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

Chapter 28: Two-sided blade

Leon slowly pushed open the large metal door, and my eyes instantly focused on Ashley straight ahead.

She was inside a giant pod, her eyes closed and her shoulders slackened as if she was in a deep sleep. The pod was nestled at the back of the room, overlooked by metal catwalks forming a balcony above.

Leon took a quick glance around before we both darted into the room.

"Ashley!" I pressed my hands into the thick metal glass separating us. She didn't stirr.

She looked unharmed on the surface but...

Leon looked down at the small control panel attached to the tank, his eyes skimming the few colorful buttons. I began to look around for anything else useful.

We were in some kind of lab that looked to be built for observation. The few metal catwalks above wrapped around the perimeter of the room, forming a partial second floor. A few metal chairs and machines with blinking lights dotted the platform.

Could this be the machine Luis was telling us about?

I took a step toward a nearby computer monitor attached to the large tank before a voice cleaved the silence.

"Soon you'll harbor an immeasurable power, yet it seems you would rather choose death."

My skin crawled as Saddler's voice came from behind us.

Leon and I turned to find Saddler walking up a short staircase in the corner of the room, his eyes trained on us.

"We're taking Ashley back, whether you like it or not," Leon growled, taking a short step forward to stand in between Saddler and I.

Saddler chuckled, moving to stand directly in front of us, putting me back in his sights. "Ah, the audacity of youth."

Saddler shot forward with lighting speed, his palm connecting with Leon's chest, sending him careening backward. He slammed into Ashley's pod before falling to the ground with a throaty groan.

I whipped back to Saddler and threw a fist toward the side of his head. He grabbed my hand before I even got close. A cry of pain left my lips as he squeezed my closed fist and I threw out another desperate punch. Saddler let a smile fall on his face as his other hand shot out, snatching my injured wrist with an iron grip.

His grip tightened even further, and the pain in my wrist reignited. He let go of my fist to bring his hand up to grip my chin between a thumb and finger

I bucked back, trying to free myself from his tightening grip, eliciting a tut of disappointment from him. He released my wrist and threw a palm into my sternum to throw me back where I collided with something hard. I heard Leon's grunt of pain in my ear as we both slammed into the ground at the base of Ashley's pod.

I gasped for air, trying to regain the breath he'd just beaten from my chest. A punch from him would surely dwarf anything Krauser was going to throw our way.

I fought to sit up as my body begged for relief, the pain in my now bleeding wrist was nearly blinding. Leon pushed up, rising on shaking legs to stand in front of me with his weapon raised.

My eyes shot back to Ashley, who slept undisturbed, in a silent apology for not being able to get her home safe.

A spray of bullets too fast to be Leon's made my head whip back around to face Saddler. Bullets pelted his chest, leaving a barrage of small holes in his robes. Saddler looked to the balcony on his right, his smile quickly tuning into a scowl.

I followed his gaze, and my eyes widened as I saw Ada on the balcony, defending us. Shock rippled through me, and a storm of conflicting emotions washed over me. She was saving us, risking her life for ours.