June Romero returns from her endeavors in South America only to find things are not as calm as they should be.
Team Alpha is sidelined as the agency scrambles to figure out who attacked them, and will it happen again, all the while, escaped super powered Bricks are causing all sorts of chaos.
With the agency spread thin, Team Alpha's handler in hot water, and June barely able to catch her breath, tensions are high. Can June and the others make it out alive, or will unforseen forces take down the only line of defense between the world we know and plunge it into a super powered apocalypse?
June Romero felt the jolt of the plane landing on the El Paso International Airport in Texas. She rubbed her face as she started to collect herself. An eight hour flight from Bogota Colombia and she only managed to sleep a fraction of it. The only time June was grateful for her petite build is during her trips on public transportation. The large man next to her finished grabbing his bag from the overhead compartment and June uncurled herself, pulled her small backpack from under her seat and followed the sea of people off of the plane.
As she was being jostled around she felt a familiar touch that held her hand. Ken Bennett, team leader, and ruggedly handsome. June always felt a little better when he’s around. His charming dimples when he smiles at her makes her feel warm and safe, something she hasn’t felt since the agency took her.
June, an average, if petite looking young woman, was snatched from her home for the crime of being a Brick: A genetic anomaly that caused her skin to become incredibly strong and her muscles to be stronger than that of an average person.
Her adoptive father kidnapped her from her small apartment in New Jersey and now she’s traveled more in a few weeks than she had when her mother was keeping her hidden.
She longed to live peacefully with Ken and the others of the team, but she can’t even close her eyes to feel peace.
The events of Colombia still incredibly vivid in her mind, June had a hard time imagining being in a relationship. She imagined he would, too. Especially with the big secret she’s been keeping from him… June can’t die.
Memories of her second kidnapping, when the megalomaniac and also Brick, Cesar Villalobos took her. June spent her birthday tied and tortured as he and his cronies tried to find different ways to kill June.
She shook her head and pressed herself closely into Ken’s embrace as soon as they made it off of the tunnel and into the airport terminal. Ken, who was a foot taller than her, placed his chin on her head and wrapped his arms around her.
“It’s all right, Mouse, we’re safe now. It’s all right.”
June hated the nickname, but she figured she’d grow to like it, eventually. But that was the last thing on her mind.
,She tightened her eyes and gripped his shirt tighter.
“I can’t go back there.” June sobbed.
Her tears ran uncontrollably down her cheeks.
Ken grasped her shoulders and pushed her back enough to look into her deep brown eyes. June felt her heart skip a beat as his hazel eyes met her gaze with a quiet intensity.
“I won’t let anything else happen to you. I promise. Forget the deal you made with William. Just stick around and once I retire I’ll be able to move you in with me, we’ll get married or whatever.”
“You’re so romantic…” June scoffed as she wiped away a tear, “But I get what you’re trying to do.”
With a quivering sigh, June hugged him again. “I appreciate you, but I’m just gonna need time before I can try to become a handler again. I…”
The memory of June snapping the crazed megalomaniac Cesar Villalobos’s neck flashed across her mind and she burrowed into Ken’s chest.
“I hurt people…”
“You had to, they were going to hurt you.”
June gave a half-hearted smirk as she ran her fingers through Ken’s dark shaggy brown hair. He looked like she felt.
The battle at the border of Colombia and Venezuela left the team broken. Team Alpha, a specialized group of unbreakable skinned individuals with enhanced strength, met their match when the cult led by Villalobos thought they could rule the world. They almost did if it wasn’t for June taking him out, but she knew he had help from someone in the States. As distraught as June was, she owed it to the people who lost their lives in that battle to find that mole and restore peace. Even if peace means finding others like her and hiding them away inside of a secret mountain base.
June studied a lot of psychology growing up, it was her hobby when she wasn’t watching old movies with Melody, or reading whatever she could get her hands on. She wasn’t allowed to have internet, Melody made it seem like it was her father who was stalking her, and in a way she was kind of right.
Melody, an ex agent who went AWOL and took June when she was a baby before the agency could get her hands on her, raised June as if she was her own daughter. Their similarities were enough that they truly passed for mother and daughter.
Melody must have know they would find her again and had been preparing June for this. Subconsciously having her read people the way an FBI profiler would. Though being sheltered and moved from city to city all her life, made it difficult outside of a classroom setting. June moved all over the north east coast with the woman she thought was her mother.
The agency, the Biological Reconnaissance Identification and Containment is a branch of the FBI, but June doesn’t quite know much more than that since her father slash team handler was injured and the team was left to fend for themselves. What she does know, it that it’s tasked to preserve peace between Bricks and regular people. The latter being blissfully unaware of the former’s existence.
Most countries in the world have at least one base. June worried more about the ones that didn’t.
June felt Ken’s head rest on her own as he held her close.
“You guys are gross.” Said a snarky voice from behind them.
“Jin…” A softer voice drolled.
Zoe and Jin, the joyful duo of the group, bantered and nudged each other despite the pain behind their eyes.
“I’m just saying. I can get them condoms the next time we’re off on a mission and we’ll leave them the room to themselves.”
“You’re so gross.” Zoe snorted. “I’m sorry about him. He’s unhinged when he doesn’t get his beauty sleep.”
June tried to chuckle, but her voice fell flat.
Zoe seemed to catch the hurt in June’s eyes and hugged her. She was only an inch or two taller than June, but much less petite. June’s a little envious of her curves, but would never admit it.
“Girl, I just realized you’re tan as hell. You’re almost as dark as Zoe.” Jin mused as he saw the two women next to each other.
“Yeah, well…” June looked down at her arms and noticed the blotchy tan, “You spend days in the jungle and see how you turn out.”
Jin smirked. “I would be a a glorious tanned god, but that’s why I always use sunscreen.”
“Whatever, you’re pasty white no matter what you do.”
“Not true, I can tan if I want to.”
“Jin, you’re as pale as a geisha, if your hair was any longer you’d look like the ghost from The Ring.”
“Totally.” Ken guffawed. “Tall and lanky, shit, you could terrify our enemies if you ever came out of a well.”
“Har, har.” Jin crossed his arms and turned to speak to June.
She couldn’t look up at him, she felt herself getting lost in memories again, flashes of being under water, Villalobos yelling at her while she was chained in his base, His delight as he killed Oscar the farm boy…
“June, are you okay?” Ken asked after a moment.
“Mmm?” June replied, seemingly snapping back into the present. “What happened?”
“I said, I’m sorry,” Jin answered. “Then I made a joke about how you and Zoe could be confused for little lumps of coal.”
“Then I smacked him for being a dick.” Zoe shifted her narrow gaze from Jin and met June with a worried expression.
June bobbed her head slowly but their words felt distant.
“But handsome.” Jin remarked, June noticed the hesitance in his voice, He tended to deflect from his feelings and June knew it, but she was too tired to keep the conversation going.
Ken wrapped his arm around June and she instinctively buried herself into his chest again.
Zoe and Jin looked on as Ken gave them an uncertain and worried stare.
“I’m… gonna go find Freya…” Jin said as he backed away.
Zoe was going to protest but let him leave.
“Where do you think the others are?” Zoe asked softly. The crowd around them had dispersed as the next flight was preparing to depart.
“I don’t know, but wherever she is, I’m sure Hector’s there, too, simping.”
“You’re so mean.”
“What? It’s true. He’s like a lost puppy around her.”
“I… I don’t debate that.” Zoe replied reluctantly with a smirk. “He’s a bad ass, knows his tech, but just becomes a puppy whenever she’s around.”
“Eh,” Ken said with a slight lift of his shoulder. “I don’t blame him.”
“You have a crush on Freya, too?” Zoe grinned mischievously.
“Dude…” Ken mouthed as his eyes darted to June who was pressed against his chest with her eyes closed. “…I mean, she is very pretty…”
“Admit it you have a crush.”
“I had…” Ken relented, “Back when I met her, but then I got to know her and… you’re messing with me, aren’t you?”
Zoe grinned. “I had a crush, too. Then you find out she’s not into, well, anyone.”
“Yeah, I can’t imagine she’d want to be in any relationship now.”
“Sebastian and Tabitha, man…” Zoe clasped her hands and shut her eyes as she fought back tears. “I… I can’t believe they’re gone. I can’t believe everyone’s gone.”
“They were just kids…” Ken swallowed. “There were so many kids…”
“I keep thinking we’re on our way back to see them. Like, they’re just waiting to say hi and show us their new paintings.” Zoe said in a hushed tone as she kept her voice from quivering.
Ken swallowed and cradled June closer.
Her legs seemingly began to wave but her fist clenched.
“We’re gonna get whoever took down the base. We’re going to get them for everyone we lost.” Zoe bared her teeth.
Ken held June tighter. She was beginning to lose balance causing Ken and Zoe to look around for a some place to sit.
***
The three of them sat on a row of plastic seats and people watched as they waited for the others to join them.
June found herself numb, their conversation felt like she was underwater.
“I’m glad I met you guys though,” Ken said, “I might have turned out pretty different otherwise.”
Her heart felt funny, June found herself feeling dizzy.
“I can’t imagine what horrors your folks talked about.” Zoe replied.
“Mostly how the world’s gone to shit since… Well, whatever president they currently hate is in office.”
June couldn’t breathe. She felt like there was something wrong with her. The room started spinning, her heart was racing, and the air wasn’t filling her lungs.
“I’m… June?” Zoe leaped off of her chair and held June’s hand.
Ken turned to her and the two of them knelt down on each side of her.
“She’s having a panic attack.” A motherly voice spoke firmly from a distance.
Freya rushed to June and stood her up then had her lean forward and placed her head between her knees.
“Breath, June, breath.”
June looked up at Freya. She seemed like a Norse Goddess come to life.
Freya’s blue eyes looked down on her with worry, but June could just see her silhouette against the light from the ceiling. Her ashen blonde hair was fashioned into a side braid, something she must have done with the eight hours they spent in the air.
“Breathe…” Freya repeated, but June could only imagine Freya was here to take her away to Valhalla, the thought made herself chuckle and she ended up snapping out of it.
“…June, are you okay?” Freya repeated.
June nodded gingerly, the room still felt like it was spinning. The bright lights around her dimmed and Freya stopped being so majestic and became a normal woman again.
“I’m good, I think, what was that?”
“Pounding heart, shortness of breath, spinning room, a hint of nausea?”
June raised and lowered her head.
“Panic attack.” Freya said again.
“I’ve never had one before.”
Ken helped June sit back down and the others gathered around her.
“Jin,” Freya turned, “Get her some water. Zoe, see if you can get a damp paper towel.”
“What should I do?” Ken asked as he stood up.
“Stay with her, a warm hug should help. I’m going to go find Hector and Isaac, they’re probably at the Chili’s.”
“Okay.” Ken replied and hurried to sit and wrap himself around June.
She felt disoriented but extremely apologetic.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I’ve never had this happen before.”
“It’s all right, it’s all right, I promise, you’re gonna be okay.”
“Don’t lie to me.” June felt the tears welling up.
“Everything sucks, June, but we’ll get through this. Even if customs didn’t let me bring the Mangoes Zoila gave me…”
June let loose a breath, nodded and buried her face into his shoulder.
A moment later the others arrived, Jin handed her a bottle of water and Zoe placed a damp towel over June’s forehead.
Freya arrived with what appeared to be her body guards, though only a few inches taller than her, they were much broader. Hector, much tanner than Freya’s northern European white skin, had a stain of red bar-b-cue sauce on his scruffy cheek. With short dark brown hair similar to June’s but unkempt so it looked like a mop on his head, and Isaac, who had a darker skin tone than Zoe, June always imagined his type in her novels whenever tall, dark, and handsome was mentioned. He was stoic, built like a linebacker, and had a shaved head when June first met him, but now he looked like a tennis ball as his head and facial hair are growing out.
“Is she okay?” Asked Hector as he knelt down next to Ken.
“I’m okay.” June replied, lifting her head up and taking off of the paper towel. “I’m really sorry.”
“No, need.” Freya said as she placed the back of her hand on June’s forehead.
“This is where you are!” A man in a black suit reprimanded them. “Stand down,” He said into his sleeve. “I’ve got them.”
“Quinn?” Ken said, looking puzzled. “Where’s William?”
“Hello, hello, hello!” The man said with his hands on his hips. “No time for pleasantries or questions I’m afraid.”
“Why’s that?” Jin asked with a smirk.
“We–” Quinn gave Jin a mirthless stare.
“Okay, are you good to go?” Freya asked June with a hand extended out.
June nodded and grasped it, pulling herself up.
“Good, my van’s right outside. We need to hurry.”
***
Quinn rushed to the driver’s seat of his black Nissan Quest. The boxy van looked like a futuristic shoe box to June, but as the doors opened to a striking beige leather interior, June felt like she was getting into a limo.
“Hop in, kids, we need to hurry.”
Freya climbed into the passenger seat, while Jin, Zoe and June made their way to the back. Ken, Hector and Isaac filled the middle row.
Ken reached back so he could hold June’s hand. Something that gave her comfort.
Zoe laid her head on June’s shoulder and Jin placed his head on Zoe’s. June felt a little better, but then the man spoke.
“Okay, okay, okay. Freya, to answer your questions first, things are bad, which is why we had to send a team of agents to the airport to make sure nothing happens, and we might have freaked out when we didn’t see you guys at the exit.”
“Sorry, we got split up and June wasn’t feeling…” She trailed off.
“Understandable, you guys feel like it’s over, but it’s not.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you ended Villalobos, we captured the majority of his followers, but there’s still some out there, and the contact he had that you reported is still at large, so there’s all that…”
“…And?” Freya questioned.
“And…” Quinn took a breath, “You guys broke a lot of laws…”
“We had to!” Ken protested.
“I know, I know, I know.” Quinn said, waving a hand off of the steering wheel.
June was starting to notice he repeats himself a lot when he’s nervous. He must be a normal person like William then.
“But still, The U.S. government is grateful for what you’ve done, we’ve chucked it up as all part of a black-ops mission that went ti– belly up.” Quinn cleared his throat, “Anyway, someone had to pay the consequences.”
“That’s bullshit.” Ken demanded. “Why? He’s in a coma, now he’s going to jail?
“Well, actually, he’s awake. He woke up a little before you guys got back from the siege at the farm.”
“So, he’s okay?” June asked, her voice trembled much more than she thought it would.
The others looked at her with concern, but Quinn answered.
“He’s okay. A little worse for wear, He owes his life to Freya.” Quinn gave Freya an approving nod, “The doc said you absorbed the blast enough to avoid any critical damage to him, but she is worried about you.”
“She checked me out before we flew, I’m fine.”
Quinn stared at her for a moment as they stopped at a red light.
“I’m fine Quinn,” She said more curtly, “So what’s going to happen to William?”
“I’m not sure kid. Someone’s been building a case against him for a while. You guys have been on too many off book missions and it’s looking pretty bad on the agency. Especially with all the international stuff you’ve been sent on. They’re afraid you guys won’t come back.”
“Hey, we’re pretty hard to kill.” Hector said with a smirk.
“That’s not what they meant, kid.”
“So, they think William’s making it easy for us to escape to some other country?” Freya asked.
“Be honest, what’s stopping you?”
June missed the warmth around her as everyone leaned forward and spoke to Quinn, but the question did eat at her. How do you keep an unstoppable person, let alone a mountain of them, from escaping whenever they want.
“The promise of financial stability.” Hector replied drawing ire from the others.
“It was rhetorical, kid. I know you guys do it for the good of mankind and all, plus the promise of an early retirement, financial stability, and a peaceful rest of your lives.” Quinn shook his head as he tried to cut into traffic. “The government isn’t as understanding. They want you guys on a short leash. No international missions for the time being, William will be questioned and it’s up to the law to decide what’s going to happen then, and in the meantime, agent Sousa and I are doing our best to keep our teams a float and trying to stop any priorities that appear.”
“Who’s gonna be in charge of us then?” Freya asked.
“Um…” Quinn hesitated. “Bruce.”
“Bruce… Delany?” Freya’s brows shot upward then knit together. “But, he’s the liaison for the military?”
“He is but, he’s been charged with keeping an eye on you guys in the meantime. At least until one of two things happen.”
“Which are?” Jin huffed.
“William’s charges are dropped, or June becomes the official handler.”
A collective “Oh…” from the team and all eyes were on June.
“No pressure then…” Jin blanched.
June felt her face go flush with all the attention. She knew she had to become their handler, it was William’s hope for her to do so. The only way she could have a semi-decent life that didn’t involve living constantly in the mountain base. Something she now had an absolute fear of.
She knew William had a slew of responsibilities as a handler, keeping the people safe and secret was top priority. June wondered if that was something she could be capable of. The chaos that occurred in Colombia just a few days ago was enough to make June horrifically unprepared for such a daunting task.
June’s mind spiraled as the memories of the burning mountain that took the lives of so many in the attack. Knowing that Melody’s body is buried in the rubble there because of some monster named Rafael Bovo. A giant of a man, June has had a hard time stopping. He killed Melody right in front of June and managed to escape. June still vividly remembers Melody’s outstretched hand. She also remembers the snap that made Melody go limp as the life left her pleading eyes.
June swayed without realizing it.
“We’re losing her! pull over!” Zoe yelled.
“I’m not stopping until the safe house. There should be a doggy-bag in the pocket of one of the seats back there.”
“A doggy bag?” Jin asked.
“A little white paper bag, have her breath into it and if she throws up make sure it’s in the bag, I spent way too much on cleaning those back seats.”
“Here.” Zoe held the bag over June’s nose and mouth.
June tried to calm her breath and held on to Zoe’s hand as she gripped the bag.
“How’s it looking back there?” Quinn asked.
“A little touch and go, but I think she’s doing better.” Jin replied.
With the team looking back, June felt even more embarrassed.
She let go of Zoe’s hand and lowered the bag from her face. “Thanks,” she said to Zoe and turned to look out of the rear window as the city lights faded away.
“Good.” Replied Quinn, “I’ve got more bad news you need to hear.”
“Jesus, what else?” Ken sniffed and crossed his arms.
“It’s Zoila.” Quinn’s voice lowered, “She’s gone.”
“Define, gone.” Jin said, sitting forward, ans wrapping his arms behind Issac’s head rest.
Quinn’s eyes darkened. “Zoila, was found with a shattered skull…“ His breath quivered, “Something powerful hit her and burned the evidence. Someone who doesn’t want us to know who they are.”
“What!?” Ken yelled. “I couldn’t even bring the mangoes she gave me past customs, and, and…” He covered his face with his fist.
The team fell silent for a long moment.
June feeling herself getting dizzier and more light headed, breathed into the bag again.
With a click of his tongue, Hector lowered his head to his knees and sobbed silently.
“What about the Colombian team?” Asked Jin, his own voice trembling.
“What’s left of them is under protection. The government is taking care of them.”
“Are they? It feels like a cluster–”
“Jin,” Quinn interrupted, “They’re doing what they can. It’s several hundred Bricks to watch over and only three left who were doing their best to help. One’s catatonic, and the other’s… Well, Edwin is a mess, to be blunt.”
“Sounds like us.” Ken observed.
“Worse, kid. They lost two in that siege.”
Jin hugged himself and Zoe rubbed his shoulder.
June remembered it was Jin who held one of the Colombian team members in his arms as they died. Jin has a knack for deflecting his feelings, June wished she could be like him. She hates wearing her emotions on her sleeves.
“We’re almost there.”
“Where?” Freya asked as she looked out into the dark forest illuminated only by the van’s headlights.
Quinn, without taking his eyes off the road, answered. “The safe house.”