Prince Of The Unseen

I expected to met by sterile blinding lights reflecting off white walls and flooring and yet instead we were met with pitch black darkness. That suffocating void like darkness that swallows out torchlight into tunneled beams of light. It was so still down here, the silence reverberated the sounds of our steps and steady breaths so loud it echoed like thunder in my ears. A hellish thrum of red light emanates around us almost source less before plunging us back into darkness.

I turn around walking in step with my team yet facing the empty space behind us. The red light pulses around us again long enough to make out the large shapes of containers lining the walls of this almost empty cavernous space.

Then plunges again back again, exacerbating the sickening nausea growing in my belly. I turn back to the group to keep my sights on them as I do Leon's flashlight flicks back checking on me. I can't see his face behind the light of his torch and yet I can feel his gaze over me, I nod a reassuring small gesture.

The space narrows around us into a long twisting corridor, we move slowly and in unison deeper into the facility until a white door stands closed before us. Grayson moves towards a little metal pad in the wall beside it, he slips the tip of the blade into the crack and pops it open exposing the wires; which he promptly hooks up to his laptop.

"There's no power, How the fuck are you going to open that door kid" say as I back against the wall looking towards the dark expanse we just came from. Another thrum of red light has me pulling my lids closed, giving into the gnawing in my belly and letting a soft breath out.

"Usually there is an auxiliary power source we'll need to access to wake this place up, from here I can access just a fraction of that power to.." the pad sparks slightly and the door opens as he closes his laptop "work my magic"

As I open my eyes and look towards the now open space, I notice Leon has shifted closer to me. is it concern or some magnetic pull between us that despite my aversions seems to want him to draw closer and closer. I shake my mind clear and stand up straight.

"We need to find that power source.. shouldn't be too hard, we're only blind and have no map of this place. What could go wrong" Leon says a deadpan tone that almost makes me want to curl my lips into a half smile.

I don't, instead I continue following the group. This time I walk beside Leon, almost comforted by his nearness as we follow what signs we can 'cafeteria' 'laboratory' 'lounge' and yet there is still no sign of any semblance of dead or undead, empty hallways of nothing but pulsing red glow and darkness.

"Hey Isaac.. what's your purpose here?" I say tired of the silence and secure in our current solitude to break the tension held in the stale air.

"I've been studying the virus extensively since the first major outbreak in racoon city. I'm here to find any resources, supplies or information. And if one of you gets injured, I'm pretty good with a med kit" he doesn't falter his pace as he talks and keeps his pistol and flashlight high.

"Seems like a liability.." I mutter under my breath trying to not think of every way this can go wrong, my pulse quickening in my throat and my chest tightening. I bite down the growing panic.

"Over here, down this hall" Mikah calls out from the front of the group.

When it was go time in a mission he was the perfect commander, his focus Lazer focus fixed on the mission at hand. As we made our way down the corridor, the slow heartbeat of glowing red light keeps suffocating my senses back into that darkness. As my vision is tunneled again into my torch light I hear a loud metallic thud before i noticed the blank wall before me, where just a second ago in the glow of red light was a long dark hallway and the three shadowed shapes of my team members; now is a stark white door that separates Leon and I from them. The scream that tears from my throat shocks me, the fear taking over and suddenly in my mind I am back in that facility 5 years ago. The screams of my men echoing through me as violently as my breath now chokes through my lungs. I throw my fists at metal trying to brute force my way through the door, over and over again only to be met with silence on the other side, I reach for my walki talkie screaming into the receiver.

"Mikah, Mikah I swear to fuck come in! Please!" The panic and fear wraps around my mind and body, my body starting to tremble and nothing comes through. No static, no sound that they're okay. And my breath starts shaking.

I feel the memories I so desperately drown out of my mind every night start to pour in like the booze into my glass and burn their way under my flesh.

My knees hit the hard cold floor as red pools around me, my knuckles shadowed with blood that in the thrum red are only visible in shades of grey.

I remember the crimson spattering of his blood on white sterile ground and my chest tightness as my breath fights its way into my lungs. I hear the screams of my team again but I cannot discern if it is but memory or the present.

The darkness envelopes me again and I feel my cheeks burn with a wetness i have no control over, am I crying? I feel as tho my body and mind are acting against me and the fear of my mistakes have possessed me beyond comprehension.

And suddenly two large warm hands wrap firmly yet gently around my arms

"Hey hey hey, Eve Eve look at me" his fingers hook my chin and pull my gaze to his. Met with silent resolution and calm as blue as the ocean in the irises of his eyes.

"No no not again not again" i repeated my now puffy grayed eyes meet his kind blackened pupil filled gaze. 3 years since my last panic attack and now I falter before Leon Kennedy in shambles. Shame wracks my mind alongside the guilt and fear that consumes me.

"It's okay, it's okay. we'll get to them.. we will, but right now you need to breathe with me" he starts to breathe slowly and covers my chest with one hand to feel my own breathing and heartrate, the other holding my wrists gently.

I look up at him and follow his slow breaths, his touch grounding me into this moment, this hallway, the slow thrum of red light in this moment giving me source to focus on and find comfort in. His ocean eyes are fixed on mine offering me a calming look that is etched with a quiet worry and as my heartrate settles and breathes even out he nods softly and smiles which makes a growing flutter in my stomach fight the constant worried nausea that hasn't dissipated.

"I'm sorry..I don't know.." my voice comes out shakey and so small and yet his soft chuckle cuts my words short. His large hand leaves my chest and finds its way to cup the back of my head cradling it so gently, his own head shakes slightly and his lips curl into a smirk.

"Don't be.. We will find them.." his words are so final, so sure of themselves that I can't find myself not to believe them. I wipe the tears that still wet my cheeks and nod trying to steel myself back to the calm and collected soldier that I was trained to be. He offers his hand as he stands towering over me and helps me to my slightly unsteady feet.

I take a moment to shake off the emotions and memories that do not serve me and secure my gun and flashlight in my grip again, the heavy cold metals focusing on me and we head off down another corridor. Deeper into the facility.

"This way" Leon's gravely voice becons me down a flight of stairs, I flash my light down the centre into the amass of darkness below. Nothing but silence. We quicken our steps as we exit through a doorway and down more corridors, I want nothing more than to reach for my headphones to calm the beats of my heart and the fear starts to creep back into my mind as we have yet to be met with the reassurance of my team alive and well.

The narrow halls open up into a large black void of darkness, our heavy foot falls ring a metallic echo as the floor shifts from the stable concrete to metal bridges held together with tension and the instability of nothing below. The nausea has become near on impossible to handle at this point. The pulsing red and total darkness, the precarity of the metal walk way we stand on now with nothing but an insurmountable distance of void like darkness below us. My legs tremble slightly but I push forward, closer behind Leon than I cared to allow myself to enjoy. In my torch light I can see his hulking frame before me, poised so effortlessly as if this is a regular Sunday for him. No trace of concern or fear just focused calm. When the pulse of red floods back I see the curve of his muscles, the flex in his arm as he grips his gun. The tension in his gloved hands as he fingers wrap around his torch and I find myself focusing on these details, the butterflies that fight for dominance in my stomach seem to fight away the nausea for a moment.

As we turn the corner down a dusty concrete hallway Leon stops abruptly a hand up to indicate silence and I catch his warning a moment later when I hear the faint shuffle of noise down the next corridor. I quickly and quietly lean against the wall, inching myself closer to the narrow hallway. Clicking the safety off my gun I count, three.. the steps noise draws closer.. two.. closer, the faint rays of light in the plunges of darkness.. one. Leon readies himself behind me, his body taught like a spring about to pop.

In a second I turned down the hall, my gun pointed at the emerging torch light as the thrum of red illuminates my team. Mikah with his dazzling grin that even in this crimson glow is bright and pearlescent. I let out the breath I had been holding for god knows long and drop my gun.

"Don't shoot Evelyn, I'm not a zombie" he lowers his own gun and meets up with Leon and I. "Not yet anyway"

My hand slaps his padded firm bicep and roll my eyes "not funny asshole." I bump my shoulder against his gently. My show of familial affection. "Have you found the power supply"

"Over here" Grayson, the kid pipes up and points his flashlight at a door I had missed just down the hallway that reads plainly 'auxillary power supply'

I give Leon a sideways glance who half nods a reassuring smirked nod at me. He did tell me we would find them and we did but the job isn't even close to done. we fall into a tight line keeping minimal distance between us all, I walk closely beside mikah refusing to let the walls separate us again.

The auxiliary power supply room is cramped compared to the halls we've been travelling. Floor to ceiling generators, wires neatly organised that run into the walls and a small computer that Grayson has his own laptop hooked up. I stand across from mikah who leans on an intricate webbing on blue and red wires, picking at some trail mix. He offers me the bag which is met with a slight head shake, declining the food. I didn't think I could stomach anything right now, my eyes fell to Leon who is seated in one of the only 2 chairs in this room, his legs spread apart. His pale blue eyes are half lidded Cresent shadows in this red pulsing light. The 4 seconds of red followed by 5 seconds of total darkness hadn't lost its sickening hold it had on me but watching Leon in those 4 seconds of crimson had a growing heat burning in me that I needed to ignore.

"And here we go team.." Grayson says while smacking a key on his laptop a little harder than necessary and a second later I have to shield my eyes from the painful fluorescent lights that suddenly burn my retinas.

"Did you just hiss" I hear mikah say beside with a chuckle as he straightens himself up ready to get going.

"I don't hiss.." I say fluttering my lids trying to adjust to the now sterile room, my heart sinks at how similar this facility looks to my last.

"I think you hissed Evelyn" Leon joins the conversation which fills me with annoyance at his interjecting and I glare towards where he was seated to see him now standing up, towering over my smaller stature. "I didn't know we were dealing with vampires down here"

"Ha. Ha. You're so funny" I push past him, my shoulder hitting his upper toned arm and I lean over Grayson to see the computer he was now working on. The kid points at the map he's accessed.

"We need one team to go here and the other here.." he shows two focus points on the east and west sides of the facility. "Point A is the communications relay. We need one group, me. To get over there and open up communications and gain access to the security cameras. And team B"

He points to the second point on the map "needs to head over there to the central data centre and download all the data as well as getting us the password for me to be able to open up said security cameras."

"With eyes and information we can go through and sweep this place safely" mikah has now joined us, standing not far behind me, his gun hanging by his side as he finishes his trail mix "team A will be; Me the Scientist and the Genius. Team B.."

"I'm not splitting the team again Mikah" I interject before he even suggests it. "It's not safe"

"It's as safe as it's going to be. Leon and you will make it to point B and back and we'll all sweep the facility together.. that's an order." He says sternly, that authority I will never break from the man I trust beyond comprehension.

Click, click, click. One by one I load the 10mm bullets into magazines, the damp cold mildewy air slows in my lungs as I breath shallow and controlled.

"Evelyn"

warmth radiates through my body as two large hands wrap around my waist and pull me towards him, his lips hover above my ear.

"Why are you hiding out here, the General is about to make a speech and as the bride and groom we annoyingly can't skip it"

My body melds against the familiar frame so perfectly, his hands naturally comfortable against my chiffon draped frame. The white ruffles of my wedding dress crumple against him and a soft laugh bubbles up my chest.

I pull the slide from the handgun, the engraved vines splitting cleanly down the middle as the weapon comes apart in my hands.

"I needed some fresh air my love"

I close my eyes, focusing on the feel of the warm sunbeams on my pale skin, the scent of fresh flowers in bloom around us. The garden was lush full of native flowers and flora, I rested my head my head back against his chest.

"The Generals speech can wait, it's our wedding day and we've barely had a moment to ourselves.." I grumble slightly

His chuckle was dangerously low as his lips brush across the back of my neck which makes my breath slow and I instinctively arch back into him. My hands find his still holding onto my waist and pull them around my body to feel closer to him.

Each piece is placed on the lid of the DSO supply box, barrel, spring, frame.

I reach for the second gun.

"Lucas, my husband.."

my call to him comes out breathy and dripping with desire and I pull away, turning in his arms and looking up into his amber brown eyes. His features carved Into my memory, the hard set of his jaw, the angled curve of his nose. His deep brown chestnut hair and freckle just above his straight set brows.

I reach for the second gun

"Say it again" his words a whisper full of love as he leans down to me again.. I pull back slightly.

"As much as I cannot wait for you to ruin me in this wedding dress, that can wait until we get back to the hotel and.."

My thumb brushes the engraved silver roses across the body before pushing the pin out and seperating the gun as methodically as the first one.

"I want to give you something before we head back in" i say

Laying each and every piece out side by side until there's a deconstructed mirrored image of two guns before me.

My manicured baby blue nails reach for the metal case I had sitting not far from where I was, resting on stone bench. The soft click of the locks release as I open it, two custom handguns rest side by side, inside the box. One silver with black delicate roses,

One black with silver thorned vines.

I pick up the heavy pieces effortlessly with the familiarity that only years of training and use can show. Holding them by the body and turning them to reveal the engraved initials on the bottom of each gun. L.L. on the black in deep blood red and E.L. on the silver.

"A wedding present.. for both of us, I know most couples get something like matching coffee mugs or tattoos, some cliche shit like that but this is more our style"

the smile that spreads across my face is so natural and full of life when I look up at my husband. My cheeks blush as full of colour and life as the spring blooms around us.

"You're the best fucking wife a man could ask for Evelyn.." his pearly wide smile crashes into my own as with laugh into eachother lips.

Click, the final pieces click back into place, metal locking together. The sound ricocheting through the cold nearly empty parking garage basement.

"Are you sure you know how to handle those things" Leon's voice cuts through the clouded memory I found myself in, low and edged with that familiar sarcasm.

I turn on my heel, leather boots grinding into the stone floor, and look up at him. He’s seated against the open back of the military truck now, one shoulder braced lazily against the frame. In his hands, a large black-and-silver magnum His gloved fingers move with practiced precision as he checks the chamber, sliding each bullet into place one by one. I let myself linger in appreciation, watching him work his skilled hands before dragging my gaze back to his blue eyes.

"Keep talking" I say with a warning snark holstering my twin guns into the leather that sits firmly against my ribcage "and ill show you just how well I can handle my weapons"

"I'm just saying" he replies, unfazed, snapping the chamber shut before holstering the gun against his thigh. "I've watched you disassemble and reassemble them both 3 times now.."

"It's just something I do before a mission. Helps calms any nerves or bubbling emotions" i lean against the metal supply boxes, I had changed into a black tight top, matching black pocketed cargo pants affixed with holsters and utility belt for guns, ammunition and various items I will need down there.

"Can you hand me that rifle Kennedy?" I nod to the open case inside the truck where a semi automatic sniper sits face up, black and angled and calling my name.

"What no please?"He teases already reaching for it "I seem remember how good you were with your manners"

He handles the gun with such control and ease as he stands up and in a couple long strides is standing before me, his hands extending the weapon to me. My body burns with uncontrolled tension as the scent of his cologne hits my nose again, I take the gun from his hands without looking up at him and thread the strap over my shoulder until it settles against my back supported.

"You can shove that 'please' up your ass, Kennedy" It comes out sharper than I intended.

For a flicker of a second, something twists in my chest because despite the sarcasm, the tension, the constant push and pull. he's been nothing but decent and even kind to me since we met. However it doesn't stop the bite and vitriol in my voice.

"If I wasn't trying to be such a professional right now" a slow smile spreads across his lips, if leaning into my snark. "I would tell you how much I enjoyed that fiesty attitude"

His voice dropping to a whisper and for a moment the garage around us, the other members of our team disappear and it's just us.

"You infuriate me Leon." Anger floods my senses, was he really flirting with me still? After each snap and dismissal of his advances and attention. How could he be so stubborn and pig headed!

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days, Infuriation?.. in my day we called it arous-" I go to slap the word out if his mouth before It passes his lips but before my hand even comes in contact with face his own hand reaches out and now encompassed my wrist, holding it in place mid air.

My breath catches in my lungs and heat blooms deep in my stomach, flushing up my neck and into my cheeks. I cursed silently hoping he can't read the state I was suddenly in but the glimmer in his ocean gaze and the slight breathy words that followed instilled in me that he knew exactly how I was feeling.

"Let me buy you a drink after this" he says, low and I had prayed that Mika and the boys hadn't glanced back at the two of us.

"Do I need to remind you what happened last time you brought me a drink" I spit out sounding as threatening as a kittens first hisses. I swallow trying to put some steel back into my throat.

“You can remind me,” he says, leaning in just enough for his hot breath to brush my temple. His stubble grazes my skin, sending a shiver straight down my spine. “But honestly… I haven’t stopped thinking about it.”

My pulse hammers.

“The way you said ‘please’,” he continues softly, each word slow and removed, “like you needed it.. like you wanted more.”

I turn my head leaning into his words, my breath starting to mingle with his own and I swallow again.

“I was more than willing to give you more Eve..”

Then he’s gone, pulling back like nothing happened, like he didn’t just unravel me in the span of a few seconds. A quick wink follows, and he turns, heading toward the team gathered around a manhole. Mika holds a crowbar in hand and looks back towards the approaching Leon. I turn away from the group pulling my headphones over my ears and taking a moment to steady my raging breaths before walking over.

Mikah removes the manhole cover, heaving it aside. Wordlessly he looks up at me his hand fisted in his palm. We had served on countless missions together these past 4 years and along the way we played our games, laid out bets and gambled on missions. Rock paper scissors was our go too when we had to choose who goes in first and In 4 years of playing, never had I won.

"She always picks scissors" I catch his lips mouth to the group as his words are lulled out by my music. I had picked up the skill of reading lips over the years needing some way of understanding my team without sacrificing the lifeblood of music I often had in my ears. I pull my flashlight out of my pocket, clicking it on and gripping it between my teeth. The ladder was bitingly cold to the touch against my palms as I descend into the sewers. The smell hits halfway down, rotting decay and stagnant water. I don't think you ever truly get used to the smell of places like this no matter how many times you've trudged through them.

The twangy cords of a blues songs fades away into an electric cacophony of notes that's set my nerves alight as we make our way through the sewers, rats scurry across cobble stone. I keep my pistol raised, flashlight angled across the barrel at the ready as we draw closer to the umbrella facility, Mikah informed us during the debrief that I hardly paid attention too on the plane. That a week ago one of our teams were sent to clear out an infection breakout above us in the city, their last transmission was informing us about this facility and then they went dark. That's where were sent in, to finish their mission and retrieve what we can.

I feel a firm tap on my shoulder and look up to see Mikah gesturing to his ear. I knew what this meant, focus, music down. I remove the headphones as the song reaches its crescendo and hook them onto my belt silently pausing my steps but keeping my attention and focus on our surroundings.

"We're getting close." He says and I fall back instinctively behind the group, taking up the rear. Grayson and Mikah take my place leading the group, the kid holds a small screen in his hand showing the glowing red dot where the entrance is located.

Issac and Leon shift between us. The grip on my gun tightens in nervous fear fueled anticipation I fight the need to drown the bubbling memories by pulling my headphones back on claws at me but I don't. I may be stubborn and ready to die but I would never disobey direct orders from mikah however everyone else can get fucked. He saved my life dragged my nearly dead ass out of that umbrella facility 5 years ago and has kept me by his side ever since, pulling me back from the edge time and time again despite how many times I've tried to throw myself over it.

The metal ringing of our heavy footfalls comes to a stop as we reach what looks like an empty Gray concrete wall, with a metal box on the side. Grayson doesnt hesitate before opening the box and finding a small screen and keypad, he fishes a laptop from his bag and wires it up working his magic on the system. I stay by the end of the alley keeping my light and aim pointed out into the darkened tunnels. Foot steps approach me from behind and soon Mikah is beside me his voice low and for only the two of us.

"I need you down here Eve. Focused and with me." He says and I knew what he meant, every step closer to this place was dragging something up from inside me. another emotion after the next, memories pulled out of my mind like bodies out of a mass grave. Bloody and violent and so encompassing that nothing else mattered except the pain.

"I'm here Mikah. With you, with this team" I exhale sharply, lowering my weapon, holstering both gun and torch. My back hits the damp stone wall as I rake a hand through my hair.

"Fuck. What happened with Lucas was one thing.. what happened to my team down there, now that's another. And I will not see this team meet the same fate. Not you, not Leon and not even the other two.. if anyone's dying down here. It's me and no one else" I say determined

Mikah doesn't argue instead he reaches out and pulls me against him, a tight hug that makes my entire body go rigid against his but I don't pull away. He had always been like this, a hugger for those he loved. His lips press against my hair before murmuring in my hair.

"You're not dying down here Eve. Didn't drag you out of one Umbrella hellhole just to lose you in another." Theres a flicker of humour in his words that almost fell short of his charm before he pulls back and looks me in the eyes. "What's going on with you and Leon?"

That rigidity I held during the hug somehow tightens more and my gaze twists into a glare as I scoff at his prying attempt

"Nothing 'going on' with that cocky douche canoe.." I spit a little too fast and full of that defensiveness that screams that I am lying through my pearly white teeth.

"Yeah. Fucking. Right" each word is deliberately slow and held on a cocky grin "I saw you too before, don't be shy now. I know you better than that" he bumps my shoulder playfully and I can't help but soften the slightest bit

"I've never seen you show anything but disgust towards a man except Lucas and yet you're practically drooling over Leon. I mean I don't blame you, look at him." He says

"I am not drooling!-" I start to say in a near yell before dropping my voice. Knowing they most likely heard in this echoing hall "Its. Nothing! Drop it.. okay, if we make it out of this then i tell you something, maybe. Until then there is absolutely nothing, we are professionals"

There's a long moment of silence as he stared at me with that wide shit eating grin, his arms crossed over his chest. He looks down towards Leon and back to me raising both eyebrows and nodding slowly

"Okay Okay..just keep your focus on the mission Eve, no Dickstractions if you will." He chuckles out the last word and I punch his arm like an annoyed sibling, he laughs it off "douche canoe really?"

I pull down my black tinted sunglasses to dull the blinding hanger lights as I drag my duffle bag out of the backseat of the taxi and fish our some notes from my pocket handing them to the driver without looking back.

"You're late Eve.."

I hear the familiar voice of Mika Harmon my superior and closest thing to a friend I have. Stands waiting, 6'1 with curly black ringlets that are tied back in a bun, his muscular arms crossed over his broad chest and a look of disapproval etched into his freckled sunkissed complexion

"and you smell like brewery." He says

"The traffic was a bitch, and you said 5 am departure, what are you gonna do fire me?" I mutter rubbing my forehead

We both know dam well the roads are empty at 3:15am on a Wednesday morning. I flash my pearly smile as I make my way towards the jet waiting for us

"how many on this job?"

Mika falls into step beside me, our bootfalls echo on the concrete.

"Plans changed." He responds "5 of us. 3 muscle, one tech guy and one scientist. We've found an unmarked umbrella facility in Omsk that shouldnt be in operation. we go in, extract what we can and level it on the way out."

As we draw closer to the plane mikas voice rises to combat the roaring engines of the jet that make my head thrum with the gnawing headache that's starting to form.

"You know what happened last time in was in an umbrella facility.. this better be fucking worth it Mika." I nearly spit out in anger at the idea of going back into one of these places.

My boots ring off the metal stairs as I step inside the warm plane interior, cream coloured seats line the walls. Two on either side of wooden table that two men sit across form eachotehr with laptops proped open, a younger sandy blonde man who must of been early twenties with a shit eating smile on his face, far to optimistic to be in a job like this and a man in his mid 40s, serious and going over the files scattered Infront of him.

"Grayson.." Mika points to the kid who goes to stand up and extend his hand to me, I make no effort to move or greet him.

"He's the a dam good hacker, not the best the DSO has seen but close. and that's a dam compliment kid.. and Issac"

He points to older gentleman and I cut him off.

"The scientist I assume" i continue walking towards the back of the plane to find a spot to hide myself away until we land in Russia as I make my way past the brown leather couch on the right side of the plane and I catch the sight of a familiar navy blue muscular arm which makes me glance back at the chair behind me and nearly stop dead in my tracks. Legs spread wide, half lidded and heavy from near sleep; sits the man who less then an hour ago had his hand in my jeans and me whimpering into his chest. I don't drop my composure, my black glasses hiding the suprise annoyance in my expression.

"Leon Kennedy, our muscle." Mika says, looking almost giddy to be working with the famous Leon s Kennedy.

Everyone in the DSO knows his name, the man that saved the presidents daughter. Who has taken down countless BoWs and is a top ranking official. Suddenly my stomach drop to the floor and wave of pure nausea fulled embarassment washes over me as he opens his eyes and looks up at me. His expression doesn't shift into knowing recognition except a glimmer in the eyes and his eyes rake over my body again. If I had even thought to ask his name and hour ago I wouldn't be in this Position but no.. whiskey drowned horny brained didn't think to ask the attractive gruff man what name I should of moaned as I came..

"Im guessing you're the other muscle we've been waiting on, traffic's a bitch huh?" Leon says in his deep gravelly voice

The corner of his lips curl into a smirk and I want to scream and walk off this plane. Working with the man i was about to have a drunken one night stand in a dingy piss filled alleyway sounded like utter torture on-top of heading into an UC facility.

"Leon, this is Eve. They're the best marksman I've ever worked with. Our last job they took out 9 infected with one single shot" Mika boasts as I turn on my heels towards an empty seat

"Like it's hard?" I mutter just loud enough for them to hear.

I throw myself into the soft recliner and pull my headphones out from my duffle bag, praying for an escape from this conversation

"Wake me up when we land"

It didn't take long for the exhaustion to overpower my intoxicated state and drag me into a lull of dreamless sleep, the soft sounds of my music drowning out the chatter and discussion behind me and my body pressed as deep into the seat as if i could hide myself from the potential gaze of Leon. What felt like an hour slumber had somehow erased 5 hours of a 16 hour flight and I awoke with a heaviness in my limbs, a aching head and the need to desperately relieve myself in the bathroom which was located towards the back of the plane, close to me down a small hallway behind a curtain. The little red light indicating it was occupied kept me waiting, I leant against the cool metal wall which was welcome against my heated skin, My long black hair had fallen from its half assed bun and I tangled what I could back up into a messy pony tail. When the door opened and Leon walked out into the cramped small space I was suddenly aware of just how small this hallway was.

He looked down at me with a shyness filtering behind hiss usually sly expression and inches a little back giving a slight distance to us, as if to give me space. I was certain he could see the tension I held in my neck and shoulders at the sight of him, the way my breath suddenly shallowed and I shifted away.

"Just between us, Kennedy.." I said flatly, subtlty had never been my a strength of mine. "what happened earlier at Max's, never happened. I just met you and we have no prior entanglement.."

His smile curved slowly, devilishly handsome

"You wound me eve, I'm not ashamed of our little encounter but I'll play along for the sake of the mission"

My gaze betrays me as it drops briefly to his full lips and the sudden unwanted flash of memory crosses my mind, how they felt against my own. I straighten up immediately trying to focus and calm my breath before he notices the slip of composure.

"Good, now excuse me." I gesture to the lavatory and he doesn't move at first. Standing inches before me. He takes a small step closer and I feel my own breath involuntary shudder at his closeness before he turns on his heels and disappears behind the curtain into the open body of the plane. Was it possible for someone to fill you with this much irritation when you barely knew them? Because frustration burned through me so fiercely I could have screamed right then. I stepped into the bathroom, taking a moment to calm myself and take care of business before heading back out towards everyone.

They were huddled around the table discussing the plan ahead of landing but my eyes fell to Leon, my attention betraying me yet again. His tight navy sleeves pulled up around his forearms, bulging veins and sculpted muscles leaned against the dark wood. His frame hunched slightly over as he looks down at the computer Infront of him. His back angled and curved and a clear perfect display of his ass had me reaching for my sunglasses and headphones before making my way towards the mission debrief.

I throw my body down into the empty brown couch that squeeks beneath me, across from the table instead of the empty chair beside where Leon stands thinking the distance would make it easier to focus, it doesn't. For I have the perfect view of his his back, the way his shoulders curve into his waist down to his hips and that juicy tight ass that I really shouldn't be watching, wondering if it bounces when he walks.. My sunglasses come down to shield my burning hungerover eyes and hide my wandering penetrative gaze on Leon's body. I reach for a cold bottle of water from the minifridge beside me, the icey liquid cools my throat as I swallow and helps me focus on mikas debrief.

"Wait what do you mean, the kid and the scientist are meeting us at the facility while the three of us collect supplies. Mika that's suicide" I zone back into Mikas plan with a moment of rage at the thought of all the risks that come with it "we should atleast send one of us with them.. no fucking way we're making the same mistakes as project Ian"

"Theyre not just brains, they can handle themselves if something goes down. We need a driver, me naturally" he gestures to himself and then to Leon and I "and two people to load the truck and keep an eye on the merchandise. This isn't Ian, Eve. "

Im not convinced but I've learnt to trust mika with my life. I keep my eyes fixed on him, anywhere but Leon until his voice cuts through the room and has me taking a long sip to occupy myself

"I'll add cargo supervision to my resume" Leon looks towards Mika before settling his gaze back on me "don't worry I'll handle all the heavy lifting"

I cap my bottle with a sharp twist, crossing one leg over the other as I lean back. “You think I’m not capable of heavy lifting, Kennedy? Sure your back won’t give out, old man?”

A faint smirk pulls at his mouth. “Got plenty of stamina for my age. My back’s doing just fine.”

His fingers curl around the edge of the table behind him, forearm muscles tightening. I silently thank the dark lenses hiding the brief betrayal of my gaze before I drag my attention back to Mika who watches me with an amused half smirk

"I'm not in the slightest concerned about your back. What I am concerned about loosing people on this job. Mika I want to ensure we have no dam causalities, we don't have the best track record for our teams do we?"

Mika straightens his back slightly at the reminder of our previous missions before calmly responding

"Every mission is a risk Eve, and don't worry doll.. we don't have the Redfield curse. You and I always make it out atleast"  he winks with his usually cocky smirk.

I never understood how he was always so calm in every situation we've been in, after so many lives lost and so many mistakes he still jokes his way out of tension filled conversations and moments. We were like two sides of the same coin where one was all dented and scratched up and the other shiny and new. I held onto every pain and loss and drowned them out with booze and sorrows and he kept only the victories and jokes of life and somehow was the only person to illict brief smirks from my naturally taught lips.

Mika and the men continue discussing the mission as I lay back against the couch, closing my eyes and getting what more I can of that dreamless sleep before the plane touches down in a private airfield.

We gather our belongings and head off splitting into two separate vehicles. Grayson and Isaac head off towards the road in a black inconspicuous unmarked car and Mika climbs into the driver's seat of a black military style van. Leon pulls open the back of the van and stands waiting for me enter, I pass him not acknowledging his presence as I swing up into the van taking a seat on the cold metal bench on one side.

Leon pulls the double doors close behind him with a slight breathy grunt that floods my mind back to the alleyway, I quickly fish my MP3 player from my pocket and pull my headphones back over my ears to distract from the dangerous pooling of warmth between my thighs when I'm in his presence. Especially alone in the blue neon lit truck, there was a small window that seperated us from the drivers side cab that was currently closed.

He sat legs slightly spread, his palms clasped in his lap and swayed with the movement of the road below us. His lips moved, talking but was drowned out by the loud metal music blaring in my ears, I tried my hardest not to watch the way he watched me. The ride to point was mercifully short and the e moment the engine cuts, I move for the doors, nearly colliding with him as he stands at the same time.

Each crate of ammo and supplies he lifted was met with my eyes burning into him, i hated how I acted around him,how aware I was of him. How I couldn't pull my eyes away from him, how desperately I wanted to continue what we he had started. I knew if I didn't get myself under control soon I was going to cause fatal mistakes on the mission.

My fingers twist into the chain around my throat as we settle into the now cramped full rear of the tuck, thinking back to the last time I stepped foot in an umbrella facility. The memories still so visual in my mind as if sit happened yesterday, the scent of burning flesh lingered in my nostrils to this day, the face of my husband as I kissed him goodbye for the last time flashes painfully thoughy my mind. The truck jostles hard enough I reach for a falling box quickly before it crashes to the metal floor, ripping me away from the painful past and I am thankful for it.

"Are you okay eve?" I hear Leon say.

I blink, I hadn't noticed my music had stopped until this moment.

I position the box securely, nodding and sitting back down across from him. I couldn't bring myself to speak immediately, afraid if the tremble I could feel forming in my throat and took a moment before responding.

"Pre mission jitters" he clear my throat and look towards him, there was a softness in his expression and understanding. His soft blue eyes held mine with care and none of the firey heat I feared my own showed.

"They never really go away. You get better at handling them.." he says and i scoff at the idea that Leon Kennedy still gets pre mission jitters. "How long have you been an agent?"

"Nine years, training for two before that. I was recruited at 16 after racoon city." My fingers don't stop there twisting in the now warm chain "Lucas and I showed potential when racoon city fell, tried to join the military but we're were only 16 and yet we caught the DSOs attention and now here I am. 11 years later"

"Lucas, is he your boyfriend or something. I didn't know I had competition?" He means back slightly

My fingers stop their motion on my chain and my eyes narrow a fraction "there wouldn't be a competition if he was still alive.."

The instant soft regret that floods his face was palpable and and he curses slightly, he leans forward, elbows on knees; fingers locked together. "Fuck, Eve I'm sorry."

My response was slow and I leant forward to match him, I had to crane my neck slightly to look up at him as I inched closer to him, I could smell his cologne that swirled my senses, amber and bitter but sweet and rich.

"What we did in that alley way, isn't like me. Honestly I feel like I'm not gonna make it out of the mission and I wanted to feel something before I died. If I had known you were Leon fucking Kennedy and gonna be on this mission. I would have walked my ass out of the bar and never even spoken to you" I let out a little breath, my bottom lip catches between my teeth and chew in a moment of contemplation. "But if I'm being honest, I can't stop thinking about.."

My words are cut short when the truck comes to a halt and the engine cuts and our final moment of solitude over. I lean back composing myself before standing to my feet.

Chapter one: whiskey Regrets

"Seriously Max, I asked for a double. The fuck is this?" I say as swirl the amber liquid half filled in the short glass with a grimace of distaste and frustration. Looking up at the gruff stocky bartender who watches me drink my self into a stuper every night.

"You've had enough Eve" he chuckles out, "you've drank nearly twice your usual amount and I'm not serving you into a black out mess like last month, I just fixed the bullet holes behind the dart board"

The corner of my lips curl into a half smirk as I look towards the newly replaced dart board, the fresh cork and shiny polished wood looks out of place amongst the worn weathered divebar interior. I remember back to the man who grabbed my ass a month ago and tried to pull me into his body, grinding his tiny half chub into my side and how I held this whimpering fragile ego of a man against the dart board as I unloaded 3 bullets into the cork beside his head for such an insulting display of 'male dominance'

"Shouldn't have pissed me off.."I say as Max let's out a shakey laugh and I stand up downing the warm liquid. "I'm going to piss and then I'm having one more drink and I'll leave. Heading out to a job tomorrow and I may not make it back this time. Here's hoping. So be a dear and my favourite bartender in this city and don't deny a dying woman's last drink.." max new I worked a dangerous job and often came back from mission bruised and seeking nothing but the bottle.

"Such a lady" I hear max yell out behind me in a humourous breathy chuckle

I hadn't realised how unstable my legs were until I was stumbly towards the bathrooms, the slight swirl of the surroundings around me had the occupants moving in a faint blur. As I enter the suprisingly clean graffiti covered stall I closed my eyes, my head leaning back enjoying the reverie from the thrum of the music. The faint beep of my phone snaps me back into the moment and I look down at the blinding screen with a wince. "5am. Hanger 6. Don't be late. -Mika" i stand up flushing the toilet with a grumble in the back of my throat, heading back out towards the bar reaching for the short glass max had placed down where I was sitting as another hand wraps around the glass.

I hadn't noticed the hulking man who had taken my place until this moment, his blonde hair hanging in his ocean blue eyes, his aged face looks up at me, one angled brow raised as those blue eyes rake over my body. I was in a black tank top and tight pocketed black jeans and yet the look in his eyes made me feel like I was in nothing but my panties and bra and for a change I didn't seem to mind it.

"I didn't know drinks here came with a snack"

His voice low and gruff and held a sarcastic cockiness that made my cheeks flush with annoyance and frustration.

"Excuse me.." Max places a glass Infront of me and I wrap my fingers around it trying not to reach for the gun holstered by my lower back, I had an incredibly short fuse and happy trigger finger when insulted by men and max had seen that far to many times to count in his bar. It's a wonder why he lets me back in every night, I can feel my bartender shooting a warning look in the back of my skull as he goes to tend to another customer. "You're in my spot old man"

"I don't see a name written on it" he says.

I lean against the wooden bar steadying my balance as I can't help the way my eyes glance over the tight navy shirt that hugs his perfectly taught muscles, me must of had 10 years on me showing in the faint lines that decorated his skin. I take a sip of my glass to distract myself from taking all of him in. I could tell he was tall, even seated he met my gaze tho that wasn't hard at my shorter stature. It was rare, beyond rare. For me to look at a man or anyone without detest and disgust but I drank every inch of him in. 5 years 3 months and 16 days since I last felt even the brush of wanton touch from someone. This job I was going on tomorrow was possibly going to be my death, I knew it and honestly I didn't mind anymore. Being a DSO agent came with the possibility of death every job but this one felt different, and if I was going to die tomorrow why not cave into a night of final debauchery. I had planned to drink myself into black out, board that plane at 5am with a raging hangover and head down into the depths of an umbrella facility with my guns loaded and hopefully come out of it to come back here for that celebratory top shelf tequila, or fucking die. Either way.. if I was going to die tomorrow why not feel a moment of enjoyment in the drowning depths of whisked smoothed depression.

"Keep the seat or you can buy me a drink and take me out back?" the forwardness of my own words shook me to my core,I down my glass and shift forward on my heel inching closer to the warmth of this man, keeping my trembling hands busy. His ocean gaze looks towards me again a half cocked grin and raises two long calloused fingers towards Max who pours two more glasses. He doesn't say anything, no sarcastic comment at first but keeps those eyes fixed and deep into my own. I hear the muffled warning words of max towards me as he pours two glasses but I pay no mind to it as my lips meet the cool edge of the glass and I swallow down my final drink of the night, I throw down some bills paying for my tab and turning on my heels towards the back exit of the bar. I didn't wait to hear if this man was following me as I exited out into the almost chilling winters air.

Snow hadn't started falling yet this early into the season but you could feel the icy cut in the faint breeze, it was a sobering contrast that made my body find the nearest brick wall to lean against. The alleyway behind Maxs bar was dimly let with a single street lamp towards the distance entrance, blanketing cloaking shadows around me. I inhaled the air deeply as if hungry for the freshness and alerting my senses slowly, waking me from my drunken haze. The darkness is cut through by the door opening beside me and the now towering frame of the man in blue walking out to stand inches from me. Suddenly my mind floods with the resistance of touch, the insecurities and shy natured thoughts that have stopped me from doing something like this for the last 5 years. My thumb brushes my left ring finger, empty and bare reminding myself that he's gone and I need this.

I extend that very hand towards the chest of the man hovering a hairs width waiting to him to pull away, as if silently asking consent to touch him. He doesn't move. I slide my fingers over the warm soft shirt, feeling his body underneath and up towards the exposed flesh of his throat. My eyes continue their path towards his gaze which I find locked onto mine and the slow tension filled moment between us is suddenly a firey embrace of bodies. The taste of whiskey and bourbon tongues in twine in a dominating kiss, as he explores every inch of my mouth. My fingers hook into the loops of his leather thick belt drawing his body tight against my own, feeling his calloused hand cup the back of my neck and angling my head to probe his kiss deeper drawing out a muffled moan that he swallows with hunger.

The palm of his other hand flattens against the brick wall caging my frame into his own, I take both my hands dragging them up his torso feeling the constriction of his muscles and his breathy groans as I pass his chest, over his collar and wrapping around the back of his neck. My fingers lock into his soft blonde hair, tugging him slightly into me. His hand leaves my neck cold and wanting as it moves down my body, leaving tingling sparks across my chest, down my side and cups my ass as he lifts me without warning. I wrap my legs around his waist, feeling his now hard member press into my needy core with a whimper into his kiss.

His lips leave my own and trail rough wet kisses down my throat and I bury my fingers deeper into his hair that illicits a deep groan from his throat. The sound alone makes me eyes roll back and I can't help grind my core harder against him, rolling my hips that he meets with equal ferver.

His firm grasp on my ass squeezes harder before leaving and finding its way to the button if my jeans, with a soft pop and the following grind of my zipper his fingers tease the band of my black panties and I hear his voice mumble inaudible against my throat, the vribrations tickling my soft tender flesh. I feel his teeth softly sink into that spot gasping a deep moan out of my throat and I buckle my hips wanting his touch, begging for it..

"Say please.." his voice cuts through my hazed mind and I whimper a needy please begging for his touch. The chuckle that comes out from his teeth as they sink into my throat again. "Again" he says.

"Fuck, please.." the words that come from my lips are filled with nothing but whine and utter need, if I could think about anything other than his touch right now I would be disgusted at how needy I sounded..like a yowling cat in heat but my thoughts are replaced by my own breathy whimpers as his fingers sink into my warm folds finding the bundle of nerves that have been untouched for so long and he circles around it rippling pleasure through me.

My hands leave his hair wrapping around his neck to hold myself firm against him as I devolve into a mess in this strangers arms. I bury my face in his chest breathing in the scent of his bourbon hinted sweat and sweet Cologne. His skilled fingers work against my core as he swears on his breath at the sight of me. I cant bring myself to look up into his eyes or do much but ball my fingers into his shirt and arch my back, still seeking his hard member against me. Grinding myself against him, I take one hand and find his buckle with Trembly unsteady attempt, I make quick work of his buckle and button and my finger's trail along his waist band waiting for that resistance that never comes. As I start to slip beneath the tight elastic the grating ring of my cellphone breaks though the heat of this moment and I groan pulling my head back from his chest and reaching for it..

I look down at the caller ID and the stranger stop his perfect rhythm on my bundle of nerves I whimper as he stops and I break away breathless, I look over at his disheveled state. His hair a mess, his bulging member covered by his black briefs but outlined perfectly framed by the open zip of his pants and I bite deep into my lip trying to calm myself as I answer.

"The fuck do you want? You said 5am.." my words full of vitriol and annoyance that I don't care to hide in this moment.

"Language Eve. Plans changed, planes leaving in 30." Mika chuckles at my frustrated tone. We have done multiple missions together, too many to count and most that only him and I have made it out alive. Mika would be the closest thing to a friend I would allow myself to have in this life and he was far too used to my temper and handling me. I turn around to see the man leaning against the wall I was just pinned against as i meet his gaze, I am suddenly hyper away of the state were in and the needy mess he just had me in.

"Better be booze on that plane" I hang up and shuve my phone into my jeans pocket, knowing full well that there wouldn't be but not thinking clearly enough to come up with some thing better to say. doing up my jeans and not saying a word to the man as I head down and out of the alleyway. There's no point, I'm never going to see this man again and I have more pressing matters to attend to, like my possible death.