So what is Human?

Claire watched her brother as he watched Madison and Leon duck into a room. It was a little unnerving with how closely her brother was watching the girl, though Claire had seen the look in his face, it was clear the older Redfield was worried about the girl.

“Okay, Chris, talk to me please?” She said touching his arm as Jill and Carlos slipped away. She still didn’t understand why her brother had done what he had done, but she was glad she hadn’t lost him.

Her brother had never been soft, but touching him now was like touching a sun-warmed statue. “I don’t know Claire, I need time to get a hold of myself… I don’t feel right.” He was grasping at straws as he tried to explain it. “It’s not that I feel like killing things. I just feel like I’m not really part of anything. It’s like I’m watching this all play out, like one of those bad movies we used to watch as kids.”

“So what? You going to leave once we get the kid to Chambers? You know Jill’s not going to like that. I… Think she still has feelings for you.” Claire chewed her lip a little. “She’s worried too. I think we all are…”

“I have at least 48 hours where my spit could infect someone.” Chris whispered. “I don’t know if other things would spread it either… I mean if it’s like having HIV or AIDS?” He raked fingers through his hair; the few small locks flopped back on to his forehead. “I wish… she’d just move on. I like her… I care about her, but… it wouldn’t work between us.”

“I could see that as a problem…” She slumped against the wall. “Though… Chris, I think she’s really jealous of Madison. I mean… The glare she gave the kid in the elevator… I have a feeling if her day hadn’t already been hell, Jill would have hit her for stepping between you two.”

“It’s more than a little problem. And well, I am responsible. I got her into this mess!” He wanted to scream, or at least kick a vending machine, something anything, to help get his mind off things. It was really his fault Madison was in the mess. Shaking his head he ran his hand through his hair again.

“She could have walked away. Not like you made her stay Chris. Or was that other nurse really that bad?” Claire still had no idea what had gone on before she and Jill had arrived. She wanted to find out, but knew Chris wouldn’t right out tell her. Since everything in Raccoon, he had still been open about things, but she had a feeling there were details he left out.

“The other nurse was that bad. I think she might have…” How did he want to explain it; Chris sighed again. The girl had flinched around Beth and said she would be walking on eggshells. “Beth might have hurt her a few times before I even got here.”

“That’s why she tensed when I touched her…” Claire wasn’t really asking. She glanced to the room her lover and the young girl had disappeared to. She had a feeling Jill had gone off with Carlos to get him patched up.

“I think if she would have had the time… She might have tried to rape her Claire.” He shuddered. “That woman wasn’t right.” He remembered how the woman had spooked Madison.

Claire scowled. “Chris, if she was… She only seems relaxed near you or Leon… Either of you two leave her right now and what’s left of her world will crumble.” Claire frowned. “Considering she’s lost everything… I don’t think she’d recover.”

“I know, I’m worried Claire. I snapped her wrist and her hand… I, I don’t even remember doing it.” He looked down at his hands.

“Though she still grabbed your arm. Chris, I don’t think she blames you for it. If anything she feels guilty for being the one to infect you.”

He sighed. “I asked for it Claire.” He set his jaw in pure mulish stubbornness. “I wanted it.”

She looked at him, clearly still not believing it. “Chris… you did it because you thought it would keep her safe right? Please… tell me that’s the reason you did it…”

In the emergency room Madison was starting to fade off, the X-rays showed they were clean breaks on her wrist, her hand though, was another story, they couldn’t really tell until the swelling went down.

“What happened Madi? Get a little too close to the elevator when the doors closed?” The doctor looked down at the petite blond as she sat still on the bed. She was cradling her arm fighting passing out.

“Not exactly. Can we get this over with?” Leon saw the look in Madison’s eyes and knew she wanted to get out of the hospital as soon as possible. “I need to take her to the station.” Leon slipped into the role of a concerned cop. Madison bit her lip not even having to act. She was scared. Leon touched her good arm making her look up at him.

“Was she attacked? Will you need me to get a nurse in here to…” The doctor reached for the phone only to have Leon catch his hand.

Leon shook his head. “No.” He said quickly knowing if they got a nurse in there, he’d be kicked out of the room. He didn’t want her alone in the hospital again, not even for a moment. He turned away for a moment when his cell phone went off. Glancing back he noted that the doctor was just starting to get the cast on her. “Hello?”

Madison closed her eyes resting against the bed letting the painkillers kick in. She wanted to just curl up and forget what was going on. She heard Leon talking and could tell he was still near her.

The doctor slipped something from his pocket.

Wesker had ordered the kid bugged once he had found out about her injuries. The doctor hadn’t expected her to just show up in his ER. Rayes little protégé had stumbled right to him; he bit back a smile, his day was looking up. Slipping the small microphone into the cast he made sure to keep the cast weak enough in the one spot so that it would pick up conversations.

Kennedy scowled a little. Seemed they had wanted him to head back to DC. Glancing back he saw Madison was asleep, the cast on her hand almost done.

“She really should stay here overnight. To make sure that the cast sets right?” He finished with the cast and moved to check on the two cuts. Madison blushed brightly when he pulled her scrubs down enough to see the wound.

“I’ll have to remove them to make sure it’s clean.”

“No… Please, clean it like that… then stitch it. I… I just need a Band-Aid for the other one…”

The man nodded sterilizing the wound. Madison’s blush stayed as he sewed up the cut. Leon turned as he finished. He looked at her and she shook her head as if to say she wasn’t hurt.

“My boss wants her to be transported to DC. Right now she’s Federal witness. Don’t worry, as soon as we get there, she’ll have the presidents own doctor looking over her.” He knew he was lying about it, but he also knew that there was no way he was going to let her stay another hour in the small hospital. He doubted Chris would either. Something about the orders made Leon sure that he didn’t want the kid to be any closer to ORE. He’d make sure Chris kept her with him.

“We’re a far way from DC.”

“They’re chartering a plane for her.” Leon smiled a little as he touched her good arm. “Madi, come on, time to go.” She opened her eyes.

“We, done here?” She sounded so tired. He brushed the hair from her eyes.

Leon gave a small nod. “Let’s get you up, then we’ll go grab the others and get out of here.”

“I have to insist she stays here at least a few hours more.” A hand fell on her shoulder. Fear welled up in her eyes as she looked at Leon, begging with her eyes to take her with him.

Leon grabbed the doctor’s wrist. “She’s coming with me. ORE has special interest in her. And right now, I don’t trust the staff here. She’ll be better off with me.” He pushed the man back offering a hand to her. She leaned against him.

Madison was in a wheelchair when she and Leon returned to where the two siblings were waiting. Claire saw the drugged up look in the girl’s eyes.

“They wanted to keep her overnight for observation.” Leon said when they got to the siblings. Madison shook her head trying to clear it.

“Well we’re not going to let that fly.” Chris growled protectively. “She’ll be alright with us as long as she rests.”

Madison nodded. “That’s what Leon told them…” She bit her lip a little her cheeks pink. “They… they also wanted to do a rape kit on me… they… They thought that…” She shook her head a little, fear in her eyes.

“It’s all right she’s never going to lay another finger on you again.” Chris made a promise, he was sure he could keep. If the woman; was still alive when he found her, she wouldn’t be when he was done with her. Chris hated the look in the kid’s eyes. No kid her age should have the haunted look in their eyes like that. He reached over gently brushing the lock of hair from her face again. She bit her lip sitting still, the haunted look fading back to the drugged one.

Claire saw the look in the girl’s eyes then heard her brother’s words. “You’re going to be safe. We’ll get you out of here so you can heal okay?” She gave a weak smile.

Madison nodded biting her lip. “I… know… guess, I’m still shaken by what happened… At least... I only needed two stitches… the cut on my leg was deeper…” The teen was trying to calm down, though she was trembling.

Chris nodded, after a moment. “Right we need to get out of here.” He wanted to be away from all of them, maybe just stand under a cold shower. He realized that maybe it was because he was still a little shaky. After all he did just come back from the dead.

Claire looked at her brother, worried. “Yeah, lets get you out of here okay Madison? And when you wake up tomorrow Jill and I will take you out to do some shopping. Let Leon and Chris sleep in.”

Sleep sounded like Heaven to him. Maybe with some the odd feeling of not being in his own body would go away.

Madison gave a faint nod. “Where is Jill anyway?” She really wanted to leave.

Carlos rounded the corner and looked happy to see them. “There you are, this place is like a maze!” He tossed up his good arm. “Jill got the van… I think we’ll all fit. Well unless you have something Leon.” He smiled to the agent. Even if he gave the other shit about working for ‘The Man’ he thought of the other as family.

Leon nodded. “I have my jeep. I’ll be right behind you guys. Claire? Want to ride with me? I think Carlos can keep Jill and Madison from fighting right?”

“Dunno Amigo. You know how Jill is…” He grinned. “I’ll keep chica here safe.”

Madison chewed her lip a little. “I… Won’t fight Jill. She doesn’t scare me as much as Claire does… No offense…”

Claire smiled leaning down a little so she could look at Madison. “It’s okay. I know I probably am a little scary.” She looked up at her brother. “You don’t mind if I ride with Leon do you Chris?”

“It’s fine.” He said carefully. He was sure that the two had a lot of catching up to do anyway. Besides, if Claire wasn’t in the van, maybe he could get some rest.

Leon glanced at Chris. “I’ll take care of her.” He yelped when Claire elbowed him. “Ow, come on Claire you know I bruise easily.”

Madison giggled slightly.

“Try not to hurt him too much Claire.” Chris called out as the two walked off.

“Are they always like that?” Madison bit her lip seeing the look in his eyes. She tried to stand too quickly, only to feel sick to her stomach. Falling back in her seat she closed her eyes trying to will it to pass. She’d deal with her own fears later. She didn’t want to see the sadness in Chris’s eyes any longer. The teen bit her lip, determined to keep from letting her pain get to her.

“Are who always like that chica?” Carlos asked as he took over pushing the wheelchair. His light accent and easy smile made her give a small one in return.

“Claire and Leon…” She let Carlos push her, figuring Chris would be worried about hurting her again. “It’s like the two have history…” She bit her lip not wanting to add that she had a feeling Chris and Jill shared a past as well.

“Good question amiga, everyone in STARS wants to know, but neither of them are saying anything.” He shook his head and bent down to whisper into her ear. “See, I think that is just because Chris wouldn’t know who to kill if they are together. He sees Leon as a little brother and well he’s protective of Claire.”

She glanced back at Chris. “… He told me she was the only family he had left… Well blood family…” She bit her lip. “And Jill? She’s been giving me glares… I mean… I really thought she was going to hit me in the elevator…” She shuddered slightly.

“Jill and Chris have had an on again off again relationship forever, but it’s more off than on you know?” He was still whispering in her ear. “And I have a feeling if she did really try to hit you if Chris hadn’t stopped her I would have.” He ruffled her hair getting a scowl out of her.

“We just don’t work right together.” Chris snorted startling the two.

Madison blushed. “I… If she thinks I did… I…” She sat quiet, flustered about the situation. “I mean… Chris, you’re cute, but… I’m… I’m supposed to be helping you heal… Nurses don’t get involved like that with their patients…”

Carlos chuckled a little. The kid was cute when she was flustered. He smiled; it was actually easier to get her flustered than it was Chambers. Carlos figured the kid would be good to have around, if only to keep moral up.

“She’ll get over it.” Chris said flatly. “I know you’re just doing your job. ‘Sides, I’m not so cute once you get to know me.” He smiled a little, but it was clear he really wasn’t in the mood to be happy and light. “I can be a real jackass.”

“Sounds like most of the guys I meet…” It was clear that Madison wasn’t in the cheerful mood either. She had been trying to force it so the others wouldn’t worry about her. “You guys don’t mind if I just sleep in the van do you? I… I want to forget what happened today and…” It was clear everything was really starting to hit her, and hard.

“Amen,” Chris muttered, he just hoped that he could get some rest. He looked worriedly at Madison; she had been through so much in just a few hours. Part of him wanted to leave her there, hoping she’d be safe, but he knew only people he trusted to keep her safe would be him and the other STARS.

“So you’ll leave me alone with her? Thanks you two.” Carlos laughed being his normal self. He knew heard the girl giggle a little. “Good to know the chica can still laugh.”

Cole held Beth still as she and Steve gave Wesker and Birkin some time alone, mostly because she didn’t want Wesker yelling at her.

Steve ripped off the wig and cap letting his russet hair free. He gave the woman Cole held a coy smile. “You’re sort of pretty, you know that?”

Beth whimpered trying to get away from Cole. “Let go.”

Cole snickered coldly. “Be glad we’re the ones dealing with you. I don’t think you would like what Whiskers would do to you.” She giggled a little. “When he’s a pissed off Kitty… He makes sure the one that pissed him off hurts like hell. Right now, I do believe that would be you.”

The youth lowered his head letting his bangs fall into his eyes. “What’s the matter Beautiful, don’t you like me?” He moved and straddled her lap, his eyes half lidded. “Just think, we get to have some fun eh?”

Beth shook her head. “Right… You’re going to kill me. Like hell I’m letting you get close.”

Cole purred coldly into her other ear. “Want me to hold her Steve? Or you want to hunt her?”

Steve pouted playfully. “I’d say hunt, but something tells me we won’t have the time.”

“Yeah… and I don’t want to keep Birkie or Whiskers waiting. Mostly because I have a feeling Whiskers would lock me in the room again…” She gave a small whimper, barely heard by Beth.

Steve shuddered. “Yeah…” He had better things to think about, like the woman who’s lap he was currently straddling.

“T-then let me go… Really… I’ll disappear… You wont see me again…” Beth whimpered when the boy turned his attention to her again.

“See I can’t do that,” He purred licking her cheek as he reached for her pocket to pull out her ‘trophies’.

“I thought she was trying to hide something.” Cole had smelled them, but wasn’t sure what it was.

Beth tried to stop his hand from pulling them out, the action hard to do with her wrists still cuffed behind her back. He slapped her hand away with his free hand, not bothering to hold back all of his strength. Beth hissed in pain, biting her lip when he pulled them free.

“Be glad he hit you and not me.” Cole laughed.

When Steve realized what was in his hand, his gray eyes went cold. “Did you rape her? Did you want to see her suffer?” He growled low.

Beth shook her head. “N-no, I… I took them to humiliate her…” The older woman was in tears. “I-I might have cut her… But I wouldn’t have raped her. I just wanted her scared…”

“You wanted more than just her fear didn’t you? You wanted her tears.” He pulled her into a kiss suddenly, a hand shooting up to hold her jaw open so she didn’t bite his tongue.

Beth didn’t return the kiss. She didn’t even answer him. Cole sat back a little to watch Steve work. She knew what the younger BOW was up to.

“Awe babe, it’s the end of your world, you might as well go out on a high note.”

Beth shook her head fighting tears. “No…”

“Steve, personally, I don’t think you’re her type. Though… you know what? I don’t deal with people like her. She’s all yours baby bro.”

“Maybe she likes them weak and helpless, innocent little things she can break.”

Cole had known the boy long enough to know that he wasn’t seeing the dark blonde haired woman before him. Instead he was seeing the siblings that had ended his normal life. Usually she’d try to pull him out of it, but this was one time she agreed that Alfred’s teachings, though wonderfully horrible, were exactly what Steve needed to lean on at the moment. She knew it would sicken the younger man when he snapped out of it, but until then, he’d enjoy the deviant acts he was about to do. “This is going to be fun.” He purred low, his eyes showing his bloodlust.

“Considering how the brat was shivering… I think that might be the case. Why don’t you prove to her how big a mistake it is to pick on the weak Steve?” Cole urged him on. She knew when he was in his zone; he got so much more creative.

He shifted a little whispering into the bound woman’s ear. “I hope you can sing.” His fingertips brushed over her cheek before they moved to pull the knife from his boot. The blade itself was a simple yet elegant butterfly knife that easily flipped open with a lazy flick of his wrist. He slid off her lap tilting his head to the side looking at her through his bangs.

Taking in the details of her pretty face, and voluptuous curves, he carefully tapped the blade against his lips. He caught the fear in her green eyes.

“No… Please don’t…” Her voice was barely a whisper. He watched as she licked her lips, fear clearly making her mouth dry.

“Didn’t she beg you too?” He laughed, lightly feathering the blade over her throat. She didn’t dare move; afraid he’d cut her.

Cole smiled brightly. “Oh, I bet the girl begged better than Beth here. I remember seeing her little angelic face in tears. You liked the tears didn’t you Beth? You enjoyed seeing the little girl fear you. You enjoyed her screams, that’s why you set her arm without giving her anything to numb the pain…” The red head purred low, only helping Steve make up his mind about the woman.

The knife faltered a moment before he caught a handful of her hair pulling it back sharply making her have to arch her back a little leaning back to keep it from hurting. Beth gave a small cry, doing her best to keep from screaming for help.

Cole licked her lips a little. “Come on Steve… Just bleed her a little…”

Beth whimpered more. “Please… stop…” The knife went down, instead of bleeding her, Steve had hacked her hair into a rough man’s cut, something close to the blonde that had tortured him, Alfred Ashford.

When Cole saw it she laughed, a deep rich joyful sound. Beth whimpered as she watched Steve pull his hand back, still holding the locks of hair.

“You look better now I think.” He tapped the knife on his teeth before putting the blade to work again, this time cutting away her top. This time, he let the tip of the blade draw a fine like of red against her honeyed skin.

Beth bit her lip, trying not to make a sound. She knew both of them were insane, the man’s eyes showed it clearly, and the woman, she had heard that most of the people the company let Cole play with found their way to the morgue just for a small mistake. Beth didn’t want the woman touching her.

“Oh no… You’re supposed to sing Bitch.” Cole growled low, her eyes going black as she stepped on the cuffs to hold her still.

“I think she thinks being silent will help her.” Steve laughed bitterly. “That never works.” He moved to lick the blood from Beth’s chest.

“I want to hear her scream.” Cole pouted; though she crouched down smiling a little watching Steve lick the blood off the woman.

The simple act of his tongue against her skin brought a small gasp from her lips.

Steve tapped the front of her bra with the knife, watching it split apart exposing double D’s that were too perky to be natural. With her hands behind her, she didn’t even struggle to cover herself.

Cole leaned forward a little smiling. “You know… I think she might not be worth playing with now. It’s clear the whore probably sweet talked one of the doctors to give her those.” She looked up at Steve resting her head on the woman’s shoulder. “Why don’t we leave the animal’s here a treat…” She licked Beth’s neck making the woman cringe slightly.

“No they’ll just eat her.” Steve frowned a little. “And well I don’t want them to get sick.” He tipped his head looking at Cole. “But you do have a point. She’s being no fun.”

“Then what do you think we should do with her Steve?” She licked Beth’s cheek tasting the few tears Beth wasn’t able to keep back.

“It’s no fun if they hardly react.” He tapped his foot standing. “But it’s so boring to just kill them.”

“That’s the problem with the medical field, they’re trained not to react.” She giggled a little. “And you know our company trains them better not to react.”

“Yes, but normally humans react to their lives being in danger.” He pointed out. “I’ve had doctors beg.” He paused, kicking Beth’s legs apart. Kneeling again, he slid one hand between her thighs, growling when she tried to close them. Beth bit down on her lip as she tried to show she was scared. Her whole body trembled, making her tits bounce slightly.

Cole laughed coldly. “Now that’s better.”

Steve worked his way up her skirt, letting his fingers trail over the small bit of silken material of her underwear. “A thong… how whoreish.”

Beth struggled against Cole. “How... you think I managed to get my position at the hospital.”

Cole growled a little. “That’s why you hated the kid. You were watching her take your position with kindness and actually fucking working…” The red haired woman almost laughed. “I watched the two of you. Even when she was working with patients who weren’t hers, she still treated them with respect. Even those we sent who had been mauled… It was sick watching her.”

Steve ignored Cole. “So, you whored yourself out to get the job so you could be cruel?” Steve asked making sure he was perfectly clear on what the woman had done.

“Worked;” she bit her lip trying not to move as she remembered the knife the man had.

Steve stepped back. “See it’s humans like you that only prove that humanity is a cancer that needs to be removed.” He spat; any idea of play was leaving him. His lips twisted and he wrinkled his nose, the woman was starting to smell bad to him.

Cole growled low as she listened to the woman. “So… how you want to get rid of this cancer? It’s still your call little brother. I’m just along for the ride.” She looked up, her eyes flashing pitch black a moment.

“You want to get a little messy? Wesker made sure to bring clean clothes for you and Birkin.” He smiled a little. “I think I’m going to skin her.” He had lost the drive to do anything really deviant, after all he had no idea where she had been. A self-professed whore had all the appeal of Ada Wong.

Cole grinned up at him. “Sounds like fun at least.” The red headed BOW ran her fingertips along the woman’s neck enjoying the way she trembled against her.

Beth shook her head wincing when Cole tightened her grip on her. “No… Please, I said I’ll disappear. Really… No one will find me I swear…”

“I’m sure that it will make her scream a little.” He grinned brightly. “Maybe the boss would like her heart…” Steve had a tendency to give ‘trophies’ of his own to Wesker.

Cole grinned. “Let me release her long enough to bind her to a tree for you. Make it easier.” She laughed a little. “And will be fun to listen to her scream until she bleeds out. Might be fun to give her one of our bugs.” She purred low. “After she’s done screaming that is.”

“Sure sis, knock yourself oot.” Steve yawned a little. “I like watching you work.”

Beth winced in pain as Cole pulled her against a tree, freeing her long enough to pull her arms back around the trunk. Clicking the cuffs tightly. “Ow… too tight…”

“You’ll get over it.” Cole purred. “You’ll be in a happier place soon enough, or at least you’ll be making us happy.” Cole licked Beth’s cheek again, trying to figure out her taste exactly.

“Well that’s better than nothing don’t you think?” Steve smiled at Cole. “She tastes funny don’t you think?”

“A little bit.” She grimaced a little watching the woman’s tears. “She’s like the flu… Mixed with something… Dirty socks.” She frowned a little as if upset that it wasn’t something better.

“Her blood’s thin too.” He was hoping that he would at least get a reaction from her. When Beth only closed her eyes he continued. “Think I should start at her neck, and work my way down. Leave that pretty face of hers intact?”

Cole giggled, her eyes fading back to green. The twinkle in them showed she loved the idea. “I think we have enough time for that.”

“Good, I don’t want to keep them waiting too long eh?”