Chapter 12 is here...unfortunately, we must shift our focus from Cheryl, Rebecca and the others as they step into the fog of Black Falls to other characters who will have an important role in events to come. You've already seen some of them introduced to the story already, but starting here they're going to get involved! And yes, two of them are the recently reunited Claire Redfield and Sherry Birkin!

But could romance bloom between two more characters of our story, not just Rebecca and Cheryl? Read and find out!

RESIDENT EVIL X SILENT HILL: JUDGMENT DAY

written by Charles Spencer,
inspired by Ygure

Chapter 12:

"CONVERGING ELEMENTS"

-1-

Burlington, Vermont

The news that swept across the United States and then the planet like a wildfire about Black Falls, Vermont had to begin with a figurative match. That match was first lit in Burlington, the state's largest city, only about 25 miles to the northwest. On one local television news program, which was minutes away from wrapping up it's five o'clock broadcast, the sports announcer was almost done with his segment when the anchorwoman interrupted. The pretty brunette behind the main desk suddenly said, "J-Jerry? I'm sorry, I'm being told by the producer...okay, I'm being given some breaking news. Just a moment..." She'd been given a handful of pages by an intern, and she quickly referred to them:

"Um, this just in, ladies and gentlemen. As I speak, there appears to be some kind of pitched gun battle happening in the town of Black Falls involving the State Police and local authorites and an unknown armed force...at the same time, a freak weather event has happened and the town is covered by a thick gray fog." She looked off-camera at her producer with irritation. "Seriously, is this some kind of joke? Both of those things happening at the same time? The last I heard, they were having their County Fair for the holiday weekend - !" She looked back at her papers and a frown formed upon her lips as she spoke. "I mean, this can't be right, can it...? No. No, according to the information we're receiving, it's confirmed that all available personnel in the State Police is being deployed to Black Falls in response. It's unknown how many people are dead, but the number is believed to be in...ah, in the hundreds already. My god, at the County Fair...?" She took a deep, shaky breath to compose herself and continued, trying to keep herself professional. "Witnesses who escaped the fog reported that men, women and children have been shot and killed, and others have been attacked by...we still have to confirm this, but there have also been reports that people were being attacked and eaten by some kind of strange animals. Sources also report that the State Board of Health is responding and the General Assembly is gathering to meet in an emergency session in Montpelier, possibly to ask the governor to request federal assistance as soon as possible. That aid might include whatever military support is deemed necessary..."

-2-

Washington, D.C.

It took some maniac driving on the part of the convoy of Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance vehicles to get through Washington, D.C.'s infamous traffic and reach Bolling Air Force Base in record time. Unfortunately, when the large team of heavily armed men and women led by Captain Chris Redfield and Lieutenant Jill Valentine reached their C-130 transport to fly to Black Falls, they were given the news that they couldn't take off. The BSAA was on temporary standby on the order of the President himself. Before he had the chance to protest that, Chris got a call on his smart phone. He answered it and saw Leon S. Kennedy's face as he said, "Chris, it's Leon."

Chris Redfield looked angrily at Leon's image and almost shouted, "Leon! Our flight to Black Falls just got stalled by Presidential order! What the hell is going on?!" Jill Valentine, who was desperate to reach Black Falls and find Rebecca Chambers, was also visibly, dangerously angry as she drew close to Chris to listen in.

Leon said with quiet tension, "Black Falls just disappeared in a fog about 20 minutes ago, Chris. Do you know what that means?"

Chris' eyes widened with shock...so did Jill's. It was just like Rebecca feared. The history of Silent Hill was repeating itself. Chris said in a bleak tone, "It means we're already too late."

Stoic, Leon said emphatically, "No, Chris! As long as there's hope, it's never too late. And your flight's only been delayed, because you're going to need support."

Chris asked, "What kind of support? From who?"

-3-

Leon S. Kennedy answered, "I'm about to find out. Hold on." He put Chris on hold and pocketed his phone as he stood next to fellow Division of Security Operations agent Helena Harper in the Oval Office of the White House. There were over two-dozen officials and advisors there as well to assist their leader in this moment of crisis. But it was Leon and Helena who stood in front of the big desk and had the attention of the Chief Executive before anyone else. Leon asked quietly, "Mister President?"

The President of the United States, a soft-spoken yet principled man who could never have imagined he'd succeed his predecessor the way he did over a month ago, sat wearily behind his desk as he'd just hung up his phone. He looked at Leon and said, "That was my Press Secretary. This...whatever is happening in Vermont, news of it is going worldwide even as we speak. You said that you believe this is the beginning of hostilities from this Order cult?"

Leon nodded. "According to my best information, yes, sir. Unfortunately, I don't know much more. This could be an isolated one-time incident limited solely to this town, but I'm afraid what's happening in Black Falls is only the beginning of something much, much bigger. And with this situation developing so close to Washington...we can't discount the possibility of The Order launching some form of an attack on our government."

As his elbows rested on his desk, one of the most powerful world leaders on Earth raised his hands and clutched them under his chin thoughtfully. "I've barely been President for over a month, helping our people pick themselves up from the C-Virus. I've been striving to reassure our own citizens and the people of the world that they can still have faith we are a positive force in this world, that everyone can have confidence in us. And now this happens." He looked to a nearby widescreen TV, which showed the real-time satellite imagery of Black Falls...or at least the fog that currently blanketed it like a shroud. "I can't even start to imagine how a group of lunatics could have accomplished what I'm looking at." His eyes then fixed on Leon. "My predecessor trusted you completely, Agent Kennedy. What do you advise?"

Leon said, "Without knowing exactly what is happening in that fog, our first immediate step is to seal off Black Falls from the rest of the world immediately."

"Agreed. And then?"

"Then we take action to find out what's happening. We need specialists to infiltrate Black Falls, and I have very specific people in mind who are best able to find out, sir. They include Chris Redfield and his BSAA; I have him on my phone right now. I already showed you the photographic evidence he was given by one of his people, Rebecca Chambers, that The Order is using bio-organic weapons. I therefore strongly recommend that the BSAA take point for investigating Black Falls, with the assistance of the DSO." Leon gestured to the beautiful brunette next to him as he said, "In fact, Agent Harper and I want to volunteer to help Captain Redfield and his people."

Helena Harper said with quiet strength, "We're both ready to do whatever we can to find out what's going on and stop it, sir."

Leon offered, "We won't be the only agents to respond, sir. In fact..." He paused only for a beat. "...I'll need to notify a fellow agent currently overseas who I believe can help us immensely. It may take some time, but having her as part of the operation will increase our chances for success." A part of him hated to suggest it, though, because he knew and cared for this agent deeply.

She was in Berlin at the moment...with Claire Redfield.

The President nodded deeply. "If you deem it necessary, then by all means proceed. And thank you both." It was only because he was still so new to his truly extraordinary station the leader asked Leon, "For the time being, as far as sealing off Black Falls goes, how do you suggest we proceed?"

Leon S. Kennedy said coolly, "This is a hostile act against our people on U.S. soil, sir. I've never been in the Navy, but four words come to mind...

"...all hands on deck."

-4-

Brahms, Maine

In the quiet solitude of her office in the Brahms Police Department, Captain Cybil Bennett and Wayside Corrections Officer Anne Cunningham shared with each other the stories of their experiences in Silent Hill as they sat on a couch. The sun's rays reached in through the windows above the couch, but the women felt little warmth. It took a while for them to tell each other their frightening tales, well past Cybil's time to go off-duty for the day.

Cybil Bennett told her story first, when in 1983 she was assigned to investigate Silent Hill late one night because the Brahms Police had lost contact with them. Not long after entering the town border, she had an accident and crashed her police motorcycle because of the brackish, persistent fog that overwhelmed the area. Unhurt, Cybil made her way into the desolate, foreboding town where there seemed to be no signs of life...until she found the unconscious body of Harry Mason. When he woke up, Harry told Cybil he also had an accident in his vehicle and lost his daughter Cheryl, who was traveling with him. Cybil and Harry went their separate ways to not only find Cheryl but investigate whatever was happening in Silent Hill. It quickly became clear that something was wrong about that town, something as bad as a soul's most terrible nightmare.

At times, when an air raid siren wailed, Silent Hill...shifted between its fog-shrouded, derelict state and a horrible alternate version of the town punctuated by rain, blood, rusty steel, and a darkness worse than anything the deepest, bleakest abyss offered. Unreal, demonic creatures lurked in both versions, but it was when the darkness reigned those creatures were much more frightening, and far more dangerous. Worse, some of those creatures were once people who lived in Silent Hill, those transformed before or after death into macabre things that hunted for Cybil and Harry as they sought to understand how it all happened. It became most painful for Cybil to recount how she'd been savagely struck from behind and rendered unconscious by an unknown attacker - whether it was one of The Order or something else, she never knew - but the next thing she remembered she felt the agonizing, horrible experience of being a prisoner in her own body as she was controlled by a monstrous parasite that attached to her back. It made her attack Harry and nearly kill him, but he had managed to get ahold of a mysterious substance called Aglaophotis, which he used to destroy the parasite and free her. Finally, Cybil told Anne what she and Harry learned about The Order, their evil high priestess Dahlia Gillespie, and how they brought about the fall of Silent Hill with the help of those like a corrupt doctor, Michael Kaufmann...when the police captain got to other things, like the tragic fate of Lisa Garland (which Harry told her about after their escape) and why Dahlia wanted Cheryl, she was afraid the pretty prison guard would think she was crazy...but Anne Cunningham simply listened quietly, her wide green eyes focused on Cybil, and the blonde policewoman knew without a doubt Anne was serious about having been to Silent Hill.

Cybil's chilling experience in Silent Hill concluded on a note of bittersweet triumph when she recounted how Cheryl Mason and Alessa Gillespie not only became a single whole soul once again, but reincarnated herself into a new daughter for Harry after he defeated The Order's God...and together, the three of them left the darkness that dominated the heart of Silent Hill. But there was no happy ending: the police captain also recounted what she knew of Harry Mason being murdered by The Order 17 years later and Cheryl, a teenager who lived under the name of Heather, was forced to return to that damned town with the help of private detective Douglas Cartland. After a hard-won battle against the cult, Cheryl Mason escaped Silent Hill again and was finally free to live her live and find her own happiness...or so it seemed.

Anne got the impression that Cybil's story wasn't finished quite yet...but then the beautiful police captain asked what happened to the corrections officer.

Slowly, painfully, Anne Cunningham told her story, which began long before she found herself in Silent Hill. The story began when her father Frank Coleridge, who had also worked as a guard at Ryall State Prison, was so brutally assaulted by an inmate he was left in a vegetative state several years ago. The convict supposedly responsible was Murphy Pendleton, and Anne was consumed by grief and rage, which only have compounded indescribably after her father finally died years later. With vengenace in her heart, Anne began to formulate a plan to kill Murphy...she became a prison guard as well, not simply to honor her father but so she could get in a position to put her plan into motion. Anne hinted she had to do many things to curry favor from corrupt associates and lecherous superiors, things that she deeply regretted and dearly wished she could forget. Cybil was surprised this truly attractive yet unassuming young woman with short, dark hair could have been so hellbent to murder a man...but this was about family, about Anne avenging her father, and Cybil wondered how far anyone would go to gain justice in those circumstances...

Last year in the rainy spring of 2012, Anne secretly arranged to have Murphy transferred from Ryall to Wayside, the prison where she worked, where she would kill him. In fact, the lady supervised Murphy's transfer personally. However, as they traveled to Wayside, the transport crashed within the borders of Silent Hill...Anne and Murphy were separated, and they both began to explore and make sense of the foggy, ominous place they found themselves in. Disoriented and overwhelmed by both fear of her surroundings and her anger toward Murphy, Anne journeyed through Silent Hill as it periodically shifted from fog to a much darker world each time the rain came in an overwhelming downpour. However, the alternate version Anne experienced was different in tone from what Cybil remembered...it was still darksome and bleak, but it was claustrophobic and harsh; water dominated instead of blood, and unyielding metal punctuated by grates was everywhere...it all felt ironically like a hellish prison, which did nothing to calm Anne as she hunted for Murphy. She also saw creatures in both versions of Silent Hill, like Cybil, and had to defend herself repeatedly.

Anne found Murphy more than once afterward, but because of the circumstances of a given moment or because she hesitated in spite of her anger, the encounters were little more than tense confrontations. That changed, however, as Anne saw a being she called the Wheelman again and again, a not-quite-human, ghastly creature in a wheelchair connected to life support machines by tubing. It reminded Anne of her father, who was rendered a helpless vegetable and also confined to a wheelchair. Anne became overwhelmed by her desire for revenge then...but it was also because of her seeing the Wheelman and other subtle, haunting things that she began to realize the otherworldly power of Silent Hill. She decided that this was where she had to finish her business with Murphy once and for all. One more time Anne confronted Murphy as he tried to escape Silent Hill by speedboat, and she shot him.

Inexplicably, they found themselves in a dark version of Silent Hill's Overlook Penitentiary...Murphy fought the Wheelman and destroyed it, only to be confronted by a vision of Frank Coleridge. He saw Frank bloody and lying at his feet after the beating that made him a vegetable, the crime Murphy had been tried and convicted for and added years to his prison sentence. However, the truth was that Murphy was innocent: he had only witnessed the beating which had in fact been committed by a corrupt guard, George Sewell. Sewell tried to make the convict kill Frank, an honest man investigating Sewell for his corruption, but Murphy refused...Sewell then beat Frank and pinned the blame on Murphy. Already consumed by guilt for long ago being unable to save his son from a killer pedophile, which set in motion events that led him to prison in the first place, he blamed himself for being unable to stop Sewell, too. Then...Anne was there to confront Murphy one more time, and she revealed who she truly was, that Frank was her father. Anne Cunningham could only see the man she wanted to kill as a monster, and because of both her incredible anger and Murphy Pendleton's terrible guilt, he literally transformed into the monster they both believed him to be. The two began a brutal battle then in which both of their fates would have been decided.

The monster won, and it could have killed Anne...but the monster was still Murphy Pendleton inside, and in his heart and soul he was a good man who simply made some bad choices. Just as he could never have beaten Frank Coleridge, he couldn't have ever killed anyone. And he wouldn't kill Anne Cunningham.

The petite prison guard finished her story quietly as she stared into the distance: "He could have let himself be the monster I thought he was, Cybil. He could have killed me...but he didn't want to. I could feel him fight to be himself again, and just like that, Murphy was human. That was when I really understood once and for all what kind of man he was, and he couldn't have murdered my father...and I forgave him." Anne closed her eyes shamefully. "I felt like complete shit for what I almost did to him, even though I knew he forgave me, too. I had to finally let go of my need for revenge, and I did. When we found ourselves outside of Silent Hill, I let him go, too. I reported he died in the bus crash." Anne looked at Cybil and offered a small but genuine smile. "I have no idea where Murphy is now, most likely somewhere in Canada under a new name...but I hope he's okay."

Cybil Bennett was quiet for a moment as she thought of everything Anne told her. It all fit, even though it seemed Silent Hill had changed dramatically in the decades since the policewoman had been there. She wondered what those changes could have meant. Did that town...evolve over time? What Anne described of the place, that it was like a prison at the worst times, and how it worked upon her vengeful anger. Cybil knew that was important somehow...but she focused on Anne again and quietly said, "I'm in the same place you are, Anne. Like you, there's so much I don't understand about Silent Hill and...and what it became because of The Order and their insane need to bring their God to Earth. We've both seen that place change people, transform them into monsters even after they die."

Anne felt a chill in her soul as she softly said, "Like Lisa Garland."

"Yeah." Cybil had never met Lisa, and in many ways she had been thankful for that. Harry told Cybil about his encounters with the attractive redheaded nurse who wore her signature matching red cardigan sweater over her short white dress in Alchemilla Hospital. Lisa was such a tragic figure, an addict to the drug PTV that her boss, Doctor Michael Kaufmann, helped manufacture for his own profit. Kaufmann used Lisa's addiction, gave her just enough of the drug when she needed it to make her do anything he wanted. The red nurse's primary role for the longest time in Silent Hill, however, was watching over Alessa Gillespie, who had been ravaged by a ritual performed by her own mother. Dahlia wouldn't allow her daughter to die, not while she was pregnant with the embryo of her cult's God. After she met Harry, Lisa wanted desperately to escape Silent Hill and the forces that controlled her, and more than once gave him information that helped him make sense of things and bring him closer to his lost daughter, Cheryl. But Lisa's situation took a shocking turn when she realized that she was dead, that she had died at some point long before Harry met her, but she never knew. With that realization, Lisa Garland began bleeding from too many places as she transformed into a creature much like her fellow nurses, who had became dangerous beings that stalked her hosptial's halls like prowling wolves. Harry told Cybil with sadness he reacted out of fear and left the girl as she changed, as she wept and asked for his help. But how could he have helped her? Cybil didn't blame him at all for how he reacted.

Anne frowned. "I think...something about that town...or maybe something within Silent Hill feeds from the worst parts of people, and then it takes that energy to make what's inside people even worse. It may depend on a person's...personal demons." The prison guard leaned forward as she sat and her hands clenched together anxiously as she tried to make sense of it all. "There are times I feel..."

"Go on?"

Anne finally said hesitantly, "I-it's nothing, Cybil. My memories of that town haunt me, even in my waking hours. Especially what I remember when it changed from fog to..."

Cybil softly said, "The darkness." Anne quietly nodded. The police captain turned in her seat to face the prison guard fully...her expression was just as troubled. "For thirty years I've tried to come to terms with it, Anne. But honestly, I've been a coward." Anne looked at Cybil, who reflexively looked down, ashamed of looking into the brunette's eyes. "Most of the time I've avoided trying to really face what happened. I've focused on my career...on the husband and girls I love...anything else but Silent Hill and what it means."

Anne shook her head gently as she offered, "You're no coward, Cybil. I know we just met but the last thing I'd call you is a coward, especially considering everything you faced to help Harry get his girl back...!"

"But I was never there for them after that. Harry saved my life, and I...I only kept in touch with him and Cheryl off and on in the years since. I wanted to put as much distance between myself and Silent Hill as possible. That included anything or anyone that reminded me of it, even Harry and his daughter." Cybil drew upon her inner strength to look Anne in the eyes. "You know, before I met Stephen, my husband, I felt an attraction toward Harry? But I didn't do anything about it. Stephen and my daughters are everything to me, I'd never ever trade my life today for a chance to turn back the clock. But...sometimes I wonder what could have been if I hadn't been so afraid. I did owe Harry my life and maybe even my soul. If I hadn't kept Harry at a distance, maybe..." She looked down again sadly as she thought, Maybe Harry would still be alive today.

A quiet moment passed in the office. Anne said gently, "Cybil..."

But the police captain quickly, defensively said, "I'm all right, Anne." But then she said with more uncertainty, "I'm all right." Cybil sighed deeply and continued, and Anne was right that the blonde's story wasn't done. Not yet. "After Harry died, I tried to make it up to him by keeping in contact with Cheryl. Lord knew the poor thing felt so alone after losing her father. But...I'd always tell her I was too busy to meet her. I still kept her at a distance, only talking to her over the phone. Wouldn't you call that cowardly?"

Anne smiled warmly and said, "I made the biggest mistake of my life judging someone, remember? I'm not about to do that to you, even if you want me to."

Cybil gave her an uneasy smile in return. "When Cheryl realized The Order was still out there, she had me get in touch with a private detective, Douglas Cartland. I've helped him network, make contacts to get the information he and Cheryl needed." That was something she didn't share with Rebecca Chambers when she visited the captain's office not long ago...Cybil had simply wanted to protect Cheryl from being intruded upon by the agent; Douglas had felt differently.

Anne thought of all Cybil told her about that frightening cult. "I never ran into The Order when I was in Silent Hill."

"They were destroyed a few years before you were there, Anne. That was what someone else I know told me, and I had no reason to doubt her."

"Who?"

Something in the air shifted...Cybil became visibly uncomfortable. "Her name is Elle Shepherd. She's a cop here in Brahms, too. Elle and her husband Alex were also in Silent Hill."

Anne nodded. "How are they doing?"

Cybil's discomfort increased greatly as her eyes finally unveiled a repressed anxiety she hadn't shared with Anne...until that moment. "I have no idea. I...I think something's happened to them."

Anne stared at her. "Wh-what do you mean?"

There was so much tension in Cybil's voice... "This morning, Elle's dad called a 911 dispatcher saying he was alone and needed help. He's bedridden, and she and Alex have been helping him get his strength back for the longest time. A unit responded and found Elle and Alex's house broken into, some things had been damaged, and her father was there alone, just like he said. Alex's car and the police cruiser Elle drove were still in the garage, but they were gone. W-we have the FBI helping us, the department has all available manpower trying to find some kind of lead, and until that happens we can't do anything with so little to go on! But Elle and Alex's families were part of The Order, and...!"

Anne understood. "You think The Order took Elle and her husband."

Cybil nodded as she closed her eyes. "God, I hoped and prayed those bastards were all dead, like Elle said. I hoped that at least for Cheryl's sake. She's been through things I can't even imagine because of them."

Anne thought quickly and asked, "Maybe Elle and Alex were taken to Silent Hill...?"

Cybil frowned...but when she looked up at Anne again, there was a light of growing purpose in her eyes. "I've thought of that, Anne." She sighed shakily as she decided once and for all that she had to set aside her fear, at the very least to do what she had to do. The captain finally said, "And I'm going to look for them." Cybil rose from the couch and she said quietly, "I...I have to call Stephen and the girls, let them know I have to leave town..."

"Cybil." Anne rose slowly to stand before the policewoman...she was also afraid, but there was an undeniable iron in her expression, as well. The brunette offered, "I'll go with you. If the shit we both went through taught us anything, it's not to go into that goddamn town alone." Anne drew close to Cybil, and the prison guard's right hand gently but firmly took hold of the policewoman's. "If you need anything, I'll be there."

Cybil nodded slowly as she smiled, her eyes full of gratitude. She said to Anne softly, "Thank you."

"Excuse me!" The women were so focused on each other, the man's voice surprised them. They turned to Cybil's doorway, which they saw was open, and there in the threshold an old man in a well-used suit, longcoat and a fedora stood. He looked at the blonde and asked, "You must be Captain Bennett?"

Cybil frowned. "Can I help you?"

The old man stepped inside her office and took off his fedora, revealing a full head of gray hair. Still, there was a youthful energy in his eyes. "You already did more than once, Captain, but we only talked over the phone before now. My name is Douglas Cartland."

Both women were visibly surprised. Anne had to ask, "You're the detective who knows Cheryl Mason?"

Douglas' eyebrows perked up. "Who are you, miss?"

"Anne Cunningham. Mister Cartland...?"

As he drew closer, he said, "You can call me Douglas if I can call you Anne. How do you know Cheryl Mason?"

Anne frowned. "I-I only know of her. Cybil and I were...uh..." She hesitated...

...but Cybil reassured Anne, "Douglas has been to Silent Hill too, remember?"

The private detective smiled. "Yeah, and I've got a lame leg to show for it." He looked at Cybil and asked, "I'm a former cop, so I hope I can call you Cybil, too?"

Cybil smiled. "Of course. But why are you here?"

Then...Douglas Cartland's expression became uncomfortable and unsure, like Cybil and Anne had been just before. He said, "I don't know how to answer that question. Seriously. I...I felt the need to talk to you. Kind of strange you're already talking to someone who's been to Silent Hill, too."

Cybil and Anne looked at each other, and then at Douglas. Anne said with a frown, "Yeah...but I have to wonder if it's just a coincidence." For all three of them, knowing what they had in common, it felt like fate.

Douglas asked, "Want to hear something stranger? On my way to see you, about ten minutes ago, I start hearing this really weird news story on my car radio. About a town that's covered in fog."

Both women stared at him...Cybil asked, "Silent Hill?"

He shook his head. "Nope. It's a whole different town. You got a break room with a TV in this place?"

Cybil led Anne and Douglas to a break room, which wasn't far away. A few officers were already there, and all were staring at the HDTV in a corner of the room. There was a special news report on, and digital camcorder footage from an eyewitness was being replayed as the reporter spoke. The scene was pure chaos as people stained in blood and screaming ran out of the fog as paramedics and State Police hustled back and forth; some of the officers were firing their weapons into the fog. At the bottom of the screen was the graphic, POSSIBLE TERRORIST ATTACK IN VERMONT. Underneath that were the words, Casualties high as mysterious fog blankets town.

Anne felt a horrible foreboding just looking at that fog...because she recognized it. "Vermont...?"

Cybil recognized it too, and she felt horror coil in her gut. First Silent Hill, then Shepherd's Glen...and now a new town was being plagued by what she barely escaped thirty years ago. Cybil whispered, "My god..."

"There's more you both need to know," Douglas said quietly. "Something those reporters don't know." He looked directly at Cybil. "The last I heard, Cheryl Mason was there. So is this federal bioterrorist agent I talked to who wanted to help her. Cute girl with short brown hair who kind of looks like an elf - !"

Cybil said flatly, "Rebecca Chambers." But her wide eyes stared at Douglas as she said fearfully, "My god, you're saying Cheryl is there right now?!"

Douglas nodded. "Yeah. They both went to Black Falls looking for The Order, and then this happens." He paused for a moment and said, "We need to talk."

-5-

Berlin, Germany

Claire Redfield and Sherry Birkin went to a tavern that was a local landmark for over a hundred years. The place was intimate yet lively, as locals and tourists drank the local brew and had a good time, as anyone was wont to do in a tavern anywhere on the planet. But the ladies sat in at a booth the back of the establishment, away from most everyone else, as they cuddled and held each other needfully, the needful sharing of their warmth testament to how much they had longed to be together again...they had barely touched their frosted mugs as they talked and caught up. Claire was stunned by much of what Sherry told her about the girl's experiences as an intelligence agent. Then the beautiful blonde began talking about what had happened to her in the past year.

Sherry Birkin told Claire about how her legal guardian, National Security Advisor Derek Simmons, had her transferred to Leon S. Kennedy's organization, the Division of Security Operations. Around Christmas of last year, as the C-Virus epidemic raged across the world, Sherry was assigned the task of finding Jake Muller...because his identity was classified for his protection since, though, the young agent simply referred to him as Jake. She definitely didn't tell Claire that he was the son of the late Albert Wesker, who Claire and her brother Chris Redfield had a black history with. Jake never knew his father, and he'd grown up to develop a worldview so dark, he became a mercenary who sold his skills to whoever had enough money to pay him. Sherry found Jake and told him he had the antibodies needed to provide a vaccine for the C-Virus; Wesker had augmented his own genome dramatically in his lifetime, so much so he passed on a remarkable legacy to his son. (Perhaps the one positive thing that madman had ever done.) With the help of Chris and his team of BSAA operatives, Sherry got Jake out of an Eastern European battlefield plagued by bio-organic weapons.

Unfortunately, the international terrorist organization called Neo-Umbrella, which was responsible for the spread of the C-Virus, also wanted Jake, in part to secure him and keep a vaccine from being created. In spite of their best efforts, Sherry and Jake were captured and held until late June, when an opening finally presented itself for them to take advantage of and make a daring escape. It became one desperate battle after another against the forces of Neo-Umbrella since...and then Sherry was reunited with not only Chris but also Leon for the first time in years. The girl was shocked to her core to discover Simmons, her guardian nearly since Raccoon City, her mentor, was himself a cold-hearted monster. He engineered the assassination of President Benford and was involved with the international conspiracy that set the C-Virus epidemic in motion. With the precious information about Jake's antibodies in her possession, it became Sherry's drive to save Jake and secure his freedom...in the process, the spirit and bravery of the extraordinary young agent inspired Jake to take a better path. She had truly saved him, in more ways than one.

But there was one thing Sherry Birkin couldn't tell Claire Redfield...and it was something about herself. About how the G-Virus she'd been 'cured' of long ago in fact changed her. Sherry was so terribly afraid of how Claire might react if she knew.

Claire absorbed all Sherry told her, and she looked at the blonde girl with astonishment. "My god, Sherry. You were kept prisoner for six months?"

Sherry smiled back reassuringly. "Yeah, but it wasn't too bad, Claire. Neo-Umbrella wanted me and Jake alive to keep taking samples from us they could experiment with. In my case, I can guess they wanted to use my genome to strengthen the C-Virus, or to make something even worse. But really, my time being prisoner wasn't much different from being in the government's protective custody...when I was kept isolated, had my blood drawn and I was generally poked and prodded most every day for half of my life." She frowned a little as she looked away briefly. "It was easy to get used to."

Claire frowned too, but her eyes became angry. "What the hell does that say? You're so much more forgiving than I am, to want to work for the government after all they put you through."

Sherry quickly looked back into Claire's eyes and said, "It doesn't say much, Claire. The government did what they did to me for good reason. Heck, I was afraid I'd turn into a monster, too! I was afraid I'd become just like..." Sherry's eyes became full of sadness as she remembered Raccoon City. "...just like dad."

The brunette's arms offered a gentle squeeze as she embraced the brunette lovingly. Claire smiled and said softly, "I think I was the only one who had faith that wouldn't happen."

Adoration swiftly took the place of sadness in Sherry's lovely eyes. "I remember. I know we were kept apart for too long, Claire...I wish that never happened. But...maybe you can be a little forgiving, too? Please?"

"For you?" Claire nodded. "Definitely more than a little. But even after you started working for the government, things only got worse! We lost touch with each other completely because you were busy with one secret mission after another...!"

Sherry truly, deeply regretted that. "That was something I didn't think about before I signed up, and I'm so sorry I didn't. Still, I was given the chance to help people, and I had to take it. You know I always wanted to be like you someday..."

"And now you are." Claire felt joy as she shared Sherry's warmth, and her face drew closer to the blonde's. "Oh Sherry, you are amazing. You're so beautiful and brave and giving...I...I-I can't even tell you how proud I am of you...!"

Sherry's eyes became bright as she gazed at her hero. Her inspiration. She breathed, "Oh, Claire...! I always hoped I'd hear those words from you." Sherry's face nuzzled into the side of Claire's neck as she relaxed. Claire then heard the girl's soft voice say, "I love you."

Claire's tender embrace of Sherry in turn became needful as she whispered back, "I love you too, Sherry." A warm, wonderful moment passed.

Sherry's smile was like she was experiencing a perfect dream. "That's all I ever wanted...for you to be proud of me."

The brunette pulled back by the smallest of measures simply to look into Sherry's eyes as they embraced. "Seriously? That's all?"

Sherry's eyes examined her hero's. "What's wrong, Claire...?"

Claire quickly said, "N-nothing! It's just...well...didn't you ever want anything else?"

Sherry gave a luminous smile. "And you call me beautiful. Like what, for example?"

"Well, for example, didn't you ever want a normal life?"

Sherry almost laughed. "Define 'normal' in this day and age, Claire!"

Claire smiled lamely. "I'll need a few days to do that, sorry. Um, well, has there ever been anyone you...um..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes reflected uncertainty.

"What?"

"Have you ever met someone you wanted to, uh, be involved with?" Claire felt strange asking that.

"Oh! W-why do you ask?"

"Because I want you to be happy, that's all. What about that guy you told me about, Jake? You seemed to like him."

Sherry's eyes widened with sudden shock. "Jake?" The girl giggled. "Oh, no! He's way too independent! Besides, I have no idea where he is now."

"Oh."

Sherry felt a burst of awkwardness then, wishing she could tell Claire why she was in Germany in the first place, but she wanted to protect Jake. Sherry had found out almost by accident that he had one living relative, a half-sister who had a different father. She felt indebted to Jake for all he had done for her as they survived one battle after another, and she just wanted to make sure his only remaining family was all right, and she was. Sherry asked, "What about you, Claire? I want you to be happy, too. Are you involved with anyone?"

Claire's smile soured a little. "Nope, still single. I just haven't had the time since I started working for Terrasave years ago. Globetrotting and trying to help people doesn't leave my schedule open for anything or anyone else."

Sherry said, "Sounds a little too much like my life."

"Yeah." Claire bit her lower lip as she honestly had to think back. "Good grief, the last time I was ever serious with anyone was in college, a year after I helped Chris and the others get the evidence they needed to bring down the Umbrella Corporation. And unfortunately, the guy wasn't as serious as I was. I wanted a relationship for the long term, but he was scared of making a commitment. That's when I figured out I had lousy taste in men, too. But you've never met anyone who...well...?"

Sherry's pale cheeks glowed pink as she said hesitantly, "Uhh, actually, there is someone I'm interested in..."

Claire's smile beamed upon Sherry. "That's wonderful! Uh-oh, wait! Does this person know you're interested?"

"It's safe to say they don't know, Claire...a-and it's a little personal..." The blonde looked away self-consciously.

Claire said softly, "I'm sorry, Sherry. I didn't mean to intrude..."

Sherry looked at her quickly and smiled as her slender arms gave Claire a squeeze. "You couldn't, Claire, it's okay! It's just...I'm so afraid to tell this person how I feel. I've wanted to for the longest time..."

"How long are we talking about?"

"A long time. But I'm afraid they won't feel the same way."

"Oh. Well, life's too short, you know? Maybe you ought to bite the bullet and tell them how you feel."

"And if I do tell them and they don't feel the same way..." Sherry looked away, her expression anxious. Her voice became much softer as she finished, "...I'll want to die. I really will."

Claire's expression was elementally gentle as she looked at the girl she held so dear. "Sherry...I wish I could help you somehow...but all I can do is tell you what I think. Of course there's a huge risk telling this man without knowing if he'll - !"

"Claire..." Sherry's cheeks brightened even more. "...this isn't a man I'm interested in."

The brunette was truly surprised. "Oh! I had no idea you're...!"

Sherry gave Claire a look, but there was still a smile on her lips. "Of course you didn't! I said it's personal!"

Claire nodded lamely. "Yeah." Her eyes looked into Sherry's as they held each other, and Claire hoped she gave the amazing blonde strength as she said what she felt she had to. "Well, this is still something I need to tell you whether you like a guy or a girl, so listen up! I might have made a mistake trying to make a loving, lasting relationship with that guy in college - to be painfully honest, I've done that more than once! - but I don't regret it. You know why? It might be a risk to offer your heart to another, but I believe that's better than never knowing what could have been because you didn't take the chance. For all you know, the girl you like will say yes, but you'll never know until you summon your courage and tell her. You understand, Sherry?"

Sherry sighed shakily as she looked into Claire's eyes...her beautiful face expressed a deep, elemental gratitude. "Thank you, Claire. But..." Sherry looked away again, suddenly afraid. "...but you need to know that - !" Suddenly, a ringtone interrupted, and Sherry stopped cold. They both looked at each other awkwardly as the ringtone issued again a couple of more times, and the blonde girl finally said softly, "Damn." She reluctantly, sweetly broke the embrace she and Claire had shared since they took their seats at that table. Sherry then took a smart phone from her jacket pocket and answered it: "Hello?" Claire watched as Sherry smiled and said, "Leon, hi! How are you?"

Claire frowned a little. "Leon...?" Why would he be calling Sherry? But then she remembered they worked for the same organization...that might mean...!

Sherry crisply said, "Stand by, switching to a secure frequency!" Claire felt a foreboding as the blonde girl punched a code into her phone. After a beat, she nodded as she held the phone to her ear. "Okay, go ahead!" She paused, and a soft frown formed on Sherry's lips. "Black Falls, Vermont? What's happened there?" Sherry listened, and her expression became worried. "You're serious. Okay, I'm in Berlin right now. How will I be picked up?" Another pause. "Uh-huh...okay, sounds good. Thanks, Leon. I'm on my way. Talk to you later." Sherry shut down her phone and she looked at Claire with eyes full of soul-deep regret. "Claire, I...I'm so sorry..."

Claire managed to smile, but she was truly sorry, as well. "Let me guess: duty calls, huh?"

"Yes. I have to go back to America. A situation has developed, and Leon needs all the help he can get."

Claire frowned. "Wait, this is happening in our home?"

Sherry nodded. "In Vermont, and it's serious. I have to go to Tegel Airport...Leon said a Gulfstream jet from Rammstein Air Force Base is already on its way there to pick me up and take me to Vermont as quickly as possible."

Claire didn't want Sherry to go...and it was so clear that the girl she adored didn't want to leave her, either. But Sherry had to...

...and yet, she didn't have to go alone, either. Claire quickly offered, "Sherry, I don't know if I'm violating any protocols or whatever the hell, but...I want to come with you. Maybe I can help, too."

Sherry's beautiful face reflected a storm of emotions. She instantly wanted to say yes so they'd stay together...hell, her authority gave her the latitude to okay anyone she wanted to accompany her, even a civilian. But Sherry knew wherever she was going the threat level was unknown, and that was the LAST thing a soldier or an intelligence agent wanted to hear. Going into a situation and not knowing what was waiting was the highest of high risks. And Claire would be going into a nightmare like that with her. Still...Sherry knew how extraordinary her hero was, not just because she survived Raccoon City but went on a crusade with Leon, her brother and others years ago to bring an end to Umbrella. If anyone had the experience and pure bravery to survive a horrible situation, Claire did without a doubt! Sherry's gaze was troubled as she asked, "Claire, are you sure?"

Claire smiled, her eyes as confident as they were loving as she looked at Sherry. "Yes. Besides, it took too damn long for us to see each other again. You're not getting rid of me that easily!" Claire at the very least wanted to go with Sherry to give her support before she was sent to face...whatever it was she had to face. Claire hoped with all her soul Sherry would say yes...

...and the young agent smiled gratefully and said, "Thank you, Claire. But if you want to go with me, we both have to leave right now!"

Claire Redfield nodded as she took Sherry's hand, uncaring of whatever fate had in store for the both of them. Being with the girl was all that mattered. "Can you say what's going on, though? Is it bioterrorism?"

Sherry Birkin's smile faltered only slightly. "Honestly, even Leon wasn't sure what's happening. We'll have to find out when we get there!" For now, until whatever was happening was brought to a conclusion, Sherry decided that what she nearly told Claire would have to wait.

It wasn't just about her secret abilities Sherry was so afraid to share with her hero...the girl thought, Oh Claire, what I feel for you...could you feel the same way...?

-6-

Brahms, Maine

Back in Captain Bennett's office, the three of them had talked for a while longer. Douglas shared in full his experiences connected to Silent Hill for Anne's benefit. They all understood in the most primal of measures what was happening, and they could only imagine the horrors Cheryl Mason, Rebecca Chambers and over 20,000 more souls had to be facing at that moment.

Finally, Douglas Cartland smiled as he knew what he had to do. He thought of Cheryl, crossed his arms and said, "You know what? I suddenly feel like taking a road trip to Vermont...it's supposed to be nice there this time of the year."

Anne Cunningham smiled softly as she looked at Douglas. "Really?" She felt the same need to do what was right. And to hopefully, finally understand. "Cybil and I thought The Order took Elle and Alex to Silent Hill. We were going to go there..."

Cybil Bennett quietly finished, "But if it means helping them...helping Cheryl...I don't mind driving a little further." Her smile was soft as well as she looked at her friends. "And we've got to warn the military and everyone else who will respond. They have no idea what they're dealing with."

Douglas said, "Then let's do this."

Cybil nodded. "I still have to call my family. Let them know I'll be busy." She turned to go to her desk, where her phone waited. Cybil hated to do it, to leave her family like this. She had to wonder if she'd ever see her husband and daughters again. But she thought of the late Harry Mason and his daughter, and that made it easier.

"Hey, Cybil!" The police captain stopped as she reached her desk, and turned to look at Anne Cunningham and Douglas Cartland. They were also ready. Come what may. The private detective and former cop grinned and asked, "How fast do you think we can drive to Black Falls on Code 3, with lights and siren going full blast?"

Cybil Bennett looked at him as she thought of Harry and Cheryl...she thought of the debt she felt she still owed them both...and she smiled and answered: "I don't know...but we're going to find out!"

TO BE CONTINUED