Chapter 7 The Man In The Chopper

The convoy made a quick stop at the gas station to do some business. Claire is helping Carlos fill the tanker with gas. Kmart went to the media van to have a little chat with Mikey and she was glad that he's not busy.

"Hey, Mikey." Kmart greeted.

"Hey yourself. What brought you here?"

"Well, I'm just looking for someone to talk to."

"Depressed?" Mikey handed Kmart a bottle of water.

"Thanks. Well, not really."
"Is it because of what happened yesterday?"

"Yeah. And because left, too."

"It must be hard for you and Claire. But you know what? I really admire Claire for being so tough despite of everything." Mikey smiled at Kmart.

Kmart has to agree with what Mikey said. "Yes, but she bursted out last night. She's tired of being on a run every day, losing hope to survive and losing her friends."

"What about you? Are you tired of everything, too?" Kmart looked at Mikey first then nodded.

"Yes. I'm tired of everything already. But I can't give up. I need to be strong….for Claire." Mikey just nodded and then they fell silent.

Claire and Carlos finished filling the tanker with gas, the thing that usually Carlos and Chase shared together. They are now wiping their hands with rag.

"I guess, I'll miss doing this with Chase." Carlos said but regretted it when Claire shot him a dark look. "Sorry about that, Claire."

Claire continued wiping off her hands. "I guess you have to do this alone from now on." Claire's tone was icy. Carlos put his hand on Claire's shoulder.

"You don't have to keep the burden inside, Claire. Just let it go." Claire shoved Carlos' hand on her shoulder and looked at him blankly.

"Don't tell me what to do. Just mind your own business." Carlos just nodded.

"Okay, if ever you need a friend or someone to talk to, I'm just here, always." Then Carlos walked away. Claire knew she hurt Carlos a lot. The man was just trying to comfort her, she just don't like someone telling her what to do, especially in this kind of situation. She wants to deal with her emotions, alone.

After doing some businesses, the convoy continued to drive and head off for a camp. Claire silently drove the Hummer, while Kmart kept looking at her. It's as if she wants to say something and dig Claire to say what's on her mind, too.

"What is it Kmart?" Claire caught Kmart looking at her. "Do you need something?"

"Claire, are you okay? The truth."
"Of course I am. Why did you ask?"

"Claire, I know you too well. You can't hide anything from me. I just want you to let everything go." Claire glanced at her quickly then focused herself on the road again. The drive was a little bumpy.

"It's not the good time to talk about this, K."

"But Claire…"

"I had enough last night, K, so please stop bringing that subject." Kmart didn't argue with Claire anymore. Once the leader made a decision, it will not be broken anymore.

It's almost dawn when the convoy stopped for a camp. Carlos is setting up the perimeter. Claire is putting up a tent and helping everyone. And Kmart is busy cooking with Otto.

"Kmart can you please wash these plate over there?"

"Oh sure, Otto." Kmart got the plates from Otto and headed off near outside the perimeter.

"Sir, we're almost there." The soldier reported.

"Once you've seen Project Alice, capture her with all your might." The young man ordered.

"But sir, what if we can't handle her?"

"Do the thing that you think she couldn't resist. Kill her friends or kidnap them. But I prefer you kidnap them. Loyalty is her weakness."

Alice made a camp not far from the convoy's pot. Yes, she left them, but she didn't leave them entirely. She's been watching them from afar. And she saw everything that happened earlier, the quick stop at the gas station, and Claire's little argument with Carlos. She's really drawn to them that she couldn't leave them after all.

A moment after, Alice heard a sound, sound of a chopper. And that means trouble. Well who else in this fucking world would a fly a chopper aside from Umbrella? Without a second thought, Alice ran towards the convoy's spot if ever they need help.

Everyone is alerted by the sound of the chopper especially Claire and Carlos. They are all looking above seeing at least less than ten choppers.

"Damn it. What's that?" Carlos asked.

"Trouble. Prepare yourself for a fight."

Kmart is standing and trembling with nervousness. She wanted to scream so Claire could hear her, but no voice came out of her throat. Then someone grabbed her from the back. It is one of the soldier.

"Don't move, or I will kill you. Where is Project Alice?"

"I-I don't know. She's gone. She left early this morning." Kmart is trembling with fear.

"In that case I have to get you." The soldier dragged Kmart in the chopper.

"Aaaaahhhh! Claire!" Kmart screamed as loud as she can.

Claire was alerted by Kmart's scream. "Damn it! Kmart! Where are you?"

"Claire!" Carlos shouted and pointed at the chopper. They saw Kmart in it, crying. Claire fired her gun as the chopper got higher.

"Kmart!" Claire is now running and firing at the same time. Before the chopper flew away, Claire caught sight of the young blonde man beside Kmart. It felt like she knew him at all.

Alice didn't make it on time. When she reached where Claire is, the chopper already flew away. Carlos and the others aside from Claire turned their heads at her. Claire is screaming Kmart's name and now starting to freak out, she couldn't help Kmart. She couldn't help the closest thing she has now from those armed men. And it made her feel like she wanted to shoot her head right now. Just like in her dream, she couldn't do anything about the situation. Yes, her dream, it came true.

Claire is now trembling when someone patted her shoulder. She didn't dare look who it was, but she felt the familiar touch. She's back. Alice is back. But why now? Why didn't she come early? Claire shoved Alice's hand, not looking at her.

"Don't touch me."

"Claire…"Alice called softly.

"Stay away from me!" Claire is now facing Alice, and the latter almost hit the ground.

"Claire, clam down please." Alice is holding Claire; she's trying to calm her down.

"Don't tell what to do! You don't know how it feels! You don't know the feeling of being left alone always!" Claire shouted at Alice, holding back her tears. Alice was struck hard by what Claire told her. It's not true that she doesn't know the feeling of being left alone. Ever since this thing happened, she was always alone. And that means, her friends were dying around her. Lots of them. Alice shot Claire a dark look. Claire felt the sharpness of Alice's stare piercing her deep down to her spine. And this is the first time she had seen her that way.

"Can you just calm down and clear that fucking head of yours?" Alice is now shouting at Claire, too. Carlos, Mikey and Otto are just right behind them, watching and feeling the tension between the two.

"Why did you come back? Why did you leave us?" Claire finally broke down. Alice caught her before Claire hit the ground and held her in her arms.

"I didn't leave you. I was just right behind you, following you." Alice said softly. Claire sobbed into Alice's shoulder who is stroking her red hair.

"Now it's not the right time to weep. We still have Kmart to save." Alice smiled weakly.

It's almost dawn and Claire is still not the usual Claire. Mikey is tracking where the chopper headed and was glad that he's not losing signals. Alice is with him, staying tuned in the news.

"They landed north." Mikey reported. Alice peered up her head, finding only red spot in the monitor. Well, Mikey has a lot of explaining to do.

"It's about five hundred kilometers from here."

"Do you think we can get through there in no time?"

"If we are fully loaded and no more stop over, I can say yes. Wait is there a laboratory out there?'

"I'm not sure." Alice said, trying to remember the laboratories of Umbrella.

"I just don't get it."

"Why?"

"They're so easy to track, as if they really want us to track them."

"It's easy, it's because they're after me." Mikey looked at Alice who is still looking at the screen and fell silent.

"I have to tell Claire about this." Mikey just nodded and Alice got off the media van to find Claire.

Alice found Claire sitting on the rock, staring at the fire. By the looks of her, she could tell that Claire is still not in her usual self right now. How she wished she could ease the pain that Claire is feeling now. Well, it's not only Claire who is in pain, she also. Alice has been depressed from what happened to Kmart. She loved the little girl dearly, as if she's her little sister. But she can't act like Claire now. She couldn't. She wanted to break down but she couldn't. Nothing will happen if she let depression consume her. She has to fight and she has to be strong…for Claire and Kmart.

"Claire, I've got news for you." Claire looked up at Alice. "We've located where the chopper landed." Claire's face lit up upon the news.

"Really? Where?"

"They landed north. And it's five hundred kilometers away from here."

"Let's go there now, Alice."

"No. Let's get some rest first. Especially you, you need some rest."

"I can't rest now. Kmart is with them. They might do something to her."

"No, they won't. It's me they want. Kmart was just a trap for, I or me to go there. And I assure, I will save Kmart no matter what." Alice promised Claire.

"We, Alice. We will save Kmart. I won't let you go there alone."

"I can't risk your life there. It's too dangerous."

"Well, I can't risk your life either. I am the leaded of this convoy and I have duty to protect them. So, I will go no matter what." Alice couldn't argue with Claire anymore. The leader made her decision already.

The two sat in silence for awhile. Claire is staring at the fire, making strategies in her mind on how they are going to save Kmart. She couldn't imagine that all the things she did to protect Kmart has gone for nothing. She wanted to blame herself from what happened and for not keeping an eye on her. And there's a part of her that wanted to blame Alice for leaving then and not coming back right on time. Crap, but she doesn't have to do with this. It wasn't her fault that Kmart was captured. It wasn't her fault that she bonded with T-virus resulting of her being strong and super human. And it wasn't her fault that Umbrella is after her, after all her life is in danger, too. Alice noticed Claire shifting eyes to the fire and to her. She thought of humoring Claire even for once.

"What are you staring at? Don't tell me you have a crush on me." Alice smirked.

"What?" Claire parted her lips to say more but shut it instead. She remembers that familiar smirk on Alice's face making her think that the blonde is humoring her. She decided to get along with Alice's joke.

"Truth is, you're the one who has a crush on me." Claire smirked, too.

"Oh come on, you're not even my type redhead."

"You're not my type either, blondie." They stared for a moment then chuckled. They both felt light about the conversation. At least Claire didn't punch Alice. Alice held Claire's hand that made the latter looked at her and frowned. Alice's hand felt rough and soft at the same time against hers.

"What? Are you going to propose to me now?" a smirk is still on Claire's lips.

"No. Not now." Alice smirked, too. "Seriously I want to say sorry for not keeping my promise of not leaving you." Claire withdrew her hand as her smile faded.

"You should be." Then fell silent.

"Why? Why did you do it?" Claire asked suddenly out of the blue.

"I was afraid of putting you all in danger."

"We're always in danger, Alice."

"No. It's not like that. I was afraid that I might kill you. Remember the day we went for scavenging? Umbrella was trying to control me just like what they did to me before I killed Angie." Alice bowed down her head upon saying Angie's name. Claire felt a little flicker of pity in her heart towards Alice. She hadn't move on after all. Well, it's not that reallsy easy.

"You can fight it. The thing they're trying to do to you. I know you can."

"I was just so stupid that I decided to leave you. Maybe if I didn't do it, the incident would've been prevented and maybe Kmart would've not been captured…"

"And you're the one who had been captured? Do you think I can bear that? Alice, you are my friend, I can't let you die in their hands."

"Wow, thank you for the concern."

"Okay, enough of this conversation. So, will you propose to me now?" Claire joked again. Alice got along with Claire's joke.

"Can I take your hand so we can sleep now?" Alice smiled.

"Sure." Then the two walked back to the Hummer.

AN: the next chapter will probably be the ending ) reviews please