Tracking
I spent a very long time on buses. My initial money had gotten me a ticket to Los Angeles. I acquired enough money there ( I won't say how) to buy another ticket that got me nearer to Oregon. It took only one more stop to acquire enough money to get me on a bus headed to Seattle.
I stared out the window of this final bus, not really seeing anything but my own memories.
"You need a name." Zack had said suddenly during his first visit since he initially got me out of Manticore.
Zack had been in one of his better moods.
"Why?" I had asked.
In the time between Zack leaving and his return, I had become much more comfortable with speaking even when I wasn't being spoken to.
"Because you're more than just a barcode, little sister. All of us are." Zack said.
He paused and thought.
"Ty. What do you think?" he said finally.
I turned the name over in my mind and decided I liked it. However, Zack took my silence for uncertainty.
"If you don't like it..." he began.
"I like it." I interrupted.
"You don't have to lie..."
"Zack, I like my name." I said firmly.
Zack smiled and I decided suddenly to do something I had observed in other people. I hugged Zack for the first time.
"What are you doing?" he asked, surprised.
"It's called a hug..."
"I know that. But why?"
"Because that's...that's what family do. And we're family, right Zack?" I said hesitantly.
"Yes, Ty."
That time and the last time Zack had left were the only times I had hugged him.
"Damn him." I muttered and tore my eyes briefly from the window as if it were the cause of my vivid memories.
I mentally thanked the bus driver when I felt the bus stop a moment later. There was no more time for flashbacks.
The sector police waved me through with the other passengers and I made my way into the large, dark city of Seattle. Now came the hard part.
"Where are you, Maxy?" I asked out loud.
I reflected again on all the choppy reports Zack had given me. I recalled once when he mentioned the first time he had made contact with Max. He had taken a job under an alias at a bicycle delivery establishment where she worked. So I would have to check all the bicycle delivery places.
I spent the rest of that day asking people about bicycle delivery services and then checking them to see if a girl named Max worked there. I had been to four such places so far and decided that if the next one turned up nothing, I would suspend my search until the following day. The last place I had to scope out was a place called Jampony.
It was getting towards the time of day when most businesses shut down for the night and there were not many people left in the building labeled Jampony. I scanned the people there and immediately singled out the man who must be in charge. He wore a headset and was arranging packages that had not yet been delivered.
"Excuse me." I said as I walked up to him, "Could you tell me if a girl named Max works here? It's very important."
A pained expression came onto his face and I was also aware of the attention of all the other people in the building being focused directly on me.
"I'm sorry." he said, "Max has passed away."
I froze. This couldn't be. Not Max. Zack would never let her die. Never.
"Are you sure?" I said before I could stop myself.
Before he could comment, a woman broke in between us. She pushed me angrily towards the exit.
"Who do you think you are comin' in here and talkin' 'bout my boo? You'd better get outta here before..."
"I'm her little sister." I interjected.
The woman stopped suddenly and looked at me with a completely different emotion. Her eyes shown with pity now as well as tears.
"Oh. I'm sorry. Look...I...you...sorry. I suppose that you should go hook up with your brother and sista. I can give you the addy of the guy who can take you to 'em."
So I was given an address and ushered out like an unwanted memory. This couldn't be happening. Max couldn't be dead. How did that woman know who I was and about the other X-5's, Max's brothers and sisters? Why were so many of them here? Judging from what the woman had told me, there were two X-5's here. That would make four in one spot. I counted four because I knew my brother would be here if Max had been in some kind of trouble. Four X-5's in one place never happened. Not since their escape.
I needed answers. Maybe the person at this address could give them to me. And if not him, then surely my brother and sister could, whichever of the X-5's they were. Maybe one of them was my big brother, Zack.
With that hope in mind I proceeded quickly towards my new target, one Logan Cale.
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Here's the third section. I hope you enjoyed it. I have already begun the next section so look forward to the fourth part, Missing In Action. Thank you.