RE: Legacy - Chapter 1-4: Prey (PART 2)

    With little time to react, Jill quickly ducked into cover beneath the staircase as her unexpected arrival descended toward the third floor.  Another voice above had yelled down to the man, but she couldn’t make out what was said.  The incoming soldier muttered something about a ‘devil’ but made no reply.

    Now she had to think fast.  If this man’s destination was the second floor, he would run into Tweed and blow any chance of them getting the drop on these rebels.  There was no choice – she had to take him out and fast.  Moving out from cover, Jill went low and drew her knife.  Just as he was about to descend the steps, voices from the adjacent room stopped him.  Jill quickly crouched in the shadows as the man turned and made his way toward his comrades.

    Closing her eyes, she exhaled a sigh of relief.  Their presence still hadn’t been detected, and she decided that now was the best time to act if she and Tweed were to take advantage of the situation.  After signaling her intentions to her partner, Jill used the shadows to move toward the room’s opening.  The rebel who had come from the roof was standing in the doorway with his back turned, giving her the perfect opportunity to make the first move.  Removing the grenade from her belt, Jill stood up and quickly landed a kick into the hapless man’s back, sending him sprawling into the room.  The others inside looked up in shock when they saw her standing there.

    Taking advantage of the lull, she quickly tossed the grenade into the room and then pushed herself into cover.  Screams erupted right before the blast of the explosion sent debris raining out into the hallway.  Turning the corner with her shotgun raised, she saw that three of them were on the floor and bleeding while the last staggered forward with half of his head missing.  The blackish-red blood was rolling down what was left of his face… until something began to emerge from within.  Jill’s eyes widened when she saw a large larva-like head sprout from the remains of the man’s skull; reminding her of some sort of giant insect from a horror movie.  That was when she made the connection – these rebels were also infected with this new virus but instead of turning into blood-thirsty savages, they had been implanted with a parasite!

    Was this the Las Plagas… or Uroboros?  In that split second her mind was swimming with the possibilities, but the immediate threat had to be neutralized.  Raising the shotgun, Jill fired her first shot into her target’s upper torso; the flame-imbued round igniting the bloodied body on fire.  It staggered once while squealing in an unearthly tone right before she finished it off with another shot a bit higher.  The insect-like head exploded just as its flaming body crested the broken window and fell out of sight.  The room was now secure.

    Meanwhile, her partner had begun her own assault right after her grenade had detonated.  True to their Special Forces backgrounds, the two of them had managed to clear the interior of the building without one rebel fighting back.

    Upon exiting the room, she caught sight of Tweed ascending the stairs.  “You good, luv?” the Brit asked.

    Jill nodded and then pointed up towards the roof.  “There’s one more up there.  Stay on my six.”

    Leading the breach, she and her partner charged through the attic door and were immediately greeted by the warm embrace of the sun.  It almost appeared out of place given the fact that they were in the middle of a war zone, but she refused to allow the peaceful moment to detract from her objective.  Moving with military precision, her shotgun was at the ready as she and Tweed broke off with Jill advancing east and her partner west.  But to her surprise… no one was there.  The roof appeared clear.

    Still, she pressed forward and that was when she saw several empty missile crates stacked along the wall… but there were no soldiers.  Her brow furrowed in confusion at the mysterious scene – how was this possible?  She had clearly heard someone shout down from up here.  So… where was he?

    “Looks clear, Cupid,” Tweed replied.  “Maybe we got all of the sorry buggers.”

    “We can’t take that chance,” she replied quickly.

    A shiver of fear rolled down her spine at the possibility that perhaps she was hearing things once again like she had down in the sewer.  That thought quickly began to terrify her more than a potential rebel they may have missed.  Either way, she had to be sure.

    “We need to…”

    “Hey,” her partner replied; her hand grasping at Jill’s shoulder.  “You know I’ll search with you, but we need to let Captain Redfield know that the SAM nest is neutralized.  They won’t survive much longer without air support.”

    That was a risk, but Tweed had a point – Chris needed to know that their objective had been completed.  If Viper Squad didn’t receive air support, they would be overrun just as soon as their ammo was spent.  Without further delay, she made the call.

    “Boss, this is Cupid.  SAM nest has been neutralized – I say again, the SAM nest has been neutralized.  Call in the air support.”

    “Great job you two,” Chris responded.  “I’m putting in the call right now.  Hold tight until we clear this area, and then we’ll advance toward you.”

    Jill let out a sigh of relief.  “Copy that.  We’ll hold here.  Out.”

    Gunfire could still be heard off in the distance, but soon the shape of Captain Johnson’s Blackhawk materialized off the horizon.  Once in position, the helo hovered above the church like a guardian angel before raining hellfire down on the enemy positions.  In the moment that followed, Jill couldn’t suppress her feelings of elation.

    From the very beginning of this mission, she’d been questioning her place – not just with Chris’ team but also her standing within the BSAA.  The past six years had been a continuous struggle that she hadn’t anticipated along with the constant miring of doubt.  Perhaps she shouldn’t have come here after all.  Like her nightmares that would vanish as smoke in the face of coming dawn, there were other emotions she had experienced as well.  Fear… anger… rage… regret – all of them she had no doubt were a part of her missing past… a past she still couldn’t remember.  And today she was feeling those same emotions again.  What could it all mean?

    While her current intentions were to relieve herself from duty upon her return, Jill had to admit that if she hadn’t agreed to come along, there was no telling what would have happened to Chris and the others in her absence.  Would they have been able to accomplish what she and Tweed had pulled off?  Maybe she owed herself more credit than she was willing to allow.  Still, it was difficult.  Ever since boarding the helicopter, she couldn’t escape the images of what she had done to Chris back in Africa… or even Wesker’s oppressive presence.  It would forever be a scar upon her heart that would never heal.

    By contrast to her somber response, Tweed was nearly euphoric at witnessing the battle’s turn.  “Holy shit!  Look at those bastards run!” she nearly shouted as her hand came to rest on Jill’s shoulder.  “We did it, luv!”

    Jill had to admire the woman’s camaraderie with the team.  While neither of them got along well with Party Girl, her partner truly cared for the well-being of her squad mates.  A good team consisted of men and women willing to work together to fulfill a mission.  However, Viper Squad was more than that.  It was a team comprised of the very best the BSAA had to offer – a team not only willing to complete an objective, but one whose members would do anything to bring their teammates home alive.

    “I just hope everyone’s okay,” was her tempered response.

    “You know that your man will lead them out of it.  He’s one of the best… just like you.”

    Jill actually felt surprise at hearing someone else’s praise for her actions.  Except for Chris, most of the other members continued to treat her as a pariah.  While her coworkers had accepted her help and knowledge, there was little in the way of gratitude.  And there’d been no end to the whispers spoken behind her back – even from trusted colleagues who had once been her friends.  As much as it cut like a knife upon flesh, she hadn’t blamed them for their distrust.  In fact, she had blamed herself more than anyone ever could after all that had transpired.  To hear words of praise… they felt as foreign as the country they were currently in.

    “I’m just the advisor to this team, Tweed… nothing more.”

    “Hey, none of that talk now, luv.”  Her partner stood before her and placed both hands on her shoulders.  “You’re one of us.  Everyone’s seen what you’re capable of and what you’ve done for this team.  There isn’t one member of Viper Squad that wouldn’t have your back in a scrape.”

    In that moment, Jill almost smiled.  “Thanks,” she replied.  “I…”

    Her words stopped in mid-sentence when she saw the figure leaping towards them.  Her eyes widened in alarm but there had been no time to react.  The soldier’s boot connected against the back of Tweed’s head before spinning around and landing his other into her chest.  Both of them were sent sprawling across the roof; their weapons scattering.  Lying there on her back, she hadn’t even had time to orient herself before he was on top of her; a hand tightly grasping at her throat.

    He was wearing Special Forces combat gear with a black tactical mask covering most of his face.  The uniform held neither insignia nor rank, making this man’s country of origin a mystery.  While his identity may have been in question, one thing was for certain… he was no Abkhazian rebel.

    The grip of his hand felt as if her neck had been caught in a steel vice; stifling what chance she had at drawing in breath.  Slowly, he stood and lifted her up off the ground, dangling her like a fish on a hook.  As she tried to grasp at his hand, she quickly realized that his entire right arm was made of some sort of metal prosthetic – one that he had full use of.  Now she was afraid.  Who in the hell was he?  Jill looked down into his face, but saw only one eye staring back at her – the other was lifeless with half his face covered by scars.

    “Let go of her!”

    Looking past her attacker, she saw Tweed standing behind him with her shotgun pointed at his back.  With unnatural speed, he dropped her to the ground before spinning around and disarming the weapon from Tweed’s hands.  As she laid there trying to draw in breath, she looked up in time to see the soldier hit her partner in the face with the rifle butt before sending a kick to her chest.  Tweed stumbled backwards before tumbling off the roof.

    “TWEED!”

    With her partner in jeopardy, Jill quickly got to her feet with knife drawn.  Her enemy’s back was turned, and she wasn’t about to let the opportunity to draw first blood slip away.  Charging in, she swung towards his neck.  The soldier quickly ducked… placing himself into position for her follow up jump kick that she landed right in his face.  Going low, Jill tried to sweep his feet out from under him, but the soldier recovered faster than she had anticipated.  In a flash of movement, he had gotten in behind her and grabbed the hand which held the blade.  Twisting her body around, he loosened her grip on the hilt before once again knocking her to the ground.

    The next thing she felt was the cold kiss of steel as the knife pressed against the flesh of her neck… and with it a wave of anxiety at realizing this was the end.  From the very outset of the BSAA’s formation, Jill had always been aware of the high chance of facing her end out in the field.  Both her parents along with Jackie had pleaded with her for years to leave it all behind and lead a quiet life free from danger, but she had refused.  While dangerous, the BSAA had been familiar territory… and she had needed that feeling after everything that had happened to her.  Not only had it once been her life, but Chris was a permanent figure there and had been the one thing needed more than anything else.  He was her rock – her anchor to what remained of her old life… and she loved him for it.  If only she’d had a chance to tell him how much she truly cherished him.

    Closing her eyes, Jill slowed her breathing in preparation for the final cut that would spill her blood in finality.  A quick slice across her throat would be the end of it – an end to everything including the pain.  Was that really so bad?

    Despite her anticipation, nothing happened.  She could still feel the blade against her skin, but the soldier hadn’t ended her yet… why?  Slowly, she opened her eyes and saw him staring back at her with his one good eye.  There was no emotion on his face – no indication of what he was thinking or what he was planning to do.  Perhaps he was merely savoring the moment before the kill.  With that, Jill began feeling a sudden surge of anger at his drawing out of her end.

    “Go on,” she hissed while keeping her eyes leveled at him.  “Do it!”

    Instead, the man suddenly looked up towards the sky.  That was when Jill heard the sound of a helicopter approaching from the north.  Her eyes looked upwards until she saw what he was looking for.  Materializing above them was a Hind-D gunship!  The presence of a Russian-made aircraft in Georgian airspace was a horrifyingly new development, but what eventually drew her gaze was a large, black cylinder hanging from beneath it.

    The Spec Ops soldier then grabbed her uniform, forcing her to look at him.  With his face directly in front of hers, he whispered a single word.  “Anytime…”

    In a flash, he let go of her and was quickly running toward the direction of the gunship as it began flying south toward the church.  When he reached the edge of the roof, he leapt nearly twenty feet into the air before grabbing the open door and hoisting himself inside.

    Jill laid there for a moment in complete shock at what had just transpired.  He’d had a chance to kill her, but had instead allowed her to live.  Why?  What had he accomplished by letting her go?

     With shaky legs, she pulled herself to her feet.  She was about to radio Chris when she heard a familiar voice call to her from the ledge of the building.

    “Cupid?  You there?”

    Running towards the location where she had seen her partner fall, she looked down to see Tweed hanging onto a cinderblock windowsill with both hands.

    “Tweed!”  Already on her knees, she reached down to grab her partner’s hand.  “You’re alive!”

    “It’ll take more than that to kill me, luv,” the woman replied as Jill pulled her to the safety of the roof.  As the Brit slowly got to her feet, she asked, “Where did that son of a bitch go?”

    Before she could offer a reply, a panicked call came in over their headsets.  “Mayday!  Mayday!  Enemy gunship is firing on us!  We’re…!”

    The transmission was followed by a scream before an explosion drew their attention toward the sky.  Jill watched helplessly as Johnson’s Blackhawk took a direct hit from one of the Hind’s missiles.  Quickly losing altitude, the helicopter went into a death spiral before crashing inside the village in an exploding ball of fire.

    “Bloody hell!” Tweed cried.

    The communicator quickly became a garbled mass of voices that were blending together.  Chris was desperately trying to get in contact with the helicopter crew while HQ was demanding an update on their situation.  All of it began receding into the background of her mind as Jill kept her eyes focused on the enemy gunship as it circled the crash site of its fallen prey.  Before turning back toward the north, it hovered above the town square and released the large cylinder from beneath it.  The metal object fell toward the earth and landed near the fountain.  Whatever had just been dropped, Jill knew one thing – it couldn’t be good.  This fight wasn’t over yet.

    As she and Tweed made there way through the village toward the mysterious object, she would soon realize how right she was.  The large cylinder was some sort of containment pod held together in two pieces.  As the bolts popped loose, both sides fell away revealing the large creature hunched down on its knees.

    Jill stopped dead in her tracks before a loud gasp escaped her.  At that moment she had wanted to scream but the breath had been taken from her lungs as she watched the outline of the monster rise to its feet.

    “No…!” she whispered.

    The familiar black cloak was all that she could see as her eyes fixated on the menacing creature.  Once completely erect, the BOW reared back and let out an ear-shattering roar that echoed across the entire village – a roar she would never be able to forget.

    “No… not him… not him!”

    Slowly, the Nemesis turned in her direction.  In its hands was a large chain gun attached to a metal box upon the creature’s back, and immediately the weapon began spooling.  Its razor-sharp teeth were oozing with saliva as its jaws opened once more.

    “B – S – A – A!”

    The deep voice bellowed across the divide as the chain gun pointed in her direction; preparing to rip her apart.  She should have been moving – trying to find cover or raise her own weapon to fight back.  However, the shock of having to contend with this dreaded enemy was too much for her to process and like a deer caught in a vehicle’s headlights, Jill froze.  Death had been a constant companion that had followed her for so many years.  Even today it had been nipping at her heels, demanding that she join her dead colleagues whom had already made the ultimate sacrifice.   Now it seemed that the Nemesis was prepared to finish what its predecessor hadn’t been able to – killing off one of the last two members of S.T.A.R.S. Alpha team.

    Jill felt herself flying as the impact took her in the rib cage.  At first, she had believed herself hit from one of the Nemesis’ bullets until she heard the sound of high-powered steel flying over her head.  That was when she saw Tweed at her side; the woman’s arm bracing her for support as the two of them crawled toward the relative safety of a broken wall.  After managing to sit upright, her partner kneeled down next to her.

    “You alright, luv?  That was bloody close!”

    Jill managed a nod in return.  “I… I’m okay.”  She then turned to peek through a crack in the wall to get a better look at the area.  “Do you see any sign of the others?”

    Her question was soon answered when the sounds of additional gunfire began coming from multiple positions surrounding the Nemesis.  With Viper Squad’s help, the creature ceased its assault on her position before turning its attention toward the rest of the team.  That was when Chris and Willow ducked into cover next to them.

    “Chris!”  The mere mention of his name was already putting her at ease; allowing her mind the chance to pull itself away from fear and focus on what needed to come next – survival.

    After confirming that both she and Tweed were alright, Chris turned back to her.  “What the hell is this thing, Jill!?”

    “It’s a Nemesis, Chris!” she replied; the fear once again creeping into her voice.  “We have to get the squad out of here!”

    “We’re not leaving before we kill that thing!”

    Immediately, he turned in preparation to fire until she reached over and grabbed his arm.  While she trusted Chris in any battle, the man had never engaged a B.O.W. like this before.  The Nemesis had originally been created by Umbrella to be the perfect killing machine in their effort to silence the members of S.T.A.R.S. for investigating its nefarious activities in Raccoon City.  It was both ruthless and relentless… and it would kill them all before they could hurt it.  While she had no idea how another one had been created or even deployed against them, right now her focus had to be on helping Chris get his team out in one piece.

    “We can’t!” she yelled to him over the sounds of battle.  “It was built to be unstoppable!  We would run out of ammo before we did any real damage to it!”

    “Bloody hell!” Tweed replied.  “But that doesn’t change the fact we can’t outrun that weapon of his.  It’ll tear us to shreds before we can get ten meters!”

    Sneaking a peak over the top of the wall, Chris quickly looked back for options.  “Is there anyway we can slow it down?”

    Slow it down?  Jill’s mind was quickly flooded with flashbacks from Raccoon City.  After killing Brad Vickers, the monster had pursued her relentlessly during her escape.  Nothing she did could fully stop it and there was no rail cannon here to aid them.  While she had managed to stun it long enough to evade its assaults, the creature’s physiology had allowed it to regenerate in order to continue the hunt.  How could Viper Squad possibly hope to stop another one?

    Tweed was also correct in her assessment – fleeing was out of the question.  Even if they could make it back to the landing zone, they would have no immediate air extraction now that the Blackhawk was destroyed.  If they attempted to retreat north across the bridge, they would be advancing into unknown territory…

    The bridge!  Jill’s eyes widened when the idea suddenly came to her.  If they could lure the Nemesis there…

    “Jill!” Chris repeated as he fired another volley at the creature.  “I need your help!  Any thoughts on how we can beat this thing?”

    That was when she quickly relayed her plan.  If the rest of Viper Squad could distract the Nemesis long enough for Tweed to sprint toward the bridge, she could rig the rest of the explosives to set a trap for it.

    Looking over at her partner, she asked, “Do you think you can do it?”

    “You bloody bet I can!” Tweed replied.  “There should be enough C-4 left for me to do the job.”

    “Then get on it,” Chris ordered.  “Willow, you go with her.  Jill, you’re with me!”

    Once Chris had relayed the plan to Viper Squad, Tweed and Willow quickly exited to the north while the rest of them provided covering fire at the monster.  Once the two were safely out of range, Chris had each of them move in teams to two in order to set up choke points further north along the route to the bridge.  With four members providing covering fire from different directions while the other two moved, the Nemesis’s targeting of one position would be interrupted when turning to fire on the other.  Their attacks were confusing it, allowing for each team to move while the monster was distracted.

    Pulling the trigger, the last shell ejected from her shotgun and fell to the ground, forcing Jill to switch back to her M-4.  She had three 203 shells remaining and immediately loaded one into the launcher’s chamber.  Before she could fire, Chris was grabbing her shoulder – it was their turn to move.  As they retreated back towards the next fall-back position, he stopped outside an alleyway.

    “This is the perfect place to buy Tweed some more time,” he said as he reached into his backpack and pulled out a Claymore mine.

     After ordering the rest of Viper Squad to fall back to the bridge, Chris began setting up the explosive trap while she knelt down to cover him.  It hadn’t taken long for the Nemesis to seek them out as it walked through the surrounding fires made from its attacks.

    “B – S – A – A!” it bellowed once more as the metallic whine of its chain gun prepared to send another burst of fire in their direction.

    Aiming for the creature’s weapon, Jill fired the 203 round.  The explosive detonated against her target’s chain gun, not only knocking the Nemesis off balance but also rendering its weapon useless.

    A small but infectious feeling of euphoria was beginning to spread through her heart when she heard the rest of Viper Squad cheering for her.  It was enough to make her believe the words Tweed had imparted on her when it came to her role with the team – that she was one of them.

    “Jill, it’s ready!” Chris yelled after he pulled the pin.  “Fall back!”

    Dee-Ay was already on the radio, making sure that the rest of Viper Squad was providing covering fire for their retreat.  As the bullets began flying past them, Jill turned to see the Nemesis marching toward them in a steady and deliberate pace.  Even though it was disarmed from its primary weapon, she knew it was far from harmless.  From her previous encounter with its predecessor, it held a poisonous tentacle inside its right hand which would aid in melee combat.

    Suddenly, the Claymore exploded, turning the nearby homes into splintered balls of fire… and causing their pursuer to fall to its knees.  The distraction gave both her and Chris enough time to get to the bridge just as Tweed was in the final stages of the trap.

    “Everyone get back!” Chris ordered as the team took cover across the river.  Once the Nemesis rose to its feet, it continued toward their position in search of blood – and right into their trap.  Upon reaching the mid-section of the bridge, Tweed detonated the charges, causing a twenty foot section of the bridge to collapse into the river and with it the Nemesis.  While struggling amidst the debris and rushing water, it shouted at them one last time before falling over the falls in the distance.

    All of them took a moment to catch their breath now that the threat had been neutralized.  They had survived, and it hadn’t taken long for Harley to begin laughing.

    “Ho-ly shit!” he whooped.  “Did you guys see that some bitch fly over the falls?  Goddamn, ain’t no one can stand against Viper Squad!”

    “Ah, my brother,” Shona replied with a smile, “perhaps you care to admit that a divine creator was indeed watching out for us after all, yes?”

    “I’ve never taken much stock in religion there, preacher,” Harley replied as he took Shona’s hand in congratulatory praise.  “But I do know that seven other people were watching my ass out there.”

    “True that,” Dee-Ay replied as he slapped the shoulders of both men.

    A soldier putting his or her life on the line and living to fight another day – it was a feeling that every one of them here shared.  While the battles were terrifying in their own right, being able to survive along with your teammates was exhilarating… and soon a smile began cresting upon her lips.  Without further hesitation, Jill began laughing with the rest of them.  Survival was something to be cherished, and while they would all mourn the deaths of the BSAA’s first casualties, right now the entire ground team had survived.  That was what they would celebrate now.  All of them… but one.

    Chris stood off in the distance as his gaze lingered in the direction the enemy helicopter had fled.  At first, Jill found it odd that he wasn’t with the rest of the team.  After all, he was always one to enjoy the camaraderie he shared with those under his command.  Why had he chosen to isolate himself?  

    Pulling herself away from the jubilation, she made her way over to him and gently laid a hand on his arm.  “Hey,” she said softly.

    He’d been staring off into the distant hills and forests that made up the region’s border zone.  As soon as he heard her voice, his eyes blinked as if being pulled from deeper thoughts.  Turning to look at her, a grin began forming as his arm reached around and rested on her shoulder.

    “Hey to you, too,” he replied before turning back to the view before them.  Slowly, the smile receded from his lips.

    Before she could ask what was troubling him, he spoke again – this time in a more somber tone.

     “It’s going to continue like this,” he said as his face took on a troubled look.  “They’re going to keep attacking these people and then retreat behind their border just like the Viet Cong did.  It’s not going to end.  There will only be more casualties… for everyone.”

    “We don’t know that for sure,” Jill replied.  “Maybe this latest attack will rally the rest of the world and give the rebels pause.”

    His features hardened before turning to look at her.  The comforting hand on her shoulder was quickly removed.

    “You saw that gunship, Jill – it was Russian.  There’s no doubt in my mind that they’re involved in this mess.  How else would the Abkhazians have gotten a hold of biological weapons if not for them?  Where else would that Nemesis have come from?  We just don’t have the proof we need to show the rest of the world.  They won’t act unless absolutely convinced.”

    His eyes closed before letting out a wounded sigh.  Her hand that had been on his arm quickly went to his shoulder.

    “Chris…”  She was searching for some words to ease his burden, but he interrupted her before she could.

     “You can lead Viper Squad out of here, can’t you?” he said suddenly.  Jill froze when she heard the unexpected words and immediately felt her apprehension return.  Chris must have sensed it because he then turned and rested both hands on her shoulders.  “Jill?  Can you get them back to the ship… for me?”

    She couldn’t even respond to his enigmatic request.  All she could do was stare back; confusion and worry ever present in her gaze.  “Chris… what are you talking about?” she asked slowly.

    He didn’t reply at first.  It had taken the question of Dee-Ay for her realize that the rest of Viper Squad had regrouped at their position.

    “Should we contact the carrier for extraction, Boss?”

    Chris gave her a small smile and gently squeezed her shoulders before turning to address his team.  “Yes, you should,” he replied before resting his hand on her shoulder.  “Cupid will be leading you all back to the ship.  I… have some things to do out here.”

    “What the hell are you talking about, Boss?” Willow replied.  “What ‘things’?”

    He responded by pointing towards the village behind them.

    “You’ve all seen what these rebels are capable of and the damage they’re willing to inflict, however I don’t believe that they’re the ones behind this whole mess.  I need to go north and find proof of who’s pulling the strings in order to stop any further attacks.”

    “Are you crazy?” Party Girl said as she stepped forward.  “That there’s enemy territory.  What’re you gonna do?  Waltz up to them and demand to see their weapons?  You’ll end up being executed in a shitty basement and never be heard from again!”

    Chris looked around at the faces of each.  His eyes met each of theirs; his gaze full of singular purpose that would not be deterred.

    “Before we entered the Black Sea, Parker and I suspected Russian involvement in this crisis.  Satellite images taken in the region showed an increase in their military presence along the mutual border.  If evidence couldn’t be found here concerning their involvement, I volunteered to scout into Abkhazian territory to find it.  Well, that Hind gunship and B.O.W. it left behind were all the evidence I needed to take a closer look and find their base of operations.  I expected your concerns on the matter and that’s exactly why I’m going alone.  Besides that…”  He took a deep breath and paused before adding, “I have a personal stake in this.  If the rebels are able to strike the capital with this type of weapon…”  His voice trailed off as he looked down.

    Despite her shock concerning this developing revelation, Jill immediately understood what he was talking about.  “Claire…” she said softly.

    Chris looked at her and nodded.  “My sister is heading up TerraSave’s operations within T’bilisi.”  He paused again to allow all that he had said a moment to sink in before continuing.  “Our charter allows us to work inside the borders of the Republic of Georgia.  The Georgians consider Abkhazia as a part of their country which is why…”

    “That is a slippery slope, Captain Redfield,” Shona said.  “The Abkhazians see Russia as their betters.  You would have no authority to carry out any operations within their province.”

    “Maybe not, but my objective still stands,” he replied.  “That’s why the rest of you are heading back to the carrier.”

    The resulting argument saw the rest of Viper Squad protesting his intended actions, leading Jill to fear they would attempt to subdue him if he attempted on his course.  There had to be a way to stop that from happening.  While she was hurt and even angry over the fact that he had kept this from her, she could understand his reasoning.  His own flesh and blood was caught in the middle of a war that was none of their choosing.

    The Georgian people had already bled from these attacks… as had the BSAA.  However, despite all of the doubt and questions that still lingered concerning herself and her abilities, Jill knew what it was that she had to do.  With that, she stepped forward.

    “I’m going with you.”

    All voices immediately quieted; their heads turning in her direction.  Without hesitation, she stood before the man whom she had pledged her future to and looked him in the eyes.  Even Chris stared back with stunned silence by her proclamation and stood there with his mouth agape.

    “I’m going with you,” she repeated.

    “Jill…” He stammered for a moment as if trying to find his voice through the emotions brewing within him.  “I’m not putting you or anyone else in danger over this.  I’m not going to be operating as a member of the BSAA.  I’ll be reported as rogue which will give Parker and the rest of the brass deniability when it comes to anything that happens.  This is something that I have to do… alone.”

    “It’s not your choice,” she replied with a smile of comfort as her hand went to his cheek.  “Do you remember what you told me back in the village?  You said that we worked best when we’re together as a team.  I allowed myself to forget that over the years… until today.  You were right.”

    His response was silence, giving her the opportunity to let him know that her decision was not up for debate.

    “We’re planning on building a future together, Chris Redfield,” she continued.  “Where you go, I go – got it?”

    Tears were welling within the brown eyes of her man as he stared back at her.  The smile on his lips was enough to make her heart flutter with a renewed purpose when it came to their relationship.  For too long had he given to her without any thought of reward or reciprocation.  Now, it was her turn to be the one standing up for him – to stand beside him.

    Without any further ceremony his arms found their way around her with the warmth of his lips pressing against hers.  As he held her close to him, he soon turned to her ear and whispered his thoughts.  “I love you so much, Jill Valentine.”

    “I love you too, Chris Redfield,” she whispered back; the sting of her own tears a welcome balm.

    What they were planning to do was perhaps the riskiest of all missions they had ever embarked upon together.  They would be operating far away from the support of the BSAA as rogue agents inside enemy territory.  Some might even give name to their actions as terrorism, but they would not be deterred.  Chris was fighting for his sister, and she was fighting for him.  Together, they would see it done.  But before they could embark upon their journey’s beginning, a voice behind them spoke.

    “Well, you two bleedin’ fools aren’t going alone.  I’m coming with you, too.”

    Jill turned from Chris’ comforting embrace to see Tweed standing there with a smile.  “Besides… I think you may need some demolitions support before all of this is said and done.”

    With a smile of her own, Jill took the woman’s extended hand and followed it with a brief camaraderie embrace.

    “While your course is wrought with danger, Captain Redfield, your purpose is noble,” Shona said as he stood next to Tweed.  “I shall also accompany you toward this end.  You shall need my expertise as well I think.”

    “So will I,” Dee-Ay replied as he took up position with his comrades.

    “Ah, shit…” Harley groaned.  “I suppose you won’t get very far without a medic to wipe your asses along the way.  Fuck it, I’m in.”

    At that moment, Jill could not have been prouder to call herself a member of Viper Squad as she witnessed the rest of the team, to include even Party Girl, voice their support.  Together, they stood as one against the growing darkness to the north

    Together they stood… as a team.



                                                 End of Chapter 1... Next: Chapter 2 Prologue