A freak odyssey
By Sinful Starlet
Disclaimer: is it even worth writing these things anymore? Probably not, but you all know nothing DA related belongs to me right? Would it be cancelled if that wasn't true?!
Rating: PG-13 / R. I have issues with ratings - basically I go more on a general atmosphere than anything else, and I think this isn't too kid-friendly!
Summary: Set somewhere during a now hypothetical third season. After the situation at Jam Pony, as the siege at TC continues, Max has just started to get her life back in order, when an old enemy resurfaces to wreak havoc on her life again. And guess what? It's another M/A - completely unapologetically, self-indulgently M/A! I don't care what the writers on the show thought, they are still my favourite couple!
Author's note: Right, flashback #3 - "Harbour Lights". This is a fairly major departure from the episode, but I like it better this way. Basically, thought the idea of the episode was fine, but it just hacked me off that Alec wasn't in it - I mean, where was he when all this happening to Max? On vacation? Anyway, fixed it my way now - so I hope ya like it! *SS*
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A freak odyssey
By Sinful Starlet
Flashback #3 - "Harbour Lights"
He remembered that afternoon clearly. He had been sitting in Jam Pony in between runs, just taking a break and watching the TV. And if he was going to be completely honest, wondering where Max was. He had paged her a few times but she wasn't answering. OC said she had been fine that morning so he had let it go, but he was starting to worry a little. He flicked through the channels, scanning for anything interesting, when he caught one news report that certainly matched that description.
It was a live report outside Harbour Lights, a hospital downtown. The place had turned into a circus with all the government agencies crowding round trying to get in. "Once again," the reporter said, "CDC officials are now on scene at the hospital today to attend to the possible viral threat. It is believed that this threat is concentrated around a young woman who was brought in this afternoon after suffering a gun shot wound. No one has yet come forward to say exactly what the contagion may be, but we are assured that details will be communicated to the press once the CDC complete their investigation".
Alec went pale. He didn't need to hear a name or see a face, he knew instantly who it was. Max. He got up and reached for his cell phone, dialling quickly. "Hello?" came the answer on the other end. "Logan, man," Alec said, "tell me you saw the news". "It's okay," Logan said, "I'm already at the hospital. I've been keeping an eye on her since she was brought in this morning and so far nothing serious has gone down". "This morning?" Alec gasped, "And were you even planning on calling me about this?" There was a definite pause on the other end as Logan thought about that.
He wasn't sure why Alec was so upset. It could mean exposure for them, he thought, but he wasn't going to let it get that far. Sam Carr was already covering up her medical history so all they had to do was get her out of there. "I've been down here all morning keeping an eye on things," he repeated eventually, "I didn't exactly have time for a chat!" Alec swore under his breath, but Logan didn't catch that. "Where are you?" he said, already walking out. "At the moment I'm parked just outside of the whole media blockade, trying to hack into the hospital's security system, see if I can see what's going on". "I'll be there in 10," Alec said, hanging up before Logan could reply. Alec rode quickly through the streets, pounding out his anxiety and frustration on the pedals, practically breaking them in the process.
He knew he and Logan weren't exactly buddies, but he should have called him about Max. He just hoped she was okay. He found Logan fairly quickly, leaving his bike a few blocks back. He knocked on the car door so Logan knew it was him and then he slid into the passenger's seat. "So what's going on?" he asked, not bothering to say hi. "Some guy from the FBI showed up a few minutes ago - he's arguing with the CDC guys about her right now". "Since when did the FBI take an interest in viral outbreaks?" Alec asked, beginning to get a sinking feeling. "You ever think it might have been White?" he prompted when Logan didn't say anything.
This hit Logan like a brick wall - he hadn't even thought to find out. "Look I'm going in there," Alec said, "we've got to try and get her out now". "You don't think I'm worried?" Logan snapped back, "But they aren't gonna let you just waltz in there!" "I'll say I'm family or something," Alec said, already starting to get out of the car. "Wait," Logan said, calling him back, "they've already seen me - I gave her name as Linda Eastmann...my wife". 'Figures', Alec thought, cursing under his breath. "Alright, well I'll figure something else out," Alec said, "just give me a few minutes at least - I can call you and give you a better idea of what's going on in there".
Logan reluctantly nodded, but there wasn't really anything he could do to stop him. Alec snuck round to the back of the hospital, knocking out a couple of guards and moving quietly inside. He got a view of the lobby and he saw that it was White who was arguing with the CDC doctors. 'Damn', he thought. He had to do something fast if she wasn't going to get caught. He saw an elevator at the other end of the hallway and a couple of doctors in biohazard suits making their way towards it. He made a choice.
Keeping his back to White, he moved as quickly as he could down the hall to the elevator. The doctors tried to stop him as he got into the lift with them, but they were both unconscious before long. Now he had a plan. Luckily no one was watching the elevator on the floor above Max's room, so he managed to get the two guys out and into a storage room before anyone saw him. Before he left the room he had another idea, grabbing a couple of packets off the shelf and then he took the elevator back down to Max's floor.
Once he stepped out of the elevator he blended in entirely. He was just another guy in a biohazard suit, making the rounds. He found Max's room quickly, not that it was particularly difficult, and dismissed the nurse left to keep watch while he went in to talk to her. She seemed a little groggy, but woke up quickly when she saw him leaning over her. "I don't know what else you perv's are looking for--" she started, stopping in shock as he removed his helmet. "Alec?" "To the rescue! You expecting someone else?" he asked, shooting her a grin, just relieved to see that she was basically okay.
"Come on," he said, "we've got to get you out of here fast - White's on his way up". That brought her to her senses quickly and she started sitting up, pulling the lines out of her arms and the heart-monitor pads off her chest. "You okay to move?" he asked, glancing down in the general direction of her wound. "More or less," Max said as she shakily got to her feet, "I might let you carry me some of the way!" He rolled his eyes, tossing her one of the packets he had picked up upstairs. She looked at him quizzically at first, then realised what it was - a set of surgical scrubs. He turned round while she changed, trying not to think about the sight behind him.
Just then his cell phone rang and he unzipped one of the suit pockets answering it quickly while watching the door. "Logan?" "Yeah," came the reply, "you're gonna have to move fast," he said, "White's coming up now". "Great disguise by the way," he added. "What?" Alec asked. "CDC left a camera in the back left corner of the room," Logan explained, "I'm blocking the feed to their computers but I can see you". That surprised Max a little, she wasn't particularly keen on the idea of him watching her change. "Where's Max?" Logan asked, "I can't see her".
Alec looked puzzled for a second, but then figured that from where he was standing, he was effectively blocking Max out of sight from the camera. Max figured this out too and shot a relieved, if slightly embarrassed smile at Alec as he stepped aside. "I'm okay," she said, taking the phone from Alec, "you got any exit plans?" "I've called in a favour," Logan said, "can you make it to the roof?" "See you there in five minutes," Max said, ending the call. Alec had already overheard so he knew what the plan was. He put his helmet back on and check outside the door, then pushing Max in front of him they made their way to the elevator again.
Once inside the elevator, Alec pulled off the helmet again and started unfastening his suit. Max looked at him a little strangely, but then realised he was wearing scrubs underneath the suit. "Aren't you well-organised today?" she joked, but she felt her legs buckle a little as she said that. Alec stepped forward and caught her, realising she was a little weaker than she had said. The elevator stopped then and they made their way outside, checking that no one was watching as they climbed the last flight of stairs up to the roof, or rather, Alec climbed the last flight of stairs.
Despite Max's objections, he carried her up the stairs, not wanting her to exert herself while she was still so weak. He set her down when they came to the top, while he went to call Logan to check where he was. Unfortunately, someone else got there first. Max barely had time to get to her feet as she saw White approaching. She knew she wasn't up to a fight, but he caught up with her before she could get to Alec. He wasn't exactly in the mood for talking, immediately attacking her - determined to take her down. In her weakened state it wasn't going to take much doing either.
She managed to cry out for Alec just as he delivered one last punch which knocked her unconscious. White bent down to check her pulse and got knocked flat on his ass by a very pissed off X5-494. As soon as he had heard her call he had gone rushing back to get her, leaving Logan (who had landed on the roof by this time) to follow, rather more slowly. Alec went ballistic at White, matching every kick and punch with one of even greater intensity. Logan came to an abrupt halt as he saw the two men fighting, and for the first time he was a little afraid of Alec.
He looked like he had gone wild as he pummelled White, taking no notice of any wounds he was receiving. It took him a minute or so, but he managed to knock White out and then Logan came rushing in. They both got to Max, but she was still unconscious and Logan just looked to Alec with a kind of desperate sorrow in his eyes - he still couldn't touch her. Alec bent down, checking Max for any bone breaks or serious injuries, "Just in case you can hear this Max," he decided to add, "I'm not trying to cop a feel, just making sure you didn't break anything!"
He didn't bother to look up, already knowing what kind of disapproving expression Logan was pulling. Luckily Max was basically okay - some more bruises and a couple of fractures but that was all. He carefully picked her up then, hurrying with Logan back to the waiting helicopter. She didn't wake up until they got back to her apartment, OC letting them and helping Alec to get her on the sofa. "Hey she's coming out of it," OC said, who had been sitting by her, holding a cold cloth to her somewhat feverish forehead.
"Hey how d'you feel?" Logan asked gently as she started to open her eyes. "Like I've been shot and then knocked around by a breeding cult asshole masquerading as an FBI agent!" Max replied straight-faced, "Next dumb question!" "Well at least they didn't get your sense o' humour!", OC laughed, kissing Max lightly on the forehead. "Alec?" Max asked, not seeing him at first. "Still here!" he said, walking over to the couch and despite knowing it would piss Logan off, taking her hand in his. "Can one of you tell me what actually happened up there?" Max asked, "I'm still a little fuzzy on the details!"
"Well Mr GQ here saved the day!" Alec asked, ignoring the questioning looks of both Logan and OC who knew the true story. "White knocked you out and I came back to take him on" Alec went on, "but he was basically kicking my ass!" "I woulda gone down too, but then Logan came up behind him and took him out with a rather hefty lump of lead piping laying around from the building work - it was pretty impressive!" 'Though not as impressive as your ability to come up with a cover story that fast', Logan thought, still wondering why he had done it.
Max turned to Logan with a smile then, "Typical!" she said, "Logan Cale kicks some serious ass and I get to sleep through the whole thing!" "Thank you," she said, more earnestly, giving him a far more heartfelt smile. "Anytime," Logan said. "Well I guess you're gonna want to get some rest now," Alec said, letting go of Max's hand and standing up, needing to be somewhere else. "Think you can manage that?" he asked, teasing her. "Probably!" Max laughed, "But thanks Alec - I guess even pains in the ass have their uses sometimes!" "Guess so!" Alec said, laughing at her joke and then making his way to the door.
Logan stopped him before he could leave though, talking to him quietly. "Not that I don't appreciate that," he said, hoping Max couldn't hear him, "but why didn't you just tell Max the truth?" Alec rolled his eyes, for such a smart guy Logan could be extremely dense on occasion. "Why'd you think?" he asked, "I just told Max what she needed to hear, nothing more to it than that". Logan just nodded, watching Alec walk out, as did Cindy. In fact the only person that wasn't was Max. She lay there on the sofa, her mind racing - she had heard every word he just said.
Feeling generous today, so next flashback is up too as chapter three - "Hello Goodbye"! *SS*