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: This chapter took longer than expected and I discovered that I'm no longer setting deadlines because Murphy Laws attack me every time I do it. Therefore what all of you do have is my sincere promise to finish this story.
Thanks to Jenna who did a wonderful job for the grammar and syntax corrections on this chapter. Also a special thanks to timetowaste247 who was the only reviewer of the last chapter; thanks for taking time to leave a comment, you see poor chapter 13 was feeling awfully unloved and neglected before you did it :).
I know it's been a while since the last update; therefore I present to all of you a longer chapter…criticism is always welcomed so don't be shy and leave a review.
Chapter 14
Beyond the Invisible
He could feel the slight spasm beneath his left eye, a nervous tic from a long forgotten childhood he hadn't been able to overcome despite how many psychologists he had seen over the years. Taking a deep breath he attempted once again to calm his nerves, the man standing by his side wouldn't be amused if he had a nervous breakdown.
He'd never agreed to be involved directly. He didn't really care about, nor was he interested in the latest exploits of Red Eagle. In all honesty, if the group disappeared from the face of the Earth tomorrow he would be a happy man. A happy man with one less thing to worry about. His participation had never been exactly voluntary but more likely a family imposition to continue with the family legacy. After too many arguments, too many threats against the people he cared about, he'd finally agreed to continue his support of the lunatics. But now, as he scrutinizes past events, he realizes that he'd never really make a single decision, he'd been led and manipulated the entire time. This latest event proving nothing less than confirmation of his theory – he'd requested that his support be strictly financial and what did he get in return? A so-called privileged position next to the most despicable man he had the misfortune to meet.
It was no secret that he wasn't a committed member of the organization; in fact, he'd expressed in several occasions his opposition regarding the organization's approach and methods. So maybe he's the sole responsible of his current predicament, for them this is nothing more than a punishment, a corrective measure to bring back to the right path a lost son. For him is different, it might be the first day of a life he thought he had successfully escaped from. He had been naïve. They never let you go no matter how fast you run.
They were nothing but fanatics ruled by a shared obsession of a stupid myth.
After hearing the story over and over again he's almost positive that by now he knows every detail by heart. And he might even concede that it's a good story, but fiction and reality are not the same thing and never will be. A secret organization whose members had the ability to control each of the four elements. . . It sounded like an elaborate plot, better suited to a novel than real life and more attractive for children rather than adults.
David was far from a good man, his pragmatic nature gave him the freedom to disregard values and ethics whenever they conflicted with his interests. Yet despite his share of questionable actions, he had never been directly responsible for anything that could be considered criminal, he suspected that was going to change after today.
The thick framed glasses only served to conceal the cold, empty black orbs of the man standing next to him – a man well known for his vicious kills and lack of compassion. In David's opinion, the current leader of Red Eagle was little more than a cold blooded killer who led a life fueled only by his obsession with the mythical Prometheus, specifically with its supposed Elite.
The security cameras and motion sensors didn't show any evidence of an intruder's presence, yet Malik had assured him that their targets were already inside the building. Stone refrained from pointing out that the security system was state of the art, and in combination with the various other security systems, made the building an impenetrable fortress. If so much as a fly were to have moved inside these walls, he would know about it.
Malik's eyes sparkled in anticipation, the prospect of finally getting his hands on a member of Prometheus' Elite was intoxicating. Capturing a member of the Elite was a crucial part of his plans for exacting his revenge, and he could feel it drawing closer with every passing second. He bit down on his tongue until he could taste his own blood, the salty metallic taste of the red substance always relaxed him whether it was his or someone else's. The man standing closest to him came from an old legacy inside Red Eagle, but David Stone had nothing in common with his ancestors and their compromise with the organization. Malik had decided to correct that situation, starting tonight.
David could feel it more than actually see it, the displays showing nothing out of the ordinary though he could have sworn that someone was watching him. He hears the faint sound of Malik's voice delivering orders, commanding the soldiers to stand-by positions until he gives them another signal. It all happens too fast after that. The lights are flipped on and he's shocked to find the thirty heavily armed men surrounding two masked figures dressed from head to toe in black.
One of the intruders positions himself between the nearest guards and his partner, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender. David Stone could only watch impassively as the darts found their targets. Considering the record of Malik's sick and twisted nature, the pair had a slim chance of survival if they were subjected to all of the tests he had planned for them.
As he was climbing the stairs trailing behind the man he so loathed, the guards pulled the masks from the intruders and his eyes widened in shock at the sight that greeted him. Red Eagle's hideous enemies were nothing more than a couple of twenty-year-old kids. It seemed ironic to think of these children as Malik's nefarious enemies.
The pair didn't fight the guards; both were armed, though they never raised their guns against their captors. And he'd never once heard their voices – not when they'd been knocked down by the sedatives that had been used to immobilize them, not even as the ripping sound of fabric echoed through the building. The matching blank expressions on their faces told him that these kids were far from normal.
Malik, denied what he'd been looking for, lost all self-control and allowed his emotions free rule over his actions, hastily snapping out instructions that would nearly guaranty that this would be the last time he saw them alive. The eyes of the young man caught his attention, a nearly invisible flicker of recognition flashing through those hazel orbs at the mention of Marcel Dominick's name, though the cold barrier was back in place before David could process what it might mean.
Red Eagle's commander was too far gone in his rage to notice the flicker of his captive's eyes and he continued barking orders without realizing that maybe he had caught the right people after all. One way or the other David was not going to clarify the situation for him. It was enough that he had to follow his orders, but he would rather shoot himself than willingly provide the bastard any help.
Staring down at his cell phone, he sighed before finally starting to press the buttons to connect the call. The Colonel picked up on the second ring. David wondered vaguely if the feeling of self-loathing enveloping him would ever fully disappear. Maybe one day he wouldn't care how many people had died in the name of Red Eagle, maybe he would learn to deal with this life and all its implications. Or maybe not, and he'd end up shooting himself to escape it. At the moment, he and the young prisoners had one thing in common, a future neither of them wanted.
His fingers closed the phone slowly and he took a moment to catalogue the scene around him, without realizing it his gaze sought out the young man one last time. Cold-flecked hazel eyes looked back at him, the strength and intensity of the stare forcing him to lower his gaze. Red marks that would soon become angry bruises were visible on the girl's neck, a reminder of Malik's loss of control when his questions had remained unanswered. David suppressed the sigh at the back of his throat as his eyes made contact with
the girl's; liquid blue orbs stared at him, eyes so blue that he could have drowned in them if her stare hadn't held the same cold detachment displayed by her male counterpart.
He never knew their names and he told himself that it was better that way. Still, the cold stares haunted him for months.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
San Francisco
Saturday 13:30 pm
As he felt the cold metal against his skin, David Stone realized that he had been waiting for this moment. He'd known this day was coming, and had wondered only at when it would finally arrive.
Ever since that day almost two years ago, he knew it was only a matter of time. His current position inside Red Eagle made him a valuable target, a fact acknowledged by his enemies who had tried to kill him on three occasions last year alone. Sadly, they'd proven to be incompetent fools and aside from a minor leg injury, he'd walked out of each of those situations unscathed.
He would've taken his own life, but he didn't feel that he deserved an easy way out for all the things he'd done over the years. Lying he was used to, stealing he had no problem with, killing was a whole different ballgame. Death might never be truly welcomed by anyone, but neither had anyone been so eager to be taken by her.
Stone raised his head slowly, trying to get a better look at the man who'd managed to bypass all of the guards and security devices planted throughout the building. He wondered if the man had been hired by the Russians, or maybe he was part of their own government; he would find out soon. His eyes finally reached the face of his attacker, but instead of a stranger, David Stone found a pair of blank hazel eyes he thought he'd never see again.
"I see you haven't forgotten me." Alec drawled, his voice clipped with controlled rage.
David had never considered that his death would take the form of the first person he had condemned. Either life has a twisted sense of humor or Karma had finally caught up with him.
"Truthfully, I never thought I'd see you again." David's voice sounded calm, almost relieved by the events he knew would soon be following. There was no way that this man would fail, he would die today, and as morbid as it sounded, he was glad for it; he was glad it would be by this stranger's hands.
A dry chuckle was all the response he got, "Thoughts can be deceiving." Alec's movements were fluid and calculated as he distanced himself from the man and stood closer to the wall.
"Indeed. I'm not going to walk out of this unharmed or even alive, am I?" David asked the question even though he already knew what the response would be. Still, he needed to prove himself that this was happening.
"No." A two-letter word spoke without hesitation. Coldness lashed viciously through the short reply and David felt a cold shiver running down his spine.
Alec watched as the man absorbed his answer, and repositioned himself away from the wall to stand at the opposite side of the large oak desk. His eyes made contact with Stone's as he added. "But it's up to you how painful it'll be."
David Stone watched the blank expression on the young man's face, and hazel eyes stared back at him with an unspoken challenge. The look of a predator that was merely deciding how to finish off its prey.
"When did you start working with Marcel Dominick?" The loathing in Alec's voice was unmistakable. While the mask hid his expression, it couldn't stop the wild cacophony of thoughts that swirled through his mind the moment he recognized the man sitting in front of him as the man that had delivered Nicole and him to Manticore.
The man took a deep breath and loosened the knot of his tie. "Five months before the night you broke in, right after we abducted his granddaughter."
The words echoed in his mind, five months. . . Five months of betrayal and deception, of inexplicable mistakes that had cost too many lives. Golden flecks flashed in his eyes as the feelings of betrayal and anger coursed through his veins. He felt the sudden increase of adrenalin in his blood and cursed his lack of control. This was not the time to lose control, and Alec forced himself to take a deep breath as he worked on slowing his heartbeat back to something resembling normal.
"What did he have to do to get the kid back?" Alec had regained his aloof tone, no emotion audible in his voice and he was relieved that he wouldn't be giving away anything else. He was back in control.
"He was to deliver one of Prometheus' Elite members to Red Eagle. At first, he had been uncooperative, but the girl was an obvious pressure point – one we exploited it to the fullest."
Alec's interest was piqued as he heard the terms that Dominick had been presented with. If he hadn't been a willing participant, then. . . "Why the interest in the Elite?"
"The Elite has always been Joseph Malik's personal obsession, I'm not sure why. Perhaps he wants to study them. Perhaps he wants to kill them. I don't thing anyone knows for sure. His only requirement is that he wants them alive. But as far as Red Eagle is concerned," Stone paused to shrug dismissively, "well, they'd rather have you dead; they've sworn to destroy Prometheus and all the people involved with it. Keeping you alive is rather contradictory, wouldn't you say?"
"You don't sound too convinced."
The young man's voice had sounded deliberately provocative, as if the man was taunting him, playing with his mind and looking for a breaking point. David remained silent, refusing to admit that he couldn't care less about Red Eagle or their grand schemes. Instead, he countered by asking the question that had been on his mind since the night he'd met the boy, "You recognized the name that night didn't you?"
Both men looked at each other; but a sly smile on Alec's lips was the only response Stone got. "The Colonel, how did he fit in the story?"
"Manticore had failed to deliver the results they'd promised so they viewed Prometheus as direct competition. Manticore's board was slowly watching all of their privileges disappear, with every accomplishment from Prometheus, Manticore lost that little bit more. It was a race they expected to lead and suddenly they found themselves lagging behind. The government progressively cut back their budget and while they still had access to resources, it was nothing compared to before.
We knew how delicate their situation was… and contacting them was easier than we expected. Once they heard our proposal they were more than happy to help us find you. They'd wanted to study Prometheus' subjects and we'd wanted to capture Prometheus' Elite – it was a mutually beneficial arrangement. Red Eagle worked on the logistics and research, Manticore provided the muscle.
Manticore had no real knowledge of Prometheus or the Elite; they were so convinced that it was just another military program…no different than them. Fools without vision. Eventually it was decided that in
exchange for the use of their resources, materials, and employees, we would give them any non-Elite soldiers or agents captured from Prometheus.
The Colonel had been the right hand of Manticore's Director at the time. You know better than I, how the story continued."
Alec nodded in response, though actually he didn't know. Not yet, anyway. But it would do him no good to continue this line of questioning, since the man in front of him wouldn't know anything about what transpired inside the walls of Manticore.
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
Stone looked at him and replied tiredly, "To be honest, I hadn't believed Prometheus even existed until that night. I did what I had to do, what was expected from me. It was the life I was supposed to lead."
"Having a family legacy sucks." Alec replied in sarcastic tone that bordered on inappropriate humor.
The comment had been so unexpected that David couldn't help the nervous laugh that escaped from his lips. "It does." He replied quietly.
Alec looked intently at him. "So does Karma."
David let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "I know."
"Have a last request?" The younger man asked.
"Two answers. Who are you? And was I right about that night?"
Alec sighed and pointed the gun at the man's head. "I did recognize the name that night."
"I knew it." There was a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.
"And your other question… I'm Alexander, Commanding Officer of the Elite." David had closed his eyes after the first answer, but when he heard the rank that followed the name of his killer his eyes were instantly wide open. Alec grinned at the surprised look on Stone's face and readjusted his aim one last time. "Life's a bitch, ain't it?" the question remained unanswered and silence blanketed the room following the muffled 'fwap' of the silenced gunshot.
David Stone heard the distinct click of the trigger when it was released, imagined that the last thing he felt was the sharp pain as the metal pierced his skin and shattered his skull, but of course that was impossible. Darkness embraced him, and his last thoughts were of the irony of it all.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
A thin red river stained the neck of the pristine white dress shirt he'd chosen to wear that day.
A loud scream resounded through the building as Alina Morris fell to her knees. David Stone, CEO of Stone & Heinrich Security Systems sat behind his desk, right hand over the wooden surface and surprised expression frozen on his face. The situation would have been normal if not for the bullet hole set perfectly between his gray eyes, and the blood staining the neck of his shirt.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
The sounds of ambulance and police sirens filled the air. TV channels arrived at the site minutes ago and the commotion it caused on the adjacent streets became apparent as the traffic slowed through the surrounding streets. Three blocks away from the crime scene a figure watched the scene unfold.
Oo0oo0oo0o0o0oo0oo0oO
Florence, Italy
Sunday 01:30 am
As she stood outside on the balcony, felt the cool breeze against her skin, it brought back memories of a different time, a different life...and just for an instant she was twenty-one again, carefree, naïve, and ready to take on the world.
Green eyes fixed on the distant Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, marveling at the incredible sight of the church at night, its marble panels seemed even brighter in the evening than during the day. Florence at night was a sight to behold and Artemis wondered if, in the years to come, she would be able to come back here and fully appreciate its beauty.
Would she be able to make the right decisions? Would she be strong enough? She had been chosen to lead them and was now responsible for the future of Prometheus. The chance to redeem past mistakes was now in her hands as well, though it was by no means a certainty. She quietly vows to herself that she will do everything in her power to do the best that she can for the organization and the people that she's been chosen to lead.
"I thought you'd be here. You've been gone for over an hour." There's a hint of amusement in the newcomer's voice and she smiles without turning around.
"Nothing gets past you, right Maximus?" she replied, her eyes still trying to commit every detail of the city to memory.
Blue eyes twinkle with amusement as he watches her. "Well, it shouldn't when it's about you. What kind of SIC would I be if I didn't know where our fearless leader has run off to?"
Artemis turns around to raise and incredulous eyebrow at the relaxed posture of the blonde young man, his hands in his pockets and a shit-eating grin plastered on his face, attractive and dangerous in equal parts – just like the rest of them.
"Shall we go?" his German accent was barely noticeable. They'd come so far in the year they'd been working together. Mastering foreign languages had been one of their primary goals, and she was glad to see they were doing so well.
With a last look to the city she finally started back towards him. The light touch on her shoulder is reassuring. "It'll be okay. I'm by your side." Blue eyes locked on her green ones; she saw his trust and concern reflected in his eyes and knew that as long as she had that kind of support everything would be okay.
Artemis opened her eyes and watched the city, the basilica still stood there, proud and beautiful as always. It hadn't change much since that day. She couldn't say the same thing about her, a lot of things had happened through the decades, and the woman left standing today has precious few things in common with the vibrant girl she used to be.
"Everybody is waiting for you Artemis." His voice had changed too, it did sound now deeper and slightly accusatory. She turned quickly, but caught only a glimpse of his shadow as he disappeared back through the door. He wouldn't wait for her this time and he'd made it clear earlier that he won't be supporting her decision in the meeting.
A single tear slid down her face before she quickly wiped it away, pretended it didn't happen. She took a deep breath and walked inside, she was willing to sacrifice even more if it meant that this could finally be over.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
He'd never been too fond of silence unless he was alone. Prolonged silences gave him time to think, tended to make him think about the past, remember faces of old friends and foes, made him question himself about the decisions he made and the people who'd been involved. Most of the time, silence makes him feels guilty, so if there's anything Balthazar hates with the same intensity as tardiness it's silence.
The 'taptaptap' of fingers insistently drumming the table caught the attention of the remaining four people in the room. Brown eyes glared at the man sitting across him, blaming the delay and the silence on his presence inside the room and the fact that he should have been looking for the absent and stubborn woman they were all waiting for. "Aren't you supposed to fetch our fearless leader?"
The question hung in the air for several seconds and the man in question suppressed a groan, his unperturbed blue gaze locked straight into the brown orbs of the seething man that posed the question. "Afraid of running out of time Balthazar?"
The older member of the Committee bit back his retort, Maximus already looked pissed and Balthazar was quite sure that his comment wasn't the only reason. He was too old for these psychological games; actually he was too old period. "What's going on Maximus?"
The reply died on his lips as Artemis chose that moment to walk into the room. Sitting at her usual place she pretended she didn't notice the sudden heavy atmosphere that descended on the room, and greeted her Committee. "I'm glad you all could make it in such a short notice."
Dike let out a tired sigh, she wasn't interested in useless chit-chat, she was exhausted and the sooner they got to the point, the sooner she would be able to take a well deserved break. "You issued a G1 alert Artemis; it's hardly a surprise that all of us made it on time."
"We're all wondering the same thing Artemis, so be kind an enlighten us. What are we doing here?" Balthazar interjected before she had time to reply.
Artemis's gaze shifted between the three faces focused on her, Maximus had been true to his word, he hadn't told them anything and she guessed that would be the last favor he ever granted her. "We've confirmed Malik's participation in Hades' and Nyx' abduction, as well as the attack on the Fifth Division."
Demos knuckles turned white and he finally released his grip on the leather book he had been holding. "So we're positive that that bastard was the one behind it. Don't get me wrong Artemis, but that's hardly news, he was always our primary suspect."
She nodded and smiled at them. "We also have his current location."
She knew she'd timed the sentence perfectly, and silence once again reigned the room as everyone processed the meaning of her words. Of course Balthazar was the first to react, "And I suppose you already have a plan."
"Indeed. Four teams of SO squads to cauterize the location and terminate the hostile."
The idea of killing the man was beyond tempting, Balthazar couldn't deny it, but Joseph Malik was a crucial piece in solving a much more important riddle -- for them, and especially for the Elite. "Aren't we going to extract him for interrogation?"
Artemis' green eyes turned cold as she prepared herself for their reaction, "He has no valuable information for us."
Dike took off her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "You just said that Malik was responsible for both events, so there's a chance he's aware of Nyx' location."
Artemis ignored the confrontational tone. "We have better chances of finding her through our contacts in the military. After all, Hades was inside Manticore all this time."
"And if you're wrong, we might lose her forever. She's the SIC of the Elite, and it's not your place to make that decision." The words took her by surprise, not for their meaning but for the person who'd spoken them. She'd assumed that Balthazar would be the first to support her plan to attack; apparently, the old man was going to prove her wrong.
"Malik has been responsible for more crimes than I care to count; eliminating him has been one of our primary objectives for years. I'm well aware of the risks Balthazar, and I'd thought that you, of all people, would've been the first one to agree that this is our best, our only, option in this matter."
"But you seem to have forgotten that I like to clean up my own messes. Malik is our mistake; he is not the Elite's responsibility."
"I agree with you Balthazar, but an opportunity like this won't present itself twice. If we can end it for good this time, than we are obligated to do so." She didn't like it, and while she wished there could be another way, Dike knew that it was too good to let pass.
Demos sighed loudly, "Without Malik Red Eagle is leaderless and vulnerable."
"This isn't just about Malik anymore, he's trained an army, and they genuinely believe in his ideals. You don't erase an ideal by killing the messenger; if we kill him we'll be turning a serial killer into a martyr." Maximus was growing increasingly concerned by the direction the meeting was moving in – it certainly wasn't going as he'd expected it to. While Balthazar's position was a pleasant surprise, Dike and Demo's disregard for the cost of the operation was unnerving him.
"If we kept him alive, they'd just keep going. You know there's nothing more dangerous than hope in a battle, Maximus. Besides, even if what you said were true, the Elite would have no problem dealing with whatever leadership Red Eagle had left without Malick." Dike replied before Demos could.
Balthazar grunted at the turn of the meeting. "And how, pray tell, are you going to convince them to do it? Don't forget that we're talking about potentially killing their SIC in the process. If she's in that facility, she won't make it out alive."
Dike sighed tiredly, "They don't need to know the specifics."
"Dike, we're not talking about a group of untrained children anymore. They're not going to buy just any story we feed. And there's Hades to consider as well. How do you propose we explain to him that we chose to kill his SIC in order to clean up one of our own mistakes? For that matter, who's going to tell him?" Balthazar posed the questions no one had answers to and waited to see who'd be willing to answer them.
"We don't even know if she's still alive." Artemis voice was cold and dismissive, speaking as if the person in question no longer existed.
"Your attitude is disgusting, Artemis and if you value your life you will never dismiss the life of one of our own in my presence again." Maximus' tone was vicious and for a split-second he saw as a glimpse of hurt crossed her eyes.
"We must vote. All in favor raise your right hand."
One by one three hands were raised. For the first time in his life, Maximus despised the hierarchy that allowed the Committee's to issue commands to the Elite – this should never have been their burden to bear. Maximus' eyes bored into Artemis' green ones; absent of the concern and loyalty that had previously shone in them, all that was left behind was a look even colder than the disregard he reserved for strangers. "I hope that all of you will be prepared to face the consequences of this betrayal."
Balthazar watched in silence as their former SIC spun on his heel and stalked out of the room. He'd never expected to see the day when Maximus would turn his back on Artemis. The board was set and the players had chosen their sides, the seemed game was about to start. "It's a reckless decision Artemis, are you prepared to lose them all?"
"I'm not going to lose anyone." She snapped haughtily.
As he studied her, his hand moved to the handle of his cane, caressed the carved features of the lion's head. "Be mindful my lady, lest you suffer the same fate as the scorpion that stabs itself in the back."
Artemis nodded stiffly at his words. "Your objections have been noted Balthazar, if you have nothing else to add. . ."
Balthazar pulled himself up slowly before walking to the door, balancing his weight on his silver cane. "I don't condone killing family members Artemis."
The heavy doors swung shut behind him, allowing the remaining three members of the Committee to start planning the operation that would be taking place in less than 16 hours.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"Shall we go?" his German accent was barely noticeable. He'd improved his linguistic skills drastically during the last year and was able to conceal his accent almost perfectly.
Maximus had never seen Artemis look so fragile, as he looked at her he didn't saw the Elite Commander but a scared little girl trying to find the strength to lead them. Moving his hand to her shoulder had been an unconscious action, one he realized about when his hand connected with her shoulder and her eyes expressed her gratitude. "It'll be ok. I'm by your side."
His blue eyes gazed right into her green; and he made sure that she could see trust and concern he had for her. He would always be by her side, no matter what.
"Will you promise me something?" Her voice was the softest he'd ever heard it and so quiet that he had to turn around to make sure she'd actually spoken.
"Do you even need to ask that?" He prods with a small smile.
"You have to promise me. Promise me that if I ever do something to hurt the people we're protecting, if I lose sight of what's important, you'll stop me." Her eyes have turned a stormy gray and he can feel how important this is to her.
"I won't let you hurt anyone. But I don't think it will ever come to that." He accepts the responsibility she's offering him and he gives her the support he can in return.
She doesn't hesitate in preparing for the worst. "But if it does. . ."
He offers her a broad grin and offers his arm to guide her to the meeting. "It won't."
Blue eyes looked out at the distant Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, the marble panels glowing under the light of the full moon shining through the wispy clouds. "I won't let you hurt anyone. But I don't think it will ever come to that." His voice broke the silence as he closed his eyes to better remember the girl he'd made that promised to.
Oo0oo0ooo0oo0oO
Osaka, Japan
Sunday 09:30 am
His eyes were locked on the information displayed on the screen in front of him. He'd read it three times already, but the words and numbers still didn't make any sense. Finn wasn't going to like it, not one bit. As if on cue, the man in question entered the spacious office with a murderous look on his face. Biggs rolled his eyes, it just wasn't fair – the man was already in a bad mood and he hadn't delivered his share of bad news yet. Someone up there must really hate him.
Biggs wisely decided to apply the 2nd rule in the "How to Survive Your CO's Temper" pocket guide, 'when delivering bad news, plan a suitable distraction and retreat quickly.'
With this goal in his mind, Biggs made his move. "So, how was the meeting?"
Finn leveled a glare in his direction and Biggs raised his hands in surrender. As he thought about it, it occurred to him that using that question to break the ice probably hadn't been a wise idea.
Finn sighed tiredly and let his body crumble over the sofa. "The meeting was fine; the call I received after the meeting was the problem."
"How is he?" Biggs couldn't quite keep the eagerness out of his tone.
"He's fine. The last report indicated that he'd taken the news better than we expected him to. He's not the problem, when has the man ever been a problem?" Finn's tone bordered on sarcasm as he rubbed his eyes and realized what the other man was attempting to do. He really wasn't in the mood for more bad news today. "What had you wanted to tell me?"
Biggs cursed his bad timing and Finn's uncanny ability to read him. "Sir, there're some anomalies in the parameters for the Blevitch Agenda."
Finn felt the beginning of a headache as Biggs started his sentence with 'Sir' and he'd bet that it'd be bona fide migraine within the next five minutes. He heaved a sigh. "What kind of anomalies?"
Biggs took a deep breath before answering. "Apparently, we're dealing with misplaced resources."
Finn hunched forward on the couch and shot a disbelieving look at his SIC. "Come again?"
"Three of the SO squads we were supposed to use as backup are missing. AWOL for the last three hours according to the 4th's report."
Finn's outraged expression would have been priceless if it hadn't been instantly replaced by a murderous glare. "Can't anyone do their bloody jobs today?"
Oo0oo0ooo0oo0oO
San Francisco
Saturday, 18:30 pm
They'd spent the last two hours in an unnerving silence. Alec hadn't spoken a word since he'd stepped out of Stone's office and informed her that the man was no longer a threat – that he might never been. The single shot Alec had placed between the man's eyes would lead the police to believe it was an execution, which it was,though the odds of the men in blue ever finding out who was responsible were almost nonexistent.
CeCe bit down on her bottom lip, killing a man hadn't been on her list of things to do today.
A quick glance at her watch told her that it had been two hours, seven minutes, and fifteen seconds since the last time she'd heard her own voice. Silence usually didn't disconcert her like this, but it wasn't an everyday occurrence to be on a mission with your CO who'd been missing for two years and had only recently recovered from amnesia either. That Alec had killed the man responsible for the situation he found himself in was understandable, but his uncharacteristic silence afterwards was worrying her.
She'd already decided to give him a while longer to break the silence himself. But, knowing how stubborn he could be, if Alec decided to continue giving her the silent treatment, she wouldn't hesitate to take matters into her own hands. She knew that she needed to try to get him to talk, though she hadn't decided quite how she'd manage to do that yet. As she suppressed a sigh CeCe couldn't help but feel that she wasn't the right person to help him, her short year as a member of the D1 hadn't exactly prepared her for this type of thing. The pensive look on Alec's face was starting to make her question whether the dead man back in the office was the only reason for his silence though. What could she possibly say to get him to talk?
Alec had sunk down to sit on the rooftop they'd been standing on, his back and head pressed against a ledge and his left leg dangling perilously close to the edge. His eyes followed the people on the street sixty floors below him, his enhanced sight allowed him to see every detail, though he chose to see them as small dots scurrying around at a frantic pace. The higher the place, the better perspective he would get. It made him feel small, and reminded him that in the grand scheme of things he was just another dot scurrying about. It also made him feel at home. Rooftops reminded him of her.
He's thirteen before he finally realizes how much things have changed – how much he had changed.
It had taken him a while to accept that he was no longer one of them. He'd chosen this life but at the same time it had chosen him. It shouldn't have been like that, wasn't planned or expected, but in the end that was how it was – desperate times call for desperate measures and all that. The Committee had acted quickly, reaching a unanimous decision in less than an hour – at barely twelve years old Alexander had found himself officially elected to the position of Commanding Officer of the Elite and head of the D1. It had been unexpected only because it was supposed to take place six years later.
In the end it didn't matter how close the Elite members had been, as time passed it was inevitable that their own hierarchy would draw them apart. It had been frustrating and ironic when subordinates started to call him 'sir' every time they spoke to him; but it had been shocking when his own team started to call him by title as well, not with the hint of humor they'd had in the beginning, but with respect in their eyes. Things were changing and there would be no turning back.
Sometimes he couldn't recognize the image that looked back at him from the mirror. His eyes were one of things that had changed the most, gradually losing every trace of innocence only to be replaced by an air of maturity far beyond his age. The face in the mirror exuded strength and self assurance, but sometimes the only thing he wanted was to throw caution to the wind and act his age. He's never regretted his decision though; this was the best thing for all parties involved.
His new responsibilities were taking their toll on him, and he realizes that he's started to subconsciously distance himself from them. Realistically, he'd known that the position would take time to adjust to, but he hadn't expected the amount of pressure and stress he felt on daily basis. Eleven months after his promotion and he's nearly ready to snap.
Alec levels a glare at the stack of papers in front of him. The number of profiles he has to check and approve never seems to change and he'd been working on them for at least two hours already. He's starting to feel a distracting pressure behind his eyes and knows that it's the beginning of a headache. Today's going to be one of those days, his schedule is packed with field training exercises and he's left with only an hour to complete work that he conservatively estimates will take at least five. Why hadn't anyone ever mentioned the amount of paperwork this job required?
The sound of his door opening prompts him to look up from the latest file. And he knows that the fierce look in the blue eyes of the girl stepping into the room isn't a good sign. She walks casually into his office wearing her standard pair of fatigue pants and a gray t-shirt, though today she's also sporting a white bandage around her arm. It goes unsaid that she's just finished a drill, though it's unusual for her to be injured. He vows quietly to himself that he'll find out what happened as soon as he gets some free time. What comes as a bigger shock than the bandage on her arm is what she says as he finally glances up at her.
"I need you to come with me." She sounds like she's pleading.
Having known her practically all his life, he knows that when he looks at her face he inevitably ends up looking into her eyes. Unfortunately, he also knows that if he happens to be looking into her eyes when she's using that tone, it usually ends with him agreeing to whatever scheme she has in mind -- no matter how crazy it might be.
Alec chooses wisely to keep his eyes fixed on the printed sheet in front of him. There's a chance that if he just ignores her long enough she'll get bored and leave him alone. "As you can see, I'm busy right now."
She rolls her eyes dramatically, "Do I need to remind you that all of us have our days scheduled from 0500 to 2230? Besides, this will only take 10 minutes." She wasn't playing innocent anymore. In fact, she sounded slightly upset that her ploy hadn't worked.
Alec is tempted to look up if only to see if she's as annoyed as she'd sounded. But he knows that that could be exactly what she wants, so he stubbornly keeps his eyes glued to the page he's been pretending to reading. "Do I need to remind you that I have other obligations now?" he'd meant it jokingly, but he would've sworn he heard a groan.
She gives up on reasoning with him as the question leaves his lips, opting for an alternate strategy. She crosses the short distance between them and presses her fingers against the pressure point at the base of his neck before he has time to react. The betrayed look he sends her lasts barely a second before he's unconscious; the attack so unexpected that he'd never raised a hand to stop her.
"Actually you don't, I'm quite aware of that." She whispers pulling his body upright from his chair. Supporting his weight she walks back to the doorway where she's met by Finn and Biggs, and passes Alec's dead weight to them.
Biggs sighs as he supports his CO's left side, "He's going to be pissed when he wakes up."
"Really Sherlock? Wow… you're a really smart guy." Finn's sarcastic retort comes from Alec's other side as they start dragging the dead weight forward.
"Moe, Curly less talking, more action. Move guys!" Nicole scolds as they continue towards the emergency stairs.
Biggs groans as they reach the fifth flight of stairs. "Why would you possibly choose the roof? This place has six fucking floors. Couldn't we have just tied him to the chair?"
"Stop whining like a little girl Biggs, we want to get him out of the office, not keep him inside." Finn glances down as Nicole slaps his arm.
"Hey! I'm a girl." Nicole points out indignantly.
"But you're a cool girl. Biggs isn't cool… Hey, are we even sure he's a boy?" he adds the last bit in a conspiratorial whisper as they're approaching the door to the roof.
Biggs stops on the last step glaring at Finn and feigns outrage. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Nicole rolls her eyes fondly at the lieutenant's juvenile behavior. "Just leave him against the wall guys, I'll take it from there." Biggs and Finn maneuver their unconscious commander's slumped form over to where Nicole had pointed before leaving, still bickering childishly about nothing in particular.
She sighs before turning back to the prone form on the floor. Pressing her fingers against his neck again, she takes a step back as Alec starts to regain consciousness.
His vision is hazy as he opens his eyes, but as his sight clears he realizes that he's been moved to the roof of the building. The luscious green of the pine forest spread beneath him takes his breath away as he stands to study the landscape with a small smile curving his lips. The cool breeze makes him feel more alive than he's felt during the last couple of months. He closes his eyes and concentrates on how the wind feels against his skin, he feels free.
Her voice takes him by surprise; she sounds frustrated and more than slightly pissed. At him, he wonders? He found her anger quite ironic considering that it had been him who'd been abducted. "You know you don't have to do everything on your own, right?"
He raises an incredulous eyebrow, about to tell her that he's perfectly aware of his responsibilities – responsibilities like the pile of paperwork that he should be doing right now. But she beat him to the punch and continued, "You don't need to cut everyone out. You're our CO, we all knew it was coming, but we're still a team too."
"I know." Alec snaps quickly. What the hell was she doing – lecturing him? And if she was, then why? He resists the urge to sigh, he should be in his office right now using his time to finish all the stupid paperwork that keeps backing up.
"Really? Well it sure looks like you've forgotten something, 'cause you've been doing a great impression of a one man army." The harsh words are accompanied by a gust of wind that knocks him off balance.
His eyes snap up and catch the silver sparks in her midnight blue eyes. His tone is dangerously calm "What the hell is wrong with you?! First you knock me out and now you're challenging me?"
"You. Your attitude is what's wrong."…her reply leaves him speechless and she takes a deep breath before continuing quietly. "There's a reason you have a SIC and two lieutenants. Believe it or not, the stooges are more than capable of handling the job. And so am I. How long are you going to keep pushing us away? We're supposed to work as a team." She studies him trying to gauge his reaction, but when he remains silent she sighs, "You're going to get yourself killed if you keep this up, Alec." She walks away to sit on the edge of the roof, staring out at the forest with her back turned to him.
It takes him a few seconds to grasp the full meaning of her words. He feels stupid; he's supposed to be smarter than this. For someone who's supposedly a prodigy, he could be pretty dense sometimes. He'd spent the past months overstressing himself, trying to prove to everyone that he was ready for this, capable of handling the position despite his age… And he'd nearly driven himself to collapse in the process. He'd forgotten something that should've been obvious, the D1. He'd never been expected to do everything on his own – Maximus had hinted as much two months ago, but he'd misinterpreted the comment for criticism and merely redoubled his efforts to prove himself. Fine job he'd done too.
He sighs quietly to himself, people say that the first step to solving a problem is to recognize that there is problem, well he just had. He needs to ask for help when he needs it.
Nicole is perched on the edge of the rooftop, staring unseeingly at the pine trees of the forest, when he crosses the three feet separating them. He squeezes her shoulder before dropping down to sit next to her. She glances in his direction and finds him as lost in the view as she'd just been and her lips curl into a knowing smile. Finally, things were getting back on track.
His voice sounds amused as he watches the SO squads beneath them practicing on the firing range. "Of all the places you could have come up, why the roof?"
"Perspective. The more distance you put between yourself and a problem, the better the solution you'll be able to come up with. Up here there's nothing above you but the sky, no limits at all. The rest of the world seems small and irrelevant… Besides, it gives you one hell of a view..." Her gaze finds Biggs and Finn wandering around the training grounds obviously in the middle of another spat. They'd even managed to drag May into it, and Nicole can't help but laugh at the expression on the short-tempered redhead's face. The boys should know to leave May out of their quarrels; it always ends the same way, with one or both of them injured.
Alec follows her line of site and chuckles at the scene. When he glances back up, there's a playful glint in his eyes. "You do realize there will be consequences, don't you?"
She closes her eyes and grins, feels the wind pick up around them. "I knew that it'd be worth it. You're the most insufferable CO I've ever met."
He snorts at her irrepressible nature as he lies down on the rooftop floor. The sky is blue and the sun warms his face. Closing his eyes he takes a deep breath and feels the tension unwind from his muscles, it had been a long time – probably years since – he'd had time to take a break in the middle of the afternoon. The light pressure on his chest followed by the vanilla scent that fills his nostrils can only mean that Nicole had decided to use him as her pillow. Things will be ok, though it didn't mean that he had to let her go that easily.
"I'm going to need those profiles by 1800."
There's a quiet gasp and he cracks one eye open, peeking in her direction to get a glimpse of her face. The pout on her lips complements the astonished look in her eyes. Alec grins widely as he adds. "Feel free to ask Moe and Curly for their help, but you'd better hurry up… May looked ready to kill at least one of them."
Alec opened his eyes and watched as the last of the sun's rays slowly disappear between the buildings. The sky was growing darker and in less than an hour it would be completely black. He and CeCe had to board a flight to Seattle in less than two hours; San Francisco had given him some of the answers he'd been looking for, but at the same time it had raised even more doubts in his mind. In the end, everything came back to one place, Manticore; he was less than thrilled about needing to go back.
He had spent the last two years of his life inside the walls of what had been Manticore's Seattle facility, and he'd never felt the sense of trepidation that he was feeling now. Obviously, the last time he'd been there he hadn't been aware of a lot of things, not even his real name, but that didn't explain the new apprehension he felt. He needs to know the truth even if he's fairly certain that he won't like what he finds out. He needs to know why he didn't fight them, how he'd been able to he lose himself so completely and literally forget everything else.
He needs to know that she's alive, that he'll find her soon.
Alec's eyes rolled of their own accord as he met the eyes of his blonde companion. In all the years he's known her – practically all his life – the idea of CeCe playing mother hen to him had never crossed his mind…until now. The blonde had been watching his every move since they'd left David Stone's office, and he suspected that if he were to ask her how many times he'd blinked in the last hour she'd be able to tell him with accurate precision.
While he might be able to understand why the blonde was a little on the edge, he was also certain that he didn't need a babysitter. Yes, he'd had some problems earlier, but they'd all been expected side-effects of the deprogramming process. At least that's what she'd told him. Besides, he wasn't comfortable being watched so intently, the feeling of someone breathing down his neck was unnerving him and there didn't seem to be any reason for it.
Stone was a target he'd sworn to eliminate almost two years ago, the rules of engagement in Stone's particular situation stated that he was a hostile witness who couldn't be allowed to disclose what he knew; Alec had simply been completing his mission. Whether CeCe agreed with his decision or not was her choice, but both of them were aware of the danger Stone had presented – leaving him alive had never been an option.
He closed his eyes and remembered the man's words, in a twisted way everything seemed to fit. The inexplicable failings that had plagued previous missions started to make sense, and a feeling of uncertainty crept into his mind. Things were proving to be more difficult than he'd expected; it was time to get a second opinion.
"I need a secure channel to your CO", there was a playful tone to his voice, and CeCe's lips twitched up in response.
"I'll make the call, sir." she replied instantly, her fingers already entering the long combination into her cell phone before she offered the device to him.
The line picked up after the second ring, and before the person on the other end had a chance to say anything Alec's voice sounded clearly through the receiver. "It's been quite a while, hasn't it?" Alec made sure that he sounded amused as he tried to imagine the look on the face of his former First Lieutenant.
Alec heard a loud crash in the background followed by lots of startled and concerned voices all talking at the same time. Most of it sounded like English, but with an accent, and Alec could have sworn he heard a couple of Japanese words in the middle of the cacophony of sounds.
Finn cursed himself for not checking the number before answering the call. Noticing the eight pairs of eyes watching him with a combination of surprised and worried expressions, he sighed and smiled at them as he made a show of replying loud enough for them to hear.
"Hello, mother." The combination of the two words provoked ironic grins and knowing chuckles from the people surrounding him, as they turned their attention back to their respective tasks and left the English photographer to deal with his family issues.
Alec laughed at the greeting. "And here I thought you missed my wonderful company. This is such a sad moment."
"Of course I'm fine mother, you're overreacting." Finn replied dryly as smiled at the girl giving him the last folder; he turned around and strode towards the elevator, having completely missed the blush on her face.
"You know, I was half expecting to find you among my welcome back party." Alec replied as he watched the stars start to twinkle above San Francisco.
Finn sighed at the observation as he exited the elevator, entered the office and locked the door. "I was needed elsewhere. You were a priority but not the only one."
Alec chuckled at the reply. "I know. Been there done that." He heaved a heavy sigh before he continued, "I need to know if there was someone else besides you that knew about my last mission."
"Demos and Perseus knew the mission parameters. They'd profiled the original mission, but only Thanatos and I were aware that you and Nyx were going to be replacing the SO members." Finn replied racking his memory for any detail he might've forgotten. He opened his laptop and logged onto Prometheus private network, checking to see if Biggs had found anything to explain how they could be missing more than twenty agents.
"So it was Perseus all this time." There was a hint of disappointment in Alec's voice and Finn raised his eyes from the screen concentrating entirely on the conversation, a white wall greeted his worried look and he groaned at not being able to see Alec's expression.
Remembering what Alec had said, Finn focused his attention back on their conversation. "What do you mean?"
"The mission was compromised. They'd had access to our data for the last five months prior that." Alec replied watching how the night covered the sky and the lights of the city illuminated the streets and buildings around him.
Betrayal was not a feeling he was used to and Finn was sure that if the man responsible hadn't already been dead he would have gladly killed him. In a way, it felt like a family member had decided to sell them to the highest bidder. Rage coursed through his veins and the temperature of the room dropped a couple of degrees.
"Perseus was one of the casualties during the attack on the Fifth Division's HQ" The pen he had been holding snapped in two and Finn took a deep breath in an attempt to regain some self-control.
Alec glanced at his watch, 18:30 pm, CeCe had mentioned something about a 20:00 flight. "Find all the information you can about Red Eagle and Joseph Malik."
The sound of the keyboard was the only reply for a couple seconds before Finn's voice interrupted the silence, "Not much about Red Eagle and even less about Malik. It's a small terrorist faction from the middle east."
Alec grit his teeth at the reply, he knew there had to be something else and there could only be two reasons for the lack of official information; the Committee had no clue about Red Eagle, which was something he highly doubted, or the Committee was deliberately withholding information for some specific reason. If it were the latter, it could only mean that the Elite had been deceived by the people who were supposed to advise them, it would be a devastating betrayal.
He closed his eyes and rubbed his neck absently, "There should be more. Malik knew too much about Prometheus and the Elite. He had to have had previous knowledge about us before contacting Perseus. Clear track, how about a team of C5 from the Crystal Tower under Protocol 10?"
"It's manageable. I should be able to organize them and have some results in the next hour." Finn's reply was automatic as he typed commands quickly into the laptop.
"Search the archives, twenty or thirty years back and if possible using a shield matrix. Let me know how it goes." Alec toyed with the possibilities, turned them over in his mind, and if the search ends the way he thinks it will the only conclusion to draw would be that the Committee had moved the files somewhere else. He guessed that if that was the case, he'd have to go straight to the source to get the information he needed and that was not going to be pretty.
Finn's voice brings him back, as the two words sounded clearly in his ear. "Yes sir."
There was a tense silence as both men realized what had happened. Somehow during their brief conversation their ranks had been reversed and for a short time it was like Alec had never left. Finally, a soft chuckle broke the tension and Finn recognized the amused tone of his friend. "You're the CO now."
"Only because you took a holiday. Haven't you learned anything, Hades old chap? We don't get holidays." The light tone of the conversation successfully distracted both men from the awkwardness of the situation.
CeCe gave him a signal and Alec realized that their time was almost up – long phone conversations were a quick way to get caught. "We'll talk later."
"It's a date." Finn had been aiming for 'deal' but the sudden appearance of the young messenger in his office forced him into a last minute change. When had knocking become too much to ask?
Alec groaned at the choice of words. "God forbid."
Finn rolled his eyes and plastered on a fake smile for the young girl holding a package and a signature pad. "Bye mother."
"Consider yourself disowned." Was the short reply and the line went dead.
Oo0oo0oo0ooO
Seattle, Max's Apartment
Saturday, 18:30 pm
Max's face was settled on top of her crossed arms and her eyes kept trailing to the lonely vial resting in front of her. The last of the sunlight reflected off the crystal and made the red liquid inside glimmer.
After they'd freed themselves, she and Logan had end up walking in the direction of the town the redhead had indicated. Getting transportation back to Seattle had proven to be more complicated than they'd expected and Logan had ended up calling Asha. Thankfully, the blonde had had no problem driving there to pick them.
While they had been waiting for her to arrive, Logan had broached the topic of the cure… or at least the possibility of having the cure.
"Do you think is real?" He asks her as he holds the vial up for inspection.
How could she possibly know? "I don't know. I hope it is, but it doesn't make sense. Why would she want to help us?"
Logan runs his hands through his hair, "You know she had a point. What difference does it make why she did it?"
"Because it could be a trap." She snaps testily as the waitress delivered more coffee.
Logan's refuses to be deterred. "We can have it tested. Elizabeth can do it at the hospital and you mentioned a lab guy who'd been working on it. Max, maybe this time it's for real." He sounds so hopeful that it makes her feel horrible for not sharing his enthusiasm.
She tries to muffle her sigh, "I want this to be real, but I don't want to be disappointed. Not again." Her brown eyes lock on his blue ones, pleading for him to understand.
And now she was back, back in Seattle sitting in her apartment and watching the vial as they waited for the results. Dr. Shankar had said she'd have them by the next day, her lab guy had said 6 hours. Max was equally nervous and excited by the possibility of being able to touch Logan again. But another part of her was wondering if she really wanted to move their relationship forward. They'd spent a year dancing around each other, and she realizes now that she'd only started to act on her feelings when she'd thought she'd been running out of time. It hadn't ended well, she'd died and when she'd come back they'd had to deal with the virus.
If the vial in front of her was in fact the vaccine for the virus it would leave her no more excuses. Was she ready to start a real relationship with Logan Cale? Or more importantly, did she even want to have a relationship with him?
"Girl, you borin' holes in that glass." Cindy sounded worried, and 'worried' might have been an understatement as she noticed Max in that almost-comatose state.
Max sighed dejectedly, muttered "It could be the cure."
Cindy's eyes widened at the statement and she looked at the vial suspiciously. "Ain't that somethin' good?"
"I guess." Max wasn't sure, so she was trying to be honest. She guessed that it was a good thing.
"Max what's really goin' on?" Cindy asked as she took the glass and held it in front of her face. The vital seemed harmless, almost insignificant.
"I don't know anymore." A lone tear trailed down Max's cheek and Cindy put the glass back on the table before she hugged her friend.
"Sh…it'll be a'ight. Now tell me what happened…" Cindy prods gently as Max starts to tell her everything that had happened the last couple of days.
Ooo0oo0ooO
Osaka, Japan
Sunday, 12:45 pm
Biggs suppressed a shiver as he stepped out of the elevator, the whole damn floor was freezing and by the clueless look on the face of the disheveled technician, he hadn't been able to find out why the 11th floor had suddenly turned into the North Pole.
He let out a deep sigh and cursed his luck, of all the Sundays of the year they'd had to choose this Sunday, when the whole staff was frantically trying to finalize the last details for a special anniversary edition.
Yes, it had been his fault for messing up the dates, and surprisingly enough Finn hadn't cut off his head for that mistake, but he'd gotten his revenge when he'd declared that they'd all be working from the office next weekend. The man was heartless when he wanted to be.
Walking with resolve he knocked on the door and waited for the reply, which came in the form of a curse in Italian. As he stepped inside the office Biggs decided that if the whole floor was the North Pole, the office was the Ice Fortress.
"Check it again. I don't care how long it takes." Finn's expression was grim and Biggs questioned his sanity for entering the lion's den. Finn rips the headset from his ear before hurling the device across the room; emerald green orbs fix on him expectantly.
"Not to be overly critical, but I suggest you lay off the winter wonderland theme." Biggs pointed at the window panes covered by a thin layer of ice.
Finn took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, both men stay silent for a couple minutes as the temperature slowly starts creeping back to normal.
Biggs took the opportunity to weigh his options, slow or fast approach? One way or the other the man wasn't going to be pleased by the results of his investigation. "Hmm, you were pissed when I left but I get the feeling that something else happened in my absence."
Finn shot him a perturbed look. "Lots of things happened while you were out. What did you find?"
As always Finn cut straight to the point and Biggs checks the position of the door in case he needs to make a fast exit later – with Finn's changing temper one never knew. "On the bright side, I've found the SO teams; however it seems that we don't have clearance to the mission's profile, and when I say 'we' I mean the D1."
"I see." Finn's eyes are cold.
There's something unsettling about the way Finn's gone emotionless that Biggs finds deeply alarming. "And when I walked in you had been chopping someone's head off because…", he asked.
Finn stood up and placed the laptop in his bag alongside a couple of files. "Let's get out of here."
"It doesn't sound good." Biggs commented as both of them walked outside of the office and toward the elevator.
"Trust me, it's not."
Ooo0oo0oo0ooO
The silence inside the dim room was interrupted by the soft tap of the cane against the wooden floor with every step the older man took.
"What's the master plan?" the man asked, amused brown eyes fixed on the screen.
If the glare didn't make it obvious, the annoyed tone was intended to make it clear. "What makes you think there's a plan?"
"Do not insult my intelligence Maximus. I'm less than thrilled with the latest turn of events and I don't want the Elite breathing down my neck after they find out. And I'm quite sure that they will find out."
"And you want to help me?" The question was accompanied by an elegantly raised eyebrow that made his blue eyes look slightly larger.
A groan was the first reply from the older man as he stood next to the German, "I'm here, aren't I?"
The man studied him sizing his motives. "You're here, but you also enjoy confronting her all the time. What makes it any different this time?" Maximus had been positively surprised by Balthazar's reaction, but he needed a real motive for the other man's sudden interest.
Balthazar sighed tiredly, "I don't want to see her dead."
Maximus nodded and pulled out a chair. "Have a seat."
Ooo0ooo0ooo0oooO
Seattle's JT Wilson Private Airstrip
Saturday, 23:00 pm
The flight had been uneventful and they'd even entertained a small conversation for part of it, but something told her that it had only been the calm before the storm. There was something different in his eyes, something brewing in the hazel depths.
"We're heading back to my place tonight, right?" CeCe's asked softly as the plane started to descend.
Alec smiled at her, and just as she expected to hear a confirmation, his voice shattered that hope. "I'll swing by there later. I need to do something first."
She knew that tone, it meant that he wasn't going to change his mind; that he'd do whatever he wanted to do regardless of what she had to say. So she opted for the next best option. "Need some help?"
"No." His voice left no room for argument and she heaved a sigh in defeat. Sometimes, the man could really be frustrating as hell.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
He knew she was following him, had known about it since they'd left the airport. The cool rain falling on him is the only thing actually keeping him in control, cooling his temper and preventing him from acting on the urge to turn around and have a few words with her. He has more important things to do, but first he needs to lose her. As he sped down the lonely road he heard her in the distance as she also increased speed. This game of cat and mouse might have been entertaining when they were kids, but at this point it's nothing more than a distraction and he doesn't have time for distractions, not now.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
CeCe stared at the empty road ahead of her, seeing nothing but darkness. Where the hell had he gone? Grabbing her phone from her pocket she dialed the familiar number.
The greeting was harsher than she'd expected, but she knew that speaking with him was her only chance if she wanted to get anywhere. He asked if they had arrived and she had to bite her tongue to keep the sarcasm out of her answer. "Yes, we're back."
Neil had spent the last ten hours reading all the files he'd gotten from Cale's apartment, his eyes were gritty and the only thing he wanted to do was to close them and take a well deserved rest. He fell on his bed completely dressed and before he'd realized he was asleep, the shrill sound of his cell phone woke him up.
His mind was basked in fog and it was a miracle that he even recognized her voice, he wasn't sure what he'd asked but probably it hadn't been too smart on his part judging by the tone of her reply. Slowly his brain cells started to function, "Is he staying with you tonight?"
CeCe glared at the dark road at his question, how could she answer that? Not exactly, I'm not quite sure where I left him? Right, that would go over wonderfully… Eventually, she opted for the closest thing to the truth. "Actually that's why I'm calling. He said he had something to do first…"
"Tell me you followed him." Neil was instantly awake as he waited impatiently for her answer.
Her voice was tinged with anger at his unsubtle insinuation. "Of course I followed him, what were you expecting?"
"Well where is he?" He demanded, annoyed by her attitude. He'd realized a long time ago that it was easier to deal with her if he was slightly angry at her.
She kicked the bike's tire in response, "Do you really think I'd be calling you if I knew?"
"I'll be there in 10 minutes." He replied jumping off the bed and grabbing his car keys.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
His boots sink a little lower with every step he takes; the middle of a wet forest was not the best place for a midnight stroll. When he finally arrived, the place looked exactly as it had the last time he'd been there. As he starts a slow circle around the perimeter, his steps guided him towards the west and eventually he stopped in front of what had been the medical ward.
Closing his eyes he concentrated on the images he associated with the place. Lights, bright lights always turned on and lasers burning his retinas. Needles inserted under his skin, the cold steel surface he was strapped to was where he spent most of the time, trapped, drugged, and surrounded by people who talked about him but not to him.
He needed to go further back, to remember what had happened before that.
They'd been in this place for three days; at least that's what he estimates since he's been in and out of consciousness during the whole time. He's only seen her for brief amount of time when they'd both been interrogated by the blonde woman, usually that took place in the afternoon while the rest day they were used like favored lab rats of the mad scientists who ran this hellhole.
Today had been different, there hadn't been an interrogation and the doctors had spent more time with him, poking and prodding his body. But this time the feeling had been different, he'd ended up feeling lightheaded. It was obvious that they'd drugged him and it doesn't make any sense, so far they'd been conducting their experiments while he was fully conscious.
The drugs are stronger than he'd thought, and he has to fight against the fog threatening his mind, he can't let them win. He only needs a day to recover and he'll be able to burn the place into ashes, but he needs to keep her safe first. The plan is simple, regain his strength, find Nicole and made sure she's safe, then burn the building to the ground. He's so tired tough, even if he'd tried there's no way he could've put up any resistance against the guards that dragged him through the corridors and throw him unceremoniously into the cell. There's a voice in the distance, and for a second he thinks he knows who it belongs to, but he can't be sure, the fog is getting thicker...
His fingers are soaked in a viscous liquid, instinctively his eyes open and he tries to piece together where he is but everything seems blurred and he can't get his eyes to focus. The first thing he notices is the color staining his fingers, it's dark red, and there's no doubt in his mind that it's blood. Slowly his eyes follow the red river's path and he feels his heart beating faster, two meters away from him a body lays sprawled awkwardly on the floor, the head facing the wall and the only thing he's able to see are brown locks matted with blood.
His fingers press against her wrist searching for a pulse even though he knows it's too late, she's not breathing. Her skin is cold, as if she'd spent hours under the snow. His hand moves under her head and he carefully turns her face so that he can see it.
There is a ripping pain in his chest that makes breathing impossible. He feels something breaking inside of him as his stares uncomprehendingly into the woman's crystal blue eyes. He can't say anything; doesn't know what to say. He just stares down at the dead blue eyes of the woman he loves. He loves her, he's pretty sure. She looks so vulnerable, fragile… Broken. Her lower abdomen is completely blood soaked though the wound isn't bleeding anymore; she'd bled to death. His tears fall silently, his brain slowly starting to provide the details of what had happened and he feels sick as he realizes that he's the one responsible.
The sound of footsteps brings him back to the present and he stands in front of her body defensively. Six soldiers have their guns trained on him; his body moves instinctively and he attacks them violently, the sound of broken bones and agonized cries filling the room. He slams the last guard into the wall and takes his gun before shooting him in the face with it. As the blood loss from the injuries he's received finally forces his knees to fold beneath him his body falls to the floor. He feels dizzy and isn't able to focus anymore, the light is too bright and he crawls to be next to her even knowing he doesn't deserve that right anymore.
His glances at her one last time, this wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to protect her. They were supposed to be together. The pain is unbearable, both physical and emotional, his body goes numb and he can feel his soul slipping away, dying with her. Any will to fight he'd ever had vanishes as he sinks into unconsciousness.
The next time he opens his eyes he's strapped to a steel chair, a red laser burning the retina of his left eye as people around him take blood samples. He doesn't feel anything, and though he assumes he must have done something to deserve the punishment, he can't remember what it was. How had he gotten here?
The steel door opens and he listens to the sound of heels against the metal floor. A woman in her early fifties stands in front of him, her short blond hair giving her face a hard edge.
Her lips are moving though it takes him a couple seconds to process what she's saying…"Welcome back 494."
To be continued…