"Hey! Wait up!" Goh's voice echoed through the dimly lit hallways of the Raccoon City Police Department. He and Cinderace were trailing behind Ada Wong, the mysterious woman who had saved them earlier from a pack of mutated dogs. But now, without so much as a word, she was striding ahead, clearly headed somewhere within the station.
Ada's sharp heels clicked against the cold, tiled floor. The sound suddenly stopped as she came to a halt. With an exasperated sigh, she slowly turned, her cold gaze settling on Goh and Cinderace.
"Why are you following me?" Ada's voice was icy, her red lips curving into a thin smirk. "I can take care of myself. I don't need a boy scout and his… pet—whatever that is—tailing me."
Goh's brow furrowed at her remark, an irritated frown tugging at his face. He glanced at Cinderace, who narrowed its eyes, clearly displeased with being called a "pet." Goh was about to retort when his radio crackled to life, interrupting the tension.
"Goh, you there?" Leon's voice broke through the static.
Goh quickly answered. "Yeah, I'm here."
"Did you find Sherry yet?" Leon's tone was filled with concern.
"Not yet," Goh replied, glancing back at Ada, who stood with one hand on her hip, clearly impatient. "But I did run into someone—Ada Wong. She saved us earlier."
There was a pause on the other end. Leon's voice returned, sounding surprised. "Ada? What is she doing there?" Another brief silence, then Leon added, "Keep an eye on her. Something's off. We'll regroup once I finish checking the east wing."
"Got it," Goh said, ending the call and shoving the radio back into his pocket. He turned his head, but Ada was already walking away. "Wait!" Goh shouted, hurrying after her with Cinderace. The woman didn't even glance back this time, her pace unwavering, heels clacking ominously as she disappeared further into the station. Goh gritted his teeth, his frustration growing. "C'mon, Cinderace, we're not letting her ditch us that easily," he muttered under his breath, picking up the pace as they followed Ada deeper into the unsettling, shadow-filled corridors.
Ada had to give Goh some credit. He and Cinderace were nothing if not persistent, tailing her. Still, she ignored them, her sharp heels clicking rhythmically against the cold floor as she made her way down the corridor. With a sharp turn around the corner, Ada nearly gasped in surprise and had to stifle the reaction, quickly pressing herself back against the wall.
A monstrous figure, hulking and grotesque, stood just a few feet away. Its massive arm was disturbingly mutated, with an oversized eyeball grotesquely embedded in its flesh. The creature emitted a low grumble as it glanced back, scanning the area for any sign of intruders, but it hadn't noticed her. Ada clenched her teeth, her heartbeat quickening as she pressed herself flat against the wall, fighting the urge to peek again.
Goh and Cinderace rounded the corner just in time to see Ada's sudden nervousness. They blinked in confusion. Goh was about to ask what was wrong when Ada swiftly slapped a hand over his mouth, silencing him before he could speak. His muffled protests were met with Ada's intense gaze as she subtly peeked around the corner, making sure the creature hadn't spotted them.
The monster's massive, blinking eye scanned the hallway cautiously before it lumbered through a nearby door. The door creaked and groaned under its size, barely large enough for the beast to squeeze through. With a loud thud, the door closed behind it, and the corridor fell into an eerie silence.
Ada let out a soft, relieved sigh, but she didn't realize her hand was still firmly clamped over Goh's mouth. His face had turned an alarming shade of purple, and his muffled struggles grew more frantic. Ada finally snapped out of her daze, noticing Goh's wide eyes and struggling form. "Oops," she muttered under her breath, pulling her hand away.
Goh gasped loudly, doubling over as he caught his breath, his chest heaving. "What the heck was that about?!" he demanded, glaring at Ada, but before she could respond, a piercing scream echoed through the hallway, coming from behind the door the monster had just entered.
The scream was bloodcurdling, filled with pain and terror. Ada's eyes widened, her heart skipping a beat. That voice—she recognized it. "Ben…" she whispered under her breath, her expression tightening.
"Who?" Goh asked, confused, but Ada didn't answer. Without hesitation, she took off toward the door where the scream had come from, her heels clacking urgently against the floor.
"Hey, wait up!" Goh shouted, rushing after her with Cinderace at his side, unsure of what they were running into but determined not to lose her.
Moments later...
Ada, Goh, and Cinderace entered the dim, grimy prison cells of the Raccoon City Police Department. Ada stopped abruptly at one of the cells, her eyes narrowing at the grisly scene inside. A lifeless man lay slumped against the wall, blood splattered across the floor and the cold, steel bars. His body was battered, twisted unnaturally, with blood staining his clothes and pooling beneath him.
Goh and Cinderace froze at the sight, horrified. It looked like something straight out of a crime scene in a horror movie. Blood coated the walls of the small cell, and Goh felt a shiver run down his spine.
"Who... who could've done this?" Goh muttered, glancing at Cinderace, who also looked shaken.
Ada, standing still as a statue, stared at the body with a mix of frustration and regret. "Ben. I was too late," she muttered softly under her breath.
Goh's gaze shifted from the corpse to Ada, confusion and frustration mounting. "Okay, what's going on?" he demanded, his voice cutting through the tense silence. "And who's this guy?"
Ada remained silent for a moment, her gaze locked on the lifeless form of Ben. After a beat, she sighed, realizing there was no use in hiding it now, though she doubted anyone would believe Goh if he tried to explain. "He was Ben," Ada said quietly. "My former informant. He was very valuable to my mission."
"Mission?" Goh repeated, blinking in surprise. "What mission?"
Ada scoffed but finally answered, her tone sharp and matter-of-fact. "I was sent here by Umbrella to steal the G-virus."
Goh blinked, clearly not understanding. "G-virus? What's that?"
Ada shook her head, already walking off, her heels echoing in the empty space. "It's not something you need to know. And if you're smart, you'll leave before 'that' thing comes back."
Goh's brow furrowed. "Wait! What thing?" he called after her, his frustration growing. He and Cinderace hurried to catch up to Ada, but she remained cold and focused.
"You don't want to find out," Ada warned grimly.
A few minutes later...
"Goh!" No sooner had Goh and Cinderace regrouped with Leon and Claire, the pair immediately noticed Ada's presence. Leon glanced between Ada and Goh, his brow furrowing in recognition, while Claire's eyes narrowed suspiciously. She had no idea who this woman was, but something about her seemed off.
"Who's this?" Claire broke the ice, her voice cautious as she kept a close eye on Ada, arms crossed.
Goh stepped forward, introducing her. "This is Ada. She helped me and Cinderace earlier."
Before the introductions could go any further, Ada cut in with a quick, dismissive tone. "I should get going," she said flatly, already turning to leave.
Leon, not willing to let her walk off so easily, immediately followed after her. "Ada, wait!" he called out, his voice laced with concern and frustration.
"Unbelievable," Claire muttered under her breath, watching Leon run after the mysterious woman. Her expression soured as she shook her head slightly. "Men."
Goh blinked, glancing between Claire and the retreating figures of Leon and Ada. "What's with them?" he asked.
Claire sighed, her eyes still following Leon and Ada. "It's a long story. Let's just say Leon has a habit of getting involved with mysterious women who don't give straight answers."
"Oh."
Meanwhile...
Back with Echo Six and Team Rocket, chaos reigned as they desperately tried to hold the entrance against the relentless pounding of the Tyrant's massive fists. Each thunderous blow reverberated through the barricade, threatening to break it apart. Dee-Ay, Harley, James, Jessie, and Meowth strained against the doors, sweat dripping down their faces as they pushed back with all their might. Behind them, Willow and Tweed stood ready, weapons in hand, prepared to provide cover if the barricade gave way.
"Shona!" Dee-Ay shouted over the deafening noise, his voice edged with urgency. "What's taking so long with the kid?!"
In the back, Shona was hunched over Ash's unconscious form, his gloved hands moving swiftly. He had just drawn a vial of blood from the teen before carefully injecting a serum into his arm. "This is delicate work!" he snapped, his tone sharp as he focused on stabilizing Ash's vitals. Party Girl, crouched nearby, turned her head to yell over the cacophony.
"We need more time!" Party Girl barked.
Tweed spat on the ground, her frustration boiling over as the Tyrant's pounding grew louder and more insistent. "If you don't hurry up with that damn kid," she snarled, gripping her rifle tighter, "I'll make you hurry!"
Dee-Ay glanced back at Shona, his teeth clenched. "You heard her! We can't hold this thing off forever!"
Shona shot him a glare but didn't falter, his hands steady as she injected another dose of medication into Ash's veins. "If you want this to work, you don't rush it!" he hissed through gritted teeth.
Jessie, sweating and trembling from the effort, snapped, "If this brute breaks through, we're all toast! Hurry it up, or we're out of here!"
James grunted, his face red as he pushed against the barricade. "We've got nowhere to go, Jess!"
Meowth, perched precariously on the pile of debris reinforcing the door, yelled, "We're sittin' ducks here! Can't someone zap this guy already?!"
Meanwhile...
Within Ash's subconscious, a heavy silence enveloped the space. Slowly, he opened his eyes, blinking as he adjusted to the inky darkness around him. Everything felt still, unnervingly so, and the air was thick with tension. Ash staggered to his feet, his body heavy, his mind foggy.
"Where... am I?" he muttered, his voice echoing faintly in the void.
As his vision adjusted, he noticed a figure in the distance. The shadowy form stood still, its back turned to him, but something about it sent a chill down his spine. The figure was dressed like him—same jacket, same hat—every detail a near-perfect replica.
Ash cautiously took a step forward. "Hey," he called out hesitantly, his voice cutting through the darkness. "Who are you?"
The figure didn't respond, remaining eerily still. Ash's brow furrowed as he moved closer, his steps slow and deliberate. "I'm talking to you," he said louder, his tone more forceful.
Still no answer.
Finally, Ash reached out, his hand trembling slightly as he gripped the figure's shoulder. With a firm pull, he spun the figure around to face him—and his breath caught in his throat.
He was staring at himself.
Almost.
The doppelgänger bore an uncanny resemblance, but its features were warped, sinister. Its skin was pale, its lips curled into an unsettling smirk, and its eyes—piercing, blood-red—glared into Ash's own with a malevolent intensity. It was like looking into a twisted mirror.
"W-What...?" Ash stammered, his heart pounding.
The doppelgänger's smirk widened into a chilling grin, and without warning, it lunged at Ash, its hands outstretched like claws. Ash barely had time to react as the double tackled him to the ground, its grip unnaturally strong.
"Who are you?!" Ash yelled, struggling against the clone's weight, but it said nothing, its red eyes glowing with a terrifying intensity as it pinned him down.
"You can't fight me," it finally hissed, its voice low and venomous, echoing eerily within Ash's mind. "Because I am you."
Ash's eyes widened in terror as the shadowy figure's smirk twisted into a maniacal grin.
Back to reality, Party Girl, Shona, and Ash's Pokémon huddled near the unconscious teen. The tense atmosphere was punctuated by the muffled sound of the Tyrant's relentless pounding on the entrance. Suddenly, Shona's sharp gaze caught movement.
"His hand!" she exclaimed, watching Ash's fingers twitch ever so slightly.
Pikachu's ears perked up, and Lucario leaned closer, their worried eyes fixed on their trainer. Slowly, Ash's eyes fluttered open. But instead of the familiar warmth they were used to, his eyes glowed an ominous red, sending a shiver through the warehouse.
"What the hell?" Shona muttered under her breath, stepping back instinctively.
Before anyone could react further, the barricade gave way with a deafening crash. The Tyrant stormed through, its towering figure casting a shadow that loomed over the group. Dee-Ay, Harley, and Tweed cursed loudly, raising their weapons as Team Rocket shrank back in fear.
"W-We're doomed!" Jessie shrieked, clinging to James, who nodded in terrified agreement.
Meowth, trembling, muttered, "Dis is it, gang. We're cat chow!"
Ash's Pokémon braced themselves, their stances ready for battle, but their eyes kept darting nervously toward their trainer. Something was wrong.
As the Tyrant's glowing white gaze fixed on Ash, it let out a low, guttural groan before charging forward with terrifying speed, its heavy footsteps shaking the floor.
Party Girl reached out hesitantly. "Ash?" she called, her voice tinged with unease.
But Ash ignored her entirely, his expression devoid of the boyish warmth everyone knew. Instead, a sinister smirk curled his lips, and he slowly rose to his feet, exuding an aura that made even his own Pokémon hesitate.