Means to an End

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Parker smiled at Chris slightly, patting him on the shoulder. "For what it's worth... I'm sorry too. I was so obsessed with finding Alex... I didn't stop to see the signs. I should have found out Jill was pregnant... Had I known that..." He paused and ran his fingers through his hair. "I do blame myself for what happened to her."

Chris never responded to this. As soon as they were inside the building he muttered something about needing to get Parker certified and left the other man to navigate the holding cells alone.
Jessica, it seemed, had been waiting all day and half the night for him. She visibly brightened when he was let into her cell. "Parker!" She gushed, leaping to her feet to throw her arms around him. "I knew you wouldn't let me down!"

"Sick mind. I like it." Leon chuckled. "Violet? Is that you?" He called, glad he'd at least remembered the little girl's name.

There was nothing but heavy silence, and suddenly Violet dropped down from a vent behind Leon and Parker. "I thought you were looking for Claire?" She remarked coolly, making no mention of how she had gotten up into the vent shaft and crawled over head without a sound.

"I am." Leon told her. "Where's your dad?" He added, now frowning at her. There was something about this little girl that he didn't like. She made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

Violet wasn't exactly fond of Leon either, for some reason. "He told me to find my mom." She answered bluntly. "And clearly I am doing a better job in my search than you." She narrowed her eyes at Leon slightly. "Does Claire know she was only your second priority?" She added, proving she had heard more of Leon and Parker's conversation than they would have liked.

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about." Leon hissed, probably proving to Parker that he wasn't too good with children. "I took the assignment because Claire is here! I thought I was coming to help her, not...why the hell am I explaining myself to a rugrat?"

"Because you stupidly think you're smarter than me, and are used to speaking in layman terms." Violet replied with a sickly sweet smile. "Don't push me, boy scout. You may have my dad, and even aunt Claire fooled... But I know you! I've seen many files on you!" She added, jabbing an accusing finger in Leon's direction. "The whole time Claire has been pretending the two of you are broken up... Did she know you were still fooling around with that Angela bimbo too?" clearly, time in Wesker's facility had allowed Violet access to things she wasn't supposed to see.

Leon raised an eyebrow, clearly ready to do battle with a child. "Angela happened months before we got back together, thank you. Ada happened twice while we were broken up. And in case you didn't know, kid, breaking up means that you're not with that person anymore. So if you're going to play a cheating card, throw one out while I was with her." He growled, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You really think you're a good guy, don't you?" Violet asked incredulously. "What kind of message do you think Claire gets, knowing you continuously run back to Ada Wong?!" She hissed, her small fists balling up tightly at her side as her sapphire eyes darkened with flecks of black.

"Who the hell are you to judge me, you little brat?!" Leon roared, in a rare show of losing his temper. "What the in the fuck would you know about anything?!"

"Steve is still alive." She told Leon with a dark smile, before simply turning away to continue her search for her mother.

Ooc: Haha, Violet totally just reminded me of Dark Alessa in the silent hill movie!

Leon did his best to hide the expression on his face. He could only hope that the darkness saved him. Even if it was only a little girl and Parker...that was one too many.

"What the hell was that?!" Parker hissed when they were alone again. "You were yelling at that kid... And she... Was everything she said true?!"

"I don't want to talk about it." Leon muttered. If she had known about Angela then she surely couldn't be lying about Steve. Could she? "We're at the end of the hall. I've seen nothing. Where is everyone? I don't even see a zombie."

"That thing Rebecca was running from... It was faster than anything I've seen so far." Parker commented, allowing Leon the relief of dropping the matter that Violet had brought up.

"Yeah. Crimson heads." Leon explained. "You guys have been missing the zombie boat. You get all the really big uglies. Those are ones that have been knocked out. Something in their brains changes pace and makes them worse. I think I'd rather fight Las Plagas compared to them."

Parker wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Why is there never an invasion of bikini wearing blondes with enormous breasts?" He chuckled.

Leon couldn't help but snicker at this. "Or maybe an invasion of female nudists?" He teased. Their laughter kept them from hearing the sound of something crawling on the ceiling above them.

"You better not breathe a word of this to Rebecca, or your sweet little Claire!" Parker threatened with mock anger, also missing the creature above them now.

"Do I look stupid to you?" Leon asked with a snicker.
"Parker!" Rebecca's cry from the other end of the hall reached them just in time. As the two men turned a barb like tongue shot in between them. It would have gone straight through Parker's neck.

Parker jerked Leon forward slightly before turning to see what had just attacked them. "Let me guess... This is nothing to a Raccoon City Alumni?" He muttered, already reaching for his gun.

"Lickers!" Leon and Rebecca shouted at the same time, all but answering his question. Leon yanked the shotgun from its holster on his back and began firing blindly at the ceiling. "This is more than just fucking zombies." He growled. "Someone is trying to kill you guys!"

"Gee, you think?" Parker muttered, firing at the skinless creatures that seemed to pour from the vents. It was odd... But nothing had crawled out of there prior to Violet climbing up there...

Leon was pushing Parker back toward Rebecca, cursing loudly with every step. He had the same thought about Violet. However, he blamed the little girl for this even entirely.

Parker glanced around to make sure Rebecca was still there. "Are you okay?" He called to her, grunting when his finger was met with the sickening click of an empty magazine.

"I'm empty." She wheezed, exhausted beyond reason. "Damn it all!"
"Parker, catch!" Leon shouted, tossing him another box of ammo. "Get down there with Rebecca, I'm right behind you!" He was seriously considering telling Violet to get her pets. He was more than sure now that this was her doing.

Parker reloaded, then slid has arm around Rebecca as he steered her towards the stairs.
Leon was right. If any of them had the chance to look closely, they would see a small figure at the other end of the hall, sat down with one of the Lickers close by, it's head in her lap like a well trained puppy. Leon should not have angered her.

"Little bitch." Leon hissed as he turned to follow Rebecca and Parker. Once they reached the next flight of stairs, the three of them were forced to stop. Chris was lying on the floor, doing everything he could to force himself to his feet.

Violet simply sat there, in the darkness, surrounded by her pets. They were hungry, and probably confused by what they heard around them. She couldn't blame them, she was somewhat lost herself.
"Chris!"arker was the first to reach the other man. "What are you doing here? I thought you were getting out?" He breathed, not thinking to check if the large monster from earlier was still around.

"Have to...Jill..." Chris managed, blood spilling past his lips. He looked as if he'd seen better days. Albert Wesker may have finally found what was needed to get rid of Chris.

"No, you have to give it up!" Parker half commanded, half pleaded. "Chris... You're a father now. She may seem capable, but what will happen to Violet if you get yourself killed?"