Zack was long gone but Max spent another hour sitting, alone, on his bed. What was she doing here? She wished that she could blame it on the hormones that were raging through her blood. But she knew it wasn't just that. She couldn't deny that she came here tonight to get Logan off her mind. Zack had pretty much admitted to her that he loved her. And in the strange frame of mind that she was in, she thought she could love him back.
But Zack could tell that she wasn't sincere, even though she believed that she could learn to love Zack. Max had seen how he had changed, had felt safe with him around. Maybe if she loved him, someone who was here and now, thoughts of Logan wouldn't hurt so much. But Zack knew that wasn't the way it should be done. In the end Max couldn't figure out if she should curse him for pushing her away, or thank him for stopping something they would both regret, no matter how much he may have wanted to.
Either way, she felt guilty for putting him in such an awkward position. 'That was just cruel, Max. The guy just wants to be there for you and you put him to the test this way? What are you thinking girl?,' she chided herself as she stood up, rubbing her arm to get some warmth into it, and walked out of the room and to her ninja.
*****
Raven felt a small jolt of electricity shock her leg through her pocket. Surprised and even startled, she grabbed at the small communicator through her pocket. Instead of beeping or vibrating, both of which made a noise that was too loud for some covert operations, the communicator shocked those in the fields to inform them of incoming calls. She looked around and saw that Ethan was busy with the latest batch of french bread. Good, she thought to herself and pulled out the small messaging device, curious as to who would be foolish enough to message her while she was active.
The screen filled with a useless jumble of symbols. Though she waited for the automatic decryption to ensue she tried to translate the message by herself. The pattern was familiar… Below a message flashed: Initiating decryption algorithm Alpha Sigma Theta Tyger. It was the name of the decryption she shared with Ty and Ty alone. They programmed it together once while out on a rather boring recon mission. Why would Ty be messaging her? She hoped all her siblings were okay. Maybe it was just a friendly note. They all did that sometimes.
Hey Rave. Just dropping a line. Mathews is on some sort of power trip. You're lucky you got out of here so quickly. Though I have the better deal. I've been assigned to break Kat. She's resisting more than Brin ever did, probably because of her son. I gave Eden the pleasure of molding Kat's son. Only after a week he allowed us to rename him. Where are you now? I hear you have been accepted by the rogues. Impressive work. Ty.
Normally she would have smiled to hear from her brother, or any of her siblings for that matter. Normally she would jokingly message back that she would have probably had Kat broken already if she wasn't already an active operative. Normally she would have felt proud that her little sister had successfully indoctrinated someone as lethal as Cole, to the point where his name was his no longer. Normally, but this time something was different. As she read the words a strange feeling brewed in the pit of her stomach. She knew the techniques they would use on Kat, and she cringed at the thought as well as the memory of breaking Brin. The X-5's did not deserve this, they have suffered enough in the hands of their creators…
"Hey, what's that?" Ethan said as he entered the back area where Raven was. At the sound of his voice she snapped the message shut and shoved it back into her pocket.
"Nothing you need to be concerned about."
"It's one of those electronic diaries, isn't it? Where'd you find one of those, my sister wanted one for her birthday."
"Yeah, my brother got it for me a couple months ago." She picked up a can of something or other and pretended it was just what she was looking for.
"So, you wanna come for lunch? I'm gonna go to that sub place down the street," Ethan offered.
She hesitated, he had never offered before, "Sure." Her hunger won out, and she mad a mental note to respond to Ty later.
*****
Two days had passed since that night. Zack was rarely at the loft, this time because he could not stand the tension. Max may have been crazy in heat, but she remembered what she did and what went down. Whether it was from embarrassment of her actions or anger that he had denied her the relief she thought she needed, she would not even lay an eye upon him. Rather, she would just leave the room.
More trucks had come in than usual today at the warehouse, and Zack was thankful for the work. All morning he hauled box after box in an almost rhythmic pattern that proved to be an escape from his life.
"Hey, kid, you got that last box? Careful now, it's a heavy one." Marcus said, and turned with the others to go for lunch.
"Yeah, yeah, I got." Zack said as he bent with his knees and lifted with his legs. It was heavier than usual but easily within his abilities. Yet, he put the appropriate strained look on his face to make it appear that he was actually putting in some effort. As he stepped out of the back of the truck, without warning, a stabbing pain shot up from his foot and his left leg became rubber. He stumbled, tossing aside the package and bracing himself for the fall. He clutched at his leg as the pain grew more intense. The package landed with a metallic crash not far from one of his coworkers, drawing everyone's attentions.
"What the hell... Sam! Are you alright?" They used the only name they had given him.
"What's wrong?"
"Is there blood?"
The concerned words of his coworkers were lost upon his ears as he looked down to see his left arm engulfed by seizures.
Soon his boss kneeled over him shaking his shoulder to awaken him from his daze. "Sam!"
"I...I have to go..." After much difficulty he used his good arm to get up and put his weight on his good leg. Without further explanation he half hobbled, half sprinted out the door of the factory.
*****
The bakery was slow today. Max was sweeping the floor in the front when movement across the street caught her eye. Zack jumped off his bike, not bothering to bring it up to the loft with him and raced inside the building. She looked the clock. It was only 12:30, there was no reason for Zack to be home from his job so early. A sick feeling caught in her throat. Maybe Lydecker had found them. Maybe he was gathering their things and preparing to leave, explaining why he didn't bother to bring his bike up. Max was tempted to see what was wrong when she found her body wouldn't move.
She had been able to avoid him for the last little while even though he had been nice and never brought up that night. A night like that would make for awkwardness all around. But this situation was unavoidable. She would have to put that all behind her. Zack was better than that, he understood why she was like that, and unlike so many other guys, didn't take advantage when she practically threw herself at him. He even gave her space afterward, or so it seemed as he took the afternoon to late evening shifts.
But if Manticore was on their tails again, there were more important things to be concerned about. Enough of this foolishness, she had to go over there and see what was wrong.
"Hey, Mr. Jackson? I'm gonna take my lunch now okay?"
"Sure, Max. Take your time. The day's kinda slow."
"Thanks," Max said. After propping the broom up in a little nook behind the counter she left the door and crossed the street.
*****
Zack could barely unlock the several locks his hands were so shaky. He could feel a cold sweat developing on his brow, and his legs were about to give out soon. If he didn't get that shot in him soon, he wouldn't even be able to inject it into his veins. Once that happened all he could hope for was that he could ride this one out. But by the way these attacks were progressing in intensity he severely doubted he could do that anymore.
Finally the last deadbolt was unlocked and he opened the door, almost falling in the process. He stumbled to his room where the shots were stashed in a vent behind his bed. Thankfully he still had some of the strength his enhanced muscle structure had given him, as he pulled his bed away from the wall. He knelt down and ripped off the vent, not caring that he ripped off some of the drywall in his haste. He pulled out a small vial and a needle. Within the small bottle there was the precious liquid, but Zack noted that his supply was surprisingly low. At that moment however, he couldn't care that he would run out soon. Right now, he just needed some of that in his body.
The valued items now in his positions he sat down in his bed. He filled the needle and was happy to see that there was about another shot's worth left. Setting the needle down, he pulled his jacket sleeve off, and rolled up his sleeve. The tourniquet was around his bicep with practiced ease, but with his unsteady hands the knot was more of a challenge. But Zack was determined and within moments the knot was tight and the veins were already filling with blood exposing their location.
After a few more slaps on the crook of his arm, he took up the needle and pierced it through his skin and injected its contents into his bloodstream. Like every time before the fluid rushed through his veins and again his body was his to control. He fell back onto the bed, his eyes half closed with ecstasy, his breathing deep and calm. In the depths of his mind, he was lost in a happiness he could not describe. There were no worries when he knew his body was his to command. The injection made him, if only for a little while, the master of the war that he waged with his own body.
He was so enveloped in his own bliss that he didn't notice something was wrong, that the injection hadn't fully worked, and he didn't hear when she entered the room.
*****
The room was in a state of disarray, not typical of anything in Zack's possession, but that was not what caught Max's eyes first. On the bed, that was pulled from the wall at a strange angle suggesting it was done in haste, lay Zack himself. She gasped to see him keeled over like a common druggie; his jacket half on his body, the tourniquet she had seen earlier at the diner hung loose around his exposed arm.
It was slight, barely noticeable, but his left hand shook like a caffeine addict needing that first cup in the morning..
"Zack?! What are you doing?" she demanded, but he did not respond. She questioned if he even knew of her presence. To be unaware of one's surroundings was a thing unheard of among the X-5, let alone Zack. Max stepped closer to him and heard a crunch beneath her foot. Under her shoe she had crushed a needle that must have fallen from his limp hand. "Zack?!" a sense of urgency came over her and she rushed to his side.
With her so near he seemed more responsive, but only as though he were just coming out of a deep sleep. His eyes only widened the smallest bit and she could see his pupils focus on her face. "Maxy?" His lips formed a lazy smile.
"Zack. What's wrong? What are you doing?" She stroked strands of his blonde hair back from his brow feeling the heat of his forehead.
"Don't worry about it." A few more seconds and he would be fully conscious.
"What do you mean don't worry about it?" her brows knit with concern, "What are you injecting into yourself?"
He wanted his body to sit up and it did as it should. Quickly, like he still might have time to hide this part of him from Max, he pulled at his tourniquet and put it into his pocket, then pulled his shirt sleeve down. Before the shirt fully concealed them Max saw the track marks.
"Zack, what the..." She grabbed at his arm and pulled up his sleeve again to make sure what she saw was real. But as she stared in disbelief at a Zack she could no longer recognize, a glint of glass caught her eye. "What's that?" she said, and grabbed at the small vial that had taken her attention. Zack tried to block her hand, but was too late and only had time to grasp her wrist with a hand still frail from seizures.
"It's mine, Max. Put it down." His voice was calm but Max could hear the threat underneath. The vial in her possession, she yanked her hand away from his weak grip and stood up out of his reach.
"What are you doing to yourself Zack? Wait..."
Zack heard the sound of recognition in Max's voice as she read the label on the vial. "Give it back to me, Max."
She ignored him, "This is Logan's..."
"It's mine. Just give it to me." He raised his voice.
"What are you doing with these? Logan needs them for his back."
"Come on, Max. He's rich, he can buy more."
"You stole it from him?"
"That guy never liked me, do you think he would give me his medicine? I need that shit Max. Tryp doesn't work for me anymore. So just hand it over." He held his hand out, palm open, awaiting the vial.
"I can't believe you stole it." She turned around to leave the room, but the familiar click of a safety release stopped her in her tracks. When she turned around, Zack stood with a Colt M1911A aimed at her forehead. Her jaw tensed at the sight but then she laughed, "What are you gonna do Zack? Shoot me?" Max held up the small vial, "You would kill me for this?"
"It's mine. Put it down."
"Is it that important to you? That you would kill me after dedicating your life to watching over all of us?"
"Give it to me," he said, taking a step closer and stretching out his left hand, still plagued with slight seizures. Unfortunately his right hand was steady and gripped the hilt of the gun securely.
"Why won't you answer me?"
"Because I would!" he screamed, giving her the answer she never thought she would hear. Shocked, Max could only respond by taking a step back while she held the bottle closer to her breast. The boy who had protected her even if she didn't need it, was now holding a gun to her head over a few milliliters of liquid. What's more, though she did not want to admit it, was that she was the one to give him his first shot of the stuff. She took it from Logan and injected it into Zack's veins without considering the consequences. But how was she supposed to know that saving his life would lead him down this path?
For a brief moment deep in his sapphire eyes she saw a glimmer of the Zack she knew. "I love you Max..." Then, like a candle flame snuffed out by a breeze, the Zack she could recognize was gone, replaced once again by the desperate addict she had walked in on. "Don't make me do this."
"I won't let you live like this." Max said closing her eyes and holding out the bottle. Like a greedy child Zack stepped forward to gather his prize, gun still at eye level with Max. He reached out with his left hand and Max could see how it shook with tremors. I didn't know it would do this to you, she thought to herself, I just wanted to save you like you did for me. I'm sorry. Just before he was within reach she crushed the small bottle in her fist.
"No!" Zack screamed, hitting her hand in a futile effort to save that last precious amount. Her hand knocked open, he could see the blood that welled where the shards of glass had punctured the skin of her palm.
Max inhaled sharply as the liquid seeped into her blood stream. She could feel the warmth spread from her hand, through her veins, and up her arm. With the warmth she could feel the strength it gave her and the elation that came with knowing one's body was reaching its full potential. But only a small amount entered her body through her wounds and heat stopped at her shoulder and began to fade.
She could not imagine what sort of bliss an injection straight into her vein would have given, but she knew that if there had been more, she probably would have been lost in the feeling. So that was what Zack craved. If he went through this on a grander scale, no wonder he became addicted. But it was she who gave him that first injection, she got him hooked.
"You bitch. My tryp doesn't work! You want me to die?"
"No, but you need something better than this."
"You felt it, you know there's nothing better." He stepped toward her once more and pressed the cold barrel of the Colt to her forehead. Even the Manticore born could not move quickly enough to avoid a bullet shot at point blank. Max took her hand and wrapped it around the gun, her blood smearing against the cool metal, and held the Colt tight to her brow.
"If your gonna do it...aim well."
They locked glares, a battle of fire and ice.
For a brief second Max could see his cold exterior falter as he considered what he was about to do. Seeing what could be her only chance she did not hesitate. She hit his wrist with her free hand, wrenching the gun free from his grip with her bloody hand. She threw the weapon out the window hoping to even the score but she knew this was not going to be an easy battle. If he had already taken a shot of Logan's medicine…
Her answer came in a blow to her solar plexus with such force she was thrown across the room.
"Why did you have to do that Max?"
When she was back on her feet, Zack was already standing infront of her, fists at the ready. Max ducked as Zack threw a punch, and missing his aim his fist went through the wall. Using both feet from her crouching position Max gave Zack a quick kick to the gut, pushing him away to give herself some room. With a practiced ease that she shuddered to think about, she slipped into the battle mode that Manticore training had instilled in her.
Zack, barely winded, aimed a roundhouse at her face with such speed that she barely had time to deflect it. In a counter attack Max aimed at the knee of the leg that now fully supported his weight. The joint buckled at the attack but Zack leapt up in the air performing a backward flip. He landed in a crouching position and shot his leg out in a sweeping kick which Max jumped, leaping over Zack's head. The move was not as clever as she anticipated as Zack grabbed her wrist, pulled her straight out of the air, and slammed her into the ground. Not willing to give up she swung her legs up and held his neck between her knees. Using all the strength she could muster she pulled her legs back down, flipping Zack to the ground in the process. After a swift kick to his face, Max released him and stood once again, wiping the blood from her lip.
Zack, too, got to his feet, but paid his wounds no attention, it even seemed like he enjoyed the taste of his own blood. After only a moment's pause he attacked her once again with a barrage of kicks and punches that Max could scarcely see, let alone avoid, they were so quick. It was like she was fighting Raven again. Feeling a wall against her back Max leapt up and kicked at his head. An attack he easily blocked. When she landed again she could feel his arms snake around her neck from behind. His muscles tensed and, by doing so, tightened around her neck. She elbowed him the gut, pulled at his arm and stomped on his foot, but nothing could loosen his grip.
His mouth only an inch from her ear he whispered softly, "Don't follow me Max." And that was the last thing she heard as stars exploded in her eyes and she fell to the ground, unconscious.
But Zack could tell that she wasn't sincere, even though she believed that she could learn to love Zack. Max had seen how he had changed, had felt safe with him around. Maybe if she loved him, someone who was here and now, thoughts of Logan wouldn't hurt so much. But Zack knew that wasn't the way it should be done. In the end Max couldn't figure out if she should curse him for pushing her away, or thank him for stopping something they would both regret, no matter how much he may have wanted to.
Either way, she felt guilty for putting him in such an awkward position. 'That was just cruel, Max. The guy just wants to be there for you and you put him to the test this way? What are you thinking girl?,' she chided herself as she stood up, rubbing her arm to get some warmth into it, and walked out of the room and to her ninja.
*****
Raven felt a small jolt of electricity shock her leg through her pocket. Surprised and even startled, she grabbed at the small communicator through her pocket. Instead of beeping or vibrating, both of which made a noise that was too loud for some covert operations, the communicator shocked those in the fields to inform them of incoming calls. She looked around and saw that Ethan was busy with the latest batch of french bread. Good, she thought to herself and pulled out the small messaging device, curious as to who would be foolish enough to message her while she was active.
The screen filled with a useless jumble of symbols. Though she waited for the automatic decryption to ensue she tried to translate the message by herself. The pattern was familiar… Below a message flashed: Initiating decryption algorithm Alpha Sigma Theta Tyger. It was the name of the decryption she shared with Ty and Ty alone. They programmed it together once while out on a rather boring recon mission. Why would Ty be messaging her? She hoped all her siblings were okay. Maybe it was just a friendly note. They all did that sometimes.
Hey Rave. Just dropping a line. Mathews is on some sort of power trip. You're lucky you got out of here so quickly. Though I have the better deal. I've been assigned to break Kat. She's resisting more than Brin ever did, probably because of her son. I gave Eden the pleasure of molding Kat's son. Only after a week he allowed us to rename him. Where are you now? I hear you have been accepted by the rogues. Impressive work. Ty.
Normally she would have smiled to hear from her brother, or any of her siblings for that matter. Normally she would jokingly message back that she would have probably had Kat broken already if she wasn't already an active operative. Normally she would have felt proud that her little sister had successfully indoctrinated someone as lethal as Cole, to the point where his name was his no longer. Normally, but this time something was different. As she read the words a strange feeling brewed in the pit of her stomach. She knew the techniques they would use on Kat, and she cringed at the thought as well as the memory of breaking Brin. The X-5's did not deserve this, they have suffered enough in the hands of their creators…
"Hey, what's that?" Ethan said as he entered the back area where Raven was. At the sound of his voice she snapped the message shut and shoved it back into her pocket.
"Nothing you need to be concerned about."
"It's one of those electronic diaries, isn't it? Where'd you find one of those, my sister wanted one for her birthday."
"Yeah, my brother got it for me a couple months ago." She picked up a can of something or other and pretended it was just what she was looking for.
"So, you wanna come for lunch? I'm gonna go to that sub place down the street," Ethan offered.
She hesitated, he had never offered before, "Sure." Her hunger won out, and she mad a mental note to respond to Ty later.
*****
Two days had passed since that night. Zack was rarely at the loft, this time because he could not stand the tension. Max may have been crazy in heat, but she remembered what she did and what went down. Whether it was from embarrassment of her actions or anger that he had denied her the relief she thought she needed, she would not even lay an eye upon him. Rather, she would just leave the room.
More trucks had come in than usual today at the warehouse, and Zack was thankful for the work. All morning he hauled box after box in an almost rhythmic pattern that proved to be an escape from his life.
"Hey, kid, you got that last box? Careful now, it's a heavy one." Marcus said, and turned with the others to go for lunch.
"Yeah, yeah, I got." Zack said as he bent with his knees and lifted with his legs. It was heavier than usual but easily within his abilities. Yet, he put the appropriate strained look on his face to make it appear that he was actually putting in some effort. As he stepped out of the back of the truck, without warning, a stabbing pain shot up from his foot and his left leg became rubber. He stumbled, tossing aside the package and bracing himself for the fall. He clutched at his leg as the pain grew more intense. The package landed with a metallic crash not far from one of his coworkers, drawing everyone's attentions.
"What the hell... Sam! Are you alright?" They used the only name they had given him.
"What's wrong?"
"Is there blood?"
The concerned words of his coworkers were lost upon his ears as he looked down to see his left arm engulfed by seizures.
Soon his boss kneeled over him shaking his shoulder to awaken him from his daze. "Sam!"
"I...I have to go..." After much difficulty he used his good arm to get up and put his weight on his good leg. Without further explanation he half hobbled, half sprinted out the door of the factory.
*****
The bakery was slow today. Max was sweeping the floor in the front when movement across the street caught her eye. Zack jumped off his bike, not bothering to bring it up to the loft with him and raced inside the building. She looked the clock. It was only 12:30, there was no reason for Zack to be home from his job so early. A sick feeling caught in her throat. Maybe Lydecker had found them. Maybe he was gathering their things and preparing to leave, explaining why he didn't bother to bring his bike up. Max was tempted to see what was wrong when she found her body wouldn't move.
She had been able to avoid him for the last little while even though he had been nice and never brought up that night. A night like that would make for awkwardness all around. But this situation was unavoidable. She would have to put that all behind her. Zack was better than that, he understood why she was like that, and unlike so many other guys, didn't take advantage when she practically threw herself at him. He even gave her space afterward, or so it seemed as he took the afternoon to late evening shifts.
But if Manticore was on their tails again, there were more important things to be concerned about. Enough of this foolishness, she had to go over there and see what was wrong.
"Hey, Mr. Jackson? I'm gonna take my lunch now okay?"
"Sure, Max. Take your time. The day's kinda slow."
"Thanks," Max said. After propping the broom up in a little nook behind the counter she left the door and crossed the street.
*****
Zack could barely unlock the several locks his hands were so shaky. He could feel a cold sweat developing on his brow, and his legs were about to give out soon. If he didn't get that shot in him soon, he wouldn't even be able to inject it into his veins. Once that happened all he could hope for was that he could ride this one out. But by the way these attacks were progressing in intensity he severely doubted he could do that anymore.
Finally the last deadbolt was unlocked and he opened the door, almost falling in the process. He stumbled to his room where the shots were stashed in a vent behind his bed. Thankfully he still had some of the strength his enhanced muscle structure had given him, as he pulled his bed away from the wall. He knelt down and ripped off the vent, not caring that he ripped off some of the drywall in his haste. He pulled out a small vial and a needle. Within the small bottle there was the precious liquid, but Zack noted that his supply was surprisingly low. At that moment however, he couldn't care that he would run out soon. Right now, he just needed some of that in his body.
The valued items now in his positions he sat down in his bed. He filled the needle and was happy to see that there was about another shot's worth left. Setting the needle down, he pulled his jacket sleeve off, and rolled up his sleeve. The tourniquet was around his bicep with practiced ease, but with his unsteady hands the knot was more of a challenge. But Zack was determined and within moments the knot was tight and the veins were already filling with blood exposing their location.
After a few more slaps on the crook of his arm, he took up the needle and pierced it through his skin and injected its contents into his bloodstream. Like every time before the fluid rushed through his veins and again his body was his to control. He fell back onto the bed, his eyes half closed with ecstasy, his breathing deep and calm. In the depths of his mind, he was lost in a happiness he could not describe. There were no worries when he knew his body was his to command. The injection made him, if only for a little while, the master of the war that he waged with his own body.
He was so enveloped in his own bliss that he didn't notice something was wrong, that the injection hadn't fully worked, and he didn't hear when she entered the room.
*****
The room was in a state of disarray, not typical of anything in Zack's possession, but that was not what caught Max's eyes first. On the bed, that was pulled from the wall at a strange angle suggesting it was done in haste, lay Zack himself. She gasped to see him keeled over like a common druggie; his jacket half on his body, the tourniquet she had seen earlier at the diner hung loose around his exposed arm.
It was slight, barely noticeable, but his left hand shook like a caffeine addict needing that first cup in the morning..
"Zack?! What are you doing?" she demanded, but he did not respond. She questioned if he even knew of her presence. To be unaware of one's surroundings was a thing unheard of among the X-5, let alone Zack. Max stepped closer to him and heard a crunch beneath her foot. Under her shoe she had crushed a needle that must have fallen from his limp hand. "Zack?!" a sense of urgency came over her and she rushed to his side.
With her so near he seemed more responsive, but only as though he were just coming out of a deep sleep. His eyes only widened the smallest bit and she could see his pupils focus on her face. "Maxy?" His lips formed a lazy smile.
"Zack. What's wrong? What are you doing?" She stroked strands of his blonde hair back from his brow feeling the heat of his forehead.
"Don't worry about it." A few more seconds and he would be fully conscious.
"What do you mean don't worry about it?" her brows knit with concern, "What are you injecting into yourself?"
He wanted his body to sit up and it did as it should. Quickly, like he still might have time to hide this part of him from Max, he pulled at his tourniquet and put it into his pocket, then pulled his shirt sleeve down. Before the shirt fully concealed them Max saw the track marks.
"Zack, what the..." She grabbed at his arm and pulled up his sleeve again to make sure what she saw was real. But as she stared in disbelief at a Zack she could no longer recognize, a glint of glass caught her eye. "What's that?" she said, and grabbed at the small vial that had taken her attention. Zack tried to block her hand, but was too late and only had time to grasp her wrist with a hand still frail from seizures.
"It's mine, Max. Put it down." His voice was calm but Max could hear the threat underneath. The vial in her possession, she yanked her hand away from his weak grip and stood up out of his reach.
"What are you doing to yourself Zack? Wait..."
Zack heard the sound of recognition in Max's voice as she read the label on the vial. "Give it back to me, Max."
She ignored him, "This is Logan's..."
"It's mine. Just give it to me." He raised his voice.
"What are you doing with these? Logan needs them for his back."
"Come on, Max. He's rich, he can buy more."
"You stole it from him?"
"That guy never liked me, do you think he would give me his medicine? I need that shit Max. Tryp doesn't work for me anymore. So just hand it over." He held his hand out, palm open, awaiting the vial.
"I can't believe you stole it." She turned around to leave the room, but the familiar click of a safety release stopped her in her tracks. When she turned around, Zack stood with a Colt M1911A aimed at her forehead. Her jaw tensed at the sight but then she laughed, "What are you gonna do Zack? Shoot me?" Max held up the small vial, "You would kill me for this?"
"It's mine. Put it down."
"Is it that important to you? That you would kill me after dedicating your life to watching over all of us?"
"Give it to me," he said, taking a step closer and stretching out his left hand, still plagued with slight seizures. Unfortunately his right hand was steady and gripped the hilt of the gun securely.
"Why won't you answer me?"
"Because I would!" he screamed, giving her the answer she never thought she would hear. Shocked, Max could only respond by taking a step back while she held the bottle closer to her breast. The boy who had protected her even if she didn't need it, was now holding a gun to her head over a few milliliters of liquid. What's more, though she did not want to admit it, was that she was the one to give him his first shot of the stuff. She took it from Logan and injected it into Zack's veins without considering the consequences. But how was she supposed to know that saving his life would lead him down this path?
For a brief moment deep in his sapphire eyes she saw a glimmer of the Zack she knew. "I love you Max..." Then, like a candle flame snuffed out by a breeze, the Zack she could recognize was gone, replaced once again by the desperate addict she had walked in on. "Don't make me do this."
"I won't let you live like this." Max said closing her eyes and holding out the bottle. Like a greedy child Zack stepped forward to gather his prize, gun still at eye level with Max. He reached out with his left hand and Max could see how it shook with tremors. I didn't know it would do this to you, she thought to herself, I just wanted to save you like you did for me. I'm sorry. Just before he was within reach she crushed the small bottle in her fist.
"No!" Zack screamed, hitting her hand in a futile effort to save that last precious amount. Her hand knocked open, he could see the blood that welled where the shards of glass had punctured the skin of her palm.
Max inhaled sharply as the liquid seeped into her blood stream. She could feel the warmth spread from her hand, through her veins, and up her arm. With the warmth she could feel the strength it gave her and the elation that came with knowing one's body was reaching its full potential. But only a small amount entered her body through her wounds and heat stopped at her shoulder and began to fade.
She could not imagine what sort of bliss an injection straight into her vein would have given, but she knew that if there had been more, she probably would have been lost in the feeling. So that was what Zack craved. If he went through this on a grander scale, no wonder he became addicted. But it was she who gave him that first injection, she got him hooked.
"You bitch. My tryp doesn't work! You want me to die?"
"No, but you need something better than this."
"You felt it, you know there's nothing better." He stepped toward her once more and pressed the cold barrel of the Colt to her forehead. Even the Manticore born could not move quickly enough to avoid a bullet shot at point blank. Max took her hand and wrapped it around the gun, her blood smearing against the cool metal, and held the Colt tight to her brow.
"If your gonna do it...aim well."
They locked glares, a battle of fire and ice.
For a brief second Max could see his cold exterior falter as he considered what he was about to do. Seeing what could be her only chance she did not hesitate. She hit his wrist with her free hand, wrenching the gun free from his grip with her bloody hand. She threw the weapon out the window hoping to even the score but she knew this was not going to be an easy battle. If he had already taken a shot of Logan's medicine…
Her answer came in a blow to her solar plexus with such force she was thrown across the room.
"Why did you have to do that Max?"
When she was back on her feet, Zack was already standing infront of her, fists at the ready. Max ducked as Zack threw a punch, and missing his aim his fist went through the wall. Using both feet from her crouching position Max gave Zack a quick kick to the gut, pushing him away to give herself some room. With a practiced ease that she shuddered to think about, she slipped into the battle mode that Manticore training had instilled in her.
Zack, barely winded, aimed a roundhouse at her face with such speed that she barely had time to deflect it. In a counter attack Max aimed at the knee of the leg that now fully supported his weight. The joint buckled at the attack but Zack leapt up in the air performing a backward flip. He landed in a crouching position and shot his leg out in a sweeping kick which Max jumped, leaping over Zack's head. The move was not as clever as she anticipated as Zack grabbed her wrist, pulled her straight out of the air, and slammed her into the ground. Not willing to give up she swung her legs up and held his neck between her knees. Using all the strength she could muster she pulled her legs back down, flipping Zack to the ground in the process. After a swift kick to his face, Max released him and stood once again, wiping the blood from her lip.
Zack, too, got to his feet, but paid his wounds no attention, it even seemed like he enjoyed the taste of his own blood. After only a moment's pause he attacked her once again with a barrage of kicks and punches that Max could scarcely see, let alone avoid, they were so quick. It was like she was fighting Raven again. Feeling a wall against her back Max leapt up and kicked at his head. An attack he easily blocked. When she landed again she could feel his arms snake around her neck from behind. His muscles tensed and, by doing so, tightened around her neck. She elbowed him the gut, pulled at his arm and stomped on his foot, but nothing could loosen his grip.
His mouth only an inch from her ear he whispered softly, "Don't follow me Max." And that was the last thing she heard as stars exploded in her eyes and she fell to the ground, unconscious.