Phoenix:

17:

First


2005


Massachusetts


Survival training was something else. It was all about existing in the wilderness alone. Ashley learned how to make camp out of nothing. How to build a fire or scavenge for food. She learned how to hunt.

Killing a rabbit the first time made her cry, but it also felt like victory. She cooked the rabbit after she cleaned it and felt like a cowboy in the old west on the range or something. It was a good feeling.

For nearly a week, she was alone in the woods. For nearly a week, she made it work. Dirty, tired, but victorious, she came out of the woods to demand, "I want a shower and a fucking steak."

Kevin, looking as ragged as her, offered, "I'll share both with you."

Ashley gave him a look. He looked back, grinned, and bobbled his brows. She answered, "No thanks, bro. I already tried dating a recruit. Look how that turned out."

She walked off while he laughed and called after her, "We don't have to date...we could just fuck!"

Shenmei snorted, "She's got better things to do with that five minutes, Lunchbox Lothario."

Kevin's unoffended laughter followed Ashley into the showers. She bathed, felt like a million bucks doing it, and emerged from the shower to find Nero waiting for her.

Nero eyed her as Ashley moved to her locker to change into some clothes. "They posted assignments with trainers."

Ashley arched a brow as she slid on some panties. "Are we together?"

Nero laughed, and it sounded angry. "Nope. You're with Kennedy."

Ashley tilted her head, "Ok..is that a problem?"

Nero gave her a droll look. "Not technically. But I think we both know why it's a mistake."

Ashley snapped her bra closed and slid on a blue dress with a scoop neck and puffed sleeves. She added a denim jacket over it and picked up her knee high brown boots to add as she queried, "Is that your business?"

Nero arched her brows, "Graham...take my advice. He looks good. I'm sure he fucks pretty. He probably even kisses you like a romance novel hero...but he isn't worth your career. Because, trust me, you start being known as agent bait, and you'll never be respected in this profession."

Ashley eyed her quietly, "It's not like that."

Nero shook her head, "It doesn't matter. You can be desperately in love with each other, and no one will care. They will see a rookie banging her trainer, and they won't care about the why. You'll be a laughingstock. A joke. And a whore. Is that what you want?"

Ashley shook her head with an angry laugh. "I'm a whore, but what about him?"

"What else?" Nero snapped, "He's a stud. That's how it works with men in this job. He's a stud, and you're a groupie whore. I don't make the rules. And I don't even like the double standard. But that's how it is."

Ashley rose from the bench and zipped up her boots, "Thanks for the advice. I can handle it."

As she started toward the door, Nero called, "You think you can. And maybe you're right. But guys like Kennedy? They don't stick around. He'll try to love you, probably mean well doing it, and dump you the second the White House gives him the signal. Don't get attached, Ashley. Don't get confused about what you're doing here. This isn't a job for emotional attachment. Trust me."

Ashley turned to look at her. "You jealous?"

Nero laughed lightly, "No. I wish it was that simple. I don't have designs on Kennedy. I'm not a fool. But I know his type. And I know how this ends. I'd hate for you to torch a promising career because the guy gives good head."

Ashley met her eyes and answered, "Thanks, Mom. I'll keep that in mind."

As she passed by, Nero grabbed her arm above the elbow. "Ashley...reject the mission."

Ashley arched her brows, "What?"

"Reject it. It's a mistake. You're too close, and you can't see this now, but trust me - he can't teach you anything when you look at him like a puppy. Reject it. I'll take you with me. I'll teach you. You have such potential...don't lose what you came here to do because you think you're in love with him. You don't know him."

Ashley eyed her quietly, "You keep saying that. What does that even mean?"

"It means he has skeletons in his closet, Ashley. Big ones. Ugly ones. Ask him about them before you let him inside you."

Ashley flushed red at the image, and Nero urged softly, "Yeah. See? You're so fucking hung up on him you can't see past his muscles to who he is. Kennedy, he's a good guy. He is. He's a good one. But he's as motivated as the rest of us. You have to be to survive this job. And there will come a time you have to pick between the job and him. What will you pick?"

Ashley said nothing until Nero returned, "Yeah, I know. Trust me, I get it. But honey? He won't do the same. Do you hear me? He won't pick you. He can't. It's not how he's built."

"Can't? Or won't?"

Nero gave her a pitying look. "That you asked...tells me maybe you know him better than I thought. Your father asked me to protect you, Ashley. He asked Leon too as well. But he asked me to watch Leon, too. Why do you think that is? What's he trying to protect you from?"

"Leon would never hurt me."

"No, not on purpose. You're right about that. But he will anyway. Trust me on this. He's not as golden as you think he is, Ashley. Protect yourself. And stop this."

Ashley shook her head. She pulled her arm away and murmured, "You're wrong about him. And me. You're wrong."

She left the locker room. She crossed the lobby toward the postings. Her name was side by side with Leon, and their lead time was three hours. She glanced over as a few agents stopped talking to look at her.

Did they know?

Were they whispering about her banging her trainer?

She wasn't. She wasn't banging him. But she was splitting hairs, and she knew it. She'd risked everything touching him in the shower. She knew that too. She didn't regret it but knew it came with blowback.

Nero was right about that.

But she didn't want to stop. She couldn't. Something about him made her want to risk everything. It wasn't as easy as just cutting him out of her life. It couldn't be.

He'd somehow become such a huge part of it. She'd be operating with half herself if she cut him out. She wasn't sure what would be left without him there to fill in the holes left of who'd she'd been.

Ashley headed off to pack up her gear and change clothing.

She was in black cargo pants, a long sleeve black moisture-wicking tee, and wearing her holster and vest when Leon joined her on the tarmac. She'd thrown a puffy black coat over the look and figured she looked like an assassin in a bad movie with her hair ponytailed back. He crossed toward her while the helicopter blades whipped his hair around his face, and Ashley accepted the little communicator he offered as they climbed into the chopper.

They settled inside, strapping in and securing themselves as he called to her, "There was a plane crash in Harvardville. Someone infected passengers on the plane, and it brought the plane down into the airport. We have survivors stuck inside."

They were airborne, zipping into the night sky as Ashley inquired, "How many?"

"Unclear."

"Risk factors?"

"Unclear."

She nodded. She leaned back and looked out the open side door as the world rushed by. This was it. Her moment. Her chance. She was going to prove she wasn't just some groupie trying to bang her trainer.

She was here to save lives.

When the helicopter touched down, Ashley followed Leon off the chopper and paced behind and two his left as they moved. There was a crisis center already established. Tents stood in the rain, and emergency decontamination showers were flanked by heavy vinyl walls. She could see shapes beyond being sprayed as people cried, as people milled around, and as hazmat suits tried to offer support while dealing with crisis.

Large fences cordoned off the area, sealing out the spectators and reporters. Helicopters circled with local media trying to get a glimpse. The airport was smoking, and a firefighting team was trying to contain the blaze. Ashley took it all in stride, even as her insides quivered with nervous tension.

Leon sent her to make sure the perimeter was secure while he consulted the small team they were sending into the airport for the rescue. He ducked into a tent while she executed his orders. Following orders was easy. It took her mind off the bubble of fear in her belly that she'd fail.

Ashley made sure everything was holding and that everyone was equipped for an evacuation. She checked in to be sure those already pulled from the wreckage were doing ok. She double-checked that TerraSave was on site to help with humanitarian relief.

She heard the shouting and the denials before she was even close to the tent. Clearly, the team in question wasn't liking their federal backup.

Ashley opened the flap in time to hear a snarky male voice demand, "This guy!?"

Someone laughed.

"Somebody is having a laugh at us. You want us to believe one dude is who they send? He doesn't even look official, man. He looks like James Dean rode in on his Harley to fuck chics and drink his way to victory."

The man in question reminded her of Kyle with his arrogance and stupidity as he declared, "We petition for help, and we get this joker? Where's the hidden camera recording this shit?"

Ashley snapped, "This joker," she did air quotes, "has more experience with this kind of shit than your pea-sized brain can even begin to understand. So maybe you should shut the fuck up and listen."

The man gave her a nasty look. "Who are you, princess? His fluffer? You get him primed for combat looking like bitch slap Barbie over there?"

Ashley surged forward to get in a shouting match, and Leon caught her arm as she moved passed him. He commanded quietly, "No."

She paused. She hated it, but she listened. She'd come here to learn. She didn't come here to defend her honor against a hopped-up asshole with small dick syndrome.

Leon addressed the room, "You can waste time judging me based on my looks. If you think I haven't heard it all before, you're as stupid as you are naive. This operation is simple - in and out. I don't care if you agree, if you disagree, if you think you can do it alone - clearly, the White House didn't think so. So, here I am. I'm going in. I'm getting those people out. And I don't need you to let me."

He stepped over to the table and looked at the map as a beautiful, big-eyed woman stepped up next to him and offered, "The call came from here."

She gestured at the blueprint on the table. "We think it's the executive flight lounge. Someone was smart enough to know that they were steel-reinforced doors there."

Leon nodded. He glanced over the blueprint, and Ashley watched him memorize it on the spot. He glanced at Ashley and advised, "In and out, Graham. Follow my lead. No wasted shots."

She nodded. He glanced at the woman beside him and the arrogant man and told them, "You and you."

The rest of the SWAT team assembled looked surprised as she informed them, "Four will move faster and quieter than a whole squad. I don't want the noise. I wanna do this swiftly and with as little risk to life as possible."

The arrogant guy snorted and rolled his eyes. The big-eyed woman nodded, "Ok. What's the directive?"

Leon glanced at her again and returned, "Disable the central nervous system. T-virus infectees can't operate without higher cognitive function."

The arrogant guy jeered, "English, Wikipedia."

Ashley snapped, "It means shoot them in the head, dumbass. Haven't you ever seen a freaking zombie movie?"

The guy gave her the finger. Ashley rolled her eyes. She wasn't sure why he was going along. Honestly, he was an asshole with my balls than brains. But clearly, Leon had his reasons.

She still tried to discourage him, "...this guy is a fuck up, Leon. Don't bring him."

He glanced down at her, "He's hotheaded. But well respected. I asked before selecting both of them. He's one of the best."

Ashley held his look, "He's gonna screw this up."

Leon shook his head, "He obeys command. They were clear on that."

"Yeah," Ashley muttered as Leon took the lead, "but he doesn't see you that way."

As they moved through the rain toward the helicopter, Ashley glanced backed the big-eyed woman. She kept looking at Leon like he was something she wanted to eat. Who could blame her? Honestly, he was a tasty snack. You'd have to be blind not to see it.

Leon told them on the chopper, "No lone rangers. No wasted shots. You make little to no noise. We move fast; we move smart. Nobody goes cowboy. Nobody gets stupid. And we all make it out of this alive."

Ten minutes later, they were rappeling down onto the roof of the collapsing airport. They landed, Leon signaled with his hand, and Ashley surged forward to grab the door to the fire escape.

He signaled, she tugged, and he cleared through into the dark.

They did pretty well moving as a team until Angela, the big-eyed woman, lost her fucking mind and took off running toward the sounds of what she determined were survival. Leon tried to explain to her that it was just the undead milling around in the cafeteria, but she insisted someone was alive in there. She ran. She didn't listen. Craig, the arrogant moron, went running after her.

Ashley muttered, "...amateurs."

And followed Leon down the hallway as the gunfire started.

Pissed, he snapped, "Idiot. Apparently, quick and quiet means something else in Neanderthal speak."

Ashley admonished, "Told you not to bring him."

Leon gave her a dull look. "Watch it, rookie."

Her mouth twitched. She backed him up as he surged into the room and fired off a single shot. The woman Angela had shot went down on her back in a smear of blood, dispatched with a clean shot through the left eye.

Leon commanded, "I said the head, goddamnit. Anything else is a waste of your time."

Angela whimpered, "She was alive. She was alive! I tried to help her...why..."

Leon returned, "T-Virus infectees aren't alive. They're undead. Who briefed you on the infected?"

Craig chuckled, "Like we care about that stupid Lovecraftian shit they were talking about. Undead, my ass. Zombies are bullshit. Watch."

He stepped up. He lifted his rifle. To Ashley's horror, he started firing into the undead gathered beyond the glass. The glass exploded. It threw shrapnel. The bodies danced. The heavy rounds tore them apart. He hit them full body. He didn't bother to listen and go for headshots.

And the noise.

The noise he made with that weapon brought more milling around corners. It brought more out of broken doors. It brought more spilling out of the shattered glass to come toward them.

Ashley breathed, "...oh my god..."

The more that came, the more Craig fired. It was ridiculous. It was stupid. They started crawling up Craig's legs while he screamed. Leon grabbed him and threw him into a run as he commanded, "Go! Now!"

They ran for it. Because there was nothing else they could do. At the curve in some stairs, Leon threw the doors shut and shoved a cabinet over to block them. He turned and jerked the gun from Craig's hands. Leon drove the stock into the other man's stomach and shoved him against the wall.

When Leon tossed the weapon, Ashley caught it without being asked.

His fingers curled around Craig's vest as he thrust him into the wall so hard it made the other man grunt. "You son of a bitch...all you did back there was cut off our exit. Fall in line, or next time I will leave you to the bullshit disaster you just created."

Craig, afraid now, gasped, "Why didn't they die!?"

And Leon snapped, "I told you why, you fool. They're already dead. All they care about is hunger. The only advantage you have against them is to stay quiet and hope they don't hear you. And you? You just rang the fucking dinner bell."

He shoved Craig away and paced toward Ashley. She offered him the assault rifle, and Leon took it, cleared it, and tossed it back to the man leaning on the wall. Craig caught it as Leon demanded coldly, "No wasted shots. No unnecessary noise. You move when I move. You do not, ever, contradict my fucking orders. Or next time you figure out what it feels like to get your goddamn throat eaten out by the undead."

Angela whispered, "I'm sorry. I heard a little girl...I thought I could-"

Leon lifted a hand at her to silence her. "It doesn't matter. Do you hear me? Whatever you think you hear, whatever you think you know - you're wrong. You do not run off. Ever. Are we clear?"

She nodded rapidly.

Leon passed by Ashley and grumbled, "This is why I do this shit alone."

She gave him a look and had him rolling his eyes, "You know what I mean."

He opened the far door of the hallway and cleared out of the room. They followed. They listened. No more crazy testosterone. No more stupid antics. Ashley figured there were more morons like Kyle in the world than she liked. Craig was living proof of that.

As they came upon the Executive Lounge, Leon signaled. Ashley moved toward the door, and the sounds of struggle had her turning to the adjacent hallway. A woman was there battling a zombie with an umbrella.

It might have been funny if it wasn't also effective.

The woman drove the sharp point of the umbrella right through its left eye like a spear.

Ashley was still blinking in surprise as the body fell to the ground, and the woman turned to look at her. Red hair, big blue eyes, and a splatter of blood on her white button-up shirt. The first thing Ashley thought was - pretty. The second thing she thought was - bitch.

Because Leon passed by Ashley and remarked, "Claire Redfield - what the hell are you doing here?"

Claire. This was that Claire. She'd asked around after he'd told her about the girl in Raccoon City. This was her. Sister of the notorious badass Chris Redfield from the B.S.A.A. Survivor galore. Consumate badass herself.

And someone with a history with Leon that was still a little unclear.

Claire gave Leon a smirk as he approached, "I go where the zombies are, Kennedy. I thought you knew that."

They shook hands. He smiled at her. She winked back. And then she said, "Come on. I'm glad you're here. I've got people waiting for help."

Leon remarked, "You made the call?"

"Yup."

"Why am I not surprised?"

Claire grinned, "Because I'm not a dumbass, my friend. I know when I'm outclassed."

"Yeah? Then why are you running around with umbrella?"

She gave him a droll look. "Because you took too long, big hero."

"Gun, Claire. Get a gun."

She rolled her eyes, "No thanks. Only when necessary." She opened the door to the lounge, and they found about six people waiting.

The evacuation went somewhat smoothly as they worked. Leon drafted a quick plan to have them run right out the front doors. Wide open space, he said, less risk of being swarmed. Everyone agreed as they moved.

Ashley shot her first zombie outside of training in the head and waited to feel remorse for the person it had been. But nothing came. Nothing but relief that it wasn't her. Nothing but relief she'd saved the little girl Claire was protecting.

Relief.

And acceptance that this is what her life was now.

She aimed again and forgot about the people they'd been. She just took down the monsters they'd become. She gave them peace, and that was the best she could do for them.

Claire was as smart as she was lethal. When they were surrounded, she used a gun as if she did it every day. No wasted shots - apparently, she knew how to follow directives. Sadly, the same couldn't be said for Craig.

At one point, they turned a corner and were cut off from their escape route. Zombies milled everywhere. Leon started to tell them to backtrack and Craig said softly, "No. I will draw them off."

Angela scoffed, "Don't be stupid. That's suicide."

He lifted the left leg of his pants and showed the bite wound above his boot. Apparently, something had gotten him during his first foray with stupidity. Angela gasped. Claire shook her head, "...damn. I'm sorry."

Angela demanded, "No. We can get him out, right? We can cut off the leg."

Leon answered quietly, "It's too late for that. It's been too long. Craig - you got this?"

Craig nodded. He blew out a breath. He said, "...I'm sorry. For whatever that's worth. I was born a fucking dumbass, I think. Thought this whole damn operation was horseshit. Figured I could show off and show up the feeb the government sent. Not my proudest moment."

Claire snorted. She told him, "I know somebody else who's more balls than brains, guy. You guys don't usually think with your heads over your guns."

Angela said again, "What is this? We're gonna leave him behind!?"

Ashley said quietly, "Sometimes you have to."

It was a hard truth to swallow. Craig was a dumbass; that much was true. He'd gone full videogame fool and nearly gotten them all killed. But this was his one moment to make up for it.

It seemed wrong to take it from him.

He said, "Welp, here goes my hero moment."

He ran out into the hallway and fired into the zombies. They milled. They moaned. They lumbered as he cut left into an office and led them off the main path. When it was mostly clear, the rest hurried through.

They ran through the lobby while the sounds of his last stand echoed around them. Angela cried quietly as they ran. Ashley couldn't blame her. Dumbass or not, Craig was her teammate.

It was hard to leave behind a teammate.

When they were clear of the airport, the disposal team entered to eradicate the infected. Guns sounded. The air split with the horrible promise of battle. The rain peppered wetly as they went toward the tents.

Ashley leaned on the wall of one of the tents as Leon told her, "You did good."

She shook her head, "You didn't need me. You could have done all that alone."

He gave her a look. "Sure. But this is how you learn. First, you shadow, then you get tasked with your own assignment."

Across the parking lot, Claire was in a shouting match with the fat Senator they'd saved and a handsome silver fox with glasses. The fat guy reminded her of Salazar; he had the same greasy villain look to him. When Leon stepped forward, Claire slapped the Senator in the face. Leon didn't stop her.

Apparently, he knew the fat bastard deserved it too.

Impressed, Ashley watched from where she stood, just picking up small pieces of the fight. Claire was all fire and fury. She shouted. She drilled a finger into chests. And then? Then something changed.

She looked horrified. She looked miserable. She shook her head as Leon spoke quietly. Angela took up the fight to yell at Leon as Claire walked away, looking wounded.

When Leon came back toward her, Ashley inquired, "Everything ok?"

He shook his head, "It's a mess. The terrorists claiming responsibility for the attack are demanding the truth about Raccoon City. But I can't get my head around how they made it happen. TSA controls are in place to stop shit like this from happening."

Ashley tilted her head, "Viruses?"

He gave her a sad look, "Not the way they should. Like Craig, most people think bioterror is something that doesn't happen in their backyard. So, the infected host had to have been injected in flight. I don't know how someone got the damn virus on the plane to do it."

Ashley said softly, "Is it possible he was infected before boarding?"

Leon sighed, "Maybe. But that means it was someone on the back side of the flight. It came in from Kentucky. I'm gonna have to go down there and see about the origin. But right now? I gotta figure out how to stop these bastards from releasing the T-Virus in every goddamn populated area in the country...and I've only got until midnight to do it."

It was seven p.m. Ashley breathed, "What can we do?"

He glanced over at someone waving at him. There was shouting and arguing. "Get some coffee. Let me start digging up answers, and we'll go from there."

He left her in the rain. She ducked into a tent to find Claire sitting on some barrels. She had her face in her hands. Claire glanced up and smiled sadly, "This is my fault."

Ashley arched her brows as she poured coffee. "How so?"

"I thought WilPharma was experimenting on people. I worked so hard to block their experiments...but they were making a goddamn T-Virus vaccine. It could have helped all these people if I'd just gotten out of the way to let them manufacture it."

Ashley looked at the redhead and held her eyes. She shifted forward and sat down on a barrel beside her. "Did you know that at the time?"

Claire shook her head, "I should have. I should have known. I cost all these people their lives thinking I was saving them. Jesus Christ...I'm as dumb as Craig."

She rubbed her tired eyes. Ashley pursed her lips and told the redhead, "I think sometimes we do things with the right intentions. It just...doesn't work out like we planned."

Claire glanced at her. "How do you know Leon?"

"He's my trainer."

Claire nodded, "He's good. Listen to him, you'll do fine."

Ashley nodded, "I've seen him in action, actually. So, I tend to agree."

Claire smiled a little, "Shit. I thought I wanted the fight at first, ya know? But it wasn't for me. All that death. All the time. Looking into faces when you pull the trigger. It's nightmare shit. I couldn't do it."

Ashley shifted on her barrel, "You picked the path of healer, right?"

Claire nodded.

"That's good, too, I think. Because when the battle is over, somebody has to help who's left."

Claire smiled sadly. "But what am I really doing to help here? Ya know? What difference is this making? I made things worse."

Ashley shook her head, "You didn't. You're helping right now. You're doing what you can. My job is to fight the fights; yours is to help the wounded. Teamwork, ya know? That's how we do this, I think."

Claire gave her a side long look with a smile, "Christ, you're what...twenty-one? I love that you can say that and actually mean it."

Ashley laughed, "The joys of youth. We aren't jaded as fuck yet."

Claire chuckled, "You got that right. God, I miss being that young," she eyed Ashley again, "Thank you. I needed a good laugh."

"You bet," Ashley smiled at her, "Leon talks about you, you know."

Claire chuckled again, "Sure, he does. The only person with bigger balls than him, right?"

Ashley laughed lightly, "That. And he respects you," Claire held her eyes as Ashley told her, "Don't let a few mistakes overshadow what you're doing here, Claire. You're too tough for that...at least according to Leon."

Claire shook her head. She smiled and patted Ashley's knee, "Thanks for the speech, Martin Luther. I have a dream...that one day this nation will be without the undead-"

"And that bioterror will be scrubbed from the face of the Earth," Ashley finished, and they both chuckled.

Claire studied her as they sipped coffee. "Nice meeting you, Ashley Graham."

Ashley rose and headed toward the tent flap, "You too. P.S. - I hate that you're gorgeous."

Claire laughed lightly. "Don't tip your cap for a guy like Leon, Graham. He's cute, but he's a mess."

Ashley paused at the tent flap, "...aren't we all?"

She slipped back out in the rain.

Leon came toward her and started to speak, and the world exploded around them. Fire lit the sky. Trucks erupted into a blaze of glory as Ashley tackled him. It was surreal. She took him to the ground and went prone atop him, covering him with her body.

When the fire turned to a dull crackle, she rose off him. He lay in the mud and let the surprise fade away. She'd tackled him to save him, apparently. It was...sweet and a little misguided.

As he rose, someone came running toward them. Someone had exploded all of the WilPharma trucks on site carrying the T-Virus Vaccine. Things had gone from bad to impossible. Now they had nothing to treat the infected if the terrorists made good on their threat.

They needed to move fast. They needed answers. The night burned around them without hope of relief.

They were officially on borrowed time.

Leon mused, "We're about to see what you can do, Graham. You ready?"

For the first time in her life, the answer to that was easy. "Abso-freaking-lutely. Lead the way, Mr. Kennedy."

His eyes flickered with pride as he returned, "This rides about to get bumpy. Hold on, sweetheart."

Hadn't he figured it out yet? All she knew how to do was hold on. And this time? She wouldn't be running. She'd be standing beside him.

If he needed her? She'd stand in front of him too.

She didn't need a hero anymore. She was about to prove she could become one.