As this is the last of the series that I am doing I encourage you all to read and enjoy. I'm pulling in all of my ideas for this and even a few that I couldn't use last season. I hope you enjoy.
Please read and review!
Season 5 ep.1
Max's POV
It had been barely two months since our fight and two months since Gamble started to play double agent with us. It was a highly risky and tricking situation. Though Alec, Daniel, and Zack had no problem with it, hell Zack even encouraged it now. Claiming that at least if he was killed it would be his own fault. I usually shook my head at that. The buildings are prospering more so than we thought they would, even OC has come out to help with hours at the daycare, though Alec and I have decided to deliver packages again.
It brought Normal's revenue back up, and helped him talk the owner into hiring us part-time…again. Then again once you find out a decent dip in your revenue came from 'South Market Street', you're going to give in and let certain people back on the payroll. It was strange and nice to be back at Jam Pony. Even Normal's 'bipping' felt well…'normal'. Though it probably helped that we agreed to once a month let him babysit the girls so we and Gem, could have some parent time and free time to ones self or to ourselves.
Gamble, Alec and myself had regular phone chats about whatever the familiars were planning. It seemed at the moment things were quite…Alec didn't like it but Gamble seemed genuine in his information. I think these days though he was more concerned about Lydecker roaming around. I did trust the man more so these days, so I let him out of his cell. Warned him not to cross us and put a nice little tracker in his body.
Didn't need him slipping off or away from TC, plus due to its sensitive nature, if he calls out, it interferes with it and sends out a signal. All in all, it gave me more peace of mind. Not to mention I helped keep him away from the girls. I didn't trust him too much with that. Walking into our interrogation room, I saw the young X6 sitting where Gamble once sat. Alec was wondering where the kid came from and why he was walking INTO TC, an hour ago without going through the normal tunnels for us all.
I came in hoping it was something stupid, like 'I didn't know you have tunnels'. Cause if not he could have shown 'norms' where we were coming in and getting out from. If you were a resident, you knew that. "Spill it kid." I grunted, not in the mood to play good cop. He pursed his lips a tad then blurted out, "Sorry ma'am, but my CO would kill me if he found I talked to a niner." He looked fearful at me but more in fear of what his CO could do to him.
Thing is… "Kid around here we're in charge. No one can do anything to you." I explained, hoping to calm him down, "Over three sectors over near South Market, my CO X5-600, he runs things." It made me wonder…Zack was X5-599, was 600… "So 600 made it out. Was wondering why I never saw his trigger finger ass role up through here." Alec's voice sounded sour. I looked to him, "You knew him?" I asked.
He looked to me and said, "He's a real dick. Calls himself Lane…should be Lame. Got a thing for making everyone else feel lower than himself." before going back to the kid, "As long as you're here you don't have to deal with him. Okay? You'll have food, water, shelter, but you will work for it same as everyone else." The offer was on the table. "But if he finds me - " clearly Lane had this kid fearful of him, a tactic I didn't like using on a child. Just seemed so wrong to do that on any kid younger 12, but here it seemed this Lane knew no bounds.
"Can I stay here?" he asked meekly. This X6 whom was made after us seemed to be more mentally weaker than the kids we had. Poor thing… "There's a lizard guy named Mole, let him know your designation and what you were trained for, he'll set you up." Alec waved the kid off without a care. The kid was shocked but ran out nonetheless. Grabbing his phone Alec let Mole know of who was coming his way, "So we have another group out there, that doesn't want to come in?" I asked, startled. I thought it was just us.
"Guys a real asshole, always has been." Alec snipped a bit, "My guess is you have bad Manticore memories with him." I ventured, coming up behind him. My hands barely caressed his sides as he grabbed them, and pulled them around his waist, "Let's just say he's got a big chip on his shoulder, at first I thought it was because I got my first mission before him, got a lot of firsts before him." he chuckled.
I looked up watching his features, a bit of stubble yet he still looked like the perfect male specimen, "I remember when we heard the rumor of the breeding program, he actually volunteered to donate or to at least impregnate, not to bright on that end." I angled my head to indicate I didn't get it, "Until you know exactly what you're getting into, you never volunteer." I nodded in understanding.
"He was genetically third in line…to you." I shot my face up to his, "Did he know? Wait who else besides you was in line?" God I hated the way that sounded. In line for 'breeding' me? What am I cattle? "Yeah he knew, and it was me first, then Ben then him. He was pissed as hell that he came in third." I arched my brow to that, "He was pissed cause you were the closest genetic match for him. Everything else was too far, or his swimmers were too little of, he wasn't even considered for the others, another thing he fell short in.," he laughed on that point.
"So my guess is trying to truce with them would be a mistake." He turned around, "Big time. He's a pure Manticorian. Heart, body and soul…if he has one." He grunted, "Point is if he's made a stake here in Seattle best to let him have it. Elsewise we might end up with a 'transgenic gang war', not good for business or press." I nodded, "Yeah but if he screws the pooch, so to speak, then won't it be bad press no matter what?" I asked. He sighed, "I hate it when you might be right." I smiled.
"Hey sometimes I hate it too." I leaned forward and hugged him. Feeling his arms wrap around me I mutter out, "I better get going." He pulled back, "Right your trip to see Cindy. Think it's safe yet?" the question lingered, "Yeah. It'll be right next to our old apartment, just a few blocks away, "Spend an hour or two then come home in time to take care of my paper work. Just don't forget next week you and the guys take care of the kids while the girls and I take care of each other. We are long overdue for a girls night." I surmised.
He nudged his head with mine, "Just watch yourself, I get antsy when you and the girls are to far away from TC." I knew it was his protective father nature coming out and I loved it. But the girls did need to see their auntie, and needed to see beyond the hallways and crap ass playground we were trying to establish. As it was we had a broken swing set and a barely there basketball court that was a work in progress…still. "I will. I promise. Just try not to kill Deck while I'm gone." I giggled. He grunted his distaste to that.
I had been laughing a little bit these days whenever Deck caught Alec off guard. Alec's soldier reflexes snapped in place and the 'attention' thing came to play. It annoyed Alec to no end while Deck just smiled. I walked out of the room giving Alec a kiss goodbye when I saw Deck walking by. "Alec in there? I got some possible Intel on the location of another hard drive we kept in Seattle." "That's good." I answered.
"It's not a guarantee but I think it'll provide insight on more of the medical needs." I nodded. He had come in handy and was handing over more and more Intel as the last two months were rolling by. Alec found it suspicious, I found it kind yet wondered why he was so forthcoming with everything, "He's in there. I have a friend to see with my girls." He smiled, "So when do I get to babysit?" my eyes widened, "Let's work our way to that point." I conceded.
He nodded before walking in. I stood there watching the comical moment happen. "Attention!" Deck snapped in his commanding voice. Alec's back went rigid with strain as his reflexes pulled his body to standing attention. Then realizing what he was doing he grunted a "Damn you Deck!" before demanding, "What do you want?" Alec didn't like being caught off guard and in TC where you DIDN'T have to keep your guard up 24/7 it was easy to let loose and let go of it. I certainly had.
But it was nice, I didn't feel the need to keep looking over my shoulders, not in here, and now that citizenship had been in effect for over a month after paper works were signed and processed we could walk around free people. Still encountered prejudice in certain places, a lot of them, but since quite a few people frequented the buildings we were building ourselves a reputable name. I smiled knowing we were no longer deemed 'need to kill', no we were deemed 'ignore'. Far cry from normal but also far cry from 'kill 'em all'.
People that didn't like us ignored us and went on with their lives. Or they barely acknowledged our existence and treated us as strangers they didn't know, which was essentially the truth so we didn't care. I was just glad we hadn't had a burning X over or near our perimeter for months now. Cops no longer stood watch, the drunks that threw bottles were told either go home or face arrest in 'disturbing the peace'.
With no money to bail them out their families made sure to keep them at home. I didn't care, I had my family safe inside the perimeter, but I couldn't keep them there forever. Plus at least with going to this playground, it was so close to my old apartment, if something did happen I could hold up there for a few hours till the heat died down. It took me nearly a month to convince Alec to be okay with it.
Had to mention it every few days for his paternal fatherly side to become accustom to it. He was a good dad, just a highly protective one. He claimed it had something to do with his jungle cat DNA. It warred with his alley cat DNA that told him we'd be fine, that I could take care of them. Jungle cat wanted to protect at all costs his family, alley cat wanted to trust his mate with his young into not quite normal territory, and simultaneously wanted to mate with his baby momma like a motherfucker.
It seemed Alec's hormones were on edge after the first few months. Still were. Then again, mine were to. The effects of being first time parents, we were told by another X5. We wanted to take care of our young but seeing each other so paternal made us also want to make more 'young' to put it bluntly. As much as I would love to have endless sex with him, we needed to get used to being parents first, so to be careful, despite the low chances of getting pregnant while NOT in heat, Carr gave me the once a week birth control pill.
Of cause he also said wait a few weeks for the effects to take place. Otherwise if I do get pregnant again and don't know it, taking them still could do damage to the child, second gen X5 or not. So Alec and I had been only intimate as far as oral went. It's all we could afford, though I suspected Alec did want to have more kids, I still insisted that we get used to being parents before we ended up having another set of twins again.
Two baby girls growing REALLY fast was enough for now, maybe in a year we could try for another but till then…I shook my head…getting off task again…I made my way to the nursery to pick up the girls for our outing with OC. Girls in their twinned stroller, I rolled them right out front of TC's entrance and exit and walked the whole way to the park. OC would be getting off of work about now so I had plenty of time to get there. My eyes were everywhere but no one seemed to mind me much attention. I'm just a mother out for a stroll with her girls.
Making it to the playground, nearly 45 minutes later, there were only a few children playing there. The mothers sitting on benches either reading or talking amongst others as the kids played on the monkey bars, the swings, the slide or the sand. It was the homey atmosphere that I wanted my kids, my girls to grow up in. Something semi-normal. I sat down on a bench and pulled the girls out of their respective strollers.
Once in the sand, they started to giggle and play. Already at nearly a year old, they were growing fast, and as I watched them more closely these days, starting to display more X5 traits of Alec's and mine. Eve had been doing so too, but Gem was much less trusting than myself to go outside of TC. Then again her last time out with her child resulted in JP being held hostage, so I really couldn't blame her. Getting a text from OC stating she'd be there in five I waited while watching the girls play around.
I giggled to myself when Nikita with her darker tuff of hair talked to Nyx with her lighter tuff of hair in their baby language, somehow able to communicate at their young age. Seeing a short shadow I looked over and saw OC looking at the girls, "They've been growing up so fast. This is them at nearly a year?" she inquired. I smiled, "Yeah. Normal pregnancy but I think the growth rate for babies might be faster. Eve is already displaying the traits of a four year old and she just turned two." I explained.
She sat down next to me, "They be lookin' like you and hot boy more and more these days." She commented, "Yeah…I wonder how long it'll take until we can get over that." we both laughed at that. "I couldn't help but look around and make sure the area looked secure. "Gem and I have been noticing when Eve gets the room she tries to blur. Gem don't want her blurring into a wall by accident so she's restricting that as much as possible." I nodded, "Yeah, I can understand that." I feared that myself.
"Normal ridin' your ass still?" I asked her. "Nah, suga', Normal's to busy praising Alec all over again, it's as if he never left, you know?" I laughed, "I think Normal has a man crush on my man, something Alec's not fond of but still uses to his advantage every now and then." I rolled my eyes at the fact. "Oh almost forgot…" OC turned to me, "What?" I faced her as well, "Had a delivery to this fine lookin' honey the other day." I laughed.
"Go on." I told her, "She came to the door, fine lookin' neighborhood too, but sector nine is full of them…" she waved off, "Anyways, she came to the door, in get this - nothing but a red Asian robe." I quirked my brow, "How could - " she cut me off with her look, "Trust a sista on this, OC can tell." I smiled, "Anyways, she had the robe on and nothing but, while her dark skin had me checking her out, good Lord she was fine as hell." She seemed to be reliving memory lane, "And let me guess her husband came up right behind her?" I asked.
"Oh no…" now her face got sour, "Her Rottweiler did, came up between us both, girl he scared me somethin' fierce." OC may love animals but not dogs that could tear your skin off. "She pulled him back of course but when she signed she asked, 'so where do I put my number?' now is that not a way of askin' a female out or what?" I giggled while looking back out at the girls still playing.
"Sounds like she's interested, you gonna call today or tomorrow?" I asked her, "Tonight. It's the way of being interested without obviousness. Sides, if I have it my way I may have a new flavor for a while. OC needs some company." I nodded, "Yeah with no roommate anymore, I guess you do need some time to have some others over." I surmised, "Oh not that…" she reassured, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"I do miss my boo but we both know you wouldn't like it if you were living with me with yo' man and the girls. Not a lotta room for all that." very true. Five people living in one technical one bedroom apartment, while the roommates only privacy was a few curtains wasn't very suitable for twin girls or for a love life for the parents. "I know that's right. Alec and I are still getting our time in just now we have to time it between shifts and when Gem is taking care of the girls at the nursery, otherwise it's just time with the girls." I answered the unasked question.
"Sounds difficult, but manageable." OC stated. "It is, but it's so worth it. Back at Manticore we were taught that 'family wasn't an option', a slogan if you will that Zack up until a few years ago told us. Yet here we are, showing them that it IS an option. Plus…" I looked back over to her, "Getting a one over on your former CO…priceless." OC and I laughed, "Right on, right on, girl." The agreement was there.
But then…so were the two unmarked vans I noticed with my vision half a dozen cars on the road down. Standing up I wanted to be wrong I really did but I needed to check them out, "If I put my hand around my back, get the girls and go to our old apartment." I looked back to her, "Suga' something wrong?" she asked ready to do as asked, "Probably nothing…hopefully nothing…" I said still looking.
Feeling cold steel against my hand I looked back to see her handing me a small switch blade, "In case nothing turns into something. Super soldier or not, if there are two van full of men in there it means some serious fighting time for you. Not the time to be taking risks with kids out here." I agreed, though I wasn't fond of killing, wounding them was a big hit for my list. I walked discretely towards the vans, not wanting them to spot me.
Using my sights I saw Thula at the wheel and White talking into a walkie. Using my hearing I turned my head slightly and heard, "Unit two do you have visual?" SHIT! Putting my hand behind my back I saw OC taking the girls who both recognized through photos and having seen little of here and there, as she grabbed up both of them and headed away, not even bothering to take the stroller with her. A few blocks and they'd be safe where she'd call Alec for pick up. Myself, having a bad feeling I turned my phones GPS on.
Blurring I made it to the side of the vans door where I heard, "Damn it, they lost her. Okay move in, remember our target is the offspring, 452 is still a main target but the offspring are the objectives." When did my girls become the objective?! Wanting OC to have a clean exit out since she wasn't clear of danger yet I made my move. Breaking the lock, I ripped the door open, stepped up on the edge of the car and slammed my elbow into White's nose.
I heard a satisfying crunch before pulling him out, ripping his seat belt in the process, shocking the hell out of him, "Lookin' for me?!" I asked sarcastically. I was even tempted to put a hand on my hip for good measure, but that might not be my best bet right now. He snarled just before I kicked as hard as I could at his face, enough to knock him out, though temporarily. I knew he was a huge thorn in my ass but I was also trying to go for stealth…not really working out for me right now.
Thula reached over from her seat on the driver's side and grabbed me around the throat, trying to cut off my airway. "Always 452, always." She answered. Grabbing her arms I pulled her with all my might forward, ripping her out of her own seat belt and throwing her over my head. She regained her footing quickly while White soon regained consciousness as well. Kicking my feet out he grabbed my legs and used the momentum to pin me to the seat and the foot hold of the van where my foot previously was.
I tried moving my legs, not wanting him to get the better hold of me, but with the two of them there it was a hard feat to manage. A third man came out from the back, briefly recognizing his face from the JP siege and from the fight at city hall a few months back I knew this was a familiar mission, not a FBI, CIA thing of his, it also explains why Otto didn't say anything, he knew nothing.
"What you can't get supporters from inside your department anymore, you've got to get the 'Brawny bitch' and 'mute mouth' to do your dirty work for you." I spat sarcastically, hoping to rile them up enough to make a mistake, one that I could use. "Just stick her." 'Mute mouth' told him. White merely looked over before snapping in low tones, "I'm in charge here let's not forget that." he pulled the needle out.
It seemed his fellow 'snake cultists' were getting antsy. "Oh right let's not forget big bad Ames is in charge of taking down the cleverer than anything transgenic. Has it ever occurred to you that you're fighting a losing battle? A loosing war?" I asked as I struggled, trying to prevent them from sticking me with a needle. Where's a nosey neighbor or passerby when you need one? Then again that might do more harm than good…to them.
He held me pinned down pretty tight. Three against one aren't fair odds when dealing with familiars. Too much muscle, but as I looked for a half a second of the corner of my eye between White and Thula I saw no sight of OC or the girls, my only hope was that she made it out and back to the apartment. Trying to buy some more time I carelessly threw out, "Or did you take the short bus to get here, otherwise I couldn't fathom why you're attacking a citizen!"
White just ignored my words, while two strong holding familiars held me down. "Remind me to thoroughly kick your Asses when I'm freed again. Thula laughed, mute mouth was, well, "We'll see you again…on your death bed, if your afforded such a luxury." Needle against my arm White said, "Not that I care but this might hurt a bit." He stuck me with it full of I have no idea what the hell liquid.
My head went dizzy then it went down. I could barely hear them talking as they searched me for whatever devices I had on me. Thankfully my cell wasn't in a normal place, and they weren't willing to search my bra, it was safe…for now. Question is would I be? Feeling my body being moved and the last of my conscious dying out, I sent a silent piece of hope that my girls were fine and that I'd find my ass a way out of this. Fine way to start out my day…
OC's POV
I knew something was wrong with my girl when started walking. Her warning and signaling told me shit was about to hit the fan. Having prepped for this just in case I grabbed both the girls, without bothering on the stroller and walked away. Using the trees as my cover just as Max had told me to. I saw the fight, three against one. I shook my head in disagreement. That ain't right, nor is it fair odds.
Max and Alec never ganged up on nobody, nor did they inject them with whatever that semi cutie looking dude stuck her with. Running with the girls I made my way back to the apartment, using side streets to avoid people looking at a black female with two little creamy babies. Max's and Alec's combined gen's gave them good looking girls but thanks to mama's back round, she was just a little bit of everything.
Getting into the apartment I laid the girls down on my bed, making sure it was firm so that they couldn't roll over and snuff themselves. Grabbing my cell I dialed Alec's number, "Yo?" he answered, "Yo' ass needs to come out here. Max just got grabbed by yo' no pain no gain freaks!" I told him, knowing 'hello's' at this point was pointless. "What?! When?!" he demanded, I could hear shuffling in the back round but what I didn't know. "Just…" I looked at the phone for the time, "Figure 20 minutes ago." I answered.
"Mole I need you to take charge while I'm gone, Daniel, Cece, Zack, your with me!" he hollered out, his hand covering the phone did no good, "Which direction did he take off in and please tell me you have the girls?!" I knew as much as he was told that they would be with me, part of him still wanted to confirm. "Didn't see the direction, and yeah their fine with me. Oh and he injected her with something." I iterated.
He sounded like he was trying to gain control of himself, "You'll find her, you always do. OC can keep the girls here till you or someone else that we both know comes to get them." There wasn't anyway he'd want an unknown transgenic or transhuman handling his baby girls. I think it was just something to do with being a new father. "I'm sending Cece, to get the girls, she should be there in an hour. Okay?" he asked me.
"The only other things I can tell you is that there were two black, large vans. They had been parked behind several cars, it's why Max didn't see them at first. They had sliding doors, oh and Max pulled the one I remember from the JP siege out of the passenger door. That was a priceless sight." I remarked, remembering the look on his face as she hit him, then pulled him out the van, classic laugh out loud funny.
"So White's getting daring enough to try and pull a kidnapping in broad day light, Bastards getting desperate. Gonna half to talk to Gamble 'bout this one." He remarked. "Boy just go do your thing, get our girl back safe and sound, and whateva' you do, don't pull a martyr routine, Max'll beat on yo ass." I warned him, "As long as she's alive beatin' on it, I don't care." I smiled as we both hung up. There wasn't much more information I could give them. I just hope he found her.
Alec's POV
I was beyond pissed at the news. White making such a desperate move was as much bad news as it was good. His desperation would hopefully not cost us. Thankfully Max and OC had worked out a little system just in case. I rounded up Daniel and Zack for the rescue op and sent Cece over to pick up my girls. Going into HQ we went straight to Dix, "I need footage of two black, probable unmarked vans leaving a playground, several blocks away from Max's old place in sector 5, 20 minutes ago."
Not bothering to ask why, already seeing the pissed and extreme look on my face he tapped and typed for five agonizing minutes, "Got them." We looked at the screen. No surveillance camera's but a hoverdrone turned down the street in time to catch White injecting her, her slumping, then them throwing her body into the van before taking off, "Which direction?" I demanded. "Ahh…" Dix muttered out.
"Today Dix…" I felt bad for pressuring the little guy but White having Max was a very bad thing, White having any one of us was a bad thing. "Give me a few minutes to follow their travel through the sectors, as it is I just have them driving opposite of Max's place." I grunted not wanting to wait. 15 minutes later he spoke up, "No record of them leaving sector 12!" "Great…" I muttered angrily.
Combing my hands through my hair I tried to remember what all was there. "Abandon factories. White set up shop there once before." I iterated, "Makes sense, especially if you can just pay someone off for a few days to set up shop." Daniel said, coming up, attempting to help out, "Do we know which one?" Zack walked in. arms folded over his chest, trying to puff himself out a bit, in a true, huffing way. "I have an idea. Last time White set up shop at an abandon steam generating plant." I tried.
"And you think he's dumb enough to set up shop in the same place twice?" Zack dug in. I smiled, "Actually I think that with him, he's thinking 'they won't try to look for me in the same place twice'. He might be hiding in an obvious place, he already knows the connections there, its an easier place. So dumb enough no, smart enough to try and out think us yeah, but still dumb enough to try and outsmart a transgenic, yes." My reply was enough to shut him up.
"Check out the building and see if there are patrols out there, if so we've got our building. If not, check surrounding buildings for the patrols, were getting geared up." I knew Max wouldn't like the guns blazing aspect but if these guys were going to be armed then so were we. "Max might beat on our asses if we go in there with an arsenal." Daniel chipped in, "As long as she's alive and able to kick them, then so be it." I replied back. He nodded, "If she asks I say we blame the guns on 'memory boy'." I laughed.
Zack…ehh…not so much, "Max is in danger and your cracking jokes. Good to see how you react when she needs you the most." Zack's attitude was going to get him grounded here during her rescue operation if he didn't cool it. "Word to the wise, if you wanna help, be a team player." I snapped. My need to beat on his ass coming in but my need to save Max was ten times greater, so I quickened my pace. Time to save your ass…again…
Max POV
I woke up to being chained up, two no, three chains, two for my wrists and one for my feet. I saw White's smug face and several of his no pain no gain freaks. Seeing his bruise from my hit I remarked, "So how many times and I going to have to beat your ass, ball park figure?" he smiled before backhanding me. "Go ahead ask me." I laughed at him. "Oh I'm not going to ask you, cause when I get through with you, your going to tell me everything I want to know." He stated as if a fact.
"Cocky words for a man whom constantly fails at capturing and killing my kind. When are you going to figure things out? Besides once word gets to my people that I'm captured they will come looking for me. If you continue this line of progress all you'll be doing is upping the body count on your end. We are faster and capable of more skilled thought processes than you and yours are." I rarely bragged when it came to our genetics but in the end it was true.
"No because we have come up with a new type of system, something to target your fellow brethren." I didn't let it show but it had me concerned, "Yippee. So ah what is it this time? More guns? Another signal device? Maybe another transgenic implanted with a detonation device? Or is it the now compromised chemical weapon you tested out in China town?" all failures I used to spit back in his face.
His jaw seemed to be working overtime to keep his temper in check, "You've been around 494 to long. His sense of humor is wearing off on you." Alec'd love to hear that. "Sorry to say but ah whatever you plan on doing it will be stopped, like always." I said sounding bored. "So where are we anyway - " I started to laugh recognizing the layout of where we were, "Sector 12? The steam plant? Seriously?" now I knew why Alec laughed at his captors sometimes. These guys are idiots to use the same place twice.
"Find your laughs now, but ah when your brethren go looking for you, they won't think to look at the same place twice. They'll search every other plant around other than this one because its already been used." My laughter began to die down, seeing his point. "So find whatever comfort there are in those cuffs, you're going to be in them for a while. There's no one that will find you." He remarked. He began walking away when I confidently remarked, "Maybe, maybe not, but reality check, there's always me." he looked back to me.
"I know, that's why Thula here is going to make you even more comfortable, before Xander oh sorry you called him 'mute mouth', makes you more comfortable." Both familiars in question came forward. "We're going to have some fun." They hooked up electrodes to the chains. As I examined them I saw they were strength tested for someone like me. They were even bolted into the metal frame above me. Maybe…I looked up and around seeing if I did enough damageable movement I could break the hold and try to escape.
"Don't bother, we held up one of our own just to test its strength. You're not getting away from us." She stated matter of factly. "Never know." I muttered. Seeing the table full of machines to no doubt electrocute me she asked, "How many are in Terminal City?" I smiled, "You're wasting your time and mine." Shock. I bit my lip with the agony of avoiding letting them hear me scream.
She walked up to me, really close, "To be honest I hope you don't know anything. Because I would love nothing more than to torture you till there's nothing left but a drooling mess of filth cuffed up there." Fuck… "To see the look on 494's face when we tell him we have you, that we were right under his nose, and that you are now nothing more than a lifeless void of a shell, and that he'll have to kill you himself just to avoid taking care of a drooling mess the rest of his life…" she was really enjoying this.
"You are pretty sick you know that?" I asked more than stated, "Is there a name for what you're on, or are you just regularly this psychotic?" I finished off. She shocked me again. The pain was getting pretty bad, "You see we had 494 hooked up to this as well. Figured out his weaknesses on it so now we know how well your endurance must be." Shit. "You know you're not going to get anything out of me so why bother trying?" I asked.
"That's the beauty of it. We will. Cause this isn't all we have. While electronic voltage has its usage, we have more than one trick up our sleeves. I just really enjoy torturing you in particular 452." this familiar is…uuggg… "You are one twisted bitch you know that?" I asked her in all seriousness. "You could give White a run for his money on how little of your own marbles you have left in your head." I remark, still in a no nonsense tone of voice.
She grit her teeth, "In fact I think he has more sense than you do." She arched her brow. "You compliment your enemy?" as bad as that compliment was…yeah, "Compared to you, yes." That went without saying. 'Mute mouth' or as White called him Xander, signaled her to talk with him. I listened and honed my hearing the best to my ability to hear what they were saying, shutting out the other factory noises.
"Have you noticed a pattern when it comes to 452 with White?" he asked her. "You mean his continuous failed attempts?" she spat sarcastically. "Yeah. What if instead of torturing her we find something psychological to torture her with?" she cuffed him upside the head, "Because we don't have anything, the brats were taken before we could scoop them up and that pest 494 is safe behind Terminal City walls." He looked to where White was on his phone. "Even I have serious doubts that White has a thing for her." Thula remarked.
"But maybe she has something for him." he pointed back at me. Oh great…this isn't going to go well, "That is ridiculous." She laughed. For once I agreed with her. "White is a good leader with us and is an excellent strategist yet she continued to escape him." his point was becoming rather redundant and mundane, "He under estimates her, that is all." She sounded pissed by the accusation, "I couldn't care less about your thing for him Thula but we cou - " she punched him, enough to shock him.
I was actually quite grateful not only for the knowledge but for them being so far. It gave me a chance to test the strengths even with what they said and to see if I could loosen up these wing nuts. Enough jiggling and I might be looking at a way out. I looked back to see them walking back to me. Stopping my movement I wondered about using what I heard against her. "So I see the way you sometimes look at your boss up there." I remarked.
Back hand, "You have no idea of what you're talking about." She ground out, preparing the electric currents again. "I gotta admit I see the reason why. He's reasonably handsome, once you take away the psycho tendencies, and the need to kill innocent people." I remark. "And with the way he keeps 'failing' to kill my sorry ass does say something…don't you agree?" I asked. I get another shock.
I think I hit a nerve…"He has just under estimated you and yours, not anymore." There has to be something to gain me enough time to get these cuffs loose so I can slip out. Something to cause inner fighting maybe… "Tell you what, I'll tell you what I know, but only if I talk to him." I indicated White in the office area, "Otherwise you'll just end up with another dead end." She contemplated my words but it was Xander that made the jog over to White. Two minutes later he came walking up.
"So you decided to be a good little animal." He spat. "I will, as long as I can get you alone. I don't like having an audience." The double meaning was there, making Thula narrow her eyes at me, "Get lost." He told the other two, not bothering to waste time in arguing. Desperation once again people. I knew they wouldn't be far, probably watching from another point. I darted my eyes around looking for them. Spotting Thula's tall head I knew she was within sight and hearing range…perfect.
"Talk." White demanded. Okay if Alec can pour on the charm for his captures and manipulate them so can I…right? After all I did some conning back in my day…sorta…okay more like conning my way into places instead of out of them… "Only if you answer my question first." He indicated to ask, "What if I were to ask to join you and yours. What would you say?" the very thought left my stomach queasy and rebellious. "Do you think I'm dense enough to actually believe a word that comes out of your mouth?" he asked me.
"I believe you're an intelligent man, Ames…I get to be your new partner, my kids get to be safe and you not only get a transgenic that can hunt other transgenics but you get your son as an added bonus." He seemed to mull it over for a minute, then disbelief once again. "NO chance." He smiled, as if he uncovered my plans. "Not even to be your partner." I let my eyes do that talking for that part.
Again more nausea, "Is this a trick?" he asked, "494 is becoming to much of a pain in my ass, plus I think he's trying to stake a takeover of Terminal City, leaving me with two babies in the wind. I've even been hearing rumors around my place of him kicking me out to ensure I don't get in his way. I could be a valuable partner you in some many ways." Oh god do I feel ill saying this…my stomach wants to rebel everything its digested in the last 24 hours.
Thing is if it works then hey, so much more the better…in theory… "You would willingly give up the rest of your people to be my partner?" he asked, not believing me, but he sounded tempted to take me at face value. Time to lay it on thick, "I would give up anything to protect my girls. Sides they could use a better daddy. You know someone whose going to actually be there for his kids, 494 spends more time elsewhere than with his girls."
Bitterness was now coating my mouth at the vile little lies I was spewing forth. Why did it seem my only chance to get out, to slip away, was to act as if I wanted to join the very people who have been trying to kill me and mine? There is just something very messed up with that. But if I remember correctly didn't Alec do worse back when we first met? However with everything I was saying, it was hard not to grimace at it.
But White, he actually smiled before leaning in, "Let me guess you're looking for a new baby daddy too." I lowered my head just enough to appear submissive to the idea, "You already have a son, he could be their big brother - AND…" since I saw the fire return to his eyes, I needed him to be more complicate. "I know where he is, I can give him back to you. Great deal on the table." I surmised.
He actually smiled, either contemplating it or contemplating using it to plot against me, "Hey come here, I wanna whisper something important." He looked at me wearily, but seeing how chained up I was he started to lean in. Before he got to close he smiled, "If I go through with this, you kill 494." Oh shit he believed me! Either that or he was using it to plot. Either way it gave me an out of these handcuffs.
I leaned forward, like way into ones personal space forward, "I'll agree just as long as you tell Thula about it. I think she's got a thing for you, can't have her messing around and ruining the high volume stakes here with pettiness." He agreed. My heart was pounding hard in my chest. Whether it was from my words, more than likely, or what was about to go down I wasn't a 100% sure on. He walked over to their position. The sounds of a furious woman were heard. Thula was pissed, and was having a hard time keeping her cool.
I used the time to jingle myself to freedom. My right hand was closer than my left so I worked at it diligently. Come on, come on! I mentally hurried myself up. Plotting or not, believing me or not, I needed to escape and talk to Gamble about this. If he knew and DIDN'T tell Alec then he's going to have a very hard boot rammed up his ass. I saw that there were only a few more loops to go before the wing nut was off. Almost there…then I heard caution sirens, much like the ones when Alec, the merman and I helped get his girlfriend to freedom. That's my man!
Alec's POV
Parking our bikes nearby, easier access in and out just in case, we walked up to the same area Max and I had before, years back. Remembering how we had to do it last time I was curious, "Think an X5 could swim from that underwater drain pipe, into that plant right there?" I asked Daniel. He and Zack both looked to the bubbles coming out then each other, "Better question is whom as the better tank record." Daniel was right. Fuck!
"Yeah that's me." I started to silently walk there when Zack grabbed my arm, "I have the best record, five mi - " I cut him off, "Yeah they upped the timing in the tank once we turned 15. I hold the new record, eight minutes." Zack didn't seem to mind, "Then you still aren't the reigning champ holder. Max is." I furrowed my brows. "When she escaped she fell into the river nearby, Duwamish I believe. She was stuck there for nearly nine minutes, to afraid to come out and see Lydecker." I looked at him with calculating eyes.
"And how do you know this? Max tell you?" I asked, "No, when they took me down that night, I overheard them talking and I saw her face against the ice that night. They spent several minutes combing the area before heading back in. Back then, they didn't know how much electric charge to use so I still heard and saw many things." I nodded to his assessment. "Even if you do hold the best tank record, that thing is probably longer than an eight minute swim." Zack reasoned. I had to admit he was right.
"As much as I hate to admit it he's probably right. Who knows how much that thing zigzags through there." I hadn't thought about it. They both had points. Zack moved from his spot and grabbed a few pieces of trash from the surrounding area, "What in the hell are you doing?" I asked with agitation. It wasn't time for trash collecting. Pulling a speedy, yet crappily done, makeshift air breathing looking piece together he pulled the fence back, "Go to the roof as planned, I'll go in."
I was surprised, "I may not like you but we need to work together to achieve this goal. Get Max to safety." I nodded as he went under, "You think he'll make it?" Daniel asked me. "For all of our sakes, I hope so." I lead him right through the area's Max and I used last time. Stealth there we snuck in through the different walkways, ladders, pipes, till we got to the roof. Two minutes later Zack opened it up, "What took you so long?" I asked, remembering merman took only ten seconds when we got to the roof.
"He did." He stated by way of explaining. One man down, "Please don't tell me he's dead?" I asked mildly hoping so. If he did then Max would be pissed with him, not me. "Max's no kill order stand true with you too?" Zack asked annoyed and monotone. "I may not like the familiars but one dead one equals about ten at your doorstep. Not to mention dealing with a very pissed off Max. But hey if you want to tangle with that be my guest." I told him, acting nonchalant about it as I guided them to where we had originally found the merman's girlfriend last time.
"I don't see her anywhere?" Daniel said. Crouched down we all listened intently to the surrounding noises. Hearing her voice, however faint, finally reached my ears. "She over there." I motion. We moved about a good 25 yards in when I saw White leaning into her. Narrowing my eyes at the closeness I saw how tied up or rather how chained up she was. "They wanted to make sure she wouldn't be able to leave." I surmised.
"Those chains can be dislodged if the frame breaks." Zack indicated, "So all we have to do is break a metal frame, cause shooting it won't just bring down more heat to us, it'll bounce right off that metal. We need to get to the lower floor and not by jumping." I told Daniel, as he was getting ready to do so. "Why not?" he demanded, "This place is familiar central. How do I know, those two right there." I pointed to the bitch and the ass.
"We've seen them a few times with White. Familiars' straight up. We need to do this right or else this will go down bloody." Both men agreed as we went back and took a stair well down. Bottom of the stairs was a thin metal door. "Just remember where we came from that way we can get back out the same way." I remind them. Both looked to me with 'seriously?' looks on their faces, and now that I think about it their right.
Of course they would. Looking at the door I think. Easy to kick in…with enough force… "Think we could kick it in?" I ask mockingly. Daniel and I both kick it in with Zack ready with gun power if need be. I go first, then Daniel then Zack as the alarm wails loudly in our ears. Well Maxie here's your rescue squad…your mate, your brother and Daniel…what a weird group of dynamics this makes…
Max POV
White hears the alarms wailing like an intrusion just happened, "Go! Check it out. I'll watch over her." He tells them. Thula reluctantly agrees as Xander grabs his gun and nudges her to follow him. Good I need him alone if I'm to get free of my bindings and knock him down. If he truly believed my words I've either done one hell of a performance or he is truly that daft to believe my words after all this time.
Alec POV
We walk down the small corridor leading to where she was and part of me was rethinking the stealth approach. Thing is last time we just sort of jumped in and went along, no real plan, and we barely made it out without taking in serious damage. Hell I took a bullet on the way out, though I did get Asha to mend it for me. Free medical work to those whom can't afford to have questions asked. Plus I was feeling kinda lonely at that time.
Using our hearing we hear at least three to four gunmen. "Fun times." I mutter out. "Armed, dead ahead!" I warn the other two. They came out and after us guns a blazing. The long hallway only had small groves, thanks largely in part to the design structure, to hide in as we took our parting shots making sure to keep our heads safely tucked inside and only peering out from the tiny alcove when needed.
As luck would have it, two of the three as I was able to clarify, only had 9 mm hand guns, same as us. Well same as Daniel and Zack, I had my Glock on me. But at least knowing their guns, or the similar types, it helped in keeping count of the bullets. Not only for us but to know when they were out as well. "We're being pinned!" Zack shouted in agitation, taking a few shots and taking one of them down.
I guess they didn't feel it was needed for armored vests. Then I looked down at myself. Neither did we. Fuck! Going to actually have to try and play this safe. Then I thought to myself, when had we ever played it safe?! Then I thought to myself again, they weren't bullet proof nor could they survive a bullet to the heart. Zack's aim was decent for behind further behind me with bullets zinging by us.
I nearly laughed to myself, "You know, Deck'ed really get a kick out of seeing this!" Daniel looked over befuddled by the statement, "You know even after getting out of Manticore, were still battling enemies and in 'made for' situations!" I took a few more shots. Daniel smiled, "Lets not tell him then!" agreed even as Zack looked annoyed by our banter during a guns discharging fight.
One bullet to the right area had the female familiar crouching low to avoid a headshot. Had to give her props considering our poor spots. Spotting her head I recognized her and her boy toy, "Hey red bitch!" I yelled reloading my gun, "You and your boy gonna come out to play or what?!" I spat, trying to lure her out. "I am getting kinda bored over here!" I snip sarcastically towards her.
I really did want to put one in her brain, I really did. "You are so dead." I heard her mutter. I heard her reload her gun and took the opportunity to make a quick fast aim. Spotting her I had two seconds to aim. Taking the shot I hit her shoulder, the only thing visible from my spot. Not that she made too much of a movement, she merely grunted in slight irritation. I took a peak out and ended up ducking when her boy ended up showering the wall above me with bullet holes, he had a big gun.
I cringed, "What the hell man?" I muttered in annoyance. I attempted to signal to Daniel to swing around back and around so he could catch her unawares. But a shadow behind me and his frantic signals that the other familiar was creeping up near me shut off my own signaling system in favor of aiming my gun again. But when he put the gun near my head I had no choice but to move out of the small cove I ducked into for cover.
"I think we can work things out here." I state easy going, "You are coming with us 494." Now I was curious. They didn't want me dead? Since when? But Daniel and Zack didn't stay silent, they started pouring the bullets knowing I had my own maneuvers to duck down. 'Boy toy' took three rounds to the chest, however unfortunate none had hit his heart. But he did go down, falling backwards. Seeing the red bitch poke her head out I took aim but she ducked away only to find me standing ahead of her.
Blurring was such a beautiful thing. "Yeah." One hard enough hit to the temple at blurring speed yet again, she was unable to block it and crumpled to the floor. "Not that you can hear me but the only reason why you live is because I'm better than to just kill a person." Kicking her crumpled form on the ground, Daniel, Zack and I went to the corridor Max was down we saw only one chance, "Blur for chaos, and knock the frame down." I surmised.
"Sounds good to me," bullets may not do anything but pit X5 strength from three sources against one metal frame and add the X5 strength currently attached to it and you have yourselves a complete break. "Just remember to also help dislodge the chains." Zack's brotherly voice came out. I looked back to him like 'duh?' seriously didn't this guy even think when it came to a mated males mind frame? We're highly fucking protective of our mates.
Max's POV
I heard all the gunshots going off, White had ordered his last few familiars in the vicinity to deal off the area. He looked back to me before taking his walkie and ordering, "Make sure to bring 494 here…alive." He didn't even wait for a response, "Time to prove your word." I couldn't wait any longer, "Hey I needed to whisper something in your ear." He stood his ground, "We're alone now, what is it?" acting uncaring I spat, "Fine, don't hear what I have to say." He rolled his eyes and walked forward.
The gun battle I could hear only ended up lasting a few minutes, maybe five, before I heard many footsteps. Trained hearing told me it was Manticore trained and not familiar edged. I sighed in relief. Then White was the one to get in my personal space, without me leaning forward. I nudged my head back for him to get closer. I felt like laughed at the situation I had gotten myself into here. "Idiot." I sneered, but not at myself, it was at him.
With my enhanced speed and strength just as Alec's blurring form and Daniel's and Zack's came in I stripped the last few loops of the bolt, breaking the wing nut off. White couldn't move fast enough for my speed, I slammed my head into his, then grabbed his right shoulder and slammed his head again on the chain that my wrist had formerly been cuffed to. The frame was now breaking from Alec, Daniel and Zack's repeated hits, collapsing. Once it fell, making a loud clattering noise, I grabbed the chains, and yanked several times.
I formed a nice long metallic weapon around my hands and wrists, wanting White to be unable to do anything for a very long time. Noticing my pre-occupation White swung out to hit me only to be deterred by Alec's blurring elbow slamming into his nose. Breaking it on contact as blood started to pour out for a few seconds. It barely slowed him down though. He and Alec started to circle each other.
For a moment I wondered where White's gun was when I saw it sitting on a table up against the right wall. Right where the boys had come from. "Why the hell aren't we killing him?" Zack demanded aiming a gun to White's head. Seeing that he was seconds away from pulling the trigger I dropped the chains and pulled his gun down, "You can't just kill an FBI agent!" I snapped at him.
"Besides you kill him, and the familiars will just fill in his place with someone even worse." I spat looking to said man, "He's a cancer Zack, one that needs to be dealt with in the right way, soon. Otherwise right now, you're pretty much doing more harm than good. Unless you want to screw all of this up!" and once I figure out how to do this with White, without complications, then we'll be all good.
"It would be self defense. FBI man kidnaps Terminal City's leader to torture." Daniel pulled his gun up to. I don't believe this! "You all are nothing to us! You Petri dish screw ups!" he roared before running for Alec. Alec blurred behind him himself avoiding the move, grabbed his left arm and slammed it up high enough to dislodge his shoulder. A cry of agitated pain came from him, "Yeah well the Petri dish is kicking your ass." Alec sneered at him.
Unfortunately one slamming move and White relocated his shoulder, his fierce, angry gaze went to me, "Seriously did you really think I'd crap all over and abandon everything I am?" the blood started to get in his mouth as I took a step forward. Alec shifted, and Daniel and Zack moved forward a foot as my back up, "I know you either believed the bull that was coming from me or you planned to use it against me. I just needed to buy myself a way out. So word to the wise, don't try to con a con woman." He had no words.
No he just ran for me same as Alec. But unlike him I liked to put a little spin on my moves. I stayed in place and only gave in when he thought he had me. Using the lapels of his jacket to launch myself over his lead, spin around, curl my legs under and kick out the backs of his legs as hard as possible. He fell, long enough for Daniel and Zack to plant guns at his side of his head, "We should end him." Zack stood firm.
"For once I agree with 'memory boy'." Zack barely raised a brow to the technical insult. "He'll just keep trying to kill us Max. He'll try to find new ways, eventually if he doesn't kill you, he'll kill one of our own and then what?" I hated to admit it but he had a point. All because of my inability to take human life…well unless they asked or begged me for it… "We don't kill other people. Not anymore." I tried to stand true to my own words.
"What about when they threaten our families lives?" Alec questioned from behind. I looked back, angry that I was being out numbered, "He took you today, who's to say next time it isn't our daughters? When will there be a point where he gets to suffer and die for what he's done to us?" Alec's words were true, I just… "Let him live." I knew I had three sets of eyes on me, "Let his conclave deal with him. His repeated failures and today's events will seal his fate." Daniel reluctantly retracted his gun.
Zack huffed out, "This is a mistake." As he lowered his gun as well, instead they both made White turn around, guns still ready to fire if he tried something stupid, but neither truly aimed to do any damage. I walked up to White, "Let me drop a little wisdom on you here. You've messed up…a LOT with your progress with me and the rest of us. We're not going away, we never will, so my advice to you, stop trying to kill me and mine and start running yourself."
He looked a bit dumb struck, "Cause my guess is your desperate move today was due to your failures over the last what three – four years?" I looked to Alec, he nodded 'yeah' to my timely assessment, "I suggested to run and hid for as long as you can. Unless you want to see if your conclave will give you yet ANOTHER opportunity to kill me and mine….again." hearing footsteps in the area I gave the boys the signal to 'escape and evade'.
We started to all run for it when White out of nowhere threw one of the frame pieces in front of me, effectively stopping my progress and blocking the door and myself from further running. I turned back around, "We're not done." Alec rammed his shoulder at the frame knocking it over, but my words halted him, "NO! He's mine!" I turned back around. I knew we had precious moments before the place would be over run so I had to make this fight quick.
I ran up to him, blurring fast, and slammed my body into his. Using the momentum I sprang to my feet again, while he got back to his own, "Max! Hurry up!" Alec shouted. "You know White, I think you need a taste of your own medicine." Without giving him a chance to even think about it I picked up the chains, not bothering to wrap them around my wrists as my earlier idea had been, and swung them at White.
With the speed and strength behind it, the chains hit him hard, effectively bringing out more of a defensive holding pattern with his body, "Wanna know what chained up feels like?" I attempted to wrap him bodily up in the chains but he figured it out, and yanked on them as hard as he could. Grateful that I hadn't wrapped them around my wrists I used the little pulling momentum to rush him with my right fist.
Slamming into his face his head snapped back. One nice thing about the gym and training around other X5's at TC…you don't have a fear of hitting your opponent to hard. I could feel how much harder I was hitting. Sure it was also bruising me up a bit but last time we fought I didn't think I had the ability to take him down. Ergo the shock prod and the other tools I used. I could hurt him, it would just take up a lot of energy, and give me more bruises. Sides the only difference here was that he felt no pain.
I ducked his right hook, dipped down low and swung my leg out kicking his feet out from underneath him. Falling down he tried to get back up when I jumped on top of him. In a quick succession of blurring hits my right fist came down three times, breaking his nose further before grabbing his head by the hair and slamming his head down into the ground once. I went in for another hit when he slammed his head up into mine.
One punch into me sent my head back, then his booted foot made contact with my head to. I got back up or tried to as he pulled my body the rest of the way up, his hands at my throat, "You are nothing but a link to my son you skeeving - !" he didn't get to finish as Alec came in to pull him bodily from me. Landing on my feet, though not to accurately, I saw as Alec shoved his form into the opposing wall.
But White body slammed him back. Pulling White off of him I slammed each fist into his face four times before Alec literally picked me up, threw me over his shoulder and blurred away. By the way, unless you're used to it, never let someone throw you over your shoulder and blur at the same time. It can be nauseating if you're not used to it. I swear, he blurred all the way to the outskirts of the building.
Finally putting me down as the place was now on alert, but far from where we were I asked him, "I didn't know anyone could blur for that extended amount of time!" he heaved from the exertion, "Normally we can't but, with a good amount of adrenaline, and a very large reason to do so and an X5 can push the limits of blurring. But I do need two things though." He said, walking over to me. "What?" I went to check to see the extent of his injuries when he grabbed a water bottle from behind me, where Daniel was standing.
Apparently he already knew what Alec would need. I watched Alec down half the bottle before taking a breath, "That's only on - " I went to say when he grabbed me by the back of my head and took me in a deep, passionate kiss. I couldn't help it, I grabbed his head and pulled him in deeper. "As sweet as the tooth aches are right now we need to get back to Terminal City." Zack complained monotone.
I couldn't even complain. Hell my ass just got saved, White got his ass handed to him, and what the hell, maybe he'll take my advice and bail out before the conclave decides to end his life themselves. Who knows but what I am wondering is, "Are we gonna have to deal with this every week one of us tries to walk the streets?" it was meant at a joke but it really made us question the likely hood of it.
"We'll talk to Gamble. See what he says. I was so busy looking for you I didn't put any effort into it." I smiled. I think I'm high on the adrenaline or something cause even with being chained up, and beat on I still – with help – came out the victor today. "Let's just get home and sort out everything else tomorrow. Tonight, lets watch a movie with the girls." He smiled, "Sounds like a good night." Alec remarked. I knew Zack and Daniel were probably bored as anything but right now I didn't care…go home be with my girls…my mate…a good ending to a bad day…