-On the Road-

Chapter 2: A ride away from Home

The first escape hadn't been her idea.

But she remembered the uncertainty of not knowing what lay beyond the vast frozen forest where she trained countless hours a week, she remembered not wanting to split -they were siblings, they were supposed to stick together, weren't they?

She remembered how awful and unearthly was everything outside, one thing after another that she had never lived before, that she didn't understand, and all of sudden the pain and abuse she and her brothers had suffered back at Manticore appeared to be the only thing that made sense in her life.

And even worse was to remember the content in the Colonel's face as, one by one, they returned defeated to the base.

Vada and Seth were the ones that didn't come back, and the satisfaction and pride that at least they would be living a better life disappeared as soon as their bodies were found in Iowa. Zack always grimaced at the thought -he had told them to separate. How sick to be mad at that when they were dead. As for the others... the idea that something had been able to kill two X5 on cold blood was terrifying, and the desire and hunger for freedom quickly faded as the spring came that year.

Now, nine years later, she knew the chaos that ruled the country after the Pulse. Once again, the escape hadn't been her idea; it was Zack who gave them the courage to try it again. This time she didn't hesitate to follow her big brother's mandates, she didn't care having to separate if that meant she could be closer to have a life of her own.

They were on their late teens or their early twenties. Now they were stronger and more intelligent, and like that first time they were deadlier than any of the soldiers inside the facilities. However, they had an advantage they hadn't nine years ago: they had no fear.

It was around midnight and darkness bathed the desolate road. The average human eye could not see more than the spots the occasional car headlights illuminated. But Max -she didn't even considered herself human, and between her amazing night vision and her enhanced hearing -she surely had much cat and bat in her DNA-, lights weren't necessary to observe, from the top of the monumental tree she was hidden in, the vehicles crossing the battered highway. She needed to hitchhike, and unfortunately for her, even in the middle of the night were only women, buses and families who passed by. It sucked. Her best bet would have to be a man.

"Easy, easy. Hang on a little longer and you'll have your reward," she told her grunting stomach that hadn't eaten anything for over a day. Of course she could take up to six days without aliments, but thas was an experiment she was so not willing to repeat in a short or long term.

Another SUV appeared in the distance, and when the vehicle was within half a mile away she discovered that he was a man -a lonely man indeed the one who was driving. She smiled a little mischievous and jumped from the tree, moving like a blur through the plants to stand beside the road, clearly asking for a ride.

She just prayed for him not to be blind. Or gay.

A little further he stopped and Max quickly moved to the passenger door. The boy was handsome and Max could not help but roam her gaze through his body, or what she could see at least. She could hear the beating of his heart increased with the action, and the next thing she knew was that the man was asking where she was heading.

"I'm going to Buffalo," she replied briefly but still with that air of sensuality that she needed to convince him.

She felt actually kind of sorry for guys - for the average ones at least, and only sometimes. They were prisoners of their genes. But that was a necessary bad and back in Manticore she had learned she could use such behavior to her favor. So she wasn't surprised when she heard a click -the lock was gone and then, smiling, she swung the door open and the closing sound came almost immediately. The young man went back to the road, but not before looking through the rear view mirror, with something that Max identified as fear.

And that freaked her out as well.

Either way it had been just a flash in his face and soon they were moving away from where he picked her up. Askance, she could admire his face staring at the road, almost without daring to look at her, and suddenly she felt uncomfortable, recalling that she had imagined a pervert devouring her with his eyes or a man chattering the whole way, not someone so quiet. "My name is Max," she introduced herself with a cheerful voice, trying to ease up the atmosphere in which they were. Leaving Manticore behind her back was, surprisingly, not enough. The road itself had to be more pleasant and somewhat that expression of the boy did nothing to change that.

He started, and after turning his face toward her, he seemed to calm down. He smiled -and Max had to admit that his smile was beautiful. "Quite a name for a girl."

"I've been told," she shrugged, not even sure if that was true or if she was just following him. "What's yours?"

"Logan," he replied.

Max smiled and buckled her belt. From now she'd remember him every time she heard that name.

TBC...

Thanks to each and every one of you who reviewed the beginning.