A/N: Three months post-Berrisford Agenda, mid-Pilot. Things go a little differently for Max at the beginning of Season One. Alternate Universe.

Trust
(The Basement Chapter Four)

Manic blood runs thick, my friend
Are you looking for a clean escape?
--1 2 3, Indigo Girls

The face outside her cell window was so huge that she couldn't even really see a face, per se – just an eye, and a lot of hair.

"What are you starin' at?" Max was happy to hear that her voice was still sharp and hostile, because inside, she was quivering like jelly. Sure, there's a giant monster outside my door. Great. Why not? What's next, Godzilla? She pressed herself against the far wall.

The eye followed her. "What… you… starin' at?" a low, rough voice repeated hesitantly.

Huh? "I asked you first," Max said, confused.

"Max?" Alec mumbled thickly. He'd been asleep, but now she heard him stirring on his cot. The face outside the window disappeared, leaving the light from the bare hallway bulb to stream back into her cell – and moment later, she heard Alec yelp in surprise. "What the--?"

"Max?" the… whatever… said. He's looking into Alec's cell, Max thought. For the love of God, Alec, don't do anything stupid.

"Do I look like a girl to you?" She could hear scrambling. "She's Max. You okay?" he called over.

"Yeah," Max replied. "Peachy. Do you know what--?"

"Not a clue."

"Joshua," the creature interjected.

Max blinked. "Uh, no, big fella. He's Alec. And I'm Max. Max and Alec."

The lumbering bulk moved back to her window, and pressed a… nose?... against the steel mesh. "Joshua."

"Alec," Alec said crossly. "I've already got one name, I don't need another."

"No, wait." Max relaxed a little, walking forward to look at the nose. "I think his name is Joshua."

The nose moved up and down as Joshua nodded. "Father named me. Father named you, MaxandAlec?"

There was something… disarming about the way Joshua spoke. "Nope. Brother named me," Max said.

"And Max named me," Alec said, sounding unusually irritated. "Not that I asked her to. But she can't seem to mind her own business."

"Shut up."

"Bite me."

"Catfight," Joshua said.

Max furrowed her brow. "What?"

"Cats," Joshua said. He looked into her cell, then walked away – Max heard him take a deep, whuffling sniff next to Alec's door. "MaxandAlec cats. And other. Mostly cats."

"Uh, right." If possible, Alec was even more annoyed. "And what are you?"

"First," Joshua said proudly. "Special."

Um… okay. "How long have you been down here, Joshua?" Max asked.

"Long time." Joshua sounded faintly sad. "Waiting."

"Well, I hate to tell you this, but I think the bus station is actually upstairs," Alec said acidly. "Wrong spot, dude."

"Alec, shut up."

"MaxandAlec here how long?" Joshua asked, again eyeing her through the window.

"Uh…" Max tried to think. Only Psy-Ops trips and occasional meals broke up the monotony, and it was getting harder and harder to keep track of time. "Five weeks?" she said uncertainly.

Alec made a frustrated noise. "You've been here four weeks and three days," he corrected. "I've been here about twelve weeks."

"Joshua not come over here much." He sounded apologetic. "Too many guards. But I will come more now. Bring food."

Max, however, had other ideas. Someone free to move around. Someone who knows the layout. "Joshua," she tried to keep the excitement out of her voice, "can you get us out of here?"

A groan came from Alec's cell.

Joshua didn't seem to understand the question. "Out?" he said, tentative.

"Yes. Out. Can you open this door?"

Joshua hesitated, then shook his head. "No key."

"Well, can you get one?" Max pressed, desperate. "Please, Joshua. I have to get out of here." Maybe this is it. Maybe this is our shot.

Joshua was silent for a long moment. Max held her breath. "I will see," he said finally.

She grinned. "That's great. That's really great. Thanks, Josh."

He nodded shyly, then turned to look down the hallway, cocking his ear to the side. "Have to go now. Check on others. MaxandAlec be careful."

"We will be," Max promised.

Alec waited until Joshua's footsteps faded away before he reacted. "That's really great. Thanks, Josh," he mimicked in a falsetto.

"What is your problem?" Max said furiously, wishing he was within smacking range.

"Seriously, I can't believe we were even made by the same people," Alec snapped. "Did all those years on the outside damage your brain, or is there something else going on?"

"Excuse me? I haven't seen any bright ideas from you to get us out of here, hotshot," Max said, stung.

"Who says I want to get out of here?"

"Oh, right. I forgot. The décor."

Max could hear him pacing in his cell. "They do things like this," Alec ground out. "Tricks."

Shit. "You think this is a Psy-Ops fake out?" Max sank down onto the cot, anger ebbing away. "Why would they do that?"

"Because fucking with our heads is their job." He sounded disgusted. "Did you really think it would be that easy? Some random hairy weirdo comes up to your door, offers to find you a key? Hey, maybe Santa Claus will carry you over the perimeter, too!"

"Not everyone is out for themselves, Alec." She didn't believe that, not really, but she was arguing for the sake of arguing now. Hope is for losers – but fuck, I could use some.

"Yes, they are." Alec's condescending tone put her teeth on edge. "Especially in here."

"Joshua seems like a good guy," Max said stubbornly, trying to ignore the doubt growing in her chest.

"And that's precisely why you shouldn't trust him."

"Should I trust you?" she shot back.

Alec snickered. "Do I seem like a good guy?"

"No. You seem like a jackass."

"Well," he replied, sounding smug, "there you go."

Max did not appreciate how Alec could make an insult like 'jackass' sound like a loving compliment. Jerk. "So, do you trust me, then?"

He paused. "No. I don't."

"Why not?" She was mortified by how much his words hurt.

"Because I actually like you," he said simply.

Max didn't have a response for that.

A/N: Well, of course Joshua would have to make an appearance :)

I'm glad everyone seems to like this so far, in spite of the chapter shortness! It's been very weird, to write so very deliberately. It's an entirely new experience, and I'm as curious as the rest of you to see where it goes.

I plan to eat turkey this week, but my muse gets fed with reviews. (innocent look)