Chapter 23

AN: You guys aren't suppose to be so good to me and review…No one has like this in the past so I take that to mean that this story actually is catching attention.  I was going to make everyone wait until I got at least ten more reviews but I decided that I will be perfectly content if this story makes forty-five reviews and we are almost there. Maybe I'll get lucky and get fifty. Wow fifty whole reviews…mind blowing.  Ok now is the time for me once more to remind you that constructive criticism is not a bad thing.  It is much needed and produces better work.  Tell me if it's confusing, tell me if it's dry; tell me if you laugh to death in the middle of a serious scene.  I take these things into consideration and I do try to fix the flaws that I know are bound to exist.  So who misses Alec?  I do. He seems to have run away for a little bit.  I have been searching for him for a long time and he just keeps hiding.  I just don't seem to be having much luck with more chapters.  I guess its cause I already know how it ends…Anyone jealous of me? Email me and maybe I'll share with you…sort of like spoilers. I always hated it when I had to wait forever to read an update and hated it all the more when those updates never came because the author quit on the story…evil author that I am have done this very crime in the past…but don't worry…much…I don't think I will repeat my offenses on this story…hopefully…But my muse seems to be hanging with Alec somewhere.  I suppose it is my fault producing 58 pages so quickly and not leaving time for the characters to catch up to me.  Maybe I could do a Where's Alec…sort of like a Where's Waldo.  I always loved Waldo…does anyone know what I'm talking about?  If you really want to know I only rant like this when I'm stumped.  Crazy creative writing teacher told me to just write when writer's block hits, so I'm writing.  I really love her for it.  On with the show.  Alec just phoned in said he's gonna be a little late but he'll be by. HUGE THANKS TO HOME…for his help in cable hack writing…credit goes to him for most of the hack.


         
"…This has been the second attempt made and the second that has failed to silence the voice of freedom. Your insistent attempts have proven one thing. Your fear. That as the truth becomes known every citizen of this city, of this country will find ways within themselves to take back what they are rightfully owed.  Eyes Only will not be threatened and the voice of freedom cannot be silenced.  Any further attempts to end these broadcasts will fail. Your cover is blown.  The soldier known as X-5599 is no longer in your service.  The people of this city will no longer sit in silence as your underground assassinations are carried out.  This has been a streaming freedom video…"

            "It seems your little soldiers failed you again, Deck.  The Council is furious about this.  And I don't need to remind you they feel they've humored you long enough.  Make this right.  You won't get another chance." Finishing her congratulatory speech, Renfro walked out of Lydecker's office and he was reminded once more why he hated the woman.

            Lydecker slammed his fist against the desk and ripped his glasses from his face.  He never should have trusted 452 to do the job.  She wasn't ready, she never would be.  Renfro had been right about her all along.  Max may have played the part of dutiful soldier but she never came through.  There was nothing he hated more then seeing her fail time after time.  But soft spot or not, even he had to admit that she wouldn't amount to anything much, true she could take down men twice her size with her pinky but she'd failed on almost every mission he'd ever sent her on, and bad luck just wasn't a good excuse. 

            He couldn't afford to give her any more chances.

            Zack wasn't such a surprise however.  He'd seen 599's betrayal in advance.  That was why Alec had been assigned with him so many times.  And to Lydecker's knowledge Alec had reported all of Zack's little peculiarities as ordered, not that there were many.  Zack had learned early on how to stay in the game.

            What frightened Lydecker the most was the feeling that Max had set off a chain reaction of revolt.  It was Zack now and despite his story, Lydecker couldn't believe that Max wasn't involved in some way, who would be the next to desert?

            There was something odd about that whole unit's behavior lately.  They were behaving like they should, a little better then they should even.  Not that they had problems with behavior since their attempt at escape years ago.  It made Lydecker suspicious of motive and more then a little uneasy.

            Uneasy or not, someone still had to go get Zack.  He was too valuable an asset to leave lying around.  The question was who, who did he trust enough to go out again. 

            Going through the list of names, he could come up with good reasons not to send any of them out.  Alec had spent the most time with him on assignment, naturally he'd be better equipped to track him down, of course it also meant he'd be more likely to join him… Could he take the risk?  There were others who could track him down, Tinga had spent a fair amount of time with him but she showed a disturbing amount of emotion over the Max fiasco, only to be showing next to none now.  Still she had always come back, even after her little run in with the man she thought she loved.

            That had been the deciding factor for Lydecker.  He'd send Tinga first, if she could leave the man she liked to think she was in love with, then tracking down her brother shouldn't be a problem.  If it was, he could always send Alec later.  Not the safest logic, but he didn't have many options.

            And he still had to deal with Max. 

            The video had been convincing however, Lydecker wasn't stupid enough to believe Zack's attempt at a cover-up. It was weak and based only on the validity of the mysterious video.  Besides Max had a past history of betrayal.  To be honest he'd never really believed she'd killed Eyes Only.  It had been too simple, too easy, and too unbelievable.  He thought he'd trained his "kids" better then that.

            Setting aside the fact that the video was a fake, because it was, his team of experts had assured him of it, more then enough evidence existed to convict her.

            Rising from his desk and returning his glasses to his jacket pocket, he picked up the phone and placed his request with one of his foot soldiers.

            "Bring me X-5656. I have an assignment for her.  Also have X-452 escorted to my office when I'm done with 656.  We need to have a little talk about her behavior."