BLACK INVITATION

Created by : jitan88 | Beta-reader : The GREAT CK – Ace.

Disclaimer: All Resident Evil characters belongs to Resident Evil - Capcom.

Note:

- Timeline : After Resident Evil 6

- Rated : M

- Genre: Action / Adventure / Romance

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BLACK INVITATION

CHAPTER 10: DANGEROUS

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Jake Muller had been here before.

He knew which road and which not, knew where the CCTVs and the mercenaries were. There was only a single access and exit to this place and it was a pitch-black tunnel. Hugging himself to the wall, Jake avoided detection from the CCTV and made his way deeper into the Spider's web. There are guards watching over the place and Jake knew that this is really the building he was looking for and where his hunt for Sherry begin.

There was one problem though; this facility is one huge place and Jake had not traveled this place completely. In other words, he was completely oblivious of where Sherry was imprisoned and where Groves was. All he could do now is to find the control room where he can find where Sherry was.

Stealthily, Jake ventured deeper into where a single light bulb was. There was a man in black scarf guarding the area and Jake tip-toed silently to him. With his back faced to Jake, the mercenary grabbed hold of the Spider's neck and snapped it before a scream. Scooping the dead man to his arms, Jake dragged the corpse to where darkness were and he himself approached the next door with cautious.

This was the very place when Jake first was labeled as Spider J-025. Like a real spider nest, the place is enveloped in darkness but Jake had no problem trekking his way through a long tunnel to the next room. Footsteps on the far side made Jake grasped for his 909. If possible, he did not want to fire a gun without a silencer, but if it really comes down to that, he would. This time, there were two men patrolling the area. Like a mantis, Jake sneaked his way through their detection by crawling his way to the next door. When they are not looking, Jake twisted the door know silently.

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"This is it."

In lighting flash movement, Jake pushed the door open and slammed it behind it, locking the door behind. Alarmed, Jake send the first punch to the nearest guy and kicked his shin. Chaining his movements, Jake kicked backwards to the man behind him while the first man was immobile in pain. The second guy was better though, blocking Jake's kick with his arms. But Muller did not falter, smirking, he pulled his gun from his holster and fired.

The actions in the room made Jake grabbed hold of the first man by the neck as the poor man was showered in bullet by his comrade's firearms. Using him as human shield, Jake pushed his way forward, closing in onto the two firing men. When he was close enough, Jake gave the lifeless body a great push, staggering the two men. Using this golden opportunity, Jake disarmed the two men in an instant. One, Jake finished him with a strong blow to his heart, knocking him out and the other, Jake send him a flying kick that he smashed through the concrete wall.

Smiling, Jake picked up the Beretta M9 from his opponent and removed the silencer. Then he attached it on his 909, with the silencer, now he could shoot without alarming anyone.

"Where did they hide you, Sherry?" he muttered as he continued to the next room. Looking like the same as the previous hall, "Damn, this place is like a maze."

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"What are you doing, Leon?"

The question broke the silence after a while that they had not been speaking to each other. It was almost two o' clock in the morning, and yet Leon was surprised to find that Hunnigan was still awake. The female FOS employee was faithful to Leon and the mission indeed, and they both know that they were both violating their customs by conducting critical investigation outside duties. Leon placed his hand on the wireless headset, sending signals to Hunnigan about his whereabouts.

"Having my breakfast," he mutters, munching onto the remaining Snickers, "I doubt they will provide me breakfast. So I am having my own."

"You always have your breakfast in the middle of a mission, right?" Hunnigan asked.

"Yup, kinda like my personal bad luck." Leon stated, eyes gazing around the surrounding. The industrial desert caught his attention, "Speaking of missions, Hunnigan... Looks like I got."

The driver hit the brakes so suddenly that Leon shook on his seat. He refused to bring Leon any further into the deserted area and as did Jake, but the location was not far of from the GPS Leon had pointed. Like Jake previously, the driver asked if Leon had the wrong address but Leon denied it, saying that he had it right. Having no choice, Leon grabbed his stuff from the seats and paid the cabbie, in U.S dollar bills.

Smirking as the driver accepted the money with a grumble, Leon slid off the car.

"Sorry, forgot to change the currency... Keep the change." Leon said as closed the door, "Have a nice day, sir."

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Leon hung his backpack on his shoulder, his left hand holding a can of instant coffee to perfect his first breakfast in Amozi. He followed closely to the GPS signal, entering a factorial building filled with debris. There were still some usable building, evident by newer padlocks locking the place. Leon guessed that it could be one of the storage close-by. All the while, Leon's eyes searched for anything indicating where Jake was.

"Man, this place looks some bad horror movie." He grumbled to himself, surely Hunnigan was able to hear it through the earpiece.

"Scared?" Hunnigan comments.

He considered for a moment, he had been into lots of missions and operation involving hazardous environment. Mostly creepy in his impression. But Raccoon City, his first experiences as a rookie officer was always the worst that they haunted them in his dream often. The man sighed at the dark memory, the first time he had to fight for survival, the first time shooting on zombies, the first time fighting BOWs, the fateful incident in 1998 was what changed him into what he is now. Becoming a top-notch agent... and a foster parent to Sherry Birkin.

Nothing could compare to Raccoon City.

"Like a boyfriend about to meet my girl's parents."

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He approached the area as per the GPS, stopping at where one building resembling a warehouse was with a dark green gate open. Leon guessed that he had got the correct location, because this was where Jake last location was before his detector turned off. Unaware to Leon, the whole place was actually rigged with numerous CCTV. It was some further adventure that he finally found Jake's signal to him- the 'WELCOME' signboard plunged by a combat knife. With little effort, Leon removed the weapon from the board and gave it a quick examine, marveled at how fine the blade was.

"Jake left a pretty good gift," he said, clutching the knife, "Hunnigan, I've got Jake's location. Seems like there's nowhere for me to drop my stuff..."

In the end, Leon decided that he shouldn't burden himself that he removed most of his belongings, bringing only the things he deemed necessary. Dumping the rest into an empty water barrel, he was now ready to commence his mission just like he would an official one. Leon nodded slightly, even though he knew that Hunnigan was not there to see it.

"If the situation involves anything about B.O.W, inform me. I'll be sure to contact the Amozi government to send help to you." she said in a businesslike voice, "Be safe, Leon."

"Roger that, Hunny... After all of this is over, I'll buy you dinner," Leon replied, "I've left my backpack behind. Hopefully it will guide the help of yours to my location."

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Having said that, Leon set foot inside, entering the the tunnel of pitch-black where Jake had once set foot before himself. Then he saw a source of light at the first corner and the shadow of a man. Upon entering, the man was lying on his stomach, motionless. Leon quickened his pace and he inspected the man's pulse. Relieved to find that he was no longer breathing, Leon began searching for anything of use of this man. Having no hand grenade or an bulletproof vest, at least he looted the dead man's gun - Springfield XD(M), a short form of X-treme Duty-More. It was completely loaded with nineteen bullet and a silencer attached to it.

"Well, better then nothing I guess, although I really miss my Wing Shooter." he muttered as he continued to examine the body.

He found a card too; the one to be used as a swipe card for certain doors. Thinking that it might be of use later, Leon pocketed he was done with his looting, the agent proceeded carefully to the next hall where it was coastal clear. There was not a patrolling guard in sight, making Leon wonder if Jake had already clear out the area. "Damn, Jake. And I told him to save some for me." He entered the last door where there are two men whom Jake dispatchedwith his fist, there Leon passed through easily - the lack of hostile did not falter Leon Kennedy.

Dim room, choking environment and downright creepy, the man only wished that he can find both Jake and Sherry as soon as possible, whole place seems like it was haunted and about to collapse soon - not like Leon worried about the former. Instead of finding anywhere of interest, all Leon was until now was dark hall and dark room - then dark hall and dark room - and over and over again. It felt like he was trapped in a big maze where every place looked exactly the same.

Boring and confusing.

Footsteps coming his way and Leon quickly ducked down and find a place to hide.

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Sherry Birkin tried to scream but her voice was muffled by the cloth between her mouth, muting her every sound. About an hour ago, she was transferred to a wooden chair where both her feet were tied to the foot of the chair and her arms were bounded behind the seat. Of course she struggled during the process but the number of her opponent was just too many that she accepted defeat. She moaned tiredly, her strength was getting weaker and weaker by the second.

Before they tied her hands together, it was the second time that they had retrieved another blood sample from her wrist. The process was exactly the same when she was under the custody of the American government where she was experimented in her young age that Sherry couldn't bear a second it was repeated all over again in China where Jake Muller too had the taste of her childhood - she hated being experimented. She was no animal.

People think that it was a gift, none knowing how much sacrifice Sherry had to make having these superpowers that she never asked for. When she was a teenager, all she though was that her life was unfair indeed. - she wanted a normal life. Nevertheless, she did not blame her parents for her anguish; the blood flowing inside her was the proof that Annette still love her. No, she did not hate her blood, nor the people who used her blood solely to create a cure for human beings.

The only she hated was the greedy people who misused her blood instead. Using the powers resides in her blood to create bio-weapons that brought mishap to the world.

One member of the Black Spider entered the room and approached Allan Groves. His words made his leader smiled coldly and nodded once. Groves then ordered the man who had just retrieved Sherry's blood sample to leave.

"Take the blood sample to the storage, we will sell it in the black market." he said, then glancing back to Sherry, "And good news for you, missy. Seems like your knight in shining armor is really coming to save you. Why don't you just wait here patiently until I bring you his dead body?"

Sherry gasped.

What Jake really coming to her rescue?

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She tried to say something, but only came out as muffled groans behind the cloth on her mouth. Allan Groves ignored Sherry's frustrated struggles, putting his attention to his follower. The cigar on his lips slipped to the left side as he spoke.

"Be sure to take good care of our guest of honor, A-002," he said , exhaling a thick puff of smoke from his cigar, "You may use 'that thing', or whatever measure you find fitting. Anything."

The person dubbed as A-002 nodded. Carrying his M4A1 carbine, the black robed man brought a few men with him and left, leaving his master along with two other men to guard Sherry. Allan Groves returned to his seat to enjoy his cigar without further comment. The calm behavior from this man made Sherry's quell with unease, her instincts scream at her how dangerous this man really is, that his strength was far from a normal human being. She silently prayed for the safety of her beloved partner... Jake Muller.

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"Running away from problems ain't my thing, you know?"

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What Jake said to her on the Canzozi Bay sprang into her mind. The twenty-seven replayed his words in her head to calm herself - his words worked like sedatives so that the rational part of her kept working. She convinced her self to stay strong and to just... believe in like how Jake had once told her, Sherry too would not run away from her problems, she will find a way to solve this— to submit the data chip to his superior and bust the Black Spider out, and everything will be over. And of course, her fist step to that was to find a way to break herself from the binds that tied her.

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"Eat this, motherfucker!"

With a slight bend, Jake sent the very people—outside the room where he admitted himself as J-025, flying through the air. A few minutes before Jake finds the room empty, he had inspected the room where there were files scattered all over the brown desk. His gaze fixed on a folder labeled 'D.S.O Agent' and inside was the very data about Sherry Birkin. When he examined inside one of the drawers, he was surprised to find the envelops with limitless amount of money sitting inside. What's more surprising, in between the envelope contained an amateur photo shots of Jake and Sherry outside Raito Inn.

The arrival of more members of the Black Spider forced Jake to stop his rummage of Allan Groves's drawer. He ducked down under the table in time and avoided the barrage of AK-47, soaking the wall in bullets. Cursing, Jake blind-shot one of the enemy with his 909. Only one was hit and the rest were marching in onto Jake's position. Moving fluidly, Jake waited for them to come close enough before leaping out like a leopard to his enemies. He acted fast, his right leg propelled his weight so that his next kick with his left was twice as powerful that his enemy landed on the wall with a bounce.

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Being in close proximity made it difficult for the Black Spider to shoot without triggering a friendly-fire, Jake Muller exploited just that. His fist worked as fast as his 909 did to dispatch the hostiles. The superhuman strength and agility he obtained from the C-Virus only made things way easier. However, in the midst of an adrenaline-filled encounter, Jake had not realized that his ammunition had diminished at one point. With his firearm jammed, one of the mercenaries took advantage of the situation and kicked Jake aside. Holding his stomach in pain, Jake only huffed once when a man got hold of him from his nape.

He saw one of his assailant pointing his gun at him. Right before he could pull the trigger, Jake groaned and struggled to let loose of himself - with a lightning fast kick, he had send the shooter aside. Using his momentum, Jake elbowed the man behind him and worked quickly, slamming him on the face where he landed on the nearest wall. Fresh blood splattered from the lips, yet Jake showed no remorse. Jake was about to fire his 909 when another man assaulted his hind.

He had forgotten that the man he had kick away was still alive. Jake was kicked twice - on the stomach and his knees respectively. In pain, Jake lost his balance and his body dropped to the floor. Hastily the Black Spider pointed their guns on his head. Damn it! He cursed inwardly and despite his best effort to stand, he couldn't.

They are going to fucking kill me!

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DORR! DORR!

Two shots were fired but Jake found himself to still be alive. Instead, it was the two mercenaries who fell lifeless on the ground. Instantly, Jake aimed his gun to the unknown shooter when the figure emerged himself from the dark. Jake retracted his gun.

He was the man whom he had fight alongside against the terrible Ustanak a year ago. And that was the last time they'd met. Leon Scott Kennedy flickered his bangs aside as he made himself noticed by Jake. His hand holding the Springfield XD(M), and Leon smiled slightly at Jake. Relieved washed through him that he had just saved the younger man in time from the Black Spider.

And their reunion had to be in the Black Spider's headquarters.

"You all right, Jake?"

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Jake smiled in amusement to see the American agent before him.

"Woah, look who's here..." Jake smirked, "It's Captain America."

Leon eyebrows shot up at Jake comment but paid no mind to it, "Well, if I remember, I had saved your life just a moment ago... Not even a thank you?"

"Sorry to disappoint, but I just slipped is all." Jake huffed as he stood up from a kneeling position.

"Funny... Don't make you save you again because the floor is slippery, kid." Leon took the gun lying on the floor, check the contents.

"Uh-huh, sure... As long as you don't get in my way." Jake responded with a sarcastic tone, replacing the 909 empty magazine and cocked the gun, "I don't want you to cry for my help later."

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Both men fell silent, they were busy scavenging more weaponry for the oncoming danger ahead. Leon armed himself with a bulletproof vest and a M-16 too; while Jake picked himself an AK-47 with a few more rounds left. All said and done, Leon returned the combat knife that he found on the entrance to Jake - which Jake remarked that it was clean of blood but kept it inside his holster anyway.

In return, Jake tossed Leon the data chip that Sherry held high regard of. Feeling that Leon was worthy enough, Jake was finally glad that the data fell into the right hand.

"Find anything interesting on your way here?" Jake asked rigidly.

Leon just shrugged, "Just dead bodies, but then I heard gunshot and I followed you here... Any sign of Sherry?"

Jake shook his head, "Nope. This fucking maze is making me sick."

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Ironic statement, given the fact that Jake Muller used to work here...

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They moved on then, taking a few corners and were devastated to find themselves in another dead end. Jake had never completely learned of the layout of this place - the farthest that he had went to was to Allan Groves's chamber to accept a critical mission which was to murder Sherry Birkin.

Did they came to the wrong place? Each room looked the same as the last, with very minimum lighting, it only made things worse. Jake and Leon had to count on their flashlights as they looked for clues, all they found was an old bookshelf completely covered in dust.

Jake Muller had given up. He was ready to turn around to another exit when Leon tapped at Jake lightly. Leon pointed his flashlight to the other side of the shelf. Using their lights, they found out that they was one spot on the dust-ridden shelf that are clean from grimes, which struck Leon as odd. There werea few fingerprints left behind on the shelf, attracting attention to the senior agent.

"You know, my days back in Spanish, a secret door behind cabinets are very common..." Leon muttered quietly as he tried to grope the side of the shelf, looking for an alternative entrance.

Unfortunately the shelf stuck fast to the ground and no matter how much force they apply on it, it just won't budge. Until Leon (accidentally) shifted a book in the filing cabinet and found a small lever behind it,he glanced at jake with hopeful eyes. Pulling the lever, the bookshelf magically moved to the side, revealing a set of pitch-black staircase leading underground.

Leon snapped his fingers in celebration, "Bingo!"

"I expected more. No 'Open Sesame'? What a lame secret door." The sarcastic tone of Jake made Leon grinned.

They descended the staircase together, with their guns and flashlights ready. At the end of the case was another door but was locked firmly. Jake tried to ram against it but to no avail, although he knew that something was wrong with the door since it was hidden behind a secret passage.

He silently hoped that it was Sherry's cell.

Inspecting the door more carefully now, Leon flashed his light to the knob where a device was - like a swipe-card thing. Blinking in red-light, Leon knew immediately that he needed the right key-card for this damned door to open. He gasped, suddenly remembering the item he looted from the dead guard earlier. Pulling out the piece of rectangualr object from his pocket, Leon prayed that he wouldn't need more than a password or some sort.

"I hope this is my lucky day," he said as he swipe the card at the device.

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And the red indicator light turns green.

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Even Leon himself couldn't believe what just happened. He gazed at the stunned Jake whom only shrugged in reply. "Yup, my lucky day. We really won't be needing an 'Open Sesame' or 'Abracadabra'." Leon stated proudly of his accomplishment.

Jake just snorted a laughter.

That was how the two communicated - Leon with his jokes and Jake with his cynical comments. Both were on high alert as Jake slowly opened the door and pushed it inside. The room lighting that automatically turned on when the door was opened. As soon as the door moved, Leon's instincts told him that there were danger present in the room. And it seemed true, evident by the foul stench leaking inside the room. Even Jake gagged a bit at the horrible smell.

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Containing their disgust and nausea, both were ready to shoot as soon as they pushed the door wide open. However, the scenery inside this particular room was nothing of the outside, it was astonishing. It looked like a majestic bedroom yet Jake and Leon kept their guards up. There was a bed on the right side complemented with a set of table and chairs. Rows of trophy, books, photos displayed neatly on the case. It looked just like any other room at a normal residence.

The only thing different was that there were a corner of steel bars, resembling a small prison. That was where the foul stench coming from and blood splattered littered only on that region. Rotten bodies of horribly mutilated people lying on that spot - those were the ill-fated victims for whatever inside that prison. The combinations of carcasses made it impossible for them to tell out from a female to a male victim and it was just... ugly.

Emerging from the pile was two corpses. Pale skinned with rotten green and purple injuries, their veins sticking out in all parts of the body, as well as overall their white eyeballs. Their lips oozing with blood as their moan shrillingly. Their only audible noises they can make. Their moans made Jake and Leon forming goosebumps all over as they stared at the two ugly... things. Leon shook his head, clearly remembering what the creatures were and what they called - the abomination which everyone dubbed as...

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Zombie.

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Sighting the two men standing outside, they roared as they slammed at the bars.

Jake recoiled, "Shit, what the hell are they?"

"Infected." Leon murmured in the midst of Jake's cursing.

"Fuck. What the hell are we exactly going to deal with?"

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To be continue…

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Author's Note :

Thank you for my awesome beta-reader; CK-Ace who helped me translate this chapter *I hope all your problem will get better soon, hugs*.

I'll see you in the next chapter and make sure you'll drop some reviews for me, thanks~ :D

-jitan-