Dark Angel : Future History

Story One

The Recovery

          Welcome to story one of my Future History of Dark Angel.  I took the idea from Robert Heinlein collection of short works as I've been writing DA stories for over two years now, but only recently discovered fan fiction on the internet.  I hope you enjoy.

            The usual disclaimers apply.  I own nothing.

          Logan stared out over the edge of the Space Needle.  He looked down on the city below and thought about his fear of heights.  He looked down at his feet and realized he didn't have a fear of heights anymore.  He didn't fear anything anymore.

He could see the hover-drones floating about their spy game watching out for anyone the city could make money off of.  Thoughts of his family washed over him for an instant and he pushed them away.  Parents assassinated by a close family and business associate.  An attempt made on his life by his Uncle Jonas and his business partner who eventually killed Jonas leaving a thieving, greedy Aunt liquidating the family's assets and running off to her own family with most of the Cale Fortune.  A newlywed cousin left to deal with the fall of Cale Industries in the aftermath of his father's death.  It wasn't any better than another family he had so recently had dealings with but at least they had real issues to deal with and not just worrying about money.

          A glance into the sky offered a view of the spectacular storm blowing in from the ocean.  It carried thick cold rain and massive electrical charges slicing through the sky in random, chaotic patterns.  He reveled in the beauty of the storm as it approached at an amazing speed realizing that if he didn't get inside quickly, he might very well get washed off and fall to the death he craved so much.

          Another glance at the ground below and he realized it wouldn't be that bad of an ending to a story he heard somewhere once.  Boy meets girl.  Boy is an above average anti-hero type and girl is a revved up wunderkind.  Boy falls in love with girl and girl is killed.  Now boy has no reason to live.

          Those thought were there once before and a droplet of water awoke him from the daze he had found himself in.  He helped an old woman that was obviously afraid and as he returned to his own place, the knowledge of what he would be giving up thrust her arms around him, her own fear staring deeply into his eyes.  He swore a silent oath to himself then and there that he would never again consider it.

          But she was part of that oath wasn't she.

          She was supposed to be here with him watching the storm approach and clutching to his side as they looked over THEIR city.

          She was supposed to be here…

          He looks back down at the ground, bending his legs in the rising wind.  Then he turns and heads for the inside.  It'll still be cold, but at least he won't be washed off the top this night.

          Inside, he looks around at the junk left inside.  The kitchen could easily be cleaned up with a little money.  Most of the furniture is still here, at least what hasn't been broken.  It could be a nice restaurant again if he ever got around to saving the world.  He had entertained thoughts of turning it into a home for Max one day.  It could have been something that would make her happy. 

          Of course, without Max… without someone to save the world for, it didn't really matter to him if the world fell into Chaos or not.  He just didn't care.  He didn't care about anything anymore.  One last glance out of the broken picture window and he turned toward the long dizzying, black descent into the depths of the city.

          The wind and rain was in full force as he struggled to climb down the outside of the main shaft leading up to the needle itself.  The collapsed elevator and main entrance had made getting to the bottom of the stairs impossible and the last twenty-five feet or so had to be on the outside.  He was soaked by the time he found his feet on level solid ground again.  The walk back around the bay was a long wet one, but he carried himself differently.  People didn't mess with him when they saw him coming.  He carried himself as one who had nothing to lose anymore because he had already lost it.

          "Where ya been?"  He heard a familiar voice as he turned the corner to the back entrance of Fogle Towers.  It was Original Cindy.  Probably the only friend he had left.  Those first few days were understandable, but when the days dragged on into three and then four weeks, everyone had given up on him as a lost cause.  Now almost a month and a half later, he had become the basket case he never wanted to be.  "I've been pounding on your door for hours."

          "Why?"  He asked as he unlocked the back entrance and nodded to the security guard there.

          "Good Evening Mr. Cale."  The man said.

          "Please add Miss McKeachan's name to the list of guests allowed to have access to my floor.  I'll supply her with a key."  Logan said as he turned to walk away.

          "Of course, Mr. Cale."  The guard said eyeing OC suspiciously.

          Once inside the elevator, Logan turned and looked at Cindy.  She wasn't as happy as he remembered her being.  It's understandable considering the circumstances.  They stared at each other for almost the entire ride up waiting for the other one to speak.  It was only natural they would choose to speak at the same time.

          "Have you found any news?"  OC asked.

          "What happened?  You look…" He paused to let her finish.

          "Have you found out anything about Max?"

          "You know I haven't and I know that's not why you're here."  Logan said.

          The doors to the elevator slid open and Logan walked OC to his penthouse.  The only one on the floor.  Ms. Moreno's penthouse was above him and old man Wicker's penthouse was on the opposite side of the building beside hers.  Logan didn't know who owned the two condos that carried three floors under old man Wicker's place.  He didn't care. 

          "Well."  Logan said impatiently.  He really didn't want to be bothered, but he would never turn Original Cindy away.  She was all he had left of Max beside memories.

          "Don't be getting all uppity with me rich boy."

          "I'm not rich anymore."  He said.  "You hungry?"

          "I could eat."

          "So why are you here?"  He asked as they walked into the kitchen.  It wouldn't be a culinary miracle, but it would be a good meal and Cindy deserved at least that.

          "I think someone broke into our place."  OC said.  Logan winced at the use of the word 'our' when she said it.

          "Why would you think someone broke into 'your' place?"  He emphasized the word 'your.'

          "Because the window into my girl's room was forced open and broken in the lower left corner."  OC said.  "I came straight here."

          "Call the cops.  I can't do anything about it."

          "I live there illegally."  OC said.  "I can't call the cops."

          "Call Matt Seung."  Logan said.  "He knows who you are."

          "Will you take me home?"  OC asked.

          "You're paranoid."  He said.

          "Maybe.  Maybe someone was creepin' around.  Nothing is missing but the window was definitely forced."  She said.

          Logan grew quiet.  He didn't know if he could go over there.  He didn't know if he would be able to go into her space.  He felt her presence here so heavily, he didn't know if he could handle being in and around her personal domain.

          "Please."  OC said.  "It's probably just a thief looking for something, but Bast is still sitting there on the dresser and I already know she fenced that statue for a few grand once.  Before you gave it back to her that is."

          "She still has it?"  He asked realizing the tense he used as quickly as the words spilled out of his mouth.  "You should sell it and get money out of it."

          "Uh-Unh.  We ain't doing this."  She scolded.  "They made her."  OC started, cutting to the chase.  "They designed her and they created her and she was raised to be an experiment, but she learned better and right now, you know as well as I do that she is being tortured for information and reprogrammed just like they did to Brin.  They have the tech to make her better…"

          "She died in my arms.  I know Manticore has all kinds of advanced techniques and equipment, but the last time I checked no one on this planet had the ability to bring back the dead."

          "So you're just going to give up?"  OC asked.  "She's dead.  Let's forget about her and move on.  She was just a prototype after all.  Just an experiment?  A tool you could use to run your missions?"

          "It's not like that."  Logan whispered.  Her words bit deep.

          "So you would stand there and tell me that you don't care about her?  You would have me believe that you can just forget about her as if she never existed?  I saw your face in Washington-Meridian.  I will kick your skinny white ass if you tell me you don't miss her!"  She stepped right up into his face, threatening him.

          "I did, Cindy."  He said.  The emotions were coming.  He fought them, but it was still too soon.  "I Loved her.  You know I did, but she died in my arms.  I was there.  I held her.  I stared into her eyes as her life just went away.  I tried to get her…" He stopped.  He remembered.

          Just before Lydecker bashed him with the butt of the rifle, he had tried to lift her and carry her inside.  He had believed they could save her then and there, so why not now?  He stared deep into Original Cindy's eyes.

          "If you look into my eyes right now and tell me you truly believe she's gone, then I will go and never come back.  Tell me, look into my eyes and tell me you truly believe she's gone.  Do that and you'll never hear another peep out of me again."  She challenged him.  Just inches away from him.  Staring up into those blue eyes Max always spoke so fondly of.

          Logan stared into her eyes.  One look and he understood why she and Max had become such good friends.  He knew she was aware of his suffering, but he realized she also knew he hadn't given up hope yet.

          He hadn't jumped.

          He leaned over and kissed her forehead.  "Sit.  I'll fix some food."  He said.

          "Does this mean that you believe?"  She asked lifting herself to a stool at the breakfast bar.

          "I'll believe if you believe and I swear to you that whether she is dead or alive, I will destroy Manticore if it's the last thing I do."

          OC jumped off the stool and walked over to Logan standing in front of the fridge.  She wrapped her arms around him hugging him close.  "Don't go getting no ideas."  She said.  "I ain't playing for the other team."

          "Thought never crossed my mind."  Logan said squeezing her back.

          "I miss her."  OC said as a tear streamed down her cheek.  "I want my boo back."

          "So do I."  Logan said.  "You'll stay here tonight and tomorrow, we'll check out the window in your place.  I've got some money set aside for just such an emergency."