Ghost sneaked over to the side of a tree and positioned himself, crouching, next to a large bush a few paces to the right of where the other man was standing.
Chris, on his feet, was leaning on the trunk of another tree while observing the area ahead with a pair of binoculars. The darkness of the night allowed both men to camouflage themselves with their black military clothing.
Chris wore military clothing similar to Ghost's, with no means of identification, for this type of mission, it wouldn't be necessary.
Chris wielded an FN SCAR with a monolithic suppressor at the end of the barrel, a variable zoom optical sight with a thicker grip to improve recoil control and accuracy. In the holster on his waist, an FN FNP pistol with a night sight and also with a suppressor.
Ghost, a few steps away, kept his customized MCX spear, just attached a suppressor and changed the optical sight to a 3x zoom. In the right holster on his waist, his trusty Silver Ghost, in the left holster, his Desert Eagle, and finally, his knife in the sheath on his left shoulder.
Both wore a helmet with night vision goggles and a headset with a microphone to communicate.
"I thought they'd put some security around the place after everything." Ghost said quietly as he looked at the building ahead.
It was a large orphanage, bought by Umbrella in the early 2000s and rebuilt. Surrounding the orphanage was a large courtyard surrounded by a high wall with an electric fence on top and security cameras. Considering that it was an Umbrella site, security was very poor.
Perhaps that would work in their favor.
"I noticed movement upstairs. Some children being taken to their rooms. It looks like they've been injected with something." Chris said with venom in his voice, lowering his binoculars and shaking his head with scorn and anger.
"Give us confirmation when you get in. My team and I will be in charge of getting the children out." Jill said through the communicator.
"Hunk, what's the situation?" Ghost asked, beckoning Chris to accompany him and they both began to slowly approach the orphanage.
"Most of the security cameras are outside. It won't be a problem when you get inside. There are two entrances to the laboratory in the underground. The most used one is through Principal Thahan's office. That's where the teenagers go. The other entrance is three kilometers to the west, also used as a way of getting out without attracting attention." Hunk answered the communicator, and both soldiers remained crouched down, away from the lights of the orphanage, still blending in with the forest.
"I'll turn off the cameras and the electricity for fifteen seconds. Cut the fence and go in. Thirty-two meters from you will be the back door. I saw movement inside the building so be careful." Hunk said, and the two soldiers nodded to each other, preparing to act.
"Go." The two moved quickly towards the wall ahead, and Ghost was the first to scale the wall, already holding his knife.
He leaned on the top of the wall and quickly cut through the electric fence, jumping into the courtyard shortly afterwards, followed by Chris.
The two soldiers raised their weapons and walked, still crouched, but quickly, towards the front door, and heard the sound of the electric fence being activated again just after they had put their backs against the wall.
Chris moved two steps to the side and picked up the heart rate monitor. The device's greenish screen showed two dots standing two meters from where they were, opposite each other.
Redfield signaled to Ghost, who nodded and they both leaned a little closer to the door, hearing muffled voices coming from what sounded like the kitchen.
"... Tomorrow. Remind me to get the shopping list. I'll go to the market on my way back." They heard a male voice, and looked at each other for a moment. Whoever that man was, he was speaking English.
"Don't be long. Thahan is going to adhere to new security rules. We're going to transfer some of our equipment and stay put." A woman, footsteps soon followed by something glass being placed on a table.
"I know. Argh... so, how's the boy?" The man asked, his voice a little more muffled not just because they were talking quietly, but because they were moving away.
"The same. Thahan says it's normal and will pass soon, but he's still crying." The woman replied, and Chris slowly began to open the door when he realized that they had moved away.
The two soldiers entered the kitchen with their weapons raised, quickly running their eyes over their surroundings. Nothing special there, it was a large but ordinary kitchen.
"We've entered the kitchen." Ghost whispered into his communicator, taking slow, light steps as he tried to listen for any random noises.
"Anything unusual?" Hunk asked.
"No. Well, apart from the fact that they're addicted to coffee, there must be thirty bags here." Ghost said, attracting the attention of Chris who looked at him with an arched eyebrow.
"Bring us some tea." Hunk said through the communicator, and Ghost grunted in response.
"Fuckin Brits." He heard a brief laugh from Hunk on the comm, ignoring Chris's serious but curious look. Probably wondering about his sense of humor.
They walked at a silent pace towards the door that led into the orphanage for good. There was a small window in the door, which Ghost examined for a few moments. In front was the canteen, with its huge tables and numerous chairs. The place was empty, except for a woman with her back to him passing a cloth over the tables.
It was late at night, she was probably cleaning up before leaving for her room.
Ghost signaled to Chris and slowly opened the door, sneaking up on the woman while Chris covered his back.
The agent grabbed his knife and acted quickly, covering the woman's mouth with his hand and stabbing her in the neck.
He followed her body to the floor and dragged her towards the kitchen while Chris checked the corridor ahead. To the left was a door that led to the broom closet.
The corridor went on for a few meters until it reached the main hall. It was spacious and there was a staircase leading to the upper floors where the bedrooms were. The female wing was on the right and the male wing on the left.
If they continued down the corridor, they would reach the classrooms in a minute or two. The elementary school was on the second floor and the secondary school was on the top floor.
"Deactivating a security camera. There are two people approaching from the second floor, eliminate them. Then go up the stairs to the third floor. That's where the director's office is." Hunk instructed over the communicator, and the two soldiers moved into position.
Chris was the first to act when both people appeared in his line of sight. He quickly punched the man hard in the neck, knocking him out while Ghost knocked the second man down and killed him.
The two looked at each other, and Ghost cocked his head to one side.
"Afraid of getting your hands dirty?" He asked, plunging his knife into the side of the man's head. Chris grimaced, but didn't answer, just sighed as Ghost turned away.
The two quickly grabbed the bodies and put them in the broom cupboard on the floor below, heading up the stairs a few minutes later.
"It's quiet in here." Ghost muttered, more to himself than to the others.
"Good update, is the water still wet?"
"Checking, stand by." Ghost replied, and Chris stared at him with his eyebrows slightly furrowed.
"Are they making jokes?" Parker asked into the communicator.
"A bit of military humor." Ghost replied, raising his rifle to either side of the third floor corridor, spotting the director's office to his left, perhaps twenty paces away. Just before it was another door that led to an office, usually where meetings took place.
"Right now?" Chris asked, and Ghost just shrugged.
"We've joked at worse times. You get used to it." Ghost replied, walking at a slow pace towards the principal's office ahead.
However, before they could get close enough, the door to the meeting room opened, and some teenagers, as well as a few children, came out into the corridor. Among them, Principal Thahan himself.
The two agents backed away quickly, and Chris took a small audio device from his belt, amplifying the voices and hearing more clearly what they were saying.
"คุณจะรู้สึกแปลกๆ นิดหน่อย แต่พรุ่งนี้มันก็จะผ่านไป คุณจะสบายดี ในที่สุดเราจะใช้ยากับคุณ คุณสามารถไปที่ห้องของคุณได้. ยกเว้นคุณมาลี มากับฉัน." (You're going to feel a bit strange, but tomorrow it will pass, you'll be fine. We're finally going to apply the medicine to you. You can go to your rooms. Except you, Malee. Come with me.") Thahan said, and the two soldiers moved to hide, using the darkness of the place to camouflage themselves.
They waited patiently as the children descended the steps. It was impossible not to notice their condition. Their clothes were neat and looked new, their hair was combed and they looked healthy. However, their faces were pale, abnormally pale. They had dark circles under their eyes and downcast expressions.
As they descended, the soldiers came out of their hiding places and stared at each other for a few moments, agreeing with each other in silent affirmation. They soon climbed the steps and walked towards Thahan's room.
"Thahan has a girl in his room. Moving in now." Ghost said through the communicator.
As they approached, they stopped in front of the door and listened for a few moments to the noises coming from inside.
"เธอเป็นเด็กดี...อยู่เฉยๆ ฉันจะไม่ทำร้ายเธอ." (You're a good girl... just be quiet, I won't hurt you.) Ghost's eyes widened slightly and he seemed to become irritated, wary. Chris looked at him with some doubt. He didn't understand Thai, so he didn't understand what the man was saying.
Quickly, ignoring Chris's look of doubt, Ghost broke the lock on the door with a kick and ran into the room, his rifle raised in Thahan's direction. Both he and the girl were startled by the sudden destruction of the door and the invasion of the two agents, but before Thahan could scream or even make a sound, Ghost landed a powerful punch on his face, then grabbed him by the back of the head and threw him against the table, preventing him from making a sound.
Chris, still confused, ran his eyes around, and that's when he noticed the frightened girl next to him. She was young, just a teenager. Fifteen, maybe sixteen. She was scared and shaking, but what made his blood boil was not just the fact that she was scared, but the fact that she was without some of her clothes and Thahan was only in his boxers.
"Fucking hell..." He grunted loudly, temporarily lowering his rifle and shaking his head. He raised a hand and walked slowly towards the still trembling, frightened girl, who hadn't even noticed him approaching.
"Redfield, Ghost. What's the situation?"
"That piece of shit was trying to abuse a girl." Chris said in a growl, immediately regretting it when he saw the girl cowering in the corner of the room. "Jill, Parker. We need you here."
He looked up, watching Ghost deal with that scumbag. He was gripping the man's neck tightly, almost choking him, and the only sound Thahan could make was a low grunt as he struggled.
"Hello, Thahan. We were looking for you." Ghost said, his voice low and cold, his tone angry and threatening, making Thahan widen his eyes and feel a shiver run down his spine.
"อะไร... ไอ้บ้า..." (What... the fuck...) Interrupting the man by spinning him around on the table, Ghost leaves him leaning on the wooden structure and puts his arm around his neck. In one swift movement, he cut off two fingers and half of another with his knife.
Thahan tried to scream, but Ghost's arm around his neck stopped him, causing only a long grunt of pain to be heard.
Spinning him around again, Ghost put his back against the table now with his hand around his neck.
"English, motherfucker. Don't waste my time." He said, holding his knife against the man's other hand.
Chris just watched him without saying anything. He wouldn't say he was in favor of torture, usually just a few punches or a bullet would do the trick. But at that moment, he certainly wasn't against it.
"... Who the fuck are you?" The man asked, low and panting, and Ghost snorted in derision.
"None of your fucking business. Now, do us a favor and show us your little laboratory. If you cooperate, I won't stab you." Ghost said, waving his knife nimbly in his hand.
The man looked at his knife and his mask a few times, avoiding the look in his eyes. Of course he would, he was a coward, nothing more.
"... There's a button under the table..." He said, and Ghost just looked at Chris, who walked over to the table and bent down, pressing the button in the left-hand corner.
The cabinet to the left of the table moved to the side, leaving the doors of an elevator now visible.
"... Good boy." Ghost said, putting his knife back in its sheath. For a few moments, Thahan even felt a little more relieved, he felt the hope that he would live another day.
However, he was soon wide-eyed when he felt himself being lifted off the table, forced to turn around and then had an enormous pressure put on his neck.
"I said I wouldn't stab you... I never said I'd let you live." Ghost whispered close to his ear, and in one swift movement, he broke Thahan's neck.
Quickly, he guided the body of that dirtbag to the chair and dropped him there with some violence. Then he turned around and his eyes met Chris'.
Both men stared at each other for a few moments, their eyes serious, but with a sense of camaraderie between them.
"Chris, Ghost... Parker and I are already inside, what's the situation?"
Jill asked through the communicator, and the men looked away.
"Thahan's dead. There's a girl in the office, she's in shock. Get here as soon as possible." Chris explained, watching Ghost approach the elevator.
"Roger that." Jill replied, and the silence lasted for a few moments.
"He died too easy, if you ask me." Chris said after a few moments, and Ghost turned his face towards him, looking over his shoulder.
"I agree... Unfortunately, the mission doesn't allow us to waste unnecessary time. However..." Ghost turned and walked over to Thahan with his cell phone in hand. Chris just watched him with a neutral face, but curiosity in his eyes.
Ghost then took a few photos of Thahan's body, clearly showing his broken neck. When he had finished, he put his cell phone back in his pocket and heard Chris approaching.
"So... what are these photos for?" Redfield asked.
"To pass on a message. The Thai government was once one of the black market's clients. And they have connections with China, Vietnam, India... even Australia, if I'm not mistaken." Ghost said, and Chris shook his head, grunting low in understanding.
The door to the office opened and Jill entered with a small team of two men and a woman called Rachel.
They didn't say anything, the woman just ran her eyes around, focusing them on the trembling girl in the corner of the room for a few moments and the dead man in the chair. A nod was all she did before she started walking towards the girl, while the two soldiers headed towards the elevator.
"We're in the elevator, about to go down to the lab." Ghost said through the communicator, and the elevator door opened. The two entered and began to descend.
"Good. The lab is where most of the employees are gathered, but there aren't many of them and they shouldn't be too much of a threat. They're probably starting tests on today's subjects. Eliminate everyone." Hunk said, and Chris grimaced.
"Eliminate? Shouldn't we take some into custody?" Chris said, and the silence lasted for a few moments.
"We asked for your help in our work, Chris," Ghost began. Ghost began. "That's our job. We don't arrest, no matter who. We eliminate. You agreed to help."
Chris shook his head. Well, he wouldn't be against it, most of those at Umbrella were lowlifes.
"I can't think of one reason, not one, that they have for using children as subjects. In the past, I've met some people who didn't want to be part of Umbrella, they wanted out but were forced to stay. It wasn't their intention... but this is fucked up." Chris said.
"Intentions don't matter. They did evil anyway. They helped it happen and millions of lives perished because of it. Whether it's a mechanic who fixed a machine, or an weapons supplier, or the electricity guy. Any involvement is enough." Hunk explained.
"Their intentions might not have been the worst, but their actions were evil all the same. Don't feel bad for them if they die. They already expect something similar by getting involved with this organization... they don't deserve your sympathy." Ghost said, trying to sympathize with Chris. He knew how to kill when the time called for it, as a soldier he was excellent, and that was the problem. As an excellent soldier, he was very systematic, attached to orders and to what was right under the rules and laws.
Admirable.
But the world didn't care.
Chris continued to stare at him until the doors opened and he was forced to leave, still with something to say.
"What are we going to gain from this?" Chris asked as they walked down the empty corridor. As Hunk had said, they were doing tests on the subjects.
Ghost stared at him; Chris didn't find killing easy, but he did it anyway. In a way, he and a certain cop were very similar in their principles.
"Fear." Ghost replied, checking the inside of one of the rooms, then continuing on his way after seeing that it was empty. "We'll get all the affiliates, all the helpers, everyone involved as soon as we get to the computers. The loss of Umbrella shares must already have spread on a global scale. The destruction of the rest of their labs will soon spread, and the world of bio-terrorism will officially enter a permanent state of fear." Ghost explained, signaling Chris to be quiet as he spotted two scientists up ahead.
They were both in front of a computer, analyzing the x-ray of probably one of the guinea pigs. The guinea pig in question had part of its skull deformed and what looked like a huge mouth with sharp teeth on the side of its head.
Ghost sneaked up behind both researchers and acted quickly. First, he plunged his knife into the back of one of the men's necks and grabbed the other in a swift advance, placing his hand over his mouth and breaking his neck in one swift movement.
He picked up his knife and watched as the two bodies fell to the ground. The agent wiped away the blood that stained his blade and ran his eyes over his computer, plugging in his organization's hack device.
"I'm getting some information from an old experiment... apparently it was the key to Albert creating the Uroboros. Which proves that he had contact with Umbrella for longer than we thought." Hunk said through the communicator, and Ghost snorted, crossing his arms as he waited for the device to act.
"Is that how you scared off those politicians?" Chris asked after a few moments, and Ghost continued to stare at the computer screen.
"In a way, yes." He replied.
"And these... photos you take, do you send them to black market clients or do you do something else?" Chris asked.
"So far, only to the black market. However, soon it will be for the whole world." Ghost replied, and Chris's gaze turned sharp.
"For the world?! Do you really think that's a good idea?!" Ghost stared at him calmly, his countenance in its typical professional manner.
"What's left of bio-terrorism will be gone forever. Those involved will be terrified, and those good people, the victims, will be happy to know that those who caused them pain are rotting in hell." It was Hunk who answered in Ghost's place.
"This will be the first and only time we show what we do. It doesn't matter if the media or the government are against it, the population will be calm. Fear, Chris... it's enough to keep these scumbags in line." Ghost replied, and the device beeped after he had finished hacking the computer system.
Ghost took the device and put it in the pocket of his tactical vest, leaving the room shortly afterwards accompanied by Chris.
"Do you know why bio-terrorism doesn't fear the BSAA?" Ghost asked quietly, and Chris looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "It's not because you're not skilled, or weak. But it's because you follow the rules. You're limited by the laws of society. And they're not."
A double door opened automatically as they approached and the two pointed their rifles in opposite directions from each other, continuing on their way when they saw that the area was clear.
"They had no problem sending a message to the world, bragging about their attacks, the deaths... and they know you won't do the same and they take advantage of it. Now it's our turn. Bioterrorism has frightened the world, we're going to frighten bioterrorism." Ghost stared at Chris firmly now, his eyes glowing an intense blue, and the doubt Redfield felt, that mistrust, receded a little. Not to the point of completely trusting him and his actions, but to the point of understanding the logic behind them.
"Countering retaliation with even greater retaliation. I like the idea." Parker said through the communicator, and the two soldiers focused their eyes on the corridor.
Ghost took the lead and slowly opened the door ahead, and they ran through the lab's test room. Most of the scientists and researchers were there, with several unconscious subjects on stretchers, some being placed in water tanks with a few tubes connected to their bodies.
Both soldiers' blood boiled with intensity. Most of the subjects were teenagers, maybe seventeen, sixteen years old. So that's what they did... about to turn eighteen and leave the orphanage, they were taken there so as not to arouse suspicion.
There were some children too, boys and girls.
Chris stared at Ghost, who stared back at him, and after a few moments, Redfield gave way, and the two soldiers took loud steps forward, rifles raised, and pulled the triggers at the same time.
Ghost took the lead, shooting at some of the scientists who had put one of the teenagers in a water tank, and rushing forward to kill those who tried to run.
Chris even tried to follow his principles, tried to follow the BSAA field manual, but to be quite honest with himself, it would have been naïve of him to issue an arrest order and simply restrict them there. They treated the lives of those children as mere objects, mere tools for their plans.
So there was nothing wrong with him doing the same. In a way, he and Ghost weren't that different.
When they had finished, they both reloaded their rifles, and Ghost went straight to the computers, plugging in his hacking device and sending the information present to Hunk.
Meanwhile, Chris looked at the carnage, the once-white ground now stained red. Maybe it was just something in his head, but he swore that the trails of blood mixed with the white formed the Umbrella logo.
So many lives lost... for something so profane.
"Chris, check the children. Disable everything if you can." Ghost's voice snapped him back to reality, and Chris shook his head, pushing the thoughts away. He hated Albert, he hated Umbrella, he didn't know why he was feeling so soft right now. They didn't deserve it.
"Hunk, we've eliminated the scientists. Information should be coming in soon. Estimated completion time seventeen minutes." He said through the communicator, noticing the machines being switched off, but the victims still unconscious.
"I'm receiving the information. Ghost, our team has completed the other work and the BSAA is doing well on their mission so far. We're very close." Hunk said, and Ghost nodded.
With quick, heavy steps, he headed towards the unconscious children. However, the loud thud of heavy objects falling to the ground caught his attention.
Ahead, a man straightened his posture, causing both soldiers to raise their rifles towards him. The man was wearing a black overcoat, military boots, pants and a black blouse, which showed off his fingers. What was striking was his white hair and delicate features. Anyone who saw it quickly would have thought it was a woman.
"Wow, and I thought Umbrella assassins were scary." A man of medium height jumped out of the hole in the ceiling, landing next to the white-haired man.
Ghost's pupils narrowed as he recognized the man. A famous black market dealer. He was the one who sold samples of the T-virus to some African leaders. Ricardo Irving. He wore a white suit and black gloves.
"Irving... surprised to see you here." Ghost said, his voice cold as ice, not hiding his disgust.
"Such a pleasure to despise me." He joked. "You remember me, what an honor. Although it's not exactly a surprise."
"I thought you'd gone into hiding after the fiasco in Africa. Or rather, died." Ghost said, signaling Chris to be careful, and Redfield approached at a slow pace, standing five paces beside the agent.
"Well, it was close. But some important people owed me some favors." Irving said, signaling something to the man next to him, who began to remove his overcoat.
The two soldiers stared intently at the white-haired man's movements. He didn't look armed, but something was wrong. Very wrong.
"This one is Morpheus. That's her nickname, I don't know her name. Despite her appearance, she's a woman. She may not look it, but she's a tyrant." The two soldiers blinked. A tyrant with a human appearance?
Nothing like that has ever been recorded.
"Are you listening, Hunk?" He whispered, his mask covering his lips.
"Loud and clear." Hunk replied.
However, this Morpheus began to grunt, the muscles in her body began to struggle as if they had a life of their own. Her clothes began to tear and her skin became even paler than it already was. Her eyes turned red and her left arm began to grow exponentially.
Huge claws sprang up in place of her fingers, a bony structure lined her body like some kind of exoskeleton.
"The fuck...?" Ghost exclaimed lowly at the sight of the creature's female figure. He'd never seen a female tyrant before. Well, not that it would change much.
"Morpheus is different from the other infected idiots. She follows my commands." Irving said, leaning lightly on the shoulder of the tyrant, who then raised a pistol and fired at them.
The two soldiers quickly retreated, jumping back and taking cover as best they could, while trying to avoid the computers. If they were destroyed, they wouldn't get the information.
"I thought you were smarter than that, Irving!" Ghost said loudly from behind a metal box. "After everything I've done, everything that's happened not only to Umbrella but to practically all your clients, you still make the mistake of carrying on like this! You'll regret it!" He growled, and Irving snorted with some derision.
"Don't compare me to them. I'm not after world domination or anything like that. This is personal. You've ruined my job." Irving said this, and the distinctive sound of something familiar echoed through the place shortly afterwards, followed by the sound of something landing on the ground.
"Who gave you permission to go ahead? I said, the one in the mask is mine." Ghost grunted and rolled his eyes when he heard Ada's voice. After their little encounter, she had disappeared. They even considered that she was still helping Albert, but they had no proof.
Ghost stood up and pointed his rifle at the woman, who was wearing a black military outfit. Black pants and boots with a few grenades hanging from her waist. A black tactical shirt and a tactical vest. She stared at him with a small smile on her lips, almost smug.
"You dropped the red... someone learned a lesson." He said provocatively, and the woman snorted in nasal laughter.
Irving snapped his fingers and the tyrant advanced towards Chris, who jumped back and watched as the creature's claws dug into the ground.
Ghost stared at him with slightly wide eyes, and Redfield raised his rifle and fired at the tyrant as he stepped back, realizing that his bullets didn't have much effect. No problem, he had armor-piercing bullets.
"I can handle it, don't worry!" Chris shouted back, retreating down the corridor they had used to get there, followed by both Irving and the tyrant.
"I thought you were with Wesker. Abandoned your master?" Ada smiled, approaching at a slow pace while Ghost began circling at the same speed.
"How cute. You didn't talk so much before." Ada said, playing with the pistol in her hand. "I work for whoever pays the most, or when I have a lot to gain. And unfortunately, Albert was on the losing end." She said, without taking her eyes off the agent.
She didn't seem as affected by the intensity of his gaze as he had imagined. But she could still feel it. One slip and her head would roll across the floor.
"So you decided to ally yourself with Umbrella? What a terrible choice. They're finished." Ghost said, changing the mode of his rifle to automatic.
"Who says I'm working for Umbrella?" Ada asked with an amused smile, and quickly pointed the pistol in his direction, pulling the trigger.
Ghost's eyes widened slightly and he crouched as he threw himself to the side, returning fire towards the woman who ran to the side and jumped over one of the metal boxes in the room.
"Did you know you're on the news?" She asked, straightening her posture while still pointing her pistol in the agent's direction. "It's all over the world. Many have seen you. And many have contacted me. They want you dead, but they're too cowardly to do it themselves."
Ghost grunted softly.
"Good. They're desperate." He said, and Ada cocked her head to one side. "But it was a mistake to come after me. If I remember correctly, I was about to kill you last time."
"Uuuhhh... were you thinking of me?" She asked, putting her pistol back in its holster and picking up a submachine gun. "Because I was thinking about you."
Ghost just grunted softly, firming his grip on his rifle.
"That's all I need for now. Thanks, girls." The man called Josh said, placing some medical supplies on the small table next to the unconscious patient.
"Are you sure you don't need anything else?" Claire asked, both hands on her waist as she looked around.
"No, thank you. The situation is gradually resolving itself. You've been a great help to all of us. It's almost night, go and get some rest, you can leave things to us from now on. You deserve it." Josh said.
Claire and Sherry waved to him before leaving the tent, and the youngest Redfield picked up her cell phone, checking for messages.
"Still nothing from Chris." Sherry said, watching Claire massage her shoulder and sigh in slight exhaustion.
"These missions take time. He'll be fine." Claire said, looking calm on the outside but Sherry knew it was only to mask the worry inside. She and Chris were a lot alike in that regard.
"Argh... I'm getting fed up with that hotel." Sherry said in a grunt, glancing at the watch on her wrist. It wasn't even 7pm yet.
"Tell me about it. Looks like that bed's got me stiff..." Claire grumbled too, lightly massaging the side of her neck.
"How about a little workout?" Sherry asked. "When was the last time you really trained?" Claire snorted.
"Before my leg got fucked up. Fuck, it still throbs at night." Claire said, sighing. "Well, I guess it won't hurt."
"Good." Sherry celebrated lightly, and they both headed towards Chris's private tent, which was where they left their backpacks with their clothes and belongings during the day.
It was better than leaving it at the hotel, they knew that no one there would be stupid enough to break into Chris's tent and take whatever was inside.
"I was thinking of going to that restaurant tonight." Claire began, stowing her clothes in her backpack after changing. "They say it's the best barbecue in town."
"I heard that too. Apparently, it's quite expensive." Sherry said, tying her hair into a ponytail.
"It's worth a look." Claire said, leaving the tent accompanied by Sherry. She ran her eyes around, there were few people around, most were concentrated in the medical tents and the soldiers were standing guard or in their respective tents.
"There's a great place around here." Sherry said, beckoning Claire to follow her, and the two started walking towards the small field that would serve as a training ground. "So, how about letting me off the hook today?"
Claire arched an eyebrow when she saw the girl's saccharine smile.
"Nobody needs to know." Claire huffed, lightly pushing the girl aside.
"Not a chance, I won't let you drink." Sherry grunted.
"I can shoot, I can drive, but I can't drink? What kind of logic is that?"
"You're still underage."
"So what? Do you think alcohol will do me any harm? My body will eliminate the toxins in a matter of moments." Claire laughed lightly. It was true, Sherry probably couldn't get drunk since her body eliminated any kind of toxin quickly.
Huh... technically, she didn't need an age restriction to drink.
"It doesn't matter. You won't drink until you're twenty-one." Sherry snorted.
"You didn't wait until you were twenty-one."
"Do as I say, not as I do."
"Unfair."
After a while of walking, they arrived at the place Ghost and Sherry had used for training that week.
"So, what did you have in mind? A brief hand-to-hand session?" Claire asked after they reached the spot, and Sherry took a few steps back.
"Yeah, nothing too heavy. Just enough to work up a good sweat. Think you can do it?" Sherry asked in mild defiance, and Claire just got into an attack position.
"Are you kidding? You're still ten years too young to beat me." Claire said, and Sherry also got into attack position.
They slowly circled each other, analyzing, waiting. Claire's serious gaze roamed over the girl in front of her.
She was different, somehow. Her posture, although similar, was different. It showed that she had been training recently.
After what seemed like minutes, Claire advanced first, flexing her right arm and trying to punch Sherry. The girl's eyes widened slightly and she reacted, blocking Claire's blow with the side of her forearm and countering with a hook to her chin.
Despite her surprise, Claire reacted just as quickly as the blonde, and dodged by throwing her torso and moving her head to the left. She quickly countered with a punch to Sherry's stomach.
However, the girl dodged to the right, turned her body and tried a heel kick towards Claire's chin, which she deflected by ducking. Not stopping there, Sherry jumped up with her other leg, still in the momentum of her previous move, and tried another kick towards the woman's neck, who was forced to take a large step back.
Claire blinked a few times. Her fighting style remained the same, but with a few differences. She wasn't training alone, someone was helping her, incorporating some techniques into her fighting style. Chris's base was there, strong and precise blows, but there was something else. A certain agility, a pinpoint precision that didn't require a lot of strength. All her blows were aimed at vital points.
The two women stared at each other for a few moments. Claire took a step forward and Sherry took a step back. She was waiting for the older woman to make the first move.
She wanted to save movement, conserve energy... no, she wanted to end it with as little movement as possible.
Claire advanced, and Sherry prepared for her blows. However, Claire quickly stopped her advance, took a quick step to the left and tried a vertical blow from below.
The girl's eyes widened slightly and she dodged in reflex, throwing her torso backwards. Claire acted quickly and turned her body, attempting a kick to Sherry's stomach.
The girl gritted her teeth and stepped to the left, dodging the kick and countering with a punch to the woman's liver. Claire grunted and gritted her teeth from the intense pain, and she stepped back, dodging Sherry's sequence of punches.
Ignoring the pain in the side of her body, she advanced again against Sherry, who turned her body and tried a kick in her direction. However, Claire grabbed her leg, blocking the blow.
Sherry then jumped up with her other leg and tried another kick. However, her movement, although effective, was too slow, and Claire ducked, turned her still crouching body and landed a kick to Sherry's stomach, who fell to the ground with her hands over the affected area, grunts of pain escaping from her mouth.
"Are you all right?" Claire asked, approaching with her hands on her waist. Sherry would recover from that in no time.
"Fuck... I almost got you on that one, huh?" Sherry said, getting up after a few moments, the pain fading quickly.
"I was taking it easy on you." Claire said, and Sherry just rolled her eyes. "Your fighting style has changed... who taught you those moves?"
The girl smiled half-heartedly and ran her hand through her hair, fixing her ponytail which had become a little loose.
"I asked Ghost for some tips, and he agreed to help me with my training." She explained, and Claire arched her eyebrows in surprise.
"So Ghost is training you?" She asked, surprise evident in her voice.
"Well, yes. It's been a week. He helped me with my fighting style, gave me some tips, taught me some moves. Now I can say I'm good with a knife." Claire snorted in a nasal laugh, still surprised, and crossed her arms.
"He was teaching you knife fighting? I thought you weren't so keen on using a knife." Sherry shrugged.
"Because I wasn't very good, it was a bit awkward. But now... in a while, I dare say you won't beat me in close combat." She said with a teasing smile, picking up her knife and twirling it in her hand. Not in the same way as Ghost, she lacked speed and agility, but enough to show that she had progressed.
"That's... strangely nice of him." Claire said. "What do you think?"
Sherry arched a confused eyebrow and stopped playing with her knife.
"What do I think about what?"
"About him. You spent almost a week around him. What do you think?" Sherry made a confused little face.
"What? If he's trustworthy or something? He seems to be. He helped me at the airport, he helped us after that. He has the same goals as us. He's not as bad as he looks." Sherry said, shrugging and putting her knife back in her waistband.
"Did he say anything to you?" Sherry looked at her with an arched eyebrow.
"Like what?"
"I don't know... like something that refers to who he is behind the mask."
"... No. Why are you asking me that?"
Claire sighed and ran a hand down the back of her neck.
"I went to return a file he gave me. I think I told you I found him in the shooting range at the BSAA." She began. "The file contained all the missions he took part in. All of them successful. There were a lot of them."
"We talked for a while. He seemed... quite different from what I thought, quite different from how he acted when we first saw him. I don't know about you, but I feel like I know him from somewhere." Claire said, her eyes focused on the dry leaves on the ground.
Meanwhile, Sherry swallowed some saliva and tried to control her heartbeat, Claire would hear if she got excited. Damn Ghost, she told him to tell her who he was. Why hide?
Of course she felt she knew him, she had cried for him for several nights.
"I told him that, and he said that maybe I knew him." She faced Sherry again, who was a little lost as to how to proceed at the moment. "But he refused to tell me. We haven't spoken since, and now he's gone on a mission."
Claire shook her head and laughed to herself.
"My God... how far I've come from being charmed by a masked man." Sherry took a few steps closer.
"Well... he's not just any masked man. And no, he hasn't said anything to me. He's quite reserved when he wants to be, but... ahm, if he said you might know him, I think you just have to insist a little more." She said.
"I mean, it's not like it's going to change much, is it? But it's kind of thrilling to be the only one to discover the identity of a being like him." She said, and Claire looked a little thoughtful.
"I don't know... part of me doesn't really want to know. The world he lives in is too different, I don't know if I want to get involved. But I get this feeling... I don't know, it's like he's drawing me in somehow." Sherry couldn't help but make a little amused face.
"Ah, yes, his mysterious way got you hooked, didn't it?" she joked, laughing softly when Claire pushed her aside.
"Come on. After Neil, what I want least are mysteries and secrets." She said. "Otherwise, I'd rather be alone for now."
Sherry looked at her sympathetically.
"Are you okay? You know, I didn't ask before, with all this stuff with Neil and all."
"Am I okay with my ex-boyfriend selling us out and killing our colleagues?" She asked with a certain venom in her voice, sighing. "Yes, I'm better. I realize there's no point in dwelling on it. He doesn't deserve to consume who I am."
She ran a hand through her hair, and they both remained silent for a few moments.
"Well, it's kind of gone down an unwanted path. Shall we go back? Maybe I'll let you try some wine." Claire said, and Sherry smiled again, relieved that the woman wanted to change the subject.
"Fine, I accept. But, Claire... who says this is the first time I've had wine?" Claire arched an eyebrow and just shook her head.
"I figured."
The two went back to the hotel, and a little over half an hour later, they went out to enjoy an evening together.
The night passed more quickly than they wanted, and Sherry found herself lying in her bed at 5:23 a.m., unable to sleep.
The girl grunted angrily and stirred in her bed. It was amazing how on a day when she could get a little more rest, her body chose to wake up early.
Wonderful.
Not wanting to waste any more time, she got out of bed after twenty minutes trying to fall asleep again. If she couldn't sleep, she'd go for a morning run, and maybe train some more after that.
She got ready and left the hotel still on empty stomach; she would eat something on the street when she finished. She put on her headphones and started running, watching the city with curious eyes.
She had never been to Philadelphia before, she wanted to enjoy the scenery without the weight of several lives on her shoulders.
An hour later, she had breakfast at a café next to the hotel. It wasn't the best coffee she'd ever had, but it wasn't bad.
At a leisurely pace, she walked along the sidewalk humming a tune, ignoring a few glances in her direction. She didn't like running in crowded places, she was very aware of the stares, intentional or not, due to her training, and this bothered her not only because of the uncomfortable stares from the mostly male crowd, but also because she felt like someone was going to sneak up behind her at any moment.
The next thing she knew, she was in front of the camp entrance.
She didn't need to be there yet, she could come back in the afternoon. However, the movement in front of one of the tents caught her attention, and without realizing it, she approached at a slow pace.
Her eyes focused on the small group of doctors accompanying a man. She immediately arched both eyebrows when she saw that it was the National Security Advisor.
It was a surprise to see him there. Well, maybe not that much, his job was to prevent bioterrorist attacks, so it made sense.
But he was late... a week to be precise.
"I've already spoken to the government. All the victims will get what they lost back, we won't leave anyone out. The only problem is that it takes time, but I guarantee that they will be compensated." The man said to Josh, who was the doctor in charge of that ward.
"Yes, sir. We appreciate it. It's already a weight off our backs to know that they won't be helpless." Josh said, signaling for the other doctors to get back to work.
Josh and the advisor's eyes landed on Sherry as she approached.
"Ah, Sherry. I thought I told you to rest, enjoy the day." Josh said, and Sherry shrugged.
"I'm enjoying it. I bought a real coffee instead of your teas, that stuff is just dirty water." She joked, and Josh shook his head.
"Ah, sir, let me introduce you to one of our youngest employees. Sherry Redfield. We don't have anyone like her around here." Josh said, and the advisor extended his hand towards Sherry, who promptly shook it.
However, as she did so, she instantly regretted it. The eyes of the man in front of her seemed to glow darkly, and the girl's instincts screamed.
He had dark goals, a bad aura, and a small pressure formed in her chest.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Derek Simmons." He said with a friendly smile, hiding a perverse nature behind it.
Look who's back!
I'm posting this chapter while I'm on the bus, pretty good, there's internet here lol. Usually, I write the chapters in English, and because I'm on the bus on a 12-hour trip, and English isn't my main language, I admit that I used a translator in some parts to help me.
I don't regret it, it saved me some time, but if any part has slightly worse or different grammar, that's why.
As I said before, the bad thing about having lots of ideas is that it takes ages for everything to happen. Seriously, I didn't think about the real proportions this story would take.
Ending in chapter 40-45? Fuck no, it'll probably go to 50! Well, we'll see.
Thanks to everyone who's read this far, see you next time folks!
