A/N: I am grateful to Shirane Aikawa for her consistent reviews and all readers of the stories.
Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil or any of its characters. They all belong to Capcom.
Chapter 12
When Leon joined the rest of the people, they were already discussing it with David, who was having a hard time answering or even figuring out what they were trying to say. The sounds of gunshots and screaming could be heard over ground between the blaring sounds of the alarms.
"What they can't attack now it's almost 12:00 AM in the morning", Carlos complained.
"One doesn't have fixed time for attacking do they?", Ark said Carlos hitting up his head.
"What do they want? They don't want Sherry do they? They can't reach here right?", Claire asked.
"No I don't think they know about this place", Barry told her shaking his head.
"Yeah it's Agent's hospital above they must have come to assassinate one of them; I've seen such situations before", David told them.
"I don't think that way David. I think they have come to get the one who is in room # twelve-o-one", John said slowly and clearly so that he could make himself clear to everyone.
"Shit! I think you're right", Jill cursed.
"So what do we do David?", Claire asked.
"You have to save her", Sherry said whilst crying before even David could speak, "please I beg you guys", Sherry pleaded.
"Well I doubt they're after her but still we shouldn't be too sure", David said thinking over it, "And since we are only agents or combat group that could counter it first, so its our duty to take care of the situation till the actual task force arrives", David spoke fast and everyone agreed with him, "I suggest we move in groups, Chris, Jill, Bruce, Ark and Sheva secure the floors; Carlos and Billy help Claire and Rebecca to attend to casualties and rescue them. Leon and John, you get to up to Kathleen, we can't take chances they might be after her."
"Understood", they all said sooner or later.
"John where'd you put her handguns, she could help, you know", Leon asked turning to look at John.
"It's in my room, I'll just go and get it", John said and rushed towards his room.
"So its decided Leon and John are gonna save the girl while the rest of us will provide back up and secure the area as we still don't know, if they're after her or agents Barry and I will try look after Sherry and Percy while he'd keep us connected through headsets", David repeated the plan again and everyone moved out.
John arrived with Kathleen's handguns and Leon and he too at once moved out and up towards the room where she was staying. As decided everybody held position and were communicating with each other by headsets. John and Leon worked fast and made their way to elevator. They encountered a couple of gunmen on their way but it wasn't too much of a trouble. The enemies were more than they initially thought to be, when both of them exited the elevator a series of enemy fires separated them.
"John I've got her handguns and close to her room; I'll go ahead. Can you engage them by yourself?", Leon spoke in his headset.
"No problem", John replied confidently, "Just be careful kid she's dangerous!", he added as a joke.
"Stop joking John", Leon couldn't help but say.
"Hey I am not joking, I know you're…", John tried to speak.
"Shut up John", Leon quieted him as he opened the door to Kathleen room and before he knew anything he was on the floor with Kathleen on top of him. She tackled him the moment he stepped into her room and was now nailing him down, by sitting on his chest.
"Hey get off me, I am here to help", Leon coughed a little from the air being knocked out of the sudden tackling. He would have enjoyed this treatment in some other situation but now was not the time and place.
"What are you doing here?", she asked getting off him.
Leon coughed sitting up, repeating, "I said I came to help", he handed her guns. She took them and tied her holster on her thighs under her dress which she was wearing, Yes again she was wearing a dress and Leon couldn't help but wonder if she wore these type of dresses, when she was not off killing anybody or raiding Umbrella facility. He resisted the urge to see her perfect shaped and toned legs, since it would be a disaster if she noticed him doing that and then suddenly they heard something. She immediately pulled him by the sleeve of his jacket towards window.
"Quick this way", she said opening the window
"Hey we can't jump its 12th floor!", Leon reminded her
"We are not gonna jump but just get to some place safer", She said looking outside, "Come on hurry up, it's clear", she called to him barely in whisper. Leon stepped next to her, "Come on take this pipe quick."
"You go first", Leon said being courteous, after all its ladies first.
"No, you to go first", she flared at him and then suddenly Leon got the point that she was wearing a dress and got to the pipe first. He climbed up a bit so she could remain below him. Instead going down she insisted on climbing up and entering the room above. When Leon reached the window of window of the 13th floor, he climbed through the window, after checking that it was clear off enemies and gave his hand to Kathleen, she took it and he pulled her up effortlessly.
"John I got…" Leon tried to tell his status to John
But John cut him, "Kathleen's kiss for rescuing her."
"Grow up!" Leon said uninterested and continued, "I made…"
"Out with her", John again added unnecessary stuff to his sentences.
"This is no time for joke, we'll meet you near the elevator and we are currently in room #thirteen-o-one", Leon spoke really fast and John couldn't interrupt him this time.
"How'd you got there?", John asked sounding confused.
"Long story, will tell you when we meet, Leon out", Leon said to him, "Let's go!", he said to Kathleen who was standing by his side and listening to his side of conversation. She nodded and they both walked out of the room once making sure it's safe.
Somebody shot at them so they took cover behind a wall just in time to dodge it. Leon shot the man dead and they made their way to elevator. Leon pushed the down button many times as if it would speed up elevator. After sometime the elevator door opened just to reveal John, "I thought I'd never see you again", he joked with a mischievous grin
"Just shut up", Leon said getting a bit annoyed by his teasing as he and Kathleen stepped in the elevator.
On their way down Kathleen asked, "Where is it?"
"Where's what?", asked John asked her confused.
"The files I gave you?", she replied in an urgent tone.
"You didn't give us any files", Leon reminded her in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Yes I did!", Kathleen said with a couple of nods, now directly facing Leon.
"No you didn't", Leon said shaking his head in negative.
"I put it right there in Sherry's bag", Kathleen said in an obvious tone.
"And how are we supposed to know about it?", Leon asked her in a tone of disbelief.
"I don't know maybe you should have guessed it I mean why in the hell would I risk my life for her things", Kathleen said getting annoyed.
"Maybe because you're crazy", Leon said feeling very much the same.
"What?" She said offended, grabbing a hold onto Leon's jacket's collar.
"Let go of my collar", Leon demanded grabbing hold of her hands which were holding his collar but she didn't let go and both glared at each other.
"And now you kiss", John said and they both glared at him letting go of each other and then John said, "Hey relax you two. Kathleen if you would just have told us when we asked wouldn't it be easy for every one of us."
"You idiots you don't even know there are lot of people who work for Wesker in both BSAA and US government agency and that guy you put to guard me was one of them. How can I speak everything in front of him?", she said sounding really unimpressed.
"How'd you know?", Leon questioned her.
"I am not like you, it's because of these agents that Sherry got abducted you know", she snapped at Leon.
"Stop it you two. God you bicker like married couples", John scolded them, "this not the time to argue alright!" and just then elevator stopped in mid-air, "Well that's just great!", John cursed.
"Now what?", Leon said pushing the elevator buttons but it didn't seem to work.
"We can take the emergency exit of this elevator", Kathleen pointed towards the emergency exit on top of them.
"Nice thinking girl", John complimented her, "Okay I'll go first then", with these words John climbed out of the elevator followed by Leon then they both pulled Kathleen up.
They started climbing the ladder which was made for elevator emergency exit and maintenance. They reached the next floor elevator double door and just when they were figuring how to get them opened, the doors slid open without any effort, "it's probably automated or something. I am moving out kid", John said to Leon and climbed up then extended his handed to Leon. When Leon got out the elevator door closed suddenly separating Kathleen from them.
"Hey open up", Kathleen shouted from behind the doors.
"Hey what happened?", Leon asked John, putting his ear against the elevator doors. He could hear Kathleen banging on it from the other side.
"Guys they have you on surveillance cameras", in came Percy's voice, "They're playing games with you I am trying to hack the system so that I can open the doors."
"Okay, just hurry up", John ordered him seriously.
"Trying my best", Percy said in response.
"Hold on we're getting the door open for you", John shouted to Kathleen.
And then a sudden sound made her look down, "I… I can't hold on guys the elevator started to move, hurry up", Kathleen yelled to them.
"Shit!" Leon and John chorused and then tried to open the door manually, "come on Perce be fast", Leon spoke in his headset.
"Guys hurry up or you won't see me", Kathleen shouted again trying to stay calm.
"Don't worry I'll get you", Leon called out to her.
"Its close", Kathleen called one more time as her heart started to pound in fear. She closed her eyes bracing herself for the impact, hoping it would be over soon but then she felt as if she'd been lifted up and then felt hard floor beneath her feet. She felt something hard against her head and then heard the sound of a fast beating heart, which wasn't her own. She opened her eyes and saw John was looking at her worried and she was resting her head on Leon's chest. She closed her eyes again and waited for Leon's heart beat to slow down and by having a near death experience which she had many times before but they never made her legs weak. She felt for the first time in years a tear trickle down her eyes.
"Hey are you okay?", Leon asked Kathleen in barely a whisper. Since the he had pulled out her the elevator trap her eyes were closed. John and he at first thought that she passed out but when he held her close he immediately knew that she was still conscious. She didn't answer him so he looked at John who nodded at him.
"She's alright kid, I think she's needs time", John said to Leon giving him a reassuring smile.
John saw Kathleen open her eyes while she was resting her head on Leon chest, god he was so relieved to find that she was okay. He thought that she is beginning to get the best of Leon, since Leon seemed to show more emotions towards her. Of course he was not an emotionless but he showed little emotions to outside world, he thought it was because of his professional training. Yeah sure he was totally different with their friends in HQ and behaved in much more normal manner but the kid seemed to be developing a certain liking towards this woman. John knew by the way he panicked when elevator door closed and she screamed that elevator was moving; John won't say that he himself didn't panicked. But John could tell that there was something more to Leon's panic and the moment he pulled Kathleen out from that trap he was just involuntary holding and hugging her as if telling his heart that she was okay and he hadn't lost her. John came to his senses when Leon spoke "John what's the matter? You're scaring the hell out of me."
"Uh… what?", said John snapping out of his thought process.
"I said what's going on?", Leon asked again shaking his head towards Kathleen.
"Oh she's fine", John told him waving a hand casually.
"Then why the hell were you looking at her so seriously as if something had happened? And why hell is she CRYING?" Leon whispered and emphasized on the last word.
"I don't know", John shrugged, "Ask her she's the one crying not me and how in the hell do you know she's crying?", John asked him back
Leon ignored John's question and asked, "Hey you feeling alright?", he tried to look down at her.
"I think I am never gonna use elevator ever again", she said in soft sober voice, which he thought he would never hear from her.
"Okay just tell us when you are ready", Leon said not letting her go, he could hold on to her forever.
As he completed his sentence, they heard gun shots. John quickly moved to the safe spot and hid himself. But as Leon was holding Kathleen he wasn't able to move neither did she and John watched them surrounded by gunmen, "SHIT!", he cursed under his breath there was no way he could save them. He was in the process of thinking a plan when he saw the two of them move. Kathleen pulled herself away from Leon a little and looked up to him and he looked down at her. Then she smiled, 'What the hell is she smiling about?', he couldn't help but think.
Then it all happened fast he saw Leon hands move down and withdrew her guns while she did the same with his guns and they both open fired at the men surrounding them. Within a flash they killed everyone surrounding them. Then John heard sounds of footsteps from either side of long corridor and watched them aim their guns in both directions. A crowd of men came charging towards them while they were shooting at them.
One of them successfully crept up to Kathleen and tried to punch Kathleen, she ducked and Leon caught his hand and punched him hard on the face. Taking advantage that Leon's back was towards him a man tried to land a kick on him but Kathleen caught his leg in time and pulled and he fell hard on the floor. Then they both turned back towards their sides, it was hard for the men to open fire at them now, since it would mean firing at their own comrades, so they were now going for the fist fight against them.
John watched all this fight in astonishment with his mouth hanging wide open and how he wished he had popcorn for a moment like this, it was like watching an action movie. He saw that Leon and Kathleen were stuck from both the sides. They both have each two men at their back and facing them and they both were facing each other. Leon bent backwards low as they show in movies to dodge the punch which the man in front of him threw; just to support himself with his hands and making his legs grab the man behind him throwing him onto the man who was in front of him.
While the man behind Kathleen caught her from behind and the one in front charged at her, she elbowed the one holding her, in guts while kicking the one in front of her in knee both men groaned in pain as they fell to ground holding their elbowed and kicked part respectively. Leon was still crouched position after executing his move and watching Kathleen tackle the two men.
"Don't move", said another man pointing his automatic rifle on Leon's head. John didn't notice him either as both Leon and him, were busy watching Kathleen's fight. Kathleen ran towards Leon and the man and took the advantage that the enemy was not noticing her and by the time he noticed her she was jumping over Leon, using his crouched position as a leverage and landed a powerful kick right in the man's face; the moment her heel met the man face he screamed in agony and flew a few feet away from them. She landed graciously on her feet after performing the breath-taking feat.
"You ruined my sandals", she said rolling her eyes at the man who was out cold from her kick. Leon got up and moved towards her. He gave her guns back and she did the same, "Thanks!", she thanked him sincerely.
"No problem", Leon said with a smile.
"Will you please tell him to close his mouth", she asked Leon pointing towards John.
Leon walked over to John who was still in his hiding spot and had his mouth still open from what he saw, "John you heard the lady", he said pushing up his jaw to close his mouth.
John came out from his place and moved towards them, "Do you know how good your teamwork is?", he asked, gawking at them.
"What are you talking about John", Leon asked not getting him.
"I saw … I wanted to help but you guys were like killing machine together. She was looking your back and you were taking care of her. You saved her and she took out men when you were vulnerable. It's pure teamwork, you guys were syncing like music and song. Do you get me?", John explained everything in one breath.
"Ah… no", Leon said confused rubbing his back of his head. He didn't know what John was getting at.
"It was like you two were like two body one mind. You knew what she will do and she knew what you were up to", John said making himself clear, so that his best friend could get him.
Now Leon understood exactly what he said and looked at Kathleen who was going around collecting ammo from the fallen men. He didn't know how she and he do it together as far as he knew he sucked in team and liked it better off alone but he did enjoy fighting together with her and maybe he just needed a right partner. He saw John joining her ammo hunt. They both picked one-on-one fight so the chances of them getting ammo were nearly 100%. He too joined them.
"So are you feeling better", Leon asked Kathleen so that John who was on the other end could not hear if he'd hear that he would tease Leon for the rest of his life. She looked at him to see who was it and just nodded. Thinking that she wouldn't say anything more than that he moved over to John. "Found anything interesting?", he asked John.
"Not much these men are using automatic rifle and everybody have a couple of hand grenades, two to be precise. They look like mercenaries. God Symbios is worse than Umbrella. They never attacked us here", John told Leon now finally looking at him.
"Yeah you got that rig-", Leon was cut off as John dragged him to the shadows, "What the…", Leon tried to speak but John silenced him by keeping a hand on his mouth.
"Ssshh… Look", he pointed towards Kathleen.
Leon saw that somebody was with her, "Where are your friends, sweetie?"
"I… I don't know w...what you are t...talking about", she said stuttering.
"Don't try to play smart", he said pointing his handgun to her head than moving it slowly down to her chest.
"That bastard…" Leon tried to launch himself on to him and punch him in face.
"Kid stop it, he could pull the trigger", John warned him stopping him.
"John she… We have to help her", Leon said watching every move of the man, he was now pulling Kathleen closer to him and Leon could feel the anger bubbling inside him.
"No. Do you want her to end up dead? We have to wait for right moment", John said trying to hold him at his place.
"John…", Leon said impatiently as he watched the man's hand move up on Kathleen trying to undo the zip of her dress. Then before he could do that Kathleen kneed him hard between his legs where no man would want to be kicked, "You Pervert", she said to him as he fell to the ground holding his kneed part.
Leon couldn't help but make a pained expression and looked at John, who had the same expression. They both made their way to Kathleen. John bent down to the man, "You know you picked the wrong girl. I think you do", he said to him ignoring the fact that he was out cold, "So how hard you hit him?", he looked at the face of furious young woman.
"I don't know. But hardest I've ever hit anyone before", She said crossing her arms looking furiously at the man.
"Kennedy… John… come in", it was David's voice through their headsets.
"Kennedy here", Leon responded before John.
"Leon where are you guys? Did you get Kathleen?" David asked with a little concern in his voice.
"Yeah we got her. And we're having fun kicking enemy ass", John replied before Leon said anything.
"John, stop joking. What is your position?", David asked.
"We're at 13th floor corridor, David", Leon said glaring at John for saying such stupid thing before.
"Okay listen carefully we're at 3rd floor and there's bomb in here Percy is having a look at it including the members from the bomb squad. They are trying to diffuse it, I want you guys out of building right now and don't worry about others the building has already been evacuated just we're left. So do as I say and wait for my orders", David said.
"Got it, Leon out!", Leon spoke in his headset.
"I didn't know they'll plant a bomb here", John said.
"What bomb?" Kathleen asked.
"These guys from Umbrella or Symbios whatever planted a bomb at 3rd floor",, Leon told her.
"These guys are not from Umbrella or Symbios", she told them.
"How can you say that?", John asked her.
"They don't use automatic rifles or any of these weapons, well not anymore", she told them, "and by the way we have to get those files", she added.
"Yeah she's right", John said seriously realizing the same.
"Claire come in", Leon tried to establish communication.
"Redfield here", Claire responded at once.
"Is Sherry with you?", Leon asked.
"Yeah", she replied sounding a little concerned.
"Ask her if she got her bag from her dorm and if she has ask her to search her for some file or folder that doesn't belong to her", Leon spoke in headset.
"Leon what the…", Claire tried to say.
"Just ask her will you?", Leon cut her off and then heard Claire talking to Sherry then some rustling sounds.
"Leon she's got that file or folder but Leon what is it?" Claire answered and questioned at the same time.
"That's something very important just don't lose it okay. I'll explain everything when we meet. Leon out", with that Leon cut his conversation with Claire, "All we have to do is get out of here, Sherry has the thing and it's safe."
"No, I've to go see that bomb of yours", Kathleen said being a little stubborn.
"But David said…", John tried to speak.
"Don't tell me you never twisted his orders", she said with a smile cutting him off.
"Okay let's go there", John said with sparkle in his eyes, "You know I am beginning to like you."
They all walked to the elevator,"I know you don't want to take elevator but we should take it you know if you want see that bomb", Leon said to Kathleen as he pushed the down button.
"Yeah you can grab hold of Leon if you get scared", John added teasing Kathleen.
"You know what I think I will grab both of you when I get scared", Kathleen said smiling at John.
"You do know how to get to me", he said smiling mischievously and Leon knew that John was enjoying himself with Kathleen. They stepped inside the elevator and it went down a few floors and they didn't talk to each other, "You look pretty calm", John broke the silence as he addressed Kathleen.
"You won't like me when I am angry", she said looking at him with unpleased and John was then reminded of the man whom she had kicked earlier and he at once stopped commenting, "You look pretty freaked out, I see", she said a few seconds later with a smug smile.
John just shot her look of amazement and said, "Leon I think you have got some competition", and John and Leon laughed their heart out while Kathleen was giving them annoyed look.
"Percy how much time is left?" David asked Percy, who was trying to figure out the electronic mechanism.
"10 minutes, I think we should get going", Percy told David and all started getting up to leave the building.
"David", John called from the end of corridor spotting them and ran towards them with Leon and Kathleen close behind him.
"What are you doing here? I told you to get out", David asked them angrily.
"She wanted to have look at the bomb", John told him pointing at Kathleen.
"Well you should…", David started to speak but Kathleen cut him in mid-sentence.
"This can't be", she mumbled to no one in particular and bent down to have a closer look at the bomb.
"What are you talking about", John asked her curiously.
"Where did they get this?", she mumbled to herself again and then shouted at them, "I want you guys out of here now!"
"We know that now let's go you are coming with us", Leon said reaching to grab her arm.
She slapped his hand reaching for her and said, "You don't understand, this bomb is dangerous than all other bombs. I'll have to try and diffuse it and while I am at it I want you to get as far as possible from this bomb and also try evacuating nearby buildings will you."
"There's no need, the explosive is not enough to spread over to the adjacent buildings", Percy said in a sense of self importance.
"Yeah it can only bring down this hospital", one of the members of bomb squad agreed with him.
"Stop arguing with me, you don't know what you are dealing with", she snapped at them, "this bomb has a radius of half a mile, so don't waste time, get going and do as I say."
"Pff… half a mile", another guy from the bomb squad, "you gotta be kidding me,"
"I wish I was", she said seriously, "I am begging you all to leave… LEAVE NOW!", she shouted turning her attention to the said bomb, with a little over 7 minutes remaining.
The way she put it, it was enough to even throw off the most confident of the most confident of the bomb squad's men in doubt and without having second thoughts they ran for exit. Once they were out they did what Kathleen asked off him and got the nearby buildings evacuated as well. With only a little time remaining the situation was no less than panicky but they somehow managed to get the job done and ran all the way and far as possible so that they found other team members and rest of the people engaged in rescue of patients and residents nearby.
"What happened? How did it go?" Jill asked concerned once she spotted them, "Why did you guys evacuated the building nearby as well, there wasn't that much explosive?"
"Well that snobbish girl is trying to diffuse the bomb and thinks that it has a half a mile range", Percy said annoyed at the thought.
"What no bomb can be that destructive unless of course, its of nuclear type", Chris said a little confused about it.
"Yeah that's what I said but she wanted to play hero and try to diffuse the bomb", Percy told him.
"Percy will you stop acting childish", Claire scolded him like a big sister, "And where's Leon?", she demanded.
"Well he was…" David said looking behind himself.
"Shit! He must have stayed, he just can't imagine being away from her", John said now looking back at the building.
In the hurry to evacuate the building and the occupants nearby, they didn't notice when Leon slipped away, only now when Claire pointed it out. They all wanted to go in and help them but they could only do so much at pray for their safety as they looked at the tall building of the hospital in anticipation wishing their friend all the luck.
A/N: Thanks for reading! So did anyone see that coming?