Sighing slightly, the blond man takes a small sip of the coffee in his hands. His blue eyes run along the busy streets for a few moments, and he lightly massages his neck with his free hand. That night he didn't sleep for a long time.
Well, for good reason. After a few years and all that training, he would finally begin his career as a cop. This made him a bit anxious. At five o'clock he went out for a run and a little workout, and even after that, he didn't see himself calming down any time soon.
A small smile broke out on his lips and he took another sip of coffee. He couldn't wait to put on his uniform and get to work to make a difference.
He left home early, determined to follow the career that was part of his family. His great-great-grandfather was a cop, his great-grandfather too, his grandfather, his father, and now, finally, him. Maybe it was in his blood, that's why he was so eager.
The young man takes another sip of coffee. His eyes go to the closed traffic light ahead and he watches, for a few moments, the people crossing the street.
As soon as the traffic light opened, he turned his head to the side and looked at the time on the clock in a nearby church. 7:13 in the morning. His parents were probably already waiting for him. Great, he was starving.
After taking the last sip of his coffee, the young man stood up and walked to a nearby trash can, throwing the cup inside and putting his hands in his pockets soon after as he walked towards a jeep parked a few meters away.
He looked inside the coffee shop as he passed in front of it for a few moments and, from his pocket, pulled out his car keys.
Starting the vehicle, he put on some random music just to pass the time and put on his seat belt before going on his way. He knew he wouldn't be able to pay attention to the music anyway.
Twenty-four minutes, that's how long it took him to get to his parents' house. They lived on a quiet street, not far from the center, and it was possible to hit some traffic not far from where they were.
It was a good neighborhood.
The young man parked his car, briefly checking his belongings in the back seats. Everything was ready for his trip.
He got out of the car and walked with calm steps towards the door of the house, knocking three times as soon as he approached.
From inside, he could hear a female voice, somewhat agitated, although he could hear a little tiredness. He could already imagine that his mother had not slept for so long either. And finally, a male voice, drawn out, deep, and a little tired. His parents must have already set the breakfast table they said they would make for him.
Hurried footsteps headed toward the door, and shortly after, the young man came upon a woman of short stature, long blond hair as intense as his, if not more so, light brown eyes, and a lively expression. His mother was already in her forties, yet she seemed somewhat youthful, not appearing to be over thirty.
Despite this, he proved right, she had slight dark circles under her eyes.
"It's about time you graced us with your presence, Mister Leon." She said playfully, pulling the young man into a hug, in which he strongly reciprocated.
"Sorry, I hit a little traffic on the way here." He apologized, breaking away from the hug and entering the house as his mother closed the door.
From the front door, he could see his father in the kitchen, sitting in a chair looking at the small television that was facing him. His father also had short light hair, blue eyes, and his skin was a little darker than both his and his mother's. He had a naturally rigid expression due to his years in the military.
Like his mother, his father appeared to be younger than he really was, although not by many years.
Leon removed his jacket as he walked toward the kitchen, catching his old man's eye.
"Ah, you've arrived. I thought you flipped the car already." His father said, slowly getting up.
Leon, for his part, sighed a little and shook his head at his father's speech.
"Ah, give me a break, I didn't flip the car." Leon said, and his father arched an eyebrow.
"Oh, you didn't?" He asked, clearly mocking him.
"I almost flipped the car." Leon said, and his father laughed lightly as he pulled him into a somewhat tight hug.
"Sure, sure. At least now you'll have your own money for the repair when you flip it." His father said as he undid the hug, and Leon feigned a pained expression.
"Leonardo!" His mother scolded, and his father just held up his hands as if to say, "Okay, whoever said that isn't here anymore."
"I'm just kidding... sort of." He said, chuckling lightly to himself. Leon just rolled his eyes and sat down at the table, watching his mother place a plate of scrambled eggs in front of him. He thanked her and ate some of the eggs.
"In my defense, I had just taken my license." Leon said after a few bites, watching his mother sit down next to him.
The table was somewhat bountiful. Various types of fruit, eggs, toast, cheese, even some pies.
"Yeah, sure, it's totally understandable you can overturn the car going fifteen an hour. It's really hard to control it." His father scoffed again, putting some toast on his plate. "Lucky you had that guy to help you start the car afterwards, he was a hero."
"My mother who tolerates you on a daily basis is the real hero." Leon retorted, making his mother laugh a little and shake her head at the silliness.
"Isabella, you're agreeing with him?" Leonardo asked, and his wife just shrugged, making Leon smile in victory.
The mood was light, courtesy of the two Kennedys who were used to small discussions of that sort. Miss Kennedy was also participating, but in relation to the two, she was somewhat more reserved.
"So, Leon, are you really satisfied with your choice? Is it really Raccoon you want to go to?" Isabella asked, and the somewhat playful mood turned more serious in a flash.
It was Leon's understanding that his mother had not liked the idea very much. She wanted him to work right there, in the city, where it was closer.
However, both she and Leonardo knew that Leon was ambitious. He had always shown ambition, even at a younger age. It was no wonder that he had achieved all that he did.
How many eighteen-year-olds could afford to live alone? Buy a car? Okay, his parents helped a little, yes, but much of the money came from his own pocket.
"Yes. I know it's a long way off, but I told you, I didn't become a cop to sit around eating donuts. Raccoon City has had a big increase in violence in the last few years. More than any other city. They need cops there." He replied, and despite the clear annoyance his mother felt, she said nothing, just accepted it.
"He's made up his mind. And he's walked that path almost entirely on his own." His father said, looking at his mother for a few moments. And then he looked him deep in the eye, still with a serious expression.
"We're proud of you, Leon. You are a determined and hard working boy, I couldn't ask for a better son. Raccoon City is a violent city, yes, we know that... but we know you'll take care." Leonardo said, getting up from the table and walking towards the stairs to the second floor.
"Come. I have a gift for you." He said, turning to Leon, stopping a few steps away from the stairs.
"But what about the dishes? I-"
"Oh, you can leave them there. Today is my day to do the dishes anyway." He said with a small smile, and after a brief glance with his mother, Leon stood up and followed his father, noticing his mother getting up shortly after and putting the dishes in the sink.
Both men walked quickly up the steps, and Leon wondered what kind of gift it was.
They entered his old room, and as soon as he entered he realized that it was almost exactly the same as he had left it when he left home. His parents hadn't moved much in there. Maybe to leave the memories.
On the bed was a small briefcase, which made Leon arch his eyebrows slightly.
His father walked over to the briefcase and took it in his hands, turning toward the young man a little later and extending the briefcase in his direction.
Without saying anything, but clearly somewhat confused and curious, Leon approaches and opens the case. His eyebrows widen slightly at the sight of the gun inside the small case. A USP, 9 mm with a silver barrel.
Leon alternated his gaze between his father and the gun a few times, and took the pistol in his hand. The weight was great. He raised it and pointed it at the wall. Although he had not used that model in his police training, he knew about it.
Not to mention that this one was clearly customized. There was a textured tape on the handle for a firmer grip, a fiber optic front sight, which made it somewhat more accurate, a barrel in an "O" ring, which further improved the accuracy. Although, as far as he knew, those things wore out after a while. Not that it was a problem.
Certainly a more than reliable pistol.
The young man held the pistol with both hands, looking at it for a few moments.
"It's a great gun. You didn't need it..." Leon said with a small smile, and his father snorted playfully.
"I didn't need it, but I wanted to. You may have noticed that it is customized, especially for combat. Take good care of it, and it will take good care of you." His father said, a small cheerful smile, perhaps, with a bit of nostalgia.
Leon arched an eyebrow slightly as he saw his father take a pistol identical to his from his waistband. A small smile danced on his lips.
"You retired your old friend? I thought you would never part with pride." Leon said, remembering all the times his father spoke of his gun "pride" as if it were a real person.
"Well, she and I have a long history, it's true. But, I realized it was time for her to retire. Who knows, maybe in the future, she'll be a relic passed down to my grandchildren." Leonardo said, and Leon laughed a little, shaking his head as he ran his eyes over both guns.
"Thanks, old man." He thanked, putting the pistol back in the case.
"You're welcome. Now, a gun is not just an accessory, you-"
"I must take care of it as if it were part of me. Huh, you kept repeating that." Leon interrupted him, shaking his head slightly.
"Ahm, good thing you learned, I was never sure if you were listening or not." He said, and Leon rolled his eyes.
His gaze fell on the gun inside the still open case. The silver reflected the light hitting the barrel, and although they were both silent, they both noticed the change in mood.
Leon because of his thoughts, Leonardo because of the expression on his son's face.
"... You know, I think a name would be appropriate. Especially since it's a gift." Leon said.
"Hm, I agree. You don't want to leave your partner without a name, do you? Have you thought of one?" His father asked, putting his pistol back in his waistband.
"... Matilda." Leon said, looking at his father, who understood why that change of expression.
For both of them, matilda was a somewhat special name. It had been almost five years now that Mathilda, Leon's younger sister, had been killed by a stray bullet in a robbery.
He, his father and Mathilda were about to leave a restaurant. The girl had a bag in her hands with some pieces of pizza for her mother who had stayed home.
Before they could leave, however, some men appeared on the scene and pointed their guns at the people inside. His father was armed, but with the men looking directly in his direction, he had no choice but to cooperate.
What they didn't expect was that one of the customers tried to fight back. He hit the first man and grabbed the gun.
A few shots were fired. The customer ended up wounded, but it gave his father time to grab his own gun and deal with the robbers.
When the two of them realized, Mathilda was lying with a hole in her chest. Her father was desperate and Leon didn't know exactly what to do. He was too young.
They called the police and the ambulance, but Mathilda didn't make it and died right there. His father blamed himself for a long time for not acting faster.
Being a cop was in the family, yes, but surely that was the main reason Leon decided to join the force.
So the name, a small tribute.
His father shook his head slightly and lowered his gaze, clenching his own fist slightly.
"... It's a good name." That was all he said, and they were both silent for a while.
(Just an addendum. The USP is made by the German company Hecker & Koch. The matilda, in the games, is based on another gun from the same company, the VP70 pistol. So I decided to put the same name).
His father then sighed slightly and looked at the watch on his wrist, huffing slightly shortly after.
"You'd better go. You'll get there too late if you take any longer." His father said, and Leon checked the clock on the corridor wall. 08:47. He didn't even notice the time passing.
"Yeah... I didn't even notice the time pass." He said, closing the small matilda case and looking at his father again. "Look, I know Mom doesn't like this decision of mine, but..."
"Oh, let it be. I'll take care of your mother. She's just worried. In time, she'll realize that this job is dangerous no matter the location." Leonardo said, patting Leon on the shoulder twice and walking toward the door. The young man soon followed him.
"Yeah, but, well, Raccoon is technically more dangerous." Leon said, and his father glared at him.
"A cop has to be on his guard at all times, no matter if it's in Raccoon, or a small town. Crime is everywhere, in different forms, but the means of fighting it are the same." He said as they walked down the stairs, and both men's eyes fell on Isabella, who was standing in front of the table with a small box in her hands.
"Finally, I thought your father wouldn't let me deliver my gift." Her mother said, approaching and handing the small box into the young man's hands.
Leon looked at it for a while before opening the present, finding himself faced with a silver watch. Just by looking at the brand Leon could tell it was not a cheap gift.
Blancpain created quality watches, but somewhat expensive ones. Well, deservedly so.
"So you won't be late for work." His mother said, and Leon smiled a little.
"You say that like I'm always late." He joked, and his father huffed.
"Well, you did come late today." He said, pretending not to notice his wife's hard stare.
"Thanks, Mom." He thanked her, hugging her somewhat tightly for a while. The woman returned the hug by squeezing him just as tightly.
"You take care, Kennedy. And you'd better visit whenever you can." She said, her voice a little muffled from being with her face buried in his chest.
"I will." He said, undoing the hug shortly after and walking toward the door. He picks up his jacket as he walked and opens the door.
"You two take care of yourselves." He said, turning to them still with one hand on the doorknob.
"I'm the one who should tell you that. Make sure you don't overturn any patrol cars." His father joked, receiving a light elbow from Isabella, though the latter laughed a little herself.
"Argh, old man... never change." Leon said, shaking his head amusedly.
"Oh, you bet." He said, waving to Leon, who waved back and walked toward his car.
He placed the briefcase on the seat next to the driver's seat, turned around and entered the vehicle.
Before he got out, he honked his horn and waved to his parents who were looking at him from the doorway. They both waved back, and he drove off, watching his parents in the rearview mirror as they zoomed away, until he turned the corner and they disappeared from his line of sight.
Although he was used to living alone, he would be lying if he didn't say that he wasn't feeling a sense of anxiety. Perhaps because he would now be even further away, pursuing his own career in a city he knew almost nothing about, apart from a few places he had researched beforehand, along with some important information.
Leon settled into his seat and turned on the radio, leaving one of his favorite songs on. "Wind of change", Skorpions. His father was the one who listened to that band the most, and he sort of came to like it too.
He whistled the beginning of the song while waiting for the light to open.
The young man looked in the rearview mirror for a moment. His arrow was on. The light opened and he turned into the street, making his way toward the highway.
Speeding up, he glanced at the briefcase on the seat beside him. He had long hours of driving ahead of him. It was likely that he would not arrive in Raccoon city until the evening. That was if there were no setbacks.
Time was not exactly a problem. But he wanted to take a walk around the city, at least in the center, to better locate himself and get to know a little of the streets he would be patrolling.
The hours passed in a strange way. Sometimes his body seemed to go into automatic mode because of the various thoughts that flooded his mind, and when he came to, it seemed as if he had skipped hours in some heartbeats. At other times, time seemed to take a while to pass.
He hardly stopped. There were some snacks in his bag to get through the day. He only stopped twice. Once for lunch at a random restaurant in a small town he passed through. And the other only to refuel the car and go to the bathroom.
The afternoon sun did not bother much. Although sunny, the weather was cool.
Leon sighed slightly. Again he had that feeling that he had gone into automatic, that he had been consumed with memories of his training. Some of the friends he had made during his training had each gone their separate ways. Some decided to stay in town, others decided to go elsewhere, he wondered how they were doing, even though it hadn't been that long since he had seen them.
The last time he looked at his watch was 3:32 PM. Now he looked at his wrist again and the clock read 04:59... 05:00 now.
The radio was off and he had no idea how long. Adjusting his posture, he turns the radio back on, and as he sticks his eyes on the road, he sees a sign shortly after a gas station written "welcome to Raccoon city, home of the Umbrella corporation". There were only a few more miles to go.
He looked at the gas station for a few moments. There was a car stopped and a policeman leaning on the car talking to another man. By the clothes, someone who worked there.
His blue eyes then went to the gas meter. He didn't need to fill up.
He took one hand off the wheel and massaged his neck. Driving for so long was really tiring.
Minutes later, Raccoon city was visible in front of him, and Leon sighed in slight relief. He couldn't sit still any longer. Looking in the rearview mirror, he made a right turn and changed lanes, approaching the entrance to the city.
There was a huge sign at the entrance that read "welcome to Raccoon city". The city seemed to be as large as he thought.
It was getting dark and there was a relatively large amount of movement that Sunday. There were a few restaurants open and a few bars, as far as he could tell.
He arrived in the center some time later. It had taken longer than he had thought.
He stopped at a red light and looked around. There was a large shopping mall to his right, where the movement of people was greater. A few other establishments were also open. A gym a few hundred meters down the street to his right, and to his left was a familiar street.
He turned on his indicator, when the signal opened, he went forward. As he turned and drove a few meters, he noticed to his right, the street that led to the police station.
The young man looked away and went straight ahead, turning right, then left respectively. He went straight for a few more minutes, turned right again and there was his building.
There was a pharmacy on the corner, and a few buildings next to the apartment building, a closed bakery and a pizzeria. He also knew that there was a market down the street and turned left.
It was a well-located place. A bakery and a market nearby, not far from the center, and certainly not far from the police station.
As it was Sunday, he managed to find a parking space nearby after searching for some time. There were a relatively large number of parked cars.
He got out of the vehicle and locked it, stretching a little and sighing slightly as he finally stretched his legs.
After making sure that his wallet was in his pocket, he walked calmly down the sidewalk, watching the activity on the street and enjoying the cool weather as he headed towards the reception desk of the building. He couldn't wait to take a well-deserved shower.
As soon as he entered the place he ran his eyes around. It was a simple building, although it had its beauty. The reception desk was average, there were a few armchairs to his right surrounding a table.
A few steps away was the doorman, who seemed to sort through some things behind the table.
He approached, catching the man's eye.
"Good evening, how can I help you?" He asked, finishing sorting through some files and setting them aside for the moment.
"Good evening. I have a room in my name. Leon Kennedy." He said, and the man opened a drawer beside him and rummaged around inside for a few moments, until he pulled out some files.
"Oh, yes, room 217, you're moving in today. Well Mr. Kennedy, I need you to sign these papers." He said, placing some papers in front of the young man and handing him a pen.
As soon as Leon signed, the doorman handed him a card.
"This is the card for entering and exiting the parking lot. As soon as you're ready, I'll help you take your things to your room." The doorman said, and Leon nodded, saying a thank you before taking the card and walking toward the exit.
Minutes later, Leon had already parked his car in the parking lot, and had met the doorman who was already waiting there. Hm, he was helpful.
Leon picked up some boxes, along with his briefcase, and the doorman did the same. After he locked the car, they both walked to the elevator and the doorman pressed the second floor.
As soon as the elevator doors opened, they walked down the long corridor and turned left, and there was apartment 217.
The doorman opened the door and they entered the apartment.
It was a simple apartment, but it looked a little larger than the one he saw in the photo. There was only one bedroom and a small living room. Next to it was a somewhat spacious kitchen for someone who lived alone.
The bathroom was next to the bedroom. There was a bed and a small closet, but big enough for his things.
It was an already furnished room, which was great, although it was a bit more expensive than he wanted. But, well, it wasn't a problem, he had been saving money for some time, and now that he had a job, it really wasn't a problem.
He left the boxes in his room, and watched the doorman do the same.
"Well, I hope you like the room. Here are your keys." The doorman tossed the keys to Leon, who caught them still in the air. "Well, I suppose you've already read about the building rules and everything, and I know you must be tired from the trip, it's in your face, so I'll save you the trouble of explaining. But if you haven't read it, just go to the front desk."
The young policeman nodded, and the doorman made his way to the door.
"Well, welcome, Mr. Kennedy." He said, before leaving and closing the door.
As soon as the doorman left, Leon sighed. Well, that's it, he was in the place he would call home for a while.
He looked at those boxes sprawled on the floor. There weren't many, but he wasn't energetic enough to pack them up right now.
Running his hand through his hair, he walked over to one particular box and picked up a towel and some clothes. The shower couldn't wait.
The bathroom was small, but it was enough. The apartment in general was clean and had a cozy energy, he would have no problem living there, it seemed.
The cold water running over his body chilled his skin at first, but soon after he felt his muscles relaxing. At that moment he was seriously considering not going out that night and leaving for a walk another day.
But, well, the sooner he got acquainted, the better, and he wanted to shoot the minutes it took to walk from there to the police station.
Getting out of the shower and drying off, he put on a pair of dark gray sweatpants and a black short-sleeved blouse. A pair of simple sneakers with a bluish-gray coloring. Before leaving he tidied his hair and gave his neck a single spray of perfume. Although tired, he felt refreshed.
Leon looked at the watch his mother had given him. 7:03 PM. Boy, time was flying fast.
He picked up his wallet and walked to the door, locking it as he left.
He waved to the doorman and left the building, looking both ways before turning right.
He walked slowly down the sidewalk, his hands in his pockets. There were a few people walking too, although the number of cars was still greater.
He retraced the path he had taken until he reached the center. Then he looked at his watch. 7:47 PM. Meh, it hadn't been that long. He probably would have arrived sooner if he had walked faster.
As he walked down the sidewalk, he looked at the open restaurants. He thought he saw a Japanese food restaurant somewhere... he would look for it later.
Ahead, there was a 24 hour gym... great, he would stop by there when he had time.
As he approached the mall, he took a quick look at the movies playing in the theater. None of them really caught his attention. Although there was an interesting one. Scream. Some of his friends had mentioned that movie, although he had never seen it.
It was quite famous, a good horror movie. At least, that's what he saw. It was playing that week.
Well, maybe he would visit the theater to watch it.
Turning around, he waits for the light to close next to some other people and crosses the street, walking straight for a few minutes until he enters the street that led to the police station.
A few hundred meters before the police station was a basketball court surrounded by chain-link fences.
After walking a little longer, he finally reaches the front of the police station. Just as he had seen in the picture, it was huge.
In front of him were the entrance gates with some vehicles parked in front of them. The entrance to the parking lot was probably on another street.
He looked at his watch. 08:18. Well, it certainly wouldn't take an hour's walk from his apartment to the police station, but he would have to drive there and back anyway, so there was no risk of being late.
Well, now that he had located himself, he turned around and made his way back to the center, his mind conflicting between eating what he had in his apartment or going to some restaurant... he chose to go to his apartment anyway, he wanted to go to bed as soon as possible.
And before he knew it, the night had passed and morning had come. His alarm clock beeped annoyingly, causing Leon to grunt slightly.
A little disoriented, he turned off his alarm clock and slowly got up. The clock read 04:30 AM. He always woke up at 05:00, but he wanted to get to that gym first. He didn't have to be at the police station until 07:00. Time enough for him to make a strong breakfast and do his morning workout.
He got up and walked to the bathroom. A little later, he went to his kitchen. He always prepared a high-protein breakfast. That day it would be pancakes with banana, peanut butter, some fruit and honey. Easy and quick to make.
Leon waited for a while until he changed clothes and looked at his watch. 05:08.
He sighed slightly and walked to the door, locking it as soon as he left the apartment.
The young man ran to the gym, which didn't take him long to arrive. As soon as he arrived, he introduced himself at the reception desk and asked to sign up.
His time was counted. At 06:10 he already left the gym after weight training. It was a quick workout, and the cardio would have to be his round-trip run.
As soon as he arrived at his apartment, he took a shower and put on a more casual outfit. Regular jeans, a dark blue dress shirt, and gray sneakers. He had not yet picked up his uniform.
The young man picked up his wallet and his watch, as well as his car keys and, of course, his matilda.
He left his apartment and looked at his watch. 06:32. Well, he probably wouldn't be late for his first day.
The young man approached the elevator, noticing a woman in uniform with a bag on her arm. Also going to work, apparently.
He approaches and nods to her when she looks at him. She nods back and looks away, both of them waiting for the elevator to arrive.
A short time later, Leon finally reaches the parking lot and walks to his car. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel a little nervous about his first day.
He started his car and made his way to the exit of the parking lot. The streets were beginning to get busy, people leaving for their jobs. Well, as luck would have it, he was close to the police station and didn't hit as much traffic as he thought.
He finally arrived at the police station. The young man pulled into the parking lot and parked in an empty space.
He sighed slightly and looked at his watch. 06:55. He had arrived just in time.
The blond man got out of the vehicle and locked it. To his right was a door that led into the police station. A little to the side was an alley that led to the entrance. There were a few officers around, some gave him looks, but let him go on his way.
He walked down the alley and ran his eyes along the entrance. From what he had researched, before it became a police station, that place was a museum. He could see some old remnants of it.
As soon as he entered the police station, he saw a statue just behind the reception desk. It looked smaller in the photo. The reception hall was rather large, there were some waiting chairs next to the walls on the left. A staircase led up to the second floor. A waiting room to his left with some civilians waiting for their turns to take care of whatever they needed to take care of.
Clearing his throat, Leon walks to the reception desk. There was a woman sitting in front of a computer. Her desk was full of scattered files and papers and she seemed focused on what she was doing, until she looked at him when he approached, stopping what she was doing.
"Good morning, how can I help you?" She asked, looking at him in a slightly odd way. Eyes slightly clenched, seeming to recognize him from somewhere.
"Good morning. I'm Leon Kennedy. I'm here-"
"Oh, I know! The super rookie!" She exclaimed, somewhat surprised, excited even, louder than Leon wanted.
The young man, in turn, blinked a few times, somewhat confused and surprised.
"... Excuse me?" He wasn't expecting that one.
"I'm sorry, that was louder than I meant it to be. But we've been expecting you, rookie. You're right on time. Great." She said, giving a brief check of her watch. "You're well known."
Leon blinked again.
"I am?" He asked befuddled, and the woman laughed lightly.
"Of course. Anyone who volunteers to come to Raccoon draws attention. Especially someone with your scores." She said, typing something into the computer on which Leon could not see. "Leon Scott Kennedy. You graduated at the top of your class, practically perfect scores in everything. You were well commended, an easy choice for us. So there's your nickname." She said, finishing reading her file and looking at him with a small smile.
"...I have a nickname?" He asked, and her smile widened.
"You DO have a nickname." She confirmed.
He already had a nickname... it seemed like a good start, that's what he thought.
"Hey, Marvin, come here. Our super rookie has arrived." She said suddenly, looking at a point behind Leon.
The young man then turned around as he heard footsteps approaching. As he turned, he focused his eyes on a man. He had dark skin and carried a file on his arm. He appeared to be in his thirties, was tall, perhaps a little taller than Leon.
He recognized the man. Marvin Branagh. He appeared in some pictures when he researched about the police station. He was a lieutenant, his superior.
He watched the man approach for a few moments, and then his gaze fell on the person walking next to him. He couldn't have been unaware of the stars, literally, of the police station. He had read all about S.T.A.R.S. and knew well about Jill Valentine. An elite member of the Raccoon city police department.
He took a deep breath... what a great start indeed.
"So you're the rookie. Hm, you look younger up close." Marvin held out his hand, which Leon promptly shook. "Marvin Branagh."
"Leon Kennedy, sir." He greeted him, perhaps a little more formal than he wanted. Marvin smiled slightly and shook his head.
"Good handshake. But you don't need that much formality, you're not in uniform yet." Marvin said, alternating his gaze between him and Jill. "Well... Rookie, Jill. Jill, rookie. I guess you must already know who she is." Marvin said, and Leon squeezed Jill's hand.
"I only know what I've read. But I confess I didn't expect to meet a member of S.T.A.R.S. right after I arrived." Leon said, and Jill smiled slightly.
"Well, I already wanted to meet the rookie who caught Marvin's eye here. I guarantee there are few who get his attention." She said, putting both hands on her waist. "Besides, the department doesn't get many rookies."
"Yeah, well... that's one of the reasons I decided to come here." Leon said, alternating his gaze between Marvim and Jill.
The lieutenant crossed his arms and shook his head slightly.
"Huh, good to know that. We need that kind of attitude." He said, looking at Jill, who patted his shoulder lightly.
"I'll let you take care of our rookie. Talk to you later, Marvin." She said, also giving Leon a light pat on the shoulder before walking away. "Welcome to the family, rookie." With that, she walked away. Leon watched her for a few moments before turning his to Marvin.
At least he didn't seem nervous... he hoped.
"Well, come with me. I'll introduce you to the staff and give you your uniform. As you may already know, we are short of police officers, so you will start your work early." Marvin said, nodding his head for Leon to follow him.
They walked toward a door that led to the west office.
As soon as they entered, Leon ran his eyes around the office. There were a few officers at the windows to their left attending the civilians. Others were sitting in their assigned places focusing on their work.
Marvin introduced him, momentarily pausing the work of those who would be his colleagues.
Rita Phillips, an officer just like him.
George Scott... he was not present as he was part of the night shift that day, but Leon saw his nameplate in an empty seat.
Neil Carlsen, sergeant. He looked serious, but greeted him in a friendly way and welcomed him.
Elliot Edward. He was not there at the moment, but like George, Leon saw his nameplate.
And last, David Ford, an officer like himself, greeted him with a small smile and a handshake.
After learning the names of his colleagues, Leon followed Marvin through the corridors on the first floor until they reached a staircase leading to the second floor.
After walking for a while longer, they reached the changing room, where there was only one person in it.
A man, maybe the same height as Leon. He had dark straight hair, was athletic and had a small beard.
"Kevin. You were supposed to be here earlier today." Marvin grunted, shaking his head slightly at the sight of Kevin's grimace.
"Give me a break, Marvin. I was on night shift. That change of scale broke me." Kevin said, somewhat dramatically, without looking at them. Marvim just sighed.
"Complain to those responsible for the increased violence. Anyway, it's good that you're here. Your partner has arrived." Marvin said, and Kevin finally looked toward them.
Leon and Kevin maintained eye contact for a while, until Kevin looked at Marvin with slightly wide eyes.
"He looks like a teenager, are you sure he's the right guy? Or am I the one getting old?" He asked, approaching at a slow pace.
"I'd say both." Marvin replied, and Kevin just pretended he didn't heard him.
"Kevin Ryman." He extended his hand toward Leon, who promptly shook it.
"Leon Kennedy." The young man introduced himself.
"Kevin will be in charge of accompanying you when necessary, Leon. He may not look like it, but he's a good officer." Marvin said, and Kevin snorted.
"Hey, come on, don't do that in front of the new guy. Don't forget to say I'm the best shot in the department." Kevin said, bragging a little too much, and Marvin just arched an eyebrow.
"Anyway. Put on your uniform, Leon. Welcome to Raccoon." Marvim said, placing his hand on Leon's shoulder briefly, before turning and leaving the locker room.
Well... that was as good a start as any.