Thanks to Cecil for the beta!
A/N: Story begins 3 months after S2 E13 "Harbor Lights."
Max had been waiting for two hours every day for the past three months. Waiting on the doctor to find a cure for the virus she carried that was targeted to Eyes Only's DNA. Logan, the man she had loved and thought was THE ONE. Now, she wasn't so sure, but how could she be when she could barely look at Logan, much less touch him. She despised Manticore for doing this to her. It had affected her relationships with everyone. It hurt her to talk to Logan, and she usually avoided him at all costs. Her relationship with Alec was also strained as he was constantly coming up with annoying jokes about Max and Logan never 'getting busy' when they had the chance. Max and Original Cindy were closer in some ways, but whenever the subject of guys came up, Max instantly clammed up and refused to talk. It's like she was walking around in a dream; everything moved in slow motion and her world was falling apart. All because Manticore felt threatened by the truth that Eyes Only had announced during one of his cable hacks. Could my life get any worse?
Max was stirred from her self-pity when the doctor came back into the exam room. Great. He didn't find a cure today, so we'll try for tomorrow. Max rolled her eyes. She had gotten tired of him always taking blood and running tests. Blah blah woof woof. It seemed that every day she was giving 50 gallons of blood to this loser, and every day her hopes were crushed when the tests came back positive for the virus. Why even bother, I have no hope anymore. I don't even know why I still come to this guy. It's not like we've made any improvements with this darn virus. Okay, so maybe this 'loser' is Sam Carr; the guy that has saved mine and Logan's lives too many times to count, but still, no improvements means no physical contact between Logan and me.
"Okay, Max, I'm going to give you something that I think may reverse the virus. It might sting a little, but it will be over before you know it. Then you can go back to work and come in tomorrow to run some more blood tests to see if the antigen worked."
Max lied down on the table and Dr. Carr inserted the needle just below the skin at the inside of her wrist. Immediately, she felt a tingling sensation in her arm and it traveled through her body. She looked up at Dr. Carr, preparing to comment about the icy feeling, but her eyes felt heavy and she quickly drifted off to sleep.
Max woke up in the same position she had been when she had fallen asleep. Only one difference: a familiar looking man was in the room with her, but it wasn't Dr. Carr. His back was to her, but he had a model-esque look about him. He had perfect, tan skin and she guessed he was about 6'1".
"Maxie? You awake, kiddo?" Only one person in the world called her 'kiddo'. Alec. She tried to sit up, but her head started spinning. Alec grabbed her hand and assured her, "Everything is gonna be okay, Max. You just had some screwed up reaction to the antigen."
"Alec, what the heck are you doing here?" And why are you holding my hand?! Max knew she had put Alec as her emergency contact. Crazy as it sounds; it made sense because he understood everything about being a screwed up, genetically enhanced superhuman.
"Well, Max, our boy Sam here had to give ya some of my blood to make ya come back to life. No need to thank me. It's all in a day's work. Sammy boy is back in the lab doing some kinda test on your blood. He should be back soon."
"Look, Alec, you are free to go. There's no need for you to hold my hand and wait with me like a little girl. I can take care of myself."
"That's what worries me, Maxie." Alec smirked. He knew she hated that nickname, but he had told her a million times that he "said it with love."
Max moved her arm as if to smack Alec, but he pulled away out of reach. "You're lucky I can't whoop your skinny little—"
She was cut off by Dr. Carr opening the door. "I have some good news, Max. The blood from Alec negated the effects of the faulty antigen." He said with a smile.
"And the bad news? I mean, there's always bad news, right?" Max didn't try to hide the sarcasm in her voice.
"Well, I guess the bad news is that you'll have to return tomorrow. I think I've finally found out how to manipulate the antigen to our advantage. Just give me 24 hours and we'll try this again." Max couldn't help but think how sincere the doctor sounded. Like he really wants to find the cure for this virus too.
"Come on, Max, let's get outta here." Not that Alec was ready to go to work, but he had a strange feeling in his gut that something just wasn't right, and he planned on telling Max about it ASAP.
Max headed across town to Jam Pony, not really caring if she would make it on time. The traffic was terrible. I could always tell Normal my bike got a flat tire. She had been trying to ignore the annoying voice of Alec coming from over her right shoulder, but the longer she ignored it, the louder it became. She had half a mind to put the brakes on and put the smack down on Alec right there in the middle of the intersection they were sitting at. She rolled her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief when the light finally turned green and she pedaled fast towards the Jam Pony building, only braking to a stop when Normal ran out in front of her like a maniac. Heck, he is a maniac.
"Where the fire truck have you been, Missy Miss?"
Max flashed Normal an innocent grin and said, "Alec had an accident. Lost his brain. Go easy on him." She ran off to put her things in her locker before Normal had a chance to interrogate her further.
She snickered at Alec's confused face when Normal handed him 5 packages and said, "Get a move on! I've got 5 more where those came from!"
"Come on, Normal, it's not my fault—"
Alec was cut off by Cindy, "Hey, fools. EO's on the TV." She glared at Alec as she held down the 'up' volume button on the remote, daring him to make a scene. True, he was an X5, but Cindy intimidated him with her knowledge of the streets and her tough attitude.
Everyone gathered around the television, watching the blue and red bands run along the top and bottom of the set of mysterious eyes. The Jam Pony messengers waited anxiously, until a distorted voice said, "Do not attempt to adjust your set. This is a Streaming Freedom Video bulletin. The cable hack will last exactly 60 seconds. It cannot be traced, it cannot be stopped and it is the only free voice left in the city."
There was a slight pause as the speaker organized his thoughts, during which Alec and Max exchanged uneasy looks. The voice continued, "Several doctors from the secret government facility of Manticore have been working undercover to get information on the transgenics that escaped in winter of '09. These doctors have been given orders to inject their transgenic patients with a lethal bioweapon, a virus designed to spread between the X5s and kill them within 24 hours. If you are one of these transgenics, and you are in the Seattle area, I urge you to be careful when seeking medical treatment. Do not divulge any private information that can tie you to Manticore; do not disclose your designation or your barcode. Only take tested and approved prescribed medications and only depend on those you know you can trust with your life. This has been a Streaming Freedom Video bulletin. Peace. Out."
"Boy is he full of crap." Normal shook his head. "There isn't anything on this earth that can save those trannies from destruction. They're gonna get what they deserve soon enough. I'm telling you now, ladies and gents, the end is near for those bloodsucking mutants." He looked around, making sure the messengers were paying attention to him. "Now get back to work!"
The messengers scattered, grabbing packages and hopping onto their bikes to make their runs. Max made her way through the maze of lockers to the telephone, followed by Alec and Cindy. She had dialed half of Logan's number when a hand ripped the phone from her grasp. "What the heck are you doing, Alec? I got a call to make!"
"No, not yet. Lover Boy can wait. I promise." Max reached for the phone. "Nuh-uh, Maxie. We gotta talk."
"About what, Smarty-Pants?" Max rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Spit it out already. We ain't got time to waste. Normal'll be on our cases if we don't get outta here." Cindy peeked around the lockers, making sure Normal was preoccupied for the moment.
Alec's expression was serious as he bent his head closer to Max's face. "What exactly do you know about Sam Carr, Max? How do you know you can trust him?"
"Oh, for real, Alec?" Max grabbed Cindy's arm and turned to leave, but Alec jumped in front of her.
"Listen, 452," Alec hissed, "who told you about Sam?"
Max just wanted him to shut up. "Logan, okay? And before you say anything, yes, I trust him. With my life. We cool?"
Alec held his hands up, seemingly satisfied with her answer. But before Max stormed off to grab a package from Normal, she glared at Alec and said, "The name's Max, by the way."
Cindy looked over to Alec, shaking her head in disbelief. "What's your dealio?"
"I don't think she should be so willing to trust Sam, much less anyone Logan suggests."
"Alec, you're seriously tellin' me that just 'cause you're jealous of my home girl, Logan isn't trustworthy? You're trippin'." Cindy crossed her arms over her chest and waited for the predictable, ridiculous excuse.
"Come on, OC. You know there aren't that many good people in the world. And there's no way Logan can be friends with all of 'em. Even if he is Eyes Only. Besides, Sam's been doing who knows what with her blood work. He could've injected her with the virus for all we know."
Cindy couldn't believe her ears. "Look, my boo trusts Logan, and I'm sure these people have to prove themselves trustworthy to him 'fore he'll do business with 'em. Just chill. Max'll take care of herself. And before you start thinkin' even more sideways than you are now, Logan's a good guy. Max loves him an' the only thing she wants is to be able to touch 'im again. Don't you spoil that for her."
Cindy smiled and patted Alec's cheek with her hand. "See ya, playa. And just be happy Max has someone she can trust." And with that, Cindy grabbed her bag and walked over to the dispatch desk.
"She has me." Alec whispered to not one in particular. "She can trust me. I don't hide behind a mask," he said with a mix of jealousy and disgust.