"Too bad, Joseph." she whispered to herself.
--
A styrofoam coffee cup was placed on top of Wesker's desk with a scuff. He looked up.
"You almost look as tired as me." she said smiling, gesturing to the coffee cup and her own.
"Thanks." he said, grabbing it.
"If you don't mind me asking, what was that about?"
"Nothing you should be concerned about. The chief and I just have our ...disagreements. I'm sorry if you hear all of them." he said simply, adjusting his sunglasses.
"Just half." she said with a smirk, jokingly.
This was a better time than any, Jill thought to herself.
"Can I ask you something? I mean... you don't have to answer it if you don't want to-"
"Go ahead.."
"I was wondering..why you wear sunglasses all the time?"
"My eyes are unfortunately, sensitive to bright lights.
"Oh..." Jill said. She wanted him to elaborate and he sensed it.
"I've had trouble working in bright environments in the past. This seems to be the most conventional way of solving it. It's perfectly fine."
Jill's eyes wandered onto a Polaroid of a man in a lab coat that had been tossed to the side of Wesker's desk.
"An old friend?"
He glanced over and picked it up, pausing to looking at it. He suddenly handed it to Jill.
"Does he seem familiar to you at all?"
".....no. I've never seen him before. Why?" she asked handing it back to him.
"I found it on the floor." he said simply and tossed it to the side. "I've already asked everyone else, so I thought it might be yours."
"Oh. no."
They both sipped their coffee.
He paused. "Jill, I was wondering if you could tell me how the team is responding to McCarthy's passing. I've been so busy lately, I haven't had the time to..."
"No, i understand. I'm not sure about Bravo, but We're all fine here. We've all been through some jeering times....Do you remember that time, someone strapped a bomb to Chris?" she asked.
Wesker couldn't help but try to suppress his smile.
"I couldn't forget if i tried."
Wesker never hated Chris. He never hated anyone on the STARS force. They just had their differences in privatization. The bomb incident was one of the more worth while STARS moments for Wesker. It wasn't even a real bomb. A crazed old man strapped a tin foiled sandwich covered in wires to Chris' back when he wasn't looking at a routine drug bust. It was a big deal, and for a minute, Wesker thought he might lose his best man from STARS that day.
Before he had built STARS, they had been in shambles. They were poorly trained, and they were doing things that would be the equivalent in Wesker's mind, to gathering flowers or making fruit baskets. Umbrella didn't waste any time when it came to planting Wesker. They forged all his documents and quickly established him in the RPD. It was then only a matter of earning their trust, and it was easy to do. The hard part was his appearance to them. He could have cared less about any of them. But in order to blend in, he had to be somewhat of a normal employee.
This meant habits, quirks, office relations, a back history, and several interpersonal skills Wesker would have just assuredly, dismissed. STARS were a needy bunch, in his mind. A close knit band of people who would spot your insincerity with the rainbows and unicorns blurting out of their sickening smiles.
That was Wesker's first impression of them all. But then he noticed, that unlike the lab subjects in the Arklay mountains, these civilians were more complicated to deal with than originally planned. He was thrown into their environment, and anything could happen. They had different character, their own habits, needs, desires. They were in a sense, unpredictable to him and because of it, he had to act carefully. He had no idea how long he would have to wait until the right opportunity had fallen into his lap. He had one shot at success and he wasn't going to allow any miscalculations to occur.
So as he sat at that desk, holding the styrofoam cup that was given to him, listening to to Jill Valentine try to relate to him on this very early, quiet morning...for that moment, he felt again, what it was like to be a ordinary person.
It was not to his liking, but this was the part he had to play. He just wondered how long he would have to keep it up.
"As I recall," he spoke up again, "Joseph ate the sandwich, afterwards." He arched an eyebrow and sipped his coffee.
Jill laughed so hard for that brief second, the coffee almost came out of her mouth. He waited for her to recover, examining her with a blank expression. Of all the STARS members, she was the one who he had to keep tabs on. With her in his ball park, all the others fell perfectly into place.
"Sorry. I forgot he did that."
"It's worth the reminder."
Suddenly his cellphone rang. He picked it up. "Yes?"
"Hello Albert. Have you been enjoying your week?"
"... Jill, would you excuse me?"
She nodded and went back to her desk as Barry strode in.
"Who is this."
"You don't really expect me to answer that, now do you?"
"Get to the point."
"If you stick your nose anywhere else, it'll be cut off."
"And what do you gain from all this?"
"Everything you have to lose."
click.
He threw his phone to the side. He knew this would happen soon enough. In a corporation as powerful and vast as Umbrella; filled with self proclaimed entrepreneurs, he was bound to butt heads with someone. It was only a matter of time before he found out who. After all, they were idiotic enough to let him know they existed. Which meant they were proud, headstrong, impatient... equaled reckless in Wesker's mind. And the combination of all five was a recipe for failure.
"Hey Enrico, how are you doing?"
"Alright. I just came back to grab some things. I'll be back in tomorrow though. Can't keep myself away from this place." Enrico was grabbing a few things from his desk and exited the room.
Wesker grabbed the photo on the desk and got up. "Jill, Barry, If you need me, I'll be in Investigations Office."
"You got it."
--
Enrico had just opened his locker when he heard footsteps coming from behind.
"Oh, How's it going, Wesker?"
"I think i should be asking you that."
"I'll be fine, sir. It's not the first time."
"I need you to look at something for me, Enrico."
"What is it?" he asked turning.
Wesker took out the photograph and handed it to Enrico.
"Do you recognize this man?"
"No. why?"
"I need to know if he was in the dinner, the day of McCarthy's murder."
Enrico looked directly at the Captain's black shades.
"I remember everyone who was at that dinner. He wasn't there. Who is he?"
"Investigation gave it to me. Thought it might have been a lead but it was weak to begin with. I thought I'd check it with you, personally."
"No. he wasn't there."
"Thank you." Wesker said placing a hand on the man's shoulder briefly. Enrico nodded and Wesker left the man to himself.
--
"Chris, do you even know how late it is? Even Joseph got here before you!"
"It's true, man." Frost shouted from somewhere hidden in the room.
"My alarm didn't go off." he said, rubbing his face.
"You missed free coffee." Barry said.
"Jesus, rub it in."
"Excuse me?" A small voice emanated from behind Chris who turned around sluggishly, along with every other stare. A young woman lent shyly against the door molding, staring in. She blushed to the color of the red blouse she was wearing. "Is this the STARS office?"
"Yeah, watchya lookin for, kid?" Forest asked, poking his head out from behind the copier.
"I... was wondering if you could tell me where Albert Wesker is?.. i was supposed to meet him but..."
Everyone stared at each other awkwardly, until Jill spoke up. "The Captain might still be in the Investigation room...last time i heard." she said to Chris. "You mind getting him?.. late.. boy?"
Chris gave her a look and then turned to the young girl.
"no... no! Not at all." he said putting a smile on his face. "I'll tell him you're here. What's your name?"
"Rebecca."
"alright. It'll just be a few."
"Thank you so much." she said and took a seat outside the door while Chris went down the hall.
"I told you the man's a pedophile. Didn't i tell you!" Frost hissed.
"Frost... stop jumping to conclusions."It's probably just his daughter." Barry whispered.
"Did he say he had a daughter?" Jill asked.
"No. But it's a better guess than -"
"ped- o- phile."
"Shut up, Joseph." Forest said, loud and clear. Everyone went silent.
10 minutes passed until Chris returned with Wesker. The girl quickly stood, meeting him half way. She was quite short standing next to him. "ah. You're here. Good. Follow me." they both ventured to Wesker's back office and the door shut.
"Wow... that girl is pretty young." Chris said as a matter of factly.
"what did I tell youu...."'
"What?" Chris asked.
--