A/N: this longer chapter has little humor, but I was in a semi-serious mood when I wrote it. For closure, here it is.
I hoped you all enjoyed, especially my buddy whom this story was written for.
--VI--
And the lunatics stole the sunset, happily ever after.
Amanda was sulking; her face screwed up at the falling sun. She was without her personal serum and worse off was that Krauser slipped into her sweater without her knowing it! How could such a big brute with big hands take something so small away?
She had her hands on her chin whilst she sat there moping; her legs closed together while she stared out at the water's edge.
The sky was turning a midnight shade as the last rays of sun started to dip quickly behind the edge of the enormous river.
Leon had just come out of the cabin then, seeing the forlorn obviously-amateur-spy-girl sitting there with a thwarted look on her face. She turned to see him. "You get all your stuff from the cabin?"
"Yeah, just some extra ammo, a few herbs and a lost Ganado hiding in there." He replied, his thumb pointed to the cabin.
"Hmmm. That's good."
"What? You're not going to comment on how I took care of it?"
He leaned down, a smile planted on his pretty boy face; he really wanted to cheer the girl up.
"Naw, I know you'd take care of it."
She turned her head away from him and stared back at the water's edge, noting the blanket of semi-darkness bringing the stars into view.
Leon pulled her up, "Come on, little girl, it's time to go look for Krauser." He really didn't want to, but hanging out with Amanda for the past few hours became an eye sore despite the eye-candy and partial good company.
She brightened a bit. "You mean that?"
"Well, I was going to go and meet up with Saddler sooner or later. I just wanted to find Ashley first."
Amanda sprung up. "I really need that sample Krauser took. I mean, I can't have it lost like that and that was totally irresponsible of me." She pulled at her lips, "How the hell did I not know Krauser's big hands were inside my sweater? I would have felt them! He must be really professional at that stuff!"
"Heat of the moment?" He raised his brow at her, a twinkle in his teasing eyes.
"You seriously think I like him? Him? He has no manners, no qualms about anything! He's rude, he has scars all over his body..."
Leon didn't believe her for a minute.
"Well you did reveal what the sample would do to a person. He's going to want what you got. To a guy like Krauser, anything to benefit his body is easy game. Yet, it's amazing that he believed you. Then again, he's pretty desperate."
She grumbled. "Come on. Let's go catch up to Jack."
"You know, Jack used to be one of the good guys." He said as he walked alongside her. They were heading towards another path which led to Salazar's castle.
"I know. Do you really think people can change so much?"
She almost sounded naïve there for a moment. Leon half smiled. "Something tragic could change them. Sometimes a person transforms for the good when they've been evil. It's how they view life and how they feel life treated them. In the case of Krauser, he did the opposite."
"The death of his wife really warped him good."
"That's one factor – tragedy can change a person that way, there's also mind control and DNA manipulation." He shrugged. "I can imagine I'd start killing people too if I no longer had access to my mind and body."
X
-
The couple walked under the guise of the evening sky; just ahead, they spotted the castle looming over them as the long shadows gave it a menacing appearance. That's where Krauser would have found Saddler and his cult. Depending who found who first. They started at the face of the bridge without any difficulty, found a couple of barrels to break and procured some grenades. Just before the castle walls, the drawbridge started to move upward.
They heard the sound of castle dwellers in the form of cultists behind them.
¡Mátalo!
Their eerily red glowing eyes were recognizable – Ganados infected with the plagas. Leon threw a grenade in their direction and didn't even watch them blow up. Amanda ran forward but the drawbridge went up quicker than their feet could take them. This allowed the couple to slide down. Amanda squealed. She tried to stop the sliding by forcing hard on her heel against the wooden bridge. With desperation, she tried to hold on to Leon with both arms.
Her face pressed against his shoulder, he held on to her and they both slid down to land on their butts. As they got up, the bridge had clamped shut. It wasn't the end of that. The sound of plaga cultists came into view in front of them. They were being ambushed.
"Amanda! Cover your eyes!" Leon warned. He threw a flash grenade, but was already accosted by a castle defender. Leon pushed against his enemy, and with his leg jutting forward, kicked the head of his victim until it smashed against his combat boots.
Some cultists were covering their eyes and bending over from the flash, but the one that Kennedy kicked had already awakened them to start attacking again. Amanda took Leon's knife from his waist and started to cut at the cultist that was trying to carry her over his shoulder.
Leon pulled out his matilda and shot at a few heads. After the ruckus, they were able to free themselves from the small mob.
"Come on. I think that's the way to the entrance." He pointed upward. There was a small stairway leading to the top. Amanda looked around and saw another archway to the left. "What about that way?"
"That's probably a small area for extra ammo and perhaps more ganados."
She shivered. "No matter how many times I've seen them, I can't get over the fact how creepy they are. To willingly take the plagas into their own body."
"These cultists are loyal to what they think is benefiting their leader."
As they stealthily walked upward, there was a fountain and a bunch of what looked like crows were drinking and hanging out. For some odd reason, Amanda found it amusing and giggled. "Look, birds."
"Got another grenade on you?"
"Allow me." She smiled impishly.
She threw the grenade and blasted the crows. "One man's nightmare is another mans treasure."
There in place were arrays of grenades and ammo.
Leon smiled. "I was running out of stuff too. We'll need all this when we confront Krauser."
"You're not seriously thinking of killing him are you?"
"What do you think? That'd I'd let him kill me? First we take him out and then you can get your sample back."
She averted her eyes said nothing.
Upon entering the castle, they heard grunting noises that belonged to Krauser, along with screams of Ganados that were obviously being blown up and killed.
"Over there!" Amanda pointed at an archway which had red drapes. "Coming out of that area. It's got to be him!" Her voice sounded a little desperate.
Leon pushed aside the curtain to see three brutal creatures, or what was once men; each equipped with two large claws. They were clawing their way to Krauser and the American was fighting off hordes of Ganados in his way.
"Garradors!" Leon warned Amanda. His hand automatically protected Amanda to get behind him.
" Leon! Krauser's getting hurt!"
The agent was surprised at the concern in her voice. What did it matter if Krauser died or not? After all, his fellow American wasn't human anymore. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Krauser would definitely kill him when the opportunity rose.
"Normally I wouldn't do this. But for your damn sample….." He grumbled. Leon had spotted a bell. He figured the sewn in eyes allowed them to be acute to sound. As he shot at the bell, the Garradors took off in the direction of the noise.
"Okay, let's hurry!"
Amanda pulled out an extra flash grenade and threw it, helping out Krauser get up from his position as the Ganados were stunned momentarily.
Leon took aim with his rifle and tried to shoot at the back of the Garrador's back. There was a las plagas stuck on their vulnerable backside and he knew that would be the ultimate death warrant. He missed the first shot. Leon gritted his teeth and cursed.
Krauser grunted. He picked himself up and growled at his rescuers. "You two!" His expression was harsh. "I can take care of this myself. Unless you want me to take you both out after I'm done with these losers."
Leon scoffed. "I don't give a damn what happens to you, Krauser. We just want the serum you stole from Amanda."
The soldier grinned. "Heh. You're both gonna have to kill me to get it."
"That can be arranged. But first. Behind you."
Krauser turned to see that the Ganados were waking from the flash, their once attacking mode in full position. Krauser flipped around and did a round house kick, sending a few decapitated heads rolling.
A Garrador was running towards Leon and he just barely missed the clawed attack. The sutured eye creature started swinging around and growling out like a caged tortured animal. Krauser had finished off his eager attackers to find himself being clawed by a Garrador.
Leon had ducked as the swinging second Garrador was trying desperately to claw at him. Krauser on the other hand was losing blood as the clawed beast tried to stab him from behind. Amanda took this chance to use her gun and take aim. Her hand shook as she aimed directly at the back of the Garrador. As she did so, a gunshot sounded in the air. She didn't know for sure if she got the creature.
She was being attacked from behind from the third Garrador and everything went black.
"AMANDA!" Leon screamed.
Krauser growled. He had seen Amanda go down and something inside him fueled an intense furious lust for killing. He had used up his arm as a weapon earlier and now it was glowing pink – ready for him to start using what he's best at. With one swift fluid move, Krauser slid forward to kill the two remaining Garradors. Amanda had killed off the one that was attacking him just moments before.
As the last enemy fell down with a thud, Krauser stood there panting, the arm had returned to normal.
Leon ran to Amanda and lifted her body up. Her body was seeping with blood. The Agent touched his fingers to her neck to feel a pulse. He couldn't find any!
"No." He whispered, almost inaudibly.
Krauser behind him stood there looking down at the fallen young woman. "Is she -?"
"I don't feel a pulse. She got hit severely."
The bigger man viciously pushed Leon off of her. "Let me be the judge of that."
"Hey!" Leon yelled. His eyes were hard now. "If you want to go another round right now, let's go, old friend. I wouldn't mind killing you right now and this would really satisfy me."
Krauser narrowed his eyes at him. "Shut up, Leon, I'm sick and tired of your hero status. You can't save the girl and you know it. Right now, this woman needs medical attention."
Leon was startled. "What the hell?"
As Krauser lifted Amanda up in his arms, his hard eyes softened a bit, which made Leon notice and flinch at the gesture. The resemblance of his wife to Amanda really shook him!
Krauser wanted to shake her awake, knock some sense into her. What was she thinking? That Garrador could have taken off her head!
"Listen, you little bitch, if you don't wake up after this injection I'm giving you then by all the plagas in the world, I'll hunt you down in the afterlife." Krauser said with a vicious snarl, and he pulled out an syringe.
"Don't you touch her with that!" Leon cried out and pulled out his gun. "Get off of her or I'll blow your head off!"
The American soldier looked directly into Leon's eyes. "Go right ahead."
Krauser's expression was steady, unwavering, and there was something akin to sadness deep in the core of those blank eyes. As if life had come back into them.
"But if you're gonna do it, do it now, Leon. Show me what kind of man you are. Right now, there's nothing we can do but leave her this way. If I can't do anything, what can you do?"
Krauser was right. But if Krauser injected a plagas into her body, then she would turn into one of them and that's worse than death. Then he remembered what the other Ganados had screamed at him.
Morir es vivir!
To die is to live.
"No…..you wouldn't." Leon whispered. The gun in his hand clicked.
"I doubt if this little hell bitch would turn into one of those…." Krauser grunted. As he found a vein he pushed the needle in. Amanda woke up just then.
Her eyes blinked back hot tears. "Don't!"
Surprised, Krauser stared at the girl. "What? You're alive?"
"Of course I'm alive! Ugh." She bent forward from the intense pain. "That stupid oaf got me in the back. Besides, I heard you calling me 'bitch' again, and I couldn't just lay here taking it."
Leon's eyes widened and a smile was replaced there. "Amanda…." He whispered happily. "Thank god."
"DON'T JUST STAND THERE! SOMEONE GIVE ME A FULL HEALING AID SPRAY!" she screamed, startling the two.
X
Later that very early morning, Leon looked out over the ocean's edge; his eyes took in the beauty of the day's beginning. It was odd how events had changed over the course of one day. Krauser took off with Amanda and the young woman was willing. She had admitted to seducing them both on her own terms. But she couldn't decide which one she wanted. In the end, it was always Krauser….always.
It was strange though. He didn't think Krauser would have complied if not for the strong resemblance to his former wife. But what about Amanda? What could she possibly want with Krauser now that she's got him under his thumb, so to say? The thought was immediately replaced with her autocratic method over the American soldier.
As he flipped on his radio contact, Hunnigan's serious but attractive face came on - without her glasses. However, her strict no nonsense demeanor was still in charge.
" Leon, how's it going?"
"Very fine, now that you've called."
Ignoring the small flirtation, Hunnigan continued. "A classified association from our branch just dropped us information over a young female spy by the name of Code Amanda."
"Yes, I've had the pleasure." Although Leon had to smile privately at the mention of Code, as it is reminiscent of the T-Veronica
"Then you do know about the jewel she is supposed to give you?"
Leon remembered. From the first meeting, she handed him a strange gold piece of jewel, which looked like a locket.
"Yeah, I have it." He reached for his case and retrieved the piece. Examining it closely, he found to his surprise that it was actually a locket.
Hunnigan could see from her angle the jewel in his hand. "Leon, Code Amanda was a created entity by a private organization to lure Krauser; however, the classified sector didn't understand that when they created Amanda by giving her facial and emotional features of Krauser's deceased wife, that they'd find a completely individualistic being."
"Come again?" Leon was taking this in. Amanda is a created entity from a private division? "You're saying, she's not human?"
"She is. Somewhat. They gave her human DNA from Krauser's wife. The problem? The organization gave her too much personality and emotions. This proved to be a dilemma as she became independent of her own feelings and therefore, she basically rebelled against their orders."
"Which is?" Leon pretty much knew it, but had to say it.
"Because her personality has some of the emotions from the deceased body, she's able to feel a deeper connection to Krauser. She was created with her own individuality but with a flaw."
"So she went off into the sunset with Krauser." He replied with a casual grunt.
"Look at the jewel she gave you."
Leon clicked open the locket. Inside was small device. He touched it and like a button, it triggered a mechanism: a light funneled out and then revealed a picture perfect of Amanda with Krauser on a speed boat.
The agent blinked. "What? Is this happening now?"
Amanda turned around in that moving picture; the screen appeared panoramic against the woodsy background. She waved. "Hey Leon! I see you've managed to figure out my little jewel. Finally. You can be so late at things."
Krauser was at the driver's seat steering the boat. He grunted disapprovingly and turned once to look into the radio Amanda held in her hand to see Leon on the other end. Amanda smiled. "Oh don't mind Jack. We're going on an extended trip."
Krauser feral growl answered. Amanda smacked him on his mutated arm with a small feathery whip. He winced but kept a stony expression ahead.
"Shush. You drive and follow orders." Amanda reprimanded. "And I was actually joking about that mint."
That quieted the big guy for a bit. He seemed oddly satisfied.
Leon could clearly see that Amanda was enjoying herself; as for Krauser, he wasn't sure what was going on, but he didn't seem to be protesting much.
The government agent smiled. "Good luck to you two. And you got your sample back. So what about the reversal serum you came for?"
"Oh I'm leaving that for you. That's your job and to save Ashley. I got what I wanted." She shrugged. "Speaking of which…..Ashley is waiting for you at the cabin where we were at earlier. She's a bit tied up. You better hurry up and save your damsel in distress." She giggled into her hand. Or was that a snicker? - Leon mused suspiciously.
"Um, thanks for the information."
"She's wearing something you'll like as well."
He raised a brow at her. "Oh?" Leon remained passively blank.
"She's in that white tight pair of pants. A white bra." Amanda had that wicked gleam in her eye, as if she were taunting Leon with the image.
Leon drew his brows together. "Let me guess. You provided her with the new clothes?"
"I would so not wear that. Too revealing! I already have a hard time fighting off the guys!"
She glanced over at Krauser slyly as she said that. Krauser said nothing; his face remained stoic.
Leon smirked. He thought her quite amusing the way she went on about her modesty, or lack of it.
"Well gotta go, and by the way, handsome, that locket I gave you will self destruct after our discussion. So if you want to find Ashley and get out of harms way better get a move on!" She waved and winked. "Bye!"
Leon looked back at Hunnigan in his radio receiver. "Did you see all that?"
"Yes, very interesting. I don't imagine it'd be a very healthy relationship."
"Speaking of relationships…." Leon smiled wickedly. "I'm free after this mission. You?"
" Leon. You're –"
"Yes, I'm on duty." He sighed heavily. "Can't blame a guy for trying."
He thought he could see a faint blush blooming over her dusky cheeks.
"I'll call you later when I get Ashley." Leon said and clicked off the radio.
Taking a deep sigh, he figured Amanda and Krauser weren't the only ones entitled to a little fun. Thoughts of Hunnigan - with her uniform undone minus the glasses - spread out over his bed spiked through his body. He was only a guy after all. It's not like he needed to always be on duty. He released another sigh and ran a hand through his light brown strands. "But obligation and duty calls…."
A noise beeped like an alarm clock. Leon looked down to the scarlet-gold locket.
"Fuck!"
