Disclaimer: As always….
A/N: Getting these up as fast as I can! Thanks for your patience.
Three days later Logan sat at his computers cursing Lydecker, cursing Zack and cursing fate. Cursing most of all the bullet that had confined him to the wheelchair and forced him to stay here in safety while Max was out risking capture or worse. At his insistence he was part of the operation – the X5's eyes and ears inside of Lydecker's operation. He was hacked into the Manticore net watching every move Lydecker made and able to communicate those moves to the X5's via the earpieces he had provided for all of them.
Lydecker had agreed to the monitoring but Logan didn't trust him an inch. As a precaution he had a second feed set up via Sebastian, one that Sebastian assured him Lydecker could not possibly know about. His headset crackled and a voice came through.
"Comm check base. Zack here."
"Read you loud and clear Zack.Confirm back that you read me"
"I read you. Sound off team:"
"Tinga here"
"Zane here"
"Max here"
"Got you all. I'll continue to monitor the operation throughout and advise as needed. Operations should commence in 15 minutes by my clock. Base out for now. " Satisfied with the communications setup Logan ran one last visual check over his monitors and settled back to wait. His thoughts drifted over the events since Eyes Only's conversation with Lydecker…
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Zack had arrived within hours of Max's call, accompanied by two other X5's. Logan had already met Tinga but the third X5 was a young man with long brown hair tied back in a
ponytail who answered to Zane. He was quiet not saying much and outwardly seeming to follow Zack's lead. Max had hugged him when he arrived and briefly teased him about his…dog? Zack had quickly brought them down to business though demanding to see the information they had received from Lydecker. He had started to dismiss Logan off hand once the envelope was in his hand but Logan had simply ignored him and settled in.
Zack had sent him a look but had received one in turn from Max and had let it drop.
The next few hours passed in heated arguments among the X5's about Lydecker's proposal. Zack wanted to dismiss it out of hand but both Max and Tinga had argued against him. Finally Zane, who had remained silent throughout had simply said.
"Enough. I'm with our sisters, Zack. We need to take this bitch down and worry about Lydecker later. And if something should happen to dear Donald during the operation… ."
Judging that it was time for a break, Logan had offered to prepare a meal for all of them and they had readily agreed. Watching them consume quantities of pasta and sauce with hot fresh garlic bread he had marveled at their appetites. Even Max and Tinga held their own with the males. He had always attributed Max's great interest in good food to her harsh upbringing but now he wondered if it wasn't something that was a part of her genetic makeup. Shrugging he sat back and watched and listened drawing his own conclusions about these siblings of Max's.
After the meal Zack had called another meeting. This time when Logan joined them he turned to him and said,
"While we appreciate you r hospitality I don't really see what more you can do in this."
Max had bristled and was about to jump to Logan's defense but he forestalled her by calmly answering Zack.
"Doesn't every successful operation require intelligence and communications? I can provide both from here. Do you really want to be dependent on Lydecker? I'm sure that's what he's planning but I wouldn't recommend it." Zack didn't miss his subtle emphasis on the word intelligence and glared at him but made no more attempts to exclude him. Max simply shot him a quick grin which, Logan noticed, made Zack frown even more.
They plunged into intensive planning at that point and Logan saw why Zack had chosen Zane to accompany them He was an expert in explosives and demolition and would be handling that aspect of the attack. Tinga would accompany Zack to protect Zane while he did his work. Max was to go along only as backup and Lydecker was not to know she was there. He would be told she was working the backroom. Max protested vehemently but was overruled by both Zack and Logan.
"Max, for some reason you're the one whose tail Lydecker's been hottest on. None of us trust him at all and we're not letting him know you're anywhere around. You come in only as backup if needed. " For once Logan agreed with everything Zack was saying.
"Little sister if you come along and Lydecker tries something on you we can all end up getting captured or killed. Leave it be." Tinga's words finally convinced Max but Logan could see she was simmering with anger at Zack whose idea it had been.
After all had been decided Logan left the X5's to sleep in his living room and headed to his bedroom for some much needed rest. After washing up he had returned to his room only to be surprised by Max seated comfortably on his bed.
"Thought you'd be joining the slumber party out there."
"What, and sleep on the floor instead of this comfortable bed?"
"Thought you didn't sleep" he challenged.
"I don't" she teased back. "Anyway if I stayed out there I might murder my dear brother Zack in his sleep. I can't believe he's excluding me from this."
"You'll still be there if they need you" Logan tried only to receive a glare from her.
"Oh shut up Logan. You agreed with Zack. You know I don't need your almighty male protection. I can kick butt with the best of them."
"But maybe we can concentrate better knowing you're out of the line of fire for once, Max. Lydecker is hot to get his hands on you – why give him the opportunity and possibly endanger the others?"
"I know, blah blah woof, woof, Logan" Max sighed as Logan settled himself on the bed next to her.
"Zack is probably ready to kill me right about now." he observed. Max looked at him and smiled.
"Well he knows he better not try. He really isn't so bad Logan when he's not playing overprotective older brother." Logan grunted.
"I can think of better things to do than discuss Zack." Max smiled and pulled his head down to hers. "Logan, this may be our last chance to be together for a few days. Let's make the most of it."
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"Command One here. The target is approaching the rendezvous point. Five minutes and counting." Logan was brought back to reality by the sound of Lydecker's voice. Quickly turning to his monitors he took in the situation at a glance. The Manticore convoy was fast approaching the agreed upon point of attack.
"Charges laid and ready" Zane's voice sounded in his ear.
"Troops ready" a strange voice called out. Logan knew that was the field commander of the regular Manticore squad Lydecker had positioned in the woods. The hope was that Zane's explosives would destroy most if not all of the convoy but the troops were there to be sure no one escaped. The X5's would not engage unless there were X5 guards with the convoy and they were needed to handle them.
"Convoy in sight"
Logan watched the green blip on his screen that represented the Manticore convoy approach the spot marked C1. He found himself holding his breath as the field commander counted down.
"Lead vehicle has reached C1, convoy proceeding normally. No signs of an alarm.
Detonation set for 60 seconds." Logan knew the explosives were set and timed to do maximum damage to the convoy.
"30 seconds…20…15…10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2," The final count was drowned out by the sound of a massive explosion. At the same time Logan's screen blossomed with a bright point of light.
"Detonation successful. My men are surveying the situation. Massive damage but there are survivors and they are fighting back. My troops are engaging"
"Proceed as planned, captain" came Lydeckers' soft yet deadly voice. Logan could just imagine what that plan was. There was radio silence for a few minutes then the captains' voice came through again.
"X5's present. Requesting backup. NOW." the last sounded almost frantic.
"X5 team engage." Lydecker ordered.
"Engaging." Zack's voice was as cold as Lydecker's. Logan could only sit and watch and listen helplessly to the crackle of battle communications. He heard Zack's voice barking orders then to his horror he picked up Tinga.
"Brin. It's me Tinga. Brin, put down the gun. Don't." The last cut off in midsentence.
"Zack" It was Max's voice "What happened to Tinga?"
"Max stay back we have this handled" Zack ordered.
"Zack I'm coning in"
"Max STAY BACK" things were happening too fast. As Logan watched his feed from Lydecker was cut off. Thanking Sebastian under his breath he quickly turned to the alternate feed only to hear Lydecker say.
"Delta team 2 proceed to move in and pick up the remaining X5's. Delta team confirm gas masks are in place"
"MAX." Logan demanded "Max stay back Lydecker's gassing the scene. "Zack, Zane, Tinga, GET OUT NOW."
"Affirmative." Zack's voice
"Clear" from Zane.
"Max? Max are you clear?" Logan demanded.
"Logan they have Tinga." Max was frantic.
"Max, if you try to get to her they'll have you too. Get out of there NOW."
"Brin. What?" he heard Max's voice. then the sound of shots being fired.
"Max are you there?" It seemed an eternity before Max answered her voice dull and lifeless.
"I'm here Logan. Pulling out now."
"We've got her. Returning to base." Zane's voice came across clear and strong and Logan breathed a sigh of relief.
"We'll be back in about 2 hours. "
"I'll continue to monitor Manticore ops and advise if there's a pursuit."
"Thanks, Logan."
Logan settled in to watch and wait wondering what had happened in those last frantic moments, praying that it wasn't as bad as he was afraid it was but fearing it was even worse.
TBC