Chapter Five

Max felt numb, sitting on the roof the building she'd selected as a hide out. It was dark out now; the stars were shining brightly, seemingly mocking her and her pain. The news of what had happened to Alec had spread like wildfire through Terminal City, which created a need for her to stop everyone from doing what she herself was dying to do.

Hunt Ames White down and kill him.

Logan had been in shock. Joshua was silent, disappearing shortly after everything was back to a semblance of order, with a standing command from her that no one was to leave Terminal City.

Except that's exactly what she wanted to do. She wanted to just get on her bike and ride; maybe never stop riding. Just leave. Leave, and leave everything behind her. But then she thought of everyone who depended on her.

Joshua; Logan, though she hated to admit and he would stubbornly argue that he didn't. Cindy. Normal. Luke. Mole. Gem, and Dalton, and every Transgenic out there, really. They needed someone who could stand in front of them and guide, teach, talk for them. It was times like this that she hated what she had to do; she couldn't revenge the death of her best guy friend because it would cause a war between two factions of people on the same planet.

Sighing she felt her throat closing up as she thought of Alec. His ridiculous grin, his obnoxious swagger; the way he had a smart alecky comment for practically everything. Her body started shaking as the tears found their way out. Angrily wiping her cheeks she stood abruptly and ran down the stairs, drawing a few looks from the other Transgenics who were taking similar comfort in silence.

Max ran to the shed they kept the bikes in, ripping the cover off of her baby. Jumping on and starting the engine she rode out, jumping the fence and riding through a flaming X that had been set up. She let the bike drive itself, following the curves of the roads, going way to fast for safety. Pulling up in front of the building she wanted she ran up the stairs two at a time, finally stopping and knocking on a dirty white door.

Cindy answered the door with tears running down her cheeks. "Boo?"

Max couldn't fight it anymore. She hit the floor knees first as she just started sobbing. "The last . . . thing I . . . I said, . . . was," she struggled to talk through her tears as Cindy helped her into the apartment, finally sitting her on the worn couch and curling up beside Max, stroking her hair comfortingly. "I don't . . . need help . . . help, espec- . . . especially not from you!" Max broke down sobbing harder than ever, hardly able to breathe.

Cindy hugged her close and rocked her, her own tears falling in Max's hair. "There have been people in my life that I said things too, that were the last thing I ever said to them. And I regret a lot of them," Cindy's voice cracked at the end

"He was my friend!" Max cried. "And the worst thing is, everyone thinks we were together! Especially Logan!"

"Shhhhhh, shhh," Cindy rubbed her back, up and down and in circles.

"I think Logan's glad he's dead!"

"Now, boo. Don't talk like that; just don't talk like that boo," she rocked her harder. "You wanna go someplace?"

"Like where?" Max said softly, spent from her burst of emotion. She was still crying, but the sobs were less frequent. She felt awful, like she should just sob and never stop. Why? why did this have to happen?

"Crash."

Max started shaking her head before the word was finished. "It's too dangerous."

"Boo," Cindy leaned over so she could look into her eyes. "I want a drink. Sketchy's gonna be there, I'd bet money Normal'll show up. Alec meant a lot to quite a few people. And grief ain't good when dealt alone."

"I don't know," Max started sobbing again.

"Come on," Cindy pulled her to her feet. "We're goin'."

Locking the door behind them Cindy and Max walked down stairs arm in arm, still crying softly. They made their way to Crash uneventfully, though there had been a few groups of men that eyed them. One glare from Max sent them scurrying like mice from a cat.

Entering Crash Max immediately smelled alcohol, and body scent. No different than usual. The noise was awful, but it usually was crowded.

"Hey!" A shout at them made Max's head snap up, ready to kill anyone who mocked her and Cindy. She tried a smile when she saw an already drunk Sketchy somberly holding up an arm so they could locate their friends. Making their way over there Max was surprised to see Normal was actually there, along with Logan. Joshua wouldn't have been able to risk it; not with the high blood against Transgenics.

"Hey, you're that Transgenic queen witch, aren't you?" a very loud, and particularly drunk man shouted from right behind her.

"So what!" she spat, spinning around with murder in her eyes.

Somehow that look of utter chaos cut through the fog covering his rational sense. "Uhh, hi?"

Punching him lightly she snorted, turning her back as he went flying. Nothing would break, unless you counted the table he was going to land on. "This is too public. Let's go the balcony table." Everyone at the table wordlessly got up and followed her as she ran up the stairs and took the dusty table cloth off the round table up there.

This 'balcony' area wasn't used much, as evidenced by the inch of dust on the table cloth, mostly because new comers didn't know and old comers didn't care. Turning to watch the others ascend the stairs she was taken by surprise by a bear hug from Sketchy.

"He was my brother," he said surprisingly distinctly, considering the smell of beer on him. "Always will be."

Max hugged him back, trying not to start crying again. "Know the feeling."

Stepping back Sketchy punched her shoulder lightly; actually lightly, not the 'lightly' of a Transgenic. He took a seat.

Logan passed her without a word, being extra careful not to touch her or come near to touching her.

Cindy hugged her, then sat next to Sketchy and helped him poor another beer.

"Tap's open!" the bartender shouted up. The tap he was referring to was a faucet over a basin in the wall that was tied to a reservoir of beer in the basement. "Just checked the beer, it's still good."

Cindy waved a silent thanks, getting up and filling the pitcher.

Meanwhile Normal was standing at the top of the stairs, empty tankard in hand, at a loss for words. Max took a shaky breath and stepped forward to hug him tightly.

Normal jumped, shocked. He'd thought he'd have to leave when she showed up.

Patting his back she stepped back, taking his glass. Walking over the the table she filled it, setting it in front of a chair and quite deliberately taking the chair next to that.

Normal hurriedly sat down and took a sip, trying to smile at Max.

Max nodded, taking a sip of her beer.

They sat in silence for what seemed like hours.

Sketchy sat completely sacked out in his chair, seemingly at a loss for words as he toyed with the handle of his tankard. Finally he said, "How do you toast a guy like that?"

After a few seconds Normal raised his glass and said, "Exactly like that," taking a deep draught.

"Remember, what you told me about how you first met him?" Cindy asked tentatively. She knew Max was having a hard time with this, especially with Logan sitting silent as stone as a constant reminder of the lie Max had told about Alec.

Max kind of laughed, choking on tears at the end. "He just waltzed right in, nearly got me caught working on the stones under my bunk. He was kind of offended when I kicked him."

Sketchy laughed. "You know, I always guessed there was something about him; something . . ."

"Off?" Max offered.

"Special." Sketchy corrected.

"You'd have more than 'guessed' if you ever saw him fight," Normal joined in. "Man, he was like a . . . like a cat, you know? Every move calculated, every motion smooth. He could deck anything; anyone that he was up against, didn't last more than, seventy seconds."

"I did." Max said softly. She knew Normal didn't remember, but she thought it would be fair to share this story with them. With Alec's friends. One last laugh on Alec. The thought of how he'd be whining and rolling his eyes right now made her smile for real.

"When?" Normal looked at her expectantly, puzzled. He'd never seen Max fight, and he'd been at every fight Alec was in. Well, in the ring at least.

"You'd hired Mia, remember her?"

"Mia, Mia, Mia . . . Ohhhh, Mia! yeah, I remember her. Dispatcher wasn't she? What ever happened to her, she was a good worker," Normal poured himself another beer and topped Max's glass off.

"She had been part of Psy-ops division in Manticore - telecoercion was her specialty. She could make anyone do anything, tell her anything that she wanted. But she had found this one man who was completely immune to her abilities . . .