Logan gathered the dishes they had left on the table and brought them to the sink. He had eaten dinner with the doctor for every night but one this past week. Though he was no longer on any meds, and the treatments were no longer necessary he still enjoyed her company. But he couldn't kid himself. The void Max left was larger than anything he could think to fill it with. Having company over, no matter now pleasant, couldn't even compare. Maybe if the hurt wasn't so much he could move on.
Sometimes when he closed his eyes the loneliness would creep up on him and before he knew it he would lose himself once again to despair's embrace. So his head rarely touched his pillow. Instead he worked full force on putting away the corrupt politicians and policeman, and avenging all those who didn't have the means to do so themselves.
Infact he had finally wrapped up a story he had been gathering for the last few sleepless nights. Sitting down, she set up the camera and typed the command that started the scrambling of his image. The three screens to his left displayed the video. One set held his eyes, another displayed the scrambling effects and the last combined both. Eyes Only may be a mask that he hid behind so he wouldn't have to face the hardships in his own life. But that wasn't all. He could no longer deny that now, after so long it was a part of how he defined himself.
He quickly reread the facts he had printed out and took a long, slow breath. "Do not attempt to adjust your set. This is a streaming freedom video bulletin. This cable hack will last exactly 60 seconds. It cannot be traced, it cannot be stopped and it is the only free voice left in this city."
*****
Around her, sounds, which now blurred together in her mind, still assaulted her weary ears. They had freed her head from its metallic cage, and though she had a full range of motion, her head hung down as if in supplication to some god to free her from this hell. She had held this position for a length of time she could no longer judge. It may have been a day, it may have been two weeks. Ty had succeeded in distorting her internal clock long ago.
Suddenly, without warning, the constant drone of noise violently stopped leaving an even more deafening silence in their wake. Even this couldn't lift Kat's eyes to examine her surroundings. Through her lids she could see red, as though a bright light was being shined straight at her. This being too intense for her tired eyes to take, she clenched them harder, wincing in pain. She did not have to see for herself, but she could tell that the walls around her were now naked of their propaganda.
Her ears were slow to adjust to the silence, a loud ringing still echoed in her skull. Just barely beyond that she could hear footsteps. Before long she could feel a firm hand take hold of her arm. Slowly, she could feel one of the leather straps that held her down loosen, and then finally release its grip on her wrist.
It was only a murmur in the back of her mind but her heart skipped a beat. Maybe this was her freedom. Maybe Zack had finally come for her. She knew he would come to save her. This lifted her head an inch, but her eyes were still too sore to open.
"Zack?" her voice was barely a whisper, as though any sound too loud would shatter her brief glimmer of hope.
"Shhhh," he hushed in her ear. He was being silent so that they would not know he was here. Yes. That was it. She could recognize those strong hands that worked on her other wrist now. It had to be him. Her savior. But before she could reach a full state of elation she could feel the cool familiar feel of metal once again clamp down. She could feel more hands on her now, loosening her feet from one binding just to place them in another. The thread of hope that laced through her thoughts shattered. Kat could not find the will to fight and she fell from her standing position, free now from her vertical prison.
The floor rushed up quickly at her, but before it hit a network of hands caught her and lifted her onto a bed. The clinking of the chains was like a jackhammer in the blistering silence. Her eyes still clenched tight, she could feel the world move about her. Soon she could feel the slight breeze that indicated the pace at which these people, most likely the X-6, rushed her off to her new cell. Kat tried desperately to let her mind wander into thoughts of sanity, but it always drifted back to one thought: what new horror would await her at the destination?
For the briefest of moments she opened her eyes a slit and above her she could see Ty's face. That was all she needed to see and she clenched her eyes tight again. A tear fell from her eye. She did not cry for herself of for the pain she knew she would have to endure at the end of this transfer. She didn't even cry because she knew soon they would break her. Even now, she could feel her sanity slipping and her humanity escaping her grasp. But instead she cried for her son. She had failed him as a mother in more ways than she could count.
*****
Donovan. He liked how his new name suited him so well. Leave it to Eden and the others to come up with such a fitting codename. Eden had told him that it mean "dark warrior". He liked the sound of that too. Today he had begun to learn their silent language and Ty had told him that soon he would be ready to join them in their games. He thought about this as he lay in his bed, still in the same room overlooking the forest. He ran through some of the hand signals he had learned today. Each were such simple motions, yet the slightest tilt of the hand would warp the meaning. It was a seemingly simple language that he would share with his new family. But to him it was more diverse than English would ever hope to become, and yet so clear that everything was understood and there was no such thing as misinterpretation.
The instructor told him that he was a fast learner, having already taken in half the 'dialogue' in his first lesson, and with the knowledge he had already acquired in this past week of lessons he would be ready to join the others in the later day activities. As he lay on his bed, his hands clasped behind his head, he closed his eyes and envisioned himself out in the field. He would be with his family, working in tandem to complete a common objective. Or, if he proved himself worthy, they would allow him to do solo missions, like he saw Ty and Eden and a select few of the others sometimes do. Though he did not dream, the images lingered with him. And when he drifted off to rejuvenate his body, the left corner of his mouth lifted in a smile.
*****
It had been dark for a while now. The sun had set over five hours ago, and the sliver of moon that floated through the sky offered little illumination. None of this bothered Zack, however, since he needed only the barest of starlight to see with his feline night vision. Satisfied no one was watching he lifted his motorcycle and carried it with him up the two flights of stairs. The rickety, old elevator was too loud. He knew Raven would sort out the noise as non-threatening and remain in her state of sleep, but if Max were trying to rest, he would have awakened her. He didn't want to rob her of the sleep she needed.
When he opened the door, his nose caught a whiff of some sweet scent. He couldn't quite place it so he paid it no attention and quietly wheeled his bike into the apartment. In the corner he saw Max's bike. [I]So she did decide to rest tonight[\I]. With as much stealth as the bike would allow him, he parked it beside Max's. After a quick double check that the door was double bolted and the windows were locked shut, he made his way to the bathroom. After brushing his teeth and splashing his face with water he tiptoed to his room.
He stripped his shirt off and reached over to rub his left shoulder with his right hand. Back at the warehouse he had lifted something funny, or maybe it was when Hugh had almost knocked him over. Zack considered stealing the money they needed instead of getting these seemingly pointless jobs, and they probably could have done it easily. But he didn't want to have to be concerned with running from the law as well as Manticore. And not only that, but he didn't want to give Raven the impression that they were outlaws, even in this dog eat dog economy. How could she respect him if she saw him as a common thief.
Not yet ready for sleep, Zack walked over to the window. His thoughts drifted onto other matters, like if he should round up the other X-5. Were they threatened in anyway? It didn't seem that Manticore was stepping up the search for the lost prototypes. He had checked his messages earlier that morning and no one seemed in need of help. Times like these, he felt useless. There really was no need for a protector with nothing to protect.
Behind him he heard the knob of his door quietly click. His muscles tensed itching for some action, and when the door opened he heard someone quietly slip in and close the door behind them. It was then that the sweet scent he had sensed earlier hit him like a brick wall. Only now, with it's full force could he recognize the natural perfume.
He gripped at the window pane, and fought the primal urges that brewed in his belly. Zack refused to turn around fearful that he might lose himself in an already desperate battle. "Max. What the fuck, are you doing here? Get out."
"Zack," she purred his name in a soft, seductive voice. Her voice sounded closer now though he swore he didn't hear her move. But in this state Zack couldn't trust his sense as they were flooded with craving. "Come here."
"No Max. You need to leave. You don't know what you are doing." He closed his eyes and tried to push his mind onto other things but his body wouldn't have it.
"I know what I want." She was close enough this time that he could feel her breath on his bare back.
"No you don't. Get out of here Max," Zack demanded in a hushed voice.
A shiver ripped through his body as he could feel the warmth of her hand on his side. He could not have this. Zack turned around, trying not to breathe in any more pheromones than he already had, but it could not be helped and every intake of air amplified his impulses. He grabbed her arms, and with the contact of flesh on flesh, he knew he would regret that action. "Max. You have to leave now."
"Why? I thought you would wanted this too?" She traced his abs with her finger, strands of her hair tickled his chest.
"We can't do this, Max. Not now…"
"Then when," she tilted her head up with a defiant look in her eyes.
"You know this will never happen." The words may have been formed in the small part of his sanity that remained, but he found his body pushing her toward the bed.
"I think it will." It may have been a trick his mind was playing with him, but he thought he heard her growl.
"Why are you doing this?" His mind persisted in controlling his words, but his body seemed to be winning this battle.
"Because I need you, Zack. I've always needed you." She placed her free hand on the back of his head.
"That's a lie Max. You never needed me before. You never will."
"You never knew what I needed Zack."
"You need to get over Logan-"
Max cut him off, placing her lips on his in a fiery kiss. He found himself pulling her body closer to him. This was something he had wanted for as long as he could remember. Zack held her in tight embrace. But he knew it was all a lie and a sickening feeling overtook the primal urges within him.
"No," he edged the word in as they pulled back for air. Max pushed in again, she was being irrational in this state of heat. He forced his mind to take control of his body. But he could not resist one last kiss.
Zack pushed her away and turned his head to the side, "Not like this."
"Wha-"
"Not like this." He let go of her and quickly, before the pheromones would take hold of him again, grabbed a shirt and his jacket and sprinted out the door.
Sometimes when he closed his eyes the loneliness would creep up on him and before he knew it he would lose himself once again to despair's embrace. So his head rarely touched his pillow. Instead he worked full force on putting away the corrupt politicians and policeman, and avenging all those who didn't have the means to do so themselves.
Infact he had finally wrapped up a story he had been gathering for the last few sleepless nights. Sitting down, she set up the camera and typed the command that started the scrambling of his image. The three screens to his left displayed the video. One set held his eyes, another displayed the scrambling effects and the last combined both. Eyes Only may be a mask that he hid behind so he wouldn't have to face the hardships in his own life. But that wasn't all. He could no longer deny that now, after so long it was a part of how he defined himself.
He quickly reread the facts he had printed out and took a long, slow breath. "Do not attempt to adjust your set. This is a streaming freedom video bulletin. This cable hack will last exactly 60 seconds. It cannot be traced, it cannot be stopped and it is the only free voice left in this city."
*****
Around her, sounds, which now blurred together in her mind, still assaulted her weary ears. They had freed her head from its metallic cage, and though she had a full range of motion, her head hung down as if in supplication to some god to free her from this hell. She had held this position for a length of time she could no longer judge. It may have been a day, it may have been two weeks. Ty had succeeded in distorting her internal clock long ago.
Suddenly, without warning, the constant drone of noise violently stopped leaving an even more deafening silence in their wake. Even this couldn't lift Kat's eyes to examine her surroundings. Through her lids she could see red, as though a bright light was being shined straight at her. This being too intense for her tired eyes to take, she clenched them harder, wincing in pain. She did not have to see for herself, but she could tell that the walls around her were now naked of their propaganda.
Her ears were slow to adjust to the silence, a loud ringing still echoed in her skull. Just barely beyond that she could hear footsteps. Before long she could feel a firm hand take hold of her arm. Slowly, she could feel one of the leather straps that held her down loosen, and then finally release its grip on her wrist.
It was only a murmur in the back of her mind but her heart skipped a beat. Maybe this was her freedom. Maybe Zack had finally come for her. She knew he would come to save her. This lifted her head an inch, but her eyes were still too sore to open.
"Zack?" her voice was barely a whisper, as though any sound too loud would shatter her brief glimmer of hope.
"Shhhh," he hushed in her ear. He was being silent so that they would not know he was here. Yes. That was it. She could recognize those strong hands that worked on her other wrist now. It had to be him. Her savior. But before she could reach a full state of elation she could feel the cool familiar feel of metal once again clamp down. She could feel more hands on her now, loosening her feet from one binding just to place them in another. The thread of hope that laced through her thoughts shattered. Kat could not find the will to fight and she fell from her standing position, free now from her vertical prison.
The floor rushed up quickly at her, but before it hit a network of hands caught her and lifted her onto a bed. The clinking of the chains was like a jackhammer in the blistering silence. Her eyes still clenched tight, she could feel the world move about her. Soon she could feel the slight breeze that indicated the pace at which these people, most likely the X-6, rushed her off to her new cell. Kat tried desperately to let her mind wander into thoughts of sanity, but it always drifted back to one thought: what new horror would await her at the destination?
For the briefest of moments she opened her eyes a slit and above her she could see Ty's face. That was all she needed to see and she clenched her eyes tight again. A tear fell from her eye. She did not cry for herself of for the pain she knew she would have to endure at the end of this transfer. She didn't even cry because she knew soon they would break her. Even now, she could feel her sanity slipping and her humanity escaping her grasp. But instead she cried for her son. She had failed him as a mother in more ways than she could count.
*****
Donovan. He liked how his new name suited him so well. Leave it to Eden and the others to come up with such a fitting codename. Eden had told him that it mean "dark warrior". He liked the sound of that too. Today he had begun to learn their silent language and Ty had told him that soon he would be ready to join them in their games. He thought about this as he lay in his bed, still in the same room overlooking the forest. He ran through some of the hand signals he had learned today. Each were such simple motions, yet the slightest tilt of the hand would warp the meaning. It was a seemingly simple language that he would share with his new family. But to him it was more diverse than English would ever hope to become, and yet so clear that everything was understood and there was no such thing as misinterpretation.
The instructor told him that he was a fast learner, having already taken in half the 'dialogue' in his first lesson, and with the knowledge he had already acquired in this past week of lessons he would be ready to join the others in the later day activities. As he lay on his bed, his hands clasped behind his head, he closed his eyes and envisioned himself out in the field. He would be with his family, working in tandem to complete a common objective. Or, if he proved himself worthy, they would allow him to do solo missions, like he saw Ty and Eden and a select few of the others sometimes do. Though he did not dream, the images lingered with him. And when he drifted off to rejuvenate his body, the left corner of his mouth lifted in a smile.
*****
It had been dark for a while now. The sun had set over five hours ago, and the sliver of moon that floated through the sky offered little illumination. None of this bothered Zack, however, since he needed only the barest of starlight to see with his feline night vision. Satisfied no one was watching he lifted his motorcycle and carried it with him up the two flights of stairs. The rickety, old elevator was too loud. He knew Raven would sort out the noise as non-threatening and remain in her state of sleep, but if Max were trying to rest, he would have awakened her. He didn't want to rob her of the sleep she needed.
When he opened the door, his nose caught a whiff of some sweet scent. He couldn't quite place it so he paid it no attention and quietly wheeled his bike into the apartment. In the corner he saw Max's bike. [I]So she did decide to rest tonight[\I]. With as much stealth as the bike would allow him, he parked it beside Max's. After a quick double check that the door was double bolted and the windows were locked shut, he made his way to the bathroom. After brushing his teeth and splashing his face with water he tiptoed to his room.
He stripped his shirt off and reached over to rub his left shoulder with his right hand. Back at the warehouse he had lifted something funny, or maybe it was when Hugh had almost knocked him over. Zack considered stealing the money they needed instead of getting these seemingly pointless jobs, and they probably could have done it easily. But he didn't want to have to be concerned with running from the law as well as Manticore. And not only that, but he didn't want to give Raven the impression that they were outlaws, even in this dog eat dog economy. How could she respect him if she saw him as a common thief.
Not yet ready for sleep, Zack walked over to the window. His thoughts drifted onto other matters, like if he should round up the other X-5. Were they threatened in anyway? It didn't seem that Manticore was stepping up the search for the lost prototypes. He had checked his messages earlier that morning and no one seemed in need of help. Times like these, he felt useless. There really was no need for a protector with nothing to protect.
Behind him he heard the knob of his door quietly click. His muscles tensed itching for some action, and when the door opened he heard someone quietly slip in and close the door behind them. It was then that the sweet scent he had sensed earlier hit him like a brick wall. Only now, with it's full force could he recognize the natural perfume.
He gripped at the window pane, and fought the primal urges that brewed in his belly. Zack refused to turn around fearful that he might lose himself in an already desperate battle. "Max. What the fuck, are you doing here? Get out."
"Zack," she purred his name in a soft, seductive voice. Her voice sounded closer now though he swore he didn't hear her move. But in this state Zack couldn't trust his sense as they were flooded with craving. "Come here."
"No Max. You need to leave. You don't know what you are doing." He closed his eyes and tried to push his mind onto other things but his body wouldn't have it.
"I know what I want." She was close enough this time that he could feel her breath on his bare back.
"No you don't. Get out of here Max," Zack demanded in a hushed voice.
A shiver ripped through his body as he could feel the warmth of her hand on his side. He could not have this. Zack turned around, trying not to breathe in any more pheromones than he already had, but it could not be helped and every intake of air amplified his impulses. He grabbed her arms, and with the contact of flesh on flesh, he knew he would regret that action. "Max. You have to leave now."
"Why? I thought you would wanted this too?" She traced his abs with her finger, strands of her hair tickled his chest.
"We can't do this, Max. Not now…"
"Then when," she tilted her head up with a defiant look in her eyes.
"You know this will never happen." The words may have been formed in the small part of his sanity that remained, but he found his body pushing her toward the bed.
"I think it will." It may have been a trick his mind was playing with him, but he thought he heard her growl.
"Why are you doing this?" His mind persisted in controlling his words, but his body seemed to be winning this battle.
"Because I need you, Zack. I've always needed you." She placed her free hand on the back of his head.
"That's a lie Max. You never needed me before. You never will."
"You never knew what I needed Zack."
"You need to get over Logan-"
Max cut him off, placing her lips on his in a fiery kiss. He found himself pulling her body closer to him. This was something he had wanted for as long as he could remember. Zack held her in tight embrace. But he knew it was all a lie and a sickening feeling overtook the primal urges within him.
"No," he edged the word in as they pulled back for air. Max pushed in again, she was being irrational in this state of heat. He forced his mind to take control of his body. But he could not resist one last kiss.
Zack pushed her away and turned his head to the side, "Not like this."
"Wha-"
"Not like this." He let go of her and quickly, before the pheromones would take hold of him again, grabbed a shirt and his jacket and sprinted out the door.