In It For the Money

XXIX

When Blaze opened his eyes he noted the cold dampness of the air as he sat upright on the bed. He stumbled to the door, gloved hands wrapping around the cold metal of the cell door. "Hello?" His voice echoed down the hallway and was shortly greeted by the sound of boots clacking against the cement flooring. Shortly after and the man who had knocked him unconscious was standing right before him. "What the fuck is your problem?" He growled, seeing their dull look.

"I can't have you getting in the way of my plans."

"What plans?"

"It's..." He turned his head and sighed, letting his shoulders slump. "It's complicated and I don't have much time to talk to you. Look. I'm trying to keep you all safe, but it's getting harder when you keep crawling out of the forest like rodents."

"Acting like we're in the way."

"You are." He answered genuinely. "I have an escape plan. I managed to keep all of you alive and you'll be taken to another facility where you'll be released. For the love of god Blaze I need you to listen to me for once. Please." Blaze watched as the shorter male wrapped his hands around the cold bars. "I know we don't always see eye to eye and I have no reason to ask this of you."

"You knocked me out!"

"You didn't exactly give me a chance not to. So..." He tilted his head to the side. "But Blaze this is serious. I can do this. But I need you to keep everyone else away at any cost. Promise me."

"Why should I do this?"

"Because you're my best friend and I can't trust this on anyone else."

It grew silent between the two men as they stared at one another with no words shared. Blaze sighed and nodded, shaking his head after a moment.

"Fine, but you gotta tell me why."

"I-"

"It doesn't have to be now. We can talk about it later."

"Deal." The two men shook on it before the shorter of the two turned away. "Remember Blaze. Away from here at all costs."

"You can count on me. Always."

"Thank you. I know we don't always get along. But you're the closest part of family I've got left." He spoke, looking towards the ground with a frown before he walked away, Blaze hearing the clacking of his boots get quieter until he was left with only the sound of his own breathing.

"Family, huh?" He turned and let his back hit the wall, sliding down it until he could hug his knees to his chest. "Then do you always have to go away?"

Chris and Sheva sat in chairs tied together at the backs, arms firmly roped together and legs tied to the chair legs. Jake was in the corner of the room, arms chained upwards by metal hanging from the ceiling and his legs dangling on the ground. Wesker was watching them with cat-like pride, like a wolf toying with its next meal. "You're lucky Chris." He began, starting to pace around the room. "Were it for anyone else I'd have killed you by now."

"So why haven't you?"

"There's someone here who would rather sacrifice their life in place of yours."

"Jill?"

"No." Chris' eyes softened, Jill was the only person he could think of that would lose their life so willingly for him. And the more he thought about that the more he was anxious to see her, what would he say? What should he say? He's missed her so badly, but has been afraid that if he went to see her he would lose her all over again. Not even realizing that by doing so he might lose her forever. He bit the inside of his cheek as he looked upwards to glare at the blonde.