We Found Each Other in Hellish Times

by skullgamerscy

A take on Resident Evil The Final Chapter if everyone came back for the final with the Claire and Alice pairing. Including Alice Claire and Jill acting as mothers to K-Mart, Angie, and Becky. Can't think of a good summary at the moment but this is the gist of it. I will write a better summary later on when I think of how best to describe this. Until then hope you like the idea.

4. Chapter 4

"My informant tells me Alice and K-Mart have arrived at the tower and are rallying everyone to fight." Wesker words come over the monitor, but Issacs doesn't look at him. His gaze is locked on his stump where his hand used to be. Where a woman who was confirmed dead was able to cut it off.

Wesker had assured him his clone had dealt with Alice. That everyone who had gathered for the resistance in Washington was dead. Yet somehow Alice and the blonde teen she has adopted managed to survive. And if they managed to survive who else could have survived.

"Just the two of them." Rumour has it that Alice had three daughters in Washington. One of them Being Doctor Ashford's daughter. The one Alice rescued back during the original outbreak. He was surprised when it was revealed that Alice lived and that only one of her daughters survived with her.

"Chris and Claire Redfield are helping them win support in the tower," Wesker tells him wearily.

So, Alice, the teen, and the Redfield siblings are once again all reunited. Claire Redfield has caused him enough problems over the years. She managed to keep a large group of people alive in the harshest conditions for three years and then helped steal the Arcadia from Umbrella after escaping their grasp. Having her and Alice reunited is a problem. Her brother as skilled as he is even more so. "So, the family is reunited after all." Reunited they might be. But that just means it will be quicker to wipe out all traces of them. Eliminating the biggest threats to their plan in one attack.

"She has her powers back."

Issac's stills at the news. That's not possible. Alice's abilities were stripped of her. How has she managed to get them back. "Your clone was supposed to make sure that didn't happen." Something else at Washington that didn't go according to plan.

It is enough to make one think that something else happened that day.

"She could have infected herself," Wesker argues in his clone's defense.

He wouldn't put it past her to do something like that. "Don't underestimate Alice Wesker. She's proven time and time again to be very resourceful. I want the Hive on High Alert until she is dead. And reach out to the nearest facilities. I want Raccoon City drowned with infected. She cannot be allowed to ruin everything we have worked so hard for."

Alice has hours to prepare for their attack. So, when they arrive there will be traps. She's smart and has been trained by the best for situations like this. With her powers back that makes her even more dangerous. But they will win in the end. Alice might be extraordinary. But she's no god. Even she can't defeat a horde of this size on her own. She will put up a fight like she always does. In the end, she will fall like everyone else. He will make sure of it. No matter the past relationship between them. She is his enemy now. Of her own choosing.

Issacs freezes in the middle of the latest report on the T-Virus from Doctor Green. "How long have you been standing there." He asks not bothering to turn around. His gaze turns from the report to the calculations on the board.

"Around twenty minutes," Alice replies appearing next to him without making a sound. Her own gaze was on the same board taking in all the information. "I thought we moved on this project." The project in question was a device meant to be worn by commandos which would help them in combat by connecting them to an AI. In combat situations the AI would analyze the battlefield and offer advantages to the soldiers as well as warn them of potential threats they might have missed. It was also an idea to create a hive mind so soldiers could work more efficiently.

It was called Project Scarab.

The project was shut down after talks about giving an AI too much power caused unease among the board members. Not to mention they couldn't figure out how to get the damn thing to work with the soldiers that wouldn't cause any short term or long term effects. Not to mention commandos didn't want someone trying to control them while they would be fighting for their lives. Having an AI talking to them might distract them and that would cause problems for everyone involved.

"Umbrella officially started looking elsewhere on the project." Issacs states causally putting the report down and turning to face Alice." I didn't."

Alice just nods looking over his calculations. "Speaking as a soldier the last thing I want when fighting is something stuck onto my chest that is too bulky and won't allow me to move as quickly as I would normally do and affects my balance." The first prototype had been an oval device that would be worn over their combat gear. Even he would admit the metal contraction was too big and heavy. But it was only the first design, and the idea has a lot of potential. Hence why he is working on it in his spare time.

Issacs watches as she looks over everything he has theorized so far. Her mind working looking for any mistakes or ways to improve his work. She got her father's skills in combat, strategy, and ableness to adapt to any situation. But her mother's natural brilliance that she showcases must often. And not just her mother's intelligence and beauty but her kind warmth and natural ability with people. Something they have used in order to recruit important members of their team and get the public on their side. A very powerful and dangerous combination.

Sometimes he hates how her father pushed her to work in the security sector when she could have made so much more progress to the company in the science field. But she seems happy where she is. For now, at least. She's a very skilled soldier. No one can doubt that. Her time as an operative has highly benefited the company.

But it would have been nice to work alongside her just as he did her mother before she died. It also would have been nice to obtain her loyalty but that remains solely with Alicia. She's her girl through and through. Nothing he can do now will change that.

"I'm sure you didn't come all this way in order to look over my personal projects." He knows why she's really here. He's been expecting her for a few days now. Ever since the decision was made.

Alice looks away from the board to him. Sitting down on the corner of his desk. "No. I came all this way to ask why I've been reassigned from working with the commandos to mansion duty." Mansion duty is living at the Oswell's old mansion projecting the secret entrance to the hive to make sure the Hive is at all times protected from internal and external threats.

Most people on mansion duty are there for three months and it's rotated among security operatives. It's normally s place they use to hold security personnel before transferring them to their official position. It's a boring task most of the time.

So, he can understand why Alice seems a little peeved off at the new assignment. For her, it's multiple steps down in her career.

"You know what we have started researching there." The Hive is a well kept secret but given Alice's position, she has access to everything Umbrella is working on. Just as he is.

"The T-Virus." She confirms with him. "Rumours say it could be the biggest scientific breakthrough the world has ever seen. That with it we could in theory end all diseases and illnesses." Marcus had believed the same thing years ago. When it was originally created. But the side effects were too extreme for him to handle, and he shut the project down.

After his death, Issacs tried to recreate the virus but James was smart and made sure it was nearly impossible to recreate without the first-hand knowledge. The project was officially shut down and the work on it was locked away.

At least he did until Doctor Ashford discovered it years later and manipulated the idea to save his daughter. Like history repeating itself. The improvements he made to the virus made it more stable and useable for Umbrella to experiment further.

Doctor Green is leading the initial research into how the T-Virus works and how it can be used. Her research comes for him to look over and when they have a better understanding of what they are working with and what it can do he will take over the research and use it to make the cure to all cures.

He passes her the research paper. The corner of his lip flickers as he watches her eyes light up by Doctor Green's name. Another reason he wanted the Doctor leading this project. It's always good to have some insurance when it comes to Alice. She likes to play the wildcard in their operations. Best to keep her occupied with something other than her being bored. "So, you know why I would want you as the head of security on a project like this. I need the best and you my dear niece are the best there is."

Alice raises an unimpressed eyebrow at him rolling her eyes but continues reading the report. "Flattery won't get you far with my uncle. There's more to this than you're saying. Security at the Hive is the highest we have. The Red Queen monitors all communication within the facility, and everything going in and out. Everyone working there is trapped underground and only allowed two days out where again they are all monitored. Members are searched before leaving and when coming back. Everyone is vetted and friends and family members of them are watched. So why do you need me there all of a sudden. Nothing gets out of the Hive unless authorized."

"You can never be too sure." He says vaguely which only seems to piss her off. She's always hated when people don't get straight to the point. So, it's amusing to do that at times.

Alice drops the report onto the table glaring at him. "No. reassigning me in one thing. Implementing my commando unit to the city is another. Not even mention the fact five new teams of biohazard containment units are being created and stationed on the outskirts of the city as well." He is well aware that his actions could be seen as a cause for concern. But it was necessary given what happened the last time they used the virus. They managed to hide that mess once before. He doubts Umbrella could get away with it again. "What is it about the T-Virus that has you so worried."

Twenty people died in a cable cart and three soldiers killed to the rabbis like infected people. He still doesn't know why they all suddenly turned so violent and attacked each other. He can understand why Marcus was concerned but that only meant they needed to understand his invention more. Not destroy it and the potential it had. Not that Alice needs to know this just yet. "Isn't it better to be prepared for everything than not at all."

She doesn't believe a word he's saying. She would be right but it's still frustrating how easily she can read him. Guess all the abuse she suffered at her father's hand made her significantly good at reading people. Helpful when an operative. Annoying when she uses it against you. "You want to know what I think."

"I'm sure you'll tell me anyways so." He gestures for her to continue.

"I think the T-Virus is as potentially dangerous as it is beneficial. If not more so." He wonders if she knows more about the virus than she is letting on. "And you need the best on standby for when something goes wrong." She knows she is right when he doesn't answer. "How bad could it be."

"For those involved immensely. But the Red Queen will make sure any biohazards can't escape the lab. As will you. So, the people in danger are only those within the facility." He has issued the order that if the virus should escape and infect people the Red Queen will lockdown the facility. Commandos will then be sent in to dispose of the infected. Their bodies will be used for further study and understanding of the virus.

Clearly, Alice doesn't approve of the matter as her eyes widen and her grip on his desk tightens to the point her knuckles are white. "That's over five hundred people." She grits out.

This time it's him that narrows his eyes at her. "Then you better make sure nothing goes wrong down there Alice. Or they will all perish." She looks away from him anger radiating from her body. She has the same tells as her mother. He thanks God for that. If she had her father's temper, he would probably have a broken nose by now. He needs Alice on this project. Needs to make sure nothing that happens is leaked. And she is the best for that. Softening his voice, he explains that, "Out of everyone you're the only one I know who can make sure nothing like that happens."

She shakes her head hopping off of his desk. "Accidents happen all the time." She mutters quietly knowing better than most how many things could wrong with something like this.

But he's getting through to her. "I have faith in your abilities to limit the chances of that happening."

She pauses mid pace after a few seconds of silence. Meeting his eyes, he can see the doubt in her eyes at this. "You're still not telling me something." He doesn't say anything but holds her gaze. In the end, it's her that looks away. "But I will find out what it is." She swears to him and to herself. She hates being left in the dark.

"I do not doubt that." Sadly, he doesn't but by then Alice will be in too deep to do anything then see it through. This company is everything to her. It's all she has left of her mother and she will no doubt put together that the T-Virus is the only thing that can save Alicia. Alices loyalty will be tested but she won't turn on them. Not when she risks losing her mother's memory and her best friend.

But to be sure he should start making some plans on how to handle her. She may need to be the one contained in the end. He hopes she won't be as stupid as her mother or Marcus. Such a waste of brilliance squandered over a weakness for this perceived idea of righteousness.

Seeing she isn't going to get any more out of him she looks back towards the board. "Your calculations are off by the way." Alice digs at him moving towards the calculations rubbing out some of his equations and replacing them with her own. "I'll see you at the fundraiser." She looks back at him and nods. "Uncle." She says instead of goodbye.

"Neice." He says in return looking at how she has changed his work. He hates to admit that she is right. Her mother's daughter indeed. Just as she's about to leave he can't help but add on. "Oh, and Alice. Just so you know the Red Queen watches all rooms in the Hive apart from the showers and changing rooms."

She pauses unsure where he is going with this. "Yeah, I know."

"So, make sure you and Doctor Green keep your private activities off of the camera. We don't need to see that." She visibly winces and he can't help but smile at that. It's no secret where Alice's tastes lie. In fact, Umbrella has used that to their advantage. After it came out that Alice was bi the company and an influx of the LGBT community.

Hiding her embarrassment, she scoffs at him. "I know how to avoid cameras."

"Did the Secret Service teach you that." He jokes with her glad that their previous conversation hasn't changed anything in their relationship. He needs her on board more than anything.

She smirks towards him leaning against the doorframe. "Well, I could tell you but kind of defeats the purpose of the Secret Service. It's in the name after all."

He didn't think much of that encounter at the time. But now looking back he should have done more. Done something to ensure her loyalty. Or took her off the job. He should have known her conscious would get the better of her. That she didn't see things the same way he and her father did.

Not that it matters now. She's a heretic. A traitor to their cause. And he will make sure she can no longer disrupt their plans. She could have been safe among their ark as the flood wiped out all traces of the unworthy. Now she's the Lucifer. The one to try and bring down the golden city and ruin everything. Banishment didn't seem to stop her. Capture just had her infect more people and turn them away from their goals. Like a locus in a garden.

No. Only death will stop the strive she causes. And he will be the one to make sure it happens.

---

Growing up in Columbus Alice had expected her life would turn out very differently. Not that she really had any choice in the matter. From the moment she was born, her future was set. The first few years of her life were spent in Kyiv with her grandparents looking after her while her mother and father worked on establishing Umbrella's worldwide influence with Alexander Issacs, James Marcus, and Oswell Spencer.

The four founders all attended Ohio State University. Her father joined the army just as his father had when he was eighteen and got use of a free education plan from them in order to get a master's in mechanical engineering Issacs was a biochemistry student. James studied Medical Laboratory Science. And Oswell was an electrical and computer engineer the four men all met at college and decided to open their own business. What started as a pharmaceutical company quickly developed into the world's largest enterprise. Umbrella was developing technology faster than anyone else under her father and Oswell. Breakthroughs in medicine and Science came from Issacs and Marcus's work.

What started as four men with a dream to change the world soon became a reality. Her father was the one to head the security branch of the organization. Umbrella's very own private army. And as head of security, he oversaw all the building and designing of each base's security protocols. Which is what led him to Kyiv. And to her mother.

Raccoon City. Oswell's home became the home of Umbrella. But her father as well as James preferred to live in Columbus. James wanted to be closer to the college where his wife was a lecturer. Her father just never really liked Raccoon City and said that he could work from anywhere flying his helicopter to Raccoon City if needed. He would have preferred if the home was in New York or Boston, but Oswell was the one who came from money. The one who practically funded everything at the start, so the decision laid with him.

Over summer breaks her parents would take her and her brother with them when her father needed to inspect different facilities. This meant eight to nine weeks of traveling the world. As a kid she loved it. Every summer she would get to explore four or five new countries. Her parents implored her and her brother to learn as much as they could about each country they went to. Language, history, traditions, food music, arts things like that.

Not that she and her brother were lacking in language skills. Having a mother from the Ukraine and Italian grandparents on her father's side meant they could speak three languages with ease growing up.

Everything was perfect.

Until her mother died in a car accident when she was eleven.

It wasn't an accident not that she was aware of that at the time.

After that, something in her father broke. All he cared about was his work and his legacy. Umbrella was his legacy. She and her brother were his legacy. Everything became about being better than anyone else. Anything less than perfect was unacceptable. And his punishments are something she wishes she could forget.

When she was nineteen and her brother turned eighteen the first thing either of them did was get their names changed. They wanted to cut any connection their father could use against them. They wanted to get as far away from him as possible.

Janus Milia Prospero and Andrea Oleksandr Prospero became Alice Abernathy and Ethan Winters. Each name having a significant meaning to them. Ethan then went to Berkeley University while Alice stayed with Umbrella.

Ethan wanted nothing to do with Umbrella or their father and that was true of Alice as well, but their mother was a board member and shareholder of the company, and upon her death, that role fell to her. Not to mention her best friend Alicia Marcus, James's daughter was held in the same position as her. James died when Alicia was nine and Issacs became her guardian. Oswell also died leaving his share split between the four of them each of them holding twenty five percent of the company.

As much as she didn't want anything to do with her father, she stayed to help Alicia and run her share of the company. Not to mention she was already two years into her degree at the Umbrella University and she didn't want to drop out.

Or at least that's what she told Ethan. The main point of the matter was their father never would have allowed both of them to leave. But if she stayed. If she became the perfect daughter for him Ethan could be allowed to do what he wanted. It was something she realized when she was fourteen. And since then, everything she has done for Umbrella was done in order for Ethan to live his life without their father breathing down his neck.

And he did. Ethan escaped and made a life for himself. Found peace and happiness. For that reason, she has no regrets about staying with her father and Umbrella. Just regrets about everything she failed to stop.

Looking out of the window in the New York Facility as the infected are gunned down by resistance members Alice can't help but wonder if things would be different if she had left when Ethan did. If she had stayed loyal to Umbrella instead of trying to bring down the whole company. Would this have happened. Would the T-Virus still have escaped the Hive and devastated the world.

Claire used to tell her that what happened wasn't her fault but how could she believe that when she was right there. Spencer was the one to release the virus and he did that because of her. It escaped the Hive and now the world is a wasteland with very few survivors.

"Is this what you used to do back in the day. Brood while staring out over a city." Jill asks coming to stand next to her. "You rich folks are weird." Oh, if only Jill knew how true that statement was.

Turning her to face her a little Alice offered Jill a small smile in greeting. "It helps bring perspective. Where we stand and where others stand. Not much separates people when you really think about it. Just a matter of what you are born into and how you deal with it. For us rich folks wealth and power are so easily wielded over others that we can stand here and look down upon them. While they would have to look up and only dream of what we are."

"Like I said weird." Jill scoffs earning a chuckle out of Alice. "Now do you want to tell me what's got you into such a mood Wonder Girl." Alice doesn't miss the way Jill's eyes flick over to the desk behind her. The way her eyes linger on the name printed boldly on the desk. The way she grits her teeth and forces herself to look back at Alice.

Not that she doesn't blame her. Alice had the same reaction upon entering and seeing who this room belonged to. What seeing the name Prospero has done to her mentally and emotionally. Even if she isn't fully aware of it at the moment.

Normally she doesn't like to open up to people. But this isn't just anyone. This is Jill. Jill is just as much as family to her as Ethan and Alicia are. "Just thinking about how things would be different if I made different decisions. How no matter how hard I try to avoid it or run from it my past is always right there ready to be used against me. How I seem to keep making the wrong decisions."

Jill looks at her with concern and confusion. "You're not. You are making the best decisions you can in shit circumstances." She's trying to be supportive, and Alice really wants to believe that. Believe that she isn't the reason why everything has gone to shit.

But she knows the truth. She knows what she's done. Things no one knows. Not even Ada or Wesker. Which when you think about it that those two know more about what she's done than Ethan, Claire or Jill shows just how fucked up everything was. "I want to think that, but everything is screaming at me that it's not."

Jill turns away from the window to fully face her. "What's brought this on." Everything doesn't seem like the correct answer here.

"I left K-Mart and Claire in Vegas when they fled to Alaska." Well, she didn't leave them on purpose. The fence holding the horde of infected back broke while she was still holding the gate shut. The infected flooded in splitting up to go towards the helicopter full of survivors on one side and her on the other. Claire had to take off and she couldn't get to the helicopter before the infected did. The only place she could flee to in order not to be overwhelmed by the hundreds of infected was the umbrella facility.

She hadn't wanted to leave them. But she couldn't risk them trying to come for her. Claire would see them all safe, and she would end Umbrella before rejoining them. At the time it sounded like a decent enough makeshift plan.

Until she actually arrived in Alaska only to find the place deserted apart from a feral Claire who didn't know who she was and was constantly trying to kill her. Not the reunion she had spent months envisioning. Yet still not the worst reunion she's had.

Which in itself is really sad.

"And they got captured by Umbrella. The fact that they weren't harmed or experimented on is shocking. We both know what umbrella are capable of. I left you and Angie, and you both got captured as well. You were tortured and enslaved while Angie was experimented on. If I had stayed with you wouldn't have had to endure that. You wouldn't have lost years of your lives and suffered as you did. But you did because of my bad decisions. If I had stayed with K and Claire, they wouldn't have lost a year of their lives and forgotten everything only to remember in chunks."

She can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like for Jill and Angie in the years they spent in Umbrella's grasp. They were targeted because of her. They were hurt because of her. And she didn't even know. Years she spent hiding from Umbrella. Fighting against them. And she had no idea Jill and Angie had been captured. She didn't think to check the records for any information on them. She did nothing for them but let them suffer.

They came for her. In Detroit. Jill who had known her for what twelve hours formed a plan to break into an Umbrella facility to look for her. Because there was a chance, she was still alive, and they could save her. Angie, who was a child, joined them.

Yet when it was them who were captured what did she do. Nothing. She didn't bother to look for them. She didn't do anything for them. In the end, it was Jill capturing her that made her realize that the two of them were captured.

Jill and Angie did everything they could to protect her. And what did they get in return. For Alice to sneak away in the middle of the night and never look back.

"Alice," Jill says so softly. So soothingly that it only makes her more angry at herself. Jill shouldn't be the one trying to make her feel better it should be the other way around. Alice should be on her knees begging Jill for her forgiveness. And if the action itself wouldn't have pissed Jill off so much she might have done just that.

"The things I did for Umbrella allowed them to grow in power. Things I haven't told you. Things that if you knew. You would look at me differently." She knows she does. She has barely been able to look at herself since she was fifteen. Since the first time her father ordered her to help secure funding for Umbrella projects. Since she let those men use her body in order to push Umbrella's agenda through.

Ethan doesn't know about that. He would lose it if he ever found out. Jill would look at her with disgust and she can't have that. She may deserve it, but she can't lose them. She can't lose K-Mart, Angie, and Becky. And that's selfish. It's so selfish and she doesn't even care.

Claire was the only person she felt she could talk to about it. The only person she felt safe enough to expose herself like that to. When she and Claire were getting serious, she convinced herself that Claire needed to know if they were going to have a proper go at them. A part of her was sure that telling Claire would make the red head look at her differently. That Claire would think she was a dirty whore and end their relationship and kick her out of the convoy.

A part of Alice wanted her to do that. She expected it but a very small part of her wanted those excuses. Needed a reason to prove to herself that staying away from people was for the best. That all they ever do is betray her and let her down.

When Claire didn't do any of that instead asking if she could hug her before pulling her tight and whispering how strong and amazing, she was. That night was the first time she allowed herself to just feel. Feel all the pain, self-hatred, and loneliness she had been pushing down for years. She was able to do that because, for the first time, she didn't have to hold it together.

Claire was the one holding her together. The one to help her pick up the pieces of her broken life filling it in with positive emotions, love, and warmth. It was as if Claire was acting as Kintsugi. Filling in her broken parts with gold. And she loved her even more for it.

God, does she wish Claire was here now.

"I failed to stop Spencer. I failed to protect my team. And I watched them all die one by one. And because of that the virus escaped and destroyed the world. I helped Issacs in creating the scarabs, Jill. I fixed his mistakes. I made them possible." Everything Claire and Jill were forced to do under the scarab was allowed because of her. She may as well have put the damn things on them and given the orders. She made it possible for Umbrella to lock over two thousand people away. She made it possible for them to control anyone they wanted. To rip someone's control of their own body away from them.

She allowed everything to happen.

The need to punch something hits her but she can't. She swore to herself that she would never turn her anger into violence. That she wouldn't be like her father.

Instead, she leans her against the glass turning away from Jill. How can Jill even bear to stand in her presence. She wouldn't blame Jill for hating her. For attacking her or screaming at her. She deserves it. She deserves to suffer for everything she has done.

Jill is silent for a while. A long while and all Alice can do is stare out the window bracing herself for what is to come. She wouldn't even hate Jill if she killed her. It's what she deserves. Sometimes she even wishes for it. But that would be selfish. If she freed herself from her punishment of living in what remains of her mistakes, then it would all be for nothing. Her punishment is to live. To suffer for every second of pain and agony she has helped create.

Eventually, Jill breaks the silence. Her voice comes out cold and neutral. Which is better than Alice expected. "Did you know they would be used for mind control."

"No." She admits. She didn't mean for any of this. She swears she didn't. but that doesn't make her innocent of anything. She should have known. She should have stopped it. She should have done anything but what she did. "But that's not the point." She whispers more to herself than Jill.

The soft touch to her shoulder has her jumping out of her skin. She thought Jill would attack her. That she would hurt her. Not gently hold her shoulder and carefully turn her to face Jill. "Yes, it is Alice," Jill says delicately. As if scared her own words will cause Alice to run off and never return. "Everything you did you did to protect your brother or others. What you did to help Umbrella was to try and honor your mother. To keep a company that employed hundreds of thousands of people in a job. To help better the world. That's what you did. It's Umbrella that twisted everything. They fucked up the world not you. You tried to stop it." Jill sounds so sure that it almost makes Alice believe her.

"I failed." She all but whimpers in response before catching herself. She doesn't whimper. She doesn't show weakness. Weakness can be exploited and used against her. She can't be weak. Not when everyone needs her to be strong.

Venomously Jill disagrees with her cupping her face making sure Alice can't escape her when she says this. "No. You fought and fought but Umbrella was always going to win. You didn't fail Alice. You were up against impossible odds and Umbrella didn't hold back. It's not fair that you had to suffer through everything and it's not fair to blame yourself for their actions."

"My family's actions you mean," Alice replies wanting to sink into Jill's touch. After Detroit when everything in her head was so messed up Jill was the one who she sought comfort from. And right now, she wants to do that again.

"That doesn't make you like them," Jill argues stroking her cheek, and for a second Alice's eyes flutter shut savoring the blonde woman's touch. For a second, she can pretend that everything is alright.

But only for a second before she reopens her eyes to the real world. "You can't stop DNA Jill." It's her and her family who screwed up the world. She screwed her own life up. As much as she wishes she could solely blame her father for everything she has done she can't. She made her own decisions. Her own bad choices. And now everyone else has to live with them. "I have three daughters. Three kids who look to me for advice and how to survive the world. How can I be a good parent when it was my father and uncle who ended the world. Who I was too afraid of to stop."

Claire has done a fantastic job raising K-Mart. Her Solnyshko is absolutely brilliant. But Alice has no claim to any of that. A part from a few combat skills. Everything else was Claire and K-Mart.

Her Malo Misyats has been put through so much pain because she wasn't there to protect her. Angie was experimented on just like she was and she didn't save her. For five years she let her go through the worst kind of hell.

She left both girls unprotected and because of that Umbrella got their hands on them instead.

And Becky. Sweet innocent Becky who lost her own parents and now relies on her to protect her. How can she raise Becky to be as strong and as amazing as her siblings when all she will do is fuck her up. Hell, she's already traumatized the girl and allowed her to be ripped away by a licker. How can she protect her. How can she protect anyone.

"I swore I would never be like my father, but I'm terrified I will be worse than him." She tells Jill needing for Jill to understand. To see what she is trying to say. To agree with her and help her make sense of everything. She needs Jill.

"You are nothing like him." Pain leaks into Jill's voice saying this. "Alice you are nothing like that man."

No, she's not like him. She just as bad but a different bad. Her father used threats and violence to control her. Gaslighted her all the time till she couldn't trust what her own mind was telling her. He broke her down to nothing and built her back up in his perfect image. She's different to that. "I run. I've abandoned everyone before. What's to stop me from doing it again. My father was incapable of love but I am. And I use that love as an excuse to leave. To run when things get tough. I lie to myself and tell myself it's to protect them. But all it does is fuck with them. I leave and come back then leave again and repeat the cycle over and over again." She has been separated from K multiple times now. From Claire Jill and Angie more than once. Yes, she comes back but for how long. How long until she ripped away from them again leaving them questioning where she is and if she's still alive. "I'm not living for just me anymore. I have three kids Jill. We have kids. Everything I do affects them. How do I not fuck them up."

How does she be better for them.

"You don't abandon people like you think you do Alice. You didn't choose to leave us after Raccoon City. The metal rebar to your chest did. You left us after Detroit but not out of malice or anything like that. You grow powers. Powers you couldn't control. You were being hunted by Umbrella. You didn't have a choice but to leave. Did it suck yeah. Do I wish you didn't of course I do. But if I was you, I would have done the same thing. You were protecting us as best as you could. In Vegas, you didn't choose to leave. You were backed into a corner and forced to let Claire and K-Mart go. You tried to make sure Umbrella couldn't hurt them again. On the Arcadia, it was Umbrella who separated you. Not you Alice. You didn't choose. This you didn't abandon them. Umbrella did that. Not you."

Whether Alice was going to argue back what Jill was stating or Jill was going to hammer home the point that Alice isn't at fault for anything of what has happened and that she isn't a complete waste of space. None of that matters as the door to her father's office opens and K-Mart walks in.

The teen takes one look at Jill and Alice huddled together with Jill holding Alice's face in a tender embrace and immediately glares at the two of them before turning and storming out of the room. Alice picks up on K's muttering of "How could she do this to Claire" before it clicks to what this must have looked like to the teen.

Even Jill seems to understand what k is thinking as she drops her hold on Alice and takes a few steps back. Both of them share a what the fuck do we do now look.

See this is why she shouldn't be raising children. She fucked everything up even more without even meaning to.

---

Alice was highly aware of the fact Claire was still within hearing range as K-Mart began opening up to her. She makes a mental note to talk to her ... Ex... later. No doubt Claire will want to talk to her before the battle and Alice does have to admit Claire does deserve to understand everything that has happened. But that will have to wait till they are far far away from anyone in the tower.

Someone was watching them earlier. Someone was waiting for them. And there is only one reason as to why someone would be waiting for them. The Tower has an Umbrella agent lurking within.

So, in order to protect the people here they can't fully know the plan on how they are going to hold off Umbrella. The plan only works if Umbrella is unprepared for the ambush. The tower people can't know. But can Claire and Chris know.

"How can you be so calm about this. Claire is basically cheating on you, and you don't seem to care. She's betrayed us." The teen's words were aimed to hurt, and boy did they deliver. Even though she hates everything about Claire starting a relationship with someone else she wouldn't count it as cheating. Rationally she understands that Claire thought she was dead. Claire believed that she was gone and moved on with her life. And if she was dead, she would have wanted that. She would have wanted for Claire to find happiness after she died.

But the fact is she isn't dead. And it's only been nine months. To say she isn't feeling a lot of hurt, betrayal, and annoyance would be an understatement. But feeling like that doesn't help the situation. Whatever is going on between her and Claire can be dealt with after they've stopped Umbrella from wiping this place out.

So, Alice pushes down all of her emotions. It's not difficult. The amount of people who have betrayed her and let her down before seems to have been good practice for moments like this.

It's K-Marts she's betrayed us that makes her certain she understands what K is struggling with right now. It's the same thing she struggled with when Jill came into their lives. And only grew when Angie appeared.

"K. You know that Claire wouldn't ever replace you." Alice had to have the same talk with K after New York. After she walked in on her and Jill. After it became known to everyone that Angie was basically her and Jill's daughter.

Alice did everything she could to make K-Mart aware that loving Jill the way she did didn't mean she was going to leave Claire. That she wasn't a replacement for Angie and now that her original daughter was back K would be pushed to the side. She made sure K-Mart knew that no matter what happened that she would be Alice's eldest daughter. That nothing could change the way she loves her.

It took some time for K's insecurities to fade. For her to accept that Alice wasn't going to leave her. That they were family and nothing would change that.

But now with everything Claire being with someone else, Alice can understand why those fears are flaring up again. How terrified K must be that because she and Claire aren't together that Alice would leave. That Claire has replaced her with someone else and that she would be all alone again. Just like she was left alone in K-Mart by her parents when the world broke out into hell.

She needs time. Time to process this. Hell, they all do. But until then Alice will make sure K-Mart is aware that she isn't going to leave. That Claire isn't going to leave her.

"She replaced you." Really didn't need that reminder. But Alice gets the lashing out. It seems that the two of them are opposites when it comes to their fears. K lashes out while she spirals down the rabbit hole of not being enough.

God did their parents fuck them up.

Brushes some of K's blonde hair behind her ear Alice tries to settle some of K's fears. "There is a difference between starting a new relationship when you think your partner is dead to finding someone to replace their only child. Relationships end all the time. Being someone's parent doesn't."

"You do remember who our parents are." She shoots back with a blank face and you know what Alice can't fault that statement. She is kind of right.

A surprised chuckle escapes her at K's blunt statement. A small laugh that makes K smile as well. "They were horrible people with no heart and incapable of loving a child. Claire isn't that." She is nothing like her father or K's parents. K knows that. Knows that Claire wouldn't abandon her. "Claire loves you more than anything. I love you more then anything. Take all the time you need to process this change. And when you ready you me and Claire can talk about it. Ok."

K-Mart releases a deep breath before nodding at her. "Ok."

"Good. Now let's go whip everyone into action to stop this horde and Umbrella from slaughtering everyone and then go and save the world." The tower itself seems pretty well defendable. Mixed with her powers they could hold off the infected and ranged attacks from Umbrella. But it will come down to what resources the people have here. They need bullets. And lots of them

Not to mention they need to figure out how to stop the tanks. She can create barriers to halt Umbrella's path and force clump infected together into traps. It is very possible they can hold the tower.

At first glance anyways. Hopefully, Chris and Claire can get her everything she needs from the people here to make this place a fortress. Besides they just need to hold the infected back until the resistance can arrive.

"Just a regular day for us then." K quips a smile returning to her lips.

As much as Alice wants to end this conversation on a positive note, she knows there is still one more very important thing they have to discuss. "There is an Umbrella operative stationed here."

"We suspected as much." K- easily agrees with her slipping back into serious mode. When Issacs mentioned this attack at the tower he knew too much for them not to have been involved with it someone who. A Spy would be the best way to gather information before attacking. "At least now we know for sure."

Just because they know an operative is working here doesn't mean they will easily find them. "Spies are some of the smartest lairs in the world." Alice quotes Ada when she began training under her as an operative recruit. They only worked together for five months but it was more than enough for Alice to understand how operatives work and realize just how dangerous Ada really is. "We have to be smarter."

"We have you." She knows K is trying to be optimistic. She loves K for that. But she also needs K-Mart to be very aware of how dangerous this is. And how deadly this could very quickly turn.

Besides it's not like Alice can spot an umbrella operative from a glance. Spence was a trainee operative, and he managed to fool her into thinking he had no idea that she was a traitor. And if it didn't lead to everyone dying, she would have been very impressed by abilities. Spies are good liars they are trained very well in it. Makes it almost impossible to spot. Even when trained to know what to look for.

"K." Alice starts making herself sound as serious as she can be while always sounding soft. She doesn't want K to think she's angry or annoyed at her. "A highly trained operative is here with us. Someone who trained just as me Ada and Wesker did. If they believe for second that we suspect something they will move to kill us."

K-Mart seems to understand the hidden context she is trying to say. "Kill me you mean." She says looking down at the floor.

"Yes." If the agent truly believes they are on to them they will do whatever it takes to eliminate the threat. And if she was them, she would go for the weakest link first. Her powers make her nearly impossible to take out, but K-Mart doesn't hold that same advantage.

A look of determination takes over K as she lifts her head back to face Alice. "Then what do I do."

There is very little she can actually do in this type of situation. Nonetheless Alice tells her everything she needs to know. "Be wary of everyone but Chris and Claire. But be friendly towards people. But not too friendly. Don't be overly nervous. But most importantly stay close to me."

"You knew operatives right. Wouldn't you recognise them." If it was only that easy. For once why can't it be that easy.

"There were hundreds of operatives when I was in Umbrella. All working in different divisions and different countries. I knew who the best ones were and helped train a bunch of the newest recruits before the Hive. But no. chances are I haven't ever come across the induvial here before." Maybe Ada or Wesker will have a better shot at identifying them. But like her they don't know everyone personally. They might have assigned agents to different jobs but that doesn't mean they know anything about them other then what their files state. Files that don't have photos.

Only recruits have photos attached but after they officially become an operative all data like that is erased from the company file. Even their names as everyone goes by codenames. The less chance of someone being traced back to them the better.

Her codename was Wonder Kid. Ada's was codename Vendetta. Wesker's was Titan. Only the head of the Operatives had files with everyone's name and the CEO's. And even then, it was only accessible very the HUB.

Umbrella had higher security protocols than any other government.

"So, stay next to you, and don't tell Chris or Claire anything about a traitor among us." She repeats.

"Yes." They can tell them later. just not right away. "Do you want to call Jill or should I."

"You should. We're kind of in a timer and I might go into a rant or two about everything." Whenever K-Mart gets into one of her rants Alice has learned to drop everything and listen. They are the most amusing things to watch. K once ranted for two hours about what the best dog breed was. To be fair it probably wouldn't have been that long if she hadn't kept throwing random dog breeds at her and would make K explain why they aren't as good as her favourite breed. Claire had glared at her every time she jumped in. The red head had just wanted to go to sleep but she and K refused to let her until the discussion was over.

If the world hadn't gone to hell and K was still her daughter after that passionate rant she would have got her two dogs of her choosing. Claire would have agreed just to get them both to shut up and go to sleep.

She misses the Hummer. Their little home on the road. She wonders if it's still sitting there in the middle of the desert. Or maybe Janus did something with that. She should really check in on how her clone is doing. It's been a few weeks. Wesker was the one to talk to her about the potential of the cure hidden by Umbrella. She said it was highly probable that Umbrella did have a cure since most of the work Issac was working on had nothing to do with a cure but how to exploit the virus more.

That is where the Lickers, Executioners, Javos, Kipepeos, Manjini, and many many more were created. They were developed and then sent out into the world to wreak havoc on the survivors. Janus created the resistance a file on every monster Umbrella has created, its history, strengths, and weaknesses. Basically, everything they need to know if they come across the bioweapons.

If any members of their group come across a new form of infected, they are sent to Las Vegas for Janus and her team of scientists to study and understand. She also started work on producing more anti-viruses for the resistance to use and making them stronger to work with longer periods of infection.

If she says a cure is possible then Alice agrees with her. No one knows the Virus better in the resistance than Janus does. Alice, Angie and Ethan also gave lots of blood samples for Janus to examine to try and understand why the virus works differently with them.

Standing up and grabbing the radio Alice pauses for a second as the room spins. Ok, so she needs a lot more time to heal properly. That's fine she can do that. At least for a few hours. Hopefully by then her healing abilities would have dealt with all the damage inflicted on her so she can use her powers to defend this tower. Knowing Umbrella tactics, she will need to shield the whole tower from bullets and missiles. "Let's not mention the whole Claire and Doc thing. Or how I'm injured." K just sends her a blank look in response. "You know how Jill and Ethan can get overprotective of me. And we need them focused on the fight, not me."

K doesn't look impressed with her argument but concedes to the facts. No doubt K will taken it upon herself to make sure she doesn't over do it and monitor her until everyone else arrives.

---

Percival Spencer Parks that's an unfortunate first name. But it could be worse. Her's used to be Janus. Named after the Roman God of beginnings, doorways, transitions, time, and endings. Everyone's favorite god. Why couldn't be named after a fun god. Like Athena, Artemis, or basically anyone else, Greek or Roman. Why did her father pick Janus.

"Former Chicago cop highly experienced in undercover operations. Worked as a Sergeant. Had spells in the detectives and organised crime." Ada reads off Alice laptop appearing from God knows where. "Former navy seal. Honorably discharged." Ada sits down on the table facing Alice who is looking at her with an unamused look. "So, this is your new partner."

Partner is a loose term. He's the man assigned to learn how operatives work under her. Just as she learned under Ada. This Percival... Percy... Parks will learn the ropes under her before being sent off on assignments elsewhere. Basically, she's his mentor and responsible for turning him into a operative while the two of them are stationed at the Hive.

It's not ordinary for an Operative to be stationed in one place she like has been. Operatives are more fluid. Constantly on the move. When she was working under Ada, they visited 19 different countries. She did a further 27 on her own or attached to a commando unit. Mainly Shade's but she's worked with six others.

She still thinks being assigned to babysit someone when she's already babysitting over five hundred other people is stupid. But Wesker gave the order, and he is the head of the operative department as well as her father and uncle's right hand man.

Tearing her eyes away from Ada Alice looks back at the screen. "Apparently so." Ada's lips quirk up at her tone. No doubt remembering when she was first assigned to look after her. Ada hated her when they first met. Believed that Alice would slow her down and interfere with her work.

Not much has changed but Alice likes to believe that Ada respects her more for her skills now and can tolerate her presence. Sometimes in their line of work respect means more than likeability.

On paper, Parks seems like a good agent. He rose through the ranks of the military and the police quickly. Quickly enough to be noticed and then handpicked by Umbrella. She guesses she'll find out exactly what type of operative he will be. After all, they will be spending the next few months living together in the Spencer Mansion. Plenty of time to evaluate him.

"Must be well trained given how much of his file is blacked out," Ada comments flicking through his profile. Alice wonders if this is what she did when assigned to work with her. Searched her file, her entire life learning everything she could about her. Wonders what her file said. No doubt daughter, goddaughter, and best friend of the three CEOs was highlighted so Ada understood just how important she was. And that she couldn't accidentally lose in some random country.

Did knowing about who she was make Ada dislike her more or less. Did Ada even know about that. She must have. Even with a name change her file must have mentioned who her father was. And if it didn't Wesker would have made sure she knew. "I dread to think what our flies look like."

Ada lets out a quiet chuckle at this. "To us and our bosses a remarkable service record. To everyone else, our files don't exist." Easier for Umbrella to deny any association with our actions if we're caught or killed. Similar to how the CIA does things.

Now that the small talk is out of the way Alice turns back to Ada. "What brings you here." Ada only ever appears when she wants or needs something. And given that she is basically on house arrest it's doubtful that Ada needs her help with something. So, it's most likely she's after information.

Faking offence Ada replies, "I can't I just drop in to see an old friend."

"You don't have friends." Alice bluntly states earning a scoff from Ada. Even though Ada doesn't have friends Alice does sort of count her as a friend. Not a close friend to share her secrets with but the type of friend you call when needing to dispose of a body or do something with no questions asked.

"Harsh." Ada tilts her head. "But true."

Thinly smiling she tries again. "So, I'll ask again. What do you want." Whatever it is must be important for Ada to come to her directly rather than just calling her.

This time Ada gets straight to the point. "When you worked in the secret service did you ever come across a man named Leon Kennedy." The name rings a bell in her memory. Not a large memory but it's there.

Not the type of fishing she was expecting from Ada. She was thinking more along the lines of what happened on a certain assignment or what contacts does she have in a certain country. Not some questions a man she vaguely met.

Nodding Alice tries to think back to their brief meeting. "Yeah. Once. I was on a different team, but you already know that. I was working intel on a protection detail while Kennedy was head of security. I just passed intel on to him." It wasn't her most exciting job, but she was only in her first year.

"What did you make of him."

"Arrogant, rude, bit of a bastard. But very serious about his job and very good at that." Alice answers honestly. They met once to talk about potential dangers. It was short and to the point.

"That's all you got on him." It's not like they were best friends trading office gossip and going out for coffee together on their breaks. They didn't even work on the same floor.

"He was well liked by other agents. I never heard a bad thing about his work. Was on track to be head of the President's security team. Resourceful and very skilled in combat. I can't really tell you anything more on him. I was only there for two years." Alice reminds Ada who doesn't look at all pleased with the information she told her. But what was Ada expecting. She had very little contact with the guy. That fact she remembers who he was is shocking enough. Then again, the guy was always said to have flings with his female co-workers. "Is that all you wanted."

Ada hums to herself. "Yes." And with that, Ada gets up from the table and starts walking away. A part of her wants to ask why Ada wants to know about Kennedy. What has caused this sudden interest. But she knows the answer. Classified. The word all spies use to avoid having to talk about something they really don't want to talk about. They just get the information they need and leave.

At least Ada kind of owes her one now. "Always a pleasure Ada." She waves to the back of the retreating woman before turning back to Parks file.

---

Heading to the top of the tower Claire takes a moment to just let everything that's happened hit her. When she woke up this morning she had assumed the worst thing that could happen to her was if the infected somehow breached the tower. Not this mess she has created.

A part of her wants to storm back into the infirmary and get Alice and K-Mart to talk to her. To repair the damage to their relationship that she has inadvertently caused in their absence. If it was Chris then she would do that.

But Alice and K-Mart aren't Chris. Trying to force them to talk when they are not ready never ends well. Something she learned with both of them the hard way. Both of them have dropped back into defensive mode. A psychological shield created to protect them from an incoming threat. Something Claire loathes both of her girls having to craft because of their parents. And if she was to try and confront them now the only thing that will do is damage their relationship a whole lot more.

They need time. They will come to her when they are ready. Which will hopefully be before Umbrella brings an army of infected and kills them all.

Pushing off the wall she heads to meet up with the others. And surprise surprise Christian and Chris are yelling at each other. Doc and Razor are trying to calm them down while Abigal and Cobalt look on. The former in amusement the latter in concern.

"Say it again." She hears Chris say with far more venom than she can deal with right now. Whatever Chrisitan said really must have pissed her brother off.

Knowing that it's probably better neither she, Alice, nor K-Mart hear whatever insult or accusation Christian had lined up she quickly moves to intercept. "You wouldn't say another word if you have any brain cells left in that head of yours." She takes her place standing next to Chris facing off against Chrisitan Cobalt and Doc. Abigal stands on the other side of Chris while Razor is right in the middle of all of them.

And damn if that isn't how it feels like right now. Two sides and the fate of the future of the tower deciding on who Razor sides with giving them the number advantage.

Her presence seems to calm everyone down. Or at the very least shut them all up. Chris turns his glare away from Christian instantly softening when looking at her. "How are they." He asks with worry but seemingly glad that she has joined them on the roof.

K-Mart and Chris barely got to spend a few days together but the moment she told Chris K was practically her daughter he fully embraced the blonde teen as his family. Something which K delighted in making her practically bounce on the spot the moment she finally met her famous hero Uncle Chris.

When K was younger and had nightmares Claire would always tell her stories of her big brother to calm her down. He became sort of a legend to her. In a way it sort of became like Chris was the one to protect her from her nightmares which was why she was so overjoyed to finally meet him. He was her hidden protector.

Chris and Alice got along like a house on fire. She wasn't there for their initial meeting but both of them told her the other made quite the first impression. Alice was the one to convince the others to free Chris and the two of them bonded over scaring and pissing off Benett. Not to mention the two of them and Angel very quickly formed a bond as they worked on figuring out how better to secure the prison from the thousands of undead trying to get in.

Similarly, she, Chris, and Angel bonded over trying to get the UPV operational. At the time Claire still wasn't one hundred percent sure Chris was her brother, but the time spent with the two men working on that vehicle was easily some of the best in her current memory at the time. The best being anytime she spent with Alice in private. Something Chris made fun of her for. Calling her a schoolgirl with a crush.

She may or may not have punched him in the stomach for that.

"Alice is awake." She assures him and his stance relaxes ever so slightly at the news. "The two of them will be up in a minute." She aims this towards the rest of the group.

"Are they really expecting us to take orders from them." Chrisitan grunts towards them.

"If we want to make it through the night we will. If not, we'll all be dead by morning." That is not something up for debate. Without Alice, they are all screwed.

"We don't need them to hold that tower."

"Then you really are more stupid than you look," Alice announces her presence not even stopping to look at them instead going right up to the railing and pulling out a pair of binoculars. K follows suit. "What do you see." She asks the teen.

"That dusk cloud wasn't there before." K comments.

"Which tell you."

"They've gathered thousands more infected to add to their collection. No doubt draining the nearby towers of all infected." K pauses as Alice watches her as if waiting for her to make a connection. Whatever Alice is waiting for Claire sees the moment it clicks in K-Mart. It's an actual lightbulb moment. "The cloud is closer than it should be." A sense of dread drips into K's tone.

Alice nods at the blonde encouraging her to keep going. "Which means."

"They sped up after we escaped." K turns to look at Alice her brows crinkled together. "They will be here faster than we first estimated."

"By forty minutes if we're lucky," Alice answers with a sigh.

"Can we hold that long." K-Mart asks her arms wrapping around her stomach.

Alice sends a comforting smile to K. The same one she used after she was injured trying to relieve everyone of their worries over her wellbeing. "Well, Solnyshko that entirely depends on the people here." Alice now turns to greet everyone. "Please tell me in between all your arguing that you did do a stocktake over everything you have otherwise you should really get on that." Christian goes to argue with her, but Alice cuts him off. "You have three highly modified tanks armed with lock-on missiles, machine guns, flares, at least eighteen highly trained Umbrella soldiers, and around at the absolute minimum forty-eight thousand infected." That number rams into Claire with far more force than she thought. She almost has to take a step back. The others actually do.

When K said tens of thousands, she knew it was a lot but hearing Alice give an actual estimate. And forty eight thousand being the smallest possible number is horrifyingly startling. Forty-eight thousand. That was bigger than the population of most of the towns she guided her convoy through. How the hell can they hope to hold off that many infected.

"How do you know that number is right," Cobalt asks not having the same faith in Alice's mad math skills as she does.

"I'm very good at math." Is all Alice says in reply. A fact that Claire was very quick to learn about Alice back in the desert. Something she used to the full advantage of getting Alice to teach the younger members of their convoy. She had wanted the kids and teens to have an education. Always scavenging books or anything they could use to help teach the younger generation. Alice was a plethora of knowledge on a wide range of subjects, but her skills were in maths and science.

Well, that and combat.

"We don't have the ammunition for that." Abigail gives Alice a titbit of the information she needs. We have nowhere near that amount of bullets." Claire isn't even sure there are enough bullets left in the world for them to fight back against that.

"Not to mention if Umbrella has managed to scrounge up more than just infected." More than just infected. What does that mean.

Alice shakes her head at K-Mart after considering her question. "We can't know that information until they arrive. Prepare for normal infected and I'll work up some measures for the others."

"I kind of wish Ada was here now," K-Mart says sounding far more cheerful beaming toward Alice. Who is Ada. "You two destroyed those executioners with ease." K then turns to her and gives a joyful reenactment of Alice and this Ada woman blowing up two executioners with ease.

When she and Alice faced an executioner for the first time they barely managed to escape with their lives. Kim actually died in that fight. Yet Alice and Ada took two on at the same time and defeated them without a second thought.

A chuckle escapes Alice at K-Mart's enthusiasm. "Didn't feel like it at the moment." Alice pulls K into a side hug smiling lovingly towards the teen. She kisses the top of her head whispering something to K that has her smile turn up even more in brightness. "Anyways back to the matter at hand. Do you have anything then bullets that could be useful."

They don't have any explosives which would be extremely helpful. They have nail gun nails which Doc likes to use which could give them a few extra bullets. No doubt Abigal could create more from scrap metal. They all carry knives and hand held weapons which is a plus in a close-quarter fight but with the amount of infected coming, they will be far too overwhelmed to use them.

In terms of how they could take out the tanks, she doesn't see how they can without relying on Alice's powers. But given that Alice just collapsed Claire doubts Alice has the energy to summon enough force to take out three tanks and shield them from bullets and missiles.

Abigal seems to have a better idea on what to do. "We have fuel. Gallons of it."

Alice snaps her head in Abigail's direction thinking over what she said. Claire can physically see Alice's mind whirling with ideas. Smirking towards the other woman Alice says, "I like you. You're helpful. Do you know how much."

Abigal shrugs her shoulders. A faint blush appears on her cheeks from the look Alice is sending her. "No, but I can find out."

Alice turns back towards the dust cloud before looking back at them. A look of accomplishment on her face. "Good. This could work." Abigal looks towards Razor who nods in acceptance of Abbey doing as Alice asked. A small bit of the weight is taken off of her shoulders seeing that Razor has decided to follow Alice's lead. For now, at least.

Chris asks the question they are all thinking. "You have a plan."

Alice raises an eyebrow at him tauntingly. "Don't you know by now Chris. I always have a plan."

Falling back into a familiar rhythm Chris crosses his arms returning Alice's smirk. "Please tell me it's better the blowing up the top of a prison roof and using old cable to jump off of the roof to drop down into a horde of zombies."

Razor upon hearing this blinks multiple times looking towards Chris and Alice in disbelief. Claire has to stifle her laugh at the befuddled look on his face. Not that Claire can blame him. Before meeting Alice hearing of anything she has done would sound insane or purely fictional.

Having met Alice you could tell her that Alice once adopted a lamas and started a lama farm to create a legion of lama soldiers who you can ride into battle as they spit poisonous venom that kills humans but cures the infected. If someone told her that she was nod being like yep. That's not surprising.

After the army of clones and superpowers, she would just about believe anything at this point.

Mimicking Chris's stance she shoots back with. "You complain about it but did it or did it not work perfectly."

Fake exasperated Chris asks. "How have you lived this long."

Amusement rolls off as Alice as she nonchalantly shrugs. "I mean technically I've died at least twice soooo." K-mart laughs loudly at this while Claire laughs quietly at seeing Chris's face drop.

"For fuck sake Alice." Chris groans his hand coming up to cover his face while Alice and K-Mart chuckle to themselves.

Alice claps loudly drawing everyone's attention to her. "I know you all have questions but first I need answers. And first and foremost, I really have to ask." She turns to Claire who suddenly feels on the spot. "Claire. Where the fuck did you get the long-sleeved version of the leather vest, I lent you." Behind her, K bursts out laughing actually having to bend over slightly. "I mean I wouldn't have questioned if the long-sleeved jacket became a vest. That would make sense. You could have cut the sleeves off or something. But how the fuck did it grow sleaves. That doesn't make sense." She sounds both highly amused and also very serious about the giant mystery of her jacket.

"I found it." Claire didn't want to admit that she fought Cobalt for the red one because it reminded her of when Alice gave her that red vest back on the outskirts of San Francisco. Back when she didn't know or trust who Alice was and had attacked her. Yet Alice still gave her the red vest. It was a little big on her, but she loved it the moment Alice gave it to her.

Having this jacket was like holding on to that moment. For the first time since she woke up in Alaska, she didn't feel confused annoyed, or scared. Wrapped in Alice's scent and with her close pushed all those emotions away. She felt safe and happy. she also felt loved and cherished but at the time she couldn't figure out those emotions without her understanding of the woman who invoked them all.

"You found it," Alice repeats slowly. "You found the exact same jacket in a city that was hit with a nuclear bomb after it had been raided."

"Yes." Claire simply replies enjoying how the logic of what has happened conflicts with Alice's logic. So, she can accept an army of clones but struggles with the idea of her finding a similar jacket. Sometimes she really wishes she understood exactly how Alice's mind works.

...

...

Her words give logic to Alice who after a few moments accepts what she said as normal. "Ok. You still owe me a leather jacket though." She adds on earning an eye roll from Claire.

"I'll add it to my list."

"Thank you." Alice then turns to Razor all humour leaving her face. Alice has entered solider mode. Explaining what plan she has managed to conjure up. "So what we need to do first is-"

---

Being trapped in a small plane with a woman who claims to know her isn't exactly a fun experience for Claire. Or at least that's what the woman Alice has called her. Nothing makes sense. Her memory is so jumbled. Vague images of people and places flash through her head but none of it makes any sense.

Sand. So much sand. Stars. Something important had to do with the Stars. But what. Nothing makes any sense. Nothing but Alice. From what she can remember Alice pops up the most in the fleeting memories.

The two of them sat in the back of a truck looking over maps. A sense of hope and fear building within her yet Alice is calm and optimistic. The first time she'd ever seen the stoic woman look overly happy about something.

Crosses in the sand. Sceams and the caws of birds. Ashes and fire. Panic and Fear.

Alice and her talking about motorbikes. A picture of Alice jumping off of a motorbike followed by an explosion.

Her and some guy joking about cigarettes.

Helicopters and another faceless man laughing next to her.

Gunning down infected and Alice cuts through them. A feeling of protectiveness, love, and fear.

She can only remember small bites of her life. But nothing fits together. She doesn't fit together. Alice assured her that it was normal. That her memories will come back in time. Apparently, she's suffered from memory loss before and it all came back to her. Alice went on a weird tangent of chemicals in her system needing time to disappear or something like that. She couldn't really understand what the older woman was talking about she seemed confident in what she was saying.

Is Alice older than her. How old is she. When was she born. When was she born. So many questions that need answering.

Apparently, they are heading to San Francisco. Another stop on the planned escape route the group she was with was planning on using should anything go wrong in Alaska. The last few stops turned up nothing and as much as she tried to hide Claire could tell that Alice was starting to panic.

Wherever her group disappeared to doesn't seem to track with anything she and Alice had organized. Not to mention Alice found her alone lost in the Alaskan wilderness with some scarab latched onto her chest pumping drugs into her system. Hence the memory loss.

Pushing those memories away Claire decides to focus on what she can understand. She may not remember anything about her life or about Alice, but she wants to know. Maybe knowing will trigger more memories. "Have you ever been to San Francisco before."

As it was part of the escape plan, she guessed that someone involved in the plan actually knew the areas they were going to. There were so many different places they could have picked after Alaska but they picked California. Why.

Alice turns her head to look back at her. Her eyes seeming looking through Clair for a moment before sorrow floods her blue eyes making the bright colour look duller. Which is another strange thing she has noticed about Alice. How her eyes seem to shift from blue to green. At first, she just assumed the memories of her eyes were wrong. That something was even more messed up in her head. But she sees it. How sometimes they are a pale green but then a bright blue the next day. Like a war is taking place within her. The two colors battling for dominance.

The brunette turns back to face in the direction she is flying. And Claire feels the stab of pain she has come to know when Alice looks at her like that. Like she's expecting her to be like the woman she knew. Not the person she is now. And her asking the question is just a reminder that the Claire she cares about isn't the one sitting behind her.

Nonetheless Alice repeats information she must have told her already. "Yeah, a few times. My brother moved out here." Alice has a brother. Older or younger. Was her brother part of their convoy. Did they know each other. Or did he die during the outbreak.

She wants to ask more questions. Wants to learn more. But she also doesn't want to cause Alice any more pain. If her brother is dead will asking about him make her feel worse. Make her relive that pain.

Every time she opens her mouth it feels like she is walking on a minefield. Alice assures her it's fine. That no matter what happens she will stay with Claire. If her memories come back great. If they don't then they can make new ones and she will happily tell her anything she wants to know. It's clear that Alice is devoted to her. That she cares about her and that at some point Claire must have felt the same towards her. The way she feels around her now even without her memories is evidence enough of that.

But she does wonder how that care and devotion went. What they were to each other. Alice agreed that they were friends. But that doesn't feel right to her. Friends seems too small of a word to describe what Alice is to her. Even now.

Fuck she wishes her stupid memory would hurry up and come back. It would make everything so much less confusing and easier to navigate.

"Do you know if I ever went." Where in America has she been too. Before and after the apocalypse. From what Alice has told her she has been to Las Vegas and all around the state and surrounding states. But where else. Did she go on holiday abroad. If so, where did she go. Who did she go with.

"Yeah. Your brother was living in LA, and you would come out to visit him and the two of you would take trips exploring all that California has to offer."

Alice's words ring in her ear for a moment she absorbs that fact. "I have a brother." She whispers to herself. She has a brother, but she doesn't remember him. Who is he. Where is he.

Her whisper must not have been as quiet as she thought it would be since Alice turns back to look at her. Understanding crossing her face she expands on what she said. "Chris. Well, Christopher Redfield." Alice can see she craves more information about who Chris is. Who she was before all of this. "He was a member of the Air Force. He taught you how to fly Helicopters in his spare time. He was going to teach you to fly a plane as well but then the outbreak happened."

She can fly. She guesses it makes sense. Alice did tell her that she and the rest of the convoy stole a helicopter and flew to Alaska. She just never assumed that she was the one doing the actual flying. "What happened to him."

"I don't know," Alice says looking down at the floor sadness staining her face before she loses the expression and looks back at her. Was the sadness about Chris, about her, or about Alice's own brother. "You told me Chris was stationed at the Airbase in LA so when the outbreak happened, he would have been one of the first responders." Alice seems to hesitate before continuing. "Chris is why our convoy's backup plan was to head down the West Coast. You always believed that Chris was still alive, and we figured if Alaska is a bust we may as well loot the West Coast for supplies."

So, heading down this way was her idea. "I wanted to try and look for him." She guesses.

A guess Alice answers for her. "Yeah."

If the world ended four years ago, why is it that she is only trying to look for him now. Why not at the start. Why not when she was leading a convoy. "Why didn't I try before."

"You did," Alice says softly as if sensing her thoughts. Or maybe she did. Alice seems very good at reading her. "But cities at the start of the infection were pure death zones. Even now heading directly into one is insane. But if anyone could make it out of LA it would be Chris." She mulls that over.

If cities are so dangerous, why would she risk heading into them now. Why did they go to Las Vegas. Surely if cities are so dangerous, they should avoid them. Was she risking the people who trusted with their lives to find a man that very well may be dead. Why would they agree to that. Why would Alice.

Deciding to ponder more on this new information about herself later in private she decides to learn more about Alice instead. Learning about the other woman is more interesting to her than learning about herself. "What about you."

Her question seems to confuse Alice. "What about me."

"You said you had a brother out here. Do you know what happened to him." If that why Alice agreed to look for her brother in the cities. Was she also looking for her brother as well.

"No. But Ethan's smart. When I went missing, he should have followed our plan." Alice went missing before the apocalypse. Something else Alice must have told her about at one point with the ease she said it. "He and Mia should have gone back to the Ukraine to hide out with our grandparents."

"You have grandparents in Ukraine." Now that does surprise her.

Alice sends her a smile. A real happy smile. One that naturally enhances her beauty. "Yeah, my mother was Ukrainian. After she died we mostly spent Christmas and Spring Break with them, we would rotate spending the time off with them or our father's parents in Italy. Our father would drag us around with him in the summer."

"Italian too."An endless bundle of surprises.

Amused by her Alice just shrugs her shoulders. "I'm basically a weird mesh of different cultures." She's weird indeed. But that is just one of the most enticing things about her. The more Claire learns about Alice the more need to know. If she can't remember who she is she wants to know everything she can about Alice. Wants that closeness with the other woman.

Again, Claire asks herself who she and Alice are to each other. Because she is positive the desperate need she has to learn more about who Alice is has nothing to do with her memory loss. It feels far too natural to be caused by the scarab. Friends don't act like this with each other. So if they weren't friends. What were they.

---

This chapter became far longer than it was meant to. Had to break what chapter four was supposed to be into two different parts.

Alice is a constant bundle of anxiety and trauma that is buried down. And I made her Ukrainian and Italian since her last name is Latin and the actress is Ukrainian. In the books, Alice said she was part of the Secret Service.

Alice calls K-Mart Solnyshko which means sunshine or little sun in Ukrainian. or at least that what's Google Translate said. Angie is Malo Misyats which means little moon. And Claire is Dorogoy which means my dear.