Disclaimer: Once more with feeling, I don't own the characters.

AN: Sorry for the late update but I lost my USB and it had the chapter on it, so I had to rewrite it in-between final assessments, procrastinating and studying for my exam. I hope you enjoy it!

Touch of the Wind: You got it all right with what Az was doing and what his twin was doing. I'm trying hard to keep the distinction between the two as clear as possible so you guys don't get confused with who is who. Az did kill Frank as well as Ludo. As for it being AlecAz...well, I don't have any plans for Az to have a relationship in this story and if I did Alec wouldn't be my first choice. I would need a lot of convincing to believe Alec and Az would work as a pairing and as it is I feel Alec is far too much of a ladies' man to be gay.

Now for a communal FAQ: I know I'm a slow updater but I promise you I have no intention of abandoning this story and if by some chance I do I will inform you guys about it. SO unless you hear it from me, I'm just being lazy. Reviews generally help for updates as between assignments and college life I sometime forget I have a story to write.

Also, I know that some things have been a little confusing in the last couple of chapters but everything will begin to make sense and get cleared up in the upcoming chapters (There's not many left! Probably about 4 or 5 more)

Thanks to all who reviewed! Cookies for all! Please continue to review as it just may convince me to write chapters instead of politics assignments...

Until next time!

Memories/dreams

Thoughts

o0line break0o

Chapter 13: To walk the plank on a sinking ship

Max clung to Zack as they zigzagged through the traffic of Seattle. She was anxious. Events had spiralled out of control since her second escape from Manticore. Her grip tightened. She hated leaving Logan behind with that two-timing bastard Alec, especially in his current condition. But she had no other choice unless she wanted Logan to die. She closed her eyes trying to push back her emotions. If she was going to save Logan and free Az she couldn't let her emotions cloud her vision.

Slowly the blur of the city lights gave way to darkness as they left the city boundaries leaving behind the wreckage of several checkpoints. Soon they would be back at Manticore, soon Az would be free once again – whether he liked it or not – and soon Logan would be cured. She hoped.

o0FTD0o

Az glared at Renfro, his fists clenching and unclenching in anticipation. How dare she do that to Max! He could deal with it when she made him hurt those close to him but he wouldn't allow her to ruin the lives of his siblings. He froze as he heard the cock of a gun behind him.

"I would relax if I were you, 483. Remember who is in control here."

"Why? Why did you do this?" He ground out.

"For the same reason I got you to kill those two wizards; for control. You're much easier to control when you're broken and you come with the added bonus of still retaining your ability to make quick decisions without authorisation." She smirked.

"You really get a kick out of tormenting us don't you?" Az's eyes narrowed as Renfro smiled and opened her mouth to answer. "It was rhetorical!"

Renfro's smile disappeared and a frown replaced it. "You're overstepping your boundaries 483. I do believe another session of reindoctrination will alleviate that."

Az hung his head in submission, "Yes, ma'am"

"I do believe..." Renfro was cut off as her phone rang. She put her hand up and signalled for silence.

"This is Renfro...

Yes, sir...

I understand...

Straightaway, sir..."

Renfro began tapping away at her computer as she hung up the phone. Looking up at the guards, she had a hardened look in her eyes.

"We've been compromised. Lock the barracks; we're razing the facility to the ground, with all the transgenics in it."

The guards nodded and ran out of the room to follow their orders.

"You can't do that!" Az shouted in disbelief. After all the trouble they went through to try to try and recapture a dozen escaped transgenics, they were just going to murder hundreds more without a second thought.

"I have my orders and I will follow them." Renfro answered, pulling a disk out of her hard drive. "All I need is this. This holds all the data contained in this Manticore facility. What you don't understand is you are dispensable; all we need is this information to start-up the program again. No one will miss you because you don't exist anywhere but in our systems and no one will suspect anything went on here because on paper this facility is a veteran's hospital."

Az took a step forward anger blazing in his eyes.

"Now, now 483. You've got nothing to worry about. You're too valuable to be destroyed. You're coming with me..." She trailed off again as the phone rang. She bent down to pick it up, her eyes never leaving Az and her aim never wavering.

"Renfro. What do you have for me?

Really? Now that is interesting...

No, don't do anything. I'll deal with it..."

Renfro smirked as she hung up. "Looks like we have guests. You're coming with me 483."

She pulled something out of her desk drawer and made her way to Az, gun still pointed at him. He felt a prick in his neck as she injected him with something. His vision clouded and his mind went fuzzy as the substance spread through his system.

"Follow me." Renfro's voice pierced his brain and he followed.

o0FTD0o

Max and Zack stood on top of the hill looking down at the Manticore facility. Even from where they stood they could hear the alarms blaring and see the red lights flashing in emergency.

"I'm going to get the antigen, you work on releasing Az. And Zack, they're going to burn this place to the ground, with all the transgenics inside. Please if you get the chance release them as well."

But Max...Ok," Zack relented at the look in his sister's eyes. Only Max and Jondy could ever get him to break his soldier persona and get him to do whatever they wanted. Signalling to her that it was time to go they blurred down the hill and jumped the fence in a single bound. They looked at each other one more time before nodding and blurring in opposite directions.

Zack couldn't believe how empty the base was. No one manned the halls and all the control rooms were empty. He starred at the screens in front of him, taking in the views of the transgenics trying to escape their cells and of the fire that had begun to rage at the eastern end of the compound. He couldn't believe Manticore could do this. The facility and its inhabitants were worth billions of dollars and they had not hesitated to flip the switch and destroy it all. It was ridiculous! Pushing his thoughts aside he searched the screens for Az but couldn't find any sign of him in the barracks. Changing views he began to search the halls and laboratories. He found him heading towards one of the many labs used to test and store viruses and their antigens, the same lab Max was heading to.

"Shit!"

He made to leave when he remembered his promise to Max. Cursing again he went back to the computer to hack into the system and hopefully save the other transgenics locked in the barracks.

I have a bad feeling about this...

Max slowed as she reached the lab she was looking for. Stepping carefully into the open room she scanned it for threats and froze as they landed on Renfro who help a test tube in one hand and a gun pointed at Az in the other.

"Are these what you were after 462?" Renfro asked coyly, indicating to Az and shaking the tube. Max's eyes widened as she realised what the tube must hold.

"You bitch!" Max spat out as she got ready to fight.

"Nah ah ah. I'll get the antigen to your boyfriends if you come with me quietly..."

"What about Az? Will you let him go?"

"Unfortunately I can't do that because like you he's too valuable to lose again."

Max and Renfro snapped their towards the door as a loud bang disrupted their battle of wills. A guard came running through the doorway, gun in hand aimed at Max's head.

"No!" Renfro screamed dropping her gun and allowing the tube of antigen to smash onto the floor. She ran for Max even before she heard the gun go off and felt the bullet rip into her chest as she fell to the ground. The world suddenly sharpened and her hearing became muffled as she felt hot sticky blood run out of the bullet hole.

"I won't tell if you don't." She heard Max say as she watched the scared guard run out of the room. Renfro looked up in surprise as she felt her head being raised and placed in a lap.

"Why? Why did you eat a bullet to save me?" Max asked.

"You're the one...the one we've been searching for."

A crash by the door caused Max to snap her head up ready and alert. She relaxed slightly when Zack walked through the door. She placed Renfro's head back on the ground, her sensitive hearing catching the last of the director's breaths.

"She's dead. She ate a bullet for me." Max informed her brother. Zack raised an eyebrow at her statement. "Something about me being the one they were looking for. I don't think I want to know either. Did you get the transgenics out?"

"They've scattered and while I want to know what happened here I suggest we follow their lead and get the hell out of here before the place blows."

Max nodded and stood up, making her way across the room to where Az stood staring ahead blankly and a small test tube which contained the antigen. Pocketing the vile she grabbed Az's hand and led him out of the room and away from the facility.

o0FTD0o

Logan blinked trying to chase away the dark spots that were threatening to consume his vision. His arms felt heavy as his strength dwindled and the retrovirus continued to attack his body. He was determined to keep the gun pointed at the transgenic in front of him. He was after all partially responsible for the present situation. Max. Max was alive! And now he was dying. He felt the gun slip from his hands, his arms fall and his body slump forward, the darkness consuming him.

Asha pushed open the door to Logan's apartment carefully pulling out her own gun as she did so. Logan never left his door open, ever. Stepping in silently she made her way to the back of the apartment. The sound of something hitting the floor startled her. She could hear someone stand up and mumble something about it being time that he died. Steeling her resolve she stepping into the doorway and pointed her gun at the person who was walking towards the unconscious form of Logan.

"Don't move!" She demanded.

Asha was surprised when a handsome man turned up to face her, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Fine, have it your way. I was just gonna put him out of his misery." He said and looked at her gun. "Nice piece."

Before Asha could retort he blurred towards her, knocking the gun out of her hands and pushing her into the wall. Not bothering to look back at her he ran out of the apartment and made his way back to the Manticore base.

o0FTD0o

Alec made his way to the top of the hill by foot, swearing as he went. The road to the facility had been blocked so he had to leave the ca he had stolen behind and go the rest of the way by foot. He didn't like the feeling that had been growing in his gut since he had seen the blockade. Something had to be wrong. His eyes widened as he reached the top of the hill. Manticore was in flames and transgenics were running wildly away from the burning building. Annoyance replaced surprise. While not always the most fun of places, Alec had had it pretty easy at Manticore. Food. Shelter. A bed. Not to mention the sweet deals he'd had with some of the staff. And now it was ruined and there were a couple hundred transgenics on the loose. A majority who had never been taught how to fit in with the ordinaries, let alone been outside of Manticore walls. This was going to get real messy, real fast. Focusing on the escaping transgenics he noticed a group of three making their way towards the forest. Max, Az and 455. No doubt the current predicament was their fault. Max had broadcast the location to the country and now she had let loose the transgenics. What an idiot. Alec's attention returned to the building as an explosion caused the rest of the unbroken windows to shatter. There was no going back now. Making his way back to the car he couldn't help but smirk. He knew how to make his way around the ordinaries world and with the use of his special talents he had no doubt that freedom would suit him quite nicely.

o0FTD0o

Lydecker rubbed the sleep from his eyes and placed his glasses on. Groaning he picked up his mobile from the bedside table. Pressing the answer button he pushed himself up into a sitting position.

"What do you want Renfro, I was slee...."

"..."

"I understand."

Lydecker cradled his coffee in his hands, his eyes staring unseeing at the steam rising from it. The speed which everything had happened had caused a headache to form between his temples. He sighed. On one hand he was proud of what his kids had accomplished, on the other hand he couldn't help to think what a stupid move it was on their part. This was not what he had agreed to.

It had happened soon before he had been assigned to Hogwarts and ordered to find and capture 483 – Az. 455 - Zack had approached him with the offer soon after Tinga's death. He had been sitting in a Seattle bar staring intently at the glass of scotch in front of him. He hadn't had a drink for years, since he had been picked up by Manticore to help train transgenics. It had given him a goal in life, a reason to live again since she had died. At the time he had thought the work admirable, a necessity to bring America into the future and he was proud to say he was a part of it all. But he hadn't counted on them; his kids. He trained them to be the best and their escape only served to prove that was what they were. Sure he had been tough on them, putting the through trials that no ordinary person could survive but never would he do that to them. Something was going on in Manticore. Something he was not cleared to know. His mind flashed back to the scene he had seen earlier that week. He had followed 455 and 452 to a building registered under one of the many names that Manticore used. That by itself was not alarming as Manticore owned many buildings, in many places and only the directors knew of them all and then only the ones signed under their area. But what he saw inside still haunted him and made him question the road Manticore was heading down. He had heard the glass shatter from outside the building and rushed in, barking orders to his men as he did so. Pushing the door open it took a few moments for the scene in front of him to register. Max was sitting in a pool of fluid, cradling the still form of Tinga. Broken cords still clung to Tinga's body and he lips were tinged blue. Max clung to her crying, begging for her not to be dead. He head his men come up from behind and registered that they had fired their taser guns, the claws latching onto Max. But he could do nothing but watched as Max twitched in pain from the electricity coursing through her body and stare at the body of one of his kids. She had told him that Tinga had escaped, that she didn't know where she was. That his kid was alive. Why had she lied to him? But he knew the answer; he would never have allowed this kind of experiment to be done on one of his kids. He saw red, cursing Renfro. His world and views shattered around him

The events that followed – his kidnapping of Max and her subsequent release – brought him to this spot in a Seattle bar with a drink in front of him.

"Why do you care so much?"

He was startled out of his reverie by the voice of a male that had sat down next to him while he had been thinking. Turning to ask if he knew him, he was surprised to see Zack staring at him, his back to the door.

"So, why do you?" The blonde asked again.

"How do you know I won't turn you over?"

"Because Max told me what happened when you captured her."

Lydecker chuckled darkly, "I see." Raising his glass he moved it towards Zack. "You want it?"

Taking the glass Zack downed it in one try and set it back down on the counter, "Are you going to answer my question?"

Lydecker sighed. "Why do I care so much, eh?" Another dark chuckle, "I care so much because you're my...kids. I trained you from the start to be the best and you are. Everything I did, I did for you. To make you stronger, faster, more resilient. I put my all into training you and making sure you would come out of everything assigned to you alive. All the pain and suffering I put you through - while Manticore standard – was all to help you. And somewhere along the line I grew to care for you and to see you as my own in a weird, sick, twisted sort of way."

"Glad you can admit it." The transgenic put in, passing him a glass of water.

Chuckling into the glass Lydecker continued, "when I saw what had been done to Tinga I was furious. It was one thing to do tests on her, it was another to have claimed her escape while hiding her in an abandoned building and doing tests that killed her. She didn't deserve that. Manticore is taking it too far, killing the undeserving..."

The two sat in uncomfortable silence for a while, the sound of the bar's other patrons drifting around them.

"Will you help us take them down?" Zack asked.

"What?"

"I'm proposing you help us take Manticore down. To put a stop or at least slow them down."
"What will happen to the other transgenics?"

"We do not plan to have them harmed. We only want to stop them, not destroy everything with them."

"Okay, I'm in but how are we going to do this?"

"Blow up the DNA lab for now." A feral smile spread across Zack's face as he told him the plan.

"I'm in," Lydecker said as he grasped Zack's hand and sealed the deal.

"Is everything alright Donald?"

Lydecker blinked owlishly at Flitwick as the question slowly registered with his brain. "Alright? Oh, yes I'm fine, really. Just a bit tired. I didn't sleep very well last night."

"Okay, if you're sure. If you do need someone to talk to I have a set of very willing ears."

"Thank you."

As the conversation ended Lydecker went back to his now lukewarm coffee. Pushing it away e scanned the crowd of students who had chosen not to sleep in on a Saturday morning. Finding his charges he left the staff table to go talk to them.

Brin and Harry turned to look at Lydecker as they neared them, backs erect and eyes steady, they looked ready to pounce. Lydecker let out a sigh and his shoulders slumped slightly in disappointment. He was private, always hiding his true feeling and what Flitwick narrowed his eyes in thought. He was never one to pry into other people's lives; everyone after all had the tight to keep secrets but his instincts told him, screamed at him that the man was housing dangerous secrets. Turning his head discreetly he watched Lydecker leave the Great Hall, Brin and Harry following behind like soldiers. Hmm, now that was an interesting thought...

Lydecker sighed as he reached Brin and Harry. They stared at him expectantly; no snarky remarks, no quips, nothing. A constant reminder that they weren't one of his kids. Even before the escape his kids had had an attitude to them and he was missing the strong witty teens he had just begun to know again after so long.

"Come," he ordered, hot bothering to check if they were following as he turned and walked towards his office. The only sounds that could be heard were the soft thump of feet hitting the ground, leaving the uncomfortable silence to rein between steps. Relieved to finally reach his office and break the stillness, Lydecker slammed open the door and stalked to his desk leaving Brin to close the door behind her. Looking from Harry to Brin he coughed to clear his throat.

"The Manticore base has been compromised. The afore mentioned facility has been razed to the ground as per procedure, with all and any evidence with it." He paused, "However, due to unforeseen circumstances the transgenics have escaped. The transgenic problem is being dealt with as we speak. What concerns you is that you will stay here and continue the assignment. 483's escape is confirmed and as such a contingent of transgenics from one of our Australian facilities will be sent here to keep a look out for any sign of him. Keep acting like nothing had changed and is somehow a civilian here finds out about an alleged science facility you are to say nothing and act like you know nothing. I will keep you posted in any further developments. Now go."

"Sir, what will happen to us? After the mission?"

Lydecker blinked in surprise at Brin's question.

"Which facility will we be sent to?"

His jaw tightened. Not a question out of the ordinary for a transgenic under Manticore.

"I do not have an exact location but I suspect you will go to one of our other US facilities. Most likely the one situated outside of Washington."

With all explanations and questions dealt with Harry and Brin exited the room leaving Lydecker to his own thoughts.

o0FTD0o

Sirius made his way to the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, yawning and rubbing sleep from his eyes in case Remus as up. Noticing he wasn't, he stopped mid-yawn, no need to keep up pretences when there was no one around. The Sirius Black he created was never up early, something he now regretted as he was stuck in his room most days staring at the ceiling until it was a reasonably late hour. He made himself a cup of coffee and sat down to enjoy some toast for breakfast but was jolted out of his morning routine at the sight of a letter on the table addressed to him. His hand shook as he grabbed it, scared and anticipated that he had been contacted again. It couldn't be a good sign but he thirsted for news that could only be given to him by them. Opening the envelope he found two pieces of paper; one was an article from a tabloid magazine called 'New World Weekly' and an unsigned letter – not that Sirius needed a name to know who it was from. Steeling his resolve he unfolded the letter first.

'Recent and unforeseeable events have forced us to start playing our cards earlier than planned and as such even you as an exiled member will be required to be called upon when necessary. The humans have been informed of Manticore's existence, placing u sin a precarious position. The revealed location – while being razed to the ground – was infiltrated and the transgenic parasites freed. We have an agent within the organisation that will work on taking care of this particular problem. For now your assignment is to watch out for any that may make it out of America and dispose of them at sight...'

Sirius stopped reading and screwed up the letter in disgust, pointing his wand to it, he set it alight and watched it burn to ash. There was no way he was going to return back to the folds and there was even less of a chance that he was going to kill any of the escaped 'transgenic parasites' if he saw one. He glared at the magazine clipping. The letter had been very vague about the location of the compromised facility. The clipping could be the answer to his hopes or it could shatter them. Giving in, he picked it up.

Secret Government Facility Revealed

By Calvin Theodore

In a shocking revelation last night Eyes Only revealed the location of a secret science facility known as Manticore, not far outside our own city of Seattle. Before closer inspection could be taken, fire raged through what was registered as a veteran's hospital. The police have estimated the body count to be in the hundreds,

"Has Eye's Only finally lost it? Or is the government sweeping its dirty secrets under the rug..." Remus' voice cut through Sirius' brain, making him jump in surprise and drop the clipping.

"Why are you reading this junk? And how did you get this clipping?" Remus asked sitting down across from Sirius.

"I-I-I was sent it," he answered, settling on giving his friend the partial truth

Remus' eyes widened, "how did they know where you are?" Why did they send it? Are you in any danger?" His usually calm exterior was pierced by panic, the worry he had about his friends' safety and freedom.

Sirius sighed, "no, I'm not in trouble but as for the rest, well, it's nothing important."

"What are you hiding?"

Sirius growled in anger. "Nothing, okay. It-it doesn't really matter. I'm allowed to keep secrets aren't I?! Just leave it Remus, ok? Just leave it." He flopped back into his chair, glaring at his now cold beverage, wishing that it was hot again.

"Sirius, I'm sorry. I'm just worried about you okay. Ever since Harry's change you've had a look of-of defeat, regret, pain. I don't know what to do but I hate to see you like this." Remus said.

"I know Moony. I feel so helpless. I can't help Harry now; no one can...only he can help himself."

Remus looked at his friend puzzled, bursting to ask him more. But he held back knowing that Sirius would start to yell at him again if he pushed for answers. "Will he be okay?" He settled for asking.

"I don't know, I really don't know." Sirius answered.

o0FTD0o

Max watched as the blonde known as Asha administered the antigen to Logan. Her sensitive hearing picked up on the steadying of his breath and her shoulders sagged in relief.

"I don't know if..."

"He'll make it." Max stated cutting off Asha. The blonde left the room feeling that Max and Logan would need some time to talk by themselves.

"Thank you." Max whispered to her retreating back.

She didn't leave her spot by the window as she switched from watching the lights outside and Logan waking up. He groaned and put on his glasses, finally awake.

"You don't have to stand all the way over there. Come closer." He said as his strength returned.

"Better not risk it. We don't know how easy it is for me to reinfect you, and...that was the last of the antigen." Max said, refusing his offer, staring at both their reflections on the window pane.

"We're gonna find a way to beat this."

"Yeah. But you should concentrate on getting better. I gotta go." Max turned, looking at Logan properly for the first time. His hair was plastered to his scalp and his forehead was shiny from sweat but the red rash that had originally formed had completely disappeared. It was hard for her to see him knowing they would never be able to touch again. Sighing she turned to leave.

"You know, things are different now. Back when you first got out, it was just the thirteen of you. Now there's a lot more." Logan said stopping her in her tracks.

"If they're smart, they'll lay low."

"You don't want it getting around that you and yours are out in the world. People tend to get scared of things that are different. Keep your head down."

"I always do." Max said turning her back and leaving the apartment.

As she exited the building Max made her way towards where Zack and Az were waiting for her,

"How'd it go?" Zack asked.

"He's fine as long as I don't touch him, ever, again..."

"Max..."

"So where do we go from here? No doubt you have some big plan worked out." Max said cutting off Zack before he could say anything else about Logan.

He sighed, "yeah, I have to take care of a few things, inform the others about what's happened. I know you want to go back to you friends and I know I can't stop you. Just take Az with you please, he's still a bit out of it and if I run into trouble he'll just be a hindrance."

Max looked at Az fondly, he was blinking owlishly, shaking his head every now and then in an attempt to clear his mind of the drug that still clouded it.

"Sure. It'll give us more time to catch up." She answered, jumping onto the back of Zacks bike, holding Az between them so he wouldn't fall off.

Max stared at the door of her apartment, listening as the roar of Zack's bike faded. The corners of her mouth lifted into a small smile as she crouched, placing a pin into the key hole and picked the lock. Grabbing Az by the hand she pushed open the door and walked in. She stared around the room, feeling the familiar feeling of home wash over her. In the months she had been held at Manticore nothing had changed including her bike, her baby, still standing in the middle of the living area. Guiding Az to the couch she sat him down and begun a closer inspection of the vehicle. No scratches or dents. No adjustments. All the parts looked clean and in good condition. There was only one thing left to check, turning the key she started the ignition and the engine begun to purr as she revved. Everything was in working order.

"Max?!"

Looking up she smiled. There stood Original Cyndi in the sweats and t-shirt she used as pyjamas.

"Max! Thank God you're alive!" OC exclaimed as the shock of seeing her wore off, her black curls bouncing as she went to hug her friend.

"Hey, OC. How you been?"

"Worried sick 'bout you boo, don't you ever do that to OC again."

"I won't," Max promised as the scenes of what had happened that night flashed through her memory.

"Are you planning on telling OC who you brought home with you or is she gonna have to guess, hey."

Max laughed, "OC this is my bro Az, Manticore got him back too. He's kinda out of it at the mo, Manticore drugged him up before we got away, it should clear soon though."

OC watched Max closely through the exchange, noting the subtle nuances in her tone, the way her shoulders were slightly slumped forward and how sadness and weariness filled her eyes. She sighed as she stared at her best friend.

"What's got you down, boo?"

"There's..."

"Max!"

Max turned her head away so she was looking at Az. "I'll tell you as I clean Az up and have a bath myself."

Several hours later Max found herself sitting on the ground, shaving her legs and relishing in the feeling of being clean.

"I've been waiting to do this for months." She exclaimed.

"I see they don't let you do the nails up at Manticore, either." OC chuckled.

Max smiled up at her friend, realising she had missed her friend more than she thought. "No respect for the girly arts, that place. I had to torch it."

OC laughed, "no doubt. So Manticore and them got all irate 'cause Eyes Only put salt in their game. And then they sent you to take a brother out. But instead you burned the place and let everybody out."

Max shrugged, "I needed some get back."

"Right. So what's with this virus they put in you so that you and Logan can't touch?"

"They're just mean like that." Max said her voice getting quiet.

OC's eyes widened and she sat up straighter, understanding written on her face. "No, boo. I think they sent you to kill Logan 'cause he's Eyes Only. Straight up. Now it all makes sense! You two were always doin' stuff on the DL."

Max scoffed, "you've got it all wrong."

OC laughed, "sugar, don't front. You been creepin' with Eyes Only! Give me some." Holding out her fist she saw Max hesitate before laughing along and bumping her fist.

"You can't say anything, though." Max said in all seriousness.

"I already forgot. You got Original Cindy's word on that."

"A lot of people want him dead, and I almost got him killed." Her mood had turned sombre.

"It's gonna be all right. It's all good."

"It doesn't feel good. It doesn't even feel a little bit good."

"Somehow...some way...it's all gonna come correct.'Cause you and Logan just got it like that. Nothing can keep you two apart. You're home, you're safe, you're strong. You kicked Manticore to the curb for good. They can't hurt you anymore. They can't hurt anyone anymore." OC said standing up to get some food ready and give Max some room. With OC gone Max took a deep breath, reigning in her emotions. Feeling better she decided it was time to check on Az.

"Hey Az," Max called out, "how you doin'?" She forgot her problems for a little while as she laughed at Az's incoherent mumble.

Az glared at the mirror as he heard Max laughing in the next room, his mind was still foggy from the drug and he couldn't work out what was so funny. He pulled his attention back to what he saw in the mirror. Staring back at him was an image that was both familiar and unfamiliar; his hair was no longer unruly but had been cropped shorter for easier management and was now a dull brown instead of black, his eyes had changed from a vibrant emerald green to an unimpressive muddy green but the biggest difference was the clear forehead, there was no lightning bolt shaped scar to be seen. This was X5-483 not Harry Potter and not Az, it was someone in between. He sighed. Everything had been so much simpler before this year, before the lines between Harry and Az had started to blur and meld together. No longer two separate identities; he wasn't sure who he was or what he wanted anymore.

"It'll get easier, you know." Max said from where she leaned against the doorway, razor twirling in hand.

"Where's your friend...Cindy?"

"Just call her OC, everyone else does, and she's gone to pick up some extra stuff. Look Az..."

"Don't you sometimes wish that we didn't escape, that we were as brainless as the others?" Az burst out, turning to face Max, his hands still using the basin behind him for support.

"No. Do you?"

"No....Yes....No, I guess not." He hung his head. "What I...I don't want my friends caught up in this. I don't want them believing that imposter is Harry – me!"

Max put her arm around his shoulders. "You'll figure it out once your head clears. Don't worry about it for now, Zack's got a plan, he'll work it out, he always does. Everything will work out in the end, for all of us."

o0FTD0o

Zane cracked his neck as he stood up from the tree limb ne he been crouched on and stretched.

"Do have to do that? It's a disgusting ordinary habit." Jondy said disgusted as she jumped down from the tree branch above.
"Because biting your nails isn't?" He smirked back, ducking quickly to avoid Jondy's playful hit.

"We should probably do a sweep of the Forbidden Forest now," Zane said, ending with an ominous tone.

"Will you finish with this 'Forbidden Forest' thing; it's getting annoying. Anyway, you're right, it's patrolling time."

They jumped from the branch they were perched on and landed softly, crouched. They made their way through the forest, swiftly blurring around trees and jumping over exposed roots. They began to slow as they reached a clearing close to the edge of the forest. Jondy held up her hand signalling for Zane to stop. An unnatural wind had picked up and a roar had filled the air. They looked up to see a black dot against the twilit sky, slowly getting bigger and bigger. Turning to each other, they formed a plan and moved closer to the edge of the clearing before climbing a tree and safety observing what was happening below. There were three people standing in the clearing watching the helicopter as it was landing; Lydecker, Brin and Az's twin. The copter landed, making Jondy and Zane shrink behind the tree as the front branches were forced back by the gushes of air coming off the rotors. They stayed that way, hidden from those in the clearing, until the helicopter took off again. As soon as was safe to do so, they crept back around to the original position.

Jondy gasped, "is that – us?"

"We need to call Zack," Zane whispered urgently, already climbing down the tree to get to a safe place to call their leader and get back to Seattle.