At Logan's...

When Max returned, she expected to find Logan asleep in his chair in front of his computer. It was not an uncommon occurrence. Instead, she heard voices coming from the kitchen. Greg and Amaliya were still there. The three faces turned expectantly as she entered the room. Max nodded to them and Amaliya clutched Greg's hand.

"Are you sure?" Greg whispered.

"Yes. I am." She said, placing the picture on the table.

"Is she okay?" Amaliya's voice quivered as she spoke.

"She looks like she's okay considering where she is." Max replied.

"Who are these people?" Greg asked.

"It's a long story." Logan said, then he turned to Max. "Do you know if our theory was correct?"

Max nodded quietly. They hadn't told Greg and Amaliya everything they suspected. There was a hope that they would be wrong and this would all be a bad dream.

Greg asked first. "What theory?"

Logan responded. "These people work with an organization called Manticore. They like to do experiments with genetics and their effects on a fetus. It is their hope to create a type of soldier superior to all for work in covert operations and the like."

Max continued for him. "We think that they somehow learned of Miranda's special abilities and want to see how it would combine with the DNA tampering that they have already attempted. We will need to work on getting a plan together and fast...Miranda is pregnant."

They heard a gasp from Amaliya and a hushed "Oh My God" from Greg.

Logan turned his attention to Max. "We will have to act soon then. If they remain true to form, they are not exactly hospitable to mothers."

Max nodded. "If they get wind of this, they will move her quickly. We will have to be very quiet."

Greg nodded his agreement trying to take in all he had heard. Amaliya sat studying Logan's face. "I know you are Eye's Only, but how do you know so much about their operations?"

"I'm sorry Amaliya, I know that this involves you but I can't reveal my source. Let's just say that I have a source who was been inside Manticore."

"Are you sure that you can trust this source?" Greg asked. "If Manticore is as bad as you say it is, what would prevent them from sending someone to lure you into a trap. How do we know that this isn't one big scheme for someone to find Amaliya and that Miranda isn't really dead?"

Amaliya's eyes face was drawn with fatigue and her eyes were moist with tears that had been threatening all day. "I just don't know what to believe anymore. This whole Manticore thing just sounds too awful to be true. I know that people have experimented in the past. My family is a testimony to this but actual DNA experimentation? What would be the product of such a thing?"

Logan brought his hand up to object but Max calmly put her hand over his. "That would be me." She said calmly. "Logan can't tell you his source because he was protecting me. I am what they called an X-5, a genetically enhanced soldier with feline DNA. If you think that what you have heard about Manticore is disturbing, let me tell you this. You have no idea."

****************

Logan shook his head in an attempt to clear the fog that had been forming in his head. His body was screaming for sleep but he knew that it would have to wait. The mission depended on it. (The mission? Maybe he had been around Zack once too often...)

Greg and Amaliya had gotten over the initial shock of Max's revelation. There had been a stunned silence but it had only lasted a minute. Greg had a few reservations about trusting Max but it really didn't surprise him or Max. (It did seem to hurt for a minute...) Fortunately, Amaliya's sensing of people had helped out. Logan could still picture the moment when Amaliya reached for Max's hand...

***
"I'm so sorry Max. We had no idea." Amaliya said.

"I know. There was no way for you to have know." She said. Her face still registered the suspicion that she had seen in Greg. "I know it must be difficult to know what to think about me. Don't worry about it. I feel the same way."

Amaliya shook her head. "No matter what they had planned for you, you have made your own way. There's no way that you would be working with Eye's Only if you hadn't. I can feel a goodness in you. You may doubt it but I don't." Her look had been enough for Greg and he soon came around.

Max had looked like she had just been give the world on a silver platter...

***
Logan sighed. It was so sad that it only took a little trust to make Max's day. That was one commodity that was very rare indeed. He knew that it was something that he himself had been guilty of on occasion. In his effort to protect her, he had kept things from her, especially personal things. That must have hurt the most of all...

Breaking free from his self-reflection, he looked at the map of the facility that was in front of him. The four of them had devised a plan. Greg had refused to be left behind this time. It was probably for the best. He knew a guy who had a jeep that he could borrow. It would be easier for Max to do the job and get to the jeep with Greg driving it instead of having to drive it herself. Logan would be more useful back at the apartment where he could monitor transmissions and keep in touch with Greg via a secure cell phone. Amaliya and Cassi would stay there with him and wait for them to return...with Miranda. They even had Bling on call in case a medical emergency were to arise. Now, he had to wait. Everyone had gone home to prepare, regroup and get the things they needed. In an hour, they would meet again at Logan's apartment and everything would begin for real...