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Great time to think about it, now that you're pretty much committed, his mind whispered sarcastically. Maybe you could just ask them to drop you off in London or something, you could hang out in a pub until they're all finished… or dead. Leon told himself to shut up, sighing a little. He was committed; what Umbrella had been doing wasn't just criminal, it was evil – or at least as close to evil as some money-grubbing corporate dickheads could get. They'd murdered thousands, created bioweapons ca– pable of murdering billions, wiped out his carefully pla
Yep, that's pretty stupid.
Maybe it was, but it was holding him back, mak– ing him feel uncertain, and he needed to examine it.
David Trapp had made a career of the S.T.A.R.S., only to watch the organization fall under the control of Umbrella; he'd lost two close friends on a mission to infiltrate a bioweapons testing facility, as had John Andrews. Rebecca Chambers had just been starting out in the S.T.A.R.S., but she was some kind of scientific child prodigy with a deep interest in Um– brella's work; that and the fact that she'd been through more than anyone else made her continued dedication understandable. Claire wanted to find her brother, the only family she had; their parents were dead, and the two of them were close. Chris, Jill, and Barry he'd never met, but he was sure they had compelling reasons of their own; he knew Barry Burton's wife and children had been threatened, Rebecca had mentioned it… And what about Leon Ke
So I lost a job, and a possible relationship with a woman I barely knew and couldn't trust. Of course Umbrella should be stopped… but do I belong here?
He'd decided to become a cop because he wanted to help people, but he'd always figured that meant keeping the peace – busting drunk drivers, breaking up bar fights, catching crooks. Never in his wild-est dreams would he have figured on being caught up in an international conspiracy, cloak-and-dagger infiltration-type stuff against a giant company that made war monsters. It was crime on a much bigger scale than he felt he was ready for…… and is that the real reason, Officer Ke
Face it, stop bullshitting yourself. What you're really afraid of is that you're only here because she is, and you don't like what that says about you.
Leon nodded inwardly, realizing that it was the truth, the real reason behind his uncertainty. He'd always believed that want was okay, but need? He didn't like the idea of being led around by some neurotic compulsion to be close to Claire Redfield.
And what if it isn't need? Maybe it's want, and you just don't know it yet…
He scowled at his own pathetic attempts at self– analysis, deciding that maybe it would be best just to stop worrying about it so much. Whatever the reason for becoming involved, he was involved – he could kick ass with the best of them and Umbrella deserved to have their ass kicked, big time. For now, he had to pee, and then he was going to eat something and do his best to catch some sleep. Leon gently moved out from beneath Claire's warm, heavy head, doing his best not to wake her up. He slid out into the aisle, glancing around at the others. Rebecca was staring out her window, John was flipping through a muscle mag, David was dozing. They were all good people, and thinking that made him feel a little easier about things.
They're the good guys. Hell, I'm a good guy, fighting for truth, justice, and fewer viral zombies in the world…
The bathroom was in the front. Leon started to– ward it, steadying himself by touching each seat as he passed, thinking that the steady drone of the plane's engine was a soothing sound, like a waterfall -
–and then the curtain at the front of the cabin was pushed open, and a man stepped out, a tall, smiling man in an expensive-looking trench coat. He wasn't the pilot, and there wasn't anyone else on the plane, and Leon felt his mouth go dry with an almost superstitious dread even though the thin, smiling man didn't seem to be armed. "Hey!" Leon shouted, backing up a step. "Hey, we got company!" The man gri
THREE
JOHN WAS ON HIS FEET BEFORE LEON HAD finished his warning, hopping out into the aisle and stepping in front of Leon in a single stride. "Who the hell…" John snarled, his shoulders set, ready to break the thin mam in two if he so much as blinked wrong. The stranger held up pale, long-fingered hands, looking as though he could barely contain his de– light – which made John all the more wary. He could easily pound the guy into hamburger, what the hell was he so happy about? "And you're John Andrews," the man said, his voice low and calm and as pleased as his expression.
"Formerly a communications expert and field scout for the Exeter S.T.A.R.S. It's so good to meet you -
–tell me, how are your ribs? Still tender?" Shit. Who is this guy? John had broken two ribs and cracked a third on the cove mission, and didn't know this man – how the hell did this man know him? "My name is Trent," the stranger said easily, nod– ding at both Leon and John. "I believe your Mr. Trapp can vouch for my identity…?"
John flicked a glance back, saw that David and the girls were right behind them. David gave a quick nod, his expression strained.