Title:
Father Figures
Author:
aegean
E-mail:
aegean11@hotmail.com
Genre:
Angst, Angst, Romance, Action--
shippery
Rating:
R
Summary:
This is the sequel to Design. This
takes place 4 months after the events in Design.
Disclaimer: Dark Angel is a Fox /Cameron/Eglee
vehicle. I get no money. I do it for fun/practice Please don't sue me.
Notes: Tjis is the sequel to Design. You really have to read that first to really
understand where this story is coming from.
Again I have planned for 5 chapters—hopefully I'll be able to post one a
week but don't hold me to that. I
really hope you like this. I've been
working on it for a while. Please
R&R. Good/Bad whatever. Advice.
Anything works for me.
Prologue
------
The
familiar sound of compressed air had just signaled to the passengers that the
doors had closed. Seconds later the
calm lull of the bus resumed causing its newest dark haired passenger's slow
walk to the rear to be unsteady. The
man passed several empty seats, none of which seemed to suit his purposes until
he reached the last row. 'Couldn't have
planned this better.' "Excuse me, is
this seat taken," he said to the elderly woman enunciating his words as he
spoke to compensate for both the noise of the bus's engine and the woman's hearing
aid.
"No
dear, please sit." He prepared to take
the window seat but the woman suddenly stopped him. "Will you be riding long," she inquired.
"A
while," he replied.
"Then
you should take the window seat. I'll
be getting off soon."
"Thank
you," he replied extending his hand out to help the woman change seats.
Once
they were settled, he unfolded a newspaper and began to thumb through it. He perused the articles for several minutes
during which the elderly woman left and the bus went through another contraband
checkpoint. When the search had been
completed, and the bus was underway again, he began to whisper almost
inaudibly, but just loud enough for the man with the genetically enhanced
hearing sitting in front of him to discern.
"I have to hand it to him—the man knew what he was doing when he created
you, each one of you. Even still, there
is something particularly special about Max don't you think?"
The
fine hairs on the listeners neck began to stand at attention as the words
trailed into his ear. He knew he was
going to chastise himself for days to come for not insisting on the back
seat. There his back would have been
covered. No one could've gotten the
drop on him and phrases like 'danger' and 'unknown number of hostiles' wouldn't
now be dancing through his head.
However, thanks to his Manticore given abilities to multi-task and
parallel process, he was considering the danger while planning his next
move. Realizing there were simply too
many people on the bus for any displays of speed or strength, he figured the
only course of action would be to wait out the threat until he could move the
confrontation to a more secure location.
For the x5, the current level of vulnerability he was experiencing, left
much to be desired.
"I
know you can hear me," said the dark-haired man as he put down his paper, "no
sense in pretending you can't. But,
since I seem to have your undivided attention, I'll continue."
The
fine muscles that kept the chimera's jaw in place were flexed to their breaking
point, as he continued to listen, but still remained silent. 'Let the enemy divulge his plan and use the
knowledge to your advantage.'
"If
you look at Logan, he's not that bad either—good genes considering no
pre-market modifications were made.
Their children should be both gifted and attractive. I'm thinking they'll have at least a boy and
a girl with …I don't know…dark hair, blue eyes, and perfect complexions." He waited for a response, but the trans-gen
was still firmly positioned behind his wall of silence. "Too bad, they should've been your
children."
"What
do you mean?" The voice sounded foreign
as the words escaped the x5's lips. He
had no intention of dignifying any rogue statement with a comment. However, like any species of cat, his curiosity
needed fulfillment.
"For
a moment I was beginning to feel odd mumbling to myself. I'm glad to see that you're with me
now—unfortunately this is my stop."
Just as he finished, the bus halted abruptly and the driver announced
that passengers would be let off momentarily.
The man looked out the window a moment before continuing. "This really is a beautiful town. It's known for its parks. I believe there are eight within the city
limits. You might find it a nice place
to stop, rest, and walk around." He
folded his paper in two. "I myself
usually walk through Dyer Park every afternoon." He stood to leave. "If
you do decide to stay, I'd be more than happy to show you around." He walked down the aisle, but turned a few
seats from the door. "Oh, and about
before…I simply meant that it's natural for you to want to be with Max. You're supposed to." He smiled.
"You truly are more impressive than even I would've imagined. What beautiful children you would have
had."
The
x5 watched as the man climbed into a car and drove away. Every part of him that was thinking clearly
told him to stay on the bus. If only he
could've written the encounter off as just another man attempting to pick up on
him. It wasn't as though it hadn't
happened before. All the x5's were the
object of desire for both sexes and many men over the years had tossed offers
his way. He was used to it
happening. But, deluding himself, even
for an instant, to the true nature of the exchange would've been
unacceptable. So, even if he was
walking into a trap, Zack knew he had to get off the bus and meet the man with
the answers.
