An Echo Of What Was
By Shikasta
Spoilers: Anything's fair game in my view although this is an AU
Disclaimer: The characters of Dark Angel are owned by Twentieth Century Fox Television and Cameron Eglee productions. In laymen's terms: Don't own them but by god I wish I did.
Italics = flashback
Chapter One – The Path Less Taken
He sat atop the space needle looking out across the city of Seattle, it was dark like his thoughts. At first he had come here everyday, hoping, silently praying to a God he didn't believe in. Now he only came when he was at his lowest. Tonight was the anniversary and foolishly he had hoped this visit would be different. As he sat there he knew that once again he was alone with only his dark thoughts for company. He breathed in deeply, through his nose, smelling Seattle the city that he had come to call home. He tensed, he always had a feeling of being watched when he came here even though he knew that was unlikely. Looking around to make sure, his senses alert, he relaxed when he was certain it was just him there.
"I need help tonight, Seattle" He had found that talking to the city helped him in making tough decisions. "They're setting up another committee, they're going to draft the final solution, it's make or break time for this rag-tag community Max bequeathed to me" he ran his fingers through his hair "We're an endangered species my friend, and we may soon be extinct" he paused looking fondly out over the peaceful city "any suggestions?" Alec was silent inwardly hoping to hear a response "didn't think so" he chuckled, it felt almost foreign to him, he hadn't really chuckled since that fateful day, his humour retreating as responsibility and leadership engulfed him.
The transgenic community within Terminal City had gathered at the request of their de facto leader, she had been the one to unite them, make them stand their ground. Two years on they were still holed up in the toxic confines of a city they had declared their own with no willing opposition. Alec stood by her side lost in his thoughts, pondering the reason behind the mass gathering. Max had been cagey avoiding his questions and he knew something big was going down, he just couldn't figure out what.
Max stood before the crowd, slightly nervous she knew this had to be done but still a gut wrenching fear had taken up residence in the pit of her stomach and wouldn't vacate. She motioned to the crowd to quieten down and slowly an unearthly hush fell across the community.
"We've come a long way and have created something we can be proud of" Max turned and gave a small smile to Alec then turned back to the waiting crowd. "It's time for us to plan our future as a community and a race. We need a leader that can be a towering source of strength and direction in the dark times ahead." The crowd began to buzz everyone whispering, asking the same question "what's she talking about?"
"Today I want us to decide who that transgenic should be" Max knew with those words that she had forfeited control of her life and everything was going to change and fast. The crowd was all shouting at once, questions being asked, accusations being flung, everybody confused including Alec who whispered in her ear "what the hell are you playing at Max" his tone angry. Max looked into his hazel eyes silently asking him to trust her but Alec had a bad feeling.
Again Max silenced the crowd motioning with her hands, taking a deep breath "I've served your interests to the best of my ability but I am no longer the best person to lead you all."
The crowd was in an uproar and one voice expressed the opinion of the entire group "So who do you think should lead us, after all you're the one who encouraged us to hole up in TC" Mole was furious chomping hard on his stogie, deep down he had known she would abandon them after all no one really changes, she was bound to run sooner or later.
Max knew her answer the moment the question had passed Mole's lips but she paused before responding.
"Alec" and with that her fate as well as the entire transgenic nation's was sealed.
Alec froze 'no way did I just hear that' he thought. Sharply he turned his gaze to Max pleading with his eyes for her to stop this madness.
Max continued "All those in favour of Alec assuming the position of Leader of TC raise your hands" and one by one the transgenics raised their eclectic mix of hands favouring Max's recommendation. Before Alec had time to voice an opinion he had succeeded Max as Leader of their motley nation.
Alec was still silent unable to comprehend what had happened as everyone cheered, he had just given a rousing speech but what he said he couldn't remember. A hand touched his cheek and he realised Max was telling him something "you'll do great". 'Is that it' he thought 'what's she playing at?'
When they had retreated to the quiet confines of Command Alex turned to Max.
"Max what the hell just happened and why?" he finally asked.
"Alec you were born to do this, maybe I was too but I've been on the outside too long I don't have the ability to give our people what they need, you do".
Alec stood arms folded.
She continued "there's a war coming, it's unavoidable, I was stupid to think that this community of ours could find freedom peacefully." Max rested her hands on his folded arms, pleading with her eyes "We're going to have to fight and I'm not the best person to lead that fight, you are"
'She's caressing my ego' Alec was mad but maintained his composure.
"You're stubborn, you would never give up leadership"
"I just did"
"Max" but she didn't give him a chance to finish and she pulled him into hug.
"You'll do fine Alec, you always do" she spoke her head resting on his chest.
"What's going on Maxie?" he caressed her hair but she never answered his question instead leaning in and placing a soft kiss on his cheek.
"Just remember, I'll always have your back" and then she retreated from his embrace and walked away.
Alec sighed, three years had gone by fast and TC never really paused to mourn Max's departure, except of course Logan and himself. 'What were you thinking?' his mind replaying the events before she disappeared.
"Joshua died, and then you left too. Max I'm all alone leading our people for what, my family's gone, you're gone, Joshua is gone, what were you thinking?" He had asked that question so many times over the three years with no response, he stood up peering at the sky "Where are you?"
Alec sometimes wondered if White had finally gotten a hold of Max. It was pretty unlikely as they hadn't seen or heard a familiar in three years. The transgenics still remained guarded knowing that they still lurked "probably waiting for their moment" he thought out loud. So much had coincided with Max's departure and he was slowly trying to piece it altogether determined that underneath were all the answers to the questions he kept asking.
Only Logan had remained faithful to the search for Max everyone else had slowly lost interest spouting, "She'll come back when she's ready". Logan suffered openly at the loss of the woman he loved while Alec suffered in silence at the loss of his friend and a woman he could fall in love with. Alec had decided, when it was first apparent she hadn't just stepped out for a ride on her ninja, that he would firstly find Max then sort out his feelings towards her. He still remained true to that reasoning never allowing his thoughts to stray too far.
Alec's thoughts drifted to Layla, the woman who currently shared his bed, she kept hounding him, pressuring him to acknowledge her as his mate but he just couldn't do it, Alec chuckled to himself again "Layla will throw a spat when Max saunters back into TC" and silently he admitted to himself that if Max did come back Layla would be added to the list of women who hated him.
He knew it was time to head back, it just wasn't safe to be outside the walls of TC anymore, five years and the ordinary's still feared and despised them and he was beginning to wonder whether he would see freedom in his lifetime. He looked around once again feeling as though he was being watched, but again knew he was alone. "You left me one huge headache Maxie" and with that said he smiled and turned leaving the sanctuary of the needle to return to the dramas of TC.
A shadow had been watching him and now watched him leave, once Alec had gone the person walked over to where he had been sitting and took up residence in his spot. Caressing the smooth surface feeling the residual warmth that Alec had left behind. "I'm right here Alec" she whispered and a little more venomously "who the hell is Layla?" and then her anger dissipated into sadness at the intense loss she felt every time she came here.
"Why do I punish myself?" A tear escaped and she hugged her knees close to her chest taking in the sight of Seattle, the city she had called home for so long and had left three years ago and now so desperately missed.
"I'm so lost Alec, I wish you knew how lost I am" and another tear escaped. She had been so strong the past few years but her resolve was beginning to falter she wanted to go home but even she knew that was impossible for now.
"452" she turned to look into the blue eyes of the man that had shifted out of the shadows.
"What" she spat angered at the interruption. He looked at her shocked and she noted this "Sorry, 513" she wiped away the treacherous tear and stood up.
"He's going to discover us one day you know"
"I know" she paused "both of them will" she walked over to 513 and they stood side by side looking out over Seattle. Max finally broke the silence "I love this city".
"You are too sentimental 452" he retorted as he moved to stand behind her placing his hand firmly on her shoulder.
"I'll find my way home" Max said mainly to reassure herself not caring if 513 heard her or not. 513 always accompanied her here and sat patiently as she watched Alec. He claimed her and Max's survival instincts told her to accept it and move on, she was no good to TC if she was dead. She would survive this, like all the other obstacles.
"You are home" 513 replied matter-of-factly pulling her a little closer. Max slide out of his hold, she never desired physical contact after seeing Alec and 513 needed it to reaffirm his place.
"Let's go before base decides to send a retrieval team." She smiled and 513 nodded his agreement, grabbed her hand and they melded back into the shadows leaving the space needle alone once more.
Alec entered the command hub of TC and was quickly greeted by a not so pleasant Mole.
"Hey Mole, anything exciting happen while I was gone?" Alec slapped Mole on the back.
"You have to stop going up to that place you know, it's dangerous out there and the last thing we need is to lose another leader" He looked at Alec sternly while he chewed.
Alec's light mood disappeared "I have my reasons and I ask you to respect them"
"She's not coming back, the sooner you accept and move on the better off we'll all be"
Alec blurred towards Mole grabbed his wrist and in one fluid motion twisted his arm behind his back and shoved his face into the wall "You can express any opinion you want except that one" and as quickly as he had attacked Mole he released him.
"Fine, no need to get rough" Mole snorted as he brushed himself off.
"She'll be back" and then Alec turned and headed into the heart of command.
Max lay on the hard metal cot with her hands tucked behind her head unable to sleep but that wasn't anything new. The lights in her room suddenly flickered on and her door slid harshly open, she bolted up right, swinging her legs off the cot and rose to face her intruder.
"The Colonel wishes to see you 452"
"At this hour?"
"The Colonel doesn't sleep, you should know that by now"
"That makes two of us" she retorted as she exited her room and headed towards The Colonel's office.
As she reached the Colonel's door she felt fear, this was not normal protocol and she knew it, but her fear was not for herself. She stood before the Colonel's door and mechanically let her knuckles hammer hard to alert him to her presence. The door swung open and she entered stopping before the desk at full attention, her mind wondering back to her first visit to this office.
Two burly men entered the room dragging between them a dazed brunette woman, she was dressed in what appeared to be a hospital gown and her feet were bare, scraping across the cold hard surface of the floor. The men dragged their feet, not because the woman was heavy but because coordination and grace was not they're speciality, and stopped before a man that demanded respect and had power. This was the new bad guy.
"I'm not a cruel man 452" he crooned as he grabbed her long dark hair and forcibly raised her head so he could look into those feral eyes. He smiled a warm, inviting smile that confused, no terrified Max, although her face remained expressionless.
"My name's Max" she grunted.
"That's all good and well Max" he responded sharply "but while you're home we will use your birth name "452".
Max began to struggle in the grip of the two men holding her by her armpits. As she wriggled their grip only strengthened. She was afraid, he mind screaming at her to get the hell out of here, but she wasn't going anywhere, her human chains refusing to let go of their prize.
A short balding man bustled into the room carrying a large silver case under his arm and made his way over to the Colonel. He wasn't really a Colonel in fact he wasn't military at all, something that angered him greatly, but since taking up this assignment he had insisted on being referred to as the Colonel he believed it instilled a greater sense of authority than a simple mister.
"What is it Collins?" he snapped
"Her medical work up sir" Mr Collins spluttered while handing the silver case to him for perusal.
"Thank you, you can go" he waved his hand at Mr Collins before jarring open the silver case and began intently digesting the medical wonder that was 452, as he walked the few short steps to his broad wooden desk and sat down. The new warden didn't care much for cold, hard metal instead preferring the warm, soft touch of wood, after all, wood had far better character than metal.
"Interesting" he muttered to himself "Very interesting"
"Yeah, the 'no junk DNA' seems to have you all stumped" Max spat, still restrained and still struggling.
"You know that's not entirely true 452, after all isn't one of the reasons you're here to save humanity. A noble but foolhardy sacrifice on your part, don't you think."
"I made my choice and I'll stand by it" she responded through gritted teeth, although deep down she was wondering why she hadn't made another choice. Why she had allowed her conscious to get her in this mess. She certainly couldn't blame it on naivety for she knew exactly what would happen once she handed herself over for the good of humanity.
"Although that is interesting, in this instance I find the fact that you are pregnant to be more so" he chuckled "two for the price of one" and with that he snapped shut the silver case and leaned back into the large, leather chair he was seated in, after all he loved his creature comforts.
Max was shocked and terrified her mind rapidly digesting this new information 'it was only one bloody time, shit this is not good, this changes everything.'
"Thank you for joining me 452" the Colonel welcomed, briefly looking up from the paperwork strewn across the solid wooden desk.
'Like I had a choice' she thought but responded "You're welcome sir"
"I have an assignment for you 452"
"Yes sir" she always dreaded being sent on assignment.
"Deep cover"
"I'm not cleared for deep cover sir"
"I know but on this occasion you are the best qualified to undertake this assignment"
"Sir?" she asked 'what's going on, this is not protocol, something's up' her mind was frantically working overtime trying to figure it out, however, her face remained expressionless.
"I'm sending you into the heart of TC to gather Intel"
"Sir, I don't think…" but the Colonel cut her off.
"Are you questioning my orders 452?"
"No sir" her body becoming more rigid and a little taller, silently hoping her little outburst would not see her reprimanded.
"You leave tomorrow morning"
"What about…" and again the Colonel cut her off.
"You can take one of them with you, it's been determined that is the best course of action and will aide your cover story as well as help you merge back into life there quicker."
"Which one sir?"
"I'll let you decide, be ready to depart at 0900 hours"
"Yes sir"
"Dismissed" the Colonel looked at her in an appraising manner then returned to reading his paperwork.
Max turned on her heel and left, and as she walked back to her cell fear once more crept up on her but this time it was also for herself.
TBC