"You said you needed my help." Tinga sat with Logan at the table, candles lit while they shared dinner.

Logan watched her over the rim of his glasses, trying not to let her know he was watching her, "In exchange I could track down the others for you. perhaps find the surrogate mother they used to carry you to term after the in-vitro work." He seemed very intent on his food.

"I'm not liking this a whole lot."

Logan looked up at her, his face now serious, "The woman you met, Lauren. I need your help protecting her. She supervised workers removing cortodiazapine from gelcaps by hand and replacing it with powdered sugar. Real drug was shipped out of the country. Placebos were distributed to the county V.A. Hospital and veterans' clinics in the area. Lauren's prepared to testify that she was working for one of Edgar Sonrisa's managers and I'm sure you're aware of the lengths he'll go to keep her quiet. With your background and training, the risk goes way down, and she might survive to give testimony. We'll bring a man to justice."

"What if we get caught?"

"If your worried about Manticore.." Logan trailed off, "Tinga, they already know where you are."

"Tactical exposure." Tinga leant back in her seat, "You really think you can find the others?"

"I can try."

"Alright, I'll do it. What about Max?"

"Your Manticore sibling?" Logan shrugged, "We'll wait for her to make the next move."



Logan stood at his window, watching the morning smog start to lift. He'd sent Tinga and his bodyguard Peter out before the sun had risen with Lauren and Sophie, and regardless of the faith he had in the ex-manticore solider, he couldn't help but agonize over wether they'd be okay. He took a deep breath, willing himself to relax, then slowly walked to his television, switching on the set to break the monotony of his silent house.

"She's not here is she?"

Logan jumped, spinning around to come face to face with deep dark eyes and red luscious lips, "You startled me." He tried to regain his dignity, again taking an involuntary step away from the assassin.

Max seemed to sense his fear, and her eyes studied him before she smiled, "Something troubling you?" she asked, resting an arm on the back of his couch, "You seem tense."

"Can I ask what your doing in my apartment?"

Max shrugged, the smile still tugging at her lips, playful, "We didn't get to finish our conversation yesterday."

"Really?" Logan was weary of the woman; he didn't know what to make of her. She was a genetically engineered killer, her sole purpose was to hunt and destroy, and yet she stood in front of him like they'd been friends since high school.

She took a step towards him, closing the gap between them to inches, "I hate dropping out like that."

'Two men and a woman are dead after a shoot-out near the superior court building earlier today. This dramatic footage was captured by police hover dromes.'

Logan tore himself away from Max's penetrating gaze, his eyes taking in the horror of the news bulletin in front of him. A very familiar car swerved to a stop, surrounded by black cars. The front door opened, and Logan identified Peter running out, wincing as he is shot to the ground. A woman flew out after him, Lauren, and Logan watched as she ran off screen, hopefully to safety. . The second passenger door opened, dark hair betraying Tinga. She started to run, then suddenly stopped, her body going ridged. The hoverdrome scans in closer to reveal young Sophie, the girl's face streaked with tears. She struggled in Tinga's arms, and then the older woman fell to her knees, the hoverdrome showing the large bullet hole threw her stomach. Sophie broke free of Tinga as the dead weight fell to the hard ground, and is grabbed by a man in black.

The hoverdrome continued to scan the carnage, until a man in a black ski mask aimed up and shot it, sending static back to the viewers...



Next Chapter soon! I promise. PLEASE review!