"We dodged a bullet there huh?" Jax stated enthusiastically as the trio made their way out of the lecture room; the bell signalling the class's conclusion saving them from a particularly harsh lecture about their performance that day.

Alex couldn't help but think of the double entendre in the statement as she felt the stern gaze of someone piercing into the back of her head as they made their way through the double doors and rounded the corner. She didn't even need to look up or glance back to know that the eyes responsible were golden.

'You have no idea just how much.' Alex thought to herself in response.

It had been 2 weeks since Amélie had made her proposal, and 2 weeks of Alex 'dodging the bullet' for a lack of a better term. Alex briefly wondered if the phrase was ever applied to situations of dodging literal bullets, as a way of distracting herself from the mountain of other things she should be worrying about in that moment.

She'd been kind of 'drifting' these past weeks. Never really fully invested in what was going on around her, just following the motions, and only really coming to when she was forced to be in the same room as a particular woman. Because in those cases, all of her energy was devoted to dodging said woman at all costs.

Alex had told Amélie that she needed time to think over the proposal of becoming her...student? Her trainee? Alex wasn't really sure what she would be to the other woman if she accepted. 'Enemy' was the only noun that really came to mind when thinking of her relationship to the blue woman.

Her first instinct after that unfortunate meeting 2 weeks ago was to run, and she almost had that very night. She'd packed her bags and everything, ready to escape the clutches of the academy in the dark of the night with none being the wiser to her disappearance. She wasn't really sure what she would have done after that, or where she would have gone. Despite everything, she was slightly grateful for the message from an unknown number that night: reminding her of why she was there in the first place.

'I'm getting close.' The message had read.

Although the number was unknown, Alex knew who it was from immediately and the context and it was enough for her to unpack her bag and remain at the academy when all of her instincts were telling her to run.

Alex had never been particularly good at confronting her problems directly though, so even though she had convinced herself to stay at the academy, little could be said of any of her lingering problems. Instead of giving Amélie an answer to her proposal, she was just avoiding the woman at all costs for as long as possible so she could get her shit together. 2 weeks later of doing absolutely nothing to confront the issue had obviously yielded zero results.

Amélie wasn't pushing her though, in fact between Alex doing everything in her power to avoid the older woman and said woman not pushing the matter, it had actually been a surprisingly easy task. Maybe Alex could just avoid this issue forever?

Wishful thinking.

Alex still attended her classes as if nothing had happened, which included Amélie's classes much to her chagrin. Nobody pushed her for answers, well, besides Kali and Jax in the beginning, but Alex had placated them enough for her irrational behaviour to be considered normal in their eyes now. They seemed happy to just be in her presence regardless. Well, at least she hoped that was the case.

The lecturers, Amélie included, hadn't questioned her too much about what happened during their duel, which only furthered Alex's suspicions that something was up. They were being too casual about the situation. It took a about a week for Alex to notice, what with her being so detached and all, but occasionally she'd be sitting in the library and suddenly feel like she was not alone in an empty isle. Or she'd be talking to Jax and Kali, or rather they'd be talking and she'd be half-listening, in the cafeteria and she'd feel a gaze on her back for a fraction. It wasn't constant, but the presence was there occasionally and Alex only became more and more aware of it as time went on.

Alex was being watched.

She supposed she should have guessed as much after her discussions with Amélie and Angela following that incident. They seemed kind of off, like something had changed or new information had been brought to life, and while it seemed to be nothing substantial enough to warrant more serious action being taken, Alex still found it bothersome.

It was hard enough trying to bring herself to be in the same room as that woman, let alone trying to actually spy on her. Now she had the added worry of her every move potentially being watched as well. It was hard to spy on someone when you were also being spied on.

Alex groaned as she rolled over in her bed, scratching at her head, irritated.

"Uggh! That's what I should be doing anyway!" She berated herself out loud.

"What, getting out of bed? Because I totally agree!" Came Kali's gleeful yet stern voice as she approached the slumbering mess that was Alex.

Suddenly, the blankets serving as Alex's cocoon of self pity were ripped away from her, exposing her to the harsh sunlight bursting through their dorm room's open window.

Alex verbally hissed at the light, and Kali couldn't help but think the sight of her roommate resembled that of a feral cat.

She chuckled at the thought before addressing her moody roommate:

"Come on Alex! We're going out to lunch in Harmony with Jax!"

It was a Saturday morning, at least Alex thought it was Saturday, she wasn't really sure with all her days kind of bleeding together at the moment, and Kali's tone seemed to leave no room for negotiation.

Alex opened one eye, squinting dubiously at the other girl before inquiring:

"Lunch? Not breakfast?"

Kali gave her a deadpan look.

"...Alex. It's midday."

Oh.

Alex forgot she'd been kind of moping away on her weekends, not really wanting to confront anything or anyone, the world itself included.

Right now was no exception. She didn't really want to go out, but the way that Kali was glaring at her and tapping her foot suddenly made Alex not want to be on her bad side. Besides, maybe getting out of the academy for a bit would be good for her. Maybe the eyes were less likely to be peeking at her from behind every corner.

Alex rolled over and buried her face in her pillow, groaning loudly.

"Fine!" She declared, defeated.

Kali beamed at her roommate.

"Good! Be ready to go in 10 minutes!"

Alex turned to her eager roommate with an incredulous look on her face.

"10 minutes?! But I haven't even showered!"

"Then you'd better hurry up." Kali quipped.

Alex sipped at her coffee absentmindedly as her two friends made casual conversation across the table. She glanced around the quaint little coffee shop they'd stumbled into in the heart of Harmony, idly recalling the last time she'd been in a place like to this one, when the conversation suddenly turned towards her.

"So what did she give you to come out today?" Jax had asked Alex directly in that ever amused tone his voice seemed to carry.

Alex wasn't sure she'd ever heard the omnic speak in a tone other than amusement now that she thought about it.

Alex smirked as she took another sip of her coffee, before responding:

"What makes you think she had to offer me anything?"

If the omnic in front of her could raise his eyebrow, Alex was sure he'd be doing it in that moment.

"Girl, you've been so moody lately I thought we were going to have to drag your ass out of that bed."

"Ouch." She replied flatly, snickering before adding:

"Wait, how do you know I've been moping in bed?"

"So you have been moping?"

"Don't change the subject!"

Jax laughed out loud before answering her question and throwing his thumb towards Kali to his left:

"Kali has a big mouth."

"I DO NOT!" Kali suddenly piped up defensively.

"You kinda do." Alex offered bluntly, which lead to Kali flustering and trying to splutter about how she was only trying to help, which lead to Alex and Jax breaking into laughter.

Taking another sip of her coffee, Alex realised just how much she'd grown to like these two. Sure, she didn't usually offer much to the conversation, and had kind of just been floating beside them through these past few weeks, but despite what may have come off as disinterest on her part, these two had stuck beside her regardless. They stopped asking questions when Alex gave off the impression that she didn't want to talk about it, but they hadn't left her side, becoming a kind of constant in Alex's erratic life that she was only just now realising she had needed.

Alex sighed to herself. She'd been taking these two for granted when they'd been nothing but kind to her. She owed them. She felt better about coming out now, like maybe this was the start of her paying them back for their kindness towards her. Very few times in Alex's life had she met people who she could go on to call friends. Her heart warmed slightly at the thought of being able to say so of these two.

Alex smiled as she went to take another sip of her coffee, but frowned at the absence of liquid hitting her lips.

Deciding to use the opportunity to do something small but nice for her two friends, Alex spoke up amidst Kali's spluttering:

"I'm gonna go get another coffee, what do you guys want?"

Kali attempted to raise her hands in protest but Jax just pushed them down and away, chuckling.

"Thanks girl, we'll just have the same." He responded to Alex cheerfully, nodding his head to her in thanks.

Alex could still hear Kali trying to protest at having something bought for her and Jax's following laughter when she reached the counter on the other end of the cafe, albeit it wasn't really that far away.

The tall woman behind the counter approached her a moment after she'd leaned across the bar-like area, and Alex promptly spoke up:

"Can I get an organic oil, an iced mocha, and a flat white thanks."

The woman tapped away at her tablet and was just about to pass the device over for Alex to pay when a hand suddenly shot in front of her, effectively cutting her off from the device, and a familiar voice spoke up from her left.

"Make that two flat whites Amiga."

Alex internally rolled her eyes, recognising the smooth voice instantly, and glanced over at her sudden companion with a sharp look.

Sombra only smirked at the younger girl in that irritating way that always seemed to get under Alex's skin. Alex noted with surprise that the older woman seemed to be dressed much more casually today. She still donned her signature purple side shave and long nails, but her attire was much tamer than usual. She wore simple black tights and a deep purple overcoat that effectively blocked out whatever she was wearing underneath it. If Alex didn't know any better, she could easily mistake the sly woman as simply a regular person.

But Alex did know better.

While Alex had been absorbed in Sombra's out of character attire, the older woman had managed to snag the tablet from the tall woman across the counter and paid for their order.

Alex was about to protest, but realised that it was never worth the effort around this woman.

Instead she just rolled her eyes at the amused woman beside her and offered a half-hearted: "Thanks, I guess."

"Is that any way to thank a friend?" Sombra asked in mock offence, nudging Alex's left shoulder with her right.

Alex sighed in response, not really in the mood for this woman's antics today but knowing that she never showed up without purpose. Alex would just have to play this little game that Sombra liked to play until she found out what that particular purpose was today. Alex obviously had an invested interest in the other woman's affairs seeing as she was currently in the middle of investigating for Alex, but right now she wasn't sure if she was up for any surprises.

"I've told you before, we're not fr-"

"Oh look, your friends are waving at us." Sombra cut her off, waving at Jax and Kali across the small cafe.

"The polite thing to do would be to introduce me." Sombra added to Alex with a smirk.

"Absolutely not." Alex stated bluntly, not even bothering to look at the other woman as she grabbed the drinks on the counter that were suddenly presented to her.

With three drinks in hand, pointedly ignoring the fourth, Alex made her way back to her friends by the window, hoping that she'd given Sombra enough of a cold shoulder that the sly woman would not follow her.

She wasn't so lucky.

Sombra slid into the seat to Alex's left, opposite Jax at their four person table.

Alex refused to acknowledge her presence as she placed Kali and Jax's drinks in front of them, before taking a sip of her own and sighing.

Jax and Kali's eyes were both drifting between the two women sitting opposite them, and when the silence started to become a little awkward, Jax decided to speak up.

"So...uh. Who's your friend here Alex?"

"She's not my friend." Alex responded without batting an eye, causing Sombra to chuckle lightly beside her and grab at her sleeve, tugging.

"Aww, come on Alex! Introduce us!" Sombra whined, pretending to be upset over Alex's attitude towards her.

Alex merely ignored the other woman and took a long sip of her coffee, hoping that if she just kept ignoring the older woman she might just leave.

Kali had been eyeing the two from her spot across from Alex curiously, the way that Alex seemed to be ignoring the woman beside her without any resentment behind the behaviour as said woman clung to her shoulder and whined jokingly; when the cogs suddenly turned in her head and she placed her hand over her mouth and gasped.

"Oh my god Alex. Is this your girlfriend?"

Alex suddenly spat the entire contents of her mouth at the window to her right, gagging on the warm liquid that had been pouring down her throat a moment ago. She coughed and spluttered inelegantly as she pounded her fist into her chest in an attempt to alleviate the strain on her lungs.

Sombra was cracking up laughing beside her and if Alex hadn't been currently choking to death she would have punched the irritating woman in the face.

"Damn girl!" Jax exclaimed as he handed a glass of water to the choking girl, which she accepted gratefully and drank in one go. It took a few moments for the residue of liquid to stop irritating her lungs, but Alex finally managed to calm herself down. She shot a glare towards Sombra once she'd regained her senses, hoping that her irritation towards the woman would still be picked up between her still frequent coughing.

When Sombra herself had calmed down from her laughing fit, she finally answered the stunned Kali sitting across the table.

"She wishes!"

"I really don't." Alex offered bluntly, with a slight croak to her voice thanks to all the coughing.

"We're just friends. I'm Sonya." Sombra said to the two across the table, extending her hand in greeting.

Alex side glanced the older woman at the use of the name, but didn't say anything, instead took a much slower sip of her coffee in an attempt to alleviate the tiny scratch that still lingered in the back of her throat.

"Sorry." Kali offered, a little embarrassed, before adding:

"It's just that Alex doesn't really talk about her other friends much."

Sombra chuckled in response.

"She's quite the secretive type our Alex isn't she?" Sombra quipped, nudging Alex in the shoulder and earning another glare from the girl.

Sombra only smirked in response to the displeased gaze, and turned her attention back to Kali and Jax.

"She probably didn't tell you why I need to steal her for today either did she?"

"Huh?" Three voices resounded in unison, Alex's included among those confused at the table.

Sombra eyed Alex amusedly, in a way that may come across as innocent to any bystanders, but to Alex there was a hidden layer of meaning behind that sharp gaze.

"You didn't forget about our date? Did you?"

Alex eyed the woman intently for a moment, deciding that whatever Sombra wanted from her right now probably wasn't up for negotiation.

She sighed audibly.

"It must have slipped my mind, sorry."

"That's okay Amiga, but we really do need to be going now if we're going to make it to the party in time." Sombra added smoothly, the entire conversation dripping with hidden meanings that only Alex was aware of.

It was time for another 'favour'.

Alex sighed internally. She couldn't say no. She'd gotten herself into this.

Finishing her coffee in a few quick mouthfuls, upset that she hadn't really gotten to enjoy the second cup, Alex suddenly stood up.

"Sorry guys, I totally forgot that I'd double booked today. Can we maybe do this again another time?" She asked the two slightly confused friends sitting across the table.

"Of course!" Kali responded happily.

"For sure!" Jax offered enthusiastically, before adding:

"It was nice to meet you Sonya."

"Likewise." Sombra replied smoothly before the two were taking their leave.

Sombra unfolded a large pair of sunglasses and placed them over her face as the two stepped into the sunlight outside the small cafe. She stopped beside the road before speaking into some kind of headset in a tone too hushed for Alex to make out.

The black car that pulled in only moments after confirmed Alex's suspicion that Sombra had been summoning their ride to whatever little 'mission' the sly woman was about to have them partake in. Alex could only hope that whatever it was it wouldn't go as badly as last time.

Sombra opened the back door of the car beside the curb and slid across the back seat, waiting for Alex to follow after. Alex glanced back into the cafe, spotting her friends still beside the window before reluctantly sliding into the vehicle after Sombra.

As she closed the door, a thought suddenly popped into her head and she glanced over at the older woman.

"Sonya isn't your real name either, is it?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

Sombra chuckled.

"Not even close."

Sombra was a woman of many mysteries, much to Alex's chagrin, so when Alex had asked why they had stopped in some high-end looking mall shortly after they'd left the cafe, an amused hum was the only answer she'd gotten from the older woman.

She begrudgingly followed the older woman past the many stores whose contents she would never be able to afford, hoping that some light would be shed on their situation soon.

Sombra ended up walking into a few stores and repeating the same process a few times. She'd grab a few items of clothing, mostly dresses that looked to Alex like they were suited for formal parties, head into the change room area no doubt to try them on, and then they'd leave promptly after.

Sombra had also been practically ignoring Alex since they'd entered the shopping mall, only speaking to Alex when she was telling her to wait outside the change rooms. After the fourth occurrence, Alex was beginning to become rather bored, so she finally spoke up to inquire about why they were here in the first place. She highly doubted Sombra had only brought her all this way for a simple shopping trip.

"So are you planning on robbing these places or something?" Alex spoke up bluntly as she waited outside the current change room Sombra was inside of.

Despite the remark being a joke, a small part of Alex was actually scared that might be the case, and after the last mission she'd had to help the older woman with she was really hoping that whatever it was she had to do today wasn't an illegal act. She was supposed to be one of the 'good guys' after all.

'Good guys.' The thought almost made Alex laugh out loud.

Sombra suddenly whipped open the curtain separating them, and Alex had to stop herself from falling backwards off the small bench she was currently sitting on at the sight.

Sombra was wearing a deep purple, body length gown with a deep v-neck cut down the front, which was far too low to be considered appropriate in Alex's opinion. The dress hugged the older woman's form tightly in a way that made Alex feel suddenly uncomfortable, not to mention the long slit that trailed up the right side of Sombra's thigh that was almost high enough that Alex could see her-

"See something you like?" Sombra quipped, clearly aware of the affect her attire was having on the younger girl.

Alex quickly turned her head away from the older woman's inquisitive gaze, blushing slightly as she replied defensively:

"Whatever."

Sombra only laughed at her reaction.

Alex continued to keep her gaze fixed on the wall to the right as she complained:

"Are we done shopping yet?"

"So impatient. But yes I suppose I'm done. Judging from your reaction I've decided I like this one." Sombra replied, smirking as the younger girl blushed even more in front of her, before adding:

"But now we need to find something for you."

Alex finally brought her gaze back up to look at the other woman, a confused expression written across her face.

"But I don't need any clothes."

"Yes. But Fox does."

Great.

The black car pulled up beside a large, modern looking building where people seemed to be congregating outside. From the signs plastered around the area, Alex deduced that the building was home to some kind of club or event hall.

After hours of shopping for something for Alex, much to her chagrin, they had finally settled on an outfit that Sombra deemed worthy for whatever event it was that they'd be attending tonight.

Whatever this event was, formal wear was the dress code. Thankfully Sombra hadn't insisted on Alex wearing a dress like herself however. Alex had never really been a 'dress' person, and Sombra seemed to realise that immediately. She hadn't even made Alex try any dresses on, instead heading straight to the suit section of every store they'd entered. And they'd entered. A. Lot.

They had finally settled on something, and by 'they' she meant 'Sombra', as Alex really had no say in the matter. Alex was wearing form-fitting black suit pants with matching black dress shoes. They'd skipped the jacket, instead opting for a deep purple vest to go over her black shirt, which according to Sombra was so that they 'matched'.

"You are my date after all."

The older woman had said as she fastened the matching tie around Alex's neck, earning an eye roll from the younger girl.

Truth be told Alex had never dressed up like this before, and while Sombra assured her that she looked nothing but dapper, the younger girl couldn't help but feel a little awkward in the no doubt expensive and classy clothing she was now wearing.

They'd arrived outside the event, the exact details of which that were still yet to be disclosed by the older woman, around sunset.

The car had pulled in so that Alex was on the curb side, and she was just about to open the door when Sombra suddenly reached out to grab her arm to stop her.

"Hold on little Fox. You're not ready yet."

Alex eyed the woman curiously as she opened a case in front of her to reveal a wig in a pastel purple colour.

Alex rolled her eyes at the sight of the wig, but she supposed she could see the merit in it. She was still uncertain of her role this evening, but regardless, wearing a disguise while accompanying Sombra was probably a good idea.

It took a few moments to manoeuvre her own hair into a messy bun, before pulling the wig over her head and securing it with the help of Sombra. Once it was secured in place, the wavy tresses dangled just below Alex's shoulders. Apparently Sombra wasn't finished though, because she also held out what looked like a black piece of fabric. Looking too big to be an eye patch, Alex inspected the cloth curiously.

"It's a face mask." Sombra suddenly spoke up when she noticed Alex's puzzled expression.

"It covers your mouth and nose, and you secure those elastics behind your ears."

Following Sombra's instruction, Alex secured the mask over the lower part of her face, feeling a little awkward with her mouth and nose now fully covered by the fabric.

"How am I supposed to talk?" Alex inquired curiously, her voice being muffled slightly by the fabric covering it.

"It doesn't hinder your speech as much as you'd think Amiga. Besides, tonight I don't need you to speak, I only need you to watch."

Alex eyed the older woman suspiciously.

"And what will I be watching?"

Sombra pulled out a deep purple lipstick from the same case she'd pulled out Alex's disguise, and began applying it smoothly over her lips, using the mirror on the back of the seat in front of her as a guide. Once she was satisfied with her work, she glanced over at the younger girl who was still eyeing her suspiciously from her place across from her.

Sombra smirked.

"Relax Amiga, we're just working security for an old friend."

"Maximilien! It's been too long!" Sombra greeted the omnic in front of her happily, grasping his arm and shaking.

"Indeed. You're looking quite stunning tonight Sombra." The omnic replied smoothly, to which Sombra offered a fake bashful giggle.

Alex had been standing silently behind Sombra during the exchange, watching the omnic carefully. Ever since they'd walked through the large entrance doors, Alex got the feeling that most of the people here were probably criminals. She didn't know what it was, or even if she was right, hell maybe she was just being paranoid. But the way Sombra seemed to glide through the crowd, giving out casual greetings and hugs to all of the eloquent looking guests as they held their wine in hand, just kind of felt off to Alex. Let's just say that these people gave off the same kind of aura as the woman standing in front of her.

Shady.

The omnic standing in front of Sombra was no exception, and Alex regarded him carefully.

The omnic's attention suddenly turned towards Alex after his greeting with Sombra had concluded.

"Is this the associate you had told me about?" He inquired, indicating his head towards Alex.

"Yes. This is my date for the evening: Fox."

The way Sombra emphasized the word 'date' was obviously an innuendo for the real reason that the two were here tonight, which was provide security and ensure the event wasn't disturbed by any unwanted guests. Alex found it funny that Sombra had to use code around her own client, but she didn't want to try to understand the other woman's reasoning's behind what she did. That was a rabbit hole she'd rather not fall into too deeply.

"She looks quite young, but I assume if you are recommending her then she can get the job done." The omnic stated after carefully observing Alex, much to her irritation.

If she wasn't in a room potentially surrounded by a bunch of criminals she might have taken offence and offered a sarcastic response. That and Sombra had told her it'd be best if she didn't speak too much, so she simply stared back at the omnic with a bored expression.

"I assure you Maximilien, she has a keen eye." Sombra spoke up in reply to the unasked question of 'was the girl up for the job?'

Maximilien simply nodded in response, turning his attention back to Alex before saying:

"Well then I appreciate your time Miss Fox."

Keeping to her silent rule, Alex simply inclined her head in response, which seemed to appease the omnic because he then turned his gaze back to Sombra, exchanging some small talk that Alex found uninteresting before taking his leave.

When he was out of earshot, Alex spoke up:

"I don't like him."

Sombra chuckled lowly in response.

"Don't worry little fox, neither do I really."

The rest of the night so far had been rather uneventful, and Alex was beginning to think she'd get away with an easy mission. She found herself grasping the wooden railing in front of her intently at the thought.

Touch wood.

Sombra had been drifting through the event, dipping into some sort of security room with surveillance behind where Alex was currently located on the second floor, and drifting through the crowd itself, looking for and shady figures. The thought made Alex chuckle quietly. Everyone here seemed shady to her. She guessed by that standard any unwelcome guests tonight would actually be good guys.

Alex sighed to herself for about the tenth time that night, thinking about what she had gotten herself dragged into. With every passing day she seemed to be on the road to becoming a criminal herself.

Sombra had stationed her on the second floor, patrolling along the balcony that swept around the room. The height gave Alex a clear view of the whole first floor, and thanks to her mechanical eye, she was able to zoom into people's faces for a closer look with ease. Sombra was definitely exploiting her for her eye, she thought solemnly as she gazed over the balcony towards the entrance.

Thankfully there weren't as many people up on the second floor, only a few small groups whispering to each other mysteries that Alex was 100% certain she did not want to hear. When she'd been on the first floor, she'd been bombarded by waiters and waitresses constantly offering her drinks and food, despite being way too young to actually legally drink here. Back at home she could probably get into a bar, with the legal drinking age only being 18, but it would be harder to swing in a country where the legal drinking age was 21. Despite this fact, this establishment apparently didn't care that she was 4 years below the legal drinking age.

A few people had eyed her curiously when she had been on the first floor as well, noticing her unfamiliar face in the crowd when there seemed to be so many people who knew everyone in the establishment. Alex was thankful when Sombra had assigned her to the second floor as a look out. It was also darker up here, so she could hide from prying eyes, not that the few people up here seemed interested in her presence anyway.

The lights downstairs seemed to brighten slightly as people gathered around the centre of the room. Alex could see Maximilien and a few others step out in the front of the group, Maximilien turning around to face them to apparently give a speech.

"Thank you all for coming out tonight~" The omnic began, but Alex's focus shifted when she heard a thump from one of the rooms behind her. She'd walked about a quarter of the way around the circular balcony, away from the security room, at this point, and the only rooms close to her current position were rest rooms she believed.

Alex wasn't sure that the sound was a security threat yet. It could have just been someone using the bathroom, the likelihood of it being somebody who was drunk very high. Alex decided not to alert Sombra through the earpiece she'd given Alex at the beginning of the night just yet.

She stepped lightly towards the room that she believed to be the source of the sound, pausing at the front of the door.

"Shit. Why didn't Sombra give me any weapons?!" She suddenly cursed under her breath.

Taking a deep breath, Alex eased the bathroom door open as quietly and slowly as she could manage.

The lights in the small bathroom were on, and with the door fully open, Alex was able to clearly identify the cause of the sound. Slumped to the ground at the opposite end of the room was a man that Alex didn't recognise. Alex sighed in relief. This drunk idiot must have just fallen over while trying to wash his hands, the tap was still running and everything.

Stepping in and turning the tap at the basin off, Alex decided she should probably check if the drunken man was okay. She crouched down in front of him, about to shake him to his senses when she suddenly noticed something out of place lodged into his neck.

Shit.

A small, empty, syringe-like object was protruding from the man's neck. He'd been knocked out. Alex stood up suddenly and whipped her head around the room, noticing after a moment that the window's lock was broken.

'Shit!'

Tapping at the earpiece in her left ear, Alex decided now would be a good time to alert Sombra.

"Hey Sombra, I think we may have a problem."

Sombra's smooth voice rang in her ear a moment later:

"What have you got for me little fox?"

"I've got a man down in the upstairs bathroom. He's been knocked out by some kind of dart, and the window lock has been broken."

"Looks like we've got some unwanted company. I'm heading your way now. Meet me by the surveillance room."

Alex wasted no time in bursting back through the bathroom door, making a turn to head for the security room to her left. In her hurry to meet Sombra, Alex had momentarily forgotten the possible danger of the situation, and was totally caught off guard as something whizzed quietly past her face, lodging into the wall ahead of her.

Alex was taken aback by the sudden movement, and had barely regained her senses enough to dodge in time. Whatever the object was, it was sharp, and Alex could feel the familiar sting of a cut opening across her right cheek, slicing a small part of the fabric of her mask in the process. Alex winced as the pain hit her, stumbling slightly as she rolled towards the wall and planted her back against it; hopefully out of more imminent danger and to inspect whatever had been thrown at her and lodged into the wall.

Whoever had attacked her had apparently only meant to scare her into running away, because she could not see or feel their presence in the dimly lit area around her. Deciding that she was safe for the moment and that she wasn't being pursued, she took a moment to focus her attention towards the object lodged into the wall beside where she'd landed. Alex's eyes widened in disbelief as she pulled the small object out of the wall.

"Umm, Sombra? Someone just threw a fucking ninja star at me!"

Alex felt like she probably should have been taking the current situation more seriously, but the whole scenario seemed so bizarre that she couldn't help but find it hilarious. Someone had just throw a real life ninja star at her. It was like something straight out of those old ninja movies she used to watch.

"Are you okay?" Sombra asked into her earpiece as she swiftly made her way through the crowd, approaching Maximilien and whispering lowly in his ear:

"We've got company. It looks like it's them."

Just as quickly as she had approached the omnic, Sombra had left him, moving swiftly again in her mission towards the surveillance room. Dealing with the crowd was Maximilien's job, not hers.

Alex had still not responded so Sombra asked her again, with more urgency in her voice this time.

"Amiga, are you okay?!"

The urgency of Sombra's tone brought Alex out of her daze, planting her back in their current predicament.

"U-uh, yeah! My face got cut a bit, but I'm all good. Heading to the security room now!"

"You weren't already on your way?" Sombra asked impatiently.

"I was kind of preoccupied with having ninja stars thrown at my face!" Alex retorted sarcastically, before adding:

"I'm almost there!"

Alex was approaching the surveillance room, and was just to step out from behind a pillar along the edge of the balcony when something shiny caught in the corner of her mech eye. If Alex had been relying on normal human sight, she was certain she wouldn't have dodged the bullet that flew past her only a fraction of a second later.

As Alex ducked back in behind the small pillar on the edge of the balcony, evading the gunman on the other side, she couldn't help the low chuckle that escaped her lips.

"I guess I dodged a bullet there." She said to herself as she panted harshly, as she couldn't help but recall the thought she'd had only yesterday regarding the statement.

Screams could suddenly be heard from downstairs and loud thumping indicating that the crowd was trying to exit the building as quickly as possible.

The full weight of her situation hit Alex like a freight train as the adrenaline started working overtime in her veins. She sucked in harsh breathes in an attempt to calm her rapidly beating heart. If she wanted to survive she needed to focus.

Taking a few deep, shaky breaths, Alex felt a small weight against her left hand and remembered she was holding something. The ninja star. Alex inspected the item carefully, determining whether or not she could use it somehow. She'd never thrown something of this shape before, but her skill with throwing knives and even shards of glass it turns out was quite good and she was determined to use it to her advantage. Her current problem was that if she looked out from behind the pillar she was currently hiding behind there was a good chance that the gunman would fire at her again.

Alex suddenly felt a sudden pressure on her shoulder and nearly jumped back in shock in her skittish state. The pressure tightened however, seemingly holding her in place, and Alex realised it was someone's hand holding her there.

Sombra.

She was invisible, perched just to Alex's left she guessed by the placement of her hand on Alex's left shoulder. The pillar Alex was currently hiding behind was only wide enough for one person to use as cover, so Sombra's cloaked state confirmed that the gunman across the balcony was still watching her.

"What do we do?" Alex asked into seemingly open air, not waiting for Sombra to announce her presence.

"Maximilien had already started moving out the guests when the gun went off thanks to your heads up about our first intruder. He and all the other VIPS have safely left the building. The rest of the security team is holding off any intruders for as long as possible on the first floor. I need to destroy the data in the surveillance room before I leave."

Sombra paused. Alex could feel the weight that her sudden silence carried, and she gulped audibly. She wasn't going to like the answer, but she needed to ask.

"Sombra. Who are they?"

Alex felt the hand on her shoulder tighten slightly in an out of character show of comfort for the older woman.

"It's a faction from Overwatch."

Even though a small part of Alex already knew the answer was coming, her breath still caught in her throat at the mention of the name.

The silence carried for a moment before urgency took over Alex again.

"Sombra. I can't. I-I can't-"

"You can't be here. I know Amiga."

Sombra's voice carried a heavy tone that Alex had never heard in it before, and it made Alex flinch uncomfortably.

She took a deep breath before stating rather than asking:

"And you can't help me get out, can you?"

"...No." Came Sombra's simple reply.

Alex let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding.

Was this it? Was Alex's whole world about to collapse around her? Would she get caught? What would happen if she did get caught? What would it mean?

There were so many uncertainties that were out of Alex's control and it was making the anxiety within her stir.

Sombra suddenly gripped her shoulder again, apparently sensing the girls sense of impending doom and shaking her out of it.

"My mission comes first, and I cannot be caught here tonight Amiga."

Sombra started, only confirming what Alex already knew, before adding:

"What I can do is have the car meet you around back if you can manage to get out of here yourself and get you far away from this place before the shit hits the fan."

A small spark of hope ignited in Alex's chest, but it was quickly diminished when she remembered her current predicament.

"I'm pinned down." Alex stated, hoping that Sombra would understand her implication.

"I know." Sombra stated in the same serious tone from before. It was so out of character for the older woman and it was making Alex feel more anxious that she already did.

Alex suddenly felt Sombra's hand over her own, grasping the again forgotten ninja star she was still holding onto.

"I can tell you where to aim. Can you make the shot? Or at least enough of a shot to distract them?"

Alex considered a moment. She honestly didn't know. The star was an unfamiliar object, and she was practically throwing blind, based only on the direction of eyes that were not her own. She didn't know, but she had no other choice.

"I guess I have to, don't I?" Alex responded, mild sarcasm hinting her tone.

Sombra returned to her normal teasing tone now, which oddly relaxed Alex in this high tension scenario she'd found herself in.

"I guess you do. I'll tell you where to make the shot, you'll take it to the best of your ability to distract them. As soon as that star has left your hand you head to the bathroom with the open window. The car will be waiting for you in the back alley, directly below."

Sombra suddenly spoke in a hushed tone rapidly in Spanish Alex thought, but she wasn't sure. She deducted that Sombra wasn't speaking to her though, and rather her getaway driver.

A thought suddenly sprung to Alex's mind.

"How are you going to get away without the car?"

Sombra lightly chuckled, before responding:

"How about we deal with you first."

The next moments happened in a blur of action, Alex's body moving solely on instinct and adrenaline. Sombra had given her the angle and distance to the gunman's position, and she'd taken one deep breath before swinging her body around swiftly and throwing the ninja star with all the energy she could muster with her left hand. She wasn't sure if she'd hit the person or not, but their startled gasp was enough to indicate that they had been taken aback by the sudden attack.

Alex wasted no time in using the opportunity to spring to her feet and run towards the bathroom door she not long ago exited. She hadn't checked in with Sombra after the older woman had given her throwing instructions, and Alex couldn't help but hope that the older woman would be okay despite everything she had put her through.

Alex faced a current predicament of her own though. Pulling herself up to the window and perching on its edge reminded Alex that she had been on the second floor this whole time.

'How the fuck did the ninja climb up here?' Alex thought to herself in awe as she glanced around the outside wall for any signs of anything she could use to hang on to. It was dark outside now and the alley was almost pitch black without any sort of street light to illuminate the walls. To Alex's horror she couldn't find anything that she could use to lower herself down easily, and she was running out of time. The gunman or even the ninja could be bursting in any minute now. She needed to act.

If she jumped from her place in the windowsill now she wouldn't die, but she'd probably twist her ankle during the landing.

"Shit!"

Glancing along the ground, Alex noticed a large garbage bin slightly to her left. Unfortunately it was closed, meaning Alex couldn't use the soft, albeit gross contents to soften her landing, but it was better than nothing. She'd aim for the top of the bin and use it to hopefully break up the fall enough to not break any, y'know, bones.

Commotion from the other side of the bathroom door could be heard getting closer, and Alex decided it was now or never! She took one final deep breath before taking her leap of faith.

Unfortunately, she'd undershot her landing on the bin's lid slightly, and her left thigh collided roughly with the edge of the bin as her hands reached out to try to steady her fall. A loud thump resounded upon impact, and despite the attempts of her hands, she tumbled ungracefully from the bin to the ground, landing solidly on her ass.

Both harsh impacts sent jolts of pain throughout Alex's body, winding her for a few moments before she could bring herself to even move. She wasn't even sure if she'd be able to stand at this point, let alone run.

Just when the pain was beginning to reach unbearable heights and there was no way in hell she'd be able to stand up: a car's tires could be heard screeching to a halt in front of her. The same large black car that had dropped them off earlier that evening; or at least Alex hoped it was the same, it was hard to tell in the dark and due to the fact that she was wincing in pain; was now parked in front of her.

Before Alex even had time to speak or react, a large, burly, tan-skinned man was picking her up from the ground and somewhat throwing her into the backseat before slamming the door behind her. He didn't speak a single word as he rounded the car again to his driver seat and promptly started the car, speeding away from the chaos that was no doubt ensuing behind them.

As Alex laid over the backseat of the vehicle, clutching her thigh and trembling slightly at the pain surging through the appendage, only one thought buzzed in her mind:

How the hell had she survived?

(A/N): Thank you all for the continued support of the series, I'm glad that you seem to be enjoying Alex's story! Any/all feedback is always welcome!