The Long Dark

XIII.

Assets

When she woke, Jill immediately knew someone had taken the time to save her.

She lingered in the warm sheets and shook her head. How much currency could you exchange for owing each other your life? Infinite, apparently.

She showered and slapped her face to put some color back on her cheeks. The face in the mirror looked tired and ill. But alive. Alive. And sometimes that was worth looking like shit.

She left the room and followed the sounds of what could only be two bulls stamping. The shouting drew Jill into the small hotel conference room dressed in an oversized sweater and matching gray sweatpants. Warm, if not fashionable, it wasn't like she was trying to impress, and she mainly was hoping to stop World War three.

Rebecca met her at the door as the thunder of heated debate echoed around them and hissed, "I can't stop them. I keep trying to get in the middle, but they won't let me. It's like they're both deaf or something."

Shenmei met them as Leon and Chris exchanged another round of raised protests and filthy words. She murmured, "You, ok? You look good."

Jill gave her a small smile, "I'm good. I promise. What's this about?"

Shenmei sighed, "What else? Your partner over there wants to bomb the damn caves, and he seems to think the slow method is dangerous. He's convinced a warm spell striking will melt it all and bring on armageddon."

Rebecca muttered, "Chris only knows one way..."

Jill finished, "Yeah, a punch in the face. Gimme a second here."

She moved forward with the other two women at her back. Kevin gave her a look of a man drowning in too much testosterone as she passed, and she patted his shoulder to reassure him as Chris roared, "You fucking coward! Do you think these townspeople are safe with a fucking village of monsters in their backyard?!"

To his credit, Leon wasn't the one bellowing like a madman, and he was mainly spitting words through gritted teeth. "Of course not, but I didn't bring you in to Rambo the goddamn thing like an idiot, Redfield. I brought you in to help quarantine. This isn't an airstrike situation, goddamnit; it's an operation, and it's delicate. If you roast those damn plagas, you're just setting them loose...you're not killing them."

"No? I'll do both. Just get the fuck outta my way and let me."

Leon held his ground as Chris closed another two steps and put them nose to nose. It was the first time Jill noticed that Chris was taller. Irrelevant, really, but interesting. You tended to think Leon Kennedy was the biggest guy in the room when you met him. But standing next to Chris, his deftly muscled physique seemed small. Chris, after all, was built like a brick shithouse that'd swallowed a mountain. There was a reason they called him The Human Tank. The guy rolled into town and crushed anything in his path. The slow approach had never really been his style. Stealth and Chris Redfield never went hand in hand.

Leon returned in a low, almost growling tone, "You'll do nothing. Not a damn thing. And if you don't get the fuck outta my face, I'll put you on the next chopper out of this town."

When Jill emerged beside him, Leon tossed her a heated look. She couldn't blame him, and she'd made the case to bring Chris in and convinced him. And here Chris was doing what Chris did - trying to be the alpha dog.

Jill pressed her hand on Chris' chest, solid but gentle. His nostrils flared as he glanced down at her, and she advised calmly, "You're done. Back it down."

He gave her a look that had felled lesser men, and she said again, "Done. Take a walk."

Chris vibrated before he backed off. He snapped, "Get him in line, Jill. I mean it."

She returned that seething rage with a stern look. "Get yourself in line, Redfield. Or bow out."

His eyes flickered above his unshaven jaw, "...fuck this."

The door almost snapped when he slammed it on his way out. Rebecca jumped. Shenmei looked wide-eyed, and Kevin just smirked. Into the silence, Leon snarled, "...idiot. How the fuck do you work with him?"

He spun around to slap the folder on the table hard enough that Rebecca jumped again. Kevin touched her forearm and soothed her, "Easy, girl, it's over."

She breathed, "Jesus, I've been less worried in a room full of zombies."

Kevin chuckled. Shenmei breathed, "...I warned you."

Leon gave her such a dark look that she lifted her hands to show herself unarmed. "Easy. I'm just saying. I told you this was a bad idea."

"Thanks for the I-told-you-so, Shenmei, but I don't need a lecture."

She shrugged and took a seat at the table beside Kevin. "Maybe not. But I think you need to figure out that this guy is here now. If he whispers in the right ears, he might even convince the folks upstairs that his plan has merit."

Leon arched both brows, "You think the White House wants that cave torched?"

"No. But I don't think they want a full-scale invasion on their hands, either. Imagine what happens if the locals start talking about melting ice and monsters. They'll wish they'd let him torch it and deal with the fallout."

Kevin gave her a droll look, "You kidding? You torch that damn cave; you'll have worse than fall out...you'll have armageddon."

Shenmei shrugged, "Maybe. But maybe Redfield is right, and maybe the torch is what stops it. If he bombs it, then cleans up what's left, is he really gonna look like he's being irrational?"

Rebecca breathed, "And if what comes out of that cave as worse than what little we've seen? Can it walk in the sun, manipulate minds, and seep into the ocean? What then? It goes global, and it starts breeding. It gets worse than Spain, and it goes pandemic. What then?"

Shenmei shrugged again, "Maybe the White House will want to bomb it just to stop that from happening."

Leon shook his head, "We're not there yet. Not even close, and we've got options before we go nuclear."

Jill agreed, "Plenty. Rebecca is working on the UV radiation angle. Before we go full sanitation, we have to try a less destructive method."

Shenmei nodded. "I agree. I just don't know why he's here. What good comes out of inviting a tank to a tea party?"

Leon returned, "Because he's got resources we don't. In this case, his team is better equipped to handle the possibility of a possible invasion. If we're wrong, if we trigger the caves by trying to stop it, Redfield and the B.S.A.A. have the means to help contain it faster than the White House can get us what we need."

Shenmei shrugged, "Maybe. But his team is as close to a brute squad as you can get, Leon. You've invited heathens to a civilized event. Does he even understand the nature of the word restraint?"

Jill met Leon's eyes and promised, "He will. I'll handle it."

Leon gave her a cool look. "Do that. I don't need kamikaze shit here, Jill, and I need cooperation."

She nodded. "I know. I'll make sure we're on the same page. Give me a minute."

She left the conference room and found Chris outside in the snow, watching the mountains. She ranged herself beside him and remarked, "Smoking is for losers."

Chris blew out a hard breath, "This is stupid, Jill. It's suicide. We both know if Rebecca goes in there with a goddamn grow lamp and levels it on those walls, it'll take months...maybe years...to eradicate everything. We need to strike fast, eliminate what's above ground, and bury the rest. If anything digs free, we deal with it as it happens."

"And if that sets it all free?"

He gave her a level look, and Jill arched a brow, "If you bomb and what's in there walks free? What then?"

Chris growled under his breath, "Damnit."

She nodded, "Yeah. No easy answers here, Red. We gotta step back and wait."

When he said nothing, she encouraged, "What's eating you?"

He closed his eyes and finally returned, "I lost that city in Portugal."

Surprised, her eyes winged into her hair. "You...what?"

"It was a cluster fuck. It was nearly overrun when we got there. We fought like hell, but the infection was nearly eighty percent before we even touched down. I lost eight men trying to spare the few we found that hadn't turned."

After a quiet moment, Jill said, "You can't make up for that by trying to stop this before it happens, Chris."

He said nothing.

She eyed his heavily bearded profile and added, "Look at me."

When he did, she instructed, "We win some, we lose some. You know that. It's not the first; it won't be the last. But Leon brought you in because I convinced him you'd work with us here."

He tilted his head, "Us? You on his side now?"

"I'm on the side of these people. All these people in this town. If this doesn't work, we can try it your way. But we must do everything we can first to ensure what's inside that cave doesn't get out."

He held her eyes, "What's in there?"

Softly, she answered, "...nothing I've ever seen. Nothing you've ever seen. Civilization. Corruption. And horror."

His eyes flicked gently, "You're spooked."

Jill breathed, "I am. It would be best if you were too. Because what's in there aren't just zombies. It's not even bioweapons. It's human...almost...it's intelligent. And some of it is nightmares... Lovecraftian...shit. Shit, that shouldn't exist. Ancient. Evil. There's an evil that's taken residence under this town, Chris. And I was hoping you could listen and wait...because bombs won't stop it. But brains just might."

Chris studied her solemn face for a long moment before he conceded, "Ok...I'll let Rebecca do her thing. I'll play ball."

She touched his forearm and breathed, "...thank you. Work with Leon. Trust me...he knows what he's doing."

His mouth twitched, "I have no doubt. You wanna tell me exactly what that entails?"

Rolling her eyes, Jill turned back to the hotel. "Pervert."

With a snort, Chris watched her disappear back into the lobby.

She was cleaning her guns in her room when the knock sounded. Rising, Jill glanced through the peephole before easing the door open.

Leon stood in a snug-fitting blue shirt topped with a heavy-duty combat vest, a gray zippered hooded sweatshirt, and a pair of jeans. He lifted the small paper bag in his hand and had her eyes twinkling, "...bribery?"

Amused, he offered, "Peace offering."

Smiling, she let him in the room, and he set the bag on the table. "I shouldn't have doubted you." He hung the sweatshirt on the back of her chair at the desk.

Jill shrugged and took the muffin he offered her. She bit in, sighed happily, and enjoyed the fluffy blueberry treat as he continued, "You worked your magic on the mountain, gorgeous; I appreciate it."

Jill gave him a small smile. "He's jumping the gun. He had a mission go bad before this, and he's just licking his wounds."

With a nod, Leon sat across from her at the table. "I get it. We talked."

Her brows winged up, "...he...shared...with you?"

Leon chuckled lightly. "Whiskey has a way of making friends out of enemies."

"I'm impressed. Although he's always had a loose tongue when he drinks."

His head tilted, "You know a lot about his tongue?"

Her eyes twinkled, "Jealous?"

With a snort, Leon teased, "Eat your muffin, woman."

She laughed lightly. "...thank you...by the way...for before."

His hair tumbled into one eye as he looked up from cleaning her gun for her. "Please. No thanks necessary."

"We're making a habit of saving each other's lives."

"Looks that way." He tilted his head at her, "You, ok?"

Jill nodded, reaching for another bite of muffin as he effortlessly serviced her weapons. "I'm fine. I gotta stop trying to be a hero, but I'm good."

He snapped the slide back on her gun with a sharp sound and set the pistol on the table. "We should talk about Nikolai."

Jill paused and narrowed her eyes. Swallowing her bite, she mused, "Ok...why?"

After he finished telling her about Nikolai, Jill paced the room. She pressed her forehead to the wall beside the table and drew a deep breath, "Ok...so in a way, it makes sense. Nikolai should have died and didn't...the story of my life."

Mouth twisted wryly, Leon remarked, "That's usually my line."

"But what the hell does he want here?"

Leon shrugged, "Maybe he's trying to weasel his way back in with his employers. When Raccoon went up in flames, he lost his paycheck. Maybe he farmed himself out to the first source that would have him."

Jill sat on the edge of the bed and shook her head, "Maybe he's working for Wesker."

Leon said nothing.

She glanced at his face and urged, "What?"

He held her eyes until she asked, "What is it?"

Leon returned softly, "Wesker is Kat's source."

Jill gave him a look so confused that he watched it change from surprise to rage. She rose from the bed. "...he's here?"

Leon shook his head, "Of course, he isn't. He's not stupid. But he works with the RSC when it suits him. And I wouldn't be surprised to find he funnels intel to the B.S.A.A. when that suits him as well."

Jill put her face in her hands. "Shit. Shit. You think we can trust anything he says?"

Leon kept his arms crossed over his chest and shrugged a shoulder. "Kat says we can."

She met his eyes. "You trust her?"

He blew out a breath. "I trust what drives her, and the same goes for any of us."

"Shit." Jill rubbed her tired eyes. "How clear is the line from Nikolai to Wesker?"

Leon shrugged again. "Minuscule at best, and I think he's mostly a pain in the ass for Wesker. But taking him out makes things easier for him to clear out the last dregs of Umbrella."

Jill sat on the bed again and breathed, "Jesus. His fingers are everywhere. What does he know about the cave?"

"I don't know yet. I didn't speak to him. Kat's in contact. I know he wants a sample."

Jill gave him a stern look. "You kidding?"

"I didn't say he'd get one."

The tension crackled until she finally nodded. "Right. Sorry. I hear you. Do me a favor, and do not trust a damn word he says. Ok?"

"I look like I was born yesterday, gorgeous? I know what I'm doing."

Jill nodded again. "Right. I know that too. Shit and double shit." She flopped back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. "How do we hunt Nikolai and deal with the caves simultaneously?"

"That's why Redfield is here."

When she said nothing, Leon nodded, "I'm headed out to the caves with him in a few minutes here. I'm taking Kevin with me but leaving Shenmei and Rebecca with you."

Jill snorted, "Don't trust women?"

He chuckled, "No. Shenmei needs rest after your fight. She won't take it, so I'm forcing her to. And so do you. Rebecca can't do a damn thing until we get her equipment set up anyway. This way - the three of you can start the search for Nikolai while we determine the immediate danger out at the caves. We'll coordinate when I get back on what happens next."

Jill nodded on the bed. "Ordinarily, I'd fight you on it, but I tend to agree. I feel about half exhausted at the moment, and I don't think I'd be much use in a fight."

"So, focus on something else."

She smiled where she lay. "Like what?"

"Like whatever you do to relax."

When she said nothing, he snorted, "Your silence speaks volumes."

"... Jesus, that's sad, right? I don't have a go-to to relax."

"Me either, sadly." He paused and remarked, "...so...I'll tell you a story."

Surprised, she mused, "You got time for that?"

"This one's quick enough," he shifted and started talking. He told her about the first girl he ever asked out - Lily Margolis - and how she told him the big fat "no" in front of all his boys on the playground.

"It was crushing for a twelve-year-old boy, Jill. I'm telling you."

She grinned, "Oh? Loved her, did you?"

"Hmm. You know I did. She had the best snacks at recess."

Jill chuckled, "You poor thing. Did your wounded heart survive?"

"No. Sadly. I'm still pining for her. I might call her to see if she's free when I'm done here."

She nodded sagely. "I'm sure she will be. If she knows what kind of superhero you've become."

"Naturally. Also, I'm charming."

"Are you?"

"Hmm. I am. It's my hair giving me powers with the ladies."

She chuckled again. "...you're probably right. Go shave it and come back to see if you're still irresistible."

After a moment, he teased, "You think I'm irresistible?"

"...I think you're something else." She breathed a little. "That almost worked, though. I'm now thinking of you bald, and it's definitely taking my mind off things."

"...happy to help. Let's turn on some Lifetime Network for women and finish your descent into mindless entertainment."

"Oh lord, all I need is some movie about a girl and boy falling in love over Christmas break."

"Hey, everybody loves a happy ending."

Amused, she glanced at him, "...do you?"

He held her eyes and returned, "Sure. Why not? I figure it's one of those things I'm fighting for."

Touched, Jill murmured, "...yeah... irresistible."

He winked.

She sighed and closed her eyes again before she spent too long drinking in that goddamn charm of his.

She listened to the chair scrape as Leon rose and flipped on her television. After a moment, the sounds coming from it made him laugh. "...Jill?"

"Hmm?"

"You been watching porn?"

Surprised, she glanced at the screen. Sure enough, people were cavorting in all kinds of naked glory. Her mouth pursed as she mused, "Was Kevin in here keeping an eye on me?"

His eyes twinkled, "Sure. Blame Ryman."

She laughed lightly and mused, "How does she get her legs that high? Yoga?"

Leon chuckled, "Looks impossible."

Jill teased, "Don't knock til you try it."

His eyes sparkled as he teased, "I got a few minutes. You game?"

Jill snorted and hit the button on the remote to flip it to the news. "It's the romance that brings the ladies to you, isn't it, Kennedy?"

"That and the big dick."

She burst with a bark of gut laughter that made him smile, maybe the first genuine smile he'd had in a while. "...lord, I needed that."

Without missing a beat, he teased, "The laugh or the dick?"

She covered her face with her hands to laugh and charmed him into his bones. In a handful of moments, they were just two people who needed a little ordinary: just a little unexpected porn and some laughter.

"...are you embarrassed?"

Jill gave him the finger, keeping one hand over her eyes. "Apparently. Rub it in; go ahead."

His tone was almost sweet as he returned, "Oh, I could, gorgeous. Anywhere you want."

She pointed at the door and bid, "Bye, pervert. Beat it."

Before she could do more than wince at what she'd said, he retorted, "Keep watching that porn, and I just might, Valentine."

She was still chuckling as he opened the door, and she called, "...be careful out there, you idiot."

To which he said, "Like a virgin on her wedding night, sweetheart."

The door closed, and Jill continued lying on the bed, letting the warmth in her cheeks recede. Apparently, she was blushing. It was almost amusing. They'd flirted harder before this. Hell, they'd been inches from banging their brains out the first night they'd met, and she hadn't been this...embarrassed?

Something.

What was different?

But she knew that too. She hadn't really liked him then. Sure, she'd wanted to jump his bones, but she hadn't really liked him. She liked him now. He was...funny. He was funny and climbed into bed to warm you up when you were freezing to death and didn't even cop a feel. He was good.

And he was trying like hell to work with her instead of against her here.

She eyed the sweatshirt he'd left on the back of the chair. Plain. Simple. Ordinary.

He was anything but...and that really was part of the problem.

She ended up at the bar with Shenmei and Rebecca, gathered around a table, working on what intel they had to find answers. They had some beers and got nowhere, and trying to find Nikolai was essentially looking for a ghost.

Shenmei was tapping what she could, but even that was limited.

They descended into girl talk as the evening dragged on. Shenmei opened up about a man she was seeing, which surprised Jill because she'd begun to think Shenmei was into girls. Rebecca unloaded on a rather graphic relaying of her night with Kevin.

The great part about Rebecca was her genius brain seemed to lack the filter the rest of the world had. She told them, sparing no details, about all of it. Jill and Shenmei sat there drinking and looking at her with a combination of owl eyes and envy. Apparently, Kevin was a Casanova in the sheets.

Shenmei regretted missing "her guy," and then Rebecca remarked, "...but he doesn't love you."

That bold statement gave them all pause as Shenmei blinked and returned, "...what?"

"He doesn't love you," Rebecca returned casually and sipped her whiskey with a delicate, adorable burp, "If he did, he wouldn't make you chase him so much."

Shenmei blinked twice, laughed, and shook her head, "Geez, girl, don't sugarcoat it."

Jill gave a chuckle. "That's my girl. No boundaries."

Rebecca shrugged as she decided, "He hasn't married you. He hasn't said he loves you, right?"

Shenmei sighed, "Not yet."

"He won't," Rebecca determined in a matter-of-fact tone, "because he doesn't."

Shenmei leaned back in her chair. "Sucks for me."

Jill chuckled again, "It does, but you'll live. Because you're gorgeous and tough and can do better."

Shenmei gave Jill a soft look as she answered, "Same goes."

When Jill arched a brow, Rebecca stated, "It's Kennedy, right? He's chasing you?"

Jill shook her head on heavy breath. "No. It's not like that. Not exactly."

Shenmei shrugged. "It's always like that. Just be careful."

Rebecca nodded and agreed, "Yeah. Really careful."

Curious, Jill mused, "Why?"

Simultaneously, Shenmei and Rebecca said, "He's trouble."

And all three women laughed.

After a few more drinks, they called the investigation, and the girl talk for the night. Rebecca staggered a little as they left the bar, giggled, and reminded Jill, "Trouble, Jill. It looks really good naked, but it usually leaves you high and dry in the morning, hungry for more."

Jill gave a laugh as she helped Rebecca to her room and tucked her into bed, "I can handle trouble, Bec. I promise you."

Rebecca nodded sagely and sighed, "You can...but you're soft, Jill. Inside. I don't want to see you get hurt."

Touched, Jill kissed her forehead and returned, "Me either, sweetie. Get some sleep."

Rebecca snuggled cutely in her bed, Jill left her and returned to the hallway, and Shenmei stood at Jill's door momentarily before she mused, "Why do we bother with men?"

Jill chuckled, "They look good naked."

Shenmei grinned, hesitated, and leaned in until they were nose to nose. Jill arched her brows as the pretty agent offered, "...if you get tired of the chase, you know where to find me."

So, Jill mused, flattered, not entirely wrong about Shenmei. She liked boys, and she liked girls. With a note of regret, Jill told her, "...I'm flattered...but-"

Shenmei laid a finger on Jill's lips and shook her head. "...goodnight, Jill."

Smiling lightly, Jill returned, "...goodnight."

Shenmei went to her room. Jill opened her door and did the same. There must have been something in the water at U.S. STRATCOM. Apparently, Jill was the flavor of choice there. She had no doubt she could knock on Kevin's door, and he'd oblige her as well with a throwdown. She'd never had so many options in one hotel.

Amused, Jill touched the sweatshirt Leon had left in her room that she'd hung on the back of her chair. She considered, sighed, and slipped it over her head. It smelled like him - woodsmoke and some shampoo that reminded her of the ocean with the vague suggestion of cigarettes. His? Kat's? Hard to say.

Curious, she reached into the sweatshirt pocket and found a lighter. She pulled it free, eyed it, and smiled. It was an ancient R.P.D. lighter. The zippo flicked happily and burst to life as she rolled her thumb over the wheel. Reliable.

It had survived Raccoon. Like he had. Like she had. Like most of them had. Only Shenmei operated outside the parameters of O.G. survivor. Jill watched the flame burn steadfast and dependably and went to light her fireplace in her room.

How many times could you count on something like he had this lighter?

It was easy to feel so small sometimes in their world. Had he felt small that night? She had. She'd been in that city watching it fall for so long that she'd turned to booze and pills to stop the nightmares, survive the horror, keep picking up that gun, and try like hell to save who she could.

In the end, she prayed some had made it out alive. But she didn't have much hope.

Sometimes, it was just a sweatshirt, a few friends with a few good drinks, and the promise of a little laughter with a few moments of peace at the end of a long day.

She bet that steadfast flame he kept in his pocket helped, just a little, to keep the darkness at bay. Sometimes, that was the only hope you had left.

The voices of what she'd lost whispered in her ears sometimes.

She wondered if they whispered in his too.