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❛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀʀᴛʏ ᴍᴄғʟʏ ᴇғғᴇᴄᴛ​​​​​​​​​​. ❜ ° . ༄
- ͙۪۪˚   ▎❛ 𝐓𝐄𝐍 ❜   ▎˚ ͙۪۪̥◌
»»————- ꒰ ᴍᴀᴊᴇsᴛɪᴄ ᴛᴡᴇʟᴠᴇ ꒱　


❝ WE INFILTRATE, WE IDENTIFY,
WE EXTRACT. DOUBLE TIME ❞

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Together, the four of them crouched down behind a car. Lila and Diego were dressed appropriately for the event but since Alexa and Five resembled teenagers, they were staying more in the shadows and dress didn't matter. As it was, Alexa was still in her work outfit of a pink turtleneck under a dark blue knee-length dress so at least she looked presentable.

"So what's the plan?" Lila asked.

"We infiltrate, we identify, we extract. Double time," Diego answered easily and Alexa rolled her eyes at her brother's code.

"What the hell's he talking about?"

"Find the old man and get out fast." Alexa and Five spoke at the same time, completely understanding their brother.

"That's what I said. On me."

Diego went on ahead and Lila turned to them. "After you."

Alexa tensed as she remembered the prickles that skated over her skin every time she met eyes with the woman. There was something dangerous about her, a threat to her family that she wasn't quite sure of but there was no way in hell that she was trusting whoever this woman was with the safety of her family.

In front of her, Five must have sensed— or remembered— her warning and didn't move, causing her to add, "what, I can't be polite?"

"Cut the crap, alright?" he retorted. "My dimwitted brother might buy your bullshit but I don't trust you for a second."

Alexa leaned forward from behind the boy. "For the record, I don't trust you either."

"O, ye of little faith," she whispered to the boy and then her eyes flicked to the girl's. She looked a little hurt. "What about woman power?"

"Stick it up your ass," he whispered back and Alexa gave a firm nod of agreement. Lila smiled bitterly in response and followed Diego's path.

☂☂☂

The inside of the building was just as fancy as the outside with large ballroom spaces interspersed with dance floors and food tables. People dressed to the nines mingled around them and Alexa looked curiously at the designs of the '60s style ball gowns, her job more of an influence than she let on. A waiter passed by with a tray of champagne and the three of the four members took part with Five passing the fourth glass to Alexa.

While she normally didn't drink much, she could enjoy a glass here and there and with the potential meeting of their father she definitely needed something to calm her nerves. It didn't help that she had so many emotions swirling inside of her either. Thanks a lot, teenage hormones.

"I don't see Dad anywhere," Diego observed.

"Just keep an eye out for the Majestic Twelve," Five said. "I got the upstairs."

Alexa gave him an annoyed look. "And how am I supposed to protect everyone if we're all split up?"

He shrugged. "Figure it out. You're smart enough. Diego, try not to do anything stupid."

Five went upstairs which left the three of them. Lila tried to follow him but Diego pulled her back. Alexa rolled her eyes at her brother's relationship and left as well, wandering throughout the crowd as she kept an eye out for the Majestic Twelve.

Distantly, she could hear her father's influence as she watched the ballroom dancers. "One never knows when a paso doble will be the difference between life and death." She rolled her eyes and forced herself to stop thinking of the man. She almost wished she hadn't; the memories that replaced it were almost worse.

They'd spent hours practicing different dances as their father claimed that the battlefield was similar to one. They'd rotated partners to find weaknesses in each other's movements but when she'd danced with Five, it had been almost like they could be normal. Alexa had done her best to hide her emotions for the boy from her siblings (and was pretty sure she'd succeeded) but the way he'd held her, the way he'd grasped her hand when they waltzed, had clearly been different from her other siblings.

Her heart sped up as she remembered tilting her head up to look at him and his cheeky smirk that was always present as he tried to make her flustered without clueing anybody in on what they were actually doing. Alexa downed the rest of her champagne and gave it to a passing waiter, trying to block the memories. She needed to stay focused.

Then, a flash of blonde caught her eye. The head was leaving the area of the staircase and moving steadily towards her. When the crowd parted, Alexa's jaw dropped. "Mom?"

The woman paused next to her, surprising the blonde— she hadn't been sure if she'd been loud enough for her to hear. "You know, that's not the first time I've heard that today," the woman said in a thick Texan accent.

Tears pooled in Alexa's eyes at seeing the woman she'd never thought she'd see again. "You met Diego then, haven't you?"

Grace's face softened. "The slightly crazy dark-haired man?"

The blonde nodded again, unable to speak as she continued to stare at the older woman. Against her will, she felt wetness slide down her cheek and she sniffled. Grace's expression became concerned. "Are you alright? Is that man your brother? Do you want help finding him?"

Alexa brushed the tears away roughly and shook her head. "I-I just want to stay with you."

Seeing Grace reminded her of seeing baby Pogo, the only two people who'd cared about her and her siblings as she'd grown up. Alexa remembered how determinedly Pogo had defended her artistic skills and how her mother had praised her paintings and given her comfort when she needed it.

The woman's expression grew more worried. "I'm sorry, I don't think we've met."

The younger girl gave her a watery smile. "I'm Alexa." She hesitated, then for the second time in as many days blurted out: "can I hug you?"

She supposed it was going for three years alone that had made her suddenly so touchy and she almost winced, remembering the last time her mother had given her comfort. Grace gave her an uncertain look. "If that will make you feel better, dear. I suppose it's better than your brother trying to come on to me."

Her words didn't register in Alexa's mind and went ignored as the blonde threw herself around the woman's waist, clinging to her tightly. Her eyes squeezed shut. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry—"

Tentatively, Grace's arms wrapped around her and her hand gently smoothed up and down her back. "It's alright, dear," she replied, puzzled at the girl's apologies as she practically sobbed against her.

Alexa pulled away reluctantly and wiped beneath her eyes. "I'm sorry," she repeated waveringly. "That was probably very strange for you—" She almost continued but her words died in her throat as her skin prickled. All of her limbs felt as if they'd fallen asleep with pins and needles. Shit. "I-I have to go," the blonde said, already backing away. "It was nice meeting you!"

She turned and bolted up the stairs. The tails of Diego's coat disappeared as she quickened her steps, taking them two and three at a time. Then Lila was next to her, keeping in time with her speed as the two of them raced up the stairs.

At the top, she and Lila paused as they looked left and right, seeing both men they— respectively— loved (or cared about) in their own fights. The blonde hardly stopped to think. "I've got him, go left!"

There was a single, resounding chant in her head: faster, faster, faster— She hadn't been fast enough, good enough for Ben but she wouldn't make the same mistake again. Panic gave her feet flight as she closed the distance between the landing of the stairs and the platinum blonde in combat with Five.

Her gaze tunneled as she watched the Swede knee the boy in the stomach and a shout of 'no!' threatened to escape as her stomach turned at the sound of his grunt. Alexa clamped her mouth shut to keep her element of surprise and in a swift leap, she jumped onto the man's back. Thrown off balance, he careened away from the boy and together, they hit the opposite wall.

The Swede jerked back and forth as he struggled to regain his balance as he tried to throw her off but Alexa hadn't been raised in The Umbrella Academy for nothing. Besides, no one hurt Five and got away with it. Her legs wrapped around the man's waist, her skirt making it slightly awkward as her hands found purchase with his neck.

Underneath her skin, her powers buzzed and burned, ready to protect the one person she swore she'd never let down. While she didn't intend to do so with the rest of her family either, Five was out of the question. Alexa's fingers brushed against the man's skin and her anger fueled her to squeeze tighter, tighter— as he stumbled around underneath her, unable to escape her grip.

Her hands weren't equal size to his neck but he'd hurt Five and she wasn't going to let him get away with it.

Then, there was a shout and she felt hands pulling at her, threatening to tear her away from her target. She tried to shake them off but they secured around her waist and a sharp pull loosened her hold and her focus. Her body slid away from the Swede's which allowed him to gasp as he recovered from the choking feeling. She landed on the floor and heard someone murmuring reassurances before the feeling slipped away. Then she was dimly aware of glass shattering before there was a familiar feeling of her insides turning outside and cool night air hit her face, shocking her from the cloudy cobwebs of her mind.

Alexa blinked, staring blearily up at the worried face that hovered above her. "Wh-what? What's going on?"

A hand gently squeezed her own. "I'll be right back, okay?"

She coughed slightly, confused. "Five?"

The panic from earlier returned slightly. She'd just seen the woman who was going to become her mother and then seconds later had watched the boy she cared about so immensely get pummeled into a wall. Alexa had seen him hurt before on missions, of course, but this time had been. . . different. Maybe it was because it was the first time she'd seen him in combat since he'd gotten back, but the anger had surged almost uncontrollably within her as she remembered that she wouldn't fail him. Her body shook a little at the thought of what would've happened if she had.

Five reappeared then and she immediately jerked her head up. "Five, what's going on?"

It was hard to see in the dark but he didn't look happy. "Nothing good," he said tersely.

"What-what about Dad?"

He shook his head and extended a hand to help her up. "Lost."

She stood and tested out her balance. "Lila?"

He sighed. "Gone."

Now she allowed herself to fully worry over him as she finally asked, "Five? Are you okay? If you're insulted by my coming to help, I'm sorry—"

He waved her off. "It's not that. We just need to get going."

A bitter taste formed in Alexa's mouth as she swallowed the bubbling worry. She pursed her lips in disappointment and nodded as she knew it was pointless to argue.