Stalemate | LEON S. KENNEDY

12 - Ada

"Can I hold your hand?"

Leon turned to you, but you were facing dead ahead. He looked down at your outstretched hand.

"Yeah," he took your hand, and the elevator rumbled.

AND THEN THE ANNOYING FUCKING RINGING.

"Leon, Stripes. There's only time to say this once, so listen up. They took your friend to the top of the clock tower. If you hurry, you might get there before she turns into one of them."

"Hm, you're not a she-devil after all," you quipped.

Ada laughed.

"You're one to talk."

The transmission ended just as the elevator came to a stop. Leon was a little sad when you let go of him, but didn't verbally complain. On the surface, there was a golden cart, or rather a sky tram, that squeaked when you started it.

"There's the clock tower," Leon muttered. "Hang in there, Ashley."

It came to a stop, and you hopped out. You quickly re-entered the castle, and pushed open a big pair of doors. Those led to a sort of... construction area?

Clapping sounded from above.

"You are nothing if not unyielding, Mr. Kennedy," Ramón complained from his platform. "However, I am afraid it ends here. Expel this intruder, and bring the Holy Mother to me!"

Ramón disappeared from sight, and Ganados came charging.

"You and me, partner," you called, pulling your shotgun from your back.

"Let's kick ass," Leon seethed with his teeth clamped shut.

You began your race to the top of the clock tower, breaking barrels and killing bad guys, your ideal first date idea, at this point. You shot what you could, avoiding medieval flamethrowers and throwing hand grenades. Suddenly, a huge ass ball fell from the top of the tower, and came rushing down the stairs.

"Oh, shit!" Leon screamed, before grabbing you and pulling you into a nook.

They balls continued to drop — ha, balls dropping — but all they really succeeded in was killing off your enemies. You eventually got to the end of the stairs, but soon discovered that it had been boarded off. Of course. You leaped down onto a platform, your partner close behind, and pulled a lever. It was a lift.

"A lift. How thoughtful," Leon commented cheekily, and you poked his side.

He laughed, swatting your away. And then Leon started having his little blips. With your partner on the ground with his hands over his ears, it was up to you to defend the lift, shooting at Ganados armed with crossbows. You spotted the bastard in red who was causing all this discomfort, and shot at him, probably more times than necessary. With Leon gathering himself, and the lift bearing the top, you of course started singing.

"Once bitten, and twice shy, I kept my distance, but you still catch my eye," you muttered under your breath.

"It's too early for Christmas songs!"

"It's never too early for Jesus, bitch!" You laughed. "Tell me baby, do you recognize me? Well, it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me."

You hopped off the lift and up a set of stairs, which brought you outside the clock tower, in front of the actual clock. At the ledge, Leon pulled out his binoculars.

"Ashley!"

"You see her?" You asked.

"Yeah, that son of a bitch."