the butt of his gun up and hitting the doctor from behind.
Carlos let go of her as she slid to the floor. "What the hell did you do that for?"
"Because, we have to get the hell out of here, Carlos" Larry replied. "Now, grab your friend and let's screw." He pulled the door open and stood aside.
A second whistle sounded, jolting Carlos into action. He picked Jill up, trying to be as gentle as he could, and ran through the door, with Larry right behind him.
***
"So that's about it", Chris stated.
Barry leaned forward in his chair. "And Leon didn't give you any clue as to where he might be?"
Chris frowned, shaking his head. "No. All Claire got out of him was that he's in LA." He tilted the bottle of beer back and drained its contents.
Dick stopped his pacing and looked at Chris. "Do you know anything about this HCF group he mentioned in his letter?"
Chris sighed. "From what little information I could get, they appear to be some kind of rival pharmaceutical company. They have a place of operations somewhere in LA, but no one I've spoken to can seem to tell me its location."
"That sounds a bit strange, don't you think?" Rebecca offered. "I mean, if they're trying to compete with a giant like Umbrella, it would help if people knew where they were."
Barry rubbed his beard, thoughtfully. "That still doesn't sound like the group Leon was talking about. He said they were trying to take down Umbrella, not cut into their profit margin."
"Unless, the company is a cover for something else", Chris interjected.
"Like what?" Dick asked.
Chris tapped the empty bottle on his knee. "Well, if Wesker is involved with these people, they've got to be up to no good."
Rebecca held a hand up. "But, what about Leon? He wouldn't have any dealings with someone like Wesker. No matter how much he wants to get back at Umbrella."
"You're probably right", Chris agreed. "Still, there's nothing saying that they can't be working together without realizing it. After all, Leon and Wesker have never met. And all Leon knows about him is what we've told him. Which isn't much."
Barry's expression was somber. "So, what now?"
"It's too late to do anything else tonight." Chris' voice sounded weary. "I have a few leads we can run down in the morning. Until then, I suggest we all try to get some sleep."
Dick spoke up. "There's still one thing I don't get here."
"What's that?" Barry asked.
"Well, if this Wesker guy was working for Umbrella, why is he also involved with this other group?"
Chris frowned. "I think Wesker and Umbrella may have had a parting of the ways after the Spencer mess." He stood up and tossed his bottle into the wastebasket.
"Why is that?" Dick asked.
Chris stared at Dick for a moment. He wasn't quite sure how to explain what he had witnessed. Wesker's newfound abilities were a mystery to him. And even now, he still found it difficult to believe. But, there was no denying the fact that the man was still alive. Chris had seen that with his own eyes.
The last time Chris Redfield saw Albert Wesker was in the Spencer estate. While fleeing from the lab where his former commander had intended for him to die, Chris had taken one last look behind him as he ran. The tyrant creature had Wesker suspended in the air, one giant, razor sharp claw plunging through his midsection. The gory sight had left Chris transfixed, watching, as the man he had once admired was being completely eviscerated before his very eyes. It was inconceivable to Chris that he could have survived.
Until that day on Rockfort Island when he heard the sound of Albert Wesker's voice…
'Long time, no see, Chris'
Even then, Chris had been certain he was hallucinating. But, the feel of Wesker's hand on his throat was no illusion. And the inhuman speed with which he moved defied comprehension. There was no way Umbrella was responsible for that. Chris was sure of it. Besides, he was trying to track down Alexia Ashford in an attempt to steal the T-Veronica virus from Umbrella. No. Chris was certain that someone else was responsible for the resurrection of Albert Wesker.
The question was who?
Chris decided to simplify his response. "The last time I saw Wesker, he was trying to steal one of Umbrella's viruses. I don't think he would do that if he were still working for them."
Dick continued to speculate. "Maybe he's switched sides, or something, since he's working for the same group as Leon. And, if those people really have been able to rescue Jill, what's the worst that could happen if she runs into Wesker?"
The trio exchanged glances, but remained silent.
"Well?" Dick insisted, realizing they were all reluctant to say what they were thinking.
Barry finally spoke up. "Let's just hope she doesn't."
"That doesn't answer my question, Barry" Dick retorted.
Rebecca shot a quick look at Chris as she got up from her seat. "I need a drink of water."
Dick looked at her, sympathetically. "I'm sorry if this is drudging up bad memories for all of you, but I want to know more about this guy."
Chris shook his head. "He's a sick, twisted bastard, Dick, and very, very dangerous. He helped Umbrella kill a lot of people. And believe me when I say that he enjoyed every minute of it. He tried to kill us, as well, but we managed to turn the tables on him. If he had a chance to take some revenge on any of us, he would."
"Especially us." Barry added, bitterly.
Dick ran a hand through his hair. "Jesus", he muttered. "We have to find out where this HCF building is. It's our only chance of finding Jill. Who knows if we'll ever hear from Leon again."
"I wouldn't voice thoughts like that when Claire and Sherry are around" Chris warned. "They're both very attached to him. And after what happened to Claire, I don't know if she could take someone else dying on her."
Barry sighed. "Let's not think the worst yet, people."
Chris nodded and glanced at Dick. "Barry's right. We'll find a lead tomorrow. I'm sure of it."
Dick acknowledged the young man's attempt at optimism with a quick nod. He knew Chris Redfield had some strong feelings for his daughter. He also knew that the two of them had been through hell together and being in situations like that had a way of forming the tightest of bonds. It was certainly obvious how much Rebecca cared about Jill, almost like a big sister. Something his daughter had never experienced as an only child. The one he had the most trouble reading was Barry. The man was very protective of Jill that much was certain. But, there was something else there, as well. If Dick didn't know better, he would say it was guilt. He had almost come right out and asked the man once, but then decided against it. The most important thing to Dick Valentine was finding his daughter, and he knew that was their top priority, as well. He hadn't known any of these people for very long, but their loyalty to Jill was without question. Even Kennedy seemed willing to stick his neck out for her.
Which left one unanswered question in Dick's mind. What happened to Oliviera?
"Has anyone heard from Carlos?" he asked. The others shook their heads.
"I don't get that guy", Barry muttered. "If he was so concerned about Jill, why the hell did he run off when we could have used him."
"I'm sure he's doing whatever he can, Barry" Rebecca defended.
"Yeah, well, Barry's right" Chris countered. "We could have really used the extra body. Who knows what we might run up against." He glanced at his watch. "I guess Claire must have sacked out after putting Sherry to bed." He smiled to himself, thinking about how the young girl brought out the 'mother hen' in his sister. "Why don't we all follow her example."
Rebecca walked to the door, then turned to face the rest of the group. She wanted to say something reassuring, but couldn't seem to find the right words, so she opted for something simpler. "Good night, everyone." She heard the obligatory mumbles of affirmation and headed to her room.
***
Sherry turned her head when she heard the familiar noise. The figure lying beside her was moving restlessly, soft whimpering sounds growing in intensity. The young girl was becoming accustomed to the late night disturbances. She reached a hand out and gently stroked the other person's forehead, trying to offer comfort.
"Ssshh, it's all right, Claire" she whispered, using a feather light touch to stroke the older woman's furrowed brow. Even in the dark, she could see the look of distress on her friend's face.
"…almost", Claire mumbled, as her hands gripped the sheets, bunching them up in her fists.
Sherry spoke softly. "Claire, wake up."
The brunette's eyes were squeezed shut as she continued to twist and turn, murmuring incoherently. "…nnn…wha…nnnmmm…go…go…fas…oh" Claire's voice was getting louder.
Sherry leaned up on her elbow and gripped Claire's shoulder, giving it a firm shake. "Claire, come on, wake up."
Claire began to thrash about as Sherry called her name repeatedly, but the nightmare had her firmly in its grip.
The door opened as Rebecca entered the room in a hurry. She quickly closed the door behind her, not bothering to turn on a light. "Another bad one?"
Sherry shook her head, vigorously. "Yes, and I can't wake her up." The girl's voice began to rise in panic. "I've never not been able to wake her up."
Rebecca knelt down beside the bed and put her hands on either side of Claire's head. She could feel the moisture on the woman's cheeks as she turned her face toward her. "Claire!"
Claire's eyes shot open. "OH GOD!" she cried out, as she grabbed Rebecca's arms and started to struggle.
The young medic held her firmly, calling her name again. "Claire!" She gave the woman a firm shake as she waited for her voice to penetrate Claire's senses.
After several seconds, Claire's struggling ceased, as she slowly became aware of her surroundings. She stared at Rebecca, the recognition finally dawning. Her facial features began to twist as she tried to stop her emotions from spilling forth.
Rebecca spoke softly "It was just a bad dream. Are you okay?"
Claire nodded, not trusting her voice at that moment. She sat up as Rebecca let go of her. She felt a smaller hand touch her left shoulder. She reached up and put her hand over it, giving Sherry a reassuring pat. "I'm alright." She got up from the bed and headed into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
Sherry turned to look at Rebecca "That was the worst one yet. Does she ever tell you what they're about?"
"No." Rebecca responded. "You?"
"No." Sherry answered. "But, I'm sure it must be about the Antarctic." The young girl sighed, heavily. "I don't understand why she won't talk about what happened. Maybe if she did, the nightmares would go away. It isn't good to keep things bottled up the way she does."
"I agree."
"Maybe we should try to get her to open up about it." Sherry suggested.
"I think that's a good idea, Sherry" Rebecca answered. "But, I think I'll leave that up to you. I haven't known Claire very long and it's unlikely she would talk to me."
Sherry looked thoughtful. "I haven't known Claire that long either, now that you mention it, but it seems like I've known her forever." She turned away from Rebecca to stare at the bathroom door. "I've never been as close to anyone as I am to Claire…not even my parents. If she hadn't found me when she did…" the young girl's voice trailed off.
Rebecca reached a hand out and gave Sherry's shoulder a firm squeeze. "We were both lucky to find a helping hand."
Sherry looked up at Rebecca and smiled. "Redfields to the rescue, right?"
The young woman laughed softly as she ruffled the girl's hair. "Right."
***
"…Chris…"
Carlos looked down at Jill, concern etched on his face. "What was that, Jill?" He held her tighter as the van rocked wildly over the uneven terrain. He had been holding her in his lap since they left Umbrella's complex. He thought he heard her say something, which would have been the first sign of life she had shown since they left. He reached a hand up and wiped a few stray hairs away from her forehead. Her skin was still hot to the touch, although she was no longer perspiring. That was not a good sign.
"How's she doing?"
Carlos glanced over at Larry, who was sitting across from him.
"Not to good" he muttered. "When the hell are we gonna get to the doctor?"
Larry poked his head out toward the driver's seat, exchanging a few brief words with the man behind the wheel. "We're almost there. Don't worry, they'll be ready."
Carlos took little comfort from his friend's words. Even when they got her to a doctor, he knew there might be no chance to save Jill if she had been infected with a virus. The fact that she dodged a bullet before had been a stroke of pure luck, and Carlos knew it.
He watched her face for any indication that she might be awake. Occasionally, her eyes would flutter, as an expression of pain flashed across her features. He continued to speak to her in soft tones, hoping that, maybe, she could hear him and know she was safe.
The van came to an abrupt stop. The back doors flew open as people began to climb out. Larry stood up, needing to stay bent over a bit so he wouldn't hit his head on the roof. He shot a quick look toward the open doors before turning back to speak to Carlos.
"You need a hand?" he asked.
Carlos tightened his grip on Jill, possessively. "No, thanks." He made his way to the door and climbed down, carefully, still holding on to his friend. Three people appeared from the side pushing a stretcher.
"Put her down, gently" a man's voice commanded.
Carlos hesitated, looking around for the first time. "Where the hell are we?"
Larry stepped up behind him. "Carlos, do as the doctor says. Your friend here needs help."
Carlos frowned. "Where's the hospital?" It was too dark to make out much of his surroundings, but there didn't appear to be any ambulance. There were too many people around him, blocking his line of vision. He spun around to look at Larry, and found himself looking down the barrel of a gun.
Larry's expression was grim. "I have a package to deliver, Carlos. And I need her healthy. Now, be a good boy and put her down on the stretcher."
The former mercenary took an involuntary step backwards and felt the press of another weapon against his back.
"You fucking bastard!" he snarled.
Larry's expression was unchanged. "It's nothing personal, Carlos. It's just business. If I don't deliver the goods, I don't get paid."
"Where the hell are we?"
Larry took a step closer. "Put the girl down, first."
Carlos knew he didn't have any choice. He kept his eyes on Larry as he stepped toward the stretcher, carefully putting his friend down. Several people began moving about, strapping Jill down as Carlos fumed. His eyes wandered toward the interior of the van, seeing his rifle resting underneath the bench.
One of the men hovering over Jill spoke up. "We need to start an I.V. right away. She's severely dehydrated."
Larry nodded. "Go."
The trio began pushing the stretcher away and Carlos, instinctively, ran toward them. As he moved away from the van doors, he was able to get a better view of their location.
They were standing on an airport runway.
Several figures intercepted him as he tried to follow Jill. He threw a punch, knocking one man to the ground. Two other men jumped on him from behind and wrestled him to the ground. His arms were pulled back, painfully, as a gun muzzle pressed against his cheek.
He heard Larry's voice. "Don't be stupid, man. Nobody is gonna hurt your friend, so just calm down."
"Fuck you." Carlos spat.
Larry sighed. "Carlos, you always were a stupid little boy." He stood up and holstered his gun. "Get him up." Carlos was pulled, roughly, to his feet. "Now, are you gonna hear me out?"
"You're a back-stabbing pig, you know that?" Carlos shook off the men's arms.
Larry grinned. "Takes one to know one."
"What 's your latest line of bullshit?"
"Alright, Carlos. First of all, I didn't know the person I was hired to find was your friend, okay?"
Carlos snorted. "Like that would have made any difference, right?"
"Probably not. But, I might have told you about it up front."
"Right."
Larry shook his head. "Okay, maybe not" he conceded. "Secondly, we did get your friend away from Umbrella. That is what you wanted."
Carlos took a step forward. "Only so you could give her to someone else." He felt a hand on his shoulder.
"True. But it was a rescue mission, Carlos. Somebody's paying an awful lot of money to save your friend's ass, and I would think you'd be grateful."
"Who's paying you?" Carlos asked.
"HCF Enterprises" Larry answered.
Carlos was confused. "I've never heard of them. What do they want with Jill?"
"Couldn't tell ya. But, those doctors will take good care of her, don't you worry."
"Where are they taking her?"
"Don't know that, either. My guess would be the West Coast. That's where the company is located." Larry walked away from the van, motioning for Carlos to follow him. He pointed to a small Lear jet parked on the runway. "Like I said, someone is forking out a lot of dough to save that girl. Maybe she has a friend there you don't know about."
Carlos was not convinced. "A friend would get her to a hospital."
Larry smirked. "So she could end up back with your pals at Umbrella? That wouldn't be too smart. Besides, it looked to me like she was in pretty good hands."
Carlos stared, intently, at the plane. "I need to go with her."
Larry smiled, clapping the young man on the shoulder. "I knew you'd say that."
Carlos looked at the man in surprise. "Are you telling me I can go?"
Larry's expression turned serious. "Yes. But, if you fuck this deal up, you are a dead man."
Carlos grinned. "I already am, remember?" He turned and ran toward the plane.
Larry watched his friend's retreating back. "Yeah…" he said, softly. "I remember."
***
Albert Wesker picked up his phone. "Hello?"
"Your package is in the mail."
He smiled. "Wonderful. I can hardly wait to talk over old times."
The voice on the other line sighed, wistfully. "Don't tell me you're throwing me over for someone else?"
Wesker laughed. "Hardly. She's not exactly my type. Too good."
The voice laughed, seductively. "Too bad."
"I miss you."
"How much?"
Wesker leaned back in his chair. "I want you to come out here."
"What's in it for me?"
"I have a surprise for you."
"Really? Well, how could I say no to an invitation like that."
Wesker held up a photograph. "I'm hoping you can't."
The voice whispered, huskily. "I always was a sucker for blondes."
Wesker grinned, still staring at the image of Claire Redfield. "How do you feel about brunettes?"
***
Finally! This chapter was a tough one to get through. I'm sure everybody has had a hard time the last two weeks. I think getting back to writing has been a good distraction for me. I hope this story provides a bit of a distraction for the rest of you, as well. Peace, everyone.