ALPHA WAVE

Chapter 3: Deal with the Devil.

"Please, she's sorry. Right Bellamy?"

I was at a loss for words mostly because I was too terrified of what he was going to do to me. I nod frantically instead.

"I can snap your neck like a wee stick," he threatened with a growl."Or rip your arms off and leave you for your Saviours to find. Give me one fuckin' reason why I shouldn't?"

My heart was pounding as I struggled to come up with a response to his menacing words. My palms were slick with sweat, and my voice trembled as I spoke. My aunt looked at me, silently begging me not to say something else stupid that can get us both killed.

"Uh, well," I began, my mind racing. "For starters, I don't think I'd look very good without arms. I mean, have you seen those movies where someone gets their arm ripped off? It's not pretty. And as for the Saviours..." My aunt shakes her head no in a warning. They are going to kick your disease-ridden zombified ass back to whatever hole you crawled out of. She was already breaking out in a sweat. "Well, I'm pretty sure they're not going to appreciate finding a limbless body lying around. It's not exactly a great way to make a good first impression." I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "And, um, I kinda need my limbs and neck, you know? I mean, I don't think I could survive very well without them. So if it's all the same to you, I'd really appreciate it if don't rip them off." My aunt nodded for me to continue; I knew what she wanted me to say. It was my pride or my life. Making coffee cake limbless would be tricky. "And... I'm sorry."

"What was that?" he asked as if he couldn't hear me. Yeah, I may have whispered the end but we both know he heard me. I shot him a quick glare.

"I am... sorry." I ground out a little louder. Jerk

He just stared at me, his expression unreadable. For a moment, I thought he might actually go through with his threats. But then he seemed to relax, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"You're not worth the bother," he muttered under his breath.

With that, he turned and walked towards the window where he peered out from the side of the curtain. I let out a shaky breath, my knees weak with relief.

"Phoenix can't just be after you because of a letter. What else do you know? And don't be thinkin' of lying to me, I'll know."

"Why should we tell you anything?" Shut up, you idiot! Are you trying to die?

"Because you both are still breathin'," he shot back without missing a beat. "Keep mouthin' off and we can change that."

I felt a chill run down my spine at his words. He had a way of making even the bravest of souls cower in fear. But he had no right to break into our house and speak to us like that.

"You can threaten us all you want, but we're not going to give up information just because you ask so nicely," I replied, mustering every ounce of courage to respond, attempting to project defiance. At the same time, my insides quivered like a leaf caught in the grip of a thunderstorm.

All the colour drained from my aunt's face, looking like she was on the brink of fainting.

He chuckled darkly as if he found my bravery amusing. "You've got spunk, I'll give you that. But let's see how long that boldness lasts." He extends his deadly sharp claws.

My heart stops. I gulp.

Now I've done it. Open mouth, insert foot here.

"Wait!" My Aunt jumps between us. "I'll tell you anything you want, just don't hurt us. Please. She's all I have left. Please."

He retracted his claw, almost looking disappointed. Bastard. He nods for her to continue.

"My brother and his wife had just bought themselves a fancy house in London and were planning to leave the continent before they passed. They had even gone and sold their old house. But then, the accident happened, and it just didn't make any sense. They said it was brake failure, but my brother loved three things in life: his family, his job, and that car he built from scratch. Anyone who knew Noah knew that was pure hogwash. But there was never any proof of foul play, so they closed the case. I just couldn't believe it was an accident, but I had no proof to show. Then, VRC went up in flames and people he worked with started dyin' left and right. I knew something wasn't right. So, I hired a private investigator, but he came up with diddly-squat. And the cops wouldn't even think about reopening the case. Said there wasn't enough evidence. I felt helpless as a one-legged cat trying to bury a turd in a frozen pond. But I couldn't just dwell on that," she says, turning to me with tears in her eyes and a sad smile. "I had an eleven-year-old girl to raise and explain to her why she would never see her parents again." I remained silent as she continued on. "Then, a year later, Lennie Snyder, one of Noah's co-workers, sent me a letter before he hanged himself. The news said he went into depression after losin' his job." My aunt rolls her eyes clearly not believing the news.

"What did the letter say?"

"Two words," she answered him. "Phoenix Corp. I was as lost as a goose in a hailstorm when I first heard that name. Then comes outta nowhere this pharmaceutical company that no one ever heard of before, and they fixed everything up nice and tidy. Now ain't that just peachy keen? Then just the other day I found Noah's resignation letter squirrelled away behind an old filing cabinet. And that ain't all I found."

"I'm not in the mood for games," he growls.

"Take us with you and I'll tell you."

"Aunt Grace!" I gape at her. Has she finally lost all her marbles?

"I know you don't see it, but you will. I think Phoenix Corp was somehow responsible for your parent's death and the fire was to cover up—"

"This is absurd. He is an—"

"Say it again and see what happens lass," he growls deadly bearing his fangs.

I swallow—hard. Not even I was stupid enough to repeat that mistake twice. Infected really hated to be called infected.

"We can't trust him."

"I'm sorry. But this is for your own good. Do we have a deal?"

"I'm not going anywhere with him," I hiss.

"This is bigger than you know Bell."

"What I know is that you are willing to betray your own race for the likes of these animals. Have you forgotten what they have done? What they are capable of? All the lives lost. All the violence."

"Have you ever wondered how this all started? If they had a choice in the matter?"

"They are monsters!"

"They are human."

"Were human. They have more in common with Wolverine than they do with us."

"Who's Wolverine?"

"Never mind. This is crazy Aunt Grace. We—"

"Get down!" he shouts as the air was filled with bullets whizzing past our ears.

Glass shattered as the bullets smashed through the windows, showering the room with deadly shards. The furniture was no match for the barrage of bullets as they tore through couches, chairs, and tables, leaving gaping holes in their wake.

When the sound of gunfire finally ceased, it left a deafening silence in its wake. I slowly raise my head, my heart pounding in my chest as I take in the chaos around me. Shattered glass littered the floor, and bullet holes marred the walls and furniture. Smoke, dust and debris fill the air, making it difficult to breathe or see.

"Keep your head down," said the infected as he stood and move to the window swiftly for a better look.

"Grace Winters and Bellamy Winters," came Agent Smith's voice. "We know you're in there."

What the hell! Why would they just open fire like that on us?

"We just want to talk!"

Really? You coulda fooled me.

"Do we have a deal or not?" My aunt asked the infected.

"It doesn't seem like you have much of a leg to stand on here lassie. They aren't here for me."

"It's a flash drive. Who knows what could be on it?"

"For all you know, it could be nothin' of value."

"Whatever is on it is highly encrypted and belongs to my brother. I am willing to bet it has information about VRC and Phoenix and what he was working on or even why he was killed. They killed eleven people and burned the building down. That's one massive cover-up if I ever saw one."

"We are coming in! Stand down!"

"Please, help us and the flash drive is yours."

"Why do we need his help? The Saviours are here."

They both looked at me as if I was dumber than a box of rocks.

"Do we have a deal?" my aunt asks him as we hear footsteps getting closer.