Author's Note: the roles of Det. Sung, Sketchy, and Normal are currently being re-cast. We are also looking for original characters to be bad guys (Reds, government agents, etc.) Please visit the RPG folder at www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages for information, or contact me at jennem@bigfoot.com.
Point of View: ZACK *****************************************
I decided to go to Logan. I've been laying low for awhile now, but I needed to know what was going on in this city, and how max was. After the accident I didn't want to contact max it could have put her in danger. I am not sure if I'll tell max I am here I don't want her judgment being clouded.
I walk down the street towards Logan's. stopping at a sushi bar.
I walk to the back of the restaurant to make a call.
"Logan this is Zack, we need to talk"
"is max around? don't tell her I am here."
" we need to talk in private"
I hang up the phone and get a drink. Noticing people acting like Manticore kids. Talking about Lydecker and max it was to weird to stick around so I left. Walking towards the park I see Lydecker's hum vees drive by.*great with all these kids running around they won't know who's who* sitting on a bench I wait for Logan.
Point of View: NORMAL *****************************************
As I approached Jam Pony a tall slim male figure stepped forward and jabbed my right arm with a needle and ran. I started to give chase but my head started to spin. I reached out and leaned on the nearby wall. I slumped down to the cold concrete ground and began to convulse involuntarily. My mind started to fade into darkness.
"What...where..am...I?" I said looking around for my glasses. I groped around for a few seconds before finding it. "Oh! no I'm late for work!" I said as looked at my watch and noticed the time. I lurched to my feet and shambled forward towards Jam Pony.
Point of View: LOGAN *****************************************
Max leaves with the gummies, and Tinga is off in the bedroom doing...whatever. I head to the kitchen and corner Bling.
"Bling, do you want to fill me in on whatever happened between Max and Tinga out there?"
Bling smiles. "Under the makeup, the nails, and the attitude, Tinga is just a lost little girl. Like another one we know. She finally admitted it, that's all."
I sigh. "I'd love to believe that, Bling, but Max...gets so attached. We really don't know enough about Tinga. Ten years of this life...it's not going to disappear in a minute. And I don't want Max in trouble. Or hurt."
Bling's face turns serious. "Logan, I know. She still can't be trusted, not entirely. But there's something there, and it can't be thrown away. I'll keep my eye on her. You know I'm up to it."
I wonder. I haven't seen Bling get personally involved with any of my informants before, no matter how unreliable. But if I trust him, I have to let him take care of it. And I do trust him.
The phone rings and I grab it, hoping it's Max. It's not.
"Logan, this is Zack."
Zack.
"Is Max around?"
I find my voice. "No, she's not here."
"Don't tell her I'm here. We need to talk in private."
Zack gives me directions to some park bench, right in the middle of the chaos. He's also convinced he's seen Lydecker's convoy, but I've been keeping track of military movements and haven't heard of anything. Still...
"Zack, stay put. I'll be there as soon as I can."
Point of View: ORIGINAL CINDY *****************************************
at JamPony, I finally get ahold of Max, and we agree to meet back at Crash, so she can scope out the peeps that are running around calling her name. And sure enough, she was with her suga daddy /why am I not surprised?/ Boo is getting pretty attached to him, which is fine, if you're for the whole "one person for ever" thing, but for some reason, I don't see Max as that kinda girl.
I go to leave JamPony, and Sketchy jumps in front of me.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm heading to Crash to meet Max, you wanna come with?"
"You're going to meet Max at the Crash, sure I'll come. What are the objectives?"
"Boy what are talking about, I'm gonna go and meet Max and see if she knows what the dealio is, are you coming or not?" I look at Sketchy, and notice that he is chewing on something, "what are you eating?"
"Gummie bears, do you want some?"
I snatch the bag from Sketchy's hand, and he yells at me and tries to get them back. "Sorry boo, no more sugary sweetness for you until we know what these things do." I saw to him as I lead him to the door. "Now you are definitely coming with, I can't have you running around with the rest of these crazy's, even though you'd fit in perfectly"
As Sketchy and I shake it down to Crash, all he talks about is meeting Max, and how it's been so long since he's seen his 'sister'. /Damn, what's in these things?/
Point of View: TINGA *****************************************
Enhanced hearing can be a curse. In this case, it's not as bad as it can get. I actually have people saying somewhat nice things about me that doesn't revolve around my anatomy, for once.
This room is nice, but boring. Actually, that fits the entire apartment. I'm getting itchy feet again. I start to put on my "traveling clothes", mobile, durable, flexible, and dressed to kill.
Just then the phone rings. I'm lacing up a boot when I hear Logan say "Zack." The name hits me hard. Zack, here? And Logan involved with him. Max, too? I push aside that wave of conflicting emotions for now. It's time to think tactically, not emotionally.
I stand up, ready to follow Logan. Without his knowledge, of course. I take a step before I realize that I've only got one boot on. I pause to start putting on the other one, and hear Logan start to speak.
"Bling, I've got to go. That was Zack; he wants to meet. Keep an eye on Tinga, would you?" D*mn. That's going to make this harder. But it shouldn't be too hard to dodge him.
I pause by my backpack, and scoop out a few items that might come in handy. Then I sigh, mentally prepare myself by visualizing the apartment and the building as a whole, place Logan and Bling where I know them to be.
Window's going to be the easy way out. I should be able to get out, get down and be in position before Logan gets out of the building. Forming a plan, I move forward.
Scaling the building is actually fun. It's nice to have a chance to do this where the only objective is to stay unseen, and nobody's shooting at you.
I take a quick scan of the street, and am relieved not to see Logan or his Aztec. Yet.
OK, time to make plans for mobility. I spot a likely ride halfway down the street. It looks like a fully functional car, but it's been abandoned. Not that unusual, given the freakiness that seems to be widespread now. I move to the car.
No keys. No problem. I reach under the dashboard and get to work. By the time Logan pulls out of the garage, I'm at a good vantage point down the street. I follow him, using the skills taught at Manticore to keep undetected.
Logan drives directly toward center of town. I recognize several landmarks from my earlier walk with Bling, make a few more as we take different turns.
Thankfully, we don't pass through any sector checkpoints. Logan stops near a park and gets out near Zack on a park bench. I continue around the block and lose the car, taking extra care sneaking up on Logan and Zack. They're talking, but I can't concentrate on the words. I'm too busy seeing red, and at its center, my big bro' Zack.
He's here. He had to know Max was here. He's actually been doing it. He's been //keeping// us from each other. Intentionally.
I don't care that it makes good sense tactically. It hurts that he's kept family apart, the only people ever likely to accept me for what I am.
A group of the crazies swing by, shouting out things about Manticore and Zack and Max and even me. An inkling occurs to me. I swipe a baseball cap off a sleeping bum and join them, shouting about Lydecker and Zack's insane need to rule everything. Zack's eyes sweep over us and dismisses us as a non-threat.
Something long bottled breaks free, and I'm moving before I realize I've made a decision. Zack's so deep in what's now an argument with Logan he doesn't see me coming. I hit him square in the back, sending him sprawling. He's up like lightning, but not before I speak.
"Letting down your defenses. That's a major breach, soldier. It could get you killed. And then where would the world be? After all, it's depending on you personally to defend it."
He looked at me with anger flashing. "Well, we all know we can't depend on //you// for anything," Zack responded. I bristle.
Logan interrupts. "Tinga, back off. Zack's been through enough lately."
I glanced in his direction. "Being supreme commander of all the forces of destiny put a man through the ringer, you mean?"
Logan sighs. "Zack turned himself into Lydecker to clear Max."
My mouth hangs open. I can not believe it. He won't have anything to do with me unless I'm about to be planted, but for Max he goes willingly into h*ll? "You b*stard. It takes life and death to get a second look out of you for me, but for that little skank? You always //did// have an unhealthy obsess--"
Zack blurs into action, trying a foot sweep on me. A //foot// //sweep//. Has he forgotten all the drills we had together? I'm too fast for that, am over it and blocking the follow-up blow he throws my way. But I miss the kick he throws, and it sends a stab of pain through my chest, knocking me off balance. I stagger and try to recover as he throws another punch. At my face. I'm able to redirect the blow and its momentum, but still. Zack knows how I feel about maintaining my looks. That unlanded blow hurts worse than anything he could do to me. I stare defiantly at him. "Don't...touch...the face!" I pant as we dance around, exchanging attempted blows.
"The face, the face," he replied, accenting his words with blows I mostly avoid. "You'd sell us all out for a tube of mascara and a good foundation."
Logan clears his throat. "Right now we've got bigger problems," he said, pointing. In addition to the crowd we were drawing, some sector police were coming. They were having trouble getting through the crowd, which was screaming, "It's Lydecker! He's here!" They started throwing things at the police, each other, everywhere. A bike messenger got nailed by a shoe. Zack and I retreated a bit, locked eyes.
"We'll continue this later," he snarled.
"Count on it," I replied. He nodded curtly and abruptly turned and vanished into the growing riot.
Point of View: LOGAN *****************************************
I didn't think my day could get any worse. Until I was treated to a ringside seat at a knock down, drag out fight between the two people most capable of destroying me, or Max. Great.
At least it was a relief to find out it really was Zack. When he first called me, I wondered if the Manticorny infection had gone so far as to include my phone number. After all, my name had been heard in the riots.
Fortunately, a pretty boy that big is noticeable from a distance. I could tell it was him before he could see me. Guess I wouldn't have to change my number just yet.
So Zack's back, and I'm going to try to be nice even though he's not my favorite killing machine. Zack, as usual, won't give me any information on how he escaped from Manticore. Or even when. "Tactical exposure."
Whatever he wants to call it, he just likes playing mysterious. Which is the last thing I need right now. Someone on the inside, someone who knows about my own involvement with Manticore, is mixed up in the MantiCorny mess. And until I figure out who, I don't need to deal with any more secrets.
I'm not sure what Zack wants here in Seattle, anyway. He says he wants to get Max out, but he's not sounding like the same soldier-protector-commander as before. Something's off here, but I'd barely gotten the chance to realize it before Tinga landed on him.
I should have known she might follow me. Bling's a good guy, but his experience doesn't really run to the super-soldier type. And her self-absorption is as much facade as true vanity. When it's in her own best interest to pay attention, she will. And hearing the name Zack in the next room had to be an attention-grabber.
Too late know. Zack's gone, and I've got Tinga in the middle of this riot. Fortunately the sector police didn't witness their rather spectacular fight. But now they're pulling kids off everywhere, and I'd rather not let Tinga have the opportunity to demonstrate her genetically enhanced skills again.
"Get in the car," I tell her.
Tinga's got her eyes glued to Zack's retreating form. "No way. I'm trailing him now or I'll never find out where he's holing up."
I grab her arm. Not that it will stop her, but if I can get her attention for a second she'll lose track of Zack. "Just what I need," I tell her, as condescendingly as possible. "A nice bit of sibling rivalry. Maybe for kicks I should bring Max into it and let you all fight it out."
Tinga's expression freezes. Oops. Guess I shouldn't have mentioned Max.
Point of View: ZACK *****************************************
While me and Tinga were fighting it out the sector police headed over to see what was going on. I decided to get out of there. I ran to an ally way and jumped to the top of a building. Jumping from roof top to roof top I thought to myself*Tinga why did she come here?*I ended up on top of crash. I jumped down and walked the streets.* I have to talk to max Tinga will tell her I am here* Turning and seeing two hum vees drive I watch as they go by.*Lydecker*
I decided to go to Logan's tonight to see max. she'll finally know for sure I am still around. I just hope max is careful. I walk down the street and bump into a woman.
" watch where your going."
woman: I have orders from Lydecker(she swings her fist at me)
I grab her fist and walk away.* what's going on in this town?*
I best lay low till tonight.
Point of View: MAX *****************************************
Returning from meeting Original Cindy, I stroll through downtown, looking for some hopped up peeps to snag for Logan. Too bad I missed Normal. That coulda been interesting.
Speaking of interesting things, the look on Logan's face back there was priceless. We'd actually beaten Eyes Only to the scoop. Poor Logan. He'll recover from the shock of it eventually.
There's a kid I know vaguely from Jam Pony screaming about Zack and Tinga. Tinga. That's new. I haven't heard them scream her name before. He's motioning for me to follow. What's the dealio here? I oughta check it out, even if my instincts are telling me not to.
I get there just in time to see the end of it. It IS Zack and Tinga. And Logan. Interesting, definitely, but a magnet for sector police. I watch Logan grab Tinga's arm, keeping her from going after Zack.
So, Zack's back, and he didn't contact me. Or hasn't yet. But how long is he going to wait? That hurt. My own brother wasn't going to tell me he was back.
Well, I'd better bounce before the sector po-po's arrive. I'm surprised they haven't memorized my face by now. Not that they could really catch up to me enough to see my face.
Point of View: DET. SUNG *****************************************
I get the call... another fight. Not really in my line, but when I hear the details, I know I have to be there. Not your ordinary set-to by any means. I join the general scramble and within minutes, we're in the middle of a full-blown riot. As the ranking officer, I take charge of the situation. Tactically, it's a pretty simple affair- a lot of angry people, maybe some Gummy victims who will be difficult to handle mixed in.
I see some bike messenger kid get nailed in the face with a shoe as rocks and garbage rain down on the uniformed men in front as they try to form a skirmish line.
Not only that, but there's Logan of all people- that complicates things.
Point of View: LOGAN *****************************************
Speak of the devil. Figuratively, of course. As soon as I mention Max to Tinga, I spot her on the edge of the crowd. Must have been a short meeting with Original Cindy. But if she has any sense, she'll turn around and leave right now.
She doesn't. She hesitates for a second, then heads in our direction. I try to get Tinga into the car before Max reaches us, but I'm not really up to forcing a super-soldier to move when she doesn't want to.
"I need to know what's going on with Zack and Max," Tinga tells me. "He's been playing keep-away with me for years, and he turns himself in for her? And shows up again to make sure she's safe? I'm not going anywhere until I find out why."
"You'll have to ask Zack, then," Max says from behind Tinga. Tinga whirls to face her. "At least you knew he was out there, these past years," Max continued. "I didn't even know any of you had escaped, until a few months ago. He knew where I was, where you were, and didn't bother to let me in on it."
Tinga smiles. It's not a nice smile. "Then I guess we both have some questions for him, don't we?" Max smiles back.
Wonderful. Female bonding in the middle of a drug riot.
"Max, weren't you supposed to be meeting with Matt Sung, and Original Cindy for that matter?"
"Couldn't find Sung," she replies. "And Cindy was brief, it was a mess over there. I'll explain later."
"Later is good. Meaning after we get out of here."
I see where Matt was. Here, and he's heading in our direction, motioning me to get out of here. Which I would, but the car is surrounded by kids who seem to think it's Lydecker's humvee. Max and Tinga could pull them off, but that would attract a bit more attention than we need.
Some scruffy kid (and is that a *beer* he's drinking? in the middle of a riot?) pops up out of nowhere. He's got a huge bruise on his forehead and an idiotic grin on his face. "Hi, Max."
Max looks pained. Just what we need. A slacker with a crush on Max.
Or maybe it is what we need.
Point of View: ZACK *****************************************
I decided to go to Logan. I've been laying low for awhile now, but I needed to know what was going on in this city, and how max was. After the accident I didn't want to contact max it could have put her in danger. I am not sure if I'll tell max I am here I don't want her judgment being clouded.
I walk down the street towards Logan's. stopping at a sushi bar.
I walk to the back of the restaurant to make a call.
"Logan this is Zack, we need to talk"
"is max around? don't tell her I am here."
" we need to talk in private"
I hang up the phone and get a drink. Noticing people acting like Manticore kids. Talking about Lydecker and max it was to weird to stick around so I left. Walking towards the park I see Lydecker's hum vees drive by.*great with all these kids running around they won't know who's who* sitting on a bench I wait for Logan.
Point of View: NORMAL *****************************************
As I approached Jam Pony a tall slim male figure stepped forward and jabbed my right arm with a needle and ran. I started to give chase but my head started to spin. I reached out and leaned on the nearby wall. I slumped down to the cold concrete ground and began to convulse involuntarily. My mind started to fade into darkness.
"What...where..am...I?" I said looking around for my glasses. I groped around for a few seconds before finding it. "Oh! no I'm late for work!" I said as looked at my watch and noticed the time. I lurched to my feet and shambled forward towards Jam Pony.
Point of View: LOGAN *****************************************
Max leaves with the gummies, and Tinga is off in the bedroom doing...whatever. I head to the kitchen and corner Bling.
"Bling, do you want to fill me in on whatever happened between Max and Tinga out there?"
Bling smiles. "Under the makeup, the nails, and the attitude, Tinga is just a lost little girl. Like another one we know. She finally admitted it, that's all."
I sigh. "I'd love to believe that, Bling, but Max...gets so attached. We really don't know enough about Tinga. Ten years of this life...it's not going to disappear in a minute. And I don't want Max in trouble. Or hurt."
Bling's face turns serious. "Logan, I know. She still can't be trusted, not entirely. But there's something there, and it can't be thrown away. I'll keep my eye on her. You know I'm up to it."
I wonder. I haven't seen Bling get personally involved with any of my informants before, no matter how unreliable. But if I trust him, I have to let him take care of it. And I do trust him.
The phone rings and I grab it, hoping it's Max. It's not.
"Logan, this is Zack."
Zack.
"Is Max around?"
I find my voice. "No, she's not here."
"Don't tell her I'm here. We need to talk in private."
Zack gives me directions to some park bench, right in the middle of the chaos. He's also convinced he's seen Lydecker's convoy, but I've been keeping track of military movements and haven't heard of anything. Still...
"Zack, stay put. I'll be there as soon as I can."
Point of View: ORIGINAL CINDY *****************************************
at JamPony, I finally get ahold of Max, and we agree to meet back at Crash, so she can scope out the peeps that are running around calling her name. And sure enough, she was with her suga daddy /why am I not surprised?/ Boo is getting pretty attached to him, which is fine, if you're for the whole "one person for ever" thing, but for some reason, I don't see Max as that kinda girl.
I go to leave JamPony, and Sketchy jumps in front of me.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm heading to Crash to meet Max, you wanna come with?"
"You're going to meet Max at the Crash, sure I'll come. What are the objectives?"
"Boy what are talking about, I'm gonna go and meet Max and see if she knows what the dealio is, are you coming or not?" I look at Sketchy, and notice that he is chewing on something, "what are you eating?"
"Gummie bears, do you want some?"
I snatch the bag from Sketchy's hand, and he yells at me and tries to get them back. "Sorry boo, no more sugary sweetness for you until we know what these things do." I saw to him as I lead him to the door. "Now you are definitely coming with, I can't have you running around with the rest of these crazy's, even though you'd fit in perfectly"
As Sketchy and I shake it down to Crash, all he talks about is meeting Max, and how it's been so long since he's seen his 'sister'. /Damn, what's in these things?/
Point of View: TINGA *****************************************
Enhanced hearing can be a curse. In this case, it's not as bad as it can get. I actually have people saying somewhat nice things about me that doesn't revolve around my anatomy, for once.
This room is nice, but boring. Actually, that fits the entire apartment. I'm getting itchy feet again. I start to put on my "traveling clothes", mobile, durable, flexible, and dressed to kill.
Just then the phone rings. I'm lacing up a boot when I hear Logan say "Zack." The name hits me hard. Zack, here? And Logan involved with him. Max, too? I push aside that wave of conflicting emotions for now. It's time to think tactically, not emotionally.
I stand up, ready to follow Logan. Without his knowledge, of course. I take a step before I realize that I've only got one boot on. I pause to start putting on the other one, and hear Logan start to speak.
"Bling, I've got to go. That was Zack; he wants to meet. Keep an eye on Tinga, would you?" D*mn. That's going to make this harder. But it shouldn't be too hard to dodge him.
I pause by my backpack, and scoop out a few items that might come in handy. Then I sigh, mentally prepare myself by visualizing the apartment and the building as a whole, place Logan and Bling where I know them to be.
Window's going to be the easy way out. I should be able to get out, get down and be in position before Logan gets out of the building. Forming a plan, I move forward.
Scaling the building is actually fun. It's nice to have a chance to do this where the only objective is to stay unseen, and nobody's shooting at you.
I take a quick scan of the street, and am relieved not to see Logan or his Aztec. Yet.
OK, time to make plans for mobility. I spot a likely ride halfway down the street. It looks like a fully functional car, but it's been abandoned. Not that unusual, given the freakiness that seems to be widespread now. I move to the car.
No keys. No problem. I reach under the dashboard and get to work. By the time Logan pulls out of the garage, I'm at a good vantage point down the street. I follow him, using the skills taught at Manticore to keep undetected.
Logan drives directly toward center of town. I recognize several landmarks from my earlier walk with Bling, make a few more as we take different turns.
Thankfully, we don't pass through any sector checkpoints. Logan stops near a park and gets out near Zack on a park bench. I continue around the block and lose the car, taking extra care sneaking up on Logan and Zack. They're talking, but I can't concentrate on the words. I'm too busy seeing red, and at its center, my big bro' Zack.
He's here. He had to know Max was here. He's actually been doing it. He's been //keeping// us from each other. Intentionally.
I don't care that it makes good sense tactically. It hurts that he's kept family apart, the only people ever likely to accept me for what I am.
A group of the crazies swing by, shouting out things about Manticore and Zack and Max and even me. An inkling occurs to me. I swipe a baseball cap off a sleeping bum and join them, shouting about Lydecker and Zack's insane need to rule everything. Zack's eyes sweep over us and dismisses us as a non-threat.
Something long bottled breaks free, and I'm moving before I realize I've made a decision. Zack's so deep in what's now an argument with Logan he doesn't see me coming. I hit him square in the back, sending him sprawling. He's up like lightning, but not before I speak.
"Letting down your defenses. That's a major breach, soldier. It could get you killed. And then where would the world be? After all, it's depending on you personally to defend it."
He looked at me with anger flashing. "Well, we all know we can't depend on //you// for anything," Zack responded. I bristle.
Logan interrupts. "Tinga, back off. Zack's been through enough lately."
I glanced in his direction. "Being supreme commander of all the forces of destiny put a man through the ringer, you mean?"
Logan sighs. "Zack turned himself into Lydecker to clear Max."
My mouth hangs open. I can not believe it. He won't have anything to do with me unless I'm about to be planted, but for Max he goes willingly into h*ll? "You b*stard. It takes life and death to get a second look out of you for me, but for that little skank? You always //did// have an unhealthy obsess--"
Zack blurs into action, trying a foot sweep on me. A //foot// //sweep//. Has he forgotten all the drills we had together? I'm too fast for that, am over it and blocking the follow-up blow he throws my way. But I miss the kick he throws, and it sends a stab of pain through my chest, knocking me off balance. I stagger and try to recover as he throws another punch. At my face. I'm able to redirect the blow and its momentum, but still. Zack knows how I feel about maintaining my looks. That unlanded blow hurts worse than anything he could do to me. I stare defiantly at him. "Don't...touch...the face!" I pant as we dance around, exchanging attempted blows.
"The face, the face," he replied, accenting his words with blows I mostly avoid. "You'd sell us all out for a tube of mascara and a good foundation."
Logan clears his throat. "Right now we've got bigger problems," he said, pointing. In addition to the crowd we were drawing, some sector police were coming. They were having trouble getting through the crowd, which was screaming, "It's Lydecker! He's here!" They started throwing things at the police, each other, everywhere. A bike messenger got nailed by a shoe. Zack and I retreated a bit, locked eyes.
"We'll continue this later," he snarled.
"Count on it," I replied. He nodded curtly and abruptly turned and vanished into the growing riot.
Point of View: LOGAN *****************************************
I didn't think my day could get any worse. Until I was treated to a ringside seat at a knock down, drag out fight between the two people most capable of destroying me, or Max. Great.
At least it was a relief to find out it really was Zack. When he first called me, I wondered if the Manticorny infection had gone so far as to include my phone number. After all, my name had been heard in the riots.
Fortunately, a pretty boy that big is noticeable from a distance. I could tell it was him before he could see me. Guess I wouldn't have to change my number just yet.
So Zack's back, and I'm going to try to be nice even though he's not my favorite killing machine. Zack, as usual, won't give me any information on how he escaped from Manticore. Or even when. "Tactical exposure."
Whatever he wants to call it, he just likes playing mysterious. Which is the last thing I need right now. Someone on the inside, someone who knows about my own involvement with Manticore, is mixed up in the MantiCorny mess. And until I figure out who, I don't need to deal with any more secrets.
I'm not sure what Zack wants here in Seattle, anyway. He says he wants to get Max out, but he's not sounding like the same soldier-protector-commander as before. Something's off here, but I'd barely gotten the chance to realize it before Tinga landed on him.
I should have known she might follow me. Bling's a good guy, but his experience doesn't really run to the super-soldier type. And her self-absorption is as much facade as true vanity. When it's in her own best interest to pay attention, she will. And hearing the name Zack in the next room had to be an attention-grabber.
Too late know. Zack's gone, and I've got Tinga in the middle of this riot. Fortunately the sector police didn't witness their rather spectacular fight. But now they're pulling kids off everywhere, and I'd rather not let Tinga have the opportunity to demonstrate her genetically enhanced skills again.
"Get in the car," I tell her.
Tinga's got her eyes glued to Zack's retreating form. "No way. I'm trailing him now or I'll never find out where he's holing up."
I grab her arm. Not that it will stop her, but if I can get her attention for a second she'll lose track of Zack. "Just what I need," I tell her, as condescendingly as possible. "A nice bit of sibling rivalry. Maybe for kicks I should bring Max into it and let you all fight it out."
Tinga's expression freezes. Oops. Guess I shouldn't have mentioned Max.
Point of View: ZACK *****************************************
While me and Tinga were fighting it out the sector police headed over to see what was going on. I decided to get out of there. I ran to an ally way and jumped to the top of a building. Jumping from roof top to roof top I thought to myself*Tinga why did she come here?*I ended up on top of crash. I jumped down and walked the streets.* I have to talk to max Tinga will tell her I am here* Turning and seeing two hum vees drive I watch as they go by.*Lydecker*
I decided to go to Logan's tonight to see max. she'll finally know for sure I am still around. I just hope max is careful. I walk down the street and bump into a woman.
" watch where your going."
woman: I have orders from Lydecker(she swings her fist at me)
I grab her fist and walk away.* what's going on in this town?*
I best lay low till tonight.
Point of View: MAX *****************************************
Returning from meeting Original Cindy, I stroll through downtown, looking for some hopped up peeps to snag for Logan. Too bad I missed Normal. That coulda been interesting.
Speaking of interesting things, the look on Logan's face back there was priceless. We'd actually beaten Eyes Only to the scoop. Poor Logan. He'll recover from the shock of it eventually.
There's a kid I know vaguely from Jam Pony screaming about Zack and Tinga. Tinga. That's new. I haven't heard them scream her name before. He's motioning for me to follow. What's the dealio here? I oughta check it out, even if my instincts are telling me not to.
I get there just in time to see the end of it. It IS Zack and Tinga. And Logan. Interesting, definitely, but a magnet for sector police. I watch Logan grab Tinga's arm, keeping her from going after Zack.
So, Zack's back, and he didn't contact me. Or hasn't yet. But how long is he going to wait? That hurt. My own brother wasn't going to tell me he was back.
Well, I'd better bounce before the sector po-po's arrive. I'm surprised they haven't memorized my face by now. Not that they could really catch up to me enough to see my face.
Point of View: DET. SUNG *****************************************
I get the call... another fight. Not really in my line, but when I hear the details, I know I have to be there. Not your ordinary set-to by any means. I join the general scramble and within minutes, we're in the middle of a full-blown riot. As the ranking officer, I take charge of the situation. Tactically, it's a pretty simple affair- a lot of angry people, maybe some Gummy victims who will be difficult to handle mixed in.
I see some bike messenger kid get nailed in the face with a shoe as rocks and garbage rain down on the uniformed men in front as they try to form a skirmish line.
Not only that, but there's Logan of all people- that complicates things.
Point of View: LOGAN *****************************************
Speak of the devil. Figuratively, of course. As soon as I mention Max to Tinga, I spot her on the edge of the crowd. Must have been a short meeting with Original Cindy. But if she has any sense, she'll turn around and leave right now.
She doesn't. She hesitates for a second, then heads in our direction. I try to get Tinga into the car before Max reaches us, but I'm not really up to forcing a super-soldier to move when she doesn't want to.
"I need to know what's going on with Zack and Max," Tinga tells me. "He's been playing keep-away with me for years, and he turns himself in for her? And shows up again to make sure she's safe? I'm not going anywhere until I find out why."
"You'll have to ask Zack, then," Max says from behind Tinga. Tinga whirls to face her. "At least you knew he was out there, these past years," Max continued. "I didn't even know any of you had escaped, until a few months ago. He knew where I was, where you were, and didn't bother to let me in on it."
Tinga smiles. It's not a nice smile. "Then I guess we both have some questions for him, don't we?" Max smiles back.
Wonderful. Female bonding in the middle of a drug riot.
"Max, weren't you supposed to be meeting with Matt Sung, and Original Cindy for that matter?"
"Couldn't find Sung," she replies. "And Cindy was brief, it was a mess over there. I'll explain later."
"Later is good. Meaning after we get out of here."
I see where Matt was. Here, and he's heading in our direction, motioning me to get out of here. Which I would, but the car is surrounded by kids who seem to think it's Lydecker's humvee. Max and Tinga could pull them off, but that would attract a bit more attention than we need.
Some scruffy kid (and is that a *beer* he's drinking? in the middle of a riot?) pops up out of nowhere. He's got a huge bruise on his forehead and an idiotic grin on his face. "Hi, Max."
Max looks pained. Just what we need. A slacker with a crush on Max.
Or maybe it is what we need.
