Max stood staring at Cassi. She still couldn't believe her eyes.
"What are you doing here?" She repeated. In her head it was a scream but it came out in a strong whisper.
"Mira." Was the simple response.
Max stared at the girl. How did she get here? The image of the blanket in the jeep flashed through her mind followed by the chaos that had been present during Logan's episode. She looked at the road but she knew that the jeep was long gone. The only thing she could do was continue and take Cassi with her. This could be their only chance to rescue Miranda.
*****************
Bending down, Max put Cassi's arms around her neck and lifted her onto her back. She had to get to the fence and get over it quickly. There was no way that she could leave the girl here by herself.
Warning Cassi to hold on tight, she sprinted to the fence. Scaling it quickly, she jumped to the other side, landing on her feet with knees bent and Cassi's body bouncing on her back. For once, she was thankful to Manticore for making them do drills with heavy artillery and supply packs. Cassi's weight was nothing in comparison.
Bending down, Max made eye contact. They were going to have to learn to work together...and fast. "You do what I do and don't make a sound." She ordered. Cassi nodded. Max decided to test her.
She crept along the fence ten feet and landed silently with her stomach flattened on the ground. In a few seconds, Cassi was right beside her. Her skilled mimicry was probably going to be the one thing that kept them both alive.
*****************
Max crept up to the building with Cassi behind her. She knew where Miranda's cell was but she didn't want any surprises. First, she wanted to check the main office to see if anything was going on tonight.
The two of them found the right window and crouched under it to hear what was going on inside. Max rolled her eyes and suppressed a sigh of disgust. Lydecker was inside. The plan had been simple enough but it was growing more complex by the minute...
Max pulled her face up enough so that her eyes could see in the bottom of the heavily grated window. The office was partially below ground level so the window was a few feet above anyone in the room. Nevertheless, Max didn't want to take any chances.
Lydecker was speaking to a soldier, his voice as cold and demanding as ever.
"Explain yourself soldier."
The soldier was standing at attention but his voice was shaking. "Sir, um, the woman was begging...I just thought that if she could see the child...just for a moment..."
Lydecker cut him off. "Even though you were under orders to keep them separate at all times. You may have jeopardized all the work that we have done."
"Yes, sir."
"Where is the child now?"
The soldier stared at the floor. "With her mother, sir."
Max could see the fury in Lydecker's face.
"You are a disgrace to the uniform," He paused. "...and a liability to this organization." Before the soldier could respond, a shot rang out and the soldier slumped to the floor.
Max was on her feet and running towards the other side of the building, Cassi behind her, as Lydecker told someone to clean up the "mess." Lydecker had not been at the facility the night she had done her recon. It had been her hope that he would be elsewhere. Her one wish was that Lydecker would be wrapped up in this other situation until they were safely gone. She had to get to Miranda...now.
"What are you doing here?" She repeated. In her head it was a scream but it came out in a strong whisper.
"Mira." Was the simple response.
Max stared at the girl. How did she get here? The image of the blanket in the jeep flashed through her mind followed by the chaos that had been present during Logan's episode. She looked at the road but she knew that the jeep was long gone. The only thing she could do was continue and take Cassi with her. This could be their only chance to rescue Miranda.
*****************
Bending down, Max put Cassi's arms around her neck and lifted her onto her back. She had to get to the fence and get over it quickly. There was no way that she could leave the girl here by herself.
Warning Cassi to hold on tight, she sprinted to the fence. Scaling it quickly, she jumped to the other side, landing on her feet with knees bent and Cassi's body bouncing on her back. For once, she was thankful to Manticore for making them do drills with heavy artillery and supply packs. Cassi's weight was nothing in comparison.
Bending down, Max made eye contact. They were going to have to learn to work together...and fast. "You do what I do and don't make a sound." She ordered. Cassi nodded. Max decided to test her.
She crept along the fence ten feet and landed silently with her stomach flattened on the ground. In a few seconds, Cassi was right beside her. Her skilled mimicry was probably going to be the one thing that kept them both alive.
*****************
Max crept up to the building with Cassi behind her. She knew where Miranda's cell was but she didn't want any surprises. First, she wanted to check the main office to see if anything was going on tonight.
The two of them found the right window and crouched under it to hear what was going on inside. Max rolled her eyes and suppressed a sigh of disgust. Lydecker was inside. The plan had been simple enough but it was growing more complex by the minute...
Max pulled her face up enough so that her eyes could see in the bottom of the heavily grated window. The office was partially below ground level so the window was a few feet above anyone in the room. Nevertheless, Max didn't want to take any chances.
Lydecker was speaking to a soldier, his voice as cold and demanding as ever.
"Explain yourself soldier."
The soldier was standing at attention but his voice was shaking. "Sir, um, the woman was begging...I just thought that if she could see the child...just for a moment..."
Lydecker cut him off. "Even though you were under orders to keep them separate at all times. You may have jeopardized all the work that we have done."
"Yes, sir."
"Where is the child now?"
The soldier stared at the floor. "With her mother, sir."
Max could see the fury in Lydecker's face.
"You are a disgrace to the uniform," He paused. "...and a liability to this organization." Before the soldier could respond, a shot rang out and the soldier slumped to the floor.
Max was on her feet and running towards the other side of the building, Cassi behind her, as Lydecker told someone to clean up the "mess." Lydecker had not been at the facility the night she had done her recon. It had been her hope that he would be elsewhere. Her one wish was that Lydecker would be wrapped up in this other situation until they were safely gone. She had to get to Miranda...now.
