As Cold Blood Runs:

As Cold Blood Runs: First of a Three Part Series

Note: I do not own or even say I own The Resident Evil Series, although I have added some characters to make things more interesting. I'm not sure if this is exactly following the RE timeline, being I still haven't played Code: Veronica yet. Takes place during and after CV.

Chapter 1- Is nothing Sacred?

My name is Leon and I've seen enough to drive a normal man insane. But yet I live with it. What am I talking about? I'm talking about things you wouldn't dare dream in your wildest nightmares. I've seen the walking dead...and worse. And to top things off, the woman I loved died in my arms in some damn underground chemical plant. Pretty bad, huh? I thought so. But I made it out alive, nonetheless. And I made it out with Claire Redfield, and a little girl named Sherry, whose father started the whole mess with his G-Virus research. But, there's no need to focus on that right now. Instead, I'll begin after our escape, in New York, where we had recently relocated.

Claire and I sat on a second-hand couch in the little ground-floor apartment we shared with Sherry, who was all ready asleep. We sat arguing on anything and everything we could. But mostly we about Claire's next little endeavor: a trip to Europe to find Chris, her brother.

"Claire, you just can't leave her like this," I stated.

"I wish I didn't have to. It's just...well...my flight leaves in the morning, and there's not a whole lot I can do," she replied, rather coldly.

"Claire, for God's sake, you at least have to say goodbye to her!" I suggested.

"It'll be too hard for me to do," she answered.

"Dammit, for once think of how hard it will be for her!" I shouted. Apparantly it was enough to wake the dead, figuratively speaking, because Sherry, who sleeps like a rock at night, came stumbling down the hall.

"Leon...Claire...what's going on? I heard shouting, and it scared me," she groaned.

"Sherry, just go back to bed. We'll talk about it in the morning," Claire soothingly said.

"Bullshit. Claire, you can't be telling her that. You need to tell her what's really going on in the morning," I demanded.

"Oh all right. Sherry, I don't know exactly how to say this, but...I'm leaving in the morning for Paris," she sighed.

"Claire, you're not leaving me, are you?" Sherry cried. She ran over and locked her arms around her waist. "Please don't go!"

"Sherry, it's ok. It's only for a couple of weeks. You're going to have to stay with Leon while I'm gone," she added. I was really tired, and I didn't want to hear anymore.

"Well, I'm going to bed. Claire, we'll continue this in the morning," I yawned, emphasizing morning. Claire seemed to approve, because she picked up Sherry, who was nothing but a short little tow-headed 12 year old, and carried her to the small bedroom they had shared. I slipped out of my jeans and into a pair of sweatpants and pulled the hide-a-bed out of the couch. I grabbed the couch cushion that I had used for a pillow for the past 2 months, and crawled onto the bed and covered myself with a sleeping bag. The small living room was dark and silent, so if I wasn't plagued by yet another nightmare, then I should sleep like a rock. I had just nodded off, when I heard footsteps. I sat up and reached for my .50 caliber magnum under the couch, and kept it under the bed. That's when I saw Sherry's small face poke through the doorway. I let loose a sigh of relief and slid the gun back under the couch.

"Leon, do you think that...I can talk to you for a minute?" Sherry asked.

"Yeah, sure. Come over here and sit down," I said. She gingerly stepped over towards me and sat down on my bed. I sat up and put an arm around her. "What's on your mind?"

"It's Claire. I don't want her to leave tomorrow," she whispered.

"Oh, Sherry. I really don't want her to go either, but you know, I really don't think we can keep her from doing anything she chooses not too," I reassured her.

"It's just that...I don't want her to get hurt," she said.

"Don't worry. I'm sure I can think of something. And if she does go, it's only for a couple of weeks, so I'm pretty sure we'll be fine," I said, attempting to comfort her. She stood up, and walked to the doorway.

"Thanks Leon. You're the best," she said as she stepped down the hall. I layed back and tried to sleep. But I couldn't. What if something did go wrong? What if I never told her how I really felt? I couldn't let something like that happen.

Daylight

It always seems to wake me up before I'm damn good and ready. But this morning, instead of being the first one up, Claire was already up, with two suitcases packed.

"Good morning," she timidly said.

"Yeah, I guess," I answered just as timidly.

"Well, I guess it's just about time for me to go," she whispered.

"On that subject, Sherry woke me up last night. She's worried, Claire. You need to say something to her," I advised.

"No need to wake her up over something as trivial as this, Leon. I'm sure you're quite capable of telling her yourself," she replied.

"Speaking of which, who the hell volunteered me to take care of her?" I shouted.

"You know damn good and well that she needs you right now," she shot back.

"She needs you more, Claire! You're the closest thing she has to a mother!" I shouted.

"And you're just as close to being her father! See you in two weeks!" she shouted as she slammed the door. I chased her out the door, but it was too late. She had already flagged down a cab, and was climbing in. She gave me a nasty look as the cab pulled off of the curb.

"Dammit, Claire. I love you," I whispered into the dense fog that surrounded me. Now I felt twice as worse. Claire was gone, and I had failed to keep my promise to Sherry. And she didn't know. Damn, she didn't know.

One week has passed, and it seems like a month. Sherry and I were both mentally ragged, but we were having somewhat of a good time. In fact, my story continues on such an evening, in which Sherry and I were watching the latest installment of Saturday Night Live. Of course, it was as funny as always, and we were sharing a pizza and just kicking back. It was, in fact, one of the best days we shared since Claire had left. But things were about to get interesting.

We were startled by a knock on the door. I stood up, and opened it cautiously. A short man in a black three-piece stood there, holding a large suitcase.

"Leon Kennedy, former officer Racoon PD?" he asked.

"Yeah...who are you?" I fired back.

"Mick Stevens, US Marshalls. I have important buisness to discuss with you about," he said as he walked in and sat down on the couch.

"Yeah...just come on in," I sarcastically said. I turned off the TV and sat down on a small stool in front of Sherry and Marshall Stevens. "Now what is going on?"

"I have a proposition to make. We need you to aid us in a raid of a small Umbrella research facility north of Lansing, Michigan, in a little town called Lebannon. The last remaining G-Virus sample is rumored to be under watch there. Umbrella's facilities are mostly designed the same, and since you infiltrated the Racoon City branch in September, we figured you were the man for the job," he informed. "Also, you'll be teamed with one of our agents named Ark Thompson." Ark? How is Ark involved in this?

"Now wait just a minute. It's been over half a year since Racoon. Why in the hell do you think I remember a damn thing about their facilities?" I asked.

"Listen, Mr. Kennedy. We need your help severely right now. Umbrella has so many damn contacts right now infiltrated in the government it's not even funny. You are our last hope of securing the G-Virus and preventing yet another outbreak," he calmly told me.

"I can't do this. I'm sorry. Sherry's under my care until her guardian gets back. There's nothing I can do until then!" I shouted.

"OK, I'll make this easy for you. Either you agree and accept my reward for your services, or the kid goes back with me and probably won't make it to see 13," he menacingly warned. Sherry gulped and scooted away from Stevens.

"Listen buddy. It doesn't matter if I agree or not. Sherry's not going anywhere," I answered. "And even if I do accept, what's in it for me?" I asked.

"An offshore bank account with oh, I don't know, this much money secured," he enticingly said as he handed me a slip of paper. Oh my God. I had never seen so many zeros!

"Uh...well, you'll have to give me some time. Like I said, I can't do anything until Sherry's guardian returns from Paris. I'll have to get back to you," I gasped.

"No problem. I knew you would see things my way. Here's my card. My office is in the Clarkson Federal Building, downtown. I am assured that you will get back to me?" he gestured as he headed towards the door.

"Yeah, I'll let you know," I answered. He left and slammed the door behind him. Sherry was still trembling on the couch, and I went over and took her into my arms to embrace her. The poor kid was shaking and trembling from that bastard Stevens' threats.

"Sherry, you know that I would not let anything happen to you. We'll be just fine," I said. She was still trembling and crying, so I rocked her in my arms until she fell asleep.

Yet another week. No word from Claire. I continue at about two weeks after she left, while I was actually sleeping. I haven't been able to sleep lately, so it didn't suprise me that I was startled by a voice on the phone. Sherry's voice.

"Yeah, I do too know! Yep, I'm pretty darn sure he does. Well for God's sake all he ever talks about is how much he misses you. OK! See you tomorrow!" click! Sherry snuck past my bed and creeped down the hall.

"Hee hee hee. He'll be so suprised!" I knew what she was talking about. Claire was coming home. I fell asleep with a smile on my face. Tomorrow would be an eventful day.

Daylight...yet again

The bright morning sun shone in my face through the window. Somehow, the previous night's events had faded so far into my memory, I had forgotten them. And the endless knocking on the door didn't really help matters any. God help it if it's that damn paperboy... I thought. I leaped off of the little hide-a-bed, and stormed to the front door.

"All right...that does it!" I shouted as I opened the door. Well, let's just say it wasn't the paperboy. I'm 5 foot, 9 inch tall, and this guy had to be at least three or four inches taller than me, and his biceps were about the size of melons. I was afraid he was going to rip my head off or something, but he just looked at me and laughed.

"So this is that Leon fella?" he asked.

"Yeah...that's my name...and who the hell are you?" I asked. I had my answer as Claire poked her head through the doorway.

"Hi Leon! I'm home!" So this must be Chris, I thought. I didn't see any resembelance. Claire's kind of small, about an inch or two shorter than I am, and this guy was her older brother. But I really couldn't see the slightest resembelance. He came over and grasped my hand and shook it.

"Name's Chris. Nice to meet ya'," he said.

"Uh...yeah..." I answered as I rubbed my hand. Hell, he had to of crushed every bone in it! Claire dropped their bags, and went down the hall. Chris looked at me, and then a strenuous look crossed his face.

"Hey Leon? Where's your bathroom? I've got to take one hell of a crap!" I had a feeling that things were about to get interesting. I had no clue how interesting things would get soon enough. Chris was, well, an interesting fellow, to say the least.

"Down the hall. Can't miss it," I directed. He muttered a thanks, and headed down the hall. I, for one, sat down and turned on the TV. The National News was on. I had nothing else better to do, so I decided to watch. I heard footsteps and thought it was Chris, but I thought twice when I saw Claire poke her head through the doorway.

"Hey," she greeted. She didn't look too well.

"Hi, how was the trip?" I asked. A painful look crossed her face as she sat down beside me, and she began bawling as she cried into my shoulder.

"Claire, what happened?" I asked. She couldn't answer, she just kept crying. I heard heavier footsteps, and Chris barged into the living room.

"Umbrella," he said. "It's their damn fault. It always has been." I knew he was right, because she nodded as she cried.

"My God..." I whispered. I never had felt so bad in my life. It hurt me badly to see Claire in this condition. I put my arms around her, and tried to comfort her.

(Whaddya know, Leon. You've fallen for her.)

For once, I think my inner voice was right. After Ada died in the explosion in the Racoon Plant, I thought I'd never love again. I was beginning to think that I was proving myself wrong.

"I just don't know what to do!" she sobbed. I lifted her up by her chin, and looked her in the eyes.

"First you get Sherry up. Then we have some important business to discuss," I said. I prayed that God would provide the right time for me to break to her my business with the Fed's. She nodded and left. Chris plopped onto the couch and looked square at me.

"Listen, bub. I don't know you, but I know that you and Claire are close. Be careful. You're treading on thin ice." I was in fear of my life. I swore that guy would try to kill me. He was right. I had to be careful.

"Don't worry. Claire and I are just friends, nothing more," I choked out.

"Good. Make sure it stays that way." He stood up and went into the kitchen. I heard Claire and Sherry step out into the hallway, and I knew Judgement Day was upon me. No doubt Sherry had blurted out to Claire about the visit from the other night from the Marshall, and I would pay hell for it. Claire had a perplexed look as she sat down beside me.

"So now you're leaving?" Claire asked.

"Yeah. I have a little business to conduct in Michigan," I said, not necessarily telling the truth, but not lying either.

"Business? Like barging into an Umbrella chemical plant?" Claire said. "Sound familiar?"

"Well...uh...yeah," I stuttered.

"Alone?" she asked.

"No, an old friend of mine from the Academy is going with me. His name is Ark Thompson," I choked. Claire had a menacing look on her face. She looked as if she would rip my head off and shit down my throat.

(There's your family resembelance.)

"Well, I don't think you're going anywhere..." she began as she stood up. She poked her index finger right between my eyes. "...without my brother or me." I found it strange that she could keep a straight face. Because Sherry and I sure couldn't. Chris came back through the hall and into the living room, still fumbling with his belt buckle.

"What the hell's going on?" he shouted.

"Nothing," I laughed. "Better get a good night's sleep. We're leaving for Michigan tomorrow."

The scene has been set. I give credit of the use of Leon's subconscious(the text written like this)to Xenogears, which he used during his excellent Silver Blood series. I'm not sure of Ark's relationship to Leon, but the idea I saw of them being classmates came from striker and his equally excellent Armageddon series. Everything else is mine, of course, except for the RE characters and name. So you pricks from CAPCOM, please don't sue me!!

Stay tuned for ACBR chapter 2: Revelations!