Frozen Part 2
SCENE 6: LOGAN'S
Logan looked up from his computer to see Max, dripping snow, standing in the doorway.
"Is it snowing?" he asked pretending not to notice the white flakes melting on her.
"No, somebody dumped wet confetti on me." She shook snow off her scarf and flung it in his direction. "I'm back for the last of it, then I'm gonna check on Cindy, Herbal, Sketchy, and the people in my building."
"Ok, good." Logan noticed her cheeks were red. He hopped her jacket was warm enough. "Max, come on back when you're done, ok? I'll make hot chocolate - the real kind." He grinned.
"Oooh, you're gonna spoil me, aren't you?" She grinned, "I'll be back as long as I'm not arrested by Officers Dumb and Dumber."
"Max," Logan's voice was reproachful, but in a playful manner, "What did you do?"
"It was all their fault. One of 'em tried to snatch me, so I taught him a lesson. He'll never pick on a girl again."
Logan shook his head. "Be careful, ok? And stay warm."
"No problem, fearless leader." She saluted, grabbed the last of the coats and blankets, and headed out.
"You're the fearless one, Max," Logan said softly.
SCENE 7: LOGAN'S
Logan wheeled over to the windows and watched the snow fall while he waited for Max to return. Snow was extremely rare in Seattle, so this blizzard was magical. Or it would be if Max and I were snuggled together under a blanket in front of a fire drinking hot chocolate, and if I knew people weren't going to freeze to death out there, he thought.
Logan watched one snowflake spiral towards the ground. It got caught in an updraft and floated up to his window before plunging into the darkness below. Logan was overwhelmed by a wave of nausea watching it fall, remembering the header he'd taken off a building when the May 22nd Movement had taken the place hostage. He'd be dead if it hadn't have been for Max. Ironic, Logan thought, I went in to save her, but she's the one who saved me.
Logan opened his eyes as soon as the nausea had passed. He again surveyed the frozen landscape. Frozen, frozen . . . the word duplicated itself over and over in his mind. Yes, Max had saved him, but she still needed saving. Though she allowed him brief glimpses into her inner self, her heart was frozen. Logan wanted to be the one to warm it up.
Logan smiled. He'd start with the hot chocolate.
SCENE 8: AUSTIN'S DINNER PARTY
Max had stopped by Cindy's apartment to check on her. Cindy was doing fine, and Herbal, Sketchy, and other Jam Pony riders were there, along with Herbal's wife and Sketchy's girlfriend, Natalie. They were holding up all right. Max left them with the last of the blankets.
Max was working her way back to Logan's when she saw the house where Austin was holding the dinner party. Maybe I should say hello, she thought, and while I'm at it, get him to turn the heat back on. Max scanned the area, and was surprised at the lack of security. Oh well, made her job easier.
She climbed a tree and slipped in through a second floor window. She found herself in what appeared to be the Ladies' room. Kendra was there, powdering her nose.
"Max?!" Kendra cried.
"Shhh!" Max put a finger to her lips. "You didn't see me."
Kendra nodded. "But why are you here?"
"I think Austin's responsible for oil shortage. I'm gathering proof. Where's his office?"
"Second door on the left. But Max -"
Max was gone before she could finish.
Slipping down the hall, Max found Austin's office. The lock was easy to pick, so she was in within seconds. Carefully, she began to search Austin's desk in a careless-looking manner that actually was methodical. No papers of any importance, but there was a disk. She slipped it into the computer and used her hacking skills (some from Logan, others from Manticore) to open the files. She scanned them quickly, finding some that could be significant.
Footsteps sounded outside the door. Max tucked the disk into her vest and ducked under the desk. Three men and one woman walked in. Austin, two guards, and Kendra. And from the sound of things, Kendra was being escorted roughly by one of the guards.
"Where did she go?" Austin demanded.
"What? Who?" Kendra was nervous and it was betraying everything she said.
"We saw you speak to her on the security camera. Where is she?"
"I don't know!"
It wasn't really fair to let Kendra take the heat for her, so Max stood up from her hiding place. "Looking for me, gentlemen?"
Four pairs of eyes turn to her. Kendra shook her head slightly, as if to say 'I didn't tell'. Max showed she understood.
"What's the dealio, here? Let my homegirl go," Max said.
Austin nodded and the guard let Kendra go. They advanced on Max. She jumped up on Austin's desk and kicked the closest guard in the head, sprawling him on the floor. Then she jumped down, putting all her weight on the second guard, throwing him to the floor. Max rolled, ending up on her feet. She gave a precise hit to the back of the neck of the guard who was getting up. Both guards knocked out, she turned on Austin.
"Your turn," she hissed.
"Who sent you? That goody-two shoes Cale?" Austin sneered.
"Nah, I put it all together my self." Max launched a punch at his face. It connected and sent Austin reeling. Max charged and dug her shoulder into his stomach before he could recover. He feel, hitting his head on the way, down, knocking him out.
Max grabbed Kendra and ran for the window. "C'mon, we're jetting." She pushed Kendra out the window into the tree and then scrambled down after her. The two women sprinted into the dark night.
SCENE 9: CINDY'S
At Cindy's, Max made sure Kendra was all right. "Look, I'm sorry for costing you the job. I hopped I'd be in and out before any one spotted me."
"No big deal," Kendra smiled weakly, "I'll find another job. By the way, where'd you learn to fight like that?"
"Around," Max shrugged, "I owe you, ok? I'll make good on it. Stay here, stay warm. I've got stuff to take care of. And listen, you be careful, ok? Austin's not going to be pleased with us when he wakes up. Don't leave without me, and don't go home."
"You be careful, too, Max. I don't wanna loose my rent ticket," she smiled. Max and Kendra hugged.
"Aiight," Max said, touching her fist to Kendra's, "I gotta blaze." She left, but not before asking Herbal and Cindy to watch Kendra for her.
SCENE 10: SEATTLE STREETS
Max aimlessly wandered back towards Logan's after leaving Kendra with Cindy and the others. She knew she should get back before too long, before Logan got worried. It was annoying, the way he worried about her. Why couldn't he understand she could take care of herself?
Logan always worries about everyone else, she thought, like the time he went in to 'save' me from John Darius. He always wants to make sure it's all good with me; he wants to know what I'm feeling. He wants me to let it all out, but he never lets himself do that. I know he's royally pissed at that troll off the short bus, Bruno Anselmo. He told me he'd wrapped his head around it, but I know he hasn't. Bling told me about the video. He watched it all night. And the time he almost bit my head off for trying to get him to go see Dr. Tanaka. He won't admit he needs help. He'd rather be the savior than the saved.
A snowflake landed on her arm. It clung there, stubbornly, until she touched it with her finger. It melted immediately. Just like Logan, she thought, clingy to a fault, but as soon as you try to get beyond the pretty exterior, he's gone. He doesn't let anyone in, at least not far enough.
SCENE 6: LOGAN'S
Logan looked up from his computer to see Max, dripping snow, standing in the doorway.
"Is it snowing?" he asked pretending not to notice the white flakes melting on her.
"No, somebody dumped wet confetti on me." She shook snow off her scarf and flung it in his direction. "I'm back for the last of it, then I'm gonna check on Cindy, Herbal, Sketchy, and the people in my building."
"Ok, good." Logan noticed her cheeks were red. He hopped her jacket was warm enough. "Max, come on back when you're done, ok? I'll make hot chocolate - the real kind." He grinned.
"Oooh, you're gonna spoil me, aren't you?" She grinned, "I'll be back as long as I'm not arrested by Officers Dumb and Dumber."
"Max," Logan's voice was reproachful, but in a playful manner, "What did you do?"
"It was all their fault. One of 'em tried to snatch me, so I taught him a lesson. He'll never pick on a girl again."
Logan shook his head. "Be careful, ok? And stay warm."
"No problem, fearless leader." She saluted, grabbed the last of the coats and blankets, and headed out.
"You're the fearless one, Max," Logan said softly.
SCENE 7: LOGAN'S
Logan wheeled over to the windows and watched the snow fall while he waited for Max to return. Snow was extremely rare in Seattle, so this blizzard was magical. Or it would be if Max and I were snuggled together under a blanket in front of a fire drinking hot chocolate, and if I knew people weren't going to freeze to death out there, he thought.
Logan watched one snowflake spiral towards the ground. It got caught in an updraft and floated up to his window before plunging into the darkness below. Logan was overwhelmed by a wave of nausea watching it fall, remembering the header he'd taken off a building when the May 22nd Movement had taken the place hostage. He'd be dead if it hadn't have been for Max. Ironic, Logan thought, I went in to save her, but she's the one who saved me.
Logan opened his eyes as soon as the nausea had passed. He again surveyed the frozen landscape. Frozen, frozen . . . the word duplicated itself over and over in his mind. Yes, Max had saved him, but she still needed saving. Though she allowed him brief glimpses into her inner self, her heart was frozen. Logan wanted to be the one to warm it up.
Logan smiled. He'd start with the hot chocolate.
SCENE 8: AUSTIN'S DINNER PARTY
Max had stopped by Cindy's apartment to check on her. Cindy was doing fine, and Herbal, Sketchy, and other Jam Pony riders were there, along with Herbal's wife and Sketchy's girlfriend, Natalie. They were holding up all right. Max left them with the last of the blankets.
Max was working her way back to Logan's when she saw the house where Austin was holding the dinner party. Maybe I should say hello, she thought, and while I'm at it, get him to turn the heat back on. Max scanned the area, and was surprised at the lack of security. Oh well, made her job easier.
She climbed a tree and slipped in through a second floor window. She found herself in what appeared to be the Ladies' room. Kendra was there, powdering her nose.
"Max?!" Kendra cried.
"Shhh!" Max put a finger to her lips. "You didn't see me."
Kendra nodded. "But why are you here?"
"I think Austin's responsible for oil shortage. I'm gathering proof. Where's his office?"
"Second door on the left. But Max -"
Max was gone before she could finish.
Slipping down the hall, Max found Austin's office. The lock was easy to pick, so she was in within seconds. Carefully, she began to search Austin's desk in a careless-looking manner that actually was methodical. No papers of any importance, but there was a disk. She slipped it into the computer and used her hacking skills (some from Logan, others from Manticore) to open the files. She scanned them quickly, finding some that could be significant.
Footsteps sounded outside the door. Max tucked the disk into her vest and ducked under the desk. Three men and one woman walked in. Austin, two guards, and Kendra. And from the sound of things, Kendra was being escorted roughly by one of the guards.
"Where did she go?" Austin demanded.
"What? Who?" Kendra was nervous and it was betraying everything she said.
"We saw you speak to her on the security camera. Where is she?"
"I don't know!"
It wasn't really fair to let Kendra take the heat for her, so Max stood up from her hiding place. "Looking for me, gentlemen?"
Four pairs of eyes turn to her. Kendra shook her head slightly, as if to say 'I didn't tell'. Max showed she understood.
"What's the dealio, here? Let my homegirl go," Max said.
Austin nodded and the guard let Kendra go. They advanced on Max. She jumped up on Austin's desk and kicked the closest guard in the head, sprawling him on the floor. Then she jumped down, putting all her weight on the second guard, throwing him to the floor. Max rolled, ending up on her feet. She gave a precise hit to the back of the neck of the guard who was getting up. Both guards knocked out, she turned on Austin.
"Your turn," she hissed.
"Who sent you? That goody-two shoes Cale?" Austin sneered.
"Nah, I put it all together my self." Max launched a punch at his face. It connected and sent Austin reeling. Max charged and dug her shoulder into his stomach before he could recover. He feel, hitting his head on the way, down, knocking him out.
Max grabbed Kendra and ran for the window. "C'mon, we're jetting." She pushed Kendra out the window into the tree and then scrambled down after her. The two women sprinted into the dark night.
SCENE 9: CINDY'S
At Cindy's, Max made sure Kendra was all right. "Look, I'm sorry for costing you the job. I hopped I'd be in and out before any one spotted me."
"No big deal," Kendra smiled weakly, "I'll find another job. By the way, where'd you learn to fight like that?"
"Around," Max shrugged, "I owe you, ok? I'll make good on it. Stay here, stay warm. I've got stuff to take care of. And listen, you be careful, ok? Austin's not going to be pleased with us when he wakes up. Don't leave without me, and don't go home."
"You be careful, too, Max. I don't wanna loose my rent ticket," she smiled. Max and Kendra hugged.
"Aiight," Max said, touching her fist to Kendra's, "I gotta blaze." She left, but not before asking Herbal and Cindy to watch Kendra for her.
SCENE 10: SEATTLE STREETS
Max aimlessly wandered back towards Logan's after leaving Kendra with Cindy and the others. She knew she should get back before too long, before Logan got worried. It was annoying, the way he worried about her. Why couldn't he understand she could take care of herself?
Logan always worries about everyone else, she thought, like the time he went in to 'save' me from John Darius. He always wants to make sure it's all good with me; he wants to know what I'm feeling. He wants me to let it all out, but he never lets himself do that. I know he's royally pissed at that troll off the short bus, Bruno Anselmo. He told me he'd wrapped his head around it, but I know he hasn't. Bling told me about the video. He watched it all night. And the time he almost bit my head off for trying to get him to go see Dr. Tanaka. He won't admit he needs help. He'd rather be the savior than the saved.
A snowflake landed on her arm. It clung there, stubbornly, until she touched it with her finger. It melted immediately. Just like Logan, she thought, clingy to a fault, but as soon as you try to get beyond the pretty exterior, he's gone. He doesn't let anyone in, at least not far enough.