Rating: PG-13
I let a huge grin make its way across my face, and had a sarcastic remark at the ready. He silenced any reply I might've had with a short, soft kiss. Zack gave me a quick smile, and I headed back to hot-wire another car. The last thing I wanted to do was walk back to my place. I wonder if some of the X7s have relocated...
After stopping by my empty apartment (Cindy must be at work), I sped off to Logan's on my Ninja. I figured I'd leave the truck I'd hot-wired in front of my place, so I could throw all my stuff in it later. I found myself reminiscing over everything that had happened so suddenly in my life. Basically, I was free from Manticore, Zack and I were together, and the X7s were freed. Of course, Logan was hurt, there was a chance something could go wrong with the Manticore situation, the X7s might blow their cover or turn out like Ben, and I had to face Original Cindy's berating for not calling. There's always something that sucks when everything seems to be going perfectly.
I found that I was already picking Logan's lock. Now how the hell did I get here? I cleared my head, and swung the door open loudly. Logan would know I was there. I stepped into the computer room, and he was already facing the doorway.
"Listen...can we talk?" I asked. He ran a hand through his spiky hair nervously, and nodded slightly.
"I guess, but I don't think there's anything to talk about." He pointed out. I stood leaning in the doorway, and moved to rest on the table where the computer was. I was sitting a few feet away from him, staring into his crystal blue eyes, pleading with him to forgive me. We still had something, it just wasn't the something he wanted us to share.
"Logan..." I sighed, "we did have something. I don't want to lose our friendship because of my relationship with Zack."
"You don't understand Max. You're the only person I've really connected with since.... Max, I loved you...love you, and you just ditched me for your brother."
"My brother? You know as well as I do that he's not even related to me. If you really do love me, then you'll let me do what I think is best, and respect my decisions. I decided to be with Zack, and I knew you'd be angry and hurt, what I didn't expect was this. You're wallowing in self-pity, and shutting me out just because I found someone I could really love." I shot angrily.
"Dammit, Max! How the hell can I just be friends with you after all this? I thought you died, and then without warning, you just call me up, tell me you're alive, and that you're with Zack! Everything that happened before you left to save Tinga...I thought it wasn't completely one-sided." He took his glasses off, and rubbed his eyes wearily.
"It was attraction, that was all. I thought I wanted normalcy, but even you said that I'm never going to be a regular anything. As much as I tried to ignore it, I'm still Manticore. It was my past, and as horrible as it was, I can't deny the relationships all of us had as kids....especially with Zack." I explained. Come on Logan, just understand.
"Just give me some time...?" He pleaded.
"It's not that simple...I'm leaving."
"Why? Where?"
"I'm going with Zack...." I told him, biting my lower lip, bracing myself for his response.
"Figures. Later Max, take care of yourself." He muttered bitterly, turning back toward the computer.
"Yeah, you too..." I replied softly, and trudged out of his apartment, defeated. Not realizing where I was walking, I ran into someone. "Sorry." I said absently.
"Hey Max." Bling greeted cheerfully. I looked up at the man I'd run into, and grinned back at him.
"Hey...I'm leaving with Zack to see the others....Logan isn't too chill with it, so be forewarned."
His expression became worried, "He hasn't been doing all that great since he heard from you. Not eating much, stressed out with Eye's Only work, and he barely sleeps anymore."
I told him surprisedly, "I didn't think it was that bad....and Bling, there's something I gotta tell you. When Logan was visiting that doctor after my transfusion...he was going to kill himself. The only thing that stopped him was when he saw that leak in his roof and went up to check it out... I saw his records at that the doctor had, and it said he was depressed, and all this other stuff...I got back over here as fast as I could, and I saw his gun set out...." I trailed.
"Right...I'll make sure to hang around more often." He responded, shaking his head with a sigh.
"Aiight, thanks Bling. Gotta bounce, and even though Logan may not want me to, I'll make sure to visit every now and then." I offered, and hugged him goodbye.
"See ya Max." He waved, walking into Logan's as I stepped into the elevator. Ok, that's two down...now just Original Cindy, and the rest of my crew.
I hopped on my motorcycle, and realized I only had an hour left. I made my way to Jam Pony, and slipped past Normal. Everyone was doing everything but working, as usual. I stood beside Sketchy, Herbal, and Cindy, waiting to be noticed. Cindy suddenly saw that I was standing there, arms folded, and my eyebrows raised.
"Max! Boo, where have you been? Original Cindy went over to your squeeze's house, and he told me you were dead. That was three weeks ago. Then he told me you got some heart transplant, and you and your brother were at some hotel. So break it down for Original Cindy before I put the smack down on your ass!" OC threatened, pulling me away from the others to an abandoned row of lockers. Her hand was raised in front of me, and I tried my best to suppress a huge grin.
I filled her in on the whole situation; everything that had happened since I died. She was basically in shock when I finished. Then she started in on my being with Zack. Cindy didn't exactly approve of him ever since the first day he walked into Jam Pony. When I told her I was leaving, she wasn't too enthused, but after swearing I'd visit as much as I possibly could, I left her with a teary-eyed farewell, and hugged everyone goodbye...even a very irritable Normal, who threatened to fire me for not showing up at work. He chastised me for being gone for so long, since he couldn't fire me if I wouldn't be there to fire.
Back at my place, I packed up everything, and threw it in the truck, after lifting my motorcycle into the back. Hopefully no one had been watching, but I guess it didn't really matter. It'd been an hour and 45 minutes, and Zack was already outside of Sebastian's, leaning against the side of a building.
"Well?" I asked impatiently, wanting info on the X7s.
"X7-599 and X7-734 have both found places to settle, and X7-452 had checked in, and told me her destination. I'll tell you about it on the way to Jondy's." He answered.
"Find, where is she?"
"Relocated to Vegas." He groaned.
A/N: Ok, I'll wait until the next chapter to add more info on the X7s. Max will meet Jondy, and Zack will get all annoyed at them after....well, what would you do if you were a genetically-enhanced freak that didn't need to sleep? I think I'm going to have them run off and go crazy for two days straight, and run into Zack :). Ok, I'm going to shut up so I don't give away everything. Oh yeah, thanks again for all the reviews, they're always appreciated. Don't know when the next chapter will be up, but it won't be too long.