Title: Broken Doll

Author: Shanee

Pairing: M/A (and a bunch of other OCs)

Rating: PG 13 (nothing graphic people, and a swear words or two)

Setting: AU, after the escape of 2009. But timeline speaking, you can say 2 years after Alec's Berrisford mission, around the first half of the Season 2.

Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine. I only own the original characters.

A/N: Yes, I know you despaired I would ever finish it. But it's done people, this is the last chapter - eight years after the penultimate one. It was partly written (1/3) and this summer, the combination of 3 weeks in a cabin in the mountains without internet, and only my mom and my hubby (and an old iPad) for company gave me the incentive to finish it. Obviously it's un-betaed. Otherwise you'll have years to wait for it.

Since I'm not completely evil, I even wrote an epilogue, that I will post shortly (and I really mean shortly) after this final chapter.

For everyone who left a review asking for an update, there it is, and I apologize for the delay. Life happened (moving back to Europa and France, finishing my Screenwriting studies, losing my dad to brain cancer, writing short-films, creating tv-show and trying to sell them, learning the hard way that dishonest people will always find a way to dispossess you of your work, fighting back, seeing the light at the end of the tunnel).

To jadedcutie494 : Ben is now part of unit 9 and there is only a hint about him in this chapter. Zack is living his life far away from Manticore's radar and that's better for him.

To gehddehm : Sorry, not Alec/Ben parts, but you were right, the guy ogling Os was Normal (at least in my mind), and here you'll find a brief mention of another JPX member.

So here we go. I apologize in advance for every Logan's fan, because while I don't dislike the character (I was even a M/L fan at the beginning), he became my favorite punching-bag. It was freeing to let Max loose.

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Every end is a beginning

Max was kissing him.

And then she left.

Saying that Max's kiss had stunned Alec would be an understatement. Despite Brin and Jondy's matchmaking schemes, he had never thought that Max would at any point feel confident enough with her feelings to act on them. But she had, and Alec had died and gone to heaven.

Well for a short moment anyway, a really really tiny short moment, until the new X5 had tried to regain his attention. Unfair or not, he had immediately despised her for breaking up his nice dream. And she could use her best smile on him, he didn't care, he was now immune to everything that wasn't Max, if he wasn't before.

A low chuckle behind him made him recall the situation and he disengaged his arm from under 533's manicured hand. A glance at his friends told him that they were all surprised and pleased by Max's move, and that, if the glares the girls were sending the newcomer were to be rightly understood, the Vermont female X5 wouldn't be welcomed with opens arms, even if she was the one who had induced Max to act.

"You stay here," he said to the woman, and then turned towards his men, "what are you waiting for? You don't want Max to come back and find that you haven't done a thing in her absence."

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A week later, the complete outer perimeter of TC was secure and, as planned, the existence of a new army base in Seattle was no longer a secret for anybody. Newspapers and TV had revealed to all and sundry that (gorgeous) soldiers were now working for the safety of the civilians in an irradiated wasteland. Some journalists had even tried to launch a crusade for these soldiers' rights, claiming it was scandalous of the Army to force its soldiers to live and work in a biohazard place. Immediately a lie about the existence of a pill protecting the soldiers against radiations had been spread, and that was the end of it.

The beautiful 533 had rejoined her unit, found her new accommodations adequate enough and, after nicknaming herself Sheal, decided that Alec was the piece of meat she needed to have.

For years, she had been the best seducer of all the Vermont females soldiers. No man ever had resisted her charms. She was so used to allure, that it had become her. She couldn't change it now and she didn't want to. She liked the attention, the stares of the men, the jealous glares of the women. Few Vermont females had cared enough about their fellow male soldiers to see 533 as a threat and the heated glowers she received since her arrival in TC made her smile.

She adored competition, being certain she would win.

She may not be the best Vermont soldier, or the highest ranked, but she was the best in her field, and she knew it. So, when she saw Alec for the first time, she found him yummy. The next day, she learned he was the Seattle facility's Top Dog and one of the unofficial leaders of TC, that day, she knew she must have him. Maybe not forever, but for a while, at least as long as he was one of the most powerful X5 ever. Only the best for Sheal.

Unfortunately for her, while her looks and attitude made many males sent inflamed stares her way, they didn't work on Alec. Not used to find a man, or male, that wasn't responsive to her charms, Sheal was in a dither. Not seeing Max even remotely threatening, she couldn't conceive that Alec could be attracted by the female. For Sheal, if Alec hadn't noticed her so far, it was because he was blind, or maybe gay, and she hadn't tried hard enough.

So, for the last four days, she had done anything she could think of to make Alec open his eyes about her gorgeous self and, in the remote possibility he was gay, to seriously consider changing teams. She had tried the sex-kitten approach, dressed in all black leather. It was a bad move, this attire being Max's signature outfit, and Alec had grimaced. Then she had stridden into Headquarters in a naughty nurse outfit. Again a bad move, numerous X5s, Alec included, felt only deep contempt for nurses. She had tried to be the perfect housewife, baking cupcakes and wearing an apron. But while her cupcakes looked pretty outside, they were raw inside, and Alec spat them out, along every other unfortunate tasters.

She was getting annoying, and many, in Headquarters, even her fellow Vermont comrades, saw her as a nuisance. The resistance started. And, when yesterday she had played the damsel in distress, complete with fake tears and fake ankle injury, hoping to reveal in Alec some chivalrous genes, every male in the vicinity but Alec had played her game. Every one of them had tried to surpass each other, fighting theatrically for the privilege to be her knight in shining armor, including faking a duel. In short, making her regret her move and retreat hastily to her room, under the laughs of Alec and the females in the room.

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Humiliated she may have been, Sheal hadn't said her last word and she planned another move. Unfortunately for her, this one would be the last straw that broke Max's camel's back.

It was late at night, the day had been exhausting, and Max aspired to rest comfortably with Alec in their place. Sable and Biggs were out on a mission and they had the apartment for themselves. A funny pre-Pulse movie was on, the pizza was warm and Alec was giving Max the best shoulder massage ever. Everything was perfect.

Until someone knocked frantically at the door, and a curious smell reached their noses. Alec made a disgusted grimace, and Max tried to discern what that stench was, without success.

Puzzled, Max rose.

"Leave it, the do not disturb sign is on.

- I want to know what that smell is, it's awful, like a mix between musk, rancid sweat and cat's pee."

Right before she opened the door, it flung forcibly open, hitting Max on the nose and making her stumble. A tornado came in and voluntarily knocked into Alec, squeezing him onto the couch.

Alec tried to disengage himself, forcefully removing his assailant. But Sheal was nothing but persistent and she was immediately back on him, her thighs clinging around his waist, her arms around his neck.

"What the f…"

Alec's protestation was cut off by Sheal's lips on his.

From her post at the door, Max was stunned for a second, and then she saw red. Before Alec could throw his attacker away, Max had roughly removed Sheal from his body and propelled her through the room and against the wall, leaving a dent in it.

"Max, groaned Alec, we just painted it."

Ignoring him, Max marched toward a slumped and surprised Sheal.

"What the fuck were you doing, bitch!?

- None of your business," spat Sheal and, turning toward Alec, making him pitiful eyes, resumed in a pathetic whine "Alec, I need you… I need you so much. Take me, please."

She tried to pass Max in order to throw herself at Alec again, but was stopped in a headlock.

"Are you really trying to convince us you're in heat? Really? With that poor excuse of a pheromones spray? Think again!"

Acting indignant, Sheal replied "I'm in heat, stupid!"

"You're not, whore! Now take your paw off of my man and get the hell out of here!"

With that, Max threw Sheal out of the apartment and forcibly closed the door behind her.

On the couch, Alec wore the goofiest grin ever. Seeing this, Max frowned.

"Not a word!" she barked, plumping herself down in the couch, her eyes locked on the TV.

For the next four days, Alec was the epitome of jolliness. His eyes were twinkling, his mouth was smiling, his teeth were shining, his body was dancing. So much that everyone wondered what he had for breakfast.

Helloing everyone, Alec skipped into Headquarters.

Biggs, who was only returning from his away mission, blinked twice, before shaking his head.

"What happened to you? Did you get laid?"

A glare was the only reply he received, before Alec followed a huffing Max into their office.

"What's wrong, Maxie?

- Could you stop with the asinine smile, they talk!" She grouched.

"Let them, I'm happy."

Max grumbled indistinctly, a deep frown on her face.

"Maxie?

- You're gonna make me regret saying it…" She mumbled.

Alec enfolded Max in his arms and kissed her head.

"You're my girl, too, you know." He whispered in her hair, a soft smile on his lips.

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Max was stalling. She had reached a decision, but she couldn't make herself act on it. She didn't know what would be his reaction. He may stare, he may laugh, worse of all, he may flee.

But she needed it. She knew she needed closure. She must move on in her life.

When Alec entered their place, he found Max sitting in the dark, biting her fingernails.

"Max? Are you okay?"

His concerned voice made her jump to her feet.

"Max?

- I'm fine.

- If you say so," said a skeptical Alec. "I'm going to take a shower."

When he came back, Max was still pacing.

Frowning, Alec made his way toward her and, putting his hands on her arms, stopped her pacing.

"What's on your mind?

- Nothing." She said abruptly.

Her harsh tone made him wince and he steered her toward the couch.

"Maxie?" He said, in a soft caring voice.

Max bit her lips, then took a deep breath, before finally speaking: "I need… I need you to make love to me.

- 'Beg your pardon?" asked a stunned Alec.

Blushing, Max repeated her request in a whisper, while Alec's eyes widened like saucers.

"Why?

- Because I need it. I need to… to erase those memories. I need you to make it better. Please, Alec, I need to move on."

Too stunned to talk, to even think, Alec didn't react. And Max understood: it was as she had feared, he didn't want her. Hurt, she started getting up, when Alec's hand reached for hers and softly stopped her.

Looking deeply into her eyes, Alec saw despair, frustration, fear and pain. So, slowly, giving her ample time to change her mind, Alec bent his head towards hers, his lips reaching for hers. His kiss was soft, warm and tender. And finally Max kissed him back.

They kissed this way for a while, before Alec rose and held his hand to Max, once again giving her time to flee. But, despite a rosy blush on her face, Max had made up her mind and followed him to their bedroom.

In their bed, kisses were exchanged, shoulders, necks and cheeks were caressed, clothes were slowly peeled away, more skin was revealed, touched, kissed. Soft moans and sighs escaped.

And steadily two bodies became one, two hearts beat the same, two minds soared.

No one really knew what had happened, or even if something had. But everybody could see that something was changing Max. She was softer and seemed more relaxed. If they didn't knew it was a preposterous idea they would have thought she had sex. But, as Alec didn't look ecstatic and since no male would have dared to approach Max in that way, it couldn't be.

Alec was glad no one knew the truth. That night, while beautiful and memorable, had been a one-time thing, and he was quite sure that Max wouldn't like everyone to know about it. It had been about closure, and nothing else. Max wasn't ready for more, and if one day, she'd be, he wasn't certain, it would be with him. Yeah, he loved her and he knew that in a way, she loved him too, but that was Max and with Max, nothing was simple.

So Alec was glad, Max was still his best friend and that was it.

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Surrounded by what she saw as her less-than-perfect fellow soldiers and the ugly nomalies, Sheal was peeling potatoes in the mess hall. While unsuccessful with Alec, her antics had been enough to earn her the attention of several males, but not in the way she was used to. Suffice to say, neither her own CO nor the Colonel Lydecker had been quite pleased with her behavior. They had no need for the ridicule the girl brought upon her unit, her former base and her fellow soldiers. Mindful of the glower the Colonel sent her way, her CO had sent Sheal as far away as Alec as he could.

Thus Sheal was doing chores, fuming to see her perfect hands and nails soiled by the offensive vegetables. Someone would have to pay for it and Sheal knew the fitting candidate for her revenge: 452. Sheal couldn't understand what was the deal with this girl, she was quite plain compared to the goddess that was Sheal, yet she had Alec's complete attention, neither did she seemed so impressive, military speaking, and yet she was one of the top-ranked soldiers, all bases combined. Sheal was more than ready to take that girl down a peg or two.

So when she was sent putting the trash away and found Max's face on an old milk carton, Sheal knew that the universe was smiling at her. Using her cell-phone, she quickly contacted the desperate husband looking for his wife.

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"I'm sorry, sir, but you have the wrong place. Your wife isn't here."

The young soldier minding the entrance gate of the new military base seemed genuinely sad for him, and Logan sighed.

When a woman had called to inform him that his dead wife was living and living here, Logan hadn't wanted to believe her. But he came nonetheless. What if Amy was still alive ?

She had only been missing at the time he had paid for the ad with the milk company, they hadn't yet found her car in the Lewis River. He hadn't known at the time that she was already dead, had probably drowned after being ejected from her car in the crash. They had never found her body. The Sherif of Cougar had explained that the car had already spent too long in the water when a fisherman had stumbled upon it for them to be able to determine when exactly the accident had occurred. Her body could have been anywhere, crushed under a rock in the river, deep in the Pacific or even in the stomach of some wild animal. So what if Amy had still been alive, what if she had been found by someone, injured, and survived ? That was this desperate hope that had convinced Logan to listen to the helpful Miss Jones. She hadn't asked after a reward, unlike some con-artists from the past, and Logan had hoped that she only was a good Samaritan. Visibly he had been wrong.

"Can you please check again ?" He asked, trying to keep the despair out of his voice.

"Sure, sir, if it can help." The soldier was young, maybe sixteen, at the most seventeen, and even if the uniform fitted him well, Logan wondered what a boy so young was already doing in the Army. Well, at least, the boy had a job, a salary, clothes and lodgings. In this post-Pulse economy, he probably had made a safe choice.

"No, sir, I'm sorry, we have no trace of an Amy Derrick or Amy Cale in our database.

- Thank you, and… have a nice day ?

- Thank you sir. I hope you'll find her."

And Logan Cale walked towards his car parked two blocks away. Already blaming himself for hoping against hopes, for thinking that his naive wife could be living in a military base, for believing the honeyed words of the unknown Miss Jones.

Behind him, an older soldier reached the entrance and checked with the orderly minding the gate.

"Hey Bradley, everything's fine?

- Yes sir, I mean, yes Jason.

- Who was that?

- A guy looking for his wife.

- His wife? Here?

- Yeah. Name is Amy Derrick-Cale.

- Amy Derrick?

- Yes. Do we know her?

- You can say that.

- Should he be told?

- Certainly not. It's an alias from an old mission that should never have happened.

- Shit! Oh, sorry, sir. Jason.

- Don't fret… And if he come back, you never heard of his wife.

- Sure, Jason."

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The fourth and fifth floor of the Building B lodged the soldiers of Unit 8 and an empty apartment had been converted in a rec. room. Putting Max and Alec's absence from the building to good use, Jason had gathered the majority of his unit mates in the room.

"What's wrong? asked Freya.

- Yeah, what's with all the secrecy? Are we planning a surprise party for the bosses or what? added Puck.

- Oh, yes, can we do that ? I'm so tired of our new extra activities, I need a break, whined Os. And we haven't even celebrated our successful move.

- Yes, let's plan a house-warming party.

- Os, Puck, now is not the time for your shenanigans.

- Ooh, big word Jay, teased Sprite. How long have you been waiting to use it? Do you sleep with your thesaurus now? Isn't it a bit cold at night?"

Despite the potential gravity of the situation, Jason wasn't going to let Sprite walked away with it. A loyal and efficient soldier, X5-338 was well liked by his unit, but in front of his natural reserve, it was easy to believe him a placid guy without deep feelings, especially not feelings for one of his unit mates. Fundamentally nice with all the girls, Jason had long been friend-zoned by all the females in his unit. Which was quite the pity since the charming blond man had long had a crush on one of them. For all his teens, Jason had (very) discreetly mooned after the baby-faced Sprite, so discreetly that none of his unit mates had ever noticed. Since Sprite had always been spending all her free time, and then some, with Puck, Jason had waited to see if their friendship would evolve into something more intimate and less platonic. It hadn't. Sprite and Puck were definitely not like that. Lately they had even started to refer to each other as brother and sister. Probably because Puck had his eyes on a Vermont soldier and didn't want his partner-in-arms to cramp his style and ruin his chances.

But it means that Sprite was free and if Jason didn't act quickly he was going to definitively lose her before he even had her. So, the blond soldier had decided to overcome his diffidence and had lately started to throw some innuendos Sprite's way. And it seemed that Sprite was taking the hint, since she usually reserved her teasing way for brotherly Puck.

"My dearest, loveliest, peskiest nymph, if we didn't have some kind of situation right now, I'd show you where I sleep and how warm can be my thesaurus, ribbed Jason.

- Hear ! Hear ! laughed the majority of the room's inhabitants.

- Hey, not hitting on my sister ! protested Puck.

- Why ?

- Yes, why, Puck? asked Sprite, frowning at her best friend. Are you expecting me to take the veil or something?

- Huh? No. But, it's Jason. If someone had taken the veil, it's him…

- Not that I don't like watching Puck dig his own grave, but can we go back to our reason for being here? Sable cut in.

- Sorry Sabby, resumed Jason. Logan Cale was at the south entrance earlier."

A various hubbub of "What?", "Who?" and "Shit!" resounded in the room.

"What did the prat want ? groaned Foxy.

- To see his wife. Seems someone told him that he could find her here.

- Wasn't he supposed to believe her dead ?

- Obviously he doesn't believe it anymore.

- Shit, that's bad.

- What will we do?

- It depends", Freya took charge. "Does he still believe that his wife is here?

- No, not according to Bradley, who dealt with him. He told him that we don't have a Amy Derrick here and, since the boy wasn't lying to him, Cale believed him.

- Well, in that case, I say we do nothing.

- What? Are you nuts? Max is not going to let it lie, protested Foxy.

- And that's why she won't know about it. If Cale believed Bradley, he won't be back.

- It's a big if.

- Do you really want to remind Max of this mission? Do any of you really want to send Max back to this time?"

None of the soldiers argued with her, they couldn't do that to Max. While technically not a failure, in the military sense at least, this mission had been a continuing bad dream for Max, forcing her to neglect her mental well-being for Manticore's sake and pushing her to do things she wasn't confortable doing.

"All right, people, we forget Cale came, heck, we forget that he ever existed. And not a word to Alec either. Any objection? Biggs?

- Not from me. If Alec learns about it, it won't be pretty.

- You mean his reaction to Cale's visit or to our silence?

- Both. But we'll deal with it… In the meantime, I think someone here promised to show us his expert vocabulary, added Biggs to ease the tension.

- Not us, to Sprite, baited Os.

- Gross! protested Jane, half in jest.

- I believe Jay that our friends are trying to put us on the spot, interjected the confident Sprite. What do you say we continue this conversation somewhere else?

- I say my place or yours?

- Yours is closer. Bye losers!"

And with that, Sprite led Jason towards his apartment three doors away.

"I think it's a good thing Gael spent so much time with Kestrel and her unit and not in our apartment, said Snake.

- Why? Afraid he'll be shocked by your roommate's behavior.

- No. More afraid that Jason learn other skills from him. Why, oh, why, am I sharing a place with them?

- Penance for your tomcatting ways maybe? laughed Jane.

- Hey, don't diss my ways. Before your found your Frog Charming, you were right behind me in the tomcatting area.

- Ah, old time, smiled Jane. Well, I'm off, I have a boyfriend to find."

Jane left the place, soon followed by most of the soldiers, as most of them had busy schedules ahead. Only Snake, Os and Bull remained.

"We're pathetic, groaned Snake.

- Why?

- They all have managed to found someone, and we're all alone in the world.

- Speak for yourself, protested the laconic Bull.

- No?! Not you Bull, groaned Os.

- Who?

- None of your business.

- Oh, come on, you can tell us.

- No, I won't have you two making fun of her.

- Come on, tell us.

- It's serious? asked Snake.

- Yes.

- I promise we'll be good, said Os.

- You better… It's Teddy.

- The transhuman?

- Yes. Is that a problem? asked Bull, coldly eyeing his two friends

- No, not at all, to each his one.

- It's cool, bro. Now, does one of you know if Jondy is currently single? added Os.

- Jondy? She'll eat you alive."

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A bored Sheal boarded the fancy elevator. Despite her call the week before, the desperate husband hadn't managed to find his missing wife. Either the guy was dumb, or he didn't really want to have his Amy back. For Sheal's plans, he'd better be dumb. This way, she could manage him. And if she played her card well - something she always did -, seeing how richly the place was furnished, she could gain a pretty bonus. It wouldn't hurt the guy's bank account and her wardrobe could use some new and expensive purchases.

Easily picking the locks, Sheal entered the penthouse, casing the place with an expert's eye. Until her attention was picked by a gigantic photography above the mantel of the fake fireplace: the picture of who she supposed was the desperate husband and a tense 452 in their wedding finesse. At second glance, the Beauty noticed that this whole room was a shrine to a softer and trophy-wifey looking 452.

"Who are you? What do you want?" an angry voice, alongside the telltale click of an armed gun, resounded in her back.

Wearing her most disarming and charming smile, the Beauty turned around.

"Good morning, Mr. Cale. I'm Miss Jones. We talked last week.

- You're Miss Jones? You're that old biddy that spend her time playing cruel pranks on desperate people? I imagined you older and less whore-looking.

- Wait there, Mr. Cale. There is no need for name calling!" protested a vexed Sheal.

Showing a bit of skin was no synonymous of walking the street in her book. Well, in anyone's book except this guy's, it seemed. His pretty and docile wife wore bland and conservative clothes on all his pictures. Maybe if 452 had showed more skin, this guy would have lost the fire-poker deep entrenched into his ass, and his wife wouldn't have needed to flee her boring mission back to Manticore's gruesome work. Cale wasn't bad looking, in a flat and nerdy way, he was obviously rich and he seemingly worshipped his wife's existence. 452 could have had the less dangerous life ever, maybe even managed some long holidays in sunnier places, all with Manticore's approval.

But no, she had to sabotage her cover and come back. And now, her presence pissed off the Beauty like none before.

If it took 452 of her back and her new playground, Sheal would manage to play nice and arrange the most romantic reunion between the estranged spouses Manticore had ever saw.

"It's not my fault that you didn't follow my lead.

- Your lead, scoffed the man. Your lie you mean. I went there and made a fool of myself, asking for my wife when it was obvious they had never heard of her.

- What made you think they had never heard of her.

- I asked!"

Dumb, indeed. Or weirdly naive where his wife was concerned.

"Well, they lied."

The face Cale made confirmed Sheal's assumption of his intelligence. Of course a military compound lie, it wouldn't be able to function otherwise.

"Why would they?

- Because your sweet wife is one of their soldiers.

- Amy? A soldier? Preposterous! She's too soft-hearted. She wouldn't hurt a fly."

Annoyed with the guy's delusional memory of 452, Sheal rummaged into her backpack and took a borrowed digital camera. Soon enough, she found the picture she was looking for and showed it to Cale.

"Isn't that your wife, Mr. Cale?" asked she in her best sirupy voice.

For Logan Cale, it was a rude awakening, seeing the missing love of his life, wearing military fatigue, visibly having a ball and getting chummy with a hunk of a man.

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It wasn't the best day of the year for X6-809. It topped even the day she lost a bet with her best unit mate and inherited the name Clytemnestre on her fake civilian papers. And Lord, how she rued that day, until 452 showed her a loophole and nicknamed her with the moniker Fixit. 452 was a legend amongst the teens and, in this particular teenager's eyes, a personal hero.

So being showed a picture of 452, visibly taken inside their new facility, far far away from their fences, by an irate ordinary screaming for his wife was not at all something she felt ready to deal with. Especially since it wasn't even her turn to mind this particular checkpoint. But no, Sheryl had to ditch it to meet with Draco, and Fixit, being the silliest easily manipulated friend, agreed to cover for her. And cover for her, she had to, now that Colonel Lydecker was being called to turn the ordinary away.

The civilian was not at all impressed by the Colonel's presence, when Fixit was shaking like a leaf in a storm in her shiny combat boots. The fool prattled and prattled away, asking for his wife, under the cold stare of Lydecker. Oh Lord, she was doomed!

"Sir, I ask you again, how did you manage to acquire this picture?

- Who cares about that? What I want to know is why my wife is working in your base? My wife! Who supposedly died in a car crash in a river two years ago! Did she lose her memory in the accident and enrolled in the army? And I want to see her now! She needs to know that her life is waiting for her; her home, our home, is empty without her. She doesn't need to work for you, she doesn't need to work at all. So, I don't care about your picture, your rules or your rank, I want my wife back and I want her now!"

It was pretty obvious that this guy was of one track mind, and also obvious that Lydecker was a second away to reach for his gun and definitely silence him.

Too bad, he didn't.

After having managed to quiet the ordinary, giving him his word to investigate the matter and to call him back before 48 hours, the colonel turned away and store towards HQ, asking Fixit to send every Heads there. Lydecker wanted answers and he wanted them now. This picture was a breach of security. And this man should never have learned that his wife wasn't dead. Someone was stirring trouble and the colonel wanted him found, judged and dealt with.

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"What do you mean Cale was here?" asked an irate Alec, as Max was too bowled over yet to react.

The sheepish faces of some of their unit mates were a good indicator that something was amiss, but nothing could have prepared Max and Alec for Lydecker's bombshell.

"It seems that someone alerted Logan Cale that his wife, Amy Derrick, not only wasn't dead but was living here, since he first came seven days ago at the south entrance asking for her.

- And why weren't we told?

- Because we hoped it was a fluke, replied a nervous Freya. And because we knew that you wouldn't react well.

- And that was a good enough reason for deceiving us? So tell me Frey, asked Max in a deceptively calm voice, if someone from a past mission, who had no idea you were a soldier or that he only was part of this mission, if that someone came at our facility's gates and asked for you, tell me, would you like to know it? Would like to be able to prepare for it, or would you rather go blind, unknowingly waiting for his next move?"

In front of Max's deception and cold furor, Freya lowered her eyes to the ground.

"I'm sorry Max, we didn't think...

- Obviously! Lydecker cut in. I trust Max to deal with this breach of protocol accordingly. Now, we have several pressing matters to attend to. First, I want to know when, where and by whom was this picture taken. Dix, it's your area of expertise, find me those answers!

- Yes, sir! answered the transhuman proudly.

- Then we have the Cale situation to address. What...

- Deck, I'll deal with it.

- Max, no, you can't!

- And why can't I, Alec?

- Because! Because we won't stand for you having to deal alone with this creep, because you're the last person that should do it. Because I should do it.

- I disagree. When I was supposedly dead, ok, you would have been right. But now that Cale know that I'm alive, I am the best candidate to resolve this matter quickly and efficiently. Cale want to see his wife. So, he will. He won't like it one bit and he'll leave us alone afterwards.

- You're delusional Max, if you think he will let you go without making a fuss.

- I will deal with it, Alec!"

Max's final tone was so cold, the room's inhabitants froze, waiting for Alec's or Lydecker's reaction. Alec's sudden soldier mask wasn't promising and the Colonel, disturbed to see his best officers fighting each other, adopted his harshest authoritarian voice, leaving no one unaware that he was displeased by their behavior.

"I'm not certain 494 is wrong about Cale's reaction, 452, but at this point, it couldn't hurt to have you see him. I'll arrange for it. Briefing's over, soldiers!"

The meeting broke, leaving a tense Freya waiting for Max's punishment, an hurt Alec striding away and a resolved Max thinking deeply about this latest complication.

††††††††††††††††††††††††††††

True to his word, Lydecker had arranged a meeting before 48 hours between Max and her former target, Logan Cale.

Now, Max was pissed. Pissed that her unit mates had chosen to keep something like that from her. Pissed that they were giving her a wild berth, half afraid of her reaction, half disappointed in her choice of action. Pissed that Alec closed up every time she was near, that he had chosen to carouse with Biggs the night before instead of coming back to their shared quarters, and even more pissed that he was opposing her wishes with his calm sad look instead of screaming at her. Illogical much? Maybe, but Max had no desire to go see Cale, she just saw no better option.

Having reached the front of his door, she took a deep breath and rang the bell.

The door opened almost immediately, leaving Max no doubt that he was laying in wait behind it.

"Amy!" An ecstatic Cale reached for her and Max froze. Seriously?

"Come, come! Dinner is waiting."

Max followed Logan into his apartment, picking everywhere disturbing memento of their past. In front of the dressed table, complete with pre-Pulse wine, flowers and pasta, Max awfully felt she was back in time.

"Sit, sit!" He was holding her chair and Max obliged him, feeling her stomach painfully tighten in front of the steaming plate of pasta.

"Red is still fine? It's the same vintage that we had at our wedding, prattled Cale.

- Logan, what are you doing?

- Huh? Eating?

- No. Now. Why am I here? Why did you want to see me? Are you feeling nostalgic of our awkward dinners, or what?

- I don't understand... You're my wife, I thought you would love to eat a nice meal first... And what awkward dinners?

- I know that absence supposedly make the heart grow fonder, but you can't possibly have forgotten how bitter and fraught with tension were our last months... I left you, Logan!"

Cale's face was stunned in a confused pout that some could have found endearing but that Max wanted to erase with her fists. The nerve of that man! They were always fighting, she hadn't even bothered to hide her disdain for him for a long time before her escape, and, for Old Monty's sake, she slept in a separate bedroom! He could have picked a clue, you would think.

"Well, he sputtered, I forgive you.

- You. Forgive. Me? That's rich. Let me be clear, Logan: I don't need your forgiveness. Don't even think for a minute that I regret leaving you.

- But... Why?

- Because, in case you hadn't noticed, I was an inch away from jumping from this window to escape our life. I wasn't going to wither away just for your contentment.

- But... You married me!

- Well, it was a mistake."

Max rose, unable to eat even a morsel of the overcooked course and to play a second longer the old comedy of that mission.

"A mistake? You said vows, Amy, you promised to love me.

- What do you want me to say, Logan? That I lied? Lord, I faked my own death in order to flee from you! Pick a clue sometimes. We're long over!

- Over? No! I looked for you everywhere, I'm not going to let you go.

- You don't have a choice."

Outraged by Max's cold serenity, Cale gripped her arm. A mocking smile made its way on her face.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Cale! Max threatened in her best lethal voice.

- Sorry, Amy, he gulped. You see what you make me do."

He no longer gripped her arm, but instead was disgustingly stroking it.

"I love you too much.

- The one you love is long dead, if she ever existed. Let me go, now, Logan, I won't ask again. And forget about me, we're through!"

Max moved away, easily freeing her arm, and Logan desperately reached for her, but his awkward movement, maybe helped by Max's swift move, saw him sprawled across the floor.

A shake of Max's head told her watchful shadow that she'd handle it.

"Farewell, Logan. And don't come looking for me again. As you can see, I'm not your helpless docile wife anymore.

- Amy, no! Wait!... Amy, I told you to wait!"

Despite his threatening tone, Cale couldn't manage to scare even a babe, sprawled as he were, especially since in his rush to stop Max from leaving, he had acquired a new shirt made of pasta fabric.

Without a backward glance, Max left the apartment, her faithful shadow joining her as the elevator's doors closed.

"See, I could handle it."

A gruff mumble was her only reply.

Taking her bodyguard's hand into hers, she smiled: "Thank you for coming with me, Alec.

- Grumpf... Always, Maxie.

- With you by my side, I can handle anything."

Alec's stiff posture relaxed slightly. He was still pissed at her, but... he knew the feeling.

††††††††††††††††††††††††††††

Despite his numerous new responsibilities, CB was glad to take some time, even from his short sleep schedule, to report to his CO.

Alec had asked a few select ones from their unit for their help, and their secrecy. Three days ago, after Max had decided to be the one to confront Cale despite Alec's pleas, their CO had hatched a plan B, in case Cale was too obtuse to let go. Now, twelve hours after Max's visit to her former target, the man was probably too aghast yet to think about a new course of action. But no members of Unit 8, except maybe Max and her wishful thinking, believed for one second that the guy would definitively and quietly retreat of his own choice.

Max was unaware of her unit mates' actions. Her unilateral decision had hurt Alec and that was his answer : he would have her back, without deigning to ask for her opinion. CB could well understand the guy : their females were too stubborn for their own good sometimes, especially when their mates (or almost-mate in Alec's case) needed to assure their safety. The Berber soldier perfectly remembered the time when Blondie was oblivious to his own attempts to protect her. The beautiful blonde had been, at the time, chasing after every male crossing her path, desperately looking for love where only sexual gratification was offered. CB wasn't the only male able to fall in love with their ditzy but harmless unit mate, but he had been the only one who had chosen to sincerely and tenaciously pursue her. In the end, he had been rewarded by the love of his life, but it had been a long, tiring and often despairingly course of action. Having been in Alec's shoes, CB was definitely on his side.

"So, what do we have on the guy?" asked Alec.

The meeting was taking place in CB's flat, where the eight chosen few were reporting their findings.

Sable and Snake had been snooping around in Cale's entourage, looking for any discrepancy in the guy's life and reputation. Puck was just coming back from having bugged his apartment. Blondie had been meticulously combing through his finances, but it was CB, and his hacker skills, who had found the breakthrough.

"Do some of you have heard about that self-proclaimed Knight of the Truth, Eyes Only?" CB showed them a capture screen of one of EO's flashes.

"The pseudo cyber-journalist in love with his own voice? replied Sprite.

- What kind of nerd calls himself Eyes Only? asked Os. Are those eyes his only correct feature or what?

- Good job, CB !" Alec congratulated the hacker, and then, in front of his teammates' uncertain faces, resumed : "That's Cale's eyes.

- That's too good to be true! laughed Sable. Eyes Only's last crusade has been launched against Tepshydra, a partner of Pharmatech. Either the guy was planning an OPA on his faithful associate or he was forcing them to clean their act. Either way, he's screwed, the administration board won't like that one bit.

- Isn't a move like that justifiable cause for termination?

- In a perfect world, and when the CEO isn't a founder's heir, but not here, explained Snake. Cale won't find himself unemployed for this act, but he will lose his CEO chair for sure. His aunt, Margo Cale, has been long after it. She will pounce and he will be demoted to a less important job. A less lucrative one as well, but I'm sure he will manage.

- Well, he has expensive tastes, offered Blondie, so I'm not so sure about that. How the guy managed to have so much money on his bank account in this post-Pulse society is a bit of a mystery.

- A Swiss account ? If not that, the great Eyes Only is on the take.

- Wouldn't that be contrary to his calling? wondered Blondie.

- It's still worth digging. CB, Blondie, keep looking in that direction. Snake, Sable, find what you can about Margo Cale and other unhappy administrators. Os, Gael, Puck, Sprite, I want you to find who Eyes Only went after, and who will be very happy to know his real identity. If he knows what's good for him, Max's visit will have been enough. If not, the guy is toasted.

- Wouldn't be a shame to let such a good citizen keep his so well earned money? asked a mischievous Sprite.

- Especially since numerous people would know better than him how to spend it, added Puck.

- Wouldn't Max, as his former wife, be entitled to some of it? sincerely wondered Blondie.

- Oh, yes, at least half the amount of his fortune at the time of their separation, under Washington's laws, replied an enthusiastic Gael."

In front of his teammates' delight, Alec didn't have the heart to stop them. Sure, it wasn't honest to steal from a former target, especially without Manticore's approval, but if they had to rob someone, Cale would be at the top of the deserving list... Well, if the man listened to Max's ultimatum, his money would be safe from his soldiers' ideas. In the end, the choice was his.

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"Not again!... Draco, bring your ass back right now!" roared the X6, watching a known blond pansy making his way out a illegally parked car some distance away.

Once again, Fixit wasn't supposed to mind this checkpoint, and technically she wasn't. Draco, whose turn it was, was just around the booth, making out with Sheryl away from prying eyes. And since it was his job, he was the one that would have to manage the return of the Prattler, while Fixit would be running far far away from the Colonel's radar.

Once HQ was warned of the return of the Creep, of course. She was scared of Lydecker, not stupid.

"Who's that? asked the gorgeous black doll that was Fixit's best friend and Draco's source of wet dreams, a.k.a Sheryl.

- Lydecker's latest nightmare, Cale the Prattler.

- He's the one asking after Max?

- Yep.

- I see." A ferocious smile made its way on Draco's otherwise handsome face. Despite Max's habit of ruining his fun with Sheryl, Draco had the utmost respect for his Escape Team's CO. He was going to enjoy annoying the hell out of the Creep.

"Well, we're off. Draco, call HQ. Sheryl, come, we have to warn Max."

††††††††††

While Lydecker was seriously considering adding Cale's name to their assassination list, Max was making her way to the visitor's parlor, where the guy had been escorted after his latest stunt. Sure, she had rather hoped than believed that Cale would have listened to her, but she hadn't thought the guy stupid enough to try to blackmail Manticore.

In the week since her visit to his apartment, Logan Cale had been busy finding everything he could uncover about their new facility and the Army Corps behind it. Easily, it seemed, he had found out the Manticore project and the reality of their soldiers.

Max, and anyone in HQ, was doubtful the guy had the intelligence and the resources to discover something that big. If you added the sudden information about his wife's survival and the picture of Max deep inside TC, you'd smell a pretty big rat. They had a mole in their ranks, and, as soon as the Cale disturbance was dealt with, they would hunt it down. It wasn't going to be a difficult hunting party, since Max had a pretty good idea about the culprit's identity. It was sad really what envy could make an otherwise smart woman do.

But it was a subject for another time. Right now, Max had a suicidal ordinary to talk to. To think the man had the nerves to come and threaten the Colonel with exposure if his wife wasn't going back home with him. As if someone could threaten Lydecker and walk away from it alive.

"Why did you come back, Cale? I warned you to stay away.

- I told you, I love you too much. I can't let you go Amy.

- Too bad for you, and Amy is not my name.

- Huh?

- Seriously? You managed to find so many thing about us and That escaped your notice? Or did she left it out ?

- Who?

- A six foot tall Eurasian beauty, with green almond eyes and black silky hair. Goes by the name Sheal when she's being honest, and uses the name Chastity Jones for her Johns. Ring any bell ?"

"And she nailed it, people!" Exclaimed Foxy from behind the widescreen in HQ's control room where around eighty series X and transhumans were spying on the parlor's show.

"Dammit! groaned Chaplin, Sheal's SIC. The Colonel is going to be so pissed at us for a stunt like that. Just when we were finally accepted.

- That, and you're going to lose a soldier, added Tennessee.

- Frankly, that's the least of my worries. I would rather second my CO and say Good riddance, than spare a tear for her now. We have no need for a selfish bitch turned traitor.

- Aye! Aye! approved the crowd.

- Where is Alec? asked Brin.

- He's just around the door, replied Dix, gesturing towards the screen and the live video of the parlor.

- Does Max know it?

- Sure. Look at how relaxed her back is, explained Sable.

- And does she know we're watching this?

- Are you out of your mind? replied Blondie. She'd kill us!"

††††††††††

Back in the visitor's parlor, Max was wondering how dense could Cale get.

"Which word in 'It was a fucking lie' don't you understand? I never loved you, I faked everything. I played a part in order to get close to you and direct you where my bosses wanted to use you, you were just part of a job, and a boring one at that.

- But... You married me!

- You're starting to repeat yourself, Cale. Beware, it's the first step towards senility. And I never married you : Amy Derrick did, but as she never legally existed, you were never married.

- It can't be true. They are forcing you to say that. You can't mean it, you're a nice person. I know you.

- You never knew me. If you had, you would have known when to call it quit.

- I KNOW YOU!

- Are you really screaming at me? Are you? I'm a X5, Logan, I can kill you in two seconds, one if I'm particularly motivated, and you are strongly pissing me off.

- You wouldn't! sputtered Cale.

- Don't try me. I'm only here, right now, to make you understand to give up before my boss ask for your head. Right now, he's angry. Hell, we all are. But despite what you called us and despite your threats, we're not some monsters that would rejoice in your death. We have no desire to kill you, but we will if you continue your bullying and your blackmail.

- So you care about me?

- What?! No! What's wrong with you? Are you even listening to me?

- But you said you don't want to kill me, he whined.

- That doesn't mean I care about you, just that I don't want the bother of explaining your death.

- You can't mean it, you can't, you can't."

The guy was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and if he hadn't threatened to expose the transgenics to the population if Max didn't come back play wifey for him, she might have taken some pity on him. But as it was, she wanted him out of her life for good. She really didn't have time for nuisances like Cale in her life.

"Give it up, Cale! I'm not being mean on purpose, I'm just telling you the truth. You were never nothing more than a mission for me. I played you, and you fell for it. I'm sorry, but it's over. You really need to move on.

- But you could love me, he offered in a pitiful voice.

- No, I couldn't.

- Why?

- Because I'm in love with someone else..."

A faint roar shook a distant building, HQ if she had to guess. She smiled faintly, transgenics were so predictable sometimes.

"And he's the one that matters."

Max turned towards the door and, before walking through it, gave a last advice to the crushed ordinary : "Goodbye Cale, forget about me, forget about Manticore, and find yourself a nice girl..."

Snake and Puck entered the room as Max left it, intending to have a nice chat with Mr. Cale while escorting him outside theirs fences. They had managed to convince Lydecker that there was no need for assassination, their backup plan was way more devious and infinitely more painful. They really couldn't let a guy like Eyes Only go free with information about them like that. But if Eyes Only was no longer worth listening to, no one would ever believe the tripe the guy told.

††††††††††

Having left the parlor behind her, Max stopped in front of her CO. Looking into her eyes, Alec smiled softly and held his hand for her, in a silent question. Max put her hand into his and nodded.

Together, they left the building. Night had fallen during Max's chat with Cale, the clouds and the pollution hid the stars, but it was nonetheless a walk in the moonlight.

On their journey, they passed in front of their almost deserted new pub, where the TV showed a doctored Eyes Only's flash telling the world about Logan Cale's misdeeds.

Lifting an eyebrow, Max asked her companion : "Aren't those Gael's eyes?... CB's work, I presume?"

Alec nodded sheepishly and Max pressed his hand, smiling contently. They resumed their walk.

"Shouldn't we do something about the crowd in HQ? asked Max.

- No, tomorrow would be soon enough.

- So, home?

- Home."

And home they went.

Sure, they were still working for some prats in white collar back in DC, sure, the Familiars were still a threat, and sure, their unit mates would always find new ways to be charmingly annoying. But together, they were home.

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A/N: So? Love? Hate? Please review!