Max froze inside the door like she had just been tagged in Frozen Tag. Her hand slowly dropped off the golden doorknob and came to rest by the hem of her maroon shirt. She turned back around and stared evenly at him. She wasn't sure whether to be angry or completely speechless that Logan had figured it out. It wasn't like she had ever doubted him-Logan was a smart man. Certainly he would've figured it out eventually, but so quickly?
She swallowed the lump in her throat that had formed from the rapidly rising emotions. "You know?"
He crossed his arms across his chest and stared right back at her from at least ten feet away. "Well, you just confirmed it for me. Max, you can't go after him," he reasoned.
"And why not?"
"Number one, you'll be put back in Manticore, possibly forever. Number two, he can take care of himself-can't he? All this time, I've been hearing stories about independent Zack this and fearless Zack that, and now he suddenly needs your help? I find it rather odd that he would ask for your help."
"I never said he asked for my help," she said sourly. "He's not thinking and-"
"And it's suddenly your job to go and play 'mommy'?"
"No," she protested. "Look, Logan, I can see that you're not quite getting this. Let me clarify it for you. I help him out. He helps me out. We all help each other out. Got it? Good."
"Getting yourself killed won't help anybody."
"Did I say I was going to get myself killed? No, this isn't a game of suicide. I promised myself I'd get the others out, and that's what I'll do. And, I have to get Zack out as well."
"And there's nothing I can do or say to stop you?" he asked, searching for one last shred of hope that Max might just be willing and stay.
She shook her head. "Nothing. I know it's not what you'd do, but I have to. I've spent eleven years searching for them, and to suddenly have them whisked away by Lydecker just isn't going to agree with me." Logan sighed. The burning light of optimism suddenly died away, leaving him either going along with her plan or pushing her out entirely. If she left without his help, she'd die, and Logan knew that. He didn't want to help her go back, but he surely wouldn't let her die and have her blood on his head.
"Fine," he said reluctantly. "I'll give you the map, but you have to promise me you won't leave until at least tomorrow morning, or at the earliest-tonight."
"Why?"
"Max, you have to get rid of the baby. You go in there with the child, Lydecker will treat it like his own personal experiment, and it'll include you too. It's better to have an abortion, I guess," he said with a shrug. This wasn't his problem. If Zack was so "wonderful" and "helpful", then where the heck was he? Logan sighed. Fine, two can play this game.
"Well, then, I'll head downtown right now."
"No, I'll call, it'll be a lot safer. I mean, Lydecker's men are still out there-right?"
"Yeah…" she agreed unwillingly. She didn't like being told what to do, by anybody-especially Logan. But still, he did make a valid point. Logan looked at her for another moment, checking to make sure her reply was true, and she wasn't going to bash his head in when he called, and wheeled himself over to the phone.
"You know the number for an abortion center by heart?" she asked, unbelieving that Logan was just going to pick up the phone and automatically call.
"No, that's what operator services were invented for. Oh…yes," he said speaking into the phone. "Could you please give me the hospital that would offer abortions, or any OB/GYN information? Yeah…Thanks…" He paused, waiting for the line to connect.
Max turned away from him and walked across the living room to the opposite window. Logan was right-Lydecker's guys still were out there, prowling the streets like ravenous wolves, consuming everything in their path. And all because of her. This isn't your fault, she told herself. It's Lydecker's problem that he can't behave like an adult and has to throw a temper-tantrum when he doesn't get his way all the time. She laughed silently to herself, the image of a baby Lydecker in diapers filling her mind. Amusing.
"Max?" Logan called from the computer room. She lingered for a couple for minutes at the window before eventually turning and walking over to him.
"Yeah?" she said, leaning against the doorframe.
"There's been a little problem," he told her as he licked the bottom of his lip.
"Isn't there always?"
"True, true, but seriously, this is a problem."
"Go on."
"I just spoke to the abortion centers, everyone in the Seattle metropolis and some of the surrounding cities-"
"And they won't accept a genetically engineered human?" she interrupted. "Damn," and she snapped her fingers as if she truly was upset.
"Actually, that would be the least of our worries actually, if that was our worry. But it's not."
"And, what would be the worry?"
Logan sighed and rested his hands casually in his lap. "Lydecker has every place checked out. I tried to register you and they all ask if this is the daughter of Donald Lydecker. Apparently, he's been going around and telling everybody if any woman by the name of Max enters, it's his daughter."
"Yuck. So, besides being an incredibly nasty thought-what else?"
"The abortion won't happen. The baby will have to live. So, I'm hoping you'll stay since you also have the baby to worry about.
"I won't be able to save you this time, Max. I won't be able to buy you back from Lydecker or sneak myself in. Maybe I will be able to find the building, but," he sighed, "I won't be able to help you. Please, just stay…"
Max walked over closer to Logan and crouched down in front of him so they were at eye level. "Look, I know you don't agree with this, but I'm going back."
"You're going to get yourself killed."
She shrugged. "There are worse fates than death."
"Max, I-"
"Logan, look, don't get all emotional on me now. It's not my funeral. Hey, I'm still here-ok?"
"This is ludicrous," he told her, shaking his head.
"Logan, this isn't ludicrous, remember, I'm ludicrous."
