Chapter 1

Anna Amaruso sat at the same table she had for the last eight months. She stroked her coffee mug with her hand and starred over at the marina. There were hundreds of boats anchored but Anna was only interested in the one.

She was suddenly distracted by the man who had taken a seat beside her. The man was Mark Strauss. He was over six foot and muscular. His hair was kept short and his face shaven. His piercing green eyes stared back at her.

"It's a bit risky us keep meeting here" Mark said looking around at the other customers. He didn't like meeting so close to his target.

"No one will even notice, their all to occupied with their own little drama's to even care" Anna replied as she looked back to the marina. "It's almost time, is everything in place?"

Strauss nodded. "The property has been set up as you instructed and you will find everything you asked for inside". He slid a piece of paper across the table towards Anna. She opened it and quickly memorised the address before tearing the paper into pieces.

Anna checked the time on her watch before looking back over at the marina. She watched as a woman wearing dark blue jeans and a grey long sleeve top exited one of the houseboats. The women made her way across to her vehicle, chucking her leather jacket onto the passenger seat as she pulled away from the marina. Anna could feel the hatred rise within her as she watched Alex drive past.

Darkness had begun to fall around Hank, Alex and the other three DEO agents standing outside the entrance to the city sewers. It had only been hours since a homeless man ran screaming into a police station claiming to have seen "the devil". After the homeless man gave a detailed description of what he saw the case made its way to the DEO. Meaning Alex wouldn't be enjoying her early finish after all. She made a mental note to have a word with Agent McIntyre for complaining about "how quiet it's been lately". That kind of talk always brought trouble.

She began her descend with her team into the dark, damp sewer. The smell of stale urine and excrement hit her immediately. She decided breathing through her mouth helped block out some of the smell and continued to follow Hank down the narrow tunnel. Agents Anderson, Pearson and McIntyre followed closely behind.

They'd been walking for around twenty minutes when the sewer split into three separate tunnels.

"Anderson and McIntyre, you two take the left" Hank ordered. "Agent Danvers and Pearson continue straight. I'll take the right."

"Be careful" Alex whispered to hank before continuing forward with Pearson.

"Do you really think we're going to find anything down here?" Pearson asked using a tone that told Alex he already thought they wouldn't.

"Would you of been able to rest if we didn't check" Alex replied.

Pearson looked down and thought for a moment "No, I don't think I could".

"Me neither, now let's keep moving". Alex passed Pearson and took lead. After walking for about another mile the narrow tunnel opened up into a small room. The ceiling was high and covered with different size pipes. There was a metal bridge which raised them about twelve feet from the flowing waste below. Alex noticed a door on the opposite side. She made her way across the bridge to make sure it was secure. The smell was overpowering. She glanced over the railing and saw all the sewage flowing through. She wrinkled her nose, continued forward and pulled on the door. Happy it was secure, Alex headed back.

"We best head..." Alex stopped mid way. A loud growling noise was coming from nearby. "Please tell me that was your stomach Pearson". Alex whispered. Pearson just shook his head and pointed his weapon up towards the ceiling.

Alex heard movement from above and quickly pointed her weapon but she wasn't fast enough. She felt herself being pushed backwards and stumbled over the railing. She crashed into the sewage below.

Alex inhaled a big breath of air as she surfaced. She began coughing and spitting; trying to get rid of the taste. She quickly reached and gripped the wall.

"Danvers" Pearson shouted.

"I'm fine. Where did it go?" Alex began.

Pearson stared at Alex before replying "It went over with you". "Director Henshaw, we need back up" Pearson shouted down his radio.

Alex kept her grip on the wall. She jumped and kicked whenever she felt something brush past her. Suddenly she felt something grab her left leg. It was too strong to shake off. She lost her grip on the wall and was once again pulled under. She could hear Pearson shouting from above as she kicked and punched at whatever had a hold of her. She managed to get her head above water and grip the wall again.

"Alex" Pearson shouted "Swim to those ladders"

Alex looked in the direction Pearson was pointing and began to swim across as Pearson fired a few shots into waste.

"Agent Danvers" Henshaw and the other agents suddenly appeared behind Pearson. Alex had managed to make it over to the ladder and began the climb. Suddenly a loud rush of water and a thud caught their attention. Alex turned and stared into two black eyes. The creature was perched in the corner of the room. Its arms and legs spread, holding itself in position. Alex counted six limbs. She quickly pulled out her side arm and pointed it at the creature starring back at her. Without warning it sprung from the wall and all agents opened fire.

Kara had flew over the marina and noticed her sister wasn't home. She decided to check in with Alex at the DEO. Kara hadn't been at headquarters long before Pearson and Anderson walked past carrying a large, strange looking creature on a stretcher.

She heard Alex's voice and turned in her direction. She made her way across the room but stopped about ten feet away from her.

"Oh my god" Kara said bringing her hand up to shield her nose. "That smell...It's, it's"

"I know, let's not make a big deal about it" Alex interrupted. "It's bad enough".

"Just be grateful you didn't have to share the car ride back with her" Agent McIntyre joked as he walked past the sisters.

"And for that Agent McIntyre, you get to do all the paper work...tonight" Hank called from behind Alex. Alex couldn't help but smile to her-self.

Kara wrinkled her nose. Alex could tell she was holding her breath. "Ok, you need to go sort this out" She pointed up and down at Alex. "A shower or possibly a few should help and then we can go get take out". The thought of food actually made Alex want to vomit.

"Kara it's late and I have a feeling your right about me having many showers" Alex said as she made her way to the ladies locker rooms.

Kara could understand. Alex did look exhausted so she didn't push.

Alex saw the disappointment on her sister's face. "How about, we meet for breakfast before work. I'll even treat you to a sticky bun" Alex said smiling. Knowing her sister would not be able to refuse the offer of a sticky bun.

"Make it two and you have a deal."

"Done"

Kara smiled "I'll take one more sweep over the city before heading home". She stepped closer to Alex and pulled her into a hug.

"Your still holding your breath, aren't you" said Alex

"Yip...See you in the morning" Kara replied.

Alex left the DEO and made her way over to her car. She was struggling to get warm since the sewer. No matter how many showers she had, she still felt chilled to the bone. She was however, grateful the smell seemed too have washed away. All she could smell was a mix of lemons, coconut and berries. Her female colleagues were happy to offer their body wash in an effort to get rid of the stench.

Alex started the ignition and quickly pulled her jacket on. The jacket was cold, it hadn't helped that it was leather and had been left in the car all day/night. She began her long drive home and just hoped the heaters would kick in soon.

About an hour into her drive her car suddenly started to lose power. "Oh come on" Alex shouted as she hit the steering wheel. Her car made one last inch forward before shutting down completely. "Great, just Great" Alex said as she pulled out her phone. Suddenly headlights appeared from behind her. Perhaps it's someone from the DEO, she thought. She was about to get out of her car when something crashed into the passenger side. Alex was thrown around the inside of her car as it rolled over and over. She managed to count three rolls before smacking her head hard off the driver's side window. She felt blood run down the side of her face before losing consciousness.

Strauss stopped his vehicle and watched as the android crashed into the targets car. The android throw it over and over again. Strauss quickly made his way over "Stop, that's enough. Anna wants her alive." The android posed for a moment before tipping Alex's car back on all four wheels; it then made its way around to the driver's side. Strauss followed.

The driver's side window had been smashed and the door crushed inwards. Strauss looked at the unconscious women inside. She was covered in broken glass and had blood pouring down the left side of her face and onto her top.

"We need to move quickly" Strauss said and the android ripped the driver's door clean off. Strauss quickly tied Alex's hands and carefully lifted her from her vehicle. She may be unconscious but he was taken no risks. She was still a trained agent. He placed her in the trunk of his car; he glanced back at the android that stood starring back at him. "You need to get rid of that" Strauss called, pointing at the now wrecked car. "You know what to do" Strauss called back to the android. It picked the vehicle up with ease and flew off. Strauss got into his own car and drove off with Alex.