The scream that tore through the building froze the blood of everybody who heard it. Those with nothing to do suddenly found tasks to get them away from the source of that horrific scream.
Lucinda Elliot tore through her base, trying to ignore the panic that coursed through her. She skidded into her office, heels clattering on the marble floor, her hands already outstretched for her desk. Her deft fingers found the switch, the compartment opened...
Nothing.
It was gone. Gone. And Trevelyan had taken it.
She would not stand for this. She would not let him get away with this.
And when he arrived at the ship, she would hunt him down and she would kill him. And she would enjoy it. Her fist slammed down upon the table, she ignored the pain that shot through her hand.
She tossed her blonde hair back defiantly. The sooner she was the only person in charge, the better. No one crossed Lucinda Elliot and got away with it.
*
The jeep came to a halt at the edge of the airfield, and Ashleigh jumped out of the back, already seeing the helicopter, blades rotating, her adrenaline levels about to go through the roof, this was it, never had she been so prepared for a mission.
James was right behind her, and he could see her excitement. He wanted to tell her that she needed to calm down, to focus, but he was feeling the same thrill, he knew he would snap into a more professional mood on the journey, he hoped that she would too.
The third person to exit the jeep was more cautious, both in getting his feet back on the ground, and in his attitude. Alec was here, he knew what he was doing, he was following orders, in the same way as Ashleigh and James were. There were just a few more things to do.
'The passes will get you on board, there should be enough people arriving at the same time to conceal identities long enough to get to a secure position.'
James nodded curtly. Alec supposed it was about as civil as he would get.
'They're signaling us over,' Ashleigh couldn't resist a quick grin. 'Time to go.'
'Ashleigh.'
She turned at the sound of her name, her smile still on her lips. Alec was staring at her with the same intensity he had moments before he had kissed her that first time. But there was something in the way he stood, as if the weight of the world was upon his shoulders that made the smile fade away.
'We had a deal, Ash,' he used her shortened name with a fond familiarity. 'You have to do what I can no longer do.'
She wasn't exactly sure what he was talking about, but she had a feeling that she didn't like the way this was going. 'I don't understand,' she frowned.
He was so close to her, ignoring James, tilting her chin up so she was looking right up at him. 'Alec?' she asked, 'What is it?'
He was fumbling in his pocket, 'My side of the bargain is done. I've done everything in my power to help you, even going to M, for your sake. I expect you to uphold your side of the truce.' He was pressing something into her hand. She saw the silver pistol, taken from her at the compound, he must have sought it out for her, and her question was written across her face. 'Kill them for me. Kill them both. Especially Lucinda. She's after your blood, kill her before she can kill you.'
It was as much warning as he could give her. With the exception of disobeying her to warn Ashleigh, he had done everything M had asked him to do. He had given her every scrap of information that he could, he had given James and Ashleigh access to Deronda's ship, even rescued them from the research facility on M's orders. Now there was just one more final order to complete, and as he stepped back from her, Ashleigh suddenly realised what it was.
'But...' she started, still staring at him. 'You're not coming with us, are you?'
His silence was all the answer she needed. She shook her head, half in anger, half in disappointment. She felt the feelings crash over her, in the last 36 hours she had been knocked unconscious, watched her colleague die a horrific death in front of her, been drugged, and faced her own death either as a victim of Hermes or at the hands of cold blooded killer. Something inside her threatened to snap, and she fumbled with the gun dragging the safety off, pointing it straight at Alec.
'You're not abandoning us now. You're coming with us.'
Alec laughed bitterly. 'You'd be better off aiming that at Deronda or Elliot.'
'You can't leave us now. Not after everything...'
Her voice trailed off as he walked towards her. She tightened her grip on the gun. 'Alec,' she warned, her hands starting to shake.
'You wouldn't kill me, Ashleigh. No matter what you once told me.' He was getting so close to her now.
It was all too easy. He simply pushed her hands away, and took the gun from her. Reversing it, he offered it back to her, she snatched it, her face flushed as he saw the weakness in her. 'Why did you bother helping me, if you're walking away now?'
Once more he was silent, and Ashleigh seemed to give up, her shoulders slumping. She turned to James. 'Let's go.'
James had been watching the exchange, he saw the pain on Ashleigh's face. 'You're not needed here anymore, Janus, so just go.'
He placed an arm around Ashleigh's shoulders and made to walk her to the helicopter. He could feel her shaking beneath his touch.
'Ashleigh?'
She turned to him once more, hurting as she was, still drawn irresistibly to him. 'What?'
Despite the coldness of her tone, he had to offer her this chance. Wordlessly, he held his hand out to her.
She realised what he was offering her. She could go with him now. Give up the mission, and walk away with him, he was offering her that. She could uphold her side of the truce by giving herself to him. How easy it would be, she hadn't even realised she had even walked towards him.
'No,' she whispered. 'No. I'm not giving up that easily, I have a job to do, and I am not walking away from this mission.'
But for the second time she had walked away from him, for the second time she had rejected him, and now she was turning her back on him, walking back towards James.
A cold voice rang out into the early morning.
'Go and save the world, Agent Kain, its all you're good for.' A manic light flickered in Alec's eyes. 'And you'll die doing it. Maybe not this mission, or the next, but die you will. Just like David did, poor weak David, fighting for all that he believed was good in the world, and it killed him in the end. How proud he would be of his daughter following in his footsteps...'
Her reactions were quick, next thing he knew she had hit him hard across the face.
'Don't you dare talk about my father!' she howled, surprising herself as much as she had surprised him. She may not be able to fire a gun at him, but all her anger came out as her fists hit against his chest. He reeled from her sudden attack, trying to fend off her blows without actually hitting her back.
After what seemed like an eternity James stepped forward and took her arms, gently tugging her back, glaring at Alec with hatred evident in his eyes.
'Don't you ever speak his name again,' Ashleigh hissed, 'My father was a hero who died for his country, and you were a traitor who betrayed it. You're nothing compared to him and you never will be.'
James was dragging her away once more, blinded by her own fury she let him. Hesitating before the open door to the small helicopter, she turned, he was still standing there, cane in hand, the air from the rotor blades catching his overcoat, watching her. She felt her fury surge through her once more, and hauled herself up into the helicopter, James right behind her.
She refused to look out of the window as they took off, refused to see Alec walk or drive away, she only unclenched her fists as they reached the sea, and the cold water broke in white peaks far below them. She replayed his words over and over again in her mind, torturing herself as they flew towards the trap that Lucinda Elliot had planned.
