Life Chapter #14 - 2004

This was a fairly bad time to be admiring the well-defined ass of a certain blonde government agent but Ada couldn't help but be entranced by Leon S. Kennedy. Even though she had sworn to stay away from her benefactor, she was drawn to any news of him time and again over the years. It started off with a report just over a year after the Raccoon City Incident. Just seeing his name triggered a hunger within her and one could say curiosity killed the cat.

So, Ada paid good money to obtain information about Leon. Where he lived, his occupation, and minor details of his rather sparse social life. The spy just wanted to know if he was doing well. Of course, all that had to be done covertly when she was under the watchful eye of Albert Wesker.

Ada had choreographed a dangerous dance between herself and the bespectacled man over the years. She often toed the line but she always got things done which always resulted in stern lectures by her mentor on the subject of obedience. Knowing that she was Wesker's top operative, Ada enjoyed pushing his buttons, much to the surprise of other contacts who worked with him. If they tried to give Wesker the same attitude that Ada had given him, they would be dead in a blink of an eye.

It was during her downtime that Ada could pamper herself by lounging in her penthouse or jetting away to boutique hotels and resorts all over the World. She took the opportunity of being on the move to take up some others jobs on the side and devour everything she knew about Leon. Pictures did not do him justice at all. For their first reunion in the bedroom of the castellan's castle, Ada stared at how muscular Leon had become. He still retained his boyish features but his body had filled out in all the right places. The tight tactical shirt he wore left little to the imagination and she had to mentally restrain herself from ripping the fabric off his body.

Ada thought that she could contain her desire for him but seeing him in the flesh made it almost impossible to stop the growing lust in her belly. She wanted Leon Kennedy so desperately. As quickly as that sensation filled her senses, she shoved it away in the back of her mind. Compartmentalizing was an essential skill on the field. Instead, she settled on playing the cool cat.

It was a pity that she had to behave nonchalantly around Leon. Wesker had eyes on the island and she had to accomplish her mission. That didn't mean she couldn't have a bit of fun with the handsome agent and pull some strings to tip the odds in his favour. After all, he had saved her from death and this was the least she could do to repay the debt. So, she grew emboldened as the hours ticked by. From avoiding him in the village to revealing herself in the castle, it was a thrill to vanish and re-appear when he least expected her.

An incessant beeping in her earpiece brought her out of her thoughts. Ada sighed inwardly at the helicopter pilot's interruption. Even though the spy was having fun, she still had to remain focused on the task at hand. With one last lingering look at Leon's very fine form, she sauntered towards him and pulled out her empty Blacktail, placing it against his skull. She could see him visibly freeze under her pistol.

"Sorry Leon, hand it over," Ada said in a no-nonsense manner.

"Ada," Leon replied as he slowly stood up with his arms up in the air, "you do know what this is." He turned towards her and his blue eyes showed nothing but confusion, hurt, and betrayal.

The raven haired spy played it cool and stared off to the side, knowing how she could easily be entranced by those beautiful eyes of his. "Hm," she murmured as she took the Dominant Plaga sample vial into her grasp. She knew that the agent had so many questions but given the circumstances they were under right now, she couldn't stay and chat. Plus, she had already compromised herself quite enough and she didn't want to give Wesker yet another reason to have the blonde assassinated. Krauser was a pain to dispose of and she had no time to fend off another killer.

Distracted by a rustling off to the side of the platform, Leon turned around to locate the source of the disturbance. Ada took the opportunity to make her escape as she sprinted away to leap off the platform. She spread open her arms to slow down her descent before pulling out her hookshot and firing it at the bottom railing of the chopper. Executing a graceful somersault, she swung herself into the passenger's seat. The timing was just perfect as the chopper pulled up and she saw Leon staring at the edge of the platform, looking at her with frustration in his eyes.

"Don't worry," she cooed as she waved the vial in her hand, "I'll take good care of it."

"Ada!" The blonde agent cried out.

The wounded look he had right now reminded her of the time they spent in the Raccoon City Police Department. He used that same expression all those years ago and it lead her to team up with him in the sewers.

Ada continued to suppress all of her emotions and spoke coolly. "Gotta go. If I were you, I'd get off this island too." She pulled up her detonator and thumbed the trigger, activating the countdown for all the explosives on the wretched island. There was no point leaving it intact for other parties to get their hands on such a dastardly bioweapon.

Smiling cheekily at the blonde, slender fingers reached into her pocket to grasp the jet ski key. "Here, catch," she threw the object out of the chopper and watched as he caught the item with ease.

"Better get a move on," she cooed again and gave him a wave as the helicopter began to withdraw from the platform, "see you around."

If Leon had x-ray vision, Ada could feel his gaze piercing through the hull of the vehicle. There was a slight twinge of regret as she pulled out the containment case from under her seat. Securely stowing the sample vial into the cushioned depths of the carrier, she closed it and waited for the locking mechanisms to activate, creating a tight seal around the sample. She stowed it under the seat, latching the compartment securely to prevent it from sliding out in the midst of turbulence.

It was then did the spy finally relax and exhale the breath she didn't know she had been holding. Looking up, hazel eyes squinted as the morning Sun shone through the window and onto her face. She closed her eyes to bask in its warmth, feeling a little invigorated by the rays. The cool ocean breeze blasted in through the side doors, its gentle caress tickling her face and messing up her short hair.

Normally she would take the opportunity to decompress but her thoughts kept drifting back to a certain blonde. How did he manage to have such an effect on her? Throughout all her years of espionage, no man alive was able to make her feel this sentimental and emotional. She thought she had got over Leon as time went by but his presence, his very name held a vice grip on her heart.

There was a loud clang as the side doors slid shut, preventing the elements from reaching her. Now she had to be content with the weak air-conditioning of her hired ride. That brought her back to reality quickly. The pilot had seen and heard her exchange with Leon. Low level grunts usually had loose lips and the man flying the chopper was no exception.

Crouching low, Ada stealthily crept forward towards the cockpit. Once she was positioned directly behind him, she reached forward and in one swift movement, twisted his neck. The helicopter shuddered as the pilot loosened his grip on the controls before slumping over in his seat. The spy quickly jumped into the cockpit and pushed a button on the control panel which caused the door on the pilot's side to open.

With one hand steadying the controls, Ada used her free hand to unsheathe the knife from her thigh holster to slash at the seat restrains that was keeping the pilot in his seat. She began to kick his corpse ruthlessly and it took a handful of tries before he was cruelly punted out of the chopper and into the ocean below.

---

Fatigue was seeping through her mind and settling in her weary body. Ada caught herself dozing off at the pilot controls before she decided that she had to stop for a nap. Pulling an all-nighter across different time zones in a short span of time was bound to affect her and the adrenaline that fueled her during the mission had already worn off. Finding an empty plateau in the middle of the ocean, she brought the chopper in for landing without incident. There were no signs of civilization as far as her eye could see so she stepped out of the vehicle and inhaled the fresh air.

This would have been a perfect getaway location if she ever chose to disconnect from the world. After stretching her legs, the spy returned back to the chopper and locked all the doors. In the silence, Ada set her timer for half an hour and closed her eyes as she laid herself flat across the passenger seats. Any lesser and she would be making more pitstops along the way lest she inadvertently crash the chopper in the middle of nowhere.

Thirty minutes later, her phone chimed and she stirred, checking her surroundings once more. The spy was still alone on the plateau. Ada reached down to the compartment below the seat to pull out the containment case, making sure the Dominant Plaga system was still within. She laid her finger against the scanner and it took a few seconds for it to register. Ada felt the locking mechanisms of the case deactivate before the lid popped open. The glowing purple vial greeted her and it appeared the organism was lunging towards her but was held back by the protective walls of the syringe. She fought the urge to slam down the lid as she studied the biological specimen.

Handing this over to Wesker would certainly mean hell would be unleashed upon the World again. Would it be worth it? What was the point of eliminating most of the population? There would be no one left to do his dirty work and talented staff was hard to come by.

Fingers reached for her side pack and she pulled out the Subordinate Plaga sample. She had plans to hand this over to K to obtain her reward. After all, they would just destroy it and would be unaware that it was not the master sample they were seeking for.

However, she had seen how Leon behaved under the influence of the wretched organism. He was uncharacteristically brutal and cruel towards her during that one instance when he attempted to choke her. Those kind blue eyes were replaced by red ones that had no soul to them. Even the books she perused in the village contained accounts on how the once thriving settlement gradually spiraled down to hell.

As tainted as her life was, dragging innocents down with her was a rather cowardly thing to do. Furthermore, Wesker would dispose of her one day, she could feel it. The spy had spared Leon on the island and Wesker knew that the government agent was left alive. That act would come and haunt her one day. Her mentor was good at finding weaknesses and blackmailing others with such information.

Ada continued to stare at both the Dominant and Subordinate Plaga samples. It would be better to cut off ties now when she had the upper hand than be caught off guard. With renewed conviction, she performed the swop and now the Dominant Plaga sample was safely bundled up in her side pack. She closed the case with a satisfying click and stowed it away.

Hours later when she landed the chopper on the helipad, Ada strode into the facility with confidence. Given her steely reputation, no one would question or give her the customary pat down that was done to other visitors that arrived at the facility. As she made her way down the corridor to her mentor's office, she had to suppress a smile. Everything was going according to plan.

Strolling into Wesker's workroom with the containment case in hand, she tapped a chipped nail against the metallic shell and the sound made Wesker turn his chair around. Ada had to suppress and eyeroll, he had a tendency to be dramatic with his presence.

"I heard you arrived alone without your pilot."

The spy strolled towards his desk, "He got too comfortable," she replied simply and placed the case on his desk before gracefully taking a seat on the chair.

Albert eyed her carefully through his sunglasses. His student had an inclination towards teaching perverts a lesson, often breaking the fingers or even their limbs when they copped a feel. For her to travel alone, it meant that the pilot had crossed a line which caused him to be disposed like trash. His brow twitched ever so slightly with annoyance. Constantly replacing low level employees was always a nuisance since they either resigned barely a week into the job or they were killed in action. Still, pilots were a dime a dozen and were easily recruited.

"Perhaps I should assign pilots with no interest in women whenever you're on duty," he mused out loud and the raven haired spy smirked.

"That's quite a reasonable suggestion."

A silence fell between them and there was the elephant in the room that had to be addressed.

Wesker took off his glove and reached forward, resting his thumb on the sensor at the side of the case. It registered his print and the hinges unlocked with a loud click that resonated through the quiet room. He gingerly opened the case and nestled within the confines of the padded foam was the Dominant Plaga sample. It glowed faintly purple and the organism within twitched slightly in response to the room's lighting. Smirking, he closed the lid on the containment case.

"Well done, Ada," he smirked at the handiwork of his prized pupil.

The spy made a small 'hmm' sound in response to his praise, "If there are no more issues that require my attention, I shall resume my vacation that barely started…" She tapped her fingers impatiently against the arm rest of the chair as she displayed her annoyance.

There she was, all dressed up to the nines in a bespoke red dress to attend a musical when one of Wesker's cronies showed up and escorted her off the premises. There was supposedly no time to allow her to grab a change of clothes that would be combat appropriate and she was seated in a bumpy chopper minutes later, headed towards an unknown Spanish village. Oddly enough, Wesker had the time to prep her gadgets and weaponry but had 'no time' to provide her with tactical gear.

Ada suspected that her mentor was deliberately making her life difficult to see how she adapted to sudden changes. Even after all these years, he was still throwing curve balls at her, testing her. Frankly, it was a little insulting.

Albert stared at his pupil and waved her off, "The retrieval of the sample has lessened the workload for the organization. Until the research team has properly analyzed the sample, that is. Then we would be able to initiate the next phase of the plan. Your expertise isn't required for now, Ada. Feel free to gallivant in the theater you were in."

A retort bubbled up within her and she was so close from unleashing it but Ada held her tongue, merely nodding at Wesker before leaving the room. First things first, she was in a desperate need of a shower.

An hour later, they would not notice that all her funds from her Swiss account would be emptied out and said account would be closed. The penthouse apartment that she kept would be vacant and the cell phone she always used would lay abandoned in her locker. Any attempt to contact her would be futile. By the time Wesker discovered the ruse, Ada Wong was long gone.

---

As soon as Ada touched down at her previous vacation spot, she did not exit the airport. Instead, she walked into a café and ordered a cup of tea and a sandwich. Taking a seat at a booth in the corner, she enjoyed her food. To any onlooker, she appeared like any ordinary red-headed traveler who was hungry after a flight and simply needed a quick pick me up. Ada's green contact lenses scanned her surroundings once in a while and satisfied that no one looked in her direction, she dialed K's number on her new phone.

After a couple of rings, the woman on the other side answered with a simple, "Hello."

"Remember the request you made at my apartment a month ago? It's completed," Ada spoke cryptically.

"Ah, Miss Wong. I suppose you're out in public at the moment given your rather mysterious mannerisms. I will send the details to your phone in a short while. Have a safe trip," K replied before hanging up.

Ada stared at her phone with a perplexed expression. That was one of the shortest phone conversations she ever had and she stowed her phone to partake in her sandwich. It was much tastier than the mediocre airplane food that she had a few hours ago. She checked her phone after she was done and read the instructions. The spy raised her eyebrows ever so slightly as she read the destination that was listed. It was a good thing she remained in the airport.

After purchasing her plane ticket from the airline counter, she popped into the nearest gift shop to buy a lightweight veil and a pair of sunglasses with UV protection. There were a few hours left to kill so Ada checked in early and went to utilize her first-class membership in one of the higher end lounges. No point waiting aimlessly in the terminal when she could relax in relative comfort. By paying a little extra, she had a small private room to herself with an en-suite bathroom. She took an invigorating shower and napped till it was almost time to board the plane with her precious cargo that was cleverly disguised like any other carry-on bag.

Upon landing in Dubai, the spy did not expect an impeccably dressed man waiting at the airport holding a sign of her name in Chinese. Ada had to do a double take and it almost seemed too good to be true. She rang K for confirmation and the woman on the other line assured her that the chauffeur was genuine. The only way to prove her identity was the text message containing the instructions so she walked up to the man and showed her phone. He took a few moments to read the contents before stowing the placard under his arm, "This way please," he gestured to the parking lot and lead Ada to a Mercedes with tinted windows.

There was a LCD screen in the backseat containing a map along with a refrigerator filled with bottled water, juice, and whole fruits. There were even packets of potato chips and chocolates in a container off to the side too. Ada could not believe that she was given the VIP treatment. The chauffeur started the car and began to drive off and the little red dot on the map began to move as well.

Bypassing the skyscrapers in the busy city centre, it was evident that she would be taking the sample to somewhere remote and away from the mass population. Civilization soon gave way to sandy desert and through the tinted windows, the sunlight looked positively scorching. She was glad to have come equipped with sunglasses and an outfit befitting the weather.

A small building loomed in the distance and the car pulled up into the garage. The chauffeur opened the door and escorted her into the building which was nothing but an empty warehouse with a set of ominous looking machinery in the middle. A middle aged brunette woman strolled in from one of the doors at the side, "Welcome, Miss Wong," she shook Ada's hand firmly. "Are you ready to see this B.O.W. destroyed?"

Ada nodded and produced the containment case, unlocking the lid for K. The woman was hardly impressed with the specimen and looked at it with disdain. Slapping on gloves onto her hands, K delicately picked up the vial containing the Dominant Plaga and lowered it into a sharps box before sealing it tight. "This is our incinerator. Everything will be burned and pulverized before the ashes are scattered to the landfills."

"Do you let everyone who brings you a sample witness the incineration process? Or am I really that special?"

"You went through so much to obtain this abomination; don't you want to see it destroyed for good?" K asked with a slight raise of her eyebrow.

She did make a point and Ada concurred, "Fire it up then."

K placed the sharps box into the main body of the incinerator and the lid clanged shut soon after. She twisted a few dials before pushing a red button at the corner of the machine and the interior of the incinerator lit up. The flames gradually grew bigger, enveloping the yellow box and they watched as the silhouette of the box slowly collapsed on itself, melting into goo.

The older woman then pulled out a solid gold bar and handed it to Ada, "Due to security purposes, I am not able to carry that much valuables outside. When you drop by my office tomorrow, I will be able to give you the rest of your reward. I have arranged a stay in a hotel near my office so you don't have to walk far in this heat. I'm sure you would like to rest after a long flight."

There was nothing in K's mannerisms that would indicate that she had any ulterior motives. After all, she was transparent and kept her words so far. Ada glanced at the incinerator once more before nodding, feeling the heaviness of the precious metal in her hand. "Thank you for your generous hospitality. I would be more at ease when I see that everything has been reduced to cinders."

"Of course, though it would take a few minutes for the incineration process to be completed."

K stood in silence beside Ada and checked her phone, reading any incoming emails and replying to those that were deemed urgent.

The raven haired spy's eyes roamed everywhere during that period of time. She gazed at the warehouse, K, the chauffeur, and the incinerator. This was just so unreal, to be witnessing a B.O.W. go up in flames and be paid for it at the same time. She half-expected betrayal or some special ops team to come bursting through the windows at any moment.

But the fire died out and through the display window, there was nothing but glowing embers. The Dominant Plaga was truly gone. The embers continued to burn before gradually fizzling out. With another push of the button, the main chamber disengaged from the machine and it looked like an ordinary metal box. Ada's work was done.

"I shall see you tomorrow, Miss Wong," K said and the chauffeur began to move, gesturing to Ada to follow him once again.

It was another uneventful ride through the desert before they properly returned to civilization. By then, Ada was hankering for a good soak in a tub and a long nap. The chauffeur pulled up to a building belonging to a well-known hotel chain and instructed her to stay in the car while he helped her to check in. She was not sure if K was in the B.O.W. disposal business or providing a butler service because everything the man had done so far was nothing but impeccable.

The spy had to stop him from carrying her luggage, insisting that his work was completed for today and that his aid was no longer required, even for the next day's trip to K's office. She did tip him generously and the man merely nodded, thanking her before he entered the Mercedes and drove off to presumably continue his work.

Ada did not expect a lavish suite. Sure, she was a woman with high taste but she never assumed others would pay for such extravagance for her. Lady Luck must be looking out for her somewhere. Kicking off her shoes and removing the various accessories on her head and neck, she began to undress on the way to the bathroom and filled the tub with warm water.

An hour after luxuriating in the tub, she was drying out her hair when a new message appeared in her inbox which featured an interview of President Graham addressing his daughter's kidnapping. To her surprise, Leon was standing in the background with the other government agents, looking as handsome and fresh faced as ever. Interestingly, the President did not state who was Ashley's rescuer. Probably to keep Leon's identity a secret since he had to blend into the public eye.

The camera zoomed in a bit and her heart tightened upon seeing the red line on Leon's cheek. She was not sure if it would ever heal nicely. How dare that bastard Krauser inflict a permanent mark on him! No matter, Jack was already put down by her.

Try as she might in denying it, Ada definitely felt something for the blonde. She attempted to sever all thoughts and connections to him but her mind just could not stop plaguing her when she was asleep.

Was it infatuation? An unhealthy obsession? Who was she kidding?

Time and again, she thrived on images and information about Leon Scott Kennedy. Why?

The answer was right there all along. The moment he took a bullet for her all those years ago, she was a goner. A bond formed that night between the two of them and like it or not, the rookie cop found a permanent place in her heart. Ada realized she was hopelessly in love with him. The words she spoke on that fateful night rang true. They were not said in a moment of desperation. She really did fall for him.

Normally she would reject any form of emotional attachment to anyone but now, she was alone and answered to no one. Others did not know about Leon at all. Loving him should not be a sin. For the first time in a while, she basked in that feeling, smiling like a shy school girl at the image on the screen. No longer did she feel turmoil within herself. Ada accepted that she was in love with Leon, even if they appeared to be on opposite sides of the coin.

With a slight spring in her step, she picked up the phone in her room and dialed for room service. This was a time to celebrate.

---

The blistering heat outside was barely tolerable and the veil on her head provided scant protection against the unforgiving sunshine. The change in temperature from cool Spain to scorching Dubai was a stark difference. Quickening her footsteps, she headed for her destination, a skyscraper across the street. Most people would have scoffed at the location but they were fools, the city was relatively modern and metropolitan. It was also the last place Wesker would look for her.

Stepping into the air-conditioned concourse, she headed straight for the elevator lobbies and was promptly whisked upstairs to an ordinary office space. Ada was ushered into a meeting room and finally took off her sunglasses and veil. Helping herself to a sealed bottle of water on the table, she drank her fill and gazed out at the gleaming landscape outside. Other similar sized skyscrapers were in her line of sight and in the distance, she could spot a small stretch of white sand. Usually she would hit the beach but given the current temperatures, it would be almost suicidal.

The door behind her swished open to reveal K standing near the window with a small briefcase in hand.

"Ah, Miss Wong. I'm glad to see you. As promised, your services would be handsomely rewarded," the woman flicked open the briefcase and turned its contents of gold bars towards Ada.

The spy glanced at the glittering blocks and picked a handful up for inspection. They were certainly the real deal. She closed the lid and said, "What about the sample?"

"As you witnessed with your own eyes, it was incinerated and the ashes have been disposed of. We have no desire to harbor dangerous biological weapons, Miss Wong. Like we told you before, we wish to eradicate the world of such biohazardous agents."

"It's still a pity how other organizations do not share the same sentiment," Ada replied in a matter-of-fact manner as her thoughts drifted back to how she first encountered this mysterious group.

The door to her apartment was unlocked and the intruder was standing right there in her living room with a smile on her face, "Do not be alarmed, Miss Wong. I just want to have a chat with you."

The pistol remained trained on the brunette woman's head and Ada kept her distance. She bought this apartment under another alias and the fact that this stranger knew her name was a tad unsettling. "Seeing as you know my name and address, you could have arranged a meeting via email," she responded darkly and shut the door behind her.

"Rest assured that I am unarmed and I have no interest in taking your life. I would like to pay for your services. I heard you are one of the best operatives."

"Unfortunately, my contract has a clause which states that I am not allowed to perform any side jobs."

The woman laughed, "Bullshit, Miss Wong. An organization like yours does not have a human resource team to draft up such a contract. You're a smart woman with precious time to spare. So, you're going to put down your gun and listen to me."

Ada's eyes hardened and she took a step forward. "On the contrary, you will keep your hands up and start talking." The spy was not one to submit or follow instructions. This was her house, her rules.

The woman sighed and rolled her eyes, bringing up her gloved hands in surrender. "Our organization collects and destroys master biological samples. Given your constant exposure to bioweaponry, you would have easy access to them and help us make the world safer."

"You are either really brave or really stupid to ask me to betray my boss with such a cheap ideology."

"We have plenty of generous donors that support our cause. You will be paid double the rate you have been receiving so far."

The spy raised an eyebrow, still finding it difficult to believe this woman's sheer audacity to obtain her services. "I don't come cheap."

"Cost is not an issue, Miss Wong. Or should I say, Miss Wang?" The woman stared hard into Ada's eyes and the spy felt a surge of anger within her. Before Ada could say or do anything else though, the mysterious stranger continued to speak.

"The Academy has been feeding you breadcrumbs regarding your father. Year after year, it's just picture after picture. That's not satisfying, is it? We have information about him that will give you closure. For someone whose life has been affected by bioterrorism, you are picking the wrong side."

Ada began to slowly circle around the woman, "You know nothing about me and using my father as a carrot on a stick is a rather old trick."

"Your father was the reason why you joined The Academy in the first place. You were happy in your foster home and could have enjoyed a new life but you are still haunted by your past... just like you are right now. Deep down you know you are frustrated with The Academy's annual nonsense and are powerless to do anything."

Ignoring all reason to keep her distance, Ada closed the gap and now positioned the gun under the woman's chin. She easily towered over her and could take her down. "Shut up," she whispered acidly.

There was still no fear in the brunette's eyes and Ada would have loved to give her some credit. Her prey usually cowered and begged for mercy at this point but this woman's brazen show of bravado was mildly intriguing. Only people who had nothing to hide and told the truth would be this defiant. Ada was inclined to believe her somewhat.

For what seemed like an eternity, both parties continued to glare at the other. Finally, Ada withdrew her gun and stepped away, "A side job, huh?"

"We prefer to keep it open ended, you can just send us samples whenever you retrieve them. There is no deadline," the woman lowered her arms and fished out a name card from her pocket, handing it over to the spy. "I trust you know to keep this hidden from prying eyes."

Taking the card, she looked at single letter and toll free number printed on the surface. "Interesting alias and number, K."

K just smiled at her like a Cheshire cat. "Not many governments agree with our goal to dispose of B.O.W.s. They want to research them and come up with a counter measure for these threats. Most of the time, it doesn't end well and there's always a crazed scientist using it for their own means."

Ada had to stifle a chuckle, "Indeed." The spy's face then turned serious, "Breaking and entering my house. How are you so sure I would give you a biological sample or even let you live?"

K shrugged. "One has to take risks in this business. Perhaps you would not hand over any B.O.W.s to me. Perhaps you would burn this name card when I leave. Whatever you do is out of my control but you do have the choice to pursue whatever suits you. We emphasize on your freedom to make an informed decision without pointing a gun to your head."

"Interesting modus operandi," Ada replied as she continued to finger the card, still unsure on what to make of K. She was certainly confident and charismatic, traits that were essential in recruiting people.

"Like I said, we keep things simple and straight to the point. We certainly won't kill you if you refuse, we will just approach other people. I'm sure you will make the final choice when the time comes. Good day to you, Miss Wong," K spoke to her a hopeful manner before making her way to the balcony and disappearing. So, she was smart enough to avoid the front lobby with surveillance cameras.

Ada watched the other woman leave and contemplated about installing grills in her balcony to prevent a repeated incursion. Though it would mean she would be sending out a sign that she had something to hide… Ultimately, she decided against it and placed the name card in her wallet for future use before searching for a new apartment. Coming up with an excuse for moving her home was much easier than suddenly reinforcing it with extra security.

As quickly as the memory came, Ada managed to snap out of it and asked, "Let's get down to business, shall we? You mentioned that you had information about my father?"

"You never waste time," K remarked and opened a drawer off to the side to retrieve a manila envelope. She slid it across the table and Ada took it in into her hands, unravelling the red string and pulling out a document.

What came next made Ada's blood run cold as she carefully read the text.

"This better not be a hoax," the Asian woman said icily as her eyes narrowed into slits and she glared daggers at K.

K however, continued to keep her cool. "You are capable of rational thought, Miss Wong. Have I given you any reason to doubt the authenticity of this document?"

K had indeed kept to her word so far and there was no reason to be hostile towards her. Ada took a deep breath, "Thank you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have business to take care of…"

"You're welcome, Miss Wong. Our doors still remain open to anyone who brings us samples. God speed," K replied as Ada strode out of the door and began to formulate a plan.

The Academy was going to pay for what they have done.