Max's Perspective
I wake up from my dream startled from what I just saw. I'm responsible for Logan's death; I know I am. I should have gotten there sooner. Then I would have been able to save him. Soon I'll have revenge. The sooner the better. I look out the window and see the sun shining through the thick trees outside. I holler at the others to get moving. We have a long day ahead of us. I grab the sector passes that Tinga and Johndy picked up and distribute them. Zack picks up the blue prints off the table. Everyone starts grabbing the weapons of there choice. Zack takes a few guns. Johndy and Tinga take their daggers and a gun. Kladu takes his swords. Me and Jace take nothing. I've never liked to use guns, and there is no way I'm going to start now. Guns are just another way for a person to be lazy.
After everyone is ready, we hop on our motorcycles and speed off into the morning sun. We had quite a few check points to go through before we would be able to see Syl and Kurt. We will probably be traveling most of the day, but it should go relatively easy thanks to our new found sector passes. Zack and I take the lead as we travel to our destination. We are all in this together regardless of the out come. A chain reaction of events has been set off, there is no returning now.
When we arrive at the first check point, we go through one at a time. We're not expecting any trouble, but we are cautious just incase. Everything was going fine until Tinga managed to push one of the guards up to the fence and start kissing him. I really didn't need this right now. I run up to her and smack her across the face. I push her back towards her motorcycle and tell her to get moving. I wait until she catches up with Zack to get on mine and follow. I decide it would be best if I bring up the rear. I don't want to loose Tinga along the way to a hottie going the opposite direction. It seems like one of us always has to go into heat at the worst possible time. I guess that's the way nature goes for genetically enhanced killing machines. If it wasn't Tinga, it would be Jace or Johndy.
Zack's Perspective
I was surprised at how well Max took charge. She got everyone their sector passes and she got us through the checkpoints. I wasn't in the mood to deal with Tinga being in heat. I was trying to focus on the objective, and Tinga was just slowing us down. At times like these, I wish I could just lock her in the closet and leave her there. Max always does a good job dealing with who ever is in heat. She's got a lot of patients, or at least more then any of the rest of us. Max has always been a strong leader. She cares about what happens to us, and she doesn't want to see anyone get hurt. Today, she is keeping everyone going.
After the first checkpoint, Max just pushed Tinga right along, she didn't even give her a chance to look at guys. Thanks to her, we manager to make up time pretty fast. We were even a head of schedule.
We met Syl and Kurt at the prearranged place. I gave them the blueprints to look at and the information they needed to know about the attack. We went over the final details of the plan. I made sure everyone knew what they would be doing. We wouldn't leave until dark and there were still a few hours left of sun. I could tell everyone wanted to get moving, but I was reluctant to move things to fast. They were going to have to wait a little longer. Besides, I wanted to talk to Max first. I had to tell her the truth, just incase one of us didn't come back. I would never forgive myself if I missed my opportunity to tell her how I feel.
Zack's Perspective
I find Max and pull her aside. I tell her I need to talk to her. I start walking into the forest and she follows. Once we get a ways away from where we are staying, we sit down on a pile of rocks.
I look her in the eyes and tell her:
"Maxie, you know what we are doing is dangerous and there is a chance someone may not come back. If for some reason I don't return, I need you to lead our brothers and sisters. You may be a bit of a rebel, but they still love and respect you as they do me. I trust you to take care of them and do what is best. I also want you to know how much I care ..."
I hate it when she interrupts me like that. She tells me I don't need to worry because I'll be coming back. She says she'll keep an eye on me and that there is nothing to worry about.
She gives me a hug and whispers in my ear, "We need to get moving." I try again to tell her, but she presses her finger to my lips and turns around and starts walking away.
I turn my back to her and choke back a tear as my heart breaks. She didn't even give me a chance to tell her how I feel. I couldn't help but wonder if she knew and she just didn't want to hear me say it. That would make since all she'll ever see me as is her brother. If only I could make her understand. If only she'd give me a chance. Maybe it's for the best in the long run, but for some reason, I'm scared about the upcoming mission. Maybe I'm just worried about Max, or maybe it's something else.
I do everything I can to push the fear out of my mind. I can feel myself becoming weaker. I'm attached to her and I don't know how to let go. I'm having a moment of weakness and I need to get it under control.
I turn to walk deeper into the forest. I see an old hollow tree. A squirrel runs out of it and jumps into a hollowed out log. If only I could be free from everything. How I wish that it could all be so simple like it was back at Manticore. I was home there. I may not have liked it, but it was home. My family was together and we weren't on the run. I didn't have to worry about whether I'd fall victim to a predator in the night. If only I didn't have to continue running. I want to be free from Manticore and have the same security I did when I was there. The security of my family around me, and that can only happen with Manticore destroyed. Perhaps when Max stops focusing her energy on revenge, she will be able to see me how I want her to. She can move on; she will be able to love me in return.
I walk up to the tree and punch my fist through it. I then start kicking at the hole I just created. Slowly I'm knocking away chucks of bark. Eventually, the tree becomes off balance and starts creaking. I walk backwards away from the tree. Then I run to it as fast as I can and jump up on it pushing it to the ground. I listen to the loud snap of the roots as they break apart and the crashing of the other trees this one is bringing down with it. When the tree is finally settled on the ground and no more branches are breaking, I jump down and start back towards the group. I look back at the clearing I had created in the woods. The hollow tree would be a good place to hide from an enemy, or a good place for an enemy to hide.
As I begin the long walk back to the meeting place, I begin to feel satisfied once again, I have my emotions under control. I'm ready to go into the heat of battle.
Max's Perspective
When Zack pulled me aside and told me he wanted to talk, I figured he had a separate objective for me. Him saying something about keeping an eye on Kladu or even something about Tinga being in heat had crossed my mind.
I wasn't prepared for what he had to say. When he said that he might not be coming back, I felt despair in the pit my stomach. I didn't like Zack talking like he wasn't coming back. I wasn't going to loose another friend.
It was almost like he had already made up his mind, like if he didn't fulfill the objective, he was staying until he did no matter what the consequences were. I didn't want to listen to him say more, I had an idea of what else he wanted to say, but I wasn't going to listen. I wasn't going to stick around to hear it.
I interrupted him and I gave him a hug before I left. I told him that he was going to come back and not to talk like that. He knows I'll always back him up. I'm the closest to him out of our siblings and I won't let anything happen to him. When he tries to speak again, all I can think to do is press my finger to his lips and tell him to be silent. I can see the pain in his eyes when I don't let him speak. He was probably going to tell me exactly where I stood with him. As much as I long to hear the truth, I also fear it. If I know where he stands, then I can no longer deny it. I can no longer pretend that he is just closer to me than my other siblings. I will know will know how he feels.
When I turn and walk away, everything inside of me is telling me to run far away and find a little corner to hide in. A corner where I can conceal all the emotions inside me and a place where I can no longer feel. I want to let go of the pain of Logan's death, and the fear of loosing Zack also.
I ignore every emotion that is bottled up inside as I slowly continue to walk away. Another tear slides down my check as I think of what would happen if Zack was gone. I may have survived loosing Logan, but I know there is no way I could survive loosing both of them. Zack probably didn't realize how much pain he placed in my heart when he brought up the possibility of his death. I know he wouldn't have said it if it wasn't on his mind. If it's coming out of Zack's mouth, then it's always important.
When I get back to camp, I tell everyone to get ready, "Zack is meditating, then we're going to go." At least I hope he is; he better clear his head or he isn't going to be any use to us. He'll end up hurting himself. We all sit around and talk as the sky changes from dusk to dark. I can feel the excitement in the air as we enjoy the final minutes with each other before the attack. We are a family and it will always be that way. We share each others excitement along with the fear and the hunger for revenge.
Zack shows up not to long afterwards. We all jump up ready to go. Zack goes over the plan one more time, then we are on our way. As I run through the forest in the direction of the lab, followed by my brothers and sisters, I begin to feel the excitement and anticipation in the air once again. It's finally happening! After all this time, we finally get our revenge.
