Chapter 2:

After leaving the shop, Logan rode leisurely to his house thinking. Of course about Max. Wonder if Max is all right? Is she safe? Of course she's safe, she's with Alec. He'll keep her safe. I just wish it were me, I mean, geez; she looked so sexy in her torn cat suit that day. Her big chocolate brown eyes stared up at me while standing beside her, hand in hand with gloves on from the top of the building when the flag was being raised. Moreover, the longing that I saw in her eyes. It made me forget she wasn't mine any more. Or was she ever? No, we were just friends, no more or no less. Has she heard that I have my legs back? Oh, how I miss her so much. I did what I could for Terminal City and her before I left, that's all I could do for now. God I miss her! Why did you give up on us and turn to Alec, Max? There's no sense in dwelling on it since I haven't found a cure yet. Pulling up in his driveway, he pondered a little. No, you can't go back to Seattle to check on Max, especially since I left in the night. No, dumb idea. He got out of his car and went inside.

Fixing him something to eat, his mind wondered again to Max. How is Max eating, I wonder. She was so happy when I cooked her something special. Those delightful eyes had shown inquisitively when I presented her one of my new and even one of my old meals. Those big round eyes that perked up like a cat. God I miss her! Nevertheless, she's with Alec. Sadness once again overtook him. He fixed a light meal and went to his computer. Checked his emails and went to the shower. In the shower, he thought of Max again. He and Max in the shower. Don't go there you idiot. We never went that far. Maybe if Zack hadn't interrupted us back then, it would have happened and more. Why am I all of a sudden thinking about Max so much? This intense. Oh, it's because of Dr. Standish, she looks sorta like her. But she's not Max.

That day she came to me with more runes on her back, geez, she looked so lovely. Her back and arms were so soft even through those latex gloves. The goose bumps I gave her sliding my fingers down her back. When she said, "Biohazard girlfriend," that made my heart race. And then seeing her on that hover drone, I thought I'd have a heart attack right then and there. My god, she makes my adrenaline pump all the time; for fear, just being around her, or just seeing her. Stop it, you fool. He gave up and went to bed.

The next day Logan got up as usual, got his coffee and croissant for breakfast. Instead of going to do his exercises first, he went to check his emails. One particular email caught his interest. It read:

MISSING BEAUTIFUL GREEN EYED MAN

EYES ONLY,

IF YOU DO MISSING PERSONS, I WOULD DEEPLY APPRECIATE YOUR HELP. I HAVE KNOWN THIS MAN FOR THREE YEARS NOW. HE HAS BEEN MISSING FOR FOUR MONTHS. I MISS HIM TERRIBLY!! IF YOU CAN HELP ME FIND HIM, CONTACT ME AT JAM PONY IN SEATTLE OR .

SINCERELY,

CHIMERA

Oh crap! She's seen my broadcasts. You idiot, of course she's seen my hacks. Well, I won't contact her until I find a cure. Hopefully it will be soon. I wonder how she and Alec are doing. Oh well, it's time to go to work. He hit save and shut down his computer.

Opening the door to his shop, he noticed a note taped on the window. It read:

Mr. McClinsky,

Please come to my research lab as soon as you get this.

Thank you,

Camille

He stopped dead in his tracts, dropped everything on the counter and said, "Yours forever?" He was dumb struck. Max, did you mean it? What about Alec? What has happened? Be cool boy, you got to find out what's going on in Terminal City before you go off half-cocked. Bling. I've got to call Bling! I've got to call what's-her-name first. He ran to his phone then to the computer and call Dr. Standish. While waiting for her to answer the phone, he hooked up her computer and began backing up her files. "Hello, Dr. Standish. This is Dale McClinsky. The guy that has your computer. Well, I just got here and am now backing up your files. Do you need something off your computer?" Logan said, avoiding going to her lab.

"No no. I just thought we could have some coffee together, you know, before work. But I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow now. Listen I have to go, so I'll talk to you later. Bye," the doctor said.

"Well, okay. Bye then," he said hanging up the phone. That was a strange conversation. Oh well, at least I don't have to go to her lab. He thought with a smile. Call Bling. Was his next thought. He quickly dialed Bling cell phone number. All Logan got was his voice mail. He said, "Bling give me a call at my shop. It's important." He hung up the phone, sat in front of Camille's computer, and was watching the files loading on the back-up drive. Then right before his eyes the name, 'Manticore' files was loaded on the drive. He sat there in a fog. He couldn't move much less speak. Then the phone rang, bringing him out of his fog.

"Uh, hello?" He said still in shock.

"Hey, man. You sounded kind of urgent on the phone. What's up?" Bling said concerned.

"I uh." Logan said, still in shock.

"Logan? Logan, you all right?" Bling asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'll talk to you later, okay?" Logan said, hanging up before Bling had a chance to say anything. Before he got a chance to go back to the files, the chimes on the front door chimed. He left his work and went to the front.

"Hello. Can I help you?" He said then looked up, "Oh, Mr. Strong. I have your computer ready. I recovered that file for you and copied it onto a CD in case you lose it again." Logan said coming back to reality.

"Great, my boy," Mr. Strong said.

"I'll go get your computer and CD," Logan smiled, and went to get the items. Loading the man's computer and handing him the CD Logan said, "I'll put it on your bill, okay?"

"You do that. And Dale, I'll be back to get that upgrade we were discussing. Bye now."

Logan said good-bye, waved to the man, and ran back into the shop to Camille's computer. All the files had been loaded on the back-up drive, so Logan went and copied everything again for his personal use. It was illegal but he had to know what Manticore was doing on a computer this far away from Seattle. And what they were. He couldn't wait till he got home to see what was in those files. Logan was just like a little kid at Christmas with a new toy. He was frantically trying to get his work done, but customers kept interrupting him and the phone. Logan was getting perturbed at the interruptions. Then Bling showed up at the end of the day, so Logan decided to close up and turned all the lights out in front. All lights were out except for the back room.

"Okay. What's with the cloak and dagger bit, Logan?" Bling said worriedly.

"You won't believe it Bling. There's... There's someone from Manticore here! And I think she... no, she said she's a doctor. But I saw files label, 'Manticore' on her computer!" Logan said chomping at the bits to get a look at those files.

"Really?" Bling asked astonished.

"Yep. I have a copy right here in my pocket. You want to follow me home and see what they are?" Logan said with a bright smile.

"Yeah, sure. Lead the way," Bling said enthusiastically.

Logan had just turned off the lights, he normally turned off in the back and there was a knock on the door in the front. Both men looked at each other and cautiously went to the front. Logan looked and saw Camille at the door.

Logan answered the door, and said, "Hi, Dr. Standish. Listen, I'll have your computer tomorrow. I'm re-formatting it, but I did save everything on your hard drive if you want it now. The back-ups, I mean," Logan said, trying to get out as soon as possible.

"Yes, that would be nice but not really necessary. I just thought we'd go and have some dinner and maybe a drink or two. How about it?" She said looking into Logan's green eyes.

"Um, I'm sorry. My friend from... the clinic is here and we were...." Logan was saying, but was interrupted by Bling.

"We're going to my girlfriend's to eat," Bling said coming into the room.

"Oh! Well then... how about getting those back-ups, then I'll be on my way," Camille said embarrassed.

"Uh, okay," Logan said, turning and headed to the back to get the back-ups.

"Have you been friends with Dale long?" Camille said curiously.

"For quite a while. Dale and I been friends for what, let see... three or four years?" Bling said eyeing the woman up and down.

"Here you go, Dr. Standish. Will you be needing anything else tonight?" Logan was trying to be nice, but he was getting impatient to get to those files.

"No. I'll see you when you bring my computer to the lab, okay? You do know where my lab is, don't you?" Camille said.

"Uh, yes ma'am." Logan said smiling, closed the door with Bling and Camille standing outside, and locked the door after him. "Bye now," he said to her and looked to Bling. "Are you ready to go?"

"Bye," she said in a sultry voice. Camille walked away swaying her hip quietly into the night.

"Is that?" Bling asked.

"Yes, now my car or yours?" Logan said hurriedly.

"Both," Bling stated.

"Okay. I'll follow you just in case, you know, we're followed. And that way your story looks authentic. You know... your girlfriend?" Logan whispered leaning into Bling's car window.

"Oh, right," Bling said.

Both men drove off into the night. Unbeknownst to either man, eyes were watching them.