The Alfa

The city never sleeps they say, but tonight Manhattan is different. The rain taps loudly on the neon city lights erasing the dirt on the streets. But there's something in the shadows tonight. A man walks alone cloaked in the black trench coat his eyes scanning the alleys for something. For him. Viktor Kross known in the underground world as "The Alfa" stops at a flickering street light holding a small device in his hand that glows with a blue light. On the device a digital image of the city appears with access points and names and one blinking red dot in the middle. "Liam Drake" Viktor sneers with a grin. "Your closer than ever" Chapter 1: Shadows of the Past Marcus Drake's apartment was littered with messes, photos, and old tech scattered across the walls. He stared at a picture of his brother Liam who had disappeared two years ago. It was all he had to go on. The window let in the dim glow of the city lights outside as the heavy rain tapped on the glass. He was a former military operative turned private investigator when a knock on the door brought him back to the present. Opening the door he was met with a pair of bright green eyes that held a playful nature to them. Elena Vasquez, a young hacker had arrived with the only lead he had. "Got something" She said with a grin slipping inside. In her hands was a small device that pulsed with a faint green light. "Liam's last known location" "What is it?" Marcus asked as he peered at the device in her hands. "Its where it all leads" She said her eyes gleaming with excitement. "This warehouse outside of the city. But thats not all." She waved the device around. "There's something else, something they don't want anyone to know about." "Who's 'they'?" Marcus asked darkly. "The Alfa" Elena's voice lowered to a whisper. "An underground organization that makes modifications to people. Implants, genetic modification, weapons. They create super soldiers." "Why Liam?" Marcus asked. "Liam found out about them. About what they were doing. He had evidence to take them down and now they want him dead." She looked up at him seriously. "So do we." Chapter 2: The Warehouse The rain had let up to a drizzle as Marcus and Elena pulled up to the warehouse on the outskirts of the city. The large metal doors were slightly ajar revealing the darkened interior. "Stay alert" Marcus warned as they stepped inside the humid air wrapping around them like a blanket. The lights from their flashlights cast eerie shadows on the walls as they walked deeper into the building. Suddenly Elena stopped dead in her tracks. "They're here" she whispered. A tall man stepped out of the shadows with piercing blue eyes and a smirk playing across his lips. He looked Marcus up and down before speaking. "Welkom" He said smoothly in a heavy European accent. "You have come far Mr. Drake." He took a step closer until he was mere inches from Marcus's face. "You meddle in things that don't concern you." He gestured around the room. "Liam Drake was just a pawn. And now he must be disposed of." "Sorry but I don't take orders from you" Marcus said pulling a pistol from his belt. "Especially since you and your men took him." His voice was steady as he aimed the g*n at Viktor's chest. "I suggest you leave now." Viktor chuckled darkly."You’re brave, but naive." With a flourish of his hand Viktor activated a device attached to his wrist causing the room to shimmer with an eerie green light. "Neural interference" Elena whispered. "Hes trying to scramble our brains!" Marcus shook his head clearing his thoughts. He knew better than to underestimate Viktor Kross. The man was dangerous and willing to do whatever it took to win. "This isnt over" Marcus growled. "We're taking Liam and putting an end to this." Viktor merely smiled. "I look forward to it." Chapter 3: The Chase Begins Viktor melted back into the shadows as Marcus and Elena pushed forward deeper inside the warehouse. Strange mechanical sounds echoed through the room, growingl louder until it sounded like an engine was running somewhere nearby. All of a sudden the floor beneath them rumbled and cracked open revealing a set of stairs leading below ground level. "This way" Elena urged. They quickly descended into a subterranean chamber lit by glowing tubes that pulsed with a strange green light. In the center of the room was a glass chamber with a figure lying unconscious inside. "Liam!" Marcus exclaimed rushing forward. "Liam wake up!" Just then warning bells began ringing furiously filling up the room."Unauthorized personnel detected. Lockdown initiated." "Theyre here" Elena said grimly. "We need to get out of here fast." Viktor's voice crackled over an intercom in the room. "You are too late. Theres nothing more you can do." "Youve made a mistake" said Viktor as he strode forward his g*n leveled at them. "Liam Drake was merely an errand boy sent to retrieve what belongs to me. Now hes an inconvenience." With a smirk he fired a shot at the wall next to Elena's head. "That's it" Marcus growled. "We're taking Liam and going." He holstered his g*n and took a step toward the exit when his foot caught on something loose causing him to trip and fall. Elena caught his arm preventing him from hitting the ground. As he looked up at her he saw determination in her eyes. "We'll get out of here somehow." She said firmly. "But first theres one thing we need to do." In the distance they could hear the sound of rushing water getting louder by the second. Epilogue: The Beginning of the End Back in the safety of their hideout Marcus watched over Liam who was just now awakening from his trance-like state. Elena plugged in several devices trying to decrypt some of the data they had managed to steal from The Alfa's database. "This is just the beginning" said Marcus grimly as he watched Liam's glazed eyes clear. "Viktor Kross is more dangerous than we thought. And The Alfa... theyre not finished." Liam blinked his eyes several times before looking up at him with questioning ones. "What's happening?" He asked weakly. "We're going to stop them" said Marcus determinedly. "No matter what it takes." In the shadows of the city Viktor Kross watched from a rooftop with a sinister grin on his face. "The game has begun" he whispered. "And I always win." To be continued...