Sacrifices
Chapter 14: Double Jeopardy
"That's not happiness to see me, is it?" Alexia rested her cheek on the top of Sherry's head as her hand continued to hold the needle at the young girl's throat.
Claire gripped the gun tighter, taking cautious steps towards the table. "What did you do to her?" she demanded as she continued to move closer to the pair.
Alexia looked down at the unconscious child. "Just a little chloroform. Nothing to be concerned about," She turned her ice blue eyes on Claire. "…Yet."
Claire's eyes burned with hatred. "Sherry's just a child. Leave her out of this."
Alexia sighed, impatiently. "I'm afraid I can't do that. Right now, she's the only thing keeping you from doing something foolish." She adjusted the needle, slightly. "Now, I want you to put that gun on the counter and sit down."
The brunette shook her head. "No way. You put the needle down, first."
"In the time it would take you to pull that trigger, I could press the plunger," Alexia commented, matter of factly. "I would be dead, and so would your little friend." A tense silence fell between the two women as they continued to stare at each other. Alexia finally broke it, arching her eyebrows at the young woman. "Care to take that risk?"
Claire's heart was hammering in her chest as she weighed her options. At such close range, she was sure she could take the woman out, but would she be able to do it in time to save Sherry? And what were the odds that Alexia came here alone? Maybe, if she put her weapon aside, she could convince the other woman to let Sherry go. After all, she had no grudge against the girl, and was only using her to get to Claire. Once Alexia got what she wanted, there was no need to harm Sherry.
"If I put the gun down, will you let her go?" Claire asked, reluctantly.
Alexia's smile was chilling. "As soon as we finish our little chat."
Claire slowly lowered the gun and placed it on the kitchen counter, never taking her eyes off the two figures seated a few feet away. "Okay, now what?"
"Sit down."
The young woman complied, taking a seat at the opposite end of the table.
"Put your hands on the table," Alexia ordered.
Once again, Claire did as she was instructed, resting her hands on the wooden surface. A chill ran down her spine as her eyes rested on Sherry. "You said you'd let her go."
"After we've had a chance to talk", Alexia reminded her.
"About what? Your amazing resurrection?" The sound of the other woman's laughter made Claire's blood run cold.
"There's nothing amazing about it, you silly fool." The hand that had been holding the needle to Sherry's throat came to rest on the girl's shoulder as Alexia regarded Claire with a look of bemusement. "I was never in the Antarctic."
"What?" Claire stared at her, disbelieving.
"It's a rather complicated story…but an interesting one."
Claire stood abruptly and slammed the palms of her hands on the table. "The only thing I'm interested in is finding out what the hell you want from me!"
Alexia pulled Sherry to her tightly as she pressed the needle into her neck, eliciting a soft moan from the young girl. Her icy stare fixed on Claire. "I want you to take that drink."
Claire looked down and noticed a small glass sitting on the table in front of her. She was suddenly filled with a sense of dread. The situation was spinning out of control and she found herself wishing she had pulled the trigger. Whatever was in that glass would probably render her unconscious…and thereby useless to help Sherry. Her hands curled into fists as she shook her head. "You said you'd let her go."
Alexia's lips pulled back into a sneer as she twisted Sherry's neck back. Her hand tensed as her thumb began to press down on the plunger.
"Stop!" Claire cried out.
Alexia looked over at her. "Drink it."
Every instinct Claire had was telling her not to comply, but she grabbed the cup and raised it to her lips. With a quick tilt of her head, she tossed the contents back in one gulp. As she swallowed it, the bitter taste made her wince. She placed the empty cup on the table and slid it across the smooth surface.
Alexia smiled at her. "Good girl."
"Alexia, please…"
"Claire, I suggest you sit down…before you fall down." She watched with satisfaction as the young brunette put a hand to her head. "It works rather quickly, as you can tell."
Claire shook her head in an effort to clear the fog that was beginning to descend on her. She reached out and gripped the table, trying to stay on her feet, but only managed to stumble into the table. A hand seized her arm, making her cry out in surprise as she spun around to defend herself. Alexia was suddenly standing next to her, trying to force her down. Claire attempted to fight back, but she was too disoriented, and found herself slumped back into a chair, with Alexia straddling her lap. Afraid she was about to lose consciousness, Claire turned her head to the side, her unfocused gaze seeking out Sherry. She could feel the moisture building in her eyes as she realized how she had failed to protect the young girl…and that this was probably the last time she would ever see her. Her thoughts were interrupted as the feel of cool fingers gripped her jaw, turning her head to face forward.
"Are you still with me, Claire?" Alexia raised her voice slightly as she peered closely at the young woman's face. A pair of indigo blue eyes regarded her behind half closed lids. She frowned and began slapping Claire's cheek in an effort to keep her awake just a few moments longer.
"What do you want?" Claire mumbled as her head lolled back against the chair.
Alexia placed her hands on either side of Claire's head, holding it firmly as she stared at the young woman. She waited until their eyes met, seeing a moment of lucidity in the brunette's face. "Revenge, Claire. That's what I want."
Claire could feel her thoughts dimming. "Then kill me", she whispered. "But, please, don't hurt Sherry."
Alexia leaned close enough to Claire so their foreheads touched. "I'm not interested in hurting children," she said softly. "I want an eye for an eye. Do you understand?"
Claire was fighting to stay awake, but knew she was about to lose the battle. Her eyes finally closed as she succumbed to the drug in her system. Alexia knew she was now unconscious, but continued to cradle her head as she whispered in her ear.
"You killed my brother, Claire. Now, I'm going to kill yours."
***
Chris peered around the corner of the building to get a better view of what lay beyond. This was supposed to be the location of HCF Enterprises, but it didn't look like much to him. Perhaps that was the point. From the outside, it appeared to be just another rundown warehouse. There wasn't much activity, although several of the dock doors were open. From his vantagepoint, Chris could see fork trucks moving past the doors every now and then, which meant there was somebody home.
"Alright, I'm ready."
Chris looked back over his shoulder at Dick Valentine. The man had been growing steadily impatient waiting for Chris and the others to devise a rescue plan. Although Chris could certainly understand the man's desire to act, he knew they would only get one chance at this, and he had no intention of blowing it.
"I just want you to go in and take a look around," Chris informed him.
"Got it", Dick said as he took a couple of steps past Chris.
Chris reached out and caught his arm. "I mean it, Dick. No heroics."
Dick pulled his arm free. "I'm not stupid, Redfield, and I'm not about to put my kid's life at risk just to play hero."
Chris' expression softened. "Sorry. I didn't mean --"
"I know what you meant," Dick said, cutting him off. "I'll check the place out and come right back." He stared at the building with a look of grim determination.
"If anything goes wrong, we'll be there in a flash," Barry offered.
"Right," Rebecca said, nodding her head in agreement.
"Okay. I'm off." Dick tucked his hands into his pockets and set out across the parking lot. He began whistling softly as he made his way toward the warehouse.
Chris watched Dick approach the building, hoping he hadn't made a mistake in sending the man in alone. The foursome agreed that they needed more information about the layout of the building before attempting to get inside. Dick had immediately volunteered pointing out that, having been a professional thief, this was his area of expertise. He was also quick to mention that if Wesker was on the premises, he had the best chance of going unrecognized.
"I only hope Jill is really in there," Rebecca said softly.
Chris glanced back at the young woman and reached his hand out to give her shoulder a squeeze. "My gut instinct is telling me she is, Becca."
"Let's just hope Dick can pull this off," Barry muttered.
The trio watched Dick's retreating back as he approached the steps leading onto the warehouse platform. Chris held his breath while watching Dick exchange a few words with one of the workers. As the two men disappeared from view, Chris said a silent prayer.
***
"I'll be in a lot of trouble if Doctor Lessing finds out about this."
Ellen rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Stop worrying. I told you, I just want to ask her couple of questions and then I'll leave." She watched from behind as the young technician unlocked the door to the lab, giving him a reassuring smile as he glanced nervously over his shoulder. The decision to try something so risky was only adding to Ellen's growing level of excitement.
After speaking to the doctor, it was obvious that Wallace had some kind of plan up his sleeve. She surmised that Leon's friend was either a pawn to be used against him, or Wallace and Valentine knew each other. Either way, she decided she had to get in and speak to the woman. If she could find out anything about Wallace, maybe even discover something she could use against him, it was worth the risk.
"Maybe I should stay with you." The young man gave her a look of concern.
Ellen rested a hand on his shoulder. "Thank You, but I think I should do this alone. If anyone finds me here, I'll come up with an excuse. I wouldn't want to get you into trouble, Jeffrey."
The young man smiled, sheepishly. "I appreciate that. Just remember to lock up on your way out, okay?" He stared at her for a moment, as if wanting to say something more.
"Right." Ellen sensed his hesitation, feeling a momentary twinge of guilt for misleading the man. It was obvious he had a thing for her, and she had purposely used that to her advantage. "You'd better get going."
"Ah…"
Ellen gave him a quizzical look. "Is there something else?"
"Um…no. Just be careful with the dosage."
Ellen held the syringe up and winked at him. "I'll administer it exactly the way you told me."
Jeffrey smiled, nervously. "Good luck." He turned and headed out the door, leaving Ellen standing in the hallway, alone.
***
Jill felt like she was buried under a layer of gauze. She could hear someone speaking to her, trying to coax her from her deep slumber. With great effort, she tried to concentrate on the source, allowing it to lead the way. Slowly opening her eyes, she saw a woman's face.
"Miss Valentine, you must wake up." The tone sounded urgent.
Jill blinked rapidly, trying to dispel the heavy feeling of forced sleep. The lighting was dim, giving her eyes a chance to adjust. She swallowed hard, grimacing at the dryness in her throat. As if the woman sensed her need, she felt a cup of water pressed to her lips. She lifted her head from the pillow, sipping slowly at first, then began to swallow it greedily.
"Slow down, or you'll make yourself sick" the woman chided.
Jill complied, finally quenching her thirst, and rested her head back. She took a moment to look at the person who had come to her aid. The woman appeared to be a bit older than Jill, with long red hair and bright green eyes. There was no look of malice in those eyes, which only added to Jill's confusion.
"Who are you?" she finally said.
"My name is Ellen Ross. I mean you no harm."
"That's a relief." Jill lifted a hand to rub her eyes. "You're probably the only person around here who doesn't."
"Actually, you're no longer at Umbrella."
Jill's hand dropped back to the bed. "What?"
"You were rescued" Ellen explained.
Jill stared at the woman in disbelief. "How? When? I thought--"
"I don't have a lot of time to explain. It was arranged by Leon Kennedy."
"Leon?"
"You do know him?"
Jill nodded, still trying to get her bearings. "Yes, but--"
"Well, he works for us," Ellen interrupted. "He asked us to get you out and so we did."
This last bit of information brought a look of suspicion to the ex-police officer's face. "Who is us, exactly?"
Ellen could sense the other woman's concern. Even in a somewhat drug-induced haze, it was obvious that she wasn't stupid. If Ellen wanted information from Jill Valentine, she would need to establish a feeling of trust.
"HCF Enterprises," she offered.
"I've never heard of them," Jill commented.
Ellen smiled. "I'm not surprised. We like to keep a low profile."
Jill eyed the other woman, wearily. "Now why doesn't that give me a warm, fuzzy feeling." She paused to take a deep breath, steeling herself for whatever may come next. "So, what am I doing here? In fact, where is here?"
"You're in Los Angeles."
"What?" Jill sat up, abruptly, ignoring her aching body. The idea of being shipped around like a piece of luggage was very unnerving to her. The one thing she needed right now was a sense of control. She pulled the sheet back and swung her legs off the bed, making Ellen take a few steps back.
"What are you doing?" Ellen asked, alarmed by the woman's sudden movement.
"Look, Ellen. I appreciate what you folks have done for me, but I need to get out of here. There are people I need to contact." Jill started to stand up, but her legs were not yet ready to support her.
Ellen grabbed her under the arms as she started to fall. "Whoa, there. I don't think you have your sea legs yet." She helped Jill to sit back on the edge of the bed. "You've been through quite an ordeal and your body is still recuperating."
Jill expression was a mix of gratitude and annoyance. "Fine. How about a phone, then?"
"There are no phones down here."
Jill narrowed her eyes. "Down here?" She looked at her surroundings more closely. Her first assumption was that she was in a hospital. Now, she realized that the room she was in looked more like a laboratory, with an assortment of computers and medical equipment. A growing sense of unease began to gnaw at her. "You never did tell me where I was…specifically."
Ellen hesitated, not wanting to reveal too much until she got the information she needed. "I told you that you were in Los Angeles. The exact location is irrelevant since you probably wouldn't know it anyway."
Jill reached out and grabbed the woman's forearm. "It's not irrelevant to me," she hissed. "Now, what is this place?"
Ellen pulled her arm free and took a step back. "You are at HCF's headquarters. We thought it necessary to bring you here, as it was likely Umbrella would have found you in a hospital."
"How touching that you were concerned for me." Jill ran a hand through her hair, suddenly longing for a long, hot shower.
Ellen sighed, impatiently. "Look, Miss Valentine--"
"Where's Leon?" Jill asked, cutting the woman off.
"I don't know," Ellen answered, truthfully.
"Where are my clothes?"
"I don't know."
"You're just a fountain of information, aren't you?" Jill remarked. "Do you have anything I can wear? I can't run around in a johnny."
Ellen shook her head. "I don't think you're capable of doing much running around yet, but if you want to change, we have some surgical scrubs in the cabinet."
"That'll be fine." Jill followed the woman's movements carefully as she made her way across the room. "How do I get out of here?"
Ellen returned with the clothing and handed it to Jill. "That will be rather complicated."
"What a surprise," Jill said, flippantly. "Care to tell me why?"
"Do you know a man named Wallace?" Ellen questioned.
"Doesn't ring a bell," Jill replied as she changed her clothes. "Who is he?"
Ellen frowned. "He runs this facility."
Jill looked over at the woman, sensing a subtle change in her demeanor. "So, he's your boss?"
"Yes."
"What made you think I would know him?" Jill asked, looking down at her bare feet.
"Let's just say I was hoping…" Ellen suddenly turned toward the door, holding a hand up to Jill. "I think someone's coming."
Jill began to massage her legs, trying to work out the stiffness. "So."
"So, I'm not supposed to be in here," Ellen said as she moved swiftly toward the observation window. She reached up and pulled down the shutter to block the view from the hallway. "And I'm most certainly not supposed to be talking to you."
"Why?" Jill asked.
"Because you're supposed to be sedated," Ellen offered.
"Gee, that's funny. I thought I was supposed to be recuperating." Jill looked down at her feet again. "I don't suppose you have an extra pair of shoes lying around, do you?"
"Sorry."
Jill's expression turned serious. "Why don't you tell me exactly what I'm doing here, Ellen."
"As I've already explained, we rescued you at the request of Le--"
"Yeah, yeah. You've told me that part. Why am I supposed to be sedated?"
Ellen shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't fully understand the reason behind that. I only know that Mr. Wallace insisted on it."
Jill studied the woman's face for a moment. "And why did you wake me up?"
"I wanted information on Wallace. I thought you might be able to provide it." Ellen glanced back at the door again. "Unfortunately, I was wrong."
Jill thought for a moment. "Maybe not."
Ellen's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean?"
Jill finally stood up on her own and was happy to find her legs would now support her. But, there was no way she would be able to get out of this place without help and right now Ellen Ross was her only ally. "What I mean is, I've met a lot of people in my travels. Just because I don't know the name doesn't mean I don't know the person."
"Good point."
Jill began taking a few experimental steps across the room. "What can you tell me about him?"
"Well, I'm afraid I don't know very much," Ellen lamented. "Except that he used to work for Umbrella."
"Gee, I dislike him already," Jill commented. "What else?"
Ellen sighed, heavily. "That's about it…unless you include his bizarre penchant for sunglasses."
Jill froze. "What?"
The redhead turned to look at Jill, noticing her complexion had paled considerably. "He wears sunglasses all the time. In fact, I've never seen him without them, even at night." She studied Jill's face. "Why? Is that significant?"
"Jesus Christ…" Jill started heading towards the door, steadying herself against the tables as she went. "I have to get out of here."
Ellen followed close behind. "What's wrong?"
Jill turned her frightened gaze at the woman. "That man wants me dead." As she grabbed the door handle, Ellen reached out and gripped her shoulder, spinning her around and pressing her back to the door. In Jill's weakened condition, she was hardly in a position to offer much resistance.
"Tell me what you know about him," the redhead demanded. Jill reached a hand up to push the woman away, but Ellen caught her by the wrist and slammed her arm against the door. "Tell me!"
"Get the hell off me!" Jill retorted. She saw a flicker of emotion flash across the woman's face as she released her, but couldn't identify it. Jill began to rub her wrist as she glared at the woman. "So much for not meaning me any harm."
"I apologize."
"Save it," Jill said, angrily. "Why are you so interested in him, anyway?"
Ellen's expression remained neutral. "I have my reasons."
"Well, here's the deal, Ellen. You show me a way out of here, and I'll tell you everything I know about Albert Wesker," Jill proposed. "Deal?"
Ellen looked at Jill with a confused expression. "Wesker?"
"That's his real name," Jill explained.
"But, how do you know--"
"About 6 foot 4, blonde hair, dark sunglasses…very arrogant?" The two women stared at each other in silence. Jill could see her own fear mirrored in the other woman's eyes.
Ellen finally looked away. "That's him," she said softly. With deliberate slowness, she reached into her jacket and removed a small handgun. "Here...you might need this." She handed it to Jill.
The young woman accepted it, smiling wistfully. "Thanks, but I don't know how much help this will be if I run into him." She checked the clip and found it fully loaded. "Maybe I could throw it at him," she joked, thinking back on her conversation with Chris after they had left the train station. That car ride suddenly seemed like it took place a lifetime ago. But, his warning about Wesker was still fresh in her mind. Chris had told her all about their confrontation on Rockfort Island. Her former Captain was now something less than human.
…or something more.
Chris…Where are you when I need you?
Jill suppressed a shiver as she turned her attention back to Ellen. "We need to get out of here."
Ellen nodded in agreement. "I'll show you the way. But, once you get up to the street level, you're on your own." She stepped past Jill and pulled the door open, being careful to check the hallway before motioning for the other woman to follow her. "There's an elevator at the end of the next corridor."
Jill put a hand on Ellen's arm. "Wesker is a very dangerous man. If he finds out you've helped me…" She let the implication go unspoken.
Ellen's gaze was intense. "I have bigger problems, at the moment." She opened the next door and the two women continued into another hallway. "Now, what can you tell me about him?"
Jill's dark eyes scanned the corridor for any possible threats as they progressed toward the elevator. Her body ached from head to toe, but she tried to ignore it. If they ran into any trouble, she could only hope her reflexes wouldn't fail her. As they reached the end of the hall, she turned to face Ellen. "He was a cop in Raccoon City, Oregon. If you know anything about Umbrella, than I'm sure you've heard the stories about what happened there."
Ellen nodded. "Yes. Leon gave me some of the highlights."
"Well," Jill continued, "Prior to that, the police did some investigating at an estate there."
"The Spencer estate, right?"
"Right," Jill confirmed. "You know about that, too?"
"Just what I read in the papers. You were one of the officers involved, weren't you?" Ellen asked.
"Yes…and Albert Wesker was my commanding officer."
Ellen looked puzzled. "I thought he worked for Umbrella?"
Jill's expression hardened. "He did. And, he betrayed us. He shot two officers, one of which died in my arms." She closed her eyes for a moment, reliving those few moments with Enrico in that dark, cold passageway. His last words still hanging in the air as the shots rang out…
'There's a traitor in the S.T.A.R.S.'
Jill tried to shake off the horrible memory as she continued. "He tried to kill us all. Fortunately, he didn't succeed. But, a lot of people died there…some of my teammates, as well as Umbrella's own employees. I thought Wesker died there too, but I was wrong."
"Why is he not working for Umbrella anymore?" Ellen questioned.
"That I can't answer," Jill answered, ruefully. "But, there is one other thing you need to know."
"What's that?"
Jill locked eyes with the other woman. "He's different now…from when I knew him."
Ellen cocked her head sideways. "Meaning?"
"He's had some kind of…physical enhancements," Jill said, slowly. She watched the other woman's skeptical expression. "Look, I know it sounds nuts, but I've seen some really insane things since this whole ordeal started. I haven't witnessed his abilities first hand, but I know someone else who has. And trust me, he's a reliable source."
"That's true."
The sound of another voice startled both women as they turned to look back at the door they had just come through. A large figure was leaning against the open doorway.
"Wesker," Jill breathed. She took an involuntary step back as her hand tightened on the gun in her hand.
"Dr. Valentine, I presume." Wesker smirked. He stood up straight as he focused on Jill's companion. "While we're on the subject of betrayal, Ellen..." The redhead stood her ground as he took a deliberate step towards them.
Jill raised her gun and pulled the trigger.
Oh, what a cruel place to stop, I know. It's been so long since I've posted a chapter that I'm not sure if anyone will still be reading it (I know I hate it when that happens to me, so I apologize for the delay). I was put out of commission for a while by a hospital stay (long story), but now I'm doing better and have climbed back on my writing horse. Anyway, chapter 15 is in the works, so check back soon. I also have to admit to a bit of plagiarizing, as I stole the first line of this chapter from one of my favorite movies. If anyone can guess what it is, I'll use your name for a minor character later in the story (cheap gimmick inserted here by the author). Later, folks.