Chapter Text
-“Fathers day? More like day.”-
Jane still remembers the day she met Alcina as if it was yesterday, except. It wasn’t. it had been quite a few years since those days. Quite a few years since she started working with Chris Redfield and his team, the Hound Wolf Squad. Quite a few years since she had hand-delivered Rose back to them.
The once little baby had grown up now. And was starting to ask more and more questions about everything, everything that they did not exactly have answers to. About what happened with her dad for instance, she might never say it outright, but Rose seemed to miss the man she had barely seen all her life. It most certainly did not help that Rose seemed to have gotten some special powers from the whole mold incident as well.
So maybe Jane wasn’t exactly surprised that when Chris called her it wasn’t exactly for a new mission, well it was a new mission alright, just not one she was happy about. Canine had apparently found Miranda’s old notes and research and was convinced there would be a way to get rid of these powers while also getting the answers Rose was looking for.
Jane just wasn’t quite so sure about this all.
~
She opened the door, Rose entering behind her, They had taken the bus together. The only other already there being Canine, Charlie. He lifted his hand in greeting from the chair he was seated in when he noticed them enter.
“Hey K, Sorry where a little late.” Rose greeted him.
“That’s okay, I’m just enjoying the day. Besides you two are the first to get here.” He said as he turned to them.
“You said you had something Important to tell us? I hope it isn’t about Chris wanting me to join his operation because I already told him that’s not happening. I see what he puts you and the rest of his ‘Hound Wolf Squad’ through. No, thank you.”
Jane shrugged at that as Canine huffed a laugh, “It is not about that, but lets wait for the others to arrive first. Anyways I..I worry about you, so how is uhm…how are things at school?”
“Seriously?”
“That group of mean girls still hassling you?”
The mood seemed to switch, becoming much more serious than before.
Rose looked away, “You mean are they still treating me like a freak?”
“Hey! Uh-uh! Look at me. You are not a freak.”
Jane was busy looking around the lab as their conversation continued. She couldn’t even begin to understand what the girl was going through right now. To find out in such a way that some powers had stayed from her time in the mold, from being kidnapped by the crazy lady. And then to be bullied for it, for something so out of her control. Jane might pay those girls a visit when she has the time.
“I am. You know I am.” She sounded so defeated, “That’s why I keep my distance from everybody at school. If they knew what I really was.”
“So you don’t have any friends….that you could talk to?” Rose scoffed at that, rightfully so Jane thought. What a silly thing to ask.
“Talk to? About what? How I’m hardly even human? How I’m some kind of horrendous monster? But hey I hardly ever murder my friends.”
Jane decided to jump in here, she would not have the girl talk herself down like that, in no way was little Rose a murderer or a monster. Jane knew all too well how someone thinking that about you felt. Even though Jane cared little about other peoples feelings about her. Still being considered something like that when all you did was get kidnapped and killed as a literal baby was unfair.
“Don’t say that about yourself, I fell in love with a vampire I mean…I’m probably not the right person to have a say about this but whatever. You are not a freak. And I did not spend a week in that sticky mold for you to start talking yourself down like this. Got it? Now here have some lasagna.” They really needed to get this girls confidence up a bit. It was getting dangerously low. Not on Jane’s watch. Not that she owned one. Who needs a watch anyway? God she needed to get better at comforting people. This was not it.
“Thank you Jane.” Though her intentions seemed to have come through.
“I mean surely there is a way to get rid of them? I made my lover human, surely we can manage the same for you.” She did not mean to give anyone false hope, she just assumed there would be a way, there always was. And it there wasn’t, Jane would make one. Charlie seemed slightly confused by her statement, as if he knew something that she didn’t. Whatever.
“I hope so. I’d get rid of them in a heartbeat.”
~
Soon everyone had arrived, leaving the little office and lab quite crowded.
“So now that everyone is here, what did you have to tell us?” Jane asked, she had an idea yet at the same time was completely clueless. It wasn’t like she really cared either way but it seemed important. So the least she could do was listen. Mr. Leon was there, Grace, Sherry and Claire tagging along with him, Of course Chris and the other members of their squad too.
“Alright, well, I think there is something I need to show you all, there might be a way to get rid of Rose’s powers while also finding some answers about Ethan Winters.”
That got everyone’s attention.
“You already know about Mother Miranda and the Mutamycete and how she was researching it obsessively. Jane?” Charlie started then he paused and looked at her.
“hmm?” “interrupt me if I miss anything okay, you got closer to her than anyone of us and you have entered The mold before.”
“Sure thing buddy.” She said with the same silly salute she always did.
He continued, “How she performed experiments on human subjects.”
Rose interrupted him then. “Like me”. Jane filled in the rest of the names. “And also my lover Alcina, Karl Heisenberg, Salvatore Mureau, Donna Beneviento and quite possibly the entire village.”
“Aren’t those that four lords that each had a piece of Rose? Why are you mentioning them here?”. “Most of them were deceived by her too, she promised them things they would never get and was planning to get rid of them as she no longer needed them. Each of them were candidates to becoming her reborn daughter, being sacrificed. Ethan killing them one by one was part of her plan. To see if he was capable of joining her family. It was all a test to find a replacement for her dead daughter.”
“You...learned a lot more there than we realised.” Charlie seemed genuinely surprised. “You never asked..” she shrugged.
“Well I had to get Mureau to trust me so I could get his flask of Rose, that man talked a lot. But hey, he did teach me how to fish. He was a sailor before Miranda got to him.”
“So you are saying they were her victims too?” Chris said, definitely not believing it. He did shoot down Heisenberg with Ethan back then, so he would be the one to question this Jane supposed. He had some right to remain skeptical. She would give him that.
“I guess” Jane shrugged again, “They weren’t good people, that’s not what I am saying, except my wife of course, love her unconditionally, can do no bad. But yeah Mureau did kill a lot of people, like drowned his entire part of the village. And Heisenberg definitely experimented on humans. Oh and I’m pretty sure the main ingredient of the Dimitrescu wine was human blood at some point. Doesn’t mean they weren’t her victims of course, Heisenberg and Alcina hated her.” Jane said as she scratched awkwardly at her neck with a sheepish smile on her face. Yeah they had done that hadn’t they…she did not care that much about it all to remember the exact details but she did know that Heisenberg’s ‘little’ propellor guy definitely wasn’t born with a propellor for a head and chainsaws for arms. Whatever.
She gestured Charlie to continue.
“What some of you guys don’t know is that we recently found some of her research. Apparently she discovered a Purifying Crystal that can remove the mutamycete from its host.”
“Purifying crystal?” Rose sounded sceptical, Jane could not blame her. To suddenly just have a solution ready. That didn’t happen often.
“If we can get our hands on one of these, we might be able to weaken or remove your powers entirely.”
Rose was standing up now, hope clear in her eyes. “Are you kidding me?”
“No, no, but her notes are incomplete. However, I think I have an idea where we can find the rest of her research.”
“Then lets do it! Lets find it! Where is it?
“Not in the mold I hope.” Leon said. “It better not be, I haven’t spend a week in there getting her out just for you to say we should go back in there.” She crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned back in her chair.
Charlie gestured theatrically to a what to Jane just looked like a way too small fishtank on one of the tables, filled with the red-ish blob she had actually seen before. All he was missing was a “Ta-da”. It was breathing like still alive. “In there”. “What?”
“Not sure about you guys, but I am not fitting in there.” Leon said, stupid smirk on his face. No shit sherlock, “Nah, I’ve seen school goldfish with a bigger tank than this. No wonder that place was so messed up, you mistreated your fish man. It is depressed dude.” Jane added. Leon nodded in agreement. No one reacted. They had become used to their nonsense by now.
“It absorbs and stores memories from people who pass away in close proximity. Including Miranda and everything she knows. If you enter its consciousness, you might be able to solve the mystery in there.”
“What?” Yeah it was to be expected that the girl would be confused. Jane guessed she could interrupt again and explain it all a little better. “Miranda claims that the mold stuff preserves memories of those who died in its influence. That is how I found you. His memory of you remained within it. Yet I doubt anyone that died there would care to remember him, no offence.” “You remember him” Rose looked at her with hope in her eyes, hoping in some way that whatever Jane managed to do with her could perhaps be done for her father too. “I did not die there.” Charlie squinted his eyes at her, still working through what she had just explained. He seemed to come to a conclusion. “No, I will not die there for the small chance that my memories will join the collective, sorry Rose. I have a wife and kids now. Should’ve asked me a few years back I would have gladly agreed.” It was said in such a casual ‘Jane’ way that it took the others a while to realise she had just admitted that she totally would have agreed to die a few years ago. Very casual Jane, good going.
Grace looked at her a little shocked yet also a little sad? was that it? Jane did not get it. What was up with that look? had she said something weird? She shrugged. Whatever.
“You want her to ‘enter its consciousness’ on her own?” Jane decided to move the conversation onward. Charlie seemed to get the hint.
“She may find some answers about Ethan, to get some closure. And to find out what really happened. And we’ll also be able to help her get rid of those powers.” Charlie explained.
“I could just tell you what happened, she ripped his heart out and then I shot her. That is that is what happened. Its whatever to me really but I think she definitely shouldn’t be in there on her own. I have been in before. Its creepy its dark. If she goes I’ll go in with her.” Jane shrugged nonchalantly.
“We all will, I-I wont let you guys go in alone.” Grace said too.
“No, we need to keep some people here to keep in contact with us and to be able to help if we need it.” Chris said with a sense of finality in his tone. “Me and my Squad will enter the consciousness with Rose, we’ll have weapons, gear and knowledge. The others will help us from here. Research the surroundings and notes. Keep in contact with us and be ready for possible rescue.”
“Will it really be that dangerous?” Grace asked, looking a little worried. “Like I said it is not a fun place to be in. So yeah I guess it could be dangerous. Also, I’ll miss my wife so…I would like to keep some contact with her…or whatever it is no big deal…but maybe if it is no big deal or whatever.” Jane answered.
“This is crazy, you all sound crazy!” Rose held her hands up as she looked around the room to all of them.
“Yes! Yes! But it could work.” Charlie said to her.
“Fine, how do we do this?” she asked after a short silence. Not looking like she wanted to do this at all. Jane agreed with her.
~
“Leon you, sherry, Claire and Grace will stay here and be on the comms with us.”
“Whatever you say Captain Redfield, or do you prefer we also call you Alpha now? Do we get cool nicknames too for this operation? I was having quite a nice vacation you know.”
Chris already looked annoyed. “Try to keep your jokes to yourself Kennedy”
“Hmm” for a second it seemed like he was actually going to agree to it, then “Nope”
“Tough crowd today Mr. Leon, don’t give up on your hopes and dreams man. You’ll be a top comedian one day.” Another silly salute exchange happened between Jane and Leon. “I’ll think of some nicknames for you all, do not worry.” She glared at Chris. Who looked at her confused and also a little defeated. He had long lost this battle and he was aware of it. Why he kept trying was a mystery to her.
Together they continued to make a plan: (Added codenames made by Jane)
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Mission Moldy business to save the rat and some answers.
Jane (The better Alpha), Chris (Alpha), Rose (Baby puppy) and the rest of the Hound Wolf Squad would be entering the consciousness of the mold. There they would try and find this Purifying Crystal and possible the man, the legend, the myth Ethan Winters. And the truth about what happened. Then they, and hopefully Ethan (The Rat) too, would be leaving the mold again and Rose would be able to remove her powers and be reunited with her dad.`
The other team, Leon (Mr. Puppy), Grace (Best Neighbour), Claire (The cooler Alpha) and Sherry (Little puppy) would be staying behind and use the communicators to keep in contact with the first team. They will keep researching into Miranda and the mold, while also keeping an eye on the surroundings of the first team and being prepared for a rescue mission.
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“You really think this could work?”
“I think its worth trying. What do we have to lose?” Charlie said to Rose.
“How do I even do this?” “I-I don’t know, try reaching out or something…Jane how does this work?”
Jane sighed, idiot. “lets get geared up first then I’ll get us in there.”
~