Missoula Montana
Wayside Diner
Near the airport
.
"I didn't think it could be any colder," Broots complained shivering in the comparative warmth of the diner. They'd landed with little trouble, but had been informed when picking up their rental vehicle that a lot of the roads still hadn't been cleared and they would need to wait till the morning before they could travel.
That meant an uncomfortable night at a local hotel, on The Centre's dime, thankfully, and even more thankfully separate rooms since Miss Parker had gone on an invective-filled rant of epic proportions, that hadn't calmed until surprisingly good pizza and salad had been delivered. It hadn't been all sweetness and light after that, but the bitching had dulled to tolerable levels.
He understood, he really did, but it wasn't like they had any control over the weather or the cleanup crews actually making the roads accessible. They'd done their part, discovered where Jarod was and moved to intercept him before he had a chance to move on. Granted, catching him probably wasn't very likely, but you couldn't say they hadn't tried. And really it wasn't Jarod Sydney was concerned about this time, but the girl.
They'd gone over all the DSAs available on her, along with all the Oracle project data, but unless they wanted to go seriously digging into the bowels of The Centre, there was little more to learn, at least not without alerting Mr. Lyle to their, and Jarod's, interest.
"Have you seen this," Miss Parker all but spat as she slapped the newspaper on the table, bumping the various drinks and setting them to sloshing dangerously.
"Seen what?" Sydney asked even as Broots picked up the paper and turned it over. Right there on the front page, bold as anything: ATF Breaks Up Gun Ring.
"Oh, crap," Broots muttered, scanning over the story. Looked like Jarod had stumbled on the blackmail of a gun supplier by a known black market weapons dealer. There was even a grainy photo of Jarod, standing next to woman who most likely was Miss MacTierney. He handed the paper to Sydney for him to read the bad news on his own. "If Mr. Lyle knows about this..."
"Lyle left before we did, remember?" Miss Parker pointed out, voice colder than the icy temps outside. "He probably knew as soon as it hit the AP."
"So what do we do?" Sydney asked, as he neatly folded the paper and set it aside.
"Do? Nothing? We're here for Jarod, we know nothing about the girl, remember?" Miss Parker picked up her cup and sipped the coffee, making a face at the bitter brew. "Of course, we still have to get there." She aimed a questioning look at Broots, who had become the default chauffeur, since no other members of The Centre had been authorized for this adventure.
"Four hours, more or less. Depends on traffic and road conditions. I've already programmed the GPS. We just need to load up the car and go."
"Good. Breakfast then we'll leave." Decision made, she waved for the server, whether or not anyone else was ready.
"Do... do we want to give his... them... her a heads up?" Broots asked hesitantly.
Sydney cocked his head to the side, pondering, then looked over at Miss Parker. "We could," he pointed out, "without letting him know we are here."
Miss Parker sighed heavily. "Yes, we could, but given Lyle is just as likely to try and capture him as us..." She trailed off allowing them to come to their own conclusions.
"He'd run, and before we could get there," Broots stated with confidence, wishing it weren't true.
"Exactly," Miss Parker agreed. "While I would not wish The Centre on this young woman, we don't dare compromise our mission for her sake." She spread her hands and shrugged. "Sorry, but that is the way it is."
"No need to apologize, Miss Parker, we both understand that the needs of The Centre come first." Sydney's tone may have been bland, but even Broots could here the admonishment buried within.
Miss Parker huffed. "Last I checked you were as responsible as I for the return of Jarod. Raines is going to lose patience eventually. Personally I enjoy living."
Broots turned to Sydney. "She has a point."
"Sadly, yes, she does." Sydney frowned, plainly not liking it, but more than smart enough to not risk their tenuous position at The Centre.
…..
Mountain High Resort
Near Eureka Montana
.
A black car pulled up, a tall dark-haired woman exiting, gun drawn, look hard. She surveyed the area with wary eyes and headed straight for the cabin. Charging up the stairs and kicking the door open without so much as a warning. Two gunshots followed, quick and precise, then silence for long minutes.
Then she appeared in the doorway, Jarod beside her, hands cuffed behind his back, the gun jabbed unceremoniously into his ribs, blood dripping down his side. She walked him to the waiting vehicle and urged him inside, and warning him to stay put with the threat of more bodily harm.
Clearly in pain and resigned, Jarod acquiesced, remaining within while they stripped anything that might be his from the cabin. The task only took minutes, then the threesome piled back into the car and left the resort, Jarod not even attempting to get away.
Alyx found herself staring at the far wall of the bedroom, the curtains still closed over the window, keeping the daylight, if there was any given she had no idea what time it was, out. The dream pressed on her mind, the danger and urgency obvious. Still she took a moment to assess her condition and aside from lingering soreness from the bruises on her cheeks felt reasonable well. The headache, along with the attendant pain, gone and the drugs no longer in her system.
She rolled onto her back and pushed her body up until the pillows were squished between her and the headboard. Okay, so maybe the drugs weren't completely flushed from her system based on the slight disconnect between sight and movement. No rest for the wicked she supposed. Taking one moment more as she scrubbed her face in her hands, ignoring the ache of her bruised cheek and split lip, gathering her wits about her and drumming up the energy to deal with what would be coming.
Stumbling out in to the main room she found all three boys chatting, almost amiably. Granted the discussion was actually a debate about waking her so that she could eat, or allowing her sleep until she woke on her own.
"Morning, boys," she greeted, cutting off their discussion instantly.
"Alyx." Darien damn near jumped to her side, pulling her into hug for an instant, then stepping back to give her the once over. His fingers trailed delicately across the bruise on her right cheek, guilt coloring his features.
"It's okay, bub," she assured him softly, with a tiny smile that she hoped would ease his conscience, if only a little. Of course, what she was about to do might very well set him off again. He still felt wrong to her, but at least he was no longer keeping her out, not that she planned to go digging, but just being able to feel the normal flow of thoughts and emotions eased her concerns and buoyed her up.
Shifting so that she could look Jarod in the eye, she said, "They're coming."
He blinked, confusion washing across his face, before understanding dawned. "How long?"
She shrugged. "A couple hours, give or take. More than enough time for you to gather your things and make a proper retreat."
"And Lyle? Is he coming after you?" Jarod didn't seem the least bit worried about Miss Parker et al being on their way to capture him, but given what she had seen he should be. For all she knew warning him would cause him to be captured instead of saving him. There was no way to know until the moment arrived.
"I don't know," she told him.
Darien added, "She can't see about herself, only others."
It was true enough as far as things went, but while she could not see events specific to herself, she could them about those around her and with whom she might very well interact, like Max Garrett.
"Kid's good, but even she has limits, apparently," Hobbes stated. "How can we help?"
"Help? Help with what?" Jarod asked.
Alyx laughed. "With you getting away, that's what. Now, aside from the obvious packing and such, is there anything you need?" She knew it was a stupid question, they needed time more than anything, but it could not be now. They would have to carve it out from their busy lives to learn all that they needed from each other to protect themselves.
"More time," Jarod stated wryly. Then shook his head. "Nothing really, I've learned to travel light."
"But the case..."
"All my notes have been turned over to the local office, along with the request for your involvement. Your Official will have his credit, I can guarantee you that," Jarod assured them, looking about for his belongings. "I'll be back in twenty minutes with the boys." He looked straight at Alyx. "You might want to meet us outside."
She sighed. "Yeah, that would be a good idea."
"The boys?" Darien questioned sounding confused.
"Uh, I brought back some souvenirs from the Hurst estate?" She wanted desperately wanted to make light of the incident, but had no idea how. She'd reprogrammed the dogs' brains with very little effort and now she had to figure out what to do with them. She suspected if left at a pound for adoption they would pine away long before they found a home, or worse, were euthanized.
"Kid, what did you do this time?" Hobbes asked in some exasperation.
"She didn't want to hurt the dogs, so she swayed them to our side," Jarod answered, quite plainly trying to make a difficult situation easier on her. He winked at her. "She just did it better than she had planned."
"Dogs?" Darien asked. "Like guard dogs?"
Alyx nodded. "Three Rottweilers. I have yet to figure out what to do with them." She tipped her head slightly. "You sure you don't want at least one? I'm pretty sure he'd be effective in keeping your friends at bay."
"Or some early warning when needed," Hobbes added.
Jarod smiled thinly. "While I can appreciate the suggestion and do see the potential, I can't. It would simply give them one more way to track me and... I can't have that."
"Jarod, you don't have to explain. They are my responsibility, I'll find them good homes." Alyx paced away, rubbing her forehead, the pressure from her foreknowledge still not easing. "You need to get moving."
"What do you see?" Darien asked, going to her a setting a hand on her shoulder.
Alyx closed her eyes to better concentrate. The same images she saw while asleep playing in reverse, the SUV leaving the resort, driving back down the highway, the sun lowering into the east until well south of Eureka, shadows still stretched long as they drove northward towards where they knew Jarod to be. The location confirmed not by their hard work, but by Broots hacking into Mr. Lyle's communications. "They are tracking Lyle's movements and while he will not get here first he knows where we are. He has orders to bring both of us in."
"Shit," Jarod swore.
Alyx opened her eyes, swallowing down the shock she felt. She had never done that before, followed the thread of a... a memory to see more, to see deeper. Being near Jarod must have activated this additional ability. Oh, marvelous, new family and bonus gifts. "Go," she insisted, "I... we will be just fine."
"You can't know that," Jarod hissed, the worry evident in his posture and tone.
She gave him a broad smile. "Sure I can. I may not be able to see what's coming for me, but I can for these two." She waved at Darien and Bobby. "If they are fine, I must be fine, because they would not let me go without a fight. One that would most likely involve explosives."
Darien snorted in amusement, but nodded in agreement. "This would be one of those over our dead body kinda deals."
"Damn straight," Hobbes said with arms crossed over his chest. "Kid's got the right of it, we'll be fine. You need to get while the gettin's good."
Jarod shook his head. "Lyle is dangerous."
Alyx walked over to Jarod, and set a hand on his arm. "So am I." Oh, boy, was she. If Lyle were to actually show himself he might just walk away intact, she had the urge to make an example of him, a warning to The Centre to be careful where they tread. Hell, if they pushed it even a touch too much Jarod's friends might just feel her wrath when they arrived. "Now go get the boys." She shooed him towards the door and with a nod, turned grabbed his coat and left.
Before either of her partners could say a word she went on a hunt for pen and paper and started scribbling information like a maniac. She wanted Jarod to have this information for multiple reasons, some of which were selfish even in her opinion, but necessary. Oh, this was a great bloody mess. She had no idea what to do or who to trust at this point. She turned to Bobby. "You understand how important all this is, yes?"
Hobbes nodded solemnly. "Yeah, kid, I do. Do we talk to the boss when we get home?"
Now that was a very good question. "Oy vey. I have no clue, Bobby." She glanced over at Darien. "Have you checked your levels since you woke up?"
"No. Why, am I gonna need to go see-through in the near future?"
"Probably. Want to make certain we have an ace up our sleeve should we need it," she told him and meaning it.
"Good point, kid. C'mon, partner, let's make certain you have max time invisible." Hobbes led Darien back to the bedroom, while she gazed about the room, wondering what else she could do to put the odds in their favor. Food and caffeine would do as a start. Needed her energy level as high as possible as she fully expected she would need to push her skills to the limits when Lyle and his toadies arrived.
…..
Jarod had left over an hour ago, a note from Alyx tucked into the pocket of his pants, a note Alyx had not let anyone else read and that... that was just another nail driven into the coffin that had been their relationship. How could it all have gone to hell in just a few short days?
They were as ready as they were going to be. Hobbes had his guns near to hand, Alyx had taken a shower and changed into clean clothes, and Darien had gotten another quarter dose of Counteragent, when the finger stick had revealed he had more toxin in his system than he should. How much new inhibitor he had was a serious unknown that could cause problems in the long run. The Keep was busy running tests, but until she had a blood sample to work with could only guess. She hoped that once the new inhibitor was gone, so too would be the anomalous symptoms. When that would be was anyone's guess, so all they could do was deal with the situation and be prepared to put him down should it be warranted.
He really hoped it wouldn't be warranted.
The boys were out on the porch, Hobbes not thrilled with the looks of them even after Alyx had pulled some trick and made them safe to be around everyone. She refused to explain exactly what she had done, but it was pretty damn obvious she'd gone into their heads and made them be what she wanted and to hell with what they were supposed to be. Granted they had been viscous, trained guard dogs and now they were... house pets. House pets that could rip out your throat with a command... Alyx's command. They watched her like cult members watched their leader. And that was just plain creepy.
It made him wonder if she could do it to a person, or worse, if she had.
He closed his eyes and pinched his nose, realizing how insane and paranoid that sounded, even to himself. Just because she had the power to do something didn't mean she could... or would. The dogs had been an emergency situation and she had not been thrilled with the result, she'd simply been relieved she hadn't killed them by accident.
He turned as Alyx stepped out onto the porch, two mugs in her hands, she held one out for him to take, which he did with a nod of thanks. "Everything okay?" she asked softly.
"Right as rain," he answered, not about to tell her the truth, hell, not certain what the truth was right at the moment thanks to a cocktail of chemicals screwing with his mind.
Alyx reached up to set delicate fingers against his cheek, her touch electric... literally, her control never quite what it should be around him. "You'll do," she told him. "Just don't get between them and me, I don't want you hurt protecting me. Besides I need to make an impression."
"A non-lethal one, I hope," Hobbes stated as he joined them in the chilly air.
She turned her head slightly to Hobbes, hand now cupping Darien's cheek, which he liked far more than he probably should, part of him wanting to sweep her up in his arms, throw her over his shoulder and carry her all caveman-like into the bedroom and have his way with her. Her lips curved upwards into a smile, color rising in her cheeks as she unavoidably caught the tenor of his thoughts, which she didn't seem to mind all that much. "That's the plan, Bobby, but I'll make no guarantees when the proverbial fur begins to fly." She glanced down at the dogs. "Make that literal fur."
"You're gonna use the dogs?" Hobbes asked, not sounding happy about it.
"You talked to Jarod, should I not?"
Hobbes thought about it for a few moments. "Yeah, kid. You cannot be taken by these guys. Where do you want me?"
"You are my witness, Bobby. Shoot if you need to, but I want your eyes on everything so we can give a complete report to the Official when this is over," she told him, voice cool and composed considering what they suspected to be coming. "Although if I do this right, you shouldn't even need to draw."
"Alyx, you sure you want to do this? If they know what you can do they'll just want you all the more," Darien questioned, not wanting her to risk more than necessary.
"She needs to convince them she's too dangerous to capture," Hobbes explained, having worked it out on his own.
Darien groaned. Perfect, just perfect. She'd overdone it big time the day before, to the point of nosebleeds, and now she was going to have to push it again to convince these yokels to back off and allow her to live her life the way she chose. He thought his luck had been bad, hers... her luck had turned against her from the moment The Agency had taken an interest in her. "We can't just run?"
Hobbes shrugged. "We could, but how far would we get before they caught up with us. Least here and now we know the territory and that gives us an advantage, if only a small one."
"And collateral damage?" Darien waved at the other cabins, some of which were still occupied, though most had been vacated for greener and warmer pastures as soon as the roads had been cleared.
"Will be kept to a minimum. I've encourage anyone left away for the duration. I'm the target, I won't put anyone else at risk." She meant the words, he got that, but shit happened and people got hurt who shouldn't.
"And the trio after Jarod is still due to arrive first?" Hobbes questioned, wanting his ducks in a row before the shit hit the fan.
Alyx closed her eyes to better focus on the images the dream had left behind. "In theory, yes."
"In theory?" Hobbes grumbled. "That's not exactly useful."
"Hobbes, in her dream Jarod was captured, meaning he was still here," Darien pointed out as patiently as he could manage. What was obvious to him and Alyx, since they were the ones who had the dreams, wouldn't necessarily be to Hobbes.
"And now he's gone... before they've arrived. Got it." Hobbes rubbed his hands together, the chill air seeping in through the layers of clothing they wore. "So, we just wait and deal with whoever gets here first?"
"No choice," Darien answered. "We could hide and surprise them I s'pose." He glanced at Alyx, who didn't seem too keen on that idea.
"Well, we can't sit out here all day, it's too damn cold." Hobbes didn't look happy as all. "We could leave, you know."
"I know," Alyx agreed softly, "and I have to admit I seriously considered it, but I don't really want them following us back to San Diego. That'd force the Official's hand and there's no guarantee his pull would have any influence over those who run The Centre. This Triumvirate. " She shook her head. "I have to take a stand sometime, might as well be now."
Darien had no idea that she felt that way, she usually kept her concerns locked tightly within, at least when it came to what she considered personal matters. She had at least one major black ops agency after her - the one her husband had worked for - along with the various groups she'd encountered through the Agency, several of which had no direct connection to any government, like Chrysalis. "You don't have to do this alone," he told her, meaning it.
"Yeah, kid," Hobbes agreed with an emphatic nod.
She rubbed her forehead. "I don't need you guys ending up part of the collateral damage. You will be used against me if we give them even the tiniest of openings."
Duh. They knew that and yet still kept forgetting. Hell, the reverse was just as true and just as serious, but there had to be point where you said enough was enough and drew that line in the sand. And your options were limited: you either embraced the danger you put everyone near and dear to you in, or you closed yourself off and let no one in. It had taken months for Alyx to let anyone in and he wanted no part of her backsliding into that mentality.
Fuck, how could he be so very mad at her and still want her so very much?
And though he wanted to he couldn't blame it on the toxin. No, this issue had been festering for a while now and they would need to figure it out once they got home.
Alyx shivered, turning to gaze up at him, looking hurt. "I'm sorry, D, but now is not the time to deal with it."
He ground his teeth in frustration. "Same song, different verse," he groused, then sucked in a breath, blowing it out to a slow count of ten. "Got it. Survive bad guys first, talk... eventually."
"Jeez, Fawkes, do you think she did this on purpose? The last thing she needs is her entire world dumped sideways yet again. Did you listen to anything I told you this morning?" Hobbes sounded just as tired and frustrated as Darien.
"Don't bother, Bobby. He's only going to hear what he wants to right now." With a soft growl she turned and walked into the cabin, the heads of all three dogs lifting and following her with their eyes.
"Shit," Darien muttered while Hobbes glared at him.
"I told you nothing happened between them two." Hobbes looked like he wanted to spit nails.
"You weren't there any more than I was," Darien snapped.
Hobbes shook his head in clear dismay. "Don't matter, neither of them have a reason to lie."
"Unless something did happen," Darien countered with, feeling both angry and smug at the same time.
Hobbes huffed, his breath creating a fog that momentarily obscured his face. "I am not getting in the middle of this. If you can't back her up then go get some breakfast at the lodge. I don't want your attitude getting someone hurt."
Darien came damn close to snapping the first fool thing that came into his head at his partner, but the saner part of him prevailed and he took a moment to calm down before responding. "Crap." He needed to focus or when this Mr. Lyle showed up he'd be leaving with the prize: Alyx. "I'm in."
"Good." Hobbes leaned out over the rail, looking down towards the cabin that had been Jarod's as a black car with deeply tinted windows pulled to a stop in front of it. " 'Cause it looks like the show is about to start."
…
She shouldn't have walked away.
Turning her back on him had never been a wise move in the past and probably hadn't been a good one this time, but she felt she had no choice. She needed to be away from him for a few minutes.
She would know as when Jarod's friends from The Centre arrived. She'd kept her radar on high ever since he had left, as they could show up at any moment to find him gone. Once Jarod had left the resort that future that she had foreseen changed and that could be good or bad. Fixing one obvious problem, didn't always save the day, but merely prolonged the inevitable. She had learned that he hard way more than once. She really didn't want this to be one of those times, but unless her ever-so-special brain decided to clue her in, she had no idea what might be coming, and wouldn't until the worst happened.
At least now she understood why her mind had insisted she be on this mission. If she hadn't been here to be the focus of Darien's ire, someone else would have been, and that... well that would have been bad. As it was he had beaten the crap out of Bobby to get him out of the way. Jarod had found him stuffed into the tiny utility closet off the kitchen, thus explaining the muffled sound to his phone when she had texted him.
She wanted to throttle the Keeper for deciding to try the new inhibitor and then allowing Darien to go out of town on a mission when they had no idea what, if any, side-effects there might be. God alone knew what Darien might have chosen to stew about had she not been here. Hell, he could have run, taken off, and this far from home would have had a major head start. He could have disappeared - no pun intended - and never been seen again.
While part of her longed for him to have the freedom he so craved, it could not be. Not yet. Not so long as the gland still functioned the way it did. He had said no to a viable removal technique, but agreed to delve deeper into the inhibitors, all of which did little more than grant him more time.
Which swung her back to the issue at hand: time, or the lack thereof. Meeting Jarod had forced those at The Centre to admit to her existence and probably into moving sooner than they had intended to. Now she waited, somewhat impatiently, for them to arrive and give her a chance to do her worst.
Time without the Madness.
Time invisible.
Time normal.
The one thing she most wanted to give him, but could not. The closest they got to normal was when they were alone, just the two of them with the rest of the world forgotten for a time.
And it was all because of the damn job.
For an instant, for a fraction of a millisecond she considered just allowing The Centre to take her. To steal her from the Agency and make her disappear. She had little doubt she'd be able to escape from them given how easily Jarod had done so time and time again. Literally, according to him, walking in and out of the expansive fortress with little to no fear of capture. With her abilities she could most likely walk in and out with impunity.
Then the moment passed.
She couldn't leave Darien before, and she wouldn't now, even if he was being a complete and total dick. Granted, it was the inhibitor side-effect that had brought out his dickhead side on this occasion, but the emotions behind it were very real and would need to be dealt with and that... that was not going to be easy. It would mean tearing open some barely healed wounds and letting the blood flow freely. She had hoped this would never come to a head, that Darien would remain fine with their relationship as it stood, but she had always known he needed... and wanted more.
The fact that he had asked her to marry him attested to that fact, and her refusal still lay like a wide swath of mine laden no man's land between them.
It was time... No, it was past time that this... they... their relationship had been addressed. She wore his ring, but that hadn't been enough for quite awhile now.
He didn't understand and wouldn't until she gathered the courage to tell him why she wanted no part of marriage and all it implied.
She rubbed her face in her hands. She needed to focus. Jarod's friends from The Centre could be here any moment and here she was wallowing in her relationship problems. She picked up the red notebook Jarod had asked her to give Miss Parker when she arrived.
Bobby's agitation level spiked and she stretched out her senses to discover the source of his concern. With a sigh she walked back towards the door, just in time for Bobby to open it.
"Kid, your... friends have arrived."
Alyx nodded and stepped back out into the chill air to see the three people from The Centre mounting the stairs to the cabin. Darien stood with his arms crossed over his chest, doing his best to look threatening and pulling it off pretty well. They all knew there was a chance these three would try to grab her for themselves, though Alyx doubted it. By all accounts their focus was Jarod and they would pretend to know nothing about her and her connection to The Centre to keep that thin veneer of plausible deniability.
As soon as Miss Parker saw Alyx she sighed heavily. "He's gone, isn't he?"
"Yes," Alyx agreed with a stiff nod. "You planning on taking me instead?"
Miss Parker cocked her head to the side a thoughtful look on her face. "If there was the slightest chance that it would get me Jarod I would."
"But it won't," Sydney added, a worried glance at Miss Parker.
"No, it won't," she admitted, shoulders relaxing, if only slightly. "Lucky for you we don't know you exist... as anyone other than those who happened to help Jarod on this occasion." She gestured towards the notebook in Alyx's hand. "He leave that for us?"
"For you," Alyx told her, holding it out for the other woman to take.
"Same old Jarod." Miss Parker thumbed through the notebook before placing it in an inside pocket of her long winter coat, which also revealed the gun in the shoulder holster that she did not reach for, wisely, as Hobbes had moved his hand to rest on the butt of his Colt as a precaution. "Any chance you know where he's heading next?"
Alyx chuckled softly. "No. Not that I'd tell you. It's up to you to find the breadcrumbs he leaves. That's how the game is played, correct?"
Sydney laughed. "Very true." He looked her over with an observer's eyes, missing little. "So different, and yet so very much alike."
Miss Parker snorted, mounting the last step to stand next to Alyx, the disparity in their heights dramatic. "And so much shorter."
Alyx laughed softly, not about to disagree. Miss Parker stood nearly as tall as Jarod and could very nearly look Darien in the eyes. She towered over both herself and Bobby. "Small things and all that," Alyx stated, senses alert for the others they were expected.
Broots blinked at her, as if surprised at what he saw. "You look like his mother," he blurted out.
Sydney hmmm in reaction, while Darien shot a look at her fraught with meaning she didn't have the time to explore. Bobby had been filled in... sort of, but Darien had not, and it wasn't going to happen now. "Red hair isn't that uncommon," she snarked, hoping the man would get the hint and let it drop.
"True enough," Sydney agreed, understanding her wish to change the subject even if Broots did not. "Miss Parker, I believe our... friends here have prepared for siege."
"That's one way of describing it," Hobbes grumbled, eyes focused on the roadway before the cabins, watching for any unexpected company.
Darien watched Alyx, eyes revealing nothing that went on inside him. He simply waited, conserving his energy for what would be coming.
Alyx closed her eyes, ignored the risk and cast her mind as far out as she could, honestly surprised at the distance she could see to. She ignored the discomfort, slipping through mind after mind in the only direction those after her could come by until... "They are coming," she informed everyone, then, to Miss Parker, "This is your out."
Miss Parker shook her head. "No, we'll stay." She turned to Sydney, "Won't we?"
Broots let out a squeak of fear, while Sydney nodded. "Of course. We are simply speaking to those who aided Jarod, as we have many times before."
"But... but Mr. Lyle probably used us to find her," Broots pointed out.
"Most likely," Sydney agreed, "but the contact was initiated by Jarod, not us. Agent Silver is no more than that as far as we are concerned. Correct?"
The older man's eyes bored into Broots', who swallowed and nodded, looking like he wanted to scuttle away and hide.
"Oh, grow a pair, Broots," Miss Parker said with a huff of disdain. "Come hide behind my skirts if it'll make you feel better."
Broots sucked in a breath, straightening his back, finding strength in her harsh teasing. "Next time don't drag me along," he groused, sidling past Sydney to stand at the far end of the porch, getting out of the line of fire if Alyx were to take a wild guess. Smart man.
Alyx split her attention, a glance to both Darien and Bobby had them shifting position subtly, while Alyx urged Sydney deeper onto the porch, leaving her alone standing at the top of the stairs. Just as she wished it. As one the dogs stood and jumped the railing to the ground below, and vanished, taking up positions nearby for her to best deploy them at need. She turned her head slightly, catching Bobby in her peripheral vision only. "Remember what I told you."
"Yeah, kid, I do."
She nodded and turned away, her focus returning to the now, preparing herself for the fight to come.
"Alyx, what are you going to do?" Sydney asked.
She shrugged. "Be myself."
Darien laughed at that, one of the few people in the world to understand what that really meant. She had no intentions to hold back, she planned to give this Mr. Lyle and his toadies exactly what they had come for: her, in all her dangerously beautiful glory.
She had sent away all that she could, using her abilities to encourage the innocents as far away as possible leaving all the nearby cabins empty. Still, she needed to keep the damage to a minimum; the Official would lecture her interminably if she forced him to pay for any damages. So, no damages to any part of the resort, only to those from The Centre and the vehicles they arrived in.
Three of them, two black sedans and an SUV that came tearing up the icy gravel road in a vain effort to gain the element of surprise. They slid to a halt, the frozen, snow packed surface causing all three to skid and wobble on the uneven surface, making their grand entrance less than impressive as they threw up dirt, gravel and slush then finally slewed to a stop.
Doors flung open, men boiling out like ants from a disturbed nest, weapons drawn and at the ready, all barrels from both handguns and rifles turning to her and locking on within seconds. Seconds that felt like an eternity to her as she thickened the air before her and along the entire length of the porch; a missed shot might very well kill if it hit anyone else. The first volley of obvious tranquilizer darts hung in the air a few feet in front of her, stuck and immobile, even as they pulled their second weapons and fired again.
Behind her she heard Mr. Broots grunt in surprise and no little fear, which she ignored. She could feel everything and everyone about her, but only as secondary and tertiary information. Important, but to be dealt with later.
More men boiled out, using the same unimpressive tactics, though this time she didn't bother allowing them to fire, instead she reached out her mind and focused a burst of energy at each, quickly heating the barrels until red hot, causing shouts and screams and the half dozen guns to be dropped to the ground, unusable, the now warped metal cooling quickly once her attention had moved on.
She should have a headache by now, she should be reeling from trying to juggle so many things at once, a week ago she would have been down on her knees, in tears holding her head in pain, but not now... now, thanks to meeting Jarod, she could allow the power to simply flow, use it without being forced to suffer the potentially debilitating effects. Then again, it could be no more than adrenaline and the knowledge that if she failed here and now the consequences would be dire for her and all those around her.
"Gun," Hobbes shouted, when they gave up trying to capture her and turned to threatening her friends to get her to surrender. They seemed to have forgotten their tranq darts still hung in the air. She spun them about sending them after all those who had chosen to pull out the lethal weaponry. None missed and within moments their numbers had been halved.
Needing to make her point she lifted both cars into the air, flinging the doors wide open, giving anyone inside a chance to get out before shooting them straight up twenty feet, flipping them over and dropping them onto their roofs with an impressive crash and rending of metal. Those standing nearby scattered, leaving the SUV and the pair inside alone.
The dogs came out them, all three in full attack posture, lips drawn back to reveal bright white deadly sharp teeth, deep, dangerous snarls emanating from their chests as they crouched low, ready to launch themselves at their chosen targets should they do something foolish; like breathe.
"Have I made my point yet?" Alyx called out, not raising her voice much at all while knowing she would most certainly be heard. She felt Darien move to stand directly behind her, one hand settling on her shoulder.
He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Easy, baby, you can't make your point if you kill them."
"Oh, I don't know. A point would be made, just not quite the same one." Alyx made certain to say that loud enough to be heard by anyone within shouting distance. "Dropping your SUV from fifty feet in the air might get my point across. Granted there wouldn't be much left unbroken…"
The rear door opened and out stepped a man in his mid-thirties, expensive suit under an even more expensive coat. "No need to waste a perfectly good vehicle... even if I can write it off." His gaze roved over all of them settling on Miss Parker. "I take it Jarod got away, again." He tsked and shook his head. "Mr. Raines will not be happy."
Miss Parker's response was a harsh bark of laughter. "No, I doubt he will."
"You know, if you are choosing a side, that," he pointed at Alyx, "is probably not the side you want to be on."
"Choosing sides? How is this choosing sides?" She strode down the steps, brushing past Alyx, the contact intentional, then down the walk to stand before her brother; the shield that had protected them, parting to allow her through. She reached into her coat, all the nearby men twitching, hands going to side arms... or empty holsters as the case may be, while she did nothing more than withdraw the red notebook she'd tucked inside. "We missed Jarod by a few minutes, they," she waved back at the cabin, "happen to be the ones who worked with him." She leaned forward, voice lowering menacingly. "It seemed prudent to question them." She spun about, tossing a wink in Alyx's direction. "Perhaps you'd like to explain the attack on these agents."
"That would be none of your business," Lyle snapped, shoving past his sister, heading towards the stairs.
"Mr. Lyle, I would be very cautious if I were you," Sydney warned, raising one hand as if to ward him off.
Lyle laughed and Alyx turned to look at Sydney who shrugged, not understanding the man's motives any more than her. While she was turned away, Lyle made his move. She may have not been facing him, but she knew exactly what he intended. She felt Darien tense, fingers tightening on her shoulder, but he otherwise did not move, trusting her to know what she was doing.
She permitted Lyle to draw his gun, step right up to her and press the barrel against the side of her neck. She sighed heavily. "Really? Did you think I wouldn't know what you planned?"
"Guess not, since I've managed to get the drop on you."
Darien laughed softly.
"What do you think is so funny?" Lyle questioned in irritation.
"Perhaps you should look behind you, brother," Miss Parker suggested, sounding smug.
Rotating his head about slowly, Lyle discovered that his men had been flattened to the ground, their disassembled weapons now in a neat pile at his feet, every door of the SUV open to reveal the driver he had left inside was no longer there, having joined his mates on the icy ground. He was the only one left standing and free to move. Everyone else taken out of play in the few seconds it had taken him to walk to her... and she'd been looking away at the time.
"Do you really think she's afraid of your little... gun?" Darien asked, voice cool and calm.
Hobbes snorted. "You're all alone, pal. Unless you have a miracle up your sleeve I would suggest you give up." He hadn't even bothered to reach for his weapon.
"You think I can't shoot her before any of you move?"
"I think you're supposed to bring me in alive and won't shoot me," Alyx said, turning to look at him. She leaned about him to meet Miss Parker's amused gaze. "Twins?"
Lyle twitched and Miss Parker's lips tightened to a thin line, but she nodded. "Much to my dismay."
"Like I got a good deal," Lyle snarked right back, the bickering not friendly at all. "You will be coming back with me."
Alyx grasped the gun firmly with her mind and moved it away from her, Lyle straining against the inexorable hold she had on the weapon, of course it didn't help that she'd made certain he could not let it go, or fire it. She won, the gun pointed skyward, Lyle locked in place unable to move as she paced slowly around him. "You were never intended to bring me in. You were sent so those above you, this Mr. Raines especially, could get a taste of what I can do." She spun him about to face his ride. "So, you have seen, you have felt, you have experienced some of what I have to offer. Oh, and yes, the reason Jarod was not here is because I told him you were coming... hours ago." She reached over and removed the gun from his nerveless fingers. She floated it in the air before him then slowly crushed it, careful to not explode the bullets, until it would easily fit into the palm of his hand, which is where she placed it, still warm from the manipulation of the metal.
"Go away. Before I decide you would look better shaped like your gun." And with those words she turned away, walked back up the stairs and into the cabin, shutting the door softly behind her. She sucked in one deep breath, letting it out to a slow count of ten, waiting for the pain, only none came.
And that... that worried her.
…..
Forty minutes passed before they walked back into the cabin. They being Darien, Hobbes and the three marginally welcome members of The Centre. Lyle and his men had been encouraged to leave as swiftly as possible, but with unconscious goons and two very damaged cars, leaving only the SUV working, it turned out to be a bit of a challenge. In the end Miss Parker gave up her ride, with the assurance they would locate her a new one ASAP, just to get rid of them. She seemed as happy to see them gone as he had.
Alyx had stayed out of sight, probably with a headache of monstrous proportions after that show she had put on, but no one had complained about having to clean up her mess. Tow trucks were on the way for the two sedans, apologies had been sent to the management for the mess, but the badges had silenced most of the complaints. Besides it could have been so much worse; the property damage had be nonexistent thanks to the care Alyx had taken to keep the bullets from flying anywhere but at her. He and Hobbes hadn't done a damn thing except look mean and watch.
The day was barely half over and it had already been way more of an adventure than he had planned.
The dogs took turns drinking from the bowl that had been set out for them and then settled before the fire without a complaint. Once Lyle and all had been rousted, the trio of mutts had reverted to their lap doggie selves, for which Darien had been thankful, as they were some scary sons of bitches when riled.
Jarod's Centre friends had piled their bags near the door and had already begun arranging a ride back to their plane in Missoula, and planned to be out of the way before nightfall. It was quite obvious they wanted to speak with Alyx, Sydney most especially, but her willingness was most certainly in question.
Darien poked his head into the bedroom to find Alyx packing her bags. "You going somewhere?"
She glanced over at him with a wan smile. "Yes."
That surprised him. "Uh, okay. I suppose we do need to get home, but given how today has gone I figured we deal with it in the morning." Hobbes had been on the phone with Drake, giving them the details of their little head-butting session with The Centre just in case the bossman were to suddenly get some irate phone calls from whomever was in charge over there, and while the Official did want them home, they still needed to finish up some paperwork here with the local ATF agents, especially now with Jarod in the wind.
Alyx sighed and sat down on the bed her suitcase rested on. "I'm not going home with you guys."
Darien felt an instant of red hot rage wash through him, his hands balling into fists as he took an involuntary step forward, fully intending to deal with her properly... this time. By the time he stood before her the worst of the sensation had passed, reminding him that his emotional state was still being ruled by the chemicals in his system. He had his moments of normalcy, but it obviously didn't take much to set the pendulum swinging in the opposite direction. Sadly, knowing he wasn't quite in his right mind did nothing to change the fact that he wasn't quite in his right mind. "Sorry," he mumbled, the deep blue bruises standing out starkly against her pale skin.
"It's okay," she told him, not appearing to be upset at his reaction.
"How's your head?" He had half expected to find her sleeping off pain meds when he walked in.
"Fine. Not even a twinge."
Now that was a shock and he failed to keep it off his features. "But..." He shook his head not sure what to say. "How?"
She whispered, "I wish I knew." She hugged herself, rubbing her hands up and down her arms as if attempting to warm a body chilled beyond measure. "I've been thinking, and believe if you don't Quicksilver anymore it will slow the build up of the... whatever it is causing the mood swings."
Darien arched an eyebrow, partially due to the violent change of subject. "Why no Quicksilver?"
"Because when you actively Quicksilver it increases the amount of toxin being released, I think something in the new inhibitor is affecting the toxin itself instead of just slowing it's release, thus causing the wonky symptoms." She returned to folding and packing her clothes as she spoke. "The toxin will still get into your system, just at far lower levels even if you don't go invisible-"
He set a hand on her shoulder to still her words and hands. "Got it. Any idea when the inhibitor will wear off?" He kept his hand in place as she turned about to meet his eyes.
She tipped her head to rub her cheek against the back of his hand. "We based it on the original all-purpose inhibitor so, in theory, a couple weeks from the initial injection. Needed to be cautious of withdrawal symptoms."
He turned his hand over to cup her cheek. "Same ol' same ol' then." This he wanted and she, based on the little he was getting from her, she needed. "What's going on? New mission?"
"Not exactly, more like extra clean up from this one. I'll be heading east for a few days."
Darien stiffened. "The Centre?"
"No," she told him, a hand coming up to curve about his. "No, I'm not that crazy, but... but there are things that need to be dealt with."
"I can help," he insisted, not wanting her to go off alone, not wanting to watch her walk away from him again. Didn't trust her off by herself so soon after Jarod had left.
"I know, but you need to stay here, both to finish up with the ATF and because you need to get home and into the Keep. Claire needs to run tests ASAP and the blood sample we took will only be viable for so long." She made every effort to look sympathetic, but it fell short of the mark as far as he as concerned.
"You always find a reason for me to not go with you these days." He didn't move away, his hand shifting back into her hair and curling in the strands, not hard enough to hurt, not yet.
"Not always," she said softly. "Only when there is no choice." She shifted closer, not fighting his grip, not trying to get away, but to all appearances wanting nothing more than to be with him. "Your health comes first. If you really want me to, I will fly back to San Diego with you and then head east, but I will be taking this trip and I will be taking it alone."
He wanted to get angry, but couldn't seem to drum up the energy to do so. She would leave, no matter what he said or did; there was no way he would have her placate him by escorting him home and then running away. His grip tightened for an instant, probably pulling her hair painfully, but she bore it without a complaint, then he let go and backed away. "No need, Hobbesy'll get me home just fine."
"Darien, I'll be back in a few days, and-"
"And the boss will send you off somewhere else." He ran his hands through his hair feeling frustrated and hating that they had so little control over their own lives. "I'm tired of watching you leave."
"And I'm tired of leaving," she said, sounding unhappy. "But what am I supposed to do? I've made as many compromises as I dare. I won't make any more, sorry."
More compromises? Darien had no idea what she was talking about. "Alyx-"
Hobbes stuck his head in and cut off whatever Darien might have said next. "Kid, you left your phone out here and it's been trying to vibrate off the table."
She looked up at Darien for a moment, then walked past him and out into the main room.
"Fawkes, everything copacetic in here?"
" 'Cept for Alyx taking off for parts unknown, yeah, I guess so."
Hobbes blinked. "Where's she going?"
It felt oddly nice to know he hadn't been the only one left off that particular loop. "Back east, supposedly. Claimed the 'Fish cleared it and everything."
"Ah, that explains a few things," Hobbes said nodding sagely.
Darien wanted to throttle the man. "Hobbes, more info."
"Drake mentioned something about her brother that didn't make sense at the time. I kinda figured he was coming out to San Diego, but I guess she's going to him." Hobbes leaned against the wall. "Seeing as this Centre sitch involves him, it makes sense."
And it did, lots of sense, especially as it appeared that Michael had also been intended to be part of this Oracle project. "But I thought she was supposed to stay away from... her children."
Hobbes shrugged. "I don't know that she's heading there, just meeting Michael. Could be going to DC to meet his CIA cover. Fawkes, this is family, she needs to do this, and this isn't something you can explain in a text or phone call."
Darien paced the confines of the room, a hand rubbing the back of his head, causing his hair to stand up even more oddly than usual. Hobbes was right, this was something that needed to be done in person. "Should she be alone?"
"Probably not, but that ain't our call. You," he stuck a single finger at Darien, "need to get home before you pop your top again."
"I won't," Darien growled, low and dangerous.
Hobbes simply raised one eyebrow in reaction.
"Shit," Darien groused. "Why did this have to happen now?" Alyx needed him, whether or not she wanted to admit it, and he could not be there for her, thanks to gland yet again.
"Fawkes, my friend," the words sounding quiet and sincere, "it always happens now. That's life. We just have to deal with it the best we can."
Darien stopped his pacing and slumped, inches of height seeming to disappear in an instant. "Yeah, I guess so."
"So, what do you want to do?"
"I don't..." Not true he did know, and on any other occasion he would have acted on it without having to be reminded what the right thing to do was. "Help her get ready to go and make damn sure she has what she needs to keep safe."
Hobbes nodded. "Good answer." He gestured at the door and Darien nodded, walking through first. Time to man up and do what was right, no matter how much he didn't like it.