The house was open and spacious. Every room painted the right light tones of varying whites and peach, and the way the sun brightened every corner made them even more brilliant. Helena's favorite room of the tour was the study, a large bay window open to a view of a river beyond the backyard on the second story. She listened mindlessly to the realtor, Valerie she thought she said he name was, drone on as she tried to sell her every point. She hadn't needed to hear another word the woman said as she was sold not long after setting foot in the house. She was pulled from her reverie as they returned to the front door, right beside an archway to the living room.
"So, what do you think?" the bright eyed realtor asked. Leon looked to Helena, encouraging her to speak first.
"I…"she began, glancing over her shoulder to take a look at what she could see of the kitchen. "I think I love it." She said, smiling at Leon as she timidly spoke her thoughts.
Leon slipped an arm around her waist and returned the smile she offered. "If you're satisfied… then this is our first pick." He looked at the woman, who's eyed betrayed her as she was sure she had her sale. "Can we think it over? Give us say…a week?"
Her face fell slightly, but she maintained her composure. "Sure, Mr. Kennedy, but I can't guarantee that I won't find a buyer before then."
"Call us if there is." Leon said, nearly glaring at the tall woman.
"Sure thing, Mr. Kennedy." She said, flashing a brilliant smile. Helena couldn't help the tinge of jealousy as Leon was handed Valerie's business card, letting her hand linger near his for too long. The blonde led them outside as she locked the door.
"The two of you could make a wonderful home out of this place; it's perfect for a family." She said absent mindedly as she turned toward them.
Helena nervously glanced at Leon before her cheeks reddened as she turned her attention to the ground. They bid Valerie farewell before getting in their car, driving for what seemed like an hour before either spoke.
"A family home, huh?" Leon said, smirking as his attention maintained fixed on the road.
"That's what she said." Helena responded, twisting her fingers in her lap as she watched the sun set behind clouds on the horizon.
"Helena…" he went to speak, but his phone's ringtone cut him off. "Kennedy." He said, curt and professional. "Roger, we'll be there." He sighed and disconnected the call.
"Hunnigan?"
Leon nodded, "Our good doctor has gone missing from BSAA custody."
"Ada." Helena stated, gritting her teeth.
Leon remained silent but his grave expression told Helena all she needed to know; he suspected her too. He sped up the car and quickly pulled off the highway, in the direction of DSO headquarters once more. Helena wasn't sure if he should be driving, considering his track record with vehicles and aircrafts while under stress. She kept a death grip on the door handle the entire way to their destination. With tires squealing, Leon took a hard left in the parking garage and stopped the car in a space near the elevator.
The pair proceeded to rush to the fifth floor, and once reaching the corridor that the conference room ended on, slowed their pace at the sight of a very angry Chris Redfield pacing in front of Hunnigan. What surprised Leon most was Jill Valentine, perched on the edge of the table that took up most of the room.
"Who's she?" Helena asked before they reached the door.
"Her name's Jill, she and Chris are…kind of a thing I guess."
"The one with the…" Helena gestured to her chest with her index finger.
Leon simply nodded before opening the door and interrupting the tirade Chris was on.
"Finally!" Chris boomed.
"What happened?" Leon asked, taking a seat near Jill.
"I get off a plane after spending nearly two days in a Russian war zone, and I find out my one prime suspect is no longer in my team's custody. And what's fucking better than that?" He motioned to Hunnigan, who pulled up a security video on the projector.
"Look familiar?"
Sure enough, Ada Wong was seen freeing Alvin Brooks from his holding cell.
"She's then seen giving direction to Brooks before glancing directly toward this camera and showing off that smirk of hers before running after him."
Helena noticed Leon's knuckles go white as he clenched his fist, and the only thing holding Chris from the edge was Jill's hands messaging his shoulders in a silent plea to remain calm.
"Any idea where she went? A plate caught on camera or something?" Helena asked.
"No. She deactivated the cameras in the garage. Normally I don't have much anything to do with the BSAA, but Mr. Redfield here insists that we're the only ones who can track these two down."
"Why the hell would Ada Wong need Brooks?" Chris asked, staring straight through the glass in front of him.
"Oh no…" Leon whispered. Everyone in the room waited for an explanation.
"Ada was by Leon's apartment this morning." Helena began. "She presented him with a near cure all vaccine, one derived Jake Mueller's blood. She said the only way she'd release a vile was if Leon gave up Brooks."
"Did you give her a location? Any hint at all?" Chris asked.
"No, I just told her there's no way anyone could tell her. She seemed a little agitated, but she left after that."
"I think whatever Brooks was doing in that lab in Moscow was terribly important to her…or more than likely one of her associates. She's learn one way or another the whereabouts of a potentially dangerous man." Chris said, the edge in his voice slowly creeping back in.
"What do we do?" Helena asked, eyeing Hunnigan.
"We track her down. As of now the DSO and the BSAA are on a manhunt for Ada Wong, every airport has both her and Alvin Brooks photo on record as well as local law enforcement. As for all of you, get some sleep and rest up. It's going to be an exhausting while before any of us get a good night's sleep again. I'll notify you of any updates that may occur before the morning." And with that, Hunnigan left the room, her files in hand.
"So, teammates again." Leon says, glancing at Chris.
"It appears so. For the record Kennedy, I don't blame either of you for this breach."
"You wouldn't have come to us if you did."
Chris smirked, and then turned to Jill. "Before I forget, this is Helena, Helena this is Jill."
"Nice to meet you." Helena said, outstretching a hand toward Jill. They shook and for the first time since entering the room, Leon say the glint of a ring of Jill's finger.
"Whoa, who's the lucky guy?" Leon asked.
"You're looking at him." Chris said, he took Jill's hand in his and that was all it took to calm the storm that was Chris Redfield. "She's my wife."
A/N: Sorry for the long pause between chapters, my grandfather was quite ill and I was finishing up a semester of school so I really didn't have time or energy to update. I'll try to post again soon. As always, leave encouragement, it's very much appreciated.