Veritas et Aequitas
By: Beccatdemon13
©2009
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone except for Lux Mackenzie as well as anyone you don't immediately recognize. Please don't sue. You'd only be getting a hell of a lot of textbooks. What? Don't look at me like that College isn't a paying gig you know. But god I wished it was. Beccatdemon13 now will go off to fantasize about the lack of tuition payments that being paid would bring. Oh, right, the story! On we go…
Synopsis: Synopsis: X6-893 only knows what Manticore has told her. When X5-452 suddenly returns to Manticore everything's about to change including what 893 thought she knew. 452, who calls herself Max said that she should have a name and than gave her the name Lux. But names are forbidden at Manticore and just when 893 thinks that's the beginning and end of her problems suddenly she is called into the Director's office and informed that she is has to follow these two men she has never seen before little does she know the men are Sam and Dean Winchester and together they're about to explore everything they thought they knew.
Author's Note: First of all, the title is Latin for either Verity and Equity or Truth and Justice. So, from the Dark Angel Universe, Max and her Unit does escape and the pulse happened. This takes place in the year 2019, Max is nineteen and she is back in Manticore. So this roughly starts in the second season of Dark Angel in the episode Designate This. For the Supernatural aspect of this crossover the story starts in the first season. Sam and Dean have lost their father and with the lack of computers from the Pulse they go to Seattle where they see the Eyes Only broadcast. They meet Logan Cale and they begin working for Eyes Only so that they can find their father. They still are hunts and Sam is twenty-two while Dean is twenty-six. And assume spoilers for all season of either show! All standard warning applies.
Chapter One: The Prologue
"Do not attempt to adjust your set. This is a streaming freedom video bulletin. The cable hack will last exactly sixty seconds. It cannot be traced, it cannot be stopped, and it is the only free voice left in this city."
Sam and Dean Winchester were on their way to crash, a local bar in down town Seattle, also known as Sector Four Within the post-pulse Untied States there was complete and utter anarchy. After a while each individual state began to regain their authority. In Seattle they made sectors, making it easier for local, albeit corrupt police officers. On some blocks in Sector Four there were TV sets, which was where a crowd was suddenly forming to watch the most recent Eyes-Only Broadcast.
"Since the early 1990s, billions of your tax dollars have been diverted from legitimate government programs to fund secret experiments in genetic engineering." Eyes Only continued.
Sam Winchester raised a brow shooting a glance at his older brother, Dean. While Sam, was the younger of the two, he was the taller one, towering over his brother by a few inches. Sam had shaggy brown hair and emerald green eyes a trait that he shared with his brother. Dean had spiky light brown hair and was six feet tall making his brother six foot four.
Watching the Eyes Only broadcast with the civilians that made up some of Crash's clientele was an experience. There were shocked gasps within the crowd, but not a lot startled the Winchester brothers, mostly because the Winchester made it their job to hunt down the supernatural. Recently their father, John Winchester had fallen off the map, an act that was fairly easy to do every since the pulse. The pulse an electromagnetic weapon that had knocked down a lot of computers and communication systems. Although the pulse had stirred up a lot of problems, it gave both Sam and Dean another chance at life. Mostly because they both had records from feds who didn't understand exactly what the brothers Winchester was doing.
Another edge the both Dean and Sam had over the civilians watching the broadcast was the fact that they had been working for Eyes Only, if only to find their father faster. At first Logan Cale, the Winchester's brother's lead to Eyes Only had been skeptical but he had seen their skills and changed his mind. There wasn't anything that Sam and Dean couldn't do, which made them available asset, along with Logan's semi-girlfriend, Max Guevara. Recently the foursome had suffered a loss, Max had been killed in action or at least that was what Logan said.
Sam was jogged out of his thoughts as Eyes Only continued, "This covert operation is known as Project Manticore. It's goal: to create the perfect soldier, genetically enhanced for superior strength and speed. These children are subjected to relentless training and propaganda. In the Winter of 2009, twelve of them escaped a facility in Gillette, Wyoming. Some of them were captured; some of them were tortured; some gave their lives fighting to stay free. Since these cable hacks began, Manticore has consolidated its operations to a secret location. Eyes Only will find it, and the people responsible for these crimes will be brought to justice. This has been a streaming freedom video bulletin."
The crowd broke up quickly, the overall feeling was confusion; it had been a lot of information to take in at once. Just as Sam was about to talk to his brother, Dean's pager went off.
"It's Logan," Dean said.
"How much you want to bet it's about what Eyes Only was just talking about?" Sam responded.
"Good guess," Dean shrugged as he pulled out his cell phone. After a short interchange it was clear that Logan wanted them to meet him at his apartment.
Twenty minutes later the three men were gathered around the kitchen talking about a mission that Eyes Only wanted them to do.
"He wants us to do what?" Sam asked.
"You heard me," Logan sighed. "You are the only two who have the skills needed to breach Manticore."
"And you want us to do what?" Dean asked.
"Gather intel," Logan shrugged. "Do anything you can."
"Yeah, okay," Sam sighed.
"Has he found our father?" Dean questioned. "It's been four months, Logan."
"He's trying everything to find your father," Logan soothed. "It's just difficult."
"Just like Dad," Sam smirked.
John Winchester was not the easiest man to deal with. As an ex-marine he had a fierce drive to do anything he put his mind to. The man was the reason why Sam and Dean had grown up the way they did. Battling the supernatural had some training involved, which was probably the reason why Eyes Only thought that they could infiltrate Manticore in the first place.
"We'll do it," Dean stated.
"Great," Logan said. "There are rumors of a new facility about an hour away from Seattle."
"Alright," Sam nodded.
Meanwhile in the new Manticore facility, the Commanding Officers were taking advantage of the nice day to do sparring outside. The X series ranging from the failed attempt X3's to all the way to X8s. The X5 series were some of Manticore's best creations resided, like X5-494. He was as close to perfect as Manticore got. He excelled at any mission he was ever given but at the present moment he was commanding a unit of X5 and X6s. The units had increased ever since the 09er's escape and it was obvious something big had happened because all the ordinary commanders who acting different.
The fourteen-year-old soldiers were exactly like the X5s except for the fact that they were younger and lower on the totem pole. It was like a peaking order with the X5s at the very top. At the present moment 494 was taking the unit for drills before the order came to surround the mat. It was time to spar.
"893 front and center," 494 ordered sharply.
The young girl he was addressing stepped out of the circle and onto the mat where her superior was standing. She looked up at him with big green eyes, her blonde hair was pushed away from her face. She stood at attention waiting for her CO to speak again. He was tall, towering over her at six foot to her five foot four stature. He had spiky brownish blonde hair and emerald green eyes.
"Sir yes sir!" 893 answered.
"Fight 765," 494 ordered.
"Yes, sir!" 893 said.
As 765 stepped onto the map the small 893 crouched into a defensive position she fought as hard as she could put 765 kicked her flat onto her back. He picked her up by the lapels before slamming her against the mat. 893 growled before kicking backward and moving quickly to pin 765.
"893!" A voice shouted that was not 494 it was just one of the ordinaries that oversaw all of the X series making sure that they did as instructed when they were instructed to do so. "Director wants to see you."
Knowing it was best not to speak she followed dutifully after the ordinaries that were leading her straight to Director Renfro. While 893 considered herself to be a good soldier there was a part of her that hated Director Renfro but it didn't stop her from obeying orders. If anything fear of the basement level of Manticore kept her from rebelling. It was rumored and proven that in the basement level was something called Ps-ops, that was where people got reindoctrinated, meaning tortured until they were ready to obey orders.
Rumor had it that one of the 09ers was back in Manticore. She had been out for ten years and all of Manticore's leadership was ecstatic to have her back. 893 had seen her a few times as she was lead straight from Ps-ops and into a barrack. It was actually the same barrack as 893. 452 was different from any other X5 she had broken out of her room one day and had talked to her like she was an equal and a person. Then 452 had done something completely unexpected. She named her after saying her name was Max and 893 should have a name as well. Eventually the two had settled on Lux, which was light in Latin. Max had said it was like 893's hair. Still despite now being called Lux by 452 names were not allowed in Manticore. Because 452's old unit had names and they had all escaped.
"State your designation," Renfro ordered coldly.
"X6-893, ma'am!" 893 answered quickly.
It was then 893 took a moment to glance at her surroundings. Right behind the director were two armed guards. But there were two other men in the room, one looking exactly like 494. But that couldn't be so.
"I see you've already noticed our guests," Renfro sneered. "These men come to us from a very wealthy buyer."
"Ma'am?" 893 whispered.
"You've been sold, 893," Renfro said. "They want to see what an X series in capable of before they buy in bulk so you've been selected by election of 494."
"Yes ma'am," 893 nodded.
"Good," Renfro said before turning to a guard. "Handcuff her and then she will be released into your authority Agent Nugent."
"Thank you," The man who looked like 494 answered. His voice was deep. Deeper than 494, he was also older and smelled like any other ordinary that 893 had been in contact with.
"Move, soldier," The other man growled firmly.
893 was at a loss except she knew to listen to orders. Orders kept her alive and without punishment. So, she followed after the two men. Who led the way straight out of Manticore's facility and into a car. But this car was no government car that she had seen at the perimeter fences. No, this car was old and perfectly maintained. It was from 1967 and it was…
"Pretty," 893 whispered.
"Excuse me?" One of the men asked.
"Sorry, sir," 893 back peddled. "It's just I've never seen a car like this before, sir."
"It's alright kid," not 494 smiled. "Get in."
She climbed into the backseat immediately noticing that there were no locks on the backseat door. She could easily escape if she wanted too, shatter the handcuffs that she had been placed in. But she was curious these men didn't act like any other person she had been in contact before.
"This is a stupid idea, Dean," The tall one growled.
"Shut up, Sam," Dean replied. So, Dean was the one who looked like Alec only a few years older.
"They're going to check to make sure we check out," Sam fumed. "And we don't!"
Sam was tall, taller than anyone 893 had ever seen before. He was, in 893's estimation at least six foot four. His hair was longer than what was acceptable for men in Manticore and there was something in his eyes that made her feel as though she could trust him.
"I know that!" Dean said. "Now would you shut up until we get to Seattle."
"Logan's going to kill you," Sam muttered.
"He told us to gather Intel," Dean shrugged. "She's intel."
"Sir?" 893 asked from the backseat.
"Okay, kid?" The man she knew as Dean looked back at her. "First of all we have names. My name's Dean, this is my brother Sam."
"Yes, sir," 893 said.
"And stop calling us sir," Sam said.
"I don't understand," 893 said. She might have a genius level intelligence but this was just confusing and so were these two.
"We rescued you," Dean said.
"From what?" 893 asked.
"Because you deserve better than this," Sam explained.
"Why me?" 893 questioned.
"You were the one that was brought in," Dean said. "So you're being rescued."
The conversation stopped soon after that as 893 kept track of the surrounding areas. Dean drove until they stopped at a big apartment complex ushering 893 up the steps until they were across from a door. Sam reached out, knocking on the door. When it swung open she was face to face with a man in glasses. He was also in a wheelchair.
"What?" The man gasped looking from Sam to Dean.
"My designation is 893, sir," 893 replied helpfully.
"Oh, my god," The man hissed. "Get inside."
893 felt Dean's palm on her shoulder as he guided her into the apartment She was led straight into the sitting room. She was forced to sit in the middle of a couch on either side of Sam and Dean as the man in the wheelchair sat in front of him openly gaping at her.
"Permission to speak, sir?" 893 asked.
"Go for it," Dean encouraged.
It was then 893 decided to say something that she had heard one of the X5's say, "Take a picture, it'll last longer."
"What?" Wheelchair man asked.
"It's something that someone says to get a person to stop staring, sir," 893 answered.
She didn't know what reaction she was expecting but she wasn't sure that it was Dean doubling over and laughing hysterically. She moved slightly away from Dean inadvertently curling herself into Sam's side.
"You guys kidnapped a soldier?" Wheelchair man hissed.
"You wanted information," Dean shrugged. "Here you go."
"How'd you even?" Wheelchair man stuttered.
"Dean convinced them that we were interested buyers and were loaning one out before buying in bulk," Sam explained. "Chill out, Logan."
"Is that your designation?" 893 asked.
"Excuse me?" Wheel chair man, who 893 assumed was Logan.
"No, his name is Logan," Sam explained. "Just like I'm Sam and he's Dean."
"Names," 893 nodded. "Some kids had them."
"Did you?" Logan asked.
"452 named me Lux," 893 said. "Said her name was Max."
"Max?" Dean and Sam whispered shooting questioning glances to Logan.
"She's alive?" Logan asked.
"X5-452?" 893, no Lux asked. "Yes, sir, she had a heart transplant."
"She was one of them?" Sam asked.
"It all makes sense," Dean shrugged.
Lux did what she did best and kept quiet watching as the three men moved from the sitting room and into the kitchen obviously having a private conversation. Lux wondered vaguely if they realized that she had heightened sense that allowed her to listen to the conversation easily. They were just talking about Max apparently Logan had thought she was dead along with Dean and Sam. Bored at the argument that was progressing Lux yawned but Dean had caught it.
"We should let the kid get some sleep," Dean suggested.
"I don't need sleep," Lux retorted.
"That was an order," Dean said.
Lux frowned but didn't refute what Dean had said. Instead she unlaced her boots then tucked herself into a ball on the couch. She didn't know what tomorrow would bring but the soldier in her screamed that she should get back to Manticore ASAP, she didn't belong here and she hadn't been cleared for solo missions. All those thoughts were enough to make a child who didn't normally need sleep suddenly collapse falling into a near point of unconsciousness.
