September 30, 1998, 3:45 PM, Villa in the Arklay Mountains
"Heh." A single, dry sound of amusement. Not a laugh, but a judgment. "Interesting, Eddie. I'll consider your offer." Ada Wong shook her head slowly, deliberately, her dark eyes never leaving his.
Eddie nodded, showing no disappointment. If it had been that easy to recruit her, she wouldn't have been Ada Wong. "Any other questions?"
"The G-Serum. I want a sample," she said, her voice returning to cold, professional tones. That was her primary mission. The real reason she was there.
Eddie leaned back in his chair, lips curling into a mocking smile. "The G-Virus is a dead end, Ada. A defective product. William hasn't perfected it yet. Even if you managed to get it now, all you'd have is an unstable, incomplete weapon in your hands."
"Incomplete?" Ada tilted her head, the faintest crease forming between her brows. Her intel had said otherwise. Was this man lying, or did he know something her employers didn't?
"Completely," Eddie confirmed. "If you want a finished, stable product, you should aim for the T-Serum. Less powerful, sure. But with manageable side effects. Unlike the G-Virus, which is a one-way ticket to a genetic nightmare." His expression was serious, almost like a friendly warning.
Ada stayed silent, processing the information. "Then I want both," she finally said. "Can you help me secure a sample of each?"
"I can. What's your price?" Eddie asked bluntly.
"Oh…" A charming smile painted her face again. "You accept my request so quickly? Aren't you afraid I might tell Spencer about your… other story?"
"I trust my instincts," Eddie replied, shaking his head. "And my instincts tell me we're alike. Better friends than enemies, right?"
"You're a fool, Eddie," Ada said with a frown. "It's stupid to trust a woman so easily."
"Maybe. But if you want the T-Serum, I can help. The G-Virus? Forget it. I'm not interested in defective products." He stood, the conversation clearly over. "And be careful of the military. Looks like they've already made contact with William. That's all I can tell you."
He headed toward his room, leaving her alone with her thoughts. For all her beauty, he knew Ada Wong wasn't the kind of woman one could win over in a single night. Better to lay the groundwork. In the future, there would be many chances to cooperate.
---
Three days later, Ada was still at the villa. Her stay hadn't been by choice, but necessity. The property's perimeter had become a hunting ground. Hordes of zombies staggered among the trees, their moans a constant, chilling background noise, and zombie dogs prowled the underbrush with relentless hunger. Escape had turned into suicide.
They were on the roof, watching the horror unfold below.
"This biohazard leak… do you know where it came from?" Ada asked, narrowing her eyes as she analyzed the zombies' slow, clumsy movements.
"I'm not sure. But it must be connected to that abandoned Umbrella facility," Eddie replied. He was cleaning his Samurai Edge, his motions precise, methodical.
"That's why you warned me not to go there? What are you really afraid of?" Ada smiled, a feigned lightness in the atmosphere of death.
"I'm afraid you'll die," he said, never looking up from the weapon. "Don't underestimate those monsters. I've seen trained soldiers die horribly against them. No one's ever faced biochemical weapons before. Fear paralyzes them. And when they let their guard down, death is the only answer. And even after death, they rise again. They become undead." His voice was deep, grim.
Ada's eyes glimmered. Her smile widened, turning seductive. "Why do you care so much about me? Worried for my safety?"
"I don't want to see you dead or hurt," he shot back, curt. "Alright, enough. We're heading back to the city."
"Why so suddenly?" Ada asked, surprised.
"You want to wait until the virus spreads to this villa? Or make friends with those monsters?" Eddie replied rhetorically.
"No," Ada said shortly.
"Listen carefully, Ada. Never come back to this area unless you have a damn good reason. And if you do, never come alone."
He stood, ready to fetch Yoko. The ghost rig was finished. Time to leave that hell behind.
"If I do return," Ada said behind him, her voice more sincere than it had ever been, "I'll know who to call."
During her stay, Eddie had taught her. He'd shown her the monsters' weaknesses, their routines, their blind spots. He'd shown her how to fight not only with strength, but with cunning. And in those three days, besieged by death, Ada Wong had begun to see Eddie Cai not just as a target, but as an ally.
A very, very dangerous ally.