Present Day

    The woman that Sarah had called Alice was snapped out of her daydreaming as she looked at the name on the headstone, when she heard her mobile start ringing. She looked at the number and let out a sigh. “What do they want me for now?” She said to herself.

    Hitting the answer call button, she spoke into the phone. “Alexis speaking, what’s the problem?”

     “Alice has just arrived in town, so I’d make a quick escape if I was you.” A female voice said on the other end of the line.

     “I thought she was taking a week off? She’d booked a hotel in Miami.” Alexis said to the woman on the other end of the phone.

     “What can I say, she changed her mind.” The woman replied. “Just get out of town and let her have a visit. No harm done Alexis.”

     “It might not be that simple Lana. I made contact with an old friend while I was here at my old grave.” Alexis pointed out the problem they could have if Alice went looking for Sarah.

     “The old man isn’t going to be happy if she works out you’re still alive Alexis.” Lana sighed on the other end of the phone. “Do you have any idea what she’d be doing back in town after all this time?” Lana asked.

     “None at all, not unless she’s planning to get some revenge on the ones that put me in prison.” Alexis shrugged. “I should have realised something was wrong with her when she wanted to go without you.” Alexis said with a sigh.

     “What’s that suppose to mean?” Lana asked. Lana had been the one charged with becoming Alice’s best friend when they thought they would lose her. Since then they did everything together when Alice wasn’t on a mission.

    The thought of that prison, Alex had died in made Alexis think back to how she first found herself talking to the old man, Lana was talking about.

    Alex had been laying in a pool of his own blood as his life started to fade, but as he came around, instead of finding himself stood in front of the pearly gates, or roasting in hell, Alex found himself in a white room with lots of machines bleeping. “Where am I?” Alex croaked out as he looked around and saw a man sat looking through some paperwork.

     “Good you’re finally awake.” The man said with a smile as he closed the folder and looked at Alex. “It was touch and go there for a couple of hours, but we brought you back from the edge.” The man added with a smile.

     “You shouldn’t have wasted your time.” Alex said as he let his head drop down on the bed again as he closed his eyes. “They’ll only try harder next time.

     “Alex Farrey is already dead. What you become is up to you, or we can simply finish the job and then put you in the ground where Alex is buried.” The man said in a matter of fact way.

     “I’m already dead?” Alex asked looking more willing to listen to what the man had to say now.

     “Yes, you see we had some big plans for you and your sister, but other parties had plans of their own, so we had to wait for things to happen before we could act.” The man said, trying not to say too much that would give him away.

     “You were waiting for someone to stab and nearly kill me?” Alex asked.

     “Sort of yes, we could see that you were heading down a path that would lead to your death, so we had one our men do it for us, but you forced his hand and the knife went a little deeper than we wanted it to. “ The man said with an apologetic look.

     “Who the hell are you anyway?” Alex finally asked the man.

     “You can call me uncle Bob.” The man said with a grin.

     “Nice to meet you uncle Bob.” Alex chuckled, but stopped when it hurt his stomach. “So I have to start working for you, or you put me in the grave that I already have?” Alex asked.

     “I was only joking when I said that.” Bob smiled. “We know that you and your sister never did anything that night, but you acted before we could do anything to help. Nice work by the way, saving your sister from being locked up.” Bob added with pride in his voice.

     “What’s this plan you have for my sister then? And where do I fit into it?” Alex asked.

     “How do you feel about becoming Alexis full time?” Bob asked.

     “You know about Alexis?” Alex asked, trying to sit up and making his stomach hurt again.

     “Yes we know all about her, and the times you went out shopping with your sister.” Bob said in a matter of fact way. “We were just keeping tabs on your sister, but then we saw her with a twin sister one day, so we started keeping an eye on the two of you. When we saw how far you were willing to go, to keep her safe. We thought you both suited for Project Guardian Angel.” Bob added.

     “What would I be doing as part of this project?” Alex asked.

     “You’d be Alice’s guardian. You’d be the one keeping her safe if things got hairy, shall we say.” Bob said sugar coating the real mission Alex would have.

     “Why would I have to be Alexis to do it?” Alex asked.

     “You would need to be Alice’s identical twin down to the last detail.” Bob said it very slowly to make sure Alex understood what he was trying to say.

     “You mean that I’d have to become a girl? Sex change and everything?” Alex asked looking worried.

     “Yes, you will be the identical copy of your sister. If she gets a tattoo, you get a tattoo, if she shaved her head; well you get the idea, right?” Bob asked.

     “Does Alice know I’m still alive?” Alex asked.

     “No, she’s in a pretty bad way at the moment. She was called by Sarah Briton and told about your death, and she left home and is now trying to find work so she can put herself through college. We have people in place, and plan to have her placed with a friend she can learn to trust.” Bob smiled. He could see the worry on Alex’s face and wanted to let him know that she was being well looked after.

     “I’ll do whatever you need me to do, but for the time being, I don’t want Alice to know that I’m still alive.” Alex said just before he closed his eyes due to the pain in his stomach.

     “We’ll do whatever you want Alex, but she will find out one day, and the longer you leave it; the more it will upset her to know you have been watching over her still.” Bob warned.

     “I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it, but for now, she’s kept in the dark.” Alex said with warning in his voice. “And the name is Alexis from now on.” Alex said using the voice that made him sound like Alice.

     “As you wish Alexis.” Bob chuckled. “We’ll get the surgery out the way first, then get you set up on combat and self defence training once you’ve healed.” Bob said as he got up to leave the room.

    Just as Bob was leaving the room Alexis called him back, still using the female voice. “Thanks for looking after my sister for me.” Alexis smiled just before closing her eyes and getting some more rest.

    Over the next year Alexis went through all the surgery’s to make him into her and by the end of the year she was the spitting image of Alice. There were camera’s in the flat so Alexis could practice being just like her sister and even some of the students at college had little cameras on them, so Alexis could see how she coped around people.

    It was hard for Alexis to be so close to her sister, but still not have the courage to meet her and let her know she was still alive. Alice still had no idea that she was being trained as a spy, she was building a background for the two of them to use later on in life when they went undercover. Alice as the brains, and Alexis the muscle, so to speak.

    Alexis had even managed to get Bill and Ted jobs on the project after Ted had managed to hack the feed he’d found them using to piggy back on the school camera system. Alexis was worried that the old man was going to make them disappear.

     “We don’t do stuff like that here Alexis.” Bob had argued when she found out her two friends from school were being held. “We’re not the CIA!” Bob added with a chuckle.

    Alexis could still remember the look on both their faces when she walked into the room they were being held in. They both thought that Alexis was Alice.

     “I’m sorry to hear about your brother dudette.” Bill said making up his own female version of dude.

    Ted just stood with his mouth open as he took in the black leather cat suit Alexis was wearing, and how it showed off the curves of her body so well. “You look really good Alice.” Ted finally said when he realised that she was stood with a hand on her hip looking right back at him.

     “Alice does look good, but I’m Alexis.” She smiled as she saw the puzzled looks turn to ones of shock as their brains caught up to what Alexis had just said.

    Alexis sat the two of them down and explained what Project Guardian Angel was, and then she told them what they would be doing if they wanted in. It took them all of two seconds to say yes, and then she gave them a tour of the compound. Bill and Ted fell in love with the computer room when they saw it. Alexis wondered if Bob had set up a couple of tests for the two of them because just after they entered the room, a problem popped up and Bill and Ted were quick to offer their help. Bob was impressed with how good they were, and had never looked back since.

    Bob had some hi-tech light weight body armour designed for Alexis to wear when out in the field, and Bill and Ted designed some special glasses for her so Alice wouldn’t be able to see who she really was. They all thought it would freak Alice out to see an identical twin turn up to save her when she got in trouble. Ted had been working on a device for altering peoples voices, and he gave one to Alexis so her voice sounded sexier when she had to talk to Alice while making a getaway. Alexis was also the one that went in if they expected a trap, due to her training and ability to get out of tough spots by thinking on her feet.

     “Do you realise that you’ve become racer X from that old cartoon.” Ted had said one evening why they were sat watching a movie in the computer room.

    Alexis remembered the cartoon and thought that Ted had a point. She was pretending to be dead, while helping her sister keep the country safe from danger.

     “You could also say it’s like that knight rider TV show as well, and she’s the car.” Bill chuckled as he pointed at Alexis.

     “Thanks, I’m nothing more than a talking car.” Alexis said with mock hurt in her voice, just before she started giggling.

     “You’re a lot more than just a talking car dudette.” Bill said as he looked her up and down.

     “Don’t you dare start eyeing me up and down like that man. You know I don’t like that.” Alexis said feeling a little weird being appraised by one of her old friends.

    Bill and Ted both knew that Alexis didn’t date men, but she had been out with a couple of women, but never got further than a one night stand. They both wondered if she was still in love with Sarah.

    Alexis found it hard when Alice was first brought to the compound for a briefing on their first mission. Alexis was stood right next to Alice, but she was all suited up in her uniform and her head and face were covered ready for the mission. Alexis just wanted to hug her sister, but knew that would blow all the cover-up stuff they had worked so hard to put in place.

    Bob walked into the room and smiled when he saw Alice sat behind a desk, and Alexis was stood off to one side, looking truly evil in all her body armour that looked like a leather cat suit, but was stab and bullet proof, just as long as it wasn’t armour piercing bullets being used.

     “I trust you’ve all got to know each other then?” Bob asked as he looked at Alice, Alexis, Lana, Bill and Ted.

     “I get the feeling you all know each other, but Lana and I don’t know anything about any of you.” Alice said as she looked at the others, but spent some extra time looking at the woman dressed all in black with her face hidden behind a mask and black mirrored goggles. “Why can’t I see your face?” Alice asked.

     “I’m just a little shy honey.” Alexis said, but it had a southern slur to it as it came out. Alexis loved all these toy’s she got to play with.

     “I hope you’re not shy when I need you to come in and back me up?” Alice said, not happy with the way this woman acted around her.

     “Don’t you worry your pretty little head sugar. When you get in trouble, I’ll be there to get you out of it.” Alexis said with a grin, but Alice couldn’t see that.

    Bob stepped in before Alice could get wound up anymore by Alexis. He gave them a briefing on the target Alice would be going after and she left to start her new job. All Alice needed to do was find out who the company was selling its chemicals to under the counter. Alice got the info they needed, but she was made when she tripped a silent alarm while coming out of the records room. Alice had tried talking her way out of it, but it hadn’t worked.

     “Where’s a guardian angel when you want one.” Alice had said. This was her code word for being in trouble, and for Alexis to go in and rescue her.

    Alice had four men in the room with her, and another four waiting in the next room. Two of the men ran out the room to see what all the noise was when they heard gunfire. Alice turned her head just in time to see the woman that they had just called Guardian, taking down the two men that had just left the room. A second later she was in the room with her, making short work of the last two.

     “I said I’d save you sugar when you needed me.” Alexis said in the same southern slur.

     “I’m sorry I ever doubted you.” Alice said as she was untied and helped out of the building and loaded into a black sports car.

    Alexis put the car in gear and wheel spun out the car park and off down the road, hitting green lights all the way. Thanks to some help from Bill and Ted.

     “Thank you.” Alice said to the woman driving the car like a thing possessed. Will I ever get to see what you look like?” Alice asked, trying to make up for how rude she’d been at the briefing.

     “Trust me sugar, you’re not missing anything.” Alexis said, thinking she wasn’t really lying. She looked just the same as her twin sister, who just happened to be the one asking the question.

    They had worked together now for three years and Alice still had no idea that her partner was also her twin brother, who was now her identical twin sister down to the smallest detail. Even the little butterfly Alice had on her left butt cheek, which she’d gotten after getting drunk with her roommate.

    Alexis always wondered if Bob had something to do with her getting the tattoo just to let Alexis know that he was in control, or one of the others just made a silly bet to see if she’d also have to get the tattoo done if Alice did.

     Alexis had walked back to her car while she remembered how she came to be back in her old town. Alexis had just wanted to leave some flowers on his old grave and let Sarah know that someone still thought about Alex apart from her. The last thing she’d expected was to find Sarah stood at the grave, and then to come back and find her stood there.

    If Alice bumped into Sarah and started talking to each other, it wasn’t going to take much for Sarah to say she’d already seen Alice up at the grave yard. Alexis also knew that working that out would lead to a lot of trouble all round.

    Alexis answered her phone when it started ringing again. “Talk to me Ted. You got any idea what Alice is doing back here after all this time?”

     “I’ve just hacked into her personal computer, and I think she’s looking to get some revenge on the ones she blames for your death Alexis.” Ted said.

    Alexis knew it was bad when Ted used her name. “That’s going to be a problem, seeing as they are all doing time for other things.” Alexis said.

    Bob had already made sure they all served some time for their part in setting Alice up, and then running down Damon and putting the guy in a wheel chair for the rest of his life. Alex had never liked the guy, but no one deserved a life sentence like that.

    Tiffany and Matt were both arrested and sentenced for drug trafficking with intent to supply and sell. They were both doing long prison time, and not loving every minute of it.

    Damon had a good paying job working at a garage, and Paul worked with him. Both of them had become half descent guys after Damon was put in the wheel chair. Paul had shown himself to be a true friend and never walked away. Bob had got them both the jobs they now had.

    Alexis let out a groan when she heard Bob come on the phone after she finished talking to Ted. “You need to do some damage control Alexis. As soon as Alice finds out about Tiffany and Matt being in prison, she’s smart enough that she’ll soon work out I had something to do with it all, and you know where that will lead her.” Bob warned.

     “I know Bob.” Alexis sighed. “Maybe it’s time to remove the mask and let Alice know who I really am.” She added as she sat in her car and put her head back with her eyes closed.

     “I think it’s about time you did Alexis. I’d be amazed if you could even remember the reason for keeping it from her this long.” Bob agreed

     “Do you know if she’s coming here to the cemetery first?” Alexis asked as she pulled herself together again.

    Alexis had been shot at, stabbed and even come close to being blown up a couple of times, but she was more scared about facing her sister than any of that.

     “Bill has her phone saying she’s at the grave now.” Bob told her.

     “Wish me luck old man.” Alexis said with worry in her voice.

     “If you needed luck, you’d have been dead a couple of years back. Just tell her how much she means to you, and let her see what you had done to help keep her safe.” Bob chuckled on the other end of the phone. “Bill, Ted, if I ever find out you recorded any of what I just said, or I hear it in part or in whole. I will do things to you that not even Hollywood would want to make movies about because it would be too scary.” Bob added.

     “I’ll call you later when I’ve spoken with her.” Alexis said just before ending the call.

    Alexis got out the car and then went to the trunk and sorted out her uniform to put on. She was already wearing the cat suit, so she just needed to add the device to change her voice and then her mask and goggles. Alexis had worn a long coat over the cat suit, so Sarah could only see the black boots she wore and what would have looked like leather trousers if she saw any higher. She left adding the two way ear wig, as she didn’t want to have Bill and Ted listen in why she spoke with her sister.

    Once she was all armoured up and ready for combat, Alexis left the car and made her way back up to Alex’s grave to see her sister. It had finally stopped raining so Alexis could see Alice stood over the grave and she could also see her sister’s shoulders going up and down. Alexis knew she was sobbing.

    Alice looked down at the grave of her dead brother and started to sob when she read the one lonely line of text on it.