I'm sorry that it took me a while to get this up. I've been really busy and having writer's block doesn't help either. I apologized in advance if this chapter is a bit slow. Next one will be up soon! I promise. :)
"Higher! Higher!" The little girl's voice squeaked as her older brother pushed hard on swing set, making her swing go higher up every time. Her red hair loose and swaying back and forth with her movement,
"Hold on tight! Don't let go." He shoved the seat, sending the little girl higher into the air,
As soon as she swung to the highest point possible, she let go and launched herself into the air. She landed on her two feet and fell forward, as she had lost her balance. The boy ran over to his sister's side and found her crying, holding her palm.
"Man. I told you not to let go. Now I'm going to get in trouble. Let me see." He crouched down and took his sister's hand, only to find a wood chip embedded into the palm of her hand.
"I'm going to pull it out. Ready?" Her redhead nodded. A quick flash of pain was felt on her palm. She looked up at her older. "Thank you." She said with a small smile in her face, still tear ridden.
He reached up and brushed off a small tear as if fell from her wide blue eyes on to her cheek. "I'll will always take care of you and protect you, Claire. I promise."
"Where are we going to bury her?"
Jill's voice shook Chris back into reality. Her eye's met his through the rear view mirror or Leon's Jeep. He was still holding Claire's body. He found himself unable to let it go. Especially now when old memories came riding up to the surface of his subconscious. His loss reminded him of Alfred Ashford back on Rockfort Island. How he had reacted to not being with Alexia. He now felt Alfred's loss.
"I don't know." His voice was emotionless and empty.
"Where are we going now?" She pulled over and turned back at Chris. She couldn't help but notice how peaceful Claire looked, almost as if she were just sleeping in his arms.
"I don't know?"
"Where should we go?"
"Jill I don't know alright! I don't know what to do!" His eyes were red and puffy and his cheeks were stained with tears. She knew she was in no place to argue or lash back for his sudden outburst.
"Fine." She turned back around and dug out her phone. After a few minutes she had located a motel. She put the car in drive and started on the road ahead.
"Yeah it's four of us." Jill stood at the main desk in a motel. She slapped the money down on the counter and proceeded to get the key.
"Yeah two beds are fine. Thank you." Jill's voice seemed a normal, but her face told a different story. She took the key and made her way outside. She tossed a key to Leon who was leaning against the jeep. They got in and drove the jeep to where the room was, as well as its designated parking space.
Leon exited the jeep and the others followed suit. Chris was the last to enter, Claire in arms.
"I'll go see if they have an ice machine." Leon stepped outside, leaving Jill alone with the siblings.
Chris set Claire down on the ugly floral patterned couch that stood at the entrance. He turned and saw Jill sitting at the foot of the bed, head in her hands. Her shoulders shook slightly.
"She's really gone isn't she Chris?" Her voice was faint and small deep breaths were taken.
He fell to his knees and his teary gaze met hers as she lifted her head up.
"Yeah, she is, Jill. My baby sister is gone." His head dropped and was guided so he crying on Jill's lap. The next few minutes were full of weeping. After ten minutes, Leon returned with bags of ice. Where he went for so long, they didn't know, or bothered to ask him. His eyes told it all. He filled the bathtub with ice and Chris proceeded to put her body in it. He closed the door behind him and was left staring and his two only friends. The dark circles around Jill's puffy eyes made her skin look even paler. He neared them and stated he was going to bed. Jill made her way over to one bed and Leon to another. Soon after, Chris joined Jill and she wrapped her arms around his torso. It was slightly comforting, knowing and feeling Jill with him. In the bed next to theirs, was Leon. He was alone in the bed. Thinking about how Claire was gone. He had no one to comfort him, no hugs to dissolve in. No one.
It was dark and cold. Shivers ran down her body, though she couldn't see it. She tried opening her eyes but they seemed to be forcefully keeping shut. She saw an explosion of red behind her closed eyes and immense heat ran through her tense body. It disappeared as quickly as it came. She felt a coolness surround her shoulders and her torso. A voice in her head was screaming at her to get up. It wasn't over for Claire Redfield. It couldn't be. She remembered Chris. The look in his eyes as she slowly drifted away from the world she once knew. She remembered the last words Leon whispered to her as her vision blurred and was left in this dimension of darkness. She had tried. She fought hard to stay with her brother and all she cared about. It was pointless. She was taken anyways. Taken to this empty abyss where nothing but thoughts flowed. But she was coming back. She could feel it. It wasn't over just yet.
"Has there been any activity?" Wesker's voice reached the ears of the microphone's wearer.
The thin figure stood behind the tall oak tree, staring into the window whose curtains were carelessly left open. Inside, three figures were moping around inside. Ada Wong immediately identified the larger frame to Chris Redfield and the smallest to Jill Valentine. Though they had had never met, she knew enough about them the two to write a report on. Off to one corner of the room was Leon. His eyes were staring down to the floor with blank stare. She had found out about the younger Redfield's death about an hour ago, before she was rushed in to watch the remaining part of Wesker's enemies. It had come to surprise to her. This was actual news, as she hadn't expected for Wesker to actually kill Claire. But then again, no one is safe when it comes to Wesker.
"The three are about to go to sleep in the main room. The corpse was left in the restroom. May I ask what I'm doing here exactly? I see no need on watching them. You've killed a main part of the group. It'll be a while before they set off looking for you."
"I'll be needing a sample of Ms. Redfield's blood. Retrieve it and you'll have your payment cut out for you."
"It's not everyday someone needs a blood sample from a corpse. New plans?"
"Ms. Wong it's highly suggested that you do the task at hand without asking any questions."
She clicked off her headpiece and stuffed it in her pocket. She approached the room and stared into the window. Sleeping silhouettes were visible against the moonlight. She ducked behind the door and was ready to pick the lock when she decided to try the knob first. The knob twisted and granted her full access into the dark room. So careless. Not matter how weak the defense was, it was better than none. She scanned the room and slowly stalked her way to the bathroom, careful not to make too much noise. She walked into the bathroom and quietly shut the door behind her. She pulled out her phone as a means of a light source but something stopped her. She saw two red dots suddenly appear. She felt nothing but sheer terror. She had seen similar eyes before. She had seen them on Wesker. She moved slowly and clicked her phone on, light shining from the front onto a figure in the dark. Dark shadows cast over the face, casting sharp angles. Its' red hair hung to the sides of her face. Amber eyes shone in the dark. Pale skin contrasted against the dark clothing she wore. Ada Wong was now standing in front of the supposedly dead Claire Redfield. Now she understood the need for a blood sample.
Claire had been infected. She took out her silenced gun and aimed at the figure. Well, she couldn't retrieve a sample if she were dead. However, the figure however did not move. Her eyes were very much resembles Wesker's. And, like Wesker's, they were filled with anger.
"Claire Redfield. Welcome back to the land of the living." A grin arose to the Asian woman's face. Talk about opportunity.
The light blinded Claire for a split second, and then her eyes adjusted to fit her surroundings. She could smell everything, hear everything and see everything. Buzzing filled her ears, different odors attacked her nose at once, and she noticed the tiniest details on every surface. But for now, she tried her best to focus on the woman standing before her. She recognized her. Ada Wong. They had met briefly in Raccoon City, but the two didn't know much about each other. Well, Claire didn't at least.
She quickly reacted to the gun in front of her and disarmed the Asian woman. Ada was taken by surprise. She didn't expect Claire to react so quickly. Now left unarmed, Ada raised her hands in the airs, signaling defeat.
"What are you doing here?", her red eyes blazing at the thought of Ada working for Wesker.
"I'm here for you actually. I've been told to retrieve a blood sample and I intend to do just that."
"Tell Wesker that the chance I gave him for easy experimenting is no longer available. He trashed the opportunity when he pulled the trigger."
"How do you think the others will react?" Ada interjected trying to turn the tables on how things were going here. There was no way Ada was going to face-off a superhuman version of Claire.
She continued, "Do you really think that they'll just brush off the fact that you've risen from the dead and are infected with the exact virus as Wesker? That's a little naïve, don't you think?" A smirk tugged at Ada's lips.
"Shut up. You don't know Chris." Her eyes were still deeply glowing, the only difference being that they were filled with worry instead of anger. Self-doubt.
"Oh Claire. How do you know he won't disown you? He'll think you're the same monster Wesker is. Which, you technically are."
A hand wrapped tightly around Ada's throat. She remained calm and stared down at Claire, as her feet left the ground. Claire's eyes filled with tears that threaten to spill any second.
"Keep your mouth shut Ada. You don't know what you're talking about. Chris still has a heart after all that you've people put him through."
"See? Both of you are already so similar. When he feels, disrespected, he moves to harm them. Like you're doing know." Claire's eyes widen when she realized she was doing exactly what Wesker would do in this situation. She let Ada slip from her grasp. She allowed her tears finally fall. Claire stood in the dimly lit room and tried to get a peak of herself in the mirror. She could only make out her red hair and eyes.
"Say I give you my blood then what?" Claire could only see Chris rejecting her the moment he saw her amber eyes.
"What I'm offering is a chance to leave this place and be moved to a place where nobody knows your secret. Wesker can think I only retrieved a sample, but In fact you'll be with me."
She's planning something. But what exactly? Claire was thinking of the scenarios that could play out. She had nowhere to go. She didn't know Chris would react to this, this resurrection.
"Fine. Take the blood sample and let's get out of here." Ada internally smile and turned off the light that was shining from her phone.
"There were some shoes by the door that you may as well retrieve." Ada whispered as she open the door that led to the main room. Claire, confused by the comment, looked down at her feet and saw she was barefoot. She tip-toed to the shoes by the door and Ada closed the door behind her, leaving a small round object on the counter before leaving. She found Claire standing over Leon gently reaching to brush hair out of his face. Her eyes filled with sadness. She stepped over and stopped her hand. She glared at Claire and raised an eyebrow at her. Claire's shoulders dropped and she walked towards the door. Ada glanced at a sleeping Leon and then proceeded with Claire. The two woman snuck out the door and were now gone.
"How much farther?" Claire shouted against a gust of wind that had just blown. They'd been trudging through snow for the last fifth teen minutes and the motel buildings were still in sight. Every nerve in her body was screaming, as she was aware of everything around her, giving her a headache. She heard a stream off in the distance and she was aware of Ada's heartbeat and aware of her smell. She was aware of everything and anything. She tried to concentrate on one thing, as it was getting difficult to think about her current situation.
"Not much farther. Try not to pass out, will you? I'm not exactly strong enough to carry you." Ada spoke without turning around. Claire eventually caught up with Ada and saw a road nearing up ahead. A car red car was parked on it. I guess not all Umbrella employees use black cars.Ada got into the driver's seat and Claire followed suit. When she got in, Ada had an empty syringe and cotton balls in hand. Claire stuck out her arm and allowed Ada to take the blood sample.
Ada turned on the car and sped off. Claire watched from the rearview mirror as the motel's building got smaller and smaller. She wondered how Chris would react to seeing her body missing. She hoped it wouldn't hurt him too much. He had already been through enough.