Alec's cell phone was ringing on the bedside table, interrupting his trip down memory lane. He glared at the offending instrument, then picked it up, flipped it open and gave a terse, "What??"
"Geez Alec! What crawled up your ass?"
It was Dix, who was back home at Terminal City and trying to help him with the Keegan Cale case, sending whatever intel he found by hacking into government computers.
Alec sighed and rubbed a hand over his face tiredly, "Sorry man. I'm just tired. What's up?"
"Have you taken a good look at Keegan's birth certificate?"
Alec frowned and got out of bed to walk to his briefcase that was sitting on the table provided by the hotel, "I haven't thought much about it. Didn't seem important."
"Well, he was born about 6 months after Logan and Max married."
"So?"
Dix sighed, "Alec, think it over for a minute. All of us at TC know that you were with Max during her heat cycle, and that happened just before the government liberated us and declared all transgenics US citizens. Check the date of birth and you do the math. Gestational period for a normal pregnancy is 40 weeks, which is around the time YOU were with Max."
A sick feeling hit Alec in the pit of his stomach as he opened the file, cradling his phone on his shoulder and finding the birth certificate. He knew the exact date he and Max got together, due to a perfect eidetic memory. He calculated mentally and sure enough, the time period was off by about 3 days.
But he also knew X5 sperm can stay active for four days, twice as long as human sperm.
"Dude? You still there?" Dix asked when the silence was getting a little too long.
Alec had to sit down as he answered, "Yeah, I'm fine. Look.... this doesn't prove anything. One week later, Max received the cure for the retrovirus and you know she and Logan probably got together pretty quickly afterward, possibly that very night. And besides, Dr. Carr told me Logan is the father."
"Riight, one of Cale's best friends, whom he probably paid to say that. I think you need to get a second opinion. You have a right to know. If you find Keegan, get a DNA test."
"Why stir the pot Dix? If this is my baby, Max would have told me."
"You really think so? Because I'm not so sure. She abandoned all of us Alec. It's like she wanted to be 'ordinary' so much that she cut ties with all of us and ran off with Logan to the other side of the continent. Maybe she didn't want to try and fit you into her 'normal' lifestyle. Have you ever thought of that?"
"Max didn't abandon us Dix. She was in love with Logan for about 2 years by the time all of that happened. They finally got the cure for the retrovirus and lived happily ever after. Or at least until recently."
"She was our leader Alec. And she left us. Bottom line. You stepped in afterward as the leader in Max's place because you're a sucker and didn't want us getting mad at Max."
"No Dix, I had more training as a military leader than Max did, that's why she stepped down and I stepped up. And as your leader, don't ever say shit like that about Max around me."
"You still got it bad." Dix said with a slight laugh.
"Is this all you wanted?" Alec asked, irritated as hell at Dix for getting under his skin.
"For now, that's it. Talk to Max, Alec. Find out."
"What I do is my own business. Call me when you have something concrete about Keegan. Until then, stay out of my personal business."
"Yes sir!"
Alec disconnected, and then stared at the birth certificate again.
He stood and placed the birth certificate back into the folder on top of all other information he obtained on the kidnapping, closed the folder and carefully placed it back in his briefcase, closing the lid.
(One month after Max and Alec's heat induced encounter)
Alec was pacing in the hospital corridor while Logan took a seat in one of the plastic chairs provided. Both men looked pensive.
Alec was talking to no one in particular, muttering, "How the hell can Dr. Carr handle a DNA test on a baby that's not even here yet? As a matter of fact, it's not actually a baby; it's a little embryo about the size of a peanut for crying out loud!"
Logan was wearing his business suit, having wrapped up what he needed to do at work in order to drive Max to see Dr Carr for this procedure. Logan eyed the male X5 critically.
"There have been many technological advances in medicine. We know Max is pregnant. All they have to do is an amniocentesis. I don't know all the technical stuff because I'm not a doctor, but I can say they can separate the DNA out to find out to about 90% accuracy who the father is. What amazes me is how she knows she's pregnant after a few weeks."
"Kitty cat DNA. X5 females can find out they're pregnant in a matter of a couple of weeks after conception."
Alec didn't sit, he was too nervous. He stopped pacing and leaned his shoulders against the far wall, biting a thumbnail nervously.
"Alec..... if this baby is yours, how will you support it?"
Alec shot a look at Logan and answered in his cavalier manner, "That's a question you might not want answered, Logan."
Logan stood, the exoskeleton whirring underneath his suit and he placed his hands in his pants pockets, contemplating, "What are we talking about here? Robbery? Pool hustling? Pimping?"
At that last one, Alec stood to his full height, "Pimping? Who the hell do you..."
Logan's hands were now up in surrender, "Hey! I don't know! I'm taking shots in the dark here! You are not the most moral guy on the planet Alec. What kind of father would YOU make? Teaching him about breaking and entering maybe? Or how to be a bike messenger?"
"Don't you dare rub your prestigious background in my face. I may not have money, but by God, I'll step up for this baby, IF we find it's mine. And you can take your newfound wealth and shove it up your ass!"
Both men glared at each other until Logan finally sighed and said, "Look, I only want what is best for Max's baby. Surely, you want the same?"
"Of course I do, but I also have a responsibility if I'm the one that knocked her up. This means having me in that baby's life IS the best thing, IF I'm the father."
"Which brings me back to how will you support this baby? Because from my standpoint, you can't. You no longer work as a bike messenger. You couldn't go back to work after the Familiar siege on Jam Pony."
"I've got plans in the works, don't worry about me. The money will be there."
At that moment, Dr. Carr came out of the examination room and closed the door. Obviously Max was getting dressed.
"Follow me gentlemen. We'll talk in my office down the hall."
They walked into Dr. Carr's office. Alec and Logan sat in the visitor's chairs as Dr. Carr closed the door and walked around his desk to take a seat.
"Max and the baby are doing fine. I did the lab work myself for the DNA testing."
Dr. Carr looked at both men and then turned to Logan with a smile.
"Logan, congratulations, you're the father with an 87.5 % accuracy. Alec wasn't even on the chart."
Logan closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief as Alec stared into space. Then he finally met the doctor's eyes.
"Well doc, I appreciate your help in this. I think this is my cue to leave and let the new parents celebrate their good news. And Logan...." Alec turned to Logan and said, "Take care of them.... or I'll hunt you down."
Logan's blue eyes met Alec's green ones as he nodded, "I'll guard them with my life Alec, you know that."
Alec walked out of Dr Carr's office and didn't stick around to talk to Max
It would be way too painful to do so.
(Present day)
Later that evening found Alec at Max's house in an upscale neighborhood in Concord. He was let in by Max herself, who sent the whole staff home so she could grieve in peace. It was just the two of them in the whole house by themselves.
Doubts and questions flooded Alec's mind now. Damn that Dix! Why did he have to stir up a hornet's nest?
Setting down his briefcase, Alec came straight to the point, "I have just one question to ask Max, and I want a straight answer." Alec announced as he placed his briefcase on the dining room table and proceeded to open it.
"I've never given you less." Max replied flippantly, folding her arms across her chest and refusing to sit down. That tone in Alec's voice always brooked trouble and she needed every advantage she could get, considering that Alec himself was still standing as well.
"Is Keegan my son?" Alec asked bluntly, coming straight to the point and meeting Max's eyes.
Alec saw the slight hesitation in her eyes, the only indication that he was on to something. Max was true Manticore, never reveals her emotions to the other person, never shows a weakness. Only another Manticore alumni is trained to catch these subtle cues.
She kept all emotion out of her face as she met his eyes squarely, "No Alec, he isn't."
Alec sighed and said, "OK" Alec quietly pulled out a file from his briefcase and slid it toward her on the dining room table. She didn't move to open it, just watched Alec warily as he continued, "Keegan was born almost exactly 40 weeks from the night we were together Max. Still wanna stick with that story?"
"And I was with Logan one week after I was with you, AND I have a confirmed DNA test that proved Logan is the father."
Alec reached across and flipped open the file that Max hadn't even touched yet. He pointed at something on the front page, Keegan's birth certificate, "And Dr Carr was in league with Logan, the two of them were best friends. I want another DNA test. Just to be sure."
"Keegan is LOGAN'S child Alec." Max gritted through her clenched teeth, eyes narrowing in her anger.
"And I don't believe you." Alec replied back, the tic in his jaw the only indication of his own anger.
Max shrugged and rolled her eyes, "You know what? Believe whatever the hell you want Alec. Logan is Keegan's real father."
"And I was just the sperm donor, is that it?"
Max's patience was wearing thin and she snapped, "Let me be very clear Alec. You're not the father and I'm done with this conversation. I don't have time to deal with your drama. I have a funeral to arrange for Logan, a best friend in the hospital that's still in a coma and a son that is God knows where, and you're not doing a damn thing to help, except throw around accusations. Keep that up and I'll just deal with finding Keegan myself. I'm beginning to wonder why I called you in the first place!"
"Like hell I will stand by and let you go out hunting Familiars on your own!" Alec came around the dining room table so fast that Max could have sworn he blurred. He towered over her in anger and pointed at himself for emphasis "You called ME here, you wanted MY help, and I'm going to find Keegan and I'm going to prove he is my son." Now his voice lowered to a more threatening tone, "If I find out differently after a DNA test that I am not the natural father, I'm out of your life with my sincerest apologies and you won't have to pay a thing for the detective work I do. But if I'm right.... so help me Max.... I don't know if I can ever forgive a woman that would take three years of my son's life away from me.... I'll spend the rest of my fucking life making it up to him. As God is my witness, I'll find a way to make sure I get shared custody IF he's my son."
"And I'll keep you tied up in court appealing anything you think you've won, because you will NOT have my son!"
Alec's voice was rising now as well, "I don't give a damn about your money or whatever influence you have. You WILL have a fight on your hands. Until then...." He took a deep breath to try and calm himself and he lowered his voice, "We'll work together to find your son. Because it's the right thing to do."
"How dare you threaten me!"
Alec now returned to his cocky trademark smirk, "First off, you threatened me first. Second, you have nothing to worry about if I find out I'm wrong. Now, get some workout clothes on."
"Alec, I don't have time for..."
"Shut up Max. You have people handling everything for you regarding Logan and OC. You wanna find your son? You need to get in shape soldier! I'm certain you haven't fought a Familiar in four years! Now move your ass and meet me in the gym. You have 5 minutes 452, let's go!"
The very intense, angry look on Alec's face when he towered over her caused Max's memory to flash back to their one night together, causing a sense of deja vu. She waited until she got to her bedroom and began putting on her workout leotard before she allowed her mind to wander.
Max realized in that moment that when Alec towered over her earlier, he had had that same intense look while they were making love. No, while they fucked, Max amended her thoughts. There was no lovemaking involved. It was heat induced, it was extremely intense and it was just sex. At least that's what she remembered he had told her so long ago.
Alec had had a jealous moment that was so unlike his usual attitude. He was on top of her, screwing her brains out in a way she had never felt before and she had closed her eyes to enjoy the sensations. He felt so good and so right, and so PERFECT......... no one had ever given her what she had truly needed during a heat cycle, and apparently, only an X5 male could keep up with her. God! He felt so good and was giving it to her so hard......
But then, he stopped suddenly and speared his hands into her hair, pulling slightly and gritting out, "Look at me, dammit!"
She frowned. Her eyes flew open and she saw it, that intense flash in his eyes as he ground out, "Don't you DARE think of HIM while you're with me!"
Perplexed, Max shook her head, sounding a little breathless, "There is no way I can mistake you for someone else Alec."
"Good!"
He proceeded to pound into her again, forcefully, making the bed creak and squeak in a hard rhythm and bang against the wall at the same time, but making damn sure he kept eye contact with her.
He could feel that she was about to cum again for the umpteenth time that night, that she wanted desperately to cum again. He could feel her nails digging into his ass spurring him to move quicker, harder.
"Cum for me Maxie." Alec murmured against her mouth, nipping her bottom lip as he pushed her, as well as himself, toward a powerful orgasm.
"Alec??" Max whimpered, it was the most erotic sound that Alec had ever heard as he forced her toward yet another ground breaking orgasm, "Oh... my.....GOD.... ahhh..."
Alec couldn't hold back anymore, especially after she said his name in that breathy, seductive voice and making all kinds of pleasurable noises that HE caused. He knew that she knew who was giving her all the pleasure within her body, and with this knowledge, he exploded within her.
She cried out hard and loud too, calling his name, screaming out her pleasure. His mouth was next to her ear now as he called her name out as well.
"Oh God Alec!!"
"Maxie!! Fuck.... yes!!"
"You're incredible!"
"And you're beautiful!"
Once they were spent, it was within moments that he was hard and ready again, just like the numerous times they've been through this already in five hours. Max felt him harden within her and she groaned.
"Alec? What are you doing to me?" Max moaned as Alec took her again.
"What I should have done when we first met, Maxie. If I knew then you were this smoking hot back then, that foot in my stomach wouldn't have deterred me."
(Back to present day)
"452, snap out of it!" Alec growled, pounding a few times with his fist on her closed bedroom door. "We have work to do. Let's go!"
"My name's Max you big dumbass! And don't you dare call me by my designation again!"
She charged her way out of the bedroom and toward the gym, tying her hair into a ponytail on the way. Alec knew Max well and he smiled within himself. The best thing to do was to get her mad in order to spur her into action. Otherwise, she would mope and feel sorry for herself and get nothing accomplished. As long as he's around, he won't allow that. He needs her focused if she insists on following him when he tries to find Keegan. He definitely didn't want to have to worry about her if they have to fight Familiars.
And he wants to keep her angry so it would help him keep his hands off of her.
He felt like a freakin' pervert. Her husband just died less than 48 hours ago. He's not even buried yet, and Alec wants to have her body again, in as many positions as possible. It was insane.
Even if it turns out she did lie to him all those years ago about Keegan.
(At Jam Pony - 2 days after Max's heat cycle ended)
Max finished gathering what she needed out of her locker for her next run. As she slammed the locker door closed and placed her combination lock on it, she jumped, startled. Alec was standing there with an arm resting on the lockers.
"Max, we need to talk." he stated without greeting.
"Later! I'm busy." she snapped and threw her backpack over her shoulder, heading for her bicycle.
Alec stepped in her way, blocking her progress. Max expected this and pushed him out of her way, causing him to stumble back a couple of steps. Determined, he snaked out a hand to grab her from behind as she passed. His arm came around her waist and he easily picked her up, carrying her into one of the downstairs storage rooms. He set Max down just inside the tiny storage area, locking the door behind him. As he turned back to her, she hit him hard on the shoulder and sputtered at him.
"What the hell was that about, Tarzan??"
"You've been avoiding me the past two days Max. We HAVE to talk!"
"No, we don't HAVE to do anything except work. No work means no pay. Which also means no beer and no pool hustling. Get outta my way."
Alec blocked her again, "Hear me out Max. Give me just five minutes of your precious time, alright? Then you can leave with my blessing."
She checked her pager, set it for five minutes and then nodded, "OK, talk!"
"Have you ever been through Manticore sex-ed?"
"No, I'm a 'learn it as I go' kind of girl." Max replied sarcastically.
"Well, here's the bottom line Max. It's very, VERY likely that you're now pregnant."
Max sighed and rolled her eyes, "Whatever! I take birth control pills, now get outta my way."
"Doesn't matter Max. That can help with ordinaries and X5's that get together, but two X5's.... a lot of times birth control pills do not effect the insemination. Have you ever seen two cats get together when the female is in heat? Pregnancy almost always follows."
"Well believe me, if I'm pregnant, you'll be the first to know, because I will kick your ass and you will have to pay child support. Now will you PLEASE let me go? Unless you have something else on your mind?"
Alec grabbed her by the shoulders, a very serious look on his face, "Swear to me Max..... you will tell me if you're pregnant, just as soon as you find out."
Max shrugged out of his hold, exasperated, "Sure, OK... now let me go!"
Satisfied for now, he stepped out of the way and allowed Max to unlock and open the door herself.
(Present day, Cale home gym)
"Alright, let's get your ass-kicking over with Pretty Boy." Max stood in a fighting stance, fists raised, mad as hell at him.
Alec cocked an eyebrow, "You still think I'm pretty? I'm touched Max!" As she glowered at him, he shrugged, "You can try darlin', but I doubt you'll succeed. How long has it been since you actually fought an X5?"
Max did a quick spin kick that caught Alec on the temple and brought him down. She grinned triumphantly down at him, "It's like riding a bike, you never forget."
Giving his head a shake, he stood back up, nodding his head toward her in a "Touché" motion. Max started to throw a punch toward his nose, Alec ducked and stepped to the side, grabbed her arm and using her weight as leverage, flipped her over his shoulder and down on her back on the mat.
"You caught me off guard the first time Maxie, now I'm ready."
She flipped herself back to her feet and the two of them began to spar. Their moves were so fast and fluid; the human eye would have a hard time following them. But before long, Alec had her pinned again.
"This is pathetic soldier! The worst excuse for fighting I have ever seen in my life, and I've seen ORDINARIES fight!"
"Fuck you Alec!" Max hissed.
Alec stood, grinning, making her get up on her own. He purposely goaded her. "Oh! You'd like that wouldn't you? Of course, I was the best fuck you ever had!"
Before Alec knew it, Max was coming after him with everything she had. Alec could barely keep up, but still accomplished it. It definitely helped to have daily training at Terminal City with other transgenics, whereas he was almost certain that all Max did was work out in the gym pretty much by herself, or with Logan coaching her. An ordinary with no military training and has an exo-skeleton to help him walk on paralyzed legs.
Alec finally had Max on her stomach in a head lock with one arm, the other arm keeping her arms immobile, and his body weight on top of her keeping her legs immobile.
He grunted into her ear, "Face it Max. You're out of shape. If you can't beat me, you certainly can't beat a Familiar."
Max seemed to admit defeat. Her body went slack and Alec heard what sounded like crying.
Alec instantly let go of her, concerned. He got off of her and turned her over, "Max? Are you OK?"
In a quick move, she had him on his back, her knees pinning his arms to the mat, sitting on his stomach, not one tear in her eye.
"Never underestimate your opponent 494. Did you forget your Manticore training?"
Alec lifted his legs, hooked his knees over her shoulders and flipped her off of him, then diving after her.
Three hours later, Alec was showered, wearing casual clothes of t-shirt and jeans. He was sitting at the dining room table going over some new information Dix faxed over to him, trying not to think about Max upstairs in the master bathroom taking a bubble bath.
Bubbles, hot water, sexy, naked woman in the bubbles and hot water....
Focus 494! You got a job to do! Alec chided himself
There was surveillance video of Keegan being carried around by a man in a toy store in Des Moines, Iowa. The man turned toward the camera when this still picture was taken, his face clearly visible.
Ames White.
Well, that's one question answered. White is behind the disappearance of Keegan. And another question answered was that he was seen in Iowa as of yesterday.
Alec made a phone call to a police contact in Iowa. Luckily it's Normal's brother, the long lost twin brother he helped Normal find on his first case. The two brothers are now reconnecting and Alec felt he could call in a favor.
"Roger? Alec McDowell..... Yeah it's great to hear from you too. But unfortunately, this is not just a casual call. I need your help."
