X: The Beginning

Chapter 5 - Cold Front

Chapter 5

Meanwhile in Alaska, John Frost sits in a cave overlooking the small town where his shipment is supposed to be. He reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a picture of his daughter. Frost is always given an updated picture of her each year by his boss, Joey Martino. He stares at it for a few minutes, wondering how she was, and what she was up to. He looks back at the town. The ship is coming in to dock. He takes a long look a the picture, sighs, and leaves the cave.

John walks down to a park and sits on a bench facing the dock. He reaches underneath to find an envelope, right where Fred had told him it would be. He opens it and takes the keys and fake name tag inside it. He walks towards the dock to a nearby gas station. He goes around the back and glances up to the roof. No cameras. He continues over to a truck and opens the door with the keys in the envelope. There is a note on the steering wheel with three numbers 7-1-4. He puts the paper in the envelope and clips on the name tag.

He drives to the gates of the docks and tips his hat at the guard on duty. He nods and opens the gate for John. He pulls past the gate to see Fred walking over towards his truck. He slows to a stop to talk to Fred.

"Hello, sir," Fred smiles, "What brings you out this way?"

John rolls his eyes, "Just tell me where it is, Fred."

"Number?"

"Seven one four."

"Should be straight ahead waiting for ya."

"Thanks."

He backs up in front of the container. Fred follows and connects the container to the truck. He pats the side of the truck once it's connected, and John drives off. He gets past the guard without any problems and continues to drive to the warehouse.

He pulls up to loading dock of the warehouse and backs up the truck. The door opens and several men with guns surround the truck. John grabs the envelope and hops out of the front seat. He heads inside and slides the envelope and the name tag into a slit in the wall. As he continues into the warehouse, a small amount of smoke escapes through the slit.

He walks over to his desk and puts his feet up. A few hours later, the warehouse starts to empty as the day ends. Fred comes over to John's desk with a smile.

"The boss is gonna be real happy about today, John. Perfect! No errors what so ever."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Nothing! Nothing, I mean some of the newer guys caused us some trouble the other day, but today's been good."

John looks over to the giant vat with blue liquid in it. "Fred, what is that stuff?"

Fred laughs, "Hell if I know. But hey, it brings in money and that's all I need to know."

John sighs and looks off at the other guys who are leaving the warehouse to go home. Home, now there's a word he hasn't known for a long time.

"Hey, you okay, Johnny?"

"You ever wanted to leave, Fred? Go back home?"

"Come on, John, you know we can't leave-"

"But why? It's not like we'd say anything, right?"

"Mr. Martino won't see it that way. You know how he is, can't be too careful."

"I know, Fred, but I haven't seen my daughter in almost thirteen years."

"You know you killed her mother-"

"You mean my wife?"

"Mother, wife same thing to different people. Look, John, you know as well as I do that there is no way Wilboy is going to let you see her."

"His name is Wilbur."

"Whatever, the point is, even if you did go back, you'd lose. Donovan probably is watching her like a hawk, and you'd be caught before you could even see her."

"I don't care."

"What?"

"I said, I don't care. I just need to see her. I need to try."

"Wait, Johnny, you're not serious about this-"

"I'm out, Fred. I'm done."

"You can't just leave-"

"Watch me."

John turns to walk away when he hears the click of a gun.

"Don't you even think about moving!"

John turns around slowly with his hands up, "Fred, put the gun down..."

"You think you can order me around? Huh? After everything I did for you? For your family?"

"My family? All you did was ruin it." John turns and walks towards an exit by the blue vat.

"I told you, Johnny, don't move!"

John shakes his head and keeps walking.

"I said stop!" Fred shoots to John's left.

John quickly runs up the stairs leading to the vat and other odd commodities. John grabs a small green vial as he passes. Fred chases after him and cuts him off on the other side of the walkway.

"Fred, think about what you're doing here..."

"I am John. I've never seen things so clearly in my entire life." He shoves John over the railing into the blue vat as John throws the contents of the vial into Fred's eyes. He screams in agony and runs away to get the stuff out of his eyes, knocking over things in his path. As he leaves the warehouse, a blue hand slowly rises out of the vat and grabs the edge of the vat.