Cipherical: Probably won't meet directly, though I like that indirect idea of yours lol. Agent will more likely meet the rest of the 'Legion Of Doom' that is uniting against Umbrella in Code Veronica... assuming they even let him into their meetings, as the lowest man on the totem pole. He won't get much respect from others or have a particularly big role in the story, as essentially having been reduced to Ada's bumbling redshirt (minus the dying lol). If HUNK and Agent meet directly it would be in a Resident Evil 4 adaptation... with helmeted Agent silently sweating bullets over whether or not HUNK recognizes him. Afraid of his old unit leader after the Birkin thing and defecting from Umbrella (not knowing HUNK did too). Would be a lot of potential for humor there. *Both of them standing beside each other, fully armored up and masked, watching as Ada and Leon interact. Agent uneasily glancing over at HUNK who isn't even looking back at him, awkwardly making small talk while hoping his helmet disguises his voice properly* "So... uh... how about this Spanish weather?" That's the image of them that comes to mind for me lol.

Jinero: Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest, at that rate lol.

Guest: Only the eldest daughter, Matilda Spencer, would be invited by Excella and gladly goes to the party, so she can angrily confront HUNK. By this point she has likely found out how close HUNK and her mother were, likely she knows or suspects by now he is her biological father, had a genetic test done and found out the man she thought was her father wasn't. Either way, Excella invited her because she and Wesker thought it would be funny to rub salt in HUNK's wounds. Being the kind of people they are.

They were undoubtedly sheltered from the Umbrella information for a long time by Bella's husband, the man they thought their father. Either way they go to the funeral, out of family duty, as it is with aristocratic families, whether they knew what Oswell and their mother was by that point or not. Think Mafia families, same thing. I can't see any of the three kids being too similar to HUNK, having been raised differently for different roles than he was, lived a much different life. Like Tony Soprano and his son, one might be tough, mean, in a life of violence and crime, while his son is a coddled, soft brat, but has his conscience intact and isn't violent. Children don't necessarily take after their evil parents, or sometimes can be 'watered down' versions of them. Though in many ways it's a good thing HUNK wasn't the one who raised them. Not really cut out for it at that time, sadly, especially after murdering Marcus in 1988 and getting steadily worse a person. If he'd been raising them between 88' and the mid 90's, he probably would have become outright abusive towards them, that was the era he was at his lowest morally as a man. It's a bitter situation for all that Lady Spencer created, of course, because he wanted to be their proper father at one point... but of course he's not even 100% sure he is biologically.

Not much here, just the notes, even so it took me awhile, apologies about that. This story isn't exactly getting too much attention, and is essentially done anyways, and I've been focusing on writing another story I've been working on awhile. Here you are, folks:

Notes

Story: I wanted a short story that was basically the final act of two protagonists stories within Raccoon City, overlapping. Simply play Resident Evil 2 and Ghost Survivors to see what I mean. In the aftermath of them escaping the NEST they are both worn down by their experiences, what they have survived, and are basically at the end of their ropes. In an awful position. Two contrasting survivors forced to work together to survive, like HUNK and Jill, yet different dynamics as well. Ada's Umbrella Chronicles scenario was also invaluable to this, her escape from the city. I very much thank the remake for coming up with GHOST and making this story possible, the link to Ada. Non canon or not, I made it canon here, making it possible to turn this into the very first Agent Origin Story as well, the undefined partner of Ada's in Resident Evil 6, which had so much untapped story and character potential that Capcom blundered. You know me by now, how much I like taking something small or undefined by Capcom and giving it relevance or humanity to the story. And how much I like trying to write something that hasn't been done before. Like I've written a HUNK origin story. And besides which, while everyone else in the world ships Ada/Leon and whoever else, have written countless stories of them, I ship Ada/Agent lol. Another way this stands out, and a big motivator for me to do this.

Like HUNK and Jill it's an unexpected pairing who form a dynamic. It was much less a slow burn than them, obviously, the story shorter, but it suits their personalities and the way the story is set, their respective states when they meet. Them meeting in their respective final acts, when they are recovering from their ordeal, and things become more hurried the closer to the nuke time ticks. It also helps both are 'bad guys', instead of good Jill and bad HUNK, which creates a kind of clash Ada and Agent don't have, hence a slow burn being much more necessary for Jill and HUNK. The clash and tension between Ada and Agent was different, but because of when they found one another, how done with it all they were, they were more able to lower their guards a bit gradually... and show Ada supplanting Agent as the POV of the story told from his perspective, GHOST being a decoy protagonist who turns into the sidekick Agent we know him to be. Like Their Last Escape I wanted a mixture of seriousness, horror and humor, the humor coming from how fucked up and absurd the situation is and the differences and similarities of the two main characters, their interactions and pasts. Situational humor, essentially. And like Their Last Escape I eased up on the action a bit and focused on the characters and trouble they were in, atmosphere and setting, before clashing with the monsters. The 'less is more' approach works well for story telling, instead of fighting all the time, whereas obviously if I were writing a video game I'd have to shoe horn in more action sequences for the player to enjoy. And considering how much action both already went through before the story began, they needed a breather anyways.

Fictional Story Inspirations: La Femme Nikita, The Sopranos (an invaluable guide on seamlessly blending seriousness/grim subject matter and morbid/dark/situational humor of the characters, along with villainous characters having depth and exploration)

Characters

The Decoy Protagonist:

Umbrella Security Service Special Agent GHOST/Juan Rico Martinez/Agent

Character: I wanted to make the antithesis of HUNK, while still being in his Umbrella Agent role, to show the polar opposite of him, with some minor similarities. GHOST is the 'not hero' of the story, where HUNK is clearly the 'hero' of his. It's not even really his story, he's just part of it. Things work out better on the battlefield and as a badass for HUNK than it does for GHOST. I aimed for more of a 'reality ensues' thing with GHOST, where despite HUNK's problems and setbacks that lie beneath what makes him awesome, GHOST does not have that awesome factor at all, or at least it doesn't come easily. Women are not fawning over him, he has no legend, is a rookie, another faceless grunt in Umbrella, and is seriously out of his depth in many regards. Got in over his head joining up. I wanted to write a more 'human' and simpler character than HUNK... still with his own character and baggage, obviously, but not nearly as complicated and introverted, thinking as much. He's more of an every man. Arrogant too, and drawn to the life of crime in a way HUNK isn't. More outgoing than introverted as well. The recurring thing about him being unable to open a door is a gag for Agent in Resident Evil 6, who cannot open doors, only Ada. Also the joke about him being in Ada's imagination was from how he vanishes in all her cutscenes during the co-op game, so it's like he's not even there. He's treated as something of a small meme, there's a video of his unfortunate drawbacks on Youtube titled 'RE6: The adventures of "The AGENT" Character' that inspired me a bit with him lol, poor guy, and some fan art of him and Ada around too. GHOST's existence in the remake was an opportunity, lended itself well to combine him with Agent, just as I combined HUNK with one of the agents who gunned down James Marcus. Giving each of the characters some sort of origin roots in the past of Umbrella.

I wanted someone far out of his depth compared to HUNK, who is more than experienced to be in such a mess like Raccoon City. A rookie, where Ada is experienced as a spy and killer. A bit of a blusterer as well, more cocky and less uptight than HUNK, being a younger man who is more... 'with it' in the 90's, while HUNK was 'with it' in the 80's. Yet I didn't want to emasculate him or make him weak or useless, a complete pushover for Ada. A doormat is never a fun character or worth respecting at all... Ada certainly wouldn't have. He is defiant like Jill and will push back when needed, isn't unthinking. Every U.S.S. Agent has earned their position for a reason, even the rookies. He's more what TV Tropes calls the Crouching Moron Hidden Badass, where when you don't expect it you realize he's got some badass points, hence surviving NEST as he did in the Ghost Survivors minigame. He's unlucky, but lucky at the same time. And more of a 'good guy' in some ways than HUNK is, being still young and relatively naive, much less embittered about life and the world, even in his profession. More sarcastic though, from his experiences in Raccoon City, sort of understandably 'fed up' by the time we meet him, given the grueling events leading up to the beginning. Guarantee he acted differently before it all went to hell. He has a full identity and name as well. Family. His having a ranking Umbrella Director for a father was also something I wanted weighing down on him, someone he tried to live up to, a shadow over him he dwells in. Part of the reason why HUNK was sympathetic towards him and allowed him to join Alpha Team when there were so many other better choices, U.S.S. veterans he could have picked instead of a rookie... not out of nepotism, but because he knows what it is to live in the shadow of someone powerful, to be essentially disowned by them, and he respected how GHOST was trying to forge his own path with the U.S.S. which his father didn't want him to be apart of. He's basically HUNK if Raccoon City/NEST/Birkin had been HUNK's first mission instead of killing Marcus. Though more corrupt than HUNK was at the time HUNK killed Marcus. I loved the dynamic between him and Ada... just the sort of person they respectively need, and happened to end up together under bizarre, unlikely and unexpected circumstances. Them meeting as unexpected to one another. She needed a well meaning slightly dumb, loud mouthed rookie, with Leon turning her down, he needed a solid, cool, experienced sort of lady. But unlike Leon, GHOST already had a corruption to him she could zero in on and take advantage of, ultimately successfully swaying him her way.

Also he's more unintentionally funny than Leon, being the less intelligent of the two, which someone like her, cold for so long, appreciates. GHOST, like Jill, is clearly more of a people person, normal, is not introverted and tucked away inside himself like HUNK and Ada are. They're more the 'everyman' aspect of the duos. Even with their own personal troubles. Hence him wanting them to go with the Outbreak survivors, and being more friendly to them, where Ada turned to ice at the idea of outsiders. GHOST is sort of a cautionary tale as well, the sort of person Leon would have ended up being if he had gone with Ada instead of rejecting her, a corrupt, bumbling sidekick being led around like a dog on a leash. Not an outright 'evil' counterpart per se, but who he might have been if he wasn't good, the darker path, the temptation Ada offered that he managed to resist. So in some ways it seems like GHOST won, is better off for having her, being with her, having money, the sexy woman, a life of travel and leisure outside of assignments... but give it awhile. He took the shorter, easier path of corruption, the wrong choice, by joining Umbrella/U.S.S. and going with Ada. Leon was better at living up to Peter Parker's creed 'with great power comes great responsibility', basically... where GHOST was more like Eddie Brock lol. He had the opportunity to leave with the Outbreak survivors, would have been free and in the clear, and chose instead to follow Ada into the darkness, sort of like HUNK choosing Umbrella over Jill. Leon made the right choice. Leon is also braver, was willing to let Ada shoot him rather than turn over the sample willingly, or go with her... where GHOST caved, albeit understandably. Most people would have made GHOST's decision, so you can see why poor GHOST went with her and took the job offer instead. "Sweet! Sexy super spy giving me a new, better job, taking me with her, buying me things, travelling the world and getting into adventures together! What could possibly go wrong?" There's more to it than that, GHOST, I'm afraid lol, you're in for trouble.

I also had him stand up to Wesker for her to show how genuine he is, well meaning. Unimpressed by Wesker's 'look at me I'm the ultimate supervillain, fear me and be impressed by me' thing, where most are rightly afraid of him. Foolish not to fear him, perhaps, but something touching to it with him speaking up for Ada. Of course it got him a crappy codename for his efforts... but it was worth it. It was something she's not about to forget anytime soon. I like the aspect of the 'fool' not being really afraid of pr impressed by the villain or really taking him seriously, helps undercut Wesker, show him as he really is, despite his badassery. Even he can't intimidate everyone always. Agent being out of sync with others (or too dumb) to be afraid of him. I enjoyed having similarities and differences between him and HUNK and him and Leon, two in universe figures I think are most important for defining his character. And having similarities between him and Ada and HUNK/Jill, like both men being struck by their consciences and going back for the lady instead of leaving them for dead and being free and in the clear to continue on their own. Instead seriously complicating and altering their missions and futures in doing so, for better and for worse. HUNK saving Jill in the burning apartment building, GHOST saving Ada in the sewers, basically giving up the G-Virus willingly after first having it stolen from him, and giving up his future at Umbrella for her. He could have abandoned her and made it back to the extraction point with the G-Virus. And even if they didn't send him an evac, like HUNK didn't get one, he had time to escape the city on foot, head towards the Arklay Mountains and be out of the blast radius in time. He chose her instead. She'll remember that, knows what he's sacrificed for someone who threatened him and who he didn't even know or trust.

Fictional Character Inspirations: Jack Burton from Big Trouble In Little China (the protagonist sidekick who thinks he's the hero of the story, while the actual 'hero' (Ada) of the story is clearly the more competent, skilled and professional one, he's full of bluster and false bravado, acting tougher and braver than he really is, but is still something of a skilled badass who comes through in the end), Ash Williams from the Evil Dead series (Sarcastic and growing a bit abrasive and unexpectedly badass the longer he is in a fucked up nightmarish situation, going from a somewhat cowardly fool to a loud mouthed badass), Captain Carlos 'Rat' Lopez from Executive Decision, Inspector Jacques Clouseau from the Pink Panther movies (clumsy, bumbling and makes a lot of glaring mistakes but somehow succeeds in the end). Juan "Johnny" Rico from the novel and movie version of Starship Troopers. Christopher Moltisanti and Benny Fazio 'Criminal Mastermind' from The Sopranos (corrupt, humorous, easy going, relatable, but violent criminals who seem like everyman types but are part of a messed up life of crime.)

The Protagonist:

Organization Operative "Ada Wong"

Character: I wanted Ada to remain the enigma she is in the games for the most part, see her from the outside for most of the story instead of the inside. GHOST experiencing this mysterious, dangerous, alluring but troubled person, similar to Jill's experience with HUNK, seeing him from the outside and trying to figure out the kind of person he was. Right down to both being surprised at weapon point from behind, threatened, a hostile first encounter to establish the aura of danger surrounding both. Hence making GHOST the seemingly protagonist character... but giving Ada an ending POV to give you insight into her character and world. The transition, from rookie GHOST being the primary focus, the story vehicle, to Ada basically taking over at the end, revealed to be the more experienced and dominant character all along. GHOST was the sidekick of this story and didn't even realize it, as he will be as Agent. And seeing her thoughts, feelings and motivations, hints of them at least. She is a mystery, as much as HUNK, perhaps more in certain ways, but like HUNK I wished to flesh her out further, from the outside and the inside. Figuring out pieces of the backstory I put together for her. I didn't want to depict every tiny detail, answer every question, but depict a general origin story like HUNK got... there are still many pieces of the puzzle missing.

I see Ada as having been from mainland Communist China originally, before her family was politically persecuted/gulaged/vanished in the night by the CCP, in keeping with the religious persecution and genocide those tyrannical, murderous bastards have regularly carried out through their bloody history, which I see as a big part of the baggage Ada carries. I think she managed to flee to Hong Kong at a young age, where she got involved with the Triads, the criminal underworld... gaining some talents as a young criminal, before being busted by the Hong Kong Police and/or the S.Y.S.S., (Shén Yà Security Service). Shén Yà Pharmaceutical, which in this universe has a big presence in Hong Kong, and originates from Taiwan, the Republic Of China, recruited her out of jail after she stole valuable data from them and/or killed one of their employees, someone at the corporation recognizing her talent, faking her death and training her further to become a spy and assassin for their S.Y.I.D., Shén Yà Pharmaceutical Intelligence Division, before setting her up in the United States, where her American citizenship comes from. Ala, the movie Nikita by Luc Besson, the primary inspiration for her character by the developers. If you haven't seen it I recommend it. Her bitterness over Communist China and resentment of the CCP, what they did to her and her family, will also inevitably feed into Carla Radames' mindset when Simmons has her brainwashed to think she is Ada. And explain in this universe why Carla unleashes the C-Virus on Communist China, seeking revenge, becomes Ada minus the filter and icy self control, discipline. A darker and outright evil version of Ada, how she could have turned out. Carla would probably be my favorite villain to write, to flesh out, if I ever got the chance. What a challenge that would be.

I enjoyed playing with the spy aspect of Ada, how worldly she is, well traveled, compared to rookie GHOST who is still learning to navigate in that world, with her now as his guide. GHOST and her dynamic with him was the perfect way to explore her. I made her similar to HUNK in that while she might be a more skilled manipulator than him, more the femme fatale type, she is not very good with most people when it comes down to it, and is in a bad way, considering how injured and exhausted she is by the time she meets GHOST. Not entirely in a right state of mind anymore. Alternates rapidly between a more flirtatious, manipulative femme fatale type, and the cold, aloof professional, depending on who she is dealing with, her reading of them. And she is controlling on some level, like she wanted to control Leon, as she would have if he had gone along with her. The best way to undercut her was have them encounter a couple of the Outbreak survivors, good, normal folk, friendly, offering them a way out that in hindsight would have worked, and avoided a good deal more risk than they took. Ada chose the hard way instead, her way, isolating GHOST from the good influence of 'outsiders', to bring him more into her world. She saw them as threats challenging her, so turned to ice in an instant, circled her wagons around her and GHOST. Them vs Us. And as such, had it not been for Wesker her and GHOST would have been incinerated in Raccoon City, with Linda and David not bothering to tell her what was coming because she was such a bitch to them, spat on their generosity and good idea. "Let her find out the hard way, then. If that's how she wants it."

Abrasiveness and coldness has consequences. A fatal flaw of hers. A cruel life of pain and loss, a great deal of past trauma has shaped her up to want a sense of always being in control of a situation and others around her, because when she was younger she was helpless and at the dubious mercy of others. So admitting weakness and relying on others, outsiders, is very difficult for her, hence how she was towards Leon... but she's continuing to learn with GHOST, opening up to him gradually. Though she now considers him an insider, not an outsider, so the flaw remains unfixed. She never for a second thought he would come back to save her, didn't see herself as worth that, or that anyone really would. He could have escaped, but went back for her instead. One of the big reasons why HUNK and Ada in this universe didn't work out is because they don't like themselves and are too much alike. Once the initial attraction and novelty wore off, and they saw how similar they were, plagued by their respective pasts. Why would they ever want to date another cold, bitter, distant person like them, when they don't even like themselves to begin with? One person like them is enough. GHOST saving her was a definite shock to her system. Solidified her deciding to actually take him with her, have him join her life, instead of using and discarding him. Plus like she said... he's a consolation prize for losing Leon as well as her old boyfriend/mark Doctor John Clemens. In an awful job like hers, a spy and an assassin, you take the comfort from the arms that will hold you. And there's something about GHOST being more 'normal' than her, as a rookie, that she appreciates. Being able to make her laugh helps a great deal as well, there haven't been many of those in her life. In any of the many short lived lives she's lived. Though that said, in choosing GHOST, she is basically taking a drug, the comfort of her old ways, instead of going through the painful character development and self reflection she would have if she'd left Raccoon City alone, as she did in the canon. Decisions have consequences like that. Thus this version of Ada would be a bit of a darker character than the canonical one... though never outright evil.

Fictional Character Inspirations: La Femme Nikita (1990 original French version, the 1991 Hong Kong remake Black Cat and the 1993 American version Point of No Return), Wen Li from Tomorrow Never Dies, Catwoman/Selina Kyle from the Batman franchise, Elektra Natchios from the Daredevil franchise, Rachael from Blade Runner, Black Cat/Felicia Hardy from the Spider-Man franchise.

Organization Director/Dr. Albert Wesker

Character: The shadowy background puppet master as ever. I wanted his presence to be minimal, focus on the two protagonists, but his appearance is vital to the story and characters still. A looming presence in the universe, like Their Last Escape. He's not yet ready to take center stage as the supervillain, most of the world still believing he is dead. So he is setting up the events of Code Veronica and beyond at this stage. Putting together his Legion Of Doom to topple and replace Umbrella. And I thought it was fitting he be the one to give GHOST the uncreative "Agent" codename, to highlight his villainous pettiness despite all his genius and power, all because GHOST had the nerve to interrupt him and not be impressed by him. He wanted to embarrass GHOST, and didn't think him worth being creative over. Also a similarity between him and Ashford, both giving the same man a malicious codename to mock him, taking childish enjoyment out of it, two equally petty villains, despite their other vast differences as villains. It's something that ends up sticking. And I wanted these two very contrasting characters to have a moment of interaction, for this supervillain to be undercut by someone who isn't impressed or afraid of him, or doesn't seem to be at least. GHOST standing up for Ada to him was a good way of showing that, as well as further cementing their partnership/relationship. Foolish rookie, who can tell what Albert is from one look, vs egomaniac mastermind, who despite everything, all the machinations past, present and future, isn't as impressive as he believes himself to be. Overall I hear Richard Waugh's voice for this version of Wesker, though D.C. Douglas also more than works.

David King and Linda Baldwin

Character: I wanted an appearance by the Outbreak survivors, and David fit the bill to represent them, the right personality for it, and him and Linda being in the right place at the right time canonically, the Apple Inn, not long before the missile flew, around the time Ada passed through in her Umbrella Chronicles scenario. Another pair of survivors, but two 'normal' people working together and getting along, compared to the clash of differing personalities and characters that is Ada and GHOST. I wanted them also to be the 'don't spit on nice, generous people', 'beware the nice ones' lesson that Ada needed to learn... though it is unlikely the lesson stuck at this point in time. Alas. They were really there to reveal more of her character, and her dynamic with GHOST. Outsiders, who she didn't feel belonged with them. Turning Ada protective and territorial of GHOST, and exposing one of her glaring flaws. It takes other people to alter the character and story dynamic that until that point was only two people. They are the heroes of another, briefly converging story of their own, as we who have played the Outbreak games know. It also let me choose an ending for Outbreak for this universe and set it into stone. The survivors of that game earned their escape, to say the least, didn't have it in me to kill them off. They also represented GHOST's rejection of salvation... if he had gone with them he would have been free and in the clear of Umbrella, the Organization and the world of shadowy pharmaceutical companies, bioweapons, mutants, and corporate assassins and military forces. Alas, instead he 'sold his soul' and went into the darkness with Ada, tempted by her, and wanting to keep his promise, his deal, with her. I figured they were the perfect vehicle to deliver a bit of karmic comeuppance to our bad guy protagonists Ada and GHOST, that middle finger and being left for dead in Raccoon City. And most importantly, they are a pair of stable, good natured survivors despite David having a dark criminal past and Linda working for Umbrella. Unlike Ada and GHOST they emerge from Raccoon City as better people, with Linda leaving Umbrella and testifying against them, and David the former criminal at peace.

Tyrant R

Character: The Tyrant from Outbreak, a tertiary unexpected brief antagonist in Raccoon City, true to its appearance in Death's Door, Ada's scenario in Umbrella Chronicles. I wanted to make it basically the 'final boss battle', but a sudden surprise for the Ghost Survivors, and use it to highlight GHOST and Ada's personality and experience differences. She has crossed paths with Tyrants before, fought them, this is GHOST's first time fighting one, he didn't take the optional advanced training on Rockfort Island, Tyrant Training before Raccoon City, just the basic training. He was going to complete his advanced training at a later date... instead Raccoon City happened, and the most B.O.W. experience he gets happens in the field on his first mission, not Rockfort Island. Same with first encounters with the Tyrants. It had already been through the ringer after serving as the final boss battle, along with Nyx, for the Outbreak survivors, it was only right it be the same for Ada and GHOST. I love me the Tyrants, they are an iconic part of the Resident Evil franchise, and I try to do them justice. No Resident Evil story feels entirely complete without one.

The Suspended:

Character: Another boss battle from Outbreak I wanted to include, though a smaller one than the Tyrant of course, in part to draw a parallel between Ada and GHOST and HUNK and Carlos. Like Carlos, GHOST being taken off guard by an Outbreak boss in an Outbreak location (Leech Man at Raccoon General, Suspended at the Apple Inn), and like Carlos being saved by a well armed professional (Ada and HUNK) and in the process lighting it on fire, as HUNK does with the Leech Man, forcing the boss to flee. It was also to show that despite how difficult a time the Outbreak survivors, normal poorly equipped survivors had with the bosses, a well equipped professional was able to handle them much more easily, though of course had a more difficult time later against worse bosses. I like the body horror and designs of the Suspended and Leech Man, and love the Outbreak games overall, so could not resist including them where I could. Just wish Capcom got around to Outbreak File 3, but alas, it's Capcom.

In Conclusion:

Like the other much longer Resident Evil story this was a blast to write. Much easier and quicker too, clearly xD. Thank you all kindly for bearing with me, I hope you've enjoyed the journey. No promises I'll be able to get around to more Resident Evil stories, but I am contemplating and plotting the Code Veronica one a fair bit. We shall see, I have a number of stories I'm working on and considering. Thanks again, as ever any reviews are welcome and appreciated. Take it easy :).