A/N : I know how long it has been since I updated... and how long it has been since I started this story. A year! Unbelievable. If someone had told me that any story would take me a year to write, I'd have laughed in their face. As it is, this one is being a real struggle to finish; even more so than Cold War was. The muse has flown, and with her my interest.

Nevertheless, it is not in me to leave something unfinished, so Shelf Life will be done, however long it takes me to get it there. If it wasn't for all of you, that would not be the case. So keep on me!

Shelf Life - Chapter X

by Infie

Previously, in Shelf Life

Rhys stared at the ceiling, letting TeaCup's heavy body help keep him warm. The darkness receeded, curling slowly back down to the icy knot. He focussed, listening intently to TeaCup's heart beating rapidly against his arm.

It was a long time before he fell asleep.

"It was the Red Series," Andrew repeated Rhys' words with disbelief. "Are you sure?" Rhys' look in response spoke volumes. "Sorry," he muttered absently. "Of course you're sure." He scrubbed both hands over a face that had aged considerably in the time since Alec had seen it last. His eyes, and the mind behind them, were as bright as ever though.

His arrival that morning had been characteristically low-key... for a moment. The ringing of the doorbell brought Noah at a run, and Andrew had found himself looking down... far down into green/hazel eyes bright with curiosity. "Hello?" He'd asked with something approaching shock.

"Noah!" A very tall black-haired man he didn't know had emerged hurriedly from what seemed to be the kitchen. "How many times have I told you not to answer the door?" He'd held out his hand. "I'm Zane."

"I'm..." He had begun to answer when 494 had stepped out of a hallway and the words had stuck in his suddenly tight throat. He'd stood there agape for an instant. The kid looked all grown up. All grown up, and good. The next moment, 494 had wrapped him in a bear hug that threatened to crack ribs that weren't as young as they used to be. After an astonished breath, he hugged the kid back, just as hard.

Damn, it was good to see him.

"Damn, it's good to see you!" 494 had echoed his thoughts out loud. Then another tall, black haired man had come out of what must have been his bedroom, thoroughly rumpled from sleep. Andrew had blinked.

"You're... Damn. I know you too."

"Rhys." The man... Rhys... had supplied with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

And now, Andrew knew where the shadows in the dark eyes came from. He rubbed his eyes again, feeling old. "The Red Series," he muttered, then looked at 494 directly. "You're in some trouble."

"Yeah." Rhys winced a little. "What I really want to know is, why were they there? Not just the first time, but specifically this time. That place had been cleaned out for years. Why go back?"

Andrews blinked, then with one sentence justified Alec's call. "I'd think that would be obvious," he said blankly. "They're dying, too."

There was an abolute, stunned silence.

"They're dying too," Rhys breathed. "Well, fuck me."

"That's it." Alec began to pace, chewing his thumb. "That's it. I can feel it... you're right."

"That's actually good news," Logan chimed in. "Maybe we can contact them, work together."

Alec nodded absently. "It's a good idea." His eyes found Zane's coolly amused ones. "Though they might be thinking we've set them up on purpose."

"How could they think that?" Rhys shook his head, clearly distracted by the implications of Andrews' bombshell. "God... if we had their data on top of what Dalton's already working on, it could cut our analysis time by days; maybe more."

"I do wonder how they found Ashkovich's place the first time." Logan was frowning as he watched Alec hold Zane's eyes. Something passed between them, and Zane shrugged and sighed.

"I gave them the co-ordinates." He admitted easily. "I handed over the remains of the compound when we ran into them three and a half years ago."

"Jesus!" Rhys was startled out of his reverie. "Why?"

Zane's eyes slewed to Noah, playing at his feet. "It was necessary," he said curtly.

"I don't think that's good enough." Rhys retorted. "You gave Manticore up to the Reds... because it was necessary."

"Yes." Zane met his glare levelly. "Look, pal... I never gave a damn about Manticore or the research. You knew that already."

"And when they threatened something you did give a damn about..." Alec trailed off meaningfully.

"I didn't hesitate." Zane shrugged. "It was a clean trade. They forgot they'd ever seen... us." He glanced at Noah again. "And I gave them directions to the technology that made... us... something they wanted. Simple self-preservation."

"Not exactly noble of you." Alec said dryly. "But certainly consistent."

"I'd do anything I had to." Zane replied with a lack of emotion that made the impact of his words all the more chilling. "I'd give up anything, anyone... I'd kill every other person in this room including myself in a heartbeat if it meant keeping Noah safe."

Alec nodded slowly. Rhys leaned back. Logan shrugged, and Andrews just looked interested. "So they might think it was a poison pill." He hummed softly as he thought. "But you need their research, and you need to know what parts of the genetic codes they implemented." He spread his hands. "Looks like Captain Thomas Andrews just came back from the dead."

Alec watched the expressions flit across his friend's face as he heard the recent happenings, the warmth of seeing the Captain again mixing with the heat of his encounter with Max. He felt good.

He felt guilty as hell.

He shook his head at the Captain's words. "I don't want you to break cover, Captain. I just want to pick your brain."

"Well, I haven't been real active in the service lately, 494," the Captain replied caustically. "Being dead and all kinda put a crimp in my intelligence gathering activities. I just don't have any up to date information for you." He shook his head. "Nope... you need me to find out what's going on. To do that, I have to be alive. I'll need to contact Johanssen."

"Good luck." The soft contralto had all the men turning to look. Max entered, freshly scrubbed and with her hair still wet from her shower. Andrews' eyes sharpened with appreciation. "Last time I saw him his men were about to rip him to shreds." She ran a hand through her hair, tucking a stray lock back into submission. "Something about not liking how he was jerking them around on their likelihood of survival."

Andrews nodded noncomittally. "I'll only believe it when I see it myself. Johanssen should have died in Kazakhstan, too, and he still managed to survive. If he is dead, I have some other people I can hit up."

The front door opened and Johan strode in. He glanced around the room casually, did a classic double take at seeing Andrews. "Captain." His eyes found the scar creasing Andrews' neck, and he smiled. "A bit messy, but still good work."

Andrews' eyes narrowed, then he snapped his fingers. "Blond boy!" He exclaimed, then laughed. "I mean, 303." He corrected himself.

"These days, my name is Johan," he replied and held out his hand for a handshake before dropping into a nearby chair. "It is good to see you looking so much healthier than last time." Alec sat as well, and Max joined him. Her brows creased with curiosity.

"I sense a story here," she said with a smile. "Exactly how do you know Alec, Captain?"

"I saved his ass a few times," he said smoothly, winking at her.

"And a damned fine ass it is," she nodded her appreciation.

"Ah, yes... The ass obsession rears its dirty head once again." Alec smirked and pointedly stood so they could both get a good view of the aforementioned body part.

Rhys glanced over his shoulder. "I think mine's better."

Johan looked vaguely alarmed at the turn the conversation had taken. "Ok," he said, "But this time, there is no way you're talking me into being the judge."

As one Andrews, Zane, Logan and Max turned to stare at him. "THIS time?"

Alec hastily sat down and looked innocent. Rhys laughed out loud. Johan looked defensive. "Look, being drafted as a judge was bad enough. But when they decided to show me the 'unfettered goods', I had to draw the line!"

"Hey, you only had to grade on shape and form," Alec interjected with a smirk. "Originally we included 'firmness' and 'texture', too!"

Johan gave him a beautific smile. "I saved those categories for Asha and OC," he said, "and we weren't judging asses." He paused. "Well... not just asses."

"But... OC's into women." Max's eyes were very wide.

"Why else do you think Asha was there?" Johan stood and stretched hugely. His hair glinted gold against the collar of his turtleneck. "Well," he amended modestly. "To be fair, we shared." He clapped his hands together and rubbed them briskly, looking around. "Hungry?"

Noah immediately looked up from the floor. "I am, Uncle Johan!"

Johan gave a fake groan and scooped him from the floor. "I'm not surprised. You're always hungry!" He carried the laughing little boy into the kitchen.

Rhys stood, grabbed his coat. "I'm heading over to help Dalton," he said. "I'll call if we find anything."

Andrews stood as well, with somewhat more effort. "I'm going to start calling around a bit," he said. "Do you have a secure line somewhere I can use? I don't want anyone tracking me here, just in case."

"Absolutely." Logan grinned widely and ushered Andrews towards the tiny communications room. "Just this way... don't mind the singed smell... 494 had a disagreement with one of my receivers..." His words trailed off as they turned the corner.

"Damn," Alec muttered, pulling Max close and watching Rhys shut the door. "I hope this all comes together soon." His eyes moved to the doorway where Logan and Andrews had disappeared. "Come on Captain... save my ass again."