Alex splashed water on her face and stared at the bathroom mirror, watching the water drip down her pale skin. She needed to calm down. She was in control, no one else. Yes, she was on a Division mission. But she controlled her actions in the field. Everything that happened would be because of her own choices. She could make the right ones. She was going to be alright. She already had what she needed. All she had to do was make the hand off, then go about her night as normally as possible. It would be alright. She was in control.
After a few days of bliss with Nathan, Alex was called into Division. She hadn't seen or heard from Sean the entire time. Honestly, though, she didn't care. She was glad he was gone. She didn't want him anywhere near the life she was trying to build. He had already almost fucked it up. With him gone, she could relax and be happy in a relationship with Nathan. They could talk, laugh, and hang out all they wanted- no interruptions from Division. Until, unfortunately, Alex was called away for a lousy mission.
She thanked God that it wasn't another governmental coup or kill mission. She had enough of those until she killed Semak. She wanted something simple- something she could complete quickly and without any danger. She wanted to return home to Nathan as soon as possible. Fortunately, all Alex had to do was charm some tech genius on a date and steal his latest invention. Although she was confused about why she had to commit corporate espionage, she accepted the mission. It was basic and easy. She could complete it and be home in time for a peaceful dinner with Nathan.
A simple mission also meant a simple countermission. Michael and Birkhoff had left to meet with Owen somewhere to discuss the black boxes. But, luckily, Nikita was still around to help Alex ruin Division's success. Before the young agent returned to the bunker to hand in the device she stole, she'd secretly pass it off to the rogue. Nikita would then notify the tech genius of the theft, have him disable the technology Division wanted, then pass it back to Alex who'd give it to Percy. It was as clear-cut and easy as the mission. Nothing could go wrong.
At least, Alex had really hoped for it to be. She was slightly worried that the op would take place in a nightclub. She didn't like to be around those places. They were too full of drugs, sex, and bad memories. She expressed that concern to Amanda, yet she assured her that she'd be fine. The fact that Alex was so worried proved that she could handle herself. She recognized her limits and knew what she had to do to stay in control. She'd be alright. The mission would go smoothly, even if it was at a nightclub. Alex wasn't powerless in the situation.
That only got her so far, however. Alex was able to steal the technology from her 'date' without him even noticing anything was amiss. Though, she couldn't stay with him too long afterwards. The nightclub was becoming too much for her. She had to excuse herself to the bathroom and try to shake herself out of her panic. The activities occurring around her wouldn't get to her. The alcohol, the drug use, the hyper-sexuality, she wasn't going to fall for it. She was stronger than the temptations. She had to be. There was a mission for her to complete (the current one and Semak) and she had someone waiting at home for her. She could be fine.
Finally wiping the cold water off her face, Alex took in a deep breath of air. She was okay; she was doing great. She just had to go back out there, pass the tech off to Nikita, finish her 'date', and go home. It was alright. Just a couple more minutes. However, as she pushed herself off the sink, a girl stumbled into her. She was so pale and skinny, Alex could see her veins popping out of her arms. She didn't look at all well. She was trembling, wobbly, about to pass out at any second. The young agent had to hold onto her to ensure she didn't crash to the floor. There was a chance the girl might not get back up again, "Whoa. Hey. Are you okay?"
"Hi…" The girl slurred and chuckled. She leaned into Alex with her full bodyweight, but that didn't affect her much. The girl was so light. She was also so clammy and so heavily made-up. The bulge in her veins probably wasn't just due to how pale and fragile she was. Alex didn't doubt that she was shooting up. She had probably overdone it that night, thus why she couldn't stay balanced in her ridiculously high heels. Someone had to watch out for her; the girl was bound to get into some serious trouble. Alex knew that well.
"Hi. Are you okay?" Gently, Alex soaked a paper towel with water and used it to dab the sweat off the girl's brow. She canted into the cooling touch. For half a second, Alex thought she recognized the girl. Some distant part of her life that she tried to keep locked away seemed to know who the girl was. But rather than give that any thought, the young woman shook it away. She was probably just associating the girl with many others she once knew. The similarities were striking. Yet that didn't mean she ran into someone from her past.
"No. I'm high," Once again, the girl slurred and chuckled. That time, however, her big blue eyes connected with Alex's. Her heart stopped. She did recognize the girl. She was Irina. The two had been smuggled from Russia in the same shipping container. They had survived the hellish journey and brothel together. They had also escaped together. So what the hell was Irina doing high in a nightclub looking like was she still in the business. Alex wished she could ask her, but she was far too stunned. And Irina was far too high to actually realize what was occurring, "You are too nice to be a stranger."
Instead of replying, Alex just dropped the paper towel and rushed out of the bathroom. It wasn't her finest moment. A part of her knew she should've stayed and done something for Irina. But what could she actually do while on a Division operation. She could make things worse for the both of them by abandoning the mission and dragging her out of there. She couldn't save both herself and Irina at that time. Even if she could, what would Alex do to help. How bad was her old friend's situation. What exactly did she need to be saved from. Was it even possible to repeatedly drag someone out of hell.
Nikita brushed harshly against Alex while she was so lost in thought. The young agent could hardly recognize who had bumped into her and why until she finally saw the rogue. That was right; they were supposed to trade off the technology. While Alex was in shock over Irina, Nikita was completing the mission. Thank God she did. It helped snap the young agent into focus. At least for a while. She ended her 'date' and soon met with the rogue at the loft. She hoped they could ignore what had happened and she could just go home. But Nikita was too concerned to let it go, "Hey. You were distracted during the handoff. Where was your head?"
"I ran into a girl from the brothel," Alex muttered against her will, her voice small and almost dreamlike. She still couldn't believe it. How the hell had she run into Irina at the club. She was supposed to have escaped the brothel the same night she had. Alex had given her a way out. They should've both been free. Sure, alright, Alex could admit that she was only somewhat free as she worked for Division. But Irina had the chance to run away and live her own life. She didn't have to be trapped in sex slavery, hooked on drugs and never finding a way out. She was supposed to have escaped. What the hell was she doing there.
"Did she recognize you?" Frantically, Nikita asked. If the girl recognized Alex and she told the Russian mob about it, then Alex was in danger. The Russian mob had ties with Gogol, which in turn had ties with Zetrov. An escaped girl from a brothel wouldn't garner too much attention. But someone was going to discover her identity eventually. Nikita and Division did. Sooner or later, word would get back to Semak that Alexandra Udinov was alive. He'd devote all his resources to killing her. He couldn't have that threat to his power around. He'd have to finish what he started with Operation Pale Fire.
"No. No. She was too high to even recognize a paper towel," Shaking her head, Alex answered absentmindedly. She wasn't worried about that. Irina did notice her over affectionate kindness for a stranger. But there was no way she knew who Alex was. No one that high could recognize a person they last saw five years ago. Hell, no one that high could even remember someone from five years ago. Even if she did, Irina didn't know who Alex really was. When she was forced into the brothel, her name had been hidden. The cowardly man who had sold her claimed her name was Sasha. For some reason, he believed that would keep her safe.
"Then what is it?" Nikita wondered as she gently closed the distance between herself and Alex. Something was weighing heavily on the young woman's mind. If it wasn't obvious from how distant she seemed from reality, then the way she fidgeted and refused to make eye contact gave her away. She was frightened of something. Maybe it had to do with the mission- things didn't go exactly as planned. Or possibly something else at the nightclub terrified her- the girl from the brothel wasn't the only scare. Whatever it was, Nikita hoped she could help Alex.
Tucking her hair behind her ear and tugging on the strands, Alex sighed. She had hated her thoughts since she had stepped into the nightclub. She absolutely did not want to voice them- give them power. Yet Nikita's gentle, imploring gaze tore the words out of her throat. It all came out in a hopeless rant, "If it wasn't for Division, I would still be like her. Which, I hate to feel grateful to that place, since Division's the reason I ended up in the brothel in the first place. But, they saved me, gave me purpose. I can stay clean and get revenge with their help. But Division's still the reason my life's shit."
"Yeah. They got me clean and gave me a purpose too," Nikita admitted softly. She wasn't sure how much of her life before Division she had shared with Alex. Yet the young woman appeared surprised by the admission. Nikita just shrugged. The hellhole was the root of all evils most of the time. But she couldn't deny that it had some good qualities. It sometimes took out corruption and prevented some atrocities. It offered chances to some people who had been tossed aside by the system. And it gave her a second chance to live. Division was mostly bad, but it did some good. That was possibly the worst thing about it.
"But we don't owe them shit," Nikita continued, ripping both herself and Alex out of morose thoughts. The good Division might have done didn't negate all of the bad. Nor did it mean the women owed that shitty bunker anything. They could recognize the impact it had had on their lives, then move on. They were better than that place. They were trying to reverse the damage it had done to them, to others, and to the world, "My reason for staying clean and my purpose in life are my own now. I don't have to rely on that hellhole."
"Thanks," Grinning slightly, Alex took the tech back from Nikita. She was extremely grateful for all the rogue had done for her. And she would've loved to have stayed and talked more- make herself feel better. Yet she had to go. She had to hand the defunct invention to Percy and complete her mission. She should've turned in the tech and finished the op. However, when she walked back to her car, Alex couldn't stop thinking about Irina and what Nikita had said. She was in control of her own life. She had a say in what she did with it. She'd get her revenge, screw over Division, and help those who needed her.
Despite the risk to her own life, Nikita constantly tried to save Alex. It didn't always work out the way it should've. But she always tried to give the young woman a better life no matter what. Alex had to follow that example. She couldn't give up on Irina. She could find a way to help her. She could ensure she escaped the brothel for good and led an actual life. She just had to reach the nightclub before Irina left (or was dragged away). Division could wait. The young agent could lie about her tardiness later. The only important thing was helping Irina survive and be safe, "Ирина, ждать."
"Саша?" Crashing back into Alex as she reached for her across the crowded nightclub, Irina's blurred eyes lit up. So, she did recognize her. Thankfully, she still only knew her by her fake name Sasha. Irina clung to her, surprisingly strong for someone so far gone on drugs. Alex steadied her and attempted to direct her towards the exit. She didn't think walking out the front door was the best idea. Division couldn't know what she was doing. And the two might run into some other trouble. They had to sneak out the back and hopefully find a way to stay safe.
"Come on. We have to go. Мы должны идти," Alex tried to take Irina's hand and lead her out of the nightclub; however, she didn't seem to be fully aware of what was happening. She was only slightly more sober than she was in the bathroom. She must have sweat some it off dancing- or doing something else. Alex refused to consider that further. She focused more on the fact that she could probably talk sense into Irina. She'd just have to do it on the move. She had a feeling that staying in the nightclub wouldn't be good for either of them.
"Sasha. I knew it was you. I knew you'd come back," Irina babbled, but she let Alex take her away. She did her best to ignore the rambles, formulating a plan of action. It was all on the fly, which probably wasn't great. Yet if Alex didn't help Irina then, she might never have another chance. She had to figure it out. Or, at the very least, she had to move her somewhere safe and secure until she could create a real scheme. Maybe she could take Irina to the loft. Nikita would help her. She understood what it took to get clean and escape whatever hell you were trapped in. Irina would be safe and sound with the rogue.
"I thought you left," Before Alex could bring her there, however, she needed to get her out of the nightclub and she wanted answers. When the young woman planned her escape from the brothel, she decided to help Irina run away as well. Whereas Alex attacked the man holding them captive and stole some cash on her way out, she gave her friend something to sell to make her way. She thought she would've taken it- she hoped she would. Tragically, she was wrong and Irina was still trapped.
"I tried. But no one can leave. Not like you," Stopping them in the alleyway behind the nightclub, Irina admitted sheepishly. Alex didn't understand it. When she had attacked Vlad, she had made a way for her and others to escape. She couldn't have been the only one. She refused to accept that she was the only one to have made it out. Others had to be free too, especially Irina. She had more of a chance than anyone else. So how come she stayed. And how come she was resisting Alex's attempts to help her then.
"What do we have here, сука?" The booming voice that echoed through the alley froze Alex to her core. She slowly turned around, but she already knew who she was going to face. Her worst nightmare had returned to drag her back to hell. Vlad had found her.