Among Us [Volume 2]

Chapter 2

"Ivette, wake up"

I jerk awake, and turn to Leon. "What?"

"We're here"

"You say that as if it's a vacation"

"No, I say that as if we've arrived to our destination." He stands up, and begins to leave. "Hurry up before the plane leaves with you still on board."

"I wouldn't really be upset about that."

You see, I hate my job with an immense passion, unlike Leon, who believes he is doing the country a service. If this was Harry Potter, he would probably be a Gryffindor, and I would be a Slytherin.

The sight I receive when I finally do drag my sorry ass off of the plane isn't motivating me to do a better job, either. It's like today was specifically hand crafted to make me angry. Of course, I think that almost every day.

"Oh hell no!" I hiss angrily. "Is this some kind of a fucking joke!?"

Leon grabs my arm. "Ivette"

"No!" I yank on my arm, but he doesn't let go. "Why the fuck are you here!?" I yell.

The best way to explain this situation is that, in some form of generosity, my lovely estranged asshole of a sister is here to welcome me to Spain.

"This is a professional visit, Ivette"

"Fuck you and your professionalism, Mrs. I'm-Too-Cool-For-My-Family!"

"Can you calm down for a minute?"

"The last thing I wanted to see coming into another country is your ugly, wrinkled face!" I scream.

Leon lets go of my arm, deciding to go and retrieve our equipment like a responsible agent should, instead of listening to this one-sided argument driven by my hatred for this creature. To be completely honest, it would've been funnier if I just pretended I didn't remember her, the look on her face might've been hilarious.

Phoebe frowns, crossing her arms. "Look, Ivette. I know that the past few years have been hard on you. They've been hard on me too."

I take a long breath, trying to calm down. "Really? Hard on you? Guess who was trapped in an overrun police department with dad? Me. And guess who was sitting back in their expensive penthouse? You."

"Ivette. Dad meant a lot to me too."

"You had a funny way of showing it" I say, narrowing my eyes "Never once called, no letter, no email. Did you even show up to mom's funeral?"

She looks away, shaking her head. "You'll understand some day, Ivette."

"No, I don't ever think I will. While you and your buddies stay safe in your offices, we're the ones going out and fighting monsters, you complete asshole."

Leon waves me over. "Ivette, let's go."

"I would love to see you try and do our job for a day" I hiss before joining Leon.

He doesn't question me on the whole situation with my sister, probably because this isn't the first time she's blessed us with her presence. She popped up randomly on my first mission to wish me good luck, and I literally almost choked her. Once she knocked on the door of our house, sometime after Leon and I moved in together, and when Leon answered the door, she asked if I was home. The smart boy lied and said that I was out with a couple of friends.

The drive to our destination is mostly quiet, the two men in the front seat mumbling to themselves in Spanish. Good thing I learned the language, so I can safely say they aren't planning to sabotage us. Like I said, I hate new people, I have trust issues.

"You think we're almost there?" I mumble to Leon.

He shrugs.

"Why am I the one who always gets the short end of the stick?" One of the men complains.

"Yo, who are you two, really?" The other man asks "Come on and tell us. You are a long way from home. You have my sympathies."

"Guess that's a local's way of breaking the ice" Leon mutters "Anyway, you know what this is all about. Our assignment is to search for the president's missing daughter."

"What? Just you alone with the girl?"

I snort. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well... you look a little too skinny to be an agent, that's for sure"

I glare evilly at the back of his head, Leon responds by placing his hand over my eyes. I swat it away, and then settle my glare on him, which he expertly ignores.

"Anyway, I'm sure you boys didn't just tag along so we could sing kumbaya together around a campfire... then again... maybe you did" Leon says.

"Hah... Ohhh you crazy American. It's a direct order from the chief himself. I tell you, it's no picnic."

"We're counting on you guys" Leon says.

I shake my head. "I'm not" I whisper.

A few minutes later, the car comes to a stop on a random road. The guy had to use the bathroom, which, he should've done long before picking us up. The driver offers Leon cigarettes, and he quickly declines. Not that I smoke, but I feel pretty pissed that he didn't even offer me that small box of lung cancer.

"Sorry it took so long."

I grimace in disgust when he comes back. At least Leon carries a small thing of sanitizer with him... this guy is so gross.

We continue on with the drive, and just as I begin to think I can't stand them any longer, we arrive at our destination. I don't understand why our investigation sites always have to be somewhere creepy. Why can't we do an investigation in the Bahamas, huh?

"Just up ahead is the village" The driver says.

"We'll go in and have a look around" Leon says.

"Yeah, we'll stay and watch the car. Don't want to get any parking tickets."

"Right. Parking tickets." Leon scoffs, getting out of the car.

"Good luck"

I quickly follow after him, not wanting to deal with these idiots another second.

"Geez, where did they get these assholes from?" I ask Leon.

The driver rolls down the window. "Did you say something?"

I roll my eyes and ignore his question. Leon's radio-communicator goes off.

"Leon, Ivette, I hope you guys can hear me." I stand closer to Leon. "I'm Ingrid Hunnigan. I'll be your support on this mission."

"Loud and clear. Somehow, I thought you'd be a little older." Leon says.

I smack his shoulder. "Sorry about him, Hunnigan-or-can I call you Ingrid?"

"Why?" Leon asks, bewildered.

"Because I know you don't like it when I'm unprofessional" I say with a fake smile, making Leon frown.

"Ingrid is fine, Ivette"

I smirk in victory. "So, Ingrid..." I can feel Leon glaring at me. "...The subject's name is Ashley Graham right?"

"That's right. She's the daughter of the president, so try make sure Leon behaves himself, okay?"

I laugh "He'll behave himself, I promise."

"Whoever this group is, they sure picked the wrong girl to kidnap" Leon says.

"No, they picked the right girl. She's probably weak and helpless" I say. "They picked the wrong country to take this helpless fawn from, because America has Ivette Branagh and Leon Kennedy."

I can hear Ingrid laugh. "That's the spirit. I'll try find some more information on my end as well."

"Good. Talk to you later. Leon and Ivette, out" Leon disconnects the transmission. "You really know how to get on my nerves, don't you?"