No strings attached / Leon s. Kennedy

Chapter 35

Chris leans forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees, his eyes locked onto mine. "How long have you worked for Umbrella?" he begins.

"Years," I rasp, my voice still raw. "Since... since I was 18. They took me in after... after everything with my father."

Chris nods, like he expected that answer. "What exactly did you do for them? What was your role?"

"I... I handled files, projects. I didn't..." My voice falters as I think about the restricted areas, the lies I've been told. "I wasn't involved in the science or experiments. I just... worked where they told me to. Did what they asked."

His expression hardens slightly, but he keeps his tone even. "Did you know what they were doing? The bioweapons, the experiments on humans?"

I shake my head, tears stinging my eyes again. "No. I mean, I knew they were hiding something, but they never told me. I thought... I thought I was helping people. That they were saving lives."

Chris exhales, his gaze softening for a moment before he presses on. "And what about your father? Did you know anything about his connection to Umbrella?"

The question feels like a punch to the gut. I swallow hard, my hands trembling slightly as I clutch at the blanket draped over me. "I didn't know," I whisper. "Not until... not until recently. I thought he was just... I thought he was a pharmacist. They told me he lost his mind, that he... that he killed my mother because of psychosis."

Chris studies me carefully, his eyes narrowing slightly. "And you believe them?"

"I don't know what to believe anymore," I admit, my voice cracking. "Everything they told me was a lie. I don't even know who I am."

There's a moment of silence, the weight of my words hanging heavy in the air. Chris leans back slightly, his gaze still locked on mine. "One last question," he says quietly. "Did you know about... you? What Umbrella did to you?"

My stomach twists, and for a moment, I can't speak. The memory of Ada's voice, reading from the file, echoes in my mind. Bio-weapon. Strain. Human physiology suppressed by medication. The words make my skin crawl.

"No," I say finally, my voice barely audible. "I didn't know. Not until... not until she read it out loud." My tears spill over, and I shake my head, my chest aching. "I didn't know."

Chris nods slowly, sitting back in his chair. His face softens just slightly, and for the first time, I feel like he believes me. "Alright," he says, his voice gentler now. "I'll tell you about Leon."

I tense, my heart pounding again as I wait for his words. But I'm not sure if I'm ready for what he's about to say.

Chris lets out a heavy sigh, running a hand down his face before he speaks. "All he told me was that he's gone. Left to work with Stratcom again. He said..." Chris hesitates, his voice faltering, and he crosses his arms, his gaze shifting away from me. "He said you shouldn't look for him. That you should just... move on."

The words hit me like a freight train, knocking the breath out of me. For a moment, I can't even process them. I stare at Chris, my mind racing, replaying everything that happened—the way Leon held me, the way he begged me to hold on, the way he said there were strings, that I mattered. And now... this?

"He left me?" I whisper, my voice shaking, more to myself than to Chris. My chest feels tight, anger and disbelief churning together in a storm I can't control. "He just left me here? With nothing?"

Chris doesn't respond, can't even meet my eyes. The silence is deafening, his body language saying more than his words ever could. He looks uncomfortable, maybe even guilty, but I know it's not his fault.