Mechanical Animals: Resident Evil 4

1

The village up ahead was eerily quiet as Rose navigated the narrow, winding paths, her senses on high alert. The DSO had trained her well, and when she got handed the manilla folder for this mission, she'd been excited to prove her skills out in the field once again. She'd been injured pretty badly in her last mission. An explosion had caused her to break several bones and she suffered internal injuries that resulted in no less than eight surgeries. She'd been out of commission for over a year. But then, she was cleared for duty and sent on yet another high stakes mission.

At first, she'd been annoyed at having been assigned a partner. She didn't need a babysitter. She'd been successful in her last operation, and the explosion hadn't been her fault. She was fully healed, aside from some phantom pain and stiff muscles. She had pills and herbs in her bag to keep her going. Leon had been just as excited to meet her as she was to meet him, but they kept a friendly, bantery relationship. They couldn't very well rescue the president's daughter as a united front if they harbored resentment. The shadows in Leon's eyes made her believe that whatever his reasonings were, he didn't want her there for both their sakes. She felt like she could trust him to watch her back, even if he wished he didn't have to.

She'd show him she could keep up.

She hadn't expected Spain to be so gloomy, either. The air was thick with tension, and every creak and rustle made her heart race. Leon was a few steps ahead, his posture relaxed yet vigilant. His leather bomber jacket his his broad back from her, but it wasn't hard to imagine his back rippling with the muscles he obviously had. She had to admit, he was attractive. His dark blonde hair always seemed to fall into his gorgeous blue eyes. His lips were full, and she liked the way he always had a quick one liner when something made him feel particularly saucy. She wondered if he'd always been like this, or if it was a coping mechanism. The psychologist in her was dying to pick him apart.

He had an air of confidence that Rose found both reassuring and intimidating. Leon stood by the edge of a rugged path, his sharp blue eyes scanning the surroundings with a practiced intensity. His tousled hair and nonchalant demeanor masked a relentless determination that had seen him through hell and back. He turned to Rose, flashing an aloof smile that sent a shiver down her spine—was it charm, or just a distraction from the darkness he carried within?

"Ready to save the day?" he asked, confidence lacing his voice.

Rose chuckled lightly, though her heart beat faster at their shared peril. "As ready as I'll ever be. Just keep your eyes on the prize, Leon."

"Oh, I am," he flirted shamelessly, winking at her. She felt heat flush her cheeks as she avoided his eyes. He flashed her a dazzling smile that would have made her younger self quiver. An old house was just up ahead and as they approached the porch, Leon turned to her just before opening the door.

"Stay sharp," Leon said, his tone shifting to one of urgency. "We might have company."

Rose nodded, her grip tightening on her weapon, determined to defend them both if it came down to it. It was obvious that he was expecting something she was not. Though she had heard plenty about Umbrella, it was kept as a tight knit-secret what happened. Leon had told her briefly what had really happened in Raccoon City and the story had stopped her heart. She felt for the guy, and was angry that Umbrella had basically gotten away with it scott-free. Though the company was finished, it wasn't enough. They moved as one, silently entering the house. The interior was dark and musty, the smell of decay hanging in the air. As they cleared each room, Rose couldn't help but steal glances at Leon. His focus and determination were palpable, and she found herself admiring his strength.

The last known location of Ashley Graham, the President's daughter, was enshrouded in a curtain of danger. Rose recalled the reports: a cult known as Los Iluminados had risen, kidnapping seemingly every outsider to use as hostages or worse. She couldn't help but think about what psychological scars Ashley would carry if they found her alive. Down the hall were two doors. One with a horrid bloody X painted over it, and the other down to the right was a rickety old wood. They went to the right and opened the door with ease. A fire was going, warming the small space to protect the inhabitant from the chilly September air outside. There was a man standing in front of the fire. Leon sent her a look over his shoulder.