A/N: Still interested? Still awake? :) Hope so, 'cause here's the next installment!




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Chapter 13: Check Mate


Manticore Base



"Max...?" Logan froze at the sight in front of him.

//Max... with a gun?// Somehow he couldn't quite make the two pieces of information form a coherent whole.

"Stay where you are," She ordered, her voice sounding oddly hollow.

"Max... It's me!" He took a step forward but was stopped by the cold look in her eyes. //Does she even know me?//

"I said don't move..."

"Max... It's me... Logan..."

Something flickered in her dark eyes, "Logan..." //Blue eyes...//

"Yes! You know me! I'm here to get you out, to take you home."

"I am home," the hollow voice responded. //Like hell I am!//

Logan swallowed. //This can't be good... but... I have to try...// "No... you're not, Max. You hate this place. You told me you'd rather die than come back here."

//He's right...// "Shut up," she hissed.

"I can't... Not now," Logan took a deep breath to steady his nerves and continued, "I thought... I thought you were dead... I thought I'd lost you..."

//Oh God... I've missed you...// "Shut up!" she shouted.

"When I found out you were alive, I promised myself I'd do anything - ANYTHING - to get you back..." Logan took a tentative step towards her, "If you're going to shoot me, then do it now... Without you, I've got nothing left to live for anyway."

The gun wavered, only slightly at first, then more and more.

\\Kill him\\

//I can't... Not him...//

\\Duty, Discipline, Obedience\\

//Beautiful... blue eyes...//

The weapon tumbled from her numb fingers, clattering against the finished concrete floor. She shuddered, trying to shake away the last of Manticore's hold on her.

"Max..." Logan breathed as he moved to her, gathering her into his arms.

She choked back a sob and hugged him fiercely, pressing her face against his shoulder, "Logan... Logan... I'm sorry..."

"For what?" he laughed, "Scaring the hell out of me? That's no big deal. It's not like you haven't done it before."

Max slowly drew back to look him in the eyes. She found herself smiling even through the tears that were still trickling down her face, "Yeah, I guess I have..."

Logan touched her face, wiping away the tears, "I'd really love to stay here for a while with you, but right now we really need to get out."

She nodded and pointed towards the door he had entered through, already slipping into combat mode, "This way..."

"I don't think so." Max and Logan spun around at the sound of a voice from behind them.

"I'm disappointed, Max," Brin said, her eyes hard. She stood in the doorway of the back exit to the room with a semi-automatic aimed at her sister's head, "I thought you were stronger than this."

"I AM stronger," Max growled, instinctively dropping into a fighting stance.

"Why couldn't you just be happy here? You're with your family now," Brin nearly pleaded with her.

"This isn't my home anymore, Brin. And this isn't my family..." Max's voice was soft. She desperately wanted to make her sister understand, to undo the damage done by Manticore.

"That's really too bad... You know I have to do this."

"No!" Logan stepped in front of Max when he saw Brin's finger tensing on the trigger. There was no real thought behind the action, only emotion. He couldn't take the chance. He couldn't loose her again...

In that instant, several trains of thought run through Brin's agile mind. One said that she should just shoot the man. He was an enemy. Another found it ridiculous, even comical, that an ordinary person would try to defend an X5. It was like asking a piece of glass to protect steel. The next thought was why he would do such a thing. What was in it for him?

Her highly trained reflexes, of course, told her that indecision was one of a soldier's worst enemies - and pulled the trigger.

Logan staggered backwards, falling into Max's arms. He went down with a choked sound accompanying Max's anguished cry.

"Logan! NO!" She kneeled, cradling him in her arms. //You can't leave me too! You can't leave me...// Fear swallowed her whole, driving away any sane or rational thought she might have had at that moment.

"Owe..." he replied. It had been a favorite word of late, though he was certainly tiring of it.

Astonished and a bit disconcerted, Max felt his chest where the bullet had struck. //A flak jacket...// "Damn it! Don't scare me like that!" The relief she felt was almost a physical thing.

Brin stared at them, her brain having rapidly overtaken her reflexes. //Why? Why would he do that? What was that look in his eyes? Why was Max so upset? She looked... afraid...//

Max held him protectively, one arm about his shoulders, the other resting on his chest. She glared at her sister, daring her to do anything more. Logan struggled to sit up, watching Brin intently. He could see the conflict washing over on to her strong features. //Maybe she's having second thoughts...//

Brin locked eyes with her sibling, her doubts communicated through her gaze. //Why? I could have shot him in the head... He didn't know that he wouldn't die...// She couldn't seem to say the words, ask the questions that threatened the Manticore dogma. Max simply watched her with a determined stare.

The sound of voices in the hall attracted the trio's attention. Without thinking, Brin moved to the door and into the hall, shutting the door behind her.

"Ma'am! We heard a shot fired. Are you all right?"

There was a short pause and Max found herself holding her breath in anticipation. "False alarm. It's nothing. Let's go... We've been ordered to evacuate," came Brin's cool reply. The heavy footsteps hurried away, leaving Max and Logan in silence.

"We need to go..." Logan pointed out after a minute, "We've got people waiting on us." Max helped him to his feet and the two hastily exited.

"Cale! Are you there? Do you read me?" Lydecker barked in his ear as they passed through the edges of the communcations dead zone.

"I've got, Max. We're on our way out," Logan responded, "Tell the others to go."

Lydecker felt a brief sense of relief. At least something was working out, "Copy that."

Max took the lead, rapidly moving down the corridor. She paused at the intersection, waiting for a group of soldiers to jog by. Her senses were on full alert, listening for the sounds that would warn her of any other enemies.

After passing through two sector checkpoints, Max glanced at Logan, "Just one more..." He nodded silently, weapon at the ready.

"Hey! You!" A Manticore officer spotted Max as she was ducking around a corner, "Where're you going?"

She squeezed her eyes shut, frustrated. //Maybe I can make him go away...// Spinning around, she saluted smartly, "Sir!"

"What are you doing down here? We're supposed to evacuate this sector..." The man frowned, "What's your current assignment... Who're you?" He looked past Max at Logan who was backed up against the wall.

//Damn it...// "So much for my acting career," Max quipped as she slugged the officer. He staggered backwards, but managed to keep his balance. The man fumbled with his gun, giving Max ample time to land a side-kick to his head. He dropped like a stone, groaning in pain,"Nighty-night..."

"The exit is just down here," Logan pointed towards the end of the hall. He paused when they had reached the enormous metal doors. "Let's go," Logan said after checking that the way was clear to the entrance. Sprinting into the outdoors, the duo ran up the short him at the back of the compound.

//So far so good...//

A grinding noise made Logan falter. It wasn't the first time he'd heard it... He felt his left knee seize up, sending him to the ground. //Nononononono.... This isn't happening... Not now!// The mechanism twitched and jerked as Logan frantically tried to correct the problem, "Damn it!" he hissed.

"Logan!" Max knelt down next to him, concern clouding her face.

"Go on... I'll be right behind you," came the strained reply.

"No. I'm not leaving you here." Logan opened his mouth to argue, but Max's expression told him he had no chance of changing her mind.

The sound of dried leaves crunching and the rustling of leaves caused them both to tense. Max's hands closed into fists, ready to fight who ever was approaching, watching the direction the noise had come from expectantly.

Warren burst out of the undergrowth and staggered to a halt, "What the hell are you doing here?!" He was starting to get winded and drew in several deep breaths to counteract the effects.

"Oh, just thought I'd take in the scenery while I was here," Logan bit back sarcastically, "You know... do some bird watching, play in the leaves..."

"Technically difficulties," Max broke in pointedly as she tried to get Logan back to his feet.

"Shit... Like we need any more trouble..." Warren hesitated, debating their options before moving forward and easily slinging Logan over his shoulder, "We need to haul some ass, guys. Roarche's men are right on my tail." Logan scowled, disliking the undignified position, but knowing its necessity.

"Warren, Cale! State your position," Lydecker ordered.

"We've had a bit of trouble... But we're on our way..." Warren informed him.

"Where's Zane?" Logan asked suddenly, fearing the worst.

Warren grimaced as he navigated through the trees, "We got separated. Ran into a squad of Roarche's people. We had to split up to get away from them... I'm not sure where he is..."

"Krit and Syl are all ready here," Lydecker told them, "I can't seem to raise Zane...'

Warren and Max crested the hill and paused to scan the surroundings. "Zane's not responding? Damn it..." Logan muttered, "Where could..." His words were cut short by a massive rumbling. The ground vibrated as something big maneuver towards them.

Warren spun towards the direction of the sound and gaped, "A tank!? They've got a goddamned TANK?!"

The offending piece of artillery ground to a halt just in front of them and the hatch on top popped open, "You comin' or goin'?" Zane asked with a wild grin.

"Holy... Are you fucking crazy?!" Warren shouted, already convinced of the answer.

"No. I'm fucking pissed. And now I'm armed. Stop asking stupid questions and get up here!" Zane insisted. Max ignored them both and began to climb up. Warren shook his head, disgusted, and handed Logan up to Zane and Max before clambering up the side himself.

"Where the hell did you get this thing?" Logan asked in awe as he was lowered inside.

"From our not so friendly friends," Zane moved back to the controls as Warren closed the hatch behind him, "They weren't really using it, so I thought I'd just take this baby for a spin."

"Since when do you know how to drive one of these?" Max demanded, though she was smiling.

"You'd be surprised what I know, little sister. Now is this going to be a game of twenty questions or can one of you guys man the machine gun?

"What's going on out there? What's your status?!" Lydecker sound agitated. He hated being stranded during an operation. He hated not being fully informed even more.

"Uh... We're good. We found some... alternative transportation... and Zane," Logan found himself grinning, "I suggest you guys peel on out. We'll be right behind you... with bells on."

"Right..." Lydecker grumbled as he cranked the ignition for the jeep. He expertly spun the wheel with his good hand and roared off towards the road just as several soldiers spotted them. Their bullets bounced off without causing any damage, and Lydecker silently thanked the man who had invented bullet proof vehicular armor.

Krit grinned as he watched the compound disappear behind them, "Looks like we won't be worrying about them for a while."

"Don't underestimate them," Lydecker murmured, staring at the road ahead.

Syl glanced at him curiously, "The place was trashed... Do you think the command staff made it out?"

Lydecker nodded, his features hard, "They had an advanced enough warning to pull themselves out. Manticore's always been big on contingency planning..."

"You mean YOU'VE always been big on it," Krit corrected and received only stony silence as a reply.

"Damn! We did it!" Zane exclaimed. He cast a glance back at Max who was leaning exhaustedly against Logan, "You know, you're a tough girl to track down."

"A girl likes her privacy," she said with a crooked smile, "Besides, it's been done before..." Max idly patted Logan's shoulder, and he smiled down at her.

"So... What happens now...?" Warren asked.

Zane's exuberance seemed to fade in the face of reality, "We'll probably have to split up again..."

"Why?" Max sat up suddenly, "Manticore's as good as gone! Why do we have to run now?"

Zane sighed, "You know they won't let go... If there's any of them left..."

"No! We fought for this... Zack DIED for this!" Max said adamantly. The mention of their deceased sibling destroyed what was left of their triumphant mood. Even after so much struggle, so much sacrifice, they still weren't free.

"We'll have to wait... To see what happens," Logan said slowly, "We don't know who survived this. Manticore might get shut down after all that's happened... or it might just get absorbed into another project... They don't have enough pull to keep themselves afloat on their own..."

"It'll still take them a while to reorganize themselves... We'll have some time to relax," Warren said helpfully.

"Yeah... Well, we could use some downtime," Zane muttered.

"What're you going to do with this thing, anyway?" Logan asked, more to break the gloom than out of curiosity, "It'd be hard to find a parking space for a tank."

Zane let out a snort of laughter, "Yeah, I suppose so..."

"It'd make one hell of a lawn ornament," Logan decided. He was rewarded with a chuckle from Warren and a grin from Zane. "Say... what kind of milage do you think one of these gets...?" Max rolled her eyes and punched him lightly on the shoulder.

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Philip Roarche watched the tank rolling over the perimeter fence through a pair of binoculars. A hail of bullets from the machine gun drove away those who were foolish enough to try to stop it. The scene was a rather bizarre parody of the cliché western ending... The hero riding off into the sunset on his trusty steed... Only this was a sunrise... and a tank.

He had no doubt who had stolen it, and he wasn't happy, "Donald... You slippery son of a bitch... One of these days your luck is going to bail on you..."

Idly tossing the binoculars into the humvee, Roarche turned to look back and the compound. There were a few minor buildings that were burning as the result of some incendiary grenades. A few squads of soldiers had been assigned to sort through the wreckage to see if there was anything of use, but he doubted there would be. Manticore had wiped its database clean before abandoning the base. //Always thorough...//

After casting a final glance at the direction the tank had vanished in, Roarche pulled himself into the passenger's seat of the hummer. Without even looking at the driver, he gestured forward, "We've got what we came for... Let's get the hell out of here."

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A/N: So what do you think? Was it okay? Help me out here. It's hard to read minds over the internet. :) There's ONE more chapter after this one, though, just to wrap things up a bit.

Oh yeah... For anyone who doesn't know, a flak jacket is a bullet proof vest. Just thought I'd point that out... :)

And a tid-bit for all the Zack fans: Looks like William Gregory Lee (the actor who plays him) is on the cast list for season two! Maybe he's not so dead after all? :)