Chapter: 2 Death Zone

"Agent Birkin! We have an urgent message for you!" The voicemail bellowed into her sleepy ear. "Report to your supervisor immediately!" A groan materialized from her mouth as she dashed into her bathroom, flinching at the freezing water that came out the faucet onto her sweaty body.

Her perfect dreams had deranged again into nightmares as she tried desperately to save Jake from the Ustanak's grip, only to watch as his head get ripped savagely from his body in its vice like grip, his last words resounded in her head as though it were real.

"Agent Birkin is here to see you Director." Hunnigan's secretary said happily, opening the door to let her in.

"Take a seat Sherry."

Sherry nodded, noting the look on Hunnigan's face as she took a seat opposite her, folding her nervous hands in her lap.

"I got here as fast as I could… There was something you needed of me?"

"We recently received Intel about a recent C-Virus outbreak in the Middle East. It seems the Virus has been leaked and distributed to third world countries. This is the second outbreak we have had wind of, the BSAA are en route now." Director Hunnigan informed, shuffling some papers on her desk to take hold of a thick brown file, handing it to Sherry with a apprehensive smile. "Satellite pictures show movement of a bio-terrorist organization we ALL know well."

Sherry lifted the cover to see a photograph of the red and white emblem staring at her.

"Umbrella…" She whispered out of resentment a frown settling on her brow, in the corner of her eye she saw Hunnigan nod, and flick a switch that made a large TV slide down from the ceiling next to her.

"This is the video footage we have so far." Hunnigan smirked coyly as Sherry glanced up wide eyed. What she saw took her breath away; a crew cut red haired man, clad in black was running on top of the Umbrella truck, gun in hand - shooting down the J'avo surrounding it.

"Additionally, it seems that our old friend Jake Muller is also in the Middle East lending us an… unexpected hand."

"Jake!" Sherry whisper-screamed jumping out her seat slightly as she watched the scenario play out before her again as the video looped round: Jake landed onto roof of the lorry and began jogging to the front of the vehicle. The lorry had virtually slowed to a stop from what she could tell, following that unmasked J'avo fell at his sides - obviously dropping from the surrounding rooftops. Barehanded he destroyed them easily, he tilted his head and grimaced at the masked J'avo on the ground, and reached for his handgun and - that's where the video cut out. Sherry stood up straight, bending over the table to see the screen closer, her eyes searching the fuzzy black screen for something more, but nothing came.

"Miss Birkin we would like to offer you-"

"Yes, Madam Director! I'll take the mission." She jumped in cutting Ingrid off.

"Your plane leaves in 2 hours. Take the file I have given you, they are your assignment details. Take this time to prepare and read the documents." An anxious smile played on her bosses features, knowing deep down it wouldn't have mattered even if she told Sherry no, she would've gone regardless even if it meant the loss of her job.

Ingrid knew that Sherry's fondness of Jake Muller was dangerous, but when the heart wants, it acts of its own accord not caring of the consequences. Plus, they would keep each other safe no matter the odds, she had complete faith in that. "Please be careful, and remember you will be on duty. I will keep a close eye on you. Keep in contact with me as your mission progresses."

Sherry was once again on a plane, guns and supplies packed into a small bag, phone in pocket and mission files in hand.

The mission was to track down and recruit Jake Muller, and then to find out where and what Neo-Umbrella were up to. Not that it needed much consideration, bearing in mind the recent outbreaks and J'avo from the video that protected the Umbrella van.

The DSO had informed the BSAA troops that one of their operatives were in the same region, Chris Redfield had processed the information personally commanding his HQ and teams to assist Sherry Birkin should she need backup or immediate extraction.

It was then as she sipped her tea thinking things over she felt things had fallen into place nicely, but the apprehension of the new assignment weighed heavily on her mind, and momentarily she found herself thinking of Jake.

It had been just over a month since she last saw or heard from him, and truthfully it hurt her. After all they had been through she thought she'd meant more to him than that, but taking into account that if he had been out here all this time cleaning up Umbrella's mess and saving civilians, she could understand his silence.

Soon after these thoughts passed, she started fantasizing about their reunion - how badly she wanted to hold him… kiss him, take her hands up his chest, over his shoulders and into his hai-"Oh, get a hold of yourself Birkin" she scolded, as the plane touched down roughly triggering her to lurch forwards.

When the shock in her body and the carpet burn on her stomach from the seatbelt had reduced, the blonde looked out. All she could see before her was desert, more desert and a small khaki 4x4 parked a few meters away, "Obviously my ride."

"I'm agent Birkin of the United States of America." She affirmed officially, flashing her badge to the officer at the gate of the military base. She had driven many kilometers through the dust and heat of the Arabian desert for the man to mumble something crude in poor English just to let her pass.

As she entered through the sandblasted door what stood before her shocked her: A small community thrived within the compound walls, small children ran around without care, as adults stood by with uneasy expressions like they knew the minors shouldn't be outside with the monsters that lurked not far from their residence.

"Y-y-you must be the woman from the west, the men were… T-ta-talking about." A dorky young man asked as she approached a small shelter with food cans lining the walls. Instantly, she noticed he wasn't very tall, perhaps even Sherry's height, his eyes were dark and framed with a pair of thick lens glasses, and he wore a white sari scuffed with dirt and a scarf covering his neck and shoulders, his hair was shoulder length and greasy. In short, not the best looking man she'd ever seen.

"I'm agent Birkin of the DSO, I'm here looking for a man." She introduced and explained, he shifted uncomfortably under her gaze as she spoke, her words followed by a mug shot of Jake. The man's eyes widened suddenly at the image, and began to back away, he shrieked nervously in what she could only assume was Arabic, and by his actions and the look in his eye she knew he was hiding something.

"Please calm down, you misunderstand me," She started, trying to keep the man calm, "He and I are old friends. I wish to speak with him. Have you have seen him?" She explained further, for him to shake his head furiously; glasses almost falling off from the velocity. "Then if you would be so kind as to point me in the right direction?" Her voice darkened, the beginnings of her patience squandering; knowing the man to be lying.

Again he shook his head. Sherry took a few moments to think; the Intel given was the last known location of Jake Muller, and the information was only a day or two old, so even if he had moved on people in this vicinity would know him.

"I d-d-do not know this… Muller man." He said with complete arrogance, not realizing he'd blown his own cover.

"Hmm… funny. I never mentioned his name…" Turning on heel she walked away from the cowardly man.

"I don't have time for this." She breathed, flicking her phone up to look at the GPS, just then a small boy ran up to her with lively eyes and a childish smile; the lightly coloured turban around his head made his dark skin glow with an almost angelic radiance.

He reached up to take her hand, Sherry responded hesitantly with a frown but grasped it anyway; his grip was light and gentle… there was a strange sense of calm coming from the young boy, she knew she could trust him somehow.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked curiously, the youngster turned his head and nodded wordlessly. The next thing she knew they were in a small sandy hangar with various injured people, 'must be some sort of make shift hospital.', she contemplated faintly as he dragged her along.

A few footsteps later they arrived at a wooden door with a rusting bronze handle, they stopped. The child pried his hand from hers and opened the door, carefully taking a peek inside before pushing her gently into the room; one finger clamped over his lips gesturing, quiet.

Her brows creased with confusion as he bowed with a grace uncommon in the States as he shut the door behind her. Sherry had to tare her eyes away from the door to take a fleeting glance around the room, finding a small wooden table with two chairs - guns and ammunition strewn all over it, and a mattress in a corner on the floor with a person asleep on it.

At first she thought it was a trap then she realized just who was the occupier of the room and bed was.

"Jake…" Her words were soft and filled with love, portraying the warm look on her face and amorous glint in her eyes.

UPDATED - 14/01/2015 - Spelling & Grammar

The city I've based the story in is fictional, and no racism or harm meant by my own characters I've made up; they are actually meant to be quite stereotypical it's all part of the plan ;)