After we had gotten captured again, I was stripped of my weapons and gear for a second time while Leon had my shotgun taken away from him before we were forcibly sat down on two benches and restrained with zip-ties again. As we waited for a while to see what would happen next, one of the rebels was loading a magazine until JD came over with a large black duffle bag and he eyed us for a few seconds until he looked at the other rebel.
"I want a word with them," JD said and the rebel stood up before headed over to us and making us stand up.
JD escorted us outside of the church and shoved the both of us against the wall of a smaller building before pressing Leon's combat knife into his back with one hand and aiming the Springfield at me with his other one.
"He's gone to get it," JD informed us and I knew exactly what he was talking about.
"The Plaga?" I inquired cooly.
"I don't know its name, but all I know is that it was given to us by the Elders," JD explained just before he holstered the Springfield and used the combat knife to cut our zip-ties, then Leon quickly spun around and disarmed JD before pinning him against the wall while I pulled out the Springfield and aimed at him to make sure he didn't try anything.
"You inject that crap into your bodies so that you can control the Lickers, right? Some compassionate elders you got there!" Leon spat angrily as JD struggled to get loose.
"What other fucking options did we have?! Do you and your friend realize that the whole damn world ignores us?! That we're in danger of being wiped out?!" JD protested and my eyes narrowed at the pathetic excuse as Leon let him go.
"That's no fucking excuse...the second we start using BOWs to solve our problems is the second that we become no better than Umbrella or the terrorist groups that used them over the years," I stated darkly and Leon nodded.
"He's right, so save your breath because we're not going to see eye to eye on this," Leon agreed as we went to leave.
"Help us...I don't want to see him change into a monster," JD begged and we turned around to see him looking scared as he added, "Irina would not have wanted this."
"Who's Irina?" I inquired and JD looked at us.
"We knew her since we were kids and she was Buddy's fiance. She was a school teacher and, believe it or not, so was Buddy...those fucking bastards thought their school was a pro-independent hideout and attacked it, killing Irina and the children in the process.
That's the whole reason why he's fighting this war and he had never even held a gun up until then...I'm going to pretend you two escaped and in return, you must get a hold of it before he does," JD told us and I frowned while Leon and I looked at each other before focusing our attention back on JD.
"So, you trust us now?" Leon questioned.
"I don't know who or what you two are, but I do know that you saved my life so you must stop Sasha," JD said and I walked over to him before twirling the handgun until I was holding it by the barrel and held it out for him to take.
"Here, and remember what I said...don't ever hesitate," I reminded him and JD nodded as he took the gun back and holstered it before handing me the duffle bag, then I placed it down and opened it up to see that it had my weapons and gear inside while JD unslung the AK and gave it to Leon.
"You'll find him in the central market place," JD informed us while I put on my tactical vest and put my weapons in their rightful places until JD took off my helmet and handed it to me.
I put the helmet on and unslung my MP5 until Leon and I took off to our new destination and left JD behind, then we eventually made it to the central market and stayed hidden as three military transport trucks passed by with a soldier in one of them issuing evacuation orders to anybody that was still in the area until Leon and I left our cover and looked down the street to see the trucks joining with more of them at an intersection until the vehicles disappeared from our line of sight.
We turned away and headed to the same underground parking lot we were in before earlier, only it had seen better days and had mostly collapsed from the explosion that knocked us out while we were aiming around for any threats, then we saw an open case that was on the ground and headed over to it before I covered our six while Leon checked it and cursed under his breath.
"What is it?" I questioned while scanning the area.
"It's empty," Leon notified me and I pursed my lips at that.
"Damn it...we're too late so he must've already injected himself with the Plaga," I grumbled in frustration just as my sharp hearing picked up someone nearby.
"Looking for someone?" a female voice asked just as a light nearly blinded me and I looked away when I heard the woman running to me.
I aimed at the attacker and the woman redirected my MP5 before I was able to get a good look at her, seeing that she was of Asian descent with black hair while wearing a suit with a skirt before I twirled around and tried to knock her down with a spinning kick but she dodged it and Leon rushed over to help until it became a deadly dance of fast strikes and quick dodges until the woman backflipped a few times to avoid a hit and I pulled out my USP sidearm after slinging my MP5 before aiming at her while Leon also covered me just as the woman pulled out a strange-looking gun and it turned into a standoff.
"Ada?" Leon wondered with a surprised look and Ada smiled while I looked at Leon out of the corner of my eye.
"You know this woman?" I questioned as Leon nodded.
"You could say we're familiar with each other," Leon said and I kept my eye on Ada as she started approaching us.
"It's been a long time, Leon, and I see you made a new friend," Ada greeted with a smirk while I narrowed my eyes.
"We're not friends, now drop the weapon or I'll drop you," I warned sternly and Ada looked at me.
"Relax, cowboy, I'm not your enemy so you can lower that gun of yours," Ada assured but I wasn't convinced and kept my gun up.
"If you're not our enemy, then what the hell are you doing here?" Leon inquired suspiciously as she circled us slowly while we kept our guns trained on her.
"I should ask you the same thing and who's the cutie? He has enough firepower to take on a small army," Ada pointed out.
"He's not important but I have a question for you...did you release the Plaga?" Leon interrogated and Ada scoffed.
"Don't make me laugh because I'm not interested in defective products, I'm just here to lend them a hand," Ada stated and hearing that made me wonder if she was the Telomere agent I'm supposed to eliminate.
"Them?" Leon wondered in confusion but Ada ignored the question.
"Although, it seems as if my help wasn't needed," Ada added slyly.
"If you're not here to help whoever "they" are, then why are you here?" I questioned coldly.
"If they attack the Capital, then it'll make my job a lot easier, that's all. By the way, Leon, when are we going to, um, carry on from where we left off that night?" Ada asked and I looked at Leon with an arched brow since something told me that they were more than familiar with each other due to what Ada just said and how she said it.
"Heh, anytime but now," Leon remarked and started shooting her a hard glare.
"You're angry with me, aren't you? It suits you and if your friend next to you always has that scowl, then I wonder what he's like at parties," Ada quipped before she aimed the odd gun above her.
"Don't move!" I ordered and Ada winked at me before she fired the gun and it turned out to be a grappling gun as she quickly rose up, causing Leon and I to rush over to where she used to be and looked up to see her escape.
"Quick word of warning, this town will be purged soon!" Ada called down to us as she landed onto a part of debris and hopped out of sight just as Leon scoffed.
"Women," Leon muttered and I shot him a questioning look.
"I'm guessing that you two have a complicated history?" I inquired and Leon looked at me with a frown as I holstered my USP and unslung my MP5.
"Something like that," Leon replied just as the church bell went off suddenly and we looked at each other since we knew something was wrong, then we quickly headed back to the church to make sure that it wasn't under attack.
After a short time, we arrived back at the church as I could hear the sounds of gunfire echoing from it and we stopped as we spotted hoards of infected shambling to the front doors and banging on it as they pushed against the doors, then I signaled for us to go around and Leon nodded before we headed around to the side of the church and climbed up the stone fence until we saw infected wandering around.
I scowled at how getting into the church was not going to be easy and saw a ladder on the side of the building while also seeing that it was across from a bunch of rooftops, then an idea hit me and I could see that Leon noticed it as well before we nodded to each other.
"Well, guess we get to play Santa Claus and little green elf," Leon remarked quietly and I sent him an unamused expression for the comment as we started moving across the rooftops and approached the roof that was across from the ladder.
After I slung my MP5, I took a running start and leaped clear across the gap until I landed onto the ladder and gestured for Leon to follow as I climbed up, just before Leon also jumped and grabbed the bottom of the ladder but I could see that he was having trouble trying to pull himself onto the ladder and I swore under my breath as I could see that he was getting some unwanted attention as the infected spotted him.
I quickly climbed down and reached out for him to grab my hand before Leon managed to take it and I easily pulled him up until we climbed up to a window as gunshots kept raging on inside the church, then we headed inside and I unslung my MP5 with Leon getting his AK and we rushed over to a balcony to see bodies of infected and rebels scattered on the ground as I could see JD sitting next to a dead infected while he was coughing.
"Hey, you good?!" I called down to him and JD waved a hand to assure us.
"Yeah, just let my guard down for a moment," JD reassured before Leon and I made our way down and walked over to him as he loaded Leon's sidearm and flipped the safety on before holstering it and standing up.
"Where's Buddy?" JD asked and I knew that we had to give him the bad news.
"He already left by the time we got there," Leon answered and JD looked at me hesitantly, only I nodded to confirm it and JD gritted his teeth.
"Damn it!" JD shouted in frustration.
"Listen, we need to exfil now because the military's going to sanitize the whole area and everything in it through carpet bombings and napalm strikes," I notified JD, who looked stunned to hear that.
"What?!" JD exclaimed in disbelief.
"Look, we're out of time so we need to go right now because we don't want to be in the middle of what happens soon," Leon urged and JD hurried over to the side entrance, then he stumbled to a stop before gripping his chest as Leon and I followed him while I narrowed my eyes in suspicion.
"What's wrong?" Leon asked and JD shook his head.
"Nothing, there's just something I have to do," JD stated and that's when the realization hit me and I stopped moving while holding up an arm to prevent Leon from getting closer before I unslung my MP5.
"Shit...Leon, he's infected," I said darkly and Leon froze at that while JD started looking regretful as he removed Leon's vest and walked over a few steps until he held it out, then Leon took it and put on the vest.
"He's right, one of those things managed to get me and now I'm going to become one of them," JD confirmed before he held up a fist, then Leon sighed as he fist-bumped him and JD turned to me with his fist still out until I made a face at it before I did the same fist-bump with a grunt until the side entrance opened and Buddy walked in while JD turned around.
"Buddy, you're still human," JD said in relief as he smiled and went to approach him, then he jerked and started coughing as Buddy looked taken aback.
"JD?" Buddy asked in concern until he saw us and aimed his rifle before demanding, "What the hell have you two done to him?!"
"Wait, they're not our enemies so just go! I'm sorry...but I'm afraid I'll have to say goodbye," JD groaned until he kept coughing, then he stopped and started growling as he twitched and charged at Buddy, forcing me and Leon to shoot him in the legs to stop him.
"JD!" Buddy screamed in distress as Leon and I hurried over to aim at JD, then Buddy pleaded for us to not do it and I looked at him with an unreadable expression.
"I'm sorry, but it's better for him that we shoot while he's still human and it's the only mercy we can give him," I said bitterly as JD looked up at Buddy with a sorrowful expression.
"You know, I never really cared about independence...all I wanted was to have fun with you and my friends," JD wheezed before he looked at me and added, "Hey, I just wanted you to know...that I didn't hesitate like you told me to do."
After that, he let out groans while streaks of blood exited his eyes and JD convulsed while Leon and I backed up at a safe distance, then JD roared until his head exploded and a Plagas monster appeared while Buddy was horrified at the sight of what his friend had become and I sighed while Leon and I aimed at JD and I held a solemn expression.
"Sorry JD, it looks like Leon and I won't be able to take you to America after all," I told the monster that used to be a cheerful person not too long ago, then my eyes hardened as the monster got up and Leon and I fired a few shots until the monster was dead before Buddy stumbled back and he hit the wall behind him as I could see that he was trying hard not to cry out of grief.
"I'm sorry about your friend and I wished that this didn't happen to him...but I've seen this happen every time and it never gets any easier," Leon said to Buddy before we focused on covering up the bodies with sheets and I checked my ammo to take my mind off of the tragedy that just happened.
"Trust me, this is the result of using BOWs...just nothing but tragedy and death while it takes everything from you, something that needs to be prevented from happening again so hand over the Plagas," I told Buddy just before I heard the sounds of jets flying overhead and explosions occurred outside as the church shook from the impacts.
"As far as I'm concerned, there is no difference between this and using BOWs...if you two want to keep this from happening again, then put down your guns and walk away," Buddy stated darkly as he looked at us and I sent him an empty expression.
"It's not that easy because this is all I know how to do," I said coldly and Buddy huffed.
"Well then, that is my answer and your answer," Buddy declared just before the explosions reached the church and the entire building started to collapse.
The entire place fell apart as Buddy took off down the side entrance while Leon and I tried to chase after him, only we were being blocked by falling rubble and forced to escape by running to a window and we crashed through it before running away and trying to avoid getting blown up.
After that, we managed to escape the explosions and decided to head to the presidential palace since it was a good bet Buddy was heading there with the remaining rebels for a final assault, then we eventually made it as the sun had come up and we walked to the palace as we saw bodies of soldiers, rebels, and lickers everywhere while they were dead and I simply shook my head at the carnage around us.
"I keep saying these things make bad pets," Leon joked as he looked at the body of a licker and I didn't respond since I was busy keeping my eyes and ears open for any potential ambush while we went past a guard station and heard frantic chatter coming from the radio until a dying scream erupted from it and the radio went dead.
Pretty soon, we quickly moved toward the palace as we aimed our guns around and entered the palace until we eventually came at a corner, then we paused and I aimed my MP5 at the corner before Leon tapped my shoulder once and I went around the corner to discover a massacre in a large hallway with dismembered bodies of soldiers scattered everywhere and I recognized one of them as the soldier I saved earlier from the infected.
Leon and I cautiously moved through the hallway while we were fully alert and ready for an ambush, then I held up a fist as I saw droplets of blood falling from the ceiling and landing into a large puddle of gore before we stopped and slowly aimed up until we spotted two lickers moving around on the ceiling and growling as they hissed. The lickers hopped down onto the floor a few feet in front of us while Leon and I aimed at them and made sure to remain quiet since these BOWs have really sharp hearing, then they passed us with one turning around and hissing while its tongue stretched out and swayed before the BOW continued to crawl away from us.
I signaled Leon to keep moving and he nodded before we continued down the hall, then snarling forced us to turn and aim at the licker out of paranoia but I could see that they were fighting amongst each other and I signaled Leon to move up as we turned around and something grabbed my leg before I quickly aimed and saw that it was a soldier as he gurgled in sheer agony.
"Please...help me," the soldier wheezed loudly as I frantically gestured for him to shut up until I saw that the noise had gotten the lickers' attention and swore under my breath.
I kicked the man's hand off my leg and bolted with Leon right behind me as gunfire erupted behind us until it was cut short and I aimed back to fire at the licker that almost lunged at us until it was sent back by the burst fire, then Leon and I made it to the doors at the end of the hall and burst through them but we nearly fell to our deaths when the door led into an empty shaft of some kind and found ourselves hanging on each door while the second licker lunged into the shaft and fell with a howl.
I grunted as I saw a ladder that was next to me and I moved over to it carefully until I grabbed it and gestured for Leon to follow me as I started climbing down, wondering if this will lead us somewhere.
A/N Hey, I have returned and I want to apologize for keeping you all waiting so here's a new chapter for you all so as you can see, Leon and David are now going down into the shaft and as we all know from the resident evil series, is that something like that will lead to a lab or an underground storage area for BOWs but the fight against the two tyrants are coming soon and I can't wait for David to wolf out and get into an awesome brawl with the two nearly indestructible titans.
So, let me know what you think about this chapter and stay tuned.