A/N: remember, this chapter is Alex's simulation (her "dream sequence") set up by Percy... he's evil, isn't he? =P

Chapter 8: Defining Reality

Alex ran, her heart thundering in her chest. She looked behind her wildly, the darkness of the corridor overwhelming her senses. She could hear heavy footsteps not too far behind—she hadn't lost them yet. She turned her attention back to the path in front of her and groaned in dismay.

Dead end.

Staggering slightly, she whirled back around in the direction she had come from and veered right into an adjoining hallway. That was one good thing about Division—its twists and turns were never ending. Breathing hard, she glimpsed a doorway at the end of the hallway. Risking a quick look behind her, she was relieved that no one had caught up with her. She grasped the door handle and was surprised to find it wasn't locked.

It should be locked, Alex dimly tried to warn her subconscious. Everything in Division is always locked...

Alex opened the door and hurriedly shut it behind her. She raked her fingers through her hair, finding a small hair clip embedded behind her ear. She knelt down and shoved the hair pin into the lock—if it was jammed, then no one could get in.

Who was she hiding from? Alex couldn't remember...why was she running?

Satisfied with her work, Alex finally turned to examine the room she was standing in. It was large, with three completely white walls. The fourth wall, on the other hand, was entirely made out of some kind of glass. Alex narrowed her eyes, and slowly walked towards it. It wasn't a mirror—her reflection was too distorted for that.

As she neared it, her reflection became more clear. She stopped suddenly, her mouth dropping open. She wasn't looking at her reflection.

Nikita.

Alex's mind flickered. They don't know you know her, she thought to herself firmly. Don't react.

"Hello, Alex," Nikita said solemnly.

"Who—who are you? What do you want?" Alex stammered, trying to make sense of what was going on.

"Don't be afraid," Nikita answered reassuringly, "I'm a friend."

"I don't have any friends," Alex crossed her arms. She scowled when Nikita mimicked the movement.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that," Nikita teased. "I had a friend at Division, after all...I'm sure you do, too."

A shadow moved within the glass, several feet behind Nikita. Alex frowned, and stepped closer so she could see who it was—but the figure remained blurred. "Who is that?"

Nikita glanced behind her, a smile forming on her face. "Don't worry, Alex. We'll protect you."

Alex automatically looked behind her, expecting to see someone there. But there was nothing. "Protect me from what?"

"When you try to escape," Nikita whispered, "We'll let you go."

It's a test...Division runs tests, every day, every hour.

"I don't want to escape," Alex said loudly, "I have nowhere to go."

Nikita only smiled again. As Alex watched, the figure behind Nikita stepped closer. The blurred lines became sharper, the face becoming focused.

Michael. She should have known.

"What're you doing in there?" Alex demanded, her eyes widening as Michael positioned himself next to Nikita.

"You always have somewhere to go," Nikita whispered, her hand entwining with Michael's. She turned to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Alex took a step backwards, feeling like she couldn't breathe. Nikita pulled Michael to her, tilting her head back as their lips joined in a heated kiss.

Alex stumbled backwards, and suddenly heard the door handle behind her turn. She whirled around, jumping out of the way as the door flew open with a crash. Two large guards stormed in, armed with machine guns.

That were aimed at Alex.

She screamed, trying to run. Her hand hit the glass wall behind her, but Michael and Nikita had both disappeared.

"This is where it ends," Amanda announced, and Alex turned back around in shock to see the woman strolling casually into the room. "You should have escaped with Nikita when you had the chance."

"Why would I do that?" Alex shouted desperately. "I don't even know her!"

"But she was with Michael," Amanda pointed out, a cold smile on her lips. "Don't you trust Michael?"

Alex paused, her mind frantically trying to keep up with what was happening.

Your loyalty to Michael. Your loyalty to Division. Two different things, Alex reminded herself. Very different.

"Michael is Division," Alex said slowly, giving them the answer they wanted. "I have to trust him. I have no other choice."

Amanda looked pleasantly surprised, "Well, well. Maybe we had you figured out all wrong, Alex."

"Maybe you did."

Amanda gestured to the guards, "Let's go." And just like that, they all vanished into thin air.

Alex blinked, finding herself standing alone in the room once more. She glanced towards the glass, half-expecting to see Nikita there again—but it was empty.

She took a few halting steps towards the door, relieved when no one stopped her. Taking a deep breath, she ran faster than she had ever run before. The walls streaked by her, mere blurs. Then she rounded a corner, and ran full speed into someone, knocking them both over.

She cried out as she fell, recognizing Michael's face at the last second. He took the full force of the blow as she fell on top of him, her eyes widening as his hands caught her waist to steady her. "Alex?" his voice was incredulous, "Where's the fire?"

"I was—" Alex broke off, realizing they were both still on the ground. She scrambled up, ignoring Michael's amused smirk as she held a hand out to him. "Sorry. I didn't mean to knock you over."

He grasped her hand as he stood up, holding on to her for a moment too long. Alex stared down at their entwined hands. "I just saw you," she muttered, confused. "You were with Nikita."

Michael frowned, "Nikita is gone, Alex. What are you talking about? Why were you running?"

Alex twisted her hand out of his grip, and looked behind her nervously. "They were chasing me," she whispered, "Amanda..."

"Hey, look at me," Michael commanded, his voice low. "You don't have to run anymore. I'll protect you, Alex. Always have, always will."

Alex met his gaze directly for the first time, and the words formed before she could stop them, "I know."

"Do you trust me?" Michael stepped closer, his hands resting on her shoulders.

"Yes," Alex swallowed, feeling like she was backed into a corner.

Alex's mind became more alert, focusing on what was happening.

"What about me?" Nikita's voice came from behind Alex, "Do you trust me?"

"What is the point of including Nikita in this little game of yours?" Michael snapped, his nerves on edge. "Alex doesn't even know her!"

"Patience, Michael," Percy spoke, his eyes never leaving the screen. "You know we have to test the loyalty of our recruits. What better way to do that than tempting them with the recruit gone rogue?"

Michael barely hid his scowl, watching as Alex was put in the middle of himself and Nikita. "Come on," he murmured, almost to himself. "Make the right choice..."

"Do you trust me?" Nikita's voice asked again, as she stepped closer to Alex. They all watched with bated breath as Alex took a corresponding step backwards, moving towards Michael.

"No," Alex suddenly said, "I don't."

"Why not?" Nikita's eyes glinted, "Without me, who can you trust?"

Alex turned to look at Michael, their faces startlingly close.

Birkoff gaped, leaning forward in his chair. Percy stiffened, and Michael's eyes narrowed as he watched Alex reach towards him on the screen, their lips millimeters apart.

Then, quite suddenly, the screen went black.

And Alex woke up.