Angel of Darkness
By Astro Purple
AstroPurpl@aol.com
PG for language, violence, and some sexual references, but mostly language.
Timeline: After Jace met Max but before season two with a few minor changes. Okay, okay, rather big changes. I loved Ben, Brin, and Tinga a lot and can't bear the thought of not writing about them. So Brin was rescued safely from Manticore for a third time and is back to normal. Tinga managed to get to Canada, and Max got to Charlie and Case before Lydecker and they're with her. Plus Max managed to drag Ben out of the woods and get him some help. There was a chemical imbalance with his brain that medication corrected.
Summary: An X5 who didn't escape and is now sent to hunt down those who did.
Disclaimer: Dark Angel characters belong to the wonderful people who bring Dark Angel to us.
* * *
"Original Cindy met Fala." Max said after she hung up on her cell. They'd moved from their vigil on the Space Needle during the night to a warehouse in sector 9.
Zack raised an eyebrow as if to ask, well?
"She found out I worked at Jam Pony and she's looking for us. Original passed on a message for her." The other X5s had come to gather around Max to listen. "She said that she needs to talk with us, and that 'others have been sent.' Original didn't know what it meant, but we do." She pauses for a breath. "So what do we do?"
"We find her, what else?" Ben answered, hoping he had echoed everyone's thoughts. "We saw the equipment in her duffel bag. She could have easily taken us out, but she didn't. And we all know Manticore doesn't dwell well on failure."
Zane set the radio he held in his hand, down. "Even if we do reach her, she's got a lot going on inside. We're going to have to be careful with her. She's still dangerous." He added, remembering his encounter with her in the woods that first night.
Jondy agreed enthusiastically. "She may be dangerous, but we're still her older siblings. I'd actually like to test myself against her, not against her weapons. I agree with Ben, we've got to go find her. It's time we show baby sis what it feels like breathing in the fresh air of freedom." She said with a wide grin on her face.
Zack nodded. "We're going to have to scour this entire city for her."
* * *
This is stupid. Her mind echoed to her as she stepped onto the Space Needle. She surveyed the land at her feet, trying to figure out where she should go next. The rest of the day was still waiting, calling for her to spend them searching. But she didn't feel comfortable. All those people, norms, she would have to fit in with them going about their day. Be in close proximity with them, maybe brushing against them, or even touching them. She shuddered at that last thought. There were diseases out here that she didn't even want to think about, let alone get. Her original plan had been to finish her mission as fast as possible before hightailing it back to Manticore. Now, she wasn't even sure what her plan was, if she wanted to finish her mission, let alone if she wanted to go back to Manticore.
She sat down where she was, scooting as close to the edge as possible. "Who am I?" She asked the empty air. "I am X5-387, but I'm also Fala. Can I be both?" Fala wrapped her arms around her knees, rocking herself gently. She had a decision to make, and she had until evening today.
After most of her family had left, they'd been reprogrammed to be less independent. And then more X series were created, although never one as superior as the X5s had been. That fact had always made her proud as she'd walked amongst the other X series. None of them would ever be faster or stronger than her. Where they'd been taught to work alone and handle situations without compromising the safety of the rest of the team they worked with, the other X series had been taught to work as a team. They were always sent off on missions as a team of three or five. Smaller squadrons, but they had to stick together to survive.
After the escape, she was separated from her family that was left. They were assigned to report to different heads and they spent their time training with different series. From what she had heard of the bits and pieces, of the ten of them that were left, two were killed on solo missions in foreign countries, another had died from a severe seizure, three had died from the genetic disease progeria, and then Jace had defected on a solo mission. There were only three of them left. Her, X5-494, and X5- 934.
X5-934, she'd met him once. He was one of the younger ones, just like her, but still older than she was. She hadn't been old enough to understand all the torture; all the questioning conducted after the escape. He had. That one time she'd met him had been purely accidental. Sometimes when she thought back to it, she regretted meeting him, and other times she was glad. He was the one who had let her know there were only three of them left. He was the one who had let her know that Brin had been brought back, but later escaped with the help of two rouge X5s. She'd seen a raw emotion in his eyes when he'd spoke, and it had scared her then. If she closed her eyes, she can remember it, and it still scared her.
* * *
Zane sped on his motorcycle searching the city. He rounded a turn fast enough that if he had moved his hand a foot, he could have touched the ground.
"Be careful!" Ben yelled from his seat behind him as he scrambled to keep from losing skin. "I'm driving next time!"
Zane ignored his brother and continue to speed. They were in a fairly desolate portion of the town, what use to be more tourism than businesses and homes. There were relatively few people about. He screeched to a stop at the end of a major avenue to think. They'd zipped through all the major streets and a couple of the smaller ones. He didn't think he had to 'scour' every inch of the sectors he and Ben had been assigned to. If Fala was looking for them, why would she be hiding from them? And she'd probably run out to see what's going on if she heard his cycle. He revved his cycle as he thought.
Ben tapped his shoulder and pointed towards the Space Needle in the distance. "What do you see up there?" He asked.
He lifted his vision to include the top of the Space Needle and began to zoom in. At first he saw nothing, but gradually as his vision brought him closer he saw something up there. Slowly he began the painstakingly process of clearing up what he saw. Finally detaching the figure from the rest of the Space Needle he realized it was a person. The only indication that anybody was up there was the fact that she or he was just a shade or two darker than the background of the Needle.
"It's Fala." Ben whispered behind him.
Annoyed he twisted around to stare at his brother's face. "How do you know? It's too faraway for even us with super vision to see clearly."
"It's her, I know it is. Who else would be up there? Not any of us, we're all out searching. No norms would dare attempt to climb up there since the only way up is an emergency ladder that could break off at any second."
Zane considered his brother's deduction. "Okay, you're right." He muttered revving up his engine against before zooming off, barely hearing his brother's weak protests about the speed and his driving ability.
The closer they got to the Space Needle; they became positive it was Fala. Ben fumbled with his cell phone, trying to stay on Zane's cycle while dialing one-handed for Zack.
As Zane screeched to a halt beneath the Needle, he rocketed off his seat leaving Ben to finish the call and stable the cycle before following. He clambered up the ladder with only the speed and agility of an X5. As he reached the top, he pulled himself through a hole and into the restaurant portion of what use to be the Space Needle. From there he clambered out through a window.
"Fala?" He called out quietly as he approached the edge. The figure uncoiled herself a little, scooting herself to safer ground. "It's me, Zane." He heard Ben arrive behind him, a little breathless. "And Ben. How are you? We've been looking for you, too."
Fala turned around to face them, throwing only one last look at the setting sun. "I'm fine." She got up slowly. "I have to go now. It's time. Give Tinga my love when she shows."
She moved passed them and re-entered the Space Needle. Wordless, Ben and Zane followed, wondering what she meant. Fala climbed down the ladder, taking her time, reaching the bottom just as other cycles pulled up, carrying the other X5s.
"Fala?" Trisha called out uncertainly as she pulled off her helmet. "What's going on?"
There was still a bit of time. The 'reinforcements' wouldn't be venturing out to search for her until it was totally dark. They shouldn't, but she could never be certain.
"Fala?" Max asked stepping towards her.
"I have… reinforcements coming to help me out." Fala spoke quietly, trying to look like she was intently studying her watch. "She, the new director, doesn't trust me. I have to go meet them in sector four, tonight."
Everyone was silent. Reinforcements to an X5 meant they were relieved of their mission and will be sent back to Manticore by force if necessary.
"Where and who?" Zack demanded, even though he already knew the answer.
Fala shrugged. "She didn't say. Just sector four. Maybe X6 series, X7 series, or even X8. After you guys got away, we were split up. Most of us died or were KIA. There's only three of us left as of three months ago. That number might have changed."
Zack nodded. "Get on your way. We'll follow."
* * *
X5-494 tapped his foot impatiently as he waited. It was a horrible norm quality he'd picked up on one of his first solo missions, but he hadn't been able to get rid of it. He glanced with a bit of disgust at the X6s who'd been assigned to him. Six of them, all a bit younger than him. As if they could take down an X5. He thought to himself. He once again searched the darkness with his keen sight. He cursed silently. Sure she hadn't been told where they would be meeting but it shouldn't take an X5 this long to search the entire sector. He glanced once more at the X6s who were lounging against a building, being bored.
"I'm going to look for X5-387. You six stay here, and out of trouble, or else." He glared at them trying to pound his threat into their measly brains.
The X6s regarded him closely before deciding he meant it and saluted him.
He sighed, trying to keep his anger inside. They were an unruly bunch and didn't take well to superiors of other series. He was lucky they were conceding even now. He headed off leaving them behind, keeping his senses alert.
* * *
Fala slowly proceeded down the empty street nervously, studying her surroundings very carefully. She hated surprises. Especially surprises that involved other transgenics. They normally ended with a transgenic dead or severely hurt.
Self-consciously she reached up and fingered her exposed barcode. Her hair was up and it made her feel extremely vulnerable. She didn't know how she was going to recognize whoever was sent or how they would recognize her, and this was the only option she knew. She had to calm down. The more nervous she was, the better chance the transgenics would have of surprising her. She checked behind her, looking at the rooftops and dark alleys wondering where Zack and the others were. He had said they'd follow her, but she felt alone. Then he appeared.
It was Ben, but it wasn't. She stood there staring at him. His face was expressionless and he was dressed in combat wear. His arms were folded over his chest as he returned her gaze.
"Ben?" She let her sentence trail wondering what she should say. She was mad at herself silently for being surprised and having not heard him approach.
X5-494 felt like smirking. She hadn't been ready for him to appear and obviously there was a lot on her mind since she didn't even remember to state her designation like she should have. Then she'd called him Ben. X5- 493, his psycho twin, or rather clone.
"Ben?" Fala took a few steps towards him, trying to decide what to do. "Ben?" She raised a hand to his face. "I thought…" She had been ready to say she thought he was suppose to be discretely following her, until she saw his eyes.
By Astro Purple
AstroPurpl@aol.com
PG for language, violence, and some sexual references, but mostly language.
Timeline: After Jace met Max but before season two with a few minor changes. Okay, okay, rather big changes. I loved Ben, Brin, and Tinga a lot and can't bear the thought of not writing about them. So Brin was rescued safely from Manticore for a third time and is back to normal. Tinga managed to get to Canada, and Max got to Charlie and Case before Lydecker and they're with her. Plus Max managed to drag Ben out of the woods and get him some help. There was a chemical imbalance with his brain that medication corrected.
Summary: An X5 who didn't escape and is now sent to hunt down those who did.
Disclaimer: Dark Angel characters belong to the wonderful people who bring Dark Angel to us.
* * *
"Original Cindy met Fala." Max said after she hung up on her cell. They'd moved from their vigil on the Space Needle during the night to a warehouse in sector 9.
Zack raised an eyebrow as if to ask, well?
"She found out I worked at Jam Pony and she's looking for us. Original passed on a message for her." The other X5s had come to gather around Max to listen. "She said that she needs to talk with us, and that 'others have been sent.' Original didn't know what it meant, but we do." She pauses for a breath. "So what do we do?"
"We find her, what else?" Ben answered, hoping he had echoed everyone's thoughts. "We saw the equipment in her duffel bag. She could have easily taken us out, but she didn't. And we all know Manticore doesn't dwell well on failure."
Zane set the radio he held in his hand, down. "Even if we do reach her, she's got a lot going on inside. We're going to have to be careful with her. She's still dangerous." He added, remembering his encounter with her in the woods that first night.
Jondy agreed enthusiastically. "She may be dangerous, but we're still her older siblings. I'd actually like to test myself against her, not against her weapons. I agree with Ben, we've got to go find her. It's time we show baby sis what it feels like breathing in the fresh air of freedom." She said with a wide grin on her face.
Zack nodded. "We're going to have to scour this entire city for her."
* * *
This is stupid. Her mind echoed to her as she stepped onto the Space Needle. She surveyed the land at her feet, trying to figure out where she should go next. The rest of the day was still waiting, calling for her to spend them searching. But she didn't feel comfortable. All those people, norms, she would have to fit in with them going about their day. Be in close proximity with them, maybe brushing against them, or even touching them. She shuddered at that last thought. There were diseases out here that she didn't even want to think about, let alone get. Her original plan had been to finish her mission as fast as possible before hightailing it back to Manticore. Now, she wasn't even sure what her plan was, if she wanted to finish her mission, let alone if she wanted to go back to Manticore.
She sat down where she was, scooting as close to the edge as possible. "Who am I?" She asked the empty air. "I am X5-387, but I'm also Fala. Can I be both?" Fala wrapped her arms around her knees, rocking herself gently. She had a decision to make, and she had until evening today.
After most of her family had left, they'd been reprogrammed to be less independent. And then more X series were created, although never one as superior as the X5s had been. That fact had always made her proud as she'd walked amongst the other X series. None of them would ever be faster or stronger than her. Where they'd been taught to work alone and handle situations without compromising the safety of the rest of the team they worked with, the other X series had been taught to work as a team. They were always sent off on missions as a team of three or five. Smaller squadrons, but they had to stick together to survive.
After the escape, she was separated from her family that was left. They were assigned to report to different heads and they spent their time training with different series. From what she had heard of the bits and pieces, of the ten of them that were left, two were killed on solo missions in foreign countries, another had died from a severe seizure, three had died from the genetic disease progeria, and then Jace had defected on a solo mission. There were only three of them left. Her, X5-494, and X5- 934.
X5-934, she'd met him once. He was one of the younger ones, just like her, but still older than she was. She hadn't been old enough to understand all the torture; all the questioning conducted after the escape. He had. That one time she'd met him had been purely accidental. Sometimes when she thought back to it, she regretted meeting him, and other times she was glad. He was the one who had let her know there were only three of them left. He was the one who had let her know that Brin had been brought back, but later escaped with the help of two rouge X5s. She'd seen a raw emotion in his eyes when he'd spoke, and it had scared her then. If she closed her eyes, she can remember it, and it still scared her.
* * *
Zane sped on his motorcycle searching the city. He rounded a turn fast enough that if he had moved his hand a foot, he could have touched the ground.
"Be careful!" Ben yelled from his seat behind him as he scrambled to keep from losing skin. "I'm driving next time!"
Zane ignored his brother and continue to speed. They were in a fairly desolate portion of the town, what use to be more tourism than businesses and homes. There were relatively few people about. He screeched to a stop at the end of a major avenue to think. They'd zipped through all the major streets and a couple of the smaller ones. He didn't think he had to 'scour' every inch of the sectors he and Ben had been assigned to. If Fala was looking for them, why would she be hiding from them? And she'd probably run out to see what's going on if she heard his cycle. He revved his cycle as he thought.
Ben tapped his shoulder and pointed towards the Space Needle in the distance. "What do you see up there?" He asked.
He lifted his vision to include the top of the Space Needle and began to zoom in. At first he saw nothing, but gradually as his vision brought him closer he saw something up there. Slowly he began the painstakingly process of clearing up what he saw. Finally detaching the figure from the rest of the Space Needle he realized it was a person. The only indication that anybody was up there was the fact that she or he was just a shade or two darker than the background of the Needle.
"It's Fala." Ben whispered behind him.
Annoyed he twisted around to stare at his brother's face. "How do you know? It's too faraway for even us with super vision to see clearly."
"It's her, I know it is. Who else would be up there? Not any of us, we're all out searching. No norms would dare attempt to climb up there since the only way up is an emergency ladder that could break off at any second."
Zane considered his brother's deduction. "Okay, you're right." He muttered revving up his engine against before zooming off, barely hearing his brother's weak protests about the speed and his driving ability.
The closer they got to the Space Needle; they became positive it was Fala. Ben fumbled with his cell phone, trying to stay on Zane's cycle while dialing one-handed for Zack.
As Zane screeched to a halt beneath the Needle, he rocketed off his seat leaving Ben to finish the call and stable the cycle before following. He clambered up the ladder with only the speed and agility of an X5. As he reached the top, he pulled himself through a hole and into the restaurant portion of what use to be the Space Needle. From there he clambered out through a window.
"Fala?" He called out quietly as he approached the edge. The figure uncoiled herself a little, scooting herself to safer ground. "It's me, Zane." He heard Ben arrive behind him, a little breathless. "And Ben. How are you? We've been looking for you, too."
Fala turned around to face them, throwing only one last look at the setting sun. "I'm fine." She got up slowly. "I have to go now. It's time. Give Tinga my love when she shows."
She moved passed them and re-entered the Space Needle. Wordless, Ben and Zane followed, wondering what she meant. Fala climbed down the ladder, taking her time, reaching the bottom just as other cycles pulled up, carrying the other X5s.
"Fala?" Trisha called out uncertainly as she pulled off her helmet. "What's going on?"
There was still a bit of time. The 'reinforcements' wouldn't be venturing out to search for her until it was totally dark. They shouldn't, but she could never be certain.
"Fala?" Max asked stepping towards her.
"I have… reinforcements coming to help me out." Fala spoke quietly, trying to look like she was intently studying her watch. "She, the new director, doesn't trust me. I have to go meet them in sector four, tonight."
Everyone was silent. Reinforcements to an X5 meant they were relieved of their mission and will be sent back to Manticore by force if necessary.
"Where and who?" Zack demanded, even though he already knew the answer.
Fala shrugged. "She didn't say. Just sector four. Maybe X6 series, X7 series, or even X8. After you guys got away, we were split up. Most of us died or were KIA. There's only three of us left as of three months ago. That number might have changed."
Zack nodded. "Get on your way. We'll follow."
* * *
X5-494 tapped his foot impatiently as he waited. It was a horrible norm quality he'd picked up on one of his first solo missions, but he hadn't been able to get rid of it. He glanced with a bit of disgust at the X6s who'd been assigned to him. Six of them, all a bit younger than him. As if they could take down an X5. He thought to himself. He once again searched the darkness with his keen sight. He cursed silently. Sure she hadn't been told where they would be meeting but it shouldn't take an X5 this long to search the entire sector. He glanced once more at the X6s who were lounging against a building, being bored.
"I'm going to look for X5-387. You six stay here, and out of trouble, or else." He glared at them trying to pound his threat into their measly brains.
The X6s regarded him closely before deciding he meant it and saluted him.
He sighed, trying to keep his anger inside. They were an unruly bunch and didn't take well to superiors of other series. He was lucky they were conceding even now. He headed off leaving them behind, keeping his senses alert.
* * *
Fala slowly proceeded down the empty street nervously, studying her surroundings very carefully. She hated surprises. Especially surprises that involved other transgenics. They normally ended with a transgenic dead or severely hurt.
Self-consciously she reached up and fingered her exposed barcode. Her hair was up and it made her feel extremely vulnerable. She didn't know how she was going to recognize whoever was sent or how they would recognize her, and this was the only option she knew. She had to calm down. The more nervous she was, the better chance the transgenics would have of surprising her. She checked behind her, looking at the rooftops and dark alleys wondering where Zack and the others were. He had said they'd follow her, but she felt alone. Then he appeared.
It was Ben, but it wasn't. She stood there staring at him. His face was expressionless and he was dressed in combat wear. His arms were folded over his chest as he returned her gaze.
"Ben?" She let her sentence trail wondering what she should say. She was mad at herself silently for being surprised and having not heard him approach.
X5-494 felt like smirking. She hadn't been ready for him to appear and obviously there was a lot on her mind since she didn't even remember to state her designation like she should have. Then she'd called him Ben. X5- 493, his psycho twin, or rather clone.
"Ben?" Fala took a few steps towards him, trying to decide what to do. "Ben?" She raised a hand to his face. "I thought…" She had been ready to say she thought he was suppose to be discretely following her, until she saw his eyes.
