Point of view: LOGAN ***************************************

Point of view: LOGAN ***************************************

What is Bling up to? I can't figure out if he's seriously interested in this woman, or just trying to prove a point. I don't know. Anyway, as long as he keeps her busy and out of trouble, I'm not going to complain. That was the point of inviting her to stay here, in any case. Keeping her where I can see her.

I leave them to their little game and return to the computer room, locking the door behind me. Anything sensitive, and everything to do with Eyes Only, is safely out of reach for the duration. But still, I don't want this Tinga near my hard drive. She's an unknown quantity. She could pick the lock in an instant, but at least she won't be reading over my shoulder. Can't forget she has Max's cat's eyes.

Max...is pissed. That much was obvious when she walked out. Can't imagine why, unless she's jealous.

I have to grin. Now wouldn't that be nice.

I try, somewhat successfully, to get Max out of my head and focus on my research. I'm trying to retrace the route that the contaminated Herbal Gummies followed to get to Seattle. They're produced in a small town in Vermont, and shipped all over the US. I don't know if the particular shipment spiced with Manticorny was a choice or an accident—there have been no reports of problems elsewhere. And it's hard enough getting Gummies into Seattle, the sector police needing quite a payoff to let such a grey-market item into the city. It had to be deliberate.

And how, how did the users start finding out about Manticore? It's like the Gummy packs came with Manticore trading cards. There's got to be someone on both ends, production and distribution.

I'm getting nowhere fast. I'm afraid we're going to have to start at the end and work backwards. Which means getting our hands on some of the addicts.

This should be interesting.

Point of view: DET. SUNG ***************************************


A lot of the others have been pulling double shifts, thanks to this new drug in town. Word had it this was some kind of PCP derivative- suspects going haywire, ligaments while trying to break out of handcuffs, taking the fast way down off rooftops. Calling each other strange names and obviously hallucinating. It started slowly, then erupted.

Just a few of us know about the Herbal Gummies- the common link in all of this. Something's definitely up- something big- and the only clues I have to go on are three names that come up most often- Logan, Max and Lydecker. When I first heard one of them babbling Logan's name, I gave him a call. But I haven't had time to follow up.

I haven't had time to do much of anything. I've hardly been home the past week or so. Everyone, including the detective division, has been issued body armor and told to hit the streets. I spend all day running arrest teams up and down the blocks, pulling in young kids in the throes of some out-there delusions. Like the kid with the broken leg... he kept screaming something about "Omega." I've never seen eyes like that- about to pop out of their sockets...

It might be worth the risk calling Logan again, to find out if he knows anything more. I help load the Omega kid into an ambulance (a pair of uniformed cops will have to ride along; that's two less on or side for now) and find an out-of-the-way place, make sure I'm alone, and dial...

Point of view: LOGAN ***************************************

The phone rings. It's Matt Sung.

"Logan, things are getting worse out here. We've been picking up kids all day, but it just won't stop."

I ask him what, exactly, the kids are saying. The answer isn't good. Omega, O'Ryan, Lexx, Nic, those I can deal with. They've never come up in Manticore files, they've got to be pure hallucinations. But Jondie, Tinga, Brinn, Zack, Lydecker, things are getting closer. Seems like the victims are sure they know these people. Hell, they're sure they're seeing these people right in front of them.

Sung clears his throat. "The bad news is that there's a lot of Max and Logan going around out there too. Including some girl who's convinced she IS Max. We had her for a minute, but she escaped. Haven't seen her since, but this isn't exactly a curable condition."

Damn. This is bad. When he originally called me on the "Logan," some kid was babbling, I'd hoped he was mistaken.

So now it's not just Manticore. It's Manticore and me, and Max. And Max is out on the streets.

Point of view: NORMAL ***************************************

Grasping the top of the counter table as riders rush past.

Oh...oh....I feel kinda funny. What was in those things? I wondered looking a half eaten gummie.

Cindy! get...get over here! I want you to take care of things. Not a word from you. I'll be in the office. I'm not feeling too good. If anything major happens let me know. The assignments are on the board and the sheet over there. Here take the head set. I moaned my order to her as my feet barely dragged me to the couch.

Just need some rest... I thought as my mind began to wander off.

Point of view: DET. SUNG ***************************************


"Look," I tell Logan, "I'm about to go across town and I'm going to be out of pocket for a while..."

I have to phrase this next carefully-

"In order for this stuff, these gummies to be hitting the streets in quantity like this-" I begin, but Logan's quick mind is already onto it.

"Means this is no ordinary drug smuggling operation," Logan says, completing my thought. He's silent for a moment, then says: "Department involvement."

"I believe so, yeah. I don't know at what level, or who, or how many though," I tell him. But they're already calling for me.

"That's all I've got for now," I say. "But look- if there's a possibility, I'm going to try and snag one of these kids for you."

I hang up; I've done what I can for now and it's time to ride. Things are moving quickly here on the streets. I can hear radio calls, instructions being given. For the first time, I have the feeling I may not live through the night.

Point of view: MAX ***************************************

I return to Jam Pony through crowds of people screaming names at me and trying to be something they're not.

A little like me. That thought just crept into my head. Well, I am pretending to be human instead of the freak show I am. But these kids, they're humans pretending to be freaks because of some spiked candy. That's cruel. I was created in a lab, where at least we were taken care of, even if it was hardly what anyone would call loving. But these kids are just left out here to run amok, with no one to watch out for them.

Then one tries to steal my bike when I stop at an intersection.

"I'm Zack!" he cries, "Hand over the bike now, or I'll be forced to commandeer it, Manticore scum!"

Whoa, that's a little too close for comfort. I put a hand to his forehead and shove him away. "Never steal a girl's transportation."
Transportation . . . my baby! How badly I want to ride her, but through this crowd, no way. Too dangerous. She could get scratched.

Finally at Jam Pony, I'm surprised to see Cindy at Normal's desk.
"Hey, look at you, Sista, playin' boss lady," I call to her, "Where's Normal?"

Cindy shrugs. "Bathroom," she said, "He got all sweaty and queasy after eating these sticky things." she points to a bag of gummy bears.

"Odd," I reply reaching for one, "But then I suppose Normal's stomach isn't made for the finer things in life, like post-pulse gummies." Gummies. Max, you idiot! I drop the gummy on its way to my mouth. Sure enough the bag bears the MantiCorny label. Who knows what they would have done to a real Manticore.

Might be a good idea to bring Logan a sample though. "I'll take 'em for later," I say dropping the gummies into my bag.

"Sure. He'll never notice where they went." Cindy grins.

"Since you're playing boss, can I go home early?"

Cindy looks at the clock. "Sure, boo. See you at Crash later?"

"If I can get there," I reply.

At Logan's I open the door and find Terry stretching out on the couch, watching Logan and Bling. I can't tell for sure which one she's more interested in. But it better not be Logan.

"Want a gummie?" I ask innocently holding out the bag.

She wrinkles her nose. "No, thank you. I don't do the Spam-in-a-can gourmet thing."

Darn.

"Hey, Logan, catch," I say throwing the bag to him.

Point of view: LOGAN ***************************************

I catch the bag that Max throws me and look inside. Gummies.

"I'm guessing these are not the standard gummies?" I ask.

"No, I don't think so. Normal had a few and started behaving kind of strange. Strange even for Normal."

Normal's the oldest person I've heard of yet with Manticorny addiction. I wonder if it will affect him differently.
"How strange?"

"Really odd," Max says. She's talking to me and keeping one eye on Tinga. This conversation isn't going to go anywhere like that.

"Bling, why don't you show Terry around a bit? Only as much as you can do safely, stay out of the crowds. But she should know her way around in case of an emergency."

Bling raises an eyebrow. "Sure." He smiles at Tinga and offers her his arm. She accepts and they saunter out the door, Tinga leaning a bit too much into Bling's side.

"So, Max, tell me what's going on at JamPony."

Point of view: MAX ***************************************

"JamPony? Well, Normal's in the bathroom retching, but I'll spare you the details. I don't wanna ruin your appetite," I tell him, "Cindy's holding down the fort and she gave me the afternoon off. She's supposed to call if Normal starts screaming names and jumping out of the shallow end of the gene pool like the sorry azzes out in the streets."

Logan looks at me. I think he can tell my mind is not on the current crisis. "So, you're not worried about a city full of people screaming names of your siblings while performing feats of derring do?"

"Oh no, I am worried about that. But I'm more worried about you and that Teena - "

"Terry," he smiles. The annoying one.

"Whatever. Alls I'm saying is she doesn't seem at all your type."

"And what would my type be?" he asks looking at me with that I-know-what-you're-thinking-smug-type look, "You?"

"Well, she's certainly elegant, turning her nose up at gummies, but she's a little too ambiguous for you."

"Ambiguous?"

"Morally. She's a playa playa, and I'm not sure what her game is."

He just looks at me. Damn, I've said too much. Time to change the subject.

"So, what's the dealio with these MantiCorny gummies making everyone so hyper?"

Point of view: ORIGINAL CINDY ***************************************

As I watch Normal rush to the bathroom, again, I can't help but laugh at him, why would gummies make someone so sick?

*Sketchy walks up to main desk*

"how are ya holdin things down?"

"I don't know what your dealio was boy, but I got things covered here, everyone listens to good ol' Original Cindy"

"that's only cuz you're pushy and loud mouthed"

"you wanna see how pushy I can get? 173 Brooklyn street, NOW!"

"no way am I gonna go out there again man, it's anarchy!"

"what do you mean, and don't think you can pull off some cheap excuse, you're talking to the Queen of getting-outta-work here"

"have you been outside lately?" Sketchy says in a panicked tone. "People are running around, fighting, and screaming out names, it's like everyone in the city has suddenly gone on a bad trip!"

"huh? Sketchy are you sure you're not the one having a bad trip? and what do you mean "names"?"

"I'm fine, it's the rest of the city, and I mean names, one example is Max, do you think that means anything? Where is she anyways?"

"just cause some wiggas are yelling out my girls name doesn't mean it means anything, my Boo isn't the only Max alive ya know. And sista girl took the day off, now move outta my way, Original Cindy needs to see for herself what's going on"
/I don't believe one word this boy is feeding me, and if he's lying, I'm gonna run his sorry-no-good-spliff-smoking-butt all over town/

As I step out side JamPony, I am almost run over by some wack wigga on a bike who is screaming out "I'm in enemy territory, I must find safer ground". Turning around, closing the door, and looking at everyone in JamPony, I say

"lets call it a day okay peeps? runs are off"

Point of view: NORMAL ***************************************

[flush]

"...head...hurt's...what's...going on?....where am I?" said as my stomach nearly turned.

"The last thing I remember was Lydecker...what was it I was doing?...a drill..I think. This place doesn't look like Manticore I'd better report to the tac leader" I thought as I studied the bathroom.

I stumbled to the door and opened it to find a large room with people coming in and out on bikes.

"Was I on a infiltration mission? I had better play it safe until I can figure this out. Recon was definitely needed for this." I thought to myself.

A woman in the center cage near the front seemed to be issuing orders. Perhaps she was the tac leader? I approached her cautiously not knowing what duties or assignment's I was supposed to be performing.

"Excuse me, I'm here..." I said before she interrupted me. The woman threw a headset and said she had places to go and packages to deliver. Apparently this was a delivery service of some kind.

"What?.." I asked hoping she would give me a little more intel. Instead she grabbed a jacket from behind her chair and came out of the cage. She headed over to what I assumed to be her bike.

As she was leaving she asked if I had any more stuff for her to do.

"No..?.." I said guessing. It seemed I had some authority here.

A strange man came up to me next babbling about something I couldn't make out and ...some greater power of some kind? I think this was it. This had to be the mission this strange man must be a terrorist dealing in a nuclear device...or was he?

The man stood there waiting for me sticking his hand out. What did he want? Did I have the security codes or something? I needed a general statement to delay him.....

"Come back later!?..." I said as he began to slowly walk towards the ramp with his bike.

A name was spoken by one of the riders.....Max! was she here? Another man came up to me and handed me sheets and stood waiting for more orders of some kind.

"Take those packages over there and get moving!" I yelled with authority. It felt right somehow... I thought. I headed to the back of the cage and sat on the chair vacated by the woman who he had initially thought was in charge.

A phone rang...."Hello?" I asked hesitantly as I began to study the desk and the contents on it. "...Jam Pony messenger service..?" I continued. This was going to be a long day I thought but I then I noticed a bag of candy...