The Alpha Project

Chapter 3

"Quinn and the others have returned!"

I quickly turned from sorting the fruit in the Square as everyone erupted in cheers, quickly joining the others in watching Quinn and his team enter the now crowded Alley.

They must have succeeded!

It had been a week since they left and the tension was high, everyone wanted to know how the mission went, and if we could pull off a rescue mission or not.

Arrow locked eyes with me and waved as he ran up to me, who was anxiously waiting to pick his brain.

"Did you-" I started.

"Let's find your mom so we don't have to repeat information twice. We'll explain everything."

"At least tell me good news?" I said, trying to keep up as he be-lined it for the War Room.

"Gotta catch up first!" he teased, heading into the dark candle-lit room where my mother was already sitting.

"Did you get what you needed?" she asked eagerly.

The team nodded. "Yes, ma'am," Luke stated. "We succeeded!"

We all cheered and patted the team on the back, but the celebration was short when Quinn grunted.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asked, surprising me. He just went on a mission to make this idea possible, and now he's questioning if we should even go through with it?

Mother sighed. "Yes, I am. There's no other way."

"But why put our people in danger if all we're doing is stopping a hybrid from going to war?"

I stayed quiet, primarily out of shock. Didn't he see the hybrid himself? What was actually stopping him from wanting to do this mission?

"You do realize that if Project: A.L.P.H.A. is to continue developing, the DOA could overtake the rebels, and there won't be anyone left to rise back up against them!" Mother barked back.

"So we kill the hybrid! That way, they can't make anymore!"

The room gasped at Quinn's suggestion and watched for Mother's response, her face clenched in anger.

"Maybe, but then she wouldn't live the life she should've been given! She didn't ask for this! We can't just kill her. I won't allow it! Now sit down, or I will release you, regardless of whether you're my son!"

Quinn yelled in frustration but sat down, the room not speaking a word. You could cut the tension with a knife as we looked between a boiling Quinn and Mother, breathing big, slow breaths.

Luke cleared his throat as he shifted in his seat. "If I may, I do have a plan."

All attention was immediately on Luke as he leaned into the table.

"Go on," Mother encouraged.

"The lab was just outside the city, about an hour away. Jake, I will need you to hack into the system and disable the camera, alarms, and whatever else we might come across."

Jake nodded and smiled.

"Arrow, you and I will lure people away from where the hybrid is being kept while Quinn guides Benji to where the hybrid's room is. Jake, make sure to disable any locked doors blocking Benji's path."

"Wait, you want me to rescue the hybrid?" I interrupted.

"Yes," Luke responded as if it was the plan all along, and I was just stupid. "We need you to take the hybrid far from here to the rebel city in Seattle."