The Safe House, The next day

Hunk woke up and did several standard exercises in his room for half an hour. He exited his place for a breakfast MRE to see Ashley and Jessica sorting out some new crates that must have come in from this morning.

"Merry Christmas, Hunk." Jessica opened a crate. Ashley stood next to her and leaned forward.

"Ever since yesterday we need to be prepared, so I ordered some new stuff to assist us on further assignments." Jessica looked through the crate and pulled out a GL-94 grenade launcher. Jessica passed the weapon to Ashley. From there she aimed it toward the roof.

"This grenade launcher is awesome," Ashley said while putting the weapon down.

"Indeed." Jessica pulled out some extra ammunition for the future. The other half of the crate was of new parts for their weapons. Along with some beacon grenades and shock grenades.

"How did you get this?" Hunk walked next to Ashley and began to sort the equipment.

"I have my ways." Jessica joked.

That statement doesn't sit well with me, Hunk thought in his mind.

There was a second crate behind the current one. Its contents were weapons. In it was an MP5k submachine gun, a Mossberg 500 Cruiser shotgun (Compact version, without the stock and long barrel), a CZ 75 pistol and AUG A1 Assault Rifle.

Hunk looked over the new equipment and thought this means business. For what will happen in the future this group could be ready.

"So Jess are you replacing your Blacktail?" Ashley asked

"No, the pistol is for you. Granted your great with the knives but you Need a sidearm. I expect you to take some practice shots today."

"Yes, Mooom." Ashley made a soft groan as she picked up the pistol and took it to the shooting range.

Well, then Hunk what would you use? Jessica wondered as Hunk approached the crates. He took hold of the GL-94.

"I'll carry this with the rest of my gear." Hunk refrained from smiling.

"Good, seeing those armored beasts we need something with an extra kick." Jessica turned to the pile of stuff. Both of them spent a good thirty minutes sorting out all the new equipment when it was finished Hunk decided to assist Ashley while Jessica was taking care of some tasks on her laptop.

The cracks of sound began to grow louder and louder. Ashley was aiming a humanoid target shape.

"You're straining your arms again?" Hunk used his hand to help her posture.

Ashley lowered her earmuffs. "I think I got it."

"Just listen to me, your arms lock up as you fire when you do that the vibration of the gunfire will wear down your arms; eventually you'll be too tired even to hold the damn thing. I'm not saying to lose your grip but to allow your arms to suspense the recoil then focus on your next shot." Hunk explained as he stood behind Ashley.

She shrugged then applied what he told her. The earmuffs when on and Ashley did make center shots. It wasn't the best but enough to help in the future.

"I'll keep that in mind." Ashley ejected the clip.

"Do you need help with that?" Hunk crossed his arms.

"Not really but you can try anyway." Ashley removed her earmuffs entirely and exited the shooting range to go to the armory to apply modifications. Hunk shrugged and followed her.

It was silent again of Ashley taking her gun apart. The clicks and clacks of the metal to the arranged pieces to add; Such as a night reflective sight for the dark environments. The grip retrofitted with one that can help keep the weapon firm in hand with of an improved trigger guard that will allow the user to add a laser sight to the pistol and for the finishing touch of a new trigger to fire the gun faster. After a good forty-five minutes, the CZ-75 appeared to be a high-end weapon.

"Are you asleep or what?" Ashley looked over her shoulder to see Hunk standing in the same spot. "Your silence is kind of creepy."

"Considering we just fought multi-eyed weapons I doubt it."

"Okay, what do you think of the weapon?" Ashley clicked the barrel and passed it to Hunk.

"Perfect, it is well prepared and clean. Thought to me you're a fish out of water here." Hunk finally revealed his intentions.

"I can't do anything about it, ignoring the world of those risking their lives. My abduction was a wake-up call."

"Leon did save you, so the mission of him saving you changes your mind?"

"Yes and no. After when I was returned to the US, everything I did wasn't fulfilling. I was in a school of course, but I started to train myself. Mostly the mind needed for such work, and as time went on, I asked my father for instructors. Even with all this work, it… it… it fills a hole. Now I am just improving. Who knows, some-day I could be better than Leon." Hunk passed the weapon back to her; the light seemed to become dimmer. "I have felt this alive since I left Spain."

"Great." Hunk said softly.

"What was between you and that Charlie guy?" Ashley asked

"In 03 of there was a country that outsourced soldiers and I joined as the bodyguard of the leader. I met Charlie as another merc; we fought side by side on the field. I was escorting the leader's daughter, and there was an attack. I tried to help but Charlie was badly injured, and the war ended when the leader rounded up his enemies. Charlie blamed me for what happened." Hunk looked down to the floor.

"Well you tried to help didn't you?"

"I think I did." Hunk admitted.

"Well, there is your answer." Ashley finished her gear management.

The two finished their time together, and Jessica returned to hang out with Ashley. Hunk was left alone, and he returned to his room for a nap and spent the day with more exercises and improvements.

BSAA Headquarters Africa Branch, the next day

"Good day." Josh Stone said to the receptionist. He breezed through the halls bringing a smile to all of those around him.

"Still keeping morale up eh boss?" Keith walked beside Josh. The two became well acquainted of Keith's transfer back in 2005. The two became well-adapted partners over the years.

"Is she in today?" Keith raised his eyebrow

"Ah, I see this is the reason for you talking to me?" Josh entered his office.

"Maybe, so is she here?"

"Is who here?" A feminine voice asked with a slight British accent.

"Sheva, how are you on this fine day?" Keith raised his right arm in excitement at the sight of her.

"What is it now Keith?" Sheva leaned onto a chair in front of Josh's desk.

"Oh nothing, I just want to have you to join me for a relaxing dinner if you're up for it?" Keith said casually.

"Like what I said for the past thousand times, no," Sheva smirked.

"You can't knock until you've tried it."

"Enough you two, I was planning to contact you to my office anyway. There has been some activity, and there has been a report of activity of the ruined facility of Albert Wesker. No one has been hurt yet, so the three of us and a squad will go and see what the problem is. Be ready to leave in an hour."

"Roger, will there be any assistance?" Sheva asked.

"No, the North American and European branches are two busy with Edonia, so this becomes Africa's problem; I did alert Adele from North America to our investigation. So we have to rely on ourselves." Josh sat down behind his desk.

Sheva flinched when she heard of North America. "How is he?"

"Fine, a bump to the head and nothing more, he should be ready to leave in a few weeks."

Sheva nodded and left Josh's office. Keith turned to Josh.

"I better get ready too; see you in a bit boss." Keith left the office.

"That guy still has a lot to learn."

Meanwhile at the Safe House

Ashley woke up and did her daily exercises and exited her room for some breakfast.

"Good morning, Ash," Jessica said while sitting down looking over things over her laptop.

"Morning." Ashley walked to the refrigerator pulling out milk for a bowl of cereal.

"Any news this morning?"

"Nothing at the moment." Jessica's head leaned on her hand as the elbow was upward from the table.

"Been up long?" Ashley finished stirring her cereal.

"No, I woke up half an hour ago."

Ashley took a bite. "Well anyway I checked the news a moment ago, and it has been declared that Edonia is no longer a war zone."

"Well, that is what the media wants us to believe." Hunk said walking in the main room too, he recovered a new MRE.

"Great the gang is all here." Jessica rolled her eyes.

Hunk walked around to get a new bottle of water. He yawned and looked in the direction of Jessica's laptop.

"What's the word?"

Jessica looked back at her laptop. She clicked an icon to pull up a new window.

"Perceive this how you will. Our next mission is in Africa, be ready to leave in half an hour. The helicopter will drop us off where a vehicle will be waiting for us to go to our destination."

"Roger that." "Okie Doke"

Jessica told Hunk there are several bits of clothes in his size in a different crate. Black is nice and all, but it'll have him stick out like a sore thumb in Africa, along with the extreme heat. Too bad though. The dark long sleeve shirt and pants were designed for optimal mission output, and he was going to keep it that way. Jessica and Ashley returned with similar clothes like before, but in this case, Jessica was wearing a hood and Ashley with a beige Boonie hat. Both of their clothing was set for a desert environment.

All were ready when the helicopter showed up, and the three entered it.

"So what's the mission?" Ashley asked. She kept the same gear of her SIG 556, CZ75, butterfly knives with incendiary and beacon grenades. The armor she wore looked to be the same. Her ankles were no longer exposed, and she kept a backpack for water. The SIG was sling on her back while she chose a chest pistol holster. The knives were arranged on her belt to her thigh. It adjustment will make her quicker.

"There is a ruined research lab of the late Albert Wesker. The job is to retrieve any research that can be salvaged." Jessica replied. Her clothing looked to be lighter for the heat and wasn't weighted down by the access ammunition she forced herself to carry. Her attire looks as it fit the needs of the task at hand. Her sniper rifle was replaced by the MP5K and Mossberg 500 Cruiser. She kept the armor and Blacktail. The resupply of the shock grenades was added to her inventory with several flash grenades. For whatever they will encounter, she was ready.

"Albert Wesker is dead?" Hunk's expression hidden by his gas mask. The desert is a merciless place. He carried an extra canteen of water and backpack water. Mostly everything was the same with the inclusion of the GL-94 strapped to his back, and his upper torso was arranged with six 40mm grenades with the GL already loaded, safety on of course. It replaced the space of free pockets so adapting is a must. He packed the same amount of ammo for his M9 and TMP. Several Grenades, with a few smoke grenades and his knife, freshly sharpened.

"Yes, he's been dead since 2009. Chris with his partner killed him."

"Good, that guy had a serious superiority complex." Hunk looked out the window.

"I never met him so I wouldn't know." Jessica shrugged.

"Just be glad you didn't." Hunk reinforced his statement.

"Same story as before. Communication in that place will be hell, and it was blown up too."

"Wouldn't the BSAA already comb the place?" Ashley asked as the helicopter lifted off.

"They did, but recent activity has been reported. A golden opportunity has been given. Word is there will be a BSAA squad, there must be no contact at all."

"Understood." Hunk looked out to enjoy the landscape before the next fray.

I will refer to the shotgun as 'the cruiser' in the coming chapters.