Chapter Seven
The clanking is what woke her up. A kind of steady but sporadic thump and clank from somewhere near by. Slowly opening her eyes Max blinked, yawning. Sitting up and stretching to get the kinks out of her back she yawned again. Looking around she saw Sketchy passed out on the floor snoring and drooling with his head pillowed on his arm. Cindy was stretched out against the wall on an older looking blanket, Normal passed out beside her. Logan was nowhere to be seen.
Standing, Max carefully stepped over the two sleeping men to shake Cindy lightly.
"Mornin' boo," came the sleepy reply.
Smiling Max wiped her eyes as she felt moisture gathering again. "Morning."
"Gotta go, I s'pose," Cindy sat up, yawning as she stretched, which made Max yawn again.
"Yeah. Can't get caught out, and I kinda told everyone not to leave Terminal City, so . . ."
"Chieftan better get back, eh? No problem, boo," Cindy hugged her. "I'd best start rousing these two and get them to Jam Pony. Normal late to work? He ain't ever gonna live this one down."
Max enjoyed the walk to the apartment building for her bike, then the morning ride back to TC. She expected glares and stares when she got back to the command center, but everyone just nodded, patting her on the back or smiling sadly. She noticed several avoided her gaze, like they had snuck out last night.
Coming to a quick decision Max ran up the stairs to the computer area, calling for silence. "Look," she started. "I know this is hard. Alec was a friend, to quite a few of us. Losing a soldier is never easy, even if you never knew the one who fell. I don't mind if you left last night; I left. I went, I found a friend. What I do not want is a revenge spree against the humans.
"Alec is dead; and no amount of blood on the streets is going to change that fact. Blood on the streets will lead to more blood; our blood. The blood of our children, our friends, our enemies. The best way to heap shame upon a foe is to smile in their face as you offer a helping hand. So let us smile; let us extend the hand of friendship, for when one finger points at others, three point back at us. But when we extend the friendship, it's all on them. So let's put it all on them!" she unconsciously raised her clenched fist in the air with her last words, being answered by agreement.
Max nodded approvingly. They'd heard; they'd take it to heart. "Spread the word."
They all scattered, talking excitedly amongst themselves.
Max descended the stairs wearily, walking heavily so that every step echoed.
"Hey Max?" a voice said from behind her.
"Yes?" turning she saw Luke, the trench digger who'd become their dispatcher and monitor-er of all the security cameras. His eyes looked more puffed than usual, and his ears noticeably drooped more, but he still smiled cheerily. "Good speech."
"Thanks," she smiled at him; it was hard not to, with his earnest face and honest manner. "Where's Joshua?"
"I don't know. He was in his room painting last I knew; he might have wandered out to Logan's though."
"Okay, thanks," she called over her shoulder. She should've invited Joshua to Cindy's; leaving him alone all night hadn't been the kindest thing to do.
Reaching Joshua's room she stopped in the door way and gasped. A painting, unfinished, sat on Joshua's easel. And there, smiling at her from the canvas, was Alec; his smirk and shining eyes almost mocking her. But that was how Alec had always appeared. Aloof; set apart. 'I'm always alright'. That was his phrase; the words he said to reassure everyone. She wondered now who they'd been really meant for - those around him, or him.
Leaning against the door jam she stood, resting her head on the door jam as well. After several minutes just staring at the painting she moved into the room, going to Joshua's bed.
It was flat, and completely untouched. "Joshua?"
Turning around she swept the room, looking for him. Oh no; if he got caught outside TC, in the daylight, in the emotional condition he was probably in . . .
She ran out, planning on asking Luke to go through last night's footage of the fences to see if Joshua had really left or if he was just hiding; and if he was hiding, where he was at. She burst into the command center and nearly collided with Logan.
"Whoa, Max!" he jerked back, barely avoiding getting run over.
"Luke?!"
"Yeah Max," he looked over the railing at her.
"You're sure the last time you saw Joshua he was in his room?" she climbed the stairs two at a time, resting against the railing beside the shorter Transgenic.
"Yep, why?" he asked, worried by her question.
"He's not there. His bed hasn't been slept in, and there's a painting of Alec sitting on his easel - unfinished," she stopped slightly breathless.
"Unfinished?" Logan's voice came from behind her.
"That's not like Joshua," Luke frowned slightly, his brow wrinkling in thought.
"I know, can you run the footage from last night to see if he left?" she sounded like a child, even to her own ears.
"Yeah, no problem," Luke quickly went to the computer and booted it up, tapping his nails against the desk as he waited for the screen to come up.
"Thanks," Max laid a hand on Luke's shoulder, standing behind him so she could watch the footage.
Logan stood by the rail, brow furrowed in worry of his own. Max didn't seem okay; she was acting fine, she was acting normal - but maybe that was the problem. She'd just lost her lover; shouldn't she be an emotional wreck or something? Or maybe Logan was wrong - maybe she didn't care that much. Maybe she didn't love Alec; or maybe Transgenics didn't even know what love was, in reality.
Shaking his head to rid it of such uncharitable thoughts he went to stand off to the side, ready to help when they found Joshua. Josh was his friend too.
"Hey, Max?" Dalton called from the door way hesitantly.
Looking over at him Max saw him motion for her to follow him, so she told Luke to keep looking for Joshua and then ran down stairs to see what Dalton needed.
"What's up kiddo?"
"Not anything good - the Lieutenant is here; with White," Dalton spoke quietly, almost to quietly to hear. He didn't want anyone else here knowing White had showed up like the cocky bastard that he was. They'd all break down the fence in order to kill him.
Max nodded, recognizing Dalton's worry - and mirroring it in her own mind. White. Her fingers curled at the very thought of the murderer; but, his blood would cause nothing but all out war, and destroy any hope of peace the Transgenics were holding onto.
"Come on," she spoke just as softly, turning him around to walk out of the building. Looking over her shoulder she saw Logan watching her with a furrowed brow. 'Come on' she mouthed at him.
He nodded. 'Want back up?'
'Find a giant'.
He gave her the okay signal.
The giants were a recent arrival at TC, but loved greatly by all there. They were loyal, strong, very very tall, and their compassion was unlimited. Alec hadn't formed any strong friendships with any of them either.
After arriving at the border of TC Dalton let Max go first.
She braced herself, then stepped through the front 'gate' that had been built to convenience the many meetings between Max and the Lieutenant.
"Good morning 452 . . . Max," Clemente said, self righteous as ever. White stood leaning against the shiny black car they'd arrived in. It looked like someone was sitting in the back seat of the car, but Max didn't pay much mind to it.
"Get out!" she hissed, feeling her blood begin to boil at the sight of White.
"Why?" he mocked her.
"GO AWAY!" she screamed, stepping forward with her fist clenched, glaring at White. He just stood smiling mockingly.
She almost dove for his throat but she felt a hand on her shoulder; light and loving.
"Max! You can't," Logan tried to stop her without actually touching her.
"Sure I can - I can snap his scrawny little White neck right now!" she stepped forward, but stopped when Dalton stepped in between them. "Dalton." He looked terrified, but sure of himself.
"Alec was my friend too, you know," he said quietly.
Clemente stepped forward with his hands on his hips. "What? Who, what's going on-"
"Shut up!" Max snapped, never looking away from Dalton. "But?" she prompted.
"Gem's my friend too - and I know what not having to fear for Ronnie's life means to her. If you kill him, as much as the bastard deserves it, that hope Ronnie has, and the other children, and their children . . . the blood will never stop. And we will never truly be free."
Max knew he was right; she'd just a speech about that, hadn't she? Not taking revenge - not killing those responsible. But White was responsible for soooo much more than just Alec.
Logan could feel the anger in Max, he could see the wrath she was holding back - in the coiled muscles, the quick, deep breathing in preparation for battle. The single minded glare at White. And he knew that if no one did anything, she was going to snap - especially with White standing there smiling at her. Dalton was a quick talker most times, a great strategist, but he would not be able to stop Max - not with how mad she was.
"Excuse me," a deep boom made Logan jump. He'd forgotten about the giant he'd found and asked for help.
Stepping to the side so that the giant could step into the outside Logan smiled at the momentary flicker of White's smile. The Lieutenant just stood speechless and confused.
The giant pushed Max out of his way, pushing Dalton similarly out of his path. Max still didn't relax her pose of ready to kill, but she didn't fight the giant's touch either.
"My names Sampson," the giant, Sampson, spoke, making the humans watching jump at the deepness of his voice. "I will act as referee."
"Miss 452 doesn't need a referee," White taunted.
"Oh yeah!" Max stepped forward threatening him again. Sampson picked her up. Just, as simply as that, like she was a child that was trying to run away. One hand under each arm, gently holding her several inches off the ground. Then he set her back down, where she'd originally stood.
"Okay, I'm confused," Lieutenant Clemente spoke up again. "What's changed?"
"What's changed?" Max asked, cocking her head. If she'd had a tail it would've been being whipped back and forth. "He murders a Transgenic, in cold blood, after ambushing him in OUR city, and you have the guts to ask what's changed?!" her voice grew in volume with each word until she was shouting in his face.
Clemente backed off. "That's what I want to talk about."
"Oh, oh is it!"
"The Transgenic attacked the men-"
"Attacked the men! Alec was walking in circles, he didn't even know they were there until they rammed a rifle butt into his forehead!"
"That's not the story I was told-"
"Who told you?" Max challenged. "HIM!" she pointed accusingly at White. "Because just so you know, he wants us all dead!"
"And why would he want that?" Clemente asked arrogantly, crossing his arms.
Max actually stood speechless for a moment, opening and closing her mouth soundlessly. Sampson reached her just in time to grab her arm as her fist arced towards the Lieutenants face. He tried to pick her up again but she gut kicked Clemente before Sampson pulled her away.
Dalton grabbed Max's thrashing legs as Logan ran to the collapsed Lieutenant.
"Are you okay?" Logan asked, panicking.
"Winded," Clemente said, struggling to breath.
Logan patted his back, staying beside him even though he heard Max screaming incoherent abuse at Clemente and White. Logan couldn't help them.
Dalton finally slapped Max, snapping her head to the side, but she promptly punched him in the ear, sending him reeling.
"Maybe this isn't the best time," White's arrogant mock came above the noise.
Logan clenched his teeth, looking at the agent. He was beginning to think maybe he should deck him, just so that Max could have the satisfaction of watching White get punched, but without giving the people any fuel against Transgenics. Logan was human after all.
DADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADA DA
Joshua sat beside Alec watching the news as he finished up his breakfast that the doctor had prepared before she fell asleep on a cot in the corner. She looked like death warmed over. Alec didn't look any better, and his heart beat was still faint; but it was there.
Joshua nearly dropped the now clean plate when he saw a live news cast of Lieutenant Clemente, Agent White, and Max standing outside Terminal City talking. Max looked mad enough to kill. Joshua jumped out of the chair, dressing haphazardly, then throwing on his coat and hat to run full speed down the stairs, out the door, over the gate and down the road to TC. He could not let Max kill Agent White.
Joshua heard her screaming before he caught sight of the group, with a giant restraining her as Logan bent over the Lieutenant.
Joshua kept walking, pushing people out of his way and getting yelled at because of it. He didn't care.
"Maybe this isn't the best time," White said, arrogantly mocking Max.
Joshua waited until he was behind the car coming around towards White, who hadn't noticed him, before he growled ferociously and snarled, showing his teeth.
Logan jumped in fear when he heard a feral growl and snarl, realizing with horror that Joshua had come back - to find Alec's murderer mocking Max; but, to Logan's surprise Joshua settled for sending White flying in the other direction with that one snarl, sniffing disdainfully when White tripped over Clemente's feet and landed on his face.
"Max, Max," Joshua went to his distraught friend, grabbing her wrists. "Let go."
Sampson refused.
"Sampson, let go," Joshua said louder. "I can hold her. I won't let her touch him."
Hesitating for a second Sampson acquiesced.
Joshua nearly lost his grip when Max viciously kicked his leg, but he caught her around the waist and starting speaking softly in her ear.
Sampson stepped over to where White was standing, trying to regain his dignity, and picked the offender up by his coat.
"Put me down!" White spat, struggling.
Sampson walked over to where the police officers had their perimeter set up, moving rather quickly for his size. And his steps didn't make any sound.
Logan helped the Lieutenant up, watching Sampson intently. What was the giant going to do?
"You want down?" Sampson asked, not quite speaking condescendingly.
"Yes! That why I said I want down! Put me down!" White ranted. "LET GO!"
"Okay," Sampson said simply, opening his hands to let the agent fall like a stone.
There was an impressive splash as White landed in the puddle he'd been suspended over, cursing as he tried to wipe the water out of his eyes.
Sampson shrugged and turned his back, ignoring the agent's yells and shouts and threats. Walking to where Joshua had Max by the waist, still speaking to her, the giant waited patiently.
Max had stopped struggling shortly after Joshua got hold of her and was now nodding mutely as the big fella spoke to her. She nodded emphatically in response to a question and Joshua released her.
She wiped her face, fighting fresh tears as she smiled as the soaked agent glared daggers at her. Then she silently turned and walked into TC, without a word to the Lieutenant or anyone else.
Logan looked inquiringly to Joshua, silently asking what was going on.
Joshua recognized his friends quiet question, but he had something to say to the Lieutenant first. Walking over to the confused man he hesitantly put a hand on his shoulder, ignoring Logan. "You, okay?"
Clemente breathed deeply, feeling a pain in his right side. "I'll live. Now, can someone explain what just happened."
"Max-" Logan started.
"Max is upset, lost a friend. Not ready to deal with people - with her friends murderer. Murderers," Joshua cut Logan off. "Many, many upset by Alec's death."
"I was told 494 had been injured, but rescued."
"Told by whom? Agent, Agent White?" Joshua gestured to the irate agent who was being blocked by his own men; one man in particular who seemed to be trying to convince him to leave.
"Agent White, not what he seems. He, he killed Alec - he's killed many Transgenics, many people. Killed his wife-"
"Okay," Clemente stopped him. "That's enough trash talking. I'm leaving - and Max had better be in control of herself when I come back tonight."
"Give her a week, at least," Logan interjected, furious. Joshua stopped him from going further with a raised hand.
"Logan, please; shush," Joshua lightly pushed Logan back. "Logan's right - one week, for tempers to cool. One week."
"That's ridiculous!"
"I wonder if you'd be better in one week, to talk to your family's murderer?" Joshua challenged him.
"He wasn't her family-"
"Manticore made us, they crafted us, but they did not know us. They didn't understand us. That's why they lost us. They lost our love, our loyalty. If you loved them, they beat you. If you hated them, they beat you. There was no emotion there. No love."
"I really don't have time for this-"
"Isaac," Joshua talked louder, ignoring the Lieutenants efforts to hush him. "Isaac, was my brother. The second; canine in his cocktail too. He loved father; cried when father wasn't there - so the guards, they cut out his tongue. Beat him, mercilessly. I couldn't protect him, couldn't shield him. Couldn't save him."
Clemente looked like he wanted to interrupt, but he held his peace anyway. He might as well listen to the freak's ramblings for a little while.
"I killed him, after we got out - he didn't know we weren't in Manticore anymore. He wouldn't stop, wouldn't, couldn't. So I killed him, to protect you. Ordinaries. No barcodes, no cares - no fear of Manticore. No knowledge of fear, of hate. Hating the very ones whom you loved. You had to love them; or they killed you. Carve out your brain and put themselves in; rip out your soul and put their own doctrine in. Burn it into your brain, sear it in the mind. Duty, Discipline, Mission, Loyalty. You loved, they re-indoctrinated you. You laughed, they put you in solitary. You smiled, they confined your unit - separate but together. One made a mistake, they wiped you all.
"Then we got out. Away from Manticore, from that hatred, that torture. Free to live, to love - to laugh, without fear - to smile, without restraint. But we still aren't free. We still have to live in shadow, live in fear. Hide from hatred. At least at Manticore we knew who to fear; and why they hated us. Now? We dodge friends for fear of fear itself. The greatest evil in the human heart is fear. And we feel fear. We feel hatred, loss, love, happiness - grief.
"'How did you learn of us? Did we strike at you as soon as we could? Do we slip out and kill you in your sleep? Do you find cats missing and dogs cowering? We take food. We take medicine. Water, clothes; a book, for fun. Do we steal your children? No. Do we come into your homes, armed and intent, and chase your friends down, kill them, and then take their bodies away? No. Annie, . . ." Joshua choked for a moment, having been freely crying for some time now. He noticed a camera crew had come up behind the Lieutenant, but he didn't pay any attention beyond recognizing they were there. "Annie, was a friend. Didn't care what I looked like - couldn't see. Very, very dear friend. He," Joshua pointed at White. "He killed her. Snapped her kneck - made it look like I did it. I should've, should've snapped his back when I had the opportunity at Jam Pony. That way Alec wouldn't have died!"
Joshua jumped slightly when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Max, who had come to see what was going on.
Her eyes shone as fresh tears found their way down her face. "Come on Big Fella. Let's go inside, okay?"
Joshua nodded, unable to speak for a moment. "You, you think," he addressed Clemente again. "You think on that. Think of us, think of Manticore. Alec. We let the hostages go; left them alone. Had no intention of hurting them at all. What was White doing, in our city? You say he told you what happened. Why was he in Terminal City? Why was he in our home?"
Max took a shaky breath and turned Joshua away from the Lieutenant, letting Logan guide the grief stricken Transhuman into Terminal City. She stood looking at Clemente for a couple seconds, breathing deeply. "What was White doing in Terminal City?"
The Lieutenant stood speechless for a moment. "I . . . I don't know." He finally said.
He was telling the truth, she could tell. "Maybe you should ask him. Careful though," she added. "Don't let him get you alone; especially after what's happened here."
"What's happened here?"
"You heard the beginning of the truth," Max turned her back and walked away, leaving the Lieutenant stunned and confused.
The truth about what?
