The plan was simple, or that's what Wesker said. They couldn't arrive to the office together and because Chris didn't have his car, they would either have to call him a cab or Chris would have to walk. And the last one wasn't an alternative to Chris: he made that clear to his captain while he ate the breakfast which he had insisted to have before even considering to leave the apartment. So after the breakfast – almost an hour too late for work because of the shower and breakfast – they left the apartment but for some reason, Chris was still not happy. Actually, he was angry for a good reason.

"What? I have to take all the blame on me?" Chris yelled, obviously annoyed when Wesker told him his plan - completely, "So you can be late but I can't and then you order me to your office and..."

"Get in and shut up. We have a deal, Christopher," the blond man replied, smirking, only annoying the younger man further, and got in the elevator. Chris's cab was already waiting before the apartment building.

"Like hell I will," Chris growled and stood still, not entrying the elevator, "This is just unfair! You're just as much late as I am."

"But I'm your captain and I have a proper excuse," the man stated, still smirking aslike Chris' reaction only amused him, and stood in the elevator, leaning slightly on the doorway, "I'll need to collect some documents from the RPD before I drive to the S.T.A.R.S office. You don't have anything to say for your defence... and this isn't the first time that you're late.."

"Oh shut up, will you?" Damn Chris hated the man sometimes, especially in occasions like this one. Why it always had to be him? Okay, he knew, but still...

The man tilted his head to the side matter-of-factly and Chris sighed, giving in because he knew he had no other choice than play Wesker's rules once again. He stepped in, saying: "Okay but you gotta promise me that next time you better have a better plan than this. Or at least a plan in which I win and not always you." He didn't stop glaring at the his captain but the last sentence he said almost playfully.

"No promises," Wesker chuckled, maintaining the eye contact through his black shades and pressed the button and selected the right floor, "And I think my plans are always good."

"Yeah, right," Chris replied a hint of sarcasm in his voice but smiling slightly, making the older man raise his eyebrow suspectfully, "I'm still not sure if I should be happy or afraid of what you have planned.. for later." Chris stated coyly.

"You'll see," The man next to him smirked and something in the man's voice got Chris on his guard, but too late. Suddenly, out of the blue, his captain took a grip from his hand and spinned him around, colliding his face against the wall of the moving elevator.

He grunted and moaned in the strong police grip which he very well knew from his own training and using. He was totally under Wesker's mercy again, he had already lost count how many times that had happened in the past couple of days.

Wesker chuckled right behind him, leaning closer to whisper to his ear: "Something like this, perhaps. Too bad we don't have more time for playing..." his voice was full of suggestivity and got cold shivers run down Chris's spine. "If you hadn't attacked me in the shower, we would..." he mumbled back, the hand against his back making his voice slightly painful. But as fast as he had been pushed against the wall, he was let go.

The elevator soon opened its doors and they walked out like nothing had happened, not saying a word or even looking suspectful - Chris' face was perhaps a bit red but he remained his cool like a good officer should. The neighbours coming in the elevator gave them a questioning look (two special unit officers in their apartment building seemed to worry them) but they seemed to know Wesker and nodded him a greeting politely, just like anyone would.

Outside of the apartment building, Chris would have loved to comment the act in the elevator finally when no one was there to hear him, but his incoming words were blocked with Wesker's quick statement.

"I'll see you in the office.. later," were the last words Chris heard from Wesker and was with those words forced to get in to the waiting cab. Chris only nodded and would have liked to say the same but the cab already drove away, leaving his smirking captain behind. Somehow, even though no words were exchanged, Chris knew that he didn't really need to ask what the man had meant with his moves and "something like this" statement. Seriously, he had a hard time to block his imaginations...

-XXX-

"Good that you came... at last. I've been trying to call you," Joseph said immediately when Chris had opened the outdoor and stepped in. Obviously the man had been waiting for him to arrive. What could be that important?

"Oh, sorry that I'm late and for not answering. What is it?" he began, giving his teammate a questioning look as he closed the door behind him, "Is it about the case?"

"Yes and no. I think that it is, the granny just didn't want to tell me how," Joseph answered, stepping out of the way that Chris didn't need to stay between him and the door, "She asked for you and the captain. Did he tell you where he is? Seriously, how can both of you be late?" The question wasn't really a question, but Chris really needed all his willpower to keep his poker face that he wouldn't have smirked for the answers that he could have given to his friend.

"He told me last night that he needs to collect some kind of documents from the R.P.D. And who granny? What did she want from me?" Chris asked and Joseph sighed, looking worried. And stressed.

"She didn't even tell me her name," he began, "She told me that she had seen you two in the apartment building yesterday and wanted to know who you two were. I told her that she had nothing to be worried about, everything is okay, remain her calm etc. But she insisted to know your names 'cos she wanted to talk with you, personally. And.. yeah, she got very upset that I couldn't give your address, Chris, only Wesker's," Joseph sighed again and according to his face, he hadn't liked the woman.

"Okay, so.. she didn't tell anything more? Is she related to one of the victims? Or something? A neighbour?" Chris wondered and Joseph shook his head.

"No, not really," Joseph replied, "She just... she was very determined to meet you. As like she didn't have anything else in her mind. Obsessed, that could be the word."

"Strange, that's what I'd say," Chris leaned against the wall and watched deeper in the office where Jill, Brad and Barry tried to fight with their reports, "How did she look like? I don't remember talking with old ladies like that..."

"She had... well, she looked like a normal grandma, ya know, greyish hair, old-fashioned clothing, short..." he stopped for a second to think again,"Really, all that I remember well about her is that she had a HUGE handbag, seriously huge, and it was black, and she had an enormous scarf wrapped around her neck. She must had spent many hours knitting that."

Chris didn't answer at first anything to that, he already remembered the woman from the elevator. He had noted out the same as Joseph, a huge handbag and the scarf. But what did she have to do with the case?

"I can bet on that," he mumbled, thinking the woman, "I remember her but I don't see any reason for why she would like to meet me or the captain. We didn't talk, we were in the same elevator when we leaving the building but nothing more."

"Perhaps she remembered something later and now wanted to talk?" Joseph wondered aloud, but neither of them were convinced. She could have talked to anyone in the office. Why him and Wesker?

"Okay well, did you have anything else to tell me?" He still didn't get the image of the old woman out of his head but he felt like changing the subject. Joseph didn't seem to mind at all.

"Actually, that was the most important piece of news but I also have something else. I have already discussed about this with others but I can as well as tell it to you too." Joseph took a better position against the wall as well, the opposite wall from Chris, and began talking when he noticed that he had Chris' full attention. He didn't look at Chris' curious eyes as he talked:

"As you know, I was yesterday meeting the pathologist with Barry. She actually found something from the bodies: a drug. She couldn't tell us yet what it was but now we know how it effected on the victims," Joseph raised his gaze from the floor at Chris' eyes, "The drug didn't kill them, it stunned the victim; made him unable to scream for help or escape. Then the murderer just did whatever he/she wanted to the defenceless victim. Let me guess: the neighbours hadn't heard anything in the apartment building in which you yesterday went to investigate?," Chris nodded and encouraged Joseph to go on. The image of the old woman was already been replaced with the image of the dead young man that had been sliced and stabbed brutally when he had still remained consious. The image that perhaps never could fade away from his memory.

"Okay so, basically, the murderer can be anyone. The murderer didn't need much power to kill the victim, just the right moment to inject the drug – whatever it is – into the men. The pathologist said that it effected quickly and..." Joseph took a deep breath, " if the victim got an overdoze, he died for the lack of air. Brightfall didn't commit suicide, the drug and the weak bruises around his neck prove that. Whoever the murderer is, he/she had had to have a fight with that victim or been very busy. As you remember, he wasn't stabbed like the other two men."

"Did Jill and Brad find anything?" Chris asked, his voice tone lower than usually. It was always lower when he was sad or upset. Otherwise there were no other signs that the news made him feel like that.

"No, they didn't. That's kinda everything we know now." Joseph answered and added, "I'd liked to tell that to Wesker too but obviously he still hasn't arrived. If you ask me, collecting documents can't take over an hour."

"Yeah, perhaps he just got something to talk with Irons... maybe we should get back to work before he arrives, I still haven't even began writing my report from yesterday." Chris knew very well how that hour had passed but he had no intention to tell that to Joseph. Actually, now Chris had two reasons to wait for Wesker enthusiastically. The case and the sex.

They got back to work soon after their discussion, the woman wasn't mentioned even once anymore. Even though that she wasn't, Chris couldn't get her out of his head, there was something wrong with her but he couldn't find out what. His report didn't work out well, they never did, but now when his thoughts wandered, it didn't work out at all. The minutes passed, an another hour passed and the lunch time got nearer as well. Every second made him feel more and more awkward, as like his chair was made of needles. Something kept on bothering him, something in the woman. Something in the whole case. What was the connection between all the victims? What was the motive? They didn't know, they had many quesses but no real leads. What did the woman want from him and Wesker?

Where was Wesker?

A lot questions and no answers. Wesker seriously should have got back by now, Chris knew it. Barry told him to stop worrying about the captain and concertrate on the report but Chris simply couldn't.

Wesker was just talking with Irons longer than usually. Nothing more.

No, collecting documents, or even talking with Irons, couldn't take this long. It could, but not today. Chris thought and glared at the papers in front of him. Wesker wouldn't waste time today, no matter what Irons had there to tell him. Chris just knew the man had planned their "deal" longer than just this morning. It was obvious that his captain wanted him in the office, he had said it last night at the parking lot. Why did he waste his time when he now would have him?

...Or was this just a part of the game? Keep him waiting and come later? It could but... just strange. Wesker had already what he wanted. Why wait longer? Just strange. And frustrating.

"I'll take a longer lunchbreak than usual now when Wesker isn't here. If Wesker comes back, tell him that stop being late." Chris said to other members and everyone just nodded, smiling slightly even though they should stop him. It wasn't the first time that he had done this "longer break"...

But this time he didn't take longer lunchbreak for a cup of coffee. He jumped in his car and drove to Wesker's apartment, at the same time calling the man. Wesker didn't answer. He called again in the traffic lights: no answer. He couldn't reach Wesker's telephone. And he was getting more and more worried. He wasn't sure why he reacted like this but... he had to check that this all was just his imagination. The woman and the picture of the dead Matthew Brown bothered him out of his mind. What was the connection? Was there any connection?

He almost ran up the stairs, he didn't wait for the elevator. Something was wrong, perhaps it could have been wiser to go to R.P.D but... the woman had Wesker's address. He had no hard proof against the woman, but it was better to be safe than sorry. And if Wesker wasn't there and the woman was just a normal, slightly weird, grandma, he could talk with her. Perhaps the woman just didn't trust on the other members and that's why wanted to talk with him and Wesker? It was one good explanation, but... he couldn't take the risk that the woman was the murderer and Wesker was about to be her newest victim. Yes, it was better to overreact now than be sorry later. Even though he felt awfully ridiculous.

Chris knocked the door faster than he had planned when he finally reached it. The wooden door wasn't opened. He knocked again and no answer. Is it a good thing or a bad? He wondered and knocked again. No answer.

He sighed and turned around, giving in. Perhaps there wasn't anything to be worried about. Why would Wesker come back to the apartment in the first place? He had overreacted, no doubt about that. At least now he knew that Wesker wasn't here. But what about the woman?

He took a couple of steps to the elevator, his hands in his pockets, feeling himself more and more ridiculous. He had pushed his thoughts too far and this was the result. Perhaps Wesker was right, he should sit back and think before acting more often. Damn he hated it when Wesker was right. But well, at least he was right and alive.

"I knew you would come, sooner or later," Chris heard a weak voice behind him and before he had time to react or say anything, the needle went thought his skin and the drug spread into his veins. His whole world went slower at the very moment and the yelp that escaped from his mouth wasn't more than just a whine at the end.

He staggered away from his attacker but couldn't get further than just another couple of steps, falling on the floor when his legs went numb within seconds.

Fuck...

He cursed in his mind, unable to do it anymore aloud. He had his face against the dirty corridor carpet but soon the woman turned him around and he was able to establish an eye contact with the crazy old woman. Not like he needed to look at the woman's eyes to know that she was a total maniac.

"Don't worry, darling," she said tauntingly, her other hand in her black handbag, looking for something, "It won't hurt..."

She draw the knife out of the bag and smirked, "...yet."