AS 2.08 Pong by Star24
Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are copyright 2001-2002 Twentieth Century Fox Studios and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003 Star24
.Prologue
Max's Crib
"…so let me get this straight. You got Logan's legs fixed for good, you and he finally did the dirty, and now he isn't talking to you?" Original Cindy said carefully to Max. "Original Cindy likes to know her facts before she puts the smackdown on anyone."
Max sighed and turned to look at her best friend. "You make it all sound so simple."
"Girl, it is simple. The boy needs to have sense knocked into his head."
"Well I'm not exactly talking to him either." Max confessed, turning away.
Original Cindy narrowed her eyes at her friend. "And why might that be?"
Max turned with a stubborn look on her face. "Because he jumped to conclusions about what went down at the Embassy."
"Hold on. Back up. Something tells me that you haven't exactly spilled the whole dl here. Did you, or did you not, tell him that Lydecker played you in that deal?"
"Not exactly."
"Why not?"
"Because he read Deck's note and saw the newscast, and then he looked at me like I was some kind of monster. Why should I tell him anything after that?"
"What did you do?"
"I left."
"That's it? You left? Without talking about it?"
"He made his mind up. What was there to talk about?"
"Max, did it ever occur to you that the man was in shock? The black helicopter dudes kidnap him, they drug him up for days on end, he wakes up walking and finds a note from Lydecker that seems to say that you sold your soul to Satan, and then he sees the news about the assassination. Girl, I gotta say I'd be doubtin' what went down too at that point. It don't mean that he wouldn't be willin' to hear your side of things."
"I'm not willing to tell him. If he thinks I'd kill someone in cold blood just so he could walk…"
Original Cindy looked at her slyly, "You're tellin' me you had no inkling that Lydecker wasn't dealin' you the full deck? You honestly thought it was a simple fetch and retrieve? Satan needed you for that?"
Max flushed.
"Or maybe you didn't want to know?" Cindy finished. "Boo, maybe it ain't Logan who's doubtin' you so much as you doubtin' yourself."
Max stared at her for long moments. "He hates me now. I know he does. And all I wanted to do was to help him…"
Cindy reached over and hugged her friend. "Max, Logan loves you. He might be mad at you but, boo, he'll forgive you. The man can't live without you. You're the air he breathes. Trust me."
"He thinks I killed a man in cold blood. How can he forgive that? You know Logan."
"First you gotta decide, can you forgive yourself?"
"Huh?"
"Did you do it?"
"I killed him."
"In cold blood?"
"No. I didn't even mean to. It happened so fast…"
"Max, it was kill or be killed. You did what you had to do. Logan will understand that." Original Cindy assured her friend.
"Why would he believe me? He knows I went to Lydecker voluntarily."
"Boo, you made a mistake there. A big one. But you did it because you love Logan. Satan played you and he played your man. Original Cindy wouldn't be surprised if he's still playing you."
"What do I do?"
"You gotta go talk to Logan. He's pissed and he has a right to be. But he deserves to hear the truth of what went down from you."
"He won't answer my calls." Max protested.
"Since when did you lose the use of your feet? And isn't that your bike I see sittin' there in front of me? He changed his address or somethin'?"
"No."
Original Cindy stood and pulled Max up after her. She gave her a push towards the bathroom of their small apartment. "Then you need to go in there, wash your face and comb your hair, and then get your fine ass over to the fortress of solitude. I don't wanna see your face here again until you work it out with your boy."
Max looked at her doubtfully. "What if he won't let me in?"
"And that's ever stopped you?"
Max smiled wanly. She went into her room and then the bathroom and emerged in a short time. She had changed her shirt, brushed her hair, and even applied a light coat of lip-gloss.
Original Cindy looked at her approvingly. "That's more like my homegirl."
Max went to her bike and began to walk it out of the apartment. She was in the hallway when Cindy called after her.
"Boo, remember one more thing."
"What?"
"Makeup sex works wonders."
Max blushed. "OC!" She looked around the hallway to be sure no neighbors were in earshot.
"S'truth girl. You been there now, so don't go tellin' me you ain't like that. And when you come home all back in sync with the universe, you owe me the lowdown."
The elevator doors opened at that moment sparing Max from having to answer. She quickly pushed her bike inside. Cindy watched the doors close and then turned and went back into their apartment with a troubled look on her face. "Logan Cale, if you hurt my girl you're gonna pay or my name ain't Original Cindy" she muttered to herself.
End of Prologue