@mrdeath || Yukon Mountain Range, September 2026
Luke's sick. Not doing so hot. You should probably bring Vivi up with you.
Izzy didn't know what she expected when Raul called, but it wasn't news that her father was possibly on his deathbed. Like most people, she had this impression of the man as being virtually unstoppable, even though she knew that her father- despite everything to do with Umbrella, and the monsters he fought- was still human. The Unit Never Killed.
Funny how things could shift perspective. Izzy didn't waste any time to book a flight, and drive down from the Arklay Mountain Reservation to Stoneville Middle School and retrieve her daughter.
"Family emergency," was the reason given to the front-desk secretary to withdraw Vivian from her classes before the Fall Break, but with the full permission to assign virtual lessons to keep up with the courses and workload. This wasn't a vacation, but there wasn't a prospective end that she could provide, either.
And of course, everyone was nosy. It was one of the drawbacks of living in and around small towns. Everyone was aware that she was an Army Brat that followed her father's example, and had odd periods of being away, and seemed to end up around outbreaks. Most assumed it was work with the BSAA.
Izzy wasn't correcting them, but she did steer Vivi away from far-too-prying eyes.
"Grandpa's sick," was Izzy's explanation when they packed up the Jeep.
"Zombie sick? Or regular sick?" Vivi asked, tossing her braids over her shoulder.
"Don't know," Izzy confided, "Whatever it was, Raul couldn't say it over the phone."
---
"Welcome back, Lady Death," the gate guard nodded to her after confirming her credentials, and handing back her ID.
The Lodge was imbalanced, Izzy could tell that much. More traffic coming in than leaving, and the Quarantine Zone much more active than usual. Was there an outbreak? It didn't seem like it- none of the protocols for an outbreak were in effect.
Eventually, she was led to where her father was resting, and briefed on what they knew: Raccoon City Syndrome- and a lot of the older members of the Guild were showing the same symptoms. Black splotches around old wounds and spreading, fatigue, coughing... Izzy nodded along, brow furrowing when she had gotten the news that one of them had already died of it. There wasn't any doubt how serious it was- even if it wasn't contagious.
She rapped her knuckles on the frame of the door to announce her presence, walking in to place herself in front of Hunk, looking at the older man's sickly markings and noting the orange Mouser General, Brick the Cat, resting on Hunk's lap; pawing, kneading, and purring against the old man.
"Dàdà," Izzy saluted with a signed 'hello', and a half-hearted smirk, "I'm here. You look like hell, old man. What's happening?"