Hello my peeps! I hope you all had a Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/ Happy Kwanza! Or any other holiday i missed!

Here is the first chapter of Lexi Chronicles: Mann vs Machine! Not sure if this is good news or bad news, but this one is going to be significantly longer then Meet the Scout. As in, it's not even close to being done and there are already 10 or 11 chapters done. So, I hope y'all plan to stick around! (my best friend is southern...).

So, the winner of Find that Reference was J! Unfortunately, because you didn't have an account there was no way for me to get you a sneak peek :( but no worries! Because i will be posting a new chapter every Friday as per usual :)

Enjoy!

"Three strikes! You're out!"

"Amazing curve ball thrown by rookie Red Sox pitcher, Lexi Lemieux! Only one more out and this game belongs to the Red Sox!"

I grinned underneath my hat. I could hear the crowd cheering for me. People held up posters and banners with my name. I could hear them chanting my name, over and over. Praising me.

"It's unbelievable, Chad! The first woman to be in the major leagues, and she's better then Ted Williams himself! If there is anyone women should be looking up to, it's this young lady right here."

"She does have her work cut out on this one. It's Babe Ruth up to bat next! If she gets him out, then Red Sox will be on their way to the play-offs!"

I look intently at the next batter. None other than Babe Ruth, or as I like to call him, The Red Sox Traitor. I spat on the mound and I stared at him, letting him know that it was no more Ms. Nice Lexi.

He did his normal prep routine that he did when he came up to bat; spit, tap bat against cleat, spit, take a couple practice swings, spit. Then he got into the box and raised the bat above his shoulder.

I looked down at my catcher. He gave me a few signals, just fake outs to get the crowd and opposing team all riled up. I nodded my head and grinned.

I wound up, lifting my leg, then let out a fast ball.

He let it pass him, not even blinking.

"Strike one!"

"And that's strike one on Ruth."

"A 95 MPH fast ball, I'm not surprised he didn't see it!"

I spat and moved the dirt a bit on the mound, building tension. Then I crouched, staring at Ruth dead on.

I wound up and threw another ball. A curve this time.

My heart skipped a beat as it ticked off his bat and flew high in the air along the 3rd base line.

"Foul ball!"

"Only one more strike and the Red Sox are going to the playoffs."

I glanced at my coach. He had a stony expression on his face. Calm, cool, collected, that's how Coach was.

I took a deep breath and took off my hat, letting my head air out.

I glanced at my team and saw them all staring at me, but also focusing on Ruth. This was a life or death game.

I put my hat back on and crouched on the mound again, fiddling with the ball behind my back.

My catcher sent me an actual signal. Splitter.

I frowned and looked at Ruth. There is no way I'm going to the playoffs on a splitter! That's Little League play!

I shook my head at him. He just sighed and gave me a look that said 'Coach is gonna get you for this.'

I rolled my eyes and prepared myself. The best ball to throw after two fast balls was a slow one. I grinned and spat out of the corner of my mouth.

I wound up dramatically as though I was about to throw a bowling ball a thousand feet. My heart pounded in my ears.

Everything went in slow motion as I threw the ball. Literally. The crowds movements were slow and blurred. I was also going in slow motion, the ball hardly even leaving my hand.

All of a sudden, I looked behind home plate and I could see my brother. He was grinning at me, but the smirk he had stretched way to far on his face. He looked twisted. He stood up from his seat, at normal speed, and suddenly he was right next to me.

I was still moving in slow motion, still throwing my ball.

"No one here to save you now, Sis." Then I heard the dreaded shot again.

As the ball left my hand, I could see everything around me literally shredding to bits, like someone was taking a razor blade to tissue paper. I looked down and the ground was suddenly too flimsy to hold my weight. I went to grab onto something as I fell, but the tissue paper of reality ripped in my grappling hands.

I felt as though a vacuum was sucking me down. I felt suffocated. I tried to yell, but the darkness was so heavy it muffled my screams. All I could hear was my brothers cackling laugh as I fell into the abyss.

I woke up with a surprised yelp as I fell off my bed. I was clutching my pillow close my face, almost suffocating. I let it go and I inhaled deeply, taking in as much breath as I could. My chest hurt from the lack of oxygen and my backside ached from the fall. My sheets were twisted around my legs, making it almost impossible to move them.

Holy shit…what a weird ass dream!

I carefully untangled myself and stood up shakily. I wiped the sweat off my brow as I squinted at the clock hanging on my wall.

3 AM.

I groaned, annoyed at myself.

What the fuck is wrong with me!?

I tried to go back to bed, but it was soaked in my sweat and very unpleasant.

"Gah, I'm taking a shower!" I whispered to myself. I grabbed my towel from the night before and a change of clothes.

I timidly walked out of my room, not wanting to attract any attention, mostly because I basically live with a bunch of men and I was only wearing an old beater and a pair of shorts.

I rushed to the showers and got into a stall, pulling the curtain. I normally took showers really early in the morning or really late at night so that I don't have to be in the same room as the other guys when I'm all naked.

The guys aren't total testosterone beasts so they respect when I'm in the shower and wait patiently until I get out, but it still makes me uncomfortable.

I let the luke warm water cascade down my sweaty body. My previous goose bumps shrunk back into my skin soothingly. I let my pony tail out and I sighed as the tension on my scalp released.

I started to clean myself. I hadn't actually showered in a week and I felt greasy and disgusting. I gingerly rubbed the wound my brother left which still had a nasty scab.

I turned off the water and dried myself off in the stall.

Suddenly, I heard heavy, squishy footfalls. I tensed up, wrapping the towel around me. I peeked through the curtain and I recognized the Pyro, still in its big rubber suit.

Why the hell is Pyro taking a shower this late at night? I wonder…

Curiosity got the best of me. I didn't make a peep as it started to take off the big chemical suit. As it peeled away layer after layer, I still couldn't tell the gender, mostly because its back was turned. When the mask finally came off, I nodded.

Huh.

As soon as I heard the Pyro enter the stall and turn on the water, I bunched up my clothes, dirty and clean, and silently pattered out of the showers, still wrapped in a towel. I'm sure Pyro wouldn't have burned me or anything, but it wears that suit for a reason. I moved to the restrooms which were right next door and changed into my fresher clothes.

As I looked in the mirror at my wound, images began to flash across my mind again. It still baffled me that my own brother, someone who had literally been attached to my hip for so long, would just shoot me in cold blood.

Something isn't right…

I left the restrooms and walked down the hall back to my room. Despite my recent thoughts, I felt much more refreshed then when I had woken up.

As I got closer to the rooms, I could feel something very troubling curl in my stomach. I recognized the feeling; it was the feeling I got whenever an enemy Spy was around. It meant that someone dangerous was in the base.

I stayed on my toes, cursing myself for not bringing my trusty bat with me. If there was one thing I learned, it was to never underestimate your own instincts.

I crept around the base, jumping at every sound. It was literally pitch black out. It was cloudy, hiding the stars and moon. The air was cool and I shivered in my tank top, but kept my guard up.

Suddenly, I heard a floor board creak behind me and I whipped around.

Standing not even 5 feet away from me was a very dark silhouette. I blinked, not expecting anyone to actually be there.

The shape was unrecognizable. It was a hulking figure, like the Heavy, but much too tall to be either team's Heavy. There already wasn't enough light in the base as it was, but it seemed…darker with him here. As if he was sucking up all the available light.

I snapped out of my thoughts as it turned and started to walk away.

Oh, no you don't!

"Hey, fatty!" I called, "What the fuck are you doing here?"

The figure kept moving.

"Hey!" I ran towards him, "I'm talkin' to ya!"

I jumped up and punched him right in the back of the head, crying out as I felt my hand crack. I stepped back, cradling my broken hand. I looked at him and saw that he had stopped walking away.

He turned abruptly towards me and I felt something heavy grasp around my neck and pin me to the wall. I felt something trickle down the back of my skull.

"H-hey, man! What're ya doin'?" I could hear my words slurring together as I tried to keep consciousness. I tried to glare at him but even at close proximity, I still couldn't see what his face looked like.

As my vision blurred around the edges, I saw him lean in close to my ear.

"You are on the list. Therefore you shall be spared." His voice was creaky, like a door with rusty hinges.

I tried to kick and scream and fight and just talk, but my eye lids felt heavier and heavier.

Sleep…that sounds like a good idea…