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Christmas Challenge '09 lagniappe: a Gift for Annie
A/N: Those of us writing DA fic for a while owe thanks to a Annie200, faithful reader who has provided reviews and moral support for years of Max & Logan fic. She's had a busy year, so her wish list for this story was taken from her application last year:
Things You Don't Want to See in Your Story:
1) Snakes
2) Monsters like the one that stopped Max and Logan getting together in S2
3) Above all no virus
Wish List (if you submit the maximum of 5, the author will do their best to include 3, if 4 are given 2, 3-1, will result in a minimum of 1 being part of the story):
1) Alec and Logan having some sort of serious talk
2) Joshua but only if he can be treated decently
3) Max and Logan and UST
4) Logan back story of any kind
5) Return visit by Bling?
Okay, so this story completely got away from me: with two Secret Santa stories to do this year, this started off as a "Bling returns" story, but oddly, though I love him dearly, Bling hasn't ended up in either story (so far!) Plus, this is the fewest of the proposed prompts I've ever used, and it's darker than usual for my Christmas fic. It's not even very much of M & L. But it just kept coming, and I figure I can do "light" for the other one, right?
So Annie, hope you still enjoy this alternative sort of holiday story, and may everyone out there in DA land have a happy, warm and delightful holiday season, whichever holidays you celebrate. To my Secret Santa giftee, who doesn't actually know yet who you are, never fear, you will get your fic before the 12 days of Christmas are gone. And extra special geflugen apfelstrudel in thanks for Mari, for reading and hand-holding and mental health therapy ...
Merry Christmas, everyone!
The Extra-ordinary
I.
It was December 17, 2021, and Terminal City's very first Christmas was a crazy quilt of sounds and smells, a hodgepodge of traditions and make-do from a whole world of people from different backgrounds, different cultures –
"...and different test tubes," Alec interrupted Original Cindy's latest holiday observation.
It earned him a quick, back-handed smack on his calf. "I don't need yo' help, Scrooge," she glared up at him. "An' it don't matter what you try to bring us down, Original Cindy and all her little peeps are getting with the holiday spirit – ain't that right?" Four little transgenic heads bobbed with their enthusiasm, sitting in a circle on the floor with Cindy as she showed them how to string popcorn to decorate the Christmas tree they'd convinced Sketchy and Alec to haul out to the transgenics' stronghold. She nodded back at them and looked back up at her co-worker and went on smugly, "you'll be singin' a different tune when we're done, and you see that Terminal City has the most beautiful tree in town."
"Certainly the biggest," Alec grumbled, secretly allowing a wink to one of the kids. He'd seen that the little girl's wide, coal black eyes held a sudden fear at the feigned argument, and remembered where she'd been found – in an isolation cell in Psy-Ops. They were still trying to determine if she was just another test subject, or a newly developed psy-transgenic strain of some sort – or both. Either way, it had taken weeks to get her to stop screaming in pain any time someone even tried to touch her. And just the memory of that made him lose the scowl and manage to grin along with them. "Ho ho ho," he added for her.
"Now that's the spirit." If Cindy had caught his earlier thoughts, she didn't telegraph it, and Alec tried to believe that for every bigoted redneck in the Pacific Northwest who wanted transgenics off the face of the earth, there was an Original Cindy out there, ready to make Christmas with these kids just because they were kids, no matter the barcodes or scales or gills they might have.
The only outward sign of his thoughts was his patented smirk as he ambled off, as if unaffected by it all. More than Christmas and what it meant, the reactions of the locals to the idea that there were transgenics among them bothered Alec, more than they should have bothered a soldier – the xenophobic reaction was one he hadn't really believed would happen, despite all the warnings they'd received to the contrary. He'd been out among them, undercover; he knew they could be emotional and judgmental and really stupid sometimes, especially when 'mob psychology' took over. But also as a population, they idolized sports stars, those with greater strength or speed or abilities; they had movies full of martial arts masters and ass-kicking heroes. So while maybe it made sense that, at first, they'd be afraid of someone who looked like Mole or even Joshua – when they reacted the same way for him, for Max and all the X-5s and X6s, who looked just like the ordinaries who hated them – he just didn't get it. He wouldn't have been a threat to them, not really. Not until they made him a threat, with their own, defensive reactions...
"Alec– "
He looked up to see Logan leaning on the railing above him. At his eye contact, Logan simply nodded his head back toward the ops center behind him, the central defense base for TC, and left the railing to disappear back toward the center. With a small sigh, Alec took a step toward the stairs, hesitated, then in a small huff of irritation, turned toward the railing again, coiled, and simply leaped up and over the railing, landing silently beside it. They treat us like outcasts for what we can do, we might as well at least take advantage of ...
"Oh, well, look – it's Batman," Mole drawled at Alec's chosen mode of arrival. Logan first looked startled at Alec's sudden appearance, followed by another look Alec saw from him sometimes. It was one that surfaced most often when Max tried to explain to him why she was taking one of the others along on a raid or other mission for the holed-up transgenics while he was left behind, reasoning with him the sheer practicality that Alec or Biggs or any one of many others was more trained for the job, and faster, stronger... it was an expression Alec saw the times Logan wanted to help but couldn't.
Of course, at those times, Max studiously avoided pointing out, just as obvious, that they were all more mobile than Cale. It would be true of most of the transgenics when compared to most ordinaries, but Alec got the sense that Logan found little comfort in the thought, if it ever even occurred to him. Not only is he less mobile than a lot of ordinaries, suddenly his girlfriend isn't the only one with the strength and speed and smarts she was given, and she can't help but like being around others with a pedigree and abilities and training like hers. Not that Max has ever even looked at another male here, not even in Heat – but that has to have crossed Cale's mind, too. Hell, it has to have crossed the minds of every male transgenic in the place old enough to respond to that body ... those pheromones ... those lips...
Logan's exoskeleton whirred softly as he turned back and crossed over to the displays in the command center, the sound rising in the silence to mock the differences between them, and Alec felt a flash of irritation. It's not my fault I'm a transgenic and he's not, or that he's not even fully 'ordinary.' Like I asked for this... Once again Alec felt an unexpected jealousy to know, just once, what it must be like just to be an ordinary, to have grown up with a family and parents, to find the right girl and to settle down to a life ... to not only have free will, but to be free to act on it...
But Cale was speaking. "Alec – we've gotten the results from the environmental testing we did last month, and the blood tests Sam was able to have run for us. It's not good." From across the large work table in the center of the room, Max and Mole watched Logan with serious eyes. "It's true that the radiation levels out here aren't as high as they were when the area was originally declared off limits – but they tested for and found a significant number of toxins both in the air and the soil not confirmed before. What's worse news is that a quarter of you who are out here full time are showing signs of it in your blood. It's even more noticeable in the kids."
"We've got to move, Alec," Max said simply.
"And to decide if you want to stay together like this, move as a group and maintain your own community..." Logan began.
"And to consider the very real option of just sending those who are susceptible to the toxins out on their own – or let them stay here if they want, but just accept the risk..." Mole interrupted.
"I already told you that's not going to be an option." Max's eyes flashed in anger more at the situation than at the large transgenic, but Mole got the brunt of her anger as she directed it toward him. "We're not going to give anyone the choice of abandonment or illness."
Mole snorted. "So we move all of us, just because..."
"Yes." Alec agreed, to the others' surprise – and his own. "It seems pretty clear that at least for the time being we need to stick together. They haven't exactly rolled out the welcome mat for us out there, and how long has it been now, eight months? They don't seem to be warming up to the idea of sharing their city with those of us cooked up in a lab."
Mole stared at Alec, trying to figure out if there was something more behind the X-5's sudden feelings of community, when Logan spoke up again. "I have a couple ideas for where we might consider. One place ... I think I can get us for nothing. Or next to nothing. I just don't know about the location and if you'd consider it defensible and accessible – and there would be a lot of people coming and going in the area. The other ... well, same thing, I guess. It's a bit closer to the center of town, and even a useable building that could be commandeered, but maybe harder to obtain. I just need you to check it out and see what you think."
"Would you mind if we go scout out some places, too, first?" Alec turned to Logan, a sudden ire fueling his words. "You know – just so all that reconnaissance and security training the government gave us won't go to waste."
It was silent in the command center for only a very few moments, but the air was thick with tension. Later, Alec would wonder what exactly the source of his anger had been, but – as usual lately, it seemed – the fallout fell on Logan, who, once again, retreated first. His eyes left Alec's to briefly focus away from him, on some unseen thought, before he nodded, very slightly.
"Knock yourself out," Logan returned, coolly. He leaned over the table to jot a couple locations and slid the paper toward Alec. "Here are the ones I mentioned. The first one – you'd be sharing the property with an office complex and manufacturing site, there, but there's plenty of acreage to build whatever you want. If you want to look around inside the place during the daytime, to get an idea of who would be around and have ready access to the property, I can get you in but will probably need to go with you. The other is an all but abandoned warehouse on the waterfront – I think I can convince the owners they don't need the property any more." He turned to Max and, hesitating only a moment, said quietly, "I'd better go. I've got to..." he paused, then shrugged, apologetically, "to see what's up with things."
She looked at him up at him, her eyes rounding in a look of concern before she replied by quickly closing the couple feet between them and reaching up to steal a quick kiss. When they pulled away, Logan's expression softened a little as he returned her worried gaze with an assuring one. When he spoke, it was as if they were alone, no one else with them in the ops center.
"Can you come for dinner?"
She nodded quickly, still searching his face with a look that Alec didn't get – maybe he'd missed something, coming late into the conversation. "I'll be there," Max told Logan. At his smile in response, she returned it and added another quick kiss. She said nothing as she watched him turn and leave the center, the sounds of the exo trailing behind him as he went down the stairs.
From Cale's demeanor, and Max's in response, Alec fully expected Max to turn on him and yell about his treatment of Logan or some other slight he'd visited on her man, this ordinary she'd found – the rich boy Max seemed to think was smarter and more resourceful than a whole squad of X-5s put together.
But she didn't. She drew a breath, glanced back at him and quietly added to what Logan had said. "The first place is his family's business, its main offices and manufacturing center – the good news and bad is that it's past the city limits, and would have about eight hundred employees in and out, during the day, with maybe a crew of one to two hundred at night. But Logan thinks we could take some of the land – anywhere, really, but the perimeter might be good. The other place is a company warehouse. Pretty self evident when you see it, the pros and cons."
Alec frowned at her frosty demeanor, and looked at Mole for help – whose neutral, unreadable expression was no help at all. Feeling an unfamiliar prickle of guilt, he tried, "Look, I just thought..."
"No, you didn't, Alec," Max interrupted. "That's the problem..." She started to turn and leave, which pissed him off even more.
"Hey!" Alec grabbed her arm and waited for her to turn back and face him. "We can cope, you know, and might have some ideas or resources, too. I just would like to have a chance to weigh some options of our own."
Max's eyes met Alec's and for only a moment, he thought she might spill what was bugging the two of them. But then she shrugged sharply out of his grasp, never dropping eye contact. "Knock yourself out," she repeated Logan's words as she too left the command center.
Alec looked to Mole and raised his hands in question. "What is it with them?"
Mole just shrugged. "Ordinaries," he guessed.
"Max isn't one of them."
"Might as well be," Mole muttered.
Alec's eyes narrowed at that. Not saying what crossed his mind at Mole's observation, Alec turned and went to the railing overlooking the large central space of the ground floor, and saw that Max had stopped to talk with Cindy and the kids, still working on Christmas decorations. It struck him, and not for the first time, how odd it was that one of the escapees who hadn't been a part of Manticore for over a decade had managed to become de facto leader of all of the transgenics who had been. Her training and involvement with Manticore was ancient history, and certainly less complete than that of nearly everyone else there. Just as Mole had said, it was almost like she was an Ordinary, too.
And Alec wasn't sure if that meant that Max was the best person to bridge those two worlds, or the worst person to have the final say in matters concerning the transgenics – or both.
II.
But only three days later, Alec stepped out of the large, empty warehouse at the waterfront and ambled back up to Logan as he stood at the harbor's entry, facing out over the water, a few yards away from where his car and Alec's bike were parked side by side. Without preamble, Alec said "it would work pretty well for our needs. It's big enough, not too far away from downtown but not in the middle of things – defensible. Seems pretty solid, too."
He had followed Logan out to the docks, and went in to look over the warehouse Cale had found. Neither he nor any of the others were able to find anything better, and Alec knew it was time to acknowledge that Logan's offer of help – again – was just what they needed. To his credit, Logan didn't go inside, but let Alec have all the time he needed to look the place over without Cale looking over his shoulder. With Alec's return and apparent approval, he'd merely nodded, showing no sign that he even remembered Alec's little snit about wanting to find his own location. "Okay, then. I can complete arrangements in a day or two... unless there's anyone else you think ought to check it out before we finalize everything."
"No," Alec shook his head. "I asked around, and everyone else was fine with it, if you and Max and I all agreed." In reality, that wasn't quite right – the others at TC who had any say in the matter tended to side either with Alec or with Max, while a small handful of the techno-geeks just blindly believed anything Logan even suggested. No one really cared about a consensus as long as their chosen leader approved. Still ... same difference. It just seemed a little more ... friendly ... to say it this way.
Logan nodded again, and shrugged. "I assume we want to take possession as soon as possible?"
"Yeah, might as well." The more he considered it, Alec had to admit that the warehouse was perfect for their needs, and well beyond their legitimate means without Cale's contacts. He was learning that unless he stooped to illegal methods – something he'd always been taught was justified when the ends were necessary – it was a lot trickier to be on the outside without a bottomless government expense account meeting his every whim. He found that no matter how easy it was to break in and just take what he needed, it irritated him to have to rely on it to get by. Somehow being told you were the best and the brightest for a couple decades didn't square with having to live in the shadows, having to steal to survive, having to hide who and what you were ...
But Cale had pulled out his phone and hit a speed dial entry which must have rung only a couple times. "Hey, Bennett, it's me." Logan said in to the phone. "They'll take it." As Logan listened to "Bennett" on the other end of the line, he gazed out across the harbor, offering a grunt or two in reply before nodding and speaking again. "Good. The funds were transferred to the account two days ago, so the check should clear immediately." He paused again briefly before adding, sincerely, "Look, I appreciate this – you know this never would have gone through if without the help on your end..." He listened another moment and his eyes suddenly lightened, as his smile lit his face. The first honest smile in a while, Alec noted, wondering at the thought. "You're right. Yeah, maybe that's what he meant." Logan chuckled again, and added, "thanks, Ben. I really do owe you..."
He flipped his phone shut and looked back at Alec. "It will take a day or two for the purchase to be routed through the straw corp we've set up for this, but I don't foresee any problems."
"You didn't need to go through all the cloak and dagger, you know," Alec grumbled. "It's not like they won't figure out where we went in a day or two. You don't move that many people without leaving bread crumbs."
The response he received was a smirk, one that carried a bitter irony. "That wasn't the reason for the dummy corporation – although maybe buying even just a day or two without anyone knowing who's moving in might be helpful." Without more, Logan started to move toward his dingy car.
Alec's eyes narrowed as he watched him walk away. Okay, so he hadn't gone out of his way to be the man's best buddy – maybe he'd even been a jerk about it; he'd certainly been told often enough that he could be a real ass, but in recent days it seemed like Cale was more distant – like he just didn't have the energy to try being civil, either. It was like Alec's own moods lately, his temper growing ever shorter with the idiot ordinaries with whom he had to deal at Jam Pony, making deliveries, making nice to all of them, out there ...
"What's with you, anyway?"
His words were flung at Cale before he knew it, and he saw Logan turn in response, a guarded look appearing on his features. He said nothing, though; he just waited. Alec came closer.
"Is it because I wanted to look for a place, too? You all seem to think I'm irresponsible, but here when I want to check something out, make sure we made the right choice..."
He knew it wasn't just that, but it was as good a place to start as any. Cale seemed to gather his thoughts before responding, then shrugged, "of course not. It's always good to weigh all the options."
Well, that went nowhere. "So. You aren't pissed at me, for....?"
"Looking out for everyone? No." The ordinary turned to head back to his car, and even though he wasn't supposed to have hearing as good as his own, Alec could have sworn he must have, because just as he drew a breath to try again, Cale raised a hand and, without turning around, said wearily, "I'll see you back at TC, Alec. We both have a lot of planning and packing ahead."
And Alec simply stood watching as the man got in his car and drove away.
III.
Once they had the word about closing the property, and when they would be able to have the building to themselves, there had been little time for anything but planing and packing. The X-5s were in their element, mapping and charting out the move as if it had been a major invasion of a small country. Jobs were assigned, and Alec happily accepted the role of commander for the movement of the troops and materiel, getting to tell everyone else what to do without having to do a lot of the heavy lifting himself.
He barked and prodded and even cajoled; he made endless circles around the place to ensure things were in shape for their bug out. It wasn't a real battle, not really, but there were enough of them in their odd little city who weren't much good in combat – hell, they were a total liability when it came to that – and there were enough lunatics in Seattle who hated the mere thought that transgenics even existed that the move needed to be done swiftly, efficiently, and without word getting out about what was going on before they were in and defended. So all in all, planning the move like he'd plan an invasion worked for Alec, and had the approval of anyone who offered an opinion.
Alec just hoped it would work as well as he said it would.
On one of his earlier loops though Terminal City, finalizing assignments as they neared the thirty six hour mark to zero hour, Alec came through the ops center into the adjoining array of their central computer hub. He saw five heads poking out of various places around the array as the geek patrol discussed the best way to disassemble their system with the least amount of down time, allowing them to be up and running, especially the security system, as soon as they could once they hit the door in the new place. Of course, Alec noted, one of the heads was Cale's, although word had gotten back to Alec that he had again been warned away from Terminal City by his doctor, as his exposure levels to all the poisons around them had exceeded "safe" some time ago. He didn't look all that bad at the moment, maybe a bit paler, maybe some weight loss, but everyone said that it wasn't irreversible yet.
Idiot, Alec reflected. Is this all for Max, or does he think we can't handle things without him? Stifling a sigh, Alec tried to sound as if it was just Logan's best interests he had in mind. "Hey, uh, Logan," Alec began. "Why don't you run home and get some shut-eye? We're looking pretty good here, and you look like you're runnin' on fumes."
Logan looked up, his eyes red-rimmed and narrowed a little, as if wary, but he said nothing. Alec noticed he was back in his wheelchair again, another sign he was wearing out with all the work.
Looking over at Logan and seeing he wasn't going to say anything, one of the X-4s with him piped up, "but Alec, we haven't gotten things completely worked out for the transfer yet, and Logan was..."
"In your computer classes at Manticore?" Alec interrupted sharply, bringing up the other heads in surprise. Realizing he'd sounded overly harsh, Alec backpedaled, "look, Logan's been a help, but he's a volunteer – he doesn't have to be here and work himself to death. He doesn't have to stay here – like some of us do." As he said it, Alec realized his point may have been too direct, given that the X-4 was one of the sub-series with features something like Mole's. Seeing the realization dawn on the smaller man, Alec paused nonetheless a moment to let the thought sink in, taking advantage of the unplanned implication, before adding smoothly, "besides, Logan shouldn't have to hang out here with the likes of us, especially with Christmas only two days away. He's got family out there; they probably want to see him too. Right, Logan?"
Since he'd first spoken, Logan had been looking at Alec as if he could see into his thoughts, into his deepest motivations, even where he himself couldn't quite reach yet. Beside Logan, the X-4 blinked as if stung, his dark features, ridged brow and horizontal irises all gaping at Alec accusatively. "He's in charge here, Alec," the transgenic hissed.
"Kit – it's okay," Logan finally spoke to his defender, conceding Alec's point wearily. "I think we have the plan we need, anyway. We can run through it once more – I don't think Alec will mind if I stay that long. I can be gone within the hour." He looked back up at Alec and asked softly, "will that be soon enough?"
Alec felt a wave of irritation, being made the bad guy when, for once, he really didn't deserve it. "Knock yourself out," he snorted, knowing Cale would remember throwing those words at him the week before. But stalking off, he realized that no matter how much his sending Cale home was for his own good, he'd been a pretty big prick about it.
IV.
Even though things seemed to be proceeding well as they neared the twelve hour mark, Alec still felt the adrenaline humming through him as he redoubled his checks of everyone, making sure there weren't any last minute surprises or slip-ups. They would take advantage of the all that had been handed to them – the gasoline shortages keeping more people off the roads and leading those who wanted to travel for the holidays to get an early start, the shorter days and longer nights... Christmas morning making it likely people would not be out at 4 A.M., the time they planned to reach the city and their only check point to clear.
The afternoon light was beginning to fade, and Alec wanted to be sure that those without his feline night vision were aware how little daylight they had left. Circling once again, he saw the heavy-lifting crew who were ready to start moving the furniture and crates of provisions and supplies now stacked inside the doors out to the trucks as they pulled up outside. The stronger transgenics had been tasked for the job and were meeting at the door now, to get things started. Well ... all of them but one, Alec noted.
"Joshua – hey!" Alec yelled, getting his attention. "Where're you going?" Rather than heading toward his assigned loading team, Joshua had passed them up and was heading out a side door, carrying one of the larger tarps that he used for his painting. "I need you to help with the loading. We're in a time crunch!" Alec added, his exasperation leaking though in his voice.
"Joshua is here – loading not started." The man grunted – but he didn't stop. Alec blinked a little at the confirmation that he'd been getting an attitude from Joshua lately, too. What was it with everyone, all the irritation? Just the stress of the move? Logan's weird 'air-borne toxins' finally getting to everyone?
"Just go help Mole..." Alec ordered.
"Joshua help" he said firmly as he reached the door, "after other job, first."
Irritated all over again, Alec simply threw up his hands and turned back to answer one of the X-4s, who were working to distribute the gas they'd acquired between the two trucks and handful of other vehicles making up their caravan. As the smaller transgenic nodded and took his instructions to those at the waiting vehicles, Alec looked out to see Joshua and groaned to see that he had his tarp now slung around the ridiculous tree they'd brought out for the kids, the handmade decorations placed just days ago peeking out from the canvas. "Joshua!" Alec started to yell, but his voice died out, letting it go. They'd already been around and around about the stupid thing and he'd put his foot down. Bringing it along was pointless; it would just take space and time they didn't have. The kids had fun in the decorating of it; no one even gave it a second glance once it was put up. At least he hadn't seen anyone looking at it. If they had ... well, what was the big deal about it, anyway?
Alec stood staring, irritation niggling at him, as he watched Joshua easily lift the nine foot scotch pine onto the top of Logan's hapless vehicle, and the pair of them tied it down snugly with some of the precious rope they'd found for loading. Tamping down the new irritation he felt at that, Alec gave them another few minutes before snapping at them. "Joshua! Let's go!" He watched Joshua look back to Cale, step closer to say something briefly then trot back into the building. Logan pulled out to position his car in front of the caravan, and Alec's frown deepened. He'd just about had it with Cale's interference...
Striding out toward the Aztek, he was met by Max, whose expression nearly matched his. "Alec – "
"Max, he can't just ..."
"Alec!" Max swung in front of her brother and popped him in the chest to stop his forward movement – and to get his attention. "What is your problem, anyway? Every time Logan does anything to help, you act as if he's trying to come into your yard and steal your ball."
Her analogy struck him, reminding him again of this difference between them, how this renegade X-5 had a life and "training" in the outside world that none of his unit could even imagine. And he knew damn well what she meant, that she'd seen the animosity he'd been feeling. But they definitely had bigger things on their plate at the moment, so he chose to make it about this moment. "That stupid car of his is bad enough, but a tree on top, and in front of this parade? Do you want to just call up the cops and tell them when to expect us?"
"Well, we already did, Alec." Her drawled retort was still crisp and commanding. "You put me in charge of security for the move, and it's taken care of. We have just one checkpoint to cross, and Logan's friend arranged it so that Charlie's the one on duty. Between him and Logan knowing a couple of 'em in the police department, we just might slide into town without the sector cops turning us right back around to leave town. He knows to look for Logan and his car – and me, with him." Her eyes blazed into Alec's. "Any questions?"
Alec stared back for a moment or two, before glancing out to the Aztek, where Logan was watching them, expression studiedly neutral, as he started getting out of his vehicle. It struck Alec that he had no response for Max – neither questions for her, nor an answer to her question about what his 'problem' was with Logan – and so he simply turned to stalk back inside and deal with the mission at hand. At least when the dust settled they might see that he had tried to get past his feelings for Cale, whatever the reason for them, and was making an effort to do what was best for them all. After all, they were moving into the building Cale had acquired for them; he made Max happy, he made the computer nerds happy, hell, he made Joshua happy and was even working on Mole ...
For the good of the unit, he intoned to himself once more. Figure out what's bothering you later.
V.
The packing had gone well, even slightly ahead of schedule, allowing some of those who had been working the longest to head back inside for a quick snack. Alec was still moving from group to group, getting reports from the teams and calling for a meeting of those driving the vehicles and their front passengers to confirm the routes and contingency plans.
His drivers' meeting set to start in twenty minutes, Alec turned back to look into the central hub area of Terminal City, suddenly a free moment on his hands, and he saw Joshua standing alone over at the food table. Deciding that he could use the boost, too, Alec went over to grab a sandwich. He could feel the chill rolling off the usually affable man, and felt the need to make peace.
"Joshua, look – that tree is just gonna get in the way..." he tried gently.
Joshua's voice in response was low and gutteral. "Children work hard to make their first tree ... many people work to bring it here. Not so hard to take with us. Not in the way."
Alec looked at Joshua, hearing that there was more than a stupid tree between them, and asked, "okay, so you got your tree. Keep it. What's bugging you?"
"Alec bugging me. Mole bugging me. People here rude to Logan bugging me."
The immediacy of Joshua's response surprised Alec as much as what he said did. "'Rude?' So what are we supposed to do, let him run things like they did in Manticore, like when they put some broken-down army officer or power-drunk geneticist in charge of us? They're ordinaries, Joshua! Shouldn't we be in charge of them? Look how they treated you – what they did to your brother..."
It was Joshua's turn to look at Alec, wondering what was behind the anger. "Logan not Manticore..."
"Yeah, but he's an ordinary, and for any one of them to think that we need any of them to tell us how..."
The large canine head turned sharply and the man closed the distance between them. "What Logan ever do but help, Alec? Logan is good man. Better than most here, even. Better man than you when you hate him for being ordinary."
Alec wavered, not expecting to have this conversation with Joshua – or anyone, for that matter, but certainly not Joshua and certainly not now. "C'mon, Joshua, haven't the last eight months made it clear? Back in Manticore, they controlled us and subjugated us because we didn't know anything about being free! They taught us we had to serve a master – them! It's laughable; damn near any of us could have crushed them, like eggshells, but they conditioned us not to even consider it. Then we get out, and everyone out here hates us because we're 'different.' They'd kill us if they could, turn us in without batting an eye. All we want is a fair chance at making a life out here – and we do it on our own. We don't need an ordinary to do our thinking and our planning for us, as if we couldn't do it ourselves..."
Joshua stared at the handsome X-5, eyes growing rounder in his disbelief. When Alec finished his tirade, Joshua simply gaped for another moment, then shook his head in anger. "Alec have short memory," he finally growled, low, and started to push past him.
"Whoa, whoa – what?" Alec demanded, his hand on Joshua's arm. "What did you say?"
"Alec heard Joshua just fine – just doesn't want to hear."
"No, enlighten me." He'd had it with all the short tempers around the place, his own included. "What's with all of you and this 'special pass' you give Logan? We don't need any of them..."
"Not what Joshua said." The canine transgenic looked at him with a cold anger Alec had never seen in the usually gentle man. "World not just transgenic-not transgenic, ordinary-not ordinary. Alec forget Manticore so soon? There, all of us 'superior specimen X-5s' ... and 'nomlies." Joshua put all the venom in the word he remembered from his days caged there. "X-5s get special food, special training ... 'nomlies get chains in basement. Get X-5s sneaking down to see them – throw things ... say things ... chase 'nomlies and catch and kill in training. Manticore not just 'transgenics-not transgenics.' X-5s told they were better than other transgenics – and X-5s believed it too." Joshua's eyes flashed in anger. "Logan was ordinary until other ordinary shoot him – now has to have exo or wheelchair. Other ordinaries not think Logan ordinary now."
Understanding began to dawn in Alec, not just for what had gone on at Manticore for those other than the favored X-5 series, but at the kinship Joshua must have felt with Logan's life as it was now. Seeing Alec's shift in expression marking an awareness of his point, Joshua's voice lowered again, and he added, "Logan say world not always black and white – many shades of gray in between. Logan do nothing but good, Alec – here ... out there too. Good for all transgenics. Good for Max ... good for Joshua. Logan belong here more than many transgenics do. Maybe Alec need to learn to remember all the gray at Manticore."
Joshua watched Alec's face closely as his words registered, wondering if Alec could really understand. As their time outside of Manticore lengthened without any appreciable change in the level of acceptance they'd been shown, Joshua had seen the same sort of anger growing in many of the transgenics as he'd seen in Alec, and against all ordinaries, even those who were their friends like Logan and Original Cindy. And if Alec, as one of their commanders, continued to show an outright hostility and disdain for Logan, the ordinary who had been the most accepted as one of them, or if Alec became more and more vocal about his feelings for anyone not transgenic, even for those who hadn't wronged them ...
Alec was looking at him with an expression not so much of anger now, but more like he'd taken a bite of something that tasted really bad. That ... and irritation.
And now he snorted.
"Okay, c'mon," Alec said abruptly, turning to pace away a couple steps and gesturing for Joshua to follow. In his surprise at Alec's unexpected reaction, Joshua stood rooted, a question across his features. Alec turned when he sensed he wasn't being followed, so he snapped again, "I get it! C'mon."
No more enlightened than before, Joshua at least felt a thread of curiosity sneaking through his first reaction, and he followed a stalking, silent Alec to the command center. He watched as Alec reached into the box of rolled floor plans and loading specs they'd developed for a swift, efficient move across town. Pulling out one of the larger rolled sheets, he pulled off the rubber band and spread it across the now empty table behind them. "Here." Alec stabbed an accusing finger at the plans in front of him, and stood like that, unmoving, until Joshua came up beside him and bent to read the entry by Alec's fingertip.
Joshua's eyebrows went up.
He blinked, looked quickly across some of the entries to the right and left of the first, but then back to it. He stood, blinked at Alec, and slowly, a smile began to cross his features.
"Satisfied?" Alec demanded.
Joshua looked at the X-5 for another long moment, and narrowed his eyes, his smile still widening. "Joshua ... hopeful," he said wryly.
"Oh, hopeful," Alec parroted, his sarcasm more humored than anything. "You've got to spend less time with Cale, you know that?"
"Hopeful for Alec," Joshua's smile softened, his unique wisdom shining in his eyes.
Alec snorted again and snapped the plans back up to roll them again and return them to the box, waiting to be loaded last. "Just because I don't trust them," he said, low ... grudgingly, "doesn't mean they're all untrustworthy. Just because I haven't found any ... found too many..." he corrected, "who I can like ... doesn't mean that you ... and Max ... and some of the others here haven't." His eyes met Joshua's, and even though he was conceding, he still looked troubled. "I'll try to remember there's more out there than just black and white."
Joshua looked at the green eyes, and wondered what had happened this X-5, one of the most favored among the Manticore commanders, to make him have so much pain in them. He nodded, appreciating what Alec had just shown him. "Joshua hopeful," he said again.
Alec nodded silently, as if Joshua's pronouncement meant something to him. After a moment, he tipped his head toward the stairs. "Now that we've had our little moment," the sarcasm was back, "think we can get on with the moving?"
Joshua nodded enthusiastically. "Joshua ready. Joshua want to hurry and get children's tree up for the morning."
"Christmas," Alec mused. "Yeah, Big Fellah, if we pull this off without being sent back or busted or shot in the process – then I'll help you put up the damn thing myself!"
VI.
The drive through the silent Seattle streets had been terse but blissfully uneventful, as empty of other travelers as they'd hoped. With all the massive planning the actual move was almost an anticlimax, with the only moment of concern the look of fear on poor Charlie's face as the caravan rolled by and he saw just how large a group entered his part of city – and he got a unexpected glimpse of a face or two very much unlike his.
The offload was silent and swift, everyone understanding the urgency to get inside and safe, and as the first wheels hit the property Logan and his computer crew were out and hooking up the security and computer systems with only a couple minor glitches in the process. Logan was so deeply involved he barely noticed when Max came by for a quick word of encouragement, and didn't notice at all when she watched from afar.
But Alec did. As the transfer of their equipment was nearing completion and the transgenics began to sense a successful end ahead, they began to relax and talk a bit more among themselves, safe inside their airy new home. As Max stood admiring the Christmas tree Joshua brought in from outside, his smile lighting his face, Alec came up to Max and bumped her shoulder. "Good job with the transport," he said.
"I had an easy assignment, compared to you," she grinned. "Nice work, commander. Job well done."
He chuckled, feeling more relaxed than he had for a long time, feeling the weight of not only their move but of the oppressive Terminal City rolling off his back. "I had a good unit." He tipped his head toward Joshua. "I promised I'd help him set this up," he grinned ruefully.
Max followed along. "That's not all you were getting set up. It looks like everything got moved into the rooms down here. Why don't you come with me and help me show him?"
Alec shook his head. "Got a lot to do..."
"No you don't. Move's accomplished, Alec, everyone is finishing up. Besides – it was your idea. I think Logan needs to know that."
Joshua looked at the pair of X-5s coming up to him as he held the tree in place, knowing exactly what Max was talking about. "Alec go with Max," he nodded. "Joshua take care of tree."
Alec stood, no more orders to give for the moment, and looked at them both. He noticed, outside the high windows circling the old factory rooms where they stood, the first rays of sunlight breaking through the morning's dimness. "I'll meet you there," he told Max.
VII.
Max went back to the rooms where the computer crew was bringing up their final tests and complimenting each other on a job well done. Max sauntered in to lean on the main console, smiling for the unlikely-looking team. "Merry Christmas, you guys," she grinned.
Flushed with success, they cheerfully returned her greeting, and Logan stood, coming close to steal a long, sweet, tired kiss. "Merry Christmas, Max."
"How you feelin'?" she asked softly. He looked exhausted.
But with a glance around to the others, grin widening, Logan turned back to her. "Accomplished," he pronounced, beaming. "How about you?"
"Festive," she said slyly, and added, "I need to borrow Logan for a couple minutes, guys. I have something to show him." As the others responded, Logan looked back to Max, a question beginning. "It's Christmas, Logan," she grinned.
"Max, we promised we'd wait until all this settled down..."
"I know – but it's not from me. And it's not exactly a Christmas gift ... but the spirit is definitely right for the day." With another knowing grin, she slipped her fingers through his and began walking him back toward the large center hallway where the tree was being given additional loving attention from the younger ones, then on past, where the building originally held the offices, conference rooms, and other rooms which Logan knew were being doled out as private quarters for the commanders and more senior of the transgenics. They started down the hall, where Logan saw names taped on the doors as guides for the movers, names he'd have expected – Mole, Alec, even Joshua ... and Max ...
He slowed to stick his head into the office labeled as hers, and playfully grinned back to her. "Nice," he decided. "How did you decide who got which? Did you have to wrestle everyone else for who got to choose first?"
Her smirk seemed to hide something more than just the reaction to his words, as she drawled, "no, actually – Alec pretty much just made the decision for everyone and dared us to disagree." As Logan wandered into her quarters another step or two, looking around at the place, nearly ready for her with a bed, table and wardrobe in place, Max held out her hand and said, "c'mon – we're not there yet."
He looked genuinely surprised. "This isn't what you had to show me?"
She shook her head silently and offered her hand again, turning back to the hall when it was taken. They left her room and went on past it to the next door, where Max stopped and with a warm, soft smile, said, "now we're here..."
The little card on this door read, simply, "Logan."
As his eyes widened, Max gently pushed the door open and dropped his hand, tipping her head to gesture him in. He took a few, slow steps inside, his eyes taking in everything that made it clear the room had indeed been set up with him in mind – a simple, bare desk made deep enough to accommodate a computer or two across its top – and a wheelchair under it ... a door in the west wall that Max walked over and opened, showing him that it led into the room next door which he'd just seen was assigned to her ... and maybe the most welcoming of all – a brand new, oversized coffee mug, a small bag of coffee – and a sparkling, pristine French press, complete with a festive Christmas bow.
No words could be as clear as this, that he was welcomed here – he was wanted. And he'd been given a place in the organizational set up by the man who had overseen the move here ...
Logan turned to look at Max and, seeing her expectant look, smiled with his pleased surprise, and then noticed another figure behind her – still in the hall, keeping a distance, Alec had followed them in and now lingered to see Logan's response. Smile growing wider, Logan raised his hand toward Max, drawing her further into the room with him and circling her waist as she came close. Brushing her hairline with his lips, his eyes not leaving Alec's, he straightened and said warmly, "Alec – thank you."
At his words, Max turned to look too, not realizing her brother had come up behind them. Seeing him still standing apart, watching them, she smiled too. "Pretty good, Alec," she agreed. "Especially the coffee press – and of course, the door to my room."
Alec finally came into the room with them. "Well, I figure now that we're in a healthier part of town... and Original Cindy suggested the press," he confessed. He looked at the pair arm in arm before him, and it occurred to Alec that there was much he could learn from them both – more perspectives than only his own from Manticore – more "shades of gray," that Joshua would have him learn. "Besides – I'll be such a hero with our computer nerds..." he finally smirked a grin, too.
"You better quit while you're ahead, Alec," Max laughed, and leaned away from Logan far enough to actually kiss Alec on the cheek. "Merry Christmas. Go find the eggnog before it's gone. We'll make some coffee."
Alec snorted and turned to leave, but a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Maybe it was just a mission accomplished; maybe it was the fresh scent of sea air wafting in from the harbor. Maybe it really was just getting away from all the poisons and toxins in which they'd been living all these months. Maybe it was the huge, sweet-smelling tree he could see at the end of the hall, in the center of the open entry, or the gaggle of kids drawn to it. But whatever it was, he allowed himself to feel a bit of hope that they might just become a part of the larger community here. It wouldn't be easy ... and whatever its source, this feeling would probably pass in the morning. But still... there were Max and Logan, following arm in arm behind him, laughing about some private matter ... Mole, of all people, by the Christmas tree, magically producing from God knew where a box of Christmas candies, opening it to pass around to the children there ... and Joshua ... Joshua standing in front of the kids but looking up at him, with a wide smile...
The new Terminal City, Alec thought as he looked around, then realized how wrong that label was here. This TC wasn't the end of the line for anyone here, and it wasn't the death trap the old one had been. It may have been useful at first, but it would have been the death of them all, eventually, one way or another.
But here ... this was the new TC. Trangenic City, Alec decided they would have to call it. Because Joshua was hopeful ... Joshua was hopeful for him, and from the expressions he saw around him, he wasn't the only one. This place gave them reason to hope...
Alec felt himself grin. Original Cindy was right – this new home of theirs just might have the most beautiful Christmas tree in town...
Merry Christmas, (belated) Happy Hannukah, Happy New Year, and warmest of holidays to everyone!