I almost wished that someone would try to jump me as I walked down the alley, away from the streetlights, with my big brother at my side. It was dark now. Zack only visited me after dark.

I had been inactive too long. I felt like I was about to burst. So instead of the silence that usually permeated much of Zack's visits, I spoke.

"Zack, take me with you."

"No." Zack said in that 'And that's the last I want to hear from you on the subject, soldier!' voice.

Tactfully, I changed the subject. Tactical retreat to attack on a new front.

"What are the others like?" an old question, repeated often because I liked to hear Zack talk about his brothers and sisters, the X-5's.

"You ask too many questions." Zack said, "Didn't they break you of that at Manticore?"

He didn't mean it. Not really. He never did.

"Will I ever get to meet them? Any of them?" I pressed.

Zack sighed and turned to face me with his most stern, disappointed, and authoritative look. I didn't even blink, but looked up at him with my own most stubborn and determined expression. For all that he was older than I was, I was still his sister. Even more so than the X-5's. You see, they used Zack's DNA to create me.

Maybe it was for this reason Zack was extremely protective of me. Maybe that just added to his natural protective, big brother nature. Either way, the result was the same.

No one knew about me. Not any of the X-5's, not even the majority of Manticore staff. Not even the Lydecker that kept plaguing my brother. I had been a special project. Madame X, as everyone called her, had observed Zack's natural leadership abilities and acted to duplicate that valuable asset. Why she made me female Zack claimed he would never understand. I suspect that it was because she was a woman and some part of her had wanted a woman leading.

"Big brother, you know that I'm as stubborn as you are. Zack, I'm sick of this place! I want to go with you, to help you. Hell, you could use it. Every time I see you, you have a new injury that you're trying to hide from me." I said.

"It's too dangerous." Zack said, his voice lowering and taking on more force.

"You can't make me stay." I said, my own voice lowering to nearly match his.

"I can."

I was mad. I would make him see my point and at the same time prove that I was capable of handling the danger. I had been trained for it as much as he had, damn it!

I whipped around and kicked high: a roundhouse kick to his head. Zack caught my foot with both hands an inch from his face. I glared my fury at him, but he refused to relinquish his hold.

"Don't make me, little sister." he said quietly.

As close to begging as Zack ever got. But this was one time that I wouldn't back down. I jumped and kicked at him with my other leg. He released my foot to block the kick. I had the offensive. I launched into another roundhouse, this time aimed at chest height. He blocked. Every attack I launched he blocked. Finally, he made a counterattack. I had been waiting for it and dodged his jab at my stomach. Zack attacked again, taking the offensive. This time it was a sweep kick. I jumped over it and bent back out of the path of the first punch of a triple punch. I was forced to retreat to avoid the following attacks. Zack switched to a flat-handed punch. I side-stepped it, but walked right into his left-handed jab. I ducked in time, but then had no time to jump a reverse sweep kick. I fell. Zack dropped with me, an elbow poised to deliver a blow that would knock the air from my lungs.

"You stay." he said in my face.

"You know that I can't beat you." I growled at him.

Zack could anticipate all my moves. He was bigger and stronger. My only advantage was being slightly more flexible because of my gender and I never had enough time to exploit that. Whenever our disagreements became physical, Zack won.

"That's why you shouldn't fight me. It's for your own good. Do you want to get dragged back to Manticore?"

"No." I said, feeling slightly defeated...for now.

Zack had rescued me from Manticore when he had discovered me there on one of his spying missions. He liked to know ahead of time if one of his brothers or sisters was in trouble.

I had been left in a room by myself, instructed to watch the screen flashing with the traits of a perfect soldier while I practiced my punches, kicks, and blocks until I received different orders. It had been a punishment for breaking protocol. I had questioned my instructor and creator, Madame X.

The moment when I first saw Zack was an odd one. When I heard the door open, I had assumed the attention position, awaiting orders. When I saw Zack, I recognized myself in him and was frozen for a moment. Then I had assumed a combat position, ready to attack if necessary. I had no idea who he was or what was going on, but those two facts usually meant a test.

"Who are you?" he had asked finally.

"SP559, sir!" I had replied.

It was Zack's barcode except for the 'SP' instead or 'X'. 'SP' for special project.

Knowing that I would resist him, Zack had attacked and rendered me unconscious after only a short fight. When I woke up, I was in a vehicle headed to where I was currently located: Phoenix, Arizona.

"Permission to make inquiry, sir." I had asked, feeling weak.

"You don't have to ask permission anymore, little sister." Zack had said.

And so I was free. New life and so on. Zack visited me occasionally and told me bits and pieces of his missions. He'd told me a little about the others: Max, Tinga, Brin, Syl, Krit, and so on. He talked about Max the most.

I knew Zack could use my help.

Suddenly, I knew what I had to do.

"Is this my freedom, then? You get more and more like Manticore, Zack." I said.

It was a cheap shot and we both knew it. But I was desperate.

Zack shoved himself back to his feet. That comment had cut through his bio-genetically engineered military shell. I had hurt his feelings.

"Fine. Do whatever you want. Get yourself killed." he said, turning his back to me, "I was just trying to keep you safe, baby sister."

"I know. You try to keep all of us safe. But Zack, I'm not a baby and you know that you could use all the help you can get." I said softly, but firmly.

Zack turned to face me again. After a long moment of silence, he spoke again.

"Practice your moves. Remember how I got you down and make sure that doesn't happen again. You'll need all the skill you've got. When I get back...you can come with me." Zack promised.

I knew that was as far as Zack would surrender. And I was glad. It felt like a victory to me. Of course, I didn't smile. Zack and I, we rarely smile. And besides, I knew that would only hurt his already bruised pride.

"Don't worry, Zack. I will. You'll see." I agreed.

The night was almost gone so I hugged him and he vanished into the dark again. Little did I know hat he would never come back to me.

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This short little fic was inspired by my best friend's comment that I should have played an X-5 instead of the blonde who played Syl in the season finale because I look like Zack (hair color, pouty expression, etc.). I took this as a great compliment. If anyone was at all interested by this and would like to read some more about my little character and what happens next, let me know. I only write when I know that someone wants to read so just let me know. Thanks.

Gabrielle