Resident Evil Re-Written

"Luis…"

Leon wasn't sure why his friend had left so suddenly. They had just finished off the Ganados surrounding the cabin together. They should be celebrating their survival about now.

Instead, Luis had left, just walked out into the night on the pretense of having had forgotten something. Leon was more than confused, he was slightly hurt. Had he done something wrong during the brawl? He couldn't imagine what. He mentally scanned Luis' reactions toward him during the fight, looking for some sign that would point to his sudden departure.

After a few moments, he shook his head and stepped out of the doorway. His hair was getting soaked, and he was acting like a teenage girl. Ashley must be rubbing off on him.

Speaking of his young charge, Ashley came out of wherever she was hiding to follow him again. Having the young woman follow him around was a lot more difficult than he had expected it to be. She wasn't that bad to have around most the time, but her whining was getting on his nerves. He looked out the door, then back at Ashley, and made a quick decision.

"Stay here. I'm going after him. He knows something, and I intend to find it out," he said, shouldering the rifle he had found earlier, "Just stay put, and if something happens, scream."

Ashley didn't seem the least bit disgruntled by the command, something that slightly disturbed Leon. Ashley was certainly easy to predict. Like a fortune wheel with all one color.

Leon headed outside, hunched against the rain. He was fairly certain Luis had headed in the direction of the bridge, so he looked for the remains of the ganados' torches to guide him. Eventually he heard voices, and stopped, ducking behind a wheelbarrow. Both were very distinct, the voices and the wheelbarrow.

The wheelbarrow's only memorable feature was its' incredible stench. It had been used to haul manure, possibly animal, possibly not, and very recently to boot. Leon began to regret his hiding place. He decided to focus on the two voices in the clearing instead of commiserating.

The first sound Leon heard over the rain was Luis' voice. Smooth and thickly accented, it reminded the ex-cop of black coffee. He couldn't make out the words and debated leaning in closer to listen. The manure seemed a very good reason not to.

His mental debate ended when he caught the second voice. It was a woman's, low and husky. The sort of voice that could get you into bed or a suicide mission before you could figure out where you were going. The voice struck chords of memory in Leon, chords that had been left to rust. He leaned forward instinctively, trying to catch the last phrase.

"It can't be…Can it?" He thought, trying to rationalize out her reasons for being there. She was dead. He had seen her die in Raccoon City.

As he puzzled, Luis spoke again.

"I don't care who you work for, so long as you get rid of that old man and his religious friends."

The grass near Leon rustled, and he slid back as Luis joined him behind the manure barrel.

"How much did you hear amigo?" He whispered, a knife kissing Leon's throat. Leon grabbed the Spaniard's wrist, twisting it and the knife away.

"Enough. Who was she?" He replied, almost low enough to be a growl. Luis slipped free, putting his hands up in surrender.

"Aye yai yai! Again with the rough! She's promised to get me out of here if I do something for her. That is all I know."

Luis slid a short distance away, rubbing his wrist. He was sitting on the wet ground with Leon crouching a foot or so away, keeping both eyes trained on his 'friend'.

"What does she want you to do?" Leon asked, picking up the knife Luis had held only a moment ago. It was his, having been tucked into its' sheath only seconds before it was pressed to his throat. He wasn't sure when Luis had gotten the opportunity to grab it, but the fact that he had was a cause for concern.

"That, my friend, is what we call 'confidential'. I am sure you know the meaning."

"I'm familiar with it, yes." Leon replied tersely, sliding the knife back into its place, making sure it was firmly holstered. It didn't look like he was going to get any more information from Luis if they both kept up this hostility.

Luis engaged him in a staring contest, one that only lasted a few short moments before he got up to leave.

"As fun as this is, I have things to do. See you around amigo," were his intended parting words. Leon stood up before he could finish his dramatic exit.

"Luis, I don't know what you're planning with that woman, but I do know you want Saddler dead."

The Spaniard turned his head to face him. He looked irritated.

"That is common knowledge."

"It's good for me if he's gone too. If we work together focusing on that objective, things could go a lot smoother."

Luis seemed to think about it for a few moments. Leon waited patiently, his body language sending casual, peaceful signals.

Finally, Luis looked up at Leon.

"Alright, Amigo, you've won me over." He said, a faint smile crossing his becoming features.

"But no funny business. As much as I want the old rag dead, I want to get out of here all intact, comprende?"

Leon nodded, and the two men headed back to the old cabin where Ashley was waiting.