All That Remains
The past forty-eight hours or so had been nothing but a series of nightmares one after the other. Being in the heart of not just one, but two outbreaks across different time zones was taking a toll and Leon was running on pure adrenaline right now. Even though he was vaguely aware of the B.O.W., smoke, and unstable structure beneath him, all his thoughts were now focused on Ada's heavy head resting on his thigh.
The last time he felt such heft from her was back in Raccoon City when she seemingly died after being struck by the tyrant. He could remember how she went limp in his arms after the kiss and the sheer sorrow at reluctantly leaving her body behind.
He could not go through such anguish, not again. A mere hour ago, he felt his heart plummet into his stomach when Chris told him the news of her supposed death. Helena managed to catch on when he went quiet but he swiftly deflected her concern and pressed on with the mission, as always. In this line of work, one could not grieve immediately for lost allies. Only when he was alone and off the field, he had spent many nights downing countless bottles, trying to nurse the guilt and thinking of "What Ifs?"
When Leon saw her in the chopper laying down cover fire, there was confusion, followed by pure jubilation. He knew deep down there was something going on that was bigger than what he could comprehend. Something she alluded to back in the catacombs under Tall Oaks Cathedral. The blonde knew he could never get a straight answer with her and had long since abandoned any frustration at her riddles. The truth would be revealed, somehow.
Upon seeing her get struck by Simmons and almost falling off the walkway, all rational thought went out the window as he jumped after her. Leon vowed that he would not lose Ada, not this time. History will not repeat itself today. Despite how resilient Ada was, the urge to look out for her never truly went away. Sometimes he wondered if his complicated feelings for this beautiful soul were to his detriment.
"Get away from her, Leon!" A depraved voice jolted him out of his thoughts as he saw the ex-National Security Advisor point a finger at him accusingly. "You're not half the man she needs!"
Methodically, Leon readied his sniper rifle and he kept a steady aim on Simmons' head as the older man's flesh began to fracture in multiple places. Steam arose from his body, signalling an imminent transformation.
"Come with me, my love. We'll be together, forever!" Simmons raved once more as he turned back into what vaguely resembled a canine beast.
Leon felt repulsed on Ada's behalf and shot back a retort. "Not if I can help it!" With a squeeze of the trigger, he fired a bullet into the monster's face, repeating the motion until his clip ran out. How dare this asshole treat her like some sort of plaything?
Roughly more than half a minute had passed and Ada still had not stirred. It was worrying Leon and he was tempted to start CPR but he had a feeling Simmons would be incensed by a sight like that. Plus, he was still engaged in mid-battle and common sense dictated that he should not take his eyes off his opponent.
There was a short reprieve as Simmons was surrounded by zombies and Leon took the opportunity to find a pulse on her neck. It was beating strongly and he relaxed just a tad.
"Come on, wake up!" The blonde quietly urged the unconscious woman as he kept his gaze on Simmons.
Come on…! He's getting really pissed off. We need to get to safety.
With one last desperate attempt, he pleaded once more, "If you're really Ada, I know you can pull through this. We both can."
Having cleared out the undead around him, Simmons reared up on his hind legs and Leon's eyes widened in fright at the realisation of what would come next.
Shit!
Without hesitation, he automatically cradled her head onto his palm and wrapped an arm around her like a protective cocoon, turning his back towards the enemy to shield her from harm's way. He gasped as spiny projectiles peppered against his vest. It was not as bad as the bullet from Raccoon. Even if it was a gunshot, Leon would still take a dozen more for her.
At last, the blonde felt Ada stirring as she shifted her head, opening those hazel eyes and staring at him intently. No amount of words could express the utter relief he was feeling as a warmth spread through his chest. Leon took the opportunity to give her a once over for injuries. Compared to Tall Oaks, streaks of dirt and ash marred her usually pristine face. He noticed she was still in the same red & black outfit too. Briefly, he wondered how serious the situation was that she had no time to grab a change of clothes. Did it have to do with the other woman in blue that looked like her? Which one was the real one?
Ada gave him a faint smile as her gloved hand reached up to tap his as a gesture of thanks, "I was just resting my eyes."
He responded wryly as both got up to face Simmons, "Shouldn't sleep on the job."
It was back to business as both unleashed their arsenal on the massive B.O.W.
"In case you haven't noticed, Simmons doesn't take rejection well," Ada said between gunfire as she reloaded a clip.
Leon took the lead to cover her while Simmons began to shrink back to his human form, "Is there some backstory I should know here?"
"Nothing worthwhile," she replied cryptically before she ran up to a de-transformed Simmons and pummelled him repeatedly in the face. The ferocity of her punches frightened Leon a bit as he unconsciously took a step back to give her space. From all the times they had fleetingly spent together, he had never seen her this enraged before. Ada Wong was usually calm and collected, her mask almost never slipping except that one time in the Raccoon laboratory. Just what did Derek C. Simmons do to her before this?
Steam emitted from Simmons once again and Leon almost yelled a warning to Ada but she too, noticed the anomaly and quickly disengaged. Zombies poured out of the adjacent buildings, seemingly attracted to Simmons, and both took turns to take care of the undead and Simmons. It almost felt like they had returned to the sewers under Raccoon City again where they wordlessly had each other's backs.
Leon was emptying his pistol into the monstrosity when one of Simmons' mutated limbs suddenly lashed out and smacked him away. The blonde felt himself tumbling off the edge and he managed to find purchase on the ledge with his dominant hand at the last second, clinging onto it for dear life. He grunted with effort as he tried to climb up with both hands.
Leon heard Ada shouting his name in the distance and footsteps coming towards him. He was prepared to see her smirk, maybe make a witty remark, before helping him up.
Imagine his disappointment when he saw an almost naked Simmons looming over him instead, cruelly stomping on his hand and the sudden impact made him lose his grip on the other.
"Do you want to live?" Simmons sneered at him as Leon tried to grab the ledge with both hands once more. It was short lived as his left hand got kicked away by Simmons soon after. "Then beg! Beg for your life!"
To drive the point home, Simmons deliberately dug his heel into Leon's right knuckle. Thank goodness the agent wore gloves as it helped to lessen the pain. His right arm was beginning to burn and he hoped Ada had a plan because he could surely use it about now.
"I'll pass!" Leon spat back through gritted teeth and the sound of gunshots close by made him hopeful.
"Can't always get what you want, Simmons!" Ada said acidly and the blonde heard a metallic shing followed by the sound of squelching flesh.
"No! Nooo!" Was all Leon heard before he saw Simmons and Ada plunge past him. The blonde's heart momentarily skipped a beat for the Asian woman's safety before she fired her grappling hook.
"Let's call this closure," Ada declared before dropping the man like a hot potato. "You really should have moved on, Simmons."
Leon quickly pulled himself up and ran across the walkway with gun in hand to track Simmons' trajectory. He fell into a burning structure below, seemingly incinerated. The B.O.W. was no more.
He heaved a sigh of relief and caught sight of Ada in the opposite building where she was also witnessing Simmons' demise. Her posture indicated that she was not in a huge hurry and it looked like she was choosing to savour the moment.
A dozen thoughts raced through his mind. Every time they had crossed paths back in Raccoon, Spain, and the Eastern Slav Republic, she was there to procure a sample. If this was her agenda now, what was she stealing this time? Chris mentioned she was a member of Neo-Umbrella and "caused all of this".
If Ada already had a sample of the C-virus in the first place, she would not be here at all, right? What was her purpose here if she was not committing espionage? Other than dodging questions, all she had done so far was to aid them in taking down B. . He was quite surprised when she had stayed with Leon and Helena for an extended period of time in Tall Oaks. Normally, she would make herself scarce within a minute. Her actions in the past few days did not line up with her usual modus operandi.
"What are you?" Leon pondered out loud to himself. "Why are you helping us?"
A ping from his cell brought him out of his thoughts and he read the message.
[txt] Wish I could stay longer but I gotta run. I've left you a little parting gift on the roof. See you down the road, Leon.
What?
She wanted to stay this time? That was never an option before.
He looked up and caught a glance of Ada waving goodbye to him before turning away.
"ADA!" Leon exclaimed her name for the umpteen time and reached out for her, watching her silhouette saunter out of sight beyond his fingertips. Try as he might to prevent himself from feeling this way, a part of him always broke at her departure.
"What are you waiting for?" Helena's voice rang out on his earpiece. "Go after her."
His gaze flicked back and forth uncertainly, seemingly tempted by Helena's suggestion.
Unfortunately, it was drilled into him that the job always came first. Even when he was infected by the plaga in the rural Spanish village, he always prioritised Ashley's safety over his own health. That's why he became a cop all those years ago, to help those in need, even if it was slowly killing him on the inside.
"No," he turned around to face Helena. "We're sticking together."
With one last glance at where Ada was, he forced his feet to run in the opposite direction. Leon had to remind himself that Ada Wong was a capable individual who was a survivor, just like him.
Of course Simmons was not dead. He had to continue mutating into a gargantuan housefly. Seriously, this virus was just absolutely bizarre. On top of being bone tired and ravenous, Leon was now drenched by rain. Thank goodness Ada left a RPG for them to utilise and he made quick work of dispatching Simmons for good. The blonde did not know what to make of the pink lipstick mark on the warhead though. Was it meant for him or was it her idea of a cheeky send-off for Simmons?
Helena stood beside him as they watched Simmons' body get impaled by the obelisk in the middle of the Quad tower. The previous time they walked away, Simmons got up again. Now, both of them had the responsibility to ensure he was truly dead. They could see a pool of blood forming at the base of the obelisk and Leon was disgusted when it took the shape of the Umbrella logo.
"That's for my sister," Helena said solemnly after they stared at the corpse for a couple of minutes, satisfied that the man who had tortured and tormented her would no longer be claiming any more victims.
Expressing sympathy for his new partner, Leon carefully placed a hand on her shoulder, "Come on, let's get to the chopper."
Both jogged back to the helipad and when Leon opened the door, the sight of a golden circular object on the pilot's seat greeted them. He could only stare at it blankly as a series of questions filled his mind. Was it a booby trap? Did Ada leave it behind by accident?
No, everything she did had a purpose.
"Is that Ada's?" Helena asked, equally bewildered.
Hesitantly, he clutched the compact and thumbed the switch, watching the lid open up to reveal some makeup. His reflection in the mirror gazed back at him and he looked a little worse for wear. Was it another joke from Ada? That he needed to look decent?
He felt his pinkie finger get pushed up and he slid it to the side, waiting with bated breath for the hidden compartment beneath the makeup to be unveiled. A memory card was seated within and he grabbed it before handing off the makeup to Helena. She would have a use for it, right?
Inserting the card into his phone, a series of images floated on the screen, some of them featuring Simmons standing in front of tanks of B. . He moved his phone closer to Helena and she gasped, "Leon, this is-"
"Evidence that proves Simmons' guilt." The frown he was wearing finally went away. He would hate to sit in an interrogation room for hours.
"Which means it will prove your innocence."
Leon furrowed his brows again, confused by Helena's statement. She was still hellbent on taking all the blame and making sure he came out clean.
He softened his features and turned towards her, "Our innocence."
Despite a shaky start to their alliance in Tall Oaks, Helena had proven herself trustworthy and still did the right thing in the end. He would not let someone who was blackmailed face the gallows alone.
She merely scoffed. "I don't need it."
"Helena…" His voice was still kind and he was not going to change his mind on persuading her.
But that would have to wait as his phone began to ring. The blonde accepted the call and saw his favourite F.O.S. agent on the screen. "Good news, Leon," Hunnigan said with a small smile on her face. "We've found a way to defeat the virus."
Before Leon could reply, an explosion from behind caused them to flinch in surprise. He glanced back and saw a sizable fireball rise up the tower. They ought to leave now lest the structure start collapsing.
"Copy that. We're on our way back. See you soon," he replied Hunnigan hurriedly and gestured to Helena to enter the chopper as he ended the call. "Let's go."
His partner complied and jumped into the pilot seat, checking the controls while Leon took the opportunity to cast another look at the burning Quad Tower. Was this Ada's handiwork? Would she be able to make it out alive? He contemplated going back to check on her but as quick as that idea came into his mind, he knew that she would be fine.
After all, she left the chopper for them, didn't she? That would mean she already had her own exit plan. Whatever it was, Ada was no damsel in distress.
Leon was not a praying man but he silently wished her well, thinking wistfully on when they would cross paths again. With that, he climbed into the chopper and shut the door.
Helena fired up the chopper and they ascended to freedom. She glanced over at the blonde and he noticed the hardness in her eyes were now gone, replaced by sheer optimism. The evidence would definitely help them; they did not have to skulk around like fugitives any more.
He smiled back reassuringly and drew his attention to the city below. Whatever hope he felt a second ago was swiftly replaced by ire for bioterrorism. Why did countless innocent people have to die for this? No matter how many times he asked himself this question, he could never come up with a satisfactory answer.
The senseless carnage below was now part and parcel of what he saw on a semi-regular basis.
His thoughts were once again interrupted by his buzzing phone containing instructions from Hunnigan to fly to the next city's airport an hour away. He relayed that information to Helena and began to take the time to do a quick run through of Ada's intel.
Speaking of the mysterious woman in red, the faintest scent of her perfume lingered in the cockpit along with the odour of gunpowder and sweat. Leon could almost imagine her seated beside him, giving him a coy grin as he slowly uncovered the truth. Sometimes he wished she was more forthcoming instead of engaging in a cat and mouse game.
The blonde started with the images first and they featured the laboratory beneath Tall Oaks Cathedral as well as Simmons inspecting some tanks with yellow humanoid husks.
He frowned at the husk which was similar to the one he saw on Ada's tape… Was she always a B.O.W.? She mentioned that Simmons did not take rejection well so did that imply she had been working with him? If Simmons did all this, how much did Ada have a hand in it?
Everything he thought he knew about Ada Wong was being put into question. Chris did say she killed his men and caused the Lanshiang outbreak. Her presence in both incidents within the past few days and the fact she kept running away was becoming even more suspicious.
If she was indeed a bioterrorist, how could he still have feelings for her?
"We're here," Helena nudged his elbow and Leon stirred awake with his phone in hand. He looked around and found the chopper on a tarmac.
"It's been an hour?"
"You fell asleep shortly after you started looking at the evidence." She said matter-of-factly. "We can review it together on the plane ride home."
Was he so engrossed in his thoughts that he was not aware he closed his eyes for a nap? His body must have been more exhausted than he thought.
They exited the chopper and showed their government IDs to the personnel waiting at the end of the runway with a tablet in hand. "We are waiting for more diplomatic evacuees and the plane will leave in an hour. You can wait in the lounge," he gestured to the building behind him and tried not to show his discomfort that these two agents were reeking.
Their departure was eventually delayed so they took the time to freshen up with showers and fabric sprays for their clothes. In a private booth in the lounge, both reviewed the evidence in depth. Some contained short reports from researchers which barely skimmed the surface of the atrocities that were committed.
There was one referencing what was planned for Deborah and Helena's fists were clenched the whole time while tranquil fury radiated from her. When they reached the bottom of the evidence list, the final note made both of them especially enraged.
The assassination was successful. Make sure to set all Lepotitsa in Tall Oaks to self destruct and prepare for Operation: Bacillus Terminate.
Leon Kennedy and Helena Harper are following me to China. They were reported dead by the FOS, but the report is false. Make sure a Lepotitsa gets on their plane so that the FOS's report doesn't go to waste.
"If he weren't already dead, I would kill him again," the muscle in Helena's jaw twitched as her teeth remained clenched. Leon understood her anger as he too, was still enraged at the loss of seventy thousand innocent citizens because Simmons wanted to cover up the truth of Raccoon City.
Simmons' notes depicted a completely different man, he was raving about keeping the world in balance and had no qualms about his cruel experiments. It was a stark departure from his affable and cool headed persona as the National Security Advisor.
"I'm sending this to Hunnigan. She'll have it sorted out. In the meantime, get some sleep on the plane later. You've been up for two days," Leon said softly as he encrypted and relayed the evidence on a secure channel.
An announcement was made over the PA system that they were ready to depart and Helena got up to join the line, mulling over the evidence and Leon's advice to rest.
The blonde watched his partner stroll off and he did another run through at the proof Ada gave… It listed Simmons' guilt and crimes but there was no mention of her at all. It was extremely suspicious. How could she seemingly unleash a devastating outbreak and why would she help them clear their names at the same time? What were her motives here?
He sighed inwardly as he proceeded to board the plane, taking a seat beside Helena who stared out the window, lost in thought. At least the chairs were spacious and comfortable like their flight into China. Leon hoped the journey would be uneventful though, he did not have the mental capacity to endure another global catastrophe so soon. The boarding process was taking a while and he found himself closing his eyes to doze off for just a bit…
Leon was not aware when the plane took off but he awoke with a start when the aircraft lurched from turbulence. He noticed the lights in the cabin were slightly dimmed and saw the other passengers were napping in their seats.
"I thought you said you couldn't sleep on planes," Helena whispered.
He rubbed his neck to massage the kinks out of it before replying quietly, "Guess my body decided it was a good time to power down after two days of no sleep. How long was I out?"
"Three hours or so. You were also jerking your legs in your sleep whenever the plane encountered turbulence. First time seeing you wake up because of it."
The blonde muttered an apology. "Did I keep you up because of that?"
Helena shook her head, "I had a lot on my mind and was doing some thinking."
"Let's go to the discussion tables at the back," Leon unbuckled his seat belt and stepped out to the aisle with his partner following him. He grabbed bananas and bottled water as they passed by the galley and took a seat at an enclosed booth for two.
He handed half of the fruit and water to Helena and she gave him her thanks. Her eye bags were prominent and he could see she was as exhausted as him.
"You need to get some sleep, Helena."
She sighed and placed a palm on her forehead. "Every time I try, I just see Deborah slipping out of my grasp. I did this. All of it."
Leon shook his head. "You were blackmailed, and we have the evidence to prove it."
"I did lie to my fellow agents and it caused the President to be unguarded for a period of time. I'm going to own up to my mistake. Don't try to talk me out of it!" She said fiercely as she took a sip of water.
"… Alright. It's also up to the disciplinary committee to decide," Leon said softly and continued to speak, "They'll also have to review the evidence and record our statements. You know I'll relay everything you did and put in a good word for you."
She finally conceded, "Fine. I doubt they'll be lenient though."
An hour before reaching their destination, Hunnigan finally acknowledged that she received the evidence.
[txt] Take note everyone on the plane will have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine.
[txt] Use this time to write your post-mission report. You'll most likely be interviewed through video call.
[txt] Don't be surprised if both of you are treated with suspicion upon arrival. I've been trying to get the evidence out to relevant parties as fast as I can.
The last text made Leon despondent and he did not have the heart to wake Helena. She only managed to fall asleep a couple of hours ago after staying awake for most of the flight. He, on the other hand, kept drifting in and out of sleep as he was awoken by the slightest turbulence. Call it a job hazard but his senses would kick into overdrive whenever something disturbed the quaint silence.
He decided that he would update Helena when they land. Feeling a bit peckish, he returned to the galley, only to find that the basket of food and drinks were kept in preparation for landing. The blonde sighed and walked to the lavatory to make himself somewhat presentable, smoothing down his messy locks that got mussed up during his nap.
Even though he got a shower in the airline lounge, his clothes were still stained with soot and grime. Guess Ada's makeup mirror from earlier was a reminder that he indeed looked like shit. It was no wonder the other passengers gave them a wide berth. As quickly as thoughts of her entered his mind, Leon stifled it. He did a good job of not going down the rabbit hole so far during the plane ride, he would not succumb to it now.
Leon returned to his space when the captain made an announcement that they were beginning their descent. Helena shuffled in her seat before she opened her eyes, putting her chair in an upright position.
"Slept well?"
She shrugged and yawned, "I probably need a solid eight hours of sleep."
"Hunnigan mentioned that everyone on this aircraft has to be quarantined. You can repay your sleep debt then."
Helena raised an eyebrow. "Quarantine? We weren't infected."
"It's standard protocol," Leon replied reassuringly. "I've been through a few of them myself. Gives you plenty of time to finish the post-mission report."
There was a groan of annoyance from her, "I hate writing reports."
He chuckled, "That's part of the job when you become an agent, I'm afraid."
As the flight attendants began making their way down the aisles to ensure the cabin was prepped for landing, Leon informed Helena about the possibility of being arrested on arrival.
If there was any surprise or disappointment, she did not show it. Instead, she decided she would gracefully accept the outcome, whatever it may be. "Okay," was all she said as she watched the little plane model circle around the airport on the TV screen.
"Do you want me to leave her out in my report?"
Leon turned towards Helena, having an inkling whom his partner was referring to and he was touched by her empathy. "I've always written about her presence whenever I've encountered her. They'll find out if you omit anything. It's… better to state the truth."
Not that anything ever came out of it as he had yet to see Ada on any wanted lists.
His heart clenched once more as he tried his hardest to keep her out of his mind. Under normal circumstances, he would gladly daydream about her. However… her being a bioterror suspect was gradually sending him into a tailspin. Leon had underestimated the vice-like grip she had on his emotions.
Helena saw him being contemplative and quiet once more and chided herself for bringing up Ada. It was plain as day that Leon had a soft spot for the mysterious woman in red but he kept dodging it.
The remainder of the flight was spent in silence and the passengers were relieved as the wheels touched down on the runway. They have successfully escaped the outbreak in Lanshiang.
They were escorted out of the plane in groups and as the plane slowly emptied out, both Helena and Leon were instructed to stay in their seats. The government agent had a bad feeling they would be the last ones to disembark.
Sure enough, when only the two of them were left on the plane, the flight attendants nervously made themselves scarce and they were replaced by stern-looking men and women in black suits. The group stood a distance from them and folded their hands behind them.
"Agent Kennedy, Agent Harper, please disarm yourselves," the guy in the lead said and Leon nodded. The blonde slowly and methodically laid out his weapons and ammunition on the tray table, not making any sudden movements. Helena followed suit and she was glad she managed to prevent her hands from trembling.
"We have already received intel from the F.O.S. but this is just a precaution. You two were the last known people to be in contact with President Benford, after all."
Leon hated what he was insinuating and was tempted to fire a glare at his fellow agent but knew better to keep his emotions in check. Any misdemeanours would make the investigation unfavourable for them. Leon bit his cheek and kept his head down, patting the various pockets on his vest to ensure he removed everything.
The guy in-charge had their weapons collected before motioning at them to follow. At least they weren't being handcuffed which was a positive sign. But why did it feel like they were undertaking a walk of shame?
Even though any semblance of Adam Benford was long gone upon turning into a zombie, Leon was still the one to pull the trigger. Technically, he did shoot the president. He felt another wave of emotion surging within him as he brooded about his old friend but the Sun shone down on his face as he stepped out of the plane, halting his thoughts.
The blonde squinted in response and it took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust before he noticed minibuses and cars waiting outside the plane. There were no armoured trucks or armed men which was a relief. Leon made a note to thank Hunnigan for her timely intervention.
"Please follow me, Agent Kennedy. Agent Harper, please follow my colleague," the guy in the lead gestured to a ponytailed agent.
Leon turned to Helena and gave her an encouraging smile. She returned the gesture and held her head high as she entered a grey car while Leon got into a black sedan. He wondered if separating them was necessary when they were heading to the same destination.
The only thing out of the ordinary was when they were brought in via separate entrances. It was not like they were hatching a plot to escape in the first place. Guess the higher ups were still distrusting of them.
This was turning out to be the hardest report Leon ever had to write. He struggled to remain impartial with regards to Benford and Ada, often finding himself hitting the backspace key whenever he tried to justify his actions in Tall Oaks.
Usually, he would nurse a can of beer to power through the mind-numbing task but the only beverages provided during quarantine were water and caffeine. If agents wanted something else to consume, it would come out of their pockets. The blonde caved in and ordered two six-packs of Blue Moon. That should tide him over the rest of quarantine… provided he did not binge.
His alcohol stash arrived around dinner and his spirits were lifted instantly. It felt like he had finally found water after wandering around aimlessly in the desert. With liquid courage in hand, the blonde managed to keep his report factual, listing things as they were.
He completely lost track of time and did not realise it was a couple of hours past midnight when he was in the middle of recounting the events in Lanshiang. Leon scrubbed his face with the palm of his hand and let out a yawn, allowing the sleepiness lingering in his head to sink in. He shuffled off to the bathroom to brush his teeth before trudging back to bed, face planting on the pillow and snoozing like a log.
An incessant ringing hours later brought him out of sleep and he let out a soft curse. There was no peace during quarantine. His hand reached out to fumble at the various objects on the bedside table before he finally found his phone.
Seeing Hunnigan's name on the screen gave him a sense of urgency and he bolted upright, not caring that he had bedhead. She had seen him in worse states than this. "Good morning, Hunnigan. What's up?"
Turning a blind eye to the fact that the blonde had obviously just woken up, Ingrid pushed up the glasses that fell down her nose bridge and began to type rapidly. "Leon, are you done with your report?"
He shook his head, "Right down to business huh? Isn't the deadline at the end of next week? Did they move it up?"
"No. The F.O.S has uncovered more evidence and it's best you see them. It might influence the outcome of your report."
Leon sighed, "And here I was getting a headstart for once."
Ingrid gave him an apologetic look. "I should warn you that it involves a certain individual you've mentioned in the past. I recommend that you read the text files first before reviewing the photographs."
He furrowed his brows in confusion. "Okay…?"
Her comment was very vague as he had listed down the names of numerous people in previous reports. Just whom was Hunnigan referring to?
"Sending the files via email…" Ingrid made a few clicks with her mouse before punching the enter key. "How are you feeling, by the way?"
Leon shrugged, "Nothing much to do other than work, eat, and sleep."
He was ignoring the question and it made Ingrid worried. She knew he had ordered beer yesterday too and it was something he sought comfort in whenever the situation was emotionally heavy on him.
"I see…"
"It feels like you're about to lecture me," Leon said as he got out of bed and placed his phone on a desk.
Ingrid scowled at the screen which was now giving her a view of the ceiling, "I've been working with you for almost a decade, Leon. Of course I care about your well being."
Leon knew she meant well and moved back into eyeshot. "I know. I guess I'm still a little tired, that's all."
It was a white lie and Hunnigan could easily see through it but she decided to drop the matter. At least he wasn't snapping at her and hanging up the call. "You should check in with Helena too, see how she's coping with the report."
The doorbell buzzed, signalling a meal delivery.
"Maybe after I'm done eating. Breakfast is here. Talk to you later," the blonde pressed the red 'X' to end the call and opened the door to pick up his bag of food.
It was a breakfast burrito today and he was pleasantly surprised by the menu variety. Based on past experiences, breakfast mostly consisted of sandwiches and bagels, sometimes pancakes. This was the first time he was given a burrito and it was scrumptious. Or perhaps he was just hungry and everything tasted good.
He opened his email and downloaded the attachment while he ate. The evidence appeared to have been sorted by Hunnigan, since it was conveniently listed in numerical order. He surmised he should start from number one.
I've warned Adam time and time again not to go public with the details on the Raccoon City Incident…
Leon remained expressionless as he read Simmons' plan for assassinating Adam. He had already spent enough energy being furious towards the ex-National Security Advisor and he ought to keep a level head if he wanted to finish this report.
The next one was also about Simmons and it appeared to be written just after he and Helena confronted him in China. "The Family" was mentioned once more and Leon wondered just how dangerous this mysterious faction was. Were they the ones Ada alluded to in Tall Oaks? The people that were pulling the strings? Leon was long aware of some form of corruption within the government and he mostly kept his head down. Their goals were usually aligned, to keep the world safe from bioterrorism. He had no reason to rebel against the institution.
But now, Leon wasn't sure what to feel any more… He had already given up his youth to this unrelenting life, accepting things as they were, doing jobs as he was told. What was one more harsh truth? It was not like he had the power to revamp everything from inside out.
He exhaled loudly through his nose and pinched his nose bridge as he continued reading, feeling confused by Hunnigan's cryptic statement that the evidence had someone from his past. To his knowledge, he had never referred to Simmons in his previous reports.
Derek has lost his mind to the mutation, so all that needs to happen now is for the government to kill him. What was he injected with? It seemed to be based off of the C-Virus, but I've never seen a mutation like that. It must have been something that Ada cooked up with Neo-Umbrella. If we could get a sample of it, we could do some research. I'll have to get some of our people on this.
Ada's name caused his heart to involuntarily skip a beat. So that's what Hunnigan meant.
Truthfully, he had grown numb to the accusations of Ada being a leader of Neo-Umbrella now. If she had already made her decision to go down this path, so be it. She was an adult, after all. It was her choice to make her bed and sleep in it.
Derek Simmons death has been confirmed.
Neo-Umbrella will also probably not be left standing for long.
The new leader of The Family has been chosen.
We need to come together and persevere as we have in the past if we are to keep balance in the world.
Leon frowned at the statement of Neo-Umbrella apparent demise. Was Ada apprehended then? He quickly pursued the rest of the files. Other than Simmons leaving instructions for Tall Oaks' extermination and a researcher speculating the origins of the C-virus, there were no more references of Ada. One note confirmed his hypothesis that the grotesque gas monster they encountered at the cathedral was indeed the source of the outbreak in Tall Oaks.
The mention of the Lepotitsa emerging from a chrysalid did raise his suspicions though. Because Deborah certainly did not become one and Ada looked perfectly normal in the video he watched. Not only could this new virus turn people into zombies, it could mutate them too? This was something the T virus could not do. Like what the researcher mused in one of the previous notes, who was so vile to combine the G and T-Veronica viruses?
The last note was even more puzzling as there was no signature.
After 10 years and 12,235 experiments, it's finally complete.
Thank you, Ms. Radames. I owe it all to you.
4/30/2009
Who was Radames? What experiment began in 1999 and was completed over four years ago? How was this evidence supposed to help him with the report at all? Even though they provided some answers, more questions were popping up in Leon's mind.
Finally, it was time for him to review the photographs which were satellite images.
The first one was a tad grainy and featured a blurry figure just outside a ship. It appeared that the individual was… falling? Their hands were loosely outstretched, as if they were reaching for the stars.
The second picture was clearer and Leon felt his stomach churn. It was Ada in a blue dress with her arms splayed out to the side. There was a dark stain fanning out on the ground beneath her. It did not take a genius to deduce that she was in an unmistakable pose of death.
Even though he knew she was still alive, Leon could feel the room plunge into a chilly, eerie silence as he broke out into a cold sweat. The sensation of bile rose up in the back of his throat and he fought to keep his breakfast down.
The blonde tore his eyes away and gazed out the window, focusing on the clear blue sky outside his room.
His reaction was peculiar though. He had witnessed countless corpses, especially in Raccoon City. While the first few encounters were nerve wracking at first, he had become desensitised to death over the years. Leon was not expecting such a response to a photo of Ada.
She was bonded to him way stronger than he cared to admit.
When his breathing and heart rate normalised, he flipped to the next image. It was a familiar figure in red walking out of the ship.
Oh.
OH.
What?!
Leon was at a loss for words as a million thoughts raced through his mind. Which one was the real Ada Wong? Was the other woman the one who was in charge of Neo-Umbrella? Why didn't Ada tell him about this?!
Wait a minute.
The chrysalid. The mutations of the C-virus. Could they change someone into a different individual? If the C-virus experiments started in 1999, a year after Raccoon City and Rockford Island, then Ada's and Simmons' reactions toward each other made sense.
Leon could more or less deduce what happened. Simmons was one of the few who made the decision to annihilate Raccoon City while Ada was still in it. She probably did not take kindly to that and left. He wanted her back ever since, for reasons unknown.
Not allowing his mind to stray too far, his fingers automatically opened the final series of photographs in rapid succession. They featured Ada, the one he had always known, looming over her dead "twin" before some kind of liquid spewed from the doppelganger's corpse and caused Ada to edge closer towards the ship.
The blonde clicked next on his keyboard and drew a blank. He had reached the end of the evidence without knowing it.
"Damn!" Leon swore under his breath as he was now feeling a swirl of emotions within him. There was relief that the woman he held a torch for was not a bioterrorist. It was followed by worry as all this time, she was managing this situation by herself and everyone was none the wiser.
Hell, she was being hunted for a crime she did not commit. No wonder she did not have time to grab a change of clothing as she went from Tall Oaks to Lanshiang.
Why did she leave such vital information out of the memory card though? What's wrong with letting people know her identity was stolen? It could have cleared her name easily and Chris would not waste time chasing tail.
Concurrently, Leon was confused about what to do with the evidence. How was it going to help his report? He already knew Simmons orchestrated the destruction of Tall Oaks. What value would this add other than easing his conscience?
The blonde reached for his phone and dialled Hunnigan. "I've reviewed everything. I just don't understand why you sent it."
Ingrid could not believe the words coming out of his mouth. How dense was he? She did a quick inhale and exhale before replying, "The investigating committee will interview you at the end of your quarantine. It would be best if you were prepared."
"Prepared?"
"For the questions that would be thrown your way, Leon. They are bound to ask what happened and you do not want to be caught off-guard."
His eyebrows remained raised. "Isn't that cheating? Are you allowed to do this?"
If she could reach through the screen, Ingrid would have strangled him. "You're a field agent assigned under my charge. Of course it's my responsibility to aid you in any way."
And Helena mentioned you were worried about Ada too.
Hunnigan thought to herself but knew she could not say it out loud lest he denied his feelings even further. Through the years, she could not help but have reservations for this mysterious Ada Wong. Whenever Leon was questioned on why he did not bring her into custody, he would always retort that she was not part of his mission objective. Even though it was clear as day that she was up to something shady.
It wasn't until Helena confided in Ingrid on what happened in Lanshiang. His actions made sense now. The stoic Leon S. Kennedy was human, after all. Well, as long as Ada was not a threat to national security, she would close an eye for Leon's sake.
A small blush bloomed on Leon's cheeks when he finally realised what she was implying. Was he really an open book? Still, he was grateful for her actions.
"Thank you, Ingrid," it was a rare occasion that he addressed the F.O.S. agent by her first name and she looked surprised as well before her features softened into a smile.
"You're welcome. I'll await your report."
The call ended soon after and Leon stood up, pacing in front of the window as he contemplated on what he would do next.
On a whim, he scrolled to the text message that Ada sent a couple of days ago and re-read it again.
See you down the road, Leon.
He clicked her name and it brought up a number. His thumb remained hovered over it, undecided if he should make the call.
No, he would not idle around for another chance encounter. Time for him to take the lead for a change. Pressing the big green "call" symbol, he waited with bated breath and was not surprised when it could not connect, immediately going straight to "The number you have dialled is not-"
The blonde hung up before the sentence ended. Of course Ada would use a burner phone. It was wishful thinking on his part that he thought he could contact her at a moment's notice. He did not know when would be the next time they crossed paths. Every time he went on a mission, he silently hoped she would appear since she always popped up in places he least expected.
There was no discernible pattern to her appearances. The past couple of encounters had a two year gap but before that, the wait was much longer. Leon was crestfallen at the thought there would be a lull period of years before he ever saw her again.
No news would be good news, right? Even though she was a gifted woman, a small part of him would constantly fret about her well being. He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. There was nothing he could do now but finish his work.
On the last day of quarantine, Leon tugged at the collar of his crisp, new shirt while he waited for the video call to commence. It was a tad stiff and scratchy but he was still grateful that Hunnigan ordered and mailed him a suit to look presentable in front of the committee. This was an important interview which would determine his innocence.
At the allotted time, he finally saw the blank screen change into one featuring six squares. Other than Hunnigan in the bottom right of the screen who was serving as his witness for today's interview, the blonde only recognised two of the committee members, having been acquainted with them on previous occasions.
"Good morning, Agent Kennedy. Thank you for meeting with us first thing in the morning," a middle-aged female in the top centre of the screen greeted him cordially. Leon cast a quick glance at the name tag below her portrait.
"Likewise, Mdm Walters. I'm sure your schedules are rather packed."
A man by the name of Mr. Rittler, situated to the right of Walters, appeared to have ignored Leon's salutation, "We've read your report which was rather informative and detailed. We would like to ask some questions."
Leon nodded and made a gesture that he was all ears.
"First off, we should introduce ourselves. I'm Lillian Walters." She pointed to herself before angling her hands to her various colleagues around the room. "Joining me today are Joaquim Rittler and Lee Aeyoung. The three of us will be asking the questions. Wallace Jackson will be taking the minutes while our newest member, Bruce McGivern will be observing. You would also know Ingrid Hunnigan who will be witness to the proceedings."
Leon wasn't aware Bruce had moved to a new division but was happy for him nonetheless. They had spoken on and off regarding what they've encountered on missions and the best way to deal with B. . Both had an understanding of the difficulties they faced in this line of work. He was glad he had an ally in the committee.
On the bottom left of the screen, Lee began the questioning. "You started off your report by listing your encounter with an infected President Benford. May I know what made you leave your position to head towards him?"
Leon had met her before at a work meeting and found her to be friendly and possessing fair judgement.
"I heard other agents requesting for backup on the comms to protect the President and rushed to his aid immediately."
He recalled how Adam invited him to the speech at Ivy University, knowing how much he had been affected by the events of the Raccoon City Incident. Leon agreed and decided to sign up for security detail for the event. Might as well kill two birds with one stone.
Leon was making rounds in the lecture hall where Adam was due to give his speech when he heard screams echoing in the distance. This was quickly followed by frantic chatter on the comms and Leon left out the part where he listened to his fellow agents cry out in agony as they got devoured. "The campus erupted into chaos soon after."
"And you saw Agent Harper when you arrived in the room?" Rittler asked as he laced his fingers together. Leon didn't know why but he was feeling a dislike towards this man.
"Yes, the President had already turned when I arrived. She was asking him to stay back."
Rittler remained unmoved. "What was her reaction?"
Leon quirked an eyebrow, already intensifying his scorn for Rittler. "Excuse me? Could you clarify that?" He had to curb his irritation lest he let it show. "Reaction to what, exactly?"
"What Mr. Rittler meant was how did she react to the infected President and your presence," Walters stepped in to defuse the tension.
"Agent Harper looked fearful when he was shambling towards her, like anyone would when they encounter a zombie for the first time," Leon crossed his arms as he answered calmly, squeezing his biceps to stop himself from clenching his fists. "She seemed to be relieved when I showed up."
"Alright," Lee said gently. "And from your report, the President was already not responding to your request to stop moving."
"Yes. He was advancing on Agent Harper and was going to attack her. I had no choice but to stop him from infecting her."
"How did she respond to that?" Rittler spoke again. Why was he asking so many questions with regards to Helena?
Leon stared straight into the camera. "Stunned and shocked. I did shoot the President, after all. I took no pleasure in doing that."
Walters' softened her gaze, "And we don't fault you for that. We understand it was a painful decision and you acted accordingly." She looked down at her notes before glancing up again. "We are concerned why you went along with Agent Harper's lie to Agent Hunnigan afterwards that you had a lead in Tall Oaks cathedral."
"The situation was urgent and there was no time to argue. It was imperative we catch the perpetrator as quickly as possible."
Lee tilted her head slightly at Leon's response. "Was there any point in time where Agent Harper disregarded your orders?"
Huh, not only Rittler but Lee was enquiring about Helena too. It was beginning to feel less like an investigation about his actions and more of a grilling session of what Helena did. Leon had promised he would put in a good word for her and he would stick to it.
"She was initially reluctant to help civilians en route to Tall Oaks Cathedral but still assisted them upon my request," the blonde agent said coolly, making sure to enunciate his words clearly. "I later learned her sister was held hostage in the cathedral by Simmons. After her sister's passing, she followed my lead for the rest of the way."
"Speaking of Tall Oaks Cathedral," Rittler uttered just as soon as Leon was done, "you mentioned in your report that you encountered Ada Wong there. Were you aware she was listed as Neo-Umbrella's leader at that point in time?"
Great, now Rittler was after Ada too? Leon was still trying to discern if this committee member was always this abrasive or just trying to weed out more information. He had to be careful with his reply now lest he was accused of fraternising with the "enemy".
Leon shook his head. "No. As included in the report, there is evidence that someone else was impersonating her." He unfolded his arms and remained earnest, "If she was really the leader of a bioterrorist organisation, she wouldn't have readily assisted us in the termination of Deborah & Simmons when they mutated."
"I see," Rittler furrowed his brow. "Why would there be someone impersonating her though?"
At this point, Leon could only shrug, "I'm baffled about that too."
"Hm," Lee rubbed her chin in thought. "It would be best if she could be brought in as a witness."
"That's not the focus of this interview anyway," Hunnigan interrupted as she finally spoke for the first time after the video call started. "We are determining the verdict for Agent Kennedy today."
Leon made a mental note to send his thanks to Hunnigan later. Ada would be difficult to locate if she did not want to be found. He would loathe to have to hunt her down…
The rest of the interview was frankly, a little boring as they continued to verify what happened. Even Rittler became marginally bearable with his clipped remarks. Occasionally the committee were in disbelief as he described the new B. that emerged from the C-virus. Finally, after close to an hour of discussion, it was coming to an end.
Walters looked around the table as her colleagues shook their heads, indicating they had no further questions. She began to make her closing statement, "Thank you for the discussion today, Agent Kennedy. It was very insightful. Before we end off, we want to circle back to Agent Harper again. Did she display impulsiveness or a short temper?"
Leon had to refrain from rolling his eyes as they asked the same thing for the umpteen time. He wondered if they were interviewing the correct person today.
"She was a little impatient to get to Deborah in Tall Oaks but she never took off to do her own thing, even after losing her sister. When confronting Simmons, she still maintained her composure," Leon replied matter-of-factly. "Agent Harper was faced with the most impossible choice with regards to Deborah but she still did the right thing in the end by owning up to her mistake and doing her utmost best to make things right. Overall, she did very well for her first biohazard encounter."
Walters gave him a nod and a tiny smile. "Please give us ten minutes as we deliberate the final outcome."
Leon took the opportunity to grab a drink and walk around the room to stretch his legs. Interestingly, instead of feeling butterflies in his stomach, he felt a sense of eerie calm. He would accept any decision the committee made. If he was dismissed… Well, he'll cross the road when he got to it.
At the eight minute mark, his laptop dinged, indicating the video call would resume. Was it a good sign they did not use the full ten minutes? Leon returned to the desk and pressed "Accept".
This time, it was Bruce who was in the centre of the screen.
Walters gestured to her colleague, "We've come to a conclusion and we will let Mr. McGivern deliver the verdict."
Bruce looked down at his notes before glancing up. There was the tiniest hint of a grin on the corner of his mouth.
"Agent Kennedy, the committee has unanimously agreed that your actions at Tall Oaks and Lanshiang were executed fairly and under good judgement. No charges will be pressed against you and you are fit to resume duty after medical clearance."
Leon felt a weight lifted off his shoulders and returned the smile, "Thank you kindly for your consideration."
"Great. We will formally conclude this investigation. Have a good rest of the week, Agent Kennedy," Bruce and the rest of the members bid their farewell before the call finally ended.
The blonde let out a long drawn sigh and loosened his tie, pulling it off his neck before unbuttoning the scratchy collar of his new shirt. Everything went smoothly and he had to count his lucky stars.
Picking up his phone, he fired off a text to Hunnigan.
[txt] Thanks for the shirt and the save earlier in the meeting.
There was no response after a few minutes and Leon quirked an eyebrow. Perhaps she was preoccupied with other matters. He changed into a more comfortable set of clothes and proceeded to pack up his belongings for his check out later in the afternoon.
Hunnigan replied a few hours later with a most peculiar text.
[txt] You're welcome. Are you available for a call right now?
Leon sent an affirmative and his phone rang immediately.
"Hey Hunnigan, what's up?"
Ingrid took off her glasses and let out a long exhale. "We just finished Helena's interview."
His interest was piqued. "Oh? What was the outcome?"
"Same as yours."
Before he could get a word in, Ingrid continued. "But she requested that the result be made known to her tomorrow, after she pays her respects to Deborah."
"Huh," Leon said in slight confusion.
"I feel the same way. The committee has also placed the responsibility on me to deliver her the good news. I was wondering if you could help…" She said with a small smile.
Along with Hunnigan, Leon had chipped in to fund Deborah's grave. After what they've been through together, he was more than happy to assist Helena in any shape or form. The blonde listened intently to Ingrid's plan and did not know the F.O.S. agent had a cheeky streak in her.
"It sounds interesting but would she be on board with it?" Leon asked, wondering if he should give his colleague an almost heart attack.
Ingrid nodded, "I've met her a few times before Tall Oaks. She'll be okay with it. Plus, Helena needs to know she isn't alone and has allies who have her back. What better to do so than with some light hearted humour?"
"Okay…" The blonde said with uncertainty. Still, he knew to trust Hunnigan's judgement since she helped to get him out of close shaves before. She was not a person who would do things out of malice.
"Just to let you know, the findings will not be made public. The official statement would be that a bioterrorist organisation was responsible for the outbreak."
"So, another cover up huh?" He was not sure what to feel at this point. First Raccoon, now this. At least he should be grateful he wasn't wrongly accused for killing the president, right?
Ingrid glared at the screen sternly, "You know what would happen if the truth went out. They are not making Ada a priority either, by the way."
Leon's eyebrows shot up higher than they possibly could and judging by Hunnigan's bemused expression, he must have looked ridiculous.
"Since the true culprit for Neo-Umbrella is dead, they are leaving it be for now," she offered an explanation, seeing how speechless he was at that statement.
He swallowed the lump in his throat, trying to find the words to express his gratitude to Hunnigan for telling him this. All he could utter was, "I see…"
Glancing down at her watch, Ingrid decided it was time to end the call. "You're about to check out in an hour right? I'll leave you to it then. The car will come by to pick you up at your apartment at ten o'clock tomorrow morning to head to the cemetery. And the new President would like to meet you two afterwards."
"Okay, see you tomorrow. Thanks again, Ingrid, for everything."
The corners of her mouth angled upwards and she nodded at him before hanging up.
There was something about being in one's bed that made it so tempting to sleep in at the dawn of every single day. Being home after quarantine brought Leon a sense of comfort and he just wanted to bury himself in his pillow to laze the day away. He needed a nice, long vacation by himself without any distractions.
But his sharp mind reminded him that he had a full day of activities ahead and he reluctantly rolled out of bed to get ready.
He was in the middle of gearing up when his phone buzzed, signalling his ride was nearby. Guess he would have to skip breakfast today. "They're early…" the blonde grumbled to himself as he slid on his jacket, popped a piece of hard candy into his mouth, and headed out the door.
What he was not expecting were two SUVs in the parking lot. Hunnigan and Helena were already seated in the vehicle in front and the bespectacled woman gestured to him that the second car behind was his ride.
The government agent got into the nondescript black SUV and instead of heading off to the cemetery straightaway, they made a detour around the city towards a florist. As Helena went into the shop to pick a bouquet, Leon took the opportunity to head to the adjacent bagel store for a quick meal of iced coffee and a plain cream cheese bagel.
He was barely done wiping his mouth with a napkin when Helena stepped out of the florist with a beautiful bouquet in hand. Tossing the scraps into the bin, he almost ran out of the store and rejoined the small convoy.
A small grey gun case greeted him in the back seat. Hunnigan must have snuck it in when he wasn't looking. With the plan already in motion, the cars sped off to the outskirts of town.
Propping his elbow on the window, he kept his gaze outside and watched the scenery gradually change from a metropolitan skyline to lush greenery. His thoughts were mostly a whirl. One moment he felt exhaustion from the past fifteen years of futilely fighting bioterrorism, the next was sadness over Adam's unnecessary death.
An orange monarch flitted amongst the flowers on the roadside and his mind pivoted to Ada, remembering the pattern of butterflies on her red dress in Spain and on the makeup compact from a couple of weeks before. He really hoped she got out of China unscathed… Now that he knew the truth, Leon wished he could rewind time to help her in greater capacity.
Alas, there was acceptance that he would never have all the answers with regards to her and in this line of work in general. He was just another cog in a well-oiled machine that could be easily replaced. If he was lucky, he would work till the mandated retirement age. If not, he hoped he could be brought back in one piece in a wooden box for his folks.
His thoughts transitioned back to idle nothingness as his eyes blankly panned across the sights outside the window but his brain did not register them.
It was only when he heard a door slam did he realise they had arrived at their destination. Leon watched as Helena stepped out of the car with a bouquet of flowers in hand and made a beeline towards a gravestone.
The blonde finally opened the gun case and stowed the firearm before getting out of the car, joining Hunnigan and the other agents as they hung back to give Helena some privacy to pay her respects.
She surprised them all by rejoining the group within a couple of minutes. "Thank you," Helena whispered as her eyes shone with grateful tears.
Was this the time to conduct the plan? Leon uncrossed his arms, waiting for Hunnigan's signal as he glanced stoically at Helena while she peered at the agents behind them.
"I'm ready," Agent Harper said softly. Leon quickly cast a look at Hunnigan and she nodded as their eyes met.
Reaching into his back holster, Leon took one step forward and grasped Helena's wrist. She immediately closed her eyes sadly in anticipation for her arrest. But what she felt was the familiar weight of her picador in her hand instead of the cold steel of handcuffs.
There was a swift look down at the gun, "What?" Helena said in utter disbelief before gazing back up to her colleagues, "But I assisted in the attack!"
Leon gave her an encouraging smile before turning over to Hunnigan who was more than happy to give an explanation. "The investigating commission have reviewed the evidence, and feel it unjust to hold you liable for Simmons' crime," she said gently. "They will also not disclose their findings to the public."
Helena was still perplexed as her brows remained furrowed. The committee really found her to be innocent? They were willing to let her go? How was it even possible?
"The President would have done the same," Leon reassured her once more.
Touched by their words, Helena relented, accepting the outcome with a nod of her head.
"All right, shall we go join the team?" Ingrid asked as she turned to walk back to the car, satisfied that her plan was pulled off without a hitch.
Both Helena and Leon shared a look, and judging by the small smirk on her face, it seemed Helena figured out that Ingrid and Leon deliberately pulled off this "prank" on her. She let out a small chuckle before following Ingrid.
Just as the blonde was about to trail after both ladies, he could have sworn he saw a familiar shade of crimson out of the corner of his vision. His blue-grey eyes stared off into the distance, trying to see if a certain someone was skulking around the graves.
The culprit turned out to be a red cardinal darting around a nearby tree.
"Leon," Helena called out and Leon was jolted out of his thoughts. He turned, spotting a golden object hurtling towards him. On instinct, he reached out to catch it and looked at it with a puzzled expression. Speak of the devil, it was Ada's makeup compact.
His gaze returned to Helena as she responded cheekily, "For the next time you see her!" There was another grin from her before she sauntered away.
Would there even be a next time? Leon didn't dare to hope. He shook his head to snap out of his daydream and smiled lightheartedly, "Women."
The blonde pocketed the compact and headed back to the SUV. All of them had a meeting with the President and the nature of the role left the man with a tight schedule. They could not afford to dawdle.
The afternoon dragged on longer than Leon had anticipated. What was supposed to be just a private audience with the President turned into something more when he personally requested Helena and Leon to attend a press conference as one of his staff members.
If Leon had known beforehand that he would be up on the world stage, he would have made the effort to dress in more appropriate attire. However, the President insisted it was fine; he wanted to keep things casual and the presidency wasn't going to make a down-to-earth individual develop a stickler for protocol.
All Leon had to do was to stand still and look straight ahead. At least he did not have to mingle with bureaucrats today. Diplomacy was always a chore for him.
When the press conference finally concluded, he was able to knock off from work and they shared a carpool back to their respective residences. Helena was in great spirits after learning she would be transferred to the DSO, given her experience after Tall Oaks and Lanshiang. Even though her superior was against the transfer previously, Leon's testimonial managed to persuade the higher ups that she was invaluable.
Hunnigan and Helena bid Leon farewell when they dropped him off first at his apartment complex. Upon entering his bachelor pad, he suddenly felt totally drained as he kicked off his shoes. He must be getting old if a little bout of socialising left him feeling this way.
Trudging towards the bedroom, he shrugged off his jacket onto the bed before dumping the rest of his clothes into the hamper. He shuffled off into the bathroom and stepped under the nice, warm shower. The heat always felt good against his skin and it relaxed him.
When the blonde was sufficiently invigorated, he dried off and wrapped a towel around his waist, returning to the bedroom to search for his phone. He was hankering for some takeout for dinner since he did not have the time to do any grocery shopping.
Leon reached into his usual jacket pocket and found a circular object instead. He stared at Ada's makeup compact and absentmindedly traced the pattern embedded on the surface with his thumb.
"For the next time I see her, huh?" He murmured to himself.
Since Helena clearly rejected the secondhand item, it would be in bad taste to attempt to give this to someone else.
His feet carried him to a chest of drawers beside his bed and he tugged on the lowest drawer, revealing a nondescript wooden box. Carrying the box to the bed, he popped open the lid to gaze at the contents within.
A bloodied RPD badge sealed in a ziplock bag greeted him. His old uniform had been burnt and disposed a long time ago but he managed to salvage the badge as a keepsake. Who knew his first and only day as a cop would be so memorable? Sometimes he wondered what life would be like if the Raccoon City Incident did not happen. Would he still be working in that small town or would he have gone elsewhere for work?
He set the badge aside and glanced at a small teddy bear keychain seated on top of a paper airplane with a lipstick mark. Out of habit, he fingered the frayed blue ribbon on the plush toy's neck. The fabric had been discoloured and dulled with age but it brought him a small semblance of comfort.
Without the Racoon City Incident, he would have never met Ada. Sure, his life might have been a lot calmer and less fraught with death at every turn but he would not have been able to experience the bond they shared on that fateful night.
Try as he might to forget her at the bottom of a bottle, his heart always remembered her actions. Even if she was always running away or doing something questionable, she always arrived at the nick of time to save his skin.
After all these years, he had to admit that he did feel something for her, after all. But he was unable to put a label on his emotions. He was not sure it was love. Neither was it infatuation either. Some sort of affection, definitely.
If Ada was truly a bad guy, she would not be looking out for his well-being at each encounter. He wondered if her confession back in Raccoon City was real or she blurted it out because she thought she was dying. Leon decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.
As someone who advocated that one should keep moving forward, why did he have a box full of souvenirs from the past? Was it a reminder of how far he had become? Or was he treasuring moments from someone he could not let go?
There was no point dwelling on what ifs though. He had to make peace that whatever fleeting moments they shared would always be temporary. It would take a miracle for it to develop into something permanent. But when push came to shove, they would unconditionally have each others' backs even in the depths of hell. Always.
This was the nature of their relationship. Leon Scott Kennedy had finally come to accept it.
"Till next time, Ada," Leon said softly with a tender smile as he carefully laid the compact underneath the paper airplane before shutting the lid and putting the box away. Whatever will be, will be.
Author's Note: I was asked to write a fic about Leon's emotions regarding Ada at the end of RE6. This was the result. Something bittersweet. Poor Leon is tired. I imagine him fall asleep easily when he's out of adrenaline and off the field. Lots of creative liberties were taken for the RE6 cutscenes.
Bruce McGivern is a character from the side game, Resident Evil: Dead Aim. I decided to add him in as a cameo. I feel it makes sense for Bruce and Leon to know each other since they are working for the government and handling biohazards in the early 2000s.
Also, happy release for Separate Ways! I quite enjoyed it and Lily gave a fantastic performance. It seems her character's audio quality was improved compared to the main game too.