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She freezes at the sight of a woman leaning against a wall. The woman looks over and locks eyes with her and Grace freezes at the calculating glance that cuts though her with ease. She draws the gun Leon gave her and the woman just chuckles.
"Oh please put that down before you hurt yourself." A scoff then she continues, "I can't believe he gave you that, idiot"
Grace takes a breath, "You know L-leon?"
The woman smiles and it's way more hostile than it should be. "We've known each other for decades. Now put that thing down I'm not going to hurt you."
Grace hesitantly lowers it enough to not be pointed directly at the woman but not completely. The woman seems to accept this.
"You need three cubes to open the door until then you're stuck here." She explains as she gestures at the exit. "I'm sure you'll find them scattered around but be warned the whole place is infected."
Grace took a steadying breath, "And h-how do you know that?"
The woman raised an eyebrow, "You can hear them."
Grace paused, listened and...yeah faintly the sound of shuffling and distant nearly inaudible slurred voices.
"A-are you with Leon?" Grace changed the subject. The woman had to be right? She seemed to know what was going on just like Leon.
The mysterious woman just scoffed, "No, I'm here for my own reasons."
Grace sighed lightly she had no idea what was going on and no one was being particularly helpful. The mysterious woman just ignored her and eyed the upper parts of the room before giving her a dismissal.
"Get out of here kid, there's bigger things at play."
Grace wanted to ask if she was one of them but bit her tongue and turned back to a door before going in. When she left out the door again the woman was gone and she had a key card.
The next time she sees the woman she's in the semi recently opened parlor. Grace freezes once more at the sight of her, but the woman pays her no mind as she looks over the room.
Once satisfied the woman looks back at her and smirks, "I see you're still alive."
"Who are you?"
"Now you're asking the right questions." The woman huffs, "You can call me Ada.”
Ada flips a coin with her thumb before catching it and humming before placing it on the roulette wheel and walking past Grace to leave. “Don't get yourself killed, yeah?”
Grace goes to follow her, but she is gone, and if the coin wasn't still waiting for her on the roulette wheel, she'd be convinced the woman was a ghost.
The next interaction wasn't the one she'd ever wanted to have. Pinned to the ground, the zombie was getting ready to latch into her neck for the killing blow when suddenly with a gunshot the creature collapsed next to her. She looks up and sees Ada gun in hand and eyeing the still collapsed creature.
Once pleased the things not going to get up again, she turns that sharp gaze to Grace. “First one's free.” Was the only thing she said before walking past her and dropping a knife at Grace's side.
Grace didn't even get to thank her before she was gone again, and she was left only with her thoughts and a racing heart.
After her run around in the underground, she saw Ada on her way back up. After she made sure Emily was out of the lift, the Giant thing that had been chasing her around grabbed her leg. She'd seen the cable start to snap and had nearly started hyperventilating as she tried to pull her leg free.
A gunshot sounded once more, and the hulking creature was left to fling itself back as Grace was let free. She scrambled further back until she hit something, not that she paid it any mind as she saw the cable finally snap, and the whole thing plummet down. She nearly sobbed in relief as she tried to catch her breath.
A hand was put on her shoulder, and Grace startled back pulling her gun now that her hands were free, which she immediately lowered at the sight of Ada. The woman looked her over and seemed pleased enough with what she saw before she stepped back.
“Get out of here kid before you owe me another one.”
Emily startled at the new voice, but Grace just grabbed her hand to reassure her.
“And what about you?”
Ada huffed an amused noise, “Someone has to make sure Leon doesn't get himself killed. By the way, he's very impressed considering you all but cleared this place. He didn't have much else to do.”
“He's here?”
Ada shrugged lightly, “Nowhere you want to go.”
Grace took a breath and nodded to herself as she scooped Emily back up, “Ok.” She agreed. Ada nodded pleased before walking off to the sound of now familiar clicking heels.
She sees Leon again in the water treatment facility. She wants to ask questions about the mysterious woman but is too busy screaming at him not to shoot Emily. She knows it's stupid that this thing isn't Emily anymore. But she can't see anything other than the little girl who she owes everything to.
She is barely listening to his explanation, just takes the gun he gave her and tosses it onto the ground. She isn't doing this, can't anymore, not with a failure so absolute. She walks off and only when Gideon and the newly introduced Zeno take her does she realize she made a mistake.
As she arrives at the RPD she has a moment of horrible gut-wrenching realization. Watches as the ‘Welcome Leon’ sign is torn down from across the ceiling. Sees the name plaque for him and watches as Zeno sets everything up like it's some kind of joke.
She tried not to shake out of her skin as he spoke, "We have to welcome him back, don't we? This is his second day at work after all.”
Zeno had scribbled down a note, 'You can't save anyone’
Grace choked back a noise of distress.
"It's funny nearly 30 years later and he still thinks he can make a difference." Zeno hummed lowly.
Grace prays he can.
Just as the maniac gets ready to go down the hall on the east side. Grace spots a silhouette hidden in the shadows on top of the stairs. Ada, she knows immediately, but she makes no indication she saw anything. Doesn't dare draw Zenos attention to someone else he might not even know is involved in this mess.
Ada of course isn't the one to save her, it's Leon who barges in. At least that's what she realized later. She'd been so deep in a panic attack at the time she hadn't known. And it was Leon again who appeared at ARK to save her, grabbing Grace and dragging her alone as they fell off the platform.
She'd then about had another panic attack as he passed out. She flipped him over on his back, which wasn't easy. He was heavy and strapped with so much gear. She had to take a minute to marvel at hell he didn't clink when he walked into Pandora.
She also took a moment to just take in everything about him. She'd never truly gotten a good look overwhelmed as she was by everything. He had black creeping up his neck from something that rang as distantly familiar. A hatchet strapped onto his belt that was covered in fresh blood.
He'd lost his jacket at some point…Grace had too now that she thought about it. The gun he'd given her was in a holster on his left side, bullets for it on his right. His hair where it wasn't grimy was edging on dirty blonde with strands of silver. He was clearly an older man, and she knew for a fact anyone over the age of thirty in the DSO was something all but unheard of.
She looked down at the black that…oh it was crawling up his neck to his jaw. Familiar why was it familiar? Oh.
It hit her all at once Raccoon City Syndrome. All of the bodies that she had been investigating. It was this and Leon had it too. She thought back to Ada she'd been wearing elbow length gloves. As she looks down at Leon's own exposed forms and spots the same black crawling its way up. She has to wonder if Ada too is suffering the same thing.
Hadn't the woman said something about knowing the man for decades?
She waits by Leon's side patiently until he stirs and she's at his side a moment later. The conversation that followed was haunting but informative and only then did she bring up Ada.
At the mention of the name alone Leon jerked to look at her his eyes going wide. Grace was surprised, had she not shown herself to him? After a moment of searching her face for anything like a lie he just sighed and chuckled to himself.
“Of course she's here. Why wouldn't she be?”
“W-who is she?” Grace asked because truly that was the question that had been eating her alive.
“Ada Wong, the best mercenary in the business.”
The explanation sounded…well dubious, but his tone was fond achingly so.
He seemed to see how unsure she was because he continued. “She's not nearly as bad as she'd like you to believe. A bit of a bleeding heart if I dare say. I know of at least one rookie cop who could attest to that.” His eyes sparkled with amusement despite the pain he was clearly in.
Grace could read between the lines, knew what he was hinting at, and she was inclined to agree. She'd saved her life every time she needed it and had even helped even if it was indirectly.
Sure enough she saw the woman once more as she made her way back though the infested lab. She had no idea what to call the abominations that were crawling around on the walls, but one thing was for sure they were dangerous.
She'd managed to make her way out of one of the infested rooms and sighed a breath of relief as the door closed behind her. But as she was so focused on what was behind her, she hadn't realized one of the things was in front of her.
She bumped into it and knew immediately she'd fucked up BADLY. It turned quickly, and those terrifying claws reared back and went to slice her open. A gunshot had it flying back before it turned and went after the source. Grace looked up and saw Ada automatic gun in hand as she riddled the approaching thing with bullets. It stopped dead only half a foot from her.
Ada never blinked, just scowled at the thing before looking at Grace once more. “You only owe me one considering you didn't let the idiot choke on his own blood.”
Grace could read the unsaid thank you as it was intended. She just nodded appreciatively before watching the woman disappear once more. She truly was a mystery, and she had to wonder if she'd ever have any kind of explanation.
When she made it to the stairs where Leon had collapsed for a horrible gut-wrenching second she thought he was dead. But he stirred without much prompting, and she almost cried in relief. She helped drag him into Pandora and the next few minutes were the best and worst of her life.
She'd grabbed two vials of Elpis during the commotion going with her gut instinct. She injected Leon with one pocketed the other before the whole place started coming down around them. Leon fell as he yelled for her to hold onto something, and well what was there to hold on to?
She'd started to fall herself but in the next moment arms wrapped around her. She startled and looked up to see Ada. Of course, who else would it be? The woman had a grappling hook in one hand the other wrapped around her with impressive strength. They landed on a secure area overlooking a battlefield down below where Leon was facing off against Gideon.
Grace fumbled out the second Elpis vile as Ada swung her sniper off her back. The black was visible now from where it crawled past her gloves, and Grace wanted to prevent another person from nearly dying while saving her.
Ada saw the vile met her eyes and nodded as she grabbed it and injected herself. Moments later she was prone and helped snipe the abomination that had crawled out of the pit that supposedly used to be Gideon.
Grace was let to watch in stunned awe as Leon danced out of the way and blocked appendages that tried to slam into him with brutal deadly force. He truly was a marvel making the whole thing look easy when just moments ago he was seconds away from death. Ada too seemed to know where to hit and when, her aim impeccable just as good as Leon's own.
Leon realized quickly he had help but hadn't bothered to look around. Grace suspected he knew who the help was from. The fight didn't take nearly as long as she expected it to, and she was glad for it. Leon hacked into a soft spot before being flung off. He rallied quickly, drawing that beautiful gun as he finished the job.
As he holstered it once more, Ada followed suit throwing her sniper back over her shoulder and pulling out her grappling gun. She hooked onto the roof and lowered them down as Leon turned and started shouting for Grace. The man spotted them quickly and his face lit up and it seemed to take years off his age.
He checked over Grace quickly and frowned at the puncture wound on her side. He pulled out a med injector and handed it over, and she nodded thankfully before using it. Grace then watched as the man's attention homed in on Ada.
“So, what did I hear about you avoiding me this whole time?”
“You're a big boy, you don't need my protection. Besides, Grace had it handled.”
Leon grabbed the woman pulling her close and bowed his head under her chin. Grace blinked shocked and then gaped openly when Ada reciprocated circling an arm around him and bringing up a hand to cradle the back of his head. Leon pulled back a second later, taking in her now uncovered arms. He looked back over to Grace and she explained.
“W-when I saw it crawling up your arms down in the dump I realized that Ada probably also had it because of the gloves. S-so I grabbed two doses just in case. I gave the other to her while you were fighting.”
Leon's expression was unreadable so many emotions warring, but the half choked, “Thank you.” Was telling.
Just then the lights started going out. Grace startled though the other two didn't seem surprised. She felt her breath hitch the recently re-taught fear of the dark coming back with a vengeance.
“W-What do we do?” Grace asked.
Leon answered easily, “Ada can get us out.”
Before they could even discuss it further suddenly floodlights blasted in from above as men descended. Leon went for his gun Ada following suit but neither drew yet. One man walked forward speaking on coms they couldn't hear. He spoke with Leon a second later who relaxed instantly before the mysterious man turned to Ada.
“Ada Wong.” The soldier spoke tone edging on hostile.
Ada smirked lightly.
“Kennedy.” The soldier directed his attention back to the agent, something like reprimand in his tone.
Leon threw his hands up, “Don't look at me, I don't control her.”
“You were never here.” The soldier decided his attention going back to Ada.
“Of course not.” Ada agreed easily.
Without any more preamble she grappled the ceiling and disappeared. Grace watched her go even more confused than the first time she saw her. They were brought up to the surface soon after and Ada was nowhere to be seen.
Leon had told her not to mention Ada to anyone, and she'd agreed had figured as much.
As she sat on the helicopter mug of coffee in hand, Leon suggested they may yet be able to save Emily. Grace let herself dare to hope for a moment before Leon glanced around furtively. A smile crawled across his face a moment later before he signaled her to follow.
She did and thought she always would.
Leon tossed his gloves and fished around in a pocket before pulling out a ring. Grace felt her eyes widen and jaw drop slightly. And quickly everything started slotting into place as a nearby shadow started moving, and Ada walked out.
“Good it's back where it should be.” She hummed.
Leon just smiled back softly as he eyed her own hand. She had on a similar ring some diamonds inlaid in the band definitely to be more practical for her job. Leon intertwined their ringed hands and kissed her.
The infallible facade faded slightly as a loving look met him when he pulled back. But the emotionless front was back just as soon as she turned to Grace.
“I'd call us even now, all things considered.” She says with a nod that Grace can read as appreciative.
Leon gives Grace a lopsided smile, “Better than my track record I'm still deep in debt with her.”
Ada huffs, “Yes well you're very bad at staying alive and out of trouble.”
Leon just smiled widely, “But that's why you love me.”
Ada just raised a dubious eyebrow, "It's definitely not.”