Sebastian paced around the morgue as the freak did his vomit-inducing work. The tall executive couldn't believe that shit got so bad. It's like every single little poop of a loose end they left amalgamated to form one huge tower of feces that looked ready to collapse - right on top of him. He was not looking to be buried in excrement, but his available options were narrowing down with frightening speed.
Leaving his comfy penthouse behind, Sebastian flew all the way back to this crappy little HQ of theirs in Mauritania, while calling every available favor. His boss made it plain to him what will happen to his own ass, should he fail to stop the ever growing band of would-be heroes that arrayed against them. The stakes were high, and the margin for error non-existent.
As Sebastian arrived at the site, he was quick to despair, as the trail had gone completely cold. The Duke's forces had raided their research lab, retrieved the subject and very possibly obtained compromising information on their activities, to boot. And now they were gone like the wind. Even the fucking B.S.A.A. Replica platoon somehow failed to apprehend them.
Sebastian had mentally started writing his will. That little whore of a niece of mine will not a get a fucking cent from me. Maybe I should just donate it all to some orphanages… They say it's good karma…
Before he could decide if he wanted to hang himself right here in this dingy little office with his tie, or just shoot himself in the head, a call came. The executive held his gilded phone as if it was his last life-line - for it was - as he listened to the gruff voice speak at him.
Apparently, their most important client was very satisfied with the E-001 prototypes, so far. Nevertheless, for the next stage of their plan to work, every loose end had to be removed. And to that end, they have sent their own agent, to lend a hand in locating and destroying them.
And that's how Sebastian found himself pacing around the morgue, Mia standing silently in a corner by the door, instead; her eyes sullen and her arms folded. The woman insisted on being here, despite his pleas for her to rejoin her team in their New York lab. Without Ethan and Rosemary to threaten her with, the chief scientist became quite an uncontrollable asset, dead set on pursuing her own goals.
The agent himself looked like an average Caucasian male, with a military-cut brown hair and sharp facial features. He was dressed in combat pants and wearing a solid-looking jacket. That's where his comparisons to humanity ended.
The man attended a line of tables with corpses - The Duke's deceased armsmen they've recovered. With a handheld circular saw, he went from one body to another, carving neat little circles right in their craniums - always in the exact same spot, with no hesitation whatsoever, as if he'd done that a thousand times. Blood and viscera soon filled the little morgue from his careless surgeries.
Finishing the gruesome procedure on the final, eighth body, the man returned to the first one. Placing his rotary saw back into his 'toolbox', the agent clapped his hands together as he muttered in a jolly tone, to nobody in particular.
"Let's see what we can learn."
Both Sebastian and Mia wanted to gag at the following sight as the man roughly grabbed the body's hair - at the spot where he made the circular incision - pulling the whole roundish thing out - the hair, the skin and the bone. Tossing the part without a care in the world, the butcher proceeded to shove his hand into the large hole he made, before simply tearing a part of the brain out. Not missing a beat, the vile agent placed the gory bits right into his waiting mouth, chewing loudly, with blood and spittle flying in every direction. He was almost completely splattered by red ichor and gore at this point.
"Oh, God."
Sebastian vomited as his stomach protested the grisly scene. Mia paled, but held onto her meal, nevertheless. She did a number of dissections herself, but this was pushing the limit.
The cannibal slowed his chewing, as if to savor the taste, for a moment. With a disappointed hum, he spat the remains out, while mumbling out the reason for the apparent distaste.
"Too decayed."
Not wasting a second, the agent briskly walked towards the second corpse, before repeating the blood-curdling procedure.
"No connections whatsoever."
And again.
"Too decayed."
And again. Mia adopted a face of professional detachment. If nothing else, she was adaptable. Sebastian simply vomited, once more. Seeing his own stomach juices made the overseer seriously question his life-choices that led to this moment.
"No relevant connections."
As the agent approached the final corpse, Sebastian felt sudden resignation. Even this filthy freak couldn't help him, it seemed. Being fed to a mutant shark is a fast and relatively painless death, at least it appeared that way, when he was the one observing it.
The agent savored that last brain bit for quite a while, however, making the executive tense with anticipation. Mia gazed at the freak with unbridled curiosity, instead.
"Ah… grief...pain…sorrow... Someone mourns this one greatly. A lover? I can feel her stench… reaching out for me...calling his name… Andrei…His seed… inside her? Perfect..."
Mia and Sebastian observed the mumbling man in morbid fascination. The agent's whole frame slackened as he tilted his head far back, with his eyes rolling backwards in their sockets, obscuring the iris. His whispered hissings of incomprehensible gibberish sent chills running through the duo's spines. The sheer wrongness of this situation was not lost on either of them.
Sebastian felt like he was going crazy, as he could swear that the maddening gibberish started resonating not just from the filthy cannibal, but from the walls...the ceiling… the floor. The already bleak morgue dulled even further, losing the color until only the black and the white remained… and the deep, malefic red.
The shorter woman, despite her distaste for her overseer, nudged closer and closer towards him, until she was within an arm's reach. Terrified out of his fucking mind and completely out of his depth, Sebastian reached towards the only sane object in his vicinity, engulfing her in a fear-driven embrace. She made no motion to break out of his hold, as her own eyes were wide in horror.
The violent delusions persisted and intensified, and now the duo could swear that some thick red liquid - blood - was dripping down from in between the ceiling tiles. The whispering grew in volume, turning into a deafening cacophony of incomprehensible, maddening barrage of voices. The spilled blood started coming together...forming alien glyphs that beckoned oblivion.
The duo held each other as if their very lives depended on it now. Just as Sebastian was sure that his feeble mind could hold out no more - that he would be reduced to a drooling husk for the rest of his miserable existence, the overwhelming auditory and visual hallucinations subsided in a blink of an eye, as if nothing ever happened. They were back in the bleak, but decidedly normal morgue, if one could ignore the bloodied corpses.
For several more minutes, Mia and Sebastian remained locked in their embrace, simply too scared to move a single muscle. Unblinking, they watched the man near the corpses. Everything was deathly quiet, as nobody made a single sound.
Mia could not suppress a gasp of fear as the cannibal finally turned his bloodsoaked jaw and insanity-filled gaze their way. Yet he was not looking at them, he was looking at the wall behind them. His quiet voice was one of malice, chilling them to their very cores.
"Ah...yes… Anya...I see you…"
The day was drawing to a close as the warm summer sun hid behind the horizon.
Done with the eventful day, The Dimitrescu family gathered together; as they all enjoyed some much-deserved quality time inside a Finnish sauna. After the hot midday, the evening turned out to be surprisingly chilly as the trade winds picked up the pace. Bela's proposal to warm up in the ship's recreational spa center was met with gusto.
The last ten days was one deadly trial after the other - straining even the Dimitrescu inhuman bodies to their very limit. The four women' bones and muscles ached, begging for extended rest and recuperation. Cassandra and Alcina, in particular, felt like staying in bed for a week straight after their respective struggles.
The Duke once again lived to his first-rate customer service policy. The sauna was tuned to provide the exact temperature for the maximum comfort of the unique Dimitrescu biologies, allowing them to experience a taste of tranquility after a week of mayhem. The glorious heat on their naked skin felt simply divine.
The blessed warmth of the sauna had a truly rejuvenating effect on their drained physical shells. Meanwhile, their exhausted spirits were reinvigorated by the simple act of partaking in this uncomplicated activity together - as a family - once again.
Bela gave a sigh of contentment as she comfortably lounged on the middle bench, sharing it with Daniela. Cassandra - her body craving warmth above everything else now - lay on the top bench by herself. Mother occupied the bottom one, instead - not quite of a heat fanatic as her beloved daughters.
Daniela and Alcina enjoyed the sauna with a white towel wrapped around their bodies, wary of potential intruders, despite the reassurances of guaranteed privacy for the hour. Bela and Cassandra were completely nude, their own towels acting as blankets, instead.
Taking this moment of silence born out of contentment and serenity, Bela glanced over the forms of her cherished family. The elder sibling felt her heart crying out in joy at this beautiful sight. Letting her eyelids fall down, the blonde sister mumbled out the simple words she regretted not speaking more often.
"Mother… Sisters… I… love you."
Some things we take for granted… and it takes almost losing them for good to start appreciating them properly.
Daniela was at her side in a heartbeat, her arms wrapping around Bela in a loving embrace. Cassandra merely playfully poked her elder in the back of her head with a single foot; Alcina graced her pride and joy with a wide and adoring smile, before whispering words of tenderness herself.
"And I love you, my daughter… my daughters, so...so much…"
In a blink of an eye, Daniela was at her mother's side, nuzzling her face into Alcina's neck; purring in delight as a gentle hand stroked her wild red mane in return. Cassandra just chuckled at the wholesome, if peculiar scene. It still felt weird to see their mother so small and vulnerable, yet the girls adapted to it quickly enough.
For a few moments, the reunited family simply enjoyed the tenderness, as pleasant warmth engulfed both their bodies and spirits. After a while, however, Alcina spoke in a somber tone, even as she kept gently caressing Daniela's head - which rested on her lap now.
"My daughters… I promised myself that I would never get in the way of your happiness again - not after we broke our shackles to Miranda." Bela couldn't help but narrow her eyes slightly, as she had an inkling of where this was going.
Taking a moment to compose herself, the matriarch continued.
"Yet… is this truly what you wish, my precious doves? To mingle with these men so brazenly?" Alcina, turning her head, leveled a pointed gaze towards Cassandra and Bela.
The brunette daughter was quick to respond, with some bite in her voice and her arms raised in defense.
"Don't look at me, mom. I merely used the man-thing for its intended purpose. It's not like I am tying my fate to it now or anything."
Bela could not suppress a scoff at the performance the brunette put up with the derisive tone and the dehumanizing gender-neutral pronoun. Who was she kidding with that charade?
Soon, however, the elder daughter had to hold back a gulp as Alcina's burning orbs focused on her firmly, awaiting her own response. Collecting her resolve, the blonde woman spoke in a quiet but firm voice.
"I know it's not a simple thing to trust a man again, mother… not after everything… But Ethan is worth giving a chance."
Daniela was quick to agree. "Ethan saw us at our best… and our worst. And he accepted us for who we are, anyway! He is kind and caring…"
"Not a bad punching bag." Cassandra offered her own two cents, making Alcina let out a small laugh at her cherished daughter's crass humor. Bela was next to speak for the man she grew to adore. Naturally, she did not give voice to her every thought that visited her increasingly filthy mind lately.
"Nothing in the whole world deters him from coming to the aid of his loved ones… is that not an admirable quality, mother?" And what a fine backside he has… How perfectly delightful his mouth feels on my own… These strong, firm hands of his...
Not noticing her daughter's growing arousal, Lady Dimitrescu acceded to the point with a sigh.
"It is, indeed…" Gently moving Daniela's head from her lap, Alcina slowly stood up from her bench. "I feel like I am at my limit here, daughters. Are you going to stay longer?" Three nods were her response. Giving them all a loving glance, her amber orbs stopped on Bela, once again.
"I see that there is no talking you out of it, my dearest. I only want the best for you, my beautiful dove… be careful about who you let into your heart, lest you taste the bitterness of dismay."
"Don't worry, mom. If he breaks Bela's heart - his own will be the price. I'll make sure of it." Cassandra commented darkly, making even her elder sister shudder. The middle sibling really knew how to spice every discussion with her violent commentary.
With a proud nod, followed by a resigned sigh, the matriarch left the sauna, leaving her three daughters alone. The moment she was gone, Cassandra bitterly hissed out a scalding remark of her own.
"I didn't want to upset her, but mom is right, you know. Men are scum. You're just setting yourself up for an inevitable disappointment, Bela."
Bela gaped at her sister and the venom in her biting words. The way she so passionately gazed at Chris during their spar and the vigor of their make out sessions implied that she was head over heels for him. Something must have occurred for her to give the cold shoulder now.
Daniela's reaction seemed a bit more subdued, a fact immediately noted by Bela's keen orbs. As if the redhead was expecting this reaction. Feeling Bela's inquisitive gaze, the youngest daughter gulped and focused on Cassandra, instead.
"Did you not enjoy the… uhm… the after-fight intercourse you guys had? You were...uh… nevermind." Daniela's query sounded particularly meek. Bela had a good idea as to why now, and her eyes narrowed slightly, switching between both of her sisters.
At the question, Cassandra's amber orbs lit up with that same passion Bela saw before. The brunette hungrily licked her lips before nibbling on her lower one, pondering the question. To the elder sister's keen eyes, the answer was obvious - Cassandra was already craving more of that human's attention. Nevertheless, the middle sibling's tattooed forehead creased as conflicting emotions rushed across her mind. Finally, Bela has had enough.
"Well? Out with it! Was the sex good or not?"
"It was good… amazing, really… best I've ever had in my fucking life, if I am being honest."
"What's the problem, then?"
Cassandra's face twisted into a grimace of rage at that simple question. Her black lips curled in hatred as she hissed out the answer.
"That bastard… I give him the best sex of his miserable life… I give him all of myself. And as he comes and shoves his filthy mug into my hair, what does he say…?"
"What…?" Both Bela and Daniela were watching the frothing brunette with morbid curiosity. They rarely saw Cassandra so passionate in her rage. Usually the two emotions were mutually exclusive for the middle sibling.
It took a moment for Cassandra to gather her wits to continue. Apparently, the memory of that moment was so gravely insulting that she simply could not calm herself enough to express it with words. Finally managing to do so, she bellows it out in rage.
" 'Jill'! That fucking bastards calls some fucking Jill! Who the fuck is Jill anyway!? That bastard… I won't forgive him… I am gonna murder that bitch..."
"Oh…"
"I need to punch something…or someone..." Mumbling that, the brunette sibling leaped down from her upper bench and wrapped a towel around her form. Not sparing Daniela or Bela a glance, she rushed out of the sauna, her bare feet slapping angrily against the tile floor. The remaining sisters shared a wince.
"Cassi is mad…" Daniela unhelpfully offered, as Bela's piercing gaze fell upon her, next.
"That's an understatement. But Cassandra's mental state is not going to get you off the hook, Daniela Dimitrescu."
Bela's elder sister's tone made the slightly smaller sibling cover, but say nothing. "You did it again, didn't you? I thought we talked about it, Daniela. It's a wrong thing to do - on multiple levels."
"I don't know what is it you're implying, sister." The redhead played with her index fingers as she responded, in a quiet voice. Guilty.
"Come now, Daniela, it's just you and me here, now. You know I am on your side. I just want to help you. But first you need to admit it yourself - you peeked on Cassandra and Chris going at it, didn't you?"
The youngest Dimitrescu just huffed in faked indignation, before adopting that flawless poker face that made her elder smile with pride. The redhead's tone was perfectly neutral, as well.
"I neither confirm nor deny that."
Bela failed to suppress a giggle of affection from breaking through her admonishing facade. The elder Dimitrescu simply couldn't stay angry at her younger sibling. Still, she had to make Daniela admit it.
"Ah… So… did Chris actually yell for that 'Jill' like Cassandra said? Poor Cass."
Daniela started playing with her index fingers again, as she blushed heavily and answered with subdued curiosity.
"Maybe…? Cassi was moaning so loud, I couldn't really hear anything Chris said. She did suddenly stomp out after the third time, though..."
"Aha! So you did peek at them!"
Daniela, realizing that she got baited into admittance, pouted cutely, even as she cursed herself mentally for how easily Bela got her. "Fine. I did it. I am sorry. I know it's wrong. Happy?"
"I am not the one you should apologize to, Dani!"
"Ugh… Cassi will kill me…"
The redhead playfully poked out her tongue at Bela, before standing up and walking out of the sauna, leaving the eldest daughter by herself. The blonde relaxed as she lay down on her bench, letting out a sigh.
"One sister is a compulsive voyeur; another is driven into a fit of jealousy; while mother sticks with her misandric ways. What a colorful family I have. Wouldn't trade them for anything or anyone."
Quietly mumbling to herself, Bela - now by herself - couldn't resist from having her thoughts return to that one incredible man who had laid claim to her heart. How firm he was during that painfully brief hallway encounter. How divine his palms felt over her body… her rear, in particular. She couldn't wait to experience his touch over other areas of her body.
Would he be gentle? Rough? Would he call out my name?
Unable to help herself, the blonde began nibbling on her bottom lip, even as her own hand edged towards her nether regions; a veil of hazy lust falling upon her eyes. Her thoughts turned toward a filthier direction still, as she contemplated all the dirty things they could do to each other... The depravities they could commit, together…
Gimme thirty minutes and I'll make you forget your precious Mia's face…
She was already drenched down there. As she touched her own sensitive flesh, Bela did not even bother trying to suppress a moan of pleasure from breaking through. She couldn't wait much longer for Ethan to make the next move. Bela needed to hear him scream her name.
Unaware of the fact that a certain blonde woman was thinking about him rather passionately at this very moment, a certain blonde man enjoyed his drink, as well as a rather rowdy company.
Ethan's gaze was glued to his current activity, with his pencil-wielding hand hard at work; yet he listened to the ongoing conversation taking place next to him with great interest, as well.
"You gotta tell us about this, captain! Getting a vampiric bug-woman laid! Now that's a proper continuation of your Kijuju legacy. Did she bite a lot? I bet she bit a lot."
Dion Wilson's vigor in questioning his captain's romantic adventure could not be contained. Ethan himself could only grin as he noted a rich purple scarf wrapped around Chris' neck now. Cassandra was a biter, no doubt about that.
"I admit, I expected her to be a very selfish lover...which turned out not to be the case… it was not half-bad…" Chris finally gave up a tidbit from that delicious encounter, as the pestering redheaded man was not relenting in his barrage of questions. The dreamy look that graced the captain's face implied that it was a bit more enjoyable than 'not half-bad'.
Suddenly, Chris' expression noticeably slackened, as his fist clenched - almost cracking the glass he was holding. "I fucked up… I don't know what came over me, but for a second - when I got lost in her brown hair - I just imagined that I was back in Raccoon City, that the last thirty years of my life was a fucking nightmare - all of it. For just a fucking second, I pretended it was just me and Jill back there and then, done playing cops for the day."
"Huh…" The sound that escaped Dion's lips betrayed the gears grinding in the younger man's head. Ethan himself heard of Jill - a legend of B.S.A.A. in her own right, a founding member, along with Chris; as well as the captain's former partner. Chris himself never spoke about her, however - not until now. The blonde father could only assume that they had a history of sorts… Pausing his work for a moment, Ethan turned to look at the two men next to him.
"So you called out for Jill as you banged Cassandra? The crazy, murder-happy, bug-vampire? That must've gone well…" At Dion's spoken conclusion, the captain just sighed, as he buried his face in his palms.
"It was supposed to be just sex. No ties. I even told her as much - she seemed fine with it. But when I let out Jill's name… you should've seen the look on her face - I doubt she would've been that livid if I'd slapped her across the face, instead."
"Cassandra is a very prideful creature. And quite emotional too, behind her hard shell, I think." Ethan offered, recalling his own encounters with the brunette sister. "I imagine that a notion that she was not the one wanted in that moment - hell, especially in that moment - would've been extremely offensive to her, distressing even."
"You hear that, captain? Our resident bug-vampire expert has spoken." The redheaded soldier was suddenly behind Ethan's stool, his green eyes looking over the father's shoulder with interest. The latter couldn't help but consider the similarities between Mister Wilson and Daniela, even as the energetic man continued.
"She probably thinks that you've merely used her from the start. Did you?"
At that, Chris' own forehead creased in pensive thought. "Of course not… I wouldn't do that. Truthfully, I didn't think much of Cassandra at a first glance - just some monster who got really good at pretending to be human." The captain's face softened just a bit, as he recalled the highlights of his brief but intense acquaintance with the fiery brunette.
"And she turned out to be more than that. The passion in her burning eyes betrays the depth of her emotions - just like you've said, Ethan. And the genuine love she feels towards her 'family'...no monster can do that." Chris' gaze turned dreamy, again, as he paused for a moment.
"She is just so goddamn refreshing in this fucked up world of ours. Just a beautiful creature of instinct and desire, happily living her life to the fullest, instead of merely going along with the motions - like the majority of us do. I envy her, I truly do. To be able to actually enjoy your life? I don't even remember the last time I could afford to have that luxury...not until today."
Before Ethan could respond, the captain downed the rest of his drink and stood up. "I...ugh… should apologize. It was not fair to her. I don't know what is it we've got going between us, but at the very least - I don't want it ending on such a bad note. Life's too fucking short to waste on regrets…"
As Chris marched out, leaving just Dion and Ethan by the counter, the former man grinned wide as he spoke.
"That's one amazing sketch, Ethan. You've got talent. I am sure Bela will love it." The man in question glanced back at his work-in-progress with no small amount of pride. True, as a kid, all he could manage was stick-like figures, but as he kept pouring time and effort into that little hobby of his, the quality improved - considerably.
From the page of his journal, a very detailed depiction of Bela's upper body was looking back at him, her brows furrowed in deep thought as she pondered her next move. With her dainty hand clutching a Queen piece, the beautiful woman appeared determined to crush her opponent, with wit this time.
After that little chess tournament earlier today, Ethan was inspired to sketch that particular pose Bela had during her own mental bout with Millie. The dark-haired woman put up quite a fight, but ultimately the victory - two out of three - went to the elder Dimitrescu sibling - her French Defense didn't really need any practice, it turned out.
"Thanks."
Ethan couldn't help but take a moment further to admire his work, and the woman behind the inspiration for it. Despite everything else, he felt truly fortunate for having crossed paths with Bela. Merely thinking about her brightens his day, now.
"Captain is right, you know. Life is too short to waste on regrets."
With that remark, delivered in a cocky and knowing tone, the youthful redheaded man took his own leave, not forgetting to pat Ethan on the back on his way out.
"If only it was that easy… to just forget about Mia and move on." The lone father whispered under his breath, with a tired sigh following after. He wasn't expecting anyone to respond to that.
"Can't hurt to try, can it?"
Ethan's heart jumped to his throat at Eveline's voice. The ghostly girl was now sitting on the stool that was previously occupied by Chris. Leaning most of her small body against a counter, the wraith continued, even as she gazed at him with a curious look.
"They're right, and you know it. Who knows how much longer these peaceful moments might last, and you're wasting them by stewing in misery." The girl stood up before tenderly embracing him from behind, the man actually feeling her touch - it was freezing cold, yet he still drew comfort and reassurance from it.
"You two are all I have now… I just want us all to be happy, daddy… Me, Rosie, you… I know you can be happy with Bela… so why don't you just try? Just tell Mia to fuck off the next time you think of her. Maybe it will work."
Completely baffled by the sheer insanity of this whole situation, Ethan couldn't help but let out a booming laugh, likely startling the other patrons. Grabbing his journal, the man took his own leave; the girl following him closely behind.
"Perhaps you're right, Evie. But first, I'll need to tell them about you. It wouldn't be fair, otherwise."
The apprehension was clear in her voice as she responded to that. "I am fine with Dimitrescu learning about me, but Chris? That's a bad idea daddy. What if he goes mad and kills you?"
The very concept of that appeared laughable to Ethan. True, the large captain would probably not be overjoyed with the news, but by this point the father knew him to be an open-minded man - the one who did not see the world only in black and white. The fling with Cassandra made that fact obvious, really.
"I am sure everything will be fine, Evie. Chris is a good man. He knows that you never asked to be made a bioweapon in the first place."
"I just hope you're right… I still can't believe that prick handed Cassi her ass. I bet all my imaginary money on her!"
"Language!"
"Oops. Sorry!"
Before moving forward, Ethan was determined to confront the past and the present. With that in mind, the man headed towards his cabin, to pick up Rosie. After, the mess hall - where the Dimitrescu family was likely having a meal right now, awaited.
The grand opulence of the dining room still amazed Ethan, even after visiting it numerous times in the last days. Rosie likely shared his awe, if her open mouth and wide eyes were any indications.
With some curiosity, Ethan noted Eveline attempting to play a majestically-decorated piano, but failed to produce a sound, as her immaterial digits simply went through the keys. The disappointment in her eyes was palpable, making the father once again feel sorry for the much-abused child. It was plain for him to see that Eveline longed for a physical body of her own. She ached to interact with the world.
Unable to do anything for the poor ghostly girl, the man focused his attention on the esteemed and well-dressed Dimitrescu family, occupying a large table, draped in rich maroon tablecloth, by themselves. Bela was noticeably absent from the group, but the rest of them glowed, as if they just emerged from a rejuvenating therapy of some kind.
Ethan couldn't possibly miss Cassandra, in addition to having a healthy glow like the rest, glowering as well. The brunette woman was mutilating her red steak with a knife, to Alcina's obvious discomfort. The middle child's burning amber orbs connected with his own - making the man gulp, as her lips split into a wicked grin, one he knew well. Leaving her knife stuck in the meat, she made a motion of her fist striking her other hand's open palm, not breaking eye-contact with him. The implication was clear.
Oh God. Don't tell me she wants to take her anger over Chris on me?
Seeing the Hound Wolf squad dining on another table, Ethan was about to head their way, before a pair of familiar firm but gentle hands on his shoulders stopped him dead in his tracks.
"Ethan, Rose. Why don't you join us for tonight? Mother will be delighted, I am sure."
Bela's husky voice in his ear sent shivers running throughout his frame. The father slowly turned on his heels to come face-to-face with the radiant beauty, grinning at him with mirth.
For this evening, Bela was in a black dress, not too dissimilar from the one she wore during Ethan's castle adventure, except for the lack of hood, cloak and sleeves - showing her cascading golden locks as well as her graceful, well-toned arms.
Ethan also couldn't have possibly missed Bela's slightly tinted cheeks, as well as shaky hands and a wicked glint in her amber orbs. Her whole posture was giddy and simply standing in one place was seemingly a struggle for her restless feet.
Not waiting for his response, the blonde woman took a moment to grace Rosie with a warm smile as well as a heartfelt greeting, before roughly grabbing Ethan's free hand and dragging him towards her family's table, utterly ignoring his feeble protests. At the sight, Cassandra's grin widened, even as Alcina's frown deepened.
"Good evening, Lady Dimitrescu. Good evening, girls." Ethan would not dare to forget his manners when confronted with so many pairs of vicious amber orbs.
"Hmph, Mister Winters… such a delight…" Alcina was less than delighted, clearly.
"Heya, Ethan!" Unlike Daniela, who gazed at him with nothing but adoration.
"If it isn't my favorite punching bag! Perfect timing!" Cassandra's playful tone made it hard to tell if she was joking or not.
"Daddy isn't a punching bag!"
Rosemary's sudden and fierce defense of her father drew no shortage of coos from Bela and Daniela and even Alcina and Cassandra couldn't help but gaze at her with a measure of affection. The father ruffled his beloved daughter's hair, thankful. Seeing as the noble family was just starting their evening meal, Ethan decided to postpone his revelation for a just bit longer.
Taking several minutes to find a suitable evening meal for himself and Rosie, the pair took their spots by the table; Bela still grinning at him from the opposite seat, a large tray full of plates with red meat on them next to her. Someone was clearly famished.
Somewhat uncomfortable silence ensued as the six vastly different people partook in their meals; nobody was sure at how exactly to start a conversation after the eventful day. Bela was clearly vying for his attention, however, as a shoe kept bumping into his legs. Someone was clearly famished and feeling mischievous.
Finally, as awkwardness reached its peak, Ethan finished swallowing a particularly tasty morsel before offering a simple yet heartfelt compliment to the woman that was ravenously tearing into fresh meat on the other side of the table.
"Didn't know you played chess so well, Bela, though I am not surprised." The blonde daughter paused her feast to give him a wink, her suddenly shoeless foot sensually brushing against his inner thigh, meanwhile. Ethan could only marvel at both her dexterity and composure, even as he struggled to stay still himself. As her amber orbs sparkled with mischief, Bela's tone was perfectly calm.
"Oh. Uncle loved chess. We would often play against each other when he visited… though that was long ago… Not gonna lie, rusty as I was, it was surprising to myself that I managed to pull that win from Millie. She isn't half bad." Bela grinned widely, showing her bloodied teeth." I so loved that expression on her face when she realized I had her exactly where I wanted! Hah! Checkmate, bi..!" The blonde went red in the face as she almost let out a swear in the presence of her esteemed mother.
"Wonder where uncle is now… I hope he is alive and well..." Daniela mumbled out with an uncharacteristically somber tone.
Alcina's voice contained genuine warmth, even as she responded with dismissive words. "That foolish little man is as resilient as a cockroach, dearest. I am sure that he is just fine."
"Of course he is! Karl wouldn't go down without a fight, you know that." Cassandra offered her own reassurance.
Ethan himself wished that man the best, as he proved to be a valuable ally in his own fight against Miranda. It was not a stretch to say that he was one of the people the father owed his life to.
After several more minutes of peaceful consumption of food, a familiar song started playing. Apparently, a crew member brought an old disk player, which was the source of music. Ethan immediately recognized the song from their Romanian days. It was made by an old band called 'Miss D & the Pallboys'. Mia was the one who bought it - as it was apparently a local favorite, but it was Ethan who got hooked on their catchy jazzy tunes and the singer's beautiful voice.
Alcina froze, a spoonful of chicken soup not quite reaching her ruby lips. Ethan himself felt comprehension dawning on him as the deep feminine voice coming from the disk player sounded eerily familiar. He still couldn't believe it until Daniela's chirpy voice confirmed it for him.
"Oh, hey! Mama's singing!"
"You… you're Miss D!?" Ethan barely managed to splutter out, eliciting a giggle from Bela and a groan from Cassandra.
"Oh, seems like you got a fan, mom."
Regaining her own wit, Lady Dimitrescu returned her spoon to the bowl, before giving a longing sigh. "It was from a different lifetime, Mister Winters…a different life..."
Ethan realized that the subject was painful for the noble lady, so he did not assault her with a dozen questions he already had primed in his mind.
"Your voice is sooo pretty, Lady Dimi...Dimitres..." Rosie offered a genuine compliment of her own, but stuttered at pronouncing their family name correctly.
Alcina looked upon the child with fondness. "It's Dimi-tres-cu, dear. Dimitrescu. And thank you."
The rest of the evening meal went in a much more comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, with easy banter occurring all throughout it. Even Eveline was walking around the table, soaking every spoken word by the three sisters and their mother. It really felt like they were some kind of strange family to Ethan; who really struggled to keep his blushing in check as Bela's relentless toes kept at his thigh, almost reaching his most intimate place now.
As everyone finished their meal, Ethan felt Daniela's amber orbs burning holes in his forehead. It was time. Clearing his throat to attract attention, the father spoke with no little amount of dread in his voice.
"There is something I've been meaning to tell you…"
Daniela and Cassandra's playful banter died immediately at the tone of his voice; even Bela's foot finally relented. Alcina gazed at him with curiosity, as Eveline gave out an anxiety-filled sigh of her own.
"But I think it would be fair for Chris to also be present for that…"
"Say no more!" In a heartbeat, the redhead took flight as hundreds of tiny wings fluttered in the direction of the exit. The tense silence ensued, which would likely last until the redhead would return, with the captain in tow.
Chris observed the raising and falling ocean waves as he leaned against the railing. The man's dispassionate visage betrayed his inner turmoil.
When was the last time I even had a vacation? Four years ago? And then it had to be canceled after two days because of an emergency… Fucking hell.
The large captain originally wanted to go straight towards the source of his current headache, in a bid to find and apologize to Cassandra, but then he realized that he simply lacked the words to express his remorse.
Despite how brief their unexpected fling was, Chris found himself craving for more. And not just sex, either, even if it was among the best he'd ever had. He found himself wanting to learn more about her, to truly get to understand what made her tick. To comprehend how could she face the whole fucking world with nothing but a sickle and a stupid grin on her beautiful face.
But then came the issue. Chris still loved Jill. He would always love Jill, to his very dying breath. Even if his rational mind has realized that they could never be together, despite all of his hopes to the contrary, over the years. There were simply too many painful memories, too much grief and suffering, too much regret.
The last time Chris saw Jill - back in that Seattle facility - they couldn't even look at each other anymore. Simply being in the same room as the brunette woman, Chris felt the horrible memories of letting her down, again and again - resurface. And that effect was even more pronounced on Jill herself, who was utterly overwhelmed by the vicious recollections of the horrible past she had to endure - for his sake. Because of his weakness.
That fateful plunge she did, for him. The dreadful years spent as an obedient murderer for Wesker, unable to control her own body, but so aware of every atrocity committed.
The lengthy rehabilitation process that took years, full of isolation and misery. The endless tests that were run on her, to make sure that she was not contagious or still under someone's control.
And then… the icing on the cake - being sold out by her own government, to The Connections. The following months that were spent as their labrat.
All because of that single plunge she did. For him.
Chris' grip on the railing tightened, bending the metal in its rage-driven strength. How he wished he could've gotten his own hands on that corrupt DARPA filth who traded Jill Valentine's location for some bucks thrown his way. Leon assured him that this man would never see the light of day again, but it was not enough for Chris. He swore to himself - one day, he would visit that scum in his prison cell. Accidents sometimes happen, after all, and nobody would question him.
The man found some respite in that cruel resolution. Thinking about Jill herself, Chris realized that he hadn't been able to establish eye-contact with her for years. The brunette-turned-blonde would always avoid looking into his eyes, and coward that he is, he did the same.
And then came Cassandra. She would stare into his eyes with no shame or remorse or regret. Just passion and desire. And he returned the favor, eagerly. The simplicity of their newfound relationship, if one could even call it that, was truly refreshing. Like a gulp of fresh oasis water, after wandering in the searing desert for days...
And I fucked it up already. Guess romance is not Redfield's strong suit, after all.
Suddenly, an already familiar buzzing sound took the man out of his dark musings.
The man's stout heart skipped a beat at the idea of confronting Cassandra so soon; but then his sharp and experienced ears picked up the subtle differences in the buzzing, compared to the brunette's one. Cassandra's swarm had a higher pitch than that, with her flies fluttering around with speed and synchronicity. This one sounded...erratic and chaotic.
"Heya, Mister Redfield!"
Daniela the redhead, the cheerful if ditzy sister, was suddenly at his side; her amber orbs gazing into the ocean with awe in them.
"Ooh, the ocean is so pretty tonight! Look at that crescent moon! So beautiful..."
Redfield glanced upon the smaller shape of a woman next to him, instead and sighed in relief - for not taking action that day. The Romanian Village Incident, they filed it.
Of course he had realized that the Dimitrescu family was alive and kicking after Ethan's little adventure. He wasn't stupid after all, and proper recon was an important part of every mission he undertook. Back then, after the Winters family was safely airlifted and secured in a temporary B.S.A.A. facility, Chris had considered returning, to finish the job. But then… the captain had felt like enough blood had been spilled that day and if Ethan actually went to the trouble to lie on their behalf - for their safety, then perhaps there was something worth preserving in that monstrous little family. And now Chris knew it for certain. There was.
"Ethan wanted to tell us something… mind coming along with me? Cassi is still kinda mad at you, though…"
The B.S.A.A. legend just grinned as he nodded and followed the eager sibling along, a curious thought running through his head.
Perhaps, everyone deserves a second chance… even me...
Anya was a simple stewardess, employed by the Duke and serving aboard his ship, for almost two years now. Much like the majority of the crew here, she also experienced a traumatic bioterror-related event.
Her tiny village - unmarked on most maps - in the Far East Russia, near the border with China was a target for a vicious Asian bioweapon trafficking organization, much like The Connections, just smaller. What was a simple test-run for the vile criminals was a bloodbath that claimed the lives of almost everyone she knew. Only Anya and another youth named Andrei survived, and only because they ran into the forest together that day.
Not long after the calamity that destroyed their whole lives was gone - a test successful - a person approached, offering shelter and work - in exchange for loyal service. The two young lovers accepted without thinking, as nothing was left for them back home.
And so, they trained and learned the ways of their new crafts. Andrei was always a fierce youth and the guilt for having everyone he knew slain while he was having his way with Anya gnawed on his heart. It was no surprise that he had volunteered for the Duke's armsmen team, despite the obvious risks involved.
They were treated well here. The pay was good. Moreover, the couple had grand plans about one day making enough money to return back to Russia, perhaps the beautiful city of Vladivostok, where Andrei had some distant relatives. They would start a family of their own there. A couple of lovely kids, perhaps a boy and a girl, fate willing.
Tears threatened to spill from her swollen red eyes, once again.
Anya watched the reunited Dimitrescu family having a good time during their meal, as she did her duties silently. The Winters father and daughter soon joined them. And now, even the formidable and scary-looking Captain Redfield was seemingly on his way towards their table.
All of them seemed happy as they gathered around Mister Winters, as if he was about to tell them an interesting story. Anya was glad for them, as they all appeared to be good people, despite some of their origins.
Anya was glad for them, but she was not happy for them. How could one be happy for others when her own world crumbled to dust? Her Andrei, the last person she had, was brutally murdered by The Connection's mercenaries. His body was left to rot where it had fallen, as they had no resources or time to retrieve it.
Yesterday, the Duke himself led a wake for all the fallen armsmen and Anya could feel the genuine remorse in the huge man's beady eyes as he did so. The Duke, never swindling his own, also already provided her with the money from the life insurance Andrei had.
But what good is money when everyone you know is gone? When the love of your life is gone? When the man, whose child you bear is gone? Kindness of strangers could only get you so far…
Anya had felt nothing but grief and misery as she beheld the happy reunion between the Winters, the Dimitrescu and Captain Redfield. She didn't even get to bury the man she loved.
Suddenly, a spike of pain from the back of her head took Anya out of her dark musings. A sound, not unlike the dead radio static, completely took over the happy voices in the dining room. A buzzing in the skull, as if some bug found its way inside made her close her vivid green eyes in pain. In a vain attempt to stop the horrible sound, she placed her palms over her ears; dropping her tray, that was full of food and drinks, on the floor - spilling the expensive beverages and ruining the meat.
As quickly as the intrusive feelings appeared, they were gone. The young black-haired woman opened her eyes slowly, but immediately closed them again.
She was not on the ship anymore.
Her body racked by violent sobs, it took her more than a minute to compose herself before opening her puffy eyes again.
A world devoid of colors greeted her. Nothing but black, white and malefic, deep red. An infinite ocean of red liquid stretched as far as an eye could see. It was shallow, however, as the vile, thick substance only reached up to her knees. The sky was pitch-black and featureless. There was nothing else.
"Мамочка...я в Аду…"
Anya could not recall a single word in English anymore - every single lesson she took simply vanished from her mind. Performing the sign of the cross, the girl mumbled a prayer that she knew by heart, under her breath, hoping that someone… anyone would get her out of this horrible place.
"Господи, Иисусе Христе, помилуй меня грешную…"
The only thing that answered her prayer was a body that suddenly emerged to float next to her. She knew not to look at it, yet she did anyway.
Andrei's dead eyes stared back at her.
Her piercing shriek went unheard, as nobody but her and the body of her lover was in that cursed, dark place.
Chris was ready to leap into action the moment he heard a crashing sound of a metal trey hitting the tiled floor. Looking around, all he saw was a female crewmember, in a steward's uniform. She was clearly in distress, with her eyes closed and her hands covering her ears. Expensive red wine poured generously from the cracked bottle.
Before the captain could approach the young woman himself, the mess hall's well-dressed manager rushed towards her.
"What's wrong Anya!? Are you in pain? Do you want me to get you to the medical?"
For several tense moments, the girl kept to that pose of distress. Before the manager could say something into his walkie-talkie, however, she slowly opened her dull green eyes and relaxed her posture. In heavily accented English, the girl reassured her chief. Her face adopted a neutral expression, as she spoke - perfectly so, almost unnervingly in the lack of emotions displayed.
"Oh, I am sorry, boss… must had a dizzy spell, or something. I am fine, now… so sorry for this mess! I'll clean it up…"
The young woman did as much, though Chris didn't miss the strangely focused glance she shot their way. Inspecting her further, the captain found her motions unusually stiff, as if she had a hard time controlling her own muscles.
Apparently, everyone else in their little gathering lost interest in the peculiar scene, however, as Ethan regained everyone's attention by clearing his throat. Chris himself just shrugged and once again focused on the blonde father. Clearly he had something important to say, and this strange fainting servant was of secondary concern.
As the gang retreated to a more private place - more fitting for the conversation about to take place, a pair of dull green eyes followed their every move.
Author's Note:
This chapter definitely was all over the place in terms of mood and setting. I personally liked how it flowed, but if you guys find the chapter overwhelming - do let me now, so I can adjust it in the future.
Ethan being good at sketching should've been a natural assumption of anyone who played the game and read his journal, but it took me reading 'Blood and Winter' by Eronald to get to that conclusion. You should totally read that work, if you haven't yet, as it was one of the several that had inspired me to give this writing hobbie a go in the first place!
A lot had happened in this chapter, so if you have any questions, suggestions or theories, always feel free to express them in the comment section! Thank you all for reading! :)