A/N- I know, I know! I said I was done, out of the game. Playing the veteran card quite heavily here; I've been pulled back in for special oneshot story by another young, talented writer who was sad to see a dwindled fandom here.
This idea sprung forth long ago based on the events of Survival and the possible repercussions on the interpersonal relationships of the group. I could never imagine Hex being cool with Alex kissing Amber on the island and figured that there would have too be some resentment there until they eventually talked about it.
So here ya go The fanster and anyone else still reading.
Enjoy Darwinism!
-Grey 'The Grizzled Vet' Southpaw
'It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.' -Charles Darwin.
What did Alpha Force do when they were on a training exercise and not actively practicing stealth or concealment? They did just what any other teenagers have to do: homework!
Paulo and Li sat on the ground together, back-to-back mutually leaning on each other for support. Their heavy packs rested beside them in a line providing a wall of shelter against the scouring wind at the top of the sheer Scottish hills.
"What are you working on?" Paulo enquired hearing the faint scratch of a pen on paper behind him. It was incredible he could hear anything over the fierce howl of violent winds that sought to rob them of heat and balance when they struggled through it.
"Calculus and it sucks." Li replied in disgust, resting her notebook on her bent knees and pondering a particularly difficult equation.
"Ah that is some kind of math, no?" Paulo checked and he took another bite of a small chocolate bar and reached for something else from his jacket pocket.
"The worst kind." Li confirmed with a groan and turning slightly so she could see what her large leaning friend was up to.
He was browsing through a magazine written in Spanish that featured lots of muscle cars and about an equal part scantily clad women.
"I see you are busy with your homework too." She sarcastically jibed at him and reaching across to tug one of his ears in reproach where it poked out from under his battered gaucho hat.
"Owww you hurt me so, cruel woman!" He moaned dramatically and pulling his hat lower in feeble protection. It wasn't as warm as a beanie or balaclava, but it was more Paulo's style anyway.
"My main homework is my English and I get bieno practice speaking with my friends here." Paulo protested and gestured to the others members in their respective spots of shelter.
"Well you could use some more study, amigo." Hex drawled from his own position protected from the wind behind a large rock. He too was doing homework, reading chapters from his biology textbook on his palmtop and scribbling tidy notes in a workbook.
Li laughed at Hex's fair comment.
"What are you studying, Hex?" She asked him, shouting to be heard over the wind.
"Biology. I'll swap for your calculus?" He offered holding out his workbook.
"Sold!" Li gladly agreed, passing over her own notebook carefully so it wasn't lost to the wind.
"Cheaters." Paulo teased them.
"I think I'd prefer Paulo's biology study." Hex observed in amusement.
Hex was in truth just glad to have swapped for the maths since the biology was hitting a little too close to home and there was one paragraph that he could not stop reading.
'It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.' -Charles Darwin.
Survival of the fittest doesn't always mean the strongest or smartest, but simply the one most adept at overcoming and adapting to their environment. Darwin suggests that this is the single greatest criteria animals look for in a mate, in order to further the survival of the species.'
He tried to focus up on the ink blotched maths notebook in his hand and not what was happening on the other side of him. He could use a distraction.
For ten minutes now during their rest it had been just the two of them pouring over the map and discussing the topographical features they were looking to cross. Hex kept glancing at them out of the corner of his eye, closely following their interaction
Amber and Alex.
It had become something that Hex was suddenly always aware of now; the two of them spent a lot of time together talking about things. Was he imagining things or did she always turn to Alex for advice during their training? Likewise, who did Alex check on first at every stop or consult with about the best passage across tricky terrain.
Was he jealous? Of course not! They were all friends here.
But did he punch Alex a little bit harder than necessary in combat practice? Did Hex push himself to always beat the other teen's effort in running or exercise? Maybe.
Had it all started after Paulo had told him about how Alex kissed Amber on the island, when she returned from the boat with antibiotics? Definitely. That revelation had planted a seed, one that Hex had been unable to dig up. One that was watered with dark feelings every time Amber went to ask Alex something instead of him.
The time on the island had been the worst for Hex; he had felt bloody useless. Lain up with septic shock, Hex didn't exactly do much to prove himself as fit to survive. As he thought about it, Hex rubbed the scar where the Komodo Dragon had wounded him. The injury had healed up well, now it was just a stretched, pink shiny line on his otherwise hairy legs.
In comparison, their humble leader had been a regular Robinson Crusoe; a veritable encyclopaedia of survival knowledge. How could that not have been attractive to Amber?
Brooding further on these ideas further darkened Hex's mood, he stuffed the notebook in one of his waterproof jacket pocket and laboriously got to his feet.
"Come on let's keep moving!" He urged, staunchly throwing his Bergen back across his shoulders.
"What? Already?"
"But we've barely sat down!"
"5 more minutes!"
"Aren't you tired?"
The group protested loudly and Hex merely shrugged, he pointedly didn't make eye contact with Amber.
Predictably it was Alex who spoke up.
"Everyone has been going pretty hard Hex, let's rest a little longer." He suggested evenly.
The rest of Alpha Force nodded in agreement with that idea, they did look knackered. In truth Hex was too, but he wanted to appear tough and stronger than Alex. More fit to survive. Typical Alex though had managed to turn it around on him to make it about the team, it made Hex look like the villain.
"Come on, I thought we had checkpoints to make." Hex protested in frustration, shrugging his broad shoulders to move his bulging Bergen to the snug place that was least painful. Not comfortable just less painful; that was the best you got carrying the weights they were carrying.
"How about you come over here and tell me what you think the best way down is?" Alex eventually conceded, holding aloft the map.
Grumbling, Hex shrugged his heavy pack off and stomped past the resting Amber, who eyed him suspiciously.
Marching up to Alex, the Northumbrian gestured with his head and they moved further from the group into the sheltered recess of a large boulder.
Hex snatched the map from Alex and made to look at the wavy contour lines that indicated how steep the surrounding terrain was. To his surprise Alex folded the map up around his hand and took it back from him. Hex gave him a quizzical look.
"I think you and I need to have a chat." Alex explained looking awkward and leaning against the big boulder.
Hex folded his arms defensively and scowled.
"Nice weather we are having isn't it?" He sarcastically made conversation. Alex returned his scowl, unimpressed by the effort.
"Not what I meant, smartass." Alex deadpanned.
"Well how about you get to the point?" Hex growled with his patience shortening.
"What's your problem, man?" Alex demanded splaying his arms wide in exasperation.
"You're my problem right now!" Hex blurted out in annoyance and getting in Alex's face before he had even realised what he said.
Alex receded back from the hacker considering his words. He crossed one hand contemplatively to his chin and crossed the other against his body.
"Here I was thinking you were maybe just not much of a team player or a tad too competitive.." Alex began slowly almost sounding hurt in his reflection.
"I'm both those things too." Hex reassured him sarcastically.
"But this whole time the problem has been more personal, just between you and me?" Alex reasoned out giving Hex a critical look. It was a challenging look, as if to say 'I deserve an explanation'.
Hex felt uncomfortable under his analytical gaze and the part truth he had uncovered. If it was just the two of us, there would be no problem.. He thought to himself and he leaned to peer around the boulder to where Amber rested out of earshot. Hex had thought it was a subtle movement, but his astute friend picked it up.
"Amber.." Alex whispered finally in understanding as pieces fell into place.
"What about her?" Hex defensively snapped, he felt his cheeks darken.
"Dude, its 's alright. You don't need to worry about me on that front." Alex assured him wryly.
"But back on the island… You kissed her!" Hex pointed out, forgetting himself for a moment.
Alex looked a little embarrassed himself and gave a light chuckle.
"I did. That is my bad, I was just so grateful to see her alive and with those antibiotics for you."
Hex paused and considered this answer for a good few moments.
"You didn't mean anything by it then?" Hex needed to know.
"Nah man, me and her; that could never be a thing." Alex dismissed his query quickly like he was brushing off a pesky sand-fly. Or maybe he was brushing off a pesky sand-fly, there were many of the little bastards in the area.
Hex's innate impulse to solve mysteries was stirred by the second part of his statement.
"Why could you two never be an item?" He asked. This time his voice held no accusation, no jealousy or defensiveness. It was just genuine curiosity and concern.
"I'm supposed to be the leader right? Hard to stay objective when you are with a member of your team." Alex grimly observed.
"True.." Hex granted him in concession. It sounded like something Alex had found in the officer's training manual for Sandhurst or else an old saying from his father; the soldier.
"Even if I liked one of the girls in the team like that, it would be an abuse of position and likely to be to the detriment of the team. A leader can't play favourites." Alex explained, Hex noticed a new wrinkle on his friend's forehead.
"She's like a sister to me, but I don't think she sees you as just a brother." Alex mused further and making a point.
"We didn't do you any favours putting you in charge did we?" Hex found a weak joke and the pair grinned together over it. Hex was starting to understand what an added burden they had put on Alex as the leader. He also realised he had only been making it worse recently by competing with him or trying to show him up in front of Amber.
"Limited dating prospects, but it does give me the right to kick my team members up the ass when they are acting like jerks." Alex joked back and mimed a big swinging kick at his friend.
"Well I needed it. I'm sorry Alex for…" Hex started but trailed off, not quite knowing how to end it. He genuinely felt awful about his behaviour. The truth of the matter was that Alex seemed so perfect, sometimes it was easy to be jealous or begrudge the guy. But as it turned out they were not in completion with each other; Hex needed to focus on competing with himself, to best his own efforts rather than looking at someone else's.
"Whatever, we're cool." Alex waved aside the apology easily, happy to have cleared the air.
"If you like Amber, it is fine; just no screwing around when we are on the job." He added with a pseudo-serious expression. His slow grin cracked through, there was no way he could keep a straight face throughout.
"Hey! I never said I liked her!" Hex hastily jumped in to interject.
"Okay, but if someone on our team did like her; I would tell them to give it a shot, see where things go." Alex advised with a casual shrug and a knowing look.
"I'm sure they would take that under advisement." Hex promised him, feeling considerably more upbeat than he had started the day.
"Have I let you down yet?" Alex bragged with a sly wink.
Alex and He re-emerged from behind the rocks laughing together like the old friends that they were. They helped each other don the heavy packs once more and turned to the rest of the curious team.
"Come on guys, time to get moving again." Alex rallied the troops, everyone grumbled at his words but started moving.
Hex went to help Amber with her pack, Alex gave the most subtle of nods to him and went to wrangle Paulo who had dropped his magazine and was desperately pursuing it down the slopes. Li may have assisted in helping him drop it, despite her innocent expression that was fooling no one.
"Ugh it hurts every time!" Amber moaned miserably as she shouldered the load of the pack out from under Hex's grip.
"I dunno, I think mine feels a bit lighter for some reason." Hex contemplated his own heavily weighted bag.
"Jeez, not everyone is part machine like you, Codeboy." Amber grumbled, shrugging her shoulders painfully.
Hex ducked behind her once more.
Her bag swayed and rocked on her back almost unbalancing her, she was about to complain again when the hacker reappeared. He held a two litre water container from her pack and was now attaching it to his own instead. He gave her a small smile and a playful punch on the shoulder, which she returned both in kind. The thanks was left unsaid.
"So I'm like the terminator than?" He asked her in his best Arnie impersonation and flexing his formidable biceps.
Amber didn't miss a beat and looked unimpressed despite herself.
"More like that cute little box shaped one from that cartoon. WALL-E?" She snorted back at his impression.
"Seems apt since I'm always picking up your trash." Hex quipped, pointedly giving his new water bottle a test shake on the pack.
"It's just a street-rat thing. You are used to going through the trash." Amber shot back with a teasing grin.
Hex was silent for a minute, before puckering his lips to expose two teeth at the front of his mouth and forming his hands up like tiny rodent claws. He squinted his eyes half shut and waggled his nose. Amber laughed uproariously at his rat impression and he joined her. Hex could hardly take any of it as much of an insult, rats were survivors after all and Amber had said that he was cute like WALL-E.
"Well what does that make you; the queen of rubbish?" He guessed, earning another affectionate punch for his trouble. They started marching again, Amber in the lead navigating, with Hex acting as her pacer. They bickered ceaselessly the whole way of course.
Behind them Li was plodding along, her pack almost as tall as she was; a bag with a set of legs poking out the bottom. Fourth in the patrol was Paulo, looking uncharacteristically downcast at the loss of his 'reading material'. Li and him were squabbling too, Paulo insisting that she had made him drop it on purpose. Li remained evasive on the issue.
Fifth in line and acting as the shepherd and Tail-end Charlie was Alex. He grinned to himself in a satisfied way, despite the poor noise discipline and steady stream of arguing.
Alpha Force was a new little family, they had their own strong personalities in the group and not a little bickering. At the end of the day though, the thing that kept them together and reconciled any arguments was there. It was this quality that bound them together and pushed them so they could adapt and overcome any environments or challenges.
Because Darwinism for all its virtue as a theory, cannot account for love.