With help from the large gear Leon had found in the east storage room, he and Gwen were able to get the clock working. The bell rang, banging against the steel cage around it and eventually fell from the ceiling, crashing against the floorboards. "Hope I don't have to write a report on this..." Leon grumbled.

"I'm surprised it didn't fall through the floorboards." Gwen walked over to the collapsed bell and grabbed the familiar yellow and orange box. She ripped open the flap and took the electrical part, placing it in her pocket alongside the other component. "We've got what we need. Time to head back to the jail."

When the couple went to leave the clock tower, they heard the door from down the hall open with a loud bang. Leon and Gwen knew the only person capable of such brutality and immediately backed away from the door quietly. They held their breath, waiting for the adversary to walk by. When the heavy footsteps passed the door, Leon went to peer out it but was stopped when Gwen pulled him away from it. "We need to reach the other end. We'll wait for him to pass by again and then head out. The door on the other side leads to the storage room where you found the gear," she whispered.

"Alright. We'll wait for him to head back to the library," Leon said. The duo stood by the door, listening to the stomping man and the zombies on the other side.

What felt like hours was only minutes. The tyrant lumbered passed the door and headed back into the library. Gwen pulled out her pistol, reloading the clip. Leon followed suit, knowing they'd have to kill the zombies in order to pass. They also knew the sound would attract the brute's attention and wouldn't have time to spare after killing the monsters.

Gwen glanced at Leon, gripping her gun with both hands and a smirk present on her face. "You ready, blondie?"

Leon glanced at her with a raised brow and a grin spreading across his face. "Ready, shortcake."

The young woman glanced down briefly before meeting Leon's teasing gaze. "Did you just give me a nickname based off my height?"

"You are short," he chuckled.

"I'm five-one!"

"Gwen, that's short."

"Ugh!" Gwen huffed, rolling her eyes.

Leon smiled at her frustrated expression. "I think it suits you. You're stuck with it."

"Then you're stuck with "blondie" until I figure out a better nickname," the archivist retorts. "I'll try to make sure it's embarrassing."

"I look forward to it," the officer smirked victoriously.

The couple left the clock tower and shot the zombies in their way. Without hesitating, they stormed across the corridor until they reached the storage room on the east side. Leon unlocked the door just as they heard the titan's hurrying footsteps.

With all their strength, the duo ran all the way to the jail without stopping. They had lost the tyrant and were able to catch their breath before tinkering with the electrical panel. Gwen slumped her body against the stone wall, placing a hand over her racing heart as she panted. "Too much... running..."

Unlike Gwen, Leon was used to running long distances and was able to catch his breath easily. "At least those long jogs at the academy are paying off."

"Good for... you, sweetheart..."

Leon glanced at Gwen for a split second with a smile etched across his face. ""Sweetheart"?"

The young woman pushed her body off the wall, heaving a heavy sigh. "We're dating and I've a right to use that term. Though, a zombie apocalypse isn't exactly what I had in mind for a first date. I've been grabbed, pounced on by a zombie dog, strangled, fell from the second floor... What else could possibly happen to us at this rate? I think we've completed an entire list of near-death experiences."

"Neither did I, but we'll have a proper date once this shitstorm is over and done with. We could go old fashion and see a movie or just a dinner date," Leon said as Gwen handed him the electrical components.

"I'd like to go to the movies with you again. It was thanks to you that I was able to live a normal life for once," she smiled sweetly at him. "Even though it was only for four years."

Leon tinkered with the electrical panel until the power was restored. As the cell door opened, he slung an arm over Gwen's shoulders and pulled her flush against his side. He leaned down and placed a warm, gentle kiss against her cheek before releasing her and sauntering into the cell. Unbeknownst to the young officer, his lover was a giddy mess inside from the sweet gesture.

Before claiming the parking garage keycard from the dead man's corpse, Leon's eyes caught sight of something in the interior of his jacket. "Huh?"

Gwen heard the blonde's curious hum and stepped into the cell. "What is it, Leon?"

He sifted through Ben's jacket and pulled out a small device. "It's a voice recorder." Pressing play, he placed it up to his ear to listen.

*********
"But that doesn't explain the rumors about the orphanage," a man said, the voice sounding exactly like Ben's. "I-I just find it way too coincidental Umbrella's one of the benefactors."

"You told me this interview was about the new scholarship Umbrella set up," a woman responded, irritation apparent in her voice.

"Come on, Annette. Nobody cares about that," Ben scoffs. "They want to know about the G-Virus, Project: Moondrop, and the-"

"Where did you here about this?" The woman demanded.

"-And that big, fucking sinkhole in the city which, by the way, rumor has it goes straight to your underground lab," Ben said, ignoring the woman's question. "Now, are you going to talk to me or are you-"

"This interview is over."

A small pause, then Ben cursed the woman. "Bitch."
*********

The recording ended, and Leon placed the device in his pocket. He turned to Gwen and spotted the shock and fear written across her entire face. She blinked a few time before inhaling a shaky breath. "Annette... That was the name of the doctor who helped me escape. S-She's the only reason I was able to meet you."

"This unground lab they mention must be the one you were taken to," Leon said as he snatched up the keycard and held it tightly.

"By the sound of it, this so called "underground lab" is owned and operated by Umbrella. Why would a billion-dollar pharmaceutical company need an underground lab? It makes no sense."

"Unless they're trying to hide something," Leon stated.

"Their main headquarters is in Raccoon City, too. It would explain the underground lab. I just hope this is all a lie," Gwen sorrowfully said.

"Me, too, Gwen."

Suddenly, all the cell doors opened with loud clicks and groaning was heard. "That's not good..." Leon muttered as the groaning and hissing crescendoed.

"We've gotta go!" Gwen shouted as a couple of zombies rounded the corner. Leon gripped his shotgun and fired at the undead creatures waltzing towards them. The two pulled a small handle, opening a side path.

"At least there's-" Gwen's sentence abruptly ended when their path was obscured by a familiar, burly man. "Are you serious?!"

Leon traded his shotgun for his magnum, only needing one bullet from the powerful gun to incapacitate the giant. "Go around him!" The couple dashed around him and out of the jail before the zombies could grab them.

In the garage, the brute plowed through the wall and grabbed Leon by the throat, hauling his body into the air. Gwen heard him choking and knew she had to do something. She unloaded an entire clip into the man, but it only angered him. Using his free arm, he batted her body across the garage. Her body skidded against the asphalt, rolling a few times before coming to a stop.

Seeing Gwen's body fly and collide against the hard asphalt, Leon struggled harder against the assailant's grip. Alas, he couldn't escape and saw his vision fading.

Then, a nearby SWAT van's headlights flicker on, the engine purring as it came to life. The vehicle's tires skidded against the asphalt as it accelerated forward. The truck slammed into the tyrant's body, forcing him to drop Leon and pinning his body against the wall.

The officer gasped and choked as he regained his bearings. Leon stumbled over to Gwen, who was sprawled out on her back. She slowly sat up with his help. "I am so tired of being thrown," the young woman groaned.

The door to the van opened, a familiar silhouette stepping out and the sound of heels clicking in a steady rhythm as the person stalked closer. Leon glanced up in shock and joy. "Ada?"

"This is getting old," she snarled. "Saving your ass-that's twice."

"Just for the record, Leon's saved my ass more than twice," Gwen stated. "So, we both have a track record going. You tried to shoot me, so you're at a negative one in the saving department."

Ada glared sharply at Gwen's sassy response before turning on her heels and heading to the sealed entrance of the parking garage. Leon helped the archivist to her feet, glancing between both women. "I didn't realize you both were keeping score."

"Look, this isn't a game!" Ada snapped back. Before she could finish her lecture, the van pinning the tyrant to the wall creaked and skidded against the asphalt as the brute began moving the vehicle.

Leon reached for his handgun and pulled it out, aiming it at the van. "You gotta be kidding me," he sighed in bewilderment.

"Nothing dies down here," Ada exhales, revealing a trigger mechanism and pressing the button. The vehicle exploded, fire consuming the metal and the man pinned to the wall.

"Hold on!" Gwen bellowed, lapis eyes narrowed and boring a hole into Ada. "There is no way you're a real FBI agent! They aren't equipped with explosives."

"I found them in the back of the van," Ada retorted, her own chocolate eyes narrowing behind her sunglasses.

"Not possible. SWAT vans aren't equipped with explosives because they don't use them!"

"You better hold your tongue, Gwendolyn. I could have you arrested after all this," the short-haired woman replies with a hint of anger.

"Yeah, right. You can't arrest me for speaking my doubts. It seems the only thing I've harmed is your inflated ego," the archivist snarled. Leon placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a small squeeze.

"I could always pull a few strings and have this entire incident seem to be your fault. I have my ways," Ada threatened with a grimace.

Leon's head snapped in Ada's direction, shock and anger brimming from his piercing gaze. "There's no way I would let you do that to her. You may be an agent, but I'm also a police officer and I'll testify against any claims against Gwen."

"Who do you think the higher-ups will believe-a rookie cop or a FBI agent?" Ada raised a brow, knowing she had won.

"You're not a FBI agent..." Gwen muttered under her breath for only her and Leon to hear.

"If we're done with this petty argument, do you have the keycard we need to get out of here?" The brown-eyed woman questioned Leon.

The officer nodded and dug around in his pocket. "Yeah, and this..."

"Leon," Gwen whispered, knowing what he was going to hand her. She latched on to his arm to stop him, but he reassured her with a smile. The archivist released and allowed him to toss the recorder to Ada.

"I was hoping you could explain what's on it," Leon said.

"Maybe..." Ada replied. "After I hear it. Let's get out of here."

Leon slid the keycard into the machine, opening the metal gate obscuring their path. Ada waltzed out of the garage with the blonde close behind, but he stopped when he realized Gwen wasn't following them. He pivoted around to see her staring at the street above, a distant look in her eyes. The gentle but frigid breeze whipped through her inky locks as she stood still as a statue. "Gwen, hey." He stood in front of her, noticing how she didn't even blink or budge an inch.

"Come on, you two, or I'm leaving both of you behind," Ada shouted from the street.

"Give us a minute," Leon yelled back. He reached out towards Gwen, resting a hand on the side of her neck. "What's wrong?"

After a prolonged silence, Gwen blinked a few times and swallowed hard. "Maybe... Maybe I should stay here. I just have this... foreboding feeling."

"I'm not leaving you here all by yourself. Is it because of Ada? If it is, I'll make sure nothing happens to you."

"N-No, it's not her. I just feel like something really bad is going to happen if we leave," Gwen admitted, her voice shaking.

"Hey," Leon's hand trailed up to her cheek, his fingers stroking her smooth, pale skin. "We'll be fine. Nothing's going to happen."

"I don't know, Leon... The feeling won't go away," Gwen confessed, her tone brimming with worry.

"This may be our only chance to escape the city and I'm not leaving you in this hellhole."

Gwen sighed, knowing she was being stubborn and causing trouble. "Yeah, you're right. Maybe I'm just being paranoid. Ever since hearing that recording, I've been kinda worried."

"We can't waste anymore time!" Ada shrieked.

Leon dropped his hand from Gwen's cheek and peered over his shoulder at the sunglass-wearing woman. "We're coming." The young man took the archivist's hand in his, gingerly tugging her with him. "Let's go, Gwen." The only response he received was a small nod.

Leon, Gwen, and Ada traveled down the street, the rain pelting and soaking through their clothes. The young cop saw the short-haired woman had finished listening to the recording and questioned her. "Is that the intel you needed?"

"Unfortunately, no. Ben didn't come through. I am interested in this Project: Moondrop he learned about, though. This is the first I've heard of it."

"You don't have to look far for answers," Gwen responded.

Ada stopped, turning towards the sapphire-eyed woman. "And why's that?"

She tightened her hold on Leon's hand, biting her bottom lip. "Because... I'm Project: Moondrop."