Styx stretched her badly aching limbs as she grumbled under her breath.

"Dumbass pricks. Who do they think they are!? I didn't carve my way through twelve countries just to be forced to work with some unwashed mutts."

As the tiny woman left her bedroom, a sudden seizure in her thigh forced her to lean on the doorframe, while cursing loudly, with sweat beading on her pale forehead and her breathing heavy.

"Godfucking damn it. If I didn't need the money I'd tell them all to go to hell. Fuck."

And that son-of-a-bitch doctor charging a hundred grand for a fucking single dose. I can't even threaten his family because the dumbass doesn't have any. Guess that makes him not that dumb of an ass, come to think of it.

Recovering from her muscle spasm, the assassin started preparing her failing body for her next, likely final job.

I got one or two gigs left in me. After taking this fat paycheck I could just live the rest of my days like a fucking queen, with my every need catered to. Just gotta put that dumbass Winters and his bug girlfriends into the ground and I am all set up for retirement.

Entering her large but poorly kept living room, on the outskirts of Rosario, Argentina, the woman couldn't help but grin at the sight that greeted her inside.

Her two beloved pets were gnawing bones of yet another wanna-be thief that clearly attempted to burglarize her apartment during the night. Even though this was a pretty nice country overall, this particular area was as shady as it gets. Most people knew not to mess with her by this point, but there was always an occasional desperate junkie or a gangster with something to prove. Alice really didn't mind. Pet food wasn't that cheap nowadays.

Gently petting a monstrosity of flesh and muscles that weighed five times as much as she herself did and which could've easily crushed the tiny woman's spine with a single swipe of its clawed paw, Styx cooed at them, completely unafraid.

"Fang, Saber. Get ready for a hunt, boys! Mommy needs that reward money badly, so you better not fail me!"

The vicious monsters bowed their malformed heads in submission, letting out low, accepting growls. When she was first offered these two lickers-δ by her Connection contact, two years ago, she was understandably apprehensive at the idea of having mutated creatures as her pets. Nevertheless, after an imprinting procedure, the lickers turned out to be loyal, obedient and steadfast companions. They covered her weak spots during jobs as well as protected the woman during her sleep. In time, Alice even grew to enjoy their monstrous company.

Entering her messy workshop, she observed her various tools of trade, acquired over the years. Poisongas tripmines, suicide drones, fleshette cannisters and of course - her own heavily customised rifle, miniaturized for her small bulk but still providing deadly firepower. Specialized ammunition for the gun lined up the shells. A partial exoskeleton which only covered the torso and right arm was carelessly lying in a corner - a grappling hook mechanism was attached to it.

Styx hummed with satisfaction at her arsenal of death. She scoffed in annoyance as her purple eyes fell upon the hated exoskeleton, as her back would hurt like a bitch after using it, but a job's a job and the tool was useful.

Time to put some dumbasses in the ground. And if any of these worthless mutts get into my crosshair - all the better. I ain't sharing my payday with these filthy mongrels.

Ethan roamed the halls of the ship, lost in a daze. These last days were pure, undiluted insanity. His wife left him for her old child-trafficking, bioweapon-producing organization. He met old allies that he never expected to see again. He fought a monster of steel and flesh that he wouldn't have wished on his worst enemy. He was slowly but surely falling in love with a vampire that was just too damn charming for her own good. And now a horror reared its ugly head, all the way back from Dulvey, but this time - in his own innocent, three year old daughter.

Eveline. Ethan was sure he could hear her giggling coming from somewhere, sounding as if deep underwater, muted to the point of being barely audible. Looking around nervously, sweat beading on his foreheads, the man would swear that he could see her darkened silhouette lurking around corners.

I am officially going batshit crazy now.

Ethan had no fucking idea what to do. Eveline was inside Rosie; Eveline was inside his own head. If Mia was here, maybe she would've offered some kind of solution, she was the child-bioweapon's handler after all. He could do nothing about the giggling girl in his head, unless he was willing to bash his own skull against the corridor's wall until his brain was mashed into a red and gray purée.

Since he still liked his brain where it was right now, good ol' defiance was not gonna do the trick now. Rationalizing the situation, the man calmed himself down, somewhat. Despite everything, Eveline did no harm to either of them, so far.

Rosie even liked her, by the girl's own account. So he himself could do… nothing about this newest development.

Should he tell his allies about his newest...condition? Somehow that didn't sound like a great idea to Ethan. What would the truth achieve in this situation? He sincerely doubted that anyone could actually help. The only result he will get is that everyone would think him crazy and unreliable.

Better just keep it myself...for now.

Somehow the distraught man found himself standing right outside Bela's cabin. As if his subconscious mind already associated the blonde woman with comfort and safety. Unfortunately, as she was still working with the Duke's people on sifting through the captured data, nobody answered his meek knock.

Resigned, the man decided to breathe some fresh, ocean air instead and headed for the upper decks. Before he could get far from Bela's room, however, he heard some noise coming from a door on the opposite side of the hall. The door was decorated with a small sunflower sticker. Ethan immediately knew who was the occupant.

Leaning close to the door, the sounds of beautiful music being played became apparent to the man. Despite not wanting to intrude, Winters couldn't help but turn the knob, as the muffled notes of her violin resonated with the current mood of his soul perfectly.

The door was unlocked, and the man opened it just slightly, allowing him to hear the music clearly, without actually letting his eyes intrude upon her visage itself. Leaning against the doorframe, the man felt his worries melt, as the soothing sounds of her violin dispelled his fears and doubts, just for a moment.

Daniela was a very talented violinist, there was no doubt about that. There was more than skill in her notes, though. The passion was clear. The sadness, too. Ethan wondered, what gnawed on the redhead's heart today? Was she worried about her mother? Or was she grieving for Cassandra's current condition? Perhaps even bitter at Bela for not being at their side during that battle? Or even mad at Ethan himself, for letting them get hurt?

He opened the door just a bit more to catch a glance at her. The violin produced a discordant note before the music abruptly stopped. Ethan cursed at himself for his clearly failed peeping attempt. Clearing his throat, he gently knocked on her door, before opening it fully.

Daniela was sitting on her bed, glancing at him with narrowed eyes, her free hand slowly edging to her sickle that was lying on a nightstand. At realizing that the potential intruder was Ethan, the redhead ceased her movements and her eyes relaxed, somewhat. She still looked at him warily, as if afraid of him.

Bela's lecture immediately came to his mind. He did not want her to be afraid of him. Raising his hands up slowly, the man spoke gently, trying not to spook her. Truth be told, he was still quite scared of her, himself. The girl's feral, bloodcrazed expression will not be easy to forget.

"It's just me, Daniela. Ethan. Sorry for barging on you like this, uninvited… But you play so beautifully, I couldn't resist listening in."

The youngest sibling's lips, that were in a thin line before, morphed into a small smile at the genuine complement. She still was eying him with a fearful expression, however. A few beats of tense silence passed and Ethan took the time to take in her appearance. She was back in her long, colorful summer dress, vibrant yellow clashing with deep orange, just to shift into a bright red. Her small feet were laid bare upon the room's carpet. Her face looked sad and wary.

Good job, Winters, she clearly has a nice personal moment of tranquility and you ruined it.

"Sorry, Daniela, I see that I am intruding… I'll leave you be."

The girl stood up at that, still clutching her violin. She spoke slowly and quietly.

"You're not intruding, Ethan… But… Why would you want to see me again? I…" Tears were starting to glister in her soft yellow eyes. "I… almost attacked you Ethan. I could have killed you!"

The man's heart prickled in pain as he realized: she wasn't afraid of him, she was afraid for him! Somehow that notion was enough to dispel all of Ethan's own fears. In this moment, he wanted nothing but to comfort this sweet girl, who's been through so much horror…

"If I am not intruding...would you mind if I joined you for a moment, Daniela?"

The redhead's amber orbs widened in surprise. Clearly, she was not expecting such a response. She sat back on her bed and a few tense moments of silence passed before she bit her lip and slowly patted a spot next to her.

Ethan nodded, walking over the bed and sitting down, holding his hands in his lap. The girl's eyes were not leaving his own. His voice was less firm than he would've preferred.

"You, uh... you okay?"

It was a stupid question; Ethan already knew the answer. Still, he didn't know what to say, even when the woman shook her head in response. Daniela brought her knees to her chest and looked away as she spoke.

"I thought I could be different... from who I am." Daniela sniffed. "I thought I could be better, but that night reminded me that I'm a monster. A murderous beast."

Daniela's voice had so much anguish and remorse, Ethan couldn't help but inch a bit closer to the woman and gently put his arm around her shoulder, taking her into what he was hoping was a comforting embrace. He watched her face closely for any sign of discomfort from the gesture, but she just kept her pensive, sad look. Unlike Bela, she didn't lean into his touch, but she didn't pull from him, either. She kept talking, her voice raising in pitch and intensity as she opened herself up to him.

"Bela is so smart and caring. She kept us whole through all this mess with Miranda and now with these people, too. Cassandra can be mean...but at least she is so strong and reliable! I'm... just a useless, stupid beast. I couldn't protect mother… I was nothing but a burden during the fight with that metal thing. I was nothing but a burden my whole life, actually! To my mother and to my sisters! And now, to you, too - you had to save my worthless life... I am just a weak, stupid, useless Daniela, no good to anyone."

Her final sentence had nothing but sad resignation in it. Ethan's own heart broke from hearing her cruel, self-hating words. The man held her tighter, as he spoke firmly, yet gently. He was determined to bring at least a spark of joyous light back into her eyes. The softly crying girl at his side deserved at least that much.

"No, you're not a monster, nor a stupid beast. A beast wouldn't feel remorse over what they've done. A monster would not work hard to become a better person."

The sniffling didn't stop, but Ethan was far from done.

"And how can you call yourself useless? Bela told me how helpful you were, all along the way. How you drove a car, allowing you to catch up to these people, something only you could've done, among you three. How you distracted the guards, making sure nobody would get alerted." Ethan took a deep breath before continuing.

"And even in that fight you helped by pushing me out of the way from these bullets. Moreover, I know that you have tried your best against that metal monster. But some foes are just too powerful to best in a straight fight, that is a good lesson in itself. But, perhaps, we would all be dead now if you didn't buy us precious time. And something tells me, you were the one who stole the key to my cell from Cassandra, two years ago. Am I right? If so, I owe my freedom and life to you, as well as Bela."

The girl was now looking back at him, meekly. She gave a small nod at the last sentence, making Ethan smirk. The man ruffled her wild red hair, making her let out a small giggle. Daniela finally relaxed and leaned into his embrace, as he spoke next.

"And why would you ever think of yourself as a burden? Your sisters and mother love you, Red. Your mere presence brings them joy. Your cheerful antics light up even the darkest of days for them, I know that because I can see how both of your sisters look at you - with fondness and affection. You don't need to be as strong as Cassandra or as knowledgeable as Bela, when you are just as fine as you are, as Daniela."

The girl looked at him with wide eyes. Her pale feet touched the floor again, as she released herself from her protective ball. Ethan spoke his last piece with conviction.

"As for your...inner beast... I am sure that if we think about it together, as a team, we will be able to find a solution. I...uh… have some experience with unwanted guests myself, believe it or not."

Daniela's eyes lit up at that. She finally spoke, sounding...excited?

"Do you really think I can ever get rid of it!?"

Ethan's face turned pensive as he pondered hard on that. Hers face a very complex situation, years in the making. Commenting on it lightly would do nobody justice. After a few moments of tense silence, the man let out a sigh. He spoke softly then, the redhead eating his every word up eagerly.

"In truth, I don't know the answer to that question, Red." Her molten-gold eyes lost their spark once again, at that. But Ethan wasn't done. "But I am sure there is a way to help you. Even if it will stay with you forever, that doesn't mean there is nothing to be done. Perhaps, instead of trying to get rid of it, you might have better success in trying to tame it? To control it? No matter what, it is still part of you, not a completely separate entity."

The girl thought hard on that herself, shuffling her feet around. She spoke unsurely, as if tasting a new concept.

"Control…? I don't know…"

The man took her dainty hand in his larger palm and spoke softly, barely above a whisper.

"It's okay, Daniela. Even if the path forward will be challenging, remember that you are not alone. Your sisters are always at your side. "He squeezed her small hand in reassurance before saying the next part. "And… I would be more than happy to do what I can for you, myself. If you will have my help, that is."

Daniela was looking at him with awe in her molten-gold orbs now. She squeezed his hand back and finally gave him a kind, happy smile, the same one that graced her features often before the traumatic events of that night.

"He is right, sister. Come what may, we will weather the storm together, as a family. Anything I can do to help you, I will. None of us has to be alone with our burdens… It took me far too long to learn that lesson myself."

Both Daniela and Ethan looked at the doorway in shock, surprised to see Bela standing in it now, smiling fondly upon them both. The man felt a slight blush creeping up to his cheeks. He could only hope that the blonde woman would not be upset with him for playing a psychiatrist with her younger sister.

How long was she standing outside?

Before either of them could speak, Bela mumbled something that made Daniela shoot up to her feet, making Ethan repeat the motion, as he still held the redheaded girl in his embrace.

"Cassandra is awake."

Mia nibbled on her lip as she stared at the photograph held in her hand. Sebastian insisted they make it on their first day as a 'team'. To build up camaraderie and rapport or some such. The notion was laughable, of course, but Mia still took part in the charade. There she stood, with her mouth in a thin line as the other four on the photograph were smiling.

Mia's eyes focused on the youngest member of her new team, standing to her left - Eli Nelson. A very bright young man, already a PhD in genetics in his late twenties. He also happened to have the kindest heart among her team, frequently pestering her about Subject A-D's cruel containment conditions. Mia remembered how annoyed she got when she had to explain to the youth why exactly they couldn't keep the subject sedated during the harvesting procedures. She had no idea about how or why he joined their little family here in The Connections. And now she likely never will.

Universe sure has a sense of irony…

He was the one who was taking measurements on the subject when the accident happened.

Somehow, Alcina had managed to mutate her right arm into a long, bladed appendage that had broken free of its restraints and cleaved the young man in two in an instant. The electrocuting device on the subject's chest that activated a mere second after the violent motion was of no consolidation to Eli, as he feebly tried to stuff his intestines back where they belonged, to no avail.

The fungal-growth suppressant was supposed to prevent exactly this kind of an inconvenience from happening.

At least nobody will bother me with all that 'inhumane conditions' stuff anymore.

Nikolai was quick to find the reason for this unexpected development. Despite everything, he was a brilliant scientist with deep knowledge, as well as keen intuition. Checking the subject's medical data, he found a rare genetic abnormality - a likely hereditary blood disease that forced Alcina to drink human blood to stabilize her own unstable biology. With her supply of blood cut, she was able to overcome their initial estimation of her capability for mutation. A small adjustment to the IV's contents made sure this kind of disaster would not happen again.

Scoffing at the photograph, Mia let it drop to the ground, turning her harsh gaze upon the subject next. Through the dark glass, she observed the giant woman for a while. Alcina's vicious yellow eyes sparkled with newfound determination after her small 'victory'. Dimitrescu didn't realize that all she achieved was to make things worse for herself. Her skin got paler and paler as days went. Yet she still looked relatively healthy, which was astounding, considering how many pounds of her mutated flesh they took already. The subject's capacity for regeneration was completely off the charts. Mia never saw anything like that before.

Still, everything had its limits and Mia suspected that Alcina was reaching hers. Nevertheless, the demand for raw mold samples remained high. Somehow, no matter what they tried, they just couldn't synthesize the damn thing themselves. Lady Dimitrescu was their only source of the nearly-magical fungus. Either they had to slow down the harvesting procedures or risk having the subject expire before long.

Mia tried to impress that idea upon Sebastian, but the foolish man only scoffed at her in their phone conversation. The development of a viable E-001 prototype was the only thing the short-sighted executive cared about. He would tolerate no setbacks, and if they had to drain Alcina dry to achieve it, then so be it.

Winters had nothing but contempt for that disgusting neanderthal, so eager to destroy such a unique specimen just to line up his own pockets. If they slowed down, true, the project would experience a major setback. But in Mia's eyes, the benefits far outweigh the losses. Subject A-D could be harvested for years, instead of weeks. All the possibilities...wasted.

As the chief scientist continued to observe the captive through the blackened glass, Alcina suddenly gazed right back at her, as if being able to see her from the other side. Their captive spoke, for the first time since her containment here. Her voice was hoarse, but regal.

"You watch me every day, yet you have never gathered the courage to address your own captive. Like a craven, you hide behind your dark glass. It will not protect you when my daughters get here. I will enjoy watching them tear you apart."

Mia should've laughed at the feeble and empty threat. Even if Dimitrescu daughters were on the loose, what could they possibly do? How could they locate this hidden facility in the middle of nowhere? Fight through the formidable security measures? Yet she felt uneasy, nevertheless. A shudder passed through her frame. Not being able to help it, the woman folded her own arms and snuggled her limbs closer to herself, as if cold. Nikolai, who was also in the room, inspecting the readings on a terminal, was less impressed. Marching to the intercom, he boasted loudly, showing not a speck of fear.

"I hope your little flies get here, my dear. I have seen field reports about their biology. Unique. Our overseer dismissed them as irrelevant, but to me? They are precious subjects that must end on my dissection table."

Alcina just chuckled evilly, before noting, almost casually.

"I think I'll ask Cassandra to take her sweet time with you, little man-thing."

Mia couldn't even explain the sudden surge of dread she felt rationally. She spoke to her assistant harshly, though her unsteady tone betrayed her fear.

"Nikolai! Leave Subject A-D alone! We aren't here to have conversations with it, much less to exchange meaningless threats. Unless our employer catches Subjects B,C,D-D alive, we aren't going to see them! Nobody unauthorized will get into this facility."

Mia wasn't sure who she was trying to convince with that little speech. Nikolai scoffed in obvious contempt, yet did as told and backed off from the intercom. He knew better than to break the chain of command around here.

The woman left the observation room in a hurry. Two of her own personal guards, who were shadowing her every move, 24/7, immediately followed. Mia paid them no mind as she thought about her work. She couldn't dismiss the sudden hate she felt for herself for how easily her mind was adjusting to the situation. It was in her nature to be absorbed into challenging mental work, no matter how heinous it was. On the first day, she had nothing but sympathy for the Romanian noblewoman and the orphan kids. Now, they were little more than curious specimens to her, as she worked.

At least Ethan and Rosie are safe in our little home… that's all that matters.

They were making good progress on restarting E-001 production. Dimitrescu samples were ground into perfect, raw high-quality mold which was then shaped according to their designs, then mixed with additional chemicals and biotech components needed to produce the desired bioweapon implant. Mia couldn't help but note that Alcina's mold was more potent than the original samples they received from Miranda, all these years ago. Soon they would have enough to start the implantation stage on the captive orphans.

Author's Note:

Sorry for lack of Bela/Ethan in this chapter, hope you've enjoyed it, regardless :s

I did feel like Daniela deserved some love and comfort as well, and I wanted to write that scene for a while. Kudos to PotCFan101 for inspiring me :D

Hope you liked my little assassin OC, as well that Alcina/Mia scene, where we see a bit more darker look on Mrs. Winters and Lady D's defiance in the face of an inescapable situation.