The time was 4:30 am when I made it back to my penthouse, bone tired and ready to hit the bed after a quick shower.
I silently opened the door to avoid waking Hewie up, but as always, he had been waiting near the door.
"Woof" "Woof"
Hewie greeted me with enthusiastic barks, his tail wagging with excitement about my return. I chuckled softly, scratching behind his ears.
"Missed you, too, bud." It felt good to come home to someone, a feeling I hadn't experienced in a long while.
I adopted Hewie four years ago, when I revisited the rural area in Spain. Rediscovering him in that village during an excavation and research mission felt like stumbling upon a forgotten treasure, or on old pal who had patiently waited my return. He came running towards me as soon as he recognized me, and I knew I couldn't leave him behind.
Now, as I saw him happily trotting around in my house, twice the size he used to be, I realized he was like my cornerstone in this messed up world. At first, I was hesitant to keep any pets; there's no guarantee I would live tomorrow in my line of work. But the honest truth was that we both needed each other. Hewie brought a sense of normalcy to my chaotic life, a connection to something more grounded.
"You hungry, too? Let's get some grub." He followed me excitedly as I went to fill his bowl in the kitchen. I got myself some leftover pasta I had made few days ago. Cooking became a side hobby of mine, though I was not the best at it.
After washing my plate, I left Hewie to take a cold shower. Despite the chilly weather, I had gotten accustomed to it since my agent training days. On the way to the bathroom, I gazed out of my bedroom's glass wall. The storm had finally ceased, turning into a light drizzle. Looking through the droplets on the window, the city's skyline appeared like shimmering jewels. Someone out there was trying to rob it all; I wouldn't let Washington turn into another Raccoon City.
It took 7 minutes to finish showering—military standard. I changed into a soft cotton sweater and grey sweatpants, my body screamed exhaustion but my mind kept racing. I approached my desk, scanning emails for any updates on the recent gala incident. Finding nothing, I closed my laptop.
Thoughts of the ball, unanswered questions, the Regenerator, and Ashley, filled my mind, keeping me awake.
Oh that's right, I forgot to dislodge the tracker on her.
Last time I checked, her location placed her within the proximity of the White House, hours ago. With a sigh, I settled onto the couch in the living area, choosing the couch over the bed in an attempt to get some sleep. Hewie joined, curling up at my feet. Retrieving the tracking device from the pocket of the event-worn pants, I observed the blinking signal. I abruptly sat up, startling Hewie, who protested with a yelp.
"Sorry, bud," I muttered. I couldn't make sense of what I saw on the screen, the tracker indicated that Ashley was in an industrial area at the outskirts of the city. I shook my head, as if trying to clear the drowsiness in my mind. I even reset the gadget, but the blinking persisted on the same position.
The comfortable exhaustion that draped over me moments ago evaporated. I couldn't ignore this anomaly; I needed to investigate further, despite the fatigue clinging to my bones.
The device may be broken, maybe there's a signal barrier. Or she could be in trouble, kidnapped just as the threat implied. No, no, no...
The area indicated was infamous for illegal activities, especially underground night clubs. She wouldn't have any business going there herself. But how could someone abduct her from the White House? I settled on inquiring into it before raising alarms.
I swiftly changed into my battle gear, this time not making the mistake of going underprepared. Hewie eagerly barked at the sudden activity, understanding I was heading out again and tried to follow me.
"This is a solo mission," I told him while donning my jacket and combat boots.
He whined with dropped ears, seemingly questioning why I had to leave.
"Gotta rescue Princess Dulcinea again," I explained before departing in haste.
I mounted my bike, the night air static as my bike cut through it like a swift blade.
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A crumb chapter! I would love to know your thoughts on the story, and if you guys have any theories.
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RESIDENT EVIL • Assignment Ashley: Rescue Condor One (RE4)
Fiksi PenggemarIt's been 5 years since the traumatic experience which permanently changed Ashley Graham's life. Even though she tries to put it all behind herself, she knows she can never go back to being the girl she was before the kidnapping. Therefore, instead...
