Chapter 2:Boston, where hair doesn't frizz and trails never go cold 2/7



"It's been six months boo. You at least owe him a line or some mess. Not to mention the rest of our sorry-"

"We've been over this before. And if you weren't my boo I'd hang up on you." I joke cutting Original Cindy off. Yeah I'd been gone for six months. Yeah every day I thought about calling them all and telling them where I was, especially Logan. Thing was though I didn't want any of them knowing where exactly I was.

This is the second call I'd placed to O.C. and it is only cause I need to talk to somebody. This silence is driving me insane. I never thought I'd miss having a close friend around all the time. But I do. After six months on the road you get down and since O.C. has always been like a ray of sunshine in this otherwise drab world I figure it is worth risking the call.

"Where ya chillin boo? Or is that still straight up none of your sista's business. Cause I gotta say that this mysterious vibe of yours is all good but Original Cindy needs more of the down low if ya know what ya boo is gettin at."

There it was. Everyone wants to know what I am doing and where I am. Well I am not doing much of anything besides moving around and hiding from everyone; Picking up a job now and then in towns along the way. I can't stay anywhere for long. I've seen how determined Logan can get when he is looking for something. And from my training at Manticore I know that everyone leaves a trail, I am in no way excluded from that.

Sure part of me knows that Logan wouldn't come and hunt me down. He hadn't even asked me to stay. Jury is still out on whether or not that hurts. But I know that he could and I guess that's what has kept me on the run.

"You know I'd love to come clean with you boo but I aint hangin round here for long anyway. I'm heading out tomorrow."

"Sure Sugar. Original Cindy's not gonna get down on her knees and beg like a fella. She ain't even gonna bring up the fact that she can keep it a secret from her boo's shorty."

"I bet she can. If it is really that important to you I'm in Boston." I lie; I was in Boston a month ago.

"Sugar you trading one apple for another. What's Boston got that's better then this hole?" I have to smile at her comments and remember once again that there really isn't anyone else quite like her.

"Less rain. What can I say my hair gets all frizzy and its hell to comb through." There is a fight over the phone and before I know it someone else is on the line, the sounds of an angry O.C. and a busy Jam Pony in the background.

"Max, Max is that you."

"Yeah Sketch." he sounds slightly like an annoyingly hyper seven year old.

"Normal has it seriously in for you when you come back. Said he doesn't care where your scar is and even if you have a million doctor's notes you won't ride for Jam Pony on his watch. I figure you're a shoe-in." I wonder how to answer this flippantly when I hear O.C. in the background and another struggle for the phone.

"Give me that phone fool. You gonna kill us all wid that idiotic excuse for words you throwin out." I can't help but chuckle at that.

"I take it you haven't told them."

"Told them what boo. You coming back point blank aint no fella on earth like your fella. Aint no fella on earth can keep ya way. Short you stepping up to the all girls team, you coming back." I don't have the energy to argue back. I wouldn't be able to change her mind anyway.

"That Max, tell her she's fired, and your five minutes are up. Hot run. Don't stand there wasting space move, bip bip bip." Normal's voice came through the receiver.

"Same old Normal." I comment

"Same old Subhuman Specimen. Listen Max keep in touch. I aint got no tragic love affair wid ya. An I aint got no reason to hunt ya down, only to make sure ya don't go to butch on me. Straight up, you aint got no reason to shut us all out."

"Yeah. I gotta jet."

"Cya Boo." and with that she hangs up the phone. Yeah I wish I could see her, she could make sense of this mess.





"Logan I'm sure she's out of Boston by now."

"Yeah she was probably out of Boston long before she told Original Cindy. That's not what I'm looking for." I reply to Asha's exasperated remark. Honestly I wish she'd stop hanging over my shoulder and babysitting.

"What are you looking for then?"

"I'll know when I find it and if I am in the mood maybe I'll tell you. Which I don't think with happen. Don't you have something better to do then hang around here all the time?" maybe I crossed a line but I was really getting sick of her comments. The whole "Logan she's gone.", "Logan you aren't going to find her.", and my favorite, "Logan she isn't coming back." charade has gone on long enough.

"Logan, she obviously doesn't want to be found. I mean she-" I cut her off.

"Asha, you don't know her. You don't like her. And your too busy trying to get me to give up on her and force your way in to be subtle. Honestly I don't enjoy your little lectures and I don't need them. When you have information for Eyes Only then you can come back. But if you are going to sit here and tell me what to do you can leave." well I feel a little better after that but she doesn't seem to get it.

"Logan, look at you. You hound her old friends; spend nights tracking down any obscure lead you can find. Logan you even tapped the phone at Jam Pony. This can't be good for either of you. I don't care who she is. I don't care what you two have been through. You aren't doing your job. You aren't doing anything but going crazy locked up here in your private torture chamber. Come with me to Crash tonight. Get out of this apartment. Get her out of your head. She is gone. You aren't going to find her. She isn't coming back." Should I give her a standing ovation?

"Encore. Bravo. No really it was good stuff. I almost felt like maybe you meant it in an unselfish way. Now if you'll excuse me the exit is that way and I have work to do." I say turning around toward my computer.

"Logan.-" I turn back around quickly and cut her off angrily.

"Asha I meant it. As we sit and exchange pleasantries her trail is growing colder. I've managed to follow her to Boston and if I lose her there it's because of you." I accuse coldly. "Leave." Finally she nods and leaves. I am not going crazy. I am doing my job. And I am not going to lose her now. Maybe I should go to Crash tonight. Original Cindy might have more information on her whereabouts.