Chapter Text
Alex could only watch on the monitor as scientists in the lab loomed over Michael's thrashing form. The straps becoming increasingly tighter the harder Michael resisted.
If it weren't for Liz's serum running through Michael's veins, Alex knew those straps wouldn't have touched skin before Michael TK'd every person in that room into the concrete walls. Unconscious at the first hit.
He could feel Jesse's smug grin boring into the back of his skull. The man practically juicing from the anguish he could sense coming off Alex. Loving each second he forced Alex to watch the love of his life struggle for his freedom.
The scientists ordered one of the four soldiers in the room to hold Michael's head in place. As a soldier moved into place behind Michael's head, their hands pressing harshly against both sides of Michael's skull, a scientist brought out a syringe filled with a clear substance.
Alex could only guess what the seemingly innocuous serum would do.
The scientist hovered the needle of the syringe over Michael's neck, the veins prominent from Michael's attempts to jerk free from the soldiers’ grip.
"The boys in the lab have been dying to try out a new serum they've been working on. From what I've heard, it puts a whole new spin on injecting acid. Apparently it has something to do with an inverted chromosome or something. I don't know, but the scientists were sure excited about it."
Jesse chuckles, his smirk deepening at the audible crack Alex's knuckles make as his son clenches his hands into painful fists.
Alex's eyes never leave the screen, his eyes tracking each breath Michael stutters out, trying and failing to tell himself that they were going to get out of this.
Both of them.
"I have unlimited access to an entire floor of other alien specimen. I can easily pick a number and Michael would be spared. Free to rot in his cell until the next experiment comes along. I have a feeling he's going to be a favorite with the guards--"
A primal roar rips from deep within Alex's chest as he turns and lunges at his father. Gripping him by the collar, he pushes the older man up against the wall, his feet barely touching the ground.
The two armed soldiers that, till now, had been near virtual fixtures to the walls raised their weapons and aimed their firearms at the back of Alex's head.
So many words and threats flash through Alex's mind. Threats that included more limb detachment and eviscerated throats then any evolved human should be capable of.
All he could manage to voice however was a long deep growl as his blunt nails dug into the exposed skin of Jesse's collar.
For the briefest of moments, Jesse witnesses Alex's eyes shine an inhuman gold.
Jesse laughs, not even a little startled at the clear threat to his life Alex clearly was.
"There he is." From Alex's back, Jesse waves the soldiers off.
The three soldiers hesitate, understandably unsure about lowering their weapons on the man currently pinning their Superior to the wall.
"Remember, Alex. All it takes is my word and your precious alien becomes just another corpse."
Alex's grip on Jesse briefly tightens, his chest noticeably vibrating with a whining growl.
Against his brittling will, flashes of Michael laying on a slab, cold and lifeless passes across his vision. The images increasing in gore and horror as he witnesses scientists cutting Michael open, extracting vital organs.
He doesn't feel his grip loosen, becoming more like a clinging child's than an animalistic avenger's.
Noticing that his men have yet to lower their weapons, Jesse grunts in annoyance. "Stand down, men. Captain Manes and I are just coming to an understanding."
Alex's head lowers, unconsciously shaking his head in an attempt to dispel the nightmarish images that continue to mock him.
"What do you want?"
Jesse's already spine tingling aura takes on that of a shark about to consume a school of fish.
"You."
Alex, finally fighting the tide of images, meets his father's gaze.
"You revert and join me. Do that and I’ll release Michael back into his worthless, town drunk life."
Ice explodes within Alex's lungs, going to battle with the warming hope brewing in his heart.
He swore to never, ever release that part of himself again. Not after what happened in Iraq. He could still feel the blood dripping down his hands, coating his face and fatigues in blood.
More often than not he wakes to the screams of the victims that were too slow to escape.
Could he really give the leash to that kind of power to Jesse Manes? A full blown torturer, hell-bent on hunting down and experimenting on alien refugees.
Sensing his hesitation, Jesse easily raises his hand to his right ear, activating an ear piece that Alex had failed to notice earlier.
"Increase pressure."
Eyes widening, Alex's attention spins back to the monitor, his heart fixing to punch straight through his chest.
Seeming to be following his father's command, the scientist holding the syringe slowly pushes the needle into Michael's neck.
The hiss of pain Michael releases is enough to conceive a full body whimper in Alex, all too aware of his blame for the torture Michael is enduring.
He knew falling in love with Michael was dangerous, even before finding out his lover was from another world.
Loving someone like Alex was akin to ingesting antifreeze. At first taste, it was sweet and all-encompassing but allow the addiction to continue and that sweetness will turn deadly
Alex knew he should have never gifted Michael that guitar all those years ago. He knew the door he was opening. But it was like his soul was crying out for Michael's, desperate to conjoin and never untangle.
Before Michael, soul mates to him were nothing more than a cringey cliche in trashy romances. Now though, soul mates is all too accurate for the way Michael and he connect.
Like their destinies were cosmically linked.
"Like I said, Alex. I have access to plenty of other specimen, I don't need Michael. The question is whether he leaves these premises in a body bag or on his own two feet."
Alex can see the scientist's thumb resting on the plunger, only a hair's breadth away from depositing the deadly serum into Michael's bloodstream.
"How do I know you won't just kill him anyway?" He whispers, his voice barely audible.
"You don’t, but my scientists are a lot more likely to be using other specimen if you join me."
Alex looks again at the screen, his body yearning to travel through the screen and shove that syringe down the scientists throat.
"If I join you I want Michael immediately released, alive and not further harmed. And I want to be there every second of his transference from here to his trailer."
Barely a second passes before Jesse responds, " Deal."
Alex's eyes slip shut as the leaden weight of resolve hardens in his gut.
"Call them off, please." His voice breaks, knowing that after today he's likely never going to see Michael again.
At least while he was stationed halfway across the world there was only an ocean or a border separating them. With this decision though, they were up against more than well aimed verbal jabs. Instead, it was an army of secrets and well intentioned sacrifice.
With only a smug look, knowing he had once again over powered his son, Jesse activated his ear piece.
"Echo-2-Delta."
Alex audibly sighs with relief as the needle is slid out of Michael's skin then ultimately disposed of in a nearby metal briefcase.
He continues to watch the monitor as the scientists quickly and efficiently unstrap Michael from the table. Then, just as quickly, the scientists evacuate the room. Michael is only able to briefly struggle against the soldiers' hold before he is being hauled up from the table and out of the room by the armed soldiers.
Alex immediately panics upon no longer having a visual on Michael, not so irrationally fearing that within the few seconds since viewing the other man, Michael had been killed.
"C'mom son, let's see your precious alien off." Without waiting for a response, Jesse turns and exits the room, fully knowing Alex would follow.
It's not a surprise that the three soldiers are quick to form a barrier behind Alex, weapons at the ready in case he deigns to try anything.