A/N: Hello everyone! Welcome to Alpha: An X-Men Fanfic. This is my very first fanfic, so please, go easy on me. This is inspired by the incredibly sexy, mind-blowing performance of Liev Schreiber as Victor Creed. I can barely put my love for that man into words. He's deliciously perfect. :)

DISCLAIMER: I, of course, don't own X-Men or any of the amazing characters (except for my original character). The line below is from the song Pain by Three Days Grace.

And credit to TCStark for inspiration for the very first paragraph. She's a brilliant writer!

"I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all."

Prologue: PRISONER OF WAR

Secluded Prison

Moscow, Russia

Red. It had been years since she had seen so much red. Years since she could hear the screams of those she had killed. After every mission and every assassination, she had created a hardened layer around her. Thick emotional armor that shielded her from reality and regret. That was her life, her wiring, her mind-set, her nature. The nature of an animal that she forced herself to become over the years.

Her mind was a blur of miscellaneous memories, all filled with despair and betrayal. They were in perfect sync with the fears that raced through her mind. The fears of a horrifying future, along with the fears of falling asleep and, once again, being forced into the traumatizing nightmares that tormented her through the night, and haunted her during the day.

It wasn't her first time being locked up, but in the past she always had a plan. A brilliant scheme that ensured her escape, since she was familiar of a way out. Of course, now there was no way out...

Her thoughts were interrupted by the clicking of footsteps from outside of her prison cell. The feet, along with the person that they carried, were approaching her cell. She heard the guard that stood in front of her cell sputter a few sentences in Russian, followed by a second voice, which released a sentence in Russian, yet was peppered by the familiar English accent. She wondered why someone from the United States would be in Russia, particularly to see her, as the U.S. seemed pretty hell-bent on their decision to erase all knowledge of her ever working for the CIA.

The door was suddenly swung open, the livening scent of fresh air overwhelming her senses. She furrowed her slenderly sculpted brows at the brightness of the sunlight, which was pouring in through the open door, bouncing off of every surface, effectively blinding her.

"Elijah Harvey?"

The man who questioned her directed his attention down to the former super soldier, who was seated with her knees drawn up to her chest and the back of her head resting on the concrete wall behind her. Her expression was almost...bored.

She brought her slender hand, which sported five razor-sharp claws, to sweep through the many strands of her short raven hair that spilled down the sides of her face and shined almost as if it were wet. Her muscles were well-defined, and she was most clearly hardened and experienced.

Stryker, intending to pierce her icy shell, purred, "My, my. You really are a phenomenal creature, aren't you?"

He knelt down to her level to examine her, his movement sending the woman to strengthen her guard.

"I'm Major William Stryker," he declared, making eye contact with her through his dark sunglasses. "I can see that you are seeking a way to escape, Miss Harvey. To be able to live freely. To...unleash what you were born to be," he said, removing his sunglasses to reveal stern brown eyes.

Her dark eyes narrowed instinctively. "Why are you here?"

"I am here, because I know how special you are. I know that your capabilities are seemingly endless..." Stryker cooed. "After serving sixteen years in the Central Intelligence Agency as a black ops assassin codenamed Alpha, you were compromised on a mission here in Russia, correct?"

"Yes," she said, looking down, between her legs, at the concrete floor, as she attempted to control her anger.

"I've had the opportunity to educate myself on your recent activity. I find it very impressive that one woman alone is capable of stirring up such chaos," he said, making reference to her strenuous efforts against her recent capture, that were, unfortunately, not enough to keep her from being imprisoned.

Hearing the word impressive, she brought her eyes up to his. She kept her emotion at a minimum, forcing her expression and her tone to remain stoic and unreadable, though she seemed almost shocked at the praising remark.

"Impressive?"

His mouth twisted with smugness. "You can't tell me that the animal inside of you isn't seeking freedom. Like you, I took an oath to protect this country. You may not realize this, but we are at war. And I'm putting together a special team...with special privileges. I want you to join me."

She scoffed uninterestedly. "What do you have to offer?"

"You will get the respect that you deserve. You will be erased from the records, giving you the opportunity for a fresh start. If you become more than just a man, if you devote yourself to a team, you will find what you're seeking."

"And what am I seeking?" Her raspy voice bore an undertone of sarcasm.

A smirk teased the corners of his lips. "Redemption." Harvey clenched her teeth, not completely sure as to how he could so easily read her. "Join me," Stryker reached down and lifted up one of the heavy chains that secured her to the wall, "and these won't exist anymore. Join me, and you'll have freedom."

"Why me?"

Stryker raised a keen eyebrow. "You are one of the few who are the very best at what you do."

Harvey was becoming lost in thought, not completely able to grasp the fact that a chance for escape had finally come; an opportunity, maybe her last, for freedom and independence. After another lengthy minute of analyzing Stryker and reminiscing over his offer, the words began flowing out of her mouth, almost as if she had no control over what she was saying.

"I accept."

Please review. I will be updating as soon as possible. I'm not too busy so I'll try my best. :)

Thanks for reading! Part One coming very soon…