Phase 12: Secure the Ballistics
The trio went back to the church to see no one was around which is very odd to them. "Do they know we have the key to this place?" Leon asked.
"They should but we get Ashley and get out of here," Ark said.
"Watch it lover boy, we will see her soon," Makoto said playfully as Leon puts the key into the gate to unlock it allowing them inside.
Meanwhile, Ashley is in her room closed off from everyone feeling scared out of her mind as her left leg is pretty bruised "Gee, this is nuts. Why did they capture me like this?" Ashley wondered as she deeply misses her family. "Mom and Dad," she thought as she hears someone coming into the church.
"Wait a minute, who is that? Could it be people saving to save me or more likely, they might try to move me somewhere else," she thought. "I am not going to be taken away without some kind of fight," she thought as she grabs a metal pipe to hide in a corner. "Come and get me," she thought.
The trio went inside to see its quite spacious inside with rows of seats for the churchgoers and the front of the church is nicely dressed up. "Sweet digs here, too much for humble villagers," Ark said.
"Indeed, there is this guy again," Makoto said as they see the leader of the Cult framed in a huge picture on the wall.
"Very creepy," Ark said as Leon looks over to see a switch to pull it down to unlock three lights to shine onto a glass circle. "Oh great, some type of locking mechanism," Ark said.
"I got this," Leon said as he sees three switches which have the colors red, blue, and green. He matches the symbols onto the glass as Makoto and Ark are guarding the door just in case they are ambushed.
"Hey Ark, when did you develop a crush on Ashley?" Makoto asked.
"I met her when I was doing security at a fundraiser she was doing at her college. It was to raise awareness of the oceans and the health of the wildlife," Ark said.
"I see. The knight guarding the princess," Makoto said.
"Well, it's a memory I will never forget," Ark said as he remembers the time a few months back to be guarding the president's daughter while she was doing her fundraiser.
-Flashback Begins-
Within the school campus building which is led by Ashley Graham with security guarding her in the shadows. Ark is walking around to be impressed with the event set up here as he looks for Ashley to see if she is okay.
He spots the young lady who is talking with one of her friends. "There she is the lady of the hour. She is so kind to do something like this," Ark said as he looks at the blond beauty to see her smiling at her friends. "Gee, her beauty matches her kindness. That is for sure," he said as he gets close to see the stands that were set up. There were colorful banners of waves and sea creatures on display with donor boxes for people to put money into.
Ark got closer to see Ashley is very easy on the eyes. She is dressed up in a black tank top, white shorts, and blue sneakers. He noted her outfit is showing off her curvy hourglass shape which makes the outfit look fetching on her. Her golden hair and warm smile which a feast for the eyes as well.
"Damn, she is so pretty," Ark thought as Ashley and her friend were looking at Ark.
"Oh, he is new around here," Ashley said as her friend is eyeing him.
"Oh, he is a total cutie. He is certainly your type Ashley," her friend said as Ashley is blushing from embarrassment as she does admit. Ark is a very handsome older fellow which is the type of guy she would like to date.
"Stop it, Veronica," Ashley said as she walked over to the gentleman wanting to ask him something. "Hey there, are you new here?" she asked.
"Oh yeah, I was checking out your fundraiser here. It's quite noble," Ark said.
"Oh yes, I set this whole thing up myself," Ashley said as Ark is very impressed with this.
"This is your idea?" he asked.
"Yes, our oceans are very precious but people want to dump things into them without any regard for the wildlife. It's very sad," Ashley said.
"Indeed, it is, lots of ocean life are not so lucky," Ark said.
"I know right especially sharks. They are supposed to be the white blood cells of the ocean. Keeping everything healthy and balanced but they are being hunted like they are monsters or something. It's quite disgusting to me," she pouts at this.
"Yeah, over some stupid shark movies," Ark said.
"I know right, it's insane. People need to know that Sharks and other creatures need to be taken care of. It's only a net positive," Ashley said as Ark puts in 100 dollars within the box which has all 2000 dollars within it.
"You have sold me, princess," Ark said as Ashley has a big grin on her face which melts Ark's heart.
"Thank you so much, everything counts towards preserving ocean life," Ashley said.
"So how are your studies going?" Ark asked.
"Well, it's going well so far," Ashley said.
"You are looking pretty good there," Ark said as Ashley felt Ark's eyes on her body like her ample chest and broad hips.
"Thank you, this outfit I brought recently. I am glad someone else is enjoying it," Ashley said as she enjoys this gentleman showing interest in her.
"What are you studying?" Ark asked.
"Liberal Arts, I don't have a strong preference either," Ashley said as Ark nods his head.
"Oh, I see, you got time to see what you want in life. I can help with that if you want?" Ark asked.
"I will gladly take you up for that order when I have time. Oh, I didn't get your name?" Ashley asked.
"Ark Thompson, I am part of your security detail here," Ark asked as Ashley is surprised by this.
"Oh really, you were protecting me. Like my own knight in shining armor," Ashley said in a flirty tone.
"Well, I need to get going. I hope you do well," Ark said.
"Will I see you again?" Ashley asked if she wants to see this handsome guy again. His maturity and kind words got to her heart.
"I work with your father. I can bet on it soon enough," Ark said as Ashley nods her head wanting to see Ark again.
"Okay, have a good one," Ashley said with a smile as Ark walks away for he is happy to meet Ashley at last.
"She is pretty and cute as I thought, I should talk to her more often," he thought to get back to work.
-Flashback Ends-
Ark enjoys that memory as Makoto nods her head. "A very cute memory to draw on Ark, I hope you two work it out together," Makoto said.
"Thanks, Makoto, I hope so too," Ark said as Leon figures out the puzzle to unlock a door.
Ashley noticed her door was unsealed to be ready for whoever comes through that door. "Damn it, don't get close," Ashley thought as she sees the open to see a man with a silver gun looking through the room. "I need to make a break for it. Stay away," Ashley swings her pipe with Loen dodging her strikes.
"Ashley stops it," Leon said as he grabs the metal pipe and easily takes it out of her hands.
"Please don't come any closer," Ashley said as she pulls out a smaller pipe ready to defend herself.
"Ashley, are you okay?" Ark asked as Ashley looks over to be overcome with relief.
"Ark, I can't believe it," Ashley comes over to give him a big hug. "You came to save me like a knight in shining armor," Ashley said sounding smitten with him.
"We are here too you know," Makoto said to make a fake cough.
"Oh yeah, these are my friends Leon and Makoto. We are sent by your father to rescue you," Ark said.
"Oh, my father," Ashley said as Leon nods his head.
"Yep, we are here to rescue you, Princess. Come on, let's go," Leon said.
"Cute outfit," Ark said as Ashley glows in the face to notice him getting a peek at her large chest forming around her sweater. "God bless those pale white sweater puppies," he thought to push that lewd thought into his mind to be focused.
"Thanks, but it was what I was wearing before I was kidnapped," Ashley said as she is wearing an orange turtleneck sweater, a green skirt with black tights underneath, and brown knee-high boots.
Leon contacts Hunnigan to tell her the good news. "Hunnigan this is Leon, we manage to secure Ashley," he said as Hunnigan feels happy about the news.
"Good work you guys, I knew you can do it. I will call in a chopper to pick you guys up," Hunnigan said as Ashley is struggling to move with her sore leg.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Makoto asked.
"My leg, it got beat up when I got here," Ashley said as Ark is angry with this.
''Bastards, I need you to pull down your tights," Ark said as Ashley is blushing from this.
"Oh Ark, this is so sudden. Not in a place like this," Ashley said as she noticed him pulling out a medical spray from his backpack.
"I need to see your bruise and I can fix it with this spray," Ark said.
"Oh, I see, that is what you mean," Ashley said as she had a lewd thought about his strong hands caressing her legs but she put it aside. She rolls her black tights down her legs. "No peeking," she said in a flirty tone.
"I won't," Ark said being a gentleman to see a red bruise on Ashley's leg. "This will be easy to fix," he said as he uses his spray can to use it on the wound. Ashley felt a small sting but her leg was getting better by the second.
"Oh, I feel a lot better now. It's like magic, thanks Ark. My shining knight," Ashley said in a soft tone.
"My pleasure," Ark adores her bright smile which lights the darkness around him in this living hell.
"Okay, you all need to head to the outskirts of the village near a castle. The extraction point will be there," Hunnigan said.
"Well, we got to fight ourselves through this place again. Talk to you later," Leon said as they head over to the ladder. They climb down the ladder with Ashley following after them.
"You okay Ashley?" Makoto asked.
"Yeah I am fine," she said.
"Keep it easy. You are with us now," Leon said as they must protect her.
"I am in your hands," Ashley said as they approached the main hall for them to sense a presence there.
"Hold it right there Americans. I will take the girl now," a purple hooded figure appears before them.
"Wait a minute, you are the leader of this place. Are you"? Leon asked.
"You are right. I am Osmond Saddler. The leader of this fine religious community," Saddler said as everyone is on guard to protect Ashley.
'What do you want?" Ark asked.
"To share with the world this wonderful gift of Las Plagas and its great power. No longer that the US will be able to dictate the world as they see fit. So, we capture the president's daughter to give her our power and then send her back," Saddler said with a wicked smile.
"No," Ashley said as she has flashes of memory pouring into her mind. She placed her hand on her neck to remember them sticking a needle in there. "Guys, they shot something into my neck," Ashely said as everyone is on edge.
"What did you do to her?" Makoto asked.
"Oh, we just give her a parting gift. Oh, it's going to be one hell of a party when she meets back with her loving father," Saddler said as he laughs at the situation. "Then I was wondering if I could ask her father for some donations. It takes a lot of effort and money to keep this group going, no?" Saddler asked mockingly.
"Faith in money will lead you nothing Saddler," Leon said.
"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you all. All three of you were given the same gift as well. I bet you are feeling the effects as we speak," Saddler said.
"Shit, we are infected with this," Ark said as all four are now infected with Las Plagas.
"We blacked out in that cabin after that monster in the lake," Leon said.
"Soon when the eggs hatch. You will be under my complete control like my little puppets under my every whim. Do you think this is the best way to spread one's faith?" Saddler questioned them.
"Sounds more like an alien invasion if you ask me," Leon said as the door opened behind them to see a few Ganados with crossbows. Saddler looks on with a smug smile as Ark takes Ashley's hand for the four rush over to the side of the building. Several bolts miss their targets as the four jump through a window to crash into another room.
"Gee, that smarts," Makoto said.
"Goodness, Guys what is going to happen to us?" Ashley asked scared out of her mind.
"Hey, we got ourselves into this and we can crawl out of this," Leon said.
"Leon is right, we can do this together. Come on," Ark said to help her up for them to see a door.
"Seems like this leads to the attic," Makoto said as they go through the door to go up some staircases to be on top of the church.
Then suddenly they feel a sharp pain in their heads. "The lambs are escaping. My people send them to real salvation," Saddler's voice echoed within their minds as all the people within the area begin to walk up the graveyard to head into the church.
The four can see a bunch of Ganados gathering towards the church as rain is pouring down from the sky. "What do we do?" Ashley questioned.
"Let me think of something," Leon said as he looks at a window that leads to a platform. "Here, we go. We get out of here," Leon said as they jump off the window to leap onto their feet.
Ashley looks on to be not sure to be about to do it. "Oh boy, this is quite the leap of faith," Ashely said as Ark is prepared to catch her.
"Don't worry, I got you," Ark said as he is prepared to catch the blond princess.
"Okay, here I go," Ashley leaps out of the window to be caught by Ark.
"Well, you smell nice," Ark said as he feels how soft her body is.
"Thanks," she said as she enjoys being held like this. "You are so strong," Ashley said as she looked lovingly into his eyes.
"It's nothing," Ark is humbled as she shows him her beautiful smile once again which he will protect with his life to put her down.
"Well time to get going," Leon said.
"What about the crowd of people?" Ashley asked as Ark has a smirk on his face.
"I got a surprise for them," Ark said as he pulls out a trigger for them to get behind a rock to see a lot of Ganados enter the church,
"So, you were setting up explosives inside?" Makoto asked as he was doing some stuff when Leon was trying to figure out the locking mechanism to Ashley's room.
"Thought it would come in handy and it would be useful sooner than I thought," Ark said as most of the Ganados are inside the church. He fires the trigger for it engulfs the room inside with a fierce explosion killing off anyone inside with sections of the church falling apart via the explosions.
The rest of the Ganados are now on alert with Leon using his TMP to put rounds into one of their heads killing them instantly. "Ashley gives us space," Leon said.
"Okay, gee what is wrong with these people?" Ashley asked as they were coming at them from the graveyard.
They see a cart filled with red barrels, Leon shoots it and kicks the cart down the hill to see large explosions taking out another big group of enemies. "Saddler made one hell of a welcoming party," Leon said as they hear screaming to see Ashley getting caught by one of the Ganados.
"Guys, help me. Let me go," Ashley tried to get out of his grip but the Ganado is too strong to break out of.
"Oh no, you don't," Ark uses his M1911 to pop rounds into the villager's leg to make them buck over to drop. He follows up with a few shots to the head to kill off the infected villager. "Are you alright Ashley?" he asked.
"Yes I am fine, thanks for the save," Ashely said as Ark pats her on the back.
"No problem," Ark said as they mop up the remaining Ganados with Makoto using her custom R700 bolt action rifle to pick off the remaining enemies.
"You are good fighters," Ashley commented.
"Well, we fight a lot of things before meeting you here," Leon said.
"I can tell, I am in your hands now," Ashley said.
"You are right Ark, she is pretty nice," Makoto said.
"Oh, what did Ark say about me?" she asked.
"He says how cute and nice you are. How much he wanted to save you," Makoto teases them as the duo are blushing from this.
"Oh, you are so sweet Ark. I didn't know you cared about me this much," Ashley feeling her cheeks getting rosy from Ark's sweet gesture.
"Honestly, ever since I saw your smile. I can't stop thinking about you and then I heard about you getting kidnap, I was deeply worried about you," Ark said as Ashley felt her cheeks burning hot.
"Oh, I was thinking about you too after your sweet gesture at the college. I wanted to see you again," Ashley said as she had developed a crush on him since they last met only becoming stronger now.
"Oh, how adorable," Makoto teases them as the two blush at this.
"We should keep going," Ark said trying to act cool with Ashley feeling happy he shares the same feelings of attraction.
"Let's," Ashley said with a smile as the four heads off.
Elsewhere Saddler is in contact with one of his researchers. "So how is the strengthening of Las Plagas?" he asked on the radio.
"Going well sir, this underground complex is useful in doing my research," a woman's voice said.
"Yes we employ a bit of capital to remake that space for you to seek out making the parasite stronger along with your pet project," Saddler said.
"Yes after what happened with Umbrella. There is no way to make working on my T+G virus research. Thankfully you were kind enough to give me an underground lab to work with," the woman said.
"Yes Miss Mimi, your research is very helpful indeed. Keep up the good work. Also, your ex is here," Saddler said.
"Ark is here?!" Mimi asked.
"Yes, he is with the others trying to get away with the subject. My people are seeking them out as we speak," Saddler said.
"What about Luis?" Mimi asked.
"Don't worry, we will take care of him soon enough. He is trying to gain the dominant Plagas sample to use as a bargaining chip to get himself out of here," Saddler said.
"Well, I can send my Undertakers to find him," Mimi said.
"Your troops are not needed. Do your work and we will keep in touch," Saddler said to cut off the radio.
"Oh baby, you have come back to me. You will make a great experiment to work with. My masterpiece is at hand, the world will embrace a new age in evolution via my design," Mimi said as she sees a bunch of missiles within a solo via a screen.