Resident Evil: Tangled Web
By: PhantasmBabeIvory
Chapter Thirty-Two
Author's Notes: Thanks to all who have been waiting patiently for an update to this story. May it be everything you hoped for. The ending is in sight—only ten chapters to go.
To those who left a review last chapter—
Guest – Glad you're enjoying the story.
Wolfgirl2013—Glad you find this amazing.
Saberwolf155—Hope this update is just as satisfying.
This chapter was meant to run much longer, but I decided 20+ pages was enough. The continuation will be out relatively soon. Stay tuned. And now on with the show:
4:47pm
As much as she hoped for something gossip-worthy from the surveillance feed, Jessica was disappointed when Claire and Elliott spent most of the day seated on the couch reading. "You would think they'd be livelier with the boss gone."
Raymond glanced at her. "Would you be if you were in their shoes?"
She didn't even hesitate before she blurted out, "Maybe."
"You can't seriously tell me you'd be okay with being held prisoner."
With a naughty smile, she said, "Depends on the circumstances. If we're talking bondage, count me in."
He chuckled. "You are something else. And I just might take you up on that."
"Mmm, now I can't wait for Irving to get here to relieve us." She looked back at the monitor. After a short pause, she asked, "Do you think they'll behave themselves for the next few days? Or that Miss Redfield will get on board with acting friendlier with me?"
"Wouldn't hold your breath, Jess. She's too much the type to hold a grudge."
"At least she doesn't hate you, Ray."
He shrugged. "Could change. Especially if I keep defending you to her." He paused and added, "I'm actually kind of surprised she's as tolerant of me as she is. Same with Elliott."
"Yeah? Why's that?"
Raymond raised an eyebrow. "Wow, you don't recall either." He leaned back in his chair. "I'm referring to when we carried out the plan to abduct them. Odds are they wouldn't even be here if I hadn't tipped the scales in our favor."
Jessica blushed when the memory came back to her. "Right, because she grabbed my gun off me. Please tell me I thanked you for fixing my screw-up."
He chuckled again. "You did. But at the same time, I should thank you for being you. Who else would make me look good in comparison?"
She playfully smacked him after a couple seconds. "Just for that, I'm going to make you wear the handcuffs later."
4:58 pm
Since Claire's mind kept returning to the looming escape, it was hard to remember to keep flipping pages in her book to make it look like she was reading. The few glances she threw at Elliott drew returned looks where he would smile reassuringly at her, but it did little to calm her. At one point, she rested the novel against her stomach, rubbed her eyes, and thought, I don't know how you can be so relaxed.
She looked up when she heard him shifting on the couch. "You look restless. What's up?" he asked.
Claire almost laughed but was quick to answer with, "Can't really get into what I'm reading. You?"
He shrugged and set his novel down after he folded the page corner. "Too predictable for a mystery. I think I already know how it's gonna end." He stretched and added, "Maybe we need something else to help kill time."
She threw a quick glance at the clock. Less than four hours until we get out of here. "What'd you have in mind?"
"I'm thinking greenhouse," he said flirtatiously. "And we could talk about whatever you like."
She hesitated. "I don't know, Elliott."
He rose to his feet and held his hand out to her. "It'll be better than stewing in here. And might be just what you need to mellow out. Come on, Redfield."
Claire sighed and reached for his hand after several seconds. Though she wasn't at all sure there was anything that could help her relax, there was something about sitting on a bench amongst the plants and flowers that calmed her. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine she was sitting under the sun instead of UV lighting.
After a while, she looked at Elliott. "You're not sneezing," she commented.
He blinked. "Didn't even notice. I didn't take an allergy pill if that's what you're thinking." He paused. "Haven't touched them since I got infected. I don't know – maybe the T-Virus nullified whatever I was allergic to."
"Not much of a positive." She raised a hand to tease the hair at the back of his head. "It bothers me that we never found out who did this to you."
Elliott let out a deep breath. "Me too. But I've spent months trying to figure it out with no results. I think maybe I should just let it go."
"You're doing better than me then. I don't like not having answers."
He half smiled. "Something I may be able to help with. If you'll let me, that is." He paused. "No matter what happens, I'll do whatever it takes to bring smiles and sunshine back into your life."
She giggled in spite of herself. "Sure you're up to the challenge?"
"Absolutely. We'll be okay, Claire. And we deserve a lifetime of happiness after everything we've been through." He leaned close to whisper in her ear. "I look forward to making your dreams come true, my future wife. No matter how imaginative I have to be about it."
Claire gnawed at her lip and felt a stab of guilt over not being honest with him. She opened her mouth to speak, but quickly thought better of it. We're almost out. Telling you that something happened between Wesker and I could jeopardize that. Let alone that I only accepted your proposal to convince you to leave with me.
He gazed at her with curiosity in his eyes. "Everything okay?"
"Just anxiety," she said softly. "I'm sure I'll be fine." She took a deep relaxing breath when he looped an arm around her and rubbed her shoulder. This is far from the best time, but I promise I'll let you down gently once we're safe, Elliott.
7:22 pm
Given how anxious Claire was over the impending escape, the last thing she wanted was to be paid a visit by one of her captors. The instant she saw Dr. Yamata and Irving waiting outside her and Elliott's apartment, it was all she could do not to tense up.
She was so nervous that hearing Elliott speak almost made her jump out of her skin.
"Damn," Elliott exclaimed. "What the hell happened to you?"
Dr. Yamata frowned. "I know you were told not to ask, Mr. Gregory," she said sternly.
Good icebreaker, Claire thought as she cleared her throat. Though she was curious as to why the virologist was so beaten up, experience told her she wouldn't get a straight answer. Maybe this is just the distraction I need. "Jessica failed to give us any details. Can you blame us for being caught off guard?"
"Perhaps Miss Sherawat needs to be reminded to be more forthcoming," Dr. Yamata said. She gestured toward the entryway. "If you'd be so kind to invite us in."
Claire was tempted to say no, but held her tongue when she recalled what time it was. She'd just checked her watch on the elevator. Dr. Yamata would be in and out in no time so long as she played along. "Let me guess," she said as she moved to open the door. "You need another blood sample."
"It would be nice if you offered one, Miss Redfield. But I'm primarily here for your companion."
Elliott recoiled. "Say what?"
A look of irritation crossed Dr. Yamata's face. "Your system has had time to build up a resistance to the virus, Mr. Gregory. I'd like to verify that it has. If so, the time between your serum doses can be extended."
A smile tugged at Elliott's lips when Claire looked at him. "Then by all means, come on in," he said.
Claire hesitated when Irving gestured for her to walk in ahead of him and said, "After you, dollface." The glint in his beady eyes told her that he was more interested in ogling her than acting as a security guard.
In spite of her revulsion, she still followed Elliott and Dr. Yamata into the apartment. I don't know what's worst, she thought with a sigh. Being pursued by the devil incarnate, having to tell Elliott I don't love him, or being viewed as a sexual object by a third party. I almost wish I could go back to when zero guys were this interested in me.
She tried to be patient while the test was conducted but there was too much weighing on her mind for that. "How much longer?" Claire blurted out.
Dr. Yamata scowled as she withdrew a single-lens microscope from her satchel. "As long as is necessary for me to get an accurate reading. I'd advise you to be quiet so I can work, Miss Redfield."
Claire sighed and lightly bit her tongue to keep from speaking. As she watched, she gained more of a comprehension for Irving's presence. Dr. Yamata's depth perception was thrown off to the extent that she needed someone watching out for her.
It seemed to take forever for the results to be compiled. But there was something heartening in the half smile that came to the virologist's face. "It appears, Mr. Gregory, that your immune system is doing a better job of staving off the infection. The T-Virus cells aren't replicating as quickly."
A relieved grin rose to Elliott's lips. "Glad to hear it… So how much time does that give me between injections?"
Dr. Yamata started to pack up. "I would estimate it to be every eight hours – just to be on the safe side. I'd like to closely monitor you to see if you can go longer than that." She looked at her associate. "We're done here, Mr. Irving."
Irving shifted his weight and spoke in a slightly whiny tone. "Aw, do we have to leave already? I was hoping there'd be time for socializing."
Dr. Yamata's gaze narrowed. "Jessica and Raymond are waiting on you to relieve them," she said pointedly.
Claire turned to look at the man behind her. "Plus there's the fact that I'm not interested in you."
Irving placed a hand over his chest in a mockingly wounded gesture. "So quick to judge, dollface! If you actually got to know me, you might find you'd like me quite a bit. Might even appreciate that I'm watching out for you."
Claire scoffed. "When pigs fly." As she watched him and Dr. Yamata leave, she thought, Thank God I don't have to put up with this place or the people in it much longer.
8:24 pm
Even though RogueChild had given her and Elliott precise instructions ahead of time, Claire found it difficult to keep her head on straight now that the time for escape was actually here. To help herself focus, she mentally checked off each step that was burned into her brain.
Pack as many essentials as you can within two minutes.
Elliott was quick to grab two laundry bags which were promptly loaded with all the canned food from the bottom kitchen cabinet, a can opener, plates, the needed silverware, a box of matches, flashlights, Elliott's serum, a couple thermoses, bottled water, several sets of clothes, blankets, and pillows. As she hurriedly packed, Claire wondered what additional provisions RogueChild intended to give them in addition to an escape vehicle.
Her worry was brushed aside when she focused on step two. Get to the elevator and take it to the ground floor.
Both she and Elliott pulled the handles of the laundry bags over their shoulders, carrying them like rucksacks as they made their way out to the hall. For good measure, each of them was holding a frying pan in case they came across any opposition. As they rode the elevator up, she felt a bit of fear at the notion that someone had to be watching their movements.
Once she and Elliott were let out on the ground floor, they instantly made their way down the stone stairway and to the door on the far side of the room. The dim light and stillness in the temple-like chamber made her apprehensive, especially considering what the next step was.
Wait for the power to go out. The door will pop open when it does.
8:31 pm
Nothing killed the mood like the lights going out. Even though Jessica had her eyes closed, she could still tell when her room went dark. What the hell? she thought when she realized that the emergency lights had failed to kick on.
Raymond didn't seem to notice since his face was pressed against her neck, his tongue tracing circles on her skin. Jessica pushed at him to get him to stop. "Hey," she said to get his attention. "Get off. Something's wrong." She couldn't see him in the darkness, but the rustling told her he was coming to his senses.
"Wha…" she heard him say. "Shit!" He maneuvered his handcuffed hands over her head to allow her to move. "Don't tell me the power grid is malfunctioning again."
Jessica rose from the armchair, a bit disappointed that her panties hadn't joined the rest of her clothes in a heap on the floor. She slowly felt her way over to the kitchen cabinets and opened one drawer after another until she found where the flashlight was. Finding her cellphone took another few seconds. She quickly dialed a number, and her tension increased when the call wasn't picked up. She hung up and said, "Fuck, Irving! Did you turn the volume off?"
"Easy, Jess," Raymond said. "We need to figure out what's going on." He held up his hands. "Get these off me."
She positioned the flashlight on the counter so that the light was bouncing off the ceiling. She had only just found the keys and snatched them up when her phone rang. Without a second thought, she went for it.
Dr. Yamata's lone question told Jessica just how serious the situation was. "Do you still have power on your floor?" the virologist asked in a terse tone.
"No, we don't," Jessica said. "Any chance you can check on Irvi…" She stopped when she heard a click that indicated Dr. Yamata had hung up. In frustration, Jessica slammed the phone down on the counter. "God damn it!"
"Jess!" Raymond said sharply to draw her attention. "The keys!"
She moved to unlock the cuffs and told him, "The power's out on more than one level." She paused as she saw him get up and retrieve his clothes. "Should I try Irving again?"
His eyes narrowed. "No, you should get dressed! We need to check on the electrical grid. And hope Claire and Elliott will be alright in the meantime."
Jessica blinked and scolded herself for not considering that right away. With her imagination running wild with all the worst-case scenarios, she thought, Please tell me the creatures in the cryo lab aren't going to wake up before the power's restored..
8:33 pm
It wasn't difficult to find the path spoken of by RogueChild once they got through the previously-locked door. What lay beyond was a large cavern that seemed very much out of place next to a high-tech science facility.
Claire quickly shook off her shock at the mismatched environment and switched on her flashlight. She and Elliott slowly made their way through the chamber so they wouldn't miss anything, and her heart was pounding the entire time. Every few seconds, she threw a glance behind her and thought, It can't be this easy. Someone's going to catch us.
Locating a tunnel leading downward should have relieved her but only added to the tension. As she stared down into their escape route, RogueChild's next instruction came to mind. This passage will lead you straight down to the lower docks, but you'll need to hurry.
She was ready to step into the tunnel when another voice sounded in her head. She shuddered at hearing Wesker's cold monotone. It's not too late to turn around and go back to your room. You will regret this otherwise, dearheart.
Claire shook her head to clear it and clasped Elliott's hand in hers. He exchanged a look with her, smiled reassuringly, and led her toward freedom.
8:35 pm
As if Jessica wasn't nervous enough about the unexplained power-out and being unable to reach Irving, her anxiety spiked when she and Raymond hit a snag. The sealed security door near her quarters at least cracked open when a code was typed in on the adjacent keypad. But the lack of backup power meant that the door refused to slide open all the way.
She let out a sigh and tried to calm herself as she watched Raymond trying to force the door open. The muscles at his back were taut, but he was making little progress. "Jesus, come on!" she muttered in a terse tone.
He must have heard her since he snapped, "Would you like to trade places?"
Jessica hesitated, then kneeled so she could squeeze in under him. "I'll do you one better," she said as she pressed her hands against the doorframe.
Even with their combined efforts, the door inched open at a painstakingly slow pace. Within a couple minutes, there was enough space for her to squeeze through. She turned to face her partner and said, "I'm gonna check on Irving, then have a look at the power grid. Good luck with the door."
In spite of the dark glint in his eyes, Raymond nodded. "I won't be far behind."
Much as she wanted to run to the surveillance room, she paced herself to avoid any accidents. She still made it there in a decent time and stepped inside. A soft raucous noise reached her ears and made her regret her hastiness. Oh, God, is something in here with me?
Her fear abated and she was driven to act when nothing bad happened in the few seconds she stood there. When she trained the flashlight on Irving, Jessica was pissed to discover he'd nodded off and was lightly snoring.
She threw a quick glance at the darkened monitors before she stepped forward and gave Irving a shake that failed to rouse him. She shook him again – more vigorously – and barked out, "Wake up, you moron!"
He stirred after a couple more seconds and looked at her groggily. "Hey, dollface, was just thinking about you," he said sleepily before passing out again.
Jessica groaned in disgust and thought, Trust you to be useless in a crisis. She made her way back out into the hall and walked the few yards to the stairwell behind a closed door.
Hearing a clattering sound on the stairs above her made Jessica pause. She shone her flashlight up, but couldn't determine who or what was making noise. She drew her gun in case a genetically-engineered monster was coming her way, but still started to make her way up. "Dr. Yamata," she called out. "Is that you?"
There was no answer save for a door opening and closing on one of the higher floors – no noise after that. Jessica bit back her fear and cautiously continued her ascent.
She was just outside the electrical closet three floors up when the lights unexpectedly came back on. Jessica blinked to get her eyes to adjust to the sudden illumination. The convenience of the situation made her even more uneasy. A quick glance at her watch indicated that the power had been out for roughly twenty minutes.
She closed the distance to the closet and opened the door to look inside. Fuck, Dr. Yamata, where did you go if not here? Was that even you in the stairwell? She quickly admonished herself for the thought and said, "Don't be stupid, Jess. Who else would it have been?"
The sudden harsh ring of her cellphone made her jump. She fumbled when pulling it from her pocket but luckily didn't drop it. "Hello?" she asked upon answering the call.
"Congrats on getting the power back. I didn't think you'd get it up and running so quickly," Raymond said.
Jessica gnawed at her lip. "Can't take credit," she answered. "Haven't even gotten to the circuit breakers yet. Whatever the problem was, it fixed itself." She paused, then asked, "Where are you?"
"In the surveil… What the hell, Irving?!"
"Forget him," Jessica said. "Tell me that Claire and Elliott are alright."
"Hang on, the cameras are still rebooting."
She took a deep breath and waited for her partner to update her.
After a near minute of silence, the last thing she wanted to hear from Raymond was, "Oh, crap!"
9:02 pm
The ease with which she and Elliott made their way through the tunnel put Claire oddly on edge. Finding their way through went rather smoothly – there were no narrow passages or uneven paths and any drop-offs came with a metal ladder attached. Though there was so sign that they were being pursued, she still feared that something would go wrong.
Claire let out a breath when the tunnel let her and Elliott out into a wide cavern with a wooden dock. Her fiancée squeezed her hand and flashed her a big, elated smile. She smiled back and told herself to relax.
The smell and sound of rushing murky water reached her as she descended a narrow rickety staircase. Claire welcomed the scent and her smile widened at the notion that she was so close to the outside world. They were near the speedboat RogueChild had promised when Wesker's voice sounded once more in her head. I can guarantee you won't like the life you're running toward.
Elliott turned to look at her when she stopped in her tracks. "Come on, Redfield," he urged. "We're almost there."
Claire steeled herself and walked the few remaining steps to the vehicle. She glanced at the metal storage box labeled as 'supplies' resting in the center of the boat for a couple seconds before turning her attention to the console. Gritting her teeth, she reached for the ignition even as she seated herself.
The engine had just roared to life when she caught sight of a typed note taped to the console that completely floored her. She shook her head and murmured, "It can't be."
Elliott kneeled next to her. "What are you waiting for? Let's…" He stopped when she looked at him in bewilderment. "What is it?"
She peeled the note from the dash and showed it to him. He looked just as dazed once he read it.
Good luck at getting as far away as you can, dollface.
9:08 pm
If not for Raymond, Jessica was sure she would have wasted time panicking once it became clear Claire and Elliott were gone. It bothered her that the escapees had found their way all the way down to the lower docks as shown on the surveillance feed. But there was still time to intercept the duo so long as Jessica and her partner moved quickly.
She and Raymond had assembled a decent arsenal from the armory and were approaching the elevator when the doors slid open with a soft ding. Jessica's hand instinctively went to the machine gun holstered at her hip. She didn't know whether to be relieved or alarmed when Dr. Yamata stepped out onto their floor.
The virologist shot a curious look at them before asking, "Did something get loose?"
Jessica gulped. She hated having to share the bad news, but it would be worse if she said nothing. "Claire and Elliott are on the run," she said with a slight tremor in her voice. "Last we saw, they grabbed a boat from the docks in Section B."
Dr. Yamata blinked. "Impossible. They couldn't have made it all the way down there."
Jessica's frustration bolstered her. "Blame Irving. He fell asleep when he should have been watching them." She took half a step forward. "Which you'd know if you'd checked on him when I asked! Where were you?"
Dr. Yamata's face contorted with fury. "You're mistaken if you think I answer to you, Miss Sherawat," she shot back. "I suggest you back off unless you'd like a reminder of how I respond to you overstepping your bounds."
Raymond cleared his throat. "Can we save the bickering for later? The sooner we get after our guests, the better."
Dr. Yamata stepped back to allow them onto the elevator. "Make it quick. With any luck, they haven't gotten too far away yet."
9:16 pm
Making their way out of the cavern took more time than Claire would have liked, once she got over her surprise at discovering who'd been helping her and Elliott this entire time. She steered the boat carefully through the water at a low speed since she didn't know just how shallow it was.
Elliott dug through the storage box while she was slowly driving them toward the cave entrance. "Looks like RogueChild – Irving, that is – gave us some good supplies to work with. Extra canned food, hunting knife, several different firearms, and about two weeks' worth of serum doses for me. To name a few things, that is."
She gnawed at her lip. "It's going to take time for me to wrap my head around that idea. Feels unreal that someone on Wesker's team has been helping us this whole time. And Irving – I can't even imagine why."
"To be fair, Redfield, we don't know him that well. We've interacted with him how many times in the past year? Twice?"
"Sounds right. I just wish I knew…" She started to turn to look at him, but he gestured for her to face forward.
"One thing at a time, Claire," Elliott said. "Let's just focus on getting out of here first. We can worry about the rest later."
She pulled back on the throttle after some thought and turned to face him. "On the subject, RogueChild said that Jessica and Raymond are bound to come after us, and I want to be ready for them. Show me what guns we have."
9:18 pm
After parting ways with her associates, Dr. Yamata debated about going directly to the cryo bay on sub-level six to check on things. By the time the elevator was free, she had second thoughts – if even one of the containment units had failed in the power-out, it was better to find out from a distance.
Irving looked at her groggily when she entered the surveillance room, but she paid him no heed. She pulled the keyboard toward her and switched the camera view on the monitors with a few keystrokes.
Nothing got out. Good. She leaned back, sighed, and thought, Save for our prisoners. A matter that can be easily rectified with any luck.
Irving shifted in his chair. "Hey, doc. Come to keep me company?"
Dr. Yamata frowned, mostly bothered by how out of it he sounded. She turned, leaned against the counter, and crossed her arms. "Far from it. You're going to have a lot to answer for, Mr. Irving."
9:41 pm
Once they were out in the open, Claire was very tempted to cut the engine and just drink in everything she'd been denied for the past year. She had to remind herself to stay focused and get as far away from the facility as she could. Enjoying the fresh air, their surroundings, and basking in the moonlight could wait.
She heard the distant thwack of helicopter blades seconds before Elliott put a hand to her shoulder and said, "We've got company."
She clenched her jaw and half turned to look at the approaching copter. Her fears were confirmed when the vehicle turned in their direction once it reached the river – with a spotlight trained on the water.
"It's them," she said. "It has to be."
Elliott reached over to grip the wheel in his hand, his attention focused ahead. "Let me take over. You're the better shot than me."
Claire rose from her seat, pausing a second to gaze at him. "Try not to get hit."
"Back at you," he responded as he maneuvered over to the spot she'd vacated.
Claire gripped the semi-auto rifle and made sure the clip was secure and the safety off. She adopted a solid shooting stance and peered down the sight as she lined up her target.
There was enough illumination from the moon to allow her to view the approaching copter. It looked like Raymond was piloting, which likely meant Jessica was also on board.
Better to start shooting while I still have the element of surprise. She carefully lined up the barrel with Raymond's shoulder, her intent being to hinder his ability to pilot.
In the instant that Claire squeezed the trigger, her target vanished from her sight. She raised her head in surprise to see that the copter had unexpectedly veered right. The cause was apparent once she had an unobstructed view – there was a tree in the copter's path. Damn it! she thought when her bullet cracked the glass dome of the cockpit.
Claire cursed again when the spotlight turned in her direction to highlight the boat. The evasive maneuvering of the copter prevented her from getting a lock on the light source to take it out.
Whatever it takes, there has to be a way to salvage this. I'm not going back!
9:42 pm
Any illusions that Jessica had that the recovery op would be a breeze were shattered at the same time as the copter's windshield. Even though she had noise-canceling headphones on, the sharp crack was loud enough to make her jump.
She brushed aside the hair blown across her face by the wind sweeping through the interior. As she searched for something to tie her hair back, she asked her partner, "What the hell was that?!"
"If I'm not mistaken, we're being shot at." Raymond was silent for a couple seconds while he adjusted the spotlight. "Miss Redfield's gotten hold of a firearm."
"Of course she did! This just keeps getting better and better."
"Focus, Jess! Capture first, questions later!"
Jessica nodded, pinned her hair in place with a rubberband, and grabbed a tether to loop around her upper body. She hurriedly secured it to the overhead railing and tugged on the rope to test its firmness. She slid open the side door, carefully found her footing on the legs of the copter, and leaned out into the open air.
Once she peered into the sight, she spoke into her comm. "Turn three degrees right so I have a clear shot."
"Done," Raymond responded. "But I'll need to keep weaving to evade return fire. Make your shots count."
"Don't need to tell me twice," she muttered as she prepped herself to shoot. I'd rather not face the consequences if those two get away.
9:43 pm
Claire's attempt to focus on disabling the copter was momentarily hindered when Elliott called out to her, "What happened?"
She focused on him to see he'd partially turned to look at her. She gritted her teeth and said, "Eyes forward, Elliott. And switch to full throttle. I've got this."
Claire braced herself for the increase in speed and shifted her stance. For the first time in a long while, she could hear her brother as though he was right next to her. Take your time. Don't rush the shot or you're sure to miss.
Time seemed to slow down as Claire watched the copter weaving back and forth. Though she caught a glimpse of Jessica leaned out the side, she fought the impulse to target the other woman – better to focus on disabling the pursuit vehicle. Her eyes darted from one part of the copter to the next while she tried to determine what to target – the whirling blades, the spotlight, the approximate gas tank location, etc. She had just taken aim at the control panel when Jessica opened fire.
Claire resisted the urge to shield herself. Ignoring Elliott's yell of pain wasn't as easy. She jerked around, involuntarily squeezing the trigger as she did so.
She only had a second to see Elliott slouched over the steering column before the light shining down on them vanished. Claire swallowed her fear and turned to look at the copter. Much to her surprise, the pursuit vehicle was losing both height and ground – she could see something sparking near the main blades.
What do you know? Shooting blind actually worked, she thought.
In the next second, she turned her attention back to her companion and scrambled up next to him. It was a relief to see he was still conscious and she couldn't see any visible wounds. She touched his arm and gnawed at her lip when he jerked away from her with a hiss of pain. "Elliott?"
He coughed. "I'm fine. Mostly. My arm feels like it's on fire."
Claire reached for the flashlight she'd set on the dash and flicked it on. She quickly scanned the horizon for any sign of the copter before pulling back on the throttle and killing the engine.
There was a nasty red and black gash crossing Elliott's arm, but it didn't look too serious and it was barely bleeding. She sighed in relief and said, "The bullet just grazed you. It's fine."
"Speak for yourself, Redfield. Hurts like hell."
"Could've been worse and you know it. Let's get you patched up." She turned and leaned over their supply box while she rummaged for gauze, bandages, and alcohol. He held the flashlight while she tended to him, though he did wince when she started cleaning the wound.
Yet another example of why you won't be happy with him, dearheart. Look how squeamish he is with a simple injury.
"Shut up," Claire muttered under her breath.
Elliott eyed her curiously. "What was that?"
She gnawed at her lip, fearful for a few seconds that he had heard. "Nothing." She half smiled and said, "Bet you wish you healed as quickly as I do."
He smiled back. "That'd be a plus." He gripped the steering column and relaxed his stance. "Keep going. I promise I'll suck it up."
She threw another glance behind them to confirm they'd shaken their pursuers. There was no sign of the copter – not that she could see. Easy. You're just being paranoid now.
Elliott cleared his throat. "Focus, Claire. The sooner you get me patched up, the sooner we can get moving again."
She sighed. "Right. Thank you for keeping me grounded."
"Anytime," he answered.
Claire shut her eyes for a couple seconds and took a calming breath. Doing so made her aware of the fresh air, then of the night noises and the distant sound of the water lapping against the shore.
We did it! We're free!
9:53 pm
If anything, Jessica was thankful that Raymond was a skilled-enough pilot that he was able to get them safely on the ground. She watched her partner climb onto the side of the cab to assess the damage once the blades had fully powered down.
"Can you fix it?" she asked after half a minute.
Raymond turned to look at her after a couple seconds. "Yes. Not that it matters. We're screwed either way." He angrily hit the side of the copter with his hand. "Claire and Elliott are bound to be a good distance away before we get back in the air."
Jessica shifted her weight. "Don't be so negative, Ray. I have a good feeling they won't make it far."
"You know something I don't?"
She raised her gun and made a show of blowing over the barrel as though she was cooling it. "Yeah. That you should have faith in me."
9:54 pm
Once she finished patching Elliott up, Claire settled into the seat next to him. She drank in her surroundings and her hand linked with his. "I can't believe we made it," she said.
"As wonderful as it is being on the outside, it'll be better if we keep it that way," Elliott said. "Should get moving again after so long." He nodded toward their supply box. "Maybe increase our odds while we're at it. Has to be a phone in there somewhere."
"I'll look," she groaned as she got up. She crouched over their supplies with the flashlight, but a glint off to the side of the box quickly caught her attention. She redirected the light and immediately reacted with, "Shit!"
Elliott turned to look at her in alarm. "Claire?"
She shoved the flashlight at him and reached for the frying pan she'd carried from the apartment. She was frantically trying to bail out the water flooding the interior of the boat even as her companion became aware of it. Though it was obvious what was happening, she still gave voice to it. "We're sinking!"
9:56 pm
Questioning Irving on what happened put Dr. Yamata in a very foul mood. She eventually got irritated enough with him to order him out of the room, though she did order him not to go far. In the meantime, she went to review the surveillance feeds in the minutes before the power-out, in search of some clue on how the escapees had gotten away so easily.
After nearly an hour with no update, Dr. Yamata was antsy enough to place a call to Jessica. "Tell me you've caught them," the virologist said tersely once Jessica picked up.
"We're working on it," Jessica answered. "Our vehicle's been temporarily disabled, but…"
Dr. Yamata's nostrils flared. "Save it," she interrupted. "When we speak again, you better have some good news for me." She hung up and set the phone down, then returned to scrutinizing the surveillance videos.
9:57 pm
Once it became apparent that the water was seeping in faster than they could bail it out, Elliott returned to the controls and restarted the engine to get them to shore. The one thing that agitated Claire the most – once they'd made it onto solid ground – was that they were forced to choose what they were going to take with them. We can't afford to be weighed down too much or we won't get far, she thought to try and calm herself.
She grinned when she found a cellphone buried near the bottom of the storage box. She flipped it open to dial a number, only to be disappointed again. "No signal. Figures," she said aloud.
"We can worry about that later," Elliott said. "And I think we've gone through everything. Are we good to go?"
Claire threw a last lingering glance at the canned food they'd have to leave behind. She sighed deeply and nodded. "We're good."
"Okay," Elliott said. He took her pack from her and set both bags on the ground several feet away. "Then time to submerge our ride so they can't find it."
She was forced to get her feet wet to heft the boat away from the shore. The current caught it in no time and jerked it away from her and Elliott. For several seconds, they lingered to make sure the vehicle was going under – only to be disappointed when the front end suddenly raised up as though the vehicle had plowed into something.
"Damn it!" Claire hissed when the boat showed no signs of budging from whatever it had gotten wedged on. She took a step forward and gasped when Elliott seized her by the arm.
"Forget it, Redfield. It's stuck. Same as we'll be if we don't get moving."
She sighed again and slumped her shoulders. What I wouldn't give for a lucky break after this.
10:33 pm
Jessica was in good spirits once the copter was operational again, even if it did take time for Raymond to fix the problem. Once they were back over the river, she surveyed the area like a hawk and watched for any sign of the escapees.
Her spirits were raised even more when the spotlight illuminated a half-sunken boat in the middle of the river. She quickly alerted her partner and he responded by setting the copter to hover over the area.
Surveying the riverbank with the spotlight revealed footprints along the shore and indentations in the nearby grass. With a grin, Jessica said, "At least we know which way they've gone."
Raymond turned slightly to look at her. "Wouldn't celebrate until we've actually caught them."
Jessica smirked. "Care to make a wager on low long it will take to catch up with them?"
He clenched his jaw and faced forward. "Not particularly."
10:41 pm
Though Claire had anticipated such a thing, it still worked her last nerve when she heard the distant thwack-thwack-thwack of helicopter blades. She'd at least hoped that she and Elliott would find a decent place to hide before the pursuit resumed.
She wasn't fully aware that she'd stopped and turned – frozen in terror – until Elliott tightened his grip on her hand.
"We need to keep moving, Claire," he said tersely.
She nodded and scanned the area for anything that could conceal them. When she didn't see any means of cover, Wesker's voice sounded once more in her head: There's no place to hide, dearheart. I commend you for making it this far, but it's over.
The disparagement made her angry and fueled her determination to try. She surveyed their surroundings once more and spotted what looked like a stream past a rocky area.
Claire pointed and told Elliott, "That way. The stream will cover our tracks. Maybe we can shake them."
He half smiled. "There's a chance. The odds have been in our favor so far."
She led the way toward their goal, moving swiftly but carefully once they got to the rocky shoal. But it was hard to ignore the copter when she heard it getting closer. Without breaking stride, she looked over her shoulder to assess the distance between them and their pursuers.
Shifting her focus for a couple seconds cost her when she tripped and fell. Claire hit the ground with a grunt and winced when she cut her arm on the sharp edge of a stone.
Elliott crouched next to her and grasped her shoulder. "Claire?!" he said anxiously.
She shifted to look at him. "I'm fine," she said as she maneuvered to get up. Though she'd healed instantaneously, she was sure that some of her blood had splattered on the rocks. All her instincts were screaming at her to clean it up for fear of a potential biohazard, but escape was more important.
Elliott pointed his flashlight off to the side and extended a hand to help her up. But her attention was caught by something more vital. She put a hand to his arm and gestured for him to turn around.
He sprung into action seconds after he saw the hollow space just beneath one of the rocks. He removed his pack and crammed it in first, asking for hers at the same time.
He scrambled under next at her insistence – better to see if he could fit before she tried. He could only shimmy under so much and had to lay flat on his back. Much as she hated it, there wasn't much room left for her.
She threw an anxious glance at the approaching copter and thought, Fuck it! She dropped onto her side and scooted in after him facing outward.
Fear coursed through her when she saw that their struggle to hide had kicked up a good amount of dust. She had barely registered this before the copter's spotlight flashed over their location.
Claire froze and her breath caught in her throat. Time seemed to slow down while she waited for the light to veer back over their hiding spot. There's no way they could have missed seeing the disturbance. They're going to find us!
When the copter halted, she shrank further into the crevice until her body pressed firmly against Elliott's. She cupped a hand over her mouth, fearful of making even the slightest sound as she watched the spotlight moving back and forth across the landscape. Her fear spiked when the light flashed once more over their hiding spot, but there was surprisingly no indication that they'd been spotted.
She couldn't say how long the copter hovered overhead, but it was long enough for her to develop several cramps. She didn't dare shift to ease her discomfort, she was so scared.
Claire could scarcely believe it when the copter finally moved, only to stop again over the stream. Half a minute passed before it veered north – she let out a breath when it did. They lost us! They don't know where we are!
Elliott grasped her arm and gave it a squeeze. He sounded just as relieved as she felt when he said, "We did it, Redfield. We're out!"
Even though the copter was leaving, she was a bit reluctant to move but told herself, We can always hide again if Raymond and Jessica come back. It felt good to stretch and rejoice over the fact they'd beaten the odds. Once on her feet, Claire closed her eyes and breathed in the night air with a sense of peace.
Her fiancée pulled her in for a hug once he'd worked out whatever kinks he had. When he remarked that they were on their way home, she leaned back, cupped his face in her hands, and pressed her lips to his. And tried her best to ignore the thought that crossed her mind: Now you're definitely going to have to tell him you don't love him.
11:17 pm
Jessica was about ready to pull her hair out when the search for Claire and Elliott went nowhere. She and Raymond had scoured both sides of the stream, but there was no sign of the escapees nor any trail to follow. "Damn it! How could we have lost them?"
Raymond didn't say anything, but he didn't need to. She could tell just by looking at him that he was stressed.
She sank onto the deck of the copter and crossed her arms. "What are we going to do now?"
He sighed. "We'll have to head back to base."
"Empty-handed? Dr. Yamata will kill us!"
"Maybe not. Irving also screwed up, remember?" Raymond said. He paused, then added, "Our fuel's not going to last. We have to head back."
Jessica rubbed her eyes. "Fuck!"
He turned the copter to take them west. "We're not dead yet, Jess. Claire and Elliott are still on foot. And odds are good we'll have a fresh trail to follow later."
11:48 pm
After near an hour passed since they had last seen the copter, Claire and Elliott decided it was safe to move. What halted them momentarily was her insistence to inject him with a serum dose before they started running.
"Dr. Yamata said I could go longer between doses," Elliott stated. "It can wait, Redfield."
She shook her head. "Not when we don't know anything about the terrain or if we'll need to hide again. I'd rather be safe than sorry."
"Fair enough," he said with a sigh. He went to sit on a nearby rock, set his pack down and rummaged for an elastic band and thee serum container.
Even with the moon and the flashlight as sources of illumination, it was still a bit difficult to see what she was doing. Claire had to be very careful to make sure she got the vein. Once she removed the syringe and capped it, she said, "Remind me to sterilize this before we use it again."
Elliott chuckled as she applied a band-aid over the injection site. "Is that really necessary? It's not like I'll get sicker," he said lightly.
She wasn't in the mood for joking. "Just humor me, Elliott." She started to pack up their supplies – simultaneously wondering if she'd thoroughly cleaned up the blood spill from when she'd hurt herself – and nearly jerked around to hit him when he touched her shoulder.
There was a concerned expression on his face when she relaxed her stance and turned to look at him. "It's okay, Claire. It's over. We made it out." He gently pulled her into his embrace. "There's nothing to be afraid of now."
She sighed and told herself to relax. She lay her head on his shoulder and tried to remember how it felt to be free.
"Do you want to check the phone?" he asked. "See if we have a signal?"
Good idea. She nodded, stepped back, and kneeled down to search through her pack. The single bar on the phone enlightened her. "Success," she told him. "Been a while since I called my brother. Let's hope I'm not rusty on the number."
"Or that he hasn't changed it," Elliott said half jokingly.
Claire turned to hide her frown and started to punch in the area code and number. The words "no service" appeared on the screen before she could finish dialing. "Shit!" she blurted out.
He stepped closer to see what was up. "Not a problem. Just move around, Redfield, and we should get the signal back," he said encouragingly.
She sighed and thought, Worth a try. She slowly started to step over the rocks, intently focused on the phone. A smile rose to her lips when the single bar reappeared, but she took a couple more steps for fear it would go away again.
Elliott called for her to stop too late. Her foot caught on an upraised stone and she stumbled. He was quick to close the distance between them to steady her, but the phone slipped from her fingers before she regained her balance.
Her heart sank when she heard it clatter against the stones – it definitely sounded like something broke. The screen was dark when she picked the phone up. Reinserting the battery didn't make it turn back on.
"Shit!" she blurted out for the second time in two minutes.
11:52 pm
Dr. Yamata was waiting for Jessica and her partner just outside the entrance to the facility. As expected, the virologist wasn't the least bit happy. "You let them get away," Dr. Yamata said flatly.
"Not precisely," Raymond said when Jessica faltered. "We sank their boat. They're on foot."
Dr. Yamata blinked. "Then explain to me how you lost them."
Jessica gulped and quickly ran through the sequence of events. "Raymond and I will be heading out again at first light to pick up the trail. We made sure to record the coordinates where we know they were last."
The virologist scowled. "Six to seven hours is a long time to wait."
Raymond crossed his arms. "Again, they're on foot. And out in the middle of nowhere." He paused. "Even if by some chance they make it to the nearest tribal village, they won't find anything to help them get further away."
Jessica smirked. "Yeah. What he said."
He cleared his throat. "What did the boss say when you notified him?"
"Wesker doesn't know of this yet," Dr. Yamata said.
Jessica's eyes widened. "Excuse me?!"
Dr. Yamata's scowl deepened. "Firstly, he hasn't had much time to smooth things over with our client – he's only been over there nine hours, tops. Secondly, it is not my responsibility to tell him if this isn't fixed – I'm leaving that to one of you." She paused. "In fact, you may start by calling Excella."
Jessica rubbed her eyes and thought, That's going to be a fun conversation. Out loud, she asked, "What about Irving? What'd he have to say?"
"That he has no idea how this could have happened. Or so he says." Dr. Yamata focused on Jessica. "It is rather convenient that he nodded off when he did," she said in a dark tone. "And that the escapees got out so easily. I reviewed the security feeds. They were packed and ready to go when the power failed. They knew this was going to happen."
Jessica recoiled at the implication. "Are you fucking serious?! You think I had something to do with this?"
"They had help from someone, Miss Sherawat."
"Not. Me," Jessica emphasized.
Raymond took a step forward and rested a hand on Jessica's arm. "Now's not the time to lose perspective, Doc. If Claire and Elliott had aid, it wasn't from any of us. There has to be some other explanation that makes sense." He paused. "We can speculate and point fingers all we want, but the only true way to get answers is to get them back."
Dr. Yamata was silent for several seconds before she relaxed her stance. "A fair point, Mr. Vester. But I still must insist that one of you contact Excella. She should know that she will be compromised should Miss Redfield get in touch with her brother."
December 24, 2007 – 12:11 am
As they wandered along the edge of the stream, Elliott was debating if he should say something to Claire. She was acting so agitated that he wondered if she was mad at him.
With a sigh, he decided to chance it. "Losing the phone doesn't mean we're—"
She cut him off. "I don't want to talk about it, Elliott!"
"Fine. As long as you don't take it out on me."
She stopped and turned to face him. "What are you—That's not what I'm doing!"
"Then what are you doing, Redfield? Because I get the feeling you're angry with me."
A few seconds passed before her shoulders slumped and her expression softened. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean—" She sighed. "You don't deserve to be treated this way."
"You don't owe me an apology. I can understand you lashing out because you're stressed." He stepped close to rub her shoulder. "Setbacks aside, we're out. And so what if it takes us longer to find our way home? As long as we cover our tracks from here on out, there's no way we're going back to that place."
Elliott could have sworn he saw her flinch before she moved in to hug him. Maybe she won't believe we're safe until she knows for sure we're beyond Wesker's reach. We're still pretty close to his base of operations.
He rubbed her back and said soothingly, "We're going to be okay, Claire. As long as we keep moving and follow RogueChild's directions to the nearest town, Wesker can't touch us anymore."
There was a shadow on her face when she stepped back and she looked as though she wanted to say something. Both faded away when she shook her head. "Then let's get moving," she answered with a soft smile.
12:16 am
Talking to Excella left Jessica with a pounding headache—she couldn't decide if it was because of all the yelling or because it took some time to dissuade Excella from calling Wesker. Her boss' last words were ringing in Jessica's head well after the call ended: "I'm flying back out there, Miss Sherawat! And this better be resolved by the time I arrive!"
Jessica leaned back in her chair and rubbed her forehead. She turned to look at Raymond when his phone beeped—he was staring at the screen with a frown. "What?" she asked tiredly. "She send you a text just for the hell of it?"
He pocketed his cell and crossed his arms. "Something like that. Nothing worse than an employer on the rampage."
"Tell me about it." She paused. "I don't like the idea of waiting until morning to get back out there. Maybe we should—"
He cut her off. "Get some sleep," he said pointedly. "We're more likely to miss something if we're fatigued."
Jessica sighed. "Fine. Would you mind grabbing me some aspirin then?"
He nodded. "Sit tight. I'll be back soon."
1:53 am
Each step away from the facility bolstered Claire's confidence that they would make it. Especially when there was no sign the pursuit was resuming. She did tense up when she heard a helicopter, until she realized it was a good distance away in front of them.
What really bothered her was when she started yawning. Elliott noticed the first one and suggested stopping, but she said no. She stifled several more yawns, but there was no disguising the moment where she closed her eyes and nearly collapsed.
Elliott was scooping her into his arms when she regained consciousness even though he had to be just as fatigued. "That's enough, Redfield," he said when their eyes met. "I'm finding us a place to settle in for the night."
"We can't," she protested.
He shook his head. "Relax, Claire. It's been three hours since we last saw Raymond and Jessica. If they've been up as long as we have, they need rest too. I think we're safe."
She yawned again. "If you're wrong, I'll never forgive you," she said tiredly.
He smiled warmly. "I'll find us a decent hiding spot and make sure to cover our tracks. Trust me."
She hesitated, then settled into his arms and allowed sleep to catch her.
2:32 am
As resolved as Elliott was to get himself and Claire to safety, carrying her was quickly wearing him down. He was tempted to stop a couple times – first by several trees that wouldn't provide much cover, second at a field of tall grass. Fear of getting caught while resting was sufficient to spur him on.
Coming across a rundown straw hut near the stream filled him with a sense of relief. A quick glance inside showed him the structure looked like it had been abandoned for some time – patches of the straw roof were missing and there were more than a few spiderwebs.
He took time to get Claire situated on a blanket outside while he cleaned out the interior. She thankfully didn't stir when he set her down.
It wasn't long before he took her inside the hut, moving slowly so he wouldn't disturb her. He breathed a sigh of relief when they were resting side by side on a blanket spread over the wooden planks and he gently draped one arm over her.
"Sleep well, Redfield. We're going to be alright. I promise," he murmured before he closed his eyes and attempted to get some rest. "I'll do whatever it takes to get us home."
6:48 am
After a year of waking up in the same room, it was disorienting to be roused by a stream of water falling on her. Claire shifted and opened her eyes with a groan. She spent several seconds trying to comprehend where she was before the memory came back.
She took a deep breath and felt at peace while she drank everything in. The dilapidated archaic dwelling. The steady drone of the rainstorm outside. The deluge seeping in from a broken thatch roof. Elliott's arm around her.
All of it felt wonderful.
After a couple minutes, she shifted again to escape the leaky ceiling. Elliott was roused when she did so.
"Hey, Redfield," he said groggily. "Sleep alright?"
She turned to look at him. "I did. Thanks. I needed it."
He smirked. "Told ya."
"Don't let it go to your head, Romeo." She pulled out of his grasp, sat up, and grabbed the flashlight to shine it over her watch. "We should probably get moving again before daybreak."
He blinked and lifted his head to get a better look at her. "Sorry you got all wet. Did you want to get changed?"
"Not much point if I'm just going to get soaked again."
"Fair enough." Elliott sat up and stretched. "Looks like we caught a lucky break with the weather. Our chances of making it just went up exponentially."
"Only if we hustle. I want to be miles away before Wesker gets back."
It was almost as if speaking his name triggered his voice in her head. Amusing that you think any distance will prevent me from finding you, dearheart.
Claire grimaced as she turned away from Elliott. She hated that she couldn't stop imagining how Wesker would react to a given situation. It was ironic that she still hadn't escaped him even though she'd broken out.
She clenched her jaw as she pulled on her backpack. I look forward to the day where I get you to shut up.
7:02 am
Jessica's heart sank when she saw it had started raining during the night, but her discouragement didn't last long before inspiration struck. "Get the copter ready," she told Raymond. "I just need to grab something from inside. Won't be long."
Her partner was casually leaned against the side of the copter with his arms crossed when she ascended onto the helipad half an hour later. He chuckled when he saw what she was holding. "Is that—" he started.
"Thermal rifle, yeah," she answered. "Should help narrow the search with any luck." She stepped forward. "Are we ready to go?"
Raymond cleared his throat and moved to climb into the pilot seat. He pushed off the hood of his poncho as he fired up the vehicle. "Good thing they couldn't have made it far," she heard him say as she climbed into the middle of the copter.
7:52 am
Claire and Elliott had only been on the move for twenty minutes before it started raining more fiercely. Both soon agreed that the downpour made it hard to see where they were going and they'd better seek shelter.
Though it was storming, there was a benefit to it now being light enough to better see their surroundings – especially when they started wandering through a gulch. Even still, Claire had to wipe water from her face several times to be sure she was seeing a break in the rock face.
The opening yielded a very small cave. Not very roomy, but at least it would give them shelter for the time being.
Elliott dug his watch from his pack once they'd gotten settled. "Still functioning," he told her. "And it's good we stopped. I'm due for another dose."
Claire hesitated and chastised herself for forgetting about that. "Maybe we should jot down the times to keep track. It'd be too easy to lose sight of it out here."
He nodded and rummaged through both their packs in search of some towels and his serum kit. "So how does it feel to be free?" he asked as he handed her a towel.
She sighed as she started to dry off. "I'm glad to be out of there. But I wouldn't call it freedom until we're with someone we can trust." She paused. "I know Wesker well enough to say he won't give up without a fight."
"He's going to be disappointed then." Elliott draped his towel over his shoulders once his face and hair were dry. "Even Wesker can't be everywhere at once. And it will take him time to come back from wherever he went."
"Assuming he's not already on his way."
Elliott chuckled. "If you were a team member of his, would you be eager to tell him without fixing the problem?"
"Probably not." She shivered when a breeze came through the cavern. "We should get out of these clothes. Wouldn't do to get sick."
He chuckled again, but still pulled off his shirt. "I know you can't cause of the healing factor, but can I even catch cold?"
Claire unbuttoned her shirt and shrugged it off her shoulders. "Don't know but don't want to put it to the test either." She was starting to undo her jeans when he drew in a sharp intake of breath. The way he was looking at her—now that both of them were partially undressed—spoke volumes. Way to complicate things, Redfield, she chided herself.
She nervously looked away, reached for the serum case, and said, "Let's get you taken care of."
Claire couldn't tell if it was due to the chill or nerves, but her hands were shaking when she opened the case. She froze when she saw something unexpected stuffed in there along with the vials and syringes. She gingerly grasped one of the condom packets and held it up, a hint of anger in her eyes. "What the hell's this?"
He grinned sheepishly. "Surprise."
9:34 am
It was disappointing that the thermal rifle did nothing to help them locate the escapees. Jessica had thought twice that she'd pinpointed where their quarry was. But each time Raymond brought them close enough to see, it only turned out to be members of a local African tribe that resided in a nearby village.
Her partner eventually landed the copter so they wouldn't waste more fuel than was necessary. For a long while, Jessica cried frustrated tears with the rifle laid sideways across her lap and her feet up on the dash. "This can't be happening," she said at last.
Raymond turned his head in her direction. "There's not much more we can do, Jess." He sighed. "We tried, but it's over. We're going to have to call the boss to notify him."
She shook her head. "I really don't want to make that call."
"Neither do I. But he'll be more furious if we put it off."
She gnawed at her lip. "Coin toss?" she asked after a short silence.
Raymond sighed again and dug a quarter from his pants pocket. "Call it."
"Tails."
He flicked the coin in the air and caught it against the back of his hand. He grimaced when he looked at it and said, "Fuck!"
Jessica quietly watched her partner as he dug out his cell and dialed Wesker's number. The call was picked up almost instantaneously.
"It's me," Raymond said tersely. "Hate to say it, but we've got a huge problem."
She listened solemnly as her partner summed up the situation. A few seconds passed before he winced and slowly lowered his cell with a sickened expression.
"What'd he say?" she asked.
Raymond looked at her. "If I have to hazard a guess—I think he just crushed his phone."