Chapter Text
24 august 2000, Vancouver
The airport was crowded as Leon took his bag and headed towards the exit. It was his first time in Canada and he wished it was under different circumstances. He heard a lot about Vancouver and when he was younger, he always wanted to visit this city. Unfortunately, his whole life changed and he felt that it won’t be his last journey, but rather one of the many.
After the Raccoon City, Leon, Claire and Sherry had to part their ways. When they made to the safe place, Claire left them to search for her brother. It wasn't an easy decision for her as she was really attached to the young girl and wanted to protect her at all cost but she was still worried about her brother. That’s why Leon promised her that he would take care of little Sherry.
Sadly, two days later they were caught by the government. Just when they were on their way to a local restaurant to eat something, still staying at a motel room and with no idea where to go, two cars surrounded them and the men in black suits took them with force. Leon survived hordes of undead yet it was humans who managed to ‘take him’. Hours of interrogations and explaining that Sherry is an innocent girl, definitely not infected, made Leon feel so helpless. He felt like this nightmare could never end. In the end they gave him an ultimatum - he could still see Sherry but only if he accepted their job offer to work as an agent. It’s not like he had a choice - their demands were pretty clear and Leon knew that his carrier as a policeman ended the moment he stepped out of the nightmare called Raccoon. Apparently he had ‘an experience’ in dealing with the Bio Organic Weapons, if you can call ‘an experience’ being in the wrong place at the wrong time. In other words, he knew too much about things he shouldn’t. He accepted the job without hesitation. He made a promise after all and Sherry needed him.
Looking at his phone Leon realized that it was almost two years since the Raccoon City, the place that changed his whole life. His job as policeman ended after one day and since then he never had an occasion to wear his uniform again. Pity, he was really excited to be on duty.
He had to hid the fact that he was a secret government agent from his family. He spent the last two years training and learning more about B.O.W.s. It wasn’t ‘that’ bad. He still had Claire as his friend but they rarely see each other because Leon didn't want government to know about her. After all, he didn't mention her in his story. He could always visit Sherry as she was living nearby him with her foster family, but she was still a kid. During some nights or days he felt so fucking lonely. His every move was monitored by the government as they still didn't trust him that much. Some agents made fun of him because of his young look. Some of them were close to be ‘friend’ but there was still a visible distance. Leon was surrounded by people but felt alone.
Passing by a big group of tourist Leon, finally after a few minutes of walking, spotted an exit door. It’s not like it was his first mission but usually he was accompanied by someone. For the first time he was alone in a foreign country but he could menage. He knew that the government ‘counted’ on him and they were testing his abilities. Despite him not having an actual choice, he wanted to prove them that he was a capable and trustworthy agent.
The moment he entered the Raccoon City he stepped into the world of B.O.W.s and there was no exit from this nightmare until he found a way to end it. The world of terrifying and inhuman creatures was haunting him in real life and in his thoughts. In dreams he still saw Raccoon City, the big creature in the trench coat, the ‘welcome Leon’ sign and the dead bodies of the coworkers he had never had a chance to met. Blood everywhere.
Red.
Her color.
Leon sighed.
From all of the things that still troubled him, she was the one that haunted him the most. He saw her many times in his dreams falling from that bridge, slipping from his hand. In some dreams he managed to save her. In some she shot him and it was him who had fallen. In most of the dreams he didn’t want to believe that she used him. In all of his dreams he saw her in red.
She was like a ghost in red that was preying on his every step.
Claire joked he had an obsession. Maybe she was right. She and Sherry were the only ones who knew about ‘her’. He never mentioned her in any report. After all, she was dead.
Leon shrugged and finally, he left the airport behind him. He spotted a guy in a suit, leaning with his arm crossed on the door of the jeep. The car looked somehow like the one he used to get to the Raccoon City. He had left it in the gas station and never managed to get it back. Pity, he had saved money for it for a long time during his days at the college.
The man straightened his posture when he noticed Leon. Kennedy approached him to learn more about his assignment. There was no point in contemplating about the past. He had a job to do.
***
As he left the bag in his room, Leon could finally exhale. He wanted to throw himself on the bed as it looked really comfortable but firstly he needed to take a shower. The bathroom was nice, not so big and he started taking off his clothes. The warm water helped his tired body to relax after sitting in the plane and he started to wash his hair. He thought again about his short conversation with the man earlier who gave him the keys to the car and a manila folder with more informations. He didn't like to feel restless so he was looking forward to his job. Next he wrapped himself in a soft towel and took a sip of a water. It was late and even if his job started next night, he still had a free morning so he decided to do a little sightseeing. Then he had to attend… a banquet.
The banquet was organized by one of the ex-umbrella scientist, Liam Jenkins, and it was a private and rather secret gathering. The guy resigned from his work but the government was keeping an eye on him as they received the information that he had a secret lab somewhere in Canada. Leon had an invitation only because one of the scientist working with the government managed to get one and Leon's job was to get in, find the informations about where the scientist’s lab was and at all cost, destroy it. It was the first part of the job that made Leon nervous. Killing zombies and creatures was one thing but pretending to be someone? At least he didn't have to talk with all the people there. He only had to get in and spy a little around the house for information. Maybe chat a little with some scientist’s friends there. He was prepared, the doctor explained him his work but Leon didn't want to tempt his luck. In the worst case scenario, he will need to use all his charm and maybe for the first time his boyish face wouldn't be a curse.
Leon put on boxers and t-shirt and started reading the folder but after spending half of his day in a journey, he quickly fall asleep.
The next day he took his wallet and went to eat breakfast somewhere in the city. It was a beautiful morning, only few clouds on the sky but despite the delicious meal he still couldn't calm his nerves.
‘Get it together, Kennedy. It's a place full of snobs, not undead creatures. You can do it’ he calmed himself. He was sitting on the terrace, eating slowly his breakfast. A nice and pretty waitress asked him if he wanted more juice, some old lady smiled to him from the shop across the street and the weather was rather nice for a moment. He looked like a random tourist but it was all an illusion. Even if he tried to relax, the thoughts about his assignment were still present in his head. Not only that; Since he escaped Raccoon City, everytime he tried to do something normal, like hanging out in the city, he didn't feel like he belonged there. The sight of the living should calm his nerves yet every shadow made him think that there may be an undead creature there. In the end he gave up and paid for the meal and left the cosy restaurant. He looked for a coffee shop and wandered around the city to do a little tour and actually act like a tourist.
As he was sipping his coffee he realized that he should go back to the hotel. It was getting late and he still needed to look somehow convincing for the banquet. The first drops of the rain fell on his nose and he quickened his steps as he hadn't taken any umbrella from the hotel. The raindrops turned into a hard rain and he almost started running when suddenly Leon’s eyes caught something on the other side of the road.
He could barely see thanks to the rain but everyone could spot the woman in the red coat under a big, red umbrella.
Leon stopped.
Could it be?
The woman was standing under the umbrella like she was observing him. He couldn’t see her face but the posture was similar. Leon blinked again, his heart beating rapidly.
It couldn’t be possible. He watched her die, she slipped from his hand, she fell into the void with debris. There was no way she could survive this… Or could she? It was ‘her’ after all.
“Ada?” Leon whispered, knowing that calling her was useless as the street was noisy from the crowd and cars.
He slowly approached the pedestrian crossing, waiting for the green light to cross the street. The woman slightly raised the umbrella. He almost saw her face when suddenly a big truck crossed the street. The light turned green but the woman disappeared.
Leon crossed the street and went to the place she was before. There was no trace of her. Maybe it was only his imagination or rather obsession over Ada? He had never learnt the truth after all. Was it all lies? Was he really an useful tool for her and nothing more? Why didn’t she shoot him then? She could easily obtain the virus by shooting him in the first place. But she didn’t do it.
He knew why she was still present in his mind. He was feeling guilty that he didn’t manage to save her even if she had lied to him. He felt stupid for believing her in the first place. He was a fool but was she that bad? Who was she even?
Take care of yourself, Leon
He watched her disappear in the darkness. He felt her hand slipping away.
The spot was empty. He looked around but he didn't see her nor anybody in a red coat. It must have been his mind playing tricks on him as he was still tired from the flight.
Leon raised his head and looked at the building in front of him. It was the hotel he was staying at and from the spot he was standing, he could easily see the windows of his room.
***
He didn’t know whose idea it was, but the suit the government ‘provided’ him was dark and also had a scarlet shirt.
“Great,” He chuckled. He wished Claire could see this , she would have a good laugh. She was always calling Ada “the women in the red” despite the fact that she knew her name.
He put on the whole piece, brushed his hair and tried to make them more ‘professional’. In the end he put some strands behind his ear and ended his ‘makeover’ with a black tie. He never liked them, always felt like he was suffocating in them and tonight was no exception. But tonight he was not Leon S. Kennedy but Andrew Jefferson, the doctor specialising in cosmetic surgery.
The black car was standing outside the hotel, waiting for him and Leon entered it. Inside he saw the same guy he talked with yesterday and, after a few minutes of silence and tension, the man started a conversation with him.
“Have you seen the city, Agent Kennedy?”
‘Agent’ still sounded so stupid for him. He felt like a character in an action movie but looking at the things that happened to him, he wasn't that wrong.
“Only parts of it. Unfortunately, it started raining.”
The guy laughed.
“That's Vancouver. Always raining. Is this your first job?”
“First alone.”
“Well, better watch out. The government is counting on you.”
He didn't know what was the point of this conversation because it didn't calmed his nerves but maybe the guy wanted to make fun of him. After all this whole mission felt stupid. He preferred to be surrounded by zombies rather than pretending someone he wasn't. He was Leon, a guy from a simple and traditional family, teached by his parents that kindness is one of the most important values in your life, not a snob doctor who's going to a party in an expensive suit with a chauffeur.
The man informed him that he will be waiting for him in case of emergency. Leon hoped his cover won't blow up.
The party was in a big house which was the property of Liam Jenkins. Leon only could suspect how much Umbrella scientist earned just by looking at the porch. He showed his invitation to the waiter outside the house.
“This way Mr Jefferson,” he invited him.
Leon shrugged, reminding himself that it was his fake name and went inside, sending him a small smile. The people gathered there were wearing fancy clothes; Women in a jewelry worth probably his annual salary and men in suits similar to his own. Not wanting to be spotted by anybody as probably his young look was already being noticed by women, he tried to stay out of the centre.
He looked around and he spotted Doctor Liam. He was a guy in his forties, currently chatting with a young woman whose face was not visible. Leon knew that there was no point in talking with him as he would probably say something stupid and if the guy knew the real Andrew, he was screwed. Leon looked nothing like him.
“Excuse me, young man!”
Someone grabbed his arm. It was a lady in a golden dress with a lot of makeup, covering all her wrinkles.
“I'm not sure I recognize you.”
Leon wanted to punch himself. He wasn't even there 10 minutes!
“I'm doctor Andrew Jefferson, I’m working at-”
“Oh, you're probably from that young new team! I'm sorry I just wanted to get to know you. Excuse an old lady for wanting to chat with such a charming young man,” she blinked to him.
Oh, so she only wanted to flirt with him. That he could survive. He smiled to her and she blushed.
“No problem, madame. And what is your name?”
“I'm Josephine. I'm not a doctor, my husband is but he's always taking me to these boring gatherings,” she joked.
“Well, it's my first time so it's nice to know someone who knows more about events like that,” he admitted with an awkward smile and she laughed again.
“Oh, you charmer! Sadly, my husband is coming. Dear, come here! Meet doctor Jefferson!”
Leon hoped that the husband won't recognize him either but just like the lady, he didn't know ‘the real him’. The luck was on his side tonight. Or so he hoped.
He didn't want to be rude so he chatted a bit with the couple thinking where he should start looking.
That's when he spotted her.
A dashing red dress that emphasized all her curves, widened at the bottom and made from the fabric that was sparkling a bit under the light from the chandeliers. There was a deep cut in neckline and her hair was pinned up with a silver butterfly pin.
Leon could blame his tiredness or obsession every time he thought he spotted her.
But not this time.
This time he was sure it was Ada.
Alive and beautiful as always. The question was, how?
She smiled to him and waved with her glass of champagne. She was real.
“Mr Jefferson, are you okay? You look a little bit pale,” Josephine asked him and Leon looked at her and smiled.
“I think I’m a bit unwell. Excuse me for a moment,” he smiled awkwardly at them and then he looked back in Ada’s direction.
But of course the spy was gone. He was sure she was there which meant only one thing - troubles.
***
Leon knew that he didn’t come here to party so he went down to his work. Pretending that he wanted to go to the bathroom he sneaked into the mansion. He avoided all guards and waiters and went unseen to the upper floor. He knew that if he wanted to look for informations the best way was to find Jenkin’s room and preferably, his computer. He looked inside some of the rooms, cursing rich people for having so many bedrooms and finally found what he was looking for.
He went inside and looked around. There were some folders and documents but the turned on laptop was what caught his attention. The luck was really on his side as he scrolled through the open email box. There, after some minutes of nervous scrolling, he found a correspondence with another scientist. Jenkins invited her to his laboratory to work on his ‘new work’. There was a code there and Leon quickly recognized it as coordinates. There it was-
“Found what you were looking for?”
He spun around. His gun, which was hidden under his jacket during the banquet, met with point of another gun.
It was Ada.
“So, it was you?”
She smirked and her head bowed down a bit. It reminded him of their moment on the bridge, just right before her ‘death’.
“Glad to see you in one piece, Leon, although I didn’t take you as spy. Weren’t you a cop?”
“It’s a bit ironic coming from mouth of a fbi worker who turned out to be a spy, don’t you think?”
It felt just like in the Raccoon city. Them bantering and flirting but Leon felt the unsolved tension and it was not because of the fact that the two of them were pointing a gun at each other.
“I think you have some explanation to give me,” Leon said bitterly. Half of him was glad that she was alive, that he could stop feeling guilty that she slipped from his hand. The other half was angry at her that she didn’t contact him to tell him that she was alive and because of that, he was thinking that she was dead for the past two years.
Ada opened her mouth, but she quickly shut them. She lowered her gun and hid it under her dress just in the same moment Leon heard the voices. He did the same with his own and when the door opened, Ada quickly put his arm around her waist and put her own on his back.
“Oh, thank you so much for helping me,” she said to him with a weak voice.
Liam Jenkins opened the door with two guards and looked suspiciously at the two of them but his look quickly changed to concern.
“Miss Lang, are you alright?”
Lang? Was it another Ada’s name? Leon should have known that ‘Ada Wong’ was probably one of her alias as well.
“Yes, I felt a bit unwell so I asked one of your guest to take me upstairs.”
Liam approached them and he was quickly by Ada’s side with the look of concern. Then he looked at Leon.
“Thank you for helping my date, I will take care from here.”
Leon felt so stupid for that pang of jealousy that went through his mind. Of course he was one of her conquests, seduced just like he was in the Raccoon City. She was probably looking for the lab too.
He took a step back, the warmth of her arm leaving him. He could still smell her perfumes as she was so close to him. She gave him a look but he ignored her. Now was not the time for their talk. Leon had a thought that he will see her very soon. It wasn’t a coincidence that she wrapped Liam around her finger too.
“Of course, sir. I will leave you two,” he smiled and left the room.
Having the coordinates he knew that the first step of the mission was done yet he didn’t feel a joy.
He was young and stupid because all he could see was Ada with her arm wrapped around Liam.
***
He wanted to go unnoticed but as he returned, Josephine spotted him in a second and presented to rest of her ‘friends’.
Women.
He excused them, saying that he was feeling unwell and went outside. The car was already waiting for him. When he was back at the hotel, he was ready to change back into some more comfortable clothes and go straight into the action. He knew he didn’t have much time before Jenkins will return to his lab and the road to the place was around two hours.
His mission was to blew up the lab in case the rumor was right and Jenkins was indeed working on B.O.W.s which was still not confirmed. So firstly he had to take a tour around the lab and then destroy the place.
He hoped that the government was wrong but if he was an ex-umbrella scientist, then he probably created some of Leon’s ‘old friends’.
As he opened the door to his room Leon immediately knew something was wrong.
It was just a feeling because the door was locked, his things were untouched at first sight but he smelled women's perfumes. He knew that smell.
“Are you going to stand here all night?” he asked and the light went on.
Ada was standing in his bedroom, still in her dashing, red dress.
“Well, I was hoping you will invite the lady,” she said.
Leon snorted and took off his jacket.
“You invited yourself anyway.”
“I love your shirt by the way. Red… does look good on you,” she looked at him seductively and sat down on his bed, her hand slowly caressing the bed linens.
It was so unreal, her in his room in a red dress, looking beautiful and mysterious. Leon wanted to pinch himself to make sure that this was not a dream.
He cleared his throat being a bit embarrassed by her comment.
“What about your date?” he immediately winced after saying this. Now he sounded like a jealous teenager. Great Kennedy.
She smiled to him.
“Are you jealous?”
Oh god, she knew him too well which was weird because they knew each other for… a night actually. Now Leon felt even more stupid about his crush.
“No, just concerned about your intentions. They’re not usually good, aren’t they?”
She lowered her eyes.
“I’m only doing my job, just like you, Leon. And about Jenkins… he’s sleeping at this moment.”
Leon gave her a surprised look. Did she…?
“No, I didn’t kill him. I only anesthetized him so he will be unconscious for a while which is why we don’t have much time.”
She stood up and took her bag which he didn’t notice earlier.
“We? I’m sorry, I don’t remember me inviting you.”
“You didn’t but you will need me,” she smirked and he only crossed his arms. His look was stern and doubtful.
“And why is that?”
She looked inside her bag and took a card from it. A key card.
“Because you might know the place but I have the key. So, what will you say, just like the old times?”
He suddenly remember the day when he followed her like stupid in the end to save her from the bullet and then from the Annette’s trap. But it was also her who helped him.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Oh, stop it, I know you want it. There’s a long way before us so we might have some time...to talk.”
There was something different in her tone of the voice but she smiled to him anyway. Only this time it was more genuine.
Leon sighed, giving up.
“Fine, you’re coming with me.”
“Great. Now, as much as I love your ass in this suit, put something more comfortable. I like that leather jacket you had this morning,” she blinked at him and disappeared behind bathroom doors probably to change her dress into something more suitable for their trip. Remembering what she was wearing in Raccoon city Leon knew she will look good as always.
When she closed the door he put his hands into his hair and groaned.
He was screwed.