| 11:43 pm |
Laura's POV
"Mom!" I hang the strap of my rifle over my shoulder, and sprint very swiftly over towards her fallen form.
"Laura wait!" Leon yelled out, as I hear him follow after me.
I kneel down beside Mom on the floor—turning her over onto her back while Leon falls onto his knees next to me.
"Mom! Mom! Can you hear me?!"
With her head hung low and her eyes still closed, Mom steadily sits up off the ground—facing Leon and I. Giving us a blank emotionless look. I failed to notice right away that she isn't wearing the same clothes as earlier. My mother Claire is now wearing a simple red battle suit, the material being made mostly out of spandex and cotton. Overlapped by a black combat vest, with multiple pockets and pouches. Along with a black utility belt around her waist, black knee pads, a black choker around her neck, a pair of black finger-less combat gloves, and a pair of black combat boots that went halfway up to her knees. Not only was she wearing Umbrella themed tactical gear, the gear was speckled in a certain velvety substance that practically made my stomach drop.
Blood.
'Something's not right. I can feel it in my gut. Why is she being abnormally quiet? Why isn't Mom saying even a word to us at all? Most importantly, why is she covered in blood???' I think to myself.
When I glanced back down at Mom, she finally opened her eyes and unhurriedly lifted her head up to look at me. With not even a single sign of recognition or joy in her eyes at all.
"Laura! Leon! Get away from her, now!" Chris yelled at us, right as I turned my head towards him for the moment.
Right as I was caught off guard, Mom rapidly shoved Leon aside onto the ground, and firmly grabbed ahold of my neck. As she stands up from the ground right away, Mom hoists me high up into the air—pressing me abruptly and forcefully against the metal wall. Using only a single arm to do so. Her hand tightly wrapped around my scrawny neck, as she was effortlessly crushing my windpipe in a death grip. Using both of my hands, I grip onto my mother's arm. Trying to pry off her hand from around my neck, as I struggled against the wall. But to no avail, it didn't work. 'What is she doing?!?! Since when was Mom this incredible strong!!! She's barely even has her hand tightened around my neck, and yet she's still choking me to death!!!'
"Mom stop... I–I can't... breathe," I barely mutter audibly to her, as I feel myself slowly fade away. Tears began forming in my eyes—cascading down my cheeks like raindrops. Mom glanced up at me, boring into my eyes with her vibrant blue ones.
"Laura...?"
The instant my mother saw the tears trickling down my face, her grip around my neck loosened. A look of shock and grief gradually overcame her, at that moment she finally realized what she was doing. Mom was absolutely frozen with horror. Almost as if she had just came out of a haze of some sort, and regained control of herself.
"Claire stop it! You're killing her!" Chris shouted at her as Leon, Piers, and him seized her. Chris clutched onto both of her shoulders, while Leon and Piers grabbed onto each one of her arms.
They were able to grasp ahold of Mom, and make her loose her deadly grip on me. I collapsed onto the cement ground—instantaneously gasping for air while coughing abruptly at the same time. Tyler rushed over to me, kneeling down next to me on the ground. He wrapped one of my arms over his shoulder—helping me up off the ground while patting and rubbing my back soothingly.
"Laura, are you alright?" Tyler questioned me with concern.
"Yeah, I think I'm gonna be okay," I replied, before coughing strenuously again.
"I... I-I'm so sorry Laura..."
I gaze up at Mom in front of Tyler and I. Countless tears were pouring out her eyes, as her body wrestled against the guys holding her in place. Painful wails escape her lips, as she fought hard to regain control of herself.
"I didn't mean to hurt you like that–" Mom screams out in pain again, almost as if she was being stabbed repeatedly in the chest with a thousand knives. The moment she's calmed herself, Mom
growls and attempts to kick Leon in the groin. She misses only by a few inches, and ends up sending him swiftly flying back across the room—until his back hits the wall. Leon grunts in discomfort from the impact, landing semi-harshly onto the ground.
"Guys, we could really use your help over hear!" Piers yelled at Tyler and I. After Tyler let go of me, we rushed over to them. Kneeling down next to them as we helped hold down my mother.
In turn, all of us forcefully pushed Mom onto the ground. While Piers was holding down her legs and Tyler and I were holding her arms down, Chris took a couple black zip ties from out of his bullet-proof vest. Using the manufactured nylon cables to bind both her legs and her hands together. To help relieve and maintain the fierce brawl she put up against us. I look away from them—turning towards Leon—as he was standing back up off the ground.
"You alright Leon?"
"I'll live Laura, don't worry about me," He casually replied. Leon rushed back over to where we are, in order to help us hold down my mother Claire.
"The device!" Mom hardly shouted out, right before yelping out in pain again. "Get the device off my chest! Please! Please hurry!"
After guys managed to turn Mom over while her body scuffled and fought furiously against them, we all spot a small red spider-like device attached to her chest. All sorts of tubes and wires were implanted deep into her flesh, located right above where her breasts are. Whatever the device was, made the skin around it scar, bruise, and discolor. In addition to these abnormalities, the veins around the device expand slightly in both length and width—making them appear a more greyish-blue color than it's normal cerulean blue.
"I should've known he would use this on her," I heard Chris mumble indignantly, in an almost inaudible tone.
"Is that what I think it is Chris?" Leon questioned his brother-in-law.
He nods his head in response.
"What are saying Uncle Chris?" I inquired, becoming more worried by the second.
"I've seen this device before Laura. This isn't the first time Wesker had used this device on someone I love, and turned them against me. There isn't enough time to explain the rest of it. All that matters right now, is that we have to get off her," Chris explained to me. " So we have to act quickly now. Leon!"
Chris's POV
As soon as I called his name, Leon moved closer to me. Claire continued to involuntarily toss and turn, as we held her down against the ground.
"I need you get on top of Claire and rip the device off her chest, while the rest of us hold her down."
Leon looked at me seriously, then glanced down at the P30 device on Claire's chest.
"Alright, I'm on it." Leon got on top of Claire, straddling her waist as he gripped the device implanted deep into her chest. While the rest of persistently held her down.
"Is there any other way to remove the device without hurting her?" Laura asked me, as she glanced up at me. Tears were brimming in her eyes once again.
"Unfortunately, no Laura. This is the only way to help her. I know it's appalling, for you to see your mother like this. So before we begin, I need you to turn around and close your eyes. No matter what happens, don't turn to watch."
Laura quickly peered back at Claire, slowly lowering her head as tears trickled down her cheeks.
"Alright." She moves out of the way, letting go of Claire's arms as she's standing up and walking a couple feet away from us. With both of her gloved hands clenched tightly. I take over for Laura by grabbing onto Claire's arms, and sustain holding her down. Tyler glanced at Laura for a moment—noticing how fearful and distraught she looked before looking up at me. From the look on his face, I knew immediately what he wanted—to be by Laura's side. He cares deeply for her, he doesn't want to see her this way—so shaken and perturbed. Not only is Tyler concerned for her well-being, he loves her enough to risk his life by traveling down into this hellhole and help get her mother back.
I stopped Tyler before he could even say a word.
"Go Tyler. We've got this."
"Are you sure?" He questioned me.
"Laura needs you right now, it's for the best that you two stay put no where near us when we start," Leon added as he glanced up at him for a second. Tyler then directed his gaze from Leon back at me.
"I'm sure Tyler. You better go before I change my mind."
Without another moments hesitation, Tyler stood up off the ground and strode over to Laura. Taking one of her hands into his—sitting her down slowly onto the ground, while whispering words of comfort into her ear. Making sure she comforted and not look our way.
"You ready Leon?" I asked him.
He looks up at me for a moment, then back down at Claire. "Mhm. Let's get this over with." Leon tightened his grip around the P30 device, mumbling quietly:
"I'm sorry Claire. I hope you can forgive for this."
At that instant, Leon began forcefully yanking the P30 device on Claire's chest. Causing her to scream out in total agony. Her cries echoed throughout the entire room, as she struggled more fiercely against us. Slowly but surely, Leon was steadily removing the device from her chest. The wires embedded deep into her skin were slowly coming out, as blood began leisurely spilling down her chest from the small holes where the wires were fixed. They were partially coated with blood—Claire's blood.
The more Leon tugged and pulled the device—the more loose and detached it became. The more harder Claire fought us to free herself from our grasp—the more difficult it became for us to hold her down. When Leon has managed to pull the P30 halfway out of Claire's chest, the device itself began emitting a couple tiny sparks of electricity. Indicating that it's starting to malfunction.
Without even realizing it, Claire was able to break free of the bonds tied around her ankles, but not her hands. The instant she does so, Claire kicks Piers directly in the face—sending him flying a couple feet back with a broken bloody nose. Piers grunts in pain, as he skidded across the ground on his back. This in turn catching both Laura's and Tyler's attention, they stood up from the ground, and rushed over to Piers's side kneeling beside him.
"Piers, are you alright?" Laura asked him with a worried tone.
"Guys, don't worry about me. I'm fine. Go help Chris and Leon before they end up getting hurt too," Piers told them, as he cradled his broken nose with one hand.
"Piers, are you sure–"
"Yes, now hurry!" Piers cut Laura off.
Nodding their heads, they both rush back towards us to help intervene.
"Laura! Tyler! Hold her down!" I ordered them immediately.
Laura and Tyler grab a hold of each of Claire's legs, forcefully holding both of them down as Claire constantly thrashed and kicked savagely underneath their hold.
"Leon, now! Pull it out!" I ordered him.
With one last pull, Leon strenuously yanks out the P30 device wholly off of her chest, as Claire cried out in utter pain. The wires detach from deep within her flesh—leaving behind only minor injuries on her chest that'll definitely leave several scars later on. The moment the P30 was off of her, Claire was out cold within seconds—making her go limp altogether.
Laura's POV
After Mom passed out cold on the ground, we all let go of her. Including Leon, as he gets off of her and throws away the device in across the room. Breaking completely into various tiny pieces the instant it hit the wall.
Tyler stands up—going over to his brother's side. Helping him steadily get up onto his feet, as blood trickled down from his nose and dripping onto the cement ground. Leon rests my mother's head on his lap—stroking her head affectionately as the rest of us sit down beside them. Feeling both relieved, yet as good as ever.
"Leon." He turns his head towards me. "Will Mom be okay?"
"She'll be alright Laura, thanks to us. All of us," He answered calmly.
Piers and Tyler rejoin us, while I glance at Chris for a moment then down at Mom. I clench both of my fists very tightly. At that point, I was filled entirely with anger. I'm upset to a great extent. I'm beyond raged. Uncle Chris could definitely tell how I'm feeling right now. Not doubt he feels the same too.
'Damn you Wesker!!! You fucking bastard! How dare you do this to my mother and think you can get away with this! This is the last straw! You'll regret this Wesker! That I promise.'
"Laura, Claire's waking up," Uncle Chris notified me.
Peering back at Mom on the ground, I see her stir faintly as she slowly opened her eyes. This time, her eyes weren't filled delight or no recognition, but with regret and a hint of joy. Diverting her gaze, Mom looks from her husband up at me.
"Laura..." She slowly lifted herself up from Leon's lap, tears brimming quickly in her eyes. " I'm so sorry. I'm a horrible mother.. Please me forgive me–" I suddenly cut her off by collapsing onto my knees beside her, and rapidly wrapped my arms around her. Embracing her in a gentle, yet longing hug.
"It's okay Mom, I forgive you." Mom's embrace around me tightens, as multiple tears begin trickling down my pale cheeks. "I will always love Mom, no matter what happens. Even if you're not the best mother in the entire world." I start crying along with her.
These weren't tears of sadness I was shedding, rather, they were tears of joy. Pure euphoria. After everything I've been through today, I needed this. I needed to let out all those emotions I've kept buried deep within myself—within my heart. All the pain, sadness, stress, and terror, I couldn't contain any longer. I let it all out so I could replace it with glee, with happiness. Now that I had my mother back at long last, there was nothing else I needed to fear.
Mom comforted me with affection. As I sobbed uncontrollably into her chest, she stroked my head tenderly. Both Mom and I stopped crying our eyes out when I suddenly felt a gloved hand on my shoulder. When I turn around and pull away from Mom, I see Uncle Chris kneel down next to us. Smiling with content, as he eyed the both of us. Mom shifted her gaze from me to her brother.
"Chris!"
Without waiting for another moment, Mom sits up on her knees, and engulfs Uncle Chris in gentle bear hug. He embraces her with immediate care—cherishing every single moment of it. While I wiped away the rest of my remaining tears with my gloved hand. After hugging it out for a while, they pull away from one another.
"I'm glad to see that everyone's alright. How'd you guys find me?" Mom asked Uncle Chris.
"Long story Claire." Chris looks down at his watch. "Unfortunately, we don't have enough time right now to explain." He helps both of us up off the ground and back onto our feet. I hand Mom my rifle and couple magazines for it, while I take out my customized 9mm Beretta handgun from my side holster. "We gotta go. We've got less than half an hour to reach the rendezvous point at Lake Union park to evacuate out of Seattle before they deploy the anti-viral gas bombs onto the whole city." (P.S. I changed the evac time from midnight to 12:30pm)
"Wait, deploy what?!" I exclaimed, as we all began speed walking out of the cell into the hallway—heading towards the opposite way we came here. To the lab where Chris and Piers were previously trapped in.
"Since Seattle is located in an exceedingly overpopulated region within a two hundred mile radius of this area. Incinerating the whole city with a non-nuclear based missile would only do more harm and damage than good to neighboring populated towns surrounding the biohazard zone. But with the anti-viral smoke bombs created by our top weapon manufacturers and bomb technicians at the B.S.A.A. , this new countermeasure weapon is used as a highly concentrated gaseous toxin to wipe out all the B.O.W.s comprised of any lethal virus known to mankind. But, it can be very toxic to us as well—only if we breathe too much of it in," Uncle Chris elucidated.
"Then we better hurry," I added.
We arrive at the door that leads straight into the lab. As I rushed over to the door—with the keycard in hand to unlock it—we start hearing continuous heavy footsteps from far end of the hallway behind us.
"They're over here men! This way!" I glance back is—seeing the Tricell operatives from earlier heading right towards us.
"Shit! They found us!" I asserted. I swipe the keycard through the keycard slot, causing the door to unlock and slide open automatically. Chris directed his gaze from me to Leon.
"Leon, do you know the rest of way to the train station from here on out?" He questioned him.
Leon nods his head. "Yeah. It's located in the northwestern section of the facility."
"Good. Take Claire, Laura, Tyler, and head for the subway station. We'll catch up after we deal with these guys. If we don't catch up to you guys within the next ten minutes—then go on without us," Chris stated, as he and Piers started shoving Tyler and I through the open door.
"Wait! If you're staying behind, you're gonna need this in order to meet up with us," I say as I hand him the master keycard.
"Got it." Uncle Chris tucked it away safely into his pocket. "Thanks Laura."
"Chris. Piers," The guys glanced at Leon. "Try not to get killed."
"Gotcha," Piers replied. "Same goes for you two Leon," Chris said.
"Stay safe Chris," Mom tells him, as the door closed automatically behind us. I take one last worried glance at Uncle Chris and Piers on the other side of the door, before proceeding onward towards the subway station with Mom, Leon, and Tyler.
Chris's POV
After the door closed automatically behind us, they all vanish from sight. Heading for the subway station, all while Piers and I stayed behind to deal with these assholes. There was no way in hell that I'm gonna let them get their hands on Claire, or even Laura. If they want them, they're gonna have to go through us first.
As Piers and I glance down the lengthy hallway, we see about five or six Tricell agents dart rapidly down the dimly-lit hallway—heading straight towards us. With our guns trained on them, we were about to shoot them. Until one of the metal doors in the hallway opened up randomly. At that instant, about ten 'H.C.F' agents—more than twice as many than Tricell's search team—came pouring out of the room and into the hallway. Blocking our view of the Tricell operatives, as we hear booming gunfire and the sounds of agonizing screams come from the opposite end of the hallway. When they're done, the hallway quickly falls silent.
Peering behind them, we could barely see the Tricell agents—or what was left of their team as they laid on the ground bleeding to death. All of the 'H.C.F.' operatives turn around. Gazing towards us. 'This is gonna be more difficult than I thought it would be. Now that we're actually up against some real professionally trained combatants. They're gonna more of a challenge than what Tricell had to offer.' I thought, as Piers and I open fired at the squad.
Laura's POV
After splitting up with Uncle Chris and Piers, the rest of us began heading for the train station. Located on the opposite side of the research facility. I didn't want to leave them behind, but we had to. I absolutely hate it when we have to split up, but it was to buy us some time to head for the station.
After passing through the charred laboratory, we dashed briskly down another hallway—while having to take down a few infected that were roaming around along the way. If I recall from earlier while I was examining the whole layout of this place in the security room, this hallway intersects right with the main corridor, if we keep heading straight. Where from that point on, after taking a right turn into the main corridor, a left turn at the end of the passageway, then another right turn at the first intersecting hallway. We should be able to make to the train station in no time.
The moment we all arrive at the end of hallway at the massive passageway, we stop with our guns in hand—as Leon halts in front of us. He quickly glancing down each side of the corridor—scanning for any enemies or B.O.W.s that maybe nearby.
"All clear, let's go."
As all of us turned right into the corridor, traveling farther down it, I hear something moving behind me.
"Laura, look out!" Leon shouted suddenly.
When I turn around, one of those Tricell agents tries to jump me. I quickly react by kicking the guy fiercely in his privates, then punch him fiercely in the stomach. Causing him to yell out in pain and fall to his knees while cupping his private area, then I shoot him directly in the head while he's distracted momentarily. The agent collapses onto the ground, with blooding pouring out of the bullet hole in his head and seeping onto the ground.
As I turn around away from the bloody corpse, I see numerous Tricell agents flood into the main corridor out of nowhere all around us. There were so many—too many to count all at once. They had us surrounded us within minutes. 'Shit! It's a trap!' I though right away.
As I glanced all around, they completely swarmed each and every one of us within seconds—thus separating us from one another. I didn't know where Leon, Mom, or Tyler was. Or even if they were still here. All I could hear in the background was gunfire, the sounds of fighting—all while Leon, Tyler, and Mom were trying to call out to me. I was really afraid at that point.
The instant I was completely surrounded by Tricell operatives, they charged at me all at once. I raised my gun—shooting a couple of agents in front of me in the stomach, while two or three them grabbed a hold of me from behind. I jaguar kicked the closest one in front of me, then ram horning each operative on both the left and right side of me, as they grabbed ahold of me. I wrestled and struggled aggressively against them—screaming at them as I kicked and threw multiple punches at whoever was near me. While I fought very truculently to free myself from their grasp, one agent from behind me covers my mouth with his gloved hand. Making me struggle even more relentless against their grasp. Another operative in front of me snatched my gun out of my hand—aiming it directly at me—then unloading multiple bullets into both of my legs. I screamed at the top of my lungs in total agony and torment. Blood began pouring out the bullet holes in both of my legs—flowing like rivers down onto the ground. The pain was utterly unbearable, I could barely even stand on both of my shaking legs after taking something like that. I cried out in pain again, as countless tears flooded down my cheeks. After unloading the entire clip into my legs, the Tricell agent whacked my head harshly with the butt of my handgun. Dazing me pretty badly, but not hard enough to knock me out.
As they were dragging me away down the corridor—separating me from Mom, Leon, and Tyler—a black blurry figure comes into view. Nothing but ferocious growls escaped his lips—prompting all of the agents to halt before him. As I peered up at him with tears pouring down my cheeks, I could see that his eyes were glowing bright red from a distance—even behind his sunglasses. He didn't look happy one single bit... The man swiftly moved at the speed of light. Killing and taking out each and every agent near me, one by one at a time in the most gruesome way possible. Blood splattering everywhere in the process, even on me. The remaining agents all let go of me—causing me to fall onto the ground, next to my handgun.
Barely even conscious, I use whatever strength I have left to grab my gun and crawl away as fast as I can. While the man in black was violently putting down the last of the remaining agents who dared to lay a finger on me.
As I keep trying my damned hardest to escape the gory scene, I peer up—seeing someone up ahead, but they were too blurry to make out. I take out a full clip out of my belt, reloading my gun with it. After some time, my vision begins to clear up. When I glance up again, I see Mom, along with Chris, Leon, Piers, and Tyler rapidly make their way towards me. I attempted to stand back up—only to fall back down into a small forming pool of my own blood.
"Oh my god, Laura!" Mom cried out, when she sees the current state I'm in.
They all rush to my side, while I was on the verge of passing out. My eye lids began to feel more heavy by the second, as fatigue was slowly starting to overcome me.
"Don't worry Laura, everything is going to be alright," Mom attempts to reassure me, as I glance up at her.
"Laura you gotta stay awake. You can't pass out on us now," Leon tells me, as he holds onto my hand, and I squeeze it gently.
"You're going to be okay Laura. There's no way in hell we're letting you die on us," Uncle Chris stated.
Tyler rips both of his sleeves off, and tying tightly them around my thighs to cut off blood flow in order to stop the bleeding. Piers pressed his hands onto one of my bloody legs, and Mom holding down gently on the other. I whimper in discomfort, as they were applying adequate pressure on my legs to suppress the bleeding.
"Chris, do you have any herbs left?" Piers inquired.
"No, I'm all out," He answered.
"Shit," Piers muttered under his breath. "Guys, we need to get out of here and fast. Laura isn't gonna last much longer and bleed to death if we don't get her immediate medical attention," Piers spoke up, as he continued applying pressure to my left leg.
"Nobody's taking my daughter anywhere, as long as I'm here," Someone else asserts suddenly. 'Uh-oh... Not him...'
I weakly gaze up, seeing Wesker covered all over in small specks of blood—mostly his hands—as he stood far in front of us. Glancing down right at me with his bright red glowing eyes. Shortly afterwards, I black out due to substantial blood loss.