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A Brown Paper Bag and an ASD - Chapter 1
Transgenics were leaving Terminal City in droves. Escape and evade was the new plan for survival.
Every morning, for the past week, Max had awaited news from those who left the night before. Each time she learnt they were safe and choosing to stick together, it warmed her heart.
Alec had been dropping more and more hints that they should leave Terminal City together. Max wasn't sure if he was serious half the time or simply trying to get a reaction from her. Tropical locations by the beach were his favourite predictions of their future. His pleasure was obvious as he described the various bikini's she'd be wearing.
As much as Alec annoyed her sometimes, it was comforting to know he might stick by her side.
Joshua had made it clear that he didn't want to hide again. He wouldn't be a prisoner in Sandeman's house. Separating from Joshua was difficult to think about, but it made sense for him to stay with his new friends, those who didn't look like everyone else. Max frequently took the freedom she experienced as an X Series for granted.
Max was leaning against the balcony railing of headquarters while Mole stood beside her. Luke dilly-dallied over to them and eyed her with a solemn gaze.
"Sketchy just called," Luke said. Her posture no longer casual as her mind raced to numerous dire scenarios involving Original Cindy. "Kapsy's causing trouble at the Blowfish Tavern." He flinched away from her, anticipating an explosion.
"What else is new?" She replied not at all amused but relieved her best friend was safe.
Max felt someone tap on her arm and glanced sideways.
A sense of relief washed over her when she saw Alec, part of her worried that one of these nights he'd leave without saying goodbye. Like her, he kept his cards close to his chest.
"What's the latest?" he asked.
"Kapsy."
"Again." Alec shook his head and let out a small laugh.
"You should've never introduced him to Sketchy," Max chastised.
"I live and learn... So, naturally, you're off to the rescue? Is there a plan this time? Eventually, the drunks will recognise you."
"What do you think they're talking about?" Max gestured towards Luke and Mole who stood a few feet away.
Alec pulled out his phone and keyed in a number. "I'll call Biggs."
"Why? I've got you and Mole." Max turned her body to face him.
"Hey man, I need you over in HQ for a retrieval job with Max and Mole ASAP." He closed his flip phone and put it back inside his jacket. "I can't go. Take Biggs, he'll look out for you."
"Whatever," she remarked.
He grasped her arm. "It's important; otherwise you know I'd be there with you."
She pulled her arm from his grip and gazed into the distance for a moment. Ever since Biggs survived a close call with vigilantes, Alec had insisted he was her permanent backup and only him.
"Let him help," Alec pled interrupting her thoughts.
"Fine," she spat back.
"Hallelujah, the faithful bodyguard has arrived!" Mole obnoxiously announced to Luke.
"You're lucky to have me. One look at your face and they'd all run away screaming." Alec nudged Max with his elbow encouraging her to play along.
She wasn't going to pretend she was happy. She would never admit it to anybody, but she felt safer with Alec by her side.
The idea of being tortured to death and strung up in the street, while people celebrated around her freshly battered corpse, was unsettling, to say the least.
She looked over her shoulder towards Mole. "He's not coming. Better things to do."
Mole grunted in surprise and Luke's eyes widened in shock.
"Max…" Alec's tone of voice begged for her understanding. Her eyes met his briefly.
"Do what ya gotta do." She turned her back on him, to face Mole and Luke.
"I'll need some ammo," Mole said to Luke. She heard Alec exhale heavily behind her.
"We're not going to a shootout!" Max warned. "We keep it low key and get the hell out of there."
"Better to be prepared for an ambush," Mole argued. "Ain't no breeding cult goon putting a hole in me, like they did your pretty boy."
She felt a warm breath on her neck. "Promise me you'll be careful?" Alec whispered near her ear. The aroma of his aftershave had her transfixed in place.
Mole groaned in disgust as she tried to gather her thoughts with Alec dragging his index finger along her forearm.
"This better be important." Hearing Biggs voice Alec shifted away from her. "Tori was gonna cave I could feel it," Biggs whined.
"Kapsy," Alec deadpanned.
Biggs's outburst of laughter filled the room. "That's the third time this month."
Mole cocked his head for Luke to follow him downstairs. Max watched as they disappeared from sight.
"Your job is to make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."
Max spun around and swung her hand at Alec's head. He halted her movement in mid-air, catching her wrist, his piercing green eyes intense as they studied hers. "Promise me."
She wasn't making any promises. Life and death decisions had to be made on the fly, it came with the territory. Alec seemed to believe her life was more important than anyone else's.
"I won't let her put herself in danger," Biggs intervened trying to break their stalemate.
"Happy?" Max's voice dripped with sarcasm.
Alec let go of her wrist. "Come to Joshua's when you get back, he's cooking."
Stubbornly she made him wait for a response. A small nod was all the ground she was going to concede.
"Good luck!" He quipped to Biggs as he patted him on the shoulder in a brotherly manner.
Alec walked out of Headquarters and Max's eyes followed him.
"Max..."
Alec disappeared around a corner, out of sight, leaving her wondering what was so important.
"MAX! Are you coming?" Biggs stood in front of her, sporting a warm smile. "We need to find Mole before he's packing grenades."
"Come on." They started walking towards the Armory room. "The main plan for tonight is to keep Mole out of any action."
"He's going to hate you," Biggs warned.
"Does it look like I care? He's been a real pain in my ass lately."
Once they had convinced Mole to drop the grenades Max and Biggs sped out of Terminal City on their motorbikes.
Biggs let her lead the way through the dimly lit shortcuts of Seattle's roads while he followed. Max slowed down and entered a mostly vacant underground carpark.
He was hot on her tail, pulling into the car space next to hers. She cut the engine to her bike and he did the same.
Mole drove into a spot beside them minutes later. He had insisted on taking the van so he could keep his faithful shotgun by his side.
Max walked up to the van and knocked on the driver's side window. He wound it down slowly, purposely testing her patience.
"Wait here unless we call you," she ordered. Mole hated taking orders from anyone.
"Yes, mam! If you call… don't expect me to come running." He wound his window up quickly to cut off her reply.
Biggs watched her angrily remove her riding gloves and chuckled. They were an entertaining pair. Mole was going to get his ass kicked big time one of these days.
Max and Biggs strode out of the carpark headed towards the Tavern.
Along the way, he looked up at the moonlit starry sky and the towering apartment buildings which surrounded them. Only a few windows remained intact, a result of the pulse and current economic depression, he figured. The flickers of candlelight were visible inside those that weren't abandoned.
Biggs felt a slight hump under his foot. A crunching noise followed shortly after. He glanced down to find a crushed soft drink can. He kicked it to the side of the pathway where windswept rubbish had accumulated, impeded by a drain pipe.
Max was quieter than usual, he mused. Focused on the mission perhaps? Or was she wishing Alec was there?
"So..." That one word hung in silence as he struggled to think of a conversation topic. They had never hung out together without Alec as a buffer.
Thinking of his friend gave him an idea.
494 had a reputation with the ladies during their time at Manticore. His boasting ways and cocky behaviour had followed him to Terminal City. Biggs wanted to know if one particular tale his friend spun was true. "Alec said you used to dance at this club?"
She looked up and scowled at him. "You should know not to believe everything that comes out of his mouth."
"Apparently Normal and Sketchy saw you there one night, the night you were fired."
"Remind me to kill Alec when we get back."
Biggs laughed at her fiery temper. Alec, better than anyone, knew how to get a reaction from Max. In turn, she was the only person he'd ever seen get under Alec's skin.
The music from the nightclubs up ahead could be heard down the street. Long lines of people were congregated outside the venues.
To avoid walking past the crowds, Biggs crossed the road and Max followed. He pulled his beanie a little lower and she did the same.
"HEY, YOU OVER THERE!" A male bellowed behind them.
Biggs felt his heart race, reminded of the day in the market place when he'd barely escaped with his life.
Max's wide eyes met his and they picked up their pace. He hoped Alec didn't have reason to be worried.
"Greg! Leave them alone. We're at the rope. Hurry up," a female yelled from across the road.
"Damn it, Sharon! Now she's getting away."
The man's voice was quieter this time.
Biggs felt some tension leave his body. They weren't being followed.
He didn't want to make a scene, but he was prepared to protect Max at all costs. He put his arm around her and uncharacteristically she tucked into his side. "We'll be fine, I'll make sure of it," Biggs said aloud to reassure them both. "Where is this place?"
"See that street a few blocks up?" Max pointed ahead to direct his gaze and he nodded in understanding. "It's just around the corner."
They walked a few hundred metres and turned down Kensington Street. A neon sign of a large blowfish flashed overhead.
"You're coming in the back with me," she reminded him.
They entered the alleyway behind the tavern and walked towards the closed double doors. Biggs sheltered her from view so she could pick the lock.
She opened the door and took his hand in hers. Max led them into a room with little makeup stations.
Loud applause could be heard from the neighbouring room. "They're coming, keep quiet," she warned.
"Who's coming?" he whispered back.
He heard female voices and seconds later four identical, scantily clad women entered the room. "Quadruplets," he marvelled ignoring Max who was rolling her eyes.
Max unzipped her jacket and removed it. She sat down at a makeup station and rummaged around the containers on the benchtop.
"What are you doing?"
"What does it look like? Blending in, you should do the same."
Two of the dancers began to undress and Biggs stared in delight as they dropped their tops. A sudden searing pain shot through his thigh.
He looked down to see Max's elbow moving away from him. "Subtle," he groaned rubbing the sore spot.
A leggy blonde entered the room and stared at Max with a smug grin on her face. "I knew you'd be back."
Max's mouth gaped open and she tried to hide her embarrassment by continuing to search through the makeup in front of her.
The blonde pressed herself against Biggs as she sashayed past him. His eyes trailed after her while she sorted through a rack of outfits and pulled out a black number.
She brought it over to Max and held it out for her to take. "I saw this and thought it would be perfect for you."
Max graciously took the outfit and placed it on the table in front of her. "Thanks... I have to talk to the boss first. I'm not dancing tonight."
"Star!" A man with an earpiece beckoned through the curtain.
"I have to change. We'll talk later?" Star walked back to the clothes rack and grabbed a space-themed outfit to change into.
The curtain opened and a menacingly large African American man entered the room.
He pointed at Biggs accusatorily. "Who are you?"
The blowfish logo was embroidered on his shirt and the words 'security' sat atop his left pocket. He loomed closer intending to intimidate but he was no threat to an X5. "I'm with the new talent, I'm her manager."
The bouncer didn't seem all that interested in his answer, distracted by Star who was changing her clothes.
Moments later he left the room with Star on his arm.
Max remained tight-lipped about the whole encounter, simply applying lipstick and glitter to her face. Biggs wasn't going to pretend nothing happened. Alec was telling the truth.
"You really were a dancer here," he declared amazed and amused.
Max shot up from her seat and pulled Biggs down by his ear. "It was for a rescue mission and I didn't dance for anyone besides Alec... Wait... I didn't mean it like that."
Biggs held up his hands in innocence. "You don't need to explain it to me. You gave Alec a lap dance... I'm sure you're not the first."
Max screwed up her face and punched his arm. "Let's find Kapsy and get out of here." He watched as she gathered her tank top behind her back and tied it in place with a hairband. The action exposed her olive hip bones.
"What?" She glared at his stare.
"Nothing." Biggs was trying not to sexualise Max in his mind. She was his best friend's girl, even if Alec hadn't declared it.
They exited the back room andwalked out onto the main floor of the crowded Tavern. The stage lights flashed in a strobe effect as the announcer's voice boomed from the speakers. "Have you ever been to space? Get ready for Star to take you there."
The strobes stopped and a spotlight lit up the stage. Star appeared from behind the curtains to appreciative wolf whistles and catcalls.
"I want to show Star my rocket," slurred an all too familiar voice.
Biggs spotted Kapsy climbing onto the stage. His hands were desperately pawing at Star as she clambered away from him.
Max had seen it too. She rushed the stage and grabbed Kapsy by the neck before the security guards could get their hands on him. "He's a regular of mine fellas, I'll handle it."
"Whoo-hoo party tonight! The more the merrier."
"Shut it!"
Biggs helped her get a rowdy Kapsy down off the stage as Sketchy joined them.
"Good to see you guys. He was getting out of hand; a bunch of guys were watching us. I think they might be… you know..."
"What guys Sketchy?" Max demanded.
Sketchy looked around the crowd. "2 o'clock in the suit."
He didn't look suspicious, just seemed like a regular old guy that worked in an office.
From the corner of his eye, Biggs spotted a Caucasian man standing up and reaching into his jacket. He saw a glimmer of metal before Max blurred from his side with Kapsy.
The man managed to follow her movement but his gun misfired. She was shielding Kapsy ready to take the hit.
"Shit!" Biggs exclaimed.
The gun-toting man pulled the trigger again. Biggs knocked Kapsy and Max out of the line of fire. He heard the bullet whizz by his ear in the process. So close, in fact, he checked to see if it clipped his ear.
He was relieved to find no blood on his fingers. The club erupted into screams and hysteria as everyone tried to flee.
"Get up and GO!" Biggs yelled to the pair. "I'll hold him off."
Max hesitated, she never left anyone behind. "NOW MAX! You'll get me killed if you don't."
Her eyebrows knotted in confusion before she registered he was talking about Alec. She nodded and dragged Kapsy by his hair towards the back of the establishment.
Most of the Taverns occupants, including Sketchy, had fled amid the gunfire. Biggs pulled out his gun and shot the lights. In the dark, he blurred towards the suited man and knocked him out.
He fell to the ground with one blow, thankfully. Biggs ran out of the front entrance with the few who had yet to depart.
Max was manhandling Kapsy around the corner up ahead. He sprinted after her hearing sirens in the distance.
When he caught up to them he smacked Kapsy on the back of the head. "You idiot!"
"Ouch," Kapsy complained. "I was about to go to space and you ruined it for me again. Where's Alec?"
"Do you think he wants to bail you out all the time?" Max asked.
"You do." He wrapped his arm dangerously low around her waist.
"Maybe next time I won't," she threatened and shoved his arm away from her.
"I'm sorry, Max."
"I've heard it all before. How you'll never do it again. Don't waste your breathe and keep walking."
"Give him here." Biggs grabbed Kapsy slinging his arm over his shoulder and taking his waist.
When they entered the underground carpark, Mole started up the van.
Max opened the side door and Biggs shoved Kapsy inside. He slammed the door closed and Mole drove out of the carpark, without a word.
Biggs replayed the night's events over and over in his head as they waited for the brigade of police sirens to subside.
"So much for keeping it low key," Max said sarcastically.
"Are you going to tell Alec?" It was all he could think about, Alec's reaction.
"There's nothing to tell him."
"You were nearly shot!"
Max shrugged. "But I wasn't."
"You're only standing here because his gun jammed. He trusted me to protect you and-"
"You did… Not that I need protecting. I'm not some damsel in distress." Max picked up her riding gloves and put them on. "I won't say anything. You think I want Alec breathing down my neck. He's bad enough now."
"Thanks, Max." She could be a cool chick sometimes when she wasn't handing out orders.
"Sketchy's the one with the big mouth."
He hadn't thought about Sketchy.
He had seen everything.
"I can bribe him." She laughed as they both sat down on their motorbikes. "Race you back?"
"You're on," she said gleefully revving her engine.
Biggs sped out of the carpark headed back the way they came. He could hear the roar of her bike close by.
He pulled up to a set of red lights and she stopped alongside him. Biggs revved his engine challenging Max.
A mischievous grin appeared on her face just before the lights turned green.
He took off determined to beat her for the sake of his manhood. He was off to the early lead again, losing wasn't an option.
On second thought he couldn't hear her bike anymore.
He glanced around to find she was no longer following him. She must have turned at the lights. "Damn it!"
She had been living in Seattle a lot longer than him, of course, she knew more shortcuts.
He rode at dangerously high speeds back to Terminal City. His Manticore training and fast reflexes came in handy.
The gates of TC opened as he approached. Mole's van was in its usual spot and Max's bike was missing.
Biggs parked his motorbike feeling elated, victory was sweet. He strutted over to Mole and Kapsy.
"Queen B is looking for you so you might want to hide," Mole warned.
Biggs's grin faded. "When?"
"A few minutes ago, hot shot," Max said from behind him.
He reluctantly turned around, prepared to watch her gloat. Her eyes were sparkling with satisfaction. "What took you so long?"
"How did you-?"
"Win?" She was looking far too proud of herself. "Did you run out of gas?"
"You better get going to Joshua's." Biggs wanted her out of his sight.
"I think I want to bask in this glory."
"We both know Alec will only come looking for you if you don't leave now," he bargained.
She considered what he said. "We'll pick this up later."
"I'm sure you won't let me forget anytime soon." Max grinned back at him as she walked off.
She was a handful sometimes.
He was glad she was Alec's handful.
On the way to Joshua's apartment for dinner, she spotted two shadows on the wall of a building in the distance. Using her enhanced vision, she made out Alec's figure in the dark alleyway beyond Terminal City's fence.
She observed from afar careful to remain hidden. He was talking to a short, bald, middle-aged man. Alec handed the stranger a wad of cash and in return was given a small brown bag.
Max heard rustling in a nearby trashcan followed by a loud clang as the bin fell to the ground. She ducked out of sight before Alec could catch a glimpse of her.
Her mind raced with possible explanations for what she had just witnessed. Whenever Alec tried to hide things from her it was bad news for everyone involved.
To dodge Alec, she made her way to Joshua's via a longer alternate route.
She wasn't far from Joshua's when she sensed the one man she had been trying to avoid.
Max crossed the street to get away from him. He followed and pulled her in close to his side, draping an arm over her shoulders. "Cold?"
For a man in her bad books, he was feeling particularly brave tonight. Max looked up at his face. His genuine warm expression stopped her from shoving him away. It was a cold night.
"Thanks," she said, putting her hands in the large middle pocket of his hoodie.
"No problem." He smiled and rubbed her upper arm to keep her warm. "I see you're back in one piece, so I know you didn't do anything stupid."
"I never do," Max snapped provoked by his accusation. He, on the other hand, had the tendency to do stupid things like fight in public or have Joshua deliver packages for him.
"We can agree to disagree."
She was hesitant to ask him about the man in the alleyway because part of her didn't want to know.
Little by little, she had started to rely on him and she liked who he had become. She didn't want their friendship to take a step backwards, but history taught her he couldn't be trusted to handle his problems on his own.
"I saw you in the alleyway." She felt his body tense for a split second before he covered it. "Is that why you couldn't help with Kapsy?"
"Yeah, it's nothing important."
"Are you selling Andy again?" She gazed ahead wishing her instincts were wrong. How else could he explain it?
"No. Max." He moaned and begrudgingly lifted his arm off of her shoulder.
She pulled her hands out of his hoodie and stopped him in his tracks with a hand to his chest. "I saw you, Alec!"
"What exactly did you see?" He raised his arms questioning why she would assume the worst. "Dix needed a microchip, so I tracked one down and I had that guy bring it to me. Why are you so bugged out?"
She crossed her arms and studied his face trying to determine if he was lying.
He was.
She could feel it in her bones and it made her blood boil. She didn't respond, instead, she left him to trail behind her the rest of the way to Joshua's.
Alec didn't try to persuade her. He wasn't stupid and unfortunately for him neither was she.
Max stopped outside Joshua's and knocked on his door. It opened and their cheerful friend appeared.
"Lil Fella and Alec, you're just in time. Food's still hot, too hot." He waved cool air into his mouth.
Max stepped inside and hugged Joshua.
"We said we'd be here. No reason to lie," Alec replied.
She glanced back at him from the comfort of Joshua's arms, aware of his attempt to rattle her.
Alec didn't get to keep secrets from her. Dix would probably be in on whatever he was up to, so she would have to find out the old-fashioned way. When he leaves Terminal City, she will break into his apartment and get her answers.
For now, though, she needed to get through dinner. After her argument with Alec, she knew it was going to be a long night.
Alec strolled along the sidewalk inside Terminal City to meet Biggs. The tense atmosphere at dinner last night wasn't far from his mind.
After Max questioned his activities she was determined to give him the cold shoulder. She kept conversations with Joshua flowing but barely made eye contact with him. He had tried to engage her a few times and failed miserably, receiving a grunt or two in response. She was definitely stubborn.
He spotted Biggs a few hundred metres away and reached into his pocket for his motorbike keys. All of his pockets were empty. He remembered he left them on the kitchen bench of his apartment.
He sprinted back to retrieve them.
Alec entered his building and skipped every second step on the way up to his place. Biggs would be getting restless the longer he had to wait.
When he reached his floor, he exited the stairwell and walked towards his front door.
Opening it, he immediately sensed someone inside.
Max.
Who else would be brazen enough to break into his place?
He grinned to himself knowing it was only a matter of time until she came by, in search of answers.
He comically pictured her lurking in the shadows for him to leave. She was always involved in everyone else's business. He had been counting on her predictability this time.
Alec crept inside, closing the door softly behind him.
His kitchen cupboards and the drawers of his entertainment unit had been left half open. His possessions were scattered on the floor nearby.
He picked up his keys off the kitchen bench and slid them into his pocket. He walked towards the bedroom to find Max combing through the bottom drawer of his side table.
He leant on the door frame watching her reflection in the mirror. She was too preoccupied to notice him.
She sat down on his bed and opened the top drawer of the dresser.
He knew exactly what she would find.
She looked at the contents of the open drawer for a while, before lifting up a bible and frowning.
He tried to contain his bemusement as she opened it, to find a brown bag inside.
Max shook her head and uttered, "Great hiding spot, genius."
He hadn't tried to hide it. A hollowed-out book would be an easy find for anyone.
She opened the bag to find a wrapped box and small card inside.
Alec remembered what he wrote on the card the previous night: I knew you wouldn't let it go.
She smiled at his words and unwrapped the gift.
She was beautiful when she smiled. He waited a few seconds before he walked over to the bed and made his presence known.
She didn't react to his arrival. Instead, she sat motionless, staring at the sparkling ring she was holding in between her fingers.
He crouched down in front of her and she glanced at him.
"Is this... Who is it for? Wait... don't answer that," Max stammered placing the ring back in the bag and tossing it on his bed. "I shouldn't have gone through your stuff."
She stood up and looked at his door, about to bolt. He gripped her forearm to keep her in place.
"Max, it's for you."
"What!?... It's an engagement ring."
"Is it?" Alec asked, playing dumb.
"We're not like that." A frown marred her face. Alec smirked at her favourite old line being directed at him for once.
"I want you to come with me when we leave here. We can go anywhere you want." He'd been dreading the fast-approaching day they both left Terminal City. He felt pure fear any time he thought of Max not being in his life anymore.
He leant down and picked up the brown bag from his bed. He took the ring out and showed it to her. "Do you like it?"
"It's nice," she whispered, offering a soft smile. "But it's-"
"Consider it a Christmas gift."
"Christmas is nine months away."
"A late Christmas gift then," he bargained.
She rolled her eyes in protest of his antics. "I can't take the ring."
Alec sighed. "I'm not proposing. Just promising to stay with you after we leave this hellhole..." She stood in silence, unable to look at him. It was now or never. "I love you."
"Alec!" She gasped, her eyes flashing wide as they met his. He felt his heart race as he moved closer to her, cupping her cheek with his hand.
"I love you, Max," he said in a stronger voice. He gazed into her eyes as his thumb softly stroked her face.
She placed her hand over his and lifted his hand away from her. Alec couldn't let her break the contact between them. He'd wanted her for so long.
He took her hand gently in his. "Here, it's yours. I want you to have it." With the ring between his forefingers, he gingerly neared her hand.
She closed her hand into a fist mere seconds before he could place the ring on her finger.
She stepped away from him and he felt the sting of rejection.
Alec briefly saw hurt reflected in her eyes as she'd witnessed the pain he couldn't hide.
She moved past his lead filled body in silence and picked up her jacket from a nearby chair.
He watched her hastily exit his bedroom.
Her footsteps were less prominent as the distance grew between them.
Hundreds of times he had played out this moment in his mind. Finally telling her what she meant to him. It never ended like this.
His apartment door opened. Alec was numb as he waited for it to slam shut. Its anticipated closure would signify the end of some of his longest-held dreams.
The sound never came.
She hadn't left.
It was the shot of life he needed.
He ran out of the bedroom desperate to convince her to stay. "Max?"
She was holding onto the door handle about to leave. Something was keeping her there. "Max! Don't go, not like this... Everything can stay the same if that's what you want."
She kept her back to him. "I'm sorry," she whispered as she walked into the hallway and closed the door behind her.
In that moment he realised she was going to leave Terminal City without him.
Alec had her re-evaluating an entrenched desire to flee. The look in his eyes, the pain, she wanted to unsee it. She gripped the door handle of his apartment as if an invisible barrier prevented her from leaving.
"Max?" His voice was hopeful.
She wasn't going to be swayed or rushed into a decision. She needed time to process his declaration. He had to give her that.
"Max!... Don't go, not like this… Everything can stay the same if that's what you want."
He was kidding himself, everything was different now.
A few reassuring words from her would go a long way, but she wasn't ready to make promises that couldn't be kept.
Max exited his apartment and fled down the stairwell, praying he wouldn't chase after her.
In a haze, she walked to her ninja. She had to clear her head, caught off guard by their conversation.
Max slid a leg over the body of her bike and revved the engine. She put on her sunglasses and rode past Biggs towards the Terminal City exit.
Mole was standing with two transgenics who were on patrol.
"Open the gates."
He looked at her quizzically. "Where are you going?"
"Open. The. Gates. Now." She ordered.
"Well, well, look who's got a stick up her butt." He nodded for the gates to be opened and a nearby transgenic complied.
The widening gap between the gates gave her a chance to breathe. Freedom wasn't far off, seconds away. She needed to breathe.
She accelerated suddenly making her bike swerve erratically. Mole jumped back out of her path and yelled, "Don't come back now."
In her left-hand mirror, she saw him shaking his head in her wake. That jackass was one person she wouldn't miss.
After aimlessly driving around the streets of Seattle for what felt like an eternity, Max headed to the Space Needle. Alec's heartbroken face kept replaying over and over in her mind. She had to stop running and face her current reality.
After parking her bike Max climbed up the dilapidated landmark and walked out onto the edge to gaze over the city below. She sat down in her usual spot wondering how her day had ended up like this.
Alec had told her he loved her.
That was major.
Logan was the only other person to say those words to her. She had never uttered the phrase to anyone and she wasn't planning too anytime soon.
When Max told Alec 'they weren't like that', she wasn't being coy like she was with Logan. Alec and her were just friends.
Weren't they? She thought they were.
Alec had been on her mind more and more lately as the numbers dwindled inside Terminal City.
Max recalled the moment they first met. She didn't know what to think of him. He seemed to embody everything she loathed about Manticore.
She had blamed him for infecting Logan with the virus for a long time. In hindsight, she realised how unreasonable it was to expect him to behave just like her. He hadn't been out in the real world. Alec was doing what he needed to do to survive. Max understood that sentiment, but she didn't like it.
When he didn't want to stay and help rescue the young group of Transgenics Ames White had captured she lashed out and he did the same. He blamed her for creating the mess and destroying his home. Alec was doing the logical thing, getting out of dodge and looking after himself.
He had surprised her by coming back to rescue her and saving the day.
He surprised her again by fighting breeding cult members at Jampony and by helping her set up Terminal City even when he wasn't sure it could work.
He always supported her with blind faith.
She couldn't bear to think about giving up Alec, it created a pit in her stomach.
Soon everyone would be in their own corner of the world and it scared her.
If she was completely honest, she hadn't spent nights worrying about leaving Joshua, Cindy or Logan because she knew it would be for the best. She put them in danger.
Alec had become her go-to person whenever she needed something. She called him, she relied on him, she needed him in her life. This time she felt like it would break her to leave one of her family behind.
She paused for a moment, considering her thoughts. "Wait Alec's not my family."
Max laid down on the Space Needle, gazing up at the sky.
"I'm in love with him."
She blinked rapidly, wanting to wind her life back to the morning when everything was less complicated.
"I love Alec." Her hands tingled in light of the revelation. She didn't know how to handle these feelings. She wasn't ready to tell him she loved him too.
Max hoped accepting his so-called Christmas present and leaving Terminal City with him would be enough.
She stood up and walked down the stairs of the Space Needle. She climbed onto her bike and rode back to Terminal City.
The gates of TC opened upon her arrival. Max ignored the surrounding transgenics, focused on getting to Alec's apartment.
She parked her bike at the entrance of his building and walked inside. With each step she took, more nervous energy filled her body.
Less than one metre from his door she momentarily paused to collect herself. Usually, his television could be heard in the hallway.
Max entered his apartment and spotted her ring on the kitchen counter. She leapt towards it with a newfound spring in her step and slid it on her finger. Where was he?
She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Alec's number was on speed dial. He had programmed it in when he'd insisted she throw out her pager.
His phone went straight to voicemail. That was odd, he always answered. She wanted to memorise his happy face when he saw the ring on her finger.
Max tried again, scanning his apartment as she waited for him to answer. Two shot glasses and an empty bottle of whiskey on the coffee table caught her eye.
"Oh, 494!" A female voice moaned.
Max froze on the spot as her heart began to beat erratically. She looked towards the closed door of Alec's bedroom.
His voicemail message played in her ear while giggles echoed out from under the door.
Her hands trembled as rage and sadness warred inside of her. He wouldn't do this, she thought in disbelief. Part of Max wanted to burst in and kill the pair of them. Wrap her hands around the girl's neck until she passed out.
Alec couldn't even give her one day to process what he'd said.
Back at Manticore, he learnt how to turn on the charm and she felt foolish for falling for his little act.
She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing how his bed habits affected her.
On the way out of his apartment, she recognised the grey and red trimmed jacket strewn over the back of the couch.
Max knew exactly who he had in there.