By Shikasta
Spoilers: Anything's fair game in my view although this is an AU
Disclaimer: The characters of Dark Angel are owned by Twentieth Century Fox Television and Cameron Eglee productions. In laymen's terms: Don't own them but by god I wish I did.
A/N 'An echo of what was' is slowly drawing to a close, but don't worry because this is the first installment of a trilogy so you can all breathe again.
Italics = flashback
Chapter Eleven – Max's BetrayalAlec stood outside Max's door in his hand the manila envelope that had been flung over the wall of TC earlier that evening. Logan had been returned safely and was now hard at work trying to dig up the information that Alec had asked him to find.
Max knew Alec was standing outside her door and waited for his knock she had sensed earlier that day that something was terribly wrong and it had Alec and his lieutenants anxious. Her instincts told her she had to coax it out of him for she had a feeling it could change her entire situation and force a decision that she could be finally comfortable with making.
Alec knocked and Max rose and opened the door letting him in noticing the manila envelope "Is that from the Senator?" she asked and Alec nodded and headed for the couch.
"Where's Hope?"
"Asleep, I'm sorry Alec but I couldn't let you give away your advantage, you're too important, the transgenic nation needs you, Hope needs you, your unborn child needs you and I need you." Max walked over to the couch and sat down next to him placing her hand in his.
"Max with everything that's happened the last few days all I want to do is pack up you, Hope and Layla and run." Alec said wearily.
"Alec you are strong and you will get us all through this" touching his cheek lightly.
"Where were you Max?" he asked again but Max responded by leaning in and kissing him.
"What's going on Alec?" and Alec told her completely unaware that he had found the mole.
The Colonel sat at his wooden desk, the bigwigs were beginning to apply pressure after hearing the news that Senator Druitt had extended an invitation for a transgenic representative.
The Colonel was aware of the government's proposed end game and he resented it, he wasn't prepared to destroy over 20 years of his life, he certainly wasn't going to lose his prized newgens and had long ago put in place a contingency plan. As he sat tapping a pen on his desk he knew it was only a matter of time before the government ordered the destruction of the remaining eight facilities and a closure to the project that had gone horribly wrong.
He picked up his phone and dialled "its time to move the newgens"
Max had finished reading the information the Senator had sent and placed them on the floor.
"So what do you think?" Alec asked.
"We refuse they're invitation" she paused "Alec you know how I told you there was a war coming"
"Yes"
"Well its here" she leaned into his embrace.
"Max we don't know that, we're still gathering Intel"
"You need to demand Seattle"
Alec stood up in shock "you've got to be kidding" but Max wasn't.
"You said yourself you don't know how many facilities are out there or how many transgenics for all we know there's over 100,000 and TC can't house that many."
"You're talking like you know something" Max was beginning to make him wary.
Max had found the path back to Alec now she only had to save Faith.
Mr Collins shuffled into The Colonel's office scratching his balding head a trait that annoyed the Colonel.
"What is it Collins?" he snapped.
"Sir, we just received some bad news"
"Well!"
"The Titan facility fell this morning"
"How many"
"Over 5000 sir" Collins muttered.
"Mutiny?"
"Yes, like the Genco facility, which has also changed it's initial estimates and now says there are 3000 unaccounted for" Mr Collins added "also five of our transgenics in the field have disappeared"
The Colonel stood up "I want this facility locked down, have the newgens been moved yet"
"They're being moved now"
"Good" The Colonel may lose control of his facility but he wouldn't lose his precious newgens "Also Mr Collins I want 452 brought back in from the cold" he needed her here for his one ally behind these walls would turn out to be the one that wanted to destroy him the most.
513 was standing straight, eyes front with many other transgenics in the huge exercise quad of the facility. He heard a noise and allowed his eyes to drift ever so slightly.
The newgens were being marched towards a waiting truck and he saw that 4521 was with them and she looked scared.
Faith knew she couldn't leave the facility, leaving meant 452 wouldn't know where she was but she had been told they were moving out. As she marched alongside the exercise quad her eyes desperately searched for her handsome prince who had promised to protect her.
There was nothing 513 could do except watch as Faith tried to run to him screaming his designation only to be cut short by a rifle butt to the back of the head, knocking her out.
513 made to move and then he heard the angered shout of "eyes front!" and his last image of Faith was of her being picked up and thrown into the back of the truck.
Hope sat on the floor playing with the doll she had named Faith, and she talked to the doll as if she were talking to Faith.
Max sat and watched for a few minutes then scribbled a quick note addressed to Alec, folded it in half and then walked over and picked Hope up leaving her apartment never to return.
Max stood outside Layla's apartment trying to sum up the courage to knock, she had inadvertently destroyed this woman's life but now she needed to talk to her.
Layla answered her door surprised at who was standing there "Max" she said then looked down to see Hope.
"Layla may I talk with you" and Layla swung her door wide to let the woman she hated most walk in.
Max looked around at the mess and saw the rage that Layla had gone through, she didn't know Layla but she trusted Alec's judgement with regards to the woman he had been shacked up with.
"I'll be quick" Max began "I'm sorry for what's happened it wasn't my intention."
"Why are you here Max" Layla didn't want pity especially from her.
"I need you to take care of Alec and Hope," she said holding out the hand that had Hope's in it.
"What are you talking about?" Layla said stunned.
"Just look after them" and Max knelt down, gave Hope a kiss and the note then left before Layla could do or say anything.
Alec was hovering over Luke in central operations telling him to tell the Senator that they would be refusing her invitation and also allowing Max's words to plague him 'should I demand Seattle?'
Layla came bursting she looked frantic dragging a confused Hope behind her "she left" she couldn't help screaming.
Alec ran down to them both and picked up Hope "what do you mean she left, who"
"Who do you think, Max" Layla retorted "she came round asked me to look after you and Hope, then she gave me Hope and left"
"Did she say when she would be coming back?" Alec still not really understanding.
"Alec she's gone, you didn't see her eyes, they were saying goodbye and there was something so incredibly final about it."
"Layla you've got to be mistaken, she wouldn't just leave Hope."
Hope was still in Alec's arms playing with her doll when she spoke "she's gone to get Faith"
TBC
