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The Mercenary is the first arc of The Underground series

Chapter 32 of 32

Worlds Apart

"And in other news today, Palamont's skyline will be forever changed as decommissioning of the Lazarus Institute Plaza began late last night, much to the surprise of many." The radio commentator's voice crackled. "Although, CEO Xen Hets has not commented, Lazarus PR issued the statement that the destruction of the high-rise had been planned for some time and that business would continue as usual from other locations within Palamont. ParaDyne Tower was listed as a possible location, until the new Lazarus Plaza in Palamont can be completed. The Lazarus Institute specializes in-"

A blue vulpine paw turned the radio knob over and clicked it off; silencing the car radio.

"How much did that story cost to buy?" A blue vixen in the passenger seat of a black SUV asked.

The black fox adjacent from her shrugged. "You said it yourself. Hets has his paw in everyone's pocket."

"Everyone's but yours." She corrected.

The black fox scoffed. "Yeah, I am going to miss the paychecks...but even I can see when the money's not worth it."

Jenna leaned back in her seat, looking at the lobby of Ithaca Tower. "Well I think it's safe to say the coast is clear." She said, looking over at Alias.

He nodded. "I think four drives around the block proved that."

"So what now, Alias?" Jenna asked him. "Are you just going to go back, doing what you do?"

"Noxid wants to talk with me about freelance work... I don't know." He shook his head, paws running across the steering wheel pensively. "I just got out of one collar and not too eager to jump into another one. But, he does have resources beyond that of finance."

Jenna nodded. Her face turned solemn as she spoke. "Alias..." She started. "What Hets told you, all of it, I really hope you don't think it's true."

Alias rolled his eyes at the notion. "The day I believe Xen Hets on anything is the day I just need to hang up my guns and call it quits."

"You know I'd never sell you out. Much less offer anything else."

Alias looked back at her, the corners of his muzzle turning upward ever so slightly.

"I know."

"I'm sorry you lost everything..."

Alias shrugged. "If there's one thing I've learned in this business, it's that there's no such thing as one copy any document." He looked down at the charred bank statement residing in the center console. It smelled of burnt paper; the edges a light brown from the flames. "Given it's all I've got, but it's a start." He sighed. "All I have left."

Jenna sat for a second, quiet, then rose off her seat, straightening her legs to access her pocket.

"No," she told him, pulling out a folded piece of paper, "there's this." Alias accepted the paper she offered to him, and began unfolding it. "I just wanted something remember you by, and well, it's pretty." She explained in a femininely coy way. "I hope you're not upset."

Alias unfolded the creased paper, and looked down on it. There, slightly smudged from last nights activities, was a drawing of the nameless zebra. The only one of hundreds that Alias had painstakingly drawn over and over again that survived. His paw traced over the lines as if he was trying to read Braille and draw information from it.

"Now you have the motivation and means of figuring out who you are." Jenna replied.

"Thanks." Alias replied, nodding his appreciation at Jenna's offering. "But I think it's best if you hang on to this."

Jenna's brow furrowed. "What for?"

Alias turned back to the horizon. "Let's just say its time for me to move on. Just let it be a reminder of the world outside your plate glass windows."

The two sat there for a moment in silence. And in that few moments of silence, it seemed that all that needed to be said was told. It was something that words could not do justice to describe or explain. Something that could only be seen through the eyes of the two, and no one else could ever understand.

"So, I guess this is it...again." Jenna finally broke the silence.

"You have your life waiting for you." Alias confirmed.

"Please." She scoffed. "And yours?"

Alias shrugged. "Don't know. Never been without a plan before. I guess I'll just have to see what comes my way."

"Well, you know," Jenna said hesitantly, "you did save my life, more than once."

"I put a gun to your head..."

"But if you hadn't, I wouldn't be here right now." Jenna replied. "I mean, I think it's only fair that I repay the debt."

Alias's ears pricked up. "Do what?"

"I want to help you. I may not be able to save you like you did me, but I want to help you know who you are." The vixen told him, her blue eyes containing a shimmer of light that Alias had never seen before.

Alias's brow furrowed. "There couldn't possibly be a worse idea."

"Why?" She asked, confused.

"Jenna, you have no idea what you're getting into." Alias explained. "Hets is still a powerful man. He won't let this go, and his attack could come in any number of ways. The safest place to be is in the public, where he can't afford an incident. The Underground is my life, but one that I wouldn't wish on anyone."

Jenna's expression hardened. Not of malice or anger, but it was that look Alias saw in her when she made the transition from a damsel in distress to the warrior he had seen last night. "Alias," she replied in a grave tone, "all my life people have tried to shelter me. My parents, males, they all think that because of how I dress and look that I'm just another empty-headed female. But what they don't realize is that I understand my actions and where they will lead me. Yeah, my life of isolation from the world is safer, but at least in The Underground I'd be free. I've never had that before. I know what I want, I want to do this."

The Mercenary felt Jenna's velvety paw on top of his own, feeling Alias's paw jolt slightly from the touch.

"Please let me do this with you." She asked.

Alias knew that if she came, her life would be in danger. She would have to leave everything behind her while she was with him. She would have to forsake the life of a CEO's daughter and live among the scum of the cities. She needed to know what she was doing.

"Jenna, what I do, where I do it, it has so many shades of grey you'll forget what black and white even look like." He explained, his dark tone entering his voice again. "It's rough, it's dirty, it's political, and it's long term. Right now, you can walk away and you don't have to worry about anyone coming after you."

"I'll take the risk." Jenna told him.

"But why?" Alias asked still scowling.

Jenna sighed, lowering her head slightly. "I wish you could get where I come from and how I live. Alias, I've seen your reality, and I wish I could let you see mine, because I don't think describing it to you would be believable. The thing is..." Jenna paused. "The thing is, I never had anyone I've trusted." She lifted her head and once again made eye contact with him. "Not until now, that is. Please don't freak out, but of all the people I've known, or been involved with, none of any of that combined has ever felt more true than the past forty-eight hours I've spent with you. I want to do this, I understand the risk. But I'm not willing to just let all this count for nothing because of a little risk." Her voice spoke with passion, and Alias could see the difference between that girl he found in Club Xero and the girl he now was conversing with. They were as different as night and day. Jenna was no longer the weak venerable little female she once was. "The only reason I'll leave this car is if you don't want me here." She concluded, turning to him.

As Alias looked into her blue eyes, he knew that the vixen could not be dissuaded. She had made up her mind and for better or worse she would live with whatever the consequences of whatever would happen.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked. "Because after this, there's no turning back."

Jenna looked over at him. "I'm ready."

Alias paused for a second, turning her words over in his mind, then nodded.

"Welcome to The Underground." Alias let out a quiet, yet amused laugh. "You are a pain in the ass."

"Part of my charm..." Jenna returned his sarcasm.

As Alias pulled out of the parking spot, he looked over at the vixen. She sat with her arms crossed, but with a look of satisfaction on her muzzle. She didn't even look back at Ithaca Tower, which grew smaller and smaller as the wheels of the SUV took them to the outer limits of Palamont. Alias wasn't sure where he was headed.

So much about his life changed, but he wasn't worried. There was something strange. Looking over to Jenna, he realized it came from her. It was a sense of ease and serenity that radiated from her and put to rest all his worries and fears. For better or for worse, Alias liked the feeling and didn't want to lose it.

There would be battles ahead. There would be wins and losses, in both cases some greater than others. Alias always said that the Invisible War could never be won, only survived, which was what he planned to do. Before, he was simply The Mercenary, with little care to anyone else. But now, more than his own life was in his paws. And he would fight; he would fight for both of them. He wasn't sure where they'd end up when the sun finally set on the day.

And he was all right with it.

Alias

They say someone is defined by his actions not his memory. Life is determined by our decisions. You make choices and you live with them. Eventually our decisions catch up with us. That's when you find out who you really are. Your name, your profession, your date of birth, none of it matters after that. When your life is a void, and you long to know who you are and what you're doing, your actions are all you have. My life was reliant on destruction, death, and chaos. It was all I was good for; all I knew. Maybe it's time to know more.

I'm a mercenary. I fight a never-ending battle where there are no sides, no good guys and no bad guys.

My name is Alias; this is my story.