"...and that concludes my report. According to Agent Valentine the corpses had been exposed to something resembling flies before rising. However we have found no evidence of such creatures present within the subject. Further examinations will be difficult without fresh samples as like with previous instances of infection, the flesh undergoes a rapid form of decomposition. As for the body of agent Nicholas…"
Rebecca Chambers paused as she looked to the other side of the room where the body of the former agent lay, stripped of the tattered remains of his uniform so that the full extent of the damage could be studied. The horrors that the world could produce never ceased to shake Rebecca to her core, and the remains of that poor young man were evidence of just the kind of thing that kept her up at night. To her it was the brave souls on the frontlines combating the outbreaks that were the true heroes while her efforts in the lab were merely a means of supporting them.
"...that will have to wait until tomorrow."
Rebecca switched off her recorder and placed it down on the small silver tray beside her. The very same plate that hosted a collection of metallic tools that she had used to perform her duties, along with a hunk of lead that she had fished from the body. ("Despite Agent Valentine admirably securing the body from the field for her, Rebecca felt no envy for her position." The incident at Club Delilah was three days old by now and as far as she knew Jill was still being subjected to various debriefs. Something she was well aware the accomplished agent loathed, and who could blame her? Being tied up answering the same questions over and over again while the madmen killing people and turning them into monsters was still out there would be hell for anyone.
Rebecca knew that the best thing for her would be to have some insight to offer, but so far the specimens she had examined provided almost no information. All they knew for certain was that each of the bodies rose soon after coming into contact with the 'flies', which had themselves appeared after the instigator, a man whose body was so ravaged that Rebecca could hardly believe he was even alive when Jill encountered him. The dead shared much in common with the victims of the original T-Virus, including traits like low intelligence, high resilience, and an intense craving for flesh.
Shaking her head, Dr. Chambers rose from her seat and began the process of cleaning up her workstation. Without more data there was little she could do. Samples had already been sent out to various labs across the world, which may answer some questions, but until the tests were complete there was little to be done. Frustrating to be certain, but Rebecca was a woman of science and as such required the patience to weather such times of idleness. With the day's work complete she craved nothing more than the warm sheets of her bed, with her apartment being lit only by the glowing screen of her laptop as she scoured her notes for anything she could have missed. Sometimes all it took was a safe, comfortable space away from the blindingly white sterile rooms of her lab for her to find the answers she was seeking.
"What's up Doc?"
Rebecca let out a squeak of fear as she whirled around to find she wasn't alone in the room. Only to let out a breath of relief has her gaze found the familiar face of agent Leon Kennedy standing at the door, arms crossed and a small smile on his face.
"Sorry, didn't mean to spook ya."
Rebecca chuckled and shook her head, feeling a bit foolish for having felt afraid at all. After all, the two of them were located several feet below ground under one of the most secure buildings on the planet. Neo Umbrella HQ. Rebecca's duties had taken her the world over and she could say with certainty that no other complex on the planet supported the kind of security boasted by Neo Umbrella. Something that made sense when one considered the amount of biohazard material, not to mention sensitive information regarding such dangerous items, that Neo Umbrella kept on hand.
"Oh no need to apologize Leon. Just a little on edge lately…"
Leon's smile faded to a more grim expression while he nodded his head and stepped over towards the body of Nicholas Glass.
"No kidding. I got the rundown from Chris and Jill already. Just when you think the world is running out of crazy bastards…"
His words were cut off by the ring of a cell phone which he quickly pulled from his jacket pocket after shooting an apologetic look to Rebecca.
"Leon here. Yeah. No problems. I'll see her home safe. Alright, talk to you again soon."
As he hung up Rebecca raised an eyebrow, walking over to her desk where she began to unbutton her lab coat.
"Was that about me?"
Leon shrugged his shoulders, the smirk coming back while he joined her in the only part of the room that Rebecca neglected to keep tidy. Her desk was a whirlwind of documents, hastily scribbled notes, and bunched up snack wrappers. A visual that did bring her some shame as well as causing her cheeks to flush as Leon whistled while taking in the sight.
"Could've told me that someone lives here and I'd believe you. But yeah. Command wants to make sure that you get home alright."
Rebecca raised an eyebrow.
"What for?"
Leon snorted as he picked up one of the candy wrappers she'd carelessly left out, reading the label to himself before depositing it in the trash.
"You really have to ask? A new infection springs up and you're our best hope of making sense of it. You're not in any danger but that doesn't mean command wants to take any risks of something happening to you."
Now it was Rebecca's turn to smile while she picked up her purse and slung it over her shoulder. Even if she'd given up on field work she was no stranger to risk herself. The handgun she kept at her side was a product from her days as a STARS member and though it hadn't been fired in combat in quite some time, she still kept up her exercises at the range just in case danger ever looked her way again. Even still she could still appreciate having someone like Leon watching her back.
"So they assigned me the world's most accomplished babysitter? I feel honored."
Leon was more than happy to play along as the two of them left the lab behind, stepping out into the hallway that led towards the elevator.
"And you should. Just don't make me trek halfway through Spain to rescue you."
"No promises."
Leon's presence brought with it exactly the kind of relaxation she'd been looking for. Not just from the security he brought but also simply because he was a friend. Even among the various experts that Neo Umbrella had in staff, there were painfully few who understood the actual terror of what they were fighting. Rebecca knew all too well, and thus found more of a bond with the likes of Leon and Jill rather than her fellow doctors.
Once outside in the parking lot Leon walked Rebecca to one of the company cars, a sleek black SUV, one of nearly a dozen parked side by side. He had opted for one of a less conspicuous nature, forgoing the company's logo on the side. With the drive started, Rebecca could no longer neglect her thoughts about what they'd left behind in the lab.
"Have there been any new leads on your end? So far I've just come up blank…"
Rebecca tried not to sound too defeated but the pressure was starting to creep in. So far they'd been lucky that no serious outbreaks had yet been caused. If Jill hadn't acted so swiftly at the club or if Chris's team failed to neutralize the infected that killed Agent Glass, things could be a lot worse. But there was no reason to believe that whoever was releasing the flies wouldn't act again. And perhaps the next time, they wouldn't even try to act subtly.
"Not much better on our front. Redfield's got agents all over the planet looking for any signs of this cult but unfortunately these guys aren't the usual egotistical megalomaniacs. They're playing smart, keeping hidden, and according to the data Jill and Hunnigan managed to grab, they're building up to something big."
All his words did was confirm Rebecca's worst fears. In the years since she started working with Neo Umbrella they had only dealt with a few minor cases here and there. Nothing too major. There were the instances on Alcatraz and in Romania but both of those had been handled within a few days. But Jill's testimony made it sound like this was an organized group with deep pockets, not to mention connections to some of the most sought after black market dealers around the globe.
"Jill mentioned something in her report. Something that our mystery man muttered before, well, y'know…"
The damage he had conducted to himself was severe. His body was already a grotesque mixture of sores and cuts without the additional injury of his jaw being torn open. It matched the brutality of the bodies discovered in Spain by Chris's team, as well as agent Glass, but what purpose did such violence serve?
"...anyway he apparently mentioned something about the sins of the father passing onto the son. Jill assumed he was talking about Wesker."
The very mention of the name was enough to elicit a sigh from Leon.
"Figures. But don't worry. Words' been spread and Chris is headed out himself to pull Jake out of his current covert mission as we speak. We'll make sure he's safe until all of this is sorted out."
Rebecca nodded and took a moment to issue a silent thanks for Chris's efficiency. The man was a born leader and wouldn't serve to let anyone down if he could help it. Chris may have spent years pursuing Jake's father Albert Wesker, but Jake was his own man, someone eager to atone for the evil his father brought into the world. Protecting him was only right after all the good he'd done since learning of his heritage and being brought onboard at Neo Umbrella.
In the midst of her thoughts Rebecca nearly missed the fact that Leon had driven right past the exit leading to her apartment. Sitting up in her seat she looked out the window towards the signs moving past before directing her concern to Leon.
"Hey you just blew past my place."
Leon kept his eyes on the road.
"Do you trust me Rebecca?"
The doctor's eyes widened at the unexpected question. Over the years Leon had proven himself to be a worthwhile recruit to the cause. He was perhaps the only agent on par with Chris when it came to feats in the field and even years fighting had yet to slow him down. However, unlike Chris there was a rogue element to Leon that didn't sit well with some of the other staff at Umbrella. Like Jill, he preferred to work alone; however unlike Valentine, Leon's credentials were far less reliable.
Though these were doubts that Rebecca herself refused to share. She was one to trust her instincts and her gut told her Leon was a man worth her trust. And so she answered him with a nod.
"Good. In that case we're going to make a quick pit stop. Then I'll take you home. Promise."
Even if Rebecca wanted to have faith she still slid her hand into her purse and felt the cool grip of her handgun within. Keeping it within arms reached she sat for the rest of the ride in silence until they arrived at the parking lot of an ice cream station, closed for the Fall. Leon stopped the car while Rebecca scanned the barely lit asphalt patch around them.
"I don't think this place is open…"
Rebecca's attempt to lighten the mood did at least earn a smile from Leon.
"You're not missing much. But we're not here for the treats."
"Not true. I've been known to give out plenty of treats~"
A new voice spoke from the darkness just as Rebecca stepped out from the SUV. Within a second her weapon was drawn, pointing it in the general direction of the speaker.
"Who's there!?"
Rebecca soon felt Leon's hand on her shoulder, one that attempted to relax her by offering a comforting squeeze.
"Relax doc. She's a friend."
Rebecca's eyes widened as she began to see a figure moving towards her from out of the darkness. The clicking of heels signaling their arrival before the flash of a red dress could be seen amidst the shadows.
"I like to think we're more than just friends actually. We have so much history."
Even though the striking woman before her was unarmed it didn't encourage Rebecca to lower her aim. Especially as she recognized her face.
"I know you. You're Ada Wong. You're on our most wanted list."
Ada smirked, crossing her arms across her chest.
"If you wanted me all you had to do was call."
Her sultry voice and general look only added to making the situation feel more surreal. Had she been wrong to trust Leon? Was he a double agent, willing to work with the likes of a known dangerous mercenary who had ties to not only the Umbrella of old but also Albert Wesker himself? Although Leon was quick to fill in the blanks before her thoughts ran too far.
"Ada's helped me out more times than I can count. And she's got something you'll want to hear."
Rebecca looked to Leon to confirm his words before bringing her gaze back to Ada who let out a sigh.
"Well I'm not gonna be saying anything more with that gun in my face."
Rebecca frowned but, hearing the genuine concern in Leon's voice, lowered her weapon.
"There. Now, what did you want to tell me?"
Ada's confident smile returned.
"Just one thing. The location of the next attack."