DISCLAIMER: Characters and situations borrowed from Dark Angel and NCIS. No profits made.

Please see chapter 1 for story and character information.

A/N: Wow, thanks to all of you who left comments for this last chapter or set new alerts for this story; it was so good to see them coming in! I know it's shameful, but seeing an enthusiastic reaction makes me want to run right back and get more of this posted! As always, thank you to everyone for reading, and please keep all comments coming – they really are very much appreciated.

Designation? What Designation?

XXIV.

DiNozzo blinked away the moisture in his eyes that surprised him as much as Max had. As his arms circled the slender form, he could feel her breathing catch, too, and sensed her relief to see him.

But almost as quickly as she'd launched into his arms, Max pulled back a little to look at his face as she pressed, "Tony – what are you doing here? Who's upstairs?" Looking into the familiar green eyes, she had to ask, glancing back behind the agent hopefully, "is... Logan...?"

"They're FBI, Max," Tony assured her, "they're shutting down the place; pulling the plug on Manticore." At the growing disbelief DiNozzo saw in Max's eyes, he continued, "finally, word of all this got to the right people. We'll get you back home, and I think, finally ... you can stop running." He watched as the idea began to sink in for her, and then added, "and – no, Logan's at home." At the mention of his cousin's name, the dark eyes shifted again to seek his, looking for information about the man she loved. With an apologetic shrug, Tony admitted, "I lied to him about all this – or, I've told him everything, but only up until about twenty four hours behind where things really are. He thinks we're here and a couple other places tonight, just running surveillance." He shrugged again, not really all that guiltily. "It was the only way I could think to keep him away from being in the middle of things." He saw the glow in her eyes as she processed it all, the confirmation that Logan was alright, that he would have wanted to be here with them, to rescue her, and added, with a rueful chuckle of pride, "if I hadn't managed to convince him they were on it and going in, he would have been here, too, probably only about a day or two behind us. Just a home computer and some brain cells, and Logan was only about forty eight hours behind everything the FBI could manage to figure out, even with the help of a few files lifted clandestinely at NCIS over the years."

An uncertain smile began to cross Max's features, as if what had happened over the past weeks made her slow to believe that the news could really all be so good. Even in the circumstances, even with his assurances, Max had to ask. "But ... he's okay?"

Tony looked at the concern and yearning still filling her features, and felt himself smile softly, knowing that in another hour or so, there would be no one happier on the planet than his cousin. "He's okay. He misses you, more than was good for him, but he'll be way better than okay when he sees you."

She nodded, her eyes glittering with a sudden, new misting of tears as she started finally trusting what it all meant, that she might not be a captive of Manticore much longer – and that she might see Logan again before another lights out went by. With her smile widening as she let the thought warm her, she suddenly wondered aloud, "Tony ... how did you get involved with the FBI here, for all this?"

The DiNozzo ease was back. "Old friends," he grinned. With that as a reminder that Max hadn't been alone, and that her companion seemed to be someone capable of taking out several of the invading FBI agents without much effort, Tony gave himself a mental head-smack for dropping his guard, even in the circumstances. He started to glance back around behind him. "Hey, speaking of ... who's your friend? He ought to be playing linebacker for the Redskins, and not ... "

He heard a shifting at his elbow, and suddenly had the sense that the 'wall' behind him backed off a step or two.

"Oh, that's Joshua..." Max shifted too, to bring Tony's attention back on her, and lifted a hand to his arm to assist in her deflection. "He's ... uh ..." For the first time since he'd arrived, Max hesitated, as if hiding something. Tony looked a little closer and she smiled, with an awkward shrug, "well, he's on our side. He's been a big help in the past couple days, since I met him."

Tony weighed the quick retreat of his captor with what he saw now in Max. When she said nothing more, DiNozzo tried, "okay, that's great. Does he work here?"

Max seemed to find some humor in that, as she raised an eyebrow to hedge, "not exactly..."

"Well, whatever, we can be sure the FBI knows that he's one of the good guys..."

Max still seemed unconvinced, and glanced behind Tony, presumably at her new companion. She then appeared to make up her mind, and looked back to DiNozzo with a wry smile. "Okay..." she grinned widely now. "Tony – meet Joshua. Joshua ... this is Tony. He's a good friend..."

Tony watched Max as she spoke and saw, as she finished, that she nodded behind him, her eyes inviting him to turn around. Uncertain what her demeanor implied but trusting that Max wasn't setting him up, he drew a breath. Lifting his hand, ready to offer a hearty handshake and a tired old cliche, DiNozzo turned as he started to say, "any friend of Max is a friend of mine..."

XXV.

It was still dark outside as Logan filled his mug with freshly brewed coffee and headed back to the computer. A headache was working at him, thanks to his not sleeping well that night, but with the extra sleep he'd gotten since Tony's arrival and mental balm of having his "big cuz"'s assistance in the hunt, he actually felt a bit better than he had in weeks.

...better than you have since Max has been ... gone... he admitted to himself, as he pulled at the steaming brew and waited for the computer array to wake up, feeling a bit of guilt that he hadn't thought to set the timer to start a pot of coffee for Tony, so he'd have some before he left. Images of what his cousin might be finding on their surveillance kept circling in his thoughts, and he was glad that Tony had managed to get with the team that would be going out to look around at the old Veteran's Hospital. It makes so much sense that that's the place, for so many reasons, he thought yet again as he called up the most recent satellite images of the facility, still too dark to make out anything but the rough shapes of the buildings and tree cover. He trusted Tony to determine if it was indeed the place that had become the fallback facility for Manticore – he had no choice but to trust him – but as soon as they confirmed which facility was Manticore, and their raid planned – no way would he stay home, not even for his cousin...

XXVI.

As Tony's words faded in the air he could see only the form of a large man, a few feet away from him, in shadows like the ones that had hidden Max before. "Hey, I won't bite," DiNozzo added with his patented smart ass grin, hoping to break the ice.

A muffled sounding voice spoke up, taking on a note of sudden hope."Joshua won't bite, either," And with that, the man shuffled forward a step or two, large brown eyes looking hopeful as well, sticking out a large hand to shake. "A friend of Max..." he added.

...and, unbidden, Tony flashed back to Abby's lab, many years before, where she demonstrated to anyone who would stop to watch the talents of a large German Shepherd that would shake hands on command...

Tony suddenly felt himself gaping at the man and snapped his jaw shut, still unable to tear his eyes from the large, flattened nose and the cleft upper lip, divided into two dewlaps of unquestionably canine origin. Somewhere, Tony registered the sharp, pointed teeth – his canines, of course, the agent groaned inwardly – as, for some reason, he simultaneously noted the man's awkward pronunciation that made Max's name sound more like "Macks" than anything...

"Hiya..." DiNozzo managed, weakly, wondering if he was looking anywhere close to pleasantly sociable, as he hoped.

"Hiya," Joshua echoed, beaming. Apparently it was sociable enough for "Mack's" new friend. "Tony," he added, proudly. "Any friend of Mack's is a friend of mine, too."

"That's good," he heard himself saying as he nodded, stupidly. Max was grinning widely now, and Tony decided he hadn't insulted either of them too badly. "Well, now that we've all been introduced ... Max," he turned to her, noticing again her pallor and thinness, and was able to remember why he was there. "Isn't it about time we get you home?"

Tony was certain of the yearning he saw in her, but she shook her head. "Not yet, Tony – not 'til I see what's happening up there. Did they find the Director? I don't think she's usually here this late."

"Director gone," Joshua said, with certainty. "Home." He looked meaningfully at Max, and suddenly, even Tony could see it: Max had a home, the Director had a home. What did Joshua have, outside Manticore?

"Max – look," Tony managed to get his thoughts back to the op, and tried, "you've been their prisoner all this time. They nearly killed you, from what Logan said." His look was concerned, supportive. "No one would think less of you if you left now."

"I would," she whispered.

Tony looked at the pale face, her expressive eyes large and sober, and wondered once again what it must have been like for her, both when she was a child, and these past weeks. He couldn't help but believe that the sooner he got her back to Logan, the better for them both. Determined, he tried reasoning with her. "Max, it's nearly over with, anyhow. The teams have the guards covered, all the X-series are locked in their..." He paused suddenly, at a new concern. "Max, how did you get out? Weren't you locked in like the rest? Did others get out, too?" He frowned. "I should let them know upstairs if there are others; we wouldn't want anything to happen just because of some confusion..."

"No, everyone was locked in. I was locked in, too – but I'd been working on an escape route outa here for a while, so had gotten out again and was downstairs, trying to find a way out of the building. That's where I met Joshua – he's off the grid – they don't even know he's here."

"Off the grid," Joshua nodded, with approval.

"From what I can tell I'm the only one who wanted out of this place. Joshua and I are the only ones not locked up, as far as I know. Joshua?"

He nodded again, now in agreement. "Everyone in cells, except Macks and Joshua. Guards all quiet." He paused. "Tony's soldiers not so quiet, but are the only ones out now."

Tony lifted an eyebrow and smirked at Joshua's critique of the elite FBI teams, then looked back to Max. "We have well-trained teams from the FBI up there, Max –noisy, but effective," he added for Joshua's benefit, rolling his eyes his way briefly, "... Marines, even. You must have been put through hell and back, these last weeks. We can take over now... "

"No, I've got to help with this," Max insisted, her voice carrying the strength of purpose DiNozzo knew he couldn't dissuade. "If the Director gets away and I didn't do what I could to stop her, it would be all on me. No matter what they do upstairs, Tony, it won't be over as long as she's out there. She showed me that she has all the files, all the years of research, everything, all of Manticore on a couple little discs. She's as ready to torch this whole place as to save it; we're only the products of the research she can easily just carry out in her purse. She'd set everything up again somewhere in a heartbeat – and knows she can get rich doing it." Max wound down and was quiet for only another moment before she shrugged, "even if I was only on the receiving end of all this, I'm a part of it. I need to do this."

DiNozzo nodded. "Okay," he conceded, realizing her assistance could be invaluable, given her brief but intimate familiarity with the workings of Manticore and its current Director. "You want to help us be sure to get the Director wrapped up too; okay, let's do it. We got in before anyone could sound an alarm. I'm hoping that wherever she is, she won't have a clue what's going on here, and the sooner we find her the more likely that is. So..." he looked at the pair of mis-matched transgenics. "Where do we find her?"

"What time is it – 4:30? This time of morning, I don't know; I don't know where she lives." Max looked to Joshua, who shrugged, and she turned back to Tony. But suddenly her expression lightened, and an ironic smile began to grow. "But I know someone I suspect knows just about everything there is to know about Manticore..."

XXVII.

Alec had forced himself to lay unmoving on his cot, despite the sobs and shrieks of the "'nomlies" – he still thought of them by that name, given that none of his instructors or COs had ever bothered to offer him an alternative – as they bewailed their confusion and fear. He wasn't sure if they were any more disturbing than the calls and pleading of his own squad mates, each one of them frustrated and angry at being locked down and out of the loop. At least the poor 'nomlie bastards are squawking because they don't understand what's going on, or can't be any more articulate, he snorted to himself. But when we get out of here the others are going to have a lot of explaining to do for their lack of discipline...

At the thought, he brightened momentarily. Maybe it's all just another test of some sort. He grinned to himself at that. If so, compared to the others, he was passing with spectacular aplomb and ease. Maybe it would rate him another choice assignment or two...

But at the very first sound of Max and her dog-buddy back in the hall, he was on his feet and at the small window in his door in an instant...

"Max, it's about time!" he urged. "C'mon and tell your old breeding partner what's going on out there."

At Alec's unfortunate choice of words, Max cringed and looked to Tony, who was trying very hard not to look at her for an explanation. She rolled her eyes and promised him, "that's the only reason he's still alive – he was sent in to ... to follow the Director's orders for repopulating Manticore with the next generation of X-5s. When I told him I'd rather swallow glass, he got the hint and just hung out until it was time for the tomcats to be put back in their cages for the night."

Tony glanced at the good-looking X-5 behind the barred window, unsure of the proper way to express his appreciation for his not banging the gong with his cousin's soul mate. Conveniently, the X-5 spoke first, as the men's eyes met.

"Hey ..." Alec said warily, looking at the trio, then back to the other X-5. "What, Max, you bring some friends in from the old neighborhood?"

"Shut up, Alec, we need your help." Max dropped her voice so low that Tony, even as he stood right by her side, could barely hear, catching only occasional words, like "Director" and "detail."

The cockiness faded from the 'breeding partner''s face, and a more sober, calculating expression appeared. His words were also hard to hear, but Tony got the gist of it: he'd figured out something was going down, and that they did not want the Director to slip out of the net being cast over Manticore. Since he had information they needed, he was willing to trade that information for his freedom...

But Max was shaking her head. "I don't trust you that much, Alec – I don't know what arrangement you have with her, but I've been around long enough to know you're one of the favorites – you've been out on assignment more than most, up until the recent crack down you were coming and going as you pleased." Max sighed, and turned to Tony, "if Lydecker's still up there, maybe he knows where..."

"She has a house on the grounds," Alec interrupted, his words now clipped, terse. "A half mile northwest, behind the facility – a house that used to be used as the hospital superintendent's home. She may have one security detail posted at the entry gate near the front of the residence, but there hasn't been much chatter lately other than her fixation with Eyes Only... no reason for her to have upped her detail."

Max wavered, looking at the grim determination that had replaced the cocky attitude she'd always seen before in the hazel eyes. In grudging but sincere appreciation of his information, somehow knowing he was being as truthful as he knew how, she finally offered, "thanks."

"For the record, Max," Alec added, a trace of bitterness in his voice now. "You see what sort of 'favorite' I am around here – locked in a cage when I'm not sent out on a mission for them, just another of their happier experiments. If your friends can shut down their little workshop here ..." Alec paused, as if suddenly aware of all he was saying, before he just shook his head and said simply, "well then, I'm all for it. And you know you've got to get the Director contained or it'll all start up again..."

"I know." She considered him again, and nodded, "thanks."

"Yeah, well, when you and your home boys sit down to decide what to do with your prisoners... just keep it in mind."

Tony was turning to go, ready to find Gitry and snag a few of the FBI agents to head out to find this Director who both Max and this Alec said needed to be found, but Max's expression stopped him. She was still standing motionless before the cell door, looking silently in at Alec, her look now one of hurt, of torn emotions. "You aren't prisoners," she tried, he thought clearly painful for her. "It's the FBI. They're not Manticore..."

"You sure about that, 'Max?'" Alec challenged. "Of course, you're out there, and we're in here. From where I sit, feels about the same as the last bunch of captors."

"We're not..." she whispered. Suddenly aware again of Tony at her side, she focused on the mission remaining and glanced guiltily up at him before briefly turning back to Alec. "You'll see." Without waiting for Alec to argue again, Max turned toward Joshua and asked, "Do you know where the house is, Joshua? The one Alec said is a half mile from here?"

The shaggy head nodded. "Not know that Director live in old house, but Joshua see house sometimes, when looking around outside."

"You know where the guard is posted?"

Joshua nodded again. "Guard always stay at house gate – looks like security system monitor there for house."

Max smiled again, softly. "Works for me. Tony," she looked up to the agent. "I wanna do this."

He made one last try at dissuading her. "The teams upstairs don't usually hand off a part of their ops, Max..."

She shrugged, and asked, "you gonna tell them?" She nodded then, as if considering it, and murmured, looking away from him, "sure, you go get started on that, and while the Feds are figuring out their take-down strategy, I'll go pay the Director a visit and hold her there for you."

"Macks and Joshua visit." As both Tony and Max looked to the long-haired transgenic, they saw him smile, his sharp canines glinting slightly in the sparse light. "Joshua want to visit for a long time."

Max grinned, but a new, determined look took over her features. "Tony, looks like you an either come along or get out of the way. I have a score to settle with the Director... and I want to be sure she's not going to get away." Even more than the torture she'd suffered at the hands of the twisted woman, Max remembered the Director's rants about Eyes Only, and felt the same chill she'd felt before, imagining what she might do to Logan if she were ever to find him. "She's made some threats about a friend of mine ... I need to see she doesn't get a chance to make good on them."

Tony knew he was beaten, and sighed, "okay. But you have to wonder why Lydecker didn't go after the Director himself already, if he hasn't yet. He's got to know what she has on Manticore, and where to find her..."

Max realized he was right. "Maybe he figures they put a lid on things effectively enough she hasn't been warned. You have the property perimeter being watched?"

DiNozzo nodded. "Front and back – and Lydecker was in on the plan..."

"So Don knows he has her boxed in; not so much rush." She turned quickly to the other transgenic. "Joshua, can you tell if he's still here?"

Joshua lifted his nose to the air, sniffed twice, delicately, then curled his lip. "Lydecker upstairs. Still in the middle of many others."

Tony blinked at the exchange, rattled by the reminder of just how canine Max's new buddy really was, and blurted, without thinking, "pretty handy nose you have, Joshua."

"Dog DNA," Joshua explained patiently, as if Tony wouldn't have noticed. "Macks is cat. Cat nose not as good as dog."

Tony noticed that Max suppressed a grin — she was clearly growing fonder by the moment of the unusual man – but she agreed, "and if Joshua's nose put Lydecker upstairs, that's my cue to get to the Director now, while he's still up there."

"No way are you going without me," Tony gestured back down the hall, and the three began moving toward the stairs at the end of the corridor. "Logan would have my ass..."

Max grinned again at the thought of seeing Tony's "li'l cuz" again soon. "This way – we can have you get the Director's, instead..."

To be continued...