Chapter Five
The Hunter and The Hunted.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl for Jill as she stopped struggling against Kendo and froze up as the monster that killed Brad continued to advance. Its snarling lipless mouth parted as it let out a low growl and fluids dripped from its teeth and exposed gums.
It was picking up speed, walking faster, faster, Running.
"Jill move!" Kendo suddenly yelled snapping her back to reality as she was pulled to the side With Kendo's bulk shielding her as the creature went to stomp on them. Its foot hit the ground with enough impact to crack the concrete.
"Open fire!" the Russian man roared from by the gate and began to fire at the creature along with the younger soldier. The bullets hit the creatures back but did little but penetrate the thick leather the creature was clothed in.
The creature grunted at the lead peppering its back and turned from Jill and Kendo with a snarl and dashed towards the soldiers with surprising speed considering its size.
The two soldiers dived to the side as the creature swung for them and missed, instead hitting the gate and bending one of the metal bars inwards.
"Shit!" The younger soldier hissed before opening fire at a safer distance.
Kendo pulled Jill to her feet before dragging her to the door without a word.
"Ken let go!" Jill growled pulling her wrist free, "It's going to follow us in!"
Jill pulled her own weapon from her belt and began to fire at the creatures head. The bullets penetrated the creature's lumpy brownish flesh from behind and she could make out dark almost purple blood spraying from the tiny holes the bullets made in its thick hide.
"Stars!" The creature snarled once more causing Jill to freeze for a moment before regaining her composure and began to fire again.
It turned to her and began to dash, shrugging off the combined fire from the soldiers as well as Leon.
"It's not dying!" Leon yelled as he unloaded the last bullet he had into the back of the creatures back.
Jill managed to dive to the side as the creature reached her, rolling and standing in an instant before firing three times into the creatures head.
She wasn't sure if the bullets were even doing anything as the skin seemed to close over the bullet holes almost immediately.
A louder shot rang out as the creature began to walk up to Jill once more.
Kendo fired at the creature from in front of the stations front door. The widespread pellets caused the creature to stumble and cover its face with a low hiss.
"Come on motherfucker!" Kendo spat before firing again and again.
The creature roared before sprinting up to him. He only had enough time to brace himself before he was hit with the creature's palm, sending him slamming into the metal door of the station with a grunt of pain.
"Kendo!" Leon growled still holding out his empty pistol.
The creature began to stomp towards him, raising its arm like it did before it murdered Brad which began to vibrate. He could see the snake like tentacles moving under the thick leather and he could only brace himself for the death that was soon to come.
"HEY!" A voice suddenly called causing the creature to turn away from him, lowering its arm.
Jill was standing in front of the main gate with her arms by her sides.
"You want me!?" She yelled before holding her arms out like a cross, "Come and get me!"
The creature snarled and turned towards her, "Stars!" it snapped with surprising venom before it began to walk towards her.
Kendo grunted as his chest throbbed and tried to stand, "Jill run!" He cried desperately.
Jill held her ground despite her heart hammering in her chest, she had a plan and she hoped to god it would work, for her friends sake.
The soldiers continued to fire on the creature to distract it with no success, while Leon could only stand by them unable to do anything to stop it or help.
Once the creature reached Jill it swept its arm down and grabbed the front of her shirt before lifting her from the ground and holding her there while growling.
Jill grimaced at the feeling of the creatures skin it was cold and clammy as its fingers brushed against her skin.
Leon turned to the younger soldier and saw a pistol in a holster on his hip. He grabbed at the weapon and pulled it free with a protest from the younger man, before firing at the creatures head and spraying Jill with thick dark blood.
The creature didn't even flinch while Jill wanted to gag as the blood stained her clothes and hit her face.
It tilted its head to look at her with its one milky eye and in the process exposed her target.
"Go to hell…" Jill choked out before lifting her gun to the creature's eye and firing.
The creature roared in apparent pain as blood sprayed from its now empty eye socket and it threw Jill to the side sending her crashing into the younger soldier who caught her in his arms before they both fell back with a yell.
The creature fell to its knees holding a hand over its bleeding eye socket before turning its head and seemingly looking at the people watching it.
"Stars…" it growled once more before standing and moving its hand away from its eye and let the blood flow free and disgustingly thick.
It was deathly silent other than the creature's heavy breathing before it snarled and turned and leapt with enough strength to clear the front gate before taking off running into the dark.
Jill let out a massive sigh before opening her eyes to look down into the wide staring eyes of the younger shoulder under her.
"Wow…" He breathed, earning a scoff from Jill who promptly stood up and dusted herself off. A sharp pain shot through her shoulder but it wasn't much more than a bruise from the impact.
"Jill!" Kendo suddenly called as he limped towards Jill, clutching his side with a grimace.
When he reached her he pulled her into a massive bear hug, disregarding his pain.
"Don't you ever do something like that again," He growled into her shoulder before pulling away and placing a large hand on her face.
A cough caught their attention and they turned to see, Leon and the two shoulders watching them.
"We should get back inside," Leon said, jerking his thumb at the station.
Jill nodded before narrowing her eyes at the soldiers, "You're UBCS, right, Umbrellas army?" Jill asked, suspicious.
The Russian soldier exhaled sharply through his nose before stepping forward with his arm stretched out to shake Jill's hand, "Nicolai Zinoviev," Jill took his hand and gave it a sharp shake before stepping back.
The younger soldier stepped forward enthusiastically, "And I'm Carlos, you're S.T.A.R.S right? Jill Valentine? god, you guys are awesome, I mean…"
"Corporal!" Nicolai snapped, causing the boy to back off from Jill.
Jill bit the inside of her cheek in annoyance as the Carlos grinned at her from behind his superior.
Jill looked back at Nicolai, "Okay…We'll continue this conversation inside, but you two need to hand over your weapons,"
"What!?" Carlos exclaimed before looking at Nicolai. The older man calmed him with a gesture of the hand.
"We follow their rules now, very well, lead the way Jill," Nicolai said, voice smooth and calm.
"Jill Nodded before gesturing at them to walk inside the building.
The two soldiers nodded at Jill once more before walking towards the building.
Jill let out a sigh before Kendo placed a hand on her shoulder.
"What about Brad…" kendo asked.
Jill turned to look at Brad's mutilated corpse and squeezed her eyes shut for a moment.
"He won't be coming back," Jill admitted before following the soldier inside the station without another word.
Kendo sighed before looking over at Leon who seemed pretty shaken.
"Come on then, we better get back inside, Kid's probably missing you," Kendo teased with a chuckle.
"Shut up," Leon groaned, "Let's get back inside before that thing comes back,"
The two of them then proceeded to follow Jill and the others inside the station.
.O.
Claire continued to hold the picture of Chris in her hands, stroking her thumb across the glossy surface of Chris's face. She had no Idea how to feel about him up and leaving even though she knew deep down it was for a good reason.
A sudden knocking caught her attention and she looked to the door of the office, and drew her gun on instinct.
The door handle twisted just as Claire began to tighten her grip on the trigger.
"Uh…hey, anyone home?" A woman's voice said from behind the door.
Claire lowered the weapon with a sigh just as Alyssa's face peered around a small crack in the door.
"Come in…" Claire mumbled with a sigh and set the picture down on the desk.
The door opened fully and Alyssa stepped into the room, wringing her hands.
"I…uh, just wanted to say sorry about before," Alyssa admitted, she looked at her feet.
Claire sighed before standing, "it's okay, we're all in the same boat here, I can understand you being…upset,"
Alyssa snorted and looked Claire in the eye before leaning up against a storage locker by the door and reaching into her pocket and taking out a packet of cigarettes.
"Three months cold turkey…and here I am," Alyssa said to herself before lighting up and taking a long drag, "Want one?" Alyssa offered.
Claire grimaced causing Alyssa to shrug.
"Fair enough" Alyssa said before putting the cigarettes back in her pocket.
"Why are you here really Alyssa?" Claire asked as she sat on Chris's desk.
Alyssa chuckled softly, "Well…to say sorry but a little snooping can't hurt right, you and super-bitch cleared out the crazies so I'm thinking…dig up what I can,"
Claire narrowed her eyes, "Dig what up?" She asked.
Alyssa shrugged once more, "Anything I can really, seeing as I'm out of a job… Pretty sure Irons has some skeletons in his closet,"
"The chief…what about him?" Claire asked.
Alyssa let out a puff of smoke and twirled the cigarette in her fingers, "historic assault charges, corruption, word is someone bailed him out and covered it up, providing we all make it out alive I want to have enough to nail the pig," Alyssa explained.
Claire exhaled, "Jesus…sounds personal, wait didn't they say the mayors daughter was with him?" Claire asked, her skin suddenly crawling.
"If she knows better she'll probably have run, we haven't seen her in hours though,"
"You don't sound too concerned…" Claire muttered.
Alyssa didn't answer, but her eyes suddenly widened and she put the cigarette out on the locker and ran over to a desk on the far side of the office.
"Alyssa?" Claire asked as she followed Alyssa to the desk. The woman was on her bracing her hands on the desk and looking it over intently.
Papers were strewn all over the surface and the drawers were pulled out, the contents strewn all over the floor.
"Well…someone was looking for something for sure," Alyssa remarked as she got on her hands and knees behind the desk.
Claire looked over the desk until she noticed the name plate in the centre of the desk.
A. Wesker S.T.A.R.S captain.
Claire said nothing, but grit her teeth, Jill had mentioned him before.
Alyssa stood slowly, holding a round bronze disk.
"Questionable taste, looks like anything else of interest has been taken…if anything, but this looks familiar," Alyssa noted as she bounced the disk in her hands before sliding it into her pocket.
"Familiar?" Claire quizzed, folding her arms.
"Yeah, Pretty sure this was part of the old fountain in the main hall…speaking of which I heard gunfire outside," Alyssa explained before resuming her search of the desk.
"What!" Claire exclaimed, unfolding her arms.
Alyssa nodded, "Yeah, probably some of those things at the main gate,"
Claire exhaled sharply, "Why didn't you tell me!" She growled.
Alyssa looked back up at her, "You seemed a little preoccupied, okay, Didn't think you wanted to be disturbed,"
Claire pinched the bridge of her nose briefly, "Okay, I'm going back to the hall, just give me a few minutes to grab some things, and we'll go back,"
Alyssa shook her head, "You go, I'll be fine,"
Claire walked quickly back to Chris's desk and pocketed the photograph, but not before looking at it one last time.
.O.
"Okay…now you guys better start explaining," Jill commanded as she leant against the fountain.
"Explain what? Your dead friend out there found us and decided to bring us here," Nicolai explained, his voice still silky smooth.
There was a metallic clink as Marvin gasped and dropped his gun in shock, "Brad…Brad's dead?" he said in disbelief.
Jill looked over Marvin, "That…thing got him," She said quietly.
"Thing, I…we heard something out there, and gunfire," Kevin said as he walked down the ramp to join Jill next to the fountain.
"Thanks for the backup by the way!" Kendo called from his spot by the main door.
Jill sighed, "not now Ken…"
Kendo grumbled to himself and slumped down against the wall holding his side as his ribs throbbed.
Jill looked over at him for a moment before looking back at Nicolai and Carlos, "We should be ready in case it comes back,"
The door leading to the waiting room opened and Alex and Cindy s stepped through looking concerned.
"What thing?" Alex asked, as he braced himself against the door frame for support.
"Nothing we have to worry about for now," Jill replied.
Carlos chuckled, "Yeah, Jill took that things eye out, it was awesome," he said enthusiastically.
Leon growled, "Is it all sunshine and rainbows in your mind kid?" Leon asked, Carlos turned on him with a sneer, "If it wasn't for you and your friend Brad probably would have made it back in one piece,"
Carlos strode up to Leon, and despite being younger he was much bigger, Leon faced him down.
"Say that again," Carlos warned.
Leon didn't even reply before Carlos was pulled away by the scruff of the neck by Jill and thrown to the floor.
"Don't you guys even think about fighting now, and Leon…you didn't even know Brad so don't think to blame anyone for what happened," Jill said before turning to Carlos who was looking up at her bewildered, "And you, cause any trouble and I won't hesitate in throwing you and your friend back out there,"
"Understood, I'll make sure he doesn't cause any trouble," Nicolai said almost robotically before hauling Carlos to his feet. The younger soldier looked away from Jill, and she almost smirked at the embarrassment in his brown eyes.
Jim cleared his throat and stepped forward, "Listen…if there's something out there then we can't stay here,"
"We won't be going anywhere until the situation is contained and the government makes a decision on how to handle what is happening," Nicolai explained.
A low bitter laugh sounded behind the receptionist desk from Kevin who tapped his hands on the wooden surface, "You're telling me we have to wait until the government decides to pull their fingers out their asses before they help us out?" he asked.
Nicolai raised an eyebrow at Kevin before sighing, "If, they decide to help us, communications and internet connection has been entirely disabled throughout the city, most likely to prevent anyone breaching the quarantine," he explained.
Jill scoffed, "Umbrella covering its tracks,"
Leon put his head in his hands, "Jill please don't,"
"No, go on," Nicolai quizzed calmly.
Jill scowled and walked up to Nicolai, "You're part of umbrellas army, this plague was caused by their fucking around with nature, their virus,"
Nicolai's composure seemed to slip for a moment and a tense moment of silenced followed before Carlos broke it.
"Hey, we were sent in to evacuate the civilians, me and Nicolai were hired three days before the shit hit the fan," he explained, seemingly confused.
Nicolai silenced him once more not taking his eyes off Jill, "The only intel we were given was concerning mass rioting, rabies, they offered a substantial amount of money…what we should be discussing is an escape plan,"
Jill scoffed, "You don't fucking fool me," she snarled before walking briskly away from him, past Alex and Cindy and through to the waiting room, slamming the door behind her.
Alex cringed as the door slammed behind him before looking around at everyone in the hall.
"He's right," Alex admitted, looking over at Nicolai, "We need to get out of the city as soon as we can,"
Nobody answered, but they all looked at one another, the realisation that something needed to be done, and soon.
.O.
Claire groaned in frustration as she searched Chris's desk. She couldn't find a memento of any sort, just old paperwork and staples.
She pocketed the letter before turning to Alyssa who was still fingering through the drawers in Wesker's desk, "Alyssa, last chance, are you coming or not?" Claire asked.
Alyssa looked up at her from behind the desk, "Just go dammit, I'm busy," the reporter hissed.
Claire sighed and rolled her eyes before walking to the door and opening it. She stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind her.
The hall was deathly quiet and through the windows that lined the opposite wall she had a decent view of downtown raccoon city, she could almost make out the inferno from the crash only a couple of hours before.
The memory made her feel sick to her stomach and the bruising on her chest she had sustained began to throb.
Bracing herself on the wall she began to walk towards the door on the other end of the hall until a slight click stopped her in her tracks. The door handle was turning.
Claire held her breath and raised her gun to the door as it began to open. Claire gripped the handle of her weapon tighter as she began to breathe deeply.
The door opened all the way and a small figure stepped into the hall and looked around cautiously.
It took Claire a moment to register what she was seeing and lowered her weapon as soon as she realised…. a little girl.
She couldn't have been more than ten or eleven, her hair was greasy and framed her face in blonde curtains, she was wearing a school uniform, which was speckled with dirt and grime, her knees black with dust.
Claire and the girls eye's met momentarily, the girls innocent blue eyes widening when she saw the armed woman.
"Wait…" Claire whispered softly raising her arm in a non-threatening manner.
The girl choked out a squeak of fear before bolting through the open door.
"WAIT!" Claire cried as she gave chase.
"Claire!" Someone called from behind her, Alyssa probably, but she didn't care, she only cared about catching up to the little girl who was in serious danger on her own.
Her surroundings were a blur as she sprinted after the girl who was currently hammering down the stairs to the ground floor her breath coming out in ragged huffs.
"I'm not going to hurt you!" Claire cried after her as she Jumped both sets of stairs and nearly lost her balance.
"Leave me alone!" Came the muffled scream of the girl who was now running through the corridor herself and Jill had come through previously.
Claire rounded into the corridor and continued her chase. She turned the corner and could make out the girl as she ran down the corridor and into the next that led to the waiting room.
"Please!" Claire yelled once more.
Claire suddenly felt herself falling as she tripped over one of the dead that had been dispatched on her first run through. Bracing herself she landed on her hands and knees.
As quickly as she landed she pushed herself up and sprinted into the next hall and around the corner in time to see the girl clambering on top of a vending machine at the end of the corridor and reaching towards a vent cover on the wall.
"Wait, don't go!" Claire called after her to no avail as the girl didn't even look back before hauling herself inside the vent and letting the cover slam behind her.
Claire came to a stop when she realised the girl was gone, "Shit…" She hissed before slumping to the floor and letting out a frustrated sigh, the girl was alone…scared, and in danger, and she couldn't even help her.
Claire listened as the light thumping of the girl crawling through the vent before It faded completely.
All was silent; Claire hugged her legs to her chest in the dark corridor and watched as the shadows from the trees outside stretched across the tiled floor as though they were going to drag her away.
She shuddered before taking a moment to compose herself and slowly stood, she had to tell the others about the girl and she hoped that one of them would help her.
She began to walk towards the door until a shadow skittered passed the window which nearly made her heart jump into her throat.
On instinct she raised her weapon and walked towards the window and looked outside, she could see the empty courtyard and nothing else.
"Get a grip girl…" Claire whispered to herself and braced her hands on the window.
.O.
Jill couldn't help the tears of frustration as she threw herself down on the leather sofa in the waiting room.
She drew her legs up to her chest and wiped away the bitter tears with the back of her hand.
Nobody believed her…or they were in denial, she didn't care, all she knew was that Nicolai knew more than he was letting on, while Carlos seemed too naïve and green for his own good.
The door opened behind her and she turned her head in time to see Kendo appear and close the door behind him.
"Are you okay Jill?" Kendo asked softly as he sat next to her and stretched his arms across the back of the sofa, his bruised chest throbbing in protest.
Jill shook her head, "This is all so fucked up Ken, Brads dead…Umbrella's going to get away with mass fucking murder…so yeah…I'm o-fuckin-kay" she admitted, her voice half muffled by her folded arms.
Kendo sighed and scooted over to her, "You know…I've known you since you were five Jill Valentine, foul mouthed, street smart punk you were at times…. But you were never a liar," Kendo said softly placing a large hand on hers and pulling it away.
Jill looked up at him, her eyes glassy, she went to speak but was silenced by kendo.
"You're daddy, called you little Lincoln remember?" he said with a smirk.
Jill lowered her head, "I miss him…god," She raised her head and wiped her eyes again, "I miss him so much Ken… I just want these people to be safe,"
Kendo gave her hand a squeeze, "Don't put yourself under this kind of stress…look, we're going to work on a plan to get out of the city, forget umbrella… it'll come out eventually, but you need to work on staying alive," Kendo said softly.
Jill shook her head and looked Kendo in the eye, "You're always right aren't you," She admitted with a grin.
"Damn straight," Kendo replied, "I don't think you would lie but they don't matter right now, what matters is getting out of here,"
Jill nodded in agreement before shifting her legs off the sofa.
"Then let's…"
A loud shatter from the connecting corridor behind the room's partition jolted her into standing, alarm bells shrieked inside her head as she rounded the partition and wrenched the door open.
She looked down the corridor and could see Claire huddled in the corner, breathing heavily with a large bleeding scratch on her leg.
"Claire!" Jill called as she ran up to the dazed girl and helped her up.
Claire was pale and didn't respond to her until Jill gave her a large shake.
"Claire, what happened?" Jill asked slowly and firmly.
Kendo jogged up behind her clutching his shotgun and let out a sharp breath when he saw Claire.
"Jesus…what happened girl?" Kendo remarked when he saw her leg.
Claire turned to him and clutched Jill's arm, "I…I don't know….something…it came through the window," Claire droned monotonously.
Jill looked up from Claire and down the hall to see one of the windows was indeed shattered, the light from the open door at the far end of the hall illuminating the shards of glass aswell as specks of blood, most likely Claire's.
A light breeze hit Jill from above, followed by a strange damp smell. The breeze grew more regular…like breathing until a low gasping sound reached her ears.
Swallowing she looked up slowly and the colour drained from her face instantly.
She thought it was a dog at first, but skinned completely, it clung to the ceiling with short muscular limbs and deadly looking talons which gripped the ceiling, scarring the plaster. She got a glimpse of its head as it reared back slowly, skinless like the rest of it, and eyeless. It's completely exposed brain throbbed regularly and Jill could make out thick fluid pumping through the enlarged arteries.
"Jesus…H…" Kendo breathed barely above a whisper.
The creature hissed and snapped it's head to one side as if recognising the sound. They could see its mouth now, which parted revealing serrated and bloody teeth. It opened its mouth wider than any person could and something began to snake out from between its teeth. It seemed to be blood at first but…attached. It was a tongue, a long blood red tongue extending three feet, five feet, six feet.
"Move!" Jill barked before shoving Claire away from the creatures tongue and to the floor before raising her gun and firing. The shot grazed the creature's skinless shoulder causing it to screech shrilly and fall to the floor.
Claire crawled backwards as it rounded on her and growled before opening its mouth once more, and the tongue shot out, only just missing Claire who let herself drop back and hit her head on the tiled floor hard enough to make her dizzy.
"Get it!" Claire yelled as the creature reared up and raised its claw, ignoring the shots it was taking to the back.
It pounced and Claire screamed until a much louder shot rang out and her clothes were splattered with blood as kendo's shotgun blast all but severed the creatures arm and it landed on Claire, writhing and snapping it's jaws.
"GET IT OFF!" Claire screamed desperately, barely holding the creature back by the neck, it's slippery skin making it hard to get a grip. She could barely make out Kendo and Jill's yelling, something about not hitting Claire and getting a better shot. Claire squeezed her eyes shut as her grip began to loosen.
"GET THE FUCK OFF HER!" A woman's voice suddenly screamed and stream of white freezing gas hit the creature, Claire opened her eyes and saw Alyssa armed with a fire extinguisher.
The creature wailed and hissed as the freezing fire retardant hit it and it backed off Claire and up against the wall as if cowering from the stream.
Alyssa gritted her teeth as she kept the stream on the creature, before the extinguisher began to splutter and fail.
"Shit!" Alyssa hissed before throwing the extinguisher to the floor with a loud metallic crash.
The creature stopped struggling and Alyssa could make out through the fog that the creature, now blistered was crawling slowly towards her.
It was almost on her before another thundering shot rang out and its head exploded into jelly, some of it landing on her foot.
Kendo appeared through the fog and helped a whimpering Claire to her feet before the four of them rounded the corner and back into the waiting room coughing before Jill slammed the door behind them.
Kendo helped Claire over to the sofa before sitting her down, with Jill joining her.
"God…are you okay?" Jill asked, brushing a strand of hair out of Claire's face.
Claire nodded slowly, some colour having returned to her.
Jill sighed and turned to Alyssa, "Thanks…good timing,"
Alyssa smiled and nodded, "happy to help…still shitting my pants a little," the reporter admitted before sitting the other side of Claire and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"What the hell was that thing," Kendo growled, looking behind the partition.
"That doesn't matter," Claire said, somewhat breathless.
Jill raised a brow and leaned closer to Claire who slumped back into the sofa.
"There's a little girl…she got away though, a vent back there," Claire explained gesturing towards the door they had just come through, "I have to find her,"
Claire went to stand but Jill pushed her back, "No you're still in shock, give yourself a moment while I explain the noise to the others…I'll be right back,"
The older woman stood and gave her one last look before walking through the double doors leading to the main hall.
Claire made out a muffled "what now…" From Leon before her eye's fluttered shut, the stinging scratch on her leg stopped her from falling asleep but all she could think about was the look in the little girl's eyes when she saw her.
The look of the hunted, absolute fear.
.O. End Of Chapter .O.
A/N: hope you enjoyed, I'll post this now but I'll upload little fixes when I have time.
Right, the next chapter will Introduce Sherry Properly in a flashback, aswell as another Leon interview, entitled "Alone" might have more nemesis…I want to make him less of a direct threat for the most part and more a pshychological one…as in, jill looks out a window and he's watching her…comepletely still.
On the subjects of Leolex (leon x Alex) It is NOT happening, I toned it down in the last chapter and I have yet to introduce Ada. Leon aint gay guys as much as I want to slash him with someone…but alas… I want to keep his Maria Susan rating down.
Also Alex isn't Alex wesker, I think you all know who he is but I'm working on fitting him in just right… I shall use the phrase "Love is cruel," for Alex
Anyway hope you enjoyed. More coming soon.