Sacrifices
Chapter 15: Hits and Misses
"You missed."
Jill blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to focus on the blur moving toward her. She squeezed off several rounds in a desperate attempt to slow Wesker down, but realized she failed when a fist struck the side of her head. Her body slammed into the wall with such force she was certain she had cracked a few ribs. She slid to the floor as the gun skidded across the hall and out of her reach.
"Don't go away, Jill." Wesker sneered. He turned his attention to Ellen, who stood nearby, staring in disbelief. Seeing him standing only a few feet away prompted her into action. She dove for the gun, but a hand grabbed a hold of her hair and pulled her back onto her knees. She looked up to find Wesker now standing behind her with a menacing grin on his face. "You're so predictable, you stupid bitch."
Ellen reached up and grabbed at his hand in an attempt to free herself. "Let go of me! I…I wasn't betraying you…you don't understand!!"
"I understand perfectly, Ellen." Wesker's tone was soft as he whispered in her ear. "You've decided to leave your poor little girl an orphan."
Jill gripped her side in agony as she turned over to watch the scene unfolding before her. With considerable effort, she got to her knees and began to crawl towards the pair as they continued to grapple with each other. She could see Wesker reaching down to grab the woman's chin in his hand. Ellen suddenly ceased her struggle, allowing her body to go limp, as if resigned to her fate. Ellen's anguished eyes fixed on Jill as she made a last, desperate plea.
"Help Christina...please." With an audible crack, the woman's head was twisted sideways at an impossible angle. Her body hit the floor, hard, as Wesker released her and dusted his hands off, pausing to admire his handiwork.
"No…" Jill's voice was barely above a whisper as her lungs struggled to take in enough air. She stared at the unmoving form in horror as Wesker began to advance toward her.
"It's nice to know I can still turn a few heads, huh Jill?" He smiled, malevolently.
"You…monster," Jill gasped, still trying to catch her breath. She continued to lean forward on her hands, unable to tear her gaze from Ellen's unseeing eyes.
"I think it's time for us to get reacquainted, don't you?" Wesker's tone was almost conversational. "You can fill me in on what the old gang's been up to, lately." He reached down and gripped Jill's arms, tightly, as he pulled her to her feet. "I guess I don't have to ask about Chris, do I?" Wesker shook his head. "He always was a lucky son of a bitch." He pushed Jill up against the wall, placing one hand around her slender throat. "What's wrong, Jill. No snappy comebacks?"
"Fuck you," she spat, trying to pry his hand off of her.
Wesker chuckled as he tightened his grip. "Sorry, no time for that." He moved his other hand down and squeezed her injured ribs, making her cry out. "And you should watch your mouth, young lady."
Darkness teased the edge of Jill's vision as she struggled to breathe. Wesker pressed his face close to hers, making their noses touch, while his hand continued to apply pressure to her tender side.
"We still have some unfinished business…and there'll be no interruptions like the last time we--" Wesker tilted his head slightly as his body slumped forward. Jill felt his hand letting go of her neck as he fell against her, bringing them both to the floor. She didn't comprehend what was happening until she saw the small dart protruding from his back. She looked up to find another figure standing over Ellen's inert form with a small gun clutched in his hand.
The man knelt down and placed a hand on Ellen's throat, searching for a pulse.
Realizing she was dead, he looked over at Jill with confusion in his eyes. "What the hell happened?"
Jill slowly got to her feet, stepping over Wesker as she approached the man, unsure if he would turn the gun on her. She could see he was visibly shaken over Ellen's death and hoped that meant he would listen to reason. "He killed her because she was helping me escape."
"Escape?" The man looked mystified. "What do you mean? I thought Mr. Wallace rescued you from Umbrella?"
"First of all, his real name is Albert Wesker," she explained, gesturing toward the unconscious figure on the floor, "and he's wanted for murder."
"Murder?"
Jill continued on, ignoring the man's bewildered expression. "He was keeping me here against my will. Ellen came down here to get me out."
The young man continued to stare at Ellen, reaching out to gently caress her hair. "I should have stayed with her."
Jill looked puzzled. "Who are you?"
"Jeffrey Horowitz." He stood up, never taking his eyes off of Ellen. "I work in the lab. I…I let Ellen in to see you. I didn't realize what was going on…" He dropped his weapon and clenched his fists. "I should have stayed."
Jill gave him a look of sympathy. "It's doubtful you could have done anything, even if you were here. He took us by surprise."
Jeffrey finally turned his gaze to Jill. " Are you injured?"
"I've had worse." She glanced back at Wesker. "How long will he be out?"
"A couple of hours, at least." He walked past Jill and headed to the elevator, swiping his card through the electronic reader. "You should go."
Jill's expression was wary. "You're just letting me walk out of here?"
"HCF is not in the business of kidnapping," Jeffrey commented as he cast a glance at Wesker's still form. "All evidence to the contrary. But, I'm not sure who else might be involved in this, so you'd better get out while you can." He let out a heavy sigh. "When you get to the top floor, go to the end of the hallway. Take a right, then your second left and you'll come out to the loading dock. It's the quickest way out." The elevator door opened. "Got it?"
Jill nodded. "You saved my life, you know."
Jeffrey shook his head. "No…Ellen did. I only wish I had gotten here sooner, maybe I could have saved hers," he responded, softly. "Now, you'd better go."
"Wait." Jill bent down and picked up the gun Ellen had given her. She stood over Wesker and pointed it at his head.
Jeffrey placed a restraining hand on her arm. "What are you doing?"
Jill's expression was hard. "You don't understand who you're dealing with here."
"Maybe not, but I'm not going to stand here and watch you execute him…no matter what he's done," Jeffrey stated, adamantly.
"Look, all this guy does is leave dead bodies in his wake…like your friend," Jill retorted.
"And he should be punished, but not this way," the man reasoned.
"I can't just leave him here!" Jill responded, vehemently. She shook Jeffrey's arm off, determined to put an end to Wesker's miserable life. Her finger began to squeeze the trigger, until Jeffrey stepped in front of the gun, effectively blocking her aim. "Get out of the way," she told him.
"No!"
Jill stared at the man in disbelief. "Why are you protecting him?"
"There's already been one murder here." He reached his hand up and rested it on top of the gun, gently coaxing Jill's hand down. "If you do this, you'll be no different than him. Is that what you want?"
Jill pinned him with her dark, intense gaze. "What I want, is to be finished with him…once and for all." She dropped her hand to her side. "You have no idea what horrible things this man has done. I can't just walk away."
"Yes, you can," Jeffrey prodded. "I'll contact the authorities and tell them what happened. They know who he is, right?"
"Yes, but they thought he was dead…we all did."
He could see the young woman eyeing him, skeptically. "He's not going anywhere. I promise."
"I don't know…"
"Please. I need to do this…for Ellen."
Jill suddenly remembered Ellen's plea. "Who is Christina?"
Jeffrey narrowed his eyes. "You mean, Ellen's daughter?"
"I guess," Jill answered. "She asked me to help her. Just before Wesker…" her voice trailed off.
"Help her, how?"
Jill ran a hand through her hair in exasperation. "She never got a chance to tell me."
Jeffrey looked at her, sadly. "I wish I could help, but I don't really know anything about her. Ellen only mentioned her to me once, or twice."
Jill sighed inwardly. "Well, I can't do anything from here." She glanced down at Wesker. "We should move him somewhere secure."
"I'll take care of him," he offered. "You better get out of here."
"I suppose," Jill agreed, reluctantly. She walked to the elevator, still clutching her gun. As she entered, she turned to look at Jeffrey one more time. "Make sure you keep him sedated until the police get here. He's a lot stronger than you think…almost inhumanly so."
The young man smiled, briefly. "I gave him enough to knock out an elephant. He'll sleep for hours."
Jill's face held a worried expression. "I pray to God you're right." She hit the button for the top floor.
"Good luck," he called out.
Jill flashed him a grateful smile. "You, too…and thanks."
Jeffrey nodded, watching the doors close. He stared at the elevator for a moment before turning his attention to Albert Wesker's unmoving form. The lab technician bent down and placed his hands under the other man's arms with the intention of dragging him down the hallway.
That was when he noticed Wesker's eyes were open.
***
Dick stood at the rear of the dock as he waited for the supervisor. He told the warehouse foreman that he was looking for a job in the hopes of being able to get a better look around. Instead, the man told him to wait on the platform while he brought someone else out to speak with him.
From his vantage point, he could see only three ways into the building. There were two doors leading inside, one on either end of the dock, and what appeared to be the door to a freight elevator, about halfway in between. The man he had spoken with headed through the door on the right end of the dock, where Dick was now standing. His eyes scanned the walls and ceiling for security devices, knowing that it was probably a very sophisticated system. He spotted several mini-cameras located at various points above him where the walls met the ceiling. He also noticed that all of the doors were adorned with electronic card readers, which seemed a bit elaborate for a warehouse, even if the company dealt in pharmaceuticals. He decided there was definitely something strange going on in this building.
"Sorry about the wait."
Dick turned to see the man he had spoken to standing behind him. He silently cursed himself for being so distracted. "No problem. I was just taking a look around."
"I couldn't find the VP. He must have stepped out, or something. Why don't you give me your name and number and I'll leave it for him."
"The VP?" Dick questioned.
"The vice-president," the man explained. "He does all the hiring around here."
"Isn't that unusual?"
The man nodded. "Yeah. But, he's a real stickler about security. Doesn't trust anybody else's judgment about people…even mine."
"He sounds paranoid," Dick commented.
"Personally, I think he just does it to bust my balls," the man replied with a wry grin. "He's a real asshole."
"Gee, you're really selling me on the place."
The man laughed, heartily. "Yeah, well, the pay is really good. You just have to put up with some weird shit every now and then."
Dick tried to feign disinterest. "Oh?"
"Sometimes we come in at odd hours," the man explained. "Shipments arrive at all different times, so it makes it kind of tough to set a regular schedule. A lot of guys don't like that, so I thought I'd mention it up front."
Dick studied the man, carefully. There didn't seem to be anything even remotely sinister about him. After years of dealing with criminals, the one- time thief thought himself to be a good judge of other people. It seemed likely that this man was probably ignorant to whatever was really going on here. Maybe he could use that to his advantage. "That shouldn't be a problem. I'm new to the area, so I don't really know a lot of people. I just want to keep myself busy."
"Well, we can certainly manage that."
Dick looked around, briefly. "Do you have a phone I can use?"
The man shook his head. "Sorry. There are no phones out here."
"Any chance I could use one inside? I need to call my ride."
"No one's allowed in the building without proper clearance." The man walked over to a table and grabbed a pad of paper. "Now, what was your name again?"
"Bill Rogers," Dick lied. "Is there a pay phone around?"
"Nope. You'd have to hike it down the road a ways to find one," the man responded. "And your phone number?"
Dick ran a hand through his dark hair as he recited a bogus phone number. He watched as the foreman wrote it down, deciding to press a bit further. "I don't mean to be pain in the ass, but I was expecting this to take a while longer. My buddy won't be back for almost an hour. Is there any chance you could let me make a call?"
"It's against the rules," the man reiterated.
"Look, you can blindfold me, okay?" Dick pleaded. "I was a boy scout for Christ's sake."
The man looked at Dick with an expression of amusement. "You'll make it fast?"
Dick held up his hand in the traditional gesture. "Scout's honor." He smiled to himself as the man moved to the door and swiped his card.
"There's a phone on the wall near the end of the corridor. Just dial a nine to get an outside line."
"Got it." Dick stepped inside, marveling at his good fortune. He spotted the phone immediately and walked to it, aware that the foreman was still watching him through the open door. There was a shout from somewhere outside, and the man hollered back over his shoulder as he let the door close.
Dick grabbed the receiver off the phone and pretended to dial a number as he casually leaned against the wall. From where he stood, he could see down to the end of the next corridor, noting there was a sign for an elevator. He could hear the elevator doors open and the sound of muffled voices wafted toward him. He turned around to face the phone as two men rounded the corner heading in his direction. They walked by him and entered an office just a few feet away from the phone.
He moved quietly as he stepped over to the door and pressed his ear against it, hoping to overhear anything that might help him find Jill. As he listened intently, he felt something cold and hard press against his neck.
"Don't make a sound."
Dick recognized the voice immediately. "Jilly?"
Jill took a step back, staring in amazement as she brought the gun down. "Dad?"
Dick spun around and drew her into a tight hug, pulling back immediately when he heard her make a painful sound. "Are you okay?"
Jill nodded, pressing a hand to her side. "Yeah, I just hurt my ribs." She winced as he touched the side of her head.
"That's not all you've hurt," he observed as he peered closer at the bruise on her temple. "You've got a nasty bump here."
Jill pulled his hand away. "I'm fine. Let's get out of here."
Dick sized up his daughter's appearance as she looked back down the corridor she had come from. The wound on her head was the only visible sign of any trauma, although she looked completely worn out. He didn't know the details of what she'd been through yet, but he was certain it had been bad. He found himself wondering why she was wearing hospital scrubs. The clothing made her look so small...almost like the little girl she used to be. He watched Jill silently for a moment, thanking whatever God there might be that she was all right, and swearing to himself that he would make someone pay for what happened to her.
"Okay," he finally responded. "But, there are quite a few people out there."
Jill held up her gun. "Where are the others?"
"Nearby…if we need them." Dick cast a sly grin as he unzipped his jacket. A shiny Colt .45 was holstered under his right arm. "A gift from Barry."
Jill almost laughed out loud. "I should have known." She reached for his hand and gave it a firm squeeze. "You ready?"
Dick pulled the gun from its holster and chambered a round. "I am now." He pointed at the door to the loading dock. "There are about ten people out there right now, but I'm not sure if they're a real threat."
"Let's just assume they are." Jill steadied herself and started walking down the hallway. The cold tile under her feet made her wish, for about the hundredth time, that she had a pair of shoes.
Dick followed close behind, casting an occasional glance over his shoulder. As they reached the end of the hall, he heard a door open behind him. He put his hand on Jill's back and spoke in a soft, but urgent tone. "Go, quickly."
Jill didn't hesitate as she pushed the door open, holding her gun out in front of her. There were voices shouting behind her as she ran out onto the dock. Several startled faces greeted her, all of whom stopped what they were doing as she bolted across the platform. She could hear her father's voice behind her, urging her on, as she approached one of the open doors. Just as she leapt off the landing, a hand snaked out and grabbed her arm. Jill's momentum propelled both her and her unknown assailant to the ground below.
Dick saw Jill and the dock foreman fall off the platform as he slowed to point his gun at another worker blocking his path, who immediately backed away from him. He jumped down and spotted Jill lying on the ground, pointing her gun at the man as he scrambled to his feet.
"Back off!" she warned.
The man moved cautiously, backing up a few steps until he found himself pressed up against the building. He kept his eyes on the young woman as he lifted his hands in the air. "Take it easy, Miss," he said, calmly. "I don't mean you any harm."
Jill stood up, moaning softly. "I wish people would stop saying that."
"Are you alright?" Dick walked over to stand next to her, keeping his gun pointed at the foreman.
Jill noticed Dick had the man covered so she lowered her gun and bent over, resting her hands on her knees. She knew the fall had made her injury worse as she fought to catch her breath. The sound of numerous footsteps made her pick her head up, just in time to see three security guards appear in the doorway above them.
"Drop your weapons!" the guard on the right shouted.
Dick could see all three men had their guns drawn. He looked at Jill out of the corner of his eye and noticed her arm coming up; apparently ready to fire her gun. He reached a free hand out and rested it on her forearm.
"Jill…" he cautioned.
She shook her head. "I'm not going back in there."
"You've got that right."
The guards all turned in unison to face the new arrival. A figure emerged from the stairwell to their left, holding a very large rifle. He stepped out of the shadows and held his weapon aloft, pointing it at the three men in uniform.
"Drop your guns or I'll blow your fuckin' heads off," Chris ordered. The men complied immediately, throwing their weapons on the floor. "Face down on the ground, now." Again, the threesome followed his instructions without uttering a word. Chris walked to the door and looked down at the foreman below him, still keeping his gun trained on the guards. "If you're smart, you won't do anything stupid."
The man nodded, vigorously. "I…I swear I didn't mean any harm. I thought she was a thief, that's all."
Dick cast a sideways glance at his daughter. "Not anymore."
Before Jill had a chance to respond to her father's comment, a van came screeching to a halt behind them. The side door flew open and Barry emerged. He ran over to Jill, who put a hand up before he got to her. "No hugs, Barry."
Barry noticed her other hand was clutching her side. "Anything broken?"
She shook her head. "I don't think so, but it hurts like hell."
"She also took a good whack on the head," Dick commented.
"Rebecca can get a look at you in the van," Barry responded. He put one large hand on Jill's shoulder and smiled, warmly. "It's good to see you're still in one piece."
"Or at least several manageable ones," she joked, placing her hand on top of his.
"We gotta go people," Chris hollered out to his friends as he kept an eye on the building, just in case anyone else decided to try and stop them from leaving.
Barry made a gesture to Rebecca, who immediately left the driver's seat and climbed into the back of the van. He helped Jill inside and headed around to take the wheel.
Dick waited for Chris to reach the vehicle, climbing into the passenger seat as the younger man entered through the side door. They both kept their weapons at the ready until everyone was safely inside.
Chris slammed the panel door shut and called out to Barry. "Punch it!"
Barry hit the gas, causing the van to lurch forward, as they sped away from the building and sailed through the exit gate. The tires squealed in protest as he turned onto the main roadway, keeping one eye on the rearview mirror for any pursuing vehicle. He took the first on ramp he came to and raced onto the highway. After several tense moments, he decided they had made a clean getaway.
Dick glanced over and grinned. "Nice moves."
"You, too." Barry adjusted the mirror to get a look in back. "Everyone okay?"
"Yeah…" Rebecca piped up, "Except I'm wishing I had skipped that breakfast burrito this morning." She looked over at Jill and smiled as she grabbed a knapsack from under the seat. "It's good to have you back."
"It's good to be back," Jill responded as she smiled in return. She turned to face Chris, who was looking at her, intently. "How did you find me?"
"It's a long story," he answered softly.
Jill shivered, involuntarily, at the sound of his voice. "Just give me the short version, then." His smoky gaze held her spellbound as he reached over and cupped her face in his hands. He pressed his lips to hers, gently, before pulling back and offering her his most heartfelt smile.
"I've missed you."
***
Sigh* I'm a romantic at heart, so I couldn't resist ending this on a sweeter note. I also saw this chapter as a chance to wrap up one side of the story, although this fic seems to be turning into an epic. The ideas just keep coming. The movie line I mentioned in the last chapter was from 'A Perfect Murder'. Congratulations to Christina for figuring it out! I think her character will end up having a bigger role than I originally planned. I really enjoyed giving Jill the opportunity to kill Wesker. Of course, the outcome was ambiguous, but I'm still not even sure she could have gone through with it if Jeffrey hadn't convinced her otherwise. Anyone else have an opinion?
Okay, Sam, keep repeating to yourself; they are not real people, they are not real people.
Chapter 16 is in the works. Stay tuned…and keep the reviews coming. Later, folks.
Chapter 15: Hits and Misses
"You missed."
Jill blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to focus on the blur moving toward her. She squeezed off several rounds in a desperate attempt to slow Wesker down, but realized she failed when a fist struck the side of her head. Her body slammed into the wall with such force she was certain she had cracked a few ribs. She slid to the floor as the gun skidded across the hall and out of her reach.
"Don't go away, Jill." Wesker sneered. He turned his attention to Ellen, who stood nearby, staring in disbelief. Seeing him standing only a few feet away prompted her into action. She dove for the gun, but a hand grabbed a hold of her hair and pulled her back onto her knees. She looked up to find Wesker now standing behind her with a menacing grin on his face. "You're so predictable, you stupid bitch."
Ellen reached up and grabbed at his hand in an attempt to free herself. "Let go of me! I…I wasn't betraying you…you don't understand!!"
"I understand perfectly, Ellen." Wesker's tone was soft as he whispered in her ear. "You've decided to leave your poor little girl an orphan."
Jill gripped her side in agony as she turned over to watch the scene unfolding before her. With considerable effort, she got to her knees and began to crawl towards the pair as they continued to grapple with each other. She could see Wesker reaching down to grab the woman's chin in his hand. Ellen suddenly ceased her struggle, allowing her body to go limp, as if resigned to her fate. Ellen's anguished eyes fixed on Jill as she made a last, desperate plea.
"Help Christina...please." With an audible crack, the woman's head was twisted sideways at an impossible angle. Her body hit the floor, hard, as Wesker released her and dusted his hands off, pausing to admire his handiwork.
"No…" Jill's voice was barely above a whisper as her lungs struggled to take in enough air. She stared at the unmoving form in horror as Wesker began to advance toward her.
"It's nice to know I can still turn a few heads, huh Jill?" He smiled, malevolently.
"You…monster," Jill gasped, still trying to catch her breath. She continued to lean forward on her hands, unable to tear her gaze from Ellen's unseeing eyes.
"I think it's time for us to get reacquainted, don't you?" Wesker's tone was almost conversational. "You can fill me in on what the old gang's been up to, lately." He reached down and gripped Jill's arms, tightly, as he pulled her to her feet. "I guess I don't have to ask about Chris, do I?" Wesker shook his head. "He always was a lucky son of a bitch." He pushed Jill up against the wall, placing one hand around her slender throat. "What's wrong, Jill. No snappy comebacks?"
"Fuck you," she spat, trying to pry his hand off of her.
Wesker chuckled as he tightened his grip. "Sorry, no time for that." He moved his other hand down and squeezed her injured ribs, making her cry out. "And you should watch your mouth, young lady."
Darkness teased the edge of Jill's vision as she struggled to breathe. Wesker pressed his face close to hers, making their noses touch, while his hand continued to apply pressure to her tender side.
"We still have some unfinished business…and there'll be no interruptions like the last time we--" Wesker tilted his head slightly as his body slumped forward. Jill felt his hand letting go of her neck as he fell against her, bringing them both to the floor. She didn't comprehend what was happening until she saw the small dart protruding from his back. She looked up to find another figure standing over Ellen's inert form with a small gun clutched in his hand.
The man knelt down and placed a hand on Ellen's throat, searching for a pulse.
Realizing she was dead, he looked over at Jill with confusion in his eyes. "What the hell happened?"
Jill slowly got to her feet, stepping over Wesker as she approached the man, unsure if he would turn the gun on her. She could see he was visibly shaken over Ellen's death and hoped that meant he would listen to reason. "He killed her because she was helping me escape."
"Escape?" The man looked mystified. "What do you mean? I thought Mr. Wallace rescued you from Umbrella?"
"First of all, his real name is Albert Wesker," she explained, gesturing toward the unconscious figure on the floor, "and he's wanted for murder."
"Murder?"
Jill continued on, ignoring the man's bewildered expression. "He was keeping me here against my will. Ellen came down here to get me out."
The young man continued to stare at Ellen, reaching out to gently caress her hair. "I should have stayed with her."
Jill looked puzzled. "Who are you?"
"Jeffrey Horowitz." He stood up, never taking his eyes off of Ellen. "I work in the lab. I…I let Ellen in to see you. I didn't realize what was going on…" He dropped his weapon and clenched his fists. "I should have stayed."
Jill gave him a look of sympathy. "It's doubtful you could have done anything, even if you were here. He took us by surprise."
Jeffrey finally turned his gaze to Jill. " Are you injured?"
"I've had worse." She glanced back at Wesker. "How long will he be out?"
"A couple of hours, at least." He walked past Jill and headed to the elevator, swiping his card through the electronic reader. "You should go."
Jill's expression was wary. "You're just letting me walk out of here?"
"HCF is not in the business of kidnapping," Jeffrey commented as he cast a glance at Wesker's still form. "All evidence to the contrary. But, I'm not sure who else might be involved in this, so you'd better get out while you can." He let out a heavy sigh. "When you get to the top floor, go to the end of the hallway. Take a right, then your second left and you'll come out to the loading dock. It's the quickest way out." The elevator door opened. "Got it?"
Jill nodded. "You saved my life, you know."
Jeffrey shook his head. "No…Ellen did. I only wish I had gotten here sooner, maybe I could have saved hers," he responded, softly. "Now, you'd better go."
"Wait." Jill bent down and picked up the gun Ellen had given her. She stood over Wesker and pointed it at his head.
Jeffrey placed a restraining hand on her arm. "What are you doing?"
Jill's expression was hard. "You don't understand who you're dealing with here."
"Maybe not, but I'm not going to stand here and watch you execute him…no matter what he's done," Jeffrey stated, adamantly.
"Look, all this guy does is leave dead bodies in his wake…like your friend," Jill retorted.
"And he should be punished, but not this way," the man reasoned.
"I can't just leave him here!" Jill responded, vehemently. She shook Jeffrey's arm off, determined to put an end to Wesker's miserable life. Her finger began to squeeze the trigger, until Jeffrey stepped in front of the gun, effectively blocking her aim. "Get out of the way," she told him.
"No!"
Jill stared at the man in disbelief. "Why are you protecting him?"
"There's already been one murder here." He reached his hand up and rested it on top of the gun, gently coaxing Jill's hand down. "If you do this, you'll be no different than him. Is that what you want?"
Jill pinned him with her dark, intense gaze. "What I want, is to be finished with him…once and for all." She dropped her hand to her side. "You have no idea what horrible things this man has done. I can't just walk away."
"Yes, you can," Jeffrey prodded. "I'll contact the authorities and tell them what happened. They know who he is, right?"
"Yes, but they thought he was dead…we all did."
He could see the young woman eyeing him, skeptically. "He's not going anywhere. I promise."
"I don't know…"
"Please. I need to do this…for Ellen."
Jill suddenly remembered Ellen's plea. "Who is Christina?"
Jeffrey narrowed his eyes. "You mean, Ellen's daughter?"
"I guess," Jill answered. "She asked me to help her. Just before Wesker…" her voice trailed off.
"Help her, how?"
Jill ran a hand through her hair in exasperation. "She never got a chance to tell me."
Jeffrey looked at her, sadly. "I wish I could help, but I don't really know anything about her. Ellen only mentioned her to me once, or twice."
Jill sighed inwardly. "Well, I can't do anything from here." She glanced down at Wesker. "We should move him somewhere secure."
"I'll take care of him," he offered. "You better get out of here."
"I suppose," Jill agreed, reluctantly. She walked to the elevator, still clutching her gun. As she entered, she turned to look at Jeffrey one more time. "Make sure you keep him sedated until the police get here. He's a lot stronger than you think…almost inhumanly so."
The young man smiled, briefly. "I gave him enough to knock out an elephant. He'll sleep for hours."
Jill's face held a worried expression. "I pray to God you're right." She hit the button for the top floor.
"Good luck," he called out.
Jill flashed him a grateful smile. "You, too…and thanks."
Jeffrey nodded, watching the doors close. He stared at the elevator for a moment before turning his attention to Albert Wesker's unmoving form. The lab technician bent down and placed his hands under the other man's arms with the intention of dragging him down the hallway.
That was when he noticed Wesker's eyes were open.
***
Dick stood at the rear of the dock as he waited for the supervisor. He told the warehouse foreman that he was looking for a job in the hopes of being able to get a better look around. Instead, the man told him to wait on the platform while he brought someone else out to speak with him.
From his vantage point, he could see only three ways into the building. There were two doors leading inside, one on either end of the dock, and what appeared to be the door to a freight elevator, about halfway in between. The man he had spoken with headed through the door on the right end of the dock, where Dick was now standing. His eyes scanned the walls and ceiling for security devices, knowing that it was probably a very sophisticated system. He spotted several mini-cameras located at various points above him where the walls met the ceiling. He also noticed that all of the doors were adorned with electronic card readers, which seemed a bit elaborate for a warehouse, even if the company dealt in pharmaceuticals. He decided there was definitely something strange going on in this building.
"Sorry about the wait."
Dick turned to see the man he had spoken to standing behind him. He silently cursed himself for being so distracted. "No problem. I was just taking a look around."
"I couldn't find the VP. He must have stepped out, or something. Why don't you give me your name and number and I'll leave it for him."
"The VP?" Dick questioned.
"The vice-president," the man explained. "He does all the hiring around here."
"Isn't that unusual?"
The man nodded. "Yeah. But, he's a real stickler about security. Doesn't trust anybody else's judgment about people…even mine."
"He sounds paranoid," Dick commented.
"Personally, I think he just does it to bust my balls," the man replied with a wry grin. "He's a real asshole."
"Gee, you're really selling me on the place."
The man laughed, heartily. "Yeah, well, the pay is really good. You just have to put up with some weird shit every now and then."
Dick tried to feign disinterest. "Oh?"
"Sometimes we come in at odd hours," the man explained. "Shipments arrive at all different times, so it makes it kind of tough to set a regular schedule. A lot of guys don't like that, so I thought I'd mention it up front."
Dick studied the man, carefully. There didn't seem to be anything even remotely sinister about him. After years of dealing with criminals, the one- time thief thought himself to be a good judge of other people. It seemed likely that this man was probably ignorant to whatever was really going on here. Maybe he could use that to his advantage. "That shouldn't be a problem. I'm new to the area, so I don't really know a lot of people. I just want to keep myself busy."
"Well, we can certainly manage that."
Dick looked around, briefly. "Do you have a phone I can use?"
The man shook his head. "Sorry. There are no phones out here."
"Any chance I could use one inside? I need to call my ride."
"No one's allowed in the building without proper clearance." The man walked over to a table and grabbed a pad of paper. "Now, what was your name again?"
"Bill Rogers," Dick lied. "Is there a pay phone around?"
"Nope. You'd have to hike it down the road a ways to find one," the man responded. "And your phone number?"
Dick ran a hand through his dark hair as he recited a bogus phone number. He watched as the foreman wrote it down, deciding to press a bit further. "I don't mean to be pain in the ass, but I was expecting this to take a while longer. My buddy won't be back for almost an hour. Is there any chance you could let me make a call?"
"It's against the rules," the man reiterated.
"Look, you can blindfold me, okay?" Dick pleaded. "I was a boy scout for Christ's sake."
The man looked at Dick with an expression of amusement. "You'll make it fast?"
Dick held up his hand in the traditional gesture. "Scout's honor." He smiled to himself as the man moved to the door and swiped his card.
"There's a phone on the wall near the end of the corridor. Just dial a nine to get an outside line."
"Got it." Dick stepped inside, marveling at his good fortune. He spotted the phone immediately and walked to it, aware that the foreman was still watching him through the open door. There was a shout from somewhere outside, and the man hollered back over his shoulder as he let the door close.
Dick grabbed the receiver off the phone and pretended to dial a number as he casually leaned against the wall. From where he stood, he could see down to the end of the next corridor, noting there was a sign for an elevator. He could hear the elevator doors open and the sound of muffled voices wafted toward him. He turned around to face the phone as two men rounded the corner heading in his direction. They walked by him and entered an office just a few feet away from the phone.
He moved quietly as he stepped over to the door and pressed his ear against it, hoping to overhear anything that might help him find Jill. As he listened intently, he felt something cold and hard press against his neck.
"Don't make a sound."
Dick recognized the voice immediately. "Jilly?"
Jill took a step back, staring in amazement as she brought the gun down. "Dad?"
Dick spun around and drew her into a tight hug, pulling back immediately when he heard her make a painful sound. "Are you okay?"
Jill nodded, pressing a hand to her side. "Yeah, I just hurt my ribs." She winced as he touched the side of her head.
"That's not all you've hurt," he observed as he peered closer at the bruise on her temple. "You've got a nasty bump here."
Jill pulled his hand away. "I'm fine. Let's get out of here."
Dick sized up his daughter's appearance as she looked back down the corridor she had come from. The wound on her head was the only visible sign of any trauma, although she looked completely worn out. He didn't know the details of what she'd been through yet, but he was certain it had been bad. He found himself wondering why she was wearing hospital scrubs. The clothing made her look so small...almost like the little girl she used to be. He watched Jill silently for a moment, thanking whatever God there might be that she was all right, and swearing to himself that he would make someone pay for what happened to her.
"Okay," he finally responded. "But, there are quite a few people out there."
Jill held up her gun. "Where are the others?"
"Nearby…if we need them." Dick cast a sly grin as he unzipped his jacket. A shiny Colt .45 was holstered under his right arm. "A gift from Barry."
Jill almost laughed out loud. "I should have known." She reached for his hand and gave it a firm squeeze. "You ready?"
Dick pulled the gun from its holster and chambered a round. "I am now." He pointed at the door to the loading dock. "There are about ten people out there right now, but I'm not sure if they're a real threat."
"Let's just assume they are." Jill steadied herself and started walking down the hallway. The cold tile under her feet made her wish, for about the hundredth time, that she had a pair of shoes.
Dick followed close behind, casting an occasional glance over his shoulder. As they reached the end of the hall, he heard a door open behind him. He put his hand on Jill's back and spoke in a soft, but urgent tone. "Go, quickly."
Jill didn't hesitate as she pushed the door open, holding her gun out in front of her. There were voices shouting behind her as she ran out onto the dock. Several startled faces greeted her, all of whom stopped what they were doing as she bolted across the platform. She could hear her father's voice behind her, urging her on, as she approached one of the open doors. Just as she leapt off the landing, a hand snaked out and grabbed her arm. Jill's momentum propelled both her and her unknown assailant to the ground below.
Dick saw Jill and the dock foreman fall off the platform as he slowed to point his gun at another worker blocking his path, who immediately backed away from him. He jumped down and spotted Jill lying on the ground, pointing her gun at the man as he scrambled to his feet.
"Back off!" she warned.
The man moved cautiously, backing up a few steps until he found himself pressed up against the building. He kept his eyes on the young woman as he lifted his hands in the air. "Take it easy, Miss," he said, calmly. "I don't mean you any harm."
Jill stood up, moaning softly. "I wish people would stop saying that."
"Are you alright?" Dick walked over to stand next to her, keeping his gun pointed at the foreman.
Jill noticed Dick had the man covered so she lowered her gun and bent over, resting her hands on her knees. She knew the fall had made her injury worse as she fought to catch her breath. The sound of numerous footsteps made her pick her head up, just in time to see three security guards appear in the doorway above them.
"Drop your weapons!" the guard on the right shouted.
Dick could see all three men had their guns drawn. He looked at Jill out of the corner of his eye and noticed her arm coming up; apparently ready to fire her gun. He reached a free hand out and rested it on her forearm.
"Jill…" he cautioned.
She shook her head. "I'm not going back in there."
"You've got that right."
The guards all turned in unison to face the new arrival. A figure emerged from the stairwell to their left, holding a very large rifle. He stepped out of the shadows and held his weapon aloft, pointing it at the three men in uniform.
"Drop your guns or I'll blow your fuckin' heads off," Chris ordered. The men complied immediately, throwing their weapons on the floor. "Face down on the ground, now." Again, the threesome followed his instructions without uttering a word. Chris walked to the door and looked down at the foreman below him, still keeping his gun trained on the guards. "If you're smart, you won't do anything stupid."
The man nodded, vigorously. "I…I swear I didn't mean any harm. I thought she was a thief, that's all."
Dick cast a sideways glance at his daughter. "Not anymore."
Before Jill had a chance to respond to her father's comment, a van came screeching to a halt behind them. The side door flew open and Barry emerged. He ran over to Jill, who put a hand up before he got to her. "No hugs, Barry."
Barry noticed her other hand was clutching her side. "Anything broken?"
She shook her head. "I don't think so, but it hurts like hell."
"She also took a good whack on the head," Dick commented.
"Rebecca can get a look at you in the van," Barry responded. He put one large hand on Jill's shoulder and smiled, warmly. "It's good to see you're still in one piece."
"Or at least several manageable ones," she joked, placing her hand on top of his.
"We gotta go people," Chris hollered out to his friends as he kept an eye on the building, just in case anyone else decided to try and stop them from leaving.
Barry made a gesture to Rebecca, who immediately left the driver's seat and climbed into the back of the van. He helped Jill inside and headed around to take the wheel.
Dick waited for Chris to reach the vehicle, climbing into the passenger seat as the younger man entered through the side door. They both kept their weapons at the ready until everyone was safely inside.
Chris slammed the panel door shut and called out to Barry. "Punch it!"
Barry hit the gas, causing the van to lurch forward, as they sped away from the building and sailed through the exit gate. The tires squealed in protest as he turned onto the main roadway, keeping one eye on the rearview mirror for any pursuing vehicle. He took the first on ramp he came to and raced onto the highway. After several tense moments, he decided they had made a clean getaway.
Dick glanced over and grinned. "Nice moves."
"You, too." Barry adjusted the mirror to get a look in back. "Everyone okay?"
"Yeah…" Rebecca piped up, "Except I'm wishing I had skipped that breakfast burrito this morning." She looked over at Jill and smiled as she grabbed a knapsack from under the seat. "It's good to have you back."
"It's good to be back," Jill responded as she smiled in return. She turned to face Chris, who was looking at her, intently. "How did you find me?"
"It's a long story," he answered softly.
Jill shivered, involuntarily, at the sound of his voice. "Just give me the short version, then." His smoky gaze held her spellbound as he reached over and cupped her face in his hands. He pressed his lips to hers, gently, before pulling back and offering her his most heartfelt smile.
"I've missed you."
***
Sigh* I'm a romantic at heart, so I couldn't resist ending this on a sweeter note. I also saw this chapter as a chance to wrap up one side of the story, although this fic seems to be turning into an epic. The ideas just keep coming. The movie line I mentioned in the last chapter was from 'A Perfect Murder'. Congratulations to Christina for figuring it out! I think her character will end up having a bigger role than I originally planned. I really enjoyed giving Jill the opportunity to kill Wesker. Of course, the outcome was ambiguous, but I'm still not even sure she could have gone through with it if Jeffrey hadn't convinced her otherwise. Anyone else have an opinion?
Okay, Sam, keep repeating to yourself; they are not real people, they are not real people.
Chapter 16 is in the works. Stay tuned…and keep the reviews coming. Later, folks.