The Alex and Vivian stood at the weapons table. Alex was leaning on it, arms and legs crossed, a scowl on her face.

"Take your pick honey. I'm waiting for you." Alex yawned.

She had her knives strapped to her thigh a gun with the rubber training belts on the other and a bow with two quives full of arrows on her back. She had pulled her outer shirt off, leaving her in a tight tank top, her cargo shorts and her combat boots.

Vivian was slowly picking through the weapons, wrinkling her nose.

"Come on Shank, we don't have all day. You stalling?" Alex asked again, she had brought out a knife and was flipping and catching it.

She didn't say anything, just picked up a long machete. Twirling the king knife back and forth. Alex had to admit, she did have some half decent form.

"So. Where were you hiding all these years?" Alex asked, still spinnirhee knife.

Vivian stopped and looked over at Alex.

"Hiding."

"How did you stay hidden for so long? How did WICKED not find you? " Alex asked, she was genuinely qurious.

"I lived with a group. We made a little camp or whatever in the mountains, away from everyone. They took care of me. Men do a lot for you when you bat your eyelashes."

"So...they got caught by WICKED and you hid?" Alex asked in disgust.

Vivian shrugged.

Alex's anger boiled, how could someone be so selfish and cowardly? Hiding and making others do everything you? Not caring if one of your group members was captured?

"Well maybe where you came from you can do shit like that. But here everyone has a part and everyone does it, and we all fight for each other. If not...and you try pulling that selfish cowardly crap here I'll ship you back to the mainland, with a smile and a wave." Alex shrugged.

"Is that a call you can actually make, though?" She asked, raising a challenging eyebrow.

"Oh no, not directly. But you see...unlike you, I have weight around here, they listen to me.." she paused, Alex askedpointing her knife casually at Vivian. "Nut who says I need their permission?"

"Hmm. We'll see. Like I said, I always get what I want. And right now. It's to whoop your ass, humiliate you and take your man." She hissed.

Alex just didn't understand this chick. Alex turned to face her, her eyes narrowed, arms folded. Alex could feel her hands shaking and a boiling heat in her chest.

"You have the whole island to pick from and you go after the one who's taken? Why?" She spat.

"Because he has power. And he's hot. He's definitely the one in charge, and would be beneficial to have in my back pocket."

"All very true." Alex agreed with a smug look, "but you missed a few things, he's loyal, will fight for his loved ones, and he's good in bed, and your right...he does get the job done." Alex pushed off the table with a wink.

Vivian ground her teeth, fumming

"I always get what I want." She repeated.

"Get used to disappointment sweetheart." Alex laughed diabolically.

She sauntered up to the group, wrapped her arms around a still shirtless Minho and kissed him. Quiet roughly. The group standing around wolf whistled. Minho wrapped one arm around her back, his hand on her butt, the other buried into her hair and dipped her low, kissing her right back.

He brought her back up and broke the kiss, smirking at her.

"What the shuck was that for? I mean by all means do it again..." Minho panted.

"Just reminding you want you got." Alex whispered seductively into his ear.

"No shuck way I'm ever gonna forget. Shuck sake woman, there are people around! You trying to cause me problems?" He growled.

"Nothing I can't help with." She whispered again in his ear. She heard him growl again.
_______________________

Alex and Vivian lined up at the start line.

The obstacle course was a mix of running, climbing, balance, swinging, dodging, targets and fighting hand to hand inside the simulation room. Most recruiters could do the running. It's the agility and targets they struggled with. Caption Ronin with the help of Minho, Felix and the Suicide Squad, and Gally's building crew had made and designed everything. It was a mix of new technology and old school wood structure.

It was a race in time and accuracy. Alex had done this course so many times she could probably do it blindfolded.

Ronin stood beside them. Arms clasped behind his back.

"You new useless recruits!" He bellowed,
"Keep your eyes on Ace. Watch her form and her reflexes, how she moves and keeps her head on the swivel." He growled at the group.

"And good luck girl." He added to Vivian. Making Alex smirk, and Brenda, Kenzie, Finn, Felix and Minho all laugh , trying to hide it behind coughs and hands.

"Ready! Set. Go!"

The girls took off. Alex sprinted down the 100 meter dash stretch. Sprinting was easy. And she left Vivian behind. Her mind shut off. She let her training and instincts kick in. She loved the physical and mental challenge this obstacle had, they could program it differently each time you ran it. It made Alex feel alive. That adrenaline hit was something she still craved, this just wasn't life threatening, and Ronin wouldn't let her shoot herself with an electric gun.

Alex dove to the side as a huge branch flung out at her. Alex rolled and came up running again. She had to duck and jump a few times as the different branches of various heights swung out at her. Alex kept running straight for the tree infront of her. She pushed off the ground and jumped at the tree and monkeyed her way up the tree. She pulled herself up to the next branch, swinging to the next one. Once she was at the top of the tree, she walked out to the edge of the skinny plank platform. She didn't hesitate and dove off, free falling for a moment. She reached out and grabbed onto a rope that was tied to a big pole in the middle of two trees and swung to the next tree platform, avoiding the mud pit at the bottom.

Alex sprung off the platform, dropping to the ground, in a dive. She tucked her body and rolled and came up on one knee, her other leg out wide for balance, a hand on the ground for balance the other flung out from her body. (**Think black widow landing) She took a quick breath and pushed off sprinting for the next section.

As she ran she pulled out two knives. A dummy popped up on her left and she tossed her knife hitting it dead center in the wooden chest. Another dummy popped up on her right she chucked her knife, hitting it right in the forehead. Alex kept sprinting through the long clearing, it was like a hallway, lined with trees. Dummies and circle targets popping up here and there, all at different heights and intervals. Alex pulled knives from her thigh and threw them with barly a glance. Once she was out of knives, she swung her bow off her back and nocked arrow after arrow. She jumped over the logs that rolled down at her, sprinting up the hill, shooting her bow. Hitting every target.

Alex jumped onto a stump, leaping into a taller platform, she leapt to the next one, she sprung from the platform, pushed off a tree and twisted midair, shooting the last target before she landed on the ground light as a cat.

"Ronin!" She yelled, "have that simulation ready to go!"

Alex sprinted towards the glass room. She threw the door open and was thrown into a simulation.

Cranks came at her, knives out, teeth bard. Alex ducked, kneed, punched and twisted. She disarmed them and slit throats. She kneed faces, braking noses and snapped necks.

She dove to the door on the other side, and wrenched the door open. Stepped out to another round of applause. With a huge grin she bowed, with a swirl of her hands. Minho shoved his way to the front. Grabbed her hips and picked her up, she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Never mess with my beautiful fiancee. She will end you." He growled.

Alex grinned.

Alex leaned down to kiss him when there was a wild terrified scream. Alex jumped down and spun around, looking for danger. Inside the simulation room Alex could see Vivian curled up on the ground her head in her hands, crying and screaming. Cranks were screaming and clawing at her.

Alex growled. She threw the door back open and leapt at the simulated cranks with a wild cry. She snapped the last cranks neck, and stood huffing. She pushed her sweaty hair out of her face and looked down at the girl. She was still crying, panting. Alex sighed heavily and squatting down beside her, Alex pulled Vivian into a sitting position.

Vivian's eyes were wild and her breathing was shallow and ragged.

"Hey. Vivian. Look at me." Alex demanded. The girls eyes found Alex.

"Tell me 2 things you can hear. Right now. Name two things." She demanded.

"Umm...umm..hear...your...your voice. And...and my heart beat." She cried.

"Good. Now what's three things you can see."

Vivian's eyes jumped everywhere, but Alex knew she wasn't seeing anything.

"Hey! Three things. Tell me what you see." Alex said loudly.

"The...the glass door...you...and...and...umm...the trees..outside." she panted.

"Good. Now 2 things you can touch. What can you feel Vivian?" Alex asked firmly.

"The...the cement floor...and...the gun..in my hand..." She squeaked.

"Good. Take a deep breath. In through your nose and out of your mouth." Alex instructed. "Good."

Vivian looked down at the floor. Her eyes filling with tears.

"How..how did you know how to help?" She asked quietly.

"It's called grounding. When you have an axiety or panic attack, it helps. But you think you're the only one who deals with PTSD, anxiety and flashbacks? The only one with a shucked up past before coming to SafeHaven? Come on. You can't be that self centered or stupid?!" Alex scoffed, rolling her eyes.

Vivian sniffed and wiped the tears on her cheeks. She also scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Everyone here has been through shit. You ain't special honey." Alex said, "so if you're ever going to challenge me again, you better know your shuck limits. 'cause I shucken don't have any. Especially when it comes to my family. I will cut a bitch." Alex growled.

She stood up and spun away back out the door. Leaving Vivian scowling after her.

____________________

**Continued to Part 3**