Mind Games

Kill or be Killed

"Are you alright now?" I ask.

"I'm fine." Mark says as we leave the quarters.

"Really?"

"Yes. I'm seeing one of you, one of me, and one of Spongebob."

"Ha-ha. Mark, please. I don't want to make jokes in a horrible situation like this."

"You've made jokes in every other situation."

"Please. Just not now."

I keep moving ahead. Mark grabs my arm and makes me stop. I don't meet his eyes.

"Marlene. You don't have to worry about me," he says. "I can manage. Just worry about yourself."

"And if we're both hiding from a Joe or the Xeno, and suddenly you see me outside?" I ask, barely concealing anger. "I have to look after you and make sure you get off this damn ship. Don't tell me to worry about myself!"

"Why are you mad at me?!"

"I'm not – I'm mad at me! I won't be able to protect you!"

Mark grabs me by my wrists. He lifts my right hand to where I can see it. The Xeno tail blade, the base wrapped in medical tape so I can grip it without hurting my hand. The milky animatronic fuel has congealed in several spots.

"You did it well before," he says. "I trust you to do it again."

I look up. Mark smiles at me, his eyes very sincere and trusting. I suck in a breath, square my shoulders and pull my hands free from his grasp.

"We need to get moving." I state firmly. I turn and start to move off again.

"Playing the cool, badass heroine?" Mark asks.

"You complaining?"

"No, ma'am."

I let a smirk play at my lips as I lead Mark through the hallways of the ship. Even when we're both deadly scared and not trusting ourselves, he manages to pull a few jokes and make me crack a smile. I don't have to look back to know Mark's close on my tail. I can feel that he's there, so I just have to focus on getting us out.

"Lower levels?" I murmur. "That's where the escape pod was in the movie... I think the dock in Isolation was on the bottom outermost extremity, too."

"It's logical." Mark whispers. "Dropping the ships out before they turn the thrusters on, I mean."

"Right. We get to the bottom level, now." I say. "If you see a ladder or a security hatch – hell, even a vent – let me know."

"Copy that."

We come into an open, round room with more-than-slightly familiar furnishings. A tight grimace overcomes my face as I see the blood spatters on the table. The white space between them has a distinctly torso-like shape.

"Are we... We can't be... On the Nostromo?" Mark breathes.

"That's irrelevant." I decide.

"Marlene-"

"Getting off this ship is more important than knowing what it is." I mutter. "Otherwise, we're walking into our demise like those idiot Wayland-Yutani scientists."

Mark doesn't reply to this. I gnaw on my lower lip as I move around the table cautiously.

"Oh, God!" I exclaim, covering my mouth. Mark darts around to my side. He makes a sound like he's about to vomit.

Laying on the floor is a female. Her hair is in blonde ringlets. She may be the woman I spoke to before entering the manor in the second game. I can't see her face.