Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: Not an epic, but at least it's longer than the last chapter. :) I'm getting slammed with papers and stuff, so it may be a while before the next update.

Chapter 3 - Press Hounds

Alec's jaw clenched briefly before he put on a deliberately blank expression, mirroring the one Max wore. "Were the victims Terminal City residents?"

"No," Max answered, shaking her head. "From their location we think they planned to come here before someonestopped them. All three were X-7s, probably somewhere around thirteen." Unable to keep up her front any longer, Max sank into a chair. Her hair fell forward, hiding her expression as she leaned her elbows on the conference table and put her head in her hands.

Alec moved to sit across from her. He shut off his emotions by allowing his Manticore training to take over. "What other information do we have?" he asked, crossing his arms and watching Max.

She kept her head down and spoke from behind her dark curtain of hair. "Seattle Police weren't the attackers, because we first heard about it at four this morning when someone found the bodies and radioed the station. The execution style and lack of any group taking responsibility makes it unlikely that one of the local anti-transgenic gangs did it. Dix has been monitoring the police and coroner's computer network to let us know if they find anything unusual. We have all the news footage on tape, but it's not very helpful, since cops are keeping everyone out of the alley."

Finished relaying information, Max finally looked up and gazed out a window behind Alec's right shoulder. Her last sentence caught his attention, and he questioned, "If the news hasn't shown anything, how do we know the murder details?"

Fixing her eyes on Alec's Max answered him levelly, "I was working on some stuff when the police call came over the radio. I checked it out from the building's roof before backup units and press hounds got there." Unwanted memories of the scene wormed their way in to her thoughts, and she bit her lip. Looking down to idly trace patterns on the scarred wooden table surface, she fought to keep her composure.

For a minute only the soft drumming of rain on the roof broke the silence. Alec wracked his brain for the right words. He knew Max felt responsible, and reached over, stilling her by placing his own over them.

"Max, it's not your fault. You couldn't have prevented it."

She pulled her hands away and crossed her arms over her chest. "I could have left Manticore alone. I'm the one who dumped everyone out of their home." Her voice rose. "I should have started a better system for getting people into TC."

"Max, it's not all about you!" he interrupted her tirade. Irritated, he continued, "Manticore was not a home.' At least a bullet is quicker and less painful than months in Psy-Ops. Let's focus on finding who did this."

"At least you could leave Psy-Ops alive. And I'm not making this about me!" she shouted back, standing and putting her hands on her hips. "I was relaying the information we have so far. I got most of it earlier when–" Max stopped abruptly and shoved the chair, which flipped a couple times as it crashed across the floor. Several heads around headquarters turned to find the source of the noise. Seeing Max standing tensely at the end of the room in close proximity, they shrugged or shook their heads and returned to work.

"Where the hell were you this morning, anyway? I called before going to the scene, but your phone wasn't on." She glared at him. "Probably in bed with some bimbo super model type."

Alec stood and stalked around the end of the table until he stood in front of her. "Yeah, blame it on me," he responded coldly. Then in a mocking tone he added, "None of your business anyway. I had something to do that would have been dreadfully interrupted by a phone call."

"Oh grow up, Alec. Like I care about the details of your sex life," she spat and punched him in the shoulder.

"You're just wishing it was you." He shot back, sidestepping the fist aimed at his stomach. At least she's got her mind on something else now. "Ooo, such violence. Gut punching isn't very nice." He moved again and caught her fist as it appeared where he stood only moments before. "Then again, judging from our previous encounters I don't think being sporting is one of your strengths."

Her anger dissipating, she smacked the side of his head lightly before he captured her other hand. "I thought you could take care of yourself in the ring. Plus you seemed to know all the moves."

"I bet you could teach me plenty of moves, Maxie." He grinned impudently at her.

Max rolled her eyes. "C'mon, Alec. That's a pretty bad line, even for you. Did you think I would blush or something?"

"Not really, but you look pretty when you do," he answered, taking a step closer.

Max's cheeks colored slightly, and she realized he still held both her wrists. Ducking her head, she asked shyly, "You think so?"

Her behavior caused a slightly puzzled look to flash across Alec's face. "Yeah."

"Well, then maybe you should admire from a distance."

She pulled her hands free and shoved him, grinning as he took a surprised step backwards. Alec's leg hit the chair she tossed earlier, and not even his enhanced reflexes could compensate enough to keep him from stumbling. He grunted as he sat down hard. Max's dark eyes widened and she burst out laughing. Crossing his arms over his chest, Alec scowled at Max over his knees, legs slightly suspended on the side of the overturned furniture.

"Ow, Max. What was that for?"

She tried unsuccessfully to speak through her giggles. After a few deep breaths she retorted, "Don't you have anything better to do than sit around on your ass all day?"

"Whose fault is it that I now have a large bruise on my posterior?" he grumbled. "Well, multiple bruises probably."

"Oh, grow up and take the it like a man. Your graceful gymnastics couldn't do anything that bad. Well, they were bad, but not in a way that produces serious bodily harm." Max leaned over and reached out her hand to help him up.

"Maybe you ought to check and see. I mean, you seem to have such a fixation with my ass that this makes a perfect excuse." He grinned insolently at her as she pulled his arm. Snorting, Max let go of his hand, and he dropped back to the floor. "Ow! I told you there's a bruise there."

"Shut up, Alec," she responded, watching as he disentangled his legs from the chair and stood, brushing off the seat of his jeans. "You're the one who got yourself into this mess."

The sound of a throat being cleared caused them both to turn and see Mole, who stood a few feet away chewing on a cigar.

"When you're done here, Dix downloaded the police files and coroner's reports from this morning," the lizard-man announced.

Alec watched Max's shoulders sag under the weight of her responsibility. She sighed, "Yeah, let's go see if there's anything new." Walking after Mole, she glanced over her shoulder to make sure Alec followed.

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Desks and electronic equipment filled a corner of the room. Returning to sorting supply paperwork, Mole listened to the conversation. Max and Alec moved to stand on either side of Dix, who sat in front a computer. He asked, "Where do you want to start?"

Brown eyes met hazel over the transhuman's head, and Alec steeled himself to look at the information unemotionally. Max answered, "Might as well go through the crime scene first and then move on to the new stuff."

After Dix clicked through a few photos, Max turned to stare across the room, not needing to see the images already burned in her brain. Looking at the crimson-tinted puddles around the bodies crumpled on the pavement, Alec could understand her reaction. His own fists clenched at his sides as the slideshow continued.

"The morgue's report indicates that government officials took the bodies before the examination was complete." Dix broke the tense silence. "They did get a few pictures, though."

Max returned her gaze to the monitor. Three young, dirty faces showed briefly on the screen, followed by bloodstained barcodes. She gritted her teeth and her knuckles whitened on the hand clamped to the back of Dix's chair. Alec looked quickly at her and reached out to cover her hand with his own before returning his attention to the pictures.

"Wait," Alec commanded when three full-body pictures appeared. He pointed to the screen. "Look for close-up shots of here, here–"

"And here," Max finished, indicating the third figure's shoulder.

Angry red gashes stood in high contrast to the bloodless pallor of skin. Max paled, the thought of someone mutilating the transgenics even after their execution making her feel sick. Her eyes narrowed as a knot of rage formed in the pit of her stomach.

Alec unconsciously tightened his hand over Max's. The trio studied the images, deep cuts on a wrist, on a shoulder, on a hip. Her voice deadly cold, Max finally spoke their thoughts in response to the scarlet serpents.

"White."