Mission 4 Control

She runs. Takes out a few undead along the way. According to Alexia she is close. There are cliffs. The cave must be down there. And in deed she can see something that resembles a cave from the top. Waves crash against the cliffs and sharp rocks along the island. Alex looks for a way down. The rock is soft, crumbles under her hands. Climbing down is not an option. Takes a few steps back. Gets a running start and jumps. The cliff with the cave is approaching fast. She call for the vines. They emerge from her back, dig into the rock, and slow her fall. Sand and bits of rock fall on her as she lands at the cave entrance.

"…the signal…"she hears Alexia say before the signal cut out entirely.

"Shit."

Now she has no way of knowing where to go. But then perhaps she doesn't need to. With any luck, the thing will find her.

Alexia hears the sound turn to static. The signal gave out. The caves block out the connection. She hears something else. It's footsteps. Listens. Wonders if it's more of those creatures. Goes out to look. Prepares to incinerate it. Rounds the corner and sets her flames loose. Once the fire dies down she is face to face with the black knight.

Drops of water fall from the ceiling of the cave. Alex hears the echo of her own steps. But there is also something else. A slight sound. But it's getting louder as she moves deeper into the cave. Its like something is moving. Like nails taping against a surface. She can see in the dark. A skill she picked up from a creature. Her eyes changing a little bit. Becoming more cat like. She can see it now. At first she thought it was a wall. But then it moved. It's all coiled to the top of the cave. Massive. Red. Large pincers coming from its mouth. It takes notice of her. let's out a screech. Uncoils at incredible speed and lunges t her.

Alex jumps at the wall, kicks off so she is above the creature. Drops down with great force. The shell is hard. Her attack doesn't seem to hurt it. it coils around. Raising its ugly head and attempts to grab her with the giant pinchers. Alex grabs them with both hands, to keep them from slicing her in half. Notices the tiny jagged edges on the inside, like saw blades. It would hurt. Something is crawling up her leg. She looks down. Notices a mass of tiny little bugs crawling. Attempts to shake them off. The Queen uses her distraction, the pincers squeeze tighter. Alex groans in pain as they begin to close around her waist. She hit's one of the pincers with her elbow. it hurts. She does it again. hears a crack. Pulls with both hands. It breaks off. The greenish brown liquid pours out. It stinks like rotten flesh. Alex grabs the severed pincer. Holds it in her hand as a weapon. It seems to be made from the same materials as the shell, but it is thinner. She jumps up, tries to get the centipedes of her. most fall off. She turn upside down. uses the ceiling to kick off. Aims the tip of the pincer at the creatures head. It looks up at her. Raising it's head. Hisses at her. it's almost perfect. It pierces into the shell. Not deeply but enough to draw more of the greenish stinking blood. It's not dead yet. Thrashing about. Trying to stab at her with the remaining mandible. It is thought, but then insects often are. She dodges. Uses one hand to lift herself up. Kicks the pincer deeper into its head. Still not dead. Something hits her In the back, knocks her to the ground.

It comes as a surprise. She get's up. Looks around for whoever attacked her. The injured insect is trying to retreat deeper into the cave. To her shock it's the black knight. She didn't expect him to show up here. She had taken the outside path, away from monitored hallways. How did he find her? No answers. He attacks. Alex prepares to dodge. Rolls out of the way. Attacks him from the side.

"Damn it, why do you have to make this difficult?" she kicks him, but he blocks it with the weapon.

He knocks her off balance. Approaches.

"I'm trying to help you." Frustration in her voice.

He doesn't stop. Doesn't listen. She wonders how she could stop him. The Queen must be killed. She needs to go after it.

Fire burst from stone. Engulfs him. Alex looks surprised for a moment. Then notices Alexia. She is clutching her side, blood on the white lab coat.

"I'll hold him off. Go. Finish it." She says.

Alex takes off running after the giant insect. Deeper into the cave. She finds it. it's a massive cavern. A dead end. there is a soft, slimy mass covering the ground and walls. She realizes it's the nest. The Queens hisses and shrieks. The body convulsing and writhing. It's almost like her head explodes for a moment as the mandible imbedded in it is shot out. A new one grows and then another set just below it. longer ones. The shell looks brighter, never. Alex realizes that the creature has mutated. She doubts Alexia could hold Albert for long. He could be right on her heals now. She needed to end this fast. Smashing the hard shell would take too long. There was only one option left.

She runs at the creature. It lunges at her, mouth open, four mandibles ready to grab her. Alex dives into it's mouth. Holds her breath. Down into the esophagus. Call on her mutation. The petals begin to grow. Expand, but there is not enough space. She can feel the creature begin to trash around. It's trying to spit her out. She calls her vines. They dig into the flesh. Searching. It's trying to vomit her out. Alex can feel the muscles convulse around her. The petals block it off. Closing like a shell around her. The vines are reaching. Deeper into it. Up to the brain. Ensnare it. Crush it. Pulls it towards her. The creature convulses and drops dead. Muscles relaxing. Alex gets forced out its mouth along with the bile. At least her one of her tentacles managed to hold on to something. A piece of the creature's brain. The mouth like opening between the petals emerges. Swallows it. A new eye opens on the petal like wings.

Alexia hits the ground, bounces off from the impact. Hits it again. it hurts. She promised to buy Alex some time. Her fire doesn't seem to do anything to him. The armor like substance on his body is very durable. He kicks her. She groans in pain. He starts to move away. Going after Alex. She forces her aching body to move. Gets up and attacks him. She isn't that strong. She can't hurt him but she must do something. Grabbing on to him, holding him in place. He struggles. She holds him from behind. His fists can't reach her. He tried to kick at her. His heel connecting with her chest. Knocking the air out of her lungs. She doesn't let go. Sinks to her knees but still holds on. Arms around his waist. Gripping for dear life. He reaches his arm around his back, now free from her grip. Grabs her hair. Pulls. Alexia screams. Doesn't let go. She is certain that she will die here.

He groans. The grip in her hair suddenly loosens. He starts griping his head. Falls to his knees. Alexia moves away. Confused. He is clawing at his chest. Screaming. Now she understands. The black armor like substance bursts into black smoke. He collapses to the ground, naked. The device falls from his chest. The insects crawls out from the hole made by the device. Scatter to the darkness. No queen left to control them the last of the pheromones fading.

Alex finds her way back. Feeling a desperate need for a shower but first she needed to find out if Alexia was still alive.

"You did it." she hears the woman call out.

She looks beat up, tired. Still alive.

"Albert?" she wonders.

"See for yourself." Alexia shows her to the unconscious body.

She feels happy, a little prideful in her accomplishment. But it's too early to celebrate.

"We need to get of this island." Alex says.

"There should be some aircraft left in the airport" Alexia says.

"We need to move as soon as possible. Once Spencer catch on he will come after us. And none of us are in a condition to fight right now."

"Agreed." Alexia said.

Alex drapes her coat over him, pick him up in her arms. He would kill her if he saw this. She hoped they could get somewhere safe before he woke up. Alexia leads the way. There is another way into the caves. One that cornets to the underground facility.

"There is another facility. Deeper in the Antarctic. "Alexia says. " There is equipment and resources. I was using it for my own research. We could hide out there."

"That sound like the best option. We need a lab to find a way to neutralize the virus so we could weaken Spencer. "

"Do you even know what his virus is?" Alexia asks.

"No. But he probably does." She looks down at him.

He looks almost peaceful. Asleep in her arms.

"We should get some supplies. At least warmed clothes. "She says.

Alexia pauses, gives her a curious look.

"Why?"

"The cold?"

"I'm not cold one bit. " Alexia says.

It's true. Standing next to her feels like standing near a fire.

"Well not everyone is like you. "Alex says.

Alexia looks her over.

"Well, you do stink. And those clothes are awfully worn down. You don't want him to see you like this, do you?" there is a teasing note in her voice.

Alex feels her face flush.

"Well it's not like I get swallowed by giant insect for fun." She retorts.

It does make her take note of the appearance. Aside from messy hair, the bad smell and slime covering her skin, her clothes had taken some damage. It must have been the acid form the insect. Midsection of her top was almost melted. Her boots were holding up fine, but her pants were not doing much better. Her coat was undamaged, but the stench would be a pain to clean.

Along the way to the airport she stops to grab some clothes for herself and Albert. The way Alexia was looking him over was making her uncomfortable. Mostly just military garb from the guards barracks. Alexia started the plane's engines. They were taking off. Making sure to blow up any other transport off the island. It would keep Spencer trapped there for a bit. It would prevent him from coming after them and they wouldn't have to hunt him down again.

Alexia in the pilot seat. Although the plane was on auto pilot. Alex rested against the wall. His head on her lap. He still wasn't waking up. But she recalled that Alexia took a while as well. She looks at him. Stroking his hair. The urge is becoming too great. It reminds her of a different time. He had been laying in her lap just like this. He wouldn't forgive her for that day. He wouldn't forgive her for this either, she thinks. Leans down, touches her lips to his. He is still unconscious. It's all she could hope for these days. She lingers. Just feeling him close like this hurts. The betrayal still a bleeding wound in her heart. She cannot forgive him. But neither can she deny her desire for him. A single tear falls to his face. She finally pulls away. Alexia is looking over at her. She feels her face flush.

"We're almost there." She says.

Alex feels him shift. Starting to come to. Leans back, away from him. He opens his eyes. Gaze unfocused. Blurry. She removes her hand from his hair, before he becomes aware of it. He sits up. Moves a hand to his face. She is thankful that they managed to get him somewhat dressed. Pants and a shirt. He turns to her.

"You're awake." She says, smiles, cannot help it.

The anger and confusion fade somewhat.

"Where are we?" he asks, voice hoarse from not being used in a long time.

"We're going to Antarctica." She says.

He touches his face. They're gone. The glasses. It slowly comes back. The explosion. Her holding him from the fall. He let's go. Falls into the inferno of flames. Regeneration took years. He was not complete yet. Somebody found him. His head hurts.

"You were under the control of Spencer" Alex says.

"Spencer..." he begins to remember.

He thought he had been dreaming. Trapped in a nightmare. That it was just a bad hallucination. But she was there. She had saved him. He looks at her again. She has a guilty look on her face. Almost like apologizing. It only confirms it.

She knew he hated it. He made it clear to her long ago. He hated it, when people helped him. No, he hated it when people beneath him, helped him. He hated it when she helped him. They had been kids then. And when he had asked for her help, no he didn't ask for help. Offered her to join him. She thought things changed. But then he showed her that he would rather die than let her save him. He really hated her that much. And it hurt.

"You will help us... To stop him?" She says.

"Yes." He answers.

The plane begins to land. They have reached the Antarctic base.