Redemption chapter 6

Things were going smoothly, well as smoothly as could be expected considering they were smuggling weapons onto a ship. The guard at the check point had tried to stop them but Tex had ended up talking him into letting them go. Well threatening was more correct but either way they had gotten through. The easy part had been getting aboard the ship. They'd gone up on a supply pelican. What Tex's friend had failed to mention was that it wasn't a passenger ship. It turned out that it was a cargo ship, stuffed with supplies and weapons being shipped off of the planet and to Earth.

"I can't believe you couldn't get us on a ship that's actually carrying people." Grif was setting up an area a bit of a distance from where Tex had set up. They were putting down blankets in places to sleep for the trip. "I mean at least get us into the staff quarters."

"I wasn't willing to waste any time waiting for a human transport. The longer we wait the longer Alana is in that place." Tex smoothed out her blanket and set her area up. "It'll be a longer ride to Earth without going into cryo, but it should be straight so we won't have to worry about sliding around while the ship is traveling."

"Is it really safe for us to be back here?" Simmons frowned moving out of the area he'd set up for them sit around, eat, and talk while on the long trip. "It's not like they know we are here. What if there's a fire and they vent the atmosphere? Wouldn't we be killed?"

"There's nothing we can do about that. We better just try not to start a fire." Tex rolled her eyes. She finished her area and moved to where Simmons had been working. He'd set up some crates in a circle and on in the center to be a table. "Not bad."

"It's the best I could do with what we've got. It's not like there's any furniture down here." Simmons crossed his arms and looked over as Alessa and Alex joined them. "You get all set up?"

Alex nodded. "It's kind of hard finding a place that people are likely not to see us." Alex looked around. "Will they even really come back here to check on us?" He moved over and sat down on one of the crates. "I mean, can we basically relax?"

Tex shrugged. "They shouldn't. Most of the crew should go into stasis and we should be free to be here without issue. But just in case I want to check and be sure we know all the ways they might come in. Alex, you're with me to search. Simmons, see if you can hack into the system and see how many crew members they are keeping awake and if we can sneak into the kitchens. Grif, go check over our weapons, I want a full list of what we brought and what you brought." She then turned to Alessa. "You, see if you can find anything that would make these crates more comfortable."

They all split up and Tex led Alex through the cargo bay. When they got a good distance away from the others Alex stopped walking. "So then, what did you really want to get me away from the others for?" He crossed his arms and leaned against one of the containers. "And don't give me any of that crap about how you don't know what I'm talking about."

"I'm not going to, because I do want to talk to you." Tex checked to be sure that they were far enough way before she turned back to Alex. "What's going on with you?"

Alex frowned at her. "What are you talking about? I'm worried about my daughter, I'm hoping to get all my family home safe. The only thing that's wrong with me is the thought of once more being anywhere near my fathers when they go to sleep."

"I mean like what happened back at the house. I know you, Alex, and that sort of anger and force isn't the Alex that I know. It reminds me more of the one that I saw in that church back when you were a teenager." Tex made sure she kept eye contact with him. She wanted to be clear that she wouldn't accept lying.

There was an odd shift to Alex's stance. His shoulders slumped a bit and his features became grim. His eyes seemed to look pass Tex. "There is no room for weakness with Silent Hill. It is a place of darkness and even a bit of waver in resolve and that darkness can swallow you up." His gaze fell and Tex could see a hint of fear in his eyes. "I used to have these dreams, dreams of fighting that place. Of a family that wasn't mine, I swear it." His last words sounded pleading, as though he was begging for it to not be true. He took a deep breath and seemed to calm. "Alessa stopped them. When she's around me when I sleep, I stopped having them."

Tex watched him, a bit unnerved. She suddenly didn't feel so sure about her daughter sleeping next to Alex. Something was going on, and she had no idea what it was. The only thing that was for sure was that it had to do with Silent Hill, so she'd have to keep her eye on him.

"Oh, don't look at me that way, Tex. I'm still the same Alex. Nothing has changed about me. Alessa keeps me who I am. I mean, think of when I made that outburst. Alessa wasn't around. She's here now, and I'll keep her close to me. I mean, I have to protect her anyway." Alex ran a hand through his hair. "Listen, there's no turning back, and I know that you aren't supposed to be here." Alex shook his head. "I don't know how, but it just feels wrong."

Tex stiffened at his words and then relaxed. "Well I'm here, so no matter how you feel, I'm not turning back now."

"And the same thing goes for me." Alex glared at her. "I am not leaving, and I know that I am supposed to be here. I have to save my daughter. I know how bad that place is."

Tex raised an eyebrow. "How do you know how bad it is?" Alex looked at her, surprised and confused. He didn't seem to understand the question. "You just said you know how bad it is. How do you know how bad it is?"

Alex shook his head. "I didn't say that."

Tex groaned. "Whatever, it doesn't matter. I don't get what's going on with you, but if it's any real danger, I won't hesitate to take you down."

Alex took a step toward Tex and stood only inches away. "I am never a threat to Alessa." His voice was cold and angry. "I was sent here to…" He frowned and furrowed his brow. His eyes closed and he shook his head. Tex raised an eyebrow. "It…it's like I knew something, and now I don't." His voice was heavy with confusion. "I know that something is going on, something I don't understand, but I sure as hell know that Leonard wouldn't have allowed me anywhere near his daughter if it was a danger to her."

Tex frowned. "Why did you just call him Leonard? You usually call him Church."

Alex shrugged. "I don't know, I just did. Not everything has to be something." He sighed and shook his head. "You're getting to be paranoid."

Tex scowled at him. "We're about to go to a town full of monsters. I think being a bit paranoid would be a good thing."

Alex shook his head. "But not of me. Didn't Church tell me that I needed to be here? He wouldn't have sent me with you unless he knew I was safe." Alex shook his head. "I'm done with this conversation. I can't believe you are questioning my dedication to your daughter. That's like you questioning Leonard's dedication to you two."

"First, you did it again, called him Leonard. Stop doing that." Tex wasn't sure why it bugged her so much, but it did. "Second, I can't believe you'd dare to compare yourself to Church."

"You know," Alex chuckled. "It's kind of stupid that I'll call him Leonard and you keep calling him Church." Alex stopped laughing and became a bit more serious. "My love for Alessa and Alana is like Leonard's love for you and Alessa. They are my family. Really, we're just like you, but younger."

Tex paused for a moment. "Are you calling me old?"

Alex looked at her, seeming to have realized that he had insulted her. "Well you see." With that he turned and ran back toward the others. Tex stormed after him, finding Alex trying to hide behind Alessa. Now that was more of the Alex that Tex was used to.

"What are you doing?" Alessa frowned at her mother. "Do not kill my husband. Soon enough there will be enough other things trying to do that for you."

"Aw, you're not going to defend me?" Alex pouted at Alessa. "What, you don't love me?" He was putting on his best sad puppy face.

"You do realize that he got that from you, right?" Simmons moved over to join the group, moving over to Grif's side.

"Your point? You still fall for that puppy look every time. Why do you think that you're on the bottom?" Grif smirked and crossed his arms.

"For the last time, stop talking about that stuff around me." Alex shivered. "I really don't need to have those memories brought up." He shook his head, trying to clear the memory.

"Can we just stay on a more serious note?" Tex pulled their attention back to her. "Simmons, what did you find?"

"I found out there's only like three engineers that are active to keep a watch on the slip space drive. Other than that, there's no one at all, not even security. Though, that also means there aren't really any staff quarters. It does mean that we can use the kitchens if we want to make a hot meal." Simmons seemed rather pleased with what he'd found.

"Good, we'll do that for dinner tonight." Tex nodded and then frowned. There wasn't really much for them to do. "Well, I didn't get much sleep last night cause of the dreams. I'm going to take a nap, wake me when Simmons has made food." Tex moved past the two men toward her own area that she had set up.

Tex had set up her things in a corner between a pair of containers. She wanted to be shielded, have some privacy. She settled down on the blankets she'd lain down, grabbing her bag. Tex dug around in the bag until she pulled out the journal. Tex flipped through it, silently hoping that there would be something there that would ease her mind. She was still unsure about what was going on with Alex, or if she was making a mistake by going. She didn't know what to expect or even really what they would do when they reached Earth.

There was nothing in the journal, not even a single mark. Tex tossed it beside her pillow and lay down. She closed her eyes and after several minutes of frantic thought she managed to clear her head enough to fall asleep.

Tex's eyes opened and she looked around her. The walls were made of stone and there was barbed wire everywhere, clinging to the stone like vines. Tex tried to stand but found that she couldn't. She looked down and found that instead of hands she had large black paws. She didn't have any idea what was going on, but she was sort of starting to panic.

"So then, you're awake." Tex turned to the voice and froze as she spotted Church. "Well that's good. We didn't do too well. Probably should have taken a more tactical approach then just walking up to one of them." He grinned and Tex frowned as she spotted the blood that coated his teeth. "I really wish I had my armor back."

Tex forced herself onto all fours. It felt right, like that was how she was supposed to stand. She slowly moved forward, seeing what was the source of the blood. Church's stomach was bleeding, though he was trying to put pressure on it and stop the bleeding. Tex stumbled over to him and lay down beside him.

"I think I'm starting to get it, girl. I really think I am. I mean, I really don't get it, I never have, but maybe I get it." Church took a deep breath, groaning as it seemed to cause him more pain. "I don't think I understand half of what I say most of the time. This place seems to do that too me. I know things, but I don't know them." Church chuckled. "I'm living in a hell hole with no logic. It's Blood Gulch all over again."

Tex opened her mouth to say something to Church but there were no words. Her mouth let out a low growl rather than any recognizable speech. She couldn't seem to understand what was wrong with her. It hit her, this wasn't her body, it was some, or something else's body.

Church stared at her, reaching out and grabbing the side of Tex's face. She could feel his hands tug on, what was that? Fur? He stared into her eyes and frowned. "What have you done?" There was a loud roar and something hit Tex.

She sat up, breathing heavily. She shook her head, trying to clear it. She was still on the ship, still in her little area. What had happened? What was with that dream? Tex grabbed the journal and flipped through it. Still there was nothing and she cursed. That dream had been so real, like it always was. Though she'd never had a dream like that. Tex groaned and lay back down. Why could none of this be simple or straight forward?