Reversal
Alex's Apartment – Day 10, 9:00AM
Alex awoke from a restless sleep. His groggy body sluggishly rose to the sound of his doorbell. Sebastian entered right as he was stretching.
"Good morning to you too, Sebastian." He grumbled.
"Hi Alex. Hate to bother, but I think you know what I'm going to say." Sebastian greeted tepidly. Alex nodded.
"Yep. so what's the agenda?"
"We've got this letter from the facility you and Reza visited..." He fished out an envelope. "And then a couple things happened last night, bad things. The chief will explain everything once we're there."
"We'd better not keep him waiting, then. Let's go." Alex said bluntly, sliding his pistol into its holster. Now adequately armed, he stepped out the door and into the mid-morning sun...
Their arrival at the orphanage wasn't surprising. Alex knew how things were to play out if left unaltered. Good thing, too, as he'd be moderately annoyed if Mongoose didn't follow orders.
"There you guys are. We're almost done here, so I'll keep it short. Reza broke into the hatchery. There's another murder victim: an employee who was on night duty. Her body was found a couple miles away. There's evidence of a struggle both inside, and out. There are wounds consistent with previous victims and his weapon. Another employee was found unconscious, and with amnesia." Bryce stated with an attitude. That seemed to be a common side effect with police and Viper. Speaking of...
"So Viper may be involved? If someone has amnesia, Onyx police usually link them to a crime scene." Alex replied speculatively.
"It sounds likely. The scientist from before is already enough reference. There's also something else that happened last night. Emera came to us around midnight."
"Wait, what happened that had her so spooked?" Alex cocked a brow.
"Apparently, she said you attacked her in her own home. When we asked for details, she just kept insisting. Said you destroyed her phone, too." Bryce's eyes felt cold on his skin.
"That doesn't sound like me. I just had a conversation with her around noon yesterday, then I went home. I can barely fight to begin with, let alone someone as big as you or her."
"We'll find that out soon enough. Sebastian?" Bryce called behind him.
"Yes Chief?" Sebastian asked.
"I'm afraid Alex needs to be detained. Can you do that while I wrap up?"
"Sure. You got cuffs?"
"Uh..."
"I'm not going anywhere. I know what non-compliance does." Alex stated bluntly.
"I'd hope not. Let's get moving." Bryce started off, the other two following closely. Just above them, on the rooftop, someone watched...
Back at the station, Alex was led into an interrogation room. Bryce and Sebastian sat opposite him. There was a dark atmosphere enveloping the three at they stared at one another.
"Let's get this over with. What questions do you have?" Alex asked darkly.
"Let's start with where you were at midnight last night. Specifically twelve o' clock." Sebastian glanced down to a notepad, ready to write.
"I was asleep. Went to bed about nine. I believe I was dreaming about a friend of mine, Chris." Alex replied.
"And I don't suppose you could tell us more about this dream?"
"I can try. We were discussing my career path, and I mentioned wanting to change. He invited me over to work for the OPD, and I accepted. That's when my daughter came in and heard us. And then I woke up."
"What time did you wake up?" Bryce butted in.
"I'm afraid I didn't check. It was right before Sebastian knocked." Alex said. Bryce looked to his partner for an answer.
"Around nine this morning." He said.
"So, you didn't do anything before then?" Bryce asked again.
"Outside of trying to find a book to read, giving up, and then playing some video games, no. Now you have me wondering why you asked." Alex deadpanned.
"Because around ten-fifteen, we got a call from your 'friend'. I mentioned it at the orphanage. They said that Reza attacked the place, and to come quick."
"Right. You did say Viper was there. I'd ask what you found, but that's not my place right now."
"That'll be for later. I want to find out where you were, and what happened to Emera that she's blaming you."
"Like I'll be any help, though. I genuinely had no contact with her whatsoever last night. The only thing she did was call me to arrange a meeting that morning, talk about what she wants with you."
"First I've heard of that. What did she say?"
"She chastised me for scaring her to start. I said she wasn't that weak and asked what she needed. She said it was about me and you." Alex pointed to a disgruntled Bryce. "Anyway, She asked aggressively if it was true that we're 'together'. I said 'what of it', and that she doesn't own you."
"And she doesn't." Bryce said. "What else?"
"She said I didn't either, which is true, but then she went off about wanting only one thing and me not letting her have it. I called her out for trying to emotionally manipulate me. So I said, and I quote, 'I'm not losing the best thing to ever happen to me'." Alex let them absorb everything for a moment.
"Cute that you think of me that way. What else? That can't have been it." Bryce pressed further.
"She said I can leave, then threatened to tell you that I was the one to leave those cards. She got pissed that I said something she didn't like."
"So she threatened to out you as that vigilante, even though it was previously proven that you're not them." Sebastian speculated, a hand on his jaw.
"And she blamed you over something you said. That's just petty." Bryce shook his head. "But that still doesn't explain why they'd attack her out of the blue... or how they snuck past me in the first place."
"Do you still have those notes?" Alex asked.
"Yeah. They're a little ominous."
"Bring them here. I want to see what they say. Maybe it'll provide a clue. Viper doesn't attack without good reason, from what Chris told me." He ordered. Bryce glanced to Sebastian, who stepped out for a few minutes. He came back quickly with two snake-head-shaped cards. Alex recognized them immediately as they were laid out. Each one read 'I know', 'Stop'.
"Well?" Bryce spoke up after a moment.
"They certainly look like the ones Chris showed me. He had me compare our handwriting."
"And?"
"Obviously dissimilar."
"Hang on." Sebastian piped up. "Here. Why not prove it to us?" He slid his notepad over, along with the pen. Alex shrugged and picked it up. Writing the same messages, he made a point to be sloppy, sliding everything back over when finished.
"Jeez. That almost looks like yours, Bryce. Were you trying to be sloppy?"
"No, I just don't hand-write stuff often. That's about as neat as it gets." He hated lying like this, especially to his dragon, but he'll be god damned if he outs himself.
"What about your weapon? Do you have it on you?" Bryce asked.
"If you mean the one I had to use on Reza, then no. Pretty sure I used all the ammo anyway. Why are you-" Alex's question was cut off my a knock at the door, heavy and methodical. There was only one person he knew who knocked like that...
"I'm busy right now." Bryce answered.
"Chief, it's me..."
Maverick scribbled idly on his map, adding notes to already-established markings. He let out a yawn as his half-lidded gaze went over everything. Among the notes were details he managed to scrounge from the investigations. Apparently, some vigilante from Alex's world had been interfering in Reza's activities. Alongside that, there have been cases of people suddenly falling unconscious, one such case being Naomi.
He exhaled a frustrated sigh. So much happened in so little time. He no longer knew what to do besides take his findings to Bryce. He wasn't even sure if Reza was at the farmhouse anymore, but it was worth a shot at least. He packed a bag with his map and started over…
The station that morning was bustling with activity. Not like the recent attack would've helped anything. Regardless, he went up to the counter and cleared his throat.
"Oh, hello Maverick. I thought you were on sick leave." The receptionist cocked a brow at his appearance.
"I am, but I need to see the chief about something." Maverick stated bluntly.
"I think he took the ambassador in for questioning- hey! You know he won't like being interrupted!" She called out to him the second he turned for the interrogation rooms, not that he cared. He still had something to do...
The door cracked open, revealing a single, blood-red eye. Maverick glanced to his fellow officers. They looked to him with apprehension. Then he looked to Alex. He stared back knowingly.
"Maverick, what are you doing here?" Bryce questioned darkly.
"It's Reza." Maverick shot back. "I think I know where he is."
"Don't waste our time, Maverick. Tell us everything."
"I've been tracking him for a while now. I almost got him at the portal a few days ago. Managed to tail him for a while before the trail went cold. Based on that, where he's been, and his victims' locations, I managed to triangulate his whereabouts." He spread his map out on the table. "He has to live somewhere, right? Keep a place for his stolen goods. Prior victims were found here, and here. Today's was here. She was likely after him because of the stolen eggs. This here is the path from the portal he took the day I tailed him." He pointed to the areas he drew out. "So we have this as his area of operation. Extrapolate it, and we have it narrowed down to this. He's certainly not within town limits. So unless he's camping or in a cave somewhere, our only option is..." He trailed off, dragging his claw over to one mark.
"The abandoned farm. When did you figure all this out?"
"Just a few minutes ago. I immediately came here when I did."
"Damn, Maverick. This may be it." Bryce stared with great interest at the location.
"Should we send an observation team?" Sebastian asked, causing everyone to glance over.
"As if we had one to spare. Fuck it, we're going there now. What about you, Mav?" Bryce looked over to his friend.
"I'm still on sick leave. If Alex is still being held, I can keep an eye on him for you." Maverick stated, turning a sharp eye to the human, who narrowed his.
"That would be much appreciated. We still had some questions regarding him and that vigilante."
"I'll stay longer, then. There's some notes I left on the map that might help."
"Alright then. We'll be back shortly. I'll get a radio for you two." And with that, Bryce collected Sebastian and left the two to their own devices.
"It's you, isn't it?" Maverick spoke darkly once he was sure they were gone.
"What do you mean?" Alex deadpanned.
"That vigilante. You're the only one who seems to have such equipment."
"Maverick, did you forget about that other human? Besides me and Sel?"
"What other human?"
"The one who's been attacking me this whole-" The door opened, cutting Alex off. Sebastian popped in and handed Maverick a radio. The two remained silent until he left.
"So what about that one...?"
Bryce and Sebastian scouted the abandoned farm, taking care to stay hidden. Through their binoculars, they saw nothing. That was until Sebastian pointed something out.
"Hey, over there." He whispered, pulling Bryce's vision over with a claw. What they saw shook them to the core.
It was a human, clad entirely in futuristic black and gray armor. The pants stretched due to their crouched position. They carried a pistol not unlike Alex's, casting a glare at the house.
The human bolted for a tractor, keeping low as they ran, and sliding to it on their shoulder. They rolled just before impact in order to soften the blow.
"Radio Maverick, Sebastian. I'll deal with this." Bryce tossed the binoculars down, getting up into a quiet canter. Sebastian didn't even get a chance to respond.
Maverick and Alex sat quietly, their previous topic of business having dried up a minute ago. Now they simply waited for a call to come in. Either that, or Bryce and Sebastian to come back. The former would turn out true as Maverick's radio crackled to life.
"Alex, Bryce just rushed into the farm. That vigilante's here, and they're going for it too!" Sebastian's voice rang clear.
"We'll be there soon. Don't do anything stupid." Maverick ordered. he turned to Alex and threw his head in the direction of the door.
"Bryce already did. He's looking for them. I wanted to go with him." Alex swiped the radio with some protest from Maverick. He was irritated, but at least he wasn't running on three legs.
"Sebastian, listen to me. You go get him right now. I don't care what he said, getting into a fight with Viper is a one-way ticket to the hospital. Retrieve his ass now!" Alex demanded through the speaker, his voice filled to the brim with urgency. The two burst through the station's front door, bolting for the farm.
"Wait-"
" No waiting! Do as I say! Bryce is in immediate danger! If he has anything to say about it, he can say it to me!"
"Fuck's sake..." Sebastian muttered before the line cut out. The two picked up their pace, speeding past several dragons on their way over...
It was quiet at the farm when when Alex and Maverick arrived. Maverick could barely keep himself upright, while Alex leaned against a tree for support. Both of them heaved breaths. It took them a solid minute to regain their stamina and keep going.
"You think they survived?" Maverick panted quietly.
"Not sure. Let's check it out." Alex drew his pistol before stalking into the site.
The two crept around back in utter silence. A heavy tension hung in the air as they reached what appeared to be evidence of a fight. It didn't seem to last very long, apparently, as they found Bryce's unconscious body several feet away.
"I'll wake him up. You check around for Sebastian." Maverick whispered. Alex turned from him to the house. The front door was left unopened, with a window having been pried instead. A single scrap of fabric hung from its sill, blowing gently in the breeze.
Alex climbed through, taking an immediate distaste for the silence. He crouched down and began creeping through the old house. A hardened look plagued his features as he focused on every little detail. He wondered why Mongoose would visit here if she knew Reza wasn't around. Had she gone rogue for some reason? Nobody was killed, but still. Making this much noise was extreme, even for her.
His train of thought was interrupted by someone taking him by the throat and spinning him into a room. They pinned him against a wall, where he could finally make out their identity. That wooden mask... it was the Administrator! She pinned him, and she had a gun against his chin.
"You're coming with me, 'Ambassador'." She growled. He immediately responded with a good old Scottish kiss – a headbutt. She recoiled and dropped the gun. He held his head as he got her into a tight carotid choke. Her mask was pulled off and thrown to the ground. She struggled against the man currently attacking her to no avail. He was pissed, and he wasn't letting go.
"Now then. If you don't want me to mutilate you, you're going to answer a few questions. Understood?" Alex snarled. The Administrator kneed him in the leg in response. He only drew his gun and shot her in the shin. She let out a strangled cry of agony as the superheated plasma cauterized her wound. "Want to try that again?" He asked. She shook her head.
"No..."
"Good. Now why are you trying to kill me?" His grip tightened until she opened her mouth.
"You're... not supposed... to be here!" She choked out.
"And why not?"
"That's classified..."
"Pity." Alex glanced around the room, noting a dusty bed frame. He walked her over and shoved her next to it. When she tried to punch him, he swiftly dodged and sent a heavy punch into her gut. She doubled over, allowing a knee to send her tumbling back into the frame. He picked her back up and slammed her against the wall again.
"F-" She retched. "There's... only supposed... to be one."
"One ambassador?" He asked to a nod.
"Your... 'Mongoose'..."
"I know she was here first. What happened with her?"
"Ask her...!"
"She's not in the chokehold."
"Then go ask!" The Administrator managed to yell.
"You're convenient. Now, do I need to break your skull on this bed frame?" She said nothing in return. He took her by the head and shoulder and rammed her against the frame, splintering the shockingly brittle wood into pieces. The Administrator took one and swung, catching Alex in the shin. He stepped back as she rose again.
She lunged for him, face bloodied from the abuse. He sidestepped, putting another round into her side. She threw the splinter at his face and bolted for the exit. Alex hurried after. She made it out the window just as Maverick and Sebastian rounded a the corner. She drew her revolver and fired several rounds just inches from them. They were forced back into cover as she made off. Alex shot several more times, emptying his magazine. He could now only watch as she made her exit, still suppressing the dragons with steady fire.
"Looks like I'm gonna need more ammo..."