******** Back with Max and Alec*****

Max's bike pulls up to a broken wired fence where she stops. "this is the right address, guess they tore the place down." Max looks around then spots something she smiles grows big "Joshua!"

Joshua turns around on the from the paper he has in his hand "Max"

"Hey Big Fella!" she says as she hugs him

"Hey Little fella," Joshua says returning her hug.

"How you doing? I've been worried." She says pulling away from the hug.

Joshua looks to the side and sniffs then looks back. "Father not here… Not anywhere."

"Where did you get that?," Max asks looking at the paper.

"Took it, uh from people upstairs after Father left." Joshua explained.

"See, those addresses are old. That means that those people may not live there anymore." Max says sadly.

"Two more," Joshua says pointing at the list. Alec looks between max and Joshua then his watch.

Max frowns" Okay we'll check it out. But Kagome is at this house." Max says pointing, "Let me call her see if she found anything." Max states and Joshua nods and grins happily.

"I hate to be a killjoy, but nobody's going anywhere," Alec says getting seriously he pulls his arm forward with the stun gun and shoves it in Max's abdomen tasering her. "uhh! Uhh!" she grunts as she falls to the floor and Joshua lunges for Alec who dodges the attack and tasers Joshua who also grunts but doesn't fall like max he just turns back and attacks again growling all the while, aleck gets him again for a little bit longer til he falls to the ground then flips him to his stomach and pulls down Joshua shirt to find no barcode.

"where is it? Where the Hell is you bar code?" Alec yells.

" No bar Code, I was first, Special." Alec stuns him again as he gets up then tosses the stun gun and heads towards Max who is watching as she twitches on the ground helplessly.

"I'm Sorry. There's no other way." Alec says looking into her eyes as he pulls out eh switchblade.

"Alec..." Max gasps out

"I don't want to die." He says then kneels down above her she looks up at him with fear, he pulls the blade back slowly as they both look into each others eyes Alec grunts as he plunges down the knife only to stick it in the ground beside her head unable to kill her. As he pants then falls to the side. All the while Max watches at the blade in the ground near her head.

***** back at the scientist motel room******

"I thought so." He said looking at Max. "I planted a few myself back in the day." Max pace's in front of them as Joshua looks on. "Mind my asking how you ended up with one of these pop guns attached to your brain stem?"

"Because he's a cold-blooded opportunistic showoff who thought he could run his game on a major bad guy who, it turns out is an even bigger scumbag then he is. That about cover it?" Max states out loudly.

Alec turns slightly "yeah that's pretty much how it happened."

"Oh before I forget thanks so much for not killing me." Max says sarcastically, Alec turns back towards her.

"Me too." Joshua says sincerely.

"I can disarm it, but it'll cost you ten grand." Alec's eye look towards the scientist.

"That the only number you know?" Max yells.

"I can get you the rest later." Alec says handing him a wad of bills.

"Need it up front," says the scientist Alec gets out of the chair and turns grasping his neck.

"Where the hell am I gonna get that kind of cash in the next five minutes? Huh?" says loudly in his ear.

"Wait," Max says calmly looking at them. "You're paying me back. She reaches into her jean jacket and pulls out and envelope. Alec lets go of the scientist who gasps for air.

"No problem" Alec lifts up his sleeves and sits back down.

"Great. I can leave town tonight." Says the scientist

"What? You haven't finished MY job" Max says upset. Alec looks back at him.

"Have I not mentioned that my life is in danger?" he says waving his hands.

"I'll make sure nothing happens to you." Max states with conviction.

"Not good enough. Look, you can have the work that I've done so far." Alec looks between them and a look of dawning appears on his face as he realizes what is going on. "Take my analysis. You find some other Manticore geek to help you finish it off." Alec looks down knowing what she is giving up to save his life.

"Where?"

"Don't know if they're smart like me, they're probably already on their way out of town." He pulls out several sheets of paper. "We got a deal?" he says finally looking up to hand her the paperwork. "This guy's got about two minutes to live." Alec and Max share a look. She looks back at the dr.

"Do it." She says firmly then grabs the paperwork and hands him the cash. He sets out to work behind Alec. 10 seconds on the clock.

"Time's almost up Pal" Alec says hastily

" Don't distract me." You hear a crunch of a sort then he pulls it out and lifts it about a foot from Alec's head where it explodes causing Alec to flinch away and gasp. "Congratulations, you're not dead" The dr. mocks. Alec looks from him to max who is starting at the paperwork in her hand. Joshua behind her arms crossed looking slightly upset. "That's it, I'm out of here." Dr. packs up and says "Sayonara" as he leaves and shuts the door behind him they all watch him leave.

Max looks back at Alec to find him watching her, "I owe you, Max. I know I screwed things up…" she interrupts him

"Shut up! And listen, 'cause I'm only saying this once." Max says drawing near to him, "That guy was the last chance for me and Logan. He's Gone, and it's your fault. Don't think I'm ever getting over that." She angrily tells him with disappointment in her eyes.

"I know." Alec says sincerely

"Just … Do me a favor, all right?" Max says softly "Go Away, I can't even look at you right now." She says as she turns away. Joshua growls at Alec as he gets up and leaves.

Alec opens the door and grabs his jacket and turns around. "I'm sorry Max, for everything," He says honestly. Then shuts the door on his way out.

"I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up anyway." Max says to Joshua "I just wish I knew what I was gonna tell Logan." Joshua comforts her as she begins to cry softly.

******Witch Lydecker******

He is driving has he glances at his watch. When he hears another vehicle tires squeal behind him and a car approaching at a rapid speed.

*********with Kagome********

She waited with the four children for another 10 minutes when she heard the noise outside. As someone drew nearer, in stepped a boy about 17 years of age. "its about time you got back soldier." He dropped the bag he was holding and stood at attention immediately. "At ease soldier, Gather your belongings and be ready to leave in five minutes."

"Yes, Ma'am" he said running off. To gather his belongings, and returned in 30 seconds later, "permission to speak"

"Permission granted" kagome answered.

"Are the troops remobilizing?" He asked

"No they aren't I'll explain everything tomorrow for now I am taking back to my home base and getting you some warm food to eat as well a safe and warm place to bed down for the night. Now let's move out." She walked her motorcycle which wouldn't have been easy for an average human to Max's home and took it upstairs asked OC to watch over it until she came by tomorrow. Then went back down to where the children waited in the truck which souta had left there earlier on in the day, so that they would have the transportation when needed.

She drove to her home and got the children fed and off to bed. Souta helped her wash the dishes and put the children to bed. Picks up the phone to page max. Two minutes pass before her phone starts to ring.

"Max, did you find him?"

"Yeah, how was the place you were at?"

"Some small home found some kids there brought them home. So how come you didn't call me sooner?" Kagome asked curiously

"Long story, Joshua and I are going to check out the last home on the list then I'll come over later to talk about what happened." Kagome noted the sad tone in Max's and wondered what could have happened.

"Okay big sis. Take care of yourself. And keep safe tell Joshua hi and that I said take care.

****** Next morning by the bay*******

"The body must've been thrown clear" says the police officer. "I guess we're gonna have to drag the river." They find strange photo's near the body and bag them.

*****with max and Joshua*****

"this is the last address." Max says entering the house with Joshua following closely the furniture is overturned and paper all over the phone, max lifts a chair and Joshua bend to pick up a book and an excited look appears on his face.

"Father's house," He says.

"You Sure?" she asks looking at him quickly he glances back at her then looks back at the book.

"His books, I remember." She looks away again Joshua picks up a cane with a lion. And put it in front of max.

"Manticore Symbol. See? She says pointing to the symbol on his jacket.

Joshua shakes his head, "No Father's," he says caressing the cane. Max looks at it

*Flashback*

She remember a man holding the cane. Walking towards her then bending on his knee and hugging her "there she is, My little one, My special little one." He says as he picks her up. She hugs him back

*Flashback ends*

"Max… Little Fella…. MAX! Father not here." Joshua says looking around.

"No, looks like he hasn't been here in a long time. I'm Sorry. I know that wasn't the plan." She says looking at him sadly.

"Joshua and Father that's the plan," he says looking at her seriously.

"Max, Joshua and Father that's the plan, you want to find him I'll help you. I got some question for this guy." She says honestly.

"He'll help you, just like the man helped your friend." Joshua says confidently.

"You think he can cure this virus thing?" she asks him hesitantly.

"He made us, He'll make you better, and that's what you tell.. Logan… To have hopes up." He says innocently and proudly.

"Okay." Max says quietly as she looks down. Then she lights some candles and allows Joshua to fall asleep before blowing out the candles and leaving.