The sun's rays landed directly on Chris' eyelids as it rose out from behind the curtains. The brightness slowly awoke Chris and he sat up, rubbing his crusty eyes. His felt the dried tears on his face and got up to go wash them off. As he opened the door, the first thing he expected to see wasn't there. The bath was empty. Panic struck him immediately.
"Guys! Get in here!" Leon and Jill rushed in and saw what Chris saw.
"Where is it?" Jill's eyes widened. Leon stepped in further and noticed a small round object on the counter. As he picked it up, he instantly recognized a small butterfly on the lid of what was a make-up pallet.
"Ada." Leon dropped the pallet and it hit the floor, causing the contents to crack on the floor.
"What?" Chris turned and picked up the pallet.
"She was here. That's her pallet." Leon stood and faced away from Chris, unwilling to see the look on his face.
"So she took my sister's body!? That's it!? She came in while we were sleeping and took it!? Why!? What the fuck is wrong with these people!?" His eyes were filled with sadness and anger. His mind began to burst into action.
"Jill, Leon. Grab your stuff. We're heading to my apartment in New York. We can set up there and we'll try to locate any of her activity or Wesker's."
His sudden motivation and will to quickly get to work surprised her. She expected a bit more of the 'emotional broken-down Chris' to take over. He just kept surprising her. She didn't mind at all. Even she needed something to keep her together.
Flashes of red entered and exited Claire's vision as the wind entering the car whipped her hair around. She wasn't paying attention to her surroundings, though she should; she was stuck in her land on conscience. Had she made the right choice coming with Ada? It didn't appear that she was being handed over to Wesker. Leon had told her about Ada. How in the end, she only looked out for herself and her advantages. She knew to be careful, but had she already fallen into a situation she wouldn't be able to get out of? She still felt guilty about leaving Chris. He thought, no, knew she had died, and now there was no body. I should've stayed. I should've let him know. Before she knew it, they were surrounded by cars all driving in the same direction. They were on a highway head north. Where to, she had no idea.
"New York.", said Ada as though reading her mind.
"Oh." She wasn't disappointed, she just remembered Chris had an apartment in New York. She knew something was coming. She just had to figure out what.
*Several Hours Later*
It was dark when they finally arrived.
"Put these on before we get out."
Ada gave the order as she handed Claire a pair of dark sunglasses. Grabbing the pair, Claire examined them and pulled down on the mirror to get a better look. Still glowing amber. She could, however, see specks of blue starting to resurface.
Ada drove into a fancy hotel driveway and she and Claire got out as soon as the valet came to park the car. They silently made their way to the front desk and Ada was given two rooms. Despite wearing sunglasses, she could still see everything perfectly fine, as if not wearing them. When they reached the elevator, Ada handed her a key and said,
"I have a drop to make in a few hours. I don't suggest leaving or contacting anybody, unless you want Wesker to know your exact location and condition. After the drop-off, I'll let you know what the move is. Until then, stay put." Her voice was very monotonous, but effective on getting the point straight.
As soon as she finished, she left. Claire had no other option than to wait. She rummaged around the room and found nothing but a pair of scissors and some bath soaps. She went to the restroom and took one long look at herself. You left when you shouldn't have. Chris is suffering because of you. Without thinking she burst into tears and was left staring at her now-almost-blue-eyes turn into a deep amber once again. You're a monster. You're like Him. She grabbed the pair of scissors and cut off the length of hair that hung down to her shoulders. She then did so again for the other side. Her red hair now reached the base of her chin. She stepped into the shower and sat there letting the water run over, hoping that maybe she could wash away the guilt and what she was at this moment, as she felt she was no longer Claire Redfield.
*Click Clack Click* The sound of heels hitting the pavement echoed off the walls of the dark, damp alley. Her fingers wrapped around the steel case grew stiff as the temperature dropped. With her other hand, Ada checked the time on her cell phone. 9:59 it read. Her timing was always prompt and precise when it came to jobs like this one. When her phone read 10:00, a tall figure stepped into view. Standing tall and in all black, Albert Wesker appeared.
"Now this is odd. Where is your usual military monkey?" Nervousness arose in her as she realized the location wasn't the most populated. Alone with Wesker isn't a comfortable situation.
"Mr. Rodgers is taking a break after a recent outbreak occurred. Now do you have it Miss Wong?"
In response, Ada lifted the metallic case and it glistened in the pale moonlight. Wesker tilted his head to the side. From behind his glasses, he squinted suspiciously.
"Are there any questions you wanted to ask me about this job, Miss Wong?"
"It's best I keep my nose in my business, Wesker." She knew what he was referring to.
"How is she Ada? How was her reaction?"
"Excuse me but there is obviously something I missed, as I don't know what you're talking about." Play dumb. You know nothing.
"Claire. Miss Wong." He pushed further, knowing that there was no way she didn't come back.
"Claire Redfield is rotting away in some hole buried in the ground, Wesker."
A dark shade of doubt crossed Wesker's face. Keep your face straight; she told herself, seeing him destroyed is the ultimate prize.
Wesker took the case and gave one more glance at the woman before him. Behind his shades, he was thinking what were the odds that Claire hadn't come back to life like had planned. No longer pushing the topic, Wesker gave a short reply,
"Very well. Just another failed experiment. It's been a pleasure doing business Miss Wong."
No longer being able to stand the nervousness within herself, she curtly dismissed herself and made her way to the hotel, hoping he had fallen for it.
He damn well knew Claire was alive. Ada Wong was smart, not enough, however to fool Albert Wesker. He wasn't a failure. He knew how his 'experiment' would turn out. This job was to see if Ada would come back alive and in good condition. She seemed more than fine when she left the scene. Obviously, Ada had done something to gain the trust of a super-human. It had taken manipulating, he assumed, as Ada had unsuccessfully tried to cover up some bruising around her throat. What she was planning, he didn't know. But whatever she had in mind, he would find it out before Ada knew what hit her.
It wasn't long before Ada returned to the hotel. When she got in she saw Claire sitting at the edge of the bed examining her forearm, with a knife in hand, There was dry blood on her arm.
"Rapid healing is a benefit of being infected, is it not?" The perfect soldier. An agent as good, well, not AS good as me. Ada grew confidant that Claire would accept this opportunity, even beg her for the opportunity to kill Albert Wesker. With proper training of course.
"Listen Claire. I know we don't know much about each other, but concerning the situation we're both in, I believe there is a way we can both benefit from it."
Claire pulled her attention to Ada and pondered what was next. She stayed quiet and awaited for her to continue.
"I want Albert Wesker dead as much as you do. I can give you the opportunity to do just under the condition that you be properly trained for an extended amount of time until the opportunity comes. You and Wesker are on the same physical level and I can get you anything you need to…put an end to him."
Claire stood up and approached Ada.
"What makes you think I want your help? For all I know I'll be giving myself over to him."
"I can assure you that I have a direct motive for wanting him dead. None for wanting to hurt you, need I add. I just need some like him to do it. And, that just happened to be you."
"I am not like him."
"Denial won't help you Claire." Amber started to slowly erupt in her eyes. Tread carefully, Ada warned herself.
"I mean I thought you'd be tough enough to handle this situation. Aren't Redfields supposed to be tough? Or did the virus wash that away." That was the last straw. Claire stepped forward and had both hands around Ada's neck.
"Do you know?! Do you know what it's like to be in this condition Ada!? I share something with him. The man who killed me to watch my brother suffer. He who has done everything to see us destroyed!"
As the grip around her throat became tighter, Ada pulled out her switchblade and stabbed Claire in the left leg.
It caught Claire by surprise, causing her to stumble back. Gripping her thigh, Claire stood staring at Ada and listened. Casually, Ada folded her knife back and put it back in her pocket.
"I'm trying to help you here. Don't be foolish Claire. Take the chance and end him. It's not like you have many options. Where would you go? Your friends think you're dead. Seeing you alive would cause them to think the worst, would it not? I mean you abandoned then once. What will stop them from thinking you work for Wesker?"
Silently, she stood thinking about her friends rejecting her if she tried- STOP! She's trying to manipulate you! She's using you. Why are you letting this happen? Then again, she had to accept the fact that she and Wesker shared the same virus, making them both inhuman. Would destroying him give her some satisfaction? There was only one way to find out.
"Where am I headed?"