As
I walk up to Logan's place I see Max and Original Cindy getting into the car. I
holler at Max and she turns around. I can tell something's wrong so I ask what
happened. Max mumbles something about her sisters and Logan and tells me to get
in the car. I hop in Original Cindy fills me in on Max's sisters kidnapping
Logan and how there on there way to Logan's Cabin. I had never seen Max this
upset before, or maybe it was anger. I'm not sure, the only thing I'm thinking
is it would probably be a good idea to keep my mouth shut and do what I can to
help.
Point of View: MAX
*****************************************
I
said I was going to use Logan's computer to get him back, and I will. Eyes Only
is how. I've done it before and I can do it again. If I send out a broadcast
telling the X-5's to report in to Zack's contact number, hopefully he'll see it
and call me. Then we can regroup and go after Tinga and Brinn.
I
didn't want to get Kendra involved, but she came running up to us. I couldn't
leave her there, Lydecker was only a block away. So I told her to get in the
car, and now the four of us are headed up to the cabin.
Bling's
still feeling the blow Brinn gave him, and the blow to his ego from Tinga. He's
not the only one. I'm still stinging from her betrayal.
Logan
was right, but because I was too stubborn to listen, he's been grabbed by two
angry - and deadly - X-5's.
I
don't want to think they'd go that far, but I didn't think they'd ever go this
far either.
Point of View: ORIGINAL
CINDY*****************************************
Ok,
I am not liking this. At all. In the least. I should be at work, listening to
Normal bipping and b*itching at us all, but I am in a car with Max, Kendra,
some black dude who has been knocked upside the head and a carload full of
computer equipment. And to top everything else that is wrong with my life off,
I seriously have to pee.
Max
is looking possessed. She is staring straight ahead at the road, barely
blinking, her jaw clenched. "Max." I finally break the silence, but
she continues to stare ahead without answering. "Boo?" I repeat. This
time she half-turns to look at me, finally acknowledging other life forms in
this vehicle, which on a personal note, I think is a piece of crap, but
anyways.... "Boo, what's the plan? I mean, how are you going to use all
Moneybag's computer crap to get him back?"
Max
continued to stare at the road, taking a deep breath before she spoke.
"There is something that you guys don't know about Logan-" Bling sat
up, swaying. "Max, no don't-" He said, his voice as weak as his
protest.
"They have to know Bling. In order for this to work we need them to
know." Max said quietly. She now turned onto a small side road, that I
guess will lead to Logan's middle of no where cabin. Bling fell back to his
seat, resigned.
"Kendra, you still don't know all there is to know about me, but we don't
have time for that now."
"Ok, just give me the basics." Kendra said from behind me, I could
tell how scared she really was.
"Ok, I have a past with the military, from when I was a child. I ran away,
they're looking for me still. I can do some stuff that normal people can't. I
have brothers and sisters like me. Two of them kidnapped Logan." Max
turned onto another road, leading into woods. She took another deep breath before
she continued. "What you both don't know about Logan is that he...well,
he's...." Max trailed off. She looked like she was trying to decide
whether we could be trusted.
I reached over and laid my hand reassuringly on her arm. She took another
breath and finally spoke. "Logan is Eyes-Only."
I
sat their in complete shocked silence. Logan, Max's rich boyfriend, was the
famous Eyes-Only. No way.
Nope, not a chance in hell. Uh-uh. My homegirl must be suffering some like
stress induced retardation or something.
The eyes. Oh my god! I always thought there was something familiar about Logan,
the few times I have been around him. It's the eyes!
"Holy $hit" Kendra exclaimed from the backseat.
"Holy $hit" I repeated a few moments later.
We all sat there in quiet for a moment. Finally Max spoke. "I have more
brothers and sisters. I am going to use Logan's computers to do a Eyes-Only
hack and contact them. I've done it once before, I can do it again."
"What's going to happen when they get here? How do you plan to get Logan
back?" Bling asked, laying his head against the window as Max pulled into
a small driveway. Max jumped out of the car and grabbed a small laptop as she
went.
The rest of us followed, with Kendra and I helping Bling up to the cabin's
door. "Well, once my brothers and sisters get here," Max said as she
made quick work of picking the doors two locks, "We are going to track
down Logan, kick Brinn's and Tinga's @ss into submission, then we are all have
to save the world yet again from the clutches of evil. Or figure out what is
wrong with those Gummies." Max placed the laptop on a table opening it up
and flipping the switch to on. "Just another day in the average life of
Max." She muttered typing in a password.
I've
got Max, the genetically engineered super killing machine, I've got Logan, the
infamous Eyes-Only, I've got Kendra, dating *ewww* Walter the Pig.
God,
I certainly can pick 'em.
Point of View: KENDRA***************************************
I
didn't know what to say, ... Logan Eyes Only. And Max having a past with the military.
What the heck is going on?? Things are staring to get a little crazy.
Max just gave me the basics. I'm not sure I even want to know the whole story.
As Original Cindy and I help Bling into the cabin, my thoughts drift to Walter.
I forgot all about him with all the events lately. I assure myself he is okay.
If he wasn't I would have saw him at the hospital. I can track down Walter
later. Right now, I need to focus on helping Max.
Point of View: LOGAN*****************************************
My
head hurts.
I
try to open my eyes but it's difficult. There's some kind of chemical taste in
the back of my throat. Am I in the hospital again?
Female
voices, arguing.
Tinga.
Brinn. Oh joy, guess we made it through the Sector police. I get my eyes open
and try to rub them, but my hands are tied. I'm shaky. God knows how long I've
been out, days or weeks for all I know.
It's
dark in here. As my eyes adjust I can see that it's daylight outside, although
the shade is pulled. I'm in some kind of bedroom--house? apartment? can't tell.
Don't care where I am, just want to get out. My fingers are stiff but I start
working at the ropes around my wrists. The knots aren't as tight as they could
be, probably haven't been re-tied for as long as I've been out. They're
starting to slip.
In
the next room the voices are rising. I hear names. Lydecker. Zack. Max. And
then a crash. The door slams open.
Damn.
Point of View: BRINN*****************************************
Logan's
looking up at me like a guilty little puppy. He's been trying to slip his
bonds.
"Bad
boy," I whisper, caressing his face. He flinches at my touch. I resist the
urge to slap his perfect face. "Don't try anything," I warn him,
reaching around to retie his hands. Not like he really could . . .
"I
know you think Max betrayed you, but you're mad at the wrong person," he
says.
"What
would you know about my emotions?" I snap.
His
blue eyes blink. "I may know more than you think."
"Oh,
well, then Mr.High-and-Mighty-Eyes-Only, do tell me what my feelings are."
"You're
mad at yourself for giving in to Lydecker's promises, but you're blaming Max.
You and Tinga are doing this out of misplaced anger. You both think Max has
taken something from you, but she hasn't."
Damn
him trying to use psychobabble on me . . . it's working on a little part of me,
hidden deep down.
"Brinn,"
he says softly, "You don't want to do this."
"Yes,
yes I do. You don't understand!" I hear myself shriek. And then I slap
him.
Point of View: TREAD*****************************************
#^@&!#& Traffic!!!!!
This
city is actually worse than a Manhattan rush hour right now!!!!
I
lost the friggin' Durango when a bunch of sector police chased one of those little
Golf cart cars into an intersection resulting in a an 8 way collision, so I'm
just heading over to Logan's. But that guy's face is stuck in my head like a
popcorn skin caught under the gum of my tooth. I know I'm supposed to know him,
and I think I dislike him intensely. I just won't tell me who and why. I cut
down a side street.
I
see a little girl. She is maybe all of four years old, and has got a fresh bag
of Manticorny Gummies. She's tugging hard at the plastic package trying to get
them open. I slowly roll by and snatch the bag.
"These
are bad for you."
I
tuck them in a pocket and I'm bout to head off, when her face contorts and she
starts to cry. I try to start my damn bike and get out of there, but my hands
won't do the right thing. Damn my subconscious conscience! DAMN ME STRAIGHT TO
HELL!
"Where's
you parents?"
"G'way.
Yur mean."
"C'mon,
is your mommy or daddy around."
"No.
Mommy ran away."
Uh
oh!
"Did
she have some candy right before?"
"Uh
huh. She didn't give me none ether."
"Ok.
I want you think hard."
"Give
me back my candy!"
"Where
do you live?"
"In
my house."
For
a split second I fantasize that I pull out my 9mm and blow her little head off.
"Do
you know where that is?"
She
shrugs.
"Ok.
Sweetheart, what's your favorite food in the world?"
"Candy!"
"Are
sure? You don't like anything even more."
"Mmmmm...
Chuko'luck cake."
"Okay,
if you help me find your mommy, I'll get you a whole Chocolate cake just for
you."
She
thinks about it for a second.
"Okay."
I
lift her on my bike in front of me. Logan will love this. He'll get to track
down her mother and play hero, and he'll have keep a civil tongue in his head
rather than offend the munchkin. Plus that nagging "Be Good Guy"
feeling is going away, now that I actually am. I was SO not in the mood to be a
good guy today.
"A
cake just for me right." She says looking up at me.
"Yup.
Enough to make you barf."
"Ewwww."
I
turn down Logan's block with the munchkin on board.
Down
the block in front of his building is none other than the guy from the black
Durango standing there with a guy in military dress gear. Looks like a chauffer
or something. They both have that, "I've been beaten up" look.
It
finally hits me. Lydecker. Donald Lydecker. The guy who heads up Manticore.
I've got my hand on my 9mm before I realize the kid MIGHT not understand why I
was killing people. I look around for a place to put her. Down the block I see
a small restaurant/bar.
They
are none too happy when I ride my Harley inside and spin around. The bartender
pulls out a shotgun and points it at me.
"Get
the hell out of here you crazy b@stard."
I
toss him a $1000 in rolled up $100's.
"You
got Chuco'luck - I mean chocolate cake?"
I
put the kid on the barstool.
"Get
some, and watch her till I get back, there's another roll like that for
you."
I
motion to one of the patrons to open the door. As he does I hear the bar tender
say,
"Hey!
Wait . . . "
I
peel out. For two grand, he can afford a tire streak on the floor.
Moments
later I'm parking my bike by the curb in front of Lydecker and his goon.
Deck
is yelling into his cell phone and at the goon at the same time.
"I
have a tracer on the car. I need a ride now dammit. You! You're supposed to be
my bodyguard! You're supposed to protect me with your life!"
As
I walk up to Lydecker I say:
"Don't
worry..." and I do a right-handed backhand punch to the goons face
smashing his maxillary bone into pieces and driving them into his frontal
cortex.
"He
did." He drops to the floor dead.
Deck
goes for his gun. With my left hand I grab his right hand with gun and swing it
with enough force to send the piece flying. With my right hand I grab him by
the throat and lift him into the air.
"Donald
Lydecker. We need to talk."
I
walk into Logan's building with Don kicking and making crude attempts at
screaming.
"Damn,
you're as short as I am." I say.
"I
don't know who you are, but you're in a hell of a lot of trouble." He
coughs as I let some air get down his throat.
"Really?"
I don't have a key to Logan's lobby door. So I just smash it open with Deck's
Body.
Deck
goes sliding across the floor into the open elevator. He's struggling to get
back to his feet when the security guard rushes after him, gun drawn.
As
I walk by the security desk, I shoot out the surveillance console, knocking out
the building security.
The
guard turns and aims at me. I just knock him out.
Deck
is now kneeling by the controls of the elevator. The doors start to close.
I
grab a fire extinguisher and slide it across the floor like a missile.
It
slides between the elevator doors just before they shut, and they start to
re-open.
He
reaches for the extinguisher. I shoot it and the Liquid C02 explodes all over
the inside of the elevator. The doors open. Lydecker is shivering and bleeding.
He looks at me as I enter the elevator.
"Whoever
you are, I can make it worth you while not to kill me."
"Why
would I kill you when I'm having so much fun torturing you, Deck!"
I
can see that pisses him off. Mr. AA "I'm in control". He's catches
himself and acts like he's at the mercy of unstoppable me. Nah... He's a
Machiavellian little viper from his profile. He's just waiting to get the upper
hand.
"If
you'd like to break a few fingers on the way up. Go head. I can always use a
good laugh."
The
elevator doors close.
As
we get up to Logan's apartment I throw Lydecker back out of the elevator.
"Dammit,
I'm hurt!"
"Don't
worry, these people will fix you up."
"You
mean Max and her rich 'Eyes Only' boyfriend?"
I
glare at him. Lydecker starts laughing. I don't like it! He knows way too much.
I grab him by his hair and pull him to his knees.
That's
when the viper strikes. A small double-edged knife scrapes across the metal cup
covering my privates. I'm a little surprised. That was good gamble. Before I
can decide exactly how to react he stabs the knife right into my forearm. It
hurts like hell, but I just lift him up further by his hair into a position
where he can't quite get his feet under him, but can't kneel either. He release
the knife stuck in my arm and grabs my hand with both of his trying to support
his weight with something besides his hair.
He
looks up at the knife still stuck deep in my arm.
"What
are you! A RED?! A foreign Transgenic?"
"Awwww
Deck! I'm insulted!" I shake him a little so he winces.
"You of all people should know me." I lift him all the way off the
ground again, by his hair.
"I am the OLDEST of the dragons."
I
start to use that mutant muscular system of mine, and without touching the
knife I work the blade out of my arm. Deck watches as it falls to the ground
with a slight metallic clatter.
"You
can't be!"
"Can't
be who? Deck."
"He's
just a myth a"
"Who's
just a myth Deck?"
"You're!"
"Yeah?"
"You're!"
"Go
head." I give him a smile that would make Satan himself shiver. "I'll
let you say it once."
He
hesitates, trying to grasp the concept. He has a moment of pure panic before he
regroups.
"Spoilsport."
"Bingo."
I drop him back to the ground.
"Just
kill me and get it over with you moron!" he tells me.
"Moron?
I've been called lost of things in my life, Donny, but never a moron."
"My
troops are on their way here. To a building with it's own armed security. You
drag me in here to the apartment of a one my girl's boyfriends, a guy who's
already been kidnapped by two of my other girls. No wonder they never copied
you!"
"I
broke the mold."
I
reach down and grab at him. He tries to fight me off, but he'd stand a better
chance of fighting off an industrial robot. I grab him by the back of the neck
and kick Logan's door open.
"Logan
was kidnapped by two of your other girls! Two other escaped Manticore? Who?""
He
glares at me and smiles, tightlipped.
As
I drag him inside he alternates between trying to get his feet under him and
walking with his hands. He reminds me of a street cat that just had a collar
put on it. All the while a string of expletives pour out of his mouth.
I
walk into Logan's computer room. It's been stripped clean. I was kinda hoping
his camera was here so I could tape Deck's humiliation.
"You
traitorous freak!" He yells at me. I lift him up to eye level.
"YOU'RE
CALLING ME A TRAITOR!"
"You
were made to work FOR your country. Instead you just turned into a homicidal
monster."
"I
was made to SAVE my country from a tyrannical Government that was trying to
enslave its people. You're the one with Military ID who thinks he OWNS people."
"I
made THEM! I made them to better than the rest of the scum out there." He
growls back.
"Oh,
you mean the people the Government is by. . ."
I
toss his a$s half way through a nearby sheet rock wall. Then go around the
corner to the other side where he's half sticking out.
"Of
. . ." I grab him by the back of the neck and pull him the rest of the way
through.
"and
FOR!!!"
I
start to tighten my grip, a he dangles there in mid air. . . he tries to hold
it together but he start to scream. He glares at me . . . his eyes tearing up
from the pain.
I
catch the look. . . then I catch myself. . .
He
was goading me to kill him. He knows I WILL eventually torture any and every
Manticore secret he has out of him. And enjoy every minute of it.
"Nice
one. You're not as much of an Elmer Fudd as I thought you were."
He's
too beaten up to cover up his disappointment at me catching on.
Now
I want to kill him more than ever. But that's not going to get me what I want,
and he'll eventually be replaced by someone I don't know anything about. I'd
have to start all over doing research! I need to screw with his head. Hit him
where he's. . . WEAKEST!!!
My
eyes light up like a kid on Christmas. It's inspired. It's beautiful. It's
twice a vicious and half as messy!!!!
I
drag him out to the kitchen.
"I
asked you a question before. I really hate repeating myself."
I
start going through Logan's cabinets till I find what I'm looking for. His hard
Liquor.
Logan's more of a wine and cheese type, so he doesn't have anything over 50
proof. Still there's enough stuff for a real good party.
I
turn and look at Deck still in my vise grip of right hand, and put my left hand
on my face like McCauley Kulkin.
"Look
what I found."
"You
wouldn't!!!"
I
reach up and grab the highest proof bottle I see. I bite down on the cap and
unscrew it with one hand. I spit the cap across the room.
"Bottoms
up!" I bring the bottle close to his mouth he grabs at my arm trying to hold me
off.
"You
b@stard! This. . . This is inhuman!"
"You
should see my DNA!"
I
bend his head back a little.
"Open
wide."
"Please!!
Don't do THIS!"
"Oh
come on, after a few bottles you'll feel much more talkative!"
He
tries to turn his head away from the bottle I'm waving under his nose. His lips
tighten as at draws near. His eyes cross staring at the mouth of the bottle.
Finally
he cries out.
"Brinn
and Tinga dammit!!!!"
"Who?"
I reply.
"The
girls!!!! The one that took the Cale guy!!"
"You
didn't put their names on their files, jerk! I only know Theta numbers and
Barcodes."
Deck
spouts off Brinn and Tinga's stats. I'm a little taken back. Like the first
time Max told me her name. Something about having names makes them people in my
head, not just emotionless pictures with vital stats. Now I see them in my mind
being tortured the way I was.
I
had to hunt down the bastards who did it me.
But
I'm staring at the one who hurt them.
I
choke up around his neck till I'm in the right position, then I use the palm of
my hand holding the bottle to shove his jaw open wide. I latch my thumb over
his incisors. . . and pour!!!
He
chokes a little and spits most of the booze out.
I
can't hold his neck, the bottle and his nose to make him swallow. But I can
close his nose another way.
*CRACK*
I
pour more booze into his mouth. . . this time he swallows more, but still spits
a lot out.
I'm
getting annoyed. I throw him on the kitchen island face up. His head in the
little sink there. I put down the bottle next to his head and grab a long thin
kitchen knife.
"If
you don't start co-operating, I can just cut a hole in your stomach and pour it
in there. It doesn't even have to be a big hole."
He
looks at me. . . his eyes dart up and down. This is a real crack in his armor.
He knows I'll do it and he looks scared. I don't blink, I don't twitch. I
slowly grab for the bottle and stuff it in his mouth. He swallows. Big
Swallows. A single stream of tears start to flow down his cheek.
I
should be enjoying this. This man, Donald Lydecker, is an antichrist to a race
of supermen. But I'm not. He's a monster and I SCARE HIM! What the hell does
that make me.
His
words echo through my head. "You were made to work FOR your country. Instead
you just turned into a homicidal monster."
I
pull the bottle out of his mouth and take a few steps back. He puts his arms
over his face.
I
hear noises out side from the street. A hover drone cruises by the windows
peeping in.
"You
mentioned a tracking device."
He
looks out from under his arms.
"When?"
"Right
before I killed your body guard."
"Good
memory, good ears."
"Hand
it over."
He
pauses a moment. Then just reaches into his pocket and throws it at me.
"Kill
me now and get it over with."
"Can't,
I need you for my plan."
"Plan?"
I
reach into my pocket and pull out the package of Manticorny Herbal Gummies.
Deck catches on immediately and dives off the edge of the kitchen island. I
catch his foot and pull him right back on again.
There's
a lot of biting and kicking, but eventually he swallows the whole bag.
A
half an hour later the two of us enter the lobby to Logan's building.
Building
security has their weapons pointed at Deck's men, and vice versa. Deck pulls
out his badge.
"This
was a mistake. We got the wrong place, I've checked it out myself."
Deck
makes quick apologies to building security and we walk out into the street
together.
"I
want all units to return to Manticore. We're going to have to handle this a
little differently."
One
of his officers looks at him and says, "But sir. You look like hell."
"ARE
YOU QUESTIONING ME SOLDIER!"
"No
sir." He turns to the others. "Pack everything up. We're heading home."
Deck
walks over to me and whispers.
"That
went just like you said. They totally think I'm Lydecker."
"Yup."
"I
still don't understand how you got me out of Manticore and did this much
plastic surgery."
"It
wasn't easy."
"You're
telling me. When is my nose supposed to finish healing?"
"Uhmmm.
Soon."
"I
don't know why you're doing all this. . . but thanks."
"Just
watch the little girl in the bar. I'll be back, …Zack."
Deck
heads off down the street. I figured since each gummie had a few memory engrams
from. . . Zack, and that a couple of them were enough to give a person
delusions of being a Manticore. A whole bag would make some totally believe
they were . . . Zack.
I check the tracking device and I get on my Harley.
Time
to rescue Logan!
