Hello and welcome back, everyone, to another installment of this story. I hope everyone's been doing well, be it in your studies, your work, or your works of fiction. Hopefully, no one blames this story for predicting Hugh Hefner's death (seriously though, I had nothing to do with that _).
Well anyway, I must concede that this chapter is more of a foreword, an introduction - albeit for a cacophony of complete madness to follow. And that's...really all I can reveal without spoilers, so your prying eyes will have to scroll down if you want more info.
So uh, yeah. Hard to believe that I've been updating this for two years straight now, but here we are about 200,000 words later. I'm not sure if I should be proud or terrified, to be honest...But either way, reader, I just implore you to relax, take a load off, grab some popcorn, and enjoy this chapter.
Alexia proceeded carefully along the barely-lit corridors, practically having to feel her way around in order not to run into the walls. Her uncle had called her up here to attend a meeting with his league of commissioners, the highest-ranking Black Skulls who helped him in running the crew. She was personally honored to be asked to this meeting as such a low rank. She did not particularly think that her relation to Remus was the primary factor in her invitation either; rather, it was the commendable work that she had been doing over the past few weeks that had earned her an invitation to this meeting.
For the past few days, however, she had not been nearly as active in these fields as she normally was, due to her lingering head injury that still brought pain akin to blistering migraines. She had been confined to her couch during this time while she waited for these grating headaches to subside, during which she primarily watched television and ate copious amounts of sweets, on the recommendation of Jess.
Since it was so hard for her to abstain from work for this long, she also spent time cleaning her arsenal of weapons, making sure they worked properly and were supplied with plenty of ammunition. She also spent time listening to police chatter over a scanner app. Her main objective in doing this was seeing what types of cases the LSPD normally responded to, and to see how long it took for them to respond to these situations. As she expected, most calls were rather boring: domestic violence and some petty burglaries. However, a couple of homicide calls also came through, and Alexia was surprised at how slow the response was to these incidences, which had occurred in the low-income neighborhoods in South Central Los Santos.
She also took the time to do some research on the FIB, or at least attempted to. Whatever search results there were about corruption within its ranks were muddled by conspiracy theories about snake-headed aliens and the 'new world order'. However, she did come to notice that the FIB, in its annual fiscal year budget request, had lobbied Congress for a whopping $13 billion allocated to their agency's counterterrorism efforts. And, if what she read on the conspiracy forums was true, not only were Agent Steve Haines and several others under the influence of aliens, they were also on the payrolls of a number of wealthy businessmen, including the eccentric billionaire investor Devin Weston.
While obviously corrupt, the FIB had an agenda that went against the Skulls and aligned with the Roses' path to victory, as evidenced by a disproportionate crackdown on Black Skull activity, including raiding Skull warehouses while turning a blind eye to those owned by the Roses.
These findings left Alexia frustrated, wondering how the Skulls could possibly rebuild their ranks with a federal agency breathing down their necks. Their only hope to defeat the government rested in none other than the government itself: the IAA, the FIB's sister agency, had become embroiled in a funding war with the FIB, which had so far entailed everything besides open fighting in the streets. Instead, it had been a war of words and covert cyberattacks, after it had been announced that funding for both agencies had been cut due to a decrease in terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.
While she tried not to become too attached to fringe conspiracy sites, Alexia had found several theories suggesting that a number of recent attacks and mass killings were in fact perpetrated by the FIB and IAA in an attempt to make the public fear terrorism once again, which would lead to their funding being restored and possibly even raised above its former level.
While this was a scenario that would make sense, Alexia knew that this could not be proven without actually making contact with the agency itself, which she hoped her uncle would be detailing during the meeting.
Standing outside the door to a conference room adjacent to her uncle's office, Alexia took a few deep breaths, trying to quell her persistent nerves and irrational fears.
She opened the door, to be greeted by several men at a long table, all veteran members of the Skulls. At the head of the table sat her uncle, who loomed over the congregation with his tall, dark presence. Nonetheless, he greeted his niece with a friendly nod of his head.
"Hello, Alexia."
"..Hey, Uncle," she smiled. "So, uh, these are all your commissioners?"
"Yes. Everyone, you all know my niece, Alexia."
The men greeted her with enthusiasm and smiles, which caused her to subconsciously blush.
Among the amiable men was her own boyfriend, who she had not seen in what seemed like forever.
She waved at Damien, and he did the same.
"...Well, I'm glad you could make it on such short notice. Go ahead and take a seat."
Alexia immediately gravitated toward her significant other, who had saved a seat for her in advance. She gratefully took this seat, before they both embraced in a tight hug.
"Shit, it's uh...been a while, hasn't it?" said Damien with a laugh.
"You're telling me, you big lug," she laughed.
She snuggled her head into the crook of her boyfriend's arm, elated to be able to see him again.
Alexia sighed, looking up into Damien's gaze before they both shared in a kiss.
Their lips separated, and Alexia soon came to realize that many pairs of eyes had just seen her passionate act.
Her face turned red as she attempted to explain herself.
"Heh, that's quite a girl you got under your arm, D-Man," said one Skull.
"Yeah, uh, really, I'm okay with you two makin' out-"
The other Skull stomped on this Skull's foot under the table, causing him to recoil in pain.
Alexia turned to her uncle, mortified upon realizing that he too had seen her kiss. Under the strain of not having seen her boyfriend for so long, she had temporarily forgotten that he was even in the room.
"...Uncle, I-"
"No need to explain to me, Alexia. As far as I'm concerned, the affairs of your private life are really none of my business...Just try to keep any...public displays to a minimum, this is a business conference after all."
"Y-yeah, sorry. Won't happen again..."
Alexia brushed her hair nervously, which was met by laughter from the other Skulls.
Damien, however, discreetly grabbed her gloved hand under the table, which had an immediate calming effect on her. She blushed once again, smiling at her beloved Damien.
At that moment, Jess burst into the room, carrying a folder in her hands. Uncharacteristically for her, she donned a women's business suit and a matching miniskirt. She even had on a pair of eyeglasses which, together with her hair, made her look completely different than the ditzy blonde Alexia was used to.
"Jessamine," Remus greeted her emotionlessly. "Glad you made it, we were just about to start."
"Yeahh, sorry boss. Traffic on the Olympic Freeway is no joke. See, I'm not even gonna make some risqué joke about it, it was so bad."
"Yes, well, I'm glad I don't get out more often then," opined Remus, clearing his throat.
"Hey Jess, what happened, man?" laughed one Skull. "You get hired by a law firm or somethin'?"
"Yeah, by the firm of Anderson, Floyd, and Go-Fuck-Yourself."
The room erupted in laughter as Jess made her way to her seat, and Alexia again recognized her as her sometimes-crude but goodhearted best pal.
She smiled at Alexia as she took a seat beside her, setting what looked like a briefcase on her lap.
"Hey Lexi, you feeling better?"
"Yeah, a lot better. Y'know, you were right, sweets really do help to numb the headaches."
"See, Damien?" said Jess, smiling smugly. "At least someone appreciates the power of sweet foods."
"Yeah, but...y'know what feels really good?" he opined. "When you get out of bed, and you do a hundred push-ups. Feels fuckin' epic."
"Ugh, believe me, I've tried doing your workout regimen before," Jess laughed. "I was sore for like 2 weeks afterward."
"Yeah, maybe at first," he said casually. "But a little hard work will always pay off in the end. Right, Lex?"
"I...I mean, I couldn't say. I'm not all...sexy and muscular, like you and Jess."
"Aww, muscular? I'm flattered, Lexi," Jess smirked.
"Alright, everyone," interrupted Remus. "Let's go ahead and begin, shall we? We have quite a lot to cover."
The Skulls shifted to silence, turning to their trusted leader.
"...Alright, well, I suppose I should start with a bit of personal business...Alexia, stand up please."
She did so, trying her best not to shrink down when everyone laid their eyes on her.
"...I'm sure you all are aware of the commendable work my niece has been doing, both for the crew and for her own contacts as well. She has proven herself these past few weeks as a responsible, perseverant, highly skilled young woman with a bright future ahead of her...And I'm not just saying this because I'm her uncle, her efforts have been appreciated by many during her time here. So, Alexia, I hereby promote you to the rank of Crew Representative, and bestow upon you all the benefits and responsibilities that come with this position. May you continue to give pride to the Skulls, to all of your brothers and sisters in arms."
The men around the table clapped, Damien even whistling for Alexia as she grinned shyly, her cheeks lighting up once again.
She sat back down, to be greeted by a tight bear hug from Jess.
"Congratulations, Lexi!" she squealed. "Oh you're gonna love being a Crew Rep! It's what I was before my most recent promotion."
"Yes, crew representatives are really the backbone of our organization," Remus continued. "They ensure that supplies run smoothly and efficiently between checkpoints and, as the name suggests, represent our crew during illegal transactions. And in addition, you will also be allowed to assist in raids we perform on police and rival gangs."
"Ah, okay. So I guess I'm officially, like...not a noob anymore?"
Her shyly-uttered response was met by laughter from the crew and a blank stare from Remus.
"I...don't know what that is. I'm guessing it's a millenial thing?...Well, anyway, congratulations, Alexia. May you thrive in this new role for our crew."
"...I won't let you down," she said firmly.
"I wasn't expecting anything less," her uncle nodded, smiling lightly. "...Well, anyway, onto the next thing...Jessamine, please stand."
"S-sure thing, boss," said Jess with a nervous smile, rising out of her seat.
"I have invited Jessamine to our commissioner meeting because, for the past week, she has been on a heavy reconaissance mission inside the Rose compound...I, um, trust this mission went well, Jessamine?"
"O-ohh yeah, it went well. In fact, I got out so clean, I would say it even went too well, y'know, i-if that's even a-"
"Thank you, Jessamine," he said sternly.
"R-right, right, sorry," she said with a nervous laugh. "I'll shut up now."
At this point, she opened the folder she had been carrying, which contained an expansive, fold-out display of architectural blueprints, which she worked on unfolding and attaching to a presentation board behind her.
"So, you told her what all to say, right?" whispered Alexia to her boyfriend.
"Yeah, I taught her everything I know about the place. She seemed pretty confident when I left her house the other day."
"Okay, good. I guess it's a good thing she has all those years of acting under her belt, huh?"
"Oh, Jess is like...one of the best liars I've ever met. Makes her real valuable in undercover missions."
"Allrightty then!" Jess exclaimed.
Alexia and Damien turned to the gigantic piece of paper she had set up, which spanned the entire wall behind her chair.
She cleared her throat loudly before starting.
"Gentlemen...and Lexi...You may have noticed that, for the past week or so, I have been absent from crew action. Well, my friends, that is because I have been in the belly of the beast...swallowed and then digested by its stomach acids, exposed to all its lurid horrors!"
She shouted these words dramatically, as if performing a Shakespearean soliloquy. Nonetheless, her fellow crewmates were captivated by her enthusiasm.
"...Yes, that is right," she continued, dramatically softer. "I have infiltrated none other...than the Roses of Deaths' compound...Masquerading as a rather posh mansion house in Paleto Bay, beneath its impressive façade is a cesspool of scum and villainy...which, by our standards, is really saying something. Alastor Mason uses this as his homebase, which he uses for the torture of innocents, planning of raids against our crew, the despicable rape of mistresses that he keeps in a personal harem, and...you guessed it...cocktail parties with his friends."
Her last point was growled menacingly, much to the confusion of everyone else.
"...Why do I emphasize this seemingly-innocuous point, you may ask?...Because this habit of his...is gonna be our way in."
Jess smiled devilishly, to much applause from her fellow crew members.
"...I managed to become familiar with Alastor over the past week," she lied with the tenacity of a pro. "So, he's since granted me with invitations to his latest social gathering. One for myself, as well as two guest passes. Therefore, we will not need to launch an all-out assault in order to blow the place up. Instead, us three can simply go in, place some explosive charges, and then get out before they go off."
"Us three?" asked Remus. "Explain, Jessamine."
"Oh, I meant to say me, Damien, and Alexia. Under the moniker 'Us Three'."
Alexia perked up on hearing her name, while Damien remained seated casually.
"Oh uh, sorry Lexi," Jess laughed. "I meant to tell you before drafting you into this."
"Yeah Jess, why me specifically?"
"Because we've...been undercover before, haven't we? And you handled yourself pretty well in that situation, despite some rather obvious setbacks. And I think you've fully demonstrated I can trust you with something like my life."
"Jess's cover story will fit best if us three are the ones to go," Damien spoke. "You'll see when you get there, Lex."
Alexia sighed.
"...Alright...I'll go undercover with you guys."
"Alright, road trip!" said Jess with a fist pump. "This'll be a great first mission for you, Crew Rep Alexia."
"So, uh, you gonna go over those blueprints of yours, Jess?" asked one of the Skulls at the table.
"O-oh right, those things I worked so hard to get. Yeah."
Jess laughed, even though she began to sound a bit nervous.
She cleared her throat to stem her anxiety before continuing.
"...Alright, so I've identified two points in the house where a C4 blast will compromise structural integrity, at these red X's here: one in the bathroom, one in the kitchen area. It'll take some sneakiness to plant charges in these areas discreetly, but I think we can do it."
"I see..." commented Remus. "And what about those other two X's, on bottom?"
"This demarcates the basement area, where the house's natural gas heating system is located. We plant some explosives there, the whole place'll go up in a big, awesome explosive cloud."
"Shit, anything to make those Rose bastards go up in flames sounds like a good plan to me."
A Skull commissioner said this with a bit of emotion, the memories of atrocities against Skulls still fresh in his mind.
Jess sympathized with the man, as she too remembered the Bahama Mamas massacre, where many of her friends had been murdered brutally by the Roses.
"...Don't worry, guys. We're gonna ensure that all our fallen brothers and sisters are avenged. Just like you said that one night, boss."
Remus nodded as his entire crew looked to their leader in anticipation.
"Indeed, Jessamine...Because, as we all know, we Skulls are ruthless. We do not rest until all our enemies have been conquered. This situation with the Roses is no different. In the past, we have gone up against such formidable foes as the Los Santos police department and the IGN crew, all of whom we bested in battle easily...To this day, the LSPD pays an annual tribute to me in order to prevent further raids on them...How many crews can say that their city's police force are so afraid that they pay them to stay away from them?"
"...No other crew can say that."
The crew all looked to Alexia, who smiled in determination.
"...The Skulls are special. We're way more powerful than any one organization is supposed to be. In a way...we're the giant behemoth sleeping underneath this city. People might take potshots at us or try to drive us away, but...that only makes us stronger...Most just try to placate us, to prevent the carnage that will surely follow if the sleeping giant is woken."
The crew members nodded in agreement, and even Remus looked immensely proud of his niece through his stone-cold eyes.
"Well said, Alexia," commented one of the commissioners.
"Do not fuck with the sleeping giant," agreed another.
Alexia opened her mouth to agree, but found herself suddenly gripped by the familiar feelings of anxiety that had plagued her throughout her life. She suddenly took notice of everyone staring at her, causing her to shrink back immensely from the other Skulls, her face rapidly turning red in embarrassment.
As to how she had concocted her heartful statement in the first place, she had no clue. She could only feel the resulting anxiety afterwards as everyone looked at her for another statement.
Suddenly, the stuttering, panic-ridden girl felt another warmth clutch her hand; that of Damien, who smiled proudly, even though he was the only Skull not directly looking at her. A wave of relieving calm suddenly overcame her, as having her boyfriend near equivocated to her feeling immensely safer, even under the duress of public speaking.
She took a deep breath to calm herself before continuing.
"Yeah...don't fuck with the sleeping giant. Or we'll fuck you up even worse."
"Hell yeah!"
A serenade of applause greeted Alexia, who resigned back to leaning forward and looking toward her feet.
Remus did not go so far as clapping for his niece, but simply closed his eyes and nodded to signal his approval.
Another guest at the table, meanwhile, audibly applauded her, clapping his hands loudly.
"Hahaha, well said," he answered in a mysterious manner. "Well said indeed. The amount of faith you put in your crew, it's commendable. I can appreciate that."
"Uh..." stated a confused Black Skull who looked warily at the man. "...Hey boss, who's this guy?"
Alexia suddenly looked upon the man, who was seemingly unknown to all of the other commissioners.
Remus sighed heavily, as if he was annoyed by the stranger.
"...I guess I'd better go ahead and introduce our third and final guest for this meeting. I would like you all to meet Agent 14, my contact from the IAA."
"The IAA?!" exclaimed one of the Skulls. "The fuckin' government?!"
The Skull promptly stood up and drew his pistol, and Agent 14 did the same.
"You're telling me we're just gonna let them in on our meetings now?! Are you serious?!"
"Calm down," said Agent 14 sternly.
"Ohh yeah buddy, I'll calm down, once I shoot you in the fuckin'-!"
"Reese, that's enough!"
Remus shouted at his crewmate, his wrinkled face livid with anger.
"...Look boss, you know I've stuck with you through thick and thin, no matter what steps you took to preserve the crew! But...inviting G-men to our top-secret briefings?"
"This is no G-man. He's committed way too many crimes for that label to apply to him."
"You can call me a...special operative," said the stranger snarkily. "But my desk at the IAA is more of my day job. No, I much prefer to dabble in the city underground, that's where all the fun stuff happens."
"Oh, you think you're funny, wiseass?" snarled Reese. "Because I'd lay down my fuckin' life for this crew, so don't think I wouldn't personally cap any tool like you to protect all my brothers."
"I don't doubt that," said the agent calmly. "But such a sacrifice would be in vain, I'm afraid. Because...when you deal with the criminal underground as long as I have, you learn to choose sides. And, seeing as the Roses of Death are allied with my agency's bitter rival, we have decided to help out your struggling crew...So put the gun down."
Reese looked around at his crew members observing the scene, some with their hands hovering over their holsters in the event that a shootout did occur. Remus continued to glare coldly, as if he was simply annoyed that one of his commissioners was acting so rashly.
He begrudgingly pocketed his weapon, and Agent 14 did the same before they both sat.
"...Well, now that the nice warm welcome's out of the way, let's talk some logistics."
The agent gave off a shark-toothed smile, which Alexia couldn't help but to distrust in any government official.
Damien squinted at the man, hesitant to trust him as well.
"...Hold up, Agent 14?" he asked. "That's your name?"
"It is not. But, for security reasons, it probably is best if I don't give you my name."
"Well, how do we know we can trust you then?"
A few of the Skulls mumbled in agreement, as they did not particularly care for this stranger either.
"...Everyone, I can assure you that Agent 14 poses no threat," said Remus. "I have been in contact with him for several weeks now, and he has given me valuable intel on some of the Roses' inner workings: the routes of their supply runs, what kind of weapons and fortifications they have. All things that can help us in the long run."
"Is that right?" spoke an unimpressed Skull. "Well, Agent Dick, care to tell us who betrayed us? Who caused this whole mess in the first place?"
"Yeah, that's what I wanna know!" shouted another. "We still haven't managed to catch this fuckin' guy! I wanna see his head bashed in!"
"I wanna rip off his eyelids!"
The Skulls voiced their dissent angrily around the table. Alexia remained in her seat, glancing nervously at the increasingly-hostile attitude toward Agent 14.
Remus held up a hand, and the shouting suddenly stopped. No one dared to make a sound at the command of their boss, who sat with a furrowed brow and eyes burning with anger.
"Trust me, I wish to do all those things and more to whoever it was that betrayed us," he confessed. "But you all have to realize that this...situation is far more complex than what meets the eye."
"That's right," nodded Agent 14. "I've, uh, shared this intel with your boss already, but I'll go ahead and tell it to you all as well...We have strong reason to believe that it was not strictly a Rose crew member who infiltrated the crew. Rather, the person in question is also a paid informant...for the FIB."
A collection of gasps and horrified shifting occurred among the gathered Skulls, who were quite wary of the government as it was. Knowing that their crew had been infiltrated by an agency without their knowing understandably struck fear into the hearts of the Skulls.
"...So, yeah," Agent 14 continued. "That undoubtedly makes this whole thing a lot more complicated and more dangerous as well. And unfortunately, there's more...I'm sure you all remember the assault on El Gordo lighthouse, how it was foiled so effortlessly by your opponents. That, coupled with the Roses' seamless knowledge of all of your drug warehouses, only corroborates my position..that it could only be someone with access to all the ins and outs of Skull strategy who could have given that intel to the Roses."
"...So you're saying...it was one of us commissioners?"
An air of incredible uneasiness began to manifest in the room, an acrid smoke filling the hearts of the Skulls with intense fear. They eyed each other suspiciously, knowing that one of them could very well be an imposter, a puppet of the government.
"...W-wait a minute, wait a minute," spoke another Skull. "What about Elena? She's the one who came up with that stupid-ass plan in the first place!"
"I've questioned Elena already, as I had thought of the possibility as well," said Remus. "Fortunately though, she checks out. And her phone and e-mail records contain no signs of collusion with the Roses."
"Yeah, and I really don't think Elena would do something like that," opined Alexia with a shake of her head.
"Ohh, don't be so naïve, Alexia!" shouted Reese. "Anyone can appear sincere while stabbing someone in the back...It just takes an especially evil fuckin' bastard to betray hundreds of people under the guise of helpin 'em."
The Skulls muttered their disagreement as they began to turn against Elena, who was not present in the meeting. Nonetheless, the Russian woman who had turned up out of the blue to help the Skulls was deriving great suspicion from the gathering of commissioners.
"H-hey, hold up, everyone," said Jess, trying to restore order. "Sure Elena's new here and all, but...you gotta remember she was hand-picked by the boss to lead us in our time of need. Now I'm not one of you commissioners, but I know enough that Mr. Knight does not make those kinds of decisions lightly. Wouldn't you all agree?"
The Skulls were silent for a moment, as was their leader, who looked deep in contemplation.
"Hell yeah I do...I trust whatever the boss thinks is in his best judgement."
At Damien's words, the Skulls nodded and looked back toward Remus in anticipation.
"...Gentlemen, I am a human being just like all of you. It is inevitable that I'm going to make mistakes. That my judgement is going to falter...And it is obvious that my judgement did indeed falter due to me allowing these wretches to infiltrate the crew. And for that...I sincerely apologize."
"Boss, this shit isn't really your fault," one of his commissioners tried to assure him. "We gotta share some of the blame as well. We should've vetted people more carefully before considering them for admission."
"While several factors are certainly at play, as leader of this crew, I have to be the one to take the blame...So, accordingly, I will try to atone for these lapses in judgement with all my heart and soul...That was my motivation for calling in Agent 14. If the Roses have the backing of an entire federal agency, then we only stand a chance at this if we do as well."
"Well said, Remus," smiled the agent. "The government's really not that bad. Well, that is if you ignore certain...W-well, the point is, we get stuff done. So, the IAA is going to use our plentiful resources to rebuild your battered crew...And we're gonna start by restoring your numbers."
"...What, like recruit new people?" asked Damien. "C'mon, the atmosphere's way too volatile for that right now."
"Trust me, the IAA is not gonna be running a hiring fair for the Skulls. I'll leave it to Remus here to conduct all the open interviews...No, what I propose doing is recruiting some people already familiar with the crew; former members that have gotten themselves, uh...entangled in the criminal justice system and as such, have been locked up in a secure penitentiary north of here."
"Holy shit, Bolingbroke Penitentiary?!" shouted Reese. "Y...y-you're fuckin' nuts, man! No one would be mad enough to break in there!"
"No one...except us."
The Skulls grew incredibly uneasy, especially so considering the high-tech security at Bolingbroke Penitentiary, where hundreds of Skulls were locked up for various crimes.
The agent glanced toward Alexia for a few moments, much to her confusion. He looked as if he had something he wanted to tell her, but he ultimately decided to save this for later.
"...Look, they might have the place locked up tight, but that's no reason to worry. Me and my colleagues have come up with a plan that will allow us to break into the prison and retrieve your incarcerated brothers with minimal casualties. In fact, if everything goes to plan, you won't even have to fire a shot."
"Without firing a shot?" answered a skeptical Skull. "...How do you propose we do that, morph through the fuckin' wall?"
"No, something better...We hit the prison twice. One team will be distracting the larger security forces and retrieving a certain high-value inmate for us in the process. With the facility's security forces focused on this breakout, the other team will have the momentous task of freeing all the two hundred or so Skulls in Bolingbroke. It'll be a big job, requiring high-level equipment and vehicles, but...I'm sure you can come up with those pretty easily."
"Yeah, we can source shit like that easy enough, no problem," said Damien. "What I'm wonderin' is...who in their right mind would want to infiltrate the most secure prison on the West Coast just as a distraction?"
"Oh I'm so glad you asked..."
Without warning, he turned to Damien's girlfriend. His shrewd gaze immediately made her feel small and insignificant, causing her to tremble in her seat.
Seeing the agent looking so callously at Alexia, Damien sat up, as if preparing to protect her.
"You..." he said, maintaining eye contact with her. "...You're the one who hit that bank, right? Pulled off that big dramatic getaway with the chopper on the freeway? I watched it on the news actually, was very entertained by the, uh...grandeur of it all."
With the entire crew laying eyes upon her once again, Alexia could not help but to revert back to indelible shyness and stuttering; her mouth turned dry, and she could barely produce words that were comprehensible to the agent questioning her.
"I...W-well, uh-"
"No need to play dumb here, kid, it was a rhetorical question. I know it was you."
Alexia sighed, becoming slightly annoyed by the agent's cocky manner.
"...Okay. Yeah, that was me. But...what's that have to do with any of this?"
"Look, the fact is that you executed a well-planned job, and got out clean, taking hundreds of thousands in profits with you...That's no easy feat. As a fellow criminal, I appreciate how clean you pulled it off; no names, no fingerprints, an untraceable getaway car..."
"Yeah yeah, I get it...No need to over-indulge. But, how exactly does robbing a bank compare to infiltrating a highly-fortified maximum security prison?"
"Well, the object of the gig's not too different. You get in, grab the asset, and get out...Only this time, it'll be human contraband you'll be retrieving and extracting safely."
"So, Agent 14..." Remus glowered, looking with a heavy gaze on the agent. "You're proposing that we put my niece into a one-sided firefight with several hundred well-armed police officers...just as a distraction?"
The Skulls looked with furrowed brows at the agent. With the level of respect they held for Alexia, their future leader, they were not exactly keen on her being thrust into such a seemingly suicidal mission.
"...Well, Remus, you just finished talking about how capable your niece was. So yeah, I think she'd be perfect for the job. She gets some of her friends together, infiltrates the facility, and causes enough of a racket to offset security while your incarcerated brothers in arms can walk out clean."
"You're putting my Lexi-poo in mortal danger?!" Jess exclaimed before grabbing hold of her friend and clasping her tightly to her chest. "Oh hella nah, that ain't happenin' buckaroo! I oughta-"
"Jess, let me go!" she shouted.
Surprised by her authoritative tone, Jess complied, allowing Alexia to sit up in her seat.
The agent grinned, as if pleased.
"Yeahh, I believe it's up to Alexia to decide for herself...So if you do wanna play ball, you'll be helping your crew in their efforts as well as helping yourself. Because the asset we're wanting you to acquire possesses valuable information, which will probably unlock a number of...lucrative opportunities in the near future. Whether you're interested is, of course, completely up to you."
"Look, Alexia, don't feel like you have to help us out," said a concerned Reese. "We can handle the security by ourselves if need be."
"That may be true," conceded the agent. "But you'd also likely sustain multiple casualties that I'm sure you know you can't afford right now."
"Alexia, don't listen to this fuckin' dickhead. We can-"
"Alright..."
Everyone looked to Alexia, who looked with heavy eyes and a burdensome conscious as she sat.
"...Alright, Agent 14...I'll do it."
The agent smirked.
"That's what I wanted to hear."
"On the condition," she continued. "...that I get to help out my friends in the undercover mission first."
Agent 14 shrugged.
"Fair enough...I don't anticipate our target going anywhere anytime soon. He's in solitary confinement, separated from the other prisoners because he's kinda...w-well, I'll tell you all the rest once I meet up with you to give you the details...In the meantime, you'll need to be recruiting some people. A minimum of 3 others should do it...So, uh, I guess I'll contact you soon then."
"Yeah, I guess so...I'll see you then."
Agent 14 nodded. He rose from his seat and walked with a calm gait out of Remus's meeting room, shutting the door gently behind him.
As soon as the government agent was out of earshot, the room erupted in concerned mumbling. The Skulls all looked tensely at Alexia, who sat looking down at her feet, double thinking just what she had gotten herself into.
"Lexi..." said Jess, whose eyes glistened over with fresh tears.
"Jess, it's gonna be alright. Really, I can-"
Without warning, Jess grabbed hold of her friend's waist and clasped her tightly, struggling to hold back full-on sobs in front of her crewmates.
All of the Skulls looked with somber eyes over at Alexia. All, that is, except for her uncle, who looked with his usual stern expression at his niece.
"...Well, Alexia, it would look like you have some preparations to do."
"Yeah, it would...appear that way, wouldn't it?"
She struggled to choke the words out as Jess squeezed her, cutting off air flow to her lungs.
Damien calmly reached over and joined in on the hug. This caused Jess's iron grip to loosen somewhat, seeing as two lovers were embracing in front of her.
Eventually, she let go completely. Jess cupped her hands over her face as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Seeing this, Alexia gently pushed away from her boyfriend so that she could wrap a comforting arm around Jess, who was audibly crying through her hands.
"Jess, don't worry. It's gonna be fine, girl...You can help me out if you want to."
Jess sniffled.
"...R-really?"
"Hell yeah. For something of this scale, I'm gonna need someone I trust by my side...And I don't think I could do it without you."
This sentiment irked further tears from Jess, who resorted to leaning into her friend as she stroked her hair.
She took deep breaths to calm herself, sniffling away the last of her tears before turning to her friend.
"...Alright then, Lexi," she said with a tear-smudged smile. "Consider me to be your first recruit."
"And consider me number 2," said Damien, embracing Alexia around her waist. "I've got your back, Lex. Both of us do."
"Actually, Damien," interrupted Remus. "I have something else for you to look into. It's very important."
"Boss, can't it wait for a bit?" he asked. "Alexia's puttin' her life at stake here."
"I am aware of that, yes...But at the same time, this other job is pretty important. I wanted to wait until Agent 14 left because...w-well, here's the file, you can see for yourself."
He handed Damien a manila envelope, which he readily took before studying its contents. His eyes immediately went wide, but before Alexia could lean over and read what the file said, he closed the folder, storing it in his jacket.
"Shit...Well, in that case, I'll look into it for you, boss."
"I appreciate it, Damien...I apologize for springing it on you on such short notice, but I'm confident you can handle it."
"Now, h-hold on a second!" shouted Jess. "How's Alexia supposed to be doing this without-?!"
"Jess, it's okay, it's okay," she assured. "I know a couple of other people who can round out the four."
"I...! Oh yeah."
Jess shook her head, realizing her error. Alexia had told her about her two newest accomplices a few days earlier, the girl Noël along with the toughened Elena.
"...Oh man...We're gonna be forming a crew together, Lexi!" she said with a beaming smile. "Dude, it's gonna be so fucking epic!"
"You know it, girl," Alexia grinned. "So, I guess I'll contact Noël and Elena, tell 'em what's up and see if they can help."
"And in the meantime," said Remus. "We will be preparing for our end of the operation...I'll see if Agent 14 can help in sourcing some of the equipment...So, that will be all for this meeting. Thank you all for attending, and remember...Black Skulls until death."
"And forever in blood!" the congregation shouted simultaneously.
The crew members rose from their seats, some shaking hands with Remus before they left from the conference room.
Alexia approached her uncle, timid as ever despite the mountain of responsibility that had been thrust upon her.
Seeing as his niece wanted to talk, he diverted his attention to her, adjusting the brim of his hat.
"I..." she started, yet could not formulate the words without breaking out into more anxious perspiration.
"I understand, Alexia," he nodded. "You must be incredibly nervous...I really can't say I blame you. This is a lot for one person, even for you."
"Yeahh, I...Are you sure I can handle all of this? Like, getting a crew of four together, then somehow coming up with a plan to break into Bolingbroke Penitentiary? I-I mean, it just seems-"
"Agent 14 has told me he already has a plan set up for your crew to adhere to. Your job will just be to make sure all the necessary set-ups are performed, all the equipment is sourced and stored in a discrete location, and perhaps most importantly, making sure that your fellow crew-mates are as well-informed and motivated as you are. That is part of how you keep a crew together."
"So it's not about just, like, hiring a few lackies and paying them enough to follow orders?"
"Some crews are run like that, yes," Remus nodded. "Even the Skulls have tended to fall into that style in the past due to neglect on my part to see what's most important...But these crews are often the ones that become compromised and ultimately fail. Of course, people who ask too many questions and stick their noses where they don't belong, they present a problem...But crew members who are motivated only by greed and arrogance are the ones most likely to turn against their leader. In addition to the promise of wealth, your crewmates have to respect you as well."
"...Well, I respect you, Alexia," said Jess, wrapping an arm around her friend. "Seriously, you give me an order, I'll follow it like a dog. No questions asked."
"Yes, you and Jessamine have had ample time to gain each others' respect...However, I haven't heard from Noël in weeks, and Elena is...well, let's just say she chooses her partners VERY carefully. Whatever opportunities may come up, the crew will always come first for her."
"Got it," said Alexia. "So, I'll just have to sell her on the point that this is for the crew and not just, y'know, for my own personal gain."
"Precisely," agreed a pleased Remus. "...Hmm, I can...certainly tell you're no stranger to negotiations now."
Alexia blushed, realizing for the first time how professional and tough she tended to sound whenever she talked about something important. It made her feel as if she was integrating into the life after all, despite her fears that she would be unable to do so.
Nonetheless, the girl still carried such a shy, reserved personality, despite the stark changes that had transformed her formerly bleak and uneventful life into one of excitement and murder. She, of course, resented how meek she appeared to others, and hoped that she would be more of a regular hardened criminal by the time she was leading the crew.
"...Well, I'm...glad you think so, uncle."
"Don't mention it, Alexia...Now, you should get going. Damien and Jessamine seem as if they want your attention."
Alexia did so, bidding her uncle goodbye before she left from his presence, leaving him to reflect on the situation in his dark penthouse.
On the way back to the elevator, Damien came up behind Alexia, putting an arm around her waist.
"So, uh, I guess I should tell you some shit about the undercover mission."
"Yeahh, please enlighten me, loyal boyfriend."
"Well, we're gonna be attending a party," stated Jess. "So be sure to wear like a nice dress or something. I know how much you like to wear those."
"Hey, I told you to keep that a secret!"
Alexia grimaced, which roused laughter from Jess.
"Don't worry, girl. Everything goes to plan, this'll turn out lots better than the last couple parties we've attended."
"Yeah, I hope so...For some reason, whatever party we go to, death and destruction always follows."
"I know, it's weird as shit," agreed Jess. "...But hopefully, we'll be able to enjoy ourselves on Alastor's dime, knowing that his place is gonna go up in flames."
"The rat bastard deserves more than that," lamented Damien. "Unfortunately though, he's not gonna be there in person. So we'll just have to make do with killing his friends for now."
"Aw man, that majorly sucks!" grumbled Jess, stomping the ground. "What kind of host is he anyway, to not attend his own freaking party?"
"I dunno, but it tells us he might be plannin' something big...So we'll need to remain vigilant in the coming weeks...But for now though, we'll meet up at my place and get all dressed up, then head out to Paleto Bay from there."
"Paleto Bay?" asked Alexia. "...I don't think I've even been there before."
"That's not surprising. Paleto Bay's on the far northern coast, on the other side of Chiliad. And it takes a few hours at least to get there, so not many L.S. criminals are really willing to do their business that far out."
"But still, it makes for a nice getaway from the big city," added Jess. "The low crime rate and corrupt police force makes it a good hiding spot for crime bosses on vacation. Alastor Mason being one of them."
"And there's all sorts of rumors about some organizations having like...these big underground bunkers up there, where they craft all these experimental weapons and vehicles. But, we haven't been able to confirm any of it."
"Seriously?" laughed Jess. "Underground bunkers? What is this, a bad spy movie or something?"
"Well, it's rumored that during the Cold War, Paleto Bay was under a supposed threat of nuclear submarines from Russia. Accordingly, the government built all these bunkers underground to store all their tanks and scientific research so that they'd survive Armageddon. And, since the Roses have government connections now, wouldn't it be plausible for them to have bought one of these bunkers from the feds?"
"Yeah, I guess," said Alexia. "But...the chances of such bunkers remaining classified for that long is pretty slim, don't you think?"
"Yeah, Damien," snickered Jess. "Next you're gonna be telling us that there's UFOs on Mount Chiliad."
"Hey man, I saw one myself!" he said seriously, ushering more giggles from Jess. "Seriously, those shits are more real than you'd think."
"Well, aliens or not," Alexia interjected. "This whole thing goes to plan, it'll be sure to send a clear message to these punks."
"Hell yeah, girl," sounded Jess. "And that message is...'The sleeping giant has awoken. And HE. IS. PISSED."
Alexia laughed at her friend's errant dramatacism.
"Y'know, come to think of it, that's quite a rallying cry I came up with."
"It really is though. You're...surprisingly good at rallying people behind you, Lexi."
"Yeah, when she wants to be at least," smirked Damien.
Alexia smiled as Damien embraced her, planting a kiss onto her forehead. She was quick to return the favor, touching her lips to his stubbled chin, before they both shared in a romantic smooch.
Jess remained silent, smiling that her timid friend had found love with Damien, who she knew to be immensely responsible and faithful, always attentive to his significant other. She could not say the same for many of her other exes.
Their lips parted, Alexia blushing heavily, before she looked around at the elevator they had entered. Even though it was only Jess in the space with them, she could not help but feel that her passionate act with Damien was taboo in nature, despite how good it might have felt.
"Oh God...Dude, are we really one of THOSE couples now?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like, the ones that always make out in public all disgustingly. I-I don't want us to be that couple."
"Shit, you're right..." said Damien, who suddenly realized the gravity of her lamentation. "...O-okay then, I guess I'm in favor of saving all the smooching for more private spaces."
"Yeah...erm, sorry you had to see that, Jess."
"Heh, are you kidding?" she grinned. "I have no aversion to public makings-out, or even the occasional love-making in the park. Damien could tell you that much."
"Yeah..." he smiled, sounding heavily embarrassed. "I-it was totally her idea though."
"What?" she laughed. "You told me that was always one of your fantasies, doing it in public."
"Yeah, see that's the key word though: 'fantasies'...Was never meant to be actually acted upon."
"But it felt so good though-"
"O-okay, I'll have to stop you there, Jess," said Alexia. "Before this starts getting, like, super weird."
"Oh uh, sorry Lexi," she chuckled. "I-I wasn't really thinking."
"Yeahhh, okay. Well, I gotta get going. I'll see you two weirdoes tonight."
Alexia parted from her friends, crossing the dilapidated lobby of the Black Skull compound.
"Bye, Lexi!" shouted Jess. "I hope to see you in a really sexy dress tonight!"
Alexia waved goodbye before exiting the building, leaving Jess and Damien in the midst of unbearably awkward silence.
Jess attempted a smile to lighten the atmosphere, but Damien nonetheless looked at his former girlfriend with an air of repressed annoyance, one which she could easily sense in him.
She sighed, her eyes somber as she looked at Damien.
"Look, um...I'm sorry if that was too much to bring up."
"It's alright, Jess..."
"No really, I...I think you and Lexi make an awesome couple, and I don't have anything against your union. I just sometimes blurt stupid things out without thinking, y'know? I-I didn't-"
"Jess, c'mere."
Damien stepped forward and wrapped Jess in a warm hug. The stuttering and nervous girl couldn't help but to give in to this warm gesture, resting her head on his shoulder.
He petted her hair affectionately as she leaned into his embrace.
"...Just because I'm with Alexia doesn't mean I've stopped caring about you. You know that, right?"
"Y-yeah, I do...You always were good to me, Damien...Even when I didn't really deserve it..."
"Jess, you're an awesome lady. You really are...How've you been doing with, uh, getting clean?"
"Oh y'know, up and down," she attempted a laugh. "I mean, I still have the occasional night terrors and recurrent bouts of dope sickness, but I-I'm getting through it, y'know?"
"I figured you would..." he smiled, holding her tighter. "Once you kicked that garbage, I knew you'd just bounce back, like you always did."
"Ohh, you're too kind to me, Damien."
Jess chuckled once more, but Damien did not respond. Instead, the two looked at each other, each gazing into the faces that harbored memories of years ago, both shameful and nostalgic, horrifying and blissful, that they had shared together over their long and tumultuous relationship.
In an instant, these memories were pushed to the forefront of their collective consciousness. Metaphysical sparks flew in the air, threatening to manifest into a blazing inferno that would engulf them both in the passion they had once shared in one another's company.
Before some of these old fires could fully reignite, Damien pushed away from Jess, patting her innocently on the shoulder.
"Well, uh, take care of yourself, Jess...I'll see you tonight."
Jess nodded, forcing a smile as Damien left from her presence.
It was only after he left that she realized how close she had just come to doing something she would most certainly regret. She was thankful that Damien stopped when he did, before such an evil thing could manifest.
She took out her phone, gazing down at the picture that she had set as her lock screen, which was a silly selfie she had taken with Alexia. Namely, she was quite proud to have taken such a picture of her friend, who stuck out her tongue shyly to complement her friend's exaggerated duck face.
Words truly could not encompass how much Jess appreciated her friend. Therefore, anything that would hurt Alexia and drive a wedge in their friendship was something she wanted to avoid at all costs.
She sighed, pocketing her smartphone. Seeing another Skull approaching, Jess put on her best friendly smile before greeting the man with a solid fist bump. The two conversed for a few moments, even though Jess was not entirely present in the discussion. Instead, her worried conscience drifted elsewhere, specifically to realms involving Damien, Alexia, and herself in some sort of cliché criminal love triangle, a scenario which she hoped to abate.
The Skull departed, Jess mumbling him farewell. Realizing that she ought not to dwell too much on the subject, she headed out the door, forcing the bothersome thoughts to the periphery of her mind.