A/N: The flashback isn't accurate because I just wrote it myself via my
memory of the episode of the Berrisford Mission which is kind of
blurry...anyway! I hope you guys enjoy this chappie!!
Thanks to: m/a fan, Tikigirl16, SecretlyBeautiful, Kyla, Jade-K, and Gamegirl 452!!! You guys are the best!!!
Chapter Six: Flashback
'The Berrisford Mansion was one of the houses in the city that did not seem to be affected by the Pulse, looking as pristine and immaculate as if it was newly-built. The interior parts of the house was laden with pricey antiques and authentic paintings that would've cost a fortune in the black markets.
X5-494 should know, for he was sent on a mission there, in that very mansion to terminate Robert Berrisford. The owner of a genetic company that was in debt to Manticore for almost two years.
It was a deep-cover mission. One of his firsts to be precise. Manticore had been prepping him the entire year for this specific mission. He went undercover as Mr. Simon Lehane, the supposed piano teacher for Robert Berrisford's daughter: Rachel Berrisford.
Things went smoothly for the next couple of days, until Rachel started to have – feelings for her piano teacher.
Flash Agent Sandoval stood in front of X5-494, interrogating him about the day's events. "Report."
"I have been invited to dinner, sir." 494 replied without hesitation, keeping his eyes locked on the dull gray walls behind his superior.
For a brief moment, Sandoval looked almost amused. "By Robert Berrisford?"
"No sir, by his daughter: Rachel."
"Do you think she has any romantic feelings towards you?" Sandoval asked, pacing in front of one of Manticore's finest soldiers.
"It appears so, sir." 494 answered, with a nod.
"Play along, 494." Manticore's top agent said. "This can give you beneficial access."
Flash A party was held at the Berrisford Mansion that night, and Rachel had dragged 'Simon' to the pool area of the house. It was nearing midnight, and the pale yellows of the moon could be seen mirrored on the crystal surface of the pool's blue depths.
Rachel smiled as they slipped into the pool. Her face grew closer, closer...
Flash "You will implant the bomb tomorrow morning, when Berrisford and his daughter will leave the mansion." Agent Sandoval ordered.
"Permission to speak, sir!" 494 requested.
"Granted," Sandoval affirmed, looking curious.
"The termination of the daughter is unnecessary, sir." 494 said in a neutral tone.
Agent Sandoval stared at him, irritation evident in his face. "It is not for you to make decisions, soldier!" he barked. "Are we clear?"
"Crystal, sir." 494 said, his voice cracking for a bit. Fortunate for him, Sandoval did not notice.
Flash It was a surprisingly hot day in the city of Seattle which was mostly famous for its frequent rains. The sky was glinting a bright gold, and the sun, clearly visible between two white clouds could be seen reflected on the dark brown tinted window of an expensive lustrous car that stood unmoving in the middle of the Berrisford Mansion's driveway.
494 lurked in predatory silence behind the tall green bushes that contoured the driveway. He gripped a detonator in his hands, and he watched carefully through clear glass windows of the house as the figure of Robert Berrisford moved through the house towards the front doors. Rachel's stature could be seen from her bedroom window, packing the last of her things.
The bomb was successfully planted at the base of the car, and its luminous red light was barely visible, even to the human eye. But then, 494 was anything but human. His heart was thumping wildly in his chest. Part of him was convinced that this was wrong, and the soldier part of him was as merciless as ever. He had killed before, but why does this feel so wrong?
Before he could even think over what he was doing, he had dropped the detonator on the ground and had raced across the driveway. He flung open the double-doors and jogged up the steps, just in time to see Rachel descend it. A look of surprise passed across her face. Yet, she smiled. "Simon, what are you doing here?"
"Rachel listen," 494 said breathlessly, gripping her by the shoulders. "We don't have much time..."
"Simon, what're you talking about?" Rachel asked, baffled.
"I was sent here to kill your father," 494 confessed, staring her straight in the eye. But before he could further explain, Rachel had slapped him across the face. She ran down the remaining steps, calling out for her father.
494 watched in horror as she disappeared through the front doors with her father. He sprinted out in pursuit and just as he stood in the porch glancing around fiercely for Rachel, the car had erupted...
"Get in, 494!" Sandoval yelled from a black BMW, he was clutching the detonator.
But he could not move, he stood frozen, staring at the car that was engulfed in flames, oblivious to the fact that two of the agents were dragging him into the BMW.
Flash "You failed, 494." Sandoval sneered. "And you know the consequences and punishments for failures..."
End Flashback
"Alec?"
Alec shook his head, attempting to clear the painful thoughts of his last Manticore mission. Max's worried face came into his view, and he forced a smile. "What?"
Max stared at him, as if studying him. Then, judging by the way her eyes seemed to go straight through his skull, she probably was. "Nothing, its just that you seemed lost there for a minute."
'That was only a minute?' Alec thought in astonishment. It seemed like a whole month to him. Flashbacks did that to him. It made him recollect every single detail, making him feel as if he was actually there physically. It was almost like I dream, a dream that happened in his past. "Yeah, I just – remembered something."
Max nodded, and a look of understanding flickered across her face. And she asked in a voice, almost too soft for a normal being to here: "Tell me about her," she said, startling Alec out of his wits. He gazed at her, trying to decipher if she was playing him or not. But the look in her eyes was with pure earnest and sincerity. "About Rachel."
'The woman I first loved?' Alec asked himself. Ever since the time he had started to walk, Manticore had drilled him with teachings concerning emotional control. 'Love is a weakness, soldier.' One of his trainer's used to say that. And of course, Alec, not knowing anything else about the reality outside the chain-linked fences of Manticore, had believed that. 'All the bad stuff comes from love...There's no betrayal without love, no loss without it, no jealousy. Half the ugliness in this world comes from it. It cuts and burns and makes wounds that don't ever heal. There's only hatred. You always know where you stand with it.'
But then he met Rachel...and the lifetime of teachings about emotional control that Manticore had punctured him with had quickly dissipated.
"She was beautiful," Alec whispered, his eyes on the glossy white tiles of the infirmary. He could feel Max's gaze on him, and could sense her nodding.
"But that isn't really anything knew for us, right?" she asked. And Alec knew she was right. Manticore created nothing but the perfect...the flawless...the beautiful. All his life he had grown up with attractive people training alongside him. He recalled Renfro say this once: 'People of great beauty and charisma make excellent leaders. People wish to follow them. To see as their eyes see'. She said that, that was the one reason on why transgenics had to be beautiful.
"She's different somehow," Alec said. "Her beauty came in a more natural way...flawed, I guess."
Max didn't say anything, merely waited for him to continue.
"She had this bright spirit that would come alive through her music. She had everything she wanted in life. A loving father, wealth, a comfortable home to live in..." Alec trailed off. "All was well in her world. I have never seen anyone so happy before...so contented. So normal."
"You really loved her, didn't you?" Max asked quietly.
"Yeah," Alec said, touched by Max's earnestness. He raised his eyes to meet hers, and Alec felt the burning sensation in the pit of his heart. A burning sensation of the unseen love he felt every single day he saw her. And it ached, so much. It hurt to know that he could not have the woman he loved most in the world. And he wanted that pain to stop.
"Yeah I did." Alec repeated, holding Max's gaze steadily. "But she's gone," he continued in a voice barely above a whisper. "I love someone else now. In fact I loved her for a very long time. I didn't want to admit it for a while, but I knew deep down that I was falling for her. So I followed her around for a few months, allowing her to treat me like shit. She was the complete opposite of Rachel who preferred docile hobbies and enjoyed my presence. But I was attracted to her wildness, the fire that blazed inside her was intoxicating. I asked myself why I let myself fall in love with someone who hated me so much...but then, hate is only the other face of love."
He was rambling, but he didn't care. It actually felt good to finally let it all out...Max's eyes widened with something quite unreadable. "Who?" she murmured.
"Who do you think, Maxie?" Alec asked, almost sarcastically. But the impact of the words and its chaste honesty was enough to remove the light sarcasm that stained it.
Lydecker chose this moment to walk in.
A/N: And again I borrowed some quotes from other fics...sorry!!! Review!!!
Thanks to: m/a fan, Tikigirl16, SecretlyBeautiful, Kyla, Jade-K, and Gamegirl 452!!! You guys are the best!!!
Chapter Six: Flashback
'The Berrisford Mansion was one of the houses in the city that did not seem to be affected by the Pulse, looking as pristine and immaculate as if it was newly-built. The interior parts of the house was laden with pricey antiques and authentic paintings that would've cost a fortune in the black markets.
X5-494 should know, for he was sent on a mission there, in that very mansion to terminate Robert Berrisford. The owner of a genetic company that was in debt to Manticore for almost two years.
It was a deep-cover mission. One of his firsts to be precise. Manticore had been prepping him the entire year for this specific mission. He went undercover as Mr. Simon Lehane, the supposed piano teacher for Robert Berrisford's daughter: Rachel Berrisford.
Things went smoothly for the next couple of days, until Rachel started to have – feelings for her piano teacher.
Flash Agent Sandoval stood in front of X5-494, interrogating him about the day's events. "Report."
"I have been invited to dinner, sir." 494 replied without hesitation, keeping his eyes locked on the dull gray walls behind his superior.
For a brief moment, Sandoval looked almost amused. "By Robert Berrisford?"
"No sir, by his daughter: Rachel."
"Do you think she has any romantic feelings towards you?" Sandoval asked, pacing in front of one of Manticore's finest soldiers.
"It appears so, sir." 494 answered, with a nod.
"Play along, 494." Manticore's top agent said. "This can give you beneficial access."
Flash A party was held at the Berrisford Mansion that night, and Rachel had dragged 'Simon' to the pool area of the house. It was nearing midnight, and the pale yellows of the moon could be seen mirrored on the crystal surface of the pool's blue depths.
Rachel smiled as they slipped into the pool. Her face grew closer, closer...
Flash "You will implant the bomb tomorrow morning, when Berrisford and his daughter will leave the mansion." Agent Sandoval ordered.
"Permission to speak, sir!" 494 requested.
"Granted," Sandoval affirmed, looking curious.
"The termination of the daughter is unnecessary, sir." 494 said in a neutral tone.
Agent Sandoval stared at him, irritation evident in his face. "It is not for you to make decisions, soldier!" he barked. "Are we clear?"
"Crystal, sir." 494 said, his voice cracking for a bit. Fortunate for him, Sandoval did not notice.
Flash It was a surprisingly hot day in the city of Seattle which was mostly famous for its frequent rains. The sky was glinting a bright gold, and the sun, clearly visible between two white clouds could be seen reflected on the dark brown tinted window of an expensive lustrous car that stood unmoving in the middle of the Berrisford Mansion's driveway.
494 lurked in predatory silence behind the tall green bushes that contoured the driveway. He gripped a detonator in his hands, and he watched carefully through clear glass windows of the house as the figure of Robert Berrisford moved through the house towards the front doors. Rachel's stature could be seen from her bedroom window, packing the last of her things.
The bomb was successfully planted at the base of the car, and its luminous red light was barely visible, even to the human eye. But then, 494 was anything but human. His heart was thumping wildly in his chest. Part of him was convinced that this was wrong, and the soldier part of him was as merciless as ever. He had killed before, but why does this feel so wrong?
Before he could even think over what he was doing, he had dropped the detonator on the ground and had raced across the driveway. He flung open the double-doors and jogged up the steps, just in time to see Rachel descend it. A look of surprise passed across her face. Yet, she smiled. "Simon, what are you doing here?"
"Rachel listen," 494 said breathlessly, gripping her by the shoulders. "We don't have much time..."
"Simon, what're you talking about?" Rachel asked, baffled.
"I was sent here to kill your father," 494 confessed, staring her straight in the eye. But before he could further explain, Rachel had slapped him across the face. She ran down the remaining steps, calling out for her father.
494 watched in horror as she disappeared through the front doors with her father. He sprinted out in pursuit and just as he stood in the porch glancing around fiercely for Rachel, the car had erupted...
"Get in, 494!" Sandoval yelled from a black BMW, he was clutching the detonator.
But he could not move, he stood frozen, staring at the car that was engulfed in flames, oblivious to the fact that two of the agents were dragging him into the BMW.
Flash "You failed, 494." Sandoval sneered. "And you know the consequences and punishments for failures..."
End Flashback
"Alec?"
Alec shook his head, attempting to clear the painful thoughts of his last Manticore mission. Max's worried face came into his view, and he forced a smile. "What?"
Max stared at him, as if studying him. Then, judging by the way her eyes seemed to go straight through his skull, she probably was. "Nothing, its just that you seemed lost there for a minute."
'That was only a minute?' Alec thought in astonishment. It seemed like a whole month to him. Flashbacks did that to him. It made him recollect every single detail, making him feel as if he was actually there physically. It was almost like I dream, a dream that happened in his past. "Yeah, I just – remembered something."
Max nodded, and a look of understanding flickered across her face. And she asked in a voice, almost too soft for a normal being to here: "Tell me about her," she said, startling Alec out of his wits. He gazed at her, trying to decipher if she was playing him or not. But the look in her eyes was with pure earnest and sincerity. "About Rachel."
'The woman I first loved?' Alec asked himself. Ever since the time he had started to walk, Manticore had drilled him with teachings concerning emotional control. 'Love is a weakness, soldier.' One of his trainer's used to say that. And of course, Alec, not knowing anything else about the reality outside the chain-linked fences of Manticore, had believed that. 'All the bad stuff comes from love...There's no betrayal without love, no loss without it, no jealousy. Half the ugliness in this world comes from it. It cuts and burns and makes wounds that don't ever heal. There's only hatred. You always know where you stand with it.'
But then he met Rachel...and the lifetime of teachings about emotional control that Manticore had punctured him with had quickly dissipated.
"She was beautiful," Alec whispered, his eyes on the glossy white tiles of the infirmary. He could feel Max's gaze on him, and could sense her nodding.
"But that isn't really anything knew for us, right?" she asked. And Alec knew she was right. Manticore created nothing but the perfect...the flawless...the beautiful. All his life he had grown up with attractive people training alongside him. He recalled Renfro say this once: 'People of great beauty and charisma make excellent leaders. People wish to follow them. To see as their eyes see'. She said that, that was the one reason on why transgenics had to be beautiful.
"She's different somehow," Alec said. "Her beauty came in a more natural way...flawed, I guess."
Max didn't say anything, merely waited for him to continue.
"She had this bright spirit that would come alive through her music. She had everything she wanted in life. A loving father, wealth, a comfortable home to live in..." Alec trailed off. "All was well in her world. I have never seen anyone so happy before...so contented. So normal."
"You really loved her, didn't you?" Max asked quietly.
"Yeah," Alec said, touched by Max's earnestness. He raised his eyes to meet hers, and Alec felt the burning sensation in the pit of his heart. A burning sensation of the unseen love he felt every single day he saw her. And it ached, so much. It hurt to know that he could not have the woman he loved most in the world. And he wanted that pain to stop.
"Yeah I did." Alec repeated, holding Max's gaze steadily. "But she's gone," he continued in a voice barely above a whisper. "I love someone else now. In fact I loved her for a very long time. I didn't want to admit it for a while, but I knew deep down that I was falling for her. So I followed her around for a few months, allowing her to treat me like shit. She was the complete opposite of Rachel who preferred docile hobbies and enjoyed my presence. But I was attracted to her wildness, the fire that blazed inside her was intoxicating. I asked myself why I let myself fall in love with someone who hated me so much...but then, hate is only the other face of love."
He was rambling, but he didn't care. It actually felt good to finally let it all out...Max's eyes widened with something quite unreadable. "Who?" she murmured.
"Who do you think, Maxie?" Alec asked, almost sarcastically. But the impact of the words and its chaste honesty was enough to remove the light sarcasm that stained it.
Lydecker chose this moment to walk in.
A/N: And again I borrowed some quotes from other fics...sorry!!! Review!!!