She was either floating or sinking. She didn't know exactly what it was. All she remembered was something dragging her into this pitch blackness and then there was silence. She looked up, down, left, right, and found nothing but darkness. It seemed as though this black pit stretched out to eternity.
Despite being in this strange and unknown place, she didn't feel alarmed or even scared. She felt strangely comfortable. She thought it was fine to be here and did not want to leave.
Yet, as she continued drifting through this nothingness, something kept nagging at her. At first it was a feeling in the back of her mind, then it became a grating thought, and finally it transformed into a word. And that word was:
"Escape."
00000000000000000000000000000
Byron opened the door to the communications room and came inside. At once, the men posted to this building stopped what they were doing and rose up to salute him. He simply returned the show of respect with a light nod.
"How is everything going here?" he asked "any sign of enemy activity?"
"Nothing to report sir," said one man near a radar "The Commander and the Azur Sky have left to face the attacking Sirens."
"How long do you expect them to be gone?" asked Byron, sounding concerned.
"About four or five hours at most sir," came the reply.
"Good," said Byron, his mouth twisting into a wicked smile and his hand reaching to an object tucked in the back of his pants.
"That'll be plenty of time," he said, taking out the pistol. He wasted little time in dispatching everyone in the room then headed to one of the consoles.
"Is it over?" asked a voice from outside and Byron responded with a quiet "Yes."
Now, Damian entered the room and for a moment, looked stunned at the carnage. The five men that manned this room were all dead and none of them even had time to realize what happened. Damian pushed the thought out of his mind and headed to the console Byron was looking at.
"Is this the one?" asked Byron and Damian nodded. He then typed in a few commands into the console and saw a message pop up.
And with that, the only defences the Resistance had in place fell silent.
The two made their way outside the room, not at all minding the people going about their work. When they came outside, they saw Ingrid along with a large contingent of soldiers.
One of the many tricks the pulled on James was underreporting the number of soldiers they were training and the bullets they were producing. As stated before, James gave the Resistance a way to develop bullets that could pierce Siren armor. However, what James did not know was that Damian and a few scientists were working to refine the formula. They wanted to develop a bullet that was a danger to the Sirens and the ship girls.
With James fully focused on the war, Byron, Damian and Ingrid slowly gathered people who shared the same sentiment as they did. They threw their lot in with the Sirens, believing that Omega was destined to win and that their future was guaranteed by staying with her.
That mind set, coupled with these new type of bullets meant they finally had what they needed to turn the tables.
"Do I dare to dream?" asked Ingrid, raising her eyebrow. Her only answer came in the form of Byron and Damian nodding in agreement.
"Well then, time to make our move," declared Ingrid to the soldiers. She then reached into her pocket and took out the same device they used on the Valkyries and pressed a button. As she did, several tears in the sky started forming and through it, came the Siren ships.
000000000000000000000000000000000
Alexis pushed her body up then to the left and right then stopped. The world she was in was devoid of any light. That made it impossible to know where she was going. She couldn't tell if she was going towards danger or away from it.
Then, she decided to stop struggling and take a moment to think. Strange as it was, she found herself thinking about Alec. As if that thought formed the spark for what came next, she could feel a warm presence ahead of her.
Alexis opened her eyes and began moving towards that presence. Travelling through this space was like going through muddy water. It was thick and required more effort than usual. But, Alexis had to move forward.
She didn't want to imagine what was going on with her body right now.
00000000000000000000000000000000
Curtis saw Alec, Alexis, Blake and Marie and waved to them. The man had also assembled his platoon of soldiers and were waiting. Before she left, Saint Louis told Curtis that she also wanted his team to patrol the area and remain vigilant in the event of a Siren ambush.
"Alec, my team is ready and waiting for orders," he said when Alec came close "where should we start?"
Alec however, did not respond. Before he could even open his mouth to say something, several projections shot out beside him and impaled some of the troops in Curtis' team. Alec immediately spun around and saw Marie with her rigging on display and flashing them a wicked smile. Then, he saw several Siren ships appearing over the Resistance island and the worst possible scenario came to him.
"It's an ambush," he yelled, "get out of…"
Alec tried to get Curtis and his team to run away in different directions but the order never came out. The reason being that Alexis, his recent girlfriend had spun on her heel and kicked him in the stomach, knocking the wind out. Alec let out a horrified gasp of shock as his body was flung to the side like a cheap paper bag.
Seeing Alexis form her rigging along with Blake and Curtis put the pieces together.
"Everyone, spread out, don't let them corner you," he yelled. The panicked soldiers managed to collect themselves on hearing his order and quickly ran in different directions. This move was only a second before Alexis formed her guns and fired at them. A second later and more innocent lives would be lost.
"We're going to have so much fun," said Blake, grinning as he revved his rigging like a bike.
00000000000000000000000000000
"Alexis, are you going to leave me here?" came a familiar voice and that caused Alexis to stop. Her progress halted and she turned around to the source. Behind her, against all odds was none other than her father Martin.
"D-dad?" she asked, barely able to bring the words to her mouth.
Her father looked at her with that gentle smile and said "It's me sweetie."
"How, how is this possible?"
"Anything is possible in the network," he replied.
"The what?"
"That's what you're in right now, the Siren network," he said "the Siren network is a place where all of us are one. Where all the dead get a second chance at life thanks to Lady Omega."
"That's a lie," she snapped "Omega isn't kind enough to do that. She's the reason you're dead. There's no way I'd believe that she's some merciful ruler."
"You're confused, I understand," said Martin with a knowing gaze. "I was too when I first came here. I can answer all your questions if you come with me."
"Come where?"
"Right now there's a part of you that rejecting the connection," said Martin "some attachment to the physical world and that's why you're stuck in this dreadful place."
"We can finally be together Alexis," he said, his hand reaching out to her "you and me, together at last. A family. We'll live in a world where you can stand on your own legs, do whatever you want and go wherever you want. How does that sound?"
If Alexis were being honest, it sounded like a dream come true. As much as she recently discovered her feelings for Alec, she loved her father more. He was the one that helped her learn to use the wheelchair, he was the one that sacrificed so much for her benefit. He was more important to her than anyone else in the world.
Which was why… Alexis reached out to him, formed her rigging and blasted a hole in his chest.
"Why?" he asked, looking horrified at what she had done.
But the answer did not come. No answer came. All that Alexis did was fire more and more at her father, tears welling up in her eyes. When she fired a fifth shot, a sudden white light engulfed her and filled her vision.
0000000000000000000000000000000
Alexis blinked a few times. It took her all of three seconds to realize what she had her guns pointed at several human children who were huddled together. She looked around her and saw that they were in the school where the kids and the girls that James called his sisters often spent their days.
"Get the hell away from them you monster," barked a voice and Alexis turned to the mass of small ones. There, she saw a woman, a teacher from the look of things. She had her arms stretched out and behind her were the kids.
"Don't you dare lay a finger on these kids," she said and Alexis' eyes opened wide in horror at the implication.
"Oh for crying out loud," said a voice beside her and Alexis watched in stunned silence as several tentacle-like appendages once again shot forward and impaled the teacher.
Alexis, shocked by this sudden turn could not move. Instead, she watched in dumfounded silence as Marie came forward, tossed the dead body aside and turned to the kids.
"How about it kids," she said, flashing them a devilish smile "if you come with me, I promise not to let anything bad happen to you."
Yet, her words didn't seem true as the children still remained in their place. Seeing that there was no point in wasting her breath, Marie sighed and sent her rigging out again.
Alexis watched in horror as more than a dozen children were ripped to shreds. The brutality of the act, the cruelty of it all and the wicked smile that Marie had during this carnage was enough to send Alexis over the edge.
"You monster," she yelled and spun around with a kick. Marie had no idea this was coming and did not defend herself from the attack. As a result, she was kicked hard in the chest and sent crashing through several walls.
Just as Alexis was about to pursue her, she saw Blake sent flying back. She stepped into the corridor and looked in the direction he was flung from. There, she saw three of James' sisters, all riding a unicorn. One had light blond hair that was tied into pigtails. One had flowing purple hair and the third had flowing mustard-colored hair.
'That one,' thought Alexis and looked at the one in-between the trio and she called out.
"Unicorn," yelled Alexis and the trio riding the horse stopped a little before her. Before Alexis could speak, the one with pigtails (Eldridge) pointed two modified dousing rods at her.
"She's… one… of them…," said the girl with the dousing rods. At once, the unicorn turned to her, ready to run her through with its giant horn.
"Wait, no I'm not," she said, immediately shaking her head "I was, but I'm not one of them now."
The trio looked at her warily, not at all buying her words. As much as they wanted to judge her intentions, they noticed Blake was slowly getting to his feet.
"Tch," hissed the girll with mustard-colored hair (Charles Ausburne) "that guy's waking up. We have to get out of here."
"We need to meet with Curtis. That's the only other human big bro trusts," said Unicorn.
Alexis tried to object but it was too late. In another second, the trio of children leapt through the hole she created. Alexis watched them land on the ground and run away from the base and towards the nearby forest.
Alexis also wanted to attack Blake but then she remembered there was someone more important.
"Alec," she muttered to herself and was about to leave. She turned around taking one more look at the bloody classroom and felt the urge to vomit. She may not have pulled the trigger but she didn't try to stop it from happening either. In her mind, that made her just as guilty as Marie was.
"When the time comes I will pay for my sin," she said to herself "till then, I'll have to do everything I can."
With that in mind, she also leapt through the hole in the wall and ran towards where she thought Alec was.
She recalled the place where Alec was before she attacked him. It was the central courtyard. That was where the girls usually met the Commander before they went off on their mission. Now that she knew that, she darted towards that location with greater determination.
It didn't take long for her to find Alec, who lay on the ground completely still. For a moment, a single and fearful thought ran through her. What if she kicked him hard enough to kill him? It was only when she drew closer that she noticed his body quietly rising up and down.
A small bit of relief but it was not enough. She went over and started shaking him.
"Alec, Alec please wake up," she cried, and now wondered if she knocked him out cold.
More silence and then, she heard him groaning.
"Oh thank god," she cried and immediately pulled him into her embrace.
"What the hell is…" said Alec. He opened his eyes and let out a sharp cry before shoving Alexis away.
"Alec…" she said, now mimicking her father's expression when she shot him.
"What is going on here?" asked Alec, rising to his feet and moving away from Alexis "first you try to kill me and now you hug me. What kind of game are you playing?"
It was only now that Alexis fully understood why those kids regarded her with such contempt. The kids, Alec and the whole fleet for that matter treated them with kindness and care. Sure James ran her and the others to the ground a little, but there was no ill will behind it. Hell, he did what he did because he wanted them to grow stronger.
And in return for all that, Blake, Marie and She responded by stabbing them in the back.
"I know you're confused right now and you have every right to be," she said, struggling to overcome the pain of seeing her boyfriend look at her distrustfully.
"I'm sorry for what happened to you Alec. All I can tell you right now is that the Sirens took control of me for a moment but I was able to break free."
He looked like he was about to ask something, but she held up her hand to stop him.
"I know you want answers but this isn't the time for that. Right now, we have work to do."
She reached out to him and hoped that he would return the favour. If he didn't, if he ran away… She didn't want to think of that.
Much to her relief, she saw Alec now lowering his guard a little and coming to her.
"Do you believe me?" she asked.
"Yeah," he replied "your eyes aren't glowing yellow anymore."
She let out a big relieved sigh and lowered her hand.
"We have to act now," he said and pointed to the Siren ships attacking the Resistance headquarters.
"But how? James took the whole fleet with him," said Alexis.
"We don't need to win, we only need to buy enough time till he returns," he responded.
"Head to the mainland and attack the ships. Get them to follow you. That should give the people enough time to escape."
"What about you?" she asked.
"I have to find Curtis and those kids," replied Alec "as much as James will be pissed that the base came under attack, he'll go on a rampage if anyone hurts those children."
With the plan in place, they both went out to carry out their roles.
"Alec wait," called Alexis and he turned around.
"I love you," she said and he nodded. Then he turned and headed to where he thought Curtis and the kids were.
On one hand, Alexis was happy that Alec trusted her. On the other hand, she was slightly deflated when he didn't return her declaration.
"Damn it, now is not the time for that," she said and slapped her cheeks a little. She looked at the ships and focused her attention all on them. She was about to form her rigging again when she felt a sudden and debilitating pain shoot up in her head.
She collapsed and could feel that unseen force pull on her. Once again, she could feel that terrible power return her to her previous state.
'No,' she yelled internally 'I will not lose to this or anyone. I have a job to do and people who are counting on me.'
She forced herself to her feet, her head still throbbing like she was struck with a hammer.
'I am going to save those people, I am going to help Alec and there's not a damn thing you can do to stop me.'
Then, as strangely as that headache appeared, it vanished. The pain that threatened to make her head pop was gone in an instant. Alexis looked at her hands and understood.
It was her weapons, her rigging. As long as she had that, she was weak to the Siren influence.
Nodding and resolving to never use those weapons again, Alexis now bounded towards the Resistance headquarters.
0000000000000000000000000
Alec ran through the woods, ignoring some of the thin branches that hit or scratched his face. As he kept running, he scanned the area, looking for some sign to point him in the right direction. All he knew was the Curtis and the kids would regroup here. The reason behind that was simply because the vast forest provided plenty of cover from the Siren ships and that gave them time to regroup and recover.
As he ran through the forest, his stamina slowly reaching the halfway mark, he noticed a broken branch. He would not have normally noticed this but the adrenaline pumping through his veins and his rapid breathing heightened his senses to an above-average level.
When he neared the branch, he noticed several broken twigs and crunched leaves. He saw the direction they were going in and felt a little bit of hope in his chest. Wasting little time, Alec headed in that direction and was soon greeted by an orchestra of metal pointed at him.
"Lower your weapons," came a familiar voice and everyone did that. Alec was incredibly relieved to see Curtis and his group lowering their guns. Behind this group was the group of little ship girls.
"You have no idea how glad I am to see you," said Alec, coming forward. He greeted Curtis with a quick hug then resumed his original frame of questions.
"How's everyone doing?" he asked and the first response he got was a debilitating silence.
"We lost some good men and women in that ambush," said Curtis, shaking his fist "that bitch, that damn…"
"I'm sorry for your losses Curtis," said Alec, sounding genuinely apologetic.
"And girls, how are things on your side?" he asked, looking at the children.
"When we heard the attacks and saw the ships appearing in the sky, Unicorn, Eldridge and Charles immediately took action," said Kisaragi, coming forward "they protected us while we came here."
"That one human," said Unicorn "came to attack us, but we held him back."
"That's good," said Alec and remembered that Unicorn and Charles' strength significantly increased thanks to their retrofit.
"But we weren't able to save everyone," said Unicorn, lowering her head. Eldridge and Charles also did the same.
"The other two humans, they… they…" said Unicorn trying to form the words but nothing came.
"They killed all the other children," said Charles.
In that moment, everyone was silent.
Alec in particular went pale as he surmised who the other two were. Marie and Alexis. A thick lump formed in his throat as he remembered her words ringing in his ears.
'The Sirens took control of me.'
Between the time it happened till the time she escaped, how many people did she kill? It was a horrifying question that made Alec's legs shake and tremble. He was almost ready to keel over, when the girls spoke.
"We have to fight," said Charles "we can't let them do this to our home."
"Damn right," said Curtis "it's time we take the fight to them."
In that instant, Alec could sense the anger building up in their hearts. In some ways, he empathized with them, but that did not stop what came next.
"You have to get out of here," said Alec, speaking to them in a firm tone.
"WHAT?" barked Curtis "what the hell do you mean get out?"
"You need to leave here and get James."
"Absolutely not," declared Charles with a dismissive swing of her right hand. "Miss Yorktown and Enterprise trained us. We can't just let them destroy everything we've built."
"Agreed," said Unicorn "we've run away enough times."
Alec sighed and put a hand on Unicorn.
"I understand that you want to fight. Hell, you have a good chance of taking down a few ships if you do fight. But you have to ask yourself, are the others as strong as you, Charles and Eldridge?"
At this, the trio were hit by a bolt of surprise and lowered their heads.
"I know that the other girls trained you," he continued "but that was so that you could take care of everyone else. Not just charge into battle."
"But…" said Charles trying to protest
"Those buildings, the school, and dorms… they're just buildings. They can always be rebuilt. But if anything happens to you, if any of you die… "
"And that goes double for you all as well," he said, turning to Curtis "those kids can fight but that doesn't mean they should."
"Your job here is to protect the kids and get James. Nothing else is more important than that."
Curtis remained silent, then looked at the children and finally looked at the fires in the distance.
"You're right," he said, sighing in defeat "as I recall, we were posted here to keep the kids safe and that's what we're going to do."
"Good," said Alec, nodding "now go. Get out of here before any of them find you."
"What about you Alec?" asked Unicorn
"There are still a lot of people on the mainland that need help," he said "I'm going to do what I can there."
"And NO, none of you are coming to help," he added before anyone could even suggest the idea.
00000000000000000000000000000
Alexis leapt atop several building then leapt onto a Siren Cruiser. She tore the turrets off the ship and flung it into a nearby destroyer. Several Siren planes shot her in the back and that caused her to stagger forward, but that wasn't enough. She quickly spun around and kicked a plane with enough force it tore through the other two.
She reached her back to feel for the wounds they inflicted on her.
"Good, the regeneration's already working," she said, and found feel her wounds already closing up.
There was much about this body that she didn't fully understand. But what she did now was that if she didn't rely on her rigging, then all that power could be used to enhance her healing. She might not pack a punch, but she could take a beating.
And as she saw the swarm of approaching Hybrids and enemy human soldiers in the mix, she knew she was in for a rough ride.
She saw more ships turn and fire at her and that was good. Alexis now turned to the foot soldiers and knew she had to get their attention too. For the people here to have a chance of surviving, it meant that she'd have to place herself in the enemy's spotlight.
Alexis leapt off a ship and landed on the ground. The ships tried shooting at her but she ran from side to side and avoided the attack. Only now did she fully understand the purpose of her training. All that time spent was finally bearing fruit.
She ran towards the foot soldiers and saw the Hybrids point their weapons at her and fired. She lowered her body and expected to slow down but was surprised to see that wasn't the case. Alexis continued her advance and when near, she knocked one of the Hybrids with a leg sweep and flung it into several others.
"Hey assholes," she barked "you picked the wrong day to mount a mutiny."
The human soldiers made up their minds and together with the Hybrids, they started firing. Alexis dashed from left to right across the empty streets and zeroed in on one human soldier. She grabbed the man's gun, yanked it out of his grasp and kicked him away.
Without missing a beat, Alexis pressed the trigger and swung the gun around in an arc. She didn't spend time on aiming as there were so many enemies around her, her bullets were bound to hit something. She watched as the muzzle flared in repeated bursts and saw both humans and machines fall down with each flash of light.
Then, she heard another noise and stopped firing. She quickly leapt away to avoid a pair of Siren bombers that covered the area she was just in with several explosions.
She took a moment to draw her breath. She was about to resume her attack once again but her left arm and leg were caught by something. Alexis could not react in time and her body was mercilessly rammed into the ground a couple of times.
Alexis coughed a little but could feel her strength returning. She came out of the small crater she made and didn't seem at all surprised to see a very angry Blake and Marie staring at her.
"You…" hissed Marie "you filthy traitor."
But Alexis did not respond. All she did was analyse her surroundings. On one side were the Siren ships, then there were the human and Hybrids, and lastly was Blake and Marie.
She had succeeded in managing to gain the enemy's attention. That was good. The only problem was now, she had to hold their attention.
'Dad,' she said in her mind 'please give me the strength to carry on.'
