Two Paths that should Never cross

Two paths that should never cross

- Just another day….

Rebecca Chambers turned to raspberry one of the boys that were catcalling her and her 'cousin'. The two of them had been playing the role of cousins since she had come to Portland. David had dropped her off at his friend's house after they had gotten out of Exeter. She had gotten a few calls from him and the others, pretty much telling her to sit tight a while longer. The young Ex-S.T.A.R.S. member hated hiding, especially on her own, but the place was safer than trying to stay with the adults. So far she hadn’t run into trouble, it had only been two months, and hacking into the school’s computer to forge her records had been a piece of cake. The hardest part was trying to act somewhat interested in the classes she was in and acting like a stereotypical teen.

At least she had Heather to help her out with that. Seemed the girl was good at hiding secrets too. Thinking about it Rebecca realized that Heather wasn’t the only one. Harry, her father, seemed to be hiding something. Rebecca hadn’t pried though. Mostly because she knew she pried, they’d pry into her past. She didn’t want to get them involved with Umbrella.

"You know you keep that up they'll just keep at it." Heather bit back a laugh at the smaller teen. Rebecca turned back to her with a grin, brushing a lock of brown hair out of bright eyes.

“I know, but it is kind of cute watching them scramble like that. You’d think I was a cheerleader or even a blonde the way they act.” She paused a moment, her eyes catching a tall form that was following them. The dark hair and muscular build almost made her turn around to look to see if it was in fact whom she thought it was.

It can’t be Coen… There’s no way he’d be on the East Coast. She closed her eyes a moment. He would have made it to Mexico or Canada by now. That is if he even made it out of Raccoon before it… No, he had a head start. She managed to fight a shudder as she touched the glass doors. Besides, I’m just a kid, why would he search me out? She didn’t even realize the worried look that crossed her face.

“Becca?” Heather touched her arm making her jump. “Easy there, looked like you had seen a ghost.”

“Nah, I’m fine, just remembered something I needed to do that’s all.” She smiled. “Come on, we were going to grab lunch then do some shopping right? Harry wanted us to pick up a book for him.” She hoped the taller teen would buy it. “Let me guess you want a burger.” She grimaced. “Let’s hope they don’t trash my salad again.”

“You’re probably the only teenager here that eats salads at a fast food joint.” Heather shook her head. She didn’t know why the girl was so picky, something about an allergy, at least that’s what they had been told. Becky seemed to keep it up though.

It had been good to see ‘Uncle David’ again though. Even if it had been for a few hours before he had to run again. Her dad had owed him a favor and Rebecca was how he was repaying the favor. At least the girl was cool. The two of them had already managed to get her dad to ease up on some things. Though she couldn’t get Becky out of the house for too long. If only she could get the girl to go party now and then.

Becky laughed. “Yeah you’re right, but don’t even think of trying to get me to eat any of those nasty things. You know how bad they are for you?” She stepped into the air-conditioned building and sighed slightly glad to be out of the heat. It reminded her too much of earlier in the summer, the memory of the smell of rotting flesh making her pale slightly.

Of course Becky didn’t know exactly how much Heather and Harry actually knew, after all, a lot of her first night there was hazy. She blamed it on stress, but had a feeling that David had slipped something into the soda he had gotten her at the truck stop before they had gotten into town. He probably slipped it in to try to help me get a little sleep./ “Okay, okay, I’ll just get fries. I’m not hungry right now.”

“And you complain about what I eat. Really Rebecca, you need to eat more.” Heather lightly teased draping an arm over the smaller girl, fighting the urge to give her a noogie.

“So you and Harry keep saying. Really, I’m fine. I’ve always been picky about what I eat.” She grinned a little as she slipped out from Heather’s grasp. “Come on, let’s go already.”

***

Entering the mall after the pair was a man, in his late twenties, wearing a blue shirt over a white wife beater and tight jeans. Looks like that Trent guy was right. She’s here./ He slipped into one of the shops near the store the girls went into shaking his head. She looks like hell though, last few months weren’t easy on the kid. He sighed to himself. He had felt bad about leaving the rookie alone once they had gotten out of the testing facility. Even if she had ordered him to leave or she would have been forced to take him in. The kid really is too trusting.

He thought back. It had been two weeks ago when the man had walked up to him in a little cantina. The man had been in a finely tailored suit, looking like he would have been better off in a tourist section of town. Even so, the man seemed oddly at ease in the cantina, the smile the man wore never seemed to leave his face.

Billy shook his head. He didn’t want to remember the conversation he had had with the man just yet. After all, he knew Becky was alive; he needed to get her alone so he could talk to her. Just to make sure she was still his Becky. The sweet little kid that had helped him in the facility, had in fact grown up some.

“She still looks good though, little on the thin side…” He muttered to himself as he slipped put of the shop seeing Becky and the other girl slipped out of the fast food place, both sipping at soft drinks and nibbling on fries.

Silently he thanked Trent for being unable to figure out how to contact Becky in any other way that wouldn’t have drawn attention to her. That’s where Billy had come in after all, once he had gotten back to the States it hadn’t been hard to find her either. Trent had known what town she was in, so it hadn’t been too hard to search her out.

***

“We should go look at music…” Heather watched as Becky glanced behind them again. Looking through the glass store front she saw the older man. “You know him?”

Becky gave a small nod. “He… yeah…” She bit her lip. “He’s not supposed to be here.” The tone Becky used was a mix of worry and relief. “Heather, Mind if I catch up to you?”

She didn’t like the idea he was out in the open. If anyone happened to recognize him… She hadn’t declared him dead just, so he could get caught by the cops. She had wanted him to get away. He was innocent of the crimes he had been charged with.

Heather laughed hearing her. “You know Dad’ll be pissed if you do anything right.” She smiled at Rebecca’s blush. “Don’t keep me waiting too long. And Dad wanted us back in time for dinner.”

She nodded watching Heather walk off. Great… I’m not like that Heather! She didn’t say anything though.

It took all of Billy’s will not to just grab her around the waist when the other girl had walked off. He pulled her towards the back halls.

Rebecca gave a startled yelp, but let him lead her. When they were in the hall he pressed her against the wall and kissed her chastely. Looking up slowly, she could feel the burn on her cheeks.

“How… Shouldn’t you be in Mexico? And… how’d you find me. David said he covered my tracks well.” Even though the kiss had been nice, she wanted to know what he was up to.

Billy kept her hands pinned to the wall leaning in taking in the scent of her shampoo. “Smell better than last time. Champagne?”

She blushed more. “D…don’t change the subject Coen.”

He chuckled a little. “A mutual friend, he got me back into the country.” Billy whispered in her ear feeling her gasp slightly. “Missed you cop girl.” Billy made sure his lips gently brushed her neck. When she shuddered he smiled releasing her. “You really are too easy to tease.” He pulled back before she could see how badly his teasing had turned him on as well. The baggy work shirt he wore helped to hide the hard on that was starting to form. Well, at least so far she’s not going to hit me at least.

“I-I’m not a cop anymore.” She noticed he was glancing around as if to make sure the hall was still clear as he leaned against the wall. “And that wasn’t fair.” She leaned back watching him.

“Good, you weren’t that good. And it really is too dangerous.” The concerned look was on his face. It looked like he wanted to say more, but didn’t.

Rebecca couldn’t help but give a slight scowl. The man was right, but he didn’t have to patronize her. Yeah, her first mission in STARS had resulted in her being the sole survivor of her team, only because Coen himself, whom she should have arrested, had helped her through the facility, then later the Alpha team had rescued her from the mansion and brought her back to town with them. Even in the end Chief Irons had said it was bad idea to even have her as a member, the direct quote had been; ‘STARS wasn’t set up to baby-sit worthless brats’."

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. I just, wanted to tell you I’d be in town a while. You’ve been targeted. I was asked to keep an eye on you and help you if it was needed.”

Great, I’m so useless outside a lab, I have an ex-con as a bodyguard, and I don’t even know what’s going on. She thought wondering how much it showed on her face.

She had wanted to go with the other STARS, but they had insisted she stay behind, in case everything went badly. After losing Karen, he hadn’t wanted to risk another scientist that was on their side. Which was why Rebecca had been rotting away the last few months playing ‘typical teenager’.

“I don’t know what’s going on Becky, but here,” He held out a piece of paper for her. “I was only told about the situation here, and I’m not leaving until we have whom ever is after you okay? Wouldn’t want my favorite little cop girl to get hurt.” He smiled faintly.

She glanced at the paper seeing a phone number.

“It’s for this.” He patted his pocket letting her know it was to a cell phone. The number wasn’t to his at least, but it was the best way to get her Trent’s number. He had insisted that the number was given to Chambers.

She tucked the number away. “Gotcha. Look, Billy, I really should catch up with Heather. If I’m targeted, means she might be too. As well as Mr. Mason.”

“Why’d he agree to hide you where others would get hurt.” He growled slightly not liking the idea of more people around her. That would make things harder for his plans.

“His friend agreed to it. I didn’t get why, something about me looking like someone from his past. And a favor owed.” She sighed. “Besides, we thought that I’d hide here. Apparently not.”

Billy nodded. “You’re armed right?” He wanted to know so he could figure out exactly what to do. He knew if he asked, she’d hand over the gun. After all she trusted him. And she owed him for saving her life.

How many times did she get into trouble and I had to save her… She owes me for all of that.

She nodded. “David and Barry both went through it with me. I’m not to leave the apartment unarmed, just in case. That’s why I should get back to Heather. If, I’m a target, she might be too. I mean if I dyed my hair we would look like sisters.” She slid the gun she carried out of the holster at the small of her back, making sure the clip was full, she had thought it was silly to keep the clip full, but David and Barry had insisted, as well as Mr. Mason, which had scared her a little. Slipping the gun back away, she pulled the violet jacket she wore.

She’s a decent shot given time to line them up. He thought as she straightened her clothes. Hopefully who ever targeted her doesn’t know where she is yet. I might be the first to find her. He nodded reaching up to touch her cheek. “Be careful okay? Don’t want you to get hurt kiddo.”

She touched his cheek. “I’ll be fine. Figure you probably want to go back home don’t you?”

“You know you could always come with me.” He smiled softly as she touched his hand. “You know I’d protect you. No one would hurt you.”

“You know I can’t.” She pulled his hand away. “After all, didn’t you call me jailbait? I think you said you liked 'em a little bigger too.” She chuckled remembering a conversation she had with him while they were in the training facility. He had been a little delirious from nearly dying in the sewers.

“Yeah well…” He ran a hand through his hair. Damn, did I really say that?“Get going before I kiss you again.” He waved her off.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” With that she darted off, making it to the door, only to find it locked. Turning around she saw that Billy was gone. “What the…” She started back down the hall searching for a doorway that was open. “Great, just great.”

Something screamed out in pain behind one of the locked doors. She drew her gun, realizing it was a scream of pain.

Rebecca bit her lip and shoved at the door while trying the knob. It didn’t open. Kicking at the door she tried to get it to budge.

“Come on… Open.” She whimpered slightly as the door wouldn’t budge. A figure moved nearby. Rebecca turned. “Wait!” She went after the figure, noting the air started to smell like smoke. Great, now there’s a fire…

***

Heather stood in the hall; the woman who had cornered her had disappeared. “Okay… Next time Becky, you and I are sticking together at the mall. This is nuts.” She started the way the woman had gone, finding there were no monsters there. She held the pistol she had picked up tightly in her hand as she saw the elevator.

“Looks like the only way to go now.” She sighed and stepped into the cage. When the door closed she yelped as it started its way down.