"Ah! Damn!" BJ cursed, flinching as nimble fingers gently worked over the massive bruise on his chest.
Before leaving for the clocktower he and Claire had decided to check their supplies after using up so many bullets against the black clad giant. While they were counting rounds, the Marine ended up turning a wrong way and held his side when pain flared across his ribs.
Claire had seen this and immediately had him sit down so she could check him over. Fighting down a deep blush when BJ removed his shirt, showing his fit and muscled upper half from his time in the military.
The young Redfield ran her fingers carefully along the Marine's ribs, wincing when she saw the black and purple tinted skin. "Looks bad, but I don't think anything's broken." she said as she finished checking the last rib.
"Lucky. That thing was strong and damn near unstoppable." said BJ while pulling his shirt back on, much to Claire's disappointment. "Whatever, or whoever, made that thing certainly had the intention of making a living tank. Doubt anything we got could kill it." He looked at his partner expectantly.
"...what?" she asked after a moment or two.
"Your turn. If memory serves, that bastard put you through a table." the Marine stated.
Claire hesitated a moment before sighing, knowing she didn't have a leg to stand on after the small argument they had to check on his injuries.
Switching places, the young Redfield removed her red leather jacket and leaving her in a black tank top that hugged her chest snuggly.
Swallowing down the dry lump in his throat, BJ shook himself and focused on his companion's upper back and shoulders. There were signs of bruising on her fair skin, but the thick material of her jacket had saved her from any cuts from going through the table.
From her seat, Claire smiled to herself knowing that he had been checking her out. Getting a sense of satisfaction in the knowledge that he showed signs of being attracted to her.
She'd gotten a fair amount of attention from boys since junior high. But either Chris or her own tomboyish tendencies had driven them off over the years. Most were drawn in by her looks, but they didn't expect who she was beneath that which in the end had turned her away from the idea of dating. There were a rare few that approached her full of arrogance, those particular SOBs were put in their place the hard way.
But right now, despite the situation they were in, Claire couldn't help but feel butterflies in her stomach with the looks and smiles she got from BJ. They had bonded so much ever since they first met at that gas station, he didn't treat her like some weak damsel, but as an equal. That combined with his charm, charisma and the tenderness he showed to his little sister made him stand out more than any male before him.
So lost in her thoughts, she suddenly gasped when she felt warm, calloused hands on her bare shoulders.
"Sorry. Did I hit something?" BJ asked, looking up from his examination of her bruising.
"N-No...just surprised me there." Claire admitted, her cheeks reddening as he checked her over again. The color darkened more as he moved his hands along her back, feeling for anything out of place along her spine. The brunette sank her teeth into her bottom lip, doing her best to keep from making a sound.
His touch was firm, but gentle. Even though he was making sure she didn't have internal damage, she couldn't help but enjoy what she was feeling. It took all her strength to avoid sighing in bliss.
Though the feeling didn't last long as BJ removed his hands from her form. "I recommend avoid being thrown through anymore tables. Otherwise you were right, you're tougher than you look." he said in a light, joking manner.
"Were you doubting me?" Claire teased back, using the time to get her heart and blushing back under control.
"After all the shit we've been through tonight. I'll never doubt you." the Marine answered without hesitation.
The brunette stood and faced him, sending a beaming smile his way that had the former soldier's breath stilling. Even though she looked a little roughed up, that smile made her look like a movie star. And it took all his self control to avoid tasting her soft lips.
They stood with their eyes locked, blue on blue, for what felt like minutes when it was only a second or two. Quickly breaking contact, they got back to the matter at hand.
"So what do we do?" asked Claire as she pulled her jacket back on.
BJ gathered his freshly loaded weapons from the main desk, "We get that missing part, then get the hell out of here. But we're going to need more firepower. So we need to head back to the STARS office and get into that gun locker first."
Claire nodded and started gathering her weapons as well while BJ went over to where Sherry was asleep on one of the cots set up in the lobby, curled up in his uniform jacket with her hands clutching something.
Curious, he knelt down next to her and got a better look. Attached to a chain around Sherry's neck was an oval shaped pendant only a bit bigger than a half-dollar
The Marine reached out and gently shook his sister awake. "Sherry? I wish I could let you sleep, angel. But we gotta go."
Sherry blinked her eyes open and yawned before sitting up. "So tired." she mumbled while rubbing her eyes.
"I know, Sher. I just need you to hang in there for a little longer, okay." BJ said, understanding how exhausted she must be. He looked down at the pendant she was still holding, "That's a nice necklace, baby sis."
"Mom gave it to me for my 11th birthday." she replied, holding it out to him to reveal it had her name engraved in it.
"It's pretty." said Claire after joining the siblings and seeing the necklace.
Sherry nodded with a sad look, "It's nice...but the only thing I wanted for my birthday was for mom and dad to be home."
BJ scowled, eyes darkening as a deep seeded anger boiled in his veins. If there was one thing he regretted about joining the Marines, it was that he left his sister pretty much alone.
William and Annette Birkin were a lot of things. Intelligent, dedicated and masters in their fields of study...but the one thing they weren't was parents. Even when he and Sherry were little they hardly ever saw them, always focused on their carriers instead of their children. BJ had to take the role of big brother and pseudo parent for his sister, sacrificing a great deal of his upbringing so that she would have someone there when she needed it.
He never regretted any of it. And he had the memories of seeing Sherry grow up and be a major part of a lot of milestones in her life. But any trust or respect he would have had for their folks had died long ago.
And that resentment still burned hotter than the sun to this day.
Mentally repeating his mantra, BJ managed to calm down and smiled at his sister. "Sorry I wasn't there to surprise you, Sherry."
His sister smiled back, "It's okay. I re-read a lot of your letters that day. It made me feel better."
Another lance of fury burned through BJ's core, but he stomped down on it for the time being. Instead he helped his sister up from the cot. Claire could instantly tell that the Marine was angry and was hiding it well, vowing to ask him about it later as they filed out of the lobby and back into the dark halls beyond.
X
Save for a couple of zombies that had been laying in wait, the trio managed to make it to the STARS office with no real difficulty despite their low ammo supply.
Claire took out the badge-dongle they found in Irons' office and plugged it into the computer set up beside the locked weapon cage. A few seconds and a couple keystrokes later, the heavy door unlocked allowing them entry.
Once inside, the oldest of the trio immediately began going through every box, locker and cabinet in sight. BJ removed the AR-15 and the MQ-11 machine pistol from the weapon rack and put them on one of the desks while Claire followed with boxes of bullets she'd found.
Sherry helped them as they also found rig harnesses and belts for their supplies. BJ grabbed a black STARS tactical vest and slipped it on, slipping ammo clips in the proper pockets while Claire snapped on a shoulder rig and holster.
"Guess we should be thankful the locker was so hard to get into." the Marine stated, snapping a holographic sight onto the top rail of the assault rifle and adjusted it for accuracy. "The STARS were well armed."
"Too bad it couldn't help anyone else." Claire added, snapping a clip into her new machine pistol and slipping it into her new shoulder holster before doing the same with her sidearm into the one on her right thigh.
When they were finished, the duo looked ready to take on whatever got in their way.
"You guys look so cool." said Sherry, causing the older duo to laugh.
"Not looking too bad yourself, little sis. You can definitely pull off camouflage." said BJ.
Their task done, they reviewed their map quickly before leaving the office. Being sure to check for anything that could have been laying in wait while they were inside. The Licker that had been out there the first time they passed through had moved on, to where none of them knew as long as it wasn't nearby.
Making their way through the library and back out into the lobby's second floor. Only to freeze where they stood when they heard heavy footsteps from somewhere nearby.
BJ quickly crouched low, sticking close to the shadows with the girls following his example. On the ground floor, they could see the black-clad giant stomping his way across the marble floor. Stopping long enough to look around before moving again, searching.
Bringing the AR-15 to his shoulder and centering the holographic sight on their pursuer's head, BJ motioned to Claire and Sherry to keep moving but to stay low.
Nodding, the young Redfield took Sherry's hand and led her across the balcony to the door that would take them inside the clocktower. The Marine remained where he was, tracking the giant to be sure that he didn't get too close to where they were. He doubted the 5.56 rounds would do any better against it, but it would hopefully distract it enough to slip away.
"Psst." BJ looked to his left and saw Claire with the door open, waving him over. He sent one last look at the giant before carefully moving over to his partner and slipping through the door. Closing it quietly.
"Mr. X doesn't give up, does he?" said the brunette in a whisper.
"Mr. X?" BJ asked with a raised eyebrow.
Claire shrugged, "Figured he needed a name. He definitely looks like something that belongs in the X-Files."
The Marine couldn't help but agree before he looked around them. The clocktower's interior was as old as the whole building itself, and it showed with the old wood covered floors and walkways.
Giving the room a once over, searching for the missing panel piece they needed, the small group stopped beneath a flight of stairs that would take them farther up when they found nothing. But it was raised and out of reach.
"There's gotta be a lever or something nearby." said Claire as BJ scanned the upper rafters with his flashlight, catching the brightly colored tool box a couple levels up in the center where the tower's bell hung.
"Over here!" Sherry called out, drawing the adults to where the girl was standing in front of an old pulley system. "One of the cogs is missing. If we replace it, it should lower the stairs."
"How do you know that, Sherry?" asked her brother.
The little blonde smiled, "I did a school project on the old clock tower after we had a field trip here once. Everything in here works through old motors like this." she explained.
Looking around, they managed to find a replacement cog for the one that was missing and fitted it into place. A pull of a nearby level had the gears turning and the steps lowering to their level.
"Good work, sis." BJ said with pride which had Sherry beaming. They moved up to the upper walkway. The tool box was still out of their reach, but the Marine quickly came up with a plan.
Slinging his rifle over his shoulder, he knelt down and cupped his hands. Giving Claire a boost up where she reached through the bars surrounding the bell and got the toolbox.
"It's too big!" she called down when she couldn't get the metal box through the bars.
BJ raised her up a little more to where her feet were now on his shoulders. "See if you can get it open. All we need is the part!" he said back, hands holding her legs to keep her stable.
The young Redfield put her other arm through and undid the latch on the tool box and opened it. Going through the contents and finding the component they were looking for. "I got it!" she said, holding up the piece.
A loud snap had their heads shooting upward. The old rope that was holding the bell aloft started to break and unravel, unable to sustain the weight of the heavy antique after not being repaired when it should have.
"CLAIR LOOKOUT!" BJ shouted, throwing them both back as the bell broke free and came crashing down. Smashing through the wooden blanks set up beneath it and hitting the floor below with a loud crash.
Sherry peeked out from behind a nearby panel where she had taken cover, seeing all the dust that had been kicked up when the bell collapsed. "Billy? Claire?" she called out, trying to see them through the small cloud that started to settle.
Two sets of coughing was heard and the older duo were shown laid out on the walkway. BJ laying on top of Claire, having caught her and rolled over to shield them both from the debris with her face buried in his shoulder.
The Marine raised his head and looked down at the brunette when the danger had passed, "You okay?"
Claire nodded, a little breathless after the sudden turn of events. "Yeah, thanks for that."
A quick moment passed before they realized the position they were in. Their faces barely an inch apart with BJ settled between Claire's long legs, cradled by her shapely hips.
Their faces turned atomic red, which grew worse when they heard Sherry giggling a few feet away which prompted them to untangle from each other and scramble back to their feet like teenagers that had been caught in a broom closet.
It took a little while for the awkwardness to pass before they decided to get going. The last panel part in hand, they were more than ready to get out of there.
Venturing back to the door that led to the lobby, BJ pulled open the door-
Immediately stopping cold when a massive figure stood at the threshold waiting for them.
"FUCK!" The Marine slammed the door just as the newly named Mr. X's fist smashed through it, missing his head by only a little. "RUN!"
They ran in the opposite direction as the giant tore the door off its hinges and stomped after them. Claire kicked the door at the other end of the large room open and they entered the hallway that took them to the attic where they got the last medallion from.
Slamming the door behind them, BJ grabbed a nearby shelf and threw it down in front of it to give them more time before they started running again. Rounding the corner and gaining the attention of a Licker that had been sleeping in the old hallway.
The creature shrieked at them and prepared to leap when a small barrage of 5.56 and .380 rounds tore into its flesh and dropped it to the floor. Not dead, but stunned enough for the humans to run past it in the direction of the stairwell.
Crawling back upright, the Licker hissed at the retreating group before a massive hand grabbed the back of its neck. Mr. X lifting the flailing creature up and smashing it against the wall hard enough to break the surface and splatter the Licker's skull across it. His face emotionless as he dropped the body and continued the pursuit.
X
A lone zombie looked up when running footsteps were heard above it. Growling with primitive hunger when it saw BJ, Claire and Sherry coming down the stairs fast and reaching out at them.
BJ jumped from the last step, drop-kicking the undead in the chest and sending it into the wall behind it with enough force to crack the back of its head. Without stopping they kept running, slamming doors open along the way until the reached the ground floor to the lobby.
"We gotta get back to Irons' office!" BJ shouted as they ran to the open shutter door across from them.
A crash behind them had them spinning around to see Mr. X coming out of the room they just came out of.
"Fucking Christ!" the Marine shouted as he and Claire fired on the giant. Aiming for his head and legs in an attempt to slow him down while they backed up until they were through the large door.
Claire adjusted her aim and shot the fuse box powering the shutters. The light switched to red as the metal door came slamming down and sealing shut. "I doubt that will stop him long, keep moving!" she said just as a massive dent was made from the otherside.
They tore through the rest of the station, taking out any undead that got in their way as they made it back to the police chief's office. BJ started grabbing anything heavy and began barricading the door.
"Claire! You and Sherry get that pass, I'll cover the door!" he said, swapping the magazine in his AR-15 and taking position in the middle of the room. The brunette and his sister quickly ran through the other door to get what they needed.
A tense silence filled the office, the Marine remained in a kneeling position with his rifle aimed at the barricaded door, finger tight against the trigger with adrenaline coursing through his veins.
For a brief moment in time, he was back overseas. The calm before a firefight with danger just around the corner. He would be lying if he said he missed the feeling.
Seconds ticked by and there were no sounds other than BJ's careful breathing and the thundering of his heart beat in his ears. Before he knew it Claire and Sherry came back into the office with the parking pass.
"Elevator." BJ said simply before they went out the hidden door at the back of the room and back toward the personal lift that would take them back to the parking garage. Riding the small platform down to the ground floor and making a b-line to the gate that would get them out of there.
Claire swiped the card over the panel, the gate started raising and they quickly bailed out into the street outside. The rain had let up to a light drizzle, the air a little colder, but a relief to the smell of blood and death inside the station.
Once they were a safe distance from the gate, in the street amongst a handful of derelict cars, the trio stopped long enough to catch their breath. "I haven't run that much since track in high school." said Claire.
"At least it's good cardio." replied BJ, keeping his eyes locked on the gate to the parking garage as it lowered back to the ground and locked. Once he was sure nothing was coming out after them, he looked around the empty street, taking in all the dark and boarded up storefronts. Thankfully, the only zombies in sight were the ones milling behind a gated fence leading into an alley next to the old gun shop.
"We're going to need to find a place to hole up and think of our next move. We're completely exposed out here." said the Marine.
"How about the orphanage?" He looked at Clare confused before she removed a file from under her jacket. "I found this on the desk under the parking pass. It looks like Irons set up an escape plan when things went bad." she said, handing the file to BJ.
Thumbing through the contents, he saw a lot of notes, most of which was paranoid rambling about Umbrella, his parents, and getting revenge on them all. But then he saw a small printout of a blueprint of the old orphanage a street over.
Much like many of the buildings in Raccoon City, the place had been around a long time and had gone through a lot of improvements over the years. From what BJ was seeing, Irons had highlighted what looked like a secret passage beneath the orphanage that led to the sewers.
It was a long shot, but it was the best they were going to get.
"I know a way to get there from here. But if this is Irons' plan to escape the city, then chances are that he's there right now after he got away before." said BJ seriously. "We get there, be ready for anything."
Claire and Sherry both nodded before the Marine led them to the gated alleyway. The two zombies there noticed their approach and reached for them only to be put down with a headshot each. With the immediate threat out of the way, they entered the alley and headed toward their next objective that would hopefully lead them out of this nightmare once and for all.
Unknown to them, back at the parking garage, Mr. X stood watching them as they departed. His large hands grabbing the gate and wrenching it up from the ground, causing the motor for it to spark and smoke.
His heavy footsteps could be heard echoing through the night as he followed his target.
X
A/N: Sadly, the nightmare is far from over.
There were a couple of questions revolving around my next Resident Evil project and I'm willing to answer them here and now;
Even though the RE3 remake has some mixed reviews at the moment, it will play a big part of the story. However, the whole fic itself will go through the days leading up to RE1, the events after including the fall of Raccoon City, and will have elements of the third game, its remake, the comics, and even a bit of the books by S.D. Perry (Because she really nailed the story in detail with her work.). Basically, there will be a lot of resources I'll be pulling content from instead of just one.
And yes, this new story is in the same AU as this one. Meaning they will all intersect at some point in the future. But for now this one is still a work in progress and my newest project is only in its planning stages, but you can bet it'll make a debut someday.
Appreciating all the feed back and reviews, and I'm hoping everyone is staying healthy out there!