𝓓𝓸𝓵𝓸𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓼| ᴀ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ x ʟᴇᴏɴ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ

11. ᴋᴇɴɴᴇᴅʏ ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴜʀᴇᴅ

The weeks pass and I train harder than before, putting almost all my time into learning and improving my skills, though it comes as a surprise that I'm almost as good as some of the mentors that teach me, many compliment Leon's training and teaching skills, but it only dims my spark. 

Kingston, as promised, has been giving me updates on Leon's progress with Shultz, however within the last two days contact has been lost, and I fear for the worst. Kingston tried to reassure me that everything is fine, but the sudden loss is suspicious, Leon wouldn't just ignore us all, and he'd definitely explain his plan to Kingston before going in. 

The same night I'm exhausted from training all day, my arms ache from the hours I spent at the shooting range, but for a reason I can't explain I just can't sleep. I toss and turn, but it's no use. So instead I get dressed and figure a few laps around the compound will surely tire me out, and thankfully I've had no more trouble from the other recruits since I got back. 

I sneak downstairs but pause when I hear voices hurriedly speaking. I stop around the corner of a corridor and listen intently. 

"He's fine, it's just technical difficulties." Kingston mumbles. 

"It's not and you know it. This isn't like him, something has gone wrong, and we need to send backup." 

"No. We'll wait it out." 

"Fine, but if you end up having a dead agent in your hands, you can clean up the blood." 

I sharply inhale, panic tries to grip me but I shove it down and replace it with anger. Kingston isn't going to do anything, and Leon could be in real trouble. Half of me tries to convince myself it'll be fine, that other agents will step in and help him, but realistically I know Leon's on his own until Kingston gives the order. 

Which means I'm the only one who can help. 

Mind already made up I run up to my room and begin thinking of a plan. I need weapons, but I wouldn't be able to steal them from the shooting range, and I can't just wander into an agents bedroom and- 

My eyes wander to the door, grabbing my favourite jacket I slip out of my room and into Leon's, beginning to look for secret stashes of weapons. I find a knife under his pillow and a gun taped under the desk, they're cliché places but Leon doesn't exactly have a lot of company in here, and the threat is out there, not in this tiny compound I'm beginning to hate. 

Next plan, a way out. I need a car. They're in limited supply here, but I know there's a couple parked in a garage just near the main dirt road. If I can swipe some keys from- 

No. Fucking. Way. 

I almost laugh at how easy the universe, or I guess Leon, is making this little outing to be. I pick up Leon's book from his desk, and out of it falls a set of car keys for the same car we used when going after Byron. If you keys are here it means the car is too. 

Which means I can go save Leon. Just one problem, I've got no idea where the hell he is. 

Using my stealth training I sneak past the few agents lingering about the compound, most are asleep since it's quite late. I get into the car, smiling a it still smells of Leon's strong cologne, and start the engine. Just as I creep out of the car park an agent spots me and begins shouting, so stealth fucked I rev the engine and speeds the hell out of there, heading to the one place I could find clues to Shultz's whereabouts. 

Byron's lab. 

************************

The lab looks the same as before, just less bloody and emptier. I silently curse at the agents who cleared this place out as I investigate the shelves, looking for anything that could be useful.