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Logan drove through several checkpoints, until he was near the edge of town. The place he had chosen for Max's memorial was tucked away, far from the ruins of Seattle, yet still near enough that Logan and the others could easily visit. The cemetery itself was very old, backing right up to the woods. Logan had placed Max's monument near the trees, he felt the wild overgrown landscape suited her best. Untamed, beautiful, yet dangerous. That was Max, through and through.
By the time he reached the cemetery, the rain had cleared and the sun was shining. It really had turned out to be beautiful day, Logan thought. Instantly, he felt a stab of guilt, Max had died today, a year and a half ago, and here he was, admiring the deep blue sky.
"Knock it off, Cale!" He muttered to himself, "torturing yourself over this never helps! Just admit the fact that you're healing..."
Navigating a sharp curve in the road, he slowed then pulled to the side. There was Max's monument, about 20 yards from the road. It stood in the dappled shadows cast by the overhanging trees and wildflowers grew just behind it, on the edge of the forest. Logan shut off the car, marveling at the silence that fell around him. It was nothing like the city out here, no car alarms, no gunshots or explosions. There was only the wind rustling the leaves and occasionally a bird would sing sweetly. Logan looked around, thinking, "God, I really love it out here...it's so calming. The only thing that would make it better, was if Max were really here." Sighing, he gathered up the flowers he had bought and climbed out of the car. Logan slammed the door, just to hear it echo, the sound bounced back at him from the wall of trees behind Max's monument. Weaving between the headstones, he made his way to the last row and looked up at Max's marker.
Logan had searched long and hard to find the right sculptor to create the statue. He had finally found a wizened old man named Amos who lived, and worked, not far from the cemetery itself. After Logan had explained what he wanted, Amos had looked through the reference materials and nodded.
"I can do this," he had said, "but it's gonna cost you."
"I don't care how much it costs, as long as you can meet the exact specifications."
"That, I can do," Amos replied, "it'll look just how you want...", he paused and looked Logan right in the eye, "she must have been something pretty special."
"Oh, she was," Logan answered, "she was."
It took Amos three months to finish the statue. When he finally called to announce its completion, Logan gathered everyone together for the unveiling. Original Cindy, Kendra, Herbal, Sketchy, Lydecker, the other X-5's, even Normal showed up. Amos ushered them all into his workshop, a smile on his face. He moved over next to a large, shrouded figure and took hold of the edge of the covering.
"This is easily my best work," he announced proudly.
Original Cindy put her hand on Logan's shoulder, Kendra, her arm around his waist. Amos looked to Logan for the signal. Smiling, he yanked the tarp off of the statue, never taking his eyes off the small crowd, awaiting their reaction. Logan felt himself grow weak, "It's perfect..." he whispered. Standing in front of them was an angel on a pedestal, nearly 7 ft. tall, carved from a single block of snow white marble. Her wings were gently spread, head cocked to one side, the right hand, palm up, reaching out to someone. But the look on her face, it was a mixture of love, curiosity and hope, the face itself, was Max.
"Oh Boo," said Original Cindy, "it looks just like her..."
Kendra burst into tears, Lydecker looked stunned, the X-5's reached up and stroked the angel's marble curls. Everyone agreed that it was perfect, a mirror image of Max. Logan just stared, amazed by the detail. The angel looks like she was about to climb down from the pedestal, she was so lifelike.
Tima stepped up to him, "Why an angel, Cale? Why did you put her face on an angel?"
"She saved me, she loved me, she cared for everyone around her...if that's not an angel, and I don't know what one is, Tima."
She processed that for a moment, then clasped Logan's shoulder and smiled slightly, she understood.
This statue went into place a few weeks later and since then, Logan had visited frequently. Standing at her feet as she reached for him made Logan feel like a part of Max had survived. It was eerie, but in a bittersweet way.
On this day, more than ever before, the statue seemed to stare right into his soul. The gentle smile on her face saying that everything would be all right. Logan squatted down and placed the flowers he had brought on the pedestal of the statue. He traced the inscription that covered the base, it simply read, "My Angel". No name, no dates, no need for either because Logan would never forget. He slowly cleared away the leaves that had collected around the marker since his last visit. Straightening, he brushed the dirt from his hands and gazed up at Max's face. "I hope you're at peace.. wherever you are. I'll see you again someday...of that, I'm sure."
From behind him, Logan heard the sound of a car door slamming. He turned slightly, glancing over his shoulder. Frowning, he studied the new arrival. It looked to be a woman, mid-20s, with long wavy brownish blond hair. She was carrying flowers. Logan didn't like being in the cemetery when others were around, he felt that this was his private time to commune with Max. Turning back to the statue, he began to tell Max, silently, everything that has happened since his last visit, two weeks before. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that the woman had stopped at a fresh grave a few rows over. She was kneeling in front of the headstone, having laid the flowers across the top. Logan did his best to ignore her, but he could tell she was crying. "That was me, just last year." He thought.
After 10 minutes or so, Logan turned to leave. A few rows over, the woman rose to her feet. Their eyes met, and they shared a very awkward moment. Logan felt a rush of compassion for the stranger. She was obviously upset.
"Are you okay?" He called.
Wiping her eyes and sucking in a deep breath she said, "Thanks, I'm fine...it was just so...unexpected. I never saw it coming."
Logan nodded, "I understand, I was in the same situation a year and a half ago."
Walking over, the woman stuck out her hand, "I'm sorry, my name is Camilla, but everyone calls me Cam."
"Logan Cale," he answered, shaking her hand.
They were silent moment, then Cam gestured toward the grave and said, "He was my brother...he died last week...murdered. I was back east and couldn't get home for the funeral. Even now...here...this all doesn't seem real, like a bad dream." Fresh tears welled up in her eyes and Cam half turned to hide them. Suddenly, she stiffened and threw herself at Logan, knocking him to the ground.
"What the hell!?" He exclaimed, as she dropped on top of him. At the same moment, Logan heard the unmistakable sound of a bullet ricocheting off stone.
"There's a man on the edge of the woods...he has a gun! I saw him when I turned! What are we going to do?" Cam asked frantically, her voice shaking. "Why would someone be shooting at me?!"
"It's not use they want," Logan answered, "I've been wondering what was taking them so long." Logan reached underneath his jacket and pulled out his pistol. Peering cautiously around the edge of a gravestone, he squeezed off a few shots. A hail of bullets came from out of the trees, striking all around them, throwing stone chips and dust into the air.
"Okay, here's what I want you to do," Logan said, "I'm going to lay down some cover and when I say go, you're gonna stay low and run like hell...okay?"
Cam shook her head, "No way! I can't! I can make it to the car, he'll get me, I know he will!" She hooked her fingers into Logan's jacket, "don't let him get me!" she shrieked.
"Cam, just relax...as long as I'm shooting at him, then he'll have to take cover...you can make it."
"Relax! RELAX!?!" She screamed, "are you out of your mind?! Someone is shooting at us, in case you haven't noticed! That is not something that happens to me very often, so I'm sorry if I can't manage to be blase about the situation! I just met you five minutes ago and now I'm supposed to put my life in your hands!" She laughed, a high, nervous, I'm-about-to-completely-lose-it, sort of laugh.
"Fine, stay right here then, but stay low and shut up. We might be able to get out of this, if we're lucky."
Cam looked as though she might faint, but she hugged the ground and shut her mouth. Logan opened fire, clearing the way for him to duck over one row. He squatted behind a large marble headstone and peered around the edge. "Damn!" He thought, "still can't see anything." Waiting for a pause in the return gunfire, he moved over one more row. Risking a look, he ducked back as the bullets slammed into the corner of the stone. A piece of debris lanced across his cheek, scratching deeply. Hissing at the pain, he touched his fingers to his face, feeling blood. With grim determination, Logan began firing into the forest as he darted behind a small mausoleum.
Reloading his pistol, he glanced around the corner of the crypt. Nothing in the trees...but his blood froze as he took a quick look back toward where he had left Cam. The shooter had emerged from the woods and was standing over her, aiming his rifle right at her head.
"No!" Logan screamed, lunging around the edge of the mausoleum. He squeezed off two shots, both hitting the sniper...but he wasn't quick enough. Logan saw Cam's body convulse as the bullet slammed into her skull. The soldier had fallen back, shot as he squeezed the trigger end Cam's life. Logan ran to Cam, falling to his knees beside her. He turned her over and saw that blood had run into her eyes. Gathering her into his arms, he rocked her gently, whispering, "oh God, not again...please God...please..."
Looking up into the sky, Max's angel filled his vision. She was splattered with blood, reaching for him. Logan was rocked by a powerful flashback, imagining it was Max in his arms. His vision clearing, he looked down into Cam's face, not Max's, and noticed one critical difference...Cam was still breathing. Forcing himself to wipe away the blood on the side of her head, Logan saw a deep furrow in her flesh. White bone gleamed, but her skull seem to be intact, it was just a glancing wound. Cam had just been knocked unconscious.
Logan took off his jacket and wrapped it around her head, the fabric immediatly growing darker with Cam's blood. Hearing a radio crackle behind him, he spun around, heart in his throat. It was just the downed soldiers walkie-talkie, spitting and sputtering. A voice broke through the static, "Alpha One, this is Alpha Two...come in. What is your status? Alpha One? Come in..."
Logan knew he didn't have much time before others came to investigate why Alpha One wasn't answering. Scanning the woods, he didn't see anything out of the ordinary...but then again, he hadn't noticed anything the first time around either. Looking down at Cam, he saw the bloodstain growing larger, soaking through his jacket. Throwing caution to the wind, Logan carefully picked up Cam and ran for his car, praying that his exoskeleton would be pick now to crap out. Placing her across the back seat, he ran around the front and slid behind the wheel. Starting the car, he threw it into gear and peeled out of the cemetery, heading for a doctor he'd used in the past.
~~~~~~~~~~~TO BE CONTINUED ~~~~~~~~~~~