First off I wanted to apologize for how long it's been since I've posted anything. During this time, I've struggled with writers block, due to school. I have also written bits and pieces of he next few chapters, so hopefully those will be up quicker.
Chapter 4: Chris and Leon
The light flickered in the hallway, as Leon stared at the large report in front of him. He had just returned from a mission, where he needed to find and rescue a senator, He indeed found, and for the most part rescued the older woman but not without both of them getting heavily injured. Leon was fine, he just spent a few days in the business infirmary. The senator though has been in intensive care for a week or so, due to her soft nature. He snorted, soft nature wasn't exactly the right word. The senator just couldn't listen to him in crunch time, leaving them both broken a battered at the end of the venture.
Leon grunted, as his fingers tapped the dark cherry wood of his desk. Something wasn't right, he could just feel it in his bones. Emma has been gone for little over a month, and nothing. Not a word from her. That wasn't like her, not like her at all. Even though she wasn't as close to Leon as she was with Chris, the agent knew there was something wrong. Normally she would call Chris every day and they would talk about anything, and maybe once a week she would call Leon to catch up. Both Leon and Emma were healing from their messy break up. Leaving their current relationship in limbo. They both were unsure what to do next, so for now, they, or rather he, struggled through a friendship phase. Emma not being one to hold onto anger, quickly forgave him, but Leon couldn't forgive himself just yet.
He shook his head, trying desperately to bring his focus back to the work at hand. Command had told him Emma was approved a few months of leave, when Leon inquired where the brunette was. He would have spoken to Chris about the going ons, but the meat-head was pushed out the door for another mission by the time Leon knew what was going on. It still worried him, and knowing that he wouldn't get any work done until he had answers, Leon stood from his desk. His new partner's big blue eyes questioned the sudden movement.
"I'm going to communications," Leon said calmly, "I'll be back, if you can finish up the paperwork that'd be great."
With that said, Leon left his office and made a bee line to communications. Maybe one of them has heard from Emma, and if not, he could call Chris. The doors closed silently behind him, when he arrived to the heart of the operation. Without people like Emma, most missions would end up with a lot more death. He himself owed many of communications his life, but no one more so than Emma. An annoyed puff of breath exited him, as his mind went back to his ex. He happily, mostly drunkenly, admitted to Clair that he still had feelings for the storm cloud eyed girl, which lead to a wild one-night stand with Chris's sister. Another mistake he wrote into the books.
"Good morning sir." A mousy girl muttered, placing her hand over the mic. "What can we do for you?"
"Morning?" Leon grunted, confusion written all over his face.
Had he seriously spent the whole night writing up that damned report? The young girl, who Emma introduced to him once, glanced nervously at her partner, before nodding at his question. He glanced over, seeing the time in the corner of the computer. 0100 hours, blinked at him lazily. Leon groaned, rubbing his eyes with his large palm. That maybe why his mind keeps wandering off. It wasn't too surprising the paper work took this long, especially with his distraction, but he hadn't thought it would be one in the morning already.
"Sir?" the girl questioned.
"Have either of you heard from Emma?" he questioned, glancing back at the girl.
Hazel, Hazel was the girl's name. The light bulb light up, as he finally made to connection between face and name. When Emma introduced them, the brunet said the best way to remember the girls name was her eyes. Thank the heavens for that beautiful Com-tech, wherever she maybe. His mind wandered off for second, as Leon waited for an answer. Hazel and her partner had an emergency, and she was trying to get the man out of the dangerous situation.
Emma introduced Hazel and Leon just before the two started dating. She had hoped that Leon would find the hazel eyed woman attractive, since he wouldn't tell Emma who he was attracted to. That's just the person Emma was, taking other's feelings and such before hers. Leon was brought back to the world when Hazel turned back to face him, with her hand over the mic. At second glance, Hazel was very attractive, and he could see why Emma wanted the two to date, but that wasn't important at the moment.
"No, she hasn't." Hazels perfectly manicured brows knitted in the middle. "Is everything ok?"
"Yes, I just haven't heard from her as of late." Leon sighed again.
"Well, you can ask Chris, he just got back from his mission." Hazel paused, "He should be in the locker rooms. If that's all."
He nodded, before turning on his heels, allowing the two to go back to their important work. It was about time that blundering idiot came back, Leon thought, as he traveled through the dusky hallways. It wasn't entirely that he didn't like Chris, in fact they were rather close before shit hit the fan between Leon and Emma, it was more that Chris was one of the reasons the two broke up. Don't get him wrong, Leon knew better than to think Chris was going to take Emma away, their relationship was more of a brother and sister one. It was the fact that Emma spent so much time talking to or being around Chris that bothered Leon. It didn't help that Leon was always working, and that when the two hit a rough spot he hinted that Emma and Chris were having an affair. Stupid.
The locker room smelled thick, as steam mingled in it from the shower. Chris most defiantly was here, from the looks of his gear tossed carelessly to the ground. How Emma, a neat freak, was able to spend so much time with a slob, escaped Leon. He sat down on one of the benches near Chris's locker, waiting patiently for the foot soldier to come out of the showers.
"Leon," Chris grunted, walking into the locker area.
"Has Emma contacted you?" Leon questioned, nodding at the slight greeting.
"I've been on missions for almost three months." Chris muttered, tossing his wet towel to the floor. "Why, are the two of you not talking again?"
Leon rolled his eyes, watching the heavy cloth fly from Chris's hands to the ground in front of the hamper. "She's been on leave for a month or so."
The two had to admit this situation was one of the most uncomfortable to be in. Chris gripped at his neatly folded boxers, on the shelf of his personal locker. Thanks to Emma, Chris's locker always was filled with fresh clothes neatly folded or hung in their respective places. Motherly, that was her nature, and probably why anyone who got to know her loved her. Next he dressed in loss cargo pants, making things less awkward for the two of them.
"And she hasn't contacted you?" Chris asked, looking over his shoulder at Leon. "That isn't too strange, considering your situation. But, if you're so worried, come over and have a beer."
"How is a beer going to help?" Leon asked, cocking his brow.
"Well, she's probably called my phone and has left messages." Chris explained, tossing on a white shirt. "Come on, before I change my mind."
The two men walked silently through the halls, both unsure what to say next. Things were so much easier before, both men would probably be giving each other trouble for their Football team's mistakes, or even talking about their missions as of late, but not anymore. Chris wasn't as forgiving as Emma, and still blamed Leon for breaking his little girl's heart, and to be honest Leon didn't want forgiveness. Once out of the building, the tense air seemed to melt away.
"You remember how to get to my place right?" Chris's gruff voice questioned, in the crisp night air.
"Yeah, I'll meet you there."
Both men nodded at each other before walking to the respective vehicles. Chris liked to drive a large black truck, whereas Leon enjoyed riding motorcycles, something Emma also enjoyed riding. It was something about the wind thrashing around one's body that had such a calming effect. The night air chilled Leon's body, it was already snowing in mid-September New York, making it perfectly clear this winter would be a mammoth. This would be the first winter Leon didn't spend Christmas with Emma and Chris in her tiny apartment. Though Communication Technicians were the heartbeat of the operation, they weren't payed nearly enough.
The trip wasn't a long one, but enough for Leon to think on exactly what to say. Their conversations always went back to Emma, they couldn't help it she was just that special. He followed quietly through the brightly colored walls. Chris didn't have a home, mainly because he liked being closer to headquarters and Emma's apartment, just in case of emergencies. Working for the B.S.A.A. made everyone paranoid, or at least it would if you were sane. Chris's apartment deeply contrasted against the halls, instead of bright colors he had dull monotone colors on his walls and carpet. The larger man shut the door behind Leon, before walking into the kitchen. He grabbed two beers and pressed the answering machine.
"You have no new messages." The answering machine echoed through the quite apartment.
"Hm, that's strange." Chris grunted, tossing the bottle cap into the trash. "Maybe the stupid thing's broken. I'm sure she's fine." From the sounds of it, Chris wasn't talking at all to Leon, he was more trying to convince himself of that. "Hell, she's probably freaking out about not hearing from us."
A low rumbling sound came from Chris's chest, the chuckle died at his lips though. Leon watched the other male carefully, as he took a quiet swig of the sewage Chris bought. The agent grimaced at the liquid, but took another swallow. It was common knowledge that Chris greatly enjoy bitterly dark beers, and if you wanted something different you would need to bring your own alcoholic beverage. The two sat in silence, each waiting on the other to bring up Wesker and his new habit of kidnapping Communication Technicians. For the moment both men agreed on the situation. Something was wrong, and that was that Emma was missing.
"You should talk to command." Leon sighed, rubbing his eyes with his calloused finger tips. "I've talked to them already, and everyone knows about my relationship with Emma, but you? You're like her brother, a person who has the right to worry about her."
Chris grunted, as if he was only half paying attention. As if his mind was thousands of miles away and only one person could bring him back. After a moment Chris came back, a look of determination etched into his warm brown eyes. If there was one thing he knew, it was that sweet Emma was in danger, but first he would have to check on a few things, before approaching command. Leon watched the gruff man walk into the kitchen and pick up the phone, which seemed too small to be in Chris's grasp.
The two men locked eyes, before Chris walked into another room to make his phone call. Leon sat alone in the Livingroom, almost dreading his next taste of the beer in his hand. After two hours of waiting, Chris came through his bedroom doors, and glanced at the long awaited Leon. His eyes darkened, when they met with Leon's. Something was the matter.
"So, what's going on?" Leon asked.
"Her parents haven't heard from her in a month." Chris breathed. "They've been worried for a while, and I think I've sparked a slight panic."
"Yeah, that's why I wanted to talk to you first." Leon sighed, cursing under his breath. "That's it though, now we having to talk to the bosses."
"Yes," Chris chucked his bottle into the trash. "We do, but for now you should go home."
Leon nodded, it was late, and they both needed to rest. He left the building, still holding the bottle of poison Chris had handed to him to drink. Maybe he wasn't as versed in worldly beers, but a beer this dark should be able to count as a toxin. With a low chuckle, Leon tossed the bottle at the apartment dumpster and watched as it shattered into a million pieces. He stood there for a moment longer hoping that, that wasn't how they were going to find Emma. He then disappeared with the roar of his bike.
The two met again the next morning in front of their headquarters. Head of command wouldn't be able to say anything this time, the two had legitimate worries, fueled with more than enough evidence that something was amiss. Chris knocked on the door to the leader of Emma's division, something Leon hadn't done. He did talk to the leaders, but he did so with only his. A low "come in" echoed behind the door. Chris did as the voice demanded, with a bit more gusto than he meant to. The small frosted window to the door, shattered when it hit the wall, forcing both Chris and Leon to wince.
"It's fine, I've been meaning to get a few door." The Com-tech leader sighed, touching her temples. "What can I do for you gentlemen?"
"Emma's missing." Chris breathed, stepping around the glass.
"Emma is on leave for a few months." The woman muttered, reassuringly. "I gave her the leave, I should know."
"Yes, but no one in the family has heard from her, which is worry some since she would have gone to them." Leon pushed. "There is even furniture missing in her home."
"You broke into her house?' Chris growled, glancing at his companion.
They should have talked about this before walking in. Leon should have mentioned that he had searched for any signs of her, which included at her house. That would have made this moment extremely less uncomfortable. He nodded, watching as the other two stared at him with much concern written in their eyes.
"I just wanted to make sure she was ok." Leon sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Anyways, with all the Com-tech disappearances, we are worried that Wesker, or someone else from umbrella had taken her."
"What proof do you have that she's missing?" the leader breathed, glancing at Chris.
"I've called her family, who was expecting her weeks ago and she hasn't contacted anyone here."
"Her ticket home is also laying on her nightstand, there's the missing furniture too."
The woman sighed, glancing at her paperwork, before sitting back into her chair. They had a few points about the oddities repeated in Emma's case, but she couldn't yet say that Emma was taken. She tapped her fingers against her desk, before picking up her phone. For the moment, she'll leave it to the investigators the company hired. Until they could prove that she was truly missing, with a clear unbiased mind, there wasn't much she could do. The dull tone reached her hears as she waited for someone to answer. Both Chris and Leon watched the woman make her call, questions written clearly across their faces.
"Hello, this is General Reed." Her voice echoed with authority, as her eyes met with the two men's. "We have a possible kidnapping of a young Communication Technician, by the name of Emma Singh." She paused listening to whomever was on the other side of the line. "Yes, I'll have all the necessary information provided to you and your crew at once. Thank you."
She hung up with a low sigh, as her fingers glided against the computer keys. Another few moment's passed before she glanced to the boys. There wasn't much she could say to calm them down, but it was necessary for her to urge them to let the men do their jobs. Her eyes went back to the computer screen as she searched for the correct words.
"I have alerted the military police about our situation." She paused, making sure she still had their attention. "Meaning, they are on the case. From here on out, the two of you aren't allowed to research any further into this subject. The officers will contact you for the information you've already gathered, so they can rule the two of you out of suspicion. After they contact you initially, you will not bother them again." She wrote down a number for the men. "They will in turn tell me their finds, as soon as they have something, and I'll contact you with the information. Is that understood?"
"Yes ma'ma."
She nodded, a short dismissal and returned to work. Both Leon and Chris left the room in quiet contemplation, wondering what to do next.
"Are you going to stand in the side lines?" Leon questioned, eyeing Chris.
"Of course not. My best friend is missing."
And with those quiet words, the two were on their way back to Emma's house.