Chapter 8 Sweet Goodbye

The group woke up early that morning to strategize their plans on how they are going to save Kmart. They set up and planned things carefully. Alice was driving the Hummer while Claire sat beside her silently. It felt so empty without Kmart in the Hummer and Claire missed her badly. No one's babbling around now. Claire's mind is racing with thoughts. What if they can't save Kmart? What if Alice does something that she couldn't take? What if their plans fail? She shook her head from those thoughts.

"What are you thinking, Claire?"

"Nothing."

Now it's Alice whose mind is racing with thoughts. She focused herself in driving as she started to pray. For the first time in Alice's life since the apocalypse happened, she prayed, but not for herself. It's for Kmart's and everybody else's safety. If she has to die for them to save Kmart, she will gladly welcome it. After all, she found her life nor meaningful anymore. She was interrupted when Claire put her hand against hers.

"We can do this, Alice."

"Yeah. I know, but Claire…if everything else fails, save your life and Kmart."

"Don't tell me you're planning on switching yourself for Kmart?"

"If there's no more options left, then yes."

"No Alice. The three of us will get out of there. No one has to die and no one has to be left."

It isn't really a laboratory; it is just an ordinary storage building of Umbrella for their materials. Used to be actually, but now it's empty except for the few things that the group of the young blonde man is using. The building is surrounded by the infected downstairs. Good thing, it is barricaded. The young blonde man is sitting on a crate waiting for Kmart to wake up. He has this beetle device thing on his chest, so the Umbrella can control him. Kmart woke up after a while. The only thing she saw is the man sitting on a crate who is looking at her.

"Let me go!" Kmart struggled trying to break free from being tied up.

"I'll let you go, but not now. Not until I get Project Alice." The young blonde man said evilly.

"What do you want from her?"

"That's none of your business little brat." Kmart fell silent. She's losing energy because of hunger. She didn't eat anything since last night. The young blonde man heard Kmart's grumble.

"Here. You eat this." The man handed Kmart a bread. The teen shot him a dark look.

"You want me to eat that? How do you think I can eat that when my hands are tied up?" Kmart said sarcastically. The man rolled his eyes and feed Kmart.

"Fuck."

"I guess you're not that bad after all."

Alice and Claire arrived in front of the building. They got rid of some infected by hitting them with the Hummer.

"Are you sure about this, Claire?" Alice looked at Claire.

"Of course. Let's go." Alice stopped Claire from going out of the Hummer.

"What is it now, Alice?" Claire frowned.

"Like what I told you earlier, if everything else fails, you save Kmart and your life." Claire sighed.

"If you promise you'll do the same thing."

The two got off the Hummer and headed inside the building. They were surprised upon seeing nothing, but still their guns are aiming for "something."

"Are you sure we came to the right place?" Claire asked.

"This was the location Mikey said to me."

Then they heard lots of footsteps, positioning. The two looked at each other and ran through the entryway of the building leading to another room. Lots of soldier are positioned in the room and are protected by their shields.

"Stay back or we will shoot." One of the soldiers said. Alice smirked.

"Really?" Alice's pupil then dilated. She's trying to use her psychic power to get rid of these armed men in front before they do something else. Then all of them floated in the air like some force is doing this to them. Then they hit the wall and fell back on the ground, unconscious. But there's this one on the second floor, hiding and aiming his rifle at Alice's head.

"Alice!" Claire saw him and without a second thought, she shot the man leaving him dead. "Be careful Alice, they are after you and they want you dead."

"I know. Let's go and find Kmart now." The two searched room to room until they got to the second floor. They heard a girl's soft cry. It must be Kmart, they thought. They went to a room and saw the young blonde man holding Kmart as his hostage.

"Claire! Alice!" Kmart screamed.

Claire upon seeing the young blonde man lowered her gun and face softened. Flash of memories of her and her lover Leon before came across her mind. Her first meeting with Leon through his brother Chris. Her first date with him. Their first kiss. First love making. Both of them lying on the bed, hugging each other. Leon comforting her because her brother Chris left her for his job. The outbreak. Leon losing his family and got depressed of it. Both of them trying to survive from this shit. Leon breaking down. Claire leaving him because he refused to move on and be left alone.

Tears fell from Claire's face as she remembered those memories she shared with him. All this time she thought he was dead. And she never imagined that he will be a man of Umbrella.

"Leon?" Alice and Kmart looked at Kmart and saw her tears.

"You know him?" Alice asked.

"He was….my friend."

"Drop your guns!" Leon ordered the two.

Claire wanted to ask him why all of the sudden he's working for Umbrella. She wanted to hug him and kiss him but dared not to. Now isn't the right time to break down and be soft hearted. He is her enemy, her and Alice's enemy. And she has to save Kmart, her little sister from him. She has to fight and she needs to be strong, so she wiped off her tears.

"Leon. Don't you remember me? It's me. Claire."

"I don't give a damn I don't even know you." Leon hissed at Claire who was struck hard by what he told her. "Now if you want to save this little brat, you have to give me project Alice."

"Let the girl go, I'll go with you." Alice said.

"No Alice. We will get out of here no matter what, even if it means killing this guy." Claire said and moved a little step forward. Leon pointed his gun at Kmart's head whose eyes closed down suddenly upon feeling the gun at her head.

"Stop it Leon! Let my sister go!" Claire is now shouting at the man in front of her. Leon shifted his eyes to Alice then to Claire and pointed his gun at the latter.

"Shut up, bitch!" Leon shouted. Alice took a little step forward but she can feel something is trying to stop her.

"Don't go near me. Umbrella is trying to shut you down, Project Alice." Alice couldn't move now. Her feet and hands are stuck.

"I can't move."

"You have to fight it, Alice. You promised me."

And now it's time for some action, Claire thought. She has to save Kmart and Alice from Leon. And she hast to save Leon from whatever Umbrella is trying to do to him. And then what? They can be together again? Claire refused her last thought and pointed her gun at Leon.

"You're so brave redhead." Then a sound of a gun can be heard around the building. Claire shot Leon at his chest hitting the device on it. Leon is now lying on the ground, unconscious but no blood dripping. Kmart dropped to her knees. She couldn't stand up because her feet and hands are still tied up. Claire loosens the knots of it and now Kmart is free. She hugged Kmart tightly like nothing could break them apart.

"Claire" Kmart sobbed into Claire's arms.

"Hush up now. We still have to help Alice."

Alice is trying to fight her condition that made her head throbbed. Claire ran to her and held her hands.

"Alice, you have to fight that condition."

"I'm trying, Claire but I can't move. I'm stuck." Then Alice's pupil dilated again that made Claire back away. Then it's back to normal again, her eyes are bright blue as the sky. Alice breathed heavily and dropped to her knees, but Claire caught her before she finally hit the ground. Claire helped Alice to stand up.

The three of them are now looking at the unconscious Leon on the ground.

"What's that thing on his chest?" Claire asked Alice, hoping that she has answer to it.

"It's a controlling device made by Umbrella. Once you got it, Umbrella can control you. And worst, it will make you lose your memories."

"So, that's why he doesn't remember you, Claire." Kmart said who stood beside Claire. Claire is now looking at the device that is cracked into two when the bullet got through it.

"You told me he was your friend?" Alice asked.

"Yes he was. Way back then. Let's go now, others are waiting."

The three were about to leave the room when Claire turned her head and took one glance of Leon again, but was shocked when she saw him pointing his gun at Alice.

"Alice!" Claire rushed towards Alice and took the bullet for her. And then another one.

"Claire!" Alice and Kmart shouted in unison. Alice caught Claire and fired at Leon twice leaving him dead. Claire is now dripping with blood all over her body, her yes half open. Alice was shocked and don't know what to do while Kmart is freaking out and crying so hard.

"Alice….." Claire called out.

"Don't say anything more, Claire. Keep your strength up. You have to fight." Alice is now starting to cry.

"You promised me. Save Kmart and your life before they come here."

"No Claire. We will save you, but you need to fight." Then they heard voices yelling and shouting, ordering everybody to evacuate the room. Then an explosion.

"Go now." Claire softly ordered the two.

"We can't leave you." Alice started to carry Claire but the latter stopped her.

"Leave me with him, please." Then another explosion. Alice nodded from Claire's request and grabbed Kmart's hand.

"No Alice." Kmart begged as she cried hard. Then another explosion.

"Let's go." Alice dragged Kmart out of the room and ran faster to go out of the building.

"Be strong Kmart." Claire whispered to herself, then eyes closed and hands dropped. Claire is dead.

Alice and Kmart got out of the building before it exploded. But the infected are now approaching ready to attack and eat them. Alice fired at them so they can get in the Hummer, but Alice couldn't start the truck and Kmart is still crying.

They are both looking at the building as it continue to explode and shattered into pieces.

Kmart was helpless. She thinks she couldn't continue her life without her big sister now. She's asking God why this is happening. Why all of the people in the world, Claire died. She has been a good friend and sister to her and to the others. Maybe if she had been more careful, she wouldn't be captured by those bastards and Claire has no one to save after all and they will continue their lives in the desert. Tears rolled down her cheeks as her memories of Claire flashed in her mind. Claire saving her in the K-mart. Claire taking care of her when she was sick. Their catfights, happy moments. The chaos they were in. and everything especially the last thing Claire did for her, when Claire saved her in the cave.

On the other hand, Alice is still staring at the building. She doesn't know what to do. She wanted to scream for Claire. She couldn't bear it. She couldn't take it. And most of all, she wanted to take revenge on behalf of Claire. If it wasn't because of her, maybe Claire is still alive. She wanted to break down but dared not to. She has to be strong for Kmart. After all, the girl needs her right now. Claire died for her and now she has to save Kmart like what she promised to Claire. Alice started the engine as her mind composed an explanation. Yes, she needs to explain to everybody especially to Carlos why Claire died.

"We can do this, Kmart." and they headed off.

THE END

At first, I want all of them to be alive till the end, but I still ended up killing someone who happens to be Claire haha