Point of View: LYDECKER**************************************************
Author's note: Please visit us at www.delphi.com/darkangelfans/messages Point of View: LYDECKER**************************************************

Once upon a time I got kidnapped by two of my kids. It ended well, I suppose, since I got one of them back. But, I was completely helpless there for a time. That's not something I like to feel, ever. A mistake is acceptable as long as you learn from it. I am starting to think my kids slept through that class I gave. Oh well, they'll learn.

I started to carry around a tracking device within my boot. It's rather ingenious. You pull away at the lining with your toe, and then press the button. There's a wire along the sole, buried within the rubber to keep it safe. It starts emitting an emergency beacon to base command.

I have to wait until I know for certain where we are going. It looks like a rather rustic little cabin. It tugs on my memory somehow, but I'm not sure why. I don't think I've been there before, but the last several hours are quite hazy. It's irrelevant at any rate. I send the signal. My men will be here within a matter of hours at the latest. They'll keep track, and soon all of my kids here will be coming home.

And Tread wants to torture me. Not much I can do to stop it. Kids, kids, kids. I taught you, remember? I know how to do what I taught. I'll simply make myself forget. It's not terribly difficult, and does no real harm to me. Within Manticore, there is a key object. We all have one in case we have to forget. This object unlocks out memories. Mine is one that wouldn't be guessed, and even if it was, none of them would have a copy of it. It's the one thing I can't forget.

Point of View: ORIGINAL CINDY********************************************


Hehehe! I am good. I am so good. 'Just friends' my a**. 'Not my boyfriend' Screw that. I've been saying it. I've been saying it for like 6 freakin' months. So I want to see Max try and talk her way out of this one. Like I am not going to jump to conclusions after peeking in to check on Max and seeing her and Moneybags practically getting busy.
The only person I feel bad for is the blonde dude. Sam, Zack, George W. Bush, whatever his name is, the brother guy. He certainly looked a slight bit pissed when he stormed out of here. Original Cindy is an expert on the male race, but that is one dude I just can't read.
So after Max's brother stormed out of here in a huff, Max stared after him, looking all sad and pathetic, and Logan looking at her all sad and pathetic, which is overall just sad and pathetic, I felt bad for the two and left them alone.
Max did not need to hear Original Cindy's victory speech.

Point of View: KENDRA**************************************************

When we hear the bang, we all run to the window to see what happened. Then I hear OC telling Max to get back in bed, but she wants to know what happened. Logan and Max just kind of stare at each other. They are so cute! Then someone barges in the door and asks for Logan. She introduces her self as Jondie and then rushes to Max's side just as she passes out. Logan and Jondie take Max into the bedroom to give her a blood transfusion. I hear Jondie reassuring him that she will be okay.

Bling enters the cabin with Tinga and Brinn. Dam it, I really didn't want to see them here again. And then what's worse is Jondie comes in telling us to patch them up. Let me think, NO!! I try to disagree with her, but when Brin goes to attack she stops it. And all I can think is, ... great another one. I figure I should probably cooperate. This is not what I expected when I said I would come along and help. Somebody better fill me in on what's going on soon. OC picks up the med kit and starts to work on Brinn, I grab a few supplies out of it to start patching Tinga up, Bling comes over to help me.

Jondie is looking over our shoulders the whole time. I don't know why she isn't helping. She's actually making me a bit uncomfortable. I look over at OC and she does not look happy about this either. But just when I'm about to complain, more people come in. Great who the hell are they. Bling seems to know who they are, so I just keep my mouth shut.

And look there is Lacey. I let Bling continue patching up Tinga and I head over to her.
"Lacey, I know you took those papers. Where are they??"
"I have no clue what you are talking about."
"Yes you do. Your little friend told me about how you snuck out with them."
She gives me a blank look.
"Dam it Lacey, Max said those papers are important now hand them over."

Hearing Max's name, the blond guy walks over to us. He gets lacey to hand over the papers and then gives them to me. He then goes and checks on Max. He only gone a few seconds then he storms back out. I can't help but wonder what that was all about. He didn't look to happy. I walk into the bedroom and Logan is sitting there staring at Max. Hmmmm nothing unusual is going on in here.

"Logan here are the papers Lacey took. Blondie got her to give them back."

Logan gives me a weird look and then takes the papers from me. I head back into the living area to see if there is anything else someone wants me to do.

Point of View: JACE**************************************************

Dammit!

Great, no only Max and Logan are out-of-reach, so are their mates.

I better make a move, I don't want to be walking around in broad day-light for all to see.

Thanks Max. No only am I stuck her without a contact number, 'lil Max is crying her eyes out. There should be place nearby, where I can get some food. Shhh baby.

It seems all the doorways down this street are taken. I am not taking my kid down there. Surely there is some way to find Logan...last time I was here he was at that medical center...maybe he left records...it's worth a shot...

I work up into a sprint and take off down an alleyway leading to the surgery. These back streets are difficult to navigate, but I am sure I'm going around the right way. Turn...left...right, this is it.

It is really dirty in here, and the filing cabinet looks like it has been broken into. Damn, Max has taken his file...a smart move I guess...so Lydecker doesn't track him down.

Okay baby, we will settle down here for a while...then call that number again.

Point of View: LOGAN**************************************************

"Where's Jondie?" Max tries to sit up. I put a hand on her shoulder, holding her down. It shows she's still ill, the way she forgets I couldn't hold her down with a boulder if she really wanted to move.

"Shh, don't try to move. You may be genetically enhanced, but I don't want to risk you opening some almost healed wound." Her hair is in her face again and I can't stop myself from brushing it off. Maybe I'm exhausted, maybe I'm just tired of pretending to be her business partner.

"Max," I'm not even trying to control myself anymore, "If Jondie hadn't come, I don't know . . . you were pretty bad."

"Logan," she starts. But I don't want to hear whatever she has to say. I almost lost her and I'm taking this moment, now, for myself.

Before she can finish her sentence, I kiss her, as lightly as I can manage. Until she wraps her arms around my neck, deepening the kiss.

When it ends we're both staring at each other in shock.

"Logan."

I put a finger to her lips. She might make me feel like one, but I'm not a teenage boy. I know what it feels like when someone kisses me back and means it. "No. I'm not letting you try that again. You can't tell me that you were just 'emotional'. You can't tell me that you don't . . ."

"Logan," she interrupts, before I can get any further, "I think this is more of a moment of weakness."

"Max . . ."

This time she initiates the kiss. It starts slowly and grows deeper, expressing the emotions of God knows how long. There's no more pretending.

When we pull away, I realize I've gained the right to touch her, even if her hair isn't falling in her face. I stroke her cheek, regaining some composure. "So whose dream is this?" I ask, joking.

"It's not a dream," she says softly. I never thought I'd see that look on her face, at least not directed at me instead of her Ninja.

It doesn't last. Her eyes are suddenly wary, and she looks towards the door.

I turn to see my favorite GI Joe holding up the doorframe. "You're awake," Zack announces with his usual brilliance. "Your first aid kits have been wiped out by Tinga and Brinn. I'm going for more supplies." And then he's gone.

Max looks after him, close to tears, all the softness of the moment before wiped out.

Zack sure knows how to kill a moment.

Before I can figure out what to say, Kendra walks in and drops the rest of the Manticore papers in my lap. I can't believe she just took them back from Lacey, the demon reporter who's scared off more officials, criminals, and rabid dogs than I can count. I'm rapidly rethinking my opinion of Kendra as a Barbie doll on herbal gummies. Before I can say anything else she goes back out and shuts the door.

I'm liking her more every minute.

I turn back to Max, who's looking like her puppy just died. I drop those vitally important papers to the floor again. I can't put her through this. I can't make her choose between us like this. I know how she felt about me a minute ago, how she'll feel again in the future. I hope. But I can't push her right now.

"Max, this is the last thing I want to say right now, but I can understand if you're confused."

If anything, she looks more confused by my statement.

"I mean, you've barely seen Zack all these years...and," I'm stumbling for something to say, "Well, we both know he doesn't see you as his sister..."

Can she tell how much it's killing me to say this? At least she's looking a bit less sad. Almost...irritated? That couldn't be, so I press on.

"It's obvious that we--Zack and I--don't see eye to eye on what's right for you. Or more selfishly, what we want for you...from you. And it's OK if you're confused about you want..."

Max nods slowly, comprehension dawning in her face.

"I know you're feeling better, but you should stay in this bed for as long as you can, at least another twelve hours. I'll...go out and help, so Kendra or Cindy can come keep you company."

Her eyes take on an evil glint, one I've seen in the past. Usually right before she tells me off. So why do I suddenly feel so much better?

"Zack is confused," she tells me . "I'm not. Eventually, he and I are going to have to deal with that. In the meantime, I've worked too d@mn hard to have a life of my own, to let him come along and rearrange things to suit himself."

"Meaning?" I ask, my heart racing.

"If you want me to stay in this room, you're going to have to make me."

I laugh out loud for an instant before she kisses me again.

Point of View: ZACK**************************************************


You know, there has never been a time in my life that I have more wished that Manticore had just stayed a little fantasy in Lydecker's screwy little head. I mean, really, I could be at a barbeque with a normal family, then going out on a date with my normal girlfriend. But nooooooo....I am in the car of Eyes-Only, guerilla cyber journalist driving out to get medical supplies for my fellow killing machines while the woman I love, who in a way is my sister (like that changes anything for me), is seriously injured, but the man I hate is busy hitting on her and playing tonsil hockey when she should be resting.

Thanks Dad!

And on top of everything else, there are a couple thousand people running around Seattle think that they are me. Goody. That is all we need. More tactical exposure.

So now that Max is back at Cale's cabin, doing god's knows what with him, she is definitely never going to leave his side, which is going to get her killed. She barely left him behind when they were only friends, and she'd ran back to him in a second anyway. So now that they were sucking face, how am I supposed to get Max to leave everything behind? And how am I supposed to tell her I love her?

Point of View: SKETCHY**************************************************


Well, Now that I've checked in on Natalie, my baby, and I know she's alright, I'd better kick my @$$ into gear and get to jam pony, and see what's up over there.

I walk in the door, my tricked out bike by my side. I see Herbal in a heap over against a wall. I drop my bike and run over to him. and of course I ask him what happened, like any good friend would do. Well, he's out cold. Kinda weird for someone as buff as Herbal. Something bad must've happened here.

Well, while I'm waiting for Herbal to snap out of it, I lean up against the wall, and start to thinking. Where the hell are Max.. and Original Cindy.. they've just about disappeared.. and with all this herbal gummy stuff going around, something bad could be up.. or maybe OC turned Max to her lesbian ways..

After I finished dreaming about Max and Original Cindy, I noticed that Herbal was still out cold, so I just leaned back and decided to take a nice little nap.

Point of View: NORMAL**************************************************

I walk in to work and I see Herbal laying on the floor sleeping and Sketchy on the table, ... I think to myself, "why does everyone have to be such slackers??" Figuring I need to get there attention and get things moving, I yell "Wake up you slackers and get to work, bip, bip, bip." Like usual Sketchy just rolls his eyes. Herbal isn't even moving, he's probably stoned again. I go to my desk and pick up the packages that came in the night before.

"I have a package that needs to go to Fogle Towers. Sketchy here you go."
"But something is wrong with Herbal, he's been out like that for hours."
I throw the package in his face and say "Get movin!! Bip, Bip, Bip."
He takes the package from me and goes over to Herbal.
I wonder where everyone is, ... Max, Original Cindy, ... who else is missing.
I don't have time for this now. I've got a business to run.
"Get movin Sketchy!!"
"I can't wake up Herbal, I'm telling you something is wrong with him."