Hi-ya! It took me a bit longer to update, but I was gathering ideas for the next chapter (this isn't pre-written). Guys, I was so stupid logging in yesterday. I couldn't figure out why it wasn't accepting my log in, and I eventually had to change my password. That wasn't even working, and I was getting so confused. It took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out I was typing in my username instead of my email ...
Thanks, Casey Storm and PurpleNicole531, for being my loyal reviewers. Hearing people's honest opinion can really help while writing a story, so your one small act is greatly appreciated. I'm an introvert too, so I relate to this OC on many levels. Oh, and a big hi to my new follower!
The next morning came earlier than the Lab Rats were use to. Leo was sprawled out on the white couch, with Chase unwittingly dangling off the other end. Leo wasn't a great sharer of space, and without his thorough knowledge – though there was some – he had taken up every inch of the sofa. Adam and Bree were on either side of the capsule Alexa was in when she suddenly flung her eyelids open and let out a horrifically high pitched scream. Chase jolted and toppled the rest of the way off the couch, as Leo joined in on the yelling. Bree awoke, but being use to rude awakenings she didn't appear shocked or confused, just mildly unamused. Adam merely snored on.
Murmuring something under her breath, Bree lazily pushed on her capsule door, shushing the whooshing sound in the action. "What-" she yawned, smacking her dry lips together. "- is going on?"
Lexi had stilled at this point, and was trying to come off as nonchalent when the others looked at her, with heavy douses of morning grogginess. She gulped, pushing past Chase's capsule to exit as slowly as possible. "Sorry, don't be alarmed," Alexa tried.
Davenport and Douglas ran into the room, both wielding an unjustifiable weapon. Davenport had a shoe, while Douglas had a lab stool.
"Armed and dangerous, I see," Chase muttered. No time was too early for sarcasm, especially when it was due.
Davenport lowered his shoe, embarrassed, but Douglas raised his stool higher. "What's going on?" the second brother demanded. The others turned to Lexi. Her cheeks were pink, and her hands were balled up at her side.
"Nothing," she answered too quickly.
The others eyed her suspiciously, but didn't pry.
Well, except Leo.
"Man, you scared the crap out of me!" Leo said, shaking off the blankets and getting up. "A nothing scream isn't one straight out of a horror movie!"
Lexi gave him a weird look. "It was nothing," she insisted, too defensively. Leo and her locked eyes for a few painful seconds, before the former deviated his gaze elsewhere in defeat.
A little sluggish, Bree had evidently given up on her chances on getting back to sleep and went to tap on the glass of Adam's capsule. Her older brother stirred, moaned, and turned his back to the door in defiance to the intrusion. Bree repeated the motion, more obnoxiously now, until Adam could do nothing but comply.
"Come on, I was having that dream about me throwing Chase across a field of bionic puppies," Adam whined. Throwing Chase was a regular dream occurence of his.
Lexi wrinkled her nose in disdain towards the older boy, quickly hiding it from the others.
"Well, I'm not going to be forced to start my day early if you don't," Bree stated, flipping her tangled hair back as she walked off to get dressed.
"Get in your gear!" Alexa called after her. "We're leaving at sun up!" Dodging the looks and comments of the others, the future girl dashed to the time machine to grab her gloves and boots. She had slept in her day clothes, refusing to borrow any of the out-dated sleeping attire offered her. Lexi had sworn she'd never remove her raggedy vest and leather jeans as long as she was in the past, so she wasn't about to exhange it for sleeping comfort and hygiene.
"Alexa, maybe we should do a scan of your bionics before we send you-" Davenport started, unsure.
Lexi cut him off with a glare. "I'm fine. I feel fine, I've got control. No more glitching." She exaggerated arm flexes and tapped on her temple confidently. She gave him a wide grin, but Davenport was having none of it. He fixed her a cold stare until Alexa finally winced away. "Look," she continued. "If we had time, I'd let you, but we've stalled long enough and-" This time Lexi was the one cut off, and by a loud beeping noise. "You've got to be kidding me." Alexa hadn't figured in her calculations of this trip how often the past would get in the way of saving the future.
The bright red light of a mission alert followed the beeping, and everyone had to once again deviate from the problem at hand.
Alexa hung back for a moment after the others ran off to check on the alert. This was getting more and more difficult. She was the only one that truly cared what was in store for the future, because she was the only one that had ever experienced such a place. Her knees wanted to buckle from under her as a memory flashed to the forefront of her thoughts.
"Lexi," future Davenport said, bending low to crawl through a half collapsed door frame to get inside a once freshly built Davenport warehouse. Lexi followed him, being led by the arm. Alexa was quite relieved to leave the scattered depris of the city reckage behind her. "We don't have much time to do this..." The strong man that she knew was now showing way too many signs of emotions for her liking.
"Whatever you're planning, stop it," Lexi said sternly, yanking herself free and trying to survey the area. Her bionic chip had not been damaged throughout the course of this war, so she analyzed every inch of the warehouse without wear.
Future Davenport stared at the young girl sadly for a moment's pause, before ushering her into the darkest corner of the damp building. There, in the shadows, was a perfectly well-kept armchair, pure white with the interlaced circle symbol stamped on the side. "No..." Lexi shook her head, recognizing the machine. "No, I'm not leaving you or my father. You need me here-"
"We need you there," Mr. Davenport interrupted, his voice weak but firm, pointing to the time machine. "They took my other one and went to the past. Follow them, that plan your father listened in on clearly states they're after your mom and your's future. Sadly, that's all he was able to catch before-" His eyes fell away from her's for a minute, before Davenport built up the courage to look back at Alexa. "Take this," he grabbed Lexi's hand and placed a hologram in her shaky grasp. A lone tear fled from her eyes as she watched Davenport's completely shattered spirit. He had little faith in the outcome of this mission. She couldn't blame him. Though she was highly qualified and skilled enough to go up against these guys, the destruction of their world had created the development of doubts.
"Mr. Davenport-" a sob broke her voice and scattered anything else she had wanted to say far from her brain.
"Stop calling me that," future Davenport smiled in exhaustion. "What have I always told you? Call me-"
"Lexi?" Chase prodded her from her daydream. Alexa glanced up to see the older boy standing in the doorway, eyes slightly narrowed in her direction. "Are you coming?" The girl of the future said nothing, but nodded a response.
The two bionics made their way to the others, who were following up on the mission alert. "A tunnel seems to have caved and left all the cars under it stranded," Davenport was saying when Alexa and Chase entered. "Emergency vehicles are still a few minutes out and-" Davenport nearly choked on the water he was sipping. "- the president is one of the victims stuck."
Lexi froze, trying to keep her jaw from gaping. Today, that mission was today! Her nemesis – she had to call him that, it made this ongoing mission manageable – and his minions must be after this moment of the past. Not only did it change the way the rest of the world thought of bionic people, it also sealed her fate in the future.
Chase and Bree exchanged glances, as Adam and Leo high fived. "All right! Save the President of the United States of America, check!" Leo exclaimed.
"You haven't saved anybody yet," Mr. Davenport said dully, almost ruining the mood. There was a pause, and then he smiled and high fived Leo as well. "There's got to be a medal given for something like this ..."
"Guys, President ... innocent bystanders ... in danger, remember?" Chase murmured, rolling his eyes.
"Kill joy," Adam mumbled. The three male bionics raced off to get into their mission suits and Bree started to tie her hair up. She seemed quite pleased she was already ahead of everyone else, mission suit on and all.
Alexa was getting flustered, but was still slightly relieved that the past mission was tied in with her future mission. It just made her day easier that way, though she was still vibrating in place.
"Lexi, before you get any ideas, you're not going," Davenport said firmly, turning to the tech table.
Stopping her bouncing in its tracks, the girl stared daggers into Mr. Davenport, wanting to telepathically communicate with him, but knowing that wasn't an ability of hers. She couldn't speak of her future reasons out loud, not anymore.
"But, sir-" her words faltered a little. "I have to go on this mission. I have reason to believe that the four guys of the future will be there, sabotaging."
Davenport gave Lexi a weak look, almost out of annoyance, and shoved a tablet at her. "Those are the coordinates you brought with you, the ones tracking your future pals-" Alexa wanted to retort that, quite frankly, they were no pals of hers. "They haven't moved since the tampering at the train tracks, and until they do or you're cleared of your glitching, you are not to move one step off this island. Do you understand me?"
"You're making a big mistake," Lexi argued. She gave Bree a look, begging for assistance, but the other bionic female shrunk away and diverted her eyes.
"Alexa," Adam smiled, coming back with Chase and Leo on his tail. "You ready?"
Lexi took on a straight stance, folding her hands behind her back stiffly. "I have not be cleared for duty," she said sullenly. Though she kept her expression neutral, the eyes weren't called the windows to the soul for nothing. Hers were pained, holding information and images she was too young to have. Chase looked at her worriedly, but upon Mr. Davenport reminding everyone of the urgency of this mission, he left along with his siblings.
Alexa waited until they were gone to breathe out again, slouching her shoulders in the process. "I repeat, you're making a big mistake," she mumbled under her breath, leaving Davenport's presence in her frustration. The past form of her notable mentor did not and, she felt, would not trust her.
The future girl snatched a water bottle from the academy's kitchen, and stocked off to the hang out area once more. Sitting idly by wasn't really what she was raised to do. Her parents taught her to assess a situation and take charge. Lexi couldn't let the foolish antics of a past Davenport ruin her one true mission. People were depending on her, especially – without their knowledge – these guys from the past. They'd regret doubting her when it all comes to light, but for now, she'd just have to make do. Entering the Lab Rats' mentor suite, Lexi eyed the pool outside on the other end. She could escape with Davenport being none-the-wiser.
A sly smile spread upon her chapped lips. She flung her water onto the white couch and took off through the opposite exit. The cool ocean air blew onto her face as she ran along the sides of the man-made island, searching for the inevitable raft or boat. The hydro loop couldn't be the only way off this bionic academy.
Alexa breathed out when her eyes set themselves on a rubber dingy, resting near the water's edge. She was a little nervous about the idea of getting in, albeit water wasn't her favourite form of liquid, especially in such large amounts, but it was the only other option.
Dropping the raft into the, thankfully, calm waters, Lexi lowered herself in with a lump catching in her sore throat. Uncontrolled, anxious hands grasped onto the paddles provided and the future girl pushed off from the side of the island. Her shoulder muscles contorted as she paddled along, going against the slightest breeze.