Hello, here's Chapter 9! Thanks to everyone that is following, has favourited or did review this story, we got to 50 followers, yay! Anyway, something dramatic happens in this one, so here you go!
Disclaimer: I own no Marvel characters used in this story, only my OC's.
Chapter 9 - Erin and Paige
The next morning, Alexia got a text from Erin announcing that today was the day that Kara and James, as well as the marine engineers, were inspecting their lab. Great, she thought irritably, Now when am I going to get a chance to talk to Erin. Put off by the news, Lexy continued to tie her hair into a simple ponytail, stick on some clothes and go to work. When she got there, the bosses had already arrived.
"Ah, Miss Brookes. It's about time," Kara started.
"We recieved word that you had got some new equipment? We are here to enquire as to where it came from," James continued.
"It was a gift from a friend," Lexy responded plainly.
"What kind of friend replaces all of your stuff with state-of-the-art technology as a gift?" Kara almost shrieked.
Erin, who had been leaning against the counter next to Chris and Jonah, the marine engineers, stood up and stopped at Alexia's side
"That's her personal business and none of your concern," she stated firmly.
"Still, wouldn't the right thing to do be to share this technology with the others in your department?" James said, "The bylaws state that any donation given to a department must be shared equally between each member of said department."
"This wasn't a donation, though. It was an individual gift," Chris reminded.
"Why are you on their side?" Kara hissed, "Don't you want any new equipment?"
"Not if it's stolen from a friend," Jonah replied.
"You have no right to the tech. If you came here for anything else, however, we are happy to oblige," Erin smirked.
The rest of the day was spent keeping an eye on their bosses, who examined every piece of new equipment and ensured that every single assignment they had set the biologists had been completed. By the end of the day, Erin and Alexia had had no private time to talk and were particularly aggravated. Lexy was in no mood to meet with Karen, Joe and Dylan, but couldn't think of a single way out of it.
Therefore, later that night, Alexia, dressed in a magnificent, slimming red dress, entered a posh Italian restaurant to find her adoptive parents and brother sitting around a table. Dylan waved her over and hugged her as she approached. Karen and Joe smiled warmly. Lexy sat down.
"Sorry I was late. Work overran slightly," she apologized.
"Still working at that university, are you?" Joe frowned, all charades of a friendly demeanor vanishing.
"Joe, be civil," Karen scolded quietly.
"I was just explaining how my building is at the edge of lower Manhattan. It'll be easily viewed from Brooklyn," Dylan boasted.
"Well at least all those boring nights working out the smallest of details so you don't get fired will pay off," Alexia muttered.
"So how is being a marine biologist going? I'm sure you must've come to realize that you could do a lot better by now?" Joe continued.
"No, it's still as fascinating as ever. You know, because I enjoy it?" Lexy almost growled.
"You had so much potential. Look at Dylan, he moved away from his... Abilities as soon as he could. Why couldn't you do the same?" Karen whined.
Dylan, like Alexia, had gained powers before the age of 12. They had been close growing up because of this, but Karen and Joe disliked their power and had tried to push them away from it. Dylan was able to manipulate fire and heat and had, from a young age, wanted to become a volcanist. However, after being dissuaded by his adoptive parents, he decided to become an architect.
"Because having powers isn't something to be ashamed of, no matter how I got them. They're not going away any time soon so I might as well embrace them," Alexia reasoned.
"If you forget about them, they are basically gone," Joe countered.
"Dylan, did you ever forget about your powers? Did you stop using them to keep yourself warm in winter or to heat up your meals faster?" Alexia challenged.
Dylan looked highly uncomfortable. Torn between the truth and his parents' standards, he stayed silent, staring at his lap. Lexy smirked and crossed her arms. After a meal of steady bickering and patronizing glares, Alexia paid for her portion of the cheque and left. Once safely in a taxi, Lexy picked up her phone and dialed Erin's number. She didn't answer so the brunette left a message.
"Erin, I'm coming over. Karen and Joe put me in the worst mood ever and I need to tell someone about it. I also have something really important I need to tell you and I need to do it in person," she said quickly.
However, when she arrived at Erin's house, Lexy instantly grew uneasy. Several police cars were pulled up on the street and Alexia caught a glimpse of Harriet in distress, with tears sliding down her face. Leaping out of the cab, Alexia sprinted to the scene. A police officer tried to stop her, but she shoved past. When Harriet saw her, the redhead rushed forward. The two girls hugged for a couple of seconds before Alexia spoke.
"What's going on?" she whispered.
"I-I came home about half an hour ago. Er-Erin said th-that she'd be home so I w-wasn't surprised when the l-lights were on. I w-went into the living room and th-there was a m-man with a m-mask there. He was s-standing over E-Erin's ...dead body," the girl wept.
Standing next to Harriet was Michelle, the other roommate. She looked visibly shaken and was standing completely still.
"I-I called the police b-but he ran away," Harriet continued.
"I'm very sorry for your loss but do either of you know any relatives of the deceased?" a detective asked softly.
"I know her cousin," Alexia stated, her voice breaking as drops of crystal rolled down her pale face.
The detective nodded and Lexy rang Paige's number.
"What's up? Did you tell Erin yet?" came the woman's voice.
"Paige, E-Erin is... Erin's dead," Alexia cried.
There was silence on the other end for a second before a quiet, broken voice spoke out.
"What?"
"She-She was m-murdered," Lexy whispered, barely believing the words escaping her own mouth.
"No. No she isn't. Your lying. I spoke to her earlier, she was fine, she told me about what Kara said," Paige rambled.
"Paige, she's not here anymore. Please, just come to her house. I need you," Alexia wept.
Paige hung up.
"Paige!" Lexy screamed, blinded by tears and deafened by her own sobs and shaky breaths.
"Miss, I know this is a hard time for you but do you know anything about anyone that might've wanted to hurt Miss Seath? Or do you know any man in a dragon mask?" another detective enquired.
Alexia let out a short, interrupted gasp. She knew someone in a dragon's mask. She wished she could forget him but every detail of his disguise was clearly etched into her brain. She shook her head.
"No," she lied.
The detective nodded unsurely and backed away.
"I never even got to tell her my secret," Alexia murmured, her stained face covered by locks of wet hair as the sky rumbled and raindrops pitter-pattered around her.
A month later, after a pointless investigation, Erin's funeral was held. Her parents had arrived from Washington, Paige had helped Alexia plan it after finally realizing that it was the truth and plenty of friends had turned up. Even Dylan and Lexy's parents were there. Erin had made it very specific that she wanted her funeral to be light and happy, remembering all of the good times they had had instead of mourning the times they would never spend together again. People wore white instead of black, the graveyard had numerous flowers and the decorations were mainly glass statues and white roses.
Despite the happy atmosphere that Erin tried to create even in death, no one was happy. The mood was depressing and regretful, but no one was more in pain than Alexia. Her last phone call to her best friend was Lexy's selfish complaining about a bad dinner, and she never even got to tell her the truth. Paige had been quiet since her cousin's passing. For the first week she had stayed in her hotel room, not talking to anyone and barely eating. When Lexy finally coaxed her out of the hotel, the police had attacked her about their investigation and forced her to answer some questions.
When the investigation had finally been announced inconclusive, the two had begun the preparations. They had taken time off work and neither had spoken to the Avengers. Everyone Erin knew had turned up. Kara, James, Chris and Jonah were there, Paige had called every family member she knew and Alexia and Harriet had sought out every friend Erin had ever had. When it was time for the eulogy, Alexia stood up and walked to the front.
Before starting, she glanced at the peaceful face of her best friend. Erin had died of knife wounds to the stomach. The man in the dragon mask had cut her stomach into a zig zag spiral. Now she was wearing a sleeveless, lacey white dress and her face had been perfected with make-up.
"I've been friends with Erin since middle school. She was actually the first person I met and we instantly liked each other. In fact, she was one of the only friends I made at school and we were lucky enough to stay together through middle school, high school and university. We even joined the same career, although I think she just didn't want me to be alone.
"My point is that I have known her for a long time and we have remained close since an early age. I loved her like a sister and there was never a dull moment when she was around. Now that she's gone I... I don't really know what to do. She deserved so much more, to live so much longer. The only thing we can do is hope to avenge her somehow."
At this point, Lexy stopped. Her cheeks were glistening with tears and her lip was quivering ever so slightly but she knew what she had to do now. After finishing the eulogy and burying her best friend, Alexia approached the grave.
"I'm sorry I never told you, Erin. I really, really wanted to but I thought you wouldn't trust me or accidentally tell someone. But I know what I must do now. I'm going to avenge you. I'm going to make up for all the mistakes I made and the fact that I... Couldn't save you. I'll save others in your name, I swear," she promised quietly.
Eventually, the crowd dissipated and only Paige and Lexy remained.
"Paige, I'm going to talk to the Avengers. You can come if you want?" she offered.
"No, I think I'll go home now," Paige sighed, not daring to tear her eyes away from her cousin's grave.
Alexia touched her shoulder gently and nodded before swiveling around and calling a cab. She marched into the Avengers Tower and Jarvis lifted her to the floor where the Avengers were relaxing. Upon her entry, they stared at her with pity and sadness, making her feel more than a little uncomfortable. However, she continued to stand tall.
"I've decided to join the Avengers," she announced.
Everyone was silent, their faces morphing into expressions of shock.
"Why the sudden change of heart?" Tony asked gently.
"I know who killed my best friend."
Dun dun DUN. Hope that hit you heavy. If it didn't, politely tell me why not in a review. Hope you can't wait until the next chapter!