Chapter Four-Alexander
Alexander strikes.
She dodges.
Alexander kicks.
She blocks.
Alexander sweeps. She jumps, but he catches her in the ankles, knocking her on her back. She lands with a huff, but rolls away, unfazed. Then she charges him again.
Unbelievable.
Alexander pushes her against the truck and can't help but feel it was a lucky shot. Alexander has never needed a lucky shot. She bounces back, kicks his diaphragm. The next second, she's opening the hatch, reaching for the Amazon Queen. Lunging, he grabs the blonde girl around the waist, prying her from the SUV, enveloping her in his arms, where he locks her in a solid grip.
That's when she goes truly wild. Her long blonde hair wraps around his neck and sticks there because of the sweat, and he feels entangled, like she's the one overtaking him.
A breathless Wade re-secures the hatch on the SUV before anyone can hear the Amazon Queen's muffled screams coming from it. The girl in Alexander's arms thrashes and kicks like something feral. How can something so small be so powerful? And fast. Impossibly fast.
With one clean jerk, she pops her head back and catches Alexander's chin. He releases her out of reflex. Stupid, stupid. Blood trickles from his lip and Liam's admonition sears through him: Expect the unexpected. Alexander feels like he's failing his own Extraction, instead of merely botching up Wade's.
The blonde girl takes off, running like she's being propelled by some unknown force. Alexander's gut twists, watching her escape. Don't go after her. Absolutely do not. But he's one-part intrigued and two-parts annoyed. I'm doing everything wrong. I'm thinking. Feeling. Acting like Wade.
And now I've helped him. He was going to Defect and I've helped him. Because of her.
"Alexander, what are you doing?" Wade yells after him.
Alexander is compromising the Extraction and he knows it. But I already compromised it by helping Wade. Why should that stop me now? He knows if he even hesitates, this girl will be disappear. Out run him. That seems worse than anything else in the world right now. He's tired, and irritated that she doesn't seem tired. He's bleeding, and irritated that she's not.
Chasing her is not ideal. But neither is having an eye witness to the Extraction. If he's being honest with himself though, that's not why he's chasing her. Not at all.
Ahead, he sees her. She doesn't pause until she's past the field house. She leans one hand against it and holds her side with the other. Alexander stops. He shouldn't stop. I should keep going, take advantage, close the distance. But she's injured. When? How? Alexander's sure it didn't originate with him. He could hardly touch her, let alone land a useful blow. She looks over her shoulder wide-eyed, evidently startled that he's so close.
I happen to be fast as well, he wants to tell her.
For a second, their eyes meet. Hers are a striking blue, even from this far away. Eyes that make him feel inferior in some way. Eyes that are empty. Empty like mine should be. She's doing everything right. Acting and reacting. Everything I'm not doing. Alexander wonders what she sees in his expression that makes her take off running again.
Just when he thinks she's going to stay on the sidewalk—like any normal person would do—she hurdles over the railing. Like I would do. If I was doing it right.
She takes the bleachers two at a time and only loses balance at the very end. He watches as she slams against the metal rail between her and the blacktop running track. She winces, clutching her side again, the same side she favored by the field house.
Definitely injured.
She hops over the rail in one graceful motion, and tears onto the football field, interrupting what looks like a practice session. It takes only seconds for her to sprint across the width of it, dodging unexpecting players as she passes them by. When she reaches the stadium bleachers on the other side, she runs all the way up the concrete steps.
He should leave, he knows. He should vacate the scene. She's sure to tell someone. He's surprised she didn't stop someone on the field, tell them what happened. But it's like she didn't even see the boys practicing. Not as people, anyway. Just as obstacles to be maneuvered around.
Alexander jogs back to the truck, trying to allow himself time to assess what happened. He attempts to calculate the damage of his recklessness and decides "astronomical" sounds accurate. Wade is waiting in the driver's side, just like he knew he'd be. Just like he's trained to be. That makes one of us.
"Where is she?" Wade says, incredulous.
"Gone." Alexander slams the door.
Wade stomps on the gas. "Gone? You didn't catch her?"
"No." He's not going to explain himself to Wade. He will though, have to explain it to Liam. And Liam will not be happy.
"What the heck was that?" Wade says, panicked enough to forget to mute his southern accent. "Was it Dr. Forsythe? Did he set us up?" Wade says, hopping a curb and steering them down an alley between buildings—the exact opposite of what Alexander would have done. When Wade glances back at him, his eyes go round. "You're bleeding. I don't...I don't think I've ever seen that."
Alexander growls, pulling up his shirt and using it to wipe the blood from his lip. It has been a long time since he's cleaned up his own blood. "It's nothing. I have blood; I can bleed."
"Yeah but—"
"Enough."
"Sorry."
"Pull over here. I'm driving until you collect your wits."
Wade does as he's told, parking them against a building. "You're not just a little freaked out about what just happened? Has that ever happened before?"
"Has someone tried to intervene before? Yes." They usually try to Extract the Objective when they're alone, to prevent a well-meaning bystander from getting hurt. The Extractions can get out of hand, like the one today. Wade had been prepared to watch for well-meaning bystanders. Alexander had prepared him himself.
Alexander had seen the blonde girl standing there, but Wade apparently had not—that or he deemed her as a threat he could easily neutralize.
"Yeah, but have they ever succeeded in intervening?"
"She didn't succeed. We got what we came for."
"But Alexander—"
"Enough!" He takes a few stabilizing breaths. He knows exactly what Wade is asking, but he doesn't have the answer. All he really knows is that yelling at Wade is not going to help the matter. He needs Wade calm. He needs himself calm. He needs to analyze the damage and strategize alternative solutions.
Emotion does not have a place in this scenario, yet emotion is what he feels. More has happened here than a mere escaped assailant; there have been times where that has happened. The more pressing issue is that Wade was going to Defect—and Alexander helped him not to. Lead by example, he hears Liam say. Assert your control. Emotions are poison to logic.
"Let's assess your questions," Alexander says, more calmly than he feels.
"Okay," Wade says, a hint of panic still left in his voice.
"You asked if Dr. Forsythe could be behind this. Explain to me why you would think that." It's an intentional diversion, and a good place to start until logic takes its proper place. He motions for Wade to crawl over him, so that he can drive.
Wade squirms into the passenger seat. "Dr. Forsythe is trying to stop the cause. Maybe he sent someone to capture us."
"That is sound reasoning, but I don't think you're correct." With each word, his voice lowers until he's speaking as if to a small child. Wade usually responds well to this method.
Wade nods, buckling. "Okay. What do you think just happened?"
"We never want to assume," Alexander says. "What we do know is that we were interrupted by someone who was already at the Extraction point. You did see her there, correct?"
Wade nods, looking perplexed. "She was just a girl. I went for the obvious opening. I assumed the other chick would run or scream or both, but by the time anyone came to help we'd be long gone."
It was a fair assessment. "Good. What we don't know is why she was there. We'll need to look into this when we get back to the Crag. It shouldn't take much effort." At the Crag, they have access to virtually every database in the world. Identifying their escapee will not present a problem. Within a matter of minutes, they'll know everything about her.
By the time their vehicle emerges from the alley, Wade has collected his composure. Alexander recognizes that Wade is analyzing the situation from a much more rational perspective.
"Let's say she was planted by Forsythe to prevent the Extraction."
"She wasn't," Alexander counters. "I'm certain."
"How can you be so sure?"
If Wade was anyone else, Alexander would have corrected him by now. But this is Wade. Wade is inquisitive to a fault. And Wade is not intending disrespect. Alexander glances at him. "For a few reasons. For instance, she hasn't been trained. Forsythe wouldn't send an untrained assailant."
Wades mouth drops open. "What do you mean 'untrained'? She got away from both of us!"
Alexander sighs. "She's fast. It's that simple. And reflexive. But not trained." He uses his thumb to wipe another drip of blood from the corner of his mouth. "Her movements weren't precise. They were all over the place in fact, but her speed allowed her to miss often, but recoup efficiently."
"What are you saying? That she was just a student there who kicked our asses? Me, maybe. But you?"
Alexander finds it unbelievable as well. But there has to be an explanation. There always is. "Do you recall the car Leah was standing next to?"
"Yeah."
"Perhaps it belongs to the other girl. Our recon shows that Leah drives a different vehicle and parks in front of the school. That's why she didn't arrive in the front parking lot when we expected her to." They'd made a circle around the school, and by mere chance saw Leah in the parking lot by the field house. If there had been too many onlookers, they would have backed down, waited for a more convenient time. But there was only the blonde girl.
"So she met a friend after school?" Wade says.
Friend? Alexander recalls the shards of glass around the dilapidated vehicle. Did Leah do that? He'll have to ask her. When she calms down. As it is, she's still bumping around in the back of the SUV, and screaming muffled threats. Most of the Amazon Queens do this when Extracted, no matter in what sort of household they were raised.
"God, Alexander, I never thought for a second that she'd attack me. And even if she did, she was so...so...small!" Wade runs a hand through his hair. He's still quite sweaty from his exertions.
"It wasn't likely, I agree. But remember, you must expect the unexpected."
Wade is quiet for a few moments, probably dissecting the scene again, running through alternative ways he could have handled it. At least, that's what Alexander hopes he's doing. With each mile they put between them and the high school, Alexander gets more agitated. Leaving that girl behind feels like the wrong thing to do. It's not just that she's an eye witness to the Extraction. The goal is always to leave no witnesses, but they've dealt with witnesses before. Several times, in fact, onlookers have called the authorities. Only once did it make national news though—and that's the part Liam doesn't like. He couldn't care less about the local authorities, but making headlines might alert the public to the fact that some of the abductees have very similar appearances. And very similar stories of adoption. It would make the remaining Extractions of that particular clone much more difficult.
But the past news sensation was a clone of Ajax. Even if this incident makes headlines somehow, it is not likely to be connected, since an Amazon Queen was taken. Still, Liam will remind him of what he already knows; more care must be exercised during Extractions.
"I need to call Liam," Alexander says more to himself than to Wade. "I need to tell him about her."
"About Leah?"
"No. The other one."
"Why? It's over now." Wade shifts violently in his seat, facing Alexander. "Alexander." Wade places a hand on Alexander's shoulder. Gives it a mild shake. "Alexander."
"Hmm?" He can't bring himself to look at Wade. Not now that this conversation must take place. He knows what Wade is thinking. He knows what Wade has only just realized.
"I Defected."
"I know."
"Please don't take me back to the Crag?" Wade's voice is just a raspy whisper.
"You know I have to."
"I could run away. You could say you lost me."
It's a sad, naïve plan. "They will track you. I will track you." The words taste so bitter in his mouth. Words are nothing more than capsules of information, he can hear Liam say. But he doesn't feel that way right now. If words were capsules, these would be covered with barbs. Sharp, unspeakable little things.
Wade reaches around to his back, where he knows the tracking pearl is implanted. It's out of his reach, impossible for him to remove himself. A look of defeat washes over him. A look of acceptance. Alexander's gut twists. He expected Wade to put up more of a fight. In fact, he'd wanted him to put up a fight. But at the same time, he's shown how much he's matured. He's showing that by accepting his own demise, he's accepting that the cause is more important than one life. Wade is finally ready to be an Archer. But he'll never know that rank. Not now that he's Defected.
Wade crosses his arms. "You couldn't even overtake her. How was I supposed to be able to?"
Alexander cringes. He's certain he could have eventually overtaken the girl, had he caught up to her again. Fairly certain, anyway. But the fact that he didn't subdue her could be used to intrigue Liam. It could give Wade a chance. After all, Alexander is Liam's only Omni. And if an Omni couldn't neutralize the situation, how could Liam expect an Archer to? All these things should make Liam curious. At least, that's what Alexander is hoping. "That's a good question, Wade. And one worth posing to Liam."
"Really?" Wade perks up. "You think he'll listen to you?"
"All I can do is advise him of the situation. I'm certain he'll agree it warrants his attention, under the circumstances." He doesn't mean to give Wade false hope. But Liam is a reasonable man. He doesn't want any of the Extractions to Defect. Perhaps Wade will be spared. Perhaps Liam will even allow him to retest on a different Extraction, to show himself worthy of Archer rank. Or, given the circumstances, maybe Liam will pardon Wade altogether, and will allow Alexander to assume responsibility for the whole thing.
But assuming the entirety of the responsibility and the subsequent punishment is the least of Alexander's worries. He's going to have to approach Liam with the subject cautiously though, and with great respect and humility. Liam will not like his request, Alexander is certain. Liam will argue and possibly lose his temper. Alexander will have to exercise great patience and diplomacy. And if that fails, he'll simply resort to begging—something he's never done before.
Because Alexander is determined to Extract the blonde girl with the icy blue eyes. And he has no idea why.