The Past Revived

Claire Redfield

"You know it's funny to me... Countless nightmares ensued me. I spent years tracing down my brother during and after Raccoon City." Claire drunk a glass filled with alcohol. "I got time away from it awhile after that mountain town was blown. Eventually Chris wasn't anywhere to be found until I got a hint that was a trap set up by Umbrella."

"The island you briefed about years ago right?"

"Yeah don't interrupt my story!" Claire had a small smile. "Anyway I was sent to Rockfort island which was run as a prison by a wealthy family named the Ashfords. Throughout my journey there a man who was a survivor found me, his name, Steve Burnside." Claire rubbed her glass with a finger. "Like me he was sent due to Umbrella, but it was under more... darker circumstances. He and I survived the island, but we eventually ended up on a Southern Hemisphere facility. He..." She took a deep breath. "Was taken by Alexia Ashford and got infected with the Veronica virus and... and you can guess the rest after Chris found me."

"Doesn't get any easier recalling the things of the past does it?" The man sitting beside her take a drink from his glass.

The low chatter of the bar could be heard all around except for the lousy music choice. The volume was so low no one could hear it. The sound that pierced everyone's attention was the pool cue tip tapping against the white ball knocking the rest into the pockets.

"It's not usually like you to drink with me. Especially after dealing with Chris' grief over his partner."

"Don't remind me about that." Claire said. "He still has nightmares about his past. We all do..."

"I still remember how much of a sick joke it was I got myself caught in the Raccoon City incident on my first day of joining the force."

"Hahaha. I'll say. Definitely became supercop once everything went down. Then again though Jill had a much more interesting exploit as did her friend Carlos."

"Helena constantly asked me after months of working together about my past, but she stopped after I mentioned more of Ada..." He stared at his drink then to Claire. "I'm still looking for her. I can't give up after what happened in China."

"Always chasing the girls eh Leon?"

"Hmph I'll say." Leon chuckled.

"It's always good to see you every once in awhile. I wish we could get everyone together."

"I agree. Unfortunately Hunnigan doesn't drink and Helena is a little uptight along with Rebecca."

"Oh my god have you spoke with her? It's been ages." Claire asked excitedly. "Barry even got a girl to look after once he retired."

"Really now? That's the first I heard about it." Leon leaned back in his stool. "Here I thought he was out of the action for good. Now he's dealing with another kind of action."

"That's true. I don't know how he does it being as tough as he is. Then again though he is also a big softie once you get to know him so it suits him actually."

"I agree." Leon took another drink. "Certainly the impression I got when I first met him."

There was a long silence between Claire and Leon as Claire reached into her pocket to pull out a photo of a man in a tube. Leon glanced over and furrowed his brows.

"What's that about?"

"I recieved this from the new Umbrella after they purged the remaining researchers that created the C virus or basically the whole J'avos Chris encountered. They searched file records classified by Wesker himself and found this in Romania." Claire took a long drink and set down her empty glass to slide the picture over to Leon. "Read the back."