Chapter 21 – Truly Alpha 

*tick tick tick tick* 

A clock was rapidly counting down to zero. A group of students furiously working on their exams under the time constraint. 

“Sixty Seconds!” The teacher announced. 

A collective gasp from the room as if they could speed their minds up even more. Only one student appeared unphased, her pencil down and arms crossed sitting back in her chair. 

*RING RING RING* 

“Pencils down!” The teacher scanned the room for anyone not listening. He walked the room, gathering up papers from each student. As the teacher marched through the thud of his steps echoed in the vacuum that was their collective hopes to come out on top of today’s finale. The test today awarded the best in class and a special assignment only one student gets to do each year. 

The tests do not take long to grade.  The teacher scans down the answer key and as one student falls below the current high grade, he moves on to the next. The students peer from behind their desks, flinching as he throws a paper to the side indicating a failing grade.  As he continues through the stack anticipation starts rising. Beginning to lurch forward most of the students are almost bursting at the seams. All but one. A brunette in the corner of the class slightly reclining as much as the desk chair will allow. She was the picture of calm. 

“Malinda, and it wasn’t even close.” The teacher finally said. “Malinda will be this year’s star. The rest of you could do well to emulate her.” Groans from the class came as if this was a forgone conclusion. 

A tall silent woman came into the room and looked at the teacher. He pointed to Malinda and held up the test, handing it to her. The woman motioned for Malinda to follow her. Getting up from her seat she followed the woman outside of the room, the door closing behind. The sounds of the class beginning to argue and bicker rose up as the teacher began inaudible announcements. 

“This is the best score I’ve seen since... well my class.” The woman finally said. 

“Where are we going?” Malinda asked, ignoring the praise. 

“It’s just up ahead. We are going to a part of the facility that is off limits to most.” The woman informed her, pulling a badge out of pocket. 

They approached a non-descript wall. Nothing but a concrete face with the regular pock marks that come with time. It was cold to the touch. 

As the badge approached the wall a red digital rectangle appeared. For a moment nothing seemed to happen and then an airlock popped and the sound of rapid pressure change could be heard. 

“Welcome Director Amalia.” The computer chirped. The rectangle had turned green and a door opened to what appeared to be a small shuttle. Enough for two. 

“You’re Amalia?” Malinda questioned. “You are like, the legend! It is so cool to finally meet you!” 

Amalia now ignoring the praise stepped into the shuttle and strapped in. “Coming?” she said, offering her hand in gesture to the adjoining seat. 

As Malinda stepped in, quickly realizing one of the few people she would ever look up to was within arm's reach, nervously strapping herself into the shuttle. Within moments a beep confirmed they were secured as the wall closed, sealing them inside. Almost pitch black the shuttle lurched forward. First slow, it began to vibrate. Then, without warning shot off. The sudden g-force knocked Malinda out immediately. 

“Rookies.” Amalia said. 

The tram hummed down the line as Malinda, strapped in, didn’t wake until the sudden halt at the presumed destination. A door similar to the entrance they just used opened and Amalia stepped out. Malinda, getting her bearings exited the shuttle. 

Standing in a long corridor, an unknown distance underground, she could hear only the reverb of Amalia’s heels as she headed down the hallway. Realizing she was still standing still she hurried to catch up. 

“Alphas are the answer to ‘what comes next’ for humans. Whatever else you hear, we are the top of the food chain. We take what we need, when we need it and we don’t ask for permission. ‘Old Man’ Sterling has some grand plans for the country but when he’s gone, someone has to take the reins. That should be the mission of every Alpha. To be at the top. When he goes, it’s going to be a free for all. I need to know who I can count on.” Amalia was very open about all of her plans. 

“Why are you just telling me everything? You hardly know me.” she questioned. 

“I’ve watched you for years child. Seeing your test results, your physical prowess, your willingness to crush your own peers just to get to the top. You are exactly the kind of person I need on my team.” Amalia responded. 

Malinda didn’t want to be first. She was first. She didn’t ask or try, she just took. Betas have wishes. Alphas have whims. They get what they want first because they decide it.  

As they continued to talk, they came to an opening where a few others were working. The room centered around a large metal cage. Around it where computer screens and maps, beeps and lights all indicating a busy and fast-moving environment. As they came to the center of the room, it was revealed in the lower light that someone was inside the cage. He looked ragged. While he wasn’t showing a ton of signs he was alive, he was quivering enough to let them know he wasn’t gone. He looked up as Malinda and Amalia came to stop at the front of the cage. 

“What... is a Beta doing in here?” Malinda asked. 

“He has some information we need. We don’t have a lot of time. I want you to get it out of him.” Amalia commanded. 

“Inside... as in he knows something?” Malinda questioned. Amalia nodded. “So, you want me to torture him?” 

“If that’s what it takes.” Amalia backed away to stand behind a counter with screen softly lighting up her face. Malinda turned back to the man in the cage. The cage opened more and retracted into the ground, and the man was left there on a simple metal chair. The area exiting the ‘pit’ area was now blocked off by a larger cage coming down from the ceiling. It was just her and the Beta. 

Turning to the man, he refused to look up. His clothes were ragged and he looked even more fragile than a usual Beta would to Malinda. She planted a knee in front of him and put a hand on his back, lifting his form to meet her gaze. “They say you know something and I need to get it out of you. So, how do you want to do this?” she asked. 

The man’s eye trembled, “You’re younger than the last few who have visited me. I don’t know what you want. I don’t even know why I am here!” he continued. 

“So, they are lying? They have you in here by mistake, is that what I am to believe?” Malinda tightened her grip on the man's clothes. 

“You can’t beat something out of me that I don’t know.” The man spit at her, but nothing but air came out, clearly from dehydration. 

“Nothing of use you can tell me?” Malinda asked. 

“I said I don’t...” he began.  

Malinda quickly lifted the man by his throat, high into the air. His ragged frame coming to life for the first time since she had seen him. Fighting for air he began pounding on her arm to the best of his ability. She said nothing, she simply started squeezing tighter. As his eyes bulged, she let him drop to the ground. He curled up into a ball holding his throat, red from the tight grip. 

Coughing, he spouted out “Pharaoh” before collapsing to the ground. 

Amalia typed something on the computer and within moments the screen lit up white. “Well done, Malinda.” More successful in minutes than anyone before, she cracked the man with a simple gesture. 

Malinda turned to the man who was still recovering. With a look as one would hold an insect, Malinda lifted her foot high, bringing it down sharply on his neck.  All signs of life seized from him. Those in the room still milling about stopped. Outside of the few mechanical hums present in the room, it was silent. The cage dropped and Malinda joined Amalia at the computer. 

“What’s this?” Malinda asked. 

“Nothing that concerns us right now.” She said, closing the screen. “You killed him?” 

“So?” Malinda questioned. 

“You are going to do very well. Come, lets prepare for our departure.” 

Amalia and Malinda exited the area. She never would return to that room, but it was the beginning of a working relationship that flourished over the next few years. Malinda was one of the true people Amalia could always count on to get the job done, forever unwavering. 

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In the park, Ben and Phillip are chatting. Phillip was brought up to speed on why his coworker’s once regular sized wife was now taller than the pavilion she was chatting by. Ben was giving Phillip a few jabs about moving so fast, nodding over to Cassandra who was eagerly looking back at when they would finish up. 

“Come on man, you guys have got to get out of here.” Phillip was almost begging Ben to get out of there. 

“Ok, ok man. Just be careful. She’s a lot of lady. But she is a lady. Don’t rush her.” Ben said. He was protective of Cassandra in the way a father would a daughter. She was naïve to the world and Ben had come to peace with that. That simple bond they formed made him protective.  

Ben called over to Claire about resuming their plans for lunch. The events of the last few hours washed away whatever satisfaction he had from his earlier meal and was ready to get started. 

Cassandra and Phillip watched as they walked away. As they got out of sight, Cassandra scooped him up and planted another kiss on him. “Let’s find somewhere a touch more private, shall we?” she suggested. 

“My house isn’t a far walk from here, lets head back out to the street. We will be there in no time!” Phillip got down and began heading in the direction of his house. It took all he had to not take off into a full sprint. 

---------- 

“Yes, the Alpha and the guy who ‘attacked’ me at the restaurant are over there.” The woman pointed at Cassandra and Phillip. 

“Little hero we have then?” Malinda chuckled.  

The women were observing the couple leaving the park from behind a building across the street. As Phillip and Cassandra turned their way, they prepared to catch up with them. 

Carefree and excited for the near future, neither of them managed to see the Alpha women crossing the street. As Malinda approached, they were both taken by surprise. “What are you doing here Malinda?!” Cassandra shouted. 

“I got reports you two were up to no good, assaulting law-abiding Alphas. Is that true?” Malinda taunted. 

“She was harassing a whole group of people. She knew exactly what she was doing.” Phillip retorted. 

Malinda did not like it when a Beta addressed her in anything but submission. Kneeling down she began moving in on Phillip. As she did Cassandra went to step in, but as she moved the woman from the restaurant lunged out with an electric rod, shocking and temporarily stunning Cassandra. She fell and slouched over the wall lining the street and the park. Phillip was now alone. 

Malinda reached out and grabbed him by his neck, a grip around his throat letting a marginal amount of air in. She motioned to a large truck waiting down the street. 

Phillip was thrashing his legs but every effort was met with more urgency for air. His actions began to fade in as his vision started to become blurry. He could hear a vehicle approaching fast. As he was moved quickly toward the rear of the vehicle his consciousness faded. The last vision he had was the slouched form of Cassandra, slouched against a wall. 

Malinda hopped into the truck with the other woman. Never loosening the grip around Phillip, she secured door and banged the side to let the driver know they were in. The vehicle, large as it was, sped off to the highway.