" Alex?" Nikita gasped in shock and horror.
She hadn't felt so scared for a long time. She felt powerless. Amanda, her worst nightmare, was standing in front of Alex and she couldn't do anything. She was scared. Her feeling that something was wrong came out real and she couldn't manage her worry. What Amanda was going to do to Alex? How did she find her? Why Alex was left so exposed? She got more scared as she saw Alex's face, her eyes were red, her features tough, her gaze brave and fearless. She was just standing there before Amanda, she didn't blink her eyes, she didn't get surprised, she didn't try to run or attack Amanda, she was just standing. She looked like she wasn't afraid of Amanda and that could trigger Amanda.
Nikita's gaze now focused at Amanda. She looked surprised that Alex sensed her presence, she looked fearless and evil as always, her hands crossed on her chest and a flower in her right hand. What the hell was going on? What Amanda was planning this time? What was her game? Where her team was?
Nikita was brought out of her thoughts as she saw Meredith and Tom running towards the two women with their guns trained to Amanda but Alex turned her back to Amanda again and lifted her hands up stopping them. She gestured to them to leave and after awhile they obeyed leaving Alex and Amanda alone again. Alex turned around one more time and Nikita and the others watched with wide eyes their interaction trying to read their body language and their lips.
" What can I do for you Amanda?" Alex asked softly trying to keep her voice stable.
" You have left a lot of leads behind. I knew that you were heading to Russia." Amanda commented with a tone of disapproval.
" I know. And I know now how quickly you can respond to your leads." Alex said calmly letting Amanda know that she did it on purpose trying to figure out Amanda's resources and time of response and Amanda was just caught up in this stupid trap.
" Why did you order your people to leave?" Amanda asked curiously changing the subject. Alex was kept surprising every single day.
" Do I need my team here, Amanda?" Alex returned the question. She didn't want to give a straight answer. She knew that Amanda couldn't kill her yet, she had lessons for her just like she had for Nikita. Amanda wouldn't let her die until she had gotten her revenge. She wanted to make Alex suffer, she didn't want to kill her, not yet. And Alex knew that. She ordered her team to leave because she was curious about what Amanda wanted this time.
" Not this time" Amanda replied honestly and smiled to Alex. A smile that could only cause fear to someone who knew what was under that mask.
" How can I help you?" Alex asked again pressing Amanda to make her intentions clear fast as she didn't want to spend more time than it was needed with her.
" If it is okay with you, I would like to say 'hi' to Nikolai. I haven't been in Russia for a while and as a result I haven't had the chance to visit him." Amanda said softly trying not to piss Alex off. She didn't want Alex to leave, she wanted to talk with her.
Alex looked at her with wide eyes. Did she just call her father Nikolai? Did she say that she was used to visit her father's grave?
I am not going to play her little mind game. If she wants to tell me something, then she can say it directly. I am done playing games. Alex thought.
" Of course" Alex said and walked away from Nikolai's grave passing Amanda when suddenly Amanda took a hold of her hand- the one that she had injected with the virus and it was bleeding when someone hit her wound. Alex stopped instantly keeping her eyes away from Amanda.
" Please don't leave. We need to talk." Amanda pleaded softly.
Alex looked at her and nodded. Amanda pressed a little more Alex's hand making it sure that her wound would be reopened and smirked evilly. She let go of Alex and walked towards the grave while Alex turned around and watched her giving her respect to her diseased father.
Amanda stopped in front of it and took a deep breathe. Slowly she sat down on her toes and placed he flower that she held on the grave. She closed her eyes and took some minutes.
" I am sorry for hurting your daughter, my friend" Amanda said loud enough for Alex to hear and stood up turning towards Alex, who had put on her face an emotionless mask wanting to protect herself from Amanda's mind game as much as she could.
" Yes, I knew your father." Amanda said walking towards Alex and stopping two steps away from her. Alex hadn't asked that question but Amanda answered knowing that this information would probably rock Alex's world.
" How?" Alex asked coldly. What Amanda was playing this time?
" You should have noticed that I have a thing about men with power." Amanda said simply and smiled with meaning.
" I am not sure that I want to understand what you want say." Alex replied softly trying to hide her shock.
" We had an affair for some years. You were little then only 4 or 5. I don't remember exactly. You had almost caught us once. Katya was in a spa and you were playing outside. Nikolai and I were in the kitchen doing our stuff when we heard little footsteps. We got dressed and pretended that we were talking." Amanda explained calmly and stopped to study Alex's figure. Alex was looking at Amanda with wide eyes in shock, she was remembering this day. She remembered the day but she had hidden this memory deep inside her.
" You came in and your dad asked you what you wanted. ' I want ice, papa' you replied in english and you showed us a deep cut in your hand and a bruise that it had started forming. I went to the fridge and walked towards you to help you but you denied my help. You took the ice, you thanked me and you left. It was a nusty cut but you weren't crying, you were strong. You were always storng" Amanda completed her story.
" You know that I didn't need the picture of your fleshmath in my mind, right?" Alex asked sarcastically.
" I am sorry for destroying the idea of your father." Amanda commented honestly.
" You didn't. I knew that my father was cheating on my mom. I have caught him again. Anyway, why are you telling me this, Amanda?" Alex replied more calmly now.
" Do you remember the day that I described you before?" Amanda asked amused.
" Unfortunately yes" Alex said harsh.
" Do you remember our chat later that day. When I finished with your dad and I came to find you and try to understand why you didn't accept my help?" Amanda asked curiously.
" Partly" Alex replied honestly trying to remember as much details as possible.
" You are clever, Alex. You always were. You told me that you were grateful for my offer but you didn't want to depend on others. You told me that it was good to know that you have people who care enough to look after you but it was even better when you could stand on your own legs. I was impressed. You were so young but so wise." Amanda commented.
" I don't see your point, Amanda" Alex said wanting this convesation to end as soon as possible. Picturing younger self talking calmly with Amanda could only send shivers through her spine.
" How are you holding away from the others, Alex?" Amanda asked getting to the point of the conversation.
" Why do you care Amanda?" Alex asked confused.
" I care because I am your teacher, Alex" Amanda said seriously and Alex started laughing.
" Teacher? You called what you are doing, teaching?" Alex asked in disbelief.
" The only thing that I have done for you and Nikita is helping you and teaching you! You should be grateful, both of you!" Amanda said firmly.
" I feel so grateful! And I am sure that Nikita does to" Alex replied sarcastically.
" You should be on your knees!" Amanda shouted hurt.
" You destroyed our lives, Amanda. You killed the people that we loved, you are after the people that we love. Why? Why do you have so much hate inside you?" Alex shouted back frustated.
" You betrayed me! Nikita left, you were lying to me all the time and then you double-crossed me! You are responsible for that! I was always there for you and you betrayed me!" Amanda yelled and walked closer to Alex.
" We betrayed you? We didn't betray you, Amanda. We just decided that we didn't want to be your puppies. You manipulate people Amanda, you want them to follow you blindly. The only thing that we did was to stand up for our believes, we just decided to fight your mind games. It wasn't personal Amanda, you made it personal when you messed up with Daniel." Alex retorted angrily.
" I didn't kill Daniel! I tried to warn her, I tried to protect her! I didn't have Daniel killed!" Amanda yelled annoyed. She was tired of being accused for something that she didn't do.
" You didn't stop it either" Alex whispered.
" I didn't know damn. She forgave Sam for killing Daniel but she had never stopped fighting me." Amanda said defeated. This conversation wasn't going as it was planned. It was supposed to trigger Alex's emotions not hers.
" Maybe because she expected more from you, Amanda. You let her down and she can't just forgive you, especially when you had caused her so much pain going after the people that she loves" Alex said softly. She didn't expect Amanda to actually have feelings.
" Then why you didn't hate Nikita? She has done to you exactly what I have done to her and even more. Why you are still with her?" Amanda asked trying to turn the conversation on Alex again.
Alex looked at Amanda thoughtfully. She didn't know how to react to this. She didn't know what she was supposed to answer. The only reason why she was with Nikita after everything it was because she loved her but she couldn't just tell that to Amanda. Not when it could put Nikita in a great danger. She needed to persuade Amanda that she didn't care about Nikita.
" What is so difficult to answer?" Amanda asked surprised that Alex hasn't answered yet.
" Why do you care? I am not with her anymore." Alex replied avoiding to answer directly Amanda's question.
" I think that you are still with her. You went to Julian, you threatened his family, you forced him to step down. Why would you put yourself in so much trouble if you didn't care." Amanda replied calmly.
" He decided to step down? Glad to hear that!" Alex replied.
" Why do you still care?" Amanda asked again seriously.
" I don't care about the others Amanda. I left them. I went to Julian because I want a fair game. If he wants to break me, he is welcome to try but he will do whatever he wants to me. I always enjoy a nice game Amanda. I just made it sure that this is what I will get' Alex lied.
" You can't win Alex. You can't overpower me. Just run far away and never bother me again. I want revenge yes, but I am willing to spare your life if you run right now." Amanda offered and she was telling the truth. She was sadistic and she wanted them to suffer but she knew that she couldn't bring herself to kill Alex.
Alex stared at Amanda with wide eyes. She didn't really expect her to run, right? She smiled softly and she took a step towards Amanda her body inches away from her.
" Bring it on" Alex challenged her and Amanda sighed defeated.
Amanda closed the gap and placed a soft kiss on Alex's cheek, a kiss that it was also a threat. Alex didn't react not wanting to give Amanda the pleasure of her being disguist or hurt by her move.
" Let's play cards" Amanda whispered to her ears and walked away.
She stopped a few metres away and turned back to Alex.
" It is my turn, if I remember correctly." Amanda said coldly
" Let's give you some pain. I would really like to see how you will react around Sean and Nikita after turning Sean's proposal down and leaving without hugging Nikita. Go back to Division, sweetheart." Amanda added evilly when Alex turned to look at her.
" And why exactly should I go back?" Alex asked coldly.
" Michael's hand is a gift from the Shop and it is infected with a lethal virus. The cure is in your blood. The virus that I injected you with and caused you the bleeding is the cure. If you want to save Michael, you will have to transferre at least 51% of your blood to his system. To work the blood must be taken directly from your body." Amanda said and an evil grin formed on her face.
" What?" Alex yelled in shock.
" I will send them a video with what the virus can do. You have 16 hours. Good luck" Amanda said and left leaving a frozen Alex.
16 hours... The words echoed in Alex's mind.