Later, in the car, she still refused to talk to him, much less look at Leon. Her gaze remained on the passing trees, hurdling past as the dark sedan sped away from the city. Trees reflecting on the tinted windows, she stared intently into the woods, hoping to catch a glimpse of Claire.
Leon fumed. He asked himself for the hundredth time if what he had done was the right thing. He told himself it was the only way to ensure Sherry's safety, and now Claire could search unhindered for her brother. It was for the best that the feds didn't know who she was, or they'd insist on putting her into protective custody as well. Claire wasn't a bird meant to be caged; of that much he was certain. She would be on her own for now; he'd have to trust she could look after herself. But the destroyed look on her once smiling face hurt more than he ever thought it could, the image burning into his heart.
One of the g-men turned around to look at him. "The medical facility is just up ahead," he grunted.
"Medical facility? The medics checked us out already," said Leon. "We're fine."
"This is simply a formality," the other said, his eyes never leaving the imposing building on the horizon. "Nothing to worry about at all."
--
The facility was smaller than she had expected; apparently the bulk of the space was used for the holding area she had first seen. The ceilings were all low, the hallways narrow, and the remaining rooms very space efficient. It reminded her of the first time she had been in a submarine, cramped quarters and an ever-present sense of claustrophobia. Everything in its right place.
The mess hall was wide, enough to seat about twenty or thirty men, but was now completely empty. A large network of vents and pipes ran overhead, and she couldn't shake the feeling that this facility was a work in progress. The tables were those long fold outs types usually found at church or school socials, and the mental image of Wesker stealthily sneaking into a closet and stealing them didn't seem out of place to her at all.
The nurse seated her at one such table in the middle of the room, and also laid a small leather pouch before her.
"I hope you don't expect me to eat that," Ada joked, recognizing the nurse's kit.
"No, it is simply best to give you your shot on an empty stomach," replied Cindy, unzipping the kit to reveal a syringe filled with abrownish fluid.
"So I can't eat?"
"For a few minutes," answered the nurse. "It will also suppress your appetite, so you won't eat as much."
"Another way to maintain my girlish figure, eh?"
Cindy stared at her blankly, swabbing the needle's tip before plunging it sharply into her shoulder. Ada grimaced at the slight prod, then held the cotton swab in place as the porcelain-faced nurse readied a bandage.
"What is that stuff anyways?"
"It's a strain of antibodies created to keep the virus in check."
"Virus? What virus?"
"The virus keeping you alive, of course," Cindy replied.
"Keeping me alive?"
"Yes. Without it, you will die."
--
"I don't like needles," she said, shaking her head and fighting back tears.
"Look, it's just a quick prick, right guys," Leon asked, hoping the men would support him. "Over and out, right?"
"No, we need a full sample," the emotionless agent ordered, his arms crossed.
"This is ridiculous; you didn't say anything about this!" Leon felt the anger building again, the urge to smash this agent's heavy face with something heavier.
"Imagine the alternative: one needle, or a thousand. Your call, Mr. Kennedy."
"Look, Sherry, let's just get this over with, ok?" Leon asked, trying to soothe her with his best Claire imitation. The girl's eyes smoldered, and he thought for a moment she was going to spit in his face. He backed away, realizing he was only making things worse. He saw a young nurse, milling about outside, pretty and fresh faced. "Excuse me a moment," he said, exiting the room to run after her.
--
"Hey!"
"Yes, what is it?"
"What is up with this," she said, her voice edgy. "Your Nurse Ratchet told me I have a virus in me keeping me alive?"
"Hmm, she shouldn't have told you that so soon," said Wesker, looking past her down the hallway. "Not when you're so emotional."
"Emotional? I'm told I'm being kept alive by a freaking cold and I'm being 'emotional'?"
"It is far more advanced than a simple cold," replied Wesker. "It took my…colleague nearly a decade to incubate a usable sample suitable for field use."
"I don't care! Who gave you the right to do that to me?" He raised an eyebrow to her question.
"Why…you did," he answered calmly. "You were on the verge of death when I found you, and I gave you the choice. You needed to save that silly boyfriend of yours, and I had the means. How else do you think you made it all that way to aid him?"
"I-I don't remember…" she fumbled, her mind a flood of jumbled memories.
"Another side effect of the serum, I'm afraid," he said, turning to walk away. "It will come back to you eventually."
"So…I need a shot to stay alive…?"
"Yes," he replied, walking back towards her. "And I probably don't have to remind you, that with my former colleague now deceased courtesy of that…boy you saved, I am the sole source of the serum."
"Wh-what are you saying?"
"I am saying," Wesker said, placing his hand on her bare shoulder. "That you now belong to me, Ada Wong."
--
She smiled her friendliest smile, thinking of what he had just told her, trying to relate to the little girl scowling suspiciously at her.
"Come on, honey, it's really not that bad," she began. "It hurts just a little bit at first, but it's never as bad as you think it will be."
"What do you know," Sherry blurted out, her chin buried in her chest and her eyes darting about the room.
"I do this dozens—no, hundreds of times a day," answered the young nurse. "I know."
The girl tilted her head, as if examining the woman before her, and her wall began to break. "Just once?"
"Just once," eased the nurse, waiting for the girl to finally relent before preparing the needle.
"Ok, fine…just make it quick, ok?"
"Of course, honey," said the nurse calmly, the needle poised. "Say, that's a really nice vest you have there…"
"My friend Claire gave it to me," Sherry said, casting yet another bitter glance at Leon. "She's the bravest, nicest person I've ever met."
So lost was she in her thoughts of Claire that Sherry didn't notice the small vial fill with her blood. The agents shared a knowing look at one another, then took the vial and exited the room wordlessly. Leon watched them go, detached from it all, anxious to get away from Sherry's evil eye.
"Wow, I hope I can meet her someday. I bet you'll grow up to be just like her…such a brave little girl," said the nurse sweetly, patting Sherry's head and fixing a stray hair. The woman rose from her stool, winking at Leon before leaving the room. "Let me know if you need anything else."
--
"There's nothing else?"
"No, he is being truthful. He really is the only one in the world with a ready supply of the serum," the nurse replied, her eyes growing misty.
"Wait…you too?" The nurse bit her lip, showing her first signs of emotion.
"Yes, me too. All of us here, actually," she whispered. "Wesker owns us."
"That's not right, not at all," Ada said, her mind racing.
"You don't know, you've never seen what happens to those that don't get the serum!"
"Well, tell me then…what happens?"
"Their bodies…wracked with unspeakable pain…muscles that thrash so violently, it snaps their bones…vomiting up their internal organs…and the screaming. My god, the screaming…"
"That doesn't sound so bad…"
"It lasts forever, the pain…the virus keeps them alive until Wesker tires of their agony, sending in someone to finally execute them! If he wanted, you would suffer forever," she cried, her body shaking at the memory.
"It happened to someone close to you, didn't it?"
"The man I loved," she replied, wiping away quiet tears. "Wesker made me…he made me watch. And when he finally let me leave the room, he put the screams over the intercom so I had to listen…"
"Wow, that's some sick stuff. I'd heard rumors about his cruelty, but…"
"No, you have no idea! That man is…he's completely—," she began, her last words cut off by the sound of her beeper. "Oh my god, he knows what I've been saying!"
"Don't worry, it's probably just him pissed off because you told me about the serum 'too soon'; he probably wanted to break the news to me himself," Ada said, trying to calm the near hysterical woman.
"Oh god, you told him that? It's over for me! One mistake, and you're…you're gone."
"I'm sure it's not that serious," Ada assured her. "You're too valuable for him to just lose over something so small."
"Yes, yes…you're probably right," said Cindy, wiping away the last tears. "I'll be fine," she said aloud, as if she were trying to convince herself. She stood and walked to the door, casting one last glance at Ada, smiling bravely at the one person she had opened up to since her arrival at the remote station two years ago.
Ada never saw her again.
--
Writer's note: Rather than do work today for month end, I decided to sit at my desk and write this chapter out. I did a cursory glance over the text, so if there are typos and what not, please excuse them. I did try something different with the narrative; it's funny because it wasn't intentional at first. Only later did Irealize I was inadvertently tying together the character's experiences, so I figured making it more consistent would keep the character parallels a bit tighter. Anyways, hope it still makes sense; I know it's forced in a couple places, but what the hey, it's something new for me.
