Alexia- The Price of Freedom (Project Zeus-Olympia Book 1)

CHAPTER 2

Alexia St. James worked diligently on what she hoped would put an end to her affliction as her phone rang, breaking into her concentration.

“Make it quick and it’d better be important.” She growled by way of greeting, letting her caller know that she did not want to be interrupted.

“Something big is happening. Agents are moving in on your family.” The voice on the other end warned, sending chills down her spine. Could it be true? Could they have found her family?

“Are you sure?” She spoke slowly, hoping she’d heard wrong. But she knew that Dottie wouldn’t have called her otherwise. Dottie had been looking out for her, her entire life.

“I’m sure. They’re sending the team tonight. You have to be careful, Alex. You know this is all about you.” The urgency in Dottie's voice made her eyes narrow.

“I know and I’m always careful.” She replied. Alex’s thoughts grew dangerous as she disconnected. They had already taken her mother and she lost her siblings when she left. They would not take her aunt and uncle away from her. No one would threaten her family and get away with it. Alex glanced at her clock and noted that it was close to sunset. Most predators struck after dark, so if they were going to try anything it would be then. Alex rushed to the underground garage and to her motorcycle. Gunning the engine, she shot out of the garage and roared down the street.

Alex parked three blocks away and quickly headed towards the two-family flat. As she approached the building, her skin began to crawl. Someone was watching. She’d been prey long enough to know when a threat was nearby. She scanned the area lazily, as a cautious resident would. When her gaze landed on her uncle’s door, she could see the tiny scratches around the lock that the average human’s eyes would miss. She crept closer, listening carefully. She could hear slight movement, like something or someone was being dragged. Her uncle was in danger. The agents were no longer just watching, they had moved in. Just as she was about to approach the house, Precious arrived,

bubbling with laughter. She was about to walk unexpectedly into an ambush.

“Well, this just keeps getting better and better.” She muttered under her breath as she watched the older woman chattering on the cell phone, completely oblivious to her surroundings. If she didnt step in, this wasn't going to end well.

“I’m outside of your door now and I’m coming in, so you'd better be decent.” She spoke into the phone, amused annoyance in her voice. As she approached the door she stuck her key into the lock and pushed the door open, letting Alex know that whoever picked the lock was professional enough not to damage the locking mechanism and even locked it back to negate suspicion. She knew that she had to react quickly. Assessing the house, she immediately found its weakest point. Relying on years of training, she quietly entered the house, just as a dark figure stepped from the shadows and reached for her aunt. Alex could feel her temper spike.

“You touch her and that will be the last move you make.” Alex promised as she crouched down low, ready to fight. The man whirled around, familiar gray eyes locking on her face.

“Alex?” That voice, saying her name, stopped her instantly as memories slammed through her. No, it couldn’t be. It couldn’t be the boy that she loved with her entire being and lost due to her massive stupidity. He couldn't be the agent trying to hurt her family.

“Dodger?” She hadn’t so much as breathed his name in the past ten years. Not since her stupidity led money-hungry scientists right to his door, and nearly ended her life. Her momentary shock almost made her miss the person creeping up behind her. Almost. Opening her mind to his thoughts, she was able to avoid the syringe, whirling with a roundhouse kick that had enough force to knock the man on his ass. Before he could react, Alex did a forward handspring, landing on his chest, knocking the wind out of him, and pressing dangerously on his throat.

“You’d better tell me what agency you’re working for and why they’re targeting my family if you want to see tomorrow.” Her voice was low and deadly. All friendships aside, she had to remember that, had this not been a simple extraction, her last remaining connection to her mother could have been severed.

“You’re Olympia Project ZX-83?” Dodger took a step towards her, stopping when her eyes narrowed dangerously on him. He had called her by her project number. She hadn’t heard that number in over ten years, not since the day she escaped from Olympia. That meant they were still looking for her. She wondered what else he knew about her?

“Take another step and your partner’s going to leave here in a body bag.” She applied more pressure, watching dispassionately as the man choked.

“Alex, you know I’d never do anything to hurt you.” The emotion flooding his voice had her softening, as memories assailed her. Dodger had always gone out of his way to make sure that she was safe and happy, even though she didn’t need him to. The least she could do was trust him a little. She released her choke hold on his partner and stepped back.

“Just tell me what I’m up against.” She pleaded, stepping cautiously in between the two men and her family.

“You know her?” The man spoke with a rasp in his voice, rubbing at his neck.

“Yeah.”

“Wait, Alex? As in Alexia St. James, the girl you pined away for in the military?”

Alex’s gaze shot to Dodger’s face. Military? Is that where he’d disappeared to all those

years ago?

“So, you spent all this time chasing after a science project. That’s just f*****g perfect?” Alex blocked out the other man’s laughter as she faced her past. Dodger. Her Dodger.

“What happened to you? I woke up and you were gone.” She whispered, brokenly as she remembered that night, so long ago.

“Police came. They surrounded me. They blamed me for…” Dodger broke off as he looked at her, pain in his steel gray eyes. She didn’t need him to go any further. The police had blamed him for her injuries. When she had woken up, she was in an ambulance, rushing towards the hospital. At first opportunity she had jumped out of the vehicle and headed back to her safe haven, her home, but her home was no longer there. Dodger was no longer there.

“I’m so sorry, Dodger.” She muttered, regret filling her voice. Her decisions had hurt him.

“I looked for you. I asked them what they had done with your body, but no one would tell me anything. When I couldn’t find you, I left. I joined the marines to get as far away from Missouri as possible.” His words painted an image in her head that she’d rather not have.

“What happened to you?” Now it was her turn to answer the hard questions. Alex looked down at his question. He knew that she was different when he took her in, but he didn’t know how different.

“They sent soldiers out to retrieve me. I don’t know how they found me. Maybe I was careless, or…” Stupid, definitely stupid, she thought. How else would they have found them at their flop, when she and Dodger had been so careful about where they stayed? He was always moving them, always overly concerned about their safety, so it had to be her cocky arrogance that had gotten her caught.

“I managed to call the cops and it scared them away.” And gotten Dodger locked away. He could have run away and left her, but she knew that Dodger would never leave her alone, and his loyalty to her had made him endure unnecessary questioning. She heard her aunt’s heart race, saving her from having to say anything else. She turned around slowly to face the other woman.

“Are you ok?” She kept her voice low and soothing as she felt Precious’ hysteria rise. It nearly broke her heart when her aunt cringed away from her in fear.

“Portia? I thought you were dead.” The confusion in her aunt’s voice made her heart sigh. There was another regret she’d have to live with for the rest of her life.

“She did die. My name is Alexia St. James. I’m your niece.” Alex responded uneasily.

“Niece? Portia had kids?” The hurt in Precious’s voice had her opening her mind to her aunt and scanning her thoughts. She could feel Precious’s pain and disappointment as she thought of Portia abandoning them to an abusive alcoholic mother to create a

family that she actually wanted.

“Just me. She died when I was seven.” Murdered trying to save me, Alex thought

bitterly, and get back to them. That was always the goal. To raise them all together. Alexia shook her head at the lost opportunity. Had her mother not been murdered, she would have had a relationship with her aunt and uncle.

“Not to break up this loving moment…” Cooper cut in, his words hanging in the air, drawing Precious’s attention.

“Who are you?”

“They’re…” How was she supposed to explain their presence without scaring her aunt further?

“It’s a long, complicated story and right now I need to get you out of here. You and Uncle Devonté are in danger.”

“Danger?” Her aunt squeaked out. “What kind of danger?”

The kind of danger I put you in, she thought darkly to herself. This was the reason why she never got close to anyone. You’d think she’d have learned her lesson after Dodger.

“The kind of danger I can’t tell you about right now. Get the keys to Devonte’s car. We need to get him out of here.” At her words, Precious’ eyes shot back to her brother.

“Oh my god! D?” She crawled to her brother, tears brimming in her eyes, coursing down her cheeks, and breaking Alex’s heart even more.

“He’s fine. He’s just sedated.” Alex bit out tersely. She ignored her aunt’s tears as she pulled out her cell phone.

“You were right. My family has been compromised. I need someone you trust to go with me to get them to safety.” Alex skipped the greetings when the other person answered.

“I’ll do it.” The caller responded immediately.

“No.” Alex said fiercely, before disconnecting, as she thought of the caller on the other end. Dottie had been her family since the day she was born and there was no way she’d put her in danger as well. She knew that she couldn’t explain the situation to Dot, not while two government agents stood nearby. She would not risk telling Dodger about Dottie, no matter how much her treacherous heart was telling her that it was ok to trust Dodger. She turned back around and saw Dodger watching her out of steel gray eyes, brimming with emotion. They had so much to discuss. She had so much to apologize for.

“Meet me at the hotel three blocks over. Check in and I’ll meet you there as soon as I can.” Alex hefted her uncle, all two hundred fifteen pounds of him, as if he weighed nothing. She took the keys from her aunt and descended the steps, listening carefully to outside noises. Once she was sure she was clear, she exited the building and hurriedly placed her uncle inside. Just as quietly and swiftly, she reentered the house.

“Aunt Precious, I’m going to get you somewhere safe.” Precious jumped at the sound of her voice and both agents tensed in fight-or flight. Ignoring them completely, Alex pulled her phone from her pocket again, this time dialing a much longer number. This time her conversation was in a mixed dialect of Cantonese and Mandarin. After quickly explaining her situation to the person on the other end, she hung up.

“Ok, we’re all set. Let’s go.”

“Where?” Precious asked. “This is home.”

“Does it matter where, as long as the two of you are safe? Family is home.” Alex turned away quickly, as guilt filled her. She brought this to their door.

“I’m sorry Aunt Precious, but it won’t be forever.” She whispered brokenly.

“Come here, Alex.” Her name said in a voice rough with affection was her undoing. She wrapped her arms around Dodger’s waist as she stepped into his embrace, letting the tears fall as old memories consumed her.

“I’m sorry, Dodger. I’m so sorry you got accused of what happened to me.” She felt his grip tighten and knew he was remembering her as he saw her last.

“Sorry to break up this little happy reunion, but if we don’t report in soon, our tracking devices will be activated.” Cooper’s eyes narrowed on her in distrust.

“So, why don’t we turn Frankenstein in and head home?”

“You want to give it a try, Agent?” His bitter words had her emerald green eyes gleaming predatorily at the challenge.

“You don’t think I can take you down, freak?” He bit back, making her lips peel back in a sneer. He really had no idea.

“Coop, not now.” Dodger’s gruff order had his friend backing off.

. “Fine, but if we don’t turn her in, then what’s the plan?” He asked, never taking his eyes off of her.

“Why don’t we say that they weren’t home?” Dodger responded with a shrug, causing his friend to toss him a disbelieving stare.

“Or, you could say that someone got the drop on you.” She responded, a plan forming in hervhead. She knew what she had to do to cover all of their asses and she knew that Dodger’s friend wasn’t going to like it. That in itself made the plan fun.

“Bullshit. There’s no way you would get the drop on us.” Cooper shook his head in denial. He really had no idea. She licked her lips in anticipation; tasting the metallic taste of rage, the thirst for blood and violence, build. Confrontation made the chemical imbalance in her body worst, and she was expecting one hell of a confrontation. She also knew that if she didn’t get her medicine soon, she’d lose all rational thought, because she could feel the rage building inside of her, wanting to consume.

“Alex, what’s going through that head of yours?” Dodger’s voice broke into her thoughts, bringing her back to the problem at hand.

“This.” Before Cooper could utter another word, her fist connected with his jaw with enough force to render him unconscious.

“Alex, what the hell are you doing?” Dodger glanced at Cooper’s unconscious body and then uneasily back up at her. At that moment, Alex ears picked up a sound that no one else could hear, a mechanical hum that could only be the tracking devices that Cooper had mentioned earlier.

“We don’t have much time. Your tracking device has just been activated. When you come to, go through business as usual. Then meet me at the hotel I mentioned earlier.” Before he could comment, she knocked him cold.Alex glanced quickly around the room, surveying the damage. She nodded in satisfaction as she noted signs of the scuffle from earlier. Good, now she wouldn’t have to waste time setting the scene. She looked over at her aunt who had been quiet the entire time and watched as fear widened her eyes.

“Aunt Precious, please don’t be afraid of me.” She couldn’t have the other woman afraid

of her. With the rage building within her, there was no telling what she’d do.

“We need to go.” Alex turned and left, easing quietly down the steps. Relief filled her when she heard the other woman following behind her. Once they reached the jeep, Alex released an uneasy breath. As she drove towards her home she made sure that no one followed her. Satisfied that they were clear, Alex pulled into the covered garage where she knew the car would be hidden. Just as she cut the engine, her uncle began to stir.

“D, are you alright?” Precious’s voice was full of fear as she addressed her brother in concern, making her stomach turn. She never wanted this to happen to her family.

“What the hell happened?” He groaned, rolling to a seated position.

“Easy.” Alex quickly jumped into the back seat, pressing his head between his knees to combat the nausea she knew would swim through his belly.

“Military tranqs always pack one hell of a punch.”

“Who are you?” He tensed, ready to protect him and his at all costs.

“I’m Portia’s daughter, Alexia.” She answered simply. “Now, if you’d both follow me, I’ll give you something that will explain everything.” Her mother’s orders were if they were ever threatened, Alex was to give them her diary so that they knew what was going on.

“Wait one f*****g minute. Two men broke into my home and drugged me. Now I’m supposed to believe you’re family just because you say so?” The irate tone of Devonté’s voice cut through her thoughts, stopping her in her tracks.

“For all I know you’re working with them.”

Alexia whirled around, pinning him with a green-eyed glare. How dare he even consider such a thing?

“Don’t push it.” She warned darkly. He gasped in shock as he looked her over.

“You look just like her. Just like Portia.”

“Yeah, I guess mom’s genes were a lot stronger than all the other s**t they mixed into my DNA.” Alex gave a wry grin, as her temper cooled. She pushed the door of her apartment opened, quickly scanning for danger. Once she was satisfied, she gestured for them to follow. She quickly went for her pills, swallowing them dry and willing them to work quickly to push the rage back down so that she could focus on what needed to be done

“I was hoping this day never came.” With deep regret, Alex removed the false back from her kitchen cabinet. Inside was a metal lock box. In that box were new identities, new lives for the people that stood before her. As she let them peruse the contents, she checked her messages. What she heard had her swearing viciously. Siam wasn’t giving her much time. She quickly dialed her friend.

“Dottie, I have a small window of opportunity here. Tell me you found someone.” She growled by way of greeting.

“I understand, but I haven’t found anyone. I’ll drive you.” Dottie responded.

“No. I won’t risk you, too. I’ll manage.” She hung up before Dottie could protest. Siam would only be available for forty-eight hours. There was no way she could arrange for someone to make the drive back while her body recovered if she had to use her mental abilities. She’d just have to make do.

“What the hell is this?” Devonte’s voice cut through her thoughts.

“That is your new identity.”

“Why would we need new identities?” Devonte looked down at the envelope in his hands and then back up at her.

“Short version? Your sister, Portia St. James joined a military experiment that resulted in the birth of me. When she realized what the program was about, she took me and ran. The government had her murdered and now they’re looking for me. Because you’re related to me, they want to use you as bait so they can draw me out and kill me.” Or use me, or sale me, she thought, bitterly. There was so much more to the story, but they didn’t have time to delve any deeper.

“Anything else you want to know, you can find in mom’s diary.” Before her uncle could ask any more questions, she turned away. She needed to continue to set up their transportation. She pulled her cell phone out and called Vladimir Brimkov, Russian mercenary. Vlad was a ruthless man. He was willing to do anything if the price was right. He also had a soft spot for her.

“I need you.” She said in full Russian.

“What do you need?” The reply was instant.

“Transportation. I’ll tell you the destination when I see you.”

“Done. Meet me at the hangar in an hour.” With that, the dial tone sounded in her ear. Good, Vlad would have the cargo plane for them and Siam Shenobi, of the Shenobi Clan, would have a place for them to stay. At least some good came out of her time at Olympia, she thought as she turned back around to face her aunt and uncle.

“Ok, once I get you across the border to Canada, Siam is going to relocate you. She and I will be the only ones to know where you are. Be ready to go in ten minutes.”

She told them before turning to leave the room.

Alex packed a quick duffle bag of necessities. Knifes, disguises, fresh underwear, and of course medicine, before leading the way out of the garage. She climbed hastily into her car, gesturing quickly for her aunt and uncle to follow.

“Who are you?” Devonté asked as he climbed into the car behind his sister.

“I told you, I’m your niece.”

“No, I mean, who are you?” He emphasized, gesturing to her duffel bag. Yeah, she knew what he meant.

“The diary will explain everything.” She assured as she gunned the engine and headed towards Highway 70.