The corridors shook as distant explosions echoed through the stone foundation. Lia held tightly onto your hand while Ada moved ahead, sweeping corners with silent precision.
You whispered, "She's never been in the field."
Ada shot you a look over her shoulder. "She's stronger than you think. She's our daughter."
You both knew Lia had inherited more than just instincts—she had something Umbrella wanted. A gene fragment tied to a lost viral strain… dormant. So far.
You reached the underground tunnel. A biometric scanner blocked the exit. You placed your hand on it, but the scanner blinked red.
"Locked," you growled. "We've been cut off."
Ada reached for her gear, but Lia stepped forward.
"I can try."
She pressed her palm to the scanner. A low hum answered, and suddenly the door hissed open. You and Ada froze—no one told Lia the door was DNA-coded.
Ada crouched. "How did you know?"
Lia blinked. "I just… felt it."
Suddenly, gunfire tore through the silence. You tackled Lia to the floor as bullets sparked overhead. Black-clad soldiers flooded the tunnel. Ada moved like a shadow—spinning, flipping, neutralizing two men before they hit the ground.
You fired back, covering Ada's flank. "There's too many!"
"Keep moving!" she shouted.
You scooped Lia up and ran. Behind you, Ada dropped a smoke grenade and disappeared into the chaos.
Minutes later, in the forest above, you reached the extraction point. No sign of Ada.
"Where's Mom?" Lia asked, breath hitching.
Before you could answer, a grappling hook snagged a branch overhead. Ada dropped down, bruised but breathing.
"I told you," she said, wrapping her arms around Lia. "I always come back."
The three of you stood together in the cold forest, framed by moonlight and the distant glow of a burning facility. You weren't just surviving anymore—you were fighting back.
As Lia looked up at both of you, a quiet strength burned in her eyes.
"I'm ready," she whispered.
And you knew: this family was born in the shadows—but it was destined to change the world.