A/N I was working on a sequel to "Unfamiliar Territory" when I was struck
by a serious case of writers block. Gazing blankly at my computer screen I
found myself wondering what would have happened if Logan had been alone the
night Max broke in? And what if he had not been doing a Streaming Freedom
video? This is my take on the situation - and remember, this starts a
couple days before the pilot episode did so the characters will not act or
say exactly as they did in that story even when it my story catches up. (As
with most writers here, reviews determine how much and how fast the story
continues.)
MAX
I saw this statue in the penthouse suite of a high-rise condo building - should fetch a nice price and the owner of that place probably won't even notice it's gone. So now I'm in the place and its every bit as swank as I guessed it would be. I watched from roof across the way until the place was dark and quiet, but I never thought the owner would be a nightowl who works in the dark! I dropped in through the skylight and got what I came for, but next thing I know this guy is pointing a shotgun and flashlight at me - not that I was worried.
"See anything you like?" I asked smartly - I sure was! Not only was this place filled with nice stuff, the guy who apparently lived here was hot!
"Maybe," he said, then looked at the statue in my hand, "You've got good taste."
"Whatever," I said, working on a way out of here.
"What, you liked it because it was shiny?" he shot back.
"No," I replied, irritated beyond reason, "Because its Bast, seer of Ra, giver of life who lives forever." The guy looked impressed, which pissed me off more, so I made my move as much to wipe that look off his face as to get me out of there. Before he could say anything I had him pinned up against the wall, one hand holding his gun arm, the other at his throat. His gun sailed across the room, and his flashlight landed on the floor, propped up and illuminating our faces. The look of shock on his face was delicious; inches from mine his eyes were wide open and deep blue.
"I'd love to stay and discuss art with you, but I've gotta bounce," I said regretfully, tightening my hold on neck, hitting the pressure points. He started to sag, eyes closing, and I finished the job with a quick blow to his jaw. Damn - why did I have to meet such a gorgeous guy under these circumstances? I'd just knocked out someone I'd rather make out with! I picked up my prize and left, unable to resist a last look at the man lying crumpled on the floor at my feet. Even unconscious he sure was cute!
LOGAN
I woke up on the floor of my living room with a sore jaw and a killer headache. Not to mention a deep feeling of embarrassment - I'd been taken out by an unarmed girl much smaller than myself. Not a good advertisement for Eyes Only - good thing she didn't break in while I was doing a streaming freedom video. I looked around the penthouse - she had broken in through the skylight (and left the rope) and gone out the door. She had taken the statue and a few other small items, only one of which upset me - the gold dolphin statuette had been one of my mother's favorite pieces given to her as an anniversary present by my father.
I sat down on the sofa with an icepack on my jaw and thought over the night. I had been reading messages on the informant net, Lauren and Sophy would be coming to stay here tomorrow and I was looking for any sign that Sonrisa had been alerted to the threat. I heard a soft noise outside the office, and saw a shadow move across the glass blocks that made the office wall. I picked up my gun and flashlight and opened the door. My flashlight beam caught the intruder in its beam - a burglar dressed in black, young, lithe and definitely the most gorgeous girl I've seen in a very long time. Hispanic perhaps, dark curls past her shoulders, wide-set large dark eyes, full lips, her black suit accentuated the curves in her slim body. She had a stance that spoke volumes about her attitude and lack of fear as she faced me with my shotgun. I should have known then that there was something wrong - that she was more than just a thief.
She bantered words with me, correctly identifying the statue of Bast when I insulted her by saying she liked it because it was shiny. Then she attacked me, taking me down and out with ease. She disarmed me and held me up against the wall with superhuman strength and speed. The flashlight beam somehow managed to illuminate her face just inches from my own - in spite of the circumstances I was filled with the urge to kiss that generous mouth, but with her hand firmly at my throat all I could do was look into her chocolate brown eyes.
"I'd love to stay and discuss art with you," she said, as she knocked me out. A couple of hours later I woke up alone. No way a normal girl could have done that - just no way.
I went up on the roof and looked for signs of how she got there. She must have come over from a neighboring building - maybe the security camera tapes would tell me something.
MAX
God, I'm acting like I'm in heat or something - obsessing over that guy I robbed last night. Everywhere I go I keep looking for his face with those blue eyes behind those cute little wire glasses and that hot body - Stop it, Max!! Maybe later I could arrange to run into him casually - when he has had time to forget what I look like.
I went straight home and stashed the loot - I'll see my fence tonight, then I can pay my low-rent private investigator to do nothing for me for another couple of weeks. I managed to get out of the apartment this morning without Kendra noticing anything up and went in to work. Unfortunately, Original Cindy was a little more perceptive than Kendra, and kept asking me what was wrong - OC wouldn't take no for an answer, so I had to do extra runs to get away from her. By the end of the day I was ready to go to Crash to have fun until I could meet my fence. I wouldn't have been surprised if Darrin showed up there, but the last thing I expected was for Mr. Gorgeous from last night to show up!
I picked my jaw up off the floor as unobtrusively as I could when our eyes met and said to Cindy, "So this guy walks into a bar and says.."
The guy walks over and filled in "We never got to finish our discussion of art last night." He was even better looking than I remembered, relaxed and determined to charm me. I was tempted, but my stronger instinct was to run.
"Cindy, meet my good friend .?" I said, curious to know who he was (and how he found me).
"Logan Cale," he supplied, and turned back to me, "Would you like to go for a walk?"
"Sure," I said, "Let me get my coat." I turned away like I was going back to the table.
"The one you're wearing?" he asked. Okay, he wasn't falling for that old one - no moss on his brain. We left the club and walked down the block.
"So, how'd you find me?" I asked. However he did it, I would make sure no one else would be able to use the same method.
"Wasn't hard," he said cryptically.
"Okay, maybe a better question is why?"
"That was an extraordinary display of athleticism last night - you broke into my place and took care of me and my shotgun without breaking a sweat. I may not be a 300 pound side of beef, but I can usually take care of myself pretty well. I bet if I hadn't already been awake, you would have been in and out without waking me up."
"That was the plan. So why go to all this effort? Did I wound your pride or something? Or is there something else?" I was betting on the last.
"You ever heard of Eyes Only?"
"Yeah, do-gooder cable hack guy. So? What does that have to do with me? Are you going to turn me into him and have him splash my picture all over the TV? I think the guy has bigger fish to fry." I kept it cool, but my heart was racing - what if he really did know Eyes Only and could have him do that? Lydecker would have my ass in a sling before I could turn around.
"Sometimes I work with him," Cale was choosing his words with care. "I'm a journalist - I do articles for some on-line publications, and have a lot of informants who feed me tips. Right now I am trying to help someone who could bust open a case Eyes Only is working on, but this person is scared to come forward - for their family as well as their own self. With your skill and ability you could help keep them safe."
"Why should I? It's not my problem - I've got enough going on in my life; I don't need to take on other people's problem, thanks very much." Okay, he wasn't going to turn me in - I prided myself on being able to read people, this guy was a hard read but I was sure he didn't mean me any harm even if he did want to use me.
"Max, we're all involved in everyone else's problems - they always impact us one way or another. Just by being alive you're involved. When you turn your back you become part of their problems."
"Is the civics lesson over? Personally I prefer to go fast on my motorcycle - seems to take care of a lot of my problems." I was a little thrown off when he used my name. I saw a hoverdrone coming towards us and turned my back. Cale turned to see what I was avoiding and I took the opportunity to slip away. I needed to think privately.
LOGAN
A little money here and there bought me all the information I needed to find her - it was a lot easier than I ever expected. A little money to the security guys at the neighboring buildings got me the security tapes from the previous day. I didn't find what I expected, but something better - instead of my cat burglar breaking in I found her delivering a package to the doorman of the building next door. She was a bicycle messenger - perfect cover for a thief! Sector pass and access to buildings all over the city. I enhanced the best frame on the film to make out the name of the company on her pass - Jam Pony. Never heard of them, but I was going to learn everything I could now.
Well, not much to learn - small business, minimally profitable, run by a guy called Reagan Ronald, a.k.a. Normal for some reason. The company has no reputation, good or bad, but is known as a place where people teetering on the edge can get a job. I went down there to speak to 'Normal' and get a name and address for my late night visitor.
"Can I help you?" said the guy in the cage when I walked in - he must be Normal.
"I'm looking for a young lady who works here," I said politely. The guy didn't even look up.
"Ladies would be elsewhere," he said without missing a beat.
I was amused; looking around that seemed to be true - this was a fairly scruffy bunch. "This is the girl I'm looking for," I said, showing a picture from the security tape.
"She may be easy on the eyes, friend," Normal warned, "But that one is nothing but trouble."
"How about a name and address?" I asked, producing a fifty.
He hesitated, then shook his head. "Can't help you."
"I just need to talk to her, " I said, waving the bill, "No trouble for her or you."
"She and a bunch of the other reprobates from this place hang out after work at a place called Crash - you know where it is?" I nodded - it was one of the roughest joints in this sector. "Her name may or may not be Max Guevara, but that is what she goes by."
A little more digging and I managed to come up with an address in an abandoned building. For a monthly bribe cops would look the other way and let people squat in condemned buildings - this one was a little better than most. Poking around in Max's unit I could tell that they had power and running water - cold only, but better than none. The furnishing were modern back alley and dumpster, untidy but fairly clean. She obviously had a roommate although much of the living room area was taken up by a black Ninja motorcycle, well loved and cared for. In one of the bedrooms I found the bag of stuff she had taken from my apartment. I took back the dolphin statuette and other things, then left the statue of Bast under her pillow with a quick note inviting her for dinner. On a hunch I looked in the bathroom cabinet and found a bottle with large white pills, a taste told me my hunch was right - Tryptophan. I left quickly before anyone came home.
After doing more research on the net I got ready and went out to Crash. It had been a while since I frequented nightclubs, but it seemed like only the music had changed - the ambiance was the same. I spotted Max without much trouble as I came down the stairs - she was playing foosball with a pretty African American girl. Max spotted me at the same time I saw her, and her look of shock was almost comical, but she pulled herself together with commendable speed. As I walked over to them she even had a quip ready.
"So this guy walks into a bar and says." she said as I reached them.
"We never got to finish our discussion of art last night, " I said, watching her carefully. Under the casual appearance she showed I could tell she was planning to run. She introduced me to her friend and I foiled her first escape attempt as we prepared to go outside to talk. I was proud of the amount of time I did manage to spend with her before she took off - if I am right about who and what she is I did well in having as long a conversation with her as I did. I flattered her skills and asked her to help me protect a witness. I told her I worked with Eyes Only sometimes (close enough to the truth). She turned me down flat - she'd rather ride fast on her motorcycle she said. Then she vanished when a hoverdrone came by. Appealing to her better instincts didn't work - I'll have to trot out the big guns. She's as attracted to me as I am to her, plus she wants to find the others like her - that what that hack PI she's hired is doing. I've got one more shot - if I'm right about her she'll be an invaluable help.
MAX
I watched Cale leave from the fire escape, then went back to Crash, but my heart wasn't in it anymore. I decided to go back home and take care of business with the fence - if I'm wrong and he does turn me in I need to get rid of that stuff right away. But it was already gone - the bag was lying on my bed empty. For the first time I was really scared - I knew Kendra would not have gone through my stuff -she may hang her undies on my motorcycle, but she would never come into my room. I sat down on the bed to reason things out and felt something hard under my pillow. I pulled out the damned statue of Bast and a note - Logan Cale was giving me the statue as a gift and inviting me over for dinner tonight. Damn sneaky SOB! I shoved the statue in my backpack, grabbed my jacket and bike and rode over to his place.
I took the elevator up with just a nod to the doorman, but when I got to his door I picked the lock rather than rang the bell - I don't know why, I just did (and it was a stupidly simple lock for as much fancy stuff as he has). I wasn't even trying to be stealthy as I stormed into his place to confront him. Cale was in his kitchen making something that smelled delicious, but I was too mad to care.
"What do mean breaking into my place?" I demanded to know.
"I left you a present," he replied, amused.
I refused to be sidetracked "And I should be grateful? A man going through my stuff is just bent - how am I supposed to sleep there knowing someone has been pawing through my room?"
"Bent? You're the one who was ripping off my stuff. Sorry if I creeped you out or made you feel uncomfortable - I didn't mean to. You are welcome to sleep here if you want." He sounded sincere enough.
"Yes, bent and yes, you creeped me out. No, I won't be staying," I said firmly, turning to leave.
"Stay for dinner - I'm not a half- bad cook," he asked. I headed for the door. "Ever since I saw you I haven't been able to get you off my mind."
"You need to get out more," I said sarcastically and kept going.
"Wait - there's something I want to show you." He led me to an ornate mirror hanging in the hall.
"American, neoclassic, gold leaf detail, late 1800's," I said looking over the mirror appraisingly, "I could fence it for maybe two or three grand."
"No, I mean this, " he sounded amused again, and gently held my chin in his hand turning my face towards the mirror, "Probably the singularly most beautiful face I've ever seen."
"Wow, expensive gifts, surprise late night visits, over-the-top flattery - do you always come on so strong?" I was actually a little shook up.
"Only with someone I need to know everything about," he said softly, gently trailing his hand down to my shoulder - it was almost mesmerizing. Until he suddenly swept the hair off the back of my neck and looked at the barcode. "And now I do."
LOGAN
"I know what you are, Max," I said, cutting the seduction and becoming businesslike. I stepped away and turned to face her. "Suppose I could help you find the other ones?"
"Other ones? You lost me?" Max feigned ignorance; I could see the distance growing between us and knew I'd made a tactical mistake. I should have stuck with the flattery - not only had it been working, but it would have been easier than pretending to be indifferent to her as a woman.
"Come on, Max - you took me out without really trying. You broke into my apartment like Spiderman. And I found these in your apartment - Tryptophan."
Max looked incensed again. "You went through my bathroom!"
Good - some other reaction than wariness. "Tryptophan was sold a an energy boost in health food stores and was used in homeopathy to control seizures. Then I remembered a story an informant sent to me a few years back about covert genetics lab in Wyoming, and when I looked into it I found a med tech from this Project Manticore. He said they were using recombinant DNA to create superior humans to be used advanced soldiers. But the tinkering with the genes caused low seretonin levels which would cause seizures, and Tryptophan would help."
"This is a nice urban legend, and I am thoroughly enjoying it," she said sarcastically, "Why didn't you publish it? You'd have had a bestseller. But what does it have to do with me?"
"My contact disappeared," I left it at that - she wasn't stupid, "You have a barcode on the back of your neck, Max. You are one of them, one of the transgenic kids they made. There were a couple dozen of them, and in '09, a few months before the Pulse, twelve of them escaped."
"Twelve? I never knew how many made it - we were separated right away." She looked sad and lonely for a moment.
"How much did you know about what was going on at Manticore?"
" I knew a lot, I just didn't understand it all. I knew they made me - got the designer label to prove it. I'm a made-up creature - a chimera - a hodgepodge." Now she was back to cool and remote.
"What if I could track down one of the surrogate mothers who carried you, or one of the other escapees?" I asked, dangling a lure.
"What's in it for you?" she asked suspiciously.
"Your help."
"I'm already not liking the sound of this. Help with what?"
"Remember I said I work for Eyes Only sometimes? You could help protect the witness for us - just a few days. We need to protect her until the trial in two days, then get her into witness protection. Your training and abilities would be invaluable in keeping her safe."
"Thanks but no thanks. I've got enough people looking for me who want to kill me, lock me up in a zoo or examine me under the microscope - or all three. I've dropped off their radar and intend to keep it that way. Have a nice life." Max was out the door before I could stop her. Damn - I screwed that up good! I'll try again after things have settled down - a government- created chimera would be a good friend to have both for Logan Cale and Eyes Only.
MAX
The next day passed quickly - I went to work, got roped into helping out a co-worker with his love life, and went out to Crash like normal, but I couldn't stop thinking about Logan. His do-gooder side and obvious hero worship of Eyes Only was gonna get him killed someday soon, and what a loss to the gene pool that would be. I don't know what angle Eyes Only is playing, but no one does what he does without getting something out of it for himself. I left early and went for a ride, then up to the top of the Space Needle to think for a while. That was my favorite place in the city - the sweeping view of the city and the Puget Sound, not to mention that all those people down there looked like ants from up top the needle. Logan said the trial was tomorrow - if the baddies were going to make a move it would be on the way to the trial. There was only one thing for it - I would have to cover his back. Damn him for getting me involved!
I went to work and made sure my first run would take me near the courthouse. It was easy to spot where the ambush would take place - there was an intersection just a block before the courthouse where all traffic heading for the courthouse had to pass through. There was plenty of cover for attackers to hide behind, so I picked myself a nice spot and waited. I didn't have to wait long.
A nondescript sedan pulled up and hit the red light. I saw Logan in the front seat next to the driver. A lady and a little girl were in the back seat. Another sedan was right behind him with a couple of men in it. I scanned the area and spotted a couple of guys right away, but I was more concerned with the ones I hadn't spotted. Gunfire started right away - Logan and the other men returned fire, but the first car was disabled by shots to the engine and they were unable to get away. The woman and the girl crawled out of the car as the second car maneuvered to pick them all up. For a moment I thought everything was going to be okay when some of the bad guys ran forward and tried to kill the woman and girl. Logan jumped out of the car and grabbed the kid as a couple of the other men were gunned down, The woman disappeared in the hail of gunfire (God, I hate guns) as Logan protected the kid with his body. Then I saw the little red dot from a laser site on Logan's back. I traced the red line and took aim myself - it was just a little rock, but my throw was straight and hard. The gunman fired just as my rock hit him and Logan's body jerked and lay still. For a moment I was frozen in horror as the red blood covered his back, but that moment was long enough - a couple of the baddie pushed Logan aside and grabbed the kid. I started forward, but then I saw the hoverdrone filming the whole thing, instinct took over and I ran.
Back at JamPony I saw the news report - two of Logan's friends were killed and he was wounded. After work maybe I'll stop by the hospital.
MAX
I saw this statue in the penthouse suite of a high-rise condo building - should fetch a nice price and the owner of that place probably won't even notice it's gone. So now I'm in the place and its every bit as swank as I guessed it would be. I watched from roof across the way until the place was dark and quiet, but I never thought the owner would be a nightowl who works in the dark! I dropped in through the skylight and got what I came for, but next thing I know this guy is pointing a shotgun and flashlight at me - not that I was worried.
"See anything you like?" I asked smartly - I sure was! Not only was this place filled with nice stuff, the guy who apparently lived here was hot!
"Maybe," he said, then looked at the statue in my hand, "You've got good taste."
"Whatever," I said, working on a way out of here.
"What, you liked it because it was shiny?" he shot back.
"No," I replied, irritated beyond reason, "Because its Bast, seer of Ra, giver of life who lives forever." The guy looked impressed, which pissed me off more, so I made my move as much to wipe that look off his face as to get me out of there. Before he could say anything I had him pinned up against the wall, one hand holding his gun arm, the other at his throat. His gun sailed across the room, and his flashlight landed on the floor, propped up and illuminating our faces. The look of shock on his face was delicious; inches from mine his eyes were wide open and deep blue.
"I'd love to stay and discuss art with you, but I've gotta bounce," I said regretfully, tightening my hold on neck, hitting the pressure points. He started to sag, eyes closing, and I finished the job with a quick blow to his jaw. Damn - why did I have to meet such a gorgeous guy under these circumstances? I'd just knocked out someone I'd rather make out with! I picked up my prize and left, unable to resist a last look at the man lying crumpled on the floor at my feet. Even unconscious he sure was cute!
LOGAN
I woke up on the floor of my living room with a sore jaw and a killer headache. Not to mention a deep feeling of embarrassment - I'd been taken out by an unarmed girl much smaller than myself. Not a good advertisement for Eyes Only - good thing she didn't break in while I was doing a streaming freedom video. I looked around the penthouse - she had broken in through the skylight (and left the rope) and gone out the door. She had taken the statue and a few other small items, only one of which upset me - the gold dolphin statuette had been one of my mother's favorite pieces given to her as an anniversary present by my father.
I sat down on the sofa with an icepack on my jaw and thought over the night. I had been reading messages on the informant net, Lauren and Sophy would be coming to stay here tomorrow and I was looking for any sign that Sonrisa had been alerted to the threat. I heard a soft noise outside the office, and saw a shadow move across the glass blocks that made the office wall. I picked up my gun and flashlight and opened the door. My flashlight beam caught the intruder in its beam - a burglar dressed in black, young, lithe and definitely the most gorgeous girl I've seen in a very long time. Hispanic perhaps, dark curls past her shoulders, wide-set large dark eyes, full lips, her black suit accentuated the curves in her slim body. She had a stance that spoke volumes about her attitude and lack of fear as she faced me with my shotgun. I should have known then that there was something wrong - that she was more than just a thief.
She bantered words with me, correctly identifying the statue of Bast when I insulted her by saying she liked it because it was shiny. Then she attacked me, taking me down and out with ease. She disarmed me and held me up against the wall with superhuman strength and speed. The flashlight beam somehow managed to illuminate her face just inches from my own - in spite of the circumstances I was filled with the urge to kiss that generous mouth, but with her hand firmly at my throat all I could do was look into her chocolate brown eyes.
"I'd love to stay and discuss art with you," she said, as she knocked me out. A couple of hours later I woke up alone. No way a normal girl could have done that - just no way.
I went up on the roof and looked for signs of how she got there. She must have come over from a neighboring building - maybe the security camera tapes would tell me something.
MAX
God, I'm acting like I'm in heat or something - obsessing over that guy I robbed last night. Everywhere I go I keep looking for his face with those blue eyes behind those cute little wire glasses and that hot body - Stop it, Max!! Maybe later I could arrange to run into him casually - when he has had time to forget what I look like.
I went straight home and stashed the loot - I'll see my fence tonight, then I can pay my low-rent private investigator to do nothing for me for another couple of weeks. I managed to get out of the apartment this morning without Kendra noticing anything up and went in to work. Unfortunately, Original Cindy was a little more perceptive than Kendra, and kept asking me what was wrong - OC wouldn't take no for an answer, so I had to do extra runs to get away from her. By the end of the day I was ready to go to Crash to have fun until I could meet my fence. I wouldn't have been surprised if Darrin showed up there, but the last thing I expected was for Mr. Gorgeous from last night to show up!
I picked my jaw up off the floor as unobtrusively as I could when our eyes met and said to Cindy, "So this guy walks into a bar and says.."
The guy walks over and filled in "We never got to finish our discussion of art last night." He was even better looking than I remembered, relaxed and determined to charm me. I was tempted, but my stronger instinct was to run.
"Cindy, meet my good friend .?" I said, curious to know who he was (and how he found me).
"Logan Cale," he supplied, and turned back to me, "Would you like to go for a walk?"
"Sure," I said, "Let me get my coat." I turned away like I was going back to the table.
"The one you're wearing?" he asked. Okay, he wasn't falling for that old one - no moss on his brain. We left the club and walked down the block.
"So, how'd you find me?" I asked. However he did it, I would make sure no one else would be able to use the same method.
"Wasn't hard," he said cryptically.
"Okay, maybe a better question is why?"
"That was an extraordinary display of athleticism last night - you broke into my place and took care of me and my shotgun without breaking a sweat. I may not be a 300 pound side of beef, but I can usually take care of myself pretty well. I bet if I hadn't already been awake, you would have been in and out without waking me up."
"That was the plan. So why go to all this effort? Did I wound your pride or something? Or is there something else?" I was betting on the last.
"You ever heard of Eyes Only?"
"Yeah, do-gooder cable hack guy. So? What does that have to do with me? Are you going to turn me into him and have him splash my picture all over the TV? I think the guy has bigger fish to fry." I kept it cool, but my heart was racing - what if he really did know Eyes Only and could have him do that? Lydecker would have my ass in a sling before I could turn around.
"Sometimes I work with him," Cale was choosing his words with care. "I'm a journalist - I do articles for some on-line publications, and have a lot of informants who feed me tips. Right now I am trying to help someone who could bust open a case Eyes Only is working on, but this person is scared to come forward - for their family as well as their own self. With your skill and ability you could help keep them safe."
"Why should I? It's not my problem - I've got enough going on in my life; I don't need to take on other people's problem, thanks very much." Okay, he wasn't going to turn me in - I prided myself on being able to read people, this guy was a hard read but I was sure he didn't mean me any harm even if he did want to use me.
"Max, we're all involved in everyone else's problems - they always impact us one way or another. Just by being alive you're involved. When you turn your back you become part of their problems."
"Is the civics lesson over? Personally I prefer to go fast on my motorcycle - seems to take care of a lot of my problems." I was a little thrown off when he used my name. I saw a hoverdrone coming towards us and turned my back. Cale turned to see what I was avoiding and I took the opportunity to slip away. I needed to think privately.
LOGAN
A little money here and there bought me all the information I needed to find her - it was a lot easier than I ever expected. A little money to the security guys at the neighboring buildings got me the security tapes from the previous day. I didn't find what I expected, but something better - instead of my cat burglar breaking in I found her delivering a package to the doorman of the building next door. She was a bicycle messenger - perfect cover for a thief! Sector pass and access to buildings all over the city. I enhanced the best frame on the film to make out the name of the company on her pass - Jam Pony. Never heard of them, but I was going to learn everything I could now.
Well, not much to learn - small business, minimally profitable, run by a guy called Reagan Ronald, a.k.a. Normal for some reason. The company has no reputation, good or bad, but is known as a place where people teetering on the edge can get a job. I went down there to speak to 'Normal' and get a name and address for my late night visitor.
"Can I help you?" said the guy in the cage when I walked in - he must be Normal.
"I'm looking for a young lady who works here," I said politely. The guy didn't even look up.
"Ladies would be elsewhere," he said without missing a beat.
I was amused; looking around that seemed to be true - this was a fairly scruffy bunch. "This is the girl I'm looking for," I said, showing a picture from the security tape.
"She may be easy on the eyes, friend," Normal warned, "But that one is nothing but trouble."
"How about a name and address?" I asked, producing a fifty.
He hesitated, then shook his head. "Can't help you."
"I just need to talk to her, " I said, waving the bill, "No trouble for her or you."
"She and a bunch of the other reprobates from this place hang out after work at a place called Crash - you know where it is?" I nodded - it was one of the roughest joints in this sector. "Her name may or may not be Max Guevara, but that is what she goes by."
A little more digging and I managed to come up with an address in an abandoned building. For a monthly bribe cops would look the other way and let people squat in condemned buildings - this one was a little better than most. Poking around in Max's unit I could tell that they had power and running water - cold only, but better than none. The furnishing were modern back alley and dumpster, untidy but fairly clean. She obviously had a roommate although much of the living room area was taken up by a black Ninja motorcycle, well loved and cared for. In one of the bedrooms I found the bag of stuff she had taken from my apartment. I took back the dolphin statuette and other things, then left the statue of Bast under her pillow with a quick note inviting her for dinner. On a hunch I looked in the bathroom cabinet and found a bottle with large white pills, a taste told me my hunch was right - Tryptophan. I left quickly before anyone came home.
After doing more research on the net I got ready and went out to Crash. It had been a while since I frequented nightclubs, but it seemed like only the music had changed - the ambiance was the same. I spotted Max without much trouble as I came down the stairs - she was playing foosball with a pretty African American girl. Max spotted me at the same time I saw her, and her look of shock was almost comical, but she pulled herself together with commendable speed. As I walked over to them she even had a quip ready.
"So this guy walks into a bar and says." she said as I reached them.
"We never got to finish our discussion of art last night, " I said, watching her carefully. Under the casual appearance she showed I could tell she was planning to run. She introduced me to her friend and I foiled her first escape attempt as we prepared to go outside to talk. I was proud of the amount of time I did manage to spend with her before she took off - if I am right about who and what she is I did well in having as long a conversation with her as I did. I flattered her skills and asked her to help me protect a witness. I told her I worked with Eyes Only sometimes (close enough to the truth). She turned me down flat - she'd rather ride fast on her motorcycle she said. Then she vanished when a hoverdrone came by. Appealing to her better instincts didn't work - I'll have to trot out the big guns. She's as attracted to me as I am to her, plus she wants to find the others like her - that what that hack PI she's hired is doing. I've got one more shot - if I'm right about her she'll be an invaluable help.
MAX
I watched Cale leave from the fire escape, then went back to Crash, but my heart wasn't in it anymore. I decided to go back home and take care of business with the fence - if I'm wrong and he does turn me in I need to get rid of that stuff right away. But it was already gone - the bag was lying on my bed empty. For the first time I was really scared - I knew Kendra would not have gone through my stuff -she may hang her undies on my motorcycle, but she would never come into my room. I sat down on the bed to reason things out and felt something hard under my pillow. I pulled out the damned statue of Bast and a note - Logan Cale was giving me the statue as a gift and inviting me over for dinner tonight. Damn sneaky SOB! I shoved the statue in my backpack, grabbed my jacket and bike and rode over to his place.
I took the elevator up with just a nod to the doorman, but when I got to his door I picked the lock rather than rang the bell - I don't know why, I just did (and it was a stupidly simple lock for as much fancy stuff as he has). I wasn't even trying to be stealthy as I stormed into his place to confront him. Cale was in his kitchen making something that smelled delicious, but I was too mad to care.
"What do mean breaking into my place?" I demanded to know.
"I left you a present," he replied, amused.
I refused to be sidetracked "And I should be grateful? A man going through my stuff is just bent - how am I supposed to sleep there knowing someone has been pawing through my room?"
"Bent? You're the one who was ripping off my stuff. Sorry if I creeped you out or made you feel uncomfortable - I didn't mean to. You are welcome to sleep here if you want." He sounded sincere enough.
"Yes, bent and yes, you creeped me out. No, I won't be staying," I said firmly, turning to leave.
"Stay for dinner - I'm not a half- bad cook," he asked. I headed for the door. "Ever since I saw you I haven't been able to get you off my mind."
"You need to get out more," I said sarcastically and kept going.
"Wait - there's something I want to show you." He led me to an ornate mirror hanging in the hall.
"American, neoclassic, gold leaf detail, late 1800's," I said looking over the mirror appraisingly, "I could fence it for maybe two or three grand."
"No, I mean this, " he sounded amused again, and gently held my chin in his hand turning my face towards the mirror, "Probably the singularly most beautiful face I've ever seen."
"Wow, expensive gifts, surprise late night visits, over-the-top flattery - do you always come on so strong?" I was actually a little shook up.
"Only with someone I need to know everything about," he said softly, gently trailing his hand down to my shoulder - it was almost mesmerizing. Until he suddenly swept the hair off the back of my neck and looked at the barcode. "And now I do."
LOGAN
"I know what you are, Max," I said, cutting the seduction and becoming businesslike. I stepped away and turned to face her. "Suppose I could help you find the other ones?"
"Other ones? You lost me?" Max feigned ignorance; I could see the distance growing between us and knew I'd made a tactical mistake. I should have stuck with the flattery - not only had it been working, but it would have been easier than pretending to be indifferent to her as a woman.
"Come on, Max - you took me out without really trying. You broke into my apartment like Spiderman. And I found these in your apartment - Tryptophan."
Max looked incensed again. "You went through my bathroom!"
Good - some other reaction than wariness. "Tryptophan was sold a an energy boost in health food stores and was used in homeopathy to control seizures. Then I remembered a story an informant sent to me a few years back about covert genetics lab in Wyoming, and when I looked into it I found a med tech from this Project Manticore. He said they were using recombinant DNA to create superior humans to be used advanced soldiers. But the tinkering with the genes caused low seretonin levels which would cause seizures, and Tryptophan would help."
"This is a nice urban legend, and I am thoroughly enjoying it," she said sarcastically, "Why didn't you publish it? You'd have had a bestseller. But what does it have to do with me?"
"My contact disappeared," I left it at that - she wasn't stupid, "You have a barcode on the back of your neck, Max. You are one of them, one of the transgenic kids they made. There were a couple dozen of them, and in '09, a few months before the Pulse, twelve of them escaped."
"Twelve? I never knew how many made it - we were separated right away." She looked sad and lonely for a moment.
"How much did you know about what was going on at Manticore?"
" I knew a lot, I just didn't understand it all. I knew they made me - got the designer label to prove it. I'm a made-up creature - a chimera - a hodgepodge." Now she was back to cool and remote.
"What if I could track down one of the surrogate mothers who carried you, or one of the other escapees?" I asked, dangling a lure.
"What's in it for you?" she asked suspiciously.
"Your help."
"I'm already not liking the sound of this. Help with what?"
"Remember I said I work for Eyes Only sometimes? You could help protect the witness for us - just a few days. We need to protect her until the trial in two days, then get her into witness protection. Your training and abilities would be invaluable in keeping her safe."
"Thanks but no thanks. I've got enough people looking for me who want to kill me, lock me up in a zoo or examine me under the microscope - or all three. I've dropped off their radar and intend to keep it that way. Have a nice life." Max was out the door before I could stop her. Damn - I screwed that up good! I'll try again after things have settled down - a government- created chimera would be a good friend to have both for Logan Cale and Eyes Only.
MAX
The next day passed quickly - I went to work, got roped into helping out a co-worker with his love life, and went out to Crash like normal, but I couldn't stop thinking about Logan. His do-gooder side and obvious hero worship of Eyes Only was gonna get him killed someday soon, and what a loss to the gene pool that would be. I don't know what angle Eyes Only is playing, but no one does what he does without getting something out of it for himself. I left early and went for a ride, then up to the top of the Space Needle to think for a while. That was my favorite place in the city - the sweeping view of the city and the Puget Sound, not to mention that all those people down there looked like ants from up top the needle. Logan said the trial was tomorrow - if the baddies were going to make a move it would be on the way to the trial. There was only one thing for it - I would have to cover his back. Damn him for getting me involved!
I went to work and made sure my first run would take me near the courthouse. It was easy to spot where the ambush would take place - there was an intersection just a block before the courthouse where all traffic heading for the courthouse had to pass through. There was plenty of cover for attackers to hide behind, so I picked myself a nice spot and waited. I didn't have to wait long.
A nondescript sedan pulled up and hit the red light. I saw Logan in the front seat next to the driver. A lady and a little girl were in the back seat. Another sedan was right behind him with a couple of men in it. I scanned the area and spotted a couple of guys right away, but I was more concerned with the ones I hadn't spotted. Gunfire started right away - Logan and the other men returned fire, but the first car was disabled by shots to the engine and they were unable to get away. The woman and the girl crawled out of the car as the second car maneuvered to pick them all up. For a moment I thought everything was going to be okay when some of the bad guys ran forward and tried to kill the woman and girl. Logan jumped out of the car and grabbed the kid as a couple of the other men were gunned down, The woman disappeared in the hail of gunfire (God, I hate guns) as Logan protected the kid with his body. Then I saw the little red dot from a laser site on Logan's back. I traced the red line and took aim myself - it was just a little rock, but my throw was straight and hard. The gunman fired just as my rock hit him and Logan's body jerked and lay still. For a moment I was frozen in horror as the red blood covered his back, but that moment was long enough - a couple of the baddie pushed Logan aside and grabbed the kid. I started forward, but then I saw the hoverdrone filming the whole thing, instinct took over and I ran.
Back at JamPony I saw the news report - two of Logan's friends were killed and he was wounded. After work maybe I'll stop by the hospital.