Alex

Preparations

The farmhouse was cloaked in an uneasy stillness as I shoved the storm cellar door open. The crisp evening air bit at my skin, but it did little to temper the inferno of frustration raging within me.

I descended in the elevator to the bunker below, each second of the ride filled with the replay of my encounter with Samuel. Every misstep echoed like a blow, the sting of failure growing sharper.

When I reached the bottom, I stormed into the room and slammed my pistol onto the table. The sharp clatter reverberated through the space, loud and accusatory.

Dr. Meyers looked up from his monitors, concern etched deep into his features. "Alex, what happened?"

"He got away," I spat, my voice razor-sharp. "Samuel was here, and I had him. But then..." I threw my hands up, the words catching in my throat. "A damn helicopter swooped in, and he escaped. I couldn’t stop him."

Dr. Meyers approached cautiously, placing a tentative hand on my shoulder. "We knew this day would come," he said, his tone steady but tinged with regret. "The Consortium wasn’t going to let us stay hidden forever."

I shrugged his hand off, pacing like a caged predator. "I had him, Doc. He was right there. And then he had the audacity to say—" My voice cracked, fury and hurt battling for dominance. "He said my husband sent his regards."

Dr. Meyers’ face hardened, his eyes dark with recognition. "Jacob..."

His words hung in the air like a storm cloud. After a pause, he added grimly, "That bastard. It was a test, and we walked right into it. The Consortium will come after us with everything they have now."

I leaned heavily on the table, my head falling into my hands. The weight of my failures pressed down like a mountain. "I’m supposed to be stronger than this. Faster. Better. And yet, I let him get away."

Dr. Meyers crouched down to meet my eyes, his voice gentle but firm. "Alex, you’re human—no matter how much they’ve tried to take that from you. You’re allowed to stumble, to feel frustration or fear. It doesn’t make you a failure."

I snapped upright, the words cutting deep. "Am I?" I shot back. "Because it sure as hell feels like it."

Dr. Meyers stood, his expression softening but his resolve firm. "Alex, listen to me. You’ve been through more than anyone should ever have to. You’re fighting battles—both inside and out—that would break most people. You’re not a failure. You’re a survivor."

I crossed my arms, glaring at the floor. "Surviving isn’t enough. I have to stop them. I have to stop him."

Dr. Meyers stepped back, running a hand through his hair. "Then we regroup. We plan. You’ll get another shot at Samuel—and Jacob too, if it comes to that."

I turned to him, my voice low and hard. "It will come to that. And next time, I won’t let them walk away."

Dr. Meyers nodded, his eyes meeting mine. "Then let’s start preparing. We don’t have much time."

Dr. Meyers moved back to his monitors, his fingers flying over the keyboard. "ALPHA," he said sharply, "I need a full scan of the area. Look for any signs of follow-up teams. If they sent Samuel, there’s no guarantee he was working alone."

"Understood," ALPHA responded. "Commencing wide-area thermal and satellite scans."

I clenched my fists, still seething with the energy of the fight. "What do you need me to do?"

Meyers glanced at me. "We need to secure the bunker. Fortify the entrances. And Alex... if you’re up for it, we need traps. If they come back, we make sure they regret it."

"Consider it done," I said, my voice cold with determination.

I moved through the bunker, gathering supplies: tripwire, pressure plates, and whatever I could scrounge to create makeshift defenses. The process was mechanical, giving my mind something to focus on other than the image of Samuel’s smug face disappearing into the helicopter.

"Alex," ALPHA’s voice chimed in my head, "satellite scans confirm no additional personnel in the vicinity. However, Consortium communications indicate a high probability of retaliation."

"Then we have to be ready," I muttered, placing a tripwire across the storm cellar stairs.

Dr. Meyers appeared in the doorway, holding a small device. "This might help," he said, handing it to me. "It’s an EMP charge. Short-range, but if they bring drones or advanced tech, it could give us an edge."

I took it, tucking it into my belt. "Thanks. I’ll make sure they never see it coming."

"Alex, just make sure that you are at a distance when you set it off, the magnetic pulse could damage some of your enhancements."

As the sunlight rose, the bunker was eerily quiet. The traps were set, the defenses in place. Dr. Meyers and I sat in the control room, the monitors glowing softly in the dim light.

"Do you think they’ll come tonight?" I asked, breaking the silence.

Dr. Meyers shook his head. "Hard to say. But knowing Ashcroft, he won’t wait long."

I leaned back in my chair, my eyes on the surveillance feeds. "Good. Let them come. I’m ready."

Dr. Meyers glanced at me, concern flickering in his eyes. "Just... don’t lose yourself in this, Alex. You’re not just a weapon. You’re more than what they made you."

I didn’t respond, my focus fixed on the monitors. Inside, though, I felt the weight of his words. And the fire that burned in my chest only grew stronger.

"ALPHA," Dr. Meyers called as he returned to his workstation. "Pull up satellite imaging and thermal scans of the area. I need to know if we have company incoming."

"Processing," ALPHA’s voice chimed.

I stood over his shoulder, watching the screens as the images of the scans flashed by. My fists clenched involuntarily. "They’ll come, Doc. Sooner rather than later. We need to be ready."

He nodded grimly, typing furiously on his keyboard. "We can enhance the shielding around the lab, but it won’t hold if they launch a full-scale assault.

"And then what?" I turned to face him. "We run again? Hide somewhere else? How long can we keep this up?"

"Until we find a way to take the fight to them," Meyers replied, his tone resolute. "But first, we survive."

"Incoming heat signatures detected," ALPHA announced, cutting through the tension. "Multiple hostiles approaching from the west."

My heart sank. "How many?"

"Nine vehicles, equipped with standard and advanced weaponry. ETA: thirty minutes."

Meyers turned to me, his expression grim but determined. "This is it, Alex. Time to put all your training to use."

"Let’s make sure they regret finding us," I said, "ALPHA, keep me updated on their positions."

"Confirmed," ALPHA replied.