Chapter 4 – Normal Solution
Max could not move, think or breathe. Logan was missing.
"Max? Are you still there?" Asha was worried, there was no sound coming from the other end of the phone.
Max's shock turn to fear, she had to figure out where Logan was and fast. "Yeah I am here, what do you mean Logan is missing? What happened? Where are you?"
"I am at Logan's. Max I need….." The phone went died. "Max…..?" Asha didn't know what to do now. All she had was Max's pager number. What is something happened to Max, she didn't sound so good.
Max was already on her way to her bike, as she called Alec. "Alec met me at Logan's ASAP." She had the phone off and in her pocket before Alec could say anything.
Max raced through the streets of Seattle. It was a good thing that there was no sector cops around and she had her Jam Pony pass because she was not in the mood to wait in any lines tonight. She had to get to Logan and right now the only person with any information about him was Asha.
Pulling into the parking garage of Logan's apartment building, she parked next to Logan's car. Why was his car there but not him? Max decided that the elevator was going to take to much time, plus she could use the work out, so she ran up the stairs.
She found Logan's door standing open with Asha pacing back and forth in the living room. "Asha what happened? Where is Logan? Why is his car is the garage?"
Max heard the door open behind her. She didn't even remember closing it.
Alec walked in with a vey confused look on his face.
"I hope this is important." Alec said as he walked over to the two women that he could not stop thinking about. "I was sound sleep."
"You were not so stop, complaining. Logan is missing and I am going to need your help to find him." Max said turning back to face Asha waiting for her answers.
"Logan went missing in Portland. I was helping him track down some leads. We were worried that maybe the Reds had got a hold of you. He was so worried that he had not heard from you in a month, he started to thinking that someone was holding you. He didn't think that the Reds were still around but he could not think about anyone else that could have got a hold of you." Asha explained. "When Logan went missing I didn't know what to do but come back here and try to get a hold of someone. I just happened to see your pager number in the phone and tried it. I didn't think that I would get a hold of you but I just had to try. I was really looking for Alec's number."
"I thought that you had my number is your phone?" Alec seemed hurt.
"I do but my phone is in Portland with the rest of the S1W that are still looking for Logan. I left it for them incase they found anything, I took Logan's cell." Asha said as she went to hug Alec. "The whole trip back I was thinking about how I should have left Logan's cell and taken mine so I could have called you on the way. I knew that you would help me."
Alec held Asha tight against him. They had only been dating for a few months but it was hurt to think about not being with her now. He would always help Max anyway that he could but Asha had his heart now. "It's ok honey."
"As cute as the two of you are, can we please get back to figuring out how we are going to find Logan?" Max was headed for Logan's computers. There should be some kind of clues there. "You said that he went missing in Portland, right?"
"Yes." Asha stop hugging Alec but would not let go of his hand. "We were setting up surveillances on this warehouse that one of his informants thought the Reds maybe be working out of."
"I got to figure that if Logan thought that the Reds had me he would want to be able to keep on eye on them with out getting to close. He probably was setting it up so that he could watch from back here. He knows that the Reds are to powerful for him to take on, but if he could get proof that they had a hold of me he could get Alec to get some friends and head down there." Max was typing away at Logan's computer. She was glad that Logan hadn't changed his passwords. "Did you finish getting everything set up?"
"Yes, it should all be up and running. We were able to get in the building to put cameras inside and on the outside." Asha watched in wonder as Max searched Logan's computer to find the live video feed.
"Got it." Max was not surprised that the file was called Max search. She knew that if Logan was there right now he would be doing nothing other than watching this live feed all day and night until he found what he was looking for, her.
"It looks like the building is completely empty. There is no activity at all; it does not look like the building had been used in years." Alec knew that there was a trip to Portland in his future.
"Well that is good news." Asha said cheerfully. "That means that the Reds don't have Logan."
"I don't think that the Reds are up and running in the states anymore. After I showed them who was boss they kind of gave up looking for Manticore technology." Max could still remember what it felt like to have that implant is her brain stem. If it was not for getting killed and then saved by Manticore it would still be in there. When she died it let up and popped out. There was something good that came from dying.
"You know Normal is going to be pissed that we are going to miss work." Alec joked as he started to make a list of all the things that he was going to have to pick up for their trip.
"Oh well." Max could careless about Normal right now Logan was missing. "He can be pissed all he wants, I have to find Logan no matter what. I didn't wait all this time to get ride of the virus just to lose Logan again."
"Get what ever you think we'll need and met back here in two hours. I need to explain what is going on to Original Cindy." Max was half way out the door when she remembered that she had left Logan's computer running. "Asha can you turn everything off, I will call Bling and get him to close everything up. I can't believe Logan left his computer like this. If someone had come after the informant net they would have walked away with everything."
"Logan could only think about finding you. He didn't really care about anything else. Where have you been anyways?" Max was gone before Asha realized it.
"I will explain everything on the trip. We have a long drive a head of us, there will be time then." Alec kissed Asha good-bye and headed off to get things ready.
ooOoo
Original Cindy would not be left out of this mission. When Max told her what was going on she grabbed a few clothies and was out the door before Max could stop her. They stopped by Normal's place to find him getting ready for work, they explained what was going on and after a few minutes of protest he told them to go do whatever they needed to so long as they came back to work soon.
With Normal taken care of and everything packed everyone piled into Logan's car and head out. Bling closed up Logan's apartment, locking the computer hard drive away like Logan had showed him, and agreed to stay in Seattle to make sure that Logan didn't show up out of the blue.
The drive to Portland was way too long for the likes of Max, she wanted to be there and find Logan, not in a car with three other people. The story of how the virus bitch went down took a good long time to explain, but once it was over there really was not much to talk about. Everyone was thinking about how they were going to find Logan.
Once in Portland they met up with the members of S1W that had been looking for Logan. They had got a few leads but nothing that was checking out yet. Logan was still missing and no one knew where he was.
The dark figure that took Logan sounded like it could have been one of White cult members. The only problem was that there was no way of proving anything. No one had got a good look at the figure. The only thing that anyone could say about the figure was that it moved fast and was strong enough to pick up Logan like it was a bag of flour.
This was going to be harder than Max thought.
ooOoo
Logan had no idea where he was. The only thing he knew was that he was a live, for now. He could hear a voice off in the distances but could not tell what was being said. Who ever was doing the talking they must be on the phone because he could only have one side of the conversation. He tried to pulled at the ropes that were holding his arms; they were too tight to do anything but hurt him self more. There was something over his head so even if he had his glasses he would not be able to see anything.
"That is what I said; I picked him up outside that warehouse you were telling me about." Logan could understand the words a little better now that they were being yelled.
"What do you want me to do with him? If he is what you think he is they will come looking for him." Who did they think he was? He really wished that he had Max's super hearing right now. With out he would be able to hear the other half of the conversation and he would get is more answers.
"Ok. I agree with that idea. See you in 3 hours. Please hurry!" What idea? What was going to happen if 3 hours? Logan was really worried now, but not for him self but for Max. What if Max was being held here as well? What if is 3 hours they both were going to be killed?
Logan was trying to think of a way out of this situation. But without know what exactly the situation was he was not going to be able to come up with a good plan.
ooOoo
There had been no lead on who took Logan when the Aztec pulled up in front of the make shift head quarters. Members of S1W had been looking all over the city no signs of Logan, who ever had him were good. There was no trace that Logan had even been there in the first place.
Max was starting to think that Logan had been taken by someone from Manticore. The way they covered their tracks leaving no signs reminder her of all her training, get in clean and back out clean no questions ask. Max thought that she had taken down Manticore. It just went to go to show have been more than one Manticore base.
With no sign on Logan the only thing that Max could think to do was to try to get a hold of Jondy. She was the only one of her siblings that was in Portland. The only problem is that she didn't have a phone number for her; the only thing that she knew was that she had been working in bars. It was time to start going around to all the bars in the area, not that Alec and Original Cindy would mind that one. The question was what name was Jondy going by these names?
ooOoo
Logan was still in the dark as to where he was and who was holding him. He still had something over his head so he could not see anything at all. He could tell that someone was in the room with him but could not tell anything about where they were. They had not hit him and even ask him any questions. What do they want from him?
Logan woke up to hear talking. In the background he could barely hear what they were saying. There were two voices now and it sounded like they were waiting for another person or for something.
ooOoo
"What do we know about him so far?" Krit was looking in the room where their captive was sitting.
"I have not even talked to him yet. I pick him up because he was hanging outside of that warehouse that the Reds were rumored to do setting up a base. I hear that there was a new handler that was going to show up this week." Jondy was hoping that she had picked up the right guy.
"Well I guess it is time to get some answers. Are you ready?" Krit looked at his sister. With a nod from Jondy they entered the room side by side.
ooOoo
Max was having no luck finding Jondy anyway. Without knowing the name that she was going by now or even what she looked like, Max just had to hope that she would be able to catch her at work one night. So every night Max, Original Cindy and Alec hit the bars hoping that this would be the night that Jondy would be working.
"You know how much I like hanging out in bars and everything but don't you think we could take one night off?" Alec was tired and just wanted to sleep.
"I can go by myself." Max said as she got ready to head out for another night of looking. She was giving Original Cindy the night off. "You can hang out here, making out with Asha if you want."
Alec could not tell any more if Max was joking or not. She was really pissed that they still had no clue where Logan was. It had been a three days since they had got to Portland, and there still was no sign of him. "I will go with you if you want me too; I am just tired of having to buy people drinks just to get useless information out of them."
"Alec I was just messing with you. Please stay here tonight, be with Asha, I got this." Max said with a smile. "Enjoy each other while you can. Hey thanks for helping so much. I know that I haven't been the easiest person to be around. I just want to find Logan."
Max went from bar to bar hoping to find anyone that even looked like Jondy, around midnight she gave up. She really wished that she was back in Seattle so she could go to the Space Needle to think. She had been trying to find a high place in Portland but had not found one that she liked yet. Every night she ended her evenings search on top of another tall building, trying to find the one that felt right. On this night she ended up on top of the a tower that looked a little like the Space Needle but not exactly.
As she stood there looking down on a city that held a lot of mysteries for her, she kind of felt at home. It was not the Space Needle but it would have to do till she could get back to Seattle with her love in hand. She started thinking about Jondy and wondered if she even came up here, or was it just Max that still felt the pull to the high place.
ooOoo
Logan could hear two sets a foot steps coming up from behind him. He was trying to decide what he should tell them and what he should leave out.
"Who ever you are please don't hurt me. I am not from around here. I am just looking for a friend of mine that went missing a while back." Logan hoped that his comment would not be greeted with a hit across his head. He was in the need of food and drink. He was not sure how long he had been in this chair; he knew that he had fallen asleep a few times.
"What is your connection to the Reds?" One of the voices asked. Logan thought that he had heard it before but could not be sure.
"I have no connection to the Reds. I had a tip that they were setting up shop here in Portland. I came to see if they had taken one of my friends. That is all I know." Logan didn't know what they were thinking but at least they were not part of the Reds. At least that is what he hoped with a question like that.
"If you are not working with the Reds what were you doing at that warehouse?"
"My information told me that it was where the Reds were going to set up shop. I was there setting up surveillance so that I could keep on eye on them. Like I said I think they got a hold of a friend of mine." Taking a deep breath Logan tried to clam himself.
Logan heard the foot steps leaving the room. He really hoped that they were not going to kill him
In the hall Krit and Jondy talk.
"What do you think? Is he telling the truth?" Jondy asked while look back in the room.
"I think if he is not telling the truth we can kill him, but if he is telling the truth maybe he will share his surveillance with us. That way we will be able to stay one step ahead of the Reds. I don't want what happened to Max to happen to you." Krit said as he led the way back into the room.
Logan arms were set free. He slowly pulled him into his lap. They had got numb on him a long time ago. He knew that as the feel started to make it way back into them it was going hurt. He had felt it when he had started getting the feeling back in his legs after being in the wheelchair for so long. Someone pulled the bag off his head slowly. The lights were off so that Logan's eyes would not hurt as much.
Once Logan had sometime to get use to being able to open his eyes and move his arms Krit turned on the lights.
The minute that Krit saw Logan's face he knew that Max was going to be pissed when she found out what they had done.
"Logan is that you?" Krit asked as Jondy handed Logan his glasses.
"Krit?" Logan was confused now. "What are you doing in Portland?"
"Jondy I would like you to meet Logan Cale. Logan this is Jondy, another one of Max's sisters."
"Wait you mean he knows Max?" Now Jondy was the one that was confused.
"Remember when I told you that Max's friend helped us take out the DNA lab? This is the friend that helped."
"Oh, so you are that Logan Cale. I am so sorry. I though that you were the new Reds handler coming to make sure everything was set up for them." Jondy was embarrassed now.
"I will forgive you if you will bring me something to eat and drink. Bathroom would be nice too." Logan sat as he started to get the feeling back in his arms.
"Of course, let me show you where the bathroom is and I will go get some food for you." Jondy helped Logan out of the chair. "Krit do you think that you have anything that Logan could wear? I am sure he would like to get out of his dirty clothies."
"I think I just may have some things here." Krit searched his bag for some clothies that Logan could wear. Logan looked to be about the same size, the only problem could be in across the chest. The time he spent in the wheelchair had given him a killer upper body.
Logan changed in to the clothies that Krit had let him browse, they fit well in every place other that the chest where the shirt looked and felt like a second skin. It would have to do till he was able to get his own things. Jondy had promised to wash his things and getting them back to him as soon as possible.
"You said that one of you friends is missing, maybe we can help?" Jondy said as she set out food for Logan.
"Max is missing." Logan said between bites. "I have not hear from her or seen her in over a month."
"Max is missing. Shit that is not good. You think that the Reds have her?" Krit was starting to think of any reason that the Reds would want Max after what she did to them last time.
"I don't know if they have her or not but I have not hear from her in over a month so I am just trying to look in to any led that I have, hoping that at least one will lead to her." Logan had finished eating and now he needed to move. Max usually does the pacing but he could not sit still anymore.
"Krit what are you doing in Portland?" Logan stop pacing to look at the young man.
"Jondy called me. We hear about what the Reds were and what they did to Max so we have been tracking them. When I heard that they maybe heading for Portland I called Jondy and ask her to watch for them. When she picked you up she called me to ask what to do. I was near by so I headed over. I called Syl and she is on her way." Krit explained.
"Well, we could use all the help that we can get. I have no idea where to even start looking for Max." Logan started pacing again. He really wished that he had his laptop with him.
ooOoo
Max was starting to give up on all hope of finding either Logan or Jondy. It just figures that she finally killed the virus just to loss Logan. She didn't really believe in God, with the whole Manticore creating her who could blame her, but if there was a God it was piss at her for something, she just wish she know what it was.
Alec and Asha were making Max sick, they were all kissy kissy all the time when ever they though no one else was watch. The only good thing was that with Alec in Asha's life Max didn't have to worry about her going after Logan anymore.
As day four started to dawn Max looked down on Portland from her new favorite place hoping with all her being that today would be the day that she would be able to find Logan.