This took me forever to write, mainly because our computer is acting up and I keep losing the files with my stories in them. I keep asking my mom for a flashdrive, but she won't get me one because my other sister, Cassie, is being a spoiled brat...as usual. Anyway, hope you enjoy chapter 2!
He stared at the church, feeling rain drip from his hair. It had been a long, harrowing road to reach this point, but now he finally had the key he needed. The disk had been hidden behind a waterfall, and obtaining it had been no easy task: swarms of psychotic, mutated villagers, demonic dogs, and even a grisly battle with a grossly deformed giant. Thankfully, the dog he had rescued earlier had arrived to help him, had distracted the creature long enough for Leon to land the killing blow. Incredibly enough, not only had the animal survived the ordeal, it had actually stuck with him, apparently quite happy to remain by his side.
"Stay here," he said, once they reached the doors. The dog obeyed, going to a seated position as his master inserted the wooden key. In a minute he wagged his tail, having heard the lock click. Leon smiled, shoving the doors aside.
The interior of the church was dank, but looked as though it had been used until recently. Thunder crashed, lightening illuminating a large, dark circle resting on the wall above him. He also felt fur drift past his leg; apparently, the noise outside had spooked his canine friend. Leon glanced at the dog, shielding his face as the creature began shaking, sending drops of water flying.
"Hey, easy!" he said, wiping his forehead. "I'm already soaked!"
The dog ignored him, having caught a scent. Leon followed him to a ladder, at which he began whining and scratching. The agent tilted his head back, scratching the creature's head with scarred fingers.
Oh, so that's where they're keeping her…he glanced at the dog.
"Stay put this time, would you?"
The dog cocked his head, lying down with his head on his paws. Leon turned back to the ladder, seeing a gate once he got to the top. He scoffed. Great, now what? Just then, he noticed the circle again, three smaller ones in different colors hanging beneath it. He lowered his gaze to a large painting of a hooded man, along with what appeared to be a control station. Unfortunately, it was on the other side of the church, and his only path to it was blocked by a metal lattice.
Or was it?
He looked again at the enormous chandelier hanging from the ceiling, getting an idea. If he could somehow reach it, he could jump to the other side. He went as far back as he could, took a running start, and leapt. He landed smack in the middle of it, the momentum making it swing back and forth. He waited until it was closest to the other side of the ledge, landing in a crouch a few feet from the control panel.
Well, here goes nothing.
(****)
Ashley glared at the wall. She had been trapped in this room for weeks, with little more than the food and water she'd stashed in her backpack. She had her friends had been getting ready for a summer-long camping trip, and she'd had to go back to the White House to get the rest of her gear. She'd just gotten past her university when she'd been ambushed, shoved in a van, and heavily sedated. She'd woken up a few times during transit, and there had always been someone ready to inject her with another mess of sedatives.
I'm surprised they didn't kill me, she thought, staring at the several small scars of her shoulder. She'd finally woken up alone in this closet, and her survival instincts had immediately kicked in. she'd been in uncomfortable situations before, though it had usually been of her own volition. She'd wanted to be prepared, just in case something like this happened.
And now it's paid off. She groaned, kicking aside a loose piece of brick. At least I remembered to charge my phone before I left. Her battery never lasted long, but she'd managed to get a call through to her father, telling him what had happened, but that she also had no idea where she was. Thankfully, her cell also had a GPS tracker, meaning her father had already known she wasn't in the woods with her friends.
Well, I'm in the woods somewhere, she thought, recalling the glimpses of land she'd gotten in her few, scattered moments of consciousness. Just not at home. She sighed, looking around at the filthy walls, practically hearing the cockroaches crawling in the sacks of soiled flour. But her attention switched to the door, and she jumped to her feet as the hinges creaked open.
"Stay back!" she demanded, picking up a chunk of wood. It wasn't the best weapon, but at least it was something. The first thing she saw was a gun, and tensed to throw. "I said stay back!"
She tossed it, narrowly missing a blonde man, who dodged to the side.
"Hey, take it easy!" he said, surprised. Ashley remained standing, arms crossed tightly at her chest. The man was a good deal taller than she was, dressed in cargo pants and a sheepskin jacket. His black shirt was soaked, clinging to his well-defined chest and stomach. He brought his gloved hand away from his face, revealing cool, bright blue eyes, and surprisingly chiseled features.
"Who are you?" Ashley demanded, trying to hide her shyness. She couldn't, however, hide the blush on her cheeks.
"My name's Leon," he replied, holding up a hand as he placed his gun in a holster on his thigh. "I'm under the president's order to rescue you."
He looked up, and his mouth fell open. Standing before him was the girl he'd been daydreaming about: the long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, the dark leather jacket, skinny jeans and brown suede boots. Her skin was pale, probably after so many weeks trapped inside, making her amber eyes all the more prominent, her full lips look even more pink. He stared a minute longer, then pulled his communicator from its place on his belt.
"Hunnington, it's Leon," he began. "I've succeeded in extricating my subject."
"Wonderful, Leon," the slim brunette with glasses replied.
"Where's the extraction point?"
"There's another path you can take to get out of the village," said Hunnington. "The chopper will pick you up beyond there."
"Got it, I'm on my way."
He cut the signal, looking back at the girl before him. Contrary to what he'd thought, she didn't look injured at all. She didn't even look dirty.
"My friends and I were leaving for a camping trip," said Ashley as though in response to his stare. "I'd just gone back to grab the rest of my gear. That's when they abducted me."
"The Los Illuminados?" he asked. She nodded.
"I think that's what they call themselves," she shrugged, then went for her backpack. She zipped it shut, pulling the straps over her shoulders. When she was done, she turned to look at him. "Why do you keep staring at me?"
He pulled out the image he'd been given. "This doesn't look anything like you."
She blew a raspberry. "That old photo was taken months ago," she said. She took it, letting it flutter to the ground. "That crybaby's gone now."
She walked out, Leon close behind. in a few seconds they came to the ladder.
"I'll go first," he said. "Climb down when I give the all-clear."
Not wanting to waste the time, he simply vaulted down, drawing his gun and aiming it around the church. After a few minutes, he moved back to the ladder.
"It's clear!" he called to her, and was barely prepared when she fell in his arms.
"What the—"
"I did it to save time," she said, and ran a nail down his chest. "Plus, I'm just being a girl."
It was his turn to blush as he set her back on her feet. The sand-colored dog sniffed at Ashley's hand, then licked her fingers, making her giggle.
"Stop it!" she brought her hand away.
"C'mon," Leon said to her. "Let's get out of here."
