Rainbow Connection Chapter 1: Prologue: A Casserole And A Frisbee, a dark angel fanfic

RAINBOW CONNECTION

by Newly Human

Synopsis: Logan held Max in his arms as she died, but will he be able to accept that she is gone? A new friend arrives who feels his pain, in more ways than one. And by helping her, Logan may be able to help himself. Friendship, intrigue, action, and most importantly… hope.

Timeline: The following takes place in between seasons 1 and 2. Slight Alternate Universe for the season 1 finale, but other than that it should fit nicely in between.

Disclaimer: Dark Angel the series and all it's characters belong to Fox, Cameron/Eglee Productions and other respective owners. I don't mean to infringe so please don't sue. Kaia Kilbourne and the plot are mine.

Authors Note: I know Dark Angel has long been off the air, but I guess I'm still in denial. This is my first published fan fiction and any feedback would be muchly appreciated. Hope you like it, -- Newly Human

PROLOGUE / CHAPTER 1
And Jesus Brought a Casserole… and a Frisbee

1:36 AM, Outside Manticore, Gillette, Wyoming.

"Max!"

Her head rolled back. Lifeless.

"Max, Max…" Logan's cries got muffled as he buried his head into her hair. "Max… No, no…" He wasn't ready to let her go. "Max, no…" Logan didn't even notice when a hand reached over and felt for her pulse.

"She's gone." he heard Lydecker say.

"I'm going to get her back inside," A renewed strength seemed to surge through him and he started to lift her. "They can fix her up in there."

Lydecker sighed. "Listen, I know how you feel, son, but you've got to let her go."

Lydecker watched briefly as Logan ignored him and continued trying to get Max up off the ground. A thud later, and Logan was on the floor too.

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Krit and Syl burst out of the foliage and into the sight of the parked Animal Control van. Lydecker, at the open door, spun around at the sound. Logan lay unconscious inside.

"They got Zack." Krit breathed.

"Max?" Syl asked hopefully.

Like a true leader, Lydecker didn't hesitate for a second. "K.I.A. Let's move out."

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Inside Manticore, Doctors were frantic.

"She's got a gunshot wound to the left upper chest. No pulse. Been doing CPR for six minutes. I'm going to intubate."

"She's in v-fib. I've got to crack her chest."

"Rib spreaders!"

"One amp EPI given."

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A small figure, panting out of breath, emerged from the thick foliage and crashed right into the red 'Animal Control' letters. Krit and Syl whipped around the van to face the intruder. A dishevelled, dark haired girl, not much younger than they were, stepped right into Krit's path.

"Zack?" The girl, realising it wasn't Zack – and that guns were being pointed at her – slowed her speed down dramatically. Her urgency, however, had not diminished. With her arms raised in a gesture of peace, she swiftly sidestepped around the gun holders and rounded the van only to find herself facing another gun.

"Who are you?" a grave, imposing voice demanded.

The girl hardly noticed. She looked at the older man with pleading, desperate eyes and gasped "Zack! Where's Zack?"

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Zack struggled in the straps with ferocity. The two men pushing the stretcher glanced worriedly at each other as they rolled him into the operating room. The doors swung uncontrollably behind.

Entering the room Zack noticed the bleeding girl on the bed in front of him.

"Max!"

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"I'm going to repeat the question," Lydecker stated calmly. Syl came around and stood pointing her gun to the girl's side, blocking her in against the van.

"I'm looking for Zack!" The girl reiterated, her hands still up and visibly shaking.

"Who. Are. You."

The girl seemed to suddenly notice the army getup each of them were wearing and glanced up.

"I need to find X5-599!"

And so unbecoming of soldiers, all three flinched.

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"What's her condition?"

The doctor let out a long breath "The bullet went clean through. Her right ventricle is collapsed. She's gone."

"Is there damage to any other organs?" Renfro asked.

She received a small shake of the head.

Disappointed herself, Renfro turned away. "Prep her for harvesting."

"No!"

Zack wrestled free from the straps, and grabbing the nearest soldier, knocked him out in a heartbeat. He pulled one arm around Renfro's neck, drawing her close, and pointed the fallen soldier's gun at the doctors menacingly.

"Bring her back!"

"Her heart's too badly damaged." The doctor explained.

"Then transplant her!"

"There's nothing in the donor bank."

Zack slowly pulled the gun in to rest against Renfro's temple.

"Then you need a donor."

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"I need to get to him!" The girl pleaded. "He's afraid."

She shook her head, as if trying to clear away sand from her hair, "Not for himself."

The girl stopped abruptly and whispered, "He's afraid for his family."

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"It won't do her any good." Renfro reasoned, "She's an X5. She needs an X5 heart."

Shoving her away, Zack moved over to kneel at Max's side. No one tried to stop him.

"Fight them, Maxie. Promise me you'll fight them." He had vowed to protect her, to protect them all.

He had vowed to do everything he could to protect them.

With a final, resolute, nod, Zack stood up and turned to Renfro.

"X5-599, I've got a heart for you."

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The girl spun around unexpectedly, and stared off into the woods leading to Manticore. She slowly inched her way out from the circle of firearms and moved toward the edge of the clearing. The three stood watching her as if in a trance.

She let out a barely audible "No." and broke into a run.

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BANG!

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As if struck by lightening, the running girl slammed to a halt just as she reached the first tree, and collapsed to the dirt floor.