Author: The Peanut Butter General
Date: 10/23/2001
Title: Mission: One
Genres: Story; Contemporary.
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Proof of Purchase
Summary: Logan asks Max to go on a mission to save Asha's life but Max doesn't like the terms of the mission. Who should she turn to for help?
DISCLAIMER: All characters who appear in this story belong to their respective creators, including Cameron/Eglee Productions and 20th Century Studios. No money is being made from the use of these characters.
"What in the hell is your problem?" Logan screamed at the top of his lungs. "I don't understand why you are being such a bitch about this."
"You wouldn't!" Max yelled back. "Don't you understand that you are asking me to risk my life! And you don't seem to care!" Logan just stared at her, his eyes cold. Max waited, her hands violently shaking. When he did not speak, she turned and stormed out of the room. She ran down the stairs to the street outside and jumped on her motorcycle. With out so much as a glance back, she drove off.
***
"Men!" Original Cindy scoffed. "Don't understand why women think they need 'em."
Max just sat there, silently.
"Hey." Kendra said softly. "Whatever he did to you Max, don't let it bother you. Men can just sometimes be stupid. They don't always think before they speak."
Max just sat there, not wanting to admit half of the fight had been her fault. She thought back to the beginning of the day... She had answered Logan's page by simply dropping by, no time to find a phone. "Hey." She said as she entered the apartment; she kept her distance from the man she loved.
"Hey, yourself." He said. "I'm glad you came by."
"You paged." She said and smiled. "What's up?"
"A problem." He said, as he turned toward his computer. "Eyes-Only received quite a message today." He clicked a button on his computer and the screen turned to a fuzzy gray...
"Eyes-Only" A synthesized voice said. "I have something you want." The fuzzy gray became clearer and a visual of Asha tied to a chair came into view. She looked badly beaten and barely awake. "You have something I want." The screen jumped to a picture of the Manticore symbol. "Your informant will be returned unharmed for a price, the genetic data from the Manticore soldiers. Deliver the data and at least one transgenic to this address before midnight tonight or else she dies." The screen flipped back to Asha, as a large man began beating her, before clicking off.
"That was in my Market Street meeting room this morning." Logan said. "They want an actual Manticore soldier in trade for Asha's life. I've contacted the other S1Ws that Asha works with in hopes of putting together a rescue plan. I thought you could help."
"I can just go in and get her." Max said, a little miffed that he would contact someone else before her. "I can grab Alec and a few others and we can just go in and get her. No reason to call in the S1W."
"It's not that simple Max." Logan said. "They are looking to capture as many Manticore soldiers as possible. My research leads me to believe this is someone trying to duplicate Manticore's work. I don't want you going in half-assed trying to break her out. You'd be risking you life as well as Asha's."
"But, I can do it." Max said. "Don't you remember, you have a genetically engineered thief working for you." Max let out a little laugh and smile.
"This is no laughing matter." Logan snapped. "This is Asha's life we're talking about. And more than that, she knows who the other S1Ws are and where you are. Not to mention that she thinks I am one of Eyes-Only's main informants. If they get anything out of her, it will be detrimental to us all."
"Yea." Max said. "I hear ya loud and clear. In other words, you don't give them a Manticore soldier she may die. And before she dies, she may give up your location and mine. More to my point, you should just let me go in and get her."
"And risk being captured yourself?" He said. "Max, I just got you back, I don't want to loose you again." He lowered his head. Max smiled and reached for him, pulling her arm back just before she touched his cheek. "You won't loose me." Her voice softened. "I won't do anything stupid."
"Max, they're holding her at a heavily guarded area." Logan began, swiveling his chair back to the computer. "There are at least a hundred guards in the building. This isn't a Mickey Mouse organization. This is someone potentially dangerous. The S1W will go in after her. I just thought it would be better if they had someone with your training around."
"Then let me put together my own team." Max began. "Alec and some others are collecting the escapees and helping them to understand what happened that night. They are helping them become more ordinary, so they can blend in better. But these are highly trained soldiers. We can get her out on our own."
"Max, not for nothing, ever since you came back you've been a little more military and a little less human." Logan said. "I know you think that you can't be hurt. But it is obvious to me that you can. And I don't want you involved with Alec and the others. You should separate yourself. Don't put yourself at risk."
Maybe Max had become a little more militant, but she was not cold blooded and she was not going to ignore her family. And maybe she shouldn't have blown up the way she did, but the screaming began and ended with her storming out of his apartment. Max rose and hugged Cindy and Kendra. "I don't know what I would do with out you guys." She said before leaving.
Max rode up into the hills, where Alec and the others were making a home for themselves. No one else knew they were here; not even Logan. He knew this place existed, he just didn't know where. Max slowed as she reached the entrance to the driveway. She all but stopped and waited. Like clockwork, two X-6s appeared from behind the trees.
"State your designation and objective!" They shouted in unison.
"Oh, hey Max." Sheila said, "Sorry, I didn't recognize you."
Max smiled and got off the bike. "It's good to see you again." She said, wrapping her arms around Sheila.
"This is Robert." Sheila said, introducing the tall man beside her.
"Designation X6-628." Robert shouted. "Arrived yesterday, oh-three hundred hours, ma'am."
"Designation X5-452." Max said in response. "Here to see X5-494." Max hated the formality of what she spoke.
"Alec is up top." Sheila said, waving Max up the hill.
Max climbed back on her motorcycle and continued up the hill. She waved back at the two X-6s and smiled. The driveway was almost a two-mile expanse and was all hills. Max waved to various people along the way. She was thought of as a big sister to all of the younger kids and a little sister to the older ones. When she finally reached the top, she parked next to the minivan that Alec had obtained.
"Max." A little voice yelled. "Hey Max!" Max turned to see a girl running down the hill to her. She was maybe eight and already quicker than Max had ever been.
"Hey, there." Max yelled, squatting down and holding her arms out.
The little girl dove into Max's arms and hugged her. "Max!" She squealed, "You'll never believe who came to see us!"
"Who came to see you, Rebecca?" Max asked.
"An X-3." Rebecca answered her eyes wide. "An actual X-3. But the one Lydecker used to call the mutant! Alec said she is the product of all the leftover DNA from the lab. Dog, Cat, Spider, Shark, Eagle, Lizard, even Snake! How exciting!" The little girl grabbed Max's arm and dragged her to the front steps. "You have to meet her. She's weird!"
"Okay, okay, Rebecca." Max said as the little girl dragged her up the stairs. "Easy, don't rip my arm off."
The little girl just laughed. "I won't."
Max and Rebecca entered the front room of the house. The first time Max had been here, it was a disaster. The roof had collapsed and boards had been missing from the floor. The inside staircase had fallen and all of the windows had been broken. But in the weeks since Alec and the others had arrived, they had really cleaned it up. The floor and the roof were fixed and they were rebuilding the staircase. The younger kids were painting the rooms and making it all look very nice. Alec had assigned rooms to the kids and was ensuring that everyone had a soft place to sleep. Max walked around the corner to the communal room. Rebecca pulled her to go quicker.
"Look who's here." Rebecca shouted as they entered the room. A barrage of kids ranging in age from five to twenty-one all stood and welcomed her.
"Hi." Alec said, leaning to give Max a hug. "Call everyone in for dinner, okay Rebecca." Rebecca gave a little salute and rushed from the room. "You're just in time for dinner." Alec said. "And we've got a bonus today. Steak! Just don't ask." Max nodded and let Alec lead her into the room. She stopped and talked to a couple of kids while the older soldiers helped the kids to the washrooms to clean up.
"Alec." Max said. "I need to talk to you. It's not a dinner like conversation. Something new coming in."
"Come on." Alec said, leading Max to a back room. "What's up?"
"Some guy." Max began. "He sent a tape to Logan showing that he has Asha. The guy wants a couple of us in trade for her life."
"And Logan wants to give us to him?" Alec asked in shock. "No." Max said, furrowing her eyebrows. "He wants me and the S1W to go after her."
"That's dumb." Alec said. "You have a squad of top notch soldiers here and Logan wants you to use ordinary people."
"Yea. Kind of my response too. Anyway, we didn't leave it on good terms." Max shrugged. "But, I can't just leave her there. Can I?"
"Want to go with out his knowledge?" Alec smiled. "Yes and no." Max said. "I would be willing to bring the S1W as long as I had a few of my own there."
"Something bothering you Max?" Alec softened.
"Yea. Manticore training is bothering me." Max sat down on the small couch. "If I were captured and your team had someone with them that was the ransom, what would you do?"
"Give up the ransom and walk away with you, unharmed." Alec said. "And that's what's bothering you, isn't it? You think that you'll be stuck with a bunch of people that you don't know and that they'll turn their backs on you in a jam." Max didn't answer; she just looked up into Alec's eyes. "Okay." Alec nodded. "You need us, we're there. But in the meantime, I've got something for you." Alec stood and took Max's hand in his own. He ushered her through another hallway and up a ladder. They walked side by side down the hall, stopping just before a wooden door. Alec opened it, revealing Joshua talking to a small woman.
"Hi." The woman said as Joshua rose to meet Max.
"Max." Alec said. "This is designation X3-298. She needs a name. And said she didn't trust me to give her one."
"It's not that I didn't trust you." X3-298 said. "I just didn't want to end up with some crazy name. Besides, I've been X3-298 for twenty-six years."
"I'm Max." Max said as she extended her hand forward. "It's nice to meet you. I've heard all about you from Rebecca."
"Rebecca's sweet." X3-298 said. "I like her. I have something for you."
"For me?" Max said. "We just met, how did you..."
"Alec gave me the work that was done on your virus. I have a counter virus in progress." X3-298 said. "No cure, yet, but an antigen should be made. You know, just incase you fall and hit the guy, right?"
"Thank you." Max said. "Thank you, 3-298."
"No problem." X3-298 said. "Give me more time and I'll come up with something more permanent. I'll need a few weeks to actually cook the antigen up and that's after I get the supplies."
"How did you know how to do this?" Max asked.
"Little known fact." X3-298 said. "When you're locked in a lab all day with doctors pulling and prodding you, you get bored. By the time, I was eight I could out do most of the doctors. By the time, I was ten Lydecker had me creating biological weapons and chemical viruses. Some a lot nastier than the one in your system. I just need better lab equipment and some chemicals that I haven't found on the black market yet and we'll be good to go."
"Max." Alec said. "Two thoughts. Well actually one thought, one favor. First, if this place that has Logan's friend wants one of us, they must have a lab right? So, if we can get in there and get some of the stuff she needs, it would be helpful. Not only to you, but she can work as our doctor here. Second, the favor, give this girl a name. Do you know I never noticed how impersonal a number was opposed to a name?"
"How about...Sonia?" Max said.
"Sonia." X3-298 repeated. "Okay, Sonia."
Max and the others spent the remainder of the evening deep in thought, trying to figure out the best way into the facility Logan had shown her.
"Tell this guy we do this on mutual terms." Sonia said. "Ten of his men, ten of ours. We separate inside. Let them get there their man out, we go after the lab." Pause. " Maybe twenty of ours would be better. If they want one of us for comparison DNA, if they are trying to duplicate Manticore's work, they must have a good facility. Maybe even some good DNA work ups."
"I'll suggest it." Max said. "I just don't know if he'll like it."
"Too bad." Alec said, everyone turned to look at him. "I mean it, if he doesn't like it, then we do in alone. If we can get the girl, we get her. If not, she dies."
"That's nice to say, Alec." Max said. "He's either with us or against us?"
"Basically." Alec retorted. "He either wants us to help him, or he wants to do it himself."
"We stick together." Sonia said. "Follow the chain of command."
"No chain of command, Sonia." Alec said, blushing as he used her name for the first time. "We stick together as a
family."
"Even a family has a chain of command. I don't know what else to call it. The children listens to their parents, until they are old enough to become parents themselves. So must we. Max needs to explain that to her friend. It isn't military in this case, only protective. A mother would not let her child go off into the world unprepared. If this man loves you, he wouldn't ask you to risk yourself by going in unprepared."
"Rather profound for an X-3, no?" Max smiled. "I'll talk to him. And see."
"Want me to go with you?" Alec said.
"No." Max said softly. "That would add fuel to the fire." The day turned into night and Max stayed to help put all of the younger kids to sleep. Alec had made it a point to have every child under twelve put to bed by someone older. Not to command them to sleep, but to offer the first part of a family life. Alec was doing his best. Max still pondered his reformation. He went from being a cold-hearted soldier, to almost, well almost fatherly. Seems his brush with death had a positive side effect. Max placed the last of her group in their make shift beds - some actual beds, some cots, some sleeping bags or blankets laid on the floor. She stood at the door of the bedroom and blew kisses goodnight before leaving the room.
"You sure you don't want me to go with you?" Alec said as Max walked to the front door.
"No." Max said. "It's just Logan. Right? I mean, I love him. I should trust him and trust that he wouldn't let anything happen to me. I'll tell him the truth. That you guys want to go and get the stuff in the lab. He'll understand. Won't he?"
"Max." Alec said, resting his hand on her shoulder. "You know him better than anyone. But if you need me, I'm there for you. We're family now."
Max smiled and left. It was a long ride back to Logan's place. It was after midnight when she finally arrived and quietly made her way into Logan's apartment. As usual, he was glued to the computer screen, working. She dropped down and walked behind him.
"Busy?" She said.
Logan jumped, nearly falling off of his chair and gave a little scream. "Don't do that." He said, turning to Max. "One of these days I'm going to have a heart attack."
Max bit her lips, stifling a laugh. "Sorry." She said. "I really wasn't trying to kill you or anything."
"Look, Max." Logan said. "I'm sorry about before. I just don't want to loose you again and I don't know exactly what we're dealing with."
"It's okay." Max said. "And I'm sorry too. But I didn't come to say that, I came to get Asha back. On mutual terms."
"Mutual terms?" Logan questioned. "What does that mean?"
"Basically, your team of S1Ws and my team of Manticore soldiers and together, we complete the goal. And before you object, they are doing it for a partially selfish reason. There is something in the facility that they want. You just gather your team and meet me and mine at the warehouse in sector four. You'll see, it's a good plan." With that, Max left and let Logan get back to work. She didn't mention a cure to the virus, or an antibody; she couldn't get his hopes up, not again.
The Next Morning
Max arrived at the warehouse at seven, Logan was already setting up. He looked at her strangely as she walked in wearing her fatigues.
"I know what you're thinking, don't." Max said as Logan smiled. "I just find the fatigues comfortable for something like this." Max and Logan worked in silence as both set up their own equipment and information. By eight o'clock, the S1Ws had arrived, but her team had not.
"So where are the freaks?" Chris, one of the S1W asked Logan. "I thought the freaks were coming to help."
"Excuse me?" Max said, whipping her head around. "I know you just didn't call me and mine freaks."
"Well, you ain't normal are you?" Another man said.
Before Max could even answer, the warehouse door opened and twenty Soldiers led by Alec walked in, all in their fatigues. Alec, fifteen X-6s, Joshua, Sonia and three X8s walked to Max and stood behind her.
"Any problems, 452?" One X6 said.
"We need to kick some ordinary ass?" Another said.
"No." Max answered. "All is fine."
"Yea, great." Chris said. "If the freaks knew how to tell time, we'd be on our way right now. Showing up late and with children no less. Logan, we're not babysitters here. We came to get Asha back. If it comes down to it, the freaks are gone."
Confirmation of her worse fears, Max thought. They would really leave her if they had too. Max opened her mouth to talk but was interrupted by a roar. Rebecca rushed Chris and tackled him; she pounded on him mercilessly. Alec had to pull her off and send her back to her position.
"Freak." Chris said as he pulled himself up.
"Listen." Alec said, lifting the man by his throat and holding him off the ground. "You say the word freak one more time and I won't pull the next person off of you." Alec threw the man down to the ground and walked away.
"This is the plan." Max began.
"No, this is the plan." Another S1W said. "I'm in charge in Asha's absence. You can call me Jane. Or if you prefer you can call me ma'am. But either way, we go in here." She pointed to an entrance on the map. "Down this corridor there is a detention cell, that's where she is. We get her we get out. No big deal, no mission, no freaks needed."
"Good." Sonia said. "You do that. You'll probably die too. X8s set up a command post, I want everyone hard wired so we can speak to each other. X6s, you'll take the perimeter. Kill all opposition. Alec, you and Joshua will take lead. Max and I will head to the lab. They don't need us; I don't see why we should waist valuable personnel on them." Sonia winked at Max. "Anybody have any questions?"
"Ma'am no ma'am." Was the response in unison, even Max had snapped to attention and answered. Sonia dropped back and let Max take the lead again. Max knew, had known the minute she saw the X3, what Sonia was and what she was capable of. Max stepped out to lead and commanded the troops to their positions; purposely not assigning anyone to the door the S1W were planning to use. Once everyone had received their orders, the teams moved out.
The mission itself was a successful failure. The S1Ws did exactly what Max thought they'd do. They attracted enough attention to themselves that Alec, Joshua, Max and Sonia got into the lab with relative ease. Inside were shelves of chemicals and supplies. Sonia quickly went to work getting the compounds she needed. Alec and Max began gathering data from the computers while Joshua stood guard. They were leaving the lab when Rebecca radioed that the S1W had pulled back; they had not gotten Asha out. Max and Alec immediately turned around, followed by Joshua and Sonia. The four advanced to the corridor pointed out by the S1W and were met by strong resistance. The four fought their way through and grabbed Asha. Half of the collected chemicals and data were lost in the process, but they did manage to get Asha and get out alive.
Later That Night
"Hey." Logan said as Cindy opened the apartment door, "Max around?"
"No." Cindy said. "Her friend Alec came to get her for dinner. Thought it was funny, him feeding her and all. Instead of you."
"Yea." Logan said softly. "You know where they went?"
"Max said something about a hospital before they left." Cindy said. "Don't know which one or if that even helps."
"Thanks." Logan said, silently wondering what Max or Alec would need a hospital for. He made his way over to Metro Medical. Perched outside, high in a tree, were two of the X8 and three of the X6 from this morning. Logan sat and watched as Max and Alec shimmied there way out of the window carrying a large overstuffed bag. He wheeled over to them as they walked out on to the street.
"Going shopping?" He asked.
"We had to ditch some things in order to get Asha. Just trying to make it up." Max said. "Why? Need something?"
"No. I went by your place to see if you wanted to grab dinner." Logan said. "But, I guess you already have plans."
"Yea." Max said. "Want to come with?" She smiled. Logan followed to the van and excepted Alec's help to get in.
The drive up was long and curvy and the road was dark. Logan knew if Alec had half of Max's vision, that the dark wasn't an issue. They pulled up to the large house over the hill a little after eight-thirty and each began unloading the supplies. Alec, again, helped Logan, who was cursing himself for not wearing his braces. The X8s and X6s carried the supplies up the front stairs while Max helped Logan around to the back door. A small ramp led up into the kitchen.
"They've done a lot of work on it." Max said. "A lot of work."
"It's great." Logan said, looking at the pictures on the wall. "Who are all of these people?"
"Mostly the kids here." Max answered. "Gus, uhm, one of the X8s, likes to draw. He's good too. He's done all of the kids through out the house and the rest of us upstairs. He says he's going to do a family mural on the communal room wall once the repairs are complete."
"Making a family for themselves." Logan said. "A family for..." Max stopped. "A family for you too?" Logan finished her thought. "Yea." Max said, a family for me too.
Date: 10/23/2001
Title: Mission: One
Genres: Story; Contemporary.
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Proof of Purchase
Summary: Logan asks Max to go on a mission to save Asha's life but Max doesn't like the terms of the mission. Who should she turn to for help?
DISCLAIMER: All characters who appear in this story belong to their respective creators, including Cameron/Eglee Productions and 20th Century Studios. No money is being made from the use of these characters.
"What in the hell is your problem?" Logan screamed at the top of his lungs. "I don't understand why you are being such a bitch about this."
"You wouldn't!" Max yelled back. "Don't you understand that you are asking me to risk my life! And you don't seem to care!" Logan just stared at her, his eyes cold. Max waited, her hands violently shaking. When he did not speak, she turned and stormed out of the room. She ran down the stairs to the street outside and jumped on her motorcycle. With out so much as a glance back, she drove off.
***
"Men!" Original Cindy scoffed. "Don't understand why women think they need 'em."
Max just sat there, silently.
"Hey." Kendra said softly. "Whatever he did to you Max, don't let it bother you. Men can just sometimes be stupid. They don't always think before they speak."
Max just sat there, not wanting to admit half of the fight had been her fault. She thought back to the beginning of the day... She had answered Logan's page by simply dropping by, no time to find a phone. "Hey." She said as she entered the apartment; she kept her distance from the man she loved.
"Hey, yourself." He said. "I'm glad you came by."
"You paged." She said and smiled. "What's up?"
"A problem." He said, as he turned toward his computer. "Eyes-Only received quite a message today." He clicked a button on his computer and the screen turned to a fuzzy gray...
"Eyes-Only" A synthesized voice said. "I have something you want." The fuzzy gray became clearer and a visual of Asha tied to a chair came into view. She looked badly beaten and barely awake. "You have something I want." The screen jumped to a picture of the Manticore symbol. "Your informant will be returned unharmed for a price, the genetic data from the Manticore soldiers. Deliver the data and at least one transgenic to this address before midnight tonight or else she dies." The screen flipped back to Asha, as a large man began beating her, before clicking off.
"That was in my Market Street meeting room this morning." Logan said. "They want an actual Manticore soldier in trade for Asha's life. I've contacted the other S1Ws that Asha works with in hopes of putting together a rescue plan. I thought you could help."
"I can just go in and get her." Max said, a little miffed that he would contact someone else before her. "I can grab Alec and a few others and we can just go in and get her. No reason to call in the S1W."
"It's not that simple Max." Logan said. "They are looking to capture as many Manticore soldiers as possible. My research leads me to believe this is someone trying to duplicate Manticore's work. I don't want you going in half-assed trying to break her out. You'd be risking you life as well as Asha's."
"But, I can do it." Max said. "Don't you remember, you have a genetically engineered thief working for you." Max let out a little laugh and smile.
"This is no laughing matter." Logan snapped. "This is Asha's life we're talking about. And more than that, she knows who the other S1Ws are and where you are. Not to mention that she thinks I am one of Eyes-Only's main informants. If they get anything out of her, it will be detrimental to us all."
"Yea." Max said. "I hear ya loud and clear. In other words, you don't give them a Manticore soldier she may die. And before she dies, she may give up your location and mine. More to my point, you should just let me go in and get her."
"And risk being captured yourself?" He said. "Max, I just got you back, I don't want to loose you again." He lowered his head. Max smiled and reached for him, pulling her arm back just before she touched his cheek. "You won't loose me." Her voice softened. "I won't do anything stupid."
"Max, they're holding her at a heavily guarded area." Logan began, swiveling his chair back to the computer. "There are at least a hundred guards in the building. This isn't a Mickey Mouse organization. This is someone potentially dangerous. The S1W will go in after her. I just thought it would be better if they had someone with your training around."
"Then let me put together my own team." Max began. "Alec and some others are collecting the escapees and helping them to understand what happened that night. They are helping them become more ordinary, so they can blend in better. But these are highly trained soldiers. We can get her out on our own."
"Max, not for nothing, ever since you came back you've been a little more military and a little less human." Logan said. "I know you think that you can't be hurt. But it is obvious to me that you can. And I don't want you involved with Alec and the others. You should separate yourself. Don't put yourself at risk."
Maybe Max had become a little more militant, but she was not cold blooded and she was not going to ignore her family. And maybe she shouldn't have blown up the way she did, but the screaming began and ended with her storming out of his apartment. Max rose and hugged Cindy and Kendra. "I don't know what I would do with out you guys." She said before leaving.
Max rode up into the hills, where Alec and the others were making a home for themselves. No one else knew they were here; not even Logan. He knew this place existed, he just didn't know where. Max slowed as she reached the entrance to the driveway. She all but stopped and waited. Like clockwork, two X-6s appeared from behind the trees.
"State your designation and objective!" They shouted in unison.
"Oh, hey Max." Sheila said, "Sorry, I didn't recognize you."
Max smiled and got off the bike. "It's good to see you again." She said, wrapping her arms around Sheila.
"This is Robert." Sheila said, introducing the tall man beside her.
"Designation X6-628." Robert shouted. "Arrived yesterday, oh-three hundred hours, ma'am."
"Designation X5-452." Max said in response. "Here to see X5-494." Max hated the formality of what she spoke.
"Alec is up top." Sheila said, waving Max up the hill.
Max climbed back on her motorcycle and continued up the hill. She waved back at the two X-6s and smiled. The driveway was almost a two-mile expanse and was all hills. Max waved to various people along the way. She was thought of as a big sister to all of the younger kids and a little sister to the older ones. When she finally reached the top, she parked next to the minivan that Alec had obtained.
"Max." A little voice yelled. "Hey Max!" Max turned to see a girl running down the hill to her. She was maybe eight and already quicker than Max had ever been.
"Hey, there." Max yelled, squatting down and holding her arms out.
The little girl dove into Max's arms and hugged her. "Max!" She squealed, "You'll never believe who came to see us!"
"Who came to see you, Rebecca?" Max asked.
"An X-3." Rebecca answered her eyes wide. "An actual X-3. But the one Lydecker used to call the mutant! Alec said she is the product of all the leftover DNA from the lab. Dog, Cat, Spider, Shark, Eagle, Lizard, even Snake! How exciting!" The little girl grabbed Max's arm and dragged her to the front steps. "You have to meet her. She's weird!"
"Okay, okay, Rebecca." Max said as the little girl dragged her up the stairs. "Easy, don't rip my arm off."
The little girl just laughed. "I won't."
Max and Rebecca entered the front room of the house. The first time Max had been here, it was a disaster. The roof had collapsed and boards had been missing from the floor. The inside staircase had fallen and all of the windows had been broken. But in the weeks since Alec and the others had arrived, they had really cleaned it up. The floor and the roof were fixed and they were rebuilding the staircase. The younger kids were painting the rooms and making it all look very nice. Alec had assigned rooms to the kids and was ensuring that everyone had a soft place to sleep. Max walked around the corner to the communal room. Rebecca pulled her to go quicker.
"Look who's here." Rebecca shouted as they entered the room. A barrage of kids ranging in age from five to twenty-one all stood and welcomed her.
"Hi." Alec said, leaning to give Max a hug. "Call everyone in for dinner, okay Rebecca." Rebecca gave a little salute and rushed from the room. "You're just in time for dinner." Alec said. "And we've got a bonus today. Steak! Just don't ask." Max nodded and let Alec lead her into the room. She stopped and talked to a couple of kids while the older soldiers helped the kids to the washrooms to clean up.
"Alec." Max said. "I need to talk to you. It's not a dinner like conversation. Something new coming in."
"Come on." Alec said, leading Max to a back room. "What's up?"
"Some guy." Max began. "He sent a tape to Logan showing that he has Asha. The guy wants a couple of us in trade for her life."
"And Logan wants to give us to him?" Alec asked in shock. "No." Max said, furrowing her eyebrows. "He wants me and the S1W to go after her."
"That's dumb." Alec said. "You have a squad of top notch soldiers here and Logan wants you to use ordinary people."
"Yea. Kind of my response too. Anyway, we didn't leave it on good terms." Max shrugged. "But, I can't just leave her there. Can I?"
"Want to go with out his knowledge?" Alec smiled. "Yes and no." Max said. "I would be willing to bring the S1W as long as I had a few of my own there."
"Something bothering you Max?" Alec softened.
"Yea. Manticore training is bothering me." Max sat down on the small couch. "If I were captured and your team had someone with them that was the ransom, what would you do?"
"Give up the ransom and walk away with you, unharmed." Alec said. "And that's what's bothering you, isn't it? You think that you'll be stuck with a bunch of people that you don't know and that they'll turn their backs on you in a jam." Max didn't answer; she just looked up into Alec's eyes. "Okay." Alec nodded. "You need us, we're there. But in the meantime, I've got something for you." Alec stood and took Max's hand in his own. He ushered her through another hallway and up a ladder. They walked side by side down the hall, stopping just before a wooden door. Alec opened it, revealing Joshua talking to a small woman.
"Hi." The woman said as Joshua rose to meet Max.
"Max." Alec said. "This is designation X3-298. She needs a name. And said she didn't trust me to give her one."
"It's not that I didn't trust you." X3-298 said. "I just didn't want to end up with some crazy name. Besides, I've been X3-298 for twenty-six years."
"I'm Max." Max said as she extended her hand forward. "It's nice to meet you. I've heard all about you from Rebecca."
"Rebecca's sweet." X3-298 said. "I like her. I have something for you."
"For me?" Max said. "We just met, how did you..."
"Alec gave me the work that was done on your virus. I have a counter virus in progress." X3-298 said. "No cure, yet, but an antigen should be made. You know, just incase you fall and hit the guy, right?"
"Thank you." Max said. "Thank you, 3-298."
"No problem." X3-298 said. "Give me more time and I'll come up with something more permanent. I'll need a few weeks to actually cook the antigen up and that's after I get the supplies."
"How did you know how to do this?" Max asked.
"Little known fact." X3-298 said. "When you're locked in a lab all day with doctors pulling and prodding you, you get bored. By the time, I was eight I could out do most of the doctors. By the time, I was ten Lydecker had me creating biological weapons and chemical viruses. Some a lot nastier than the one in your system. I just need better lab equipment and some chemicals that I haven't found on the black market yet and we'll be good to go."
"Max." Alec said. "Two thoughts. Well actually one thought, one favor. First, if this place that has Logan's friend wants one of us, they must have a lab right? So, if we can get in there and get some of the stuff she needs, it would be helpful. Not only to you, but she can work as our doctor here. Second, the favor, give this girl a name. Do you know I never noticed how impersonal a number was opposed to a name?"
"How about...Sonia?" Max said.
"Sonia." X3-298 repeated. "Okay, Sonia."
Max and the others spent the remainder of the evening deep in thought, trying to figure out the best way into the facility Logan had shown her.
"Tell this guy we do this on mutual terms." Sonia said. "Ten of his men, ten of ours. We separate inside. Let them get there their man out, we go after the lab." Pause. " Maybe twenty of ours would be better. If they want one of us for comparison DNA, if they are trying to duplicate Manticore's work, they must have a good facility. Maybe even some good DNA work ups."
"I'll suggest it." Max said. "I just don't know if he'll like it."
"Too bad." Alec said, everyone turned to look at him. "I mean it, if he doesn't like it, then we do in alone. If we can get the girl, we get her. If not, she dies."
"That's nice to say, Alec." Max said. "He's either with us or against us?"
"Basically." Alec retorted. "He either wants us to help him, or he wants to do it himself."
"We stick together." Sonia said. "Follow the chain of command."
"No chain of command, Sonia." Alec said, blushing as he used her name for the first time. "We stick together as a
family."
"Even a family has a chain of command. I don't know what else to call it. The children listens to their parents, until they are old enough to become parents themselves. So must we. Max needs to explain that to her friend. It isn't military in this case, only protective. A mother would not let her child go off into the world unprepared. If this man loves you, he wouldn't ask you to risk yourself by going in unprepared."
"Rather profound for an X-3, no?" Max smiled. "I'll talk to him. And see."
"Want me to go with you?" Alec said.
"No." Max said softly. "That would add fuel to the fire." The day turned into night and Max stayed to help put all of the younger kids to sleep. Alec had made it a point to have every child under twelve put to bed by someone older. Not to command them to sleep, but to offer the first part of a family life. Alec was doing his best. Max still pondered his reformation. He went from being a cold-hearted soldier, to almost, well almost fatherly. Seems his brush with death had a positive side effect. Max placed the last of her group in their make shift beds - some actual beds, some cots, some sleeping bags or blankets laid on the floor. She stood at the door of the bedroom and blew kisses goodnight before leaving the room.
"You sure you don't want me to go with you?" Alec said as Max walked to the front door.
"No." Max said. "It's just Logan. Right? I mean, I love him. I should trust him and trust that he wouldn't let anything happen to me. I'll tell him the truth. That you guys want to go and get the stuff in the lab. He'll understand. Won't he?"
"Max." Alec said, resting his hand on her shoulder. "You know him better than anyone. But if you need me, I'm there for you. We're family now."
Max smiled and left. It was a long ride back to Logan's place. It was after midnight when she finally arrived and quietly made her way into Logan's apartment. As usual, he was glued to the computer screen, working. She dropped down and walked behind him.
"Busy?" She said.
Logan jumped, nearly falling off of his chair and gave a little scream. "Don't do that." He said, turning to Max. "One of these days I'm going to have a heart attack."
Max bit her lips, stifling a laugh. "Sorry." She said. "I really wasn't trying to kill you or anything."
"Look, Max." Logan said. "I'm sorry about before. I just don't want to loose you again and I don't know exactly what we're dealing with."
"It's okay." Max said. "And I'm sorry too. But I didn't come to say that, I came to get Asha back. On mutual terms."
"Mutual terms?" Logan questioned. "What does that mean?"
"Basically, your team of S1Ws and my team of Manticore soldiers and together, we complete the goal. And before you object, they are doing it for a partially selfish reason. There is something in the facility that they want. You just gather your team and meet me and mine at the warehouse in sector four. You'll see, it's a good plan." With that, Max left and let Logan get back to work. She didn't mention a cure to the virus, or an antibody; she couldn't get his hopes up, not again.
The Next Morning
Max arrived at the warehouse at seven, Logan was already setting up. He looked at her strangely as she walked in wearing her fatigues.
"I know what you're thinking, don't." Max said as Logan smiled. "I just find the fatigues comfortable for something like this." Max and Logan worked in silence as both set up their own equipment and information. By eight o'clock, the S1Ws had arrived, but her team had not.
"So where are the freaks?" Chris, one of the S1W asked Logan. "I thought the freaks were coming to help."
"Excuse me?" Max said, whipping her head around. "I know you just didn't call me and mine freaks."
"Well, you ain't normal are you?" Another man said.
Before Max could even answer, the warehouse door opened and twenty Soldiers led by Alec walked in, all in their fatigues. Alec, fifteen X-6s, Joshua, Sonia and three X8s walked to Max and stood behind her.
"Any problems, 452?" One X6 said.
"We need to kick some ordinary ass?" Another said.
"No." Max answered. "All is fine."
"Yea, great." Chris said. "If the freaks knew how to tell time, we'd be on our way right now. Showing up late and with children no less. Logan, we're not babysitters here. We came to get Asha back. If it comes down to it, the freaks are gone."
Confirmation of her worse fears, Max thought. They would really leave her if they had too. Max opened her mouth to talk but was interrupted by a roar. Rebecca rushed Chris and tackled him; she pounded on him mercilessly. Alec had to pull her off and send her back to her position.
"Freak." Chris said as he pulled himself up.
"Listen." Alec said, lifting the man by his throat and holding him off the ground. "You say the word freak one more time and I won't pull the next person off of you." Alec threw the man down to the ground and walked away.
"This is the plan." Max began.
"No, this is the plan." Another S1W said. "I'm in charge in Asha's absence. You can call me Jane. Or if you prefer you can call me ma'am. But either way, we go in here." She pointed to an entrance on the map. "Down this corridor there is a detention cell, that's where she is. We get her we get out. No big deal, no mission, no freaks needed."
"Good." Sonia said. "You do that. You'll probably die too. X8s set up a command post, I want everyone hard wired so we can speak to each other. X6s, you'll take the perimeter. Kill all opposition. Alec, you and Joshua will take lead. Max and I will head to the lab. They don't need us; I don't see why we should waist valuable personnel on them." Sonia winked at Max. "Anybody have any questions?"
"Ma'am no ma'am." Was the response in unison, even Max had snapped to attention and answered. Sonia dropped back and let Max take the lead again. Max knew, had known the minute she saw the X3, what Sonia was and what she was capable of. Max stepped out to lead and commanded the troops to their positions; purposely not assigning anyone to the door the S1W were planning to use. Once everyone had received their orders, the teams moved out.
The mission itself was a successful failure. The S1Ws did exactly what Max thought they'd do. They attracted enough attention to themselves that Alec, Joshua, Max and Sonia got into the lab with relative ease. Inside were shelves of chemicals and supplies. Sonia quickly went to work getting the compounds she needed. Alec and Max began gathering data from the computers while Joshua stood guard. They were leaving the lab when Rebecca radioed that the S1W had pulled back; they had not gotten Asha out. Max and Alec immediately turned around, followed by Joshua and Sonia. The four advanced to the corridor pointed out by the S1W and were met by strong resistance. The four fought their way through and grabbed Asha. Half of the collected chemicals and data were lost in the process, but they did manage to get Asha and get out alive.
Later That Night
"Hey." Logan said as Cindy opened the apartment door, "Max around?"
"No." Cindy said. "Her friend Alec came to get her for dinner. Thought it was funny, him feeding her and all. Instead of you."
"Yea." Logan said softly. "You know where they went?"
"Max said something about a hospital before they left." Cindy said. "Don't know which one or if that even helps."
"Thanks." Logan said, silently wondering what Max or Alec would need a hospital for. He made his way over to Metro Medical. Perched outside, high in a tree, were two of the X8 and three of the X6 from this morning. Logan sat and watched as Max and Alec shimmied there way out of the window carrying a large overstuffed bag. He wheeled over to them as they walked out on to the street.
"Going shopping?" He asked.
"We had to ditch some things in order to get Asha. Just trying to make it up." Max said. "Why? Need something?"
"No. I went by your place to see if you wanted to grab dinner." Logan said. "But, I guess you already have plans."
"Yea." Max said. "Want to come with?" She smiled. Logan followed to the van and excepted Alec's help to get in.
The drive up was long and curvy and the road was dark. Logan knew if Alec had half of Max's vision, that the dark wasn't an issue. They pulled up to the large house over the hill a little after eight-thirty and each began unloading the supplies. Alec, again, helped Logan, who was cursing himself for not wearing his braces. The X8s and X6s carried the supplies up the front stairs while Max helped Logan around to the back door. A small ramp led up into the kitchen.
"They've done a lot of work on it." Max said. "A lot of work."
"It's great." Logan said, looking at the pictures on the wall. "Who are all of these people?"
"Mostly the kids here." Max answered. "Gus, uhm, one of the X8s, likes to draw. He's good too. He's done all of the kids through out the house and the rest of us upstairs. He says he's going to do a family mural on the communal room wall once the repairs are complete."
"Making a family for themselves." Logan said. "A family for..." Max stopped. "A family for you too?" Logan finished her thought. "Yea." Max said, a family for me too.