Chapter IV

"Only Good Day Was Yesterday…"

July 12th, 2012/ 1:32 P.M

Location- Favela Outskirts: Airspace

-Leon S. Kennedy-

The group consisting of Leon, Carlos, Rebecca and Sheva were observing the territory below from their position high within the helicopter. Their hair fluttering in the wind as each of them looked on at the bottom filled with forests and various creeks splitting between various parts.

The helicopter made a swift turn upwards, bringing them to now observe the mountain area. After a small trip around the statue…the group found nothing to be suspicious of.

"Not a thing in sight…" Leon exhaled his disappointment.

Carlos lowered his head, his hope diminishing. "I was sure we would've found something with what we did find in the factory. An arsenal of weapons, but I guess it was nothing after all. We're never going to find where those things come from. First its BOWs, now its weapons. We just can't catch a break." Sheva turned her head to see his eyes close. "Just take us back to headquarters, Leon…"

Leon and Rebecca watched Sheva rest her hand over Carlos' forearm. He opened his brown eyes to stare into the concerned ones of Sheva's. "Do not give up just yet, Carlos."

"Sheva is right!!" They watched Rebecca yell, who sent Leon a fierce glare. "Let's circle this bird one more time!" Leon softly laughed along with Sheva and Carlos. "Hey, I'm serious you guys! Let's search one more time!"

"Rebecca…" Carlos began to get her focus on him. "Thank you for your concern, but one time is enough."

"But--

"Sir, We got two R. coming in hot!! 2 o'clock!!" The pilot warned out from the front in the same time the alarm systems commenced.

"What?!?!" Leon shouted out.

Everyone widened their eyes in shock. Leon quickly went up to the front to see it for himself, and spotted two rockets appearing from the forest below them, leaving a trail of smoke as it headed straight for the helicopter. His blue eyes flared. "Get us out of here!!"

"Roger that, sir!" The pilot did a right turn, dipping the helicopter's tail down to avoid one of the rockets, but unfortunately, the other rocket was dead on…and Leon feared for the worst.

The agent retreated back to the group. "Strap yourselves in now!!" Doing as told, Carlos and Sheva sat one bench and fastened the safety belts.

Leon and Rebecca did the same on the bench opposite of Carlos' and Sheva's, and in that moment…the rocket collided against the tail rotor, forcing the helicopter to gradually spin around with no control. "We're going down!! I repeat, we're going down!!" A warning shout from the pilot, who tried his best to regain control but could not.

The women closed their eyes at the exploding sound and the never-ending falling noise of turbulence. Though, the men gazed out at the opening of the passenger cabin they were in, seeing the forest and the mountain below them spin in circles. The beeping of the alarm systems were getting intense with each passing second, as were the motions of each spin.

"Brace yourselves everyone!!" The pilot notified them, and it could only mean they were nearing the ground.

The helicopter now rumbled tremendously to the low altitude. Within the vehicle, the bolts holding the safety belts secure began to clank, but it kept firm in holding the group. In spite of this, all could hear one belt starting to rattle…and soon enough, it snapped apart.

It belonged to Sheva…


-Carlos Oliveira-

Time slowed down when their eyes caught Sheva being jolted out of her seat and soaring out to the opening.

"Sheva!!" Rebecca and Leon yelled out simultaneously. The medical chief extended her hand out, but merely felt their fingertips brush together in a failed attempt to grasp Sheva's hand. Even with that, Rebecca and Leon did not see Carlos in the midst of removing his belt to dive forward, successfully grabbing a hold of Sheva's hand. "Got you!!"

They were in a position not suitable for a helicopter spinning out of the control to the ground. Sheva's entire body hanging by only her right hand being grasped by Carlos', who was in a laying position in the chopper.

Through the danger, their eyes never left each other. Carlos attempted to pull her up, but the harsh spins of the helicopter made it difficult to even get a budge. The ground was nearing, giving Carlos the view of their upcoming crash site…

A forest, but what captured his focus more was the sight of a undiscovered small village. His eyes shot open wide. "What the hell…?".

People began running towards them in massive numbers. Some pointed to the chopper in the sky, while others were running towards it, all equipped with weapons from pistols and rifles to shotguns and rocket launchers. If the weapons didn't surprise him, then it was surely the people carrying these weapons…his own people…normal citizens.

Having enough with the staring, Carlos returned his eyes down to Sheva, who tried with all her strength to assist him in bringing her up. Again, they failed.

Carlos moved his eyes back to the armed citizens, and one specifically stood out when on a rooftop…aiming his rocket launcher. "Shit!!"

Hearing his expletive, Sheva turned to look at the direction his eyes were looking, and she spotted the person unleashing a rocket. She gasped at the projectile heading right for her. It was getting close to where she could make out the green tip of the rocket, then suddenly, she was hauled in by the last strong effort of Carlos, the rocket missing her feet by inches.

Carlos fell back inside the compartment with Sheva falling atop of him. He sprawled back to their bench and held onto it, his other arm coming around Sheva's waist to secure her safely in his hold.

Despite the situation with the way it was, it did not prevent Sheva's lips from forming a small grin up at him. Her hands latched onto the shoulders of the blushing Carlos, catching him looking away shyly to the side.

"Hold on you two!!" Both switched their gazes in hearing Leon's warning to immediately see him grasping the bars above, and Rebecca gripping the bench.

With the last few spins, the helicopter crashed softly enough to not cause an explosion, but for the landing skids to break off, resulting in the helicopter to go on it's side as the rotating propellers shredded into pieces when hitting the forest ground.

No noise, but the surrounding forest animals escaping the crash site in fear.

The hostiles were arriving to the site…and the mission for Carlos and Sheva just begun…


July 12th, 2012/ 4:53 P.M (US Mid-West Time Zone)

Location-Food Court

-Jill Valentine-

It was a sunny day back in the states, and a founding member of the BSAA did not waste it. She was sitting off to the side in her own seclusion while most of the public sat in the central area, eating and chatting away outdoors of the food court. The round tables decorated with a nice white cloth over it, waiters and waitresses fulfilling their jobs with the maitre d' in command.

Jill, on the other hand, was busy in gazing down at her cell phone upon the center of the small round table she currently occupied. Her forehead was resting against her right hand below the visor of her cap, she bore a worrisome look. "Not one call…".Angry, but saddened words.

She used her right thumb to flick open the top cover of her cell. The menu appeared, and she quickly went to the phone call data to spot several calls she received from Chris for working reasons.

Jill scrolled down to see Josh's name, who called for some more flirting but did turn serious when their conversation led to the well-being of Carlos and Sheva. With one more scroll down, Jill saw Rebecca's, Leon's and Sheva's names, all calling to notify her of their departure to search for a factory.

The reason for her anger and sadness was pointed at no sign of Carlos' name. "…You…still hate me, don't you.?". She sighed…

"Sorry I'm late, Jill." She flashed her eyes in hearing her name spoken through a familiar voice. Jill raised her head to observe a certain woman sitting on the chair ahead of hers.


-Claire Redfield-

She was wearing her usual outfit, the red long sleeve shirt underneath her white short sleeve one. Finishing it up were the gray jeans and brown shoes.

Jill mustered up a smile. "It's fine..." She quickly saw through Jill's fake smile. "How you been, Claire?"

The younger sibling of Chris Redfield undid her ponytail to redo it in a tighter bind. Regardless, Claire spoke. "Better than you, I'm sure. What's with the long face?"

Jill gave a glance to her cell phone. "It's nothing."

Claire smiled, leaning her chin on both of her palms when done with her hair. "Oh, really now?" Jill smirked at her. "Does this have anything to do with Josh or my brother, hm?"

"Not quite." Jill words came out half-laughing, but her face held a solemn look. "…it's a friend I'm worried about, that is all." I

n the middle of their chat, Claire and Jill both had to decline the waitress who appeared for their orders, both saying 'No thank you'.

Claire brushed a few strands of her hair away when continuing their discussion. "A friend you're worried about? Who might this person be that is so dear to the great Jill Valentine?"

Both chuckled until Jill answered softly, removing her cap as she did, setting it on the table. "I told you of him before. The one who helped me escape Raccoon City."

"The one with the sexy accent?" Claire acknowledged softly.

It made Jill laugh a gentle one in remembering that memory. "Yes. That's the one."

"And why so worried for him? Did the reunion go as you hoped for? Ah, he flirted with you, and Chris and Josh decided to beat his brains out, that's what happened, isn't it?" Claire ended almost sweetly.

Jill actually pictured what Claire said, and it caused her to realize that Carlos did not flirt with her at all. The ones doing it now were Josh Stone, and Chris Redfield…sometimes in a surprising way. She left those thoughts behind in the past and responded to Claire's question.

"No. They did not beat his brains out, Claire. As a matter of fact, Carlos did not flirt with me once. I was just hoping he would've called me before heading out on his mission with Sheva, but…I guess not. The reunion went fine, though I still think he resents me."

Claire moved her left leg over her right underneath the table. A grin still on her lips. "Even if he does, you still have men left to right, Jill." The veteran BSAA operative blushed. Claire went on smiling. "If only women were beautiful and dangerous like you are…"

Jill lowered her head at those words. Men going after her when all she wanted was him…Chris…

"Jill…?" Claire blinked her eyes. "Jill, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Jill lied softly. "Just fine, Claire…"

All of a sudden, Jill's cell started to vibrate over the table. Claire watched Jill snatch the phone into her hand in a impatient fashion. The blue eyes widening at Chris' name appearing. Jill smiled a huge one. "That smile could only mean that it's my brother calling."

Jill sent Claire a smirk, grabbing a spare napkin and crushing it into a ball to throw at the laughing face of Claire Redfield.

The BSAA operative pushed down on the answer button, and soon raised the phone up to her right ear. "This is Valentine. What's up, Chris?"

"We have a major problem, Jill." Claire's smile reduced in catching a glimpse of Jill's smile fading. Chris' firm voice sustained in his usual leadership. "It's best to return to headquarters, I will explain the problem there. Josh and I will be waiting your arrival."

"Y-Yes, but…can you at least tell me what this is about? This problem." Jill feared it was another bio-terrorism mission.

"Ingrid has lost all communications with Leon and the others." Jill slightly gasped.

Claire was now frightened for her friend. "Jill, what's going on?" She gazed at Claire. "What is my brother saying?"

On the verge of answering her, Jill heard Chris break in first. "Did I hear that voice right? Is Claire there with you?"

"Yes. We're here at the local food court just a couple blocks down from the headquarters." Jill replied while attending to a blond lock that strayed away from her ponytail, tucking it behind her ear.

"Bring her along with you." Chris left it there, hanging the phone up without a reply.

"Chris…? Chris?" Jill received no answer and closed the cover of her cell phone as she stood up, giving Claire a strong gaze. "Let's go, Claire…"

"Um, sure." Confused, Claire stood as well and viewed Jill sliding her cap back on while pacing ahead through the multiple occupied tables of the food court.

The younger Redfield caught up to her and saw Jill walking around a parked blue car to get to the driver seat. She dug inside the left pocket of her pants and took out her keychain to press the button for shutting off her alarm and unlocking the doors.

Hearing that, Claire opened the door to the passenger seat as Jill opened the door to the driver seat, both closing the doors after seating themselves comfortably. The seatbelts came next, then the insertion of Jill's key to execute the ignition.

Claire glanced over to Jill. "Where are we exactly headed? And what for?"

Before stepping on the gas pedal, Jill's eyes became shut. "We're heading to headquarters…something went wrong. Chris wants you to come with me…that's all he would say."

"The fighting never ends…" Jill unveiled her gaze to Claire's solemn words. "If my brother wants me at the headquarters, its usually for safety reasons. He fears I will become a target because of our last name. Yes, I'm full of pride that my brother achieved a hero status around the globe, but…I can fight. I know I stopped. I didn't have it in my heart to fight back then."

Jill peeked over to Claire glancing out the window. "Claire…"

She looked over to Jill, who spotted the same fire Chris had in her eyes. "Chris and Leon chose to fight. I chose a different path other than fighting, but with the years that passed, things never changed. All this started with Raccoon City…now it's around the world." Claire sighed at this point. "Sometimes I feel as if I'm to blame. Maybe I should've fought…maybe I shouldn't had ran away like I did."

"Don't you ever say those things ever again, Claire!" She was taken back by Jill's furious tone. "You have nothing to be blamed for. You have control of your own life and do what you want to do with it. If you wish to fight, then fight. If not, then that's fine as well." After that, Jill smiled warmly at Claire. "But you are not aware of how proud you made your brother."

Claire covered her mouth in a chuckle. "Really?! He's such a leader that he rarely talks about those things."

"I know how you feel." Jill agreed tenderly. He eyes darting ahead to the road. "Now, let's get to the headquarters…"


July 12th, 2012/ 1:58 P.M (South America Time Zone)

Location- Favela Outskirts: Crash Site

-Sheva Alomar-

"J-Josh…" The unconscious Sheva was regaining her senses slowly, but surely. "Chris…Jill…" Her eyes struggled to open, the darkness fading in and out. "Car…los…" She called their names softly, hoping and wishing they would come to her aid.

But Sheva was Sheva, and she set her mind on helping herself through such a situation.

With a newfound determination, Sheva realized her weakened body was in laying position on her back, the cold surface could only mean she was still within the crashed chopper, and not the forest ground outside. Sheva gave it another go at opening her eyes and made out the small wreckage she was in, metal parts sticking out everywhere and the sparks of electric equipment bursting out slightly. No sign of Carlos, Leon or Rebecca…

Sheva cried out at first movement of moving onto her side, but fought against the pain stinging her back to persist on. In being cautious, she slid off the bench gingerly and began to crawl in the direction of the compartment opening, spotting the forest outside. Her progress stopped, she raised her right hand to her forehead and quickly gazed down at her palm…spotting blood.

It was leaking down the left side of her face, and Sheva moved her hand back to the top of her head and softly winced at the instant touch of her wound, a lengthy cut atop her scalp…

Footsteps and familiar voices chatting brought Sheva out of her reverie. She looked to the exit and spotted Leon and Rebecca climbing inside, the two with their own wounds and trails of blood on various parts of their bodies. Leon's favorite brown jacket torn in several places, as it was the same for Rebecca's medical white coat.

In seeing Sheva on the ground, both rushed and knelt beside her.

"What are you trying to do, Sheva?!" Rebecca shouted as she assisted Sheva back to where she placed her before on the bench. "You should not be moving in the condition you're in!"

"I couldn't agree any more with Rebecca." Leon spoke sincerely in the course of Rebecca delicately moving Sheva to lay on her back. Sheva appreciated their alarmed words, and gave them a slight smile in looking up at them. They smiled back…

Sheva took a quick look past them, her smile still there. "Where is Carlos? I assume he is out setting up a perimeter for us, is he not?" She chuckled even in pain. "For the little time I've known him, I found Carlos to be such a cautious individual."

Although Sheva's assumptions were pronounced happily, Leon's and Rebecca's smiles vanished. Sheva didn't like their silence one bit, her own smile now gone. "Enough with the silence!" Sheva's anger overshadowed the pain in her body. "Inform me of where he is! He's okay…right?! "

Rebecca stepped forward to answer, but Leon's hand arrived on her shoulder. He took the responsibility for himself and gazed down to the angry Sheva with his own furious stare. "Sheva, I will tell you straightforward. Rebecca and I were just out searching the area…we couldn't find him."

"Do not feed me lies!!" Sheva sat up during her outburst, but that certain act provided Sheva to suffer the throbbing pain of her wounds, moaning out the anguish.

"Sheva!" Rebecca's hands grasped Sheva's shoulders to guide her back down. "Please, don't overexert yourself! You need the rest! Don't jump to such a conclusion as Carlos being dead!"

"Remove yourself off of me, Rebecca!!" The west African operative fought back in brushing Rebecca away for her back to hit Leon's chest.

The agent's hands caught the medical chief's shoulders in breaking her fall, but their shocked eyes watched on at the resolve and determination Sheva displayed to search for Carlos. Her right hand wrapping around her aching left arm, her sore legs providing the great effort for her to walk with a slight limp.

Sheva yet heard another cry of her name from Rebecca, but kept onwards to the opening, and once there…Carlos, from out of the blue, climbed inside to accidentally collide against Sheva. "C-Carlos?!"

"S-Sheva?!"

Together, they fell out of the crashed helicopter and onto the forest terrain with the back of Carlos breaking their landing. He blinked up at her, and she blinked down at him…finding blemishes of blood on the right side of his face, wounds he suffered from the crash.

Leon and Rebecca sped to the chopper opening and gazed down at the scene. Sheva, sitting over Carlos' lap and elevating her left arm to deliver a hard smack across Carlos' face. Leon winced over to Rebecca, who did the same to him…


-Carlos Oliveira-

"Owww!!" Carlos had his hand already rubbing the developing red handprint of Sheva's over his right cheek. He was not out of danger just yet. Carlos glanced up at the time Sheva's hands seized the shoulder straps of his black tactical vest.

She kept her position on top of him with her rear over his lap, which Carlos had to maintain himself from getting rise of. But that thought flew out the window when the enraged Sheva hauled him in, their noses touching…

He offered a uneasy chuckle, a chuckle that was becoming routine around the angry Sheva Alomar. "Explain your reason for not notifying us of your whereabouts, Carlos Oliveira."

Nervous, Carlos answered swiftly. "I was securing a perimeter around the crash site…"

"Carry on…" Sheva's grip loosened.

Carlos supported himself on his elbows. "When I regained consciousness, I found the three of you having yet to recover. I took the time to make sure those hostiles weren't around to tear us apart, and so searching the area was critical at that moment. Fortunately, they haven't picked up on the trail to the crash site."

Sheva completely released him. Her head darting away in shame.. "I…I apologize. Just please do not frighten me in such a way eva' again…"

"Y' know…" Sheva tilted her head to side in watching him as he began. "…you are now one of two women who now smacked me…"

She shook her head laughing, knowing Carlos in his usual uplifting attitude…and she only has known him for two days. "I have knowledge of who this other woman might be." Carlos smirked. "Might she be…Jill Valentine? Hm, Carlos?"

He nodded and groaned at the recollection of that night. "Yeah…but if it means anything to you, Sheva, you definitely hit harder than her…"

The pair contributed their laughs, oblivious of not taking in their position on the ground with Sheva on top.


-Leon S. Kennedy-

"Have you two made up yet? Or are you both waiting for some privacy?" Rebecca gave way for her words to sound with small giggles.

Sheva glanced over her right shoulder to perceive Rebecca and Leon leaping out the crashed chopper to land gracefully on the grass. Carlos needed to lean to the side to look for himself, the agent and the medical genius smirking at them. Rebecca released another fit of giggles at watching Sheva and Carlos blush extremely, then both getting up with haste.

She dusted her clothes off, as did Carlos, but Leon approached him and took his time to gaze around at the area. Nothing but tress, vines, bushes and small creeks, which Leon could hear the faint sound of water. "This place is isolated. Do you know where we are, Carlos?"

He shifted to Leon and turned in the same direction the agent was looking towards. "We're high up in the forest that oversees the favela. If we can get to a good position, we could actually see the headquarters from here."

"Alright then. Without any means of communicating with Ingrid, it won't do us any good in staying put here." Leon confidently smiled over to the shocked Carlos. "Let's get to work, shall we?" The agent ended it there, his right hand moving to his right hip where he grasped his Desert Eagle.

Carlos grasped Leon's left forearm, preventing him from walking any further. He turned to Carlos. "What's wrong?

"About your pilot…" Carlos sighed in glancing away. "…I found him dead on the pilot seat. I gave him a proper burial while the rest of you were recovering." Leon's smile returned at the nice gesture. "I know it's not a right to bury him here in a foreign country, Leon, but for the meantime, it will have to do until we can safely return his body back to the states."

"Carlos…" He responded to the agent, giving Leon his utmost attention. "Thank you. I'm sure his family will also appreciate it."

The south american BSAA operative shook his head. "Still…his death is because of me. If only I'd declined to search this place again then maybe-

"Not one more word, Carlos." His eyes widened at Leon's firm stance and words. "Blaming yourself will not allow you to think of the current problems. You'll all the time in the world to think about all this later, believe me, I know."

Carlos now nodded in agreeing, he took a swipe across his sweaty and bloody forehead.

Leon, however, was not done. "Listen, Carlos…" And he did. "…we're all here for our own reasons in helping out your region. If any lives are lost, don't assume their blood is on your hands, because it's not. We just want to help. We won't standby and let this place become another Raccoon City. Got it, Oliveira?"

He nodded a shaky one, also a shaky laugh. "Sorry about that…" Leon grinned at Carlos returning back to his usual self. "Ever since Raccoon City, I've been--

"Jill told me about that ahead of time." Leon watched Carlos' eyes snap wide during the interruption. "I also fought through that devastation and nightmare, Carlos."

"You're kidding me?" Leon shook his head in response.

"No, I'm not kidding you." The agent crossed his arms, turning to see Sheva sitting and leaning her back against a nearby tree while Rebecca tended the wounds scattered around Sheva's body. For a second time, Carlos joined Leon in watching what he was, collectively smiling at the women chatting away happily, regardless of the circumstances they were in.

"As for Raccoon City…" Leon started quietly. "Let's leave that story for another time. I'm sure you have yours with Jill as I have mine with three others."

"All women?!" He chuckled at Carlos' question.

"Two were, but the other was a young girl." Carlos spotted the reluctance in Leon's voice to talk about it any further. "I'll leave it at that. Let's notify Sheva and Rebecca that were going to search more of this area…"

Carlos did not refuse. "Yeah. Let's do so…"


-Rebecca Chambers-

"That should take care of it." She smiled cheerfully, returning her medical equipment into her first-aid kit hanging off her right hip.

Sheva traced her fingers across the cut atop her head elegantly enough to not wince away this time. The bleeding stopped, and Sheva could identify the medicinal herbs Rebecca provided her for the means of healing. With lowering her head, she glanced at the bandage around her left tricep and right wrist.

A pleased smile crept over Sheva's lips. "Thank you, Rebecca. This has to be about the hundredth time you have treated me." She complimented her BSAA comrade in the middle of redoing her free hair into her usual ponytail style.

Rebecca knelt down on both knees, placing her hands on top of them. She said nothing, but only peeked over to Carlos, who was walking towards them with Leon. Rebecca then gazed back to Sheva to show her smirk.

Following the bind of her hair, Sheva dropped her hands to the sides with a sigh, and saw the smirk on Rebecca. "What is it?"

"Oh, nothing…" Rebecca exhaled those words, ready to tease her friend. "…it's just amazes me how Carlos is able to make you smile and laugh more than Chris and Josh ever do."

Sheva's head dipped lower than previously, her face holding a expression that displayed sorrow. She entwined her fingers together prior to speaking. "Rebecca…?"

"Yes?" Rebecca replied while sitting next to her against the tree. "If it's about what I said, Sheva, I apologize. I shouldn't tease you about those things and--

"Have you eva' loved another, Rebecca?" Those words that interrupted her made Rebecca look to the side, seeing Sheva looking right back at her. "As in…real love…"

Rebecca was the one to now look away. She remembered the train crash, the James Marcus laboratory, the leeches and most of all…the former marine. Her right hand rose to instinctively grab the chain around her neck, pulling out the dog tags to let her thumb trace over the engraved name of…'Billy Coen'

"Those are dog tags, are they not?" Sheva inquired. "Were you in the US military at some point in your life, Rebecca?"

"Yes, these dog tags. And no, I was never part of the military…" Rebecca clasped the dog tags. "But back to your question about love. Yes, I did love another…and he's the sole owner of these dog tags. He assisted me in many different ways. If not for him I wouldn't be here alive today."

"He must be quite a man." Rebecca smiled to some extent hearing Sheva talk. "You have neva' told me about him, or even told Jill and Claire for that matter, Rebecca."

"It's because he's dead…" Sheva's eyes soften to sadness, watching Rebecca tuck back in the dog tags.

Unbeknownst to Sheva was the rest of Rebecca's story, who did not continue it but rather smiled faintly to the west African operative beside her. "Since we are on this subject of love, then you wouldn't mind me asking if this is about Carlos, would you?"

Sheva did not hold back her quiet chuckle, a red tint surfacing over her bronze cheeks. "Was it that obvious, Rebecca?"

Rebecca lit up instantly. "Hahah! I knew it from the very beginning!"

Now laughing in content, Sheva leant her head back to rest against the bark of the tree, her eyes looking up at the crown of fluttering leaves. That sight vanished when closing her eyes to take in the little moments she had shared with Carlos this far.

Their late night walk, the bucket of water to which she gave a small laugh at the remembrance of it. Afterwards, she thought about how he was there at her parent's final moments, wanting desperately to help them in the face of danger.

"You're thinking of him right now…" In hearing Rebecca's teasing voice, Sheva gazed to her with a smile. "…aren't you, Sheva?

"And what If I'am?" Sheva's voice carried a husky tone to it. "I' am a woman after all."

Rebecca, however, smirked and pointed to the arriving men. "He's here…"

Sheva's smile was gone. Her heavy blush appeared in the swift turn of her head to see Carlos standing by Leon in front them. "Carlos…".


-Carlos Oliveira-

"Hey, ladies." Carlos cheerfully spoke. He gained the attention of Rebecca's with a small wave of her hand, but turning to see Sheva moving her head down made him concern. "Sheva…?"

She didn't reply, her fingers only dug into the dirt on the ground.

Her trusty friend, Rebecca came to her aid within the awkward quietness of the group. She stood up and stepped forward. "So, did you two come up with any suggestions on what we should do?"

Her plan worked to some extent. Leon focused on Rebecca, but Carlos kept his eyes on Sheva.

"To answer your question." Leon replied to Rebecca. "Yes, we have one suggestion. Carlos and I will search deeper around this area. You two will rest and wait here."

Rebecca sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Not the kind of suggestion I was hoping for, Leon. But it will have to do."

Sheva's response to the plan, shocked and in disbelief. Instantly raising her head up to the group, her gaze stopping on Carlos. "That is nonsense! Rebecca and I can clearly still fight even in the conditions we are in!"

"Sheva…" Carlos could only say her name softly, but proud nonetheless at her perseverance.

To prove her words to Rebecca, Leon and mostly Carlos, Sheva stood up on unsteady legs as her knees shook, and once again, those efforts of Sheva's caused her to feel the throbbing pain throughout her body.

She was falling forward, and Rebecca took a step ahead to care for her friend, but Sheva fell limp into Carlos' arms. Her head against the crook of his neck, and her chest against his own, while her waist was wrapped by both his arms.

"Sheva!" She heeded the concerned calls of her name by Leon and Rebecca, and so, Sheva gazed up to see Carlos furiously looking down at her. She was taken back, and her small gasped proved it.

"You need rest." Carlos spotted her lips opening to speak, but he shook his head and spoke first. "No, Sheva. Stay here and recuperate. A person with your wounds shouldn't be moving about."

"But, Carlos…I--

She was cut off by the sounds of multiple hostiles shouting, they were nearing their location on their way down an uphill part of the forest. Gunshots were being sent into the air in a victory style, the bullets piercing through the crowns of each tree far out in the distance. Leon's eyes blazed up, just as the others did…

He raised his Desert Eagle in his usual way. "Nevermind my suggestion! We have to start leaving. NOW!!"

Rebecca scanned the area around them, which felt like the thousandth time, and again spotted no route out but only to cut through the time-consuming forest. While she tried to think of a plan for their escape, Carlos steadied Sheva back onto her own two feet.

He smiled, and Sheva didn't know what to make of it. She would know soon when he turned to Leon. "I want you three to make a run for it while I hold them off."

Shocked, Leon lowered his Desert Eagle slightly in hearing that. Rebecca brought her searching for an escape to a abrupt halt, both were gazing at him and that confident smile plastered across his lips. Behind Carlos, Sheva dwelled in silence…

Rebecca motioned her hands to her hips with a huff. "And what are you just planning on doing, Carlos?! Take them all on?! The only one who has a weapon is Leon! What you're planning on doing is suicide!" Carlos had to give a gentle laugh at that. It made everyone understand the person he was, brash and cocky.

He waved his right index finger to Rebecca in a boastful way. "Give me more credit here. Weapons just don't come in the fashion of guns, grenades or missiles, they also come in words. I'm one of their people and I speak the language of my country. I'll try to stall them in having a simple conversation with them, how's that?"

Leon liked his uplifting attitude, but not in a moment like this. He advanced a step to Carlos. "A simple conversation?! You damn idiot! Once they get a hold of you, it won't be a conversation!"

Rebecca felt the same way, advancing to Carlos just as Leon did. "I feel the same way! They will not go easy on you even if you are one of them! Let's leave while we can!"

"Let him go…" The words came from the voice of the one everybody expected to decline Carlos' plan…Sheva Alomar. "Let's…leave Carlos to handle things." He, Leon and Rebecca turned to see Sheva already heading gingerly for the nearest thick entrance of the forest.

Rebecca went to play catch-up and grabbed a hold of Sheva's right forearm softly, causing the BSAA operative to glance back at her. "Are you just going to let him go like that, Sheva?" She spoke quietly enough for only them to hear. "Don't you--

"It's what he wants!" Sheva shouted angrily with a touch of sorrow, not even attempting to keep her volume to minimum.

In knowing the men heard Sheva's angry cry, Rebecca looked behind her and saw Leon giving a sigh to the air in aggravation, now knowing why working alone was better.

Carlos bent his head, despite of him being proud that Sheva had put aside her emotions to agree to his plan, just as he put aside his emotions to go through with it.

"Carlos!" He lifted his head, hearing Sheva call his name.

Leon and Rebecca gazed at her, but Sheva's fiery eyes were concentrated on Carlos' warm ones. "Do not even come to think that I failed to remember the promise you made to me!" Her voice began to tremble and ache. Her eyes welled up in tears. "We're coming back alive…togetha!"

Carlos spotted the single tear dropping from her left eye. Then, Sheva entered the forest with a swipe against the bushes…also with Rebecca chasing after her.


-Sheva Alomar-

She walked on with a heavy heart, her weary steps taking her as far as only a few feet into the forest, stopping in a small open area that contained a stream holding pure water. Sheva fell to her knees at the edge of it, exhausted physically and mentally, as was the same for her heart.

With the opening of her teary eyes, she was met with her reflection over the water surface. Sheva gave a small gasp at seeing her own sadness, her right hand rising to touch her tear stained cheek.

All that stopped when Rebecca's reflection appeared above her own. "Are you sure about this? Letting him go…"

"Carlos will be alright." Sheva whispered with a smile, which Rebecca could not see. Sheva closed her eyes from the world. "He made an oath to me. I expect him to keep it." Those words developed a smile on Rebecca's lips.

"While we make our escape…" They heard Leon's voice sound behind them. "I handed Carlos my weapon if anything happens. Now, are we ready to leave?"

Rebecca slightly turned her head and nodded, her eyes giving off determination. She and Leon set their sights on Sheva standing up in showing no more pain, and with a swift turn, her burning eyes met their calm ones.

"Before we do, I want…" Sheva gazed past them, staring into the brief passage they'd tread through. "…I want to observe Carlos' situation."

Leon thought against it, but only walked back into the passage for his answer, he agreed with Sheva. Both she and Rebecca followed to the point where all three of them were just one swipe of a bush away back to the crash site.

And from their crouching position, they could clearly see the events unfolding while hiding behind the flood of leaves.

The mass number of hostiles firing at Carlos with all types of weapons as they approached the site. Leon, Sheva and Rebecca all widened their eyes. The group then saw Carlos climb back into the crashed helicopter for come cover and began to return fire at the crowd right outside with Leon's Desert Eagle.

The former mercenary was clearly outnumbered…

"Damn you and your conversation plan, Carlos!" Sheva stood up, but Leon captured her wrist.

Looking down furiously, Sheva saw Leon's own infuriating stare. He shook his head previously to speaking. "Keep your voice down. Do not give away our position." Sheva jerked her wrist out of Leon's restraint, but knew either way that he was right.

She stood still and watched Carlos fighting on, shoving another clip inside his weapon while the numbers of hostiles were increasing. Her heart began to beat impatiently, her limbs flinching in wanting to help, but her eyes were doing all the work in observing the valiant Oliveira moving from his cover to look out the opening of the helicopter and unleashing two rounds, each bullet piercing through the heads of their respective targets amongst swarm of enemies.

Even with his courageous efforts, Carlos took cover again and began to feel the overwhelming flow of hostiles. Their vigorous yelling, their gunshots ricocheting off the metal of the helicopter, and notably the sounds of the mob advancing. In suffering through that, Carlos did not know he was being watched by Sheva, Rebecca and Leon.

From their hiding spot, they examined the out of breath Carlos rubbing the silver magnum up and down against his damp forehead. Next, they saw him check his ammunition…and his disappointed face said it all.

"Carlos…" Though he was a distance away, it seemed Carlos made out Sheva's voice behind the excess of gunfire.

With a slight right turn of his head, he spotted Sheva hiding safely along side Leon and Rebecca. Carlos stared at the sadness dwelling inside Sheva's eyes…he only smiled at her being safe.

He kept his word for Josh… sacrificing his oath for Sheva…


-Carlos Oliveira-

The smile continued, and Carlos removed himself from his cover and aimed his weapon down at the spread out crowd to fire his last remaining five bullets. Two of them made contact with the enemies trying to climb up into the helicopter, but Carlos chose to save his other bullets, and that was when an opposing bullet grazed his left shoulder.

Carlos groaned in pain at the feel of the searing flesh, he bent forward and crept back into his cover within the chopper. He sat back against the bench he and Sheva used, his eyes flaring wide in watching the multiple shadows of hostiles appearing over the opening compartment wall.

He raised the weapon that now only had three bullets left. The first enemy appeared with a rifle after his climb up to Carlos' location , but was quickly dispatched of with a magnum bullet crushing his head.

Carlos waited for the next one, and the hostile appeared with a shotgun only for Carlos to yet again use his masterful accuracy to deliver a shot into the skull.

But throughout his battle to survive, Carlos was unaware of the hostiles climbing through the cockpit behind him, one of them triggering a handgun bullet that went through Carlos' left shoulder, inflicting a lethal wound.

He yelled out the gruesome pain, but his cool nature never let up. Carlos gave a faint chuckle as he turned around to face the cockpit in lifting the magnum to set free his last bullet into the heart of the one who wounded him, the person's body falling lifeless onto the ground.

Carlos returned his eyes to face the opening once more in front of him, seeing the shadows grow more and more. He gazed at his empty magnum, expressing his defeat when throwing the weapon aside. His eyes watching straight ahead at the shadows climbing up…

Then, he closed his eyes, Sheva's smirking face popping into his mind. He also took account of the feel of Sheva's skin underneath his hands as it was the same with her when touching him. The night their lips grazed. And yet in remembering those memories, it were the angry shouts of the hostiles that brought him out of it.

He opened his eyes, staring in a grave manner to see several of his own people ambushing inside, the first one gripping the end of his rifle to swing the handle part of the weapon, delivering a crushing blow across Carlos' head, causing the blood to flow out of the BSAA operative's mouth, rendering him unconscious.

Those who continued to rush to Carlos were now cheering in capturing him. A few of them were tearing off his tactical vest and green shirt in relinquishing him of any undiscovered armory leaving nothing but only his pants on, the rest were dragging his body to the opening in order to throw him out of the helicopter, hurling Carlos for his back to land on the crowd of hostiles.

They tossed his body up and down in another victory approach, the gunshots firing into the air as they were roaring out their triumphant battle cries. More and more hostiles appeared in waves, most of them climbing onto the broken helicopter to cheer as well.


-Sheva Alomar-

She couldn't stand watching the horrific scene and do nothing, the anger in her eyes showed that.

The sadness in her heart caused Sheva to cry out his name. "Carlos!!" Her voice blocked by the blaring cheering and gunfire of the enemies. She decided to grab the handle of her only available weapon, the combat knife.

She initiated two quick steps in advance, but Rebecca clutched each of her arms. "Sheva, please, do not anything reckless!"

Sheva fought back, grunting when trying to extend her arms but failed in not even getting a budge. She even began to fling her legs in the air, trying everything to break out of Rebecca's containment.

"Release me at once, Rebecca!! " Sheva lunged forward once more, though the result was the same when Rebecca pulled her back in.

During their constant struggle, Leon focused in on the enemies dropping Carlos onto the floor, soon enough, they began to spread out in forming two lines, giving way for a man of gigantic stature, dressed in the traditional executioner garb, who gripped the massive axe in his hands tighter in the midst of approaching the kneeling Carlos.

A shocked gasp sounded out from Sheva in seeing a familiar enemy she once had to fight in Africa.

The trio watched the crowd now hush in silence, all watching the masked man raise his axe high into the air, aiming his downward slash for the back of Carlos' neck, who's position was on all fours as he coughed more blood to the ground, fearing his end would come any second.

And so, the one standing over him now swung his axe down to put an end to Carlos' life…

"No!!" Sheva cried out one last time, seeing it all slow down in front of her eyes. The axe gradually making it's down, but it all stopped at the sound of machine guns unleashing bullets into the air.

The axe stopped an inch away from Carlos' neck, the hostiles turned around to see a familiar face walking towards them, a familiar face that shocked the trio. The face belong to no other than the BSAA south american…Captain Thiago.

"Wha…what is this?" Sheva halted her fighting in removing herself from Rebecca.

What was next to come was Thiago approaching and facing the hostiles, shouting his upcoming startling words. "Our queen!! Excella Gionne!!" Sheva's eyes trembled at the name she will never forget being shouted out.

Thiago finished it off… "Has claimed Carlos Oliveira…her PRISONER!!"

To Rebecca, Leon and Sheva. Their only good day was yesterday…