The soldier jolted when the woman previously in a comatose state sat up. He screamed when she disappeared. The Freelancers looked up when they heard the scream and the Federal soldiers turned their weapons to face the panicking soldier.
"She's... She's gone!" He pointed to the empty bed where the tubes lay uselessly, dangling off the end off the bed and onto the floor.
Suddenly, the soldier turned his head at an incredible rate and slumped to the floor. Dead.
"Soldiers!" The officer yelled. "Shoot at the next thing that moves."
When the next thing that moved was a drip stand, flying across the air at an equally incredible rate with the cord snaking behind it, gunfire went off in a frenzy, sending wild ammunition towards the inanimate object before it smacked into two of the soldiers. A squawk came from the still-standing soldier as an invisible force slammed into him, sending him sprawling.
"Shoot the prisoners!" The officer roared, panicked. "SHOOT THEM!"
A ripple of cries came from the Freelancers as the rifles were pushed into their temples. As the canon of gunfire exploded, the sound echoing about the cave, the officer let out a relieved breath. That was until he saw the Freelancers blink and open their eyes. A shimmering blue shield washed over the submissive captives like a wave, separating their vulnerable skulls from the Federal soldiers' weapons. And in the midst of them, stood Agent Berkshire.
"Oh, shit," the officer swallowed as the woman turned her attention to him, her eyes red and glowing.
The officer scrambled for his pistol and sent shot after shot, his arm beginning to shake as she stormed towards him, undeterred. Every shot fired, by either the officer or the other soldiers, was blocked by the blue dome that surrounded her. Berks' eyes were aflame with Alpha who struck fear into the heart of the Federal officer. He dropped his pistol and attempted to throw a punch but Berks caught it, crushing his fist. He screamed in pain and she let go, her hand grabbing his neck, holding the choking man up with almost effortless strength.
"Shoot her!" He cried with a strangled voice, trying to wrench away her iron fist.
The soldiers raised their weapons and those of the Freelancers that could muster a word, cried out. Berks snatched at the second pistol in the officer's belt with her free hand and without looking, fired several shots behind her, each finding their mark through the soldiers' visors. As the glass cracked, their bodies crumbled to the floor.
"Please," the officer choked, "let me go, we'll leave you alone, just-
She tightened her grip and crushed his throat in her fist. With a spluttered scream, he became limp and Berks dropped the body like a child drops a doll.
Cautiously, the Freelancers climbed to their feet.
"Berks," Devon whispered, holding her hands up like she was coaxing a wild horse.
She turned, her chest heaving and her face contorted in aggressive anger. Her attention was suddenly diverted from the skittish Freelancers to a rumbling only she could hear. As it grew louder, the sound reached the others' ears.
"Oh no," Wight squeaked.
They stepped towards the mouth of the cave as through the dense clouds, a dark airship appeared, flanked by two smaller planes. The rush of air pushed them back, making their hair and clothes ripple with the strong wind. They held up their hands to protect their eyes from the dust and whatever else was caught up in the air, squinting and blinking helplessly at the three monsters that faced them.
All at once, the heavy aircraft began shooting, their revolving weaponry firing round after round towards the Freelancers. They dove out of the way in a desperate attempt of self preservation but it was Berks that held up the shield to protect them all. Sweat dripped from her brow as she grated her teeth in exertion, holding up the shimmering protection. Bullets deflected off the surface like rain on glass, harmless and almost therapeutic. Then, the shield began to waver as she grunted, holding up her right hand and pulling the air forward. The Freelancers watched in terrified awe as one of the flanking planes began to splutter. Smoke erupted from the engines as it shorted out, combusting into flames as it failed to keep in the air. As it dropped from view, the airship changed its brutish form into a monstrosity as rockets appeared either side of it. Only slightly out of synchronisation, they were fired.
The rockets exploded into the shield but it's wasn't the fire power, but the impact that caused the shield to falter. Berks was thrown off her feet, leaving the mouth of the cave open as she landed on her back, crying out.
"Berks!" Came the chorused yell of the Freelancers that had surfaced from their protective positions as they saw the rockets directed towards them.
The fall could have broken her back, especially without armour, but the woman stood, her body as strong as before.
Two more rockets were loaded, using this opportunity of an open target to obliterate the Freelancers. But Berks wasn't finished.
As the rockets were fired, she raised her fists once again, suddenly splaying her fingers like a tormented sorceress. The rockets diverted themselves from the original target and turned on the remaining plane. Two well placed explosions sent the flanking aircraft to join its brother down below.
The Freelancers watched on, helpless, as Berks strained, closing her eyes and bared her teeth in physical pain as she continued this fight. With an animalistic cry, she moved, punching one fist into the air as she drew the other back, splaying her fingers in this movement as if she was feeling the air.
There were then scattered screams. The Freelancers cried out in surprise while the Federal soldiers screamed in fear and agony as the front half of the airship disconnected with the back half. Plumes of smoke billowed up from the black machine as it began its long decent, accompanied by soldiers trying to flee the wreckage. Needless to say, they weren't overly successful.
With the skies clear of invading Federal soldiers, the calmness returned, a silence only broken by the excess panting of Berks and the cautious footsteps towards her from the Freelancers.
Buck didn't say anything but took slow, tentative steps towards the woman. She turned to face them, chest heaving and sweat dripping, her eyes still bright red.
"Berks, can you hear me?" He asked, his voice quiet and neutral. "Or is this Alpha in control again?"
There was an uneasy silence as he was reminded of the snarling woman in the corridor, covered in the blood of the three men she had just killed. Following his move, the Freelancers exchanged an expression and put a hand over their weapons.
"It's me, Buck," Berks replied, taking deep breath between every other word. "Why else would I have saved you?"
"Berks!" Devon barked a laugh and rushed forward, her arms extended.
Buck snatched the back of her top and pulled her back.
"We can't know for sure, Devon," he insisted, still giving the red-eyed woman a wary glance.
"She saved our lives and she's like a sister to me, Buck," she almost made a disgusted face, "she's been in a coma for however long and nearly died."
She shrugged him off and embraced Berks, wrapping her arms around her and squeezing tight.
"Woah, careful now," Berks laughed, "it's lucky this AI helps me heal."
"That was how you got up from that fall so well then?" She observed and Berks nodded.
Devon winced, remembering her wound in her shoulder. The blood had slowed but hadn't stopped and as the temporary distraction of a fight such as that was over, her pain resumed at an unbearable rate.
"I think..." Berks pondered, "I think I can heal that too."
"Well, give it a go," Devon replied through gritted teeth.
Berks pressed a hand to her wound to which Devon swore and clenched her fists and shut her eyes tight. There was a slight burning sensation and the other watched on in amazement as Devon gasped suddenly and pawed at her shoulder once Berks removed her touch. The blood still remained, drying on her clothing, but the bullet wound was closed with a faint scar as a reminder.
"That is bloody amazing," Devon breathed.
The other Freelancers began to crowd around Berks, each giving her a brief hug to welcome her back to the land of the living and a thank you for saving their lives. Chester picked her up and spun her around like an over excited big brother, nearly making her dizzy. Even Bria offered pleasantries.
"It's been tough on everyone while you were out," she said, scratching the back of her neck, "we all thought you were done for and if not, you'd go back to your Freelancer killing ways. I nearly put a bullet in your head myself."
"Well," Berks sucked air through her teeth, "I'm glad you didn't. But now that I've got Alpha back, I can remember everything."
All but Buck exchanged expressions.
"I remember meeting you all for the first time, the actual first time. I remember you, Bria."
"Yeah, sorry, I was kinda a bitch. I guess it was better when you couldn't remember me."
"Just a bit," she grinned, "but I'm glad I remember you."
For the first time, in a long time, Bria smiled.
Berks turned to face Buck who had not welcomed her back like the others. He stood at the back, his eyes dark and his arms crossed, regarding her with an indifferent expression.
"Hey."
He grunted a reply and looked away.
"Maybe we should give them some space," Devon said, beginning to herd Chester and Dorset away.
"No," Berks shook her head, "if he's got something to say, he can say it in front of everyone."
She approached him and reluctantly, Buck faced her.
"I missed you," she said quietly, "don't tell me you didn't miss me."
Buck grunted again and looked past her. He couldn't bear to look her in the eyes.
"Fuck sake, Buck!" She exclaimed exasperated. "It's me! I'm in control now! I'm working with Alpha, not against it. Can't you see that? It's me, dammit!"
He shook his head. He had fallen in love with the woman that arrived at the Freelancer base all that time ago but that woman had died. He began to fall for the second woman, the woman that made him smile again. He found his laughter right before she found that damned AI. This third woman; stronger, more powerful than the other two, was someone he didn't know. Someone he didn't trust.
"Don't treat me like I'm three different people," she growled.
Buck recoiled in shock.
"How- you-" he stuttered. "You read my mind!"
The other Freelancers swallowed nervously. How much could she hear that wasn't spoken?
"Only the surface thoughts," she explained, "I don't have the energy to go deeper."
"That's what he said," Glo piped up and was rewarded with an indifferent expression from each of the Freelancers.
"Really?" Devon tilted her head to the side. "You're gonna go there?"
"Hey, you were thinking it too," Berks grinned with an eyebrow raised.
"Was not!" Devon blurted but her colouring told a different story.
"What a dirty mind you have, Devon," Chester shook his head, "I'm ashamed, well and truly ashamed."
"Chester-"
"Yeah, so I thought of it too." After a warning from Berks, Chester rolled his eyes. It was difficult to argue with a mind reader.
"Buck, I know you don't trust me," she sighed, "but don't you remember what I did for you? I took Alpha so you didn't have to, the deaths of Bristol, Kent and Durham are on my hands, not yours."
"No," he took a step back, "Ashlynn did that for me. I loved Ashlynn and I stood by her while I was told she wouldn't know who I was when she woke up. I had to relive her existence and all the while she never knew who I was, what I meant to her. Alpha has done nothing but FUCK THINGS UP!" As he raised his voice, he clenched his teeth and his fists, now choosing to stare into her bright red eyes. "You're not Ashlynn. You're Alpha, and I hate you."
It was Berks' turn to take a step back. No matter what she could pick up in his mind could prepare her for those words said aloud.
"Buck, you don't mean it-"
"Oh, I mean it alright," he snarled. "It would have been better if you hadn't woken up here or back then, after you first got Alpha. Or better yet, if you never existed at all."
"You're a bastard." Devon was the first to speak. The rest of them fell into silence, barely believing the words that spewed from his mouth.
"She just saved our lives, destroyed aircraft, killed dozens of Federal agents and you decide you hate her NOW?!" Devon exploded, storming between them, jabbing a finger to his chest. "This is the same woman who you fell in love with, who took Alpha because you were afraid, who saved your life when she barely knew you and both of you know you would do anything for each other."
"No," he shook his head again, his top lip curled in disdain, "not anymore."
"Go to hell, you arsehole." She spat and turned around, taking Berks by the shoulders and led her away.
Buck refused to back down, but cast an apologetic expression in the direction of Chester. His best friend shook his head as he followed the other Freelancers who in turn followed Devon and Berks.
"Not cool, dude," he said.
The only person that remained was Bria.
"How could you?" She asked. Her voice wasn't laced with disgust or anger, it was voiced like a simple question.
"I don't know who she is. Not anymore."
"Of course you do," Bria sighed, exasperated. "You know it here," she put a hand to his forehead, "and here," she pressed her hand to his chest, feeling his heavy beating heart.
Buck gave her strange look. He didn't move but was curious of her gentle smile.
"Don't fuck it up again," she said and left him.
Alone, Buck paused for a moment before he put his hand to his heart where Bria's hand had been. Under his shirt, he could feel the chain, the dog tag and the ring. He pulled it out from under his shirt and unhooked the chain, watching the ring judder down the tiny, linked, metal balls before landing in his hand. He joined it with the ring on his finger, the same ring he hadn't taken off since the night Berks had taken his place on the operating table. He loved her. He didn't love Alpha, how could he? He looked into those bright red eyes and all he could see was that snarling woman in the white washed corridor, drenched in the blood of the three weakest Freelancers. She used to have green eyes, beautiful green eyes that he would get lost in. He'd forgotten what they looked like.
With a snarl, he threw the rings to the floor and as he stormed away, the high pitched ringing of the golden bands echoed about the cave entrance as they settled. Once they lay still on the floor, the cavern became silent. The metal that was warmed by a place by his heart now grew cold on that dusty stone floor.