Sara stared after Oiwa's departing figure, nonplussed. She processed the woman's words with some difficulty.

Jake huffed disbelievingly. "You heard that? The woman you came so far to save is the brains behind all this shit."

Sara rubbed her temples. Her head, already aching from her tussle with Leon, throbbed harder. "I heard," she muttered.

Questions sprang up rapidly in her mind, and the horror of what Oiwa's revelation implied nauseated her.

Sara exhaled sharply. "You know, right now, I just… I need to know Leon's gonna make it."

She glanced at Leon and the gory bandaging around his shoulder. "Help me take his shirt off so I can redress the wound properly. Please?"

"Yeah, okay," Jake agreed.

Soon they had denuded Leon of his sullied top. Sara's distraught gaze was immediately drawn to his muscular torso. Multiple scars marked his chest and abdomen; the telltale signs of a life spent in combat. Pained by the sight, Sara averted her eyes.

Jake sought out materials for cleansing and dressing the wound, and handed them to Sara. In a few minutes, with further assistance from Jake, she had rebandaged Leon's shoulder.

Having spotted a heating lamp, Sara decided to rinse Leon's tattered, bloodstained shirt. She then laid it out under the lamp to dry. This task completed, she turned back to Leon and was startled to find Jake watching her fixedly.

"What?" she asked somewhat testily.

"Nothin'. It's just… the way you two look out for each other." Jake shrugged. "It's kinda nice, I guess.

Sara looked at him in some surprise, but remained silent.

"It's not the kind of thing a guy in my profession sees much. Up until I met Sherry, I never knew anyone I could trust." Jake leaned against a counter, arms crossed.

"What about Leon and me?" Sara asked quietly.

"Yeah, I guess…"

Jake trailed off, and Sara instantly knew where his thoughts tended. It was evident that he missed Sherry, and that he harbored more than cordial feelings for her in his heart. 

Sara dragged a chair up to the operating table and sat beside Leon. "Why don't you go over stateside? You know, Sherry would probably like to see you again," she said nonchalantly.

Jake scoffed.

Sara looked up at him directly. "Seriously, why don't you?"

Jake snickered. "And what would I do in Uncle Sam Land―push papers around behind a desk? Do I look like the white-collar type to you?"

Sara smiled tepidly. "Definitely not. None of us are. But I wasn't suggesting you stay. Just… pay a visit; see what's going on."

Jake narrowed his eyes at her. "You're playing Love Connection here?"

Sara chuckled halfheartedly. "No; I'm just giving you a little food for thought. Might do you good."

He shrugged and looked away with feigned indifference. "I dunno. I'll think about it."

Sara nodded and turned her attention to Leon's dormant figure. She wondered what was going on within him as he lay in that drug-induced state.

Jake shifted restlessly some minutes later, looking a little awkward as he watched Sara's grave vigil. "I'm gonna go sit out in the anteroom. Let me know when he comes around, all right?"

Sara looked up at him. "Sure."

Without another word, Jake left the lab, leaving Sara alone with her charge.

Although she found Jake far less objectionable now, Sara was glad to sit unobserved by him.

She took hold of Leon's hand and sighed tremulously, analyzing him. The color had returned to his face, and there seemed to be no mutation. That was encouraging, but it remained to be seen whether there was any permanent cerebral damage.

"I've seen you beat some impossible odds, Leon. You've gotta get through this," Sara whispered.

She watched Leon's chest rise and fall anxiously. His respiration was erratic, at times becoming so shallow, he seemed to have stopped breathing completely. Sara laid her hand to his heart. She was reassured to find his pulse strong and steady.

Clutching her pendant tightly, Sara sat back, praying silently as she waited.

The minutes passed slowly, extending to nearly an hour. Oiwa had not returned, and Leon still lay unconscious. Sara stood and stretched out, pacing several steps before returning to Leon's side.

She gazed into his face, willing him to awaken―to show any sign of reviving. But he remained motionless.

"Come on, dragon warrior, wake up," Sara pleaded. "Come back to me." 

His unresponsiveness was disheartening, but she strangled her doubts. Sweeping his bangs aside, she bent to kiss him. She withdrew instantly, however, feeling his lips part beneath hers in a soft moan.

Sara's breath caught in her throat. "Leon?" she tried. "Can you hear me?"

Leon's countenance took on a distressed expression. He shifted abruptly, grunting.

Sara stared at him intently, her stomach cold with apprehension.

Leon sat up suddenly, uttering an inarticulate cry.

Sara caught him in her arms. His skin was cold, and the rapid throb of his heart thundered against her own breast. He gasped raggedly.

"It's okay," Sara whispered, pressing him to her and stroking him gently. "Just breathe. The antivirus worked; you're gonna be all right."

🌔🌕🌖

Leon struggled for air, horrific images flashing through his mind. Familiar faces materialized before him, but he could identify none of them. He was vaguely aware of being held lovingly by a woman who murmured soothing words in his ear.

He tried to open his eyes, but the lab lights, despite being dim, blinded him. Nearly suffocated by panic, he clutched at the woman, basking in her warm, reassuring embrace.

"Leon? Leon!"

The woman kept repeating that name, but he didn't recognize it.

She pulled away abruptly, analyzing him inquiringly with dark, brilliant eyes. Leon found himself strangely drawn to her, but he could only look at her in mute confusion.

The woman gazed at him with troubled realization. "You… don't recognize me." Her eyes grew dewy. "Do you?"

Leon blinked lethargically. "I…"

The woman shook him slightly. "Leon, please," she said, her voice breaking. "Try to remember. W-what's my name?"

Leon stared at her, trying to sort through the fog in his brain. His head ached dully, making it harder to think. "I-I can't… I don't―"

He turned away, his hazy eyes wandering around the lab as though the answer was to be found therein.

The woman gently took his face in her hands and turned him back to her. "Hey, look at me."

He gazed directly into her deep, sparkling orbs.

"Who am I?" she asked.

Leon's bewildered glance fell, fastening on the pendant around her neck. He traced its outline with his finger.

We rise and fight as one.

An overwhelming tide of memories suddenly washed over him. Like a fast-moving film reel, his life blazed before him; battles he had fought, friends he had lost, and then… this woman before him with the searching eyes. He could hear echoes of her laughter, her voice speaking gentle words. He almost felt the warmth of her kisses. All at once, he knew her.

Leon gasped low, overcome by the deluge of recollection. He gripped his head and groaned gutturally, roused from his stupor at last.

"S-Sara…"

Sara flung her arms around him anew. "Oh, thank God!" she exclaimed.

Leon came to himself with a jolt. He embraced Sara silently, too enervated to speak.

"Leon, I was so afraid…" Sara breathed.

Still somewhat disoriented, Leon withdrew. "Yeah… me, too. I couldn't remember my own damn name. I―"

He looked at Sara's face, squinting slightly. He noted tear tracks cutting through the dirt on her cheeks. A dark bruise bloomed over her forehead.

Leon touched her cheek gingerly, sorrow and anger gripping him. "I did that," he murmured gloomily.

Sara took his hand in hers. "No; the virus did that, not you."

Leon's eyes widened slightly. "Jake! Did I―?"

Sara shook her head. "Jake's a tough bastard; he's fine. He's out in the anteroom, waiting."

Leon exhaled relievedly. "Oiwa!" he remembered suddenly. "Where is she?"

"She was called out by her 'boss'. She said she was coming back, but it's been over an hour. Still, I don't think she's gonna double cross us."

"No," Leon replied wearily. "She wouldn't have helped us if that had been her intention. Besides, she claims she needs our help."

Sara watched him unblinkingly. "How do you feel?"

Leon sighed. "Tired; a little weak. My eyes are kinda sensitive, too."

"Oh, God. I know this is part of the job, but I'll never get used to it, I swear," Sara whispered.

"Me neither. After you killed that serpent-woman, I really thought I'd lost you. I don't know how I would've handled that."

Sara gazed at Leon for a moment then fell to kissing him avidly, taking him aback. He was stunned by the sensations of tension and fervor she imparted.

Leon pulled away gently and took her face in his hands. He regarded her tenderly, smoothing her disheveled hair. He kissed her slowly and languorously in order to soothe her. In turn, Sara grew calmer.

Leon sighed softly. He shut his eyes and leaned his forehead against Sara's. She caressed his cheek and stroked his hair. Leon leaned into her touch, allowing himself that small space of time to yield to his emotions.

"When this is over," he said presently, "we're gonna have that talk about our lifetime partnership."

Sara shook her head. "Leon, that's not important right now. It's not the time―"

"Time…" Leon interjected quietly, "isn't on our side." He regarded her earnestly.

"In this job, we never know which day might be our last. I want to give you the best of myself, but I realize that while I'm busy trying to sort everything out, I'm losing precious time. I don't want to waste any more of it."

Sara gazed at him solemnly. "Leon, I―"

"Ahem. Well, look who's back in service."

Leon and Sara turned to see Jake approaching.

"I was starting to collect dust out there," he said huffily. "I thought I'd come in and check things out myself."

"Sorry, Jake. Leon was just getting himself together," Sara said.

Jake's icy blue eyes flicked from Sara to Leon. "Yeah… So, how're you doing, Hero?"

Leon exhaled sharply. "World's worst hangover, but I'll live."

Jake snickered. "Good. Listen, that thorn… it had my name on it. I'd've been laid up if you hadn't jumped in. So, you know… thanks," he finished awkwardly.

Leon smiled slightly. "Don't worry; it's on your tab."

Jake chuckled sarcastically. "Comedian."

Leon slowly began shifting off the table. He exhaled quietly, still feeling somewhat dazed. "So, did I miss anything while I was out?"

"Your shirt," Jake deadpanned. 

Leon looked down at himself, realizing for the first time that he was bare-chested. "Uh…"

Sara chuckled lightly. "The wound needed proper treatment."

She went over to the counter and retrieved his ragged shirt. "I cleaned out the excess blood and venom."

Leon smiled faintly, grateful for Sara's thoughtfulness. "Thanks. Hm. It's warm; that's a nice change."

He quickly pulled on the shirt, grimacing as the movement aggravated his wound.

"Leon," Sara began, "I've got a nasty piece of news."

Leon raised his somber blue eyes to her. "Wonderful. Well, let me have it."

"Hana Matsuo isn't the victim here. Leon, Hana is Osakabe," Sara finished.

Leon's jaw clenched at the impact of the disclosure. "Osakabe…? Then Hana's responsible for Matsuo's death, the global infections… everything. But why kill her own father?"

"Maybe the Phantom of the Opera can answer that," Jake replied, crossing his arms.

"Oiwa…" Sara muttered. She gasped, making Leon and Jake look at her.

"I was trying to remember where I'd heard that name. I just got it. According to Japanese legend, Oiwa was the  unfortunate wife of a despicable samurai who fell in love with his rich neighbor's granddaughter. The samurai conspired with the man to get rid of Oiwa, whose health was fragile following a difficult childbirth.

"The neighbor provided the samurai with a poison which he offered to Oiwa under the pretense that it was really medicine. The poison disfigured Oiwa's face severely, and she lost her hair. In the end, it's said she killed herself, and her ghost haunted her husband, causing him to kill his co-conspirator and his new wife. Oiwa haunted him until he went mad. I think our 'Oiwa' may be… "

Leon's eyes lit up with realization and relief that his sluggish brain was rebounding. "Sunako Inagaki."

"Wait," Jake said, holding up his hand. "How are we getting around to her?"

"I don't buy that Sunako's injury was an accident. I think she may have wanted to blow the whistle on Matsuo's dirty business practices, and he tried to get rid of her. If my hunch is right, this whole thing may be about Sunako's revenge," Leon explained.

"You are very astute, agent. But you are only half correct."

The trio turned at the sound of Oiwa's voice. She had entered the room unnoticed.

Leon trained his eyes on her masked face. "You're Sunako Inagaki," he said.

Oiwa inclined her head. "At least… I was once."

The three friends exchanged glances.

"So, Osakabe… She's Hana Inagaki―your daughter," Sara said, staring hard at Oiwa.

"That demon is not my daughter," Oiwa replied tightly.

"You're part of this shit, lady. What do you think that makes you?" Jake snapped.

"You say truly," Oiwa replied gloomily.

Leon inhaled deeply. "But you saved my life―thanks. Now, you said you wanted our help to stop this; that's why we're here. But you've gotta tell us everything… from the very beginning."

Oiwa stood silently for a moment. At last she nodded and took a seat on a nearby stool, folding her hands demurely in her lap.

"Everything has gone so far out of control. I never meant for all this…" she trailed off.

Oiwa squared her shoulders and sat erect. "Reo―my deceased husband―and I built Shiroi Yoake together from nothing. We became famous nearly overnight, much to our joy and surprise. But it was not enough for Reo. He wanted to eliminate all local competition.

"Reo resorted to all means of trickery and lawlessness to destroy his rivals. I tried to stop him―to make him see the error of his ways, but he would not listen. He ruthlessly attacked all competitors until only Shirubā Geisha remained. Reo employed spies to use against Shirubā Geisha, stealing some of their most famous product formulas. Soon, Reo's involvement was suspected.

"I had grown tired of Reo's dirty ways. He would not listen to my warnings, so I tried force. I told him I would alert the authorities if he did not dispose of the formula and abandon his devious schemes. Reo agreed, saying he had been dishonorable. I believed he had truly repented, so I agreed to continue working alongside him as long as he changed his ways. I was a fool. 

"We began work on a new project. He told me to oversee the project's development. One evening, Reo called me, saying he was having difficulties with the new formula. I went to the lab to assist him. He then said he needed to retrieve some notes from his office, and that I should continue with the experiment. I obeyed, mixing the chemicals Reo had set out. The result was an explosion that destroyed my face."

Here Oiwa's voice grew tremulous. "This is what that devil did to me."

Oiwa doffed her mask, revealing her disfigured visage. The flesh on the entire left side of her face appeared to have melted, nearly sealing her eye shut. Both eyebrows had been singed; only a small tuft of hair remained over her right eye. Her forehead had likewise been scorched, the scar tissue reaching up to her hairline.

"Shit…" Jake muttered. 

Sara covered her mouth in dismay.

Leon shut his eyes briefly, sympathy laying hold of his heart despite the situation.

Oiwa replaced the mask and assumed her position again. "Much to Reo's disappointment, I survived. I ended up in the hospital. Instead of being allowed to heal properly, I was taken from the hospital and shoved away into a mental asylum.

"That was the last I heard of Reo and my sweet Hana. The only information that reached me was the destruction of Shiroi Yoake. I knew nothing more after that. The years just rolled by, days bleeding into each other until I nearly forgot myself. Then one day…"

Oiwa trailed off.

"One day, what?" Sara prompted.

Oiwa continued with some difficulty. "I was told I had a visitor―a young woman. I could not believe my eyes! It was my Hana; a beautiful sakura, fully blossomed. She told me all that had happened since my accident, and that she had learned of my location from some paperwork she had found in her father's private study.

"Hana saved me from that hell, only to put me in another, offering me what I had long craved: revenge against Reo for his betrayal. Together we plotted a way to ruin him professionally and personally. It was simple; sabotage Seishin Cosmetics by introducing a bad chemical into the products, and damage him as he had me. I was horrified when Hana said we would plant a virus into the products. I tried to convince her that it was madness, but she would not listen.

"I truly began to fear her. She built this place, hiring mad geniuses to aid in the viral production process. She imported deadly plant and virus samples, and began creating abominations. She named herself Osakabe, making the keep of Deddoraito castle her home when here, and taking pleasure in the control she had over her pet monsters. Watched constantly in her absence, I did as I was told, experimenting with viruses and plant poisons like a child playing with sumi ink.

"Hana pushed the research team harder, exacting the ultimate virus as she laid out her final plan: to infect the entire world as punishment for their greed and selfishness. I wanted to stop her, but I could not. All I could do was continue production until I devised the Bakuro virus. Hana named it so because she said it would reveal the true face of humanity."

Hana hung her head. "My little blossom is no more. She has become twisted and cruel like her father. Osakabe must be stopped."

The trio remained silent, pondering the horrific tale.

"So it was you who sent that email requesting help," Sara said at length.

"Yes. I found the contact on Osakabe's laptop one evening. I sent out the message as soon as I could. Some days later, I received a response from a Ms. Wong. She said she was with the Public Security Intelligence Agency."

"Bullshit," Jake said flatly. "She ain't here to help anybody."

"I know," Oiwa said quietly. She glanced at Leon. "I suspected that after I met you. Unlike you, Ms. Wong only had questions about the virus. She did not seem interested in stopping Osakabe."

"No; she's interested in stealing the virus," Leon said grimly. "Still, she's the least of our problems right now. That tunnel with the shrine… what was that place?"

"An emergency escape passage beneath my old home," Oiwa replied. "It is all that remains of my life before this hell."

Leon recalled the makeshift shrine with young Hana's photo. For an instant, he shared in Oiwa's grief. His mood changed quickly.

"Tell us about the first wave of infections. Why were there two kinds of viruses, affecting men and women differently?" he asked.

"That was a test. Osakabe wanted to send a message: punishment to women for their vanity, and to men for their lust. The real tragedy is yet to come."

Oiwa stood up. "The antivirus I gave you was a prototype I created against Bakuro. I had to disguise it as another developmental virus. I had no idea whether it would work on your strain of infection."

"Osakabe doesn't know you created an antivirus?" asked Sara.

"No! She does not know that I have been working against her in any way, though I know she suspects."

"Sounds like you had a plan to try to stop Osakabe," Leon observed. "Question is: where do we come in?"

Oiwa hesitated momentarily before answering. "Osakabe will distribute the virus as a shipment of new skincare products. Everyone who uses them will become infected. I have developed an antivirus that is more potent than what I gave you.

"It is my hope that you can stop the shipment from leaving Fukushū, but as a fail-safe, you must find the antivirus which I have hidden within the Shinsei Temple and retrieve it. It will be the only hope for the world."

"You told the Wong woman about it?" Jake asked.

"Yes, in hope that she would help me, but I see now I was deceived."

Leon sighed. "Yep, that's Ada's speed. But it's the virus that's not safe from her."

"Did you also tell her where the actual virus was?" demanded Sara.

"I might have made that fatal error if I knew where it was, but I do not. Osakabe never told me where she took the final sample; it is no longer stored in the laboratory."

"Small favors," Sara muttered with relief. 

"I suspect she may be hiding it in the most secure place here: Deddoraito's keep," Oiwa said. "It cannot be easily acquired; Osakabe has her own… peculiar guard in the castle."

"Terrific. Another addition to our list," Leon remarked. "Find the antivirus, try to get the virus sample before Ada does―if she hasn't already beaten us to it―and stop that shipment from going out."

"Okay, enough chit-chat," Jake said. "Let's get outta here and put an end to all this bullshit."

"It will not be so easy," Oiwa warned.

Leon huffed. "Naturally. Morbid curiosity makes me ask: what's on the menu?"

"The three temples of Fukushū form a triangle around Deddoraito which is surrounded by creatures. You have survived much, I am certain you can deal with most of them―"

"Sure. Been a breeze so far," Jake interjected.

"But you must beware of the kokuri babā," Oiwa finished.

"A flesh-eating hag now… Oh, God," Sara groaned.

"You've heard the legend," Oiwa said, turning to her.

"Well, I haven't," said Jake. "Wanna fill me in?"

"The kokuri babā was the spirit of a priest's widow who was cursed to become a flesh-eating demon. She haunted temples. If this thing is anything like its namesake, we're in for a hell of a time," Sara explained.

"Shit… With all these freaks crawling around, how the hell did you manage to get around without being ripped to shreds?" inquired Jake staring hard at Oiwa.

"As part of the viral development, the team created a method of immunity to the creatures' attacks. Each creature shares one fundamental gene―like a family. We developed a serum which duplicated the basic genetic code and injected ourselves with it. The creatures identify us as one of them," Oiwa answered.

Leon blinked. "No chance you've got any of that left, huh?"

"I'm sorry; no."

" 'Course not." Leon passed his hand over his face, sighing. "Okay," he said at last. "We know what we gotta do."

"Are you sure you're ready?" Sara asked, eyeing him with concern.

"Ready or not…" Seeing his gear on a table across from him, Leon headed for his pack. He drew his tablet case, tapped out six tablets into his hand then flung them into his mouth. "We're running outta time."

"Where is Shinsei Temple located?" Sara asked Oiwa.

"It is the red edifice to the south of the castle," Oiwa replied.

"Hunnigan can give us further guidance on that," said Leon, re-equipping his weapons.

"How're we getting outta here without being spotted?" Jake questioned.

"I will lead you to the East Wing maintenance room," Oiwa answered. "You can exit through there. I advise you to take the stairs; there may still be staff around using the elevators."

A brief flurry of activity followed during which the trio double checked their gear and ammo supply which was half depleted.

"Okay; locked and loaded here," Jake announced.

"Me, too," said Sara. "Leon?"

Leon reinserted his gun's magazine and set the slide. "Yeah." He turned his austere countenance on Oiwa. "Let's go."