Notes:- Here be-eth another chapter! We're about halfway through the story now with three or four more chapters to go. I've also finished the first chapter of the sequel!
The Facility – Aftermath coming soon!
The Facility – Chapter Five
Chris opened the door and the first thing he saw was Krauser standing at the other end of the corridor seemingly waiting for the lift. Chris couldn't help but grin as he stepped into the corridor and closed the door silently behind him. Krauser had his back to the corridor so it would be easy for Chris to get the drop on him. Chris knew that the longer he hung around, the more likely Krauser was to turn round and discover his presence. The element of surprise would be his ally considering he had no weapons and Krauser was armed to the teeth. The best option would be to make use of his strength. He charged towards Krauser as quickly as he could. If he could rush the other man against the wall, he'd be able to disarm him easily. Chris saw the other man turn around and reach for one of the smaller knives strapped to his chest but, in a split second, Chris was in his face. He reached out to slam Krauser against the wall but the other man merely smirked. Chris saw a glint of shiny steel and then pain. Krauser had sunk the knife into his right shoulder. Chris reeled backwards and, with a deep breath, yanked the knife free from his shoulder discarding it on the floor as he used his left shoulder to barge Krauser up against the wall. Krauser had managed to draw his magnum but Chris grabbed his wrist and repeatedly banged it against the metal panelled wall as hard as he could. He squeezed Krauser's wrist as hard as he could and gave it one final hard whack against the wall. There was a dull crack and Krauser's hand immediately went slack, causing the magnum to clatter to the floor. Chris quickly kicked the weapon away and, ignoring the searing pain in his right shoulder, tried to force Krauser to the ground by pushing the struggling man into arm lock and digging his combat boot into the back of his knee. Krauser reached out and, as he fell, he managed to pull Chris down with him. Chris however, took advantage of the situation, managing to land with his weight on the other man. He dug his right knee into Krauser's upper left arm and wrenched upwards on his forearm. He heard a sickening snap, and felt Krauser wiggle free from his grasp. Krauser's boots connected with the side of his ribcage as he kicked out and Chris found himself hitting the opposite wall from the sheer force of the other man's kick. Chris could clearly see that he'd managed to break Krauser's arm to such a degree that there was bone sticking out of a nasty looking flesh wound. Krauser leapt to his feet quickly as Chris lay winded. A smirk crossed Krauser's features as he stood over Chris. His broken arm was beginning to tremble violently but there was no flicker of pain in his features. Chris panted heavily as he tried to suck air into his lungs. Krauser wasn't acting like a guy who'd just had his arm broken. He watched in horror as the trembling intensified until, with another sickening crack, a large bone emerged from Krauser's wound. Blood spurted across Chris' clothes and face as Krauser's fingers broke open and huge claws emerged, covered in blood and torn skin. The bone that emerged from Krauser's elbow was juddering as if something was trying to break free from within it. Chris decided he wasn't going to hang around and find out. He dived for the magnum, executing a perfect roll as Krauser lunged for him. Chris rolled into a crouch and fired off three shots quickly. Despite the situation, he couldn't help but smile as all three bullets penetrated Krauser's chest, dropping him to the floor. Chris waited for the other man's next move but it didn't come. He lay, prone on the floor as blood dribbled between the gaps of the flooring beating a grim tattoo on the pipes below. Chris got to his feet and, with his gun still raised, edged his way around Krauser's motionless body. He hit the call button for the lift and stood waiting for it, hand on his hip.
"That's how we roll in the BSAA" He gloated.
"Was your childhood hero Arnold Schwarzenegger by any chance"? A familiar voice asked as the lift doors opened with a customary ping. Chris wheeled round and saw Leon standing in the lift looking unimpressed. His eyes flickered over Krauser's body but he said nothing. Chris was so pleased to see his partner he could've hugged him but he didn't really think Leon would appreciate the contact. He settled instead for clapping him on the back, careful to avoid using his right shoulder.
"Look what I've got," He said with a cheesy grin, holding up Krauser's magnum with glee. It was then that he spotted the nightstick in Leon's hand. "Mine's better than yours," He added childishly. He didn't know if it was shock or blood loss but he was feeling giddy, almost hyper. Leon stepped out of the lift and looked at him levelly.
"Is all that blood his"? He asked, nodding at Chris' blood stained top.
"He stabbed me" Chris replied flippantly. "Was worth it to get this though" He held up the gun again. "Looks like a Lightning Hawk" He looked down at his right shoulder. "This hurts like a son of a bitch though"
"Can you carry on"? Leon's tone told him that it wasn't out of concern that he was asking. He was probably worried that the mission would be ruined and it would give him another reason to be all high and mighty. Well, Chris thought, no way was he going to let that happen.
"Course I can" Chris said. He wouldn't shrugged but it would've hurt. "Did you manage to find anything else apart from your stick"? He asked derisively.
"A couple of clips for a 9mm and a key card" Leon answered shortly ignoring Chris' teasing tone. "We should make our way back to the lab where we were captured. Now Krauser's out of the way we should be able to get the samples"
"I bet you're glad he's dead" Chris said as they headed up the corridor for the stairs. "He was a bastard to you"
"With a bit of luck we'll be able to retrieve our equipment" Leon continued as if Chris hadn't spoken. He drummed the nightstick in his palm as he spoke. "I'll get a call to Dennis…arrange a clean-up crew" He was speaking more to himself now and Chris knew that Krauser's sudden reappearance in his partner's life was bothering him.
They made their way down the stairs Chris had used and back into the lab. The room was deserted and their equipment was scattered across a command console that was close to the prison door. There was a red beret beside the console which Chris recognised as the one Krauser had been wearing. They strapped on their gear and made sure their weapons were reloaded. Chris made sure to holster the Lightning Hawk as well.
"You shouldn't take the enemies weapons," Leon said shortly, checking his own gun before holstering it. "Could be booby trapped"
"But it's cool" Chris whined. "Anyway, I doubt Krauser would be intelligent enough to do something like that" He lifted up his top and quickly taped a piece of gauze he'd dug out from his first aid kit over the stab wound.
"You don't know Krauser" Leon muttered. He pulled a USB stick out of the pocket of his combats and stuck it into the command console. Chris watched him tap away at the keyboard for a few moments before wandering around the room looking for something to do. He poked at the different coloured vials of liquid for a bit but it didn't entertain him for long. He turned his attentions to the water tank, which he'd been trying to investigate before they were rudely taken hostage by Krauser. He strolled over to the tank, which was still filled with the same murky water from earlier. He tapped on the glass again trying to see if there was anything inside it.
Suddenly and without warning, a mass of tentacles exploded from the surface of the water accompanied by a smell similar to burnt bacon. Chris tried to dive out of the way but one of the blackened tentacles curled around his neck. He let out a choked cry and Leon turned round from the command console.
"Shit" Leon cursed at the sight of his partner being attacked by a mass of tentacles. A large bulbous sac was rising out of the water with a large circle of serrated teeth in its centre. The sac glistened as if it were coated in some sort of jelly. Leon ran towards Chris, slipping and sliding across the wet tiles as he dodged tentacles. Chris was struggling in the creature's grip, turning this way and that and trying to fight his way out. Leon jumped for the tank, gripping onto its edge with one hand and he grabbed his combat knife with the other. The sac reared up at him, its teeth dripping with a viscous fluid. Leon aimed for the centre of the mouth and stabbed hard. He heard Chris gasp as the tentacle around his neck squeezed harder. Leon moved to stab the beast again but felt another a tentacle start to slither around his waist. It squeezed hard and Leon felt the Steri-strips on his wound bust open. He let out a cry of pain and blindly stabbed. There was a high-pitched shriek and Leon saw a dart hit the sac just above the mouth, mere millimetres away from his face. The tentacles around his waist slid away as the creature sunk back into the water. Leon almost fell in with it but managed to save himself just at the last minute. He felt faint at the pain in his side but he groped out for Chris who seemed to be looking upwards towards the ceiling. The tentacle around his neck was gone and he looked as if he'd seen a ghost. Leon followed his partner's eye-line to see a man standing on a gantry high up along the walls. The man was holding a rifle, which he promptly discarded, withdrawing a .45 handgun and pointing it in their direction. He was dressed in a black suit and turtleneck sweater with a long black coat over the top. His blonde hair was slicked back neatly and he was wearing a pair of black sunglasses. One of his eyebrows was raised almost as if he found the situation below him amusing. Leon glanced over at Chris who was staring at the man with an intense hatred that Leon had never seen on his partner's face before.
"Troublesome beast" The man spoke in a clipped tone. "I have no doubt that I'll be able to get over the teething problems eventually" He smirked as he leant over the gantry's railing. "Well, it would seem this facility wasn't as secretive as I'd first assumed. I see you're still trying to foil my plans Chris"
"Maybe I won't need to" Chris replied through gritted teeth. Leon had never seen his partner look so tense before, so angry. His fingers were twitching over his magnum. "Maybe one of your own creations will stab you in the gut again before I get the chance"
"Now that's mightily rude Chris" The man shook his head disapprovingly. "You're not even going to introduce me to your little friend"? He strutted along the gantry like a lion on the prowl.
"Leon, this is Wesker, Wesker, this Leon-"
"Scott Kennedy" Wesker interrupted with another smirk. "One of the Academy's finest I believe. Ranked highly in marksmanship and tactical pursuit. Former guardian of Miss Sherry Birkin and a high-ranking Secret Service Agent. Wounded in the left shoulder and was at one time believed to be suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder," He crooned. He moved to a set of switches, still keeping the gun trained on them both. "You may have been the rat that escaped Raccoon City but unfortunately your luck has run out"
"What the fuck are you talking about your deranged bastard"? Chris shouted.
"Must you always speak before you think Chris? I'm certain Mr Kennedy will be sick of your constant exclamations by now. Perhaps if you can contain your steroidal rantings for a moment I may be able to explain my little set-up here" Wesker flicked the series of switches and one by one, a set of floodlights illuminated the ceiling above the gantry. A large glass tank spanned the entire length and width of the room. The bright lights cast a reflection on the shiny glass making it impossible to see what was inside.
"Haven't we been a busy little bee"? Chris said sarcastically. "So what's in there? Some more mutated sharks? Or are you just showing us your private swimming facilities"?
Wesker opened his mouth but; whatever he said was lost in the sound of the large metal door crumpling.
"KENNEDY"! Krauser burst into the room. Leon, forgetting all about the gun that was trained on him reached for his magnum, it was only when he heard the click of Wesker releasing the safety catch that he remembered. Krauser was standing in the ruined doorframe breathing heavily. Instead of a left arm he now had what resembled a large organic spear like appendage. It was almost as long as Krauser was tall and had sharp points at either end as well as a large spike at the elbow. It shone with blood and mucus and the skin around it was enlarged, Krauser's veins and capillaries clearly visible. Krauser was staring at him, a predatory smile spreading across his face.
"You're mine Comrade" He spat. Leon heard a gunshot and saw that Chris had taken advantage of Krauser's distraction and had a pot shot at Wesker. The other man had ducked with what could only be described as inhuman speed. He deftly flipped over the gantry railing and landed neatly in front of Chris.
"So be it Jack" Wesker drawled. "You may have your boy toy. Do with him what you wish but I refuse to lose vital research data. That's why Mr Redfield here will be my own personal project"
"I'm going to enjoy tearing you apart Leon" Krauser smirked as he raised his arm above his head. "Now, witness the power"! Krauser dived for Leon with lightning speed. Leon managed to roll away but only just. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Chris trying his best to attack Wesker who was dodging each of his heavy blows easily. Leon knew that he couldn't worry about his partner now. If he was going to beat whatever it was that Krauser had turned into, he was going to have to focus. By the way Krauser was moving, it seemed that his lightning fast moves weren't constant. His new addition seemed powerful but conversely seemed to slow him down quite a lot. Leon knew he was going to have to wait for Krauser to attack and then counter quickly whilst he was 'recovering'. He waited for Krauser to lunge forward and quickly fired, aiming directly for the mutated arm. If he could take the arm out Krauser would be, for all intents and purposes, unarmed and Leon would have the upper hand. The bullet however, despite its purported armour piercing properties merely ricocheted off Krauser's arm and embedded itself in the command console. Krauser smirked and flexed the arm. The spike in his elbow began to split and a series of spines unfurled from it. The spines fanned out and Leon could see that they were coated in some sort of sticky film that hardened as they fanned out forming a wing like membrane.
"You're mine now Kennedy" Krauser said as he advanced. "I'm going to make sure you burn in hell" He stalked around Leon, circling him like a wolf preparing to attack. With every step, he moved closer and closer to the tank in the corner. In his peripheral vision Leon could see Chris being flung through the air by Wesker. He heard Chris land heavily before cursing and leaping back to his feet. Leon turned his focus back to Krauser and could see a stirring in the water in the tank. Krauser, with his back to the tank, hadn't noticed. All Leon needed to do was keep him talking.
"This is all a bit excessive considering you don't like the fact I'm gay" He said, withdrawing his knife from the holster by his shoulder and holding it in an attack position. He had to make Krauser think that he was just biding his time.
"I'm surprised they haven't put you behind a desk yet" Krauser spat. "You're not fit to do the job you do Kennedy. Surely this is a man's job"? He snorted as he continued to back up. "I used to respect you and look at you now" He said disgustedly. There were ripples in the top of the water now as the tips of the creature's tentacles broke it.
"That's rich coming from someone who has a bloody mess for an arm" Leon replied with a derisive snort. Krauser chuckled and flexed the membrane.
"You and I both know why the Government took Sherry away," He taunted. Leon flashed a hurt look on his face, knowing that's what Krauser would be expecting. Krauser grinned proudly. "They didn't want to leave a child in the corrupted hands of a filthy-" The remainder of Krauser's insult was cut off as he was grabbed around the neck by one of the tentacles that had slithered down the side of the tank. He tried to twist in its grip to see what was attacking him but was subdued by more tentacles winding over his normal arm and over his chest. He lashed out violently with his mutated arm only to have it crushed by yet more tentacles. His eyes went wide with fear as the tentacles lifted him off his feet and started to drag him back into the tank. Leon kept his eyes on Krauser, watching as the tentacles squeezed him harder and harder until he started to wheeze.
"Leon…help…me…" were the last words Krauser said before he disappeared into the depths of the tank. Leon watched as the surface of the water slowly settled. He jumped, startled as a large spurt of blood broke the surface of the water with such force that some of it splattered onto the ceiling. It came back down again in the form of a red rain that pattered onto the water and floor for a few seconds before finally the water returned to its murky calm and Leon knew that Krauser was dead.
He turned back to the fight that was still ongoing between Chris and Wesker. Chris was still trying his best to throw punches and kicks. His face was bloody and bruised from the punches that Wesker had obviously been able to land in their short melee. Wesker grabbed hold of Chris by the neck and threw him against the lab wall, holding him there as he started to squeeze the life out of him. Chris struggled in the other man's grip, kicking out and trying to tear his fingers off his throat. Leon grabbed his magnum and fired, watching as the bullet lodged itself in Wesker's right arm. Wesker dropped Chris and turned around to face him.
"Pesky rat" Wesker spat, showing no signs of pain. "Krauser was supposed to take care of you" His left arm hit out, catching Chris squarely in the jaw as he tried to take advantage of the sudden distraction and sneak up behind him. Chris groaned in pain and spat a mouthful of blood at the other man. Wesker, moving like lightning, elbowed Chris in the stomach. The force lifted Chris off the floor before dropping him heavily. "Damn you both" He snarled as Leon fired another shot. He dodged easily and kicked Chris in the shins as he lay on the floor. He pulled out his handgun and aimed it at Leon. "I tire of these parlour games. Chris, you're still the disappointment you always were. Perhaps one day you will prove yourself to be a worthy adversary" Keeping the gun aimed at Leon, he pulled a small remote from his coat pocket. "I'm giving you five minutes to escape this facility. A sporting chance I think you'll agree. As for your little friend, well, he won't be so lucky"
Wesker spun on his heel and the next thing Chris heard was two gunshots accompanied by the sound of a body hitting the floor. Wesker leapt upwards and Chris heard him land on the gantry before the sound of footsteps moving quickly across the metal indicated that he'd made his escape. Chris got to his feet as quickly as he was able. He hauled his bleeding and abused body over to where Leon lay crumpled on the lab floor. A steady stream of blood was oozing from his left thigh and he had his hands wrapped around his stomach.
"My stomach…" Leon whispered.
"I know, I know" Chris fought to stay calm. He'd been through all that shit with the mansion and the crazy goings on in Antarctica and he'd managed to keep his cool so he was damned if he was going to go to pieces now. "We need to get out of here"
"Get the USB…" Leon replied through gritted teeth. He forced his body into a sitting position and with Chris' help got to his feet. The pain in his stomach was intense, far worse than when Annette Birkin had shot him back in Raccoon. He watched as Chris hurried to the command console and yanked the USB stick from the drive before shoving it into one of his pockets. Leon meanwhile, tapped out a hasty message on his PDA.
"There's a first aid kit here" Chris called out, holding up a green plastic box that he'd found by the console. He ran back to Leon and yanked the kit open. There wasn't much in it aside from a few bandages with dressing pads attached. He ripped open the packages until he came across the ones with the biggest pads.
"I think I'm going to faint…" Leon said thickly, swaying on his feet. Chris grabbed hold of him and gently but firmly forced him onto the floor. He lifted Leon's top that was becoming worriedly saturated with blood. He pressed one of the dressing pads to the wound and secured it there by winding the bandage around his stomach. Leon's face was a deathly white colour and his eyes looked bleary and unfocused. Chris worked quickly, adding another bandage, ever aware of the ticking time limit. There was none of the usual flashing lights and female voices warning that the facility was about to blow but Chris knew Wesker enough to know that his threat was far from idle. He quickly glanced at his watch; they'd been there two minutes already.
"Don't faint" Chris ordered, pulling Leon's top down over the bandaged wound. He didn't have time to bandage his partner's thigh and what he'd done with his stomach would have to do. "I've never lost a partner and I wanna keep that record now let's go"
"You try…being shot…" Leon argued as Chris helped him back to his feet. He shook his head to try and clear his vision. His thigh was throbbing horribly, his stomach even more painful.
"Maybe later. Now come the fuck on"! Chris replied. "You've done this once before and you can do it again" His mind moved quickly, plotting their escape. The only exit he knew was the hole that led back to the cave. They'd had to rappel down to get in but there was no way Leon would be up to climbing. Chris remembered that the ladder was only half destroyed so in theory they could get halfway up using the ladder. There wasn't time to think about it too much, they had to get there first. Chris turned to his partner whose eyes were clouded with pain. He was groaning softly and looking wobbly on his feet. There was nothing for it; he was going to have to carry his partner to their escape route. He caught Leon just before his consciousness slipped away. Chris knew a fireman's hold would risk aggravating the stomach wound so he hooked his arm underneath Leon's knees and hoisted him into his arms. His shoulder screamed in pain but he did his best to ignore it. His right eye was swelling from one of Wesker's many hits, slightly obscuring his vision and every single one of his muscles cried out for rest. Chris pushed past the pain and started to run, heading straight for the lab door that was now warped and twisted from Krauser's sudden reappearance.
He ran down the corridor, breathing heavily. He could feel how cold Leon's skin was against his arms and knew that his partner's blood loss was beginning to affect his body temperature. He knew that Leon wouldn't have long if he didn't get him to a hospital soon. He gently propped him up against the wall as he stared up at the ladder. There'd been more of it intact than what he'd remembered. He could see that it went at two thirds up before ending in a mess of twisted metal. His problem was how he was going to climb up the ladder and still have hold of his unconscious partner at the same time. He was going to need a harness of some sort. His hands moved to the black leather belt around his waist. It wasn't ideal and was almost certainly a dumb idea but it was all he had. He dropped to one knee and undid Leon's belt before pulling the younger man to his feet and propped him against the wall. Leon started to slump downwards so Chris quickly pressed his own back against Leon's front, using his hands blindly, he threaded the ends of Leon's belt through the two loops on the back of his own combats and refastened the belt. He reached behind him and pulled Leon's arms over his shoulders, wincing as the dead weight fell against his injured right shoulder. He pulled Leon's wrists together and secured them with the black leather belt. It wasn't ideal and he had to hope that his belt loops would hold. He'd be trained to make do with what he had and he'd done just that. He shifted Leon's dead weight on his back until he was hanging comfortably and slowly started to climb the ladder.
The climb was hard and awkward. Leon's weight was putting a strain on his aching muscles and he still had no idea what to do when he got to the top of the ladder. He could see it clearly ahead of him as well as the hole a teasing couple of metres away from the twisted and scorched end of the ladder. He climbed onwards until he reached it and wondered what the hell he was going to do next.
"Agent Redfield"? Chris looked up to see someone leaning over the hole. The mysterious stranger was wearing a white hood with a reflective visor covering their face. It was only the voice that gave away the stranger's sex. Chris briefly wondered if this was going to be Wesker's final kick in the teeth but he realised that whilst he was getting the first aid kit, Leon was arranging back up in the form of a clean up crew.
"I've got Agent Kennedy with me" Chris called up to the man. "He's badly wounded, two gunshots"
The man nodded and threw a rope down the hole. Chris grabbed hold and felt the rope pull as he was hauled up. When he emerged from the hole he could see that the cave was full on people dressed in white boiler suits, all wearing the same white helmet. Two of them had red crosses on the breast of their suits and it was these two that ran forward, hurriedly releasing Leon from the belts and lifting him onto a spinal board. Chris fell to his hands and knees, exhausted. He was helped to his feet by another suit-wearing medic who started asking him questions. Chris however, could only focus on the spinal board and the two medics that were busily working on Leon. They'd strapped an oxygen mask around his face and were now lifting the spinal board.
"I need to go with him," Chris said, ignoring the flurry of questions that were still being fired at him. The medic placed a firm hand on his left shoulder and tried to haul him in the opposite direction. Chris pushed him aside and strode towards the medics who were now carrying Leon away. It occurred to him that the five minutes had long expired and there'd been no explosion. It had all just been another one of Wesker's mind tricks. If it wasn't for his exhaustion or his concern over Leon's condition, Chris knew he would be fuming. He watched, as Leon was loaded into a waiting ambulance. He climbed in alongside them, waiting for someone to tell him to get out. He was surprised when one of the medics simply sat him down and allowed him to watch as they worked on Leon, trying to save his life.
END OF CHAPTER FIVE.