Disclaimer: Not my show, not my characters, just borrowing.
So, here it is, the promised full length story. Just a little prologue today to get things going…
Chapter One
"What do we do now?" Alec asked.
X-series, 'Nomalies and everything in between, they'd all thrown in with Max and her call to stay together. The flag was flying, and the Sector Police were parked right outside Terminal City. Alec had held his hand up along with the others at the make-shift vote, but he was skeptical about whether this was a good idea or not. Then again, Max had steered him right so far, mostly, when her altruism and need for justice, fair play, and whatever else weren't dragging him into doing stupid things that could get them killed. Unfortunately, Alec was almost certain this was one of those stupid things. And he really liked not being dead.
"What do we do? What do you think we do?" Max replied snidely. "We figure it out like always, no matter what the morons in this city get up to."
Alec rolled his eyes. "Can the speeches, Max. It's just us and I don't need the recruitment spiel. I'm talking logistics."
It was their first real chance to be alone and talk without the others around to hear. They were crouched atop one of Terminal City's outermost buildings watching the Sector Police for any signs of activity. So far it had been a stalemate, which was fine. Sort of. After the Jam Pony thing, they'd been afraid the cops would change their minds and storm Terminal City, but they hadn't. They'd simply maintained their perimeter. Something was up now though. There was too much going on, cops milling around, packing things up, and he and Max had come up on the roof for a better vantage point.
Alec pointed toward the police command vehicle. "They're moving around, but something tells me it's not to lay out the red carpet so we can leave."
Max pursed her lips, as usual, pissed at him for… some reason. Maybe breathing? Maybe actually stating the situation as it really was, instead of how she wanted it to be.
"We can hold out," Max said. "We have enough food stockpiled for a few weeks, enough weapons. Ammo's marginal."
Alec grunted. "I have a couple of calls in. I just need a chance to get the supplies through."
"Good." Max resettled her binoculars. An Xs vision was great, but this was important and they needed every last detail. "What are they doing?" she asked, although he knew she didn't really expect an answer. The Sector Police had Terminal City completely surrounded and had for days. He and the others still managed a few supply runs using the sewer tunnels, but it was dangerous with all of Seattle on the lookout for them. At the moment, however, the Sector Police were pulling back, getting into their vehicles and leaving.
"Maybe they're bored?" Alec asked hopefully.
"I somehow doubt it." She took her eyes off the departing police just long enough to glare at him. "If you're just going to be an ass, you can leave."
"Jeez. You don't have to bite my head off, Max. You'd think we were in a life or death situation and stressed out of our minds or something."
"Do you ever shut up?"
"Sometimes." Alec's eyes zeroed in on a long line of vehicles that was approaching in the distance. As the Sector Police were moving out, these new vehicles were moving closer. "Like when our friendly neighborhood police are being replaced by the military."
Alec wanted to bang his head against the low brick wall he was hiding behind. Sure enough, the Sector Police had only decided to pull back because there were bigger and badder dogs in town. Post Pulse, there really wasn't a whole lot of money to go around, but one place that still had it was the military. They still had the funding to show up and crush anyone who got out of line, foreign or domestic.
The convoy of military trucks approached the metal fences and piles of rubble surrounding Terminal City. Once they reached it, they split into two lines, one going one way, and one the other. The long snake of vehicles continued on out of sight, and Alec could hear similar vehicles coming in from other directions, until Alec knew that even though he couldn't see it, Terminal City was once again completely surrounded, this time with artillery.
Soldiers began to spill out of the troop carriers and immediately began removing supplies from the trucks and setting up equipment. Apparently, they were making camp.
"Great," Alec said. "Although, I suppose it doesn't make much difference."
"It will make it harder to get out through the tunnels," Max observed. "They'll be better trained."
"Maybe," Alec replied. "But we're still better than them."
"Doesn't mean some of us won't get hurt trying."
Alec gritted his teeth. She was right about that at least. "Have I mentioned how much I want out of this place?"
"Shut it, Alec. We have bigger problems." She turned to go back inside and Alec followed, making sure they were still covered from view by the surrounding buildings.
"Your deep and abiding care for my feelings is touching, Max."
She whipped around and got right up in his face. "Listen, Alec, 'cause I'm only gonna say this once." She actually pointed her finger and poked him in the chest. "I don't give a rat's ass about your feelings right now. We have a problem and they're all depending on us."
That was it. Alec didn't get angry often. He kind of figured it was a side effect of Manticore beating it out of him early on. It was still there though, deep down, and occasionally it just kind of popped out, like when Max decided he was too stupid to know how bad the mess was they were standing in.
Alec allowed that anger to bubble to the surface and got right back in her face. "You think I don't know that?" he growled. "You think I don't know how screwed we are? I'm bunking with a twelve year old kid, Max, and he might be a trained killer, but Dalton's looking at me like when the crap hits the fan I'm gonna keep him safe. I don't know if I can do that. I don't even know if I can keep him fed a couple of weeks from now."
Max hadn't been prepared for his anger and had the good sense to back off. Alec didn't let his angry side show that often and usually just tolerated the abuse Max dished out. Right now, however, he was not in the mood to be the Alec she knew. The walls were closing in.
She blinked in surprise at his sudden change in tone and wisely decided to remove the finger she had jabbed at his chest. She backed up a step and rather than apologize, which Alec knew was never going to happen, said, "Whatever. Let's go."
Alec ran his hand over his face tiredly and was reminded why he rarely let his anger surface. It was exhausting. Sticking with his usual limited level of concern for others was so much less strenuous.
Getting mad didn't help anyway. He knew the real reason, well, one of the reasons, Max was so uptight. "How's Logan?"
The Transgenics were stuck behind the barricades in Terminal City which meant Logan, OC and Sketchy were stuck with them. They hadn't been able to smuggle them out through the tunnels, and the toxins were doing their work. Cindy and Sketch weren't well, but Logan was having the worst time of it.
"Not good. We need to get him out. We need to get all three of them out."
Alec glanced toward the newly-arrived line of military vehicles. "That may be a problem."
"Tell me about it." She turned and marched toward the door that led back to the ground floor. "Come on."
Alec followed her and together they hurried back to Command in silence. When they arrived, a large group had gathered to hear the news. They were close to blind since they couldn't get out and snipers tried to pick off anyone who dared to poke their nose out where they could be seen.
No doubt, they'd heard all of the vehicles coming and going as well as the troops beginning to set up camp and knew it didn't bode well.
Mole was the first to step forward. "What did you see?" he demanded.
"Sector Police pulled back," Max answered. "Military's taken their place. We're completely ringed, but now with a lot more firepower."
Mole growled. "Perfect. The Ordinaries brought reinforcements."
Suddenly, the earth beneath them shuddered, followed by the muffled sound of explosions.
Max's eyes widened. "What the-"
"How many cameras do we still have working?" Alec asked.
"Three," Dix answered. The Sector Police had been picking the cameras off as soon as they saw them. "We lost another one an hour ago."
"What do you see?" Max asked as everyone crowded around the small bank of screens.
"Nothing." The Transhuman shrugged. "I've been watching them set up their gear, but that's it. I can't see that much with only a few cameras, but the fences still look intact."
Max turned around. "We need two squads to run the fence line. Take the radios. Call in when you find the breach."
Alec pulled his gun from his waistband at his back and headed toward the door intending to join the search, but an X-5 named Kit skidded through the entryway at a full run.
"What is it?" Max demanded.
"The sewer tunnels." He gulped in air trying to catch his breath. "They laid down cover fire… to push the guards in the tunnels back… and set charges."
"They've collapsed the sewer tunnels." Alec ran his hand through his hair in frustration. The military had only just arrived and already they'd gone for the jugular. They must have made detailed plans to be put into action immediately upon arrival.
"All the tunnels?" Max asked. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, two more Transgenics ran through the oversized doors into Command.
"They've blown the south tunnels," Snap gasped out.
"West, too," the other said, a tall X-5 female named Quarter. "They're under a ton of rubble."
Silence fell over Command as everyone came to the same realization. No more tunnels meant no more trips in and out of TC. Their supply lines were completely cut off.
"I warned you this was a crap idea," Mole snarled. "We're trapped."
"We could still get out," Dix offered.
Mole turned on the smaller Transhuman. "Yeah, we could try a full frontal assault on well-armed troops. That's brilliant."
"Shoulda known." Alec rubbed at the back of his neck trying to ease some of the tension. "Standard military tactics. It's old school, but you can't argue with the classics."
"What are talking about?" Max demanded angrily.
Alec turned so that he was looking directly at her. "It's a siege."
Siege: a military operation in which enemy forces surround a town or building, cutting off essential supplies, with the aim of compelling the surrender of those inside.
More soon…