As soon as she hung up, she ran back to her room, gathering her things. It wasn't without some bitterness that she noted her belongings were already organized for a quick flight, but she was thankful nonetheless. She carried her bags out and set them next to the door.
"You goin somewhere, girl?" Original Cindy asked in shock.
Max looked at her friend, knowing she deserved an explanation. She put her hands on OC's shoulders. "Cindy, I have to disappear for a while.. You will find out why as soon as you leave this apartment.. I.. I don't know if I will see you again. I hope so, but.. " Max trailed off, she swore silently and looked away.. This was much harder than she thought. She didn't want it to go back to the way it used to be, always running, never having anything more than temporary friendships. A sharp knock on the door startled them both. Original Cindy had tears in her eyes. She reached out and hugged Max. Max, to her surprise, held her in return, blinking back her own tears.
She opened the door to find Bling standing there, a wig, dark glasses and oversized coat in his arms. They carried Max's stuff down the many flights of stairs. She already noticed a few people peeking out from behind doors, fear or greed in their eyes. Bling must have caught the looks also, saying "There is a reward out too, higher for live captures.."
They heard whispering, hurried footsteps somewhere above them in the stairway. They ran, slowing to a hasty walk as they left the building so as to not look conspicuous. They tossed Max's bags into the back of the Aztec and Logan took off. Max watched out the rear window, and saw her building door swing open, two armed men emerged and looked around.
"Logan, what if they saw your car?"
Bling replied "I took off the plates before we left, but I don't think they saw which car you drove away in anyway."
Max was silent as they drove, gazing out the window. She saw lines of people waiting to get into buildings, guards brushing back hair on the back of necks..
She couldn't believe it! Deck had done the unimaginable, exposed the Manticore project, and she didn't know which was worse, to fall back into his hands, or be at the mercy of mobs and mass hysteria. A pit opened in her stomach, feelings she hadn't felt for quite a while came oozing back.
Logan watched her in the rearview mirror, and saw a hunted look take form.
"Max, it will be ok.." He tried to sound reassuring, but something in his voice was a tad off. "You can stay with me, we can go live at my cabin until this is all forgotten. You know how short public attention span is.. One week, genetically enhanced killers, next week the price of Asian imports.. "
Max met his eyes in the mirror. "I can't live like this again Logan. I can't hide away in a cabin for who knows how long.. I just wanted a life, my life.." she barely whispered the last part. Logan felt his stomach twist. The confidence, the wisecracks seemed to have melted away, revealing.. something he guessed had been there all along. It had been hidden well, behind all of her armor. One could have almost believed she had forgotten the fear, the toll that Manticore life had taken..
"There is something else. I was searching for somewhere safe, and one of my sources mentioned the Tyrell Corps." Outwardly, Logan tried to maintain a business-like manner.
"The Tyrell Corps? I have heard that name before.. maybe a long time ago.." She searched her memories, but couldn't place the familiarity.
"I didn't have time to research it very well, I can finish when we get to my place."
Max tried to ignore the scene flashing past the car window. A man was being beaten, a crowd had gathered around. Shouts of "Mutant! Killer! Abomination!" floated by, then faded. She didn't recognize him..
"You goin somewhere, girl?" Original Cindy asked in shock.
Max looked at her friend, knowing she deserved an explanation. She put her hands on OC's shoulders. "Cindy, I have to disappear for a while.. You will find out why as soon as you leave this apartment.. I.. I don't know if I will see you again. I hope so, but.. " Max trailed off, she swore silently and looked away.. This was much harder than she thought. She didn't want it to go back to the way it used to be, always running, never having anything more than temporary friendships. A sharp knock on the door startled them both. Original Cindy had tears in her eyes. She reached out and hugged Max. Max, to her surprise, held her in return, blinking back her own tears.
She opened the door to find Bling standing there, a wig, dark glasses and oversized coat in his arms. They carried Max's stuff down the many flights of stairs. She already noticed a few people peeking out from behind doors, fear or greed in their eyes. Bling must have caught the looks also, saying "There is a reward out too, higher for live captures.."
They heard whispering, hurried footsteps somewhere above them in the stairway. They ran, slowing to a hasty walk as they left the building so as to not look conspicuous. They tossed Max's bags into the back of the Aztec and Logan took off. Max watched out the rear window, and saw her building door swing open, two armed men emerged and looked around.
"Logan, what if they saw your car?"
Bling replied "I took off the plates before we left, but I don't think they saw which car you drove away in anyway."
Max was silent as they drove, gazing out the window. She saw lines of people waiting to get into buildings, guards brushing back hair on the back of necks..
She couldn't believe it! Deck had done the unimaginable, exposed the Manticore project, and she didn't know which was worse, to fall back into his hands, or be at the mercy of mobs and mass hysteria. A pit opened in her stomach, feelings she hadn't felt for quite a while came oozing back.
Logan watched her in the rearview mirror, and saw a hunted look take form.
"Max, it will be ok.." He tried to sound reassuring, but something in his voice was a tad off. "You can stay with me, we can go live at my cabin until this is all forgotten. You know how short public attention span is.. One week, genetically enhanced killers, next week the price of Asian imports.. "
Max met his eyes in the mirror. "I can't live like this again Logan. I can't hide away in a cabin for who knows how long.. I just wanted a life, my life.." she barely whispered the last part. Logan felt his stomach twist. The confidence, the wisecracks seemed to have melted away, revealing.. something he guessed had been there all along. It had been hidden well, behind all of her armor. One could have almost believed she had forgotten the fear, the toll that Manticore life had taken..
"There is something else. I was searching for somewhere safe, and one of my sources mentioned the Tyrell Corps." Outwardly, Logan tried to maintain a business-like manner.
"The Tyrell Corps? I have heard that name before.. maybe a long time ago.." She searched her memories, but couldn't place the familiarity.
"I didn't have time to research it very well, I can finish when we get to my place."
Max tried to ignore the scene flashing past the car window. A man was being beaten, a crowd had gathered around. Shouts of "Mutant! Killer! Abomination!" floated by, then faded. She didn't recognize him..