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"Where are they coming from?" Lydecker demanded, seated in the van, waiting for an update.

"We couldn't trace that sir, because the calls were so short, but fortunately we've got to where they're going to, we're guessing it's their meeting place."

"Good, what's the location?" he asked, a smile filling his face. He would have all his children back home soon. He couldn't wait for X6-544 to return home.

"711 Gossamer Street, Sector two." The man replied beside him.

"Good, get us there, but not too close. We don't want to scare them off before they all get there, do we?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In San Francisco, Jondy was ready to retire as the broadcast came on. Her finger had been ready to flick the switch, and yet the prickling sensation at the back of her neck caused her to pause. Sixty seconds later she knew why.

She thought, briefly, about the Eyes Only Broadcast. She threw off the covers and turned off the TV, already dressed in clothes she could run off in. Call it habit.

Then she made the phone call.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The phone and door went simultaneously. A knock and a ring. Bree looked at Max for a moment, met her gaze and knew that some part in Max didn't want to open the door as much as she wanted to hear the voice of her family. Bree moved to the door without a word as Max answered the phone.

She used the peephole, and saw it was two people. Original Cindy stood in the front, and a guy was behind her. He wasn't saying a word, but Bree could still remember his face, and those eyes, from classes they'd been forced through at Manticore. Pictures of the traitors hanging everywhere.

The guy reached out and knocked again, harder this time, and Bree whipped open the door. Cindy walked in to the room, but Zack stopped after one look at her.

In seconds his thumb and forefinger were wrapped around her neck, not allowing her to breathe.

"Who. Are. You?" he demanded.

Although she tried to respond, Bree couldn't breathe much less talk. Cindy, who was already inside the apartment and out of sight, wasn't aware of this.

Bree brought her leg up, twisting it around his arm and kicked him in the side of the head.

She was released immediately, and fell on the floor, holding her throat that suddenly seemed scratched and dry. Zack regarded her from the same position.

The look in his eyes was now surprised at her skill. Having heard the commotion Cindy came back out in to the hall, and surveyed the scene.

"Bree, I guess you already met Zack," she said dryly, helping the girl to her feet. She left Zack, but Bree held out her hand for him. He ignored it and Bree slowly withdrew.

"Jus' Signore his welcome girl, he gets a little too uptight. Close the door behind you." Cindy directed Zack, then walked with Bree in to the other room.

Bree rubbed her throat quietly, until Cindy looked at her once more to see her doing this. "What'd he do to my girl anyways?" She pried her hands away from her neck.

Cindy frowned at the finger marks on Bree's neck, guilt at having left Bree with Zack quickly showing on her dark eyes. "Damn girl, Original Cindy's sorry she left, I thought he all just pushed ya or something. But then again, I guess he's Zack. You a'ight girl?" she asked Bree, the concern thick in her voice. Zack entered the room, looking pissed and baffled at the same time. Cindy sent him a glare.

"I'm fine." Bree replied, almost surprised her voice still worked. Her eyes followed Zack across the room until he stopped in front of her, at his full height, demanding to know who she was.

"She," a voice said, sounding disappointed, "Is Bree." The voice was Max's.

"Wonderful, and how is she involved in this Max? You know damn well she shouldn't be here. Just ship her off with Cindy, then we can figure this out."

"Not that easy," Cindy replied, Zack's flickered to her, then back to Bree.

"And why's that?"

"This girl here, is the one who's in trouble." She replied easily, squeezing Bree's hand.

This time he turned to Max, instead of addressing her over his shoulder. "You said it was trouble with family." He commented.

"She is family Zack," Max finally snapped, coming further in to the room, "Bree is an X6. They've got her tracked to here in Seattle, and we all know it's only a matter of time now."

"Lydecker you mean."

"Lydecker and more," Max replied.

This caught his attention. "More?"

"More." Max confirmed. And so the explaining began.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tinga entered the family room to see Charlie and Case asleep on the couch. A smile lit her face, and she felt safer than ever before. The television was still on, the control in Charlie's hand. The quiet babble filled the otherwise silent room, giving it a homely atmosphere.

Not having the heart to wake Charlie by prying the control from his hand, she approached the set itself, ready to turn it off when an Eyes Only broadcast came on. She left it for a second, as soon as the first few words of the broadcast were out. Barely waiting for it to finish, she scrawled a note to Charlie and Case, saying that she needed to visit a sick friend, but would be back in a couple of days. Then she ran down the block to a payphone to make the phone call.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syl listened to the broadcast with a halfhearted interest until it mentioned her family. She sat straight at the bar, her long blonde hair falling across her face. With a quick swipe she threw it out of her face and tuned in to the broadcast. As soon as a number appeared in her head, she raced across the bar to the payphone, placing her call.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Throughout the explaining Max had begun, the phone rung twice and she had to answer. Each time she left the room to grab the phone, Zack's gaze settled on her. It was a hard, but understanding gaze. And Bree had the feeling he was somewhat in awe of her. The sole X6 to escape. But he was still suspicious, as any normal X5 would be. She doubted even Max would have taken her in, had Bree ex plained that she was an X6. If she hadn't have found out from Logan, then Bree would still be wandering the streets, her gourmet food consisting of stuff from a garbage bin.

Max came in to the room after the last phone call. "That was Syl," she mentioned to Zack, who nodded his head.

"That gives us seven people," he commented.

"Eight people," Bree corrected him. He looked at her. "This is my fight." she explained. Finally a look of what seemed almost like approval came over his face. Even if it was for only the briefest of moments.

Those words left a settled silence over the room. Was it possible to win this fight without dying? Bree wasn't so sure anymore.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~