Story: Quicken, Question, Quantify

Chapter Thirteen: Swift

"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light."

-Plato, 428-7 B.C.E-348-7 B.C

July 18th, 1998 – Rockfort Island:

The spinning blades of the helicopter were a constant hum even with the noise cancelling headphones that had been put on my head. With the explanation of our plan as well as how to land while skydiving out of the way I was left to be nervous about what was coming. I'd flown before, but I'd never jumped out of a plane…jumping off mystical creatures in the feudal era couldn't be that different was my first impression. Then he'd started talking about how we had to land properly and giving me landing tips and I felt nervous.

The only distraction I had was the fact that we'd had full on sex about an hour ago in his laboratory shower, not how I'd pictured my first time. My ladyparts were still a bit sore, though by some marvel my back also only ached a little after it'd broken up the wall. It was embarrassing, how does one go from making out for the first time to clawing the back of a man? A very clawable man, with perfect hair and muscles for days…

Bad Kagome…stop that.

What the hell had gotten into me to just go along? Was it the blood again? There was more to this than just trading powers…there's no way I would have let myself get carried away like that. I felt a bit unsure of it all. I didn't regret it per say, I'd enjoyed myself. I'd let it happen…no, I'd actively participated. Still, a slightly nicer place for my first time would have been nice. A little less extreme maybe, like a normal bed. Or not destroying a wall by failing to notice I was being slammed into the wall with enough force to break it apart. Okay, that part was very disconcerting.

"Nervous?" Wesker's voice came over the headset, I realized he'd been looking at me and I nodded lightly. Now definitely wasn't the time to discuss me begging him to…do those things. I wasn't sure if the pilot could hear us, and that wasn't something I could handle on top of the rest of the surprises I'd had lately. "Don't worry, I've done this hundreds of times when I was in the service and in S.T.A.R.S. I'll make sure you are all right."

I nodded again, letting it stand that the jump was what was bothering me. I let out a light breath, whatever it was that had gotten into me. I didn't blame Wesker. I was still a bit hurt and angry that he'd lied, but I'd been through worse…at least I'd never felt he wanted someone else. I didn't have to question once in our encounter that it was me on his mind. He'd made me feel desired, and I wasn't sure I'd had that ever before…at least not when I reciprocated the attraction. Maybe, it was silly to blame the blood, I could just have been that ready to be physical. I wasn't a kid, tonight had proven that for certain.

"Here, lets get strapped in." Wesker again pulled me out of my thoughts. He didn't seem to be considering our encounter, but his mind was likely more on what we were about to do. As mine should be. I nodded to him, moving to work with him on getting strapped in front of him so I'd be with him when we both jumped. He adjusted my headset slightly and before long we were free falling through the air. My stomach wanted to leap into my throat, pressure and cold cut against my skin, my body tightening at the uncomfortable feeling. I pressed my eyes shut, not wanting to see the ocean reflecting the moon so far below us. I hoped he'd point us in the right direction and otherwise kept my breath as even as I could. After a while he called something out over the rush of air and then a tug pulled us back into the sky. The parachute opening against the fall caused me to look but that didn't make me feel better, we were still high and over water, with him maneuvering us toward an island. It was coming up so fast and I pressed my eyes shut again. How I managed to follow his directions into a landing I wasn't sure, I still got tripped up as we touched down and I rolled several times hard into the dirt. A bag landing near us. He stopped next to me, hands running over my skin.

"You good?" He spoke lightly, even though we shouldn't be near anyone yet. After I nodded he left me to gather my wits and pride to start collecting equipment from the bag, checking magazines on weapons and handing me a small metal rod. I raised a brow at him. He pushed a button on the side and the ends extended into a bow, a string drawing out from the center area. "I thought you could use an upgrade. I brought a few arrows but from what I understood you didn't need them."

I canted my head at him, surprised but not displeased. It would make it easier to use than having to carry my older bow over a shoulder. "I'm good with just the bow. Thank you."

There's no way he'd bought that last minute, so he had been thinking of me before our little fall out and make up session. I smiled at the idea and fell in behind him after he handed me a backpack and finished gathering his own supplies. He managed to remain low to the ground in his stance as he walked toward the woods. I picked my way after him…I could sort of tell some of the layout, but he could clearly see better than I could in the dark. So, I hadn't developed all the things he could do, but I knew without some of it I probably wouldn't have been able to see at all.

He was faster than me too, he kept moving off ahead and then returning. That could have been in part, the better vision, but I expected there was more to it. I was out of breath by the time we were getting closer to one of the walls. He gestured me down and I bent low behind a tree. He'd given me a few gestures to follow on the ride here. So, I knew I should listen. There was a man standing on one of the guard towers nearby, looking over the woods. I couldn't tell if he was alert really, only that he probably hadn't seen us since he hadn't raised any alarm.

I was waiting for some sort of plan, keeping an eye, when a blur of darkness moved across the tower and the guard was gone. I didn't even hear anything…just one moment he was there. Then he wasn't. It was a few seconds later I heard a sickening crunch nearby. I turned to see Wesker standing over the guard, now on the ground, his head bent at an angle that said everything. I was glad outlines and shadows were all I could see.

"Did you have to kill him?" I hissed, keeping my voice low but slightly frustrated by this cold opening to our infiltration.

"I couldn't knock him out. If he woke up and raised alarm we'd be overrun." Wesker replied, gathering a few of the guard's supplies and then looking at the radio. Messing with his own headset a while after looking at it. Eventually turning it off and dropping it near the body. "Let's continue. We should be able to get over the wall here without the guard. Climb on my back."

"What?" I blinked. Not having expected that suggestion. I remembered very well riding on the back of Inuyasha, this was such an odd time for such a request.

"I'll carry you over. Come on, time is of the essence." I nodded, climbing up so he could take my legs easily. I was used to being carried like this. It came easy enough. He didn't question my familiarity; we were over the top so fast I barely noted we'd moved other than the flash of light of the moon above the walls before it disappeared. He was better at this stuff than me, was it just familiarity? He'd had years of training, and I was just sort of stumbling into it all. Probably in part, I think he just had a natural grace I lacked. I retook my feet when he let me down and followed where he gestured along the wall. We hadn't gotten inside yet, but we were heading for a door.

He pulled me down, holding the back of my neck firmly as he relocated me. His other hand over my mouth so I didn't make a sound. His sunglasses pointed at something beyond the bush we were at. A guard walked out of a small alcove a moment later, dropping the embers of a cigarette before stomping the light out with a boot. He walked closer and I tensed but Wesker didn't move, his gaze still glued to the approaching guard. We waited, and I tried not to breath too loud, I could swear the guy was going to hear my heart in my chest as his boots echoed off the gravel. That he was looking at us as he came closer. He was going to give away we were here.

Then he walked by, and I furrowed my brow. I was certain we'd been made…I knew we'd worn dark clothes specifically to blend but he'd even looked at our hiding spot. Was Wesker that sure the man hadn't seen us. I glanced toward him as the man got further away and he shrugged lightly, nodding to continue and leading the way. We had to pause again for a patrol, but it wasn't as immediate, so I didn't feel as nervous. There were other guards further away as we made our way toward one of the doors through the overgrown outside. I let out a breath when we finally made it inside a door, relieved we'd gotten this far. Wesker offered me a half-smirk at my behavior, pointing at me to stay beneath the bottom steps then at his eyes and up. He walked up the steps lightly after making sure I was hidden. He was so light on his feet for such a well-built man; I didn't even hear him going up. I was glad thus far we'd managed to bypass trouble, but that made me even more nervous it wouldn't last and all the dangers behind us would catch up when we were finally caught. This was stressful.

I heard some motion and thumps but didn't move. He'd specifically told me not to chase after him unless he'd told me up front or I heard gunfire. I supposed after I'd chased him the other evening, he didn't want a repeat of me getting in over my head. At least so far, out enemies had been people…though if he was going to kill them all I probably would have preferred the monsters. I jumped slightly when he came around under the steps. He raised a brow at me, shaking his head and setting two bodies beneath the steps. I couldn't really make them out as down here I didn't even have moonlight, but I wasn't sure I wanted to see them. He was very good at his job, I had to give him that much. He gestured me to follow and I did, not chancing another glance at the bodies, I could assume they weren't still breathing. I followed him up several flights of stairs, pausing behind him when he reached a door. He looked through a glass slit in the surface then turned back toward me.

He held up two fingers and then touched his left shoulder, it had been a sign that the targets weren't human. That meant I was on, I drew the bow up in front of me, calling a sliver of light to my fingers. When he opened the door, I let arrows fly, both enemies fell swiftly. He was able to catch one, but the other crashed to the floor. I grimaced when he did and we glanced along the hall, perhaps both of us expected some sort of alarm to raise but it didn't. He motioned for me to follow and I fell in behind him. I hadn't been able to sense them that time…was it because of what we'd done? I didn't have time to think about it as a growl brought my attention to a dog missing half it's face running toward us. I let an arrow fly reflexively, forced to dodge to the side as the dog's body went limp mid-leap toward me and crashed with a sickening crunch against the wall before bouncing back slightly to crumple to the ground. My method was not nearly as stealthy as his.

"I can't still sense them…" I whispered as lowly as I could. He frowned but nodded at my comment, his steps slowing compared to our first entry into the hall. I swallowed and continued after him. Scowling when a door opened and several more zombies spilled out. I shot the closest, and the next one Wesker attacked with his bare hands, snapping the neck but getting bitten in the arm by the third just before I managed to shoot it.

I mouthed a sorry and he waved lightly, we continued to an elevator. I rubbed my arms, remembering the last time we'd ridden one of these. I did get an uncomfortable sense being here, I couldn't pick out the same level of darkness as before, but I knew it was here. I didn't see the miasma as clearly, had the virus offered me some powers but weakened my priestess abilities then? I didn't have time to consider it now. Slipping onto the elevator with Wesker. He hit a high number on the pad and stayed to the side of the door, gesturing me to the other. He didn't have to give me spoken orders for me to want to listen. This was his territory, and it was clear he was very versed in what he was doing. I was just trying to keep up.

Thankfully we weren't charged by random beasts upon the elevator opening and he glanced out before moving ahead of me. I followed, remaining behind him. This floor was more metal than the others, the ceilings were a little higher. It reminded me of the first time I'd gotten involved with this Birkin. I really hoped it didn't go the way it had then. I frowned when the lights died down. That couldn't be a good sign, a static echoed a moment in the air around us before a voice came on a loudspeaker.

"Come on Wesker, did you think I'd leave the samples where we used to have them?" The voice was the same doctor that had all too recently shot my friend in the back…had made me think he'd died. I grit my teeth, my hand shaking slightly on my bow. "You still have the girl I see, you even brought her with. I must thank you for that. It saves me a lot of trouble. I didn't expect you to come back you know…that wasn't what your strain was supposed to do. Then, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, you always did seem a step ahead."

"All the more reason to give this up now. I'd hate to leave Sherry without a father." Wesker stated coldly, standing up instead of continuing to fold to the wall. I got up slowly as well. "You should realize this won't work. Umbrella's falling apart after the incident in Raccoon City. You really want to go down with that ship?"

"They still have my girl's, Albert." The doctor's voice shook slightly. "I don't have a choice. I was told to eliminate you here then get the girl."

"Well, that's not happening." I stated flatly, irritated by how I was being spoken of like some sort of prize.

"I believe the lady spoke for herself. I did tell you not to be so overzealous." Wesker commented. "You lured us up here. What's the plan? Blow the building?"

"Destroy an entire compound for a disgruntled ex-employee?" The doctor answered. "No, of course not. You'll help us get some battle data on the newest batch of tests."

A small alarm blared after the comment, several doors in the hall opening. Great…that couldn't be good. My fingers twitched near my bow as both my and Wesker kept our attention to the possible threats he could have unleashed, the static left the air so it seemed he was done talking to us.

"Well, this is bad." I remarked.

"Not really." Wesker pulled up his gun to shoot a strange mutant human frog that leapt into the hall from one of the rooms. He didn't even hesitate, and his aim was perfect, it went straight through the creature's eye. "I needed to see what his game was. I know where he is now. There's only one area of the building where he could access the intercom to mock us. The stairs are right here. I'll need to jury the door to open it now that he activated the security but if you can cover me, we can find him in short order.

"Wait, you put us in the mousetrap just to get to the rat catcher?" I didn't like the idea, but I shot several arrows as more creatures came out of rooms. A few fell, but others continued toward me. "I'm thinking he figured out a way to use my blood, since they didn't stop."

"They slowed," he remarked, pulling open a panel near the door and starting to rearrange wires after a final glance at the hall. "You can handle it."

"Easy for you to say." I commented, drawing another arrow and cutting through the creature still moving after the first. They lost an arm but kept walking. There were more coming around them too. I let off more shots, as quickly as I could…but I was swiftly losing ground…

"Any time now…" I encouraged, relieved when he grabbed me and pulled me into the hall, slamming the door behind us. The creatures on the other side howled in frustration but he was already tugging me down the steps.

The alarm was still blaring in our ears and he shoved me to the side as more creatures came up the steps. Then he vanished, moving so fast it was difficult to follow. Crushing skulls of the monsters between his hands so gore burst along the steps and the bodies began to pile up. I stared in wonder as he almost seemed to dance across the battle felling foes. Then I remembered it wasn't really the time to pause and admire him, shooting others that burst into the stairwell after us.

We cleared a wave of a couple dozen and then he lifted me from the ground, my body shaking as he ran us down the steps past dozens more of the creatures, how many people had this man killed? Did the people outside know that almost all the ones inside were monsters? Did they have any idea what was here spreading? I could barely follow where we were moving, fighting to get breath and then sucking it in as he paused beyond another door. His chest was also heaving after the long distance. We'd gotten to the basement by the letter painted near the door. Had he really run down thirty some floors that quickly?

I leaned on the wall, out of breath, he did the same against the door. This wasn't as planned as he'd first made it sound. Then, maybe he didn't think his friend would murder so many people just to try to get to us. I didn't know. I wouldn't think so from what he had told me so far. A shot made me jump a moment before the grunt from Wesker, he'd taken a hit to the shoulder. A second cut into his leg before he pushed off the door, vanishing again. It seemed we were back to living targets. The cry of surprise from the enemy transformed into a confused gurgle as he took a shot to the chest. A second guard with a gun came flying my way, landing so harshly on his back I didn't expect him to get up. I paused to kick the gun from his hand just in case and continued after Wesker. So much for a moment to rest. He opened a door and then flickered to the side as more gunfire echoed into the hall and bullets tore rapidly into the wall on the opposite side of the door.

"Birkin…I'm gonna squeeze the life out you myself." He hissed, lingering to the side of the door where I'd caught up to him. Then raising his voice. "You're going to run out of ammunition soon William!"

"Not before my other experiments have time to reach us." The voice that called back was the doctor. Had he really mounted a gun in the room where he'd hidden. "I knew you probably had a plan…I didn't realize you'd become a one-man army. I'd like to keep you alive to look into you if you wouldn't mind surrendering."

"Sure, come on out and I'll throw myself right into cuffs." Wesker called back aggressively. While they fought, I chanced a glance in the room but was pulled back almost immediately by my soldier when more gunfire opened. He pushed me further down the hall as the bullets started to cut through the concrete. He stumbled slightly as some of the fire bit into his spine. I winced at the motion, bending down to him.

"Your girl isn't very bright." The doctor laughed from the other room and I scowled. I hadn't seen much but I'd seen enough. I drew up my bow, pointing at the wall and focusing. I knew he was there…I didn't have a direct sight but since I knew where I was aiming that's what mattered. I drew an arrow back and let it fly, it winked out before hitting the wall then I heard the man cry out.

"Ha, take that." I called out, letting a second arrow fly after the first. I didn't think I hit anything that time, so he moved somehow but if it was away from the gun I couldn't know. Wesker had disappeared and I wasn't sure what happened until a figure in a lab coat came flying back out the door and into the wall. I heard bones crack, and before he'd even fallen from slamming into the already broken up wall he was grabbed by the neck. Wesker holding him up effortlessly by his throat.

"Where are the samples?" He insisted, favoring his right side.

"Not here…" Birkin scratched lines of blood into Wesker's arm, but it was healing almost as quickly as he was clawing. I saw his arm start to squeeze, the man barely able to get out a sound, cut off mid protest. "Wesker…"

I set a hand on his arm, earning me a red glare before the soldier paused, letting the doctor cough and breath a bit more, but not letting him go. I nodded toward the basement door, where something large was making dents in it. He followed my gesture and nodded, seeming to gather his wits at the reminder we were somewhere dangerous. It didn't stop him from cracking the man in the skull with his gun. Throwing him over a shoulder. I winced at the gesture; it was so extremely cold…hadn't they been friends? Sure, the doctor wasn't someone I had a fondness for, but I guess I hadn't expected Wesker to be that harsh with him. At least he hadn't killed him. Wesker pulled me around one of the halls corners, away from the room we'd found without hesitating. Further into the basement level.

"There are other doors. Let's not test if we can destroy his small army." He stated, still pulling me through the corridors. I held a stitch in my side as we moved. I'd been doing a lot more running today than I'd done in a while. I wasn't totally unaccustomed to cardio after using my bike so much, but this was still something I hadn't been doing.

"Maintenance tunnel…let's go." He pushed me through the door after glancing around and then followed me. "Up."

There was a ladder and I started climbing at his behest, the alternative was to wait for the monsters to catch up, so I tried to ignore the pain as I pulled myself higher. I could hear him following behind me, apparently still carrying the doctor with him. I had to pause when we reached the next floor, gasping for breath.

"Should I drop him and carry you?" Wesker asked as he reached the same small landing. Looking at me critically. I shook my head negatively.

"I should be fine. I don't hear screaming so either they aren't on the first floor yet or they already wiped out the heavy guard." I managed between breaths. "I just…need a minute."

"We need to work on your endurance." Wesker said, he wasn't out of breath despite the busy evening.

"Gee, sorry I'm not a specially trained super soldier." I bit out, annoyed at his comments. "I distracted him didn't I?"

"Yes, you didn't let me know you could do that." He commented. "But we'll need to discuss specifics once we reach the extraction area. We might still have to take out guards, but we have to get moving. It's a matter of time before the BOWs reach this floor."

I nodded, having caught my breath enough that the stitch in my side had lessened. I gestured at him to lead the way then dashed after him when we entered the eerily quiet courtyard area from a different spot than our first. There were still lots of guards around and we flitted from bush to bush to remain out of sight. Danger or not he wasn't rushing us, at least not until we were close to the gate and a cry for help erupted from a different area that caused guards to run toward it. I wanted to warn them, but I knew that would just put us in danger. We couldn't take them all off the island, it was too late…we were over the large wall again after another few moments and running through the woods toward our rendezvous point. Thankfully he seemed to know where he was going, because I probably would have gotten lost and trapped with these monsters.

He fired the flare off without warning, so I ended up bouncing off a few trees as I tried to adjust to the slight blindness it caused, he grabbed me before I fell, leading me with one hand as he carried the doctor with the other. He basically threw me onto the copter when it got low enough. Though at least I could catch myself slightly. I had to reach to grab the doctor before he slid right back out the side of the hovering craft. Wesker landed a moment later.

"Get going, get us the hell out of here." He called out to the pilot, pushing me into a seat and then putting the doctor in one and buckling him in. I'd put my own on but he checked it before moving to the seat next to the pilot and grabbing the radio. He started speaking a language I didn't recognize; I just knew it wasn't English or Japanese. He sounded quite serious and dire. The pilot glanced at him nervously and I frowned, not sure what was happening but not wanting to interrupt. What had I gotten myself into?

End Chapter

Whee, had some action going on this chapter, a bit of sneaky sneak. A little shorter since action tends to be with me. Kagome getting to use a cool power that doesn't get enough cool moments. Counterpoint next time!

-Aura

P.S. I'll be moving Monday and have no internet for at least a week (possibly longer). : (

To my reviewers:

Thanks for the feedback. 3.