TITLE: FINDING THE LOST PART EIGHT
AUTHOR: SARGE
E-MAIL: SARGE2525@HOTMAIL.COM
SUMMARY: MAX SEE'S LOGAN AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND THEN GOES TO VISIT KENDRA.
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN DARK ANGEL. FOX, JAMES CAMERON AND CHARLES EGLEE DO. I CLAIM NO OWNERSHIP.
Max headed to Logan's apartment. She was sure that he was going to enjoy glaring at her for a few days. He had a good reason to glare. For once, Max did feel guilty. She knew it wasn't good for her to feel guilty, but she couldn't help it. She had been wrong to just up and leave them. Not to mention that coming back to Seattle and seeing Logan was going to make her face what she had simply ignored while living in Montana. The fact that Logan had kissed her.
When Max reached the apartment she wished she hadn't started to think about the kiss. Now that was where her thoughts were, and they needed to be on business instead. Max decided that knocking on the door would be most appropriate. If she were Logan she would hardly be speaking to Max about now. She hoped that Eyes Only had managed alright after she had left. If he hadn't she was going to feel really bad. Well, she already felt really bad. She'd just feel even worse than she felt now. Oh well, life goes on.
Max knocked on the door and waited for a response. What she got was hardly what she expected.
"It's open," Logan yelled from his study.
"You'd think that you'd at least lock your door," Max said, tisking as she walked into the apartment.
"Didn't want to risk you breaking it," Logan answered. He was still out of sight, but Max followed the voice. "Who knows what you've been doing lately. You might have forgotten what a door knob is."
"That's a little harsh," Max replied. "It's not like I was out becoming a renegade or something. I just went to live with family."
"Sketch and Cindy are in the hospital," Logan answered coming out of his office. "Did you hear about that?"
Max would have answered the question if she hadn't been in such shock at seeing Logan again. Sure, she had known she was going to see him, but she wasn't prepared for what she actually saw. He was walking!
"Oh my!" Max answered. Her remark could be taken as surprise at the news about Sketch and Cindy and not about Logan walking again. She was afraid that he might have found her surprise insulting. "I had heard about some Jam Pony workers being in critical condition, but I didn't think that it was them."
"Yes, well Normal was ever so kind enough to give Sketch the package who then tried to trade it with Cindy. Seems that he was in trouble again and needed to go try talking himself out of whatever it was. He had some half-baked scheme for getting them their money back and needed Cindy to cover for him."
"Sketch just never learns," Max commented dryly. "Well, are they going to be alright?"
"Critical condition, Max. They don't know," Logan answered softly as he watched Max's eyes turn a little glassy.
Max was trying to see if guilt lane was the right place to visit at this moment or if she should move on. Maybe she should work on getting a plan and forget about guilt until Kendra, Cindy, and Sketch could lay it on her. She was sure that Logan would help. Judging once more by the fact that he was walking Eyes Only shouldn't have suffered too much.
"So what do you want me to do?" Max asked. "You're right about one thing. My family and I did do a little training while we were together. Let's just say I've refreshed some old skills."
"I doubt that they needed that much help considering your line of work," Logan said politely. "I suppose you want to see Sketch and Cindy."
"No offense. I am glad to be back and all, but they aren't awake. They won't know that I'm there, and I can't help them. I think it's best to focus on what we have now - the people that are alive and will make it unless Lydecker screws them."
"Same old Max," Logan commented. "All right. The Jam Pony office is now Lydecker's base of operations."
"Why so close to that bomb location?" Max questioned. "I heard one went off in a big business area. Why would he pick that one?"
"Max, the Jam Pony building is the only one with survivors," Logan told her. "Just how clear were the news updates?"
"Not very clear at all. I suppose he's taken over?"
"He had Normal put in jail," Logan answered. "And then he took over. Jam Pony workers are the only ones that manage to get out and do work. And the only work that they do is for Lydecker."
"Great," Max thought absently. "What's my chance of getting back into the business without Lydecker noticing?"
"Pretty good. A lot of people haven't been showing up for work," Logan told her. "I can make an ID and then you should be pretty much set."
"So why are Cindy and Sketch both in critical?" Max asked him. "Last I heard it was only one person."
"Lydecker doesn't listen to the doctors. They told him that Cindy couldn't answer very many questions. When she stopped being able to answer he didn't like that very much," Logan said darkly. "He never knew you worked at Jam Pony so that isn't why he pushed her."
"Why is he so stupid?" Max asked the air around her. "I mean, how come I get stuck with stupid villains who have a whole army behind them?"
"It's just your rotten luck," Logan answered. Although inside he was thinking that it was his rotten luck. Now all that Max was thinking about was stopping the stupid villain and hadn't even seemed to notice that he could walk again. His regained mobility really didn't seem to affect her all that much. Maybe kissing her before she left had been a very bad idea. It didn't seem like she remembered it or even cared. That bugged him because he remembered and he would definitely not mind making it a regular occurrence.
"Figures," Max muttered. "Well, I suppose I should go and see Kendra and see if she can let me stay with her. She never was able to find a roommate."
"You can stay here. In fact, I think it would be safer," Logan told her. He had a hidden agenda for why he wanted Max to stay here. As happy as he was that Max was back he'd be even happier if she stayed. His goal was to convince her to do so. Even if it took a lot of time and very painfully subtle handling. He'd been leading the city around for a long time with his Eyes Only news bulletins. It was through those that he had gotten Max to work for him in the first place. Sketch, Cindy and Kendra were going to help too.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Max asked him. "I don't want to be an inconvenience or anything. I mean, if I were you I'd hardly be speaking to me."
"Max, I've found it very hard to stay mad at you," Logan answered. "Now, I'll create your fake ID if you want to go and find out what the word on the street is."
"I wish Sketch wasn't in the hospital. He is always in the loop. Do you know what happened to any of the others?" Max asked Logan as she looked out over the city. It was almost silent out there with only movement patrols going past every once in awhile.
"Why is it, Max, that every time I'm with you the question of knowing anything about 'others' comes up?" Logan asked her. "No. The Jam Pony crew only released Sketch and Cindy's names because they were looking for next of kin."
"It figures that it would be something stupid like that," Max muttered. "Now, it's going to be hard to get in and out until tomorrow. Plus the fact that my motorcycle is a little high-profile and I don't have a bike to use."
"I have one you can borrow." Logan told her. "Bling told me biking would be good for my legs once I got back on my feet. Believe me it took me a long time before I didn't fall over on it."
"I'm sure that being able to walk again is a great relief," Max replied steadily, trying to keep her voice from doing anything funny. She didn't want to give the impression that she cared. Her goal here was what she had promised Zach - to get in, fix the problem, and get out before Lydecker could do anything to her. That meant leaving Logan again. It wouldn't do her any good to get attached or to stay attached. That was not a good line of thought.
"I was very happy, yes," Logan answered. So Max was going to go back to being cold military issue female. Logan had dealt with it before, and he could deal with it again. What he didn't understand was why she always had to wear such form-fitting clothing. Did she always do this? Was it normal for her? Of course, it's normal for her, you moron, he scolded himself. If she wears tight clothing everyday it would have to be normal.
"Well, I'm sure that you've learned from your mistake before and henceforth will not go running out in open gunfire?" Max questioned. "I mean, I'm glad to be back and I will stay as long as you need me. Michael will hunt me down in a few weeks though, and believe me, you won't like Michael."
Logan already didn't like Michael, but he thought that it would be pointless to bring it up. Max knew that he had never met Michael and she tended not to make judgements about people until she met them. Well usually anyway. Sometimes she was human.
Max meanwhile was thinking about the others and about something new that she had just realized. None of the others really knew where she was. Sure, Jordan might make an educated guess, but they'd have to hunt Logan down. Dawn knew about Logan, but she didn't know what part of her past. If she really wanted to stay here she could. Eventually they would find her, but they would let her stay. However, considering that she didn't really want to stay it wasn't it a big thing.
"Yes, I've learned from my mistake," Logan said flashing a smile. "Next time I'll send you out in front of the open gunfire."
"Gee thanks," Max muttered. "Send me out where I can get killed. You know, just because we have a few genetic bonuses doesn't mean we come with bulletproof packaging."
"Something that keeps you on Earth," Logan told her. "Plus, it might keep you in Seattle. Go see Kendra, Max. We can talk later." Max nodded and headed out the door. Before she walked out she turned around and looked back at him.
"You know I didn't leave just because I felt like it, alright? Please tell me you don't blame me for all this," Max pleaded with him. She felt guilt. She shouldn't. Guilt was a sign of weakness, but she couldn't stand the thought of anyone blaming her for this all because she had left.
"Max," Logan said in surprise. He had known that she hadn't left guilt free, but he also knew the question that she was really asking even though she didn't know it herself. Currently she did blame herself for the mess that everyone was in. Now she was asking him if that was right. It was a sign of trust; one that Logan wouldn't forget. "Even if you had been here Max," Logan told her softly. "You could only have done so much before even you were stopped."
"Thank you," Max said quietly. Then she turned slowly and walked out the door, ready to face the reality that was Seattle after a bomb attack. People in the streets were hostile and unlikely to offer any help. The police were wary of anyone and everyone. She was stopped several times and detained for questioning as to the nature of her travel through the city. Each time her answer was the same; she was back from vacation and was going to see if her former roommate was ok.
"General Lydecker has the city under lock-down," one guard said suspiciously. "They should have sent you somewhere else."
"Hey, I can't help the choices that other people make." Max defended irritated and losing her patience quickly. "I have friends here and I'm worried. If she's hurt she may need medical attention. Now how is anyone going to know if I don't go there?"
"Fine. Go on through," the guard answered. "You chicks are all the same."
Max headed back to her old apartment and knocked on the door. She was hoping very strongly that Kendra would be in. Kendra heard someone at the door and didn't really feel like getting up to answer it. She still didn't have a new roommate and had been wondering how much longer Max would pay for her share. Sure, Kendra had looked for a new roommate, but none of them had any life. When Kendra did finally open the door she nearly fell over in shock.
"Max!" she breathed in surprise. "You're back."
"For awhile," Max replied. "Took you a while to get the door. I was worried that something had happened to you."
"Did you hear about Cindy?" Kendra asked suddenly as tears came to her eyes.
"Yeah. I'd go visit her, but I don't think it would do any good right now," Max replied. "So how's life been treating you?"
"Max, it's been six months and that's the first thing that you have to say?" Kendra demanded. "I should hit you or something."
"Violence is not always the answer," Max replied. "I know I should have written something. I was just really caught up with my family and stuff. I can't believe that this happened."
"Max, the city is going through the worst depression it's had since right after the Pulse. We have enough food, but the solider and the police are doing everything they can to break the spirit of the city. They think it was an inside job."
"I haven't heard that interesting bit of information yet," Max mused. "So I know you haven't found a roommate. Which is cool before you say anything."
"Then why did you bring it up?"
"I don't know," Max answered looking down at the floor. "I guess if I were you I'd hate me."
"Max, you had nothing to do with this," Kendra insisted. "If you're feeling guiltily I'm going to call Logan."
"I already talked to Logan," Max replied. "I guess it's really what everyone thinks Cindy and Sketch are going to say. No matter what anybody says, I do I feel guilty about that."
"They're your friends, Max. They are not going to leave you because they nearly got killed by something that wasn't your fault. You didn't set off the bomb. If you had tried to do anything about it and gotten hurt they would have felt guilty. They do not want you to feel guilty since there is nothing you could have done."
"I knew there was a reason you were such a great roommate," Max answered with a smile.
They spent hours talking. Max told her all about everything, including Jordan and Michael. They laughed a lot. Surprisingly Kendra almost had Max in tears, but it just wasn't going to happen. Toward 2:00 in the morning Max's pager started going off and she saw Logan's number.
"Duty calls right?" Kendra asked her as she turned the pager off. "Go ahead, Max. You better come see me again though or I'll try hunting you down."
"I didn't know you had that much spare time," Max answered, laughing as she got up to leave. She looked out the window and noticed the rain. "Perfect. Just what I needed."
Max hugged Kendra goodbye and headed out into the rain. She moved slowly through the city streets, not wanting to get picked up for speeding. Still when a military vehicle came to a sudden stop in front of her she tensed, ready for a fight. Instead and to her great surprise Lydecker's head popped out.
"Get home you stupid woman," Lydecker yelled. "It's after curfew. I don't think you want to end up in jail."
Max just nodded numbly and sped off as soon as they were gone. So Lydecker was still alive and well. He wasn't just sitting in an office and ordering people around. He was out in the field ordering them around. This was interesting news to her. Max knew she needed to make a trip to Jam Pony to see what was going on. She decided that it could wait until morning though.