Chapter 45: 45. Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

__________*_Wrex_*__________

Welcome, MD, Tuesday 1 Feb 22 06:26

I gave a gentle knock at the door to Jinx's room and slowly entered. It looked as though I had just woken her up, her head was partially pulled off the pillow and she groggily blinked her turquoise eyes as she looked towards me. She lay on top of the bedding, close to '42', as she had called him, but far enough away to give him some space, except for one hand of hers that rested on his arm. He was laid in almost the same position that we set him in yesterday, after I finally managed to remove what was left of his mangled armour using tools and equipment from Sarah's basement.

It wasn't exactly the same as my armour, many of the pieces required unbolting. In a joint effort between myself and Jinx, we had managed to clean up his wounds... His bloody snout and gums won't take long to heal, but the numerous burns he had over his body would take a good two or three weeks to heal completely. They were only light burns, thankfully, it seems the armour had taken the worst of it... I recognised the damage though, the burn patterns on the armour and skin... plasma rounds... Meaning 42 here had faced off one of two people. Skylen or Alex... As weak as the armour was though he was fortunate the shots he had received were spread out rather than focussed on the same spots.

Wrex: "Sorry... How is he?"

Jinx: "He's ok, he stirred a bit during the night a couple of times, which I guess is a good thing." She said somewhat croaky and still sounding rather sleepy.

Wrex: "Yeah, it is. You look shattered."

Jinx: "I couldn't sleep properly... I was too worried and kept waking up to check on him."

Wrex: "He'll be fine Jinx. If he's moved during the night then that's a promising sign that he's on the road to recovery already, he's just resting. As I said, the burns are mostly superficial, no worse than the one you had on your arm...." I saw her briefly glance down at Alex's hand shaped burn scar, a slightly brighter green glossier patch of scales with blotches of pink and red mixed in, it stuck out compared to the rest of her. "...how about this, help me see to his wounds again then you find another bed and get some shut eye, yeah?, Please?"

__________

13:40

Thankfully Jinx had done what I asked, but rather than finding a bed, she chose to stay down here with me in the lounge, claiming that she 'didn't want to be alone and the sound of the tv might help.' Which it certainly seemed to, she was huddled up on the other sofa with a blanket over her, lightly snoring away, only occasionally stirring. I mostly had the news on, like I normally do, trying to pick up any news on the SkyTech, or more importantly to me, Alex. I remained constantly hopefully, I still barely knew her, yet it was still so weird to me that I felt so protective of her, so attached to her. The news however showed nothing on either Alex or Skytech, the head lines today seemed to be regarding 42, involved in an incident at Fox News in New York this morning.

No official footage or descriptions had been released apart from one of a bystander on the streets, filming plasma shots erupt from a window in the Fox building and moments later, what looks like 42 tumbling out of it. He fell a couple of dozen feet before spreading his wings and pulling up only to crash onto a nearby rooftop and disappearing from view. The news anchor explained that authorities checked this roof top and others in the vicinity but couldn't find anything but also that eye witnesses claimed to have seen the same figure flying on and off in a South Westerly direction, which made sense to me.

There was gentle thud of footsteps coming down the stairs and I got to my feet. Sure enough, it was 42, looking somewhat dazed. I started tensing up, Jinx might trust him, but he was SkyTech, like Jinx before she was released... And so a he was a threat... I stepped out the room, pulling the door closed behind quietly me.

Wrex: "You. Stop there..." He stopped about three steps from the bottom as I instructed, "... what's your name?"

42: " '42."

Wrex: "42 is a number, one that SkyTech gave you, it's not a name. I can't trust you if you're still under their control."

42: "My Human name was James Harris... But I'd rather you didn't call me that." He replied sternly.

I was confused...

'Did he have his memories back or not? He remembers his old name but doesn't want to be called it?'

Wrex: "Why not?"

42: "Because it reminds me of a past life that I'd rather not remember. In fact, if it  was up to me, I would have preferred it if Alex didn't restore my memories."

Wrex: " 'Alex'? Alex restored your mind? Reset your control chip?"

42: "Someone claiming she was Alex anyway yeah, but she didn't look like she use to, she looked almost Human with wings and a tail now."

Wrex: "Black and red armour?"

42: "Yeah."

Wrex: "That's her! Where is she? Is she ok?"

42: "I don't think so, she mentioned something about someone taking control of her, that she thought she could fight her off but she was losing. She showed me this house, somehow, like she sent me pictures in my head... I don't know, it was weird, I just knew I had to come here and deliver a message to someone called Wrex. So I presume that's you?"

Wrex: "Yeah, that's me. What was the message??"

42: "Good. She said to 'Call back someone called 'Sora' and get her to take you all to Barcelona, to the house.' Apparently you know which one."

Wrex: "Huh? That's it?"

42: "That's all. She tried dragging us out of the building, then Skylen attacked us. Something went wrong with Alex, she collapsed, but started talking differently, told Skylen to kill me. Hence why I got shot to hell."

Jinx: "42!!"

I didn't realise she had ermerged from the room, shot past me and launched herself into a hug at him. They both stumbled down the last couple of steps, just about staying upright, thanks to 42 grabbing the hand rail.

42: " *Hiss* Oww oww oww, easy easy!" He replied in complaint as she was clamped around him, pressing on all his injuries. She reluctantly released him.

Jinx: "Sorry... I have missed you." She replied giving only just enough room between them for her to give 42 the puppy dog eyes.

42: "I've missed you too. But I'm in quite a bit of pain, so go easy on the hugs alright please?" He replied gently.

Wrex: "Ok. You two stay here, recuperate. I'm going to investigate Barcelona again."

42: "Wrex, she said all of us?"

Wrex: "You're injured-"

42: "And? Alex asked us to do something, if she's in trouble then I want to help."

Jinx: "Me too."

42: "Looks like it's settled, we're all going. Wanna call this Sora back so we can make a move?"

I sniggered in disbelief at their enthusiasm,

Wrex: "Alright then... if you insist." I stepped past them to head upstairs to go get my armour on so I could call Sora.

__________

Barcelona, Spain, Mon 31 Jan 22 18:27

We slowed to a stop in front of the whisper. Sora circled the image around for a good few seconds.

Wrex: "See anything?"

She shook her head as she batted the image away and we started following it as it faded away.

Sora: "Having not been here before our exit point, and therefore, our whisper is high up, so I can't see anything out of place and that's the problem."

Jinx: "Why is that a problem?"

Wrex: "Could be a trap..."

Sora: "When we leave the jump we'll be few hundred feet up in the air, as I said I've never been here before so it's the safest option. Get ready to fly."

Wrex: "Follow me down, as quick as possible, we don't want to be seen by the locals, once on the ground we'll enter via the garage, scan through the house room by room." I said glancing back at the other two.

I closed my faceplates and I prepared to open my wings as I felt gravity kick in and draw us faster through the mist ahead at the end of the Jump. We fell though, I laid eyes on the villa, kept my wings in to dive bomb in, spreading my wings in the last couple of seconds before I hit the ground and landed relatively softly on the drive, the other three landing right behind me as well and I gestured them to follow me up towards the garage door. I placed my hand over the access pad on the door frame and willed my suit to hack the door controls, just as I did last time I was here. The door clicked and started lifting up and I raised my arms up at the ready and ducked under the door and scanned around the room.

My attention was drawn to a gasp from a woman, slim build, fairly long brown hair draped over her shoulders who was stood next to a large tank, filled with a green liquid and a figure floating in it.

Wrex: "Hands in the air!, Step away from the tank!..." Her hands shot skyward and scooted off to one side, her bottom lip quivering in fear. I kept my gauntlets trained on her as I made my way between the cars. "... What's your name?"

Raina: "R-R-Raina." She trembled.

Sora: "The nurse?" She questioned sliding up behind me, Raina shakily nodded in reply.

Wrex: "You were the one Alex kidnapped from Glasgow?" She nodded again in reply.

Raina: "You know Alex? Wait... I've seen you before! You were there, that night, Alex said you were her husband!" She stated indicating towards me. But I completely ignored Raina as I drew my attention to analysing the figure in the tank. Clearly a female Draconian, but the biggest give away as to who it was, was her missing right arm...

Wrex: "That's... Sarah Jarvie... isn't it?..." Raina paused for a few seconds before giving a small nod. I dropped my arms and opened my faceplates, "...relax, you can put your hands down..." I instructed her, only just clicking that she still had them partially raised "...Why did Alex have her converted?"

Raina: "She, Sarah that is, had moderate radiation poisoning and injuries throughout, but Alex said she could see she wasn't getting better. So once Alex explained the procedure, I could see she was right and that this was the only way we could save her."

Sora smacked me on the upper arm,

Sora: " 'She has to save her'!"

Wrex: "What?"

Sora: "You said, when you had the fight with Alex on the truck that she said she 'has to save her'. She wasn't talking about Reikon she was talking about Sarah! That's why she raided all those SkyTech storage facilities and transports! For this equipment!"

Wrex: "Oh shit..." I replied as the realisation hit me, of course it made sense!

Jinx: "Were we in these things?"

Wrex: "You would have been, yes."

Jinx: "But I don't remember it."

Wrex: "You won't do, no. SkyTech keep you unconscious until you have the chips implanted." I looked back to the tank then back to Raina "...Well then... how is it going?, How is she?"

Raina: "Really well actually, the last of her Human cells are all but gone, there's not enough genetic material to regrow her right arm, but as far as we can see all other wounds, both external and internal have healed and her radiation levels have fallen well below safe levels, even by Human standards."

Sora: "So how much longer does she have left?"

Raina: "Maximum of a week."

Wrex: "We don't have a week."

Raina: "Well… Alex did mentioned something about an early release sequence. Which, as long as I am happy with her condition, and as long as I can find it in the program, I can initiate in about three days time. Unless she comes back soon that is, I'm sure she already knows how it works."

Sora turned to me,

Sora: "It's probably going to be our best option... until Alex... or Reikon, makes a move with the Shard, we're stuck, again."

Wrex: "Son of a bitch!... I've been waiting weeks! Not even a peep out of you! Now you want us to wait longer?"

Sora: "Wrex you know my background, I hate the waiting and messing around as much as you do! But what choice do we have?! You always rush of head first into things, maybe just this one time, waiting might be the best thing to do, wait for Sarah to wake up and she'll be able to help us... hopefully."

Wrex: " *Scoff* 'Hopefully' she says... And if not??"

Sora remained quiet and looked away.

Raina: "Has something happened to Alex?" She asked, genuinely sounding worried now. My head dropped slightly, I struggled to look her in the eye.

42: "May I suggest we all get comfy, we can all get each other up to speed maybe?"

__________

We had all gathered in the large lounge, Raina quickly explaining that the large blackened hole in the wall where apparently a TV use to hang was due to Alex getting upset over something on the news. We all had our input into this meeting, starting with Raina, explaining the details of Sarah's injuries, the process involved in her change, as much as she knew anyway. Then she updated us all on what had happened with Alex as far as she knew from behind the scenes. I gave my piece as well, explaining my side of the events and encounters with Alex and Reikon. Jinx then went through what she knew, which wasn't a lot, it seems Skylen was pretty good to keep any of his team in the dark about anything that could expose him. The same rang true for 42 when he added his piece, only thing was that he now has his full Human life memories, to which greatly caught Jinx's attention...

Jinx: "Soo... your real name is James?"

D42: "Yes but... I'd rather you didn't call me that."

Jinx: "Why not?"

D42: "Let's just say I didn't have the best of childhoods... if I had it my way, I'd have preferred to keep my memory block in place to be completely honest with you."

Jinx: "Really? You don't want to talk about it?"

D42: "Not particularly, no."

Jinx: "So what would to we call you then if we can't use James?"

D42: "As far as I am concerned, the old me, James, is dead. This is a new life for me, I'm different, the people that surround me are different, life is different, this is a chance for me to start again. As to what to call me, they changed my number to D135 after we were all split up after the David Parker scenario. But I've kind of gotten use to people calling me '42' to be honest."

Jinx: "Soo... you want us to call you 'Forty-Two'? That's just a number, not a name."

D42: "It can be a name. 'Jinx' is a terminology or an action, as in 'to Jinx something or someone', that's not a name, yet you've adopted it?"

I could see her mentally taking in what he had explained before giving a slight nod,

Jinx: "You're right, sorry, if you want us to refer to you as 42 then we will... It is nice to see you again though, 42."

42: "Likewise." He replied with a smile.

Wrex: "Seeing that as both of you probably have some more personal stuff to catch up with... Raina, would you care to join me? I'd like to talk to you alone, plus we can leave these two in peace.

Almost like a school girl who thought she was in trouble, she sunk slightly in her seat and looked to the floor in front of her before cautiously standing up and following me out of the room. I suppose in Raina's defence, Alex's form was probably quite welcoming compared to the four of us, we must have seemed quite overbearing. I lead her back down the halls and into the garage then promptly turned to face her once we were in front of Sarah's tank.

Wrex: "Raina, I just want to be clear... What we have just discussed in that room, our existence, what Alex has told you and everything that has happened since the hospital... You can never repeat a word of any of it to anyone. Not because of what would happen to us, but what would could happen to you, you understand that don't you?"

Raina: "I do. I understand. Alex has already told me something similar. My lips are sealed."

Wrex: "Good."

Raina: "You are going to get Alex back... Right?"

Wrex: "I am certainly going to try. The problem is she is very difficult to track down."

__________*_Alex_*__________

Unknown location, (besides stuck in my own mind), unknown timestamp...

I lay huddled on the floor in a foetal position. I had no idea how long had passed since Reikon took over. Hours, days... weeks?! There was no indication of how much time was passing, it was dark, constantly, no sun or moon to move across the sky... I wasn't tired, I wasn't hungry... All I knew is that there was nothing here, in every direction was the same... full of nothingness. The only thing that was changing about my situation was the floor. It was almost as if the pitch black sky was leaking, spewing onto and infecting the pristine white marble floor, like a spreading ink, turning it black as well from all directions all around me. It was a fair distance away, for now anyway, but it had moved enough to notice that it had gradually crept in closer to me as time went by. What would happen when it reaches me I don't know. But what I did know was that even if I tried to get closer to examine it it would constantly keep the same distance away from me, all around me, as though I was merely walking on the same spot.

"...Alex..." Some female's voice whispered.

I slowly opened my eyes, wondering if I was imagining what I just heard.

"...Alex..." The voice said louder this time.

I slowly sat up, lazily looked around me, only to see nothing, except a flash out of the corner of my eye. I focused on the point of origin on the horizon, but after a few seconds, nothing appeared and no one called my name again.

Me: "Tsk... I knew it, I'm going mad already." I went to lay back down but the voice spoke again, now at full volume and sounding very familiar...

"Not quite, not yet."

'Of course it's familiar! It's my own voice!'

I shot to sitting back up and spun around as a metallic foot step sounded from right behind me and looked up. It was the Stranger! Or rather... me? Future me? What ever I was to refer to her as, she was in her immaculate white and black accented armour, the blue eyes of her helmet looking down at me. I sat back slightly to get a better view of her.

Me: "You?! How do I know you're actually you? and not a trick of Reikon?"

She crouched down next to me

Stanger: "Tis a valid question, I have no way to prove myself as anything you say and think of will be inside your own head, which as you know, a certain 'someone' else might well know and have access to anyway.

Me: "That doesn't actually answer my question."

Stranger: "It doesn't matter. Look, what are you doing?"

Me: "What do you mean? Am I supposed to be doing something?"

Stranger: "Using the Shard to get out of here? Maybe? Might be a good start huh?"

Me: "How?, I don't know if you've noticed, I'm kinda Sard-less at the moment." I said turning my back to her slightly and pointing over my shoulder.

Stanger: "Oh my god! Think!! Your trapped inside your own head, not locked outside of your body. You're still joined with the Shard, you're just not... how do I put it... 'thinking outside the box'?... Alex, Reikon put you in this place, as you are, to demoralise you, to make you think you've lost, but how do you think she broke out of your mind in the first place?"

Me: "She... I guess she was determined that she was going to win I suppose?"

Stranger: "Exactly, her soul, her mind was connected to yours and the Shard. The whole time you exist, even in here, you are connected to her as much as she is you. Reikon had the drive to get out. And yet, look at you... Pathetically rolling around on the floor." She almost spat at me standing  back up straight.

I stood up defensively to her, and until now, I never realised how much taller my armour made me as she looked down on me, not by much, but a good few inches easily.

Me: "Hey!, I don't know why you're giving me a hard time! I know you are me, from the future, or a different timeline or dimension or whatever!, but you're still me! Just because you've become a heartless bitch by killing your friends and fam-"

*Smack!*

I was sent flying backwards, crashing on the hard cold floor, the left side of my face throbbing, aching badly from her lightning fast right hook.

Stranger: "Fuck you!" she angrily said pointing at me.

Me: "Arggghhh!!..." I said groaning holding the side of my face. "...Are you even on my side?!"

Stranger: "Of course I am! *Sigh* but Alex, you're being a dick head!... yes I've had to kill people I love, because it was too late for me... But it's still not too late for you... You can change this..." She came over and crouched next to me again and her faceplates snapped open and back, then her whole helmet retreated, pieces sliding over each other and merging, down into the collar of her armour. I had to admit, seeing it from the outside, it did look quite cool. Her face underneath, though it was the same as mine, her short hair was not as well maintained and she looked tired, her blue eyes bloodshot carrying heavy bags, and her face in general just looked glum and pale. "...I'm here to give you the little push you need, you can change what's going to happen so that you don't have to go through what I've had to, because this is the teetering point."

Me: "How?"

She stood up and offered a hand out to me,

Stanger: "You need friends, you need a family that you don't even realise ARE your family yet... and you need them a lot more than you realise..."

I looked to her hand, hesitated for a moment before grabbing it and she pulled me from the floor.

"...I made it out of here alone, but too late, when it came down to it, my friends... my family, weren't there when I needed them. Which is all I can put it down as to why I lost. The sooner you stop being so fucking stubborn, realise and accept the fact that you can not do this alone the better."

Me: " *Sigh* What have I got to do?"

Stranger: "You did the right thing sending them all to Sarah, but you need to take it a step further, you need to talk to Sarah, get her to organise them all and get them ready."

Me: "But how?, I have no access to my abilities here? And Sarah is still in the tank... Well, she should be, I think? To be honest, I have no idea how long I've been here."

Stranger: "As I said, you're still in your own mind! You've just spent the last few weeks unlocking all sorts of potential from the Shard that no Human nor Draconian has ever imagined! As your mind is still linked to the Shard, and although you might think you don't have it on your person right now, that doesn't mean you can't use it."

Me: "But why Sarah? Why not Wrex? He's lead people before, he'll know what to do."

She shook her head at me.

Stranger: "Although you are still connected to the Shard, so is Reikon, I wouldn't draw too much attention to myself reaching out to a conscious mind. Wrex is also too focused on trying to get you back and it's clouding his judgement. I can tell you Sarah is still in the tank, unconscious. This will work perfectly for you if you start trying to regain control now, ok? You gotta do this. Not just for yourself, but for everyone you know, Humanity and Draconians. The fight for control of your body will end on Draconia, one way or another, and you need them to be there for you when the time comes..."

I simply nodded in reply. "...Good... I gotta go now, I can't help you any more than I have done for now, it's up to you."

Me: "But what if I need your help again?"

Stranger: "If you succeed you won't see this version of me again. Every time you change history, I'm always a future version of yourself at that moment in time. I've given you the push in the right direction, faced you down the path you need to take, one I haven't been down before, so now you just got to ask yourself, what would YOU do."  She stated, starting to step backwards away.

Me: "Not that I have all the answers I want or need... But thank you for everything..." I rubbed the side of my sore face again, "...well, except for the punch."

Steanger: "You deserved it."

Me: "I hate you." I mocked back shaking my head.

Stranger: "I know, I hate me too... Good luck,..." I saw her eyes glance down me, "...and cover yourself up will you." She said with a hint of a smile and an echo to her voice as she fadded out of existence, then that was it, she was gone.

I looked down at my still naked feminine form... It would be nice to get some sort of covering I have to admit, despite no one else being here, I did feel very self-conscious. I thought about my armour, wishing it to return... But nothing. I thought about what future me said, about not looking in the right place. I thought about the first time I touched and used the Heart in the future timeline, I didn't have the Shard in me at that point... Only when I woke up in my timeline... I think? Either way, at that moment, I used the Heart and it responded to me, same as the Shard does when I use it normally... so now I had to reach out further I guess? If it was truly a part of me still then I guess I didn't have to reach out far at all in theory. I closed my eyes and concentrated on what I wanted, something basic to start with... Just my armour... A glimmer shone through my eye lids and I snapped them open.

In the distance, the same bright light on the horizon again, breaking the horizon line like a sun rise, dividing the black sky and the black sea that surrounded me. But it glowed that all too familiar purple and red. I wanted to reach out to it and grab a hold of it, despite it's distance. As I did so my black and red armour slid over my shoulder from my back and covered my arm, then gradually covered the rest of me as I loooked down.

Me: "That's much better." I said to myself with a smile. Now suitably covered I set about the next task, contacting Sarah... I closed my eyes and concentrated again. Now, when I searched for and spoke with Wrex face to face before I merely had to picture him while thinking that I wanted to find him, then put myself next to him... only thing is with Sarah, it will be in her own head, It should still work the same way... I think... I hope...

And it did, and although it took just a bit more effort than before, and then what I entered into, I did not expect at all...

__________*_Sarah_*__________

I watched my dad, spinning me around on the roundabout in a playground, I giggled as he laughed at how fast he spun me.

Sarah: "Daddy stop! I'm gonna spew!" I cheered, finding the feeling more amusing thhan anything.

Mom: "Come on dear, if she's ill, you're clearing her up."

Dad: " *Sigh* Ok ok..." He grabbed a hold of the bars to try and slow it down, quickly bringing it to a halt. I stood up, badly, holding on to the bars for dear life as the world spun around me. I fell forward toward the dirt as I reached the edge of the roundabout but my daddy's hands caught me,

Dad: "Whoop, nearly... Just a little bit dizzy are we? Ha ha ha."

Sarah: "Just a little bit...." I giggled, then looked up at him, my head rolling, catching something over his shoulder, as the world around me started to straighten out. A woman, short blonde hair, pretty looking, wearing some weird mostly black armour with bits of red on it, with wings and a tail! She stood, looking curiously over to us from the edge of the play area.

Sarah: "Who is that daddy?" My head slowly recovering. He turned and looked over his shoulder at the woman.

Dad: "Oh, well she looks very important eh?"

Sarah: "Do you think she wants to play with us?"

Dad: "Why don't you go ask her?" I nodded and pulled away from my dad and walked over to the fence, still a bit wobbly, to where this woman stood. I looked back at my parents who were both cuddling but intently watching me with smiles. I turned back to the fence, and the woman behind it.

Sarah: "Hi." I said looking up to the rather tall looking woman.

Alex: "Hi there, what's your name?" She replied softly with a smile and crouching ever slightly to get closer to my height.

Sarah: "My name is Sarah, what's yours?"

Alex: "I thought you were Sarah, my name is Alex."

Sarah: "Hi Alex, pleased to meet you."

Alex: "Oh well, the pleasure is all mine. Tell me Sarah, how old are you right now?"

Sarah: "Six"

Alex: "Six?! Wow... What a big girl you are being, so polite and grown up like. I would definitely have said you were easily 10!" She replied softly again.

Sarah: "Te he... why do your eyes look like snake eyes?"

Alex: "Err... cool looking contact lenses of course."

Sarah: "Well they're a very pretty blue."

Alex: "Oh, well thank you very much."

Sarah: "Alex, do you want to play with us?"

You are reading story Alex – Heart Of The Vanguard at novel35.com

Alex: "Oh, erm... I'd love to, but I have a very important job to do, that I err... I don't really know how to say this, but I need the older you, to talk to."

I tilted my head confused at her, 

Sarah: "What do you mean?" before Alex could answer I heard my dad call from behind.

Dad: "Sarah?, honey, we gotta get going or we'll miss our flight."

Looking back at them they were older, clothes had changed and they had pull along suit cases with them now. Suddenly I realised that I was older too, in my late teens... 18 to be precise... I knew what this moment was and I could already feel my eyes filling up with tears. I watched them start fading from existence, turning ito ghosts almost.

Sarah: "Noo..." I whimpered... They quickly started coming back into form, no longer transparent, but there was a thud and a rattle of metal from behind me. I turned back to Alex. She had fallen to her knees, grasping onto the fence with one hand, the other was outstretched at my parents, glowing red and purple, her face looking rather pained.

Alex: "Go... Talk to them... I don't know how much longer I can hold them." She strained to tell me. Without hesitation I ran over and hugged them both, while starting to blubber.

Sarah: "But, I don't want you to go."

Mom: "We got to go sweetie."

Sarah: "You can't go! If you do you'll-"

Dad: "We know... But it happens."

Sarah: "But it doesn't have to! I don't want to lose you, I can't, not again!" I sobbed in reply.

Dad: "There's nothing anyone can do about it now my little -not so little- girl... the past is the past. It can't be changed."

Mom: "And maybe we won't be around in person, but we'll always be with you, in your heart sweetie."

Sarah: "But you can stay here! And we can still be a family!"

Dad: "No dear..." He replied as both he and mom pulled away from my embrace, "...that is your family now..." He said pointing behind me, I tuned and looked to see Alex, still looking rather pained, now screwing her face up, arm still outstretched and glowing. "...make us proud sweetheart, you always have and I know you will continue to do so. You're already a better Jarvie than either of us ever could be."

Sarah: "Don't say that! You-

Dad: "It's the truth, you've done good. You did things we should have done but never did." I launched into another hug again, I didn't want to let them go, like as if their lives, their existence, if I held them,  they can't leave...

Mom: "We love you..."

Dad: "...So so much." And they vanished into a pool of light.

Sarah: "Mom! Dad!..." I took two paces forward as their solid state vanished from my grasp and collapsed to my knees, still trying to reach out to them, eruptting into a flood of tears, "... *Sob* I love you too!"

A hand placed onto my shoulder a few seconds later as Alex knelt down next to me, gently turned me to pull me into a hug and I cried loudly into her shoulder.

Minutes passed and as I gradually calmed down and was able to speak again and my current memories of everything, including Alex, had returned to me.

Me: "I'm sorry Alex, I lied, I'm not over them."

Alex: "Heeeyy, that's nothing to be sorry about... I don't blame you at all, that was a beautiful memory that I walked in on and I ruined it for you, so if anything I'm sorry. I really tried to hold them for longer, but I'm not currently as strong as I use to be."

Sarah: "Don't be... At least I got to see them one more time... A chance to say goodbye this time... What are you doing here? And where even are we?" She asked as she pulled away from me and looked around this playground that we were still in.

Alex: "We're in your head, so my guess is, you're dreaming, reliving memories."

Sarah: "You are in MY head? How?"

Alex: "Err... Side effects."

Sarah: "Alex..." She said disapprovingly.

Alex: "*Sigh* let's get you up to speed properly then... When you put the Shard into my suit, it merged with the plasma core, it merged with me. My body was dead, my mind dying... Reikon... Err... I suppose I need to tell you about her as well... Crystal, she's not what she appears...

The story goes, this Draconian, Princess Reikon was banished here for treason and forced to live in Human form. She was killed, here on Earth, more than a thousand years ago, but her soul was captured and trapped in the Shard at the moment of her death. But your parents found her when they were studying the Shard, as you rightfully said, adrift, unknowing of what or who it was. They forced her into a form of an AI, named it Crystal. You then put her in my armour which started unlocking her a bit more, the Shard was the final push she needed. As the Shard merged with me, it fully released her into my mind... I've been fighting for control of my body for the last three weeks or so. She has finally succeeded... I don't know how long it's been since she did, a few days maybe? But she's now hell bent on trying to take Earth and Draconia."

Sarah: "Oh my god, Alex, I'm so sorry, had I known I would never have given you a copy of Crystal. Hell, I would have destroyed her a long time ago... *Gasp*." a realisation hit me.

Alex: "What is it?"

Sarah: "There are other copies of Crystal out there!"

Alex: "Well... They're not self aware, not yet."

Sarah: "I need to destroy them."

Alex: "That can wait, I have more pressing issues on my hands... And I know you've done plenty, but I need to ask for your help again, please." She solemnly begged.

I straightened myself up at her request slightly and wiped my tear residue from my cheeks.

Sarah: "What do you need?"

Alex: "I'm going to need you to get the others together, Wrex, Sora, and Jinx and James if they want to help. Then, I don't know how yet, but you need to get us all, including my body and Reikon to Draconia."

Sarah: "Why Draconia?"

Alex: "I just... Know, I have to get her to the Heart of the Vanguard."

Sarah: "Where will we find you?"

Alex: "Erm... Again I don't know, yet. But hopefully one of us can work something out, but I need you ready."

Sarah: "Ok ok... So, how do we get out of here?"

Alex: "You need to wake up."

Sarah: "What?"

Alex: "You're asleep, or rather, unconscious. So wake up."

Sarah: "But... how?"

Alex stood up in front of me.

Alex: "Please wake up, I need you... I need you all..." She, and all of my surroundings faded to white, which then all changed to black... I heard a heartbeat... Slowly pumping away... I felt calm, but I know I shouldn't be, I needed to help Alex, and if it was true and I was unconscious then I did indeed need to wake up... I heard the heartbeat start to quicken, the thumps getting louder and stronger...

__________*_Wrex_*_________

Barcelona, Spain, Wed 2 Feb 22 03:20

Wrex: "What do you mean she's waking up? I thought you said the sedatives keep her out of it until we pull her out of it?" I said as I quickly followed Raina down through the villa.

Raina: "The sedatives are still being administered but something else it making her brain wake up, I don't know, I can't explain it, this shouldn't be happening!"

We ran into the garage and stood in front of the tank, the monitoring system beeping away unhappily on the side.

Wrex: "And you didn't do anything to instigate this?"

Raina: "No, I was in bed, asleep when I heard it sound the alarm!, I was going to wait until the morning to make the decision or not to evacuate the tank and crack the casket."

The monitor on the side showed her heartbeat rapidly increasing and I noticed movement in the tank, Sarah was stirring.

__________*_Sarah_*__________

Barcelona, Spain, Wed 2 Feb 22 03:21

After a few seconds of what I worked out was my own heartbeat racing, I heard muffled beeping and voices shouting nearby too... My eyes flickered open, surrounded by green liquid and I jumped, thrashed, tried to use my right arm to yank the mask from my face, but it didn't respond, so I used the left and realised instantly that was a mistake and I had to hold my breath. I put my hand out, colliding with the glass in front of me, I was trapped, I panicked.

I pushed my right shoulder against the wall behind me, allowing me full swing of my left arm and I started punching the glass in quick succession. First punch, nothing, second punch, the glass cracked slightly, third punch, the glass cracked more and I saw the silhouettes of two figures move out of the way from the front of the tank. The fourth punch done the deed, the glass front shattered and I was pulled from the tank by the torrent of green liquid, landing hard on the floor, coughing and spluttering, gasping for air.

Wrex: "Are you ok?!" He asked as I felt him grabbing my left arm and pulling me up,

Sarah: "I'm fine... I'm fine." I said, gagging and spitting another load of green liquid out as he pulled me up off the floor.

Female: "Everything alright?"

Male: "We heard a smash and... oh..." I didn't know who the voices belonged to, but I was more concentrated on myself at the moment, because everything felt... Different and weird... The pains all over, inside and out, that I had before I went into the tank were gone. But not just that, I felt stronger, much stronger than before the accident, my senses seemed to be dialled up to 11, I could, smell, taste, hear and see everything so much better. I wobbled unsteadily on my feet as I finished standing up, then looked down myself... My boobs, gone, and everything as far as I can see was covered in dark green scales, right down to my three toed feet, attached to the bottom of my digitigrade legs, one of which just had my tail glide past it, MY TAIL!

Sarah: "It worked!..." I stated excitedly to Wrex who was still supporting me on my left. "...It actually worked!..." I pulled myself from Wrex, to take another look at my hands, but the right one didn't come into view, so I looked to see where it was, only to see the smallest of stumps forming my shoulder area and nothing attached below... "...Oh... yeah... right..."

Raina: "I'm sorry Sarah, Alex and myself came to the conclusion that there wasn't enough genetic material to 'regrow' it, so to speak.

Sarah: "It... It's fine... I'm alive... And that's the main thing, so I guess I have you and Alex to thank-" I stopped dead staring into space...

Wrex: "Sarah?... Are you ok?"

Sarah: "Yeah... But Alex... She needs our help."

Sora: "That is true, but you only just woke up, so how do you know this?" She asked squeezing past the other two Dragons that stood in the doorway. One of them, the female, from memory, I think was Alex's friend Jinx, I vaguely remember her from Iceland and footage from the mansion. But I had no idea who the male was.

Sarah: "She came to me, in my dreams, she said she needed my help, she needs ALL our help, she mentioned you, Wrex. She also mentioned Jinx and James... Which.. I presume is you two?" I nodded suggestively towards the door where the other two stood.

Jinx: "That's us, but call him-"

42: "Call me just 42, please..."

Sarah: "Okaaay... I won't ask. But yeah, she said she needs us."

42: "...In your dream?" He dubiously asked.

Sarah: "I know what I saw, it's was real, she was there!"

Sora: "It's quite possible,..." She notioned to Jinx and 42, "... there's alot more going on here than you can imagine. Alex can project herself into  the presence of others. It wouldn't be impossible to assume that she could place herself into people's minds and their dreams as well. But nevertheless, if Alex says she needs help then I'm all for it."

Jinx: "Hell yeah, I mean, I've seen some weird shit since becoming a Dragon but, Alex helped free me, if she's in trouble then I want to help too."

42: "Same goes for me."

I looked to Wrex,

Wrex: "Well you all know I'm the one mostly involved with her, of course I'm in. But where do we start Sarah? Did she say what to do next?"

Sarah: "All she said was she needs us ready..." I looked to Wrex, in his armour, then down at my stump of a shoulder, then to the others, "...And I think I have something perfect In mind."

Raina: "I think... what ever everyone is getting themselves into here is waaay out of my depth. I would like to run some test on you Sarah, but so long as you're feeling alright then I think my work here is done... Sooo... Could I catch a ride home? Please?"

Sora: "Certainly."

Sarah: "But first, we need to make a detour, two in fact, sorry Raina, I need to get started on something as soon as possible. Sora, we need to make a stop by the safehouse in welcome, then can you take us all to the mansion in Malibu?, If you remember where it is?"

Sora: "But, Sarah, it's burnt down?"

Sarah: "I know it is, but I left something there, something we need."

__________

Welcome, MD, USA Tues 1 Feb 22 21:35

We all exited Jump, with myself tripping slightly as I stepped on to the grassy ground, I was still getting use to this body, with it's different movements, different center of gravity and walking around bare foot. Raina, still looking a bit uneasy, slid from Wrex's back and he stood upright.

Raina: "I don't think I'll ever get use to that."

Sarah: "Wait here, I'll be two minutes." I said to the group and they did as I asked as I made my way into the house, immediately making my way downstairs to the basement.

Sarah: "Crystal?..."

There was no answer as I entered my mini lab, I sighed, I knew this was merely because she didn't recognise me. "...Crystal - AI C-R-S-T-L recognise Identity of one Jarvie, Sarah Louise - Access Sierra Lima Juliet One One Zero Eight Two Zero One Eight - Secondary command entry, disable all external networking parameters and disable Synchronisation functions - Confirm." There was a small click and beep from the small server that was installed down here, then I heard Crystal reply.

Crystal: "Good evening Miss Jarvie, voice recognition confirmed but I must say you are looking remarkably... Different..."

I looked up at the domed camera in the corner of the room and tried to ignore it. "....but nevertheless, it is always good to hear from you."

Sarah: "Uh-huh..." I replied making my way over to the server, I had no intention of being nice to her, if what Alex said was true... Which, to be honest, I had little reason to doubt, then I didn't trust Crystal now in the slightest. But I needed her, I'd be using her for this one last thing, then I'm destroying her, and the other copies I had. "... Crystal, we got a job, but I need to take you with me. Eject your CPU please from the server."

Crystal: "Very well, logging you out."

Her voiced fell silent along with the room and a card, the size of an old minidisk ejected partially from the server mounted in the wall. I grabbed the CPU, and made my way back upstairs to the group so we could head on to the next destination.

__________

Malibu, CA, Tues 1 Feb 22 19:55

Once more we stepped out of the Jump into the long driveway that lead up to my family home... Or rather, what was left of it, my jaw dropped taking in the sight of the building's condition. Half of it had collapsed, leaving a messy pile of stone and wood, the other half, the main roof had collapsed but the external walls were still standing. I never thought I would see it like this, so many memories I had here, and now with what's happened to me, and the house, it's almost as if my old life had ended and I was just some stranger passing by.

Wrex: "Hey, you ok?"

He asked placing his hand on my shoulder.

Sarah: "Yeah, I'm... I'm fine... Just a lot of memories from here..." I looked down at my scaly Draconian form, it was certainly a sight that was going to take some getting used to, "... memories from a Human life I once had... Should that mean anything? I mean, should I try and forget about them?"

Wrex: "Of course not, you're still 'you' aren't you? You might physically look different, but your mind, your soul, the bits that make you 'you' are still unchanged, you're still the brilliant and smart Sarah Jarvie, just... Upgraded."

I smiled slightly at his last comment.

Sarah: "Speaking of upgrades... Let's get inside, I'll explain more then."

Jinx: "You want us to come with you?"

Sarah: "Yeah, we're going to be here for a little while."

Raina: "Is it safe in there?"

To be honest, I had forgotten she was here, what with me being preoccupied with idea.

Sarah: "Err... Actually, Sora, this might be the good opportunity to take her home if you could please? Then meet us back here after if you want..." I stepped over to Raina, "...This is where we say goodbye Raina, for now anyway. Thank you, for saving me." I gave her a brief one armed hug which she returned.

Raina: "It was just my job, but you're welcome, good to see a patient recover so well, so to speak..." She replied, smiling as we broke apart. "...I'm ready, thank you Sora."

Sora: "*Sigh* Sure, as long as I get a break soon, opening this many Jumps is actually quite tiring you know."

Sarah: "Sorry, after you're back, we're done again for a while."

She nodded and guided Raina away,

Sora: "You're not riding on MY back though... So where do you live?" I didn't listen to her response as I focused my attention on the house.

Sarah: "Let's go." And we all headed for the main front door.

I tore through the 'Police - do not cross' tape covering the front door and proceeded in, the smell of burning and ash intensified once we crossed threshold. I lead us through, over collapsed beams, destroyed furniture toward the west wing.

42: "What exactly is this place? I don't see what you're going to be able to save from here, everything is destroyed."

Sarah: "Not everything..."

I lead them through the partially collapsed hall, ducking and sliding past an angled toppled wall, to the spiral stairwell that lead down into the garage. I had left in such a hurry before that I never surveyed the damage... Two thirds of ceiling above had caved in, leaving only the side where the work benches were mostly intact, but my target, the circular platform at the back and center of the room was just about visible. I continued down the spiral staircase and headed toward the platform, stopping and gasping as I stood on something metal that broke under my foot and partially stabbed me. I looked down and picked it up with my spare fingers, as I still had Crystal's chip in my hand as well. I recognised it instantly, or what was left of it. It was the framework of Alex's Regulator... I looked over to the right to the worktop, seeing the other pieces. I put the frame down and picked up the circular glass looking disk instead.

Wrex: "What is it?"

Sarah: "I remember watching back Alex's helmet footage, this was her old regulator, it was damaged in the attack and the fire... She smashed what was left of it... I'm getting distracted sorry." I dropped the disc and continued on to the platform.

42: "This place was attacked?"

Sarah: "Yes... By Skylen... And Jinx..."

42 shot a look to Jinx, who up until now had been looking very sheepish at the back of the group.

Jinx: "I wasn't me at the time! I wasn't in control! Sarah, I am sorry for what happened!"

Sarah: "I know, it's fine, I know it wasn't your fault, I wasn't blaming you." I said forcing a smile at her.

After ducking and stepping over beams and debris, we got to the open platform and stared down at the debris that had spilled through, leaving a gap just large enough for us to climb down through but also something for us to climb down.

Sarah: "Come on." I beckoned as I climbed in, thinking this was going to be challenge with only one arm and while holding the chip, but in actual fact it wasn't. Where I had lost one limb, I had gained three others and with the assistance of my tail and wings for support it actually made it rather easy. I stepped down into a foot or so of water.

Sarah: "Shit!"

Wrex jumped down next to me, sploshing into the water himself.

Wrex: "Problem?" He asked as Jinx and 42 lowered themselves down as well.

Sarah: "There's not supposed to be water down here, fuck... Must have come from the fire fighters putting the fire out, it wasn't here when I left. Hopefully it hasn't reached the servers."

I looked down the hall beyond, it was almost pitch black, but my eyes were coping well.

Jinx: "What servers?"

Sarah: "My private servers. They ran down here where it was colder for them." I lead them down the hall towards the vault I knew contained my servers.

Wrex: "I thought you said we need to get something from here?"

Sarah: "We do and we don't, I'll explain my plan in a minute, I promise."

We passed the hall that had melted walls and ceiling, and the dry blood splatters beyond.

Jinx: "What the hell happened here?"

Sarah: "I suppose you won't know this bit, I think you were still out cold. All I can say is that it's a good thing Alex rendered you unconscious, this was the result of Alex first finding out the destructive capability of the plasma jets on her armour, she charged all four of her jets up to full capacity and fired at one of your SkyTech team mates... Obliterated him and my hallway, as you can see."

Jinx dropped her head slightly as she trudged through the water,

Jinx: "She really has had it rough recently eh?"

Sarah: "Yeah, but that's why we are here, to help her. This one..." I said as I stepped up to one of the circular doors "...power's out to the door locks as well..." I looked and reached to above the door, just about reaching and ripping a panel off the wall, grabbing the emergency override release handle beneath and yanking it. There was a clonk in the center of the semi circular split doors in front of us, just by an inch, and I stepped back, looking to Wrex and gestured to the doors, "...If you'd be so kind please, Wrex?, this needs the touch of someone more able bodied." I finished with gesturing toward my stumpy shoulder. He nodded and steppped up, digging his clawed fingers between the seal of the doors and yanked them apart with relative ease, enough for someone to make it through ast least and stepped back, gesturing me to lead in.

Sarah: "Thank you." I said with a smile and stepped over the step inside and eyed up my servers, all quiet.

Sarah: "Wrex, now I need your suit please." I asked as he stepped in.

Wrex: "My what? You need me to take it off? Why?"

Sarah: "For someone who didn't like the idea of my modern armour to start with you've certainly grown rather attached to it..." I mocked, "...but no, you don't need to take it off, I just need to get to your back. Over here if you'd be so kind..." He looked to the other two, before moving closer to where I was stood in the racking. "...turn around please..." He huffed and did as I asked, turning his back to me, Jinx and 42 stepping up beside us and watching over curiously. "...Mark 3 Whiskey. Recognise Identity of one Jarvie, Sarah Louise - Access Sierra Lima Juliet One One Zero Eight Two Zero One Eight - Secondary command entry - open plasma core access cover." The access cover on Wrex's back armour opened revealing a rather bright red and purple light show which partially illuminated the especially dark space we were in.

Jinx: "What is that?!"

Sarah: "Plasma Core. It powers his armour. Alex had one similar, that's what died in the fight... They're a little sensitive." I said as I grabbed a cable from the a nearby racking, plugged it into a server and then into Wrex's back.

Wrex: "You're not going to break it are you?"

Sarah: "Of course not. I'm just using you as a jump start... And..." I started flicking and resetting switches and the nearby junction box, "... *click* ...here... *click*... we... *click*... go... *click*..." There was a bang and some sparks for a couple of seconds in the far corner of the room, enough to make Jinx gasp and startle 42 and Wrex. But I smiled after the servers hummed into life and the lights came on in the room. "...Perfect! I'll be back in a moment."

Wrex: "When are you going to tell us what you're planning?"

Sarah: "Just a minute, I need to grab something from one of the other vaults then I will be back to explain ok." I made my way out of the room. I sploshed down the water filled hall to find the vault I had in mind... Worry started instantly hitting me... The access panel for the emergency release? Gone... To be precise, it was sat under the water, in front of the door and by my feet. And the emergency release handle Itself was also pulled, jutting out from the wall at a right angle and the door?...

The door was closed to, but not quite all the way, leaving just a centimeter gap between them.

Sarah: "Shit! No no no..." I hit the controls to the side of the door, punching my access code in and it opened entirely. I promtly made my way inside, down past the many lockers that lined either side, stopping at the one I was looking for... The door ripped open and only hanging by one hinge, the small brief case like container that was inside the locker was also smashed open, the locked latches ripped out. I opened the case... Of the five spaces in the foam, only four were filled... One plasma core was missing! "...she hasn't... please tell me she fucking hasn't..." I closed the case, tucked it under my arm and ran out of the vault, back into thew water, sploshing again and further down the hall. I rounded the corner, heading down another hall... Three vaults down on the right... It was open fully, emergency overide activated on this one too... What was inside... A particular set of armour, was gone! "...God damn it!..." I looked back down the hall to make sure I wasn't followed... "...I hope this doesn't come back to haunt me." I looked at the case under my arm...

'Now we are definitely going to need these... I just hope they're up for the idea.'

_________*_Wrex_*__________

I watched Sarah's Draconian form leave the room. For being a Dragon for such a short time, she seemed to be getting use to it pretty quickly and was quite happy about it too.

42: "Can she be trusted?"

I turned to 42 who managed to pull me from my trail of thought,

Wrex: "What do you mean?

42: "Well she seems a little... I don't know... Keeps herself to herself sort of thing, does that make sense?"

Wrex: "I believe so, she's never done me wrong in the past. She's lived a rather secluded life the past few years and doesn't trust easily."

Jinx: "Secluded? Why?"

Wrex: "She lost her parents about five years ago, shortly after she found out what SkyTech were doing with her parents designs. So her trust and social skills dropped to next to nothing."

It was another couple of minutes or so before the sploshing of footsteps could be heard again and Sarah returned to the room, with a case in under arm.

Sarah: "Here we go..." She placed the case down on some nearby racking and opened the lid as we gathered round and looked inside.

Wrex: "Are... Are those...?..." I looked to Sarah, then to Jinx and 42 then back to Sarah, "...Are you really planning what I think you are?..." She smiled mischievously back at me with no vocal reply. "...Have you even got enough materials?"

Sarah: "If I melt down your old armour, then just about, yes."

Wrex: "How long will you need?"

Sarah: "Only about a week. Eight days tops."

Wrex: "Ok... well, make it happen."

(-Daft Punk)

You can find story with these keywords: Alex – Heart Of The Vanguard, Read Alex – Heart Of The Vanguard, Alex – Heart Of The Vanguard novel, Alex – Heart Of The Vanguard book, Alex – Heart Of The Vanguard story, Alex – Heart Of The Vanguard full, Alex – Heart Of The Vanguard Latest Chapter