Chapter 1. "Prologue."

A gentle breeze allowed a plastic bag fly across the sky. Eventually, the bag flicked aside as a commercial helicopter spun through the darkness over the forest

Just something in a place in the middle of nowhere. No names and just cash. A flash drop off, standard procedure. Little to no talk and just let the payment do the talking. A lone figure inside looked back to wave the pilot off.

The mood was authoritative, as dark and clouded as the night sky, all jokes and normal chatters are left behind, if the polite even try to say something funny, he will remind him to shut up.

It is another day, another dollar. There's always some sort of need that needs to be done. The figure was hired to leave to a town—in a forest as large as the one surrounding Tall Oaks city, not that unusual —but with the number of the calls the figure would get, it was a little frustrating, there was a flicker of lightning to the North.

The figure leaned forward slightly, scanning the dark. It had been clear all day, the clouds rolling in just before sunset; he was definitely going to go home soaking wet. He brought his wrist close to his mouth, "In position." The figure spoke with a masculine voice, it was deep and husky.

"Roger that." a male voice came from the radio. "Become the grey man."

"You know me," the figure replied. "I'm just a ghost."

He opened the door of the helicopter, without hesitation he jumped down and used his parachute. It was beginning to rain, and the forest become fogy and cold.

It took him mere seconds to let go of the parachute and fall to the ground.

With a sigh of pain he stood on his feet and observed his surroundings. There was a parting in the trees about a dozen meters ahead, a path big enough to be a narrow road, though he went deeper through the trees to avoid been seen. All the while wrapping up his parachute. It was stuffed back into a bag and left underneath a large rock hole. A dead drop location for someone else to come in and clear out the evidence.

With the coat no longer dancing on the wind, the figure turned away from the helicopter as it ascended toward the sky. The whipping sounds of the rotors faded from his ears as the helicopter seeped into the evening sky with a red light as its only indicator. The figure adjusted the coat in the spare moment.

He took his PDA and checked the road ahead of him, it appears in the map he needs to keep going straight until he sees the wooden sign in the middle of the path.

And thus he continued walking as quietly as possible.

It would be an hour's walk from the outskirts. The figure tugged on the front end of the coat to be adjusted.

Just like in all new zones, the location would have its quips and benefits. The benefits are usually part of the latter. Not that the figure cared all that much. A walk never killed a mercenary on their way to a job. The pay is good and the work is just as fulfilling. That walk was in complete silence, only the shoes and pants were the only things to be heard in the forest.

'Four days ago a call came in, more specifically, by a man. He wanted the figure to come to this open area and retrieve something for him from a man living there. The only reason, The figure accepted this mission is because there is something odd about the source, he could lead him to something he's looking for, not to mention the payment he promised.

At last he saw the end of the road, between darkened green grass of the small town came into view.

It was calm and peaceful, like the perfect place to spend vacation. Not that he would ever need one, in fact, places similar to Tall Oaks were always something the figure considered drab and mediocre. The architecture was that to welcome any and all who would took residence here. Well, those who could possibly afford to live here. The ocean nearby could have helped in location's value.

The figure studied the area carefully and started to plan his next move to enter.

The people of the town have no idea what is going on, they only saw a well-dressed man walking with an umbrella.

Some of them even spoke to him and advised him of a motel close by to spend the night until the rain stops. It helped to ask useless questions to make oneself less of an outlier. He glanced at his PDA, it look liked he was near the rendezvous. Like always, it takes a professional to show up early for an arrangement. Punctuality is a key trait to have in this business.

The figure pocketed the PDA and paced along the sidewalk. A couple of gentle nods to fool the locals. The place he approached was a restaurant, he didn't bother to read the name.

The restaurant have a nice view of the coast, though at the time it was half empty.

He gently pushed the door open and entered. The umbrella closed then reversed back as it was flicked aside for the rain. It dribbled to the floor where the figure knew no one would walk over. Immediately, he was met by a young blonde waitress, she had a narrow, oblong face with angular cheekbones, her hair was short and it had razor edges around her cheeks, her eyes were hazel. "Hello sir." she said cheerfully. "Table for one?"

The place had tables in the left side looks over the green street, in the other side the coast can be seen in the small windows. The place is decorated with flowers in some corners it give a nice smell.

"Yeah." The figure replied and the waitress nodded. Without words, she turned around then took several steps forward to lead the figure to his table. As that happened, it was amble time to check the other patrons. An elderly man who clearly wasn't reading the daily newspaper. His eyes were too focused on the work force, specifically, the feminine ones. At the far right, at a booth, sat a woman with a crossword puzzle. No eager hands or a need to stare at him, the newest customer. The narrow down the list was a plan to observe the area for any possible threat

The waitress led him to a table that overlooks the street, and she gave him the menu. He didn't plan to eat anything, though to drink something that could warm him up sounded great. He just did walk for an hour straight.

The waitress noticed another customer that needed some attention. Before she left, the waitress told the man of the specials the restaurant offered that evening.

He glanced at the menu and nothing of note stood out to him.

"Excuse me sir?" he heard a voice of a woman behind him. Without looking back the woman continued. "I'm the chief here welcome to our humble place, may I take your order?"

A little odd that a chief would be out at the tables to take an order. Well this is out in new area, so it must just come with the region. This waitress/chief was dressed in rather clean clothes. The figure glanced at her nametag.

It read, HELLO MY NAME IS… Claire. In a font half the size of the nametag's lettering.

Then something flashed in the figure's mind. He was taken aback by the name he read.

She was wearing a clean white toque, double-breasted jacket and a black pants. Her face.., he did recognize her, "You come and meet people here?" he asked.

"Yes," she said with a smile. "It is something we do around in this area, so what's your order?"

He looked back at the menu and spoke as calm as any normal person can be. "I would like a cup of coffee and this type of chicken soup." He pointed directly at a specific image on the menu.

"You got it, five minutes and it will be here." she said and walked away from him.

The figure looked away from the waitress/chief. His lips pursed up and in a brief moment, scoffed to himself in a light laugh. What were the odds?

The figure was lucky enough his table had a newspaper left behind by another customer. He took hold of it as he began his wait for his contact. Several articles caught his attention as he would folded it slightly for him to observe his surroundings for the wait.

The figure's name is HUNK, and he's ready for his next mission.

...

A set of grey eyes opened to see a dull light brown ceiling, since the arrangement of the waves and curls of the paint always looked like cracks from the lighting. The same place that felt like a stranger. There wasn't any kind of longing to be here in her heart, for everything is still feels new to her. Just a place hold her belongings. The eye closed as the owner shifted in the bed to her right side, the feeling of her warm liquid emotions was obvious, she was crying after having another dream about a ghost in her past, a little girl she left behind because she wanted to look for her only family.

She noticed the clock in the nightstand...and it read. 9:30 A.M. In its annoying darkened red lights. The damn thing was so dim, when one is half asleep, the thing wasn't very helpful. The alarm on it was annoying enough to help on her daily life.

She heard a soft knock on her door. "Wake up, or you're going to be late." A voice that belonged to a young woman. The voice wasn't snarky nor angered, just one that sounded really really bored.

It was the voice of her friend Annie, someone that the grey eye owner rolled her eyes. It felt like her eyelids were weighed down by anvils but was too far awake to fall back into the embrace of sleep. She rolled to her side to look away from the door.

The two of them were in a small town, five hundred miles from Tall Oaks city. The two of them planned to have a vacation and spend some time in this town, start their own job and be close to the ocean.

The grey eyed woman is a good cook, she could make many things, while Annie is familiar with waitress work; so they decided to put their money together and open a restaurant.

Their business worked well enough, they gained a fine number of customers through five months since they started to work, and their restaurant built up a good reputation. Several customers started to show up by habit to the place. Not that she minded at all, in fact, she appreciate all of those who made the effort. They had to earn a specific amount of money, to pay the owner of the place or else they well lose it.

Many times in the months they spent here, they were forced to pay a large amount of money and spend the day without lunch or dinner.

Her name is Claire Redfield.

She had An overprotective brother whom she rarely sees or speak to anymore because of his job. Always out and about in the world.

Though she still felt exhausted, Claire pulled herself to a setting position rubbing her eyes. "I'm awake." she shouted. At last she rolled out of the bed, directly she went to her closet and prepared her uniform.

Then Claire looked at herself in the mirror, her red hair was much shorter now then it was before, barely long enough to reach the end of her neck, for she wanted to try something new and change her appearance. It felt like a bad thing to do at the same time. She shrugged the thought off.

In a hurry, she left her room and ran to the bathroom to take her usual shower as well as the morning routine. While her friend is down stairs fully dressed and preparing breakfast for the two of them.

There was a certain schedule they have here in the house, one day Claire wake up first get ready and make the breakfast, this day was Annie's turn to do it.

Annie prepared the plates and waited anxiously for her friend to come down. Her waiting lasted for five minutes until Claire came down the stairs wearing a white tank top and a black pants, her face looked red and puffy.

Annie noticed it directly after she came and took a seat in front of her. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Claire forced a smile. "I'm fine do not worry about me, I just..." she stopped for a moment to take her breath. "Did not sleep well last night."

Annie seemed to not believe her, but she wasn't willing to pressure her to talk. "Fine, I made your favorite breakfast, sublime scrambled eggs." she said and pushed the plate toward her. Claire didn't react right away as she stared at the table. Annie noticed this and made her play to have the plate poke Claire in her ribs gently. She did so three more times until Claire chuckled at her best friend.

"Oh thanks." Claire said and started her meal. In silence.

Annie was someone Claire met back in college. She made Claire's time on campus go from unbearable to tolerable. They had several classes together, studied together and became best friends. Claire knew deep down she was lucky to have somebody like Annie as a friend.

Annie broke the silence, "So I think Mark is going to ask me out today." she said in attempt to change the mood. Mark was a usual customer in their restaurant whom she happened to have a crush on him.

Claire smiled back at her. "Really, good for you, I wish you the best."

Annie finished her plate and went to the bathroom, it gave Claire enough time to get rid of the urge to sigh and close her eyes to try and stop the memories. Many times Annie reminded her of Leon, a police officer she met in Raccoon city, she really thought the two of them could have something, but they parted and he moved on his own as a government agent.

She never wanted to admit it, but the feeling of loneliness has taken over her, even Annie her good friend by her side felt the vibe.

Annie returned to the kitchen and she took her bag off the chair, "Let's go Claire,"

"Okay." Claire responded after her final bite of the egg.

They left their house at 10:15 A.M. it is their time to open and start working.

Their day was good and busy, Claire had to cook the special meal in the menu few times, and they earned a good amount of money. Until nightfall came and the storm hit the town.

Claire watched out the window in amusement, for she loved the rainy season.

"Maybe we should close, I do not think anyone will come in the middle of the storm." Annie called out to her.

Claire nodded in agreement, "just wait for a few minutes, maybe someone will come."

Claire went to the kitchen and fetched a glass of water for herself, she took a seat in the nearby chair close to the refrigerator. Taking a moment to rest when she heard. "Hello sir, table for one?"

Claire put down the glass and prepared herself to leave and meet this customer. "Alright, deep breath." She repeated her personal mantra and closed her eyes. In a single deep breath, Claire felt calm again.

Claire made her way out of the kitchen, at the same time Annie came her way. "We got a new guy, I never saw him before." Annie informed her. Claire looked over her shoulder.

"Probably a traveler or something." Annie added.

Claire slowly made her way to his table, she noticed he was tall with a medium brown straight hair. "Excuse me sir?" she noticed he lifted his head up acknowledging her, still he didn't turn to look at her. 'How rude.' she thought.

"I'm the chief here, welcome to our humble place." she spoke. At last the man looked at her, his eyes seems to be focusing on her name-tag for a few seconds "You come and meet people here?" he asked.

"Yes," she said with a smile. "It is something we do around in this area, so what's your order?"

Thank you for reading, please leave a review.

Special thanks to The95will.