To continue the fight
By: Bloodlover
Disclaimer: All the RE characters belong to Capcom, except for the characters I made up, inspired by the RE games. Don´t use them without my permission, please. Hope you enjoy the story!
Chapter 8 – Stealthy approach
February 11 1999, Pennydale Harbor (Night)
Leon and Ada said a quick goodbye to the driver and walked over to where the sub were docked. Leon felt more nervous now when they were on their way. If everything goes well, we´ll be celebrating the fall of Umbrella tomorrow. If not, well then we´re all dead. This thought had been in his head for a long time and he was sick and tired of it. If he kept on like this, it wouldn´t be a surprise if he GOT killed. Thinking like that all the time could be dangerous. They were fighting to live.
"Here it is." whispered Ada. A small and slick grey submarine lay in the dark, waiting for them. It was big enough for two of them. Perfect for a very intimate moment… The next instant he asked why he thought a thing like that. This was a mission, they didn´t have time for personal moments, especially not intimate ones.
Still he wanted to get some answers from Ada. How she had survived, why she didn´t contact him after Raccoon and most of all, what did she feel for him now? Did she still love him? Or was their moments in the dying city of Raccoon just a fling? Fling? Wouldn´t count on that…There was meaning in her words. I don´t think she would say that if she didn´t mean it with all her heart. Unless it is what you want to believe Kennedy... STOP IT! We did love each other! And I still love her the only question is…
"Leon, what is wrong with you tonight? Or is it just that you´re afraid to jump into vehicles with strange people?" She made a short pause. "Or is it ME you´re afraid of?"
As an effort to try to prove her wrong, he practically threw himself in after her. "No way! I..I was just admiring the beauty of the sub." He knew at the same moment he said it that it was a stupid answer but Ada let him get away with it. After he closed the hatch behind him, she started up the engine. Quick but silent, the sub speeded towards it´s destination.
After a long silence, Leon finally gathered enough courage to ask Ada what he wondered. He cleared his throat.
"Ada. I have some questions and I want answers to them." It wasn´t just a question, it held a demand too. Despite what he felt for her, he wasn´t going to be led around like an oxen by the nose this time. He had matured more now since his experience in Raccoon City. He knew he couldn´t work with someone who wasn´t trustful.
She was silent for awhile, but then she spoke. "Leon, I´m so sorry for everything. I´m sorry I lied to you in Raccoon but… it felt necessery. After you left the power room I came back to life. I don´t know how but… I wanted to contact you, but.. something inside me stopped me from doing that. Maybe it was some kind of instinct. I might have thought it was better for you to believe that I was dead and move on with your life, rather than to pursue me. I´m a spy after all…" She closed her eyes and then opened them. Shame and regret was written on her face. "After I escaped the city, I contacted my superiors. They said I was going on a big, secret mission. I was also leaving my old identity behind."
"Like a snake changing it´s skin?" replied Leon. It was meant as a joke but Ada took his words seriously.
" Except that I´m deadlier than the snake. I felt more sorrow this time than the other times. I… I think it was because of you, Leon. You changed me. For the better."
She looked at him with a strange expression on her face but then shook it off. "In any case, for the last few months I´ve been in training. To prepare for this."
"I understand Ada, thank you. But you left one part out. How did you survive?"
"I´m not too sure myself. I really thought that `this is it I´m dead´ at that time…"
They both sat in silence. Finally Leon broke it. "Ada. It´s still great too see you again. I´ve missed you so much." He smiled at her and she smiled back at him. "Same here Leon. Same here…"
Goverment Secret Operations Base, somewhere in the U.S.A
Sherry paced back and forth. She was tired of waiting! She was also tired of people she loved disappearing. First there had been her parents´ death. Claire had told her her mother´s last words, they had cried together and Claire had comforted her, promising she would never leave Sherry. But shortly after an argument with Leon, Claire disappeared, the promise broken. Even though I know she wouldn´t break a promise if she could prevent it. Now Leon and now that woman in pink that she had grown affection for had left her too. There was no one left. She sat down on the floor and felt tears coming. It seemed like everytime someone loved and cared for her, they left her after that. Now there was only cold, grumpy men asking her questions about the place she just wanted to forget, Raccoon City. Was the reason to all of this HER? Could she be cursed?
Suddenly her bitter thoughts were interrupted by voices outside the door.
"Time to watch that stupid kid again?"
"Yeah. Why did Kennedy and Wong both disappear? They were the only ones who even bothered toddle that little brat."
Sherry forced her teeth still, so they wouldn´t rattle. `Stupid kid´? `Little brat?´Who did they think they were, calling her names like that?! She was a good girl and a smart one, Claire and others had told her that several times. She was also clever and always got good grades in school. Her parents had been proud of her too, even though they barely saw her. She suddenly remembered how they could light up when she showed them her tests. How proud they had been. She felt the grief fill up again but quickly forced it back. The guard spoke again.
"Something came up. Okay I´ll take her to get some stuff to eat now." The other man walked away and the door started to open. Sherry stood up, trying to look as innocent and clueless as they thought she was. So Leon was really gone… Well she had expected it, but also knew he would be back. Claire and that woman in pink would come too and they would leave this stupid place. For now the best thing she could do was keeping her eyes and ears open. The grown ups here obviously thought she was just a stupid girl. But they didn´t know that little girls had their own way of finding things out. Maybe, just maybe she could find something REALLY interesting out…? Like getting out of this place. The door opened and a big man looked down on her with a cold expression.
"What will we do now? Is it food time?" she asked as innocently she could. When the guard scoffed at her, Sherry secretly smiled.
Battle Helicopter
Jill still had her head on Chris´s shoulder. She glanced at her teammates. Even though she knew they had done the right thing she couldn´t lose the feeling that something was about to happen, something terrible. Maybe it´s just normal fear of having to fight Umbrella´s freaks one more time, worry about if they have any new nightmares in store. Or maybe… running into Wesker again. She still the encounter with him and Nicholai, how he´d laughed when he plunged the syringe into her arm. She closed her eyes, forcing that memory away. She had been rescued by Chris, and he would kill Wesker when they met again. Somehow she just knew. Or it could be wishings…
"What is it Jill?" asked Chris concerned. "Bad memories? Don´t worry, this will go well. And afterwards we´ll celebrate."
Jill snuggled up to him more. "Yes we will."
"That´s the spirit!" he replied and stroke her hair away from her face.
"Hey, you too lovebirds, pay some attention!" It was Claire and she bore a michevious grin, despite her attempt to be serious. Emily nodded a thank you to her and began.
"I just wanted to make a last time check, okay? We´ll soon enter the head HQ of Umbrella Inc. A cooperation that has much blood on it´s hands. Add the fact that the possibility of a spy in our ranks and things gets even uglier. So I don´t want anyone lagging behind, you have to stay focused all the time! Okay, when I get the signal from Leon… we go in together with Delta team. I ask one more time if there are any questions. Or is everything clear?"
"Yes, ma´am!" said the S.T.A.R.S in union.
Tension was tight in both helicopters. But what no one knew was that there was one who very well knew about a spy in their ranks. And this person were intent on keeping it that way. The traitor smiled inwardly. Those fools, they would never know who the traitor was until it was too late…
Head HQ for Umbrella, location ?
"Here it is. Let´s stop." whispered Ada, as if there was anyone who could overhear them. Probably the dreadful tension here. Now we are really on Umbrella´s playground. She opened the hatch as soon as the sub stopped, and jumped off. Leon followed her and closed the hatch after them. The automatic program disguised it with a stealth cloak for security reasons. It wouldn´t protect the sub if you searched for it carefully, but it would hide it from guards who just patrolled the area and never really searched the area. This wasn´t a busy place after all. Should things screw up despite this, we just have to find another way out somehow. had Ada explained for him while they were in the sub. One of the parts in the process to start the sub, you have to get your fingerprints scanned. And it has yours and mine, no one else´s. Should someone except us try to start it up, it will self destruct. This technology can´t fall into the hands of the enemy. Leon understood this perfectly well.
"Now we just have to lay our hands on Umbrella costumes. The only problem is that we have to take out a couple of guards."
Leon felt cold. He had expected that they had to kill the guards, but still… "Isn´t there a chance that we can avoid killing them?"
Ada sighed, but with sympathy. "Leon, I understand how you feel. But we can´t afford any mistakes. It could ruin the mission."
"I know, I know. Let´s go."
Together, they sneaked out, listening if they heard any footfalls or voices. Suddenly, when they walked through some sort of warehouse, they heard growlings. Inhuman growlings.
Ada gestured that they had to hurry. "I bet they keep some of their lovelies here. Let´s hurry on. If we stay here, sooner or later someone will notice that something isn´t right."
Leon smiled. "Exactly. But if we could use that to our advantage? I don´t think there will be that many guards. If we could surprise them…"
Ada looked doubtful. "You mean ambush them? It´s a good idea but what if it comes more guards than we suspected. And with all those monsters around us everywhere I don´t think we should…"
Ada was interrupted when Leon placed his hand over her mouth and dragged in her behind one of the cages. He saw now that there were Hunters in them. He looked the monster straight in the eye and glared. Keep your mouth shut, freak! was the silent message.
"Four guards." whispered Ada. Leon knew what she meant. They had a chance against the guards if they moved swift now. The Hunters are locked up so we should be safe from them. Unless the guards would release them but I don´t think even them would be so stupid to do a thing like that. He nodded at her and they split, each going to each side of the cage. Leon picked up a small stone that lay on the ground and tossed it.
"What was that?!" exclaimed one of the guards. One of the others, who seemed to be the leader, looked around him with his rifle drawn.
"Better check around. But it´s probably nothing… Still, keep your guard up!"
Leon sneaked around the corner as he heard one guard coming behind him. Then he heard a soft sound from a silencer, Ada must have got him. One moment later he heard another shot. She´s really good, time for me to join the game…
"Who´s there?! Show yourself!" The leader now began to panic and quickly ran over to where Leon stood. Man, how did this fool get to be a leader…? Leon couldn´t help feeling a bit sympathy for the poor fool, but raised his own silencer equipped gun, and shot the man right in the chest when he came into view. He heard one shot, a scream but after that, a hit, a moan and a shout with triumph.
"Got you now, bitch!"
ADA! She must have gotten caught. Without thinking about being stealthy, Leon ran over to the place where he had heard the brawl.
"Ada!" he turned the corner and saw Ada grapple with the last guard. The guard held her up as a human shield.
"You´re busted! Now unless you want your friend here to get shot, you better drop your weapon and put your hands in the air!"
Leon silently cursed but before he could do anything, Ada suddenly bent over and drew a knife from an unseen pocket on her right leg. She stabbed her captor in the eye with it. His scream was shrill and Leon felt his stomach turn. Ada pushed him to the ground and picked up her Browning from the ground. She turned around and shot the guard in the head.
The warehouse now lay in silence. Leon felt sickened over the actions. Yes, the guards might have been on Umbrella´s side and committed God knows what atrocities. Then again they might just have been misled. In any case they had died in a brutal way. And HE had killed some of them. Ada looked up and met his gaze. She looked sick but also determined. After all she was the spy with more experience.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Yes. You?"
He just walked over to her and nodded. She put her arms around him and looked him in the eyes. Hers was full with sympathy, even though she looked a bit impatient.
"Liar. It´s okay to feel guilt, you SHOULD feel something when killing someone. That is not something you should do without remorse. I hate this too, but you have to pull yourself together now. We have a job to do." She walked over to the guards corpses and looked them over.
"Let´s see… This guys uniform fits you right on. And this one´s… No he´s too big. This one however… This one would be perfect on me." She started to pull off the guards uniform. "They are a bit stained, we have to remove the blood, wash it away. Let´s go back to where the sub was. We can hide the bodies there too." When she noticed he didn´t join her, she got an impatient expression on her face.
"Leon, I understand how you feel but we have no time for this. Help me with this now!"
God, this is awful… No, matter how noble our cause is this is just too much. After helping Ada with dragging the bodies of the Umbrella guards to the water, he bagan to take off the guard´s uniform. He then walked over to the water and put the clothes down. The water were cold as hell and it was soon turned crimson by the blood. Leon shuddered, both at the water´s coldness and what they just had done.
As soon as the clothes had dried, the two agents put them on. Leon felt very uncomfortable. It felt like he was dressed in death. Ada looked him in the eye.
"Leon. Let´s go. There isn´t much time left."
"Okay."
They dragged the corpses over to an abondoned crate that stood in a corner. No one should even think about looking there. At least not after they reported to the commander that it was nothing. Ada was already on it. Leon stood silent, he didn´t want to disturb her. The only sound except for Ada´s report on the radio was the growls from the monsters in their cages, making Leon more uncomfortable than he already was. Okay, we have fixed the guards. Too bad we had to kill them… No put that thought away Leon! We have to find and sabotage the security. Ada had just finished the report on the radio and turned to him.
"Leon, good news. I found a map in this uniform´s pocket." Ada showed him it with a grim smile. "It says there is an elevator not far away. Let´s try it."
They moved silently through the corridors, stopping only to salute the guards they encountered, until they came to a large elevator. Ada pushed the button, and the elevator arrived shortly after. They walked in and Ada took a look at the map again.
"Let´s see… That room should be the computer terminal. From there it should be easy to sabotage the security. After that we´ll send the signal to the others and we´re home free."
He looked back at her. "I hope it goes well. Then again, it HAS to work."
"You took the words right out of my mouth, Leon."
HCF Head quarters
Albert Wesker had just gotten word from Nicholai that the S.T.A.R.S team were on their way. The spy seemed to be quite good. Hunk already had troops to defend Umbrella´s HQ and soon it would be time for Wesker to make his move. He smiled. Chris… I can´t wait to see you again. I wonder if there will be a chance to kill your dear sister in front of you? She wouldn´t put up a good fight at all, I learned that from Rockfort. And let´s not forget Jill, it would even easier than Claire. It would hurt you as well. He started to chuckle but it soon died out. He had to get his accomplice for the task at hand. He began to walk towards the lab.
"You better be ready Burnside. You´re coming with me tonight. We can´t make ms. Redfield wait for you…"
To be continued…
Ada sure is a dangerous woman, isn´t she? But judging from RE2, I also think she has feelings despite the ice cold spy image and that she truly loves Leon. Hope that part with them after the fight wasn´t too sappy but I wanted to show Ada´s more softer side, despite the fact that she and Leon are on a mission. I also hope you didn´t think Leon was too tough on Ada in the sub. But he´s got a right for some answers, right? I also put that part in about Sherry because I think she is a tough kid, despite what so many says about how worthless she is. She survived Raccoon after all. To do that, you HAVE to be resourceful.
But who could the spy be…?Will our heroes discover this before it´s too late? Stay tuned!