Disclaimer: I own Leea and Pinah in this chapter. All the other characters
belong to Mr Help-the-Boat-Is-Sinking and the Egg Guy.
AN: Inspiration for this fic came from X6-711 aKa Kai's fic KaiStory (similar concept) and Ty and Cade's Special Project (all excellent fics – read them.)
AN2: Krit is hot. Zack is hot. Alec is hot. And Zane will be hot. Just thought I'd put that here.
Dedication: Hmm. To jzshiri. I think I have dirty a mind. I really must post a 'Top Ten Email Addresses' list here. I'm sure it'd go down well ;)
*~*~*~*~*~*
I was her. My whole life I lived in the shadow of X5-452.
There were a lot of factors in this – I was designed from the DNA of her twin brother. I was second in Command. Well, those are the only two I could think of.
"Lee?" I felt someone shake me. "Are you awake?"
Zero. My best friend in the whole of Manticore. Commanding Officer of Squadron 1 X6. The thirty X6s were divided in half - fifteen to each squadron.
"Yes, I'm awake. What is the problem?" I rolled over and sat up, brushing my hair out of my eyes.
"Something is going to happen – Pinah and I can feel it."
Zero and Pinah had the famed Manticore sixth sense. My DNA must have skipped it.
"Yes, I am going to roll over and go back to sleep," I snapped. "We have Endurance first thing at 0500 hours."
"Pinah's a mess, Leea. We need to find out what is the matter with her," Zero tugged my blanket back.
I rolled my eyes and followed him to the barrack doors. Our barracks were very dark – tinted, barred windows, gray ways with the 'Duty' and 'Discipline' signs. And thirty cots – each squadron on different sides.
Of course, only twenty-seven cots were filled – Mandy and Jade had been shot and Tressa had been taken to the labs.
We wore the traditional Manticore hospital gown for sleeping and, now we were all fifteen and sixteen, we wore army fatigues every other waking hour.
We opened the heavy door – someone had forgotten to lock it. Someone would be shot for that mistake.
The long halls were foreboding, making me want to march straight back to bed. Endurance was horrible – we were sent out an hour earlier than normal with nothing except hour fatigues and a small pocketknife for the CO. We stayed out there, avoiding the other Squadron, who tried to find us and take us back to the barracks. No food, any proper weapons. It started at 0500 and finished 24 hours later. No sleep, just straight to breakfast and onto the training – I hate it.
Zero and I walked down the halls, listening to the silence. The X7s were locked up and the X5s were locked up.
I heard something and grabbed Zero's arm.
"What is it Lee?" he whispered in my ear.
"Intruders," I murmured. "No wonder Pinah is a mess." Pinah is sick. She gets the shakes and freaks out – it's like she can see the future.
"We can get out with them," Zero grinned at me. Zero wanted more than anything to leave Manticore and its rules and its threats. "Think about it Leea! We can escape like the X5s did!"
"We better get Pinah," I said, just as an alarm went off for us to change into fatigues and protect Manticore.
"Quick, do as we should," Zero babbled and disappeared.
I struggled into my clothes, and grabbed my gun. Zero had a radio and we ran for the perimeter fence. "Pinah's coming. She said she'd meet us here," Zero said. "We can help her if we're Outside."
I nodded, pushing my hair back. Suddenly, Zero collapsed in a heap at my feet. I cried out and knelt beside him.
"Zero? What…?"
"A bullet in my … my chest," he gulped in air, staring at me, his eyes all shiny.
I heard a gun being loaded and looked up to see Pinah holding the gun glaring at us. Her black eyes were all glassy and she held the gun straight at me.
"Manticore is good, Zero, Leea. We need to have soldiers to protect and help the people of Manticore. They need untainted, trained, loyal servants. You are both poisons to us. Like an illness, you will taint us all with your beliefs of the outside," she said, in a mechanical voice. "You are Nomalies!"
I noticed a tall figure pause behind Pinah, but kept deadly still. Zero was going into shock and I had a gun at my head.
"Pinah, listen to me…" I began quietly. "You are sick…"
"I'm not sick! I understand that Manticore is home, X6-711. You have been spoilt by your X5 DNA and it has spread to X6-634."
Pinah was grabbed from behind by…
"Holy shit," a blonde girl gasped. A tall guy with my eyes, my nose, my mouth…
"Look, my name is Krit," the guy said. "I'm X5-711."
"X6," I said. "We'll get you out safely if you get us out."
"Lee, there's no way for me to get out," Zero spoke up. "Just scream really loudly when I talk into the radio." He fumbled for it and nodded at me. I screamed and pulled the trigger of my gun pointed at the sky.
"What's happening, X6-634?" I heard Renfro's icy cold voice.
"X6-778 has gone mad, Ma'am," he gasped. "She's dragged X6-711 off somewhere and I'm injured and unable to move. Send a team to Sector A9."
"778? Roger that, 634. Are you armed?"
"Yes, Ma'am..."
"Don't shoot 778 under any circumstances."
"She's dragged 711 off to sector B9, Ma'am, I can't get over there."
"Hold on, 634."
Zero flicked the radio off and looked at me. "Go with the X5s, Leea. I'll be okay." He patted my hand. I paused and nodded.
"What do we do with Pinah?" Krit asked, having gagged her.
"It has to look like a rogue X5 killed her to protect themselves and Leea, okay?"
I looked away as the blonde female X5 shot Pinah through the head at close range.
"Cut yourself and tear up your jacket," Krit ordered at me.
I nodded and we ran. I left my best friend behind as we dove to B9.
Ten minutes later, Renfro would've found Pinah's body, tossed against a rock, Syl's gun and my ripped and bloodied jacket around her.
Thanks to Pinah's madness, the X7s had been sent to capture her. I saw two more rogue X5s climb into the van.
"Who the hell is she?" the tall, blonde male demanded to know.
"X6-711," Syl said. "We had to get her out of there – she was in trouble."
There was silence as I looked at them evenly. "My name is Leea."
"You have names," the blonde guy said. "I'm Zack, CO of the X5s and X5- 599."
I noticed a new face, one I recognized. Lydecker.
"What's he doing here?" I demanded, reaching for my gun.
"He's our security, our ticket to the base," Krit nodded. "So, tell us about yourself."
I knew instantly, everyone had made the connection between us. It was impossible not to.
"X6-711. Only X6 prototype created from X5 DNA. Second in command of Squadron 1," I said.
"So, you're saying, you're Krit's DNA, but female…" Syl began laughing. "There's something I never wanted to know – a clone of Krit."
"Hey!"
"I'm not a clone," I interrupted. "I'm female, and there was Krit's twin sister mentioned…" That's when the other girl turned around and I squeaked.
She looked like my college age sister – we weren't identical, but we were related.
"Max," she nodded. "So, are there thirty X5 variations running around Manticore now?"
"No. I backfired. Too much like the originals for my own good," I retorted, lifting my chin.
Everyone laughed.
"Anyway, I'm Logan Cale," he nodded.
"AKA Eyes Only," I replied, retying my shoelace.
Everyone stared at me.
"He was meant to be my next assassination," I shrugged.
"Wow," Max said.
I think realization hit me then. I would never see Bullet, Ralph, and Fixit or Zero ever again. I had had my own sister – my baby sister – murdered so I could go off into the world. These X5s were nice and all, but who am I kidding? They won't stick with me for the long run. I swallowed hard and looked out the window.
"Lee?" I jerked around – only Zero called me Lee. Everyone else called me Leea.
Krit touched my shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"In shock – Pinah's dead and I've abandon my unit completely. Zero is probably being tortured for information and…"
"Leea," I looked at Zack. "You left behind Pinah's body, Syl's gun and your jacket. Your jacket was bloody and torn and a weapon from the X5 rogues was left behind. Your…comrade (he smirked a bit here) Zero radioed base and told them Pinah was insane. Basically, Syl came across Pinah and your jacket and shot her because Pinah was a threat. Zero won't be tortured, as Pinah 'killed' you."
"The logic is there," I admitted.
"We'll go back and save them, I promise," Max said suddenly.
I nodded.
When we arrived back at Logan's place, he made dinner for everyone and supplied Krit, Zack, Syl and I a place to crash. I noticed that Max stayed too.
I let the X5s take the guestroom, while I nabbed the couch – which was softer than our beds at Manticore. I just slept.
AN: Inspiration for this fic came from X6-711 aKa Kai's fic KaiStory (similar concept) and Ty and Cade's Special Project (all excellent fics – read them.)
AN2: Krit is hot. Zack is hot. Alec is hot. And Zane will be hot. Just thought I'd put that here.
Dedication: Hmm. To jzshiri. I think I have dirty a mind. I really must post a 'Top Ten Email Addresses' list here. I'm sure it'd go down well ;)
*~*~*~*~*~*
I was her. My whole life I lived in the shadow of X5-452.
There were a lot of factors in this – I was designed from the DNA of her twin brother. I was second in Command. Well, those are the only two I could think of.
"Lee?" I felt someone shake me. "Are you awake?"
Zero. My best friend in the whole of Manticore. Commanding Officer of Squadron 1 X6. The thirty X6s were divided in half - fifteen to each squadron.
"Yes, I'm awake. What is the problem?" I rolled over and sat up, brushing my hair out of my eyes.
"Something is going to happen – Pinah and I can feel it."
Zero and Pinah had the famed Manticore sixth sense. My DNA must have skipped it.
"Yes, I am going to roll over and go back to sleep," I snapped. "We have Endurance first thing at 0500 hours."
"Pinah's a mess, Leea. We need to find out what is the matter with her," Zero tugged my blanket back.
I rolled my eyes and followed him to the barrack doors. Our barracks were very dark – tinted, barred windows, gray ways with the 'Duty' and 'Discipline' signs. And thirty cots – each squadron on different sides.
Of course, only twenty-seven cots were filled – Mandy and Jade had been shot and Tressa had been taken to the labs.
We wore the traditional Manticore hospital gown for sleeping and, now we were all fifteen and sixteen, we wore army fatigues every other waking hour.
We opened the heavy door – someone had forgotten to lock it. Someone would be shot for that mistake.
The long halls were foreboding, making me want to march straight back to bed. Endurance was horrible – we were sent out an hour earlier than normal with nothing except hour fatigues and a small pocketknife for the CO. We stayed out there, avoiding the other Squadron, who tried to find us and take us back to the barracks. No food, any proper weapons. It started at 0500 and finished 24 hours later. No sleep, just straight to breakfast and onto the training – I hate it.
Zero and I walked down the halls, listening to the silence. The X7s were locked up and the X5s were locked up.
I heard something and grabbed Zero's arm.
"What is it Lee?" he whispered in my ear.
"Intruders," I murmured. "No wonder Pinah is a mess." Pinah is sick. She gets the shakes and freaks out – it's like she can see the future.
"We can get out with them," Zero grinned at me. Zero wanted more than anything to leave Manticore and its rules and its threats. "Think about it Leea! We can escape like the X5s did!"
"We better get Pinah," I said, just as an alarm went off for us to change into fatigues and protect Manticore.
"Quick, do as we should," Zero babbled and disappeared.
I struggled into my clothes, and grabbed my gun. Zero had a radio and we ran for the perimeter fence. "Pinah's coming. She said she'd meet us here," Zero said. "We can help her if we're Outside."
I nodded, pushing my hair back. Suddenly, Zero collapsed in a heap at my feet. I cried out and knelt beside him.
"Zero? What…?"
"A bullet in my … my chest," he gulped in air, staring at me, his eyes all shiny.
I heard a gun being loaded and looked up to see Pinah holding the gun glaring at us. Her black eyes were all glassy and she held the gun straight at me.
"Manticore is good, Zero, Leea. We need to have soldiers to protect and help the people of Manticore. They need untainted, trained, loyal servants. You are both poisons to us. Like an illness, you will taint us all with your beliefs of the outside," she said, in a mechanical voice. "You are Nomalies!"
I noticed a tall figure pause behind Pinah, but kept deadly still. Zero was going into shock and I had a gun at my head.
"Pinah, listen to me…" I began quietly. "You are sick…"
"I'm not sick! I understand that Manticore is home, X6-711. You have been spoilt by your X5 DNA and it has spread to X6-634."
Pinah was grabbed from behind by…
"Holy shit," a blonde girl gasped. A tall guy with my eyes, my nose, my mouth…
"Look, my name is Krit," the guy said. "I'm X5-711."
"X6," I said. "We'll get you out safely if you get us out."
"Lee, there's no way for me to get out," Zero spoke up. "Just scream really loudly when I talk into the radio." He fumbled for it and nodded at me. I screamed and pulled the trigger of my gun pointed at the sky.
"What's happening, X6-634?" I heard Renfro's icy cold voice.
"X6-778 has gone mad, Ma'am," he gasped. "She's dragged X6-711 off somewhere and I'm injured and unable to move. Send a team to Sector A9."
"778? Roger that, 634. Are you armed?"
"Yes, Ma'am..."
"Don't shoot 778 under any circumstances."
"She's dragged 711 off to sector B9, Ma'am, I can't get over there."
"Hold on, 634."
Zero flicked the radio off and looked at me. "Go with the X5s, Leea. I'll be okay." He patted my hand. I paused and nodded.
"What do we do with Pinah?" Krit asked, having gagged her.
"It has to look like a rogue X5 killed her to protect themselves and Leea, okay?"
I looked away as the blonde female X5 shot Pinah through the head at close range.
"Cut yourself and tear up your jacket," Krit ordered at me.
I nodded and we ran. I left my best friend behind as we dove to B9.
Ten minutes later, Renfro would've found Pinah's body, tossed against a rock, Syl's gun and my ripped and bloodied jacket around her.
Thanks to Pinah's madness, the X7s had been sent to capture her. I saw two more rogue X5s climb into the van.
"Who the hell is she?" the tall, blonde male demanded to know.
"X6-711," Syl said. "We had to get her out of there – she was in trouble."
There was silence as I looked at them evenly. "My name is Leea."
"You have names," the blonde guy said. "I'm Zack, CO of the X5s and X5- 599."
I noticed a new face, one I recognized. Lydecker.
"What's he doing here?" I demanded, reaching for my gun.
"He's our security, our ticket to the base," Krit nodded. "So, tell us about yourself."
I knew instantly, everyone had made the connection between us. It was impossible not to.
"X6-711. Only X6 prototype created from X5 DNA. Second in command of Squadron 1," I said.
"So, you're saying, you're Krit's DNA, but female…" Syl began laughing. "There's something I never wanted to know – a clone of Krit."
"Hey!"
"I'm not a clone," I interrupted. "I'm female, and there was Krit's twin sister mentioned…" That's when the other girl turned around and I squeaked.
She looked like my college age sister – we weren't identical, but we were related.
"Max," she nodded. "So, are there thirty X5 variations running around Manticore now?"
"No. I backfired. Too much like the originals for my own good," I retorted, lifting my chin.
Everyone laughed.
"Anyway, I'm Logan Cale," he nodded.
"AKA Eyes Only," I replied, retying my shoelace.
Everyone stared at me.
"He was meant to be my next assassination," I shrugged.
"Wow," Max said.
I think realization hit me then. I would never see Bullet, Ralph, and Fixit or Zero ever again. I had had my own sister – my baby sister – murdered so I could go off into the world. These X5s were nice and all, but who am I kidding? They won't stick with me for the long run. I swallowed hard and looked out the window.
"Lee?" I jerked around – only Zero called me Lee. Everyone else called me Leea.
Krit touched my shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"In shock – Pinah's dead and I've abandon my unit completely. Zero is probably being tortured for information and…"
"Leea," I looked at Zack. "You left behind Pinah's body, Syl's gun and your jacket. Your jacket was bloody and torn and a weapon from the X5 rogues was left behind. Your…comrade (he smirked a bit here) Zero radioed base and told them Pinah was insane. Basically, Syl came across Pinah and your jacket and shot her because Pinah was a threat. Zero won't be tortured, as Pinah 'killed' you."
"The logic is there," I admitted.
"We'll go back and save them, I promise," Max said suddenly.
I nodded.
When we arrived back at Logan's place, he made dinner for everyone and supplied Krit, Zack, Syl and I a place to crash. I noticed that Max stayed too.
I let the X5s take the guestroom, while I nabbed the couch – which was softer than our beds at Manticore. I just slept.
