Chapter Text
The slush was slippery under Bryan’s sneakers as he made his way through the empty streets of Raccoon City, in what was quickly turning out to be the worst work shift of his entire fucking life. Tied closely with that one time he was delivering to a children’s hospital, and ended up catching a strain of flu so bad, he was coughing his lungs out in his shitty apartment for the next two weeks.
…Okay, maybe this day was worse than that one incident.
But he had high hopes; maybe there was still a chance for all of this to turn out for the better. He was getting closer to his drop point, no weird zombie people in sight yet, and he still had a couple bullets in his handgun. Not bad at all.
And so naturally, that was the moment everything went to shit.
It started with a weird noise, muffled by the wind but progressively getting stronger and stronger, echoing against the cold walls of nearby buildings. Feet stomping on the frozen ground, running fast; driven by the desire to find anything left alive and destroy any last bit of humanity left.
“Fuck,” Bryan grit out through his teeth, turning around on his heel and sprinting towards an empty-looking alley, his Jordans slipping on the wet snow immediately and making him stumble backwards.
“FUCK!” He went through so much already, there was no way he was going to die just because his footwear (stupid fucking expensive shoes) wasn’t fit for a bit of goddamn snow.
He regained his composure, readjusting the bag strap on his shoulder, and ran as fast as he could; his steps mixing in with the overwhelming noise of the monsters. His heart was beating out of his chest so bad, he swore he would die right there and then, before any monster even reached him. That’s what he gets for skipping most of his workouts on the weekends, just so he could be lazy on his living room couch, eating takeout and watching some random unfunny sitcom until he felt tired enough to call it a night.
He knew it would catch up to him eventually.
If Michelle were here, she would love the opportunity to say a very deserved ‘I told you so, babe.’
For a brief moment, Bryan hoped she was somewhere safe, somewhere without any of all this.
He ran and ran, the narrow alley becoming even narrower, the horrible sounds following him relentlessly. Was this ever going to end? Was there any other outcome than him lying on the ground, lifeless and forgotten? He took a quick left turn and was halted in his steps when a loud voice boomed out of some kind of speakers mounted to the nearby buildings, echoing through the streets.
“Attention all citizens: due to the citywide outbreak, you are advised to take shelter at the Raccoon City police station. Free food and medical supplies will be provided to everyone in need.”
Huh, so that’s where everyone went, Bryan thought, feeling hopeful for the first time that night. That’d explain the empty streets and lifeless apartment buildings, everyone must had either left the city or decided to seek shelter at the police station.
And suddenly, it sounded like the best idea in the world. Someone at the police station will surely know what to do or how to help him deliver the contents of that stupid bag.
And, more than anything, Bryan just really hoped he wouldn’t have to be alone anymore.
The walk to the police station wasn’t too long, the signs all around the city helping Bryan reach the imposing building with little trouble.
And suddenly; there it was.
The RPD sign was shining like a beacon of hope, promising a safe haven inside within the walls, where the horrors had yet to reach.
It was beautiful.
Bryan stopped in front of the main gate, the sign right above him as he stared at it with his mouth agape and his heart in his throat; the possibility of no one hiding inside suddenly eating at his brain. This was his last shot. He knew he could never ever make it to the hospital by himself, he had no chance. Let’s be real, his chances were below zero, most likely.
He needed someone to be inside when he walked in. Or else it’s all finished. Game over. No replays or extra lives, none of that bullshit.
His hand gripping the bag, Bryan looked down at it, wondering why he ever agreed to all of this. Why was he dumb enough to continue, despite every horror that was thrown at him at his every step. He could’ve left the bag behind already, he could’ve returned home. Wherever that was these days.
Anything was better than this. And yet…
And yet it felt right, like he was making the correct choice, the good decision.
Bryan sighed. Maybe he’d lost his mind already and this was just him coping with everything, trying to make sense of all the bad decisions he’d made that were most likely leading him right into a freshly dug grave.
“Please don’t be full of monsters,” Bryan begged the building as if it could hear him and take pity on him, pushing against the rusted metal of the heavy gate to open it. But the gate didn’t even budge.
Great, just great.
“Fucking open!” Bryan pushed against it again, harder this time.
Nothing.
Bryan screamed in frustration, grabbing the gate with both hands, shaking it forcefully. “Stupid fucking door!” But nothing happened and the gate remained closed.
Pushing against it a few more times for good measure, with no different outcome, Bryan decided to give up. His hands hurt like hell, the metal scraping his skin and almost drawing blood. “Ow, what the fuck.”
What did he do to deserve this? Why couldn’t at least one thing go well for him this goddamn fucking day?! And wasn’t the station supposed to be open for all civilians anyway?!
Bryan took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down enough to accept defeat. The fact that this stupid day could indeed get even stupider made him want to take that handgun he had in the pocket of his jacket and just shoot his brains out. Maybe that would solve all his problems.
Bryan shook his head, trying to get the thoughts out and focus on his survival and goal instead. He still needed to deliver the stupid bag. He had to, he promised.
Okay, focus. There had to be another way into the station.
The streets around the station seemed empty, thankfully, as Bryan walked away from the gate, deciding to check the other sides of the building, hoping to find an unlocked door there.
What if he couldn’t get in? What would he do then, if him staying alone through all of this was a final fact, something he couldn’t change no matter how hard he tried.
There was no way he was getting to the hospital by himself. His gun barely had any bullets left, not that it mattered that much when he barely ever hit the target, and besides, it seemed like the monster going after him was fucking immune to bullets or something. He needed help, someone who had experience with guns past the basic video game ‘point and shoot that motherfucker’ knowledge, preferably.
The second Bryan spotted the back door to the police station, slightly ajar and finally not fucking locked with another big metal lock, he swore he could drop on his knees right there and then and cry happy tears.
He readjusted the bag’s strap on his shoulder, hand resting on the pocket of his jacket where he kept the handgun, ready to use it, if necessary. He took a careful step forward, heart starting to race; if from fear or hopeful excitement, he wasn’t sure.
This was it. The moment that decides his fate, most likely, no big deal.
The looming horror of a sudden realization hit Bryan so hard in that moment that it froze him in his steps. The realization that if there were no living people capable of helping him in this building, he would definitely end up dead. That would be it for him, no more plan B’s and C’s or whatever. Just the end and nothing more.
For some weird reason, it created a sense of calm within Bryan’s body.
Fingers wrapped tightly around the gun, Bryan braced himself and took a few steps into the darkness beyond the door, finally entering the Raccoon City police station.
The first thing Bryan noticed when he found himself standing in one of the long corridors of RPD was how dark and cold everything was. Most of the lights were turned off, but the ones kept on were flickering, leaving the hallways wrapped in haunting shadows. The second thing that Bryan noticed, though, was more worrying.
It was quiet. Way too quiet for a place that was supposed to be the promised so-called shelter for everyone. For a second, Bryan foolishly hoped that maybe everyone was just being extra quiet, so the zombies couldn’t hear them and find their hiding spot.
“Okay, here we go. This is it, Bryan. You got this,” Bryan stated to himself matter of factly, immediately feeling the need to face palm. Is he really so far gone that he had to resort to talking to himself like he was 15 years old again, standing in front of his crush’s house and trying to psyche himself up to knock on the door and ask them out.
But hey, as long as there was no one else around, there was no harm in a little pep talk or whatever.
Okay, fucking focus.
Bryan shook his head again and started walking down the hallway, trying to stay in the light as much as possible, as if that could help him somehow. The windows along his left side were blocked with heavy wooden planks, keeping the monsters from getting inside. The occasional door or two along his right were closed and looked very much locked. Bryan refused to even try getting inside those. He needed to find…
What was he even trying to find? Where could everyone even be hiding in a building as big as this one?
The basement? Bryan quickly dismissed that thought, the concept of having to go into a basement making him shiver. No fucking way he was stepping a foot inside any dark underground places ever again. The sewers caused him enough nightmares for a lifetime, thank you very much.
Hm.
If only he had a map of this place.
Wait… The lobby.
Yes! The lobby! Bryan flicked himself on the forehead, feeling like the smartest person to ever exist, immediately quickening his pace as he headed for what he hoped was the hallway leading to the lobby area of the building.
He moved fast, practically running, his sneakers squeaking on the shiny floors, mind set on getting there as fast as he could. He rounded the corner of the hallway quickly and—
CLASH!
Bryan screamed, crashing head-first into the person in front of him, and immediately stumbling backwards from the sheer impact. Before he could fall and hit the ground, the stranger he just ran into at full speed grabbed him by the arm and pulled him upright, helping him regain his balance.
He’d feel embarrassed about that high-pitched scream, but right now he swore his heart leapt out of his chest and ended up somewhere around him on the cold floor.
“What the fuck!” Bryan shouted, fixing the hat on his head and then realizing he should probably get his gun out of his pocket. He fumbled with the zipper for an awkward second before taking the gun out and pointing it at the man in front of him.
“Hey, hey! No need to shoot, I’m not gonna hurt you,” the man insisted, empty hands up in front of him, posing no threat. It was clear in his voice he was nervous too, even if he was trying his best to calm Bryan down. He looks young, Bryan thought.
“Wait, are you a cop? Uh, sir?” Bryan looked him up and down quickly, noticing the badge on his jacket. Please be a cop, please be a cop. Bryan couldn’t believe he was in a situation so fucked that he’d resort to praying for a fucking cop to show up. What even was his life?
“Yeah, Leon Kennedy. Are you okay?” The guy, Leon, asked.
Oh, thank fuck. Bryan lowered the gun and put it back in his jacket. “Oh, thank god, dude. I mean, sir. I thought I was done for.”
Leon tried to hide his amusement, taking a step towards him now that he could without risking Bryan accidentally shooting him, casting a quick glance up and down Bryan’s body, assessing him. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Bryan hesitated, the bite on his arm hidden under three layers of clothing suddenly stinging a bit, as if it knew. “Yeah, man. Just a bit shaken, is all.”
Leon nodded, seemingly happy with that answer, and looked around them. “We should head back upstairs, there’s an office you can rest in. You can tell me everything when we get there.”
Bryan nodded. Yeah, resting did sound good enough to him. He hasn’t had much of that for the past… what, like maybe 7 hours? He lost count.
He followed Leon through the hallways, keeping close behind. He noticed Leon kept a firm hand on the gun on his belt, looking around himself cautiously whenever they entered a new hallway or room.
It was nice, to feel safe for once.
The walk to the upstairs office was fast, it seemed like Leon had a nice shortcut to get there. And Bryan was thankful for it, before his feet suddenly felt like giving up, all the adrenaline and energy from before leaving his body fast.
Leon opened the door for him like a gentleman, looking inside for any potential danger first before stepping aside and letting Bryan walk in.
“We should be safe here.” He assured, motioning for Bryan to sit down on a worn out couch in the corner of the room.
“Thanks,” Bryan replied softly as he made his way to the sofa. He shrugged off his jacket, placing it and the bag neatly on the couch before plopping down into the soft cushions, sighing deeply in relief as the weight of the world fell off his shoulders for a bit.
“Fuuckkk, this feels good,” he groaned, tipping his head back to rest against the pillows and closing his eyes, finally allowing his body to relax for the first time since he woke up that morning.
Leon cleared his throat awkwardly, walking over to the desk and sitting on a chair there, keeping a respectable distance from Bryan, watching him with curiosity.
Bryan opened his eyes and looked at Leon, sitting up quickly. “Oh, yeah, sorry. Forgot to introduce myself. I’m Bryan, it’s nice to meet you. I swear I’m not normally like this, it’s just… it’s been a long day,” Bryan chuckled, in disbelief that he’d actually stayed alive long enough to even have a conversation like this with someone.
Leon smiled and Bryan had to stop his thoughts from going off track.
“No worries, it’s been a long day for me too,” Leon admitted, a hint of sadness lacing his voice. Bryan took a mental note to ask him about that later.
If there even was any ‘later’ for them.
“Look, man. I know you probably have a ton of your own problems to deal with here, but I could really use your help outside the station too,” Bryan started, grabbing the green bag and holding it on his lap. “I’m a courier. I have to deliver this bag to the hospital here soon. They’re relying on me.”
“Do you know what’s in it?”
Bryan shrugged, “I probably shouldn’t tell you, because it’s like a government secret or something. But I guess that doesn’t matter if you’re the police anyway, right?”
“I think a lot of things don’t matter now,” Leon countered.
And yup, yeah. He’s got a point there. As long as he got to the hospital safely with the bag in his arms, then not much else mattered.
“You got me there. It’s uh… the cure? Or whatever?” He tried to explain, voice uncertain.
“The cure?” Leon looked puzzled, unsure if he should believe a random guy he literally just met a few minutes ago.
“Yeah, like, a cure for whatever is happening out there. If i deliver it to the hospital, they’re gonna fix everything. We’re all gonna go back to normal, to how it was before. They promised.”
“They?” Leon stood up and walked over to Bryan, motioning for him to hand the bag over.
“Yeah, some like, corpo guys or something. Uh… Umbrella? Or something like that.” Bryan nodded, proud of himself for remembering the name.
He let Leon take the bag from him, trusting him fully with it. Leon seemed like a good guy. Bryan was good at sensing people’s vibes like that and he was pretty sure about Leon.
“Hm, and you’re sure they weren’t lying?” He asked, putting the bag on the table and unzipping it.
“I mean, they looked pretty reputable to me, so…” Bryan replayed the car conversation in his head, mentally cringing.
Reputable, yup. Definitely. But what other choice did he have?
Leon opened the bag and looked inside, examining the tube filled with liquid closely. He paused.
“Do you believe all of this? You think they were telling the truth?”
And Bryan pondered it, really thought about it. He nodded.
“Yeah, I think they were. I think this is our best shot.” It has to be, he thought.
“Okay.”
“Okay?” Bryan asked, unsure.
“Yeah, I will escort you to the hospital and make sure the cure gets delivered safely. If you’re sure this can fix everything, I trust you.” Leon agreed, his voice steadier now as he closed the bag up again and placed it back into Bryan’s arms, his mind made up.
Bryan looked up at him, holding the bag a bit tighter to his body, as if he wanted to protect it. The stinging on his arm returned.
“Thank you,” He breathed out in relief, offering Leon a small grateful smile.
He was gonna make it, it was all going to be alright.
Leon ducked his head, “No need to thank me, it’s my job.”
Bryan shrugged, standing up from the couch so he could put his jacket and hat back on, ready for the journey that awaited them both now.
“I know but still… Thanks, it means a lot, man. Feels nice to know that the next time we get jumped by those things, one of us is skilled enough to shoot without missing,” He grinned, patting Leon on the shoulder once as he made his way towards the door.
He opened the door and turned back to Leon, who looked a bit stunned, the tips of his ears pink.
“Ready?” Bryan asked, tightening the strap of the bag across his body.
Leon cleared his throat and nodded once, twice.
He unhooked his gun from its holster and held it between both hands. “As I’ll ever be.”