A Sanguine Vision (Leon Kennedy x OC) [BOOK 4]

Chapter 4: The vacation from Hell

The roar of the engines rattled and groaned throughout the wide expanse of the metal hull while wind whooshed past just a few inches away from my dipped chin. The sky was deafening, yet even those deafening vibrations could not steal my gaze away from the name shining at the top of the message box.

Leon proved to be hard to reach, even before this mental plummet. Texting him on his personal phone would be useless if he was working, but in the back of my mind a sinister voice whispered to me.

Was he actually working?

Leon sparingly whipped out his phone at work, and when he did he only had a few free minutes to spare. He was busy after all. I knew from first hand experience that leading squads of soldiers often felt more like babysitting a bunch of miniature versions of Chris. Each one itching to pull the trigger or storm into a building and accidentally catch a bullet to the temple–and it was Leon who had to be the safety switch. It was because of this that my anxiety loomed over me like a dark cloud on a rainless day.

"This is work. It isn't like you're coming to bitch at him for not being home by curfew. Relax," is what Chris told me when I voiced my concern. A part of me agreed with him too but still. While this is work, shouldn't I be... more understanding?

"How can you read a book at a time like this?" Rebecca asked, snaring the attention of myself and the other soldiers lined up along the helicopter walls.

She was looking at DJ, who had a worn hardback cracked open in his lap, the pages heavily creased from repeated use. When he looked up at her with an arched brow, she continued, "I guess it's one way to pass the time." He glanced back down and folded the page at the corner before closing the book.

"Someone once said knowledge is power, and we could use some power right about now," He said, placing the book down on the bench to smile at her. She thought for a moment, tapping her foot on the hull before answering.

"Francis Bacon!"

DJ looked impressed, giving her a smile, "Brains and beauty, a rare combination." Rebecca chuckled at the compliment.

"Oh brother," I heard Chris mutter from the cockpit up ahead. He was nestled into the copilot's chair with Damian beside him. It sometimes still took me by surprise that Chris was a trained pilot given how rarely he was given the opportunity to flex his skill with the BSAA.

"Hey, is it true what they say? You switched from special ops to science geek?" Nadia asked from her place across from me, her body angling toward Rebecca to her right. Nadia often threw social etiquette out the window in favor of a more direct and heavy handed approach. It's probably one of the reasons I get along with her so well.

"Mh-mm," She answered, nodding as she placed an ankle over her knee.

Nadia huffed out a small laugh, "Man, BSAA is chock full of people with weird resumes." I didn't miss the half glance at me before she went on, "I bet you were pretty brainy to start with though, right?"

"Youngest medic in S.T.A.R.S. history," I said, "She was a genius back then too."

Damian whistled, but Rebecca waved him off like it was no big deal, but truthfully it was. At 22 I was considered a rookie admission into the special division, and Rebecca had been even younger than me. It had been a testament to just how talented she is.

"Why'd you decide to switch?" Nadia pressed.

She considered for a moment, like she wasn't quite sure how to put her thoughts into words.

"There's a lot of different ways to help. Chris and Mykie fight with their fists and raw courage, but we still need people that give them the tools to do it. Plus, we need people to find a path back from the brink."