Plague of Darkness

"We made it out Leon!" said Ashley, breathing from their run to from the Giant Troll. Leon found a stick on the ground beside the door and quickly barred the door shut preventing that troll from passing through. He put his hands on his knees and leveled his breathing. After a moment, he stood up and surveyed the area. The towers of the castle could be seen in the distance. There was a big tool shed down the hill, and then some kind of gondola system going into the canyon.

"Let's go to the castle, maybe we can lie low there for a while." Ashley nodded, and then Leon proceeded down to the hill, Ashley close at his heels when he came to the shed. He pulled out his handgun and opened the door, peering inside cautiously. There was no one inside, only a few lockers.

"Leon, here." Leon looked and Ashley tossed him some handgun rounds. Leon thanked Ashley and stuck them in his belt. In return he gave Ashley two speed loaders for her six shot. She reloaded her six shot and stuck the two loaders in her skirt pockets.

"We should head to the castle now Leon." Leon nodded and then left the shed, Ashley close behind. He made his way up the hill, watching for any villagers that could come close to him and Ashley. He looked into the canyon and saw lights, as well as some movement. Villagers were probably down there hanging about. Leon and Ashley reached the middle of the hill, and came to the front to the gate. Leon tried to open the gate, but couldn't. It was some kind of retinal scanner, suddenly he remembered a file he had found lying around near the cabin he and Luis had fought off the villagers in.

"The door can only be opened with my eye…" muttered Leon. Ashley came out of her little daze and looked at Leon.

"Huh? What did you say?" Leon turned and looked at Ashley.

"We have to find the village chief, he can open the gate for us." Ashley crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"Last time I'm assuming your meeting with Mr. Big Boy didn't go to well, as you described him. I remember strangling mentioned and something about rapid Spanish." Leon grinned and then grabbed Ashley's wrist.

"Come on, we're going for a Gondola ride."

Ada

Ada watched the Ganado follow the Chief in the Valley. She put on her sunglasses and began to take rapid shots to send to Wesker in her EYECAM. The Ganado entered a gate and disappeared into a small forest. Ada tried to scan the area but there was too much matter interference. She radioed Krauser on her radio.

"Krauser this is Ada, do you copy?"

"I copy Ada. What's your status?" Ada stood up and then began to walk near the edge of the valleytop.

"Mendez is taking a position in the small forest at the bottom of the canyon, near the Gondola station. There seems to be little Ganado activity, but there are a few gathering inside a Cliffside, there seems to be some kind of path."

"Yes…I want you to check it out. Make sure that there's nothing to worry about. Do you understand? I've updated Wesker on our current situation, I'm about to head to the island with Saddler to begin his "revolution". Do you think you could meet me at the castle one last time before I head out?"

"Yes, but who will take care of Mendez?" Krauser went silent on the other end for a moment.

"The American Agent will. Only Mendez will open the gate to the Castle, and the American Agent has read the file that says that, so he is looking for him. We'll let him handle it." Ada's heart tugged. She bit her tongue.

"I'll be in touch." She signed off and then sighed. She could help Leon, but she couldn't let him know that she was there, following him all this way. It would show weakness. She remembered Wesker telling her something in their hideout.

"Ada, love is a sign of weakness. It makes you prone to your enemy, makes you faulter, hesitate, or even go soft. You must push your feeling aside and strike at your enemy with all your anger and might, put your feelings aside and forget feelings, and strike your enemy down, and then finish them…"

She could never kill Leon, Krauser would do so. Ada jumped down and then began to sprint up the path. She arrived at the Gondola Station, and then suddenly heard a sniper shot from the Gondola. Ada jumped down and pulled out her Punisher. It was Leon, and he was firing at Ganados on the Gondola system. Ada rolled out of site, watching Leon from behind a bush. She would wait here.

Mendez

I sniffed the air, and then I smelt the agent, he was coming closer.

"Go, leave, let me take care of him," I ordered my Ganandos. They nodded and then scuttled out of the warehouse. I smiled and cracked my knuckles.

"Get ready for your final breath, agent."