Torture Tactics

I stumbled as I got out of the car. I had a bullet wound to my shoulder and to my side. I was lucky with the last one. It hadn't been centered enough to hit my stomach. That would have been bad. (No freaking way!)

Still, I helped Zack out of the car. He was so much worse than I was. I hadn't noticed when he had acquired another bullet wound himself to the left arm. He was so close to unconsciousness. I dragged him over to a mattress in the corner that must have served as someone's sleeping quarters. (Isn't it great how all the bullets just magically passed through lol!)

"Sleep, Zack. You're safe now." I told him.

He nodded and went slack in my arms almost instantly. I left him where he was.

Krit and Syl were ecstatic. They had gotten Max out of the car and were asking her questions. She seemed pretty confused herself. Logan Cale wheeled up to her and they stared at each other for a full minute before they both started outside. (Now what exactly were they doing outside that's all we want to know ;))

I heard a groan from the back of the car.

The SP was waking up. I called for help.

"Krit!" I called.

He came quickly, looking at me questioningly.

"There's a soldier in there. An SP like me. You'll need to restrain her before she wakes up completely. Then you need to restrain Renfro."

At the name of my creator, hatred filled Krit's eyes.

"You brought the bitch that killed Tinga?" he asked.

"Had to. She has answers." with that, I collapsed.

I was only out a few moments because when I woke again Krit was still tying up the SP. I didn't want to face this now. I didn't want to go through the long process of interrogating our two captives. I was tired.

I dragged my weary body over to join Zack on the filthy mattress.(Sheesh we can go straight to Naughtyville with that one ;))I just wanted to rest for a little while someplace warm. Seattle was very cold. Manticore was cold. I felt cold. (Oh the horror!)

I curled up at the foot of the mattress like some pet dog. I was too tired to feel resentful at that thought. I just wanted to be near enough to my brother that if he woke up in pain I would hear him and be there to help him. Zack had taken care of me for so long. Now I would take care of him.

I sighed and fell asleep, thinking that. It caused me to smile slightly even as I was fading into oblivion. The thought of what Zack would say to that statement was highly amusing.

I woke up what seemed like only a moment later. Zack was still sleeping peacefully so that's not what woke me. I think perhaps it was the cold, concentrated glare that the SP had fixed on me that had disturbed my sleep.

I got up and went to stand in front of her. Krit had handcuffed her hands behind her back to a solid metal pole. Her feet were likewise handcuffed.

"Who are you?" I asked her for the second time.

"SP-452/493." she said.

"How do you know who I am?" I asked.

"Renfro. She told me all about the deserter." SP-452/493 said, sneering contemptuously at me.

I didn't feel up to talking to her anymore. I couldn't face that inbred contempt right now. I was still badly injured. I should take care of my wounds before they became infected.

I turned away from SP-452/493 and went in search of medical supplies.

"Coward." she called after me.

I ignored her. I found what I was seeking and began the painful process of cleaning my wounds.

"I hope I never become like you." she continued.

I finally turned to her again, fed up.

"Do you even know who I am? What I have become without Manticore beating me down? I've learned things that you can never learn back there. I've learned to think for myself, to feel. I've learned that I am more than just a barcode. I'm a person."

"You're weak." she said with the same sneer.

"Do even know what those numbers that you rattle off (Those numbers I rattle off! Frell if I only I could rattle them off Ty can say her entire barcode I can barely say the shortened version of mine!) as part of your name are? That's Max. And it was Ben. They're your family and through them we are your family. That's something you can't have back at Manticore." I insisted.

"Your torture tactics are pathetic, as well." she said with disgust.

I sighed and shook my head. I was the wrong person to be talking to her. I couldn't do it. Not right now anyway.

I finished bandaging my wounds and went to wake up Zack and care for his (Hot body, did I say that out loud?-Cade). I wanted him to get all the sleep he could, but it would be a bad idea to let his wounds go unattended for too long.

He smiled at me when I woke him up.

"Thank you, Ty."

I dropped my eyes feelings myself smile. I was pleased that I had been able to save him and save the person he loved on top of that. But when Zack smiled you had to feel more than just pleased. Zack's smiles are the highest praise and the greatest reward I could receive.

I handed him the case of medical supplies and he began to clean and dress his wounds as I had mine. With all the wounds he had I don't know how he decided which one took precedence.

"Never do that to me again, big brother." I said as I watched him.

"I don't plan on it." (And who does)

We sat in companionable silence for a moment before I broke it.

"What happened that night, Zack? You said some things when you were out of it." I said. Zack looked at me sharply.

"What did I say?"

(You said something about Mr. Bo Jangles and that you were the mushroom king? And that you were Virgil, Joxer's son in a past-life. Is that bad?)"You talked about them not letting you kill yourself to save Max. You talked about...Max." I said awkwardly.

Zack dropped his gaze and sighed heavily.

"Don't tell her please.(I don't want her to know that I almost had a fling with Gabi in that orgy scene back in the days of Ancient Greece)" he said without looking up.

His voice sounded funny. Not like my confident, commanding big brother.

"I won't if you don't want me to." I promised.

He nodded. It was another long moment before he looked up again.

"You wanted to know what happened. We were almost out when I got hit. We had gone in to take out the genetics lab and get rid of Manticore. We didn't know they had a contingent of X-7's there. They were clones of us, Ty. Not like you were created using my DNA, but exact clones. They took me in, strapped down on one of those tables. I was taken into the same room that they had Maxy in. I yelled at her but she was beyond hearing me. She'd been shot. They were going to harvest her organs. I couldn't let them do that. I pulled out of the restraints and grabbed a gun. I had Remfrough at gunpoint. I ordered the doctors to fix her. They said her ventricle had collapsed, they couldn't. They told me they had no donors. I would have shot Remfrough right there, but she said they needed an X-5 heart to save Max. I was going to shoot myself in the head so they could give her my heart. But they tazered me. The gun went off, but hit nothing. They told me Max was dead." Zack said and I could see how much that had torn him apart. (Well isn't that frelling convenient, J/K)

"I was really worried about you." I said.

Zack smiled again at that.

"I thought I was the one who had to worry about all my brothers and sisters." he said.

"Well, someone has to worry about you."

"Well, don't worry too much. I can take care of myself." he said.

"Oh, really?" I said, allowing a smile of my own to show, "Well, I think you better go take a shower, big brother, 'cause you smell horrible."

I made a show of wrinkling my nose in disgust. He laughed at me.

"Okay, okay. You win." he sobered suddenly, "But when I get back there had better be lots and lots of food in here 'cause I am starving." (So I run and I walk cause I can't find a horse to ride there, something, something, yadda, yadda, grilled steak taco at TACO BELL!!!!)

"Yes, sir!" I agreed, giving him a mock salute.

He rose slowly, his wounds were hurting him. I shoved the medical kit at him and he left to go locate a place with clean water to wash himself.

Well now I had half of the story. I looked around and found that Max was sitting with Krit and Syl across the large room, interrogating Renfro. I joined them.

"Well if you didn't use Zack's heart than where did you get the transplant?" Krit demanded.

"That would be Tinga's heart you have, Max. We secured her body and harvested it." (I no longer want that grilled steak taco! Ewwwww!)Renfro said.

All three X-5's looked about to pounce on her and tear her to shreds.

"Tell them about this SP." I ordered from behind them.

Renfro looked at me and frowned.

"I had so much hope for you." she said.

"Shut up. I meant your new little soldier." I said.

Renfro sighed.

"SP-452/493." she said, "After I began creating you, problems began to arise. Zack became rebellious, harder to control. He would take responsibility for all the faults of his brothers and sisters. That kind of sentimentality is dangerous. So I began a new project using Ben's DNA and yours, Max. You were good in training. And Ben was easier to control although very dedicated to his mission. It was a good mix."

"You manipulative bitch." Max whispered.

None of us asked any more questions. I don't think any of us wanted to hear more.

"What do you plan to accomplish by holding us here? You're just going to bring Manticore down on you." Renfro said.

"You need to shut up." Max growled at her.

"You want to kill me. Why haven't you?" she pressed.

Max got in her face.

"You want me to kill you? Just say the word, girlfriend, 'cause I'm itching for it." she said.

Renfro had the sense to remain silent. Max backed off. She looked at me and motioned for me to follow her.

"I never got your name." she said softly, her manner at complete odds with the one she had taken with Renfro.

"Ty." I said.

"Thanks for saving my butt back there, Ty. And our C.O.'s butt,(And what a nice butt it is too, think he has ever considered leather pants???) too." she said.

I shrugged. (But do you think he wears boxers or briefs?)

(Look at those tight pants, briefs, duh! I call it Darien Fawkes syndrome! [copyright:The Invisible Man])

(Stripping Zack pants-less) "It's what I had to do."

"I got your story from Krit and Syl. And Renfro. Sick, twisted bitch."(Notice how we always refer to her as the bitch. Evil bitch monster, woo woo!) Max said, "I wish Zack had told us about you. You're part of our family, you know."

"I know." I said, feeling a warm sensation at this acknowledgement.

"Thanks again. For bringing him back to us." she said, "I thought he was gone forever."

I looked at her and felt a strong urge to tell her how Zack felt about her, but I didn't. I had promised and I would never break a promise to Zack.

"Where is he, anyway?" she asked, looking around.

"I told him he smelled. He went to take a shower.(Why was I not invited? I'm very upset now. I might have to go steal his shampoo. And drop it ;))" I said.

Max laughed at that and smiled warmly at me.

"I think we better find some food before he gets back. He warned me that he's starving." I continued.

Max nodded.

"Come on. We'll rustle up some grub (Yee Doggie, yippy-ki-yi-ay cowboy!)for big brother to chow down on. I think the rest of us are kinda hungry, too." she said, heading for Logan's car.

I stopped her. There was a spreading stain on her shirt over where her bullet wound must have been.

"You should take care of that first. Then, we'll go." I said.

Max nodded again and went to do that.

"How touching." the SP called after me, "The X-5's are treating the little deserter freak like one of them."

"Shut up." I snapped at her. (Hey that wasn't nice!) (Hey, you asked for it. You were being very bitchy at the time.) (I'm always bitchy!) (Good point.)

"Or you'll do what?" she replied.

"I wish you knew what you're missing." I told her. (Zack in the shower? Frell!)

I couldn't help but pity her. She was what I could have been if Zack hadn't saved me.

I suddenly hoped that we could save her, too.

------------------------------------------------------------