A Soldier Can Change His Spots: Chapters 1,2,3

by Saritas

Smart ass Alec meets his match with a fellow transgenic, but has his work cut out for him. Everyone thinks he's with Max thanks to her big mouth, even Sabrina, the girl he could get serious about.

TITLE: Even A Genetically Engineered Soldier Can Change His Spots

AUTHOR: Saritas

TIME: Takes place directly after the second season finale of Dark Angel

RATING: PG-13

DISCLAIMER: These characters do not belong to me - no matter how much I stalk their actors...

The modified X-5's black eyes watched for movement in the darkened Seattle alleyway. It had been a day and a half since she'd heard about the standoff in Terminal City between Manticorians and the humans who hated them. She'd been running for over 24 hours and now just a few clicks away she was starting to get paranoid. She only figured that the paranoia went well with her lack of sleep and exhaustion.

Nearly running on empty she was holding out for the promise land, hoping that she'd get to Terminal City before she gave out, before one of the cities mobs caught onto the fact that she wasn't just like them.

Besides the physical aspects that proved she wasn't an ordinary human, she also didn't carry the hate they did. Though, after seeing some of those broadcasts, maybe she did. She gritted her teeth and looked out again, knowing that she'd have to pull back her hood and let her antennae out.

Those damn antennae... If it weren't for those, and her completely black eyes, she would have passed for normal.

Normal...

She shook her head in disgust even as she started unbraiding the hair she'd wrapped around the cursed things which kept them out of view.

She'd been bred for reconnaissance work, long range weapons use, and messenger relay through camps during war time. And what that all meant? They'd made her X-5 and then added in ant DNA. Ant. Not something cool like she'd seen in other mutants but ant.

Sure she could lift things 20 times her own weight, run faster than an X-7, and see things outside the normal range of any of the X-series, but she had to tell other mutants like her that she was made with ant DNA. A buzz kill if she ever knew one.

Antennae out and attempting to get a sense of the area she peeked out again. She didn't see anyone but... she felt... On a gasp she ducked letting the two-by-four aimed for her head splinter against the barrel she'd been hiding behind.

"Another freak Charlie!" The man laughed and looked at her menacingly. "Shouldn'ta left your other freaks, freak."

Despite the black eyes the X-5 still was able to show the man how annoyed she was, "Don't you have any other names besides freak? I mean... sure it stings, but not when you use it three times in a row."

When the man came at her again with what was left of the piece of wood she easily ducked and grabbed the weapon out of his hands. Throwing it to the side she caught the man when he charged her and brought him over her head to smack onto the pavement near her feet.

"Sorry I only like fair fights." She started to smile at him but the grin faded when she heard many ominous clicks from guns being pointed at her.

Her eyes scanned out around her picking up the tiny movements with what little light there was glinting off metal. "This wasn't exactly what I meant..." She quickly worked the odds in her head and found herself lacking. Sure she could outrun a car but could she stop all these men with their guns before one got a shot off?

The Manticore soldier locked her jaw and stood stock still, she wanted to fight, everything in her told her to fight but there she stood as they closed in around her.

A bull horn clicked on as the crowd of humans went from screaming threats and insults to quiet unhappy murmurs. "452! Just thought you'd like to know we have one of your soulless demons here with us. Eyes as black as Lucifer's himself."

Her head was bowed but at the comment she looked up, letting those supposedly soulless eyes look at the man who had just spoken. "Figured someone like you would have met him..."

Another crack on the back of her head, had her fighting off nausea. She wouldn't faint, she wouldn't fight back. Giving these people more fodder wouldn't help this 452's cause. Blinking the blood from her eyes, which surely ran down her face making her seem more devilish than she was, she glanced at what had to be Terminal City.

Her mouth parted slowly as she caught sight of a flag flying in the wind. Freedom. She could feel it running through her, the flag gave hope. And she'd quickly run out of it since Manticore had gone down. Not that she was upset that bastard of a building had burned to the ground, but it was hard for mutants like her to fit into the public scene. Even thinking about it made her antennae move which earned her another bash on the head.

Eyes now starting to fail her she searched the large structure in front of her, looking for signs of movement, life, hope. Her head jerked catching a face in one of the broken windows. She focused on it, zeroing in. He was male, blonde, beautiful, and was he watching her too?

Alec watched the battered woman as she knelt on the roof of a large van, at the mercy of all those people. Since entering the world for real, not on a mission, meeting people and learning that there really were things worth fighting for, his laid back attitude had undergone a few adjustments.

Not as much as Max would probably have liked, but enough that he couldn't just stand around and watch that woman die.

She seemed like an X-5... but the eyes and whatever was poking out of her head made him think she hadn't gotten feline in her cocktail as Josh would have put it. Something insect, which had him curious and a little frustrated that Manticore would have taken their projects this far. Regardless, the woman needed help.

He turned and searched out the X-5 who'd started this whole thing. "Max."

"Already on it." The brunette offered as she strapped on her riding gloves. "She's not gonna die out there if I have anything to say about it."

Alec moved forward, "Max, you can't go out there, if anything goes wrong these people need you in here more." He paused, his eyes going to the bike instead of her. He knew she and the others that knew him well would be surprised to hear his offer.

"I'll do it."

Max's face scrunched, "What?" And behind her, many others had mimicked the look.

Alec put his hand on the throttle of her bike. "I said I'll do it. You've got your plate full, I can save the girl."

Though Max and the rest of the Manticorians were itching for some kind of action, Max got off the bike, still watching Alec for signs that this was a joke. "You sure you wanna do this?"

Alec nodded, "Of course." He gave a cocky grin, "Save the girl, play the hero? It's about time I got a turn in the lime light don't you think?"

At the joke, Max was stepping up again, "Alec-" She started.

"Max. I got this." His eyes widened trying to get her to back off, "I'll save her." He said softly.

Behind Max he saw Logan stiffen and he remembered the lie Max had told Logan about the two of them being together. He hated being in the middle was what clearly was love, but at the same time, he knew Max needed him in the lie - That Logan would have a chance to live if Max was out of his picture. Didn't mean it didn't suck, but love in his opinion was highly overrated.

Usually with that statement he'd attach a grin, but since returning from the Berrisford residence for the last time he'd come to the epiphany that love was something unattainable and made those who wanted it pay too high a price.

He gave a playful smile, mostly to prove he still could, and started the bike, "Leave the light on for me." And after the joke he was riding off to the back entrance of Terminal City which was less guarded.

The X-5 didn't even flinch as the noose was tightened around her neck, it was scary and she knew many people had nightmares about being hung the way she was about to, but those people didn't have her genetic traits.

She watched as the rope was thrown over a banner pole of a nearby building, in clear view of the main bulk of Terminal City. She checked the window again, searching for the man that had been there before but he was gone now and she felt alone.

Then her feet were being lifted off the ground and with her hands tied behind her back she couldn't pull the noose away from her neck as it tightened. Around her people cheered and clapped, raised their angry fists and signs into the air, and she just hung there.

She almost felt bad that the rioting group wouldn't get to see what they wanted. Almost. They wouldn't watch her die, because she couldn't like this.

She didn't have lungs, which offered her the gift of not needing to breathe through her mouth and nose, which meant she could hang here for days and nothing would happen besides a crushed larynx or rope burn. So, to fight the pain, she watched that flag again, wondering if she'd ever get to see it up close. If she'd ever meet the person who made it.

"Watch the freak die everyone! Watch as we take back humanity!" The man with the bullhorn yelled to his followers. She desperately wanted to tell him that he didn't have to yell when you use a bullhorn but since her throat was beginning to give under the pressure she decided against it.

The crowd roared again and started throwing things at her.

She was about to give in to the pain and close her eyes when the rope began to move above her. She looked up as best she could and found the blonde man from the window there. The X-5 gasped slightly feeling her strength renewed.

A determine smile came to her lips as she looked up at him.

Alec was caught by the beauty of the woman he was rescuing. But not her physical beauty - which while on the subject was something very noteworthy, masses of tumbling red hair, fair skin and a tight little body - but he was more drawn to the smile she'd just gifted him. It wasn't every day he caught a grin on the face of the downtrodden. It was strange, beautiful. and threatened to pull him in.

With a curious frown in place he started pulling her up by the rope - leaving the question of why she was still alive, even for a Manticorian - for another time.

Energy surging, she lifted her body until she could pull her cuffed hands under herself in order to grab the rope that secured her neck. Then, one hand at a time, she began pulling herself up, little by little until her hand was grabbed by the mans. One tear slid down her cheek as she let out a raspy, "Thanks."

Alec blinked, caught off guard again, and then pulled her through the window as the crowds below started screaming. "Don't thank me yet, your party down there isn't too happy with me taking their main event."

She pulled the rope from her neck, "They'll deal. Let's get out of here." Her eyes scanned the building, and her antennae picked up what her eyes didn't. Rubbing her throat, she motioned in a direction, "This way."

Alec frowned, "No, actually, this way. Who's doing the rescuing here?"

She looked back at him clearly irritated and pointed at her feelers, "You think these are just decoration? They're like my magic wands. If you want to get out of here alive, you might want to listen to me. I was bred for reconnacinse and know the basic plans of most buildings built."

Curbing the need to roll his eyes, Alec lifted his hands up in defense, "Whatever you say Sabrina." And started after her.

Later, if he was feeling like it, he'd remember to tell her how impressed he'd been with her sense of direction. They'd skirted police and angry Seattle citizens as if they'd been on the phone with Logan like that day they saved Josh from the police in the sewers. After telling the woman where he'd parked his bike, she'd quickly found a safe route to it.

Once they were both on the bike, he looked over his shoulder to see the woman was braiding her antennae into her hair but he didn't comment, "Glad we could get the bike back, Max would have killed me otherwise. Despite bringing back a transgenic."

"Max?" The girl said into his ear. "She's 452?"

Alec nodded and offered a grin, "That's right, leader and potential savoir of mankind. So what's your name?"

The girl frowned, "Name?"

"Yeah. I'm Alec. Do you call yourself anything?"

"X-5982. But I don't have a name."

Alec grinned, "Might want to get one for yourself, Max is really into the name game, and let's just say that usually she isn't very good at it." He expertly shifted the bike around the crowds that stood at the barrier fence around Terminal City.

The girl pulled her hood up over her bright hair which was covered with grim, but nevertheless noticable. "What did you call me before? Sabrina?"

Alec slowed the bike as they worked their way into a building and down a hallway. "Yeah, like the witch?"

She shrugged, "Never heard of her, but I like the name."

Alec turned to look at her even as he pushed through another doorway. "It suits you."

She smiled, "Thanks... But you might want to watch where your going."

"What?" He turned just as he took out a side mirror on a center doorjamb. "Ah..." He took a deep breath even as he kept going and stated very simply, "She's gonna kill me."

Sabrina laughed, "We'll tell her it happened while you were saving me - angry hoards with baseball bats."

"Now you're talkin'. There might be hope for you yet - Sabrina."

CHAPTER TWO

Sabrina dumped the pail of freezing cold water over her head and shuddered. Not because it was so bitterly cold - though it was that - but because it reminded her she was still alive.

While she let the liquid track its way down her body she thought about the introduction she'd just gotten to Terminal City. So many people... Some she knew, or had seen while she was in Manticore, others she never would have guessed had been in the same facility she'd lived in.

After meeting Max and the others that ran the show she'd been given this room with a bed, a pile of clothes and a bucket of water. It was more than she could have ever asked for.

With her wounds already beginning to heal, she dressed and started braiding her antennae back into her hair. Of course she reasoned that this was the one place where it shouldn't matter, but she couldn't help it.

In a way, she'd felt in the middle of two groups of transgenics. She could pretty easily pass as a humanized X-5, but that included braiding her antennae back and covering her eyes, so that meant she was also a sewer dweller.

She paused in the act of tying off one of her braids, wondering if she should just leave them out, but it felt weird now to have them out. She'd been tying them back for awhile now, during deep cover missions across the world, and then when Manticore ended, just to fit in. A knock on the door had her hands moving again even as she turned to see who it was.

"Hey Brina." Alec offered as he entered the room, he took in the fact that she was cleaned up now and even more beautiful then before.

He was finally going to take to heart what Original Cindy always said. Transgenics were bred to be soldiers, and gorgeous. Maybe it helped in missions where flatterly was needed, who knows? Regardless, he found himself attracted to this strange X-5.

When he'd first left Manticore, he hadn't seen the trangenics that didn't look human as... well, human, but now? They were all the same. And they were all in this together. "Everything alright?"

Sabrina was frowning as she reguarded him. "Sabrina. That's my name." She corrected him assuming he'd already forgotten.

He smiled even as he took a seat on the matress, "Right you are, but hey, I like to be different. So while everyone else is calling you Sabrina, you'll hear me say Brina and know it's me."

She couldn't find fault in the idea, but still she was curious why he'd take this personal interest in her. "Is this that hero complex thing? I thanked you already right? What are you doing in here?"

"Visiting. Taking it upon myself to show you around and get you fed." He stood seeing the wounded red marks on her neck. "You okay? We have a medic - how did you breath with that rope around your neck?" He blinked realizing the change in topics and offered a disarming upturn of lips.

She shook her head, feeling very disarmed by this handsome man touching her and treating her so gently. "No medic, I'm alright. I breath through my skin. I don't have lungs - like an insect?" She questioned him. "I was made with ant DNA." She grumbled even as she felt her hair to make sure her antennae were covered.

"But... what about uncle DNA?" Alec nudged her with the joke.

Sabrina rolled her eyes, "And what were you bred with? The DoDo bird?"

"Ha ha. So you breath through your skin..." He ran his hand down her arm and she inadvertently closed her eyes. When she opened them, he was watching her. "Neat."

She swallowed on a dry throat hearing his gutteral undertones. "Yeah."

Behind them, someone cleared their throat. Alec turned seeing Logan. Sabrina couldn't help but notice the tension between the two. "Max wants to talk to you about her bike."

Alec winced ever so slightly. "Wish I could Logan my man, taking the newbie to see the sites." And with that he grabbed Sabrina's arm and pulled her out of the room.

Sabrina looked back over her shoulder at Logan who watched them go. "Max doesn't seem that scary..."

Alec lifted an eyebrow as if pondering what she'd said, "Yeah, well, try being in a cage match with her after stealing her baseball."

"What?"

"Nevermind. So what to do first... We can get some grub or I can show you the flag. Newbies always want to see the flag." Alec ended tiredly.

"Flag." Sabrina grinned. "And I don't eat food."

Alec was taken aback. "Wha - You don't eat food? Is that some kind of statement or anorexic thing? Because not eating food? Is there any other reason to live?"

Sabrina blushed and looked away. "I- I can't digest it. I can only do liquids."

"Huh." Alec offered looking her over, and then he shrugged. "Okay, flag it is."

A few moments later they were on the roof and she was gazing up at the flag, even in the darkness she could make it out. "It's beautiful."

Having seen the flag now - like a hundred times - Alec was content with looking Brina's profile. "Yeah. Beautiful."

"It gave me hope when I thought I didn't have any left. I think it gave me you too." She turned as she came to that realization, her hauntingly black eyes having a powerful effect on him as he leaned in and she lifted her head to his

"Joshua give you hope?"

The new voice pulled them apart before their lips could touch, Alec groaned while offering a frustrated smile to Josh. "Brina this is Joshua. Josh, Sabrina." At her confused face, he explained, "Joshua's our artist around here. He painted the flag."

Sabrina smiled at him. "It's a pleasure to meet you Joshua."

"Ple- Pleasure to meet you Sabrina." He grinned proudly, "Joshua give you hope?"

Sabrina moved over to him and then gazed up at the flag. "I saw that waving right when I was about to give up. Thank you Joshua."

Joshua happily let out a breath and stared down at his shows. "Thank you. Sabrina." He looked at Alec then, "Joshua leave so Alec and Sabrina can get busy." And then he was headed for the roof access door.

"Uh... Joshua that's not..." Alec broke off looking back at Sabrina, "Kids with their street slang today... but while we're on the subject-"

Sabrina interrupted him, "Sustenance please?" She started towards the door and then looked back at him over her shoulder, "Getting busy? Maybe later..." A playful grin and then she slipped through the doorway and down the stairs.

Alec felt like he'd been hit with a two by four. "What a woman..."

Sabrina grunted in sleep as sweat started building on her skin, it was the same dream she'd been having for months now and she couldn't wake herself up from it. Only this time... was there someone there? She started pulling out of the dark place but was still hazy on where she was, so when she felt someone near her, she automatically attacked.

Alec managed to deflect the first punch but wasn't quick enough for the throat hold. "Hey... Hey Brina? Wanna wake up and let go of me?" He offered sweetly with a raspy voice.

Sabrina's eyes really open for the first time focused on him and automatically dropped the choke hold. "Sorry. God, sorry." She sat up and then stood making her way for the tiny window in her quarters. "Bad dream."

Alec nodded and lowered himself to the cot she had just vacated. "Yeah... Couldn't have guessed that." Even as he wondered just how strong this female was, he used his excellent night vision to check out her legs.

"I was in Psy Ops for the seven months before Manticore went down." She offered stonily. "I'd just come back from a deep cover mission in Siberia - I was to infiltrate the new reghime change and memorize the infrastructure so another transgen team could come in and destroy it."

Alec leaned back against the wall, "Sounds about right for Manticore. What got you sent to Psy Ops?"

Sabrina wrapped her arms around herself. "The new ruler had a harem, women he'd just plucked off the street to be his concubines. Most were with child, some with little children, and some children themselves."

When she paused, Alec picked up for her, "So in your super-secret debriefing you chose not to mention that little section of the grounds to Manticore." He contemplated the move she had made thinking it extremely stupid and brave at the same time.

Her brows knit, "They were innocent civilians, not connected to the regime in anyway but captives. I figured that a team would go in, descimate the leaders and the women would have a chance to escape."

More thoughtful now, Alec's voice was serious, gentle. "I'm guessing it didn't go down that way."

Sabrina shook her head. "Not by a long shot. A small contingent of X-6 soldiers were deployed. When they found the wing that wasn't on their map, they called HQ and were ordered to destroy anyone found there as well."

"And then you were evaluated on your failure to mention the room." Alec supplied, seeing just how many layers this X-5 had.

"Seven months because I tried to help twenty civilians and their children. Renfro told me it was weakness, that I hadn't seen the bigger picture. Any of those children could contain the same traits that had let their father overthrow the government. I was punished severely." She ran fingers over scars that had long since healed - on the outside. "They tried to make me forget."

He thought of his own 'failed' mission, "But you can't forget something like that."

Sabrina turned hearing the pain in his own voice, a sign that he'd gone through the same things she had. It bonded them, the same way they'd been bonded when he'd helped her escape the mob outside Terminal City.

She wanted to stop thinking about the past, she wanted to think of that flag waving on the rooftop above them. "Maybe we should make other memories you can't forget." She walked closer to him, her hair flowing freely down her back and framing her face. "Good ones."

She stood at the foot of the cot facing him, watching him with her black eyes. It was his move now that she was beside him, as she didn't know if he approved of the traits that made her seem less than human. All she knew is that if he didn't touch her she would crumble and if he did touch her? She'd crumble then too.

A classic playful grin appeared on Alec's face as he stared up at the beauty offering herself to him, somewhere deep in his mind, he knew this wasn't just a one night stand. It was more than that, but since he wasn't capable just yet of understanding that at the moment, his eyes offered serious undertones as he reached for her, pulling her down to him. "Have I told you how great your ideas are? Really. Top notch."

"I know." She grinned as she place a knee on either side of him and brought her lips to his.

A sharp ringing noise pulled the pair out of sleep and intertwined bodies. Sabrina grunted as Alec realized it was his phone. He smiled down at the redhead even as he answered the cell. "Hell-o."

"Alec. Where the hell are you? You were suppose to be on sentry duty twenty minutes ago." Max barked into the phone.

For the past few weeks she had noticed quite a change in Alec from 494 - who was out for himself, to Alec - who knew being part of a team was the only way transgenics were ever going to be a part of this world. She'd hate to see him decline already and have to kick his ass back in gear.

"Right, right. Sorry Max, I was... busy." He smiled seeing Sabrina was awake. When she giggled he tried to muffle the sound on the phone.

Slightly disgusted and a little jealous that Alec was with a girl at a time like this, she rolled her eyes, "I don't want to know Alec, just get to the front line and relieve Mule."

"Gotcha." Alec offered sheepishly and then closed the phone. "I hate to cut this short but I'm on duty." He pushed the hair from her face, "A hero's work is never done."

She made a soft noise and smiled up at him.

He grinned, "This hero could use a little company too y'know..." With mock seriousness, "It would be a possible interference with guard duty but I'm sure us Manticore types know how to mix business with pleasure, hmm? What do ya say?"

Sabrina looked up at him, still unable to believe that she was here, lying in this beautiful man's arms. Not so long ago she'd had her very own posh little cell in Manticore's underbelly and now? She was free, or at least, almost free. "You go ahead, I'll catch up."

Alec seemed to consider her for a moment before finally standing up and gifting her with a kiss on the top of her head. "Suit yourself, but all the good guns get taken if your late."

As he dressed, Sabrina watched him, "So..." She started slowly, so slowly that Alec turned towards her. "Was this just a... fluke? A... right moment, right now kinda thing?"

Alec's brow knit and instead of offering her one of his patten lies, he offered the truth. "I don't really know Brina."

At the mention of her pet name she smiled - but weakly, because he had't quite answered her question. "I guess we'll just have to see then." She tossed his phone to him.

He caught it without even looking down at it, "You sure?"

Sabrina considered it for a second and then nodded, "Yeah, just don't go saving any other female transgenics that have the hots for you."

He'd been half out the door while putting on his coat when he stopped, "You have the hots for me?" Just as he asked, his phone ran and he groaned. Without answering it, he shoved it back in his pocket. "Dammit Max..." He looked at Sabrina. "See you in a bit?'

Now it was her turn to consider, "Maybe, if you're lucky." She laughed as the door closed shut on a moan.

Logan, jaw clenched, stopped in the hallway as he saw the familiar face he'd come to loathe leave the new transgenic's room. It hit him like a sledgehammer, Alec cheating on Max. He'd long ago come to realize how completely he loved Max Guevera and how lost he felt now that she belonged to someone else.

But when that someone else could touch her, match her in ways that he couldn't, he'd learned to deal with it, accept that maybe he couldn't offer her everything she wanted. Alec had been a viable candidate however, always there beside her, able to touch her cheek, brush the hair from her face...

And he was cheating on her. Logan wouldn't stand for it. Max didn't deserve it. He came to stand before Alec just as he'd closed the door to the new woman's room. "What the hell do you think your doing?" His voice wasn't loud but it easily got it's point across.

Alec gave Logan a half smile that showed just how confused he was. "Uh... Wanna give me a little more info so I know what you're talking about there buddy?"

"I'm not your buddy, Alec. But I'm guessing she is." Logan didn't elaborate any more than a nod to the closed door.

Alec grinned as he looked backwards, "Yeah... I'm not sure what it is but-" He didn't get any further before Logan's fist connected with his face.

"You bastard. I won't let you cheat on Max this way. She's better than that. And it's about time she found out that you aren't." With one more look at Alec, Logan sulked away.

Watching him, the X5 ran his knuckles over his split lip, pulling his hand back to see blood. "Yep... just the kind of guy to steal another guy's girl..." With a shake of his head he was walking down the hallway, pulling his phone out of his pocket to let Max know what had happen.

Once footsteps could no longer be heard, Sabrina opened the door of her room and looked down the empty hallway with sad eyes. Why had she even expected more? She wasn't the type of girl that guys kept, she was the kind that guys used for sick fascination. It was her own fault for not asking if he was dating someone, and it was his fault for treating her like a freak show. At least the people outside had been honest and upfront about it. She re-entered the room and started unbraiding her antennae from her hair.

It was time to give up the idea that she was anything else besides what she was.

CHAPTER THREE

Donning the clothes that had been donated to her by some unnamed person, Sabrina left her room a little less than twenty minutes after Alec. She wasn't very sure on where she was heading but she couldn't stay in that room any longer. Not only had her energy come back to her, but it reminded her of what had transpired not so long ago.

Finally making her way to an area that obviously acted as control center she moved up to a main group who stood looking over blueprints. Strangely she rubbed her neck and looked up because she had the feeling of being watched. And she was right, Alec was eying her down, Sabrina couldn't help but be annoyed by his brazen attitude. Dating Max, who was in the room and making eyes at the freak he'd just used.

She turned away without even acknowledging that she'd seen him and eyed the blue prints curiously but didn't say a word as she listened to the conversation happening around her.

Alec's brow furrowed wondering why she'd brushed him off like that - and though he prided himself on being well liked by the ladies, he knew a brush off when he saw one. He was contemplating moving over to her but decided against it with a room full of people and namely Max and Logan.

"I pulled our best men off sentry duty for a reason Mule. Now why don't you let me explain why." Max demanded staring up at the lizard faced transgenic.

He pulled the cigar stub out of his mouth, "Then get to it kid because I don't have all day." Though it barely registered on the reptilian face, Sabrina made out a sarcastic look as he continued, "Oh wait I do."

Jaw clenched, Max brought her hands down to the blue print on the table, "It's been four days now, we know the cops and/or civilians are going to be making a move sooner or later, I just want to make sure all our bases are covered."

Logan interjected, "Max we've covered all the wings." He pointed to the map, "They're covered with at least five people each."

Sabrina moved in to get a closer look at the blue prints.

Max was talking again, "We need to do another run through, I know we're missing something. What about entrances to the sewers? You've seen how unstable the ground is in some places around Terminal City. We need to make sure they can't surprise us."

A murmur started among those gathered and just as Max opened her mouth to speak or maybe to yell,

"There's another wing." Sabrina offered finally, her quiet voice ending the noise like yelling wouldn't have been able to.

Max and Mule turned, "What?"

"Uh... Another wing." She pointed to an empty space on the blue print. "These are labs and things right? Commonly with laboratories, hospitals and the like, cities get too over zealous about opening them for the public - y'know, wanting to finish ahead of time so people know their tax dollars are being used right. So they focus on what the public will see first."

Sabrina looked up to see everyone's eyes focused on her so she looked back at the sheet of paper pointing to different sections, "These three sides face the bulk of Seattle, while this one falls back into woods if I'm not mistaken."

Mule was clearly board, "Yeah, you're point?"

Annoyed now too, Sabrina looked up at him, "Well, in case you hadn't figured out yet, humans like to hide their mistakes."

Mule's browline rose a little. The girl had a lotta spunk. He liked it.

She pointed to the open space again, "If this was just a closed wall, there would be a solid line here, not dotted, I'm guessing they finished what the public would see first, opened the labs and then started slowly finishing this back wing. And I'm betting it was never completed."

She looked to Max then, envying the woman and hating her all at once. "I'd say if someone wanted to get in here, that's your weakest point of entry. And given the number of potential levels in that wing, people could already be inside."

Max fortified herself and started calling out orders to people. Not only would they be checking the ground floor of Terminal City but also this mysterious wing that they didn't even know about.

After nearly everyone had dispersed she found herself looking at Sabrina, Alec and Logan. Realizing she couldn't let Logan and Alec go together and that she wasn't ready to face Logan by herself, she called out an order that was the best choice but still left all parties involved not so happy.

"Alec your with me, we'll take ground level and work up. Logan and Sabrina, top floor and work down." She looked at them again knowing her next words were full of foreboding,

"We'll... meet in the middle..."

Awkward.

The whole thing was awkward. Sabrina would look up and see that Logan had done the same and then they both would look away. She couldn't take it anymore. She'd rather be training at Manticore than walking down this darkened hallway with the ex boyfriend of the girlfriend of the guy she'd just slept with.

"Okay, the albatross in here is stifling." Sabrina paused.

Logan turned towards her, "What?"