Resident Evil Recall: Operation Arklay

Episode Five: Task Force Arklay

Part Two

Chief's Office, RPD, 7:30 AM…

"So, the Mayor wants to have a press conference here?" Proske asked. "And he wants the room ready by this afternoon? I thought he wanted everything at City Hall these days."

"Usually he does, but this is a special case." Chief Irons explained. "With all the commotion going on outside the city, Mayor Warren wants to show the people that they are still safe by relaxing on a few of his policies. He thinks that a good way to start is to bring police meetings back to the RPD, and the first thing he wants to do is personally promote your man who got hurt the other day… you know, the one getting out of the hospital this afternoon."

Officer Scott certainly deserved some public recognition for everything he had done, and Proske was actually surprised that the Mayor even knew about him. Maybe he had been wrong in his suspicions that the Mayor was just another corrupt politician… it was just too bad that it took a set of mysterious murders to make him show it. Irons also seemed happy about this, which felt a bit like a red flag going up since he couldn't remember Scott's name, but any positive publicity for the RPD should've made him happy, so he just wrote it off as that.

"Okay, here's your authorization to use the room." Irons continued while chuckling a bit, throwing up more red flags. "I doubt that there will be anyone in there today, hell, there never is, but we have to keep things orderly around here."

"I agree, Chief." Proske replied as he took the paper and clipboard. "I'll go and inspect the room right now, and send in a couple of my guys to take care of anything that needs done."

Irons nodded, and Proske left the office, turning and taking the maintenance stairway that led into Homicide instead of taking the long way around. He had often wondered why there wasn't a staircase in the main hall of the precinct, since it would save a lot of time for anyone who had to go from, say, the front desk to the Chief's Office. But this didn't surprise him that there wasn't, since he had once heard that the original architect forgot to put bathrooms in the first draft of the building's blueprints. Thankfully a mistake like that was corrected, if it had really happened at all, but you never know in a place like Raccoon City.

Taking the shortcut through Homicide was always risky because it was the most likely place to run into Liquid, but luckily he wasn't there, so Proske quietly moved through the long room, and turned down a tiled hallway after passing through the double-doors. The Press Conference Room was just around the corner, and he was about to walk in, when he stopped as he heard voices. Now, to his knowledge this room had been basically abandoned for months, so why would there be someone in there now of all times? It was probably just some Officers using it for break instead of the crowded lounge, so he opened the door, but then stopped as he saw who the voice belonged to.

"So before we begin, I want to say that this team is not a dictatorship." Lieutenant Liquid said from the podium. "I picked each of you because of your talent and intelligence, not your ability to follow blindly like sheep."

Of course it was Liquid, who the hell else would it be? The man absolutely infuriated him, and it seemed like no matter which way he turned, there he was with that stupid half-grin like he knew he was smarter than everyone else. The mere presence of him after what happened with their last encounter was enough to agitate Proske to no end, but this time he had the upper hand. Chief Irons, himself had authorized him to use the room, meaning that he had full authority to boot Liquid and his over-inflated ego right out.

"So." Liquid continued. "If at any given time any of you has an idea or suggestion that will make the mission go more smoothly in any way, I want you to speak up."

"I have a suggestion." Proske suddenly said, immediately drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "I suggest that you get written permission from Chief Irons to use this room, like I did, before you do some crazy setup. So, I'm sorry to be blunt like this, Lieutenant, but you guys are gonna have to clear out."

Everyone in the room fell silent as Proske and Liquid glared at each other, but then the Lieutenant smiled warmly and moved out from behind the podium, making Proske nervous as he approached. He expected him to do or say something to make this already awkward situation worse, but instead he walked right past Proske and out into the hallway. Remembering that he had the upper hand in the matter, Proske followed him, coming face to face with the Lieutenant just as the door closed behind them.

"Proske, what the hell are you doing?" Liquid calmly asked. "If you have some kind of problem, you could've at least waited until our meeting was finished instead of interrupting like a jackass."

"A jackass, huh?" Proske answered with growing anger. "Well, this jackass has authorization from the Chief to use this room at this time, so what do you have to say about that?"

The anger he was feeling was mixed with happiness as he held up the signed form for the Lieutenant to see, but then it faded as Liquid took a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and opened it up. It was a mirror image of the form on Proske's clipboard, both signed and dated by Chief Irons for authorized use of the Press Conference Room at the same time that he had just signed off on a couple minutes ago. But how could that be? Was it a mistake? It had to be… unless… no that was ridiculous… even with as corrupt and shady as Brian Irons was, would he really try to play the two of them against each other?

"Now, I'm conflicted, Proske." Liquid said while slowly rolling up the paper. "Part of me wants to resolve this situation calmly and diplomatically, but… the other part of me wants to roll up this paper and hit you on the head with it a few times. Which part do you think will win?"

Proske knew that even with as disgruntled and unprofessional as Liquid was, he would never risk making the first physical action against him. There was a security camera pointed right at this area of the hallway, and he wouldn't be able to… suddenly Proske's thoughts were interrupted as Liquid hit him on the forehead with a soft bonk. It was just a piece of paper, so he barely even felt it, but he was just dumbstruck that the Lieutenant would actually do that. Bonk, bonk, bonk, the paper kept striking him on the forehead, and that was when he realized that Liquid had already made the first move, so anything he did in return would be justified.

Bonk, the paper went again, but when Liquid pulled it back to hit him again, he balled up his fist and gave the Lieutenant his own hit on the forehead, this one with a lot more impact. The papers and clipboard fell out of their hands as Liquid stumbled backwards toward the door, and Proske continued the action by ramming his shoulder into the Lieutenant's torso, knocking the door open as he ran them inside. Ashwood jumped a little and the others just stood there in surprise as Proske shoved Liquid to where he was bent over backward on a table, and there was no controlling his anger as he slugged the man in the side of the head.

"Five bucks on Sergeant Proske." Lopez whispered.

"You're on." Chambers replied as they shook hands.

At least, there wasn't until Liquid reached up and stopped the next punch by catching Proske's fist in his hand. He then lifted his legs so that his feet were under Proske's chest and then he kicked outward, sending Proske stumbling backwards where he tripped over a chair, causing him to fall onto his back as Liquid got up. Okay, this had gone on long enough, and right now Proske still had the law on his side, so he got to his feet and brushed himself off.

"Oh, you've really done it this time, Liquid." He said. "This time I've got you, and there's no way for you to get out of it. That's right, Lieutenant, you've disgraced your badge for the last time, and once I pull the footage from the security, you're days at the RPD are over."

"Is that a fact?" Liquid asked with a frightening amount of calm in his voice. "Well then, Sergeant, I suggest that you take another look at that camera out in the hall."

This was some kind of strange bluff, it had to be, but curiosity got the better of him, and Proske walked back over to the door. He then opened it enough to see outside, and his heart skipped a beat as he looked at the camera on the wall and saw the unhooked wires hanging loosely underneath the casing. It wasn't plugged in? But how? This was a police station, they had to have surveillance. Unless Liquid unplugged it before hand, but that didn't make any sense either, because he couldn't have known that Proske was going to be there today, let alone that they were going to fight.

"Yeah, about that." Liquid said from right behind him, making Proske jump as he turned around. "That camera was mounted on the wrong side of the wall when they put them in, and I was the one who put in the maintenance request… when I was a Rookie. But the good news is that the one in this room works just fine… as does the one just outside the Chief's Office."

No… no, no, no, the son of a bitch had done it to him again, and Proske had fallen for his goading just like he had the other day. Without that camera in the hall, all anyone would see was him savagely attacking Liquid, and combined with the other recording, this could mean his badge if Liquid reported it. Again Proske wondered how this was possible… how did such a man keep coming out on top when all he ever did was the wrong thing?

"Wow, this is like watching Days of Our Lives." Chambers said quietly as Lopez grudgingly handed him a Five Dollar bill.

"Nayh, more like General Hospital." McGee replied just as quietly. "Are those hotdogs done yet?"

"Relax, Proske, let me walk you out." Liquid said as he put his arm around the Sergeant and they walked out into the hall once again. "Don't worry, best-est pal, I'm not going to report you… actually I'm proud of you for not just standing there and let me abuse you. In fact, I want you to join us."

Just when he thought that Liquid's mind couldn't get any more warped, he extended some kind of offer to join… whatever it was they were doing in there, and Proske barely heard the things he was saying about needing his skills and that he was perfect for the mission, whatever that was. All he knew was that right now he needed to get as far away from this man as possible before he really lost it, so he moved away from the Lieutenant, and quickly walked down the hall so that he could gather his thoughts.

"The invitation is always open, Proske." Liquid said as he walked back through the door. "Okay everyone, back to it… now where were we?"