Title:
Design
Author:
aegean
E-mail:
aegean11@hotmail.com
Genre:
Story Angst, Romance, Action-- Max/Logan shippery
Rating:
R
Summary:
OK here it is. I hope it was worth
breaking up their trip to the cabin.
Disclaimer: Dark Angel is a Fox /Cameron/Eglee
vehicle. I get no money. I do it for fun/practice Please don't sue me.
Notes: I hope you like this chapter. I just wanted to thank everyone who has read
and reviewed. I get so excited to hear
what people have to say. OK, I'm on to
chapter 5 now, gonna try to finish it ASAP Please R&R. Good/Bad
whatever. Advice. Anything works for me.
Chapter 4
Christianson, Franklin, and
Tisch
Max,
Bling, and Logan, sat consumed by their thoughts. Bling focused on his driving while trying to think of anything
that could be useful to them while Logan worked on his laptop gathering
information and monitoring the video feeds for evidence of the men. There was no sign of them. Max was attempting to reconcile herself to
the fact that it was not Lydecker trying to smoke her out. It simply wasn't his style.
"Figures
they'd wait until this weekend to bring the city down," Logan muttered, finally
breaking the silence. "Based on what
I've found, this all has to do with Seatel, and the thus far illusive company
vying for the takeover. For some reason
it's as though this corporation now wants to reveal itself."
"Logan,"
Max said, putting on her cat suit in the backseat, "we need a way back into the
city, then we can worry about who these guys are."
"I
know. I'm working on that too. The city border of sector seven has the
weakest security and it puts us relatively close to my apartment. We should go there first."
"Fine,"
she grunted as she put on her boots. She sat back up after having successfully changed clothes. "So, now…give me some information about
these people."
"Well,
they must be calling you out because they're going to great lengths to make
themselves known. Apparently, CFT Inc.
is the company that's been trying to buy out Seatel, the corporation that
currently owns the rights to the telephone lines. It seems they got tired of waiting for their offer to be
accepted and caused this. And, to add
insult to injury, CFT also owns controlling interests in the power
company. What I don't understand is why
they're doing this now."
"Men
with too much time and too much money are trouble." She knew it was more of a rhetorical question, but still felt the
need to reply.
"It's
gotta be more than that. They're trying
to bring Seattle down and they obviously want to find you."
"We're
almost at the edge of the city." Bling
spoke for the first time since he told Max about her barcode. "Do you want to stop and figure out exactly
what we should do?" He had finally
readied himself to go back to Seattle.
"Yeah,
pullover at the next turn-off. We need
to figure this out. I need just a
little more time." Logan was back to
his laptop trying to hack into Seatel's files for any information on CFT and
the takeover. They took the exit and
pulled off the road to create a plan.
--
One
hour later after a little more digging Logan called for Max and Bling. They'd
been going through the supplies Bling had brought. He didn't know what they were going to need in order to get past
the guards. There were the clothes, a
few guns, and some detonators, plastique and TNT. When Max saw the explosives she looked incredulously at
Bling. He simply pointed at Logan. She made a mental note to ask him about it
later.
When
they got to Logan, he briefed them on CFT. It was a fairly new company and had an incredibly powerful board of
directors with extensive resources and cash flow. Logan had come up with the names of the board members-
Christianson, Franklin, and Tisch.
"Who
are they," Bling asked after the briefing.
"I
don't really know, I've never heard of the company before, although the names
do sound very familiar. Robert
Christianson, Daniel Franklin, and Geoffrey Tisch -- where do I know those names?"
"Logan
all I want to know is where I can find them." Max could hide neither her impatience, nor her disinterested in the
connection Logan was trying to make.
"You
can't just break into the city, walk up to their door, and knock. If they are behind all the arsonist attacks,
then they have an agenda."
"I
realize that Logan but we are officially wasting time now. They must have some sort of base of
operations in town. I think it's the
most obvious place to start considering we have nothing else to go on."
"True. Their offices are in sector seven. But
doesn't it seem odd that they're in the least patrolled sector. Wouldn't they want more protection in light
of all the chaos?"
"I
guess they're making it easy for us." Bling said. His tone carried a
bit more confidence than he was actually feeling.
"I
know I don't need to tell you two that this is a set up."
"Logan
at this point, what are my options. Setup or not, I have to get in there." Her tone carried an air of resoluteness that only Max could produce. She wanted to confront the situation as soon
as possible. "...and I think," she
continued slowly, "you guys should stay out of the city until I get back."
"Max,"
Bling said before Logan could respond, "that's not gonna happen. When we get back inside, it's going
to take all of us to end this." Max was
prepared to argue the issue, but suddenly realized that it would do no
good. Getting into the city would be
easy enough for her, but she didn't know what she was up against on the other
side. In truth she knew she would
probably need their help.
-
It
took them only 10 minutes to get to the border of Seattle. Logan's information had been accurate in
that there were very few guards. Their
entry point was to be a warehouse that comprised part of the border wall. There were no guards around it because there
were no windows on the first five floors. The only way a person could gain entrance would be to climb the fence
and scale the wall up to the sixth floor. In the end that was what they decided to do.
When
the guards were at their furthest point, Max ran for the fence and in two jumps
was on top of it. She then began to
scale the wall using the divets in its façade to climb. In under a minute, she was at one of the
sixth floor windows. She broke it and
was in.
The
place had been condemned. There were
exposed wires and the walls were falling apart. Max grabbed as many wires as she could and wrapped them together
until they were long enough to lower down to Logan and Bling. She knew the climb would be incredibly
difficult for them. Climbing six
flights using a cord was no easy task. They would have to do it in under three minutes a piece, bare handed--a
next to impossible task. She lowered
the makeshift rope down to the guys and waited for them to climb up.
Bling
went first. The climb was difficult for
him but he was in good shape and, because he had had rock climbing experience,
he was able to use the divets as hand and footholds in the same way Max
had. For Logan, the climb proved to be
more challenging. He hadn't done
anything strenuous since the accident because he didn't want to set himself
back. He'd only done normal workouts
and physical therapy. However, he did
discover during the climb that his upper body strength had increased to the
point where it made the ascent possible. And, for the first time in his life he was actually happy he had been in
the chair. It enabled him to gain
strength he never would have had. It
was simply ironic that he was so worried about not being able to be of use to
Max because of the chair. In the end,
it was that damn chair that had made him of use to her that night
Logan
successfully completed the climb and they regrouped on the sixth floor just in
time for a confrontation with two guards who were making their rounds through
the building. Logan and Bling broke
left and Max right, hiding their bodies in the shadows. The guards walked into the room and when
their silhouettes broke the stream of moonlight against the floor, Max signaled
Bling into action. She grabbed one
guard by the arm wielding the gun, and knocked him out while Bling barreled
into the other guard taking him down with a blow to the face. The take down was flawlessly executed. Max could have done it alone, but she wasn't
sure if they had a way to signal for backup so she figured Bling would
understand her desire for a simultaneous knockout. They quickly left the warehouse and headed for Logan's
apartment.
***********************************
"Sir,
she's back in the city."
"Good. Gentlemen, this should tell us one way or another."
***********************************
They
arrived at Logan's after evading the increased number of sector police. Once inside Logan immediately went to his
computers and Bling went to get some things he had left. The power was made possible by the backup
generators that were installed in some of the wealthier neighborhoods. Once again she was thankful for Logan's
affluence.
Max
followed Logan into the computer room and told him she was going directly to
CFT's offices. He didn't argue with her
because she had been right about it being their only option. He simply took out his cache of surveillance
equipment and pulled out three very small listening devices.
"Max,
I want you to take this earpiece. It's
two-way so I can hear what's going on. If I find out anything new I'll be able to relay it to you right
away." Max was standing next to Logan as he spoke. She even appeared to be listening, but her multi-tasking and
parallel processing, were taxed almost to their limits. Logan had to drive his point home by raising
his voice. "I want you to keep in
contact with me OK." With her refocused
attention, she nodded and took the device, walked over to the mirror, and secured
it in her ear.
"OK
Logan. I've got to go now." Max looked back to the computer chair, but
Logan had already moved. She turned in
Bling's direction and saw the two of them putting guns in their holsters. "What exactly do you two think you're doing,"
she said matter-of-factly.
"Going
with you." Logan knew that if he looked at her, he might have seriously
considered leaving Seattle in a state of destruction just to keep her
safe. So, he focused on packing
explosives into a black bag. "You're gonna
need someone to cover your ass on the way over."
She
began to cross the room gaining speed with each step. "In the bedroom now," she said as she passed. He looked up at Bling shaking his head as he
turned to follow her. He crossed the
threshold of the bedroom and the door closed. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Irate couldn't begin to describe how she was feeling. "As if I don't have enough to think about, I
now have to talk you out of this insanity."
"Max,"
he began calmly after listening to her, "you don't know what you're about to
face. There are sector police, the guys
with your barcode, crazed and scared people, not to mention the men behind
CFT. You're just one person despite
your capabilities. You're gonna need help to navigate your way through it." A few moments passed before she spoke
again.
"Logan,"
her tone had calmed to match his, "I can't risk you guys having your heads
blown off."
"And
we can't risk yours," he replied and then turned and walked out the door.
Max's
body tensed and she yelled after him, "Maybe you have a death wish, but
think about Bling!"
"Thanks
for looking out for me Max, but I'm a big boy." Bling had heard the entire
exchange in the bedroom and it hadn't fazed him. He was prepared for what was to come. He looked away from Max and continued to pack. And, at that final action, a moment of
silence hit the room, and everyone knew what it meant. Max had given up the fight and the boys had
won the right to possibly get themselves killed. Her demeanor showed her acquiescence and slowly her eyes drifted
up to Logan who was now standing in front of her. They hadn't really looked at each other since the cabin and now
they were staring at each other wondering what more could happen to them. He touched her cheeks and pulled her in for
what he realistically thought could be their last kiss. She held her lips to his for a few moments
before breaking the embrace. He didn't
say anything. He walked to his desk and
grabbed a few things and then they all walked toward the door.
--
The
elevator ride was long and silent. He
desperately wanted to tell her to be careful, but for some reason the words
didn't form. He needed to say something
to her before they reached the ground. As Max felt the elevator slow, she desperately wanted to hear him say
something to her, but the words never came. She knew how he felt. It was one
thing to send her out when he had a reasonable idea of what was going to
happen. This time neither of them was
in control. That was in the hands of an
unknown third party.
As
the elevator doors opened, she simply turned and said, "I always am," and
walked out of the lobby and across the street into a nearby alley. He smiled because it was her standard
response when he told her to be careful. Logan and Bling took off down the main streets. They had decided to separate because it was
deemed better to have the boys as back up. In the event she hit trouble, they could hopefully bail her out.
--
Max
arrived at her destination half an hour after leaving. She still had to evade all sector police,
which was no easy task because they had increased in number. She had Logan in her ear telling her what
their movements would be as information came over a police scanner he was
carrying. They were following about a
mile behind keeping her informed while allowing a safe maneuverability
buffer. She was still concerned about
their safety, but thankful that she had Logan nearby. She was now standing on the roof of the building across the
street from CFT's base of operations. It was surrounded by guards and the whole scene gave her flashbacks of
Manticore. She realized unfortunately
that the only way into the building was through the men. It gave up the element of surprise, but she
had to get in.
Before
she started her advance, she gave Logan a layout and estimate of the number of
hostiles. She couldn't confirm the
number inside. "I'm going now," she
said after briefing Logan on the situation.
"Hold
your position," he ordered. It was a
gamble, but Logan figured her military mind set had kicked in and she would be
more inclined to listen to him if he made a command as opposed to a request.
"What,"
she replied a little louder than she had intended.
"Stay
put! Bling did you get all that?"
"Yeah
give me two minutes," Bling answered from a different location.
"Logan,
what's going on?"
"Max,
hold your position for two minutes. We're working on a diversion to draw the guards. I'll be with you in a sec." He cut off communication leaving Max
standing their impatiently waiting for an update. "OK, we'll detonate in twenty seconds. Be prepared to go on the blast."
Twenty
seconds later the shock wave from the blast ripped through the streets. It was so powerful, that even though she
knew it was coming, it still managed to take her by surprise. When the guards ran in the general direction
of the explosion, Max jumped from her perch on the building, and took off into
a run towards those remaining. She took
them by surprise and made it through with little resistance. She had thought it was too easy and she was
right. The moment she broke through the
door, roughly two dozen more men confronted her.
The
fighting was intense. Logan was in her
ear but could do nothing to help her. She had to fight her way up three flights of stairs alone. They just kept coming at her. She dodged and blocked hundreds of punches
and kicks coming from every direction. There were times when her concentration was divided between so many
different attacks; she thought she would actually be taken out by a sucker
punch. However, in the end she made
it, but the fighting had taken its toll.
When
she reached the third floor, she found it completely empty of guards. There was
only a hallway and at the end a set of thick double doors. She walked down the hall warily and kicked
open the doors. She had had enough and
had no intention of knocking.
What
she found on the other side of the doors managed to confuse her. Where she was expecting to find more chaos,
she found order. Three men in dark
suits were sitting at a long table surrounded by several men standing around
them.
"Time,"
the man sitting on the right asked flatly.
"Twelve
minutes and thirty seven seconds, sir," a subordinate replied.
"Very
promising," the man on the left said as though she weren't in the room.
"Alone?"
asked the first man.
"No,
the man assisted her," answered the subordinate.
"You
may want to take a seat...you'll be here a while," said the man in the center
finally acknowledging her presence.
Max
crossed her arms. "Doubtful."
"As
you like," he replied. "Max…" he paused
to look at his aid.
"Guevara,
sir," the aid responded knowing what answer his boss was looking for.
"Yes. Max Guevara…x-5 division under Donald
Lydecker's command. CO-Zach. Escaped
with eleven others shortly before the pulse and have been evading capture ever
since. Friends- Herbal Thought,
Sketchy, Kendra-former roommate, Original Cindy-current roommate, Bling- PT to
your significant other Logan Cale. You
currently retain your own apartment but live mostly at his. Work- courier at Jam Pony."
Max
stood there listening, trying to figure out what it was all about. "Max, you have to get out of there
now!" She had forgotten that Logan was
in her ear. She wanted to get back to
him, but her body wouldn't move. The
need for answers over powered her instinct for self-preservation. She was too distracted to notice that
several guards had filed in behind her. They grabbed her by both arms and waited for orders. She tried to
struggle, but it was useless there were just too many at once.
"I
almost forget," said the man in the center, "check her for listening
devices." He proceeded to speak while
they searched. "Max, I would like you
to meet Mr. Christianson to your left, Mr. Tisch to your right, and I am Mr.
Franklin." He paused. "We have much to tell you."
"Sir,
we've detected a listening device in her ear."
"Max…say
goodbye to Logan… this is a private conversation." Immediately, the guard removed the device and destroyed it,
cutting off all communication with the outside. "Now that we are alone,"
Franklin continued, "you're probably wondering what all of this is about." He waited for her to say something, but she
remained silent. "Max," he began again,
"we've been watching you for some time now. Your exploits here in town have not gone unnoticed. We felt it was finally time for you to meet
us so, we decided to smoke you out… hence the current situation." She still stood in silence, trying to figure
out how to get the upper edge in the situation. "You're very good at what you do. You've had trouble lately, but that aside, we have been
impressed."
"Thanks
for not letting my slip-ups influence you negatively," Max retorted
sarcastically. Finally grasping the
magnitude of the situation, she was now fully aware of the danger that the men
posed. The more they spoke, the more of
a threat the men became.
"You
believe that all x-5's were designed to be only soldiers. Well…that is not necessarily true. The initial purpose of the project was to
create soldiers who were leaders. In
times of crisis the x-5's were to bring order. You had military training because that was important, but you were
supposed to have more. -- We expected more.-- Along with your feline parts, you have the combined DNA of some of the
most gifted people in the world. That
was to be harnessed." Franklin paused
reflecting on the brilliance of the original project specifications. His pride was quickly replaced by disdain as
he continued. "However, that is not
how it worked out. There were only two
x-5's suitable for the full realization of the project…you and Zach. You two were the best of the x-5's from the
beginning. As you grew older, we saw
the dynamic that existed between you and your CO. It was then that it was decided what your purposes would be. You were to lead during times of peace
allowing your compassion and humanity to guide you. Zach was to follow your lead and allow you to influence his
military decisions. In times of war,
you were to take direct orders from him because he was guided by logic and
military training. However, because he
was so influenced by you, you were to keep his actions in check. Together you two were to lead. That was your purpose until Lydecker decided
that there weren't enough x-5 redundants capable of these specific
functions." An unfathomable amount of
spite entered his words at the mention of Lydecker. "However, your specializations made you more valuable than the
others and this threatened his power. He wanted leaders as well, but he wanted to be in control of them so he
deviated from the specs. Creating
highly focused soldiers allowed him to reach his goal. That way he could have all of you attuned to
only his command. That was not the
project we signed up for. It was not
our agenda. As I said we expected more
from our…contribution." Franklin was
just about to continue, but noticed Max's lack of response. "I see you need a moment to gather your
thoughts."
"Only
someone from Manticore," Max began in cold anger which quickly turned into
blinding rage, "would have the unmitigated gall to consider torturing children
a contribution worthy of recognition. Were you the ones who made us suffer the regeneration pains—cutting us
apart and dosing us up with chemicals? What exactly should I be thanking you for? Please, tell me precisely why I'm going to enjoy kicking the shit
out you."
"You
won't touch us Max," Tisch replied. A
condescending smirk had crossed his face.
"Really,
and why is that?"
"You
need us to help you bring down Lydecker," Franklin answered. A chill overtook Max at the mere thought
putting an end to her own personal anti-Christ. Her emotions went from anger to morbid curiosity in a flash. She considered the fact that the men could
be of use to her. She hid the emotional
fluctuation as best she could.
"Who
exactly are you?" Her tone was cautious, half fearing their response.
"Finally
she asks," Tisch quipped sardonically. He leaned forward in his chair and stared at her questioning face for a
few moments prolonging the suspense. Then, he leaned back and chuckled. "Well Daniel, tell her."
"Well
Max…in the simplest of terms…we are your fathers." For the second time in as many days, she found herself
speechless.
Tisch jumped out of his chair and walked around the
table. "Speechless," he said
approaching her. "I'm told that doesn't
happen very often. What's wrong, no
witty comeback to give you the upper hand?" He was right. She had nothing.
*******************************************************
OK so what did you think of her fathers? I loved writing this chapter. The suspense was killing even me and I knew
what was going to happen. I just
couldn't write it down fast enough. There is much more to come in chapter 5. Anyway, as always R&R please.