Chapter Text
Chapter 3 — “Between Lines and Silences”
Raccoon City Police Department — Investigation Room, later that night
Jill Valentine sat in front of the missing persons board. The flickering fluorescent light above cast strange shadows across the room. The pile of papers in front of her never seemed to shrink. She rubbed her eyes and sighed, just as Carlos entered the room with Claire right behind him. Jill looked up slowly.
Jill:
— I figured you'd come back. Just didn’t expect you to bring an escort.
Carlos (with humor):
— She kidnapped me. Tough lady to handle.
Claire shot him a look, but not an aggressive one. Jill stood up and crossed her arms.
Jill:
— Did you bring something useful, or are you just here to get in my way?
Claire held out the diary firmly.
Claire:
— Read this. Then try telling me I'm overreacting.
Jill took the diary carefully. As she flipped through the pages, her expression changed. The notes about the “man across the street,” the noises in the basement, the feeling of being watched… this wasn’t a child’s imagination. Jill sat down slowly, rereading some parts in silence.
Jill (softly, to herself):
— This... this looks like a pattern.
She stood, walked over to the board, and pulled a few photos of missing children. She began comparing dates and locations.
Jill:
— Most of these kids disappeared in areas with old buildings… places with easy access to tunnels, basements, underground structures…
Claire:
— You think they’re using the sewers?
Jill:
— Maybe. Or abandoned Umbrella facilities. The problem is, the company still has a lot of influence in this city. We can’t get authorization to investigate anywhere they slap a “private property” sign on.
Carlos:
— Then we go in without permission.
Jill gave Carlos a serious look, then glanced at Claire. The tension in the room thickened.
Jill:
— You’re involved now, Claire. If you’re going to keep this up, you follow my lead. Understood?
Claire (dryly):
— I don’t work for you, Valentine.
Carlos (cutting the tension):
— Perfect. A team full of trust. What could go wrong?
Jill closed the diary with a snap.
Jill:
— Tomorrow morning, both of you—here. We do this right. And Claire… thanks for bringing this.
Claire looked surprised for a moment. Jill had already turned away, back to her desk. The journalist said nothing—just watched.
A few hours later — rooftop of the police station
Jill sat alone on the edge of the rooftop, the city cold and indifferent beneath her. Carlos approached with two cups of coffee.
Carlos:
— Knew I’d find you up here.
Jill:
— Only place quiet enough to think. Or breathe.
She took the coffee, without thanking him. He sat beside her, relaxed.
Carlos:
— She gets to you, huh?
Jill (without looking at him):
— Who?
Carlos:
— Claire. You go on the defensive whenever she walks into a room.
Jill (sighing):
— I don’t like people who act like they know everything. Like emotion matters more than logic.
Carlos:
— She’s hurting. You’d be too, if it were someone you cared about.
Silence. Jill tightened her grip on the coffee cup.
Jill:
— I know what it’s like to lose someone. I know what happens when you let emotion take over. You make mistakes. People die.
Carlos watched her calmly.
Carlos:
— You’ve made a lot of mistakes, Jill?
Jill (looking at the sky):
— More than I care to admit.
Carlos leaned forward, offering a faint smile.
Carlos:
— Maybe Claire’s not here to get in your way. Maybe she’s here to remind you that you still feel. That you still care.
Jill looked at him for a moment but said nothing. The wind blew harder. The city below remained alive. And somewhere out there, Sherry was still waiting.