In the meantime, several weeks had passed, and Jake had slowly gotten used to the intense training. He had honored Jill's request not to treat her like a hero, which had led to a relaxed friendship between them. Since Jake was Jill's only recruit, they spent most of their time together at the BSAA—whether it was breakfast and lunch in the cafeteria, or those brief moments of rest after training.
He also started getting to know the other BSAA agents. Jake quickly hit it off with Leon S. Kennedy since they had both trained at the same police academy. They shared a similar sense of humor, and Leon even taught him a few special moves that Jake used to surprise Jill during sparring. During a visit from Claire Redfield, he learned more about the former S.T.A.R.S. members and their missions. However, when Claire heard that Jill might soon be sent on a mission again, she reacted with skepticism. Every time Jake asked why, she would simply say, "It's too soon," and change the subject.
Today was the day Claire was returning to TerraSave. She said her goodbyes to everyone, and finally to Jill and Jake. Though they were in the middle of a training session, Jake seized the moment and rushed to the door to stop her.
"Please, Claire, you have to tell me why Jill shouldn't be sent back into the field! I can see something's not right with her!"
Jake had clearly noticed that something was going on with Jill—something no one wanted to explain. He still remembered the sparring match from the week before. It was supposed to be a simple session: Jill with a knife, Jake unarmed. Nothing unusual—they'd done it many times. Thanks to all the training, it wasn't one-sided anymore. Jake had learned to dodge and counter, to create the perfect opening to disarm her. Their fights had become casual enough that he even made small talk in between.
"Claire told me about S.T.A.R.S.," he'd said between two strikes. "She said you used to be fearless. Took on missions alone a lot."
Normally, Jill would have scolded him for talking mid-fight. But since the words had come from Claire, she didn't argue. She just kept going—until Jake made a fatal mistake.
"But the fact that Wesker was behind all those deaths and tore your team apart from the inside... that's just insane."
A trigger word.
Jill's eyes widened, and she whispered, "Wesker..."
What happened next, Jake still couldn't fully explain. Jill suddenly became much more aggressive. She drove him into a corner, switching from training mode into survival mode. Jake tried to stop the session, but Jill was completely out of control. Her breathing was erratic, and the knife in her hand came dangerously close to his face. Eventually, she had him backed into a wall, pressing the blade to his throat.
"Jill, it's me! What are you doing?! This is training! You're not in danger—it's okay!"
She stared at him with a terrifying intensity. But in a split-second move, Jake swept her leg from under her, making her lose balance. She hit the ground, and he managed to disarm her and calm her down.
What followed, though, was worse—Jill ran straight out of the room and disappeared to find Rebecca. He didn't see her again that day. The next morning, she looked him in the eye and said only:
"Not a word. To anyone."
But now, Claire simply shook her head and replied coldly, "Very few people know what really happened to Jill. And you've only been here a short while. If you really want to cross that line, talk to Barry. Ask him what he knows. But I have only one request."
Jake remained quiet and gave her a thoughtful look.
"Don't treat her any differently afterward. She's an amazing person—and an even better agent. We need her back in the field…"
With that, she walked out the door and headed to the helicopter waiting to take her back to TerraSave.
Jake just couldn't understand it. Something had clearly happened—but he had no idea just how deep the truth ran. So, for now, he returned to the training room and continued right where he left off.
Afterwards, he headed to the showers like always. Then, with wet hair and a relaxed outfit—just a T-shirt and jeans—he made his way to Barry Burton's office. Barry had told him he could come by anytime if he had questions. Even though he shared the office with Chris, Jill, and Rebecca, Barry happened to be alone at the moment. Outside, the rain was pouring and thunder rumbled through the building.
Trying to ease into the conversation, Jake asked as he entered:
"Any word if Claire's helicopter landed yet?"
Barry looked up with a warm grin.
"A little storm like this won't stop Claire Redfield—come on!"
They both chuckled, and Jake moved in for a handshake. That's when he noticed a Colt revolver laid out on Barry's desk in pieces. Barry caught his gaze and grinned.
"Ah, the Colt Python... That's not just a gun—it's a masterpiece of American engineering. .357 Magnum—powerful, reliable, with a kick that reminds you you're holding something real. In the right hands, it's a lifesaver. I had it with me when we cleared the mansion. Out there... sometimes standard issue just doesn't cut it."
Jake, intrigued, looked at the parts.
"The mansion… I remember finding a file on that recently. You were sent in as part of S.T.A.R.S. Alpha Team, right? You, Jill, and…"
He hesitated, afraid the name might trigger the same reaction as with Jill. But Barry remained calm.
"…and Wesker. That bastard. Yeah, it was a brutal mission. He threatened my family—said he'd kill them. I've never forgiven him."
Jake quickly followed up.
"That's right, you have two daughters, Polly and Moira, right?"
Barry raised an eyebrow.
"You spying on us or something?"
But then he laughed and shook his head.
"I'm just kidding. You're spot on. These are my girls."
He grabbed a family photo from his desk and showed it to Jake. Jake took the opportunity to shift the conversation.
"Jill… she's close to you too, right? I mean, how did the mansion incident affect her?"
Barry grew more cautious.
"Well… let's just say it wasn't easy for any of us. Finding out there were experiments—bioweapons—mutating people… then watching that virus spread to Raccoon City. And of course, Wesker's betrayal… yeah, it still haunts a lot of us, even if we've learned to live with it."
Jake didn't see how that could explain her outburst during training. But then another question came to mind.
"What happened between 2006 and 2009? There's nothing in her file. Did she take a break?"
Barry shot up from his chair and stepped closer.
"Kid, you're sticking your nose into things you shouldn't. Got that?"
Taken aback, Jake took a step back.
"The files are open to all BSAA agents…"
Barry shook his head in disbelief and lowered his voice.
"Maybe so. But those years? 2006 to 2009? They're off-limits. Understand?"
Jake had had enough. He raised his voice.
"I just don't get it…" He ran a hand through his damp hair. "Everyone knows something about Jill—except me. And every time I ask, they all shut down. Why? There are rumors she's going to be partnered with me on our next mission. I need to know who I'm working with—especially when that person nearly killed me in training! So what the hell is going on?!"
Barry's eyes widened. He took a moment to process what Jake had said. Then, with a heavy sigh:
"So you really want to know why Jill reacts the way she does to anything involving Wesker… and Uroboros?"
Jake, confused, tilted his head.
"I… never even mentioned Uroboros. But yeah. Tell me."
Barry closed his eyes for a moment, as if preparing for a battle inside himself. Then, slowly, he returned to his chair and sank into it, staring into space.
"You have no idea what you're walking into, kid…"
He leaned back, his voice low and hoarse.
"Between 2006 and 2009… that's the period Jill never talks about. And honestly? I don't blame her. It was hell. The worst part? She chose to walk into it. Out of conviction. And that's what broke her."
He looked away, as if seeing ghosts.
"In 2006, Chris and Jill were assigned to track down Wesker. That Wesker. The one who betrayed us. They followed a lead to the Spencer Estate. They went in—and only one came out. Chris thought Jill was dead. They fought… and in some moment no one can really explain, she and Wesker went over a cliff. No body. No trace. For us, she was gone."
He paused. Rain slammed against the windows.
"What we didn't know was that Wesker had taken her. And he used her. With drugs, control devices—whatever he had—he turned her into his puppet. Jill Valentine, the hero of Raccoon City, became his right hand. She fought for him. For years."
Barry's voice trembled with anger—and sorrow.
"And the worst part? She couldn't stop it. She was awake. Trapped inside her own body. For three damn years. When Chris finally found her in 2009 and destroyed the device… she wasn't the same. Her body had changed. Medication. Viruses. Experiments. But the real damage—was in her eyes. Her soul."
He met Jake's gaze, solemn.
"Since then, she's carried that weight. Guilt. Shame. Anger. Not at Wesker—she's burned through that. But at herself. For surviving. For what she did. For not stopping it sooner. And for the fear that… it could happen again."
He added quietly:
"So if you want to know who you're training with—there it is. Jill's not just a soldier. She's a survivor. And no report will ever tell you the weight she carries."
Jake was speechless. He couldn't even form a sentence. Finally, with what little strength he had, he muttered:
"Thank you… it really means a lot that you told me… but I need a minute."
And with that, he rushed out of the office and straight to his room—to process everything he'd just heard.