the man who only asserts himself at (thirty) has a
b a l a n c e d idea of what willpower and fate have each contributed
•Neural Good•
☣indie leon s. kennedy blog☣
tracking: professionalbaba
❝ It isn’t as easy as you would think. Sure, there’s only a few of us here but that’s because the majority of their other experts are already present on the island. We’re only here to confirm the island is fully functional and won’t present any hazards to the guests. ❞ At least that’s what they had been asked to do. Still it was comforting to know another individual on their little team understood that these creatures were not meant to be kept and domesticated. A wild animal, no matter how it was conceived into its environment, is still one thing —— dangerous.
Cerulean irises rolled in their sockets at the humored curve which graced the man’s lips along with the statement that had slipped between them not moments before. ❝ A dinosaur doing tricks like a common dog? Now that would be something to see. I bet these so called ‘living attractions’ are just going to be animatronics made to appear so. If not….well, I’ll leave that up to whatever happens when see them. ❞
“I say that in a money sense. Something this big— and with people ignorant enough to believe any bullshit laid out in front of them. They’ll give up any money. Money that could be put into real use. Not wasting it on some attraction for people’s enjoyment. This is why we have Six Flags and Disney World.” Leon replied, sighing softly with a thoughtful shake of his head. People could be so damn foolish sometimes.
“I’m still calling this whole thing nothing but a well planned hoax. Sure animatronics can be pretty realistic— but not that realistic. It’s gonna end up being something to rip money off of people. I can already tell.” The agent added with a snort, looking to the woman. His face dropped and a frown was conjured to his lips. “Hey wait a second what the hell— why are you here, Lightning?”
Oh, so it was going to be like that? They were comparing history together now. Scars were important to Rebecca. Not only because there was a story behind each and every one, but because it showed you had in fact S U R V I V E D. They were also reminders of the fact that she was, indeed, mortal.
”—That’s one heck of a scar. Bullet wound I take it? I have a similar one on my arm. Just grazed it and it messed up my ink!” She lifts up her sleeve, revealing her old butterfly tattoo with a line going through it. “The others are a little more private— helicopter shrapnel hit my torso a few years ago leaving a pretty mean mark. I barely made it out alive!”
A lot could be learned from a scar. It expressed what someone had endured and that they had been the ones to win the encounter. It showed a sense of independence, character even, in its own way. A story. Leon, one could say, had many stories. Some better left untold.
“A bullet wound indeed. And that’s a shame— however it does give you a more… "Miss Badass” kind of appearance. Which might I add is a very fitting nickname for you.“ He replied in a playful manner. He whistles lowly at the thought of getting nailed with a helicopter shard. Shift is lifted slightly and hes turning his back to her. Reaching around behind too rub the jagged and torn marks angled on his back. Claw like almost. ”I bet you’ll never guess where I got this.“
{ ♔ } —— “…Professor,” She looked to the elder man nearby, he appeared just as wary as she was. Lara tilted her head and only heard a loud roar soon. The shouts of men and the whole building was practically vibrating now. “What uh, else did you bring back..” His head turned to her slowly and his face was ghastly! Pale and struck with fear. “The T-Rex…We thought we could contain i-“ The male paused hearing people scream and one could swore they heard the tearing of flesh. A woman screaming and the lab fell silent. Lara gripped Leon’s hand and began to jump slightly at the stomping. It was stomping! Listening for them. It was much too quiet now though. Lara was now filled with paranoia and turned her head ever so slightly to the small window. Just enough to watch the glass fog and a large eye occupied its space. She gasped loudly and now covered her ears as the beast let out a loud roar.
Leon also looked to the elder. Something was wrong. He can tell by the way the man holds himself. That look in his eyes. The agent is reading this behavior like a book and it has him aching for a weapon in his hand. Better safe then sorry after all. Head snapped in the direction of the chaos in it’s making. His gaze shifted over to the man, face falling at his reply. That was one of the biggest dinosaurs— carnivorous if he remembered correctly.
“You’ve gottabe–” Words are cut to silence hearing the screams and cries of people in panic. Then the oh so familiar ripping of flesh between teeth and crunch of bones met with his ears. Sending eerie shivers down his spine. Leon tightly grabbed her hand back. Breathing quickly through his nose. He needed to keep a cool composure.
The agent was much too focused on listening to even look about his surroundings. So when the woman suddenly gasps and a bone shaking roar splits the hearing in his ears he jolts. Grabbing the woman in his arms and stumbling back away from the glass case the creature was staring through.
❝ That would be the money grubbing investors who have too much time on there hands. As for the whole concept of reanimating extinct creatures, it is interesting. However, I’d have to agree with you that they should have been left as fossils. ❞
A whole island dedicated to making prehistoric animals civilian attractions? Sounded like a disaster waiting to happen if you asked her. Sounded like? No. It was one. No matter how secure someone may claim a facility was all it would take was one glitch, one, one highly intelligent animal to topple those claims. For everyone’s sake, Lightning hoped they were not foolish enough to actually breed the latter.
❝ Dinotopia? I severely doubt they live alongside them, let alone ride them. If all of this is even real. ❞
“ Of course it’s for money grubbers but take a look at the island all this money has gotten them. There must be payments going in by the millions—- billions ever to keep this place running. but given the amount of people here on this boat alone. It’s gotta be pretty easy.” At least someone agreed with his judgement. These people didn’t about these animals— and no matter how long they have been breeding them for this park, they would never really know. Just like any wild animal in a normal zoo. Unpredictable.
A sound of amusement is exhaled through parted lips. Head shaking as arms cross. Leon gives the woman a smirk, “You never know. They could have them doing tricks. If it is real— of course.”
{ ♔ } —— “It’s fine, dear.” Lara rubbed at his back gently. Her mind buzzing with questions about it, but at the same time. She even felt her lover’s hesitant and kept it there in the back of her mind. The scientists gestured to a few hatch-lings behind some glass. Incubated in some realistic looking nest and habitat. Lara leaned near the glass to watch the tiny baby Raptors screech and cry out for their mother. A wide grin still held its place before she backed away to lean back against Leon’s front. ”It’s fascinating, how they’ve been able to do this. You think they’d start bringing back the dead as well.” That’d be quite the thought, to be honest. Lara didn’t dwell on it long—this was simply astounding. To see such creatures alive and thriving. She was only here to drop off a few fossils from the museum in Washington. Lara was eager to see the progress here.. Or she was until she heard a soft thumping..One that made the glass around them shake.
He only gave a soft huff in reply. Eyes follow and loom on the nested glass case. Lingering there for a long moment. It was— remarkable. But also something he wasn’t exactly thrilled about. The possibilities that could go from this discovery was insane to even think about. It was certainly making them money by the millions. Leon almost wants to pull the woman back from the glass case when she leans in to inspect the small prehistoric reptiles. Though he holds his arms tightly crossed over his chest.
“Heh, yeah. Bringing the dead back to life. It’s pretty much what you’ve done here.” He doesn’t elaborate on his reply. Because he already knew of such a power being put into use. Most would call those zombies. Arms fall loosely and wrap around the brunette as she leans into him. Face gently nuzzling into the woman’s hair. Still those lagoon blues watching the freshly hatched raptors. Uneasily.
The soft thumping didn’t go unnoticed. It in fact had the agent quickly switch into a mode he would run on while at work. It was quick, giving an indication that he had already been on edge as it was.
Rhi quickly asked. Her agitation now making it’s presence through her features. Sure he wasn’t directly talking about her, but he might as well been insulting her research or others that followed her path.
“I can talk about what I god damn please. Especially since your damn superiors even gave me a free pass to make you my bitch during this trip. That’s right. You have to listen to me for once. I’ll tell you what, you can lounge in your room, ride some roller coasters, pet a triceratops and I’ll go after the guy if you’re so blue about it. Actually you could have brought the wife and kids along too.”
She wasn’t going to reveal that until they arrived at their personal quarters near the lab center which was a distance from the tourist areas. Jungle and what not surrounded it. Her eyes then focused back at him as she raised a brow.
“People believed that the human genome project would bring about chaos. Stem cell research was considered fucked up but look at the progress they made. Dinosaurs are a different subject entirely but you shouldn’t be quick to judge. I even have some personal fears but I’m not letting my morality get in the way of the mission. This virus thing is more serious than this philosophical soap opera we have going on.”
Rhi said bitterly, gesturing with her hands as she pushed back some of he hair from her face. “My science bud is going to give us the intel once we get on the island. The terrorist is a hacker. He already knows we are coming since the main labs sent the gov the file work on this thing.”
Sadly yeah. The man or woman was already one step ahead of them. Rhi crossed her arms and leaned against the guard rail of the ship as she then nodded.
“Yes. You look primed and ready to settle down. How’s life by the way?”
Leon fell into a smothering silence. Hell he might as well just keep his damn mouth shut if it was too the woman within peaceful bounds. Why did women have to get so moody? He was sure that the first six words out of his mouth when they got off the mainland had pissed the younger woman off in some way, shape, and or form. A soft emits from his lips as he shakes his head in some silent disagreement. She didn’t like what he had too say— it was best off he didn’t say it. Getting in a pointless argument wasn’t something he wanted to do as of right now. So he allowed her to spew words to him. Damn she could have waited till they were at least away from the real tourist.
“I know this virus is a serious thing, Rhi! Shit I mean look at what I do for a goddamned living. If anything I want too help in getting rid of it— if anything help you and your scientist gang at least get it reasonably under some kind of control. And by control I mean having a cure ready in case someone does happen to get a hold of a sample.” Words are spat out in an rather defensive manner. Leon knew he was going to get one hell of a reply for that. Unless he was man enough too… “…I’m sorry—. It’s just… I have a bad feeling about this. All of it.”
Once more he was silent. Mentally causing to himself to hear the threat had the upper hand thus far. They knew already that they were going to be on the island. The agent gave a brief nod in understanding. “We’ll have to be careful— seeing how they could be anyone at this point.”
“Well… settling down honestly doesn’t sound bad. But kinda far from it.” He started, rubbing the back of his neck with a sigh. “It’s about the same. Busy with work. All that and more so. What about you?”
She half chuckles very lightly, always so easily amused by the agent’s surprise. More-so now that she’s invaded his home without initially being noticed. Eyes lower to examine the box, hands outstretching just a tad for him to take the present if he so desired. He had better. ” — I have to say you age with almost as much grace as me.~” Though that was a topic rather left in the dark. Speaking of age was a very swift way to alter the mood. She remains whimsical for a moment more before closing the distance and forcing the gift into his hands. A sigh that hints to impatience, but really the spy is not having the easiest of times being generous. After-all off-duty greetings were a disaster waiting to happen. “It just…. Made me think of you. Happy Birthday, Leon.” Voice low and almost calming. Within the box he would find something simple, yet meaningful — a tiny key chain with a police badge replica, mini in size of course, perfect for any key ring. She wasn’t so sure he would notice, but she may have taken the time to have it engraved. To a very familiar city’s local namesake and… A less than false badge number. No —his badge number. Short lasted, but sentiments were nice. He should appreciate them.
Eyes linger on the box a moment longer. He was hesitant to take the small wrapped object from the spy’s hand. Who would have thought she’d go out of the way, entering his home unannounced, to give him a little present for a birthday he had never even told her about. Leon certainly was shocked for more then just one reason. “Almost.” He noted her words. Age wasn’t something he enjoyed talking about— seeing how some of it was finally catching up with him over the past years. Little aches here and there. A silent reminder he wasn’t that young cop back in Raccoon City.
“Think of me, huh?” The agent questioned, taking the box that was all but shoved into his hands. A soft frown worked at his lips as he eyed the raven haired woman a moment longer before opening the small present. A mini police badge— no. It was his badge. Back from all those years ago. Hell he still had his old one packed away. It shoved forth old memories— but he didn’t flinch at them. No he is blown away at how much the woman had actually paid attention to the small details of him.
“This is…” Words trail off as he looks to the woman before him. “…Thank you, Ada. It means a lot. Honestly.”
It seemed they had all come across backstabbers in their field of work. Rebecca almost wanted to apologize for being so forward, but instead looked the man over. “His last name doesn’t sound all that appealing.” Her lips pursed into the smallest smile when she rolled up the sleeve of her shirt to reveal a rather jagged scar on her forearm.
“This was a from a knife fight. Cool huh? You should see the other guy- err girl in this case!”
A soft scoff was given in reply. His name wasn’t appealing? Damn if she had met the man behind it. He would seem even less appealing then just a few letters. Lagoon blue hues shift to the jagged and ripped up rough skin. Leon could have almost cringed. Almost.
“Knife fight, huh? Same for this.” He brushed a finger over the scar on his cheek. Smirking a little he unbuttoned the top of his shift. Reveling the, evidently clear, bullet wound on his shoulder. He gave a small turn showing where it exited. “You got anything like this?”
{ ♔ } —— “Hmmn..” She broke the kiss and gently gave his cheek a pat. The amount of feeling for this man was a tad unimaginable. She wanted to understand how two people who met by tragedy somehow wind up living together with three dogs and a cat, in a home so warm and loving, and ultimately completing one another is possible. How was it that she became this lucky? ”Dinner is in the kitchen, your choice on movie, and I will pour the wine.” Lara moved from her lover and adjusted her ponytail while bouncing off to set their plates. Dogs trotting after her in the hopes to get some table scraps. This would be a grand night like all the others, no worries of being found, and no attacks from their painful memories.
A broad grin is given feeling a hand give a soft pat to his cheek. In such a manner like an happy canine being praised. It would best describe the look upon his handsome face. This life he was now living, was like a story out of a fairytale with a modern twist to its plot. Leon absolutely loved it in all honesty. It couldn’t get much better then this.
“Any movie?” The agent questioned with a small smile. That could possibly be considered the most challenging task for this evening. He lingered on the couch watching the brunette walk off, a soft bounce in her step and three massive dogs trotting behind. The sight draws a soft chuckle from his lips before getting up himself and moving to the kitchen. Least he could do was help set up for dinner.
▊▊▊ ＥＲＲＯＲＩＳＴ ; SHE IS RESILIENT in her endeavors; muscles & limbs ached for SALVATION as she relentlessly climbed structure measured to be fifteen stories. She will never admit defeat in terms of physical exhaustion, body propelling itself window after window, desperation threatened surfacing upon twilight drenched visage reflecting faceted perspiration. Beads of sweat in rivulets rolled down the length of exposed neck & chin, drip-dropping upon her attire & it only increases her frustration. Her muscles are crying out to her, spasms occurring ‘round the ivory coating of her weary bones— she is not the youth she once was, in which she dared to challenge herself by climbing structures twice the height of the one she clung to on a daily basis— though any recollection of this particular memory would not resurface until ultimate goal would be achieved— recovery.
Valiantly does her body fling itself from one portion of the wall to the other, metallic feet digging into concrete for stable footing as she leaped, extremities clutching to bordering posthaste. She loses footing for a fraction of a second, hand losing traction against the rugged exterior, though she is quick to prevent her fall.
Some say she’s crazy, but she knows different. Nilin did a lot of questionable things in life, but some learned to accept her peculiar attachment to dangerous situations & unfair citations written against her— she is completely okay with climbing structures without proper equipment, all she really needed was two feet & an erratic heartbeat. The rate in which it pounded against the confinement of titanium cage ( blood rushed through her veins in less than moderate amounts, appendages burned & throbbed in tandem to the oxygen flowing through her person, adrenaline consuming her in the effect of super-massive CATASTROPHIC explosion of hyperactivity & anxiety, she would give nurses heart attacks for the impossibly high rate of her beating heart ) became lost in the thrill-seeking pleasures of she, Nilin Cartier-Wells, renowned Memory Hunter of Neo-Paris & yet she’d a bounty upon her head larger than the income of the owner of Memorize.
She didn’t find excitement, excitement appeared to have found her.
Destination is breached with careless flinging of body through less-than-moderate opening of twilight-flooded complex. Head hits floor, body following shortly after as she skids across the smoothness of the penthouse floor, though silence is not broken… until she stands up, that is. The next thing her head is to get acquainted with is the shelf above the area in which she landed, causing catalytic damage to her immediate surroundings.
Thievery was God’s gift bequeathed unto her, she is normally silent, undetectable, & yet she was met with the confused expression of the very man she was to deceive.
❝ Ah… there isa logical explanation for… this. ❞
Utterance of each syllable resulted in immediate shot of pain, eliciting sharp intake of air. Decrepit lungs are filled with acidic breath as she takes to standing, albeit slowly, twin sapphire pools drawn to the countenance of remarkably older figure before her.
Seldom was the floors in his penthouse wondered restlessly. Back and forth, back and forth. A cycle that seemed to go on for hours that evening. Uneventful at that. Thank the lord— because there were more important things to be attended too. Such as the loads of files he needed to better organize. Containing information that even the highest of officials had not been able to see. Other then those in S.A.B.R.E, Memorize. The big names around. Yet here he was. With some of the most valuable and critical pieces of papers and folds and memory chips right at his very finger tips. S.A.B.R.E sure put a h a z a r d o u s amount of trust in one elite enforcer— agentreally.
Skilled, intelligent, trustworthy. Well it was what any force or company could ask for in a human. If only there were more such as those type. But it was what made people the ones another could turn to and trust the job to be done. Leon was just one of those people. And how did he thrive in his occupation.
The silence with the penthouse is broken with a loud and echoing THUMP, followed by an instant groan of evident pain. The S.A.B.R.E agent is quick to investigate and is extremely unamused to see a woman on the floor. Hues examine the shelf and her body crouched down. An easy puzzle to piece together. But other questions quickly sprung into mind. Why was she here? Why had she— obviously— crept in through his window? Which was notably about fifteen stories up. Another question. How the hellwas the possible without any means of equipment?
“An logical explanation, huh?” Possibly he’d be willing to listen to a persuasive spew of words in her own defense. A reason not for him to cuff those wrist behind her back. This was breaking an entering. Breaking an entering an penthouse that was,again, fifteen stories above ground level at that— more then one suspicious reason. And boy had she chosen a poor place to commit such a crime. With the wrong person as well.
