Author's Note: I completely forgot to add a warning for this story and if it ruins the story for you, I'm sorry:

This will be a dark story. It won't be overly dark with major character death but it won't be a fluffy lovely story either. There will be lies, deception, and other things that have escaped me at the moment.

"Oh but it doesn't seem like it."

Yeah well, trust me. It will.

.:Chapter 3:.

New Life

The car ride to the Tricell facility felt far longer than it really was. Most of the ride was deathly silent with quiet 'hrumphs' from Excella as she glanced into the rearview mirror to see Albert's left hand on Chris's right knee, his thumb rubbing circling into the cloth. Chris had his hands in his lap and his head on Albert's shoulder.

The only words spoken the entire ride were between the two men.

"I'm worried," Chris said quietly.

"It will be fine, Christopher."

"This place is huge," Chris said, walking into the double doors of the large building.

"Much bigger than your pathetic little building in Europe, yes?" Excella asked with a smirk, hand on her hip and her eyes looking around in pride.

"I could say the same thing about you, Excella," Chris stated absentmindedly as he turned his attention back to Albert who snickered at the glare Excella gave Chris.

The building was a large factory according to Albert but there were wings of bedrooms for the scientists and themselves. The walls were metallic with various Tricell logos covering them. The opening room was practically empty and led to different hallways and rooms. There were Majini everywhere, guarding the facility and helping with various tasks. Chris felt on edge having any one of the humanoid creatures anywhere near him and opted to standing closer to Albert than necessary.

"I believe it's appropriate to show you to our room?"

Chris paused as a smile crept onto his lips. "Our room?"

"Yes, our room."

"We're sharing a room?"

"Yes, why wouldn't we?"

Chris grinned and shook his head. "I guess I didn't think about it."

"I'm certainly glad I did," Albert stated before turning to Excella. "Retrieve Chris's bags, Excella."

Excella sneered and turned on her heel, hands clapping together quickly to alert the majini around her.

"You, you, and you. Come," she stated, pointing at the nearest dark skinned obedient men. They growled passively under their breaths but obeyed, following her as she left the building.

"Come, Chris," Albert said, a hand on his lower back as they began to walk towards the elevator across the room.

Chris was shown everything and with every floor he was more and more amazed. The experimentation floor was beneath the top floor which was, of course, Albert's floor. They spent more times on the experimentation floor that any other. Albert steered Chris from the animal holding cells but ended up in the middle of the licker cells and Chris was stuck somewhere between interest and disgust.

"We can continue," Albert stated, allowing Chris to venture closer to the glass.

The creatures inside were docile until Albert's voice was heard. The clawed creatures stopped what they were doing, tongue extended and growling quietly. There were two cells, one on either side of the hallway Chris and Albert were standing in. Glass panes separated sections of the cells and a door could be seen somewhere in the back of each room but it was empty besides the various claw marks among the walls and random splashes of blood from previous prey.

"This is…" Chris allowed the words to hang in the air and the blond tugged him to the side, pulling the brunette's attention to him.

"Perhaps we should continue," Albert suggested but Chris pulled from his grip and shook his head.

"Albert, I understand that your operations here are…." Chris looked at the growling creatures behind the class and sighed. "They're hard for me to understand but I can handle it. I made a choice and if these creatures—"

"Umbrella called them lickers."

Chris paused, eyes falling to the tongues of the creatures as several of them were slithering into the air.

"Right. If these lickers are needed to help with your research then fine, I can handle it. I'm not a child."

Albert exchanged a glance with Chris before nodding.

"Very well."

Chris was guided back to the elevator sometime after and by the time they reached their room, the luggage was waiting. Chris entered the room, Albert behind him, and stared in awe at what he saw.

Directly across the doorway was the bed; black satin sheets laid snug upon a raised mattress. The black headboard was half hidden by the situated black pillows setting promptly against it. Chris's luggage sat in the center of the bed, three pieces piled neatly beside one another. The bed itself was large and much bigger than Chris's in England.

Chris focused his attention to the remainder of the room. The walls were painted a mix of a dull black and brown with white accents to make the room look bigger. The room was lit by various black sconces around the room but most of the light came from smaller lights in the ceiling. The windows were covered by shades to the right of the entrance and to the left had an entire wall turned wardrobe. It was currently open, however, showing that half of it was free for Chris while the other half kept Albert's belongings. The floors were wooden and a door sat on the wall parallel to the wall the bed was against and Chris guessed it led to some sort of office or bathroom. The walls were bare but the bedside table caught Chris's eye and he immediately walked towards it.

The bedside table itself was a sleek black with a lamp atop it but that was not what Chris was staring at. A picture frame sat slightly askew in front of the lamp; it, like everything else, was black and held a picture with Albert but the man he was beside was someone he didn't recognize. He picked up the picture frame and looked closely, eyeing Albert's arm around the man's back, their shoulders touching and smiles on their faces. The opposite male was blond and wearing a lab coat but Chris didn't bother looking at the name tag. The red tie atop a white shirt and jeans was enough to tell Chris who this man was.

"Birkin?" Chris asked, eyes flicking towards Albert who nodded once.

Chris made a quiet noise with his throat and set the picture frame down before turning on his heel.

"This place is unbelievable," Chris said though a sad smile ghosted his lips and the blond sighed.

"What is wrong? The Lickers?" Albert asked as he slid his coat from his shoulders and hung it over a black chair in the corner of the room that Chris had completely missed.

"No, of course not. I just want you to understand something," Chris stated. "And I want you to make me a promise."

"Is that not a little childish?" the blond asked with a snort of laughter but Chris crossed his arms and continued.

"This isn't going to work if you can't tell me the truth, Albert. I didn't just move to a different continent to be lied to. We're in this together and I intent to keep it that way. Swear to me that you won't make the same mistake you made in S.T.A.R.S," Chris said the last sentence quietly as he truly despised bringing up that time in their lives.

The blond stiffened and Chris uncrossed his arms, approaching him.

"I don't believe you'll do that again, that isn't what I'm saying. I just want you to understand that I'm here for you and I want to help. You've talked to me about your goals before so I know what you want. Let me help you."

"My goals?"

"Well, I listen so I know what you want," Chris said with shrug.

"And what is that?" Albert asked as he sat in the black chair, right leg crossing over his left.

"You want the t-virus to be controllable without PG and once you're finished with that, you want to betray Tricell. You've only said it to me after every single one of our nights together," Chris said with a snort but he sighed and leaned his hip against the bed. "I want to help and, with that, I want to know that you can trust me to handle whatever is thrown at us but that means that you need to keep me up to speed on everything that happens."

Albert thought a moment—Chris could practically see the cogs turning in his head as he ran through the pros and cons of the situation.

Chris stayed quiet as Albert thought, the smirk on the blonde's lips making Chris uncomfortable.

"Albert!" Excella called just before the elevator opened, revealing the woman. "Your injections," she stated impatiently, stepping out of the lift and onto the wooden floor with a click of her heels.

"I'm aware, Excella," the blond stated passively though his eyes remained on Chris. "Very well, Christopher. I promise to abide by your rules. Tonight, however, I'd like to suggest something—perhaps over dinner since I don't seem to have the time, now."

"Clock is ticking, Albert," Excella chided quietly, hand on her hip while the other held the briefcase.

"Fine," Chris said as Albert stood and walked towards him.

Albert's hand rose to Chris's cheek and allowed his gloved thumb to touch the stubble there. His finger moved over the prickled hair in small strokes, following Chris's jawline thoughtlessly.

"I want you to give my suggestion serious thought, Christopher. Don't worry over what it is just now but I truly want you to see it as an option."

"I don't even know what it is yet," Chris said with a worried smile.

"In several hours you will. I have to go accompany the researchers and administer my injection."

"Go. I'll explore and maybe let loose a few Lickers," Chris said with a smirk. Albert chuckled but Excella gasped quickly, looking from Albert to Chris in quick successions.

"Before you do—"

"Time is ticking," Excella reminded the two anxiously, heels now impatiently tapping away at the wooden floor.

"Enough, Excella," Albert growled at her before turning on his heel and walking towards the wardrobe. "I've kept this in my possession for far too long. I believe you deserve it, Christopher." Albert spoke as he pulled out one of the drawers and picked something out of it.

Chris stepped over towards him and eyed the item in the blonde's hand; it was a gun. The handle was brown and a circular logo that spelled out S.T.A.R.S was in the center. The same letters were also spelled out across the black barrel of the gun.

"You still have your old S.T.A.R.S gun?" Chris asked, mouth agape and eyes on the practically untouched weapon.

"Oh no, of course not. I traded that for something much better suited. However, this one is yours."

Chris paused as his eyes swept over the gun again. It was his.

"How did you even get ahold of—oh right," Chris said, small laughter erupting through his words as he continued. "I forgot I left it on your old desk in the S.T.A.R.S office. You went back?"

"Of course. I had to settle quite a bit with Irons," the blonde said. "Here," Albert gripped the gun by the barrel and offered it to Chris who looked at it cautiously before grabbing it. His finger went instinctively to the trigger and he pointed it towards Excella who, despite her horror struck expression, didn't move. Both hands grasped the handle with comfort and he could see the sight still worked by the little red dot on Excella's throat.

"It's not loaded," Chris said passively though he kept his finger on the trigger anyway.

"I have ammunition," Albert assured him.

"I missed this," Chris mumbled as he lowered the gun.

"You no longer have to miss it," the blond said. "I'm afraid I really must go. The ammunition is within the drawer and if you would like some practice, you know where the training room is."

Chris nodded and smiled when Albert leaned towards him and connected their lips. Just when Chris's eyes drifted closed in response and his lips began to reciprocate the kiss, the blonde pulled away. Chris sighed quietly as Albert walked back towards Excella and motioned towards the elevator with his hand.

"It's about time," Excella said as she turned on her heel and began towards the elevator—out of sight from Chris.

"You will not rush me like that again," Chris could hear Albert say as the elevator door opened and they stepped inside.

"Do you not see the importance of these injections?" she asked but the door closed before Chris could hear the blonde's response.

Chris turned back towards the drawer which held another handgun and several packs of ammo. The brunet set the gun back in the drawer and walked towards the bed. He opened his luggage and began sorting through it, hanging up various articles of clothing while folding others. He continued to sort through his things until the third and last piece of luggage was left.

This held his personals from his office and he was suddenly very unsure of where to put them. Most of them were picture frames and various things given to him over the years by Jill but could he really put them up? Could he really set a picture of Jill beside Albert's picture of Birkin?

Well, why not?

Chris took the picture frame and pulled out the stand before setting it beside the picture of Birkin. His eyes lingered on the smiling brunet in the picture before smiling himself and looking back to his luggage. The S.T.A.R.S picture sat inside but he figured that's where it deserved to stay—away and out of sight, at least for now. After deciding to keep the rest of his personals in the luggage – though he did take out his sex toys and slip them into the bedside table—he zipped it back up and set it off with the other two.

A loud ringing suddenly caught his attention and he jumped slightly before digging into his pocket to pull out his phone. The name "Claire" with a small emote heart beside it lit up his screen with a picture of her made him smile and he answered.

"Hello," he said, sitting on the bed as he spoke.

"Hey, Chris. How was the plane ride?"

"Fine. More entertaining than most. Did Jill get there alright?"

"Well, that's what I was calling about. She never got on the plane, Chris," the redhead said, sadness clear in her voice.

"What do you mean? She told me—"

"She called me after her plane was supposed to touch down and said she stayed in Europe. I trust your judgment with this even if it's a little random but she obviously felt different. Where are you, anyway?"

"I can't say. Look, I can't call her from where I am—they have trackers and I don't want her coming after me. For her sake, get her out of the B.S.A.A," Chris said seriously, a hand running through his hair.

"If you know something, you should say—"

"I can't, Claire, I'm sorry."

"You better know what you're doing, Chris," Claire said with a sigh.

"I do for the most part. I'm still working it out." It was quiet for a moment before Chris sighed and spoke quietly, "I don't want to have to fight her, Claire."

"Why would you have to?"

"I'm fighting against Tricell, looking for ways to expose them—" Chris lied carefully though it hurt. "Tricell is with the B.S.A.A."

"What happens when you two have guns pointed at eachother?"

"One will have to shoot," Chris said with a sigh. "Just get her to change her mind. Please."

"I'll try my best, Chris. Try not to make any moves on Tricell for a while, though."

"Chris," Albert said with a smile as the brunet found his way to the dining hall.

It was a large room with a long table, mostly used for meetings according to Albert. Only two spots were set with plates and eating utensils while the remainder of the table sat bare. Each chair looked antique and all were white with various flower designs on the fabric. The food was set out on their section of the table with chicken and various side dishes that Chris couldn't see from his position.

"This is nice," Chris said, walking towards the free chair.

The curtains hanging around the room were practically glowing with how bright the moonlight was, giving the room a red glow. There were several lit candles on the table but nothing major or too overdone—it was simply nice.

"Did you unpack?"

Chris momentarily thought of the picture frame before sitting down.

"Yeah. Most of it is unpacked and the rest can be left alone. I have a lot of personal things that you probably don't want around your room," Chris said, fixing his chair in the process of talking.

"Our room, Christopher."

The conversation paused and Albert began to get himself food. Chris watched as he cut off pieces of chicken and set them on his plate, one at a time.

"How were the injections?"

"Aggravating. As were the researchers," the blond muttered as he finished putting food on his plate and turned to a bottle of wine while Chris took his turn with the food. "They constantly remind me of my issue."

"I can understand that," Chris said with a frown. "How is the research going?"

"Slowly but they've made a break through once or twice. They claim it will contribute to my ultimate goal but they seem to forget that I used to be a researcher as well," Albert poured a glass for himself and then Chris before slipping the cork into the black bottle and returning it to the bowl of ice.

"You don't think they're making the right progress?"

"I don't believe they're making any progress but I will deal with that later. Did you get the chance to explore?"

"Not really. By the time I got done unpacking, Claire called."

"Oh? Anything interesting?"

Chris bit his lip but, without thinking, he shook his head. Jill was going to be his issue, not Albert's, and Chris could deal with this.

"Jill is getting settled into TerraSave and Claire's pretty happy she's there."

"Good. She is out of harm's way so I'm sure that's a comfort for you," the blond said.

Chris simply nodded.

"So what did you want to ask me?" Chris asked, hands getting to work at his food if only to keep himself busy as his nerves kicked in.

Albert completely ignored his food and set his arms on the table. His sunglasses were gone allowing Chris to look into dull red eyes. Albert, for the first time, looked trouble. It wasn't his facial expression or the way he spoke—it was his eyes; Chris could just see the worry in his eyes.

"I have a suggestion and you certainly don't have to do it if you don't wish to nor do you have to make the decision now. I simply want you to think about it."

"Alright," Chris said quietly, setting down the eating utensils.

"While working on the T-virus, the researchers have discovered ways of administering the Progenitor Virus, forcing it to bond with someone's cells, and allow the T-virus to be controllable. Once they fully have the T-Virus under control, would you be interested in being injected as I was?"

Silly Chris, begging Albert to trust you only to turn around and lie?

Hmm. This won't end well.

Sorry for the late upload but finals in college added with suddenly gaining a social life while having prompt requests over on Tumblr has all made me very busy!

~Raven