Classified.
The big red stamp on the folder held some power over Leon, as he feared what he'd read inside. Just one way to find out what happened. The first thing he saw was a photograph. It was a face shot Claire against a metallic examination table. She red hair and white skin stood out the most, her blue eyes hidden behind her closed eyelids. Paper-clipped to the photograph was a bunch of meaningless lab reports and list of viruses he'd seen before. At the bottom of the page was a stamp that read 'FAILED' and a signature. Whatever they were planning failed. He suddenly remembered Ada's warning and ran to find Chris, folder in hand. He came to the balcony overlooking the main area where he had first seen Ada and began scanning the crowd. Within five minutes, he found the couple talking to a very snobby looking general in a grey suit. Leon took out his phone, dialed Chris, and watched as Chris picked up his phone.
"Kennedy. Is it too much to get down here and talk to me?"
"Redfield. Grab Jill and meet me on the north balcony. I just saw Ada. Hurry."
Leon saw as Chris' face grew with a cold stare. Chris hung up immediately, excused himself and Jill and they made their way to where Leon was standing. Jill fell behind as her heels slowed her down.
"Leon. Where is she?" Chris looked desperately anxious.
"Chris. She's gone, but she warned me about something. I'm guessing it's an attack. She told me to stay away from the main hall."
"You spoke to her!? You didn't think about getting me before you did!? Leon that was our chance to get some ans-" Chris took notice of the folder Leon was holding. "What is that? Did she give that to you?" Chris reached out for the folder but Leon pulled back just in time to stop him from getting it.
"Yeah she did. But Chris before you look at it-" He was stopped by another attempt of Chris trying to grab the file. He missed and the contents ended up spilling onto the floor. The first thing that Chris set his eyes in was the photograph. As he lifted the picture to get a closer look, tears began to obstruct his vision.
"So, they tested viruses on her corpse? That's why I wasn't allowed to bury my sister? Where did Ada go Leon?"
"Chris I don't think cha-"
"Why are you defending her!? She did this? Just tell me where she is!"
"It's too late now. What we need to do is clear everyone out, okay. People are going to die is we don't" Leon didn't finish his sentence. His words were interrupted by the sound of a blood curling scream followed by a gunshot. The three ran to the railing fast enough to see a woman in a silver dress fall, clutching her neck as blood ran down it. A few feet away from her, lay a man, twitching, with worm Plagas-like worms dripping out of its mouth. The woman was lifted to her feet and they could see her eyes beginning to droop slowly.
"It's too late. There's going to be a major outbreak if they don't take care of her soon." Leon made his way to the stairs and Jill had already equipped a gun she kept in her purse.
Chris grabbed her arm before she made down the stairs, "Hey wait. It's the BSAA headquarters. I'm sure they have it covered. They can stop this from becoming a major outbreak. We've got to find Ada. She couldn't have gotten far."
Then more screams emerged from below Chris. He looked down at the hallway and made the split second decision to go and help those below. He hoped he had made the right choice because getting his hands on Ada was something he might not get a second chance at.
They were standing in the elevator, neither of them was talking. Wesker stood in his black suit; it had a bit more style than his usual getup. She tried to ignore how attractive he looked b doing almost nothing other than wearing black. Before the elevator made its way to the parking structure's level, the door opened and a skinny teen whose pants were hanging way too low from behind entered the elevator, dramatically looking at Claire from head to toe, obviously ignoring Wesker. He whistled and moved to stand really close to her.
"Damn baby. Where you going dressed so sexy like that, huh? Cuz honestly, the only place you should be heading is with me to my bedroom."
Obviously annoyed by the kid, Claire looked at him straight in the eye and sarcastically jabbed back at him, "Aren't you a little too old for a babysitter who still sings you to sleep?"
The kid scoffed and pushed a little closer to Claire, "The only sitting you should be doing is in that little lingerie you wearing underneath and on my lap. You'd probably end up begging to me to give it to you."
Claire gave him a small smirk, only because she could see a gloved hand reaching for the kid's shoulder. Wesker grabbed a hold of the kid's shoulder and squeezed until he was on his knees, begging to Wesker to stop and apologizing to Claire.
The elevator ding released the boy from his pain and both Wesker and Claire stepped out into the parking lot. Wesker placed his hand at the base of Claire back and lead her to the car while speaking, "I apologize for the scene back there, dear heart. Adolescent males such as that one don't know how to act when a beautiful woman stands before them."
The words stuck in Claire's mind 'beautiful woman'. He thinks I'm beautiful. HA. Funny. As Wesker reached to open the door, he guided Claire until her back was up against the car door.
"Yes, Ms. Redfield. I think you're beautiful.", he said as though reading her mind. He spun her around to face him. She stood frozen; looking up into the glasses she was so used to seeing every day, her heart feeling as though it might leap out of her chest. He lowered his lips dangerously close to hers and she was suddenly back at the cabin where she had first gotten taste of his lips against hers.
Instead of replaying those events, he reached out and grabbed the door handle. Claire slipped into the car and waited for Wesker to shut the door. When he didn't, she looked up to see him smirking down at her. His hand reached out and lightly tilted her chin up as he bent down. He pressed his lips against hers, his thumb passing under her jaw. Her hand snaked up and rested on the back of his neck, eventually it slid down and was holding his cheek. At the memory of Chris, she pulled away and spoke softly.
"This, Wesker, is the cruelest thing you have ever done to me."
He shut his eyes behind his glasses and huffed out a breath before responding.
"I'm very much aware Miss Redfield. My apologies."
He closed the car door and made his way to the driver's seat. Within ten minutes they were driving down town and Claire looked around at the surrounding area.
"Wesker, where are we going exactly? Where are we meeting Ada?"
"We are meeting her in a place not so private, and not too far from here. I'm surprised you've come to trust her so easily. Especially, since she's been using you all this time."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean look at the bigger picture. You've been the one infiltrating and getting the information for Ada, have you not?" Claire remained silent. "Exactly. That's something that leaves you very vulnerable to her using that information to turn your closest allies against you. When she finally tells them that you 'faked' your death last winter, it was to assist the enemy. That way, the only person you have to turn to, is her."
Closest allies. Who exactly? She thought about who it would hurt the most if they found out she was assisting the enemy. Then it dawned on her. Chris. Leon. Jill. Another thought surfaced when she thought about having to turn to someone for help.
"Or you…For all I know, that could be plan all along. Have me end up trusting you. Either way, if I trust Ada or you, you'd win. You know Ada works on her own terms so having her discarded wouldn't be such a loss. You'd have a direct lead to me, which is what you need to advance your research." Silence filled the car. "Am I right or wrong?" She turned to look at him, though his attention was on the road the entire time.
"Something like that Miss Redfield, though there are…more complicated things involved."
Before she knew it, they were behind a tall building that seemed oddly familiar.
"Let's go Miss Redfield. We shouldn't keep Miss Wong waiting." He stepped out, opened the door for Claire, and led her to an entrance, which was being guarded by two men dressed in all black. They walked up a staircase together, Wesker's hand at the base of her back. When they came to the top, Claire could see a large, empty hall, though she could hears echoes of people chatting and soft jazz playing. On the wall, she saw a very familiar logo she had seen countless times before. It was a stamp of the world with four red letters stamped across it. BSAA. She quickly turned to Wesker.
"Seriously!? Out of all the fucking places you could've chosen to meet, you chose here!?" She stepped forward and swung her hand in attempt to slap him. Her hand stung as it lifted off his cheek. The next thing she knew, she was being pushed up against the wall. Her back hit the wall, a lot softer than she imagined it would, and Wesker's hands were around her wrists, her hands against the wall on either sides of her face. His mouth breathed down her ears and she felt a knot in her stomach tighten. She struggled to get free him and he pressed his body against hers. Her leg kicked out the side and she tried to kick the back if his knees, which only ended up with her leg wrapped around his. His face was centimeters from hers and his voice made shivers travel down her spine.
"Miss Redfield, I honestly thought you would handle this little better." She moved her head to the side and looked away. When she focused on what was in front of her, she saw a figure standing at the opening of one of the halls.
"My, my. I hope I'm not interrupting anything here. Wesker I didn't know you had special lady in your life. Does this lady have a name?"
Wesker back away from Claire and stepped in front of her, blocking her from Ada and spoke,
"Miss Wong it's about time you arrived. I believe you've met Miss Redfield before. I even believe you told me she had passed." He grabbed Claire's hand and brought her forward for Ada to see more clearly. Ada's eyes widened at the sight of Claire by Wesker's side.
"Well. I don't know what to say I tho-" Within a split second Wesker had Ada by her throat against the wall.
"I don't want to hear it. If it hadn't been for my 'military monkey' my research could have been set back for months. I thought you knew better than to betray me. Now the information. Do you have it?"
Ada struggled slightly before she lifted a yellow folder near his face.
"I've also done the other thing you asked…It won't be long before-" ,her eyes wondered to Claire and she whispered the rest of her sentence.
"Good. Now, your payment will be delivered to you by Mr. Rodgers. I suggest you don't try to fool me again or you have my word, I'll make sure you are disposed in the worse way possible. Do you understand?"
"Loud and clear." Wesker let her go and she fell to her knees as she was beginning to lose her breath.
"Now I believe that you and Miss Redfield have some business to discuss. Excuse me. I have something I need to check up on."
With that Wesker walked away from Ada and disappeared down the dark hall, going towards the chatting and music. Ada pushed herself up onto her feet and slumped against the wall before regaining her composure.
"How did he find you?" Ada stared at her.
"We had a run-in at the laboratory you recently sent me to infiltrate. Next time, I suggest you research who's the head researchers at these things, will you?"
"Listen, I don't have for this. What did you find out?"
"No more than the usual. Testing's been happening. Mostly the usual Umbrella viruses. Nothing else is new about the ones they're testing. Why did it have to be here? The meeting, I mean. It's one hell of a location, don't you think."
"I needed to tie up a loose end. Plus, how could Wesker ignore a chance to ruin such a beautiful evening."
"You're talking about your evening, I presume?", Claire questioned
"Yes of course. Mine. What else would he enjoy doing?" Ada smirked at Claire, waiting for chance to take a jab at her. She felt betrayed. Something she didn't deal with often, but knew how to retaliate.
"Well, if that's all, I'll be leaving. Frankly I'm a little tired." Claire thought back to conversation with Wesker in the car.
"Where do you think you're headed? Off to sleep with the enemy? Is that why you wearing something that would be found in my closet? I didn't think you capable of such a task." Careful Ada, thought to herself.
"I'm sorry, but I'm done working for you. I realized my time would be more valuably spent elsewhere, not doing the dirty work of some bitch in a red dress, who would surely easily betray me, as she did to a man, who frankly I'd rather cross the devil than him."
"Choose your enemies wisely, Redfield. He's not the only one who can make your life a living hell." Claire began to walk away but Ada's cunning voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Also, I thought you should know. I spoke to a certain Mr. Kennedy this evening. Poor sad guy, he truly misses you. But don't worry as of an hour ago, he's lost all hope of ever speaking to you again. If he were ever to see you again, well his reaction might be quite surprising. No doubt he's even told the rest of you little family. Too bad you're dead to-"
Ada was interrupted halfway through her sentence by hand slapping her across the face. Ada stumbled sideways from the force that hit her. When a knee came up, she deflected it and returned a fist that missed its mark. Claire sent a fist of her own and it connected with Ada's nose causing Ada to falter. The quick and steady foot work of Claire allowed her to trip up Ada, causing the woman in red to fall down against the wall. Strong kicks hit her sides multiple times, within seconds blood was dripping down her mouth. Claire grabbed her knife from the strap at her thigh, lifted Ada by her shoulders, placed it at the base of her throat and spoke cunningly, "You listen to me Ada. If you so much as try to speak to any of them ever again or I see you on some kind of vendetta against them, I swear, I will hunt you down and make you wish you never set foot in Raccoon City. All I need you to do is look in their direction and I will end you. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?" As she spoke, Claire eyes burned an even brighter and darker shade of amber, the blue specks dispersing as her anger took control of her. Silence surrounded them in the dark hallway. The only sound was the heavy breathing resulting from the fight that had occurred.
Ada's eyes held two emotions. Fear was not one of them. Neither was worry. Arrogance and anger. Claire had bested her. At her own game. The eyes of the two locked in a silent altercation as they each mentally made promises to destroy each other.
"I didn't miss and anything important here did I?" The voice that almost seemed to mock Ada broke the silence that surrounded the two.
"No. Not at all." Claire slowly took off her weight of Ada's shoulders as well as her knife. Ada leaned against the wall, her eyes staring down at her little blacks shoes that showed almost no sign of the fight that played out a few minutes ago. Claire slid her knife back to its pocket and walked slowly towards the way she and Wesker had come in.
"You little-" Ada rushed out towards Claire, her used knife in hand aiming directly into her spine. Quickly sensing the oncoming attack, Claire spun around, grabbed Ada's outright arm, twisted it and proceeded to toss her over her shoulder. Ada flew into the wall and Claire stepped on her hand form preventing her from retrieving her now discarded knife. Ada winced at the feeling of her hand being stepped on by a heel.
"Don't even try, Ada. I'm not afraid of having to end you now."
With that, Claire walked off, leaving the woman in red lying on the floor helpless. Wesker soon caught up with Claire.
"It's about time!" Jill lowered her weapon and both Chris and Leon did this same as the final infected were put down and the area was cleared out.
"Damn. How the hell did an infected get into BASS headquarters?" Chris was the first to question the situation.
"Someone must be compromised. That's the only explanation." Leon butted in.
"OR Ada must've somehow snuck it in. Grabbed one of the staff members, infected them, unleashed onto us…" Chris rubbed his temples at the reminder that that woman was in the same place as him and he was oblivious to it. It was his chance. He had lost it.
Jill and Leon stayed silent. While around them, staff and security were beginning to clean up the situation and open an investigation.
"That's it. I'm calling it a night. Let's go home Jill." He shrugged off his suit jacket and rested it on her shoulders, as it had begun to drizzle outside, and led her to then exit.
"Oh crap. I almost forgot something." Chris walked to the table where Leon and the folder were. Without making eye-contact, Chris grabbed the folder and walk back to Jill.
Leon stood alone, wondering why he had defended the woman in red. Maybe he wasn't done with her like he'd thought.
Chris sat on his couch and stared at the open folder in front of him. He'd read it over at least five times. At the top of the page rested the photo of Claire. All pale, her eyes, shut, laid against an examination table.
"Chris. Stop torturing yourself. It's too late to do anything." Jill picked up the file and put it away on a desk.
"I let them do this. It says all they were doing was testing viruses to see if it could bring back a person after they've been killed. They failed. It was useless. After, they discarded the body because, well, she was contaminated. They needed uninfected bodies to test on." Chris stared emptily into the wall. "I think I'm okay. I have closure now. That's what I needed." He looked up at Jill with soft eyes.
"Good." He pulled Jill in and they both rested in each other's arms until they both dozed off.
The steady clicking of Claire heels was the only noise anyone could have heard the moment the rain started falling. Her wet hair clung to her skin and face. Her drenched dress clung to her body as well; she walked out into the empty street and looked for a cab. She needed to get away from there as fast as possible before she did something rash to woman she had faced. She continued to walk, trying to ignore the small feel of guilt from beating Ada so harshly. It was until she saw her reflection on a window, when that feeling dissolved into the air. She stared at the amber eyes in the reflection. She saw not herself, but someone else completely. Someone with power. A rush of adrenaline surged through her veins and she felt unstoppable. She laughed out loud.
"You haven't lost it have you, dear heart?"
She giggled before answering. "No, not at all. If anything, I feel…more sane than ever." Wesker took off his glasses and tucked them into his pocket shirt. He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to side as he examined the woman in front of him.
"You sure gave Miss Wong one hell of beating back there." He smirked at her. Transforming from the victim to one causing the damage.
"Well, what can I say? She had it coming. Plus, she needs to be reminded of who exactly she's dealing with."
"Yes of course. One shouldn't lose sight of those above you." A clap of thunder broke the stare the two had been locked in and Wesker spoke, a small smirk inching its way to his lips as he recalled seeing Ada being tossed like a rag doll. "We should get going. That lovely necklace you wear well could attract some unwanted lightning." He shrugged off his jacket and placed it on Claire shoulders as they made their way to the usual black car. She accepted it quietly and slipped into the car, when Wesker held the door open.
Half an hour later they walked into the living room of his apartment. Claire shrugged off his jacket and hung it on one of the bars stools he had. Wesker walked away from Claire and entered the bedroom, leaving her alone. She disregarded this and kicked off her heels and proceeded to pour herself yet of glass of wine while she turned on the stereo that automatically connected her music purchases to the system. The soft music poured out of the speaker while she stood near the windows, staring out at city of lights before her, mesmerized by thought and memory.
"I watched a change in you…It's like you never had wings…Now you feel so alive…I've watched you change…" The soft voice made everything seem dream-like.
"What are you thinking Claire?" The voice startled her out of thought, causing her reflexes to switch on and strike at the person behind her. As quickly as she moved, he moved quicker, successfully pinning her on the wall, his hands forcing her wrists down on either side of her face.
"And to think we might actually have an enlightening conversation." He smirked down at her.
"You must forgive me, as you so quietly snuck up behind me. You were kind off asking for it." She smirked back. "And to think I was the only one you held so closely like this. If I'd known you held Ada like this, I wouldn't have felt so special."
Wesker scoffed at the sound of Claire speaking like this. You must be drinking a little too much wine, dear heart. He had to admit though; he didn't mind it at all. Claire pried one of wrists loose and moved it to push back a lock of Wesker's hair that had gotten out of place when she attacked him. She let her hand rest at the back of his neck after smoothing the piece of his hair back. Now she noticed, her heartbeat was completely calm, not threatening to jump out of her chest like before. Little did she know, it was Wesker's turn to feel how she had felt. She slid her hand from his neck down to his chest before getting closer and whispered, "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to have another glass of wine." And with that she snaked through his arms and walked away, leaving him where he stood. As she poured another glass of wine, the song changed and the lyrics flowed the apartment setting a calm mood.
"I watch you crying to me…With your knees open…I display you, taunt the beast again…cause' when you move and shake…that thing inside you comes awake…"
Wesker's breathing became heavier and more noticeable. Claire lifted the glass to her lips once more, but a gloved hand grabbed it and led her to set the glass down. She could smell him, even before he placed his lips near her ear and placed a kiss under her jaw. The sensation left a tingle on where he had kissed her, causing her to move her head to the side. He grabbed the barstool and spun it around so Claire was facing him. He placed one hand at her waist and the other was cupping her cheek, his thumb rubbing under her jaw. He leaned in and crashed his lips against hers, losing control of his usual composed self. Her hands crawled up and snaked around his neck, one hand running through his hair, messing up his perfect hair. The slight tug of Claire's hands made Wesker groan into her mouth. She moved her hand down from his neck to his chest and let it rest there. He went back to kissing her neck and Claire let out a moan, causing Wesker to snap. He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up, her legs wrapping around his torso. She felt a slight bulge at her thighs and she smirked at man who was carrying her to the bedroom.
He sat down on the bed, Claire on his lap, and moved to kiss off the straps of the dress that lay on her shoulders. She reached down and started to play with the buckle of his belt. With that, Wesker flipped on to the bed, Claire now underneath him. He ran his hand up her thigh and unzipped her dress from the side. He sucked on her skin and then completely slid her dress off, leaving her in nothing but the black laced panties he had in the drawer. He bent down and planted a kiss on her chest and left more, leading down to her abdomen. She quivered under Wesker and he chuckled at the sensation of her. He hooked his thumbs to her panties, drew them down and tossed them off the bed.
It was all moving so quickly, it seemed only seconds had passed from when she was relaxing in the living room to when there lovemaking peaked and slowed, only for them to reached their climaxes again and again. Eventually they both tired out and they lay next each other, panting and catching their breaths, after having used up so much energy to pleasure each other. Wesker turned onto his side and stare at his fiery goddess, her eyes lit up when she stared back at him, still amber from the moment he planted a kiss on her neck. He snaked an arm around her torso and pulled her closer until her back hit his chest, He muzzled his face into her neck, giving her enough comfort to drift off into a dreamless sleep, unfeeling, without guilt, if anything pleasure. As though she had been recalled to life.
Songs in order of occurrence: Change (In the House of Flies)-Deftones and Bitched Brew- Crosses