A/N Okay, okay I take pity and give you the next chapter. No more cliff hangers for now. Some questions have come up as to how Asha got Alec's and Max's numbers. Remember Alec tried to pick Asha up in Crash a few chapters back and she did know what he was. So he gave her his number and when she couldn't reach Logan she figured she'd try him. I'm thinking that Logan gave her Max's pager just in case something happened to him and she needed Max's help. Okay enough of that, on with the story….

Minutes later White and his men carried the two women from the house and quickly bundled them into the back of an SUV that had pulled up to the curb. As a precaution and in appreciation of exactly what she was capable of, Max's wrists and ankles were wrapped in heavy shackles while Asha was simply secured with strong ropes. Climbing into the front White nodded in satisfaction to his subordinate, an extraordinary accolade coming from him, and instructed the driver to proceed.

Unknown to White, however, a pair of eyes watched from a nearby rooftop, eyes that needed no night vision scope and no binoculars to see exactly who was being placed in the SUV. As the vehicle pulled away, a figure dressed in black leather quickly descended from its perch.

Alex stood on the street looking after the SUV and swearing softly to himself. He had started to head over to Crash after work intending to see if the redhead from the night before was still around and available. Instead he had found himself heading his motorcycle towards the apartment he had left so hastily the night before. He had no idea why he continued to bother with the blonde. She had made it very clear that her interest was turned towards Logan and Alec wasn't one to bother with an unwilling female. There were too many willing ones around, ones who wouldn't be calling out other men's names when he was making love to them.

Regardless, he had arrived in the area just behind the SUV. Not liking the looks of the vehicle he had pulled his bike into a convenient alley next to a building and quickly scaled to the roof where he could see without being seen. White was incredibly sloppy in that regard. Lydecker would have had men all over the neighborhood as a standard precaution. Alec wondered yet again exactly who White was. He obviously wasn't military as testified to by his complete lack of tactical skills but he was definitely from some covert government agency. Tabling that for now but resolving to see if Logan could put his hacking skills to use to find out more about White, Alec debated on what to do next. Coming to a decision he mounted his bike and headed out.

* * * *

Checking his watch Logan reached for the phone intending to call Max to see what the holdup was, then placed it back down. She had said 45 minutes and it was barely 50 now. No reason to act like a 15 year old schoolboy just because of the night before. Max was still tentative and unsure of their new relationship. He wasn't about to scare her away by going too possessive on her. Sighing he went to the kitchen to check on his preparations once more. Everything was ready and once she arrived he could quickly start their meal while she enjoyed a hot shower. Thoughts of Max in his shower momentarily distracted him and he considered letting the meal wait while he joined her. His mind drifted pleasurably, moving from a shower to a shared whirlpool and he started at the sound of the door to his apartment closing.

"Max…" he began turning and heading to the entrance only to stop short at the sight of Alec. "Oh. Hey. Look Alec, it's not a good time.." only to be cut off by the look on Alec's face and his raised hand.

"White has Max." Alec paused then went on "And Asha. I was going by Asha's place tonight when I saw a black SUV heading that way. Didn't like the looks of the situation so I hung back and did some recon. Next thing I see White and couple of his goons carrying Max and Asha out and stuffing them into the SUV."

"And?" Logan prompted. "Where did they take them? Did you follow? Why didn't you try to stop them?" As he spoke he was moving to his computer room and pulling his gun out of the drawer, checking to see the clip was full before he placed it in his pocket

"Whoa, calm down. I know where they were taking them I've been to White's little HQ remember?" Alec followed Logan who stopped and turned to look at him at that reminder.

"Right. I forgot." He waited for Alec to go on.

"I was outnumbered. They had Max in some heavy-duty shackles and she looked unconscious. No sense my getting caught as well. Despite Max's digs I was a pretty good tactical ops officer at Manticore you know. Figured I'd need some reinforcements so I thought I'd swing by here. We still need more help though, maybe we can pick up Joshua as well." Logan nodded at the sense in Alec's words.

"If I give you the address of White's base can you see what you can dig up on it? Make sure there isn't anything around there we should know about before we go in?"

Logan nodded mind racing. His heart was pounding at the thought of Max captive once more, but he knew he had to stay calm if he was going to help get her out. He was already at his computer as he spoke pulling up his hacking program, fingers flying over his keyboard.

"Why don't I do this while you go pick up Joshua. Hit me when you're almost back and I'll meet you downstairs in the garage." Alec agreed and quickly provided Logan with the information he needed then headed out to collect Joshua. The big transgenic might not have the military training Alec and Max did, but his strength and ferocity, not to mention his loyalty to Max would make him a strong ally. As well, Alec was glad Logan didn't share Max's aversion to guns. His willingness to use one was going to be necessary in the present situation.

****

Max came to slowly, head feeling like it was stuffed with cotton. Shaking it to clear it she tried to bring up a hand to push her hair out of her face only to realize she couldn't move her arms or legs. Blinking she looked around her. From what she could tell she was lying on her side on the floor in a cell of some kind. Her arms were pulled behind her back and secured with heavy metal shackles, and there were similar shackles on her ankles. She heard a moan from her other side and turned her head. There next to her on the floor was Asha similarly restrained but with ropes instead of chains.

"Where are we?" Asha moaned. Max glared at her and spat out.

"You're asking me? You're the one who arranged this little party. So what exactly were you intending with it? Get rid of me so you could have a clear shot at Logan? Guess you forgot to tell your friends to leave you out of the fun once you pulled your turncoat act."

Asha groaned again, unable to refute most of Max's words. True, White had threatened Logan but if she had warned him he probably could have come up with something. Her jealousy and disappointment over Logan's clear interest in Max had overruled her better instincts. Now she was paying in spades. Even if White let her go she realized that Logan would never forgive her if something happened to Max. Knowing Logan he'd find out; she realized that now, too late.

"Look Max. I'm…I'm sorry. White came to me and threatened Logan if I didn't help him find you. I let my jealousy take over and used his threats as an excuse to go along with him. It was stupid and petty of me."

"Yeah right. And if White hadn't decided to bring you along where would you be right now? Handing Logan some phony Dear John letter from me and being right there to console him?" Max's voice dripped ice and her eyes shot daggers at Asha who flinched.

"Look you hate me and you have a right. But we're in this together now. White petrifies me. I don't think he's exactly sane."

"How would you know anyway?" Max questioned suspiciously.

"I…met him once before." Max waited and she continued. "I was doing some S1W recon on a government agency and I was assigned to get to know this guy. It was about 3 years ago and the guy was Ames White He was just an agent then, I think he's more than that now. Anyway I picked him up in a bar one night when he was away from home. We started seeing each other and…"

"You slept with him to get information." Max finished for her when Asha paused.

"Yeah but the thing is I never did get anything. He used me. He knew who I was all along. In the end his agency used what he got from me and a bunch of my colleagues were caught and killed. I don't know why he didn't kill me too. I just know that when he goes into one of his rages he seems crazy enough to do anything." Asha finished and was silent. Max considered what she had said and tried to think how she could use any of it to get them out of the mess they were in. She was still thinking when the sound of footsteps could be heard approaching their cell. In moments the door was opened and two burly guards entered. Wordlessly they hauled Max and Asha up and over their shoulders then turned and proceeded out of the cell.

Ames White stood waiting as his men approached with Max and Asha over their shoulders. When they reached him he indicated two metal chairs and they placed them in them. White signaled and they turned and left him alone with his prisoners. For long moments he simply looked at them then he moved over to a third chair and sat down on it. Max glared at him refusing to initiate a conversation, while Asha sat head down, avoiding his eyes.

"So 452 we meet again." Max refused to answer as he continued. "Pity we can't get to know each other better but I have transportation arranged for you in about an hour. You're a very valuable commodity you know."

"So what you're into white slavery now? I heard government salaries are pretty pathetic." Max quipped.

"Ah still the smart mouth I see. Too bad I can't spend some time teaching you to keep it shut. Consider yourself lucky that you have something that my superiors want, and it isn't that delectable body of yours. At least not in the sense you meant."

Finishing with Max he rose and went to Asha placing a hand under her chin and raising her face to look at him. "Sorry for the treatment my dear but I couldn't risk you having second thoughts and running for help. Once she's gone if you behave you'll be free to go. You have your uses you know." Asha glared at him then to both White's and Max's surprise she spat in his face.

"I'm done with you Ames. This is the last time you'll get anything from me. You're a pathetic excuse for a man you know, hiding behind your guns and your goons. You didn't really ever think I was attracted to you did you?" White's face darkened and he backhanded her hard. Asha cried out as her head snapped back against the chair.

White reached into his jacket and pulled out a gun. "In that case my dear I really have no further use for you. You gave me some pleasure in the past but I can find plenty of willing little whores who can do everything you did and more." Max struggled fiercely with the chains on her writs and ankles to no avail. White had clearly known what the X5's were capable of and there was no way she was breaking out of them. As he raised the gun there were sudden sounds from another part of the building. Gunshots rang out and shouts could be heard. Cursing White turned from Asha looking for the guards but they were not to be seen. He checked Max's shackles and then turned to leave the room.

"I'll be back for you. Don't plan on going anywhere. Even if your fiends are here they won't get back out."

With that he left. Asha raised her head to look at Max as the sounds continued, intermittent bursts of gunfire and an occasional cry of pain." Max, do you think it's Logan?"

Max shrugged. "Maybe. If I was late for dinner he knew I was going to your place. He might have headed over when I didn't show and guessed that something was wrong. Don't know how he would know it was White though. More likely it's some rival agency or something. White doesn't seem the type to make many friends."

As she spoke Max had inched her chair around behind Asha. "I'm going to undo your ropes. Once I do you can untie your ankles."

"Then what?" Asha asked as she felt Max's nimble fingers working on her bonds.

"Then you try to find something to break these chains with." Max grunted.

"Not to worry. I have the key." A new voice interjected. Max looked up in surprise.

"Alec? What are you doing here?" Alec was busy unlocking Max's shackles. As soon as they fell off he turned and broke the rope holding Asha's feet while Max finished up her wrists. More gunfire sounded followed by a howl and the sounds of bodies flying.

"That sounds like Joshua." Max stared at Alec.

"Yeah Dog Boy came along for the fun. Let's move. He and Logan can't hold the diversion too much longer. " At that he grabbed Asha's hand and pulled her along behind him as he led the way from the room. On the way out they passed the body of a guard lying on the floor a key ring next to him.

Max followed Alec keeping a wary eye out for pursuit and he led them down a hallway that opened up into a warehouse. Just inside and to the left Logan stood shielded by a stack of boxes and holding a semi-automatic. He turned and threw Max a smile as she Asha and Alec joined him.

"Where's dog boy?" Alec asked. Logan gestured to the aisle to their right. Alec dropped Asha's hand and melted off into the shadows. "Get out of here. I'll get Joshua and we'll run rear guard." Logan nodded and motioned with his head for Max and Asha to follow. Max dropped back to let the blonde take the middle as Logan led the way out. Behind them they heard occasional sounds but quickly they reached an exit. Logan's Aztek was parked outside and they ran to it and climbed in. Max glanced anxiously out the window looking for Alec and Joshua as Logan started the car.

"Logan, wait. We can't leave them" she protested as her started to leave. Logan ignored her.

"Alec's motorcycle is right there, and if I'm not mistaken here they come." With that he gunned the motor and peeled out as Max saw two figures come running from the building. She sighed in relief as they piled on the motorcycle and quickly followed the Aztek. Within seconds an explosion rocked the building they had been in and Max relaxed back in the car seat, ceasing to worry about pursuit.

Logan reached over and took her hand in his as they drove in silence, heading back to his apartment.