Alex Heart ~ 17:00
The pressure in my head is practically unbearable, and the first thought that crosses my mind is the fact that I want to die.
Not in a funny, jokingly kind of way.
But a genuine dreading feeling that pushes me to thoughts I shouldn't be thinking.
As I try to open my eyes, the tiniest beam of lighting from the small lamp on my desk makes the sharp pain in my head ten times worse. I wince, quickly pressing my eyes shut again.
"—Alex," Carter's voice whispers from my right. "Are you okay?"
I don't make any sound. I don't speak, I don't sigh. I don't do anything for a good minute simply because I can't.
After what feels like an eternity, I finally manage to pull myself together. "What—happened?" I huff the words out in a whisper.
He comes to stand closer, one of his hands finding my back as he attempts to comfort me. "He did it. He chipped you."
I fall back in my chair, my neck unable to support the weight of my head still. "I feel like I'm going to die."
"I know, I know," Carter says quickly before tapping his hand on my back just once.
"Knife—" I sigh. "Grab my knife from underneath my belt."
"Knife?"
"Cut it out of me now," I say, my eyes still closed and my voice still just a breath.
"Alex I can't," Carter interjects, his grip on my back tightening for a moment. "He'd find out it wouldn't work anymore and just give you a new one."
My hand clenches into a tight fist, my knuckles white-hot with the searing waves of pure rage coursing through me. How could he have done this? How could I have allowed it to escalate to this point?
"I found something better," Carter says, briefly allowing my rage to slip away and be replaced by something that resembles hope. "You might want to thank Fraser for this."
Fraser? Some random dude from the technology department I had only seen once?
"Stay still," Carter mumbles, pushing my head forward and inching my hair away from my neck before I can question anything.
A soft beep sounds and the noise reverberates around my brain for only a second, before all ringing seems to stop. Suddenly, my head doesn't hurt too bad anymore, and my eyes are now able to be opened without being too sensitive to light.
"What the fuck?" I ask, stretching my shoulders before sitting up straight again. My hand reaches over to the back of my neck and my fingers find a new, small but present wound. There's no blood coming from it, and beneath the skin is still a noticeable bump. It's still in there. "What did you do?"
A smile tugs on the corner of his lips. "Promise you won't get mad. I did it for your own good."
"What did you do?" I ask again, my voice more urgent this time.
"I bribed Fraser," he says hesitantly, "—with your money."
"What?" I ask, my brows furrowed as I genuinely have no idea what he's talking about.
"I'm sorry—" he starts rambling, "it's just that he started building this thing because he didn't trust Canmoore. He heard about the chips so he made something to sort of disable them. He made two, and when Canmoore got you the other day, I didn't know any other solution so I—"
"—You did the right thing, Carter," I stop him. "Thank you."
He sighs, almost relieved. "I know, but still."
"What did it do?"
"Uhh," he hesitates once more. "If I recall correctly... It simply doesn't have control over you anymore, and the location tracker is on a continuous loop."
"How?" I ask.
"I have no idea, Alex. All I know is that you're up and moving, so there's that."
A smile quirks at my lips. Was that a.. snarky comment? He's learning.
"Now come on, we have work to do," Carter urges, his grip on my shoulder firmer this time.
"How long have I been out?"
"Just one day."
"Fuck," I mutter, sitting up straight as my thoughts race back to 141. Would they believe me if I told them what happened? "I need to return to the others soon."
"Alex, we've got pressing matters here," Carter straightens up, his shoulders tensing.
"Carter, I swear the entire plan will crumble if I lose their trust. We will need their help later," I explain. "Can you hang on for just one or two more days?"
He sighs, rolling his eyes as he turns away. "Fucking hell... I don't really have much of a choice, do I?"
My jaw tightens, reluctant to push his patience any further. "I'm sorry, Carter," I sigh. "I need you with this. Please."
"Yeah, I'll fix things here again. Go on, get moving. The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll return."
I smile, placing a hand on his shoulder this time. "Thank you, Carter. You're the best. I'll be back as soon as I can."
"Wait," he murmurs, halting me just before I attempt to leave. "Take this," he says as he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. Delicately, he inserts a nearly imperceptible clear earpiece.
"What happened to you? Did you turn into some sort of tech wizard?" I chuckle.
"Yeah," he says short and serious. "Now listen. If you tap three times here," he carefully touches my tragus, "it turns on and then we can communicate."
I frown, unfamiliar with this new piece of equipment. As he pulls his finger away, I tap three times on my tragus, and a single beep immediately sounds in my ear. It's soft. Quiet enough for no one else to hear.
I frown again. "What if someone hits this side of my head three times, huh?"
Without thinking, he responds. "Then make sure you don't find yourself in that position in the first place."
~~~
I don't feel nervous, though I'm also not particularly calm. I know that my absence hasn't gone unnoticed, and I also know it's going to be hard for them to believe what happened.
At least I've got proof that it's actually in there.
Once I reach the entrance, the two men standing on guard immediately point their guns at me.
I slowly raise my hands, knowing that they haven't really seen me so there's no way for them to know who I am. "I know you don't know me. But could you give Captain Price a call..?"
As the two guards question me, I feel the weight of their suspicion. I know I must look like a mess, but I can't afford to let doubt cloud their judgment. My mind races with the urgency of the situation.
"I need to see Captain Price," I repeat, this time sounding more demanding. "Tell him the Alex with no ranking is back."
Their narrowed eyes and trigger-ready fingers reveal their reluctance. They want a reason, a justification for letting a disheveled stranger inside their secure facility.
I sigh, genuinely unfazed by their demeanor. "Oh come on. You're not even gonna give him a call?"
The guards exchange dubious glances before one finally offers a simple nod. The other quickly makes the call, while the one who nodded raises his gun even higher. Their skepticism is practically written on their foreheads, and I desperately hope that Price will vouch for me.
While waiting, I maintain my stance with raised hands, concealing the pocketknife tucked carefully beneath my belt. The guards don't seem to notice the hidden weapon, which offers a small measure of relief. But the tension remains palpable.
I hear him mumble the words 'Alex without a ranking' being said by the guard, and I have to press my lips together to keep myself from smiling. Finally, their radio crackles to life. "Captain Price wants to see her. Bring her in."
A satisfied grin appears on my face as they have to let me in. "Thank you, gentlemen," I mumble as I pass through the two of them, both their gazes squinting.
I quickly pass through the hallways which I'm not incredibly familiar with yet. I do know the directions to Price's office, and I'm making sure my steps are quicker than just a normal walking pace.
Once I turn the final corner into the hallway where his office is located, I slow down my pace because I'm met with Price standing in front of his office.
His arms are crossed in front of his chest, his feet shoulder-width apart. His head is leaned back a little, and his expression is nothing but skeptical.
Once I reach him, neither of us says a word. We just simply look at each other, my own gaze stern like his. We stand in that empty hallway, locked in a silent standoff. Our gazes remain unwavering, each of us trying to gauge the other's intent.
Price's arms stay firmly crossed, and his skeptical expression doesn't fall. It's clear that he's not going to make this easy for me.
After what feels like an eternity, he breaks the silence. "Care to enlighten me?" His tone is gruff, demanding an explanation for my unexpected appearance.
I sigh, steeling myself for the disbelief I'm about to face. I know he won't believe me easily, but I have to try.
With a resigned sigh, I nod. "Let's continue this inside your office. It's not something I can explain in a hallway."
Price eyes me cautiously, then nods, unlocking his office door and stepping inside. I follow suit, and he closes the door behind us.
The room is surprisingly warm in temperature, and my eye falls on the thick stack of paper on his desk. Price takes his seat behind it, and I stand on the other side, bracing myself for what's to come.
"You know what," I begin, my voice steady and resolute, "I'm not even going to try to be convincing. I'm just going to tell you what happened, and then you can decide what the hell you want to do with me. Alright?"
He seemingly takes a moment to think about it, though his eyes don't leave me for a single second. His face is emotionless, and when I expect him to speak, he doesn't. He waves his hand a little as if to say 'Go on'.
"They chipped me. Well, he chipped me."
Price's eyebrows furrow slightly, and his eyes narrow as he processes my revelation. He seems hesitant, unsure of whether to believe me.
Seeing his doubt, I reach up and pull my hair aside, revealing a small, barely noticeable bump on the back of my neck. It's a silent plea for him to take this seriously. "You can feel it, if you don't believe me."
He doesn't blink, but he quickly gets up. Before I know it, he stands beside me and his hand carefully finds my skin. He touches the tender spot, and I let my head hang forward as he inspects it.
"Are you traceable now?" He asks immediately, his tone worried.
"-No," I quickly interject. "They could. But I used something to temporarily disable it. If I were to take it out.."
"-He'd just give you a new one.." Price mumbles to himself. "Understood."
"Sounds unbelievable, right?" I chuckle once.
"No."
His hands glide down my neck, and he lets my hair fall back over my shoulder. The short touch and the warmth of his hand have goosebumps rising on my skin. "I didn't think he'd actually do it this quickly.."
"Was to be expected.." He sighs. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Good."
"We need a better way of staying in contact when I'm away."
"We do."