Author 2

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Jondy gave up on trying to escape and finally opened her eyes a little while ago so she could get me too feed her. Now she's just sulking, glaring at me with fire in her eyes. We've been having a silent staring contest for over an hour. I tried grilling her on where Manticore had chosen to set up a base point, and where they're keeping Logan, but she wouldn't say a word. Well, nothing useful, anyway. She did tell me at length what a cowardice traitor I am, and when that didn't bother me, she told me that Manticore's only trying to bring me back because it's where I belong, and they have my best interests at heart, blah blah, but I told her to shut up, hence the sulking. I didn't bother pressing too much for any info. Bitchy messenger from hell she may be right now, but I still can't help thinking of her as my sister. So, now that it's dark, I'll just have to look around on my own.

Pointedly turning my back on Jondy, I walk over to where OC is dozing against a tree, and gently shake her awake. She blinks sleepily at me, covering a yawn.

"Wha..What is it?"

"I'm gonna go look and see if I can find out where they're holing up. Think you can keep an eye on Jondy 'til I get back?"

"Sure sugga, s'long as she's tied up. Just make sure ya make it back here. Original Cindy don't even wanna think about tryin ta deal with yer girl over there in the mornin." I can see through her tone. She's worried. I keep my voice just as lightly jesting, reassuring her.

"I'll be back, Jondy get's worried if I stay away too long."

"I hope they drag you back screaming." Jondy spits. I grin cockily at her and slip away into the trees. Once I'm out of sight I let my grin fade. Even in soldier mode, Jondy's usually not that nasty. She really isn't taking all of this very well. I inwardly shrug. I can worry about her later, right now I've got a job to do.

As much I want to get straight to searching the bases until I see Manticore special ops., but I take a slight detour, and head towards the cabin so I can scope it out. I feel kinda bad making OC stay in the woods for the night, but if the coast is clear, I can move her and Jondy inside in the morning, while I think of a plan to get Logan out of wherever they're keeping him. If they haven't killed him already. No, they wouldn't have, he's too useful to them, and besides, he's their bait for catching me. They wouldn't kill him yet. It would ruin their advantage over me. They wouldn't kill him yet.

I near the edge of the clearing around the cabin and stop, my senses on high gear, my heart suddenly hopeful. There's light coming out of one of the windows. Did Logan make it out? Maybe they didn't come after him in the first place. Maybe he just left to meet an informant. I just sent myself on the biggest emotional roller coaster of my life, cry my ass out thinking I got him killed, and set out to search Manticore out so I could find him, just so he could meet an informant?! That self-centered bastard! He could have at least mentioned that he was meeting somebody! Who's so important that he'd leave in the middle of the night just to meet them, anyway? Icy realization oozes down into the pit of my stomach. What if it's not an informant. If it's some bitch I am gonna kick his scrawny ass 'til he won't know up from down. If it's an informant, I'll do the same thing.

Hunching low, I creep up to the window and peer in to see which option it is. It takes me only a moment to see that I'm right, Logan's there, sitting in a chair facing me, his eyes closed. But it only takes me another moment to notice that he's tied to the chair, and that there's bruises on his face. I carefully move so I can see the room better, just barely bringing my eyes above the windowsill. There's a soldier sitting across from Logan, a gun resting on his lap. Another is dozing near the fireplace. They must have only put a few here so that it was more inconspicuous. They only need a few for prisoner guard, the rest must be out looking for me, not guarding Logan. Logan…there's blood running from the corner of his mouth, trickling down his neck. His left eye is blackened, and there are red marks on his cheeks. Logan I'm so sorry. I just wish you could hear me.

Logan snaps his eyes open at a sound that I can't hear through the window. I tear my eyes away from his beaten face to follow his eyes and see what he's looking at. Lydecker. Just seeing him standing there in the doorway is enough to make my blood boil. He's the one who's done this to Logan. He's a dead man.

But not yet. Even if the other two soldiers aren't smart enough to think of it, the minute I go in the building, Lydecker's gonna have a gun to Logan's head to hold him as a hostage. He starts talking, and I edge the window up a little to listen.

"-I trust you've had some time to think things over? It's very simple really, you tell us where the girl is, and keep your nose out of our business, and we let you walk away from here a free man." Liar. Logan's already in too deep for them to just let him walk away. When I get my hands on that piece of slime he'll be pissing out of his ears. Logan smirks.

"Don't waste your breath, cause I'm not falling for it. I was dead the minute you came through my door. It's just not official yet."

"That can be changed." Lydecker's eyeing Logan like a cat eyes a mouse.

"And even if you catching her didn't mean a bullet was going straight through my head, I'd never sell Max out." Always the noble hero. If it wouldn't blow my cover I'd kiss him for that. Lydecker socks Logan in the stomach with the butt of his gun. My nails dig trenches into the windowsill as I hear Logan's grunt of pain. I'm so sorry, I tell him again silently. This is all my fault.

"Maybe you don't understand how this works. I ask you a question, you tell me the answer, and I let you go. The sooner you give me that answer, the less painful this is for both of us." Yeah right, Deck. I've seen the look in your eyes when you watch torture sessions. You get that smug, superior look on your face. I've seen your eyes light up like a little boy at Christmas when they break. You enjoy seeing the torture in people's faces, just cause it makes you feel important, and you can run to the director wagging your tail cause you've got another success report.

Lydecker leans down in Logan's face, eye to eye, and takes one of his fingers, bending it backwards. "Where is Max?"

"Couldn't tell ya." An awful cracking sound fill the room as Lydecker snaps the finger. Logan's teeth are clenched, his breath coming in tight hisses through his teeth as he struggles no to cry out.

"I think you can. Where is Max?" Logan doesn't say anything, just stares ahead. Don't you touch him you asshole. A second finger snaps. I'm seeing red. I pick up a rock and hurl it through the window, catching Lydecker in the back of the head. Crude but effective. He slumps to the ground as the other soldiers whirl around, guns ready. I run around to the nearest door and stand beside it, my back against the side of the cabin. Come and get me assholes.

They take the bait. The one that was asleep by the fireplace comes out, his back tense. A quick blow to the head and he's down.

"Rick!" The other comes running out. How dumb can you get? He joins his partner on the ground. I wait, but no more come out, and I don't hear anyone else. I cautiously slide around. No one's there. I jump over the downed soldiers and dash in, hugging Logan and the back of the chair from behind.

"Surprise." I whisper, kissing the top of his head.

"Max," he breathes. I kiss his head again and start to untie him. That finished, I start to look up to meet his eyes but my gaze catches on his broken fingers. I watched Lydecker break them. I was right there, but I didn't stop him. I'm such a coward. He stands up and pulls me into a hug, squeezing me tight. "Thanks." I wrap my arms around him gently. "For almost getting you killed?"

"For saving my life." I smile against his shirt.

"Come on, let's get out of here."