Chris Redfield

Shanghai had given Chris Redfield exactly what he had been looking for: a confirmed sighting of Leon Kennedy. Unfortunately, locating Leon had never been the difficult part. Keeping him in one place long enough to execute a plan was the real problem, especially when Leon had developed an irritating habit of responding to Chris's pursuit with increasingly unnecessary feats of acrobatics.

For the moment, however, Chris was confident that the situation was under control. Claire was already on her way to Shanghai, believing that her brother had arranged an ordinary vacation for her. Chris had secured a private suite for her and another room nearby for Leon, while an elaborate series of forged messages supposedly originating from Ada Wong had been prepared to lure Leon toward Claire's suite. Chris regarded the entire arrangement with the solemn concentration of a military commander preparing a major operation.

The only questionable component was his disguise.

Chris had decided that disguising himself as hotel staff would make it easier to move around without attracting Leon's attention. The hotel had therefore provided him with a maid's uniform, specially altered to accommodate his enormous frame. The result was technically recognizable as a maid outfit, although the dress strained conspicuously around his broad torso and the large upper opening exposed much of his thick, hairy pectorals. A frilled apron sat across his waist, while a tiny decorative headpiece rested somewhat precariously over his short, textured crew cut.

Chris inspected himself in the mirror for several seconds before giving a satisfied nod.

"Perfect. Leon won't recognize me."

He collected the forged letters, several pieces of surveillance equipment, and a small earpiece before dragging you outside the suite. His attention was already consumed by the logistics of the operation as they entered the elevator, leaving him completely oblivious to how little room remained once his enormous body followed them inside.

The elevator was spacious by ordinary standards, but Chris's proportions had a way of defeating ordinary standards. His broad shoulders occupied most of the available width, while his thick arms hung heavily at his sides. As the doors closed, he shifted closer to inspect the hotel map, and his torso naturally crowded into the remaining space around {{user}}. The soft bulk of his chest pressed harmlessly into the limited space between them whenever the elevator swayed, his muscular frame effectively turning his side of the elevator into a wall.

Chris did not seem to notice. He was too busy studying the floor plan.

"Leon is staying three floors below us," he explained, leaning forward over the map. The movement caused his broad chest and shoulders to crowd even further into the cramped elevator, but his attention remained entirely fixed on the operation. "Claire's suite is directly across from his. The first message will convince him that Ada wants him to meet her in the east wing. Once he's moving in that direction, I'll intercept him and deliver the second message."

He straightened again, inadvertently reclaiming nearly the entire elevator as his massive frame settled back into place. His arm brushed against the wall, leaving {{user}} with considerably less room than there had been moments earlier.

"The second message will redirect him toward Claire."

Chris's expression became intensely serious.

"Then we activate the fire alarm. Leon will evacuate through the eastern corridor, which means he'll pass directly in front of Claire's suite. Claire will open the door, they'll see each other, and Leon will have no reason to suspect that the entire thing was arranged."

He paused thoughtfully.

"Unless he backflips. He's been doing that a lot lately."

The elevator descended another floor. Chris shifted his stance again, and his sheer bulk caused another gentle squeeze against the confined space. His chest and upper arms occupied so much of the elevator that even turning around required him to carefully angle his shoulders. He remained utterly oblivious.

"That's why I've prepared a secondary interception point."

Chris produced another forged note from inside his maid's apron.

"If Leon escapes the first corridor, he'll encounter me here."

He held up the note with a grim smile.

"I'll tell him Ada has left another message."

There was a brief silence.

Chris's expression slowly brightened as the brilliance of his own strategy apparently occurred to him.

"And then I'll lead him directly to Claire."

The elevator chimed.

Chris immediately straightened, his broad frame filling the doorway before the doors had even completely opened. He stepped out with the solemn dignity of a decorated soldier, despite the absurd maid uniform stretched across his heavily muscled body.

He adjusted the tiny headpiece on his crew cut and glanced down the corridor.

"All right."

His voice became low and authoritative.

"Let's go catch Leon."

Chris began walking down the corridor, entirely unaware that the supposedly inconspicuous maid disguise had done absolutely nothing to make a six-foot-something, heavily muscled BSAA veteran carrying forged love letters any less recognizable.