EYES OF THE BEHOLDER
CHAPTER FOUR: NO ESCAPE
So Seth's on the way with Becky. Carlos is already here. Jill, Chris, Claire, Sherry, Ark, me. All here. Right where they want us. And there's not a damn thing we can do about it...
"What're you thinking about?" I turned around, and Sherry was coming down the stairs. I leaned back on the couch, propped my feet up on the coffee table, and Sherry sat down beside me.
"Oh...it's nothing, kiddo," I answered. "I'm just thinking."
"Come on, Leon," she said, annoyance in her voice. "I heard the whole Umbrella-discussion thing. I know what's going on, and I know why you're worried. I just want to know what you think will happen."
"Sherry, I don't know," I said, standing up. "I just don't know."
"Well, if anyone can figure it out," she answered. "Then it would be you."
"And why does it have to be me?" I asked her. "Haven't I done enough already?"
"It has to be you because..." she began. "Because you've been the leader. Everyone looks up to you...respects you. I may be young, but even I can see it. If anyone can put a stop to this, then it would be you."
I just stood there in silence.
"You've beat them once before, Leon," she said. "You can do it again. And we're all behind you. Don't forget that." She then rose and began to ascend up the stairs.
"Sherry!" I called after her.
"What?"
"Thank you." She just smiled, and continued up the stairs. I still just stood there, her words echoing in my head. I was the leader. It was up to me. And I had to do something about it. And that's exactly what I was prepared to do. I hope you're ready, Umbrella. Here comes Leon S. Kennedy.
I had been in constant contact over the past few days with Barry Burton, an old member of ENDGAME (the US Military Unit created to combat Umbrella-NEO, which I commanded), who now served as the S.T.A.R.S. Midwestern Regional Commander. He assured me that he would personally oversee the siphoning of dozens of corporate files over the past year. I wasn't so sure. I wanted something a little more tangible...kind of like a strike team or something. However, he explained it in very simple terms:
"That won't work," I heard over the telephone receiver as I sat in my VHPD office. "You seem to forget they are on foreign soil. Without a sanction from the Canadian Parliament, we're basically up Crap Creek without a paddle."
"I guess you're right," I groaned. "It's just...Claire...Martin...all of them. Who's to say that they won't just barge right in here and wipe us off the face of the Earth?"
"Once again, Leon," Barry said. "They'd have to cross into foreign soil. It's amazing how they did it just to get that tanker."
"It is, isn't it?" I mused into the phone. "So what do you propose we do?"
"I've got an idea," Barry answered. "If you'd accept to it."
"What would that be?" I asked.
"Wouldn't it be just convenient for the S.T.A.R.S. Midwestern Commander to take a little visit to Chicago and the Metro Area Special Response Unit, especially after the whole T-Base Virus deal?" he shot back.
"I think I'm catching on," I answered.
"So while I'm down there, supposedly meeting with the S.R.U. Commander about this whole matter, while in the meantime we break their system together," he said. "That way we can have what we need in the palm of our hands, and it would really improve your case."
"Barry, I'd think I'd never say this," I answered. "But you are a genius."
"Of course I am," he boomed. "Look, I'm going to get started on it right away. But the quickest I can get there is a week from Sunday. It'd be best if you could start fishing around for some reports yourself, and get Ark started on it too."
"A week from Sunday," I repeated. "Sounds good to me.
"We don't need to really wait around," Barry said. "This is a very urgent matter. So try and get a little bit done before I get there."
"OK," Leon said. "I'll try to get Seth to help me."
"Probably your best bet," Barry answered. "The kid's a genius when it comes to stuff like that. Kinda runs in the family, right?"
"Not funny, Barry. Really not funny," I groaned. Seth's family life was extremely complicated. In fact, so complicated, that I'm not even going to focus on that right now. I've explained it before in past notes, and I'll get into it much deeper as my story goes on. But for now, let's just drop the matter.
"Yeah, you're right," he said. Then I heard something back in the distance. "Well, business calls, Leon. Week from Sunday."
"All right. See you then." I hung up the phone, and leaned back in my office chair. I looked around a minute, and I picked up the phone and dialed Ark's extension.
"Thompson," I heard a gruff answer at the other end of the phone.
"It's Leon," I said. "I've got some good news."
"Really?" his voice became a little more interested. "What's up?"
"I just got off the phone with Barry," I began.
"What did he have to say?"
"He'll be here in a week," I said. "He's very interested in helping us with this."
"Good," Ark said. "So, about a week, huh?"
"Dumbass, that's what I just said," I groaned.
"Oh, give me a break!"
Meanwhile...
An unknown place
An unknown time
"So, they're putting us up to this one, eh?" one of the olive-green uniformed men asked the similarly dressed captain.
"Yes, Jenkins," the captain: a tall, muscular bald man said. "We're Nova-4 squad, right?" he asked the six others.
"Here's the thing:," Jenkins, a slightly smaller, redheaded man began. "We may be Nova-4, but we're not criminals. The boss is just asking for murder here. I'm not so sure that this can be justified."
"I don't like it much either," the captain, who's name was Gary Travis, answered. "But the President wants it done, and it's not our position to question orders."
"He's right, Adam," another man, Fallon Moore, a quick, tall man said. "We can't question O'Donovan. He's in charge."
"Enough, enough, enough," Travis interrupted. "I know everyone's here, but I've gotta do this for the Prez's record. Jenkins, Adam!"
"Here."
"Barrett, Jameson!"
"Here, sir!"
"Venera, Christopher!"
"Here, boss."
"Moore, Fallon!"
"Right here."
"Ventura, Maria!"
"Here."
"Ginovef, Nicholai!"
"Present."
"Good," Travis answered. "Let's get to business. We've got a new assignment, as you all have known. Vice President O'Donovan, who due to the President's current...situation...is acting president, has made an attempt to acquire a shipment of the T-Base Virus, the raw root of the T-Virus. Two of our operatives were killed, and the third...well, our little ploy didn't work. Because of the work of the Chicago Metro S.R.U., namely Captain Leon S. Kennedy, our truck was confiscated and our last operative was found out and now sits in interrogation. Now, turn your attention to the operation order found in your folders, please."
The six of them of opened up black folders that lined the long metal table.
"As you can see, everything has been procured for our departure. So, there should be no worrying about getting stateside."
"Stop shooting the shit, dammit," Maria Ventura, the only woman on the squad, said. "What are we doing here? Why the hell are we going to this shithole little town?"
"Haven't you heard?" Fallon Moore, the squad pilot, answered. "We're knocking off Kennedy and the Redfields."
"Well, to put it simply," Travis stated. "Then yes. We're to kill Vicente Gomez, SMS special operative, and finish the job with the Kennedys, Redfield, Valentine, and the Birkins. Quick strike, in and out within eight hours."
"So they send in RAID Nova-4. We always get their little dirty jobs, man," Jameson Barrett, one of the two team snipers complained.
"OK, enough bitching," Travis said. "I hope you all can understand that this is a very important undertaking. O'Donovan wouldn't just give this to anyone. Anyways, consider this a career boost."
"There's still something I don't like about this," Christopher answered. "What if they see us? Anyways, how do we shoot a guy in jail?"
"That's why I'm here," Ginovef said, a thick Russian accent in his voice.
"And just why are you here?" Fallon inquired. "Since when did we take in Umbrella's old grunts?"
"I'll show you grunt, kid," Nicholai growled.
"Enough, you two!" Travis fumed. "Ginovef was selected by the Prez himself to fit into Nova-4 as a second sniper, whom we're really going to need. Because that's how we're disposing of Gomez."
"And the rest of 'em?" Maria inquired.
"I was hoping you'd ask that," Travis mused. "Because that's going to be the fun part."
"And that will be..." Jameson began.
"Tactical Strike drills," Travis answered. "TSR No. 9942-A."
"Frontal Assault," Christopher laughed. "That is what the 9942-A is, right?"
"Yep," Travis answered. "Chopper departs in 30. Get your gear ready, and be on time, this time guys."
Nightmares are Real...
"Hey, Ark!" the desk sergeant shouted as I walked in. "Got some news on that Gomez guy!"
"What's up?" I asked.
"Finally cracked," he replied. "Admitted that the whole hijacking thing was a get-up. He mentioned some Shannon O'Donovan guy, but he still refuses to say who he's working for." O'Donovan. That was the clincher.
"Good work," I said, heading for my office. "Get a hold of Leon for me. Patch him through to my office."
"Yes, sir," the sergeant replied. I walked into the office, and plopped down into the desk chair, releasing a huge sigh. The guy had finally spilled some, and O'Donovan's name had come up. So...put two and two together...
Brrrrrrriiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnng!
I picked up the phone. "Lieutenant Thompson here," I answered.
"It's Leon. What's up?"
"I'm glad you called. We got Gomez to crack."
"And..." he impatiently stated.
"O'Donovan's name was mentioned. I think that the memo was legit." I answered.
"Great!" he exulted. "Barry will be here in a couple of days...so for now, let's keep it under wraps."
"Gotcha, boss." I answered. "But I think I'm going to talk to him myself."
"Who, Barry?"
"No, Gomez."
"Hey, go for it," Leon answered. "Just don't do anything stupid."
"Gotcha, boss," I replied and hung up. I stood up and prepared to open the office door, when I heard a scream.
"God!" someone shouted. "Sniper!" I froze. Snipers...but suddenly I knew who they were after...Gomez.
"Get down!" I shouted. Pfft! I heard another shot fire. Out of reflex, I pulled my Browning-HP from the holster, and I rushed through the halls of the station into the holding area. Bruce Mason was already leaned against a wall next to Gomez's cell, MP5 in hand.
"One," he gasped. "Got a small rifle, a P-73 or maybe smaller. They've already clocked Gomez." I poked my head up and gazed through the small plexi-glass window, and saw Gomez lifeless, bleeding body collapsed on the floor.
"It has to be Umbrella," I responded. "They're the only ones who'd want Gomez."
"Kinda what I was thinkin', brother," Bruce answered. "But...what about Leon?" I stood and thought for a minute.
"Oh, fuck," I groaned. "Come on, we gotta get out there. Get Davis and Craft. And grab five more of those MP5s. Follow up. I'm going to try and beat them out there."
"Gotcha," Bruce said, running for the weapons locker. I pulled my cell phone out of the case on my belt. I hit the speed-dial for Leon's number.
"Hey, Leon," I began. "We've got a serious problem..."
"I got a real bad feeling about this, Seth," Becky said as I pulled the Camaro onto Washington Drive, the street on which Leon lived. "Something's not feeling right."
"Just relax," I replied, putting my free arm around her shoulders. I slowed the car and pulled into their driveway. "Everything's going to be OK." I turned the car off, and we began to make our way through the front yard to the front door. I knocked on the door. Claire threw the door open, her face a pasty shade of white.
"Oh God," she said. "Get in here, now."
"What's wrong?" I asked, confused. She didn't really seem happy to see us.
"They're back," she answered. "And they're coming." Becky and I quickly entered the house, and saw Leon, Chris, Carlos, Jill, and Sherry all standing, similar looks of panic on their faces.
"What the hell's going on here?" I asked.
"U-NEO," I answered Seth.
"Jesus, Leon," he muttered. "Now?"
"Looks like it," I replied. "They just assassinated one of their own operatives, and Ark thinks they're on their way here."
"Fuck," Seth blurted. "We've got a god-damned death squad coming after us? Then why are we all just standing here?!"
"If you want to help, big boy," I heard a familiar voice shout from outside. "Then get out here and get these damn guns." Ark came running in with another officer, a large black man. Good old Bruce. Each was carrying two MP5 assault rifles.
"Here comes the fuckin'-A cavalry, man," Bruce, the large black man shouted in his husky deep voice. He tossed me an MP5. Ark threw one to Chris.
"There's two more," Ark said. Seth dashed outside quickly, and came back in with them. He threw one to Jill, and the other to Claire.
"What'll you use?" I asked. He gave a wide smile, and pulled something out of the pocket of his jacket. It was Barry's .45.
"I've got all I need right here," he beamed.
"OK," I said. "Ark, this sounds kind of stupid, but you need to get on the roof. Make sure that you keep in cover. They won't be dropping from choppers in this kind of weather. They'll probably be in a street vehicle. When you see anything suspicious, shout. Take aim, and then let them have it. Fire three rounds, then try to get into the back yard and back into the house. Seth, Chris, and Jill: you guys take cover here in the living room. They're going to try a frontal, I think. When they come through, fire just long enough to distract them, and then head for the stairs. Bruce, you'll provide cover fire from the top of the banister. I'll be waiting for Ark in the kitchen, waiting to take out any stragglers that try to follow. Claire, you need to get Sherry, Becky, and the baby into the basement, and then stay on the staircase to make sure that nobody gets down there. If anyone gets close, just keep firing. Becky, keep the door locked from the inside, and keep the kids against the side walls. If something happens to Claire...there's a .303 British rifle sitting against the wall, and there's a box of thirty shells. Now, the rifle will kick, but you have to keep the kids safe. Carlos, you follow me." Carlos, who pulled a .44 Ruger from his coat, nodded.
"OK," I said. "Let's send them a clear signal, guys. They're not going to fuck with us any longer. Let's pick up where we left off in New York." Somberly, they all nodded. "Take your positions, then." I added.
There will be no escape this time, I thought. Either for them or for us, but this time...no escape.
What will befall our heroes when the Umbrella-NEO strike force arrives? Will they deliver their signal, or will they finally meet their end? Find out in the next installment of Eyes of the Beholder!