Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners (Dark Angel, Fox, etc.) The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Note: You are not seeing things I did manage to finally update the story. I know I seem to be unable to update on weekly basis, but I swear do try every time. Thanks to Jenna who has taken the hard work of beta the chapter and the story from now on and thanks a lot to Kita who did it for all the past chapters. A special thanks to all of you who took some time and reviewed last chapter, I sincerely hope that you would also enjoy this one, don't forget to review.
Now, back with the story…
Chapter 11
"Ipsa scientia potestas est"
Florence, Italy
Friday 20:00 pm
Patricia Hollister picked up the tea cup from the silver tray as she gazed distractedly at the carefully designed indoor garden in her office. Black Orchids were considered for centuries to be a myth; multiple stories having been built around the strangest of all the flowers, those black as the darkest night. She became interested in them a long time ago and since then orchids had become her favorites.
She always found it extremely amusing how people chose to place such significance on the meaning of a flower. According to some, certain types of flowers could be used for anything from evil conjuring to healing powers and life restoration. If flowers truly could solve all of societies' problems, she would have chosen gardening as her path in life. Her lips curl in a bittersweet smile at that thought.
Leaving the cup on the desk she walked toward the crystal structure in the corner of the large room. Inside the controlled environment area were her black orchids, and among them the three flowers that ended up having more meaning to her than the rest of her possessions. The paphiopedilum 'Candor Kohl' her husband gave her thirty years ago as an engagement present; the makuli 'Candor Blackheart' a birthday present Alec bestowed on her eight years ago and the youngest of all of them, the black velvet 'Candor Neat' Nicole left in her office two years ago, 3 months 2 weeks and 5 days; the last time she saw both Elite commanders.
So many things had happened since then, so much more since they decided to include the government in the equation…
Her eyes focused on the painting hanging on the wall, 'Venus and Mars' by Boticelli. The rich colors of the canvas contrast with the somber decoration of her studio and she finds the theme a living contradiction – the goddess of love watching over the sleeping god of war, the keeper of love taking care of the bringer of death. She's too rational to agree with the artist's point of view, but there are some days she wishes she could share that sense of idealism, wishes she could believe that love could defeat the warrior's strength.
The Renaissance marked the end of the Dark Ages and the beginning of a new perspective of life, of humanism studies, of arts and sciences developments. She likes that period of history; it was bright and positive, hopeful to say at least.
However, it wasn't the Renaissance that witnessed Prometheus's birth, but a later era, the middle age.
Human history had always been divided between pragmatic governors and idealistic leaders; two vastly different ways to interpret life. Neither of them had ever been completely right nor had they been totally wrong, and from time to time one inevitably decides that the world must be reborn according their own agenda.
Therefore, when certain individuals decided that human lives no longer held value Prometheus saw the light of day for the first time and made his the shadows of night. Within a few years the initial oath between four friends who decided to step off of the sidelines and use their power to protect those who couldn't protect themselves became one of the most organized groups.
From the beginning Prometheus chose a different approach for its missions, always knowing their enemies in order to reduce the collateral damage. The group was never interested in creating a name for itself; recognition was not a goal or a purpose, neither was money. With members who held an unthinkable power, the main concern was to keep their actions invisible to the foreign eye.
Knowledge itself is power; truth is able to build a man or to destroy him, and all it takes is a decision from the person with the right knowledge. Prometheus based its strategies on that concept, Ipsa scientia potestas est.
The organization developed its own structure with the Elite as its core, and eventually the Committee was created in order to take advantage of the experience of the senior members and provide a guide to the new leaders. The Committee was composed of former Elite members and was directly responsible for supervising the training and development of new recruits. The Elites' former leader automatically became the head of the Committee and was responsible for organizing the selection process for the new Elite members. Until the new members of the Elite gained full control of their powers and the necessary field experience, the Committee was responsible for supervising their training and development, during which time they also carried out their own missions – though once the new Elite were in control, the Committee's participation in missions was restricted. The Committee's primary function was the regulation of the Elite's actions, overseeing their performance in and outside of the field and with the authority to command meetings when they deemed necessary.
Every one of the members of the Elite had a unique DNA and greater energy fields. When the time approached and a new "Elite" needed to be assembled the Committee started searching for individuals with these characteristics. It was a long and tiring process. Those whom were chosen had the ability of influencing the environment, whether consciously or not, by using their power over one of the four elements. Physically those people had heightened senses and while they could be injured their recovery was faster than in a regular human.
Every 150 years children with higher levels of energy fields were born, every 150 years a new Elite was assembled. But like it happened with every story, human nature struck, starting a series of events that threatened the very survival of the organization, and resulting in one of the most critical decisions taken by the Committee.
Prometheus was a complex organization where every member had an importance that could not be ignored; the intricate hierarchy system ensured that in case of a killed or missing commander the balance could be maintained – it wouldn't be perfect but it would allow the rest of them to function, move forward, and hopefully, rectify the situation.
The soft knock on the door announced the end of her trip down to memory lane, what's done is done and only on rare occasions could it be changed. Only the present was by some degree still malleable and the future was always the safest bet.
"You can come in Andrea." As the door opened, Artemis looked at the formally dressed, middle aged, woman who entered her office holding a thick folder in each arm and with a headset still attached to her ear – there was no doubt that her assistant looked exhausted.
"The kids on the crystal tower made a fascinating discovery, I thought you might be interested." Andrea's casual tone of spoke volumes about the closer relationship between the two women. Andrea had known her as Patricia Hollister for more than thirty years, and worked under her lead for more than twenty despite her initial rejection.
"A fascinating discovery? Let's see if the evidence can survive my assessment." She replied as she sat behind her large oak desk looking curiously at her assistant.
"Come on Artemis when have I ever disappointed you with my news?" Andrea was the only civilian whom she allowed to call her by that name outside meetings.
Patricia Hollister was the name she started using during the last fifty years, nothing more than another identity she adopted and it will quite probably be her last. After all, time waits for no one and as the years pass she is getting older. The process might be slower, but even former Elites were bound to die at some point. No one lives forever and of that she is grateful.
Raising an eyebrow at the comment she responded, "It must be serious if you're calling me Artemis."
Brown eyes looked straight at her as Andrea calmly replied, "But it's your name, what would you rather I call you?" The younger woman's challenging tone was clear, and if a question like that had come from anyone else, hell would have broken loose.
Artemis sighed; Andrea's attitude usually reminded her of the three female members of the Elite, the sarcastic attitude of Nicole, the keen psychological insights of CeCe, and the cold, detached manner of May. Sometimes Artemis wonders if it had not been the other way around and it was Andrea who made an impression during the brief meetings she had with the girls while they were growing up.
"Fine, let's see what you got." She finally conceded.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Maximus had been on his way to Artemis' office when he caught a glimpse of Andrea walking past the oak doors. His initial dinner invitation to the head of the Committee probably would have to be delayed until her meeting was finished.
After the reunion with the D1 a couple of days ago he couldn't help but feel hopeful about the outcome. Alexander had been found and the process of de-programming had been started, if things went according to the plan, the original Commanding Officer of the Elite would be back where he belonged.
Even the best laid plans could fail; even those with all their resources could miscalculate a risk. Even they could take the wrong decisions; after all, they were still humans.
Although the matter was questionable, if they wouldn't have chosen Manticore, the current members of the Elite wouldn't have been born…then, could it be considered a mistake?
When Project Manticore was presented to a select circle of investors, the Elite members saw it as the perfect opportunity to solve all of their problems. A research project dedicated to the recombination of DNA to genetically develop the ultimate soldier was the perfect place to hide an already near perfect DNA specimen. Never in all its history had Prometheus linked itself to a specific country – however, desperate times called for desperate measures and Manticore was too good an opportunity to let pass. Besides, they were already running out of time.
Getting involved with the project wasn't a problem; sponsoring the high costs of the operations allowed them free entry to most restricted areas, specifically the one related to the in vitro fertilization process. They waited patiently and watched the results carefully. Manticore's first attempts were less than promising, their genetic manipulation techniques were still new and unproven – the first subjects made it obvious that it would take time before they achieved the required finesse.
By the time Manticore gained the experience it needed, it was already 1996 and the X4 generation had been born; the Elite observed the development of those children for two years before deciding to take the risk and fully commit to the next generation.
During 1999 the surrogate mothers for the X5 were selected and 60 healthy young women agreed to carry the babies to term. The Elite altered only 12 of the samples used in the fertilization process and waited for the results. By the end of 1999 and the beginning of 2000 fifty six babies were born, among the four babies lost were two of the Elite's. During the first six months the figures reduced to fifty.
Then things stopped working as they were supposed to. Manticore drastically changed their policies and with the government fully supporting the project financially the sponsors no longer had privileges inside the facilities. The higher mortality rate and the large groups of anomalies were apparently reason enough to push away private investors – the military preferred to clean up their mess without external eyes on them.
Even the Elite couldn't extract ten babies from a military site without rising suspicions; therefore they came up with an alternative plan and proposed Prometheus Project, a new program that would use a limited number of Manticore personnel and produce the best operatives ever trained; specially enhanced subjects able to do what normal humans couldn't and with superior performance to the regular subjects from Manticore.
Years later they realized the repercussions of that decision. It had been extremely naïve on their part to not foresee the consequences of their decisions.
By the end of 2006, ten subjects from the X5 series and ten subjects from the X4 series were transferred from Manticore and officially introduced as part of the Prometheus Project. Only the X5's were part of the genetic enhancement process, from then on the X5 units became the new Elite.
'10' was a powerful number, considered in most part of the systems as a number of perfection, eternity, the representation of the power of gods. The Elite always had ten members and each of them received a code name based on Greek or Roman mythology. Every Elite generation had a regent element and a particular D1 structured around the strongest member of each element; the position of Commanding Officer fell upon the regent element member, the three left positions were filled by a Second in Command who was the next strongest person in the line and a 1st and 2nd Lieutenants. This generation's Elite's regent element was Fire, with Hades as their Commanding Officer, Nyx as his SIC, and Erebos and Thanatos filling on the positions of 1st and 2nd Lieutenants.
The hierarchy inside the Elite had different levels; the D1 was only the first of them and applied to all of the ten members. The second level was based subdivided by element, where each Commander had two lieutenants under their charge. Nyx ruled over Air with Boreas and Zephyr under her command; Erebos reigned over Water and had Hemera and Hypnos under his charge and Thanatos governed over Earth with Khaos and Circe under his lead. Hades as the ruler had the authority to interfere when and wherever he deemed fit.
The third and last level was the foundation of the "Ten Divisions" inside of Prometheus. The divisions coordinated the logistics of the operations as a whole; although, each one had assigned a specific set of tasks and resources. By the time every Elite member turned 16 years old, he or she also became involved with one of the Divisions.
"Justice doesn't know about borders or countries", that had been the beginning of the first of several long tirades between Hades, Nyx, Artemis and the rest of the Committee. In the end the CO and SIC of the D1 had obtained what they had been looking for and all of the "10 Divisions" had the green light for the relocation of their bases. The wining arguments made reference to the quicker response times they would have if there were several full operative locations across the world; in terms safety of data it was better to have it split between different sites, it would take longer for an enemy to attempt to decipher their information if they only had access to small fractions of the whole.
The Committee agreed unanimously that relocation and expansion was a wise decision, and though they couldn't have known it at the time, it was a choice that would eventually save the entire organization. The attack of 2018 was a cruel reminder that Prometheus was no longer untouchable, from the partial destruction of Berlin's 5th Division Headquarters where five members of the Committee died to the abduction of the Elite D1 Commanders. It had been the beginning of a war they thought was long forgotten.
Earlier that day he had decided that all his pending paperwork would be done. That had been wishful thinking on his part, and now at 19:40 he wasn't even close to completing a third of it. Deciding to take a five-minute break he turned around on his chair and let his sight wander over the view, the sky was clear and the sun bathed the city with its golden shine.
It had been a quiet day, too quiet, and he should have suspected that so much peace couldn't last forever. The events that followed were clear proof of it.
His first reaction was to jerk away from the cold fingers that were rudely placed over his eyes, however the person behind him thought differently and kept their hold on him. As the faint sound of laughter reached his ears he resisted the urge to sigh.
"Chicken." She stated, still keeping her hands over his face. Only one person spoke to him in such careless way; granted she never did it when there were people around them, aware that it could undermine his reputation as the commanding officer, but sadly the same could not be said of the times when they were alone.
He wrinkled his forehead under the ice-cold fingers, at times like these he really missed the long forgotten years when she practically ignored his existence and kept their interaction to an argument or two.
"Your hands are frozen" he replied coldly.
"So? Not everybody loves the sun." She snickered at his lack of response, released him from her hold, and moved to stand next to him.
On occasions he pondered how two people so different from each other could fit together so well. Never had he questioned his decision to request her as his SIC when the D1 was assembled; he knew that only she could fill the position. And while he trusted her with his life during missions, outside of those life and death situations he was particularly mindful of her shifting nature.
So it wasn't and odd reaction from him to watch her cautiously – waiting for the next move. The way her head moved in rhythm with a song only she could hear told him he was no longer the object of her attention, apparently the sky was far more interesting than him.
Yet he still had a lot of work to do. The reports lying on his desk were not going to disappear magically, and while he usually enjoyed her presence, right now it was proving to be a distraction.
"Don't you have someone else to torture?" he asked in an uninterested voice as he turned his back to the window and once again faced the papers scattered in front of him.
"I just thought that it would be nice to visit you…Sir" Her tone was amused and she only added the last part to bug him; he rolled his eyes at her antics but didn't turn around, instead he picked one of the files and started reading.
He knew that something was bothering her; the faint smile and relaxed posture were nothing more than part of the facade she was putting on. Deciding that it might be better to get over it, he replied nonchalantly, "You saw me this morning."
She turned around and plopped down on the floor next to his desk, her azure eyes studied his profile from her position as she drummed two fingers on her chin. "True. I did." She finally replied.
"So?" His gaze left the paper and he raised an eyebrow at her expression.
She eyed the window behind him and sighed, "I wanted to thank you." She bit her lower lip as her eyes connected with his.
None of them were ready to talk about it. The events were too recent and served to prove that some fears had not yet been overcome. They would need time, as the saying goes time heals all wounds. Or at least that was the hope.
Though he held no love for paperwork, he would happily feign ignorance rather than acknowledge what had happened. "I don't know what you're talking about." His gaze went back to the page in his hand as he dismissed her presence.
She, however, had different plans as she stood and delicately snatched the page he was holding away. "Thanks Alec." Her movements were swiftly coordinated as she leaned into him and her lips barely grazed his cheek. For a second his nostrils caught the vanilla scent of her skin before he realized that she was gone and the soft breeze coming through the open windows was the only thing left behind.
"I hate when you do that." He muttered, complaining to the empty space.
They had been close since they were kids, and she had always had a tendency to do things like that when he least expected. The problem was that she wasn't seven anymore. But that was a subject he refused to analyze, not today, not tomorrow, not ever. As if it wasn't enough to be genetically enhanced, Commander of the D1, and the Elite; on top of everything else now he had to suffer the stupid hormonal changes. Whoever said these were the best years was sorely mistaken, being a teenager was not a pleasant experience.
Alec realized he had dozed off again when the first drops of rain made contact with his face. He wondered how long he had spent sitting there, but made no movement to check his watch. He took a deep breath and found that it didn't hurt anymore. Breathing was easier now; the excruciating pain he had been experiencing every time his lungs were filled with air was gone.
Tentatively he brushed his fingers over his bare arm, his skin felt cold to the touch but the action hadn't been painful. As he looked down at his wrist a groan escaped from his lips, it was 15:20, and he had no idea what had happened during the last five hours.
Placing both of his hands on the floor he propped himself up, a wave of dizziness hit him for a couple of seconds and he's forced to rest his weight on the wall. His eyes scanned the place were he apparently spent most of the day but find nothing out of the ordinary, just a rooftop with the usual garbage and dirt. Though…His backpack was lying closer to the door, and something inside his mind clicked; the angle was wrong, the position inconsistent with where he woke up. There was something off.
He turned around and watched the people down on the street, pretending to be interested in watching them run for cover from the rain. The wind felt stronger and the drops got heavier, while his eyes caught movement on the building across the street. He had confirmed his suspicions, someone was watching him.
An involuntary chill forced him to acknowledge that he was getting soaked by standing in the rain, and the unpleasant feeling of damp fabric against his skin was bothering him. Whoever it was that decided to follow him would have to get moving, there was no way that he would be spending another second in this place.
As he opened the door and stood on the first step he decided to stop obsessing over the hundred scenarios running through his mind. For now he could pretend that what had happened to him was nothing more than a severe seizure; it was a lie and he knew it, but right now he could accept that lie as a truth. The last thing he needed was to attract more attention to himself, he had already done that earlier that morning and there was no need for a repeat performance.
The world expected him to behave the same way he always did, and if he wanted to keep people's questions to a minimum, then he had better act as the world expected him to.
Back on the street as he jumped on his bike he once more felt the same eerie feeling of being observed. Somehow, in a way he could not rationally explain, he knew that it wasn't a threat. It wasn't dangerous to him; however, that still didn't mean that he had to like it.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Green eyes focused intently on the young man on the street unchaining a bike. "He felt us." Her voice had its professional tone, but the smirk on her lips gave her observation a different meaning.
Neil nodded absently, his duty as Alec's shadow just got more complicated. "He's more aware than before. Do you think it was triggered by that?"
"It's a possibility. With the suppressors out of his system his body regained its normal strength and capacities; however his mind had not been pressed to remember until today. He's remembering." Her eyes glimmered with hope for an instant.
She raised an eyebrow at the shrill sound of a cell phone; resisting the urge to stick his tongue at her amused expression Neil opted instead to answer the call. He listened to the person on the line and with a short 'thanks' snapped the phone shut.
"And?" she asked eagerly.
He was getting a headache in advance, and May wasn't helping. "You should go. She's arriving at JT Wilson in about an hour."
"Any lovely message you want me to deliver?" she asked smiling sweetly at his cold gaze.
"4th and Pine and don't ruin my car." He replied as he threw her a key chain with Marvin the Martian attached.
"Neil, 'an address and don't ruin my car' doesn't constitute a pick-up line… Or if it is, then it's the worst one I've ever heard. I know you can do better, now try again." May scolded as she finds herself locked in a staring contest with the plastic green alien.
"Watch it May, or I tell the world you actually have a heart and wonder of wonders it beats." He replied in a teasing voice.
Green eyes snapped upwards instantly, and she finally sighed. "I'd kill you before that happens."
"That's the cold-hearted chick I know and love; now go and bother someone else." He smirked at her as he checked the alley before jumping down.
She watched him disappear from view and seconds later she heard the sound of shoes against concrete.
"You could have asked if I wanted to jump down with you." May muttered and walked to the stairs, Neil had better watch out for her in the near future. Making her go down at least 40 flights of stairs was not funny; in fact, Neil's near future now had more clouds than Seattle's skyline.
Seattle, Jam Pony
15:50 pm
The rain hadn't stopped since he woke up on that rooftop, and now thirty minutes later he was positive that there wasn't a single part of his body that remained dry. Alec walked inside Jam Pony leaving a trail of water in his wake.
Placing his bike against the wall, he moved in the direction of the lockers in order to act on the sole thought that had been running on his mind since the rain started. Comfortable and dry clothes were waiting for him in his locker. Ah, heaven.
Sky and Sketchy watched from the dining area as Alec moved, every step he made reflecting a whole new level of confidence, an air of respect commanded by his presence. There was something undeniably different about the former cage fighter.
Normal watched from the dispatch area, he couldn't place what had changed, but the boy walking a few meters away from him was a different person from the one who had greeted him mere hours before. A crazy notion flew through his mind and was discarded almost at the same time – no one matured in a matter of hours, not even Alec
The young man in question stood in front of his locker sorting through the mess inside the metal cabinet, he let out a satisfied grunt as he pulled out a wrinkled dark blue t-shirt.
He knew Max had entered the building at the same time he took off his jacket; he recognized the cadence on her steps. His fingers grasped the hem of his soaked t-shirt as she walked in front of Normal's counter, discarding the fabric and leaving his upper body exposed with the other X5 standing less than ten feet away from him.
Alec shook off the excess of water from his hair before putting on the dry t-shirt; however, the seconds his back had been exposed had been enough for Max to get a good look at the dragon that now resided on his right shoulder blade. Though he didn't understand what had caused it, he noticed the change on her breathing pattern; today had not been a good day and he was not in the mood for a lecture.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Max crossed Jam Pony's entrance in a huff; if you had feline genes in your genetic code, days with an excess of water were not your favorite thing. Right now she would kill for a hot bath with warm water and some candles and the chance to forget about today.
She hated those dreams, the memories that reminded her of that night. She had no doubt that it had been for the best, Manticore needed to be stopped and she did just that. She finished what Zack, Syl, Krit and her started but failed to do the first time. And yet, some small part of her conscious kept insisting that she had had no right to take lives in her quest for personal revenge. She had known in advance that the price would be high and she had dismissed the warnings. She had believed that she was smarter than them, and in a way she was because she had survived; but what about those who had been trapped inside the barracks and didn't have a choice?
She shoved her bike roughly against the wall, she wouldn't think about it. It wouldn't change anything now.
As she walked in front of the dispatch counter she noticed the lack of people – it wasn't surprising considering that it was raining cats and dogs, and it also explained why the ones who were brave or stupid enough to be there where soaked to the bone.
Max stood rooted to the floor as she watched Alec standing half naked in front of his locker. It wasn't the fact that the X5 was shirtless, nor the way his perfectly toned muscles flexed as he pulled on his t-shirt – Though she would never admit it, Max knew Alec was easy on the eye – that was the cause of her shocked state. What surprised her was the dragon on his back.
When and why would he have done that? Wasn't it enough to have a barcode on the back of his neck?
Apparently it wasn't. And the rouge X5 now had a tattoo. The thin black lines in a tribal design composed the body of the mythical creature that now graced Alec's skin, and Max couldn't help but notice that the dragon seemed to be laughing at her.
There was no logical reason for her to be angry at him, it was, after all, his body and while a tattoo might get him more attention it was nowhere near as stupid as going back to cage fighting. There was no real danger of exposure, but still, she couldn't shake the feeling of being left out of the loop. Lately Alec had been acting like different person and it kept pushing her out of her comfort zone, the zone where she knew what she could expect from him.
There were too many holes regarding his place inside Manticore and the information Logan had obtained had done nothing to ease their doubts. Alec kept changing, morphing in front of her eyes at a frightening speed.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
He mentally counted the seconds left before the explosion known as Max finally happens…3, 2, 1 and…
"What the hell were you thinking?!" The brunette moved to stand next to him, too close in his opinion. It wasn't uncommon for her when she was truly enraged – she only ever stood that close to him when she was planning to hit him – Max invading his personal space never ended well for him.
But today was different, and he simply couldn't find the patience he usually had when dealing with Max. Ever since he woke up this morning, the day had been one painful discovery after another, and the last thing he needed was Max starting in on another meaningless rampage.
"Want to be more specific Max? See, I have billions of nerve cells so if you're asking what I was thinking a minute ago it's probably different than what I'm thinking now." The sarcastic remark was delivered with the usual smirk as Alec closed the door of his locker and waited for her response.
Max advanced even further, crowding into him and hissed, "I'm talking about the 'look-at-me' tattoo on your back. Damn it Alec, what part of staying low don't you get?" She made her point by raising her hand and attempting to hit him in the head.
Only this time her hand didn't reach its planned destination.
She found herself pushed back against the locker in a swift movement, her arms held above her head as Alec's body pinned her movements before she could try to free herself. Max got lost for an instant watching the hazel eyes that were looking intently at her.
"I already told you Max, I'm not your charity case, you don't have to look after me and I don't have to explain my decisions to you." His voice was cold, unemotional as he spoke; his lips almost touched her face, so close that she felt his breath against her skin.
As fast as it began it ended, and he released his hold on her in the same quick motion. Turning around he picked up his jacket and strode casually towards Normal's desk.
"Boss, I'm taking you up on that earlier offer. I'm not feeling that good." He didn't even need to put on an act prove it, he wasn't feeling good, and he hadn't been feeling good or normal since he woke up.
"Sure boy, take it easy." Normal watched him as he walked out of the building carrying his bike and wondered what, exactly, was going on. Something told him that things were about to change, and the changes wouldn't be unnoticed.
Max sat on the bench still trying to process what happened. It had been the first time that Alec reacted like that, he had replied her in a similar tone the past days, but he never had done anything that implied physical contact.
The most frustrating part wasn't that Alec was becoming someone completely different in a matter of days; it was her reaction to those changes. For the first time she realized that she might be attracted to the other X5, even if only a little bit.
The discovery was under no terms welcome news to Max, and she couldn't help but remember OC's words the first time her friend saw the other X5. Cindy had told her that 'she had issues' and that she could 'say what she wanted but they sure made them pretty' – today she realized the truth behind that offhanded statement.
OC warily eyed Max brooding silently over her own thoughts before she decided to sit next to her. "What's up girl?"
"Life sucks." Max replied flatly.
"Yeah we know, but do we hate life for something specific today?" OC knew that whatever had happened had been huge by the confused expression on Max's face
Max sighed and replied with the one word that summarized her current headache. "Alec."
OC rolled her eyes fondly, remembering the multitude of harebrained schemes concocted by the wayward X5. "What'd your boy do this time?"
"He…ughhh. He's just Alec but different." Max wasn't ready to tell any living soul that she might be slightly attracted to the bane of her existence. Besides, she wasn't sure if it was some sort of attraction or just a chemical imbalance, she would accept any theory that could explain why she was feeling the way she was, especially if it meant that it would go away.
OC had to admit that she had seen the changes; Alec had definitely looked different that morning.
"He wasn't looking too hot this morning. Boy looked like he had a rough night."
Max hadn't seen him in the morning, by the time she arrived at Jam Pony Alec was long gone but he did seem to be a little pale. "He got a tattoo."
"That don't sound too bad. Where?" OC didn't see the problem. So he got a tattoo. It didn't seem to be a big issue.
Max stubbornly defended her point. "Shoulder blade, it will attract attention."
OC raised an eyebrow as she heard the location, "How did you get to see it girl?"
"He was changing when I got here." Max replied, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks.
"So you talked to him." The young black woman concluded.
Max sighed, "And he got pissed off."
"And?" After watching the interaction between those two OC had learned that Max usually started, lead and ended their fights, so for her friend to be so confused something had to have happened that altered the order of things.
"And nothing, he got pissed off and left." Max replied with a vacant look in her eyes.
"Boo you're sittin' here 'cause he left?" OC couldn't help but ask. If that was the reason Max being the way she was, than the situation really didn't make sense at all. Max's pager went off and she checked the number, recognizing the familiar digits she stood up.
"I have to see Logan. See you later?" Max asked turning around to receive a nod from her best friend.
Logan's page was sign sent from the heavens, OC's intuition was too accurate and Max had learned that her friend could always recognize when she was lying. The thing with Alec was that there wasn't anything with Alec, it had been a fluke. She was tired and soaked with muddy water, she had just imagined things.
JT Wilson Private Airstrip
16:30 pm
The private jet approached the city of Seattle and the lone passenger watched, amused by the intermittent rain that fell over the city. Apparently Biggs and Neil's reports about the weather were not exaggerated; the city seemed to be fond of precipitations.
She didn't mind at all, with Water as her element she got used to rainy days a long time ago; besides, rain was a hundred times better than snow.
CeCe wondered how he was. It has been so long since the last time she had seen him, almost two years. Life had continued, time passed, nothing really changed and at the same time everything did.
Chaos reigned during the first two weeks, their controlled environment crumbled in front of their eyes. Half of the Committee died during the attack at the facilities of the 5th Division, and hours later both the CO and SIC of the Elite were missing in action; their belief that they were untouchable proved to be nothing more than a lie.
"Alec" she whispered softly.
Alec, or Alexander for some of the Committee members, the Commanding Officer of the Elite and the D1 who became a prodigy by his own merits and was considered the most powerful ruler of Fire of the last five centuries. Intelligent and intuitive, outspoken and extremely sociable, Alec's personality was misleading by nature. The CO of the Elite chose who he wanted to be depending on the occasion; his performance for the people who didn't know him was a way to keep them from getting closer and concealed his true intentions from them.
CeCe was well aware of the complex personality of the Elite's commanding officer; Alec could be a walking contradiction if he wanted to. And most of the time that was exactly what he wanted.
Being an excellent strategist with persuasion powers that bordered manipulation, Alec used his natural charm on people in order to accomplish his goals. He usually walked on the edge, sometimes discerning what was wrong or right was not an easy task, black and white occasionally blended together. Being the person in charge under those conditions was more a burden than a gift.
It was a hard lesson to learn that things were not always good or bad; that depending on the point of view that they were seen in, life was nothing more than a matter of perceptions and values. And when it came to Alec the voice he would pay attention to was hers.
Nicole, the youngest member of the Elite who was also the SIC and part of the D1. As the Ruler of Air, she shared the shifting nature of her element.
Smart and witty, outspoken and often sarcastic, Nicole's personality changed drastically when she was barely ten after a mission that had almost cost her life. Cynical not by nature but by experience, she never trusted people or their motives until she had facts that supported them. Ironically, she had a gift for faking sympathy in order to gain trust, though it was rare for her to truly empathize with anyone.
Nicole was Alec's connection to a different perception of life.
Alec and Nicole were probably the most complex people inside Prometheus. Maybe that was the reason they were so close to each other. Both of them carried their own burdens, memories that couldn't be erased and scars that refused to heal. Both of them supported the other, understood what the other was going through.
CeCe let out a sigh; it would be harder now. She remembered all of the things that had led them to this point and couldn't help but feel powerless. Knowledge is power, and while this time she has the knowledge, she has the feeling that it will prove to be useless.
The flight attendant walked to her seat and politely informed her that they would be landing soon.
Her light blue eyes focused once again on the window, the jet descending gradually until the tires touched the ground.
It was time.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Blue eyes met green and CeCe couldn't help but laugh at the annoyed expression on May's face as she made a face at the storm currently drenching the city.
"Hey Ce, how was the flight?" May's habitual cold tone made the blonde smile. There were some things that would never change and for that she was grateful, May's bitchy personality was one of them.
"Long and exhausting as usual. How's everything here?" She asked as both women walked off the private airstrip.
May led them to a black BMW, "I'll tell you in the car, come on let's go."
CeCe was half away through her chocolate bar by the time they got to the highway. "So, from what you've seen, so far today's episode was the worst?"
"Yes, but there's no guarantee it will be the last." May replied her without looking to her side; the sound of the wrap being twisted let her know that CeCe was still munching on her snack.
"How did you control it?"
The question caught her off guard and she turned her body to face the other woman before replying, "I injected him with a sedative."
CeCe stayed quiet for a couple of seconds, "He wasn't awake. Next time he needs to realize what's happening."
May sighed at the blonde's suggestion, "You know as well as I do that every element is different. Pollux and Juno died during the attack and they were the only members of the Committee who controlled fire or might have been able to help us with this."
"I know that. But I also know how to control it if it's starting, I might be able to help him the next time something like this happens."
May slowed the car and gave her attention fully to her companion. "How?"
CeCe's eyes focused on the storm outside as her fingers played idly with the ring on her right hand. "Nicole. She said that as his SIC she had to learn the basics, but that if something happened to her at least someone else should have the basic knowledge."
"And she told you, that's why Finn chose you for this mission." May nodded at the logic of that, Nicole had always had an uncanny way of predicting what was going to happen.
This time it was CeCe who sighed, "For obvious reasons she just explain the basics, I lack the power and strength from the original D1 members, and what I learned can only be used at the very beginning. Finn doesn't know that I know anything about it."
May raised an eyebrow at that piece of information, but kept quiet. Changing the subject she asked the question that had been on her mind for the last two days. "Any news about her?"
"Not yet, right now Hades is our best shot." CeCe answered softly.
Georgia's Embassy
16:30 pm
The warmth provided by the fireplace helped him relax. It had been a strange week, surrounded by even stranger events, some of which were good and others which were going straight to the corner of his mind where he left things that he would rather forget. His eyes left the novel he was reading and watched as the rain drops hit the glass intermittently; it wasn't a good day to be outside.
Taking a sip of wine, Evgraf Sokolov returned to his reading only to be interrupted by a soft knock on the door. "Come in." he replied lazily as he set the book on the table.
"Sir, there's someone at the front door that has requested an interview under Article 193."
Sokolov curled his lips in a smile hearing the news. Rising from the sofa he walked toward the door.
"It's ok, Andre. Now, tell me, is this person a young man?" He asked as they walked to the front of the house.
The man looked surprised by the ambassador's question, "Yes sir. How did you know?"
"Years of experience Andre, give it twenty more years and you'll understand." Was Sokolov's response.
As they reached the foyer, Evgraf wore an amused expression which he complemented with a perfectly raised eyebrow.
"Nikolai my boy, you look terrible." And by Evgraf Sokolov's standards Nikolai did, indeed look dreadful. Soaked to the bone and wearing clothes that fit but didn't agree with him, the paleness of the younger man's skin was troubling.
"Thanks, I appreciate the concern." Alec replied with a fake smirk plastered on his face.
"Always the same." Evgraf replied with a chuckle before adding. "Come on, why are you still standing there? …Mariam, lead him to the guest room and get him some clean and dry clothes." Looking at Alec's appearance he shook his head in disapproval but smiled warmly, "Once you're done come by the studio."
Alec wasn't sure why he was there, by the time he had realized where he was going he was already ringing the bell. He didn't want to go back to his own place and the idea of hitting a bar was not appealing.
The truth was that he didn't want to be alone – being alone would lead to him thinking about everything that he'd rather not be thinking about, and just for a couple hours he wanted to pretend that things were the same and that nothing had changed. He wanted to talk to someone who wouldn't judge him and criticize every decision he made, someone he could talk to, someone to listen and who he could listen to in return. He was looking for a friend, and Evgraf Sokolov was the only one in the neighborhood.
Alec allowed the petite woman to lead the way, and she filled the silence by telling him that even young people could get sick if they went traipsing around in thunderstorms. Ten minutes later, as he stood under the spray of hot water, he was convinced that getting a lecture from the preachy young lady had been completely worth it. The water helped relax his muscles and washed away all the stress and fatigue of the day.
After his long and well deserved shower, he had to suppress a chuckle as he saw the clothes that had been laid out for him. Dress shirts and pants and even some ties. Evgraf had always disliked jeans and t-shirts and the new clothes were a particularly unsubtle hint that his old clothes simply weren't up to snuff. He wasn't going to complain; in fact, today he was inclined to agree with the older man.
The young man who strode past him and toward the studio reminded Andre of someone, still he was unable to make the connection. Tall and athletic, the stranger had a stance that exuded power and mystery; he wondered when the stranger arrived.
Alec walked into the studio without knocking and found Evgraf intently analyzing his profile. "You seem to have forgotten the tie Nikolai." Sokolov commented, pleased to see that his friend's color was starting to improve.
"Not really, I have it here. I just choose to give her the day off."
Evgraf dipped his head indulgently at the man sitting in front of him. Even though Nikolai would always be the sixteen year old boy he'd met all those years ago, today there was something missing in his friend's eyes. "I'm glad to see you, though I didn't expect it."
Alec's gaze was fixed on the fireplace and the fire slowing consuming the wood. "I know, I just…How did you meet your wife Evgraf?" he had been about to admit that he was lost, had almost reached the end of his endurance, that he desperately needed to find some answers before he lost his mind. . . But he couldn't bring himself to do it – had stopped and asked a meaningless question instead.
Evgraf Sokolov may not have had children with his wife, he might never have experienced the joys and miseries of being a parent, but he had seen it in the eyes of his friends and their kids. He had seen the vulnerability of a child admitting defeat to his parents, and right now something similar could be said of the expression on Nikolai's face. So he decided not to push the younger man. . . Se liked to think that when his friend was ready, Nikolai would be willing talk to him and hopefully he would be able to help.
"Ahh let me see, it was a warm spring night. I was in Venice for a conference of some kind and she was there for the holydays. The moment she entered the room I knew she was bad news," he smiled wistfully. "The kind of bad news that makes you realize life won't make sense without her in it. . . " Efgrav continued his story, recalling the time he fell in love with his wife, the emotions and thoughts that spun through his mind at that time.
Alec smiled and paid special attention to every gesture the older man made, the way his eyes sparkled as he recounted the first words he had exchanged with the love of his life. He had seen them together and he always thought that if he ever fell in love he would want nothing less than that. Evgraf didn't deserve to be alone during his last years, not after having had Endzela in his life.
But time waits for no one and Evgraf continued his story as a pair of hazel eyes watched with childlike wonder, worries and problems forgotten for the moment as the rain continued to fall across the city.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
The lone figure in the rain calmly took in the scene. He hated the rain, despised the feeling of being soaked, but right now it was worth it.
Neil watched as Alec and Evgraf talked like old friends. Something about Evgraf reminded him of Peter McAllister, maybe that was why Alec seemed so comfortable around the older man. He couldn't know for sure, he hadn't been part of the team that worked the Tbilisi Agenda, so he didn't know what kinds of bonds were forged between them, but it was good to see that Alec had someone he felt comfortable talking to.
Sokolov's concern for Alec was all the proof Neil needed that the man was an ally. The beeping in his pocket reminded him that he should probably carry a change of clothes around until CeCe could take control of the situation.
"Good news?" He asked hopefully.
CeCe frowned at the phone in her hand, and watched May who was smirking in a self-satisfied manner, "Sure. Interest rates have decreased and now you can get the loan you've always wanted." She replied, quoting the highway billboard they had just passed.
"What?" Neil asked confused.
"It's your fault. You asked for good news I'm not a news agency." CeCe complained, trying her best not to laugh.
"Hello Claire." Neil tried to sound calm and professional, two things he was not feeling at the moment.
"It's CeCe, Neil." She pointed out, slightly annoyed.
Neil chuckled "I know Claire."
Before CeCe had time to respond, May's voice was heard in the background. "Could you two stop flirting and get back to business, please?"
"Where's our boy?" CeCe asked quickly, her cheeks stained red and glaring at May with barely controlled fury.
"The Georgian Embassy. He's drinking wine on a comfortable sofa while I'm being soaked in toxic water."
CeCe smiled at his belligerence, "You're genetically enhanced Neil, you'll live."
"Where are you?" he asked as he watched the darker clouds in the sky.
"Five blocks away from the Jam Pony building, I'm about to get a job. After that I'll check in with you and from there I'll handle the surveillance." CeCe had changed her tone and was probably running variables on her mind. Neil recognized the pattern; she was becoming the character.
"OK, I'll see you two later." He replied and closed the phone.
It was getting cold, genetically enhanced or not his body felt the effects of the weather. He really hated this city.
Jam Pony
17:45 pm
Not many people stayed inside the building after hours on regular days, on days like these when the sky seemed to be falling down the ones who remained inside were only trying to avoid the rain for as long as possible.
Max and Cindy were playing cards on the bench while Sketchy and Jim watched TV. Normal was busy organizing the receipts from the deliveries. It had been a slow day, half of his employees went MIA once the storm started and the ones who came back did everything in their power to avoid being sent out of the building. Lazy bums, all of them were nothing more than lazy bums who didn't recognize the value of a job.
As he raised his head he was awestruck by the view. A pretty girl, probably in her early twenties was standing in front of his counter with a smile on her face and amusement glittering in her light blue eyes.
Her voice complemented her looks, "Good evening sir, I'm looking for a job. I'm a hard worker and very responsible, plus I'm polite and I don't mind the rain." She spoke fast and smiled at him and Normal couldn't help but smile back; that had been the most inventive line to get a job he had ever heard.
He handed her the form and watched as she filled in the information with a nice calligraphy. Checking her name, he decided to give her the talk that every soul that requested a job from him had to endure. "Claire, I gotta warn you, I got lots of resumes in that closet."
She raised her eyes to look at him as her voice took on a desperate tone…"But you're not going to put mine in there, are you? I just moved to the city, and I've got the smallest apartment you've ever seen, but I'll end up starving if I don't get a job." Her eyes glistened with tears as her lips formed a pout and her breathing got erratic.
Normal recognized the signs and panicked, she was about to cry and if there was one thing he can't stand it was a crying girl.
"Look princess, let's make a deal. I'll give you the job temporarily, then you have next week to prove to me that you can do it. How 'bout that?"
She rewarded him with the brightest smile he's ever seen, as she held her hand in front of him. "It's a deal. So I start Monday?"
"At 09:30 am sharp and don't be late." He replied in a huff – he really hadn't been looking to hire anyone.
"Yes, boss." She grinned and strolled out the door.
Cindy raised an eyebrow as she watched the blond girl depart. That had been one hell of a show for anyone paying attention.
"What is it?" Max asked as she stared blankly at her cards.
"Normal hired a new girl." OC relays dryly.
Max raised her eyes looking for a new face but finding only Normal and the boys. "Really?"
"Yeah, she's a cute little thing too. Blonde hair and big blue eyes. . ." OC leered a little, that girl had been fine.
"I'm sure Alec will be glad to hear that." Max spat bitterly.
OC looked at her friend and smirked; green was not a good color for Max. She wondered vaguely if Alec knew how much jealously he leaves in his wake wherever he goes.
Things were going to get interesting.
Georgia's Embassy
19:00 pm
Alec laughed at Evgraf's story telling prowess, trying to imagine the events in his head. The last two hours had been spent between telling stories and two games of chess. It had been an interesting diversion, but he couldn't avoid the truth forever.
"…and three weeks later you and Katrina were standing in front of my door." Sokolov finished.
Alec looked at the older man, it was now or never.
"I don't know where she is. I don't even know what I am doing here." His eyes focused somewhere a million miles away.
Evgraf looked at him, that was something he hadn't expected and he wasn't sure what kind of response was expected of him. "What do you mean Nikolai?"
"I woke up one day remembering things that apparently were part of my life, only I'm not living that life now. I don't really remember it. . . There are new details, things I remember about people, places and events that I only know because I see them in my mind – I just can't put it all together. The first time I saw you, I knew I'd met you before but I didn't know how. I'm not even sure if it's real. I mean, it has to be because you're real." Alec felt strangely better after having said all of that out loud. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that it had been careless to just blurt it all out there like that.
"I'm real Nikolai, and I'm quite sure that Katrina was also real. I might have something that will reassure you." Sokolov walked toward the desk and opened the second drawer; he took out a carved box and walked back to where the young man was sitting.
"Here, take a look at these. Endzela loved taking pictures, you can keep them if you'd like." He said as he placed the box in Alec's hands.
Alec watched the box warily, unsure if he should open it. The sound of Evgraf's laugh makes him look up.
"It's not going to bite you Nikolai." Chided the older man.
Slowly he pried off the lid of the box, inside were the promised pictures. Taking them out of the box he a smiled formed on his lips. The first picture showed him and Nicole standing in front of Sokolov's house gates. Her hair was tied loosely in a ponytail, wearing a black coat that reached her knees, her eyes were focused on something in front of her but her face was turned in his direction. His face looked stony as he was also looking at a point straight ahead of them; his hand holding something that looked like a PDA.
Most of the pictures were just snapshots, taken when both of them were doing surveillance or coordinating some action. The last two pictures were different though. In one, he was slouched down in a molded plastic chair, eyes showing anger and despair in equal parts, his hair mussed as if his fingers had gone through it many times. The grief of his expression was clear by the way his brow was furrowed, his eyes shining with something he recognized in himself as fear.
The last picture showed Nicole alone, a small bandage on her neck which almost went unnoticed as the expression on her face took all his attention. She had been smiling brightly at someone, her eyes sparkling and the unique cobalt blue seemed to be reflecting other colors as well. He could almost smell the vanilla scent of her skin.
"Those last two pictures were taken after the attack against my wife. You spent the whole night by her side, I wasn't sure if you were worried sick or furious at her. I suppose it was both, wasn't it Nikolai?"
"She was careless, I was furious and at the same time terrified that she would never wake up. It was quite stupid on my part." Alec admitted, still looking at her smile on the picture.
Evgraf smiled at the expression on Alec's face. He wasn't sure if he would be able to help the younger man, but at least he could always offer him support as a friend.
"Thanks." Alec raised his head and looked at the older man, for the first time in that week letting himself believe that maybe he wasn't going crazy. The questions were still there, but the most important thing was that it was all real.
"Don't mention it Nikolai."
Alec watched him and made a decision. "Alec, my name is Alec."
Evgraf raised an eyebrow at the admission, "It doesn't matter boy, for me you'll always be Nikolai. And you will always be welcome here." He raised his glass and proposed a toast. Alec laughed with the older man as they raised their glasses over snapshots and friends.
Alec left the house after declining dinner at the Embassy. There was somewhere he needed to go; somehow he suspected that a lot of his questions could be answered.
Foggle Towers
19:18 pm
Logan had been talking for a while but for the love of her she couldn't find a way to keep her attention on his words. Stealing a glance at the clock on the corner of his screen she raised an eyebrow, it was already 19:15.
"Are you gonna tell me what's on your mind?" Logan asked his unofficial girlfriend after having spent the last hour trying unsuccessfully to start a conversation.
Max looked up at him. "It's nothing."
"It doesn't look like nothing. Is this related to Alec?" He forced himself to ask, thinking that maybe Alec's behavior had been more erratic than yesterday's.
Max straightened her back and crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "Why do ask that?"
Logan was shocked by her response, "You were worried about him yesterday; I only guessed that maybe he wasn't acting like himself today. Why are you acting like this?"
She cursed herself; she was overreacting and in the process attracting the attention she had been trying to avoid. She tried to calm her nerves and before looking back at Logan. "Sorry, I just had a bad day, too many packages and too few of us to deliver them. And Alec got a tattoo. It was just. . . just a long day."
"What did he get?" he asked absently as he moved back to his computer and started to type something.
"A stupid dragon that seems to be laughing in your face when you look at It." she replied as she bit down on the cheese slice she had gotten from his fridge.
Logan laughed at her comment. "Are you staying for dinner?"
"I'm kind of tired; I think I'm gonna call it a night."
He gave her a look, a look that told her that he thought she was running away. "You don't sleep that much."
"That doesn't mean that I don't need to sleep at all. I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked as she moved away from him. He was right, she was running away but not from him, she just needed time for herself.
"Sure, I'll be here." was the quite reply.
Logan waited until he heard the click of the door to let out a frustrated sigh. There were some days when he felt that they were not moving forward but backwards.
Seattle
19:45 pm
Alec looked at the empty street, walking towards the black Honda that was parked there. He studied the bike for a moment and 15 seconds later had it wired, jumping on he drove and got lost in the city traffic.
CeCe had been following him since he had left the Embassy. She raised an eyebrow at seeing her commanding officer stealing a bike, but followed his example she and got one for herself.
Once Alec left the city, she decided to notify May and Neil just in case things got out of control again. As the landscape changed and the sparse trees surrounding the road became a forest, she realized exactly where they were going. They were approaching the old Manticore facility.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Max felt the cold wind as it hit her face, she was getting closer. She wasn't sure why she was going back, there was nothing left there.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Alec left the bike close to what had once upon a time been the entrance gate. He forced himself to remember how the place had looked, the electrified fences and the guards on the perimeter. He could almost see them now.
He continued walking past the debris of barrack after barrack until he was standing where the medical ward had been. A cold chill coursed through his body as his mind remembered that place, the smell of disinfectant and death, the white coats of the doctors and nurses. The metallic sounds during the procedures.
He was strapped to the chair, wires and needles attached to his body, voices around him asking questions about Prometheus, about the Elite. He wasn't answering them, his mind wasn't even there, he felt numb, dead inside. He knew for a fact that something terrible had happened and that it was his fault, he didn't care what they did to him, he didn't care about living anymore.
Alec felt someone approaching and turned his head slowly to see the newcomer. It was strange that someone would be here at the same time as him.
As the steps grew closer he couldn't help but groan as he recognized the sound. Max was here.
The brunette looked as exasperated at finding him as he felt. "What are you doing here?" she asked eyeing him suspiciously
Alec snorted in response, why did she always believe that everything in this life revolved around her…"Why Max, do I need to have special permission to hang around the debris of what used to be Manticore? Or are you the only one allowed to be here, seeing as you're the one who burned down the place?"
The biting sarcasm of his remark hit a sore sport with her. Max was well aware that she had burnt the place down, she didn't need the reminder. And knowing how things had turned out, she probably would have done things differently if given a second chance, but even she couldn't travel through time. "You could never understand, you were nothing more than their pawn. A cold blooded murder who didn't care about anything but himself. . . In fact, you haven't changed that much."
Alec didn't bother with a response as his gaze flitted distractedly around the remains of Manticore, at the twisted metal and concrete that was all that was left of the most advanced military facilities on Earth.
"Alec, don't."
"You won't hurt her."
"Alec, it's me. Please stop."
"You're not going to get out of this alive."
"Please look at me…"
His hand hadn't hesitated as he emptied the chamber. He watched as the blood from the cuts and bullet wounds dripped on the floor. His head felt heavy and his body wasn't responding. His vision went blurry before going completely dark.
The next time he opened his eyes his hand was resting on something sticky and cold. As his eyes slowly refocused he suppressed the urge to be sick as he realized that he was soaked in blood – someone else's blood. Two meters away from him another body lay sprawled on the floor. He felt a shiver course through his body as he recognized the brown locks.
It couldn't be real, he couldn't have done it.
The wind around him grew stronger, the temperature increased and he could feel the same burning sensation shooting through his veins. He knew he was losing control and the first convulsion sent him stumbling.
Max took a quick step back when she noticed his eyes; the golden flecks had multiplied, nearly overtaking the green of his irises, while Alec himself seemed to be in some sort of trance. Suddenly the wind changed and leaves and dust flew wildly around them. She felt the change in the weather; it was no longer a cold night and the temperature kept increasing. She took another step back, unsure of what to do. A second later it didn't matter – something hit the back of her head hard and the world went black.
CeCe closed her eyes and concentrated on using her energy to channel Alec's. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, she made her way toward him. This was not how it was supposed to be, she hadn't expected to let him see her so soon.
"Stop it." Her voice cut the air and interrupted his concentration, his gaze focusing on the pale blue eyes of the girl watching him.
"You…" he started, his voice hoarse. Her face, he knew her, his mind working quickly as memories passed in front his eyes. "Claire" he said before falling to his knees and loosing consciousness.
CeCe caught him before he hit the ground, keeping her arms around his shoulders. Slowly she laid him on the ground.
"Is he ok?" Neil asked as he carried the unconscious Max.
She didn't look up at him, eyes fixed on their CO. "He will be. Something happened here, besides the procedure to erase his memories."
"How do you know?" May asked as she knelt next to Alec to check his vitals.
CeCe bit her lip before replying, there was no evidence to support her theory, but she knew it all the same. "The look on his face was of complete and utter shock – it was as if he remembered something terrible."
"I'll help you to carry him to the car." Neil offered.
"No. I think it would be better for him to wake up here. I won't leave and I'll make sure that I'm the first thing he sees when he wakes up."
May nodded at her decision and looked to Neil who still had ahold of the unconscious Max. "I think it would be better if she wakes up somewhere else."
"Let's go then, and Claire…call if you need anything." Neil told her as May supported the left side of Max's body.
CeCe only nodded at them as her mind was already miles away, to another time and place when none of them would have believed that something like this could happen.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
The two shadows walked silently between the trees carrying a third body.
"How is it that someone so small can be so heavy?" May asked as grunting at the burden that only half of Max's weight on her shoulder.
"If you hadn't knocked her cold, maybe it wouldn't be such pain in the arse to move her unconscious body through the forest without attracting attention." Neil snapped.
"She was irritating, it even irritated you." she declared as it could justify her actions.
"Right now my irritation is focused on you." he replied in a matter of fact tone.
to be continued