[author's note: i wrote an especially long chapter to make up for the last month and a half ]
[also this chapter may seem a little rough because it is so long i thought it would be more important ]
[to get it out there instead of taking another week proofing it. i hope you all don't mind.]
[and just to refresh your minds here is a summary of what has happened so far.]
What's going on? Max and Zack are still locked up in the Seattle Manticore base with Ty, Eden, Fox, Quince, Donovan and Raven still on the compound. The other X6 are still sweeping the city searching for any other X5 that may be hiding within the city limits. Max is furious because she thinks Raven has killed Logan and Zack is heartbroken because he thinks Raven has betrayed them. Raven has been putting up a front that she is still a loyal X6 but everyone is having their doubts. Logan recieved a phone call from Raven, and is given instructions to follow. and so the story continues...
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The night was fast approaching, Raven could feel it in her bones and smell it in the air, probably some unexpected benefit from the nocturnal creatures in her cocktail. She breathed in deeply as the wind blew into her face and through the few loose strands of her midnight hair. For the first time in a long while Raven tied her hair tightly back into a ponytail. It felt strange.
From her perch on the roof she stared out over the forest that surrounded the base. Her mind was pulled back into memories as she watched the dusk approach over the tips of the trees. Mock missions, hunter-prey games, back then the world was their playground. It wasn't until she realized that the world had more to offer than targets and objectives that her views changed.
But her family was still content to follow orders and live lives directed by someone else. Having been there before she knew they weren't aware they had a choice. Closing her eyes she breathed deeply once more.
She couldn't just leave her family behind. Even if that meant being subjected to whatever indoctrination processes were necessary for Manticore to believe she had returned to the fold. Raven was no fool. If Mathews had any doubts about her, they would wipe her mind clean once she stepped foot on Manticore soil and repeat the process every time they deemed it necessary.
But she would be with her family. Wasn't that all that mattered? Raven just wished she felt as confident in her thoughts as she had sounded in her words when she told Logan she was with her family now.
Inhale. Exhale.
Accepting her fate, Raven just hoped some small part of her, no matter how deep, would remember.
*****
An idle mind is the devil's playground. But Satan himself dare not tread the chaos that was Donovan's psyche.
He had wanted to get out and help the others expressly to focus his mind on things other than the two prisoners who were kept only four hallways away.
Now with nothing else to distract him, his mind began to wander, despite his efforts. Surprisingly, the pains that he usually associated with the images of Max and Zack were absent. Flashes of memories linked themselves together into a strange movie that ran through his mind. He was alone in the dark with sounds of a struggle coming from the next room. Images of Zack. Being wrapped in something warm and dark, a leather jacket. Images of Max. The apartment in Seattle. Images of Logan. A battle… and then things got hazy.
Donovan almost gave himself a headache trying the piece together his twisted puzzle. None of it made sense. And what did they have to do with the woman he had killed in the forest. Closing his eyes he willingly remembered that strange memory he had on the helicopter. His wrists and ankles were chained and beside him the woman was also bound. She seemed concerned for him. The look in her eyes was warm and gentle, with a hint of sadness. A far cry from the mud stained woman with the blood on her cheek that he had hunted through the forest.
His eyes flew open, he was so enraptured with the haunting image that Donovan hadn't even noticed his heart was racing. He could feel the blood course through his veins. None of this made sense! Manticore was his world. Everything else didn't matter. Everything else shouldn't matter.
Suddenly it seemed that the walls were closing in on him, the stale air was like sandpaper on his already dry throat and a cold sweat developed on his brow. He needed some fresh air.
*****
In the helicopter Lydecker watched as the light slowly died. All the while he held his head high. There was no point in struggling against this fate. What would he do anyway? Jump from the helicopter? No. There was only one destination at the end of this journey. And he had known that since the day he accepted his position at Manticore.
Maybe what bothered him most about Mathews was the fact that once, not so long ago, Lydecker was exactly the same way. The doctors and geneticists weren't human; they were think tanks that produced the genetic material. The mothers weren't human; they were incubation pods within which soldiers grew. And especially the X series weren't human; they were small animals that would be molded to fight America's wars.
After all these years it took something like Stage Three, for Lydecker to realize it was people like him and Mathews who weren't human. All these years he had been deceived. The dream that had taken on as his own and still believed in this day, was now warped and twisted beyond recognition. He thought of his past and wanted to wretch, but now was not the time. Instead he held his head high.
Leaving Manticore to try and save his children was a decision he would never regret. The only thing he did regret, was the fact that he had failed.
Ironically, he silently prayed that the people he had been hunting for nine years would find a way to escape.
*****
Ty sat at the command center, listening to his siblings' conversations as they scoured the city for more X5. Every once in a while he would interject, guiding his soldiers to what he believed to be a more efficient search.
"How goes the search?" Raven said as she stepped out from the shadows.
Ty was surprised to see her so soon since their last encounter, but he hid it well. "It continues. Do you know of there being any other X5 in the city?"
"I would not be surprised." Raven paused. "Yesterday I did overhear that Zack had sent for someone and that she was on her way though I have no idea if he was referring to an X5 or not. Either way, I'm sure this friend of his would be within the city limits by now." She paused again. "You should send the others to help with the search effort. They are wasting their time here when we could use them out in the city."
Ty regarded her carefully. "They have their orders to remain at the base."
"We need this done efficiently…"
"This is my mission Raven, and I was given orders to keep them here, at the base," he drew the last three words out slowly, deliberately.
"I see," she withdrew her suggestions.
The almost endless military chatter of those out in the field thankfully filled the silence that crept between them.
It took a few minutes for Raven to break that silence. "So I saw Donovan."
"Did you?"
"From a distance. He seems impressive enough. Was his training difficult?" Raven probed.
"No. Eden easily integrated him into the X6. He trained with her first and after only a week Donovan was soon skilled enough to run through practice missions with us."
"I only wish I had been there to help with the molding process. That could have been an interesting endeavor."
"The Triumvirate had thought of some clever methods."
"Yes, I read they let him hunt down and kill his own mother."
"Intrigues the mind. Eden did so well, that even the scent of his mother did not break his training. Cleverly enough the scent bond between mother and child was what allowed him to track her so easily through the forest."
"Clever."
'And perverse' she wanted to add, but she held back the words. "So I'm assuming he will be a major asset to our team."
"That he will."
"How is he with weapons?"
"Same level as Wolf at the least."
Raven nodded, impressed, "Recon?"
"Highly observant, can remember fine, indiscriminant details. Like combining Lenk's memory with Ajax's attention to detail."
"Hand to hand?"
"That is his strongest point. His genetics and musculo-skeletal structure make him stronger, faster and more agile than any of us." He turned his head to look Raven deliberately straight in the eye. "Even you wouldn't stand a chance."
His voice was almost a warning had he not softened it with a smile, "We better keep on his good side sis, he could put us both in our places."
"Everyone has some weakness."
"That's what I thought until I tried sparring with him. Did you know they are even using his genome as a base for the new X9?" Ty turned back to the computer screen where he had pulled up miscellaneous windows probably pertaining to some future mission.
"Really? I'm surprised. By doing that Manticore is admitting that nature had done a better job with genetics than all their years of research."
"Either way Manticore would have created the perfect soldier eventually."
"If he is what Manticore considers perfect, does that mean we are now defective?"
"It just means we will be improved upon."
Again a silence swept the room after the chilling implications of that last sentence Ty spoke. Quietly she withdrew toward the door. "I'm going to take a walk around the base."
Ty gave no indication that he had heard what she said, but Raven knew that he did.
*****
"Right…" Ty whispered to himself when he could no longer hear Raven's footsteps in the hall. Inputting a quick command into the computer, Ty opened a secure line. "Quince. Fox. Are you at your positions?"
*****
"Ah…" Quince answered his head set uneasily. "No."
Sitting on the other side of the table in the mess hall, Fox shook his head. When on assignment Quince could construct and maintain a web of deception without even needing to think, yet when it came to his superiors he refused to tell a lie. Fox stood, knowing what order would come next.
*****
"I want you at your posts now. She is on the move. I want to know where she is at all times."
Ty would have given more covert commands had he known that Raven still stood just around the corner, well within earshot.
So they didn't trust her. Raven was left to wonder if the orders came from higher up, or if it was Ty who held the suspicions.
But she dared not dwell on her thoughts. If Fox and Quince were not currently monitoring her this was the opportunity she had been waiting for. She reached into her pocket and wrapped a hand around the keys so they would not clink together as she raced down to the brig.
*****
Bags were thrown haphazardly into the back of his Aztec. The only thing Logan bothered to handle with care was his hard drive and a few other disks. But they were still bumped around a bit as Logan drove through the Seattle streets in their constant state of disrepair.
The first few gates were no problem. But the last gate before the Seattle city limits was crowded with military personnel. Through the gates he saw two teenaged girls, dressed in black, talking to a few of the officers. They were all business, arms crossed with hardened looks that betrayed years of military experience. Those must have been more X6. Logan's first instinct was to duck, to hide until they had passed. But they didn't know what he looked like, so he didn't have anything to worry about. He would have liked to believe that but his pounding heart told him otherwise.
The sector police flagged him down and Logan opened his window.
"Sorry sir, the city is in lock down. You're gonna have to turn your car around and head back home."
"My name is Greyson. I have clearance to pass," Logan handed him the fake ID, trying his best to keep his hand steady and keep his voice even and confident. But he kept his eyes on the pair of X6.
"Uh…" The man hesitated looking at the ID. "Only military passes."
"Are you kept up to date Officer…" Logan searched the man's badge for a name, "Peterson? Because I just made my way through six other checkpoints without any troubles."
"I… just… Hold on." Peterson left with the ID in hand and walked over to another one of his colleagues.
Left alone Logan eyed the X6 again. The city must be crawling with them. That thought alone filled him with unease.
*****
Max saw Zack perk up to attention and was about to ask what was the matter when Raven burst into the room. With pure battle instinct Max leapt to her feet, though it would do her little good as she was still securely bound.
"What do you want with us now? Time for transport?" she growled, nothing could dull her anger.
"We don't have much time." Raven pulled out the keys and unlocked Zack's cell first. She then reached down to her ankle and pulled out a hunter's knife and hastily cut away the plastic ties. Zack looked at her, perplexed by her actions, as he rubbed his sore wrists trying to get some feeling back into his hands.
"They will be coming soon, we may have to fight." Raven warned as she opened Max's cell. "Donovan will be the strongest…" She had just finished cutting free Max's hands when Max's fist made direct contact with her jaw. The force of the blow was so great it sent a surprised Raven to the floor. Her lip split and bleeding.
*****
The guard soon returned to interrupt Logan's thoughts. "Sorry Mr. Greyson. You can move right on through."
A loud horn sounded as the gate slowly opened. That and the flashing lights ensured that everyone noticed his car passing through the checkpoint. Including the X6.
They both turned their heads and stared him down. Logan did his best to avoid looking in their direction as he waited for the gate to open enough for the Aztek to squeeze through. Out of the corner of his eyes Logan saw them exchange a few words between themselves.
"Come on, come on…" he urged the gate to open faster.
The closer of the X6 was now walking toward him, and his heart beat faster still. Logan kept looking to the side to watch her progress and there was no mistake, she was headed straight for him. His mind was already racing, thinking of what he would say or do should she start to question him.
She was no more than ten meters away when she stopped abruptly and pressed her fingers to her ear, apparently receiving some sort of message in her earpiece. Much to Logan's relief, the X6 took her piercing gaze off him. Standing there she looked like she was speaking to herself. After ending the conversation she turned to look over her shoulder and her sister nodded back. Throwing Logan one last fierce look, the X6 returned to her sibling with a brisk pace. Once more, words were exchanged.
That could only mean that something was happening at the base. Logan only wished he could have been more involved in whatever Raven was planning, but by the looks of it, she wasn't planning anything secretive.
It was then that the gates finally opened and the guards waved him through. Just as he passed the gates he was cut off by the two X6 on their motorcycles. They sped away without giving him another glance.
*****
" 'Crush their hopes and you will have their minds.'" Max quoted from one of the many lessons that had plagued her dreams ever since they had escaped. "If this is some sick game of catch and release…"
"You'll just have to trust that it isn't," Raven stood, wiping the blood away with the back of her hand, wary of another attack.
"Trust!?" Max scoffed, her eyes a fire.
Zack stepped in front of Max, stopping her advance, "Let her speak."
"Zack!? You don't honestly believe-"
"What other choice to we have?"
Raven stopped and signaled for them to be quiet as she rolled up her left sleeve. Her sensitive ears had easily picked up the tiny whirring sounds of the motors that focused the cameras that were watching them.
*****
"Ty. Raven has freed the X5," Fox reported. Both he and Quince were already sprinting down to intercept them.
"I figured as much, I'm already on my way. Eden, Donovan, all X6 converge on the prisoners, no one will leave this base."
"Yes sir." Fox and Quince added their voices to the tangle of responses.
*****
"They know now. They will be coming soon…" Raven reached into her pocket and pulled out the last syringe of Dr. Munrow's serum.
Zack tried to reach for the needle, "What are you doing? Didn't you see what that stuff did to me?" Despite himself a strange hunger for the liquid began to brew in his belly. His body, his muscles, his veins would never forget the utter ecstasy that the injections had drawn him into.
"It made you stronger and faster," she retreated from his outstretched hand and plunged the needle into her vein. In an instant she understood how Zack had become so easily addicted. Raven closed her eyes and inhaled sharply as the fluid raced through her bloodstream. She had never felt anything like this before. Every part of her was tingling with power. It felt like her heart was slowing, but in reality it was beating so violently that Max and Zack could hear it in her chest. "Like I said Donovan will be the strongest," Raven spoke when she finally found her breath.
"I'd like to think I would at least pose a challenge." They were all startled by Ty's voice and they froze when they saw the two guns, one was trained on Raven, the other on Max. Behind him Fox and Quince quickly took their positions and aimed their guns at Raven and Zack.
"I suggest you step back into your cells." Ty stood with a cold, uncaring look in his eyes.
"Get out of my way."
"You know I can't do that Raven," Ty shook his head, pity in his eyes, "I will not stand by and watch you self destruct."
Before he even finished his sentence Raven seemed to disappear into a hazy blur. Ty felt the guns being ripped from his hands before his mind had the time to comprehend what was happening. Raven didn't have the capabilities to move that quickly. It was like a snake's strike. He had only seen speed like that in one person, and he wasn't an X6.
Fox tried to pull back but his weapon was also stripped from his hands. Quince was able to get a shot off into the blur that was Raven, but it was a shot in the dark, coming nowhere near to injuring her. There was little he could do to hold onto his gun.
Almost instantly she was standing in front of them again, aiming a gun back at them while handing two to Zack knowing Max's views on the weapon. She adjusted her grip on the fourth weapon, and soon that was also aimed at her siblings.
"How?" Rarely was Ty was confused, and under different circumstances Raven would have been amused with the bewildered look in his normally stony eyes. But the expression quickly faded and he smiled confidently once more. "You won't shoot us."
"Don't temp me."
"I don't know what made you faster but it seems if you had wanted us dead, we would be."
Raven tried to hide the inner turmoil. Ty knew her too well. Of course she didn't want to hurt them, but she needed to get Max and Zack out of here. Despite the feeling of dread that crept around the edges of her mind, she knew in the end she would do whatever was necessary to set things right, to make everything as it had been before. It was just a question of making that first move.
Raven studied her brother, trying to formulate some course of action that would lead to the least amount of physical damage. Ty looked like he had plans of his own.
*****
In his ear, Ty could hear the rest of his siblings, each pair reporting their E.T.A. They were all currently converging on the base, a scant few minutes away.
"This is Wolf and Lenk, we are two minutes from the base."
"Ajax and Gira here, e.t.a. three and a half minutes."
"Shorn and Mar, no more than one minute"
"This is Neve, give me and Scrip five minutes."
Eden's voice was most urgent, "Donovan is not in his room but I think I know where he will be. Delay them if you can."
*****
He looked over Raven's shoulder to Zack. "Your real son will be coming soon."
Zack's breath deepened and his heartbeat jumped at the mention of Cole.
"He did well on his first mission. Oh wait. You saw first hand what your son is capable of didn't you?"
"Ty…" Raven's voice was a cautious warning. What was her brother up to?
Zack gripped his gun harder. With Ty's words Alyssa's death flooded Zack's vision like some surreal movie. There was no warning when the glass shattered behind her. All he could do was catch her limp body before she fell to the floor. The smell of death flooded his nostrils, the slick blood ran down his arms and soaked his clothing. The pain of losing such a trusted ally, a true friend, after all that had already happened had almost been too much for Zack to handle. Then, just when he thought had reached the bottom of despair, he looked up at her assassin… and it was his own son.
Max sent fleeting glances Zack's way, reluctant to take her eyes off the X6 for more than a second, for a second was all the X6 needed. Even then Max could see Zack's jaw muscles clenching in anger.
He no longer cared that these X6 were made from his genetic code. He fully detached himself from the idea that these X6 were somehow a part of him because of the shared genes. All he knew was that it was them who had warped and twisted Cole's mind.
"You should be proud, Zack, your son is an excellent soldier."
Zack's eyes narrowed with hatred.
Ty's half smile reminded Raven of some feral animal teasing its prey, "A natural born killer."
Raven should have realized what was going on the moment Ty mentioned Donovan.
When she turned her head she saw Zack's finger pulling the trigger without hesitation. There was no time to think about what events might follow, the instinct to protect her own family overrode any other movement she might have made.
"Zack, NO!" she yelled as she tried to hit the gun out of his hand. But his grip was too firm and she had little affect as he fired the weapon. Her mistake was not that she was too late in her reaction but that she had turned her attentions away from her siblings.
Ty had been counting on Raven to react this way and he took the opportunity to rush Raven with a swift kick to the back of her head that sent her to the floor. Fox and Quince took Ty's cue and attacked Max and Zack.
Fox tested Max's reactions, dropping on one hand and kicked one leg out trying to trip her up. Max easily jumped over the threat, but realized her error when his other leg shot up at her face. Thanks to Doctor Munrow's treatment Max was fast enough to deflect Fox's attack.
The fact that his strike was blocked surprised Fox. He had fought the other X5 and they could never adjust themselves quickly enough while in the air to stop this assault. Fox raised his arm just in time to block Max's fast approaching fist, but he was unable to react to the knee to his side. Max came at him with an assault of kicks and punches, only half of which he could dodge or block. When a small window finally opened Fox punched Max across the jaw and push kicked her away from him, making some room to compose himself. Maybe this fight wouldn't be as easy as he thought.
No more than ten feet away Quince was doing his best to dodge the barrage of bullets Zack sent his way. Two grazed his side and he could feel the heat of the third as it bore into the flesh of his arm, but he would not let that slow him. His healing was accelerated even for an X6. Soon Zack was within striking distance and Quince was able to strike him across the jaw with his elbow. With Zack momentarily fazed Quince quickly relieved the now empty weapons from his hands. In barely enough time, Zack was able to throw up his arms to block the butt of a gun from cracking open his skull.
Around her, Max and Zack were fighting for their lives, but Raven barely noticed. She was hunched over, her breath ragged. The stars were just starting to dissipate from her eyes and when her vision finally cleared she saw Ty standing over for her, fists at the ready. It was a thinning sense of respect that kept him from hitting her while she was still down. It was this same respect that stayed his hand from picking up the weapons she had dropped and turning them on her again.
"One day you will understand," she said quietly, her voice full of sadness, as she leapt at her brother.
Ty blocked her first advances, grabbing her hand and kicking at her knee, hoping to hyperextend the joint and disable her. But she knew what he had planned and jumped out of the way, leaping over his head. When he turned to face her again Raven thrust the palm of her hand into his solar plexus. The force knocked the wind out of him and her sheer strength sent him clear across the room. His head hit against the wall and she feared for a moment that she might have seriously injured him, until she saw him prop himself up on one knee and try to shake the grogginess that was no doubt filling his head. Having dispensed with her brother so quickly, she moved to help the others.
Raven grabbed Fox's forearm as he aimed an uppercut to Max's chin. With a quick shove she pushed Fox toppling back into one of the cells. Next Raven sprinted to where Quince and Zack were fighting. When she stepped between it took all of Zack's strength to stop his foot, which was intended for Quince's cheekbone.
Raven threw Quince into Fox who was just standing up, and they both fell to the ground of the cell. Max did the honors and closed the cell door, locking the two in.
"We have to go. Now!" Raven ordered, but both Zack and Max were already ahead of her, sprinting down the hallway as fast as their legs could carry them. Raven slowed her pace to make sure she brought up the rear.
*****
"Eden," Ty's voice was forced and through her earpiece Eden could hear him laboring to breath, "They are headed north in the western hall. Head them off."
She looked up into Donovan's pale eyes as he ran beside her. "We are on our way."
*****
While they ran, Raven gave them their instructions. "Once outside, head north east for one mile, and then east for five miles. Logan will be waiting for you in the parking lot of an old rest area." They all stopped and waited anxiously, their full wits about them, as Raven punched the daily code into the door keypad. "Ty will most likely assume you are headed for the road just west of this base so you should have no more troubles after that, but it would be safest if you get off the major highway systems."
There was a loud buzzer sound, and Raven pulled at the handle, opening the door and ushering Max and Zack ahead of her. Once through, Raven made sure to pull the door shut after her.
"What about the scent trail? It was how you found us last time," Max asked over her shoulder as they fell back into a sprint. There were windows on one side of the hall, that peered out over the forest. As they ran past, they could see the last sliver of sun retreating below the horizon. It was like watching a movie when the film was moving too slow.
"I'll keep them off your trail long enough for the scent to dissipate beyond our capabilities of tracking."
"But you are coming with us aren't you?" Zack did not hide his apprehension. He didn't like how Raven kept taking in terms of 'you and me' rather than 'us' or 'we'.
The question hung in the air, and even if she had wanted to answer, Raven wasn't given the opportunity. Up ahead they saw Eden turn the corner and block their path. They didn't bother to slow when they realized the odds were in their favor.
But they all came to a jarring halt when they saw who rounded the corner just behind Eden.
Donovan.
*****
Ty was soon on his unsteady feet, and pulling keys from his pocket.
His brothers gripped the bars of their prison, their knuckles white with impatience.
Ty blinked hard a few times, as he searched through the keys on the ring, but the blurriness would not leave his eyes enough for him to tell one key from another.
"Here," he said, finally giving up and tossing them all to his brother, "Find it yourself."
Fox took the keys with no argument, and Ty sprinted down the halls after Raven.
*****
Raven stepped between Max and Zack to stand at the head of their formation. She raised her fists and relaxed her muscles to prepare for a fight she knew was pivotal to the escape. This was the sole reason she had injected the drug in her veins.
Despite the odds being relatively even, there was a hesitation. Was it because they did not want to hurt Cole? Or was it because they did not want to be killed by Donovan?
"Raven, this is your chance to turn around and return to Manticore peacefully. You know that all three of you are no match for Donovan."
"Cole. Come with us," Zack pleaded with his son, hoping beyond hope that deep within the soldier named Donovan, his son Cole would hear. "You know you don't belong here." He tried to step toward Cole, but Raven held him back.
Donovan paid him no attention, focusing his eyes on Raven instead. She could see he was intentionally blocking out anything to do with Zack and Max. He wouldn't even send fleeting glances their way. For a moment she though she saw him flinch at the sound of his father's voice. But it was probably just a trick of the dying light.
Eden also ignored what she deemed Zack's pathetic attempts to undermine the Donovan she had created. "Raven, there is no hope. Donovan is here and Wolf and all the others will be here in a matter of seconds. You will lose."
Behind them a loud buzzer sounded. Max looked back down the hall to see Ty stepping through the security door that they had just passed through.
"I'm getting them off this base, Eden."
"Sorry to hear that." Eden shook her head, upset her sister was choosing the most difficult course of action.
Raven's eyes narrowed. "Well come on then," she said, beckoning Donovan to attack.
And attack he did. When they had first met, Raven was fighting an inexperienced toddler, and even then he was quicker than anything she had ever seen before in her life. Ty and herself had barely been able to handle him. But now his skills were honed by weeks of training at Manticore, and he had the discipline and precision of a soldier through which he could focus his natural assets. Donovan hit her with a quick jab to the chin, and followed up with a kick to the side of the head. Before he could put his foot down again, he leapt up in the air, and got a solid kick with his other foot that sent Raven into the wall.
While this was taking place Max was busy engaging Eden, just as Ty caught up to Zack.
Eden punched and Max dodged to the right. She was then able to stop Eden's second attempt and kicked her in the gut. While Eden was keeled over Max took her elbow to the other's back. Instead of falling to the ground Eden put her hands down and sprang off them kicking her legs up and wrapping them around Max's neck. Now sitting on Max's shoulders, Eden was able to get a few quick punches in before Max threw her off.
Zack, unfortunately was having much difficulties with Ty. It was like fighting him that first day when he refused to listen to Max and had gone rushing in to confront Lydecker. Fists and feet seemed to be coming from all directions and Zack had barely enough time to block or dodge, let alone get in his own attacks. It was the few solid contacts he was able to get in that gave Zack a sense of hope, and urged him to fight on.
Donovan stood in the hallway looking at the fight around him. He watched Zack and Ty fight as sickening sense of déjà vu came over him. He was about to intervene and help Eden when Raven rose to challenge him again. She elbowed him across the cheek and swept her foot up and brought her heel crashing down on Donovan's shoulder. He could feel the joint almost dislocate with the force. He saw the surprise in her eyes when the blow did not even come close to bringing him to his knees. But Raven was never one to give up, she attacked him with all she had, which was still just under his true capabilities. She almost felt he was humoring her as he easily blocked ninety percent of her attempts.
But every deflection Donovan made was merely reflex as his mind was on other things. The hallway began to flash with strange images, twisting and morphing as though the walls were made of liquid. He closed his eyes for a split second to try and stave off the dizzying feeling and when he opened them again the hallway had transformed into small room. The smell of pizza drifted in through the open door. Here, too, he was fighting Raven and Zack was battling with Ty, Eden was nowhere to be found but Max was over on the other side, on the ground.
This flashback was different from all the others, it wasn't just a snippet of information, or a flash of image or even a movie running through his mind's eye. He had caught a quick glimpse of this scene before when he had been running from Zack, after he had killed his target. However this time it was almost like a dream that had wrapped itself around him. Every detail was so clear, his mind was so sure, there was no way this could have just been a dream. There was no more denying that this was a true memory.
Something was nagging at him… He was here fighting for a reason, what was it? Wait, yes, a mother. He had a mother. He was here because he wanted to help her. She had run off and left him in the car but he knew she was in danger and had followed after her. Where was she? Where was his mother? She was supposed to be here. He was trying to be a good little boy and save her.
Donovan looked frantically around the room while still fighting off Raven. Finally he saw a crumpled body on the ground leaning against the wall. It was her, it had to be her. His heart skipped a beat of relief. He didn't even need to see her face for his whole body knew that that was who he was here to save.
But when she lifted her head to look at him, his eyes widened with disbelief. Kat. It was the woman he had slain with his own bare hands. It was the woman he had stalked through the forest, whose fear he had drank up before he took her life…
It was the gentle woman in the helicopter.
In that instant, with that realization, everything came crashing together. The barrier that Eden and Manticore had carefully constructed came crashing down. The life he knew before Manticore all fell into place, the memories liberating themselves so he would know the truth.
But the truth was too much for him to bear. He was Kat's son. He was Zack's son. He was Cole. He was a monster.
The memory dissolved from the present, and he was in he hallway once more, Raven still attacking him with all her strength. It took a moment for him to understand his current situation knowing what he now did. "Wait!" He held his right hand out in a show of submission, but Raven wasn't expecting such an action and took it for an attack. She grabbed his wrist and swung her right leg up to hit his cheek. Still holding his arm so he could not move out of the way, she stopped her foot midair and brought it back to hit him on the other side of his face. The well-placed hit split Cole's lip and sent him stumbling back onto the ground.
Raven stood over him, breathing deeply to try and get oxygen back into her body. She was just about to make sure he stayed down when she saw the look in his eyes. It was fear, but it was more than that. It was pain. Not physical pain but a sort of mental anguish.
"I killed her…" he whispered under his breath. He touched his lip with his fingertips and pulled it away. Seeing his own blood for the first time. It reminded him of the time he had wiped the blood from his mother's cheek right before… "I killed her…".
"Cole?" Raven asked tentatively.
His vision became blurry from the tears that brimmed in his eyes. He remembered his mother's sweet voice calling out his name. He looked past Raven to see Max and Zack. Cole couldn't face them, especially not Zack. Not after what he had done.
Cole pulled a gun from the small of his back and looked at it in his hand. A small token of Manticore.
"Cole what are you doing?" Raven asked, fearful that Cole might turn the gun on himself.
But instead Cole aimed at the window beside him. He let loose three bullets to break the glass and dropped the gun to the ground.
The sound of gunfire caught everyone's attention, stopping the fighting long enough for everyone to see what Cole/Donovan was doing.
"Cole!" Raven yelled out once more in a futile effort to try and communicate with Zack's son.
Two strides and he leapt through the window leading with his elbows to fully shatter the glass. Zack sprinted after him too late. He leaned out of the window resting his hands on the shards of glass as he tried to see where his son had landed. The pain of the glass cutting into his palms did not concern him, only that his son was safe. Zack smiled for the first time in weeks. His son was free.
*****
Ty was about take a cheap blow to Zack's back when Raven stopped her brother. "Enough." She manhandled her brother, hitting him to the bass of his skull, knocking him out for at least a minute or two. Once more he got between Max and her opponent kicking Eden into the wall.
"Go!" she yelled to the X5. Max did not have to be told twice as she ran further up the hallway.
"Now!" Raven had to shove Zack away from his stance at the window. And after a few reluctant strides, Zack fell back into pace and started running after Max.
Behind them the loud buzzer sounded once more signaling the opening of the security door. Raven looked over her shoulder to see Lenk and Shorn and the others stream through the door. Fox and Quince were also with them. There were at least ten of them and Raven knew there was no hope of beating those odds. If they were to fight they would lose.
Zack and Max knew this as well and ran faster toward the next security door. Max reached the door first and Raven yelled out the code.
"6 3 8 8 4."
Max punched in the code and the buzzer sounded. She pulled the door open and ushered Zack through. But Zack pushed Max through and held the door himself, waiting for Raven to catch up.
"Go!" Raven yelled angrily. What was he doing? He had no time to spare. When he thought she was close enough to make it through, Zack let go of the door and ran after Max.
He looked over his shoulder to make sure Raven had in fact made it through but instead found her closing the door from the other side.
"Raven?!"
Max stopped and turned around at the sound of Zack's voice. Both she and Zack watched through the wired glass as Raven mouthed the words "I'm with my family now."
"No! Raven!" He could only watch as she punched the keypad that controlled the locking mechanism And sparks went flying. On their side, they could see the keypad go dead. Over Raven's shoulder they watched as the X6 were closing in. She had locked herself in a cage full of tigers.
Only a few seconds had passed until they were on her. Max ran back to where Zack stood and watched with him as the X6 beat down their rogue sister. Their numbers easily beat her strength and speed but she fought them off valiantly.
Max was the first to notice as one of the X6 took out a gun and fired a small hole through the wireglass. The glass shattered but the embedded wire held it strong.
"Zack, we have to go. If we stay this will all be for nothing." Max pulled at his arm.
"But…"
Zack had no to time to argue with her as the X6 shoved the tip of his gun through the small hole and started firing more accurate shots at them.
Soon they found the exit and were sprinting through the forest, following the instructions Raven had given them. They didn't dare look back.
*****
Because of Raven's efforts they had lost the scent trail long ago. It took a gun shot wound to her gut and six of her siblings to hold her down long enough for the others to bind her wrists and ankles. When they lifted her up again she saw the expressions of joy and anger on each of their faces. Joy that she would be soon be returned to the fold and anger that she had left in the first place.
One day, she hoped, they would understand what she was fighting for. They needed their freedom from Manticore, a chance to lead somewhat normal lives. And she would not abandon them until that goal was reached.
*****
Cole ran in no particular direction. He knew he would never be able to run away from what he did but he ran anyway. This was the kind of wound that time could not heal, and he would carry this guilt for the rest of his life. He stopped only once to look back. Maybe one day he would be able to face Zack and accept whatever punishment he deserved, but for now he had to wrestle with his thoughts alone.
*****
Just as Raven had said, Logan was waiting for them in his Aztec at the old rest stop. Max climbed into the front seat and threw her arms around Logan, relieved to see he was truly alive. And Logan was just as happy, if not more so, to see his love had made it out and had come back to him.
Zack sat in the back happy to the point of ecstatic that his son had left Manticore even if it wasn't at his side. And though he was troubled by Raven's actions he knew what she had meant by her last mouthed sentence. She wouldn't abandon her family, just as he himself would never abandon his own. Her sacrifice had meant their freedom, and he would never forget what she had done for them.
Soon they were off down the highway, racing away from Manticore. They didn't dare look back.
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[author's note: so this is almost the end. i will be making an epilogue, but i will have to put that off for at least a couple weeks because of midterms. sorry :( But soon this freakishly long story will come to an end and i think this time everyone will be happy with the ending.]
[also this chapter may seem a little rough because it is so long i thought it would be more important ]
[to get it out there instead of taking another week proofing it. i hope you all don't mind.]
[and just to refresh your minds here is a summary of what has happened so far.]
What's going on? Max and Zack are still locked up in the Seattle Manticore base with Ty, Eden, Fox, Quince, Donovan and Raven still on the compound. The other X6 are still sweeping the city searching for any other X5 that may be hiding within the city limits. Max is furious because she thinks Raven has killed Logan and Zack is heartbroken because he thinks Raven has betrayed them. Raven has been putting up a front that she is still a loyal X6 but everyone is having their doubts. Logan recieved a phone call from Raven, and is given instructions to follow. and so the story continues...
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The night was fast approaching, Raven could feel it in her bones and smell it in the air, probably some unexpected benefit from the nocturnal creatures in her cocktail. She breathed in deeply as the wind blew into her face and through the few loose strands of her midnight hair. For the first time in a long while Raven tied her hair tightly back into a ponytail. It felt strange.
From her perch on the roof she stared out over the forest that surrounded the base. Her mind was pulled back into memories as she watched the dusk approach over the tips of the trees. Mock missions, hunter-prey games, back then the world was their playground. It wasn't until she realized that the world had more to offer than targets and objectives that her views changed.
But her family was still content to follow orders and live lives directed by someone else. Having been there before she knew they weren't aware they had a choice. Closing her eyes she breathed deeply once more.
She couldn't just leave her family behind. Even if that meant being subjected to whatever indoctrination processes were necessary for Manticore to believe she had returned to the fold. Raven was no fool. If Mathews had any doubts about her, they would wipe her mind clean once she stepped foot on Manticore soil and repeat the process every time they deemed it necessary.
But she would be with her family. Wasn't that all that mattered? Raven just wished she felt as confident in her thoughts as she had sounded in her words when she told Logan she was with her family now.
Inhale. Exhale.
Accepting her fate, Raven just hoped some small part of her, no matter how deep, would remember.
*****
An idle mind is the devil's playground. But Satan himself dare not tread the chaos that was Donovan's psyche.
He had wanted to get out and help the others expressly to focus his mind on things other than the two prisoners who were kept only four hallways away.
Now with nothing else to distract him, his mind began to wander, despite his efforts. Surprisingly, the pains that he usually associated with the images of Max and Zack were absent. Flashes of memories linked themselves together into a strange movie that ran through his mind. He was alone in the dark with sounds of a struggle coming from the next room. Images of Zack. Being wrapped in something warm and dark, a leather jacket. Images of Max. The apartment in Seattle. Images of Logan. A battle… and then things got hazy.
Donovan almost gave himself a headache trying the piece together his twisted puzzle. None of it made sense. And what did they have to do with the woman he had killed in the forest. Closing his eyes he willingly remembered that strange memory he had on the helicopter. His wrists and ankles were chained and beside him the woman was also bound. She seemed concerned for him. The look in her eyes was warm and gentle, with a hint of sadness. A far cry from the mud stained woman with the blood on her cheek that he had hunted through the forest.
His eyes flew open, he was so enraptured with the haunting image that Donovan hadn't even noticed his heart was racing. He could feel the blood course through his veins. None of this made sense! Manticore was his world. Everything else didn't matter. Everything else shouldn't matter.
Suddenly it seemed that the walls were closing in on him, the stale air was like sandpaper on his already dry throat and a cold sweat developed on his brow. He needed some fresh air.
*****
In the helicopter Lydecker watched as the light slowly died. All the while he held his head high. There was no point in struggling against this fate. What would he do anyway? Jump from the helicopter? No. There was only one destination at the end of this journey. And he had known that since the day he accepted his position at Manticore.
Maybe what bothered him most about Mathews was the fact that once, not so long ago, Lydecker was exactly the same way. The doctors and geneticists weren't human; they were think tanks that produced the genetic material. The mothers weren't human; they were incubation pods within which soldiers grew. And especially the X series weren't human; they were small animals that would be molded to fight America's wars.
After all these years it took something like Stage Three, for Lydecker to realize it was people like him and Mathews who weren't human. All these years he had been deceived. The dream that had taken on as his own and still believed in this day, was now warped and twisted beyond recognition. He thought of his past and wanted to wretch, but now was not the time. Instead he held his head high.
Leaving Manticore to try and save his children was a decision he would never regret. The only thing he did regret, was the fact that he had failed.
Ironically, he silently prayed that the people he had been hunting for nine years would find a way to escape.
*****
Ty sat at the command center, listening to his siblings' conversations as they scoured the city for more X5. Every once in a while he would interject, guiding his soldiers to what he believed to be a more efficient search.
"How goes the search?" Raven said as she stepped out from the shadows.
Ty was surprised to see her so soon since their last encounter, but he hid it well. "It continues. Do you know of there being any other X5 in the city?"
"I would not be surprised." Raven paused. "Yesterday I did overhear that Zack had sent for someone and that she was on her way though I have no idea if he was referring to an X5 or not. Either way, I'm sure this friend of his would be within the city limits by now." She paused again. "You should send the others to help with the search effort. They are wasting their time here when we could use them out in the city."
Ty regarded her carefully. "They have their orders to remain at the base."
"We need this done efficiently…"
"This is my mission Raven, and I was given orders to keep them here, at the base," he drew the last three words out slowly, deliberately.
"I see," she withdrew her suggestions.
The almost endless military chatter of those out in the field thankfully filled the silence that crept between them.
It took a few minutes for Raven to break that silence. "So I saw Donovan."
"Did you?"
"From a distance. He seems impressive enough. Was his training difficult?" Raven probed.
"No. Eden easily integrated him into the X6. He trained with her first and after only a week Donovan was soon skilled enough to run through practice missions with us."
"I only wish I had been there to help with the molding process. That could have been an interesting endeavor."
"The Triumvirate had thought of some clever methods."
"Yes, I read they let him hunt down and kill his own mother."
"Intrigues the mind. Eden did so well, that even the scent of his mother did not break his training. Cleverly enough the scent bond between mother and child was what allowed him to track her so easily through the forest."
"Clever."
'And perverse' she wanted to add, but she held back the words. "So I'm assuming he will be a major asset to our team."
"That he will."
"How is he with weapons?"
"Same level as Wolf at the least."
Raven nodded, impressed, "Recon?"
"Highly observant, can remember fine, indiscriminant details. Like combining Lenk's memory with Ajax's attention to detail."
"Hand to hand?"
"That is his strongest point. His genetics and musculo-skeletal structure make him stronger, faster and more agile than any of us." He turned his head to look Raven deliberately straight in the eye. "Even you wouldn't stand a chance."
His voice was almost a warning had he not softened it with a smile, "We better keep on his good side sis, he could put us both in our places."
"Everyone has some weakness."
"That's what I thought until I tried sparring with him. Did you know they are even using his genome as a base for the new X9?" Ty turned back to the computer screen where he had pulled up miscellaneous windows probably pertaining to some future mission.
"Really? I'm surprised. By doing that Manticore is admitting that nature had done a better job with genetics than all their years of research."
"Either way Manticore would have created the perfect soldier eventually."
"If he is what Manticore considers perfect, does that mean we are now defective?"
"It just means we will be improved upon."
Again a silence swept the room after the chilling implications of that last sentence Ty spoke. Quietly she withdrew toward the door. "I'm going to take a walk around the base."
Ty gave no indication that he had heard what she said, but Raven knew that he did.
*****
"Right…" Ty whispered to himself when he could no longer hear Raven's footsteps in the hall. Inputting a quick command into the computer, Ty opened a secure line. "Quince. Fox. Are you at your positions?"
*****
"Ah…" Quince answered his head set uneasily. "No."
Sitting on the other side of the table in the mess hall, Fox shook his head. When on assignment Quince could construct and maintain a web of deception without even needing to think, yet when it came to his superiors he refused to tell a lie. Fox stood, knowing what order would come next.
*****
"I want you at your posts now. She is on the move. I want to know where she is at all times."
Ty would have given more covert commands had he known that Raven still stood just around the corner, well within earshot.
So they didn't trust her. Raven was left to wonder if the orders came from higher up, or if it was Ty who held the suspicions.
But she dared not dwell on her thoughts. If Fox and Quince were not currently monitoring her this was the opportunity she had been waiting for. She reached into her pocket and wrapped a hand around the keys so they would not clink together as she raced down to the brig.
*****
Bags were thrown haphazardly into the back of his Aztec. The only thing Logan bothered to handle with care was his hard drive and a few other disks. But they were still bumped around a bit as Logan drove through the Seattle streets in their constant state of disrepair.
The first few gates were no problem. But the last gate before the Seattle city limits was crowded with military personnel. Through the gates he saw two teenaged girls, dressed in black, talking to a few of the officers. They were all business, arms crossed with hardened looks that betrayed years of military experience. Those must have been more X6. Logan's first instinct was to duck, to hide until they had passed. But they didn't know what he looked like, so he didn't have anything to worry about. He would have liked to believe that but his pounding heart told him otherwise.
The sector police flagged him down and Logan opened his window.
"Sorry sir, the city is in lock down. You're gonna have to turn your car around and head back home."
"My name is Greyson. I have clearance to pass," Logan handed him the fake ID, trying his best to keep his hand steady and keep his voice even and confident. But he kept his eyes on the pair of X6.
"Uh…" The man hesitated looking at the ID. "Only military passes."
"Are you kept up to date Officer…" Logan searched the man's badge for a name, "Peterson? Because I just made my way through six other checkpoints without any troubles."
"I… just… Hold on." Peterson left with the ID in hand and walked over to another one of his colleagues.
Left alone Logan eyed the X6 again. The city must be crawling with them. That thought alone filled him with unease.
*****
Max saw Zack perk up to attention and was about to ask what was the matter when Raven burst into the room. With pure battle instinct Max leapt to her feet, though it would do her little good as she was still securely bound.
"What do you want with us now? Time for transport?" she growled, nothing could dull her anger.
"We don't have much time." Raven pulled out the keys and unlocked Zack's cell first. She then reached down to her ankle and pulled out a hunter's knife and hastily cut away the plastic ties. Zack looked at her, perplexed by her actions, as he rubbed his sore wrists trying to get some feeling back into his hands.
"They will be coming soon, we may have to fight." Raven warned as she opened Max's cell. "Donovan will be the strongest…" She had just finished cutting free Max's hands when Max's fist made direct contact with her jaw. The force of the blow was so great it sent a surprised Raven to the floor. Her lip split and bleeding.
*****
The guard soon returned to interrupt Logan's thoughts. "Sorry Mr. Greyson. You can move right on through."
A loud horn sounded as the gate slowly opened. That and the flashing lights ensured that everyone noticed his car passing through the checkpoint. Including the X6.
They both turned their heads and stared him down. Logan did his best to avoid looking in their direction as he waited for the gate to open enough for the Aztek to squeeze through. Out of the corner of his eyes Logan saw them exchange a few words between themselves.
"Come on, come on…" he urged the gate to open faster.
The closer of the X6 was now walking toward him, and his heart beat faster still. Logan kept looking to the side to watch her progress and there was no mistake, she was headed straight for him. His mind was already racing, thinking of what he would say or do should she start to question him.
She was no more than ten meters away when she stopped abruptly and pressed her fingers to her ear, apparently receiving some sort of message in her earpiece. Much to Logan's relief, the X6 took her piercing gaze off him. Standing there she looked like she was speaking to herself. After ending the conversation she turned to look over her shoulder and her sister nodded back. Throwing Logan one last fierce look, the X6 returned to her sibling with a brisk pace. Once more, words were exchanged.
That could only mean that something was happening at the base. Logan only wished he could have been more involved in whatever Raven was planning, but by the looks of it, she wasn't planning anything secretive.
It was then that the gates finally opened and the guards waved him through. Just as he passed the gates he was cut off by the two X6 on their motorcycles. They sped away without giving him another glance.
*****
" 'Crush their hopes and you will have their minds.'" Max quoted from one of the many lessons that had plagued her dreams ever since they had escaped. "If this is some sick game of catch and release…"
"You'll just have to trust that it isn't," Raven stood, wiping the blood away with the back of her hand, wary of another attack.
"Trust!?" Max scoffed, her eyes a fire.
Zack stepped in front of Max, stopping her advance, "Let her speak."
"Zack!? You don't honestly believe-"
"What other choice to we have?"
Raven stopped and signaled for them to be quiet as she rolled up her left sleeve. Her sensitive ears had easily picked up the tiny whirring sounds of the motors that focused the cameras that were watching them.
*****
"Ty. Raven has freed the X5," Fox reported. Both he and Quince were already sprinting down to intercept them.
"I figured as much, I'm already on my way. Eden, Donovan, all X6 converge on the prisoners, no one will leave this base."
"Yes sir." Fox and Quince added their voices to the tangle of responses.
*****
"They know now. They will be coming soon…" Raven reached into her pocket and pulled out the last syringe of Dr. Munrow's serum.
Zack tried to reach for the needle, "What are you doing? Didn't you see what that stuff did to me?" Despite himself a strange hunger for the liquid began to brew in his belly. His body, his muscles, his veins would never forget the utter ecstasy that the injections had drawn him into.
"It made you stronger and faster," she retreated from his outstretched hand and plunged the needle into her vein. In an instant she understood how Zack had become so easily addicted. Raven closed her eyes and inhaled sharply as the fluid raced through her bloodstream. She had never felt anything like this before. Every part of her was tingling with power. It felt like her heart was slowing, but in reality it was beating so violently that Max and Zack could hear it in her chest. "Like I said Donovan will be the strongest," Raven spoke when she finally found her breath.
"I'd like to think I would at least pose a challenge." They were all startled by Ty's voice and they froze when they saw the two guns, one was trained on Raven, the other on Max. Behind him Fox and Quince quickly took their positions and aimed their guns at Raven and Zack.
"I suggest you step back into your cells." Ty stood with a cold, uncaring look in his eyes.
"Get out of my way."
"You know I can't do that Raven," Ty shook his head, pity in his eyes, "I will not stand by and watch you self destruct."
Before he even finished his sentence Raven seemed to disappear into a hazy blur. Ty felt the guns being ripped from his hands before his mind had the time to comprehend what was happening. Raven didn't have the capabilities to move that quickly. It was like a snake's strike. He had only seen speed like that in one person, and he wasn't an X6.
Fox tried to pull back but his weapon was also stripped from his hands. Quince was able to get a shot off into the blur that was Raven, but it was a shot in the dark, coming nowhere near to injuring her. There was little he could do to hold onto his gun.
Almost instantly she was standing in front of them again, aiming a gun back at them while handing two to Zack knowing Max's views on the weapon. She adjusted her grip on the fourth weapon, and soon that was also aimed at her siblings.
"How?" Rarely was Ty was confused, and under different circumstances Raven would have been amused with the bewildered look in his normally stony eyes. But the expression quickly faded and he smiled confidently once more. "You won't shoot us."
"Don't temp me."
"I don't know what made you faster but it seems if you had wanted us dead, we would be."
Raven tried to hide the inner turmoil. Ty knew her too well. Of course she didn't want to hurt them, but she needed to get Max and Zack out of here. Despite the feeling of dread that crept around the edges of her mind, she knew in the end she would do whatever was necessary to set things right, to make everything as it had been before. It was just a question of making that first move.
Raven studied her brother, trying to formulate some course of action that would lead to the least amount of physical damage. Ty looked like he had plans of his own.
*****
In his ear, Ty could hear the rest of his siblings, each pair reporting their E.T.A. They were all currently converging on the base, a scant few minutes away.
"This is Wolf and Lenk, we are two minutes from the base."
"Ajax and Gira here, e.t.a. three and a half minutes."
"Shorn and Mar, no more than one minute"
"This is Neve, give me and Scrip five minutes."
Eden's voice was most urgent, "Donovan is not in his room but I think I know where he will be. Delay them if you can."
*****
He looked over Raven's shoulder to Zack. "Your real son will be coming soon."
Zack's breath deepened and his heartbeat jumped at the mention of Cole.
"He did well on his first mission. Oh wait. You saw first hand what your son is capable of didn't you?"
"Ty…" Raven's voice was a cautious warning. What was her brother up to?
Zack gripped his gun harder. With Ty's words Alyssa's death flooded Zack's vision like some surreal movie. There was no warning when the glass shattered behind her. All he could do was catch her limp body before she fell to the floor. The smell of death flooded his nostrils, the slick blood ran down his arms and soaked his clothing. The pain of losing such a trusted ally, a true friend, after all that had already happened had almost been too much for Zack to handle. Then, just when he thought had reached the bottom of despair, he looked up at her assassin… and it was his own son.
Max sent fleeting glances Zack's way, reluctant to take her eyes off the X6 for more than a second, for a second was all the X6 needed. Even then Max could see Zack's jaw muscles clenching in anger.
He no longer cared that these X6 were made from his genetic code. He fully detached himself from the idea that these X6 were somehow a part of him because of the shared genes. All he knew was that it was them who had warped and twisted Cole's mind.
"You should be proud, Zack, your son is an excellent soldier."
Zack's eyes narrowed with hatred.
Ty's half smile reminded Raven of some feral animal teasing its prey, "A natural born killer."
Raven should have realized what was going on the moment Ty mentioned Donovan.
When she turned her head she saw Zack's finger pulling the trigger without hesitation. There was no time to think about what events might follow, the instinct to protect her own family overrode any other movement she might have made.
"Zack, NO!" she yelled as she tried to hit the gun out of his hand. But his grip was too firm and she had little affect as he fired the weapon. Her mistake was not that she was too late in her reaction but that she had turned her attentions away from her siblings.
Ty had been counting on Raven to react this way and he took the opportunity to rush Raven with a swift kick to the back of her head that sent her to the floor. Fox and Quince took Ty's cue and attacked Max and Zack.
Fox tested Max's reactions, dropping on one hand and kicked one leg out trying to trip her up. Max easily jumped over the threat, but realized her error when his other leg shot up at her face. Thanks to Doctor Munrow's treatment Max was fast enough to deflect Fox's attack.
The fact that his strike was blocked surprised Fox. He had fought the other X5 and they could never adjust themselves quickly enough while in the air to stop this assault. Fox raised his arm just in time to block Max's fast approaching fist, but he was unable to react to the knee to his side. Max came at him with an assault of kicks and punches, only half of which he could dodge or block. When a small window finally opened Fox punched Max across the jaw and push kicked her away from him, making some room to compose himself. Maybe this fight wouldn't be as easy as he thought.
No more than ten feet away Quince was doing his best to dodge the barrage of bullets Zack sent his way. Two grazed his side and he could feel the heat of the third as it bore into the flesh of his arm, but he would not let that slow him. His healing was accelerated even for an X6. Soon Zack was within striking distance and Quince was able to strike him across the jaw with his elbow. With Zack momentarily fazed Quince quickly relieved the now empty weapons from his hands. In barely enough time, Zack was able to throw up his arms to block the butt of a gun from cracking open his skull.
Around her, Max and Zack were fighting for their lives, but Raven barely noticed. She was hunched over, her breath ragged. The stars were just starting to dissipate from her eyes and when her vision finally cleared she saw Ty standing over for her, fists at the ready. It was a thinning sense of respect that kept him from hitting her while she was still down. It was this same respect that stayed his hand from picking up the weapons she had dropped and turning them on her again.
"One day you will understand," she said quietly, her voice full of sadness, as she leapt at her brother.
Ty blocked her first advances, grabbing her hand and kicking at her knee, hoping to hyperextend the joint and disable her. But she knew what he had planned and jumped out of the way, leaping over his head. When he turned to face her again Raven thrust the palm of her hand into his solar plexus. The force knocked the wind out of him and her sheer strength sent him clear across the room. His head hit against the wall and she feared for a moment that she might have seriously injured him, until she saw him prop himself up on one knee and try to shake the grogginess that was no doubt filling his head. Having dispensed with her brother so quickly, she moved to help the others.
Raven grabbed Fox's forearm as he aimed an uppercut to Max's chin. With a quick shove she pushed Fox toppling back into one of the cells. Next Raven sprinted to where Quince and Zack were fighting. When she stepped between it took all of Zack's strength to stop his foot, which was intended for Quince's cheekbone.
Raven threw Quince into Fox who was just standing up, and they both fell to the ground of the cell. Max did the honors and closed the cell door, locking the two in.
"We have to go. Now!" Raven ordered, but both Zack and Max were already ahead of her, sprinting down the hallway as fast as their legs could carry them. Raven slowed her pace to make sure she brought up the rear.
*****
"Eden," Ty's voice was forced and through her earpiece Eden could hear him laboring to breath, "They are headed north in the western hall. Head them off."
She looked up into Donovan's pale eyes as he ran beside her. "We are on our way."
*****
While they ran, Raven gave them their instructions. "Once outside, head north east for one mile, and then east for five miles. Logan will be waiting for you in the parking lot of an old rest area." They all stopped and waited anxiously, their full wits about them, as Raven punched the daily code into the door keypad. "Ty will most likely assume you are headed for the road just west of this base so you should have no more troubles after that, but it would be safest if you get off the major highway systems."
There was a loud buzzer sound, and Raven pulled at the handle, opening the door and ushering Max and Zack ahead of her. Once through, Raven made sure to pull the door shut after her.
"What about the scent trail? It was how you found us last time," Max asked over her shoulder as they fell back into a sprint. There were windows on one side of the hall, that peered out over the forest. As they ran past, they could see the last sliver of sun retreating below the horizon. It was like watching a movie when the film was moving too slow.
"I'll keep them off your trail long enough for the scent to dissipate beyond our capabilities of tracking."
"But you are coming with us aren't you?" Zack did not hide his apprehension. He didn't like how Raven kept taking in terms of 'you and me' rather than 'us' or 'we'.
The question hung in the air, and even if she had wanted to answer, Raven wasn't given the opportunity. Up ahead they saw Eden turn the corner and block their path. They didn't bother to slow when they realized the odds were in their favor.
But they all came to a jarring halt when they saw who rounded the corner just behind Eden.
Donovan.
*****
Ty was soon on his unsteady feet, and pulling keys from his pocket.
His brothers gripped the bars of their prison, their knuckles white with impatience.
Ty blinked hard a few times, as he searched through the keys on the ring, but the blurriness would not leave his eyes enough for him to tell one key from another.
"Here," he said, finally giving up and tossing them all to his brother, "Find it yourself."
Fox took the keys with no argument, and Ty sprinted down the halls after Raven.
*****
Raven stepped between Max and Zack to stand at the head of their formation. She raised her fists and relaxed her muscles to prepare for a fight she knew was pivotal to the escape. This was the sole reason she had injected the drug in her veins.
Despite the odds being relatively even, there was a hesitation. Was it because they did not want to hurt Cole? Or was it because they did not want to be killed by Donovan?
"Raven, this is your chance to turn around and return to Manticore peacefully. You know that all three of you are no match for Donovan."
"Cole. Come with us," Zack pleaded with his son, hoping beyond hope that deep within the soldier named Donovan, his son Cole would hear. "You know you don't belong here." He tried to step toward Cole, but Raven held him back.
Donovan paid him no attention, focusing his eyes on Raven instead. She could see he was intentionally blocking out anything to do with Zack and Max. He wouldn't even send fleeting glances their way. For a moment she though she saw him flinch at the sound of his father's voice. But it was probably just a trick of the dying light.
Eden also ignored what she deemed Zack's pathetic attempts to undermine the Donovan she had created. "Raven, there is no hope. Donovan is here and Wolf and all the others will be here in a matter of seconds. You will lose."
Behind them a loud buzzer sounded. Max looked back down the hall to see Ty stepping through the security door that they had just passed through.
"I'm getting them off this base, Eden."
"Sorry to hear that." Eden shook her head, upset her sister was choosing the most difficult course of action.
Raven's eyes narrowed. "Well come on then," she said, beckoning Donovan to attack.
And attack he did. When they had first met, Raven was fighting an inexperienced toddler, and even then he was quicker than anything she had ever seen before in her life. Ty and herself had barely been able to handle him. But now his skills were honed by weeks of training at Manticore, and he had the discipline and precision of a soldier through which he could focus his natural assets. Donovan hit her with a quick jab to the chin, and followed up with a kick to the side of the head. Before he could put his foot down again, he leapt up in the air, and got a solid kick with his other foot that sent Raven into the wall.
While this was taking place Max was busy engaging Eden, just as Ty caught up to Zack.
Eden punched and Max dodged to the right. She was then able to stop Eden's second attempt and kicked her in the gut. While Eden was keeled over Max took her elbow to the other's back. Instead of falling to the ground Eden put her hands down and sprang off them kicking her legs up and wrapping them around Max's neck. Now sitting on Max's shoulders, Eden was able to get a few quick punches in before Max threw her off.
Zack, unfortunately was having much difficulties with Ty. It was like fighting him that first day when he refused to listen to Max and had gone rushing in to confront Lydecker. Fists and feet seemed to be coming from all directions and Zack had barely enough time to block or dodge, let alone get in his own attacks. It was the few solid contacts he was able to get in that gave Zack a sense of hope, and urged him to fight on.
Donovan stood in the hallway looking at the fight around him. He watched Zack and Ty fight as sickening sense of déjà vu came over him. He was about to intervene and help Eden when Raven rose to challenge him again. She elbowed him across the cheek and swept her foot up and brought her heel crashing down on Donovan's shoulder. He could feel the joint almost dislocate with the force. He saw the surprise in her eyes when the blow did not even come close to bringing him to his knees. But Raven was never one to give up, she attacked him with all she had, which was still just under his true capabilities. She almost felt he was humoring her as he easily blocked ninety percent of her attempts.
But every deflection Donovan made was merely reflex as his mind was on other things. The hallway began to flash with strange images, twisting and morphing as though the walls were made of liquid. He closed his eyes for a split second to try and stave off the dizzying feeling and when he opened them again the hallway had transformed into small room. The smell of pizza drifted in through the open door. Here, too, he was fighting Raven and Zack was battling with Ty, Eden was nowhere to be found but Max was over on the other side, on the ground.
This flashback was different from all the others, it wasn't just a snippet of information, or a flash of image or even a movie running through his mind's eye. He had caught a quick glimpse of this scene before when he had been running from Zack, after he had killed his target. However this time it was almost like a dream that had wrapped itself around him. Every detail was so clear, his mind was so sure, there was no way this could have just been a dream. There was no more denying that this was a true memory.
Something was nagging at him… He was here fighting for a reason, what was it? Wait, yes, a mother. He had a mother. He was here because he wanted to help her. She had run off and left him in the car but he knew she was in danger and had followed after her. Where was she? Where was his mother? She was supposed to be here. He was trying to be a good little boy and save her.
Donovan looked frantically around the room while still fighting off Raven. Finally he saw a crumpled body on the ground leaning against the wall. It was her, it had to be her. His heart skipped a beat of relief. He didn't even need to see her face for his whole body knew that that was who he was here to save.
But when she lifted her head to look at him, his eyes widened with disbelief. Kat. It was the woman he had slain with his own bare hands. It was the woman he had stalked through the forest, whose fear he had drank up before he took her life…
It was the gentle woman in the helicopter.
In that instant, with that realization, everything came crashing together. The barrier that Eden and Manticore had carefully constructed came crashing down. The life he knew before Manticore all fell into place, the memories liberating themselves so he would know the truth.
But the truth was too much for him to bear. He was Kat's son. He was Zack's son. He was Cole. He was a monster.
The memory dissolved from the present, and he was in he hallway once more, Raven still attacking him with all her strength. It took a moment for him to understand his current situation knowing what he now did. "Wait!" He held his right hand out in a show of submission, but Raven wasn't expecting such an action and took it for an attack. She grabbed his wrist and swung her right leg up to hit his cheek. Still holding his arm so he could not move out of the way, she stopped her foot midair and brought it back to hit him on the other side of his face. The well-placed hit split Cole's lip and sent him stumbling back onto the ground.
Raven stood over him, breathing deeply to try and get oxygen back into her body. She was just about to make sure he stayed down when she saw the look in his eyes. It was fear, but it was more than that. It was pain. Not physical pain but a sort of mental anguish.
"I killed her…" he whispered under his breath. He touched his lip with his fingertips and pulled it away. Seeing his own blood for the first time. It reminded him of the time he had wiped the blood from his mother's cheek right before… "I killed her…".
"Cole?" Raven asked tentatively.
His vision became blurry from the tears that brimmed in his eyes. He remembered his mother's sweet voice calling out his name. He looked past Raven to see Max and Zack. Cole couldn't face them, especially not Zack. Not after what he had done.
Cole pulled a gun from the small of his back and looked at it in his hand. A small token of Manticore.
"Cole what are you doing?" Raven asked, fearful that Cole might turn the gun on himself.
But instead Cole aimed at the window beside him. He let loose three bullets to break the glass and dropped the gun to the ground.
The sound of gunfire caught everyone's attention, stopping the fighting long enough for everyone to see what Cole/Donovan was doing.
"Cole!" Raven yelled out once more in a futile effort to try and communicate with Zack's son.
Two strides and he leapt through the window leading with his elbows to fully shatter the glass. Zack sprinted after him too late. He leaned out of the window resting his hands on the shards of glass as he tried to see where his son had landed. The pain of the glass cutting into his palms did not concern him, only that his son was safe. Zack smiled for the first time in weeks. His son was free.
*****
Ty was about take a cheap blow to Zack's back when Raven stopped her brother. "Enough." She manhandled her brother, hitting him to the bass of his skull, knocking him out for at least a minute or two. Once more he got between Max and her opponent kicking Eden into the wall.
"Go!" she yelled to the X5. Max did not have to be told twice as she ran further up the hallway.
"Now!" Raven had to shove Zack away from his stance at the window. And after a few reluctant strides, Zack fell back into pace and started running after Max.
Behind them the loud buzzer sounded once more signaling the opening of the security door. Raven looked over her shoulder to see Lenk and Shorn and the others stream through the door. Fox and Quince were also with them. There were at least ten of them and Raven knew there was no hope of beating those odds. If they were to fight they would lose.
Zack and Max knew this as well and ran faster toward the next security door. Max reached the door first and Raven yelled out the code.
"6 3 8 8 4."
Max punched in the code and the buzzer sounded. She pulled the door open and ushered Zack through. But Zack pushed Max through and held the door himself, waiting for Raven to catch up.
"Go!" Raven yelled angrily. What was he doing? He had no time to spare. When he thought she was close enough to make it through, Zack let go of the door and ran after Max.
He looked over his shoulder to make sure Raven had in fact made it through but instead found her closing the door from the other side.
"Raven?!"
Max stopped and turned around at the sound of Zack's voice. Both she and Zack watched through the wired glass as Raven mouthed the words "I'm with my family now."
"No! Raven!" He could only watch as she punched the keypad that controlled the locking mechanism And sparks went flying. On their side, they could see the keypad go dead. Over Raven's shoulder they watched as the X6 were closing in. She had locked herself in a cage full of tigers.
Only a few seconds had passed until they were on her. Max ran back to where Zack stood and watched with him as the X6 beat down their rogue sister. Their numbers easily beat her strength and speed but she fought them off valiantly.
Max was the first to notice as one of the X6 took out a gun and fired a small hole through the wireglass. The glass shattered but the embedded wire held it strong.
"Zack, we have to go. If we stay this will all be for nothing." Max pulled at his arm.
"But…"
Zack had no to time to argue with her as the X6 shoved the tip of his gun through the small hole and started firing more accurate shots at them.
Soon they found the exit and were sprinting through the forest, following the instructions Raven had given them. They didn't dare look back.
*****
Because of Raven's efforts they had lost the scent trail long ago. It took a gun shot wound to her gut and six of her siblings to hold her down long enough for the others to bind her wrists and ankles. When they lifted her up again she saw the expressions of joy and anger on each of their faces. Joy that she would be soon be returned to the fold and anger that she had left in the first place.
One day, she hoped, they would understand what she was fighting for. They needed their freedom from Manticore, a chance to lead somewhat normal lives. And she would not abandon them until that goal was reached.
*****
Cole ran in no particular direction. He knew he would never be able to run away from what he did but he ran anyway. This was the kind of wound that time could not heal, and he would carry this guilt for the rest of his life. He stopped only once to look back. Maybe one day he would be able to face Zack and accept whatever punishment he deserved, but for now he had to wrestle with his thoughts alone.
*****
Just as Raven had said, Logan was waiting for them in his Aztec at the old rest stop. Max climbed into the front seat and threw her arms around Logan, relieved to see he was truly alive. And Logan was just as happy, if not more so, to see his love had made it out and had come back to him.
Zack sat in the back happy to the point of ecstatic that his son had left Manticore even if it wasn't at his side. And though he was troubled by Raven's actions he knew what she had meant by her last mouthed sentence. She wouldn't abandon her family, just as he himself would never abandon his own. Her sacrifice had meant their freedom, and he would never forget what she had done for them.
Soon they were off down the highway, racing away from Manticore. They didn't dare look back.
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[author's note: so this is almost the end. i will be making an epilogue, but i will have to put that off for at least a couple weeks because of midterms. sorry :( But soon this freakishly long story will come to an end and i think this time everyone will be happy with the ending.]