~~ Sunday ~~
When the door slid open, he just stood there looking at her, trying not to do what he'd been wanting to since last night -- what he had dreamed about all night long, much to his aggravation. Seeing her standing there in a pair of dark gray leggings, black v-necked shirt and dark gray cardigan that fell to mid-thigh caused far more of a reaction than he thought it should. He was on the verge of doing something foolish, like caressing her cheek, when she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the apartment.
"Jeeze Dare, do I have a fish on my head or something?" Alyx shut and locked the door with her mind while she steered him further into her apartment. "What?" she said to his still apparently stunned form.
"Ummm, nothing really. I... still cold?" He slid off the jacket he was wearing and tossed it on one of the coat hooks mounted in the wall next to the door. He pushed up the sleeves of his sweater and followed her into the kitchen where she was preparing something. Looking over the amount of food, he was impressed. "You expecting an army?"
Alyx laughed. "No. I... well, I can only work out for so many hours, and I like to cook." She watched him head to the fridge and pull out a beer, which he opened with a casual twist of his wrist. "So, explain the staring bit at the door."
Darien tipped the bottle back and swallowed a large gulp of the liquid. He wasn't quite sure what to say, how to explain and was pretty sure she didn't want to hear the truth.
"What? My clothes not meet your lofty standards? Oh, I know, you'd prefer if I'd answered the door wearing Mr. Bubble and nothing else." She glanced over her shoulder as she spoke, smiling at him. His face had gone tight. "Oh...."
"Maybe I should go. This was not a good idea." He didn't move, though, wanted to hear what she thought about the situation.
She had turned away, looking down at the sliced vegetables on the cutting board. "Stay, please... I need the company." Her shoulders slumped and her eyes closed. Her night had been anything but peaceful. She had done exactly what she'd told Darien she would: soaked a while longer, meditated, gone to sleep. Only to wake up just over an hour later, trying not to scream in reaction to the nightmare. Three more times she'd tried and three more times she'd been awoken by some horror, some dark part of her past that the day's discussion with Claire had drawn near to the surface. They lay in wait for her to be unawares, vulnerable to burst out and grab hold of her mind and make her relive things better left drowned in their watery grave.
It didn't take much for Darien to figure out something was wrong, and he caved, knowing that he was one of the few, perhaps the only person she could talk to about some things. "Sure." He set down the bottle and moved behind her, setting one hand on a shoulder. He could feel how chilled she was even through the clothes. "Crap, Alyx, thought you'd gotten better? You're doing the ice cube thing again."
"I'm fine. Didn't get enough sleep is all." She turned slightly and looked up at him. "Forgot to eat as well."
"Silly. What can I help with?" His hand slid about her neck and drew her back against him, hoping to warm her.
"Nothing really. These veggies were the last thing. Just need to store them." She leaned back into his warmth with a grateful sigh. "Are you mad at me?" she asked softly as she got back to work slicing the last few mushrooms.
"I'm not sure what I am." He released her and moved back over to get his beer. He came to rest leaning against the counter beside her, the bottle rolling between his hands. "I don't want to push you into anything, or away, but it's hard to ... to talk like we did last night and know that's all it is -- talk."
Alyx set the knife down, finished with the cutting, and began to pack the vegetables in bags for storage. Grab a few bags and she could toss together a quick stir-fry on those busy days she knew would happen during the week. "Darien, I tried, just like I agreed, but I can't. I... just can't." She could feel his reaction, his unhappiness, his anger even. "Look, I offered to have the 'Fish split us up, but both you and Bobby insisted that you wanted me here, working with you. What more do you want?"
"I want this." He leaned in and kissed her, his free hand coming up to trace circles on the back of her neck. His tongue found its way into her mouth and met hers, making her groan in reaction and relax in his hold. Until the gland decided to join the party, much to his dismay. "Crap," he muttered, pulling away from her.
"Dare?" Alyx asked, not sure what the problem was now. She hadn't wanted him to stop, her resolve nearly melting away at his gentle touch. 'That's the way it started, remember?' a tiny, obnoxious part of her mind asked. 'Have you failed to learn anything?'
"Sorry, I ..." Darien hated this part of having the gland. "The adrenaline and all."
Alyx knew exactly what the problem was. "Ah yes, the gland wants to play?"
Darien actually laughed. "Oh, yes." He caught the look in her eyes. "Not gonna happen, is it?"
"Nope," she replied with a grin. One hand was still moving randomly across his stomach, she could feel the muscles twitching in reaction. "I need a friend more than a lover right now, and I think we could have a very good friendship given some time."
His hand moved to capture hers and still its movement. For an instant he got a surge of emotions from her, but she got it under control quickly, leaving him with only vague impressions he wasn't quite sure the meaning of.
"You and Bobby are having enough problems over me. I won't add to that if I can help it, but I..." Alyx stopped, unable to find the words she needed.
"Bobby and I will work out our problems. You try not to worry about it." When it appeared she didn't believe him, his tone became a bit more insistent. "Trust me, Bobby and I will figure out something. Even if it means I get yelled at every time I stay for a sleepover." He was grinning, hoping to get her to smile by reminding her of some of the silliness they had shared, but she froze, looking both sad and scared.
"That's just it, Darien -- I don't trust. Anyone. And I may never be able to again."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-- Monday --
I'm sitting down here in the Keep -- the Keep, I'm still not sure when that appellation invaded and stayed. It's even to the point that I rarely remember to call this place Lab 101 anymore. It has become the Keep.
I have to wonder if any of them realize how very accurate that term is. With all the myriad definitions of 'keep', there is one that fits quite well. Though the nickname may have come about as no more than a shortening of my title -- the Keeper. Given Darien's intense dislike for anything that reminds him of his situation as a lab rat, I can see him doing exactly that. He hates lab rat references with a passion, even though he tends to make the majority of them. Mainly complaints about being one.
I still have to wonder if they realize how very apropos the name is.
Silly of me. I am quite certain Alyx knows -- she's called it the Keep from nearly day one -- and Bobby may know simply because of his military background. Most every castle has a keep, and this one is the Agency's. Where I keep and protect their most valuable asset -- Darien Fawkes.
It dawns on me that the name may have stuck because that's how he sees this dark, poorly lit room: as one of the few places he feels safe and protected.
I turn back to the notebook on the lab bench before me, the one Alyx dropped off this morning before heading out to do whatever it is the Official has her doing today. Finishing up that class, I think, though I'm far from sure. Unlike with Darien, the Official rarely fills me in on what Alyx is doing. With her I don't need to worry about having counteragent ready for her return. With Alyx, it's more likely to be an ice pack for new bruises, or maybe her pain meds for another overuse headache.
The papers before me suggest a bold plan that I had never even contemplated: an inhibitor to slow the excess production of quicksilver from the gland. To delay the madness and reduce the risk of counteragent tolerance by lessening the need for counteragent shots. If I'm reading this correctly, it could potentially be very useful. Having only two segments green would not be the danger it is now, and it might even eliminate the chances of Darien going into quicksilver madness.
It's not that an inhibitor hasn't been considered for the gland. In fact, there is one Kevin designed, to shut off the gland completely for a short time to allow tests to be run, but I have yet to use it. That particular inhibitor was created for the original gland and did not account for the modifications Arnaud had made. I had spent most of the last year running tests to discover if the shut-down protocol would even work. What Alyx is suggesting is radically different.
While part of me wants to berate myself for not seeing this solution, the rest is examining the possibilities this holds for Darien.
It is obvious Alyx has had some scientific training. Her presentation style is typical for that of a research scientist and is impeccable. Some of her facts are incorrect, but she has made notes to that effect where she knew her information was lacking. She is close, though, so very close. She has very nearly reconstructed several very complex formulas, with little or no practical information. I know she's been in the Keep's secure computer system, password or no. It was impossible to keep her out, though it looked like she'd only accessed some basic files on the quicksilver itself and how the gland functioned to come up with this.
Some things even I wasn't entirely sure of, such as the exact changes Arnaud had made to the genetic structure of the gland, as well as the complete breakdown of the counteragent. They were still partial mysteries to me.
But if Alyx's idea were to work, if I could inhibit the quicksilver production without affecting his ability to function -- to turn invisible -- I could stave off the tolerance for... years maybe. I need to discuss this with her. If she is this far along, this knowledgeable of the gland already, then she could easily assist me without the added expense of that assistant I've needed, which the Official has insisted he cannot afford. Not that Darien needs another Keeper -- anything but that -- but her mind is a spectacular creation, almost a living computer, and I would be a fool not to make use of it.
The door to the Keep -- see? -- slides open then, revealing Darien, who is dressed far more humanly than normal. No uniquely decorated shirts or creatively sized pants. Just comfortable jeans and a sweater, appropriate for the weather. It's still unseasonably cool here in San Diego, though it was supposed to warm up by the end of the week.
He looks less than thrilled to be here. No sprightly hello or teasing commentary to accompany his entrance. He just slouches in and over to the exam chair, where he proceeds to slide up his sleeve in preparation for his weekly shot of counteragent.
I close the notebook and place it in one of the secure drawers. I want no chance of this going missing, though I imagine Alyx could rewrite it fairly quickly if I needed her to. Going to the fridge where the counteragent is stored, I pull out the pre-prepared syringe and move to his side where a small tray holds the other items I need. As I wrap the tourniquet about his biceps I ask, "How did everything go Saturday evening?"
When he frowns and all but growls at me, I am more than able to construe things did not go well. I swipe the crook of his elbow with alcohol and glance at the tattoo on the inside of his wrist. He has only two left green instead of the three or four he should be at. That explains the moodiness he is exhibiting -- he is probably nearing stage two -- so I wait to say anything. Right now I need to get the counteragent into him.
Remaining calm, I make sure there is no air in the syringe and inject it into him. He flinches, even though I try to be gentle. So far there has been no major scarring in the tissue over the veins, and I intend to keep it that way, but it still hurts. After so many injections, there is little I can do about it.
Setting the now-empty syringe aside, I watch as the monitor reverses colors, the red turning back to green, and hear Darien sigh beside me. "Should I ask why you were so far ahead on the quicksilver use?"
He holds the cotton ball I've placed over the entry wound and draws his legs up onto the chair. "No, but since you'll bug me till I tell..."
I don't acknowledge this attempt at distraction. When it comes to the quicksilver and the counteragent, I dare not back down. It may mean his life one day, never mind his sanity. "Darien...."
"Unplanned cold spell, okay?"
I nod. Not okay, but not exactly something he can control either. And it's a fair bet I know the cause. "You could have called me. I would have given you the shot a bit early, since you needed it."
He actually looks surprised. "What, no lectures?"
"No Darien, no lectures." I busy myself cleaning up the few items required to give him his shot, but then find myself with no distractions and him waiting for me to say something more. "It was Alyx, correct? Did you...?" I'm not quite willing to ask the question, but he's able to discern my meaning.
"No, nothing like that. We watched some movies yesterday." He's not even close to meeting my eyes and I call him on it.
"Since I highly doubt Alyx would choose movies that could cause an 'unplanned cold spell', I believe there is more you want to tell me." I make sure to keep my voice neutral, non-accusatory, knowing how easily he gets defensive about some subjects. Especially his personal life, or rather his lack of one. I'm surprised when he laughs softly.
"Ah, no. Mel Brooks movies, actually. We talked a bit. She'd had a bad night."
"Did more than talk, I'm betting?" He's relaxed slightly, a bit more at ease discussing this sensitive subject with me since our adventure in the woods.
"Well, yeah. We kissed, and then the good ol' gland made itself known." He runs a hand through his hair and rubs the back of his neck. "Then she told me she didn't trust me. Didn't trust any of us."
"Oh." It's all I can think of to say. I'm somewhat surprised Alyx told him, though it's probably a good thing. She's mentioned her reluctance to get involved with him. She said she'd tried, but was not comfortable, not ready for that type of relationship. Not yet. Not when she couldn't trust. "When did you...?" He interrupts me.
"Start messing around?" he asks, and I nod in response. "Couple weeks after she came back. We... I talked her into it. Into giving me a chance, even though she flat out told me she wasn't ready. I... How can she not trust us?" He sounds exasperated and at the end of his rope.
"Darien, she has her reasons." I move to his side. I have never suggested to either of them that they should get involved. I would have discouraged it, in fact, much as Bobby has, but the Official gave me explicit orders. I am to leave them strictly alone when it comes to the 'company pier,' giving advice if asked, but letting things happen as they will. It looks like at least half of his plotting is working. "Give her some time. How long did it take before you trusted Bobby, or me for that matter?"
I see him tense as if he's about to argue, but then he relaxes completely, tipping his head back against the chair.
"Damn. You're right. I just...sometimes I can't get her out of my mind, you know?"
I know. She's haunted my nights on more than one occasion, though I doubt for the same reasons. "What is it about her? Aside from the similar situation drawing you to her?"
He shakes his head. "It's not easy to explain. It's like...the first time I saw her eyes, looked into them..." He meets my eyes. "It's like I fell, and still haven't hit bottom...like maybe I never will." He slips off the chair and heads towards the door of the Keep.
"Darien, she had a hard life and needs a friend right now. Can you do that for her?" I follow him, hoping to give him some understanding without revealing anything to him.
He pauses as the door slides open. "Yeah, that I can do." Then he's moving down the hallway and the door slides shut, cutting off my view of him. I can only hope Alyx can find some trust in him, in all of us, or it may tear them apart. Darien has been so very lonely for so long, and the fact that he sees something more than just a beautiful woman in Alyx is a good thing. I don't see her as one who has short term flings, especially now.
Bloody hell. I suddenly realize that this must be hurting her, too. With her abilities, she may very well be feeling everything Darien is. It looks like I'm going to have to discuss more than just her past with her. Her present and how she is dealing with it are now necessities as well.
Right now though, I have other things to do, including looking over her notes in more detail.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The door to the Official's office slammed open, to be caught -- almost in the face -- by Eberts, who calmly shut it again. The group in the room very nearly didn't recognize the person who came in due to her current state of dress. Alyx was looking rather windblown and disheveled, her face smudged with dirt. Grass, leaves, and other unidentifiable bits were caught in her hair and clothes. She looked like she'd been crawling through the brush all morning long.
"Could you please explain to me why you first insist I take these damn classes and then yank me out of my field test? Is this your way of getting your rocks off? Screwing with my life and pissing off my instructor?" Alyx crossed the room as she spoke in cold voice. She was beyond angry at the moment.
"Are you done?" the Official asked without even looking up from the report he was looking over and making notes on.
"Let me think about it." She paused, tapping one dirt-encrusted finger on the desktop. "No."
"Kid, just calm down. The Chief must have a reason to pull you in." Hobbes looked over at the Official, hoping he'd back him up, or else Alyx might very well go after him next.
"Everything has been taken care of with regards to the class, Miss Silver. You were needed for a mission that just came up," Eberts explained calmly as he opened the file he now held in his hand.
"So, what is it this time?" Darien asked from where he leaned against the windows. He and Hobbes had been just hanging around the building with little to do all morning, but when they'd finally headed out for lunch and some ... amusements, they'd been called back in. To sit and wait for Alyx to show up. Being stuck in the 'Fish's office for the last hour and a half with less to do than this morning had not been a fun experience, and was one he'd rather not repeat.
"Courier," Eberts answered. "You will be a meeting your contact and accepting the package..."
"What this time?" Alyx asked as she moved over to the nearest chair and sat down. While still irritated at being pulled from her field test, she knew the boss wouldn't have done it if it wasn't important. But it had been her ass getting chewed off by Agent Henderson, and since she'd had no idea what was going on, she had been forced to stand there and listen to it.
"That is need-to-know," Eberts commented, and then he ignored the dramatic sighs that came in stereo from both Darien and Hobbes. "When you receive the package, Miss Silver will act as the courier. The package will be attached to you with a specially designed cuff that can only be removed by your contact at the other end."
"Why the kid?" Hobbes asked out of curiosity.
"Her talents give her the best chance of protecting the contents." The Official looked at them over the top of his glasses.
"What happens if it's removed?" Alyx leaned back in the chair and ran a hand through her hair. When she encountered a stray twig that had become entangled with her curls, she sighed and pulled it out.
"The contents will be vaporized via a small but powerful explosion. That will also occur should your heart rate no longer be registered by the cuff." Eberts saw the looks on all three agents' faces and cringed internally at the shouted reaction he knew was to come. Instead he was greeted by a heavy silence.
"Along with whoever is near this package, I'm betting." Darien looked at Alyx and then Hobbes to gauge their reactions, but neither seemed overly disturbed by this -- literal -- bomb just dropped into their laps.
"Yes. The contents are... volatile, and must not fall into the wrong hands." Eberts tried to explain, surprised that they had maintained an air of cool for a change.
"So if the kid's gonna protect the package, what are we for?" Hobbes asked.
"Your sole purpose is to keep her alive and intact. At any cost." The Official looked at both of the men. "Think you can handle that?"
Darien knew it was him the Official was directing that question at. Bobby would protect her without being told, and would do the same for Darien no questions asked, but apparently the Official was less than sanguine about him doing the same. "Not a prob," Darien answered, pushing off the wall. "Where and when?"
Eberts handed him a slim file. "All the information is in there. Don't be late to either meet."
"Yes, Eberts," Hobbes said sarcastically as he walked over to Darien and looked at the file. "Kid, you have time to clean up before we leave."
"Uh, yeah. Good idea." Alyx got to her feet and headed for the door, trying not to think about what they were heading out to do, or what might be in that package they'd be delivering. "Give me fifteen."
"Sure, kid. Van's around back." Once she had left, he turned to Darien. "Come on, Fawkes." Hobbes took the file from him and together they left the office to head down to the parking lot. "The Keep tells me you were in a bit of a mood this morning."
Darien groaned. "It's none of the Keep's business. Or yours, for that matter." Darien increased his pace, wanting some distance between himself and Hobbes before another lecture began.
"Fawkes, ya gotta leave her alone." Hobbes spoke very softly, which stopped Darien cold. Moving to stand in front of his taller partner, Hobbes met his eyes. "I know what's been going on, Fawkes." He shook his head sadly. "It won't work. You can't force her into trusting or caring."
"Hobbes, you don't understand... Do we have to do this again? I'm really tired of fighting over this, and it's driving her up a wall." Might as well get straight to the point and deal with it, or try to anyway.
"You're serious about this, about her?" Part of Hobbes suspected there was more than just some simple attraction and lust going on with Fawkes, but he'd been hoping like hell he was wrong. Relationships just didn't work between co-workers in this business. Fawkes had been stubborn as hell, though, and pretty much ignored everything he'd said so far.
"I... ah hell, I don't know anymore." He leaned back against the wall and slumped down a bit. "Maybe I'm pushing too hard... and don't you dare mention the 'company pier' thing."
Hobbes grinned. "Nah, not this time." He wagged a finger at Darien. "You gotta stop messing around, though. It'll just screw up your head worse than it is now."
"How, Hobbes? How do you just ignore it?" Darien asked in all seriousness. He'd watched Bobby get more and more moony-eyed over Claire, but, except for the occasional stray display that was obviously more than friendly, he'd kept it all inside. Locked it away and managed to keep it from affecting his routine, for the most part anyway.
Hobbes sighed, unsure how to explain it. "I just do, Fawkes. I draw that line in the sand and don't cross it." Darien looked unconvinced. "Try thinking of her as your kid sister or something."
"Oh, that's perfect. I have no interest in having my dreams warped by that image." Darien almost regretted letting that slip out, but Hobbes only nodded.
"Got it bad, do ya?"
"Yeah." He ran one hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'll deal, somehow." He pushed off the wall and they continued down the hall. "You're wrong about her not caring. She does, too damn much, and I think it scares the hell out of her."
"That's 'cause it does, my friend. And I've wondered why quite a lot recently." Hobbes was still not entirely comfortable with Alyx, still had serious misgivings, especially after his 'talk' with the Official. He wouldn't back down, however. He'd continue the company pier reminders, would try and discourage them from getting together, but it looked to be a losing battle. On Fawkes' side anyway. The 'Fish was a sneaky bastard, and he'd proven it yet again by putting the kid and Fawkes together.
"Are we okay? With Alyx and all? I can't change how I feel about her, any more than you can about Claire." Darien knew they needed to find some sort of middle ground on this, if only for Alyx's sake. He and Hobbes could ignore the issue, but she still picked up on their animosity over it.
"Yeah, so long as you can put up with my reminders. I ain't gonna stop," Hobbes told him in all honesty.
"So long as you can put up with me turning up in her bed on occasion." Darien kept a straight face, made sure to sound completely serious.
"Fawkes, if I find out you've done more than 'sleep' with her, that gland in your head won't be the one you need to worry about losing," Hobbes said in the same tone.
Darien burst out laughing. "That's the little tiger we know and love."
Hobbes snorted as he opened the door and they walked into the parking lot. "And he thinks Bobby Hobbes is joking." Alyx was leaning against the side of the van, looking much more presentable than just a few short minutes ago. "Move it, gland-man. We have places to be and dangerous cargo to move."
They were silent for the first part of the drive to the meet. Alyx had asked for the file and looked over it as she sat on the jump seat between the two of them. The tension of the last several weeks had faded between the two men. She could feel it, and it helped ease her irritation at being yanked out of her test. The Official knew how seriously she took this work, knew that even though she could speed through some of the stuff she was being taught, there were some things only experience could teach her. She may have whipped right through the book-learning portion of the class, but the fieldwork was still necessary.
Closing the file, only slightly more enlightened than before she had read it, seemed to be the cue for talk to begin.
"So, what were you doing this morning? It looked like you'd been crawling around in the brush." Darien asked as she tossed the file in the back of the van.
"That's 'cause I was. I was part of the 'rescue' team in a hostage situation. We were crawling through the underbrush to sneak up on the location. In fact, we were just about to make our move when the 'Fish called. Henderson was pissed. They had to cancel the entire test." Alyx ran her hand through her hair and was thankful to encounter nothing more than the usual snarls her curls inevitably created. "If I don't get my certification, it's his fault."
Darien had to wonder why this was so important to her. It wasn't like she was a willing participant in this life. She'd been dragged into it kicking and screaming, and yet she seemed to have taken to it like a fish to water. Just falling into and doing the work as if she'd been intending to do this stuff since the day she was born.
"Don't worry about it, kid. The chief knows you did fine. You always do." Hobbes turned at the next corner, heading north out of the city to the small park where the first meet was scheduled.
Alyx shrugged. "Like I have any choice. Though I think I understand why Darien was not dumped into the classes now." She turned slightly to look at the man in question and was met by brown eyes laden with confusion.
"And why would that be?" Sheer curiosity on Darien's part.
"I came into this knowing little or nothing. Just the usual crap and misrepresentations one picks up through TV and the daily news. Training me makes sense and may keep my ass, or yours, in one piece. Darien, however, came into this with training of a sort." She paused and grinned. "Who better for undercover work than a cat burglar? Plus, he has insights into situations that those in the biz might not see. Trying to retrain him would lose that benefit and probably confuse the hell out of him."
Hobbes was nodding in agreement. "Like I told ya, apples and oranges."
"Though I still disagree with your lack of self-defense and weapons training." At the look of discomfort on Darien's face, she explained a bit more. "Real self-defense training includes self-discipline techniques that could only be to your benefit and, though I know you dislike using guns, there will be times it becomes necessary. You need to know how to use them correctly."
"She's right, Fawkes. Though the risks with you going wonky are high, I would still prefer it if you could shoot straight when needed." Hobbes glanced at Alyx. "The Chief has ... discouraged me from doing anything."
"I won't tell if you won't. We can handle the self-defense and weapons training. He just needs the basics, and we can go heavy on the self- discipline. Maybe add yoga and some more in-depth meditation techniques. I'm pretty good at biofeedback and system control. I kinda have to be." Alyx rattled all this off quickly and with the tone of one who'd had it drilled into her by force before realizing how useful and necessary it was. "If you're willing, that is?"
Darien thought it was nice of her to ask before they started working up lesson plans, and he was sorely tempted to tell them no, but he also knew they were right. Street fighting didn't always help a lot when someone went all 'Crouching Tiger' on him. "Self-discipline, huh?" Alyx nodded. "Sure, might as well take up another hobby."
"Fawkes, this ain't no hobby. If you can't get serious about this, it won't do you a damn bit of good," Hobbes commented as they pulled onto the highway and hit cruising speed. They'd be at the meet in plenty of time, provided traffic stayed as it was.
"Got it, Hobbesy. I'll have to trust you two know what you're doing." That intentional shot at Alyx was effective and she flinched ever so slightly, though Hobbes didn't notice as he dodged around a creatively driven Taurus.
"Tourists," Hobbes muttered.
Hobbes turned off the van in front of the abandoned building on the water in La Jolla. None of them had any idea why the meet was here, but it wasn't like they had any choice. Alyx shifted the heavy metal briefcase that sat on her lap and tried to resist the urge to scratch at her left wrist. The cuff was irritating the hell out of her. The contacts that allowed it to monitor her vital signs itched, and the small feed of electricity that ran through it was causing an annoying buzz in the back of her mind. There was no way for her to really block it, and she couldn't turn it off without triggering the self-destruct. Darien had wanted to know why the whole self- destruct thing was necessary, and both Hobbes and Alyx had explained that it was necessary. It prevented the bad guys from doing something like cutting off her hand to steal the package. They would need both her -- alive -- and the release code to get at the contents. Darien decided that he hadn't needed to know all that after all, which caused both Hobbes and Alyx to chuckle.
"I don't like it, Hobbes; something feels off." Darien couldn't explain it. Sometimes he just knew when a burglary job was going to go sour, though it hadn't always stopped him. Which explained his occasional arrests.
"Mmmm, maybe. You follow her in and I'll cover the exit. Did you get your tank topped off this morning?" Hobbes was looking over the area with a pair of binoculars, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Just the usual collection of people and cars one would expect in this slightly run-down business district. At a guess, the place had been a motel at one time, but newer, better, and cheaper places had put it under.
"I'm good to go," Darien answered.
"Follow the directions to the letter, kid," Hobbes reminded her.
"Yeah, and keep my eyes open." She tipped her head to the side and then shook it. Much like Darien, she felt something was off, but couldn't see what and wasn't willing to lower her shields and risk a major headache to just find out. Once inside, she'd know if there was more going on than appeared from down here.
Opening the side door, she slipped out into the bright sunshine and headed around the side of the building with Darien shadowing her invisibly. *Once we're inside, kinda hang back.*
*Sure. Why?* Darien was right behind her as she opened the side entrance that led into what used to be the back offices for this place. Following the directions, they headed for the back stairwell and up towards the third floor.
*Just a feeling,* Alyx answered, still not sure what she was picking up and afraid it might be nothing more than Darien's own dislike of the situation. Opening the door to the floor, she stepped out into the open expanse while Darien stayed near the door itself. Most of the interior walls had been knocked out, leaving just the supporting posts and the occasional section of solid brick wall, almost as if a major renovation had been going on before the place had closed down. There was heavy layer of dust over most everything, though it had been obviously disturbed recently, and the dim light that entered through the filthy windows did nothing to improve the looks of the place.
Stepping further into the room as the directions had said to, she sensed not one, but several people nearby. She opened her shields slightly and probed at those she sensed. *Crap, our contact is dead and we have unfriendlies,* Alyx sent to both Hobbes and Darien.
Those very same unfriendlies appeared from behind one of those sections of brick wall in the room. Five of them, with weapons drawn. "Stay where you are," one of them ordered.
*Kid, get out of there,* Hobbes' voice shouted at her. She would have loved to comply, but men started getting knocked around by something unseen and they reacted by firing almost at random.
Needing to end this before she or Darien got hurt, she mentally yanked a gun out of one bad guy's hand and proceeded to fire well-placed disabling hits. *Dare, get down!* she shouted mentally, as one more guy stepped out from another section of wall and fired at them.
*I'm clear,* Darien informed her with more than a little fear in his voice. Being invisible did nothing to keep him from being shot by accident.
Alyx took matters into her own hands, so to speak, and slammed the guy into the wall he'd just stepped out from behind and put him out cold. With a little effort, she shifted all the weapons she could find away from the men and left them in a corner of the room for later collection.
That's when the smell hit her. Looking down, she noticed the three holes in the supposedly bulletproof case and the odd amber liquid that was not only dripping down the side of the metal case, but that had also splashed her pant leg as the bullet had winged its way by.
"Oh, shit," she muttered.
"What?" Darien asked at the sound of utter dread in her voice. He moved over to her now that all the excitement was over.
"Stay back, Darien!" she shouted at him, but it was too late; he let the quicksilver fall away and appeared next to her. "Idiot," she snapped. *Bobby, we have a problem.*
*What kind of problem?* He had heard the gunshots and been headed towards their location to help, but her words stopped him.
*The package has been damaged and we've been contaminated. Do not come in here. Just call for help.* Alyx explained as calmly as she could. The rush of emotions that came off of Hobbes was quite impressive. Everything from anger to fear -- for herself and for Darien. *I'll keep the bad guys here as well. Hurry Bobby.*
*Yeah, kid. I'm calling the boss now.* It was obvious he was distracted.
"What's going on Alyx?" Darien asked as he set a hand on her shoulder.
She sank to the floor with a sigh. "Well, we've just been exposed to whatever was inside this case. And it's a good bet it was nothing friendly."
Darien felt the blood drain from his face. "Oh, crap."
"Tell me about it," Alyx agreed and then had to shove one of the bad guys back onto the ground as he attempted to get up and sneak away.
When the door slid open, he just stood there looking at her, trying not to do what he'd been wanting to since last night -- what he had dreamed about all night long, much to his aggravation. Seeing her standing there in a pair of dark gray leggings, black v-necked shirt and dark gray cardigan that fell to mid-thigh caused far more of a reaction than he thought it should. He was on the verge of doing something foolish, like caressing her cheek, when she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the apartment.
"Jeeze Dare, do I have a fish on my head or something?" Alyx shut and locked the door with her mind while she steered him further into her apartment. "What?" she said to his still apparently stunned form.
"Ummm, nothing really. I... still cold?" He slid off the jacket he was wearing and tossed it on one of the coat hooks mounted in the wall next to the door. He pushed up the sleeves of his sweater and followed her into the kitchen where she was preparing something. Looking over the amount of food, he was impressed. "You expecting an army?"
Alyx laughed. "No. I... well, I can only work out for so many hours, and I like to cook." She watched him head to the fridge and pull out a beer, which he opened with a casual twist of his wrist. "So, explain the staring bit at the door."
Darien tipped the bottle back and swallowed a large gulp of the liquid. He wasn't quite sure what to say, how to explain and was pretty sure she didn't want to hear the truth.
"What? My clothes not meet your lofty standards? Oh, I know, you'd prefer if I'd answered the door wearing Mr. Bubble and nothing else." She glanced over her shoulder as she spoke, smiling at him. His face had gone tight. "Oh...."
"Maybe I should go. This was not a good idea." He didn't move, though, wanted to hear what she thought about the situation.
She had turned away, looking down at the sliced vegetables on the cutting board. "Stay, please... I need the company." Her shoulders slumped and her eyes closed. Her night had been anything but peaceful. She had done exactly what she'd told Darien she would: soaked a while longer, meditated, gone to sleep. Only to wake up just over an hour later, trying not to scream in reaction to the nightmare. Three more times she'd tried and three more times she'd been awoken by some horror, some dark part of her past that the day's discussion with Claire had drawn near to the surface. They lay in wait for her to be unawares, vulnerable to burst out and grab hold of her mind and make her relive things better left drowned in their watery grave.
It didn't take much for Darien to figure out something was wrong, and he caved, knowing that he was one of the few, perhaps the only person she could talk to about some things. "Sure." He set down the bottle and moved behind her, setting one hand on a shoulder. He could feel how chilled she was even through the clothes. "Crap, Alyx, thought you'd gotten better? You're doing the ice cube thing again."
"I'm fine. Didn't get enough sleep is all." She turned slightly and looked up at him. "Forgot to eat as well."
"Silly. What can I help with?" His hand slid about her neck and drew her back against him, hoping to warm her.
"Nothing really. These veggies were the last thing. Just need to store them." She leaned back into his warmth with a grateful sigh. "Are you mad at me?" she asked softly as she got back to work slicing the last few mushrooms.
"I'm not sure what I am." He released her and moved back over to get his beer. He came to rest leaning against the counter beside her, the bottle rolling between his hands. "I don't want to push you into anything, or away, but it's hard to ... to talk like we did last night and know that's all it is -- talk."
Alyx set the knife down, finished with the cutting, and began to pack the vegetables in bags for storage. Grab a few bags and she could toss together a quick stir-fry on those busy days she knew would happen during the week. "Darien, I tried, just like I agreed, but I can't. I... just can't." She could feel his reaction, his unhappiness, his anger even. "Look, I offered to have the 'Fish split us up, but both you and Bobby insisted that you wanted me here, working with you. What more do you want?"
"I want this." He leaned in and kissed her, his free hand coming up to trace circles on the back of her neck. His tongue found its way into her mouth and met hers, making her groan in reaction and relax in his hold. Until the gland decided to join the party, much to his dismay. "Crap," he muttered, pulling away from her.
"Dare?" Alyx asked, not sure what the problem was now. She hadn't wanted him to stop, her resolve nearly melting away at his gentle touch. 'That's the way it started, remember?' a tiny, obnoxious part of her mind asked. 'Have you failed to learn anything?'
"Sorry, I ..." Darien hated this part of having the gland. "The adrenaline and all."
Alyx knew exactly what the problem was. "Ah yes, the gland wants to play?"
Darien actually laughed. "Oh, yes." He caught the look in her eyes. "Not gonna happen, is it?"
"Nope," she replied with a grin. One hand was still moving randomly across his stomach, she could feel the muscles twitching in reaction. "I need a friend more than a lover right now, and I think we could have a very good friendship given some time."
His hand moved to capture hers and still its movement. For an instant he got a surge of emotions from her, but she got it under control quickly, leaving him with only vague impressions he wasn't quite sure the meaning of.
"You and Bobby are having enough problems over me. I won't add to that if I can help it, but I..." Alyx stopped, unable to find the words she needed.
"Bobby and I will work out our problems. You try not to worry about it." When it appeared she didn't believe him, his tone became a bit more insistent. "Trust me, Bobby and I will figure out something. Even if it means I get yelled at every time I stay for a sleepover." He was grinning, hoping to get her to smile by reminding her of some of the silliness they had shared, but she froze, looking both sad and scared.
"That's just it, Darien -- I don't trust. Anyone. And I may never be able to again."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-- Monday --
I'm sitting down here in the Keep -- the Keep, I'm still not sure when that appellation invaded and stayed. It's even to the point that I rarely remember to call this place Lab 101 anymore. It has become the Keep.
I have to wonder if any of them realize how very accurate that term is. With all the myriad definitions of 'keep', there is one that fits quite well. Though the nickname may have come about as no more than a shortening of my title -- the Keeper. Given Darien's intense dislike for anything that reminds him of his situation as a lab rat, I can see him doing exactly that. He hates lab rat references with a passion, even though he tends to make the majority of them. Mainly complaints about being one.
I still have to wonder if they realize how very apropos the name is.
Silly of me. I am quite certain Alyx knows -- she's called it the Keep from nearly day one -- and Bobby may know simply because of his military background. Most every castle has a keep, and this one is the Agency's. Where I keep and protect their most valuable asset -- Darien Fawkes.
It dawns on me that the name may have stuck because that's how he sees this dark, poorly lit room: as one of the few places he feels safe and protected.
I turn back to the notebook on the lab bench before me, the one Alyx dropped off this morning before heading out to do whatever it is the Official has her doing today. Finishing up that class, I think, though I'm far from sure. Unlike with Darien, the Official rarely fills me in on what Alyx is doing. With her I don't need to worry about having counteragent ready for her return. With Alyx, it's more likely to be an ice pack for new bruises, or maybe her pain meds for another overuse headache.
The papers before me suggest a bold plan that I had never even contemplated: an inhibitor to slow the excess production of quicksilver from the gland. To delay the madness and reduce the risk of counteragent tolerance by lessening the need for counteragent shots. If I'm reading this correctly, it could potentially be very useful. Having only two segments green would not be the danger it is now, and it might even eliminate the chances of Darien going into quicksilver madness.
It's not that an inhibitor hasn't been considered for the gland. In fact, there is one Kevin designed, to shut off the gland completely for a short time to allow tests to be run, but I have yet to use it. That particular inhibitor was created for the original gland and did not account for the modifications Arnaud had made. I had spent most of the last year running tests to discover if the shut-down protocol would even work. What Alyx is suggesting is radically different.
While part of me wants to berate myself for not seeing this solution, the rest is examining the possibilities this holds for Darien.
It is obvious Alyx has had some scientific training. Her presentation style is typical for that of a research scientist and is impeccable. Some of her facts are incorrect, but she has made notes to that effect where she knew her information was lacking. She is close, though, so very close. She has very nearly reconstructed several very complex formulas, with little or no practical information. I know she's been in the Keep's secure computer system, password or no. It was impossible to keep her out, though it looked like she'd only accessed some basic files on the quicksilver itself and how the gland functioned to come up with this.
Some things even I wasn't entirely sure of, such as the exact changes Arnaud had made to the genetic structure of the gland, as well as the complete breakdown of the counteragent. They were still partial mysteries to me.
But if Alyx's idea were to work, if I could inhibit the quicksilver production without affecting his ability to function -- to turn invisible -- I could stave off the tolerance for... years maybe. I need to discuss this with her. If she is this far along, this knowledgeable of the gland already, then she could easily assist me without the added expense of that assistant I've needed, which the Official has insisted he cannot afford. Not that Darien needs another Keeper -- anything but that -- but her mind is a spectacular creation, almost a living computer, and I would be a fool not to make use of it.
The door to the Keep -- see? -- slides open then, revealing Darien, who is dressed far more humanly than normal. No uniquely decorated shirts or creatively sized pants. Just comfortable jeans and a sweater, appropriate for the weather. It's still unseasonably cool here in San Diego, though it was supposed to warm up by the end of the week.
He looks less than thrilled to be here. No sprightly hello or teasing commentary to accompany his entrance. He just slouches in and over to the exam chair, where he proceeds to slide up his sleeve in preparation for his weekly shot of counteragent.
I close the notebook and place it in one of the secure drawers. I want no chance of this going missing, though I imagine Alyx could rewrite it fairly quickly if I needed her to. Going to the fridge where the counteragent is stored, I pull out the pre-prepared syringe and move to his side where a small tray holds the other items I need. As I wrap the tourniquet about his biceps I ask, "How did everything go Saturday evening?"
When he frowns and all but growls at me, I am more than able to construe things did not go well. I swipe the crook of his elbow with alcohol and glance at the tattoo on the inside of his wrist. He has only two left green instead of the three or four he should be at. That explains the moodiness he is exhibiting -- he is probably nearing stage two -- so I wait to say anything. Right now I need to get the counteragent into him.
Remaining calm, I make sure there is no air in the syringe and inject it into him. He flinches, even though I try to be gentle. So far there has been no major scarring in the tissue over the veins, and I intend to keep it that way, but it still hurts. After so many injections, there is little I can do about it.
Setting the now-empty syringe aside, I watch as the monitor reverses colors, the red turning back to green, and hear Darien sigh beside me. "Should I ask why you were so far ahead on the quicksilver use?"
He holds the cotton ball I've placed over the entry wound and draws his legs up onto the chair. "No, but since you'll bug me till I tell..."
I don't acknowledge this attempt at distraction. When it comes to the quicksilver and the counteragent, I dare not back down. It may mean his life one day, never mind his sanity. "Darien...."
"Unplanned cold spell, okay?"
I nod. Not okay, but not exactly something he can control either. And it's a fair bet I know the cause. "You could have called me. I would have given you the shot a bit early, since you needed it."
He actually looks surprised. "What, no lectures?"
"No Darien, no lectures." I busy myself cleaning up the few items required to give him his shot, but then find myself with no distractions and him waiting for me to say something more. "It was Alyx, correct? Did you...?" I'm not quite willing to ask the question, but he's able to discern my meaning.
"No, nothing like that. We watched some movies yesterday." He's not even close to meeting my eyes and I call him on it.
"Since I highly doubt Alyx would choose movies that could cause an 'unplanned cold spell', I believe there is more you want to tell me." I make sure to keep my voice neutral, non-accusatory, knowing how easily he gets defensive about some subjects. Especially his personal life, or rather his lack of one. I'm surprised when he laughs softly.
"Ah, no. Mel Brooks movies, actually. We talked a bit. She'd had a bad night."
"Did more than talk, I'm betting?" He's relaxed slightly, a bit more at ease discussing this sensitive subject with me since our adventure in the woods.
"Well, yeah. We kissed, and then the good ol' gland made itself known." He runs a hand through his hair and rubs the back of his neck. "Then she told me she didn't trust me. Didn't trust any of us."
"Oh." It's all I can think of to say. I'm somewhat surprised Alyx told him, though it's probably a good thing. She's mentioned her reluctance to get involved with him. She said she'd tried, but was not comfortable, not ready for that type of relationship. Not yet. Not when she couldn't trust. "When did you...?" He interrupts me.
"Start messing around?" he asks, and I nod in response. "Couple weeks after she came back. We... I talked her into it. Into giving me a chance, even though she flat out told me she wasn't ready. I... How can she not trust us?" He sounds exasperated and at the end of his rope.
"Darien, she has her reasons." I move to his side. I have never suggested to either of them that they should get involved. I would have discouraged it, in fact, much as Bobby has, but the Official gave me explicit orders. I am to leave them strictly alone when it comes to the 'company pier,' giving advice if asked, but letting things happen as they will. It looks like at least half of his plotting is working. "Give her some time. How long did it take before you trusted Bobby, or me for that matter?"
I see him tense as if he's about to argue, but then he relaxes completely, tipping his head back against the chair.
"Damn. You're right. I just...sometimes I can't get her out of my mind, you know?"
I know. She's haunted my nights on more than one occasion, though I doubt for the same reasons. "What is it about her? Aside from the similar situation drawing you to her?"
He shakes his head. "It's not easy to explain. It's like...the first time I saw her eyes, looked into them..." He meets my eyes. "It's like I fell, and still haven't hit bottom...like maybe I never will." He slips off the chair and heads towards the door of the Keep.
"Darien, she had a hard life and needs a friend right now. Can you do that for her?" I follow him, hoping to give him some understanding without revealing anything to him.
He pauses as the door slides open. "Yeah, that I can do." Then he's moving down the hallway and the door slides shut, cutting off my view of him. I can only hope Alyx can find some trust in him, in all of us, or it may tear them apart. Darien has been so very lonely for so long, and the fact that he sees something more than just a beautiful woman in Alyx is a good thing. I don't see her as one who has short term flings, especially now.
Bloody hell. I suddenly realize that this must be hurting her, too. With her abilities, she may very well be feeling everything Darien is. It looks like I'm going to have to discuss more than just her past with her. Her present and how she is dealing with it are now necessities as well.
Right now though, I have other things to do, including looking over her notes in more detail.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The door to the Official's office slammed open, to be caught -- almost in the face -- by Eberts, who calmly shut it again. The group in the room very nearly didn't recognize the person who came in due to her current state of dress. Alyx was looking rather windblown and disheveled, her face smudged with dirt. Grass, leaves, and other unidentifiable bits were caught in her hair and clothes. She looked like she'd been crawling through the brush all morning long.
"Could you please explain to me why you first insist I take these damn classes and then yank me out of my field test? Is this your way of getting your rocks off? Screwing with my life and pissing off my instructor?" Alyx crossed the room as she spoke in cold voice. She was beyond angry at the moment.
"Are you done?" the Official asked without even looking up from the report he was looking over and making notes on.
"Let me think about it." She paused, tapping one dirt-encrusted finger on the desktop. "No."
"Kid, just calm down. The Chief must have a reason to pull you in." Hobbes looked over at the Official, hoping he'd back him up, or else Alyx might very well go after him next.
"Everything has been taken care of with regards to the class, Miss Silver. You were needed for a mission that just came up," Eberts explained calmly as he opened the file he now held in his hand.
"So, what is it this time?" Darien asked from where he leaned against the windows. He and Hobbes had been just hanging around the building with little to do all morning, but when they'd finally headed out for lunch and some ... amusements, they'd been called back in. To sit and wait for Alyx to show up. Being stuck in the 'Fish's office for the last hour and a half with less to do than this morning had not been a fun experience, and was one he'd rather not repeat.
"Courier," Eberts answered. "You will be a meeting your contact and accepting the package..."
"What this time?" Alyx asked as she moved over to the nearest chair and sat down. While still irritated at being pulled from her field test, she knew the boss wouldn't have done it if it wasn't important. But it had been her ass getting chewed off by Agent Henderson, and since she'd had no idea what was going on, she had been forced to stand there and listen to it.
"That is need-to-know," Eberts commented, and then he ignored the dramatic sighs that came in stereo from both Darien and Hobbes. "When you receive the package, Miss Silver will act as the courier. The package will be attached to you with a specially designed cuff that can only be removed by your contact at the other end."
"Why the kid?" Hobbes asked out of curiosity.
"Her talents give her the best chance of protecting the contents." The Official looked at them over the top of his glasses.
"What happens if it's removed?" Alyx leaned back in the chair and ran a hand through her hair. When she encountered a stray twig that had become entangled with her curls, she sighed and pulled it out.
"The contents will be vaporized via a small but powerful explosion. That will also occur should your heart rate no longer be registered by the cuff." Eberts saw the looks on all three agents' faces and cringed internally at the shouted reaction he knew was to come. Instead he was greeted by a heavy silence.
"Along with whoever is near this package, I'm betting." Darien looked at Alyx and then Hobbes to gauge their reactions, but neither seemed overly disturbed by this -- literal -- bomb just dropped into their laps.
"Yes. The contents are... volatile, and must not fall into the wrong hands." Eberts tried to explain, surprised that they had maintained an air of cool for a change.
"So if the kid's gonna protect the package, what are we for?" Hobbes asked.
"Your sole purpose is to keep her alive and intact. At any cost." The Official looked at both of the men. "Think you can handle that?"
Darien knew it was him the Official was directing that question at. Bobby would protect her without being told, and would do the same for Darien no questions asked, but apparently the Official was less than sanguine about him doing the same. "Not a prob," Darien answered, pushing off the wall. "Where and when?"
Eberts handed him a slim file. "All the information is in there. Don't be late to either meet."
"Yes, Eberts," Hobbes said sarcastically as he walked over to Darien and looked at the file. "Kid, you have time to clean up before we leave."
"Uh, yeah. Good idea." Alyx got to her feet and headed for the door, trying not to think about what they were heading out to do, or what might be in that package they'd be delivering. "Give me fifteen."
"Sure, kid. Van's around back." Once she had left, he turned to Darien. "Come on, Fawkes." Hobbes took the file from him and together they left the office to head down to the parking lot. "The Keep tells me you were in a bit of a mood this morning."
Darien groaned. "It's none of the Keep's business. Or yours, for that matter." Darien increased his pace, wanting some distance between himself and Hobbes before another lecture began.
"Fawkes, ya gotta leave her alone." Hobbes spoke very softly, which stopped Darien cold. Moving to stand in front of his taller partner, Hobbes met his eyes. "I know what's been going on, Fawkes." He shook his head sadly. "It won't work. You can't force her into trusting or caring."
"Hobbes, you don't understand... Do we have to do this again? I'm really tired of fighting over this, and it's driving her up a wall." Might as well get straight to the point and deal with it, or try to anyway.
"You're serious about this, about her?" Part of Hobbes suspected there was more than just some simple attraction and lust going on with Fawkes, but he'd been hoping like hell he was wrong. Relationships just didn't work between co-workers in this business. Fawkes had been stubborn as hell, though, and pretty much ignored everything he'd said so far.
"I... ah hell, I don't know anymore." He leaned back against the wall and slumped down a bit. "Maybe I'm pushing too hard... and don't you dare mention the 'company pier' thing."
Hobbes grinned. "Nah, not this time." He wagged a finger at Darien. "You gotta stop messing around, though. It'll just screw up your head worse than it is now."
"How, Hobbes? How do you just ignore it?" Darien asked in all seriousness. He'd watched Bobby get more and more moony-eyed over Claire, but, except for the occasional stray display that was obviously more than friendly, he'd kept it all inside. Locked it away and managed to keep it from affecting his routine, for the most part anyway.
Hobbes sighed, unsure how to explain it. "I just do, Fawkes. I draw that line in the sand and don't cross it." Darien looked unconvinced. "Try thinking of her as your kid sister or something."
"Oh, that's perfect. I have no interest in having my dreams warped by that image." Darien almost regretted letting that slip out, but Hobbes only nodded.
"Got it bad, do ya?"
"Yeah." He ran one hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'll deal, somehow." He pushed off the wall and they continued down the hall. "You're wrong about her not caring. She does, too damn much, and I think it scares the hell out of her."
"That's 'cause it does, my friend. And I've wondered why quite a lot recently." Hobbes was still not entirely comfortable with Alyx, still had serious misgivings, especially after his 'talk' with the Official. He wouldn't back down, however. He'd continue the company pier reminders, would try and discourage them from getting together, but it looked to be a losing battle. On Fawkes' side anyway. The 'Fish was a sneaky bastard, and he'd proven it yet again by putting the kid and Fawkes together.
"Are we okay? With Alyx and all? I can't change how I feel about her, any more than you can about Claire." Darien knew they needed to find some sort of middle ground on this, if only for Alyx's sake. He and Hobbes could ignore the issue, but she still picked up on their animosity over it.
"Yeah, so long as you can put up with my reminders. I ain't gonna stop," Hobbes told him in all honesty.
"So long as you can put up with me turning up in her bed on occasion." Darien kept a straight face, made sure to sound completely serious.
"Fawkes, if I find out you've done more than 'sleep' with her, that gland in your head won't be the one you need to worry about losing," Hobbes said in the same tone.
Darien burst out laughing. "That's the little tiger we know and love."
Hobbes snorted as he opened the door and they walked into the parking lot. "And he thinks Bobby Hobbes is joking." Alyx was leaning against the side of the van, looking much more presentable than just a few short minutes ago. "Move it, gland-man. We have places to be and dangerous cargo to move."
They were silent for the first part of the drive to the meet. Alyx had asked for the file and looked over it as she sat on the jump seat between the two of them. The tension of the last several weeks had faded between the two men. She could feel it, and it helped ease her irritation at being yanked out of her test. The Official knew how seriously she took this work, knew that even though she could speed through some of the stuff she was being taught, there were some things only experience could teach her. She may have whipped right through the book-learning portion of the class, but the fieldwork was still necessary.
Closing the file, only slightly more enlightened than before she had read it, seemed to be the cue for talk to begin.
"So, what were you doing this morning? It looked like you'd been crawling around in the brush." Darien asked as she tossed the file in the back of the van.
"That's 'cause I was. I was part of the 'rescue' team in a hostage situation. We were crawling through the underbrush to sneak up on the location. In fact, we were just about to make our move when the 'Fish called. Henderson was pissed. They had to cancel the entire test." Alyx ran her hand through her hair and was thankful to encounter nothing more than the usual snarls her curls inevitably created. "If I don't get my certification, it's his fault."
Darien had to wonder why this was so important to her. It wasn't like she was a willing participant in this life. She'd been dragged into it kicking and screaming, and yet she seemed to have taken to it like a fish to water. Just falling into and doing the work as if she'd been intending to do this stuff since the day she was born.
"Don't worry about it, kid. The chief knows you did fine. You always do." Hobbes turned at the next corner, heading north out of the city to the small park where the first meet was scheduled.
Alyx shrugged. "Like I have any choice. Though I think I understand why Darien was not dumped into the classes now." She turned slightly to look at the man in question and was met by brown eyes laden with confusion.
"And why would that be?" Sheer curiosity on Darien's part.
"I came into this knowing little or nothing. Just the usual crap and misrepresentations one picks up through TV and the daily news. Training me makes sense and may keep my ass, or yours, in one piece. Darien, however, came into this with training of a sort." She paused and grinned. "Who better for undercover work than a cat burglar? Plus, he has insights into situations that those in the biz might not see. Trying to retrain him would lose that benefit and probably confuse the hell out of him."
Hobbes was nodding in agreement. "Like I told ya, apples and oranges."
"Though I still disagree with your lack of self-defense and weapons training." At the look of discomfort on Darien's face, she explained a bit more. "Real self-defense training includes self-discipline techniques that could only be to your benefit and, though I know you dislike using guns, there will be times it becomes necessary. You need to know how to use them correctly."
"She's right, Fawkes. Though the risks with you going wonky are high, I would still prefer it if you could shoot straight when needed." Hobbes glanced at Alyx. "The Chief has ... discouraged me from doing anything."
"I won't tell if you won't. We can handle the self-defense and weapons training. He just needs the basics, and we can go heavy on the self- discipline. Maybe add yoga and some more in-depth meditation techniques. I'm pretty good at biofeedback and system control. I kinda have to be." Alyx rattled all this off quickly and with the tone of one who'd had it drilled into her by force before realizing how useful and necessary it was. "If you're willing, that is?"
Darien thought it was nice of her to ask before they started working up lesson plans, and he was sorely tempted to tell them no, but he also knew they were right. Street fighting didn't always help a lot when someone went all 'Crouching Tiger' on him. "Self-discipline, huh?" Alyx nodded. "Sure, might as well take up another hobby."
"Fawkes, this ain't no hobby. If you can't get serious about this, it won't do you a damn bit of good," Hobbes commented as they pulled onto the highway and hit cruising speed. They'd be at the meet in plenty of time, provided traffic stayed as it was.
"Got it, Hobbesy. I'll have to trust you two know what you're doing." That intentional shot at Alyx was effective and she flinched ever so slightly, though Hobbes didn't notice as he dodged around a creatively driven Taurus.
"Tourists," Hobbes muttered.
Hobbes turned off the van in front of the abandoned building on the water in La Jolla. None of them had any idea why the meet was here, but it wasn't like they had any choice. Alyx shifted the heavy metal briefcase that sat on her lap and tried to resist the urge to scratch at her left wrist. The cuff was irritating the hell out of her. The contacts that allowed it to monitor her vital signs itched, and the small feed of electricity that ran through it was causing an annoying buzz in the back of her mind. There was no way for her to really block it, and she couldn't turn it off without triggering the self-destruct. Darien had wanted to know why the whole self- destruct thing was necessary, and both Hobbes and Alyx had explained that it was necessary. It prevented the bad guys from doing something like cutting off her hand to steal the package. They would need both her -- alive -- and the release code to get at the contents. Darien decided that he hadn't needed to know all that after all, which caused both Hobbes and Alyx to chuckle.
"I don't like it, Hobbes; something feels off." Darien couldn't explain it. Sometimes he just knew when a burglary job was going to go sour, though it hadn't always stopped him. Which explained his occasional arrests.
"Mmmm, maybe. You follow her in and I'll cover the exit. Did you get your tank topped off this morning?" Hobbes was looking over the area with a pair of binoculars, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Just the usual collection of people and cars one would expect in this slightly run-down business district. At a guess, the place had been a motel at one time, but newer, better, and cheaper places had put it under.
"I'm good to go," Darien answered.
"Follow the directions to the letter, kid," Hobbes reminded her.
"Yeah, and keep my eyes open." She tipped her head to the side and then shook it. Much like Darien, she felt something was off, but couldn't see what and wasn't willing to lower her shields and risk a major headache to just find out. Once inside, she'd know if there was more going on than appeared from down here.
Opening the side door, she slipped out into the bright sunshine and headed around the side of the building with Darien shadowing her invisibly. *Once we're inside, kinda hang back.*
*Sure. Why?* Darien was right behind her as she opened the side entrance that led into what used to be the back offices for this place. Following the directions, they headed for the back stairwell and up towards the third floor.
*Just a feeling,* Alyx answered, still not sure what she was picking up and afraid it might be nothing more than Darien's own dislike of the situation. Opening the door to the floor, she stepped out into the open expanse while Darien stayed near the door itself. Most of the interior walls had been knocked out, leaving just the supporting posts and the occasional section of solid brick wall, almost as if a major renovation had been going on before the place had closed down. There was heavy layer of dust over most everything, though it had been obviously disturbed recently, and the dim light that entered through the filthy windows did nothing to improve the looks of the place.
Stepping further into the room as the directions had said to, she sensed not one, but several people nearby. She opened her shields slightly and probed at those she sensed. *Crap, our contact is dead and we have unfriendlies,* Alyx sent to both Hobbes and Darien.
Those very same unfriendlies appeared from behind one of those sections of brick wall in the room. Five of them, with weapons drawn. "Stay where you are," one of them ordered.
*Kid, get out of there,* Hobbes' voice shouted at her. She would have loved to comply, but men started getting knocked around by something unseen and they reacted by firing almost at random.
Needing to end this before she or Darien got hurt, she mentally yanked a gun out of one bad guy's hand and proceeded to fire well-placed disabling hits. *Dare, get down!* she shouted mentally, as one more guy stepped out from another section of wall and fired at them.
*I'm clear,* Darien informed her with more than a little fear in his voice. Being invisible did nothing to keep him from being shot by accident.
Alyx took matters into her own hands, so to speak, and slammed the guy into the wall he'd just stepped out from behind and put him out cold. With a little effort, she shifted all the weapons she could find away from the men and left them in a corner of the room for later collection.
That's when the smell hit her. Looking down, she noticed the three holes in the supposedly bulletproof case and the odd amber liquid that was not only dripping down the side of the metal case, but that had also splashed her pant leg as the bullet had winged its way by.
"Oh, shit," she muttered.
"What?" Darien asked at the sound of utter dread in her voice. He moved over to her now that all the excitement was over.
"Stay back, Darien!" she shouted at him, but it was too late; he let the quicksilver fall away and appeared next to her. "Idiot," she snapped. *Bobby, we have a problem.*
*What kind of problem?* He had heard the gunshots and been headed towards their location to help, but her words stopped him.
*The package has been damaged and we've been contaminated. Do not come in here. Just call for help.* Alyx explained as calmly as she could. The rush of emotions that came off of Hobbes was quite impressive. Everything from anger to fear -- for herself and for Darien. *I'll keep the bad guys here as well. Hurry Bobby.*
*Yeah, kid. I'm calling the boss now.* It was obvious he was distracted.
"What's going on Alyx?" Darien asked as he set a hand on her shoulder.
She sank to the floor with a sigh. "Well, we've just been exposed to whatever was inside this case. And it's a good bet it was nothing friendly."
Darien felt the blood drain from his face. "Oh, crap."
"Tell me about it," Alyx agreed and then had to shove one of the bad guys back onto the ground as he attempted to get up and sneak away.