Pairing: Zeno x widowed!colleague!fem!reader
Summary: Grace Ashcroft. A seemingly normal girl with a job most wouldn't think would fit her. Well, you'll be the judge of that. Stepping in your late-husband's footsteps wasn't on your bucket list, but it has to be done. Betrayal is found in the most strangest places.
SFW: reader working as a mole, office siren, TW - death, blood, choking; reader nearly dying and Zeno saving her once again, Zeno slowly falling for reader, reader having a soft spot for Grace
Note: also added a small flashback to the series that can be read with it or independently
Taglist: @halbravd @awesomesauce1313 @alexchase31 @themythicallifeofesmerelda @xxxxxxctu @un-trato-con-el-diablo @indiebat @joelsoftcurls @sardarasblog @unlikecharlie @lawfulrogue @veralovesanimeplusmanga @malumxsubest @maxipuff @leonkennedyswife69 @sdlmf @devillily29 @toorulee @awayaesworld @fandoms8 @nucifera-eve
Great, you'd be ten minutes late for work. If only that bus driver didn't let in every person who came running from miles away. The heels of your shoes click against the pavement of the sidewalk as you basically run through the streets.
Being late wasn't the worst thing in your life, but it shouldn't be a common occurrence. I mean, coming late to a job that you didn't even work that hard for?
As you arrive at work a kind young man holds open the door for you, which you thank him for with a small smile. The elevator was luckily still on the first floor, as if it was waiting for you. Fortunately for you the office was just on the second floor. Colleagues greet you with the tint of respect, nodding as you make your way through the many bored-looking people. And there she was.
Just an ordinary girl going after her work routine. Too ordinary for your liking. Well The Connections see that otherwise, having sent you to work as a mole in the FBI to get a better understanding of her. This was STARS all over again, but with you now as the rat. All you know is that you'd never be as cruel as Albert was. Never.
“Good morning, Ashcroft.” As every morning you greet her as you walk past her desk. The poor girl was always so nervous and immediately turned to you like a deer in headlights.
You continue walking, the heels of your red shoes clicking on the ground as you make your way to your own desk, which was in a separate room close to Dempsey, who unbeknownst to everyone else in this building was working for the Connections as well.
As you arrive in your office, you put down your purse and dig through it until you have your phone in hand. The see through casing held some pictures of Albert and you with some stickers. One of them was with Zeno and you, considering you knew each other for nearly ten years now.
As if on cue the phone starts to ring and the caller ID shows that it's Zeno, who you had saved as “Addict”. You immediately answer in a quieter tone.
There was nothing on the other end until a deep and familiar voice spoke up.
“Yes, sir. She's working as always.”
“Good. I have asked Dempsey to send her to that place in Wrenwood so Victor can pick her up.”
“Alone? Isn't that a little.. too much? Her mother was murdered there, Z.”
The nickname falls off your tongue like it was nothing, and it wasn't. You've been calling him Z ever since you went undercover, liking the codename more than you let on.
“Of course not.” The words made you feel relieved for just a moment until he continued. “That's why I'm sending you with her.”
You could feel your heart skip a beat as the words sink into you, a lump in your throat having you stutter just like Grace always did.
“M-Me..? But, Z.. You know I could ruin everything.”
“You won’t and that's why I'm sending you. Someone like Dempsey is too risky.”
You let out an audible sigh before accepting the mission with a small “okay”, eyes darting to the door every few minutes to not see any uninvited guests.
“You owe me one.” Big time. He's been asking too much of you lately, even if it's your job.
With a dry chuckle he hangs up. The silence doesn't take long to disperse, for your door gets knocked down by none other than your ‘boss'. Dempsey wasn't bossing around any time soon since you were more likely to do so. Yes, it was all a facade for everyone working under this roof.
“Dempsey.” You get up from your office chair, a wide yet fake smile grazing your crimson lips. “What can I do for you, sir?”
You support yourself on your desk with your arms, watching him close the door after Grace enters. She was the last person you expected to just walk through, even if Zeno had informed you of your mission together with her.
“Miss Watson.” He addresses you with your undercover name. “Miss Ashcroft, do sit.”
Grace rambles out a small “okay”, face flushed as she smiles at you with politeness. She clutches a folder to her chest, legs pressed together so they don't go out of control again.
“Alright, ladies.” Dempsey starts with a bossy tone put on just for you. “There's been another investigation regarding these serial deaths. A new body has been found.”
Grace tenses at the mention of the case the FBI have been following for the past few months. Dempsey explains more and more about what you're dealing with.
“We need a good analyst at the crime scene.” His voice softens as he pulls out the folder that has been under his arm the whole time, opening it at the first page. “Wrenwood.”
The blonde girl's breath hitches at the name of where the newest death had been documented, her nails scraping at the paper folder of the same color. Scenes of incredible large trauma flashes before her eyes that even you yourself could read it off her face.
You lean forward in your chair, a hand shooting out to brush over her taut shoulders. That feeling was too familiar for you, something you had once told Grace herself when she grew too nosey for a shy girl as herself. Yes, you left out who exactly your husband was before his death.
Albert Watson. Hah, he'd laugh at the ridiculous name even if just as a huff.
“I know what happened to your mother.” Dempsey's acting is a little too real, something that pisses you off. Grace is really a sweet girl, something that had perplexed you when you met her not even a few months ago. “Which is why I ask you, Miss Watson, to accompany her.”
A firm nod is all you can manage, your thoughts with Grace as she battles with the tears threatening to brim over her eyes.
Dempsey steps forward, trying to soothe Grace with his disgusting sympathy that wasn't even real. You snap your eyes up at him, shutting him up promptly.
“Thank you, Dempsey sir.” The corners of your lips take effort to form into a crescent, shooing him out with another raise of your head. “I'll take it from here.”
Grace shivers from head to toe, still in shock of what her boss had asked of her.
“Grace.” You shake at her shoulder carefully. “You don't have to do this, Grace.” But she did, you know full well what would happen if she didn't accept this mission.
She straightens and jumps out of her chair, clutching her folder even firmer against her chest. “But I do. M-Maybe I'll find out more w-who exactly killed her.”
You stride around your desk, turning her to you. This was wrong, the way you felt about her. Grace only smiles before nodding her head, leaving you behind in your now empty office.
Guess this was really happening.
The liveliness of Wrenwood kind of scares you, the inner introvert, one you have learnt to suppress over the time you have spent with Zeno and the Connections, screaming out of overstimulation. Rain splatters all over you with every drop falling from the sky.
People around you, no matter who or how they look, go after their daily lives while you follow a rather quiet Grace.
Many people rush past you in a hurry, clearly wanting to be somewhere as quickly as possible. One guy even bumps into Grace, his eyes burning a hole through her which you quickly return to shut him up.
Soon you stop behind Grace, who eyes the police tape plastered over one of the alley entries like a hawk.
“Hey, ladies?” A man's voice calls from not that far away, the siren light of the police car right next to where you stand giving the whole place a surreal look. “This is a restricted area.”
With a played poker face you pull out your badge, practically shoving it into his face. “FBI. We're here to investigate.”
His face falls at the revelation, immediately moving forward to pull up the tape for you both to enter. “Investigating these strange deaths, hm?” He looks back to Grace. “Fifth one now, right?”
It kind of annoys you how many questions he's asking, but you hold yourself back for Grace's sake.
“Do you think it's something infectious or terroism? Hah.. Why else would the FBI investigate?”
Judging his frown he's more likely addressing Grace, the more approachable one from the two of you. He swings his hand in front of her face, waiting for her to reply. “Hey, you with me?”
Grace only answers with a small nervous “yes”, also trying to keep her social battery high enough to understand what he wants from you.
Then he eyes you, hoping for a more detailed reply.
Your lack of reply silences him quickly which he takes as a sign to open the plastic curtains for you. “See you then.”
Both of you ignore him, Grace a little faster than you. She was more appropriately dresses than you anyway with her boots. Maybe your flats were a horrible choice, but the time with Zeno had influenced you just enough to make you look more into the stylish side of you. It's not that Albert didn't want you looking you best, oh yes he did, but he didn't find it the most important.
World domination was still a little more worthy than style. He was a very well-dressed man, but he didn't need fancy coats to his name.
“We're here.” Finally. The whole crouching thing is going on your last nerve.
“Ow..” You rub at your back, the umbrella in your purse not doing anything else than stabbing into your skin. The rain wasn't as bad as the news report said it would be, so you haven't used it yet.
Grace slowly approaches a building, one that was sure to house the homeless. It looks like a crime scene, alright. Everything looks like it would fall apart the moment a stronger gust of wind would come through.
“You sure this is the place?” It wasn't what you expected. At all. Yes, after the murder of Alyssa this place was abandoned and never reopened again, but it looks like it hadn't seen a single crime scene cleaner since 1989. Ironically all of that happened only about a decade ago. “It looks so..”
“The fire.” is all Grace tells you before she slowly opens the door that sounds like it needs oil. A lot of it.
Inside the darkness overtakes your eyes, which luckily gets fixed by Grace's flashlight. This reminds you too much of your first mission with Zeno. Same smell and all. You cover your nose with a suppressed exclaim of disgust.
You'll never get used to this.
Together you make your way through cramped hallways, stopping inside a kitchen with the worst smell of all. Grace opens a cabinet, feeling all the more brave as she peers inside. Judging by her disgusted expression it is something you don't even wanna peek at.
How horrible the state of this building is makes you feel a little uneasy. In the report you've read about the hotel you found out it was soon-to-be-demolished anyway. But still..
You swipe a finger over one of the counters, grimacing at the built-up dirt.
“I think–Grace?” The girl stands frozen in front of a door with a broken window, shoulders tense. “Grace? What's wrong?”
“I-I can't..” “Grace–” “It's too much..”
You walk up behind her, hands reaching for her shoulders – only hovering.
“You can do this, Grace.. Come on..” Her breath quickens, something you've noticed a lot over the past few months. Her anxiety is the one thing that everyone immediately notices when they get to know her.
Even though she tries to get herself to continue, her hand doesn't press down the door handle to open it.
“We can go back, Grace.” You try to reason with her, not caring if Zeno would choke out an answer out of you. “Dempsey will understand.”
Grace shakes her head repeatedly, finally opening the squeaky door with an abrupt push. You follow her, hot on her trail with your red shoes clacking against the dirty floor.
Outside the door is the crime scene you are supposed to analyse. Well Grace is. You're just there for a second pair of eyes if you ignore the other part of your mission.
Grace's nose is buried in the report, giving you no attention at all as you kneel beside the scattered glass of the small window. The girl soon disappears into the connecting bathroom where the victim had been found not that long ago.
It doesn't even take ten seconds for your phone to vibrate in your purse, your hand reaching in to take it out. From the unknown number you recognize that it's Victor. He likes to call with different numbers to keep his identity hidden.
“Victor.” You whisper into the phone. “Pretty early for a call, wouldn't you say so?”
His creepy laugh sends chills down your spine. “Mrs. Wesker. Oh.. No, Mrs. Watson. I will need you to leave Miss Ashcroft behind until I get to talk to her.”
You frown. “Alone? She's in no place–”
Your mouth falls shut at his tone. His bossy personality has always been something you hate about him plus that ugly face of his. Zeno isn't all that different, but at least he has the face of Albert to go along with.
“Yes, sir.” The curse of working under both Zeno and him. You hang up and slowly rise to your feet, carefully extracting yourself from the room so Grace wouldn’t hear you.
Your heart is already breaking for what's about to come. Victor won't make it easy for Grace.
Outside you walk through the halls until you make it to the lobby, where everything looks just a tad less like a hoarder’s dream.
The vibration of your phone makes you flinch from it ringing out of the blue again. First you think of just ignoring the call, but decide against it when you pull it out to see it being Zeno.
“Hey.” You soften your tone just a bit. “What's up?”
A quiet exhale makes you realize why exactly you renamed his Caller ID. The rasp in his voice still causes you to smile every time. “Mrs. Watson. How's the investigation going?”
You can't help chuckle at the use of your fake name. “I was asked to leave Ms. Ashcroft behind by your colleague, Mr. Zeno.”
“Gideon? He's your colleague too, sweetheart.”
You don't answer, but do pace the lobby up and down. These calls between you were so normal that you didn't lay in your bed anymore, crying about forgetting Albert's voice. Sometimes you do miss your old apartment, but getting to live in your own that you didn't even have to pay for. The Connections are strangely generous.
A silhouette suddenly walks into your field of view to which you duck under a counter so it wouldn't see you. You peek over the furniture to see the same officer from outside. He is hunched over, holding his neck as if someone or something had stung him.
The calls from Grace for you didn't make it any better to stay quiet, but you manage.
You hear your name being called from your phone, which you turn off so he wouldn't notice you.
This has to be Victor's doing.
Grace walks through the same door you had used not that long ago, still quietly calling for you, or rather Mrs. Watson. She's even using your first name, how adorable.
She still hasn't seen the officer.
Everything goes silent, too quiet for your liking. You look for Grace, who seems to be digging her hand behind a portrait. What is she doing? A bag comes into view, but you only see her pulling out a notebook and something else you can't quite put a name to.
As soon as she turns, Grace gasps loudly at the man in front of her, who seems to be standing there like a wax figure.
“S-Sorry, officer..” Grace stutters. “What's wrong?”
“S-Something.. stung me.”
Exactly as you had predicted. Gideon has used that virus he's been preparing for this moment.
“Are you OK?” The poor girl doesn't even know what's about to happen.
You watch as the silence consumes the room until the officer starts choking, the symptoms already revealing that he's about to turn. What if he bites Grace? From the files you know that Gideon thinks that she's immune. But what if she's not?
Grace suddenly screams, making you flinch at how it slices through the silence like a dagger. You get up from your hiding spot, hesitating if you should help her. The officer,fully turned now, lunges at Grace who just moments earlier got her jacket stuck on one of the baggage carriers.
If you don't do something now she'll die.
The officer raises a shotgun, something you haven't seen before. Not now or ever. He misses, which gives Grace enough time to free herself and push the carrier into the man, or what remains of who he used to be.
Grace runs through the lobby, throwing him off of herself over and over again until all that she can do is impale his eye with something she had found nearby.
It isn't over which Grace underestimates and lets her guard down, giving that thing enough time to dig his teeth into her flesh. She lets out a bloodcurdling scream until you come up behind to pull the officer away.
She seems rooted in place as she watches you pull out your gun.
“I SAID RUN!” She flinches once before running up the stairs, crying as she holds onto her bleeding arm.
It is a sweaty fight, with you nearly being bitten yourself but you have tricks up your sleeve you have learnt from Zeno. You dodge out of the way before placing multiple bullets into the back of his head. With the rest of your adrenaline you pull yourself up the stairs until you collapse against one of the walls, trying to catch your breath.
Once more your phone – which you had tucked into your now bloodied purse – vibrates against your hip. You take a deep breath, the movement to fish it out aches in your muscles. The years really are not being nice to you with how sore everything feels.
With how inclined the caller seems you were sure it was a ‘worried' Zeno waiting for you to answer.
Even though you knew that he needed clear answers there were more important things at stake. Grace. You take a deep breath, which hurts even more now that your ribs start to ache.
This is your mission. Kidnapping Grace has always been part of it, but with how brutal Gideon could be.. No. You stumble to your feet, darting up the last steps until you make it to room 203. Behind the old yet fancy looking door you hear faint classical music alongside the familiar voices of Victor's firm tone – that sounds too soft for him, fake – plus Grace's stuttering.
The door suddenly falls shut. A cry from Grace makes you shutter, the door handle shaking as she seemingly tries to open the door. Heavy footsteps close in until you hear choking. You gasp, throwing yourself against the door, your hand pressing down the handle to forcefully open it.
Inside you are met with a sight that would surely make you regret working with the FBI to begin with. Victor's back flexes as he uses his large hand to choke the living shit out of Grace.
The girl tries to look around for you, your name softly murmured until her body falls limp in his arms.
You rush in front of the two, eyes filled with fury as you address your colleague. “Victor, you can't just choke the poor girl!”
He ignores you and before he throws Grace over his shoulder, where she hangs like a sack of potatoes, he whispers something to her.
Without looking at you for another second he leaves out the door you just broke open, the frown on your face not interesting in any way, shape or form.
How would you explain this to the people outside? It's not like you had any car parked right outside.
Your worries become reality as at least two people stop to look at Victor carrying Grace through the now pouring Wrenwood. One woman even asks about what the hell all of this is about, not knowing that everything was soon to be overrun by an apocalypse, reminding you of Raccoon City.
Raccoon City.. Your old home. You still remember the bustling streets, the faint smell of caramel and hot dogs from the nearby stalls while you walk at Albert's side. Not many days were spent with him outside of his office or work at the department, but when they did come you were giddy inside at the feel of his warm hand enclosing yours – albeit always hidden by a black glove.
But this wasn't the warmth you had once known. Wrenwood was nearly the same, but different. You now have no Albert at your side, only the most disgusting man you have ever known plus the rain that was trickling down on you. The umbrella was not doing much to keep you dry, the heavy breeze causing the rain to fall into your eyes.
Victor suddenly turns around, making you accidentally fall into his back. You first frown up at him but quickly look back at what he was looking at.
A man. A very good looking man. He seemed almost like someone important with the way Victor stopped just for him.
“What's going on?” A woman asks as she walks by the three of you. “Is she okay?”
“Oh,she’s fine.” Victor gazes up at the sky. “I'm just..” He pulls out a tranquilizer. “..bringing her home.”
Without another word he shoots her, a needle piercing through her rain coat. She gasps, but Victor doesn't care as he fires the same thing at the next three people passing.
You watch with wide eyes as they look at you for help, but helping would only cause you to lose your job and maybe your life as well. With quick steps you run after Victor, who was already walking down the sidewalk. The man, who had been watching you, was hot on your trail.
“Victor!” He doesn't look back and just runs through the streets, shooting every person he sees. Some were already past the transformation, trying to get a bite out of you. One even scratches at your shoulder, but luckily doesn't injure you.
Soon you lose sight of the man and just run through the streets, abandoning your umbrella to get away faster. Inside one of the alleys you finally decide to call Zeno, hoping for him to pick up. The number dials itself, taking almost a minute for someone to pick up.
“Where are you? Are you with Victor?” The worry in his voice warms your heart, for he was a very serious man usually.
“No.. No.. He.. He left me behind. I think he forgot that he's a little faster than me.” You look out from your hiding spot behind some dumpsters, hoping none of those things would find you, like that man who was probably out for blood after seeing you both kidnap Grace. “But, I'm fine! Just.. Can you send someone?”
The other line is left silent for a moment or two, you still shivering behind the trash where you usually don't look for shelter. Groans and yelling is all you hear, plus the agonizing sounds of people being eaten.
Unfortunately you aren't safe with one of the undead finding their way to the alley you were in, noticing you as you peek out at the worst time possible. It mumbles something under its breath, almost sounding more life-like than any virus-overridden human you have seen.
“Shit!” You start to run, accidently losing your phone as you try to get away.
“Can you hear me? Hey!” Zeno slumps back into the car seat as he hears nothing except the end signal of the call. How dare Victor just walk off without keeping to the plan?
He throws the cigarette bud out of the window, taking in the fresh air right outside of Wrenwood where you were supposed to meet. Victor, him, you plus Grace.
Now he has to find out how to get to you.
With another exhale of the last smoke he gets out of the car, one that was a little too cheap-looking for him. The muscles in his shoulders tense, something he hasn't felt in a long time. Defeat. What good is Grace and Elpis to him if you aren't here to enjoy the thrill with him?
He buries his face in his gloved hands, trying to keep his anger at bay. How. Fucking. Dare. He.
“Fuck.. FUCK!” He throws a punch against the car, which starts to honk at the sudden impact. A hole is left inside the door, which he could care less about at the moment. If he didn't need the car he would've punched a hole through the driver as well, but he's grown too soft to do such.
Think of the fucking devil. The rage in Zeno's eyes is enough to shut Victor up, who had just arrived to drop off Grace. His hair was disheveled from brushing through it, thinking of you being found half eaten in some hole.
“You..” In seconds he's teleported in front of him, pulling him in by his collar. Grace, who had still been thrown over the man's shoulder, nearly falls off of Victor. “How dare you? WHERE'S SHE?!”
“Who? Mrs. Watson?” “Wesker.” “Oh, uhm.. well she was behind me but–”
“BUT?!” He tries to stop himself from killing Gideon, obviously knowing that he was more important alive than dead. “She's important, you idiot! Without her.. we wouldn't even have gotten so far!”
Victor grins, arrogantly looking down at his coworker. “Oh, important? Maybe to you. You've grown soft.”
He screams at the taller man, but let's go. This would bring him anywhere. Killing Gideon wouldn't help you. Zeno digs his nails into his scalp, pulling at the previously combed back hair that still had residue of his favorite gel in it. How the hell was he gonna get you out of there?
“If you really want to save the woman.” Victor huffs as he throws Grace in the backseat, grinning at the hole in the door. “Make it fast. Leon Kennedy's in town, you know.. DSO's golden agent.”
“The guy who saved the previous president's daughter?” “Exactly.”
Fuck. If that really was the case you wouldn't be able to run forever. Leon was known around the Connections and not as some weakling. He's dealt with shit worse than some zombies and a woman like yourself. You'd be dead meat or worse.. a hostage of the government.
“We're gonna go back there and look for her. With or without you.” Zeno's tone holds a finality that even Victor can't shake off. The tall man sighs in defeat and just nods his head.
With Grace still unconscious, head resting against the tinted window in the back, the room was very little for the three of them. Victor being the tallest and hugest man between the two made it even more difficult. But Zeno didn't care. All he cared about was finding you unharmed.
A nightmare. That's what this is. You run through the streets, adrenaline keeping your body upright as you push past civilians and the undead, the latter mostly crowding the overrun city.
The only person running through your head was Albert, who even after his own death has always been on your mind. A marriage built upon business turned into yearning from your part. Sometimes you wonder if he had loved you just as much as you loved him.
Then there's Zeno. Yes, your feelings for him were mixed. One side was still holding onto Albert which led to you trying to find safety in his very being, but the other one has started to see more in Zeno over the past few years.
Soon you find yourself in a dead end, with three undead having followed you while screaming after you in an uncanny way. Your revolver only has two bullets left which would prove that you weren't as prepared as you thought you'd be. The officer and the other undead had taken everything you have had.
The tears roll down your cheeks, ruining your perfect makeup as you form a ball with your body on the floor, hands covering your ears.
“I-I'm sorry.. I'm sorry..” You sniffle out. “Z-Zeno.. Bertie..”
Multiple silhouettes form over you. You stop tensing up and just accept your fate, the tingling feeling in your body the only evidence of your fear. This is it, huh? You'd die a coward.
Everything goes too fast, the groans of the undead muffled by the blocking feeling of your ears. What you do notice is them suddenly falling in front of you, blood pooling around their heads as if something had pierced through their skulls.
Your eyes move up,the headlight of a car nearly blinding you. In front of it is the familiar silhouette of Zeno, holding up a gun that was smoking from the end.
The exhausting feeling of the adrenaline leaving you makes you slump back against the dirty wall, tears still rolling down your cheeks.
“You came back..” Your voice cracks as he kneels in front of you, taking a good look at you to make sure you're not hurt. Without waiting for him to say anything you throw yourself into his arms, the tears not stopping. Zeno, instead of grumbling about the lack of space between you two, awkwardly rests his hands around you while burying his face in the crown of your head.
All of this reminds you of your first time together in the Spencer Estate, carrying you through the halls like he remembered a past he didn't even experience himself.
You rest your head in the crook of his neck until he puts you in the front seat with the driver, buckling you in. His touches were gentle, brushing over your shoulder up to your neck as if too scared to handle you.
“Sleep. We'll be back home soon.”
Home. That's something you could get behind.
The drive was a tedious task, with the car having to stop at Gideon's care center to drop him and Grace off. Only about an hour later Zeno's put you to bed after tending to your scrapes on your elbows and knees. You were really exhausted that you didn't even wake up at him taking off your shoes.
Now he sits there, at your bedside, one of his hands brushing back the hair from your bruised face. These feelings, strange and different for him, made him have these weird warm sensations in his stomach and heart.
Maybe Gideon was right. He's feeling all of this for someone he has memories about that aren't even his to begin with. If only he could understand Wesker. He's the reason Zeno is even alive, let alone have these times of just sitting there and thinking of things that he shouldn't even care about.
Wesker. That man had more secrets to himself than Zeno himself. With how you talk about him he used to be a very sweet man, but the records say otherwise. A marriage for business turned romantic sounds only good in soap operas.
But watching you sleep, something that was sure to creep you out if you woke up right now, it was almost enchanting. For someone who was in her mid fifties you almost look like a princess in a deep slumber. No wonder a man, who had terroristic tendencies, could love you.
His fingertips hover over your head, barely brushing the curls away from your eyes.
Of course. Zeno flicks out his phone, the ID no wonder. Gideon sounds nearly jolly as he answers the call.
“What do you want?” Zeno grumbles into the device.
“Hello to you too. It's Grace.”
Zeno frowns and slowly leaves your room, closing the door behind him quiet enough to not wake you. “What about her?”
Gideon tells him about the status and the man who's been following him all this way to the clinic.
“So he really did come to rescue Grace.” Zeno lets himself fall into the lounge chair in your apartment's living room, a far cry from how your old quarters used to look. “You have this handled?”
Victor falls silent. “Victor. You have this handled, don't you?”
“Uhm.. well.. I did, but–”
“Not that but again.” Zeno pulls out a cigarette out of the package with his mouth, already flicking his lighter. Maybe he shouldn't, he knows how much you hate smoking. “Handle it.”
He ends the call within seconds, both lighter and cigarettes back in his pocket. You weren't well and smoking wouldn't help anyone, not even him. Now all that he needs to do is wait for you to wake up and then make your way to the care center where you'd pick up Grace to take her to Raccoon City. Hopefully she really is the key to Elpis.
If not.. Zeno would need to break it open regardless.
