Weyland had spent the day digging.

He had dug through the ground, hoping to hit a maintenance shaft leading down the foundations of the Weyland-Yutani tower. It was cramped in the tunnel. His navigator told him he had only maybe a metre left, but he had to dig by hand, he couldn't use the automated digger, it would be too loud. So there he was, shovelling dirt away, occasionally glancing on his navigator to take care he was still digging the right way.

It was hot, stuffy inside the tunnel, and he was sweating. He wore black clothing, and was armed to the teeth.

Once he found the maintenance tunnel, he would be able to use his communicator again, but he had to refrain from cracking the wall, at least as long as the defence AI was still online.

He kept digging, and wondered what Akkan and Paul were up to. They had to reach the AI within the next ten minutes, else they would have to abandon the plan, and if that would happen, Weyland was sure, at least Akkan would not survive the night.

They just had to succeed. He knew he could be called insane for entrusting an untrained, wounded civilian with something like that. Cromwell was no soldier material. Hell, the man couldn't even hold a gun without almost fainting.

But he had to trust them. Cromwell was, after all, a descendant.

It all made sense to Weyland now. His affinity towards Akkan. Akkan's ability to communicate with him. Their…. Love.

Yes. Whilst it was outside of all imagination for Weyland, Akkan and Paul shared a loving relationship. It was ultimately strange for a human and a Xenomorph to engage into something like that. They were predator and prey, xenomorphs and humans. They couldn't be lovers… could they?

Weyland kept digging, until his shovel struck the metallic outer shell of the maintenance shaft. It produced a clang that made his ears ring. He started to clean away the grimy dirt, until he could see a portion of the metal in front of him. This was the place. He tuned his communicator, and waited for Paul's sign.

They had disappeared in a ventilation shaft. Paul crawling on all fours, Akkan up front, propelling himself through the tunnel.

Where is the AI's power supply?

Do I look like I even know what that is? Akkan snorted

Hey, I didn't mean to be offensive. You did well back them.

I know. Pride sparked in Akkan's voice. Get your thingy out and find the power supply. The faster this is done, the better.

You mean the navigator?

Yeah.

Paul pulled the small portable navigator out of his belt. According to this, it's just another ten metres ahead

They crawled on. Even with Paul being able to crawl on all fours, they weren't overly fast. The alarm had been raised, and below and above them, they could hear the slam of heavy boots on the iron floor. They were patrolling the building, but they weren't looking for them in the ventilation shafts yet. But it was only a matter of time. As soon as the AI had declared each of the floors safe, they would start closing down vents and trying to smoke them out.

Unless the AI would die.

Are you sure this will work?

I just have to get at the power supply. I can cut it easily with this small charge Weyland gave us.

What does it do?

I think it explodes.

I don't like fire.

I know. But it will destroy the power supply for sure.

I want to be far away before it blows.

So do I.

They went on.

Paul repeatedly glanced on his navigator, until he stopped.

It's here.

They had stopped in a completely normal looking section of the ventilation shaft. There were no hatches, no humming of static, nothing to betray the presence of a huge power cable lying just below them. Or above.

It looks normal to me. You're sure?
The navigator says so.

I suppose it has to look like this?
I don't know. I haven't done this before. All I got told was to head to these coordinates and place the charge. Once we are far away, I will detonate it.

I just hope you're right.

Paul took out the small cylindrical charge from his belt, and placed it on the ground.

We have exactly one minute.

Let's go! Hang on to my tail!

Akkan pushed his tail into Paul's face, and Paul clung on to dear life, as the Xeno started crawling through the tunnels. He was fast, and Paul felt himself being dragged over the smooth metal. His shoulder hurt, and he gritted his teeth, as the xenomorph pulled him through the shafts.

A minute seems like a long time when one is counting the seconds, but now it seemed like the blink of an eye.

Akkan hadn't gotten very far, when a wave of hot air rushed over them, followed by an ear-shattering explosion.

Akkan squealed, and slammed his body over Paul's to shield him from the blast. It was only a short heatwave, and then it was all over.

Akkan had curled Paul forcefully into a ball, shielding himself with his exoskeleton.

Are you okay?

Yeah, I'm good. Except being manhandled by a xeno, and almost being crushed beneath one, yeah.

I was just trying to protect you, you twat.

Let me get out, I need to signal to Weyland!

Reluctantly, Akkan let go of Paul, and he pulled out the communicator.

"Fred, can you hear me?"

"Paul, is the AI offline?"

"I detonated the charge at the exact coordinates where you told me to do so. The AI should be offline."

"Very well."

"Dr Schulz is here."

"WHAT?"

"Dr. Schulz is the CEO of Weyland-Yutani."

A short silence enveloped the communication.

"We stick to the plan. Meet me at the designated coordinates in fifteen minutes time."

And with these words the communication terminated.

Dr Schulz. Isn't that the name of the stale prey?

Paul nodded wordlessly. Of all people. Schulz? It couldn't be.

I will have his guts. I will tear him to shreds.

Paul gulped. What did that mean?

He hurt you.

HE ALMOST KILLED ME!

There it was again. The anger, the overwhelming hate, hitting him like a derailed train.

Akkan hissed, and lashed at the wall violently. Growling, he turned to Paul.

For a split second, he was not staring into the face of his lover, but into a violent, hate-filled visage, bent on destroying everything in his path.

Then Akkan's lip line softened again.

Oh Paul. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to – it was just –

And the xenomorph started whimpering and threw his arms around Paul.
Paul hugged back, comforting his whimpering and whining mate.

Weyland had cut his way into the maintenance shaft, slowly making his way upwards. It was only four metres, yet they sent him wheezing and huffing in exhaustion as he reached the top. He wasn't young anymore. It was just the gruesome truth. He, Frederic Bishop Weyland, was getting old.

He raised himself up, and pulled his silenced weapon from its holster.

There would be no guards down here, but one had to be extra careful. Paul might have accidentally raised the alarm, or maybe they were just alert.

He slowly pushed his way through the passages that made up the lower level of the building. He had to reach the maintenance lift that went through the core of the building, right up to the CEO's office.

He slunk through the slightly darkened passages, avoiding people here and there. He wasn't planning on killing everyone in here, some of these people were actually important for Weyland-Yutani. He didn't want to destroy the firm, but rather take what was rightfully his.

The maintenance lift was never guarded. Most people just ignored it. It was for maintenance along the power lines that went up and down the building. It didn't stop at every level, basically it was just a platform that could be lifted up and down. There wasn't even a counterweight and a cable, it was driven by gears pulling it up and down. The entrance down here was rarely used. Only the main power line entered the building here. It was an innocent-looking place. A huge double door, padlocked, slightly dusty.

It was his way up. He had another seven minutes left.

He started to pick at the door lock.

"Hey! You? What are you doing?"

Shit.

One second he had let his guard down, and then he was found. A weapon clicked, and Weyland felt a hard metal object being pushed into his back.

"On your feet! Show me your hand!"

It had to be one. It had to be just one. Else he would've heard two voices and the guard wouldn't have gone up close and personal with him. He had to be alone.

Weyland twisted around, pulling the combat knife from its sheath on his shoulder.

The man was looking at him in surprise, and he wasted no time, ramming the knife into the guard's neck.

It was bloody work, he thought, as he watched the guard's eyes break, and the man slump to the floor.

But it was necessary. Besides, it wasn't like he actually cared.

He resumed the picking of the Padlock. It would take long enough for him to reach the top anyway. He just hoped everything went to plan, and he would be met by Akkan and Paul once he had reached the top

The door creaked open.

And Weyland stared down the barrel of a pulse rifle.

He raised his hands, dropping his weapon to his side. He surveyed the situation.

Akkan was against the wall, hissing dangerously. A thin lipped, tight-faced man pointed a revolver at Akkan's domed head.

Paul was on his knees, unarmed, pleading with the man.

"Please, don't kill him! Please!"

"I will kill him."

A second man, the one aiming at Weyland, grinned. "Its number three here in the elevator. Just as we were told."

Weyland growled. "Who told you that?"

The man looked a Paul for a split second, and it was all Weyland needed.

He rushed forwards, bending the arm that carried the rifle sideways, breaking it with a resounding crack.

He then pushed the knife deep into the man's chest, feeling his opponent become limp. Akkan would die, but it would be enough time for him to kill the other man, before he managed to kill Paul.

Weyland twisted around, launching himself towards the man threatening Akkan.

Time slowed down, as he watched the muscles in the trigger finger tighten, and the thin-lipped man pressing the trigger.

This was it then for Akkan. He wouldn't be fast enough.

And then something happened that surprised him.

Paul started to move.

In the split second it took the man to decide that he had to shoot Akkan, Paul had launched himself off the ground, hurtled through the air, and crashed into the man, pulling him off his feet.

A shot loosened, slapping through the air and impacting harmlessly into the ceiling.

Akkan screeched, jumping aside and Weyland sailed majestically through the air to hit the wall, painfully slamming his shoulder against it.

Paul's sudden, split-second jump had startled both Weyland and Akkan.

Weyland slid to the floor, his mind racing. This wasn't possible. This was just too fast. No human, at least none he knew of, could react that fast.

It was the reaction of a xenomorph.

Paul was a descendant. This proved it.

Akkan could only watch, as his lover kicked off the floor in the second the man started to press the trigger.
Weyland had killed the other man before, but Akkan knew he was going to die now. He was glad Paul would live. Weyland would save his lover, but he would die.

He had known it from the moment the thin-lipped prey had appeared. It carried a malevolent authority.

But now Paul had acted for the first time, really acted.

He threw himself against the man, and the shot went amiss.

Akkan saw the two travel through the air, and impact in the wall.

"YOU WILL NOT HURT HIM!"