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Resident Evil 4: When Heaven and Hell Collide

Disclaimer: I do not own Resident Evil 4 or its characters. *sniffle* Also, if anyone has seen Mission: Impossible, the NOC list is the same thing as from that movie. Basically, if you recognize it, it’s not mine. ^_^

So, this a rewrite and repost of a fic I published when the original (yes, I’m old, please be kind) game came out. It’s not great but I never finished it so I’m going to finish it! It does follow the plot of the original game somewhat so, if there are differences, it is intentional. I cannot wait to play the remake!!!! Please heed the warnings and tags! If you have the compulsive urge to criticize, please keep it constructive!

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Prelude: Alone

The scarce moonlight filtered in through the single barred window of the dank, bleak cell as a young woman of twenty was thrust into the cramped space. Dismayed and nearly hysterical, the woman surveyed her new surroundings. There was no furniture in the cell, save for one desk in the far-left corner, one bookshelf on the right side of the cell, and a few oil barrels in the far-right corner. There were no light sources, except for the glimmer from outside and the small, unlit oil saucer on the wooden table. Her beautiful, shoulder-length blond hair fell over her face as she drew her knees up to her chest and laid her head on them wearily. The steady sound of water dripping reached her ears, reminding her of her immense thirst. She crawled over to a puddle by the only, tiny window in her cell. The moonlight refracted off the water, making it impossible to determine the purity. The woman’s crystalline, soft amber eyes searched the glare for a color. Uncertain, she dipped her slender, fragile hands into the water. Curious, she drew the substance up to her nose and smelled a faint odor of iron and tar. As she took a closer look at the liquid in her hands, she was horrified. It was not water, no. It was blood, human blood. No longer thirsty, the woman panicked and began to beat her fists against the iron door of her cell. She became ill as the horrible stench of the blood, the tar from the oil barrels in the corner, and the mold, from the rafters, seemed to multiply tenfold.

“Let me out! People are going to come for me and, when they do, you’re going to be in a world of hurt! You just wait!” Suddenly, the small metal spy-hole on the door slid back to reveal a pair of blood-red eyes, nearly concealed by the shadow that was drawn by the being’s robe’s hood.

“Believe me, Ms. Graham; we know that people will come for you. That’s why you’re here. Now…shut up!!!” the man shouted as he hurled a small, lit oil disk into her cell. Sparks flew and the young woman shrieked as she hid behind the two oil barrels in the corner, not thinking that the potentially flammable objects would catch. Once she regained her sense, she stood and walked under the light-filled window. All that could be heard was her heavy breath and the clopping of the heels of her brown, knee-length boots against the slimy floor. The woman flopped down on the floor, curling into a ball, no longer caring about the grimy cell base. Her once orange shirt was now stained a light brown, the belt, which hung loosely around her waist, was caked in mud, and her once neat, green-plaid skirt was now frayed and tattered at the edges. Cold and silent, the woman began to sob. Is anyone going to save me? Ashley thought aloud, somehow expecting an answer from the cruel cell walls. None came. Eventually, her tiny sobs became inaudible as she cried herself to sleep.
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“Ms. Ashley Graham. Do you know who that is, Kennedy?” President Graham asked the blond-haired agent as he handed a picture over the top of the desk, to the man of about 26.

“Of course, Mr. President. That’s your daughter, Ashley.” the agent said as he offered the picture back. Mr. Graham ignored the gesture and began to pace around the Oval Office. Leon took this as a signal and placed the picture safely in his jacket pocket. The agent drew his brown coat around himself as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, trying to block out the cold of the Oval Office. He was tired, dog tired. The tan-colored fur lining the neck and wrists of his brown jacket warmed him, only adding to his fatigue. Even though his clothes helped, the agent felt naked without his weapons. As the usual preventative measure, agent Kennedy’s handgun and knife had been confiscated. The ammo from his jean pockets, the two ammo cases attached to his belt, and the brown ammo harness that he always wore under his jacket had been removed as well. This left him in his loose cargo jeans, gray rash-guard shirt, black sneakers, brown jacket, and his favorite pair of black gloves. The agent’s piercing, ice burg-blue eyes began to drop as he thought of how much he despised the Oval Office. He hated its cold, sharp edges and the temperature was always freezing. Not to mention the fact that he wanted his equipment back. He had been briefed in this room for the last two years. It never seemed to change, even though President Graham’s predecessor was just impeached from the office only three months ago. Knowing that he would be briefed here several more times before he retired, Leon decided to ignore the morbid air of the large space. It was hard not to be lulled into a light sleep in his deprived state.

“You’re damn right that’s my little girl! Do you know why you’re here, Kennedy?” the President asked as he sat back down in his chair and leaned forward over the desk. The agent jerked as he was wrenched from his temporary coma.

“No sir. If it has to do with my assignment in Iraq, with all due respect, I don’t see how it pertains to your daughter. I wasn’t supposed to be assigned to the protection of your family for another four weeks.” the lean well-built agent said as he tried to keep from falling asleep in the stiff, wooden chair. It only became more difficult as the smell of his favorite spice, cinnamon, wafted into his nostrils, all the way from the kitchen.

“What was your assignment in Iraq and why should I trust you to protect my family?” President Graham asked as he shifted through Kennedy’s rap-sheet.

“I spent the last six and a half weeks infiltrating supposed Al-Queda headquarters, gathering information for our government and trying to put a location on Osama Bin Laden,” at this agent Kennedy shifted uncomfortably in his seat. What he said next could determine whether he achieved his dream job or not. “Sir, I have been working my way up to the top, protecting the President and his family, for several years. If you give me a chance, I swear I will do my best. I’ve been waiting for this honor for years.”

“Well Mr. Kennedy, you are here four weeks early because my daughter’s other bodyguard fucked up. She was abducted from her university three days ago and no agent has been able to locate her and retrieve her. I was advised that you were extremely reliable and the man for the job.” the president said as he read Kennedy’s bio sheet carefully, not noticing the agent leaning farther and farther forward in his chair. There was a brief silence as Leon watched the President carefully for any signs of approval. “Your files are quite impressive. You are the United States’ top agent, as well as number one on the NOC list. That’s….well…that’s extremely impressive. That means that every agent in the U.S. wants to be you and every agent, in every other country, wants to kill you. All right, as of now, you have been reassigned, Kennedy.” President Graham said as he handed the agent two manilla envelopes. The agent’s heart skipped a beat as he took the envelopes. This meant that he had really done it. He had worked himself all the way to the top. “My daughter’s location is believed to be in a little village, in the northern part of Spain, called El Luga Muerto. If this is found to be her location, we will send you backup immediately and you are to rescue her and bring her back to Washington, understood?”

“Yes, sir. You won’t regret hiring me.” the agent said with the last of his speaking energy.

“Well then, Mr. Leon Scott Kennedy, let’s see if you’re as good as they say you are.” Graham said as he signed the official document, stating that Leon was on the mission. The rest of the room was silent, save for the scribbling of the President’s pen against the paper. President Graham began to speak again as Leon began sliding off the edge of his chair.

“You do realize that this is my little girl. I don’t care how you do it, where you do it, or even when you do it but, whatever you do, bring her back!” the President said as he slammed his fists on the desk. Leon jumped slightly and straightened up, trying to sharpen his senses.

“You can count on me, Mr. President.”

“Let’s hope so…for Ashley’s and your sake. Mr. Leon Kennedy, good luck and…thank you.” the President said as he shook the agent’s hand and escorted him to the door. Leon retrieved his weapons, as well as his government badge, and was rushed into a government chopper within the hour.
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“This is your communicator. You know how to use it but, Leon, don’t break this one. Hey, are you listening to me?” a mousy-looking man with glasses asked as he punched Leon on the shoulder. The agent lifted his head groggily. “I let you sleep for the first seven and a half hours. We only have an hour and a half left.”

“It’s three o’ clock in the morning in Baghdad and, before now, I haven‘t really slept in nine days, Mike.” Leon said as he looked at his watch in surprise.

“Well, it’s seven o’ clock in the evening in the U.S. and it’s one o’ clock in the morning in Spain. By the time we land, it will be two thirty. You’ll get about three more hours of rest, and you’ll begin investigating around six. Now, if you break this communicator, it’s my ass.” the man said as he waved the expensive-looking object in the agent’s face.

“You know me, Mike, always careful.” Leon said, with a grin, as he flipped the heavy radio in his hands.

“We made that thing virtually indestructible. So, please, Leon, don’t defy the laws of science and technology…again.” Mike said as he put his hands together in a mock plea.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Leon asked as he strapped his ammo harness on and began filling it with various types of ammo.

“Let’s face it, you’ve got a knack for getting into bad situations and the fact that one agent, before you, has died trying to rescue this girl doesn’t help. And… I’m sure the fact that the girl’s hot means nothing to you. Right, Leon?” Mike said as he looked over his glasses at his companion of four years.

“The previous agent was a pushover, just in the rotation from the O.R.E., and, unlike you, I am able to control my few, impure thoughts.” Leon said as he fastened a TMP on his belt.

“What are you doing? You’re not here to invade Spain. You’re here to ask a few questions, locate the president’s daughter, and get her out.” Mike said as he took the TMP off Leon’s belt. “You get one gun; your handgun, and that’s strictly a safety precaution.”

“Fine, but if I die because I run out of defenses, how will you feel? After all, an agent has already been lost on this mission.” Leon said, making a fake pity face.

“I’m sure that you won’t stand a chance against the unarmed villagers. Which reminds me…do you have any id on you?” Mike asked, regaining his serious tone.

“I removed all but my badge…I think we’re landing.” the agent said as the helicopter gave an ominous jerk.

“Then I take it you clearly recall the fact that the U.S. government will disavow all knowledge of you if you die?” Mike said as he patted Leon on the shoulder.

“Thanks for that, pal.” Leon said as he began to exit the chopper.

“No prob. That beaten-up ‘84 model car there… that’s your police escort. Have fun. See you in the Americas in a few days.” Mike said as the helicopter lifted again, leaving Leon to his escorts’ car. Leon entered the Policias’ car and stared out the window as they began to pull away. I might need that gun. Leon whispered under his breath as he was lost to his own thoughts.
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Well, that was rough, guys. If you liked it, or not, let me know about it in the comments!

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Chapter 1: Hostility

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“What brings you so far away from home, Americano?” the first Spanish cop asked as he lit up something that looked suspiciously like a joint. Leon, being lost in thought, only passed a glance at the man, not really seeing him but simply acknowledging his presence. As usual, the plans had changed and instead of getting the rest he was promised, Leon was now forced to begin his investigation at two o’ clock in the morning. Leon, not being particularly pleased, wondered how cooperative people could possibly be at two A.M.

“Aww…what’s the matter, cowboy? You leave your makeup at home; or did you just forget why you’re here?” the second cop asked as he motioned for the other cop to give his suspect ‘cigarette’ a light too. The car jerked as the cop reached to give his companion a light. Leon glared at the two. Considering that the old car was creaking and rusty already, the agent figured that it probably wasn't a good idea to focus on anything other than keeping the hunk of junk on the road, especially when it was still very dark outside and the headlights didn't work. Then again...it wasn't really a road anyways; it was more of a dirt path that a car could fit on.

‘Who are these guys? Is that marijuana? God, I can smell it! That’d be a great way to die. “Sorry Mr. President, your daughter wasn’t rescued, and your new agent was killed because his escorts were high, and they pushed him from a moving vehicle” I can hear it now.’ Leon thought to himself as he sighed and kept looking out the window as the dark outlines of trees blurred by. Around the bend, an old, decrepit cabin came into view. The agent didn't see any lights on inside but he figured it was because the household was asleep. He would just knock on the door, ask for any information, and then apologize for the intrusion.

“Hey, stop here. Maybe they know something.” Leon commanded as he clambered out of the car and turned to address the two impaired persons. “I’m counting on you guys to be here when I get…” as soon as Leon began talking, the cops drove off. “Hey! You can’t leave me here!” Leon shouted as he tried to run down the car. The cops didn't slow down; they only pointed at 'the American' and laughed. Stumbling over a root in the dark, Leon hit the ground with an ominous thud. Out of breath, the agent could only watch as the car continued to drive. Suddenly, Leon felt something whiz by his head, slicing a few of his fine blond hairs. Had he been two centimeters to his left, he would have been minus an ear. The next thing he knew, he heard the cops' car's tire blow and saw the vehicle go careening into the river, under the bridge.

“What in the Hell...” Leon mumbled breathlessly as he stood in shock. Realizing that the ax had been aimed at his head, Leon spun around, only to find a Spanish villager running towards him with a torch lit and ready to burn. Instinctively, Leon pulled out his handgun and fired straight into the man's heart, not even warning him to freeze first. When his panic subsided, Leon realized what he'd just done. He had fired on an unarmed civilian. Being an agent, Leon didn't count a torch as a weapon. What if the man had been running to help him? After all, it was early morning and the torch could have been just for light. Unlikely but, after the Raccoon City incident, Leon kept his mind open to every possibility. Kneeling next to the man, the agent checked for a pulse, keeping his gun out. There was no pulse, no breathing; nothing. The man's skin was waxy and as cold as ice. “That shouldn't be...I just shot him.” Leon mumbled as he pulled his handgun away in confusion. Leon stood, holstering his gun as he began to walk away. He wrapped his jacket closer around himself to keep the unyielding iciness of the forest away and hoping that he could find his flashlight in the left pocket (where it was supposed to be). Naturally, the flashlight was not there so, Leon searched the other pockets of his clothes. Mike's taunting of his obstructive luck with any technology, other than guns, began echoing in his mind. It made the agent smile to himself lightly, knowing that, when he told Mike about this mishap, it would set off a whole other wave of banter between the two of them. Giving up on the light, Leon pulled up his communicator. He went to the GPS menu, knowing full well that it hadn't been activated yet. The blank screen did provide a significant light source though.

The woods were silent, save for the rustling of the leaves in the light wind, the vicious rush of the river under the bridge, and the agent's timorous breath. Something was odd; it was too quiet, and the smell of death hovered all around. This made Leon uneasy as he stumbled towards the shelter. One would even say jumpy. Suddenly, the agent's head spun, and his stomach churned, forcing him to steady himself against a tree. Catching his breath, a chill went up the agent's spine as a groan escaped the Spanish villager, whom he had just shot. Fearing the angry individual was alive, Leon slowly turned around, praying that he was wrong. Before he could register the sudden movement a pair of hands encircled his throat. The villager was strong, and his hands were depriving the agent of his air. Leon dropped the heavy radio and the sound seemed to echo for miles. Regaining his common sense and using the man's shoulders as a brace, Leon walked himself up the man's waist and J-kicked him in the head. To the agent's horror, the man's head burst, bits of brain, flesh, and blood splattering all over his clothes. Leon stood in astonishment, staring at the grotesque scene of the bubbling puddle of human at his feet and trying to ignore the clumps of the gray organ that speckled his clothes. He tried not to shudder at the feeling of warm blood soaking through to his skin. 'His head just flew off. His bones were like... peanut brittle. Now he's ...bubbling away. It's almost like he's a...he's a...' Leon began to think to himself as he bent down and picked up his communicator, too dumbfounded to even mumble.

“Like he's a what, Mr. American?” Leon spun around, drawing his handgun and searching for the origin of the deep, heavily accented, Spanish voice. There was no one there; just the same black emptiness as before.

“Show yourself!” Leon shouted into the woods, valiantly keeping his gun from shaking in his hands. It was almost useless to stare into the woods. Except for the small area covered by his communicator's light, the agent was virtually blind.

“I can't do that, Mr. Kennedy. Actually, I'm quite far away from you.” the sinister voice replied. It seemed to be everywhere. The agent could not determine the derivation of the voice and turned around and around to see where the frequency was strongest. To his concern, the frequency was just as strong in every direction, as if it was coming out of nowhere and everywhere all at once.

“What do you mean? How do you know who I am?” Leon whispered slowly as he made his way towards the dilapidated cabin, not expecting a reply. A headache began forming behind the agent's forehead and a new wave of nausea caused him to walk slightly more unsteady than before. He clipped the communicator to his belt, the light facing outward, so that he had both hands to use but could still see.

“I know a lot more than that, Mr. Kennedy. I know that your favorite smell is cinnamon and that you really want a life-long companion. But you can't have that, can you?” Leon tried to ignore the chitchat and kept making his way towards the house. His eyes were getting used to the strange light source and it was becoming easier for him to move without stumbling. “Poor baby. How do I know? Telepathy, Mr. Leon Scott; I know everything that you are thinking.” the voice teased sadistically. Startled, Leon froze and tried to think of absolutely nothing. The long silence was nothing short of agonizing as the agent waited with bated breath. “Ah...I should have known that you were here for the girl. Good luck my American friend, you'll need it.” the voice said as Leon's dizzy spell finally faded. The agent slowly made his way up the shrieking steps of the lodge as the smell of dry rot and ancient reached his nostrils. Leon decided it was wise to neither confirm nor deny the assumption verbally until he knew what he was up against. But then he thought, did it really matter; if the unbalanced psychosomatic man was telling the truth about his telepathy, then he already knew that answer.

“Who the Hell are you?” there was no reply. “I don't need your luck, bastard!” Leon shouted as he smashed open the cabin's door. As his piercing, critical, blue eyes searched the one-room house, the only noise that reached the agent's ears was the sound of warped floorboards that had seen several years of harsh winters and blistering summers. The smell of mold was nearly overpowering and made Leon wonder just how long the house had been there. The agent calmed himself, his breath becoming softer and his heartbeat less erratic. Once he was sure that no one was in the cabin, and the man had left his thoughts, Leon shakily sat down at the only pieces of furniture in the room; a wooden table and chair, long since forgotten about by the owner. Spotting an oil saucer on the table, Leon dove into his right pants’ pocket and took his second to last match out of its box. The agent really didn't know why he carried matches; he didn't smoke. He supposed that it was for situations just like this. Well...emergencies anyways. Although it wasn't a five-star motel, Leon was grateful for the break from the cold and the dark. His numb fingers and cheeks began to thaw as the slightly warmer temperature inside the cabin helped and the small oil lamp shed a glowing light over the small floorboards.

'This reminds me of Raccoon City. But...how? Umbrella was destroyed. What if this wasn't just one crazy villager? What if they're all like this? What if Ashley’s already dead? Something tells me...' Leon's unsystematic thoughts were interrupted by the loud screech of his communicator. He picked up the device, staring into the face of his inflexible support runner, Ingrid Hunnigan. She had supervised the last few of Leon’s missions and was used to his usual banter. Leon, having gone through a few other supports, liked Hunnigan because she actually responded to his teasing of her sophistication and enjoyed it to a degree.
“Leon. What‘s going on? Do you have any evidence leading to Ashley yet?”

“Negative. I’ve only encountered one villager but, he was…disobliging.” Leon stated calmly, finding it as easy as usual to mask his panic and turmoil.

“What do you mean? Are you alright?” Hunnigan asked, not surprising Leon. After all, it was her job to make sure that he was alive and well practically every thirty minutes.

“I’m fine but I think I know why the other agent was killed. My escorts were also attacked, and their physical state is... unknown at this time. The guy I encountered didn’t seem to care for me very much. I’m not sure yet, but I don’t think that any of the other villagers will be too receptive either. I can neither confirm nor deny if Ashley is here or not. I have a feeling that she is, but feelings can be incorrect.” Leon said as he reloaded his handgun.

“He attacked you? Be careful, Leon, and find out about Ashley as soon as you can! You’re only about two miles from the village. Maybe someone there will help. It's your best shot. Do you have reason to believe that Ashley is there and, if so, do I need to send backup now?” Ingrid asked as she activated the communicator’s GPS capability.

“I have reason to believe that she is here but I'm not sure enough yet. Don't send backup. The rest of the villagers may cooperate, and I may be wrong about Ashley. I’ll contact you when I get any information. Leon out.” the agent said as he hung the communicator on his belt, stood, and left the cabin, being careful to grab his oil saucer as well. After all, the longer he took, the longer Ashley may have to wait and the more her rate of survival could be decreased. The agent felt more assured knowing that he did have support; even if it was hundreds of miles away. Also, having a focused conversation about Ashley helped him remember that he could be, in fact, this girl’s only hope. If she was hostage in this place, there probably wouldn’t be enough time to send another agent, after himself, before the unknown group was finished with her. Leon, once again concealing his fear with his self-confident attitude and with the knowledge that he might be someone's lifeline, made his way towards El Luga Muerto.

‘It’s going to suck to be a zombie when I get through with them; especially if they have Ashley, hurt her, and send my assignment to Hell.’ Leon thought as he checked the sharpness of his knife and made his way down the lonely, cold, gloomy forest path.

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“Now, Ms. Graham, are we going to cooperate quietly or are we going to be…obstinate?” the tall figure cooed to the girl’s ear as his grimy, clawed hand ‘caressed’ her cheek. Ashley tried to get a look at the face of her oppressor but found that the velvet, dark blue hood shaded his face too deeply. She was in a strange room. It was all metal, with machines and test tubes, as if it were a laboratory. This must have been the basement of the church. When they were dragging her along, Ashley had been looking around, thinking that she could find an escape route. They hadn’t gone outside of the church, just down a bunch of stairs. She wondered why anyone would build something like this under a place of holy worship. And, why her captors all wore long, elegantly decorated robes but worked with advanced machines.

“If you think that I’m going to help you, you must have fallen out of the brainless tree and hit every branch on the way down!” Ashley said as she tried to squirm out of the iron chair she was bound to. The iron clasps on her wrists rubbed painfully against her tender skin as she tried to free herself. She felt blisters begin to form as she fought the bonds harder. Then, she stared down at her wrists, seeing the red, raw, and, in some places, bleeding skin. She gritted her teeth and fought even harder; the small pain was easy to bear if she could free herself.

“It’s a shame. If I were a few years younger, you would be my type; fiery and a little… naïve.” the robed figure nearly growled as he roughly yanked Ashley’s head towards his by a handful of her soft, golden hair. His grip was strong, making Ashley's struggling to be in vain.

“Ah! In your dreams you, you psycho!” Ashley said as she squeaked in pain. ‘Let go! Please! You’re scalping me! Someone…it hurts!’ Ashley thought as she managed to hide her discomfort from her newfound enemies. Small tears of pain threatened to fall but the girl survived the hazard and suppressed the liquid that clouded her wide, amber eyes.

“Actually, in my nightmares, Ms. Graham. Only a father would love such a spoiled, foolish girl; even though you are beautiful. Sanchez, bring the sample.” the figure commanded as he let go of Ashley’s hair and brought his face only a few centimeters away from hers. “Now, Darling, we’re going to endow you with the power that courses through our veins. Any last requests before you begin your transformation?” Ashley was too thunderstruck by the man’s ugliness to answer for a moment. His eyes were sagging and a blood red so penetrating, that Ashley almost felt anesthetized. His skin was floppy, and it looked like gravity was having fun with it. His teeth were a color of yellow that Ashley didn’t think existed, and so crooked that they looked like they were half pulled out of the man’s mouth. At the moment, his mouth was curled into such a perverse smile that it made his teeth look straight. Ashley wondered how old this man was and realized how scared of him she really was. He was deranged and strong, and she was alone in this strange, twisted place.

“Who do you think you are? Kidnapping me and ‘endowing me with your power’; you’ll never get away with it.” Ashley said as the robed figure’s assistant brought a large vile with purple liquid. ‘That’s not going in me, is it? What are they going to do to me? Is that an…egg? My father better not have sent some brainless muscleman for me; these guys aren’t just terrorists.’ Ashley thought as she inched over to the other side of her seat. The man in red attached a needle to the end of the vile, confirming Ashley's worst fear. Her heart omitted a beat as her phobia of needles set in.

“My dear, I already have gotten away with it. And, I suppose that there’s no harm in telling you who I am. After all, it won’t matter in a couple of weeks. My name is Osmund Saddler. You’ll recognize me as your Lord soon enough though.” Saddler said as he stuck the needle in the girl’s neck. Ashley arched her back upwards as the barb was driven deep into the soft, vulnerable muscles. Two red-robed figures held Ashley down, so there was no way she could prevent the liquid from being injected.

The liquid entered her veins, turning everything frigid around her. She couldn’t move. Everything in front of her eyes went black but, her eyes were still open; she could still hear; she was still awake. Ashley’s thoughts raced as she tried to move, close her eyes, anything. Then, it felt as though there was a small rock injected into her veins. She could feel it traveling through her bloodstream, inching along painfully. ‘What is that? Where is it going? It hurts. Am I going to die? What if I...…I’m tired. Goodnight, Dad.’ Ashley slowly stopped her thoughts and yielded to her sudden weakness as the full effect of the serum took over.

“Put her back in her cell. She won’t be bothersome for a few hours. If the girl is here, the agent will come for her. Be ready; we don’t want to relocate the girl until he comes. After all, we can’t perform the final ritual for another few days. There’s no point in bringing them to the island until they’re both injected. I‘m retuning to the island for some equipment for this lab. We need to infect the agent before he has to go to our fortress. Don't fail me..” Saddler said as he retracted the syringe and waved for his puppets to follow his orders.

“Now, my American friend, you’re next. You won’t be killed by the Ganados. Although you are an American, you are too smart for that. I’ll be waiting. After all, why take one infection home when you can take two? If you get too out of line.…I can just kill you.” Saddler mumbled as he flipped the tail of his robe and left the lab. His maniacal laugh echoed throughout the laboratory halls until the sound- proof doors closed behind him and drowned the spine-chilling din.

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It is incredibly difficult to edit an old work of your own. I want to rewrite the whole thing but, for the sake of time, I will keep trying to spot rewrite. Game came out this last week! I Can’t wait to play it! Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

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Chapter 2: Confusion
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The cold rain whipped around his face in a tumult of wind and hail as the agent ducked inside one of the most extensive houses in the village. Considering it was still early morning, had Leon not had his communicator’s light, he would be fighting as blindly as a bat. The first thing the villagers made sure of was that Leon didn’t have the oil saucer as a light source, making the communicator the only luminescent thing for miles. The torches the villagers carried, and the smoldering corpse of the police officer hardly counted as illumination. To make matters worse, this place was the true reincarnate of Hell on Earth. It had to be. The agent had never seen such a small, quiet, derelict town that could change from asylum to damnation in the span of thirty seconds. Ever since he had arrived, there had been nothing but screaming villagers, pitchforks stabbing, kitchen knives flying and a chainsaw revving in the hands of the lead town lunatic. The ominous humming had long since stopped. But the only thing that scared Leon more than knowing a maniac was after him with a chainsaw, was knowing that a maniac was after him with a chainsaw but not knowing where the maniac was in the sinister, deathly freezing hours of darkness.

He had been holding off the villagers for at least half an hour and sometimes boxes of bullets would fall out of the residents’ pockets but, not often enough. Why they carried ammunition in their pockets, the agent would never understand. He was grateful regardless. Perhaps the gleaming projectiles held some immense value in this rural, archaic place. Even with the occasional help, Leon’s ammo was dwindling and, for every zombie he killed; three more took its place. As he had earlier feared, these zombies were once very normal people, with very normal lives. Now they were in a state of a crazed psychosis. They were undoubtedly being controlled by unstable sociopaths with a history of abuse and access to dangerous chemicals: aka, Umbrella. Leon knew, somehow, Umbrella was wrapped up with this situation as well. Too many of his missions in the last two years had been Umbrella based and they all started to look the same. Nevertheless, by himself there was nothing he could do about it. As much as he hated to flee, the agent knew he was in a losing position. Until he had more ammunition and more information, he would have to tread carefully.

‘Damn! I only have ten bullets left.’ the agent thought as he dashed up the house’s rickety, old staircase and reloaded his handgun with the last remaining bullets. Sweat beaded his brow as he topped the flight of steps. Although he was hoping to find an escape; there was none. The only possible route was the window. However, the fall could be fatal if the agent didn’t land correctly or landed in a pack of villagers and was incapable of escaping their onslaught. The house was being surrounded and Leon concluded that he would have to make a stand and lessen their numbers before he could even consider escaping. But did he have that sort of time?

Before he was ready, the sound of glass shattering, and wood splintering reached the agent’s ears as a ladder was smashed into the upstairs window before him. The front door beneath him was thrust to the floor. Reacting as quickly as his nerves would permit, Leon turned and fired through the oncoming mob of zombies at the stairway. The agent knew that he didn’t have enough bullets to kill all of them, so he would take out the front line. Once he had taken down the first three, the others were too brainless and fell from the barricade, completely perplexed; just what he had been counting on. Now that he had halted the first ambush , the agent remembered the shattered glass. Leon dashed to the window at the back wall, his adrenaline being driven from his glands as his very existence depended on his own swiftness. He didn’t stand a chance if the natives cut him off from both sides. Then, his version of the worst-case scenario came into shape as he saw the long blade and chain emerge from under the sill, right alongside the bloody burlap bag. The chainsaw was not yet rotating but Leon’s stomach wrenched at the thought of the rusty, circulating weapon being slashed at his every appendage. For some reason, this man was unfazed by the sting of handgun bullets; his only hope was to throw the psychopath to the earth before he climbed inside the building.

Holstering his gun and slamming into the lower wall with his thighs, the agent gripped the two caps of the ladder, straining every muscle in his body as he began to shove the weight of four or five villagers towards the earthen base below. Just before the ladder began to teeter and fall, the puss-filled, red eyes grinned sickeningly back at Leon as the man’s fleshy, dead fingers dug into the agent’s right shoulder. Then, the ladder fell out from under the man, segregating all his weight to the spot where he squeezed the agent. The nauseating thud of the bodies hitting the ground below, and the blood-curdling screams of the victims, made the agent realize that his only escape was almost open. Just this one man…that was the only thing stopping him. Leon grabbed at the man’s tremendously intense grip, trying to pry the hand off with both his own. The seemingly disturbed individual gave a low, guttural laugh as he began to lose his grip on the agent, causing Leon’s blood to chill.

The second he reached for his knife, Leon couldn’t help but scream as the maniac slammed the blades of the chainsaw into his left arm. Having re-fortified his grip on the agent’s shoulder, the only things keeping the man from plummeting to his death were the chainsaw blades gouging into the agent’s limb and his firm grip on his shoulder. Leon struggled and squirmed, trying to dislodge the weapon and send the man to his death without falling through the window himself. The agent’s feet slid across the dusty floor as the man’s weight caused him to lean farther and farther forward. If he didn’t do something, they were both going to fall. Seeing no other option, Leon sat on the creaky floor and braced his feet against the wall. The pain intensified immeasurably as the blades began to tear through the agent’s tender flesh; the sound revolting as the spikes continued to rip through the hard muscles, almost to the bone. His arms were bent over the window in a horrible position and all the agent could do was pray that the man lost his grip. Leon shouted even louder as he felt the blood ooze out into his jacket sleeve and heard the squelch as the blades gashed ever closer to the edge of his arm. Finally, as if his prayers had been answered, the gleam of a metal Remington 870 shotgun to the right caught the agent’s eye. Breaking the grip on his right arm, he wildly grabbed for the weapon with his free limb and prayed that it was still loaded; the agent never felt more relieved at the touch of cold metal.

“Laugh at this” Leon said as he steadied the butt on his ribcage and touched the man’s head with the muzzle. Leon pulled the trigger. The sound was nearly deafening, and the pushback of the gun made the agent wince as he felt one of his ribs propelled farther than it should have been. He felt the chainsaw ripped from his tissues as the force from the shot threw the man back in a whirlwind of crimson liquid, flesh, and brains. Specks of blood flew into the agent’s eyes and mouth, blinding him and forcing him to taste the putrid life liquid.

‘I’ll never talk and shoot again.’ Leon thought as he spat out the remainder of the residue and wiped his eyes. Preparing his mind for the impact of the jump and strapping the shotgun to his side, Leon launched himself out the window. He flipped gracefully in the air and landed hard on his shoulders, rolling into a squatting position. Immediately pulling his handgun, Leon searched the grounds for any more hostile inhabitants. All remaining villagers were apparently still in the house. None had located him yet, making now the perfect opportunity to call Hunnigan for backup. Whether or not Ashley was in this hellish place, Leon needed backup to get out of his predicament. Besides, the last the agency heard from him; he was just beginning to be attacked by the village. They would want to know his current state.

Locating an iron container large enough for himself to fit in, Leon quickly ducked inside. As he climbed in, he couldn’t help but groan at the sudden pang in his side, undeniably from the misuse of the Remington. Then, his pain was almost imperceptible as a stench, which was overwhelming and undeniable, greeted his nostrils. Apparently, the container was or had been used as a manure crate. However, if it gained some time, Leon did not care. Pulling out his communicator and turning the volume as low as it could go, he prepared to relay his situation. Suddenly, the forceful, memorable nausea took over his senses. Once again, the agent tried to think of nothing but that only produced a horrible migraine and dizziness.

“My dear American, why do you fight me? You should know by now that your pitiful mind is no match for mine. Why, it’s even as though your brain is an open book for my perusal.” the menacing, aged voice cooed as the agent gripped at his skull. The throbbing grew and deepened, causing Leon to lose what little contents he had in his stomach.

“What do you think you’re going to gain, old man? All you’re doing is pissing me off. You’re behind all this; I know you are. If I find Ashley here and there’s even a scratch on her, I swear I’ll…” Leon was cut off by a sharp throb in his stomach.

“You’ll do what? For being so intelligent and deciphering the fact that I’m in charge, you certainly do not know how to keep your mouth soundless. Take the girl; see if I care. We have no need for her anymore. I’ll even tell you where she is. She’s in the church right at the foot of the secret passage in the town hall.” the voice responded, trying to draw the agent within the folds of his own confusion.

‘Why would he tell me that?’ Leon thought, forgetting the man’s telepathic abilities. Now, somehow the agent knew that this plot revolved around more than simple terrorism or Umbrella.

“My darling Leon, why not? It’s not like you’re going to escape this place alive. It‘s just fun to play with you. By the way, go ahead and call for your backup; they won’t be able to help you.” the man threatened as Leon’s sickness wore off. Once again, the sociopath had left his thoughts. Now, the agent knew two things for sure; Ashley was being hidden in close proximity and the man, who kept breaching his contemplations, was behind it.

“Hunnigan, come in, Hunnigan.” Leon whispered into his communicator, once again preparing to inform the agency of his status.

“Hunnigan here. What do you have to report, Leon?” Ingrid replied, slightly alarmed by the fact that she could not see the receiving agent’s face through the darkness.

“I have a confirmed belief that Ashley is being held in this town. Apparently, she is being held in a church nearby. I need the location of that church, Hunnigan. In addition, backup officially requested.” Leon said as he checked everywhere for any shotgun or handgun ammo.

“I’ll get the nearest church’s coordinates and send them to you. I took the liberty of deploying your backup rescue team thirty minutes ago. Even though you said not to at the time, I trust your instincts, Leon. So, try to stay low for a while; they’ll be there in seven hours.” Ingrid said as the coordinates came beeping through.

“I’m flattered that you trust me so much but, we don’t have that sort of time, Hunnigan.” Leon said as he miraculously found a full box of fifteen shotgun shells in the dung. “The man in charge knows that I’m after Ashley. There’s no telling what he’ll do.”

“That is a problem. Well then, you have to retrieve her, Leon. You’ll know where she is when those coordinates come through; there‘s only one church in the vicinity. Can you handle the situation until your team arrives?” Hunnigan asked as she cleared her throat.

“Well, guess I’ve got to try, don’t I? I can retrieve her but, I don‘t know if I can hold off all the psychopaths forever.” Leon said as he shrugged his shoulders.

“You won’t have to hold them off for long, just a few hours. Be alert. Help will be there soon. We have a lock on your communicator, so they’ll be able to find you. Don’t worry about trying to find your team. Once you have Ashley, just find a decent place to stop and hide. Good Luck.” Ingrid said as the communications screen went blank, once again returning the communicator to the GPS screen.

“Ashley had better be here; especially since the team’s already been deployed. If this is just a lie to try and get me killed, a lot of people are going to be pissed and I’m going to lose my job.” Leon mumbled as he loaded one shell into his new shotgun. Leon slowly opened the metal lid. He didn’t hear any screams, and no one seemed to be on the streets or in the houses. But…now it was too quiet. It was unnerving. Vigilantly, Leon scrambled out of the horrid pen. He stood rigid for a moment, clutching the gun as if it were his life. Then, a warm draft, as of a breath, gently stroked the back of the agent’s neck. His hairs all stood on end; every nerve tensed. Everything in his body screamed to run but, if he did that, he’d never even know how to terminate whatever was behind him and it would just catch up later. Slowly, Leon began to twist around, his pupils contracting in fear. He came face to face with a penetrating black eye and what looked to be a false, red eye, accented by a haggard face and scar. This monster of a man was no doubt Spanish but did not appear to be affected by whatever everyone else was being plagued by. This man must have been the leader of the village, considering he was a good two feet taller than Leon’s height, had ungodly broad shoulders, and had a mass of villagers standing behind him. Without warning, Leon raised the shotgun and fired. To the agent’s alarm, the man did not even flinch, the hollow sound of the shot echoing throughout the settlement. The leader simply laughed, causing Leon to tense beyond belief.

“What’s so funny?” Leon asked mockingly as he began to back away to get a better shot at one of the various flammable barrels behind the gargantuan being. As if in answer, the man lunged at Leon‘s throat. The agent tried to deflect the leader’s hand but just did not have the same amount of strength. The chief now held Leon, above the ground, by his trachea. Leon grabbed at the colossal digits, trying to free his airway before he was asphyxiated. Maintaining his grip on the shotgun, the agent tried beating the captain with the iron butt of the firearm; the grip didn’t loosen. Everything was beginning to swirl to black. Shouts and noises were starting to become garbled, and confusion set in as the oxygen supply to his brain was disconnected.

“You’re the one master wants. I don’t know why. You seem puny…in all aspects” the leader taunted as he kicked Leon in the groin, adding insult to injury. At last, Leon felt the grip liberate his neck and he fell onto his knees. His mind, not knowing what to attend to first, sent Leon’s right hand to his throat and his left to his testicles. Both burned horribly and throbbed in a way that the agent had never known until now. This situated the agent in a pitiful way, much resembling a ball. “Perhaps not. Master gets what he wants.” the leader taunted as he raised his fist.

‘Master? This isn’t the man in charge? Wonderful.’ Leon thought as he lifted his face to the village chief. He was about to respond when the head’s fist connected with his face. Leon felt his body literally fly backwards for at least two feet and then land on the hard earth with a painful clunk. The last things the agent was aware of were the fact that he was being lifted high onto something, carried, and that he could no longer maintain the grip on his shotgun.

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Ashley heard the large door to the church open with its usual, sluggish, grating moan, wrenching her from her light sleep. Pulling herself off the grimy floor of the storage area, she rushed to the door of her cell. She could hear men talking but… about what? Her seven years of Middle and High school Spanish were finally paying off, enabling her to understand certain words. However, for the most part, the men were speaking too softly to be understood. Pressing her face tightly to the bars, she caught a glimpse of two robed figures carrying an unconscious man. Or was he dead? There was an awful lot of blood dripping behind the procession. It was strange; all the other zealots wore deep crimson robes, but these two wore beautiful, lustrous, amethyst robes. Ashley had never seen that color on any others. The closest she had seen was on that man, Saddler, was it? Perhaps these were some of the closer guards? Confusion seemed to be happening at every moment in this strange, dreary place. Her attention then turned to the man they were carrying by his arms and legs.

‘He doesn’t look Spanish. He doesn’t seem dead either. At least that’s slightly comforting. Actually, he looks like an American. I wonder if he’s one of the men my father sent. God, I hope so. Maybe they finally found me. Please be here for me. I know that my dad sent more than one person. More will come looking for him.’ Then, Ashley’s interest was piqued as the men topped the second-floor ladder, drawing closer as their voices became more unambiguous.

“Why do we have this one now? Why didn’t we just kill him and take his weapons?” the taller robed figure asked the more diminutive one. Ashley cringed as the two henchmen simply just let go of the man, allowing his body to hit the stone floor with a resounding smack. They were right outside her cell, and she could see all three clearly. The two servants just sat there for a moment, and then began to open a hatch in the floor. Her attention turned to the man on the floor.

“I don’t know. Master says that he’ll replace Krauser in both work and play.” the shorter figure responded. Well, they had plans for the American-looking man so, he couldn’t have been dead. That reassured Ashley somewhat.

“Then what’s the girl for?” the taller figure asked again, both taking a break and sitting in front of the cell. Ashley continued to look at the American-looking man and listen to the guards.

‘He can’t be much older than me.’ she thought solemnly. She noticed every feature. He had full blond hair and a strong, thin build. He didn’t look old but, then again, he couldn’t be too young because she knew that her father would not trust a man younger than twenty-two. ‘I wonder how they captured him. He looks smart and he definitely looks strong. I would almost say he’s cute if we weren’t in such an unpleasant circumstance. He reminds me of Shane…’

“I don’t know what she’s for. Something about money and continuing the generation of Saddlers- whatever that means.” Naturally, this drew Ashley’s attention away from her visitor. Although the morons didn’t know what that meant, she did. ‘Not going to happen as long as I’m alive.’ These men must have been closer to the man in charge. The other zealots, or the horrid villagers she had met earlier, were too dense to walk properly, let alone make a long, full sentence.

“All I know is that this one is to be infected, and both are to be put together, tested, to see if they are fit for their roles. We must leave the American with all of his weapons and ammunition, and neither are to be killed by our hands.” The smaller servant replied as they both lifted the man off the ground and began walking down the ladder, into what must have been the place where she had been taken earlier.

“Master must get what he wants.” the tall guard said as he let out a laugh and propped the agent on his shoulder.

“I still say that we should take his weapons away before we let them go. But if he wants the girl for business and the man to…” the door slammed shut as the smaller guard climbed all the way inside, making everything else mumbled and muted. The young woman retreated to her cell window and peered outside. There was an early, grey dawn forming on the horizon as the first few rays of sunshine began to crest above the marine panorama that seemed so far away and unattainable.

‘What did they mean by ‘continue the generation’ and ‘infect’? What about ‘work and play’? Why would they let us go once we’re together? What are ‘Plagas’? We have to get out of here. These people are maniacs. I know more will come for me, him; us. They have to, right?’ The young woman thought as she returned to her pile of damp hay in the corner. Confusion was not something that she was accustomed to, and it made everything much more stressful in a bad situation. Tears began to trickle down her cheeks as she silently slid onto the sodden matting. ‘What’s going to happen to me…if they don’t come for us? I don’t want to die here. I can’t die here. The last conversation I had with my father was a heated argument about letting me have leeway with the Secret Service. Then we got mad at each other and…he finally let me have the breathing space. What did I get for it? I got kidnapped. He knew better and I just wouldn’t listen. I don’t want those words to be the last I ever said to him.’ The pain of that last day pulsated through her heart, causing her tiny whimpers and droplets to become moans and globules.

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Fear and uncertainty caused the man to check his GPS again, the hollow beeping sound not offering any calm. His whole crew had been killed; incinerated in a blast of flame. Thankfully, he was still alive, escaping with only a minor burn on his right leg. The same could not be said for his colleagues. He was alone in a village so forsaken that the only audible noise was the creaking of old lumber and the pounding of rain against his eardrums.

“Where are ya, Leon?” he mumbled as the rain continued to rage in torrents, sticking his brown hair to his face. He had to squeeze his chocolate brown eyes shut as he tried to shake off the memory of the chopper going down over the water. Why had no one checked on him yet? He returned his attention to the flashing blue specks on his screen. One had to be Leon, but who was the other? Did another member of the team survive? Whoever it was, they were close by and growing nearer. The first dot must have been Leon, considering its location was consistent with the church’s. The second dot was too close to ignore now and disappearing appeared to be in order. Quickly, the agent of four years ducked underneath an old shack. He cursed under his breath as he turned the fact that he has deployed Leon to this village less than twenty-four hours ago over in his mind.

“He should be…here?” A young man, with black hair and a lean, lanky, build, mumbled shakily, limping on his right foot and staring at his communicator. He tried to step farther and continue his search, but his legs gave out, landing him face-first into the mire.

“Skyler, is that you?” the hiding agent said aloud, praying that he was not wrong. The young man jolted, panicking for a moment, and trying to find the source of the deep voice. In a state of confusion, the young man’s cloudy, grey eyes searched the impenetrable darkness. As his mind finally cleared, semi-calm came over him and the tone became familiar.

“Mike? Are you here?” the man, no more than twenty-one asked in a state of perplexity. Mike came out of his alcove and hurried to help the boy up.

“You made it through the crash! I thought I was alone on this one.” Mike said as he offered a support for the relatively new agent, a wave of fresh confidence replacing his past jitteriness.

“Y…yes, sir” was all that the boy could say, biting his lip against the pain in his foot and, frankly, his whole left side.

“Ya did good, Agent Skyler. Who would have thought that the only other survivor of that mishap would be a twenty-something just out from O.R.E.?” Mike said, in his mock poor grammar and his New York accent. He gave the boy a light punch and a light laugh. Humor and props were really the only things that could be used to make a novice smile.

“Y…y…yes sir.” the younger man answered as he began to shiver. Suddenly, Mike’s communicator gave a loud shriek, making both men jump and interrupting their banter.

“Mike, are you there, Mike? Come in, please, Mike.” Hunnigan’s voice came across loud and clear. Mike quickly found the communicator exactly where it was supposed to be, but Ingrid was talking so rapidly and nervously that it seemed like an eternity before he responded.

“Yeah, Mike here, why the panic?” Mike spoke softly and sarcastically into his communicator, trying to calm the support runner and make her smile. He knew that she was panicking because no one else on the chopper team was answering her on their comm. links. Now he had to tell her why.

“That’s not funny but thank goodness you’re alive. I’ve tried to contact everyone else and no one’s responding. What happened? Is anyone else there with you?” Ingrid asked as she stared at the senior agent in relief.

“Our chopper was destroyed. It’s like someone knew we were coming. The only good news I have for you is Skyler’s here with me. The rest of the team, they ah…didn’t make it through the attack. Well, their communicators aren’t sending out a signal if they did. We haven’t found Leon yet, or Ashley for that matter, but we’re on our way. I have a feeling that we’re going to need more backup though. Skyler’s hurt.” Mike responded, wondering about his companion of four years.

“Thank goodness Skyler’s still animated as well. Don’t worry about backup; I took the liberty of sending another chopper right away. We’ll try to find out who took the chopper down and why they would do so; don’t worry about that…. Another subject I regretfully have to broach; have you heard from or spoken to Leon? He’s not answering his communicator and I can‘t even get through to a visual. It’s not like him at all. Something must have happened to him. He knows how important it is to answer when we call in on him.” Hunnigan said somberly, trying not to sound too worried.

‘Something must have happened to him.’ Those words echoed in Mike’s head. What if something had happened to his friend; what would they do? No, not Leon. He was alive and well. He had to be. Undesirably, Mike had to tell Hunnigan the truths of the matter. “I tried to get a hold of him earlier, but I got the same thing. Once he got to the coordinates of the church, his speck just stopped moving; he hasn’t moved in over four hours. It’s like he found Ashley but can’t find a way out…except, he’s not even moving within the church.”

“Get to that church and check out the situation. If you can, retrieve Ashley.” Hunnigan replied, disappointedly.

“If Leon can’t go on without being a liability to the mission or if he‘s…unresponsive?” Mike asked fearfully, not wanting to hear the answer he already knew.

“You will have to abandon him, Mike. Ashley is the number one priority.” Hunnigan said gently, knowing that it would not be received well. When the higher-ranking agent said nothing, she tried to reassure him. “He’ll understand, Mike. He’ll know it’s what you have to do. But, if he’s…unresponsive, as you put it, the United States will have no knowledge that he ever existed and it would not benefit you, in any way, to move him. Understand? Good luck, agents.” Mike stood in shock for a long while after Hunnigan shut off the screen. Mike reflected on all the times that he had asked Leon for counsel. He had always been told by Leon, when he had asked his friend for advice during their days in the O.R.E., ‘never let personal mix with professional; you’ll get hurt that way.’ Leon always told him that when he asked for a suggestion but, would his close friend really understand now that he was on the receiving end of that comment? Mike was forced to make a decision that he could not and did not want to make. It was too difficult. I f he stood with Leon, he could send the whole mission to Hell. If he didn’t, his friend would certainly die, if he wasn’t dead already. The younger agent stared at Mike as they stood there for several minutes in the freezing rain.

“U…um, sir? Shouldn’t we commence with our duties now?” Skyler asked wearily.

“Yeah…let’s go get Ms. Graham and take our boy back.” Mike said confidently. Somehow, there was no longer an issue. The answer was so clear to the senior agent. He knew that Ashley was the number one priority but, even if Leon was missing a limb and couldn‘t see, as long as his comrade was still alive, there was no way, in all of creation, that he was going to leave him in this misshapen prison.

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Chapter Text

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Chapter 3: Trapped
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“Am I dead?” the agent thought as he regarded his being. He was suspended by his arms and neck but from what could not be discerned. As he hung there, mixed-up and bemused, feeling began to return to his body as memories of the village flooded back into his brain. The familiar pounding of his temples, throbbing through several of his right ribs, and intense burning from the gash in his left arm caused the agent to moan. All his old injuries, and the contusions on various other parts of his body, began to intensify as he began to return to reality. It was warm; not unpleasantly warm, but just enough to feel as if a massive, lulling blanket was wrapped around everything. Then, a thought occurred to the agent. There was metal wrapped around his wrists and neck and it seemed to be growing unnaturally hot. The fact that he blindly sensed another person across from himself, no more than two feet away, didn’t help either. Was he a prisoner? When the agent thought about it, his body was far too drenched in sweat for a blanket; he would have kicked it off before now and, it would be hard to drape the cloth over someone who was suspended in mid-air. When he finally focused, he realized that the other person was speaking to him in a thick, friendly, Spanish accent.

“Hey. You going to wake up yet? They have the garotte on you.” Although the words seemed to be mumbled and the accent was hard to make out for Leon, it was enough to pull him out of the state of semi-consciousness. As he slowly opened his eyes, he regarded the other individual. He was middle-aged with shoulder-length, curly brown hair, a light moustache and beard adorning his otherwise smooth features. Somehow, he reminded the agent of the 70’s, with his pink and green paisley vest, accented by his brown jeans and long-sleeved white shirt underneath. Hardly Leon’s style. The brown cowboy boots didn’t help either.

“Where are we?” the agent asked, still slightly groggy and distracted by the amount of pain in his body.

“Ha, ha. You’re in the cooker, amigo.” the man said with a laugh that couldn’t have been more displaced.

“What in the Hell…” Leon mumbled to himself as he took in his surroundings. They were both in what appeared to be a metal box that was no taller than eight feet and no longer than twelve. Both men were at the back, farthest from the securely locked door. They were hanging on metal cuffs suspended from a track that could roll the meat to the center if desired. It just happened that the meat was human in this case. Strangely enough, as tall as the room was, the prisoners’ chains were lengthy enough so that the American was no more than three inches off the ground and the Spaniard was no more than five. There was a strange, red glow emanating from every wall and Leon’s stomach fell as he realized that they were truly in an oven. The two walls had long, winding, metal coils, pulsating and creating a heat with an orange luminescence. The space between the agent’s hanging body and the sizzling coils was petite, explaining the blanket sensation and the amount of moisture everywhere. The warmth, naturally, was far less enjoyable than before and what the agent wouldn’t give to not be wearing the thick, fur-lined coat he still donned. The thick, metal collar around his neck finally drew the agent’s attention. It was clasped tightly enough so that it was painful but not suffocating.

“What the hell is this thing?” he asked, trying to pry at the metal ring.

“It’s the garotte, amigo. It was originally a Spanish torture device that asphyxiated people to death.” The friendly man responded.

“Well, I feel special…So, are they going to brown us in this thing and eat us or what?” Leon asked as he fidgeted with his wrists.

“Don’t worry. They’ve got it on low. They’ve been doing this to me on and off for three days; trying to get me to talk. You get used to it after a while.” the man said as he shifted in his clasps. The agent noticed that his new friend was also drenched in sweat but hadn’t lost his sense of optimism. Their eyes met for a brief second, creating an uncomfortable silence. For a short time, Leon pondered as to what ‘they’ were asking about and who ‘they’ were. Somehow, the man’s soft, laid back, hazel eyes instilled a sense of trust in the agent.

“The name’s Leon.”

“I’m Luis Sera: Ex-cop from Madrid. If I’m not mistaken, you’d be an agent for the U.S. Government and you’re here for the girl upstairs.” Luis said in a sing-song voice, laughing to himself.

“Maybe. Sounds too serious for me but hey, enlighten me.” Leon said, determined not to give anything away.

“You dress too nicely to be a cop. You don’t have enough explosives to be a mercenary. You’re an American and you have all sorts of expensive equipment. Not to mention, the girl up there is the President’s daughter.” he said in a ‘matter of fact’ tone. Leon couldn’t help but laugh at the crack on the cop, inwardly admitting it true. In the back of his mind, the agent found it strange that he still had his weapons and ammunition and that someone had re-strapped his shotgun to his side. Brushing it away, he decided that it was not the most important fact, considering their current predicament.

“Yeah. You’re pretty smart. You know where the girl is?” the agent asked as he looked for a way out of the inferno.

“I’ll guess that means ‘si’. She’s in a cell upstairs somewhere. How do I know? She’s been screaming for hours. ’I’m important! I’m the President’s daughter! You can’t do this to me!’ Ai ay, ay. She finally shut up though.” Luis said as he tried to twist in his bonds.

“Wonderful. How about we get out of here?” Leon said, hoping to bargain his way out.

“How are you going to get out of here, amigo? I’ve been trying for days.” Luis said in disbelief.

“This is going to be uncomfortable, but I think it’ll work. If you push off the wall, the cuffs will slide. If you can get close enough to me, I think I can pick us free eventually. So, if you put your feet between the coils and push over here, this plan should work. We’ll go from there after you’ve done it. Just…try not to barbeque me.” Leon said slowly, making sure that Luis understood and picturing himself being slammed into the scorching wires.

“Well…okay. Incoming, Americano.” Luis said as he braced his feet. “You ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” the agent said as he closed his eyes and suddenly became religious, praying that no mishap took place. He heard the chains slide on the rickety track and prepared for the impact but, it never came. The American and the Spaniard must have been blessed because the ex-cop couldn’t have stopped more than an inch from the agent. Breathing a sigh of relief, Leon could instruct again. “Okay. Take the knife out of its hilt, under my jacket, with your mouth.”

“I don’t see how this is going to work but I’ll trust you.” Luis said as he began to fish for the blade. Leon stared at the ceiling and tried to ignore the discomfort of a man’s nose brushing his nipple. Even though it was all for business, it was still slightly agitating. Eventually, after what seemed to be an eternity, Leon felt the knife slide free and watched as Luis slowly lifted his head upwards.

“I’m going to anchor my feet against the wall, so that my thighs are a step for you, and you can put the knife in my hands with your mouth, okay? After that, I’ll pick you out and you can do the same for me.” Leon said in long breaths as he stationed his feet between the coils in a dangerously close position. Luis only gave silent agreement as he began to bend his feet towards his chest. The agent held his breath as the heeled cowboy boots pressed harder and harder on his upper thighs. The bottoms of the boots were slick and, if his new ally slipped, well…he didn’t want to think about it. Leon’s legs began to wobble slightly as Luis put his full weight down on the American. Both men dripping with perspiration, the transfer of the knife became increasingly difficult as Leon’s feet began to slide dangerously close to the burning metals. Finally, the agent felt the familiar blade in his grip. By some miracle, he found it immensely easier, than he had thought it would be, to flip the knife around to the hilt without dropping it. The ex-cop gently relieved the agent of his weight, allowing his legs to fall again.

As his wrist movement and vision of the lock were impaired, it took Leon an unusually long time to release the locks on the cuffs. At long last, the familiar click echoed throughout the chamber, followed by the thud of Luis’s boots.

“Ah well, that’s much better.” the Spaniard said as he began to straighten from the drop.

“Catch.” Leon said as he dropped the knife into Luis’s hands. His ally arched up as far as he could to reach the American’s lock but he just lacked the extra boost. Thinking it would lengthen his reach, Luis leaned on the agent but only succeeded in dipping the tip of the knife in the lock. Try as he might, the gap was too high to bridge.

“Well, what do I do now, Americano?” Luis asked, flustered by his failure. Leon parted his lips to speak but, even as he began to breathe words, his temples began to ache harder, his heart suddenly palpitating rapidly and his stomach churning in circles. He couldn’t help but shout as he writhed in his bonds and his vision became blurred by the pain. Barely squinting, the agent could see his comrade doubled over in extreme discomfort as he dropped the metal blade to the floor.

“Now, now. My pets wouldn’t be misbehaving would they?” the familiar tone ricocheted hollowly through Leon’s mind as an acute ringing filled every division of his brain. Leon muffled a shout, producing an agonized groan through gritted teeth instead. Luis followed suit as he flopped onto the metallic base. Whoever was controlling this power could inflict it on both. Slowly, with great exertion, Luis stumbled to the agent, grabbing his midsection for a brace.

“Sorry, amigo….but he’s...coming.” Luis said quietly through clenched teeth as he grabbed Leon’s handgun from his pants’ rim and stumbled to the door. Leon grimaced as five more of his precious bullets were wasted on the doors lock, blowing it wide open.

“…Luis…” the agent said, dripping with exertion.

“I’ll…come back.” the Spaniard said as he tossed the gun to the floor and then disappeared from sight.

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Short chapter but enter Luis! Things are about to get fun! Bear with me! I will try to rewrite things faster so that we can try to move on to better writing. XD Comments are always welcome!

Chapter Text

All right, guys! This is where things might start to get weird, and I might lose some of you. Scream at me in the comments if you want to! Enjoy! Warnings will start to come into play in the next few chapters, please pay attention to them!
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Chapter4: Encounter

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‘What do I do now? Come on, Leon, think!’ The agent struggled to devise a plan of escape, but nothing came as he dangled helplessly by his iron captors.

“There’s nothing you can do, my pet” the voice answered with a persuasive rejoinder.

“Damn you!” Leon shouted in a brief flash of vexation. This feeling of helplessness was unbearable. All he could do was sit and wait for his enemy to come to him. He couldn’t stop anything that had been put into motion and what would happen to him once his subjugator arrived was completely out of his hands.

“Shh. Don’t worry, I will get you out of the heat.” the anonymous voice said, apparently trying to calm the agent. Leon flinched as the scorching coils were shut down and he was left in semi-darkness. More taunting than anything else, the only light was coming from the oven’s open door and the buzzing, blurry-screened communicator had been switched to the improper frequency. As if in answer to his silent pleas, the agent’s pain ceased at once. Thankful as he was, Leon thought it strange that not only the pain in his chest had stopped but the pain from the chainsaw, the migraine from the village chief, and the irritation from his minor cuts and scrapes had ceased as well. Not comprehending why his discomforts had died away, he concluded that he was probably just too pre-occupied with his approaching adversary to pay attention to himself for now.

“Does that feel better?” the agent heard the menace ask. Slightly alarmed but still collected, Leon realized that he had in fact heard the voice; it was no longer in his mind. So, this was it. Whoever had been scrutinizing his thoughts and sending the crazed villagers to attack was finally going to meet him face to face. The agent lifted his head to see the outline of three robed figures standing in the doorway, any features distorted by the bright lights outside the oven. “In case you noticed that beautiful puncture wound in your neck, I figured that we would give you a little gift in time for the holidays, seeing as it is the 19th day of December.” the tallest figure spoke as the three men halted in front of the suspended agent, illuminating every crevice with the two lanterns that the two shorter figures held. Leon stared back at the tall figure, who he assumed was the mastermind, and smirked.

“Good, something that sounds a little more original than the rock-hard fruit cakes I get from everybody.” the agent said as he memorized every aspect of the man‘s features. There was a certain uneasiness as the agent realized just how morbid, sallow, and honestly evil the man’s features came across. He looked aged and feeble, returning some of Leon’s poise. Crust and puss outlined his lips and eyes, framing his burgundy eyeballs in a ghastly style.

“You’re humorous, Mr. Kennedy. I enjoy that but, I am afraid that it will not save you.” the tallest man said as he stroked the agent’s right cheek with his cold, clammy, clawed hand. “Soon enough, you will grow to call me master.”

“Sorry but I don’t take orders from anyone unless they’re paying me, and I get health insurance.” the agent responded as he lifted his head away from the unwanted contact.

“That’s too bad because I, Osmund Saddler, whose mercy you are at completely, can now control the amount of pain that courses through your body and even your actions…if I so desire.” the man said as he waved his hand towards Leon’s chainsaw injury from before. Torturous pain shot through the agent’s arm as he experienced the sensation of his damaged skin splitting with a cloth effect. The crusted purulent material and blood, encircling the gash, oozed to the floor, once again exposing his precious tissues. Leon couldn’t help but groan and twist as the crimson liquid trickled and flowed down his arm, caking his jacket sleeve, soaking through the collar of his gray shirt and dirtying the roots of his hair. Saddler flicked his arm again, almost indolently, as a burning, shooting pain ran through Leon’s spine, fortifying with each vertebra. The agent tried to bite back the agony, blood now slowly streaming from his nose. Saddler leaned up and against the agent, causing Leon to involuntarily recoil away from his enemy, only to fail. Curling his lips into a twisted smile, indeed enjoying the agent’s struggle, Saddler gently licked the blood from Leon’s fore-lip. As if it had never been, all discomfort ceased, leaving the agent panting and relieved, too drained to speak or even move.

“Now. What I came here to do.” Saddler said as he backed down. He held out his hands to both guards, receiving a wineglass in one and a large syringe in the other.

“You crazy…” Leon said as he regarded the instruments with apprehension. He had an idea of what was going to happen and couldn‘t restrain the appalled mumble.

“Crazy what, my dear pet? Let’s see…don’t move.” Saddler said with a chuckle as he once again leaned onto the agent. Leon tried to squirm and kick the leader but found it impossible to move a muscle; he could hardly even breathe. Saddler undid the agent’s hanging left arm to obtain better access to his neck. The limb flopped limply to the agent’s side. The hefty syringe perforated a pre-existing cavity in Leon’s tender muscles, through the open circle etched into the garotte, causing the impulse to bend forwards. The agent tried to refrain, seeing as anything below his neck was rubbing against the leader’s body. It felt as though invisible threads were contouring his every muscle into the exact position that he did not wish to attain. When the needle was retracted, it appeared to be holding a large amount of Leon’s blood. Too mystified to even think, all the agent could do was watch. Slowly, almost delicately, Saddler squirted the life liquid into his glass. As Saddler drank a large portion, Leon felt his body liberated from the paralyzing grip.

“So. You like to follow the new trends huh? I never would’ve guessed.” the agent said as he grabbed the still connected chain with his free hand. It was a comfort to alleviate his right arm from holding all of his weight by a chain.

“No, my darling American. I follow the same ‘trend’ as my entire family before me.” the leader said in reply as he stepped towards the agent again. “You’re the perfect mixture: Not too old, not too young, intelligent and idiotically brave. It pleases me very much. Would you like a taste?” he finished as he leaned hard on the agent, pushing the agent’s body against the cooling helixes. Ignoring the hard protuberance pressing on his thigh, Leon tried to remain composed as Saddler lifted the wineglass to his lips. Right on cue, one of the henchmen rushed to Leon’s right side and pried his jaws open, allowing the blood to enter unhindered. The agent clamped his eyes shut as the metallic taste consumed everything. Leon held the liquid in the back of his throat and waited, not knowing how long he could hold his breath. When the rest of the liquid had been drained clean into Leon’s mouth, the guard released, and the cup was withdrawn. Almost immediately after, Leon spat his own blood all over Saddler’s face. Saddler stood in shock for a moment, not knowing how to respond. Then, a sick, twisted smile warped his facial muscles as he wiped his eyes and nose free, naturally licking his lips dry.

“You’re feisty as well. That’s very exciting.” Saddler said softly as he grabbed the agent by the back of his neck and pulled him forwards. Their eyes locked for a moment, a furious blue meeting a smirking red. In one fluid movement, catching the agent off guard, Saddler claimed Leon’s lips as his own. Some brand of conflict assailed the agent. Everything in his mind was telling him to break away by any means necessary but something in his chest stirred, seduced, obsessed, wanting more, and preventing any action at all. Returning to his senses, Leon raised his free limb and struck Saddler’s temple with his forearm.

“I will have to be careful; I wouldn’t want to tarnish your beautiful features.” the leader said with a vindictive laugh.

“You did that when you walked in the r…” the agent was cut off by a rough clout across the face, dealt by Saddler’s hand.

“You should be grateful that I have a use for you. It’s early yet and I am willing to…twist the rules a little. Later on, however, I will not be so merciful. You would do well to remember that. If you don’t, well, it would be such a waste.” Saddler said tauntingly as he lifted his left hand slowly and launched it into Leon’s abdomen. The force yanked Leon’s restraints so hard that the chains snapped, sending the agent crashing to the floor in a mess of manacles and metal links. Saddler leaned down over the dazed American.

“You will never learn, my pet.” he said as he wound the garotte tighter. The three robed men seemed to glide out of the room together, slamming the door behind them. Still stunned at how such an old relic could throw that solid of a punch, the sound of things being thrown in front of the door reached the agent’s ears. Leon’s stomach tightened as the previously cooling helixes were reactivated only this time, they held even more power. The agent pulled himself from the floor, preparing to ram his way out. Gathering his strength, Leon dashed full speed ahead. As his left shoulder connected with the unyielding metals, he was thrown backwards only to land flat on his back a few feet away. The familiar, recurring aches and stabbing pains began to return to his injuries, indicating that Saddler had also abandoned the project of masking his suffering. The agent groaned as the gash in his left arm throbbed harder than it ever had before, indisputably from ramming it into a wall. It wasn’t the smartest thing he could have done but Leon consoled himself by concluding that it had been damaged already and a little more couldn’t have changed things too much. Slowly drawing himself off the heating floor, something glinted to his left and the agent’s hopes brightened as he distinguished his trusty handgun and knife lying right where Luis had dropped them.

“These aren’t going to help me. The lock’s already broken and my knife’s not strong enough to pry open the door.” the agent thought gloomily as he returned his knife to its hilt and the handgun to its holster. He contemplated how exactly he was going to escape the hellhole. The heat was now excruciating, causing the agent to perspire freshly and the previously exposed blood to crust and mingle with the sweat. Had Leon not been so preoccupied with his getaway, he would have thrown his heavy coat off. Leon reached for one of the two remaining green explosives he held. None of which Mike had known about, of course.

“Here goes nothing.” Leon said as he pulled the tag, threw the explosive, and hit the deck as far away from the door as he could. The blast was foundation-shattering and deafening in such an enclosed space as Leon felt debris and metal chunks hitting his body with everything else. When he tentatively lifted his head from under his arms, bright lights flooded the agent’s vision as a large cavity, in fact, nearly the whole door’s worth, stood, sculpted by the explosion. After checking his person over for any shrapnel wounds and thankfully finding none, he slowly pulled himself up and began to make his way to the door.

“See, Mike. Wait until I tell you this one. You’ll never complain about too much artillery again.” The agent mumbled as he took several laborious steps. As though a higher force was working against Leon in particular, when he was no more than five feet from the makeshift exit of the oven, a jabbing pain erupted in his chest, causing him to go down on one knee, clutching at the stitch. The agent’s vision was completely obscured; something was moving inside but what would move inside? The sensation was like nothing the agent had ever felt before. It was painful and sickening; not agonizing but certainly disconcerting. Leon felt as though he wanted to hurl and cough at the same time. He began retching and coughing alternately, covering his mouth as if it would erupt from his mouth at any moment. On a particularly violent, wheezing cough, the all too recognizable metallic taste filled the agent’s senses, and his lifeblood covered his trembling hands. Leon stared for a brief time lapse, not knowing what to think, and then collapsed as a fresh wave of convulsions took over. It was hot; he was lightheaded. The garotte was suffocating. Something was ripping his insides apart.

‘I have to get up.’ Leon thought as he valiantly tried to follow his brain’s orders, but his body just wouldn’t comply. Slowly, the spasms died, leaving the agent perplexed and baking on the oven floor.

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“Um…sir? Is this the church?” Skyler asked as Mike helped him limp out of the tunnel and into what appeared to be a laboratory.

“Well, according to the communicator, this is where it’s at. Let’s see. Leon should be about…three rooms thata way.” the senior agent said, pointing to his left.

“This place gives me the creeps. Sir? Who would build a lab underneath a church and have a tunnel leading into it?” The young man asked as he leaned harder on Mike.

“Ya got me but it’s a good thing they had that tunnel. From where we were, it would’ve taken us about three hours to walk around to the front without it.” Mike said as he began to practically drag the boy along. As they sluggishly hobbled through the first two rooms, Mike bowed his head downwards, to support Skyler more fully, relying entirely on the younger agent to navigate their way.

“U…um, s…sir?” Skyler said almost noiselessly as he pointed to the third room’s doorway before them. Smoke billowed out of the room so profoundly that it was hard to see even a few feet.

“Well, that’s not good. If Leon’s anywhere, I bet he’s in there.” the senior agent said with a tone of ‘unsurprised’ between labored breaths. Not knowing how to respond, Skyler thought it wise not to say anything at all and simply nodded as they kept moving.

Leon had no idea how much time had passed. Everything was muddled and slow. The heat and convulsions had drained a considerable amount of energy and the agent groaned as he tried not to think of how much blood he had lost lately. As the smoke gently wafted away, the agent was transfixed by the fluid movements. Then, as suddenly as he had slipped into that odd way, he was jarred from the peaceful illusion as the outlines of two people became visible amongst the bright lights. They were talking. Somehow, one of the men sounded familiar.

“Sir, I don’t think that Agent Kennedy is in here.” an unknown voice called.

“Maybe not but…the GPS’s never been wrong before. I designed them myself. They should work.” That voice was familiar to the agent.

“…M…ike.” The agent tried to speak but the heat had made his throat so arid that it only came out as a hoarse whisper.

“Sir? Did you hear that? It came from over there. It sounded like a…Sir! I think there’s a person in the oven, Sir!” Skyler said as he pointed in disbelief, panic mounting with each syllable. Mike turned and immediately recognized the blonde hair and brown jacket through the veil of thinning smoke.

“Leon?! Holy…Skyler, turn it off now!” Mike shouted as he rushed through all the debris to the open oven. He left the shocked agent standing on his injury and wondering where the switch was. As Mike pulled his companion away, the youngest agent fumbled with the lever and eventually won the match, shutting the coils off and nearly collapsing on his right foot after he did so. The strain on his muscles caused the burns on his left side to act up again, at least focusing his mind on something other than just his foot. Mike had been helping the novice all the way until this point and the two cans of First Aid spray had dulled and disinfected the wounds, making him forget how painful his injuries really were.

“What’s with the coat, pal? We all know you wanna be hot but really now.” Mike said as he removed the insulation, trying to spawn a response. When the highest-ranking agent said nothing and didn’t even smile, Mike removed his forged smirk. “Skyler, get some water out of the faucets.” The lowest-ranking agent hadn’t heard Mike this serious since he had started at the agency. As Mike put Leon’s coat beneath his head, he noticed the thick metal collar and the undeniable fact that his companion was covered in blood. Although most of it appeared on his face, his clothes were smothered in it. Leon’s left arm being turned downward to the floor, the gash was indiscernible to Mike at that particular angle. Another undesirable fact was the repugnant stench that the agent gave off. The scent of rotting flesh and drying blood and juices made the chemical packed laboratory smell pleasant.

“What’s this, Leon?” the middle-ranking agent asked as he began prying at the metal collar. The old, rusty device didn’t give way easily. Mike continued to pry and wrench until he was afraid that he’d break his friend’s neck, frustration growing with each jerk. Mike eventually noticed the two metal twists on the back and laughed at his own stupidity, as he began to gently unwind the clasps. He tossed the horrid object aside and noticed a relatively significant perforation in Leon’s neck, bleeding openly. Lost in contemplation, Mike didn’t even notice Skyler running towards them with a beaker of water.

“Sir, I think there are chem…umpf!” the young agent was cut off as he tripped over his blonde superior sprawled on the floor and landed directly on his face. Mike, unfazed and used to the clumsiness, took the still-clenched glass from the novice and tipped it into Leon’s mouth.

Leon felt the cool, clear, luscious water flow gently into his mouth. The dry, cracked tissues burned as hydration revisited his cells. Filled with a new intensity of thirst, the agent pulled at the beaker, ushering in more water faster and faster. Mike, growing more concerned by the second, lifted his friend’s head with one hand and tried to lessen the flow with the other. Eventually, Leon began to choke, forcing Mike to pull his salvation away. Feeling much better than before, Leon groaned and laid his head back down, thinking of how he could stop the pain everywhere. Although there was a new vigor inside now and the side effects of the strange seizure had worn off, his impressive injuries still ached considerably. Skyler pulled himself up onto his forearms, trying not to crush his superior’s feet. Mike pulled out one of his six remaining cans of new First Aid spray and began to mist the hole in Leon’s neck. As a reflex, the highest-ranking agent shouted and kicked his left foot, connecting squarely with Skyler’s jaw and sending the novice back to the tile flooring with a yelp.

“Yeah. This new stuff smarts, doesn’t it?” Mike asked with a laugh.

“Not at all. What did I kick?” Leon asked in a cracked but sarcastic voice.

“Don’t worry; that’s just Skyler. He’s the new one on our team, remember? Actually, I don’t think ya’ve even met him yet. He’s really new. He’s not always helpful but he is always respectful.” Mike answered with a smile as he dragged Skyler off Leon’s feet by the collar.

“Sir, with all due respect, I try harder than you seem to think.” the lowest-ranking agent said as he blushed and knocked Mike’s hand away.

“See. He’s snapping at me, but he still calls me ‘sir’.” he said as he helped Leon sit up. “Ya bleeding anywhere else?”

“Um…yeah; my arm.” the senior agent replied as he prodded at the raw injury.

“Good Lord! Who’d you piss off now? It’s a good thing that I’m here to take care of ya! Are ya trying to get killed?” Mike asked as he grabbed Leon’s arm away from the curious fingers and began to smother it in medicine from the same can.

“Of course not. I just have a knack for…” the agent was cut short by the stinging therapy.

“‘…Being in the wrong place at the wrong time’. I know.” Mike imitated as he capped the empty bottle and chucked it. Leon stared at the burning wound and wondered why the skin wasn’t reforming but instead a scab was covering the area with a thin, filmy layer of puss.

“Why isn’t the skin restructuring? I thought this was the new prototype?” Leon asked in puzzlement.

“Well. We haven’t mastered the skin reforming thing yet. See, every time we try, the new cells always lose their membranes and turn to putty. After that, the liquid skin wipes off like over-chewed gum.” Mike said as he helped Leon off the floor.

“It doesn’t work on burns?” Leon said as he pointed to Mike’s right leg.

“Nah. We haven’t mastered that either. God it’s good to have your critical analysis back!” As if a light had suddenly turned on, Leon realized what all was missing.

“Where’s the rest of the team?” Mike only stared for a little while, his smile liquidating into a sullen frown. He stared at Skyler, as if for help, and couldn’t bring himself to tell Leon the truth. His friend had been so proud of his team. With good reason too. They had all been the best the agency had to offer, and Leon was head of it; he was unsurpassed. Not only in the agency but internationally and he had worked hard to establish a reputable team with the greatest from training and other agencies. Leon had always been a hard leader, but he was supportive and understanding in many cases, which made working for and with him a unique privilege. Mike knew it had taken Leon years to work his team to where it was; he knew because he had been there. He and Leon had been together, partnered from the very beginning and both rose quickly in ranks. He hated to tell his companion that the work he had done to build the strongest team for four years suddenly meant nothing.

“They’re gone, Agent Kennedy, Sir.” Skyler said timidly when Mike did not step in. Leon stared at the novice, trying to comprehend the words that had reached his ears. The boy tried to shift from his superior’s gaze, fearing that he may receive a punch.

“What do you mean gone?” Leon asked in denial, knowing full well what was meant.

“Someone shot us down. The President is blaming it on the Spanish government, but we have no idea who did it.” Mike said quietly, trying not to upset his friend.

“Who’s left?” Mike tried to avoid the question and averted his eyes. But, when Leon stood before him with a pleading look of panic, he had to give in.

“No one. William, Jack, Sarah, Angie, Darien, Max, Steve, Bill; they’re all gone. Or, at least, their communicators aren’t sending a signal anymore.” the middle-ranking agent said as he put both his hands on Leon’s shoulders.

“That’s…disappointing.” There was a long silence after the senior agent said this. Leon shrugged Mike’s hands away and began to pace. His voice wasn’t shaky, but it was darker as he continued. “I know where Ashley is in this church, but I need to know if you guys have found a good place to lay low for a while.”

“Well yeah, we found a kinda gorge thing by the lake, but we haven’t found Ashley yet. What good is a hiding spot if we don’t have the subject?” Mike asked his colleague, puzzled.

“You aren’t going to find Ashley; I am. You need to get Skyler to a resting spot. He’s not looking well…” Leon began.

“But…” Mike tried to interrupt his partner, knowing he’d fail.

“AND… I want you to go with him because I don’t think he’d last long in his condition.” The highest-ranking agent raised his voice, overpowering his companion and staring at the wobbling boy. “I need you guys to make a camp there so that we can track you on the GPS and know how to get there.”

“Okay, Leon. Just promise me that you won’t do anything reckless.” Mike said as he resigned the argument.

“Wow. Yes, Mom.” Leon said with a light laugh. Mike wasn’t amused; he still held the same beseeching gaze. “I’ll rescue Ashley and get to the rendezvous point as quickly as I can. I won’t even shoot anything… if I can help it.”

“Deal. But, just in case, I brought some of your favorites.” Mike said grudgingly as he pulled Leon’s TMP from his belt, along with a little ammo and some incendiary grenades.

“You’re wonderful.” Leon said with a smile as he gave his companion a pat on the back.

“Yeah, yeah. Go to Hell.” Mike said, laughing as he threw Leon’s faithful brown jacket at his face.

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Saddler is gross already, so I figured I’d run with it, down a hill, on fire. Lol Is anyone else annoyed that Saddler sounds like Nathan Fillion in the remake? Just saying….

Chapter Text

Some background for those that didn't play the OG. There is an area you had to rapelle into, with two dammed rivers and hanging crates. You had to shoot down the crates, jump across them (XD) and then escape through a tunnel. Anyways, enjoy!

Chapter 5: Refuge
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Leon tiptoed as silently as the creaking stairs would permit. There was almost no illumination in the passage, causing the agent to stumble over the treacherously narrow steps and limiting his feet into a permanent arch. The route was dusty and uncomfortable, but it was leading upwards, indicating that the church must be above. With each step, the temperature lowered; a good indication that he was getting closer to the chilly air of December Spain and farther away from the heated laboratories beneath. A good fifteen minutes in, the outline of a light square emerged into the musty darkness. Grateful that he had not thrown his jacket away, Leon gently lifted the antiquated lid by the rusty metal handle. Everything was completely silent; so silent that it made the agent’s ears ring. A loud snore broke the deadly calm, startling the agent and causing him to almost lose his grip on the metal bar. The agent peered attentively through the minute crack between the stone floor and the hatch. A man, draped in luxurious, mauve robes and slumped over a brown chair, had apparently forgotten the term of guard, considering he was snoring like an infant and practically inviting, anyone who wanted them, to take the cell keys that he held in his left hand. Taking it as a sign, Leon gingerly climbed out of the crevice and made sure to shut the trap door soundlessly behind him.

‘Not the color I would have chosen.’ He thought as he slipped the keys out of the dozer’s grasp with little to no effort. He turned to face the large oaken door behind him. ‘I hope this is Ashley’s. Otherwise, I might have a problem.’ Raking over the cubicle, Leon tried to see any form of movement or even life through the strange peephole in the oak door as he inserted the outlandish key. It was an incredibly dark space, given that the barred window provided some light from the sunrise and the spyhole flooded a little of the church’s glow in as well. ‘It’s already light outside. How long was I out? I bet Hunnigan had a coronary by now.’ The agent thought as he stared at the strangely beautiful, gray dawn through the window. It was going to rain soon. No, not rain; pour. The outdated doorway sighed in protest as the moldy, distorted boards steadily responded to the agent’s push and eventually swung open. Drawing his trusty handgun, the agent cautiously entered. As the light flooded across the dusty, grimy floor, Leon’s eyes vacillated over a dark lump in the far left corner; where no light could reach. Diffidently, the agent seemed to glide over the grimy coat of muck and sludge, creating no resonance whatsoever. The communicator’s radiance kissed the soft darkness, revealing a bright orange blouse, green skirt and blonde hair. Almost as quietly as he had come in, Leon swiftly kneeled, sheathing his gun for safety, to smoothly rotate the sleeping life form onto its back.

‘She looks like Ashley; same facial structure, hair color…figure. Stay on track, Leon.’ The agent thought as he took out the photograph; just for an exact reference. He gently rocked her by her shoulder, attempting to rouse her from her sleep. She didn’t stir or even change the tempo in her breathing. Leon wondered if they had dosed her with something as he checked for a pulse. When he found a strong beat under his fingers, he tried one more time to wake her.
“Ashley? Ashley Graham?” She didn’t respond or stir. The agent drew in a deep breath as he weighed his options. Waiting here until she woke was not a good plan. He had no idea how long she would be unconscious or who would be around to check on her. He sighed as he returned the picture to its locale in his pocket and placed one hand under Ashley’s neck and the other under her knees. Carefully raising her from the cell floor, the agent moved his hand from her neck to her back, allowing her head to fall on his shoulder and her arms to flop over his. She still showed no signs of stirring. Had he not felt a pulse earlier and not been able to feel her breath on his neck currently, he would have presumed her dead.
Leon exited the cell, gracefully catching Ashley’s legs on the wall before doing so and rounded the corner to the trap door. Mysteriously more difficult than before, once he had unfastened the hatch, the stairs seemed twenty times steeper. Thankfully Ashley was a very light dead weight. The door couldn’t be closed from the position he was in but Leon reassured himself that it couldn’t have been that crucial at the moment. By the time anyone realized the girl was missing, he’d be long gone. The space was cramped and Ashley’s legs were being bent perhaps a little more than they should have been but there was no other way. As long as he didn’t trip from missing a step, they would both be fine. Relieved, Leon finally stepped into the warm laboratories twenty minutes later, counting how many times he had almost fallen. Quickly making his way through the first three rooms and trying to forget the recent incident, he found no issue in locating the underground passage.

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‘Mmm…Shane, you haven’t held me like this in a long time.’ the woman thought, indulging in the soft rocking motion and warm arms encasing her body. ‘ Wait…am I still in the cell? This can’t be Shane holding me…I was kidnapped!’ Ashley panicked as logical thought returned. Her eyes snapped open to reveal the slender neck muscles of someone trudging with her in their arms. Too stunned to speak, the woman lifted her head slightly to see the person’s face. The sleep began to clear from her eyes now. The man looked down, noticing for the first time that she was awake. He immediately ceased their movement and set her down.

“Ashley? You‘re safe with me. Don‘t scream.” he said in a voice that was definitely too matured to be Shane’s. Ashley stared for a few moments, too befuddled and frightened to even breathe, let alone scream. He stood there patiently, waiting for her to respond. “I won’t hurt you. My name is Leon. I’m one of the agents your father sent for you.” She found her voice.

“Wait. My father sent you? The president?” she asked in disbelief.

“That’s the one.” the agent replied with a kind smile.

‘He’s the one I saw in front of my cell. He’s even more attractive up close…’ Ashley thought as she began to twiddle her fingers through the silence. She wanted to ask a lot of things but some of them she wasn’t sure the agent even knew the answer to or, if he did, he wouldn’t say it anyways.

“I’ll have more time to answer your questions later. But, for now, you’re going to have to follow me and do whatever I tell you to without question. Okay?” Leon asked, as if reading her mind and desperately hoping she would answer.
“O…okay.” she answered quietly. She didn’t know the agent and was hesitant to trust. For all she knew, he was another spy sent to kidnap her for someone else this time. Forcing herself to brush it aside, she consoled herself by concluding that, if he had wanted to kidnap her, he would have been much more forceful. Even though he was clearly strong, Ashley could sense a gentleness from the man.

“I would offer you a flashlight or something, but I’ve only got one. Until we can find a substitute, you’ll just have to stick close. Okay?” The agent asked as he turned and began to walk down the dark, damp passage. She panicked a little more, determined not to be left behind. She tiptoed behind Leon so closely that she could feel her breath refracting off the back of his neck. “You don’t have to follow that closely. I won’t leave you.” Leon said, growing a little uncomfortable at the soft breath fondling his neck hairs. Leon retrained his focus away from the heat pooling in his abdomen.

“Sorry.” Ashley replied, dropping back two paces as she wrung her hands together.

“Don’t worry about it. Just relax. Nothing’s going to happen to you while I’m around.” Leon said with a genuine chuckle as he smiled back at her over his shoulder and continued down the tunnel at a slower pace.

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“Come on down! You can do it!” Leon shouted up to the girl. Leon hadn’t thought that it would be difficult for her, especially since he was so used to doing things like this. Mike had come over to see the commotion. It was exceptionally windy and rainy but supposedly it was daytime. The clouds cast a gray shadow over everything, creating the illusion of night.

“I didn’t think about that one. I thought this was a good place to lay low for a while.” Leon’s companion said as he scratched his head.

“Don’t worry about it. Very defensible.” the senior agent replied with a sigh.

“It’s getting really slippery. What if I fall?” Ashley called over the howling wind and rain.

“I’ll catch you! Just come down… Mike, where’s Skyler?” Leon asked as he rubbed his temples.

“I had to make a shack kinda thing. It doesn’t look the best but it’ll fit us all and it keeps the elements out. Skyler’s asleep by the fire in there. Kinda a rough experience for his first field job.” Mike said as he pointed to the small camp behind them. Leon surveyed the gorge. Three sides were sheltered by high mountains and the third was blocked by numerous waterfalls, created by the river that ran through it. There were two banks. One appeared to be inaccessible, considering there was no bridge and the river was too wide to swim without being sucked into the vortex of waterfalls. Mike had built camp on the left bank, beside one of the three watchtowers. That tower was empty, save for an old oil barrel but the other two suspended large crates by very rusty chains.

‘Good target practice for later.’ the agent thought as he returned his attention to Ashley. She was transfixed by her own effort, her face contorted into a dogged determination. She had almost stumbled a few more times. She was close enough to the ground so that the agent could catch her without difficulty but he knew that she wouldn’t let go so easily. Mike sniggered and began to return to the shack.

“Okay. How about you just let go? I’ll catch you.” Leon said, forcing patience for this affair, which had dragged on far too long.

“Y…you promise?” Ashley asked timidly as she loosened her grip and looked backwards at the agent.

“I promise.” Leon said shortly, opening his arms wide. “On three. One, two..” Before the agent could finish his countdown, Ashley shrieked and flew downwards. Leon, a little alarmed at the early delivery, groaned as Ashley’s full weight fell on his left arm. Although it was much better, it would never be the same.

“Did I just…Thanks.” the girl said faintly as Leon placed her back on her feet. She swayed slightly and her complexion had paled some, but she appeared to be recovering. Leon steadied her with one arm as she recovered. He motioned his arm towards their “shelter” and waited for her to walk in front of him.

“No sweat. You can add a new skill to your resume.”

“What, falling with style?” Ashley asked as she cracked a nervous smile. Leon smirked as they joined the rest of their party.

“Okay. We‘ll have to leave in a few hours but, until then, we have work to do. Call Hunnigan.” Leon said as Ashley took a seat by the fire. Leon and Mike stepped off to the side to contact their handler.

“Ya know, when they come for us…we’ll have to move fast.” Mike said to his friend as he pulled up his communicator and began sequencing the agency’s frequency.

“And when they do, we’ll handle it.” Leon said as the comm. link began to whirr into the agency. Mike placed his hand on the cancel call button.

“Leon. I’m gonna try to get Skyler outta here. But if we fall behind, get Ashley out. Kapish?”

“And if I can’t get out for some reason, you get Ashley home. I thought that was implied?” Leon said as he pressed the call button again.
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Yay! Some Leon x Ashley! If that's what you're here for, there will be more of that throughout and the story picks up a bit now that everything is set! Comments are always appreciated (even critiques-especially critiques)!

Chapter Text

Some funnies before the heavy sh**. Enjoy!

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Chapter 6: Target Practice

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As deadly as the darkness surrounding her, she crept. The frigid, monochrome stones seemed to softly whistle as she rappelled up the slimy, antiquated castle walls. The silence surrounding her was that of death; only accented by the hammering rain and fierce squalls of wind.

“Just keep telling yourself it’s worth all of this. Find him for your man; your future corporation.” The female agent grumbled as her chafed hands slid on the thick rope that was her lifeline. As she topped the ramparts, a low corner of her diaphanous red dress caught a corner and tore a large slash all the way up to her right thigh. As she bent down to examine the damage, thinking that she rather liked the split, the familiar squeak of her communicator caused her to gasp in fright.

“Have you found him yet?” the older blond man asked over the communicator.

“I can’t lock onto his frequency. I think the agency changes it every fifteen minutes.” the dark-haired woman replied. Thankfully, her short bob kept her hair from interfering in the weather.

“Well then, Ada, we’ll just have to learn to break it faster then, won’t we?” the operator replied.

“I won’t fail again, Wesker.” the agent replied as she wiped a few of her soaking black bangs from her wind-blown cheeks.

“I know, my dear. You knew Leon well, correct? You knew him very well. And, if I recall, not just from the Raccoon City incident a few years ago... Hmm?”

“Yes, but that was two years ago; I won’t let the past interfere.” she replied.

“That’s why you’re my good girl and I chose you to do this. Oh, and let’s not forget about our scientist friend in all this excitement either, shall we?” Wesker said in his usual, deep voice.

“Ada out.” the agent said as she hung up the communicator and proceeded to steal into the castle fortress. ‘Leon, why can’t you just stay away?’ She thought to herself before clipping the communicator back to her side.
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“I can’t hear you, Mike. I’m getting next to no reception on this end. Who’s next to you? Did you ever find Condor One? What about Baby Eagle?” Hunnigan fired off her usual interrogation process as both ends drove for a clearer reception. Mike and Leon stood huddled over Mike’s communicator. The temperature had dropped several more degrees, the wind hadn’t ceased for the last forty minutes, and the torrential rains hammered the agents as they stood out in the downpour for lack of a signal in the hut.

“Hunnigan…Hunnigan; calm. We’re all one happy family right now.” Mike replied as Leon and he shared a snicker at the support runner’s panic.

“That’s a relief! Unfortunately, Condor One, I have bad news for you too. Your team’s chopper was shot down over a friendly foreign power’s territory. You know what that means, right?” Hunnigan asked as the picture came back into a clearer range. The two agents gratefully made their way back under the lean-to, praying that the clarity would remain constant.

“It was an act of terrorism; possibly an act of war.” the senior agent said with a groan, realizing yet another setup for a particularly bad scenario.

“This is why they pay you. The President is meeting with the Spanish government and, if no one else is found responsible, war could be an outcome. The root cause of course is undisclosed. There will be some other excuse for initiating war if negotiations don’t go well. In addition, as much as he wishes Ashley to come home, he refuses to send any more choppers for you for a duration of at least twenty-four hours.” Hunnigan said heavily as she pushed up her glasses.

“Sheesh. Whatever happened to ‘Innocent until proven guilty’?” Mike asked as he began to towel dry his face with a cloth as the two agents sat under the make-shift shelter and warmed their hands by the fire.

“Hunnigan, you have to dissuade the President. I seriously doubt that Skyler and Ashley can make it twenty-four more hours here. Plus, the Spanish government doesn’t know about the situation here. This has Umbrella stink all over it.” Leon said in a pleading tone as he stole the communicator from the lower-ranked agent.

“Do you have proof that the strange behaviors and deformations are linked to Umbrella or any other corporation slash cult?” Hunnigan asked shortly.

“Well…no but…”

“I’ll see what I can do but…I can’t promise anything. You need to get me solid proof. Documents, photos, anything. Roost out.” the support said as the link was cut and returned to the GPS screen.

“She seemed sorta snippy.” Mike said as he placed the communicator back on his belt and fed the fire. “If anyone should be pissed, it’s us. We’re the ones that have to stay in this damned hellhole for ‘a few more days’.”

“She worries more than she lets on.” Leon said as he reloaded his shotgun and checked his knife. “Or she’s just pissed I didn’t call her back.”

“Yeah. Women, right?” Mike said as they both cracked a smile before settling into an uncomfortable silence. The fire protested feebly as a few rain drops leaked through the thatched roof. The freezing downpour barraging the brush muddled Leon’s senses and made him wonder how Ashley and Skyler could sleep through it. Lethargically, his mind drifted back to Saddler, making him shiver.

‘I know I didn’t enjoy it but then, why didn’t I pull away immediately? Was he controlling that too?’ Leon thought as the enticing dance of flames mesmerized his gaze. If Saddler could control pain, action and emotion, he truly could do anything he wanted with others. The agent involuntarily shuddered.

“Yo, Leon. Ya okay? Ya’ve got that look on your face.” Mike said as he threw a pebble at his companion.

“Huh? What look’s that?” Leon asked as he picked up the stone from the ground and chucked it into the fire.

“Ya’ve got that ‘What the Hell were you thinking?’ look.” Mike said as he stood and sat next to the senior agent.

“Nah. I’m just thinking.” Leon said with a somber smile.

“No ya aren’t. When ya think, ya got that ‘Piss off, I’m trying to figure something out.’ look. No. Ya’ve got that stoic look ya get when ya think ya’ve done something wrong.” Mike said as he elbowed the blond agent in the ribs. Leon didn’t answer.
“Not to brag but if ya need an ear, mine get HBO.” Mike said as he wiggled both ears.

“So, when you ignore my orders, you’re just being an ass?” Leon asked as he tried to shake out of his festering.

“Hee haw. How’s the arm by the way?” Mike responded, relieved at the smile in his friend’s voice.

“So, since this spray doesn’t re-grow the skin cells, it’s like a spray-on, antiseptic Band-Aid?” Leon asked as he stared at the grotesque mark. There was a clear film, semi-hardened and cracked in some places, covering the wound. The agent knew there was a barrier there but being able to see every detail of the wound as it healed was uncomfortable.

“Yeah. That’s the agency’s idea. Jesus, did ya break it already?” Mike said as he stared at the slow trickle of crimson liquid from a few of the cracks.

“It’s holding. Now quit giving yourself gray hairs and get Skyler up.” Leon said as he wiped the trickle from his elbow, replaced his jacket, and walked over to the sleeping lump known as ‘Ashley’.

“Ms. Graham…Ashley.” Leon said softly as he gently rocked her back and forth by the shoulder. She moaned feebly as she rolled over and continued her slumber.

“Hey, it’s me, Leon. The federal agent; remember?”

“Leon? Oh…Leon. Sorry, I was…dreaming.” she said groggily as she allowed the agent to help her up.

“I have something I need to show you. This way.” Leon said as he guided the woman towards the river by the wrist.

‘Me? What did I do now? Wow…he has strong hands…and arms…and legs…and, well…everything.’ Ashley thought to herself as she walked behind the agent, only slightly flustered.

“This is the agency’s standard-issue handgun.” He said in a louder voice in order to reach over the wind and driving rain as he pulled the gun from its holster and turned to face Ashley. Ashley seemed to slowly awaken into reality as she stared down at the cold, hard metal. “Did you hear me? This is a firearm.” Ashley took the object in her hand gently as she stared at it with disgust. “And…you’re going to have to learn how to use it.”

“No way, Leon. My dad hates these things. If he ever found out that I’d fired one or even if I’d touched one.” she began as the agent took the weapon from the girl and loaded it, distracting her rant.

“If one of these worm-bags is about to kill you, I don’t think that your dad would care what you used to survive. Besides, it’s only in case I can’t do it for you.” Leon said as he held the gun out in front of the woman.

“O…okay.” Ashley said as she tried not to be frightened of the metallic object. She wrapped her slender arms around herself in order to maintain some warmth.

“The very first thing that you have to remember is the SAFETY. When you’re not going to shoot or when the gun is holstered, the safety is ALWAYS on. Otherwise…well, hopefully you’re not overly attached to your toes.” Leon flipped the safety switch. “Is the safety on or off?” Ashley stared at it awhile and tried to decipher her choice. She guessed that when the switch was on the red marker, the safety was off. Red meant danger in everything else right?

“Off.”

“Good. You’ll be a pro in no time. Now, line up with me.” The agent said as he faced the river, spread his legs about one and a half feet apart, and motioned for Ashley to come towards him. Timidly she complied, allowing the agent to position her body in front of his. He placed her in an identical stance, close enough so that she could feel his body heat. He gently took her left hand, placed the gun in it, and closed her right hand over the other. He then placed his hands directly on top of hers, allowing the rest of her body to be encased by his arms.

‘It’s warm. I can feel his chest rise as he breathes. Is my face flushing? I hope not. What if he sees?’ She thought to herself as she desperately tried to focus on the task at hand.

“Are you hurt? You just started breathing heavily.” Leon began as he loosened his grip on her hands and began to turn her around.

“No. It’s fine. It’s just that…it’s, ah…it’s really cold.” the woman said as she tried not to look back at the charismatic features of the agent and turned herself back to the river. “Now, teach me how to get this thing to shoot…the gun, I mean.”

“OK.” Leon said as he re-positioned his hands over hers and tried not to think about how bizarre she was being suddenly. He’d be lying if he said it wasn’t difficult for him to ignore their sudden closeness. He cleared his head before continuing.

“It’s a cakewalk once you get the hang of it. Just listen to what I tell you and you’ll be fine. Now, this gun pulls to the left a little but not much. So, what you want to do is aim a little to the right of what you want to shoot. So, you just disable the safety, aim, and fire.” He was incredibly close to her now. Every word was conveyed right by her ear. Ashley thought of how close his mouth was to her neck. He guided her hand to the safety switch and helped her click it off. “Now, place your pointer finger on the trigger.” He guided her finger into the loop with the precision of having taught before. Ashley felt her face flush even more and wondered why she was being turned on by such a strange circumstance. “Now, aim at that chain. It’s a hard target because the crate is swinging but you can do it. I’ll help you.” Ashley slowly lifted the weapon and Leon’s hands gently shadowed hers.

“And then…then I just…shoot right?” Ashley asked as the gun began to shake in her hands. The agent softly placed his hands on top of hers to stop the quivering.

“Now shoot.” Ashley knew there was no sexual application to his actions or words but then why did it turn her on?

She gently squeezed the trigger and tried not to think about what would happen after the right amount of pressure was applied. She waited; it seemed like it would never come. Then, the explosive sound made her shriek as she was thrown off-balance by the force in a puff of gunshot residue; her shoulders bumping into Leon’s chest. As she tried to correct her balance, she pushed her leg backwards, connecting with Leon’s lower half. After the ringing in her ears ceased, she heard Leon give a small groan as he released his grip on her body and bent over in the opposite direction. He grabbed the handgun before taking a few steps back.

“Ah. That’s the second time.” Leon said as his PTSD from the ‘Big Cheese’ made him laugh nervously.

“Are…are you okay? I’m so sorry. I…” her face burned bright red now as she tried not to hide it in shame. Leon looked up and smiled at the girl. Something inside of Ashley beamed. She had expected him to be angry with her, but he was actually teasing.

“Don’t worry. I didn’t want kids anyways.” The senior agent stood again and took a deep breath. He walked over to his handgun and picked it up as he stared at where the crate should have been hanging. “Well, look at that. At least you hit the target too. Now, you do it on your own.” Leon dropped the gun in her hands and stepped back.

“Okay.” Ashley said timidly as she tried not to think of what would go wrong. She positioned herself as Leon had taught her and made sure that the safety was off. Once she was ready, she took aim and released. Both the crate and chain remained as they were.

“You forgot what I told you about the pull.” the agent said with a small laugh. Ashley tried not to let her face redden even more as she straightened her shirt and took stance again.

‘You can do this. You don’t want him to think you’re a moron. Here goes nothing, I guess.’ Ashley angled the target into her eyesight. After the reverberation, her heart palpitated irregularly as she heard the familiar chink of the crate’s chain.

“See? What do you need me for?” Leon said as he gave a thumbs up.

“AHIE ESTA!!!!” A grating, mummified voice howled over the battering rain and wind.

“Target practice is over! Ashley, with me!” Leon said as he started removing his jacket. There was only one tunnel leaving this place and they had to swim for it.

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Comments always welcome!

Chapter Text

Chapter 7: Turned
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“Come on, let’s go!” Leon said as he helped Ashley from the river. They bolted into the decrepit passageway as more screams reached them.

“What are you going to do?” Ashley asked as Leon pulled her into the veiled passage. Leon roughly hauled her away from the entrance of the tunnel as another axe flew past them, narrowly missing her face. She stumbled into Leon, bracing herself against his chest. He kept his arm around her tightly as he searched for something from his attaché case.

“Close the door. Get back!” Leon said as he pulled a grenade, pushed Ashley behind his own body and hurled the explosive at the entryway. Ashley screamed as Leon shielded her body with his own. A few chunks of debris battered them but nothing dangerous enough to cause any real harm.

“What about Mike and Skyler?”

“They're big boys. They can handle themselves. Are you hurt?” Leon asked as he straightened himself from the shielding position.

“No. I’m okay.” Ashley said as her teeth began to chatter. They were both drenched from their impromptu swim.

“Here.” Leon said as he handed her his bomber jacket. She had lost her own some time ago. Thankfully, it was mostly water resistant, and Leon had done his best to keep it out of the water on their traversal.

“Thanks.” She said as she wrapped the warm garment around her small frame, relishing the contact. It smelled of leather and teakwood. It was a small miracle it smelled nice at all.

“You did good back there. Hopefully you don’t get more practice.” Leon said as he started to check Ashley over. Before he could finish his task, he felt the familiar nausea and excruciating pain taking over his body. His vision began swimming in a sea of grey and black tendrils. He began to cough violently, blood staining his palms.

“Are you…” Ashley asked as she placed a hand on Leon’s shoulder. The agent swatted it away.

“Ashley. Run.” He said as he struggled to fight the invisible restraints overcoming him. He tried valiantly to make his mind a blank canvas, tried to fight off Saddler before he consumed his mind.

“What? Leon…” Ashley protested, unaware of just how powerful Saddler’s machinations could be.

“Stay…back. “ Leon said as he clenched his jaw and doubled over. He could hear his blood coursing through his arteries and feel the squirming in his chest. He cried out as he collapsed on the floor, silent only momentarily. Ashley watched in horror as the agent straightened, using a voice that wasn't his own as he was consumed by black strands coursing through his veins. “She’s lovely isn't she, my pet? It would be a shame if anything happened to her. “

“Leon. What's going on?” Ashley said as she began backing away. Leon predatorily advanced, his face devoid of any usual character or emotion. It was a twisted, deranged look that made the very depths of Ashley’s stomach writhe. She was prey, meat to be hunted. This rapacious version of Leon sent shivers down her spine as the hunger and danger radiated from his being. Before she could turn to run, Leon was at her throat, his left hand squeezing tightly and his right hand shoving her forcibly against the stone walls. She immediately tried to claw his hand away with both of her own, but he was impossibly strong.

“Maybe you should take a taste, pet. I know you want to.” Leon said in the voice that wasn't his own. He pinned Ashley to the wall by her throat as he reached his right hand down to her upper thigh. He used his lips to trail her jaw before tracing her neck with his tongue. Ashely shrieked as Leon sucked on the tender flesh. She could feel his excitement pressed against her pelvis. She tried to squirm free from Leon’s pressure but there was no way she could kick him with his complete restraint.

“Leon! Please.” Ashley managed to say through her compressed airway. She screwed her eyes shut as she began crying. Just as his hand was inches away from her opening, teasing at the hemline of her panties, the agent stopped. Ashley could feel his body quivering with exertion as he slowly began retracting his hand. She dared to open her eyes, seeing Leon's face contorted with anger and confusion. The grip on her trachea was loosening, allowing her senses to return. She removed her hands from his and instead grabbed his knife from its sheath. She wasn't going to wait for Leon to be well, whatever he was again. She gave a quick, lackluster slash that only managed to graze the underside of Leon’s forearm. It was enough to release the grip he held on her.

“Ashley, wait.” Leon said as he was able to free himself of the swirling paralysis that had overtaken him. But she didn't care. Just as she was about to run, she felt a wave of vertigo overtake her. She grabbed at her head, still gripping Leon’s knife in her hand. “Saddler! Leave her alone, you bastard!”

Just as Leon finished his curses, she launched herself at the agent.

“Ah. She is the…more pliable of you. Perhaps I just have her eliminate you if you can’t…play nice.” Ashley said in the ghostly voice as she slashed at the agent. Leon dodged once, twice but the third time was not the charm. The agent had to shield himself with his left arm, catching the blade in the forearm musculature. Leon used the momentum to flip the blade from Ashley’s grip. It clattered to the ground behind him as he growled. Using your own flesh to disarm someone was not the first line choice. “Maybe next time, pet.”

“L…Leon.” Ashley managed in her own voice as her body shook with fear. She stared at her own hands, trying frantically to stop their shaking, trying to wipe away the invisible strings that had enshrouded her.

“Ashley, wait.” Leon said as he reached a hand to her. But as she looked up at him, he knew she wasn’t going to listen. She took off like a bat out of Hell, managing to duck under an alcove in the rock that was too small for Leon to fit through. “Ashley!” He shouted as he dove under the crevice, craning his neck, trying hastily to see what was on the other side. It appeared to be a parallel torch- lit passage but he had no idea of its integrity or destination.

“Shit.” Leon mumbled to himself as he dusted himself off and continued down the passageway at a breakneck pace. “She’s infected too.”
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“Sorry, darling. Not my type.” Leon said as he stuck the handgun in the elderly female’s mouth before blowing her brains out. He sighed as he reloaded. Another Ganado screamed as he ran towards the agent. “Give me a break.” Leon said as he grabbed his shotgun and discharged it, point blank in the man’s chest. He still had not been able to locate Ashley since their incident. Mike and Skyler weren’t answering.

“Just another day at the office, huh?” Leon mumbled to himself as he continued. There had been numerous Ganados on his side of the underground passageway. All he could do was hope Ashley’s trek was smoother. He had so many questions. Why didn’t Saddler just kill him or make him kill himself? Clearly, he couldn’t fend off Saddler’s maneuvers. Another coughing fit overtook the agent as he approached a ladder and a cellar door with light beaming through. He was thoroughly exhausted as he clambered up the ladder and pushed the heavy doors open. Just as they gave way and he began to emerge, several pairs of hands grabbed him. The familiar screams of the local inhabitants filled his head as he registered two men restraining him and another advancing towards him with a rather large hatchet. His shotgun had skittered off somewhere when he was apprehended.

“Not my type of party, fellas.” Leon said as he dropped his full weight to the ground before sweeping his legs sideways. He connected with the ankles of each man, causing their cranial collision into one another. One Ganado still held Leon’s arm. The agent used this to swing the attacker between himself and the impending hatchet. As the weapon severed the arm of his captor, he pulled his knife and plunged it into the hatchet-wielding villager. As that man fell, he pivoted out of reach of the intact villager before shoving the blade deep into his chest. The last villager advanced with his singleton arm extended. Leon easily ducked underneath, burying his knife to the hilt in the man’s soft underjaw.

“I need to get tested.” Leon said as wiped blood and sinew from his face. He located his shotgun before continuing. He winced as he checked his left arm again. The chainsaw wound was relatively stable but the jab he had sustained less than an hour ago was still bleeding. He needed to find somewhere to address the dressing of his arm. Once he took in his surroundings, he realized he was outside the Village Chief’s home. It would have to do. All he could do was hope Lurch wasn’t home as memories of Mister X squeezing the life from him made him shudder. The Chief was just as overpowering. He felt the dark edges surrounding his vision as panic set in. He had to take a deep breath to remind his body he wasn’t being choked.
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He entered the domicile cautiously. As he cleared each room, he allowed himself to relax marginally. The Chief’s bedroom would suffice until he could patch his arm. It was the only area that could be locked and secured. He stumbled slightly as he ascended the steps, the last few hours of combat wearing on him. He couldn’t shake the apprehension stirring inside of him. Again, had he only done those things because of Saddler? He had never liked snuff films or related media, and being the protagonist of Saddler’s own sick fiction was not something he wanted to contribute to.

‘I just hope Ashley can forgive me.’ He thought as he opened the door to the bedroom, checking corners with his handgun drawn. He saw a figure dart into the large armoire just as he opened the door. The brown leather and green plaid were familiar.

“Ashley. It’s me, Ashley.” The agent wasn’t sure that was particularly comforting at this moment. He released a breath he hadn’t known he was holding when the door to the chest creaked open.

“Ashley.” He smiled as he saw her familiar blonde bob and beautiful features. His smile fell as he saw the makeup runs over her cheeks. His features twisted into a complete frown when he saw the light bruising already forming on her neck. The girl didn’t say anything but she did exit the armoire and sit on the edge of the luxurious bed. Her back was turned to the agent.

“I hurt you.” Leon sighed as he sat on the other side of the bed, his back to Ashley’s. A small sob escaped her lips as she struggled to say something. Leon resisted the urge to punch himself in the face. He deserved it. “Ashley. You don’t know me but, I swear to you, I would never…”

“I know. It’s…not that.” Ashley said as she abruptly turned toward Leon, sitting on the bed with her legs straight out in front of her. Leon turned towards her so he could see her face but made no motion in her direction. He certainly didn’t want her feeling any more threatened than she already was. “I hurt you.” She said as she pointed a shaking finger at his bleeding arm. Leon tried to interrupt her, to tell her it wasn’t her fault, but she kept talking. “I had no control over what I was doing. That means you had no control over what you were doing. What is happening to us, Leon?” She began shaking anew, more tears streaming from her blue eyes. Her crystalline irises pierced his soul, leaving Leon speechless. “I refuse to become one of them.”

“I won’t let that happen. I promise.” Leon said as he placed his hand over Ashley’s. He was relieved when she didn’t flinch or retract it. He winced; his attention divided by his incessant wound. He pulled out some gauze and poked at the injury. It was too deep for a first aid spray. Stitches were an option since it was his non-dominant arm. He pulled suture from his med kit and looked around for something to hopefully disinfect the wound with. There was a bottle of what appeared to be aged wine on the desk nearby. He grabbed the alcohol before returning to his spot on the bed. Ashley was silent next to him. She looked pale as she fixated on his arm. “It’s not your fault, Ashley.” Ashley didn’t respond. “With some training, you could be one Hell of a knife fighter though.”

“Thanks, but I’d like to not make a habit of harming people helping me.” She said as she did smile lightly.

“Ditto.” Leon said as he took a deep breath before uncorking the wine and pouring it over the wound. Leon sucked in breath between his clenched teeth as he finished rinsing the wound with his water canteen. Leon made the first few passes of suture without incident but, about halfway through suturing, sweat was beading his brow and his hands were shaking. Each new puncture caused him to groan as he anticipated the feeling. He had to pause more than once to steady his grip before continuing. Ashley placed a hand on Leon’s from over his shoulder.

“I can help with that.” She said as she crawled behind Leon, craning over his shoulder to see more clearly.

“You don’t have to.”

“I’ve got this. It’s just like a horizontal running stitch.” Ashley said as she jumped down off the bed, kneeled in front of Leon and took his arm in her hands. Leon handed her the needle before grabbing the wine bottle and taking a small swig. “For luck.” Ashley said as she took the bottle from him and also downed a large gulp. She coughed slightly as she handed it back. “That’s awful.”

“At least the company’s good.” Leon said before he took another, more substantial swallow. Ashley laughed as she turned her attention to the wound. “All right Dr. Quinn, do your worst.” Leon said as he exhaled. Leon grunted a few times as Ashley continued to close the wound. She tried to move quickly and smoothly but, admittedly, it was much more difficult with human skin than cloth. By the time she was finished, the wound was closed but Leon’s complexion had lightened a few tones.

“I’m sorry.” She said as she started to tightly wind the whole arm in gauze. Some blood spots were seeping through when it was all said and done but the improvement was vast. Leon looked at her with an expression she couldn’t place. He seemed fixed on her chest or neck. She couldn’t tell which.

“Me too.” The agent said as he reached a hand out to her neck. The linear bruising was darker than before. Ashely gulped as he touched the sensitive area. She partially suppressed her flinching but couldn’t hide it from Leon. “I’m going to get you home safe. I swear.” Leon said as he moved his hand to her shoulder and kept a gentle pressure there. Ashley could feel her face flushing as he stared at her. She was suddenly acutely aware of how close she was to Leon. Warmth was spreading through her face and…other areas. If she leaned forward slightly, she would be touching his groin.

‘Keep it together, Ashley. It’s not like he’s asking you out.’ She thought as she looked away.
Leon tried to ignore the prostrate girl in front of him. Another awkward, vaguely inappropriate encounter would probably be detrimental to his rescue efforts. Leon just couldn’t help but let his mind wander to what women normally did in this position with him.

‘For fuck’s sake, now is not the time, Kennedy.’ He thought to himself as he cleared his throat. He gently stepped to the side, offering a hand to Ashley. When she stood, she swayed violently. Leon reached his other arm out to steady her. She covered her mouth, stifling a substantial yawn.

“You should rest.” Leon said as he tipped his head towards the lavish bed.

“Me? What about you?”

“I’ll be right here.” The agent said as he sat down on the hard floor, leaning his back against the side of the bed and unholstering his handgun.

“I don’t bite, you know.” Ashley said as she climbed back onto the bed and laid down on the soft pillows.

‘I might.’ Leon thought to himself as he leaned his head back onto the mattress.

“I’ll keep watch. You rest.” Was all he said. Getting too close was not an option.

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Hey, guys! Trying to update all the tags so I don't surprise anyone! If you notice something I've missed, please let me know! Hope you all liked it! Please feel free to leave comments!

Chapter Text

Chapter 8: Untimely Premonition

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Ashley woke slowly. Her body ached everywhere. Her face felt cracked from drying dirt, sweat, tears and makeup. But she was also enjoying an intense sense of security. She could feel Leon's warm jacket surrounding her, smell his cologne of teak or mahogany, and hear his heavy breathing nearby. She pulled the garment around herself a little tighter as she sat up. The agent was sitting on the floor, exactly where he had been when she drifted off to sleep. His head was slack over the edge of the mattress, eyes closed and face relaxed. His blond hair lay back, away from his eyes and features. His mouth was ever so slightly parted as he breathed rhythmically with the cadence of sleep.

‘Poor guy must be exhausted. He’s so much hotter when he's not scowling.’ Ashley thought to herself as she realized his facial features were smooth with the peace of sleep. Leon’s hand still grasped his handgun resting in his lap. Ashley contemplated waiting to rinse her face until Leon could rest some more. The wash basin close by was just too tempting to pass up. She hated Leon seeing her this way. Even if smudged makeup was the least of her worries, she was determined not to let this shitshow strip her of her decorum or her wits. If Leon could leave a massive trail of death and destruction behind them for her sake, she could at least maintain her composure. She quietly slipped off the bed and inched her way towards the basin.

“Where are you going?” Leon asked her before she could even make it halfway to the desk. He hadn’t looked up, or even opened his eyes but he was clearly wide awake.

“Sorry. Just freshening up.” She said as she finished crossing the room with normal footfalls. She had guessed a tremendous amount of training allowed Leon to sleep that lightly. She briefly wondered if it could be considered real rest as she poured clear water into the bowl and dipped her hands in. Leon simply hummed a response before laying his head back again. Just as she finished cleaning her face, Leon’s communicator buzzed.

“Mike?” the agent asked as his friend’s voice came through in choppy sentences.

“Found….way….out…Lake.” Was the best sentence Mike could get through.

“We’ll be there.” Leon said as he checked his coordinates for the way to their location. Ashley walked over just as he was hanging up. “Feel better?” He asked her as he smiled. Ashley felt as though her world was spinning faster.

“Yeah…thanks.” She said as she pushed some of her hair behind her ear. If he was going to start smiling at her like that, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to hide her blushing.

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“Leon!” Ashley shouted but it was too late. Leon turned, fired off one shot into the Ganado’s head but watched as stars exploded behind his eyes. A metal shovel had connected with his skull. He was sure his brain had been dislodged from his skull as everything swirled together in a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes. “No!” He could hear Ashley’s scream behind him. His vision was spotting but he didn’t have time to think. There was some kind of grotesque parasite where the villager’s head had been. He just managed to duck as one of its sharpened blades whizzed past him.

“Ashley!” He shouted as she was knocked back by the twirling monstrosity. He deftly blasted the cranium clean off with his Remington, blood and tissue flying in all directions. Leon wiped his face clean before turning around and helping Ashley up.

“You hurt?”

“No, I’m fine. But remind me never to eat pasta after this.” She said as she was staring at the carcass in front of them. The larval tendrils pulsated and writhed in an undulation, even after death.

“All right. Can we please get the Hell outta here before more of whatever that was shows up?” Mike asked as he fired off a few rounds at the impending stampede of villagers chasing them towards the lake. Skyler barely held his head up but managed to give a thumbs up.

“Where do we go from here?” Ashley asked as she examined the already bruising mark on Leon’s forehead. The agent winced away from her touch, giving her a small smile in acknowledgement.

“Don’t worry, he’s still got some brain cells rattling around in there, darlin’. Come on, boat’s up ahead.” Mike said as he shifted Skyler in his grasp.

“Time to go!” Leon said as he took the last, normal grenade form his pocket and pulled the tab. Ushering the others towards the lake, he threw the explosive at the large horde mingling only a few feet away.

“How many of those did ya take?” Mike asked in astonishment as the final few pebbles fell into place and the dust began to clear.

“I have two more incendiaries and one more flash.” Leon replied calmly.

“Ya’ve gotta stop taking things from the weaponries storage without notifying me. Now my ass has to explain! Do ya know why I say ‘my ass’ instead of ‘I’, Leon? Because I have to lie; talk straight through my ass.”

“Isn’t that why you’re an agent; you’re good at it?” Leon said as the party stood in the final clearing wisps of grit and smoke.

“Wha…what the hell?” Skyler said as he straightened up and began to rub his temples.

“Good morning, cadet Skyler. You just missed the most exciting day of your career.” Leon said as he helped the boy steady himself and waited for Mike to finish scouting the wreckage.

“Agent Kennedy, sir. I’m sorry if I’ve been a burden. I didn’t mean to cause complications, sir. I just…it’s an honor to be on your team, sir. And, oh, sir, to be working with you; it’s been my dream since my first day at academy..and”

“Slow down there, Casanova. Relax before you knock yourself back out. How are you feeling? Can you stand?” Leon said to quiet the young agent.

“Oh sure.” Skyler said as he quickly regained footing. Leon looked at him with surprise. After his laying down so long, the agent thought that he would have been at least dizzy.

“Did you get hurt a lot or get made fun of a lot as a child?” Leon asked.

“Y…yes, sir.” Skyler replied timidly.

“You healed quicker than most?” the novice nodded. “That explains a lot.” The senior agent stared at him. Awed as he was, something was not right with the boy. His color was that of a pale, peaked Renaissance man and his eyes appeared to be glassed and not entirely focused.

“All clear up here, Leon” Mike hollered as he rejoined. “Hey, we’ve got us a live one.” Mike said, patting the boy on the back.

“Mike, come here a second, hold on.” Leon said as he dragged his friend to the far corner, away from Ashley and Skyler. “There’s something wrong with Skyler. “

“I think he just needs time to get his strength back up. Until then, we won’t give him any of the hard stuff.” Mike whispered as they both stared at the youngest agent.

“All right. Let’s go.” Leon said as he held the shimmering screen above his head and began to transcend the icy darkness before him. It was unnerving; the blackness yielded no pliability. There was one form of vision. The communicator offered a slow, painful radiance. Leon felt the young woman behind him pulling at his already tight shirt. No one spoke into the silence. Calm had never intimidated the agent, but his senses were exceedingly sharp and every noise became audible in the deathly stillness. It was like a disease; one noise triggered another and it grew until it would drive someone mad. The rustling of his pulled shirt added to the huffing of the young woman, which added to four sets of footsteps, which then added to the peaceful noise of vacillating water.

“All right everyone; this is our ride out.” Leon said as he hopped into the tiny craft tethered to the dock in front of them. Skyler gingerly clambered in and produced a whine and crackling from the hull. Mike unsurely sat at the stern and clamped onto the metal docking hook for what appeared to be dear life. “Come on, sweetheart.” Leon said to Ashley when he noticed that she was making no effort to climb in.

“There’s no room, Leon. The boat’s going to break. I don’t think it can hold my weight.” she said as she took off his jacket nervously and began to twiddle with it.

“If it can hold three federal, male agents in their twenties, I think it can hold you.” Leon said as he grabbed the end of one of his jacket sleeves and yanked. Collapsing on top of the agent, the girl shrieked as the boat cracked and moaned horribly, setting off a string of panic in Ashley.

“Oh shit! Leon!” she screamed as she clutched onto the agent’s shoulders for dear life. Shortly after she ceased her panic attack, the boat quieted and began to creak forwards. Ashley sighed in relief before releasing her vice grip on Leon.

“Umm, guys…there’s water leaking in.” Skyler said in a high pitched voice as he poked at one of the holes in the hull.

“That’s not funny. Let me enjoy my embarrassment in peace.” Ashley said as she handed the brown jacket back to Leon.

“We’ve gotta natural, Leon. Better look out.” Mike said as he pushed the engine to run faster. All four individuals sat in silence. Mike and Leon snickered at each other in the back. Skyler sat stolidly at the front and Ashley spent her time choosing when and when not to look at Leon.

‘It’s strange, about Skyler. Something doesn’t feel right about everything. I hope we won’t be blind-sided by anything.’ Leon thought stoically as the persuasive snickers died and everyone began to sink into their own thoughts down the dark, dank waterways.

‘They’re all making jokes because they’re all nervous. Why are they all nervous? I’m the one who just made an ass of myself.’ Ashley thought as she stared at Leon absent mindedly. When she noticed the agent had registered her gaze, she quickly stared at the wooden planks. Something inside compelled her to try again, though. This time the agent was staring at her. But it was different. It wasn’t the same, calculating, soul-penetrating stare as usual ‘Is that another smile? I must just be paranoid. I mean, what else could happen? We’ve seen so much shit, there’s no way there are any weirder things out there, right?’ she thought as she stared ahead at the black expanse of water before them. They had a long way to go.
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Shortish chapter! Almost out of the village! As always, comments are welcome/appreciated!

Chapter Text

Chapter 9: Under Appreciated
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Small globules of sweat beaded his brow as the milky white pallor of his features gave off a sickly aura. The disease had taken hold of him, and its grip could not be loosed. He breathed in segmented patterns and moaned for relief from the horrible agony as he turned and reached out for a comfort that wasn’t there. Although the decrepit villa was dimly lit by a few, archaic oil lamps, his vision remained in clouds and the voices calling to him no longer made any sense. He had no perception of reality and no concept of time. Nor did he truly know if he was still alive or not.

“Mike. Is Skyler still with us?” Leon asked with a grunt as he placed the final bookshelf in front of the last open window on the bottom story of the spacious cabin.

“Yeah…but he looks pretty rough. He stopped answering my questions about an hour ago, and the only thing he’s said since is ‘make it stop’.” Mike said as he patted the young agent’s brow with a torn piece of his sleeve and Ashley supported Skyler’s head.

“Damn it.” the senior agent said as he began to pull out his communicator. The novice agent gave no signs of recognition and only continued to writhe in Mike’s grasp.

“It could be a number of things. Gangrene is high on the list. His leg looks dead. That‘s the best I can give ya.” Mike said as Skyler gave a particularly violent groan.

“Is there anything we can do for him?” Ashley asked as she brushed a few of the novice’s hairs from his forehead.

“Not without penicillin.” Leon said flatly as he tuned into the agency.

“Or a decent sized pair of choppers and a proper tourniquet.” Mike said as he continued to dab helplessly at the salty liquid now masking the young man’s face.

“You and Leon could do that? I mean, the agency teaches you that?” Ashley asked in horror as Leon began a hushed conversation with Hunnigan on the other end of the room.

“I couldn’t do it, but Leon could. Apparently, he’s done it before.” Mike said as he squeezed out the makeshift handkerchief.

“He’s amputated someone before!?” Ashley asked as she placed her hand over her agape mouth.

“He was the sergeant of his infantry, they were in the middle of nowhere in Iran, with no way of contacting help, and one of the men under his lead was going to die unless he did something. So, he did.” Mike said as he gently lifted Skyler’s legs upwards to keep the circulation going. Ashley stared at Leon on the other side of the room. The more she learned, the more aroused she became. This man could get things done.

The senior agent returned from the communicator call with a somber expression. “Well, I have…” Leon paused his speech as he caught sight of the young man on the ground. It was not Skyler; it was a shell of what once had been a boy of great enthusiasm. It was a husk of a man that was now an animal with a crazed look in its eyes. There was something worse paining him than just the helicopter injury. That was the look all the villagers had. ‘This isn’t gangrene but what the hell is it?’ The disease had torn whatever sanity had lingered in his mind for the last tedious moments. Then, a revelation dawned on the agent‘s frantically probing mind. “Mike, get a sedative out of your pack. Skyler, do you remember being attacked by anyone before Mike found you? Maybe men in hoods?” Leon said as he tried to stall the fit that he knew was evident.

“Wha? Why do we need…” without warning, the boy thrashed out, tossing Ashley backwards and striking Mike harshly in the jaw. Leon dove on the novice, trying to contain the aberrant, newly attained strength that was erroneous of a dying man. The two agents reeled across the soiled ground as their limbs became intertwined and a center coffee table toppled upon them. The boy slammed Leon’s head to the ground and stood on one leg, foaming at the mouth and growling with insatiable rage.

‘What if this is what their ‘gift’ was? But then why didn’t I react this strongly?’ Leon seized the opportunity and kicked Skyler right on his good leg’s kneecap, buckling the appendage and sending the animal to the ground. Mike bound the boy to the ground with his weight and plunged a deep syringe into his left neck vein. The thrashing convulsion ceased, and all was quiet, still. Leon dashed to Ashley’s side and helped her off the ground. Although he said nothing, there was a gentleness to his touch. He was looking at her with concern.

‘It’s in your head, Ashley. This is a stressful situation and Leon is incredibly sexy. It’s in your head.’ Ashley thought as Leon returned to Skyler’s side.

“Wha…what did I do, Sir? I remember lunging and fighting but…why, Agent Kennedy, Sir?” the novice said as Mike helped him sit up straight.

“Well, other than making my ears ring a little, you didn’t do much, but I think we need to share something with you.” Leon said as he prepared to break the news. Mike gave a disapproving glare and motioned a slit across his throat.

“Ahie esta, Bitorez!” a shrill cry rang through the otherwise silent night as it became evident that their haven was no longer out of harm’s way. Mike cracked open the cabin door slightly to peer outside as his eyes registered swarms of bloodthirsty Ganados and the village chief. Before he could shut the door, someone else was running towards them.

“Esperea, espera por favor!” Luis said as he shot into the cabin.

“What the Hell are you doing here?” Leon said as he checked the enemies outside.

“I couldn't miss the party. I see your missing senorita is safe.”

“Can we save this for later? Help Ashley and Skyler get upstairs.” Leon yelled as more crazed villagers began banging on the building.

“Operation slayer, Leon. We’re okay on ammo from the graveyard, lots of enemies.” Mike said as he bolted the door tightly and repacked his guns.

“What does ‘slayer’ mean?” Ashley asked as Leon coarsely handed the barely conscious Skyler over to her.

“It means stay out of our way. Take Skyler upstairs and hide in the best place possible. Luis is going with you.” Leon said as he leaned against the cabin door. Tiny thuds and raps began to berate the door, but the Ganados’ strength was no match for the heavy oak. As the number outside increased, the Ganados began splintering other entries.

“Oye! Senorita, they need my help. You got this?” Luis asked as it became apparent that the two agents were sorely outnumbered. Ashley grunted but nodded as she continued with her assignment.

“Leon, I don’t think we have that much time here. I can‘t hold them alone.” Mike said as a bloodied hand crashed through the bookshelf and attempted to coil itself around his throat. Leon drove a knife through the appendage as quickly as possible.

“Don’t worry Sancho Panza and his trusty ass! Don Quixote is here!” Luis yelled as he jumped the banister to the stairs and began open firing on the masses.

“Who you callin’ an ass, windmill chaser?” Mike asked as he continued to spray with his TMP.

“Don’t get yourself killed, Don.” Leon said as he picked off a Ganado who was about to strike Luis with a hand sickle.

An odious roar reached Leon’s ears as he heard the heavy gait of a large, charging man. Before he could dodge, the agent was sent face forward, among the splinters of the once oaken door, into the remnants of the formerly destroyed coffee table. Mike began to open fire as a hail of bullets sent the stench of gun powder and the sound of ripping flesh into the air. Ganados’ bodies fell around him like daisies in a firestorm, but the village chief simply smirked and walked slowly towards the agent. Mike continued to fire heavily with his TMP, but the monster wouldn’t even flinch. Bitorez lifted the middle-ranked agent from the ground as if he were a puppet and hurled him into the decrepit armoire in the corner.

“Come on, you bastard!” Leon yelled as he drew his knife and leapt onto the chief’s shoulders. He drove the blade directly into the back of the chief’s neck. The giant’s arms flailed as he screeched and tried to dismount the agent. Leon clung for dear life and repeatedly dodged the huge hands that were trying to squeeze him to death or hurl him into more wood.

Ashley shrieked as she tried to hobble up the stairs with the delusional Skyler. Frightened and profusely sweating, Ashley drove her tiny frame as hard as she could to reach their goal. ‘Oh my god! Why are men so heavy! Focus, Ashley. I can do it. I’m halfway up.’ Seeing the whir of the senior agent and the chief only made her hobble faster but panic rose in her heart as Leon began to lose grip.

“Oye! Take your own advice, Sancho!” Luis yelled as he tried to shoot the chief without hitting Leon. Mike nervously hailed another set of bullets, praying that he didn’t hit Leon either, but it was too late. Bitorez tore Leon from his back and flung the agent deftly into Ashley and Skyler. It all happened in a blur. Leon crashed into the hobbling pair and in a horrible shattering of wood and agonized screaming; all three plunged into the basement below.

It was black, a pause. Then, reality. Leon could hear the gunshots. Bitorez was still up. He could hear a horrible screaming, followed by the sound of tearing flesh and…. insect legs? The agent tried to heave himself up but there was something restricting the lower half of his body. It was dark but he could barely discern the outline of a large beam. Recklessly, Leon began to strain against the beam as quickly as he could. He felt the beam shifting as he began to kick free, and desperation and adrenaline drove him harder. As he finally loosed the large rafter, pain seared through his abdomen and left arm. Reloading his shotgun and sheathing his knife, the agent clambered out of the pit in the stairs with unnatural speed. Bitorez closed in on a cornered and battered Mike and Luis. He was now some sort of grotesque representation of an alien centipede.

“Damn. I didn’t think you could get uglier.” Leon said as he fired his remaining salvos, incapable of doing anything else, making all other thought and energy immaterial. As Bitorez stood over his companion chuckling, Leon pointed the barrel directly at the chief’s temple with a vicious hatred and pulled. The ring was deafening as brains and skull showered Mike and Luis in a grotesque cascade of blood and viscera. All of Leon’s revulsion and abhorrence of the man vanished as that final shot rang melodiously in his mind.

“Mike, are you all right?” Leon asked as he stepped over the massive carcass and placed a hand on his companion’s shoulder. Mike lifted his head slowly and stared at Leon in silence. “Yes? No? Are you hurt?” Leon asked again as he tried to discern what was running through the lower-ranked agent’s mind. Then, his memory came back to him as he realized that Ashley and Skyler were still ensnared in the basement.

“Y…yeah. I’m…fine.” Mike said undecidedly as he set down his TMP and steadied himself against the wall. Leon quickly re-strapped his shotgun and rushed to the massive hole in the staircase.

“I’m fine too, by the way.” Luis said as he waved at Leon.

“Ashley? Can you hear me?” the agent called out as he shined his flashlight into the dusky crater. There was no reply, only the sound of dust shifting. Leon lowered himself into the basement and began to pull up pieces of debris. The agent’s heart raced as sweat began to drip down his forehead. He plunged deeper into the pile and there was still no sign of the President’s daughter. “Ashley, if you can hear me, answer me! Please!”

“L…Leon, I’m…over here.” the tiny voice squeaked out from a corner between sobs. Leon pointed his light into the murky curvature with an uncharacteristic apprehension. What would he see? A bloodied mangled corpse? A woman missing a limb? As the light found her dirtied blonde hair and the fair skin, the agent’s breath rose in his chest again. She was all right. Her face; tear-stained but beautiful. Her eyes: gorgeous azure orbs that poured all her fear into his soul.

“Are you hurt?” Leon asked as he knelt in front of the girl and retrieved his first aid spray from his pack. As he moved to place his hands on her shoulders, she flinched, shying away from his touch. The agent didn’t understand the source of the revulsion but felt it best to obey her recalcitrance and wait for her reply.

“N…no but Skyler, he…I don’t know.” Ashley sobbed as the memories flooded back into her brain. The crash of the wood; the searing pain in her side; Leon‘s, Skyler‘s, and her own voice piercing the dusty depths with blood-curdling dismay. Seeking comfort, she launched herself at the blonde agent before her. Leon, only vaguely surprised at this act, held her loosely against his chest. “L…Leon, don’t leave me like he did.”

“Shh. I won‘t leave you; I swear.” The shaken agent replied softly in her ear as he wondered so many things. ‘Who is ‘he’? What’s happened to you, Ashley?’ Leon thought as he firmly lifted the young woman’s face to his. He was fighting desires that she would never know; she could never know. “Ashley…where is Skyler?” The girl said nothing but only pointed a single, trembling finger at the vast pile of wreckage that the senior agent had not yet scrutinized. As Leon’s eyes vacillated fleetingly over the ruins, the palm of a distorted, blood-spattered hand peered through a crevice in the wood. “Let’s get you upstairs. Mike will help you.” the agent said as he guided Ashley to the hole in the ceiling. When she finally pulled herself up with the agent’s aid, she turned around to stare at him with silent bewilderment. “I’m right behind you.” Ashley said nothing as her eyes darted to Skyler’s tomb, but she obeyed with a sad smile as she walked away.

The senior agent retrieved the first aid spray from the grimy floor but simply consigned it to his pack, knowing that it would be wholly useless. As Leon grasped the shattered hand, the sickening crackles of broken bones and tattered flesh reached his ears. He began to pull gently, soft moans and whimpers traveling, tangled from the rubble. “Skyler, can you hear me?” he asked as he finally wrenched the boy free. The young novice only writhed and moaned in response. Leon knelt next to Skyler, trying to offer comfort. The once attractive, youthful boy had been turned to a decrepit carcass. Any recognizable features had been marred and blended in a mesh of blood and scars.

“P…please…Agent…Kennedy…Sir.” the boy murmured through his distorted maw. As he reached up to grab Leon, his arm wavered around, trying to stumble onto what he couldn’t see.

“…OK. But you need to tell me something first, Skyler.” Leon said as he took the novice’s hand in his. “Were you attacked? Did men in big robes attack you? Did they inject anything into you with a syringe?” Skyler began to panic with all the questions asked that his brain couldn’t compute at the time. He began to whine and pull off the ground as he tried to understand anything around him. “Shh, it’s all right. One question at a time, agent.”

“I’m sorry…I didn’t tell…you before…Sir. Y…yes. I was...attacked and they…they injected something…into my neck. It…was horrible…horrible. Help…me…he…” the boy began to rant as he grabbed Leon’s hand tighter. The senior agent’s heart fell at the presented information. ‘I don’t understand. If this is what they did to me and Ashley, then why haven’t we done this yet? What if…stay calm, Leon. Panic only makes things fall apart.’

“Skyler, I’m sorry that I didn’t get to work with you more. People like you are braver than anyone will ever know and should be more appreciated than you ever will be.” Leon said as he undecidedly pulled out his handgun. Never had he been asked to kill a fellow agent. The young man stared up at him with grateful eyes; Eyes of anticipation that reflected pain and fear but also the knowledge of release as he gently pressed his forehead to the barrel.

“Th…thank you…Agent Kennedy, Sir.” Leon pulled the trigger without thought, without effort. The mechanics were the same as shooting any other, but the reality was limited. The sound rang hollow throughout the basement and then all was quiet. There was no more whining, no more screaming, only silence. Leon holstered his gun and sat on the floor. It was the right thing to do but the weight would follow him forever. He felt regret and sorrow boiling inside as he heaved himself to his feet. There was no time for grieving.

As Leon emerged from the pit, his three companions stared at him with sympathy flooding their features. Mike rubbed the back of his head, Ashley fidgeted with her shirt and Luis tried to stare down a spot that wasn’t in Leon’s direction. No one spoke. No one needed to. Leon said nothing as he walked through the villa door to locate the village exit. His entourage followed, albeit a few paces behind the senior agent.

“Leon, wait.” Ashley said as she approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Are you all right?” Leon asked as he turned around. Ashley wanted to cry right then and there. She looked at Leon with scrutiny. His lips were a hard line, his eyes cold and grim. If Ashley hadn’t seen the tenderness, he was capable of, she would have no idea how wounded he was right now. Would this man ever stop putting everyone else before himself? She said nothing but wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a tight embrace. Leon was stiff at first, not reciprocating the action. She couldn’t help but let a few tears fall onto his shoulder.

‘You’re in too deep, Kennedy.’ He thought as he felt a damp warmth on his shoulder. He softened his edges slightly as he allowed himself the small comfort of joining the hug. It felt wonderful to hold a beautiful woman in his arms right now. He drew in a deep breath to calm his own racing mind. Her floral scent, her soft curves. He wanted nothing more than to get completely lost in her at that moment. The problem was, he had a job to do. He wasn’t about to get her killed because he couldn’t control himself. He released her gently after a large exhale. No words were spoken but the two continued walking in a comforting silence.

Mike and Luis hung back a little farther, for once not cracking any jokes about k-i-s-s-i-n-g or getting a room.

“How sick are they?” Luis asked as he looked at Mike.

“I dunno. They’re both coughin’ though. What is it?” Mike said as he took out a cigarette.

“My hero!” Luis said as he stole the smoke stick and put it in his mouth. Mike contemplated batting the man over the head but instead just took another out and lit both silently. “Any blood?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve got to go get something. Meet up with you later?” Luis said as he hooked off on another path. “Thanks for the smoke!” He said as he waved them off.

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A little long, a little rough but I couldn't find a better break! Let me know what you think and I hope you enjoy. Full disclosure, our second child is due on May 5th, so there may be some gaps/slower updates at this point.

Chapter Text

Chapter 10: Conflict of Interest
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So far, the castle had been nothing but fiery catapults, worms with teeth resembling vagina dentata and crossbows. So many crossbows. Leon figured at least the crossbows were not firearms.

“This place gives me the creeps.” Ashley said as the trio descended into the dungeon.

“Poor bastard.” Mike said as he examined one of the restrained corpses. Leon walked over to the door and pulled on it.

“Worth a shot.” He mumbled to himself as the door refused to give. As he rattled the bars one more time in vain hope, a monstrous growl emanated from somewhere below them. Ashley quickly gravitated to Leon’s side, shimmying as close to him as possible. The three continued down the blood-soaked hallways in a small huddle as the rumbling grew louder.

“That wasn’t so bad.” Leon said as he pulled the key from the dead man’s grasp. Just as he was turning around, the floor gave a hideous groan and gave, all three plunged to the rooms below. The heavy breathing and smell of rotting maw was noticed first. The accented snarls and gurgling were second. Leon stood, shining his flashlight over the grotesque creature before him, its stitched eyes unable to grasp his presence. Ashley stood up behind him, wiping her knees off before turning in Leon’s direction. As she saw the monstrosity in front of them, she drew in a loud breath, preparing a scream. Leon grabbed her roughly, slapping his hand over her mouth and restraining her. He threw his back against the nearest wall as her muffled shout tried to escape his fingers.

“Shhhh. It can’t see us.” Leon said directly into her ear. Even the minuscule whisper had the Garrador chomping at his bit. Ashley let out a small squeak, Leon’s hand still holding her quiet. “Shh. Sound.” Leon said barely above a whisper as he released Ashley slowly. He turned her around to face him, motioning for her to keep quiet by placing a finger in front of his lips. She nodded silently, pursing her lips and furrowing her brow. Mike soundlessly motioned down an adjacent hallway. All three crouched, Mike on point, Leon bringing up the rear. Leon slowly backed away, watching the Garrador and being careful not to bump into Ashley. Mike knocked into one of the long talisman chains and all three froze. They stared at each other, eyes wide, no one daring to even breathe. Then, the clattering of chains and thunderous roar told them all they needed to know.

“Run!” Leon shouted as the torturer rounded the corner at full charge. The agent shot a few shotgun rounds as Ashley and Mike exited the hallway. The Garrador wasn’t even flinching, and it was all Leon could do to dive out of the way before the creature drove its claws into the stone wall. He scrambled away before it could loose its blades.

“Leon!” Ashley said as she pointed to the large gate barring their path. Mike was trying to find a weak spot to kick in in the Iron. As Leon looked around, the beast pulled its talons free.

“Ashley, get that lever! Mike, remember playing keep away as a kid?”

“Yeah.”

“He’s the ball.” Leon said as he shot the bell next to Mike. As he charged the other agent, Leon saw the plaga coming out of his back. He blasted it with his rifle as Mike shot the bell near Leon. The agent realized he was cornered in the nick of time. As those blades were thrust directly at his face, he dropped between the Garrador’s legs, blasting the plaga with his shotgun as he stood on the other side.

“I’ve got it!” Ashley yelled as the iron gate lifted.

“Well, whataya waitin’ for? Let’s blow this popsicle stand!” Mike said as he dashed towards Ashley. The three sprinted towards the ladder in front of them. Ashley rounded the top of the ladder as the brute removed his arms from the wall.

“Mike, I need you to step it up, buddy.” Leon said as the Garrador entered their alcove. As the monster charged once more, slashing the bottom half of the ladder to shreds, Leon slid between its legs and stabbed the plagas on its back. The creature flailed wildly, its metal gauntlet connecting with Leon’s face and sending him careening into the stone wall. Had it been the blades, the agent would have been a few inches shorter.

“Hey, you overgrown shish kabob!” Mike said as he half turned on the ladder and used his rifle to obliterate the plaga finally. As the horrible death rattle of the monstrosity faded, Leon pulled himself off the floor, leaning on the wall for a few moments. “9-10, Dutch. I’m catching up.”

“Keep dreaming, Blain.” Leon said as he secured his weapons and made to mount the ladder. Mike reached down, boosting his friend past the broken rungs.

“I don’t understand half of what you guys say. You’re both lucky I was there to open the gate.” Ashley said as the two agents joined her at the top.

“Lady’s got a point.” Leon said as he unlocked the dungeon gate. Ashley couldn’t help but smile to herself as they left the massacre behind them.

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“Glory a Las plagas!” the priest’s voice rang through the room, pulling the very fabric of reality apart for Ashley and Leon.

“What the hell’s the matter with you two?” Mike said as he picked off advancing zealots with his handgun. Ashley was on the floor, too consumed to answer. Leon grabbed the sides of his head, trying to shake off the radiating, piercing pain.

“Stay…. with Ashley.” He said as he managed to reload his shotgun and make his way to the chanter. As Leon approached him, he began his prayer again. Leon fell to his feet, his head ringing and swirling in a tumult of hallucinations. He could see shadowed figures all around him, could feel the parasite swimming around inside. His heart was beating so fast he was sure it was going to be ripped from his chest at any moment. He pulled himself up from the floor, the shotgun swaying in his hands. The zealot started to run away but Leon’s bullets were faster.

“Like a cockroach.” He said as he discharged three rounds into his back. As the zealot fell, Leon snatched the weighted lantern he carried. “Ashley, Mike you good?” he asked as he jumped over the banister.

“Yeah, we got this!” Mike said as he continued to fend off the horde. Leon stooped down to offer Ashley a hand, which she took gracefully.

“You hurt?” the agent asked as another chant began to rip through the small cellar. Leon struggled to keep them upright as the agony tore through them again.

“What’s the matter with ya two? Ya need to get out of here. I’ll hold ‘em off.” Mike said as he continued to pick off enemies. Leon contemplated his options but clearly, he wasn’t thinking straight. “Go! Get Ashley out!”

The agent didn’t have to be told a third time. As they began to hobble together, Ashley stumbled multiple times, the last sending both to the ground. Leon struggled to maintain his grip on her and keep himself upright through the second onslaught from the other zealot. He could hear the mass behind them drawing nearer. Leon hoisted Ashley into his arms as she became increasingly non-responsive. He unsteadily made his way to the archaic locking door and placed the lantern. The lever depressed, opening the way for the two as the sound of chanting and gunfire steadily decreased. He could feel his head clearing slowly, the farther away they got from the zealot. Ashley, although drained, was no longer crying out in pain and was able to keep her arms fastened around his neck.

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“Thanks. I felt like my head was going to explode.” Ashley said as Leon was finally able to put her down. The agent wasn’t about to tell her that that was literally what was happening to some of the followers. They found themselves outside of a large, hedge-like courtyard.

“Normally these places have a rose garden, not a hedge maze.” Leon said as they both started walking into the courtyard.

“I was more worried about the murderous cultists myself.” Ashley said, eliciting a short chuckle from Leon.

“That’s what I’m here for.” He said as Ashley saw his genuine grin. She felt her own cheeks color at the thought that she could make him smile in this hellhole.

“Muerte, Muerte, Muerte.” The ominous words emanated from the darkness in front of them. There were three zealots. One wielded a shield, the other two simple hand sickles. Leon focused his effort on the shield first.

“Get behind me!” he said as he grabbed his rifle and punctured the wooden barrier. Faster than the eye could follow, he swapped his rifle for his handgun and fired through the gap he had created. He swiftly dispatched another zealot with a clean head shot. Ashley saw the glint of the arrow first. It was off to their left, on the balcony.

“Leon!” she said as she pulled the agent backwards in a desperate attempt to avoid his impaling. The archer fired, hitting Leon in the calf instead of the chest as the agent tumbled to the stone pathway.

“Fuck!” Leon said as Ashley moved to crouch down, trying to make herself a harder target. Leon already had his rifle out. Ashley’s blood-curdling scream ripped through the cold night as Leon decapitated the archer with his bullet.

“Ashley!” he shouted as he turned his attention back to the last remaining zealot. He was standing over her, sickle in hand, laughing with a deep growl. Leon pulled his combat knife and launched it directly into the zealot’s throat, toppling the threat. As he rushed over, Ashley was still prostrate, whimpering and not standing. The agent removed his knife from the corpse and checked their surroundings for any more threats. Once he was satisfied, he knelt next to Ashley. “You hurt?” he asked as he had done so many times before. Ashley was grabbing at her leg, the area surrounded by blood. Not all of it was the zealot’s. “Let me see.”

Ashley was hesitant to release her upper left thigh. Leon brusquely pulled her hands away. She sat up, grabbing onto Leon’s shoulder for support. The wound was more than superficial but nothing life threatening. The agent figured it hurt like Hell though.

“All right. I’ve got you.” Leon said as he scooped Ashley into his arms. It wasn’t overtly dangerous, but it did need some care. Ashley continued to cry out intermittently as Leon scanned for shelter. The garden salon seemed to be their best bet. He was reminded of the arrow still lodged in his calf as they hobbled up the steps. Another injury that could have been much worse. He had Ashley to thank for that and he repaid her by letting her get hacked up by a maniac.

‘Real smooth, Kennedy.’

“Sancho! In here!” Luis said as he threw the door open for them. The scientist fired several shots over Leon’s shoulders, presumably at more hidden followers. “Rough day, huh?” Luis said as he noted both parties were injured. Leon set Ashley down on the couch.

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re doing here but make yourself useful and help her for a minute.” Leon said as he started barricading the doors.

“Oye! What do you want me to do? I’m a researcher, not a medic.” Leon said nothing between his own pained grunts as he hobbled around, struggling to move furniture. “Well, there is one thing I know. Here chew this, senorita.” He said as he handed her a green herb of some nature.

“It will help with the pain.” Luis said as she eyed the plant skeptically. Luis held her hand as she began to gnaw on the leaves between sobs. By the time she had consumed the plant, the pain had already dulled some. “You’re a tough cookie.”

“What did you give her?” Leon asked as he knelt next to her on the floor, pulling out gauze and suture.

“Erythoxylan coca. Helps with pain relief.” Leon stopped prepping and stared at the scientist.

“You gave the President’s daughter cocaine?”

“Well, I mean it’s not processed so it shouldn’t be as potent.” Luis said as he eyed the significant gash on Ashley’s leg.

“Unbelievable. Ashley, can you hear me? I need you to remove your tights.” Leon said as he grabbed Luis by the collar and turned him to face away from her. Leon turned himself away after he received a vague head nod from the girl.

“Hey, Sancho. You going to take care of that?” Luis asked as he pointed to the arrow still sticking in the agent’s calf. Leon turned to look at the projectile, yanked it out unceremoniously, shook his leg briefly before spraying the wound, and stared the scientist down. “You are one crazy hombre, amigo.”

Once Ashley had finished removing her tights, Leon knelt next to her with his suture. As he began to stitch, Ashley tried her best not to scream.

“You’ve got this, senorita. Forgive me, Sancho, I have a prior engagement. Someone you know, actually.” Luis said as he walked to one of the windows and opened it.

“Hey, I’m not done with you, Don.” Leon said as he stopped suturing and raced after the Spaniard. Before he could grab him by the collar, Luis we gone.

“Leon, where are you going?” Ashley said, trying to hide the panic in her voice as she looked at her leg.

“Sorry.” The agent said as he slammed his fist against the windowsill before returning to the wound. He continued his work despite Ashley’s pained grunts and protests. “I’ve got you. Almost done.” Leon said as he gave one of Ashley’s hands a gentle squeeze before finishing the suture job. By the time he was done, Ashley was laughing on the couch, squirming and jittery. Cocaine was a hell of a drug.

“Are you okay?” he asked as he cleaned up his pack.

“I’m doing fine now.” She said as she sat up and stared at the agent with a look he couldn't quite place. “I couldn't help but notice you're very good with your hands.”

“Ok.” Leon said as he tried to ignore the tone in her voice. He audibly swallowed as he focused very intently on checking his attaché case in his lap. Everything was organized to the point of an obsessive disorder, but it was preferable to looking at Ashley right now. He could feel his body heating at the thought. It wasn’t something he should even be entertaining. As he closed the case, it was tossed aside and replaced by Ashley’s small frame.

“H... hey your stitches.” Leon said as he couldn’t help stammer. She was fully straddling his lap with her arms coiled around his neck. He knew cocaine leaves could cause aberrant behavior, but he hadn’t expected sexual behavior from Ashley. Maybe some giggling or some joking but this was something he had not prepared for.

“I wouldn’t mind if you demonstrated some more of your skill.” She said as she rolled her hips into Leon’s pelvis. She almost lost her balance and would have fallen if Leon’s hands didn’t snap to her waist to steady her.

“You’re not well right now, Ashley.” Leon said as he tried to shift his growing bulge in an attempt to hide it from her. “Besides, your dad would have me shot, pretty sure.”

“I’m an adult.”

“And you’re also high on coca leaves.” Leon said as he tried to dislodge her from his lap.

“Am I not worth it?” She said as she aggressively claimed Leon’s lips for her own. The kiss took Leon by surprise as he found himself reciprocating without thought. It was warm, wet, fervent. Not knowing which moment could be their last just added fuel to the fire. Leon let out a small moan as feelings he had shoved down for months began to rear their ugly head. Ashley’s tongue and his own battled furiously as his grip on her tiny waist tightened. By the time he was able to think again, they were both breathing heavily. The agent couldn’t say anything at first, desperately trying to organize his thoughts. Ashley didn’t advance again, the look on her face vacillating somewhere between aroused and drowsy.

“Ashley. We need to focus on getting out of here. Getting you home.” Leon said as he gently removed himself from her straddle. Ashley huffed as she lay down on the couch, eyeing Leon as a lioness would a gazelle.

“That wasn’t a ‘no’.” She said as she sprawled out and yawned.

‘No. It wasn’t.’ Leon thought to himself as he pulled out his communicator and checked Mike’s location. He breathed a sigh of relief as his friend was steadily making his way towards them. ‘Shake it off, Kennedy.’ He thought as his body was calming down from the abrupt stimulation. He looked over at Ashley to tell her that it wasn’t possible, that he had to rebuff her for so many reasons. To his relief, she was sound asleep and lightly snoring.

“I’m going to get you home. I can’t let anything interfere with that. I won’t let what happened to her happen to you.” Leon said as he walked to the other side of the room. He pulled out his communicator to check in with Hunnigan, hoping the signal wasn’t still blocked.

As Leon mashed the end call button in frustration, he felt the customary, nauseating symptoms consume his every sense. His chest seared with a blinding pain, his wounds began to split at their seams, and the bruises deepened. Reduced to his knees, the agent clawed at his chest and head, trying to make the pain stop. The agent began to retch as the familiar metallic taint filled his mouth and nose. The world spun in a dark whirlwind of squirming, writhing tentacular consumption. ‘You bastard, what the hell have you given me? It’s your fault Skyler died. Why don’t you stop being a coward and face me like a man instead of controlling me like some kind of slave?’

“My darling pet, you still continue to fight me? What a pity. It will only be more painful for you. We gave you and the girl a different breed. A more useful breed: you will become my slave. But I’m afraid that you will never know how pleasing of a slave you can be.” the cynical, hissing voice harassed the agent’s thoughts.

‘You leave Ashley out of this.’ the agent thought back, infuriated. Every time he tried to stand, the pain increased sevenfold, driving the agent back to the ground in a torrent of agony and confusion.

“I’m afraid that it’s too late…my dear. You see, you will be my slave while Ashley will be my ambassador to the United States. There is nothing you can do to fight it. By the way, what makes you think that you‘re important enough that I would have to deal with you myself?”

“Because, if you don’t, I’ll kill you myself, bastard!” Leon screamed to the night air as all the frustration from the mission exploded in one moment. A fresh wave of nausea caused the agent to collapse on the cold tile. Gagging furiously, he raised his jacket sleeve to try and stop what was coming. When he vomited, nothing came, only more of the putrid life liquid. Nothing was left in his bowels to spew.

“We’ll see, my dear. We’ll see if you still have enough sense for that by the time I’m done with you.” As quickly as the attack had come, it left. Leon lay on the floor for awhile, listening to the cool wind and the humming cicadas. All was quiet, painless. It was as if the agent had never been disturbed by the news he had just received. Was there really no way to stop these attacks? If Ashley was involved, what would that mean? The agent’s mind raced as the thought of defeat became a flawed concept. He wouldn’t let Ashley or himself fall to this perverse power.

He checked his tracker one more time before shakily stumbling over to the couch and lifting Ashley’s legs. He sat down slowly, gingerly laying her legs over his lap. She didn’t stir. He reviewed his handy work, the stitches thankfully holding well. He quickly snapped his eyes to her face as he realized he could technically see up her skirt from this angle.

He looked at Ashley’s sleeping features. She was undoubtedly gorgeous. If he had met her at a coffee shop at home, he would have certainly asked for her number. But they weren’t at a coffee shop in DC, and she deserved more than he could give her. Until he was sure Umbrella was gone, and these bioweapons were eradicated, he would never be able to fully commit to anything else.

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Sorry for the delay, everyone! My son decided to grace us with his presence a week early (darn kids). So most of this was written in the middle of the night, on a phone, while feeding a newborn. Feel free to critique. I couldn't help myself from working in the coca leaves. If you look up a picture, the plant looks exactly the same. Just saying, sus plant Capcom. Also, couldn't help but work in one of Leon's infamous "OK."'s. Hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter Text

Chapter 11: Fucking Up

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Leon sat in silence, examining his knife for any defects as he continued to let Ashley rest. He briefly thought of Marvin and how he had saved his life all those years ago. The knife was a testament to that; it had saved his life many more times over. He looked over at her, content to let her sleep. Just as he had cracked open one of his ration tins, Mike came barreling in through the side window, locking it securely behind him.

“Good to see you two are workin’ hard.” Mike said as he dusted himself off and put away his TMP.

“Good to see you in one piece. Thanks for the cover.” Leon said as he took a bite of something that was supposed to be chicken. Mike snatched the tin away from his friend and began scarfing it down as though he had never seen food before.

“What happened there?” Mike asked as he pointed to Ashley’s leg.

“Got cocky.”

“What was the matta back there?” Mike asked as he kept eating.

“I think the shaman was calling to the parasite somehow.” Leon said as he pulled out another ration tin.

“So how do we take care of that?”

“Luis supposedly knows how to remove the parasite, but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“Both of ya?” Mike said, pointing to Ashley. Leon nodded his head. “Well, fuck.” Mike said as he pulled a flask out of his vest. He was about to take a swig when he handed it to his friend first.

“Well don’t worry, pal. I’m sure you can still get the ladies with some creepy crawlies.” Mike said as Leon took a significant pull from the flask.

“Speaking of such, what’s goin’ on here?” Mike raised his eyebrows in Ashley’s direction.

“Nothing.” Leon said a little too quickly.

“See creepy crawlies? No problem. You still have smokin’ hot chicks hitting on you in Bum-fuck Spain, you lucky bastard.” Mike said as he snatched the flask back with faux contempt.

“You want me to get in trouble!” Leon said as Ashley started to stir next to him.

“All I’m sayin’ is, would it kill ya to fuck up like the rest of us once in a while?” Mike said as he capped the flask and placed it back in his pocket.

“It might.” Leon said as Ashley sat up and yawned. He did a double take in the opposite direction.

“Good mornin’, princess!” Mike said as she wiped the sleep from her eyes and realized that her legs were still draped over Leon. The agent was not looking at her, but he didn’t seem to mind her legs. His gaze was still fixed on something over by the window.

“Leon,” Ashley started as she placed a hand on his shoulder. Leon barely turned his head towards her before staring at the window again. She wanted to apologize for her abruptness, but she also wasn’t going to apologize for the kiss. If she remembered Leon enjoying it as much as she did, so did he.

“Excuse me a minute.” Leon said without looking back at her. He gently moved her legs off his lap before standing up.

‘Great job, Ashley. Very smooth.’ She thought to herself as she rubbed the back of her head. Mike gave Leon a disapproving glare as he walked outside momentarily.

“Here. Eat something. Leon told me you two had a tough time.” Mike said as he threw a new ration tin to her.

“Oh? What did he say, exactly?” Ashley asked as she stared at the contents of the tin with brief disdain before digging in.

“Not as much as I wanted him to.” Mike said with a wink. Ashley felt her face flush at his remark.

Ashley looked over in the direction Leon had been staring in, curious to see what had been so interesting. A crimson origami butterfly was hanging on the upper left corner of the closest window, with a dark lipstick stain on one of its wings.

“What’s that?” Ashley asked as she pointed to the paper craft. Mike looked at the item, his face changing from its usual soft composition to hard lines. Ashley had only seen an expression like that when they were in the middle of a battle.

“Christ on a bike.” Mike said as he shook his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose between his fingers. “Everything’s fine, sweetheart. You stay here. Rest that leg and eat your rations. We’ll be right back.” Ashley looked at the agent with a blank stare, waiting for him to leave before scurrying over to the window to spy.

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“What do you want, Ada?” Leon asked as he warily kept one hand hovering over his knife. Ada didn’t answer right away. She circled him like a shark circles blood in the water.

“Now is that any way to greet an old flame?” she asked as she sauntered up to Leon, gently placing her hand on his chest as she fixed his stare on her. Leon couldn’t help but relax at the touch slightly. It was maddening that she could still disarm him so easily. He didn’t say anything, waiting for an explanation.

“Oh, come on, Leon. You forgave me once.” She said as she stared at the all-too-familiar lips and remembered a more gratifying time. She recalled the skill of those organs that had ravaged every orifice of her body…on every surface of his apartment in Washington. She stared at his beautiful features and remembered the nights in his bed. She would just watch him as he slept sometimes. He had been too good. He was still too good. Part of her still wanted things to be different between them. She inched forward, claiming his lips again as she had four years ago. Leon was able to resist his urge to reciprocate, too on edge until he knew what she wanted.

“Won’t make that mistake again.” Leon said as he kept his lips in a hard line. Ada stepped back, visibly surprised at his lack of response to her advances. Ada held her tongue, debating if she still wanted to carry out her purpose in tracking down the agent. “If we’re done here.” Leon said as he pushed past her to rejoin Ashley.

“I didn’t take you for a jailbait chaser, Leon. Better be careful.” Ada said, trying to stop the younger man. Leon paused for a moment, a self-assured smile coming across his face as he contemplated so many retorts. He could tell from her voice and her body language that she remembered everything he did. Ultimately, he decided silence was the best option. No need to drag Ashley into it. As he neared the door, Mike came out. They exchanged a knowing look before Leon continued back into the salon. Mike stepped forward, clearly blocking Ada from following.

“Hey, girlie. You’re good.” Mike said as he donned his TMP and stepped forward. The female agent silently raised her arms. “Now, is there a reason that ya want to put him through hell again or should I just kill ya?”

“I actually came to warn him, Mike. I…”

“Like hell ya did, bitch! Ya stabbed him in the back once, convince me that ya aren’t gonna do it again.” the middle-ranked agent said in a brusque whisper as he confiscated her handgun and radio. Ada turned around slowly and began to whisper in Mike’s ear. Seductively she moved her hands, trying to spin him in her web of treachery and mystification. The middle-ranked agent was lost in a moment of splendor that had been absent from this bizarre end of the world. Unknown to Mike, as she gave him vital information regarding his friend, she was reaching behind his belt to retrieve her handgun and radio. Mike felt an icy pang hit his stomach as the female agent finished conveying her role in the unfurling, warped game of chess and pulled her handgun on him.

“See you around, handsome. You’ll tell Leon for me, won’t you?” As quickly as she had finished her sentence, she was gone. She had catapulted off the balcony with her hook shot and vanished from sight in an instant. Just like trying to hold sand in cupped hands. Mike stood and stared for a while, only slightly more disturbed than he had been before their conversation. Mike lit up a smoke, gathering courage before walking into the salon.

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“Who was that?” Ashley asked as Leon walked back into the room. She had managed to hobble back to the couch and sit back down before he had returned. He seemed dazed, taking longer than usual to gather his thoughts before turning to her with a gentle smile.

“Don’t worry about it. She’s…” he was about to say ‘ally’ but doubted that himself. “Not…an enemy.”

“You seem to know each other pretty well.” Ashley said as she tried to keep the strain of suspicion in her voice from coming through.

“She’s part of my past that I’m learning to let go.” He said as he sat down on the couch again, ignoring the jealousy and watching Ashley eat her rations. He chuckled lightly as he watched in fascination. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone eat those things with that much enthusiasm before.”

“I’ve never been this hungry before.” She said as she smiled at him. Ashley couldn’t help but feel that Leon was opening up to her a little about the mystery woman. She must have been someone of significance in his life at some point. She recalled the way Leon had stiffened when the female agent had kissed him though. She smiled a tiny, smug smile to herself at the thought that their kiss had been vastly different, even in her mildly inebriated state. She felt some of the jealousy for the mystery woman ebb. She was about to address the elephant in the room again when Mike finally walked in, motioning for him and Leon to have a sidebar. Leon followed Mike with a small groan. He didn’t feel like another lecture about Ada right now.

“We’re not the only agency here. Wesker’s people are after Saddler, and they think that you and I are working with him.” Mike said as he pulled out a red sash from his pocket.

“That’s…Ada’s. She’s working with Wesker? Why would they think that we’re working with Saddler?” Leon said in a state of perplexity as he took the silky red article of clothing away from his companion.

The sweet perfume stood out from the morose, crushing odor of blood, viscera, and death that surrounded them. Memories flooded through the agent’s head as the sensation of lust returned to his body. Part of him would always wish that things could have been different between him and Ada. But they had tried that. He had forgiven her once and she had simply revved him up and watched him go until her goals had been accomplished…again. And he had let it happen…again. The sex had been real though. Not even Ada could deny that they had been incredible together. That fact had been painfully apparent when she kissed him earlier. Some parts of his apartment probably still weren’t clean. Mike snapped his fingers in Leon’s face, realizing his friend was not focused on their conversation.

“Hey! Hey! She said something about a ‘sample’ and that you’re one of his ‘servants’ or something. I dunno. The only thing I know for sure is that Wesker wants ya dead and he sent your ex-girlfriend to do it.” Mike said quietly as he waited for a reaction. The senior agent said nothing. “At least that’s straight from the horse’s mouth.”

“She won’t kill me, Mike. Even though she is screwing Wesker. She can’t kill me, and she won‘t let me die if she can help it. I feel the same way.” the senior agent mumbled as he ran his head through the tactical game of chess and alliances. Wesker just wanted him out of his hair and was hoping Ada would do it for him. There was no question of why. Wesker was simply a sadistic bastard.

“I know you and Ashley are sick, but this shit sounds like a bunch of bad S&M from porno mags. And…how are ya sure that ya can trust Ada? I mean, she did cheat on ya with a guy that’s at least twenty years older than ya.” Mike said as he stared directly into Leon’s eyes.

“She did cheat on me with Wesker, but that doesn’t mean that she wants me to die.” Leon said as he started contemplating the second half of the conundrum. Leon laughed to himself as he realized Mike would likely shoot Ada on the spot if he knew about Raccoon City. Mike might shoot him for that matter. But that long, long day still wasn’t something he could share with others yet. Not a soul.

‘I’m not sure, Mike but I don’t have much else I can do but hope that she has that kind of honor. I’m going turn into a zombie to Saddler unless I do something and so is Ashley. That’s why she’s here. They need an inside link to the Whitehouse.’ Leon thought as he stared at the ceiling for a long time, trying to find any kind of way out of their predicament. Every medical plan of removing the parasites started with the fact that they were in the United States unless Luis could magic something out of his ass. Until then, there was nothing either Ashley or he could do to stop the transformation.

“Hey, Leon are ya all right? Ya don’t look so good. Wait a minute… ya know something that you’re not telling me don’t ya?” the middle-ranked agent inquired as he recognized the familiar look of distress in Leon’s eyebrows. Leon gave no answer but an irritated glare. “Hey. I’ve been your friend for over four years, lived next to you for at least three. Don’t hold out on me.” The senior agent finally folded to Mike’s concerns.

“Luis told you we’re infected, right?” Mike nodded in affirmation. “What he didn’t tell you was the egg, I assume, hatches a parasite that slowly grows inside until Saddler can control it. He can control Ashley and me if he is in the near vicinity because we’re carriers. All the villagers too. Skyler was infected too but it was a different breed.” Leon said in a panicked voice, scaring himself even more by the second as he ran the scenario over and over in his head and drew the same conclusions.

“Shit, Leon. How could ya not tell me something that big? So, we’re talking hive mind Alien creepy crawlies.” the middle-ranked agent said in a poor attempt to cheer up his companion. Mike opted that it would be wise to change the subject. Vexing over the problem when there was nothing to be done would only make things worse. “How ya holding up otherwise?”

“Eh.” Leon said as he began to fidget with every niche of his belt. “I had to kill an agent today with my own gun. A bright kid with a future. Did you see how Ashley looked at me after that?”

“Leon, Skyler was a good kid, but no one’s questioning your motive. If ya didn’t kill him quickly, they would have tortured him. Ya did the right thing. Ashley knows that and I know that. It was just a little, ya know, rough.” Mike took a deep breath before he ventured to point out something critical Leon had just revealed. “Why does it matta how she looked at you?”

“What?” Leon asked as he ran a hand through his hair.

“We were all lookin’ at you like you just put down Ol’ Yella but the only one you mentioned was her.” He said as he pointed over to Ashley. The girl saw them staring at her briefly before turning her head away in embarrassment.

“Come on, man. Don’t psychobabble me.” Leon said as he tossed his head to the side.

“How else will I be a pain in your ass? It’s too late to save ya.” Mike said in a taunting manner, shaking his head slowly from side to side.

“Save me from what?” the senior agent asked with a frustrated sigh at being interrupted.

“You’re starting to get to know her, and I think ya like it. The fact that she’s important in political status, young, and one of the sexiest women we’ve ever seen, I’m sure having nothing to do with it but, ya know.” Mike said as he punched Leon in the shoulder.

“So, what, Don Juan? I just give into these ‘forbidden feelings’ and hope we don’t all die because I’m distracted?” Leon asked sarcastically.

“There’s the salt. You just got your panties in a twist because I’ve always got your numba.” Leon didn’t dignify that comment with a response. Mike softened slightly, placing a supportive grip on his friend’s shoulder. “In all seriousness, your emotions are going to interfere either way. Lean into it.” Mike said as he patted Leon’s shoulder before leaving him to sort himself out.

“You feelin’ ready to go kick some cultist’s butts?” Mike asked Ashley as he sat down next to her. She giggled at the joke, briefly looking over at Leon before engaging Mike in conversation. Her concerned expression was not lost on the agent.

‘Don’t fuck up, Kennedy.’ Leon thought to himself as he prepared to continue his mission.

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Sorry for the delay, everyone! It takes a really long time to write chapters on a phone keyboard! Anyways, for anyone who doesn't know, Mike had a really strong New York accent in the OG game so I stuck with that here. There's a lot of language conversion for his dialogue in this chapter. Also, they absolutely trashed Ada's personality in the remake. She has some of her spiciness here. I'm not overly thrilled with this chapter but I hope you enjoy it! Feel free to comment.

Chapter Text

Hey, everyone! Sorry for the wait. I counted up my hours of sleep for the last *week*, yes, *week* and it was literally 9.5. So, hopefully, this is actually good and not just good because I am in a sleep deprived fugue state. BIG WARNING here. Remember the tags! There is light non-con and torture here but the next few chapters get rough. Buckle up, enjoy and take care of yourselves! As always, comments and criticisms are appreciated.

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The dwarfed man in colonial dress approached the throne in an august, tranquil manner. Although his stature might have played to a subservient drudge, he held his head as an egocentric, steadfast prince reporting to his king. The colonial male heals clopped on the stairs in his ascent as the sky gray pants and pale white knickers rustled through the empty hallways. As he approached the final stair, the man raised his head but remained bowed before his superior. Unsurely, he let his master perceive his pasty, pallid skin, and stormy gray eyes.

“You called, Lord Saddler?” the diminutive man asked as he bowed forwards, throwing back the gold coat tails of his blue jacket and tightening his frilled shirt.

“It is time for the…procession. My pet and my consort-to-be must be well taken care of before they can be…useful to me.” the sadistic, malevolent voice cooed from the dimly lit alcove that harbored his throne and two of his highest-ranked servants.

“My Lord, so soon? It seems a teeny bit early for the girl and meester Kennedy to be…”

“Silence, my darling Salazar. If you wish to displease me, then I will simply have Krauser do it for me.” Saddler said in an angered tone as he smashed his staff on the cold tile floor.

“It will be done, my Lord.” Ramone acquiesced as he tried to fight the veins that so visually stood out when he was angry. With no further debate on the matter, the servant walked out the door and nearly slammed it behind him.

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Leon’s eyes investigated the narrow, clammy passageway before him. The rank odor of human refuse and insect mettle drained his senses as he searched for any sign of them. The Novistadores came out of nowhere in an instant. Their cloaked bodies were nearly imperceptible until they either attacked him or passed his direct line of vision. The squelching sound of his sneakers through the grimy fluid stood out like a painful prick to his ears as he rounded the crumbling corner. The discontinuous sewer lights cast a scarce luminosity over the collapsing, sodden ground, ceiling, and walls.

Leon pulled his flashlight out and flared it twice down the passage from which he had just come. Two sets of footfalls cautiously negotiated the hallway until they caught up with the senior agent. Silently, Leon motioned for Ashley to linger at the bend and for Mike to trail him. Leon’s heart shot into his throat as they navigated the hallway with little more than a vague perception of where they were going.

“Mike, your 12!” Leon shouted as he saw the bug drop down onto his friend’s face. The bug was gearing up to vomit acid on Mike, the middle-ranked agent unable to do anything with both arms fending off the bug. Leon swiftly shoved his dagger into the bug’s head just as it started to spew its acrid toxin onto Mike’s face.

“Ah, fuck ya bastard!” Mike screamed as he could feel his flesh burning. Leon didn’t have much time to react, grabbing his canteen and dumping what its contents onto Mike’s face. It wasn’t enough, the acid was still burning. Leon swept Mike’s feet out from under him, dropping his friend to the floor before rolling him over and forcing his face into the disgusting water. He held Mike down, despite his thrashing, until he was sure they had cleaned his face. Mike rolled over as Leon released him, still grabbing at his face.

“Let me see.” Leon said as he pried the hands away. Thankfully, Mike only had minor damage. The wound resembles a severe sunburn, but all his flesh was intact with minimal deformation. Mike coughed and spluttered.

“Jesus. Are ya trying to drown me or save me?” Mike asked as he continued to wipe his face reflexively. He was trying not to gag at the fact that his face now smelled exactly like the sewer water surrounding them.

“Sarah will thank me. She actually likes looking at you,” Leon replied as he breathed a sigh of relief. The damage could have been deadly. Ashley walked over to the pair, kneeling next to Mike, and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Well, she wanted me to get a facial anyways.” Mike said as Leon helped him stand up.

“You good?” Leon asked as they all stood and prepared to continue. Mike nodded before they started walking again.

The familiar scratching clamor of insect feelers on the peripheries made Leon and Mike freeze again. Pumping his shotgun, Leon traced the pest's tracks through the darkness. Then the movement ceased as the nuisance dropped to the floor and swayed back in forth, now fully visible to the agents.

“Come on, ya jerk!” Mike muttered as he readied his handgun. As if in reply to the agent’s provocation, the massive insect threw its head back and opened its mouth wide. Leon and Mike only stood in question as they awaited its next move. Before they were ready, the creature let out a piercing wail. The harsh, screeching exclamation crippled the agents as they sunk to their knees and grasped their ears in agony. Ashley crawled towards them with only her knees as she tried to find refuge from the curdling shriek. The magnitude of the call even drowned out her own scream.

The howl seemed to continue for eons, with no signs of weakening. Leon felt Ashley’s elbow knock into his back. He looked behind, seeing Ashley quake and shiver. A new sense of anger filled the agent as he formulated a plan. Leon covered his ear by leaning his head onto his shoulder. He raised his shotgun with his right arm, tensing his muscles to help reduce recoil. He took the shot. The echoing of the screech ceased as the animal writhed on the floor. The three removed their hands from their ears and pulled themselves from the waterlogged floor in a state of shock.

“W…what the hell was that?” Ashley asked as she grabbed Leon’s right forearm and peered at the viscous remains of the insect from behind his back.

“Let’s hope it was just a loud-mouthed bug. Come on. Others probably heard that.” Leon said as he gently patted Ashley’s hand and continued forwards. He didn’t remove Ashley’s hand from his arm. If it helped her calm down, it couldn’t be a terrible thing, right? Ashley smiled to herself as she tentatively kept her hand on Leon’s bicep. She briefly wondered if he had…other muscles that were that well developed. Leon noticed the blush on her features but didn’t comment on it.

The company continued tentatively, still unable to hear properly. Mike and Leon held their guns tighter than ever. They now had to strain their ears harder to hear regularly. Then, Leon heard a scuffling on the dank floor. He waved to the other two to stop. Something wasn’t right; that wasn’t the sound of an insect, it was human feet. They were silent, sneaking around the corner, weapons raised and ready.

“Easy there, Stranger.” a robed figure called as he emerged from around the other corner. There was something different about him. The robe he donned wasn’t the same robe as the zealots. Civilized speech also distinguished the man from the others. “Just a humble trader here, Stranger.”

“What the hell kinda business do ya run in a place like this? Wait, don’t tell me. Party supplies?” Mike asked as he held up his gun to aim.

“A very prosperous one. You see, Other Stranger, I was on my way to the village through these tunnels. Saddler. He doesn’t approve.” the man said as he pulled his cloak back from his face to make eye contact. His yellow eyes scanned the group, registering the two agents and lingering ever so fondly over Ashley’s figure.

“That’s not what we asked you.” Leon said flatly as he lowered his shotgun. Something about the man made the agent feel that he could trust him. Whether it was the fact that he appeared to be armed for a small militia and wasn’t attacking, or the fact that he hated Saddler as much as they did, Leon figured the enemy of their enemy was their friend.

“I sell weaponries, Stranger. I can also tune your weapons for you, if you like.” the merchant said as he unfolded his shabby black robe to reveal several models of guns and tuning implements. “For you Americans, it’s cheap. Our money has no comparison.”

“I’ve got some money here but it’s not enough for any of that. How about you tune us up and sell us a couple of things in exchange for all my pesetas and…a couple of U.S. dollars.” Leon said as he examined the wares strapped to the coat and didn‘t even bother with asking how the man knew they were American. The senior agent assumed that it was fairly obvious to anyone with a pulse at this point.

“The price, that’s for us to decide, Stranger.” The merchant said as Mike advanced on Leon, pulling him back by the collar. Ashley only watched as the middle-ranked agent pulled Leon off to the side into a hushed conversation. Ashley stood before the Merchant, completely disregarded by the agents.

“Hello, dear. I wonder, is there anything that you’re selling?” the merchant asked with a chuckle.

“You couldn’t afford it.” Ashley said as she gave the merchant a disgusted look. The merchant laughed a deep laugh at the reply. She walked over to the two agents and eavesdropped in their conversation. She couldn’t help but glare at the merchant as she listened to Mike trying to convince Leon not to buy anything because of the legal attachments of unlicensed and unregistered weapons. The two agents continued to completely ignore Ashley as Leon countered with the fact that no one in their near vicinity would give a damn about the legal conditions of his weapons. Leaving Mike fuming in the corner, Leon approached the merchant and handed over his TMP, shotgun, and handgun.

“I need the handgun and the TMP tuned as best you can, and I need that Striker you’ve got there to replace my other shotgun.” Leon said as he exchanged the weapons. The merchant made faster work of custom tuning than anyone else Leon and Mike had ever seen. Although Mike refused to buy anything, he admired the skill that the merchant possessed in his hands.

“You okay?” Leon asked Ashley as she simply glowered and stood her distance in the corner.

“I’m not a big shopper.” Ashley said as she crossed her arms. Leon laughed politely even though he didn’t find it the slightest bit funny. Ashley’s expression changed from her previous sour state to a small smile.

After only fifteen minutes, Leon shook the merchant’s hand and re-strapped his weapons.

“Yeah, I don’t know nothin’ about ‘dis when those get confiscated at debrief.” Mike said as he walked away, shaking his head slowly.

“I’m sure I’m going straight to jail when we get back. But until then, I’m going to feel a lot better.” Leon said as he smiled to himself. Ashley couldn’t help but snort at Leon’s sarcasm as she saw how much it was irritating Mike. Mike was always laid-back, until Leon did something to mess with his precious equipment or tech. At this point, Leon was making a game out of irritating his friend.

“If ya need anything else, look out for the rest of my family around, Stranger. Goodbye, dear.” the merchant whispered to Ashley as the three headed off again.

Ashley stuck closer than ever to Leon as they continued to traverse the hallway and the merchant headed off in the opposite direction. The sewer passageways seemed to wind around in treacherous circles forever when the company had failed to locate an exit. Eventually, they found two wrought-iron doors that opened a new passageway.

“Wait here, Ashley. There aren’t any lights on in the next room.” the senior agent said as he placed one hand on the doorknob and held up his handgun with the other. Mike, following his friend’s lead, turned on his flashlight and held his standard-issue handgun in the other. Rushing the metal, the door released, and the two agents dashed into the space with astounding speed and remarkable furtiveness. The room was old; dusty and cramped with random furnishings. Broken chairs and desks lay scattered, along with whole armoires and grand dining tables. After thoroughly scrutinizing the storage room, Mike waved Ashley in.

“Leon, I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” the woman said as she held the back of the agent’s shirt and slowly proceeded behind her two protectors.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself.” Leon said as they continued to creep through the room. Then, he could hear it but there was no time to react. A bullet went whizzing past, clipping his right arm, and striking Mike’s flashlight dead on. The light vanished in a crack and a crash as they were left in darkness. Total chaos. Ashley screamed; Mike shouted in pain as chips of plastic pierced his skin. Leon could feel his heart pounding in his throat as a cold sweat sent shivers down his spine.

Leon knelt, pulling Ashley down with him and firing blindly at their adversaries. Mike knelt and rolled behind Ashley just in case they rushed them from behind. Bullets soon began clattering on the stone floor around them. Knowing that they were now literally sitting ducks, Leon took Ashley by the arm and shoved her over to the right wall. If they knew where one wall was, they at least knew where bullets weren’t.

“Mike! Block her!” Leon said as he shoved his companion to her side. Leon stood swiftly and began his advance he pulled out his flashlight. He could blind the shooters as soon as he could find them. The problem was it would leave him wide open and blind for a few moments after. He had to time this right.

Everything felt like it was happening in slow motion. His heightened senses and adrenaline had him hyper focused. As he advanced, something about the guns didn’t sound right. They didn’t fire conventional bullets.

“Really, now. Meester Scott Kennedy. Can you honestly do no better?” the high-pitched voice squealed in delight as he watched the agent struggle. Leon said nothing but only shot more bullets in a desperate attempt to save Mike and Ashley. His eyes were starting to adjust as he could just barely make out the outlines of three figures up ahead. One was undoubtedly Salazar, the other two were unknown. He saw a muzzle flash then, pain.

“Fuck.” He cursed as he felt something pierce his neck with the harsh simplicity of agony. Leon managed to blind the shooter before firing off one more shot. He smirked to himself as he heard one of the figures groan out a death gurgle.

Mike and Ashley could only listen to the darkness as the firing ceased.

“Leon!” Ashley called out with a gasp as she heard Leon groan. Mike only tightened his grip on her. Leon reached up towards his neck and felt the blood oozing down in a slow trickle. He could feel a cylindrical, metallic object with feathering. The world spun around him in a whirlwind of noises and fog. The agent lost consciousness before he ever felt the frigid, unyielding, stone floor.

“Good shot. Turn on the lights for our friends.” As they shielded their eyes, Mike and Ashley tried to hide behind the debris in front of them. Mike could discern one large guard in robes and what appeared to be a child before him. One of the guards was down, the one Leon was able to hit. As her eyes adjusted to the light, Ashley registered the fact that Leon was face down in the center of the room.

“Leon! No! Please!” the woman screamed as she tried to break away from Mike’s grasp. Mike blocked her advancement by tightening his grip but could only stare at his friend, prostrate on the ground. Tears of rage began to well up in his eyes as he readied his TMP. Resolutely lifting his gun, Mike open-fired. Before he had squeezed off ten rounds, he too hit the ground.

Ashley began to scream in hysterics as she watched her second protector fall in a crumpled heap. “This can’t be happening! Leon, please get up!” Ashley yelled as she ran to Leon’s side. She couldn’t help the tears streaming down her face as she knelt next to Leon. She shook him a few times, only becoming more panicked when he didn’t respond.

“Now, my dear. Do not worry your pretty-little head. Your friends aren’t dead. They’re just taking a little…siesta. I’m afraid the master has bigger things planned for you three. Especially you and Meester Kennedy.” Salazar said with a cruel laugh as the one guard hastened to retrieve the woman. Ashley shrieked and tried to kick the monstrous creature. Again, before Ashley knew what was happening, she too hit the floor, sans awareness. “Take them to the ritual chamber, Verdugo. It’s time!” Salazar said as his screeching laugh reverberated through the clustered chambers.

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‘What the hell? Am I…dead?’ Leon thought as he reached in the direction of his neck. Every muscle ached with a dull throb, accented by shooting pains in his collar bone. He was having a tough time gripping reality. His hand wasn’t on his neck; something was restricting his movement.

Fervently trying to open his eyes, the agent began to calm his racing mind. As peace returned, he could faintly hear the rattling of chains. The air was warm and oppressive but the surface he was lying on was cool and level. Someone was trying to talk to him, but the noises all sounded the same. As his eyes finally focused, Leon realized that he was chained to a granite slab, stripped of his weapons, gear, and all clothing above the waist.

Sweeping his eyes across the room, Leon noticed the two Spanish cops kneeling, apparently comatose in front of his table. He could see Mike on a similar table to his left and Ashley on the table to his right. The chamber was massive and dimly lit by two torches on either side of the altar. There was a gated door in front of them and, he assumed, one behind them. He was shaking all over; sweat dripping down his face and chest. The familiar squirm in his torso was returning; Saddler was close.

“L…Leon? Are you awake?” Ashley’s drained voice asked in a squeak. The senior agent looked slowly over to his right. Not having the strength to lift his head, he could barely discern the familiar orange blouse and green plaid skirt over his bicep.

“Are you hurt?” Leon asked gently. His own voice sounded alien to his ears. His throat was dry and cracking, begging for hydration.

“N…no. I’m okay. What about you?” Ashley asked. Leon could hear the strain and panic in her voice.

“I’m good. Don’t worry about me.” Leon said as he tried to lift his head to give her a smile. He ultimately put his head back down, the dizziness and nausea he was feeling only abating when he didn’t strain himself. “Mike, what about you?” His companion only gave a groan and tried to move from his restraints.

“I…I thought you were dead.” Ashley said as she couldn’t help but sob lightly as she tried to escape her restraints. A few hiccups carried across the hard floors, followed by a gasp for air. Leon tried to roll on his side to look at her.

“I’m not going to say that there’s nothing to cry about but you shouldn’t be crying for me or Mike. We’re fine. Isn‘t that right, Mike?” Leon said as he gave up trying to flip over and laid on his back. Mike only tried to shake his hand yes, failing miserably. Leon scanned his friend and determined that he was physically fine, choosing to dismiss his silence as fatigue or shock.

“My darling pets are concerned for each other. How…touching.” Saddler cooed as the gate lifted and he began to virtually float towards Leon’s table.

“Saddler! Leave them out of this. You can do what you want with me but leave Ashley and Mike out of your sordid fantasies.” the senior agent snapped as he tried to sit up. Leon was starting to get nervous as he realized he was not going to be able to break these restraints.

“Well now, my pet. If that’s what you say…your value just rose. But I’m afraid that I can’t give you what you long for. You see, I have a four-step ritual in which you two will be granted immense power.” the leader stated in what he thought was a seductive tone as he brushed Leon’s cheek with his clawed hands.

The agent tried to writhe away from the unwanted contact but couldn’t escape. “Stop squirming. You should save that for later.” Leon felt the familiar paralysis consume his body. He was helpless; trapped as Saddler hovered over his mouth. Ashley and Mike could only stare in shock as the dictator claimed Leon’s lips as his own. Leon clenched his eyes shut as Saddler’s tongue swam around inside his mouth. The parasite stirred in his chest again, wanting more and causing Leon’s body to arch forward. Saddler moved his hands down from Leon’s face to his chest, stroking his nipples, instigating a moan from the agent.

Master…please. the agent moaned as Saddler’s hands moved farther down, tracing the rim of his pants. Leon was screaming inside his own head, trying desperately to resist the pull of the Plaga inside of him.

“You see, pet, the ritual is quite simple. First, the blood of the pawns, then the blood of the bishop. Next is the blood of the knight. And finally…the blood of the queen.” Saddler purred as he traced Leon’s earlobe with his lips.

“Stay away from him you sick bastard!” Mike and Ashley screamed in unison as they finally found their voices and protested. Leon returned to his senses and shouted, realizing once again that he lay powerless under a lunatic.

“Looks like we’ll have to continue this later as well. Save your screams until then. Guards!” Saddler shouted as two robbed figures virtually materialized through the doorway holding a large, black obsidian bowl and black obsidian knife. The leader took the instruments and set his sights on the police officers.

“First, the pawns.” Saddler said as he took the first cop’s hair in his hand and pulled his head upwards. The man gave no signs of awareness or consciousness as the maniac proceeded to slit his throat. As the blood drained down, Saddler caught a generous quantity in the bowl and let the body drop. Ashley shrieked, Mike gasped, and Leon continued to fight his chains.

With hardly a second’s hesitation, Saddler proceeded to execute the same stunt with the second police officer.

“Now, the bishop.” He made his way towards Mike’s slab with the knife at the ready. Two robed figures followed, one holding Mike’s head to the right and the other placing the bowl on the table near his forehead. Saddler moved in with the knife, blocking Leon’s view of his friend. The senior agent stared in horror as Mike’s screams pierced the air and Saddler moved the knife in patterns as if he were carving something.

After only a few seconds, Mike stopped squirming and fell silent. “And…the Queen.” the sociopath chortled as he moved to the other side of the altar.

“Don’t you touch her!” Leon shouted, breaking out of his temporary coma. Mike lay on the slab without perception as blood dripped down his face. On his forehead stood the insignia of the Los Illuminados cult group that Hunnigan had warned him about. Saddler was branding them like cattle to the slaughter. It was only a matter of time before they all fell to the authority of this twisted, forgotten alcove in the world.

Saddler only laughed at the agent’s frustrations as he grabbed Ashley’s left shoulder while he blocked Leon’s view of her. Immediately after, the two guards held Ashley down and positioned the bowl at her shoulder.

“No! Get away from me you freak!” the woman screamed as she tried to squirm away from the knife. Leon’s blood boiled as he watched Ashley kick in frustration and tried to block out her screams. After the servant captured the blood, Ashley lay on the slab, panting and crying, attempting to view her injury.

As Saddler repositioned himself at his slab, the agent caught sight of the same symbol on the top of the woman’s shoulder. It was his turn finally. Leon’s heart threatened to beat out of his chest as sweat beaded his brow. Saddler leaned down and gave the agent another passionate kiss before raising the blade. The first guard held Leon’s legs down as the second placed the bowl at the side of the table. “Finally; the knight.” He cooed as he lightly traced the Los Illuminados symbol across the whole of Leon’s left pectoral muscle.

Once he had traced the design, Saddler slowly began to reiterate the emblem with deeper strokes. Leisurely he traced the design, drawing heavy blood from the agent. Leon tried to squirm as his own shouts drowned his heartbeat. His blood flowed as Saddler guided the knife to mold Leon’s body into a walking motif for the Los Illuminados. The crimson lifeblood surged over his skin, into the bowl.

“Stop! Saddler!” Ashley shouted as she struggled to escape her restraints.

As the leader finished the last of the deep slashes to form the permanent symbol, he began to trace over the lines with his tongue. The liquid was sweet to his tastes; enticing and seductive. He licked the very gashes that would later become everlasting scars to bind the senior agent to the cult.

Leon’s agonized yelps died into moans as the parasite took over his mind again. Leon felt his member stiffen unwillingly. The plagas had fallen to Saddler’s will. Saddler slid his hand down farther into the senior agent’s pants and traced over his bulge as he continued to suck his blood. Leon began to whimper at his ‘master’s’ mercy as the caramelized fossil began to rub his erection softly but rapidly. Before anything could progress, the fiend halted his advance and chuckled at how the agent wriggled at the sudden halt.

“Oh, I forgot my pet; we’ll have to save that.” Saddler whispered as he licked his lips and retracted his hand.

“Ashley. Don’t let his power… You have to get away.” Leon said feebly as he fought to maintain a lucid state of mind and body.

“My dear American, after this ritual, I will have any power over you that I want. Oh, not to mention that I could do it from anywhere in the world. Even if you escape now, those plagas are forever mine.” Saddler said as he began to chug the mixture of various life liquids. Ashley felt drowsiness overcome her senses as she let her head slide to the side of the slab. Leon felt the same power conquer his body as his vision began to churn into an array of darkness and confusion. Finally, all was dark for the three victims, oblivious to the world around them.

“Guards, take Agent Kennedy to my chambers, along with his friend, Mr. Saxon, and their belongings.” Saddler said as he stroked Leon’s cheek.

“As for the girl, take her to the island and lock her in the storeroom. I will use her when I’m finished with these two. Oh yes and tell Salazar to wait for the agents right outside the entrance to the castle docks.” Saddler chortled as he stroked Leon’s chest, trailing his fingers through his still trickling blood. “The hardest tests are yet to come my dears.” His maniacal laughs bounced through the hallways as he made his way towards his bedroom.

Chapter Text

Hello, everyone! Fair warning. Remember the tags! I have been accused of making this chapter the biggest anti-boner of all time (real comment from a friend). So enjoy! Yell at me, scream at me, lock me up! Criticism welcome! Enjoy!

Chapter 13: Supremacy’s Captive
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“Now, my pet. Where were we?” Saddler crooned as he loomed over Leon and wrapped his long, limber fingers around the agent’s throat. He squeezed as he sneered down at Leon. Leon was tied to the bedposts with thick, metal chains.

“Fuck you.” Leon said as he spat on Saddler’s face.

“Oh! Yes, you will, pet.” Saddler said as he licked Leon’s saliva off the corner of his mouth and squeezed harder. Leon redoubled his efforts to fight his restraints. Saddler was enjoying keeping Leon lucid for the moment. The fight kept things… interesting. He could always exert his power over the agent if he needed to.

“So…stubborn. Why won’t you just take these gifts I offer?” Saddler said as he snaked a long tentacle out from under his robes. Saddler grabbed Leon’s jaw roughly, holding his mouth open with one hand and still choking him with the other. Leon still fought, starting to chafe and abrade his wrists and ankles.

“Fu…mmmpf.” Leon started to curse again as Saddler shoved his tentacle into his mouth. Leon tried to bite down with all his might but, between the grip Saddler had, and the girth of the appendage, there was no way.

Saddler laughed to himself as he squeezed a little harder and pushed a little further. Leon felt his head swimming as his oxygen was running low. The tentacle in his mouth probed roughly and so deeply, that he gagged multiple times. He felt his body giving out on him as his vision was darkening at the edges. Saddler kept pushing until the agent was only able to weakly pull against his restraints. He had a hint of a blue pallor on his lips and skin. Once Saddler was convinced Leon was about an inch from death, he removed his hands and his tentacle, leaving the agent gasping for air.

“You are so much fun, pet.” Saddler said as he slowly started to move his hands towards the epitaph that he had engraved in Leon earlier. He couldn’t help himself as he ran his tongue down along the symbol, breaking the scabs and lapping up more of the agent’s blood.

“Go to Hell.” Leon managed as he was just starting to catch his breath again.

“Oh, pet. We’re all going to Heaven. Once we join with the Holy Body.” Saddler said as he reached his hands down, past the rim of Leon’s pants and into his underwear. Leon started to fight again, but he soon felt the room spinning. The sickening heat overtook him once more as he felt the Plaga in his chest stir.

“Stop!” Leon shouted, unable to hide the fear and panic in his voice any longer. He was only moments away from the Plaga taking over his body and then there was nothing he would be able to do. At that point, there would be nothing he would want to do, and that terrified him.

“Just…submit, child.” Saddler said as he moved his hand to stroke Leon’s member. “Submit!” Saddler said more forcefully as he claimed Leon’s lips for his own again. Leon’s eyes glazed over as the parasite started to take over.

“Master. Please.” The agent said as his mind and body became one with the hive.

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“Let me the fuck out of here! I’m not like ya, Saddler! I don’t belong in the closet!” Mike screamed as he tried to escape the ropes that bound him. He found himself trapped in a large, wooden armoire.

As he tried to break the wooden armoire open, the middle-ranked agent honed his ears onto the noises outside of his temporarily secluded penitentiary. There were chains clattering and moaning, Leon’s moaning. The sturdy oak barred him from saving his companion outside. A new form of rage filled the agent with a drive to continue battering the doors with his body. Mike felt his stomach churn and his very blood boiling as the doors finally gave way, spilling him out onto the hard stone floor.

Rapidly lifting himself onto his knees, Mike processed the commotion. Mike stood two feet away from the grand canopied, silken sheeted bed. He tried not to gag as he processed the situation. Saddler lay on top of Leon, lips locked and hands wandering under Leon’s pants. Their tongues battled furiously. Leon began panting and clawing at Saddler’s shoulders with the handcuff chains as Saddler pumped his member. Mike’s only solace was that neither Leon’s pants nor Saddler’s robes had yet been removed.

Mike rapidly crawled towards the corner harboring all their belongings as Saddler began laughing and groaning himself. Ignoring Mike’s escape from the armoire, Saddler began biting Leon’s neck and ears alternately, instigating the beginning of an orgasm. The middle-ranked agent hurried to find Leon’s knife, for the sake of his sanity and the sake of Leon’s health. Mike fumbled with the blade behind his back, pricking himself several times before turning it in the proper direction. The adrenaline rushed through his veins as he began cutting through the ropes, drowning out all other noises and feelings. The cuts didn’t hurt, he wasn’t brooding over a little hand job; if he could save Leon from the greater of two evils, nothing else would really matter.

As he finally broke through the last strand, Mike realized that Leon was breathing heavily, and Saddler was no longer laughing; they had stopped. Mike felt the warm, skeletal hand grasp his trachea and haul him from the stone floor. The stainless-steel knife clattered harmlessly; his only defense now insignificant.

“Mister Saxon, how is it that you always seem to interrupt at the most inopportune moment; always before things can progress. I‘m growing quite impatient.” Saddler said as he lifted the middle-ranked agent above his head. Mike had no air to respond and only reached out in Leon’s direction to attract attention. Leon slouched on the silk pillows, his pants unzipped, and his hands still chained by his side.

As Saddler slammed Mike up against the wall and squeezed as hard as he could, the bedroom door flew open. Two robed figures rapidly approached their leader and began whispering in Spanish. Saddler retorted sharply and turned back to Mike. “Well, it looks like I have some business to deal with, Mr. Saxon.” he said, throwing Mike deftly into the other wall.

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Mike felt the blood dripping down his forehead as the world came into focus again. How long had it been? Minutes, hours; he didn’t know. Lifting himself from the stone, Mike sighed in relief as his eyes registered Leon, still unconscious and not missing any more articles of clothing. The middle-ranked agent heaved himself off the uninviting floor with help from the silky sheets of the bed. He steadied his quavering frame with one of the bed posts.

Mike attempted not to retch from the massive migraine forming behind his eyes as he re-buttoned and zipped up Leon’s pants. As his eyes wandered, Mike scanned the deep gashes that covered Leon’s chest. The engrossing wounds transfixed the agent as he ran over every little detail. Saddler had clawed through the scabs in some places, blood oozing from the crevices. Mike tried not to let the scene perturb his mind, but he was running on his last thread of sanity.

The traumatizing things that Leon was going through damaged him too. They weren’t best friends for nothing. Something about how many missions they had shared together did that to them. It was a bond that no one else would ever understand. Only when two people had stared death in the face together, sheer terror together, and had saved each other from a fate worse than death, in this case, could they understand. Only then would they have the kind of friendship that Mike and Leon shared.

The handcuffs that bound Leon glinted sadistically in the muted light from the lamps that rested on both bedside tables. Retrieving Leon’s dagger from the ground, Mike briefly wondered how Leon managed to attract the most psyche-scarring missions in all creation and even more so how he hadn’t gone insane yet. Maybe that was the cosmic joke. Maybe they kept at this line of work because they had gone insane long ago. As Mike carefully conducted the knife’s tip through the cuffs’ lock, Leon began to stir.

“How ya feeling, pal?” Mike asked in an almost hysteric tone as Leon tried to stretch, tearing the handcuffs out of his grasp.

“What did he do to me?” Leon asked as he grabbed his head in confusion. He remembered snippets and bits of what was happening, but he knew he hadn’t been in control. He knew he had felt pleasure. Those two things were a combination that was deeply unsettling.

“Well, he didn‘t get half as far as he had hoped. I saved your sorry ass…no pun intended.” Mike said erratically as he took back Leon’s hands and began to work at the lock again, trying to sound lighthearted about the ordeal.

“When I get my hands on that fucker… you’re not lying to me are you?” the senior agent asked skeptically, tipping off on Mike’s nervous tone.

“Look, does your ass hurt? Hold up. That‘s your complete reaction? ‘When I get my hands on that fucker.’ That‘s it?”

“What did you want me to do? Crawl off in the corner and weep in the shower? You know, I don’t remember a thing.” Leon said as the handcuffs clinked and fell to the floor with a thud. He was lying but Mike didn’t need to know that.

“Trust me, ya better thank your lucky star for that one. You’d never be able to get an erection again. I think my fiancée might dump me after this on account that my sex life is going to fall off the face of the planet.” the middle-ranked agent said as he grabbed an entire can of first aid spray from the heap of belongings and waved it sternly at Leon.

“Mike, I’ll pass. That would sting like a bitch.” Leon said as he shied away from his companion. “The scabs have formed already anyways.”

“Ya can get molested by an alien psychopath that looks like it stepped out of Alien Versus Predator and be fine but ya can‘t handle a sting? Stop being a bastard and stay still.” Mike said as he took off the cap. Leon mumbled something inaudible to Mike as he clasped the sheets, preparing for the burn. After ten minutes of Mike’s obsessive spraying and Leon’s pained grunts, the final scabs closed over the lacerations, leaving the eerie look of bright red wounds with no blood dripping.

The pain seared deep into his skin, wriggling through the epidermis, and burning what felt like as deep as his entrails. The familiar squirm in his chest took over as the creature cried out in agony. There was no sound, no screech, but Leon could tell it was screaming inside of him. Just as in parasitism, the pain Leon felt, the parasite now felt because of its advanced growth stage and dependence on its host. The fiery blaze in his skin died into the welcomed arctic stroke that encased his lesions as Mike tossed Leon’s remaining clothes onto the bed. As Leon lifted his shirt, the process of organized thought returned, and he realized that Ashley was no longer in their party.

“Mike…where’s Ashley?” the senior agent asked as he virtually rocketed off the bed to retrieve his communicator, not waiting for a reply. Considering the possibilities, Mike figured it wise not to respond as he placed a strap of his pack in his mouth to avoid answering the question, pretending to need both hands to get into a pocket. He knew that Leon would just check for himself and decided that it was best if he didn’t make allegations. Leon pulled up the proper screen and frowned as he stared at the foreign layout before him.

“What is it, Leon?” Mike asked, not really that anxious to hear his reply. Whenever Leon scowled, Hell was sure to follow.

“This looks like an island. It’s at least twenty miles from here.” Leon thought for only a few moments of silence as Mike watched and the receiving signal notified them of a connection.

“Hey Hunnigan, long time no see. Our satellites can pinpoint a fly on someone’s shirt, right?” Mike began as the comm. link blearily signaled to the agency.

Chapter Text

Hey everyone. So this took awhile and I almost didn't post it. One of my good friends from vet school took their own life about a week ago now. I spoke with them just a few days prior. I don't share this for attention or sympathy, but I do share this for awareness. Please try to pay attention to your friends and loved ones. If your gut tells you something's off, please listen to yourself, even if you're worried about looking stupid. Don't leave things unsaid. Don't go to bed angry.

Anyways, end of old man rant. Take care of yourselves and enjoy!

Chapter 14: Under Pressure

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“Move, Mike!” Leon shouted as he dove onto his friend, barely missing the massive, crushing corpse that hurtled towards the balcony where they were positioned. The thundering crash of the octopus-like tentacles virtually shattered the tiles near Leon’s head. The reverberations rang through the agents’ ears and shifted their very bodies. Leon groped for any catch that would hold his weight but found none. Adrenaline coursed through every vein in his body as he felt Mike’s hands clasp his pants rim and the agent clawed the hard tiles for a grip.

Then, he saw the very thing that made his heart sink. The corpse; Salazar’s massive, mutated corpse, twitching lifelessly; only the nervous system misfires giving the body ’life’. The tentacles and body fell in their chosen path in a hail of blood and slime. With a split second of hesitation, Leon let go of the balcony’s edge as they hurtled downwards in a symphony of Mike’s screams and crashing; Leon made no noise.

“My insurance doesn’t cover this shit.” The senior agent said as he began opening his eyes. His voice was heavy with exertion and disorientation. The thick cake of bodily excretions covering him repulsed the agent as he wiped several layers of blood, spinal fluid, and phlegm from his face. As he sat up, Leon felt the familiar pain of a concussion shoot through his spine and into his forehead. Not to mention, of course, the chainsaw injury, his chest, and practically his entire body at this point. Mike groaned quietly as he slowly began to stir. Leon tentatively stood and made his way over towards his companion. The senior agent hauled Mike from the floor and offered his arm for support. “How are you feeling?”

“Leon, remind me never to quit smoking before a mission with ya again.” Mike said as he received the support gratefully. “What the fuck was that thing? I mean, we’ve seen some pretty messed up shit but that…that looked like something Area 51 uses for anal probing. Do ya think they all have that mutative thing?”

“I don’t know but they’d better not. Come on, we need to find a way to that island. It’s approximately 45 degrees north of here.” The two agents left the torture chamber with little more than the memory of the lifeless carcass that was once Salazar.

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“No, I haven’t found the boat yet. They should be here soon.” Ada snapped at her communicator with a new, vehement, irritation. She began thinking of her chosen course of action as she watched the small waves lap over the boat's hull; if she was caught, Wesker would surely use her as a lab experiment. If she played her cards right though, the whole mission could be very beneficial to her.

“Come now, kitten, daddy sent that boat for you directly to the spot that you specified. No matter: my girl will find it eventually. As for your lover, if he does not arrive soon, you will have to go on the hunt.” the older operator cooed through the receiver with an unusual patience.

“I’ve told you. All of that’s over, Wesker. I won’t fail you.”

“Indeed. But I wonder if you will be able to do what is necessary when the time comes? Contact me when you’ve found your ride and your target.” The line went blank.

Ada huffed as she turned the screen to the GPS and located Leon. With slight alarm, she realized that they were nearly on top of her. Frantically, she jumped into the boat, taking her position to start the vehicle. She heard footsteps entering as she turned the engine.

“Ada! Wait!” The senior agent called as he registered their only form of transportation to the island. Ada stared at him with frigid expectations, wanting desperately for him to say it.

“What do you need, Leon?” she said with little more warmth than that of a dominatrix ice-queen. Leon offered her a hand as she daintily stepped out of the boat. Mike began moving in on the offensive, but Leon held out his hand to cease his advance.

“I…need your help with something.” The senior agent said, as Ada began reaching her arms around his neck. Leon struggled to not give in to a hard-on just yet. After months of nothing pleasurable and his hot ex-girlfriend with her hands wandering, it was like a Molotov cocktail for arsonists, the epitome of excitement.

“What can I do for you, handsome?” the female agent purred as she snaked her hands down Leon’s shoulders.

“I need that boat, Ada. Ashley's life is at stake.”

“What do I care if the little tramp gets what she deserves? What's in it for me?” Ada said as she moved to sit back in the boat.

“Meow. I sense a little bit of jealousy there. Ya think, Leon?” Mike said as he made a mock gesture of a cat scratching a post.

Leon didn't laugh as he would have normally. Something was different and Mike vaguely recognized the familiar look of genuine concern that only graced Leon's features in rare instances. He was in a hurry. He was willing to play to Ada’s ego to speed things along. It made Mike’s blood boil, but he couldn’t argue that it usually yielded results.

“I'll owe you a big favor, Ada.” Leon trailed off as he bent down on one knee. Mike's temper was festering in the background as he attempted not to slap Leon for groveling to his ex-girlfriend.

“Hmmm. So sincere and so…staged. Take the boat but do me a favor. Don't get yourself killed over some high society in a short skirt.” With that final remark, Ada tapped Leon under his chin and walked out of the harbor. Mike simply stared at her as she walked past and wondered what had just happened.

“How does she do that?” Mike asked as he and Leon got into the boat. “She knew you didn't mean any of your begging. I was about to slap you. Did you mean any of it?”

“No holds barred Mike, no holds barred.” the senior agent said as the engine began to whine and turn.

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Something wasn't right. His head was spinning in a tumultuous whirl of blood, guts, and no glory. There they were, Leon and he holding the door shut as the familiar heavy thuds of the armored plagas reminded them just how far from home they were.

“Mike? Mike! Snap out of it and help me hold this goddamn door!” Leon's harsh orders helped clear his head of the tormenting fog that held him in a vice-grip.

Mike clumsily took Leon's spot at the door and held it against the rumbling crashes that shook the very foundations of the earth. Leon searched around the strange, Moreauesque lab that held nothing but instruments for genetic research and what appeared to be cloning equipment. Leon heard Mike's frantic outbursts as the door began to overpower him. How long had they been trapped here, holding the door closed for their very lives? Hours? No. Minutes, maybe. It was hard to tell.

Leon finally settled his darting eyes on a large, dense metal bar that would more than hold the door shut. Every muscle strained, every gland secreted mucous and sweat, and every injury burned and twisted with an intensity that was almost inhuman as Leon dragged the metal bar across the floor with a Hermes-like speed. Without missing a beat, Leon flung the metal bar up and Mike caught it. They both swung the bar onto the thick latches that barely accommodated the mammoth material. Both Mike and Leon nearly collapsed on the floor in front of the door. They sat with their backs against the door, trying to catch their breath and devise an escape plan.

“I can't do this anymore, man. We've been through some rough shit, but this is too much. We’re not gonna make it outta here.” Mike said as he grabbed onto Leon's forearm. Leon took note of the starving, desperate tone in Mike's voice and knew that this was more than a rant. He looked over at his friend of four years and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Come on Mike, we've been through worse. It's going to b...” Leon started to talk, started to try, and calm his friend but Mike cut him off with a caged, panicked expression.

“No, it's not, Leon!” Mike shouted, completely atypical of Mike's usual behavior. Mike violently jumped up and grabbed Leon by the shoulders. Leon stood slowly, not taking his eyes off Mike, and allowing his hands to rest on his shoulders.

“I can't do this anymore. Huge, mutated monsters, seeing your best friend molested, almost crashing in a helicopter. It's like shooting in the dark. It could be lights out next.” At this point Mike began shaking Leon with a vigor that could only have come from adrenaline.

“Mike. Calm down. Deep breaths. In…” Leon was trying to get Mike to breathe through the panic attack. He was trying to get him back to a workable state. He couldn’t help but feel his own distress rise. He wasn’t good at this sort of thing. The only way Leon knew how to deal with trauma was ignoring it and drinking enough until it went away.

“Look at me.” Leon said, trying to keep Mike’s attention focused on his face, a singular point. “Deep breaths in…” He wanted to try ‘the right’ way with Mike. He wanted to help, even if he was wholly the wrong man for the job.

“Don't psychobabble me, man. I'm usually the one that makes jokes and haha...everything's gonna be all right. Well, not this time!” Mike said as he shoved Leon back. There was a long pause. Leon didn’t try to walk towards Mike, he didn’t want to make him feel trapped. Neither Leon nor Mike could voice the thoughts that were going through their heads as they stood there staring at each other.

Leon didn’t try to say anything else. He wasn’t mad about the shove. He was terrified of what Mike was going to do. To say he was a man on the edge was an understatement. Mike’s breathing started slowing a little bit as his eyes stopped darting around the room. His body language changed as he suddenly wore a smile and relaxed. Leon had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Mike stared at Leon and cleared his throat as if the whole fiasco had only been a long speech that had dried out his esophagus. Leon stared at Mike with a different facial gesture than he had ever before. He was scared for him. Leon could handle any myriad of physical situation but, emotional, mental, that was a whole different story. Mike stared at the ground and then stared at Leon with a determined and placid expression. Leon felt like someone had dumped ice water over him at the sight.

“I love you, man. I'm gonna miss you. Tell Sarah that I love her.” Mike whimpered faintly as he pulled out his handgun in a slow, resolved manner and held it against his temple. Leon felt his body shake slightly as he waited. He had to play this right.

“Do you?” Leon asked in a harsh but calculated fashion, his features hard and unyielding. He had no formal negotiations training, but he had to try something. He wasn’t going to let his best friend take himself out without doing everything he could. He was already planning a kneecap if he had to. But that was a last resort.

“What?” Mike asked as he stilled the gun's barrel against his temple. Leon could see his trigger finger relax to the side of the trigger. He kept going.

“Do you love her?” There was a deafening silence as Mike simply stared at Leon as a canary stares at a cat ready to pounce. The tension was so thick that the whole room felt pressurized.

“It'll hurt her if you go. Didn't you tell me that you hated seeing her cry? You think you're the only one that's going to miss yourself? She'll miss you...I'll miss you.” Leon said as he slowly walked towards Mike. He kept his hands out in front of himself in a defensive position. He didn’t want to spook his friend. Mike's arm lowered slightly at the elbow as Leon drew nearer. He was making progress.

“Put the gun down. You know that I can't get out of here by myself. Do you want to kill me and Ashley too?” Leon tried to keep appealing to Mike’s sense of worth. He had always been the type to measure his worth by how helpful he could be. It wasn’t right but Leon would be lying if he said he didn’t do the same thing.

Mike thought long and hard. He briefly straightened his arm again, readying the gun once more. Leon stopped in his tracks, hands still out. As Mike looked at Leon a little longer, he finally, slowly moved his head in a sideways pattern that was reminiscent of a 'no'. He lowered the gun.

Carefully, Leon took the gun from Mike's hand. They stared at each other for a long moment. There was still a heavy veil of dread in the air. Mike was starting to realize how horrifying what he had just done was. Leon was starting to realize how lucky he had just been.

Mike suddenly embraced Leon as if the senior agent was his support column. Leon heard the small, inaudible sounds that Mike made. It was the closest thing to a sob that he had ever heard uttered from Mike's mouth. Leon hugged Mike back. He wasn’t going to let go until Mike told him to. Leon waited as the turmoil settled.

“Are you going to be all right?” Leon asked as they stepped away from one another.

“Yeah. Yeah. Just don't tell any of the guys about this little...meltdown.” Mike said as he pushed off Leon's chest and stood back. They both stood, not really knowing whether to talk some more or just let it drop. Mike gave a weak smile and Leon couldn't help but return the gesture.

Then the shot rang out. There was a loud burst of a rifle, shattering of glass and a sickening squelch as the bullet found its target. Leon stood in shock, watching the body fall and feeling the warm liquid spray over him.

It was not Mike anymore. What had been Mike no longer had a face or a name for the senior agent. Leon felt the splatter of Mike's gray matter and visceral mass wash over his chest and shoulders. The final clatter of the metal trinkets on Mike's uniform are what brought Leon back to reality.

Leon searched the room, using the trajectory as his guide. Leon ran to the window the bullet had crashed through. On a tall balcony several hundred yards away, Leon saw the familiar, steroid-induced and frightening, scarred mass that was Krauser.

“Come back and fight like a man you bastard!” Leon screamed as he took a step to chase after Mike's murderer. When he looked up again, Leon realized that Krauser was gone and there was no way of knowing where he was.

At a loss for anything to do, Leon knelt next to Mike's scattered carcass and stared at the remnants. He felt numb and sick at the same time. He had been friends with Mike for most of his career as an agent. They had completed more than a few harrowing missions together and now that half of him was gone. They had practically gone to Hell and back together without a scratch.

The senior agent had been taught not to cry and didn't know what a sob was. He couldn't help the few, wet, glistening tears sliding down his face as the shock wore off. Leon didn't know how long he sat there, staring at, and holding the lifeless hand of the corpse that lay before him. He wiped the tears from his face and composed himself again. This was it; he was alone.

'You bastards have taken more than a few good men. Skyler, Mike, the rest of my team...Watch out, Saddler, Krauser. You've just given me one more reason to rip you limb from limb myself.' Leon thought as he placed Mike's body flat on its back, folding the arms across the chest. Leon took the few materials that he could use: ammo, the communicator for Ashley, and the handgun that she could hopefully figure out how to use.

The last item he took was Mike’s flask. It was a simple, black flask Sarah had given him when they were first dating. Leon took a long pull from the flask. He promised himself he’d take good care of her. He stood in the center of the lab and looked to the ceiling, desperately fighting back tears. He took a deep breath and steadied himself.

“So, this is how you want it, Bastard?! Just me by myself? Bring it!” Leon stared at the ceiling as if waiting for a reply. He waited for the sickening feeling to take over his body and the headache and nausea to consume him. It didn't come. Leon silently put his arms down and looked back to the door. It still clattered with the plagas outside. Leon stood in front of the door and prepared himself to remove the barricade. There was only one way out and he couldn't wait here forever while Ashley was all by herself. He slowly removed the metal bar and began to push open the door.

“Come to daddy.” he said as he began blasting his way out with his shotgun. Leon didn’t care that he was being reckless. Every enemy he obliterated made him feel just a little bit better.

Chapter Text

Hello, everyone! Sorry for the delay! Unexpected surgery always throws a wrench in things! If you notice errors/discrepancies, please leave me a comment and let me know. I will go back and edit when I'm not on Vicodin and Red Bull. Heed the tags please. This chapter is rough for survivors. Enjoy!

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Ashley fought. She fought as hard as her body would allow. But Saddler had other plans. The plagas inside of her submitted so wholly to him that she felt her body responding, even as he savagely thrust into her repeatedly. She was soon unable to fight, powerless to even try and defend herself. She only had one option as the onslaught continued.

Ashley tried her best to dissociate from her body, from her paralyzed state. It was far better to feel nothing. Saddler ‘s assault was relentless, and Ashley couldn’t accept the idea of her body responding positively to it. She tried to think of things she enjoyed doing at home, anything to transport herself away from this attack. She liked going to the movies. She liked going to class, even though her friends made fun of her for it. She missed her dog and her family.

When she returned, she was going to take her yellow Labrador, Lily, out hiking with her like they used to. She used to do so many things outdoors and she loved it. Why had she ever stopped? Because it wasn’t cool? Because she was the president’s daughter and had to be a pretty, proper socialite? She hated it.

Even as Saddler continued, she stayed locked in her own mind. She promised herself, if she escaped, when she escaped from here, she wouldn’t waste another moment doing something she didn’t want to do. She also wouldn’t let opportunities pass her by, unheeded.

Finally, it was over. She barely noticed when Saddler left, still hiding behind her defenses. As she slowly regained her awareness, the weight of what had happened to her came crashing down on her. Her whole body ached, and she felt dirty, ashamed. She wanted to curl up and cry, but she was too numb. She stayed on the shitty cot in the cell, curling into the fetal position and just holding her hands over her ears.

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“Isn’t acupuncture supposed to be relaxing?” Leon said to himself as he managed to narrowly dodge another death volley from an Iron Maiden. He rolled backwards, bringing his rifle up to his shoulder and shooting the last plaga in the creature’s mouth. The monster roared, jiggled, and exploded. With that obstacle dispatched, he finally had the key card he needed to get Ashley out of that horrid cell.

“Nothing to it.” Leon said as he grabbed the key card out of the machine and headed back out into the lab. Just as he was about to leave, he felt the recurring dizziness and nausea overtake him. The room swirled as he fell to his knees in a tumult of inky tendrils and wisps.

“Oh, my pet, I wish I could play with you more right now. But I am quite tired from fulfilling my duty. I have another friend who can keep you company. So you won’t be lonely.” Saddler’s voice cut through the darkness, his grip on the plaga inside Leon keeping him from moving or standing.

“Saddler! If you so much as touch Ashley…” Leon said through clenched teeth as he strained to rise. Saddler was silent. Leon felt his heart drop into his stomach as he heard the noise of cracking glass from behind him. He knew what was in those vats and he wasn’t eager to say hello.

He turned as quickly as he could manage while under Saddler’s control, facing the cracking vessel. Leon's movements stuttered as he tried to get back to his feet, rifle in hand. His body felt like lead, his arms weighing more than he ever thought possible.

“Come on, you prickly bastard!” Leon said as he tried to continue backing up slowly, stumbling when his muscles locked up.

The grotesque Iron Maiden flopped onto the floor, its gelatinous skin and trenchant spikes grating across the concrete. Leon’s rifle felt like it weighed more than a ton as he tried to aim it. Every muscle strained; every thought raced as Leon strained against the invisible chains that bound him. The sound of the creature’s laborious and torrid breathing filled the room, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

Seconds stretched out to eternity as Leon finally managed to raise the rifle. The air was heavy with anticipation and urgency as he targeted the Iron Maiden’s cavernous maw. He put all his effort into pulling the trigger as the monster stared him down, tilting its head in a taunting grin as he struggled.

Without warning, the abomination threw its arms forward, extending them with unnatural ability, and grabbing Leon by the shoulders. Saddler relinquished his phantom grip on Leon just in time for the agent to fire and miss. Leon felt himself yanked towards the brute, crying out in agony as it pulled him into the most violent hug he had ever experienced. Several of its spikes pierced him, tearing into his flesh deeply. They were small and precise, more akin to a hypodermic needle than a knife.

“Good thing I’m not afraid of needles.” Leon said through gritted teeth as he used his trusty backup. He grabbed his knife from its holster and plunged it into the oral Plaga. The beast shrieked and gurgled before it exploded in a mesh of fluids and tissue.

“Still saving my ass, Marvin. Thank you.” Leon said as he cleaned off his knife on his pants leg and holstered it.

Leon checked himself over. While the sting from the spikes was persistent, he didn’t seem to be bleeding all that much. He briefly wondered what the point of an attack would be if it wasn’t to kill him. He pushed the thought aside, grateful that he had the means and ability to finally get to Ashley.

“Hang on, Ashley. I’m coming for you.” Leon said as he finally exited the hellscape that was the Regenerador laboratory. He could only hope that he wasn't too late.

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Time couldn’t have passed more slowly. At least that’s how it felt to Leon as his steps carried him back towards Ashley’s imprisonment. His mind was reeling with possibilities, sinister, gruesome possibilities. He tried not to let his imagination get the better of him, trying to keep his frayed nerves and thoughts under control. Nothing mattered except for getting Ashley out of here. Not his team. Not Skyler. Not even Mike. Just her. He had to get her to safety. He had to be able to make one thing about this situation right. Just the one. When Leon reached Ashley’s cell, his hands were shaking by the time he was able to open it. He rushed inside, kneeling by Ashley’s side immediately.

“Ashely. Ashley!” Leon said as he gently shook her by the shoulders. She didn’t answer. She was curled in on herself and unresponsive.

“Shit.” Leon said as he grabbed Luis’ medicine from his pocket and injected it directly into Ashley’s neck. Leon breathed just a little easier as he saw the black in her veins receding. Her breathing grew deeper and slower, but she didn’t stir.

Leon didn't want to rush her right now. He could have woken her up and made them move out. But he didn’t think that was the right decision for Ashley in this moment. It didn't take a genius to infer what Saddler had needed from Ashley and it made Leon’s blood boil. He was just hoping he was wrong. He sat down on the floor with his back to the cot, a deep fear and weariness settling into his bones.

As he sat there, gun in hand, senses on high alert, his vision began oscillating. He tried to shake it away as droplets of sweat flew from his brow. Something was wrong. He could feel that sapping, creeping weakness permeating through him. It was similar to the shaky and ragged feeling you could get with low blood sugar. Leon kept breathing deeply, never letting his eyes close despite his desire to.

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Piece by piece, the reality he knew began to grip the senior agent, coming into focus with agonizing sluggishness. He didn’t remember falling asleep because he hadn’t. The periphery of his vision was creeping in on him as he sat by Ashley. His own mind was playing tricks on him as he desperately tried to hold it together. There were tiny, muffled sobs somewhere in the back of his mind. Memories of his 12th birthday flooded back into the forefront of his mind.

His father was dead. Leon remembered not understanding why his mother was sobbing. His father had always hit him and his mother. He was an abusive alcoholic, a waste of a human being. He was part of the biggest mob family in New York. Part of Leon was glad he was dead, more than glad: relieved, elated, those would be more accurate.

When his mother realized Leon really didn’t mourn his father’s passing in the slightest, she screamed at him. There was weeping and yelling but mostly sobbing. Eventually, Leon ran out of the house. He didn’t know where he was going, but he ran. As he reminisced his mother’s moaning, Leon came to realize that he was not hearing the cries of his mother. It wasn't a memory passing through his retreating mind. The voice was young and terrified.

Leon pulled himself out of his fugue state. He briefly wondered if he had been hallucinating. He was grateful there hadn't been any unexpected visitors during his stupor. He slowly turned around and knelt next to Ashley. His body was sluggish and recalcitrant. He pushed his physical concerns aside as he turned his attention to Ashley.

The rage he so desperately tried to contain swelled up in his chest as he looked Ashley over. The young woman lay in the cot, crying her heart out, with no one to hear her until then. She was unconscious as she shook. There was something about the spectacle that broke even Leon’s heart. His instinct was to follow his violent tendencies and utter ire, to go find Saddler and slowly dismantle him limb by limb.

But that wasn't the kind of protecting Ashley needed right now. If Saddler had in fact violated her the way Leon was suspicious he had, then the agent in him had to make sure she was capable of moving on. The man in him had to make sure she was going to be okay.

“Ashley…?” Leon said softly as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder to rouse her.

“No!” Ashley shrieked as she lashed out at Leon, unaware that it was him and not an assailant. The attack was swift, catching Leon off guard. There was a resounding smack in the quiet cell as her backhand met his face. Leon did finch some, but it didn't slow him down as he scrambled to gather her in his arms.

“Shh, Ashley. It’s okay now. It's Leon. I’m here.” He said, his lips next to her ear and his voice barely audible. He cradled her in his arms as closely and as securely as he could. Despite the storm raging inside, he tried to exude nothing but calm for her. He spoke to her tenderly and stroked her hair gently. He rocked her back and forth.

“Did he, did Saddler hurt you?” Leon asked anxiously as he held her close. He knew the answer, but he needed confirmation. He was still naively hanging on to a shred of hope, the thin possibility that the world wasn’t so cruel.

Her whimpers slowed as she looked up. She nodded her head up and down, breaking down in fresh sobs as she did. She searched through the dimly lit space between them and tried to grasp the agent’s bicep. Leon felt the weakened brush of her fragile hand. Something absolutely shattered inside his heart. His fury was slowly ebbing into despair and regret. There was nothing he could say that would fix what had happened but maybe, maybe his being there silently would help her.

Her warm tears perforated the shoulder of Leon’s shirt as he held the quaking figure before him. He whispered words of affirmation to Ashley in an attempt to calm her wrecked mentality.

‘I’m sorry, Ashley. I should have been there. I didn’t mean for this…’ Leon thought to himself as he rubbed gentle circles around her back, keeping his breathing deep and slow so that Ashley would match his own. He wanted to tell her how sorry he was that he had allowed this to happen to her, how he wouldn't rest until he not only killed Saddler but destroyed him. Ashley cut him off.

“He left me, too” Ashley sobbed into Leon’s shoulder thickly. “When he came for me, he just stood there, and I didn’t…he left me too. What can I do? I can’t…I can’t…” Leon didn’t understand what Ashley was talking about and tried to ease her decimated psyche.

“Ashley, no one’s leaving you. I wouldn’t. You know that…” Leon said as he pulled her in tighter.

“You’re a liar!” she screamed as she broke away from the agent’s grasp. “You’ll leave me just like he did! He said he loved me, and he just stood there! Just like you did!” Ashley kept screaming and sobbing as she pointed at Leon and jumped up from the cot. She was confused, disoriented, scared. Leon kept himself calm and collected as he decided on how to ask her what he needed to know. He kept a carefully solemn but gentle expression on his face.

“Ashley, I want to help you, but I don't understand. Who is ‘he’?” Leon asked as he stayed seated where he was. The agent did not try to grab her or hold her. He wanted her to feel empowered and safe, so he stayed seated.

“Sh…Shane. He promised that he…he really did love me. He just stood there as the guy took me away. He…he didn’t even run after me.” Ashley broke down in tears as she lurched forwards, fatigue catching up to her. Leon launched himself off the cot and caught her around the waist as she hurtled forward. He didn't want her falling and injuring herself. Leon went down on his knees with her and steadied her for a moment. He waited until he was sure she wasn’t going to fall over and then he released her. If she wanted to be held, she would come to him.

“Ashley, look at me.” Leon said as he stooped his head downwards and craned his neck, trying to make eye contact with her but not touching her. “I swear to you, I will never, NEVER let anything like this happen to you again. I’m not going to leave you. I’m not going to let someone take you from me. I will die before I let you get hurt again. Do you understand that?”

Ashley fought through her emotions to understand what Leon was trying to tell her. She slowly wrapped her arms around him and hugged him as though her life depended on it. Something inside of Ashley told her that she was safe with Leon. Leon was so warm and gentle when he held her. He was so tough and rugged when he was protecting her. Leon held her closer than she had anticipated, the security he provided invaluable to her in this moment.

Ashley felt something more for the agent than just gratitude for his gentility. The flirtatious and superficial attraction she had been experiencing didn’t seem adequate to explain how she felt right now. The hard, lean muscles surrounding her were soft in their embrace. They were comforting, in such stark contrast to when Leon was using them to fight. The warmth emanating from his body created a cocoon for her. ‘Leon, don’t ever let go of me.’ Ashley thought as she settled down in his protection.

“Leon. Thank you.” Ashley said as she tilted her head up and parted her lips slightly. She looked at him with her beautiful green eyes, crystalline tears slowly trickling down her cheeks.

“I’ve got you. I promise.” Leon said quietly as he felt a surge of affection overtaking him. He couldn’t resist her eyes or her lips. He wanted nothing more than to make her feel safe and cherished. He carefully, tenderly closed the gap between them as he claimed her lips with his own. He slowly wrapped his arms around her, holding the back of her head with one hand while holding her waist with the other.

“I swear to you. I will die before I let you get hurt again.” Leon repeated his words from earlier as he wiped a tear from Ashley's cheek. Leon pulled her into a tight embrace once more. He knew they had to get moving. They had to get out of here. But right now, in this moment, he could only think of Ashley and her warmth.

Chapter Text

Hello! A little short and a little sweet. More action coming up soon! Enjoy and comments always welcome!

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“Krauser, my plan is flawless, no?” Saddler said as he lifted the test tube up to the fluorescent lighting of the laboratory. A glutinous liquid of deep purple and maroon shades practically glowed as the mastermind stared at the contents.

“With all due respect, Master, Leon isn’t any ordinary agent. I trained him.” Krauser said defiantly, with as respectful a bow as he could muster. He was tired of biding his time. He was tired of this subservient charade. If he got the chance, he would put Leon down like the dog he was. Saddler wouldn’t be far behind.

“My pet, don’t you think that I understood that when I chose him as my personal plaything? I only accept the best in my circle.” Saddler said as he made his way over to a desk and picked up an item invisible to the massive blond hulk. As he turned around, a bright syringe glinted in his long, cracking, sallow fingers.

“However, since you have told me that you can handle my pet and the girl, I trust that you will not make me… reschedule certain events.” Saddler said as lifted the syringe towards Krauser’s neck. The leader violently jabbed the syringe in. Krauser did not even twitch, let alone grimace. Saddler drew the plunger back as far as it would go, extracting a decent amount of Krauser’s thick lifeblood.

With a subtle laugh, the maniac turned to the test tube and squirted all the syringe’s contents into it. Saddler uttered a tinny chortle as he swirled the liquid. It began to bubble and turn a putrid greenish- yellow. After the syringe had been emptied and the concoction had been vigorously blended, Saddler placed a cap on the mixture.

“Trust me, this thing will go down like clockwork.” Krauser said as he watched Saddler place the syringe in a refrigerated cooling unit. Krauser was grateful for this power bestowed upon him, but he was ready to spread his wings, sink his teeth in. He had been a good soldier and now it was time for him to command.

“It will be ready in three hours. We must be ready to depart once this is finished. The girl must live, and I would prefer it if my personal pet did not expire. It would be such a waste.” With that said, Saddler flicked his robes behind him and exited the lab. Krauser stared at the cooler with concern, Saddler’s maniacal laugh echoing throughout the laboratory.

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“My patience wears thin with this cat-and-mouse game.” The calm yet cynical voice of Wesker hummed over the communicator.

“I already told you Wesker, when I got to the boat, they weren’t here.” Ada said as she shook her head and shrugged. She kept moving to her extraction point, one step closer to the island that awaited her.

“Convenient.” Wesker said as he raised an eyebrow. Ada knew she was on thin ice. She’d be lying if she said Wesker didn’t scare the hell out of her. She bowed to no man but, Albert Wesker, she was cautious around.

“I found one of their communicators at the dock. There must have been some kind of struggle. Either Leon or one of his friends must have dropped it.” Ada said calmly as she kept moving. Lying was a second language for her but Wesker was also shrewd.

“Let me see it, dearest.” Wesker said in a cunning tone. Ada froze. The communicator in her belt was not theirs, it was her spare. To her knowledge, Wesker didn’t know she had it. Then again, there were a lot of things about Wesker that weren’t ‘to her knowledge.’ She held the communicator up with a calm composure but, inside, her brain raced, her heart pounded, and her insides squirmed. She pulled out the communicator and held her thumb over the top left corner. She presented the communicator to the screen of the other communicator. The female agent waited for the verdict anxiously.

“I’ll let it go this time but, if you fail me again, you’ll become one of my research projects, understand?” Wesker rasped into the radio with a subdued fury. “Wait there for the next boat to arrive. You will catch up to agent Kennedy if it’s the last thing you do, Ada.” With that outburst, the link went dead, and Ada sighed in silence.

‘You owe me one now, Leon.’ She thought as she sat against the wall and waited for her transportation.

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The kiss between them had been searing. Ashley tried to still her heart as she stayed in Leon’s embrace for as long as she felt she could. She was battling with so many emotions, unsure of how to clear her head enough to move on.

Leon’s calm and reassuring presence was helping her feel safe again. It may take her years to move past what happened to her, but Leon being here was a helpful first step. Despite the trauma, she couldn’t help but smile into his chest as the aftershocks of their kiss spread through her. It was exhilarating to know that Leon felt something for her as well.

“Hey. Do you think you’re ready to move?” Leon asked directly into Ashley’s ear, his voice low and soft but his tone urgent. They needed to go, to get somewhere safe. As much as they were enjoying their temporary haven, they were still behind enemy lines.

“Yeah. I’m ready.” Ashley said as she looked up at Leon and gave a resolute nod. She didn’t know what her future would hold, but she knew it was just a little bit brighter with Leon there.

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As they moved through the compound, Ashley noticed Leon was quieter than usual. He had no funny quips, corny jokes, or sarcastic remarks. He was going through the motions. He was still an efficient machine, a killer who could protect her from absolute atrocities, but his usual levity was absent. She wanted to say something, but she didn’t have the right words. She contemplated her options but was unsure of how to address this change in demeanor. So, she simply followed and tried to help where she could.

Leon was ever vigilant, dispatching any enemies that approached them. His focus wavered occasionally, treading over the thin line that could either enhance or degrade his performance. He always kept an eye on Ashely, even in the middle of a fight. Mike’s words echoed in his head.

‘At this point, your emotions are gonna interfere either way.’ Leon’s shoulders sagged as he thought about Mike and his loss. He had to push the thought from his mind. He couldn’t afford to focus on his loss or his complicated feelings for Ashley. That’s how people ended up dead.

Was he protective of her because it was his job or did, he just feel guilty about what he let happen to her? Leon couldn’t help but think that Mike was right. Maybe he really did need to just accept the fact that he was also falling for Ashley.

As he pondered his predicament, his communicator screeched at him. Ada’s face came across the screen, her carefully neutral and smug expression present.

“Since you’re too stubborn to quit while you’re ahead, you should know that they’re emptying the labs soon. You need to get there before that happens or you might come home with friends.” Ada said.

“Interesting you always seem to know where I’m going and the company I keep.” Leon says bitterly. It’s an acerbic wit he trades with Ada when he’s had enough. He’s a little tired of everything right now. He wished Ada would just get to the point sometimes.

“Don’t flatter yourself, Leon. If you die, my job gets a lot harder.” Ada said as she terminated the link. Leon sighed as he put his communicator away. Ashley didn’t dare ask about the mystery woman who kept antagonizing Leon. It was clear they had a complicated past and Leon was always sad after he spoke with her.

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He could feel his body responding slowly. Ever since his run-in with the Iron Maiden, he wasn’t feeling up to par. The exhaustion was starting to set in, his body reluctant to follow his commands. He periodically noticed his body tremoring slightly, the feeling of faintness and weakness waxing and waning. Leon was starting to get the feeling something wasn’t quite right. Was the Plaga finally getting ready to take over completely? He pressed onwards, the only goal he cared about being Ashley’s safety.

Ashely watched as Leon continued to fight back enemies on her behalf. She noticed when his posture sagged slightly. He didn’t seem as alert, his response times slower than she had seen before. She had to pull Leon out of the way of more than one attack, his focus too scattered to dodge.

When they were in a quieter part of the compound, most of the enemies eliminated for now, she wondered when Mike would be joining them. They split up and rejoined several times over the course of this mission. She normally wouldn’t pry, but Leon appeared as though he could use the help. When she noticed Leon’s hand trembling, she decided she had to ask.

“Hey, Leon? When will we meet back up with Mike?” she asked, trying not to sound critical or intrusive. Ashley noticed that Mike’s name made Leon flinch, and she immediately felt a pit forming in the bottom of her stomach.

“Leon?” she repeated, a little more forcefully, as he refused to stop moving and didn’t answer her.

“Leon!” she finally said with a firm tone as she grabbed his arm to stop him. She’s really concerned now. She knows Leon tends to clam up when he’s under pressure but, he looked like he might fall apart at the seams soon.

“We’re not.” Was all Leon managed to say. He didn’t turn to face her. His voice was strained and cold. She couldn’t see his face as he started walking once more.

“Stop.” Ashley said as she looked around for somewhere, anywhere for them to take refuge. She spotted a storage room to their right. Leon didn’t stop and that scared Ashley.

“Leon, stop.” She repeated forcefully as she pulled him into the storage room with her.

“We have to go, Ashley.” Leon said as he gritted his teeth and looked down at the floor. His expression was neutral, but Ashley could see the pain in his eyes.

“What happened?” Ashley asked as she took his face in her hands and tilted his head up towards her own. She could feel her own heart thudding in her chest as she saw him. He was struggling to hold it together, his brow furrowed and a deep frown over his features.

“I can’t. Ashley, we need to go.” Leon said as his voice broke. He cleared his throat and gently pulled his face away from her grasp, desperately trying to avoid facing this reality right now. It wasn’t the time.

“I’m so sorry, Leon.” Ashley said as she hugged him tightly. She couldn’t hold back the trembling in her own voice as she said it. She knew Leon and Mike had been good friends and it killed her to see him this way. First, most of his team, then Skyler, now Mike. She also couldn’t shake the despair at the thought that all these people were here because of her. They wouldn’t be dying if not for her.

Leon hesitated as she hugged him, his usual cold demeanor taking charge. The strain in his face, his shoulders, his voice, Ashley wanted to wipe it all away. After a few long seconds, Leon wrapped his arms around her too, holding her as close as he could. Ashley could feel Leon's body shaking. It was barely perceptible, but it was enough to tell her how much pain he was in. She silently took his face in her hands, going up on her tiptoes to kiss his forehead.

“We need to go.” Leon said as his eyes fluttered closed with the gentle kiss from Ashley. He leaned his forehead against hers for a few moments, calming himself to the best of his ability.

“We really need to go.” He said again as his demeanor softened. He couldn’t afford to fall apart right now. He had to dissociate from the entire situation and persevere. He pulled away from Ashley, taking her hand in his before they exited the storage room.

Chapter Text

Sorry this took awhile, everyone! Apparently I have immune-mediated keratitis so, I've been struggling to see. Makes writing difficult. Please let me know if there are errors! Comments always welcome and enjoy!

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Chapter 17: Chase Those Windmills

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“CAUTION: Military Training Zone.” Leon read as they passed the chain-link fence into the dirt covered area of old army barracks. The darkness was treacherous, and the night sky cast an eerie glow on the watchtower, bunkers, and barbed wire surrounding them. Leon stopped and turned to Ashley, pulling Mike’s communicator from his belt.

“That reminds me. You should take this. I know you had one but that…got lost in the incident, right?” Leon asked as he handed it to her.

“Leon…” Ashley sighed as she flicked the crimson stippled communicator on, “I didn’t mean what I said earlier. I know you wouldn't leave me.”

“Ashley. I’m never going to hold anything you said against you. I…I’m just sorry I wasn’t there.”

“I know. It’s not your fault.” Ashley said as she flushed. Leon stopped walking for a moment. He wanted to tell her how wrong she was but decided against it. They kept walking in silence.

“Te voy hacer picadillo!!!!!” The guttural cry ripped through the stillness as a blinding light enveloped Leon and Ashley, segregating them from the darkness around them. Leon squinted through the beam to find a glint of metal and a hulking lump of a man.

“Go! Go! Go!” Leon yelled as he grabbed Ashley by the wrist and sprinted into an old ditch that was loosely fortified by decrepit sandbags. Leon curled himself and Ashley into a ball as the familiar whizzes and thuds of bullets hitting sand reached his ears. The rapid, successive fire told him that it was a Gatling gun.

“Shit. I’m going to have to take him out.” Leon mumbled as he removed Mike’s TMP from his belt and handed it to Ashley.

“Stay here. If anything happens, use that gun. No matter what you see or what you hear, you keep running.” Leon says as he whispers into Ashley’s ear.

“No way, Leon…” Ashley starts to protest.

“Look at me. Look at me. This is serious.” Leon said as took Ashley’s face in his hands. “Leave me if anything goes wrong and don’t come back for me!” Leon said as he prepared to sprint up the tower where his adversary waited. Ashley grabbed Leon’s shoulder.

“Be careful, Leon” she said as she launched herself into a hug with him. Leon paused for a moment, arms aloof, and then gently returned the gesture. Reluctantly, he released his arms, grabbed his Striker, and charged out of the bunker without a word. Ashley stared after him as his muscular build disappeared from view.

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Leon ducked behind a nearby crate and searched for the armed monstrosity. The boards of the wooden parapets above him creaked and moaned as something moved across them. Leon held his breath and remained silent.

Leon contemplated just how to draw out this towering soldier as bits of dirt fell around him from the movement on the dilapidated floorboards above. Leon registered a horrid groan as a massive blur, punctuated by a dirty and frayed porcine mask, plummeted from the tower above to the ground directly in front of him.

Leon’s heart pounded in his throat as the ground shook and the ground puffed up in a cloud of massive magnitude. The dust began to settle, revealing a large man with looming shoulders, a Gatling gun, an entire bandolier of ammo, and a pig mask. Leon didn’t hesitate to raise his Striker and aim. The gun reverberated in the agent’s hands as deadly scatter blasted directly into the giant mass’s back.

The gargantuan screamed and arched backwards but, to Leon’s horror, he didn’t go down. Acting like lightning, Leon strapped his Striker down and drew his knife. Leon charged the man and jumped on his back, thrusting his dagger deep into the massive neck. The giant’s guttural yell rent the air as he began to spin in circles and fire his gun uncontrollably.

“Ashley! Stay down!” Leon shouted as more than a few of the bullets strayed towards their bunker. The man began swerving and dipping around the circular outcrop of dirt; attempting to fling Leon into any of the surrounding barracks or watchtowers. In the background, the agent could hear Ashley yelling for him but that didn’t matter right now. If he didn’t take care of this monster, they were both finished.

Leon removed his knife from the renegade’s neck and, being careful not to get caught in the rage, reached around to the front. Right as Leon was about to wrench the man’s jugular out with the penetrating blade, the galvanizing metal of the Gatling gun connected with his skull. The world fluttered by as Leon felt himself hit the hard clay and skid away from his attacker. Dust and dirt flew as he scrambled away from his assailant on his elbows and back. The massive bulk turned on him and he was left with nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

Frantic thoughts sped through Leon’s mind as he scraped his body over the dirt. What would happen to Ashley if he went down now? He couldn’t let that happen. Just as Leon was checking to see if he had anything other than flashbangs left, he realized that his aggressor was no longer looking at him.

A glazed look came over the monster’s eyes as the Gatling gun dropped from his hands, only to clatter harmlessly. Leon, in wonderment, stared at what he thought was his death-bringer. A clean, magnanimous gash in the man’s throat oozed and gushed with a graceful, mellifluous flow of bright crimson blood. Leon realized his salvation as the massive bulk slammed into the earth before him; lifeless.

“Get away from me, assholes!” Ashley screamed as she ran from one bunker to the next, a horde of Ganados following her. Leon jumped up and sprinted to her aid. As he pulled his Striker, Ashley stood from the bunker, TMP poised in her hands. “Take this!!!” she screamed as she braced herself for the backlash of the gun.

“Ashley, w…” the agent began as the bullets zinged into the crowd of Ganados. He immediately hit the dirt and covered his head. More than a few bullets clipped his fine blond hair as his powerful sense of religion returned, evoking more than a few prayers. Leon could hear bodies hitting the floor, the blood-curdling screams as the Ganados became victims, and Ashley’s terrified shouts as she struggled to maintain her grip on the weapon.

After what seemed to be an eternity to the agent, the shouts stopped, and the bullets ceased. Leon tentatively lifted his face from the earthen floor and tried to peer through the storm of sediment that had formed in the air.

“Ashley?” Leon shouted as he coughed and raised himself up. When he received no reply, he began to make his way toward Ashley’s bunker. Leon quickly counted the bodies strewn in front of the trench and confirmed that all the Ganados had been disposed of.

As the agent stared over the top of the trench, he felt an immense relief when he saw her there, huddling, and terrified but very much alive. He couldn’t deny, he was impressed with her resilience and fortitude under pressure. This nightmare was so much more than anyone should be able to tolerate. Leon saw the TMP in her right hand and blood smothering her left hand.

“Where are you hurt?” Leon asked as he clambered into the trench and began to scan over Ashley. He could feel a cold grip on his chest as he started patting her down roughly and expediently, impatient to assess the damage.

“I’m not.” She answered tentatively, a little taken aback by his rough and sudden handling.

“Where is the blood from?”

“I…I just started coughing while I was…shooting them. Before I knew what was going on, I was coughing up blood. What’s wrong with me, Leon?” she asked as she wiped the blood off on a sandbag and set the TMP down.

“I don’t know exactly what they did to us yet but, I promise I’m going to fix this, okay?” Leon said as he stood, took the TMP, and offered his hand to her. They both knew they were infected, but the extent of the damage was unknown. “You okay?”

“Yeah, you?” she asked the agent as she gratefully took his hand. She could see the wound where the gatling gun had clipped him. She reached up and gently brushed his hair aside. He winced slightly as her fingers brushed the oozing gash there.

“More or less but, can I ask you something?” Leon asked as she dusted herself off. “Did you shoot at me with your eyes closed?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Ashley teased as they continued to tread through the dirt.

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Just as they entered a clay building that managed to still have its doors and roof, eager to take a small rest, Luis came barging in after them.

“Hola, senorita. Good to see you looking well.” Luis said as he looked at Ashley. He had a flirty smile plastered over his face.

“Convenient that you show up when the shit hits the fan.” Leon says as he glares at Luis. He lowers his handgun when he realized that it was Luis and not an enemy following them. He is busy using the thermal blanket to create a space for Ashley to rest.

“You look like mierda, Sancho. I brought more medicine. Here.” Luis said as he handed Leon one of the auto-injectors.

Leon grunted out a ‘thank you’ before injecting himself swiftly.

“Let me help you, senorita.” Luis said as he gingerly injected the medicine into Ashley’s arm.

“Luis, I know we’re infected, but what exactly does that mean?” Ashley asked as she winced from the pain if the inhibitor being injected.

“Ah, senorita. Let’s…just say you won’t have much say in the matter if Leon and I don’t fix this.” Luis says as he furrows his brow.

“Luis, why are you helping us?” Leon asked as he started checking his equipment over and sat on the end of the bed. He looked at Ashley and patted the bed beside him, hoping she would get some rest while they could.

“It…makes me feel better. Let’s leave it at that.” Luis said as he started walking to the front door of the tiny one room clay house.

“Where are you running off to again?” Leon asked as he reloaded his pistol.

“Gotta take a leak. Want to come help me hold it, Sancho?” Luis said as he smirked at the agent, knowing just how to push his buttons.

Ashley couldn’t help but snort as Leon scoffed in response.

“What? Don’t encourage him.” Leon said to Ashley as he heard her laugh. Even though his tone was disapproving, Leon had the tiniest smirk on his face.

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It had been some time since Luis had left to relieve himself. Leon was resting on the end of the bed, with his back against the wall, when he heard a strange noise from outside. Leon took a quick look at Ashley before he got up to check outside.

“Luis?” He called quietly as he started to draw his handgun. Before he knew it, there was a knife at his throat.

“Don’t you ever fucking learn, rookie?” Krauser’s voice hissed directly in Leon’s ear. “I taught you better than that.”

“Major Krauser? They said you died after Javier.” Leon said as he slowly began to tense his muscles to perform a breakout move.

There were no footsteps, no rustles, nothing. There was only the whistling wind and his incredibly soft breathing patting against the clay wall before him. It was as though the world had narrowed down to this one moment.

Then, he made his move, twisting out of Krauser’s grip as he drew his own knife. He quickly went to slash at Krauser, but the major was faster. Krauser was already slashing at Leon. Leon only had enough time to haphazardly parry, leaving him open for another attack. Krasuer took the opening, managing to slash Leon over the chest, ripping his shirt and grazing his body over the Los Illuminados symbol. Leon attacked again, cutting Krauser deeply over his left arm. The major scoffed and vaulted away, disappearing into the ruins.

Leon drew a breath he didn’t know he had been holding when he heard Luis’ groaning. Leon rushed around to the back of the building, still on high alert for Krauser’s signature clandestine approach. When he saw Luis, crumpled in a heap on the ground, barely moving, he rushed over.

“Luis! Are you okay?” Leon asked as he knelt to look at him. He could smell blood already. When he saw the massive knife wound in Luis’ chest, Leon knew the scientist wasn’t making it home.

“Sancho….” Luis said as some of his blood trickled from his mouth. He struggled to put a cigarette in his mouth and light it.

“I’m here, Don Quixote.” Leon said as he helped him light his smoke. Luis smiled as Leon called him that.

“See? No one can resist my charm.” Luis said as he coughed. He took Leon’s hand and pressed his lab key into it.

“Save Princess Dulcinea. Save Ashley, Leon.” Luis said as he gripped Leon’s hand tightly. Leon just nodded as he gripped Luis’ hand back, his throat too tight to speak.

“People can change, right, Leon?” Luis asked as his eyes started to glaze over. Leon didn’t know what to say, so he didn’t say anything. He just held Luis’ hand and put his other hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him as he was dying.

“Chase those windmills, Don.” Leon said after Luis had given his last breath.

Leon felt a deep-seated rage bubbling up inside of him. What the hell had happened? Krauser used to be a good man. Now he was a mad dog and Leon was the one who needed to put him down.

Chapter Text

Gingerly, Leon began to make his way through the labyrinth of fallen walls and half-bombed houses. The clay sand crunched quietly beneath Leon’s sneakers as he rounded a corner of walls. There was a whir, then beeping. The senior agent flung his body to the earth just as the object exploded. The loud boom silenced the agent’s ears and replaced his hearing with a low, incessant ringing. Where there had once been a wall, now stood only a pile of rubble.

“Great. Blast mines.” Leon muttered to himself as he crawled all the way behind another wall corner before he even thought of hoisting himself from the ground.

“You were never a good tracker, Rookie. You were always too offensive. You never tried to cover your back.” Leon straightened from his crouching position and stared straight ahead. There were two towers with a walkway between them. On that planked walkway, Leon recognized the familiar army fatigues and boots, massive build, and of course red beret.

Leon felt himself fatiguing. The traps, Krauser’s guerilla onslaught, it was all grating. Leon still felt a stiffness, as though his body was slowly locking up. He had just taken more medicine from Luis, why was he still feeling this way? Leon was brought back to focus when Krasuer started talking again. Leon needed to be careful or he’d get himself killed. As Krauser used to say, the careless and cowards.

“Funny how things shake out, huh? Maybe you should have taken up the better offer like I did?” Krauser said as he waited for Leon atop the towers.

“Like I would work for Wesker. Besides, I didn’t drink the Kool-Aid like you did, Major.” Leon said as he holstered his handgun.

“Huh. You’re not half as dumb as you look, Rookie. Besides, we used to have a good time together, remember? Now…I’m sent here to kill you….unless you decide that you can take on a new employer right now.” Krauser said with a smirk as he still waited for Leon to ascend the ladder and finally face him head-on.

“I’m not going to roll over for you, Major. Not anymore.” The agent’s answer was short, biting, and concise. Krauser stared down at his former recruit for a few moments, a slight twinge of disappointment coloring his features. The wind whipped around them both, carrying the smell of dirt, the sound of rustling, and the undeniable tension that had just been formed.

“So be it, Rookie. You’re too soft anyways.” Was all Krauser said as he darted down the ladder of the left tower. The race was on. Leon drew his knife. The only way he was going to be able to take down Krauser was to get close to him. He would never have a chance of a long range shot. The agent also knew that he would have to go to Krauser; that was Krauser’s style. He was silent and patient, as long as it gave him the upper hand.

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Ashley sat against the cold clay wall, wondering when Leon would come back and what exactly he was doing. The woman didn’t dare make a sound as the wind howled outside the clay cabin’s walls. Ashley felt totally helpless as she sat there on the hard, strange bed. All Leon was ever doing was running around and trying to save her or defend her. What could she do for him? She had saved his ass a few times but, she still felt it wasn’t enough.

She vaguely remembered some detail about the United States not sending more choppers until they were sure it was safe to do so. Ashley contemplated the matter and thought, what if she could get on another frequency and call for aid that way? Then maybe they would send a chopper sooner? She pulled out Mike’s old communicator and searched for the scan button.

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Leon rapidly ascended the southern face of the right tower. He mentally prepared himself as his sneakers found new holes in the tower wall to be used as footing. He would find Krauser on that same bridge between the left and right tower; so predictable yet so unexpected. The wind was cold on the agent’s face as a mighty gust caused him to stop and cling to his meager footing. As he neared the top, he slowed his rate of climb, attempting to be silent and maintain the element of surprise.

Suddenly, as his left hand curved over the side of the wall, his communicator screeched and wailed like a banshee from Hell. The silence was shattered and Leon could only hang there, frozen; waiting for the retort from his adversary. The communicator stopped its yowling and there were a few tedious moments of nearly tangible apprehension.

“I know you’re over there, Rookie. So what do you say to you pulling yourself up and settling this like a couple of real men with some real steel?” Leon pulled himself onto the flat surface of the tower parapet. He stood face to face with Krauser. There was no way back and only one way down from this fight. As Leon drew his knife, the sharp steel felt unusually heavy in his sweaty palms. The moonlight glinted off Krauser’s blade. As Krauser lunged in the first attack, Leon defensively parried, gracefully sidestepping and circling.

So the dance began. A lunge here, a dodge there; an elegant coordination of formality and lethality. The venom between the two dripped with every close call and small nick of their daggers. Each wanted the other dead but had to restrain themselves until they had the advantage.

“If I could give you one credit, Rookie, it would be that you put up one hell of a fight considering the fact that you’re going to lose anyways.” Krauser said as his blade brushed Leon’s right cheek, barely drawing blood. Leon remained silent, slashing at Krauser’s chest and succeeding in implanting a generous gash in his opponent.

“I get it, Rookie, you’re not going to indulge me with a reprimand. Very well then, but working for Wesker has its perks, just in case you change your mind before I slice right through you.” Leon wasn’t one who counted on verbal assaults to win his battles. He let his actions say most everything. Then his opportunity presented itself; Krauser swerved just a little too far to the right, exposing his left side perfectly.

“You hurt Ashley, now you pay.” Leon said as he thrust his blade into the exposed flesh. The squelch and squish of the flesh being sliced seemed to thunder in Leon’s ringing ears. As the crimson lifeblood flowed freely, Krauser dropped his knife and Leon retracted his. As he stepped back, Leon realized that Krauser had never screamed. There was no screaming or howling; only the subtle dripping of the wound. Then, Krauser’s menacing chuckle emanated from his bowels, causing the agent to step back defensively.

“Did you think that was all it would take, Rookie? Huh. Like I said, working with Wesker has its benefits.” Krauser threatened as he stepped back from Leon and began to growl and grunt. Leon could visibly see his muscles straining and…pulsating? The agent watched in horror as tendrils of ligaments and muscle frayed and ripped. Krauser’s left arm began splitting, revealing a large, jagged claw and pincers.

“Trying to compensate for something, Major?” Leon said as he stood there in shock for a moment, wondering why someone would go to the extreme of mutating their own body.

“You die now, rookie.” Krauser said as he charged Leon. The agent only had a split second to react; he drew his Striker and braced himself. Krauser dealt a blow to the gun that knocked Leon backwards and almost off his feet. Then, as the agent stumbled to recover himself, his feet found the ledge too fast. The agent hooked his Striker behind Krauser’s neck and yanked with all his might. He was calm as they both plummeted towards the earth beneath them.

Leon extended his arms away from his adversary and then pulled himself flush with Krauser’s chest. Low and behold, Krauser was now the separation factor between the agent and the ground. As they thudded onto the hard earth, Leon could feel all of Krauser’s bones and muscle turning to putty beneath him before he was flung to the side by the force of the impact. The agent hit the ground hard on his side but not nearly as hard as he would have if he hadn’t of had his cushion of a former instructor.

Krauser began gurgling and choking as all the blood rushed up through his throat. Leon laid there until the gurgling noises ceased. As he pulled himself up, his body ached and protested. His back now throbbed, along with the rest of his body.

“Why, Major?” Was all Leon said as he knelt next to the dying man.

“You haven’t changed, Rookie. Too damn soft. You’ll see one day. Might makes right.” Krauser said between gasps and spurts of blood welling up from his mouth. Leon looked away as he drove Krauser’s own blade straight through his heart.

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Leon felt his body numbing as he stumbled back towards the small hut. He was sweating everywhere now and his legs felt like lead. Something was definitely wrong and it wasn’t the Plagas.

“Leon! What happened?” Ashley asked as he pushed the door open with more force than he intended, startling her.

“Krauser is dead, Luis is dead, we need to go.” Leon said as his chest heaved with effort.

“What…are you okay?” Ashley asked as she followed Leon out of the cabin and towards a small building with large vats of coolant and hoses on the side.

“Sure. I feel like a million bucks. Sweaty bucks but still.” Leon said with as convincing of a smile as he could muster at the moment.

Ashley didn’t buy it as she watched him move. He was struggling. His steps were wider than they needed to be because his stride was slower than it should be. His body was almost pitching forward at his front while his back lagged behind slightly.

As they entered the strange refrigerated room with body bags hanging, Ashley gasped and pressed closer to Leon from behind. She held onto his arm as they walked slowly. Leon pushed the body bags away as they passed, making sure none of them so much as brushed Ashley.

“What is this?” Ashley asked as she shivered.

“Cold storage. More of those prickly bastards.” Leon muttered as he saw that the door out was locked by a lever. Some kind of security measure against these grotesque experiments escaping most likely.

As they rounded the corner to the lever, one of the Iron Maidens dropped out of its bag.

“What the fuck?” Ashley gasped as the creature walked towards them. “What is that thing?”

“It’s like a really angry porcupine.” Leon said as he ground his teeth. Thankfully, the creature was far enough away that he could use his rifle and his thermal scope. “Stay behind me.” He said as he took the first shot.

The creature wailed as he hit the target. Leon felt his arms sagging, making it almost impossible to hold the rifle up, but he managed. The second shot hit its mark as the creature cried out. It was getting close.

“Leon….” Ashely said as she gripped his shirt tightly. She could see the hesitation in Leon, his body trembling with effort, his brow dripping in sweat.

Finally, Leon pulled off the last shot, the creature bubbling and gurgling as he hit his target.

“Get down!” Leon shouted as he turned to shield Ashley. He ended up more falling on her, losing the strength in his legs. As they lay on the ground Leon managed to pull her under him, covering her whole body with his strong, muscular frame.

The Iron Maiden sent out its salvo with its death rattle, one of the spikes finding its way into Leon’s thigh.

“Ah! Damn.” Leon cursed as he felt the projectile pierce him. He rolled off Ashley, laying on his back next to her. “I’ve always hated acupuncture.” Leon said as he tried to sit up and fell back down.

“Leon…. what’s going on?” Ashley asked as she sat up next to him and put a gentle hand on his chest. She could feel his heart pounding wildly in his chest. “And don’t pull some macho bullshit and tell me you’re okay.”

Leon looked at her and smirked slightly. He liked the feisty side of Ashley.

“I don’t know, sweetheart.” He said simply. He sat up slowly, Ashley’s hand on his back helping him. He pulled the large needle out of his thigh, noting again that there was minimal bleeding. When he examined it closer, he noticed it was hollow, almost like a detachable hypodermic. He grunted as he looked at it, putting the pieces together in his mind.

“There’s a chance these things are venomous.” He said as he threw the spike away from himself. It clattered harmlessly off to the side as Ashley helped him off the floor.

“What?” She gasped as she helped him hobble to the lever. “What’s going to happen to you?”

“I don’t know. But we need to get you out of here.” Leon said as he gritted his teeth and managed to stand on his own again. “Go through the door when it opens.” He barked as he started to twist the lever and open the trapdoor. Ashley looked at him as she bit her bottom lip, concerned for his ability to extricate himself. She breathed a sigh of relief once he clambered through the door next to her.

“See. Easy as pie.” Leon said with a corny smile as he went down on one knee again. He was pale and his breathing was shallow. He felt like someone was stepping on his chest.

“Come on. Let’s hurry.” Ashley said as she helped him stand and hobble toward the Merchant’s sitting room outside one of the strange but fortuitous shooting ranges.

They crashed through the doors to the sitting room, Ashley barely managing to help Leon onto the couch before she fell over herself. Leon slumped onto his back, trying to tune out the burning sensation that had started taking over his legs. It was creeping up slowly. He had to focus on breathing, trying not to panic at the difficulty he felt.

“Ashley. I think this stuff is a paralytic toxin. If it gets to my lungs well…” He trailed off, not wanting to panic Ashley completely but they both understood the implications. Ashley sat on the edge of the couch, taking Leon’s hand in hers.

“What do we do, Leon?” she asked as she squeezed his hand, trying to reassure him somewhat.

“Well…we can hope these cultists aren’t complete morons and made an antidote. But you’ll have to make a choice, Ashley. You can go through the labs on your own or stay here and…yeah.” Leon said as he winced. He reached a shaky hand up to his face and dragged it down. Even that took tremendous effort.

“How do you know there’s an antidote?”

“I don’t, sweetheart. But I have to hope, don’t I?” Leon asked with a smirk as he reached a hand up to Ashley’s face and gently stroked her cheek. She really was beautiful. He couldn’t help but stare at her. It might be the last beautiful thing he was able to witness in his life.

Ashley fought back tears as she took in the state of him and saw him wounded; vulnerable for the first time in her eyes. This was a dangerous decision but how could she not make it? He had done so much for her and now it was her chance. Then, fear washed over her; a fear that, if she was too late, this might be the last time she ever saw Leon Kennedy; her guardian, her savior, her friend. Slowly, Ashley bent down to Leon’s face and gently brushed his lips with her own. He said nothing but there was a spark of electricity in his eyes as he reached his hand to the back of her head and held her there. He deepened the kiss, a soft moan escaping his lips as he probed his tongue into her mouth. Electricity coursed between them as they kissed. A primal desire mixed with the urgency of potential destruction fueled their indulgence. Ashley gasped as she pulled away slowly, looking down on him with determination and concern in her features.

“You’d better not die on me, Mr. Kennedy. I only like my men living.” Ashley said as she hurriedly shuffled towards the exit door.

“Be very…. careful.” Was all the agent could get out as he heard the iron door open and close. He was alone. The burning was spreading like an intense flame all over his body; he already couldn’t move his right arm and he could barely move his legs.

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Chapter Text

Sorry for the delay! Hurricane evacuations tend to delay things! Enjoy! As always, feedback appreciated!

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Chapter 19: Gentle Touch

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“Well, I always thought I’d go out with a bottle in one hand and a gun in the other, but here we are. At least I’m on a couch this time.” Leon muttered to himself as he struggled to contain his rapid breathing. He tried to slow it down and focus on taking deeper breaths, but the restrictive coils of the invisible venom gripped him tighter with each passing second.

He couldn’t help but think back to Raccoon City. He had been near helpless at one point then too, bleeding in the sewers. Ada had left him, hemorrhaging on the floor. Claire had even come by and checked on him before leaving him there as well. Part of him actually hoped Ashley had left him to die, but he knew better than that. She should. He should have made her carry on and leave him there to suffocate slowly.

Leon felt a sharp pain in his chest as one of his pectorals seized, maybe his diaphragm. There wasn’t much time now. His clammy palm clenched the communicator as he waited for Ashley to call him. The agent’s thoughts turned the tome of his life inside out as he lay dying on the sofa. So many thoughts swirled around him; regret, lust, anger, longing. So, this was how he’d go; alone, unmarried, having lost his best friend. He was pretty much disconnected from what family he had left. He had no wife, no girlfriend. The agent had made a legacy of a name for himself and a fortune of money that he used to take care of his distant loved ones. But what did those things matter now?

His thoughts only darkened further as he lay there, calculating exactly how many minutes he had left. Leon was not accustomed to being powerless. It was a disconcerting sensation for someone of his survival caliber. Then the agent began to look back on how they had managed to make it this far with only the minor casualty of well…his whole team. His thoughts turned back from depression to survival mode again. It was a natural instinct for Leon. Perhaps his skills, brains, and general faith in his luck were what kept the agent ticking; or it could have been the adrenaline kicking in to keep his system up and running.

“Leon!” Ashley’s mellifluous voice came over the communicator, ripping the agent from his analytical thoughts. “Leon! There aren’t any labs left on this level. I have to go back up if I’m going to have any luck.” Leon was both relieved and daunted at that same moment.

“It’s about time you gave me a call.” he managed to squeeze out between near gasps as he pulled up a map of the complex she was currently in. There was no way Ashley was going to be able to help him in time, but maybe he could get her out without her noticing until it was too late. He knew she would never leave him intentionally. That was why he had to lie to her.

“Stay on the line with me. There’s a duct…about three corridors…down. It leads to the larger labs…upstairs. Try…there.” The agent finished with profound effort as he let his head thud back onto the soft couch and he let his eyes snap shut. He was fighting off a dizziness that could cripple a trapeze artist. He felt as though he wanted to vomit but his retching thankfully produced no results. Choking on his own vomit was not something he wanted to experience. He tried to lift the communicator to track Ashley’s progress but found that he could barely lift his fingers from their repose. So the venom was close now.

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Ashley practically panted as she made her way through the darkened corridors. The heavy thuds of her boots echoed almost deafeningly throughout the halls. The lights flickered at the end of the hallway, an eerie display reminding her just how little time she had left, as her visibility would increase and then decrease. Her heart thundered in her throat as the light at the end of the hall flickered violently and went out. Her first reflex was to scream.

”Ashley….what’s…wrong?” she heard Leon’s husky, rasping voice pinch out, alarmed. She steadied her breathing and wondered just how long he had left. He was whimpering and moaning softly. She wasn’t sure if he was even aware of it. Regardless of whether it was pitch black or not, she had to make it there and back. Leon wasn’t sounding good at all. Each strained word reiterated the fact that his life was slipping away, like dye dissipating in water.

“Nothing. Just a big rat.” She lied to him as she turned on the flashlight and began to creep forward. She was completely oblivious to the lurking, prowling menace behind her. Ashley lacked the fine-tuned skills that the agents possessed. She didn’t hear the faintest clattering of the heels behind her or the muted rustling of the red dress.

Suddenly, a pale arm reached around Ashley and flicked the communicator off. Ashley swirled and spun around but it was too late. The cold steel was on her neck before she could even raise her hand. Ada Wong glared at her as she pressed her knife ever so slightly down.

“Be quiet and listen to me. You, I don’t care for but you’re Leon’s only hope right now. You’re going to take this vial to him and you’re going to tell him that you found it in the lab upstairs. You’re going to turn on your communicator in five minutes and you’d better be back at Leon’s side with that by the time I leave his side. Understand?” Ashley barely had time to nod as an indigo liquid in a vial was thrust into her hand and Ada disappeared into the duct above.

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“What the fuck? Why did that just cut off? Come on Ashley. Turn that damn thing back on so I know you’re all right.” Leon murmured as he tried to grab the communicator again. Why would the communicator have just shut off? Was she attacked? She didn’t scream. The agent lay there, sweating, nervous and unable to even send out a ping on her communicator to at least see if it was still intact. Then, he heard small footsteps on the floor. His heart fluttered for a moment and then steadied as he realized that those were not the footsteps of Ashley Graham. They were too feline and lethal. She emerged from the darkness as a cobra does from undergrowth.

“Oh Leon. What have you done this time? Don’t worry, that girl of yours is on her way now.” Ada said, almost threateningly as she knelt next to the dying agent’s head. She stroked his forehead and brushed his bangs off his clammy, sweaty face.

“How…” Leon began as he tried desperately to get enough air into his lungs. Ada put her finger to his lips and rubbed his chest soothingly with her hands.

“How did I know? Come on handsome, you know I’m always on top of the information. You should be asking how wouldn’t I know.” Ada hid her grimace as Leon began to slip into total unconsciousness. If he fell asleep, it was the end. “Take these, in case your chopper doesn’t meet you soon enough. There’s a boat down on the docks by the construction site.” She pressed the keys into his left palm as she stared into his half-opened lids. She brushed his cheek gently with her lips, leaving the faintest red outline on them. Leon gave no response as his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

Ada heard his soft breathing slow considerably. It was going to be close. Ada paused for a moment and listened. The familiar clatter of Ashley’s boots reached her ears and an overwhelming sense of relief consumed her. She could leave now and know he would make it if that twit Ashley had any sense in her at all.

The moment Ada had disappeared, Ashley burst through the iron doors with the vial and a needle in her hands.

“Leon! I’ve got it!” she practically shouted as she crashed next to him. Leon wasn’t responding to her and his breathing had stopped. Ashley panicked and fumbled with the syringe in her cold hands. The agent looked dead to her as she filled the syringe as quickly as possible without getting any air in the container. His breathing had halted, his pale, clammy pallor was covered in sweat and dirt. Ashley checked one more time for air bubbles before she plunged the needle straight into Leon’s neck and pushed the anti-venom into him with full force. She waited. Nothing. She checked for a pulse. It was faint but it was there.

“Come on! Come on!” She began to cry as she yelled for him to return to her amongst the living, hoping against hope that she wasn’t too late. She registered the lipstick kiss and the keys in his hands and suddenly felt a rage consume her. If Ada had been there faster, why didn’t she give him the antidote?

“You stupid bitch! If you cared about him so much, why didn’t you save him instead of keeping up this goddamn spy façade shit!” Ashley screamed to the rafters as she looked back to the limp form on the couch before her. Tears tarnished her face in torrents as she took the agent’s hand in hers and pressed it to her face. She was scared, enraged, and devastated all at the same time. As she stroked her face with Leon’s sweaty, limp fingers, all she could do was pray and cry.

Beyond that, her only thoughts were those of killing Ada for her idiocy. Ashley sprawled next to Leon, took his face in her hands, and laid her head on his chest. She stayed there, listening to nothing coming from his chest other than a faint, fluttering heartbeat. Then, as she caressed his cheek, there was a twitter, a lazy spasm in the depths of his chest. Ashley felt her head rise as a rush of air inflated Leon’s chest. She heard Leon gasping and coughing as his lungs regained their strength. Ashley pulled herself up and stared intensely at the agent’s face. Slowly, his eyes opened to reveal those beautiful iceberg blue irises.

“Leon! Thank God! I…I thought I was too late!” Ashley sobbed as she threw her arms around his neck and buried her face into his shoulder. Leon felt the tears soak through his black shirt as the numbness of the paralysis languidly started to wear off. Silently and with great effort, he wrapped his arms around the quaking form on top of him. He gently rubbed his hand back and forth across her back. Several minutes passed before Leon had the strength and awareness to speak. He let Ashley cry on top of him as he held her, her weight pressing on him a soothing balm for his aching muscles.

“Shhh. Shhh. Hey. I knew you could do it.” Leon lied in his dry, cracked voice as he continued to rub her back rhythmically. Ashley lifted her face to his and just stared at him as if she were seeing him for the first time.

“Those aren’t for me, I hope.” Leon said as placed his hands on her beautiful cheeks and wiped the tears away with his thumbs. Her skin was smooth and silky, even after the dirt, grime, and sweat. He caressed her face as she tilted into his large, gentle, smooth fingers. His gloves were rough but his fingers were soft. The agent ran his hands through her glossy blonde hair and gently pulled her forwards with a calm but firm grip on her head.

“I should warn you; this is dangerous and highly taboo. It’s not going to be good if your father finds out.” he whispered as they looked at each other. This was a terrible idea but the attraction between them was palpable, simmering under the surface. Leon knew it was wrong, knew that this was probably the most moronic idea he had ever had while on a mission, but he was raw and vulnerable, his near-death experience lighting a fire in his core that was impossible to ignore.

“I think I can handle an old man in a suit if that happens. Besides, didn’t I just save you?” She whispered back as she smirked at him.

“True. Just wanted you to have all the facts.” He breathed as he pulled her lips to his own. He held his breath as their soft flesh met again. This was so different from their cocaine-fueled encounter. It was slow, sensual. But the undercurrent of need and desire was still strong, vacillating between them with each movement. It felt so perfect as their tongues battled and groped for more. Neither knew if it felt better because it was forbidden, or because they had been waiting so long. Leon wrapped his arms around Ashley and rolled over. Ashley felt herself flipped gracefully until she was lying under him.

His hand cradled her head as he kissed her passionately and their bodies rubbed together, creating a pleasurable friction. Leon moaned at the contact, causing a blush to creep up to Ashley’s neck and cheeks. Ashley wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him towards her. She ran her tongue around the hollow of his ear and felt his lower body press down a little harder.

“Oh, sweetheart.” Leon moaned again as he felt her lips trace his ear and he ground his hardening length into her hips. As his hands began to snake up her orange blouse, she gasped as she was lost in rapture. He rubbed his hand across her smooth stomach and her curved hips as he guided his lips over her neck, up and down, all the way to her collarbone. It was at that moment that Leon was truly glad her jacket had been destroyed along the way. Ashley wound her small hands under the rim of Leon’s pants and began to slowly rub her way down, teasing at the hairs just above his growing arousal.

Leon moved one hand lower, underneath her skirt, as he caressed the inner round of Ashley’s thigh, kneading the soft flesh there. As they were both breathing hard, their eyes locked on to one another in desire, something clicked in Leon’s head.

“Wait. Wait.” He said as he pulled Ashley’s hands away from their target and rolled onto his side. “Not here. Believe me, I want to. Just not here.” Leon said as he tried not to focus on the burning desire under his briefs. There was a long pause as he began wondering if he had made a mistake. He could have her, right here, right now.

“I was hoping you would say that. I wasn’t really looking forward to lying naked on this musty old couch anyways.” Ashley responded, secretly both relieved and disappointed at the same time. As their heart rates and breathing slowed, the two fugitives laid in each other’s arms as the time for their chopper rendezvous crept nearer and this mad dash through hell drew to a calmer close.
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“I told you, Wesker, Leon is out of the picture now. I told you it would work itself out.” Ada retorted as her chopper began lifting off from the island construction site.

“A little convenient that you didn’t have to do anything hmm, my dear?” the sinister voice purred back.

“When are you going to trust me? I’m delivering you the sample, Leon is taken care of…I’m sharing a bed with you…”

“You’re right my dear. I didn’t mean to get your fur ruffled in the wrong direction. I’ll trust you. Besides, if you didn’t do what you said, we’ll know soon enough. I look forward to seeing you tonight. What time should dinner be?” Wesker said, diverting the direction of the conversation.

“Seven-Thirty would be fine. You’re at the Virginia estate?” Ada said coolly, not liking Wesker’s patronization.

“As always, sharp as a tack.” Wesker said in what was a supposedly seductive tone as the line went dead.

Chapter Text

Hello! We are almost off the island! As always, please R+ R. Enjoy!

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Chapter 20: Chew the Fat
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“Chewing the fat. Ridiculous.” Leon mumbled to himself as he sat on the soaked, earthen floor of the shadowy, dilapidated shed by the ocean cliffside. It was dank, dark, and looked like it might fall over with the next gust of wind, but it was quiet and unassuming. They just needed a place to lay low until the chopper arrived.

There was a massive construction site outside, the lazy rustles of ganados and the sharp scrapes of metal signaling that the site was very much active. Leon couldn’t shake the unease that the site instilled in him. It was unstable for one, and he had seen more than a few ganados working there, ready to attack them at any moment.

The howling wind and rain battered the tiny hut as the night only grew colder. Copious amounts of rain dripped in from the roof. The agent sat in the darkest corner of their shelter as he kept time with the large droplets from the roof, and counted the seconds left until their chopper extraction.

A single torch draped a warm, palliative light across the form resting her head in his lap. He ran his fingers through Ashley’s hair absent-mindedly, staring out the rustic window as she slept soundlessly. Even after all this Hell, she was soft, sensual, and radiant. She was gorgeous despite the dirt and blood smeared all over her body. Leon began to imagine how beautiful she would look in a simple black cocktail dress until he caught himself.

“It’s almost over, Sweetheart.” Leon murmured as he looked at her tiny figure and noticed the shivers passing through her entire body. If any of the blankets or his jacket had survived this mess, he would have gladly given them to her. He began gently rubbing her arms in an attempt to keep her warm.

As he continued warming Ashley, he was spending this silent waiting game thinking about anything his mind could get ahold of. He ground a morsel of the dried beef ration between his teeth as slowly as he could. They had been in this Godforsaken place so long that the last of their rations sat in their tin beside him, waiting for Ashley to wake up. The soft grumble of his stomach in the silence reminded him that if they both stayed quiet and safe until the chopper got here, it meant not only a successful mission and an end to this nightmare, but also a return to normalcy and a decent meal.

“Chew the fat. Huh.” The senior agent mumbled again as he thought about the fact that this meant something vastly different for him than it did for most people. To most people it meant that they were gossiping or making small talk with someone on a casual level. For him, it meant sitting in an antiquated shack in the middle of nowhere Spain, garnering as many nutrients as he could to keep himself able-bodied enough to save an innocent, twenty-year-old woman.

He envied people who worked a normal job, who got to go home at the end of the day. He had never wanted this, never imagined he would walk this path. Leon realized that they didn’t have time for small talk or casual dating. They didn’t have time to relax, and he may not ever be at ease. He couldn’t allow that for himself until he eradicated this parasite and every BOW virus created. Not to mention he wouldn’t stop until he was able to bring every egomaniacal zealot responsible for its subsequent bioterrorism to justice.

“Mmmhh…Leon?” Ashey mumbled sleepily as she began to stir. Her mellifluous voice stirred him from his impractical thoughts and turned on some more prudent ones. They were so close to escaping this nightmare. And Ashley had been there every step of the way. If not for her, he’d be dead a few times over now. It made him look at her in a whole new light.

It was a miracle she had been strong enough to avoid a complete and total mental breakdown. Most women her age would have been reduced to sniveling puddles of helplessness when faced with the tasks Ashley had helped him complete. Sure, there would be nightmares for awhile, and Ashley would undoubtedly need to talk to someone about what that freakish bastard had done to her for the sake of ‘their plan,’ but he had a feeling, with a little help, she would pull through fine. She was a lot stronger than he or anyone else had given her credit for, which made what Leon had done even more unforgivable. She had been vulnerable during the whole experience, and he had let his urges get in the way.

His mind churned with indecision. They had come so close to fucking on that couch. Leon wasn’t sure if it would have been better if they had. He thought about all the obstacles and consequences associated with Ashely. Their age difference wasn’t really a problem. She was certainly beautiful. All his personal trepidations notwithstanding, she was a victim. She was his responsibility. How could he face himself in the mirror if he pursued something physical with her?

He contemplated how he could back out of this mistake without hurting her or causing her any more trauma. As she began to stir a little more, Leon hastily retracted his hands and straightened up against the wall. Ashley sat up slowly with a slight blush on her cheeks.

“You okay?” Leon asked when he saw her expression, and the color of her face. Ashley fidgeted nervously as she straightened her back against the same wall Leon propped himself up against.

“Yeah. I’m sorry. I’m just a little hungry.” She lied. Leon handed her the last ration tin. She took it appreciatively and eagerly bit into the dried beef. Leon let a small smile cross his face, accompanied by a quiet laugh, as he watched her devour the last of the meat with fervor. “What’s so funny, Leon?”

“Nothing. I just haven’t seen anyone eat those things with that much enthusiasm before.” he said softly as he stretched out his legs and arms. Ashley watched the black shirt pull tight on his abs. As she took in the exquisite definition, she also saw the faint, raised outline of the massive Illuminados symbol carved into Leon’s chest. She wanted to ask him if he was okay after everything. He was constantly checking on her but who was there to help him?

“Umm..Leon?” she asked tentatively as she built up her courage. Before she could continue her questions, violent coughing wracked Leon’s body, sending the agent to the floor spluttering and choking. “Leon!” Ashley said as she reached to help. The agent smacked her hand away violently, causing her to recoil. The coppery smell of blood filled the small hut as he expelled a large amount onto the dirt floor. Leon writhed in agony as the familiar fuzzy feeling enveloped his head.

“Come my pet, let’s play a game.” Saddler’s voice seemed to boom through his thoughts as he lost control of his body. He could only watch in horror as he began reaching for Ashley. He felt an intense rage consume him as his heart pounded and his head felt as though it was splitting in two.

“R…run, Ash…ley!” Leon managed to squeeze out before he lost complete control. He lunged at her, grabbing hold of her shoulders, his grip like steel. He was trapped in a cage that was his own body, and could only watch as Saddler manipulated him.

“Wait, Leon. No!” Ashley screamed in terror as she fought the agent and stared into his now dull, blood-red eyes. In a panic, Ashley kneed Leon in the groin forcefully and, taking advantage of her release, ran from the shed.

“Take her alive, my dears.” Saddler’s sadistic tone spread through the construction site powerfully as every Ganado in the area turned towards them. Leon tried to observe what he could when his crazed body allowed him to. He saw a few of the ganados fall from the construction site while others swiftly managed their way towards her. He watched in horror as several closed in on her. He screamed out of anger in his head as he heard someone yelling over his communicator and saw the extraction chopper off in the distance. After all this time, they were going to miss their goddamn chance at salvation.

“Oop! Until next time, my pet.” Saddler’s disembodied voice cooed to the agent as the control over his body was relinquished. He knelt instinctively, trying to ignore the ebbing pain shooting through his body and attempting to alleviate the agony in his groin. Briefly, he contemplated why Saddler had chosen merely to torture them and then relinquish his hold on them.

“Leon!” He heard Ashley scream, pulling him from his sudden stupor. He was nauseous and dizzy, but her voice was enough to make him push and fight harder. There were four ganados around her, two grabbing her and the other two standing still as if awaiting instruction.

“Pilot, wait as close to the cliffside as you can.” Leon said into his communicator as wrathful Spanish curses and shouts filled the air from behind him. He looked back to see at least ten ganados charging from the entrance to the construction zone. He knew he didn’t have a lot of time and pulled his handgun, preparing to fire. There were only three bullets left in the gun, so he aimed carefully. He fired into the two zombies’ heads, both bullets hitting their mark and sending the two ganados holding Ashley to a very bloody death. She was frozen for a moment as grey matter and blood splashed over her in a wave.

“Ashley! The chopper!” Leon shouted over the chaos as he dispatched the third of the four ganados and ushered her forwards. Ashley turned around, registering the large aircraft waiting for them at the edge of the cliff. As the ladder extended down, Ashley got a second wind, sprinting as fast as she could for it. Leon followed right behind her, emptying the last of his meager TMP bullets into the horde behind them.

Six more still chased them unmercifully, nearly grabbing Leon from behind. Ashley leapt onto the yellow rope ladder without hesitation, catching it and beginning to climb. Leon hopped on right below her but faltered when he felt something catch his foot. He looked down to see one of the ganados pulling at him. He kicked with his other foot, bashing in the face, breaking the bones, and tearing the flesh, but the zombie would not release. He felt two more jerks as two more ganados began crawling up the one attached to his leg.

“Too much weight, agent!” the helicopter pilot shouted as he pulled away from the cliff, trying to steady the now creaking and wobbling aircraft. Leon shook and kicked as hard as he could, but no matter how many times he smashed the facial bones of the nearest ganado, it would not release. He stared at Ashely, locking his blue eyes onto her greens. She knew immediately what he was about to do but couldn’t reach him in time.

“See you around, Sweetheart.” Leon said deftly as he sliced through the first rope with his knife. Ashley began climbing back down frantically but to no avail. As the second ganado began clawing his way up Leon’s back, the agent severed the other half of the rope, sending all three plummeting towards the chaotic waters below.

“Leon! No!” Ashley screamed, reaching out at the space that had once held him with her. She watched as the three bodies tumbled. She stared into Leon’s face; calm, quiet, as though he was entirely resigned to his fate.

“I won’t let you leave me, you big dummy.” She shouted as she readied herself to jump.

“Ms. Graham! No! I can’t come back! Leave him!” the pilot shouted to her as he saw her leaning off the ladder. Ashley watched the three bodies hit the surf. She waited; nothing but ganados body parts floated up in the dark water.

Chapter Text

Hello, everyone! Sorry for the delay! Kids, work, friend being shot to death! It's been a tough year. Just remember: the only certain thing is that nothing is certain! Take care of yourselves and I hope you enjoy!

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Chapter 21: Fucking Up: Reprised

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The icy water knocked the air from Leon’s lungs as the three of them hit the unyielding surface. It felt as though someone had punched him in the chest with the force of a truck. The dark, frigid abyss was gripping, suffocating, disorienting. Without the sun to guide him, it was almost impossible to tell which way was up and which way was down. He felt two of the bodies surrender their hold on him, but the zombie on his back wrapped his arms around the agent’s throat and pulled tight.

He could feel himself getting light-headed. He knew he didn’t have much time to get to the surface if he wanted to live. The ocean held him tightly as he felt the dead flesh of the ganado’s hands tearing at his neck. He fumbled around in the water, his fingers finally finding his sheath,

Leon sliced the knife in his hand upwards, burying the blade in the ganado’s face. He violently swam away from the floundering zombie. His vision began to blur as the heady sensation of hypoxia took over. He thrust and thrust until finally, his head broke the surface, and the sweet sensation of air filling his lungs consumed him. He could feel the air rushing in, an agonizing but euphoric burn spreading through him. As he finished gasping, he saw Ashley hanging at the bottom of the ladder.

“Ashley! No, goddammit!” he screamed desperately as he started propelling himself through the water, but the sound of the waves, rain and wind made it nearly impossible for him to hear his own weakened and hoarse voice. The moderate swells tossed the agent back and forth as he fought the current. Leon watched in horror as she threw herself from the rungs, plunging rapidly towards the sea. He swam as quickly as he could towards her, swallowing more ocean water than he would have liked as he went. But that didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was making sure he reached her before she drowned. He could feel the ache in every muscle as he swam through the torrid ocean towards where he hoped he would find Ashley.

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“Fuck.” The helicopter pilot swore as he watched the president’s daughter throw herself into the ocean. He eyed his fuel gauge, knowing he didn’t have the resources or ability to make a second pass.

“Condor One? Condor One, do you copy?” the pilot asked as he turned the searchlight on. He scanned the ocean, but it was silent, no sign that either Leon or Ashley had survived their high dive.

“Roost. This is Albatross. Condor One and Baby Eagle are MIA. Point of no return imminent. Please advise.” The pilot said into the radio as he continued to search the tempestuous waters for any sign of either target.

He waited for what felt like an eternity, the ocean a silent and steadfast reminder of just how fragile life could be: swallowed by the relentless and impending maw of unpredictability.

“Regroup, Albatross. Contact Mako Three. Report back.” Hunnigan advised over the chopper’s radio. The pilot ignored the order as long as he could, frantically hunting the waters a few more times before the indicators on his dashboard blared and illuminated the darkness around him.

“Shit. Stay alive, Condor One.” The pilot said to himself as he pulled the helicopter away and toward safety. His shoulders slumped at the thought of leaving his fellow agent and the President’s daughter behind. But he had no options left. Not if he wanted to survive.

“Roost. Hail Mako Three. I’m en route. ETA 2 hours.” The pilot said as he gave one last glance over the abyss before flying full speed toward the nearby naval vessel.

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Every muscle pulled and strained as his overworked body torpedoed through the water with only one target in mind. If he didn’t get to her in time, the ocean was far too dark and would keep her forever in its clutches. Thankfully, the chopper hadn’t gone far in the several minutes they had been separated. Ahead, he saw a small bob of blonde before she sunk below the surface. Diving blind, Leon reached as far forward as he could. His heart nearly burst with relief as he felt the smooth surface of her waist. Pulling her close to his chest, they rose to the surface together.

“Ashley?” Leon asked urgently as she lay limp in his grasp. “Shit” he swore as he began looking around for anything close by. Her head lolled aimlessly, and no breath passed between her lips. Leon began swimming towards the island from which they had just escaped, seeing no other course of action. Suddenly, a giant explosion and massive fireball engulfed the whole island, reducing it to a burning, torrid rock. Leon stopped for a moment, reaching his exhaustion point while trying to keep both Ashley and him afloat. The wind was cruel and relentless but at least the rain had subsided for now.

“Ashley?” he asked again as he quickly plugged her nose and blew some air into her lungs. She gave no response. “Fuck.” He swore, pushing down his panic and redoubling his efforts. He kept swimming, praying that there was still a part of the island not on fire. As he paddled with one arm, he saw a white, floating vessel in the water ahead.

“God, if you’re there, thank you for saving my sorry ass.” The agent prayed as he recognized the vessel as a mostly intact boat. It was an older style and with a little luck, the motor might still be functional. Only the front of the boat was slightly smashed up. How the boat managed to survive the blast, Leon didn’t know or care.

He managed to hoist Ashley into the back seat and quickly clambered in after her. He placed her flat on the boat cushion and began pumping her chest in CPR motions. He alternated between chest compressions and breathing, trying desperately to resuscitate her. The only answer he received was the deafening wind from the ocean. Time stood still as he amplified his motions. Finally, she gagged and coughed, expelling all the sea water in her lungs. Leon held her arms above her head and turned her onto her left side as she drew in deep, long drags of breath.

“L…Leon?” she asked feebly, allowing herself a slight smile before she lost consciousness again.

If the night had seemed freezing before, it was three times as cruel now. Leon objectively removed Ashley’s orange blouse, green skirt, and heavy boots. All the material was thick and cloying, most likely cotton; the worst material to wear when soaking wet. The moon cut through the darkness now that they were in the open ocean. Leon could see tiny bumps riddling Ashley’s body in the intense cold. Her pale skin contrasted so beautifully with her black lingerie in the moonlight.

“If only my jacket had made it.” He mumbled almost silently. He felt his own black shirt and realized that it was dry; only now recalling that it was made of polypropylene and spandex. He removed the shirt quickly and gently pulled Ashley into it. Although it was a shirt on Leon, the majority of Ashley’s body fit inside the garment. Her legs were the only body part truly exposed. Maybe the swell of her ass peeked from underneath as well, but Leon assured himself he had only viewed that accidentally.

The goosebumps began to fade, and she stopped shivering as the cloth provided her with mostly dry warmth from the frigid air. The agent felt bumps rising on his own skin as the night chilled his bare chest. He looked down, not recognizing his own body. The large scabs from the ritualistic carving were far from healing. It was as though he would forever carry some demented tattoo on his chest.

Pushing the uncomfortable feeling from his mind, he pulled the boat key from his pocket, praying that this had been the contingency boat Ada had left him. If not, he’d be spending some time teaching himself how to hotwire it. His heart skipped a beat as the key fit neatly into the slot. He turned it hesitantly, making the engine produce a harsh whine in an attempt to turn it over. After several more frustrating tries, the engine roared to life.

“Well, here goes nothing.” Leon said as he began to steer the boat to the West, hoping some sort of land mass would be their deliverance.

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“Goddammit” Leon said to himself as the engine sputtered, gasped its last breath and ran dead in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. “Goddammit!” Leon yelled louder as he brought his fists down on the steering wheel. His cry echoed over the vast desert of water, eventually drowning among the howl of the ocean winds. It was a lonely night on a barren ocean; only fit for the fishes and sharks.

“At least the rain stopped.” Leon said as he smirked to himself, restoring his usually sarcastic disposition. He gave a heavy sigh and rested his head and wrists on the wheel of the watercraft. He turned his head around briefly to check on Ashley. She was sound asleep; no signs of this hellish ordeal appeared on her tranquil features. Despite all the years Leon had been dealing with the scourge of infectious, disease-torn individuals, it never stopped becoming the stuff of his nightmares.

Even though the totality of the experience had only vanished in the last few hours, it felt as though it was during an entirely different lifetime. The numbness that followed these experiences never changed, boring what felt like a hole in his soul. He stared at the young woman behind him; she had managed everything with incredible maturity and bravery. She was young, beautiful and one of the most resilient individuals he had ever had the privilege of rescuing.

“L…Leon.” Ashley said as she stirred from her sleep slowly, waking from an obviously more pleasant destination than her current situation. Leon slowly climbed into the backseat and sat down next to her. She sat up, looking at the strange new garb she now wore.

“I’m sorry, you looked cold.” Leon cleared his throat as he looked away from her. “Very cold.” In better lighting, the blush covering his cheeks would have been more apparent. Ashley stared down at her legs sheepishly, hoping that clothing would magically appear. She solemnly grabbed her soaking clothes as though she was lamenting the last ounce of stability that had been her life before this frenzied corner of the planet. Her cheeks began to match Leon’s in hue.

“So…did you, I mean…well” she began bumbling through her sentence. She drew a deep breath and looked directly at him, ready to end this game of cloak and dagger. “Did you like what you saw?” She straightened herself, boldly sitting on her knees and hesitantly, barely lifting the rim of Leon’s shirt to the tops of her thighs. She was tired of being timid, waiting for this mythical day Leon wouldn’t be on duty and she wouldn’t be the helpless kidnapped daughter.

“Ashley…look,” Leon was tongue-tied for the first time in his life. He searched for words as she slowly began crawling over the seat towards him. “I want to.” Leon said as he slowly inched away from her, his hands up in a defensive posture. She kept closing the gap between them shamelessly. “I just, you’re HIS daughter…” She finally, confidently claimed his lips, squashing any remainder of his feeble protests. This time she wasn’t high; they weren’t about to be mauled to death. There was no excuse, no extenuating circumstance.

A myriad of sensations came flooding through Leon: soft lips, warm tongues fiercely battling one another, warmth spreading from his toes to his face. They were both desperate, scared, relieved to be alive. The joke of it was, only by nearing death could they have ever felt this vibrant. He was desperate, needy. He needed to feel her, hear her scream his name.

Leon reached to remove his shirt from her perfect body. Ashley gladly raised her arms, bringing her ample breasts together. He grabbed them swiftly, rubbing them in slow circles, his touch demanding and firm but not rough. He could feel her pert nipple under his thumb, through the beautiful black lace. Ashley moaned at the contact, placing her hands on his and aiding in the intimate massage.

Leon pulled his hands away, running them along every one of Ashley’s curves before reaching behind and unclasping the damnable restraint that was her lingerie. He traced the small of her back, prompting her to lay down as he claimed her breasts with his mouth. He swirled his tongue around her nipple in a rhythmic pulse, causing Ashley to arch into him.

He moved his free hand between her legs, ghosting his fingers over the lace before pushing her panties aside and caressing her soft, velvety folds. He spread her delicate folds, finding her hard, clit. Ashley gasped as he rubbed that sensitive bundle of nerves just enough to shoot electricity through her body. But when he moved his fingers down, feeling her fluids dripping for him, they both knew this was the point of no return.

“Fuck, Ashley. You’re so wet for me already.” Leon growled as he barely dipped his finger into her, loving the feel of her fluid coating his digit. His cock was straining in his briefs as he felt her aching pussy.

“Leon! God, please.” Ashley moaned as he slowly pushed one finger into her tight, hot pussy. He chuckled low in his throat as he felt her muscles flutter and grip his finger in a delicious vice.

“Please what, sweetheart?” Leon whispered as he kissed up her chest, then her neck, until he reached her ear. He kissed the soft skin behind her ear, then nibbled her ear lobe, all the while his finger slowly pushing in and out of her.

“More. I need more.” Ashley gasped as he added another finger, then one more. He loved the way her eyes fluttered into the back of her head, the way she writhed for him. Leon could feel his own erection straining in his pants, precum staining his briefs. They were both panting at this point, the pure anticipation was murder. Leon stopped his ministrations, his fingers still buried in her, looking Ashley dead in the eye as one last pang of conscience hit.

“Are…you…sure?” He asked between heavy breaths, every word punctuated with patience and restraint. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest as he waited for her answer. The wind howled around them, their bodies primed and attentive.

Chapter Text

Hello! Sorry for the delay! I have lost a few people this year and was struggling to keep it together. 2023 has sucked, but here's to hoping next year gets better! Read and enjoy! Reviews always appreciated!

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Chapter 22: Long Ride Home
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“Leon. It’s rude to keep a lady waiting.” Ashley said in a low, sultry whine as he kept his gaze locked on hers, waiting for an answer.

“My mistake. Let me make it up to you.” Leon said with a smirk as he slowly retracted his fingers from her soaking pussy. He roughly pulled her panties away, exposing her beautiful form to him.

“You’re so damn beautiful, Ashley.” Leon said as he looked her over hungrily. As he leaned in to kiss her deeply, his tongue pushing into her inviting mouth, she worked to undo his belt and remove his pants and underwear. It didn’t take her long, but every second felt like torture. Leon moaned into their heated kiss as she wrapped her delicate fingers around the shaft of his rock-hard cock.

“You’re so big, Leon.” Ashley moaned as she stroked him a little faster, her own need evident in the way her back was arching off the boat seat. She could feel her pussy clenching for him already, his dripping cock twitching to be inside her.

“I’m going to fuck you so hard. Are you ready for me, sweetheart?” Leon asked as he struggled to keep a whimper from escaping his lips. When Ashley nodded eagerly, he took his cock from her grasp and slowly lined himself up with her dripping sex.

“You’re so tight, Ashley.” Leon groaned as he penetrated her with his dick slowly, inch by agonizing inch. Leon growled as he slowly buried himself to the hilt. He held them there for a few moments, enjoying Ashley’s impossibly tight heat as he kissed the sides of her neck. Once they had both regained their breath, he gave a gentle thrust. He moaned as he felt Ashley dig her fingernails into his shoulders and felt her hot, tight cunt squeeze him. “God it’s like you were made just for me.” Leon whispered into her ear as he stayed sheathed in her tight warmth for a few more moments.

Ashley gasped and gripped him tighter as he began to thrust into her slowly. Ashley’s pleased noises only spurred his movements as he kept one arm behind her shoulders and the other moved down to her clit. The agent hovered over the sensitive bundle of nerves before applying delicate, circular pressure to her clit. The sound Ashley made was somewhere between a scream and cry as he picked up his pace. He made sure to pull his massive cock nearly completely out of her before slowly thrusting back in. Ashley threw her head back, her face flushed, and her lips slightly parted in ecstasy.

“Leon…more…harder.” She begged as she reached up and nipped at his earlobe and neck, the grazing of her teeth on Leon’s skin making his dick twitch as he fucked her.

“Hold on tight.” Leon growled as he pulled almost all the way out before slamming back into her. Ashley cried out in pleasure as he started to fuck her in earnest, pounding into her with relentless and precise strokes. Coherent thought went out the window as he impaled her on his dick, adjusting his angle to hit her g-spot with each thrust. He could feel her pussy fluttering with each press of his thumb and each thrust.

“Leon. I’m so close. Please…please!” Ashley begged as she gripped him tighter, her body tense and primed to explode.

“Come for me, baby. Let go.” Leon moaned out in pleasure as he gave it everything he had. He slammed into her, his cock stretching her and spreading her to give her pleasure like she’d never experienced before. He felt his own release nearing but refused to climax before her. He felt Ashley thrusting up with him, driving him impossibly deep as his breath was hitching. Her own moans were devolving into incoherent murmurs as their rhythm became frantic and erratic.

“Oh…God, Leon!” Ashley shouted as he felt her muscles spasm and clamp around his cock, milking him for all he was worth. The rhythmic, tight clenching of her pussy finally sent him over the edge. With an incoherent whimper, he gave a few more, forceful thrusts as he emptied himself into her spasming pussy. Leon groaned as he continued to slowly thrust, each spurt of his hot, thick cum making Ashley writhe beneath him. He prolonged their pleasure by gently moving in her until their twitching subsided. Once their convulsions had subsided, Leon slowy pulled out of her with a satisfyingly wet pop. He pulled Ashley tight against his chest and laid them both down over the boat seat.

“That was amazing.” Ashley said as she nestled into Leon’s torso. Her eyes were heavy and her whole body relaxed as Leon wrapped his strong, muscular arms around her.

“It takes two, sweetheart.” Leon said as he rested his head on top of hers. Leon lazily reached down to the floorboards and grabbed his shirt. He draped it over Ashley, too exhausted and spent from the mission and their sex to dress properly. He rubbed soothing circles over Ashey’s back as they both started to lose their grip on consciousness. Despite the cold air over the ocean, the two kept each other warm as they drifted into a complacent slumber.

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“No!” Ashley screamed as she launched herself away from Leon’s grasp. She was on her feet just as Leon came to, his handgun reflexively drawn from his pants on the floor. Ashley wobbled, not expecting to be on a boat when she woke. Leon grabbed her wrist, deftly pulling her back to the seat before she could topple into the ocean. As they both regained their composure, it became painfully apparent they were still naked and…. sticky.

“S... sorry. I forgot where I was for a minute.” Ashely said as she hurried to cover her breasts with her arm and cross her legs. She looked vulnerable, her nightmare undoubtedly making it difficult for her to feel safe without cover. Leon’s expression softened as he hastily collected their undergarments from the floorboards and handed them to her.

“Don’t apologize.” He said as he turned his back to her. He enjoyed the view, but she clearly wasn’t in a state to share. He dressed himself in his undergarments and pants. Leon sat down to lace his shoes as Ashley pulled his shirt over her body once more. He didn’t look at her until he was sure she was covered. She seemed lost, ethereal. When she turned to look at him, her face was ghostly pale.

“How do you not have nightmares?” she asked as she scooted closer to him. Leon chuckled to himself as he reached a hand around her shoulders and pulled her into a lopsided hug. She had been so brave and resilient that he had forgotten just how naïve she was to this world of horror.

“Who said I don’t?” Leon asked as he still sported a smile for her. If she knew the shit that had run through his head each night since Raccoon City, she would have run from him instead of followed him.

“You just seem…so sure. So calm.” Ashley said as she rested her head on Leon’s shoulder.

“I’m working. If I’m not, people get hurt.” Leon said as he released Ashley from the embrace. She looked at him in silence for a moment. She couldn’t help but regard the horrific lines on his torso, his arm, his face. This body had literally been her shield on numerous occasions. ‘Am I the only one that sees you, Leon?’ She thought to herself as she reached a hand towards his chest. He had given so much, gone through so much just to save her. The agent grabbed her softly by the wrist before she could make contact.

“Does it hurt?”

“Nah. This is only my fourth weirdest injury believe it or not.” Leon said as he let her hand go. She didn’t believe him, but she knew he tended to joke when he was uncomfortable. If he was distressed, she wouldn’t know it. It made Ashley sad to think he hid behind his composure. His jokes and his cool façade. She wondered if she would ever be able to crack it, get under the surface. Ashley giggled at Leon’s joke as he laid down on the seat. She tentatively followed suit, once more huddling against her white night.

“Are you sure I’m not hurting you?” she asked as she eyed his cracking, inflamed wounds again. Leon only muttered a subdued ‘no’ as he released the tension in his neck, his head lolling against the seat back. They weren’t done yet because Ashley wasn’t home yet. But he was tired, dog tired. Leon tenderly closed his arms over her body again, pulling her close as they both began to doze. “I guess we just have to wait now, huh?” She received no answer other than a grunt from Leon.

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“Ashley! Get up!” Leon shouted as he saw it in the distance, lights. Vessel lights, search lights.

“Huh? What is it?” She asked as she propped herself up on one elbow. Leon was frantically digging under the passenger storage for something. “Leon? What?”

“There’s a ship! I need to find the flare!” The agent said as he continued to dig. As the sleep cleared from Ashley’s eyes, a large searchlight, seemingly many miles away, came into view.

“Hey! Over here!” She shouted as she jumped from her prone position and began jumping up and down.

“Check under the backseat. They can’t see you from there.” Leon said as he hopped over the middle console and began tearing the seat cushions from the back. He was not going to let their chance of rescue slip away without destroying the boat if he had to.

“Leon!” Ashley shouted as she produced the familiar red barrel of a flare gun.

“Great job!” Leon said as he held his hand out. Ashley handed it to him and then turned to look at the boat far off in the distance. “Look away!” Was all Leon had time to warn before he pulled the trigger, launching the flaming projectile into the sky. A few tense moments passed as the two castaways watched with bated breath. Agonizing moments passed before two large horn blasts emanated from the vessel.

“What does that mean? Did they see it?” Ashley asked as she looked back at Leon.

“Guess we’ll find out.” Leon said as he sat back down, his breathing still heavy from the sudden rush. Ashley sat next to him but bounced her knee the entire time. It was difficult to discern whether the ship was approaching them. “We’re going to be all right.” Leon said as he placed a firm hand on her leg to steady it. Minutes dragged into what felt like an eternity before they could tell if the ship was coming.

“Oh my God. Leon! They’re actually coming!” Ashley shrieked as she bounced into a hug with him.

“Looks like it!” Leon said as he winced. Ashley noticed a few drops of blood decorating the seat from Leon’s wounds. Ashley gasped and was about to profusely apologize as Leon held up a hand. “It’s all good.”

The ship was finally angling to its starboard side as it approached their dingy.

“Put your hands in the air and await further instruction!” A loud, militant voice said as the searchlight was blasted right into their faces.

“Leon. Are they arresting us?” Ashley asked as she complied with the order. She looked back and forth between Leon and the ship. She felt herself start shaking. She trusted Leon implicitly but, as for anyone else, that was a different story.

“Just a precaution.” Leon said as he also complied. He tried to make his voice sound convincing as he stared straight ahead. He could feel Ashley’s tension and her shaking. “Just comply, okay? It’s going to be all right.”

“Slowly ascend the ladder.” The anonymous voice ordered. Ashley looked at Leon, her eyes roughly the size of a small nation-state. The agent sported a light smile as he nodded towards the ladder.

“Ladies first. I’ll be right behind you.” Leon said as he placed a gentle hand on Ashley’s back and pushed her towards the ladder. Ashley took a deep breath before she began to climb the ropes. Leon waited until she was about halfway up before beginning his mount. The agent tried not to look directly up his shirt as he followed her. Thankfully, the Navy would have spare fatigues abound once they were onboard. As Ashley rounded the top of the ladder, Leon could hear commotion.
“Hey! Let go of me! Leon!” Ashley sounded as though she was struggling. Leon hurried, climbing as quickly as he could to reach her.

“Ashley!” Leon said as he redoubled his efforts and his speed. The moment he landed on the deck, four strong arms grabbed his own. He instinctually began thrashing. He looked over at Ashley, two masters-at-arms restraining her forcefully. “Hey! A little decorum! That’s Baby Eagle!” Leon said as he continued to thrash.

“Relax, Condor One. Or should I say Agent Kennedy?” A deep voice came from behind. Leon recognized it from somewhere. Javier?

“Commander Shaw?” Leon asked as he tried to crane his neck to look around. He stopped struggling. If Shaw was here, everything was on the up and up. Ashley took Leon’s cue and settled as well. She quaked like a leaf in the wind, but she stopped fighting. A rather tall, chiseled and striking man walked in front of them. His broad shoulders and impossibly dark skin only added to his allure.

“It’s Captain now, agent. Sorry for the detainment but we have to place both of you into quarantine immediately.” Shaw said as he shrugged his shoulders. “We received reports of possible contamination.”

“What? No way! I have to go back to a cell? Leon?” Ashley said as she started hyperventilating. The masters-at-arms tightened their grip on her, sensing the coil of tension in her body.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Graham. It’s protocol.” Shaw said as he turned to face her. “At ease. She’s not a criminal.” Shaw ordered when he regarded just how tightly the policemen were restraining her. He didn’t order Leon’s officers to let up. Ashley still held a glazed, cagey look as she darted her eyes around.

“Ashley.” Leon said, trying to get her to refocus. “Ashley. Look at me.” She finally looked at the agent. “I’ll be with you every step of the way.” Leon said with the gentlest inflection he could muster. Leon knew that look. He knew the feeling. PTSD was a bitch.
“You’re going to have a long ride home, son.” Shaw said as he patted Leon on the back.

Chapter Text

Hello! Sorry for the delay! Holiday and all that! Enjoy and review!

Also, I make chatbots on Janitor if anyone is into that. (90% Leon of course).

https://janitorai.com/profiles/5eaf6ba0-24d0-4527-be4c-5cc58e47ee76_profile-of-gambitt-775

Chapter 23: Nasty Little Parasite
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“This is ridiculous! Do you know who I am?” Ashley shouted as she beat her fists on the clear plexiglass box that imprisoned them. She hadn’t stopped since they were retrieved, her anxiety starting to peak. Leon reclined on one of the two cots in the enclosure, having no desire to fight the now invisible chains that bound them. Leon was fairly sure all quarantine areas were the same. Clear so that you could be observed, like a fish in a bowl.

“Hey, Ashley. It’s okay.” Leon said as he stayed laying down on his cot. They were stuck in a reinforced, secured plexiglass box, with no real point in struggling as far as Leon was concerned. There were two beds, one toilet, one sink and a privacy curtain. They were officially on medical watch until further notice. Unfortunately, the United States Navy had a good reason. They both were still infected.

“How can you say that, Leon? We’re being imprisoned by our own government! “Ashley said as she paced the cell. He could see the tension in her body, the black tendrils from the infection snaking their way up her neck, into her beautiful eyes. He briefly wondered if his own visage looked so grim. He looked at his forearms and saw the same snaking lines.

Leon sighed before he sat up. He was tired. Beyond tired. He was almost dead after this mission, his body battered and his mind, well, tatters. All he really wanted right now was a long, hard sleep. But he knew Ashley was scared and she hadn’t experienced the joy of being under the government’s thumb yet. Leon hadn’t experienced the privilege of being out from under it in years.

“Come here.” he said in a low, quiet voice as he patted his cot next to him. It wasn’t a command, not like when he had directed her in Spain. It was a firm suggestion though, his tone authoritative. He would have to be careful; their cell likely being monitored with hawklike detail. But he refused to let Ashley torment herself any longer. Ashley stopped pacing, huffing at him before shrugging in defeat and sitting next to him on the unbelievably flimsy bedding. Leon pulled her close to him, guiding her head to rest on his shoulder. He held her there, making sure his breathing was slow and even, calming her.

“Mission accomplished when you’re home safe, remember?” he asked as he kissed the top of her head. He knew he was pushing the boundaries of what was appropriate, that he would probably raise some eyebrows, but it felt right. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” Ashley relaxed in his grasp as they sat together.

“This cot sucks. Mine is a little better.” Ashley said with a chuckle as she nestled into Leon’s shoulder. She wondered what it would be like to be with Leon at home. She fantasized about lying in bed with him on a Saturday morning, nothing to do but enjoy each other. She blushed as she snuggled closer.

“Well, you know. I’m pretty sure they pulled out the deluxe pads just for you, sweetheart.” Leon said with a smile. He thought the cot was just fine, but he was also used to sleeping on surfaces that animals wouldn’t sleep on. Leon scooted backwards; his back pressed against the plexiglass as he gently moved Ashley until she was laying her head on his lap. “Get some rest. I’ll be right here.”

“Are you crazy? I can’t sleep like this.” Ashley started to protest but she laid down on him anyway. Any excuse to lie on Leon wasn’t lost on her. She felt her heart race a little faster as he draped a protective arm over her shoulders. He traced gentle circles on her forearm. Leon was always defending her. He had been a shield for her throughout this whole nightmare, even when his own sanity and health had been hanging on by a thread.

Ashley discretely rested her hand on Leon’s thigh and squeezed, a silent reassurance that she saw what he was doing for her. A thank you that didn’t need to be spoken. It didn’t even take her three minutes to fall into a deep, exhausted sleep. Leon smirked to himself as he let his head fall back on the plexiglass, eyes closed. He wasn’t asleep. He didn’t trust the Navy that much, but he was relaxed as he watched over Ashley. She was strong. He had a feeling she was going to be fine. It might take a lot of therapy and a long time, but she was going to get through it.

Leon kept his thoughts in check as he rested with Ashley. It was so tempting to give in to the soft lull of sleep. But a nagging tug behind his eyes, a smoldering pulse started to consume him. He tensed subconsciously as he felt the familiar nausea start to overtake him. He hadn’t felt this way since Saddler had been manipulating him. He shuddered involuntarily as he remembered Saddler’s tentacles squeezing him, his hands and mouth roaming his body against his will. Then he remembered surrender, the Plaga wanting what he didn’t. He gripped Ashley a little more tightly. They were going to survive, heal. They had to. It had to be different this time.

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Leon tried to ignore the ache in his head and his body, the thrum of it throbbing with each beat of his heart. He continued to trace Ashley’s forearm, more for himself than her at this point. He needed contact to keep himself grounded. He needed to keep his sorrow and agony at the loss of his team and Mike at bay. The sound of the electric lock whirring caught his attention. He snapped his head up as several people in scrubs and lab coats came into their cell. Shaw filtered in after them, a grim expression on his face.

“Sir?” Leon asked, his tone firm but not disrespectful. His grip on Ashley stiffened subtly as he eyed the medical team.

“Standard protocol, son. We need samples.” Shaw said as he waved the team in and stood with his rigid posture. “We also received files from a…Luis Serra. Seems you two may be infected with a parasite. Now, we have the equipment onboard. Doctor Serra worked on this vessel some time back. You should thank him for his foresight to send us those files.”

“Yeah…” Leon said as he looked down at the ground, trying to block out the memory of the Spainard’s life draining through his hands. He shook it off quickly. Now wasn’t the time. “Let me just…talk to her. She’s a civilian. She’s not used to this sort of thing, sir.” Leon said as he looked down at Ashley. Shaw held up his hand, halting the medical team’s advances. He was a patient, pragmatic man.

“Ashley. Wake up, sweetheart.” Leon said as he shook her gently. She was dead asleep, and it took several minutes for her to stir, let alone open her eyes.

“Leon?” she asked as she tried to blink her eyes open, the haze of sleep clearly heavily upon her still. She looked around slowly, disoriented.

“Hey there.” Leon said as he slowly helped her sit up, his hands still on her shoulders to steady her. “These folks are going to take some samples and examine us. They’re here to help so just let them do their job, okay?” Leon said as he looked Ashley over, hoping she wouldn’t put up a fight. If Uncle Sam wanted their samples, they would take them one way or another. Ashley didn’t say anything, but she nodded to Leon, demonstrating her understanding of the situation. She inched closer to Leon for a moment, wary of anyone else approaching them. He couldn’t blame her after what they had been through.

As they were escorted upstairs to the medical bay, Leon made sure to always keep one hand on Ashley’s shoulder. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t a little worried too. The parasites they had been infected with were horrid, aggressive creatures. All they could do was hope that there was a way to remove the parasite, to cure them. Leon understood her desire to flee, to escape. He had been fighting the urge to run from the United States government his whole life. If it weren’t for Sherry, he would have.

When they arrived at the medical bay, they were separated, stripped, washed, and clothed in hospital gowns. Leon hated the hose they used to clean them. The water pressure was always killer. He couldn’t deny that it felt amazing to be free of all the grime from the mission, even if the grotesque mark Saddler had branded him with was bleeding again. He could see the glares the medical staff gave him. They didn’t understand. He didn’t wear the brand proudly, but he also didn’t need to explain that to them. He didn’t owe their judgment any credence.

He felt a sudden rage boiling in his veins at the hypercritical looks. He felt his body tense as he defiantly returned the dissecting gazes from the staff. He ignored their derision; it was the least of his worries right now. His focus shifted when he heard Ashley arguing with one of the nurses. He could hear Ashley debating and making snarky comments. Her team had their hands full. She wasn’t resisting, per se, just making them work for it. Leon tried not to show his amusement, and, at the same time, he wanted Ashley to feel at ease enough to allow the medical team to work faster. There was one nurse, she was different. She looked at him with kindness and compassion.

“Almost done, agent Kennedy.” she said in a mellifluous tone as she gently wiped a trace of blood away from where she had secured his IV. She looked at the oily tracks that marred his skin and face, slithering through his veins. “Does it hurt?” she asked as she traced the swirling lines from his neck to his jaw. Leon felt his breath hitch as she touched him. He wasn’t very generous with his physical touch, his caress a way to connect with others on a deeper level that he reserved for those close to him.

“Not much.” He lied to her as he carefully grabbed her hand and pulled it away from his skin. He moved his hand over hers, clasping it as he looked into her eyes, seizing this opportunity.

“You are absolutely amazing. You know that?” Leon said as he watched her, his blue eyes boring into her soul. She blushed and pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, but she didn’t take her hand out of his. “Could you do me a favor? That girl over there, Ashley, she’s having a hard time with all this. Could you go over there and work with her?”

The nurse looked at Leon, slightly confused at first but eager to please. A slight flash of disappointment appeared on her face before she smiled back at him. She enthusiastically nodded and left his side to go tend to Ashley. Leon leaned back on his bed, sighing in relief as he heard Ashley quiet down. He wanted to know someone was trying to comfort her, even if he was separated from her by a privacy curtain. Leon tried not to think too much right now. He still had to get Ashley home. Every time his thoughts wandered to the people he’d lost or the fact that he’d had unprotected sex with the President’s daughter, he took a deep breath and refocused. Parasite. Possible death. Ashley. Home. Damn, he just wanted to sleep more than anything.

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Leon could feel his pulse in his temples as he rested in the medical bay bed. Ashley had been hooked up to IV’s and given a mild sedative to help her process the experience of being the government’s personal lab rat. Leon could have intervened, but it had honestly seemed like an effective treatment plan for her. After what felt like an eternity, the medical team pulled the privacy curtain back and stepped away, speaking in hushed tones. Leon shot up in his bed, still staving off the exhaustion threatening to creep in. Leon looked over at her, her beautiful features highlighted in repose. She had a softer glow about her now that they were cleaned up and safe. He tried not to focus on the evidence of their infection, instead honing in on her brilliant green eyes.

“Hey. How are you feeling, tough stuff?” Leon asked in a low and soft tone as he leaned closer to her bed. The distance felt too great. He still had to make sure she got home. He wanted to reach over and touch her, reassure her with the connection. But he knew they were being watched. He tried to ignore the increasingly intrusive pounding in his skull.

“I feel amazing,” Ashley said as she leaned towards Leon, a slight sway in her posture and a tiny slur in her voice.

“Gave you the good stuff, huh?” Leon asked as he smirked. They hadn’t given him any medications yet. His body felt like it had been run over by a semi-truck several times. He assumed the team was still assessing them before going syringe happy.

“Excuse me? They’re holding out on us. The good stuff is always the pudding.” Ashley said with a giggle as she winked at him. She was adorable when she was high. Leon was about to respond when the medical team came back, doctor in tow. Leon felt a sudden surge of anger as his head gave a particularly nasty throb.

“Oh look, maybe someone who can tell us what the Hell is going on?” he asked as he looked at the doctor, his expression hardening again. Leon straightened and clenched his fists. Ashley looked over at Leon, her smile fading slightly at his sudden agitation. He was normally so composed.

“We’re taking you for some tests and x-rays. After that, I can give you a better idea of what we’re dealing with, agent.” The doctor said as he straightened his posture and smiled with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Leon grumbled under his breath. He felt an irrational reluctance to let these people take the parasite. He was about to tell the doctor to fuck off when he caught himself. He shook his head, trying to clear the pain and the confusion.

“Are you okay, agent Kennedy?” The doctor asked as Leon started groaning and grabbing his head. He felt the familiar tightness in his chest, the kaleidoscope of pain blooming behind his eyes as he fought the parasite.

“Leon?” Ashley asked in a slurred voice as she reached her hand out to touch his shoulder. Leon swatted her hand away, a series of low growls emanating from him.

“You…. you need to restrain…me.” Leon managed to say through gritted teeth before he got out of his bed. He felt the familiar loss of control, his body not his own. But Saddler wasn’t here. He wasn’t pulling the strings this time. Why the Hell was he losing it? The medical team looked at each other in confusion. They knew the parasite could commandeer their hosts, but they had no idea how violent they could be.

“Leon…fight it.” Ashley said as she stood from her own bed. She was wobbly, unable to stand without support due to the sedative. One of the nurses, the kind lady who had helped calm Ashley earlier, grabbed Ashley’s arm to try and pull her away from Leon. She was trying to shield her.

“Don’t fucking touch her!” Leon snarled as he charged the nurse, grabbing her diminutive frame. His eyes were completely dark now, the parasite taking him, using him to protect itself. Leon was screaming in his own head, watching on in horror as he proceeded to escalate the situation. His chest heaved as he swiftly wrapped his hands around the nurse’s head and twisted, snapping her neck like a twig. With a resounding crunch, she fell to the floor, lifeless.

“You can’t have them! You can’t have our queen either!” Leon shouted as he placed himself in front of Ashley and took a fighting stance against the other doctors and nurses. Ashley screamed when the poor nurse fell to the floor, dead. The nurses and doctor backed away, one of the team pulling out a radio and alerting the masters-at-arms of the situation. Leon continued to glare at the staff, his chest heaving and his dark veins pulsing. He was driven to protect the Plagas inside of them. He wouldn’t let go. The parasite refused to allow it. Leon coiled, ready to go after the doctor, when Ashley placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Leon. Fight it. This isn’t you.” She pleaded as she squeezed his shoulder, trying to get through the brave, valiant man she knew was deep inside. Leon didn’t acknowledge her plea, instead launching himself at the doctor and wrapping his hands around his throat. As Leon continued to choke the man, Ashley felt a strange sensation, a rhythm within her core that flexed out around her. She could sense Leon and his power. Not just see him, feel him. She took a chance. She had to.

“Leon. Stop.” She commanded as she stepped closer. Leon went rigid, as though an electric shock had passed through his body. He released his grip on the doctor’s throat, the man falling to the ground in a heap. The doctor was alive, gasping for air. Leon turned around to face her, his body attentive to her order but his eyes searching, grasping at the situation like a sailor in a shipwreck.

“Come here.” She said as she held a hand out to him. She could see the medical team preparing a syringe of something as the doctor gasped for breath on the floor. She swallowed, ignoring her own guilt at her manipulations. This wasn’t Leon, it was the Plaga and Ashley knew she had to protect them both from it.

“Look at me, Leon. It’s okay.” She said as he walked over to her and placed his hand in hers. Ashley could see his reservation in his eyes. His torment at knowing he had attacked innocent people but also his conflict at not eliminating the threat to the parasite. Ashley rested on him, her lips brushing against his ear softly as she spoke. She could feel him lean into her, his body pressing to hers in anticipation.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered. A brief wave of recognition dawned on Leon as his eyes widened and he started to turn around. Before the agent could whip around to defend himself, one of the nurses had plunged a syringe into his neck and pushed. Leon grabbed at his neck as she retracted the injection. Leon turned to Ashley, unable to speak. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he fell forward, and his world went black. “I’m sorry.” Ashley repeated as she caught him, her body nearly buckling under the force. She managed to hold him until the medical team rushed over and pulled him off her.

“What the fuck was that?” The doctor asked as the masters-at-arms filtered in, guns drawn. The police kept their weapons trained on Leon as the nurses managed to hoist him back into a bed and place restraints over all four limbs.

“I…I don’t know.” Ashley said as she rubbed her arm and looked at Leon. He was losing his grip on himself again, even though Saddler wasn’t here. She wasn’t going to explain how she just manipulated Leon into backing down. She wasn’t sure she could explain it, even if she tried.

Chapter Text

Sorry for the delay! Holidays coming, resigned my job. It's been a busy two weeks since posting. This chapter is a little slow, setting up the next two. Enjoy! Also another shameless plug for my chatbots (mostly Leon). Review if you like. Comments and criticisms always welcomed!

https://janitorai.com/profiles/5eaf6ba0-24d0-4527-be4c-5cc58e47ee76_profile-of-gambitt-775

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Chapter 24: Weight off the Chest

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Leon groaned as he started to come back to consciousness. His body throbbed and pulsed as he slowly moved his head from side to side, trying to shake off the viscid feeling over him. The lights of the med bay were bright and cloying. His head felt like he was submerged underwater, floating in the weightless mass. The sounds around him were muffled and distant while his vision swam in disarray.

“Ashley?” he asked through slurred words as he tried to sit up, his own voice sounding so foreign. He pulled and pulled but his arms wouldn’t move the way he wanted them to, an unknown obstacle impeding his progress. It took Leon several dazed moments to realize that brute force wasn’t going to achieve his goal. The medications still had him disoriented, confused. He huffed in frustration as he let his arms fall back to his sides on the bed. They were stuck. He looked down to see thick leather straps and handcuffs on his wrists, his mind slowly starting to grasp his hindrance. He instinctively tried to move his legs, only to find the same straps held him there.

“Easy, agent.” A cold voice warned as Leon heard the clink of a semiautomatic weapon being adjusted. He looked over to see one of the military police watching over him, his weapon trained on Leon.

“What did I do?” Leon asked as he tried not to panic. He began to sober quickly as the realization hit him that he had no recollection of his possession this time. It had been different, less structured than when Saddler had been pulling his strings. He shuddered at the thought that he was one step closer to the Plaga continually controlling him now. He knew the Navy didn’t put people in shackles for fun usually. He vaguely remembered the feelings that had run through him. The rage, the uncertainty. But there had been monsters, Ganados closing in on Ashley. All he had done was protect her, just as he had been all along. Why would they restrain him for protecting her against a credible threat?

“You lost control.” The doctor he had met earlier said as he abruptly entered the room. “Jenny was one of my best nurses.” He said as he stepped up to the bedside. He looked at Leon as though he was no more than pond scum. Something to be poked and prodded, but nothing of consequence. Leon looked away from him, trying to steady his shaking hands. Nurse? He had been certain they were monsters. He had felt like he was fighting monsters, just as he had been all along.

“Fuck. I’m losing it.” He murmured to himself as he clenched his fists. He didn’t say anything to the doctor. There weren’t any words he could say to make up for taking an innocent life. He felt nauseous, like he was going to throw up. Like he wanted to curl into himself and disappear forever. He had witnessed endless casualties in his line of work. Hell, he had caused a good portion of them. But a harmless bystander by his own hands? Infected or not, he wasn’t sure that was something he could live with when it came to an innocent woman. Leon swallowed thickly; his jaw set tight as he looked up at the doctor.

“Ashley? Is she?” he asked, unable to form complete thoughts or sentences. Leon felt a strange sort of anxiety at the notion that Ashley was aware he had murdered a helpless woman. Would she still trust him? Why did it matter so damn much? Whether Ashley trusted him or not, he had still killed her. More than anything, he just wanted Ashley to know he would never harm an innocent person of his own volition. He would never hurt someone like poor nurse Jenny.

“She’s safe. She’s secured in another part of the ship.” The doctor said as he started checking Leon’s vitals.

“Away from me.” Leon muttered under his breath as he flinched at the doctor’s touch. The police officers choked up on their weapons as the doctor got closer to Leon. He didn’t blame them for any of it. He would keep Ashley far away too. He would keep his weapon glued to him, ready to cut him down if he so much as looked at the doctor the wrong way.

“So, now that you seem to be in control of yourself, I’m Doctor Adams.” The doctor said as he stepped back and grabbed Leon’s chart off the end of the bed. “We have some idea of how to treat this parasite but, since it integrates intimately with the central nervous system, we need to be sure before we just start cutting things out of you.”

“Central nervous system? Like my brain?” Leon asked as he shifted in his bed. That sounded…. fatal.

“Well, more specifically your spinal cord. But yes. We need to get you into the ship’s MRI. Your blood results are back. Your organ function appears to be normal, but your inflammatory markers are off the charts.” Adams said as he signaled for several nurses to come wheel Leon towards the radiology suite.

“Doc…just make sure you try me first, huh? I want us to be sure before we do anything to Ashley.” Leon said as they wheeled Leon away. As they passed, Leon noticed the strangulation marks on Adams’ neck. He wondered if he had done that too.

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Ashley sat in her own partition of the medical bay, surrounded by guards. They occasionally turned their heads over their shoulders to look at her, but otherwise kept their vigil outwardly. She wanted to ask what happened to Leon, but fear held her back. The monster she had seen wasn’t the man she knew, and she refused to let his affliction define him. Still, she couldn’t shake the image of the young nurse snapping like a toothpick, falling to the floor lifeless. She wondered if Leon knew yet, how much it would destroy him when he found out. She couldn’t rid the image from her mind, shuddering at the memory of the sheer power he possessed. She could feel her cheeks flush at the memory of how gentle and demanding his hands had been on her body: a stark contrast to his combat abilities. She looked up when she heard footsteps.

“Ms. Graham, how are you feeling?” Shaw asked as he stood at the foot of her bed. He gave away nothing, his tall, dark frame as rigid and composed as ever.

“Leon? Where is Leon?” she asked as she sat up a little straighter in her bed. She could sense Leon’s presence, the plaga, but that didn’t exactly pinpoint his location.

“Agent Kennedy is currently detained. We’re monitoring him and attempting to assess the extent of his infection. I need you to give us permission to do the same to you.” Shaw said softly as he stepped closer. Ashley nodded in the affirmative, hoping at least that Leon was holding up better than she was.

“It wasn’t his fault, you know. This parasite…it changes you. I don’t understand how, but it takes over.” Ashley said as she wrung her hands and looked at Shaw. She had to get through to them. She couldn’t stand the thought of Saddler’s machinations ruining Leon’s life after he had given so much to free them from him.

“Ms. Graham, I’m sure your advocation will be invaluable for evaluating Agent Kennedy’s status.” Shaw said as he cleared his throat. “But right now, we need your consent to do the necessary checks for the parasite.”

Ashley hesitated for a moment. She knew she really didn’t have a choice in the matter, not if she wanted to get rid of this damn bug. As she waited, she saw a team walking Leon’s gurney through the hallway. They had strapped him down like a criminal, a beast, as they wheeled him past. She could feel his plaga calling out to her, writhing towards her like a magnet. Leon turned his head towards her, giving her a cocky smirk as they went past. He could sense it too. Whatever this connection was, it was strong.

“Do whatever the Hell we have to do to kill this damn bug.” Ashley said as she nodded at Shaw. She was tired of living in fear. This needed to end. Now.

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After what felt like hours, the medical team wheeled Leon and Ashley into the same room. The lighting was cold and bright. The room was sterile, the scent of antiseptic heavy. They kept them on opposite sides of the space, but they could at least see each other, their presence a soothing balm against their harsh reality.

“Hey. Fancy meeting you here.” Leon teased as he smiled at Ashley. He was tense, his muscles still straining against the straps on the bed. She could tell he was doing his best to look calm, composed.

“How you holding up?” Ashley asked as she eyed his restraints.

“Well, sweetheart, normally I go in for this sort of treatment but, I’m not one for putting on a show.” Leon said with a lopsided grin as he pulled on his restraints half-heartedly. Ashley blushed and smirked as she watched him joke around. It was good to see he wasn’t completely destroyed by his outburst. She half wondered if he knew.

“Well, remind me to try that with you when we get back.” Ashley said in a lighter tone as she winked at him. Leon blushed in response, coughing softly to cover his surprise. She loved it when he blushed. Before Leon could say anything, Dr. Adams walked in.

“The good news is, there is a theorized way to remove the Las Plagas parasite from you both. The bad news is, it’s highly invasive and experimental.” Dr. Adams said as he looked over the charts, not bothering to look up at them. “Agent Kennedy, since you’re the property of the United States government, we’ll be initiating laser-guided surgical removal of the parasite.” Dr. Adams waved his hand as several nurses started moving Leon towards the surgical suite. Leon didn’t argue. He was accustomed to his autonomy being taken or overridden.

“Hey! Excuse me! What are the risks? What is the procedure?” Ashley said as she got out of bed and started following Leon’s gurney. A few of the guards murmured words of reprimand, urging her to get back to bed. Leon tried to assure her it was okay. Ashley ignored them. All of them. Dr. Adams turned to her, his gaze devoid of any true empathy.

“Ms. Graham, I assure you we will take every precaution when treating you.” He said as he waved for the nurses to keep walking with Leon. Ashley started to protest, grabbing the railing of Leon’s bed.

“Ashley. It’s fine. Even if they didn’t make me, I’d go first.” Leon said as he smirked at her. He wasn’t going to let her be the guinea pig. No way in Hell. Ashley nodded but she refused to leave his side. There were mild protests from the military police, but Adams assured them Leon was restrained.

“Now we can’t sedate you. We need you to be conscious and provide us with feedback to make sure we haven’t paralyzed you or caused any neurological damage.” Dr. Adams said coldly as they positioned the lasers. Leon could have sworn the doctor had a hint of enjoyment on his face as he said it. “We are going to inject you with a biomarker that seeks out the parasitic cells. That way the laser only targets the Plaga, causing those cells to rupture when the laser activates them via the biomarker.”

“And if you got it wrong, doc?” Leon asked as he tensed subtly. It was the first sign of fear Leon had shown during their stay in the medical bay. Leon was intelligent, having had his fair share of hospital visits and procedures done. But this was all well above his pay grade. Ashley put her hand on Leon’s bicep and squeezed when she sensed that Leon was concerned underneath his stoic facade. He looked at Ashley, taking a deep breath to try and steady himself. Somehow her touch helped ground him, helped him focus through all the trepidation.

“Well, anywhere the laser tracks, your skin will liquefy and slough.” Dr. Adams said as he injected the marker. Leon clenched his fists. As the lasers started to whir and move, Leon strained more. He tried to wear a neutral expression, tried to show that serene charade for Ashley. He didn’t understand any of this shit and had no clue how this laser was supposed to remove just the parasite. He looked at Ashley again, a small smirk turning his lip as he tried to focus on her and her hand resting lovingly on his arm.

Regardless of their circumstances, and the practical reasons why fucking her had been a bad idea, she was absolutely stunning, even in a hospital gown. Her soft skin, her golden hair. And her eyes. Leon felt like he could fall through the universe looking into those eyes. He felt a stirring somewhere deep within him that he hadn’t felt since he first looked into Ada’s eyes. Before the betrayal, the hurt. He wanted to reach out and take Ashley’s hand or cup her cheek, but he couldn’t with the restraints. Leon felt his heart skip a beat as Ashley took his hand instead, lightly gripping as her other hand stayed on his bicep. He looked at her with unspoken gratitude. He was so lost in her presence that he was caught off guard when the laser started cutting.

“Oh…f….uuuck…” Leon gritted out as he desperately tried to contain his own reaction. The faint smell of singed flesh and ozone permeated the room as the laser worked. Leon had never felt anything like it: a molten squirming taking over his chest as the parasite started to die. It felt like liquid magma was undulating through him as the laser worked. It was trying to claw out of his chest, evade the burning beam torturing him. A low string of grunts and an occasional moan escaped Leon as he clenched Ashley’s hand tightly. He felt sweat trickling down his face as his features contorted in agony. His vision doubled and his breathing became rapid as he fought the impending wave of blackout that threatened him. He was vaguely aware of Ashley whispering words of affirmation and support as he tried to hang on.

“Thank you.” He whispered back as he looked at her and tried to smile. This was it. He was going to die and never know if he fucking saved Ashley Graham or not. He had really hoped to make just one difference in the world. For it to be different this time. But just as he thought he couldn’t take anymore, that his heart was finally going to give out, the heat dulled slowly, and the pain ebbed as the lasers shut down. Leon couldn’t feel the familiar squirm in his chest, nor the scraping agony.

“How are you feeling?” Ashley asked as she kept his hand clasped in hers. She wiped the sweat off his brow before it could trickle into his eyes. His complexion was pallid, the strain of liquefying a living being inside of his body taking its toll.

“Like a million bucks.” Leon said through gritted teeth as he let his head fall back on his pillow. “Hey, Doc. You give her something to take the edge off.” Leon warned as he started to sit up. “And let me out of these damn things.”

“Let him up. We can always shoot him later.” Adams said with a smirk. Leon got the impression the good doctor didn’t like him very much. Or at least he didn’t give a fuck. There was a momentary pause as the personnel hesitated. Leon pulled at his restraints gently, trying not to be impatient.

“It’s okay. Unfasten the restraints.” Shaw said as he entered the room. “Kennedy’s one of us, parasite or not.”

“Thank you, sir.” Leon said as the nurses started to undo his straps.

“Don’t make me regret it, son. We’re not out of the woods yet.” Shaw said as he left to go check on some of the reports in the medical bay.

It wasn’t long before Ashley was laying where Leon had been moments ago. The doctor had at least been kind enough to give Ashley some pain medication prior to her procedure. Leon sat next to her, despite the glares from the staff. They were walking on eggshells around him, afraid still that any wrong move could elicit the wrath of the plaga again. Ashley grabbed for Leon’s hand as she smiled at him blissfully.

“You know, you have really pretty eyes.” She said as her grin widened even further. Leon smirked and looked away, embarrassed.

“And you’re still a little high.” Leon said softly as he directed his attention back to Ashley. “You ready for this, tough stuff?” he asked as he squeezed her hand. She nodded as she squeezed back. She eyed the lasers warily.

“Does it hurt?” she asked as they started to warm up.

“You can handle it.” Was all Leon said. He wasn’t going to lie to her. It hurt like Hell. Dissolving a living creature in your body was excruciating. But he also knew she was resilient. She had been through the same nightmare he had, and she was still kind, soft, caring. Her screams filled the operating suite as the procedure started. Leon was grateful they had giver her pain meds, even if Adams was an ass about it.

“Just breathe, sweetheart.” He said as he held her shoulder down with one hand and kept her hand in his with the other. “I’ve got you.” He whispered as the pain reached its crescendo and Ashley struggled to stay conscious. Leon just held her there, his jaw set in a tight line. His protective instincts flared. He hated the bastards who had done this to her. To him. To them. Senseless depravity for some iota of power that would never come to fruition. He would make sure of it.

As the lasers withdrew, Ashley was only semi-conscious, her body at its breaking point as she lay on the operating chair. Leon indulged in one quick kiss on her forehead before he stood up to address Shaw.

“They need to keep her in a real bed. Up here or barracks. I don’t care. But that cot in quarantine isn’t going to cut it after that crap.” Leon said as he tensed his shoulders. He was trying not to sound too demanding, he wasn’t in the position, but Shaw had always favored a direct approach.

“We can keep her here in medical. I’ll take watch if you need some time.” Shaw offered. He didn’t say it, but Leon was sure he looked like shit, probably even more than he felt. He looked over at Ashley, then to Shaw. He trusted Shaw with his life and Ashley’s. “It’s a long trip home, son. You have to sleep sometime. Anson can escort you to quarters.” Shaw insisted, sensing his hesitation. One of the masters at arms stepped forward. Leon nodded before turning to leave. He didn’t reiterate the importance of watching over Ashley. He didn’t need to tell Shaw. They were so close to home. A few days and they were safe, just like he had promised her.

“Kennedy. Anson will show you my office on the way. There’s something for you in the left drawer.” Shaw said as they walked out. Leon stopped and nodded but didn’t say anything. He would make it a point to stop by Shaw’s office.