Max knew that Syl and Zane couldn't speak back but she could hear their muffled, gagged replies and it was just comforting to know they were there and alive. She decided that talking wasn't going to help any of them and so she sat down on the cot in her cell and stared out the small, barred window and into the night sky. She wondered if somewhere out there Logan might be looking at the same sky. Out there thinking of her.
She shook the thought aside and quelled her feelings for him after deciding that it was something that could wait until later. Max heard yelling from up stairs and Freedon and Caine rushed up to see what it was about. Her mind started to race as her eyes scanned the room for a way to break out of the cell. She knew that she wasn't in any danger but if Syl and Zane were gone then Zack would have no reason to try and rescue them and Jacen wouldn't get a chance to hurt Zack. With Lydecker on his way Max just wanted to get as far away as possible.
Suddenly she watched as the inner door leading to the rear underground entrance opened up and she saw a mirror peak out at the bottom and scan the room. Max stood up and watched as Zack emerged from the long hallway. He looked as if he was about to smile at the sight of Max but quickly caught himself and put on his big brother disappointed look. The last thing Max wanted was another lecture from him.
He quickly picked the locks to the doors with a set of lock picking tools similar to the ones Max used when she was a cat burglar. Max watched as Syl and Zane emerged from their cell and Zack gut their bonds and they removed their gags. They stood at each other smiling but didn't say anything in fear of alerting attention. Zack then opened Max's cell but as she walked out he stood solid in front of her forcing to slide out around him. She got the feeling that he did that just to make her dwell on the fact that it was him there setting her free but Max pushed it aside because she knew this wasn't a time for an argument.
They silently moved as quickly as they could down the metal grating and up the stairs to the rear entrance. Zack hadn't had time to get any serious weaponry but he handed Syl a Heckler and Koch USP pistol and she nodded in return. Zack looked at Max and gave her a glare as if to say that Syl was a real soldier compared to Max's no guns policy. Once again Max brushed it aside and tried to look humble and obedient.
Zack slid the door open silently and suddenly the fresh night air swarmed in and Max had to stop herself from sighing. She snapped out of her euphoric state as Zack held up his hand and pointed off to the left and made the sign for enemy soldiers. He then signaled for them to rush straight ahead into the forest. He held up three fingers and quickly counted down. In an instant the door swung open and the four of them rushed straight out across the edge of the rear of the compound towards the forest.
Max soon heard a loud crash from behind them and she could tell the others heard it too as they pushed harder knowing that they would soon have the X-6's on their trail. They kept a close eye on the Manticore Special Ops troops that were now making their way towards them to control the perimeter but with any luck they would make the forest before they saw them.
Suddenly Jacen burst from the doorway with several others close behind and ran after them. The door slammed into the side of the small bunker of the exit and rang out into the night causing the soldiers just thirty yards away to come rushing over to them shouting and yelling. Max glanced over just as they reached the edge of the forest and saw Lydecker and the troops rushing ahead to cut off Jacen and the others.
Jacen was focused straight ahead on Zack and the X-5's who were just reaching the edge of the forest. However his attention soon faded as Manticore Special Ops arrived and started gathering to block their way. He kept running forward intent on breaking through when he heard Lydecker yell, "Stop them! They're escaping!"
She shook the thought aside and quelled her feelings for him after deciding that it was something that could wait until later. Max heard yelling from up stairs and Freedon and Caine rushed up to see what it was about. Her mind started to race as her eyes scanned the room for a way to break out of the cell. She knew that she wasn't in any danger but if Syl and Zane were gone then Zack would have no reason to try and rescue them and Jacen wouldn't get a chance to hurt Zack. With Lydecker on his way Max just wanted to get as far away as possible.
Suddenly she watched as the inner door leading to the rear underground entrance opened up and she saw a mirror peak out at the bottom and scan the room. Max stood up and watched as Zack emerged from the long hallway. He looked as if he was about to smile at the sight of Max but quickly caught himself and put on his big brother disappointed look. The last thing Max wanted was another lecture from him.
He quickly picked the locks to the doors with a set of lock picking tools similar to the ones Max used when she was a cat burglar. Max watched as Syl and Zane emerged from their cell and Zack gut their bonds and they removed their gags. They stood at each other smiling but didn't say anything in fear of alerting attention. Zack then opened Max's cell but as she walked out he stood solid in front of her forcing to slide out around him. She got the feeling that he did that just to make her dwell on the fact that it was him there setting her free but Max pushed it aside because she knew this wasn't a time for an argument.
They silently moved as quickly as they could down the metal grating and up the stairs to the rear entrance. Zack hadn't had time to get any serious weaponry but he handed Syl a Heckler and Koch USP pistol and she nodded in return. Zack looked at Max and gave her a glare as if to say that Syl was a real soldier compared to Max's no guns policy. Once again Max brushed it aside and tried to look humble and obedient.
Zack slid the door open silently and suddenly the fresh night air swarmed in and Max had to stop herself from sighing. She snapped out of her euphoric state as Zack held up his hand and pointed off to the left and made the sign for enemy soldiers. He then signaled for them to rush straight ahead into the forest. He held up three fingers and quickly counted down. In an instant the door swung open and the four of them rushed straight out across the edge of the rear of the compound towards the forest.
Max soon heard a loud crash from behind them and she could tell the others heard it too as they pushed harder knowing that they would soon have the X-6's on their trail. They kept a close eye on the Manticore Special Ops troops that were now making their way towards them to control the perimeter but with any luck they would make the forest before they saw them.
Suddenly Jacen burst from the doorway with several others close behind and ran after them. The door slammed into the side of the small bunker of the exit and rang out into the night causing the soldiers just thirty yards away to come rushing over to them shouting and yelling. Max glanced over just as they reached the edge of the forest and saw Lydecker and the troops rushing ahead to cut off Jacen and the others.
Jacen was focused straight ahead on Zack and the X-5's who were just reaching the edge of the forest. However his attention soon faded as Manticore Special Ops arrived and started gathering to block their way. He kept running forward intent on breaking through when he heard Lydecker yell, "Stop them! They're escaping!"
