Warehouses, Santa Monica Bay, Underground Facility 2:05 PM
When Thrax awoke, he was surprised to find that Draco was no longer next to him. He was so surprised, that he almost fell out of the bed.
"Draco?" He said, looking around the room but she was no where to be found. Thrax was beginning to worry as got out of the bed, walked over to the open slider and left the room. He was relieved when he heard the familiar sound of the shower in the bathroom.
"Draco, you in there baby?" He asked, knocking on the door.
"Yes Thrax, I'm in here." Draco's voice sounded much stronger and less tired.
"You okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine. You okay?"
Thrax smiled and then replied, "Never been better."
"Great."
"Draco, can I ask you something?"
"Shoot."
"Just a few hours you were balancing on the line between life and death but now, you're awake, more energized and taking a shower. What happened?"
Draco laughed.
"Why Flash Fire of course."
"Oh yeah, that stuff, what exactly did it do to you besides re-seal your wound?"
"Flash Fire is a chemically designed healing agent invented by Rip and Spike. As you noticed, it is very painful but once it has been successfully injected into the body, it speeds up the healing process and replenishes some of your energy. We only use it in life or death situations."
Thrax was silent.
"You still out there?"
"Yes. How much energy do you have exactly?"
"Why, what were you thinking?" Draco asked smoothly and slightly seductively.
Thrax only laughed a bit and a wide grin spread across his face.
"Come on in Thrax daddy, I've got just enough energy to read your thoughts and then some."
Thrax turned the knob on the door and opened it just enough for him to slip through. As the door closed, Thrax tossed off his coat.
On the Freeway, 270 miles north of Los Angeles 2:22 PM
They would have reached LA in less than three hours if it hadn't been for the car/tractor trailer accident that had kept the highway clogged up for miles. The traffic was so tightly packed that no vehicle had moved more than 50 feet in the last hour and a half. Sanders' convoy of military canopy trucks couldn't even escape to the freedom of the shoulder because of how tightly packed the cars were.
Dr. Sanders was sitting the back of one of the trucks with Sirus, Osmosis Jones, Drix, The Chief and a few armed soldiers discussing their plan of attack. In the time they had sat there, they really hadn't come up with much. Osmosis, Drix and The Chief all got into an argument over who got the last jelly donut in the box. In the end, they all lost since Sirus decided to end their squabble by eating the last donut himself.
After the donut's consumption, Sirus was assaulted by the three donut craving lunatics whom had to be ripped off him by the armed soldiers in the back of the truck. Currently, the four had not spoken a word to each other since the fight ended.
"I'll get more donuts okay! Would you four please focus!" Dr. Sanders yelled, breaking the silence.
"I would if they would apologize." Sirus said with an arrogant grunt.
"Apologize!" Osmosis screamed. "Why do we have to apologize to you! You're the one who ate the last donut."
"Well you're the ones who assaulted me!" Sirus screamed back, getting up in Ozzie's face.
"Oh yeah! Wanna fight about it you Viral Mother!" Osmosis threatened, getting up in Sirus' face as well.
"Fine, we'll fight. Right here, right now. That is, if you have the cytoplasm to." Sirus said with a devious grin.
"Bring it on!"
"Gentlemen, please!" Sanders said, breaking the pair apart and forcing them to sit back down. "Millions of people's lives are at stake here and you two are quarreling like little three year old children!"
"He does have a point." Drix agreed. "People are counting on us."
"You're right." Sirus said with a sigh. "But that doesn't mean this is over Jones."
"No, it doesn't. I'll take you down later."
"I doubt it."
"You wanna bet!"
"GENTLEMEN! STOP IT THIS INSTANT!" Sanders screamed like an angry parent.
The pair stopped talking and slumped down in their seats.
"Thank you. Now, we need to come up with an idea of what to do to stop Alpha."
"Before we do that Sanders, we need to find them and in order to find them, we have to wait until they make the first move."
"That can't be right. There has to be another way Sirus. We cannot allow other people to perish."
"No, no, Sirus is right. We won't have a clue where they are until the come out from the snake holes they're hiding in." The Chief agreed. "Innocent people may have to die but it is a small price for the lives of millions."
Dr. Sanders sighed, looking a little downcast, but in his mind, he knew there were no other alternatives.
"Alright, but understand that while I am in agreence with you, I do not like it."
"None of us do, especially me but we all know it is the only way to find them." The Chief said.
Sanders shook his head in reply. He knew the risks that he took when he presented Project Black were great and may be rather costly, but he didn't realize until now just how great those risks were until now. He understood that people would most likely die, he just wasn't sure how many. While he was still proud of his accomplishments, he was beginning to realize the consequences of his actions. He was also beginning to have second thoughts on the whole ordeal. In his mind, her kept asking himself whether or not Project Black should have been created in the first place. He presented himself reasons of why he was or would be justified for creating and carrying out the project, however, for every reason; there was always a new doubt. As he sat there questioning himself, he didn't even notice that the traffic jam was beginning to break up and that they were moving again.
Underground Facility 3:00 PM
It had been a wonderful hour for both Thrax and Draco, who were now sitting in the living room on the couch, fully clothed except for their trench coats. Thrax had his arm around Draco, stroking her head lovingly. Draco was sitting peacefully beside him, her head resting on his shoulder.
"I love you Thrax."
"I love you too Draco."
Draco smiled.
"So what's our plan of action?"
"I was hoping you'd come up with one. Are you sure you're ready for action this soon?"
"I'm ready for anything."
"How's your stomach?"
"A little sore but otherwise it's fine."
"Come up with a game plan yet?"
"Maybe. What's our current situation?"
"I'm not really sure, you'd have to ask Xion about that one."
"Fine." Draco said, standing up. "I'll go ask him."
"Hey, I didn't mean right now."
"I know." Draco replied with a smile. "But I'm all yours this evening."
"I'll make note of that." Thrax said with a grin. "Let's go find Xion."
Thrax and Draco took each other's hands as they walked out the door. When they reached the main room, Antonio was no where to be found.
"Antonio!" Thrax roared.
"Y-y-yes Thrax?" Antonio replied, peeking his head up from under the desk.
"What they hell are you doing under that desk?"
"Just picking up my pen sir." Antonio replied a little shakily, holding up his pen and standing back up.
"Where is Xion." Thrax growled.
"Xion?" Antonio asked, nearly tripping on the corner of his desk and falling over.
"Yes, Xion. Look Antonio we don't have all day!"
"I-I'm sorry Thrax. Xion was it? Um, he's still in the radar and satellite tracking room."
"Thank you." Thrax said impatiently as he showed Draco to the radar and satellite tracking room.
"Xion." Draco said.
When Xion heard her voice, he instantly spun around in his chair.
"Draco? You're okay!" He yelled standing up and walking over to her. He and Draco embraced in a friendly hug. "I am so happy you're alive!"
"Me too Zee." Draco said with a smile. "I need to know what are current situation is."
"Alright." Xion said walking back over to his chair. "You wouldn't believe some of the stuff I've been into over the passed 24 hours. It is so easy to get information in this world. I mean for the last two hours I've been into a computer to some government building called The Pentagon. It's supposed to be the center for U.S. military intelligence and is said to have very tight security. Man do people know how to lie. You would not believe how easy it was to get into the system. I mean it was like-"
"Xion." Draco said, placing a hand on Xion's shoulder and putting an end to his incessant rambling. "You can tell me all about the fun you've had after you tell me our situation."
"Oh, right. Sorry commander."
"Go on."
"Anyway our current situation is looking pretty good aside from the tracking party."
"Tracking party?"
"Yeah, take a look." Xion said, pointing to a monitor. On the monitor were several moving military trucks. "Those are the guys from the research facility. They've been tracking us ever since we escaped. They'll be in LA in about 2 hours."
"Who is on board those trucks?"
"I already x-rayed them earlier. You're brother, Beta, Osmosis Jones, The Chief, Drix, some armed soldiers and a man who goes by the name of Dr. Sanders. I pulled up a file on him a few hours ago. He's apparently a top-notch government scientist who has a passion for curing disease."
"Great. Just what we need is another anti-virus activist running against us."
"Oh yeah. I also decided to pull up some info on Los Angeles gangs and crime organizations." Xion said, clicking his mouse and opening a file, which displayed the names and information of LA gangs and crime rings.
"Xion, can you check something for me?"
"Yeah."
"Can you get me any information on the scheduled activities of these groups?"
"Already did." Xion said with a grin. "I also ran a comparison trace on the schedules and came up with something very interesting."
"What?"
"Each one of these groups has been having a very large problem with the LA police. Out of this common enemy, these groups have all decided to meet with each other today to discuss a plan of action against the LAPD."
"Where are they meeting?"
"Right here."
"What!? You're kidding me Zee."
"No joke."
With out a single word to Draco or Xion, Thrax stormed out the door and into the main room.
"ANTONIO!" Thrax screamed, grabbing his neck and slamming him into the wall. "You little shit! How long were you planning to keep this from me!?"
"Keep what from you!?!" Antonio blurted out in a choked voice.
"About the meeting of all of the LA gangs and crime rings here, today!" Thrax yelled, holding his deadly, orange claw up to Antonio's face.
"Oh that. I was going to tell you about that."
"When?" Thrax hissed.
"Um, n-n-now?"
Thrax screamed in rage as he spun around and threw Antonio across the room. Thrax walked towards Antonio, who was now lying on the floor with a terrified look on his face. Thrax grabbed his shirt collar and lifted him to his feet.
"P-p-please, don't kill me!" He whimpered.
"I think it's time that you joined your brother, baby." Thrax said with a sneer as he raised his claw into the air.
When he tried to bring it down upon Antonio, he found that his arm wouldn't move. He turned his head to see Draco, holding his arm in place.
"Draco, let go."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Unfortunately, we're still going to need him."
"Why?" Thrax asked, sounding irritated.
"Xion told me that this pathetic excuse for a man is in charge of the biggest and most powerful crime ring in LA. He's also the on who set the meeting up in the first place."
Thrax growled and let Antonio go. Antonio scrambled to his desk and hid under it like a timid puppy. Draco then let go of Thrax's hand.
"I'll let him live for now, but after this is over, I'm going to kill him."
"Understood." Draco said, walking over to Antonio's desk. "Antonio. Could you come out from under the desk please?"
There was no reply but Draco did hear Antonio shiver.
"Antonio, please come out. No one is going to hurt you." Draco said, coaxing Antonio as if he was a scared little animal.
Antonio slowly came out from under the desk until he was standing behind it.
"May I ask you a question Antonio?"
"W-w-who are you?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce my self." She said, speaking softly and sweetly to him. "My name is Draco."
"Draco, if you don't mind me saying so, you're not like Thrax."
"Why is that?"
"You don't yell at me and threaten to kill me."
"THAT'S IT, HE'S A DEAD MAN!" Thrax screamed.
"Thrax." Draco said sharply, turning around. "Chill out."
Thrax raised a finger to protest but Draco shot him an angry look. Thrax put his finger down, crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.
"Now Antonio." Draco sweetly said turning around. "May I ask you a question?"
"Yes."
"When is this meeting going to be held."
"In one hour."
"Thank you Antonio, you have been most helpful. Be sure to make note that Myself, Thrax and Stryker Team Alpha will be attending your meeting."
"Yes ma'am. I will."
"Splendid. You may go back to what you were previously doing before we interrupted you."
"Thank you."
Draco bowed her head a bit before walking back over to Thrax.
"How the hell did you get him to comply like that?" Thrax questioned as the pair walked to the kitchen and mess hall.
"While terror works sometimes, it does not work all the time. I just used a little technique called false kindness. It works by luring your enemy into a false sense of trust and security when they are around you. In other words, their minds become putty in your hands." Draco said with a sneer.
"Does it work all the time?"
"Almost, but in some cases you will find terror to be more effective than kindness."
Thrax laughed.
"Now that we have put the ball in motion, what do you say we get something to eat? I haven't eaten in days and I suspect that you haven't either." Draco said with a chuckle.
"As usual, you read my mind baby."
When the pair entered the mess hall through the two steel double doors, they found that nearly all of Alpha was in there. When they saw Draco, they came running over to embrace her in a group hug.
"Hey everyone. Wha'd I miss?" Draco said with a smile.
"You didn't miss anything, in fact, you're just in time for lunch." Diego said with a huge smile.
"Alright, what's for lunch?"
"Rip and Spike made up their famous chicken stir fry."
"Excellent. I'm up for it as long as you can promise me that Demo didn't help."
"No I didn't help them Draco."
"That's great because we all know what happens when you cook."
"Turkey Football!" Raven shouted.
Draco smiled and began to laugh.
"Exactly." Draco said, sitting down at one of the tables. Thrax sat beside her.
Moments later Rip and Spike came out of the kitchen carrying a giant pot of chicken stir fry. Xion and Zen came walking into the mess hall as they did. When they sat down Rip and Spike served everyone a big plate of stir fry and whatever type of drink they wanted. Once that was taken care of, they served themselves and gave the okay for everyone to start eating.
"This is really good you two." Draco commented between bites.
"Thank you Draco." Spike replied with a smile. "You eat as much as you want. You need to get you're strength back."
"Oh, that reminds me." Draco said, standing up. "In less than an hour we will be going topside to attend a meeting with all of the LA gangs and crime rings. Bring your weapons, we'll be taking over."
There were nods of acknowledgement from the team as they ate.
After everyone was finished and had gone back for seconds, Draco stood up and stretched a bit.
"God I can't wait to get back into action. Being put out of commission for the passed few days makes me feel out of shape."
"Don't rush commander, you'll be back in action sooner than you think." Diego said with a chuckle.
"I wouldn't call being back in action in less than thirty minutes rushing it Diego."
"I would."
"I know you would but that's why your second in command isn't it?"
"Yep." Diego replied, putting his hands behind his head and taking a deep breath. "So what's our aim for attending and taking over this meeting?"
"Why to rally together troops who will be willing to fight and show us what we're up against. After all, you can't start a war without an army."
"So true." Diego said with a chuckle.
"Indeed, now let's get ready for the take over shall we?"
"Yes ma'am!" All of Stryker replied, standing up and giving her a salute and a smile.
"Damn, I've missed you guys." Draco said with a smile. "You guys get ready and meet me and Thrax back in the main room in twenty minutes, got it?"
"Yes commander!" Stryker replied, leaving the mess hall through the two steel double doors.
Underground Facility, Main Room 3:50 PM
Stryker Team Alpha was assembled and ready by the time Draco and Thrax arrived in the room. Each team member was armed with their selected weapon of choice as well as a few other fun toys, which added to the power of their arsenal. All eight Strykers were lined up against the East wall of the room. Draco was now standing in front of them giving them some instructions while Thrax was busy with Antonio.
"Now, remember what we have discussed Antonio. You mess up out there and we'll kill you."
"Y-y-y-yesss Thrax sir…" Antonio replied, quivering a bit.
"Stop that."
"Stop what sir?"
"That incessant quivering. I find it annoying."
"Yes, of course, I'm sorry."
"You should be."
"Are you ready yet Thrax?" Draco asked, turning around to face both Thrax and Antonio.
"Yes, I believe we are." Thrax replied with a devilish grin that nearly made Antonio run back to the safety of under his desk.
"Then let's go. You first Antonio. You know the drill, we'll be out later."
"Yes Draco." Antonio said, straightening himself up in an attempt to make himself look presentable.
Antonio walked up the stairs that would lead him to the aboveground warehouse where all of the LA gangs would be waiting.
"I don't trust the little maggot." Thrax said with grunt.
"Neither do I, but he'll comply. That I am sure of." Draco said with a slight grin. "Now, let's listen. We should be able to hear Antonio's speech from down here. We wouldn't want to miss our cue."
Upstairs, in the Warehouse 3:58 PM
Antonio walked out of the staircase in the floor, making his way over to a pedestal with a microphone. Occupying the floor of the warehouse were leaders and members of all the Los Angeles City gangs. Antonio walked over to the pedestal and lowered the microphone so that he could speak into it.
"Leaders and Members of the LA City gangs, I would like to welcome you here today and thank you for attending this meeting." Antonio began.
There were some nods from the group and a few low utterances.
"You have all been called here so that we may discuss a problem that has been plaguing most of our operations for quite some time now, the Los Angeles City Police Department or the LAPD."
This time there were more nods and some of the utterances were louder, distinguishable "yeahs".
"I would like to say that I have already come up with a solution, however I have not. Some pressing and rather unavoidable circumstances have arisen and have now forced me out of my position as number one in LA."
Now there were several gasps and the whole room burst into chatter.
"Please, quiet, can I have quiet!" Antonio yelled over the noise. There were a few growls but slowly the room quieted down enough for Antonio to speak again. "Thank you. As I said previously, I am no longer in control and cannot help you out with this police problem of ours considering the fact that the circumstances that have caused me to step down, seem to have bigger plans."
"Bigger plans!?!" A man in a black tuxedo yelled. The crowd parted around him to reveal his identity. The man now standing in the middle of the room was Big V, the leader of an Italian gang known as The Vipers.
"Yes Big V, bigger plans."
"We did not come here to get involved in another scheme Antonio. We came here to find a solution to the police problem that's been plaguing us like a swarm of locusts!"
"I know, however, what happens now is out of my hands. I have no control over these new circumstances, they control me."
"Like hell you don't Antonio! Hey now, if these new circumstances of yours are so powerful why don't they come out here and try and prove it! I'll rip these morons to shreds!" Big V threatened, pulling out his machine gun.
"Put that away V! That's not a good idea! Put it away right now or they'll kill you!"
"HA! C'MON YOU FREAKS! COME OUT NOW AND I'LL BLOW YOUR FACES OFF! YOU THINK YOU'RE SO-" With those last words, Big V dropped dead on the floor, blood pooling around his head, a bullet hole right between his eyes.
"Too late." A voice said from behind Antonio.
Antonio spun around to find Draco towering over him.
"Would you be so kind as to introduce us?" Draco asked, motioning to Styker who were now beginning to step out from the shadows. As they did, Antonio could see a small whisp of smoke rising from the end of Raven's sniper rifle. He then blew the smoke into the air like a cowboy in an old western movie.
"Everyone, I would like to introduce you to the new circumstances and now your new leader. This is Draco and behind her is her group, Stryker Team Alpha." Antonio paused as Thrax stepped out of a shadowed corner. "And over in the corner is Thrax."
With those words Antonio backed off the podium, allowing Draco access to the microphone.
"Greetings LA gangs. As you know my name is Draco and I am now the one in charge of this little gathering."
"What the hell are you?!?" A voice yelled from the crowd.
"What the hell do you think they are, they're aliens!" Another voice replied, sounding petrified.
Draco only growled and rolled her eyes.
"What do you aliens want from us?" The voice who asked the original question inquired.
"First off all, we are not aliens. We are viruses."
"Viruses? How'd you get so big then?"
"A United States Government experiment called Project Black and a scientist called Dr. Sanders were responsible for us being this size."
"Oh… Then why-"
"No more questions!" Draco snapped. "I'm the one in charge around here now and if any of you disagree with me you'll end up like Mr. Big Mouth over there."
Draco pointed to the body of Big V lying in the middle of the room. No one in the room uttered a sound.
"Good, now that we've established that fact, let's move on. While I am the one in charge, Thrax over there holds equally as much authority as I do and he is to be treated with the same respect you will give to me. That goes the same for each and every one of my men. Understood?"
Nearly all the heads in the room shook a shaky and unsure "yes".
"Excellent. You will all do just fine."
"What do you need us for?" Someone asked.
"DIDN'T I SAY NOT TO ASK ANY MORE QUESTIONS!?!" Draco screamed, pulling out her Desert Eagle (that she had equipped before the meeting) and putting a bullet through the inquisitor's head. He too fell to the ground dead with a big hole through his skull inflicted by the .50 caliber bullet. "Would anyone else care to ask anymore questions?"
Every head in the room shook a hastened "no".
"Perfect." Draco said with a devious grin. "As for your purpose, you will all be part of an army that I am building. You will be trained in every aspect of war and will be toned into ruthless killing machines. Our ultimate goal is to see the annihilation of the United States Government and firmly institute a new and more efficient one. However, that's only phase one of my plan. Phase two will involve us actually using the power of this country to take the world by storm and cover it by the shadow of our armies. We will engulf this planet and make its inhabitants bow to our every whim! We will be unstoppable!"
Draco paused; taking a moment to look over the group of men that stood before her. By the expressions on most of their faces, it seemed that they were finally beginning to understand the seriousness of what was going on around them. Draco took her hands off the podium, adjusting the collar of her trench coat.
"Of course this can only happen with your full willingness and cooperation. So, are you all in agreement?"
Draco's audience hastily shook their heads "yes"; most of them thoroughly excited by the arrival of this new opportunity. The rest were too afraid to say no.
"Magnificent." Draco said happily, clapping her hands together. Then her expression turned from one of elation to one of pure evil. "Let's get started then."