It's always quiet before the storm. Jake knew this, he'd spent years in that moment, in anticipation of the fight. His blood was pounding, fingers tightened around his gun waiting for the first target. The more silent, the more promise of violence. It was as if the whole world was waiting for someone to make the first move.

Jake loved it.

At least, he would have, but not with Sherry and Anja at his side. He was more reckless than he'd been in Edonia. He pushed the boundaries, whatever it took to get the missions done. He knew Leon understood at least on a basic level what he was doing. But the pain from each injury was real, as was the pain he felt as his body righted itself again. He didn't want that for Sherry. In the back of his mind, something was saying this was ironic. A man as reckless as he was with an indestructible wife and child. But that didn't mean they couldn't feel pain or not suffer. That Jake couldn't let happen.

He stole a glance at Leon. Leon's hair, hanging over his face obscuring his eyes, had a pinch of gray at the roots. This surprised Jake for some reason, he hadn't pictured Leon as getting old as much as he was out on the job, killing B.O.W.s. Leon was tensed and waiting, his breathing silent as he scanned the woods in front of them. He was patient where Jake was restless. He glanced down at Anja, strapped to his chest this time. Her hair was red like his, only a shade lighter. The blue eyes that stared up at him were solemn, Jake had a suspicion that she knew she needed to be silent. She watched his every move with a gravity that would have befitted a general watching a battle not going his way. He put an arm around and glanced back at their surroundings.

When the quiet was broken, dread filled Jake, not anticipation. They had to get this right. He was so tired of being their guinea pig, and they were not going to torture Sherry again if he had a breath left in his body. Of course, if they ever succeeded in stopping Neo-Umbrella in whatever shell company they took; he would be out of a job.

The sudden explosion knocked them all to the ground. Sherry could feel her ears ringing as she tried to listen but everything was convoluted and muffled. Her face was plastered into the dirt as she pulled herself up. Jake, Anja! She tried calling out for them but all that came out was a dirt-filled croak. She coughed struggling to get the dirt out of her mouth and lungs. Blood tinged her vision, running over her face. Her head was clearing but that was making the pain more vibrant. Her healing didn't work as fast as she would like. Something was broken. She screamed as it popped back into place before clapping a hand over her own mouth. Only a few more moments and she wouldn't feel it at all. It didn't matter though; rough familiar hands grabbed her and pull her through the brush. She didn't even have the strength to cry out.

Jake had Anja on his chest when he'd been knocked back. He landed flat on his back with Leon's legs pinned underneath him. He heard Leon grunt as he fought to get off of his legs. Rough hands pushed him down and his hazy vision made out a face with at least four eyeballs more than it should have had. They were all located in the wrong places. He felt Anja's weight leave his chest and when the hands began to pull him up he swung into action. Somewhere Anja's screams were fading into the distance.

Grabbing the closest J'avo he pulled it towards him and punched it in the face. Its face crunched in and Jake didn't need to look again to know that it was going to stay down. Other J'avo tried reaching for him with the same result. Sherry where are you?

He glanced around frantically for Anja or Sherry but couldn't see either. The J'avo pressed in around them when suddenly gunshots rang out. Those closest to Jake were hit, and Jake was suddenly glad that Leon was a superb marksman, because if they mutated here and now they were much too close to Jake for comfort.

"You going to shoot them in the head, or wrestle with them all day," Leon's voice sounded behind him.

Jake snatched a gun out of his side holster angry at himself for losing sight of Sherry and Anja. The J'avo were backing off. Jake pulled Leon off the ground where he was lying and they both ducked behind a large oak.

Bullets flew around them pinning them in place.

"Shit they took her." Had they really had a shot at getting away? Jake uttered a few more expletives, while Leon lifted an eyebrow. They were both hiding behind a tree as a barrage of bullets prevented them from moving.

"Getting yourself killed won't help her get away," Leon muttered. He checked his ammo, he still had plenty of rounds left but none of that would matter if he couldn't even peek at the target. His ankle hurt, he put a hand on it and felt around. It wasn't broken.

"No," Jake hunkered down next to him, his faces lit up with an idea, "but maybe getting captured might."

"That's the shittiest idea you've ever come up with." Leon snapped, they crushed together as another round of bullets hit the tree.

"I'm open to suggestions," Jake glared at him. "They're obviously here for Sherry and Anja."

"Possibly you." Leon shook his head as he thought through the stupidity of Jake's plan. Would Wesker expect Jake to just willingly surrender to him?

Suddenly the gunfire ceased.

"Jake," Jake tensed as the voice he was really starting to hate started speaking. Wesker was actually here, come to collect him personally. He put his head back against the tree and closed his eyes.

"Son of a bitch." He whispered. Leon glanced at him, only nodding. Wesker had them by the balls.

"You can join us." Wesker went on. There was something different in the tone this time. Jake glanced at Leon to gauge his reaction. Leon only shook his head. Jake couldn't quite place what was different.

"And if I don't?"

"I'll have no choice but to kill you. Sherry is staying with me no matter what. She's essential. I need her."

Jake tensed and stood behind the tree, his hands clenched and unclenched. Leon brought himself to his feet, wincing as he did so.

Leon glanced up at him. "Knock me out."

"What?"

"Do it, do whatever you have to. Get on their team, figure out their next move. Knock me out."

Still Jake hesitated. While it was true he'd never held a gun to Leon's head like he'd done with Redfield he still didn't want to punch Leon. He actually liked the guy. Now if it had been Redfield standing here saying hit me, he would have done it with no hesitation.

"Claire is going to shoot me now." He balled a hand into a fist.

"I'll handle Claire."

Jake nodded. "We're coming out!" He came out into the opening with his gun up and Leon next to him.

"Any day now, Rookie," Leon snapped holding his own hands up making sure they were empty.

They were both perfectly visible when Jake suddenly socked Leon in the jaw, which snapped up as Leon crumbled. Jake winced when he heard the snap but he knew Leon would wake up later with a horrible headache but he would be alive and if all went well in the next five minutes, free.

Wesker walked closer. Jake stared at the man he was starting to hate so much. The blonde hair, black shades, and long black trench coat only pissed Jake off. He studied Jake grimly for a moment as if assessing his motives. Jake considered flipping him off but let it drop for now. He could insult him later. Leon needed to be left behind, it was the only way he was going on with this stupid scenario. Behind Wesker Jake could see Sherry staring in shock. He stared at her for a moment pleading mentally with her to trust him.

"He stays," Jake said motioning to Leon lying unconscious at their feet.

Wesker nodded, he only looked amused. He moved closer to within feet of Jake and stared at him eye to eye. Jake began to wonder if this was, in fact, the same clone. He was just as tall as Jake, a fact the other hadn't been face to face with him to find out. Jake hated the similarities he saw as Wesker pulled off his shades. Same blue eyes, chin, and nose. The glare this time was full of curiosity. This was a different clone from the last. Jake was sure of it.

"I was unaware of your existence." Wesker started. Jake felt his stomach clench. "You're mother..." He stopped talking and continued to study Jake. Jake felt his breathing quicken.

"You don't get to speak about her." He barely contained himself. Wesker was maddeningly calm. That was at least one similarity he shared with the other clone.

"Then I won't, for now. But you, to become what you are..."

"I'm not you," Jake spoke up. With that simple sentence, he was able to breathe normally again. Briefly, he remembered telling Sherry the same thing in the underwater base back in China. I'm not my father, and I'm going to make damn sure that it stays that way. We're getting out of here. And you? You're going to save the world.

Wesker switched tactics.

"You realize Jake that you are possibly the most dangerous B.O.W. here." He accentuated each letter watching as Jake flinched. Wesker lowered his voice. "But you already know that, don't you?"

Jake just stared at him but he said nothing. He fists were still clenched tight but he forced them to relax. Wesker's voice grated on his nerves. The idea that he potentially was going to be listening to this man for the next few weeks was unnerving. He assumed it would be a few weeks. Any longer...he wasn't sure what he'd do.

Wesker nodded and then pointed to the waiting helicopter. "Come this way. I want you to know as your father, I am proud of you."

Jake couldn't help it. "Fuck you." It slipped out before he could stop it. He glanced at Sherry and her face was white. He wasn't good at this undercover job. He doubted anyone would actually believe him, but he would try to feed Leon as much info as he could.

Wesker only put his shades back on. He moved away without a backward glance at Jake. He'd hit Jake with the worst insult Jake could think of; actually claiming him as his son.

Andrew Hardy stared back at Jake from behind Sherry a hand on her arm and a gun to her head. The Ustanak was back there as well.

When Jake started to go towards Sherry, Wesker's voice stopped him. "We'll take separate helicopters...for now. Just to be sure you are on your best behavior. We don't want Ms. Birkin to accidentally disappear again."

"Muller," Jake muttered stepping up next to him staring at Sherry.

"What was that?" Wesker turned around.

"Her name is Sherry Muller. If you are dragging me into this shit show at least get your facts straight." He then turned towards the other helicopter straightened his shoulders and braced himself for whatever was to come. He said nothing as he sat across from the Ustanak of all creatures. It too had been created from the C-virus, he had started to think of them all as a particular set of creatures. This one wasn't too different from the others he'd encountered. He stared at it and looked towards Sherry's helicopter. The helicopters kicked up dust and ash as they heaved into the air. He kept his eyes glued on the helicopter with Sherry and Anja riding in it.

Leon had said to do what he had to, but he honestly couldn't figure a way out of this. The worst part? He was still armed to the teeth. Wesker had been cocky enough to leave him his weapons, body armor, you name it. Not that they would do much good against the creature sitting before him. He'd doubted he could get the chest plate off without being tossed out of the helicopter first.

Wesker had no weaknesses, he wasn't sentimental. How did you fight something like that? Worse, he'd called Jake the most dangerous B.O.W. here, Jake wondered what he'd meant by that. What did he know that Jake didn't?