Ch. 2 - Finding Ashley.

xx

Leon cocked his head to the short villain, eyebrow raised as his arm lowered as did his guard as his gun was low.

Sighing with a small 'heh' as the name sounded like a mouth full.

"I am the eighth Castellan of this fine architecture, I have been honored the prodigious power from the great lord Saddler." Salazar explained, pacing the small balcony as his right and left hand men stood behind him, silent as they stared with their blood colored eyes at the American agent.

"I have been expecting you," The Castellan spoke breathless it seemed as he turned on his heels to remain still, glancing down at Leon carefully with his dimly lit golden eyes, lightly placing a hand over his plagus infected slowly beating heart as he bowed.

"My brethren." Something about those words, they way they were spoken seemed to run a chill up Leon's back, the aurora, silent and crisp with the dry air it held. It felt like death. Standing his ground on the polished white tiled flooring, Leon hardened his gaze as he took a step forward, lifting his head up, the smart ass comment on the single tip of his tongue.

"No thanks, bro."

That wasn't exactly the smartest move to make. Beneath the frown on the pasty face of the villain, his teeth were jagged and gritted, unpleasantly yellow from lack of hygiene.

"My my, we got a feisty one I see." The almost silent patter of his footsteps sounded on the balcony floor as he was wandering back and forth once more, the split end of his blue tailcoat lifting.

"If you care for your own well being, I suggest you surrender yourself and simply, become our hostage." The hissed words spoke smoothly, finding a light pause to separate what sound like building rage. Not exactly seeing those words to be the certain suggestion that the blond agent was looking for, the tables seeming to be turned as all seriousness became like business, either things were going to work out the Castellan's way or death. Leon smirked a bit, a man of danger, he was.

"Or Mr. Scott, you may as well just give up on Ashley, for you're not worth a penny I'm afraid." Salazar pointed out with a grin as he was close to the edge of the balcony, his arm raised as his tiny hand was open, pondering any worth the agent could hold. Even with the plagus? None.

With a single grin, a sparkle seemed to be held within the hard gold that reflected in Salazar's eyes. Giving a carefree dismissal of his arm, the Castellan said few words.

"You can die." Was lifted from his breath as the red and black hooded men followed after their master, leaving Leon only to glare and move on.

Having the feeling that this wasn't going to be their only meeting.

xx

It could have been worse.

That was the only comforting thought that seemed to come to mind from staring at the same oozing wall. Still in the corner and holding her arms around her legs, not a single light except from the metal door's tiny slit to the room shined through. Ashley sighed, the darkness and hiss of rats keeping her company, it made her shudder. Yeah, it could be worse, she supposed sarcastically. With the faint breathing her body hesitated on, she felt horrible. Her small fragile figure seemed to squirm as if something was eating it from the inside. Placing a cream colored hand to her neck, the blonde college girl felt herself shaking once again. They had done something to her and sooner or later, it would take control. No, whatever they could have done, she wouldn't change, she wouldn't be one of them. The false encouragement seemed to lay thick on her thoughts, trying to seem realistic but in the end, there would be to proof to bring them to life. The sound of crunching metal triggered and Ashley lazily turned her head to the door.

It had opened and the small pattering sound of footsteps occurred and the tension of the room deepened, she could barely breathe it seemed. The glowing of Salazar's golden eyes held the lighting of the room and by the twisting snarl on his features, he seemed completely pissed off.

"It seems your father does care." He spoke calmly and the beating of the damsel's heart perked at that, hearing of her father, some hope was found.

"W-What's going on?" She questioned, her voice cracking a bit as it stumbled on the words and stuttered.

"There is a pest in my castle, my guards are going to kill him." Salazar explained, slowly moving to Ashley as his breathing was a bit heavier, she tensed more as even he could feel the fear pour from her.

"I won't stop until he's dead, even if I have to kill him myself, I won't let him take you!" He snapped and that made the blonde jump. The Castellan was so close, she could seeing the colored veins from the plagus beneath his pasty face, he could hear her hesitating breathing.

"You seem so scared Miss Ashley," He commented, his gold colored eyes narrow as he brushed a stray strand of sun colored hair from her cream colored face's features, breathing out deeply as he touched the smooth skin of her cheek, feeling her tremble.

"Do not worry, I will protect you." Pressing luck, Salazar leaned in, his lips touching the cheek as he felt the heat burn his lips. Pulling back, he could see the hazel eyes, the fear and shaken up thoughts. He tilted his head at that, interested how the American girl could be so fearful.

"My my, Miss Graham." His hand fell from her cheek to her rosy lips and began to outline them. Salazar leaned closer, breathing into her ear as she shuddered, her eyes closed tightly shut as she imagined anything else, that she was anywhere else then the room.

"Even in such fear, you look absolutely breathtaking."

xx

"If it comes to it, I will send you after our guest."

The red hooded man nodded, understanding his role, gripping his golden staff in a firm grip.

"Mr. Kennedy seems to have come this far, I'm afraid that his journey will be ending very quickly here." Salazar stated and slowly traced his tongue along his lips, finding the taste of Ashley to remain on them, the glint in his eyes solid. Shifting from his right hand man to his left, his mind was racing to think of another defense and then soon another to try and assume if the wondrous Leon Kennedy got through one. Surely Saddler had infected him, it was the only way to get the American agent to continue through to the end, to get the cure for the Plagus. Well that and rescue Ashley but there was no hypothesis of that ever occurring. Meanwhile, the thoughts of his personal little captive. It made him simply wonder. The sense of fear in her heart, the way when he was closer to her, the opportunity seemed so close to be grasped in his hand. Surely she couldn't feel a thing for the man who was keeping her like a prisoner or a better word to use, a pet. Yet on the other hand, the plagus was in her.

It brought up how Saddler ever convinced him to release that horrid thing upon the village, through the castle and even in Ashley and Leon. For twenty years he had it in his very body, twenty years of the damned parasite changing him to grow into the pasty skin little person he had become to this very day. Yet he could tell, Ashley simply hated him. Upon his throne once again, his fists were tightly shut and then instantly were slammed upon the rich leather arms. Playing villain was easy, yet everyone wanted to be the hero. Playing hero only brought you closer to death. Yet what was it that made her tick, what made her hate him. Sure, It could be obvious with the whole captive thing but the thought would not fade from the Castellan's head. Was it touch, the cold fingers that acted like the prick of a needle against her rich warm colored face? His looks of pale white skin color and veins that squirmed to hold his features and make her heart jump at the very sight of him? What made him become her own little phobia? What was Miss Ashley Graham thinking in her pretty little head?

His teeth grinded as they moved against each other, clearly over thinking it when the president's daughter was but a mere pawn for something as little as world domination.

"This is all too exciting." Salazar said and that tickle in his throat seemed to have come back as he cackled his laugh as every corner of the room ringed from it.

"I haven't felt this way in years, I suppose I resent myself for feeling so skeptically of Mr. Kennedy." He pondered and felt his hands become loose from their tight grip, his pale hands a bit red from the pressure as the veins seemed to wiggle. Folding his leg over the other, Salazar rested his chin upon his leaning arm. "The traps are set and the night is upon us, I am curious of how things will unfold." The pieces for the door were scattered over the castle, the door that would lead Leon forward. He had to complete the puzzle.

"Which will, of course," Salazar continued his thought process. "Lead him to the prison."

xx

There looked to be three pieces missing.

Tch, Of course things had to get interesting. Leon gave a bittersweet smile to that, tilting his head a bit so the sight of his blueish green eyes could focus on the puzzle before him. Hm, This girl better be worth all this, He thought as he held the gun's figure in his fingerless black gloved hands. Moving swiftly and smooth in action to a door, he kicked it open hard, hearing the metal smack against the wall at it's side. Gun aimed and making a small click as the finger was on the trigger, the silver crafted handgun moving along the direction of the agent's eyes, the room seemed to be clear of any monks and white painted faces of men. Silencing his breath, He waited to hear any rambling of Spanish, any sign of an oncoming enemy but the room held peace. Moving forward, a door caught the Americana's eye and he went to it, tugging on it's gold ring like handle, the door clanked as it was pulled. Locked. Figured, Leon thought and then stepped back to turn in direction and move through the room to another part of it, finding the color of fire blaze from the mouth of two horse figures, he raised an eyebrow.

A painting to his right caught his eye as something seemed to shimmer off the light. The silver outline of a key stood out from the rich painting of a certain short ruler and it was ignored as the key was grasped with a black fingerless glove grip. It just seemed too easy when you played as the hero it seemed. Leon then returned back to that blue door, setting the key into it's hole as he turned it, making the gears within it's lock churn and make a single clink as the door was easily pushed open, leading a grim sight down a flight of stairs. Heh, such a welcoming sight. The agent held his guard up as well as his gun, making his footsteps clear as he moved down the staircase and eyed the grey grimy walls as if to find a useful item or even a switch, he guessed. Slowly pacing forward and moving around a pillar that divided through the room, a sight of what looked to be human held life within the room. Reaching to touch a single rusted bar of the door leading into the small prison room, Leon's sight took in what he had confused to be a sane human form.

A pretty muscular form of a man, a metal helmet that draped down to his chest, a large silver chaining looking to add it's decor by holding a tight embrace around the neck, a barred grid that was held over it's mouth as the battered and scratched up body of the shirtless Spaniard was held back by chipping rusted chains. With black pants and the twisted metal of wire replacing the eyes, the monster looked to truly come from a gladiator time period.

"What in the...?" Leon softly questioned to himself in tone below a whisper, gazing confusingly to the man, bits of his blond fringe falling into his features. With a soft crunchy step forward, the man within the prison twitched, a growl trembling from behind his helmet. Silencing his breathing to become steady, the agent gazed to the red lever switch beside the bound prisoner, his eyes holding a helpless look which soon formed determination. Backing up from the door, the agent grunted a bit as he kicked the door down, immediately pointing the gun directing at the Spaniard to see what his move would be. The man was still.

With a half grin, the agent moved forward and closer until he could touch the switch, firmly gripping onto it as he slowly pulled it down and then with a small chime of sound, his radio has gone off. The American agent's eyes widened as the prisoner gave a raspy hollow growl and broke the chains that held him back.

"Dammit Hunnigan," Leon cursed through gritted teeth, his eyes glaring hard as he bolted from the small room and hid behind a pillar, his breathing calming as his heart was racing faster then a rabbit during the season of hunting. Peeking around the pillar to the wandering prisoner, Leon looked to the man's hands, of where a metal device was attached, retractable claws clung to each arm. The Garrador paused in his steps, looking from side to side, bearing his ear to hear any sound. Seeing what looked to be a grayish lump on his back that branched into his skin, it twitched and held the rhythm of a heartbeat. It's plagus, Leon assumed and raised his gun to shoot at it, firing the bullet easily as the Garrador was distracted. The prisoner was sent into a panic frenzy, swatting it's arms to it's back as it groaned, the resembling color of the plagus matched the ooze that spilled from the wound. A longish tentacle slithered out of it and then quickly disappeared back into the sack on the Garrador's back as the man's head turned to seek Leon and then bared it's claws as he charged.

In another chase, Leon ran, finding this fight to be of careful action of hide and go seek. Continuing his strategy, bullets fell in gatherings on the cobblestone blackened flooring. The agent ran under the swinging arm of the Garrador, moving to wall as he set his back against it, the plagus infected monster following after as his metal claws hit into the wall, along side Leon's face. As the beast tried to pull itself free, The blond thought quickly, moving to his open escape and to run to be away from the Spaniard, aiming his gun as a click triggered and the bullet was fired to hit the plagus and make the Garrador give a dying hollow groan of defeat, falling to his knees as death became it's eternal slumber. Leon sighed and then reached for his radio to see Hunnigan's face, her lips pursed as her eyes were concerned it seemed.

"Leon, I tried to contact you. Are you alright?" Leon gave a small 'heh' as he nodded.

"Yeah, sorry about not responding so quickly, I had some rough company."

Hunnigan rolled her eyes a bit, sighing to herself as she was grateful that the agent was still alive. The heavy thoughts in her heart became undone.

"Alright. I don't know how long I can keep in contact with you, Salazar has hacked the line and it had taken a lot to try and just make this transmission possible." The brunette explained, nodding as her hazel eyes kept focus on the blueish-green ones of the agent.

"I understand." Leon replied and began to move his finger to end the transmission.

"Leon?" He looked to Hunnigan on the screen, her features soft as if she was worried, a weak smile on her face.

"Be careful." With a grin and a small 'heh', Leon nodded, ending the transmission, he made his way back to the stairway, passing the fallen Garrador as he picked up the gold bars that served as the reward for the kill.

"Hunnigan, you've got nothing to worry about."

xx

The single thought of escape made her heart race.

Until there were was a rosy color in her cheeks, squeezing her body tightly in hug to hold comfort. Ashley found herself holding a bitter taste in her mouth and even felt the dirt weigh on her body and see that even her clothes held some dark smudges. Every single thought that raced in her head had wrapped around the thought of a big strong and handsome man coming to her rescue. Now Ashely was grown up, around her twenties just so you know and knows that fairy tales do not exist. Yet when your father is the president, well, anything is possible. Aside from her fantasy, freedom was repeated in her head, so much that even she could mouth the words and soon even speak it aloud. With her breathing hesitant, the hazel eyes looked to the door, hearing the churn of the gears. The heavy metal door slowly opened itself and heavy footsteps sounded, expecting it to be Salazar, the college student felt a certain instinct within her snap. Searching ever part of the room, Ashley tried to find something that could defend her and when all that was held in the room was dust and barrels, she looked down to her closed fists that were around her.

She would just have to make her own defense. Slowly, Ashley forced her body to stand up, back still at the wall as she felt her breathing become heavy as she had nothing but fear. Her body was shaking all the way down, to her fists and then to her legs, her fists tightly closed shut. Those stupid words the villain had said to her, her small figure lurched forward with a groan, the squirming plagus that was inside her made her body ache.

"No!'" She shouted and then the figure slowly moved into the room.

"No, Stay away!" She spoke louder and pushed herself to run to the door, her fist tight and high as she struck the surface of the figure's cheek, blinking as the man she had hit was taller then Salazar, way taller.

The man stumbled back, cursing a bit as he looked to the girl with annoyed greenish-blue eyes, red shaping his cheek.

"Damn, Is this how you're going to treat the man who's trying to rescue you?" Leon asked and rubbed his cheek, looking to Ashley. The girl blinked, her eyes squinting as she examined the man, her body loose of anger.

"You're...here to save me?" She asked in a small questioning voice and the American agent nodded.

"Well, I didn't come all the way to Spain to get punched in the face."

Ashley sheepishly smiled, raising an arm so she could rub her neck, embarrassed as her cheeks flared up in many shades of red.

"Um, Sorry about that, I thought you were someone else." Leon gave a small 'heh' as he dropped his hand from his face.

"Name's Leon, Leon Kennedy." The sun blond girl's face brightened with her sugar coated features.

"Your father sent me, I'm taking you home." The agent said and gave a casual smirk as he reached out for her hand.

"I'm Ashley b-but you already knew that I'm sure." Ashley spoke nervously, her hazel eyes wide on Leon's handsome features as she instantly took his hand.

"My father? Really? I knew he would send someone." The girl gushed as she squeezed the American agent's hand as he pulled her from the room, feeling as if she could breath again, the air light and colors of the castle distracting her sight and making her lungs not feel as if they were cotton balls.

"Yeah, Well let's just get you home princess." Leon said with a weak smile, only playing nice to the president's daughter, his cheek paining a bit, he held nothing but calmness in his body. Something about Ashley told him that this mission was going to be what would seem to be hell on earth, just as long as she didn't get continuously captured then there would be no problems. With a punch like she got it's wonder she even got captured at all, Leon pondered sarcastically. A bit bitter that the meeting hadn't gone exactly as planned, he would flash her a smile and lead her home, not get punched in the face and run around a village for her.

Yeah, Ashley was going to be quite the handful, it seemed.

xx

To put it simply, Salazar was pissed off.

His hands so small, tightly shut into fists, the colorful veins flexing and squirming as nothing but rage rushed through him. He had come to visit dear Miss Ashley and yet her cell was empty as can be.

"Mr. Kennedy, I should have known you would have been one to test my patience." The Castellan fumed, breathing heavily as his golden eyes beamed to the empty place were Ashley had shoved herself into. His head was at a tilt, pondering carefully yet which the plagus burning his uncaring heart, he had but one plan. Turning on his heels, he paced out of the room, passing his right and left hand men, he paused and then stopped to turn to them and glare hard.

"Don't just fucking stand there, get the girl!" He hissed in a demand, stomping his foot as he bared his sharp gritted teeth, his heart burning.

"Kill Mr. Kennedy, send every guard after him." Salazar spoke, his golden eyes boring into his men's red blood lust filled eyes, both gripping their staffs and bearing silence.

"Miss Ashley will not leave this castle, I will not stand for such act." It was shouted as if it was an outrage, how could one man kill all those guards and still survive. Plagus or not, Leon Kennedy was posed as no threat. Saddler may underestimate him but no way in hell was Salazar going to let the man just slip away through his grimy little fingers.

"This game is of my surroundings, of my castle." The short villain stated calmly, his eyes adrift to the rich polished flooring, his hands falling to lace behind his back.

"Well now," The grin came and a sparkle of rich gold was within his eyes.

"We'll just have to add a few...obstacles." The words were spoken carefully and that small tickle was at the back of his throat once again, that cackle building up to echo through the room of the enormous castle.

No matter what, Ashley Graham wouldn't gain freedom so easily.

Chapter two complete.