Omega Red.
After their encounter with Saddler and losing Ashley once again. Leon and Neena had to once again find a way to help her. But the encounter did more than they feared. It revealed that as long as the parasite was inside of Leon's and Ashley's bodies, Saddler could just use his power to make them obey him... a very dangerous development. One that could endanger the entire mission. But worst of all, it might even lead to Leon and Neena having to fight. This had been on Leon's mind for a while now. Neena was not safe with him anymore. He ended up stopping to think of something.
Neena noticed this and looked at him "What is it Leon?".
Leon was silent for a moment before he spoke "Neena, can I ask you for a favor?".
"Of course, what do you need?" Neena asked.
"Our encounter with Saddler made it very clear that this thing inside me is a much bigger problem than I believed it could be. You saw it for yourself, Saddler could just use it to control me" Leon began.
"Where are you going with this?" Neena asked, her voice showing a clear hint of worry.
"Neena... you are not going to like what I'm about to ask you. But you are the only one I can trust with this... if this thing inside of me fully takes over and turns me in to one of them... I want you to kill me" Leon said.
Neena got wide eyes in shock, before her face changed in to one of anger "Leon... why the hell would you ask that of me?".
"Calm down Neena, normally I would never even consider asking you to do this. But I'd rather die like a man, than live as a puppet. But most of all I'd rather die a human, than a monster" Leon explained.
"But why me!? Why not ask Miss Red Dress to do it? She seems more than able to kill without remorse" Neena pointed out, doing her best to keep her anger down.
"I hold little doubt that Ada would be able to pull it of. But she is not my partner, you are. And you might be the only one in this crazy place that I know I can trust. So I'd prefer that it was you" Leon answered.
Neena chakes her head "I can't do that Leon. Don't ask that of me".
"Neena, I understand how you feel, I would feel the same way if our roles were reversed... but this is our job. We need to make sure nothing remains of the filth that is the viruses. We need to scrub it all away... even if it means taking out a comrade" Leon said.
"Killing someone I care about was not in the job description! I will not do it! And if you're going to try and force me in to it, you can go fuck yourself! And you have some nerve even asking me that, given you would never do the same for me!" Neena snapped before storming of "I will check out the other rooms, I'll contact you if something happens... if you haven't shot yourself before then".
"Neena! Wait!" Leon called out, but Neena made it very clear she was done listening to him. Leon sighed, he had a feeling she would react this way, but he didn't expect her to just leave like that... but she was right though... had their roles been reversed, he could never bring himself to kill her... because he did care about her. More than he even believed possible.
Neena entered a hallway before she stopped and took several deep breaths to calm herself "Well... that must have been the most childish thing I've ever done. Just walking away like an angry little girl... Leon should not have asked that of me... but I should not have reacted the way I did either".
Neena sighed. Now that she was calm, she finally realized just how immature she was. She is a trained agent, she's supposed to be able to keep her head cool in situations like these. But why did the thought of having to kill Leon make her so terrified? Sure they had bonded through their time together on this mission, but they were just friends right?
Neena shook her head before raising her hand and gave herself a hard slap in the face, leaving a mark on her pale skin. Who was she trying to fool? It was clear as day that she cared about Leon more than just a comrade or friend. Her feeling were much stronger than that. And she wanted him to know that.
"Alright, that's it, I am going to go back to him and tell him exactly what I feel" Neena told herself. But just as she was about to head back to Leon, something wrapped around her neck and began lifting her up.
Neena struggled as she was being dragged across the floor of an upper level, before being lifted once again. Only then did she finally get a good look on whatever had caught her. She saw a man who's skin was just as ghostly pale as her own and blood red eyes.
"Well, look what I caught. A beauty with matching skin tone to my own" He said with a smirk.
"Who... are you!?" Neena demanded.
The man just continued to smirk "I have many names, sweetie. But I like the code name, Omega Red".
"Omega Red... wait. I know about you! You are in the X-Force most wanted files: Arkady Rossovich. You were known to be a cruel and violent man who served with the USSR's Spetsnaz in early 1960's. You also had a secret hobby: raping young girls whenever the opportunity presented itself. However your crimes were eventually discovered, which lead to your supposed execution. But your file ended there and no one has heard from you in years" Neena said.
"Well, someone did her homework. It's true, my so called comrades did not know how to mind their own business, and I was punished for it. I made sure they died for that" Red said.
"You really think you are the victim?" Neena asked before Red's second metal tendril wrapped around her body.
"I am never the victim, sweetie. I am always the hunter" Red said before he licked his lips "To tell you the truth, I've never tried mutant before. You will be the first".
Neena gasped as she felt the metal limbs snake in to her suit. She she shook and struggled the best she could as Red's metal tendrils reached areas they were not allowed. Neena was beginning to panic as she had flash backs of what happened to her years ago... and the same thing was about to happen to her again. No! She would not allow it to happen again! She would not allow it! She reached for her gun, but due to being tied up, she could not aim directly at her violator.
Taking a gamble, she shot in to the floor, causing the bullet to ricochet and hit Red right in the forehead. He stumbled back as his tendrils retracted and dropping Neena to the floor. She took a moment to catch her breath and shake of the shock of almost reliving an horrifying experience. But then she heard something. She looked up and got wide eyes. Red slowly leaned forward, a bullet hole in his head, which was quickly closing.
"I forgot to tell you how I survived my execution. Turns out my mutant powers activated and just like Logan, I can heal from anything. And I've gotten more than a few new tricks since that day. It's gonna take a lot more than you have to kill me, little lady" He said in a evil voice.
Despite her mutant power being all about luck... Neena could not help to feel she was very unlucky in this place.
As Leon walks across the boiler room area, he has the feeling that somebody's watching him and slowly draws his knife. Krauser is behind him. But when Leon turns around, he is gone. Leon then hears something above him and sees Krauser coming down at him, knife ready to kill Leon. Leon moves, but is not fast enough. Krauser's blade catches him on the cheek, drawing blood.
"Been a long time, comrade" Krauser said.
"Krauser!" Leon said in surprise.
"I died in the crash two years ago. Is that what they told you?" Krause asked as they circled each other.
"You're the one who kidnapped Ashley!" Leon realized.
"You catch on quick. That's expected. After all, both you and I know where we come from" Krauser said before he takes a swing at Leon who dodges and counters with a few stabs, which Krauser avoided.
"What do you want?" Leon demanded. Krauser did not answer at first as he sliced at Leon with his knife, but once again they were dodged.
"The sample Saddler developed, that's all" Krauser takes another swing at Leon, who blocks his knife with his own.
"Leave Ashley out of this!" Leon demanded.
"Oh, I needed her to buy Saddler's trust in me. Like you, I'm American" Krauser said before he kicks a barrel at Leon who knocks it way.
Leon quickly blocked Krauser's incoming knife strike and both did some acrobatic moves in the air before landing in a crouching position.
"You got her involved just for that?!" Leon snapped as they entered a knife fencing fight and Leon was able to cut Krauser across the chest.
Krauser looked at his wound before letting out a dark chuckle and attacked Leon again. Leon grabbed Krauser's arm and twisted it out of the way before trying to retaliate with a stab, which Krauser stopped by blocking his arm with his own. Krauser then moves around and kicks Leon to the floor.
"All for Umbrella's sake" Krauser said.
"Umbrella?" Leon asked.
"Almost let it slip. Enough talk. Die, comrade!" Krauser jumps on Leon, knife raised to stab him in the heart.
However, Ada intervenes by blasting the knife out of Krauser's hands, thus saving Leon's life "Ada!".
"Well, if it isn't the bitch in the red dress" Krauser growled out.
"It looks like we have the upper hand here" Ada said in her normal confidant tone. Krauser laughs, then flips onto a nearby ledge...which is close to 20 feet above Leon.
"You may be able to prolong your life, but it's not like you can escape your inevitable death, is it?" Krauser said before he runs off.
Ada hops down as Leon picks up the knife Krauser left behind "You...knew each other?"
"More or less. Maybe it's about time you told me the reason you're here?" Leon asked but Ada just walks past him.
"Maybe some other time. But I would be more concerned of that girlfriend of yours if I were you. Someone very dangerous is after her and she will need your help" Ada said before she jumps over the ledge.
"Neena!" Leon said before he rushed to find her. He never should have allowed her to walk away on her own like that. He needs to find her, and fast.
Meanwhile, Neena was fighting for her life as she was unleashing an barrage of bullets at Omega Red who was just running through them and tried to catch her with his metal tendrils. Neena managed to avoid them before delivering a spinning hook kick to his face, successfully staggering him. Neena moved in for an follow up attack with her knife, but for some reason her body was feeling sluggish, like it was not reacting the way she wanted it to. Red noticed this and back handed her to the floor.
"I see you're starting to notice the effects of my pheromones. They do wonder when I am fighting someone who likes to move around to much" Red said as he walked up to Neena.
Neena quickly threw her knife at him. Red simply moved his head to the side, allowing the knife to pass his face. However, the knife hit something behind him, causing a lot of crates to fall on him. Neena took the chance to run so she could gain some distance. Red broke free from the crates, starting to look a little annoyed as he gave chase to his new prey. Neena ran across a path way, but Red used his tendrils to swing himself over her and landed right in front of her... but the pathway he landed on gave out from under his weight, causing him to fall down in to a pile of junk.
Neena's lady luck power keeps saving her life, but she knew she had no chance of beating Red in a head to head fight. She had to find another way to get rid of her. But it was starting to look like she wouldn't have much of a choice. As Red kept closing the distance. She needed to play him in someway, make him fight on her terms.
"You want me so badly, yet you are to scared to take me in a fair fight? When was the last time you fought someone without hiding behind your fancy tools and pheromones?" Neena asked.
"Well look at that. A desperate attempt to taunt me in to fighting you fairly. But to tell you the truth, it's been a while since I've gone through purely physical combat" Red said before he cracked his knuckles "And who am I to refuse the opportunity?".
Neena got in to her fighting stance. With his tendrils and pheromone powers out of the way, she stood a better chance at surviving this.
Neena and Red start the fight by trading blows as Red throws a punch at Neena, who quickly dodges and and counters by kicking him in the gut. She then goes on the offensive before Red dodges a kick and counters with two punches and one kick that sends Neena back. She recovers as Red charges at her and they resume fighting. Red kicks Neena back before stepping into the shadows. Neena looks around, ready to react to what ever direction he decided to attack from, before Red comes up behind her and armlocks her head.
"Got you!" He declared.
But before he could do anything, Neena elbows him in the ribs, forcing him to losen his grip and allowing Neena to throw him over her. She goes in with a kick, but Red counters with a swift punch that made Neena stumble back, but she regained her baring quickly. The two then start trading blows with Neena striking Red's chest, face and gut, before ending it with a swift kick to his jaw.
Red stumbles back and rubs his jaw "Not bad. But I am getting tired of this. Time to end it".
Red rushes forward, Neena blocks his punch and starts to punch him multiple times but Red blocks her last punch and punched her in the face and then into her stomach. They both once again punch each other but Red was just to strong as he absorbed Neena's blows and punches her and kicks her away. Red walks towards the fallen woman as he growls, she tries to pick up her pistol but Red grabs her leg and smashes her down but Neena kicks his face, gets up and walks towards him as she kicks and knees him but Red punches her in the gut before he delivers a powerful uppercut, sending her flying in to a wall.
Red smirks as he stalks towards her, ready to finally claim his price. But as he did that Neena noticed her gun in front of her. She rolls forward, grabs her pistol and shoots at Red as she successfully lands multiple hits to his legs, chest and eyes, Red cried out in pain as he fell to one knee.
"You bitch! That's cheating!" He roared, trying to focus on his healing eyes.
"Well there are a few rules I live by. One of them are: When in doubt, cheat" Neena said as she grabbed a chain that was attached to a heavy crate. She quickly bonded the chain around Red before shooting what was keeping the crate in place. Causing it to fall down a deep hole, dragging a screaming Omega Red with it.
Neena fell to her knees, breathing heavily from the very taxing battle, until an familiar and very welcomed voice was heard "Neena".
Neena looked up "Leon...".
Leon rushed up to her before getting down on a knee and grabbed her shoulders "Are you OK?".
"I'll be fine... just a little beat up. Had a run in with another mutant and the things he wanted to do to me... the same thing I went through years ago" Neena answered.
"I am sorry I was not here sooner... I should have just followed you to make sure you were OK" Leon said as he helped Neena back to her feet.
"It's not your fault Leon. I acted very childishly back there. I should have just punched you and left it at that" Neena said.
"I would have deserved it. For asking you to do something you clearly did not want to do. Should have been clear that you would never kill a friend, no matter what" Leon said.
"You being my friend is not the reason I couldn't do it" Neena said.
Leon blinked in confusion "The what is-".
Before he could finish, Neena kissed him on the lips, he was caught of guard but did not pull back. It felt... right. He had been kissed before, but this time it felt much more real as Neena put all her love in to it.
The kiss lasted for several moments before Neena slowly pulled back "That is the reason I could never carry out your request".
"Well... I admit, that is a very good reason" Leon said with a warm smile.
Neena smiled back before walking away, swaying her hips "Come on big boy. We still have a damsel in distress to save".
Leon chuckled but followed her all the same. Not matter what happened before, at least one good thing came out of it.
But a while after they left, a metal tendril wrapped around a handle, as a certain someone had climbed back up.
.
Tell me what you think.