Chapter Twenty-Four: Harvardville, Part One

Notes: I'm still working on Mortal Kombat vs Marvel Universe, but I can't seem to follow through on some of the fight scenes. Still working on rectifying the situation. Now, we're into the events of Resident Evil: Degeneration.

Harvardville, Colorado – November 3, 2005

He watched her as she sat at the hotel's bar, casually sipping at a glass of wine. His cock seem to notice, as it strained against his pants. Blonde hair that ended past her shoulders, with skin the color of natural alabaster. The evening dress she wore (think Aya Brea's dress from Parasite Eve 1) had slits, showing off the curves in her toned legs. He nodded in approval. This woman kept in shape, as he eyed her sensual figure. Athletic, yet model-like.

He smirked to himself. 'Another notch on my cock before I leave.'

Jean-Paul was a businessman, Belgian in origin, but made his home in Paris. He was an engineer working for a European construction firm, a job that kept him on the move. He was also a notorious womanizer with a voracious sexual appetite, leaving a trail of well-fucked women all over the world. He was also thankful that his job kept him mobile, as he also had a bad habit of seducing married women, getting his rocks off by making cuckolds out of their husbands.

As he stood at six feet even and built like an Olympic swimmer, Jean-Paul had no problem in getting any women that caught his eye. It was the husband that he had to look out for. By the time the women's husbands had realized what he had done, it was already too late. He was on the next flight out of the city, or even out of the country, the horns hanging on the husband's heads, their wives thoroughly fucked and sometimes knocked up with his bastard children.

He had several close calls over the years. The first time, he was balls deep inside a woman when her husband came home. Hubby was a stockbroker, and from the look of things, did not see the inside of a gym. Jean-Paul cowered the man into submission and resumed fucking said husband's hot wife. The most recent one was too close for comfort. Hubby was very different. Jean-Paul narrowly escaped with his life, as hubby pulled out a gun and fired at him. The wife did not survive the encounter. He chuckled darkly as he read in a newspaper that the guy was sentenced to twenty years for killing his wife.

But sometimes, he would whisper words of seduction to a woman who would catch his fancy, and even take her along on a world tour, wine and dine her, fuck her brains out, then leave her out cold in the hotel room, naked, stranded, broke, and alone. And after such slim pickings in Harvardville, he had found his next quarry.

Finishing off his drink, he made sure that the bulge in his pants wasn't as obvious, stood up, and walked over to the bar.

She was used to the eyes on her. That was nothing new. The evening dress and matching pumps she had picked up from the boutique earlier in the day was an impulse buy on her end, but it wasn't like she or her husband was hurting for money. The dress, purse, and pumps combined was well over $700. Chump change for the wealthiest couple in the B.S.A.A.

Chris and Jill were returning home from a training seminar out in Seattle. As it ended a day early, they decided to stay overnight in Harvardville and have their Date Night. They toured the town, laughed, danced. The intense lovemaking session happened while they were in Seattle. Good times for the both of them.

Now, Jill was in the hotel's bar, sipping on an expensive glass of wine. Not like she could get drunk off of the stuff, as her super soldier DNA metabolized the alcohol rather quickly. It had been one of Chris' pet exams. Jill had downed a bottle of tequila, rum and vodka each in rapid succession and was still stone-cold sober. So a glass of expensive wine - or several - wasn't going to get her shitfaced drunk.

The bartender was keeping his distance. He was one of many who gave Jill the once-over, but backed off when he saw the diamond ring on her finger when he poured her glass of wine.

Jill was a tomboy, but liked to dress up. When she showed off her dress to Chris, and told her that it was for their little game, Chris was torn between "playing along or fucking her right then and there."

Their little game of flirtation had started years earlier during their crusade against Umbrella. They had been staying in a hotel in Seoul when Jill met up with Chris at the hotel's bar, looking rather uninterested as a socialite with an addiction to plastic surgery was flirting with her, not really giving a crap about him being married.

Jill would've skinned Chris alive, but seeing his bored expression made her pause. Then, after several more moments, Jill decided to intervene. The socialite backed down. Later on, in their hotel room, it had been Jill who suggested that they would make a game out of it; to see who would flirt with them before their significant other would come and put a stop to it.

Chris also enjoyed the game as well. At least neither Chris or Jill didn't have to worry about the other's fidelity. Chris had been taught that to break a vow, no matter how insignificant it may be, would brand you as a liar and a coward. Jill was taught about honesty by her father, along with values and ethics, which was kinda ironic given his profession as a thief.

The TV was on, with the local news playing. The cover story concerned Stone Ville's sheriff, one Thomas Carter. Well, former Sheriff of Stone Ville, as he had been fired from his position and arrested along with his toadie, two more of his deputies and several judges, one of them being his son-in-law. Turns out that the good sheriff was indicted for his part in the 'kids for cash' scandal, in which Carter and his goons earned kickbacks from a juvie detention facility for every body sent their way.

Jill smirked to herself as she watched the news. Tom Carter had been a serious thorn in her family's side. Chris wasn't even exempt due to being married to her. 'Hmm...I wonder if Dad is looking at this,' Jill mused as she took another sip of her wine. She also wondered it there were going to be any takers to try and seduce her from Chris.

"Now...this is a crime."

Ah. We have a winner. Jill took another sip of her wine.

"A gorgeous creature like yourself, sitting all alone. Such a travesty."

The man took a seat next to her. He spoke English with a Belgian accent, meaning that he spoke French as well.

Jean-Paul's erection came back with a vengeance as he got a much better look at the woman up close. She was stunning, even more so up close. Second, she wore no makeup, making her a natural beauty.

Jill glanced at the man before she went back to sipping her wine. He was attractive enough, built nice and dressed nice. Had Jill met him back in Raccoon City, she would've been smitten by him. But now, she was older and wiser, and a better judge of character. But the vibes he was putting off screamed 'serial womanizer,' the cocky, smug look making him believe that he was God's gift to women.

"Flattery will get you nowhere with me," she said.

"Just making polite conversation, mon chere. It seems we are in the same boat, as we both are not from around here." He then introduced himself. "Je m'apelle Jean-Paul."

"Jillianne Valentine. Un plaisir." (Jillianne Valentine. A pleasure.)

Jean-Paul grinned. "Tu parle français." (You speak French.)

"Je parle très bien français. Mon père est français." (I speak very good French. My father is French.)

"Ah Je vois. Et ta mère?" (Ah. I see. And your mother?)

"Elle est japonaise." (She's Japanese.)

Jean-Paul nodded approvingly. He always wanted to fuck a Japanese woman. Guess this half-Japanese would do until he got his hands on the real thing. His cock got even harder at the anticipation of getting this woman in his bed. "Ah Est et ouest. Le meilleur des deux mondes." (Ah. East and West. The best of both worlds.) He looked at her dress and the glass of wine she was sipping. "Et vous avez un excellent goût." (And you have excellent taste.)

"..." Jill sipped at her wine.

"Vous pouvez me considérer en avant quand je vous dis cela, mais de toutes les femmes ici dans ce bar, vous êtes de loin la plus exquise." (You may consider me forward when I tell you this, but out of all of the women here in this bar, you are by far, the most exquisite.)

"Je parie que vous dites ça à toutes les filles que vous rencontrez." (I bet you say that to all the girls you meet.)

"Mais avec vous, je peux honnêtement dire que je le pense vraiment. Chaque mot." (But with you, I can honestly say that I mean it. Every single word.)

'So did the guy in Madrid when he said that to me,' Jill mentally added.

"Alors qu'est-ce qui vous amène à Harvardville?" (So what brings you to Harvardville?) Jean-Paul asked. "Affaires? Ou plaisir?" (Business? Or pleasure?)

"Rien à redire avec un peu des deux," (Nothing wrong with a bit of both.) Jill replied. "Vous?" (You?)

"Affaires, bien sûr." (Business, of course.) Jean-Paul looked Jill up and down. "Bien que ... je suis toujours ouvert pour ce dernier. J'espère avec vous, Jillianne." (Although...I am always open for the latter. Hopefully, with you, Jillianne.)

Jill had a mental image of her sticking a finger in her mouth, making gagging sounds.

Jean-Paul casually trailed a finger down along Jill's arm. Jill fought off the urge of bashing the womanizing jerk's head into the counter. "Je suis un homme de grande richesse et de bon goût, Jillianne. Dont, je voudrais partager avec vous." (I am a man of great wealth and taste, Jillianne. Of which, I would like to share with you.)

'You should see my bank accounts,' Jill thought. 'I alone can buy you out many times over.'

"Normalement, si je veux quelque chose, je le prendrais," (Normally, if there is something that I want, I would take it.) Jean-Paul continued. "Mais je trouve cela plus intéressant et dans certains cas amusant, quand les gens me donnent ce que je veux. Et je veux partager mon monde avec vous." (But I find it more interesting and in come cases, fun when people give me what I want. And I want to share my world with you.)

Jill decided to play her hand. She showed him her wedding ring. "Tentant, mais mon mari serait très mécontent si je décidais de le quitter." (Tempting, but my husband would be very displeased if I chose to leave him.)

"Ensuite, il est idiot de vous laisser seul." (Then he is a fool for leaving you alone.) Jean-Paul countered. "Vous parlez couramment le français, mais êtes-vous allé à Paris même?" (You speak French fluently, but have you been to Paris itself?)

'Actually, I have,' Jill thought.

"Les Champs-Élysées regorgent de magasins et de restaurants pour que vous puissiez vous faire plaisir," (The Champs-Élysées has plenty of shops and restaurants for you to indulge yourself) Jean-Paul continued, picking up on her 'hesitation.' "L'argent n'est pas un problème pour moi, d'où la raison pour laquelle j'aime voyager autant que moi dans le monde. Vous êtes marié, oui, mais ... êtes-vous heureux?" (Money is no issue to me, hence the reason why I enjoy travelling the world as much as I do. You are married, yes, but...are you happy?)

Jill hesitated again, baiting Jean-Paul.

As expected, he took the bait, pressing forward. "Paris ... ce n'est que le début. Tu n'es pas heureuse dans ton mariage, Jillianne. Je connais ton coeur. Je le savais juste en te regardant. Avez-vous déjà été à Hawaii? Je parie que tu aurais l'air magnifique en bikini. Mon travail me mène principalement à travers l'Europe. Je peux te montrer le monde, Jillianne. Je peux vous donner n'importe quoi et tout ce que votre coeur désire." (Paris...that's just the beginning. You're not happy in your marriage, Jillianne. I know your heart. I knew it just by looking at you. Have you ever been to Hawaii? I bet you would look stunning in a bikini. My job takes me mostly across Europe. I can show you the world, Jillianne. I can give you anything and everything your heart desires.)

"Au prix de quitter mon mari?" (At the cost of leaving my husband?) Jill asked, as said husband was now standing behind Jean-Paul. Chris had entered the bar as Jean-Paul gave his pitch.

Jean-Paul smirked. He didn't notice Chris. Jill did. "Ce n'est pas un vrai homme s'il vous a laissé ici, seul comme ça. Viens avec moi, Jillianne. Faites le premier pas ... et je vous donnerai le monde." (He's not a real man if he left you here, alone like this. Come with me, Jillianne. Take the first step...and I shall give you the world.)

Jean-Paul reached up in an attempt to caress Jill's cheek...and stopped when he felt someone tap him on his shoulder. He spun around, and found himself facing one not-so-amused husband.

"Jean-Paul," Jill said in English, "I would like you to meet my husband, Chris Redfield."

Jean-Paul sized Chris up as he rose from his seat. He saw that while they stood around the same height, Chris had twenty pounds of muscle on him, and it showed through his clothing; a black turtleneck sweater, khaki slacks and dark shoes. But what made Jean-Paul pause were his eyes. They showed that he was dangerous, his posture showing that he can fight.

"Tu ..." (You...) Chris spoke in French, his tone calm, yet showing a subtle hint of menace, "... est un voleur. Vous avez essayé de prendre ce qui ne vous appartient pas." (...are a thief. You tried to take what isn't yours.) He gestured to Jill. "Cela étant ma femme." (That being my wife.)

Jean-Paul smirked. "Ensuite, vous devriez faire un meilleur travail pour garder votre femme en échec." (Then you should do a better job in keeping your woman in check.)

"Tu devrais essayer de garder ta bite dans ton pantalon." (No. You should try keeping your dick in your pants.)

"Big talk from a guy who can't control his woman," Jean-Paul sneered, reverting back to English.

"A woman like her can't be controlled. Only unleashed."

"I agree." Jean-Paul poked at Chris' chest. "You really should take better care of your property, Monseiur Redfield. Leaving a woman alone with needs is...unwise." Now the smirk was back. "One day...you will find me in your home and in your woman. When that happens, I will show you how a real man fuck. Mark my words. I will make your wife scream my name and I will hang the horns on your head."

Chris merely smiled as he extended his hand. Jill finished her wine, paid the bartender and stood up. "That will not happen. Here's some advice, though: Quit while you're ahead. That mindset will get you into trouble one day. When that happens, I hope I'm there to see it."

Linking her arm with Chris' own, the married couple strolled out of the bar, Jill throwing a smirk at Jean-Paul as she passed him.

Jean-Paul was fuming as the realization had hit him moments after Chris and Jill had left. They played him like a fiddle. He sat back down at the bar and ordered a shot of whiskey.

"Jillianne Valentine," Jean-Paul whispered. "One day...you will be mine."

He downed the drink and called for a refill.

Harvardville Airport – November 4, 2005

Outside the airport and inside the airport's concourse, there was a protest in progress. And much to Jill Valentine's dislike as she and her husband walked briskly across the terminal, they were wearing zombie masks.

They were two of the B.S.A.A.'s most decorated agents, not to mention two of the founding members of the B.S.A.A.'s Original Eleven. Both were dressed casual, a stark contrast as to what they had on the night before; Chris in his favorite dark green henley shirt, the sleeves rolled to his elbows, khaki pants and work boots, while Jill was dressed in a blue tanktop that was partially visible underneath the sleeveless gray jacket, black cargo pants and boots. Chris had a knapsack slung over one shoulder while Jill carried an overnight bag in one hand.

"Zombies. Fucking zombies," Jill Valentine cursed. "Why did it have to be zombies? I hate zombies." She nudged her husband. "Think it's TerraSave?"

Chris Redfield shrugged his shoulders. "If it is, I'll bet that Claire had no say in this. She hates zombies as much as you do. Word has it that Senator Davis is somewhere in the airport."

Jill groaned. "That fat little bastard?"

"One in the same."

Upon returning to their hotel room, they went over their notes following the confrontation with Jean-Paul. With Jill's new look, more men and women were now flocking to her whenever they played their little game. Jean-Paul was one among many. For Chris, Jean-Paul reminded him of an old Air Force comrade before his dismissal.

"You handled Jean-Paul well last night," Jill complimented.

"He reminded me of an old comrade back in the Air Force. Total womanizer," Chris explained. "Once claimed that he fucked more women than Ron Jeremy and Wilt Chamberlain combined. His cock and ego got him in trouble in the end. Happened around the same time when we stopped that bank robbery back in Raccoon City. He was fucking another man's wife and got caught by the woman's husband. Said woman's husband grabbed a gun and pumped an entire clip into the both of them. He's serving life in prison."

Jill winced. "Ouch."

It was then the two B.S.A.A. agents noticed something. A security guard was busy arresting a protester, dressed as a zombie. But it wasn't the protester that caught Chris and Jill's attention.

It was the fact that the second person that the guard was threatening to arrest was Chris's sister.

Chris sighed. "Great. Even when we're away my sister tends to get into trouble."

Chris and Jill rapidly approached the guard and Claire. "Are you with these people?" the guard demanded.

"Not exactly," Claire replied.

"In that case, you're coming with me," the guard said as he pulled out another set of handcuffs. "Turn around."

"Excuse me," Chris intervened. "Is there a problem here?"

Claire spun around, relieved to see her brother and her sister-in-law there.

"Move along," the guard said. "This has nothing to do with you."

"Actually," Chris replied, showing the guard his B.S.A.A. ID, as did Jill, "she's with me," he finished, pointing to Clare.

The guard backed down. Even he knew not to mess with the B.S.A.A. After giving Claire the evil eye, he walked off.

Chris pocketed his wallet and grinned at his sister. "You just seem to stay in trouble, don't you?" he mused as he hugged his sister.

"Can't help that I'm popular," Claire replied. She turned to Jill. "Been taking care of my brother?"

Jill embraced her sister-in-law. "He's behaving...so far. Cameron and Camden asked about you. They're wondering when they can see their 'Aunty Claire' again."

Claire smiled apologetically. "Sorry. Been busy with a human rights convention out in Tacoma. I'm here in town on break, visiting friends."

Claire had worked her way up the ranks in TerraSave. When Chris and Jill decided to relocate back West, Claire stayed in D.C., mainly because TerraSave's headquarters was situated there. Chris suspected that it was that she wanted to remain close to Leon, who still worked for Graham's Secret Service.

Speaking of his soon-to-be brother-in-law, Chris actually liked the guy, as did Jill.

Claire's years of hard work paid off. She was now the national spokeswoman for TerraSave. The fact that she was not only mentored by President Graham in public oration, but also a Raccoon Outbreak survivor also helped. But despite her position, she still got down and dirty when it came to aiding those affected by viral outbreaks. That, and at Chris' request, came down to New Raccoon City to train with him and Jill at the B.S.A.A. Complex.

"So how is my niece and nephew?" Claire asked as the guard walked away. "And what are you two doing here in Harvardville?"

"Cam and Cade are doing fine," Jill replied. "Chris and I were out west attending a training seminar. We stayed overnight here and are on our way back home."

Claire gestured to the protesters outside. "Word has it that Senator Davis is around here somewhere. That fat bastard had the gall to try and chop down TerraSave's budget." She then made a face. "Fortunately, these guys aren't with TerraSave. Some nutbar grassroots organization's responsible for this."

"Good to know," Chris said.

Meanwhile, the guard approached a second protester. When he tried to remove the mask, he saw that it was real hair. Then the person turned around.

A zombie.

The zombie grabbed the guard and took a chunk of flesh out of his neck, his screams attracting the attention of Chris and the two women.

Nearby, the little girl that Claire was looking after, Rani, screamed in fright.

That's when all Hell had broken loose.

Jill, Chris and Claire realized that they had just stepped into a full-blown outbreak, as zombies began to attack the populace.

Within moments, Chris and Jill were armed; Chris and Jill each armed with their Beretta M9s – of which Joseph Kendo christened the Samurai Edge Mk. II. One of the perks of being the founding members of the B.S.A.A. was the fact you could avoid the metal detectors by showing your badge.

The primary firearm used by the Special Operations Agents and the Special Operation Units of the B.S.A.A were Heckler & Kotch USP handguns. Following Chris and Jill's venture into Spain, a firearm with more stopping power was needed as a result of the Las Plagas threat. Thus, the B.S.A.A. adopted the USP, which not only uses the 9mm parabellum rounds, but the much powerful .40 S&W rounds. As expected, Chris and Jill were both issued the USPs, but still used their Samurai Edge handguns as their primary firearms, having them modified to fire the .45 caliber rounds, aside from the 9mm parabellum rounds. Their USPs were each placed in hip holsters, as backup firearms.

As it turned out, Chris and Jill were not the only ones packing heat. Senator Davis' two bodyguards were also armed. One of them grabbed the zombie and threw it to the ground, while its unfortunate victim fell to the ground in a heap, blood spilling out of the neck wound like a geyser, his body twitching before falling still.

The other bodyguard put two rounds into the zombie's chest, knocking it back to the ground.

But the Redfield siblings and Jill Valentine knew better, as they saw one of the guards check on the now-dead security guard. "He's dead," the man said.

In the meantime, the zombie, complete with two smoking holes in its chest, twitched and began to rise...until Chris fired his own gun, putting the zombie down once and for all, a smoking hole in its head.

"RUN!"

Claire's scream drew the attention of the two guards. They looked up from the dead zombie and saw Claire running over to them, followed by Chris and Jill.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Claire shouted.

"Get back!" Jill shouted. "Move away from him!"

The bodyguard looked down, just as the guard's eyes snapped open. White, lifeless eyes. The zombie guard's hand clamped down on the man's ankle. Before it could take a bite, however, Jill leveled her gun and fired. Her aim was true, as the bullet caved in the zombie's skull.

"Claire! Get out of here!" Chris shouted as the bodyguard managed to pry himself free from the death grip.

"Wait! I gotta find Rani!" his sister shouted back as she charged into the chaos. Chris and Jill exchanged glances before running after the female Redfield, as more zombies begin to appear out of the woodwork.

"I really hate zombies," Jill muttered as she fired her gun, catching one of the walking dead in the head with her Beretta as she pulled out her USP.

"Plaga-infested humans are at the top of my list," Chris replied as he fired two shots. From the corner of his eye, he spotted one of the undead closing in one of Davis's bodyguards. Chris spun, and fired, the parabellum round drilling a hole right between the zombie's eyes.

"Shoot them in the head!" Chris shouted. "That's how you kill them!"

The bodyguard nodded. Following Chris's advice, he popped a female zombie in the head, sending it to the floor.

As the fiasco unfolded, one of the news reporters who was there to interview Senator Davis was instead covering the zombie outbreak inside the airport.

"We are live inside Harvardville Airport," the newswoman reported. "A group has been demonstrating against the WilPharma has attacked and killed a security guard. But now, that same officer has attacked Senator Ron Davis..." It was at that moment she noticed her cameraman lowering the camera and backing away, petrified. "What the hell?! Why have you stopped rolling?!"

When she spun around, she saw the reason why.

A zombie lunged at her...

BLAM!

...only to be sent flying to the ground in a heap, the round creating a nice hole in the zombie's temple.

The reporter looked at her savior, fighting the urge to empty her bowels.

"Your cameraman had the right idea," Chris shouted. "Get the hell out of here!"

Not one to tell her twice, the reporter fled. Her cameraman was not as lucky, as she ran past his body, having been tackled to the ground and eaten by three zombies, two of which were Davis' former bodyguards.

Jill, in the meantime, was running alongside Claire, searching for the girl that was placed in her care. "Rani?! Rani!" the redhead shouted.

"Who is this kid?" Jill asked as she delivered another headshot.

"Long story," Claire replied, just as a long-hared man bumped into both women, Claire and Jill looking into his face before the man stalked off.

The two women shrugged it off before taking off again.

Then they stopped and looked at each other, as the realization of who had just bumped into them.

"Wasn't that..." Jill began.

"...Curtis Miller?" Claire finished.

Of course Jill and especially Claire knew who Miller was. Claire had met him on occasion back when he used to run with TerraSave, but he had gone rouge. Claire also knew that he was a former WilPharma employee with a secret past. Pushing those thoughts to the side, Claire resumed her search for Rani, only to breathe a sigh of relief when she saw the little girl with Chris.

Then Claire felt someone grab her arm. Jill brought her gun onto the zombie...

...only to find that it was not a undead passenger, but rather the petrified form of one Ron Davis.

"Please..." he whimpered. "Help me..."

Chris, in the meantime, had found Rani. After putting three bullets into three zombie skulls that had her surrounded, he picked up the girl and ran back to his sister and Jill.

"Rani! Are you okay?" Claire asked as Chris carried her over.

Rani nodded. "I'm okay."

"This is my brother Chris and his wife, Jill," Claire explained. "They're good people."

Before anything else can be said, the P.A. System came to life, warning all people inside the airport to evacuate. It was then Jill turned to the terminal's windows and immediately tapped her husband on the shoulder. "Um...Chris...?"

"What now? Someone let a Tyrant loose or something?" Chris asked.

Jill pointed to what she was looking at. "Please tell me that's not what I think it is."

Chris, as did Claire, looked at what Jill was pointing at.

It was a plane – a commercial airliner, careening from the sky and heading towards the terminal.

"You have got to be kidding," Claire groaned.

"RUN!" Chris shouted as he turned the opposite way, still clutching Rani in his arms, and took off. Jill, Claire and Senator Davis following suit.

The plane crashed into the terminal with tremendous impact, crushing zombie and human alike, the plane's engines erupting into flames as the plane tore apart from the rear.

Fortunately, the Redfield siblings, along with a stewardess, Rani and Senator Davis had narrowly escaped injury as the plane crashed into a support column, thus stopping it.

Once the dust had settled, the six survivors got to their feet. The terminal was a complete wreck, complete with bodies of Zombies that were starting to revive.

"Everyone okay?" Chris asked.

He got mostly answers in the affirmative. He turned to his wife. "We should definitely recheck our insurance premiums the Alliance has for us," he added.

Jill nodded. "We'll do that once we get back home."

With a loud hiss, the destroyed airplane's door opened. Claire, Chris, Jill and the portly senator easily made out the form of a zombie standing in the doorway.

That zombie fell out of the open door and onto the ground, followed by another.

"No..." Claire whispered. "No way..."

"Damn," Jill muttered under her breath. "The whole airplane's infected! Why does this shit happens to us?"

"You know what? I retract my statement," Chris said, gun raised. "I'm starting to hate zombies once again."

"Chris," Jill muttered as she kept her gun trained on the zombies that were starting to revive. "I think we should make a tactical retreat."

"Seconded," Claire added.

Minutes later...

Inside the VIP Lounge, Chris locked the door and pushed several chairs in front of them, effectively barricading themselves in. Turning around, he looked at the survivors. Aside from Jill, his sister and the young charge she was looking after, Senator Davis was also present, along with a flight attendant. Claire was trying to get through to the locals while Chris was busy barricading the doors.

"The local law enforcement should start with sealing off the airport in order to keep the biohazard contained. But we're gonna need some backup." Chris reached for his PDA and dialed a number. After a moment, he was connected. "Yeah, Colonel Redfield here. We got a crisis in Harvardville – a Class 1 outbreak inside Harvardville Airport. We got survivors. Yeah, six of us, including Major Valentine, and Senator Davis. All right. Redfield out."

"Well?" Jill asked. "Is anyone coming?"

"Closest unit here is Lima Squad. They're in South Dakota on a training exercise. They're being scrambled as we speak," Chris replied. "They'll be here in forty-five minutes, along with a squad of Marines. In the meantime, we'll just have to wait it out until they arrive. As long as we don't attract any attention to ourselves, those dead-heads won't be none the wiser."

"What?!" Davis barked. "What we need to do is get the hell out of here instead of being cooped up like this."

"You know, you're right," Jill replied, her smile as fake as it was sweet. "We could always use some live bait to keep the zombies occupied."

Davis caught the veiled threat and immediately closed his mouth. He looked at Chris and Jill. "Just who the hell are you two?" he demanded.

"Just a couple of tourists who ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time," Chris replied. "Let's leave it at that, Senator."

Davis snorted. "Sure...tourists who managed to pass through security with firearms. You're no tourists. So who are you?"

Chris glared at Davis. "Sit down. Shut up."

Davis was starting to raise his voice when Claire shushed him. "Keep your voice down. They'll be on us if they hear."

"And if that happens," Jill added, "we'll toss you to the zombies and make our escape."

Thirty minutes passed. The gathered survivors were silent, Chris and Jill going as far as to put their PDAs on silent, while Claire disconnected the phone from the wall jack. Outside, the zombies shuffled about, their moans heard from the outside.

Chris and Jill looked outside the window. The airport was locked down. Then, Chris' PDA buzzed. A text message, stating that Lima Squad was less than five minutes away.

Then, from outside, gunfire.

"Finally," Claire said as she held Rani. "The good guys are coming. We're gonna get out of here, and soon."

Davis, of course, used this to boost his ego. "You should thank me. They would have ignored your call if your brother hadn't said that I was here."

"You can stuff your ego up your ass, Senator," Claire sniped.

"Or I can shove my foot up there instead," Chris added. "They came because Jill and I have clout. Not because of you."

"Yeah, considering that your personal secretary ditched you here," Jill finished.

Outside, someone was whooping, followed by more gunfire.

"Hmm..." Jill listened closely. "Two automatics. Not the standard Alliance-issued carbine. More likely a submachine gun, maybe an MP5." She groaned. "Wonderful. A freakin' cowboy cop."

"Whoever that is...is not infected," Chris said. "We gotta help them."

"Forget it," Davis said. "There's nothing we can do."

"If you go, I go," the stewardess said.

Chris stood up and brandished his Samurai Edge. "I'll go," he said. "The rest of you stay here."

Before Jill could object, Claire had beaten her to the punch. "I'm coming with you," she said as she set Rani down.

The female Redfield was held fast by the little Indian girl. "No, Claire! Don't go! My father said the same thing, right before he was killed, trying to help my mother! You won't come back either if you leave!"

Claire consoled the girl. "It's okay. I'm gonna come back. I promise."

"Really?"

Claire winked at the girl. "I promise."

Chris gave the young girl a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, kiddo. I taught Claire everything she knows. She knows how to handle herself."

As Claire rose to her feet, Jill pulled her USP from her hip holster, and handed it to Claire, along with a spare clip. "Be careful, Claire. I want my husband back in one piece."

Claire nodded. She turned to Chris. "Ready?"

Chris nodded. "Yeah."

After the barricade was removed, Chris and Claire exited the lounge, guns drawn. Jill closed the door behind them, locking it.

Brother and sister silently crept down the hallway, alert and ready for anything. The smell of shit and rotting meat wafted down the hall. A smell neither sibling could never forget.

"Never saw this coming," Claire muttered as she followed her brother.

"Bet you're glad I keep hauling your ass to the Complex to train with me and Jill," Chris whispered back. "You may be an NGO, but you still need to be on top of your game."

"I know. I just thought I left all of this behind back in Raccoon City."

They rounded a corner, which revealed a long corridor.

"Okay, that's not a good sign," Claire whispered.

"Stay sharp, little sister," Chris whispered back.

Backs up against the wall as they reached a corner, they came out, guns raised...

...only to find a flashlight aimed at their faces.

"Get down!"

Chris grabbed Claire and pulled her to the ground, just as the man with the flashlight fired, nailing three zombies that were creeping up from behind the siblings in the skull. Chris responded in kind by driving two bullets of his own into a duo of zombies trying to get the jump on their savior.

"Claire?" It was a voice both siblings recognized almost instantly.

"Leon?" Claire blinked. "What are you doing here?"

"Funny," the former police officer replied as he helped his fiancee to her feet as two more cops and another survivor approached. "I could ask you the same thing." He turned to Chris. "Been a while, Chris."

"It has," Chris replied, shaking Leon's hand. "Good to see you're still on top of your game, Leon."

Leon managed a small smirk. "Glad to see that fatherhood hasn't slowed you down."

"Fatherhood's made me better."

"Chris? Chris Redfield?" The tone of disbelief was evident in the female cop's voice. She then turned to Claire. "Claire?"

Both siblings eyes widened slightly as they recognized her.

"Angela?" Chris' tone matched that of the woman's own.

"You three know each other?" the second cop asked.

"You have no idea," Claire muttered.

"Fine. Save the reunion stuff for later," Leon said. "Got a safe room somewhere?"

"Not too far from here," Chris replied.

Later...

Jill remembered Chris telling her about his three ex-girlfriends. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever thought she'd meet Ex-Girlfriend Number One. And judging the sheepish look on her husband's face, Chris didn't expect to run into her either. At least the sheepish look was shared with her husband's ex.

Claire returned Jill's pistol and scooped Rani back in her arms.

"Wow. Chris dragged you into this mess too, Jill?" Leon asked.

"No. More like we were caught in the middle of it," Jill replied. She then introduced herself. "Major Jill Valentine, B.S.A.A."

"Gregg Glenn, Harvardville Police S.R.T.," the man introduced himself.

"Angela Miller, also the same."

Jill's eyes widened slightly at the name. She quickly hid her gaffe, lest Angela saw it.

"So that means Chris is also B.S.A.A. as well, right?" Angela asked.

"You know Chris?" Jill asked.

Chris pointed to Angela. "Ex-Girlfriend Number One," he replied simply.

Jill nodded in understanding. "Oh."

Angela saw the wedding ring on Jill's finger. Prior to that, she took notice of the wedding band on Chris's own ring finger. She put two and two together and realized that Jill and Chris were married.

For his part, Senator Davis was trying hard not to blow his top as he looked at the hard-boiled agent and the two officers accompanying him. His beady little eyes narrowed. "I should've known..." He pointed an accusing finger at Chris and Jill. "I heard about you two. You're part of the Original Eleven."

Jill mock clapped. "Nice work. Took you only a couple of hours," she replied with sarcasm in her voice.

Davis growled. He turned to Leon. "Where's your backup? This is it?"

"Yup," Leon replied.

"Reinforcements?"

"None. We're getting out alone."

Davis scoffed. "Is it too much to hope for to have at least some sort of a plan?"

"We do," Leon replied. "Rooftop's blocked with the undead. We're going to run across the lobby."

"Are you insane?!" Davis yelled. "The lobby is crawling with those creatures!"

"It's also the widest area," Chris interjected. "If we take the long way around, we won't make it out alive."

"He's right," Claire said, holding Rani in her arms.

Davis turned to Claire as if she had lost her mind.

"They're not fast," Claire continued, "so we can get by them."

Jill checked her ammo. "At least they aren't Crimson Heads," she muttered. "We can clear a path to the front door, if necessary. Either way, we can't stay here."

Davis scoffed. "And since when is the NGO member and two of the Original Eleven are such an authority on the subject?"

Claire's patience was starting to wear thin with the arrogant senator. "Because I'm a survivor of Raccoon City, along with my sister-in-law and my fiance." She pointed to Chris and Jill. "Major Valentine and my brother are also former members of the R.P.D. S.T.A.R.S. unit. We have first-hand experience when it comes to zombies."

Chris noticed the reactions of Angela and her partner that had came with Leon. Looks like they had some kind of connection to Raccoon City.

"How are you with ammo?" Chris asked his wife.

"Two clips for the Samurai Edge, plus one loaded clip and a spare for the USP," Jill replied.

"Okay, give that spare to Claire. We're gonna need the extra gun if we're to make it out alive."

Jill nodded.

Chris turned to Leon. "Through the front door, huh?"

"If you got another plan to get us out of here, I'm all ears, Colonel," Leon replied.

Chris sighed. "Front door it is." He turned to Claire. "Give me the girl, Claire. I can carry her and shoot. You can't."

Claire complied and handed Rani off to Chris.

"Okay, listen up," Jill said, "These zombies are slow, but can get a bit of speed if you get close. Keep moving, understand?"

Nods in the affirmative.

"Chris, Jill, the both of you got point," Leon said. "Angela and Gregg got the rear. Claire and I will keep any stragglers away. Anyone who doesn't have a gun stay in between us."

Davis, the stewardess, and the businessman all nodded.

"One more thing..." Chris turned to Gregg. He walked over to him, and flipped the switch from his sub-machine gun from FULL AUTO to SEMI-AUTO. "Conserve your ammo. Shoot them in the head. A triple burst is overkill. Try and go for single shots only."

Gregg nodded.

Chris turned back to Angela. "Okay...this is your neighborhood. What's the fastest way to ground floor?"

"Elevators are down, and the primary stairs are a no-go..." Angela racked her brain. "This side of the airport has two sets of stairs; east and west. We came from the West Staircase, so that's out. East is our best bet."

"You know how to get there?" Jill asked.

"I did a couple of stints at the airport," the former girlfriend of Chris replied. "So yeah. No problem."

"Believe her," seconded Gregg. "She knows the airport like the back of her hand."

"Works for me," Jill said. To Chris, who was still holding Rani, she asked, "Ready?"

"Just like old times."

Next Chapter: Karma is a bitch. The survivors escape, albeit with a loss. Revelations and promises are made. The investigation into the Harvardville Outbreak begins...