Resident Evil Recall: Operation Arklay

Episode Three: The Grill 13

Part Four

Grill 13 Diner, 9:45 PM…

"Well, that was actually kinda nice." Chambers said as he and Lopez walked out of the restaurant. "Aside from the whole incident with S.T.A.R.S. thing, I mean… man, it's a good thing we got picked for this team, because Wesker and Marini are never gonna let me and Ashwood in after tonight."

"Oh, screw S.T.A.R.S." Lopez replied. "Why the hell would you want to work for those two jackasses anyway? They'd always be on your case about every little detail of everything, whereas this guy, Liquid, probably doesn't even have a plan to start with. I prefer to work with disorganized people, since they're usually less bossy, and it gives me more freedom to do things my own way, you know?"

The Grill 13 didn't close until after midnight, but the parking lot had mostly cleared out once the dinner crowd left. The air had grown cold in the hours since sundown, which was expected in the spring, but the days were already getting warmer, so the change was felt a lot more. The city looked completely different at night as well, with the glow of streetlights and neon signs casting pronounced shadows that were constantly moving along with the headlights of passing cars.

"I see what you're saying." Chambers answered as he unlocked the car and they got inside. "But I just can't read the Lieutenant; sometimes he seems like he's a complete moron, but other times he's so focused and driven that it's kinda scary. Personally, I think that Sergeant McGee should be leading this team."

"Or maybe you and me should form our own team." Lopez said. "See, if we solve this case, we're looking at promotions, newspaper articles, the works, right? So with all that weight behind us, there's no way Chief Irons would stop us from forming a team of our choosing to investigate major crimes. You and me, Avan, we're gonna outshine S.T.A.R.S., Task Force Arklay, the old SWAT team, all of them."

This was certainly an angle that Chambers hadn't considered. His thoughts about this whole situation were consumed by using Liquid's Task Force as a stepping stone into the S.T.A.R.S. unit, or making Detective and getting into Homicide. He never considered trying to form a whole new unit, and his thoughts weighed this proposal greatly as he put the patrol car in gear and pulled out of the parking lot.

"There's just one problem with your plan, Adrian." Chambers replied as they started down the street. "First we gotta solve this whole Cannibal Murders thing, and I don't think that's gonna be easy. Remember what Liquid said: If we don't solve this case completely, Chief Irons is gonna end all of our careers. I don't know what you did before you joined the Academy, but I worked at a Bait Shop, and I am never going back to that again."

"I never said it was gonna be easy." Lopez answered. "As much as I hate working with people that I just met, it's probably gonna take all of us to track down and nail whatever asswipe is out there in the mountains eating people. It ain't gonna be no purse-snatchers out there in the field, it's gonna be genuine psychopaths or crazy cult members, or something. Just remember that the important thing is that no matter what happens, you and me cover each other first."

This morning when he had agreed to join the Task Force, Chambers thought the whole thing sounded pretty exciting, but with the way Lopez was talking, suddenly it seemed more terrifying than anything. It was one thing to chase down a perp in the middle of Raccoon City where there were people everywhere, and plenty of light even after the sun went down, but out there in the Arklay Mountains it was different. It was rugged terrain and thick forests, with total darkness once night fell.

The whole thing sounded pretty awful now that he was thinking about it, but on the other hand, wasn't this the exact kind of thing that S.T.A.R.S. was famous for investigating. Since they had replaced the old SWAT team a few years before, the Special Tactics and Rescue Service had been the ones taking down all the major criminals and tackling the most dangerous assignments that were deemed too extreme for regular cops to handle… so why weren't they investigating the Cannibal Murders?

Something like this seemed like it was way too extreme for regular cops to handle, so why were a bunch of regular cops being sent in to investigate it? Sure, Liquid and McGee were both seasoned Homicide Detectives, but he and Lopez were Rookies, and Ashwood had only been at the RPD about two years longer than they had. So what kind of nutcase thought that any of this seemed like a good idea? How did any of them think that there was any way possible for them to pull this off?

For a moment Chambers considered backing out of this whole thing, but then he remembered what had happened during his interview with Captain Marini, and how the S.T.A.R.S. Team Leader was basically saying these same things to him that he was thinking now. His rejection speech had been nothing but a bunch of fancy ways of telling him that he wasn't good enough and that he should give up before he got hurt. It had made him feel like dirt during the interview, and now it was making him feel even worse.

"No, it won't be easy." Chambers answered as they stopped at a red light. "But we're gonna solve this case no matter what, and then we're gonna walk into the S.T.A.R.S. Office and rub our success right into Marini's smug, stupid face. Right, partner?"

Lopez nodded in agreement, and then they did another high-five before the light turned green and they were able to continue on their way.

Grill 13 Diner, 10:00 PM…

"I had a really good time tonight, Tobias." Carver said once she and Liquid finally left the restaurant. "The food was great, and it was nice to meet your team… we should do this more often."

"Are you asking me for a second date, Janet?" He replied. "I don't want you to think I'm a tramp or anything."

They both laughed at his stupid joke, and then he put his arm around her as they walked. The cold wind picked up again, so she didn't mind moving up against him until they got to her vehicle. It would be a welcome feeling to get into the nice warm car, but they had only just separated, when Liquid grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back to him so they were facing each other. She found herself getting a little nervous, but then he leaned in and softly kissed her, and it was… nice.

"How many rules did we just break?" She asked when their lips parted.

"Plenty." Liquid replied with a smile. "But don't worry, if anyone catches us, I'll just tell them that you used your position to seduce me just like you do with all the girls in the office, you pig."

She punched him in the arm as they both started laughing again, and then their arms went around each other as they started kissing again. Suddenly the night didn't seem so cold, and he was a really good kisser, but it was getting late, and they both had to work in the morning. This was one of the few times that she wished she was a teenager again, and that it would be no problem to stay out all night since they could just cut class the next day. Unfortunately, adult life had just as many restrictions as it had freedoms, so whatever was going to happen, it would need to be done soon.

"You, um, live around here, don't you?" Carver asked. "It's um, getting late, and, well, it's a, uh really long drive back uptown to where I live."

"Oh, I get it." Liquid replied with his smile returning. "First you bully me with your position, and now you're trying to go home with me? What kind of a slut do you think I am, Janet?"

She punched him in the arm again before another kiss started, and then they hugged, which was nice as well. Being a cop, there wasn't much time for her to date, and even if there was time, most men got all weird about it for some reason. To make things worse, she had also tried to avoid getting into relationships with co-workers, but Liquid smelled really good, and he was a great kisser. Maybe just this once it would be okay to break the rules and see where this went.

"Thanks for going out with me tonight." Liquid said as their hug became tighter. "I really like you, Janet."

"I hope so." She replied as she moved her head back to look him in the eye. "Because I seem to remember someone bragging about me having to call in sick tomorrow, and if that certain someone doesn't live up to their claims, I might just have to pistol-whip him. Now get in the car, you little whore."

They kissed again before separating, and she roughly swatted him on the rear as he went around to the other side of the vehicle. A few seconds later they were buckled in, and Carver smiled as Liquid put his hand on her leg when they were pulling out of the parking lot. He seemed so happy right now, and this was a welcome change from the way she had seen him before his forced extended leave. No one had done anything to help the poor man as he spiraled into some kind of drunken insanity, and then they had just made him go away for a while. Obviously the leave worked, but that didn't change the fact that something terrible had happened to him a couple months ago.

She would never ask what it was, but it must've been pretty crazy to do that to a man who had once been known as the greatest Detective in Raccoon City. Oh well, maybe he would tell her about it on his own sometime, but she was pretty sure that whatever it was, it was what motivated him to form this Task Force. Carver really wanted to know what happened, but for now she just wanted to be with him, and that was enough as she followed the directions he gave to his apartment.