The Facility Endgame
Chapter Thirteen
"So what are we going to do"? Jill asked. She was sitting beside Claire's bed, arms folded across her chest in full leadership mode. Claire looked equally as focused, deep in thought. Her newborn son lay in a cot beside the bed, sleeping contentedly. "We have to get something sorted out"
"I definitely agree that it should be one of us" Claire replied. "I don't think that after everything she's been through, we should dump her on some strangers" Ginny had excused herself to go to the toilet and Claire and Jill had taken the opportunity to try and sort out what was going to happen to her. With everything that had been going on, it had been easy to forget that in the middle of it all was a scared young girl in need of a new home.
She jumped as the door opened and Carlos and Kevin let themselves in. Kevin smiled at Claire and joined her on the bed, peeking at their slumbering son in his cot. Carlos wrapped an arm around Jill and judging by the slightly guilty look on his face, he had something to say.
"There's something I need to tell you" He said, almost as if he were on cue. "Barry's gone after Chris, Leon and Brad"
"What"? Jill and Claire exclaimed in unison. Kevin flashed him a confused look and was obviously about to say something so Carlos continued quickly.
"He sent me a text message saying that he's teamed up with Leon's old boss Dennis and they've gone to find them. I didn't want to tell you at first but I think it's for the best. Barry and Dennis are both extremely experienced and I think that if we try and follow them, we're only putting ourselves and the mission in danger"
"Dude! What the hell"? Kevin cried. "I thought we had a plan"!
"Plan"? Claire asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well I might as well tell you now Captain TruthTeller has decided to spill the beans" Kevin replied with a heavy sigh. "We were going to create a distraction so you two wouldn't be thinking of ways to follow Chris and Leon. I had the perfect idea! I was gonna ring the authorities in New Arklay and say there was a bomb in the forest! That way, the police would block the whole area off and none of us would be able to follow"!
"And what if the police blocked off the area before Barry and Dennis got there"? Jill pointed out.
"Didn't think of that" Kevin answered sheepishly.
"Or what if they'd already reached the forest and were kicked out by the police because of your bomb scare"? Claire added, shaking her head in disbelief.
"Didn't think of that either"
"I just figured the best course of action was honesty" Carlos shrugged, looking at Jill significantly. She nodded and offered him a small smile.
"I suppose I can rest a little easier knowing Barry's out there" Claire said. "I'm still not happy about it though and I fully intend to give that brother of mine a severe talking to. Brad and Leon certainly won't be off the hook either"! She turned her attentions to her husband. "And as for you" She rolled her eyes. "Where the hell did you get a crazy idea like that"? She demanded.
"Chris"? Kevin offered, grinning sheepishly as Jill rounded on him too.
"You listened to one of Chris' ideas"? Jill asked incredulously. She smiled as Ginny came back into the room, her arms full of candy bars for everyone.
"Well he didn't come up with anything better"! Kevin complained, pointing accusingly at Carlos who was gratefully accepting a chocolate bar from Ginny. Carlos simply shrugged as if he'd had nothing to do with it from the start. At the incredulous look on her husband's face, Claire couldn't help but laugh. She felt reassured that Barry was going after Chris and the others and it felt good to laugh again. As she looked over at her beautiful sleeping son, she prayed with all her might that he would meet his uncle soon and that he would be alive and well.
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"Don't"! Chris felt his voice getting hoarse from shouting. "Please! God! Don't shoot him"! It felt like hours had passed since Wesker had pressed the thick end of the magnum to Leon's temple. The man's gloved finger was poised just above the trigger, ready to extinguish Leon's life and Chris knew that the twisted psycho wouldn't give his actions a second thought. The restraints binding Chris' wrists bit into his skin reminding him of how truly helpless he was. Leon was about to die in one of the most brutal ways imaginable and there was nothing he could do to save him. Even worse, he couldn't be at his side when he died. He wouldn't be able to hold him and reassure him and make sure that the last thing he saw was the man he loved. He wouldn't be able to press his lips to Leon's as the younger man slipped away, nor would he be able to tenderly whisper how much he loved him. It would be yet another thing that Wesker had cruelly stolen from him. The only comfort he could take from the situation was that shortly after he would be forced to watch Leon die, he would be killed himself. It would be the only favour Wesker would ever do for him. Because Chris was certain he didn't want to live in a world that didn't have Leon in it.
"Alright Chris, you've convinced me" Wesker purred with a shrug, holstering his gun as if the threat had been nothing. "I won't shoot him" He smirked down at Leon's prone body and just as he hand before, he brushed the younger man's fringe aside. Chris felt his stomach turn at the intimate touch. "It's unfortunate that he has to die. But since you won't let me shoot him, I'm going to have to come up with a different method" He ran a gloved finger down the side of Leon's face. "Wakey wakey Mr Kennedy" He crooned softly, fishing in the back pocket of his black trousers. Chris watched in confusion until Wesker withdrew a bottle of smelling salts. He waved them under Leon's nose.
"What are you doing now"? Chris said, aware of how desperate his voice sounded.
"Well, I think it would be much better if Mr Kennedy was conscious" Wesker smiled as Leon's eyelids started to flutter. He continued to stroke Leon's hair, almost tenderly. Chris could only watch on as Leon was slowly roused.
"Chris"? His lover's voice sound thick, fogged from being unconscious.
"I'm afraid not" Wesker said with mock sorrow. His hand roamed further down until it reached Leon's belt. Chris felt his heart stop as he saw the sudden flash of a blade as Wesker withdrew Leon's combat knife from its pouch.
"Chris…" Leon's head rolled and Chris found himself staring into the younger man's eyes. They were cloudy with pain and confusion and his skin was eerily pale. Chris' mind's eye taunted him with images from the facility in Spain, the last time Leon had felt Wesker's gun.
"Such an impressive knife Mr Kennedy" Wesker continued, admiring Leon's well cared for blade. "I can imagine how this would be a joy to use"
"I love you"! Chris shouted as Wesker raised the knife. It glistened threateningly in the low light. The haze in Leon's half-lidded eyes softened as Chris' words got through to him. His lips parted as if he were about to say something back. But before he could, his eyes suddenly widened and he let out a strangled, raspy cry from his throat. Chris watched as Wesker dug the combat knife into the flesh between Leon's ribs and, with a cruel sneer, twisted it. The sickeningly familiar shades met his eyes and Wesker smiled victoriously as Leon's eyes fluttered closed and his body slumped.
"I always win" Wesker muttered, standing up and kicking Leon hard in the ribs. He raised his hand to his injured arm, snarling as he made contact with the wound. "What have I always told you Chris" He turned to face Chris, his face emotionless. "I always win. You're not allowed to have attachments because this will always happen. Look at him Chris. He's dead. I killed him. I killed him because you love him and now, now I'm going to kill you"
"Do it" Chris said calmly. "Finish this" As far as he was concerned, his world had just ended.
"You have no idea how much I've wanted this" Wesker strode over to him. "How I've fantasised about this moment ever since that night in the mansion. You ruined everything that night Chris and I've made you pay" He took the gun from its holster and Chris closed his eyes. He refused to picture his dead lover but tried instead to picture the good times. He remembered the times they'd made love, or the times they'd sat down together for a meal or the look on Leon's face when he'd proposed. He wanted his last moments of life to be filled with his lover. He heard the click of the gun as Wesker prepared to fire. He closed his eyes tighter and mouthed 'I love you', ready to be reunited with Leon.
He heard the gun fire and felt nothing. Was this what death was like? Was this what it had been like for Leon? He'd expected it to be painful. He jumped, startled when he felt something heavy land on his legs. Surely that wasn't right? He opened his eyes and found that instead of some other world place, he was still in the Tyrant lab and the weight that had landed across his lap was the body of Wesker, sprawled out, a neat hole in the side of his temple, slowly trickling blood. For one brief moment, Chris' heart soared. He looked over at where Leon had fallen but his lover hadn't moved.
"Chris"
Chris looked over at the doorway and let out a gasp when he saw Brad standing there. His former colleague looked terrible, bruised and battered, blood running down his forehead and cuts peppering his face and arms. More alarmingly, was a short length of pipe sticking out of his abdomen. He was clutching another, longer length of pipe, leaning on it heavily like a crutch.
"Brad"!
"Hey…" Brad replied, his voice raspy, his breathing wheezy. "Managed to climb out…" He hunched over, gripping his side. Chris could see that his hands were wet and slippery with blood. "I'll untie you" He added. Leaning heavily on the pipe for support, Brad half walked, half shuffled over to the chair. Chris could hear his laboured breathing as he struggled with the ropes and he knew that his friend was on borrowed time. As soon as he felt the ropes drop, he pushed Wesker's body from his lap, freed his legs and stood up, torn between helping Brad and running to Leon.
As it happened, Brad made the decision for him. He wobbled dangerously and Chris only just managed to get him seated in the chair in time. He leant heavily against the wooden back and it was then that Chris noticed the fine trickle of blood that was coming from his friend's ear.
"You owe me yeah"? Brad said quietly, a brief smile flickering across his face before he suddenly slumped forward in the chair, his shoulders no longer heaving from the exertion of breathing.
"Brad…" Chris touched his friend's still shoulder. He would be forever grateful for Brad's final act of bravery. He gave his shoulder a squeeze and made a silent vow to find a suitable resting place for one of the bravest men he knew. He narrowed his eyes as he turned to face Wesker's body, slumped on the ground, the blood still flowing from the gunshot wound to his head. He had no need to check the vital signs, with no powerful virus running through his veins, Wesker was no match for a bullet to the brain.
Ignoring the urge to pump a few of his own bullets into the body, Chris side stepped his fallen captain and rushed over to where Leon lay. His lover's eyes were closed and he wasn't moving.
"Leon…" He felt sick as he brushed Leon's blonde hair from his startlingly pale face. There were no signs of life. "Baby…" It didn't seem fair. Not after everything they'd been through together in such a short amount of time. It hit him like a tidal wave. Everything that he'd been hoping for, all of his dreams, his ambitions and his plans for their future were gone. This was the man that he'd wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Now what was he supposed to do now? He knelt down beside his fallen lover and traced his calloused thumb across Leon's soft lips.
He looked up quickly as he heard the doors burst open. Barry and Dennis stepped forward, guns raised. Chris saw the looks of horror drift across their faces as they took in Brad, Wesker and finally Leon. He couldn't be sure, but Chris thought he heard Dennis swear. Chris stayed knelt in his strange new funk, his attentions returning to Leon. Maybe if he didn't move everything would be alright. Moving, standing up, walking away, it would mean he would have to accept Leon's death. If he could stay, touching his lover, running his fingers through his hair, kissing his pale cheek, then maybe, just maybe, everything would be ok.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and it snapped him cruelly back into reality. He closed his eyes, waiting. Barry knelt down beside him.
"Come on Chris, let's get you home"
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Six months later…
"You will hold him properly won't you"? Claire asked with concern as she handed her squirming son over to Chris. It was a glorious day in terms of weather, there wasn't a cloud in the sky and the sun was beating down, illuminating all of the stained glass windows in the church and dappling the grass of the well kept graveyard through the overhanging willow trees.
"No Sis, I'll drop him" Chris replied, rolling his eyes. "I'm not totally irresponsible y'know" He added, taking his nephew under the armpits and holding him above his head. Claire wasn't a particular fan of this game but Chris knew the kid loved it. As if to confirm this, the baby laughed uproariously. "He may be a Ryman in name but he's definitely a Redfield"
"Well if he starts to get fussy…" Claire began.
"I know, I know" Chris cut her off. "Look, this is important ok? And I thought you were going to let me do this on my own"? He nodded significantly at the gravestone that stood barely a yard away. Claire's fretful expression suddenly disappeared. A sadness flickered across her face but she finally settled for a solemn one. She kissed her son lightly on the forehead, squeezed Chris' shoulder gently and moved away.
His nephew's christening should've been a happy event and for his proud parents, it had been. For Chris, his loving uncle, it had been bittersweet. He approached the immaculately cared for gravestone. He could already feel a lump in his throat. As if sensing his uncle's suddenly change of mood, the baby in his arms stilled.
"This doesn't get any easier" Chris muttered as he faced the marble stone. "I don't even know what to say…it all seems so obvious…hell, I miss you and wish you were still here and I feel like a dick for talking to a fucking stone when I just want to talk to you. It's like, there's so much I never said…"
"Don't swear in front of the baby"
"What"? Chris wheeled around quickly. "How the hell do you manage to do that"? He demanded.
"Well I was in the Secret Service" Leon replied with a smile. He patted the baby on the head. "Hey Jace, I hope you're not letting Uncle Chris corrupt you"
"I don't get how you manage to still sneak around like that" Chris continued, giving his lover a quick kiss on the forehead. "They give you some sort of ninja bionic knee when they replaced it"? He asked, nodding at Leon's knee.
"No" Leon grinned, leaning on his walking cane. "I'm just not a heavy footed oaf like you" He nodded towards the grave. "So have you told him yet"?
"I was about to" Chris answered, turning back to face the grave. He leant Jace against his hip as Leon took hold of his hand. He squeezed back gratefully. Sometimes, even though months had passed, he'd find himself just reaching out to touch Leon, to make sure that he was still there. He'd come so frighteningly close to losing him. Leon had been in the hospital for two months, enduring numerous operations and for a long time, there had been no certainties, that'd he walk again, that he'd even live. And when Leon had gotten over the worst of all, it had made Chris even more determined to marry him. So, two months ago, with Leon still using a wheelchair, they'd married at this very church, surrounded by friends and family. Brad's death had forced everyone to refocus. Jill and Carlos had put their problems behind them and were planning to marry as soon as she'd had their baby. Barry and Kathy, their own children having flown the nest, had given Ginny a home and she was settling into her new life well. Claire and Kevin were adjusting to being new parents and Chris, despite his initial reservations, had stayed in the BSAA with Leon but strictly in consulting roles with no fieldwork.
"Do you want to be left alone"? Leon asked gently. Chris had taken Brad's death hard and it had taken weeks of therapy for him to be able to open up about it. Having been resistant towards therapy for so long, Leon was proud of his husband for finally admitting that he needed it.
"You're not going anywhere Kennedy" Chris replied, tightening his grip on Leon's hand. "I feel kinda dumb talking to a stone…" He sighed heavily. "I just wanted to come here to let you know about the christening" He said, addressing the headstone. "Claire promised that I could give the baby a middle name and I was gonna go for Christopher but he's going to see enough of me so I figured I'd name him after his brave Uncle Brad. So yeah, he's here with me now. Jace Bradley Ryman. He's gonna know all about you, I promise"
"I'm proud of you" Leon said as Chris turned away from the grave, hugging Jace to his chest. He gave his husband a kiss and ruffled Jace's red hair. They walked away together, Leon leaning against Chris for support as they moved through the grass. Jace babbled contentedly and for the first time since he could remember, Leon felt a genuine feeling of peace and calm wash over him. It had taken the both of them years but finally they were in a place where they could be happy together. "So" Leon continued, nodding at Jace with a smile. "How about we get ourselves one of these"?
THE END