No strings attached / Leon s. Kennedy

Chapter 11

Leon

I watch Amber storm off, her anger radiating off her in waves. She’s onto me, that much is clear. But before I can dwell on it, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I glance down, and fuck, it’s Chris. This can only mean one thing—pressure from HQ.

I quickly scan the hallway, spotting an empty room nearby. I slip inside, closing the door behind me, and take the call. “Chris,” I say quietly, already bracing for bad news.

"Leon," Chris’s voice comes through the line, sounding tense. "We’ve got a situation. HQ is pushing harder. They need more than just that letter you grabbed."

Of course they do. I rub a hand across my face, the stress building. “More? Chris, I barely managed to grab that letter without raising suspicion. Now they want more?”

“They’re saying it’s not enough. We need concrete proof. Documents, files—anything that can fully expose Umbrella’s inner workings. They’re leaning on us hard, Leon.”

I clench my jaw, pacing the small room. This is bad. Amber’s already suspicious, and now I have to get into her apartment again? The thought makes my stomach churn. If she catches me this time, it’s all over.

“You’re telling me I need to get into her place again,” I say, my voice tight.

“Look, I know it’s not ideal,” Chris replies, his tone a bit softer, like he knows exactly what he’s asking of me. “But we’re running out of time. You’ve got to find more.”

I lean against the wall, frustration boiling beneath the surface. “Fine. I’ll figure it out.”

I start to pull the phone away from my ear, ready to hang up, but Chris’s voice cuts in again before I can.

"One more thing, Leon. HQ’s not just interested in the files. They need to know more about Amber—her connection to Umbrella. Dig deeper, figure out why she’s so trusted by them. Why her? Personally, they want you to get close to her."

I grit my teeth, sensing where this conversation is headed, and sure enough, Chris leans into it. "Look, man, you’ve never had trouble wrapping a woman around your finger before. I’m sure this one’s no different. Just get in her head, and she’ll crack eventually."

I scoff, feeling the weight of Chris’s words sink in. If only he knew. Amber’s not like anyone else. She’s sharper, more guarded, and that anger she carries around? It’s not something I can just charm away. She’s already suspicious of me, and now Chris is telling me to get closer to her, to somehow make her trust me when she’s been putting up walls since day one.

"This isn’t like the others, Chris. She’s not gonna just fall in line. Amber’s sharp. She’s already suspicious of me, and it’s getting worse," I say, keeping my voice low but laced with frustration.

Chris pauses on the other end before responding. "I get it, Leon. But we don’t have a choice. Figure it out. Do what you’ve got to do."

I feel the tension rising in my chest, but there’s nothing more to say. I nod, even though he can’t see me. “Alright. I’ll take care of it.”

Chris gives a brief, “Good,” before the line goes dead.

I stand there for a moment, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. Trying to get close to Amber, playing this game while knowing she’s not someone who’ll easily fall for it—this might be one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.

Shit, I think, running a hand through my hair. How the hell am I supposed to pull this off without blowing my cover?

For now, I need to focus on the day ahead. I leave the room and head to my department, trying to push the conversation with Chris to the back of my mind. As I approach the office, I look inside, and there she is—Amber. She’s rifling through my desk, so engrossed in what she’s doing that she doesn’t even notice me.