CHAPTER ONE — PRISON BREAK

"Why are you sat in a van outside a prison with the surveillance footage on your computer?" — alexia ortega

WITH ALEXIA'S NATURAL GIFT WITH COMPUTERS, IT WASN'T HARD TO FIND HER WAY INTO HER GOVERNMENT'S SERVER AND FROM THERE SHE FOUND HER WAY INTO THE AMERICAN SYSTEM WHERE HER FATHER'S IDENTITY RESIDED. For some reason the majority of his file was sealed tighter than any file she had ever seen. Not that she didn't have the capability of hacking her way in, but she decided that to save time it was best not to. Still, it intrigued her. What had her Father done that required that level of encryption?

After finding his location from the part of the file she had managed to discover, the teen quickly packed up what she needed into her hiking bag and set off on her quest. Why Russia of all places, she didn't know. But that was a question for her Father once she found him.

A long-time wish of hers was to travel the world yet she had barely left Spain prior to her quest, so the young teen was anxious about going out on her own. With the help of her Uncle, she boarded a plane to the Mother Country of the world, but from then on she was on her own.

Russia was cold. That was the first thing she noticed upon her arrival. And it soon became clear to the fifteen—year—old that Russia was much different to Spain in many aspects. But that was what made it fun. Exploring new places, experiencing new things, it was all a part of travelling and Alexia was loving it.

She tugged on the straps of her backpack, pulling it back up her shoulders as it had the habit of slowly inching its way down. Her head darted around as she tried to take in much as she could, a smile spreading across her lips. It was currently night, almost pitch-black, but the girl had decided earlier that day that before finding somewhere to stay for the evening she would locate where her Father was before going there the following morning.

The prison was up on her left as she leisurely strolled down the poorly lit street. From what she had on the man, she managed to track him here, to Rankow prison. She had no idea what he was in for, but at least it would make visiting much easier. The girl scanned the large building in front of her. She noted the way it was structured, the placement of the guards, the security, basically anything she could know just from looking at its exterior.

But as Alexia stared up at the towering blocky building, she didn't know what to do.

Her Father was in there. It was the end of the line. Now all she had to do was gather the courage she needed to go and request a visit and finally meet the man. It sounded so simple, but to her it really wasn't.

Alexia let out a heavy sigh as she observed the building, wondering what on Earth he could have done that would lead him to being put in such a place. From whatever scraps she had previously managed to collect from her late Mother and the file she had hacked into, the man she called her Father didn't seem like the type of man to be sent to such a prison. It just confused the girl even more. She may have been able to answer her questions by hacking into the remainder of his file, but that would take time she didn't have.

Having found the prison, Alexia let out a satisfied hum. She turned to leave in the direction of the busy part of the city in search of somewhere to stay the night. But as she began her journey towards her eagerly awaited sleep, she noticed a strange van parked opposite the prison gates. A bit late for repairs?

Curiosity got the better of her — as it usually did — so the teen found herself wandering towards the van. Her hand reached back for the small pocket knife she only just got past security. It had been a parting gift from her Uncle who hated the thought of letting his young niece travelling to a strange country without at least something to defend herself.

As Alexia approached the door to the van, she peered inside to see a man sat in the front with a computer screen perched upon his legs. He appeared to be conversing with someone, in English, so he wasn't alone. Unaware to her presence, the man continued on as he brought up security footage from the prison. They definitely weren't there to do repairs.

Lines of code ran down one side of the screen and as Alexia skimmed the character strings she realised what he was doing: gaining control of the prison. It was incredible.

Alexia didn't know what came over her but she found herself tapping her knuckles against the glass window. "привет, все в порядке?" She asked in Russian, instantly gaining the man's attention who then snapped down the lid of his laptop. Translation: Hi, is everything okay?

The man looked at the girl curiously, tilting his head slightly before he proceeded to unwind the window down to half way. "все хорошо спасибо, почему вы спрашиваете?" He responded, tugging on his cap anxiously. Translation: It's okay thanks, why are you asking?

Alexia spoke excellent Russian (one of the many languages she was fluent in) but decided, considering the man was an English speaker — as she heard earlier — that she was going to continue in English. She was much better at English than Russian after all. A small smirk graced her lips as she looked up at the man in the van before nodding to his shut computer. "Why are you sat in a van outside a prison with the surveillance footage on your computer?" She inquired as she raised her eyebrow at the strange man.

"Shit."

Alexia began, quickly attempting to reassure him. "I'm not sure what you're doing out here, but you're obviously not making repairs." He looked at her wide-eyed. They were about to be blown by a child. "But I have noticed that your code could use some work." Alexia pointed to his computer and the man frowned before reopening the device and began to analyse what he had already written.

He narrowed his eyes at her, undecided at what to think. "Who even are you?" He questioned with a pronounced English accent.

"What are you doing hacking into a prison?" She countered.

"Hey! I asked first!"

Alexia blinked. "Touché." She retorted before glancing back at the prison. Was she really about to admit to a stranger her plan? Something the teen was usually quite good at was reading people and she didn't seem to get any bad readings from the man. And besides, she was curious as to what he was doing and if worse came to worse, she could protect herself. Her Uncle had seen to that. "I'm Alexia." Revealed the teen. "I've travelled quite far to get here. I'm trying to track down my Father." Flicking her gaze back to the prison, she added. "He's in there."

The man dropped his jaw as he stared at the child before him. She couldn't have been more than sixteen, he thought, yet she was doing all of this by herself. He found it admirable.

"Now you."

Her smirk twisted into gaping hole as his next words caused her drop her own jaw in amazement. "Well, I'm here to help break out an old friend." Prison break? Now that was something. "We were told to come and get him, we need his help." We? Alexia frowned at that. "Okay, I know how it sounds, but I promise you, we're the good guys." He grinned, trying to assure the girl of his words. "We work for the American Government."

American Government? Now things were really heating up.

Of course the man could have been lying. Alexia knew enough about the world to know there were liars everywhere. But there was something about this man that made him seem so sincere and honest. It was probably his face. Alexia hummed in thought. The reason she was there, the reason he was there, it was just a coincidence, wasn't it? It had to be.

"I can help with your code."

His eyes flickered between his screen and the girl outside the van before he reached over and opened the door. A grin formed on her face as she removed her bag and jumped into the van besides the man. If her Uncle was there he would have scolded her for jumping into a vehicle with a stranger, but Alexia couldn't deny the fact that something was going on at this prison and she wanted to find out what.

She placed her bag down between her legs as the man grabbed his laptop and then made his way into the back of the van where all the other computers and equipment were.

Wow, Alexia thought as she ran her eyes over the technology before her. She was like a kid in a candy store; she wanted to use everything.

The man gestured to the empty seat beside him and Alexia reluctantly tore her gaze from the equipment to sit down. She had to admit, the man's code was incredible. But it appeared he was having a little trouble gaining full control of the prison. Alexia immediately began typing away, like a woman possessed, rewriting some of his code a she added in lines of her own.

"I'm Benji, by the way." He introduced himself and he watched over her shoulder as she furiously tapped against his keyboard.

Alexia didn't even remove her gaze nor stop. "It's nice to meet you."

Joy lit up her features and her eyes sparked with determination. She was in a whole different world as she allowed the code to consume her. The system she was using was amazing and she was in love with the way it worked. Some girls liked makeup or clothes, Alexia liked fancy computers.

Benji watched in awe as the teen did what he couldn't. If he hadn't watched it with his own eyes, he probably wouldn't have believed it.

She glanced around the van once more, only to spot a box in the corner. A logo was printed largely on the top, the letters IMF in an ridiculously large font. "IMF, huh?" She hummed. "What is it with secret organisations and printing their logo on things? I thought they were meant to be secret?" Benji let out a laugh at the girl's words. Smirking triumphantly, Alexia then announced, tapping a key with each word. "And. I'm. In."

The entirety of the prison was now under their control.

Alexia had either helped a Government organisation or a criminal network. Oh did she hope it was the former. She had no desire to be placed onto any government's most wanted list.

"This kid is amazing!" Gushed Benji who was staring at Alexia in awe. His beaming smile was contagious so Alexia soon found her self grinning along with the man beside her. Abruptly, he came to a stop and his smile fell just as quickly. It didn't take the young genius long to realise he was listening to the other person who was aiding him in this mission. "This kid who was outside the prison found our van and now she's gotten us into the prison security." There was a brief pause. "She's got incredible computer skills." A blush formed on Alexia's cheeks. She wasn't used to people complimenting her hacking skills. "Jane, I promise, she's good. And she can help us."

Sweat collected in her palms and her heart raced. Whether or not she continued to help relied on Benji's partner —Jane — making a decision. And unbeknownst to Alexia, this decision was about to change everything.

Benji handed her an earpiece. "You're in, kid."

As if it were fragile, Alexia slowly and carefully took the earpiece from Benji's outstretched palm before placing it into her ear. Now she was on the comms. Now she was on the team.

Both Benji and his partner Jane (who was currently making her way through the sewer tunnels) filled Alexia in on their plan to rescue their fellow agent. Never in a million years would Alexia have imagined her quest to find her Father making such a turn. The strangest thing she had imagined happening was if both her and her Mother got it completely wrong, so she ended tracking down a stranger. Nothing close to what was happening to her right now.

Benji gave Alexia the signal and she pressed down on the keyboard. They watched as a cell door swung open and allowed a perplexed inmate to walk out. Alexia looked over at her shoulder. "Is that him?" Benji shook his head. Oh this poor criminal, he had no idea what was about to happen.

Both techies watched as a guard soon spotted the man they released and began his way towards him in an effort to get him back into his cell. "Let's give you a few friends to play with." Suggested Benji with a mischievous smirk. At his words, Alexia quickly began typing away and it was only a few keystrokes later that another cell was opened and three more men were set free.

The girl cringed at the sight of the men beating up the guard. Sure she had seen fighting before, in her Uncle's gym and on TV, but this was real and there wasn't anything to hold them back.

Benji was mumbling a small apology under his breath as Alexia kept her gaze fixed on the screen. She was afraid of missing something important. And she couldn't help but wonder if she was going to see her Father on the screen. She had his picture, it was in the file, and he was in this prison. So, it was a possibility.

"Okay, we're set. How's things down below?" Benji asked Jane.

Jane then scoffed. "How do you think? I'm in a sewer."

Alexia's eyes widened at the screen. The guards had triggered the alarm. This certainly wasn't going to make things any easier. She tugged on Benji's jacket, gaining his attention, then pointed it out to the man. "Open them." He instructed and she did just that. Another section of the prison's inmates were set loose by just a few taps of some plastic keys. Alexia couldn't help but smile; she was finally using her hacking skills for the greater good.

"I'm in position." Jane announced, slightly out of breath. "Move to Phase 2."

Phase 2. Now that was when things really started to heat up.

At her command, Benji pressed down on his laptop and commenced Phase 2. An uncontrollable grin spread across the girl's face at the sound of the classic song 'Ain't That A Kick In The Head?' by Dean Martin blasting through the prison speakers. It reminded her of her Uncle who always had old music playing in the background of his gym.

The completely bewildered looks on the guards made the teen chuckle lightly. It was probably a bad thing that she was enjoying this. But, oh well.

Benji's demeanour turned serious and he narrowed his eyes at the screen in concentration. "This is it." He declared, glancing at his new friend in the corner of his eye. "This is him."

Then Benji unlocked the cell door.

Alexia watched as a brunette man exited the cell and suddenly all the air had vanished from her lungs. Her eyelids shot apart and her jaw dropped as she watched the man casually stroll from his cell. It was him. Her Father. She found his picture in his file, but now she was staring right at him. And Benji and Jane were trying to break him out.

She gulped nervously as she watched the man grasp the railing and flip himself over it to land on the floor below. "Woah." Alexia breathed out in awe as she fixed her gaze onto her Father. Benji unlocked the door for his escape, but he didn't move. The man — her Father — glanced at the door waiting for him but instead headed in the opposite direction. Well, that wasn't good.

"Is this a part of the plan?" Alexia asked Benji who shook his head frantically as he stared at the form of her Father in confusion.

"W-w-what are you doing?" Benji asked aloud even though the man they were breaking out couldn't hear him. "What are you doing?" Alexia had no clue either as to why the man meant to be her Father avoided his way out. But there had to be reasonable explanation. There always did.

Noting Benji's panic, Jane piped up. "What's wrong? What's happening?"

"Oh, God. He's not going to the extraction point."

They were all in disbelief as none of them understood their fellow agent's actions. "Maybe he's got a plan." Suggested Alexia with a nonchalant shrug as she tried to justify his unclear actions.

Benji let out a soft groan. "That's what I'm worried about." He muttered.

"Stay focused." Jane ordered and then tried to reassure them. "He knows where he's going."

In the prison, the man halted before a locked door. He swirled his hand around, a motion to signal the team outside to open the door in front of him. Alexia bit down anxiously on her lip. He wanted to go into the section with all the free prisoners, where they were beating each other to a pulp with nothing to hold them back. And he wanted to go in there?

"No, I'm not. I won't." Protested Benji, shaking his head at his friend's decision. "We will not open that door." When the door didn't open as he had asked, his green irises focused in on the camera and glared at it. "Please go to the extraction point, Ethan." Ethan. He said it. Alexia was right. It wasn't just wishful thinking twisting what she saw. This man was Ethan Hunt, her Father. And now she was sure of it. Ethan gestured to the locked door again. "I know. I know what that means," he copied the action the trapped agent had done earlier, "but I can't. I'm not authorized..."

Alexia mumbled. "I'm certainly not." Crossing her arms over her chest, she leaned back in her chair and remained unmoving as she waited for Benji's decision.

"Go to the extraction point, Ethan."

A deep sigh toppled from the teen's lips before both her and Benji yelled at their screens. "Go to the extraction point!"

Ethan lip's twisted into a scowl as his gaze hardened at the camera. His elbow was resting against the railing as he waited. It appeared he wasn't going to move until he got what he wanted. It was a waiting game of who would blink first. Alexia wasn't a betting gal, but if she was, she knew who she'd put her money on.

"Oh, you're just going to wait. We're going to wait. Great. I can't wait." Benji rambled as he attempted to hold his ground. It didn't last long because as soon as Ethan raised his fist threateningly to the camera, the English man caved. "Okay, fine. Fine! Fine!" He pressed the button and opened the door Ethan wished to go through. "There." Ethan signed a quick thank you before preparing himself to go inside. "We'll just screw up the whole thing on purpose."

Alexia couldn't help but admire his courage as he launched himself into the warzone. "Woah, he's really brave." Benji simply scoffed.

"He's more reckless than brave." He amended and Alexia laughed before he informed Jane. "Uh, Jane? We're going to have a slight delay."

Ethan waved at the camera once again and Alexia let out a sigh before opening the door for him. With every hit that neared his body, Alexia winced as if it were her in that position, not him. He dodged the incoming attacks and sent some of his own at anyone who got in the way. Then he gestured at one of the unopened cells. Why that one?

Benji and Alexia exchanged a confused look. "Why do you want to go in there?" The man beside her questioned, opening the door without much hesitation. They didn't have time to argue.

"What's he doing?"

After fighting his way inside, Ethan entered the cell. Benji shook his head and turned to Alexia who simply shrugged in response. Neither of them had any clue what Ethan was doing. "We don't know what he's doing, and for some reason, we're helping him."

"As long as he's where he should be when the song ends." Jane said as she set up the next phase of breaking Ethan from the prison. There wasn't much Alexia knew about this part except it involved explosives.

Both Benji and Alexia watched as Ethan emerged from the cell, dragging someone else along with him by the back of his shirt. Their stared in surprise. "We have a passenger." Alexia announced. She had no idea what was happening. It was like a whirlwind she was caught in the middle of and there was no getting out.

She watched as Ethan was grabbed by some other inmates who started to attack him, hitting him with everything they had. Watching her Father being beaten, it wasn't pleasant and Alexia cringed. The man Ethan had collected managed to crawl out of the way and to safety as Ethan fought off his attackers. And once he was free from their grasp, he took a hold of his friend by the scruff of his neck and tugged him back to the door.

They quickly opened it.

Guards, equipped with plastic shields and protective gear, stormed into the riot head on. They collided with Ethan and his passenger who fought to get away. It was like watching an embarrassing movie: she wanted to look away but she simply couldn't. Instead, she sat on the edge of her seat as the guards and her Father continued to exchange blows.

He's an incredible fighter, Alexia mused as she watched her on the screens.

Unfortunately, an unconscious guard got caught in the door so Ethan was forced to leave it open as he grabbed his friend and pulled him along the walkway. He whipped around to a camera and shouted. "Open all of them!" Alexia turned to Benji, who gave his approval with a nod, then together they opened every cell in the section.

If the prison wasn't in chaos before, it was now.

Like wildfire, the riot spread throughout the prison. It was like an uncontainable virus of violence with no cure. Alexia had seen injuries and fights in her life, but nothing close to what she was witnessing. "By Newton's Laws." She gasped, hand shooting up to cover her mouth.

"You okay, kid?" Benji asked, noticing the look on her face.

"I'm fine."

Alexia was far from fine. She had just hacked into a prison, causing a riot and breaking out two prisoners. And one of them was her Father. She had travelled hundreds, thousands, of miles to be there, to meet her Father. Now that it was a reality, she wanted to run back home to Cadiz and to her Uncle.

Explosions echoed through the comms as the prison burst into flames. Nothing had gone to plan — Alexia was proof of that. But in the end they had accomplished their mission and Alexia had accomplished hers.

More importantly, what was she going to do now?

Rewritten as of: 22/07/23

I almost doubled my word count with this new version!!! Wow!!!

Alexia was a lot more trusting with Benji in the first version but I added a lit bit of her with a knife. This girl is a genius, she knows she has to be prepared. She only helped Benji because she was curious and as it turned out, her Father was the one he was breaking out.

I love her so much. Her and Ethan are meeting in the next chapter. He's really going to be hesitant about having a child.

Thank you for reading!!!

Sincerely Rosie aka Winter326.