Well, here's chapter 7. Once again, I'm thrilled to know people are enjoying my story. I really appreciate all your reviews!! Thanks so very much!!! It makes my writing to 5am worth while!!

Chapter 7

"Hey. I've been paging you."

Max was surprised to have Logan meet her at the door as she walked into his penthouse.

"Like, what else is new."

She did her best to ignore the accusatory tone of his voice.

Walking through to his kitchen she asked, "Can a girl get a drink'a water?" Not waiting for his reply, she grabbed one of the large glasses on hand next to the sink, and filled it.

"Be my guest," said Logan with a touch of irony as he followed her.

"So ... what was the dealio with the fire?"

"Not much. I've got ... Bling picking up the security tapes. They might show something," he replied, his eyes taking in anything except her face.

Max nodded. "So ... nothing happened?"

Logan wheeled forward to have some water as well, very aware of Max's careful scrutiny. "Ah ... no." He shook his head as he spoke. "Why?'

"You seemed kinda edgy when I rang this morning. Where'd you go?"

"Go?"

"You know, when they made you evacuate."

"Oh. Then." Logan drank his water. Slowly. He then turned on the faucet and filled his glass a second time. Just at that moment he would have preferred something with more of a kick to it.

Max waited 'patiently' while he drank his next glass. "So?"

"Not much. We had some ... you know ... things to do." Even to Logan's ears it sounded awfully lame.

Max motioned to the small bag she had with her. "I'm all ready for my slumber party tonight. I've even brought us a midnight snack," she added conspiratorially.

"Not tonight," Logan replied abruptly, wishing for the safety of his computer screen, but doubting he could push himself that far without telltale signs.

Feeling a bit disappointed Max said, "Okay, I guess you wanna work on those feeds. It doesn't have to be midnight you know – three, four, five a.m." She positively purred. "It's all the same to me!"

She gave him one of her delightful smiles. If only he knew, it was a smile she rarely bestowed on anyone else. A special smile for Logan Cale, and he was about to wipe it from her face.

"No, I mean not tonight at all."

"Oh."

"That's what I was paging you about. Bling is going to stay overnight." Seeing the look on her face, he floundered on, "I thought, you know, being Friday night an' all, you'd want to spend it at Crash."

"Oh."

Logan steeled himself to ignore the hurt in her eyes. The throbbing of his arm, bandaged and hidden under his loosely fitting sweater, gave him further impetus.

"So, you can go out an' have a good time."

"Sure." The mask had come down over her face now, hiding the pain. "Did he think so little of her that he thought she'd hang out at Crash, while some maniac was perhaps even now on his way up to do good his threats?

At that moment, the door opened and Bling came in, instantly wishing he'd arrived ten minutes later.

The look on both their faces said it all.

"Hey Max."

"Bling." Max gave him a small smile. Turning to Logan she said, "Well, I'll see you tomorrow maybe."

Logan followed her to the door. As she was about to close the door after herself, she popped her head back in and looking directly into Logan's eyes, said in a soft voice, "Hey, stay safe."

Logan would have preferred she had yelled at him.

*********************************************

Max never made it to Crash.

Instead she found herself on the Space Needle, enjoying her 'midnight snack' alone

********************************************

Logan sipped his tea in front of the window, close to the dining table. Of course it had to be raining.

He'd spent a miserable night, and now had had a miserable morning thanks to his arm. In the night it had throbbed with a vengeance, and this morning he had woken to find it stiff and sore, and he found he could do very little with it.

Worse than that he felt miserable for the way he had treated Max. He could have just told her the truth. But ... he didn't. He didn't want to be faced with having to accept the fact that maybe Max had been right, and he certainly didn't want to face the fact that maybe Eyes Only was an easy mark – any pimp in the city could pick him off. What did Max call him – 'The great and powerful Eyes Only?'

I don't think so.

**********************************************

"Hey, Logan, Bling, You boys awake. Everyone decent?"

Logan released his brakes with an effort, and turned from the window.

"Max?"

She noticed the surprise in his voice, but also the underlying welcoming tone.

"You're up early - thought I'd find you all tucked up in bed."

She gave him a small, uncertain smile, still not entirely sure of her reception.

"Not much time for sleep when you're trying to save the world," Logan grinned back.

Nice, she thought, and then added aloud, "What about time for breakfast?"

"That might be arranged."

Bling came in at that moment, hearing their voices. "Did I hear someone mention breakfast? I've just made a delicious stack of pancakes."

Max looked at Logan in surprise. "What's this? Logan Cale has surrendered his kitchen?"

"It has been known to happen," Logan admitted.

"You sure you're not coming down with something?" teased Max.

Logan was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable about the way the conversation was going. He had determined to tell her the truth - he just didn't know how to go about it.

"Hunger is about the only thing he's coming down with," put in Bling heartily. "Let's eat people."

He slapped Logan on his shoulders as he spoke, then surreptitiously gave Logan a small push towards the table by the window. "You two sit here. I'll play waiter," he said, giving Logan the 'I hope you know what you're doing' look as he turned away to walk back to the kitchen.

"Hey Bling, you've been hiding your light under a bushel. These are good enough to rival the master's," grinned Max, motioning towards Logan.

"Well, that's the last time I let 'him' in my kitchen," replied Logan, putting his last bite of pancake in his mouth, and leaning back in his wheelchair contentedly.

"I'm on kitchen detail," said Max, beginning to collect the dishes.

"Fine with me," Bling laughed.

"You gonna help?" she said, turning to Logan and smiling sweetly.

Logan hesitated a beat, then said, "I'll wash later. I got something to do."

If Max had noticed his momentary confusion, she said nothing, just stacked up more plates and headed to the sink. "No big dealio," she sang out. "I've got it covered."

"How long you intending to keep this charade up?" Bling asked under his breath cuttingly as Max walked away.

Logan at least had the grace to look guilty.

Bling continued, "I have to head out and get some groceries. You need, milk and bread - anything else?"

Logan shook his head absently.

"Painkillers?"

At that Logan looked up at him with an emphatic "No."

"Okay. Just askin'. I'll see you in a little while."

Logan heard him go out the door, so he was surprised to hear Bling return a few short moments later holding a letter in his hand. It was a yellow padded envelope, the writing the same as the other unwelcome messages Logan had received.

"One of the security men just brought it up. He'd found it on the front desk." Bling looked at Logan seriously. "Do you want me to wait around?"

"No. I got it thanks."

Bling shrugged and headed out once more.

*******************************************

As Max ran the hot water into the sink, the thought crossed her mind that Logan didn't know how lucky he was to have decent hot running water, considering the effort she had to go to for just a hot bath. Enjoying the warmth of the water, she let it play over her hand.

"Max!"

Something in his voice made Max run, almost with a sense of panic, and Manticore soldiers never panic. She rushed into the study, ready to pounce, kick, attack ...

"Logan!"

With relief she saw Logan sitting in his wheelchair. "What is it?"

"There, on the floor." He was pointing to a spot a few feet in front of him.

"Wow. Impressive."

"Kill it."

Max was surprised by the intensity of his voice.

"Kill it?"

"Yes. Now."

"Logan. It's one of God's creatures." Her tone was teasing now.

"Yeah, well everyone's entitled to make one mistake." Logan looked at it with disgust.

"Where'd it come from?" asked Max, peering at it closely.

"In this letter."

"It was sent to you?" she asked in surprise. "Logan it looks kinda dead already."

"Stomp on it to be sure."

"You want me to squash the evidence?"

Logan tried hard to hold on to his patience. "If I could move my leg, I'd do it myself."

"Why would anyone send you a half dead spider?"

"Well, I imagine it wasn't half dead when they sent it," replied Logan dryly.

Enlightenment dawned on Max's face. "This is about the letters, isn't it?"

"'Fraid so."

"Like I said, why would this guy send you a half dead spider?"

Logan spoke with some difficulty. "I guess he ... 'knows' me."

Max raised an eyebrow at him.

"I don't like spiders." The words came out rushed.

Max tried hard not to grin.

"The Great and Powerful Eyes Only, defender of the people, is afraid of ... "

"I know, I know," quickly cut in Logan. "Kinda dumb huh?"

When he looked like that she would have said 'kinda cute.'

"Is there anything else you should tell me? How do you feel about ... say ... frogs?"

"Horrible, green slimy things without a doubt – but I'm not afraid of them." There was a hint of exasperation in his tone.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about," she said kindly.

The look he gave her should have warned her to be quiet.

"Do you have an aversion to the species generally, or just big, brown, fat, furry ones like that one?" She managed to say every adjective with relish.

Suddenly the enormity of the situation hit her. "Logan. How does this person know you don't like spiders?"

Logan leaned forward in his chair, elbows resting on his knees, his long fingers steepled in front of him.

"This is all starting to become a little clearer," he said quietly.

Something about the way he spoke made her look at him intently.

"Max, this isn't about Eyes Only." He looked up at her. "It's personal - it's about me."

TBC