11.3 CLOSURE

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There was a long silence following the sound; his thoughts in turmoil, he didn't move from his position right away. Half expecting the worst, he took a few moments to gauge the odds.

I took her gun away... His expression creased, a growing fear taking him over. Whose shot was it..? What if..? He recoiled into his own mind, his breaking point fast approaching. And then, came a third shot, followed by the slamming of a door. He spun around in direction of the sound, and noticed the shivering woman, her back to him as she slowly backed away towards him.

"Anaka..!?" He rushed to her. "What the hell happened?"

"He's... coming-" She warned him, sounding out of breathe, her tone worrisome. "Weapon's up... get ready... trust me..." He noticed blood on her shirt, but obliged without hesitation; the severity of the situation called for immediate action, his prior turmoil shifting to a military approach. Within less than a minute, the door busted open with a kick, and a man barged in. His weapon up, he came face to face with the ex-Marine.

"One more step, and I shoot." Billy showed no fear, and retained his full composure. The man tried to hide his cowed expression behind a haughty laugh.

"I'm only here for this bitch-" He gestured in her direction. "I don't give a damn about you-" His gaze bounced between both, feeling the pressure as he took a step closer; a gunshot landed right at his feet.

"The next one goes right between your eyes." Billy warned him. "So gauge your next step - very - carefully." He shimmied to her side, and stood between her and the man, shielding her from his line of fire.

You got me... Her mind uttered. But you won't... finish me... She pressed a hand against the right side of her stomach, the other on Billy's back to steady herself. "That's Jase..." Her voice was but a whisper. "Pulled a gun on me... twice before..." Her face creased with pain. "He's one of Umbrella's... lapdogs..." He could feel her hand quivering.

A few drops of sweat slithered down the side of Jase's face; with his own safety on the line, he couldn't afford to mess this up. This should've been an easy job, but the fact that she wasn't by herself greatly complicated things. He didn't expect her to have some kind of backup, let alone someone of martial bearing such as Billy.

"I can shoot too- and then I'll get my hands on that bitch..." His lack of composure betrayed his daring words.

"Go ahead-" Billy goaded. He felt her hand withdraw. "Try and get past me." He took a step forward, for the other man shrank away. And then another, his weapon pointed straight at his head; he could see Jase's grip faltering, his handgun swaying from his panicked state.

"Get out... of my way-" His meager defiance was met with a snigger. The fearless ex-Marine took one more step forward, now standing only a few inches away from him. A moment of silence followed, both of them darting at one another. Billy had remained composed, while Jase had long lost control over the situation. I have to get past that asshole... get rid of her... or I'll find myself six feet under... or worse... He tried to steady his aim, the barrel nearly touching Billy's chest.

"I'm not moving-" His tone was eerily calm. In one calculated move, he disarmed him; one quick punch to the face to make him fall back. With two weapons in hand, Jase stood no chance against him.

"..." He let out a laugh. "She doesn't look too good... guess I got her better than I thought..." He tried to deviate Billy's attention onto her.

"Anaka- can you make it back to ground level?" His eyes remained on Jase; although he wouldn't fall for his trick, he knew the man wasn't lying about her condition. She had been shot, that was clear to him, but how serious it was, he couldn't tell.

"I'll manage..." She took in a deep breathe.

"Just take you gun back- and stay safe." She obliged, and trudged to the door. "Find anything that can help you, and wait for me at the reception hall, alright?"

She exited the room, and backtracked to the elevator. The pain was worsening, her condition required immediate care. With every step, her body wavered, but she managed to pull through. She glimpsed at the dead mercenary, before heading behind the reception desk. She collected a bottle of analgesics from the walk-in medical storage, and examined a nearby map.

Room 108... She pinpointed the closest examination room. She took a look at her surroundings, and noticed roller shutters blocking the main entrance. Damn you Jase...

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