CHAPTER 3

The trail of death is persistent. Just when you thought it was over, it strikes again when your guard is down. Heavy downpour blanketed all of Tall Oaks, thunderous roars and flashes instilled a sense of insecurity to all the survivors in the Cathedral. It was depressing enough, but the sense of dread just kept growing in Leon. He admit that age was slowing him, his battered body was still aching from the horrific plunge. Not to mention the unnecessary goose chase for the gate key, and the immediate death of the survivors he and Helena fought their lives for. There's no time to grieve. His mind drifted as the duo hurried to the roof, playing along with the riddles to unlock whatever Helena was leading him to. We have to get to the Cathedral.

"We have to ring those bells."

"Oh boy, I'll feel bad ruining the antiques."

"Leon, we don't have time."

"Fine."

Why on the earth did he let the possible killer of the president lead him to some Cathedral? Helena Harper, an unknown person leading him into a plausible trap. Leon had no solid clue nor an idea of what the near future of his present moment would unfold into. But something wasn't right, the events that chained to the death of the president wasn't convincing. His instinct prompted it was more than just a misfortunate mistake. Helena was his only lead, he had to take the bait.

As all the bells were tolled, the exit along the corridor unlocked. It called for the attention of the agents. Helena eagerly gave the door a push, finally, to their relief the games had ended. The hidden entrance to the underground labs slowly unraveled, the loud chatter of the survivors grew into an outbreak of panic as they watched the sacred altar split apart to reveal something 'unholy'.

"What the hell is that?!"

"I-I don't know! It wasn't here before!"

Before? So is she somehow connected to the C-Virus too? They watch the monstrosity stumbling out from the altar, it shrieked at an unbearable pitch to let its presence known. Helena was frozen in place when she saw the blue gas bursting from Lepotitsa, she knew how it was going to go down.

"C'mon! We've gotta stop that thing!"

The two gave each other a hard look before taking off to the chandelier below them, taking a deep breath to face the enemy ahead of them.

The Family had either too much money or time to create such a troublesome method to get into a crumbling and stuffy catacomb. Ada was starting to miss the days when all she had to do was to infiltrate into government institution or assassinating overly greedy millionaires pissing off the wrong people. You know, 'normal' missions. But she was bounded and addicted to this. However, heavy-labor puzzle solving was not part of the contract.

Finally she had all four broken pieces of the serpent crescent ready to be put in place. Ada glanced up into the rainy night sky, the rain was a bother anymore, nor does the scent of death and crackling noises of fire shakes her. She gave herself a small laugh at how ironic how her adventures changed her. Her path looks bleak, literally, only small ounces of light emit from the other end. What are you playing at Simmons?

Events took a turnabout fast when Deborah began to convulse, her body was burning from the inside and melted her skin. He pulled Helena from Deborah who was already in the midst of mutation. Leon shut his eyes hard, all he heard was incoherent cries of 'Deborah', her screams ring hard making his surroundings numb for a few good seconds. When he felt the hard clench of Helena loosen, Deborah was already lost, added to the imaginary list of death in his head. He watched the poor girl trying to stroke what seemed to be her sister's unrecognizable face, but there was no time to grieve, more will die if they don't stop Simmons.

But he couldn't tear Helena from what is left of her dearest kin.

And just then, the cocoon shook and cracked. The split widened, slowly unravelling a human hand that prompted Helena instinctually to hold out her own. A resounding snap was heard and a satisfying crunch was heard quickly thereafter, Helena quickly scrambled on all four to a lifeless mutated body with a cold metal bolt lodged cleanly into the head. Chokes of lost and agony escaped her mouth, what little hope in her was shattered completely.

Leon jerked to where the bolt travelled from, only to find someone he knew, or he thought he knew. Not knowing what to make out of after watching that disturbing tape, his mouth slipped out what seems to be his forbidden apple.

"Ada?"

Oh there is that smile, what a seductive smile she has, he thought – how could anyone glow with such intensity, such beauty and grace is perfect…too perfect to be human.

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

His face was giving quite a revelation, Ada was amused Leon could still make such a face. At least it he didn't point a gun at her like the last time, this time around he was puzzled. But 'puzzled' mixed with her usual 'sudden arrival' is the common occurrence for Leon, Ada found it strange.

Leon quickly recovered, knowing the lady in red must be examining his screwed-up expression. He didn't want to confront Ada about what he had seen, it wasn't the time or the place. But from what just happened, Ada Wong is playing friendly for now.

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

"It's complicated." Her sultry voice accompanied with a coy smirk, it's a mesmerizing spell for Leon. But not for Helena, still grief-stricken by the loss of Deborah.

The cave rumbled as it begun it's eventual collapse. Ada tried to warn Leon about the dangers of the very platform they all stood on but soon realized it was in vain, the floor below them gave way just as Deborah miraculously sprouted up, distracting Leon and Helena. Lady luck isn't on my side today.

Helena had fallen on the other side of a circular structure below from where they were, separated as parts of it had been corroded from age. Leon lost his bearings when he hit hard into the wooden floor, but made out what seem to be red in his blurred vision. Ada. He got up to see the spy unscathed. Feeling both relief and ashamed that he was much more unfit, the agent quickly picked up his Wingshooter and proceeded forward.

"Good to see you're still in shape."

"You're barely scratched Ada, so I don't think I'm quite in shape."

An amused laugh escape from Ada, flattered that Leon thinks of her quite highly.

"Leon, I need to be in perfect shape to do what I do."

What you do huh…I was never sure what you did though. Leon kept quiet, as he remembers the tape. He was itching to ask, but didn't know how. Ada watched his expression change from shock to frustration and a hint of sadness, she thought she had reminded him of what the nature of her jobs are so she kept silent as well.

"Miss Wong, I have gathered all the data of Jake Wesker."

"Good, now scram, I have work to do."

"Excuse me."

A radical grin spread across her perfectly powdered face, having obtained Wesker Jr.'s blood sample not only severed the only hope the world has, it was going to have it become its enemy. She planned to create an even more enhanced and potent version of her C-Virus. It will be the very antidote Simmons wanted for his world that she will send everything he has into a spiraling chaos. A wild laughter of twisted joy she gave, looking into the future she will create through the dangerous liquid splashing about in the syringe.

She slot it into her gun, she had it custom-made to fire a good amount of C-Virus at her disposal. It took so much dedication and effort, and finally she will get what she wants.

She glances over to a framed photo at the corner of her desk, she grinned at it. It was a lady who looks just like her. Then picks up a glass prism-shaped hand held, and dialed for the exact same lady in the photo, the difference was that the photo was a portrait of herself.

"How are you feeling?"

The three of them had just subdued Deborah, it took them a great deal of effort before watching a heart-wrenching sacrifice by Helena as she regrettably lets Deborah fall to her death. Leon was beat but he couldn't rest now, more than ever he wants bring justice to Helena and Deborah. As he rushes over to Helena, Ada had began to search for an exit for her escape. She could never stay long with Leon, and it wasn't going to change now. Her heels tap on the wood, approaching the two as she listens to the back-story of Helena's involvement. And more than ever, disgusted by Dereck C. Simmons.

"That sounds like Simmons all right."

"Why the hell would he do all that?"

"Long story."

A ringing started to call out to Ada, speak of the devil. She plucks out her prism-shaped glass phone, but does not pick it up. Instead, she decides to give the two of them a warning, it was a dangerous journey ahead. Her heels tap again, her presence amplified as she trailed around them like a predator savoring the sight of its prey.

"We're up against the people who really run this country…in a very dangerous game. And if you don't play your hand right…hmm."

Leaving it as that, she let her bewitching voice be the final emphasis of the statement. Smoothly, she whipped out her Hookshot and fired at a solid beam above them, instantaneously zipping away from the scene. Our paths will cross again Leon. And upon contact with the wooden flooring she walked gracefully away from the edge, not shaken by the force of her landing. Ada folded the prism into a full cube, silencing the persistent ringing.

Simmons had some explaining to do, to allow another incident like Raccoon to happen, will he eradicate the entirety of Tall Oaks too? No, she wouldn't let him. Too many people had died without knowing the truth of what had and has happened.

"How are you feeling?"

"Why don't you come down here and I'll show you."

"I think I'll pass but there is something I'd like to show you."

"More games?"

"Not quite, just something I think you would benefit from knowing. Proceed to the research lab."

She flips her phone back into a prism, the glow dissipates. Ada quickly heads on, she has wasted enough time playing with riddles and puzzles. The truth was unfolding, and it seems only Ada was picking it up, all the events she has been through thus far was out of place, or 'fishy' as some would say. Playing along was the best option, if not, she might not come out of this predicament alive.

As she switches off her own prism phone, a reflection of herself visualizes on the glass. It reminded her how much both of them talked, walked, sat, ate and just about everything...exactly the same. But they are not. She stood up and strolled quickly to her lab, loud clanks of her heels echoed throughout the hallways, emphasizing her presence.

All in a swift motion as the doors slides open, her hand lifts a white coat and she drapes it over herself, slipping her arms through the sleeves. She notices a name tag weighing at the chest pocket, she takes it to eye-level and tosses it onto her work desk.

"No longer, this world he created will all be destroyed, by the very woman he loves, by me... by Ada Wong."

She stares at the human-sized container, a dormant cocoon sat inside of it. She smiles, and proceeds to her work station to have her new virus ready to wreak havoc.

But the tag on her desk has another name engraved on it. – Carla Radames.