p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Cross awoke with a start./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Nightmares were far from unfamiliar to him, but that one-the rain against him, the uncharacteristic chill down his spine at killing "Alex"-felt too real. Far too real. He sat up, rubbing his face with a short sigh. A quick glance to his clock told him it was four in the morning; he had an hour to go before he needed to be up. Not that bad, considering his reputation with sleep. Deja vu clawed at the back of his mind, but he forced it down, choosing to instead get out of bed entirely and stretch./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"His apartment was well sized, even if he'd hardly asked to be positioned here. The empty space made him uncomfortable. His place was among his men, in a standard barrack on a stiff mattress. But a position was a position, and with how long the general told them they'd be in New York, he was willing to deal with it. Heading into the kitchen, he looked over his choices: coffee, alcohol, standard food items. A cold beer and a protein bar were his choice of breakfast. Out of the kitchen and into the living room he went, taking a stiff seat on the couch and sipping his beer as he gazed at the black screen of the TV. He didn't care for it much./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"With nothing better to do, Cross went over his plans for the day in silence, rapidly tapping his fingers against his knee. The general wanted him at a meeting in Gentek, to discuss their bioweapon's progress and the rumors of leaks (though he'd been to enough meetings to know he was only there for coercion and intimidation). Look around their lab after (orders said play it as a tour), noting all potential escapes, marking off any suspicious people for later interrogation. Keep a close eye on one Dr. Alex Mercer… he grimaced as another wave of deja vu hit him, gripping his drink tighter and exhaling through his teeth. He'd done that yesterday, hadn't he? Kept an eye on Blacklight-no, Alex, and they went out to coffee?/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"It didn't seem right, but even nearly sixty, his memory was phenomenal. The answer was obvious; he'd talk to Mercer and get to the bottom of things. He felt like he needed to check on the guy, anyways. After setting the drink on the table, he stood up, pacing around the room. If today was going to go like he thought it would, he needed to keep his wits about him./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Unfortunately./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"_/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Elsewhere, a ghost faced Mercer sat on the edge of his bed, clutching one wrist tight enough to leave harsh black bruises. He watched with vacant eyes the grey walls beyond his window slowly grow dark from the light rain. His breath was nearly silent, much too shallow and slow as he tried to force down the memories that clamoured for his attention. The sharp blade slicing through his wrist with barely a stinging feeling- his hand falling deeper into the black flesh pit which formed part of Alex- his entire body getting shredded- it was too much./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He got to his feet slowly, feeling distantly the rough carpet underneath him as he made his way to the bathroom, opening a small box with shaking hands. Empty needles filled it, but there was nothing to put inside them. Right. He was trying to go clean- before all of this began. Stupid decision, really. Ragland had far too much faith in him./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Mercer shook his head with a mute snarl on his lips, and made his way to his kitchen and started to make himself a cup of coffee. Then another. And another. As the cheerful news readers repeated the same damn news as ever, he drank the soothing liquid until his hands weren't shaking from memories, but from the raw energy it provided him with. When he felt he couldn't stay still anymore, and his heart felt like it was going to push itself out of his ribcage, he started the walk to Gentek, dark smile and gleaming eyes phasing very few- for this was New York and he was just another stranger amidst the crowds./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He was quite ready to face the day, humming a jerky little tune to himself as he walked the halls. Outside his lab, looming like some malevolent mountain god given human form, lurked Cross. Instantly, his mood soured. Of course, he would still be here. He didn't realise the loops just yet./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""What do you want, Cross?" Mercer spat out, stuffing his twitching hands deep into his pockets, to match his hunched over glare at the giant of a man./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The harsh words didn't make the specialist so much as twitch, his frustration from this morning well concealed behind his standard deadpan. He pushed off from the wall, moving to clasp his hands behind his back/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Good morning to you too, Mercer." He stepped aside, but leaving wasn't his intention in the slightest; he couldn't exactly get into the lab if he didn't let the scientist through. He rolled his shoulders. "I have a few questions for you, that's all. If now's a bad time," a quick glance to where the scientist's hands were stuffed in his pockets, "I could come back later. Not like today's all that busy."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Mercer's sharp gaze observed the Specialist for a moment longer than necessary, before he sighed. He forced the door open, key barely a second thought, and stalked inside to near a certain test tube. "Well? Ask your questions, Cross. I didn't arrive early to entertain you, but now is as good a time as any." He drummed his fingers on the desk, eyes darting sightlessly around the room as he waited for Cross to gather his thoughts. He just wanted this to be over, and he was hoping Alex would overhear and decide to take over the conversation. He disliked talking a great deal right now./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Cross followed without a word: half because saying anything unnecessary would make Dr. Mercer even less cooperative, half because the deja vu of just stepping into the lab was gnawing at the back of his mind like some rabid animal. He left a good distance between them, even as his gaze remained unwavering on Mercer. This was either going to be a conversation, or an interrogation, and Cross was willing to get his answers either way./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Good, because if you wanted to entertain me, you're doing horrible at it." He offered a bland shrug, before regaining his professional composure. "I'll start simple. Did we do this yesterday? Meeting in your lab."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Mercer scoffed, "Of course we did. How much else do you remember?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Helpful, aren't you. We met here, Alex ran off. We went out for coffee." He frowned to himself, trying to determine what was the dream and what actually happened. He glanced to the test tube behind Mercer, of which didn't seem to be stirring in the slightest. "Shit hit the fan. That's a summary of it. If we did that yesterday, why does it feel like we're doing it again?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The scientist's face slowly split into a grin- quite the unsettling expression with his features- as Cross spoke his thoughts, "Marvelous. You remember so much! I suppose it feels somewhat like a dream right now?" He tilted his head as if questioning, but his quick speech stopped for far too little time for Cross to even think of responding./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Well, it'll all clear up soon enough, I've a feeling Alex- that is, Blacklight- is involved in the recollection process somehow. As for why it feels like we're doing it again- we are. This is…" He paused, as he tried to sort out the time that had passed. "I believe either the 8th or 9th day that has repeated, though it's only the third wherein we've encountered you."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Cross was plenty used to keeping up with fast-paced debriefing, so he followed Mercer's train of thought with ease, even if he raised a brow near the end. The dream and repetition of events explained the deja vu, but it wasn't exactly easy to accept "we've repeated the same day nine times" at face value. He needed more evidence, and the incredulous look in his eyes made that fact obvious. Had he heard this story before, all this shit about looping? It was pretty frustrating, if he was completely honest./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Alright." He didn't vocalize anything he felt, his tone remaining as level as ever. "Do you know why the day keeps repeating? Or is that still a work in progress. Figuring something out is the key to stopping it, and you sound like you've had enough of today."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"As he thought Mercer hummed idly to himself, turning over the information he had available to himself. Alex was the centre of it all- or he and Dana were. He'd been brought fully in after exactly 3 days, when Alex spoke to him so insistently each day. It seemed nonconsecutive days were ineffective- Ragland seemed merely concerned, rather than the anger he'd displayed upon their first visit's end. He couldn't shake the feeling something was missing, but it would come up if it was important, no doubt./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I've got a few theories regarding the nature of the time loops- nothing conclusive, I still need more data- but no guesses just yet for the why." He picked up the vial of Blacklight, eyeing the oddly still liquid in a moment of complete silence. Was Alex… Playing dead? The regular vial weighed much less, not to mention the fact it was much less viscous than Alex's usual consistency. "Until a certain sulking child decides to come out and say hello, there's not much else I can offer you."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Sounds like you'll have plenty of time to figure it out. Theories are better than nothing." He let his hands fall to his sides rather than behind his back, watching the still vial with narrowed eyes and a small frown. "Considering the fact you both died yesterday, he has good reason to sulk. What you gave me is enough for me to work with for now."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Work with?" Mercer's gaze was narrow, and tension slipped into his usual hunched over posture, "What do you plan to do with this information, Blackwatch?" The last word was loaded with all the typical venom his voice had lacked previously, tenfold./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""That depends." Cross stepped forward, meeting the venom head-on. Truthfully, he didn't know what he planned to do with the information. He could tell the general, but why would he? He wasn't a mindless drone; he had plenty of secrets the general didn't know the slightest thing about. But Mercer's assumption had him narrowing his eyes, and if he were any younger, he would have gone and said every detail to the general out of sheer spite. Luckily, he was a much bigger man than that. "You've spent time with me, Mercer. Why would I waste my breath reporting something that would make me sound delusional to my team. If you can come up with a reason, then I'll share with them."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Otherwise," he continued, remaining as level-headed as ever, "I meant what I can personally work with. I'm not blindly loyal in my methods, and I think that's a fact about me that would do you good to learn."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The virus in the vial shifted. It was a bare movement, a single tendril retracting from where it'd been pressed against the glass, but it was movement. Sulking or not, it seemed he couldn't resist the urge to eavesdrop./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Mercer's gaze remained narrowed with suspicion, even as Cross came closer and almost threatened him, standing much too close for comfort. Perhaps his words held logic, but the dark, enveloping fear of someone stealing his work overrode any sense he had. He stopped drumming his fingers idly, opting instead to curl his fingers into a tight fist on the table. His eyes followed the simple motion of Alex, but he didn't comment on it. He didn't want to startle him into staying there for longer if he was starting to come out of his shell./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He opted instead to reply to Cross, idle glare barely phasing him "You soldiers are all the same, and I don't trust on principle. It's simple." His heart was a distracting jackhammer, and staying still was starting to become impossible. As if he was simply done with the conversation, he moved to the back of the lab and started checking the communal fridge for something. The containers full of moulds, petri dishes, and little vials of viruses filled the majority of it, but one shelf had some poor sap's sandwich in it. He stood behind the door of the fridge, just barely hidden from view by the giant storage unit, and stared mindlessly within. Better than talking to Cross or trying to coerce Alex out of his vial./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Leave it to a scientist to jump right to the more paranoid conclusion. Cross followed Dr. Mercer's movements with his eyes, up until he decided to hide in the fridge instead of converse. If that was what he felt like doing, it was whatever. But he, personally, wanted to get to the bottom of things, and Mercer's uncooperative nature left him with one other choice./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Think you can coax the resident sulking child out?" Despite the fact Mercer's back was to him, he motioned to the vial. "I prefer to work in my free time, and he likely knows the loops as well as you do. We'll head out, and I'll talk to him elsewhere."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I doubt it." Mercer rolled his eyes, knowing Cross couldn't see him, "He seems quite torn up about murdering someone he knows, as compared to a soldier. I don't see why there's a difference, but it is what it is."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Accidental versus intentional kills. Killing an enemy is different from accidentally killing an ally." He explained it in a casual, matter-of-fact tone, despite the fact he was clearly speaking from experience. "Kid's got a pretty decent moral set, too, from what I remember. Only makes it worse." The specialist concluded with a small shrug, leaning against one of the nearby tables. "I could try and get him out. Might work a little better." Mostly because he wouldn't sit there calling him a sulking child the whole time, but he'd digress./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Mercer closed the fridge, leaning on it to watch. "Go ahead, try it." He smirked, "He doesn't bite."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Doesn't bite, no," Cross returned, a single brow raised before he turned his attention entirely to the vial. Picking it up from the rack, he held it a decent distance from himself, an action more for Alex's safety than his own. The virus didn't stir. Rather than matching Dr. Mercer's snarky tone towards him, however, he spoke softly and carefully, watching the every movement of the biomass./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""It wasn't your fault." He paused, but when Alex still refused to respond, continued. "I regret to inform you that I saw the entire thing, too, so you can't sit here claiming I'm wrong. You were essentially drugged, and you had no idea your body would have responded the way it did. You acted on instinct, attacked a perceived threat because you weren't in a state to know better. I've seen it plenty of times. If you decide to just sit here and rot away for the rest of eternity, I can't exactly stop you. But it won't make anything better. You have to accept that it was an accident, and move on. Do you understand?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"A beat. Two. Slowly, the mass in the vial started to stir, and Cross took the hint. Pulling the lid off the vial, he turned it upside down, letting Alex slip out and properly reform. Even if he was visibly sulking, he was actually out. The Blackwatch captain glanced to Dr. Mercer, doing absolutely nothing to cover up the smug look in his eyes./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Got him out."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""So you did," Dr. Mercer replied, not moving from his position resting on the fridge. What was there to be smug about? "Now, why don't you two…" He made a vague gesture, "Talk it out and such. Go on a stroll. Murder people together. Bonding with shared hobbies is effective, I've heard."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""It's raining," Alex grumbled, sinking further into his jackets with some thrashing tendrils to back him up. Cross, on the other hand, merely shrugged, already making his way to the door and motioning for Alex to follow after him. The virus lingered, however, watching Doc in silence for a good, long moment. He started to reach toward him, but swiftly reconsidered, shoving it in one of his coat pockets and averting his eyes. "I'm sorry."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"With that, he was gone, out the door and already a ways ahead of Cross. The latter was quick to follow, leaving Dr. Mercer alone in the lab. Dr. Mercer scoffed, and quietly, aware how sensitive the virus' hearing could be, muttered as he moved to the computer, "It's not your fault..."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"By the time Cross caught up with Alex, the virus was crouched at the front door, listening to the rain and traffic with a solemn expression. He really would have been fine just staying in that stupid test tube all day, but no, he had to get Cross integrated into the damn loop. As for the whole blame thing, he understood. He knew he shouldn't have been pinning it on himself, but what else was he supposed to do? Everything was so damn complicated. As much as he hated the constant noise of the consumed in his head, at least he could actually figure things out with them there. He was running blind./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"A hand hovered behind him, Cross' attempt to reach out and show comfort-Alex answered it with a harsh swat from one of his tendrils. He definitely wasn't repeating yesterday and running off, but he still wanted to be left the hell alone. Cross sighed through his nose, before taking a seat at Alex's side. He didn't exactly have infinite time. Loop or not, he still had a job to do, and he'd be damned if he was going to miss it. Alex didn't exactly seem interested in talking, either, but if yesterday and the day before said anything, leaving him alone was a horrible idea./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"That left him with one option, for better or for worse./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You can either sit here and mope," Cross finally said, keeping his deadpan gaze on the door, "or you can follow me around while I'm on duty. Mercer doesn't want to be bothered, and you can't go outside because it's raining. Your pick."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Why would I want to watch Blackwatch." He practically spat the word, casting Cross a dark look. What the hell did Alex and Mercer have against his unit? After a moment of consideration, though, Alex huffed, sinking into his collar with an irritated grumble. "Fine. But no one said I'm not killing any of them."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You better not, you little shit."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Like you can do anything to stop me." Alex remarked; Cross responded only with a slight raise of a brow. Right. There was a lot he could do to stop him. He groaned, but after a moment, begrudgingly pushed himself back to his feet. Cross followed suit, taking the lead before Alex could make any potential objections. At least he could pry more at Blackwatch, see if he could find out anything that Dana hadn't yet./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"They headed down the hall in silence for the most part, up until they stepped into an elevator. Cross pressed the button for Gentek's top floor, promptly backing away from the panel and leaning against one of the walls. Alex had half the mind to start pressing all the buttons, just to be annoying, but he didn't want to piss Cross off. Not right now, anyway; he was just in a crummy mood./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""What are you doing that's such a big deal, anyway?" It was more of an idle grumble than an honest question, a better sound than the obnoxious elevator music as they climbed countless floors. He could run up the wall at five times the speed this slow ass elevator moved./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""The general requested my presence at a meeting with Dr. McMullen-"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""-You've gotta be shitting me. You're taking me to McMullen and fucking Randall?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I said it was your pick."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Yeah, and you didn't fucking say it was that sonuvabitch!" Just his luck. Alex scowled, ducking into his hood and rippling in frustration. "There's no way I'm not killin' him."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""And if you kill him, I'm trapping your ass in a tank and driving us both into the river. I made my stance pretty clear." Instead of answering, Alex slunk into the corner, glaring daggers at the floor and continuing to bristle. Unphased, the captain merely continued. "As far as either of them are concerned, you're Mercer. You stopped me in the hall to show me some of the new details on Blacklight. Understood?'/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Yeah, I get it." Iit was a blatantly irritated mutter, but frankly, much better than Cross was expecting./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"A few more minutes of silence, and the elevator came to a stop. Alex darted out the second the doors opened, waiting not-so-patiently for Cross to follow suit. It was early enough in the morning that the halls were mostly empty, enabling them to avoid suspicion-particularly over the fact Dr. Mercer was in two places at once. The closer they got to McMullen's office-the more vivid the scent of Randall became, as well as the memory of McMullen taking his own life-the harder it was for Alex to keep his cool. He felt disdain for Blackwatch, but it was nothing compared to how he felt about Randall. That was pure, unadulterated hatred, festering just behind pale eyes and grit teeth./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"A duo of lower-ranked Blackwatch greeted them at the door, saluting to Cross and casting Alex a nervous glance as the two stepped into the room. Randall and McMullen were already seated, in the midst of a discussion when the two arrived./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Their abilities make them phenomenally useful to us, Director McMullen. If I didn't think we could control them, I wouldn't-" Randall's words died off the second Cross and Alex came into view. He narrowed his eyes, casting a quick glance to McMullen. "Good morning, Captain."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Sir." Cross nodded in acknowledgement-the obedience made Alex writhe beneath the surface. "I apologize for the delay. Dr. Mercer was giving me some details on the Blacklight project."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You haven't missed anything important." The captain moved to stand at ease beside Randall, casting a quick glance to Alex as Randall directed attention toward him. "Director, feel free to handle your employee first."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"McMullen cast Mercer an irritated glance, but it was nothing compared to the obvious disdain he held for Randall before his attention shifted. It was a softer sort of hatred, a nettle sting against cobra venom, if one felt inclined to scale it./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You were supposed to come in at noon, but since you're here and in a talkative mood..." He pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly frustrated by something, "Perhaps your voice could help sway the General. Give him a run down on why we shouldn't use Greene, would you?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He frowned, seeing Alex's expression wasn't twisting as he was used to seeing from the strange Virologist. Every word, every cue, was something to be taken in, analysed, repurposed for his own ends- and typically that manifested in a variety of faces and idle tics as he thought. But this time... It was so muted it was almost concerning. "Surely you've not forgotten...?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Shit. Blending into a crowd was Alex's thing, or taking the place of someone he had all the memories of-not being the center of attention. He felt like a deer in headlights, stiff as a board and meeting McMullen's gaze directly. He was supposed to ask for answers. Not... give answers. It couldn't have been that hard, though; he was asking about Greene, for some reason, and Alex knew plenty about her. Shoving his hands deeper into his pockets to make sure he wouldn't impulsively lash out at Randall, he finally spoke./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I... no. I remember." He glanced away, though he could see Cross shift somewhat out of the corner of his eye. "You can't. She's a monster. If you tried to use her for anything, she'd just escape. Infect everything she touched, no rhyme or reason or anything. It'd be hell. No one would be able to stop it."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He shouldn't continue. He really shouldn't. But seeing Randall sit there, hearing him without listening, not giving two shits about his warnings, he couldn't keep himself in check. Alex smirked, tilting his head a fraction. "I mean, if you wanna kill thousands of people, then go right ahead. I can't stop you. You'd get a hell of a lot info, too."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Randall, previously just stern, looked taken aback and furious. Alex's grin only widened. "I mean, that's what all of this is about, right? You let her out, you let the virus out, you get to see what it does-"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Mercer." Cross growled, much to the approval of the general. "Sir, I'll escort him out-"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""No need, Captain." Randall leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers against McMullen's desk-despite the poorly concealed fury in his expression. "He gave his opinion, like asked. I wouldn't say he's convincing," a glance to McMullen, "but clearly experienced."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"A 'fuck you' hung on Alex's tongue, but he held it back./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"McMullen wanted to put his head into his hands, snap a pen- do anything except deal with this. But he was better than that, and he merely adjusted his glasses, staring down Alex. "You know, on days like this you're supposed to call in sick." The simple phrase held alot of emphasis, dripping with a mix of exasperation and irritation. "That wasn't the response I expected- but I doubt you'll speak logic today. Go back home, we don't need you in the lab-"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He was cut off when someone set to knocking on the door, and after a moment a very shaken looking lab tech ran in, "Sorry if you're in a meeting, sir- it's Mercer! He's in- Radiology-" She trailed off, looking with horror at Alex, clearly not sure what was going on./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Randall seemed to get the hint about Alex's supposed "illness", and relaxed, save for a judgemental look-until the radiologist came barging in. To say Randall was unimpressed with Gentek's latest employees would be a drastic understatemen; from what this trip suggested, McMullen was hiring just about anyone he found on the street. He shot a glance to Cross, a silent gesture towards the utterly chaotic scene. He wasn't about to start talking with the drugged man or the dramatic scientist, after all./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""There's been some kind of a misunderstanding, ma'am." Cross took the hint immediately, stepping forward and grabbing Alex's arm with one hand. Alex started to struggle, but a harsh look and silent threat shut him up. When he'd offerred to watch over Alex, he hardly expected both Mercer and his virus to be fucking idiots. He hardly had the energy to be angry about it-just tired. "Mercer's right here. Whoever you're referring to is probably a tresspasser. Take me there. I'll sort out the situation soon enough."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"She nodded mutely, and when she stepped out the door and fiddled with something about her neck, it started an incessant beeping- leading her to turn it off, paling. "We should hurry."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The walk, though tense, was simple enough- it wasn't a long way after all. She turned to them, mouth opened as if to say something, but it was drowned out by bright static- and then she was gone- along with everything else in a fiery white explosion, before the darkness settled in, clicking into place easily./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Nightmares were far from unfamiliar to him, but that one-the rain against him, the uncharacteristic chill down his spine at killing "Alex"-felt too real. Far too real. He sat up, rubbing his face with a short sigh. A quick glance to his clock told him it was four in the morning; he had an hour to go before he needed to be up. Not that bad, considering his reputation with sleep. Deja vu clawed at the back of his mind, but he forced it down, choosing to instead get out of bed entirely and stretch./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"His apartment was well sized, even if he'd hardly asked to be positioned here. The empty space made him uncomfortable. His place was among his men, in a standard barrack on a stiff mattress. But a position was a position, and with how long the general told them they'd be in New York, he was willing to deal with it. Heading into the kitchen, he looked over his choices: coffee, alcohol, standard food items. A cold beer and a protein bar were his choice of breakfast. Out of the kitchen and into the living room he went, taking a stiff seat on the couch and sipping his beer as he gazed at the black screen of the TV. He didn't care for it much./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"With nothing better to do, Cross went over his plans for the day in silence, rapidly tapping his fingers against his knee. The general wanted him at a meeting in Gentek, to discuss their bioweapon's progress and the rumors of leaks (though he'd been to enough meetings to know he was only there for coercion and intimidation). Look around their lab after (orders said play it as a tour), noting all potential escapes, marking off any suspicious people for later interrogation. Keep a close eye on one Dr. Alex Mercer… he grimaced as another wave of deja vu hit him, gripping his drink tighter and exhaling through his teeth. He'd done that yesterday, hadn't he? Kept an eye on Blacklight-no, Alex, and they went out to coffee?/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"It didn't seem right, but even nearly sixty, his memory was phenomenal. The answer was obvious; he'd talk to Mercer and get to the bottom of things. He felt like he needed to check on the guy, anyways. After setting the drink on the table, he stood up, pacing around the room. If today was going to go like he thought it would, he needed to keep his wits about him./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Unfortunately./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"_/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Elsewhere, a ghost faced Mercer sat on the edge of his bed, clutching one wrist tight enough to leave harsh black bruises. He watched with vacant eyes the grey walls beyond his window slowly grow dark from the light rain. His breath was nearly silent, much too shallow and slow as he tried to force down the memories that clamoured for his attention. The sharp blade slicing through his wrist with barely a stinging feeling- his hand falling deeper into the black flesh pit which formed part of Alex- his entire body getting shredded- it was too much./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He got to his feet slowly, feeling distantly the rough carpet underneath him as he made his way to the bathroom, opening a small box with shaking hands. Empty needles filled it, but there was nothing to put inside them. Right. He was trying to go clean- before all of this began. Stupid decision, really. Ragland had far too much faith in him./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Mercer shook his head with a mute snarl on his lips, and made his way to his kitchen and started to make himself a cup of coffee. Then another. And another. As the cheerful news readers repeated the same damn news as ever, he drank the soothing liquid until his hands weren't shaking from memories, but from the raw energy it provided him with. When he felt he couldn't stay still anymore, and his heart felt like it was going to push itself out of his ribcage, he started the walk to Gentek, dark smile and gleaming eyes phasing very few- for this was New York and he was just another stranger amidst the crowds./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He was quite ready to face the day, humming a jerky little tune to himself as he walked the halls. Outside his lab, looming like some malevolent mountain god given human form, lurked Cross. Instantly, his mood soured. Of course, he would still be here. He didn't realise the loops just yet./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""What do you want, Cross?" Mercer spat out, stuffing his twitching hands deep into his pockets, to match his hunched over glare at the giant of a man./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The harsh words didn't make the specialist so much as twitch, his frustration from this morning well concealed behind his standard deadpan. He pushed off from the wall, moving to clasp his hands behind his back/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Good morning to you too, Mercer." He stepped aside, but leaving wasn't his intention in the slightest; he couldn't exactly get into the lab if he didn't let the scientist through. He rolled his shoulders. "I have a few questions for you, that's all. If now's a bad time," a quick glance to where the scientist's hands were stuffed in his pockets, "I could come back later. Not like today's all that busy."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Mercer's sharp gaze observed the Specialist for a moment longer than necessary, before he sighed. He forced the door open, key barely a second thought, and stalked inside to near a certain test tube. "Well? Ask your questions, Cross. I didn't arrive early to entertain you, but now is as good a time as any." He drummed his fingers on the desk, eyes darting sightlessly around the room as he waited for Cross to gather his thoughts. He just wanted this to be over, and he was hoping Alex would overhear and decide to take over the conversation. He disliked talking a great deal right now./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Cross followed without a word: half because saying anything unnecessary would make Dr. Mercer even less cooperative, half because the deja vu of just stepping into the lab was gnawing at the back of his mind like some rabid animal. He left a good distance between them, even as his gaze remained unwavering on Mercer. This was either going to be a conversation, or an interrogation, and Cross was willing to get his answers either way./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Good, because if you wanted to entertain me, you're doing horrible at it." He offered a bland shrug, before regaining his professional composure. "I'll start simple. Did we do this yesterday? Meeting in your lab."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Mercer scoffed, "Of course we did. How much else do you remember?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Helpful, aren't you. We met here, Alex ran off. We went out for coffee." He frowned to himself, trying to determine what was the dream and what actually happened. He glanced to the test tube behind Mercer, of which didn't seem to be stirring in the slightest. "Shit hit the fan. That's a summary of it. If we did that yesterday, why does it feel like we're doing it again?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The scientist's face slowly split into a grin- quite the unsettling expression with his features- as Cross spoke his thoughts, "Marvelous. You remember so much! I suppose it feels somewhat like a dream right now?" He tilted his head as if questioning, but his quick speech stopped for far too little time for Cross to even think of responding./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Well, it'll all clear up soon enough, I've a feeling Alex- that is, Blacklight- is involved in the recollection process somehow. As for why it feels like we're doing it again- we are. This is…" He paused, as he tried to sort out the time that had passed. "I believe either the 8th or 9th day that has repeated, though it's only the third wherein we've encountered you."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Cross was plenty used to keeping up with fast-paced debriefing, so he followed Mercer's train of thought with ease, even if he raised a brow near the end. The dream and repetition of events explained the deja vu, but it wasn't exactly easy to accept "we've repeated the same day nine times" at face value. He needed more evidence, and the incredulous look in his eyes made that fact obvious. Had he heard this story before, all this shit about looping? It was pretty frustrating, if he was completely honest./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Alright." He didn't vocalize anything he felt, his tone remaining as level as ever. "Do you know why the day keeps repeating? Or is that still a work in progress. Figuring something out is the key to stopping it, and you sound like you've had enough of today."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"As he thought Mercer hummed idly to himself, turning over the information he had available to himself. Alex was the centre of it all- or he and Dana were. He'd been brought fully in after exactly 3 days, when Alex spoke to him so insistently each day. It seemed nonconsecutive days were ineffective- Ragland seemed merely concerned, rather than the anger he'd displayed upon their first visit's end. He couldn't shake the feeling something was missing, but it would come up if it was important, no doubt./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I've got a few theories regarding the nature of the time loops- nothing conclusive, I still need more data- but no guesses just yet for the why." He picked up the vial of Blacklight, eyeing the oddly still liquid in a moment of complete silence. Was Alex… Playing dead? The regular vial weighed much less, not to mention the fact it was much less viscous than Alex's usual consistency. "Until a certain sulking child decides to come out and say hello, there's not much else I can offer you."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Sounds like you'll have plenty of time to figure it out. Theories are better than nothing." He let his hands fall to his sides rather than behind his back, watching the still vial with narrowed eyes and a small frown. "Considering the fact you both died yesterday, he has good reason to sulk. What you gave me is enough for me to work with for now."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Work with?" Mercer's gaze was narrow, and tension slipped into his usual hunched over posture, "What do you plan to do with this information, Blackwatch?" The last word was loaded with all the typical venom his voice had lacked previously, tenfold./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""That depends." Cross stepped forward, meeting the venom head-on. Truthfully, he didn't know what he planned to do with the information. He could tell the general, but why would he? He wasn't a mindless drone; he had plenty of secrets the general didn't know the slightest thing about. But Mercer's assumption had him narrowing his eyes, and if he were any younger, he would have gone and said every detail to the general out of sheer spite. Luckily, he was a much bigger man than that. "You've spent time with me, Mercer. Why would I waste my breath reporting something that would make me sound delusional to my team. If you can come up with a reason, then I'll share with them."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Otherwise," he continued, remaining as level-headed as ever, "I meant what I can personally work with. I'm not blindly loyal in my methods, and I think that's a fact about me that would do you good to learn."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The virus in the vial shifted. It was a bare movement, a single tendril retracting from where it'd been pressed against the glass, but it was movement. Sulking or not, it seemed he couldn't resist the urge to eavesdrop./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Mercer's gaze remained narrowed with suspicion, even as Cross came closer and almost threatened him, standing much too close for comfort. Perhaps his words held logic, but the dark, enveloping fear of someone stealing his work overrode any sense he had. He stopped drumming his fingers idly, opting instead to curl his fingers into a tight fist on the table. His eyes followed the simple motion of Alex, but he didn't comment on it. He didn't want to startle him into staying there for longer if he was starting to come out of his shell./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He opted instead to reply to Cross, idle glare barely phasing him "You soldiers are all the same, and I don't trust on principle. It's simple." His heart was a distracting jackhammer, and staying still was starting to become impossible. As if he was simply done with the conversation, he moved to the back of the lab and started checking the communal fridge for something. The containers full of moulds, petri dishes, and little vials of viruses filled the majority of it, but one shelf had some poor sap's sandwich in it. He stood behind the door of the fridge, just barely hidden from view by the giant storage unit, and stared mindlessly within. Better than talking to Cross or trying to coerce Alex out of his vial./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Leave it to a scientist to jump right to the more paranoid conclusion. Cross followed Dr. Mercer's movements with his eyes, up until he decided to hide in the fridge instead of converse. If that was what he felt like doing, it was whatever. But he, personally, wanted to get to the bottom of things, and Mercer's uncooperative nature left him with one other choice./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Think you can coax the resident sulking child out?" Despite the fact Mercer's back was to him, he motioned to the vial. "I prefer to work in my free time, and he likely knows the loops as well as you do. We'll head out, and I'll talk to him elsewhere."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I doubt it." Mercer rolled his eyes, knowing Cross couldn't see him, "He seems quite torn up about murdering someone he knows, as compared to a soldier. I don't see why there's a difference, but it is what it is."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Accidental versus intentional kills. Killing an enemy is different from accidentally killing an ally." He explained it in a casual, matter-of-fact tone, despite the fact he was clearly speaking from experience. "Kid's got a pretty decent moral set, too, from what I remember. Only makes it worse." The specialist concluded with a small shrug, leaning against one of the nearby tables. "I could try and get him out. Might work a little better." Mostly because he wouldn't sit there calling him a sulking child the whole time, but he'd digress./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Mercer closed the fridge, leaning on it to watch. "Go ahead, try it." He smirked, "He doesn't bite."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Doesn't bite, no," Cross returned, a single brow raised before he turned his attention entirely to the vial. Picking it up from the rack, he held it a decent distance from himself, an action more for Alex's safety than his own. The virus didn't stir. Rather than matching Dr. Mercer's snarky tone towards him, however, he spoke softly and carefully, watching the every movement of the biomass./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""It wasn't your fault." He paused, but when Alex still refused to respond, continued. "I regret to inform you that I saw the entire thing, too, so you can't sit here claiming I'm wrong. You were essentially drugged, and you had no idea your body would have responded the way it did. You acted on instinct, attacked a perceived threat because you weren't in a state to know better. I've seen it plenty of times. If you decide to just sit here and rot away for the rest of eternity, I can't exactly stop you. But it won't make anything better. You have to accept that it was an accident, and move on. Do you understand?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"A beat. Two. Slowly, the mass in the vial started to stir, and Cross took the hint. Pulling the lid off the vial, he turned it upside down, letting Alex slip out and properly reform. Even if he was visibly sulking, he was actually out. The Blackwatch captain glanced to Dr. Mercer, doing absolutely nothing to cover up the smug look in his eyes./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Got him out."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""So you did," Dr. Mercer replied, not moving from his position resting on the fridge. What was there to be smug about? "Now, why don't you two…" He made a vague gesture, "Talk it out and such. Go on a stroll. Murder people together. Bonding with shared hobbies is effective, I've heard."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""It's raining," Alex grumbled, sinking further into his jackets with some thrashing tendrils to back him up. Cross, on the other hand, merely shrugged, already making his way to the door and motioning for Alex to follow after him. The virus lingered, however, watching Doc in silence for a good, long moment. He started to reach toward him, but swiftly reconsidered, shoving it in one of his coat pockets and averting his eyes. "I'm sorry."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"With that, he was gone, out the door and already a ways ahead of Cross. The latter was quick to follow, leaving Dr. Mercer alone in the lab. Dr. Mercer scoffed, and quietly, aware how sensitive the virus' hearing could be, muttered as he moved to the computer, "It's not your fault..."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"By the time Cross caught up with Alex, the virus was crouched at the front door, listening to the rain and traffic with a solemn expression. He really would have been fine just staying in that stupid test tube all day, but no, he had to get Cross integrated into the damn loop. As for the whole blame thing, he understood. He knew he shouldn't have been pinning it on himself, but what else was he supposed to do? Everything was so damn complicated. As much as he hated the constant noise of the consumed in his head, at least he could actually figure things out with them there. He was running blind./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"A hand hovered behind him, Cross' attempt to reach out and show comfort-Alex answered it with a harsh swat from one of his tendrils. He definitely wasn't repeating yesterday and running off, but he still wanted to be left the hell alone. Cross sighed through his nose, before taking a seat at Alex's side. He didn't exactly have infinite time. Loop or not, he still had a job to do, and he'd be damned if he was going to miss it. Alex didn't exactly seem interested in talking, either, but if yesterday and the day before said anything, leaving him alone was a horrible idea./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"That left him with one option, for better or for worse./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You can either sit here and mope," Cross finally said, keeping his deadpan gaze on the door, "or you can follow me around while I'm on duty. Mercer doesn't want to be bothered, and you can't go outside because it's raining. Your pick."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Why would I want to watch Blackwatch." He practically spat the word, casting Cross a dark look. What the hell did Alex and Mercer have against his unit? After a moment of consideration, though, Alex huffed, sinking into his collar with an irritated grumble. "Fine. But no one said I'm not killing any of them."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You better not, you little shit."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Like you can do anything to stop me." Alex remarked; Cross responded only with a slight raise of a brow. Right. There was a lot he could do to stop him. He groaned, but after a moment, begrudgingly pushed himself back to his feet. Cross followed suit, taking the lead before Alex could make any potential objections. At least he could pry more at Blackwatch, see if he could find out anything that Dana hadn't yet./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"They headed down the hall in silence for the most part, up until they stepped into an elevator. Cross pressed the button for Gentek's top floor, promptly backing away from the panel and leaning against one of the walls. Alex had half the mind to start pressing all the buttons, just to be annoying, but he didn't want to piss Cross off. Not right now, anyway; he was just in a crummy mood./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""What are you doing that's such a big deal, anyway?" It was more of an idle grumble than an honest question, a better sound than the obnoxious elevator music as they climbed countless floors. He could run up the wall at five times the speed this slow ass elevator moved./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""The general requested my presence at a meeting with Dr. McMullen-"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""-You've gotta be shitting me. You're taking me to McMullen and fucking Randall?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I said it was your pick."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Yeah, and you didn't fucking say it was that sonuvabitch!" Just his luck. Alex scowled, ducking into his hood and rippling in frustration. "There's no way I'm not killin' him."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""And if you kill him, I'm trapping your ass in a tank and driving us both into the river. I made my stance pretty clear." Instead of answering, Alex slunk into the corner, glaring daggers at the floor and continuing to bristle. Unphased, the captain merely continued. "As far as either of them are concerned, you're Mercer. You stopped me in the hall to show me some of the new details on Blacklight. Understood?'/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Yeah, I get it." Iit was a blatantly irritated mutter, but frankly, much better than Cross was expecting./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"A few more minutes of silence, and the elevator came to a stop. Alex darted out the second the doors opened, waiting not-so-patiently for Cross to follow suit. It was early enough in the morning that the halls were mostly empty, enabling them to avoid suspicion-particularly over the fact Dr. Mercer was in two places at once. The closer they got to McMullen's office-the more vivid the scent of Randall became, as well as the memory of McMullen taking his own life-the harder it was for Alex to keep his cool. He felt disdain for Blackwatch, but it was nothing compared to how he felt about Randall. That was pure, unadulterated hatred, festering just behind pale eyes and grit teeth./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"A duo of lower-ranked Blackwatch greeted them at the door, saluting to Cross and casting Alex a nervous glance as the two stepped into the room. Randall and McMullen were already seated, in the midst of a discussion when the two arrived./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Their abilities make them phenomenally useful to us, Director McMullen. If I didn't think we could control them, I wouldn't-" Randall's words died off the second Cross and Alex came into view. He narrowed his eyes, casting a quick glance to McMullen. "Good morning, Captain."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Sir." Cross nodded in acknowledgement-the obedience made Alex writhe beneath the surface. "I apologize for the delay. Dr. Mercer was giving me some details on the Blacklight project."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You haven't missed anything important." The captain moved to stand at ease beside Randall, casting a quick glance to Alex as Randall directed attention toward him. "Director, feel free to handle your employee first."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"McMullen cast Mercer an irritated glance, but it was nothing compared to the obvious disdain he held for Randall before his attention shifted. It was a softer sort of hatred, a nettle sting against cobra venom, if one felt inclined to scale it./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""You were supposed to come in at noon, but since you're here and in a talkative mood..." He pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly frustrated by something, "Perhaps your voice could help sway the General. Give him a run down on why we shouldn't use Greene, would you?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He frowned, seeing Alex's expression wasn't twisting as he was used to seeing from the strange Virologist. Every word, every cue, was something to be taken in, analysed, repurposed for his own ends- and typically that manifested in a variety of faces and idle tics as he thought. But this time... It was so muted it was almost concerning. "Surely you've not forgotten...?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Shit. Blending into a crowd was Alex's thing, or taking the place of someone he had all the memories of-not being the center of attention. He felt like a deer in headlights, stiff as a board and meeting McMullen's gaze directly. He was supposed to ask for answers. Not... give answers. It couldn't have been that hard, though; he was asking about Greene, for some reason, and Alex knew plenty about her. Shoving his hands deeper into his pockets to make sure he wouldn't impulsively lash out at Randall, he finally spoke./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""I... no. I remember." He glanced away, though he could see Cross shift somewhat out of the corner of his eye. "You can't. She's a monster. If you tried to use her for anything, she'd just escape. Infect everything she touched, no rhyme or reason or anything. It'd be hell. No one would be able to stop it."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He shouldn't continue. He really shouldn't. But seeing Randall sit there, hearing him without listening, not giving two shits about his warnings, he couldn't keep himself in check. Alex smirked, tilting his head a fraction. "I mean, if you wanna kill thousands of people, then go right ahead. I can't stop you. You'd get a hell of a lot info, too."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Randall, previously just stern, looked taken aback and furious. Alex's grin only widened. "I mean, that's what all of this is about, right? You let her out, you let the virus out, you get to see what it does-"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""Mercer." Cross growled, much to the approval of the general. "Sir, I'll escort him out-"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""No need, Captain." Randall leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers against McMullen's desk-despite the poorly concealed fury in his expression. "He gave his opinion, like asked. I wouldn't say he's convincing," a glance to McMullen, "but clearly experienced."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"A 'fuck you' hung on Alex's tongue, but he held it back./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"McMullen wanted to put his head into his hands, snap a pen- do anything except deal with this. But he was better than that, and he merely adjusted his glasses, staring down Alex. "You know, on days like this you're supposed to call in sick." The simple phrase held alot of emphasis, dripping with a mix of exasperation and irritation. "That wasn't the response I expected- but I doubt you'll speak logic today. Go back home, we don't need you in the lab-"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"He was cut off when someone set to knocking on the door, and after a moment a very shaken looking lab tech ran in, "Sorry if you're in a meeting, sir- it's Mercer! He's in- Radiology-" She trailed off, looking with horror at Alex, clearly not sure what was going on./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"Randall seemed to get the hint about Alex's supposed "illness", and relaxed, save for a judgemental look-until the radiologist came barging in. To say Randall was unimpressed with Gentek's latest employees would be a drastic understatemen; from what this trip suggested, McMullen was hiring just about anyone he found on the street. He shot a glance to Cross, a silent gesture towards the utterly chaotic scene. He wasn't about to start talking with the drugged man or the dramatic scientist, after all./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;""There's been some kind of a misunderstanding, ma'am." Cross took the hint immediately, stepping forward and grabbing Alex's arm with one hand. Alex started to struggle, but a harsh look and silent threat shut him up. When he'd offerred to watch over Alex, he hardly expected both Mercer and his virus to be fucking idiots. He hardly had the energy to be angry about it-just tired. "Mercer's right here. Whoever you're referring to is probably a tresspasser. Take me there. I'll sort out the situation soon enough."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"She nodded mutely, and when she stepped out the door and fiddled with something about her neck, it started an incessant beeping- leading her to turn it off, paling. "We should hurry."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #cecece; background-color: #1e1e1e;"The walk, though tense, was simple enough- it wasn't a long way after all. She turned to them, mouth opened as if to say something, but it was drowned out by bright static- and then she was gone- along with everything else in a fiery white explosion, before the darkness settled in, clicking into place easily./p