Scene 16-18, 2021, Logan's Cabin, that night
Max and Logan were seated on the sofa in front of a roaring fire. She snuggled closer to him under the blanket and sipped her wine. Logan looked at her, convinced she got more beautiful with every minute. Max caught him looking at her and smiled.
"Zack would call this a moment of weakness," she said, remembering the last time she'd been at the cabin.
"Is it?" Logan asked.
"No," she replied, "More like a moment of freedom."
Max's ears picked up a slight sound . . . the approach of two SUVs. Who could it be? she wondered. She stood up.
"What is it?" Logan asked.
"I'm not sure. Stay here." She kissed him and snuck out into the cold, dark night.
Max figured the best vantage point was the roof, so she scaled the cabin's outer wall. Perched on the peak of the roof she could see the two SUVs barreling down the private access road. Her pupils dilated to let in more light and she focused on the vehicles' plates. They were government. She spotted the guy with binoculars. Some one was watching them.
Max jumped off the roof and landed in front of him. "Didn't your mother ever tell you it's not nice to spy on people?" she said before using a swift kick to knock him out. She picked up the walkie-talkie that had fallen from his belt.
"We are in position. Alpha team repot, over." The voice was Lydecker's. Damn him. Max raced for the road, keeping close to the tree line. Sure enough, the troops that were there were from Manticore.
One spotted Max and started firing. She dodged the bullets, heading for him in a dead charge. Tackling him to the ground, she wrestled the gun away and threw it in the trees. She poked a pressure point on his neck, cutting off the supply of blood to his brain.
"Who's next?" she cried, jumping up. The other two soldiers there fired at her. She took them out quickly, but not before one could graze her arm with a bullet. It would need stitches.
Max scanned the area and picked up no more soldiers. Odd. She doubled back to the cabin to get Logan and haul ass. But when she got back there, Lydecker was seat on the couch, not Logan.
"Where's Logan?" Max demanded.
"Nice to see you, too Maxine," Lydecker said, "Your friend will be all right as soon as we obtain what we're after."
"Well, you have me, so let him go," Max responded.
Lydecker shook his head, "You're not good enough."
"What? I'm handing you my ass on a silver plate and that's not good enough?" Max wanted to snap his neck, but that wouldn't get Logan back.
"We want both of you."
"Both of us? Logan and me?"
"No. You and Zack. Mr. Cale is just a side benefit."
"Zack?" Max's voice caught in her throat. A myriad of emotions enveloped her. Zack had escaped.
"Yes. He's the one who told us about this place. It's amazing what the right torture will do to a man, even one like Zack. But he managed to escape his bonds. I want him back. I assume he came to you for help. You get Logan when you bring Zack to me. Of course, you'll have to surrender as well."
"Bastard. Asking me to chose between my brother and my, err, Logan," Max growled, her eyes narrowing.
"Bring me Zack and you get Logan. Or keep Zack," Lydecker's tone was cold. He saw her anger, but wouldn't let her see its effect on him.
"Sorry, haven't seen Zack. And even if I did, you know he's not going to give himself up just because I ask."
"You'd be surprised. Isn't that what he did when you were wanted?" Lydecker threw at her.
"I didn't ask him to do that," Max hissed. She swiftly grabbed Lydecker's arm, wrenching it behind him. Yanking the lamp out of its socket, she used the cord to tightly bind his hands to the chair.
"What is this possibly going to accomplish?" Lydecker asked.
"Did you forget you taught me how to play soldier? Spy recon ops 101 - use any means necessary. You're my bargaining chip," she informed him.
Max, keeping her eyes on Lydecker, went for the phone. She dialed Bling's number. The phone rang several times before he answered.
"Hello?" Bling said.
"It's me," Max whispered.
"Max? What is it?" Bling was concerned.
"I need your help. You know where we are?"
"Yeah. Good. Be here as soon as possible." She hung up, leaving Bling wondering what was wrong, hoping it wasn't Logan, having a problem from the operation.
Max turned back to Lydecker. "Where have they taken him?"
"Not far, but you won't find it. Unless I take you there," he told her.
"I don't need any help from you," she told him, "Shut up. When I want you to talk, I'll let you know."
She sat down opposite him and fixed him with an ice stare. For several moments, neither one said anything. Lydecker carefully worked the lamp cord that bound his wrists.
"You sure you don't want my help?" he asked finally, "I'll bet you're seizures have gotten worse, haven't they?" Max didn't want to admit it, but they had. "I can fix it," he continued, "You know all you have to do is come back. The Tryptopan isn't going to work forever."
Max got up and slapped him. "Shut. Up." she growled, "Or you'll be goin' home in a sausage casing."
Scene 19-20, 2021, Logan's Cabin, later
Bling paused on the doorstep, hoping that it wasn't what he'd feared, that Logan had become part of the fifty percent that didn't make it. The fifty percent that died from complications and side effects of the operation.
Bling's worst fears were allayed when he opened the door, but only to be replaced by his second worst, Max's worst fear.
He'd seen Max tense when he opened the door and could feel the pressure bearing down on him as well as the pure hatred that passed between Max and Lydecker. He looked at Max. She looked awful, tired, pissed off.
"Max," was all he said. She pulled him off to the side, where they could talk, but she could still keep an eye on Lydecker. "You've got a tiger by the tail," he continued.
"He wants Zack. I don't have Zack."
"What are you going to do? Logan and Zack weren't exactly," Bling began.
"I know. All I can do is go like I know; make it up as I go along. But I have to find Zack. I need you to watch him while I'm gone." Max's face was determined, and it had a dangerous cast to it. Bling didn't like the thought that passed through his mind. Logan would kill if he found out. That Bling was letting her go on what could be a suicide mission.
"Max, be careful. You know Logan . . ."
"Yeah, I know, but I have to." She looked at him sadly and was gone.
Outside, Max slunk through the darkness in case Lydecker had left any soldiers behind to watch the place. She got to Logan's Aztec and climbed in, feeling alien in the driver's seat. She looked at the hand controls, running a light finger over them. Logan had just touched them that afternoon, and it was as if he was there.
Her hand went to the ignition, but she was yanked out of the vehicle and thrown to the ground. She rolled and tensed her muscles for a fight. Staring up at her attacker, she froze in disbelief.
"Zack?"
"Max?"
And then a crash from inside the cabin.
Max and Zack raced for the cabin. Max threw open the door, with Zack hard on her heels. Bling was slowly getting up, holding his head. The chair was over turned, the lamp cord on the floor, and Lydecker was gone.
"Damn!" Max swore. "Bling, are you ok?"
"Fine," he told her, "just a little lightheaded." He sat down on the couch, hand to his head, "Sorry Max."
"It's not your fault. I should've known he'd pull something like this."
"Pull something like what?" Zack demanded.
Max whirled to face him. "Lydecker."
"Lydecker?! Max you've got a lot of explaining to do," Zack said.
"Me? You do, too. You're the one that told him about this place. Logan and I trusted you." She reached out to slap him.
Zack caught her arm, her hand just inches from her face. "I didn't tell him. Someone else did. Who else knows about this place Maxie?"
"You. You're the only one besides Bling, Logan, and me."
"Come on, Max, there's gotta be someone else," he grabbed her arms, "Think."
"No, just me, Logan, Bling, you, and . . . and Karen, that bitch!" Max snarled.
"Karen? Who's Karen?" Zack demanded.
"Logan's ex. But where the Hell have you been?" Max yelled, pushing him away, "You escaped and you come find me now?"
"Max, I had to make sure it was safe to contact you, I didn't want to lead Lydecker to you."
"Too late."
"What?"
"Lydecker was here and he's got Logan."
"Shit, Max, I told you . . ."
"Spare me the lecture, Zackie, I'm getting him back."
Max and Logan were seated on the sofa in front of a roaring fire. She snuggled closer to him under the blanket and sipped her wine. Logan looked at her, convinced she got more beautiful with every minute. Max caught him looking at her and smiled.
"Zack would call this a moment of weakness," she said, remembering the last time she'd been at the cabin.
"Is it?" Logan asked.
"No," she replied, "More like a moment of freedom."
Max's ears picked up a slight sound . . . the approach of two SUVs. Who could it be? she wondered. She stood up.
"What is it?" Logan asked.
"I'm not sure. Stay here." She kissed him and snuck out into the cold, dark night.
Max figured the best vantage point was the roof, so she scaled the cabin's outer wall. Perched on the peak of the roof she could see the two SUVs barreling down the private access road. Her pupils dilated to let in more light and she focused on the vehicles' plates. They were government. She spotted the guy with binoculars. Some one was watching them.
Max jumped off the roof and landed in front of him. "Didn't your mother ever tell you it's not nice to spy on people?" she said before using a swift kick to knock him out. She picked up the walkie-talkie that had fallen from his belt.
"We are in position. Alpha team repot, over." The voice was Lydecker's. Damn him. Max raced for the road, keeping close to the tree line. Sure enough, the troops that were there were from Manticore.
One spotted Max and started firing. She dodged the bullets, heading for him in a dead charge. Tackling him to the ground, she wrestled the gun away and threw it in the trees. She poked a pressure point on his neck, cutting off the supply of blood to his brain.
"Who's next?" she cried, jumping up. The other two soldiers there fired at her. She took them out quickly, but not before one could graze her arm with a bullet. It would need stitches.
Max scanned the area and picked up no more soldiers. Odd. She doubled back to the cabin to get Logan and haul ass. But when she got back there, Lydecker was seat on the couch, not Logan.
"Where's Logan?" Max demanded.
"Nice to see you, too Maxine," Lydecker said, "Your friend will be all right as soon as we obtain what we're after."
"Well, you have me, so let him go," Max responded.
Lydecker shook his head, "You're not good enough."
"What? I'm handing you my ass on a silver plate and that's not good enough?" Max wanted to snap his neck, but that wouldn't get Logan back.
"We want both of you."
"Both of us? Logan and me?"
"No. You and Zack. Mr. Cale is just a side benefit."
"Zack?" Max's voice caught in her throat. A myriad of emotions enveloped her. Zack had escaped.
"Yes. He's the one who told us about this place. It's amazing what the right torture will do to a man, even one like Zack. But he managed to escape his bonds. I want him back. I assume he came to you for help. You get Logan when you bring Zack to me. Of course, you'll have to surrender as well."
"Bastard. Asking me to chose between my brother and my, err, Logan," Max growled, her eyes narrowing.
"Bring me Zack and you get Logan. Or keep Zack," Lydecker's tone was cold. He saw her anger, but wouldn't let her see its effect on him.
"Sorry, haven't seen Zack. And even if I did, you know he's not going to give himself up just because I ask."
"You'd be surprised. Isn't that what he did when you were wanted?" Lydecker threw at her.
"I didn't ask him to do that," Max hissed. She swiftly grabbed Lydecker's arm, wrenching it behind him. Yanking the lamp out of its socket, she used the cord to tightly bind his hands to the chair.
"What is this possibly going to accomplish?" Lydecker asked.
"Did you forget you taught me how to play soldier? Spy recon ops 101 - use any means necessary. You're my bargaining chip," she informed him.
Max, keeping her eyes on Lydecker, went for the phone. She dialed Bling's number. The phone rang several times before he answered.
"Hello?" Bling said.
"It's me," Max whispered.
"Max? What is it?" Bling was concerned.
"I need your help. You know where we are?"
"Yeah. Good. Be here as soon as possible." She hung up, leaving Bling wondering what was wrong, hoping it wasn't Logan, having a problem from the operation.
Max turned back to Lydecker. "Where have they taken him?"
"Not far, but you won't find it. Unless I take you there," he told her.
"I don't need any help from you," she told him, "Shut up. When I want you to talk, I'll let you know."
She sat down opposite him and fixed him with an ice stare. For several moments, neither one said anything. Lydecker carefully worked the lamp cord that bound his wrists.
"You sure you don't want my help?" he asked finally, "I'll bet you're seizures have gotten worse, haven't they?" Max didn't want to admit it, but they had. "I can fix it," he continued, "You know all you have to do is come back. The Tryptopan isn't going to work forever."
Max got up and slapped him. "Shut. Up." she growled, "Or you'll be goin' home in a sausage casing."
Scene 19-20, 2021, Logan's Cabin, later
Bling paused on the doorstep, hoping that it wasn't what he'd feared, that Logan had become part of the fifty percent that didn't make it. The fifty percent that died from complications and side effects of the operation.
Bling's worst fears were allayed when he opened the door, but only to be replaced by his second worst, Max's worst fear.
He'd seen Max tense when he opened the door and could feel the pressure bearing down on him as well as the pure hatred that passed between Max and Lydecker. He looked at Max. She looked awful, tired, pissed off.
"Max," was all he said. She pulled him off to the side, where they could talk, but she could still keep an eye on Lydecker. "You've got a tiger by the tail," he continued.
"He wants Zack. I don't have Zack."
"What are you going to do? Logan and Zack weren't exactly," Bling began.
"I know. All I can do is go like I know; make it up as I go along. But I have to find Zack. I need you to watch him while I'm gone." Max's face was determined, and it had a dangerous cast to it. Bling didn't like the thought that passed through his mind. Logan would kill if he found out. That Bling was letting her go on what could be a suicide mission.
"Max, be careful. You know Logan . . ."
"Yeah, I know, but I have to." She looked at him sadly and was gone.
Outside, Max slunk through the darkness in case Lydecker had left any soldiers behind to watch the place. She got to Logan's Aztec and climbed in, feeling alien in the driver's seat. She looked at the hand controls, running a light finger over them. Logan had just touched them that afternoon, and it was as if he was there.
Her hand went to the ignition, but she was yanked out of the vehicle and thrown to the ground. She rolled and tensed her muscles for a fight. Staring up at her attacker, she froze in disbelief.
"Zack?"
"Max?"
And then a crash from inside the cabin.
Max and Zack raced for the cabin. Max threw open the door, with Zack hard on her heels. Bling was slowly getting up, holding his head. The chair was over turned, the lamp cord on the floor, and Lydecker was gone.
"Damn!" Max swore. "Bling, are you ok?"
"Fine," he told her, "just a little lightheaded." He sat down on the couch, hand to his head, "Sorry Max."
"It's not your fault. I should've known he'd pull something like this."
"Pull something like what?" Zack demanded.
Max whirled to face him. "Lydecker."
"Lydecker?! Max you've got a lot of explaining to do," Zack said.
"Me? You do, too. You're the one that told him about this place. Logan and I trusted you." She reached out to slap him.
Zack caught her arm, her hand just inches from her face. "I didn't tell him. Someone else did. Who else knows about this place Maxie?"
"You. You're the only one besides Bling, Logan, and me."
"Come on, Max, there's gotta be someone else," he grabbed her arms, "Think."
"No, just me, Logan, Bling, you, and . . . and Karen, that bitch!" Max snarled.
"Karen? Who's Karen?" Zack demanded.
"Logan's ex. But where the Hell have you been?" Max yelled, pushing him away, "You escaped and you come find me now?"
"Max, I had to make sure it was safe to contact you, I didn't want to lead Lydecker to you."
"Too late."
"What?"
"Lydecker was here and he's got Logan."
"Shit, Max, I told you . . ."
"Spare me the lecture, Zackie, I'm getting him back."