**Spoilers: Felix aesthetic up top. Blond A.I of what I think Felix looks like**
Alex kept a steady pace walking down the sidewalk. Her head down and her hood up. She didn't realize WICKED hated her so much. On every other electronic billboard was a wanted picture of herself. She knew she had ticked off Janson when they tried to capture them at the Right Arm camp, and then kept intercepting their supplies constantly out smarting them and then kicked them when they were down by stealing a whole train car of kids.
But dang boy, WICKED is quite obsessed with me. Quite flattering, really. That would actually be a really easy way in...just marching up to the front door and flip off Janson!
It was hard to blend in and pretend she lived here when every few feet was something new she hadn't seen before, or at lest that she could remember. The bright flashing lights, and loud noise of the billboards, cars and all the people. It was so busy and loud and flashy. It made Alex flinch a few times.
Man I miss the quiet of the Glade. Life was simple, quite... easy.. ya we were surrounded by jail stone walls and death monsters.. but I think I want a house away from the city. This is too much.
Alex flinched again when a car with a wailing siren and flashing red and blue lights blasted past her. She watched horror struck when the car pulled over and the men in full hazmat suits got out and tackled a guy. He had just been standing there, minding his own business, watching the billboards. They tackled him and held him. He started crying. The hazmat suit guys pulled out something small and scanned him. He started thrashing.
"We got a containment breach! We got one! We got an infected!" One guy yelled.
The people on the same side of the street fled to the other side, it was pure panic and chaos. Alex watched from the crowd as the other masked man pulled out a gun of some kind. They were yelling at him to stay still. The guy finally shot his gun at the guy crying on the street. Some kind of wax or jelly slowly crept up his body, covering him. He was screaming louder and for help. His screaming was cut off abruptly when the waxy jell covered his mouth and up over his face. The two masked guys pulled out a communication device.
"Bring the truck. We got an infected. Its contained now."
Alex knew it was time to go, she spun around and pushed and elbowed her way through the crowd and walked as fast as she could away from the chaotic scene. She tried to pull her hood down more. Her face was already in the shadow, but the security it made her feel helped her not freak out more. She missed her big hooded cowl, she always wore on missions. Alex stuffed her fists into the pockets of her jacket. Someone was walking towards her on the street, she tried to slink into the shadows and avoid the man. There were enough people on the sidewalk, but he had singled her out and kept glancing at her. Alex avoided eye contact, quickly crossing the street, but she could feel his eyes on her back. She sped up. She decided to slip down an alley.
Shuck shuck. He recognized me! I gotta get to WICKED before they call it in.
She peeked around the alley corner, saw the direction she needed to go, spun on her heel and ran back down the alley. Keeping to the shadows and back alleys. It was like running in The Maze. All the streets and back alleys making up the maze corridors, with that in mind she put her head down and ran even faster, taking corners with little thought. The closer she got to the building the more crowded the main streets became. She had to slow down to a brisk walk when she crossed these intersections.
She slowed down to a stop, staying in the shadows of a building. In front of her stood WICKED'S main facility. It was huge. Made of all glass and shiny metal. There were guards and soldiers everywhere, in their black tactical gear and guns. WICKED employees in their pressed white outfits. Through the glass Alex could see all the security.
Shuck. This is going to be a challenge. Do they have a parking garage? Or a side or back door, those might not be so guarded, might be easier to get through... Or I could still march up to the front door and flip of RatMan! That would be fun. I'll keep that as a last resort.
Alex crept down the street in front of the building. Thankful it was still night, meaning the streets were mostly empty of WICKED workers, sneaking around was definitely easier in the dark. She had rounded a corner and just about bumped into a guard on a smoke break. Alex leapt on her before she could fully registered who she was and what was going on. She twisted the guards head back and jerked it up, breaking her neck. She dropped with a heavy thud. Alex stood for a second breathing heavy. She shook her head and kept going, slinking down the side of the building.
Alex flattened herself against the wall and peeked around the corner. She had made it to the parking garage entrance. She only saw one guy working, and he looked pretty bored. She peered around, looking in the corners and windows of the building, she only saw two security cameras. And they seemed easy enough to avoid.
For a WICKED headquarters they have some lame security...
Slipping around the corner, Alex crept to the section of the building. Alex ducked under a half wall that ran the length of the garage. In a crouch she ran down the length. She was as quiet and stealthy as a shadow.
Thanks Cap for the training in sneakery and stealth.
When she came to the end of the wall she peered around the corner again. The little guard house by the garage gate was only a few feet away. He had his head down scrolling through his phone. Staying in her crouch she snuck up to the building. With her back to the wall, the window was directly over her head. She took a slow steadying breath. And slipped her knife out of her pocket. She reached a hand up and tapped on the glass.
She waited. Nothing. She reached up and tapped the window again, harder this time. She waited, holding her breath. This time there was the noise of a window opening.
"Hello?" The guard called, confused.
Alex waited.
"Hello? Is someone there?" He called again.
"Ya. Down here you twat faced bafoon" Alex whispered.
The guard leaned out the window, confusion on his face
"What the-"
He didn't finish his sentence, because Alex had stabbed her knife up into his throat, and twisted. Alex yanked the knife out, the guard flopped down hanging half out the window.
"I'll be taking this. Thank you." She said, grabbing his gun, from his holster, his swipe card and his earpiece.
"WICKED ...You are the embodiment of stupid." She whispered as she stuck the earpiece in.
Now she had the ability to hear what was going on. Alex staked into the garage and towards the closest door. She reached a hand to twist the door handle when it twisted first. She flattened herself on the wall. Bringing her borrowed gun up just as the door swung open. Two guards walked out, one was laughing the other looked fed up, his lips pursed in a tight line. Alex stayed quiet, they didn't notice her. She was wearing black, hiding in the shadows and she wasn't very big. The serious guard still caught sight of her and did a double take. He came to an abrupt stop, his eyes went wide while his buddy walked into him.
Alex raised the gun, the guy who first spotted her raised his hands in surrender. The other guy had spun around and went for his gun. Alex shot him first. He fell to the floor, his body twitching with electricity. Alex pointed the gun to the other one, the one who spotted her. He still had his hands up, not bothering to go for his weapon. Alex stepped out of the shadows.
"No way?! Alex?" He whispered in disbelief, his mouth twitched into a smile.
"Do I know you?" Alex spat.
"Wait ..you...you don't remember me?" He asked sadly, his shoulders sagged, his smile faded into a frown.
"Uhh, should I?"
"I can't believe you don't remember me! It hasn't been THAT long!" The guy muttered.
"Well, I guess you're not that memorable." Alex snapped.
"Ouch. Still as sharp and sarcastic as ever." The guy chuckled, his hands still raised.
He hadn't moved, but his honey brown eyes were trying to pierce her soul and read her thoughts. She had some kind of feeling like she should know him, there was something about him... but her chip was removed and she didn't get any more memory flashes. So she was stuck with the few memory fragments she had. But maybe he had already shown up in a memory, but she couldn't quite place him.
"Okay...who the shuck are you and why are we supposed to know each other? Also you can thank WICKED for my memory lapses." Alex said cautiously but her curiosity peaked.
He sighed. "We were in the same squad, Squad One, we were partners on as the ground crew. Captain Ronin was our squad leader..." he said hopefully. Alex hadn't lowered the gun, her finger still on the trigger, her face didn't change.
"Uhh what else...? OH! I was there when you found your dog. I helped you rescue her ..I think you named her..
"Bark" Alex whispered, her eyes wide.
The guy snapped his fingers, and pointed at her, excited. "Yes! Because she was so quiet."
Alex's hands started to shake. Her face of stone broke into shock.
"You...you know about Bark..?" She stuttered. She was definitely not expecting that.
"Ya. Ya I do. We got her out from under a flipped car. You brought her to Cap and demanded water and his help to keep the pup hidden from Janson...and somehow he caved and let you have your own freakin' dog! You always got whatever from Cap. All you had to do was bat your eyelashes and say please and he would cave. It was quite funny actually. Cap had quite the soft spot for you. The rest of us in the squad would place bets every time he told us to do something and you didn't want to, betting how long it would take to break him."
Alex opened and closed her mouth a few times.
"Sounded like something I would do." Alex said cautiously.
She had lowered her gun, but she was still suspicious of him. He still worked for WICKED.
"Can I lower my arms? Promise I won't try anything. You always kicked my ass in training. Especially in hand to hand, you were little but wholly shit you could kick box! I ain't dumb enough to try anything."
Alex nodded and pulled her hood back, revealing her face. He took a sharp breath in, his eyes wide again, finally seeing her full face. Alex narrowed her eyes, and clenched her jaw.
"Gotta a problem?" She hissed.
He blinked and shook his head. Then shrugged his shoulders.
"Nah. I knew they sent you into the maze after you were caught. I didn't hear anything after that for a while. Cap gave us a few details, but not much. I knew you were uhh...attacked by some creep, and then escaped the maze...you're a soldier Alex, soldiers have scars. Just...haven't seen you in like a year and a bit. It's good to see you!" He gave her a smile, that made his eyes twinkle. The knot of apprehension eased a little. He seemed genuine.
"Hmmm." Was all she said.
"Okay..well, are you going to shoot me or what's happening here? Also why are you here...alone? OH wait...no never mind." He smacked his forehead, "I heard rumors they had him here." He nodded sadly.
Alex perked up.
He knows? Minho?
"How can I trust you?" She whispered, suspiciously, but deep down somewhere in her subconscious she knew she could trust him.
"Umm.. well what else can I tell you? Umm I know you were captured by Janson's goonies after you stole some of WICKED's top secret information, I know you were punished for having a continued relationship with Minho. I know they hated you for being a constant pain in Janson's ass; constantly defying orders and not complying to their rules and doing your own thing. Apparently your still at it, being a royal pain in their ass. Umm I know you have a twin sister and an older brother..."
"Okay okay...I get it. Well...ya, that was the plan. Shoot whoever was in my way. The garage guard was in my way and at the time I didn't have this fancy gun...sooo...he's permanently asleep." Alex smiled at him, swinging the gun around her finger.
"Ah. Well. I definitely would like to stay permanently awake... And I ain't gonna stop you. Wish Cap had taken me with him when he left. But I was in a different part of the compound...so I was left behind. It's sucked without you and Cap and Jack around. Not sure how much help I'll be..but...willing to help."
"You know Jack?" Alex perked up again.
"Ya! He was in our squad until he was shot, and he couldn't do missions anymore. Captain moved him to surveillance. He was a good guy. One day he left with some WICKED trucks and some big wig doctor. They never came back." He said sadly, his large shoulders slumping.
Alex grinned. "I'm the reason they didn't come back. But Jack is good. He's with Cap now. He was helping us. He was sneaking information to us. The mission with the doctor was just to get him out., well to get the doctor, but also get Jack out."
"What? No! Seriously?" His mouth dropped open.
Alex just grinned evilly.
"Okay, what's your name? We obviously knew each other from before..." She demanded.
"Felix."
"Holly shuckin hell! No way!" Alex stood there, mouth falling open.
"I'm in. Whatever it is, whatever your doing...I'm in. Just take me with you, and get me the hell outta here!" Felix begged.
That was definitely something she wasn't expecting, an ally. But it was definitely welcome.
"Okay. I don't have a lot of time. Like you said, they have Minho and Tes here. I'm going to get them back. There are a few more of us, waiting behind the walls. We snuck in through the train tunnels. I'll give you details on how to get there. But uh...maybe showing up through a secret tunnel probably isn't the best. So. This is how they know your on my side..."
She was quite for a second, narrowed her eyes and drew her still bloody knife out twirled it in her hand, and clutched it tight, so now she had her gun raised in one hand and the bloody knife in the other, and eyes narrowed at the guy in front of her.
"You better be on my side!" She threatened.
"Jeez Alex! Bringing a bloody knife out, you trying to flirt with me?" He raised an eyebrow, his hands on his hips.
Apparently the appearance of a bloody knife in his face didn't phase him. Alex's lip twitched into a small smirk, his sarcastic remark made her trust him more. He reminded her a little of Minho, the attitude and the snarky remarks. She liked him.
Hmmm. Maybe I did this on a regular bases with him. making deadly weapons appear in front of him.
"If I wasn't on your side I would have alerted the rest of WICKED that there is an intruder, and I would have tried to disarm you...though that would be a freaking mistake. Oh also, the electricity is wearing off, on the guy withering at our feet. Might want to shoot him again...or how did you put it? Make him permanently asleep? Dude is a jerk, never liked him. He's too "wicked is good crap." And I have heard some pretty messed up things about what he does to women. Definitely on your side. I wanted out a long time ago."
Alex growled and lowered her weapons, and took Felix's advice and shot the guy on the ground again. He instantly started twitching.
"Like I said, I'm willing to help. I'm in. I'm never allowed into the upper levels, Janson grew suspicious of me after Cap left- everyone in his squad was uh...unalived after he defected. I was the exception, and apparently so was Jack, 'cause I was nowhere near him during that week. Anyway. I know level 3 and 4 are the testing Labs, probably where they are being held. We can stay in the stairwells there's no cameras. In about 20 minutes Janson will be on break on floor 1. Okay, let's go!" he rambled.
"That's really helpful. Thank you Felix. But you're not coming!" Alex answered, and she was honest. It was very helpful, more information she had then before.
He smiled at her, a big toothy grin, "I also know your stupid stubborn, but we were squad partners and at the time your Mr. Muscles of a boyfriend threatened my life if I let anything happen to you, it was on our way t training one day, he latterly threatened my life. I do believe this is another mission, and if it's to extract Mr Muscly boyfriend, I ain't leaving you alone! Also, I know the building better than you. So. I'm coming. End of story." He crossed his arms.
Alex huffed in frustration. She then glanced at the guy on the ground. She bent over the guy on the ground and ended his life. The electricity transferred to her, giving her a jolt of adrenaline.
"How..? What the hell? That didn't hurt you? It's still jumping all over your hands and arms!"
"I'm a shucken miraculous science experiment, Felix. Again. Thank WICKED." Alex rolled her eyes.
He held his hands up in defeat and shook his head. "All right there Thor, let's go get Mr. Muscly Boyfriend." He turned and opened the door.
Weird how life will throw things at you...but shuck you world for taking Minho from me!