It wasn't as if he hadn't planned for this eventuality, or hadn't started preparations at the very first sign of trouble.

No, Alec had known that TC wasn't big enough for the two factions of transgenics for a long time. Truthfully, it had started when the runes had, with whispers that she was 'special', and 'chosen'. The fact that the translation was leaked (thanks in no little part to a certain Logan Cale and his inability to follow procedure) certainly didn't help matters.

But, whispers don't stay whispers for long. Someone heard something, thought it was fact, and then told others that it was. And thus, whispers suddenly became absolute truth.

Alec hadn't really thought to much of it, not until midway through the siege. Not until he heard a scared, crying X6 cry out that Max would save them; they just needed to believe in her!

While he was all for believing in people, the awe-struck tone in the youth had sent chills down his spine. His blood had positively frozen when he saw several others clasp hands, huddling together, and caught Max's name amongst the whispers.

And oh, how he tried to say something. Try to give her some sort of warning. But Max took the war-time prayers and cries as normal; and they were, just not for itheir/i kind. Manticore had known the dangers of organized religion, understanding that zealots were the hardest creatures to control; it was the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, and the Coliseum all in one.

Beyond that, they were created by iman/i; only a fool would believe any man a god.

However, the real trouble had started when the on-assignment transgenics began showing up at Terminal City. Alec had known that the commanding officer of Phoenix Unit was here by the rather large explosion that had erupted outside of their perimeter fence, taking out the bulk of the tanks and heavy ammunition that the army was using to police their boarders. No one even questioned the attack, evidence clearly concluding that it was improperly stored fuel and a careless grunt with a cigarette. 494 had known better; his brother's explosions had a certain signature, if one knew what to look for.

iHis/i unit, Alec's unit since 2009, took the longest to return, having to make their way across countries, being recalled from Great Britain, Germany, China, Russia and Japan. He had felt a certain pride, when Dix showed him where his unit had been assigned, and the fact that each and every one of them answered his call. Granted, 600—Lane—had killed himself after his assassination in Italy; the world was still rocked over the death of the Pope, and Devon had made a fuss before finally agreeing to leave Japan, but the rest of his Unit had been genuinely pleased to be back together again. It awoke old behaviors, comfortable ones, and encouraged others to let themselves go.

However, Max's die hard supporters had seen the nuzzling, scenting and in-human noises that were commonplace in a unit at ease as blasphemy—Alec had been told off on more then one occasion for having the audacity to not control his feline side in public.

It had blown up yesterday, when Felix—his brother, and current commander of Phoenix Unit—had informed him that there was a regular meeting of the same group of transgenics that were going on about some sort of savior.

Alec had been ready to bring the whole deal up with Max, when it happened. Jewel—another female from his unit, twinned from Max's sister, Tinga—had been found beaten and barely breathing, for daring to go into heat in a public place, as if she had any control over it!

Unfortunately, this had necessitated the removal of Jewel's mate—none other then Alec's best friend and communications officer, Biggs—from TC, lest a homicide (Alec wasn't sure if it would be his or theirs) took place. And this urgent relocation, taking literally every bit of dominance that the three ranking members of Phoenix Unit had, prompted more dissent among the people, with Max being the most irked.

And then it had all come out.

It hadn't been his choice to tell her like that, but oh, how she had gotten under his skin. It had been the same way he found himself courting the former leader of Terminal City: one day, the ruse had just been too much, and he had shown up in HQ with a bouquet of roses, and the declaration that he was "breaking up" with her, only to drop down on one knee and officially ask if she would let him take her out, date her for ireal/i. By this point, everyone ibut/i Logan had caught on it was a ruse, and Max was still a little irked at his blatant admittance of it, but it had worked.

He had even gotten laid that night as a bonus.

After that, he had taken the time to continue the tradition, bringing her a little something when he could, in general making sure he spent time with her, making her dinner when they managed to score extra supplies. He may not have the culinary skills of Logan Cale, but Alec knew he could cook, and was halfway convinced that was how he finally managed to claim Max as his girlfriend.

And then ithis/i.

Alec let his head drop against the apartment wall, frowning as he heard the soft rustle of clothing as Felix padded towards him. "I'm not in the mood, 496."

"Oh, using the ole' designation. This iis/i serious." Felix announced, ignoring him. "I'm not in the mood either, Alec, but this has to be discussed."

Alec turned, sighing in frustration. "What has to be?"

"iHow/i we're gettin' there." He said, leaning against the same wall Alec had been resting on. "I know Mexico's only our starting point, and..."

"Caravanning. I've had Dix pull aside some transport for the ones who want to come with."

"And ithat/i total?"

Alec frowned. "About half."

Felix let out a low whistle. "You serious? Half of Terminal City?" Alec nodded, grimly. "But that means…"

"That Max is in for a hell-of-a lot of trouble." Alec finished, staring out the grimy window that covered his apartment. "The only good thing about her challenging me is it pulled the animal-heavy transies out; we're too stifled in city conditions anyway, keeping our people at risk with all those ihuman/i laws. But, don't jump to conclusions yet, there may be only a handful that are actually part of that weird religion thing anyway. Could be loyalty. Not going to try to discourage that."

There was a rap at the door, and both turned to see a short female, snapping a salute. Alec stared at her for a long moment, and she shifted uncomfortably under his gaze before finally snapping, "What?"

"Ahem." Felix pretend-coughed, looking pointedly at her raised right hand.

"This isn't Manticore, Keegan. And I'm not one for protocol." Alec said, a small smile tracing his lips.

Keegan scowled as she dropped her salute, crinkling half her nose. "Hey, it's habit." She shook her head, focusing on Alec again. "Another twenty transgenics have requested to join us. Something's goin' on in the East end of TC that has them scared stiff."

"Did you send anyone?"

The look she gave him was reminiscent of Max, all indignant and proud. "As if iI'd/i forget protocol? Not bloody likely." Standing up to her full 5'2'' height, she said, "Biggs volunteered right off the bat to check it out. I sent Keema with him, and Trig's hanging back, keeping an eye on the situation. He stepped up for Delta Unit, Alec. Since Cece…"

Alec held up a hand, not needing the reminder of the loss they had suffered at Jam Pony, when the leader of the Phoenix Unit's closest sister unit passed away at a Cultist's bullet. "Trig, thankfully, was another alpha, so no power struggle there." With that sudden thought, he glanced between Keegan and Felix, one eyebrow raised. "Speaking of, am I going to have to make a show fight of dominance? You two iare/i the alpha breeding pair here."

Felix stared at him as if he had lost his mind, and Keegan smacked him hard on the shoulder. "Oh, do inot/i jinx me like that or I will cut your heart out with a spoon."

Alec chuckled, rubbing at his shoulder even as Felix laughed at him. "You're our leader, Alec, I just run the unit. Well, and back you up, since we iare/i one of the best teams Manticore created." He paused, frowning as a deep thought washed over him. "Do you think 493 has anything to do with it? The religion thing? I don' like it."

"Couldn't get a good read, to be honest. The bastard is always trying to challenge me when he sees me, and I doubt he even realizes it at this point. I really should put him back in his place before we go…" Alec frowned, shaking his head. "No, Max needs him functioning."

"You're really trusting two niners with the rest of our people?" She asked, looking worried. "I know Mole's there, but seriously…"

"What choice have we got? Let me know the moment Biggs reports in." Keegan nodded, accepting her dismissal with another salute, "Damnit! It's not Manticore!"

"You sure? It certainly sounds like it!" She called back, grinning.

Alec shook his head, turning in time to see Felix chuckling, watching Keegan's retreating form with fondness. "So this is what they trained you for in Quantico?"

"Stopping point for us Abroad." Felix said, eyes still on the fading form of his mate. "Keegan and I were shipped right off to MI6 as part of the US's treaty with the UK. " His tone turned grim, and he turned to face Alec with an expression to match. "I saw what those people did, Alec. And trust me, if I could have, I would have made sure that government went down and hard. I don't want to have to watch that happen here."

"It's what we're trying to avoid." Alec's voice quavered, despite his best intentions. He knew of some of the measures the UK had taken to make sure their citizens remained 'safe' and 'calm'; it was practically a police state. The thought of that happening here terrified him.

Knowing the need for companionship, Felix stepped closer, resting a hand on his brother's shoulder. "I can lead. You can stay."

"Can I?" Alec shook his head, wiping an unshed tear from his eye. "No, you're good, Felix, but you're also new. The transhumans trust me."

"Yeah, you're probably right." With a final clasp of his shoulder, Felix headed off after his mate, giving a slightly worried glance back at Alec.

Left alone with his thoughts, Alec found the sadness that was still creeping through his body, settling into his bones. He half wondered if this was going to be a permanent thing.

The buzzing of his cell phone in his front pocket caught his attention, and he pulled it out, staring down at the screen. His heart leapt; Max.

Hesitating, he pressed the call button, and put the phone to his ear, ignoring the slight shake of his hand. "Yes?"

Only breathing filtered through the static-y line for the first few seconds, and then, quavering, Max's voice spoke. "Mole just gave me the figures of whose leaving."

He closed his eyes, rubbing his free hand over them forcefully. "I can't ask people to stay, Max. I can't ask them to deny what they want to do."

"No, it's not…well, it's not just that." Her voice was so unsure, and Alec bit his lip, fighting to keep his resolve in check. "Alec, I'm scared."

Instantaneously, he was alert, ready to rush off at the second she asked. "What's going on?"

"I feel…" She trailed off, but he didn't need her to finish. He was feeling the exact same thing. "How can you leave?"

He put his head against the wall, wishing with all his might this was easier. "Maxie, please…it's something…it's ibigger/i then you and me. I wish…" iI could tell you that I've loved you from the moment you told me off for trying to leave that ragtag group of kids. I wish that I never fought my way to the top, all those years ago. God, Max, I wish I could pass this off on someone else! But then, what sort of transgenic would I be?/i He sighed into the mouth piece, and wanted to cry. "I wish I could stay with you, Maxie." He whispered, his free hand closing on a small object in his pocket. "But my people need me. And your people need iyou/i. You're gonna want to send some of your Niners to check out the east side of TC."

"Why?"

He frowned. "I just caught wind that something's going down. My people are there, but yours should be too."

"And this is it?"

He knew exactly what she was talking about: them. "If you want it to be." He said, pulling his hand from his pocket, and curling it into a fist. "I swore I'd follow your lead."

"But…" She sounded so hopeful. "You?"

"No." He whispered, "I don't want it over. But…"

"Not now." She gave a little laugh, but it was clear she wasn't amused. "I am just never gonna find the right time for love, am I?"

His heart constricted. iLove/i. "Don't say that, Maxie. Please, just…don't say that."

She was silent for a long time, and Alec almost thought he had lost the call…but then she spoke, soft, barely more then a whisper. "Promise me, Alec, promise me that you and I are gonna figure this out. That we won't be separated for long. Promise me."

iBut I can't! What if it all goes to hell?/i "My word that I am doing my best, Max. If I knew…hell, I'd take a tarot reading to tell me what's gonna happen! But I iswear/i to you, X5-452, my Max, no matter iwhat/i happens, I will die before I see you hurt." His voice was breaking, he needed to get away, end the call—

"I love you."

It was so quiet, he almost thought he imagined it. "I know." He said, just as quietly. "And I kinda think I love you too."

Her laugh was soft, and relieved, and made the first real smile since this whole mess started. "Think? Please." She teased, and he could almost see her smile. "I've got to go; I gotta get my people out to the East Side."

"Bye, Maxie." He said, before hitting the end button. The absolute silence of his apartment rang in his ears, and yet, he felt oddly light. iLove/i. Oh, part of him had suspected, maybe even iknown/i, that she did, and for a while now too, but he had been pushing it aside, calling it wishful thinking.

He shook his head, swallowing hard as his mouth was suddenly dry. He made to reach for a glass, and perhaps his favorite scotch—

His hands were shaking.

Alec stared down at them, déjà vu striking him hard. i "Your hands are shaking."/i

Oh, he had known he loved Max, he wasn't an idiot. But, the power, the emotion, the fucking iphysical/i response…Was he actually that blessed?

iComes with a price, and you know it./i He thought, the words bursting his little, happy bubble. iFuck. I still have to leave. I don't want to go./i

This entire time he was allowing his people to have the freedom to do what they wanted, and now he was forcing himself to ignore his own. Sacrifice of a leader, yes, and he knew and accepted that.

But never before had it stung quite so much, or cut quite this deep.

His cell phone buzzed again, and Alec tore himself from his thoughts, staring at the incoming call with nervousness. "Biggs? What's going on?"

"It's fucking ichaos/i down here!" X5-511, also known as Biggs Darklighter, yelled, and Alec was pretty sure he could hear gunfire in the background.

"Who the hell is armed?"

"iThe Children of the Runes/i!" Biggs screamed back, and static took the line as something exploded close to the ear piece. "Fuck, that was close! Alec! That 'little' cult? They're at least two units strong, and have decided they iown/i east TC! They're forcing the 'animals' out!"

Alec sucked on his teeth, forcing himself to think rather then have a knee-jerk reaction. "These iChildren/i, who are they made up of?"

"That's the weird thing, sir!" Biggs said, his voice muffled as if he was holding the phone with his shoulder. "They range from X4 to transhuman, but no X5s! None of us are out there!"

His first instinct was pride, but then another idea started creeping into his head. "Get everyone you can out of there! Engage only if necessary!"

"~izzt!/i" Alec stared at his phone, hoping to god the order didn't come too late. And then, "Understood! But, why?"

Alec gripped the phone tightly, slamming his fist into the wall. "Because they're fucking insane and I don't want to lose my people!" He knew he should call Max, to let her know that his worst fears had been realized.

But that was when the door slammed open, and Felix bolted in, grabbing Alec and pulling him towards the door without so much as a word. He barely had time to question when the shockwave of an explosion knocked him off is feet, sending him and Felix into a far wall.

War was starting.

bTo Be Continued/i