A Star's Descent: Book Two: Star Fall
By evolution-500
Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.
Song used: "Wheel in the Sky" by Journey
WARNING: This story contains violence, coarse language, mature and disturbing themes and imagery. Reader discretion is advised.
Chapter Twenty-One: Valentine
Jill couldn't have been any more unimpressed with her newest "discovery".
"Oh joy!" Came the sarcastic remark.
It was a medium-sized room with an oriental-styled rug covering the floor, about eleven by sixteen, with a high ceiling. A chanedelier hung directly over a roundtable, chair and lamp further to the right with some scattered papers and bottles of wine. Average-looking enough...except for the various taxidermy animals and animal heads that decorated the walls. One piece in particular, an eagle mounted on a round perch with wings spread in flight and gleaming white eyes, stared accusatorily at Jill, causing her to shudder.
"This is assuring," Jill said dryly.
To her right, at the far end wall was a bison head, while staring opposite to her left was a deer head with one side completely torn apart, the eye missing.
"Looks like you had one heck of a bad day, big fella." Jill said as she stepped into the room, looking up curiously.
It was absolutely shredded.
'What could have ravaged it so horribly?' she wondered.
Moving to the table at the other end, she looked up at the bison head that stared down to the floor.
As Jill stepped over to the side, she noticed something glinting in one of the sockets. Something yellow.
Pushing a crate over to the wall, making sure it was aligned right beneath the deer head, Jill climbed on top of it and reached for its eye, then pulled. Adjusting her grip, she grunted with exertion as she tried pulling again.
Nothing. It wouldn't budge.
Shrugging, Jill stepped back down. "Oh well."
She was about to make her way out of the room when she suddenly paused.
...Had the eagle moved?
"I could have sworn it was facing the door earlier," Jill said to herself.
And yet, here it was, staring at her. She waited a minute, then two. She kept waiting for something to happen. As another minute passed, the Alpha audibly sighed.
"Must be my imagination."
Looking back to the door, Jill shrugged, then exited the room, trying to ignore the unnerving stare of the perched eagle as it stared into the back of her head.
Star cracked his eyes open as Officer Valentine entered the west storeroom.
"Hey," she greeted.
He rubbed his eyes.
"Hi," the albino greeted back tiredly.
"How are you feeling?"
"Tired, but a bit better," he answered.
"Everything okay?"
"Relatively. At least, under the circumstances."
Valentine nodded. "Yeah."
Star hesitated. "I...take it you were unable to find Rebecca?" he asked.
"Afraid not."
The albino lowered his eyes.
"Hey," Valentine spoke softly, "you don't have to worry. We'll find her."
Star said nothing. He opened his mouth to respond when a noise from somewhere upstairs drew their attention, a heavy thumping. Footsteps.
Very heavy footsteps.
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.
"Fuck!" Valentine swore. "We need to get out of here. Now!"
Pushing himself off the bed, Star stumbled, causing the Alpha to catch him.
"I'm fine! I'm fine!" he assured as he steadied himself, reaching for his suitcases. "Let me just-"
"Leave your bags, we need to get out now!" Valentine said urgently as she assisted him, looping one of his arms around her shoulders.
Exiting the room, the survivors scurried away, the albino partially hanging off her shoulder.
"Let's hide here," Valentine whispered as she led him beneath the stairs, the stomping sounding closer than ever.
Ducking low behind some thick wooden crates, the duo huddled together, watching and listening. Moans echoed all around them, the stomping becoming louder, crashing down violently, causing Star to shiver and curl up in a ball.
Star's pulse was running a mile a second, his body tense, flinching each time at the impact of the creature's heavy feet.
He became aware of a tightness around his chest, the boy letting out a low whimper.
"You need to be as quiet as possible," Valentine whispered into his ear, her voice so soft that Star nearly missed it.
The survivors cowered beneath the stairs, grabbing hold of each other in a tight embrace as the thunderous steps crashed above.
"Everything is going to be okay," Valentine tried to assure in a confident voice and manner, but her words lacked conviction, her eyes revealing pure, unadulterated terror.
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.
God, he can't take much more of this!
Star felt so afraid that his entire body quaked, every part of him trembling and shivering underneath Valentine's touch.
The stomps and moans were now just a few feet away, so horribly close that he could practically feel them rumbling through his frame. He felt the stomps pass directly above him until finally he heard the creature step down at the foot of the stairs.
Rasping gasps and wheezes sharply punctuated the air, the creature's armor creaking with each movement it made, making the survivors tense up as they waited. The golem remained in position, standing there.
'Come on,' Star thought. 'Just move away from us.'
It was now moving to the west storeroom.
No. No...no...! No no no no!
Chariot Type-027 reached for the door knob, halting as his earpiece went off.
"A new objective has been added to your heads-up display. There are strays that need to be dealt with in the following areas of the mansion," his master spoke. Chariot watched as a blue map flashed over the lens in his helmet. Several rooms flashed red. "Find and destroy them immediately!"
Giving a nod, the armored beast roared, raising up its trusty axe as it turned away and charged back up the stairs.
The survivors remained still, waiting as the stomps faded into the distance.
"Um, you can let me go of me now."
Blinking, Star turned his head. Finding himself face to face with Valentine, he glanced down, then did a double-take.
They had been hugging each other.
"Ah...sorry," Star said awkwardly as he let go of her and she him, clearing his throat. Peeking behind the box, he stared up above. "Is it gone?"
"For now," Valentine replied. "Let's use this opportunity to get out of here."
Star nodded, following her out from behind the stairs before stumbling slightly as she caught hold of him.
"Whoa, easy, big guy," the Alpha said as he held onto him. "Looks like you still haven't recovered."
"I'm fine!" Star insisted.
"Are you sure?"
"I'll be alright," he assured. "I just need some Tylenol, that's all."
Valentine reached into her pocket and pulled out a bottle. "Here."
Taking it, he nodded. "Thank you."
Unscrewing the cap, Star took two pills, swallowing them whole, then looked up to the second floor above.
"What was that all about?" he wondered aloud.
Valentine shrugged. "Good question. Bathroom break, perhaps?"
Star scoffed.
"Hey, you never know," Valentine said. "That armor looks pretty heavy, so I can imagine that it must be pretty inconvenient walking around all the time in that thing."
He half shrugged, handing her back the bottle of Tylenol. "True." Massaging his eyes, Star shook himself awake. "I think- I think I'm alright now. You can let go of me."
"Are you sure?"
He nodded, feeling her grip slackening as he straightened himself up. "Thank you."
She smiled.
"Hey, no problem! If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask." The Alpha then waved to him. "Come on."
Jill sighed as they took yet another detour through a corridor.
'Like rats in a maze,' she thought ruefully.
Looking to her albino companion, Jill studied his features. That unnameable sense of wrongness about him still stirred within her. She was simultaneously fascinated, yet repulsed by his presence and...she had do idea why. Looking at his eyes, Jill suddenly paused.
Did his eyes just...glow?
'I could have sworn they just did seconds ago,' she thought.
For a brief moment, Jill was sure that she had caught a glimpse of their doing so.
The albino seemed to notice her staring, turning his violet reptilian eyes to meet hers.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
Jill steeled herself, avoiding a shiver. God, his eyes...
They were soft and kind...and yet...there was a...glassy flatness about them that deeply troubled her. And the way they were shining...
She was vividly reminded of a wolf she had encountered on the highway in the middle of the night years ago as it crossed the street, how when she braked it had looked up startled with its glowing eyes before darting out of the way.
Must be a trick of the light.
"...No," she answered. "It's nothing."
He watched her for a moment, then turned his eyes away, allowing Jill to release a breath.
'Just a trick of the light,' she told herself.
The two remained quiet for a time as they explored the various halls and corridors.
"...So...while you were sleeping earlier," Jill began, breaking the silence, "...you called out Rebecca's name."
A teasing smile edged up a corner of her mouth as she silently gave him a meaningful look. The boy stiffened, deliberately averting his gaze away from her.
"...You really got it bad for her, huh?"
He frowned. "...Is it that obvious?" the albino asked.
Jill nodded. "I know the look."
The albino's eyes drooped sadly.
"Hey, it's nothing to feel ashamed of," the older woman patted his back. "There's nothing wrong with feeling the way you do."
The albino's frown deepened. Turning to face her, he opened his mouth to respond, but closed, looking away. "...Isn't there?"
"Of course not."
He was quiet for a moment, his downcast eyes staring to the floor.
"...I don't think others would agree," he murmured. "Besides, she already loves someone else."
No sooner had those words left his mouth that the albino gave a sudden look of alarm, putting a hand over his mouth. From his reaction, he hadn't intended to let that slip.
Valentine blinked in surprise. "Does she?"
Star winced.
"Who's the lucky guy?"
The albino lowered his chin, his eyes concealed by his red hood.
"...It is none of our business," he replied in a tone of finality.
Jill let it slide, pondering on the mystery person that had captured Rebecca's heart.
"Out of curiosity," the albino began, cutting off her thoughts, "... how well do you know my father?"
Jill shrugged. "Not a lot, admittedly."
"Is...there anything you can you tell me about him?"
The Alpha considered the question.
"...He's quiet," she answered. "Loves classical music."
"Really?" Star perked up. "Any favorites?"
"He's fond of Beethoven," Jill remembered. "Loves playing it in his car on certain occasions."
The albino thoughtfully glanced aside.
"Interesting." He raised his eyes back to her. "Anything else you can tell me about him?"
Jill shrugged again.
"I'm afraid not, big guy. Sorry," she answered.
The duo continued through the passages, awkwardly looking for something to say.
"So..." Valentine began, "you're a university student?"
He nodded. "I am."
"What is your major?"
"I'm doing my PH.D. in Classics."
"A PH.D.!" Valentine said in surprise. "Well that's something! What do you plan to do when you graduate?"
He shifted uncomfortably. "Well...I initially thought of becoming a professor, but after I found those articles about Father...I...thought that I could apply for S.T.A.R.S."
Jill looked at him and grinned.
"Trying to follow in your father's footsteps, huh?" she nudged. "A star among S.T.A.R.S.?"
"Well...yes," he conceded, a slight blush of embarrassment coloring his scarred cheeks, "but...I just want to ascertain whether Captain Wesker is my father or not."
Jill nodded. "I understand. If he is...just remember that you are your own person, okay? Just because you are- well, might be his son...it doesn't mean that you have to be exactly like him."
He nodded. "I know."
"Good. Good." Looking around at their surroundings, she studied the pieces of furniture they passed by, shaking her head.
"Is something wrong, Officer?" the albino asked.
She sighed. "Just reminiscing on how simple things used to be," Jill answered. "Not too long ago it was cops and robbers, and now we're fighting monsters. Go figure. I feel like I'm dreaming."
The boy gave a low laugh, revealing his teeth, drawing her attention.
Even his teeth seemed wrong.
"You and me both," the albino chuckled darkly. "Personally I'd rather wrestle with the works of Plato, Aristotle, Sartre, Dante or Homer's 'The Odyssey' than the undead."
Jill smiled slightly. "You enjoy reading."
He nodded. "I do."
"You wild party animal, you!"
The youth scoffed.
"I bet you miss your friends in Louisiana. Must have had a lot of parties down there!"
His smile faltered, then fell.
She raised her eyes to meet his. "Come on, surely you have friends!"
"..."
Jill stopped walking, looking directly at the youth.
"...Don't you have any?" she asked.
The youth made no response at first. Finally, he reluctantly shook his head.
"Well," he conceded, "I have Mother. Also Dante, Vergil, Homer, Chaucer, Shelly, Keats...what better company is there?"
Jill stared, then resumed on, the albino following by her side. "Sounds lonely."
The red-clad boy considered it for a moment. "...I...suppose."
He clicked his tongue against his teeth, looking as though he were trying to consider his words.
"...Before coming here, I had never believed myself to be," he confessed. "I was used to being alone. I was used to the staring, the mockery. The fearful looks. Some of the people in Arkham actually had believed me to be an Innsmouth bastard."
"Why? What made them think that?"
"Apparently the locals of that area had what was known as the 'Innsmouth look'," the youth shrugged. "I actually went there once with Mother. Suffice to say, while I can...appreciate...to an extent...how they may see me in that way...I'm pretty certain I am not from there. Besides which, I wouldn't want to live in that place even if I had been. One visit was more than enough."
Jill tilted her head. "That bad?"
The hooded boy considered his response.
"They're...not nice," he answered slowly, as if trying to find less offensive phrasing. "It's a miserable little coastal town that perpetually stank of rotting fish, populated by a people that were just as unpleasant to see and be around. A very belligerent people, even when addressed politely." The boy hesitated. "My apologies for saying this, but...I honestly think there might have been some...um...well...inbreeding in that area. I couldn't help notice that a lot of them have the same features."
Jill's only response was to mimic the sound of a banjo playing, "Bown Down Down Down."
The youth rolled his eyes. "Others seemed to believe that my condition was in connection to Numbers Chapter Five, Line Two."
The Alpha scrunched her brows in confusion.
"'Numbers Chapter Five'?" she queried.
The youth raised a brow. "You're not a Bible reader?"
"It's been a while," she shrugged. "Can you remind me what the line is?"
"'The Lord said to Moses, "Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has an infectious skin disease or a discharge of any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean because of a dead body."'"
She blinked. "They thought you were a leper?"
The albino shrugged. "Some. Not all."
Jill stared. "How can you tolerate that?"
He gave a rueful smile. "Mother asked me that all the time, to which I would answer that I was secretly Baldur. Jokingly, of course."
"...'Baldur'?"
"The Norse god of light that felt no pain," the albino explained. "Invulnerable to all earthly elements."
"Ah."
He exhaled. "...When I met Rebecca, though...it was...so...unexpected." The albino gave a small, sad smile, his expression soft and gentle, seemingly genuinely moved. "...She was kind to me. She actually smiled and seemed to like talking with me." He tilted his head to the side in thought, then gave a slight shrug. "...I suppose you could say she is the mistletoe to my Baldur."
"...Mistletoe?"
"The plant that is able to break through Baldur's defenses," the youth said simply.
"Ah."
He lowered his eyes. "...I know it must sound silly to you, but...I just...couldn't help appreciate the...novelty of being smiled at...of being treated like a..." He exhaled. "...A human being. Perhaps on some level I really had been miserable. Maybe I have always been miserable and I was...trying to convince myself that I wasn't, and all this death and destruction around us is finally making me realize now how much I have taken things for granted, how precious our time here on earth is. How we should...treasure every moment while we're still able to..."
The albino raised his eyes to meet Jill's, and in that moment, she saw his fear.
"As-as miserable as I may be...I don't...I don't...I don't want to die here..." he said quietly, his voice breaking. "...Not- not when there's so much I want to-"
He trailed off as he cracked. Jill planted a hand on his shoulder, patting him on the back as he looked away and sniffled quietly.
"It's okay, it's okay. You are not going to die here," she affirmed in a hushed voice. "We'll get out of this together. Nobody else is going to die."
The boy looked at her anxiously.
"What-what if...what if we're the only ones left?" he asked in a small and fearful voice. "What if the others-"
"Don't say that!" Jill snapped sharply, desperately refusing to believe such a thing. Seeing him flinch, her features softened. "Don't go down that path. It's an ugly place to be, and that type of thinking doesn't help anyone. I know you're scared, but I need you to be strong. For me. For Chris. For your Mother. Your Father. For Rebecca."
Even as she spoke those words, Jill felt all of her emotion pour out with every syllable, every word as she teared up, a few drops escaping down her cheeks. Like Star, those thoughts too had crossed her mind, and she too was just as anxious. Perhaps even more so. But between the two of them, Jill knew she needed to be the one to push them forward, otherwise she would've collapsed into a hopeless ball of despair and crumble into oblivion.
Jill cleared her eyes alongside the albino.
"I-I'm sorry," the latter replied quietly, nodding as he wiped his eyes with the back of his arm.
She shook her head. "Don't be. You're just stressed, that's all. So am I. I'm actually impressed you were able to hold yourself together after everything you've been through these past two nights. We'll find them, big guy. Just be strong a little while longer for the both of us. Can you do that?"
The albino exhaled, then nodded a second time. "Yeah."
Jill patted him on the shoulder, then took in a deep breath.
"You'll see. Things will be alright," she promised.
It wasn't much of an assurance, admittedly. It sounded and felt hollow to the Alpha, but it had the effect of calming them both down. Somewhat, at least.
"...Do you think the others are alive?" the youth asked.
"Absolutely," Jill nodded with certainty, trying to convince him as much as herself. "Chris and Rebecca, especially."
Minutes passed before the albino spoke up again.
"...What makes you so certain?"
Jill frowned. "...Would you rather believe that they're both dead?"
"Of course not! But-"
Letting out a weary sigh, she cut him off.
"Look," she started, "I'm as much in the dark as much as you are, and right now the only thing keeping me going is the belief that Chris and Barry and Wesker are still alive, and between you and me, I don't want to think about their deaths, okay? Let's move onto a different topic already. If it's nothing positive, then keep it to yourself."
Her tone left no room for argument.
Falling back to silence, the albino looked away, the two resuming on in their aimless search.
As time passed, the duo found an assortment of curious rooms.
In one room was another large art gallery that had an elaborate old-fashioned globe with some fancy nearby shelves, one of them having a capsule with an unidentified organ inside, while a painting of a woman with sad eyes, identified by Star as a copy of "Proserpine" by Dante Gabriel Rosetti, hung from a wall.
One painting in particular, however, brought out a very strong reaction in the teenager; it was a painting that had three figures in the center, two young men and an old man. The scene depicted the latter holding down one of the former by the neck onto some sort of rocky ledge, the youth struggling beneath his grip, looking up fearfully and crying in protest at the sight of a knife. The old man seemed to be in the midst of plunging the knife into the boy's neck but was distracted by the other youth, who was grabbing hold of the arm that possessed said-weapon.
Star stared, his skin paling in fright, his face sweating.
"Hey, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Jill asked in concern.
He swallowed, letting out a short, nervous, shaky breath.
"I-I can't breathe!" he rasped, clawing at his coat, clutching his chest.
Jill worriedly approached the albino. "What's the matter?"
"I-I need to get out of here! I'm finding it hard to breathe!" he said in a strained voice, his breathing fast and heavy. "I-I think I'm having a heart attack!"
The Alpha carefully guided him out of the room. "Don't worry, honey, everything is going to be okay. Just take deep, slow breaths. You're going to be just fine."
Looking over her shoulder, Jill studied both the painting and its label.
"Sacrifice of Isaac" by Michelangelo Caravaggio.
Once the two had left the room, Jill had him seated down on the floor, leaning against a wall for support, undoing the straps on his coat, drawing down his hood.
"Breathe slowly," she said. "Inhale, exhale."
The albino wheezed, panting heavily as he clutched his chest.
"It's okay. Breathe in." Jill inhaled through her nostrils. "Breathe out." She puffed out of her mouth.
Star followed her example. Together they repeated the action over and over until the albino was able to calm down ten minutes later.
"How do you feel?" Jill asked.
Star sighed, relaxing. "Better." He looked at her. "What happened? What was that?"
"I think you just had an anxiety attack," she replied.
His brows knitted together perplexedly. "An anxiety attack?" he repeated in puzzlement.
"You never had one before?" She questioned.
He shook his head. "Never."
He sat there contemplatively, his brows furrowed, looking as if he were trying to make sense of it. Exhaling, Star pushed himself off the floor.
"Easy," Jill said soothingly as she reached out to support him.
"I'm alright," he said as he raised a hand, indicating for her to stop as he drew back up his hood.
"Are you sure?"
"I'll be okay," Star nodded as he did up his red coat. "Let's continue looking for the others."
As the albino departed, Jill followed, watching him worriedly.
What could have scared him so much to put him in such a state?
The other curio they discovered was the also grimmest. There was a hole in the floor of one particular room.
Dropping down, the survivors found themselves in what appeared to be some sort of long-abandoned tomb with peeling grey and ivy-covered walls, but it was the gravestone up ahead that drew Star's immediate attention.
Carved into its surface was one name.
George Trevor.
Star swallowed, his eyes threatening to spill tears.
"Bastards," he whispered. "Murdering bastards."
Jill nodded. "I know."
He shook his head. "So much for meeting one of my idols."
The red-clad youth stared ahead, then looked at her.
"Would-would it be okay if I can be alone for a moment? Just-just so I can pay my respects."
The Alpha nodded. "Go ahead."
Star watched as Valentine moved away, giving him some space. Looking back to the gravestone, the hooded albino gave a slight bow.
"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Trevor," he began. "My name is Star."
Mercifully, no response came.
"You don't know me, but I'm a huge admirer of your work," Star continued. "It had always been a dream of mine to meet you in person one day, perhaps even hire you to construct a mansion for myself."
The albino shook his head sadly.
"So much for that now." He wetted his lips. "I'm-I'm sorry for what has happened to you and your family. I wish I had known. And-" He hesitated, his lips trembling as he allowed the wetness in his eyes to drip down his cheeks, speaking in a quieter voice, "And...if I had any part in your fate...if I had any involvement with Umbrella...I am sorry...and I hope you can forgive me..."
Star allowed himself to weep.
Feeling a comforting hand on his back, he looked back in surprise to see Jill with a sad look. She looked to the grave stone and gave a respectful nod, then motioned him away.
"Let's go."
Climbing out, the survivors continued on, their minds shaken by what they had found.
The corridors seemed to stretch, loop and coil around like a snake's body, almost without end. Occasionally the monotony was broken through the odd encounter with a zombie or two, but a lot of the time it was dead silent, and that grated on both the survivors' fragile nerves.
A few minutes of nervous fidgeting later, Jill spoke, "Sooooo….what do you plan on doing when we get out of here?"
"Get a shower, find something to eat, then find the closest hotel with a comfortable bed and sleep," the youth replied as he rubbed his eyes. "I am very tired."
She nodded sympathetically. "Sounds like a plan."
He grunted, then turned his eyes to her. "How about you?"
"Same thing," Jill yawned. "I feel like I could hibernate for a year or two."
"Hm," the hooded youth nodded.
She regarded him for a moment.
"Sorry," Jill started, "I actually meant to ask you this earlier, but...how do you prefer to be addressed as? Wolf, Jack, or Star?"
"Star." His eyes lit up with mischief. "But...you could always call me 'Master Supreme Overlord of the Universe', if you want."
The Alpha cracked a smile in spite of herself, shaking her head in amusement.
Wise guy.
"Too much of a mouthful," she replied. "I think I'll just stick with 'Star'."
The albino shrugged. "If you wish."
Jill shrugged back. "Okay. Star it is, then."
Falling back to silence, the duo continued their search through the winding corridors and twisting rooms as they both nervously regarded the environment around them, unnerved by the stillness of it all.
Sometimes the silence would be periodically broken by something, be it wind, an animal howling or a tree branch clattering against a window somewhere.
A lot of the time, however, Jill tried using her radio at different intervals to reach someone, only to find nothing but static. Perhaps it would have been wiser had the two remained quiet in order to keep their ears open for something, be it a call for help or the cry of a hidden predator, but the truth was that both were too rattled and emotionally drained, too jittery for their own liking.
Perhaps the sound of a human voice comforted them and provided some form of assurance that neither were alone. Whatever the reason, there was an unspoken agreement between the two that it was better to not let the quietness last for too long.
Jill watched as Star quirked his head at an angle, his expression reminding her of a curious dog.
"...Would it...be okay if I asked you a personal question?" he asked.
She hesitated. "Go ahead."
He fidgeted nervously.
"One or two articles from Latham Weekly had mentioned that you were the daughter of an infamous thief," the youth said slowly. "Is...is that... true?"
She stared at him for a moment, then gave a slow nod.
"It is," Jill answered. "Before I joined S.T.A.R.S., I used to carjack and steal with my father when I was in my teens. Door locks, safe vaults, security systems - nothing could stop us from getting what we wanted."
"You sound oddly proud."
Jill shrugged. "What can I say? Puzzles and challenges are my fortes."
"But surely there were other ways you could have used those problem-solving skills for means other than crime at the time."
The Alpha gave the albino a hard glare, causing him to flinch. She didn't like the judgmental tone he was using. Not. One. Bit.
"How dare you lecture me," she said lowly. Jill felt so angry that she started to raise her voice, her face flushed, "Who do you think you are?! Just who the hell do you think you are?! Who are you to judge me and my father?! Did you have to live in a rundown shithole with barely enough to feed yourself and your family?! No! You were able to afford university! My father is a good man! A man who was trying to provide for his daughter, ME! Nobody wants to employ an ex-con, so what choice did he have?! If you can't accept that, then you and everyone else can go to Hell!"
Turning away, she stormed off, leaving the albino stunned. Shaking off his shock, the youth quickly followed after her.
"Wait. Wait!"
"Leave me alone!" Jill fumed, refusing to look at him.
"Officer Valentine please! Just wait!"
The B&E specialist halted, watching Star as he guiltily lowered his head in shame.
"...I...I was unfair to you," he said hesitantly. "...I'm sorry."
Jill said nothing.
"It had never been my intention to shame you or your father. I was being insensitive. I'm sorry."
She stared at him quietly, then turned away. "Fine."
The survivors continued on in silence, the air thick with tension.
"...The reason," Star spoke up, drawing Jill's attention, "why I brought that up was because...well...you were one of the deciding factors in my wanting to apply for S.T.A.R.S."
The Alpha whipped her head around to face him so quickly that it was a wonder her head hadn't flown right off.
"W-What?!" she said in shock.
The albino lowered his eyes.
"...One of the things I've always pondered about myself growing up was my...true nature. I mean, was I scarred because I was a criminal, and these marks were a way of tallying my sins? Am I...evil?"
As Jill listened, she found her anger dissipating at the sight of the youth. Despite his freakish height and appearance, he looked younger, like a little boy. Vulnerable.
"When I read the article about you," Star continued slowly and uncertainly, "you cannot imagine the sheer sense of...amazement and wonder that I felt. You had grown up with a criminal background...but you were able to overcome that and find your place in society. It was so...inspirational, that it made me wonder if-if it were possible for me as well to do the same. To find acceptance and...well...redemption, I suppose. For who I was. For...what I was."
The youth said the last part quietly, holding one arm.
"...If it...if it happens to be the case...that I have been a criminal and that Father...sent me away because of my crimes, I'll do...I'll do whatever it takes to win back his favor. If he wants no part of me, though...if he despises me..." he faltered, his shoulders sagging, "then...then I'll trouble him no more...and go back to Arkham."
Jill quietly and sadly regarded Star as he murmured those words, the last part coming out so softly that she had to strain herself to hear it.
He honestly believes that he is at fault.
Jill shook her head.
"Wow!" she said breathlessly. "I have to say, you really have a way of catching people off-guard." Her features softened. "For what it's worth, big guy, I don't think you have to worry about Wesker rejecting you. Whether he is your father or not, he really is a nice guy, and from what I've seen so far, the apple doesn't seem to fall far from the tree."
The albino hummed.
"And for the record," the Alpha continued, "you have waaaaaaaaaay to high an opinion of me. I'm not as noble as you make me out to be."
Star studied her. "What made you decide on becoming a police officer, then?"
"Money."
He raised a questioning brow.
Jill sighed. "Actually...I made my father a promise," she admitted. "He didn't want me to follow in his footsteps, and because of that, I had to clean up my act. So, I joined the police."
Star looked interestedly at her. "Is it possible for someone with a criminal record to join?"
"Yeah. Provided that it's nothing too serious."
He looked aside thoughtfully.
"Huh. Uh, forgive me," the albino apologized. "I was just...kind of surprised you would be allowed to do so."
Valentine laughed. "You and me both. It was actually your father who allowed me the opportunity to get into S.T.A.R.S. in the first place. When I interviewed him, I gave some bullshit story about my being a Delta soldier, but your dad saw right through that. He knew of my father's criminal background. Hell, he knew of mine...but...he didn't let that stop him."
A wistful smile formed as she reminisced. "He wanted me on the team, regardless of who or what I was. He didn't even want me to hide that part of me."
"Really? Why?"
She turned to look at the albino youth, holding up her chin. "Because he saw me for what I am - a survivor. In fact, he wanted me to embrace it, to be proud of what I am, and because of that I-"
Valentine suddenly blushed, then coughed, looking slightly away.
"...I...uh...I...owe him everything," she said in a soft and low yet somewhat wistful voice.
Star gave a small smile, nodding thoughtfully. "The more I hear about him, the more I want to meet him," he replied in wonder. He then looked at her anxiously, dropping the smile. "Is he...is he a kind man?"
She nodded. "He is, although he likes to put on a tough front."
"You must have been overjoyed to have been accepted."
Valentine grinned. "You have no idea."
The albino paused. "Out of curiosity...did you feel...redeemed?"
The Alpha considered the question.
"I...guess?" she answered. "To be honest, I wasn't really looking for redemption. I was looking for a paycheck and steady employment. At least I'm not pole-dancing."
Star blinked questioningly. "...'Pole-dancing'?" he repeated. "What's that?"
Jill blinked in surprise. "You've never heard of it?"
The albino had a blank look on his face, looking legitimately confused.
She cleared her throat as she looked away. "Never mind, sweety."
The survivors' footfalls echoed through the corridors as they navigated their way around. Star then shifted uncomfortably, carefully considering the wording of his next question.
"...Have….people learned to forgive and look past what you were?" he queried.
Jill turned in his direction, causing the albino to recoil.
"I-I was only curious," he said timidly.
She regarded the red-clad figure, then looked away.
"...No. Not everyone. Hell, some just won't stop reminding me."
"...Doesn't it," he began in an uncertain tone, "...bother you to...to have the shadows of both your father's crimes as well as your own hanging over you?"
She considered it, then relented. "A little."
Star anxiously looked at her.
"...Suppose..." the youth paused, then frowned.
"...Yes?"
The albino bit his lower lip, then exhaled.
"...Suppose...that...I were a criminal myself in some earlier part of my life but I can't remember," he said slowly, "do you have any advice in terms of...how to properly deal with that?"
Jill shrugged. "I'm afraid I can't really answer that with a hundred percent certainty. I'm still having trouble with that part of myself, unfortunately. Sorry." She then looked at him considerately. "That said, I do have some advice, though." Jill then looked meaningfully at the albino as he listened intently. "Don't apologize for what you are. Not unless you really have to and someone gets hurt because of it."
He considered it for a moment, then nodded.
The duo continued on, lost in thought. A few moments later, they stopped, listening.
"You hear that?" he asked.
Jill nodded. "Sounds like...music."
She listened to the lyrics as they echoed down the halls.
"'Winter is here again oh Lord
Haven't been home in a year or more
I hope she holds on a little longer
Sent a letter on a long summer day
Made of silver, not of clay
Ooh, I've been runnin' down this dusty road.
Ooh, the wheel in the sky keeps on turnin'
I don't know where I'll be tomorrow
Wheel in the sky keeps on turnin'.'"
"Sounds like it's coming from the bar," she commented. "Come on, let's check it out."
Star tilted his head as the song continued to play, listening as he and Valentine entered the bar.
"'I've been trying to make it home
Got to make it before too long
Ooh, I can't take this very much longer, no
I'm stranded in the sleet and rain
Don't think I'm ever gonna make it home again
The mornin' sun is risin', it's kissing the day
Ooh, the wheel in the sky keeps on turnin'
I don't know where I'll be tomorrow
Wheel in the sky keeps on turnin'.'"
Valentine looked around. "Guys? Rebecca? Chris?"
"'My, my, my, my, my,'" the jukebox sang,
"'For tomorrow.
Oh, the wheel in the sky keeps on turnin'
Ooh, I don't know where I'll be tomorrow
Wheel in the sky keeps me yearning
Ooh, I don't know, I don't know
Oh, the wheel in the sky keeps on turnin'
Ooh, I don't know where I'll be tomorrow
Wheel in the sky keeps on turnin'
Ooh, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know
Wheel in the sky keeps on turnin'
Don't know where I'll be tomorrow
Ooh, the wheel in the sky keeps turnin'
Wheel in the sky keeps on turnin.'"
Star peered into the hidden room, watching with loathing as the creatures wandered aimlessly around through the window.
"Doesn't look like anyone is here," he commented. "I'm guessing the jukebox was malfunctioning."
Valentine shook her head. "Figures."
The albino sighed.
"So where do we go now?" he muttered.
As if on cue, a series of loud thuds clomped around somewhere upstairs, causing the two survivors to look up as it passed overhead.
"We could try the east wing," the Alpha suggested nervously. "I know there are rooms we haven't explored there, plus it will give us a chance to get away from Stompy McStomperton up there."
He nodded in agreement. "Good point."
The survivors hurried away, moving as quickly and as quietly as possible to avoid getting attention.
Stepping back into the entrance hall, Jill followed close beside the albino. She glanced around, frowning at the bodies that dotted the floor.
"What happened here?" she wondered.
"Father had dealt with them earlier," Star answered.
Jill looked at him in surprise. "Did he say anything to you?"
He shifted nervously. "No, he didn't see me. I had been hiding upstairs when I saw him. I wanted to help him, but..."
He trailed off, looking down sadly.
Jill studied him. "How long ago was this?"
Star shrugged. "I don't know. An hour? An hour and a half? To be honest, I'm not too sure. Time feels slow here."
Jill scoffed. "No kidding." She gave a slight smile. "Still, it's good news. If he's still alive and kicking, then there's hope for us to get out of here yet."
Star said nothing, his eyes anxious.
"Hey," Jill said softly, touching his arm. "Don't worry. I know you're nervous about meeting your father, but it's going to be okay, big guy."
He looked at her. "You think so?"
She smiled warmly. "Definitely. Let's just-"
Just as the duo were half-way through, a loud crack sounded, a hole appearing on the floor to the boy's left, startling the pair.
"TAKE COVER!" Jill yelled as she simultaneously pushed down on the albino's shoulder, forcing him to duck as she raised her pistol, searching for hostiles. Looking up, she saw a shadowy figure armed with a Smith and Wesson Colt Anaconda kneeling behind a set of rails. Training her weapon on him, she steadied her aim. "I am Officer Jill Valentine of S.T.A.R.S. Alpha Team. Drop the weapon now or I will open-"
The figure took no notice of her and fired again, causing her and her albino companion to retreat behind a column.
"Who the hell would be shooting at us?!" Jill exclaimed as she exchanged fire with the unknown hostile up above.
Star was still as gunfire filled the room, the air thick with the smell of gunpowder.
He watched as the door of a house to the right flew open.
"NO! NO! HELP! HELP!" A boy no more than ten years old screamed as he ran, chased outside by a bloated shirtless zombie that resembled a luchador, its pink gums, yellow-stained teeth and crazed pale eyes the only features that were exposed beneath its black cowl.
Exchanging puzzled looks with James, he open-fired, the shots punctuating the air like a violent symphony, the target's body twitching and moving in an erratic, ungraceful and morbid "dance" with every puncture made into its strange flesh.
The albino jerked back to reality with a shout as a shot nearly took off his head, shattering a piece of the column that he hid behind.
"Stay low!" Valentine said as she pushed him down.
Jill waited until she heard the hostile's weapon emptied. Moving out from behind cover, she raised her weapon. Then, just as she was about to take aim, the hostile wavered unsteadily, causing her to pause as he collapsed backward onto the floor upstairs.
Puzzled, Jill looked around in confusion. She didn't hear gunfire, nor was there anyone around.
"Is he-is he dead?"
"I don't know," Jill replied as she turned to look at him.
Star was sitting down on the floor, shaking and trembling like a leaf, swallowing.
"I was shot at! Oh my God, someone tried to shoot me! Oh my God, somebody just tried to shoot me!" he said shakily as he hyperventilated.
Jill shushed him as she gently put a hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay, it's okay, it's over. You're safe now. Breathe slowly, Star, breathe slowly. Breathe with me."
Inhaling through his nose, the albino nervously exhaled.
"Deep breaths, Star. Deep, slow breaths. You're safe now, Star. You're saUGH!"
Star blinked, then looked up just in time to see Valentine teeter unsteadily on her feet, her eyes rolled into the back of her head.
"...Officer?"
She fell forward, causing his pulse to race.
"OFFICER!" Star yelled as he caught her in his arms. Grabbing her radio, he pressed into the receiver. "HELP! HELP! SOMEONE PLEASE, SEND HELP! I NEED MEDICAL ASSIST-"
Star stopped as Valentine's eyes opened. Sighing in relief, he placed the radio back onto Jill's belt.
"You scared me," he said softly.
Valentine said nothing, her face partially shadowed.
"...Officer Valentine?"
Raising her eyes to meet his, Star felt his blood turn cold, a chill running down his spine as a smirk started to form on her face and rendered it into a cruel and ugly mask.
'Her eyes!' the albino stared, startled.
They were completely...empty.
Raising up her hand, Valentine touched his scarred face.
"What are you doing?" Star asked, his voice unrecognizable to himself, nausea and revulsion growing with each stroke.
She said nothing as she ran her thumb against the horizontal and vertical marks on his face. The smirk grew into a horrifying sneer as Valentine raised up her pistol, causing Star's eyes to widen in alarm.
"Whoa, hold on a moment!" Star said shakily as he raised up his hands.
Valentine chuckled as she took out a pair of handcuffs.
"Put them on."
He hesitated. Something was wrong with Valentine. That flatness in her voice...it was like she was mumbling in her sleep. It sounded...dead.
"Why?"
The smile fell.
"I said put them on."
Star stared.
The mouth contorted into an animalistic and wrathful snarl. "Now!"
Flinching at the sound of her voice, he obeyed, cuffing one wrist. Grabbing the other, she then placed the other cuff on, his arms now behind his back.
"What is this about?"
Valentine said nothing.
It suddenly dawned on the albino.
"...Are you...with Umbrella?"
She scoffed. "Umbrella? Don't make me laugh."
"Then why are you doing this? What's going on?"
The smile returned her lips, causing the albino to pale. It was exactly like how Rebecca had smiled when she demonstrated that...episode.
"...What do you..." Star said in a small voice, "intend...to do?"
The sneer returned. "We wait. We should be getting company at any moment. You'll see soon enough."