DISCLAIMER: None of these characters are mine, except for the ones I
create, Dark Angel and all characters contained thereof are the property of Fox, blah ,blah
blah
Rating: R
Zane jumped out of the driver's seat of the jeep and ran to greet his long
lost family. "Krit! It's been a while, bro. 11 long fucking years!" He ran towards his
brother and embraced him in a tight hug. His arms were strong and there was a mixture of
sweat and a bit of car grease on his shirt, his job as a mechanic had left his body muscular
and fit. Jondy, her long blond hair flickering in the wind and soft green eyes close to
brimming with tears, followed after him and stared in wonder at the brother and sister she
thought she would never see again. "It really is them. I can't believe it. Together after all
these years." Her voice was soft and velvety smooth, her occupation as a lounge singer
had allowed her to put it to good use. Syl smiled at her and hugged her tight, glad to see
how her sister had grown up over the years. They laughed and howled and rapidly got
caught up to eachother's separate and vastly different lives. Suddenly Syl's face tightened.
They were going to have to know what happened, and why they were called down here.
She passed a look at Krit, seeing the suddenly somber expression on his face, knowing
that he really didn't want to be the one to break the happy mood. She would have to be
the one to tell them. "What's wrong? You got us down here for a reason, so something
must be up. Someone get caught? Syl swallowed hard and nodded, confirming their worst
fears, and then some... "Even worse. Zack called us up to help him in an attack against
Manticore.... he was captured, and... and Max was killed."
There was a lengthy pause as they both digested the information. Finally,
Zane spoke up, his eyes cold and empty. "Tell me you're fucking kidding." |Even though I
know that none of us would ever make a joke that sick.| "I wish I could" said Krit, and
hung his head in silence, pain clouding his thoughts like a storm as the words left his
mouth. Zane merely stared at them, his eyes as hollow and broken as his mood. Slowly,
painfully, he tilted his head forward as a tear rolled down his cheek. |Max dead? And
Zack, Zack of all people back at Manticore. Jesus no. |Jondy just stood there, her
expression blank and unchanging, not wanting to believe the horror of it all. |Max dead. It
had to be her didn't it? Damn those fucking bastards to hell. They took her away from me.
They took her away before I could even meet her or get a good look at her ever since I
left her under the ice that night. I thought she was dead. But she survived, and now I've
lost her twice. And I thought those sick fuckers couldn't take anything else away from
me.|
There were no words between the four. There was no need. The silence
spoke louder than anything else could. Finally, Jondy looked up with a cold determination
and rage disfiguring her soft features. Her voice was harsh and full of hatred. "So what did
you call us up for, besides to tell us this?" Krit's voice was uneasy and awkward as he
slowly muttered out "We figured we need your help to get Zack back. Him being the only
one who knows where we all are and all." "But there's only 4 of us," Zane replied. "How
can you expect us to go up against an army of guards and Manticore soldiers? Even if we
can somehow take the stealthy approach, sneak in, and find Zack, we'd wouldn't stand
much of a chance of getting back out considering the extra heavy security they got now
that you've attacked them before." "We know a guy who can help us out. He has a
personal stake in this too. He and Max were.... close. I'm sure he can help us figure
something out. "Well lead the way then," Jondy spoke, the rage in her seeming to grow
stronger over time. Krit and Syl got back into their car, and the other two followed in the
jeep.
He awoke to ringing of the doorbell of his apartment. Logan sat up and
looked at the clock. 2:30 a.m. |Who the hell could it be at this ungodly hour?| he was
highly irritated, especially since he hadn't been getting enough sleep recently. He blinked
his eyes as his weary vision began to focus on the furnishings of his bedroom. He got up
and slowly, painfully dragged his way into the living room. The doorbell rang faster and
more insistently than ever. "All right! I'm coming already! Just hold on!" he yelled out
angrily at whoever was fool enough to come calling at this hour. |This had better be worth
my freakin time...| He opened the door to catch a sight that took his breath away. It was
HER. Alive and unharmed, tattered from her journey but in relatively good shape
nonetheless... The silky, wavy auburn hair was inches away from him, along with the
luscious full lips and those bright, expressive brown orbs that were her eyes. |Possibly the
most singularly beautiful face I've ever seen| his words when he first met her echoed
soundlessly through his mind. It was Max, none other but Max, the same Max that he felt
the life seep out of as she passed away in his arms. She leaned forward past the threshold
and pressed her soft lips against his, drinking deeply from his mouth, just like she did back
at the cabin and thought she would never see him again. He stepped back. She smiled that
lovely grin that she always did and led him into the bedroom. His heart stopped for that
one moment in time, and he tried to speak but could do nothing but gaze unflinching into
those deep almond eyes as she pushed him down and removed his clothing and her own
and began to press her heated, lithe body against his....
He awoke to the terrifying sensation that something was horribly wrong.
He opened his eyes and stared at her.... it was the same woman he had just made love
with, but something had changed. It was as if she were a entirely different being now, not
the kind, loving soul that he remembered.... that beautiful face had a strange looking grin
to it and a kind of cruelty and malevolence he had never seen cross those eyes was
contained by it. "Max?" He cried out softly, weakly, as if the sinister force he saw in the
woman before him had him by the throat and was rapidly choking the life out of him. And
then he suddenly knew... this was not the same woman he fell in love with, this was a
stranger, a malevolent creature who had suddenly replaced the Max that he knew and who
stared down at him with a hatred and contempt he had never seen before in his life. Even
though she, no IT, looked exactly like her. "Max?" he whispered weakly, the terror
building in him like an erupting volcano. Suddenly the brown orbs were clouded over by a
shade of pure darkness, making the creature's eyeballs into fathomless black pits which
seemed to swallow him whole. The stainless, beautiful teeth elongated into razor sharp
canine fangs. The creature suddenly grabbed him by the head and slithered words into his
ear..."Max is dead. She died a while ago." Lightning fast, she sank her fangs into his
throat, bit down, and RIPPED, tearing out his jugular vein like a frenzied animal...the last
thing he saw was his own dark murky blood splattering the monster's Manticore issue Tac
uniform.
He lurched out of his slumber violently, opening his mouth to scream, and
yet no sound came out of his throat. He put his fingers to his hot, sweaty neck. Beads of
moisture ran down his forehead and back, leaving trails of sweat as they passed.. |Just a
dream, thank god, just a crazy fucking dream.| Yet deep in his heart he felt it was more
than just that, that it was almost real...|But wouldn't I be dead right now if it was?| Maybe
it was a omen of some sort, a terrible foreshadowing of things yet to come. |Or maybe I'm
just overreacting to stupid nightmare and being a total fucking idiot.| And yet it felt so
real... he shook it off. "Just a silly dream, Logan. No need to make it more than what it
was." And yet he couldn't stop thinking about those pictures of a young girl covered in
blood, the red icky substance staining her mouth, as if she had torn that man's throat out
with her teeth, those perfect white teeth of the monster in his dream... He shook his head
fiercely and told himself "Dammit, Logan, stop being a fool. You know she would never
hurt you. She's dead for god's sake." And once again the grief hit him like a tidal wave,
and he promised himself he would make them pay for what they've done. He got out of
bed and began to dress himself . |Sleep is way too overrated| he thought. Just then the
door bell rang. He finished pulling on his shirt and made his way to the door. He opened it
to find none other than the family of the deceased standing there, their cold, hard
expressions reflecting what they were ready to do. There were four of them. Didn't he
remember just two, Krit and Syl? Were these people Max's siblings as well? "So Krit, who
are these guys?" "Logan, meet Jondy and Zane. No time for introductions. We've got to
get down to business.
Max awoke to the shock of blinding red light shining into each of her
pupils. She attempted to lash her body upwards, but her muscles held no strength in them
and the restraints held her tight to the hard metal table she lay on. The light continued to
shine brightly into her irises as she attempted to move her head. It too, was locked tightly
to it's position be a silvery steel clamping device that prohibited any movement. All she
could do was turn her eyes to the two figures at the side of the table. One was Brin, and
the other...|No, it can't be!!!| Yet she could make out the young woman's uniquely
familiar features, molded by the sands of time, yet still as familiar as the last time she saw
her. "Eva?" "I'm her, baby sister." "No, it can't be, you're---" "Dead? Hardly. They were
able to transplant me with Jack's heart after they cut him open. I'm part of Manticore
now, and I realize what a huge mistake I made on that winter night back in '09. I can help
you realize it too..." "No! You can't be working for them, don't you remember what
happened to us, that Lydecker shot you..." "I should have thanked him for that. It kept me
here, where I belong. And now you're here with me. It'll be just like old times. Tragic
thing that Zack couldn't be here to join us... he always was a great leader." "No, dammit
Eva, don't you see what they've done to you..." Eva hissed at her ."I know what they did
to me. They made me whole again, sane again. They showed me where I belonged and
where my loyalties lay. They turned me back into a true soldier, perfect, devoid of all the
sentimental stupidity you and the rogues have been corrupted with. They made me what I
was meant to be. And now they're going to do the same for you.
The piercing red light poured into her eyes and soul, leaving her mind open
and compliant for the doctors to manipulate. Words flashed into her ears and the light
filling her vision. Discipline. Obedience. Duty. You are a soldier... your designation is X5-
452... |No!| her mind screamed. |My name is Max, and I am a human being!| Your duty is
to follow orders. You are most happy when fulfilling your duty. A superior giving you
commands causes you to feel joy and purpose. Your purpose is to do what is ordered.
|No!| Freedom is a phony sentimental lie perpetuated by the outside world. Happiness is
only given by Manticore. Manticore is your family. Manticore is your friend. Manticore
loves you, all other love than that of Manticore is a lie. Manticore is your home, it makes
you feel safe and needed. The superiors at Manticore are your parents, the only true
parents you will ever have. Obey them at any cost, without question. To question is evil.
To question is to betray Manticore. Manticore is a part of you, and you are a part of
Manticore. You are a soldier of Manticore... nothing else matters. |No!!!| Her mind was
tearing itself apart from the inside out, the conflicting voices like two great hurricanes
swirling around endlessly, each attempting to gain dominance over her thoughts. |Got to
keep fighting, got to...| Accept what you are. Come home to Manticore. Here you will find
peace. Here you will find salvation. Eva whispered into her ear. "Don't fight it, Maxie.
Things are so much better this way. You won't have to worry about anything ever again...
you'll find yourself in the most beautiful place in the world... I know I did." |Can't take
much more of this!!!| A last, desperate, pleading thought echoed endlessly through her
head as she began to grow weak...
And the messages of Manticore flowed endlessly into her consciousness.