Shywriter

How long had they been there – two minutes? Three? Enough that those following him might think they were merely stopped for traffic, or, Logan wondered with a sickening lurch of his stomach, long enough to find this location significant?

Praying that the tracking device would provide whomever it was with the false sense of security that they needn't come too close, Logan did the only thing he could think of at the moment to pull attention away from those inside Sebastian's compound: he pulled himself back into his car and, without chair, without cell phone... without Max... he sped off to lead his trackers as far from Sebastian's place as his gas tank would allow...

Mari

Wondering why it took Logan so long to come inside, Bling went outside to check, expecting to see him on the phone, as always planning and organizing.

The first thing he noticed was that the Aztec was gone. The second was the chair, lying upturned on the ground, destroying his hope that maybe Logan was just searching for an unsuspicious place to park and indicating that he had been taken forcefully.

Bling, the guy who prided himself of staying calm in every situation, who felt prepared for handling whatever crisis came up, just stared at the empty wheelchair, wondering how in the world whomever had taken Logan could have stayed unnoticed by the more than thorough checking of their surroundings he had done before they had left the car.

Stepping forward into the rain for the futile action of taking the wheelchair inside, Bling couldn't remember when he'd last felt that helpless. Logan had just disappeard, leaving him no clue at all, and Max was in there, in an examination room surrounded by a bunch of specialists that had no experience at all with the functioning of a transgenic body.

Tigrou

Logan couldn't remember when he had last felt that helpless. The storm had now reached Seattle with its full might and old newspapers were whirling through the air like Hitchcock's birds. His hands, cramped around the stirring wheel of the Aztek, were cold and muddy and he had absolutely no idea what he would do when he had to stop the car.

Out of the city was the best, maybe north; let them - whoever they might be - think he would go to Canada. Maybe he should go to Canada. Maybe he should just stop and wait for them to get him, maybe he should...

When he came to the sector gates, he found that its guards had deserted it, seeking shelter from the rain and howling wind in friendlier places, and that the barricade was still closed. He was wondering if Bessie could just crash through, when someone tapped at the window.

Trapped in growing panic, he hadn't noticed the black motorbike next to his car or had had time to wonder how its driver managed to navigate through the thundering storm with transgenic ease.

"Looking for someone?" he heard a familiar voice.

Lisa

Logan stared the dark figure with apprehension and mistrust. His expression didn't change significantly after Zack removed his helmet to identify himself. "What are you doing here?" Logan demanded.

"Saving your ass," Zack answered, sparing only a fraction of a second to give Logan an unpleasant look that conveyed his displeasure about doing so. "There's a tracking device on your car."

"How did you know that? Who planted it?" Logan demanded, hoping to elicit some of Zack's secrets before telling any of his own.

"Where's Max?" Zack demanded, ignoring Logan's questions. "We got separated when she said she was going to warn you, and she hasn't checked in for over an hour."

Mari

She was back, back at Manticore with the people for whom she was only an experiment, merely disposable material in their quest for the perfect soldier. They were sticking needles and tubes into their transgenic lab rat, filling her body with all kinds of substances that made her hurt all over, so much that almost she would have screamed.

As Max strained to escape the many hands pressing her down to the table, fought against the drug-induced sleep that threatened to pull her down into an endless parade of nightmares Max felt an odd thankfulness that at least she had shared a bit of a real, normal life... and sad regret that it hadn't lasted longer…

Shywriter

It took only a very few moments of rain pummeling his face before Bling stepped back into the facility, striding forcefully back to where Sebastian's med techs had started assessing Max's wounds. He too had been trained to assess and to act, but at this point he didn't have enough information to take any sort of intelligent action. His first duty–and loyalty–was to Logan, who would do all he could to skin him alive if he left Max, just to chase after him.

First action, he thought: given the fact that Max was in friendly hands who could do at least as much for her, and probably more, than he could himself, Bling could confirm with Sebastian that she had shelter and treatment here, even under the circumstances. Sebastian had some of his own tales to tell, and Bling was certain that the man wouldn't be fazed by the threat of 'prowlers.' As long as Sebastian knew the score and was alright with taking care of Max, Bling was free to do what he could to find Logan – whatever the hell that might be...

As he turned the corner into the treatment room, Bling was met with the sight of a nearly unconscious Max fighting off five techs, three of them with training not unlike his own. Even unconscious, depleted from seizures, blood loss and whatever in her the fever was trying to fight, Max was managing to hold off their ministrations, the dose of sedative they'd managed to get into her not yet slowing much of her struggle.

"Max," he called to her immediately, pushing through to her side and leaning close, "Max, c'mon, settle down, it's alright. It's Bling; we have you here with Sebastian; his people are going to help..." He wasn't sure if she heard, because she held them off still, but her struggles slowed a bit and her brows drew into a frown, as if trying to sort things out. "Max? C'mon, just relax..." Bling urged. "You'll be fine but you have to let them do their work..."

She didn't speak, showed no sign of recognition, except to ease her resistance a little more ... as she did, the techs deftly slipped in another dose of tranquilizer ... and with a grimace, Bling watched the thrashing lessen to leave only the echoing shudders of her seizures to wrack her slender frame.

Bling stepped back, wavering only a moment before turning to look toward the observation deck, gesturing toward Sebastian as he oversaw the activity. No words were spoken over the speaker system used earlier, but Bling heard the heavy metal door and its security lock click loudly in invitation, and he moved toward the door which would lead to Sebastian's nerve center.

...he'll take over Max's care, there's no way that he won't.
Bling thought tersely. But that leaves me looking for Logan, and now another five minutes have been lost. And without knowing the source of the threat– hell, without knowing what the threat is– how can I know who is safe to call in for help?

Mari

Logan never would have thought that one day he would be happy, relieved, even euphoric to see Zack … but then, in this situation even his uncle would be a welcome sight.

Still, he didn't like the interrogation-like tone of Zack's voice, and, deciding to fire back with the same attitude, asked, "So, Max was okay when she left you?"

He could have sworn that Zack's face lost his professional calm for an instant as his always serious expression became even darker, his gaze even more piercing... his voice biting. "What happened?"

"She came to my place, injured, her clothes torn. It didn't look that bad at first, but then she collapsed, seemingly with a seizure…. " Logan shrugged, hating the helpless feeling that came with not knowing what exactly was wrong with Max.

"She's at a friend, if anyone can take care of her, than it's him", he added defensively as he saw Zack's cold stare, clearly conveying his well-known opinion about Logan: He was the biggest threat for Max.
And of course, he was right. Zack had been right all the time, and now it had come true: Max had been attacked, considering Logan's safety more important than her own as she hurried to warn him of whatever was behind all this.

Logan's self-incrimination was interrupted by Zack's sharp voice, finally giving away what he knew. "They are after you. You exposed yourself a bit too much in the Manticore mission, and whomever wants Eyes Only down took the opportunity."

While Logan still was trying to fit in this new info into their tricky situation and come up with some kind of plan, Zack's transgenic brain already was a step ahead. "Give me the address of your friend."

With a questioning look Logan told him, then watched how, in one smooth move, Zack slipped of his motorcycle and bent down next to the Aztec where he removed the tracking device, putting it into the pocket of his jacket.

The last thing Logan heard of Zack was a harsh "Go back to her, I'll take care of this", then he was speeding of into the late afternoon gloom.

Sim

Even as Zack sped away, Logan's cell phone began to chirp. He checked the display; Bling. He moved to answer it... and then hesitated.

If these people were smart enough to bug his car, they sure as hell had the resources to put a tap on his phone. Fortunately, the call to Sebastian had been on his secure line; but if he picked up this one he'd be virtually giving his pursuers directions to Max's location.

Logan shifted his thumb across to the power button and turned the phone off. It was time he headed back to Max's side; then maybe they could sort this whole thing out.
He just prayed she'd be ok.

For the first time, Logan realised how cold he was. He was soaked to the skin, covered in mud and shivering uncontrolably. Adrenaline had kept him going this far, but he hadn't slept in the past two days either and he was exhausted, mentally and physically. If he wasn't careful he'd end up with a case of hypothermia and then he'd be no good to Max for hours.

The great and powerful Eyes Only turned up the heater as far as it would go and then executed a three point turn, heading back the way he'd come. He was aware enough to recognise that his brain wasn't firing on all cylinders, but even so he didn't slow his breakneck speed. Max needed him, and he had to be there for her.

So his reaction times were dulled when three black SUVs converged on his position. Logan hit the brakes and swerved to avoid one, but the water on the road robbed the tires of grip and the Aztec spun out of control, smashing into a wall and skidding along it for a long way until a dumpster halted his progress.

Even as he lost consciousness, a word formed on Logan's lips, in hope, and longing, and love.

"Max..."

Lisa

Bling paced back and forth, trying to organize his thoughts. He kept a close eye on Max's progress with the med techs and occasionally peered outside, as though expecting Logan to reappear as if by magic. He continued to call the spare cell phone that Logan kept in his glove box for emergencies, but there was no response. Bling wondered if he was choosing not to answer, or if he was just incapable.