Angels with Newfound Hope
Act 2 Chapter 21: Lair
Alone. Alex was alone next to the portal. A sea of ruined buildings lie amidst the endless winter backdrop before him. He found out very quickly that his feet were quite literally glued to the ground. Not one step could he take to save his life, not even when a lone figure encroached upon him.
"B- Bryce?" The male whimpered weakly. His lips remained stiff no matter how hard he tried to pry them open. No matter what he did, he could only mumble.
"Why?" The dragon spoke in a husky voice. "Why did you abandon me?"
"No. Please, no more!" Alex begged to whatever pulled the strings in this sick hellscape. "I can't take it... please."
"I trusted you. I trusted you, and you killed me." Bryce continued. His footsteps grew in volume as he pressed on.
"I tried to stay, to help you, but you forced me to go!" Alex argued to no avail. Through his blurred vision, his dragon grew in detail. The blob that was Bryce was battered, bloodied, and broken: exactly how he was left after... that.
"LIAR!"
Alex awoke with a start, falling straight onto the floor. He struggled to get back up whilst clutching his head. A knot was swiftly forming right on his left temple. With a pained groan, he went to the kitchen to craft an ice pack.
"Hey, what the heck just happened? I was fast asleep when you- oh." Bryce groggily injected himself into the situation, only noticing the aftermath post-mortem.
"I just fell off the sofa. It should be better in the morning." The human dismissed his question with a wave of a hand. Grabbing a washcloth, he began the process.
"I was talking about whatever happened in your sleep. You scared the shit out of me with that yell." The officer clarified to a short sigh.
"It was just a nightmare. Don't worry about me, it happens." Alex knew that what he was doing was awful and self-inflicted, but he also didn't want his dragon upset. Not after everything that happened to get here.
"Yeah, no. I'm definitely going to be worried if you're waking up screaming. Go sit back down. You're telling me what keeps scaring you so badly." Bryce commanded sternly. Of course he'd be concerned. Why did that human think he wouldn't after hearing firsthand what he went through?
"Bryce-"
"No buts. Sit." He definitely wasn't having it anymore. This child was bottling up too much, and in his experience, it would help more if he talked about it.
Alex reluctantly took the loveseat across from Bryce. The intensity radiating from him told the man he was done beating around the bush. He was going to spill everything whether he liked it or not.
"You're not going to let me go, are you?" He asked simply, only receiving a dour glare from the dragon in return. "Fine... I was at the portal, looking upon a destroyed version of your city. I think it was winter too, not like I cared. You made it hard to." That last fact caught Bryce's attention. It wasn't every day that you hear that.
"Wait, I was there?" He interjected.
"Yeah. You were blaming me for whatever happened, calling me a murderer and such. I tried to defend myself, but you weren't having it. You screamed 'Liar', then I woke up." The smaller male finished his summary.
"Is that... how you really feel? Like I'll instantly hate you if you make one misstep?" The chief made his interpretation clear. Alex didn't think he'd take that away from what he said.
"I don't- I don't know anymore. Can I take you up on that offer? Maybe I'll sleep better in a bed after all." Alex prayed he wouldn't have to convince the male across from him, let alone lose another night's sleep to his own mind.
"I really think we need to get to the bottom of this right now." Bryce argued dejectedly. Alex didn't blame him either. He'd be pretty upset too if he had a bombshell of that caliber dropped on him.
"There'll be plenty of time for that later on. But for now, we definitely need some rest. I've barely been funtioning as is" The smaller male reasoned. He even flipped on his phone's flashlight, emphasizing the bags that developed under his eyes.
"Oh. How didn't I notice those before? Screw it, you desperately need sleep. Let's just talk the next time we see each other casually." The chief stated before leading them both into the bedroom. Slipping back under the covers, he beckoned the human to join.
"One second." Alex slid off everything except a pair of compression shorts. His battered and scarred body bore itself for the world to see. The quilt felt amazing as soon as he got under. And the only thing that could be better...
"Uh. Are you... comfortable like that?" Would have been cuddling, but he couldn't find the courage. So he just condemned himself to laying awkwardly at the edge. Their shoulders remained a foot apart, yes, but he threatened to slip off with one false move. Even Bryce saw it from his position.
"Yep! Never better. I'm just peachy!" Alex reassured him in a strained voice. The dragon gave him an estranged look before pulling him closer. The smaller of them tensed up at first, but soon buried himself in those scales as though they were the richest velvet.
"Thought so. Good night, kiddo. Rest e-" Bryce's night wish was interrupted by very soft and steady breathing. It was as though a titanic relief washed over him in that instant. Either that, or all the exhaustion he had built up this whole time. The dragon simply shook his head and bedded down for what he hoped would be a restful night...
Day 9, 6:38AM
Alex's eyes barely cracked open to an empty bed. His headspace throughout the night was nothing but warmth and comfort after...
"Bryce?" He noted the disappearance of his bedmate, as well as the scent and sound of currently brewing coffee. He also just so happened to not drink the stuff. Not after he started junior year. That one was replaced by hot cocoa, a regrettable action on his part, as it left a sizable amount of belly fat to burn later on.
Pulling himself from the covers, he shuffled into the kitchen to find his source of comfort idly nodding in time to some music. His phone lay on the counter with its screen projecting the current song: a cover of Can't help falling in love by Elvis Presley. His beautiful baritone hummed along to parts as he fell prey to the mesmerizing coffee maker.
"For I... can't... help... falling in love... with you." The song ended with a clicking of claws and gentle babbling of steaming black liquid. Alex never took Bryce for a music fan, especially not romantic stuff like that.
"I'll admit, you have good taste." The ambassador complimented with a genuine smile.
"Ah, sorry. I didn't think I'd wake you up. How'd you sleep last night?" Bryce asked, plucking a mug off the counter. He was rather worried he slept through any turbulence.
For once, peacefully. I couldn't have asked for better. Thank you." Alex ended his song of praise with a tight hug around his dragon's neck. "You have no idea how long that has haunted me..." He said mournfully. That crap attacked him every single night, and made him feel like such a horrible person. It was beyond refreshing to just not dream for once.
"You're welcome. You know, I'm glad you've opened up so much in spite of everything. I think it's really helped you." The reptile gently separated them both so they could speak more formally. His company rubbed tiredly at his eyes as though it would magically wake him up.
"Maybe it did. Only time will tell now. But hey, I have a question." The human began.
"Shoot." His interest was accepted.
"Next time you're here, would it be okay if you stayed over again?" And he fired. The only thing to do now was see how his dragon would respond.
"I wouldn't be unopposed. But we're talking about everything before that. If last night is anything to go off of, you desperately need it." Bryce ordered under the reasoning that it would be good for him.
"Right. I did promise that, didn't I?" Alex confirmed dejectedly. How was he even going to begin with something like that?
"Yeah. I'll be waiting on that. But for now, I need to get to work. See you soon?" Bryce bid a farewell that didn't go uninterrupted.
"I hope so. You help keep the clouds away." Alex saw him out the door, only turning back once his dragon was no longer in sight. The first thing to enter his vision once he did was none other than Mongoose. She looked troubled, as though something happened in the night.
"It's time we did something about her."
Day 9, 9:48PM
Alex and Maverick trudged past dense foliage to an undisclosed location. Town was about a mile back the way they came, and it looked as though there would be nothing around for another. The former male grew frustrated at the shenaniganry he was being put through. Meanwhile, the latter grew just plain frustrated.
"So what's so important again that we're going out around the orphanage? Seriously, you call out of nowhere asking if I'd tag along without even telling me what this is." The dragon complained rather loudly.
"Shh! Looks like we're here. I got a tip that the person from that sewer has been hiding out around here. Looks like this is it." Alex turned back to his accomplice. "It's very likely she could still be there. I need you to do like the farmhouse: keep low, and don't make a sound. The last thing we need is to get shot at again." With that, he snuck in with his pistol drawn.
The human entered the main room first with his follower on his heels. There wasn't much aside from an odd looking furnace on the back wall. He could barely make out the single figure of a dragon laying by it, curled up in deep slumber. Silently clambering over, he noticed another lying next to them. He fully regretted what he did next.
"Oh shit..." He whispered.
"What is it?" Maverick followed up, eyes softening when he saw them.
"It's that kid from earlier. She ran me over a couple times when I was out. What happened to-" Alex trailed off, remembering something from the last time.
"You know what happened on patrol today? We found a mother and child: dead in their home on the outskirts. The mother died from an illness, and the kid never left her side."
It was Bryce. He mentioned this after that argument. This was the very scene he described that night.
"They're gone... Bryce told me about this the first night of the festival. And what's worse? The father was an earlier victim. He was likely getting her medicine. This means Reza's responsible for two more deaths." He knelt by the child, noting a degree of rot to her and her mother. "I am so sorry that this happened to you. I promise that you and your father will not go unavenged. I'll get the killer, even if it's the last thing I do."
With that, he got back up and made way into another area. A single chair sat by itself in the middle of the pitch-dark space. Memories of his interrogation flashed by as he took it in. This may very well have been the same space he was kidnapped to. Another room sat adjacent; the one the Administrator went into during that.
There was a table with some schematics and papers, along with a bed about his size. Although that wasn't what caught his attention the most.
"Alex, hide!" Maverick called to him in a whisper-yell. The human cloaked himself in shadow, as did his company, both flattening themselves against adjacent walls.
The administrator crept in, her cloaked figure somewhat intimidating if you didn't know who was under it. She went straight into the bedroom and set a P90 on the table. That definitely wasn't anything he remembered stocking or using. Mongoose mentioned in her brief that one of her weapons was stolen as well. Well, both of them, but that was beside the point. He needed to get that back without disturbing anything.
"Geez, so much has changed since that girl came through. First her, then that other guy. But why didn't anyone else come in after him? Did something change when he escaped? I'll need to test that further. For now, I definitely need some rest." She questioned herself briefly. Glancing back at the weapon, she flipped over for a good night's sleep.
Alex signaled for them to wait until she was asleep. Twenty minutes later, and that appeared to be so. Alex crept silently back in for the P90 and whatever else he could grab. A very gentle scrape emanated from the gun as it slid into his hands. The papers would simply have photos taken instead.
They seemed to contain research on him, the portal, and his effects on it. There were also some on Mongoose and Reza as well. The former two pointed to one question: Why wasn't there anyone else. What did that mean? Was there supposed to be? That would be one for later. Right now, he needed to get himself and Maverick out of the lion's den without being detected.
"Looks like I'm done here. Let's scram before she wakes up." The male urged quietly after creeping back.
"Good god, how many guns did you bring on this?!" Maverick immediately pressed. It was a legitimate question, considering how many he's seen on this round.
"I'll tell you when we get back. We need to get the hell out of here now." Alex argued in a whisper.
"No. Not until you tell me everything." The dragon shot back as his de facto sergeant whirled himself around the cave wall.
"Then you're not getting that, because I'm not about to wake her up. By the way; she still has a pistol tucked away in her cloak." The vigilante skulked out right before his companion's reaction.
"You're kidding, right...? Alex?" Maverick almost thought it was a joke until the human was gone. Glancing back revealed a subtle revolver bulge that wasn't there before. Wincing away, he followed Alex out without another word.
Alex's Apartment - 10:43PM
In the brightly lit living room, two beings sat. Alex went over what he gathered with Maverick. The two were caught up in a thankfully simple discussion on what those papers could mean.
"Okay... these guys are trying to figure out why there wasn't anyone to come through after me. She wrote that there was someone before, but she doesn't know where they're at." That was a bullshit lie, and he knew it. The other person got involved with her, and is now staying with him. Where she was at that moment, however, was a different story.
"And that person was? I've only seen three of you so far." The dragon questioned a little more nonchalantly. Ever since they got back, he'd been decompressing. He couldn't be blamed, either. Alex would be tense too if he were in Maverick's shoes.
A curious head just barely poked out from behind a corner, catching the dragon's attention before slipping back without a trace. Alex noticed too late.
"What is it?" The human questioned.
"Nothing. I just thought I saw something. I should probably be going now. Keep that gun out of the wrong hands, Alex, or I will kill you." Maverick stood up to leave. "And tell your friend we need to talk." With that, he left his only ally with one pervasive thought.
"Mongoose, get out here." The remaining male called sternly. She came out in a crimson tank top and deep blue skinny jeans: part of the very outfit she wore when he himself went through. Perhaps the two were more similar than he thought.
"I know what you're thinking-"
"Just spit it out. You've hidden enough from me." Alex wasn't going to take any more. He wanted answers, and he was damn well going to get them.
"Okay. You obviously weren't the first to be put through this. I went through a round before you came along." The hispanic started.
"So what does that mean in context? How do you and Maverick know each other?" The ambassador was blunt in pushing the conversation along.
"I tried to pursue him during that time. As you can see, I wasn't very successful, if at all..." She trailed off.
"Why him? Didn't you see that he was suspicious you were working with Reza, just like me?" Alex pressed. In that time, he began to wonder if his own Mongoose would've done the same.
"That's why I worked even harder to disprove it on my off days. I'm surprised I even managed to convince him to meet me at the portal on my last night." Mongoose thought long and hard about that day. It still felt like yesterday.
"You are crazy, Mongoose." Alex commented more lightheartedly.
"Not as crazy as you. But anyway, shit hit the fan when we confronted Reza. I tried lunging for him as soon as he came out. Turns out that was a bad idea. I wasn't armed, so he got me a couple times, then the generator as a last resort for escape." The woman explained with a dejected frown. "I wasn't even sure if I made it until I found myself in that void again."
"You saw it too?" The man across from her questioned. If he was being honest, that surprised him more than anything.
"Yeah. There was a silhouette of Maverick next to me for a few seconds. Then I came back into this place as though nothing happened. The administrator was the only one who remembered everything, so I sided with her until I encountered you." Mongoose's emotions only grew worse from then on. She hid them well, but they still ate away at her psyche.
"Then you tried to kill me." The ambassador added, still a little bitter toward his friend for that.
"I never intended to. Whenever I had to shoot at you, I always missed, for one. I never pursued you past a certain point either. You always had a chance to escape. You know just as well as I do that I had to maintain my cover, just like you with Bryce." The former hunter argued. What happened between then and now that made him bring that up?
"I know..." Alex deflated. "I still don't even know if I'm ready to tell him everything. I'm so scared that he'll end what little we have then and there. And then..."
"Hey, don't think like that. You know well that it won't help anything. Just do your best with him. I'm sure he'd appreciate your honesty regardless." Mongoose reassured him. She knew of his struggles all too well.
"Maybe I should go for a walk. Clear my head." Alex said after several moments. Getting up, he made for the door.
"Do you want me to come with you?" His friend asked simply.
"No. I'll be alright." And with that, he shut the door, leaving the hispanic by her lonesome in that empty apartment...
Empty Lot - Day 10, 12:22AM
Alex wandered into the same lot he watched fireworks with Bryce in on that night. The grass felt rather dry under him as he sat down, gazing deep into the cosmos. Aside from last night, this was the most peace he felt in a long time. He often stargazed early after Zoe passed away just to savor these rare moments.
Sadly, that didn't last long. A set of footsteps caught his interest. His eyes snapped over to Bryce's coworker, Naomi. She sat only a couple meters away, deep in her own head. Why she'd choose to be around here escaped him entirely. Perhaps if he addressed it...
"I guess you're lost." The human said simply. His voice startled her, if the resulting yelp was anything to go by.
"What the?! Oh. Uh, Alex, right? What are you doing here so late?" The anthro asked, rather startled at him.
"I'm just trying to find some peace. This case has been a little rough on me." Alex stated dismissively.
"A little?" She held back laughter at the mere thought. Her company only cocked a brow. "I've heard what's happened so far, just so you know. Bryce likes to talk when he's shit-faced."
"That's an unsettling thought. What all did he say?" The human began to wonder if he even picked right.
"That something happened before you went through, and it's worrying him because you're either reckless or deeply depressed. Just look at what happened during your second investigation. You nearly got torn to pieces." Naomi expressed her own worry with that statement. It seemed that was the case with everyone nowadays.
"You don't have to tell me a third time. I already got it from him and Maverick." The ambassador fired off blankly.
"Maverick said that? Really?" The dragon couldn't believe what she just heard. Maverick, of all people, expressed worry.
"Not in verbatim, but yes." Alex lay back down to gaze more.
"Color me surprised. What else don't I know about him?" Naomi lay next to him, getting comfy on the soft grass.
"I don't know. I've only been here a week or so. I've worked with him less." Alex's eyes went over a red star that caught his interest.
"That's news to me. I didn't think he'd trust you after what Reza pulled." The female glazed over various constellations as her casual discussion continued.
"Either way, he's still on our side. He's just a bit of a loose cannon." The male stated.
"A bit? That's a good one there." Naomi's eyes began to sparkle with the moonlight. It almost resembled something out of a romance movie. "You know, it's been interesting talking with you so far. You seem alright in spite of your attitude. I need to get back to my patrol now, but let's chat some more, okay?" Naomi got back up and readied herself.
"Sounds good. I'll see you later, then." And with that, Alex finally felt a little better. It was good to hear Bryce's true sentiments toward him. It quelled the whirlwind inside just that much more. Maybe this could be turned around after all...
