Sniperbro1998: I don't want to give it away too soon, but you're pretty close! Not exactly, though. You'll know at least half of where she comes in by the end of this book. It's a little complicated and I don't wanna open the mystery box all the way too soon!
"Talk," Leon said. He refused to look at her, preferring to keep his head low and his eyes on the floor. His voice was deadly calm, not rising above normal levels but shouting his anger all the same. He was so still, so statuesque that Rose couldn't even tell if he was breathing. This was a level of distrust and anger that she had never seen on anyone before, and it just seemed so wrong on him. But he was giving her the chance to defend herself; that was something, wasn't it?
"I met Ada in Russia in 2001, where I saved her life from a group of mercenaries. My mission was to apprehend a political terrorist by the name of Fyodor Kuznetsov. I didn't know what she was doing there, but she had something they wanted. At the time, I thought she was a civilian. I was twenty years old. I swear, that was the first time I met her. I didn't know anything about that photo."
"Are you telling me this is fabricated?" Leon snarled, storming toward her, his anger boiling over. He shoved the photo into her chest, pinning her against the wall. "Don't lie to me."
"I'm not lying, Leon!" Panic bubbled up in her throat, tears pricking at her eyes. "I swear, I don't know!" Her voice trembled, desperation creeping in. "You have to believe me!"
For a moment, his expression hardened, a storm of conflicting emotions flashing in his eyes. But then he stepped back slightly, the intensity of his gaze still piercing through her. "Then explain the photo," he demanded, his tone still dangerous but less aggressive.
"I can't," she trembled against the wall. Her skin burned where he was still touching her, and she wanted to pull some magical explanation out of a hat, but she was no magician. She had no idea how to make this better. "Most of my childhood was a blur," Rose explained. "All I could remember was an orphanage and a man named Derek who adopted me to try and keep his wife with him. It didn't work, and she left anyway. I joined the DSO as soon as I turned eighteen."
Leon's brow furrowed, confusion mingling with the lingering anger. "And that's it? You're just a pawn in this game?"
"I didn't ask for any of this," she replied, her voice trembling but resolute. "I was trying to make a life for myself, trying to do good. But Ada… she had a way of pulling people in, and I never wanted to get entangled in her world, but she just kept showing up. We never worked together and never had any contact at all unless we were saving each other. That's all it was, Leon."
"How convenient," he shot back, skepticism lacing his words. "Always in the right place at the right time."
"It wasn't like that!" she insisted, frustration bubbling to the surface. "I didn't seek her out! She was just… there." She stopped, trying to stiffen her lip to stop it from trembling. "It's the truth."
Leon regarded her for a moment, the tension still palpable but slowly easing. "Alright," he said finally. "Let's get to work and find Ashley." His words were still tight, the distrust still darkening his blue eyes, but he backed away, letting her go. "Whatever's going on here, you've had my back this entire time. But I don't trust you with more than that."
The words hit her like a punch to the gut, nearly knocking the air out of her. Her eyes filled with tears she refused to let fall. Why was this such a big deal? He knew Ada too, and it didn't bother her nearly as much. What had Ada done to him?
"Leon," she started, her voice shaky, "I didn't want to be caught up in this any more than you do. I'm not her, and I never wanted to be."
He turned away, rubbing the back of his neck in frustration. "It's not just about you and me. Ada has a history of manipulation, of using people to get what she wants. I can't shake the feeling that you're tied into that somehow."
"Then ask me! Believe me!" she urged, stepping closer, desperate to bridge the gap between them. "I'm telling you everything I can. I don't want any secrets between us."
Leon glanced at her, his expression softening for just a moment before the guard returned. "You don't get it. It's not just trust. It's survival. If you're hiding something—anything—it could cost us."
She took a deep breath, grounding herself. "I promise you, I'm not hiding anything. I want to find Ashley just as much as you do. We can't let whatever's happening pull us apart."
Leon's gaze remained hard, but she could see a flicker of conflict beneath the surface. "We need to move," he said finally, his voice low. "We can sort out the details later."
Rose swallowed back her pleas, not wanting to push him over the edge and ruin any chance of reconciliation, but desperately wanting to stop him from walking out that door. It was strange how a couple of years ago, she had felt the same way as Ada walked away from her. Both of these people meant so much to her, and she couldn't even figure out why when it came to the Asian-American woman. With Leon, she could at least genuinely say she cared about him. An apology was on the tip of her tongue, but she wouldn't let the words pass her lips. What did she have to be sorry about? She'd done nothing wrong and refused to take on blame for some nameless crime.
Her eyes followed Leon as he approached a door that had a formation of tiles on it, a clear indicator of another puzzle that she wasn't even going to attempt to help solve. He stood in front of it for a moment, staring at it for so long she was sure he wasn't actually concentrating on the puzzle itself, then he walked over to a cabinet and smashed the glass. Reaching in, he pulled out a loose tablet that very obviously went to the door. Without looking at her, he spoke. "There's another on the bookshelf beside you."
Rose moved at the unspoken command, turning at the waist to see what he was talking about. When she found the tablet, she plucked it up as he walked over to the far side of the room near where they'd come in, picking up another stone tablet off of a table. He met her over by the door again, turning the tablets in his hands over. One side was blue and the other was red. She stayed silent, diligently holding her tablet as Leon began matching the symbols on the door to the tablets, pressing them into their correct slots. When he took hers, he avoided touching her, causing Rose to look towards the window with resentment.
Would this talk have gone any better if Ada hadn't set her up like this? If she had just brought it up on her own when they were alone, would he have retained a semblance of trust? She wanted to curse Ada. If either of them were mad at someone, Ada was the one who deserved their ire. What did she think she was playing at, anyway?
The image of her teenage self sitting so comfortably with a younger Ada was engraved on her mind now, no doubt like it was for Leon. It was like she was looking at a photograph of someone else; yet she knew it was her. It was such a strange phenomenon, a dissonance between her past and present selves that left her feeling adrift.
The door slid open, revealing a cluttered hallway with windows along the left wall. They moved silently through it, and Rose spotted a giant rat minding its own business as it scampered along the stone. She wondered what it would be like to live the life of a rat. One goal every day—finding food, avoiding traps—creeping through holes in the walls, and not having to take orders from anyone.
She envied the simplicity of it; the freedom from the weight of expectations and responsibilities that seemed to smother her. No betrayals, no complicated histories, just survival in a world that didn't demand anything more than instinct. They passed through another study-looking room and Rose nearly jumped in shock when something passed by the doorway ahead of them, moving too fast for her eyes to see more than a blur.
"Oh, great," Leon sighed. There wasn't anything there but a bookcase when they entered, which caused Rose's skin to crawl.
They followed the wall to another hallway with a bookshelf half knocked over and leaning against the opposite wall. Leon moved forward, his arms bulging and straining with the effort to push the heavy bookshelf upright. It slammed against the wall, overpowering Leon's grunt as his muscles were finally able to relax. A scurrying sound of claws on stone raced down towards the next room and in a flash, both Leon and Rose had their guns in their hands. The thing they had disturbed looked like a giant spider, the size of a medium-sized dog, with a long scorpion-looking tail. It hopped onto the back of an unsuspecting cultist who had his back to them, the parasite weaving around him and digging its razor-sharp claws into his back, causing the zombified man to arch in pain and let out a scream so raw that the agents could both feel it in their souls.
The cultist, with his new appendage, sprinted towards them with his axe arching above his head and the tentacles of the parasite lashing out in the air around him. Leon shot at the parasite, and Rose shot at the cultist's head. Backing up and avoiding the axe, Leon shot several more times until the spider thing fell off and Rose killed the cultist. The parasite lunged at Leon, attempting to reattach to a new host, but Leon stomped his foot down with so much force that Rose wondered if he was going to have a nasty bruise on the bottom of his foot. The parasite squashed wetly, legs twitching as it died underneath a rubber boot.
Thankfully, that was the only enemy they came across as they made their way down again, and back outside where the rain had stopped and the wind was blowing. There was no comfort to be had, though, because somewhere there was a PA system, and that PA system was cackling with Salazar's horrible laugh. "Oh, Mr. Kennedy...you and Ms. Kidman appear to have lost your companion."
"She said meeting you once was enough," Leon smarted off, of course.
"Ah, we'll make sure we find her. Don't you worry about her."
There was a crackling sound as Salazar seemed to disconnect. Ahead of them was a draw bridge, of course, raised. There was a weight dangling down keeping the bridge in position, and Rose did her best to aim for the chain. She shot and mercifully shot the tiny chain. The bridge came down, revealing a flock of cultists.
"Oh, you were expecting us, huh?" Leon asked rhetorically as he ran forward, guns blazing. Rose caught up easily, catching a scythe before it could impale her and yanking it out of the cultist's hands. Turning his blade on him, she dug the sharp, curved end into his chest, which resulted in an arch of blood squirting everywhere. She arched the scythe back down, catching another in the chest. The female cultist shrieked as she fell off the bridge, plummeting into whatever was below. Leon pulled out his shotgun, attacking a shield-wielding cultist with extreme prejudice and slowly inching their way across the bridge.
The clash of steel and the thud of bodies hitting the wooden planks echoed in the dim light as Leon and Rose fought their way through the ranks of cultists. Behind the bridge, a murmur rose like a dark tide as more members of the sinister cult began to spill forth, their faces shadowed by hoods that obscured any trace of humanity.
Leon ducked just in time to avoid a wild swing of the cultist's flail. He fired at point-blank range, sending the attacker stumbling back in shock before collapsing to the ground. The smell of blood mixed with sweat filled the air, thick and acrid.
Rose spun, her muscles taut as she lashed out with the scythe again, this time aiming for a cultist attempting to flank them from the side. It connected with a sickening crunch, followed by a spatter of crimson. Rose's eyes darted toward the growing throng encroaching upon them.
The drawbridge creaked ominously under the weight of combat, and Leon nodded, determination igniting his blue eyes. He holstered his shotgun, opting instead for his gleaming pistol that now felt like an extension of his own reflexes. With each shot, he cleared a path, the precision of his aim causing even the bravest cultists to hesitate. The two agents were all out of sympathy and cut through them like logs set for a fire. When the enemies were all lying dead at their feet, Leon and Rose made it to solid stone again and entered the tower.
There was a winding staircase to the left that led to the next floor, where they could hear movement and voices leaking down on them. Just ahead of them was a closed grate, caging them away from the room just beyond it. There was an old-fashioned lever sitting beside the grate, and Leon eyed the stairs, and then looked back at Rose. "I'm going to check upstairs. You stay here."
"But-"
"I'd rather you not aggravate that leg any more than you have to. Might need you to be able to stand while watching my back at some point."
Rose huffed, her shoulders dropping, but she nodded. Whether it was he needed some space from her or he genuinely cared about her leg, she wasn't sure. She wanted to believe the latter, but who knew at this point? She hadn't let him down yet, even with her bum leg, and she didn't plan to. Even if she had to crawl, she would still do her very best to protect him.
She watched Leon disappear upstairs and winced when she heard his gunshots and the click of him reloading. Rose leaned against the cool metal of the grate, the noise of the stairs creaking under Leon's weight echoing in her ears. The voices above were muffled, blending into a chaotic hum that made her pulse quicken. Her heart raced not just from concern for Leon, but from the restless energy bubbling within her. Why was it always the men who thought they knew best?
Stay here, Rose. Protect your leg. The words echoed mockingly in her mind. But I can fight! I can help! Yet here she was, relegated to the sidelines, a spectator in her own battle. She could almost feel the warmth of the blood pounding in her ears, urging her to run after him, to prove herself. What? I don't have anything to prove! Besides the fact that I'm not some commie pharmaceutical company's puppet. I've more than proved myself!
"Ugh," she muttered under her breath, frustration rising like bile. What does he think I am? A helpless damsel? Would it be better or worse if he did? She shifted her weight carefully, testing her injured leg. It throbbed uncomfortably, reminding her of its limitations, but she couldn't let that define her. Not now, not when there was a real chance of danger lurking just beyond the grate.
She glanced back up the staircase, fighting the urge to call out for Leon. He was capable; she knew that. But so was she. She'd been through hell and back, and each time she rose again, stronger than before. Yet here she sat, restrained by an act of chivalry that felt more like imprisonment.
Selfish? No. Smart. The logic was undeniable. If she pushed herself too hard now, she'd only endanger them both. But the notion stung. What if something happens to him? The thought sent chills down her spine.
The gunshots echoed again from above, sharper this time, and her heart leaped in response. She bit her lip, watching the darkened staircase as if it would provide answers. Is he okay? What's happening up there?
She forced her breathing to slow, reminding herself that panicking wouldn't help anyone. She had to be ready. Her eyes flickered back to the lever beside the grate. It was old and rusted, but desperation often lent strength to the weak. If he needs me, I'll find a way.
It wasn't too long before there was the sound of rusty gears turning and the cage door opened, leaving Leon to drop down a hole in the ceiling in the previously inaccessible cage. She fell into step behind him easily, her internal dialog dying away with the relief she felt from seeing him uninjured and ready to move on.
Unfortunately, the way onwards had a steep drop down. "I'll go down first, then I'll catch you," said Leon lowly and he didn't wait for her to even thank him before he lowered himself over the ledge and dropped down the good six-foot drop. As Leon hit the ground with a muted thud, he grunted, shaking off the slight impact like it was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. He straightened up, brushing dust from his worn jacket, all while keeping his eyes fixed on the darkness below.
"Thank you," she started to say as she peered down at him.
"Just hurry up," he snapped, his voice gravelly but edged with concern—though he'd never admit it aloud. The flickering torchlight above cast eerie shadows on his chiseled features, highlighting that familiar blend of surliness and unyielding resolve. He was a tempest wrapped in a storm, temperamental but undeniably brave. "Fine," she muttered, rallying her confidence as she steadied herself for the descent. "Try not to drop me, chivalrous knight."
With a sigh that hinted at an eye roll, Leon muttered, "Just go already."
Biting back an immature comment, she let herself slide off the edge. She felt the rush of air as she descended, her stomach tightening, but then his arms were around her, strong and steady, catching her just before she it the ground.
"See? Not so hard," he remarked curtly, but his grip lingered a moment longer than necessary. There was warmth in the way they stood close, a familiarity built from shared battles and narrow escapes.
"Thanks… I guess," she replied, her cheeks heating more from his proximity than the perilous drop they had just navigated. "Are you always this charming?"
"Only when I'm saving people," he retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm, though his seriousness belied the jest. He stepped back, scanning the new chamber, eyes narrowed, ever watchful.
"Ai estan!"
Leon quickly put a bullet in the hoodless cultist's head as they approached him in the next hallway. His brain matter smattered the wall as he dropped like a sack of potatoes. His body twitched and jerked as the parasite fought to escape its fleshy tomb, but Leon marched over and slammed his heavy boot down on it, causing it to go still. The sheer strength that Leon had probably would have scared anyone else, especially if they were on the wrong side of his ire, but Rose admired him for it. Not just his physical strength, but his mental too. She didn't think the president could have picked a more capable bodyguard than him, let alone someone to rescue the president's daughter.
There was a lattice wall to the left of them, which revealed two more cultists on the other side. Leon and Rose both crouched low and rounded the wall. Unfortunately, one of them had been facing the agents and their cover was blown immediately. The bald woman shrieked as she threw herself forward, but Rose kicked out her foot and tripped her before she could land on Leon. Meanwhile, Leon lunged forward and grabbed the other cultist by the throat, quickly bringing him in as if to hug him, and then snapped his neck with a brutal twist. Rose remained focused on the downed woman, delivering another kick that sent her sprawling onto her back. Without hesitation, Rose brandished her knife and drove it deep into the woman's throat, silencing her screams and sealing their fate in blood.
They passed through the now silent room and to the right was another one of those levers with a sun painted on it. "There's another one of those lever things," Rose said, half turning back to Leon who was massaging his shoulder. She briefly imagined doing that for him, her cheeks heating once again at the inappropriate and highly unprofessional thought. It seemed her mind was as desperate for him to forgive her as her emotions were.
"Means there's another gate somewhere."
Rose nodded, pulling the lever and listening in satisfaction for the aforementioned gate to slide open. It was a few yards from where they'd been standing, thankfully nothing too complicated. They slid on through and had to walk up some fallen planks where the next floor had given out, leaving a hole in the ceiling. Leon went up first, turning around and holding out his hand to pull her up. Rose gave a little jump, catching his hand before gravity could pull her down again and he grabbed onto her with both hands, pulling her up.
In the next room, Rose went for the next lever while Leon hopped up on the raised floor and killed two more cultists before she followed him through the next gate. "I kind of feel like a rat in a maze," Rose whispered.
"I get the feeling that's not too far from the truth," Leon responded. The next room had another staircase, this one unavoidable and going all the way up. Although her leg wasn't hurting as much as before, the sheer height of the staircase made her stomach flutter with unease. Each step felt monumental, both physically and psychologically.
The trip was slow, but Leon was right behind her, steadying her anytime her knee gave out suddenly. She hoped that she wouldn't need another surgery because of all these stairs. It was almost funny how this mission had turned out.
Turns out, the stairs led out onto the roof of the tower they had entered. Fires were blazing from wood piles, and there was a wooden wall set up for cover. "What do you think that's for?" Rose asked, not really expecting an answer. Just then, a loud roar made them both stumble backward. A giant with a metal helmet and...was it wearing armor? Rose's eyes widened in surprise and Leon grabbed her hand as the big ugly bastard grabbed a boulder and threw it at them.
Leon pulled them behind the wall, once again covering her body with his, just in case. "Another one?" He grunted in exasperation. "You guys are really starting to become a giant pain in my ass!"
"Leon, there's a drop-off here," Rose said as she ran a couple of feet to her right. Leon grunted and dropped down, holding his arms out for her and this time, she didn't hesitate before jumping into them. As soon as her feet hit the ground, they were sprinting across the open area. The giant threw another boulder, narrowly missing them. Rose could feel rocks hitting her back hard enough to leave bruises, but thankfully that was all the damage they took as they made it around the castle roof to another barricade. Two cultists jumped out, knocking Rose to the floor with a harsh thud, her head bouncing off the stone. She saw stars, but managed to kick the cultist off of her as Leon killed the one that had attacked him, then turned around and shot the one who'd knocked her down.
He hauled her to her feet, thrusting them both behind the barricade and avoiding another boulder being launched at them. They darted for the next area, flinching as more debris rained down on them.
"It's getting faster!" Rose called out. Leon nodded, glancing up momentarily to spot where the monster was and how far in its trajectory they were.
"Just keep running!"
A cultist with a flaming crossbow was waiting for them on the other side of the next long stretch and they had to dodge both the flying arrows and the boulders. They panted, legs and chest burning with overexertion. Rose was just thankful that Ashley wasn't here to have to drag around with them. The floor was caved in right in front of the cultist, so they couldn't even reach him to kill him. Leon ran and jumped, rolling and taking out a cultist at the same time.
Another boulder came rushing towards Rose, intending to flatten her into a pancake, so she leaped off of the ledge, crying out in pain as she landed. It felt like her femurs had shattered, though it was an exaggeration, and Rose had to limp out of the way.
"Are you okay?" Leon asked as he joined her in the room. It was enclosed, so the giant couldn't get them in there, and it gave them a second to calm down. Rose's face was blotchy from the pain, seeing stars again and real heat over the bridge of her nose indicating how close she was to losing consciousness.
Rose gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stand straighter despite the pain radiating through her legs. "I'm fine," she lied, trying to shake off the disorientation.
Leon stepped closer, concern etched on his face. "You don't look fine."
Rose inhaled deeply, focusing on her breathing to steady herself. "We can't stay here. We need to find a way to take him out before one of those assholes gets smart and take us out."
As she scanned the room, her eyes landed on a pile of debris in one corner. "We're gonna have to kill that thing," she says, cringing as another boulder hit the wall beside her. The wall shuddered, and she didn't believe it would be standing much longer.
"You're right," Leon replied, turning to a lever. There were two gates in here. The one they had just come through had a moon painted over it, and the closed one had a sun. Leon pulled the lever to the left, swapping out the moon for the sun and causing the open gate to close, and vice versa. "We wait until he throws one, then I'll drop below, take cover, and after he throws another boulder, jump down."
Rose nodded and moved aside so he could position himself in front of her. The wall shuddered again, a stone coming loose on their side. Leon didn't wait to see what happened next and jumped out, grunting at the impact. Rose peered down at the level Leon had jumped to and watched him slap a crossbow out of a cultist's hands and push him over the wall. Leon dived out of the way as the giant threw another boulder, then immediately stood up and came to stand below Rose. She jumped down, landing in his arms almost gracefully. He didn't even have the chance to put her down, simply ran behind the next wall with her in his arms. She instinctually wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers lacing through the hair at the nape, feeling how soft it was.
The unexpected closeness took them both by surprise; for a moment, the world around them faded, the chaos becoming a distant echo. Leon held her securely, their faces inches apart, and neither of them wanted to break the spell of that brief pause in the violence. She caught herself imagining what it would be like to lean in, to close the gap and press her lips to his. The thought sent a thrill through her. What would it be like to kiss him? Would it be rough and angry? Resentful? Or would it be sweet and mindful?
The idea danced in her mind—a brief escape from the horrors surrounding them. She imagined his hands cradling her face, the warmth of his body melding with hers, and the world fading away until it was just the two of them. The way he looked at her, made her believe that he would get over his distrust eventually. She wished it could be right then and there.
But it wasn't. Still, she couldn't shake the warmth in her chest as she held on to him, their closeness igniting something deep within her.
Leon's eyes searched hers, a flicker of something unspoken passing between them. It was a connection that transcended words, a shared understanding forged in fire and danger. For a heartbeat, she wondered if he felt it too... if he wanted to lean in just as much as she did.
"Ready?" he asked, his voice steady but laced with urgency.
His eyes closed off to her again as the giant's roar vibrated in the air around them, breaking that daydream into a thousand pieces, and Leon set her down again. She sighed in indignation as they left the safety of the wall once again just to find a ladder. "Up you get, Princess," he said ironically as he stepped to the side.
Rose quickly grabbed onto the ladder and pulled herself up as fast as she could, Leon right behind her.
""Yes!" she yelled, pumping her fist in the air. "I got dibs this time!"
Leon, stepped through behind her, raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile playing on his lips. "Are you sure? That's some heavy artillery," he replied, clearly reluctant to relinquish the glory of firing a real cannon.
Rose shot him a dirty look. "Mine," she hissed, her tone leaving no room for argument.
His laughter echoed through the chamber, a welcome sound amidst the chaos they had just escaped. "Alright, alright! Just don't blow us up, okay?"
"Please," she retorted, a playful smirk on her face as she approached the cannon. "I've got this."
They had to walk around and find the weight that held the cannon. Leon eyed the sharp iron spiked fence that gated in the cannon, and the ladder leading up top. He moved over towards the cannon and cupped his hands. "Here, take the short way up."
Rose swallowed, looking at the pointy fence, but nodded as adrenaline coursed through her veins and she allowed him to hoist her over the fence.
"Be careful," he warned as she cautiously placed her foot on the cannon in order to maneuver her way onto the other side. She teetered, nearly falling, but caught herself before she did and lowered herself onto the platform while Leon went and released the weight. The platform jerked before raising itself into the line of sight of the furious giant.
She lit the fuse and held her breath as the cannon released with a loud BANG. She almost fell over as the cannon jerked backward into her. The giant screamed when the cannonball smacked into its torso and Rose sent a second for good measure. The giant cried out in pain, and dramatically fell over the side of the castle. "WHOOO HOOO!" Rose cheered, dancing a little jig where she stood behind her favorite weapon ever.
"Rose, the door!" Leon called from behind her. She turned to see three cultists standing in front of some big twin doors and loaded another cannon, aiming, lighting the fuse, and cheering once again as the cannonball released. It smashed through the cultists in a rain of blood and guts and blasted the doors into splinters, waiting for them to pass.
"That was the best thing ever," Rose grinned as she jogged over to where Leon was waiting. He nodded with a smile, remembering his own boyish excitement when it'd been him in charge of the cannon.
Leon helped her down the next two drops and she tried not to think about how she was noticing more and more how every touch he gave her was sending sparks up her arms and down her spine. Was it a natural response in their situation? She had been in a few relationships in her life, but none of them had her feeling so ready to make out after a fight than when it was Leon. She should be off put by his hot and cold attitude and especially his abrasiveness. She was sure for him it was all about getting through the mission without losing their minds, but for her...with every smile and sarcastic joke, she was getting butterflies.
They ran up the stairs and over another wooden bridge, just to have to jump as the bridge collapsed as an angry giant resurfaced, breaking the planks like toothpicks. Leon skittered back as the giant made a grab for him and sent the giant a scathing look as it fell once again. "Sorry. I've had my fill of you guys."
As they made their way out of the other side, the intercom dinged and Salazar's grating voice filled the air. Rose gawked at the giant maze stretched out before them. "Still alive, I see," Salazar spit. "So, do you like my garden?"
"I see you've managed to work in a little of your twisted taste here, too," Leon rebutted.
Salazar giggled a childish, giddy sound. "Sagacious as I am, even I get lost in there sometimes. Even if it takes your whole life, you'll never get out."
"We'll see about that!" Rose shouted with confidence laced through her words.
"Ms. Kidman, with your own dance number quickly approaching, you should be careful not to...overstep. It would be a shame to lose such a talented actress." He hissed the last word with meaning that it made both her and Leon furrow their brows, Leon's eyes darting over to her frame suspiciously. Rose shifted her weight from one foot to the other, not comfortable with what he was implying. "Do you know that no one dies without a cause? You will satisfy the stomachs of my cute pets. Now, if you excuse me, I have to tie up a few loose ends, like chasing down a couple of rats."
"I hope Luis is okay," Rose says distractedly as they take their time walking.
"Not worried about Ada, then?" Leon quips sardonically.
"Ada can take care of herself," she replied, trying to shift her focus.
"Still, it's a bit strange that you're more concerned about Luis," Leon teased, but there was an underlying seriousness in his tone.
"Luis saved me from being a human torch back in the village and backed us up when we were holed up in that cabin. Whatever he's gotten himself into, he's trying to make up for it. I can at least appreciate a good person when I see them." Her words were heavy as if she was trying to impress upon him her own trustworthiness. She knew she couldn't force it onto him, but she hated the doubt he still had in his eyes. "He wants to be better."
"Yeah, well, my dad used to tell me to want in one hand and shit in the other to see which hand fills up faster."
"That's disgusting," Rose blanched, wrinkling her nose in response. She couldn't help but chuckle despite the seriousness of their situation. "You really know how to paint a picture, don't you?"
Leon shrugged, a hint of a smirk tugging at his lips. "Just keeping it real. But for what it's worth, I believe him too."
Rose smiled at his back as he walked ahead of her towards the door at the end of the walkway. As they got closer, they could hear the distinct sound of someone crying on the other side. Hope blossomed in her chest as Rose stood opposite Leon, waiting for him to open the door. He held his gun up with one hand, and used the other to twist the doorknob.
The sniffling and crying got louder as the door opened without even a squeak and they stepped into an elaborately furnished bedroom. It was different in here than the rest of the castle. The lighting was warm and inviting, and carpets on the floor to soften footfalls as they walked across. It was clean and free of debris. A crystal chandelier sparkled above their heads, and fresh flowers stood in vases, keeping the air fragrant. Ashley was sitting on an ornate blue and gold loveseat, her head bowed as she folded into herself. She looked up as Leon came closer and scooted back in terror. Leon froze, but Rose advanced and slowly took a seat beside Ashley.
"No, stay back!" She sobbed. "I might hurt you again."
"Ashley...you won't. That wasn't you. It wasn't your fault," Rose reminded her.
"I'm so scared," Ashely sniffled, large tears leaking out of her eyes as she gave in and leaned against Rose. Rose wrapped her arms around the girl, trying her best to comfort her as she soaked the agents shirt with her tears. "When that happened...I know I wasn't myself anymore, but I was watching it all and...and I thought...I thought-"
"Ashley, that must have been terrifying, I know-" Leon made the mistake of moving too fast, and Ashley yanked away from Rose.
She raised her hand to Leon, silently asking him to give her space. "I got this," she said, her voice steady and reassuring. Leon's lips pursed in frustration, wanting to help, but he relented and took a step back, watching with concern etched across his face.
Rose turned her attention back to Ashley, her heart full of compassion. "It's okay, Ashley. I'm here for you. You're safe now." She gently brushed a strand of hair from Ashley's face, meeting her gaze with unwavering warmth.
Ashley's eyes searched Rose's, and for a moment, the fear began to fade, replaced by a glimmer of trust. "I don't want to hurt anyone again," she whispered, her voice trembling.
"You won't. We'll make sure of that," Rose promised, holding her close. "You're not alone in this."
When Ashley finally calmed down, Rose made room for Leon to sit. He moved slowly, as if afraid to startle Ashley again. The blonde allowed him to sit on her other side and he offered a reassuring smile.
"It's okay to be afraid, you know," Leon supplied softly, his voice filled with understanding. "But you can't run."
Ashley looked away, her gaze dropping as she clutched Rose's hand, nervously fiddling with the older woman's fingers. Leon continued, "You gotta keep moving forward. We will beat this. Together."
A strained, watery sound escaped Ashley as she leaned down onto Rose again, seeking solace. "I don't know if I can," she murmured, her voice muffled against Rose's shoulder.
"You can," Rose said firmly, squeezing Ashley's hand reassuringly. "We believe in you. It's okay to take it one step at a time. You're stronger than you think."
Ashley looked up, her large, tear-filled eyes meeting Rose's. "What if I can't control it? What if it happens again?"
"Just give me a heads up before you stab me," Leon joked, a smile pulling at his lips.
Ashley sniffled and giggled. "Thank you. Leon. Rose. I'm...I'm lucky you guys are here."
"I am pretty badass," Rose added with a wink, nudging her shoulder against Ashley's playfully.
That got a genuine laugh from Ashley, brightening the atmosphere. "Yeah, you've saved Leon's butt a lot."
Leon feigned offense, placing a hand over his heart. "Excuse me? My butt is a national treasure! You should be thanking it for all the hard work it does."
Ashley laughed outright this time, shaking her head. "Okay, okay! I get it!"
Rose chuckled, her heart swelling with warmth. "We all have our strengths. Mine just happens to be saving Leon's behind."
"And you're both lucky I'm here to keep things from getting too serious," Leon added with a smirk. "I mean, who else would make you laugh at a time like this?"
Ashley beamed at them, her worries temporarily forgotten. "I really appreciate you both. It feels good to laugh again."
"And we'll keep laughing," Rose promised, her voice softening. "No matter what happens, we're in this together. We'll face it all with humor and strength."