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The Mercenary is the first arc of The Underground series

Chapter 30 of 32

Confrontation

Where Alias's Beretta's ended and his actual paws began, Alias couldn't even tell anymore. They had become more of an extension to his appendages than something he was carrying. They seemed to operate on the same blood the flowed through Alias's veins, they moved and breathed as he would. In an elegant black blur Alias rose to his feet and lined up his first direct victim of this skirmish.

Rounding the corner in a hurry, Alias drove his combat boot into the face of one of the mercenaries, sprawling backwards onto his back, Alias let one of the lead bullets loose from the chambers. As the shell flipped out of the slide he caught it in his paw; still warm from the explosion of the gunpowder.

What exactly happened next, not even Alias himself could fully describe. It happens every time he was forced into a combat situation. It was almost as if he wasn't in charge of his own body. His moves were almost predetermined to the situation, however unlike a programmed response, Alias's body kicked in to change when needed. It was hard to describe what going into this mode felt like. On one hand Alias saw and understood everything that was happening, on the other his focus wasn't on what he was doing even though it was clearly a conscious decision. Like an experienced chess player, he saw many moves ahead of his opponents. He would lead them into traps, force them into situations, and of course, turn their own moves against them. Time itself seemed to slow down for him. He could see the bullets coming toward him, he could sense the air disturbed by punches to his body, and he knew the moves to avoid both. His black figure spun in an elegant blur, never stopping, always in a perpetual state of movement.

When Alias finally looked around, most of the Alpha strike force lay dead around him. His paws were covered in a dark sticky substance; blood. Looking down at his paws, he saw that he no longer was carrying pistols, but he had resorted to his combat knives. He couldn't even remember when the switch was made. It all went along with his training, or talent, or whatever it was that caused him to do this. Sheathing them both in their proper spots, Alias quickly reached around his back to his guns and found them both to be dry. Reloading them, Alias continued down the corridors to the elevator lobby. Peeking from around a corner, Alias saw no one and crept out. Moving from cover to cover, the black fox's watchful eyes scanned his surroundings for any enemies; but saw none.

"Goddamn it, Alias!" A voice shouted from behind him.

Alias whipped around, pistol pointing in the direction of the voice.

Atir stood outside of where the entrance to Hets's lobby should have been. Instead it was a large black steel door, blocking the entrance. Atir had locked down Het's office and Alias didn't have the fire power to get through.

"Now you are pissing me off!" Atir shouted to Alias. Both the gazelle and the fox stood at a standoff, his MP5 pointing at Alias, and Alias's Beretta's keeping him in his sites. "Where'd you think this would get you?"

"Why are you always asking me that, Atir?" Alias retorted, remembering their conversation at Club Xero.

Atir scoffed. "You went from our best hunter to the hunted over what? Some bitch?"

"You tried to kill me you son of a bitch! This had nothing to do with Jenna! But I'm not going to let you take her too! She doesn't belong here and you know it!"

"Who gives two shits what I think!" Atir yelled, his voice holding an acidic quality. "What I know is that you're a freak, Alias! You always have been and you always will be! What do you expect? You think she'll love you for what you've done for her? You're alone because of your own choices! Or do you even remember all that?"

"That's not what this is about!" Alias shot back. "That's never been what this has been about!" Alias lowered his pistols, he could see the fury and hatred in Atir's eyes. What had Atir seen that spooked him so bad about Alias? "You want me Atir?" Alias asked, dropping both pistols. "Come get me!"

Atir wasted no time throwing down his MP5. "This has been a long time coming!"

Atir came running at Alias, his paw clenched into a fist as he swung with all his might. Not expecting such a brash move, the paw connected with an unexpecting Alias. The fox recoiled from the punch in pain, the force of which threw him to the ground. Alias, switching back into combat mode, kicked upward, hitting Atir in his pelvis. The gazelle cried out in pain, as Alias pushed off his paws, flipping back on his feet.

Alias knew Atir was highly trained. He didn't reach the top of Hets's ranks by being sloppy. His combat skills were close to that of Alias's. The gazelle was also larger and had a stronger build than the fox, as he had nearly five years up on Alias. But what Alias lacked in strength, he made up for in speed. Alias spun around Atir, landing several jabs to his kidneys. Atir's elbow came back, scoring a hit on Alias, directly on his nose.

Involuntarily, Alias's eyes watered due to the force of the hit. Knowing that he had been deprived of two of his critical senses temporarily, Alias backed off. Atir, thinking he had an advantage charged at Alias, however, his eyesight cleared just in time. Alias dodged Atir's attack, and sent his fist right past Alias's face. On instinct, Alias grabbed Atir's arm, and using all the strength he had, he flipped the heavy gazelle over his shoulder, and slammed him down on the green marble floor.

Atir, winded, couldn't move as Alias jumped into the air and brought the end of his boot down on Atir's sternum. Alias was about to get back up for another attack, when Atir grabbed one of Alias's combat knives that was sheathed on the outside of his thigh.

The fox screamed in pain as he felt the sharp metal object bury itself into his leg then be ripped from his body, only adding to the agony. Kicking Atir in the head with his good leg, Alias rolled away, and tried to get to his feet. Blood ran down from the wound in his thigh, pooling around his foot. Atir got to his feet once again, holding the knife that dripped in Alias's blood.

Standing in a combat stance, Atir looked dead into Alias's eyes. His look was that of a hunter, closing in on his prey. Alias felt the pain surge through his leg as he tried to put weight on it. Groaning slightly in his mouth, Alias knew he had to disconnect the pain, for now at least. He couldn't be worried about that at this point. Atir would only use this to his advantage. He couldn't focus on the pain.

Atir swung at Alias's midsection in a sweeping motion to the left, then quickly back to the right. Alias jumped back, making use of both his legs. Sweat came from his brow as he ignored the devil who seemed to be dumping salt into his wound. Tossing the knife up into the air Atir caught it by the handle in his right paw and jabbed twice. Alias used his agility to his favor, but he knew he was going to have to get the knife away from Atir if he wanted any hope of winning this fight. The thought occurred to him that he could always grab his second blade at his side, but that wouldn't help his immediate situation. Alias ducked as Atir came around for another swipe. He felt the wind blow by his face as the knife came dangerously close to connecting to his cheek.

Having Alias in his kill zone, Atir attempted to bring down the knife right into Alias's neck. Alias, however, was a little quicker. His left arm blocked Atir's attack. Working his arm so that it crossed over the outside of Atir's elbow, Alias pulled his arm in close, contorting the gazelle's arm in an unnatural position. Alias could both feel and hear Atir's arm crunch and pop as he did this. The gazelle also cried out in pain, and unconsciously dropped his knife to the floor with a clatter. Alias then brought his knee up into Atir's stomach several times. Atir would have continued to cry out if he had the oxygen to do so.

Throwing the gazelle down on the ground on his face, Alias straddled his back. Gripping him by his antlers, Alias pulled Atir's head back so that his throat was exposed. Pulling out his second knife and The Mercenary readied it with his paw.

"Don't do it, Alias!" Atir cried out for mercy. Alias brought the knife down to Atir's throat, the metal making contact with his fur. "It was Hets! All of it! I didn't want to do any of this! He's used me too, just like he's used you!" Alias paused, not pulling the knife across Atir's throat. "You want to kill Hets? You think I have a problem with that? I just never had the balls! I wanted to do what you're doing. Don't you get it? He's fucked us both. I never wanted to hurt Jenna... if you were really outside that night, you'd know I didn't want to do what we did..."

Alias paused at this. He did remember Atir's protests about Jenna's abduction. Alias knew how much Hets had jerked him around. It was still fresh on his mind, all the things Hets had coerced him to do. Alias had been a pawn for so long and had just recently had the courage to stand up for what was right.

The blade fell away from Atir's throat as the fox moved off the gazelle. Putting his knife back into the proper spot, Alias looked down at Atir, breathing heavily and exhausted from their skirmish.

Alias walked away slightly to examine his leg. Using his fingers to open the tear in his pants, he looked at the stab wound. It was deep, but would heal. Had Atir paid attention to where he was stabbing, he could have hit Alias's femoral artery and caused him to bleed to death.

Alias went cold as he heard that all-too familiar sound of a gun cocking itself. Turning around he was looking down the barrel of a pistol, held by Aitr.

"Any last words?" Atir asked. He was too far away to try and overpower and take his gun, and at the same time he was too close to jump away.

There were the sounds of small explosions as Atir's chest erupted in bloody bursts. The gazelle stood there for a moment, looking down at his chest. Dropping the gun, his hands went to his midsection, as blood leaked from his body. Then he fell to the ground in a silent heap.

Alias looked around to see where the shots had come from, and saw Jenna step out from around the corner, her gun smoking. Lowering her weapon she looked over at Alias, jaw firmly set.

"And you thought you were going to have to look out for me." She said stepping over Atir's carcass.

Alias shrugged. "I think you've proved your worth."

Jenna nodded solemnly. "Good to know. Now what do you say we get this bastard?"

Alias walked over to the steel door and pressed his paws against it. It was a thick black steel that stretched across the passage. Alias knew his trick of crawling though air ventilation ducts wouldn't work, for they would also be rigged with smaller steel doors to keep out whoever was considered a threat.

"You'll need this." A feminine voice called from behind them.

Both Jenna and Alias had their pistols aimed where the voice was talking from. Out of one of the numerous doors, there came the silhouette of a female figure. Dressed as she always did, revealing, yet in business attire, Sylvia walked out, heels clicking as they hit the smooth hard floor. In her paw she held an access keycard.

Alias pulled the hammer back on his pistol. "I think you should stay right there, Sylvia. What is it?"

She immediately stopped dead in her tracks, however, her face held not a look of fear, but of great sadness. "It will override the security lockdown... I took it from Atir earlier this evening..." Her eyes went to the ground, not looking at Alias or Jenna.

Alias finally lowered his pistol, although he kept a tight grip on it as he slowly stepped toward her.

"Security override, huh?" Alias asked skeptically. "Why would you be helping me?" He asked her as he took the card.

The attractive horse looked over at Jenna who stood there, gun still clutched in her paws and fires of rage in her eyes. "Is this her? Is she who finally brought the better part of you to the surface?" She asked, only her tone was not accusing as Atir's had been, or even condescending as Hets's had. It was just a simple question.

Alias looked over at Jenna. "This is who I came back for."

Sylvia gave a small smile, but it wasn't one of joy, and nodded. "She's a lucky one then..." She paused before continuing. "I know there's nothing I can say that will make you believe me, but what I told you the other day is true. We do things because we want to survive, or because we have to. Alias, I don't have to lecture you on that kind of thing. But this is something that I want to do. I just wish I could have helped you earlier..." Leaning forward, Sylvia kissed Alias's cheek. "Good luck..." She whispered, and turned to leave.

"Sylvia." Alias called to her.

She turned around, looking back to him.

"Thank you." He said, nodding slightly. "Get clear of the building, things are going to get..."

"I know." She replied, pausing for a moment. "I'll be thinking of you." She told him, then turned and was gone.

Alias looked down at the card Sylvia had given him. It was the only thing he had right now. Moving the C4 charges at this point would be too risky. Walking over to a card scanner, he took a deep breath, as this could backfire on him in many ways. Alias slowly slid the card into the scanner.

There was a beep, and the steel doors slowly parted revealing Hets's inner lobby.

The silence was broken as her herd Jenna's voice scream at him from behind.

"Alias! Move!" She yelled at him, running towards him.

His eyes went to what was behind her. Pouring in from where the stairwells came from, hosts of armed soldiers filed in. Thinking quickly, Alias pulled the override, and the doors started to slide shut. Grabbing Jenna by her waist He spun in between as the steel doors slid to a close.

The greeting on the other side was no better. The sound of gunshots bounced off the smooth marble walls, creating a deafening bang. Shoving Jenna to one of the many pillars that lined the room, Alias jumped behind one on the opposite side of the lobby. He took up aim at the strike force of soldiers who surrounded the desk at which Sylvia usually sat. He couldn't get very many shots off as lead slugs buried themselves in the weakening marble structure. The fact was they both were trapped. Outside this room was another strike force bigger than this one, and Alias was already running low on ammo.

Alias ducked behind a pillar as its surface shattered and became riddled with bullet holes. The concrete cracked and broke away in chunks as the security team continued to unload in his direction. Clutching both pistols in his paws, the fox looked over at Jenna, who held her small chrome pistol in both paws. Alias was sure she was almost out, if not already. Besides, he didn't want her even to attempt to shoot at these guys. They were professionals, probably ex-military from other countries. Hand to hand, Alias would have a good shot, but against a barrage of fully automatic MP5's, Alias would be less than minced meat, especially since they were fortified in their positions.

However, the fox had one more ace up his sleeve. Holstering each pistol, he waited for the gunfire to cease. Alias kept still until the last shots were fired. He shut his eyes tight. The distance across the lobby where Jenna hid behind her own pillar was about twenty feet wide, completely open, offering no cover. It was a bad choice either way, but it was either do this, or stay here until they flash banged him, which would allow them to make a move and get the upper hand. Alias bit his lower lip. He had a bad feeling about this whole mission. Maybe this was why. As the last shots were fired before a break, he waited and listened as the security team repositioned. Alias tensed his body as his feet pushed off against the floor in a dead sprint.

Time slowed down again for Alias as he launched himself across the hallway. Alias's brash action confused the security force, but they were quick to react. Explosions of gunfire erupted once more in the hallway. Tiny lead slugs whizzed by the black fox, some of them catching his overcoat, tugging roughly at it. The team began to predict Alias's path and aimed their guns slightly in front of him as he sprinted. Realizing this, Alias jumped forward with all his force and landed on the palms of his paws. With lightening fast reflexes, Alias used his forearms to throw his feet over his head, and land back on them again. Again, Alias jumped to his hands, bullets flying around him; one almost grazing his cheek. Only this time when Alias pushed he brought his legs over him and pushed off the floor, he grabbed his two pistols from their holsters while still in mid air. Landing on his feet, Alias discharged his weapons, until he heart two clicks as the chambers emptied. The bullets planted into two or three of the guards, crimson blood spraying over the expensive marble floor. On the tips of his toes, he elegantly spun around the pillar where Jenna hid, slamming his back against it.

He looked over at Jenna, who was waiting on his command. Her jaw was firmly set, holding her pistol in a death grip. Sliding his guns back into their holsters, Alias pulled out the detonator.

Jenna's eyes went to the small remote, then back to Alias. Bullets and gunfire echoed throughout the hall. More of the pillar fell into dust, pulverized by the bombardment of lead. Neither one of them had to say a word. Jenna simply walked around Alias and leaned back into him. The pair slid down the pillar to the floor, where they sat. Alias held out the detonator, and with his thumb, flipped the safety cap upward, exposing the trigger. His thumb rested gently on the button, however hesitated to go though with it. They both knew what this could mean; what it probably would mean. They both knew the consequences.

A blue paw wrapped around Alias's, which held the detonator; Alias flinched slightly as Jenna gripped him. Alias shut his eyes, and leaned his head back against the marble. Then his thumb pressed down on the trigger.

As Alias's arms closed around Jenna, all that could be heard was the deafening explosions of the C4 charges Alias had placed throughout the high-rise. The floor shook, and walls rattled around them as ceiling tile crashed down. More explosions went off. The sounds grew louder and Jenna's arms protected her head. Alias's grip about her tightened, holding her close to him. Then the lights went out, and the florescent glow was replaced with a fiery orange luminance. The glow traveled faster than the speed of light down the corridors, engulfing anything in its path. Alias, with his back against the wall, tried to cover Jenna as much as possible, bringing his overcoat around the two of them. The glow flooded them, and the two felt the smoldering effect of being engulfed in a flame.

Then all was quiet.

As quickly as the explosion had arrived, it quelled. However it left immense damage on the tower. Alias opened one eye, checking his surroundings, then a second one. Lowering his coat away from Jenna and himself, he slowly rose to his feet. He coughed slightly, as the air was full of smoke, with many miniature fires burning, but nothing that was immediately threatening. Pulling Jenna to her feet, Alias peeked around the pillar, however there wasn't anything left to see. The steel security doors at the one end had been blown completely off their tracks and into the lobby where Jenna and Alias were. The entire strike force, all of them, had been incinerated by the blast. It had been nothing short of a miracle they had not met the same fate. Where they had taken cover, the pillars caught most of the blast, shielding them. Breathing carefully and slowly, Alias released the magazine from his pistol, letting the metallic casing drop to the floor with a clatter. It was quickly replaced, as the black fox slid another magazine into the handle of the gun, and readied a bullet in the chamber.

Jenna walked out from behind the pillar, looking a little shell-shocked, however holding the nine-millimeter in her paw. The smell of burning fur was present in the air as the pair walked down the burning hallway. The sprinkler system must have taken damage during the initial explosion. They remained silent and still, not releasing the needed water on the open fires.

Jenna followed, as Alias walked down the hall, gun pointed safely at the floor. His eyes darted back and forth along the hall, waiting for someone to jump out at him. He kicked in the large double doors that led to Hets's office inward. They opened with relative ease, allowing Alias to enter into the dragon's lair. Then he stopped, as the fur rose on the back of his neck. He pointed the gun toward a large green marble desk that sat at the far side of the room.

"Game's over, asshole." Alias spoke.

"Alright." A deep masculine voice replied from behind the furniture. "You got me, Alias." Xen Hets stood up from behind the desk, arms raised in defeat. The stallion walked around the desk and toward Alias. "So what happens now? Does the dark fox have it in him to murder another in cold blood? Or does that come with the training?" Hets raised a paw to his mouth in mock realization. "Oh yes, that is right. We do not even remember our training do we?"

Alias pulled the hammer back on his pistol. "I didn't kill you when I had the chance, I'm not going to make that same mistake again."

"Ah, yes. But then again, if it had not been for me, you never would have met her." He indicated to Jenna. "Tell me Alias, what was it about her that finally won you over?" Alias's finger around the trigger began to loosen slightly. "Given, she is a very attractive girl." Hets's eyes narrowed and his tone took on a sharper edge. "Was it those eyes, Alias?" He asked him. "Was it those beautiful, blue eyes that finally broke you?" Pacing around the floor, Hets tisk-tisked as Alias's throat was too dry to reply. "So Alias, the heart of stone shatters at last? I am surprised. I was under the impression you would not succumb to such foolish things. Maybe you are not as strong as I always assumed."

"Still got the best of you, didn't I?" Alias retorted.

"Perhaps." Hets replied. "But you won't kill me, Alias. You can not, even if I were to have had my pleasure with your little friend," referring to Jenna, "you can't."

Alias chuckled in a rather mean way. "Oh yeah?"

Hets nodded, slowly reaching behind his back, and pulling out a manila folder. "Because I have this." Hets replied, holding it up for Alias to see. "You want to know who you really are, when your birthday is, and how you know the things you do? It's all right here, answers to the most intimate parts of your life." Hets cocked his head to the side, pensively. "You still draw that zebra?"

Alias's heart stopped at Hets's words. His paw began to shake and lower slightly. There was no way Hets could know about her unless...

"Shut up!" Jenna screamed from behind Alias. "Don't let him do it Alias! He's messing with you! He doesn't know anything about you! He's only playing on your venerability!" Jenna grabbed Alias's arm. "Just kill him! Kill him now, where he can't hurt anyone, where he can't hurt us..."

"I'm offering Alias his life back Jenna, why do you want to keep it from him?"

"You motherfucker!" Jenna growled, upper lip curling in anger. She raised her pistol at Hets. "Alias if you don't do it, I will!" She looked back to him, standing there, a black outline against the orange haze.

"Are you going to allow her to do that Alias?" Hets asked, extending his hand over an open fire, started by the explosions. "She shoots me, I drop this whole thing into the fire. Best of luck trying to piece it all back together."

"Think about what he did to you!" Jenna protested. "What he's done to so many! It can all end, right here, right now!"

Hets rolled his eyes. "Please, princess." He scoffed. "Alias is far too knowledgeable to think that the death of one CEO will end the Invisible War. He knows that the knowledge I possess and the resources I have can lead him back to the life he left so long ago, and for the first time ever he can feel like a whole person again." Hets shrugged. "Do you not see? I am trying to aid you, Alias. She is the one who wants to hold you back. What kind of a person would let someone walk around not knowing who they are?"

"Don't fall for it!" Jenna shot back. "We both know he's the enemy. Alias, he tried to kill you! You were doing his dirty work and he tried to kill you!"

"Make you a deal, Alias." Hets offered. "Kill her, and we both walk out of this building alive. I'll use every resource I have to help you uncover your past. But you have to shoot her, in the head, right now."

Jenna stared back at Alias, flabbergasted.

"What has she done for you? She's trouble; nothing more than a promiscuous daddy's-girl princess, who would not have given you a second look if her life hadn't depended on it." Hets laughed. "What do you expect will happen when she is done? You will be forgotten about instantly."

Tears began to form in Jenna's eyes. Tears of frustration and anger as she turned around to face Alias.

"That's not true..." Jenna told him, making contact with his green eyes. "Alias, I want... I could never forget about you."

"How touching." Hets replied sarcastically. "It seemed extremely effortless when you tried to appeal for your life."

"What?" Jenna barked, as Alias's ears pricked up.

"During her interrogation, she started telling us everything. Tried to make a plea bargain, for all the information she had on you."

"Shut up!" Jenna's teeth clenched together as she raised her gun again.

"She sold you out, then even offered her body to me." Hets shrugged. "Had I been a lesser man, I might have caved in to her offer."

"You bastard! You lying son of a bitch!" Jenna screamed, squeezing the trigger on her pistol.

Her paw was seized and forced up, as a bullet exploded from the chamber, burying itself in the ceiling. Alias held Jenna by the wrist, making sure the pistol was pointed in a safe direction. Their eyes locked, a livid anger radiated through her as Alias stood there. He didn't grip her wrist hard, or even try and move her arm again. Her jaw was set, with the killer look glassing over her blue eyes. Alias could read her emotions. She was not a bad person, she didn't want to kill, she only wanted to live her life, and Hets had tried to take all that from her. A sadness went though Alias; this is what The Underground did to people.

"Don't lower yourself..."

Jenna stared back into Alias's eyes for a second. Then her expression softened and her arm went lax, and lowered to the ground. His words seemed to quell the inner fires of justified rage that had been pent up due to Hets's actions.

"You'll answer for everything you've done." Alias told Hets. "I've got everything I need to put you away for life."

Hets thought for a second, then shook his head. "No," he replied, "no, I'm sorry, Alias. But I can't do that. So I'm going to offer you an ultimatum." In one fluid motion, Hets tossed the folder into the fire.

"No!" Alias cried out as it disappeared into the flames. Hets reached around in his jacket and pulled out a pistol. Alias and Jenna both aimed at Hets, creating a standoff.

"You can ether come after me, or save your file from destruction. Your call!" Hets edged his way toward a large hole that had blown in the wall of his office that led to the hallway outside. Alias grinded his teeth as he had no choice but to let the grey stallion disappear from sight.

Alias ran over to the small fire. Heart beating fast he reached in, but the flames were so intense he quickly withdrew his paw. Biting his lip, Alias reached in a second time. The flames licked at his appendage, and a white-hot pain radiated throughout his paw. He made contact with one of the papers that had been scattered everywhere. He finally pulled out the only paper that was still halfway decent. Slamming his paws down on it to quell the fire, Alias's eyes scanned the document. It could be a birth certificate, a high school diploma, it could be medical records, it didn't matter, as long as it helped him.

However, his heart sank as he saw it was only a transfer of funds from account to account. It was a bank statement, without names, only numbers. Alias looked back into the fire at the burnt papers. It was all gone. He had everything that was left, one bank statement. He stared into the flames in disbelief. A feeling of helplessness flowed over him as he watched his past burn, along with his hopes. He had been so close...

He turned to Jenna, folding the paper and slipping it into his pocket. He didn't have to say a word as he and Jenna ran back the way they had come. They were done here now. Hets might not be dead, but the Lazarus Institute was. Zias Noxid got what he wanted and Alias had saved Jenna's life. However, Alias wasn't going after Hets now. He was fulfilling a promise he had made from what seemed like a long time ago. Gripping Jenna by the paw, he ran as fast as he could down the steps to the parking garage. Running over to an SUV, he punched out the window, in frustration and because the doors were locked. He quickly hotwired it and slammed on the gas.

It seemed as though Alias were operating in a dream. Sounds seemed to filter away, and the lighting seemed to mist over. He cruised down the street, catching the Lazarus Plaza in the mirror. Fires had spread all over the building. He could hear the emergency sirens sounding. And Alias knew he couldn't handle dealing with law enforcement, especially from Palamont.

Jerking the wheel, Alias pulled the SUV down a different street and into a parking spot at the side. The two promptly exited the vehicle and ran across the street. The park was on the other side, as the two avoided the main entrances and hopped the stone wall that bordered it. They continued to run until they were almost lost in the park.

Alias stopped only to catch his breath. He hung his head between his legs resting his paws on his knees, taking in the desperately needed oxygen to his lungs. He finally straightened up and looked around him. The only lights that illuminated their surroundings was a small lamppost and the ambient light from the city. There was a small creek flowing beside them, Alias walked over to it. Looking down, he couldn't even see his reflection, which was almost poetic in an ironic sense. He looked over at Jenna, breathing heavily, and only a few steps behind him.

His first thoughts were that he cheated death once again. Alias felt that after everything, all that he had been through, he shouldn't still be alive. And perhaps he was living on borrowed time. Time enough to do what he needed to do, and perhaps not make a total waste of his life.

The two foxes the looked over at each other. Each one had different cuts, bruises, and other traumas. But here they were, alive, and together once more. Jenna's fur color was amplified by the moonlight, giving her almost a luster. Alias wasn't sure what he looked like, but he doubted if it was nearly as elegant. It didn't matter anymore.

Because they were both right here.