Chapter 2

" What?" was all Cecile could say. She stared at Chris in confusion, while he looked back at her with shocked hope. He took a step towards her, and she took a step back.

" What do you mean, you're my father?" she asked him. " I never met my father. I only had my mother for the first three years of my life, then I was on my own at age nine after staying at an orphanage. I never had a father figure in my life."

As she spoke, Chris' expression switched back to confusion, but he listened intently to every word, as if each one would be the last she ever spoke.

When she finished her sentence, Chris shook his head and laughed.

" Post Traumatic Amnesia. It's very common to get if you've had a brain injury during a traumatic event. Don't worry, though. Your memory will come back to you when it wants to, and when you are ready for the truth."

" Captain," Piers interrupted. " We need to head out. Delta Team is in trouble."

" Alright," Chris agreed. " Let's go. You too, Cecile."

" What?" she asked dumbly. Chris laughed and motioned for her to follow him. Obediently, she did, following him like a lost puppy dog. Piers followed behind her, a little too closely, though she could understand why. She didn't blame him too much. After all, she was still a mercenary.

She felt Piers lean in close to her ear and, as he spoke, his breath gently caressed her ear with a warm breeze in the cold, sending a shiver up her spine.

" I am so sorry for the way I treated you before. I didn't know you were Chris's child."

" It doesn't matter who I am," Cecile countered. " You should be nice to all people, unless they are shooting at you. That's the only exception."

He didn't say anything else after that and continued to walk closely to her.

The trip was done in silence, with Chris looking back at Cecile occasionally with a grin on his face. She smiled back at him after a while, feeling a little guilty and sympathy for the man. He really believed that she was his daughter who had died, but Cecile knew the truth. She never had a father in her life. It had been only her from the time she was nine to the time she was fifteen, when she met Jake.

A Humvee drove up to them when they reached an abandoned area of town. Chris got in the back with ease and held out his hand for Cecile. Hesitantly, she took it, and he pulled her inside and sat her next to him. Piers followed and sat next to Cecile, his sniper in hand and ready. The back of the Humvee closed, and they were off.

" So," Chris began. " What have you been doing for the past three years? I'm curious."

" Uhh," Cecile mumbled, deciding if she should tell this stranger or not.

He's not a stranger.

" I had found Edonia on August 10th, 2009," she began. " It was cold and dark. I had been walking for days trying to find some town or small village at least. I was dying from exhaustion, and I collapsed just outside the city borders. I knew I was being followed by a few zombies, but I couldn't continue. I was ready to die."

As she spoke the last sentence, she felt Chris flinch against her. She continued after taking a breath.

" As one of the zombies was about to catch me, someone jumped from the trees and killed it. I stayed conscious long enough to see a man kill the rest of the zombies with a speed and agility that I had never seen before. Everything went black as he approached me.

" I woke up the next day in a small hospital. It took a couple of days to fully recover. When I was released, I went searching for the man who saved my life. I didn't have to look very far though. He was looking for me anyway. When we met once again, I asked him to train me to fight the way he did. He wasn't expecting that kind of response, but agreed to train me on one condition- that I would help him pay his bills. He didn't think it was safe for someone untrained to live alone in this town, and he wasn't wrong. I agreed, and training began. He taught me basic self-defense moves first, and I surprised us both by being able to defend myself before he taught me. I guess I had learned something without remembering it. Anyway, the training went on for a year before he allowed me to work as a real mercenary. Before, I had been a busgirl for a tavern about three blocks away from the house. I was harassed of course, but I had new skills to use if any guy decided to try something new to get my attention. When he told me that I was ready to become a real mercenary, I was excited. I would be doing something great for this city. At least, that's what I thought.

" My first mission was to snipe a horde of zombies and clear them out of main square. I did as I was told, but only for about three seconds. The 'zombies' he wanted me to snipe were just people minding their own business. I couldn't finish the mission, but he could. I got up and walked away. He followed me and yelled at me, telling me that it had all been a waste. I told him that I could still be a mercenary, but I would not kill people. Killing people would just allow humanity's extinction date to just close in a lot faster. After some more arguing, we made an agreement- only killing zombies and B.O.W's, no humans. Ever since then, we had created a family bond and stuck by each other's side, no matter what. We became the mercenary siblings that everyone envied because of how close our relationship was. Since then, I've stayed in Edonia and stuck by his side, being a vigilante for the city."

" Wow," Chris sighed, processing all the information. Cecile looked over at Piers, who was looking straight ahead, though she could see the amazement in his eyes. Cecile leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees, placing her chin on her hands.

" Yeah, it's been hectic, but manageable," Cecile replied. " Though, now that I've met you guys, my story doesn't make sense."

" How so?" Piers asked.

" One- how did I even get into Eastern Europe without a passport and a memory of traveling? Two- the time frame from March to August is too large, and I don't remember anything in between those months. It doesn't add up. Where did all that time go? The story I just told you sounds like a story programmed into me."

" Like I said," Chris chimed in. " You have Post Traumatic Amnesia. I can tell you everything that happened in your life, and you won't remember a single thing, unless a small bit of the information triggers something in your head, which can cause your brain to begin to remember."

" I see," Cecile responded, listening intently. She didn't know why, but she wanted to know this information. Maybe, just as Chris said, the life she had lived so far had been a lie. Though, there was something else going on besides PTA, and she wanted to know what is was.

" I see you still have the pendant," Chris told her.

" Huh?"

" The blue pendant around your neck. I'm the one that gave it to you."

" Oh," was all she could say. She thought for a moment, then realized that she didn't remember acquiring the pendant at all. She had just always had it. She opened her mouth to speak again.

" INCOMING!" Someone yelled from the front. There was an explosion, and the humvee bounced and tipped upside down. Cecile hit her head on the metal roof and she groaned in pain. She felt someone grab her arm and pull her out of the humvee. A few seconds later, she felt the cool wind blowing against her skin, and the smell of smoke was so strong that she nearly gagged. Someone helped her up and pushed her behind cover. She quickly realized that it was Piers.

" Do you have a weapon on you?" he asked.

" A handgun, yeah," she answered.

" How many bullets?"

" Not enough for all of these guys."

" Do you have a knife?"

" In my boot."

" Good. As soon as you run out of bullets, switch to your knife, and I'll cover you if you need it," Piers told her. She nodded, drawing out her gun and checked her clip. It was full. Sixteen bullets in the clip. She put the clip back in the gun, and cocked it. Kneeling behind a pillar, she scanned the area. She quickly realized why they had been stopped.

J'avo were everywhere, surrounding the BSAA's vehicles. All had a weapon of sorts; some had machine guns, some had snipers, some had shotguns, and a few had missile launchers. Each one was attacking with brute force towards the BSAA and a conscious mind. They communicated in Russian, commands and answers and taunts. Cecile couldn't believe what she was seeing. They were acting like humans, but their faces were dark beige with rings of red, their eyes were popping out of their heads, and their veins were very visible. Some of the J'avo had more than two eyes, some had mutated armored legs, and some had one their arms mutated into a shield, protecting them from the rain of bullets.

One J'avo locked his sights on Cecile and aimed his machine gun at her. Recovering quickly from the sight, Cecile aimed her gun and shot the creature in the head. He fell to the ground and burst into flames. Fifteen bullets left.

Another came rushing at her. She stood quickly and spun around the J'avo, grabbing his head in the process and snapping the neck with lightning speed. She heard a gunshot behind her, and saw a J'avo burst into flames behind her, while Piers stood and aimed his gun in another direction. She nodded at him in appreciation, then turned her attention back to the J'avo charging at her. She grabbed her hunting knife out of her boot, then ducked as the J'avo swung at her, and raised up again, pushing the knife through his jaw and into his skull. He fell in silence and burst into flames.

" MOVE FORWARD!" Cecile heard Chris yell, and the BSAA moved up towards the cluster of buildings. Cecile recognized where they were now. They were on the edge of the city, the same spot where Jake had found her three years ago. An uneasy feeling swallowed her, and she stopped in the middle of the battlefield, petrified of the unknown enemy.

" What are you doing?!" Chris yelled at her. Cecile couldn't move, couldn't speak. She could hear something, a low, steady vibration and pulsing, almost like a heartbeat. She listened intently, trying to locate the sound. Her head moved back and forth slowly, her eyes closed in concentration. J'avo's ignored her and went for the others, who killed them effortlessly. Soon, the battlefield became silent, and the heartbeat became louder. Everyone looked at the girl standing in the middle of the battlefield in confusion. Only Chris went up to her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She didn't move or open her eyes.

" What are you-" Chris began, but was cut off by a quick "shh". He waited patiently for her to explain, but that patience only lasted two minutes.

" What is-"

" It's in the gray apartment next to the lookout building," Cecile said, suddenly looking over at the building she mentioned. Guns turned towards it, and waited. The silence echoed off the surrounding buildings in anticipation. Cecile stared hard at the building, waiting. She could hear it clearly now. A B.O.W, but nothing like they've ever seen before. However, that wasn't her biggest concern right now. It was the urge to walk in there and wake it up. She fought with the urge, but it was strong. Something was calling to her, something weird, something... familiar. Luckily, Chris was in between her and the temptation, and she was grateful for that. Her pathway was blocked, and it was the defense she needed.

" Captain," Piers called, coming over to them. " What are we waiting for? We have a mission to complete."

" I know, Piers," Chris answered. " But Cecile says that something is in that building, and she's dead set on that idea."

" It's a B.O.W," Cecile offered.

" How do you know?" Piers questioned, the skepticism clear in his voice.

" I can hear it," she answered.

" How?"

" It's calling to me," she admitted. " I can hear its heartbeat. Right now, if everyone moves quietly and steadily, we can avoid waking it up hopefully."

" What a bunch of bullshit," Piers scoffed, walking away from them.

" It's true!" she exclaimed, but to no avail. He needed hard evidence to believe in any claims. She didn't know why, but she was saddened by the thought.

The ground began to shake. The soldiers cried out at the sudden shaking, but Cecile stayed silent. She knew what was happening. It was waking up.

" What the hell?!" she heard Piers yell, and before anyone could move, the apartment broke apart, and out came the monster that Cecile feared. The B.O.W was ginormous, with gray skin that served as armor, a large head that had a large jaw, large holes all over the skin, and a large piece of exposed flesh that had a piece of metal stuck to the tip. Everyone stared as it ripped itself out of the building and stood, scanning the area. It roared at the soldiers, then began to march towards them.

" GET TO HIGHER GROUND!" Chris shouted to be heard over the monstrosity, and the members ran away from the B.O.W and ran up the stairs of the building next to the one the monster came out of. Cecile followed Chris, panic setting in. For some reason, the B.O.W had taken interest in her, following her wherever she went. An idea came to her, though it was near suicidal.

" Keep going!" she yelled to Chris, then made a quick turn and ran the other way.

" What are you doing?!" he yelled to her. She didn't answer, but instead kept running, the B.O.W hot on her tail. She weaved in between pillars, hoping to confuse the monster's sight. No luck. The monster only swung his gigantic hands at the pillars, knocking them down and turning them into nothing but pebbles. Thinking quickly, she slid and spun back around and ran straight towards the monster and ran through his legs. The B.O.W was too slow, and Cecile had a better lead.

" SOMEONE SHOOT THE EXPOSED FLESH!" she yelled to the BSAA. She saw Piers aim his sniper at the B.O.W with great concentration. When the B.O.W was nearly upon them, Pier's fired the weapon with deadly accuracy. The bullet hit its target, and the B.O.W screamed in agony, trying to soothe the flesh. Cecile was able to make it up to Chris and the rest of them before the monster knelt down on one knee. Not knowing why, Cecile jumped on its back. She heard a cry of protest leave Chris's lips, but she paid not attention to him. She saw a needle like thing the size of a pole stuck in the side of the monster's back, and she quickly grabbed it and began to pull. In a few long seconds, the needle came out, and she jabbed it into the flesh. The monster let out another scream, and she jumped off the creature's back, twisting in midair and landing on her feet. She began to run again, away from Chris and the others. The B.O.W followed pursuit after standing up, and Piers shot at it again. The B.O.W screamed once again and knelt down on one knee. Chris jumped on its back and performed the same maneuver on it, pulling the needle out of its back and stabbing it. The B.O.W screeched again, then quickly got back up and went after Chris.

The sound of an engine cut through the rest of the noise, and another humvee appeared. The B.O.W looked at the vehicle, then turned around and stepped over the buildings across the street from the BSAA members. Shots were fired, but the B.O.W kept moving and eventually moved out of sight. A few men got out of the humvee and made their way over to Chris. Cecile stayed behind one of the buildings, catching her breath. If she wanted to, she could leave, and no one would notice, except maybe Chris. She looked around the area in front of her. There was plenty of spaces she could hide and many places she could weave through if someone decided to chase her. She stared longingly at the landscape and took a step forward.

" What are you doing? You can't leave him. Not like this. Go back."

Cecile sighed and sat down. She didn't want to stay with the BSAA. She had her own life to live. She didn't need to follow a crazy man who believed she was his long lost daughter. She could leave right now and go back to normal.

She chuckled at the thought of normal. What the hell? Her life wasn't normal. She wasn't normal. She knew that much at least. She was made stronger than normal over the years, both physically and mentally. She had seen things no one should ever see. She had been through too much, and her life was only just beginning. No, she wasn't normal. She was unique.

" Cecile?" she heard Chris call. Sighing, she stood up and walked over to him. He smiled as she approached, and she kind of liked it. It was a soothing, gentle smile, one that made you feel like you did something to make him proud.

" That was a great idea you had," he praised. " I'm proud of you."

Cecile felt her face burn, and she lowered her head in embarrassment.

" Piers," Chris then turned to Piers. " Excellent sniping as always."

" Thank you, Captain," Piers replied. Chris nodded before turning to the rest of the team and motioned for them to move out. Cecile followed, and she felt Piers fall in line beside her. She was grateful for that, though she didn't know why.

As they moved on to their mission point, more J'avo flooded the area. They were quickly disposed of, and the team moved on. The team became blocked by a wired fence that surrounded a pit area, and a man- Finn MaCauley- was called forward to take care of it. He was obviously a rookie. He had a round face, narrow brown eyes, and short brown hair covered by the customary BSAA helmet. He was very nervous, but Cecile could also see that he was determined to prove himself to the team. Finn quickly set a couple of explosive charges on the fence entrance. The gate was opened and the team jumped down and moved forward. One by one, the members jumped into pit and proceeded forward. Cecile was the last to jump down, and she aimed her gun, scanning the area carefully. They moved forward, but were quickly stopped by an overturned semi-truck.

" Finn," Chris called.

" On it, sir, but it's going to take a little time," Finn answered, then got right to work setting the charges. Shouts from more J'avos quickly filled the pit, and the team quickly set their sights on the enemy.

" We'll keep you covered as long as we can, Finn, but you've gotta hurry," Chris informed him.

" I just need a little more time," Finn responded, not looking up from his work.

" Make it quick," Piers commented, then began sniping the J'avo on a ledge above them. Cecile aimed her tiny handgun towards the enemy, and began shooting them in the head. She killed fifteen before she heard her gun click. Empty. Cursing, she pulled out her knife and began weaving in and out between trucks and rubble. One by one, she killed J'avo at lightning speed, collecting handgun ammo as she went. She even managed to pick up a few unused hand grenades from the disintegrated bodies of the J'avo. She put those on the loop of her belt and continued to eliminate the enemy.

" FINISHED!" Finn yelled, and Cecile made her way back to the group. Chris motioned for her to follow him, and she complied. He pulled her down, and a second later, the charges went off. They quickly stood and ran to make it under the truck. Everyone made it through, and the J'avo were cut off. The team marched on without a single glance back.

They came to a bridge blocked off by the J'avo. Cecile noticed that Chris had a hand to his ear and seemed to be listening intensly. Piers was doing the same, as were all the others. Cecile quickly realized that they were listening to a transmission.

" Understood," they replied in perfect unison, and it creeped her out a tiny bit. Chris turned to Cecile and explained what was going on.

" There's a tanker on the bridge that is blocking the path to City Hall. Bravo Team tried to go through, but lost a member on the bridge in the process. They weren't able to rescue him. That is now our job. Tending to the wounded is priority number one."

" Okay," Cecile said. She really didn't care, but they did, and she had nowhere else to go now. She was stuck with them, whether she liked it or not. She followed Chris, not knowing what else to do. She saw a soldier throw another one over to the other side of broken bridge that led to a lookout tower. Chris motioned to Piers, and they went over, with Chris throwing Piers over with the other soldier. Chris looked at Cecile, and she took a step back, shaking her head.

" It'll be better if you're with Piers instead of me," Chris explained. " You'll be safer."

She saw the flash of pain and guilt in his eyes, and for some reason, it tore at her heart. He really believed everything he said. Maybe her life was the one he remembers, not the one she remembers.

She moved towards him and waited for him to give the signal. He nodded, and she ran and he picked her up and threw her to the other side, with Piers catching her as she landed. Thanking him, she fell behind him while the other soldier moved ahead, scanning. Cecile kept a sharp eye out for any J'avo. They had a bad habit of showing up in tight spaces.

Sure enough, she heard the battle call of the J'avo. Piers pulled out a blue grenade, pulled the pin, and threw it at the oncoming enemy.

" Back up, " he told her. She did, and a split second later, there was a flash of brilliant white light that nearly blinded her. She watched as Piers meleed each J'avo, while the other soldier went up the stairs and took care of the rest. The last J'avo went to stand, but Piers grabbed his head, turned the J'avo's body around, put him in a headlock and snapped his neck and spine, all in a matter of three seconds. All Cecile could do was stare at what this man was capable of. Piers looked at the place where the J'avo was, then looked at Cecile. He chuckled at her reaction, then moved up the stairs to the right of them. Cecile followed, handgun drawn. When she reached the top of the stairs, she was greeted with the sight of the bridge from their vantage point. Piers was already aiming his MP-AF rifle at the bridge. Cecile was confused, and was about to ask him what he was doing when he pulled the trigger. On the bridge, something exploded and moved the tanker out of the way of where they needed to go. Piers put his gun away and traded it for another. He turned to Cecile and laughed. She knew why. Her mouth was hanging open and staring at the spot where the gas truck had been, awestruck at how precise Piers' shot had been.

" Come on," he called to her, moving on to the next area. " We've got a job to do."

" How are you such a good shot?!" Cecile asked in amazement. She had really underestimated this man.

" Practice," was the short answer he gave. Cecile followed behind him, now really looking at this man. She then began thinking over the little things he did. Instead of killing her the day before, he helped her. Yeah, he was an asshole for a moment, but with a tiny encouragement, he helped her the rest of the way. Then, just today, when Chris claimed to be her father, Piers' attitude changed. He became more respectful of her, though still a little suspicious, but noticeably more respectful.

Cecile, though pleased with the changes, still felt a little uneasy around him. He was a very impressive man, but he was hiding something. She knew that he was still not going to try and be buddy buddy with her, but there was something under the surface that she couldn't quite grasp.

They reached the midsection of the bridge. The trio quickly disposed of the J'avo, then proceeded on. Cecile saw something glisten in the sunlight from the corner of her eye. She moved cautiously toward it, then realized that it was a sniper rifle. She picked it up and examined it. The barrel was narrow and circular, while the stock was long and square like. She looked through the sight, which was properly cleaned. She messed with the dial on top and checked the zoom. It had a good range, and she was pleased with its condition. She checked the clip. Empty. She looked around, and quickly found a couple of blue boxes of ammo. She looked them over, and was thrilled to find that it was sniper rifle ammo. She quickly grabbed the ammo, loaded the gun, then ran to catch up with Piers and the other soldier.

Their journey was cut short when they reached a dead end. There was a ladder above them, but it was too high up for the two men to reach.

" Throw me up," Cecile suggested. " If you throw me up, both of you, I can reach the ladder and pull it down."

" We'll try it," Piers agreed. The men clasped their hands together and made a stirrup for Cecile. She backed up a little, then ran and jumped into their hands, and they threw her up. They were strong, and Cecile nearly missed the ladder. She was able to get a grip on it though, and used her strength to pull it down. It worked, and the three made their way up. Chris was at the top waiting for them. He looked at Cecile and the sniper on her back and nodded with approval. Her heart swelled with mysterious pride, and she followed him to the end of the bridge. Cecile looked at all the members of BSAA, and felt something inside of her break open. She could see herself with all these men, fighting for the greater good and saving the world. Come to think of it, she already did BSAA work. She wouldn't kill people, and she was trying to end bioterrorism on her own. She looked over at Chris, who looked over at the same time. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. A genuine smile, not a fake one to satisfy his needs.

" Can I talk to you for a second?" Cecile spoke.

" Of course," Chris answered. " What's up?"

" I was wondering," she began. " What would it take to become a member?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she immediately regretted them. Chris turned to her, shock in his eyes. Cecile looked at the ground, now embarrassed by her stupidity. There was only men on the team for a reason. Women were too weak for the BSAA, and Cecile could understand that.

" Are you crazy?" Chris asked. " I only just got you back. I'm not going to allow you to put your life in danger again."

" So," Cecile spoke again. " I can't join because you're afraid that I'll die? Is that the real reason?"

" Of course," Chris said. " Why else would I not allow you to join?"

Cecile was about to answer when she heard a helicopter from above. She looked up and saw J'avo floating down in parachutes.

" Are you kidding me right now?!" Cecile shouted, then pulled out her sniper, now irritated with the J'avo. She had had enough of these things. Aiming carefully, she began sniping them in the air. Each shot hit the heads, and none of them were able to touch the ground alive. Even when she reloaded, it was with lightning speed, and she was able to get back to shooting before the closest J'avo hit the ground. Fifteen shots later, no J'avo was left standing on the bridge. Cecile's little onslaught lasted for a minute, but felt like seconds to everyone else. She put her sniper back in the holster on her back and turned to the BSAA. They were all staring with their jaws hitting the floor. She wanted to find the humor in it, but she was too pissed off to laugh at the sight. She sighed and walked to the rendezvous point.

A hand grabbed her shoulder. It was instinct. She grabbed the hand, spun the person around and kicked their legs out from under them. There was a groan of pain, and she realized that it had been Chris' hand. She went to help him out, but Piers was already there, glaring at her. Guilt washed over her like a tsunami, and she backed away from them, now afraid of herself.

" I'm sorry," she whispered. Piers held up a hand, and Cecile fell silent. Chris was now on his feet, looking at her with betrayal in his eyes. It was too much. Cecile turned and ran away from them, not looking back even as Chris shouted her name. Tears stung her eyes, but she couldn't worry about that right now. She needed to get out here. She ran into the next section of the town, a small area for the old military base, now deserted. She kept running, not really caring where she ended up.

A body slammed into her back and knocked her down. She quickly curled into a ball and somersaulted on the ground, then got back up and continued running. The same body hit her from the side this time, and she couldn't avoid the collision with the ground this time. She rolled on to her back and went to stand. Someone pinned her down and held her in place. She looked up and saw sapphire blue eyes looking at her.

" Jake!" Cecile exclaimed. Jake released her and helped her up. She embraced him, holding him tight and letting her tears fall. He held her close, speaking softly and smoothing down her hair. For a moment, Cecile nearly forgot about everything that just happened.

" Are you okay?" Jake asked her, pulling back just enough to examine her. She nodded, then looked behind him. Standing there in confusion was a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. She wore a white t-shirt with a white parka coat over it, white pants and a brown leather utility belt. She was staring at Jake and her, but stayed at a respectful distance away from them.

" Who are you?" Cecile asked. The woman jumped at Cecile's voice, then cleared her throat and spoke.

" My name is Sherry Birkin. I'm with National Security."

" Great profession," Cecile commented. Sherry nodded and approached the two. It suddenly dawned on Cecile that Jake and Sherry had been together.

" What's National Security want with Jake?"

" I'm sorry, but that's confidential," Sherry answered.

" They want my blood," Jake answered. Sherry turned to Jake and was about to protest when he said, " She's my sister."

" Oh. Wait, WHAT?!" Sherry went up to Cecile and grabbed her chin. Cecile tried to back away, but Sherry's grip was too strong. She examined Cecile's face very carefully, then backed away with amazement in her eyes.

" She really is your sister, huh?" Sherry commented. Jake nodded.

The sound of many footsteps broke the little moment. Cecile turned and saw the BSAA closing in on them. Cecile went to Jake's side while Sherry walked up to them, pulling out a badge.

" Sherry Birkin! National Security!" she shouted to be heard. She waved the badge around, showing the men. Chris broke from the crowd and approached her.

" Sherry Birkin. You were in Raccoon City."

" How do you know that?" she asked him.

" Claire."

" Wait, are you Chris?"

" My sister's told me all about you."

" Captain," Piers intervened. " That man is a wanted insurgent." He pointed to Jake.

" Yes, he's a mercenary," Sherry told them. " But right now, he's under the protection of the U.S government. He's no threat to the BSAA."

" Unless someone pays me to be," Jake mumbled. Cecile elbowed him in the stomach.

" Ow, what?! I was telling the truth!" Jake stated, rubbing the sore spot. It was the first time Chris and Piers noticed her presence. Cecile was use to that.

Being invisible to people so easily.

" Cecile," Chris said, relief clear in his voice. Jake moved and placed himself in between her and Chris. Chris' expression turned to confusion, then understanding. He then looked at Jake, and stared.

" What?" Jake snapped at him.

" Nothing," Chris answered.

Cecile heard the sound of a chopper close by, and she scanned the sky. She did a double take, then groaned in frustration. She was getting tired of seeing monsters every five minutes. It was another big B.O.W being carried by the chopper. A click sounded, and the monster was released. Guns were pointed at the monstrosity, but no one shot it. They stared for a moment until the monster began to move. Everyone turned around and ran from the monster. Cecile found a flight of stairs leading into a building. She went inside, gun drawn. J'avo came out a side room and swung machetes and stun rods. She quickly killed them, shooting each one in the head. She saw an anti artillery gun being operated by a J'avo, which she quickly shot. Someone came up behind her and began placing explosives on the gun. It was Finn.

" What are you doing that for?" Cecile asked.

" Echo Team has to land, but these guns need to be destroyed first," Finn answered. " However, that B.O.W is going to be a problem. Is there any way for you to distract it?"

" You got it," Cecile responded, then pulled out her sniper. His flesh was exposed, and she quickly went to work shooting it. The monster screeched and fell to his knees. Cecile jumped onto the monster's back and began pulling on the needle once again. It worked, and she stabbed the creature. It screamed in agony, and Cecile quickly jumped down, then made her way back up to where Finn was. Chris, Piers, Sherry, and Jake were all there taking care of the J'avo. Cecile aimed her gun once again at the monster and shot it. It fell once again, but it was Piers who jumped on its back. He used the same tactic, but was quicker than Cecile. He jumped down as well and made his way back up to Finn, who was nearly done setting up the explosives. Cecile fired once more shot at the monster, who fell again. She jumped onto its back, but she wasn't alone. As she grabbed the needle, another set of hands grabbed as well. She looked up and saw Piers already pulling. Together, they were able to pull the needle out in a couple seconds. Together, they stabbed the monster and jumped. She didn't know how, but Piers had landed first and caught Cecile before she hit the ground. He caught her cradle style. They watched as the B.O.W began to melt into a pool of gray ooze, steaming as it fell. Piers put Cecile down and waited for the next location of the gun. Cecile could hear the gunshots of the other BSAA members down the street, and she followed it. J'avo were everywhere, swarming the group. Cecile put away her sniper and pulled out her 9mm. One by one, the J'avo were pushed back, and the BSAA was taking back the fight. Soon, only ashes and blood splatter littered the streets. They all waited for a signal of some sort to tell them what to do next.

An explosion from where Finn was located sounded off. Everyone turned to the noise and saw Chris, Piers, Finn, Jake and Sherry heading towards them. They made their way over to a building that was completely sealed shut. Finn placed a couple of explosives on the door and backed away. The doors were blown open and inside were more J'avo. They didn't last long, and the group made their way upstairs. Cecile stayed outside the building, scanning the area for ammo. She got lucky and found a box of 9mm ammo and 12.7mm ammo. She reloaded her guns, then found a spot to snipe intruders that dared get to close to the building. Finding a ladder, she climbed up and positioned herself. From where she was, she could see everyone on the roof protecting Finn as he worked. Cecile watched in amusement as Jake and Piers took out the J'avo. It looked like a competition between the two. Sherry, Cecile noted, handled herself very well. When a J'avo came too close, she would use her stun rod and electrocute them to death. Her method made Cecile chuckle at the sight, but she appreciated Sherry's strength and determination.

Another explosion. The second gun had been taken care of, and Cecile didn't have to shoot anything. She went to stand up when she felt the ground shake. She looked to her left. Climbing over a nearby building was another B.O.W like the one they just killed.

" It's the one we lost at the Two of Hearts!" Piers shouted. Cecile aimed her sniper, then quickly realized that the flesh was not exposed like the last one. Instead, it was tucked away in the armored skin. Cecile scanned the beast, then spotted the creature's eyes. They were a fleshy organ that could be injured. Aiming carefully, Cecile waited until the monster was closer to her. When it was nearly on top of her, she took her shot. Bulls-eye. The creature bellowed and fell to the ground. Cecile jumped onto its back and began to pull at the metal on the creature's back, hoping to pull and expose the organ. It worked. The flesh came out and stayed exposed. The monster could not bring it back into its body for some reason. Cecile quickly jumped down and ran to the ladder. She climbed up and aimed her gun again and began shooting. The creature stood, and roared at her. Its one good eye looked at her, but it made no move to attack. Cecile ceased fire and stared back. The look in its eye was unsettling. The creature showed.... what was it that Cecile saw in the eye?

It hit her hard, and she felt the pain the B.O.W felt at that moment.

The look was of being betrayed.

Cecile lowered her gun and stared, confused by her emotions. The B.O.W didn't move to hurt her, but only stared at her sadly. She didn't think that monsters like this thing could feel emotion, but there it was, plain as day. Cecile lifted her hand and extended it to the creature, no longer afraid of it, but instead comforted by it. It moved its head towards her, and connected with her hand. It closed its eye and sat there, being comforted by the person that tried to kill it. Cecile stood there, conflicted. How could a monster have feelings, and why was she sympathizing with it? Why wasn't she trying to kill it right now like she did to the other one? Why didn't the other act like this one?

So many questions, and no answers to any of them. Cecile felt warmth on her cheeks and realized that she was crying. She hastily wiped the tears away, though she didn't know what or who she was trying to hide it from.

There was shouting. The J'avo had spotted her and were aiming their guns. The B.O.W stood and faced the J'avo. It roared at them and advanced. They tried, but the J'avo could not move in time. The B.O.W stomped them into the ground, showing them no mercy. It took Cecile a moment to realize that the B.O.W was protecting her. Protecting! Since when did a mutated creature learn how to protect someone?! However, that seemed to be the case. Cecile watched in awe as the B.O.W knocked away J'avos coming too close. Cecile turned around and saw a sniper aiming his gun at her. She quickly shot his leg, and he fell off the building and hit the ground, dying on impact. She found another and did the same thing. Soon, there was the sound of another helicopter.

Cecile looked up at the sky and saw that the chopper was loaded with missiles. Horror flooded over her as she realized what they were for. There was nothing she could do. A missile was fired at the B.O.W. It burst into flames and cried in agony. Cecile screamed with it, the pain hitting her hard. The B.O.W looked at Cecile with its one eye, and she could've sworn she saw the creature crying. She was crying too as she watched the creature turn into nothing more than gray ooze. Cecile fell to her hands and knees and wept uncontrollably at the loss. Her heart was shattering, and she knew why. As she had watched the B.O.W, its behavior was so familiar, and Cecile, after it was too late, remembered why.

" Danny."

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It was a sunny day on July 17th, 2008. Cecile was out in her backyard chasing a boy with a muddy stick. The boy had dirty blonde hair and emerald green eyes that shined in the sunlight. He was a lanky kid, a boy trying to grow into his body. Though they were the same age, it was clear that the boy was a little more childish than Cecile.

" Cecile, stop! That's disgusting!" the boy cried. Cecile laughed, but put the stick down and sat down under the weeping willow. The boy sat next to her and pulled her closer to him. She laid her head on his chest and sighed happily as the summer breeze blew around them.

" Man," the boy sighed. " School starts back up soon. I don't want it to."

" Me neither, Danny," Cecile agreed, looking up at him. " With the summer gone, I won't be able to chase you with a muddy stick anymore."

" On second thought," he said. " I think going back to school won't be that bad."

Cecile laughed at the remark, then looked up at the clear blue sky. It was so peaceful, and she was with Danny, who was her best friend. As long as he was with her, he wasn't getting into fights. She loved him to death, but she hated it when he got into pointless fights.

" I'm just trying to keep you safe," is what he says every time they argue about it. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew that she needed his protection. She wasn't as strong as she liked to be. Danny would always put himself in front of her if there was any sense of danger present. It made her feel weak, but she knew that she would never be strong enough to defend herself. Her dad had been giving her self defense lessons, but it was a slow process. Cecile wished that time would speed up and she was strong enough to stand up for herself.

" Earth to Cecile," Danny said, waving a hand in front of her face. She blinked for a second before looking at him. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. Cecile knew that even if she did get stronger, she would need this boy holding her to be there for her when she needed him the most, and she would do the same for him.

-----------------------------------------------

A hand rested on Cecile's shoulder, and she flinched away. She didn't want to be touched right now, not by anyone. She felt someone kneel beside her, and she caught the scent of honey and sugar. She looked over and her eyes met a set of brown eyes with green flecks. In those eyes were sympathy and concern. Cecile looked away and stared at the last place her long lost friend had been standing not three seconds ago. A fresh wave of tears spilled out of her eyes as that memory replayed itself. How could she forget about the one person who protected her from the bullies at school, and who helped her when she was failing her classes? What could make her forget such a beautiful memory?

Was the life she knew really all a lie?

" Are you okay?" Piers asked her. She shook her head, taking deep breaths to stop the tears. Piers placed a hand on her back and she didn't pull away this time. She let him comfort her, suddenly tired of everything. Just yesterday, her life had been pretty normal. Now, her life had gone to Hell in a matter of hours. She didn't know what to do at this point.

" I knew him," Cecile whispered. She couldn't raise her voice anymore than that. It was all the strength she had left.

" The B.O.W?" Piers asked, confusion lacing his eyes.

Cecile nodded. " His name was Daniel Grove. He was my best friend when we little kids. We did everything together, whether it was going to the park, sneaking into abandoned houses, you name it. No one could ever separate us. He was also my protector. When I was getting bullied, he would always come to my rescue and use the same maneuver- he would put himself in front of me and block the bullies from their sight, and he would start swinging. He was strong for a scrawny kid, and everyone knew it. Why he continued to be friends with me, even though I was weak, I'll never know."

Piers listened to every word she said. Cecile turned to him, and his eyes held compassion.

" I'm sure he was a great kid," Piers told her. " If that was him, then he protected you until the very end."

" It's not fair!" she cried. " He didn't deserve to die! He didn't deserve to lose his life like that, by being mutated and killed by us! I betrayed him."

" You didn't know," Piers tried to reassure her.

" But I should have!" Cecile countered. " Instead, I forgot all about him."

She looked once again at the spot where Danny had fell. She took a deep breath before continuing.

" I think Chris was right about my memories, about my condition. Danny was a part of another life, one I have no recollection of. I have to remember, otherwise I'm nothing more than an empty shell."

" There you are!" Chris exclaimed. He climbed up the ladder and onto the wooden platform. He went to smile, but it quickly disappeared when he saw Cecile's distraught face. He looked to Piers, who shook his head. He wasn't going to say.

" Danny was my friend since elementary school, right?" Cecile asked Chris. He nodded, then did a double take.

" You're remembering! This is great!"

" The B.O.W was Danny."

Silence. Cecile stood up, the tears finally gone, and faced Chris.

" Please help me remember."

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" I already gave the pilot the coordinates. You should be good to go."

" Thank you so much, Chris," Sherry told him. Echo Team had landed successfully in the area. A chopper had been given to Sherry and Jake for their journey to a nearby town to deliver Jake to the U.S government. Cecile stood behind Chris, watching Jake walk away with Sherry. She saw him pause, and he turned and scanned the group. Cecile moved forward, and he opened his arms. Cecile ran to him and hugged him. He held her tightly, as if to say goodbye.

" Don't worry about the house, kiddo," he told her. " Just stay safe, okay?"

" You got it," Cecile promised. Jake nodded, then ran his hand through her hair, messing it up.

" Hey, hey, hey!" Cecile groaned, pushing his hand away mockingly, then laughed. He laughed with her, then gave her one last hug before getting in the chopper. Cecile backed up and watched it take off, taking her only family member away. She then turned to Chris, who was talking to Piers. Piers's face was red with anger, but quickly cooled down after talking to Chris. Cecile looked back at the sky, and saw a tiny black dot, the only thing she could still see of the helicopter.

" Move out!" Chris commanded, and team was on their way to City Hall. Cecile walked beside Piers along the way. Occasionally, Finn would come up to her and strike a conversation. She answered his questions honestly and politely, enjoying the small distraction. They got into a huge debate about which character was better in an anime- Eren Jaeger or Levi Ackerman.

" Levi is better," Finn argued. " Because he is a natural born leader and is a total badass."

" Eren is better," Cecile countered. " Because he has a sense of determination that cannot be altered. He knows what he wants, and will do everything he can to achieve his goal. He also has a sense of loyalty so strong that it's scary. Being able to set a goal and achieve it by pure determination is better than being a 'badass'."

" Yeah, but-" Finn began.

" Finn, you've been beaten." Piers interrupted. " Nothing you counter with will beat her logic."

" Yes, sir." Finn lowered his head, following in silence.

" It was a good debate though, Finn," Cecile complimented. " It was fun."

Finn smiled and perked up a bit. The group continued their journey, moving quickly to the rendezvous point. They were met with no challenges, no J'avo, no B.O.W's, nothing. Cecile didn't like it. Something was wrong, she could feel it.

They made it to City Hall. Some soldiers went ahead and scanned the area, while Chris, Cecile, Finn and Piers stayed behind. They foyer door was opened, and everyone moved forward. When they entered, they were met with a gruesome sight. There were green cocoons in the shape of people all over the foyer, at least twenty. Cecile stared at them in wonder. Everyone was wondering what had caused such a thing to occur, yet no one got an answer. The team split up into three sections, with Chris, Piers, Cecile and Finn heading upstairs to check the rest of the area. Finn took the lead, and Cecile took the rear. They went through a small door to their left slowly, listening for any intruders. They entered a small hallway, and peeked around the corner. Cecile heard Finn gasp, and the group moved forward. There was another door to the left of them, and the hallway continued on. They took a couple of steps forward, and the door to the left swung open, an armed J'avo coming towards them. Shots were fired, and the J'avo disintegrated into ash. They continued down the hall, their guards up. Another door blocked their way. Finn opened it, and Cecile could see the same cocoon things down below. There were no stairs leading down to the ground, so one by one, they jumped down into the room.

There was a cracking sound as the quartet made their way to the other door. They turned, and saw that one of the cocoons was hatching. Guns aimed, they waited for the creature to emerge. When it did, the group stared. It was another B.O.W, but it had a hard red shell around its body. It was wide and looked like a red spiky hulk. Once out of its cocoon, the beast spotted the group and advanced like a bull seeing red. The four split into two groups, with Chris and Finn going to the left, and Piers and Cecile to the right. Everyone took aim and began shooting. The bullets seemed to ricochet off of its armored body, doing no damage. Cecile then got an idea. She grabbed a hand grenade from her belt, pulled the pin and threw it in front of the beast. As she predicted, the B.O.W walked right in front of it and got hit by the blast. A large chunk of its armor fell to the floor, exposing its flesh. The group started shooting once again, and the beast fell in defeat. Relief settled in the quartet's hearts, but only for a second.

They heard another cocoon open up, and they turned to see two more coming towards them. Cecile quickly grabbed another hand grenade, but the one closest to her charged, knocking her into the wall behind her. She slumped to the ground and rolled away as it went to charge her again. She quickly got up and pulled the pin and threw it at the B.O.W. Once again, it went to the grenade and was blasted in the face. It's head was exposed, but Cecile didn't have time to pull out her gun. She grabbed the hunting knife out of her pocket and ran. It followed her, and she ran to the other side of the room. Knowing it would try to follow, Cecile made it to the other wall and ran up it and flipped backwards, landing behind the B.O.W. It hit the wall, and that was the timeframe she needed. As she landed, she put all the pressure on her back leg, then pushed off, knife aimed at its head. It worked. The beast screamed and fell on its back dead. Cecile stood and turned around. The other one had been taken care of, and the three men were making their way to her.

" Are you okay?" Chris asked. Cecile nodded, and Chris sighed in relief. Cecile took a step forward, and stumbled. Chris was next to her in an instant, inspecting her leg. It was the one that was shot the day before.

" How are you able to fight with an injured leg?" Chris asked.

" I've been through worse pain than a bullet through the leg," she answered, then winced as she placed her foot down gently. Chris sat her down and looked over the leg. It was starting to bruise, turning purple and blue.

" Just give me a minute," she told them. " I'll be fine."

Piers moved forward, holding two small wooden rods, and a bandage.

" Better safe than sorry," he said, then got to work making a splint for her. She watched intensely, making sure to mentally note how to make bandages better. Within two minutes, her leg was in a splint and ready to go. Chris helped her stand, slowly to make sure that the pressure would be okay. Luckily for her, Piers was a professional in the medical field. The group continued on their way, going through another door. They were met with a few J'avos. Quickly, the group killed off the J'avo and moved to yet another door. They went through and were met with an interesting sight.

On the ground, the floor was littered with used medical needles. Piers knelt and picked up one, handing it over to Chris. He looked it over, inspecting every bit of the vial.

" C-Virus," a female voice sounded in the room. The group stood and aimed their guns at the intruder. A woman stepped out of the shadows, hands raised in surrender. She was a slender woman, with dark brown hair in a pixie cut, and brown and golden eyes that held a sharp gaze like a cat. She wore a blue dress that had a very low v-cut, and a red scarf around her neck.

" At least, I think that's what the guerillas were calling it. Nice to see the cavalry's here."

" Who are you?" Chris asked.

" I work here. My name's Ada Wong. They held me hostage."

" C-Virus?" Chris mumbled, confused. " That must be what's creating those J'avo."

" Yeah," Ada agreed. " I heard them saying something like that."

" What else did you hear?" Piers questioned, skepticism in his voice.

" Maybe you could put the guns down first," Ada suggested, lowering her hands and taking a step forward. The group raised their guns even higher, stopping Ada in her tracks.

" Not until you give us a reason to," Chris told her. Ada sighed and raised her hands back in the air. She looked at Chris as something flashed in her eyes. Cecile didn't like it. It reminded her of a fox figuring out how to escape a trap in order to set its own. Ada looked at Chris and said two words.

" Neo-Umbrella."

" Neo-Umbrella?"

" The organization that's supporting the guerrillas. Or, at least that's what I think they were calling themselves."

" So the virus came from them?" Piers asked.

" That's all I know," Ada replied.

" Thank you for your cooperation," Chris told her. " Finn, you're in charge of keeping her safe."

" Yes, sir," Finn replied, walking to Ada's side. Chris leaned over to Piers and whispered something that Cecile couldn't hear.

" Will do," Piers agreed, locking his sight on Ada. Cecile got the message.

" Cecile," Chris called her. " Let's get a move on."

" You got it," she answered, following the group. Chris made a call into HQ, telling them that they had found a hostage and were leading her to the next rendezvous point. Ada took the lead, the group following close behind her. They reached another door that lead back to the foyer. When they opened the door, they heard screams.

" The foyer's not safe!" a soldier yelled to them. " Get to the second floor and get out of here!"

" There's a secret opening the guerillas used to transport the virus back and forth," Ada told them. " It's on the second floor. You may want to hurry and get through the door."

The team found the entrance she was talking about and made it through. The stone wall closed on the B.O.W's trying to catch up to them. There were now a total of nine people, including the hostage, traveling to the next point. They walked through what looked like a warehouse area, being very cautious. Nothing attacked them, which they were thankful for. They relished the small break.

The team entered a darkened room that led to a small hallway. Cecile felt uneasy as she walked into a small area that seemed... like a trap. Cecile turned and looked for Ada, as did Piers.

" The woman- she's gone! FINN!" Piers shouted. Finn turned around, as did the other soldiers.

" I swear she was here just a second ago!" Finn exclaimed.

" Shit," Piers murmured.

There was a sound of metal creaking. Chris and Piers looked up, then moved backwards and out of the way of the spiked metal bars. They made it safely on the other side, but were now separated from the group. Cecile and the others turned around, but they were too late. The other set of bars slammed into the ground, trapping them inside. Panic set in, and Cecile's breathing became ragged. They turned back to Chris, who was just as confused.

High heels clicking alerted them of her presence.

" Ada," Chris growled, aiming his gun at the woman on the other side. Everyone did the same thing.

" Thanks for the escort," she told them. " Here's a little something to remember me by."

She pulled out a small metal sphere and threw it in through the bars. Instinctively, Cecile ducked, but that couldn't protect her. The sphere opened to show small needles, which projectiled into everyone trapped inside. The men began screaming from the pain. Chris was shouting, cursing at Ada for what she had done.

Chris cried out to Finn, who was trying to reach out to Chris for help. He too became encased into a green cocoon. Soon, everyone was encased in the green cocoons. That is, everyone except Cecile.

She stared at the spot where the needle had punctured her skin in confusion. She should be dead. Why wasn't she dead? She looked at Chris, who was staring back in shock, as was Piers. She walked over to them, the bars still keeping them separated.

" Why am I still alive?" Cecile demanded.

" I don't know, Cecile," Chris told her. " I don't know."

The bars were raised behind Cecile. She turned and saw Ada standing there, the look of shock and glee written on her face. Cecile aimed her gun, but never got to take a shot. The cocoons were hatching. It was Finn's cocoon that hatched first. The bars that kept Chris and Piers safe were opened and the B.O.W charged at them. Piers and Chris raised their guns, but the B.O.W caught Chris by the arm and flung him against the wall. It began to beat on him, and Chris could do nothing to defend himself. He was pinned too tightly to the wall. The B.O.W raised its fist, going for the kill. Chris closed his eyes and waited. Death never came.

Cecile jumped onto the back of the beast, grabbed a hold of its head and pulled it backwards, away from Chris. Anger flooded through her body, and she picked up the B.O.W and threw it back into the small trap room. She faced it, gun drawn, waiting for it to make a move. It got back up and faced her. Without turning, she spoke to Piers.

" Get him out of here! I'll buy you some time."

" We're not leaving without you!" he argued.

" Yes, you are," Cecile stated. " Chris needs medical attention now, and you're faster than I am. Get him out of here and save him."

She heard him curse, and heard the sound of a body being lifted off the ground. Cecile sighed in relief. At least they would be safe. She turned her attention to the present matter. The B.O.W charged at her at full speed. Cecile let off a couple of rounds before dodging out of the way. She turned and shot off a few more round, successfully breaking part of the armored shell. She kept shooting, and only stopped to reload. Within a few minutes, the B.O.W was dead, turning into ash. Satisfied, she turned to make sure she wasn't locked in. To her surprise, the bars were still raised, allowing her to leave. She began making her way through the hallway.

Something metal slammed her into the wall, and she hit her head on the ground. The air was completely gone from her lungs, and she struggled to get up. Something heavy knocked her back to the ground, making her completely helpless. She heard the familiar sounds of high heels clicking, and instant anger filled her once again.

" Well," Ada began. " I knew I would get the son, but I never knew Wesker had a daughter."

" You lost me, lady," Cecile croaked, the air slowly returning to her lungs.

" Albert Wesker was a madman set on destroying the world," Ada supplied for her.

" Who?" Cecile asked. " I don't think I've ever heard that name before."

" Lucky you," she scoffed. " He was also your father. That makes you and your brother heirs to a very special blood type."

Cecile looked up at Ada, and saw something that was familiar about her. She didn't have much time to analyze it though, for whatever was holding her down lifted itself off of her, then came down on her head hard, knocking her unconscious.