7

Claire and Leon dispatched the dog-lizard quicker than the first, this time directing all their firepower towards the exposed brain.

"Come on," Leon said after the pair took a moment to catch their breath. "Let's go back to Marvin and see if he has any idea where the last medallion might be" Claire nodded back to Leon, and the pair made their way through a door that led onto a library. Only a few zombies lingered that the pair dealt with quickly. Finding a key on one of the larger tables, Claire moved to the door that led onto the lobby, unlocked it, and pushed through.

"Marvin!" Claire called out, as she made her way hastily towards his position. He was starting to look very tired...and pale.

"I'm...here" he managed.

Claire looked at Marvin. "Marvin," she said, "do you know anything about a statue being moved?"

Marvin closed his eyes for a moment and took in a pained breath.

"Yeah...yeah. I remember that. It was a pain for them to move..."

"Do you know where they took it?" Claire asked.

Marvin placed a hand on his ribs and coughed.

"On the east side... there's a small workshop. There is a road that leads that way in from the main street, but that was barricaded up, so... you're gonna have to go through the building."

"Past chief Irons office?" Leon questioned.

"Yeah," Marvin said, coughing. "Be careful; I heard those damned Lickers screeching again."

Claire thought the name sounded better than Leon's 'dog-lizard...'

"Unfortunately, we've already had the displeasure of meeting the slimy bastards," Claire replied.

"I should have warned you about those things," Marvin sighed heavily and lay back onto his side. "It's just that, my mind is starting to drift." Leon then placed a hand on Marvin's shoulder.

"Hang in there buddy" he whispered.

Claire stood and looked sadly down at Marvin.

He doesn't have much time...

"I wish we could help him," Claire whispered as she watched Leon stand and start making his way toward the opposite stairwell. "Me too..." Leon replied sadly.

The pair made their way cautiously through the east side of the building until Leon suddenly stopped and made his way towards a door. Claire could hear classical music coming from within and watched as Leon knocked on the door.

"Chief Irons? Are you in there sir?" he looked at Claire, and she shrugged. Leon tried the door, but it was locked. He knocked again with the same disappointing outcome. "let's go" Leon finally said as he turned towards the stairs leading up.

"He must have gotten away," Claire said, as they began their ascent.

"Yeah. Maybe," Leon replied, as he reached the top. "Or he's locked in there for another reason..."

Leon then turned to a door to his left and Claire followed him out into the rain, which had turned into a steady drizzle. The pair took a minute to look around, noticing the front of the helicopter down below that had smashed its way through the building earlier on. The fires burning low now after the downpour. Claire made her way to a ladder just in front of the pair, that led onto the large open rooftop just below, and as she descended, she noticed that to the left of her was another stairway that led back down to ground level.

"That's gotta be the way to the workshop," Claire called up, as Leon began his descent. As he made his way down, there was an unnerving groan coming from the ladder. Leon held his breath as he continued down, relieved once both feet were firmly on the ground.

"Okay, let's check it out" he replied.

The pair approached a boarded-up door with the faint sounds of moaning coming from within.

"Lemme guess..." Claire sighed.

"Yep. That must be the workshop" Leon answered.

"Great..." Claire spat, as Leon inspected the barrier.

Leon gripped onto the wooden beams. "Help me get these out," he said, and with Claire's help, Leon began using his strength to pull the boards free. The guttural moans of the zombies on the other side grew louder, and a sudden banging on the door made the pair start. As the banging became more violent, Leon commanded Claire to back up, leaving one board loose. It wasn't long before the undead smashed their way through, and Claire and Leon opened fire on the several undead that pushed their way through. Once all was still, Leon and Claire made their way into the small workshop, spotting a proud, marble unicorn. The last of the statues.

Claire placed the medallion into her pocket and glanced across the room, seeing Leon checking the chamber of his firearm.

He said, after reloading, "We're going to have to try and find some more ammo; I'm starting to run low."

"Roger that," Claire replied as she turned back towards the exit "But I'm hoping we won't need much more once we get out of here"

Leon glanced toward the sounds of the moans coming from the streets as they left the workshop. "We've still got to get through the city," he said, following Claire toward the stairs that led back up onto the rooftop. "There's a weapon shop not far from here… Maybe if we can get close, we can stock up."

Claire looked back at the young cop "We should start searching all the rooms on our way back too. It is a police station after all"

"We don't just leave that stuff lying around, you know," Leon said, smirking, as the pair crossed the area where the helicopter had crashed through. Claire gave him a grin back when she stopped and looked at a door to her left. "Hey, the fire's out. Do you think we can get through that wreck now?"

Leon put a hand on his hip. "It's worth a look; it'll be quicker that way." Leon opened the door, and Claire followed closely behind him.

"Guess that's a no," Claire commented, after looking at the huge body of the helicopter that blocked their path. Suddenly, heavy footsteps caught the pair's attention as they had turned to leave. They both stopped, turning towards the menacing sound. Just in time to see something pull the wreck upwards, and out through the shattered wall without any effort. A huge figure stood in the now cleared hallway before the pair.

"What the hell!" Claire cried, taking in the giant's strange appearance. It was like looking at the world's strongest man. Only this man, or more accurately, this Tyrant, was about seven or eight feet tall, with pale blue-gray wrinkled skin, and a haunting stare that cut into Claire's soul. Leon raised his firearm as the monster suddenly advanced without a word.

Leon shouted, "Stay back!" as he retreated. The Tyrant, however, paid him no mind and advanced. Leon and Claire fired at it, but their shots bounced harmlessly off the Tyrant's coat. Bullets aimed for its head were just as ineffective.

Leon shouted at Claire, "Go, run!" He pushed her back towards the doorway, and they both managed to make it through just as the Tyrant took a huge swing with its massive fist. The strike caused the wall to tremble from the force of the blow. As they ran across the rooftop, the pair looked back towards the doorway.

"What the hell!" Claire exclaimed. "I shot it right in the face... It didn't even flinch when I blew its stupid hat off!"

The door suddenly flew off its hinges after a mighty kick from the relentless beast.

Leon and Claire opened fire again, aiming for the Tyrant's head. It approached the pair, and suddenly picked up speed. Claire and Leon dove to opposite sides of the monster as it smashed another fist into a wall. Leon rolled into a crouch and started firing.

He shouted to Claire, "Don't let that thing hit you!" and quickly reloaded.

She called back urgently, "You don't have to tell me twice!"

The Tyrant turned towards Claire, and she opened fire again.

"C'mon you bastard! Just die already"

Claire let it get a little too close, and she felt the wind from its fist as she dodged to the side.

Shit!

She turned just in time to see the Tyrant suddenly stumble forward, after Leon's bullets continued to make contact with the back of the monster's head. It stopped suddenly, dropping to a knee and blocking the doorway. Leon approached quickly, with his firearm trained on the menacing monster.

He questioned, "Is it dead?" as he approached. Standing beside him, Claire watched the Tyrant. Noticing the slightest movements within its large frame.

"It's still... breathing?" Claire said, unnerved. The pair started to take slow steps backwards away from the monster when they noticed it had started to flex its fingers.

"Go," Leon whispered under his breath. "Go! Go now!" He pushed Claire ahead of him toward the ladder. Claire ran and made her way swiftly up the ladder. When she reached the top, she turned just in time to see the Tyrant get onto its feet. Leon was halfway up the ladder when the sudden sound of straining metal caused him to push even more speed into the climb. It wasn't enough, though; the ladder finally gave way, crashing back toward the rooftop alongside its passenger.