A/N: Hey there! I started writing again! I edited the previous chapter, so you may like to read the romantic scene again. The answer to your gorgeous reviews is down there. This chapter is more of an operation.


Chapter Ten

The helicopter landed magnificently on the dry Springford ground. The city sat silent, still far from a decent urban county. Pale buildings stood here and there, a clump of wild green trees growing between their shoulders with unwavering tenacity.

Chris and Jill got off the chopper, moving southwards. They advanced toward the destination on their map with a stiff military posture. Outside the chopper, everything was painfully real. The smell of dust in the air, grinding textures of debris and incomplete buildings everywhere reminded them of the reason they were sent here.

A deadly silence had fallen between them like a dark velvet curtain. Chris had confessed everything that was necessary and she had replied strongly. The mutuality had shattered them like the electric current of a 220 volt outlet. Their veins and hearts were still burning from the contact.

This was a sad ending to a date. It had happened as if it had never happened, as in a vivid dream. The serious air of the mission had brushed everything under the carpet. As much as he liked, they could not make out on the way.

As the two BSAA agents walked past the streets, boiling with the hustle and bustle of the locals, they reached a deserted shanty town.

"Chris to HQ, come in," Chris said quietly, "We need the precise coordinates of the target's location."

"Copy that. Check your PDA."

The spot popped up on their GPS.

"Have you identified the target yet?" Jill asked sternly, tightening her black leather holster.

"We've received a visual on the suspects. Intel's been transmitted to your devices."

"Roger that," Chris said short of breath, as they quickened their pace.

"There," Jill pointed to a short polished cement structure, incongruous with its surroundings, "It's coming from that house."

Rubber tires, tin waste, wet papers and broken wooden barrels were scattered through the wet ground. Faint smell of litter swarmed in the damp air, the thick black electricity cables hunching over the floor.

"This place is really off the charts," Jill said sarcastically as they hurried forward.

"No doubt about it." Chris jumped on a rusty rooftop, "A great spot for bioterrorism cover ups."

A sudden blast jerked them. Drawing their pistols within a second, their grips tightened around the black weapons.

"Careful Chris," said Jill scrutinizing the area with her sharp, hard eyes, "it might be a set-up."

"Yeah, keep your eyes open," Chris said with caution.

"Look out!"

Chris heard shooting beside him, turning to see that Jill had opened fire on something above.

"He's the one who blew this barrel." She said as they took cover behind one of the inner walls. "Be careful about these people. They exchange no civility."

Chris nodded as the two made their way through the ramshackle low-rise building. They took cover behind a block of cement.

"Chris to HQ, we're in." he said as he silently put a hand on Jill's shoulder with affection, "We're on our way to apprehend the targets."

"Copy that. Alpha team's been dispatched and are on their way in case you need back up."

"Roger,"

Given that he and Sheva had toured Africa and confronted Wesker single-handedly, he doubted the need for an SOU; but this regarded the BSAA data files, so he guessed it was different this time.

They quickly reloaded their weapons, moving upstairs, shooting a thong of armed men with machine guns. The stairs irritatingly creaked as they started towards a dusty barred door at the end of the winding staircase. With an assist kick of the partners, the door fell on its knees.

The tangible flare of some bullets came through and the specialized agents quickly managed to dodge, casting the fire of their howling pistols on the horde of shooting men from behind a cover.

"That was the last of them," said Jill with sharp focus as they headed towards a section filled with computers, still not letting their guard down. "Jill to HQ, the targets are down."

"Excellent work out there. Now procure the stolen data."

"Understood," Chris said, as they detected the right computer. The shanty town provided an effective camouflage for the state-of-the-art computers of whatever pharmaceutical company it was.

"Chris, this is it!" Jill said, hurriedly sitting on a chair as she quickly typed something into the screen, continuing to do a series of programming with the computer. "Here, I accessed most of it." She stood up with a swift motion.

"Jill to HQ, the major mass of data's been retrieved before third-party access."

Chris continued, "Requesting back up for proper data encryption and obtaining the last piece of data," he placed his 9 mm handgun in his holster.

"Alright, Alpha team's on their way."

"Chris, look at that." She stood above one of the corpses.

"You see what I see?" Chris bent down and put his hand on the man's neck. It was the tattoo of a black snake.

"Sounds familiar, doesn't it?" her gaze darted back to Chris, "looks like we're up against a criminal syndicate." She paced around the room.

"I suspect that last bit of data contained information on the entire BSAA personnel. Their lives, their missions, their everything," her voice showed how her temper was swaying like a stranded branch in the harsh grip of wind. For the first time this was something serious. "Why would they want it?"

"Jill," Chris said warmly, approaching her, "relax. They can't do anything with just some data of the personnel."

She could feel the heat of his chest against her skin as he moved closer, his warm reassuring breath on her lips. They were interrupted as the Alpha team flooded the place.

"There, you know what to do," Jill motioned with her chin.

One of the tech experts started working on the data. After a while she announced that any transmitted duplicate of the data to other networks had been identified and permanently deleted.

"What about that last percentage?" Jill asked placidly, yet Chris saw she was inwardly on fire.

"All back in our hands."

Jill nodded, still incredulous.

"Chris, Jill," a member of Alpha team called, "Mission accomplished. The chopper's awaiting you two."

"Not quite," Chris said as they readily walked towards the door, "there's someone we need to take care of. Listen, Jill and I will contact you once we've restricted a potential bioterrorist."

"Good luck. Don't forget to keep your radio handy," the agent said as the Alpha team separated their way from theirs.

Chris and Jill walked down the stairs.

"Chris, something doesn't feel right."

"Jill," Chris said softly, reaching her with fast steps. They came to a halt. "That's why we're going after Wetmore."

Jill was about to say something, but his chapped lips landed on hers, pinning her to the cold wall, hushing her. He had the warmness of a heated ocean and it traveled down her spine.

Everything he did, he did to protect her. Jill didn't deserve to worry about minor things on top of her condition.

They parted, breathing for air. Jill made sure her headset wouldn't transmit their voices.

"You're my drug," she murmured, her rainbow blue eyes struck him.

They kissed again, gently.

"You're my oxygen," Chris said under his breath.

Jill laughed quietly. That sentence electrified her. Chris was always so matter of fact, so stiff, so cold most of the time; but this just proved how passionate he could become.

"Time to go soldier," Jill said in the same serious tone, readjusting her headset. "There's no place for sentiment in the field. This stuff isn't for us."

It was a poignant reminder to both of them. Jill wished it weren't that way, but the sting on the run was an entertainment on its own.

"I'll buy you some time for this stuff," Chris said moving forward, laughing slightly.

They soon set out to find Robert Wetmore.

With Jade's guidance, they were at the front of some dark tunnel.

"Underground tunnels?" Chris drew his Beretta, "Don't know what to say about that."

"Maybe it's an old mine. Let's find this Wetmore guy now."

They carried through on the damp mazes of wide, twisted brown tunnels, plastic underground pipes stretching endlessly to the horizon. Some stacks of wooden lumber acted as strong columns, fully circling the tunnels. The tunnels grew wider and became one at the origin, where broad light soared above. A little building, probably a laboratory, stood ahead. Around the building little brown wagons sat on stretched railways, gaping dust and forlorn. Tiny droplets of water dripped from a large yellow mining equipment.

"Underground facilities," Jill said with a little sigh, "nothing new about it."

"Well, what better than a deserted tunnel?"

They turned a red valve, proceeding to the lab after opening a thick door. An unmistakably familiar voice chained them to their spot.

"Well, well, well."

They both turned to look at the former BSAA agent. The defector.

"What are you doing here?" Jill asked seriously, the tip of her gun pointed at her. Strangely enough, Jessica Sherawat was wearing something proper and less revealing this time. A blue business attire with a knee-length skirt.

"You don't stand a chance after killing parker," Chris said with dark loathe, him too ready to shoot, "and hacking the BSAA."

"Oh Chris," she said his name sensually, "you of all people truly know who always turns you on," Jessica grinned wickedly.

The statement burned Jill's heart as though a tiger had clawed at its flesh.

Don't listen to what she says. She is dangerous and cannot be trusted.

If Jessica was given time, she would pull a stunt. All his nerves suddenly burned with oily fuel. The telepathy was strong enough that Jill and Chris started shooting her at the same time.

She dodged behind a series of metal shelves of the vast laboratory. Then just like that, she vanished into thin air.

"Where did she go?" Jill asked, taken by surprise.

"She can't have gone too far, come on."

They quickly ran after her, but the door was locked.

"I suppose she's locked us in." Jill said with slight displeasure, uselessly fidgeting with the handle hard.

"Dammit!" Chris punched the wall, his powerful fist leaving a visible mark.

"Chris, look!" Jill warned, raising her px4.

Chris turned back. A huge creature with soggy black skin slithered slowly on the ceiling as it left a dark watery trace; having the crackled rib cage of a human being worn over its wounded squishy skin, its head resembling a snake.

"What the hell is that thing?" Chris demanded impatiently.

"Enjoy the show?" A man's muffled voice suddenly came through a channel.

At the other end of the laboratory, through glass aquarium like shelves full of organs, desks, screens, and broken devices, behind a double-glazed glass wall stood a tall bald man with a long chiseled face, wearing a white business suit. Jessica stood near him with the smile of an angel from hell, clad in a black silky dress, her dark wings stretching behind her.

"Wetmore," Chris almost spat.

"Redfield" He laughed a hearty laugh, "this is just the beginning. What a shame! You and Miss Valentine won't live long enough to see your gravestones,"

"You're just a scum leftover!" Chris exclaimed.

"Chris, I'm really sorry that you didn't enjoy my company," Jessica said with a disgustingly sultry voice. "Now I won't disturb you when the sound of your bones getting crushed echoes through the air."

She and Robert soon vanished into the corridors, no longer near the bullet-proof glass wall.

The creature suddenly hurdled down on the two, Jill shoved Chris aside as they dodged sideways. No radio signals could pass through the lab.

Chris and Jill pulled the trigger ceaselessly.

"It's useless," Chris remarked with frustration.

"There has to be a way to beat this thing,"

They turned around the lab, avoiding the creature. It was slow enough to be confined.

"Right there," Chris said with a glimmer of hope, "An electricity cable,"

"Alright," Jill said, turning to calculate the time at which the moving creature would jump at them, "I'll distract it."

"Jill," Chris held her arms, "It's dangerous."

"Chris," she said a bit puzzled, "every fucking thing in our missions is dangerous. It's not the first time."

"Just be careful, okay?" Chris went a few steps back, ready to shoot. Jill smoothly stood beside the electric sparkles.

The black creature licked its skin with the long tongue as it aimed for Jill. It pounced on its prey, but Jill performed the somersault of an elite force and dodged just in time. "Chris, now!"

Chris opened fire on the slick snake-like B. O. W, forcing it to retreat. Sizzling current traveled up its muscles and brimming cells as it screeched, getting torn by the power of electricity into shreds. Within seconds, it exploded to a blast. The glass wall retreated into the ground, opening the path.

"Let's go after Wetmore," Chris bit his lower lip with anger,

"Let's end this,"

They agreed to split up, proceeding to a wide open space, with white interrelated walls. This one was a laboratory as well, with more counters and less specialized. Wetmore stood in distance, grinning scornfully.

"Your feeble attempts won't get you anywhere Chris," Robert smiled.

"We'll see about that. Now surrender yourself!" Chris demanded aggressively.

Wetmore did not move a single inch.

Chris played it safe, awaiting a kind of trap. He fixed his Beretta on Wetmore's skull. The BSAA agents were not allowed to just go out there and shoot anyone for no real reason, unless the hostages displayed outright hostile behavior.

Wetmore laughed with a deep husky voice.

A blast shattered into the atmosphere. He was fairly certain it was a flash grenade. Before his retina momentarily lost its function, Chris fought he saw a ghastly feminine figure pass by. Jessica for sure. He dragged himself desperately, coughing, looking for Wetmore.

This didn't go unnoticed. Jill was biding her time, until she saw her running toward an exit. Without a silver of hesitation, she delivered a hard reverse roundhouse to Jessica's abdomen. She grimaced in pain, taken aback.

"I expected more," Jill said derisively, suddenly becoming aware how much she resembled Wesker at that moment.

Jessica stepped back, aiming a pistol at Jill, who had done the same seconds ago.

"Jill," she laughed mockingly, "Oh you and Chris look so romantic together, but do you think it'll last?" the corner of her lips stretched to a sly scornful smile.

"Stop playing around, drop your weapon!" Jill's finger tightened around the trigger. If Jill had to kill someone, she would do it in cold blood.

"Do you really think you're a match for me, Valentine?" Jessica laughed contemptuously.

This was taking too long and Jill was becoming impatient. Jill moved to her left in a rapid meticulous movement, twisting her forearm, she tossed the pistol away. Jessica resisted, giving her a hard punch on the cheek. Her cheek bruised and purple, Jill spun on her heels, throwing an effortless kick to her stomach. Jessica staggered, but quickly gained her balance. The two delivered a number of fine blows to each other in a row.

Then Jill gave her head a swift powerful hit with the back of her gun, instantly making her unconscious. Not throwing caution to the wind, Jill handcuffed Jessica immediately to flatter her.

Then she saw someone's shadow coming towards her.

"Chris," Jill said breathing, relieved, "Where's Wetmore?"

"Buried in hell. That son of a bitch wouldn't give in. I had to put him down."

"I see,"

"Jill, take a look at this," Chris pulled out a vial, full of a grey liquid, "I found it along Wetmore's possessions,"

"A sample?"

"Yeah, we have to report on this ASAP,"

They soon contacted the headquarters, and BSAA special operations unit headed to their location, arresting Jessica and investigating the laboratory. Chris handed them the sample he had found for further analysis.

"Can we call it closure?" Jill inquired.

"I hope so," Chris said with slight exultation as they walked towards the chopper.


A/N: Now the answer to your magnificent reviews.

Dear max. hdavie. Lma:

Thanks a billion guys. I hope you enjoyed this chapter too. I wish you the best of luck for the Olympics volleyball. Focus on your training!

Dear valenfield xsis:

Thank you for the review! Jade can be a fifth wheel at times, but maybe she's necessary?

Dear LTP ROMI:

This one is longer, yay!

Dear guest:

Thank you, now it's better cause I edited it;)

Dear wolverine23:

It's a great weapon for sure. This scene had to come eventually!

Dear abcacb1221:

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS, FINALLY! Just kidding!

Dear wilburforcemoney:

Yes! I was getting bored with them! They had to do it at some point:)