FLASHBACK 

Alix leaned against the cool marble counter of the café, her fingers absentmindedly swirling the coffee. The bitter aroma did little to distract her from the thoughts racing in her mind.

Spotting Julian walk in, she couldn't help but smile at his casual attire-a refreshing change from their usual work uniforms.

"Julian!" she called out, her voice bright and inviting.

He turned abruptly, his eyes widening with surprise. "Hey, Alix!" he replied, his smile a mix of warmth and uncertainty.

Alix stepped closer, her excitement bubbling. "I heard you're going hiking this weekend. I'd love to join you."

Julian's eyes widened, a flicker of disbelief crossing his face. "Wait, you... you... want to go with me?" His tone held a mix of surprise and something more—a quiet hope he hadn't dared express before.

"Absolutely," Alix said, stepping closer, her confidence unwavering. "It'll be a break from all this. Plus, I want to spend time with you."

"Oh, um, okay," he stammered, rubbing the back of his neck. "But what if I slow you down?"

"'I'll carry you back if you get tired. But you'll owe me," she added, her lips curving into a playful smile.

Julian laughed nervously, his shoulders relaxing. "Ok. I'll do my best to keep up."

As they left the café, Julian felt a thrill of anticipation. This weekend could be the start of something special between them... or something dangerous.

RYDER'S NARRATION

Hey folks!! You know... The first time I saw Alix and Julian together, I couldn't help but roll my eyes. It was like watching a rom-com unfold in slow motion, except I was stuck in the audience, eating popcorn and waiting for the inevitable disaster.

You know the type—the quiet guy and the confident girl who thinks she can save him from himself. I had seen it all before, and it never ended well. But there was something about them that made me think maybe this time it could be different. Maybe.

PRESENT DAY

JULIAN'S APARTMENT

Julian sat at his desk, the glow of the computer screen illuminating his features as he reviewed the sensitive files that had drawn him into a web of danger. His mind wandered, not to the data he was scrutinizing, but to the enigmatic agent who moved through the halls of OrgaCorp like a shadow-Alix.

He had admired her from afar, captivated by her confidence and poise. Alix commanded attention effortlessly, her presence making the air around her electric. Every time she passed by, he felt his heart race, a mix of awe and an inexplicable longing. It was ridiculous to think she would even notice him, a low-level employee in the vast machine of OrgaCorp. But there was something about her-a fierce determination in her eyes, a spark that ignited something within him.

Meanwhile, Alix was processing her assignment, the cold glow of the holographic mission details floating in front of her. The data on Julian scrolled across the screen, detailing his daily routines, known associates, and the sensitive files he had supposedly accessed. On the surface, it all seemed straightforward. He was a low-level employee who had crossed a line, digging into OrgaCorp's classified archives. But the more she read, the more a familiar twinge of doubt grew in her chest.

Ryder again. So, I was hanging out in the shadows, watching all this unfold, and let me tell you, I had a front-row seat to a classic case of romantic tension. It was palpable, like you could cut it with a knife. And I was ready for the show to begin.

It wasn't that she hadn't handled situations like this before-she had taken down far more dangerous targets. But there was something about Julian that didn't quite add up. He wasn't the type to engage in corporate espionage, at least not from what she could gather. If OrgaCorp's intel was correct, he'd stumbled upon something he shouldn't have. But how? And why him?

Get out of your head, Alix, she thought, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she scanned the rest of the report. Doubt had no place here. She is-an elite agent who never hesitated when a job needed to be done.

Still, as she read the details about Julian, her mind wandered. She recalled seeing him in the hallways, always quiet, always keeping to himself. He wasn't the type who mingled with the other employees, but he didn't seem like the kind of person who would betray an organization as powerful as OrgaCorp either. It didn't make sense.

RYDER'S NARRATION

Let me tell you, when Alix starts questioning things, you know the world is about to turn upside down. The girl has instincts like a hawk, and if she's not on board with the whole 'kill Julian' plan, you can bet things are about to get interesting.

ALIX'S APARTMENT

Alix leaned back in her chair, watching as the screen displayed surveillance footage of Julian's recent movements. He lived alone in a modest apartment in the lower district of the city, far from the luxury suites where the top brass resided. A quiet, unassuming life. His daily routine didn't stand out either-he took the same route to work every day, made his coffee at the same café, and spent his evenings locked away in his apartment.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed, snapping her out of her thoughts. A message from Renfield appeared on the screen.

Renfield: Time to move, Silver Fox. The window of opportunity opens in an hour. Don't disappoint.

The knot in her stomach tightened. Alix shut off the holo-screen and rose from her desk, grabbing her leather jacket and concealing the lightweight handgun she always carried. She had one hour to get in position.

RYDER'S NARRATION

Alix was about to step into uncharted territory, and I couldn't wait to see how this little love story would play out—especially with a twist like Julian hanging in the balance.

THE ASSIGNMENT

An hour later, Alix crouched on the damp rooftop of an abandoned building, the cold rain drenching her leather jacket. The rhythmic drumming of water on the rooftop mingled with the distant hum of the city, a neon-lit maze below. She peered through the fogged lens of her binoculars, the glow of Julian Lake's apartment glowing like a beacon in the storm.

Alix wiped the raindrops off the lens and focused in on Julian. His expression was intense, almost pained, as if he were carrying the weight of something far greater than himself. There was no one else in the apartment-just him and the steady rhythm of his fingers on the keyboard.

She was supposed to kill him. The mission was clear. Eliminate the threat, no questions asked. Yet, standing there on that rooftop, Alix hesitated.

For a moment, she let herself imagine what it would be like to pull the trigger, to watch Julian's life fade away, just like so many other targets before him. It should have been easy. It always had been before. But something about this felt different.

Her earpiece crackled to life, interrupting her thoughts. It was Renfield's voice, cold and authoritative as ever.

"Miss Fox, do you have visual on the target?"

"I do," Alix replied, keeping her voice steady.

"Take the shot, Silver Fox, and extract now. We don't have the luxury of hesitation."

Alix's finger hovered over the trigger of the silenced rifle she had set up, aimed directly at Julian's apartment window. Her heart raced like a caged animal, thrumming against her ribcage, yet her hands felt unnaturally steady. Memories of past targets flashed through her mind-each one a ghost she couldn't shake. This time felt different, the weight of the decision heavy on her shoulders.

She watched Julian, who had now paused in his work, leaning back in his chair. He looked... lost. Vulnerable.

Julian's mind was racing as well. What if he had put himself in danger by accessing those files? And now this? He had seen Alix in passing-always enigmatic, with a confidence that captivated him. He admired how she seemed to command the room whenever she entered, how her mere presence made the air buzz with intensity. It felt ridiculous, but he couldn't shake the way his heart raced whenever he caught sight of her.

"I wonder what Alix is doing right now." Julian was wondering.

Renfield's voice buzzed in her ear again. "What's the hold-up, Miss Fox? Take the shot."

Her mind raced. The intel didn't add up. If Julian was such a threat, why was he sitting alone in his apartment, not taking any precautions? Why wasn't he on the run? And why did OrgaCorp want him dead so quickly?

Alix took a deep breath, her finger still hovering over the trigger. Her instincts were screaming at her to stop. Something about this mission was off.

Instead of pulling the trigger, Alix disengaged the safety on her rifle and holstered her weapon. She wasn't going to kill Julian. Not yet. She needed answers first.

RYDER'S NARRATION

And there it was, folks. The moment everything changed. Alix was about to discover the truth, and I was right there, popcorn in hand, ready for the chaos that was about to unfold.

Five minutes later, Alix stood outside Julian's apartment door, her heart racing. 

The faint buzz of the doorbell echoed in Julian's small apartment. He froze mid-step, glancing at the clock on the wall. It was late—too late for anyone to visit. Hesitantly, he approached the door, peeking through the peephole. His heart nearly skipped a beat.

"Alix?" he whispered to himself.

Opening the door, Julian's surprise was immediate. Alix stood there, her hands buried in the pockets of her jacket, her gaze shifting uneasily.

"Uh... hey, Julian," she said, her voice low.

"Alix, the Silver Fox, at my place? Is this real life?" he blurted, blinking rapidly.

Alix sighed. "Can I come in? I need to... talk to you."

"Yeah, yeah, of course," Julian stammered, stepping aside to let her in.

They ended up at the small wooden table in the living room, sitting across from each other. Julian couldn't stop glancing at her, his fingers nervously drumming on the edge of his chair. Alix, on the other hand, sat stiffly, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the table.

"This is crazy," Julian said, his nervous energy bubbling over. "Alix—the SilverFox—sitting across me. If I'm dreaming, don't wake me up."

Alix kept quiet, emotionless; her eyes stayed fixed on the table.

"Julian, I..." she began, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Ah, sorry!" he interrupted, suddenly jumping up. "I should make you coffee or something! You probably had a long day."

"No, no, no, no, wait, Listen—" she protested, reaching out as if to stop him. But her arm fell back to her side as he moved toward the kitchen.

"Coffee's easy," he said over his shoulder.

Alix exhaled sharply, her fingers gripping the edge of the table. She watched as Julian busied himself, completely unaware of the storm raging inside her.

Julian opened cupboard after cupboard, his movements growing more frantic with each passing second. The shelves were mostly bare, save for a few forgotten crumbs and a thick layer of dust. Spider webs clung to the corners, as if the cupboards hadn't been opened in ages. His stomach growled loudly, but he barely noticed, his focus entirely on the task at hand—finding something, anything, to offer her.

He pulled out a few packets, but they were all either empty or so old they looked more like paper than food. The crackers were stale, the chips were long gone, and one packet of something unidentifiable was covered in mold. He tossed them aside, moving to the next shelf, his hands shaking as he opened drawer after drawer. Empty. Nothing. His breath quickened as he opened the final cupboard, but it was just more of the same—more dust, more webs, and a single packet of crackers that had expired months ago.

His stomach growled again, louder this time, but it barely registered. His chest tightened with frustration. He hadn't eaten all day. He hadn't had a proper meal in days. He was hungry. But it didn't matter. What mattered was that he had nothing to offer her. Nothing to make her feel comfortable. Nothing to feed her. His heart sank.

He slammed the cupboard door shut, the sound of it echoing in the silent room. His hands fidgeted at his sides, and he stared down at the empty shelves, his frustration and helplessness pressing down on him. A bitter laugh escaped him, though it was more a sigh than anything. He didn't even have enough for himself, let alone for someone else.

The silence stretched, and Julian stood frozen, fighting the tears that threatened to spill. He wanted to shout, to curse everything—to curse the empty cupboards, his own hunger, and the cruel twist of fate that had led him here. But all he could do was stand there, feeling empty, both inside and out.

After a long pause, he reluctantly turned to look at Alix. She was sitting quietly at the table, her gaze distant as she lit a cigarette, smoke curling around her like a shield. She looked... calm. Unbothered. And he couldn't help but feel so far away from her, as though the distance between them was growing by the second.

His hands trembled. He could feel the weight of his failure pressing down on him, but he refused to give up. He couldn't. Not when she was here.

Julian quickly began searching again, this time opening higher shelves, almost desperately. And then, finally, he found something—a box of small cakes, tucked away behind a forgotten jar of jam.

He let out a quiet, relieved breath as he grabbed the cakes and the coffee, his hands a little steadier now.

His face flushed with embarrassment as he made his way back to her, carrying the small offering. He set it in front of Alix with a tentative smile, unsure of how she would react.

"Here," he said, setting a steaming mug in front of her along with a small plate of cakes.

She stared at the cup, her heart pounding. Slowly, she picked it up, the warmth grounding her for a brief moment, her cigarette still held loosely between her fingers.

"Julian," she said softly, her voice cutting through the silence.

He looked up, his smile faltering at the seriousness in her tone.

"I need to tell you something," she continued, her grip tightening around the mug. "And you're not going to like it."

His brow furrowed. "Okay... what's going on?"

Alix hesitated, her fingers tapping the ceramic as if searching for the right words. Finally, she set the mug down and looked him in the eye.

"Alright, I'll get straight to the point... " Alix began.

Suddenly, a thud resounded through the room as a ball flew in through the open window and struck Julian square on the forehead.

"Ow!" he yelped, falling off his chair and hitting the floor.

"Julian!" Alix shot up, rushing to his side. "Are you okay?"

He groaned, sitting up slowly. "Yeah, just... wasn't expecting to get ambushed in my own house."

The door creaked open, and a few kids poked their heads in. "Mister, our ball's in here!"

Julian, still seated on the floor, rolled his eyes and grabbed the ball. He handed it to them with a sigh. "Here. And maybe next time, aim better."

But the kids, instead of leaving, ran into the apartment, their laughter filling the space. They tossed the ball back and forth, narrowly missing a vase on a nearby shelf.

"Hey! This isn't a playground!" Alix said sharply, stepping in front of one of the kids to block their shot.

At that moment, the doorbell rang again. Julian sighed heavily as he stood, rubbing the back of his head. "Who now?"

When he opened the door, the landlady stood there, arms crossed and her face a picture of irritation.

"Mr. Julian!" she barked, her voice shrill. "Do you know how late it is? And you still haven't paid your rent!"

Julian winced, stepping outside to close the door behind him. "I know, Mrs. Ava, but I'm a little tight on funds right now. Can we—"

"Don't 'Mrs. Ava' me!" she snapped, jabbing a finger at his chest. "Do you know how many months you're behind? Too many! If I don't see the money by the end of the week, you're out. Out!"

Julian sighed, "I understand. I'll—"

Meanwhile, inside, the chaos continued. The kids were now bouncing the ball against the walls, their laughter echoing through the apartment. One overly enthusiastic shot sent the ball flying into a stack of plates on the counter. The plates wobbled dangerously before tipping over. Alix moved like lightning, diving forward to catch them mid-fall.

"Hey! Everyone, out of here! Now!" Alix barked, her tone sharp enough to freeze the kids mid-throw.

But before her command could register, the ball bounced off the wall and struck the stand holding a delicate vase. Alix spotted it just in time. She snatched a cushion from the couch and hurled it across the room with pinpoint accuracy, catching the vase as it toppled over. The vase landed softly, unharmed.

From outside, Julian was mid-conversation with Mrs. Ava, desperately trying to calm her down, when a loud clatter echoed from inside. His head whipped around, alarmed.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Mrs. Ava screeched, her voice rising another octave as she waved a finger in his face.

"I swear," Alix muttered under her breath, eyes scanning the room for any other potential disaster. Just in time to see a picture frame teetering on the edge of a high shelf. Without hesitation, she jumped, twisting mid-air to catch it.

Landing lightly, she examined the photo in her hand. It was an old picture of Julian as a teenager, standing between his parents, all three of them smiling brightly. She tilted her head slightly, her usual stoic expression softening.

"Cute," she murmured, her tone neutral but faintly admiring.

One of the kids stopped mid-throw to peer up at her. "Whoa! Lady, you're like... a ninja or something!"

Alix glanced down at him, unimpressed. "Get out," she said flatly.

At that moment, Julian re-entered the apartment, looking frazzled. "Alright. Mrs. Ava's not happy. But at least—"

The sound of shattering glass cut him off mid-sentence. He whipped his head around to see the lamp lying in pieces on the floor.

"That's it!" Alix finally snapped. "Everyone out! Now!" Alix barked, shooing the kids toward the door.

The last kid scrambled to his feet and bolted toward the door, not daring to argue. "Okay! Okay! We're leaving!" he squeaked, disappearing out of sight.

The apartment fell into an uneasy silence. Julian collapsed into a chair, his head in his hands. "I swear, my life is a circus."

Alix set the photo frame carefully on the table and sat down across from him.

"You're not wrong," she said dryly. Then her tone shifted, her shoulders squaring. "But Julian, we need to talk. And I need you to listen."

He looked at her, exhaustion and confusion in his eyes. "Okay. I'm all ears," he said, though his tone was wary.

Alix leaned forward, her fingers interlocking tightly. For a moment, she stared at the table, as if searching for the right words. Finally, she met his gaze.

"My mission was to kill you," she said, her voice steady, though her jaw tightened ever so slightly.

Julian blinked, as though he'd misheard. "...What?"

"I said," Alix repeated, her gaze unwavering, "my mission was to eliminate you."

For a moment, the room was silent except for the faint hum of the refrigerator. Then Julian let out a short, disbelieving laugh, though it came out strained. "You—you've got to be kidding. Right?"

She didn't answer.

Julian leaned back, his chair creaking under the weight of the silence. His mouth opened and closed as if searching for the right words, but all he could manage was a faint, "Why?"

Alix felt her heart twist at his words, the conflict within her deepening. "I have questions, Julian. You accessed files that could get you killed. Why did you do it?"

'I swear, I didn't mean to,' Julian's voice broke, a tremor of panic threading through his words. 'I was searching for answers about my parents—nothing more.'"

Alix frowned, her mind racing. His story made sense-more sense than anything OrgaCorp had fed her about him. She had seen this before-loyal employees who stumbled upon things they shouldn't have, only to be eliminated before they could expose the truth.

"Why should I believe you?" she asked, keeping her voice cold, though inside, she was starting to believe him.

"I... I'm sorry" Julian said, his eyes pleading. "I... uh... I didn't mean to get these files..."

Alix felt the weight of her decision settling on her shoulders. Trust wasn't something she gave easily, but right now, Julian was the only one who seemed to have any answers.

"Get your things. We're leaving," Alix commanded, her voice steady, though inside, the weight of her decision gnawed at her like an unrelenting whisper.

Julian blinked in confusion, still processing her words. "Wait... you're not going to kill me?"

"Not yet," Alix said.

_______________________________________________

ANSWER TO CHAPTER 1 SILLY QUESTION

_______________________________________________

CLASSIFIED INTELLIGENCE EVALUATION: ANSWER 1

Response Recorded: B. No, Julian is not a threat

_______________________________________________