Secret was Meant to be Shared

Seeing that the dust and smoke were slowly moving away from my vision, I mustered my strength and shouted, "Regina!"

[His life force, although weakened, still beating normally, Sir. It seemed the parasite is focusing on recovery as the main body is currently under light hibernation.]

I could finally breathe in relief. Although Regina couldn't scan or detect normal human or lower being's life-forces and power, she could do so on Mutant or higher beings like Genma that hold mystical power.

Leon, Natasha, and Clint looked at me, questioning my sudden shouting and the relief afterward. Although my face was still covered by the helmet, my body language could still be read.

I wiped off the dirt from my coat and said, "It's over, he's done... at least for now."

The three of them were confused about why I could make that conjecture, but they just regard it as my power. There was no more movement from the jumbled up steel beams, further proving that I was right. At first, they were joyful, but after recalling my last words, they turned gloomy. Nemesis was just defeated, not annihilated.

"I'll contact Fury to send a squad to monitor this... thing. Let's go back for now," said Natasha. I realized that except for Leon that just came, the three of us were completely exhausted from 'working' all night long. The fight was too intense for us to show it.

After the squad sent by Nick came, we went to the Police Station. We passed by a lot of barricades and police patrols. Every single building and shops around the station were made into an evacuation area. All of them were scheduled to be evacuated once more choppers come and the railway to Springfield was cleared.

I glanced at the green bar at the corner of my eyes, it already increased to 25% since the beginning of this night. It only took a few hours for another five thousand residents to be infected. If it keeps going on like this, by tomorrow morning it would increase by another 5% or maybe 10%, and that without counting in external factors, like Nemesis, for example. But, I don't have any stamina left from the nonstop fighting. I already exhausted myself from eradicating zombies for hours, not counting the fight with Nemesis. If I stretch myself a little bit more, I worried that my body couldn't hold the burden anymore.

Once we passed the Station's gate, we met with a black policeman, Marvin Branagh, the one that was in charge of almost everything because Chief Brian Irons was still missing. He was also the one that appointed Chris back to his former station and let him made commands and plans for the Raccoon Police Department's next action. My appearance caught his attention, but seeing that I came with Natasha, he decided just to stay silent. He also took a notice of Leon. To him, Leon was a bit familiar, 'where did I see him?' he thought.

"Miss Clara, we've been waiting for you." greeted Marvin. Clara was the fake name that Natasha invented as her disguise. All of the Raccoon City's Policemen didn't know that she and those that Nick Fury sent as a help were SHIELD's Agents.

"Good to see you, Mr. Branagh. How are the policemen holding on?" asked Natasha while walking side by side into the entrance hall. The place still looked the same just like the first time I came here. After going down the small steps, there was a wooden reception desk with small upward slopes on either side. Further behind was a goddess statue holding a cloth up high in her right hand with two stairs that lead up to the second floor on either side.

"For now, we could still do something, but the lack of ammunition and weapon to protect the civilians would be a problem. We could only hold on up until now because Kendo's Gun Shop supplied us with his stocks." Marvin Branagh looked around, there were a lot of rescued civilians laying about on the floor with empty gazes on their eyes.

"I'll see what I can do to help," said Natasha before bidding him a farewell.

"Thank you, Miss Clara. Your help has been a light source for us," said Marvin, exaggerating, but it was the only thing he could do to pay her back in this situation where life was hanging by the thread.

Once we were alone, Leon also bid us a farewell to report his arrival. He could have done so when Natasha was talking with Marvin, but he also wanted to know everything that was going on, so after a small explanation from us, he went on his way.

"What now?" I asked.

"You can go rest, your family might be on the second floor with Chris, so go greet them. We'll call you if we need your help," said Clint. This night was too hectic, not only we had to suppress the sudden outburst of infected civilians, but we also fought a monstrosity called Nemesis.

"Yeah, I think staying up late every night will affect my growth spurt."

Both Natasha and Clint chuckled at my answer and keep watching at my back before I vanished from their sight. Their smile then turned into frustration, knowing they had to involve a toddler in their job. However, nothing could be done, they knew how crucial the support that I provide for them. If I didn't kill the countless zombies or defeating Nemesis, what would have this tragedy transcend into. Hell was just an understatement. The more they thought about it, the more they hated Umbrella for their invention.

With a burst of smoke, my body appeared in front of a door. I already deactivated my equipment and switched into everyday clothing I wore earlier, but I still couldn't muster my courage to open the door. I was afraid to face Claire, but I also didn't want to make her worry for long. It was far too easy to connect the dot, I don't have Superman's eyeglasses that could change people's perspective on him or the Neuralyzer that could erase memories from Men in Black.

However, before I could even touch the handle, the door was opened by a familiar lady.

"Edward?"

That lady was Jill Valentine. She was holding a cup of coffee in her hand, probably she was going out to get some refill. I froze when I met her eyes. Damn it, I got flustered again. Seeing that I was getting dazed again, she smiled and said, "It's pretty late, why are you here?"

"I... uhh... looking for my family," I said while evading her gaze.

"Ahh... did you get lost?" she asked. I just nodded at her question. She put down the cup on her table and walked to me. I peeked a little bit and saw some more tables with all kinds of stuff placed on them, varying from books to jackets and guitar. Also, there was a logo of S.T.A.R.S. on the wall behind the table of the traitor, Albert Wesker.

"C'mon, I'll take you to their room," said Jill, rather excitedly. She held my hand and we walked on the busy corridors where both policemen and civilians were walking about. Not long after, we arrived at the door where Chris, Claire, and Sherry were currently in. My expression turned gloomy again, knowing that they were just behind this door.

Jill, purposely, didn't knock or open the door for me. She was aware of my odd behavior, and my reluctance to open the door. "What is it? Do you have something troubling you?"

I was startled by her question, but I still nodded to it. Jill thought for a while and then asked, "do you want to take a walk?"

"A... walk?" I tilted my head, wondering what she was thinking.

"You know, long ago, this Police Station was an Art Gallery. There was a lot of weird and bizarre stuff to admire in here," she explained. I looked around, and just like she said, the walls were decorated with all kinds of paintings. The flooring was made in consideration for artistic views. Statues were everywhere around the hall, something that you could only found in a boring museum.

"Really?"

"Yeah, the Chief is a fan of art, so there's a lot of collection of his in here." While I knew Brian Irons was a fan of arts, I also knew that it was just a cover for his money laundering.

"Alright then."

And then, we walked side by side, roaming the huge Police Station. Just like what Jill said, this building held lots of artistic objects, starting from paintings, glassworks, carving, and statues. I wonder how much they would sell in the market.

"So? What is it that could make an 8 years-old thinking deep like an adult?" she asked while we stood in front of a statue of a warrior holding his own heart.

"Well, this is a fragile time of my life, so..." I said, starting the 'counseling' in a light atmosphere.

Jill just chuckled, and said, "Okay, I get it. Do you want to talk about it? Just think of me as a random Auntie that you meet by chance on a train. There's no need to be embarrassed for it."

"Well, because it was the first time we meet, I want to make a proper image. But, it's not gonna work, isn't it?" I replied.

"You know, for an 8 years-old, you have a way in talking," she said. Truthfully, she was half right, since the time I remembered my past life, I started behaving like an older man, although it was just partially. I forgot when was the last time I thought of myself as a kid.

"It's okay, you're not the first to say that," I replied honestly, but I know Jill would just misunderstand it and regard it as a child's banter. "The thing is, I have a secret that I wanted to keep away from my family, but I think they already found out about it. Do I tell them, or keep silent about it."

"Is it harmful?" she asked.

"That's the thing, I don't know yet, but I keep thinking that it would be if it ever got out." Nothing had happened yet because no one was targeting me right now. Even if I hide it, I'm not confident enough to say that no one would ever know about it even after I wasn't around.

Jill started pondering and we moved to the next artwork, a replica painting of an old woman in a chair. "It didn't happen yet, and you already worried about it. Isn't the order kinda wrong?"

"Huh? I don't think it's wrong." I said, perplexed by her thought process.

"Problems could only be solved once they appear, a cure could only be found once a disease infects us. Am I right?" said Jill while keeping her eyes on the old woman in the painting.

I just keep staring at her and said, "But isn't that why researchers make vaccines?"

She moves her eyes to me and ruffled my hair before she walked to another painting of a sick boy in bed and his sibling taking care of him. "Vaccine was made because Virus and Bacteria already existed, without them, where do you think the researchers got the anti-gen to train our immunity? They didn't just magically appear after a wizard cast it."

I stood silent and pondered about her words. In a way, she was trying to tell me that I could only face the problem once it truly appears. Without knowing what the problem is, it would be impossible to find a solution. Delaying the inevitable would only worsen it.

Seeing me deep in thought, she asked again, "Is there anyone in your family that knew about it?"

Breaking from my thought, I answered, "Chris knew all about it, but Claire and Sherry only had an idea about it."

"Ohh... that's bad."

I got flustered again and asked, "Huh? Why is that bad?"

"Let me ask you. Did you love Chris more than them that you only tell him about it? Or it's the other way around where Chris wasn't important enough for you to protect?"

"No! That's not what I mean..."

Before I could provide my reasons, Jill continued. "Then what? Why one was allowed to know but others don't? A family can only be called a family when you could share your worries, when you could depend on them once you're depressed, without expecting anything in return for the cares that they or you provides."

"Then... what should I do?"

"Be honest, and start listening. Not for them, but for yourself." After Jill said that, we arrived in the same door that Jill showed me earlier. Without realizing, we already walked a full circle. I stood in silence again for a full minute, and when I glanced back at Jill, she wasn't there anymore. It seemed that she already left the moment we arrived in front of the door. Her words keep replaying in my head.

'That's right. Leaving them in blind would just worsen the situation once the problem arrived.'

My heart was beating fast as I mustered my courage to knock the door, but before I did, the door was opened again like before by someone else.

"Edward!" She jumped and hugged my body tightly. This time, it was Sherry.

======

"So... you're working with Tony Stark?" asked John Wick. He and Wade already changed location to a much more safer and quiet place.

"Yep." answered Wade.

"And your mission is to find something to put down Umbrella Corporation for good."

"Yep"

"Why?"

"Before I answer that, can you put me down, the blood in my head started to feel heavy. I forgot the safe word, but I believe it start with D." said Wade Wilson, whose leg was tired up in the ceiling and his head almost touching the floor.

John sighed and threw a knife toward the rope that was tying Wade's leg. He fell head first and wriggled around like a worm in heat because his hand and leg was still tied tightly. "Could you be a bit more gentle, even the janitor from the strip club never did it roughly like you."

"What the hell are you doing with a ja... forget it. Answer my question, Wade." John turned serious and pointed his gun on him. He could never be careless in this kind of world where everyone eats anything just to stay alive.

"Hey... you know the rules... don't you have code of honor?"

"You're the least person that I expect to uphold it."

"Fair enough." Wade still moved around to strip off the ropes from his body. He continued, "my employer thought that the era of B.O.W. (Bitches On Wade) has already passed (which sadden me). He wanted to stop Umbrella from producing it, so that he could sell more and more sophisticated shit."

Everything in this world was a business. The downfall of others is an opportunity for them, especially for those that work in the same field.

"Why would they hire lunatic like you?" said John.

"Oh, come on, I tried my best. I had a good rapport in this past two weeks..." before Wade could continue, John threw something to him.

Tak!

But it just hit his head, "Ouch! I'm still tied you cold bondage bastard!"

When Wade's eyes moved to the disk inside the plastic case, he turned his head to John Wick who was slowly walking away. He asked with an intense expression, "Is it... what I thought it is?"

John stopped his feet and said, "Everything you need is inside. All you have to is just do the work properly."

Wade's expression turned bright and he couldn't hold himself from excitement. "Nice... now all I need is tissue and high grade lubes, and a unicorn."

John turned around, his face was crumpled with a weird expression, asking what the hell Wade was thinking about. As if he knew what John was thinking about, Wade said, "What? Isn't it porn?"

John couldn't help but slap his forehead. It was really hard to do proper business with this loud-mouthed bastard. He wondered how Tony Stark convinced Wade Wilson to work for him.