Disclaimer : Resident Evil and all of it's characters belong to Capcom. This story is simply fiction, and is only for entertainment.

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Chapter 9 : Turn The Page

"On a long and lonesome highway, east of Omaha,
You can listen to the engine moaning out it's one-note song,
You can think about the woman, or the girl you knew the night before,
But your thoughts will soon be wandering, the way they always do,
When you're riding sixteen hours and there's nothing much to do,
And you don't feel much like riding, you just wish the trip was through..."

Leon wasn't completely sure why he had forced his eyes open. The alarm of his clock hadn't gone off yet, informing him to wake up. And Ada wasn't shaking his shoulders to force him awake either. His hand drifted over to the cool, empty spot beside him, and he figured that was probably why. He sat up groggily, squinting his eyes to see what time it was. Only ten minutes before he was actually supposed to wake up, but something else was bothering the blonde man. He remembered back to a few minutes earlier when he had heard strange sounds piercing through the darkness. Leon turned his body, dangling his feet off of the side of the bed, and looked toward the bathroom, where a small beam of light penetrated through the bottom of the door. Suddenly, the same grunting noises from earlier started up again, so the agent in him forced Leon to go and investigate. When he reached the bathroom's entrance, the ex-cop lightly rapped on the wooden door with his knuckles.

"Ugh...Leon...?" came Ada's weak reply, followed by some shuffling. While the early morning had successfully perplexed the blonde man earlier, his eyes suddenly widened in realization.

Gotta be morning sickness...

Leon reached for the knob, gently turning it and pushing the door in. There he saw his very pale wife hunched over the toilet, dry heaving. When she noticed him, Ada glared at him weakly through her puffy eyes and motioned him away.

"Leon...get out...I don't want-..." another dry heave cut the raven-haired woman off as she turned her attention back to the white porcelain, just in case. When she was satisfied, Ada looked back at her tired husband.

"I don't want you to see me like this..." she admitted wearily, resting her chin on her hand to stare blankly at the back of the toilet. Leon simply ignored her wishes and stepped further into the bathroom, not stopping until he was directly behind his wife. She suddenly grunted and began heaving again, so the blonde man smoothed back her damp hair and started to rub her back soothingly. And just like that, Leon knew that although Ada would never admit it, she truly didn't want him to leave her in the bathroom alone. He also felt some sort of strange connection to his wife while she was dealing with the affects of morning sickness. Almost like they were bonding in their own unique way, and while it may have been an entirely different experience from the night before, it still left the blonde man feeling that much closer Ada.

Maybe it's because...in a way, we're both experiencing this together...

After a few more minutes of the Eurasian beauty heaving over the porcelain toilet, she finally rubbed her face wearily and stood up. A portion of the color had returned to her face, and even though she had just finished throwing up, she still managed a small smile. Hand in hand, the couple exited the bathroom together and Leon began gathering his clothes for the day.

"You're not going to work today, are you?" he asked, pulling out a clean black suit from his closet and tossing it on his bed.

"Well, after I brush my teeth I am." the ex-spy announced, also pulling out her work clothes. Leon shot her a surprised look as she continued to gather her things, but after feeling her husband's gaze upon her, she whipped around with a smirk.

"Honey...a little morning sickness isn't going to stop me from doing my job." Ada explained, turning around to toss a pair of the agent's socks in his direction. Leon expertly caught the garments with his left hand while keeping his eyes on his wife.

"Ada...I know you, remember? I don't want you pushing yourself too hard with this. I realize that you're a very strong woman, but this is a completely different situation." the ex-cop stated, prompting Ada to sigh.

"Leon, honey...I wouldn't be the first woman in the world to go to work after getting a little morning sickness." she affirmed, placing her hand on her hip. Leon nodded in understanding, and began to dress.

"Yes, but most people don't have the type of job as you. You never know when we'll be called in to put our lives on the line for something." the blonde man argued, pulling his black suit pants on. Ada rolled her eyes with a smile, appreciating her husband's concern.

"Trust me...I know a lot is going on right now, but you're worrying over nothing. Everything will be okay, I promise." she replied, pulling on a gray skirt. Leon sighed in defeat, deciding to give up trying to persuade his wife. When Ada made her mind up, there was little anyone could do to change it. After pulling on his long, white undershirt, the agent let a small smile spread over his face.

"So...how was your first day of morning sickness?" he questioned, walking behind her. Ada had just about finished dressing, and was standing in front of the mirror. She looked into the reflective surface when Leon spoke, seeing him continue towards her. When he was within range, the agent wrapped his arms around his wife, earning him a wide smile.

"I suppose it wasn't too horrible. At least you were in there with me." Ada admitted, enjoying his warmth.

"I knew you didn't really want me to leave..." Leon proclaimed, grinning in triumph. The raven-haired woman sighed, rolling her eyes, and turning in her husband's grip.

"Uh huh...sure you did. And how was the first day of my morning sickness for you? Hmm?" she purred into his neck, rubbing his lower back gingerly.

"It wasn't so bad. I'm just waiting for the weird cravings to kick in. Should be fun traveling on the other side of town at midnight because you want a...pickle relish sundae with anchovies or something..." the ex-cop confessed with a small laugh. Suddenly, Ada's head shot up and her stomach groaned in protest. The color from her face quickly drained, and after shooting an accusatory glare at her husband, she held her hand over her mouth and ran for the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

"Uhh...whoops..." Leon mumbled, scratching the back of his head and trying the door's knob. It proved to be unsuccessful, as the Eurasian beauty had already locked it. Seeing no other choice, the blonde man very cautiously knocked on the door for the second time that morning, but only heard Ada heaving on the other side.

"Ugh...God. Leon...? Just...wait for me in the car..." came her hoarse voice after a few minutes, leaving Leon to rub his face in a mixture of guilt and anxiety.

--

By the time the agent saw Ada exit their house, his Jeep was completely warmed up, as if it hadn't been sitting outside all night in the freezing temperatures of Washington D.C. in December. He nervously began drumming on the steering wheel with his index fingers, an odd habit he had developed over the years, and he couldn't help the innocent grin that spread over his face as his wife entered the vehicle. She quietly put her seat belt on, and just as Leon was about to sigh in relief, she caught him off guard with a quick, playful smack against his arm. A smack that caused them both to begin laughing when it impacted.

"I'm so sorry honey..." the ex-cop apologized, reaching his right hand over to lightly caress the alabastercolored skin on her's. Ada looked over at her husband, a playful smirk on her face, and her eyes dancing mischievously.

"Uh huh...maybe next time you'll choose your words more carefully, handsome." she replied as Leon put the vehicle into reverse and began backing out. He looked over at her as he shifted into drive and grinned, nodding at her words, before applying pressure to the accelerator and sending the Jeep in the direction of the government building. The couple drove the remainder of their destination in silence, perfectly content with each other's company. It wasn't the fact that they were both quiet that worried Leon when he pulled into the parking lot of the building. It wasn't even the fact that the day before had been unusually uneventful, as if Joe had decided to take the day off. But when the agent brought the SUV near the front of the building and he saw Hunnigan flagging him over, he grew tense. Then again, it probably also had a lot to do with the young woman by her side; a woman that Leon hadn't seen in at least a year. He parked the Jeep next to the women, leaving it in idle, and rolled his window down.

"Rebecca? Hunnigan, what's going on?" the blonde man inquired in confusion, glancing between the two brunettes.

"Of all the days to be late Kennedy...I was just about to drive her there myself..." Hunnigan muttered angrily. Leon would have liked to explain that being late wasn't exactly avoidable on this particular day, but decided against agitating the female agent any further. She was obviously in one of her moods.

"I'll explain everything on the way Hunnigan, but we have to leave now!" Rebecca suddenly interrupted, piling into the back of the Jeep. Leon and Ada exchanged a nervous glance as Hunnigan simply nodded in agreement, turning to reenter the government building. The ex-cop's head began to whir in confusion, and he couldn't help but turn around in his seat to get try and get some answers from the young medic.

"Rebecca, do you mind telling me what the hell is going on?" Leon asked wearily. If there was one thing he hated, it was being left out of the loop. Rebecca sighed impatiently, glaring at her old friend.

"Well, here's the short version. Your buddy Joe is locked up in this house in Frederick. Now will you please get us moving on I-270?" she replied hastily, anxiously looking out of the rear window. These words almost rendered Leon without the ability to move. Almost. He slammed the Jeep into drive and headed towards the interstate, keeping a steady, but safe speed. No matter what, he would not endanger his pregnant wife.

"Okay, now that we're moving, feel free to give me the long version." the agent requested, his eyes never leaving the road in front of him.

"I suppose we have the time...to start off, I was kidnapped by that lunatic." the ex-S.T.A.R.S. member began, buckling herself in. Out of the corner of his eye, Leon noticed Ada turn her head, prompting the young brunette to continue.

"He kept me locked up in the basement of some house in Frederick for two days. I managed to escape on Wednesday...it took me another two days to finally get back to D.C. But that isn't the important part..." Rebecca declared, taking time to rub her eyes wearily. When she looked back up, she noticed Ada giving her a look of sympathy. The young medic managed a small, grateful smile before proceeding.

"While I was escaping, I knocked out Joe and one of his henchman friends. Then I locked them both up in the same basement that they'd kept me in." Rebecca finished, taking a deep breath. Leon's eyes widened at this revelation, and because they were now on the interstate, began to increase the speed of the SUV.

"So what you're saying is, we're heading to that location now, and just like that...we got the bastard." Ada spoke softly, turning around in her seat.

"You said that he kept you for two days. During this time..." the blonde man trailed off, searching for the safest choice of words.

"He didn't hurt me or anything...well, unless psychological torment counts." Rebecca clarified, prompting Leon to nod.

"Did you manage to figure anything out? Such as, why he wants to hurt my husband so much?" the Eurasian beauty cut in, turning her head to once again meet the ex-S.T.A.R.S. member's eyes.

"Sort of...he's kind of a mystery though. Leon?" the young medic asked, garnering the blonde man's attention.

"Joe told me...he doesn't want to kill you. He said that...killing innocent people would make you suffer more. I don't know why he hates you so much, but..." Rebecca trailed off, brushing back a lock of her brunette hair and taking a low sigh.

"All I know is a few things. He likes to speak in French, for example. He also had some...messed up childhood." she remarked further, thinking back to the couple of days that she spent locked up inside the dingy basement.

"I don't get it...so what, he blames Leon because his mommy didn't hug him enough?" Ada muttered coldly to no one in particular.

"Rebecca, do you know who Carlos Oliveira is?" Leon suddenly cut in, shifting his gaze to the rear view mirror, and catching the brunette woman's eyes for a moment. Rebecca took time to shut her eyes in concentration for a brief minute, before they quickly snapped open.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact I do know him! Well...sorta. He's a friend of a friend..." she explained hastily. When the raven-haired woman looked at her, as if asking her to continue, Rebecca obliged.

"My friend, Jill Valentine...she escaped Raccoon City with him." the ex-S.T.A.R.S. member continued, knowing that the couple before her was very familiar with that particular city.

"Anyway, why do you ask?" Rebecca implored after no one had spoke for a couple of minutes.

"Just because...he was found murdered the same day that you escaped." Leon clarified with a sigh, changing lanes after getting caught behind a slower driver. Rebecca sat back in her seat, feeling slightly deflated. She had almost forgotten...innocent people had been killed while she was being held in captivity.

"How many died?" the young brunette questioned quietly. She already knew about two deaths; Carlos and...the other one she refused to think about at that time.

"Four." Ada replied in an even quieter voice, which seemed to cast silence all around the vehicle. Rebecca felt the heavy feeling return, but dared not ask the names of the victims. After all, there was a chance that another person that she was close to was no longer with her. Just then, an important piece of information popped into the young woman's mind. A piece of information that caused her to sigh heavily before revealing it.

"Oh, I almost forgot...Hunnigan wanted me to inform you of something else. Do you remember the first killings that started this mess...those two security guards?" Rebecca began, shifting her gaze between the blonde man and the ex-assassin. When she saw Leon nod slowly while keeping focused on the road, she continued.

"Remember that trace evidence of the T-Virus that was found on one of their shirts? Well, they found it again...on Billy..." the young medic finished, more than reluctant to speak the name of her deceased boyfriend. Ada held her hand to her mouth and mumbled 'Oh my God', but Leon didn't react. Truth be told, he had completely forgotten about the tiny portion of the T-Virus that was found on the security guard's shirt. With the amount of death surrounding him, and the mortality rate climbing higher with each passing day, two random security guards were sadly at the bottom of his 'Stuff to Worry About' list.

"I can't believe I forgot that...he's been flaunting the fact that he has the T-Virus this entire time..." Leon mused softly to himself. He didn't have too much time to dwell in his thoughts however, as he turned to take the exit that would lead to Frederick. It was up to Rebecca to direct him where to go from there, and before long the trio found themselves parked in front of a ranshackle home.

"That's the one, I'm sure of it." Rebecca whispered from the backseat, fidgeting slightly as less than pleasant memories from her experience came flooding back to her. The Eurasian beauty took notice of this, and gave the younger woman a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, you don't have to go back in there if you don't want to. You can just wait here in the car, right hun?" Ada suggested, directing the question towards her husband, who nodded in agreement.

"Great idea...she can keep you company, my love." Leon agreed, exiting the vehicle. The raven-haired woman shook her head in annoyance as Rebecca allowed a grin to form on her face. Without hesitation, Ada also exited the Jeep and caught up with the blonde man, who seemed taken aback by her presence.

"Don't look at me like that Leon, I'm one hundred percent aware that I'm pregnant, but I'm not going through what I did last time. It's just not happening, so don't say anything, just keep walking, and I'll make sure that your love life doesn't suffer a serious blow." the ex-spy declared in determination, inadvertently causing her husband to laugh. She glared at him out of the corner of her eye, and raised her eyebrow as if daring him to argue with her.

"I was only gonna remark on how you look especially beautiful today honey..." Leon informed with a grin, stepping onto the worn out front porch. Ada rolled her eyes at his statement, but couldn't stop the small smile that formed on her lips. When the ex-cop reached the wooden door, he peered over his shoulder, first at Rebecca in the Jeep, and then at Ada, who offered a quick nod, signifying that she was prepared.

"Just do me a favor and stay behind me Ada. Neither of us have any weapons, so if something happens...let's just be ready for anything." the agent proclaimed as he swung the door open, stepping into the dimly lit structure. The couple allowed a few moments to pass as their eyes adjusted to the dark, before continuing towards an open door. When they reached the opening, they saw stairs leading deeper down into the house.

"Basement..." Ada muttered, looking over her shoulder cautiously. Leon silently agreed, taking a few steps down the old passageway. When they had descended a little further, the blonde man saw that the door at the bottom was slightly ajar, so he raised his hand, instantly halting his wife. As quietly as possible, he continued the rest of the way alone. When Leon finally reached the rather large, metal door, he wrapped his fingers around the knob, mentally preparing himself for anything. With an inaudible sigh, he quickly pushed on the knob, swinging the large door open and scanning every inch of the room. His eyes stopped when they spotted a large man lying crumpled on the floor in the corner. A pool of blood surrounded him, soaking and staining his clothes in it's deep crimson color. As Leon neared closer, the cause of death was no longer a mystery. There was a large horizontal laceration on his throat, presumably made from a knife or other similar sharp object.

"God dammit...I knew it was too good to be true. He isn't here...he got out somehow..." Leon mumbled quietly, scrutinizing the remains of the unknown male.

Shoulda known Kennedy...of course he isn't. But who the hell is this guy?

Deciding that he had taken too much time already, the blonde man turned around, preparing to exit the empty room to inform his wife what was going on. Instead, he stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of something that was impossible to see when he first entered. Hidden within the very blind sight of the door that Rebecca had taken advantage of, was the remains of another body slumped in the corner. But these remains were in far worse condition than the unknown man on the other side of the room; in fact, disregarding Angela and Claire, these remains were in the worst conditions so far.

"Ada? Joe isn't here...but whatever you do, don't come in." Leon called hoarsely, taking a few steps towards the door while trying unsuccessfully to pry his eyes from the hidden body.

"Why not? What's in there?" she replied in a loud whisper, but heeding her husband's advice. The agent took a deep breath, still unable to look anywhere but what remained of the unlucky man or woman.

"Trust me...you'd be better off not knowing..." Leon informed, swallowing thickly.

--

"How much longer is this gonna take buddy?" Joe quipped for the twentieth time, garnering an annoyed glare from his companion.

"I told you not to call me that. And the more you ask, the longer it takes." the man replied, turning his attention back to the square-shaped device on the ground. The madman stifled a giggle with his hand, and knelt down beside the other man.

"Right, right, right...just tell me. How big is it gonna be?" Joe asked curiously, grinning down at the device in wonder. The man remained indifferent and continued working, only pausing at a good stopping point.

"The size of the explosion does not matter. As long as it gets people's attention." he stated coldly, lowering his eyes.

"And you think this little puppy'll do the job, buddy?" Joe continued, still staring at the device. When he felt the man's cold eyes upon his, Joe met his gaze and cocked his head to the side innocently. The man slowly stood from his spot, drawing a large knife from behind his back.

"I'll tell you once more. Do not call me that. Or I'll kill you." the man affirmed, pointing the blade at the madman, who held his palms up in submission.

"Hey, easy killer! You need to lighten up a bit...what was it that you wanted to be called then? Albert?" Joe remarked with an innocent smile, also standing when the man put his weapon away.

"You needn't worry anymore...the explosive is in place. Here's the detonator." Albert spoke softly, extending his arm and offering the small electronic remote. Joe took the detonator with a smile, looking it over many times.

"When are you setting it off?" the man questioned, turning his back to the dark-haired man.

"I think I'll let Agent Kennedy stew for a little while...I'd say a week, give or take. Probably take..." Joe admitted, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.

"Inform me when you have the exact date figured out. I don't know what your grudge is against Kennedy, and I don't care. Because I still have someone I need to take care of before you set it off." Albert informed, walking towards the exit of the building that they were in.

"Ah, I understand...such a sad, cruel fate she'll suffer. I like it already!" Joe cackled, catching up with the slow pace of his companion.

"Have you taken care of Rebecca?" Albert asked, completely ignoring what was said earlier. At the young medic's name, Joe slightly frowned, rubbing his swollen nose.

"I already told you what happened..." he replied, shaking his head.

"And I told you not to underestimate her. Did you think S.T.A.R.S. was some unorganized, unprepared squad?" Albert scoffed and completely stopped walking when he reached the door.

"Hey, it's not like it matters...she wasn't one of the ones that had to die. Besides, in little while you'll forget about her altogether. You have bigger fish to fry...come sometime next week, anyway." Joe quickly changed the subject, also halting at the door.

"Yes...just a little longer until..." Albert trailed off thoughtfully, resting his hand on the handle of the door.

"Until we inject a little chaos into this...modern civilization." Joe mused with a smile, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

"And more importantly..." Albert trailed off again, gaining Joe's attention. He opened the door quietly, looking at the outside world; the people walking down the street, the children playing games, and happy families smiling in joy.

"Just a little while longer until I can feel truly alive again..." he finished, walking out of the building indifferently and leaving the madman completely alone.

--

Ugh...okay, I'm really sorry for this boring chapter Reader. Seriously...I know much wasn't resolved...like, at all, and that it was mostly dialogue, but I can promise things will be picking up very, VERY soon. And when it does, you can ignore this 'crapter'...XD

Okay, so the lyrics in the beginning are by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, from their awesome song...you guessed it, "Turn The Page". I'd like to point out that in no way, shape or form, does this song, or these lyrics belong to me...they are just from a great band with a great song.

Well, I'd like to babble on like I usually do, but like I said...it was pretty uneventful. Except for the last part, that was pretty important lol. But I'm not gonna say a word about that right now...XDD
Anyway, regardless of the slow pace, I'd like to thank all of my lovely reviewers for continuing to read and give me support. It truly, truly means a lot guys and gals...I appreciate the honesty, whether I'm praised or criticized, so thank you all for helping me build this story! Everyone have a great Friday tomorrow, and an awesome week! I'll see everyone next Thursday with Chapter Ten : Fear of the Dark!