Max let the dress fall like water over her body as she prepared for Casino Night. The washroom in their hotel room was small, but their agreement was that Max would get ready in the bathroom and Alec would get ready outside the bathroom.

Despite the fact that they were 'Man and Wife,' or the fact that Manticore treated them all the same and until the heats began, had bunked them all together, and could have given less of a crap who had seen what, they were living in the outside world now, with new knowledge of how human beings interacted, and how men and women could potentially interact, and they just weren't ready to deal with that. At least Max wasn't. She had only ever 'been like that' with ordinaries (and as Alec hoped she would never find out, so had he).

Max tugged at her dress a little.

"You almost ready?" Alec asked, his voice slightly muffled by the door.

"Yeah, just a few more minutes," she said, adjusting the empire waist of the dress for the best support. She looked at herself in the small mirror.

She was wearing a black, plunging v-neck dress with a cinched empire waist and a flowing asymmetrical hem. It was both beautiful and practical; she knew the moment she tried it on she'd be able to run in it, if necessary.

She had left her hair completely straight and pinned back a bit at the sides. As she opened her light purple eyeliner, Alec said, "Biggs is already over there whenever we're ready."

"Oh, okay," she responded, lining the lower lid of her left eye.

Only half-made up, she stared into her own eyes, realizing the gravity of the situation.

I can't believe this. I'm getting dolled up for a formal event in a swanky hotel on a mission to save children from mobsters, and I get to wear this gorgeous dress and go with a gorgeous guy, and –

Max stopped herself. Gorgeous guy? She noticed her reflection seemed to be smiling. Well, it's not exactly a secret that Manticore makes 'em pretty, she thought, recalling Original Cindy's words from so long ago.

But they didn't exactly make 'em to develop a conscience, she countered, lining the rest of her eye with the soft purple.

Yet that seemed to be what Alec had been doing. He never cared about the peril of others (unless it affected him) until he met Max. Since then, he had failed to kill her and her friends, gone on several missions for Eyes Only, and become friends with many of Max's friends. He was even well-respected in the transgenic community for his leadership and strength.

What am I doing? Listing his qualities?

Max finally began to line her other eye. "Hey Alec?" she asked, after some silence.

"Yeah."

"I just wanted to say that I, um," she paused. Why did this seem like such a difficult thing to say? "I think you're doing the right thing."

Though she couldn't see him, Alec was giving her a gentle smile, not a few feet outside the door.

"At first I wasn't sure, but I'm really glad you trust me to help you."

Alec stared at the door at the very height he assumed she'd be if there wasn't a door separating them, surprised. "Max, there isn't anyone else I trust more."

Now Max was surprised. She had considered herself a trustworthy person, but she hadn't realized that she would value his opinion of her as much as she seemed to be. She wanted to say something – anything – but no words made it out.

A small silence settled between them. Max assumed he had walked away.

Stupid, she thought. She reached for her mascara and lip gloss. I could have said something. Now he probably thinks his opinion means nothing to me.

She finished her makeup and gave herself one last look before opening the door – to an empty hall and barren wall. Alec had put her shoes outside the door. Her feet slid into the shoes and she picked up her clutch, opening it and fumbling around inside it for something.

"Max! Ready?" Alec shouted before turning the corner. He had been moving so fast he nearly ran into her. He had to jerk his body backwards to offset his momentum, and that's when he finally caught sight of her – of all of her.

His line of sight started at her collarbone – which was perfectly defined. He followed it down the plunge of her dress, realized he was staring, and looked up to her face, which held a slight blush and a smile.

"Hey, watch where I'm going!" she said playfully, shoving him lightly with her left hand – the hand with the ring on her finger.

Max stared at him for a moment, too. Alec's tuxedo fit him perfectly, and it seemed such a departure from what he normally wore, but he was clean and all the lines of the suit made him seem like a model. It drew attention to his face – and his face seemed to be staring at her again. Or still. She wasn't sure which.

Just looking at her heated him. He couldn't find a single word to say.

"What?" Max asked. "Do I have something on my face or in my hair or something?" Max felt her hair for anything at which he might have been staring.

Alec cleared his throat as if he was about to say something and wanted it to be very clear. He took a moment to swallow. He reached out to touch her hair, letting it slide through his fingers like soft liquid. It was so smooth, just as he had expected.

Max turned her face in toward his palm and rubbed her cheekbone against it, eyes closed as if she was savoring his touch.

"You look beautiful," Alec pushed out in a whisper.

Maybe it was just the whole situation and the adrenaline, but Alec had never wanted to kiss her so badly than he did right at that moment. He stepped closer to her; they were nearly touching.

Max's heart beat a little faster with each passing second. She even closed her eyes and tilted her head in preparation, wondering what the hell she was doing, but banishing the thought as soon as it occurred. She could feel his breath at her lips, but before he had a chance to close the remaining distance, a knock came at the door, startling them.

They separated quickly, embarrassed.

Alec cleared his throat again. "I'll get it," he said, breezing by her and leaving her in the wake of his amazing scent.

"Okay, I'll just stay here," she said, staring straight at the double tub. My legs won't move anyway. And is he wearing cologne, or is that just his scent?

She tried to take a moment to collect herself. What just happened? Or didn't happen? He was about to kiss me, right? And I was about to let him? And I wanted him to? What am I doing? He doesn't even like me. Just these stupid clothes making us feel like we're something we're not.

Max looked down to her ring with some sadness in her face. She dug back into her clutch and pulled out a white gold ring. She had picked it up while dress shopping, because if she had to wear one, so did he.

Max, having thoroughly talked herself down from the amazingly vulnerable event that didn't just happen, turned on her heels and walked toward the front door. "Who was at the door?" she asked calmly, seeing Alec leaning against the wall.

"Bell hop. I just sent our luggage down. Everything will be ready when we gotta run."

"Good. You about ready, Mr. Crawford?"

Alec wondered if it was just him or if Max seemed a little cold. "Might take one last look at the double bubble bath we'll never have," he said, staring toward the bathtub blissfully.

Max seemed to have already brushed the (now) non-topic away. She was trying to get in mission mode.

"No?" He tried to brush off her nonchalance. "Alright, yeah, I'm ready. You?"

Max flipped the ring toward him. He caught it at the same time he realized what it was. "Put this on," she ordered, opening the door.

"Yes, ma'am," Alec said.


The elegantly-dressed transgenic twosome seemed to slide effortlessly through Il Giardino's main dining area and toward the back VIP room Biggs had reserved for their private party. Max had looped her arm through Alec's as they passed the other patrons on their way back, garnering their stares and whispers. Max had refused to look at any of them.

"I feel like we're under a microscope," she said, speaking softly.

"That's because they're all staring at you," Alec said, watching for her response. When she looked to him, he said, "I know I am. You're gorgeous."

She wasn't sure what to say. He'd just complimented her for the second time in under an hour, both times seemingly genuine. She waited to hear if this time was in jest, but he only smiled. Max grinned and looked ahead. Maybe he was just playing a role.

When they reached the VIP room, they were astounded by its beauty. The ceiling was riddled with various skylights, which patrons could peek up through to the heavens (when it wasn't snowing). Ivy clung to the walls and vined its way about the ceiling, which made the tiny white lights look like small flowers or ivory stars.

They found their table and Max slipped off her jacket, noticing the cozy two-way fireplace giving off a comforting wave of warmth.

No sooner had Alec hung their coats than Biggs walked in, smiling and seemingly very comfortable. "You two clean up nice," he greeted, shaking Alec's hand. He noticed the ring but expertly kept himself from showing that he had noticed. "Please, have a seat."

The three sat themselves and Max pulled her napkin onto her lap.

"So what's the plan, Biggsy?" Alec rubbed his hands together.

Biggs sat taller. He wasn't sure what he had expected to happen, but at least he had expected Alec to take point; he was the CO, after all. It made sense, though. This was Biggs' mission and Alec and Max were just here to help make it happen.

"Right to business, then. Okay. Here's the deal." Biggs checked the doorway for waiters and staff as he spoke. "Trip will take the 'winnings' up to the twelfth floor presidential suite every hour on the hour. He will be escorted by an armed guard."

Easy, thought Max. She took a sip of water.

"And that's where you two come in." He looked to Max for a moment before continuing. "You two will arrive at about 9:30. You'll gamble your money away – don't worry, I have money for you – until about midnight." Biggs looked back to Alec. "Then you'll intercept them in the elevator, incapacitate the guard, and Trip will take you to the other kids. As long as you can get them all down the east wing fire escape, we'll be golden."

"You got the bus?" Max asked.

"Yep."

"And we'll jump in our car and meet back up with you outside the state?" Alec asked.

Biggs nodded. "That's the plan."

"How will we know you're in position?" Alec continued.

"And what if we can't get them all?" Max added.

Biggs leaned in to Max. "Trip will make sure they're all accounted for," he said, and turning to Alec, continued, "and I'll be on comms, so you'll know because you'll hear me say it."

Biggs fished in his pocket and removed two ear buds, passing one each to Max and Alec. Alec inconspicuously put the bud in his pocket as Max slipped hers into her clutch.

"Sounds like a simple plan," Alec said. "Do you have a plan B just in case?"

"Yeah, if anything goes wrong, we'll reassess and abort if necessary."

"Max is really good at thinking on her feet, so if you need any help, let us know."

What was that? Alec just complimented me on my mission improvisation?

She must have been making a shocked face, because Alec looked right at her. "What? You are!"

"Okay, well, that's the plan," Biggs said. "You got about an hour to kill, so let's eat."


Before entering the Investor's Casino Night, Max and Alec put the tiny, flesh-colored ear buds in their ears while reviewing the mission around the corner from the back entrance.

"So how do you want to do this?" he asked.

Max stared into the distance as she adjusted her hair to partially cover her ears. "Well, maybe break me off a piece of that brick in your pocket and we'll split up inside. It's gonna be a challenge to purposely lose."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Alec said, taking the stack of hundred dollar bills from his pocket. He flipped through about half and handed it to Max. "When I was on solos, I made a little extra dough at the casinos."

"And at the ring," Max said, referring to his time as the famous Monty Cora. She tried to fold the bills but it was too thick. She halved what was in her hand, handed him back one of the stacks, and folded the other one. She slid it into her dress at the bust.

Alec was, of course, mesmerized. "Why do women do that?" he asked with half a grin.

"Partly so guys'll look and partly to make sure we don't lose it," she answered.

So she just did that so I would intentionally look? he asked himself. Maybe she doesn't hate my guts. Or maybe Biggs and I are both right: she hates my guts and women love to make men squirm. He chuckled to himself and checked his ensemble.

"Biggsy, you read me?"

"Loud and clear," came Biggs' voice through their comms. "I don't hear Max. Shout out for me."

"That's what Lola said!" Alec interjected.

Ugh, stupid boys, Max thought, trying to suppress her smile. "Testing, 1, 2, 3," she offered.

"Roger. You're both clear. Let's get this show on the road."

"Okay, I think we're ready. Let's go." Alec offered Max his arm, which she took, and they turned the corner to head toward the back entrance to the hotel.

As they approached the door, they saw a very well-groomed man at a podium who seemed to be a bouncer or an usher. He had just let one couple in as Alec and Max made their way to him.

"Invitation?" he asked plainly.

"Crawford," Alec added.

The man checked his list and nodded for them to enter.

Crossing the threshold, Max and Alec strode confidently into the main lobby area, which had been almost completely transformed into a casino floor. Max slid her hand down Alec's arm and laced her fingers through his. It had felt so natural to him that he almost didn't notice.

"I think I'm gonna hit up craps," she announced. "Where you goin'?"

He knew exactly where he was going. "Hold 'Em."

"Let me know if I can help with anything," Biggs voiced. "I'm hacked into their video surveillance, so I can see most of what you see."

Max walked toward the craps table and stood near the middle of it. She seemed disarmingly coy and began placing bets.

Alec traded in a good portion of the cash for chips and joined a Hold 'Em table. It would be a good waste of time, he had decided.

Within the first hand, he had already discovered the other players' tells. On his solos, he used his knowledge of poker and other players' tells to help him win the cash. Now he would use those things to help him lose – and it'd have to be convincing. His strategy would be to win in small increments and lose in a big hand. He had this.


It was a little over two hours when Max finally lost the rest of the money. She looked around for Alec, but he was nowhere in sight, which kind of worried her because it was nearly mission time and they'd have to get to their location soon.

"Alec, you read me?" she said with some hesitancy. It felt weird to be using walkie-talkie jargon.

"He's over in that sea of Hold 'Em tables," Biggs said. "Just to your right."

"Thanks."

Max maneuvered around the crowds of people, grouped almost in swells at their respective tournaments. She finally found him at the high stakes table, sitting between the Texan with the busty wife and twin brothers who immediately spied Max and blushed.

From her ocular ability to zoom in, she could see a couple of the players' hands, and by her calculations, she could tell Alec would have pocket Kings, probably the spade and heart. There was absolutely zero way for him not to know he would win this hand considering the three upturned cards in the middle of the table.

She watched Alec's face. He used his knuckle to quickly scratch his nose.

So you made a 'tell', Max thought, smiling. Smart.

The dealer then dealt the Turn. Two of the players shifted uncomfortably in their seats, and Max knew they would fold once the betting and raising began. Amateurs.

Alec made no gestures, but once the two shifty players folded, she could tell he was recalculating. He checked his cards and did something she'd never seen him do: he ran a hand through his hair. His obvious tell, she realized. The pro player would know this meant Alec's hand could win but that Alec didn't have the confidence to raise on a bet he might not be able to win. Max knew, however, that he was trying to drive up the stakes and then fold at the last second.

The player across from the dealer raised, and Alec took a calculated breath. It was almost like watching art – figuring out his strategy to lose. Max was surprisingly impressed that it was all working. Of course it's working, this is Alec.

As she stepped closer to the table, she could hear the twins arguing over which one of them 'the girl in the dress' would find more attractive. This argument had caught Alec's attention, and just as a smile crept up onto her lips, Alec finally saw her in the crowd. He held eye contact with her for seconds longer than would have been normal. He kept his face stoic.

Finally, it was Alec's turn to bet. He called it and waited, pulling his attention from her.

After all bets had been placed, the dealer turned the River and prepared to run through another round of betting, starting with the twins, who called.

He moved to Alec, whose eyes were glued back on Max. She knew he would fold, and began walking closer to the table.

Alec folded and pushed himself out from the table, smiling. The other players turned to see what was making him smile so wide.

"That yer wife?" asked the Texan.

Alec couldn't remove his eyes from her as he stood.

"I guess that's why you don't mind losin'," the Texan said.

"Gotta go, guys," Alec said, walking to meet Max halfway.

"You ready?" Max asked.

"Absolutely." Alec slipped his arm around her waist, leading her away from the table, as the twins remained childishly dumbstruck.

"How's it going? Any sign of Trip?" Biggs asked.

Alec leaned in and mumbled to Biggs through Max's earpiece, "Not yet." To anyone else, it would seem that Alec and Max were talking to one another, or maybe that he was whispering in her ear.

"Don't worry, he'll be on time," Biggs said.

Before either transgenic could make a move toward the elevators, Biggs cut back in. "Oh, shit," he said.

"What?" Alec asked, stepping back from Max.

"Um, you two need to haul ass to the elevators. Fast!"

Alec and Max both looked around, trying to see if whatever was happening was visible, and trying to make it look discreet.

"The Morinos are walking in right through the front door."

"The Family Morinos?" Max asked, trying to peek over her shoulder as Alec pulled her by the arm toward the elevators.

"Who're they?" Alec questioned, feeling as though he'd not been informed the whole situation prior to the mission.

"The Roses owe them money," Max filled in. "A lot of money; they're probably here to collect it."

"They weren't supposed to come tonight," Biggs added.

Alec looked back to Max, unsure of how she knew this information and he didn't, but he had a sneaking suspicion that the person who had informed her was of course the ever-knowledgeable Logan.

Max read his mind. "I asked Logan to do a little digging," she admitted. Mentioning Logan's name now, though, soured her stomach. What a jerk.

"You guys want to abort?" Biggs asked.

"No," Alec and Max said in unison.

Seriously? Alec wondered if this was Biggs' first time as the Commanding Officer. Alec would never have given up at the first sign of trouble.

"We got this," Max said, feeling the weight of all those kids' lives on her conscience. She was not going to leave this hotel until she did what she set out to do.

"Then pick it up. They're not that far behind you!"

They began to jog, and as they got closer to the elevators, Alec asked, "Biggsy, where are they? What are we doing?"

"Hiding!" Biggs said.

"What?"

Alec and Max were about to round the corner when Biggs shouted into their ears, "No! Don't go that way!"

"Don't have much of an option, here," Max said.

"Find a place to hide. The Roses are coming from the other direction."

As if right on cue, Max identified a "STAFF ONLY" door and yanked Alec a few feet back. "In here!" she said, letting go of his hand and pulling the door open. She turned to grab him by the lapel and pull him into the room with her. Alec lurched forward, pulled the door closed behind him, and then slammed right into her.

"Shh!"

Alec's body was squeezed between the door and Max. The room was pitch black and they were each trying to adjust to the lack of light.

Alec reached his arms out over Max's head and discovered a tall shelving unit behind her. Who designed this room? With his body against Max's, he couldn't decide if he would yell at them or thank them.

"Good thinking, Max," Biggs complimented.

Max reached up and covered the ear that had the comms device in it, a movement Alec immediately mirrored, and tried to work on calming her breath. Every time she inhaled, she inhaled against Alec's chest and took in his scent.

"Okay, the Roses and Morinos are waiting for the elevator. What's going on in there? I don't have video for the room you're in."

Max and Alec remained silent except for their breathing. They would need to wait until the elevator moved before they could speak.

"Of course, sir, why don't you join us in the Presidential Suite? Our boy will be up shortly to deliver the hour's winnings," came the voice of the eldest Rose.

"That'll be fine, Christopher," said an older man with a rasp to his voice.

The elevator chimed and a series of footsteps boarded the car.

Just to be sure, Alec waited another few seconds and heard the elevator doors close. "They're gone, right?"

"Yeah, but we won't have much time," Max said. She felt the wall behind Alec and found a light switch.

When she flipped it on, she and Alec both noticed that they had been standing in the only part of the room that had a shelf. The other areas of this locker room/maintenance closet were open with a couple of lockers, a bench, and a bathroom located through a short corridor.

Alec cleared his throat and moved out of the shelf aisle and into the main part of the room. "Sorry," he said.

Max turned toward him her eyes lit up. "Come on!"

She led him out of the room and pressed the up arrow button between the two elevator shafts. The elevator on the right was ascending past the eleventh and toward the twelfth floor. The elevator on the left was descending from floor eight down.

It reached the lobby in seconds, and as they climbed in, Alec immediately cased the elevator for the escape route. As usual, there was a panel in the ceiling that they could both climb through which would leave them in the right position to surprise the armed guard.

Max pushed the button with the 'close doors' icon on it and just as they closed, she turned to Alec. "You go first," she ordered. "Don't want you looking up my dress!"

Biggs laughed into their ears. Alec looked playfully offended. "Me? Never!"

Alec popped open the panel and effortlessly pulled himself onto the elevator's boxy top. He reached down and pulled Max through the hole with ease. They both squatted, each holding on to a small link in the chain, and Alec slid the panel back over the opening with barely enough room to see into the car.

A moment later, the elevator chimed again, and two figures entered the car.

The bigger one was the armed guard, who looked like a beefy rent-a-cop from a 1920s noir film, with classic, broad shoulders, and dark hair stuffed under a hat. The smaller one had to be Trip, Max realized. He had shaggy red hair and freckles on his arms, but he was no kid. He was maybe fifteen, and looked like he could probably handle himself in a fight if he needed to. So why is he hanging around this dump? she wondered.

Alec motioned to her to wait a moment while the doors closed and they began moving.

Trip hit the '12' button and kept his head down. He moved to the side of the car.

Max lifted the panel soundlessly, but the car jerked upward as it began moving, which caused her to drop the panel in an effort to keep her balance. Stupid heels.

The guard heard the noise and looked up, just as Alec's foot crossed the vertical distance and slammed into his face. The guard fell to the floor, unconscious, as Alec lowered himself into the car.

Trip's eyes lit up at seeing his old CO. "494!" he exclaimed. He immediately stood at attention.

"Hey, it's Alec now," he said, reaching up with both hands for Max. She dropped her legs into the hole and swung into the car from the opening. Alec took her by the waist and set her down gently.

Max turned to face the red-haired kid. "Hey! I'm Max."

Trip's face reddened as Max extended her hand. He hesitantly shook it. "Trip," he said.

"Nice to meet you, Trip," Max said, smiling.

"Now where are the other kids?" Alec asked. "We gotta get the hell out of here!"