Chapter 21: Showtime
Sherry kept her eyes straight ahead as she walked briskly across the catwalk. The only thoughts she could focus on were getting out of this latest hellhole she found herself in, and finding Claire.
Their gruesome discovery only made her more determined to find her friend. Whatever was going on here, she knew Claire was somehow in the middle of it.
And Leon.
The young girl shook her head in an attempt to dispel the unpleasant thoughts she was having. No matter what anyone said, she refused to believe that Leon was a traitor. And the idea that he had anything to do with her kidnapping was unthinkable. They had been through hell together, and she knew him better than the rest of them. He would never hurt her. And he most certainly would never hurt Claire.
He was in love with her.
Sherry had known that for quite some time. During Claire's absence, she had witnessed the effect it had on him firsthand. He worried about her constantly, even though he tried to hide it. And when he found out about her capture in Paris, he had almost gone out of his mind waiting while her brother had gone to her rescue.
Even though their reunion was short-lived, she could see in his face how happy he was to see Claire again. It was obvious that during the months they had been apart his feelings for her had only grown stronger.
Sherry knew exactly how he felt.
The sound of angry voices brought her out of her own thoughts. She noticed Carlos had stopped moving and was now facing her. His gaze was focused on something behind her, so she turned to look at what had gotten his attention.
She could see Rebecca and Dick further back along the walkway. They appeared to be in the midst of a rather heated conversation, judging from the way Rebecca was waving her arms about…and the fact that their voices were getting louder.
"I have to!"
"No, you don't!"
"I need to see what's down there!"
"Hey!"
Dick and Rebecca halted their discussion. The young medic looked over at Carlos and pointed out a ladder that led down to the lower level. "I'll only be a minute."
"Rebecca…," Dick started.
Carlos held a hand up in protest. "Whoa, are you nuts?"
"My sentiments exactly," Dick commented.
Rebecca sighed loudly. "I just want to check it out."
"Why?" Carlos questioned.
"Because they might need help," she reasoned.
"Yeah," he acknowledged. "Or, they might rip your lungs out."
Rebecca gave the young mercenary a dubious look. "I can't just walk away."
"What if Claire's down there?"
The three adults shifted their attention to Sherry, who was now standing by the railing looking down.
"Sherry, I'm sure she's not down there."
The young blonde cast Rebecca a mournful look. "You don't know that."
"You're right, I don't," she admitted. "There's only one way to be sure."
Dick threw his hands up as he watched Rebecca grasp the top wrung of the ladder and begin her descent. "Well, you're not going down alone." He glanced over at Carlos as he started after her. "Be right back."
Carlos rolled his eyes and placed the palm of his hand against his forehead. "Oh, for Christ-, "he caught himself as a small figure entered his line of vision. "Pete's sake!" He threw Christina a pointed look. "There, are you happy?"
Christina smiled at him as she approached Sherry. The younger girl reached a hand out and placed it on Sherry's arm, patting it gently as she attempted to offer the older girl some comfort. "Don't worry."
Sherry attempted to return the girl's smile, but failed miserably.
***
Dick glanced around nervously, waiting for something to jump out at him. The area he and Rebecca were walking through was poorly lit, which only served to make the surroundings even more nightmarish…as if that were even possible.
Having seen some pretty horrible things in his life, Dick always thought of himself as someone who did not scare easily. But for the first time since he had met his daughter's friends, he was beginning to realize just how out of his element he really was. This whole mess reminded him of something out of a bad science fiction movie. Unfortunately, it was all too real.
He watched in morbid fascination as Rebecca approached the first row of tubes, wishing that she wouldn't get so close, but knowing that she would anyway. As her hand lifted up to touch one of the clear objects, he found himself unable to remain silent.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Rebecca's hand froze in mid-air as she glanced over her shoulder. "I just want to wipe away some of the condensation that's collected on this thing. I can hardly see what's inside."
"And this is a bad thing?"
The young woman ignored his comment as she rested her hand against the tall cylindrical container. The surface felt cool under her palm as she wiped it across the glass, hoping to get a better look at its contents.
Rebecca leaned forward to peer in through the watery streaks her hand had created. She studied the item inside for several seconds, her body shivering involuntarily as her mind tried to decipher exactly what it was she was looking at.
When she spotted the tubes from above, the computer screens had given off ample backlight to illuminate the interior, making it appear as though there might be people inside of them. But, now that she was up close, it was obvious that this…thing, whatever it was, was not really a person at all.
She took a deep breath as she stepped back from the glass. This was exactly what she had been afraid of…
"Experiments…"
Dick stepped up beside her. "What was that?"
She continued to stare at the tube. "It's some kind of experiment."
"How so?" he questioned as he leaned forward to look inside.
"It looks like a person…except…"
"There are no facial features," Dick finished for her. He stepped back, slowly, giving her a horrified look. "What the hell is it?"
"I don't know," she responded warily. "I suppose it could have been a person once…maybe."
"It looks to me like someone who hasn't quite finished cooking yet."
Rebecca suddenly reached out and grabbed Dick by the arm, her eyes going as wide as saucers. "That's it!" She released him and headed toward another row of containers.
Dick stared after her for a moment. "What's it?" He could hear her mumbling softly to herself as she studied another tube. He waited for a response from her, but it was as though he was no longer in the room. "Rebecca?"
"I can't believe it!" she exclaimed as she checked another container. After looking at nearly a dozen tubes in different locations, she finally stopped at a row near the back of the room.
Dick observed her frantic movements as she weaved around each section. When she finally came to a stop, he walked over to where she stood, approaching her from behind. Rebecca's hand rested on another tube. A few small droplets of moisture were still slipping down from beneath her palm. She stood there, unmoving, her eyes riveted to the spot.
"Rebecca?"
She didn't answer him.
"Rebecca?" he repeated, raising his voice slightly.
"It's him, Dick," she whispered. "My God, it's all him."
Dick gripped her arm and spun her around to face him. She stared unfocused for a moment, as though she were looking through him. He held her by her upper arms, feeling her body trembling beneath his hands as he gave her a quick shake to gain her attention.
"Him, who?" he pressed.
Rebecca's heart pounded, fiercely. She was struggling to breathe, her chest constricting as if being held in a vise. She clung to Dick, her mouth opening and closing repeatedly, as she fought to find her voice again.
It was unthinkable.
It was insane.
It was…
"Wesker."
***
"Clear."
Jill poked her head around the corner. Barry stood at the end of the corridor, looming over the unconscious form of another guard. She glanced back at the doctor, who was standing right behind her. He was shifting back and forth on his feet, wringing his hands together as he glanced about nervously.
"Are you alright?"
Robert gave her a startled look. "What?"
Jill softened her tone a bit. "I said, are you alright?"
The young doctor nodded, giving her a faint smile. "I'm just a bit…nervous."
"I can understand that," she responded. "Let's get moving." She motioned for him to follow her as she stepped out into the brightly lit hallway. As they approached Barry he grabbed the limp form off the floor and dragged him through an open doorway nearby. Jill only caught a quick glance inside before Barry closed the door behind him. She motioned toward the room as she glanced at Robert. "What's in there?"
"Storage," he answered simply.
Barry walked over to them. He focused his steely gaze on the doctor. "You're sure that's the last of them?"
Lessing nodded. "The entrance we used is reserved for medical personnel only. For some reason, Wesker doesn't feel the need to keep it heavily guarded."
"He doesn't have much in the way of security at all, if you ask me," Jill commented.
"His own arrogance doesn't allow him to bother with much muscle these days," Robert explained. "Coupled with the fact that he doesn't want too many people knowing his business, of course."
"We still don't know what that is, exactly," Jill commented.
"As I told you before, I know very little about what goes on here, beyond my own research."
"So, the whole pharmaceutical company is just a front?" Barry asked.
"No," Robert stated emphatically. "The majority of the people employed here are doing legitimate work. They have no idea that the company funds…other activities."
"Care to elaborate?"
The doctor turned his attention to Jill. "You already know most of what I know." They stared at each other for a moment.
"But, there's more," she said slowly.
"There's always more," he replied.
"Where will this corridor lead us," Barry questioned, changing the subject.
"To my lab."
"What else is down there?" Jill asked.
"Mostly offices, which should be empty at this time of night. And a conference room. He suddenly placed a hand into his coat pocket, causing Barry and Jill to raise their weapons.
"What the hell are you doing?" Barry barked.
Robert's face paled. "I'm…I'm sorry," He put his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "I only meant to give you this."
Jill spotted a small object clutched tightly in his left hand. She reached out and grabbed it, turning it over to examine it. "What is this?"
"It's a special access key."
Jill looked at him sharply. "To what?"
"Christina."
"Are you planning on going somewhere, Doctor?" Barry questioned.
Robert looked at them with fearful eyes. "Please, you don't need me anymore."
"We still don't know where the child is," Jill reminded him.
"You already have my key card. That will get you everywhere you need to go." He began to talk faster, afraid that they would be discovered at any minute. He was desperate to get out of this place, and away from these people. He knew how Wesker felt about them. And Robert knew what would happen if he were found assisting them…even if it was at gunpoint. "There shouldn't be any other obstacles on this floor. The elevator just beyond my lab will get you down to the lower levels. And with that," he pointed to the object in Jill's hand, "…you'll be able to rescue Christina."
"What's on the lower levels?" Barry asked.
"Besides imprisoned children," Jill added bitterly.
"I don't really know," Robert answered truthfully. "That was Ellen's area." He shivered inwardly, thinking back to the young woman's recent demise. If he didn't get out of there soon, he would be next. "She was in charge of security. Her people were the only ones allowed down there…along with Wesker, of course."
"What about Alexia Ashford?"
Robert shrugged. "I'm not really sure. I hardly ever see her, anymore. She pays a visit to my lab whenever she's in town. But, all we ever talk about is my research. Since she pays the bills, I accommodate her in any way I can."
"She pays the bills?" Jill questioned.
Robert nodded. "Yes. HCF is her company." He noticed Jill and Barry exchanging a puzzled look. "I thought you knew that already."
Barry let out a low whistle. "The plot thickens."
Jill put a hand up. "So, you're saying that she owns a company that is in competition with Umbrella, which she also owns?"
"Well, it's not quite like that," he explained. "While Alexia is a major stockholder, Umbrella has a board of directors. They actually hold most of the power. The Ashford family may have started the business, but as the only remaining member, Alexia is little more than a figurehead, now." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe, if her brother hadn't been so…unhealthy, they may have been able to maintain some control. But, no matter how brilliant she is, Umbrella is just too big for Alexia to manage anymore."
"I still don't understand," Jill muttered.
"About Antarctica?" Barry asked.
Jill nodded. "Yeah. I mean, if that wasn't Alexia…"
"Then, who was it?" Barry finished.
"And, what does this have to do with Claire?" Jill pondered.
"Well, that should be obvious," Barry interjected. "Wesker's using her as bait to get to Chris."
"Mmm…" Jill looked at her friend doubtfully. "I think there's something else going on here."
"There's plenty going on, Jill," Barry agreed. "But, we're not gonna figure it out standing around here." He grabbed Robert by the arm. "And as for you, I think we'll require the pleasure of your company for a bit longer." He shoved the man forward, roughly. "To the lab, James."
"Um…It's Robert"
"Shut the fuck up and move!"
Jill reached over and touched Barry lightly on the arm. "You don't need to be so rough with him, Barry."
Barry gave Jill a hard stare as he jabbed a finger toward the doctor. "That asshole was using somebody's kid as a lab rat." He shot the man an angry glance. "The very idea of anybody actually doing something like that to an innocent little girl…my girls…"
Jill looked up into Barry's anguished face. "That's one of the reasons we're doing this, Barry. So no one will ever threaten our families again."
He wrapped a large, burly arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze. "You're right."
She flashed him a genuine smile. "So?"
He grinned. "So, let's go kick some ass."
***
"How much further?"
Leon shot Chris a nervous glance as he reached for the doorknob. "We're here." They stepped into the room as the third man waited outside.
Chris turned his back to Leon and extended his hands out toward him. "Can we get rid of these now?"
"Sure." Leon slipped a key into the lock and removed the handcuffs. He let them dangle loosely in his hand as he gave the room a cursory look.
There was a long wooden table in the center, surrounded by a dozen or so chairs, and a large mirror on the far wall. His gaze rested on his reflection for a moment. What he saw there made him turn away in disgust. He looked over at Chris and gestured toward one of the empty chairs. "Why don't you sit down?"
"I prefer to stand," Chris replied icily.
"Let's go, Kennedy." They both looked at the other man still standing outside.
Chris grabbed Leon's upper arm as he started to leave. "Where are the girls?"
"Just wait here," Leon instructed, pulling his arm away. He wanted desperately to tell Chris what was happening. That Sherry's life was in danger, and that he had no idea where Claire was, or if she was even still alive.
Of course, Chris had been told that he would be brought to the girls' location. At least that was half right. Sherry was here, and she was safe…for now. Leon's continued cooperation was supposed to insure that, but Claire's whereabouts were still a mystery.
Leon didn't have a plan yet, but bringing Chris here made him feel some hope. If the rest of his friends were as good as they seemed to be, maybe they knew what was happening, despite the fact that Chris had been instructed to keep them out of it. Better yet, maybe they had even followed him. Of course, that could be exactly what Wesker wanted all along.
What about Alexia Ashford? What did she want?
Revenge.
But, against who?
Claire…or Chris?
"Tell me what's going on here, Leon," Chris demanded.
The younger man snapped out of his momentary contemplation. He shook his head, trying to gather his thoughts. "I wish I knew."
Chris eyed Leon with suspicion. There was something in the man's eyes that he couldn't quite read. He didn't know Leon as well as Claire. Of course, it seemed that his little sister didn't know the man all that well, either.
Leon took a step back, shifting his gaze to a spot over Chris' shoulder. "I have to go." He turned and walked out the door, closing it behind him.
Chris could hear the door being locked from the outside. He took a deep breath and spun around, noticing the large mirror that had grabbed Leon's attention. His adrenaline level demanded that he keep moving, so he found himself walking around the table, keeping his eyes fixed on the mirror. He brought his hand up and pressed his palm to the smooth finish, examining his reflection as he did so. There was no gap between his hand and the mirror's image, which only confirmed what he already suspected.
It was a two-way mirror.
"Shit," Chris removed his hand quickly, as though the surface were suddenly too hot to touch. He remained rooted to the spot, staring in defiance at his own reflection. He could feel someone on the other side, watching him. And he knew exactly who it was.
"So, you're into kidnapping little girls now, you sick motherfucker!" Chris shouted. He pulled his fist back and slammed it into the glass, creating a spider web of cracks that distorted his angry image. "Where is my sister?" He bent his head, slightly, as he rested his forehead against the marred surface.
When would all of this end?
It wasn't Claire's fault that he had gotten himself involved in this mess, but she kept paying the price. She nearly died searching for him in Raccoon City. When she tracked him to Europe, she had been taken prisoner by Umbrella and brought to that hellish island. And finally, she had ended up in a frozen wasteland, running from a madman…forced to watch her friend die before her very eyes.
And now...
Wesker.
Chris groaned softly as he lifted his head. He couldn't bear the thought of Claire being at that man's mercy. What was happening to her? Had Wesker hurt her?
Was she even still alive?
"Claire," he whispered softly. His weary gaze locked onto his own tired, gray eyes. "Are you there?"
"Chris."
***
"Chris!"
Alexia turned to look at the young woman seated next to her. "He can't hear you."
Claire shot the blonde a hateful look as she pulled at her bonds. She had been working on them since she woke up in this room, but the straps binding her to the chair she sat in continued to hold her securely.
When the tranquilizer finally wore off, Claire found herself in new surroundings. The only thing in this small room, other than her, was Alexia, who was seated in the chair right beside her. They were both positioned in front of a large darkened window.
At first, she hurled a string of obscenities at her captor, but that only managed to earn her a slap across the face, so she had decided to remain silent, hoping an opportunity for escape might present itself.
Then, the lights came on.
Claire stared in shock as she saw first Leon, and then Chris enter the room on the other side of the window. For a split-second, her heart soared when she saw them, until she spotted the handcuffs on her brother's wrists. Then, she watched as Leon removed them, and she felt as though she had been kicked in the gut.
She'd been sick with worry over Leon since their last conversation had ended so abruptly. The last thing she ever expected was to find him here, helping this psychotic woman lure her brother into a trap.
She didn't fully understand how Leon had become involved with Alexia, but she had no doubt that he was being forced to do these things. The crazy bitch must have threatened to hurt Sherry in order to get him to cooperate. At the very least, she would take that as confirmation that the young girl was still alive and well. And she took some comfort in knowing that Leon would do everything he could to protect her.
Just before Leon left the room, he seemed to look right at her. She knew it was impossible, but that didn't stop her from calling out his name.
She heard Alexia's soft laughter in her ear as she began thrashing about in earnest. Her gaze remained locked on her brother as he was left alone in the room. She could see him coming toward the window, looking at it intently. She found herself holding her breath as she saw him place a hand against the glass, and jerked back in surprise when he struck it with his fist.
The sound of another person's laughter from behind her caught Claire by surprise. She tried to turn around, unnerved by the idea that someone else had been standing there all this time and she hadn't realized it.
"I can certainly see the family resemblance." A man suddenly emerged from the back of the room, coming forward to stand between the two women. He leaned down and grinned at Claire. "You both have foul mouths."
Claire looked up at him, recognizing him instantly. "Albert Wesker. Gee, what a surprise to find you here."
His smile broadened as he turned to look at Alexia. She reached a hand up and cupped his cheek, her cool gaze warming momentarily. "I do believe Mr. Redfield is addressing you."
Wesker shifted his gaze toward the window. "Yeah, well, Chris and I have already had our reunion." He glanced at Claire briefly before turning his attention back to Alexia. "Besides, this is your show, darling." He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips.
"You're both fucking sick, you know that?" Claire spat.
Wesker grabbed Claire roughly by her chin, pulling her head up as he pressed his face in close to hers. "You're just lucky that I have other things to occupy my time, little girl." He smiled menacingly, taking a moment to savor the look of fear and defiance in the young woman's eyes. His gripped tightened as turned her face toward the window, whispering in her ear with unsuppressed hatred. "Keep you eyes peeled, bitch, cause the show is about to start."
Claire turned her attention back to her brother, just as he spoke her name.
***
"Claire?" Chris turned to find his sister standing only a few feet away. He looked about in confusion. "How did you…are you alright?" He studied her for a moment, a feeling of immense relief washing over him. Thankfully, she appeared to be unharmed.
The young brunette did not respond.
Chris frowned. "Claire?" He took a step toward her as he narrowed his eyes. "That bastard didn't hurt you, did he?"
She merely smiled at him and shook her head.
He cast an unsure grin. Something was wrong. He took another step and reached his hand out to her. The young woman extended her own hand, clasping his firmly. Chris stared at her for a moment, his instincts screaming a warning that he couldn't quite understand. He tightened his grip. "Where's Sherry?"
She suddenly released her hold on him and took a step back.
"Claire?" Chris watched her intently as she started backing away from him. "What's wrong?"
The brunette continued to put more distance between them as her hand slipped behind her back.
***
"Alexia, don't do this!" Claire pleaded, watching the scene unfold before her. "It's not his fault. He wasn't even there when Alfred died!"
The blonde's gaze remained fixed on the window. "Guilt by association."
"But…" Claire struggled desperately to break free. "But, he's all the family I have!"
Alexia gave Claire a look of pure venom. "Then soon, you'll have none."
***
"What is wrong with you?" Chris questioned. "Why won't you talk to me?" The young woman brought her hand out from behind her back. He stared at the object she held in her hand, convinced his mind must be playing tricks on him.
She was holding a gun…and it was pointing at him.
"Claire," he whispered.
***
Albert Wesker was grinning from ear to ear. He'd always thought of Chris Redfield as nothing but a smartass punk, and now he was getting the chance to watch him get what was coming to him. And by his own sister, no less.
Well, sort of…
But, the idea that Chris would think it was his sister putting an end to his miserable little existence was just too rich. The entire spectacle taking place right in front of him was about to come to a thrilling conclusion. The only thing missing was the popcorn.
So, it was a bit of a surprise when he heard a knock at the door. Alexia spun around and glared at him. He gave her an apologetic look.
"I'll take care of it," he soothed. The last thing he was expecting was an interruption. But, he thought it must be important, or his people wouldn't be bothering him.
As he reached for the door handle, he kept one eye on the window, not wanting to miss the crucial moment. He smiled cruelly as he heard Redfield's sister getting more hysterical, begging Alexia to put a stop to it all. He had to laugh at that. Asking Alexia Ashford for mercy was like asking a scorpion not to sting you…
It just wasn't in her nature.
Wesker was a bit lost in his own musings as he pulled the door open, which served to delay his unnaturally quick reflexes by a few precious seconds. That was all the time it took for the first bullet to strike him. His body's lack of response to the sudden intrusion only seemed to surprise him as several more shots rang out. He looked down at the holes in his chest, watching in detached fascination as his blood began to pour out of his body.
He could feel his strength slipping away with each beat of his heart. Through blurred eyes he watched the room grow dim as he slumped to the floor, seeing the flash of the gun's muzzle once more as his assailant pulled the trigger a final time.
The last thing Albert Wesker saw was the angry visage of Leon S. Kennedy.
***
Chris Redfield had faced many terrors in his young life…too many. But, never had he felt the grip of fear clutching at his heart as it did now. This was unlike any nightmare he had ever faced before.
The woman standing before him seemed like a stranger. But she wasn't.
It was Claire.
His baby sister.
The person he loved most in this world.
"What have they done to you?" he questioned.
The young brunette flashed another smile as she raised her weapon. "Let's just say I'm the new and improved Claire Louise Redfield and leave it at that. Okay, bro?" She tilted her head slightly, using her free hand to brush the hair away from her forehead. Her smile fell as she steadied herself and squeezed the trigger.
Chris felt the first shot hit him squarely in the chest, the force of it causing him to take a few steps back. As the second bullet entered his stomach he felt his legs give out and he slowly dropped to his knees. The third bullet pierced his shoulder, and he spun with the impact, hitting the floor with a sickening thud.
***
Oooo…evil cliffhanger. Well, people, all I can say is…Leon shot Wesker! Yay! Happy New Year!
*Phew* I just had to get that off my chest.
Also, I'm sure plenty of you are familiar with the old story about the scorpion and the turtle (to which I will attribute Wesker's thoughts about Alexia), but if not, send me an email and I'll tell you the story (around a virtual campfire, if you prefer).
So, there are only a couple of chapters left, and I will do my best to churn them out asap. I know the updates are a bit sporadic, but I would like to see a few more reviews. Come on, readers, let me hear it.
And to those faithful readers/reviewers, I extend my heartfelt thanks.
Happy Holidays, folks!