RESIDENT EVIL: The Time was Yesterday...War is now

Berina stood atop a mound of dead zombies, mutants and general creations of Umbrellas. Her eyes were cold, palid as her skin, she'd been fighting these creatures for almost 2 long years, trapped in Raccoon City by the ones who killed the woman she once was...her ex-husband, now deceased, Malconin Valious was once the head of the Umbrella Corporation, but along with almost 75% of his employees, he was now gone from this world.
Life had never been kind to Berina and it was at this moment that she felt like taking her life for the last time. Raising her own gun to her temple, she fired, a click in the chamber, no bullet, no ending. Berina's head slumped, a hot tear ran down her cheek, "Why...why do you keep me here?" She whispered hoarsely.

Travis Russell walked quietly through the deserted streets. It had been six months since he and a group of survivors had arrived at the Arklay mansion deep in the woods. That is where Lianne’s Revelation had nearly broken Travis completely.

*Flashback *

Travis and Lianne had been on the first floor searching through the rooms. For a mansion that had been abandoned for years it was in remarkably good condition. They had went through the door to the left which led to an art gallery of sorts that held paintings and a large statue in the middle of the room. “Travis, I don’t want to be here. I just found you again and I don’t want to spend our last hours in this hellish place.’ Lianne said as they searched the room. Travis looked to her, “I know, but there is no place to go. The city is in ruins and this may be the only way we can escape.” Travis aimed his Desert Eagle towards a curtain that covered a doorway. It was moving as if something large was pulsating beneath it. Without warning a green reptilian shape exploded from the curtain, and it flew through the air with an inhuman screech. Travis instinctually rolled out of the way and rolled into a crouching position. As he did this he raised his Desert Eagle and fired off three rounds, all of them hitting their mark. With a bone-chilling screech life left the creature as a viscous black liquid ran from the three bullet-holes in the creatures chest. “That is exactly the f*cking stuff I was talking about! Travis please we can go back to the city and escape. The train should still be in the underground lab, we can use it to escape.” Lianne helped Travis up as she pleaded with her tall lover. “ It may not have survived the explosion Lianne, besides there are undoubtedly more of these things wandering around out there. The sewer would no longer be safe either.” Travis said as he tried to reason with her. “Travis we have to chance it. I just want to get out of here and back to civilization. I want to settle down and have family. I…” Travis scoffed at her words and interrupted her. “Wait, you want what? You never wanted to settle down, you just wanted to live each day as they came. The Rain I knew would have wanted to continue the fight against Umbrella.” Even as the realization kicked Travis in the nuts the Umbrella protocols inside Lianne’s head went online. With superhuman strength she backhanded Travis, and he flew back into the wall. His gun was knocked from his hands as he landed next to the dead hunter. “Sorry love, but Rain is dead. I am one of Umbrella’s more complicated creations, you could call me a doppleganger of sorts.” Lianne said in a clipped British accent. “I was supposed to bring you back alive as you are important to the Umbrella Company’s research. It seems as though you have a rare chemical in your body that allows them to create us.” Lianne said as she pressed her left foot against Travis’ left shoulder. “Us? You mean there are more freaks like you?” Travis groaned as she applied pressure against his shoulder.

“Yes, we were called the Adam and Eve project. Your blood samples Taken from Umbrella when you joined the U.B.C.S. were used to create us, however the supply ran out after used on us.” Lianne removed her foot and pulled Travis to his feet. “Now we are going for a little walk. You can either go quietly or I can kick your ass all the way to the train.” Lianne said as she looked into Travis’ blue eyes.
“ I say rot in hell, B!tch!” Travis said as he rolled towards his Desert Eagle three feet to Lianne’s right beside the statue. A second hunter had been in the back room and about the time Travis rolled it leapt towards Lianne’s back. With a sickening liquid gurgle the creature’s sickle-like claws removed Lianne’s head. Travis’ hand gripped the pistol tightly as another close group of shots killed this hunter. Travis sat there for what seemed like hours before collecting his thoughts and leaving the mansion. He never looked back.

*End Flashback *

(ooc: Alright, here's my start...erm, continuation...whatever. It may be a little rushed and later than I originally planned but better late than never, no?)

Chrys edged her hands over the cold surface of the metal vent, satisfied that after awhile of searching she had found one of suitable size. All the others vents within the desolate above ground facility had been either too small or not worth making the risk for. She wasn't even sure if she should be making the risk now...the only comfort she got from crawling through the stale, musty air of the vent system was that her hands barely scraped the ceiling and the air, to a certain degree, was breathable.

Taking several more baby steps, she squinted down through the opening of a vent. Suspended just below the ceiling, it would be a little more than a seven foot drop. But this IS the only opening I’ve seen in the past while… Forcing herself not to pull off her damp skin tight orange tank top, Chrys very carefully removed the opening.

Dropping her head out, at not sensing any immediate danger, she jumped down, black laced boots slamming down onto the slippery iced tiles. Brushing off any dust from her attire, she checked herself briefly. Making sure everything was in order, she pocketed her hands, dragging her footsteps to the end of the corridor.

A glance to her left revealed the facility to not be as isolated as she had deducted. A few frozen workers could be seen stumbling her way, the cold managing to preserve them down to a fault. She made a face before sighing. It all was growing to be rather monotonous.

Pulling her magnum from her right hip holster, Chrys meticulously screwed on a silencer as the eight workers advanced, cursing annoyed beneath her breath. Three of the frail biohazards feet away, she pulled the trigger, three decaying heads decorating the halls with red and hints of blue. Killing the next four behind those, she threw aside the empty magazine, preparing herself to kill the last stumbling zombie, it unaware of her presence.

Searching her sides for a magazine, she shivered slightly at a soft gnawing felt to her shoulder blade. Annoyed and caught off-guard by the little bite, Chrys turned with stern sapphire eyes to the baby across her back. “Genesis!”

Hearing her voice, the baby stopped chewing Chrys’s back. Tiny fingers let go of Chrys’s shirt, curious cerulean blue eyes staring up to her. Narrowing her eyes, she spoke in a softer tone. “What did mommy say….?” Still able to only stare up to Chrys, Genesis began on a pout, face slowly beginning to scrunch up.

Holstering her gun, she gave up on the search for a magazine, reaching for a thin silver chain once attached to a pair of cuffs. For a moment, the sparkle in her eyes dulled down, face emotionless. Seeing the first tear roll down Genesis’s cheek, she quickly came back to reality, dangling the thin silver over Genesis.

A giggle came immediately, Chrys pulling it just out of reach of the now smiling child. She continued to do so for the next few seconds, Genesis’s laughter increasing. At last, Chrys wrapped the chain around her hand, staring seriously to her child. “Now what did mommy say?” Genesis’s smile left. Chrys sighed, stroking the soft strands of chestnut along her tender scalp. “When we get back I’ll feed you…” Conceding, Genesis rested her cheek against Chrys’s back, eyes beginning to close.

During her brief minute of playing mother, the last remaining zombie had gotten close enough to pull Chrys close, enough to get a bite out of the single mother. It began on a lunge, a shotgun barrel soon lodged in its mouth. Brow raised, Chrys smirked, trigger pulling her Benelli. “Nice try.” She fired, wincing at the recoil and the thick slop of brains decorating the ceiling from the explosive shot.

Sliding the shotgun into its left holder, Chrys swung her arm about. She was lucky she hadn’t dislocated her shoulder in her moment of stupidity. Glancing back to Genesis she saw the baby oblivious to the scene, little arms stretching upwards as she yawned.

Shaking her head to the child, Chrys began on a sprint to the sixth floor. Peering through a dirtied glass window, she formed a wry face. Her past few hours…no, the past few days had been in vain. From what she could tell, escaping from the south side of the city wasn’t possible.

Rubbing a hand down her face, she sighed in frustration. “Back to square one…”

Berina rolled her eyes downward, hearing the familiar clich of heavy boots under her, she smiled a little and began to remove the mass of bodies, one by one...

Travis was lost in his memory of that event six months ago that he didn't notice the sound of a shotgun at first. 'Great someone is close. I'd better find a place to hide.' Travis had kept away from his former teammates after he had come back from the forest. The scar on his left arm reminded him of what happend when he came back to town.
(Flashback coming in next post.)

Slowly making two larger piles beside her, her ear against the ground, she smiles and stalks over to the hearest building, derelict it takes her almost 20 minutes to find the shaft to the basement. She climbs in and slips onto her feet once more with ease, the footsteps growing dimmer, she begins to follow them.

Summer had struck the once beautiful landscape of the forsaken city. Trees splattered with blood rustled in the wind, leaves crisp and full. The rains had fallen, flooded, and drained, washing away traces of carnage left on the tarmac, an eerie sparkle given to the stagnant place. The humidity provided an oven-esque atmosphere, amplifying the scent of decay to the point where breathing could be fatal.

A relatively cool day, Chrys stood outside the building, broken glass beneath her boots. Her super short black shorts made getting around easier, though, it revealed more flesh than she thought appropriate. However...they were cute and the only thing she'd consider wearing for the time being.

A gentle snoring from behind her brought her gaze from the sun to Genesis. She was approximately two months old, born prematurely by a month. The process hadn't been the most memorable thing in the world but it had managed to do what the biohazards around her had failed miserably at. It managed to scare her more than anything else she could remember...six months ago didn't count because rather than scared her, it scarred her.

Shuddering somewhat, Chrys started on her walk to her safehouse, keeping an eye out for former comrades or things that went bump in the night. At least...they should go bump in the night... She walked into the lobby of an old-fashioned dusty hotel. But hell does work in mysterious i.e. f**ked up ways. Scowling, she pushed an aluminum ladder up to the platform of the second floor, starting on her climb.

When she had escaped from the mansion, once she had managed to get rid of the bindings around her wrists, she made sure to find a place to stay. She couldn't do without personal grooming and food for too long. Settling in at the small hotel, her first course of action was too destroy the stairs, ensuring her safety from infected animals and zombies. She had more than enough ammo to deal with hunters and lickers so she worried little over them.

Clearing the inn of any other threat, she made sure to stock up on enough food to last her for the next two years, boiling any water drunken to ensure purity (and the filter pilfered from a nearby Sears helped out). Though she held no intention whatsoever of staying in the cemetery of a city for that long. She refused for her child to have to call that place her home.

Reaching the top floor, Chrys slid the ladder away, gaining her balance on the wooden timbers. Sighing at her lack of success, she walked down the end of the hall to a wooden door..

*To Be Continued

The footsteps grew closer upon following, the item was slowing down, her ears perked up as she felt the telltale signs of an undead. A zombie. Click, drag...pause...Click, drag...pause...that continued, the zombies pattern of monotonous walking almost driving her over the edge.
But that's the problem...she was already over the edge, her mind a scatter of pained and shadowed thoughts, rememberence of her past, her happy past with Malconin was the only thing that enabled her the remote possibility of a happy moment. However he was now dead, the toll on her emotions had strained her to insanity, she wouldn't stop until the last infected being in this city was destroyed.

Stopping in front of the wooden door, in place of the keyhole that had been below the knob was an electronic keypad, the door not as wooden as it seemed. Chrys had made sure to bump up the security in her makeshift home, doing so much as to either back up each door with metal bracings or replace doors in their entirety. The only doors completely replaced were her bedroom door, the miniature weapons cache down the hall, the camera room, and the below freezing point room she had turned into a freezer.

Her bedroom door came first, making it so she could at least sleep without worrying over lickers, hunters, or G-types. Next came her freezer, a bevy of canned foods and instant noodles kept in play. Of course, since they were of no real nutritional value, Chrys made sure to take one of each type of vitamin available to her, courtesy of a pharmacy two blocks away. And considering the amount of anti-freeze required to keep the room so cool, the only room kept slightly at room temperature was her bedroom. The others suffered from the heat.

Third was the weapons cache, she finally finished on her collection of guns and ammunition. She had robbed each gun shop in the city blind only a month after she escaped the mansion. She had even risked stopping at the police stations, pilfering ammo off of the hundreds of dead corpses surrounding her.

The last room still had a few bugs that needed to be worked out of the system, Chrys not exactly an expert at attempting to set up a sophisticated computer control room, complete with turrets. That would’ve been a little too unbelievable and damn near impossible for someone of her caliber to accomplish. However, she did manage to set up one camera above the entrance to the hotel along with one in each room…well, except hers. It wouldn’t make sense for her to watch after herself.

Smirking at the very idea, Chrys input the four letter password, the door sliding open with the smallest hiss. Walking into the off-white carpeted room, Chrys took Genesis from her back and rested her onto the bundle of comforters in the center of the king sized bed.

Peeling out of her sweat and drool covered tank top, she stuck with a black sports bra, throwing her shoes lightly into a full laundry basket. She frowned, knowing she’d have to wash her clothing soon…and by hand. Sucking her teeth at the thought, she propped her back up against the mahogany headboard, the sleeping child coming to life. She opened her eyes meticulously, blue eyes staring to Chrys ethereally.

“Just like daddy…” Shaking her head at the small image that had played through her head, she pulled Genesis close, cradling her with one arm. Snatching a baby bottle of instant mix made with fluoride water out of its resting place of warm water, she placed the tip to Genesis’s mouth, the baby reluctantly accepting the food. Chrys sighed. She had intended to feed her differently but until she showered, it would have to suffice.

A few minutes later, Genesis continued to suck on the empty bottle, eyes boggling as she tried to get what she had so quickly finished. She had a ravenous appetite despite Chrys feeding her every few hours. Realizing nothing else would come out the bottle, she placed the bottle aside, the items placed on the bed catching her attention.

Crawling over to the two shining objects, she shoved the first one, a magazine, into her mouth. Nibbling on the useless magazine, it filled to the brim with blanks, noticing the scolding look thrown her way by Chrys, she spit it out onto the mattress. Pouting, she crawled over to the next item, Chrys’s Desert Eagle. Frowning at her failed attempt to lift the weapon from the bed, her baby fingers wandered back to the magazine.

Grabbing the ammo, Genesis began to mash it into the gun. Staring up to Chrys, she stopped again at another look. Tilting her head, her blue eyes wandered from the ammo to the gun and back again. She started at the slide of the weapon, trying to fit the magazine in. Blowing a raspberry at the futile try, the baby pressed her cheek into the bed, blinking in wonder to the item.

A long while passed (forty five minutes to be exact) as Genesis stared, blue eyes glowing in wonder, the occasional babble leaving her lips. She sucked her thumb, lodging the magazine into the bottom of the weapon. She glanced to her mother for approval. Seeing a smile break her demeanor, Genesis continued, stopping halfway.

Chrys clapped lightly at her try, picking up the child and kissing her on the forehead. For the past week she had been testing out Genesis…and sure, while it wouldn’t exactly get her mother of the year, if they were still in the city two years from then, wouldn’t it be a good thing Genesis could use a gun?

Laughing quietly to herself, resting Genesis on her chest, Chrys leaned back, gaze out the window. The glass had been replaced with safety glass, a delicate process, but it was better than boarding up the windows as she had been forced to do with the other rooms. Watching the skies, she sighed. The sun would be setting in a few hours, the city plunged into its most dangerous hours…and she was nowhere close to escaping.

“We’ll escape, baby, we gotta…” Chrys whispered to her seemingly oblivious child, trying more to comfort herself than anything else. Letting the heat from the sun breach the glass, she felt herself start to grow drowsy…

shalimar sleep by the camp fire

🤘 🍺 🤘 🍺 😮‍💨 😮‍💨

Just waitin for Kohldia's approval to make my character if this thing is still goin on

Bildo woke up with Shalimar sleeping near him. It had been so long he had been trapped in this hell hole with her. She was all he had left his wife, son and partner were all dead now. Erica was the only one from the group that managed to escape.

He sat up and looked at his pistol which was his only gun he had now, well other than his ankle revolver, and combat knife. His family died and he should have too if he had caught the ride on that chopper but he didnt he stayed till the last minute defending the heli pad and then he heard the news on the radio so he didnt bother getting out he let them go without him. Shalimar decided to stay with him.

He sat there on the look out and letting Shalimar get some rest. Nowadays he couldnt get sleep.

((Hey guys sorry its been so long i been sorting my comp out. But im back now))

* Flashback*

Travis walked Solemnly through the forest. His hopes for the future had been shattered. He’d believed that Lianne had truly been Rain, but now it was painfully clear that she was indeed dead. Travis no longer feared death like most people, in fact it would be his ultimate freedom. Life without the one he loved the most was hell. Wandering through the dark woods Travis realized that he had to survive, had to bring Umbrella to justice. He still had his Ak-47 slung across his back and his Desert Eagle in his thigh holster. Berina and the others forgotten Travis made his way slowly towards the remnants of Raccoon City. After about ten minutes he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Something was watching him. Travis began to scan his surroundings as he tried to locate the eyes. Suddenly the forest to his left exploded with movement as a large, dark shape sped towards him. Travis barely had enough time to react as he clumsily leapt to the side. Searing pain shot down his left arm as he let out a pained curse, “Son of a *****!” Travis quickly regained his balance and turned to his attacker. It was a humanoid that towered over Travis easily at a foot taller. The Creature’s bald-head and gray skin lent nothing to wonder what it was. The Creature’s heart stuck out of its right shoulder and its left arm ended in terrible yard-long claws. The claws were dripping with Travis’ blood. Travis hefted his AK-47 and sighted in the creature’s bulbous heart.
The AK-47’s thunderous blasts erupted in the calm night air as the 7.62 slugs ripped into the fleshy pump. The Creature still came at Travis not even acknowledging the shots shredding its heart. As the assault rifle clicked empty Travis let it fall to the leaf-covered ground and unholstered his Desert Eagle. He quickly drew a bead on the bleeding heart as the nightmarish abomination raised its clawed arm and rushed towards him. He fired two shots, each found their mark, and the creature began to fall not six feet from where Travis stood. Travis quickly moved from underneath the oversized talons as they came crashing down on his discarded AK-47. The talons sliced cleanly through the Metal and wood of the rifle. Travis Slowly walked beside the creature and aimed the magnum at its head. Three more shots interrupted the night air. Travis tied of the deep gashes in is left arm and continued on into the city. Luckily his journey was boring after the chance encounter with the large B.O.W.

* End Flashback*

(OOC: Hey uh Grim Fandango let me give you a hand. First of all, you should post all Out Of Context post in the OCC Thread for this story. We all hate it when single OOC posts (like yours) Break up the story's flow. Secondly, you posted you character in the Creation thread for the old RPG and not the new one. As long as you can keep from godmoding and keep all OOC comments out of the story thread (If you post a continuation of the story with the OOC it is okay, but keep it to a minimum.) then you should do just fine here. Welcome to Hell.

shalimar woke up next to a blury person.she wiped the sleep from her eyes and so bildo "well hello there. i don't mean to be rude but we gotta find the others "

(ooc: more rushed than I’d intended but its late on this side of the world so it’ll have to do 😬 erm…oh yeah, and lets just say the length is to make up for the time, yah?)

****6 months ago****

Chrys descended down the basement stairs, hold tight on her loaded Desert Eagle. Her fingers were twitching, she knowing she’d shoot the first thing she saw without hesitation. But taking into account her comrades were prowling the area, she had to be cautious. Allow a three second grace period at the most before she pulled the trigger.

Heading to the end of the hall, she stopped. Narrowing vindictive blue eyes, she rose her magnum in the air. Dancing on the walls at the end of the hall were the hazy shadows of three figures, movements slow but meticulous. No moans were evident…then again, anything could happen in the nightmarish mansion.

Cocking her weapon, Chrys sidled along the wall, the figures around the corner doing the same. Lovely… Waiting at the edge of the turn, she began on a three count. On the last number, she jumped from the corner, aiming her gun to none other than Berina, Tao and Drake.

The four people said nothing, going on a classic stare down. Drake had both weapons trained on Chrys, Berina holding a knife in each hand. Tao seemed the only one who wouldn’t take out his weapon…not yet. Chrys didn’t back down, moving her weapon between the three of them. She started to speak, Berina breaking the silence somewhat annoyed. “Are you the real Chrys?”

Chrys smirked coldly, arching a brow. “That’s my line…and yes.”

“Prove it,” ordered Berina, prepared to slit her throat if need be. Apparently, she wasn’t in the mood for Umbrella’s little games or freaky morphing doppelgangers.

Searching her mind hard for a way to identify herself, she frowned. She hadn’t known Berina very long and couldn’t think of something only she’d know about the woman. Drake was a lost cause…and she wouldn’t touch Tao. Stroking her chin in thought, she winced at the only thought that could prove her words true. It was a touchy subject but she had no other ideas. She stared Berina into the eyes. “Your husband…was a f**king prick.”

The tip of a katana was instantly placed beneath her jaw. Berina gave her a look of disgust and bitterness. “Watch your god damn mouth.”

Unperturbed by the blade, Chrys lowered her magnum, holstering it to her hip. She continued to stare the angered wife into the eyes, speaking apathetically. “I’m entitled to my own opinion, last time I checked. Maybe he wasn’t a ‘f**king’ prick…but he was a prick nonetheless.”

The blade threatened to pierce her skin, Berina stepping closer. Her voice came out unnaturally dangerous. “I told you to watch your mouth. You know nothing of my husband; you barely knew him. You have no right to pass judgment on him because of this one event!”

Chrys was unsure just how to respond to Berina’s words. Staring to the blood splattered walls, her eyes held a vague expression. She decided she’d have to play if off. “Yeah…perhaps you’re right.” Forcing back an eye roll, she turned her eyes back onto the woman. “Apologies for any offense from my comment but what else could I say?” Shrugging, Chrys began to walk ahead of the group, ignoring the evil glare boring into the back of her head.

Drake reluctantly lowered his magnums, holstering both with a flat expression. “Yeah…that’s her. Has to be...” He followed after Chrys, Tao and Berina sharing a glance before doing the same.

Walking through the halls, Chrys eavesdropped on the others conversation, offering no input of her own. Her vision was slowly starting to become a mess, the loss of blood beginning to get to her head. Reigning in on her concentration, she slowed down her pace so as not to exert herself, the others catching up with ease.

Going at a relatively slower stride, feeling she was nearer to the pendant needed to advance, a wave of confidence washed over her. It soon faded, a sharp pain shooting through her temple. She scrunched up her eyes tightly with a minor groan. Holding onto her forehead, she attempted to ride out the pain, fingertips massaging in circular motions. However, at feeling a pulsating swell out from her being, she froze, pupils dilating at a sudden urge, a sudden need.

The others started to crowd her, Chrys moving to the wall at once. Staring down to her boots, her breath came erratically, the feeling refusing to leave her. She wanted to, she had to…she lifted her gaze from the floor to her comrades, hand sliding to the hilt of her remaining katana. She had to kill the three humans before her, there was no other way.

Her hand trembled over the hilt, dilated blue scanning each face aloofly. She let her hand fall from the weapon, focusing on regaining control. Almost immediately, a second pain shot through her head, threatening to split open her skull. Throwing back her head, she clutched onto her forehead, forcing back a scream. Again, the same pulse erupted from her being, her back, a warm resonance struggling to take over. The others began to run over.

“Stay back!” she ordered, a glossy blue eye staring in their direction. The three stopped, looking her over cautiously. Using the wall to support herself, she stifled a scream, hand shaking violently near her katana. “Go do something with yourselves. Leave me here…GO!!” She cringed yet again from the persistent pain, burying her forehead into the wall as she gritted her teeth.

Tao stared to her, first emotionless, then as if trying to understand. “What’s wrong?”

Twitching, Chrys counted to five, knowing the lie about to leave her lips would be the worst one to date. But…it would get the guys away. Hopefully. She sighed, feigning a cool composure. “It’s nothing. I just get really painful cramps around this time of month…also, I get overly b*tchy,” She glared dangerously to all three, a cold smile cracking her lips. “I shouldn’t have to elaborate any further than that.”

The guys shared a glance, Berina looking Chrys up and down skeptically. “You’re kidding me,” She stepped closer to her. “Even I didn’t suffer that much in my enhanced days, there’s no way-”

“We’re in a biological outbreak, their have been multiple doppelgangers around the city, miraculously enough we all still have ammo, that invincible motherfu…” Chrys quickly corrected herself. “Guy you called your husband was killed by a friggin ninja. Honey child, anything’s possible,” She summoned a sweet tone. “Now…I hope you all don’t mind me asking but…” She took a deep breath. “I would REALLY prefer to be left ALONE right now and if I have to pop a cap in each and every one of you to prove my point, I swear to GOD I will, comprehendes?!?”

****continuation of flashback****

The group looked her up and down. Shaking their heads, they granted Chrys’s wish, leaving her on her own once more. Feeling her eyes begin to roll into the back of her head, she pinched herself in the arm. She had to stay alert, she had to put some distance between her and the others. She wasn’t worried over what she would do to them. It was the thought of what would happen to her if she happened to strike one of them down.

Shaking away the grisly thoughts, Chrys dragged her footsteps, tears threatening to leave her eyes from the severe spontaneous headache. After five minutes, she came to a stop, damp and sweaty against the wall. Her vision became blurrier by the second, her lungs aching from her effort.

“What…how?” She winced at another pain, back pulsing once more. “Wait…” Chrys closed her eyes, biting her lip in thought. It was starting to come back to her. Back when she had fought the prototype, Beta. After he had screwed up her back, he had drilled his nails into her skin, placed his bloodied palm to her back. “He mixed…our blood?” She snapped up her head at the pain, it growing intense with each passing second. A delirious laugh could be felt rising up in the back of her throat. It was incredulous, impossible to believe. Over some weird process, over the course of a half hour…had she become his puppet? “No f**king way.”

Two hands slid around her throat from behind, Chrys’s eyes widening. A cruel whisper was let out into her ear. “Such language…but you said it yourself. Anything’s possible,” the voice pulled her from the wall, guiding her fluidly down the hall. “Did you miss me?”

“No,” replied Chrys, deeply regretting her moment of mercy. No longer in control of her footsteps, she let the man, let the reawakened Beta guide her God knows where. “I was sort of hoping the whole ‘steel pole to the side of your head’ kept you out cold for the next year or so. Now, about that…” She waited for him to fill in the blank.

Sliding one hand down the length of her cardigan covered arm, Beta sighed, speaking bored. “I’m a BOW; I lost all human weaknesses long time ago. So, if by a year, you meant five minutes, sure, it worked. Though the funny thing is…” He laughed, a scary noise in the bare hall.

It was just now Chrys noticed a slight change to his tune, to his voice, to his grip. He smoothed his hand over her body, back to her throat. Stopping in the hall, he let his lips linger on her neck, red eyes glowing malevolently. “…ever since you hit me, I’ve never felt more alive. It’s as if…you changed me. That blow to the head freed me,” He dug his nails into her skin, an ecstatic look to his eyes at her pained groan. “Got rid of those f**king morals holding me back. I love it.”

“Skippy,” spoke Chrys apathetically through grinding teeth. In her mind, the idea was already floating around of what she’d truly done. She’d screwed up…big time. The Beta prior to the one moving down the hall had a child’s curiosity but an adults understanding. He could be persuaded…however, the man behind her. She shuddered.

A broad grin swept across Beta’s flawless features at her shake. Tossing aside raven hair from his view, he quickly snatched both her wrists in one hand. Stroking her cheek, he purred down to her. “Don’t fret, little one. I owe you so much…and I intend to pay you back in full. Oh, I do still have to kill you but,” He brushed her lips across her temple, the pain instantly melting away. “…we WILL have so much fun.”

Rounding the corner, the two entered a huge hall, apparently on the ground floor. Chrys struggled in his hold, ignoring the start up of a new migraine. She didn’t care if resistance brought her a pounding sensation through her skull, the red lights had started to go off insanely through her mind. She had to escape, the night wouldn’t end well otherwise.

Laughing at her attempts, Beta ran a hand up her side and angled her face upwards, staring down into a pair of defiant blue. “You’re lovely, you know that?” Leaning over, to her astonishment, he kissed her, pressing his lips hard to the struggling Chrys, enjoying the minor taste of the weakening female.

Eventually pulling away, he kissed her forehead tenderly. Red eyes calculating, he motioned to down the hall, a stunned Paul and Raine staring to the two. Chrys struggled to find her voice, the mysterious Beta restricting her speech with ease. All she could do was stare aside, flushed in her rage and anger. She wanted Paul to know she loved him but Beta’s little scene had been anything but helpful.

Speaking in a gentleman’s tone, Beta acknowledged the two with a mesmeric smile. “Good evening, Raine. Paul…pleasure to meet you,” His grip around Chrys’s neck tightened. Paul immediately stepped forward, Beta raising a brow. “Take another step closer and I’ll break her neck. That’s not how this game will play out,” Paul looked hesitant, Beta beginning to squeeze. “Or how about I make her lose her breath? Regardless of what you do, I WILL kill her. However…there is a way.”

Lowering his raised Remington shotgun, Paul gave him an opportunity to explain. Beta loosened his hold over Chrys, she coughing from the lack of air. Ignoring her hacks, he elaborated. “I’m into making a barter of a sort. Simply put, a life for a life. You want Chrys to live, fine by me. But as compensation, you have to die. You have an hour to decide…and an hour to find us. We will be on the second floor of the mansion though where, is the true question. Good luck.” He smiled deviously, the lights flickering into darkness. After a minute, the lights flew back on…but Beta and Chrys were nowhere to be found…

****Present Day****

Snapping open her eyes, Chrys sat up, massaging her heart. The room was slightly stuffy from the heat, her back completely drenched in sweat. She shivered, closing her eyes tightly, wanting desperately for the visions to go away. Ever since the mansion incident, she would have the same nightmare replay through her mind for four nights each month. She wasn’t sure how long her sanity would put up with it.

It wasn’t your fault… Swallowing hard, Chrys glanced to the lightly snoring child to her side. She kissed her forehead softly, thankful she was too young to even comprehend the city was hell’s reincarnate.

A thumping noise from downstairs caused Chrys to arch a brow. Besides her nightmare, someone…or something else had woken her. Adjusting her sports bra back over her figure, Chrys swung out of bed, stretching her arms upward. Reaching for her Desert Eagle, she took out the blanks, lodging a magazine deftly into the magnum.

Putting a pillow to each side of Genesis, Chrys readied her gun, breathing in deeply. Preparing herself for whatever she might find, she opened the door cautiously…

shalimar looked on to the open space. she may not have had a spiddy senes but something was wrong. no birds ,no sounds of anything.so she sniffed the air.nothing,not even the smell of cold lifeless skin.

Travis walked cautiously into the building, but a hanging piece of debri fell and landed next to him. 'Dammit! Anyone nearby would have heard that.' Travis cursed himself and he quickly went from door to door to find one unlocked. He needed to be as quiet as possible and couldn't afford to bust on in.

Locking the door behind her, Chrys crept out into the hall, bare feet stealthily sliding across the polished wooden floor. Narrowing her eyes, she peeked over the wooden banister to the floor below. She saw no sign of a zombie or a stray dog, no lumbering beings inside her makeshift home.

Holstering her Desert Eagle, Chrys quickly pulled out her Benelli. If she hadn’t yet spotted the source of the noise, it meant one of two things. Either she had imagined the noise and had wakened from her nightmare of her own will…or whatever had made the sound was prowling the lower level.

Lickers and Hunters and Beasties, oh my! Chuckling low at her thought, she grabbed hold of the ladder that had replaced the stairs. Sliding down the warm aluminum, she landed neatly on her feet, eyes staring out to the darkness of the city. She shivered, in utter hate of it all.

The smallest of sounds were heard, a door swinging open. Loading a cartridge into the barrel, Chrys eased herself through the dimly lit corridor. She glanced back and forth every so often, her life more valuable than –almost- anything else. Peering into each room, she stopped at the last, the door slightly ajar.

She exhaled, a small anxiety creeping through her. Rubbing the back of her neck, Chrys let herself into the room, eyes immediately turning upwards. No depressions in the ceiling, no claw marks or skinless creatures lashing out tongues. She looked sideways, all around, expecting to find a hunter, some demonic creature still in existence.

Nothing. Nothing but the silence of the humid summer night. Pulling at her top some, she winced at the squeak of a pipe, the previously vacant bathroom occupied. On edge, the hairs on her neck rose as she broke into a cold sweat. Gulping, she marched to the finished white wooden door, swiftly opening the entrance.

Placing the gun to the inhabitant’s head, she arched a shaven brow at the Desert Eagle trained beneath her chin. Squinting in the barely lit bathroom, she made out a familiar face covered in fatigue and grime. Then again…just because he looked recognizable, it didn’t mean she knew him. “Russell…?” She never did get his first name. She stared vindictively. “If that’s who you are…where’s Lianne? She was-”

Chrys was cut off by the sound of his gun being readied. She couldn’t fully make out the look in his eyes, his voice tinged with a mixture of emotions. “Don’t bring her up, she wasn’t the…” He drifted off, gaze to the side as he grinded his teeth.

Unnerved by his incomplete sentence, Chrys tapped her foot impatiently. “She wasn’t what-”

Before he could properly respond or Chrys could form a proper inquiry, a low whining could be heard on the upper level. The Desert Eagle turned towards the ceiling. “What’s that?”

“It’s a girl,” muttered Chrys flatly, lowering his gun from the roof. Rolling her eyes, she decided to temporarily trust him, heading down the hall. “It’s a long story…you coming?”

(ooc: little rushed but its late. Immortal, hope you don’t mind the minor control too terribly, if ya do, let me know…)