A Twisted Fantasy (Leon Kennedy X OC) [BOOK 2]

Chapter 2: Long time, No see

The villagers struggled under the weight of the agent, one of them hauling his legs while the other clung to his under arms. I watched them file into the tunnel, no longer exchanging words after the leader silenced them. Are they heading for the bonfire?

I trailed after them, being sure to keep them in sight the entire way incase I needed to intervene. As they moved back into the main village square, I reached for my weapon. I'll drop one of the men holding the agent, then move onto the one holding Luis.

They walked down the dirt trail, the bonfire still crackling at full strength ahead with the added shuffle of activity. I slunk through the trees until I was forced to jump the small fence and wrap around the tower in the corner.

The village folk had emerged, perhaps a dozen of them now engaged in daily tasks. Spreading feed, cleaning up muck, and tending to the bonfire like it didn't have a human corpse roasting atop it. It wasn't until the tall elder leading the group of men stepped into the square that everyone froze, their gazes all sweeping toward the group like a tidal wave. They all bowed, dropping low like they were all one unit.

"Señor Mendez," a few of them muttered in way of greeting. Señor Mendez gave them all stern nods as he led the group forward. Shit, the sudden bustle of villagers is going to make this rescue mission a hell of a lot harder. My plan would still work, but now I'd have to worry about the others rushing toward me once they realized I was here. Distance would be my friend here.

I raised my weapon, training it on the villager supporting the agent's feet, keeping him between my sights as they drew closer and closer to the bonfire. It wasn't until Mendez veered right, leading them around the pit did I lower the weapon. Okay, they're not burning them. Perhaps they were going to interrogate them first.

While the residents were focused on Mendez and his men, I took the opportunity to dart across the space toward the one story house at the end. No one took notice as I skidded to a halt beside the building wall, ensuring my footsteps were silent as I crept toward the crumbling wall that sectioned off the village from the small grove of trees beyond.

I could still see Mendez as he moved up the side trail and through a wooden gate. The sound picked up behind me as the gate clicked closed and the villagers returned to their tasks.

I watched the group scale the small incline, the men silently struggling under my idiot partner's weight. I need to keep them in sight. My gaze skipped to the trees. I can follow through the forest until they dump their cargo, or get into a position where I can fire without alerting the whole area.

I took a short running start before vaulting over the aging wall, landing beyond it with a dull thud in the bramble below. My eyes immediately found Mendez and the group as they continued up the trail, unaware I was stalking after them.

The trail continued its small incline, leading to a house perched on top of the hill, its shadow stretching far out ahead of it as the sun began its descent. It was two stories, the wood on either level warped with age, and yet it was more well kept than the rest of the buildings I'd seen so far. Perhaps it was Mendez's house, or some kind of base of operations.

My feet carried me through the forested area to the left of the trail, the incline becoming more sharp and jagged with stones and missing patches of earth. I kept low, using the irregular terrain to help hide my advances as I stayed even with the group. I stopped as Mendez reached the door and pulled it open in one swift pull. The group disappeared inside, breaking my line of sight.

Well shit.

I need a way in there, or at least a way to tell what was going on inside. The curtains were all drawn, not giving any hints on what lay inside. Maybe I'd get lucky and there would be an open window I could look through around the back.