All The Right Moves

Chapter Seven: Capricorn

This A/N's gonna be a looong one.

Firstly - Happy Birthday Lyndsy!

Secondly, check out www dot lyndsy dash fonseca dot us slash gallery slash thumbnails dot php?album=183 for stills of the new episode "Free" coming up on January 27th - just look at that closet (/hot Michael stare!)

Thirdly, if you're on Twitter, follow: LyndsyMFonseca (verified); DevonESawa (verified); tiffanyhines1 (not verified but it's definitely her) and ashtonholmes (same as Tiffany).

Finally - this chapter has put me through the wringer. Write hate delete, write hate delete - it's a vicious cycle. I've taken it out on my fiancé, my computer and my credit card. I'm now stress-free and $630 poorer, but I have two gorgeous pairs of heels and a purse. I think it's more than justified.

"It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them." - Confucius.

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'Murphy's Law' states anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. A saying considered true by many except Alex. Until now. The synchronized ringing of both her and Thom's cell phones couldn't be a good sign.

"Hello?"

"Alex, it's Elena. You need to get back to Division now. We've gone Code Black." Judging by the look on Thom's face, he was being told exactly the same thing.

"You're on lockdown?"

"Soon will be. You'll can get in through sub-access, you know where that is?"

"I know it. What are we looking at?"

"We've been compromised. Someone knows where we are and they're making a move. We're going underground, but you have got to be back here in thirty minutes."

"I'm on my way." She looked over at Thom, who had just finished his conversation as well. He threw a couple of twenties on the table and they both rushed out of the restaurant, into the parking lot. As they scrambled to their respective cars, Thom yelled over his shoulder.

"Remember Opticon, and if we lose each other just get to Division. Don't worry about me." He always seemed to be looking out for her, something she was very thankful for.

"Same goes for me. But...I'll see you there."

"Yes you will."

#####

Division may have been as corrupt as anything, but they sure knew how to custom-fit their cars. A small black button - pushed when approaching a red light - would automatically change all traffic sets in the vicinity, allowing Alex to sail right through. She knew she had to get back to the compound, and fast. Even though Division was going underground, she didn't doubt they would still have the ability to find her if she decided to bail out now. And if she did, her mission would be over and she would have failed.

Failure was not an option. Her life had been hell, from losing her parents to being forced into the sex trade and drugs. She had to stay with Division to exact the revenge she so desperately sought. And for Thom. They were in this together now, and she wasn't about to let him down.

Thanks to the Opticon device, Alex made it to the secluded parking area in twenty minutes, relieved to see Thom's SUV pull in just a few minutes later. Accessing the sub basement was quick enough with two people, one to hold their keycard to the scanner, the other to enter the code for the door. A faint click signalled access had been granted, and the door slid upwards, revealing a cage-like elevator that would take them down.

"Good job we're not claustrophobic, huh?" Thom tried to joke as they rode down in complete darkness, in a capsule barely big enough for the two of them.

"Speak for yourself. I'm still not completely over the car incident." Alex threw back as the elevator came to a shuddering halt. Thom slid the grill across and they found themselves in front of another security gate. Repeating the same process of keycard and code, they were through in no time. On the other side of the door stood Elena, who quickly ushered them out and they fell into step with her.

"We've got a hell of a lot of systems to shut down, and very little time to do it in. Alex you're up in Ops, Birkhoff and Michael will show you what needs doing. Thom you're with me. Sublevel Four, one hour." Before Alex could say anything, she was being shoved through yet another door, into a stairwell she finally recognized. She jogged up two floors, swiped her keycard and entered Ops.

The only way to describe the situation there was chaos.

Division's central hub looked like a bomb had hit it with cables, equipment and Agents everywhere. Alex found herself rapidly apologizing for running into people as she made her way down the small set of stairs and onto the main Operations floor. She didn't even need to look for Birkhoff, as the normally contained tech Agent stood shouting over the disorder.

"If one more person doesn't shut down the online programs before disconnecting them, there's gonna be hell to pay. I know we have less than an hour people but there's vital information on these!"

A smooth, husky voice over her shoulder drew Alex's focus away from a red-faced Birkhoff. "Don't mind him, he's PMS-ing."

Michael's jovial tone irritated her. His behavior earlier that morning had been less than pleasant, yet he still expected to be able to joke around with her? She had been hoping he would just ignore her, sparing her from any more hurtful remarks.

"Elena said I was needed up here?" she asked, hoping her glare gave off the right impression. Her 'screw you' face had award-winning potential.

"Over there," Michael replied, gesturing for Alex to head toward a long line of highly technical equipment. As she passed by him, he placed a hand on the base of her back and began to walk with her. They took three steps together before she remembered his touch was unwelcome this time and stopped moving. Without saying a word, she took a large step to the right, shifting out of his grasp. Satisfied, she carried on with her approach to the control desk, not noticing that Michael remained stationary.

"Right, what am I doing?" she questioned, as her eyes ran over the equipment. She didn't have a clue where to begin, and turned to ask Michael for guidance. His distance confused her and his expression screamed of frustration. She watched as he purposefully strode over to her, his eyes filled with intent. Taking one last glance around Ops, he grabbed her hand and pulled her through a side door, into a darkened hall.

"What the hell?" she half-shouted.

"Alex, just listen to me please? I know you don't want to talk to me right now, but I have to say this." He sighed, blocking the door so she had no choice but to listen to him.

"Alex," He began. "I need to tell you..." He trailed off, taking both of her hands in his, clearly surprised when she didn't pull away. There was something in his voice that captured her attention. "I need you to know that I was wrong." She could see it in his eyes, the sincerity that had always crumbled her defences. His fingers traced her cheek, brushing her hair aside. Alex didn't know what to do with herself. His touch, the look in his eyes, his voice, it was overwhelming.

"I've been thinking about it for the last nine hours. I should've just told you what was wrong, made you understand. I thought I was protecting you by pushing you away, by pretending I didn't care, but all I did was hurt you. Division has its rules for a reason, and I didn't want Percy or anyone else to think we were getting too close."

She was curious. "Were we? Getting too close?"

"Not close enough in my opinion. We've been through a lot, Alex and I don't want a stupid moment of anger to tear us apart. I'm sorry I made you feel the way that I did. It's unforgivable."

"Michael," She didn't know what to say.

"Can we try again?" She wanted to say yes. She wanted to say no.

"Just one chance, Alex." He persisted. "We can take it slow, explore this – you and me." Once more, he brushed her bangs away from her face, and Alex found herself leaning into his touch.

"You want there to be an 'us'?" she asked, startled by his response. Ever since she was a little girl, she had dreamed of finding a man who would protect her and cherish her, a man she could trust. But now that dream was becoming a possibility, she was unsure.

"Yes." He replied simply. "I know it would be difficult, but it can be done. I'm not asking for right now, I want to you to really think about it. And I want you to be really sure about whichever decision you come to. But I know we could do this. It's you and me, remember? "

Michael gently ran his hands down to her arms, and met her eyes. Alex had never been more attracted to him than she was now – his eyes dark, their intensity intoxicating. And the words he was saying to her. She was being sucked in, and she found herself feeling an unusual mix of emotions. She felt uncertain, but conscious and...alive.

"Michael," she lifted her hand to touch his face and then hesitated. She wanted to ask him if he was really sure, if he knew what he was doing, if he knew the risk involved. But with the way he was watching her, waiting, she couldn't bring herself to ask.

"I have feelings for you, Michael. I can't exactly categorize them, but they're here" she stated, laying his hand over her racing heart.

That was all Michael needed, just a little glimmer of hope. He moved his hands down to her hips, turning her body around so she was flush against the wall. As he bent his head down to hers, she surprised him by grabbing the back of his neck and kissing him senseless. When the need for oxygen became apparent, they broke apart, foreheads resting against each other. Alex's eyes fluttered open as she realized Michael was watching her, looking very pleased with himself. Her body buzzed from his touch, she felt...lighter. Knowing that he really did care for her was enough for Alex.

Enough for her to say 'to hell with it' and take a chance.

#####

The hour flew by and before they knew it, Alex and Thom were down in Sublevel Four, awaiting further instructions from a missing Michael and Elena. Division had been gutted completely, from the main training floor to the recruits' rooms. Everything was gone, leaving an empty warehouse-like building in it's place. Some strategically-placed dirt and blown out lightbulbs added to the abandoned effect and it was all very convincing. All access code panels and security scanners had been removed, mostly by force. Percy, Amanda and the recruits were already on their way to the new compound, along with most of the security guards. A few stayed behind to run last-minute sweeps of the building. Nobody knew who had discovered their location and when they would arrive, but no chances were being taken. External access doors remained tightly sealed, allowing the last few Agents to retreat quickly, should that arrival occur any time soon.

"Where are they gonna put all the stuff we took out?" She had seen boxes and boxes of items being taken from Ops, but had no idea where it would end up. Sure, the new compound would be fully-fitted, but certain pieces of equipment were vital, such as the computers and hard drives.

"U-Haul trucks maybe?" Thom joked, jumping when a hand clapped his shoulder. A smug-looking Elena came to stand next to him, holding a small remote in her hand.

"Close" she said, pointing the remote at the wall and pushing a button. A series of clicks echoed around the room, followed by a sound similar to a garage door opening. The entire wall in front of them lifted upward, revealing Michael standing in front of a row of white trucks. Five, to be precise, all painted with a very distinct red-and-blue logo.

"Seriously?" Alex asked, not really believing what she was seeing. "We're leaving in FedEx trucks?"

"Yep" Michael replied, as Elena instructed the other Agents to their designated vehicles. "Elena's brilliant idea. See, there's a FedEx sorting facility halfway between here and our new location, meaning it's not out of place to see convoys of these things passing through the city several times a day. Nobody will think anything of it. We can get away with driving the SUVs out of here because it's D.C after all, those cars are everywhere. But to get everything out we needed something bigger, and a detail of black trailers would draw too much attention to us."

"Michael's right," Elena chipped in. "We'll take a route that goes past the sorting office, then after that, it's all countryside anyway. Won't be anyone around for miles. I call dibs on Alex by the way. Let's roll."

Shaking his head, Michael pulled a tense Alex to one side. "Don't worry, she doesn't bite. She might press you for information, but you can tell her anything. She's not a snitch, you can trust her." That did nothing to lessen her nerves. God-knows how long alone in a vehicle with Michael's best friend? That couldn't end well...

#####

"Checkpoint six. Making the turn onto Wilshere." Elena spoke into the handsfree radio.

"Copy that Fed Five. Checkpoint six" came the reply, a man's voice that Alex didn't recognize, but she still hadn't met everyone at Division just yet.

"Checkpoint six cleared. On Wilshere, standby for checkpoint seven."

"Copy. Checkpoint six clear. Awaiting checkpoint seven."

The journey was not what Alex had expected. She knew the convoy would be in contact the whole time, but not like this. This was something out of a military exercise, highly regimented and organized. Elena rested back into the driver's seat, indicating to Alex that they had some time before the next check in call.

"You and Michael huh?" she asked, getting stuck right in. Elena wasn't the type of person to bite her tongue. Bluntness was her strong point and her downfall sometimes.

"Uh sort of." Alex replied, wondering just how far Elena would take this.

"Sort of? You seem pretty close to me." All the way, clearly. She could sense Alex's hesitation in talking to her, but she understood it. After all, they barely knew each other. "We're talking woman-to-woman you know? Michael may be my best friend, but I want to hear things from your side too. In a male dominated environment like Division, it's good to have a girl to talk to."

Elena's attempts at putting Alex at ease had worked. The anxiety melted away as the 'girl talk' session began. The next ninety minutes were filled with life stories, Michael-related antics and some good pieces of advice, all wedged between various route updates. Alex found her impressions of Elena changed over the course of the journey. The image of an uncaring, unfazed assassin was soon replaced by that of a woman who had to be both mentally and physically strong to overcome the things she had endured. Alex definitely had a new-found respect for her.

Two minutes after Elena made the final check in with the convoy, she pulled to a stop, in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere. The sun was low to the ground, casting a brilliant orange glow over the horizon. It was beautiful, but made seeing any further than ten feet in front difficult. Tall Redwood trees lined the road on either side, providing the perfect cover. Elena flipped the truck's headlights on full, illuminating the four vehicles parked ahead. One by one, they pulled forward and turned left...disappearing through a tree. Wait, that couldn't be right. As Elena edged the truck forward, they could see the cleverly hidden away garage door, disguised as foliage along the roadside. Even the previous location hadn't been this secluded, leaving Alex wondering just how much of a threat Division was under.

They pulled into a fairly mundane underground parking lot lined with the familiar black SUVs, including Alex's. As the convoy moved to reconvene, Elena pulled her to one side.

"I like you Alex, I really do. And I know how much Michael cares about you, so I'm gonna try and be gentle about this. If you break his heart, I will break your face. Now, how good are you at heavy lifting?" She began to unclip the back of 'Fed Five', rolling up the shutter guard and jumping on board. Alex merely stood watching, slightly in awe of the woman climbing over the secured computer equipment.

That was gentle?

#####

To Alex, the new Division looked exactly the same as the previous one. The slate gray floors and fluorescent lighting hadn't changed one bit. The only difference was in the layout, although it remained quite similar. Operations still overlooked the recruits' training floor, but Security, Ammunitions and Medical had moved, now positioned on opposite ends of the building. The Agents would be briefed in full on the exact location of the compound, but Alex already knew it was going to add at least an extra forty-five minutes on her morning and evening traveling times. They were well out of the city now, meaning she would perhaps have to speak to Percy about acquiring a new apartment.

"Check out the new digs, Ally. Sweet or what?" Thom whistled as he approached her, causing her to cross her arms and scowl with the best of them.

"You did not just call me Ally," she stated, earning a chuckle from Michael, who appeared behind Thom.

"Why not? You need a nickname, right Michael?" he asked, seeking back up from his colleague.

"Right," Michael replied, before lowering his voice to a whisper. "I've spent nearly two hours trying to get him to stop talking. Just smile and nod."

"I heard that! I told you coffee wasn't a good idea, I feel all jittery. That would probably explain the talking. Anyway, where's Elena?"

"Just FYI, never give him caffeine" Michael laughed as Thom darted off to...well, who knew? He turned his attention on Alex, eager to find out how her trip with Elena had gone.

"She was fine." It was as if she could read his mind. He threw her a skeptical look, not entirely sure if she was really talking about his best friend.

"I mean it. We talked, and laughed - she's a great person. You two are very alike."

"Talked about what?" Michael crossed his arms, knowing what was coming next. Alex stepped forward, leaning up to whisper.

"If I told you that, I'd have to kill you," she smirked, before slipping away to help unload the trucks.

Michael simply smiled. That girl definitely had a hold on him.

#####

"Hey, we've still got a couple of servers out here, but Alex and I can get them," Michael informed Birkhoff as he entered the new Operations hub. His friends' response drew him back from the exit as her turned to leave.

"Yeah, I'll bet you can," he replied, in a tone which would have sounded more appropriate coming from Elena - somewhere between sarcastic and spiteful.

"Excuse me?" Sure, Birkhoff was a big fan of mockery, but never on an unpleasant level.

"Look Michael, just 'cause you're cosying up to the rookie, doesn't mean we all have to okay?" There it was, the same tone again. Just what was wrong with him?

"Uh, all right. Where did that come from?"

"Just telling it like it is, man. I don't get involved with the newbies anymore."

"Anymore?"

"Yeah, you know since...Nikita."

"Okay... but Alex is nothing like that." Was he really going to go there, comparing Alex to Nikita?

"Really? Then why is everyone hailing her as the 'next Nikita'? Who's to say she isn't huh? I mean, if she's gonna turn tricks on us too, I'd rather not be a part of it thanks."

If Birkhoff didn't start explaining soon, his friend's dormant temper may just make an untimely appearance. Michael angrily approached him, but he didn't even flinch.

"I understand Nikita was your friend and she betrayed that, but you really think Alex would do that too?"

"I get it - you trained Alex, so you trust her. But Nikita was your recruit too, remember? And look how well that turned out..."

"I don't train traitors, Birkhoff" Michael bit back. "Nikita was a one-off, a mistake. Alex is completely different."

Birkhoff threw his hands up in frustration. "Come on! You're telling me you haven't seen it? All those little things we picked up on with Nikita and should've paid attention to but didn't? You're not seeing it with Alex? Well I am. I'm seeing it all over again man, and it's just too damn familiar for comfort."

"Explain."

"The reluctance, the convenient 'accidents' that disrupt a mission, the fact that three of our best Agents couldn't take Nikita down, yet a little 110-pound girl could? With one punch I might add." There was a small flash of recognition and doubt in Michael's eyes, and Birkhoff knew he'd hit the jackpot.

"You do see it, don't you?"

#####

Boom.

Harri x