Dysfunctional -- Chapter 25

Disclaimer: The TV show Dark Angel, all of the characters that appeared on it (Alec, Biggs, Renfro, etc.), and everything else that has to do with the show belong to their respective owners, not to me. No money is being made off of this fic. I only own the original characters (X5-121, etc.).

One year and several months later…

“I think this is going to be an interesting day,” 511 said to 494 and 121 as the three of them waited in the hallway for the rest of their unit to get ready for the day before going outside for lineup and roll call. “Any day when we have a training mission that takes up our entire afternoon and most of our night can make for good entertainment.”

“I wonder if we’re going to split into teams for this one or if our whole unit is going to be working together,” 121 mused as she pulled her hair up into a ponytail.

494 shrugged. “It beats the hell out of me. We’ll find out when we report for our briefing after lunch.” They watched as the rest of their unit were finally all out of their cells and 494 was about to motion for them to line up but stopped suddenly when he spotted three figures approaching them. He whistled just low enough for only 511 and 121 to hear him. “Look who’s back.”

121 turned to look and managed to hide most of her surprise. “Wow. I was starting to wonder if they were ever going to let her out of Psy Ops.” A few moments later, 908 and the two guards that were escorting her stopped in front of the rest of Unit 3, who immediately stood at attention and saluted the guards.

One of the guards returned the salute and then turned to 494. “X5-908 has officially been cleared for active duty. Also, Director Renfro wants to see you and X5-511 in her office immediately. You have been excused from lineup and roll call this morning.”

“Yes, sir,” 494 acknowledged. He and 511 followed the guards.

121 turned to the rest of her teammates. “Okay, people, fall in line.” She watched them fall into a line behind her and then led them all out to the correct yard for lineup. They made it there and fell into their usual place. Only one other unit besides themselves had arrived at that point, so 121 turned to look down the line to where 908 was standing. She looked to be in decent shape physically, other than a little paler than usual. 908 noticed 121, as well as most of the other present members of the unit, looking at her and rolled her eyes.

“Oh, give it a break,” she grumbled. “I’m fine. Now would most of you please stop staring at me like I’m a freaking ‘09er?” She looked specifically at 121 and smiled sweetly. “Or like I’m the twin of one.”

121 fought the urge to flip 908 off. Oh goody, the bitch is definitely back. Should I be happy that spending all those freaking months in Psy Ops didn’t change her basic personality or should I be pissed? She frowned. Hmmm, that might actually be a good question. Should I be happy that I at least have the devil that I know as opposed to an even more psychotic bitch?

They stood there patiently during lineup and roll call before finally going to breakfast. All during breakfast, most of the unit kept on staring at 908, who either ignored them or paused in her conversation with 786 and 714 to give them dirty looks. When the warning bell rang, they put their trays away and most of them headed to the library to go over their various assignments and class work while 908 went to the gym to work out and get back into top shape with 786 and 714 in tow to help her. 494, 511, and 121 found a small table away from the others and sat down with notepads and pens in front of them.

“So, what’s the good word?” 121 asked as she picked up her pen and started to doodle. “What did Director Renfro want with the two of you?”

“I hate to break it to you, but you’re going to be on your own in a few days for two weeks,” 494 said cheerfully. He grinned when 121 flipped him off. “Seriously, we’re being sent to Alaska to take out a naval base south of Anchorage.”

“Take out a naval base?” 121 repeated.

“Yeah. Translation: blow it the fuck up,” 511 said, laughing.

“No shit, Sherlock.” 121 frowned. “Not to be annoying or anything, but isn’t that the kind of large-scale op that’s reserved for half units at the very least? I know how good the two of you are, but even so…two X5s going to take out an entire naval base?”

494 shrugged. “It’s a smaller base. Besides, it’s not going to be just myself and 511 going. X6-941 will be going with us on the mission. The kid’s good.”

“Yeah, I heard that he was chosen as second-in-command for this place's X6 platoon,” 121 recalled.

“Uh-huh. He lost that one to 224 on a tie-breaker,” 511 confirmed.

“Tie-breaker?”

“224 is about a month older than 941,” 511 clarified.

“Oh,” 121 said. “Even with 941 joining you on the mission and even if the base is on the small side, it still doesn’t sound like the kind of job that can be pulled off with three X-series trangenics. I really don’t know.”

494 sighed. “We were thinking the same things, to be honest. The theory that 511, 941, and I can think of is that Renfro wants to show off.” He grinned. “What better way of showing off than sending the best X5s and one of the best X6s to make a naval base go bye-bye?”

“If bases could be destroyed by ego, then this should be an easy mission for you,” 121 said, laughing.

“No talking in the library,” 295 grumbled from where he was sitting at a desk reading a textbook.

121 rolled her eyes and she turned around to face the other X5. “No being an uptight little shit anywhere.” She smirked when she saw 295’s face turn red in anger and turned back to her boyfriend and her best friend. “Sir, permission to mutilate 295 in his sleep tonight?”

“Granted, but clean up the mess yourself before you go back to sleep,” 494 deadpanned.

“Will do, sir,” 121 said. The three of them laughed. “Seriously, I want to give him a good slap upside the head all of the time.”

“It could be worse,” 511 pointed out. “Remember when the three of us went on that mission down in Mexico a few months ago and 786 had been left in command of the unit for the two months that we were gone? You recall how bad they all were when we got back?”

“It made me glad that 908 was still in Psy Ops at that point,” 121 commented. She sighed. “Sometimes, I just don’t get it. I wish that I knew why they all at least intensely dislike us so much.”

“Is this the same hard-ass bitch designated X5-121 that was threatening to mutilate 295 only a minute or two ago?” 494 teased. “The one with a chip on her shoulder and a major attitude problem?”

“Major attitude problem?” 121 said, mildly surprised. “Who’s been saying that?”

“That’s the buzz going around about you among the X6s,” 494 told her. “Like I said before, you’re pretty intimidating to the younger soldiers.”

“Get that from 941?” 121 guessed.

“Yeah,” 494 said. “He’s a nice kid, but you scare him witless, even though he can physically take you on.”

121 laughed. “I scare a top-rated X6? Sweet.”

“You want to jab me with a pen? I’ll fucking stab your eye out with it and show it to you before I completely fucking blind you!”

“Time for 237’s first temper tantrum of the day,” 511 noted. “Who wants to deal with it?”

“Since the two of you are leaving soon, you can deal with him,” 121 said. She smiled innocently.

“You are evil,” 494 remarked.

“Proud of it,” 121 said. “And isn’t that also why you love me?”

“No doubt,” 494 agreed. He and 511 got up and walked over to calm down 237.

TBC