The week went by with not much happening other than the fact that Aliya was struggling with the withdrawal effects of not having her medication. The labs at HQ had confirmed that it was to keep her stable, but she kept insisting that she didn't need it just yet. Other than the constant migraines and occasional chills, Aliya was doing just fine.
Aliya walked down the stairs just as Leon was opening the door to a younger woman with short blonde hair wearing a white tunic, looking as happy as ever and a man wearing a black leather jacket with a scar on his face that looked like he hated life.
"Thanks for doing this." Leon says as he closed the door behind the two and locked it. Sherry nodded and looked around until she saw Aliya and smiled warmly at the girl, who hid her face behind the banister of the stairs, suddenly feeling shy.
"Aliya, this is Sherry and Jake, they're going to be watching you for a few hours.
Aliya waved at them shyly, feeling even more nervous when she noticed Jake staring at her with curiosity.
"Okay, if anything happens, call us." Helena says, earning a nod from Jake as the two agents left.
"So how do you guys know Leon and Helena?" Aliya asks, getting up and following them into the kitchen.
"Leon and his friend Claire saved my life when I was about your age. We've been close ever since. Helena we only met a few months ago and that was when Jake met Leon." Sherry explains, looking at Jake, who was looking at all the photoshopped pictures on the wall.
"I wonder if those two are together yet. Me and Chris have a bet against Jill."
"Wait, you guys have a bet against Jill? Me and Jill have a bet against Chris!"
"You guys have a bet that they'll get together?" Aliya asks, crossing her arms and looking at them in mock disappointment.
"No, never!" Sherry says innocently, putting her hands behind her back and looking around.
"Well, you and Jill win then. They got together officially four days ago."
"Looks like you and Chris, both owe me and Jill twenty bucks." Sherry says with a smirk as she went over to Jake, who rolled his eyes and took his wallet out, giving Sherry a twenty.
"Don't spend it all in one place doll."
Aliya rolled her eyes, unsure of how Helena and Leon would react to all their friends and coworkers taking bets, although, this wouldn't have been the worst bet to take.
"So, what do you like to do for fun?" Sherry asks the tween, bending down to her height and ruffling her hair, making the girl slap her hand away.
"I don't know. I'm not allowed to go anywhere without one of them with me, but I like Disney movies and stuff."
"Disney movies it is then," she says, going to the living room and turning the TV on, "did you eat dinner yet?"
"Don't worry. They made sure to feed me before you guys showed up."
Meanwhile, Leon and Helena were currently sitting in the back of one of the BSAA's trucks, Chris and Jill in the front seats.
"So, here are some earpieces for you two. If any of us run into anything that we can't handle, then the orders are to come back. Don't try and be the hero and take on something that's completely pointless." Jill says, looking pointedly at Leon as she passed them the earpieces.
"Oh, come on. I was young and dumb. I've changed."
"That was six months ago," Chris says, "which is why Hunnigan makes me and/or Jill come with you on assignments now."
Helena chuckled at Leon's hurt expression before he rolled his eyes as the group pulled up outside the facility and went around to the back.
"Okay Hunnigan, we're here, get us in." Helena says, her gun at the ready, two of them on either side of the door.
"Okay, alarms and cameras are disabled. You have twenty minutes to get in, get what you need, and get out. The code to the door you're at is 1912."
Helena input the pin to the keypad on the door and opened it, aiming her gun around the dimly lit space, her eyes taking a minute to adjust to the sudden change in brightness.
"Let's split up, me and Jill will keep to the bottom floors, Helena and Leon, you stick to the top floors."
The two agents went up the stairwell, Helena still feeling uneasy about this assignment knowing it was a trap but not exactly knowing how. The place was deserted except for an occasional security guard passing by or a lab worker who was working late.
"My view is showing that Natalia's office is on the top floor." Hunnigan says, the two continuing to make their way up. The two stopped just outside the doorway to the stairs upon hearing voices.
"Ma'am what do you expect me to do once they show up?" A guard says, the two instantly recognizing the voice as Phil, Trevor's dad.
"Phil?" Helena mouthed to Leon, both wondering how he got mixed up in this.
"Call for backup and release subject one to dispose of them." Natalia says, the sound of her heels echoing through the empty hall.
"And if I do this, you won't hurt my wife and son?"
"Precisely. Now, I'm going home for the night. Don't fail me." She says, stepping into the elevator as Phil walked in the opposite direction.
Leon and Helena stepped out into the hall as Phil disappeared into another elevator to start his patrols.
"So, she's using his family as leverage."
"It doesn't make sense though. He showed no indication of knowing Aliya."
Helena shrugged, "maybe he knew of her but had never actually seen her."
Leon shrugged as the two quietly walked through the halls, stopping to hide when other guards walked by.
"Natalia's office is just up ahead."
"The two went up to the door, trying the handle first to see that the room was locked and there was a pin pad on it for another code that looked far more complex than the one at the entrance.
"Hunnigan, can you bypass this code?"
"I can try. Give me a minute."
The two waited, their guns at the ready in case anyone or anything tried to surprise them. The redlight on the door beeped and turned green, signaling that Hunnigan had managed to bypass the code and allow them to go inside.
Helena went around the desk and to the computer. The first thing she noticed was a small, circular, golden locket that looked like it could be a key to something. Helena pocketed the locket and started browsing through the computer, a bunch of files popping up on their experiments, especially on Aliya. Helena inserted a USB, downloading all the data to it and taking it out just as quickly.
"Okay, we got what we needed now let's go."
"No, we need to see what this goes to." Helena says, taking the locket out of her pocket and leaving the room before he could say anything.
"My view sees that there is a lab a few doors down. It may go somewhere down there."
Leon got his gun ready as they went down the hall towards where Hunnigan had said the lab was, surprisingly finding it unlocked. The two entered and found various machines and exam tables, the room reminding Leon of NEST back in Raccoon City.
Helena approached a closed off section where she could see vials of a red liquid and a circular slot that looked to be where the locket would go and inserted the jewelry, flinching at the loud beep as the doors unlocked and opened.
The brunette picked up one of the vials and read the number, recognizing it as Aliya's number. Helena pocketed the vial as alarms sounded, alerting them that their time was up.
The two agents ran back down the halls, stopping when the elevator doors opened to reveal none other than Phil.