Well then here goes. Thanks for all the lovely review ! I hope you'll enjoy the last part of my little story :)

Un-betaed work, so all mistakes are mine. Again.

The Third Side Of The Coin

3. Alice

Alice walks out of the shower, content after having used all the hot water available. Her three weeks in Division Zero cell hadn't been exactly comfortable, but she has been detained in worse conditions. The low frequency transmitter they had implanted in her tooth had done its job perfectly: what information they had gathered was worth every headache she had gone through. The icing on the cake had been when she learned from her two accomplices that they could also head the teams' discussions. Apparently, Shepherd had taken some notes on her methods and implanted a transmitter in one on Patterson's tooth too.

Warning the poor girl is fair game; they need Sandstorm not to know what they are up to and allowing Patterson's transmitter to function is like drawing a target on their back.

Her two partners are sitting at a table around a chess board. Ian is glaring, Cade is smirking, but his smugness is quickly replaced by a blank expression when he realizes she is wearing nothing underneath her towel.

"So, who is winning?" she asks although the answer is obvious. Ian turns around and frowns.

"You should put something on," he remarks disapprovingly, using his best 'protective brother' tone. He knows she is parading in nothing much just to get a rise out of their current ally. Said ally is carefully staring at the board and not allowing his eyes to stray. Pity, teasing him would have been fun.

"Yes sir," she replies reluctantly and picks up her usual clothes. A quick jump back in the bathroom –no need to antagonize her brother -and she returns presentable according to Ian's criteria. In the meantime, the chessboard has been folded and tucked away. Playtime is over. She sits on the free chair around the round table of their hotel room and resumes what had been discussed three weeks ago, before her voluntary imprisonment in the FBI.

While she was gathering information from the inside, Ian and Cade have been busy.

"We knew Shepherd would most likely try to contact Dann for another fake ID," Ian starts. "The guys who's selling the nuclear material she wants is in Bangkok, so she will be taking a cargo in the next few days. Dann only uses a few companies. We determined she would be leaving on the twenty ninth early in the morning."

"That leaves us a week to organize everything and we need to keep the FBI distracted all this time," Alice mumbles before turning towards Cade. "Do you still have the drive?"

"You still want to sell the data?" he asks in return, curious. "Now that they know you are after Shepherd; what makes you think they will ever agree to buy it?"

Ian glares at him, as if the simple question is an insult to his sister's intelligence. Alice bites back a smile; he has been irritated ever since she had decided to track down Cade for help, soon after Sandstorm tried to blow them up.

"He could be a great asset," she explains patiently. "They wouldn't expect him to join us."

"Do I need to remind you he tried to kill you?" Ian points out, annoyed.

"He wanted revenge on Oscar for Markos' death. Oscar is dead, so killing me now makes no sense," Alice counters with a careless shrug. "If anything, he might jump at the opportunity to get back at Shepherd. It can't hurt to find out what he's up to."

The irritation has doubled when he found out Cade had actually been working to destroy Sandstorm from the inside. Not that it matters much anymore, they have the same goal now.

"Nas won't skip the opportunity of gathering new information on Sandstorm, especially from her 'informant'. She is in such awe of him, she won't miss a chance to meet him." She gives Cade an amused stare. He shrugs in return; Nas's admiration is something he can't care less about, but he isn't above taking advantage of it. "And even if she doesn't take the bait, Weller is too much of a control freak; he will want to find Shepherd before us." She smirks. "The poor guy is so predictable it's almost boring. And an extra half million can't hurt our finances. Who knows who we'll have to bribe in the next few years?"

Both men nod in agreement. There is no official leader amongst them but they naturally turn to her for the final decisions. Ian does it out of habit and Cade because he knows she is the best strategist.

"When do we start?" Ian asks eventually.

"Tomorrow we scoot the place and make our move Saturday at two. Cade will call them once our field is prepared," Alice declares. "Part one: resources. We secure the building. We fool the FBI and flee with the money. Part two: assassination. Cade and I deal with Shepherd and Parker, you deal with Borden. Part three: we regroup in Clearfield and get the hell out of dodge. Is it a satisfying deal for everyone?"

"Rough sketch, but it fits the plan," Cade agrees before adding sarcastically: "Now what is your actual idea to get the FBI's money without being caught?"

Alice smirks and explains. Ten minutes later, both men are stunned.

"You are insane. Honestly, insane," Cade whispers in awe.

"Now I remember why Remi was safer." Ian mutters, but his tone isn't biting or remorseful. Alice knows he will never regret freeing her and has accepted her, so takes no offense. She thinks he might actually enjoy this erratic life.

"Gentlemen," she announces in conclusion. "Let's create some beautiful chaos."

T3SOTC

Sometimes, Alice wonders how their lives could have turned out, had Shepherd just been a plain Ellen Briggs. Would she have still become a soldier? Would she have married Oscar? Have kids? Would her original self never resurface again? She shivers at the thought sometimes. Becoming Remi was like falling asleep and dreaming; perhaps that's why Remi never let Roman wander too far. She had let Ian decide whether she should or not be awakened, like a dragon lying in wait, and that…could have explained why Remi has decided to become who she was. Her 'life' was not her own, her personality could vanish on Roman's whim. Everything she had built for herself, crushed in a second…Alice has to admit the thought is terrifying.

Still, it doesn't excuse her controlling behavior towards her brother; binding him, manipulating him through fear. Even breaking his relationship with that little bicker! Alice thinks Remi was a coward in the end…but it doesn't really matter anymore; she is back on stage. Jane coming upfront is just a minor slip that will never repeat itself. The two personalities have merged their memories with hers and she won't forsake her own self anymore.

"What can I serve you m'am?"

The waiter of the movie theater's restaurant stops by, ready to take her order. Alice gives him a charming smile and asks for a random soda. He leaves and returns within five minutes. She pays him, watches him leave and returns to her contemplations.

If only Shepherd had left them in peace. Ian and she had been on their way to rebuild a life, a quieter one. Sure, they had to empty the twenty million dollars Ian had 'inherited' from her first death, which had probably thwart Shepherd's plans a bit, but that didn't mean she had to send a team of hired mercenary to take them out. Or rather, allow Parker to send a team of hired mercenary, she amends mentally. Ian is very insistent on that last part.

"She didn't give the order!" he argues hotly, unwilling to admit his own mother wants him dead.

"She allowed it," Alice nuances but doesn't insist. They have captured one of the mercenaries that had come after them for interrogation. His confession is upsetting her brother, even though she isn't quite surprised. Said mercenary has been begging her to end his suffering for the past half hour; he wouldn't lie to them now. "Perhaps you can forgive her, but I won't."

Nas has been right to assume the dead people she was found with were Sandstorm; Parker had hired them to blow her and her brother up. They could have faked their death and vanished for good, but Alice knows how to harbor a grudge. No-one touches her baby brother and gets away with it. The thought has held her together during their time at the orphanage, it still is valid nowadays.

She's suddenly distracted by the arrival of an easily recognizable woman. Nas Kamal is approaching the movie theater with a rather large backpack on their shoulder, most likely the half-million Cade demanded during their last phone call. From her seat at the movie theater's cafeteria, Alice scans the crowd. No-one stands out, so she must have come alone. No message from Cade means he hasn't spotted anyone suspicious either. The tattooed woman shifts back on her seat and resume her previous surveillance. Nas heads inside the room 01 with her prepaid ticket, on her way to watch a very popular movie that just came out. One fifty pm. The FBI is just early enough, Alice thinks as she checks her watch. A small part of her wonders if Nas was ever into action movies, because the sequel of this particularly explosive thriller was widely expected. Perhaps they did her a favor, buying this ticket…shame she won't be able to watch it till the end.

Alice waits a few minutes before her phone rings: Ian confirms he is in position, seated just behind Nas in the room. Under his current disguise, she hasn't recognized him -though if she had, Alice would have been impressed. She checks her watch again and enjoys her drink. Advertisement lasts about ten minutes. Fifteen minutes later, she rises and heads to the room 01. The young woman checking her tickets sends her an annoyed stare for being late but lets her through. She silently makes her way through the room full of spectators, eager to see cars exploding and fake military maneuvers. The seat on Nas' right is free; no surprise there, she has bought that ticket for herself. She apologizes to the viewers as she quietly heads to her seat and drops unceremoniously next to the NSA agent.

Nas's expression is priceless when she recognizes her.

"You?" she hisses in utter disbelief. Alice grins and puts her finger over her mouth to silence her. Her other hand has already snapped around Nas's wrist, preventing her from reaching for her gun. She senses Ian moving forward to whisper:

"Keep it down please," he says, and at the same time takes advantage of the sudden darkness of the room –the main character has vanished in a tunnel –to plunge a needle in her neck and inject a sedative. Alice whispers a 'sorry' to her brother as Nas slumps and passes out. Thankfully, the bag containing the money is at her foot on her side of the chair. Alice only has to nudge it to bring it to her side. She waits a few moments before sending a text to Cade.

'Act 2 begins now'

She counts seventy-one seconds before the movie is promptly interrupted and the lights turned back on. A smile graces her face as a wave of protest stirs in the crowd. An employee steps in the room and shouts:

"Attention please, we need to evacuate the building! Ladies and gentlemen, please get out –"

A voice that unmistakably belongs to a young, panicked lad irrupts:

"Bomb!" he exclaims, catching people's attention at once. "There's a fucking bomb in the entrance! Get out!"

The chaos is immediate; the spectators rush in sudden hysteria, pushing their way out. Alice grabs Nas's bag and mingles with the panicked crowd rushing outside. Ian is hot on her heels and both rush behind the movie theater. Cade is sitting on his car outside the parking lot. They take off, drive a couple miles away before pulling on the side. A quick scan of the money reveals the presence of three trackers. Once the 'clean' bills are dispatched into three different backpacks, they stick the old ones on a truck on its way to Mexico and head to the nicest restaurant to celebrate. They can always send the USB drive through post mail later.

T3SOTC

The second part of their plan begins the next morning. Shepherd should be on the way to the cargo by night and they want to arrive before her. They are familiar with the harbor she is to embark on, one of the bonuses of being second in command. They are on schedule so far; they just need to figure out which safehouse Borden is using to hide. Shepherd and Parker's taking down will be done from afar; Alice and Cade are more than skilled enough to handle that part. Ian is the most suited for tracking the good doctor, so he will care for it.

Alice knows deep inside Borden doesn't necessarily need to die; he isn't the one who ordered her beloved Ian to be hunted down like a beast all the way through that little town in Illinois. His execution is, actually, more of a distraction for Roman and returning a favor for Remi. While Alice might not feel much sympathy for the man, her other persona is partially responsible for his demise and she feels that she owes him a quick end; not the long painful years in prison that awaits him, if he is ever caught. Patterson's revenge is just bonus, really.

Ian is standing by his car, staring at the ground. He feels uneasy; his continual shifting betrays his nervousness.

"Do we really need to do this?" he asks quietly before they have to part. Alice takes his hand and squeezes it tightly. She knows he doesn't care much about Parker or Borden, but Shepherd is a sore spot.

"You remember her more fondly than I do," she says gently. "I understand you would rather let her live but..." she pauses, pondering over what words to use to make him see her point of view. "She attacked you. She allowed someone to try to kill you. Ideology or no, rightful business or no, that won't go unpunished. Striking first wasn't enough of a warning, or I haven't stroke hard enough, so I'll take it to the next level. Do you understand why I have to do this?"

She knows he remembers Rebecca and her insults at him back at the orphanage. Alice just couldn't let that little show-off badmouth her brother in front of the instructors, especially since he had been making so much progress. She had beaten her and hard; so hard Rebecca had been the first of many to be sent to the outside cemetery. Ian had been horrified at the time, but when he had killed Julian in retaliation for the scar, she knew he had understood. The murder has changed him, not necessarily for the best, but enough for him to survive till Ellen Briggs took them in.

After that...she had become the threat to his sanity, hence why Remi had been a necessity.

Even now, she thinks he might need Remi more than her. But now is not the time, and Remi has proven to be a liability anyway, so she is managing him the only way she can think of.

"There is a reason why we take care of Shepherd and you of Borden." she pauses, hesitates, then cups his cheek with her hand. "You know the kind of monster I am." He tries to interrupt her, but she raises an eyebrow in warning: she isn't normal, that is something she has accepted a long time ago and it is time he realizes the same. "But for you, I will make it fast and painless. She won't see or feel it coming."

He sighs and closes his eyes. Then, he leans into the crock of her neck. If he shreds a few tears for the upcoming loss of the only mother he will ever remember, Alice pretends she doesn't see.

T3SOTC

Alice casually walks down with Cade's arm wrapped around her shoulder. He leans to kiss her temple, she blushes and giggles. They are an ordinary couple taking a stroll down the harbor where, coincidentally, Shepherd is boarding clandestinely on a cargo. Parker has gone with her to watch her back, always the good little soldier ensuring she isn't forgetting him.

Pathetic, Alice thinks. Efficient minions don't stick to their masters because masters trust them. Following Shepherd won't convince her to upgrade his position in the hierarchy.

They enter a building they had scooted beforehand and set their business. The cases had been brought late in the evening the previous day in anticipation to avoid arousing suspicion. Their window of opportunity is narrow; they will only have one shot so they don't waste time in taking position and observing. Silence is heavy between them; they wait, hoping the information they gathered will be correct. Ian must have dealt with Borden by now, and Shepherd still hasn't arrived. The cargo is ready but its uninvited passengers aren't there. For a brief moment, Alice thinks she missed something. They had studied and debated for hours about how things could go wrong. Would Shepherd play it safe and wait? Would she accelerate her schedule to catch them off-guard? Has she changed her mind on the procedure after seeing the twenty millions vanishing overnight? Has –her heart twinges at the thought- Ian warned her?

Her wonders are interrupted by the arrival of a SUV. Shepherd and Parker both step out. Cade and Alice have agreed beforehand she would take Shepherd and him the little rat. Triggers are pulled at once.

The two leaders of the current most dangerous terrorist organization in the US crumble like puppets without strings.

Alice can only be thankful Ian isn't here; Shepherd's body is not a pretty sight with half her brain spread on the pavement. Parker's eyes are round in shock as if his body itself hasn't realized it he was shot. Even in death, he would remain stupid, she thinks ironically. The guards are already ducking for cover behind the car. Alice sniffs in disdain and doesn't give them any more interest that she believes them worth. They dismount their rifles and flee the building as calmly as they can, reenacting the loving couple cover. Once they are back in the car, they take off back to Clearfield.

Alice is currently checking her texts when Cade interrupts the silence:

"What are your plans, after this?"

She stares at him in mild suspicion. Is he trying to strike a conversation? Or plotting their demise?

"I don't know yet. What about you?" she replies instead. She knows vaguely that Ian wants to tour around the world, take the time to visit other countries, and perhaps even return to their parents' grave to pay his respects. That's definitively what she wants to do in the near future; if only to ask forgiveness for what she has decided to make of her life. Her memories of them are vague at best, but she does remember they loved her. That alone deserves her consideration.

Cade shrugs behind the wheel.

"I won't stay in the US for the next few years; that I know for sure." He mutters, eying the panels on the road. They need to take the left turn in about fifty kilometers. "Maybe leave for Brazil or Europe. I've always wanted to visit Italy."

Alice hums but doesn't reply. She's not interested in small talk. Now that their deal is close to the end, she can't care less about his next move. Her phone chimes; a test from Ian with a picture attached: Borden is lying on a dirty bed with an IV in his forearm. His face is red and blue from blood and bruises. She thinks his fingers are broken given their odd angle, but it can be the bad quality of the camera. The leg is definitively twisted backwards. The IV must be filled with morphine or some other sense-dulling product. She imagines he must have used the same drug Borden intended to kill Patterson with, had Shepherd truly ordered her execution.

Time of death 11.43pm, says the text attached to the picture.

Alice nearly whistles, impressed. Drugging Borden then breaking his bones to keep him stuck in a dilemma is ingenious: if Borden pulled the IV back, he would live but go through intense pain and if he didn't pull the IV, he would slowly die of overdose. It appears that even the good doctor knows when he is beaten. The scheme must have demanded some imagination from her brother's part. He isn't much into torture for torture's sake, but since she likes Patterson he definitively has made an effort.

"Something funny?" Cade inquires, curious.

"I feel so proud of my baby brother right now," she says fondly. "He's getting the hand at psychological torture."

Cade looks like he doesn't know whether he wants to find out what she means or not. He settles for a neutral:

"I take it Borden is dead?" Alice hums happily. She is surprised when Cade suddenly chuckles in disbelief. "You guys are crazy." He mutters, but there is an odd edge in his eyes. "I can't believe I think I will actually miss you."

She gives him and intrigued stare.

"Really?" she wonders out loud. "You will miss the two homicidal creeps that convinced you to follow a stupid plan to kill your former boss?"

Cade shrugs.

"I had a grudge against her too. And it's not like I have anyone expecting me somewhere. Believe me, in spite of your homicidal creepiness, you are quite likable," he replies with a hint of a smile. Alice raises an eyebrow.

"Flattery will lead you nowhere, Cade," she retorts dryly. "If you want to stick around, just ask."

His neck cracks at the speed he looks away from the road and at her.

"You're serious?" he asks, and she thinks she can hear the slightest faint hint of hope in his tone.

"You are tolerable. I don't mind, but Ian has the final say."

She's genuine, mostly. Cade is a formidable asset: trained sniper, resourceful and reliable. He will pull the trigger if needed and knows to compartmentalize enough not to let past ghosts dictate his life. But the one thing that attracts her is his humanity. She likes that he tried to stop Shepherd for selfless reasons: he can't care less of the government who let his father die, but he has enough ethic to know which line not to cross, and killing thousands of people is that line. Perhaps he would help balance the morality of the siblings, should Ian allow him to stay.

Cade nods solemnly, but seems somewhat happy that Alice would be willing keep him. Alice, in turn, kinda hopes Ian won't mind.

T3SOTC

Ian wants to say no. It's obvious by the way his body tenses, by his eyes narrow and his fists tighten. If he were a cartoon, Alice is sure his face would be red and his ears smoking. She thinks it's cute.

"Fine," he grumbles reluctantly. "But I will kill you if you step out of the line. And after Borden, I think I can get very creative."

In spite of the threat, Cade's usual sober expression lightens up unexpectedly. Alice realizes he truly has nowhere and no one to go to.

"Works for me," he says cheerfully.

T3SOTC

They've rented a large hotel room in a four-star hotel with view on the landscape. Ian is still up and outside, gazing into the dark sky. Alice joins him and leans against the rail. Cade is snoring in one of the beds. She suspects their acceptance of his presence makes him feel a lot more comfortable around them. She isn't sure how she feels about it.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

She worries a little; he's been very silent through the evening. Contemplating, she'd say even. Ian gives her a tight smile and she recognizes the crease between his eyebrows; he's been pondering over something all night long, and has finally come to a decision.

"Did you really have to bring him along?" he says, a little whiny.

"Why did you agree to let him come then?" Alice retorts gently.

"Because you looked like an overeager puppy waiting for its treat," he replies honestly. "And after keeping you under Remi's influence all this time, I thought you deserved a chew toy."

Alice grins; she knew she loved her brother for a reason. Then, she sobers.

"What is it Ian? What is bothering you?"

"I need to leave a few days," he announces uncomfortably. "I'll be on time for the flight but there's something I need to do first."

He's cautious when he speaks; it means whatever this is, it's important to him. Alice considers his words, then shrugs carelessly.

"Sure, okay. Stay safe and don't take candy from strangers. We'll see you at the airport."

Ian stares at her suspiciously.

"That's it?"

"Well, we have two cars, Cade isn't bad company and we have two days ahead before departure. The FBI is too busy chasing around the leftovers of Sandstorm to think of us and you're a cautious guy, you won't get caught. So go ahead. Unless you want me or Cade to come along?"

"No!" he protests quickly. "I mean, I'll be fine on my own." He smiles. Alice knows he's thinking how Remi would have put her foot down and found a thousand reasons for him to stay behind. Good thing she isn't Remi anymore. "See you at the airport."

He leaves early the next morning with the promise he'll be there on time.

She understands what he is up to when she sees him again two days later.

He isn't alone. A cute redhead is standing by his side, suitcase in hand, large sunglasses over her face. Alice wants to laugh as she watches Ian's bright eyes when he looks at his –undoubtedly –girlfriend. So this is the little bicker Remi worked so hard on driving him away from?

She approaches Ian from behind and taps his shoulder lightly. Her brother nearly jumps out of his skin, unprepared for her arrival. The redhead is entirely unimpressed.

"So you are the infamous Remi?" she asks dryly before introductions are even made.

"It's Alice, actually," Alice replies with a smirk. "So, you are the infamous Kat?"

Ian bravely tries to interfere.

"Sis, meet Kat. Kat, meet Alice," he introduces briefly, visibly ill-at-ease. Alice can hear Cade cackling in her back.

"Did you check up already?" Alice asks, ignoring the girlfriend for a moment. When Ian shakes his head, she sighs. "Go ahead with Cade. It'll give us some time to get acquainted. You don't mind, do you?"

Her brother is very close to say that yes, he does mind leaving her and Kat alone and unsupervised. But his lover scoffs and assures him she'll play nice. Ian is smart enough not to mention he is afraid Alice won't play nice. Still chuckling under his breath, Cade pulls him away and they slowly retreat.

T3SOTC

Alice is standing outside the airport, on a small platform settled for last-minute smokers. They can't hear announcements from out there, which is why she chose this spot to cut the last ties to her former life. It's six in the afternoon; plenty enough to make the call without drawing too much attention.

She dials the number and holds the phone to her ear. Her intended speaker picks up at the third ring.

"Patterson speaking," the blonde says in a business-like tone.

"Good afternoon," she says pleasantly.

There is a stunned silence on the other end of the line.

"Jane – I mean, Alice?"

"No it's the Easter Bunny."

The absurd answer makes Patterson burst into laughers: it's nervous, obviously, but still a laugh.

"I'm sorry, I didn't…I didn't expect you to call after you…I mean, we found Shepherd's body on the pier with another man's…And Borden…" she pauses, hesitates on asking what Alice knows is torturing her mind: "Are you…Did you really kill them both?"

Alice raises an eyebrow, although the blonde can't see it.

"Do you really expect me to confirm such a thing over the phone?"

Patterson chuckles weakly.

"No, I guess not. You should be careful, you know…Kurt really wants to catch you; especially after that stunt you pulled on Nas. And that bomb –it was a fake, right? You wouldn't have killed innocents just for half a million…"

Alice isn't sure she wants to grant that question an answer. She isn't the explosive expert but Cade did mention the deflagration should be strong enough to blew all the windows of the building and injure quite a few on the way. They had planned enough time for the minesweepers to get there and work their magic, but the threat had been real. It had to, or the FBI's attention could have been directed elsewhere very fast.

"You did get the USB device, right?" she asks instead.

"Yeah, we did. Kurt nearly flipped because Pellington chewed him out for handing half a million to terrorists. But when we got the data…How did you get it anyway?"

"Cade was the inside man," Alice explains, because now that the case is over, there is no need to hide it anymore. "We worked together as long as our goals remained the same. Trust me, Nas wouldn't like his reasons for helping." She pauses. "Are you tracing me? Because otherwise I am hanging up now."

"What? I-" Silence. Yes or no? Alice checks her watch. It takes about fifty-two seconds to Patterson to make a decent trace. Add five seconds to launch the tracking program. They are at thirty-nine. "No, no I'm not."

"That's nice to hear," she says. She can't detect a lie in Patterson's voice, but she won't take a chance either. "I just wanted to say don't let the past weight on your shoulders. People make mistakes. You made two in a very short amount of time, but you were stupid for the first, being fooled for the second. Don't let that obscure your vision of human nature. Decent guys exist out there; they're just playing hard to get."

Ensues a pause during which Alice wonders if the blonde is still online.

"Did you call me to give me relationship advice?" Patterson sounds bemused.

"You're the kind of girl who needs to have something to hold onto outside of work," Alice says blankly. "And Jane liked you best –in a complete platonic way. Since she is definitively gone, this is my…let's say 'farewell' in her name."

"You are the oddest criminal I've ever met, Alice Kruger."

And her name would trigger Nas's superspy network for sure. Time to cut the conversation short.

"It was nice talking to you Patterson," Alice concludes. "Say, before never seeing you again, what is your first name anyway?"

She hears the blonde laugh over the phone and then tells her. Once Alice has her answer, she cuts the communication. When she turns around, Cade is standing there, watching her like she is a puzzle in need of deciphering.

"Are you trying to give out our position?" he inquires, arms crossed.

"Just saying goodbye to Jane's friend," she replies. She breaks the phone in two and dumps it in a garbage can nearby. "Are the gates displayed yet?"

"They showed on screen two minutes ago. Ian was getting worried." He pauses. "What did you tell Kat anyway? She looked…queasy when we returned."

The boys are far away enough not to hear them. Alice takes a few steps closer and enters Kat's personal space. She's taller and looks down on her brother's lover. To her credit, the other woman doesn't back down. So she leans in and purrs close to her ear:

"If you break his heart, I will cut your body into pieces and send each limb to random addresses all over the world. I'll just keep your head and dump it into the sea." She pulls back; Kat's eyes are wide in shock. Alice's grin widens: "Are we in agreement?"

"Friendly warning," Alice replies with a shrug. "I just pulled the protective sister act." She picks up her bag and heads back in the airport. "Come on, don't wanna miss the boarding."

They join the line at the gate. While the flight attendants prepare the passage, Cade reads a magazine on motorcycles, Kat and Ian whisper in their corner like the sweet couple they are and Alice listens to the music of an unattended ipod she stole on the way. In half an hour, they will be on board. In forty five minutes, they will be flying away from the States and to a new continent. In seven hours, they will land in a foreign country and figure out what to do then.

Alice suspects her brother and his lover won't stick with them forever, just the time to stand on their feet and wander on their own. She's fine with it, he is an adult, she's not his mother and Remi has spent enough time controlling him. Cade…perhaps he will follow her for a while. He will make a good companion when Ian will take off. And as for her…

She has let Remi and Shepherd -and to an extent Jane- dictate her life for the past seventeen years. Now she is free –they are free – and she intends to take full advantage of it.

In some countries, when you buy your ticket at the movies, you also choose where you will seat. I used this here.

Till next time :)