Chapter 16

The wind was whipping on the landing platform and the coldness made her hairs stood up on her arms. Her hair was blowing in her face and her hands were tied up behind her back. She looked up at the black figure that has on a black trench coat, black converse, collar was straight up and his red hair was flowing in the hard whipping wind. He turned around and looked down toward Claire. He kneeled down in front of Claire and helped her put her hair up in a ponytail.

"Why are you doing this? Why capture me?" He didn't say anything right away. He was thinking what he would say to the girl. The truth or a lie.

"I didn't want to do this, but this seems like the only way." He took his knife out and cut the ropes off of Claire's hands. She rubbed her wrists and stared at the trench coat guy with confusion.

"Why let me go?"

"Because I don't' do this, not anymore."

"Who are you? And what do you mean you don't do this anymore." He didn't want to say his name, but he knows his superior would be back any time soon. He looked down and sighed out.

"My name is-" He heard the door opening. He turned around and pushed Claire behind him. Three black trench coat guys came through the elevator doors. All three of them stopped and saw the fourth guy protecting the hostage. The guy in the middle walked up towards Claire and the guy protecting her. He stopped halfway and started to speak.

"What are you doing little bro. We need that pretty girl! She's the bait for them."

"This isn't want I want. This isn't what I do anymore. I never wanted this. You're repeating the past Ryan. How long are you going to kill innocent lives just to get to Anya?"

"Wait. That's Ryan?" Claire said with a confused face and fear in her voice.

"Yeah, that's Ryan, my big brother." Claire looked at him and saw the shock in her eyes.

"Then that means, you-"

"Yes, I'm his little brother, I'm Alex Myers." He glanced at Claire; he didn't want to hurt her. He never wanted too. Claire saw the kindness in his eyes; she saw the goodness, the squad member she read about. Not the one who betrayed one, but the warrior one.

"But, I thought he was dead?"

"He faked his death."

"How?"

"He injected himself with a virus before I engaged him in battle that night. A virus that was created years ago. However, our parents stole the virus and kept it from harm's way, but Ryan found it after he killed our parents."

"What is the virus called?"

"I don't know, he never told me." He was still glancing at Claire. She noticed that he was protecting her and going against his own brother.

"You're talking too much Alex." He turned towards his brother. He pushed Claire behind him and his arm was shielding Claire. She gripped onto his black trench coat. He knows she's in fear. "Ale, hand over the hostage." Alex didn't move and he wasn't going to give Claire to him. Ryan extended his arm towards Alex and Claire. "Alex, hand over the hostage." He was silent. Claire looked at him, he was firm and is standing his ground. He's proving to everyone that he doesn't want to be a part of this. He's proving it to Claire. "Give me the hostage now!" Alex was silent and felt Claire gripping harder. He glanced at Claire and noticed he had a plan. She nodded and secretly took his firearm out of the hollister of his belt.

"You want her." His hand was on his second firearm and Ryan still had his arm stretched out towards them. Then Ryan noticed that Alex has his firearm in his hand. His face went into anger.

"Come and get her." Both Alex and Claire raised their guns and fired them at Ryan and his two other associates. Ryan was on the ground groaning in pain. Alex knew his weakness; Claire shot the two trench coat guys. They didn't move. Alex grabbed Claire's hand and they both ran towards the elevator. As they got halfway to the elevator, Ryan was shooting at Alex and Claire. Alex shields Claire, turns around and shoots at Ryan again. Ryan gets hot in the shoulder, chest, arm and leg. He kneeled on the ground and groaned in pain. He looked up at Alex and Claire running in the elevator. Ryan's eyes changed into bright yellow cat eyes and everything around him started to levitate. He threw his arms forward and rocks started racing towards the elevator. Alex was shooting at the rocks and Claire was pressing the closed button. The door was slowly closing and Alex and Claire still shooting at the rocks and at Ryan. The doors finally shut, but Alex and Claire felt the last impact of Ryan's force. They were flown into the elevator wall. Both Alex and Claire groaned in pain. "Are you alright?" He put one hand on Claire's shoulder to see if she was conscious. She groans in pain, but not much."

"Yeah, I'm okay. You?"

"Just scratches, that's all." The elevator was going down to the entrance to headquarters. Alex helped Claire to get back on her feet. The elevator was moving fast and the sound of the 'ding' every time we passed a floor. It was silent in the elevator. After glanced at Claire, she was holding her arm and blood was spilling through her fingers. "That's a nasty wound you have there." Claire glanced at her arm and saw the wound and the blood. It was a gunshot wound. It wasn't something major.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just a flesh wound. No big deal."

"Here, let me bind, so it won't get infected." Alex too out a black bandage which seems to be a scarf of some sort. He wrapped it around her arm and put some pressure on her flesh wound. She groaned a little, but the pain went away.

"Thank you."

"Anytime." His hand was still on her arm. Her skin was warm on his cold hand. They both stared at each other and saw something in him. He was innocent. Silence came upon them both. Claire felt something in him, something that she couldn't put her finger on. She broke the silence.

"Can I ask you something?" Alex looked over at Claire, but she didn't look at him.

"Go ahead."

"Why did you come back? I mean why come now? To reality?" He didn't answer right away. He was silent for a moment, then answered Claire's question.

"I went into hiding, after I fought my brother a year ago. When I thought he was dead, I told Anya my goodbye to her and when the time comes she will understand what great power she will hold, in her heart."

"But the report said that you were dead too and Anya killed Ryan too."

"We alter her memory and therefore her mind thinks she killed both me and Ryan."

"Who's we? Was there someone else involved too?"

"All questions will be answered soon Claire, but for now, we need to focus on what Ryan unleashed in headquarters." Alex noticed some fear and she was all tensed up. He put his hand on her should. She looked at him and gazed into his eyes. They were dark, blue, ocean eyes. "Don't worry; I won't let anything happen to you. I got your back, I promise." He gave a shy smile to her and she smiled back at him.

"And I got your back too." She smiled at Alex. The elevator dinged. They were at the first floor of headquarters. Alex and Claire reloaded their guns, Alex gave Claire some ammo. "You ready, partner?" Alex looked at Claire. He couldn't believe it. She understands him; she knows that he didn't want to put innocent lives in danger. She's the only one who understands. He smiled at her and nodded.

"Ready partner." As he clicked his gun, the elevator doors opened and two trench coat guys were guarding. Alex kicked the guy on this left in the back of the leg. He fell to his knee and Alex broke his neck. Claire did the same thing. They both looked at each other and nodded. Claire walked first and Alex was watching her back. It was quiet, lights started to flicker and sparks started to go off because of the broken lights. The halls were silent and deserted.

"Hey, watch your step. There are a lot of bodies and blood. Don't want you tripping all over the place." She gave a smirk towards Alex.

"Same thing to you. Don't want you messing up your outfit."

"Pff, I've already done that doesn't really make that much of a difference." They both chuckled and kept walking towards their destination. They looked in the empty rooms and see if there were any survivors. All they found was more dead bodies and blood. They kept on walking through the halls and found the medical facility. Claire had her back to the wall near the door and Alex had his hand on the door knob. They both nodded at each other and ready for what's inside. Alex opened the door and went in first. He turned on his flashlight and see if it's all clear. Claire walked in slowly behind Alex. The medical facility looked like a tornado went through here. They walked through carefully, making sure they don't make as much sound and sharp objects. "I don't think anyone is here."

"Yeah, I don't think so either."

"This is crazy, where is everybody?"

"I don't know, let's get out here and search another room."

"Okay, let's go." As they started to walk towards the entrance, they heard static. "What was that?"Claire turned quickly around and flashed her flashlight in the room and saw nothing. Alex looked around to find the source of the static. Claire stayed near the entrance. Alex sweep the place one more time and his foot hit something black that looked like a walkie talkie. He picked up and held it up so Claire could see what it is. She looked at it and it looks familiar. "That's Steve's radio. What's it doing here?"

"Maybe he got injured before all of this happened."

"But I saw him before all of this happened."

"That could be it, but what's it doing here? Las time I remember he was escorting-" Claire paused and suddenly remembered something. Something that may cost her job.

"Oh god." Alex looked at her with confusion.

"What? What is it?"

Steve was escorting Leon and-" She paused and flashbacks started to flow in her mind. The research, the information, briefing Leon on the subject, the murders a year ago, The Myers Massacre, The Crimson Rose Elite Squad. Everything was starting to come back to her. She stood there in silence and Alex looking at her with a lost puppy dog face.

"Claire." Alex put a hand on her shoulder. Claire looked up at Alex. He was getting curious and worried. "Who was Steve escorting?"

"He was escorting Leon and Anya."