Logan stood in shock, unbelieving. Tinga was dead. She'd gone out for him, put her life on the line, and it was his fault she had been killed.

"Pity."

Logan turned, Max still stood where he'd left her, but her teasing smile was replaced by a disgusted frown. "Pity?" he echoed her words, unable to comprehend her meaning.

"They wanted her alive. She risked her life for nothing." She paused, "I thought she'd know better."

"Not that you'd care." Logan went on the defensive, angry with himself for Tinga's death, and with the woman in front of him, who didn't seem to realise the enormity of his guilt.

"Hey." Max's sharp voice jarred him slightly out of his own self-pity, "Your not the only one who lost someone. She was my sister."

"If you two are such close siblings, why so persistent to take her back?"

Max paused, as if weighing her words before answering, "We're not even human. We don't belong out here. She betrayed everything we stood for when she ran away. She betrayed her own family."

"And found her freedom."

Max laughed, short and clipped, "Spare me the propaganda, I'm not interested."

"Really?" Logan watched her intently, "What do you think they'll do to you when they find out you failed to 'complete your objective?' That you let your target be killed?"

Max's eyes narrowed, "I'll accept whatever's handed out to me. Like a soldier."

"So you'll go back? Let your life be lived by some military command?"

"It was what we were made for." It was said in a whisper, more to herself then anything else.

"You can stay Max." Logan's eyes settled on hers. Being a 'journalist' meant getting people to do things they don't usually do. He'd picked up a few tricks along the way. "I can set you up. Help you melt into the background."

"You can't hide from them." An unconscious gesture, her hand moved to the back of her neck, where she rubbed her barcode behind her hair, "They'll find me."

Logan could tell he was loosing her. She started to back up, and Logan became frantic. This went further then just helping an innocent prisoner escape from her own living hell. Somewhere deep inside he knew he needed her to stay.

"Max." he reached out to grab her arm, to stop her from running off until he could find a way to make her stay, when she caught it in an iron grip, bruising his hand instantly. Her gaze narrowed, and Logan felt chills down the back of his neck.

"I'm going now." She let go of his hand slowly, then back away to his door. She took one last look at him before slipping out, once again leaving Logan alone.



Short but sweet. ( What did you think? Want more? Review~ and I promise they'll come.