TITLE : It's My Turn
AUTHOR'S NOTES : I thought I'd write a short story about what happened to Alex before she came back to New York. Please note that I didn't write this story to convince people to like her character as much as I do. This is just my take on why she did what she did.
DISCLAIMER : I don't own any of the publicly recognizable characters. They belong to Jeff Eastin, White Collar writers and USA Network.
SUMMARY : Alex Hunter was a survivor, there was no doubt about that. But this time, she wanted more...she needed to be the 'winner' for a change. Prequel to "Ancient History".
WARNING : Some spoilers from 4.08 "Ancient History". Although Neal is mentioned, this story mainly consists of Alex Hunter (which shouldn't surprise you if you've read my other White Collar stories)...if you dislike her, might as well stop reading now.
Alex squeezed her eyes shut, as she tried to block out the painful memories. Elaionas Women's Prison in Thebes...not exactly the Le Dune, she thought. Pets in animals shelters in the United States got better treatment than the detainees of Greece's maximum-security prison. The unsanitary conditions, the overcrowded cells, and the inhumane treatment of the prisoners...all the sickening stuff that most people only read in novels and watched in movies, Alex had experienced first-hand in the last 16 months she had stayed in that hellhole.
She opened her eyes and remembered where she was. Gone were the filthy cells and prison bars. No more sloppy food that even pigs would refuse to eat. No wore beatings from fellow inmates and sexual advances from the prison guards and the warden. She was safe, inside her room...a suite, actually. She was staying in the Royal Penthouse Suite of a high-end luxury hotel in Athens. She was out of prison now. Out, but not free...at least, not yet.
Alex relaxed a bit, as she took a long, lingering soak in the luxurious bathtub. She looked around the dimly lit bathroom...a nice and comfortable glow illuminated by strategically placed candles that created a very lavish setting. The candles' vanilla scent mingled with the smell of the lavender and mint bath oil and the rose petals in her bath water. The sound of The London Symphony Orchestra's performance of Mendelssohn's Nocturne from Midsummer Night's Dream filled the room as it played in the background. All of it designed of calm her senses, but failed to do so.
She rested her head in the bath pillow, as she stared at her hand which held a death-grip on the loofah bath sponge, and she realized that she could scrub herself raw, and it would do nothing to erase the 16 months of hellish torture she had been through. Finally, after the water had gone cold, she rose from the tub, and rinsed herself off.
She got out of the shower and wrapped herself in a fluffy, cotton towel. She wiped off the steam from the mirror, stared at her faced, and then slightly shook her head. Make-up can conceal the dark circles under her eyes. She even changed her hair to frame whatever beauty that was left in her face. But the pained look in her eyes, that was something that she can't conceal nor erase.
"Stop it!" she screamed, as she tried hard not to cry. "Stop wallowing in self-pity and DO something!" She wiped the tears from her eyes, and composed herself. "You're a Hunter, Alex...don't you forget that!" she said out loud. "Τι δεν σε σκοτώνει σε κάνει πιο δυνατό! (Ti den se skotó̱nei se kánei pio dynató!/What does not kill you make you stronger!)" she reminded herself. She took deep breaths and proceeded to her bedroom.
In her room, on top of the bed, laid the very few personal effects she had in her possession. Amongst them was a manila envelope that she had acquired very recently. Orders from the new General Secretary of Culture and Tourism in Greece, Rasmus Spiteri. Her new 'master'...or so he thinks.
Alex remembered the day, not too long ago, when Spiteri came to her cell and made her an offer that she couldn't refuse. He strong-armed her into a deal...she either 'recover' a few items for him, or she gets transferred to Korydallos Prison Complex. She's never been there, but she had heard tales...none of them were good. Elaionas wasn't hell...it was Purgatory. Korydallos was the real demons' pit. She only thought she had been through hell, but compared to what lied ahead for her if she refused, she had been through nothing. She knew she wouldn't last two days in Korydallos. So she did what was best for her, and accepted Spiteri's offer.
Alex flipped through her 'assignment' and looked at the list of items she was to recover, as well as their current locations. Most of the items were familiar...plundered Greco antiquities. And as luck would have it, they all just happened to be on public display in New York City museums. Spiteri had commissioned her for this job as part of his 'cultural reclamation project'...all in the name of national heritage. She scoffed out loud. She had met men like Spiteri before. And she knew just how to handle him.
Alex quickly got dressed and got ready to leave for the airport. She was sorting out her things, when she saw another envelope. She smiled a bittersweet smile, as she recognized what it was, and who it came from. She unfolded as piece of paper, and re-read the letter. It was a short note from Neal, one lousy letter inviting her back to New York. She had only gotten a hold of it recently, but it was from quite a while back, while she was serving time in prison.
She closed her eyes again, and allowed herself to get lost in some powerful memories. A lot has happened since she left New York City. Last she heard, Hale was dead...murdered. And Neal and Mozzie had gotten away with the u-boat treasure, scot-free. She grimaced at the thought. There she was, rotting away in prison, while Neal Caffrey was too busy buying himself an island. It was as if he and Mozzie had the whole thing planned out. Out of everything that has happened, she came out the biggest loser of them all. No music box...no treasure...no Neal.
Well, that as about to change. Nostalgia be damned...she had let go of any fantasy she had about Caffrey a long time ago, mostly because she had realized that there was no use in holding on to him. But hell hath no fury like a Hunter scorned. Spiteri had plans to take back what was taken from his country...but she has a plan of her own. He may think that she owed him her freedom, and that she was obligated to pay him back. He thought wrong. She doesn't like to be beholden to anybody, nor does she have any intention of doing everything she was ordered to do.
She liked it when people thought of her as a weakling. She loved it even more when people underestimated her...when they believed that they have some power over her. Makes it more fun for her to prove them wrong. And boy, was she about to prove them wrong! Alex has always been a survivor, there was no doubt about that. She had lived through the many challenges that life had thrown at her. But this time, it was different. This time, she had something to prove. She needed to be reminded what it felt like to be a winner. She needed to come out on top. The winner takes it all, as the song goes.
The game is on again. No more holding back because of some deluded fantasy that she had inside her head. From here on out, it's back to living for herself. There was no use getting mad, especially when getting even is much more fulfilling.
Look out, world! Alexandra Hunter has returned...harder...stronger...better than ever! You've had your fun at my expense. It's my turn now. It's payback time.
With that, Alex gathered her things, and headed for the door. New York City awaits, a forgotten fantasy along with it. Another adventure on the horizon, another treasure within her reach. Because if she can't have the treasure that she wanted the most, she'll take any treasure she can get her hands on.
I am not just a survivor...I'm a winner. Forward...always forward. Onward...always up. And when I'm done, there will be no looking back.
~FINI~
FOOTNOTES :
*Elaionas Women's Prison – Thebes' main correctional facility for women.
*Korydallos Prison Complex – the main prison of Greece that houses both male and female maximum-security prisoners.
*Le Dune (Forte Village Resort) – the most expensive hotel in the world, located on Mediterranean Island of Sardinia.
*These are just MY thoughts regarding what happened before "Ancient History". It just seemed to me as if there was a deeper reason behind Alex 'betraying' Neal, more than just greed. Whether it was the need for revenge or closure...you be the judge.
*Many thanks for reading this story. If you liked it, please feel free to leave a review.