Ty sat staring at the blank screen before him not knowing what to say. He needed to report to the General, to tell him that Raven needed to be brought home now. She had been roaming around with the rogues long enough. But he didn't know how to say that their strongest soldier had been turned.
But there is no other way to get around it. Raven had to be among her family again. A quick command on the keyboard and the screen came to life. He need only wait a few moments before the general's face appeared.
"Ty. I was not expecting to hear from you until you got back. A written report will suffice."
"I have dire news General."
"Oh?" Mathews' interest was peaked, concern seeping into his eyebrows.
"I have reason to believe Raven has been exposed to the rogue propaganda too long," his hesitation was so brief that Mathews did not notice, "I believe she may have gone rogue."
Mathews' head cocked slightly to the side as his brows furrowed with a conflicted doubt. The thought of Raven being turned had never crossed his mind for an instant, and yet Ty would have no reason to lie. "What makes you say this?"
"She is here with the X5 in Seattle."
"What do you mean she is in Seattle? Raven said she and the X5 were in Canada."
"And this is the proof of her betrayal."
General Mathews' expression turned rigid, "And you would suggest?"
"Bring a team down here and bring her back to Manticore. The sooner we bring Raven home, the easier it will be to bring her back to us."
"Do you believe Raven would have had enough time to warn the others and fled by now?"
"Raven would rather hide in plain view then run away."
"Hmmm." Mathews paused, looking of the screen as he thought. "I have no operatives readily available, aside from you and Donovan, and I will not underestimate them. But I need X5m and X5z immediately for a…project." He paused again and Ty waited patiently.
"I'll set something with Detail. They'll make up something to freeze Seattle. When Donovan returns, head back to the base. Eden, Fox and Quince will be available at o-six hundred hours, we will meet in the debriefing room and plan your course of action then."
"Understood." Ty nodded and he waited for the General to end the transmission. When Mathews' face blinked out, Ty slowly took in and let out a deep breath. He felt like he was backstabbing his own sister, but it had to be done. Raven could not be lost to them. She couldn't turn her back on her family.
*****
Lydecker didn't mean to spy at first. He had been walking down the hall when he heard Mathew's voice trail down the hall. 'Stupid man,' Lydecker thought as he slowly crept toward the office, 'doesn't even know to shut his door…'
"…she is in Seattle? Raven said she and the X5 were in Canada."
'What?' Lydecker furrowed his brows, 'Raven had lied to the General?' Lydecker wanted to laugh aloud. Mathews was so cocky and here he was, with his strongest X6 pulling the wool over his eyes. Deck should have been more concerned about losing such a skilled operative, but his growing hatred for this 'commanding' officer overshadowed any distress.
"…I need X5m and X5z immediately for a …project…"
Deck felt his stomach churn. There was no way he would let Mathews take his kids and warp them like all those other failures in that, that sick hall of zombies. Especially not his top two prototypes.
"…I'll set something up with Detail. They'll be able to freeze Seattle…"
Deck waited patiently standing outside Mathews door, leaning casually against the wall as though he were waiting to be called in. He nodded nonchalantly so some of his colleagues that passed, before once again listening intently to Mathews.
"…We will meet in the debriefing room…"
With his conversation ended with Ty, Mathews immediately dialed another number and put it on speaker phone. The imbecile. Didn't he understand that everything done at Manticore was highly classified and should be spoken of quietly? Yet Lydecker was grateful for Mathews' incompetence.
The other line picked up. "Detail."
"Agent Peak."
"One moment."
There was a pause on the line before another female voice answered, "Peak here."
"I have people in Seattle I don't want getting out. Can you handle that?"
Another pause, Agent Peak seemed to be thinking about it. "I can shut it down so that no one is allowed in or out, but as for keeping them in… there will be no guarantees."
"And if I commission a thousand soldiers to you?"
"A thousand?" She was surprised by the number, most times she was only given a few men to work with. "Keep them along the city limits, it might improve our chances but again there is no guarantee."
"That will do."
"I'll have the late breaking news ready for broadcast soon."
"See that you do."
In his own mind Lydecker planned what he would do. He had to get to Seattle and with Mathews sending that many people he would most likely go unnoticed. The only problem is how would he find his kids before the X6 got there?
*****
Max was in the alley with the still unconscious Zack. She was perusing through the clothing that was left out to dry a couple stories up to find something that would fit him. Though there was little light with the burgeoning darkness of night, Max wasn't concerned, she could see in the dark as well as she could in the light. Finding an appropriate shirt, a charcoal colored button up shirt that looked like it would fit him, she looked around to make sure no one was looking. Confident that they were beyond prying eyes Max leapt up, kicking off the walls of the alley until she caught the shirt and allowed herself to drop. Using her legs to absorb the impact she landed easily and made her way to Zack. He was laid out on some old foam cushions that someone had thrown out.
Out cold as he was Zack seemed almost peaceful. She had never seen him like this before, and she suspected she never would again. Especially not after what happened today. Cole, in Seattle? Max was still shaking from that confrontation. Cole didn't even seem to recognize his father. His attacks were so furious it was like watching Zack, oddly helpless, caught in a blinding sandstorm.
If Cole was attempting to kill his own father, it could only mean one thing: Manticore had her claws deeply rooted in him. Max shook her head at the loss as she stripped off Zack's blood-stained shirt, careful not to disturb the makeshift bandage on his head. She propped him up in a sitting position and put his arms into the newly acquired shirt.
It was because of Cole that Max had finally begun to see how human Zack could really be and now, with it confirmed that his son was lost to him, Max didn't want to think of what downward spiral he might fall into. She could only hope he would be as strong as he had always been before.
Little did she know that he had already began his descent…
Raven returned from the grocery store with gauze and bandages and a bit of alcohol, which she had to swipe because they wouldn't have let her buy it. She redressed his wounds using the alcohol as disinfectant as Max looked for a suitable pair of pants.
His shirt opened in the front, she double-checked to make sure there were no hidden wounds. Stripping his lower half to his boxer briefs, Raven studied the bullet wound in his leg. The bullet hadn't done much damage, thankfully missing bone and artery, and after pouring a little alcohol Raven bandaged it up without much concern. Manticore healing would ensure a fast recovery. What did worry her was the concussion he got from that bullet that nicked his head. It must be serious to have knocked him out for this long, and there were no signs of him awakening soon.
If she'd only gotten there sooner, she reprimanded herself mentally, he would be fine.
*****
Donovan returned to the Seattle base and sought Ty out. He found his older brother sitting in a newly refurbished tactical room, sitting at a computer with eight or so screens, some larger then others, all arranged in a seemingly haphazard manner. He was researching something, but by the way he sat it was obvious that it was more a boring way to pass time then necessary recon for mission.
Ty sensed his brother's return and acknowledged him. "And how was your first mission?"
"Disappointingly easy. If Manticore wants them dead, don't they even suspect that they are in danger?"
"A rare few do. Most are too confident in their security and the rest never see it coming." Ty finally looked away from the several screens and turned to look upon Donovan. His clothing looked disheveled and this concerned Ty. "Were there complications?"
"The assassination went smoothly, only one shot, but I did not notice that she had a guest. I had a run in…"
"With who?" Ty's brows knitted with concern.
"Are there any other Manticore X series active in Seattle?"
"Who did you run into?" They were both dodging the other's questions.
"A man, he was with my target when she died. He displayed incredible speed and strength, like we have. And he…he confronted me." Donovan hesitated, he did not want to tell Ty of his headaches nor his strange dreams or visions or whatever those were. If anyone found out they might deem him unfit and unable to complete an assignment.
"What did he look like?"
Donovan closed his eyes, cautious to call upon his memory for fear of unwanted visions. They came despite his efforts: a flash of Zack smiling down at him, a brief view of Zack taking off his jacket and tenderly wrapping it around him… The false memories threatened to consume him and his eyes flew open. Thankfully the visions disappeared. "Blonde hair, blue eyes, I believe his name was Zack…"
"Was? Did you kill him?" Ty straightened in his seat.
"No…" Donovan was interested in his brothers recognition of the description, "Why? Who is this person?"
Ty turned back to the computer and typed something. The large central screen came to life with pictures. Most were blurry, the subject was obvious running at high speeds when the pictures were taken, but there was one that was strikingly sharp. The sapphire eyes were unmistakable. "Yeah, that's him…Who is he?"
"A rogue X5. Several escaped from Manticore back in '09."
So he was an X, that would explain so much…but if he was rogue since '09 why would Donovan be having these memories of him? "Why would they run away?"
"No one knows, but they are intent on destroying our home. What did he say to you?"
Again Donovan hesitated, did he want to tell this to Ty? But then what reason did he have to keep this from Ty? "He said…he said he was my father."
Ty nodded a new times, and seemed almost disgusted as to what he was about to say, "He fathered us all."
That was the last thing Donovan expected to hear, but the words were comforting. "What do you mean?"
"He was the C.O. of the X5 generation. When he led them to escape he deprived Manticore of much needed soldiers. The scientists had to scramble to create a further enhanced prototype and quickly, so they combined the genetic makeup of Zack and his second in command, Max." A drawing of Max was pulled up and Donovan had to stifle his gasp. It was the brown haired lady that he saw following Zack out the building. She was an X5 as well?
"So technically he fathered us all."
"But the way he said it and... and how he called me…"
"Those rogues will use any excuse to get us on their side. They don't have a strong enough force to dare attack the base, especially not with us newer generations around."
Donovan was somewhat relieved. That did not explain the memories he had, but knowing that he was not alone in being the son of this rogue was enough to comfort his anxieties. Just as Eden had done time and again back at the base, Ty was reaffirming that it was with the X6 that he belonged.
"It is good that you have met him already."
"And why is that?"
"It is easier to track someone you have met in person then from just pictures."
"We are supposed to track them?"
"When more resources are sent we will hunt them down and bring them back to Manticore. The General has plans for them."
Donovan didn't know how to respond to that, should he have been happy?
"So you said that Zack was your target's guest? Who was she?" It was simple curiosity that lead Ty to ask the question.
Donovan pulled out the woman's pictures. There was no harm in showing him especially now that the subject was already dead. "I was never told her name, or why…" his words drifted off as he saw Ty's eyes widen briefly then fill with what seemed to be sorrow. It was a strange thing to see on Ty's face and he quickly hid it.
"Alyssa…"
*****
With Zack tended to Max and Raven headed to Logan's place. Logan had the proper supplies to stitch up his wounds, and it would be more sanitary then some back alley. Only a block away Max abruptly pulled over and came to a screeching stop. Raven hastily followed suit, almost losing Zack in the process.
"What's wrong?" Raven asked, but she looked up ahead to answer her own question. There were police cars, regular and undercover, lined up on the curb in front of Fogle Towers. As though someone was taunting Max a radio announcer's voice made it's way to her ears relaying to her what she was seeing.
"There seems to be something happening at Fogle Towers. Rumors are flying that it was a drug bust or police raid on a major player of a pedophile ring, but nothing has been confirmed. However the most supported rumor is that earlier this evening there was a murder…"
"Logan," was the first thing to come to Max's mind. She flashed back to when Zack had run past her and Raven, and Cole coming out of the building across the street. The roof of that building would have been a perfect perch from which to kill Logan in his penthouse…
Max revved her engine and sped off toward the police line. Raven not far behind.
They tried, though failing miserably, to look inconspicuous as they half carried, half dragged Zack toward the doors.
Suffice it to say a police officer stopped them. "Woah, woah," he raised his hands to stop them, "Who's he?"
"Brother."
"Cousin." The both said in unison. Neither was ever used to letting someone speak for them. Max looked at Raven and gave her a look.
Max smiled, "He's my cousin, her brother."
"What's wrong with him?" The officer asked, looking at how his feet were dragging on the ground.
"He's had one to many, officer. Got into a little fight…"
The officer pursed his lips, but with Max smiling so sweetly he eventually nodded and let them pass. Besides, that boy needed to get to a bed.
Finally in the building the other officers paid them no attention as they headed toward the elevator. It took forever for one to come back down to the lobby. And it took a small eternity for it to get back up to the penthouse suite.
Max didn't even wait for the doors to fully open before she burst out, leaving Raven to carry Zack, a task she easily handled. She was relieved to see that there was no police tape around his doors but that didn't mean he was safe… Only seeing him alive and breathing would assuage her fears. "Logan? Logan?"
Logan stepped out from his office and Max let out a sigh of relief walking quickly over to him and kissing him. She could feel in his kiss that he knew what had transpired somewhere else in his building. When they pulled back from each other he proved her right, "Alyssa's dead."
"Alyssa?"
Max never did like the doctor but she still felt the pain of such a loss. The doctor had risked a lot to save Zack, but she didn't even hesitate to cure him. She would be missed…
Raven came in carrying Zack over her shoulder. She looked around for a bit before deciding to rest him down on the physio table that Logan had never had the time to put away.
She too heard Logan's words, and they saddened her deeply. Alyssa was a great asset to have, especially here on the outside, when there was no access to Manticore Doctors or scientists.
Looking down on Zack's serene face, she mourned for him as well. Raven knew from the way Zack interacted with her that there was a special bond between the two. By the way Zack ran out of the stair well earlier it was obvious that he must have been there to witness her death. He had lost so much in such a little time. Raven squeezed her father's hand. If she was to liberate her family from Manticore, just as he did for his X5, is this what she would have to face? Would she even be able to handle it all?
*****
The halls were relatively empty as the day at Manticore came to a close. Lydecker easily slipped into the debriefing room and looked around. He remembered when he would stand at the front of a room very similar to this and tell his X5 what the objective of their next mock operation would be. That only proved to strengthened his resolve. He would not let Mathews get his grip on more of his children. He had to warn them.
He looked around once more and found a suitable spot. As he walked over to the inconspicuous chair he pulled out the small bug from his pocket and secured it to the underside of the seat.
*****
Raven scaled down the side of the building. Stopping just before Alyssa's window, she reversed her position, hanging upside down like a bat. Slowly she inched herself lower until just her head peaked into the window. She studied the dark room momentarily with her night vision. The body was gone, but the blood was still there filling the room with its metallic smell, the kind of scent that clung to the back of the throat for days. She wondered what must have gone through Zack's mind seeing Alyssa killed before him, and by his son at that… Raven couldn't even begin to imagine.
Pulling herself to the side Raven entered through the already shattered window. She stalked quietly on her tiptoes when finally a shine by a table caught her eye. It was a black helmet with red paters across it. Zack's helmet. Raven picked it up to find it full of syringes and vials.
Shoulder muscles she didn't know were tense, relaxed at the sight. The room was heavy with death and she was happy she found what she was looking for so quickly.
The helmet and supplies nestled securely in her bag, Raven caught up her rope and headed back up. On the way many thoughts raced through her head. Should she warn them that they had to leave the city? Ty had told her that Manticore was looking to recapture the X5 for stage three experiments. But did she want to tell them that she had spoken to her brother? Would they believe her a traitor if she did? Somehow she had to warn them that they had to leave, she just couldn't figure out how.
When she reached the apartment she found Zack still lying unconscious and Max and Logan glued to the television set.
"With the death of sixteen people, all displaying similar symptoms, the government has issued a state of quarantine on Seattle. No one will be allowed to come in or out until the viral agent can be identified."
The scene switched to a man dressed in a suite, standing at a podium, the American emblem behind him, "It is not yet known how this disease is transferred from host to host and we cannot risk it being and airborne virus. We have declared the lockdown to prevent a wide spread epidemic."
Again the screen came back to the anchor, "Border checkpoints have already turned back anyone trying to cross, and travel between sectors is being shut down as I speak. Knowing the police will have a hard time securing the entire city with their resources alone the government has issued a thousand men to help. You will be informed immediately of any further advancements in this story. This is Riviera Peak reporting."
"There is now way this is just coincidence." Max said and the report ended and they were returned to their regularly scheduled programming.
Logan got up and went to his computer, not even sitting down he leaned over and once again hacked into the hover drone control center. He got the video feed from the one closest the Manticore base and sure enough huge crowds of soldiers were forming in the night, being unloaded from huge choppers.
There was a strange mixture of apprehension and relief that filled Raven. With the presence of Manticore confirmed she wouldn't need to warn them, and reveal that she had had contact with the X6 this whole time. And yet with Manticore here and no doubt searching for them they might very well be as good as caught. Especially if Ty and the others were assigned to the job.
Max looked back over her shoulder "With Zack in the condition he is there is no way we will be able to get out of here…"
"But we can't just stay here…" Logan looked at her, worried.
"Our best option is probably to stay here, maybe in another apartment, or possibly camp out on the roof." Raven put forth, true to her form.
"What makes you say that? Up here we are sitting ducks."
"Moving around we will be easily found as well. Remember that I found you by following your scent trail. But we aren't nearly as sensitive as bloodhounds and a scent trail will fade quickly beyond our ability to sense it. At least by staying here our scent trail will dissipate and they will have nothing else to follow."
"But they will be able to find us eventually if we just sit here..."
"Yes, but that will take days, even with all the men they have. I'm sure we'll figure something out by then…" Raven was trying to emit confidence even though she was a little unsure of her plan. In all her real life experience she was always the predator, never the prey. Sure, there were the "escape and evade" drills, but she had never had to consider a situation where her own siblings were tracking her down.
"If Cole found us here, won't they check this building first?"
"We just have to hope they don't think they would be stupid enough to return here. Besides, something must be going down if they haven't come back here already…"
Max and Logan seemed to be humbled at what she implied.
Max turned to her lover, "Logan, you can't be a part of this…"
"What?" he had been expecting to go with them wherever they went.
"I don't want you to be hurt."
"And I don't want you dead, or worse…"
"I'll come back to you, I promise." She looked at him, running a hand through his hair, until she rested it on the back of his head and pulled him gently toward her, laying a tender, reassuring kiss on his lips.
"Here," Raven interrupted the moment, handing Max a syringe and vial that she had retrieved. "You should take this now."
Max nodded and took the needle, filling it with the fluid from the vial. Rolling up her sleeve she found a vein and injected the cure without even wincing. The slight fiery tingling spread all throughout her body, and she closed her eyes inhaling deeply. She could almost feel each of her muscles strengthening.
*****
Donovan sat down in the helicopter, almost ecstatic to leave this haunted city, even if it were only for the night. Though he did look forward to going with his siblings to capture their "father". Maybe if Zack and Max were locked away deep in Manticore the strange images would be locked away with them. And he might be able to return to a normal life with the X6.
The blades slowly began to whir and Donovan watched them increase in speed, slicing through the blackness of this weary night and shredding the thickening air. Just before they lifted off Ty jumped in beside him.
They had nothing else to say to each other as they hovered off the ground. Ever since Donovan showed Ty the woman he had killed, Ty had been unusually quiet.
Donovan turned away from his brother and stared out the front of the helicopter. The edges of his sight began to blur and he blinked a few times, reaching up to rub his eyes, thinking it was just because he was tired from this day's exertions. In his head he began to develop a dull ache.
Then, ever so silently he heard a familiar voice screaming, just barely audible under the drowning sounds of the helicopter blades. "Cole!'
Zack's voice was screaming out to him, addressing him by that strange name again. He was almost scared to look out his window, but he couldn't stop himself. Turning his head he saw Zack far below, sprawled on the ground. He raised a shaky hand in the air trying to somehow reach out to him. "Kat! Cole!" he yelled over and over again, so loud it seemed his vocal chords might tear. His pleads were full of sorrow and loss.
Donovan couldn't bring himself to turn his head away from the sight and for reasons unknown to him he raised a hand to the window. It was then that he saw the shackle that trapped his wrist. Pulling his hand back down to his lap, he saw that both his wrists and ankles were chained together. 'What was going on?' His breathing quickened to a frenzied pace.
His eyes darted to Ty's hands beside him and they, too, were bound with metal shackles. Wait, no, those weren't Ty's hands, they looked so feminine…
Afraid as to what he might see, Donovan's eyes drifted slowly up to the face of the person who now sat beside him. All his muscles tensed and he froze with dread, like a deer caught in headlights, when he saw her face.
It was the woman he had killed in the forest. Was that her name? Kat? Why was she haunting him like this? She smiled at him though it was obvious she was tired, and spoke, her voice so warm, soothing and oddly familiar. "Cole, honey, are you okay?"
'That name again!' He didn't know how to respond. His visions were talking to him, this had to be a vision. She smiled at him expectantly, and then asked again, though this time her soft voice was replaced by Ty's, "Are you okay?"
Hearing Ty, Donovan blinked a few times and the woman disappeared, Ty, once again, in his seat beside him looking very concerned. Outside his window Zack, too, had vanished.
"I-I'm fine." Donovan breathed deeply to try and slow his heart, which was beating so fast it threatened to rip a hole in his chest.
"Man, you look like you just saw a nomalie."
Donovan didn't listen to Ty, he was still shaken from what he saw. There was no way that could be a true memory. He wouldn't believe it. His mind must have been playing strange games with him.
Again, deep in his mind, Zack's voice echoed, "You were stolen from me."
He looked out the window once more as they sped over the city, "I'm fine."
But there is no other way to get around it. Raven had to be among her family again. A quick command on the keyboard and the screen came to life. He need only wait a few moments before the general's face appeared.
"Ty. I was not expecting to hear from you until you got back. A written report will suffice."
"I have dire news General."
"Oh?" Mathews' interest was peaked, concern seeping into his eyebrows.
"I have reason to believe Raven has been exposed to the rogue propaganda too long," his hesitation was so brief that Mathews did not notice, "I believe she may have gone rogue."
Mathews' head cocked slightly to the side as his brows furrowed with a conflicted doubt. The thought of Raven being turned had never crossed his mind for an instant, and yet Ty would have no reason to lie. "What makes you say this?"
"She is here with the X5 in Seattle."
"What do you mean she is in Seattle? Raven said she and the X5 were in Canada."
"And this is the proof of her betrayal."
General Mathews' expression turned rigid, "And you would suggest?"
"Bring a team down here and bring her back to Manticore. The sooner we bring Raven home, the easier it will be to bring her back to us."
"Do you believe Raven would have had enough time to warn the others and fled by now?"
"Raven would rather hide in plain view then run away."
"Hmmm." Mathews paused, looking of the screen as he thought. "I have no operatives readily available, aside from you and Donovan, and I will not underestimate them. But I need X5m and X5z immediately for a…project." He paused again and Ty waited patiently.
"I'll set something with Detail. They'll make up something to freeze Seattle. When Donovan returns, head back to the base. Eden, Fox and Quince will be available at o-six hundred hours, we will meet in the debriefing room and plan your course of action then."
"Understood." Ty nodded and he waited for the General to end the transmission. When Mathews' face blinked out, Ty slowly took in and let out a deep breath. He felt like he was backstabbing his own sister, but it had to be done. Raven could not be lost to them. She couldn't turn her back on her family.
*****
Lydecker didn't mean to spy at first. He had been walking down the hall when he heard Mathew's voice trail down the hall. 'Stupid man,' Lydecker thought as he slowly crept toward the office, 'doesn't even know to shut his door…'
"…she is in Seattle? Raven said she and the X5 were in Canada."
'What?' Lydecker furrowed his brows, 'Raven had lied to the General?' Lydecker wanted to laugh aloud. Mathews was so cocky and here he was, with his strongest X6 pulling the wool over his eyes. Deck should have been more concerned about losing such a skilled operative, but his growing hatred for this 'commanding' officer overshadowed any distress.
"…I need X5m and X5z immediately for a …project…"
Deck felt his stomach churn. There was no way he would let Mathews take his kids and warp them like all those other failures in that, that sick hall of zombies. Especially not his top two prototypes.
"…I'll set something up with Detail. They'll be able to freeze Seattle…"
Deck waited patiently standing outside Mathews door, leaning casually against the wall as though he were waiting to be called in. He nodded nonchalantly so some of his colleagues that passed, before once again listening intently to Mathews.
"…We will meet in the debriefing room…"
With his conversation ended with Ty, Mathews immediately dialed another number and put it on speaker phone. The imbecile. Didn't he understand that everything done at Manticore was highly classified and should be spoken of quietly? Yet Lydecker was grateful for Mathews' incompetence.
The other line picked up. "Detail."
"Agent Peak."
"One moment."
There was a pause on the line before another female voice answered, "Peak here."
"I have people in Seattle I don't want getting out. Can you handle that?"
Another pause, Agent Peak seemed to be thinking about it. "I can shut it down so that no one is allowed in or out, but as for keeping them in… there will be no guarantees."
"And if I commission a thousand soldiers to you?"
"A thousand?" She was surprised by the number, most times she was only given a few men to work with. "Keep them along the city limits, it might improve our chances but again there is no guarantee."
"That will do."
"I'll have the late breaking news ready for broadcast soon."
"See that you do."
In his own mind Lydecker planned what he would do. He had to get to Seattle and with Mathews sending that many people he would most likely go unnoticed. The only problem is how would he find his kids before the X6 got there?
*****
Max was in the alley with the still unconscious Zack. She was perusing through the clothing that was left out to dry a couple stories up to find something that would fit him. Though there was little light with the burgeoning darkness of night, Max wasn't concerned, she could see in the dark as well as she could in the light. Finding an appropriate shirt, a charcoal colored button up shirt that looked like it would fit him, she looked around to make sure no one was looking. Confident that they were beyond prying eyes Max leapt up, kicking off the walls of the alley until she caught the shirt and allowed herself to drop. Using her legs to absorb the impact she landed easily and made her way to Zack. He was laid out on some old foam cushions that someone had thrown out.
Out cold as he was Zack seemed almost peaceful. She had never seen him like this before, and she suspected she never would again. Especially not after what happened today. Cole, in Seattle? Max was still shaking from that confrontation. Cole didn't even seem to recognize his father. His attacks were so furious it was like watching Zack, oddly helpless, caught in a blinding sandstorm.
If Cole was attempting to kill his own father, it could only mean one thing: Manticore had her claws deeply rooted in him. Max shook her head at the loss as she stripped off Zack's blood-stained shirt, careful not to disturb the makeshift bandage on his head. She propped him up in a sitting position and put his arms into the newly acquired shirt.
It was because of Cole that Max had finally begun to see how human Zack could really be and now, with it confirmed that his son was lost to him, Max didn't want to think of what downward spiral he might fall into. She could only hope he would be as strong as he had always been before.
Little did she know that he had already began his descent…
Raven returned from the grocery store with gauze and bandages and a bit of alcohol, which she had to swipe because they wouldn't have let her buy it. She redressed his wounds using the alcohol as disinfectant as Max looked for a suitable pair of pants.
His shirt opened in the front, she double-checked to make sure there were no hidden wounds. Stripping his lower half to his boxer briefs, Raven studied the bullet wound in his leg. The bullet hadn't done much damage, thankfully missing bone and artery, and after pouring a little alcohol Raven bandaged it up without much concern. Manticore healing would ensure a fast recovery. What did worry her was the concussion he got from that bullet that nicked his head. It must be serious to have knocked him out for this long, and there were no signs of him awakening soon.
If she'd only gotten there sooner, she reprimanded herself mentally, he would be fine.
*****
Donovan returned to the Seattle base and sought Ty out. He found his older brother sitting in a newly refurbished tactical room, sitting at a computer with eight or so screens, some larger then others, all arranged in a seemingly haphazard manner. He was researching something, but by the way he sat it was obvious that it was more a boring way to pass time then necessary recon for mission.
Ty sensed his brother's return and acknowledged him. "And how was your first mission?"
"Disappointingly easy. If Manticore wants them dead, don't they even suspect that they are in danger?"
"A rare few do. Most are too confident in their security and the rest never see it coming." Ty finally looked away from the several screens and turned to look upon Donovan. His clothing looked disheveled and this concerned Ty. "Were there complications?"
"The assassination went smoothly, only one shot, but I did not notice that she had a guest. I had a run in…"
"With who?" Ty's brows knitted with concern.
"Are there any other Manticore X series active in Seattle?"
"Who did you run into?" They were both dodging the other's questions.
"A man, he was with my target when she died. He displayed incredible speed and strength, like we have. And he…he confronted me." Donovan hesitated, he did not want to tell Ty of his headaches nor his strange dreams or visions or whatever those were. If anyone found out they might deem him unfit and unable to complete an assignment.
"What did he look like?"
Donovan closed his eyes, cautious to call upon his memory for fear of unwanted visions. They came despite his efforts: a flash of Zack smiling down at him, a brief view of Zack taking off his jacket and tenderly wrapping it around him… The false memories threatened to consume him and his eyes flew open. Thankfully the visions disappeared. "Blonde hair, blue eyes, I believe his name was Zack…"
"Was? Did you kill him?" Ty straightened in his seat.
"No…" Donovan was interested in his brothers recognition of the description, "Why? Who is this person?"
Ty turned back to the computer and typed something. The large central screen came to life with pictures. Most were blurry, the subject was obvious running at high speeds when the pictures were taken, but there was one that was strikingly sharp. The sapphire eyes were unmistakable. "Yeah, that's him…Who is he?"
"A rogue X5. Several escaped from Manticore back in '09."
So he was an X, that would explain so much…but if he was rogue since '09 why would Donovan be having these memories of him? "Why would they run away?"
"No one knows, but they are intent on destroying our home. What did he say to you?"
Again Donovan hesitated, did he want to tell this to Ty? But then what reason did he have to keep this from Ty? "He said…he said he was my father."
Ty nodded a new times, and seemed almost disgusted as to what he was about to say, "He fathered us all."
That was the last thing Donovan expected to hear, but the words were comforting. "What do you mean?"
"He was the C.O. of the X5 generation. When he led them to escape he deprived Manticore of much needed soldiers. The scientists had to scramble to create a further enhanced prototype and quickly, so they combined the genetic makeup of Zack and his second in command, Max." A drawing of Max was pulled up and Donovan had to stifle his gasp. It was the brown haired lady that he saw following Zack out the building. She was an X5 as well?
"So technically he fathered us all."
"But the way he said it and... and how he called me…"
"Those rogues will use any excuse to get us on their side. They don't have a strong enough force to dare attack the base, especially not with us newer generations around."
Donovan was somewhat relieved. That did not explain the memories he had, but knowing that he was not alone in being the son of this rogue was enough to comfort his anxieties. Just as Eden had done time and again back at the base, Ty was reaffirming that it was with the X6 that he belonged.
"It is good that you have met him already."
"And why is that?"
"It is easier to track someone you have met in person then from just pictures."
"We are supposed to track them?"
"When more resources are sent we will hunt them down and bring them back to Manticore. The General has plans for them."
Donovan didn't know how to respond to that, should he have been happy?
"So you said that Zack was your target's guest? Who was she?" It was simple curiosity that lead Ty to ask the question.
Donovan pulled out the woman's pictures. There was no harm in showing him especially now that the subject was already dead. "I was never told her name, or why…" his words drifted off as he saw Ty's eyes widen briefly then fill with what seemed to be sorrow. It was a strange thing to see on Ty's face and he quickly hid it.
"Alyssa…"
*****
With Zack tended to Max and Raven headed to Logan's place. Logan had the proper supplies to stitch up his wounds, and it would be more sanitary then some back alley. Only a block away Max abruptly pulled over and came to a screeching stop. Raven hastily followed suit, almost losing Zack in the process.
"What's wrong?" Raven asked, but she looked up ahead to answer her own question. There were police cars, regular and undercover, lined up on the curb in front of Fogle Towers. As though someone was taunting Max a radio announcer's voice made it's way to her ears relaying to her what she was seeing.
"There seems to be something happening at Fogle Towers. Rumors are flying that it was a drug bust or police raid on a major player of a pedophile ring, but nothing has been confirmed. However the most supported rumor is that earlier this evening there was a murder…"
"Logan," was the first thing to come to Max's mind. She flashed back to when Zack had run past her and Raven, and Cole coming out of the building across the street. The roof of that building would have been a perfect perch from which to kill Logan in his penthouse…
Max revved her engine and sped off toward the police line. Raven not far behind.
They tried, though failing miserably, to look inconspicuous as they half carried, half dragged Zack toward the doors.
Suffice it to say a police officer stopped them. "Woah, woah," he raised his hands to stop them, "Who's he?"
"Brother."
"Cousin." The both said in unison. Neither was ever used to letting someone speak for them. Max looked at Raven and gave her a look.
Max smiled, "He's my cousin, her brother."
"What's wrong with him?" The officer asked, looking at how his feet were dragging on the ground.
"He's had one to many, officer. Got into a little fight…"
The officer pursed his lips, but with Max smiling so sweetly he eventually nodded and let them pass. Besides, that boy needed to get to a bed.
Finally in the building the other officers paid them no attention as they headed toward the elevator. It took forever for one to come back down to the lobby. And it took a small eternity for it to get back up to the penthouse suite.
Max didn't even wait for the doors to fully open before she burst out, leaving Raven to carry Zack, a task she easily handled. She was relieved to see that there was no police tape around his doors but that didn't mean he was safe… Only seeing him alive and breathing would assuage her fears. "Logan? Logan?"
Logan stepped out from his office and Max let out a sigh of relief walking quickly over to him and kissing him. She could feel in his kiss that he knew what had transpired somewhere else in his building. When they pulled back from each other he proved her right, "Alyssa's dead."
"Alyssa?"
Max never did like the doctor but she still felt the pain of such a loss. The doctor had risked a lot to save Zack, but she didn't even hesitate to cure him. She would be missed…
Raven came in carrying Zack over her shoulder. She looked around for a bit before deciding to rest him down on the physio table that Logan had never had the time to put away.
She too heard Logan's words, and they saddened her deeply. Alyssa was a great asset to have, especially here on the outside, when there was no access to Manticore Doctors or scientists.
Looking down on Zack's serene face, she mourned for him as well. Raven knew from the way Zack interacted with her that there was a special bond between the two. By the way Zack ran out of the stair well earlier it was obvious that he must have been there to witness her death. He had lost so much in such a little time. Raven squeezed her father's hand. If she was to liberate her family from Manticore, just as he did for his X5, is this what she would have to face? Would she even be able to handle it all?
*****
The halls were relatively empty as the day at Manticore came to a close. Lydecker easily slipped into the debriefing room and looked around. He remembered when he would stand at the front of a room very similar to this and tell his X5 what the objective of their next mock operation would be. That only proved to strengthened his resolve. He would not let Mathews get his grip on more of his children. He had to warn them.
He looked around once more and found a suitable spot. As he walked over to the inconspicuous chair he pulled out the small bug from his pocket and secured it to the underside of the seat.
*****
Raven scaled down the side of the building. Stopping just before Alyssa's window, she reversed her position, hanging upside down like a bat. Slowly she inched herself lower until just her head peaked into the window. She studied the dark room momentarily with her night vision. The body was gone, but the blood was still there filling the room with its metallic smell, the kind of scent that clung to the back of the throat for days. She wondered what must have gone through Zack's mind seeing Alyssa killed before him, and by his son at that… Raven couldn't even begin to imagine.
Pulling herself to the side Raven entered through the already shattered window. She stalked quietly on her tiptoes when finally a shine by a table caught her eye. It was a black helmet with red paters across it. Zack's helmet. Raven picked it up to find it full of syringes and vials.
Shoulder muscles she didn't know were tense, relaxed at the sight. The room was heavy with death and she was happy she found what she was looking for so quickly.
The helmet and supplies nestled securely in her bag, Raven caught up her rope and headed back up. On the way many thoughts raced through her head. Should she warn them that they had to leave the city? Ty had told her that Manticore was looking to recapture the X5 for stage three experiments. But did she want to tell them that she had spoken to her brother? Would they believe her a traitor if she did? Somehow she had to warn them that they had to leave, she just couldn't figure out how.
When she reached the apartment she found Zack still lying unconscious and Max and Logan glued to the television set.
"With the death of sixteen people, all displaying similar symptoms, the government has issued a state of quarantine on Seattle. No one will be allowed to come in or out until the viral agent can be identified."
The scene switched to a man dressed in a suite, standing at a podium, the American emblem behind him, "It is not yet known how this disease is transferred from host to host and we cannot risk it being and airborne virus. We have declared the lockdown to prevent a wide spread epidemic."
Again the screen came back to the anchor, "Border checkpoints have already turned back anyone trying to cross, and travel between sectors is being shut down as I speak. Knowing the police will have a hard time securing the entire city with their resources alone the government has issued a thousand men to help. You will be informed immediately of any further advancements in this story. This is Riviera Peak reporting."
"There is now way this is just coincidence." Max said and the report ended and they were returned to their regularly scheduled programming.
Logan got up and went to his computer, not even sitting down he leaned over and once again hacked into the hover drone control center. He got the video feed from the one closest the Manticore base and sure enough huge crowds of soldiers were forming in the night, being unloaded from huge choppers.
There was a strange mixture of apprehension and relief that filled Raven. With the presence of Manticore confirmed she wouldn't need to warn them, and reveal that she had had contact with the X6 this whole time. And yet with Manticore here and no doubt searching for them they might very well be as good as caught. Especially if Ty and the others were assigned to the job.
Max looked back over her shoulder "With Zack in the condition he is there is no way we will be able to get out of here…"
"But we can't just stay here…" Logan looked at her, worried.
"Our best option is probably to stay here, maybe in another apartment, or possibly camp out on the roof." Raven put forth, true to her form.
"What makes you say that? Up here we are sitting ducks."
"Moving around we will be easily found as well. Remember that I found you by following your scent trail. But we aren't nearly as sensitive as bloodhounds and a scent trail will fade quickly beyond our ability to sense it. At least by staying here our scent trail will dissipate and they will have nothing else to follow."
"But they will be able to find us eventually if we just sit here..."
"Yes, but that will take days, even with all the men they have. I'm sure we'll figure something out by then…" Raven was trying to emit confidence even though she was a little unsure of her plan. In all her real life experience she was always the predator, never the prey. Sure, there were the "escape and evade" drills, but she had never had to consider a situation where her own siblings were tracking her down.
"If Cole found us here, won't they check this building first?"
"We just have to hope they don't think they would be stupid enough to return here. Besides, something must be going down if they haven't come back here already…"
Max and Logan seemed to be humbled at what she implied.
Max turned to her lover, "Logan, you can't be a part of this…"
"What?" he had been expecting to go with them wherever they went.
"I don't want you to be hurt."
"And I don't want you dead, or worse…"
"I'll come back to you, I promise." She looked at him, running a hand through his hair, until she rested it on the back of his head and pulled him gently toward her, laying a tender, reassuring kiss on his lips.
"Here," Raven interrupted the moment, handing Max a syringe and vial that she had retrieved. "You should take this now."
Max nodded and took the needle, filling it with the fluid from the vial. Rolling up her sleeve she found a vein and injected the cure without even wincing. The slight fiery tingling spread all throughout her body, and she closed her eyes inhaling deeply. She could almost feel each of her muscles strengthening.
*****
Donovan sat down in the helicopter, almost ecstatic to leave this haunted city, even if it were only for the night. Though he did look forward to going with his siblings to capture their "father". Maybe if Zack and Max were locked away deep in Manticore the strange images would be locked away with them. And he might be able to return to a normal life with the X6.
The blades slowly began to whir and Donovan watched them increase in speed, slicing through the blackness of this weary night and shredding the thickening air. Just before they lifted off Ty jumped in beside him.
They had nothing else to say to each other as they hovered off the ground. Ever since Donovan showed Ty the woman he had killed, Ty had been unusually quiet.
Donovan turned away from his brother and stared out the front of the helicopter. The edges of his sight began to blur and he blinked a few times, reaching up to rub his eyes, thinking it was just because he was tired from this day's exertions. In his head he began to develop a dull ache.
Then, ever so silently he heard a familiar voice screaming, just barely audible under the drowning sounds of the helicopter blades. "Cole!'
Zack's voice was screaming out to him, addressing him by that strange name again. He was almost scared to look out his window, but he couldn't stop himself. Turning his head he saw Zack far below, sprawled on the ground. He raised a shaky hand in the air trying to somehow reach out to him. "Kat! Cole!" he yelled over and over again, so loud it seemed his vocal chords might tear. His pleads were full of sorrow and loss.
Donovan couldn't bring himself to turn his head away from the sight and for reasons unknown to him he raised a hand to the window. It was then that he saw the shackle that trapped his wrist. Pulling his hand back down to his lap, he saw that both his wrists and ankles were chained together. 'What was going on?' His breathing quickened to a frenzied pace.
His eyes darted to Ty's hands beside him and they, too, were bound with metal shackles. Wait, no, those weren't Ty's hands, they looked so feminine…
Afraid as to what he might see, Donovan's eyes drifted slowly up to the face of the person who now sat beside him. All his muscles tensed and he froze with dread, like a deer caught in headlights, when he saw her face.
It was the woman he had killed in the forest. Was that her name? Kat? Why was she haunting him like this? She smiled at him though it was obvious she was tired, and spoke, her voice so warm, soothing and oddly familiar. "Cole, honey, are you okay?"
'That name again!' He didn't know how to respond. His visions were talking to him, this had to be a vision. She smiled at him expectantly, and then asked again, though this time her soft voice was replaced by Ty's, "Are you okay?"
Hearing Ty, Donovan blinked a few times and the woman disappeared, Ty, once again, in his seat beside him looking very concerned. Outside his window Zack, too, had vanished.
"I-I'm fine." Donovan breathed deeply to try and slow his heart, which was beating so fast it threatened to rip a hole in his chest.
"Man, you look like you just saw a nomalie."
Donovan didn't listen to Ty, he was still shaken from what he saw. There was no way that could be a true memory. He wouldn't believe it. His mind must have been playing strange games with him.
Again, deep in his mind, Zack's voice echoed, "You were stolen from me."
He looked out the window once more as they sped over the city, "I'm fine."