A/n: I'm really sorry it took so long to post this one! I've joined two chapters together into a superchapter to make up for it. I promise the next update will be a lot quicker. Honest!

Methane tetrachloride is a great pen name by the way, CCl4.

X-318 warning: this chapter contains Thula and Zack.

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Chapter 13: Unlucky For Some

Asfaloth entered Logan's cell and found him curled up in the corner, dozing fitfully. As the cult leader watched, the prisoner's eyes flickered open.

"Oh, it's you. Didn't know you did house calls."

"I'm here to offer my congratulations, Cale. You have been judged worthy."

"Worthy? Of what?"

"Of becoming part of our breeding program. You should be honoured. With your intellect and Thula's physical abilities, your son or daughter could be the leader of the Conclave one day."

"Thula? Thula's going to be my… breeding partner?"

"Correct. Since the nanocytes in your body will protect you from the Coming, you will be around more than long enough to provide her with at least three children. One of them is sure to have the characteristics we are looking for. And since you already know all about us, there is no need to waste time. You will be transferred to a shared suite tonight after you have completed your work. You're one of the family now."

"Does that mean I won't have to put up with any more interviews with Ames?"

"For the time being. I'll send for a guard to escort you to your office." Asfaloth left Logan alone.

Oh, crap, he thought. How the hell am I gonna talk my way out of this one?

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Bling parked his SUV outside Sebastian's place and Max cautiously climbed out, checking for hoverdrones or people who might recognise her as transgenic. She'd spent the last hour under the rear seats with a tarpaulin over her head to avoid being spotted by the sector cops. The two of them hurried inside and found Sebastian, Lydecker, Sandeman and Original Cindy waiting for them.

For the first time in fifteen years, Dr. Charles Sandeman came face to face with his most perfect creation. He just stared for a long moment, while she hugged Cindy, glared at Lydecker and smiled at Sebastian before turning to face him.

"So you're Sandeman, huh?" Max examined the old man carefully.

"And you are X5-452. You're even more beautiful than I designed you to be."

"I prefer Max. So you got the stuff together for my blood donation?"

"Yes. Your friend here was very helpful."

"Thanks, Sebastian," she said, glancing at the wheelchair bound expert with affection.

"No problem, Max," his electronically synthesised voice replied. "You know I'll do anything I can to help you and Logan out."

"Let's get this bitch over with, then."

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Logan took the first possible opportunity to send another message to Max via Sebastian. Again it was encrypted, but this time he had access to the familiar's intranet so he could disguise the fact that he'd sent it. If they found out he'd sent another email they'd kill him for sure.

The tech instructed to watch him was doing a Su Doku puzzle in the corner, not really interested in what his assignment was doing. While he was occupied scribbling numbers into boxes and rubbing them out again, Logan could do as he wished. He glanced over at the man and narrowed his eyes on the puzzle.

"Hey, buddy, did you know you've got two fives in the third row?"

"Damn it," cursed the tech in frustration, scrubbing frantically at the puzzle with his eraser.

Logan smiled to himself. By the looks of him, it would be a very long time before this tech paid attention to the computer screen again.

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Max was sitting up on a hospital style bed, eyes closed, an IV line in her arm taking the first of the blood from her. It was the first time she'd had the chance to sit and reflect since learning that Logan was alive and no longer vulnerable to the virus. She still couldn't quite believe it.

Oh, Logan, she sighed to herself. Why is nothing ever easy? We finally cure the virus and you're stuck in the familiar's HQ being tortured for information on me. Then again, if you weren't there you'd be dead, so maybe I should actually be grateful to Ames White and his superhuman cult freaks.

Nah, scratch that. Like Phil always said, there's no escaping destiny. We were meant to be, and we're going to be. There is no way I'm going to screw this chance up, like I did last time by dying on you. She fumbled for the locket around her neck, and pressed it to her full lips, the metal warm from where it had been lying against her skin. I'm coming, Logan, she swore silently. I'm coming for you.

Lydecker walked in just in time to see her kiss the pendant, and stopped, embarrassed to witness such a private act. He was astonished to see the single tear that slid down her cheek, and hastily turned to leave.

Max opened her eyes, unashamed of the telltale drop of liquid on her cheek. "What do you want, Lydecker?"

"I only came in to let you know," the colonel said gruffly. "Sebastian's just received another email."

In less than five seconds Max had ripped the needle from her vein, swiped the tear from her face and shoved past her former commander, the locket still clutched in her hand as she raced towards the computer desk.

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All too soon, Logan had to give up on his work. He'd finished adapting the voice cloning software that would help him create the Eyes Only bulletin, despite the fact he'd spent most of the afternoon working on the conclave's network. He'd found and read all the files on Manticore and Sandeman, particularly those connected with Max. The only information he didn't have was about the precise nature of the Coming. It seemed that it was too secret, or perhaps too sacred, to be put on a computer. So, there was only one source where he was going to find out more about it. Thula.

The guard took him to his new quarters and left him to go inside. Thula was already there, setting a small dining table in a tight black dress.

"Hi, Logan," she said, smiling nervously. "Dinner's almost ready."

"You cooked?" He asked, surprised. Thula didn't seem the domestic type.

"I, uh, ordered room service," she confessed, blushing.

"Close enough," he replied, treating her to another one of his boyish grins. "Have I got time to take a shower?"

"Sure, go ahead. It's through there."

Beats my cell, Logan thought, glancing around at the luxurious but homely surroundings. Still, I have to figure out what to tell her, and how to get information out of her.

When he got out of the shower, Logan found a clean shirt, underwear and a pair of pants waiting for him on the bed. He pulled them on and then paused. He glanced around the room, then spotted what he was looking for. The tiny camera was carefully concealed in the light fitting. Typical, he thought. What a cliché.

"I don't perform on camera," he told the tiny lens firmly, pulling it down from the light. He washed the camera down the sink and checked the rest of the room thoroughly before declaring it bug free.

"Logan? Dinner's ready." Thula's voice came uncertainly through the door.

"I'll be right there." Logan took a second to compose himself, squared his shoulders and walked out to put in the acting job of his life.

He took his seat at the table as Thula was pouring the wine. He sniffed it appreciatively. "Pre-pulse. Nice."

"Is it? I don't know much about wine. Members of the Phalanx aren't encouraged to drink. It clouds the mind."

"Then how come we have this tonight?"

"It's a special occasion. I've finally been paired."

"To pairings, then," said Logan, clinking their glasses together, smiling softly while thinking of an entirely different pairing. They both sipped, then started on the meal. They made occasional light conversation, then when both had finished and were sipping their second glasses of wine Thula spoke.

"I suppose we should think about going to bed." It came out in a nervous rush. Logan leaned forwards and took her hand.

"There's no rush. I got rid of the bug in the bedroom, so no one's going to be any the wiser." She snatched her hand back at his words.

"Are you saying you don't want me? That you're only going along with this to keep the Conclave off your back?"

"No, of course not," Logan said. I don't intend to go along with it at all, he thought, getting ready to sound sincere while he lied.

"Listen, Thula, I really like you. And we're going to be together for the rest of our lives, raise children together, the whole nine yards. I just… I want the first time to be special, you know? If we do it today, it'll just be sex, and that's not what I want with you."

"So what do you want?" She sounded slightly mollified.

"I want to talk with you. I want to know everything about you. You fascinate me Thula, I can't stop thinking about you. But if you don't feel the same, then…"

That is so sweet! Thula thought, delighted. I can't believe he cares about me so much that he wants to take things slow. "I do feel… I don't know. I'd like the first time to be special too."

"So talk to me."

"What about?"

"Whatever you like. What's your earliest memory?"

"Well…"

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Jondy was doing her best to deputise for Max at new TC, but it was hard work. Alec hadn't been seen since the end of the darts incident, when he'd run naked from the command centre to throw himself in the lake, due to the absence of ice packs. All six hundred of the transgenics had wanted some target practice before the war; unfortunately for him, they were very good shots.

She hefted a crate of ammo, heavy even for a transgenic, that had just been brought in by an X4 supply officer. Suddenly she felt the weight shift, and looked up into a pair of bright hazel eyes. Alec had taken hold of one end of the crate to help her carry it.

"Hey, Alec," she smirked. "How's the bruises?"

"Sore," he replied, "for which I am going to take payment in full later. But Josh told me about Max being gone, so I thought you could use a hand. The whole command thing's a bitch."

"No arguments there. Hope Sandeman has some tips for us on how best to kill familiars."

"Bullet to the brain works for most people, I've always thought."

"Not neccesarily," came a new voice, almost causing Jondy to drop her side of the crate. Her head whipped around to fix her gaze on the group standing behind her.

"Zack! You're back already! And you brought the others!" Jondy pushed the crate into Alec's ribs and ran to greet her family while he staggered. He dumped the crate on the ground and watched her hug a guy who looked just like Max, squealing "Krit!" at the top of her voice.

"Well, she seems happy," he remarked to Zack.

"Jondy always was over-emotional. What's the sit rep?"

"Give her five minutes and we'll brief you. Max is on a job right now."

"How's she doing? After… you know, Terminal City."

"Much better, actually. It turns out Logan's alive."

"He's alive?" An attractive blonde girl had been listening in to their conversation. "That's great news! Where is he? Can I see him?"

"Not right now. The familiars have him."

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Almost an hour after the end of dinner, Logan and Thula were sitting together on the sofa. Logan had picked up several useful titbits about the familiars from listening to her otherwise incredibly boring life story. It was much like skimming through a document to find relevant information for an Eyes Only project.

"So, what's this Coming thing about, then?" He asked, when he judged her mood to be pliable, from a combination of wine and reminiscing.

"I'm not supposed to tell anyone that hasn't passed the initiation," she said, doubtful.

"But according to that leader guy, I'm already immune, so I'd pass the initiation if I took it. Come on, Thula." Logan's voice had dropped to the throaty whisper he'd found particularly effective on his female informants. "What is it and when is it going to happen? You trust me, don't you?"

"Of course." She sighed heavily. "I suppose there can't be any harm in it. The coming is going to happen in one week's time. A comet will pass over releasing a poison deadly to all but us and the transgenics. The weak will fall, and the strong will take the Earth from them and rule it in peace forever." Thula yawned hugely and closed her eyes. By the time Logan had recovered from his shock, she was fast asleep.

Despite himself, Logan couldn't help but feel a flicker of pity for her. In some ways, her upbringing had been as harsh as Max's. Still, the transgenics weren't trying to kill everyone else so they could take over the world. He walked into the bedroom and threw back the covers before lifting the sleeping woman into his arms and carrying her to bed. He laid her down as gently as he could and pulled one blanket over her before taking the other and a pillow back to the couch. He settled down and went to sleep, searching for Max even in his dreams.

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Max burst into Sebastian's lab at transgenic speed. "Where's the email? Is it from Logan? What does it say?"

"Read it yourself, boo," said Cindy, grinning at her friend's reaction.

Sebastian,

Rocky the flying squirrel. Ask Max.

Tell her she really has to find Sandeman, and fast. I've read the Conclave's notes on them both, and it does not look good. I'm going to try and wheedle some more information about this Coming thing out of Max's adversary from Jam Pony. I'll send another message when I know more, but it looks like it's soon.

Plus they've given me a breeding partner, so I'm pretty keen to get home before they figure out I'm not going along with it. Interviews with Ames are not fun.

I can only stall two more days, tops, before they make me broadcast a fake Eyes Only bulletin. They've given me a script and they'll kill me when they hear me not sticking to it, so she needs to mobilise fast. Between us, we can take down the familiars for good, and on live TV. Tell Sketchy to get his notebook ready.

Peace. Out.

Logan.

"Now that is my Logan," said Max, a huge grin breaking out on her face.

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Tell me what you thought.