---transcend---
chapter6: the breakdown
Much to Krit's surprise it took him all night until late morning the next day for both him and Logan to sort the data dump from last night's little excursion. After that there was the problem of decrypting it, which all seven of them spent another good portion of the day doing. Apparently it was all like a puzzle each file consisting of several incomplete pieces, each encrypted in its own special algorithm. They would have expected no less from files hacked straight from Manticore's data annex.
Finally they got it all together and layouts of the base were printed out. Cam and Avery stared at the blueprints trying to figure out the best plan of attack while the others quickly sorted through the mission files. They not only needed to know the how but also the when.
Cam stood on one side of the table. He was decked out in a black turtleneck and black pants all matching his black leather shoulder holster. He crossed his arms and stared at the blue prints with his intense grey eyes. In his mind's eye he envisioned small trees, he pictured the fence and mini buildings and he even saw small versions of themselves running about. As he stood, completely still except for his darting eyes, his mind ran the little models of them through scenario after scenario trying to figure the best way to get in, destroy the three remaining DNA labs and get Max out of their. Every scenario he could think of ended with at least one casualty on their side. Not good.
Across from him, Avery was almost his mirror image. All in black, her gun close to her side, arms crossed, staring at the blueprints with the same intense concentration. All the plans she formulated in her mind also ended with the same results. There was a good chance some of them wouldn't make it. If only they had a contact on the inside that could help them. That would tip the scales and they would all be able to get out of there.
Of the others only Zane sat silently watching them plot. He had a few ideas of his own but he knew he was severely inexperienced with that type of thing and kept quiet, petting Jaxx idly.
After an hour of staring Cam finally broke the silence. "The perimeter is tight, and will probably be even more so since our last assault."
"Some of us should divert their attentions." Avery's suggestion was more a question.
"Easiest tactic but that would be a waste of our resources. There are only six of us going in there and that alone is a stretch."
"If we attack from all sides we will break their defenses into more reasonable chunks."
Cam looked at the blueprints and ran through the scenario. "Reasonable but bloody."
"Bloody means less of Manticore survives," Avery said coldly.
Cam looked up and made eye contact with his sister. "Bloody means less of us survive."
Avery was about to defend her plan, but held her tongue. What would the point of a rescue mission be if they lost their own lives in the process?
Seeing Avery back down Cam looked again at the blueprints and furrowed his eyebrows in concentration. "What if we combine those tactics…"
After a few moments, Cam called over his shoulder, "Logan."
"Yeah?" Logan looked up from his computer.
Without turning to face him Cam spoke, "You can hack into the surveillance systems correct?"
"I've done it before."
"Then you can you also get access to their alarm systems?"
"Shouldn't be that hard..."
"Good. I want you to set off the alarms."
"Wha-" Logan wasn't a military man, he couldn't understand why Cam would want to do such a thing. Avery was the first to understand, followed closely by the rest of the X5 who were now gathering around the table. Logan, ever refusing to be left out like some civilian, joined them.
"We will jump the fences and wait here, here and here. Cue Logan who will set off perimeter alarms here, here and here," Cam pointed to the appropriate spots, "With multiple perimeter breaches they will think there is an all out attack and will drain their defenses. That will give us time to get in and out. Avery, Syl, you'll come through here and take out the largest DNA lab."
Avery and Syl both nodded in unison, satisfied Cam continued. "Zane, you're with me, we'll come through this way," Cam pointed at the blueprints and followed a snaking trail past the perimeter and through the buildings. "We'll be after the two smaller labs. And you may want to bring Jaxx if you think he is up for it."
Jaxx stood to attention at hearing his own name.
Cam raised his eyebrow at the dog. "We could always use the backup."
"He always loves a new game." Zane smiled, scratching his dog behind the ear. Though he never even dreamed the day would come, he had trained his dog for situations like this. Jaxx had willingly and happily taken on the roll of the X5 in Zane's life, even the not so pleasant aspects. Just like a police dog, Jaxx thought it all a game with a good belly rub at the end if he played it well.
"Jondy, Krit, you're going in after Max. Stay low. The compound Max will be held in will, no doubt, be the most heavily guarded area. Position yourselves here," Cam tapped at a spot beside the target building, "With the explosives in place and us already on our way out, Logan will again set off the alarms, this time closer to the DNA labs. They'll no doubt figure out that the first alarms were just decoys and that we are really after their DNA labs. It is highly likely that they will flock to the labs, hopefully calling for backup which will have to be drawn from your building. During the commotion you get in, get Max and get out. Shoot down anything or anyone in your way."
"How are we going to get in the labs?" Syl asked, "We don't have many stray eyeballs hanging about."
"With Logan distracting the masses we should have more time to use more conventional tactics."
Avery spoke up next. "We also need to watch for XI5-603. Remember, he may have Zack's face, but he isn't Zack."
Cam nodded his head, "If there is a non-lethal way to leave him behind do so, but if he or anyone begins to follow us out … shoot to kill."
Avery was somewhat relieved that she wasn't the one to voice that course of action.
"And what if we meet up with any other X5?" Jondy had to ask.
"They belong to Manticore. Even Brin. Do what is necessary." Cam gave the answer they all didn't want to hear. The room filled with a mournful silence as if in prayer for the siblings who were lost to Manticore.
"Have we figured the best time frame?" asked Avery, finally breaking the silence.
"Four days from now," Krit relayed their results.
"Four days it is." Cam nodded his head.
*****
It was only the first day and they had pushed him to beyond even his super human limits. Handstand pushups, full out sprinting for hours, swimming laps with only one breath were just a few of his challenges... And if he were to falter in any way, lose his balance, stumble when he ran, take a breath before twenty laps, he would be severely beaten for it.
The training did not only strain his physical self but his mental state as well. They held him in a large warehouse that could almost be described as a huge black cube. It was completely dark inside save for the spot lights that shined in his eyes and the occasion strobe light that would make him feel dizzy and light headed. All around him was the constant sound of war. The harsh sounds of gunfire and explosions assaulted his ears, while they kept spraying him with water to keep him cold and wet to almost the point of hypothermia.
Evan had done this four times before but it never got any easier.
Currently his body was perfectly vertical in the air as he raised and lowered himself. His waterlogged fatigues did nothing but weigh him down and cling to his skin uncomfortably.
"Faster!" one yelled as Evan began to slow. His genetically enhanced muscles were already burning with lactic acid. Though Evan tried to pick up his rate to his normal speed, they did not deem his efforts worthy.
Evan ground his teeth and grunted in pain as they pulled out their tazers and sent waves of electricity through his body. Normally he would have been able to ignore the pain, push it all aside to complete an objective, but his mind was so exhausted he barely knew ground from sky.
Much to the drill sergeant's plan Evan lost his balance and fell to the ground.
"Get up!" They all barked, and kicked with their steal toed boots until he was finally able to fumble around and get back into the handstand position.
It had only been 12 hours and he was already spitting up blood. He was too far away to hear Max's screams echo down the halls of the indoctrination building.
*****
That night Max was brought back to her cell. They prodded her along like she was some sort of cattle, annoyed that she wouldn't move faster even though they knew her whole body was sore from the day's torture. They were lucky they weren't carrying her to her bed.
She stood in the room until she heard the door shut and the guards walk away talking about how she smelled like charred flesh. When they were finally past the far corner she collapsed on the bed. Never before had she endured such pain. It had almost pushed her over the edge.
When Logan didn't come to rescue her that night, and Evan, too, had not come to comfort her she could think of nothing else to do but cry.
*****
The next day they took her out of her cell to the indoctrination building and strapped her down once more. She almost lost it right then and there when she saw them attaching the wires to her forehead and temples.
"The shock therapy is not working." One man said to the other as they watched their subject scream on the other side of the soundproof window. "She screams, but it seems to be purely superficial. She feels the pain, and it looks as though she may be mentally faltering, but it does not seem to be affecting her brainwaves. It will take longer-"
"Renfro wants this done and she wants it done now."
"Then drastic measures need to be taken."
"You are given artistic license, doctor, to do what is necessary to make this X5 operative again."
The doctor accepted his assignment with a curt nod.
*****
Max was just barely able to lift her head. The shocking had stopped for more then a minute now and she heard the door open. Her eyes were virtually useless, everything was enveloped in a insubstantial haze. She could only make out the barest of silhouettes and she wouldn't have even thought it a real human had she not heard the shuffling footsteps. She wouldn't have known they had brought in a cart had she not heard the quiet squeaking of wheels that would soon need oil.
The day before had drained her of all her strength. That is what little of it had remained since they had shot her up with whatever inhibiting drug they deemed worthy. Yet despite this when she heard the liquid squirt out of a needle and the man tell those around him to hold her down, she struggled fiercely. Giving a last ditch effort for a freedom she knew was beyond her reach.
But the men were too strong and held her down firmly. She felt a small prick in her arm. It felt like a feather brushing upon her skin compared to what she had barely endured earlier.
She was happy they had stopped the shocks when they did. Max was that close to giving up. Her mind was that close to shutting down, ready and willing to be programmed to Manticore's desire. All she clung to now was a faint vision of Logan in her mind. Since the moment she had awakened from what she thought was sure death and found herself face to face with Renfro she had promised herself she would return to him.
And Evan. She would bring Evan back with her. For Zack and Eva and all the others, she would free Evan.
Finally the needle withdrew from her body and she felt her muscles slacken.
It was unsettling that she could feel each of her muscles loosen. Her mouth opened slightly as her jaw muscles relaxed. Her shoulders slumped first, then her whole body, muscle by muscle, became relaxed.
When the darkness began to consume her she thought for a moment that they were slowly pulling a cloth over her eyes to block the intense glare of the surgical lights hanging over her. But then she realized that it was her own eyelids lazily closing.
Max tried to fight it, tried to pry her own eyes open and see what they were doing but it was no use. It was as though her whole body had fallen asleep yet her mind was fully awake and fully aware.
She could see red as the light shined through her eyelids.
She could smell her own drying sweat.
She could taste the blood from the wound she had chewed into the side of her own cheek.
Then Max came to a sickening realization. They had paralyzed her. The only question was: What reason would they have to do such a thing? It was a question to which she hoped she would never find the answer
Unfortunately she would have no such luck.
She could feel the shackles that held her down loosen.
Her heart raced as she could feel her freedom but was denied by her sleeping body. They had imprisoned her in her own body.
She could feel the ice touch of air as they pulled her shirt up and over her head.
She could hear their movements all around her and the one order that was spoken.
"Prepare her abdomen."
She could feel the sharp coolness on her belly as a liquid was swabbed on in rhythmic circles. She would have gasped if she could but again her body remained still, like a corpse in a morgue.
They wouldn't…please God no…
When she was young she had endured many things. She was even awake to watch as they broke her bones to see how quickly she would heal. But at least then she was able to scream and struggle against her restraints. Even if it was only a mental thing, knowing she was at least trying to fight them helped sooth the pain. But now, trapped in her own body she could not so much as blink to protest this violation of her body.
Max would have told them whatever it was they wanted to hear, said what ever it was they wanted her to say, believed whatever it was they wanted her to believe, but in her state she didn't even have the chance to cave in to their demands.
"Scalpel."
She could feel the blade tear through her skin.
*****
The next day Syl, Krit and the rest of the X5s paired up and went through the all the back alleys and shady pawnshops of Seattle hoarding weapons, ammunition and explosives for the battle. All the locations were courtesy of the informant net.
After loading the car with the latest haul Jondy flipped open her cell and dialed Logan's number.
"How did it go?" Logan asked once he picked up the phone.
"We got what we needed. Wasn't too hard. Where to next?"
"Ah…"
Jondy could hear him typing in the background.
"About twenty blocks away on 6th and Anderson. There is an alley behind the convenience store. From what I can gather there is usually a guy lurking around there that has connections."
"We're there," she said and then relayed the location to Cam when she stepped into the car.
It took less then five minutes to get to where Logan had directed them.
"What do you want?" he asked menacingly, trying to sound bigger then he knew he looked. As they approached Jondy realized that he was a good head shorter then Cam, who was intimidating enough with his strong build.
"We're looking for some guns, preferably semi automatics," Jondy came straight out with it.
"I don't carry that shit."
"Well Benjamin here thinks you do." Cam pulled out the huge wad of cash that Logan had given them, and waved the bills in front of the man's now star struck eyes. It had been a stretch for Logan to finance the operation since he had lost his trust fund, but when it was for Max he was willing to do anything, even break into an internet bar to get some files.
"Yeah," the guy calmed down a bit at the sight of the money and walked them over to a car parked down further into the alley. He popped the trunk and before them lay a large assortment of weapons. Some involving gun powder, some not.
"Excellent," Cam nodded as he eyed the guns.
Jondy didn't how to react when Cam suddenly moved quick as lightning. When once he was standing in front of the man, Cam was behind him now with his arms snaked around the man's neck. It was a quick struggle before the man was deprived of enough oxygen to knock him out for a couple hours.
"What was that for? We had the money, we could have done this legit," Jondy asked as she helped her brother carry the weapons back to their own stolen car.
"You want to fund a jack ass like that who sells guns and drugs out of his fucking trunk. Come on Jondy…"
"I suppose," she rubbed her arm unconsciously then stopped herself. She hated how she felt so weak and indecisive when she was around some of the other X5 like Cam or Avery.
Returning to the trunk for another armful, Cam stepped over the limp man and paused in mid-stride, sniffing the air. He stepped back and kneeled down, rolling the man onto his back.
"What are you doing now?" Jondy asked nervously as she tucked a stray lock of dark hair behind her ear.
"This is the best shit I've ever smelt," Cam said. From the man's pocket he pulled out a plastic bag full of plastic bags full of weed. He held it close to his nose and inhaled deeply. "Nice," he sighed before he tucked it into his own pocket and resumed course to the trunk.
Jondy looked away, pretending not to be bothered by Cam's actions.
*****
On the night of the second day, they finally gave Evan a six hour break. Risking exhaustion he ignored his body and again went to Max's cell, bearing not only food and drink but good news.
Again he waited for the guard to pass and again he hacked the electronic lock, besides his lack of energy everything went as it always did, but he was surprised at what he saw when he opened the door.
Max was always awake, and when his visits became regular she had actually waited up for him. But now she was lying on her side on the bed, her back turned to him. He was about to turn around and leave her be, it was obvious that she needed her rest to withstand whatever rigors she was put through during the day. He was about to but he didn't.
In two days there would be a window of opportunity to escape and with his training schedule he didn't know if and when there would be another time he could tell her.
He set down the bag in which he carried the food and water, next to the bed and leaned over her.
"Max…" he whispered.
She did not respond.
"Max," he said it a little louder this time, and yet there was no response.
Gently, still hesitant to disturb her much needed sleep, he lay a hand on her shoulder and lightly pulled. His eyes widened in horror as she rolled onto her back with not much effort at all. Her cloudy eyes were wide open staring blankly ahead, focusing through the ceiling and past the stars. On her stomach were spots of blood that must have seeped through the bandages that he could now see beneath her hospital gown.
She looked dead if not for the barely perceptible movement of her chest rising and falling.
"No…." he whispered as he pushed her hair, slick with cold sweat, to the side with his fingers. "Maxie…" He didn't know why he called her Maxie, but it felt so natural.
Evan sat there and stared at her, stroking her hair and running the back of his hand tenderly down her cheek. 'I should have gotten you out of here a long time ago…I'm so sorry.'
As if in response to his touch her body roused ever so slightly. "Evan." His name was carried on a vague breeze that left her lips.
"Maxie, I'm sorry…"
"Evan…"
After retrieving his bag he pulled her limp body up and sat behind her, propping her head to rest against his shoulder. Using one hand to hold her still, he used the other to reach into the bag and pull out a water bottle which he held up to her lips. Even swallowing seemed too much of an effort for her as most of the water dribbled out of her mouth.
"I can't make it…" she whimpered leaning fully into his warmth.
"Please Maxie, you have to hold on. Two more days and I'll get you out of this hell. Hold on for just two more days."
In his arms, he could feel her shivering and, despite his training, Evan shed tears of anger and guilt. Emotions he never knew he had before Max had entered his life.
chapter6: the breakdown
Much to Krit's surprise it took him all night until late morning the next day for both him and Logan to sort the data dump from last night's little excursion. After that there was the problem of decrypting it, which all seven of them spent another good portion of the day doing. Apparently it was all like a puzzle each file consisting of several incomplete pieces, each encrypted in its own special algorithm. They would have expected no less from files hacked straight from Manticore's data annex.
Finally they got it all together and layouts of the base were printed out. Cam and Avery stared at the blueprints trying to figure out the best plan of attack while the others quickly sorted through the mission files. They not only needed to know the how but also the when.
Cam stood on one side of the table. He was decked out in a black turtleneck and black pants all matching his black leather shoulder holster. He crossed his arms and stared at the blue prints with his intense grey eyes. In his mind's eye he envisioned small trees, he pictured the fence and mini buildings and he even saw small versions of themselves running about. As he stood, completely still except for his darting eyes, his mind ran the little models of them through scenario after scenario trying to figure the best way to get in, destroy the three remaining DNA labs and get Max out of their. Every scenario he could think of ended with at least one casualty on their side. Not good.
Across from him, Avery was almost his mirror image. All in black, her gun close to her side, arms crossed, staring at the blueprints with the same intense concentration. All the plans she formulated in her mind also ended with the same results. There was a good chance some of them wouldn't make it. If only they had a contact on the inside that could help them. That would tip the scales and they would all be able to get out of there.
Of the others only Zane sat silently watching them plot. He had a few ideas of his own but he knew he was severely inexperienced with that type of thing and kept quiet, petting Jaxx idly.
After an hour of staring Cam finally broke the silence. "The perimeter is tight, and will probably be even more so since our last assault."
"Some of us should divert their attentions." Avery's suggestion was more a question.
"Easiest tactic but that would be a waste of our resources. There are only six of us going in there and that alone is a stretch."
"If we attack from all sides we will break their defenses into more reasonable chunks."
Cam looked at the blueprints and ran through the scenario. "Reasonable but bloody."
"Bloody means less of Manticore survives," Avery said coldly.
Cam looked up and made eye contact with his sister. "Bloody means less of us survive."
Avery was about to defend her plan, but held her tongue. What would the point of a rescue mission be if they lost their own lives in the process?
Seeing Avery back down Cam looked again at the blueprints and furrowed his eyebrows in concentration. "What if we combine those tactics…"
After a few moments, Cam called over his shoulder, "Logan."
"Yeah?" Logan looked up from his computer.
Without turning to face him Cam spoke, "You can hack into the surveillance systems correct?"
"I've done it before."
"Then you can you also get access to their alarm systems?"
"Shouldn't be that hard..."
"Good. I want you to set off the alarms."
"Wha-" Logan wasn't a military man, he couldn't understand why Cam would want to do such a thing. Avery was the first to understand, followed closely by the rest of the X5 who were now gathering around the table. Logan, ever refusing to be left out like some civilian, joined them.
"We will jump the fences and wait here, here and here. Cue Logan who will set off perimeter alarms here, here and here," Cam pointed to the appropriate spots, "With multiple perimeter breaches they will think there is an all out attack and will drain their defenses. That will give us time to get in and out. Avery, Syl, you'll come through here and take out the largest DNA lab."
Avery and Syl both nodded in unison, satisfied Cam continued. "Zane, you're with me, we'll come through this way," Cam pointed at the blueprints and followed a snaking trail past the perimeter and through the buildings. "We'll be after the two smaller labs. And you may want to bring Jaxx if you think he is up for it."
Jaxx stood to attention at hearing his own name.
Cam raised his eyebrow at the dog. "We could always use the backup."
"He always loves a new game." Zane smiled, scratching his dog behind the ear. Though he never even dreamed the day would come, he had trained his dog for situations like this. Jaxx had willingly and happily taken on the roll of the X5 in Zane's life, even the not so pleasant aspects. Just like a police dog, Jaxx thought it all a game with a good belly rub at the end if he played it well.
"Jondy, Krit, you're going in after Max. Stay low. The compound Max will be held in will, no doubt, be the most heavily guarded area. Position yourselves here," Cam tapped at a spot beside the target building, "With the explosives in place and us already on our way out, Logan will again set off the alarms, this time closer to the DNA labs. They'll no doubt figure out that the first alarms were just decoys and that we are really after their DNA labs. It is highly likely that they will flock to the labs, hopefully calling for backup which will have to be drawn from your building. During the commotion you get in, get Max and get out. Shoot down anything or anyone in your way."
"How are we going to get in the labs?" Syl asked, "We don't have many stray eyeballs hanging about."
"With Logan distracting the masses we should have more time to use more conventional tactics."
Avery spoke up next. "We also need to watch for XI5-603. Remember, he may have Zack's face, but he isn't Zack."
Cam nodded his head, "If there is a non-lethal way to leave him behind do so, but if he or anyone begins to follow us out … shoot to kill."
Avery was somewhat relieved that she wasn't the one to voice that course of action.
"And what if we meet up with any other X5?" Jondy had to ask.
"They belong to Manticore. Even Brin. Do what is necessary." Cam gave the answer they all didn't want to hear. The room filled with a mournful silence as if in prayer for the siblings who were lost to Manticore.
"Have we figured the best time frame?" asked Avery, finally breaking the silence.
"Four days from now," Krit relayed their results.
"Four days it is." Cam nodded his head.
*****
It was only the first day and they had pushed him to beyond even his super human limits. Handstand pushups, full out sprinting for hours, swimming laps with only one breath were just a few of his challenges... And if he were to falter in any way, lose his balance, stumble when he ran, take a breath before twenty laps, he would be severely beaten for it.
The training did not only strain his physical self but his mental state as well. They held him in a large warehouse that could almost be described as a huge black cube. It was completely dark inside save for the spot lights that shined in his eyes and the occasion strobe light that would make him feel dizzy and light headed. All around him was the constant sound of war. The harsh sounds of gunfire and explosions assaulted his ears, while they kept spraying him with water to keep him cold and wet to almost the point of hypothermia.
Evan had done this four times before but it never got any easier.
Currently his body was perfectly vertical in the air as he raised and lowered himself. His waterlogged fatigues did nothing but weigh him down and cling to his skin uncomfortably.
"Faster!" one yelled as Evan began to slow. His genetically enhanced muscles were already burning with lactic acid. Though Evan tried to pick up his rate to his normal speed, they did not deem his efforts worthy.
Evan ground his teeth and grunted in pain as they pulled out their tazers and sent waves of electricity through his body. Normally he would have been able to ignore the pain, push it all aside to complete an objective, but his mind was so exhausted he barely knew ground from sky.
Much to the drill sergeant's plan Evan lost his balance and fell to the ground.
"Get up!" They all barked, and kicked with their steal toed boots until he was finally able to fumble around and get back into the handstand position.
It had only been 12 hours and he was already spitting up blood. He was too far away to hear Max's screams echo down the halls of the indoctrination building.
*****
That night Max was brought back to her cell. They prodded her along like she was some sort of cattle, annoyed that she wouldn't move faster even though they knew her whole body was sore from the day's torture. They were lucky they weren't carrying her to her bed.
She stood in the room until she heard the door shut and the guards walk away talking about how she smelled like charred flesh. When they were finally past the far corner she collapsed on the bed. Never before had she endured such pain. It had almost pushed her over the edge.
When Logan didn't come to rescue her that night, and Evan, too, had not come to comfort her she could think of nothing else to do but cry.
*****
The next day they took her out of her cell to the indoctrination building and strapped her down once more. She almost lost it right then and there when she saw them attaching the wires to her forehead and temples.
"The shock therapy is not working." One man said to the other as they watched their subject scream on the other side of the soundproof window. "She screams, but it seems to be purely superficial. She feels the pain, and it looks as though she may be mentally faltering, but it does not seem to be affecting her brainwaves. It will take longer-"
"Renfro wants this done and she wants it done now."
"Then drastic measures need to be taken."
"You are given artistic license, doctor, to do what is necessary to make this X5 operative again."
The doctor accepted his assignment with a curt nod.
*****
Max was just barely able to lift her head. The shocking had stopped for more then a minute now and she heard the door open. Her eyes were virtually useless, everything was enveloped in a insubstantial haze. She could only make out the barest of silhouettes and she wouldn't have even thought it a real human had she not heard the shuffling footsteps. She wouldn't have known they had brought in a cart had she not heard the quiet squeaking of wheels that would soon need oil.
The day before had drained her of all her strength. That is what little of it had remained since they had shot her up with whatever inhibiting drug they deemed worthy. Yet despite this when she heard the liquid squirt out of a needle and the man tell those around him to hold her down, she struggled fiercely. Giving a last ditch effort for a freedom she knew was beyond her reach.
But the men were too strong and held her down firmly. She felt a small prick in her arm. It felt like a feather brushing upon her skin compared to what she had barely endured earlier.
She was happy they had stopped the shocks when they did. Max was that close to giving up. Her mind was that close to shutting down, ready and willing to be programmed to Manticore's desire. All she clung to now was a faint vision of Logan in her mind. Since the moment she had awakened from what she thought was sure death and found herself face to face with Renfro she had promised herself she would return to him.
And Evan. She would bring Evan back with her. For Zack and Eva and all the others, she would free Evan.
Finally the needle withdrew from her body and she felt her muscles slacken.
It was unsettling that she could feel each of her muscles loosen. Her mouth opened slightly as her jaw muscles relaxed. Her shoulders slumped first, then her whole body, muscle by muscle, became relaxed.
When the darkness began to consume her she thought for a moment that they were slowly pulling a cloth over her eyes to block the intense glare of the surgical lights hanging over her. But then she realized that it was her own eyelids lazily closing.
Max tried to fight it, tried to pry her own eyes open and see what they were doing but it was no use. It was as though her whole body had fallen asleep yet her mind was fully awake and fully aware.
She could see red as the light shined through her eyelids.
She could smell her own drying sweat.
She could taste the blood from the wound she had chewed into the side of her own cheek.
Then Max came to a sickening realization. They had paralyzed her. The only question was: What reason would they have to do such a thing? It was a question to which she hoped she would never find the answer
Unfortunately she would have no such luck.
She could feel the shackles that held her down loosen.
Her heart raced as she could feel her freedom but was denied by her sleeping body. They had imprisoned her in her own body.
She could feel the ice touch of air as they pulled her shirt up and over her head.
She could hear their movements all around her and the one order that was spoken.
"Prepare her abdomen."
She could feel the sharp coolness on her belly as a liquid was swabbed on in rhythmic circles. She would have gasped if she could but again her body remained still, like a corpse in a morgue.
They wouldn't…please God no…
When she was young she had endured many things. She was even awake to watch as they broke her bones to see how quickly she would heal. But at least then she was able to scream and struggle against her restraints. Even if it was only a mental thing, knowing she was at least trying to fight them helped sooth the pain. But now, trapped in her own body she could not so much as blink to protest this violation of her body.
Max would have told them whatever it was they wanted to hear, said what ever it was they wanted her to say, believed whatever it was they wanted her to believe, but in her state she didn't even have the chance to cave in to their demands.
"Scalpel."
She could feel the blade tear through her skin.
*****
The next day Syl, Krit and the rest of the X5s paired up and went through the all the back alleys and shady pawnshops of Seattle hoarding weapons, ammunition and explosives for the battle. All the locations were courtesy of the informant net.
After loading the car with the latest haul Jondy flipped open her cell and dialed Logan's number.
"How did it go?" Logan asked once he picked up the phone.
"We got what we needed. Wasn't too hard. Where to next?"
"Ah…"
Jondy could hear him typing in the background.
"About twenty blocks away on 6th and Anderson. There is an alley behind the convenience store. From what I can gather there is usually a guy lurking around there that has connections."
"We're there," she said and then relayed the location to Cam when she stepped into the car.
It took less then five minutes to get to where Logan had directed them.
"What do you want?" he asked menacingly, trying to sound bigger then he knew he looked. As they approached Jondy realized that he was a good head shorter then Cam, who was intimidating enough with his strong build.
"We're looking for some guns, preferably semi automatics," Jondy came straight out with it.
"I don't carry that shit."
"Well Benjamin here thinks you do." Cam pulled out the huge wad of cash that Logan had given them, and waved the bills in front of the man's now star struck eyes. It had been a stretch for Logan to finance the operation since he had lost his trust fund, but when it was for Max he was willing to do anything, even break into an internet bar to get some files.
"Yeah," the guy calmed down a bit at the sight of the money and walked them over to a car parked down further into the alley. He popped the trunk and before them lay a large assortment of weapons. Some involving gun powder, some not.
"Excellent," Cam nodded as he eyed the guns.
Jondy didn't how to react when Cam suddenly moved quick as lightning. When once he was standing in front of the man, Cam was behind him now with his arms snaked around the man's neck. It was a quick struggle before the man was deprived of enough oxygen to knock him out for a couple hours.
"What was that for? We had the money, we could have done this legit," Jondy asked as she helped her brother carry the weapons back to their own stolen car.
"You want to fund a jack ass like that who sells guns and drugs out of his fucking trunk. Come on Jondy…"
"I suppose," she rubbed her arm unconsciously then stopped herself. She hated how she felt so weak and indecisive when she was around some of the other X5 like Cam or Avery.
Returning to the trunk for another armful, Cam stepped over the limp man and paused in mid-stride, sniffing the air. He stepped back and kneeled down, rolling the man onto his back.
"What are you doing now?" Jondy asked nervously as she tucked a stray lock of dark hair behind her ear.
"This is the best shit I've ever smelt," Cam said. From the man's pocket he pulled out a plastic bag full of plastic bags full of weed. He held it close to his nose and inhaled deeply. "Nice," he sighed before he tucked it into his own pocket and resumed course to the trunk.
Jondy looked away, pretending not to be bothered by Cam's actions.
*****
On the night of the second day, they finally gave Evan a six hour break. Risking exhaustion he ignored his body and again went to Max's cell, bearing not only food and drink but good news.
Again he waited for the guard to pass and again he hacked the electronic lock, besides his lack of energy everything went as it always did, but he was surprised at what he saw when he opened the door.
Max was always awake, and when his visits became regular she had actually waited up for him. But now she was lying on her side on the bed, her back turned to him. He was about to turn around and leave her be, it was obvious that she needed her rest to withstand whatever rigors she was put through during the day. He was about to but he didn't.
In two days there would be a window of opportunity to escape and with his training schedule he didn't know if and when there would be another time he could tell her.
He set down the bag in which he carried the food and water, next to the bed and leaned over her.
"Max…" he whispered.
She did not respond.
"Max," he said it a little louder this time, and yet there was no response.
Gently, still hesitant to disturb her much needed sleep, he lay a hand on her shoulder and lightly pulled. His eyes widened in horror as she rolled onto her back with not much effort at all. Her cloudy eyes were wide open staring blankly ahead, focusing through the ceiling and past the stars. On her stomach were spots of blood that must have seeped through the bandages that he could now see beneath her hospital gown.
She looked dead if not for the barely perceptible movement of her chest rising and falling.
"No…." he whispered as he pushed her hair, slick with cold sweat, to the side with his fingers. "Maxie…" He didn't know why he called her Maxie, but it felt so natural.
Evan sat there and stared at her, stroking her hair and running the back of his hand tenderly down her cheek. 'I should have gotten you out of here a long time ago…I'm so sorry.'
As if in response to his touch her body roused ever so slightly. "Evan." His name was carried on a vague breeze that left her lips.
"Maxie, I'm sorry…"
"Evan…"
After retrieving his bag he pulled her limp body up and sat behind her, propping her head to rest against his shoulder. Using one hand to hold her still, he used the other to reach into the bag and pull out a water bottle which he held up to her lips. Even swallowing seemed too much of an effort for her as most of the water dribbled out of her mouth.
"I can't make it…" she whimpered leaning fully into his warmth.
"Please Maxie, you have to hold on. Two more days and I'll get you out of this hell. Hold on for just two more days."
In his arms, he could feel her shivering and, despite his training, Evan shed tears of anger and guilt. Emotions he never knew he had before Max had entered his life.