Warning: There are a good number of cuts in this chapter. That's because I don't want to bore you with pointless fluff because my brain turned to mush. So please… don't get annoyed.
Four
Months Later
"Eva," Max called softly, "Brandon, Bath time."
She was acting like she couldn't find them in the small room that the three of them shared. All of the X-5 who were in Canada had pitched in to get Max and the kids an apartment. It was a small area, but it was comfortable. It was a one bedroom with a basic kitchen and living room. Brandon had already started to walk, while Eva was still crawling, although she was pretty fast and usually kept up with him.
Max flipped the cover up to look under the bed for them and they weren't there. Then she heard giggling from the closet. She stood up.
"Now where are they?" she said looking around the room. She slowly walked past the closet, and then suddenly opened the closet doors.
"Got ya'" she exclaimed. Eva let out a short scream while Brandon ran from the closet. Max picked up the dirty-blonde haired girl and walked to the bathroom. She started to undress Eva when she stopped her.
"No," Eva stated.
Max let go of her and watched her attempt to
undress herself. She's as stubborn as me, just like…
"Brandon! Don't make me come and get you!" Max yelled. About three seconds later she saw Brandon in the doorway. His short brown hair was messy and his clothes looked even worse.
"Come here." She said and started to undress him too. When she was finished, she looked at her daughter and laughed. Eva's head hidden under her shirt, pants half way down and the left side of the shirt on her shoulder.
"Baby," she said in between giggles, "Let me do that."
The mummy formerly known as Eva made her way to her mother. Max undressed her and placed them both in a mini plastic bath.
"Do you guys want to visit Uncle Zack today?" she asked as she was washing them. They nodded fiercely and started splashing around.
"Hey…Hey. If you get my clothes wet, we're not going anywhere." She stated and the splashing stopped. The kids hang their heads and pouted. Max smiled.
"Come on. I'm kidding." She said and started splashing them. They smiled and started splashing her back. Their water fight lasted for about three minutes. Then Max stood up, lifted both of them out the bath and dried them. They got dressed and Max put the twins in a double stroller. Then they left for the bus stop.
* * * * * *
Max, Brandon and Eva got off the bus at the diner where Max first saw Zack. He was waiting for them in the parking lot on his motorcycle. Next to him was Max's Ninja with a few changes. A baby seat had been placed on the back seat with a small helmet inside. Zack had a baby pack. (I don't know what the actual name is, but basically it something that holds the baby on you back like a book bag.) and another little helmet under his back seat
"My baby sister and her babies." Zack called as they came closer to him.
"Hey." She replied casually. He walked up to the stroller.
"You guys ready to go?" Zack said in an excited voice.
Both of them just yawned at him and turned on their sides.
"That either means yes or you look like an idiot," explained Max
"Very funny, Maxie." He stated sarcastically, "Looks like they have your sense of humor already,"
Max ignored him, "But before do anything, let's eat."
"Yeah!" The twins shouted simultaneously as Max rolled them to the diner.
* * * * * *
That night Max watched the twins fall asleep in their room in the barn, formerly known as the delivery room. The double sleeping bag was replaced by a large air mattress. Brandon was lying with the front of his body on the mattress and his arm sloppy around his sister, who was lying on her side. This place was very special to her, almost holy. It was where she felt her family was finally completed.
"No matter what happens," she whispered as rubbed Brandon's back, "I love you both."
She laid down and wrapped her children in her arms.
* * * * * *
"Max," Zack whispered shaking her awake.
"Zack." She responded slowly regaining awareness.
"Come on. Get up." He ordered. She sat up and looked him in the eye.
"What's up?"
"Lydecker." He replied simply and nodded toward as window in the loft.
A shot of pure rage surged as she heard his name. She and Zack jumped to the top of the loft and looked outside. There were two black jeeps in the front and soldiers jumping out, surrounding the barn. The stood in formation for a moment, then one soldier slowly lifted his head up and spotted them. He lifted his automatic gun and shot. Max and Zack quickly moved from the window. Max jumped down from the loft, while Zack pulled out a handgun.
* * *
Outside, Lydecker stepped out of the jeep
"Cease Fire!" he shouted. The soldier stopped and stood at attention. Lydecker walked to him.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He asked coldly.
"Shooting at the target, Sir."
"Did I give you permission to shoot?"
"No, Sir."
"Do that again and I will have court marshaled for insubordination. Just take orders, son. "
"Yes, sir."
With that Lydecker made the hand signal to charge.
* * *
"Baby, it's going to be okay." Max said making eye contact with Brandon. She nodded to him and closed the door. Now If only I could believe that. She thought and turned away from the room.
Suddenly, soldiers came crashing through the front doors of the barn. Max kicked the gun out the first soldier's hand and flipped him over her shoulder. She side-kicked the next soldier in the stomach. He doubled over and she hook-kicked him in the face, knocking him out. Then she regained her fighting stance…and heard a gun cock behind her. She slowly lifted her hands up. Then she felt a hard impact on her neck, right on her barcode… and everything went black.
* * *
When Max woke up she was in the back of moving truck. She looked up and saw the driver's face in the rear view mirror. She let out a breath of relief when she realized it was Zack.
"I see you're awake." Zack stated.
"Yeah," she replied sitting up, "What happened?"
"While you were fighting, I stopping more soldiers from entering. Then I saw you get knocked out and tried to help. Then they electrified me. When I woke up, I was here and I took out the driver."
"Those dumb asses put you and me in the same truck?"
"Must have drinking."
"How's…Oh my God." Max's eye bulged, "Brandon. Eva. They're still there. Lydecker could have them…"
"Calm down, Max. We're going back now. We'll be there soon." Zack said trying to comfort her.
"Don't tell me to calm down. Those are my kids back there and…do you smell something?"
"Yeah," Zack replied, just now realizing it, "It smells like… smoke." Zack accelerated the car and fast as it would go. The barn was ablaze when they arrived. No. no. No! This is not happening! Max thought and jumped out the car without waiting for Zack to stop. She rolled on the ground for twice and stopped in a crouching stance. She was about to run into the barn, but Zack leaped in front of her.
"Get. out. of. my. WAY!"
He ignored her, gave her the hand signal to stay and ran in the barn. The seconds that past ate her alive. Her babies were in there and it hurt standing there… helpless. But I'm helpless. I can get them out. She started to go in when she saw Zack walked out the her kids in his arms. He gave them to her and ran to the jeep to get fire extinguishers.
"It's okay, Eva. I'm here." she said to her. Eva was crying, while Brandon was silent.
"You okay, Brandon?" she asked looking at the boy. He didn't stir.
"Brandon?" She shook him. Oh No!
"Zack!"
"What's wrong?" He shouted back still tried to extinguish the fire.
"Take Eva!"
"What?"
"Just do it!" Max shouted. Zack took his niece and
Max put Brandon on the ground. She tried to do CPR on him. Come on. Don't
die on me. She tried again. Brandon. Please! She tried again.
Come on, baby.
"Max." Zack put his hand on her shoulder
"No!" She kept on going.
"Max. He's gone."
"No. I can save him." She started over again.
"Max." he said, pushing her shoulders back, forcing her to sit on her feet, "Brandon is dead."
Max sat. Looked at her child, with his mouth open. He's only four months old. She scooped him up in her arms and looked in his face.
"You are so beautiful." She said to him, " I love
you." She hugged him and cried.