DISCLAIMER: Dark Angel does not belong to me although I wish it did. It belongs to Fox and Cameron and those other people up there. I make no profit from this.

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Crash- 20:30PM

The air hung thickly with the musty smell of stale beer fusing with tobacco, leaving a bitter taste in Alec's mouth. He had been sitting there for quite some time now; staring into the half-empty glass of scotch before him. But being the optimistic guy that he was, he saw it as half full, 'after all it was full anyway with the air an' all' he silently mused, not exactly sure on what theory he had based that on. Picking it up, he swirled the golden liquid one last time before finishing it off with one swallow. 'Now it was finished…like he was,' a dark part of him whispered. He placed the glass on the counter.

"Barkeep" His voice was louder than he had intended, causing him to wince at the sound as it reached his sensitive ears.

"Don't you think you've had enough?" Billy stated, his hand moving to take the glass even as he questioned his customer. The look he received was enough to make him move his hand.

"I'll tell you when I've had enough!" Alec challenged. Hazel eyes bored into blue ones, waiting for the surrender that was sure to come. He was not disappointed.

"Your funeral" Billy shrugged, his voice belying the fear that had crept up his spine and settled in the pit of his stomach. Weary of the man seated before him, he quickly refilled the glass. Backing away slowly, he went to serve another customer- one that was as far away as possible.

"Yeah it is" Alec whispered darkly and drank from the now full glass; finishing it with one swallow. Slamming the glass on to the dark wooden counter, he pulled out some bills and wound his way out of Crash.

There was a full moon out that night, its silver light cascaded across the roads, leaving an eerie glow in its wake. Opting to walk home, Alec zipped up his jacket to shield against the bitter wind and shoved his cold hands into waiting pockets, before setting off on the normal route to his apartment. His eyes flickered over the familiar surroundings, analysing every corner, shadow and movement for any sign of threat. Even the rustling of an old paper bag was neatly catalogued in the back of his mind ready to be used at a seconds notice.

The change in the air alerted his sensitive nose to the oncoming of rain. The only moments ago clear sky, had turned into a swirl of angry black clouds, letting only tiny shafts of moonlight to escape. Quickening his pace, Alec managed to reach his apartment in under 10 minutes, only just managing to avoid the heavy down pour.

Taking off his jacket, Alec threw it carelessly on to the sofa and headed into the make shift kitchen. Opening the fridge door, he found it was empty- except for a plate of green mouldy blob, which Alec was pretty sure had never seen the light of day, or light of anything for that matter. Shrugging carelessly he closed the door, deciding that he wasn't hungry anyway but made a mental note to go shopping the next day. Moving towards his "boob tube", he switched it on and sat on the green recliner facing it, the remote control tucked carefully beneath his hand. It wasn't long until even the colourful images couldn't hold his interest for much longer and his mind wandered to a much darker place. One that he had resisted for such a long time that it now demanded his whole attention. He hadn't even noticed the passage between the real and unreal. Between slumber and consciousness.

Flashback

A cold breeze swept through the corridor like a ghost, its icy talons clawed into him, causing chills all over his body. The four guards flanking him barely glanced as he shuddered. Cold rivulets of sweat beaded down his back as fear washed through him like an intoxicating gas. The barrel of a tranquiliser gun pushed him on.

End Flashback

Alec jumped out of his seat as if the cold metal had indeed been pressing against his back. Gulping down air as though it would cease to exist if he didn't drink it all in, he tried to calm his rapidly beating heart, which rattled in his chest like a bird trying to escape. Running a shaky hand through his sweat soaked hair; he tried to gather some sort of semblance and chided himself for over reacting. Breathing easier but still feeling a little edgy, he decided to get a drink and moved once more towards the kitchen.

Crash- 21:00PM

Max entered Crash with her best friend O.C tailing behind her. Forcing her tired, aching feet across the floor, she found her way through the thick line of bodies to her regular table.

"I'm exhausted" Max exclaimed as she plonked her self down onto the waiting chair, which creaked in protest to the added weight. Its annoyance unheard through the loud throbbing of music. Looking round, she noticed that the club was busier than normal and found it quite disconcerting, but didn't know why. Blaming it on the lack of good weather, she got herself comfortable.

O.C lifted a perfect eyebrow at her best friend as she too sat down on the chair opposite, "What's up Boo? Logan been givin' you the run around?"

"It's not that, it's just…I don't know. Lately it's been all work work work, it's like I get no me time anymore." Max exclaimed sinking deeper into her chair, her fingernails scraping on the wooden table, leaving scratch marks.

"I hear ya boo. O.C barely gets to see ya!" She answered agreeing whole heartedly, hoping to catch up on some gossip concerning her best friend. It wasn't always that they had a girls night out, especially now with the transgenic media mess.

"Then I guess its time to change that! So what do ya say to a pitcher of beer to make it up to you?" Max sat up straight, a grin lighting up her whole face as she answered her best friend. It felt so good to just chill with her and not have to worry about keeping her guard on.

"Well you gotta start somewhere" O.C chuckled, "So get goin' already. Cindy ain't got all night!"

Max shook her head, her grin widening into a smile as she got up from her chair and headed towards the bar. Cindy looked on, a smile gracing her lips, it was great to see her friend so relaxed, almost like the old Max she had met so many years ago.

Logan's Apartment 21:05PM

The steady humming of the computer lulled the tired man to a dreamless sleep. His head rested on the keyboard as if it was a pillow. The glare of the monitor illuminated his strong features against the dark background. The shrill of the telephone startled Logan, forcing him to wake. Wincing as he gently peeled his face off the keyboard embedded to his skin, he absently reached for the phone under the mess of paper littering his desk.

"Hello?" His voice was thick with sleep answered the phone. Logan rubbed his eyes, forcing them to open as he yawned.

"Is this Logan Cale?"

"Yes...Who is this?" Logan answered, his brow furrowing at the sound of the voice, at the familiarity of it. He had definitely heard this voice before.

"I need your help! Please can you help me?" the voice was panicky now.

"How can I help you?" He definitely knew this voice; it was just a matter of remembering.

"You know Eyes Only right? He can help me"

"How? I can't help you if you don't tell me who you are and how Eyes Only can contact you"

"My email…there, there's everything he…he needs there. Fuck…password…um…Poodle that is it! The password's Poodle."

"What's your email address?"

"Oh…it's " Crash "Fuck! I have to go"

"Wait! How can I…" The screaming tone met his ears, "contact you."

Logan stared at the telephone, his mind still trying to figure out who the owner of the voice was and what that sound in the background was. 'Jerry Holmes? Since when did he know a Jerry Holmes?'Shaking his head, he put the phone down and typed furiously on the keyboard. Finding the hotmail home page, he typed in the address and password. What he found shocked him to say the least.

Crash- 21:30

"… You think yo boy would mind?" Cindy asked, her eyes wandering around the club, scouting out any honeys, but none appealed to her. Not that night anyway.

"I don't know O.C…I guess it'd be okay. I mean it's not like everyday I get a night out to chill with my girl right?" Max stated, her hand circling the rim of her glass, her other twirling a strand of stray hair.

"Damn straight! Cindy ain't gonna hear another word about it! You an' me tomorrow night are gonna be on fire!" O.C grinned, raising her glass as if to testament and took a sip.

"Yeah… " Max replied, biting at her bottom lip, her eyes clouding. "I..."beep beep

Max smiled nervously at her friend as she looked down at the small rectangular object beeping at her waist, knowing at once who it would be. Sure enough, the number staring up at her was not to disappoint.

"Cindy I…" Her eyes pleaded with her friend.

"O.C knows. Go"

"Really?" Max was hesitant in going. She had promised to stay with her, even practically begged Logan not to call her unless it was urgent. Course she hadn't actually been clear on what 'urgent' meant but he would know wouldn't he?

"Course…Cindy knows you have the whole save the world dealio goin' on" she replied, as she took a sip from her glass, her eyes wandering everywhere but at her best friend. Trying to hide the hurt and loneliness she felt at that second.

"O.C I… thanks. I owe you one." Squeezing her hand in thanks, Max found her way out of Crash, leaving O.C on her own.

"No problem" O.C whispered before finishing off her beer and heading out herself.

Alec's Apartment 21:55PM

"Alec…Alec!"

Max pounded on the door with her fist, before picking the lock and opening it. Had he been awake, Alec would have made a remark or two, even thanked her for considering his privacy before barging in anyway. But, the only sound to greet Max's ears was the steady humming of the television.

Looking around the small apartment, Max noticed how dark it was; shadows cloaked practically every inch of the interior. The only light source she could make out was from the flickering of Alec's infamous "boob tube", which illuminated the small area around it. Not even bothering to close the door behind her, she cautiously walked up towards where Alec was sitting. She frowned when she noticed a bottle hanging from his limp hands, its contents swaying ever so slightly inside the glass.

"Oh great!" Max groaned, rubbing her forehead in annoyance. 'How the hell am I gonna get his drunken ass to Logan's?' the thought flitted through her head as she looked up to the ceiling, as if in search of some divine help. When none was forthcoming, she let out a long sigh and knelt down in front of the unconscious form that was Alec.

Prying the bottle from his loose fingers with more gentleness than she felt, Max placed it on the floor beside her, making a face at the tiny amount left. Turning to face him, she felt the urge to shake the unconscious transgenic awake, or at least knock his lights...on? Not exactly sure of what she wanted to do, she decided that at least some sort of violence was needed. Her hands were only inches away from him when her eyes widened in realisation.

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AN: Please review. Constructive criticism welcome.