CHAPTER 2
"So you send a single aging man into a B.O.W. infested zone for an eradication of an army of them? Hunnigan, are you sure you're not on a vendetta?"
"I'm sorry Leon, you're the only available agent to deploy now."
The agent's eyes rolled hard. He had a stack of rented DVDs beside his couch, it was his day off and Leon was bent on catching up with the movies of the year. However his leisure hours were interrupted by the alarming beeps.
"And besides, you've survived far worse scenarios than this."
"The last time I was sent on a one-man mission, I had a parasite eating my insides out."
Ingrid Hunnigan heaved a sigh, the decade old genius-behind-the-screen had been squabbling with grumpy Kennedy since his pick-up. Leon turned his attention back to the glaring screen of his cell phone, he watched Ingrid's face cringed for a few moments before seeing her running a hand to her neck.
"Alright, dinner's on me. So please get the nation's leader out safe and alive."
The screen zipped back into its transparent poly-glass. Craning his neck to the left, a reflection of blue orbs found his while staring at the city lights. It was just past dusk, Leon was a little sleepy but emergency calls weren't new to him. Though, it was losing its kick. All things have to end, maybe it's time.
"Agent Kennedy, we've arrived at the rendezvous point."
The driver had already came to a full stop, but he was secretly wishing it was a longer ride.
"Thanks."
"Good luck, the country depends on you."
He wore that smile, a smile to appease the anxious and nervous, a smile that the heroes of his DC comics had. But his guts knew that this mission was no fairytale. It made him sick, but if it wasn't him then who would it be?
He stood at the front of the make shift headquarters the men had set up, they didn't have the leisure to give Leon a warm welcome. I don't like this, I'm already waiting to be sent back. Sliding and pushing through the crowds of the military, he somehow made it to the Chief-in-Command's tent.
"Ah, the hero from the legendary Secret Service, you're the kind of soldier every American boy aspire to be. Why would someone like yourself be here?"
It's gonna be a long night
"It's just you and me again."
The bottle of red wine shone proudly under the evening light, although it was a little too early for Ada but she had no liberty to take a stroll outside.
It's a day after her employer decided she would be the perfect scapegoat for stealing a substance infamously named as 'C-Virus'. The spy's mission just had to be in the storage house of a mystery organization, but it was child's play for Ada.
She easily got her hands on the sample. However, at the last moment her employer left Ada Wong at the mercy of the dark side of the black market, thinking he would erase evidence of his involvement. About an hour later in the assault, she had half the men in the building either crippled or fatally wounded. They shouldn't had been so full of themselves, she would had punished them with a lesser sentence.
Successfully escaping from a horde of spiteful alpha males, a furious woman went crashing into the apartment of the man who crossed her.
Ada had no extra nerves to play with her prey, no, she was pissed. Leaving her to bunch of arrogant boys whose brains were no more than a primate in the heat, and ruining her new dress too. The latter was much worse though. Letting her sadistic nature take over, she left her ex-employer traumatized and beaten into a pulp, a few broken bones and a minor concussion.
She let herself fire a few blind shots, fortunately for him, all the bullets had missed his flesh. But it dealt more impact than to be shot dead. The man was out cold after a while, all quality but no substance, typical.
After her fit of rage, Ada found her trip unworthy of her time. She was not one who easily puts her personal grudge before her work, but sometimes it slips by unknowingly. With her skillful observation, she realized his apartment was too bland for someone of a high-stature. Surely he wasn't a humble fellow. Hacking into her employer's desktop was an easy feat, background information and other dirty secrets flooded into her personal thumb drive. Now to clean up the mess. Strutting out of his bedroom satisfied, she took a good look at the almost-lifeless man at her feet. In an instant her glistening brown eyes had shut all humanity from it, into a dull shade of brown.
"Too bad, you were quite a looker too."
There it sat comfortably in her left hand, her Blacktail awaiting its master's trigger finger. Awaiting to plant a bullet in the skull at its tip.
"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU'RE FUCKING WITH BITCH?"
A glass piece stained in red was flung with piercing speeds, at close distance. Like a zing of electricity, Ada's body sparked to tilt her perfectly powdered face right side. Her brown orbs flashed downwards to spot a red slit engraved on her left cheek. She felt herself smile.
"The infamous Ada Wong has rusted hasn't she, you have no liberty to kill me. Your career rides on your reputation, when word goes out…that the crimson spy had shot her employer dead-"
The barrel of Blacktail was pushed and pressured onto his forehead, the man was still staring up into a dull shade of yellow. Yellow?
"And so, the world will blame Ada Wong, the woman of many dark fantasies."
That confidence he had just displayed dissolved away, leaving just bubbles of fear and confusion in him. The woman standing before him wasn't the familiar spy he had known.
"Who are you…?"
A mad smile carved into her mask, a wild glow in her eyes revealed the monster within.
"Your biggest mistake."
[BANG]
A porcelain slender leg crossed over another equally alluring one, the bathrobe loosely tied to reveal some skin. She watched the screen on her laptop attentively, with her right hand pressed on her earpiece. The background noise was giving the lone lady a hard time to decipher the conversation.
"A virus outbreak has roped the President into a high risk, his safety is priority. Agent Kennedy I hope you understand that this mission is of upmost importance."
"Still a rookie cop at heart."
A little giggle escape from her glistening pink lips as she looked at the face of dread on the agent's face. He looked like a 4 year old throwing a little tantrum.
"I understand sir, it was just a bad week."
"Everyone is having a bad week Kennedy, but when you get lemons what do you do?"
"Uh…"
"YOU SQUUEZE THE JUICE OUT INTO ANOTHER POOR SUCKER'S EYE! You take no chances, trust me son, it has guided me throughout my life."
A perfectly trimmed eyebrow was raised, his way of living was definitely questionable. But in her line of work, it could work – with a whole container of citric acid.
"All the best Kennedy, the outbreak has brewed a couple of nasty looking things."
Leon stopped in his track while making his way out, she knew exactly how he felt. The feeling of having to constantly put your life on the line, knocking on death's door too many times. And having a Cerebus hot on your trail. It takes more than just strong commitment to the job. It takes morals and courage and an extremely strong desire to fight, for something you want to hold onto. It was a sickening occupation. The undead and horrendously mutated creatures were common sightings in field missions, it changes anyone who has gone through an incident like Raccoon.
"Then I'll have to fight my way to the President. For my nation, and for my friend."
Had he not hardened his heart, the man would not had come out a survivor. But it was sad, to see someone with such brightness, he glowed with potential and ambition. The years ahead of him was unexpected and unwritten.
"Oh Leon…"
His story was just like hers. Both were young and fueled with ambitious dreams, innocent and naïve. But both had closed all their paths, it was a lifelong decision. A decision made from anger, against the world. The road had no room for regrets, there was no turning back. They both wanted answers to the chaotic nature of the reality they lived in, but the one difference that set them worlds apart was the outcome of themselves.
Leon strived to bring the world peace and order, working amongst the light. But Ada, she works in the shadows with the ones who brings chaos, striving for her needs. Two polar opposites attracted each other in a unique and unbreakable bond.
Leon was already out of the camera's line of sight, but she could still hear the heavy steps of his stride. As much she wanted to set the site on fire, she couldn't hold him back from the dangers ahead. Ada sighed, with a little smile as she amused herself with her actions like a babysitter. Oh but he is younger than you technically. Then a beep from her phone called her, it's her turn for a mission brief.
"Agent Wong, we assume you've received and filtered the Intel sent?"
"Intel? I have no knowledge of such news."
"Wong, we are not playing games again. This is upmost importance."
"Yes, yes…upmost importance."
What irony, while on the line Ada took the opportunity to scroll through her mails to check for the 'Intel'. It was regarding about her contractor. She was sent on the mission to find out why was a member of The Family involving himself with the Black Market. As a spy hired by him to obtain a virus strain known as the C-Virus, the Organization made use of their relationship with Ada. Her contractor should have contacted her hours ago, but the problem was that her contractor was shot dead – in the head.
"We need you to head down to the site before any law enforcers are notified, we need answers."
"Oh, but not with a price."
"A deposit is now transferring over, we will definitely reward you handsomely Miss Wong."
Handsomely they said, but I'm a girl.
"How much more if you were to reward this girl 'beautifully'?"
This was already a difficult mission to begin with, with the way things was, Ada had no intention to come out empty-handed.
"…1 week Ada Wong, we expect no less from you."
She look at the prism glass in her hands, the call was abruptly ended. It must be on red alert within the Organization. A similar sense of dread overwhelms her, she said a silent prayer although she wasn't the religious type. Ada will need all the help she can get to keep Leon alive.