Happy (belated) Valentine's Day

Thanks again for the response. Thank you, Zee-Zee, Laurellilly, Ghee, February28, Koxie, Farrago42, Chiguy- all of the favs, the support of the story, to my writing- they're all so encouraging. I appreciate them all so much.

I try not to answer plot questions mainly because I don't always have an answer but I am able to answer the question by farrago42: The only thing I knew for certain when I started writing was that Alec was alone, he'd lost the team. He thought they were all dead and he wanted revenge on the person he thought was responsible. I also knew that Parker would come back into his life as a different version of herself and eventually it would be revealed that the rest of the team didn't die. I didn't know Sylvia/ Sonia was going to be the baddie, I didn't know there was going to be all of this science, I didn't know about Joshua The story wrote itself. Sometimes plots or characters or lines would wake me up and scream at me until I jotted them down. And I get just as excited or intrigued about what's going on as everyone else does. Even when I re-read it from the beginning (which I've done a couple of times), I get wrapped up in how it plays out.

It's like that with everything I write.

I just finished my first full novel and now I'm editing- not fun! There's also an Eliot-centered story that has been calling to me for the past several months- a continuation of The big payback. Should be fun seeing that one unfold

I'm so sad that Leverage ended. I really enjoyed it. Fingers crossed that something works out with another network.

I hope you all enjoy this new entry.

Chapter 38

The helicopter ride back to the mainland was short and loud. Parker and the other members of Sonia's army communicated with each other through their headsets so Alec was left to wonder what they were saying.

He felt like a fool; a dead man walking.

He'd been had- again.

But he made up his mind that the first chance he got he would destroy the pen device. Sonia wouldn't get any information out of him and she wouldn't get a shred of Domino, even if the formula he concocted wasn't the completed version she was after.

His growing anger made it easier to avoid the devastation that was creeping into his mind.

What if none of it was real? What if it had all been a con? What if Parker was gone…for good?

He didn't want to think about it, or feel the hurt. He wanted to inflict hurt- and he would start with Sonia.

The anger felt good. It numbed him. It made it easier for him to think in straight lines instead of the wild circles of 'what if' and 'if only' that emotion created. There was no room for that. He wouldn't ache for Parker any more. He would accept that she was lost to him and he would get on with what needed to get done.

Alec had his entire plan devised by the time the helicopter touched down on the mainland. All he had left to do was bide his time and play nice. Then he would strike when Sonia least expected it.

His final action would be absolute. There'd be no turning back but at least Sonia wouldn't be able to hurt him or those he loved any more.

Parker and the soldier from the beach were the only two that escorted Alec as they arrived at an ordinary looking building in the middle of the mainland's busiest street. The building's façade was deceptively plain but once inside, the set up reminded him of the secret basement in every super-spy-movie he'd ever seen. There were new weapons being tested, lighted maps of every corner of the world, people in white lab coats that spoke in languages that they alone understood, and vehicles with gadgets and gizmos and things the man on the street couldn't envision in their wildest dreams.

Alec was more than a little in awe, even if he wanted to blow the place up.

"In here," the beach soldier instructed as they walked into a small, bright room just beyond the wide open space of the main product room.

There was a pair of uniforms and other outfits hanging on a rack, and two passports atop an itinerary arranged on a table. The passports bore Alec's and Parker's faces and the itinerary detailed the next several hours with the last task being: 'DELIVER DOMINO TO HEADQUARTERS'.

Alec hadn't bothered reading the rest of the task list. He was biding his time, going where he was led. There would be no need for independent thought. He didn't need to be concerned with other thoughts anyway. His sole focus was on the last line item of the itinerary and what it meant- Meeting Sonia at Headquarters.

If Parker had been playing him, Sonia had to have known that the Domino he had was a fake, so there must have been another reason she was requesting the meeting. There was something else she was after but he couldn't think of what it could be and he really didn't invest too much of his energy trying to guess. He was looking as forward to their meeting as she must have been.

The beach soldier exited the room but not before informing them that their plane was fueling up for their departure. It wouldn't be long.

The respite gave them both a moment to refresh. Each showered and ate and dressed quickly and in deafening silence.

Alec avoided looking at Parker and she hadn't said a word since they'd left the helicopter.

He thought it just as well though. The sound of her voice would work against his resolve, and he couldn't go back to not seeing recognition on her face. If she didn't remember him or their past it would be easier for them both when he put his plan into effect.

Instead they both busied themselves preparing for their trip.

There was a very formal suit hanging on the rack and Alec was instructed to place it into his bag. He didn't know its purpose but as far as he could tell they were to attend an event before they met Sonia at HQ. The specifics didn't matter to him. He couldn't believe it would have been very important as Sonia wouldn't want anything hampering him from meeting her at the end of the night.

"It's time," their escort announced as he re-entered the room, "gear up."

Alec grabbed his bag and passport. As he lifted the small booklet, his eyes caught the third line of the itinerary: OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT BILMARK HOTEL. 9:00PM

For some reason the line stuck in his consciousness but he didn't have time to read the rest of the page before their escort removed the document and shredded it as had been Sonia's custom. No paper trail. Everything committed to memory.

For one very brief moment he wondered if he should have read the entire page but Parker walked past him without making eye contact and her small act steeled his resolution.

One way, or the other, it ends tonight.