The morning sun pushed through the frosted windows, painting soft gold lines across Jasen's apartment floor. The air inside was still heavy with the scent of pine from the small tree he'd picked up last week. Jasen stirred awake slowly, his mind replaying last night's warmth—the laughter, the quiet kiss with Jill, the tension tucked beneath the holiday glow.
The peaceful moment shattered as his phone buzzed against the nightstand.
Unknown number.
Jasen picked it up. "Smith."
"Merry freakin' Christmas, soldier boy. You got Enzo Ferino."
Jasen sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Didn't expect to hear from you so soon."
"Well, I got word back from our mutual devil-hunting friend. Mr. Tony Redgrave says he'll take the job. Wants some clarification though. You ready?"
Jasen nodded, now fully alert. He stood and walked toward his desk, flipping open a notebook.
"Yeah. Give him this: Raccoon City. September 13th, 1998. Meet me at my apartment. I'll send the address to you encrypted. From that moment on, he's free to do what he does best. Help save any cops and civilians he runs across. Kill Zombies, mutated wildlife, bioweapons—you name it."
Enzo chuckled. "He won't be bored, then."
"Tell him there's one guy he needs to look out for. Young cop. Name's Leon Kennedy. Keep him breathing. No exceptions."
"Got it. The kid stays alive. Anything else?"
Jasen paused, tapping the side of his pen before writing the next name. "Yeah. I need another contact. Woman. Specialist in infiltration and intelligence. Goes by the name Ada Wong. Think you can reach her?"
Enzo let out a long whistle. "That's a hell of a name to throw around first thing in the morning."
"I need her for a rush job in January. Investigation work. Deep cover stuff. I want files, patterns, movements. I want everything she can dig up on Chief Brian Irons, Captain Albert Wesker, and the Birkins. Both William and Annette. And any Umbrella scientists operating near or inside Raccoon City."
Enzo was silent for a beat. "That's a lot of red flags you're poking at."
"That's why I'm paying. Ask her if thirty grand is enough. Half upfront, half after the job."
"I'll see if I can get her attention. And the message?"
"Tell her I'm a friend of Leo Kennedy. She'll understand."
Enzo gave a low laugh. "You've got balls, Jasen. Alright. I'll get back to you within the week. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, Enzo."
The line went dead. Jasen placed the phone on the desk and leaned back in his chair, eyes scanning his organized wall of notes and red-string connections.
Tony Redgrave was in. Ada Wong was next. The board was starting to fill. Time was running faster now.
Jasen stood, grabbed his gear bag, and got to work. Christmas could wait.
There were too many pieces moving.
And the storm was coming.
Two days later, the quiet morning was broken by the ring of Jasen's burner phone. He was finishing his usual pushups when he reached over and grabbed it, glancing at the caller ID. Enzo.
He answered on the second ring. "Smith."
"Morning, sunshine," Enzo's familiar rasp came through. "Got a Christmas miracle for you."
Jasen wiped sweat from his brow with a towel. "Talk."
"I reached out to my guy in Macau who had a lead on her. Took some convincing, but he got a message through. Ada Wong's willing to meet. In person. At a coffee shop in town. Her pick. She said she'll hear you out since you're a friend of Leo Kennedy."
Jasen blinked. That was rare. Very rare.
"She's charging fifty grand. Minimum. Nonnegotiable," Enzo continued. "She made that part crystal clear."
Jasen blew out a breath, pacing his living room. "Damn. That leaves me tight."
"You want to pull out?"
Jasen shook his head. "No. I need this. I'll figure something out."
He mentally reviewed his options. If Ada asked for more, he was screwed unless his investments paid off sooner than expected. He was considering robbing the Iron Serpents' weapons cache and letting the RPD take the credit for dismantling the gang. But that was a future problem.
"Tell her I'll be there. Text me the place."
"Already did. You got three hours. Don't be late. And wear something that says 'respectable but dangerous.'"
Jasen hung up and went straight to the shower.
Three hours later, he sat at a quiet corner table at a small, independently owned coffee shop near the east end of town. It was cozy, upscale, and mostly quiet save for some holiday music playing under the low hum of conversation.
She entered like a ripple in still water. Shoulder-length black hair, deep crimson coat, black boots, and aviator sunglasses she took off as she walked toward him. She was effortlessly confident and razor-sharp in every motion.
Jasen stood. "Ada."
She sat opposite him, her gaze measured. "Mr. Smith. You clean up better than I expected."
"Likewise. Thanks for meeting me. I know you don't do this often."
She tilted her head slightly. "Only when the name Leo Kennedy is involved. You've made quite the impression on him, from what I hear."
"He saved my life more than once. And I owe him for a lot."
Ada folded her hands on the table. "So what exactly are you hiring me for, and why the sudden urgency?"
Jasen slid a small flash drive across the table. "You'll find a list of names, locations, and recent movements. I want deep intel. Personal files. Movement logs. Patterns. Targets are Chief Brian Irons, Captain Albert Wesker, and Umbrella scientists—specifically the Birkins. William and Annette."
Ada didn't touch the drive. "That's not a job. That's a declaration of war."
Jasen met her eyes. "Which is why I need you. You're the only one I trust with this."
She leaned back, arms crossed. "Fifty thousand gets me started. That's nonnegotiable. If anything goes nuclear, there'll be more charges. And if I find something I don't like, I disappear. Understood?"
"Crystal."
"Any reason why you're doing this?"
"They're going to burn this city to the ground, and I plan on saving as many as I can before that happens. But I need the truth. I need leverage."
Ada finally reached for the drive. "This better be worth my time. I'll contact you when I have something. Don't contact me unless it's critical. I'll know how to find you."
Jasen nodded. "Understood. If you ever need a favor, you've got one. No questions asked."
Ada raised an eyebrow, just slightly. "Dangerous offer."
"I mean it."
She stood, slipping the drive into her coat. "Merry Christmas, Mr. Smith."
"You too, Miss Wong."
As she walked out the door, Jasen leaned back in his seat. Another piece on the board. Another step forward.
But the clock was ticking.
And war was coming.