BLACK INVITATION

Created by : jitan88 | Beta-reader : CK - Ace

Disclaimer: All Resident Evil characters belongs to Resident Evil - Capcom.

Timeline : After Resident Evil 6 (Slight spoiler RE 6)

Rated : T

Genre: Action / Adventure / Romance

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He just stared at the reflection of the mirror, staring at the gazes aimed at himself. Whenever he looked at it, it wouldn't change a single stroke of the shape of his face.

Wouldn't eliminate anything that had been passed on to him.

Everyone was aware of this fact. When we are born, we can't choose our parents, where we are born, or what family we would have.

Life and how each person to survive, is a choice.

Believing in destiny and circle of life, is a part of the understanding and the mindset of each individual...

On Life.

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BLACK INVITATION

CHAPTER 1: A REUNION

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April 24th, 2014 - Central Market, Republic of Amozi - Middle Eastern Country

The weather was hot during the day and it sting into the skin. She ran with a man beside her, through the halls of a crowded market filled with people; mostly traders and buyers. A few cries of protest from the traders reached their ears because some of their stuff fell on the floor, but they just keep running. The crowd was once again struck by another group of four hooded men who also ran after them. With a long robe over from head to toe; all in black, they pushed their way forcibly and get rid of the people one by one who stood in their way. The commotion was suddenly silent after sounding a warning shot from one of the black-robed men. People panicked, screamed, and they leaned down to protect themselves. The streets now be a wide open after the people were frightened and moved away.

Four robed man kept running after the other two, entered a long dark hallway that was unused. Dark, damp, with only their footsteps and heavy breathing heard. Their sight were sketchy due to their eyes which hadn't adapted themselves to the dark surroundings. The hallway was connected to an old tunnel that used by the traders to put their baskets and also stock items, quite a mess. They slow down their pace while trying to regulate their own breathing. Suddenly one of four hooded men groaned and fell, startling three others. A knife was stuck in the back of their fellow colleague, and he didn't move again.

From behind there was someone who emerge again with surprise attack to one of the three robed men left. The attacked man tried to fight back, brushed off the blow that aimed at him while two others immediately issued their weapons.

"Go get the other one, let me handle this jerk!" shouted the robed man while fighting, it seems that he is the leader.

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The other two now left their commander who was still fighting the assailant. Trying to catch their other escaped target, but this time they have to be more cautious. Looking at each corners, they sharpened their senses of sight and hearing because it seems they were looking for a person who takes the advantage of the dark as a place to hide. Luckily for them, the old tunnel was closed by the government since a dozen years ago. Which is, a dead end. After a few minutes, they heard a gunshot from the hallway's direction followed by a whistle. They stared at each other.

"The fight… Already done, huh?" said one of them.

"I guess so. You've heard the whistle, that means he win."

Maybe whistling is a distinctive victory sign by the leader. They now stand with arms in hand, circling the tunnel which was cluttered with a piled wood boxes and container bags. Suddenly there was another sound of shots came from behind, without a whistle. They choked, who is it? Before they have time to think, they were attacked from the side by someone who already waiting for an opportunity. In flash she kicked the back of the robed man's knee and made him fell, his gun slipped from his hand. Without hesitating, she took the gun and easily shot the target. But soon after finishing one man, she found the barrel of a foreign gun was already pointed in front of her eyes.

She was too late.

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"Nice try, woman..." The robed man aimed his gun to the target who was a woman. Telling this blond woman to disarm, raised her hands and knees in front of him. He watched carefully the posture of a petite woman who killed his coworkers, and smiled scornfully, "Now tell me, do you work for the FBI? CIA?! "

She didn't flinch at all, her blue eyes just looked at the robed man who seems so big and dangerous in front of her.

"Che. Everyone's have the same habit... Silence," he said, "Sorry, lady. It's just one of my business to kill the people like you... And this going to be my last question before you die. Just tell me, do you work for the FBI, or CIA?"

The woman in front of him wasn't scared one bit, still silence and it seems that she won't cooperate. Upset to see her silent response, he pulled the trigger, "Fucking bitch... I'll KILL Y-"

The sound of gunfire ensued, in a split second suddenly appeared a huge shadow that pushed up the gun. The bullet fired into tunnel walls, apparently there is the presence of a third person. The foreign guest kicked the man in the knees and dropping his weapon. The robed man groaned in pain and tried to attack with fists. Unfortunately, the attack was easily ignored by his opponent. Smash the opponent's head with his fists merciless, the foreign guest is directly delivered three punch repeatedly in the face until the robed man fell. And with combat knife as one last blow in his neck, the black-robed man had stopped breathing. Lying on the ground with a red liquid puddle, dead.

Fresh blood splattered from a knife in his hand, the woman shrieked at the sight. Appeared out of nowhere in front of her; another tall and mysterious hooded man, killed people who just want to shoot her before. The foreign guest just stay put, not moving from his position. Waved his knife and making the blood on the blade splattered on the floor, he looked at the woman who was still in kneeling position in front of his presence with pale face. They just stared at each other silently each other.

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"Who ... Who are you?" She finally asked.

After withdrawing the combat knife back into his holster, he moved towards her without answering the question. He bowed, equating visibility between them. A tensed look meets the blonde's face, the foreign man watched the woman with the help of light emitted from the gap side of the tunnel. Short-haired blonde woman, she was wearing a brown jacket and black trousers. Slowly he opened the hood in front of her, the dark was still obscuring his face and she couldn't see him clearly.

"You okay?" He asked.

The voice that made her eyes wide-open, disbelief… But she was still glued to this man.

"I'm asking you, supergirl. Are you okay?" he asked again. She recognized his familiar voice but still can't believe it. He was getting annoyed with her stunned gaze towards him, "Ugh please stop, Sherry. Don't stare me like I'm Ustanak!"

It was him… Jake Muller.

"JA-JAKE?" Sherry finally replied.

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Reunion.

It's a reunion of Jake Muller and Sherry Birkin after the tragedy in China due to a biological invention called C-Virus. After Sherry got back to States, they were only able to communicate through text messages, just to know that at least… They're still alive. Sherry stood up and patted her dusty trousers, trying to avoid fresh blood around the floor of the dead man who was chasing her before. Then walked to a corner where she was hiding, taking her purse.

"What are you doing here, Jake?" Sherry picked up her bag from the floor.

"Hmm… Looking for a breakfast in the market, before I saw you ran like a rabbit being chased by the wolves." Jake folded his hands and continued attention to Sherry, "Same question to you. Why you here, in Amozi?"

"A mission. I was assigned to find someone."

Jake raised his eyebrows, sounds like déjà vu?

"Relax. I'm not looking for YOU, Jake..." Sherry sighed and tried to smile, "I was assigned to look for an informant who will provide an important information."

"Yeah yeah... I thought you're looking for me to pay the bid which has fallen to fifty dollars?"

Sherry chuckled see Jake who at first glance seems clunky.

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"Are you alone?" Jake asked again, following Sherry who walked away before him, looks like she was rushing to find a way out of the dark tunnel. Looking for something, or maybe someone.

Sherry shook her head, "No. I came with another agent, but we parted ways earlier..."

"Did your friend an American, a guy with short brown hair? Well, I met him at the end of the hallway."

Sherry Birkin nodded.

"So it means now you're ALONE." Jake said quietly, "He's dead."

"WHAT!?" Sherry turned, looked at him with a puzzled face, " Re ... Really? But you said that you meet him at the-"

"Yeah. I did meet with... His dead body. Sorry I don't have any chance to say greetings, I was too busy 'to chat' with his killer who likes to whistle." Jake grinned, "So, what's your plan?"

Jake Muller let Sherry sighed, she had just arrived in a foreign country and now she had lost her partner on the first day of their duty. He just watched her pacing and holding her cell phone, confused. A silence tormented him but he waited. A woman who once served to protect him is now trying to contact someone but to no avail. Apparently, Sherry never thought her job to find an informant would be so dangerous like this. After trying to wait with little patience, he couldn't last any longer to this situation.

"Fine. Stop being so disoriented, supergirl. I'll help you," Jake finally took the initiative. He patted Sherry's shoulder who was still looking so quizzical. Sherry ceased her efforts to contact the HQ through the phone. Jake slightly bent down and thrust his face into the girl's face, making their distances became closer so they could feel the hot air coming out of each breath.

They looked at each other and Jake Muller smiled knowingly, "But... Of course there's the price to you to pay, Sherry..."

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Sherry went petrified after hearing the words from her old partner. When she first discovered this man in Edonia and agreed to give 50 million dollars as a payment to his blood- who had an antibodies against C-Virus. The blood that flows in his body is the antidote to the world. He haven't change. Sherry distanced herself from the eyes of Jake, and gently brushed his hand away from her shoulder.

He's still the same, she thought. "Again, you only discuss about the payment, Jake..."

"Whatever, it's your choice." Jake raised his shoulders, "Listen and think about this, supergirl! One; you had lost your partner while on duty in the middle of nowhere, in a foreign country, without a clue. Two; on the other hand, I'm the only person that you know here... Yeah at least, until now. And I could say that you need a new partner to substitute that American guy?"

His explanation cannot be denied by her.

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Sherry hasn't had a time to answer his bids, at the end of the hall she could hear the sound of footsteps of the crowd. It was possible if the fear-stricken traders managed to contact police. The police certainly had came and it seems soon they will enter the tunnel. The situation wasn't favorable for Jake nor Sherry if the police found them in an old tunnel with a dead end, accompanied by five dead armed men.

Jake quickly ran towards Sherry's partner... To be exact ; former partner who was motionless on the floor. He took the bag and all of the identity of the brown haired man. Jake also grabbed something like a nametag from the body of a robed man who likes to whistle and took his gun. Then, without thinking, he pulled Sherry's arm away from the hall to the opposite side. Sherry who clueless about the condition of the location, simply follow the directions to wherever Jake went. Let her hands were held, led by Jake Muller. They reached across the tunnel which was also closed and very dark.

But it wasn't completely clogged.

In the darkness Jake began groping the side of the wall. He managed to find a foothold, and then instantly a rope. The rope was connected to the top, into a small room such as a chimney or perhaps a channel. From down the chimney, Sherry saw a light gap - found a way out. Jake let Sherry up to the ground where he was standing, without hesitation he put his hands around her waist then lifted her up so she could approached the direction of the rope. Sherry's hands finally reached the rope, holding it firmly.

"Come up, Sherry. Quick..." he said in a hushed voice.

Sherry Birkin was still half confused. But she believed in Jake and decided to go up, so she climbed up the rope. It turned out that a narrow chimney made her climbing become easier, she could stretch her legs on one side wall and pushed her body up to the top. Behind her, Jake had already jumped and reached for the rope. Sherry finally reached at the end of the rope and managed to get out of that chimney. She don't have any idea where was she right now, her surroundings were very dark and stuffy. In an instant Jake Muller also came out of the chimney, Sherry reached out a helping hand to get him up.

Still in silence, Jake quickly pull the rope that was attached to a sturdy pedestal, put it far away from the chimney so that the police won't find any clue about their escape route. Jake leads Sherry back to eastwards, towards a corner of the dark room and there's a metal ladder attached to the wall. The stairs that lead down into the street near to the market.

He glanced at Sherry, "I'll go down first. Three count as I started down, you follow. "

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Without seeing her nod, Jake began to fall. And according to the cue that instructed earlier, Sherry dropped following Jake after the three count. The ladder is not too high, but Sherry's heart beat faster as she was trying to adapt the circumstances that completely unexpected. A few seconds later, Jake Muller had reached the bottom of the ladder. Sherry was down the last few steps while Jake was running ahead to check on the situation. Finally, Sherry felt her own feet trample on the ground. Saw Jake a few feet in front of her, she could see Jake's face more clearly from the tunnel earlier. His face hasn't changed one bit over the past ten months since the last time they met. Only a handful of dirt and dust stick to the face and his sweaty skin, Jake wore a tight black shirt with matching pants, also a dark green robe-hooded.

He was too busy looking at the circumstanced surrounding, but finally turned to the woman who had been watching him from the top to bottom.

"Good news for you, I think we managed to escape from them." Jake said, grinned.

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Jake walked towards the direction of the market where there were problems stirring around them were quiet but crowded at the end of the hall. Sherry followed behind while her eyes paid attention to the situation. She was a little worried if there's anyone who recognized her face as she ran through the crowd. They've heard the voice of the boisterous men huddled on the side of the hallway, wondered what the police would find inside the tunnel. Which left only the women sellers who casually sat in front of their booth.

Jake Muller pulled out a few coins from his left pocket, the currency used in Amozi. Calmly he spoke with the local language, pointed to some kind of food and fruit then handed the money to the seller. While he was carrying a grocery bag, his right hand holding an apple. Jake briefly looking back, make sure the petite woman still following him.

"So... What's the plan?" he asked, biting an apple on his hand.

"Jake... How much?"

"Hm?" Jake Muller only stared at her face, "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, Jake. MONEY, isn't it?" she asked again, "How much do you want? To became my partner, to help me and the States government?"

"Nah. It's not a good time to negotiate, supergirl! We'd better get away from here first," Jake just turned around and started walking away from her, but he turned again, "You come?"

She sighed.

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There's no other choice?

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Now they both had left the Central Market, Sherry followed after Jake, they walked through the suburban streets and away from the market. They could see a patrol car already lined up outside the market and it caused a little congestion. Fortunately, no one suspected the American agent and the mercenary, the police seemed to only consider them as a foreign tourists. Jake with a calm and cool demeanor, led the way by walking in front of her while chewing apples. Sherry followed him wherever he went as they walked in silence, and Jake was busy munching an apple in his hand. Finally the D.S.O agent called his name to break the silence.

"Jake?"

He looked back.

"Thank you..." Sherry looked at him and smiled, "You saved me."

Jake didn't say anything, just stared back at her.

"Sorry, I can only say it now." she said again.

"Now we're even," Jake answered briefly, Sherry pondered even more upon hearing his answer. He smirked, "Yeah, I told you this isn't the time to talk about it. The only thing you have to do right now is to became a good tourist and to follow me like I'm your goddamn guide. And welcome... to Amozi!"

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To Be Continued ...

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Author's Note :

Translated from Bahasa with a big help from CK - Ace as my beta, I'll wait for a feedback from Jake x Sherry shippers! Please review, fave or follow, hahaha. And thank you to all readers who read and review this story.

See you on the next chapter!

-jitan-