"Fuck, this place smells rancid" you gagged, the unpleasant fumes landing on your taste buds making you almost taste the air. You'd think by now you'd be use to it but nope.. not in the slightest.
Leon's hand abruptly stopped you in your tracks, you would of toppled over if it weren't for his firm hand subconsciously catching you. "You hear that?" Leon whispered, his face stern as he pressed a finger to his lips. Curious, you listened in pure silence then you heard it, though faint but definitely familiar. No doubt about it "Grace.." you said, your face filling with dread as her screams echoed in this underground system, calling Emily's name here and there. She sounded uncertain, almost afraid, but of Emily?..
"We need to hurry, now!" Leon ordered, tugging you along with him as he lead the way in a hurried jog. Giving you no time to even think as you body move with him. You and Leon navigated through the narrow passageways like some damn maze but eventually you both made it to where the noise were at its peak. Running up a flight of stairs only to witness a terrifying scene. Your heart wanted to shatter right then and there, watching a pleading Grace on the ground as she called Emily's name over and over again. Her voice was full of fear and sadness, it gutted you deeply. You looked over to the monster approaching Grace. It was absolutely hideous and malformed, but its eyes.. those bulging eyes read fear, like it didn't want to hurt anyone but something inside was making it do it like as if it were a puppet on strings.
"Emily!.. Please, it's me! Grace!" Grace cried out. Crawling over to it with shaky limbs. Her body refusing to enter danger but her heart pleaded to save her. She's already lost so much and losing such an innocent girl like her would only send her spiraling even more than she already is. If it meant saving one life, then she'll do it in a heartbeat, even if it killed her.
The monster screeched, its big clubbed arm swung at Grace, narrowly missing her by a couple inches as if refusing to lay a finger on her. Emily must still be in there fighting. "It's okay.. Emily, I'm right here" Grace called out to her as she crept a bit closer, her voice trembling still.
The monster screeched in pain. Tumbling a bit backwards as blood splattered on the floor, you looked over to see Leon, gun in hand as he resumed shooting at the monster. His face was cold and emotionless.
"No! WAIT!… don't do this!!" Grace screamed, her eyes shooting Leon with dread as she stumbled over to Leon's legs, tugging at his pants. Leon remained completely silent as he was purely focused on his target, drowning out graces pleas with bullet shots.
All you could do was watch idly, feeling confilicted if this was right or not. A part of you said it's the right thing to do, knowing all to well when a person is turned, there's simply no going back from there but another part said maybe just maybe, there's a way to save her. But how?..
Leon fired a last bullet into the monster, its shrills of pain came to an abrupt silence as its body fell to the ground with a loud thud. Lying limp in its own pool of blood. Leon took a gulp of air as if he was denied oxygen during that whole ordeal, he stared blankly at the motionless monster.
Grace finally let go of Leon's pants leg, crawling over to Emily on uneven strides. She was whimpering in disbelief and sadness, wheezing as she clung to its body. She let out a cry the sunk the knife deeper into you then before, her cries echoing around you like a haunting.
"I-I" Grace spoke, taking a moment to take an air "I wanted.. to save her!" She shouted, her voice filled with anger, tears still streaming down her flushed cheeks, her eyes bloodshot from crying. Leon head turned to Grace, from your point of view all you saw was the back of his head but something on Grace face contorted into sheer disappointment. "Look, it was the only way" Leon trailed off, trying to sound like the better person, explaining if he didn't do it then she'd just been in absolute misery.
Grace looked at Leon with an ice cold glare. Her hand guided over to Leon's requiem she had holstered in her back pocket. Pulling it out before messily tossing the gun to the ground like trash. Leon stared in disbelief and exhaustion before slowly looking up at Grace again. He was speechless.
"I don't want it.. anymore" Grace says as a finality before turning her back on you both, walking away without a second glance. You both watched in complete silence as her silhouette faded deeper into the underground treatment.
You felt utterly defeated, feeling like an absolute failure of a person. Knowing full well you could of stopped him from killing her but still did nothing.
Leon slowly bends down to pick up his requiem until suddenly he coughed up blood into his palm. He stared into his hand with a concerned look, knowing all to well his time is nearing sooner than he thought. "You okay?" You asked worriedly, kneeling right beside him, you looked down to see blood in his palm, your eyes widening. Shit..
Looking back over to yourself, you saw the black bruising on your arm trail up even higher than before this mission. It was even on your other arm too. You time is nearing too and knowing there's no cure for it, at least you won't be going out alone. Glancing over at Leon, beginning to wipe the back of his hand over his mouth. Wiping off the blood.
"I just got news in that Grace Ashcroft has made contact with the Connections group" Sherrys says, getting straight to the point.
"She's heading over to Raccoon city, though unsure the reason" "head over there and investigate" Sherry ends the call. An order said like a finality. No room for questions.
You and Leon rode in the Porsche once again, Leon at the steering wheel while you sat passenger, watching the scenery go from lushes greens to dead and open terrain. Not even tumble weeds in sight. The sun has already risen from its nightfall, making the world around you more broken then you'd want it to be.
Something inside you made you look ahead, as you looked your eyes stared with disbelief. A memory shooting into your mind like a painful zap. Shutting your eyes hard as painful memories flowed back.
An image of you and your mom going on a simple road trip to see your relatives in raccoon city. Still remembering how you mom smiled as you and her sang karaoke to your playlist. You still wearing your lousy PJs. Then in a flash your whole world flipped upside down, blood everywhere, body everywhere, glass broken in shards as the terrifying sight of mutated zombies surrounded you. Trapped in a deserted gas station in the middle of nowhere. Feeling helpless and scared as the image of your mom half eaten alive on the ground as her lifeless eyes bored into you. Sacrificing herself to save you from being attacked. The images still burned into the back of your head like a brand.
Your eyes shot open with a loud gasp, your heart rate skyrocketing as you took gulps of air into your lungs. Trembling in your seat as you returned to reality like an abrupt awakening. You look over to see Leon staring at you with concern, the car parked on the side of the dilapidated road. His hand reaches to cup your cheek, his thumb running over a tear you didn't know you had. Wiping it away with a certain tenderness you didn't know you needed right now. Calming your rapid heart rate like a warm pillow. You and him let the silence envelop you both as the moment slowed smoothly.
You cleared your throat unsteadily, "I-I'm okay" you said with uncertainty, giving your best attempt at a smile. "I know this place is haunting to us, but, we all know this was gonna happen eventually" Leon spoke in a soft tone, his hand guiding down your cheek to rest on your left thigh, giving it an reaffirming squeeze. "I know, just thought I was prepared for this" you laughed bitterly, trying to sound confident. But Leon was no fool, he knew exactly how your feeling and to be honest he feels the same way. A haunting memory the he too thought he was prepared for but come to realize he truly wasn't. The memories from his night after drinking himself to sleep after a previous breakup with his ex which then caused him to be utterly late to his first day on the job as a Racccon City policemen.
You wiped the last bit of tears off your cheek "I'm ready now" you said with a new found confidence. Leon smiled, happy to see you combating against your dark past. He starts the car back up again and steers into the road again, driving along the road before passing by a half broken welcome sign to Raccoon City.
You both eventually arrive at the destination, the sight was something unliked you'd imagine after the bombing of this city. It was a complete wasteland of rubble and broken memories. It almost felt surreal that this city still somewhat standing after so long. Leon slows the car into park in the middle of the dilapidated street, abandoned cars and trucks scattered throughout, trash littered everywhere. Truly a ghost town of what it once was. Before was a thriving city with people living in apartments and such, work building for hard working businessmen and women just trying to provide to their families.
"What a mess" Leon sighed. Hopping out of the drivers seat before shutting the car door. You hopped out right after him, thinking the same way. "Once a beautiful city and now this.." you said, the heavy weight of sadness crushes you, you still can't believe you both survived this whole ordeal way back when.
"Come on, let's keep going" Leon says as he starts to walk through the streets, you softly hummed matching his pace beside him. Looking up and down the eerie scene of this city. Dust flowed against the wind of more than likely ashes of forgotten souls that sadly couldn't make it out that day. You both turned a corner the street, a old beaten up bus fused to the side of a building "it's like time stopped" Leon says woefully, the subtle shift in his tone speaks a thousand words. The survivors guilt hitting him in an instant. "A city of broken memories and ashes" you followed up, expressing your own woeful disdain for this place. Walking through what looks to be a hotel lobby or what's left of it. A lobby that probably housed families or visitors to this city.
A rotating door lied ahead, noticing spider webs encasing the broken windows of each door. It isn't surprising insects managed to infested this run down city, it has been decades since then so there's bound to be something living in this dump.
Leon pushed through the rotating doors, you staying right behind him, following in the same space. Walking out of the doors even more spider webs infesting the pathway through this city, looking up you saw a car webbed below a lifted highway or street something. That's not normal. Since when were spiderwebs strong enough to lift a car?
Did Spider-Man live here before?
Continuing on, you and Leon walked beside each other through the broken fence. Something felt off, like someone or something was watching you. Walking a bit further you heard a loud crunch sound startle you. You looked over and notice Leon so happened to step on a human skull, the bone so brittle from age that a simple step managed to crush it completely or Leon is just that heavy..
You felt goosebumps prick you skin like a second layer but this time it felt different than normal. An intuition telling to look behind you. You mind screamed at you to not do it but your body was already moving before you can tell it to stop. Your eyes widened in fear as gigantic mutated spider crawled along the bridge, its fangs bared at the both of you. Fuck.. bugs are one thing but spiders are a no go for you.
The enormous insect striker between the both of you with its large leg, narrowly missing a lethal attack. The ground crumbled from its power, Leon was already in fight mode, taking a strike at its leg with his axe. The spider screeched in pain as it retracted it leg. Enraging it more.
"Run!" Leon shouted. Shoving you in front of him as you both aimed for the door ahead, entering another building. The spider followed in a frenzy, but luckily for its enormous size, it couldn't fit into the small door, it hissed in anger. Pounding the building with such a force it's hooked the entire building. But now this left you both in a bad predicament. You're now trapped inside until you find a way to deal with this thing. Who knows if there's more of them crawling around the city.
The insect shoved its large legs through the small gap of the door, trying to reach for you both but was unsuccessful. Suddenly a small section of the upper level above you caved way just intront of the intruding spider. Forcing it to be shoved out. Through the gap the rubble the spider glared at you both with anger, crawling off somewhere out of view. That was a look of lethal hunter that won't stop until it gets what it wants.
"This way! Hurry" Leon orders, his hand closing around yours as he lugged you along with him through the dense hallway. After turning a corner at the end, suddenly the insect burst through the wall, halting you both just before it. It somehow found a way to get to you both. It's snarled once its eyes setted on you both like prey. Leaving no space to think as it began b-lining to you both with intent to kill. Your only option was to run back the way you came from but only one problem. The exit is blocked.
Having no choice you both ran the opposite direction. Just as you get to the blocked exit, the spider powerful limbs brutally shoved you both through a wall, the force so strong it left you dizzy for a moment. Leon pulled you up to you feet suddenly as he pulled you along with him. Your mind lagged but your body moved as one with him. Following him half mindedly. He shoves you through an open door first before entering behind you quickly. He kicks the door closed with all his might. The spider being halted once again from the small sized door. Crawling off somewhere again.
"You okay?" Leon asks worriedly, his frame coming down to your level on the ground, his eyes checking for anything broken. His hands cupping your cheeks for extra reassurance. "Mhm, yea" you replied softly, still a bit shaken up. Leon's lips closes around yours in a warm but chaste kiss before kissing your forehead for extra measures and for his own peace of mind. He carefully helps you up on your feet before another sudden rumble shook the building, that damn insect still wanting more.
"That thing just won't quit" you huffed in annoyance, dusting yourself off of dust and rubble. "No kidding, come on" Leon responds, sounding just as annoyed. You both run up a flight of stairs to the upper level. Navigating through the run down apartment complex, tiny baby spiders began to crawl out from corners, seemingly seeing you both as good as well. It must be that things babies.
They looked just as abnormally big too, definitely bigger than your average spiders even for babies. But luckily a simple squash from your foot seemed to do the job. You both somehow found the outside what looks to be an escape stair case with a ladder attached to the wall. Up is the only option so you take it. Leon lets you go up first before climbing up behind you. After making it up the ladder, you found yourself in an open rooftop area. Leon catches up beside you until the sounds of heavy steps sounded to your left. That damn spider now finally finding you two at last with nothing blocking its way.
"You just don't give up, huh" Leon sighs annoyedly.
You and Leon pulled out your weapons, preparing for the inevitable brawl against the insect. The spider hissed before launching a strike with its powerful limb. You both managed to leap out of the way in time before one by one, you both took calculated shots at the spider. You aimed for its eyes while Leon aimed for its legs. The insect, enraged more set its target on you, more frustrated at you more than Leon. Managing to take 2 of its eyes out with precise shots. It charged over to you without a second thought, needing you dead first. You were quick on your feet, trailing it away from Leon as it chased you only. Hopefully giving Leon enough time to come up with a plan.
You veered a corner, the spider right on your tail as it shoved its big body through the human sized crevices, forcefully breaking the encase ways with its body. You aimed your weapon behind you as you ran, shooting at it hoping for the best. Some missed while some managed to pierce its body in random spots. It didn't slow the beast one bit, only enraging it more as it picked up speed.
You run into a dead end by mistake, miscalculating your path trajectory of the layout of this small space. Leaving you nowhere to run, you turned back to it. Creeping up to you like a predator trapping its prey, ready to go for the kill. The spiders fangs strike in a blink of an eye, its fangs grabbing ahold of your waist. As it took you along with it, crawling back out into the more open area. It crawled up the wall the way it came from. You punched and fought against its head, your axe unfortunately trapped between the fangs of this thing and your gun being dropped as you became ensnared in its fangs.
"Shit! Leon help!" You called out, still fighting off against the insect with all you can. "Hey! Bug face!" Leon shouts, turning the insects attention to himself now. Its fangs still wrapped around you even if its attention is averted elsewhere. "Cover your eyes babe!" Leon warns before quickly throwing a flash grande in the air, a flash of white explodes. Luckily managing to shut your eyes in time until your body felt weightless as you fell from the spiders jaws. You landed on the ground hard but still managed to get up. Though your blinks were seeing colors, but you can still make out the spiders position.
Leon leaped off an upper level of the building as he landed right on top of its back. Leaving no time as he striked the beast back with his axe. Hitting vital points of its body and head. He hacked and slashed at, the spider becoming enraged as it lugged him up the way with its fangs as it did you. You helped him out by grabbing your requiem out and landing shots at its back. It seemed to work as it screeched in pain. Leon continued hacking at its face with all he got.
The spider eventually succumbed to its countless injuries as its body slowly went limp, Leon still in its grasps. Its body went rigid as it tumbled through the large gap in the middle of the building. Taking you and Leon along with it as the floor collapsed. You and Leon free fell down the dark pit until eventually landing on the dead spiders body before landing on the ground below.
You took a moment to regain composure as you eyes settled into the diy lit surroundings. It looks to be an underground subway system of the city. You slowly get up on shaky limbs, catching yourself on the platform to your right. You watched as Leon slowly gets up too, coughing away the dust from his face. "Missed raccoons hospitality" he lets out a sleazy joke for old times sake. You rolled your eyes, his jokes never getting old.
You both head up on the platform, clicking your flashlights on for clearance. You spot a staircase up, the sign above partially reading exit, the paint evidently decayed from the bomb. "Only way out is up" you played, cracking smirk for comedic effect. "Only way out is up" Leon replayed your words with his sleazy tone, catching your coy drift.
Eventually you both make it out of the subway system, back out in the open again but a new sight sits before you. A large closed gate lied ahead with a large yellow caution sign cased to the fence. But you noticed military tech sitting infront of the gate with a bomb planted on it, a station with a computer sat to the side of it.
"Looks like someone beat us to it" Leon says, walking up to it as he studied the area, the bomb planted on the thick fence. You walked off to explore more, walking to your left. You spotted something interesting between the gaps of an abandoned semi truck. You walked around it and spot a tent ahead, its was a dark blue color with a lighter blue containment container beside it. "Over here babe" you called out to Leon, rounding the corner to catch up to you. "Who's camp is this?" He says with curiosity, then he noticed the containment containers logo, clear as day.
"Bsaa? Like redfields agency?" You asked. "No doubt about it, it's him alright" Leon confirmed your suspicions, "but why would he be here? He wasn't even here when this whole incident broke out that time" you said, genuinely confused of him of all people to be investigating something like this. "Beats me" Leon replies, just as confused as you.
You and Leon investigated the abandoned camp for any clues or information. The send inside was pitch dark but still had equipment and computers left behind. You noticed a generator just outside the opposing side of the tent. You walked over to it and turn it on, the motor roaring to life as puffs of smoke steamed from the exhaust pipe. "Nice work" Leon praised behind you, turning your head to see the lights and electronics powered on. Leon stared at a pile of papers scattered on a table, while you walked over to a computer, entering its database that just so happens for its sign in to be left open, a couple of redacted files free to access to your will.
You clicked open a file that popped up an entire map of raccoon city, you scanned through the layout, it was an almost perfect layout with no details left out. Interesting. You noticed a small arrow pointing to the heart of raccoon city. The exact place where the explosion happened… where raccoon police department stood.
"Seems like they're heading to the heart of raccoon city too" you said out loud, voicing your thoughts as Leon stood beside you, looking at the screen too.
"Hey, I just found some new info on the pentagons database I think you should hear" sherry reports in.
"Go on" you radio back, curious.
"There seems to have been no record of anyone ordering the missile strike in raccoon city" Sherry says.
What? How is that possible? Then…
"Then who?" Leon asks with concern in his tone, puzzled at the revelation.
"I'll try to dig deeper into the database for more answers. You two just focus on the mission" Sherrys end off as the radio goes dead. Leaving you two silent in the tent together with unanswered questions.