Ryan Redfield had never been any stranger to pain. Over the years he had developed somewhat of a tolerance to it, his body was covered in scars from battles that had pushed his body beyond it's physical threshold and he had been close to death more than once in his lifetime. Still with the details of his fight with some unknown assailant still fresh in his mind pain was the last thing on his mind. He had only ever seen one man move like that before; Albert Wesker. Over the years in exile Wesker had subjected his body to countless experiments, testing various Umbrella viral products on himself, the end result was that Albert Wesker had seemingly become invincible with speed, strength, reflexes and senses far beyond that of any normal human. But Wesker was dead, wasn't he? Who was that guy?
Ryan turned his attention to Jill who was lying sleeping on a makeshift bed curled up underneath a ragged blanket. It had taken some convincing for her to lie down but whatever had happened to her body up there had clearly taken it's toll and she was clearly exhausted. He couldn't help but stare at her, in truth her had preferred her in the past with her dark brown hair but she had been disorientated enough after coming back and he could never seem to work up the heart to tell her. The truth is that as beautiful as she had always been her beauty had never been her strongest quality. She was such a virtuous soul and willing to lay her life on the line for those she cared about without any thought for her own sense of safety, hell it was the reason that she found herself in the situation that she was in now. He couldn't help but overhear her as she was muttering in her sleep.
JILL: I love you too.
Ryan's interest was piqued. Was she talking about Chris? More importantly than that why did he care? His concentration is broken by the light tapping of the door. Leon opens the door ever so slightly and motions for him to come out of the room, he didn't want to leave her but there were decisions that had to be made and he feared that they were running out of time to make them.
LEON: How is she doing?
RYAN: Pretty much the same. She's sleeping for now but we need to find out more about what's happening to her.
LEON: I agree. Did that guy say anything to you up there?
RYAN: Nothing worth chasing up. What he said doesn't concern me nearly as much as what he did.
LEON: It was pretty intense I've never seen anyone move that fast.
RYAN: I have. Wesker.
LEON: No way. We've both read the reports and there's no way that he could have survived something like that.
RYAN: Why not? So far to the best of my knowledge he's survived impalement and based on everything I know about his physiology it's not exactly clear what he's capable of but he definitely possesses and elevated healing factor.
LEON: Look Tricell must have conducted thousands of Experiments on people like that, tampering with their DNA in an attempt to create the ultimate weapon. We recovered thousands of bodies from the African Facility alone and who knows how many more they have scattered around the world that we don't know about.
Ryan knew he was right of course. Exposure to the T and G virus had, on more than one occasion created creatures that could move at levels far beyond any normal human standards but usually it had resulted in severe mutations to the body and so far as he could tell the being who had attacked definitely appeared to at least have a human form.
LEON: So what now?
RYAN: I'm not sure.
Ryan began to rub his eyes. Ever since he had gained a lead on Jill's location he had been on the move 24/7 and in all honesty hadn't had that much rest himself.
LEON: You need to get some rest.
RYAN: I'm fine. I'll rest when I know she's safe.
LEON: Look it's been a long day and we're all tired. With Agent Swanson now leading the BSAA task force it's going $to be harder to stay of their radar not to mention everything else that's coming. I can watch her for a while.
Ryan looks back into the room where Jill is still sleeping soundly. He had promised himself that after getting her back he would not leave her side. He had lost her once and he had no intention of doing so again. Still he was so tired. His muscles were heavy and all the injuries that he was carrying were not making things any easier.
RYAN: Yeah…okay I'll try and grab a few hours. Thanks man I owe you for this.
The two men shake hands. Ryan had first met Leon back in Racoon City. They were about the same age so there had always existed an element of competition between the two; always trying to prove to one another what they were capable of. Still there were few other people that Ryan felt more with watching his back. Ryan pats Leon on the back of the shoulder. Leon knew that Ryan had never been the most forthcoming with his gestures. This was his way of saying thanks and Leon was just fine with that.
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Some would say that this wasn't a smart move. Leon S Kennedy was personal bodyguard to the President and his daughter not to mention he was the official liaison between the Whitehouse and the BSAA due to his extensive involvement in Bio-Hazard outbreaks in the past. For him it all started 8 years ago, the Racoon City incident. His life changed in ways that he could never have foreseen and he swore that he would never let anything like it ever happen again. Umbrella may be gone but their effects were still being felt the world over. After receiving a call from Claire telling him of everything that was going down he knew it was something that he had to be involved with. Ultimately he knew that there may be consequences for his decision somewhere down the line but this was important so he would help Jill Valentine now and deal with the repercussions later.
He looked out across the vast ocean the wind blowing through his hair. The boat that he and Claire had arranged as an escape vehicle wasn't exactly a luxury cruise ship but it got them all out of the line of fire for the moment still between the BSAA and unknown forces it would only be a matter of time before they found themselves in the crosshairs of someone or something. It was so quiet that for a moment it felt as though he was the only living person within miles and as he watched the moonlight bounce off of the ocean he couldn't help but smile it was moments like this that helped remind him what he was fighting for.
CLAIRE: Penny for your thoughts?
Leon would recognise that voice anywhere. Claire Redfield and his lives had been intertwined all those years ago in Racoon City. They had chosen different paths since then but Leon had never forgotten what they had gone through together. As he turned around to see her standing there, her hair blowing ever so slightly he couldn't help but take note of how beautiful she was. Claire had always been somewhat of a tomboy; she was never the damsel in distress yet she possessed such beauty and grace. What Leon truly loved about her though was her heart, he had watched her all those years ago stare down into the face of indescribable evil and he worried that her heart would become broken or battered but she had never lost sight of who she was or the people it was that she fought for.
LEON: I thought I was the only one up.
CLAIRE: I couldn't sleep. It's been a long time since I've been involved with this kind of stuff and unlike the rest of you I'm not exactly battle hardened.
LEON: I'd take you as my partner over a dozen government trained agents any day Claire.
Claire gave him a friendly nudge in the shoulder. To everyone else he was a calm, cool and calculated government agent. If you didn't know Leon you would suspect that he was somewhat anti-social in nature but nothing could be further from the truth. He had grown so much in the years since they had first met, he had improved considerably as an agent but that was never the side of him that she focused on. When she thought of Leon she always remembered the first time that they met. She had only just arrived in Racoon City and was completely unprepared for what she would find there. The city was in ruins and she didn't know whether her brothers were alive or dead. As she found herself besieged by hordes of the un-dead he was the one that came to her rescue and whenever she thought of him standing there above her with all hell breaking out around them he extended his hand to her and helped her survive. He had been her light in the darkness that day and it was how she had thought of him ever since.
CLAIRE: Listen Leon, I never had a chance to thank you for coming out like this. I know you're risking a lot by helping us.
LEON: Nothings more important than this Claire. The government ignored us before and it took a while to open up there eyes to what was really going on and we'll do it again.
CLAIRE: Always the hero huh?
LEON: I'm no hero. The truth is that out of all of us it's you that is the hero.
CLAIRE: What? What are you talking about? You guys have travelled all around the world and risked your lives a dozen times over. The only thing I was able to do was watch from the sidelines and co-ordinate rescue efforts.
LEON: I can't speak for either one of your brother's Claire but let me tell you something. I'm a blunt instrument. Before I enter any Bio-Hazard hot zone I have to force myself to turn off any type of emotion whatsoever. When I look at people who have become infected I can't allow myself to feel sorry or anger because they are now part of the problem. You do this job long enough and you lose the ability to turn that on or off. You on the other hand, you have to deal with the human side of things. You see families divided and homes that are broken and you rebuild, you don't destroy you see the faces off those that have been broken and you feel their pain with them, that makes you the hero.
Claire's eyes began to well up with tears. She moves her hand and wipes away the forming tears from her eyes.
CLAIRE: Thank you.
LEON: Don't mention it.
CLAIRE: Well it's late. Guess I should head back up.
LEON: Okay. No problem.
CLAIRE: Unless….
LEON: Unless what?
CLAIRE: Do you want some company?
Leon puts his arm over Claire's shoulder, pulling her in close. Ever so gently she rests her head on his shoulder and the two stare out into ocean together.
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We move a few miles away to back on dry land. The sewer tunnels that Ryan and Jill had used to escape from the BSAA were still showing the effects of their battle with the walls cracked and broken. After hours of searching the BSAA strike team have been able to trace their fugitives steps into these very tunnels.
AGENT SWANSON: All right men, fan out but keep a tight perimeter I want every inch of this place combed.
The agents all fan out, quick to obey the commands from their superior officer. Their approach to searching is extremely formulaic spreading out inch by inch never moving to far ahead of their squad mates moving over every area with extreme caution so as not to disturb any evidence that may aid in the capture of their quarry it is an impressive display. Unknown to them their every move is being watch by a silent stalker hiding in the shadows.
AGENT 1: I can't believe we're out here hunting our own, this is some messed up shit.
AGENT 2: They didn't tell me anything in at central command but I'm sure as hell not going to be the one that argues with Swanson.
The two agents are alerted by the faintest of sounds around the corner and their conversation stops, instantly aware that the ones they are hunting so diligently may be within their grasp. The two soldiers motion to one another in typical military fashion.
As they ever so cautiously turn the corner of the pitch dark tunnel they are relieved to find that there is nothing more there than a couple of mice.
AGENT 1: Phew! Guess it was nothing, just as well buddy you looked as though you were about to drop a deuce.
AGENT 2: Me. Hah. You had white knuckles and you know it.
The soldiers sighs of relief proof to be extremely short lived as their jovial banter is promptly interrupted. Without warning a hand appears from out of nowhere, as though it were part of the very darkness itself. Grabbing one of the prone agents and pulling him into the abyss.
AGENT 2: JESUS CHRIST!
Suddenly panic consumes the lone agents body. He cannot see what is happening in the darkness and he has no desire to. He promptly grabs his gun and squeezes tightly on the trigger firing of the standard issue SMG and spraying the walls with a round of 9mm parabellum bullets that cracked the already damaged tunnel. The sound of gunfire rang through the cavernous tunnel alerting all those in ear shots that their fellow agents were in trouble.
All at once the agents charge desperately trying to make it to the aid of their brothers in arms. As they make their way around the corner they are hit instantly with the unmistakable stench of death. The sight of their friends lying prone in a pull of their own blood their bodies mutilated so decisively starts the soldiers instantly scanning the cavern for the source of the disturbance.
AGENT SWANSON: Unit 4 Report! What the hell is going on down there? Jackson, Booth anybody answer me.
Agent Swanson's pleas for response go unanswered as his unit are decisively picked apart one by one. Nothing is seen but plenty is heard as the sound of flesh tearing and the blood curdling screams of the agents being slaughtered rings out into the night.
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Jill is suddenly awoken by a throbbing pain in her chest. The feeling is intense as for a moment she feels as though her heart may very well break through her chest. She rolls of the bed clutching at her heart in agony.
JILL:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Jill's screams of pain are like a hot needle penetrating through the heads of the others. Instantly Claire, Ryan and Leon all come rushing to her aid to find their friend on her knees before them screaming in pain.
RYAN: JILL? JILL WHAT IS IT WHAT'S WRONG?
Jill doesn't answer the pain is all consuming and it is growing worse with every second. She can feel something, bubbling up inside of her. Time slows down and she can hear everything as her senses increase ten fold. But as she struggles to fight through the pain she is shocked by the unmistakable sound of a human heart-beat, as plain as day as though she could merely reach out and grab the hearts of the friends in front of her crushing them with the greatest of ease.
Claire goes to move forward but Leon, sensing that something is wrong raises his arm stopping her in her tracks. Ryan turns to Leon, nodding towards him to suggest that he keep him covered while he moves in closer to check on Jill's condition. As he moves in closer towards him Jill can feel every moment, his scent, unmistakable. She lunges towards him grabbing him and slamming him up against a nearby wall almost breaking him in two. As Ryan goes to make a grab for his gun she grabs his injured wrist rendering him nearly defenceless. As she looked deep into his eyes she became lost in instinct grabbing his head so hard that he feels as though she may just rip it from his shoulders and kissing him. His scent. She was controlled by it as it moved all around her, she had to have him, now.
Leon charges forward towards Jill but her senses are too finely tuned. She breaks from her engagement with Ryan hoisting him off of the wall and hurtling him towards Leon sending the two crashing into one another. As the two begin to recover she is on them in an instant. She reigns down swift blows on both men, the smell of their blood was delicious to her. Ryan and Leon both each throw each other a look as if to say that they know what the other is thinking. With perfect harmony both men punch Jill right in the jaw leaving her to release the two men from her iron grasp and sending her staggering backwards.
LEON: I think we've got a problem.
RYAN: Yeah I kind of figured. I don't think we can take her like this.
Leon silently agrees. It had been proven that she was more than a match for both of them. When Leon's fist had made contact with her it had felt as though he was punching solid titanium in truth it had done more damage to her than it did to him. Unfortunately Jill leaves them with little time to consider their next move as she speeds towards them. Both men attempt to leap out of the way but to her it is as if they are moving in slow motion. She spins around planting her foot into the chest of Ryan and sending him crashing through a nearby table. Before the shards of Glass even fall to the floor she turns her attention to Leon. He tries to meet her hostile approach with an attack of his own but she grabs his fist and then throws him up into the air before leaping up after him planting her feet into him as he comes crashing downward.
CLAIRE: JILL STOP!
Claire's cries seem to stop Jill in her tracks as she diverts her attention from Leon and Ryan to her. As Claire looks to the floor to see her brother and Leon incapacitated so completely she knows that she must do whatever it takes to keep them safe. She runs out onto the deck of the ship. There is little distance between the two before Jill has moved directly in front of her. Jill grabs her by the neck and hoists her with remarkable force into the air. Suddenly Claire reaches out pulling on a small lever that is next to her. Suddenly there is a distinct metallic click as the motorised mechanism for lowering the boats anchor into the water is engaged. The iron chains wrap themselves around Jill's legs, as Ryan and Leon make their way to their feet they watch in horror as Jill continues to clutch onto Claire as she is yanked underwater by the heavy anchor.
Without a single moment to spare both Leon and Ryan sprint with all their strength both removing their shirts before leaping up onto the edge of the boat and diving in after them. The water is freezing and as both men hit the water the force and temperature hit's the pair hard. As they struggle to push their way through the force of the water the swim towards Claire and Jill seems to take an eternity. Leon is first to make it and is quick to grab Claire, he grabs her and opens his mouth towards her own in an attempt to share his precious oxygen with her before pulling her up to the surface.
LEON & CLAIRE: *Gasp.
LEON: Are you okay?
CLAIRE: Yeah….yeah…I'm fine. What about Ryan and Jill.
Leon swims back underwater quickly where he finds Ryan wrestling to unravel Jill from the grasp of the ships anchor. With his own oxygen becoming scarce Ryan is forced to abandon Leon to the task as he races up to replenish his own supply. It takes several trips from both men all the while sharing their own oxygen with Jill and trying desperately to free her from the anchor before it's grip is eventually broken.
On the surface time for Claire Redfield has stopped. What was going on down there? She was overcome with panic at the thought of her friends and family under in the icy depth for such a length of time. Suddenly, without warning all three burst through onto the surface gasping for air.
CLAIRE: Oh thank god.
LEON: We need to get her back on board.
The three bear the weight of Jill's limp body as they make their way back towards the ship. Once back on board Ryan places Jill's head gently on the wooden deck, cradling her lifeless body in his arms.
RYAN: JILL! JILL! C'MON JILL ANSWER ME.
Ryan takes his palms and places them both on her chest in a bid to pump the salt water from her lungs. With each passing second Claire can see the desperation in her brothers eyes as he presses down harder and harder stopping every moment or so to check for signs of life. As time goes by it looks more and more hopeless. Claire Redfield can bare to watch no longer as she turns to Leon burying her face in his chest seeking comfort.
RYAN: JILL. JILL. JILL. WAKE UP!
Suddenly Jill's silence is broken by a desperate gasp for air. As the water falls from her mouth Ryan picks her up from the desk and squeezes her tightly.
RYAN: Oh thank god.
Jill still struggles to regain her breath. As she regains her faculties from the ordeal her gasps for air suddenly turn into tears of anger.
RYAN: Shhhhh. It's okay. I'm here Jill, you're safe now.
Claire and Leon can say nothing as they watch Jill break so completely into Ryan's arms. Ryan didn't care. Let her cry. Let her get out all the pain and frustration, he would bare the brunt. It is a heart wrenching sight as the cries of Jill Valentine echo out into the night air.
A/N: Okay so an overly emotional one I'll admit but hey it had to come sooner or later right. Anyway thanks to all of those who have either contacted me personally or reviewed the story to let me know what you think. I'm always looking for opinions on characters and story development and it is always so gratifying to receive that. So if I haven't e-mailed you back personally rest assured that any time spent commenting or reviewing this story is greatly appreciated. As always drop me a line and let me know what you think.