Author's note: Just so you're prepared, the rate of updates will likely slow down over the next few weeks as I head back to work. I don't mean SLOW -- just not as fast as they've been. Probably one or two a week. This latest installation took a while not because of work but because my home contains a rabbit who likes to chew through my phone cord when she thinks I'm not watching. Cheers :)

Chapter Nine

Intersections

Ada Wong.

Leon crouched on the balcony, watching her make her rounds. Wash her face, brush her teeth, clean up the dishes, hide a gun under the lettuce in the crisper. The usual sort of thing.

Ada Wong.

He sighed, fingers toying with the knife at his belt. He didn't want to do this.

Ever since Claire's ordeal, he'd been searching for Wesker. Leon's life had narrowed to just two objectives: find Wesker and kill him. That was it. Until he did, Claire remained in danger.

She was in danger now, he reminded himself, but quickly shoved the thought away. Chris was with her; she was safe -- or at least, Chris would provide as much protection as Leon could. He supposed no one was really safe where Wesker was concerned.

Including Ada Wong.

He'd hesitated when Barry contacted him. They were searching for Wesker; they'd found Ada. She was the link. She could lead them to their goal... if she could be persuaded.

Leon didn't want to persuade her.

It was the police station all over again, with Claire and Ada running around in the dark, Leon helpless to protect them. In the end he'd chosen to stay with Ada, trusting Claire to find her own way out. And she had, he reminded himself -- Claire was no weakling. In fact, she wouldn't thank him at all if she knew of his current position, which was why he hadn't told her. Fortunately his job provided ample excuses for his absences.

Leon and Barry had agreed to tackle this one alone. They hadn't wanted Claire with them, and besides, the word "Ada" was enough to throw her into fits right now. Chris was out of the question -- where Claire was concerned, his reason flew right out the window. They'd contemplated Jill, but decided her ties to Chris were too strong. Better just the two of them.

Barry's voice crackled in Leon's ear. "You there or what, Kennedy?"

"I'm here. I'm just not filling the channel with useless chatter."

"So it's Stoic Boy, champion of all that's sullen and right, is that it?"

"Shut up, Barry."

"You in position?"

Leon hesitated. "Yeah. I can see her."

"She see you?"

"No."

"You sure about that?"

"Yes." But was he? It would be just like Ada to put one over on him, let him make the first move. Abruptly, Leon reached a decision. "Barry, I'm going to talk to her."

"You mean talk, or talk?"

"Just talk. Maybe she'll help us without the strongarm tactics."

"Leon, my man, that's a bad idea. Remember the last time you tried to talk to Ada?"

Oh, he remembered. He imagined the owner of the warehouse downtown remembered too -- or rather, the former warehouse. Only a pile of ashes remained. "I don't think she'll blow up her own place."

"It's a temporary residence, Leon. Come on. Stick to the plan."

Leon hesitated a moment longer, then shook his head. "Sorry, Barry. If you don't hear from me in twenty minutes, you'd better make your move." Before the other man could reply, he tore the comm device from his lapel and hucked it over the side of the building. He was sure he could hear Barry shouting, his voice fading as the device drifted away.

Then he rapped on the door.

Ada glanced at the window, frowned, and shut off the lights. Her eyes widened -- so she hadn't been aware of him after all. She sauntered across the room and flipped a switch, unlocking the door so he could climb into the room. "Well, hello there," she said, evincing no surprise at finding him on her sixteenth story balcony in the middle of the night.

"Hi," he returned awkwardly. "Ada, I need to talk to you."

She nodded towards his holster, folding her arms across her chest. "You're rather heavily armed for talking."

"Yeah, well, you're not my only stop tonight."

"I can guess where you're headed."

"Really? That's great, because I have no idea."

Ada smiled and moved further into the apartment, waving him idly towards the couch. "Drink?"

"No. Thank you."

She poured herself a glass of whiskey, not bothering to dilute it. "I take it this isn't a social call."

"No, I tend to use the front door for those."

"Pity. I think I like this entrance better. More exciting."

Leon rose from the sofa and crossed to her, not making any sudden movements for fear of provoking an attack. "Ada," he said, "where's Wesker?"

"I imagine this has to do with Claire Redfield?"

He contemplated lying. "Yeah. It has everything to do with her."

Ada didn't seem upset, just thoughtful. "What?" she asked, intercepting his expression with an amused grin. "You thought I'd be pining away for you? You're a very attractive man, Leon Kennedy. But I'm a very attractive woman, and I've never been at a loss for male company."

Just another reason he'd never seriously considered Ada as more than a... a what? A challenge, he supposed -- a dark, sleek, mysterious, beautiful challenge.

Claire wasn't a challenge, at least not the way Ada was. She was as light as Ada was dark, as muscular as Ada was sleek. There was no mystery to Claire -- she said what she thought without caring who she offended. But she never set out to offend; on the contrary, she was one of the most kind-hearted people Leon had ever met. And right there he knew why he loved her in a way he could never love Ada. Her heart. Ada had none.

Or maybe she did. There was compassion in her gaze now. "Leon, I would like to help you, I really would."

"Then do. Tell me where he is."

"I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Do you have any idea what Wesker would do to me if I betrayed him?"

"He won't have a chance."

"Right. I'd forgotten, you're riding in to play the conquering knight and save your damsel in distress. It's too late, Leon. He has her, and he never gives up what he takes."

Only three words penetrated the haze around Leon's head. "Wait a minute. What do you mean, he has her?"

"Isn't that why...?" She stared at him. "Oh God, Leon, I thought you knew..."

"Knew what? What the hell is going on here, Ada?"

"He's taken her again," she whispered softly. "Because of the sample she stole. He wants it back."

"It's gone," he replied without thinking. "We burned it."

Ada slowly set her glass on the counter. "Then God help her."

"Ada, please. I need your help. Where can I find them?"

She hesitated, then stepped forward, her hands sliding smoothly across his face. Leon remained perfectly still as she drew closer. It took all his effort not to jump when her lips touched his, and all his willpower not to respond to her kiss.

At last she stepped away, smiling slightly. "If I don't tell you, are you planning to drag me into the night and work the information out of me?"

"No," he decided suddenly. "I won't let that happen either way."

Again that small, disingenuous smile. "Always the noble knight. It's going to get you killed one day, you know." She stared at him for a long minute during which his heart raced fast enough to seriously worry him. "All right. I'll tell you. But hear this, Leon Kennedy. If by some miracle you manage to kill him, you'll have stolen my job away. You'll have to make up for that."

"I will."

"And," she continued sharply, "if, as is more likely, he captures you, he'll want to know how you found him. If my name comes up in that conversation, you won't have to worry about what Wesker does to you, because I will find you and cut you into tiny pieces very, very slowly."

Leon managed a smile. "Good recon," he explained weakly. "Barry Burton... has a lot of connections. After all, that's how I found you."

"Yes. Yes, Wesker might believe that. He knows Barry. Just don't let it slip too easily or he'll get suspicious." She touched his cheek. "If he catches you, Leon, I won't be able to help. You understand that, don't you? If I have to, I'll stand and watch as he tortures you to death. It's just not worth crossing him."

He nodded. "Ada... thank you."

"I hope you find her, Leon. She's barely more than a child. She shouldn't be caught up in this."

For just a second, Ada had channeled Chris. Leon shook his head, smiling, thinking how little like a child Claire was. "Thank you," he repeated. "I have to go. If I don't reappear shortly, Barry's going to come banging your door down."

"Ah, the ever present watchdog. Going over the balcony again?"

"No, I thought this time I'd use the door."

They smiled at each other, Ada standing in the doorway, Leon in the hall. "Use it next time too," she said softly as he blinked, eyes adjusting to the sudden light. "Next time make it a social call, Leon."

"I will," he promised.

They both knew he was lying.