Vice knows about me but, as of right now, he isn't telling. I can't trust his silence for long. I've got to get to the bottom of his conspiracy and end it. Then, and only then can I take Red's life and free Insane City. But now there's a new problem. I've been brought to another prison and sitting inside one of those boxes is none other than Jill Valentine, a CIA agent thought dead.

Status Report 11: Jill

The lifeless smile on Jill's face was short lived as Chris gave her his cold greeting. "It's not like I wanted to see you, either. Why are you here?" I can see the way her eyes travel over him. She's looking for some kind of weapon. Was this the day he'd finally kill her, she's thinking. I step forward, letting the light shower me into existence.

"We want to know what the CIA has on 3." If she recognizes me, she doesn't register it. It's a little unsettling to have her blankly stare at me despite us having met before. Professional training, I remind myself, but I can't help but be a little hurt that my idol doesn't have an ounce of recollection on her face. Instead, all she gives me is a quick up and down before turning her attention back to Red.

"Your new toy, Chris?"

"Just tell us what we want to know and I'll leave you alone."

A humorless chuckle exits her lips. "What makes you think I'll tell you anything? I've told you once, I'll tell you again. I'd rather die than help you." Despite her small, boney stature, she sits straight and imposingly. No wonder she's the best CIA operative the agency has ever known. It doesn't seem to matter how down and out she is, she's still sitting strong and proudly with an iron force that is indestructible. This only makes Red growl, though.

"I can make your life hell, Jill."

"Good. I'm up for a challenge."

He clenches his fists, eyes glaring down at her. For the longest minute, they're both completely quiet. The buzzing hum of the red bulb is overly loud in their imposed silence. Standing awkwardly, I shift my weight between my feet, the pained muscles complaining as I do so. I bite back a whimper as the pain surges through me, sending through a small wave of…pleasure? God damn it, I don't need to think about this right now.

Finally, Chris breaks his code of silence. Thank God. "Maybe a couple days of starvation will do you good."

"It's not like you've been overly generous with food anyway. Starve me all you want. When you return, you'll have a corpse for a prisoner instead." She crosses her arms, looking at him defiantly. It's only then that I notice Red's restrain. He isn't lashing out, he isn't ramming the bars of the cell, he isn't yanking the fucking door open to drag her out by the hair and beat on her. He's actually holding back.

How deep was Jill's cover? I remember Claire talking about "more like a someone" who almost took her brother away from the darkness and death of Insane City. I hadn't considered it, but was she talking about Jill then? My insides squirmed as visions of the two danced in my head. Mentally, I shook it off. I did not need to see that. Not that I could help it. I'd been given more than an adequate preview of Chris' body naked. It wasn't a stretch to image Jill. She probably looks like every other drop-dead gorgeous woman does when she takes off her clothes. I've seen those kinds of woman in movies, where they seduce a man with her figure alone. Yah, I bet she looks like that. The two of them together, though. Just what would that look like? I can't image Chris being a gentle, tender lover-not after how he rough housed me- but maybe she's into that kind of stuff (or really good at pretending to be). But the thought of him drilling into her from behind, fist in her hair as he nails her, her lips parted and gasping.

I stop myself because a very uncomfortable feeling is rising in me. I think it might be anger.

Well, of course I'm angry. I don't like the idea of him using her. I squish down any opposition to that thought and submit to myself that I'm pissed because he was using her.

Anyway, that would explain why he's restraining. If he'd been in love at one point, it might be hard to render such harsh judgment upon her. Who would have guessed he's got a heart somewhere in the black, empty abyss he calls a soul.

After another long moment of complete-well, save the buzzing bulb-silence, I finally dare to speak. "Jill, there's no point in defending against this. Red's going to get that information one way or another and I know you don't want to be hurt more than you already have."

For the second time in this conversation, she turns a glare at me. It's not overly hostile. It's more annoyance with my butting in. "Don't pretend you know me or what I've gone through. I'm not some helpless woman who needs protecting, so back off, Romeo."

Harsh. Geez. "Jill, I know that. I can tell by looking at you. But an ex-CIA operative was killed because 3 found out about him and ratted him out to Red and Vice. This guy didn't stand a chance after he was discovered. Normally, that's not suspicious, but this guy was working on uncovering a massive conspiracy against Red and Insane City." I pause as she assesses my statements, checking me for lies and deception. Red turns his gaze towards me and I can feel it bearing into my side. He doesn't want me revealing too much to her. It's a little late for that.

Finally, Jill leans back a bit. "So 3 is probably involved with the conspiracy."

Turning his brooding glare back at the woman in the cell, he crosses his arms as he speaks. "Doubt it."

She shoots back, "3 worked to destroy the one person uncovering a conspiracy against you and you don't find that suspicious."

"If 3 was against me, it wouldn't have ratted you out."

That solves the mystery of Jill Valentine's disappearance. I step into their spat-one that's sounding more and more like a lovers quarrel much to my annoyance-not wanting it to escalate into another back and forth, "It doesn't mean 3 hasn't changed sides, Red. You're the most powerful person in Insane City and its surrounding territories. Maybe 3 decided it gained more by being against you."

He doesn't look the least bit convinced. There must be a history between the two, one that's formed bonds that are hard to break without evidence. I note that in the back of my mind and turn to Jill again, "I know you're not a fan of Red, but I'm guessing you're a good person and it'll kill you inside if you don't help us stop this conspiracy before the innocent people of this town are hurt."

The toughness, the stubbornness, the harshness, it all melts away and she just looks tired. "The CIA doesn't know who or what 3 is. I was surprised to be dragged into Chris' office accused of my connections to the CIA. I'd been careful, my data erased, my back story solid and yet he informed me 3 had discovered my true motives. It was the first time I heard that name."

"And because you've been in here, you haven't been able to report back about 3."

She gives a nod, "So to answer your question, no, the CIA has no knowledge of 3."

Chris gives a snort but doesn't say anything. He turns towards the stairs, "And the CIA is supposed to be the best there is." He walks to the steps, taking them without a word. He doesn't summon me to his side, he just disappears into the darkness on the stairs. There's a solid open and closing of the door and that's when I know we're alone. Giving a sigh, I look towards Jill again. She raises an eyebrow at me when I step closer, dropping down to balance on the balls of my feet.

"It's good to see you're still alive."

"I didn't think anyone was looking for me."

I scratch my neck absently, "Well, technically, I'm not. I just happened to stumble upon you, actually. I was sent here to take down Red. His influence around Insane City has increased greatly since Operation: Cohort and it's been ramping up even faster in recent years. But you know that."

"So you're on the same shitty mission I was on?" There's the slightest hint of humor in her voice.

Cracking a smile, I sit myself down cross legged, biting back a yelp as my very soar ass meets the cool cement. "So it would seem." This earns the smallest hint of a smirk from her. It seems genuine, though it looks odd on her thin, pale face.

"Well, a word of caution, if 3 figured me and this other CIA agent out, they'll figure you out too. It's only a matter of time."

My mind flashes to the files I've got tucked away in that telephone booth outside, stuffed under and between the panels so it's out of sight and mind of any wandering passer-bys. Henry's little warning: 3 and your next. A chill runs up my spine and it's not because it's cold in this prison. "I know. Henry, the CIA agent, warned me about that."

"This conspiracy," she says, leaning forward and dropping her voice, "Do you think 3 is undermining Red?"

"It wouldn't surprise me. It's just a little too covenant that Henry was uncovered when he'd been working under Red and Vice for 10 years. It feels planned, strategic. Like 3's been holding onto that information for a long time just waiting for the right moment to use it."

She gives a nod. "That's what I'm thinking too."

There's a beat of silence, comfortable since we're amongst friends. For the first fucking time since I've been here, I can take a breath without fearing it'll be my last. Jill's as pleasant as I remember her to be. A confident woman who isn't the stereotypical bitch. Seeing her alive is probably the greatest thing to happen to me today-or since I've arrived in this fucking city. It's probably the first ray of light for her too. She hasn't seen a fellow agent in such a long time, she was probably starting to really feel abandoned.

What it must be like to be trapped in a cell…

"So," she says, "Where have you gotten with Red? Does he trust you yet?"

Trust's probably a strong word. "He's warming up to me…" I realize how pathetic that sounds, "But I haven't been here for very long, so…" Now I sound even more pathetic. I decide to leave it at that. Just let it linger and die, Piers. Linger and die.

"Don't worry," she replies, that ghost of a smile appearing again, "It took him awhile to warm up to me too. He's tough to crack. This city has hardened him into a cold shell of a man. Underneath is nothing but ice, a heart beating somewhere inside that tomb."

And oddly poetic way to say someone's an asshole. "Thanks. I'll keep at it."

"Just…" There's concern there, something I've never imaged Jill Valentine would show to someone, "Just don't do anything rash." A little too late for that, I'm afraid. "This town is worth saving, I know it, but not if it means risking yourself to get it. Sometimes, in our line of work, we forget our lives have just as much value as the lives we're trying to protect." I give her a smile and she returns it in kind. Another beat of comfortable silence and she says, "You better go. He'll be curious as to why you stayed."

Nodding, I stand back up, every freaking muscle complaining as I do. I feel bad, leaving her to be alone yet again. "I'll do what I can to visit."

Jill raises a thin eyebrow at me, "Don't do stuff that'll get you caught. Red will wonder why you've taken an interest in me."

Smirking, I respond, "Then I'll make sure he doesn't catch me, and if he does, I'll just say it's for the same reason he took an interest in you." I'm not sure if she finds my heroism funny or annoying because her face stays painfully neutral, one eyebrow raised at me like I'm the biggest idiot in the world. "I'll do it at night when he's sound asleep."

"He is a heavy sleeper." Giving me a final smile, she gives a small motion towards the stairs. "Get going. If he asks, I'm the one that kept you. I was prying about this conspiracy of yours." Nodding my thanks, I head up the stairs. Away from Jill and away from the red cell, I push through the heavy door and back into the real world.

Almost instantly, I ram into Chris. He gives a small noise at the impact, but I feel like I've ran into a fucking brick wall. "Sorry, sir." I mumble, heart beating miles a minute. Why is he standing so close to the door?

"It's okay, Cole. You done talking?"

Shit. "Yes."

"What were you talking about?" He steps closer, pinning me against the door with his body. He reaches an arm up casually, resting it palm first against the door behind us. It's like those cheesy romance movie scenes where the guy gets all close to the flustered girl to ask her to the dance. Except this isn't a dance I'm willing to take.

"She wanted to know more about the conspiracy." Before he has the chance to say anything, I add, "I didn't tell her any more than I already told her." His brown eyes stare down at me, analyzing me. It's a long moment between us and my skin feels like it's on fire. Finally, breaking the silence, I ask, "What were you doing so close to the door?" Did that make me sound guilty? I hope not.

"I was going to head back down there and grab you. I hadn't realized you didn't follow me." It's as likely to be true as it is to be false. Had he overheard any of our conversation? Is that why he'd left me early, to see if Jill and I would talk. If he knows about my involvement with the CIA, he's certainly keeping a cool head about it. I haven't been dragged to his conference room and shot in the back of the head or locked away in a cell. He's just standing and staring, our bodies impossibly close together. It's creeping me out as much as it's exciting me.

"Well, I'm here now."

A very, very, very long pause and, "Right." He pushes himself back, creating a breathable distance again. Every nerve in my body relaxes. "Come on then. We've got work to do."

Don't tell me he's sending me on another mission. "Work, sir?"

It's then he gives me a grin that's one in a million. "We've got to stop this conspiracy, Cole. One way or another." He turns away, heading down the hall. I follow after, not sure what he's planning to do next.

A/N: Hello all! So it wasn't quiet two weeks, but close enough, right?

Thanks to those of you who reviewed! I love reading your comments and reactions! They truely make my day! And thanks to those who faved/followed myself and/or Under Fire.

Well, that's all I've got! See you next chapter!

Emil Lime