Resident Evil: Tangled Web
By: PhantasmBabeIvory
Author's Notes: Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me thus far. I hope you find this update enjoyable. I will try to have the next chapter out quicker than this one. :)
Chapter Twenty-Six
Perhaps the worst part about those first few moments was that she had no idea if anyone heard her. When she saw no signs that someone was coming and didn't get any acknowledgement over the intercom, she returned to Elliott's side. His eyelids flickered and his head turned slightly in her direction as she dropped to her knees beside him. He let out a labored breath only to begin coughing anew.
Claire cupped a hand in front of her mouth to muffle a strangled cry. Her experience with the Umbrella Corporation's viruses, coupled with the fact that they were stuck with a madman who collected and conducted experiments with those viruses, had her imagining the worst.
She shook her head and thought, No! Elliott can't be infected. It's not possible. She grasped his hand, and her terror intensified once she felt how cold he was. This can't be normal! But how? Wesker promised nothing like this would happen!
Her gaze fell on the champagne bottle with suspicion. She wondered if the peace offering was to blame, but quickly realized that Elliott had been acting out of sorts before they'd even opened it.
She forced herself to focus when he had another coughing fit. "You're going to be okay," she said to him, looping her hands under his shoulders. "I won't let you die on me." She barely made progress dragging him to the door before a flash of movement beside her almost made her drop him.
Wesker was all business, though his face was set with hard lines, as he lifted Elliott with ease and moved him over to the massage table. Though initially dazed, Claire went after Wesker and pulled at his arm in a feeble, irrational attempt to protect her boyfriend. "Get away from him!"
"That would prove quite detrimental to Mr. Gregory's health," Wesker said tersely. "I doubt you'd like that very much." Without waiting for an answer, he removed his sunglasses and leaned close to Elliott. Wesker gently pried open one of Elliott's eyelids and his frown deepened at whatever he saw.
Her voice trembled when she asked, "What is it? What's wrong with him?" When Wesker ignored her and pulled out his phone, she leapt at him in a rage. "Answer me, you son of a bitch!"
Wesker gripped her by the throat with his free hand and held her slightly aloft, but in a way that it didn't cause her pain. "I suggest you calm down, Miss Redfield. Your tirade is not doing anyone any good." He paused and began to dial a number. "It appears Mr. Gregory has somehow been exposed to the T-Virus."
She didn't know how Wesker could determine so after just a few seconds before realizing he'd had years to study Umbrella's viruses and how they affected people. She gulped, not liking the idea that Elliott could even now be turning into a zombie. "Can you help him?"
Wesker ignored her once more and spoke into his phone. "Meet me by the elevator on sub-level two with the T-vaccine #3. Be swift about it." He hung up and let go of Claire, then wordlessly picked up Elliott and strode from the room.
She had to move at a fast pace just to keep up. This is madness… How could this happen when there should be safeguards against it? Did Elliott come into contact with something he didn't know was dangerous?
By the time Dr. Yamata met them to administer a vaccine, Claire had so many questions running through her head it was a wonder she was still sane. It wasn't long before Elliott was in a hospital bed with an oxygen mask on his face and an IV in his arm.
Seated in a chair next to the bed and vaguely aware that someone had draped a blanket around her, she prayed with all her might that he would be okay.
After her early morning delivery to Claire and Elliott, Jessica had retreated to her quarters. She was curled up with a good book and steaming cup of tea when someone pounded loudly at her door. With a groan, she got up and crossed the room as she muttered, "So much for today being peaceful."
She had barely opened the door before Raymond forced his way in and shoved her against the wall. "What the hell did you do?" he shouted.
She had never seen him so furious; it made her dizzy. "Wh… What?"
"As if you don't know," he said scornfully. "Our boy's been infected. With the T-Virus. Just collapsed half an hour ago!" Raymond's gaze narrowed. "What did you do to him?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Jessica protested once the news sunk in. "I didn't do shit."
"Then what's this?" he said as he shoved his phone at her. She focused on the screen to see a video of her blowing smoke in Elliott's face not four hours prior. "You're going to tell me it's just a coincidence?"
"That's exactly what it is! Otherwise, I'd be sick too!" she said, her eyes wide and panicked. "Think about it!"
He didn't look convinced. "You could have inoculated yourself."
"You can check me for track marks if that's what it takes!" she said frantically. "I swear I didn't do this, Ray!"
"You better hope that's true. But until it's determined for sure…" He roughly spun her around and slapped a set of metal cuffs on her wrists. "I imagine neither the boss nor Dr. Yamata will want you roaming free right now."
Jessica bit her lip, but it didn't stop her from breaking out into tears as her partner escorted her from the room. She realistically knew that a thorough investigation would absolve her of any serious wrongdoing. But she shuddered to think what her superiors might do to her until she was proven innocent.
"How is he?" Claire asked when Wesker came to check on Elliott for what seemed like the umpteenth time. She wasn't sure how long it had been since her boyfriend had collapsed, but she felt thoroughly exhausted and worried sick.
Wesker hesitated. "The fact Mr. Gregory hasn't turned is a good sign. He may yet pull through." He turned to look at her. "Dr. Yamata is recommending an endoscopy, where we'd insert a camera to get a look at his internal organs, if his condition doesn't improve. There is some concern that the virus may have inflicted some necrosis on his lungs, which is why he is having trouble breathing."
"I'm well aware the T-Virus causes severe cellular breakdown, thank you very much," she said sarcastically. "What I want to know is how you let this happen."
He scowled and crossed his arms. "I did not let anything happen, Miss Redfield. This comes as much a surprise to me as it does you."
"And here I thought you were supposed to be all-knowing."
She saw a flash of red behind his shades. "Now is not the time to test me," he growled. He paused, then said in a calmer tone, "I must ask if you have any clue of how he got infected."
I'd rather have a clear answer than possible causes. How ironic that Wesker and I are kind of in the same boat. She rubbed her eyes and tried to think. "I don't…" she started to say only to cut off. "He seemed to already be sick when I woke up. I don't know what he had to eat… He said he was in the greenhouse earlier. Is there something in there that…?"
Wesker cut her off by shaking his head. "No." He paused as he stepped over to the counter on the other side of the room. "Perhaps the first step is to see if you've been exposed to this as well, Miss Redfield," he said as he picked up a syringe.
"Don't bother. I'm fine!"
"If not for your healing factor, I'd be inclined to agree. Your regenerative capabilities may be powerful enough that the effects of the T-Virus wouldn't be felt. You may not even be aware that your system is fighting off an infection," Wesker said.
She nodded in consent after a couple seconds and sat still as Wesker drew a blood sample from her. God, is this really my life now? She felt numb when her gaze returned to Elliott. "How long before he regains consciousness?"
"That depends on his length of exposure and how quickly he responds to treatment. His IV contains a solution that will keep the virus in check and repair the damaged cells." Wesker paused. "Dr. Yamata will continue monitoring him in my stead. In the meantime, I will be looking for answers on what happened."
"And I suppose you'll expect me to believe whatever story you spin."
"I hoped that you know me to be honest enough not to invent a fabrication. How disappointing."
She scowled. "All things considered, I don't trust anything right now."
"Fair enough… You're welcome to join me if you feel up to it."
She hesitated, then cast another look at Elliott. "No. I want to be here if… When he wakes up."
Wesker stared at her a few seconds. "If it's any consolation, Miss Redfield, he won't die if I have anything to say about it."
His seeming attempt to comfort her made her feel like crying. She remained quiet until he left the room, then let the tears roll down her face.
She felt even wearier once she stopped sobbing but still found the energy to rise from her seat, step over to Elliott's bedside, and take his hand in hers. He didn't feel as cold, but his frailty and stillness threatened to further undo her. However, there was something reassuring in the sight of the oxygen mask interior clouding with each breath he took.
She ruffled his hair with her free hand and said, "Please come back to me. I don't know what… I won't survive in this place without you. I wouldn't have made it this far if…" She paused, let out a deep breath, and leaned over to plant a kiss against his forehead. "I wish I'd gotten a chance to tell you earlier, but… I love you, Elliott…"
Jessica didn't know how long she was confined before she got some company. She numbly looked up as the steel door across from her cell opened with a groan. The sight of her partner put her at ease until she saw who was behind him.
Jessica scooted back on the metal bench in upon seeing Dr. Yamata; her first thought was that she might be tortured for information. Jessica cringed as Raymond unlocked the cell door and she blurted out, "Stay away from me."
Dr. Yamata's smile reflected her maliciousness. "Careful, dear," Dr. Yamata said. "Such a statement makes you look guilty."
"She's only here to take a blood sample, Jess, per the boss's orders. If there's no trace of the T-Virus in your system, you're off the hook," Raymond said.
Jessica remained quiet while Dr. Yamata drew two vials of blood from her. She wanted to sarcastically ask why such a large amount was needed, but bit her tongue to keep from speaking.
Jessica focused on her partner as he closed and locked the cell door after Dr. Yamata had departed. "I wouldn't be surprised if she falsifies the test results to make me look bad," she grumbled.
Raymond grimaced. "You're doing a good job of that on your own. Honestly, what were you thinking? You promised me you wouldn't do anything stupid."
"And I didn't! At least…" She sighed. "Come on, Ray. Even I know better than to cross the line to this extent. All I wanted was to wreck their day a little. I thought giving Elliott a taste of an old habit would be relatively harmless. I mean, how much trouble could I possibly get in with that?"
"Funny. You actually sound convincing."
"Ray, I swear to God I didn't poison him!" She stood and stepped close to the bars. "What can I do to make you believe me?"
"If you're innocent, you've got nothing to worry about. What do you care what I believe?" he asked.
"Because no matter which way you slice it, I'm in trouble. In light of what happened to Elliott, the boss might not forgive a minor infraction. And I'd prefer the least harsh punishment. I need someone who has my back, who would put in a good word for me!"
Raymond crossed his arms and looked away with a blank expression.
He was silent for so long that she added, "Ray, please. All the time we've worked together has to count for something… Help me, and I'll do anything you ask!"
His response wasn't what she hoped for, but it was something. "I'll think about it," he said before he left the room.
Dr. Yamata couldn't recall being as nervous as she was when Wesker entered the lab in response to her summons. She let out a breath and tried to collect herself when he said, "I assume you've gotten to the root of our current troubles."
"I did," she answered. "You're not going to like it."
He was clever enough to ease any concerns she might have. "I doubt there's anything you could say that would make this whole affair even worse."
"Hold that thought." She paused, then said, "I don't know how, but Mr. Gregory's allergy pills have been tampered with. That's how he got infected."
Wesker was silent and still for a long time, and she could discern nothing from his blank expression. When his fist slammed into the metal gurney next to him hard enough to make it fold in on itself, she flinched but otherwise held her ground. Better the stretcher than the messenger… Considering the antihistamines are something he personally formulated, Wesker's taking this much better than I anticipated, she mused.
As weary as Claire was, perhaps it was inevitable that she would doze off. It still startled her when a sharp clang ripped her from her slumber. Her eyes widened when she focused on the last person she expected to see in Elliott's hospital room. "Raymond?"
He stiffened and turned to face her. "Sorry. I wasn't trying to wake you. Not in this way, at least." He quickly kneeled to pick up something on the floor. She was trying to reason why he would be carrying silverware when he said, "Boss asked me to bring you a change of clothes and something to eat."
She looked down at the beachwear she had on and instinctively wrapped her blanket around herself. It felt like a lifetime ago that Elliott had surprised her with a virtual island getaway for her birthday. She rubbed her eyes and thought, Was that only this morning? If so, the timing couldn't be worse… I wish Elliott were alright and that we were still celebrating.
She looked up at Raymond when he offered her a bowl of freshly sliced fruit. She turned away and said, "I'm not hungry."
"You have to be by now. And starving yourself won't make him better." When she still declined to take it, he set the dish on the table next to her and stepped back to lean against the wall. "For what it's worth, I…"
"It's worth nothing," Claire said sharply. She paused, then said, "It was a mistake to ever strike a deal with Wesker. I should have known something like this might happen."
"He thought you might think that or he wouldn't have sent me. He thought you'd prefer the person you're least antagonistic toward."
She recoiled as though she'd been slapped. "Sorry you wasted your time. I don't care to hear anything you have to say."
"You don't have much of a choice, Miss Redfield. If not me, then someone else will come to speak with you."
She slumped in her seat. "Fine," she said tiredly. "Say what you have to and leave."
He looked toward Elliott. "Boss knows full well there's nothing to justify Mr. Gregory's illness and that your bargain no longer counts for shit. But he would like to make amends if possible."
"You mean he wants to know if there's a way to get me back under his thumb."
Raymond looked slightly uncomfortable. "This might not be what you want to hear, but your boyfriend's life hinges on how willing you are to renegotiate. Just saying…"
She closed her eyes and felt as though she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. There it is… Either I agree to a new arrangement or Elliott dies. "Wow," she said quietly. "Wesker's not wasting any time, is he?"
He hesitated. "What would you like me to tell him?"
Claire snorted. "What I'd like is for him to stick it where the sun doesn't shine, say to hell with all this, and demand to be sent home. But none of that will do Elliott any good, will it?"
Raymond didn't get a chance to answer before his phone started buzzing. She guessed by the way he looked at the screen that he'd been sent a text message. Whatever it said, he didn't look happy. "I have to go," he said brusquely. "For what it's worth… Your boyfriend's going to be fine. I'll tell the boss you're in agreement."
She sat in silence for a while, too numb to even cry. Eventually, she picked up the bowl and spooned the fruit into her mouth until the dish was near empty. Then, her gaze drifted to the set of neatly folded clothes on a chair across the room.
She was on her feet with thoughts of getting changed when she saw Elliott's hand suddenly twitch. Startled, she looked at him to see him blinking rapidly and moving his head from side to side. After several seconds, he focused on her. "Claire?" he asked in a raspy tone, his voice slightly muted by the oxygen mask.
She flew to his side with a cry and half climbed onto the bed as she embraced him. "Hey, you," she said as she gazed at him with a bittersweet smile.
His hand settled on her shoulder, though he looked downright confused. With his other hand, he tried to remove the oxygen mask, but she quietly urged him to keep it on. "What happened to me? What are we doing here?" he asked.
She gnawed at her lower lip, reluctant to tell him. It had been hard enough for her to hear that she'd been exposed to the G-Virus, but at least there was a chance that she could be made normal again. Elliott just might be stuck with what he'd contracted. "That can wait until you feel stronger. For now… I'm just glad you're alright."
When she arrived at the boardroom where many of her colleagues were waiting, Excella was pleased to find all of them still in one piece. From the time Dr. Yamata had called her to report what happened, she had feared the worst. As she settled into her seat at the head of the table, Excella said, "Where are our guests now?"
"In Mr. Gregory's hospital room," Dr. Yamata answered. "And clueless about the cause of his illness for the time being… Though I doubt we can keep them in the dark much longer."
"Hardly the bit of good fortune I'd like," Wesker answered coldly.
Excella leaned back and crossed her legs. "Be that as it may, Albert, I still may be able to help with damage control… Now, tell me about the allergy pills. Have you figured out how they were tampered with?"
Dr. Yamata shot a look at Jessica. "Not yet."
"Are we really going through this again?" Jessica asked. "I didn't do anything! Not with the cigarettes and certainly not with the damn pills. I'm not a fucking chemist in either case!"
"That's quite enough, Miss Sherawat," Excella said sternly. "The only reason you've been set free is because everyone here has reviewed the surveillance tape and determined you didn't have time to do anything inappropriate." Excella paused. "That doesn't change the fact that Miss Redfield will be out for blood if or when Mr. Gregory tells her of your part in this whole fiasco. She certainly will not believe you innocent."
"May I make a suggestion?" Raymond asked.
Excella nodded. "By all means."
"It might be in everyone's best interest if Jessica stays away from both our guests. At least until this all blows over… Miss Redfield can't be upset forever."
Dr. Yamata leaned forward. "Therein lies our next problem - how much we should divulge. Whether we tell the truth or hide it, we risk losing Miss Redfield's trust completely."
"Indeed," Wesker said. "Especially if we tell her there are no answers on how this happened." He looked at Excella. "I have been over the surveillance feeds with a fine tooth comb, Miss Gionne. I cannot account for how the pills were laced with the T-Virus."
Excella blinked. Albert's being formal with me. That's not a good sign.
"One might think that the pills were doctored before they even got to our facility," Dr. Yamata said. "Perhaps at the pharmaceutical company you're in charge of, Miss Gionne."
"Stop right there," Excella said with narrowed eyes. "I know better than to contaminate the machinery with a dangerous chemical. I wouldn't be able to cover that up… Plus, what would I gain by alienating Miss Redfield?"
"A fair point," Wesker said. "Though I don't favor the lack of an explanation or having to start over at square one."
"Unfortunate but necessary," Dr. Yamata said. "How would you like to proceed?"
Wesker was silent for a minute. "I think it's best if I speak with Miss Redfield and Mr. Gregory alone to mend fences."
"All due respect, Albert, but the level of tact needed for this may be beyond you," Excella said. "Perhaps I should..."
"That's quite alright, Miss Gionne," he said coldly. "Your presence will not be necessary."
Excella frowned and leaned back in her chair. She respected him enough not to argue, and she resigned herself to sitting on the sidelines while he worked this out. But she couldn't help but wonder, Does Albert not believe me? Does he think I sabotaged this truce between him and Miss Redfield?
More importantly, she was surprised at how much the thought bothered her…
Once Claire broke the news to him, Elliott was silent for a long while. He didn't know whether or not to be thankful he could breathe without the oxygen mask. "Maybe you told me already, but what exactly is the T-Virus?"
"Umbrella's first brainchild, as I understand it. And probably the worst one they created," she said quietly. "Its primary function is to rejuvenate dead cells, maybe even keep the host from aging. But it comes with a nasty side effect. The T-Virus will systemically destroy all perfectly healthy cells in a human host to give itself something to revitalize." She paused. "If it's any consolation, we at least caught it before it affected your brain. It would have killed you, and then reanimated you, otherwise."
"When you say reanimated…?"
"As a zombie, for all intents and purposes."
He rubbed his eyes. "Jesus… How the hell did I get infected?"
"I don't know. And Wesker claims not to." She reached out to take his hand in hers. "I'm so sorry, Elliott."
The somber note in her voice spoke volumes. "There's no cure, is there?"
"Not that I know of. I imagine Wesker would have administered one by now if he had it," she said. "Unless he's saving that as some sort of sick payoff for a new arrangement."
Elliott scoffed. "He wants to make another deal after this? No fucking way!"
"We don't have a choice. He'll refuse to treat you otherwise."
"There has to another option," he protested.
"There isn't… Elliott, please. I can't lose you."
His gaze softened and he pulled her close. "Hey, don't worry, Redfield. I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon." He closed his eyes and rested his head on her shoulder. "I'm sorry I couldn't give you a better birthday than this."
Claire laughed ironically and lightly smacked his arm. "You're still alive. I'm sure I'll get over it."
The goofy grin on Elliott's face faded when he saw Wesker come through the doorway. She half turned to see what he was looking at, and Elliott felt her tense beneath his hands. Neither of them had time to say anything before Wesker spoke.
"Glad to see you're awake, Mr. Gregory. Shall I assume you've been brought up to speed on what's happened?"
Elliott crossed his arms. "Claire's filled me in on everything she knows… Convenient that I got sick the day after you flipped out on us."
"There is nothing convenient about this. And I already apologized for my behavior, did I not?" Wesker hesitated and adjusted his sunglasses. "I had nothing to do with this unfortunate turn of events."
Elliott wasn't sure he believed that. "What about Jessica? Are you going to tell me she's innocent too?"
Claire turned to look at him with a start. "Jessica? What does…?"
Wesker cut in before Claire could finish. "If you would kindly stop interrupting me, I would inform you that the allergy pills I provided are what caused this. I realize this too makes me look bad, but I have no idea who tampered with them or why." He paused again. "Before the two of you start throwing out accusations, ask yourselves what I gain by breaking the terms of our agreement."
Elliott scoffed. "Apart from having a new subject to study?" he said sarcastically.
"Rest assured, Mr. Gregory, there is little I could discover about the T-Virus that two decades of research has not already yielded. If your infection was my intent, I would have chosen a virus of which I have less comprehension."
Elliott couldn't argue with that logic. He was poised to reply when Claire broke in.
"Can one of you tell me what the hell Jessica did?"
Elliott felt a headache coming on. "In a nutshell, she ambushed me very early this morning, lit up a cigarette in front of me, and blew smoke in my face," he said to his girlfriend. "I didn't say anything because things were already plenty tense between you and her."
Claire's eyes were blazing when she said, "It certainly doesn't help my opinion of the bitch!"
"Duly noted," Wesker said calmly. "Miss Sherawat has fallen out of favor with everyone on my team also. As much as I'd like to pin this incident on her, the security feeds show she did not have time or opportunity to meddle with the pills. Regardless, she's been ordered not to interact with either of you from this point on."
Elliott tightened his grip on Claire's hand to make her turn toward him; the look they shared sufficiently calmed her. With a sigh, he asked, "So what happens now? Where do we go from here?"
Wesker shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Apart from working out a new arrangement, you'll have to adjust to a strict treatment program, Mr. Gregory. There is no way to eradicate the T-Virus once someone's been exposed. The best that can be done at this point is to keep the effects in check."
"What do I have to do?" Elliott asked.
"I will provide a serum that you'll have to inject yourself with every six hours. The time can be extended as your immune system builds up a natural resistance to the virus. Eventually, administering the serum once a day will suffice, but that is a long ways off."
"And I only get this serum as long as Claire and I continue to cooperate with you. Is that right?"
Wesker gave a single nod. "That is the long and short of it. The outcome of our original agreement remains the same in spite of this development. I will set both of you free once I've derived an effective cure for the G-Virus… I shall leave it up to you if you still want the payoffs that were initially promised."
Elliott's thoughts instantly turned to his younger sister, Lisette. He felt sick at the notion that Wesker's promise to heal the brain damage she'd suffered now came with a steeper price. Are the rewards even worth it anymore? he wondered.
"I'll give you and Miss Redfield time to reach a decision on the matter," Wesker said when Elliott and Claire didn't speak. He removed a metal case from his coat pocket and stepped forward to set it on the tray table near the bed. "Here are four doses to start with. First should be injected at precisely 6pm. I'll provide a week's supply first thing tomorrow." He turned and started for the door. At the threshold, he halted and looked over his shoulder. "You may return to your quarters at any time… I do hope we can get past this and regain the level of trust we had attained. It would be a shame to lose that over such a setback."
Shortly after they returned to their apartment, Claire nearly collapsed from exhaustion. She was so tired that she was vaguely aware of Elliott carrying her to bed. She did have a sense that he laid down next to her as she closed her eyes and drifted off.
Her nap was fitful and she was sure that a nightmare jolted her awake several hours later. When she shifted on the bed to find her boyfriend gone, she nearly had a panic attack. She scrambled to her feet, stepped into the main room, and called his name.
His voice floated out from the bathroom. "In here."
She let out a breath and tried to compose herself before she stepped inside. When she saw Elliott leaned against the side of the tub staring at an empty syringe in his hand, she hesitated.
He briefly looked up at her. "Probably too much to hope there might be a bright side to this," he said with a dry chuckle. "The one thought that keeps crossing my mind is maybe I'll gain some superpower like you or Wesker."
She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "I wouldn't bank on that," she said quietly as she stepped closer and settled on the floor next to him. "It's been one hell of a day… How are you holding up?"
"I don't know. It's not every day you wake up and discover you're living in the Walking Dead."
Claire shook her head. "I don't know what that means."
Elliott half smiled. "Walking Dead's the name of a horror comic book series a friend got me into. Centers around a cop who awakens from a coma to find that the world's been taken over by zombies. Focuses on how the remnants of humanity survive while searching for a safe haven… A lot of good people still die or become zombies themselves along the way."
"Not you," she said. "That's one outcome I will not settle for."
He looked at her. "Do you think our story's going to have a happy ending, Redfield? If so, enlighten me. I'm having trouble seeing one."
"Stop. Just stop." She tightly clasped his hand. "You're still breathing and we're together. That's something in itself."
"I'm not just talking about the here and now. I'm looking at the big picture… You and Wesker have both talked about the virus victims who maintain their humanity. About how they're confined to a government installation." He paused. "As bad as the G-Virus is, at least there's a chance it can be removed from your system. There's no fix for what I have."
She sighed. "I'm not sure I want to take Wesker up on the offer to return me to normal. Not anymore."
His eyes widened. "But it's what you want more than anything."
"And look what it got me. I almost lost you, Elliott." She shifted to cuddle up against him and lay her hand on his chest. "It wasn't an accident. Someone deliberately poisoned you."
"Agreed, but for what purpose?"
"I don't know. Nothing of what happened today makes sense to me. Wesker promised you'd be safe and he failed at that... He sure didn't make it better by issuing an ultimatum."
Elliott sighed, pulled her close, and started stroking her hair. "Not to argue, but what's our alternative? To trade one prison for another. You think we're going to be allowed more freedom once the outside world finds out we're both infected?"
"We'd get more than what Wesker's allowing. At least we'd be able to see our families. And anywhere has to be safer than here!"
He shut his eyes momentarily. "It would be nice to see Katherine, John, and Henry again. Not to mention Lisette or meeting my new niece or nephew. But there'd be a downside to that too. Hearing what happened to me would hurt them… I imagine the same may be true for your brother."
She hesitated. "Sounds like you've given this a lot of thought." When he shrugged, she said, "I can see Chris being upset once he finds out what I've become, angry when I tell him about Wesker's role in it. But I also know he, and my friends, will do whatever it takes to make it right for both of us."
"I hope that's the ending we get." Elliott let out a deep breath and turned to look at the grate. "Helps that we have a benefactor promising an escape route whom Wesker doesn't know about."
Claire nodded. "Now it's just a matter of waiting for RogueChild to contact us again."
Next up: Claire and Elliott begin to plot an escape.
Author's Notes: I am estimating only ten more chapters for this story. An ending is in sight - parts of which I've written in advance. This particular chapter went through quite a few drafts before I got to the finished product; I'll have quite a few deleted scenes/bits of dialogue to share at a later point.
If anyone has any ideas of who poisoned Elliott, feel free to share in a review. Stay classy, everyone. :)