Read My Mind
By Jillybean
How It All Began
"MAX!" Alec bellowed as he raced through the sewers, Max was trailing slightly behind him. She was insistent on talking to the monster that was determined to eat them.
"It's confused Alec!" Max yelled back at him.
"Oh for heaven's sake!" Alec turned and grabbed her arm. "Come on!" He dragged her along and finally Max got the message that this Manticorian wasn't a happy one.
"Oh yuck!" Alec exclaimed as they stopped just in time not to fall into a pit of very deep sewage. Max whimpered as the smell assaulted their super keen nostrils.
"Rrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggg!" The creature roared as it came within millimeters of them. Alec shut his eyes and jumped, his hand clamped firmly onto Max's arm.
It stunk. Alec surfaced and spat out the foul sludge from his mouth. Max broke the surface and flung her head back.
"I hate you!" She screamed.
"Bite me!" Alec replied, he looked up and saw to his disgust that the creature was descending into the sludge. "Start swimming!" he said, she copied him and they used a powerful front stroke to make progress.
"Rrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaarblurp!" The creature dove underneath the surface. Alec yelled in frustration.
"I really hate you Max." He told her. Max looked around her frantically.
"Where is it!?" She demanded. The pool of sludge was perfectly silent, only the steady drip of sewage made any impression on the filth.
"No idea." Alec trailed off, he gauged the distance to the other end of the pool. The large humanoid slimy thing could swim very fast, he wondered if her could get there in time.
"Max - I have an idea. Why don't you cut yourself so that your blood will attract it, it's bound to have some shark's blood in there somewhere. Then I will swim over there while you get devoured and it's a happy ending all round."
"Get bent Alec." Max said, suddenly she was sucked under the sludge, her expression was priceless.
"Oh . . . bugger." Alec rolled his eyes and took a very deep breath. He dove under the surface and didn't dare open his eyes. He used his other senses, finding something slimy with his hand. He hit it and then wrested with it. He found something that definitely felt like human skin and then he got a fist in the jaw, causing him to swallow great quantities of the sludge.
He swore and grabbed the human's hair, dragging it up to the surface. The moment he got to the surface he began swimming for the other side.
"I think I swallowed some of that stuff!" Max wailed after she'd coughed up great amounts of it on the other bank. Alec turned from the pile he'd coughed up and saw a ripple coming towards them. He grabbed her hair and they began running again.
"Quick! Up here!" He indicated a narrow man hole, the cover could be easily bust open by two desperate X5's.
"Right." Max started climbing. Alec glanced worriedly down the tunnel at the rapidly approaching creature.
"Faster Maxine, faster." He said, trying to climb up right behind her.
"I can't go any faster!" Max wailed. Alec glared up at her ass.
"If you don't go any faster I'll be forced to do something I really don't want to."
Max shifted. Alec got his foot clear of the tunnel just as the slimy thing jumped for it.
They scrambled out onto the street and Max replaced the cover while Alec fell to his knees and coughed up more of the sludge. Max joined him.
"I really really really hate you." Alec told her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sludgy Fun
Logan looked up when he heard the door open, Asha turned with a smile to see Alec and Max and then she screamed. She clamped a hand over her mouth and Logan knew why.
"Oh you stink!" He yelled, covering his mouth and nose. Alec and Max looked at him like two bedraggled kittens, both of them looking very guilty as if they had been caught eating the Christmas turkey.
"Shower!" He pointed. Both turned to go and then froze. They glared at each other.
"Nuh uh - no way are you getting in that shower first. You dragged me down there, and you made me swallow that stuff." Alec said firmly. Max glared.
"You were the one who made it mad."
"I'm so sorry that I mistook it for a pile of sewage, I hadn't the experience to tell, but thanks to you I will never make that mistake again."
"You gotta get to the shower first." Max said, pushing past him. Alec was about to retaliate but then something happened to make his face look incredibly alarmed and he fell to his knees and vomited up green sludge.
"Ohhh!" Asha and Logan yelled, turning away.
"Hah! Ooh," Max paused as her stomach caught up with her, she doubled over and her body rid itself of the vile substance she had swallowed.
"Oh! Shower! Now!" Asha yelled angrily at them. Alec got up, looking like a dejected kitten. Max whimpered and he glared at her back.
"Max- you go too." Asha said, holding her nose.
"What?" Alec asked, his tone was probably meant to be a coldly angry voice but it came out as a whimper.
"Like Hell." Max added weakly.
"Until your both clean you're confined to one room. If Alec has a shower first then Max can close her eyes until he leaves." Logan instructed.
"Oh come on, why do you hate me?" Alec asked. Max followed him into the shower then paused.
"Wait- we need clothes." She said.
"We'll find something for you to wear!" Asha called through the door. Max sighed and began to strip off her leather jacket. Alec turned the shower on and regarded Max with a self depreciating smile.
"I don't want to see what I look like." He said, pulling off his jumper. Asha knocked and then opened the door. She handed them two plastic bags and then scurried.
"Why does Asha keep clothes here?" Max grumbled as she shut her eyes. Alec finished undressing and got in the shower, closing the curtain.
"Probably just incase she and Logan have to work overnight. Relax Max." He said, watching the sludge run off him. Max sighed and put his clothes in sink.
"I think we'll just have to burn our stuff." She said.
"I liked that jacket." Alec complained. Max grinned and stripped down to her jeans and her vest top.
"I liked my jacket too, but you did drag me into a big swimming pool of sludge."
"Go screw yourself." Alec retorted, turning his face into the stream of water. "I feel really ill. If I die I'm suing you."
"You do that." Max said, washing her hands and face in the sink.
"You really stink you know?" Alec told her, using half a bottle of shampoo in his hair.
"No more than you." Max retorted.
"I'm half clean." Alec said, and to prove his point he flicked some shampoo suds at her from around the curtain. Max chuckled and sniffed at it's watermelon scent.
"You know when you get out I've half a mind to throw the sludge I've scraped out of my hair at you." She said.
"You dare!" Alec exclaimed. Max chuckled again.
"Scared are we?"
"Just because you're still smelly. Okay this'll do for now." Alec looked regrettably at the water which had only just begun running clean. "Hand me in a towel."
He switched off the water and wrapped the towel around his waist.
"You got your eyes closed?" He asked. Max sighed loudly.
"Yes." She told him, she opened one just slightly so she could see through her eyelashes. Sure she was Logan's girl but it couldn't hurt to sneak a peak at that chest?
Alec got dried and dressed hurriedly and left Max to shower in peace.
"You still stink." Logan told him. Alec looked disappointed.
"I was hoping I was imagining the smell." He said. Asha walked through the apartment spraying air freshener around.
"Thanks Asha." He grinned at her. Asha looked confused.
"Thanks for what?"
"For . . ." Alec trailed off.
"Hey!" He said. "I'd appreciate it if you kept your comments to yourself." He said. Logan looked confused.
"What comments?"
Alec stared. Asha put a hand on his shoulder.
"Okay - enough with the freaky stuff." He said. Asha and Logan shared a look.
"Maybe you should lie down Alec." Logan said, standing up and pushing him towards the sofa gently.
"I don't . . . maybe I will lie down." Alec said, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Max came in, Asha's black crew neck top was weird and Max wasn't used to the three quarter length sleeves. She was also a size larger than Asha in her hips and Asha's jeans were pinching.
"Hey Max." Logan greeted. He smiled at her welcomingly.
"Hey." Max said, a little surprised by the fact he could talk and not move his lips.
"So - what happened?"
"What?" Max exclaimed.
"How did it go?" Logan repeated, slower this time.
"Uh . . . fine." Max looked over to Alec and Asha. "So . . . Logan. Do you think I'm hot?"
"What?" Logan asked.
"Answer the question." Max told him.
"Max - you I think you're hot."
"Do you think Original Cindy is hot?" Max asked, curious.
"I don't think about Original Cindy much."
"Do you think Asha's hot?" Max asked, beginning to enjoy herself.
"Asha is my friend Max, what's gotten in to you today."
"Gotta get something to drink!" Max yelped, practically running to the kitchen.
Alec watched as Max rushed past.
"Excuse me, gotta go." He said, a little distracted.
"Max, hey." He said. Max turned from the sink where she had filled up a glass with water.
"Alec."
"Fine."
"That's good." Max smiled at him.
They stared at each other.
"Can you?" Max asked, pointing at him.
"Yeah, you?" Alec asked, pointing at her.
"Yeah."
"You peeked?"
"Like I would enjoy looking at you!" Max retorted.
"Hah!" Alec yelled, pointing at he and dancing a little dance. "Hah! Hah! Hah! You thought 'yum'! You thought 'yum'! Hah hah hah!" He danced until he realised Asha and Logan were staring.
"Get a life Alec!" Max snapped.
"Oh yes - you think I'm hot don't you!" Alec jeered
"I do not think you're hot!" Max yelled back.
"Yes!" Alec punched the air.
"Hah!" It was Max's turn to dance. "You think I'm hot! Hah! Nyah nyah nyah nyah!" She danced away happily.
"I think you both need to lie down." Logan said slowly, he looked at Asha and they both thought.
That froze both X5's.
"What?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Crashing
Max grinned to herself as she entered Jam Pony.
Alec grinned at a group of female employees a he walked past.
Alec stopped grinning at the girls. He winked at Max from across the room.
"Alec - my man." Sketchy raised a fist to greet him.
"I know you love me really." It was a minute before he realized he'd spoken aloud.
"You okay Alec?" Asked Sketchy. Alec smiled at him and nodded.
"Yeah - uh . . . Max said something to me earlier, just thought of a come back." He lied blithely.
"Oh." Sketchy didn't look convinced.
Max turned away from watching Alec and grinned.
"Boo, you had sex with Alec or something?" OC asked, looking very concerned.
"What! No!" Max exclaimed.
"The glow will be from the probably radioactive sludge that Alec forced me to eat, I keep grinning at Alec because his thoughts are hilarious." Max said, she turned away, knowing OC would be too intrigued to stay aloof.
" 'His thoughts are hilarious' have you been smoking something?"
"No - Alec and I can just read minds is all." Max said with an innocent smile.
"Uh huh." OC was obviously unimpressed.
"Think of a number."
"This is ridiculous."
"OC!" Max exclaimed. "No way am I having a threesome with Logan and Alec."
"Right . . . so you can read my mind?"
"Why does everyone have that reaction? I mean, that wasn't my reaction."
"So was." Alec said, coming up beside her, Sketchy joined them.
"What did I miss?" Sketchy asked.
"Max, what kind of perfume are you wearing? Coz it really stinks." Sketchy said.
After the working day finished Crash was filled with Jam Pony workers. Alec and Max weaved a way through the crowd to a table at the back, OC and Sketchy following. They'd discovered that crowds often parted for Max and Alec, today they were finding out why.
"This is disturbing." Max muttered to Alec. Alec nodded.
"I wonder if Manticore knew we'd have this kind of effect on people."
"Probably, I think they were all knowing."
"Couldn't have been, we escaped didn't we?" Alec glared at one guy as he had a particularly vulgar thought about Max.
"I'm not homophobic, but he was fantasizing about me and it scared me." Alec retorted.
"Would you two stop it!" OC snapped as Sketchy went for beer. "You're confusing the rest of us."
"Sorry." Max and Alec apologized together.
"Like you two needed to be more similar." OC added.
"What do you mean?" Alec asked, not bothering to check out the girls, he was too tired.
"I mean that you two are like twins or something. Two of a kind."
Max and Alec glanced at each other.
"Trust me." Alec said.
"If we were twins." Max continued.
"One of us would be insane." Alec kept going.
"And a tooth collector." Max finished. OC stared. She flung her hands to her head and stood to leave, grabbing Sketchy by the arm as he put the pitcher down.
"C'mon Sketchy, let's play pool."
"I think we're driving them mad." Alec said. Max nodded and poured beer for both herself and Alec.
"Huh? What what path?" Max asked him, looking up. Alec cursed himself inwardly. "Alec - what's up?" Max asked, hearing the curses.
"Uh . . . I heard what you were thinking." He admitted. Max bit her lip and looked down.
"Oh." She said.
"Gotta go-"
Alec sat, watching his beer. The general rabble around him grew and mental pictures started flashing everywhere. He got up and left, the noise driving him mad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mind to Mind
"So . . ." Logan trailed off, looking between Max and Alec who were standing in front of him. He wondered if they knew that they were standing as if he was some sort of informal army leader giving them into trouble. "You can read each other's minds?"
"Anyone's mind." Alec corrected. It was the next morning, and although unsure on who had had the original thought, Max and Alec went to see Logan about their 'situation'.
"For example, you're wondering if we know that we're treating you like an informal general. Which Alec is protesting against and -"
"Max disagrees too." Alec finished for her. He wasn't in a good mood and it was showing.
"Alec." Max muttered.
"What! I can't help thinking!" He replied, hands in the air. "Not exactly as if you're being a nice little girl."
"I think I have a right to think-" She stopped as she noticed Logan staring at them with a confused expression.
"We get that a lot." Alec assured him. Logan shook his head.
"Right."
"Sewer sludge?" Alec asked sweetly. "We can read your mind, we know what you're thinking."
"Right." Logan stood up and paced a little.
"Okay." Logan said, interrupting them. "Asha and I threw the sludge in the waste, we'll get a sample a deliver it to a contact of mine for analysis. You two get back to the sewers, chances are that it's this creature's sludge which had this effect on you."
"Awww!" Alec complained.
"No complaints!" Logan ordered. Alec shut up.
Alec turned to Max, his eyebrows raised.
So they argued in this silent manner as they left.
Asha screwed up her face as she raked through the garbage skip.
"I really don't want to be doing this." She said. "I'm young, single, attractive, it's coming down in buckets and I am looking through the trash trying to find sewer sludge."
"We're doing this for Max." Logan told her, lifting up a cardboard box. "Ah!" He yelled. Asha was beside him in an instant.
"What!?"
"Rat."
"Oh." Asha sighed and made to run a hand through her hair. She froze as she caught sight of her hands. "This is going to be a long day."
Max sighed as she looked at the waist deep pool of sludge she was going to have to cross. Alec grinned up at her.
"You think if we'll swallow this we'll sprout green horns?" He asked. Max sighed and lowered herself into the pool, the sludge billowed up her dark grey T-shirt [they'd dressed especially for the occasion. Alec wore Logan's clothes and Max wore Asha's jeans and an old grey T-shirt of Alec's].
"Please, I don't need your comments right now - woo!" Max slipped and Alec grabbed her.
"But you won't." Alec said, a tight smile on his face. Max blushed and looked down. They proceeded through the tunnels, eventually finding the one where they'd first met the monster.
"Hey Alec?" Max asked, her tone slightly worried.
"Is it sleeping?"
Max crouched beside the creature.
"Relax Maxie - it's not the end of the world. Besides - I'm sure I can get used to telepathy, you don't have to worry about me."
"Oh great!"
They smiled at each other, sadly.
"Gotta jet."
"Max!" Alec put a hand on her arm as she stood to leave. "Please stop running from me."
"We uh . . . we should get back to Logan." Max said, looking down.
"Alec . . ." Max said, wanting to ask him to stop thinking. She knew he couldn't, no more than she could.
"Max, it's true. I don't understand our relationship. I mean, we're not friends, we're not enemies. I wasn't trained for this!"
"How could you have known?"
"Because I went through it. It's just . . . I'm confused about all this too. I don't know, maybe another time, another place we might have had a relationship."
"So where do I stand Max?" Alec asked plaintively. Max bit her lip, almost crying. "I've no idea Alec." <Logan! Please, why aren't I mad about you any more?>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Logan swallowed as he read his contact's report. The rain was falling incessantly.
"Logan? What is it?" Asha asked, trying to read over his shoulder. Logan looked at her, he sunk down slowly.
"It's um . . . It's a problem."
"What kind of problem!" Asha demanded, she snatched the report and skimmed it. "Absorbing neutrons . . . Logan I don't understand any of this."
"It means . . ." Logan was interrupted by Alec and Max entering. They both seemed rather sober.
"Logan . . ." Alec didn't say any more, all the information was in Logan's mind, freshly absorbed, ready for Alec to read and understand. Max gasped, Alec caught her shoulder with his hand. Logan watched as the two seemed to take comfort in the touch. He felt jealousy surge and Max began to cry.
"Why is it always about love!?" She demanded, turning and running from the room.
"What is going on!" Asha complained.
Alec stared at Logan.
"Can't you see she's going through a lot right now?" Alec demanded. Logan stood up.
"I can't help thinking, or feeling." He snarled. Alec glared at him, focussing all his mixed emotions into anger and tunnelling it at Logan.
"You can't help a lot of things can you Logan? Have you ever put Max first? Coz I know she doesn't feel like you ever did!"
"Are you jealous that she's chosen me and not you?" Logan asked coolly. Alec was breathing heavily, his fist clenched at his side. He turned and silently walked out. Logan sat down shakily.
"I thought he was going to hit me there." He gasped.
"What's happening!" Asha demanded. Logan turned to her.
"When they absorbed the sludge their bodies became very receptive to the neutrons sent out by our brain waves."
"Hence the telepathy."
"Yes. Trouble is, their bodies are exposed to so much of the radiation that they will mutate, quickly. Most likely that sewer creature was created by Manticore to look human."
"Max and Alec will turn into that!" Asha exclaimed.
"And then . . . they're bodies will disintegrate too quickly without lead shielding.
Manticore probably kept that creature somewhere that even Chernobyl couldn't reach it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Floating Hearts
OC listened to Max after the transgenic came home, crying. Max had dried herself and was now sitting on the couch - knees up to her chest.
"So . . ." OC began, swallowing to clear her throat. "You're bodies have become extra sensitive to radiation and it's gonna turn you into monsters." She silently cursed herself for her brusqueness.
"Don't worry about it . . . getting it from Logan's mind was much harder." She shut her eyes and put her hands to her face. "Our bodies are going to decompose slowly and we're going to die." She choked. OC crossed over to the couch and hugged her.
"Even if you look weird and scary, you're still my boo, and I will still love you." She said reassuringly. Max felt small in her arms. "Boo . . . I hate to ask but how's Alec taking this?"
Max was silent for a minute.
"He was angry. He was angry at Logan." She managed to say. She stood up. "I want to go to Crash." She said decisively.
"What?" OC asked.
"I want to go to Crash, if this is one of my last nights looking normal then I 'm gonna spend it having fun." She said smiling at OC.
"Alec - hey." Asha greeted the transgenic when he came into Crash. "I didn't think you'd be here tonight." She glanced at Logan who was sitting beside her.
"Yeah well, you don't know me very well." Alec assured her. He looked around and found Sketchy and his other pals from Jam Pony.
"Gotta jet." He said, a deliberate mimicry of Max's favourite saying. He walked off, calling over his shoulder. "Logan - I hear another phrase like that I'll kick your ass."
"What did you say - think?" Asha asked. Logan sighed.
"I thought that he was an asshole who had too much testosterone for his own good."
Max started walking down the stairs, the instant rabble inside her head almost knocked her down.
OC glanced nervously at Alec, as if she thought he might explode at any minute. Alec winked at her.
"How's my favourite . . . something?" He asked, hugging her. OC went rigid.
"Uh . . . your brain gone squishy?" She asked, Sketchy laughed.
"I hug you all the time." He insisted and to prove it he grabbed OC and pulled her into a tight barehug. Max grinned and took Alec's beer, drinking from it.
"How much are you willing to bet?" Max asked, a small crowd gathered, both Max and Alec were legendary pool players, never losing unless they intended too but tonight the atmosphere was electric.
"How confident are you?" He asked, coming far closer into her personal space than Logan liked. He handed her a cue. Max smiled sulkily at him.
"I know I'm going to win."
"All right . . . your bike."
"My bike?"
"Like Hell."
"Do we have a bet?" Alec asked, lifting the triangle. Max leaned down and took the first shot.
"Yes."
"No!"< Yes.>
Logan watched as they played, why was it they seemed to brush against each other whenever they moved around the table. They were playing excellently. In no time at all half the balls were gone.
This distracted Max so much she missed her shot. The crowd 'oohed'. Alec grinned and leaned down to take a shot. Max walked past him, deliberatly brushing her hand over his ass.
me scaring you.>
Alec told her, Max practically fell onto the table in her outrage, Alec's smug demeanor told her that he'd meant her to miss. He went to take his shot and grinned down at Max.
"Say bye bye to your bike." He said.
"Whoo!" Sketchy roared, punching a fist in the air. Max stared.
She trailed off. Logan was about to stand up to defend her.
"I'd settle for a kiss Maxie." Alec teased.
They broke off, laughing so hard they were doubled over.
"Max . . ." Logan came up, the hurt evident in his voice and in his thoughts. Max grinned at him.
"Logan . . . it was that or my bike. Chill 'kay?" She asked. Alec, grinning like a Cheshire cat, headed off to buy beer.
"Max - I think he likes you." Logan whispered urgently. Max glared at him.
"Well duh - I'm female and relatively stunning. Perfect recipe for Alec."
"I'm insulted." Alec said as he came up. Logan glared at him as he dumped the pitcher on the table. "I like them to be more than 'relatively stunning'."
There was much laughter.
Max grinned and looked around for a chair to sit on. There was none but Alec's lap was openingly inviting. The prospect of annoying Logan even more seemed to ease her troubled heart just that little bit more. She was hurting and she was lashing out.
"Oh I love this song." OC cried as a slow song started playing as the hours started lengthening. A long time ago Asha and Logan had left, Sketchy was terribly drunk and falling around the place.
Alec stood up, Max noticed his thoughts were dampened slightly. As if she wasn't hearing very well.
"I want to dance."
"I don't wanna."
Slightly shaky Max and Alec made their way to the slightly clearer area used for dancing in the small hours.
The thudding beat made it suitable for Crash. Alec took Max in his arms and they swayed together, neaither of them thinking clearly or wanting to. They took comfort in their similar fate.
"Twisted this feeling, warped out of shape
So tired of revealing, the moves that I make
And I know, yes I know, but is this real?
And I know, yes I know, but is this real?"
Max buried her head in Alec's shoulder.
"Feeling the concept, would drive me insane
Pass about the bone of love, tempting.
And I know, yes I know, but is this real?
And I know, yes I know, but is this real?"
Alec sighed into her hair and she felt it move over her neck.
"Twisted this feeling
Pass, bout, bone, love
Twisted, twisted this feeling.
And I know, yes I know, but is this real?
And I know, yes I know, but is this real?
Pass about the bone of love
Twisted
Is this real?"
Alec was right - she wasn't scaring him but he was definately scaring her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hangover Regrets
Max grinned at OC as she handed her room mate a glass of water. OC sighed, wiped her mouth and flushed the toilet.
"Boo, if I ever drink that much again, punch me."
Max grinned, she was glad OC didn't remember much about last night, she remembered all to well. The smell of Alec as they danced, the feel of his arms around her waist as she sat on his lap.
"So . . . did I do anything really embarrasing last night?" OC asked. Max smiled and shook her head.
"No, um . . . I have to go, meet you at Jam Pony."
"Urg." OC moaned at the mention of Jam Pony.
Max knocked sharply and walked into Logan's apartment. She heard a clinking noise and turned to see Asha drinking water from a massive big glass. Asha looked rough, she had massive bags under her eyes and her hair was rumpled. Max supressed a grin.
Max stared. Logan walked up behind her.
"Max - hey." He said
Max spun to face him.
"You slept with Asha for revenge!" She gasped. Logan looked pained.
"Max -last night, it was hard for me, Alec was all over you and you were just-"
"Alec was not all over me!"
"Yes he was Max!" Logan snapped back. Max stepped backwards, stunned by his thoughts.
"Logan I- I was just trying to make you jealous. It was wrong, it was stupid, I was confused and lonely and scared, so I flirted a little. God I'm sorry!" She wailed, but inside her there was a coolness she didn't understand, Logan's reaction irritated her because he was insulting Alec, how dare he? Logan had been through none of the shit Alec had gone through.
"Max, same here okay? Lonely and confused."
"But - Logan I never slept with Alec."
"Maybe because you were afraid." Asha said quietly behind Max. Max turned, angrily on Asha's serene words.
"Max - hear me out, I play a part in this too."
"Ugh." Max shut her eyes, wishing she could shut her ears to the thoughts.
"She's right Max." Logan said softly. "She's a part of this too. Any decisions that the three of us make-"
"Then isn't Alec a part of this?" Max snapped. Logan looked a little taken aback.
"You said you didn't sleep with Alec."
"I don't take sex as an indication of a relationship." Max snapped.
"Ooh, harsh." Alec drawled laconically. Logan turned slowly and glared at the X5 lazing at the door. Alec cast Asha a look and grinned.
"Had fun then Asha, huh?" He asked. Asha went bright red. Alec chuckled as he heard her next thought. He stepped up beside Max.
"So - what's the deal, are we having an angsty discussion, honest with feelings? Or are we being closed, cold, angry people?" He asked. Logan was glaring daggers at him.
"I think a mix." Max told him, folding her arms and unconsciously leaning backwards so that she and Alec were closer. Like lazy, yet dangerous big cats they waited for their prey to make it's mistake.
Alec told her, she felt his emotions washing over her, she felt her gut drop as she recognised them for her own.
"Logan, Asha." Max began, she looked down. "I think you two make a perfect couple."
Silence and surprise greeted this statement.
"And . . . Logan." She turned to him. "I really do love you, I will always love you, this changes nothing. It's just that, I have to try with Alec, I need to be with Alec."
"Is this because - you know -"
Max's mouth thinned at the words and she felt Alec's hostility growing.
"No. This is because . . . Alec and I have something." Max looked into Logan's eyes imploringly. "Please Logan, please understand."
"Maybe you'd better go." Logan turned away, Asha hovered behind him.
Alec mused.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Twenty Seven Hours
Logan sighed as he waited for Anna to come back with her extensive tests on the sludge. The morgue was cold and slightly darker than the world outside.
Anna came out, looking grave.
"Logan. You have to see this for yourself." She said quietly, leading him through into the back rooms. Sitting in four separate glass tanks were four rats, in various stage of melting. "Oh my God." Logan breathed. Anna nodded. She headed to the first rat, it's skin seemed to be seeping a viscous water, it's eyes were clear and it was hyperventilating.
"This one was infected earlier today, it's in a state of great pain, it's cell functions are beginning to break down." She said calmly. She turned to the next rat. It was soaked, it's hair was coming off in patches and the colour of the fluid was a darker green.
"This one I infected this morning. It's lungs are filling up with fluid, it's heart is having to work faster to keep the blood pumping because so much of it is disintegrating." She headed to the next cage. It was completely bald but no longer soaked. It lay in a corner, shivering. It had no ears and it's limbs were grossly distorted.
"This one I infected last night. It can't keep the blood going around it's body anymore, that's why it's white. It's brain is drowning and pressing on the cerebral cortex, it has little motor control. It's lungs are full and it hasn't long to live."
She tapped on the last cage, the rat was half goo, half rat, it's form quivered laboriously. "But before the rat can die of drowning, blood loss or motor loss, this happens. It's body is in a total state of flux. It still tries to breathe, still tries to pump blood, still tries to move, but the vital organs simply aren't there. All that's keeping it together is the fact it's not moving." She tapped the cage and the goo lost shape and form. Logan could see the organ's, still trying to communicate and operate even though they were no longer inside a body.
"The animal feels every last bit." Anna finished coldly.
"What - what can we do?" Logan asked, swallowing roughly, unable to tear his eyes from the rats.
"I don't know. The last one was infected when I first got the sample. Logan, I say these kids have eighty, maybe eighty three hours to live, twenty seven before they become irretrievable."
"Oh God." Logan put a hand to his mouth. Anna turned back to the first rat, taking a syringe and injecting it.
"Trouble is, I don't know enough about these kids, if I could even begin make sense DNA I could try and help them . . . Logan, I need more data and more time before I can even think about beginning a cure."
"We don't have time." Logan managed. He looked at the third rat which suddenly convulsed and starting quivering.
"Twenty seven hours Logan, I will work as hard as I can but I will not find a cure in time." She looked at him sadly. Logan nodded and thanked her.
"Then I guess there's only one thing to do."
After he'd recorded the Eyes Only transmission he took a deep breath and hesitated, his finger hovering over the enter.
"Logan?" Asha asked quietly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You know it's the only answer."
Logan nodded and hit 'Transmit'.
Alec sighed as he listened to the thoughts around him. Some people were simply sick. Jam Pony was always interesting, thoughts seemed to be rife there.
"This is a streaming freedom bulletin." Logan's scrambled voice interrupted. Alec looked up in surprise, wondering what Logan could be finding the time to Eyes Only about.
"Turn it up Sketchy!" He called over, everyone paused to watch it.
"The cable hack will last sixty seconds, it cannot be stopped, cannot be traced and it is the last free voice in the city. Ames White." A black and white picture of a barcode flashed onto the screen. Alec went cold. The thoughts seemed to die away.
"MAX!" He yelled.
"Turn it up turn it up!" White yelled at one of his subordinates. There was total silence as the volume increased.
"Are we recording?" White asked, his men nodded.
"X5 452 needs immediate medical assistance. If I do not receive the Manticore files on all their failed subjects I will not be able to save her. If she is not treated then she will die, there will be no trace of her DNA left."
"Oh God." Alec whispered as the transmission continued. Max was breathing heavily, she looked up at Alec worriedly.
"Alec - how could he?" She whispered.
"This has been a streaming freedom bulletin."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Charming Children
White sat pouring over Manticore's files. He was pretty confident that Eyes Only had been telling him the truth, but he was also pretty confident that 452 was not the only X5 infected by Hora.
Hora had been an early experiment with the hive mind, the only one of his series to survive infancy White hadn't bothered to track him down, knowing he'd die. White hadn't anticipated 452 getting herself infected.
He had all the Manticore ex-personel he could find working on a cure. On a cure for 452.
Max stormed into Logan's penthouse, furious with him.
"How could you Logan!?" She demanded, making Logan and Asha wince.
Max spun on him.
"Don't you start!" She snapped, pointing a finger. She turned back to Logan. "You let White know, how could you?"
"You're going to die in twenty seven - no, twenty five hours time."
"Shit." Alec sat down slowly, he looked surprised. His mind was blank. Max stared, Asha's sympathy seemed to intrude upon her thoughts.
"Shut up." She muttered, turning slightly away.
"Max-" Logan began. so sorry.>
"Get away from me!" Max jerked away from his outstretched hand, Logan recoiled, Alec was jolted out of his reserve.
"Max." Alec said softly. Max shook her head, walking away from him.
"Max!"
"Alec!" Max cried, she ran back and stumbled as she reached him
"I'm okay - I'm okay!" Alec tried to brush them off, obviously shaken. Asha stepped back reluctantly but Logan crouched beside him.
"Alec you have to be careful." He said firmly, gripping Alec's shoulder. "Right now, everything's a danger."
Alec nodded, he looked up at Max who was standing a good distance away.
"I - I can't - it's me that does this!" She began, turning away.
"Max no." Asha grabbed her arm. "I'll grant you a river of regret, just don't drown in it." She said. Max stared.
"Max . . . please stay here." Alec said, a little shakily. Max nodded and sat down, still further from Alec or Logan than normal.
"What do you think will happen?" Asha asked in hushed tones, watching Max and Alec sitting apart through the glass.
"I know what's going to happen." Logan replied. "It's not going to be pretty." He and Asha met eyes. Asha shuddered and hugged him briefly.
"I don't understand why this is happening." She whispered. "They are good people, they are wonderful people and all this stuff keeps happening to them." She whispered. Logan squeezed her shoulder.
"I guess I should tell them what-what's going to happen." He stammered a little. Asha nodded, but didn't let him go.
Max was silent, her thoughts were blank and cold. Alec kept shooting furtive galnces at her, his thoughts were jumbled and hard to interpret.
"Alec, Max." Logan said as he came in, Asha trailing behind. He tried to keep his head clear, but the terrible images of the rats kept springing to mind.
"Oh God." Alec let his head fall to the back of the sofa. Max shut her eyes and a single tear leaked out. She was shaking now.
"I never thought it'd be like this." Alec said bitterly. "Bullet wound, snapped neck, sure. Not jelly."
"Don't." Max whimpered.
Alec replied, feeling his body ache all over as it began the slow degredation. The phone rang. Logan spun, he hit a button on his computer and a scrambling pattern appeared on screen. He picked up the phone and took a deep breath.
"White?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Touch Me
Max shivered slightly as Logan's car pulled up at the abandoned warehouse. She glanced worriedly behind her at Alec. He smiled confidently at her and got out the car.
"You have to." Alec replied, he and Asha headed into the warehouse. Logan glanced at Max and reached for her hand, his skin hovering inches above her own.
"Ah ow!" Max bit her lip but had to cry out as some more of her cells degraded. She jerked and Logan caught her hand.
"Max, are you okay?" He asked, pulling her slightly closer. Max stared at him, horrified.
"Logan - you can't!" She cried, trying to pull away from him. Logan held tight.
"It's okay Max, I'm okay." He whispered. "I was waiting for the right time to tell you, Anna thought that the cell degradation would do this, she told me this morning." He kissed her hand. "We can touch."
Max froze, she looked to the warehouse door desperately.
Logan thought subconsciously. Max practically leapt out of the car when she saw Alec make the 'all clear' signal.
"I wouldn't have risked an ambush." White said mockingly when Max joined Asha and Alec.
Alec glanced at Max.
Max mustered a smile at him and stepped forward to confront White. Her opponent smiled dangerously at her.
"Give me the cure." Max ordered. White nodded to one of his scientists behind him, they walked forward and handed Logan a small vial filled with a runny light pink fluid. It was transparent.
"That is specifically designed for 452's DNA. It won't work on anyone else." White drawled calmly. Max spun, Alec looked alarmed and Asha and Logan glared.
"Give Alec a cure." Max snarled, in her fear she forgot her calmness. White smiled triumphantly.
"You come with us 452, we find a cure for 494." White told her, he was gloating. "I believe you have about eighteen hours left?" He asked innocuously. Max glared.
<Max! For God's sake better one of us live->
"I won't take that cure." Max's voice was steady. She smiled, slightly victorious as everyone in the warehouse stared. "You need me White, if you don't find cure for Alec, you lose me." She said calmly. White was livid. He took a step forward, but even more threateningly Alec was hovering behind Max. White wasn't fool enough to take on the two X5's.
"You'll die." He said, his voice shaking with rage.
"Not if Alec lives." Max replied. She took the cure off of Logan and tossed it to White. "You might need this." She said, turning away and leaving the warehouse.
"Max! Damn you!" Alec grabbed her arm, about to hit her.
"What were you thinking?" Logan demanded.
"Get in the car." Max growled. "Drive."
"Max - that was stupid, now neither of you have a cure." Asha said, her voice shaking.
"You should have taken the cure Max." Logan told her.
you Alec. Do you see why I did it?>
"Don't talk to me right now Max." Alec growled, he was staring fixedly at Logan's head. Max winced.
"Tell me what I should've done!" Max yelled, half sobbing as they entered Logan's apartment. Alec whirled around and hugged her, crying into her hair. Max felt her body shaking with pain and fear.
He thought, almost crushing her.
"The same." Alec choked.
"How long do we have?" Asha asked worriedly. Logan glanced at his watch.
"Twelve hours." He said, looking at the two. They separated, their eyes red.
"I don't feel too good." Alec whispered, sitting down slowly. Max nodded but stopped because it made her head sore.
"Logan? Can you do me a favour? Get OC here, I want to see her." She whispered, gingerly feeling her way into a seat. Alec coughed roughly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Waiting Game
Max was breathing heavily, she could hear Alec's chest rattling as it moved up and dwon. He was sitting on the sofa, looking out the darkened windows. He seemed lost and far away.
OC was talking hushedly to Logan and Asha in the kitchen. Max looked around Logan's apartment, it always calmed her with it's neutral colours and
Max smiled at him and stood up, she went over to sit beside him, it hurt to move, it hurt to stay still. It hurt less to be held by Alec.
"I think the worst part is the waiting." Max whispered. Alec looked down at her quizzically.
"How do you figure that above the dying?" He asked.
"I just, I could handle knowing I'm going to die. Even if I knew one of us would live and the other became goo . . ."
"Ssh." Alec ordered.
Max was silent, she didn't think about anything, just how nice it was to be where she was. "Max?" Alec began. "Promise me something?"
"What?" Ma asked.
"I really need to kill you." Alec said with a sigh. Max smiled a little. "Please Max, don't die for a statement."
"Why not? People do it all the time."
"Through your actions -" Max began, annoyed.
"What's the point of dying then? If you can still fight?" Alec asked.
"Alec?" Max asked after a few minutes of silence.
"What?" Alec sounded hurt.
"Alec, I l-"
The phone began to ring. All those healthy ran through, those dying stayed where they were, very tense.
"Hello." Logan hit the loudspeaker after the scrambler.
"White here." White's voice came through. "I have a cure for 494."
Max, OC and Asha sighed deeply. Alec let his head drop on to Max's shoulders and Logan smiled triumphantly.
"So, where do we pick it up?" Logan asked. White chuckled.
"You don't. 494 and 452 have five hours to live. If I get 452 in my possession, then I will give you the cure."
Denial sprung through the air. Asha shook her head, she looked horrified. OC stared at Max and shook her head vehemently. Logan stared at the phone as if it had bit him. Alec grabbed Max's wrist and shook his head firmly.
"Meet me at the warehouse, you bring 452, I'll bring the cure for 494." White said calmly.
"How can I trust that you have the cure for 494? I want to see him cured before I even consider handing over 452." Logan said calmly, he looked at Max and made a motion for help.
"You'll just have to trust me then, won't you?" White said, he seemed to be gloating. Logan looked to Max.
He sounded so sad. Alec dropped his hand from Max's wrist as he read her mind.
"All right." Max said aloud. "Where do we meet?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5,4,3,2,1
Max couldn't move very well. Alec and she had been supported by OC and Asha into the warehouse. White watched them both, smiling to himself. Logan stepped out in front. "Wait." White interrupted. "Here's how it's gonna work. You'll get the cure for 494. I don't have Max's cure with me. You can wait the hour it will take to work and then leave me 452.
Max watched as they headed over to Alec and injected him. Max looked White in the eye and sat down slowly. She coughed again. Alec looked at her, she could feel his pain as her own.
Maybe it was.
"Max." Alec whispered, trying to wake her up. He hurt still and he found it very difficult to breathe. Max opened one eye, tears leaked from it. Logan crouched beside him and showed Max the results of a test.
"It worked Max, you saved me." Alec whispered. Max's eye fixed on the test and Alec felt a flicker from her mind. Was he losing his ability, or she hers?
"Hear that Max, I love you." He whispered.
"I take it, 'she's all mine'?" White asked, he smirked at the weakened Alec. "I guess you don't owe me a bar code anymore."
Alec lunged for him, falling pathetically to the ground. Logan and Asha rushed to his side. OC kept her arms wrapped around Max's shaking form.
"It's okay Maxie, it'll be okay." She whispered. Two men pushed her away, lifting her by the arms.
"Careful!" White yelled. "She's valuable." He smirked at Alec and turned heel.
"I'll kill you." Alec grated. White laughed.
In her haze of pain Max registered two things. The prick of a needle entering her veins and a cruel coldness of metal against her bare skin.
"Alec." She managed to say with the last of her strength. Surely he heard her.
Original Cindy watched the sleeping X5 on the couch. Logan and Asha were talking quietly with Anna. Cindy could feel tears whenever she thought of Max, whenever she thought of Alec falling when he tried to save her. She didn't know much about genetic engineering, soldier's honour, or even masculine pride. But she knew that when Alec woke up, he wasn't going to wipe his eyes dry of tears and wish he could have done something else. She watched the regular rise and fall of his chest and watched as his eyes moved rapidly under their protective lids.
"OC?" Logan approached her quietly. Cindy turned around, she swallowed and realised she was crying again.
"Yeah?" She asked. Anna walked up to her.
"I ran checks on the tests they ran on Alec. It's the real deal. He'll be okay." Anna sighed slightly. "But . . . what will he do next? He won't be fit enough to go out on a mad chase across the country. It will take months for him to be in full order again." She asked.
"He'll look for Max, and kill anything that stops him." Cindy said confidently. She glanced sideways at Logan.
"Then we'd better start looking." He said with a sigh. "But - I've no idea where to start."
Cindy stepped away from the brainstorming session. She went back to watching Alec. It's been awhile since I could look at myself straight
And it's been awhile since I said I'm sorry
It's been awhile since I've seen the way the candles light your face
It's been awhile but I can still remember just the way you taste.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hold My Head Up High
Asha walked quietly through into the office area, Logan was slumped over the desk, his face pressed onto the rough notes he'd been making. Asha felt her heart flip over. She knew that if it came to a choice Loan would choose Max over her. It hurt her, but she couldn't walk away from him. Something kept her close.
She wondered if Alec felt the same way about Max. Asha could remember clearly the expression of pain in his eyes when he watched her being taken away.
The sun glinted off Logan's glasses as Asha gently removed them. It was coming through the grey clouds outside.
"He ain't gonna be happy when he wakes up." OC said coolly behind her. Asha stoked Logan's cheek.
"Who? Which one? They both love her so much." Asha asked, she felt her throat swell and stick. Cindy snorted.
"Do they? Max was made to be loved. You earn it, she steals it." Cindy put an arm around Asha. Logan stirred at the voices. He raised his head slightly, looking very foggy.
"Max?" He asked, coming too he sat bolt upright. "Oh . . . shit." He scrabbled frantically at his keyboard and looked outside. "It's morning - Why didn't you wake me!?" He demanded of Asha. Cindy stepped between them.
"Like she could with you out like that." She said firmly. Logan's facial muscles worked but he slowly sat down again.
"I lost her?" A fragile, almost childlike question sounded behind them. They turned to see Alec standing shakily by the door. "I did, it's fuzzy, it was because of me, wasn't it?" He asked, Cindy couldn't bear the look in his eyes.
"No, Alec you did all you could." She walked towards him and put a hand on his arm, it was cold and clammy to the touch. "Alec, you go have a shower, clean up a bit, we'll think of how to get Max back." She reassured him. Alec headed off to the bathroom, leaning on the walls occasionally as he fought for balance.
"Anna said he'd be unclear." Logan cleared his throat and looked at Asha. "Can you make something to eat?" He asked. Asha bit her lip and walked hurriedly away. Cindy backed off and sat down where Alec had been sleeping. She was tired, and where Alec had been was warm. She felt her head dropping to the pillows and she could swear she tasted the salty taste of tears.
Alec stood in the shower, he could remember things, flashes of emotions would enter his subconscious. Snippets of conversations. They weren't memories or flashbacks, more like dulled mind reading.
He dropped the shampoo bottle as he recognised the owner of the voice. He stood with his hands pressed against the tiled wall for support.
"If we could trace-"
"Better idea." Alec interrupted, he walked briskly back into the room, his wet hair clinging to his neck. Cindy, Asha and Logan jumped. Logan glared at him but Alec ignored it, he leaned over the desk, looking for somethin gon the computer display.
"Right - that's the best tactical location." He said tapping an area. "Did Anna take a sample of my cure?" He asked, heading back to the sofa and picking up his leather jacket. Outside it had started raining again.
"Yes but-" Logan began, standing up to try and stop him. "Where are you going?"
"To the sewers - I need to infect myself again so I can keep up my connection with Max. I'm losing my abilities." He turned to leave. Logan grabbed his shoulder.
"Alec- you're not a soldier. Stop treating this like some suicide Manticore mission!" "I am from Manticore." Alec snapped, Logan stepped away at the hurt in his voice. "And I'm getting my baby back, the only way I know how." Alec shrugged a little helplessly. "No matter what she does when she comes back." He looked past Logan at Cindy, he turned and walked out.
Max lay on the cold floor of her cage. Her mind was muddled with drugs, she craved warmth, human contact that was gentle and not the physical violence she'd been exposed to.
How long had it been? It felt like forever. Every so often the pain would peak and she would hear their thoughts inside her head. The barrage behind her eyes would make her cry out, crying out for the one she prayed would help her. Save her.
It's been awhile since I could hold my head up high
And it's been awhile since I first saw you
And it's been awhile since I could stand on my own two feet again
And it's been awhile since I could call you
And everything I can't remember
Has fucked up the passings only seem
The consequences that are rendered
Have stretched myself beyond my means
Alec lowered himself into the sludge. It would have been easy to to do it if not for all his flashbacks of Max being with him. Of Max kissing him.When they were dancing, drunk, in Crash. He felt like every memory of her was etched into his soul. He was crazy about her. Taking a deep breath he plunged underneath the surface, swallowing sludge as he submerged.
And it's been awhile since I could say that I wasn't addicted
And it's been awhile since I could stay I loved myself as well
And it's been a while since I've gone and fucked things up just like I always do
But all that shit seems to disappear when I'm with you
And everything I can't remember
Has fucked up the passings only seem
The consequences that are rendered
Of gone and fucked things up again
Logan watched nervously as Anna worked to replicate the cure. He wanted Max back, he would do anything to have her back. It was because he loved her. It was because he couldn't stand losing her. Asha came over and put an arm around him. Logan licked his lips, he could practically taste Max.
Why must I feel this way?
Just make this go away
Just one more peaceful day
It's been awhile since I could look at myself straight
And it's been awhile since I said I'm sorry
And it's been awhile since I seen the weay the candles light your face
And it's been awhile but I can still remember just the way you taste
Max winced as the next torturer came in.
"I don't know." She began her mantra. "I don't know anything."
Lydecker watched as they took Max and began to tie her down. He swallowed roughly. White smiled cruelly at him.
"Well Lydecker, may I call you Deck? Do you know why she's special?" He asked. Lydecker shook his head and they began to torture Max.
And torture him.
And everything I can't remember
Has fucked up the passing only seam
To me
I cannot blame this on my mother
they did the best they could for me
It's been awhile since I could hold my head up high
And it's been awhile since I said I'm sorry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What Wouldn't I Do?
Lydecker shook his head as White asked the question again.
'What is she for?'
Max's body jerked again as blue lightning caressed it.
'What is she for?'
Lydecker wouldn't tell White. Lydecker wasn't even enitrely sure.
'What is she for?'
Max's head lolled when her body came to rest on the steel.
'What is she for?'
"I don't know!" Lydecker yelled. White smiled coldly. Lydecker was slowly cracking.
Max felt their hands gripping her arms roughly, they dragged her off the table. Max could feel her head hitting the sharp metal, blood matted her hair.
"Zack?" She moaned.
"How's she doing?" OC asked as Alec opened his eyes. He'd just finished having a shower and the thoughts were loud and clear again.
"She thinks I'm Zack . . . " Alec shrugged away the obvious hurt.
"They're probably using drugs and stuff." OC tried to comfort him. Logan and Asha turned away, Asha embarrassed, Logan jealous.
"You don't want to know." Alec said darkly. "As soon as night falls I'm going in. Logan I'll need you to cut the power."
"Yes sir." Logan said, his voice laden with sarcasm.
Alec met his stare.
"You need me to get her back." He said calmly. Logan nodded slowly.
Lydecker watched as Max slowly came around, again she was strapped to the table. "You'll kill her!" He yelled at White. White shrugged.
"It'd be a pity." He said, he nodded to the engineers and they started shocking her.
Her mind felt like a large soggy piece of cardboard. Something stuck in it though. What she wanted, in order of priority, security, warmth, bliss.
Alec swallowed past the lump in his throat. He told himself that his misty vision was because of the sewer sludge. He stood in the shadows opposite the warehouse that White was in. He could sense it. He felt very hyper-aware.
He waited for Logan to cut the power.
He didn't have much time.
He knew Max didn't either.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Soldier And The Man
Alec was silent as he slunk through the warehouse, the guards never saw him coming. He was gentle with them, dropping them instead of flat out killing them. It was these little things that made Alec realise he was different from the soldier of months ago.
He came to a secure area and brushed the door with a magnet. There was a click and the door slid open. The chaos because of the power loss meant there was nobody watching the main passageways. In times of crisis -the obvious was always overlooked. Alec paused as he reached a room. He crouched by the grey wall and listened.
"Get the power back! Find out what happened to make the generators go out!" It was White, snapping out orders like usual.
"Sir - she's coming round." Some lackey said.
Alec froze.
Lydecker clenched his fist and clamped it to his side to keep from lashing out at White. "Get the generators back online!" White yelled. Lydecker felt himself walking forward.
"White." He drawled. Oblivious to the effect his voice had on the terrified young soldier behind the walls.
"494!"
The little boy suppressed the wince that was his instinctive reaction. His unit gathered behind him.
"Sir!" He yelled. Lydecker approached him, looked in horror at what 494 had let his unit do.
"The mission statement was to retrieve!" Lydecker turned away from the body that had been moving only minutes earlier. "Log 'em." Lydecker growled to his subordinate. "This is the second unit to kill-" He began.
"It wasn't the unit!" 494 stepped forward to say. The blow was swift and not really painful. But it knocked him sideways.
"Take him away! Isolation!" Lydecker ordered, white with rage.
"Leave my child alone." Lydecker growled. White walked right up to him, staring up into his eyes.
Max's voice in Alec's mind shook him.
Alec burst through the door. He brought his elbow down onto a guard and kicked the other that rushed towards him. Lydecker stepped back in surprise and then brought his fist crashing into White's face. White barely flinched.
Alec attacked the lackey and headed for the metal table where Max was tied down. White sailed through the air and landed in front of him. Alec smiled coolly and kickecd him with all the force he had. White grabbed his foot and sent him spinning. Alec let himself spin in the air and landed on the ground with his stomach on the floor. He flicked upwards and over White's head before White had a chance to react. He half spun and then delivered a powerful kick to White's back. White stumbled forwards.
"I'll get Max!" Lydecker cried, starting to untie her. Alec was doubtful of Deck's integrity but he had a more pressing worry at that point. White was attacking him with a variety of punches, driving Alec backwards into the pale walls. Alec's face contorted with hatred and he propelled his back against the smooth surface then he lifted his legs. White's chest impacted with his feet and Alec fell to the ground, White coming down on top of him. Alec put one hand to the back of White's neck and brought the heel of his other palm thrusting up into White's jaw.
Lydecker finished untying Max and he scooped her up into his arms. He turned to see Alec struggling with White's superior strength.
"Go!" Alec ordered. Anywhere was better than here. Lydecker went, he knew that that kid struggling was one of his kids. He thought it might be Ben's twin. Whoever it was- they had obviously fallen under Max's spell.
Alec managed to roll away from White, scrambling on the cold floor he put some distance between him and his opponent. White lunged for his leg and dragged him backwards, he brought his fists down on to Alec's neck, nearly breaking it. Alec felt his body light up in flaming pain. He twisted his body to look White in the eye.
"What are you?" He spat.
"Better." White growled. White brought his fist down for what was going to be the final time.
"Bite. My. Shiny. Transgenic. Ass." Alec hissed.He brought his other hand back and then delivered one huge, fatal punch.
Alec ran through the warehouse, White was going to come round soon. When he did - Alec planned to be far away. Very far away.
He exited quickly, the revving of an engine alerting him to his get-away vehicle being driven by Lydecker. It paused just long enough for Alec to get in and then they were gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This Time I'm Mistaken, For Having You A Heart Worth Breaking.
Max watched Alec as he slept off the after effects of Anna's synthesized cure on Logan's couch. Outside the sun was blinded by the cold curtain of rain.
Max was neither smiling, nor crying.
"Hello." Lydecker said, a little uncertainly he paused at the other side of the room. He watched as Max tensed, her eyes darted towards Alec's defenceless form. Lydecker resisted a smile. He remembered, back at Manticore, 494 and 452 had always been 'destined' to do missions together. Their profiles had matched exactly, they were good genetic code partners.
He never thought they would find each other outside.
"What do you want?" Max asked shortly. Lydecker smield at her and indicated Alec with a nod.
"He was a good soldier, always took the blame for his men." He offered. Max's expression softened for a minute, there was curiosity there.
"He was a CO?" She asked, relaxing into her seat again. Lydecker nodded.
"One of the best, in my opinion. Of course, officially he didn't score too high, kept blaming any mistakes on himself, instead of his unit. Something - Zack - never did." Lydecker decided not to come any closer. Max was gentle right now, but he didn't want to threaten her territory or what she considered 'hers'.
"When I was - when I was drugged out of my brains, I thought Zack was trying to rescue me." Max bit her lip.
"Understandable, he certainly would have." Lydecker said, not sure where this was going.
"Terrible thing is, I didn't want him. It wasn't that I didn't want out of there, it was just . . . I was scared. And one of the best ways I know to stop me getting scared is pissing me off. And Alec does that just great." Max smiled again, fondly at the sleeping Alec. Lydecker said nothing. He didn't believe her entirely.
"Max? Can we talk?" Logan interrupted. Max stood up and glanced at Alec doubtfully.
"Go ahead, I'll keep a watch." Lydecker offered. Max pouted for a second then followed Logan away.
"Max." Logan turned to see her, he reached across the gap and brushed her cheek. Max flinched away. Logan chuckled. "Max, it's okay. Remember? Virus gone." He smiled and reached to touch her again. Max caught his hand before it found her face.
"Max." Logan said again.
"Stop saying my name." Max ordered. Logan frowned and pulled his hand away.
"What's wrong with you?" He asked. Max put a hand to her head.
"I'm confused Logan." She said. Logan took a quick step forward.
"Lemme clear the issue." He said and kissed her deeply. Max almost forgot herself for a minute.
"Logan - you can't - Asha?" Max asked as she broke away. Logan smiled gently down at her.
"Asha - I love Asha, but there's Asha and then there's you. I can't make it any clearer."
"Logan!" Asha's heartfelt cry echoed throughout the apartment. Logan spun on his heel.
"Asha, I thought - we were clear over this! If Max and I-"
"Shut up!" Asha demanded. She turned and stormed out. Logan caught Max's arm before she got a chance.
"Max, I am going to fight for you."
"You don't have to-" Max retorted.
"Max." Alec whispered from the other door. Max turned.
"Alec- no. It's not what it looks-"
"Forget it." Alec's expression went rock solid. He turned and began walking out, despite his weakness.
"Alec! It's not this!" Max ran up to him. He turned and stared into her eyes, his seemed like deep orbs of pain.
"I would have given up everything. I thought, I thought I loved you more than I loved anything." He choked off and began to walk again.
"Alec!" Max cried.
"Never. Talk to me again." He growled over his shoulder.
"Are you okay?" Logan put a hand on Max's shoulder. On her peripheral vision she could see OC and Lydecker gathering.
"Boo." Cindy asked quietly.
"Max, I'm sorry." Logan pulled her closer. Max stared blankly at the door.
"I have to go after him." Max stepped away.
"You'll come back, won't you?" Logan asked. Max looked at him.
"I should." She said, as he began to sigh in relief she kept talking. "But I don't know. It was supposed to work this way. A cure. Alec leaving. Asha leaving. This was what I wanted. But Alec woke up when I was kissing you. Asha, saw me kissing you. Now they're both gone and you want me to come back."
"Won't you?" Logan asked, sounding scared.
"I said, that you wouldn't have to fight for me. That was because," Max looked down, her eyes misting over for the one guy she knew could have loved her unconditionally. She's lost him. Now she had him. She took a step in her chosen direction, saw Lydecker sigh and OC frown.
She prayed to the Blue Lady she had made the right choice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Read My Mind
Alec sat in the bar, his hand gently cupping his glass. He felt miserable, his head still ached from the cure and occasionally a flash of someones thoughts would surface in his mind.
Yup. Drinking was the only way to go. Too bad it took a lot of alcohol to get him drunk. And everytime he took a drink he felt very ill.
"Alec?" A familiarly hated voice intruded upon his river of denial.
"I thought I said I never wanted to talk to you again." He muttered, taking a deep drink and wishing he hadn't. She sat down beside him and put a hand on his. He flinched at the physical contact.
"Alec, please understand. Ohh. . . . where do I start." max cleared her throat. "What you did for me Alec, risking your life like that, going through that pain, again. It meant- it means, a lot to me. I'll never forget it."
Alec lifted his head, Max was watching him like a hawk. He felt his throat constrict and he looked down hastily.
"Yeah well, that's what happens when you're an idiot." He slammed the glass down, satisfied that Max jumped. He turned to look at her again. Max was struck by the startling clarity of his eyes. He was sober, and clear headed despite himself. He smiled, a sad, lingering expression which broke Max's heart.
"I . . . do . . . love you Max, even though you don't love me. I know this is what you were waiting for." He shifted and stood up. "I won't stand in your way."
"You're not going to kill Logan, are you?" Max asked, worriedly. Alec shook his head, again with that heart breaking facial expression.
"No, Logan doesn't need to fight for you." He gave her a little grin, trying to be the good little soldier. Max smiled and stood up.
"Thank you Alec. What you do for me, I will never forget any of it. I was close to death back there, it was you, not Logan, who brought me back."
Alec's eyebrows twitched, he was about to say something but decided against it.
"Just - if you ever do change your mind . . ." Alec said.
"Oh, I will never change my mind." Max said, a smile playing around her lips. Alec frowned a little, he could feel the confidence radiating from her.
"In fact." She stepped a little closer, she seemed self-assured and different from how she normally was. She seemed like the girl he had gotten a glimpse of when they could read each other's minds.
"In fact - the reason Logan wouldn't have to fight for me is because . . ." She closed the gap between them, grabbing his shirt with her hands and drawing his startled face to within inches of her own.
"I. Love. You." And before he had a chance to register this information she kissed him firmly and aggressively.
Alec was frozen for a split second as his brain registered three things.
* Max loved him.
* Max had changed somehow and seemed like a much nicer person.
* Max was kissing him.
He started to kiss her back, using his tongue to explore her mouth. Her arms slipped up around his neck and he wrapped his around her waist.
"Mmm." She said as they parted. "Nice."
Alec wondered if she had deliberately ran her tongue over her teeth like that. He became aware of a loud clapping noise all around him.
"Does this mean you're not with Logan?" He asked with baited breath, his arms still around Max. Max simply smirked. "You little . . ." Alec trailed off, supressing both the need to strangle her and the torrent of abuse that was about to spring from his lips. Max dimpled at him and turned to the crowd.
"Thank you, thank you. We'll be here for a while."
"Not if I have anything to do with it." Alec intoned darkly, leaning close to her ear to whisper. "You are going to pay for the angst you've put me through."
"What did you have in mind."
Grinning evilly Alec led her out of Crash.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Somebody's perky today." Normal commented as Alec came in, whistling to himself. OC shook her head and picked up the package Normal had given her.
"Normal, you don't want to know. It'd break your heart." Cindy said, walking out. She slapped Alec on the back as she passed and shook her head laughingly. Alec grinned and headed towards Normal.
"Hey Norm, what's up?"
"Packages not getting delivered is what's up." Normal looked suspisciously at Alec. "Hey where's Max today?"
Alec grinned, somewhat cat like.
"She'll be in soon Normal, promise." He slapped him on the shoulder. "She just needs some time to heal." Alec walked away, still whistling.
"Heal . . . wait! Alec! Come back here!" Normal started yelling.
"Alec?" Logan approached the lockers, he looked tired and drawn. Alec grinned at him, unable to stop himself.
"Hey Log boy, how's it going?" He asked. Logan glared at him unappreciatively.
"I'm looking for Max." Logan said. "I have papers for Lydecker." He said calmly.
"I don't know where Lydecker is. And I'm pretty sure Max doesn't either." Alec said, turning away.
"Listen." Logan caught Alec by the shoulder. "If you ever hurt Max I'll . . ."
"Don't worry about it Logan." Alec took his hand off his shoulder. "I won't. I couldn't." He rephrased with a quizzical grin.
"Hey people." Max greeted, slapping the palm of Sketchy as she walked in.
"Uh oh, where's the real Max and what have you done with her?" Sketchy asked seriously. Max grinned at him.
"I got rid of that monay puss, whole new, slash old, me."
"Good to hear it." Sketchy said wryly. Alec grinned as he caught sight of her.
"Looks like you brought my boo back." OC said to him.
"So this is what she used to be like?" Alec asked as Max seemed to greet everyone as if she hadn't seen them in ages. OC nodded.
"Yup, you did good Alec."
"So Max told me last night." Alec retorted. Cindy snorted and hit him.
"Hey!" Max scolded as she walked up. "I can't have him damaged." She wrapped an arm around his waist and grinned at Cindy.
"You weren't that bothered last night about damages." Alec said blithely, enjoying Logan's horrified look.
"As I recall, it wasn't me who was screaming." Max replied.
"Not all the time anyway." Alec said, unable to keep it up any longer he burst into laughter.
"Why don't we - um - go deliver a package?" Alec whispered.
"You read my mind."
Please e-mail the author of this story with your comments. jillybean@yahoo.com