Chapter 9. Metamorphosis

"Ugh ! That was awful." Ashley groaned as she walked through the door, and threw herself face-down on the couch. Leon almost smiled. They'd gone home not long after Emily had returned with the results from the blood samples, saying that if the machine had ever reduced the Plaga's presence in Ashley's body – it had regenerated itself back to its original quantity.

"Still, you did good." Leon said, hanging his leather jacket on the door.

"Right."

"I mean it. You held your own in there." She sighed, sitting up and scooting over – making space for him.

"Yeah, except that I wanted to punch him in the face the entire time." He recalled how her eyes had turned red – exactly like those Ganados. He didn't doubt her.

"Maybe you should have." He suggested with a smirk, knowing it would make her laugh. She snickered.

"That's an idea. Let's put the whole mission in jeopardy just so we can break Simmons' nose, dooming the entire government and – hey, maybe the whole world too !"

"I don't think his reach goes that far." Leon answered with a raised brow.

"God, I hope not…that's the last thing we need – and no, I'm not trying to jinx us." She grinned, making him chuckle.

That's when he recalled the word she'd said earlier. "Hey, you mentioned something about silver-linings back there. What were you talking about ?"

Her face reddened in an instant, averting her gaze from his face. What had her so flustered, suddenly ? "Oh, um…it's something my therapist said. I'm supposed to find a silver-lining in the stuff that happened to me, I guess."

"And…you did ?" Leon didn't bother hiding his skepticism. Normally he didn't ask Ashley about what she discussed with her therapist – out of respect for her privacy, but he had a hard time imagining what could possibly be positive about getting kidnapped by a bunch of sadistic cult-fanatics. Well, she'd made it out alive, so there was that…

"I did." He waited for more, but nothing came.

"…well ? Are you just going to leave me guessing ?"

"It's a secret." He blinked, taking in the enticing way she suddenly looked at him – going from pink-cheeked to fluttering her long lashes over half-lidded eyes. The mood changed and hit him hard.

"Come on." He smiled. "You're gonna leave me in suspense like that ?"

"Well…how about I tell you when this whole thing is over ?"

He huffed a breath. "Might be a while then."

"Then a while it will be." She quipped with a shrug, smiling in a way that could only be described as mysterious. Women. Seeing the look on his face, she added, "Hey, I'm not the only one keeping secrets here."

"What do you mean ?"

"You didn't tell me what you owe the president, remember ? It's a secret." He laughed as she poorly mimicked the sound of his voice.

"Touché."

"So ? You're not going to tell me either ?"

"How's this; when this is all over we'll both come clean with our secrets." He proposed, holding his hand out. What are you doing ? Some forgotten part of his subconscious said. She can't know ! But it was too late.

She grinned. "You got yourself a deal, Mr. Kennedy !"

Like yesterday, Leon was awake before the alarm. And like yesterday, he went to knock on the bedroom door – since his charge wouldn't wake up on her own, and it fell to him to make sure she got out of bed. He almost had a mind to let her sleep in and miss the appointment with Simmons, but he pushed the tempting thought away. Duty first, regardless of personal feelings.

He knocked a second time when there was no answer. Then a third time. "Ashley ?" He called, but still there was no reply, or even the telltale sound of bedsheets ruffling together. Finally, he opened the door and peered into the room. His charge was still fast asleep…at least, it seemed that way at first glance. But why was she so still ? He couldn't even see her breathe. Anxiety reared its ugly head.

"Ashley?" He said again, stepping into the room. Nothing. He walked to the bed and placed two fingers under her nose. His anxiety almost turned to panic when he felt no breath – until it came out a second later. Her breathing was subtle, but it was there. "Ashley, wake up." He grabbed her shoulder and shook…still no reaction. Something was very wrong here.

As soon as he had the thought, she twitched. But then the twitching turned to trembling, and the trembling to shaking. Heart pounding in his chest, Leon reached down to hold his charge in place. Was she having a seizure ? But she wasn't frothing at the mouth…"What the hell is going on ?"

"You again." Ashley said to her doppelganger, her voice echoing in the dark void.

"You too." The thing grinned creepily, though her red eyes were mocking.

"What did you do to me, last time ? When you reached into my chest ?"

"You're afraid of me," The creature snickered, circling Ashley like a predator.

"I'm not !" She snapped. "And you talk too much, so shut up and tell me this; how do I get rid of you ?"

"I told you. You're rejecting me."

"Yeah, I get that me rejecting you is creating some sort of twisted dual personality – but I don't want to know the why, I want to know the how."

"Did you really think I was going to tell you ?" The dual Ashley sneered.

Something clicked then. In every encounter, her evil counterpart had been more or less willing to share information when asked…except here. She didn't want to tell Ashley how to get rid of her – which confirmed two things; one, she had something to lose. Two, there really was a way to get rid of her, or she would've just laughed in Ashley's face.

"…I'm giving you freedom, aren't I ? The longer I reject you, the more power you accumula53. Enough power to…" She placed a hand on top of her chest, over her heart.

The evolved Plaga clapped. "Finally, she understands."

She gritted her teeth, hands clasped into fists of determination. "I'm not letting you take control over me. Ever."

The mimic bared her teeth in an inhuman snarl, closing the distance between them until their noses were almost touching. "Do you think you can stop me, little lamb ? I am the wolf in sheep's clothing, and I will devour you from the inside out until there's nothing left of you !"

"I won't let you. This thing we have going on – it's over. I'm putting a stop to it."

"…how ?" For the first time, the other Ashley sounded uncertain. Scared, even.

"It's easy. If you're sentient because I'm rejecting you, then all I have to do is accept you." She grasped her arm, and her palm where she touched the Plaga began to emit a white light, growing stronger by the second.

"No…no !" The creature shrieked, no longer in Ashley's voice. The darkness disintegrated before the blinding light, and the real Ashley recoiled as something snapped into her – like an elastic band bouncing back.

The first thing she saw as she opened her eyes was Leon's face, hovering over hers.

"Wait !" Leon exclaimed as her eyes closed again. Her veins glowed an unnatural red, spreading all across her body like roots or…better yet, lava boiling under a cracked surface. He took one of her arms and turned it this way and that, inspecting the changes. Back when they were still hosts to the Plaga, their veins had turned a black, sometimes purplish hue, and they would spread as their parasite grew stronger – but now, Ashley's were a vibrant, glowing crimson. What did it mean ? And most importantly, what could Leon do about it ?

This time, there was no Luis Sera to provide an explanation. No, the only one who could was…

He cursed under his breath. Derek Simmons would know what to do – or at the very least, he was the closest person who had any clue as to what was going on with Ashley's body. "You'll be okay," Leon promised, before lifting her limp body into his arms. How many times had he carried her away from danger, to safety ? How many more times would he have to do it ?

When they came back from Spain, Ashley's life was meant to return to normal. The nightmare was supposed to stay in the past – not follow her into the present. A girl like her…so bright, like the sun, wasn't meant to experience this shadowed part of the world, with monsters that offered nothing but horrors and death. And some things were worse than death. But yet here she was, involved in another nightmare with her life on the line. This wasn't right.

Leon stopped to slip a leather coat around his charge's shoulder, since she was wearing nothing but a thin camisole and tiny shorts, and made sure to cover her head with one of the caps she'd ordered, pulling it low so it hid her face. Now was not the time to be photographed, as the last thing they needed was for the press to start asking questions – which they definitely would, if they saw the president's daughter unconscious in her bodyguard's arms. God knows the sensationalized titles they'd come up with. The car he'd been lent sure would've been nice right about now, but they'd have to make do.

He took the thin but sturdy rope from his tool supplies, and once they'd made it down to the parking lot – which was thankfully empty – Leon used it to tie Ashley's chest with his, since he couldn't drive the motorcycle and keep her from falling off at the same time.

They made it to the facility in less than twenty minutes, as Leon had driven like a maniac on the road – surpassing the speed limit by a few notches, but he didn't care. For all he knew, it could be a matter of time before Ashley…no, he couldn't take the risk. He had to get her to Simmons as fast as possible.

"Let me through !" He said as soon as stepped out of the elevator. Timothy's eyes widened at the girl in his arms, but he didn't say anything and opened the door. Before passing through, Leon asked, "Where's Simmons ?"

"Um, lab room 5-0."

"Thanks."

Lab room 5-0…lab room 5-0…there it was ! Leon kicked the door open – earning a high-pitched yelp from a surprised Emily, but he didn't stop for nothing. "Wait !" She exclaimed as she saw what he was about to do, but he didn't listen. With a perfect roundhouse kick, he swept the chemicals and tools that probably cost more than his entire salary – off the counter, and laid his charge down atop the cleared surface.

"Something's wrong with her." He adressed Simmons directly.

His eyes were glued to Ashley's skin as he approached her. "Incredible…" He breathed, pausing to observe the glowing veins. "How long as she been like this ?"

"The glowing started about ten minutes ago, give or take."

"And what happened to trigger this phenomenon ?"

"I don't know. She wouldn't wake up this morning, and then she started shaking like she was having a seizure.

"Was she frothing at the mouth ?"

"Not from what I could see."

"And she hasn't woken up since ?"

"She opened her eyes right before the shaking started, but only for a second."

Simmons felt for the pulse on her wrist. "Hmm…faster than it should be."

Leon took a small step forward, as if proximity to his charge could make her better. "What does that mean ?"

"Let's find out." The scientist smiled. "Can you carry her ?"

Nodding, he hoisted her into his arms once more and followed the two scientists out the room. They led him to the room adjoining to the one Ashley had been questioned in just yesterday, this one full of imposing machines that – according to Emily, was just to read a person's brain activity. Shepherd was already there.

Emily cleared a table so Leon could place his charge on top of it, and Shepherd wasted no time attaching that helmet thing to her head. As soon as he did, a number of screens lit up, displaying symbols and images that Leon had no clue what they meant.

"Incredible…" Simmons muttered as he stared at a screen with a 3D image of the human brain, lit up at certain parts.

"I'm guessing that's a good thing ?" Leon commented, not bothering to hide the annoyance creeping into his voice. He hadn't brought her here just so they could treat her like a science project.

But if Simmons noticed, he didn't show it – too enraptured by what he was seeing. "Good ? I'd say so. Her brain, it's working twenty times faster than the average human's."

"But is she okay ?" He said a little louder.

"She's not in any immediate danger," Emily chimed in, and he turned around to see she was reading Ashley's vitals. Her pulse, eye dilation, the speed at which she breathed – even had a blood pressure cuff around her arm, as well as a thermometer checking her temperature from an earhole.

"Then what's happening to her ?"

"It seems like Ms. Graham's body is experiencing a change of sorts. Metamorphosing, if you please." Shepherd explained, giving the unconscious girl a cool, clinical look.

"Metamorphosing ?" Leon repeated dubiously, anxiety spiking. "What does that mean – what's changing ?" And what should they expect ?

"I don't know." The man replied, adjusting his glasses.

He wanted to punch something, or someone. Preferably Simmons' face. He'd brought her here so she could get helped – but so far, these people who were far more knowledgeable than Leon, ironically didn't seem to know what to do any better than he did.

"I believe James is right." Simmons said, turning around. "Whatever change is occurring, we should let it run its course and see what happens when she wakes up."

That was the most unprofessional thing he could've said, and he'd said it. Fuck this. Leon made to lift his charge again, when Shepherd stopped him with an outstretched arm. A very, very small – but not-small-enough-part of Leon wanted to break it. "What are you doing ?"

"I'm taking her above to the medical department, where real doctors can actually help her." He snapped, though he was glaring at man's superior.

"Their medical expertise will not help her – not now that her bodily functions are different from that of an ordinary person. Only we have the necessary tools to find out what she requires." Simmons explained. "And to do that, we must wait."

Leon's hands twitched. He was still defiant, and yet…he knew the scientist was right, as much as he hated to admit it. But 'right' didn't mean they would actually help her – regardless of what the man promised. He'd seen firsthand what his 'help' entailed, and Leon would get Ashley out of this place at the first whiff of something fishy…but for now, his hands were tied. Until he made sure his charge was okay, he couldn't do anything but wait alongside the trio of scientists. "Can't you at least speed up the process, wake her up somehow ?"

"Well, there was actually something I wanted to try…" Leon automatically shielded the table Ashley was on with his body as Simmons came towards her, rummaging in the pocket of his coat for something.

"What are you going to do ?"

"Aha !" He exclaimed, pulling out a…sewing needle ? Why did he even carry one around ? "I'd like to prick her finger, see how she reacts to pain while in this state. If you'll allow me ?" The last part was said mockingly.

"Your methods sure involve a lot of pain," Leon quipped, but he stepped aside to let him pass.

"Shepherd, make sure to keep an eye for any changes on the screens. Ms. Sanford, please check her pulse while I try this."

"Yes, doctor." The latter obediently replied, and placed two fingers on Ashley's wrist.

Leon watched with razor-sharp focus as Simmons lifted her other hand, taking one of her fingers. His heartbeat accelerated as the needle came closer to piercing the skin. Why was it making him so nervous ? It was just a prick on the finger – a harmless enough test…or so he thought. One moment, Simmons was about to prick Ashley's finger, and the next – he was choking. Emily jumped back with a frightened yelp, while Shepherd's usually Stony expression morphed into open shock.

Leon was as shocked as the former. He stood frozen, blinking as Simmons' face turned red in his struggle to free himself. Ashley was still unconscious, eyes closed and lying down – except her hand had snapped up to clutch the scientist's neck.

He jumped into action, grabbing her arm…but it wouldn't budge. It was like trying to bend a steel pipe, and Simmons' face was going from bright red to a sickening purple. "Ashley, snap out of it ! Ashley !"

Red eyes snapped open.

To be Continued…