R E S I D E N T E V I L

C O L D F L E S H

By Gray Fox

---------------- Revelation

31.10.03

Paris, France

The golden glow from the sun kissed sky was fading as the giant star gradually sunk below the horizon. A plane soared through the sky leaving in its wake twin trails of white smoke which curled and eventually feathered into the sky. On the streets of Paris a huge Halloween party was thundering on; parades danced and entertained their way through the crowds as fictional demons, zombies and ghouls attempted to get a few screams and laughs out of the joy filled crowd. High above their heads giant balloons of bright orange pumpkin heads floated along taller than the surrounding buildings.

Leon Scott Kennedy smirked safe in the knowledge that none of the people below him would never discover what it was like to be hunted down by the true undead, tortured by their never ending moans and have the flesh stripped clean from your bones.

BANG!

A firework screamed into the sky and blossomed into a swirl of blues and whites followed by hundreds of others, Leon gazed as the sky became filled with falling sparks which twinkeled like brilliant burning stars then melted into black ash and floated down like snow flakes.

Leon was standing on a small platform built in the centre of the Eiffel tower; Because of the occasion the tower itself was adorned with rows upon rows of fiery orange lights which surrounded the tower with a pulsating aurora making it look like a mythical superstructure. Also with more than half of Paris on the streets the tower was devoid of life.

Leon remembered why he was here and dug his hand into his coats and clicked the safety off his handgun. It wasn't that he trusted the contact it was that they might leave a trail which Umbrella could follow. The contact was a former Umbrella employee working in Paris that with the right prompting could tell Leon everything about the operation here in France. It was his chance to bring the Umbrella Coporation down for good.

Even now five years after the Raccoon City incident those three words: The Umbrella Corporation conjured up memories- no nightmares of his and Claire's fight for survival in that cold September night. The endless chase from virus carriers, the finely woven tapestry of deceit and betrayal and Her. Ada Wong the only women he had truly fallen for only to be staring the barrel of a gun, her gun. Then watch helplessly as she fell from grace and became entombed in Umbrella's lab. He hated Umbrella with all his being. He despised the way they believed they ran the world and could use it as a playground for their unholy creations to play god.

"Fuck it!" Leon yelled as he slammed his fist into a girder hearing his knuckles crack as he did. The very being of Umbrella made him furious to the point of violence, anger that was swelling up inside him and had erupted several times. It was the reason Leon had become a bit of a loner the past years battering allies and friends away because he couldn't control his rage, risking his necks and theirs for the sake of revenge.

He sighed and pulled out a packet of Lucky Strikes, He wouldn't let Umbrella get to him anymore. Leon let the cigarette rest between his lips and remembered that it was Chris Redfield who had got Leon into this bad habit. He remembered first meeting Chris and the others and how they all showed respect for each because each had fought and lived through an outbreak, it seemed to bond them close to each other. Leon couldn't relate much because even though they lost friends none of them lost their loved ones. Leon lit the cig with his chrome plated lighter and watched the embers burn as he took a pull.

Standing at just under six foot Leon had changed considerably since the Raccoon incident. He had the physique of a sprinter, dark blonde hair which parted in the middle and stopped just below his ears, his bright blue eyes where gone and replaced with eyes so dark they could be lumps of coal. Leon was wearing a dark sheep skin jacket with brown piping along the seams., cuffs and hems, under it was a thick black t-shirt which clung to his body, his dark blue denim jeans fell over his black combat boots. Hidden around his body were various guns and knives, all for the purpose of his own protection.

Leon looked forward to the day when he didn't have to carry this stuff around to stop attempts on his life and protect the few comrades he had. As well as on the outside Leon had changed on the inside, he used to be a carefree rookie but something over the years had hardened him; his words had become harsh and his whole body language had changed. However he was more focussed now and wouldn't let anything get in his way of stopping Umbrella.

Leon pulled back his sleeve and checked his watch for tenth time since he'd arrived: 5:07PM. The Umbrella contact was late. He began to pace around the small block watching the door intently; just in case a few surprises were on their way he made the sure he could quickly grab the USP.

The knob turned slowly and the grey door began to be pushed open slowly, Leon crept up to the side of the frame and unholstered his USP. The cigarette burned between his lips. The door was half-way open when a slender hand gripping a small pistol pushed through moving from side to side. Leon saw his chance and grabbed the person's hand he dug his finger between the back of trigger so firing the weapon was impossible, with the weapon secured he yanked on the person's arm pulling a figure from the safety of the half-closed door. He twisted the limb and pinned it to the middle off the figures back pressing the barrel of his gun against the person's head as he did.

Although only from the back Leon could tell it was a woman, from her long auburn hair, revealing clothes and slender body. Still he only trusted here as far as he could throw her.

"Name!" Leon demanded. She began to struggle but stopped when Leon pressed the barrel harder. "Name,"

"Scarlet Cross," She replied, if she was panicking then she hid it well with her icy cold voice.

"Password," Leon spoke as he pulled her arm in tighter and slowly pulled back the hammer.

"Fragments of Tomorrow,"

"Good," Leon released her arm and holstered his USP. Cross spun around and started to rub her shoulder, she shot Leon a look that could have burned through his skull. Sensing she was annoyed Leon tried to make amends.

"Sorry about that but I couldn't take any chances,"

Scarlet mumbled something in French Leon had no idea what she said but he would bet it was a series of curses.

"Leon Kennedy," Leon extended his hand but she ignored it and started to pace back and forth. Leon didn't take it personally he just wanted to show that he wasn't a bad guy. She stopped and turned to him, her face was golden with small freckles dotted around her nose and she sure was a striking woman in Leon's eyes.

"You're the Government Agent right?"

"Yeah sure if you want to call it that,"

"I'll be quick; I think I was followed by some Umbrella Goons,"

"Ok I'll ask questions and you just answer, alright?"

"Shoot," Regaining her composure Scarlet stood there with her hands on her hips.

"Tell me everything: labs, projects, contractors… everything,"

"I'll start with the Labs. Currently there are 3 operational research labs, one in Lyon, Bordeaux and another in Avignon," She stopped for a heartbeat then continued. "Then there are the training facilities there's only two but both are huge and are used to train Umbrella's army including their 'projects', ones hidden somewhere in the Alps I don't know where though, and the other is right beneath us,"

Leon had been taking mental notes so far but the last line ambushed his thinking. How could they get away with a lab right beneath Paris one of the largest cities in the world, or rather who let them get away with it. Leon had learnt a long time ago that nearly everybody had a price and Umbrella was rich enough and had enough influence to convince even the most reluctant politician. He just couldn't get his head around that Umbrella could practically buy a city.

"Where exactly is this lab," Leon questioned.

"It's hidden throughout the catacombs and nearly impossible to find, but it is there you just need to look," Scarlet paused for a second and readjusted her skirt "You need to know something else about this lab, tonight it will become host to one of Umbrella's newest and greatest projects. This 'thing' has been built to the pinnacle of modern science and tonight it's being tested against several combatants to see how effective it is against real-live opponents," Cross was shut her eyes and was silent for a full second before she continued. "Leon one of the fighters is Ada…"

Ada the dead spy, although it didn't show on the outside Leon was shocked by this revelation. She was dead, Leon saw her fall nothing could have survived that drop.

"Tell me how I can get to these Labs and when does to test run start," Leon was now determined to find Ada and bring her back, he desperately needed answers and he wasn't about to watch her die again.

"Here," Scarlet reached into her pocket and pulled out a silver shinning CD, she handed it to Leon who accepted it. "This will give routes into the lab, information on security and most importantly all of the information on the new project; you'll need if you want a chance at saving her,"

Scarlet turned on her heel and started to leave when Leon stopped her. "Why?" He yelled.

"Pardon?"

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I know what its like to lose someone I love, I don't won't to see you lose her again Leon,"

"But they'll kill you,"

"I can deal with it," With those final words Cross left Leon standing alone on the platform, only his thoughts to keep him company. Why is Ada still alive shes supposed to be dead?