Warnings: Yaoi, OOC, cursing.
Disclaimer: Capcom owns most of the things, I own Zhane, kids, plot and Monica's family.
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Discovering A Trap?
I had looked at Jill as she spoke, I had wanted to pull out my cell and get to the bottom of this. I had to know if Wesker had done this or somebody else, I had to know if he was even aware of this.
" I don't think any of those live experiments are here, we should get the data and destroy whats left and then search the woods." Sheva said when she had come back into the room after looking in the others.
I nod my head and start copying data from the computers, Jill starts to get the notebooks and take pictures of some of them just in case. When we are all done we delete and destroy all files and head out the same way we came in, climbing back up the ladder and then exiting out the slanted door.
I hadn't even realized how long we had been there until we came back up and the sun was a little lower in the sky.
" We should head back, get some food and then we can come back at night. We need to get a better flashlight anyway." I told them indicating the small one Jill had.
" Lead the way." Sheva answers and so I do, through the forest and then into the car I pull out of the little side area and head back into the town. I park near the diner and take off my knife and some of the guns, only leaving one well hidden on my person before exiting the car and walking into the place.
The little bell on the door chimes and the waitress behind the counter looks and gives a small smile and a nod. We sit down in a little booth away from most of the other people and wait for our menus to be handed to us, when another lady comes she gives me a beaming smile and then sort of gives a once over of both Sheva and Jill.
She focuses back on me and smiles once more, " Hey darlin' what can I get for you?"
" A coke is fine." She writes it down and turns to Sheva then.
" I'll just have water for right now." She looks back to the menu.
And then it's Jill's turn. " I'll have water too."
The waitress nods and returns to the kitchen, I read over the menu and decide on a simple meal consisting of a hamburger and fries. when she comes back she places my coke down and then the two waters to the girls.
" Are you ready to order or should I give you a few more minutes?"
" I'm ready, I'll have the hamburger." She writes it down in her little notebook.
"I'll have the soup of the day." Jill says as she looks over the menu quickly, the waitress nods and scribbles it down quickly moving on to Sheva.
" I'll have the same as him." She points to me, and the waitress gives her a fake smile and then she's off again.
" I think she likes you." Sheva replies with a smirk.
I laugh a little. " I would have to agree with you."
We laugh a bit and then sit quietly awaiting our meals to come.
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Dimitri and Dominik are sitting with their father in the living room, watching the news. Chris is the one that usually let's them watch cartoons in the evening.
" Father, are you going to be taking us to Monica's party this weekend?" Dominik asks turning his head since he and his brother are sitting in Wesker's lap.
" If Chris isn't home before then I suppose I must."
Dimitri jumps up alittle and turns to face him, "Father did you know that Claire and Zhane are dating?"
Wesker gives a silent sigh knowing that he probably won't get to watch the news for very much longer, " No I don't believe I did."
" Yep, she kissed him right in front of dad. " He continued on, ignoring the bored tone in Wesker's voice.
After a second, "... And how did Chris react?" He turns his attention fully to his son.
" I think he already knew but that obviously confirmed it." He said with a little nod as if he was just finding the answer to a long and confusing puzzle.
" Hmm." He assumes his son is done and goes back to watching the news, the boys scoot down so they are partially laying on him and snuggle closer to his chest. Wesker unconsciously puts one arm around Dimitri and runs his hand through Dominik's hair.
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The place is somewhat busy but we don't have to wait for our food all that long. The plates are settled in front of us and we thank her as she walks off once more. I feel starved but don't dig into my meal like an animal, I eat it calmly.
The girls eat as well and we don't say all that much but some meaningless topics here and there. When we finish our meal we split the check and leave heading back into the car we head over to the Inn and unload our bags into our separate rooms. I dress in somewhat warmer clothing ( even though I don't need too, I should to keep up appearances.) and get a better flashlight. I head down to the foyer and wait for the other two.
Jill comes down first and she has also changed into some jeans and a thin but still warm sweater; vest on top of the dark blue shirt. She smiles briefly at me, sitting down next to me on the bench. We don't have to wait long as Sheva comes down the stairs as well, having changed into a pair of jeans and a light sweater herself. We had back into the car and I drive us to the spot. We get a guns and knifes back on making sure to get the proper amount of ammo and the flashlight we head out for those monster's and maybe we can find survivors as well.
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We start walking back on the path, shining the light around and stopping every once in awhile when we hear a noise. Everything looks worse at night, I've always thought that. More shadows, and other creatures that are nocturnal; to much extra sound. But now when I have stronger eyes, nose, and hearing; I realise that there is possibly a lot more that can be wrong with night time. And then the thought hits me that with everything I have now, I can see better, smell better, and hear better; I just can't let anyone else know but it might not be as bad as I thought.
We get to the shack and we poke around the outside, try to see if anyone has been here since this morning.
" I've circled this place twice, nothing has been messed with." Sheva announces as she comes from her second time around.
" You're right." I nod my head, " I think we should continue searching, go further." I look between the both of them.
" I don't have a problem with that, we just have to make sure we don't get lost." Jill offers.
I make a quick sweep of our surroundings one last time, " How about this way, mark the trees as we go?"
They both shrug and nod their heads, " sounds like a plan." Jill says.
I start walking down a path that has more trees in the way, weeds that cling to your socks and pant legs. I can hear them behind me marking trees every once in awhile and stumbling some what as we walk. I know I saw something a little bit further away when we were by the cabin, I had focused in out it but it moved to quick for me to get an exact and accurate look at it.
" Chris... do you even hear me or are you in your own world?" Sheva kids as she makes her way to my side.
I shake my head quickly and look towards her, " I'm sorry, I thought I saw something further down the path."
She looks out and then back at me her head tilted to the side just a bit. " Like what exactly?"
" I'm not sure really if I even saw something or if it was just the wind shaking the branches and they had cast a weird shadow." I shrug before I tell her, " But it moved to fast or animal like to be a shadow." We start to walk down the path again.
I stop all of a sudden, there it is again. I slowly turn my head to Sheva who has stopped beside me ( she too is looking at the creature down the path). Jill makes a slicing sound as she marks our way and when she spots us standing still she turns and looks in the general area as the creature. I place my hand over my gun and start to ease it out of the holster when the creature starts to charge us.
It's a licker I can already tell and it makes it pretty close to us within a couple jumps. Sheva and I doge to the sides firing shots as we hit the ground. Jill has already pulled out her gun and killed the licker with three shots to the head. I stand up and brush leaves, pine needles and other forest debris off my pants. I offer Sheva a hand up and she dusts off as well.
Jill lowers her gun but doesn't put the saftey back on, " That was a licker right?"
" Yeah and they usually travel in packs so I would reload quickly and keep an eye out." Before I can finish we all reload and check our surroundings.
I don't see anything but in the far distance I can hear some commotion. " We should continue on." I keep my pistol out as I return to the path.
Sheva and Jill follow, one stopping to mark a tree the other keeping a look out. They aren't coming closer and they haven't moved from their position where ever they are. They should have come running or jumping- what ever it is they do- when they heard the shots, it is odd that they haven't even now when they can surely hear us they haven't left their spot. I stop dead in my tracks, causing Jill to bump into me and Sheva just barley stopping from hitting Jill.
" Something doesn't feel right."
" What do you mean Chris?" Sheva looks around to make sure there aren't any threats.
" I mean this, it feels weird. Like Jill had said earlier about the whole lab thing; when I was sent here everything was a mess and there had been casualties. I come back five years later same crap happening but the lab is in one piece? And that licker, it should have attacked on the spot but it took off until we got further and then it waited to attack. Which might not be so weird but when no more came after it that is odd. Every time I have encountered these things they aren't ever alone." I say it in a hushed tone, but I know they heard me.
I have more proof like the fact that there is danger up ahead that only I can hear, but I can't tell them that. It's almost like we have the opportunity to turn around and get out of here without a scratch.
" So you think we are being set-up...?" I look at Jill as she shifts in her spot.
" I'd like to hope not, that would be a real blow to my self-esteem if someone was trying to have me killed once again." I sigh " But it could be a possibility. And even if we aren't the intended targets but someone who just happens to stumble on it, it's still wrong." I shake my head. " I don't know what exactly my point is only that I think something else is going down here."
" I found it odd as well to be called back to a place that we have already dealt with. Any agent that gets sent on a mission to retrieve data or clear out whatever- we do a through job, and there is no possibility that they would have missed a note or anything." Sheva tells us.
" So basicaly in order for someone to get this information back from us they would have to have someone on the inside or already be on the inside?" Jill asks.
" Something like that." Sheva answers.
I start to walk over to a tree and lean up against it to think. My first thought when I saw the place re-stored was that Wesker had been back and fixed the place up, while also having saved the documents before hand. Thinking back though to the first time I came here he was scared in his own way for the safety of the kids and myself. Because he knew what was out here and what was going on. But when I had told him that I was coming back here he wasn't thrilledbut he didn't seem as worried- or then again he could've been more pissed because he had no clue what was out here. I have to call him, there is just too many questions and unknowns.
I head back over to the girls, " I think we should mark this spot and return in the day. We would be able to see better and know what exactly is in front of us."
" Alright." Sheva says with a nod and marks a tree before placing her knife back in it's pouch on her back.
I turn around to head back up the path when a weird smell catches my attention. I take another sniff and glance between the two of them, and it doesn't look like they can smell it or it doesn't bother them if they can. Which doesn't help my case if the scent is farther away then I should be able to smell.
" Chris... are you alright?" Jill asks as she steps closer.
" Do you smell something? It kind of has a coppery smell to it." Blood smells like copper or it tastes like copper but either way this smell wasn't around when we got here.
She takes a big breath in through her nose... takes a few steps forward. Sheva has joined us now sniffing the air.
" Faintly I can, but I had to really look for it." She looks back at me and then she goes stock-still looking over my shoulder.
I hear it now, the steps of the lickers. I had been so focused on the smell that I had forgotten to keep check of my surroundings. I mouth the words 'How many?' to Jill who just shakes her head just a tiny bit. My pistol is still out and in my hand- Sheva's as well- I slowly raise it up to my chest, Sheva now sensing danger too and brings her gunup. We quickly spin and step top the side showering bullets in front of us, the lickers start to charge and we drop two of them hitting some of the others.
One of them shoots out a tongue and I doge it taking out my knife slicing it as it flies past my head. It screams or at least makes a sound of pain before bracing it self and then jumping at me I fire five shots but it doesn't go down and I dive at the last second. I reload and fire two more shots aiming for the head it goes down. I whip around and see Sheva and Jill back-to-back shooting at the others. I fire shots at the creatures trying to lure at least two of the five waiting to attack them.
One of them shoots out its tongue and wraps around one of Sheva's legs pulling her down I charge at them and brandish my knife cutting it off. She gets back to her feet and fires five shots at that one and I shoot it in the head, it falls dead. Shoots can be heard behind us and we reload and help Jill fight off the other four, when one of them makes a jump at her and I that 'click-click' sound I grab her arms locking them with mine and lean over so she is able to kick it it when the licker gets close enough sending it flying into a tree. I set her down and aim for the one stalking behind Sheva shooting it and distracting it long enough for Jill to get more clips in her gun and fire two finishing shots into it. The one that hit the tree gets up from off the floor and lets out an ear piercing cry almost as it charges at us. It jumps over Jill ( who was standing in front of me) and lands on top of me pushing me to the ground before I can pull the trigger on my gun.
I manage to sheild my face from its razor sharp teeth and with a little extra streanght I bring my arm down ( with the butt of the gun aimed down) and kill the creature. Neither Jill or Sheva had noticed- thank who ever- for they were to busy dealing with the last two lickers. I push myself off the ground and go trigger-happy on the last two, they fall dead one right after the other. I lean over, hands braced on knees and take a couple deep breaths. I don't need the air but I need to get my eyes back to normal, I can't see them but I know they are shining that purple-aqua color, I feel it. I keep my ears open and for any more sounds and after a minute I stand back up straight and give them both a once-over to make sure they are alright.
" Everyone good?" I ask taking a deep breath.
Sheva rolls up her pants leg and I notice some bruising and a little trickle of blood but nothing life threatening. " I'm good."
We turn to Jill who is standing well no leaning against a tree. She nods her head " I'm good too." She glances at me quickly and then to the licker whose skull I had smashed and back to me.
She walks away from the tree and pulls out a bandana and hands it to me, " You have blood on your face."
I take the offered make-shift rag and wipe the blood off my face as best I can without a mirror. " Did I get it all?"
" Here." She takes the bandanna and then wipes a spot off my forehead, her fingers brush against my skin and I feel a slight jolt and she might have as well considering she has paused. We stare at each other when Sheva makes a sound, Jill pulls her hand away and looks down but still keeps eye contact. " It looks cleaner but I can't tell with only the light from the flashlights and the moon."
I nod anyway " That's okay, I'll get it back at the inn." I look at Sheva and she gives me a look that says I-don't-think-you-should-do-that-but-I'm-not-going-to-say-anything-even-though-I-should.
I look away from her too. I take a step back and stretch my arms and neck pretending to do something productive, I sniff the air as well and try to find that coppery smell but I can't. " We should defiantly get back now. Return after we have fully checked for wounds and have re-stocked on ammo." I start leading the way back through the trees with branches that seem to catch in your hair and the weeds that pull at your socks, pants, shirt, and skin as you pass by them.
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It took us about an hour or two to get back to the car and from there it was another ten minutes till we got back in to town and we were able to head into the inn. I take a quick glance in the side-view mirror to make sure that I don't have blood on my face still I don't see anything too bad, I try to look at my arms and clothing to make sure that that isn't covered either. Not so bad. I step away from the car and up the steps I open the door and hold it for the both of them, following as they walk through and up the stairs.
We mumble half-felt good nights as we open our doors and walk inside. I'm faced with a dilemma of taking a shower first or calling Wesker.
" He'll probably be up after a quick shower." I mumble to myself. I un-zip my bag and grab a clean shirt and pants I head to the adjoining washroom and lock the door. I take a deep breath and lay my clothing on the toilet, I turn the water on and remove my shirt setting it down carefully so as not to get blood or anything else on the floor. I run a hand through my hair and give my face a once-over in the larger and better lighted mirror.
No wrinkles, no bruises, no bags underneath my eyes. My profile will never change, I'll always look this way no matter what. My mind wanders back to the forest and when Jill had looked from me to the lickercorpse and then back to me. She knew something or she was really questioning about how that had happened, and then when her fingers had brushed against my forehead that jolt, what was that? With that one question a whole bunch more starts to race through my mind, like what is going on here? why is the lab fixed? who is behind all of this? is it Wesker? Not to mention that this feels like a set-up. My hands grip the sink tighter making my knuckles turn white, I hear a faint growl and when I re-focus back on the mirror I can see a grimace on my face. I step-more like shove- away from the sink and the mirror with it's reflective surface causing me to feel things I don't want to.
I take a deep and calming breath. " It's times like this that I miss having I.S. around." I let out a dry laugh and strip the rest of the way, laying them on top of the shirt I step into the shower and let the hot water run down my body.
I raise my head up letting the water pour over my face and through my hair. I raise my hands up and scrub the dirt out and then grab the shampoo, squeezing a generous amount into my palm. I rub my hands together and then scrub my scalp alternating between scrubbing and pulling my hands away with hair and letting it slip through my fingers. I do that for five minutes straight before stepping under the hot spray and rinsing off my hair. I soap up the rest of my body scrubbing here and there at dirt/grime/blood weather it's there or not. I can't get the fact out of my head, the smell of blood right before the attack-more of an ambush really- and then it was gone when I sniffed after we killed all the lickers. The slight sting of ice cold water yanks me out my thoughts. I turn the knob for more hot water and put the conditioner in my hair, scrubbing more gently I wash it out and turn the water off.
I step out of the shower and grab the towel hanging on the rack I dry off my body and start to dress in my clean shirt and shorts. I pick the towel back up and shake my hair getting out the water. I leave the dirty clothing on the floor when I leave the bathroom and head over to my duffel bag again I pull out my cell and sit down on the bed. I'm not sure which number to try: the house number or his cell number, I could even call the number he left at my work the other day -but if he does answer from that number then that means he left the kids alone which I told him not to do. Calling his cell would be my safest bet, it won't wake the kids or if he is at that other place I won't know and that is going to save me more pain with the headache I already have.
He picks up after the second ring and he doesn't sound all that pleased.
" What do you want Christopher?"
I take a deep breath and rub the bridge of my nose, " I need you to be completely honest with me." I'm hoping that he knows I'm serious by the tone of my voice.
" What about?"
" You don't have anything to do with the lab being fixed in this small town right?"
The silence from the other line is deafening and my stomach drops, " What do you mean it's fixed?"
I close my eyes and let out a relieved sigh, " I mean that everything is back to normal, glass containers in tack, papers in order, no dead bodies. Nothing like last time when the lickers got out, which leads me to believe that they were released on purpose this time."
Again he is silent.
"... What else did you find?"I hear rustling on the other end, bed sheets I think.
" I'm not sure what you mean. We haven't found anything else... well actually there was something weird about how the lickers were acting. We walked past that shack thing heading deeper into the woods to look for the lickers or survivors. I couldn't really sniff them out but I did spot one that was further down the path, but the odd thing was is that it didn't attack right away it took off. We started to continue walking down the path and we got a couple feet when it came back but once again it didn't attack right away. I was able to get my gun out before it charged us, we shot it down and I waited for more to show up- because you know those things travel in groups- but no more showed up."
" I haven't gone back to that town since we left that night." He says it in a almost bored tone.
"... fine, but did you hear me? There is still more."
" I heard you Chris, I don't know what you want me to say about that."
" I think it's a set-up!" I say in a rush.
" Why?" He still sounds bored, I get the feeling that he's just amusing me by asking questions.
" I just feel it. After that one attacked us I tuned in and was listening for sounds of them coming but I didn't hear that. I did hear them though. So we kept walking and I could hear them as we got closer but they never made a move to come after us. We stopped and I had made the suggestion to come back when the sun was out that way we could see things better. They had agreed and we were on our way back when I caught the scent of copper, I looked at them and they didn't smell it. I smelt blood Wesker, and when I had asked if they did we all started to smell for it and Jill said she could but it was faint. She went to say more but then she tensed up and it was then that I heard the lickers creeping up behind us. I had been caught up with the smell of blood that I hadn't heard them coming, I had been distracted I must've been because when we killed all of the lickers I had tried to find that smell again but it was gone. It wasn't being blown away because I couldn't find it again once we had started back to the car." My breathing has picked up and my stomach has gotten tight, my headache which had been forgotten, I can now feel.
There is a quite almost silent growl but I catch it, " Why call me? Have you discussed this with your teammates? What about your boss?"
There is a fraction of a pang in my heart at his words, I can't really say why or I don't want to admit why. " Because you are the only one that will understand, you are the only one except for Claire and Zhane that know about me being infected. I can't tell Jill or Sheva that I heard the lickers because I have abnormal hearing." I growl the last part between clenched teeth.
" What do you want me to say then? That you're right, that you are infact being set-up?" His voice isn't stoic any more, instead sounding exasperated and little annoyed.
I'm speechless, I have no idea how to respond to that. " You know that this is a set-up? You knew that I was being sent to my death?" I meant for it to sound harsh and biting but it comes out much like he would usually respond: bored and uncaring or emotionless.
" I told you what to expect, that the lickers and anything else infected is going to see you as huge threat. But no, I did not now that this was a set-up if infact that is even what it is."
" Is there a facility hidden in the woods here?"
" I've only been to that shack that I showed you."
" Where were you that day I called you from work?" I'm not sure why I changed topics, maybe to put myself at ease.
" Christopher I have not returned to that town since that night. I have told you this." He lets out a sigh.
" Albert! Where...Were...You...That day?" My voice gives the tone I want: deadly and serious.
" Redfield you are getting off topic."
" Was it another lab? Why are you avoiding the question?"
" Yes Christopher it was another lab." He sounds tired, " Now what are going to do tomorrow?"
" We have to keep looking, we are going to go back with better light and more ammo."
" What are you going to do if this is a trap?"
" I don't know... I survived that night at the mansion when you set us up." There is a bite in my tone.
There is a low rumble from the other line indicating that he had found that funny, the prick. "True, but if this is a trap then the person behind this must have an idea of you being infected."
I hadn't thought of that possibility and now I feel like a semi-truck has just ran me over. " What makes you say that?"
" The blood. They had distracted you with the smell of the blood. And they had been stupid in hoping that that alone would distract you but low and behold it had."
I do my best to control my anger and not crush the cell in my hand. " You don't sound... I don't know, concerned...worried...upset... something over that detail."
" I don't know if you are being sent on a suicide mission or not. And what is it to me if someone else knows that you are... how did you put it oh-" He snaps his fingers "-a monster wasn't it?"
" They could find the kids and they could even find you."
"I suggest you be careful then, keep alert and be ready for anything."
" I am." I nod my head and my mouth forms into a smile that isn't happy.
" I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help." He says it with sarcasm but I have a strong feeling that tomorrow he is going to be looking into this. And maybe deep down that is what I had wanted; I can't really say.
" Yeah I'm sure you are. I have to go now bye."
" Sweet dreams Christopher." There is a click on the other end signaling that he has hung up. I close my cell too and place it on the bedside table before turning off the lights and falling asleep.
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I hope you liked this chapter, and I'm sorry for all those who had to wait for this chapter. I hope your wait was worth it, I liked how this chapter came.
Please review and thank you for those that have :)