Disclaimer: The characters of Dark Angel are not mine. I get really tired of saying this.
Rating:R
The 5 of them sat around the computer room of Logan's well decorated
apartment, wondering how in the hell would they go through with getting back Zack.
"You said this guy could help" Jondy asked eyeing Logan suspiciously. "What exactly
does he do anyway. Logan stammered for a minute. "Uh, I'm sort of like, a computer
person. I can get you detailed information on the Manticore base facilities and such. I have
access to their database." "But the network is supposed to be impenetrable' Zane said.
"How did you manage to hack into such a heavily encrypted---" "I have... sources" Logan
explained. You know, friends who help me out with this kinda thing. "Like a hacker net?"
"Sort of." |I'm not exactly sure I can trust these guys with Eyes Only. Better not give
anything away.| Jondy continued to eye the man before her warily. She could tell the guy
was hiding something, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Oh well. |If Krit and Syl
trust this guy and Max did as well, then I guess I'll have to. Doesn't seem like he's the
type to sell us out.| "What exactly was your relationship with Max anyway?" she asked
quizically. "We were.... close. More than just friends, though it took us both a while to
realize it." "You... loved her didn't you?" Logan tilted his head foward, eyes cast towards
the ground. "I guess you could say that." "I'm sorry." "Yeah, me too." |So Max had a
man who loved her| she thought. |Someone to care about, someone who feels just like I
do.| She gave a faint smile in his direction as he continued his work with the computer.
|This guy is turning out to be alright.|
The sound of the incessant discharge of firearms echoed throughout the
dark, smoke filled room. Flashes of light sporadically bursted through the darkness,
accompanied by the familiar sounds of various types of military weaponry. Brin walked
calmly into the firing range, a live ordnance drill taking place at the far end of the room.
Triangles of bright white light flowed from the overhead bulbs. |It'll be soon. Max has to
come around sooner or later.| She learned earlier that baby sister had a extreme dislike for
guns. In fact, she refused to touch a gun since the night of the escape, instead relying on
her hand to hand combat skills. |How fucking stupid is that? A soldier afraid of guns.| It
was something she personally could not understand. To her, a gun was her friend, a
protector, something she could rely on to get the job done. The bullets being fired
throughout the room had only one purpose: To kill, to maim, to destroy everything in it's
path. A bullet and the gun that fired it was beautiful, perfect—|just like us.| She got into
one of the booths carrying an MP5. She took careful aim at the target positioned on the
wall some 30 feet away from her. She let loose with a full auto burst, leaving empty holes
throughout the chest, neck and head of the human outline. Not one shot missed. "Coming
down just to practice, huh?" asked Jake, aka X5-241, leader of team one alpha. "Yeah."
She let down her weapon and paused for a second, her thoughts drowning out the sound
of Jake's M-16.
|The director said that Tinga was undergoing a radical new procedure for a
rare a lethal medical condition and Lydecker's intrusion killed her... but it just doesn't add
up. Why won't she let us see the body? They usually do that before they prep the organs
for harvesting, but...| She was questioning her superiors again. She shook her head, the
ponytail whipping violently about her face. They had always been taught not to question,
that to think about or even consider disobeying orders was terrible treason against those
who made you. Maybe the corrupt influences of the outside world had not yet worn off on
her. |Yet something tells me the Director is hiding something, I can feel it, there's
something not right about the way Tinga died. Max said the director was responsible for
it...no, that can't be. Manticore would never harm it's own. X5-452 is clearly delusional.|
Yet that nagging doubt still presented itself. "Do you trust the new director?" she asked
Jake. He paused for a minute. "Not really. I get the feeling she doesn't care about us, that
we're all just expendable or something. At least Lydecker held concern for our well being.
Disturbed, Brin left the room and made her way back to her quarters. It would be a while
morning drill and she wanted to be with her thoughts for a while. Along the way, she
passed the door to the Director's office. A lone folder was lying on the desk, carelessly
left out for all to see. She wrestled with her thoughts a bit, and then stepped quietly into
the room after making sure no one was nearby. She opened the manila folder and began to
read.
Logan stared at his computer screen with a highly unpromising
expression on his face. "According to their database, security has about tripled since the
last time we paid a visit to dear old Manticore. In addition, most of the X-7 and X-3 units
have been recalled and are actively patrolling the sector. Even with 4 of you, it doesn't
seem like you have much chance of getting in and out with both Zack and everyone in one
piece." "We can't afford to lose anyone else," Syl stated. "So with neither a full scale
assault or infiltration procedure being a reasonably safe and viable option, what the hell
else could we try?" Krit muttered, frustated and angry that a valuable family member was
captured by the enemy and that there was nothing he could do about it. "I don't know
about you guys, but I'm didn't come this far to back out now" Zane remarked, his voice a
challenge to his fellow soldiers. "But you heard what Logan said. Trying to get into
Manticore would be suicide" Krit said. He turned to the rest. "Any other ideas?" There
was silence for a minute or two. Logan's mind debated the pros and cons of the decision
he was about to make. |I never liked Max's big brother, I mean, him being such a
controlling asshole and all, but I owe it to her to help them get him out, and I'd hate to see
him becoming a brainwashed killing machine like Brin. Max would never forgive me. And
they seem to be reasonably trust worthy people, but if any of them were to get captured by
Manticore and interrogated, they might break and give away my identity...and that would
be the end of Eyes Only and the informant net.| There were risks and consequences no
matter what he decided. Finally he made his decision. "I think I might have a solution to
our problem."
Original Cindy strolled her bike into the entrance/exit for Jam Pony
Express. Things just kept seeming to spiral downward ever since Max died, and where
once her life had seemed so joyful and full of happiness, there was nothing left but an
empty, aching hole once occupied by the vivacious young woman they all knew and loved.
She smiled, thinking about Max's beautiful, vibrant features, how she loved to have fun,
the crazy ass tricks she would pull at crash to earn their beer money, and how she was one
of the best friends Cindy ever had in her life. But she was gone now. The others were
feeling it too, Herbal tried to cheer everyone up with his messages of love and peace, and
how a righteous individual like Max was surely in a better place. But he was as
despondent as the rest of them. "Bip, bip, bip, get to work people!" Normal. Still a pain in
the ass. For once Cindy wished he would just shut the hell up. And stop saying bip all the
time. He promised not to ever use the phrase again when her and Max saved his ass from
being defenestrated by those art thieves. |Maybe we should have just let him find out how
far he could fly| she thought amusedly, thinking how wonderful life would be if she didn't
have to listen to his obnoxious voice every morning. But she wouldn't be able to live with
herself if she did that. She started to pick up a package when the TV on the opposite wall
flashed and a familiar set of eyes lit up the screen. People gathered around to listen to the
latest Eyes Only broadcast.
"This is an Eyes Only Streaming Freedom video. The cable hack will last
exactly 60 seconds. Eyes Only cannot be bought, sold, or corrupted. This data feed is for
the director of Project Manticore, the secret government genetics experiment responsible
for the creation of genetically enhanced humans. You have something that I want. And
you will give it to me, unless you want me to expose all the dirty little secrets you've been
hiding from those that back and fund your operation. The black fang incident is just the tip
of the iceburg. Believe me, I have more than enough dirt to cause an end to your supply of
funds and terminate the project permanently. If you value your job and the project itself,
you will meet me at this address, at 6:30 tomorrow evening." The address flashed across
the bottom of the screen in encrypted form. "I am willing to trade this information for
what I want. Come alone or the deal is off. This message will replay itself every 30
minutes for the next 8 hours. Peace. Out." "What the hell that boy up to?" Cindy
whispered, having no idea what was going on. Sketchy was even more puzzled. "What's
the deal with this Manticore thingy and these weird ass reports of superhumans? I smell a
massive government conspiracy. Aliens must be involved too!" "Shutup you idiot." replied
Cindy. Deep inside she wondered |what could Logan want from them black helicopter
stormtrooper dudes anyway? Better drop by and check up on 'em before he gets his stupid
ass killed.|
"You sure this will work?" Syl asked. "Sure it will, after the destruction of
the genetics lab and my recent expose on them, Manticore is close to getting shut down
already. A few more interesting tidbits about their dirty little schemes and whoever's
funding them will surely put an end to it all. "I just hope this works, man" Zane spoke
hushedly. "Well, it's the best thing I can come up with. Let's just hope it can get us Zack."
They all sat silently for a moment, wondering whether they could really succeed. No one
recaptured by Manticore has ever gotten out again. Krit broke the silence. "Well, I guess
we better be prepared when the time comes. How about me and Syl go stock up on
weaponry and equipment while you two stay here and keep tabs on the situation" There
was a nod of agreement and the two of them were about to leave when the doorbell rang.
They all froze. "You expecting anyone?" Jondy asked Logan. "No" he replied in a puzzled
tone. She then motioned for Zane to cover one side of the door while she took the other.
Krit and Syl stood behind them, guns from their previous mission at the ready. "Open the
door" she commanded. Logan did so and was astonished to find Cindy there. She opened
her mouth, "Hi"— before Zane grabbed her by the shirt collar and slammed her against the
wall. "What the hell!!! Who the hell are these people??? What with the guns? Put me
down before Original Cindy lays the smackdown on your sorry ass!!!"
Zane was stunned by the harsh response from this loudmouthed young
black woman he had pinned up against the wall, but didn't loosen his grip. Logan stepped
in. "It's okay, Zane. Let her down. She's a friend." Zane released his grip as the others
untensed their muscles and loosened the trigger fingers. Cindy continued to wail at them.
"What the hell was that about? Is that how you greet the mailman too?" Zane's face
somewhat reddened along with the others. "We thought you might be someone else---"
Logan began sheepishly. "You mean those black helicopter storm trooper guys? Do I look
like a army grunt to you?" Krit suddenly became angry and demanding. "what do you
know about" --- "I know about Max. You her peeps aren't you? The ones who all revved
up and all? I know, she told me." Looking flustered Krit answered "yeah. I guess you
could say that." Syl turned to Logan with a irritated look. "Exactly how many people
know about us, between you and Max?" Logan smiled. "Just her and my personal trainer.
Nothing serious. They're both trustworthy, no need to worry." She continued to stare at
him. "Hey, if I trusted you enough to tell you about Eyes Only, then the least you could do
is give Cindy here a chance. Going around all paranoid won't make you many friends."
Her face softened a bit. "By the way, I never got the chance to thank you for what you did
for us back when Lydecker got our locations---" "No need. I'm glad to help." Krit seemed
a bit impatient. "Well, now that that's over with, let's go ahead with business, shall we?"
"I want in." Cindy cried. "Tell me what's going down." Logan lead her into the next room
to explain everything while the rest attended to their respective duties.
"Yes. Yes Sir. Understood." Renfro hung up the phone and slammed her
fist on the table. A nearby secretary jumped slightly. She turned to the nervous young man
waiting patiently at the door of her office. "Lieutenant Jenkins, I have a mission for you."
Her lips curved slightly upwards into the familiar sadistic grin and deceptively kind looking
expression. It unnerved the lieutenant especially. He didn't know what it was, just that
something in the way she looked and spoke suggested that she was a hungry jungle cat
ready to devour it's prey. "I want you to round up 5 full TAC teams and have them ready
by 0600 tommorrow evening. I also want two X5 units for support. Have them armed
with tazer's, concussion grenades, and standard firearms. I want them ready to move in
the minute I say go. Screw this up and I'll have your head mounted on my living room
wall. Is that clear?" "Yes Sir!" the young soldier shouted, a chill running through his body
as he spoke. He exited out the door, leaving Renfro alone with her thoughts. |So that Eyes
Only bastard thinks he can blackmail us. I wonder what he wants? Money? Technology?
But what good would that do him? I've got more than a passing suspicion that he's
connected to the rogues X5's somehow. But how? And why? Suddenly a thought struck
her. Max Guevera. He was somehow connected with Max....X5-452, that was her name,
wasn't it? Max. He first came after us saying we had killed her. So he must be in league
with the rogue fivers. So they think she's dead. She to laugh gleefully, the beauty of the
situation becoming ever more apparent to her. She knew what she had to do to nab Eyes
Only. And if she was lucky, at least a few rouge X5's as well.
"So basically you went through all this damn trouble to rescue my boo's
jerk-ass big brother." "Yeah" Logan replied. "That's basically it. I, mean, I don't like the
guy either, but that doesn't mean I can just let him rot in that hellhole for the rest of his
life. Max would hate me if I stood by and did nothing." "Is there anything Original Cindy
can do to help?" "What?" "Like you said, sure the boy might be a real ass, but that don't
mean he deserve to rot back there. And I owe it to my boo. She saved my life once, in
case you've forgotten. This be the least Cindy can do for her girl." "Thanks Cindy.
There's nothing you can really do right now, but your free to stick around, even though
it's could get real dangerous—" "Original Cindy ain't scared of no danger. Besides, better
than sticking around work having Normal bitch at me." Logan smiled. Max's friend had
spirit, he'd give her that. "I just hope that Zack hasn't been turned already---" "Don't be
stupid" Zane interjected. "This is Zack we're talking about. He'd kill himself first." "You
can't be sure." He remembered how Max described Brin going back to Manticore to save
her life. |They may say they would rather die than go back, but when it comes right down
to it, will he really choose death over Manticore? Guess it's a risk we'll have to take, since
his family is taking no such talk of their great leader turning traitor. Syl and Krit entered
the apartment. "We're ready" Syl stated firmly. "Come down and take a look." They all
stepped on a elevator leading to the parking garage, where the two lead them to a white
van. Inside it was a small arsenal of submachine guns, assault rifles, pistols, and ammo,
complete with grenades and kevlar vests. Cindy whistled. "Satisfactory, don't you think"
Krit spoke grinningly. "If they try anything, we'll be ready."