Disclaimers: I don't own Dark Angel or anything related to it,
doesn't life suck! And I don't own the dialogue form the first episode that
you might recognize.
What if Max's mom had escaped Manticore with Max? What if Max grew up knowing Original Cindy and Kendra? What if Max's mom hadn't named Max, "Max," but something different. What if Logan wanted to find this Manticore "orphan." Here's their story...
A/N: Thank you for sticking with me. The chapters are coming, the chapters are coming!!!!!!!!!! I am now entering another play, but I'm the assistant director! I'm finally over my writer's-block, Thank God!!! Now on with the story...
****************
*Plane to Puerto Rico*
The plane ride to Puerto Rico was almost okay, as soon as they departed Logan fell asleep. Cass grabbed his laptop and started to play solitare, at least until she found a chess game.
"This is gonna be good," she whispered, she couldn't wait to try it out.
"Attention passengers, we are about to enter a storm system. We ask that all of you turn off your cell phones, pagers, and all other electronic devices," the chirpy flight attendent said.
"Damn it," Cass muttered, "and for good measure, oh crap."
"Oh crap, is about right," Logan was suddenly very awake. "I hate flying for this reason. I hate turbulence," Logan was on his way to a full- blown panic attack.
"Relax, it can't be that bad," Cass remarked optimistically; she had never been flying.
"You're a first time flyer aren't you?" Logan turned to her; if she was, that meant he would have to stay calm. He could do anything for her. 'I can?' he asked himself. That question brought up more than he wanted to think about.
"Mom and I traveled a lot, but we always hitchhiked or drove. We didn't have enough money for flying, plus most planes were out of commission by the time I was twelve, when we did most of our traveling," Cass smiled at the memory of her mom. "In fact I remember this one time, after we had been in the third new place that year, I was fourteen,and we couldn't have bought a rat. Anyway, there we were in the newest "apartment," if you could even call it that, and we sat in the middle of the room, on top of all our blankets, and we just sat there giggling like a couple of six-year olds about all the adventures we had had just that year." Cass's face frowned slightly, "That was when she told me why we were running, not exactly, all she said was-"
**Flashback**
Cass and her mom were sitting in the middle of the floor, laughing, when Cass's mom got very somber. "Cass, I want to tell you why we are always leaving one place and going to another. We are running from this man named Lydecker. He is your father, but he is a bad man. He is part of a government program that performs experiments on people like us, your tattoo is nothing more than decorative art so that he can keep up with all his hirees. Never give into him, never give up, you can beat him..."
**End Flashback**
"Cass are you okay?" Logan put his arms around her.
"Fine," she almost pulled away from him, but they hit a small patch of turbulence. Cass couldn't help it and screeched.
Logan pulled her tighter to his chest, "It's okay, I won't let go." His words were soft and calming. Cass relaxed in his arms.
"I'm okay," she said after awhile, but the next batch of turbulence threw her back in his arms. "Then again, maybe not," she joked. He laughed at her joke, but he kept ahold of her this time. Though neither would admit it, they both felt comfortable with their arms around each other.
"Excuse me passengers, we will be landing in approximately twenty minutes. Please put your tray tables up and move your seats into the upright postition," the chirpy flight attendent was no longer so chirpy after the three hundredth complaint. "Someone will be around to pick up your trash, and as always, buckle your seatbelt."
"Cass, Cass, wake up," Logan gently shook her. Those seizures yesterday must have really worn her down. 'That's all she needs on top of everything else,' he thought. "We certainly do live in a cruel, cruel world," he muttered.
"Yes, we do," Cass sat up. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes and stretched in a way that was not unlike a cat. "How much longer?" she asked.
"You know, for a supersoldier, you aren't too aware," Logan tossed the sarcastic comment in her direction, then faked hurt when she smacked him in the stomache.
"Haha," she wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out at him.
"Excuse me," a female flight attendent interrupted them. "Do you have any trash?" she asked, flashing an extra smile at Logan.
"No, we don't eat airplane food," Cass snapped, she was surprised at the jealousy she felt towards that woman, "and my *husband* is going to need a wheelchair when we get there, but you already knew that." Cass turned towards Logan and took his hand, smiling.
"Husband?" Logan raised his eyebrows at her after the lady left.
"We're not married? Then what's our cover?" Cass raised her eyebrows back at him.
"No, that's our cover. I just don't remember telling you," Logan couldn't believe himself. 'Stop acting like a child,' he told himself. His thoughts were leading him places he didn't even want to go. For example, what would waking up next to that beautiful face every morning by like? or how would being her husband change him?
"I guessed," she responded. 'I wonder what it would be like to be your wife, Mr. Cale,' she thought, then mentally kicked herself.
*****************
*Puerto Rican Airport*
"Hello, can I help you?" a pretty young clerk at the car check out counter asked with a heavy Spanish accent.
"Yes, my name is Señor Cale. I had a car reserved for my wife and myself," he said, sitting up in his chair.
"SÃ, Señor," the girl smiled, typed somethings into her computer. "Number 456, a red convertible?" she asked, double checking the information.
"That should be it," he said.
"Here are your keys, and sign here please," she grinned even bigger, until she saw Cass coming up, a very pissed look on her face.
"Gracias," Logan smiled, then quickly turned at the nervous look on her face. He grimaced at Cass's look.
"De nada," the girl quickly fled with the signed release form.
"The airline lost my luggage. They said they'd find it as soon as possible and then page me. The airline lost my luggage. It's official, I hate flying. I hate traveling, I hate Puerto Rico," Cass finished her diatribe.
"Cass, it's okay. We can go shopping," Logan's voice became one of total calm. "Don't worry," he smiled at her and turned around to find the car.
"'Don't worry,' he says, 'Puerto Rico will be fun,' he says, 'Nothing can go wrong,' he says," Cass mumbled under her breath, then she scooped up his suitcases and followed him to the car.
"Come on, Dear," he tried the word very carefully, surprised at how the word rolled off his tongue.
"Coming, Darling," she too was shocked at the ease the word had in flying out of her mouth.
*******************
*Meanwhile, Somewhere in Canada*
"So, we have another sister," Krit said, leaning back.
"We do, let's just hope Lydecker doesn't know about her yet," Tinga leaned forward. "What happened Zach? Please, tell us," she gestured to all of the X-5s that were seated somewhere in the room. For the most part, all were there. A few exceptions were Brin, Ben, his brother, and a few others that were still in Manticore or in Mexico. It was a safehouse they guarded like they guarded their past.
"I heard rumors of a girl who could jump tall fences with a single leap, take down four or five men twice her size without breaking a sweat, but she's untrained, I've seen her fight, she's not trained," Zach frowned. "She has had no training, none. I deliberately picked a fight with her, just to prove she was one of us. If she had been trained she could have beat me, as it was I almost lost..." his eyes got a faraway glaze to them.
"You keep saying that. *What* happened?" this time it was Jace who spoke up.
"I confronted her and she demanded to know who I was. All I did was show her my barcode and she freaked. She said she remembered seeing me a coupla years ago, in that bar *Crash,*" his face made him look twice his age. He had seen too much for his years, "To say she was shocked is an understatement. She was mortified and continued to ask me questions for two days straight. I think she has some of that shark DNA that a couple of you are lucky to have as well."
"When can we see her? Did you bring her with you? What is she like?" Sly's questions came out in rapid succession.
"*We* don't get to see her, it's a good chance that Lydecker doesn't even know she's alive. It's not fair to endanger her life by increasing our activity in that area. I didn't bring her with me, she has a number and if she's ever in trouble, she knows she's free to call. She's...a better human than any of us could ever hope to be; she's with this cyberjournalist and works for Eyes Only. 'Saving the world one person at a time,' she calls it. And she is," Zach gave his smirk that meant a smile to him.
"Zach's got a crush," a voice in the corner taunted.
"Shut up, Moron," Zach called to her, "but she's pretty. Dark, curly hair, dark brown eyes, and legs that go on-"
"We *get* it, Zach, shudup." Jace teased him. They all laughed at Zach's expense. "Take care of her, Zach. We're all counting on you to introduce us all sometime," Jace's voice had dropped down and become deathly serious.
"When have I *ever* failed you, Little Sister?" Zach asked her.
"Did Zach 'Mr. Brooding,' himself make a joke?" Tinga asked.
"'Fraid so, tell anyone and it'll be your last words," he growled.
They all gathered in the center of the room, "1-2-3, Break." With that they all went to the door and left in the same shifts they had come in.
"Be careful, Big Brother," Jace whispered in Zach's ear, giving him the biggest hug she could.
"Always, Little Sister," he whispered back, hugging her even harder.
"So, where to this month?" she asked, returning his hug.
"Puerto Rico, wanna come?" Jace smiled, and at her nod, they left together, on their seperate bikes of course...
*****************
*San Juan, Puerto Rico, Really Expensive, Big Hotel*
"Thanks," Cass said, placing the phone back on the reciever. She was standing in the middle of their room clad in a pair of Logan's sleeping pants and a tank top she had in her carry-on.
"What was that call about?" Logan asked, rolling out of the bathroom clad in pants and a towel around his neck. His hair was even more crazy and his glasses were slightly askew.
"They found my bags," Cass said, licking her lips while looking at Logan's body. 'And it's not even heat time,' she said to herself, amazed.
"Do you want me to go get them?" he inquired, correcting his glasses and drying his hair.
"Always trying to save the damsel in distress?" Cass raised an eyebrow and gave him a half-smile.
"I would never mistake you for a damsel in distress," Logan corrected her. "I was just asking because I actually have clothes," he threw out the line hoping she'd pick up their banter.
"Not right now," she muttered. She had accepted his proposal and countered. "Not for long if you keep that up," she pursed her lips.
"Uh-huh, and just what do you expect to do about it if I do?" he fired back, and their good-natured bantering continued on for a little while. They turned at the knocking on their door; both got a deer-in-the- headlights look. "I'll answer, you stay on guard," Logan whispered to her.
"Right, back-up, gotcha," Cass fumed slightly and walked over to a non-descript corner of the room. She nodded when ready.
Logan opened the door and was greeted by a young man from the airport holding Cass's bags. "Cassandra Cale?" the young man said in heavily accented spanish.
"That's me," Cass said, jumping from behind the plant. "Gracias, adios," she handed him a small tip just before he left. She shut the door behind her, then leaned down to Logan's ear and hissed, "Bathroom, now."
Logan and Cass hurried into the bathroom, where Cass started running the water. "Turns out the room's bugged," she said, her jaw set. "Found one in the corner, and it's top notch, better th'n Eyes Only has gotten his hands on."
"Do you think-?" Logan started. "I mean, is it be-? Why?" he stumbled out.
"They might know who one, if not both of us are?" he nodded at her finishing of his statement. "I don't think so, I just think its some guy trying to get his kicks outta a married couple. Then again, maybe not," she said as she bent down and pulled a camera from behind the toliet.
"Fantastic," Logan murmured, "what a way to ruin a vacation." He sighed as he moved closer to the tub.
"Technically, we aren't on a vacation, and I bet it's a sick man who wants to hear two young people going at it," Cass corrected him. "And secondly, you," she paused, "picked out the room, any reason why?"
"No reason, had nothing to do with the room. All I said was my wife-" he stopped mid-sentence. "Oh...Whoops?"
"Ya got that one right," she hissed. She sat down next on the tub next to him. "This sucks. Who knows how much they heard, or what they heard, or when they heard it," she sighed as she rested her head in her hands.
"Well, what have we really discussed that they could use against us?" Logan asked outloud as he turned towards her.
"Nothing much, just the fact that we've been here on our honeymoon for a couple of days and we haven't so much as kissed, hugged, or...ya know..." at Logan's almost clueless look Cass finished as she looked up, "bangedthegong."
"Ah, yes, not a very good honeymoon if you ask me," he remarked calmly.
"Well, I didn't, so there!" she stuck her tongue out at him in a very childish manner that she had out grown, a while ago.
"Temper, temper," he smirked. Then, very slowly he leaned closer to her, and for a moment she thought he was going to kiss her, but he just whispered in her ear. "So what do we plan to do about it?"
"Make a big scene in public, complete with the kissing and the hand holding and the mushy eyes and the yucky sayings," she said, her voice betraying her anger with him and his almost *kiss*.
Logan's face looked puzzled for a moment, then he smiled, "We gotta get ready, we have a show to do."
Cass watched him leave and then groaned, "Damn the man, damn the man for lookin' so fine in his cute little glasses, with the cute little mussled hair-do, and the shirt-less part is just a perk."
"Come on, Darling, we need to get ready," Logan called to her.
"Have I ever mentioned how much I hate you," Cass muttered, then she turned off the faucets and went to get her toiletries. "I get the bathroom now, or do you wanna do a full body cavity search?" her voice was tight with frustration.
"No search needed, I trust you completely," Logan grinned as he buttoned a dark blue shirt he had put on.
"You are way to trusting," Cass said, and then she grabbed some clothes out of her suitcase as he rolled to the French doors leading out to the balcony. "Looks like it's gonna storm, don't you dare open those doors before we leave."
"It's not gonna rain," he countered, then looked up at the sky as a dark cloud was spotted on the western horizon. "How did you- never mind, I don't wanna know, do I?"
"You can smell it in the air, or at least I can," she shrugged, then winked at him before dashing into the bathroom.
"You just might be the single most gorgeous, annoying, aggravating, self-contained, intelligent, gorgeous woman I have ever met," he muttered at the door. He got a pair of dark blue socks and a pair of loafers, hoping they would go with his shirt and khakis. He had been waiting about thirty minutes, catching up on e-mail, and checking up on his contact in San Juan. Everything had been prepared for Cass and him, now all he had to do was wait for her. He was looking out the doors onto the patio, where very large rain drops had been falling for awhile.
"Hey," Cass whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. She rolled her eyes and groaned when she looked outside. "Is it so much to ask that when I'm on vacation there is no rain?" she snarled at the rain.
Logan laughed, "Well, I tried my best to order the best weather, but apparently you have to order very far ahead in advance, and, my dear, I'm afraid we were to late." He patted the arm she had wrapped around his neck, and then, pushing it further than he ever thought he could, he kissed her hand. At her gasp, he quickly pulled away. "We better be on our way."
Cass was still in shock at what had just happened, 'Oh, get over it girl, it was a peck, on your hand, not even on your face.' She covered gracefully and pulled away, when Logan turned around. "I gotta grab my shoes anyway."
Logan froze as he turned completely around, she looked even more stunning then usual. She had a slight smile on her face, and her hair was pulled into a loose braid. Her make-up was minimalistic, but it was her outfit that really made him have to remind himself to breathe. It consisted of a tight spagetti-strap shirt in a deep red that blended right into the wrap around long skirt she was wearing with white flowers on it. Her tight stomach just barely showed and her toes were painted in the same deep red.
"Hel-lo, come on, we gotta go, times a wastin'. Plus, I wanna leave before the storm gets even worse," she put her feet into a nice pair of flipflops and grabbed a pair of sunglasses with red/pink lenses in silver frames. As they left, she picked up the room key and her small purse.
*****************
*Puerto Rican Airport, Same One Logan and Cass Arrived In Just Days Earlier*
"Zach, this is not FUNNY!" Jace exclaimed at her laughing "brother." "If the airlines had lost YOUR luggage, a few people would have lost their lives already!" Jace stormed around the ticket counter. "I can't believe I agreed to this "T-R-I-P!"" she started to raise her voice. "Of course, 'Don't worry,' he says, 'Puerto Rico will be fun,' he says, 'Nothing can go wrong,' he says. Yeah, well, I say sit on it and twirl! This is fun, my ass! I can't wait 'til I get ahold of the dumbass that lost MY luggage! He will SO PAY FOR THIS!" Jace was on a rampage now. "I am so gonna kick your ASS for this, ZACH! Do you realize that I packed every piece of clothing I owned for this, every, single piece! You had better not close your eyes tonight, or God show mercy, because I WON'T!!"
Zach quickly stopped laughing, Jace had always been better than him at hand-to-hand combat. Plus, when she gave out a threat, you took her seriously, she was very dangerous. "Okay, I'll buy you a couple of outfits, my treat, and then when we find your luggage, I'll buy you anything you need," he bribed, whoever said the way to a man was through his stomach was right, but the way to Jace was money. A lot of money. "Come on, you know we'll have fun."
"FINE, but just this once!" Jace lowered her voice so much that even Zach had to strain to here the next part, "But, if I find you were behind this, I will kill you." Her eyes had narrowed and her lips were pressed firmly together before she smiled. "So where are we going?"
"Could we get lunch first?" Zach asked.
"Always thinkin' with your stomach," Jace shook her head before turning to the doors leading out into the rental car's parking lot. "I'm driving."
******************
Well, what do you think? If you want more, review, or not. But I have to have at least 7 reviews before I'll even start on the next chapter.
Question: Do you want
A. Logan and Cass to meet up with Jace and Zach?
B. To have only one meet up with one of the other?
C. Me to leave the Jace/Zach plot behind?
D. To chose another situation than the ones listed above?
**Peace to all in this time of need**
What if Max's mom had escaped Manticore with Max? What if Max grew up knowing Original Cindy and Kendra? What if Max's mom hadn't named Max, "Max," but something different. What if Logan wanted to find this Manticore "orphan." Here's their story...
A/N: Thank you for sticking with me. The chapters are coming, the chapters are coming!!!!!!!!!! I am now entering another play, but I'm the assistant director! I'm finally over my writer's-block, Thank God!!! Now on with the story...
****************
*Plane to Puerto Rico*
The plane ride to Puerto Rico was almost okay, as soon as they departed Logan fell asleep. Cass grabbed his laptop and started to play solitare, at least until she found a chess game.
"This is gonna be good," she whispered, she couldn't wait to try it out.
"Attention passengers, we are about to enter a storm system. We ask that all of you turn off your cell phones, pagers, and all other electronic devices," the chirpy flight attendent said.
"Damn it," Cass muttered, "and for good measure, oh crap."
"Oh crap, is about right," Logan was suddenly very awake. "I hate flying for this reason. I hate turbulence," Logan was on his way to a full- blown panic attack.
"Relax, it can't be that bad," Cass remarked optimistically; she had never been flying.
"You're a first time flyer aren't you?" Logan turned to her; if she was, that meant he would have to stay calm. He could do anything for her. 'I can?' he asked himself. That question brought up more than he wanted to think about.
"Mom and I traveled a lot, but we always hitchhiked or drove. We didn't have enough money for flying, plus most planes were out of commission by the time I was twelve, when we did most of our traveling," Cass smiled at the memory of her mom. "In fact I remember this one time, after we had been in the third new place that year, I was fourteen,and we couldn't have bought a rat. Anyway, there we were in the newest "apartment," if you could even call it that, and we sat in the middle of the room, on top of all our blankets, and we just sat there giggling like a couple of six-year olds about all the adventures we had had just that year." Cass's face frowned slightly, "That was when she told me why we were running, not exactly, all she said was-"
**Flashback**
Cass and her mom were sitting in the middle of the floor, laughing, when Cass's mom got very somber. "Cass, I want to tell you why we are always leaving one place and going to another. We are running from this man named Lydecker. He is your father, but he is a bad man. He is part of a government program that performs experiments on people like us, your tattoo is nothing more than decorative art so that he can keep up with all his hirees. Never give into him, never give up, you can beat him..."
**End Flashback**
"Cass are you okay?" Logan put his arms around her.
"Fine," she almost pulled away from him, but they hit a small patch of turbulence. Cass couldn't help it and screeched.
Logan pulled her tighter to his chest, "It's okay, I won't let go." His words were soft and calming. Cass relaxed in his arms.
"I'm okay," she said after awhile, but the next batch of turbulence threw her back in his arms. "Then again, maybe not," she joked. He laughed at her joke, but he kept ahold of her this time. Though neither would admit it, they both felt comfortable with their arms around each other.
"Excuse me passengers, we will be landing in approximately twenty minutes. Please put your tray tables up and move your seats into the upright postition," the chirpy flight attendent was no longer so chirpy after the three hundredth complaint. "Someone will be around to pick up your trash, and as always, buckle your seatbelt."
"Cass, Cass, wake up," Logan gently shook her. Those seizures yesterday must have really worn her down. 'That's all she needs on top of everything else,' he thought. "We certainly do live in a cruel, cruel world," he muttered.
"Yes, we do," Cass sat up. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes and stretched in a way that was not unlike a cat. "How much longer?" she asked.
"You know, for a supersoldier, you aren't too aware," Logan tossed the sarcastic comment in her direction, then faked hurt when she smacked him in the stomache.
"Haha," she wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out at him.
"Excuse me," a female flight attendent interrupted them. "Do you have any trash?" she asked, flashing an extra smile at Logan.
"No, we don't eat airplane food," Cass snapped, she was surprised at the jealousy she felt towards that woman, "and my *husband* is going to need a wheelchair when we get there, but you already knew that." Cass turned towards Logan and took his hand, smiling.
"Husband?" Logan raised his eyebrows at her after the lady left.
"We're not married? Then what's our cover?" Cass raised her eyebrows back at him.
"No, that's our cover. I just don't remember telling you," Logan couldn't believe himself. 'Stop acting like a child,' he told himself. His thoughts were leading him places he didn't even want to go. For example, what would waking up next to that beautiful face every morning by like? or how would being her husband change him?
"I guessed," she responded. 'I wonder what it would be like to be your wife, Mr. Cale,' she thought, then mentally kicked herself.
*****************
*Puerto Rican Airport*
"Hello, can I help you?" a pretty young clerk at the car check out counter asked with a heavy Spanish accent.
"Yes, my name is Señor Cale. I had a car reserved for my wife and myself," he said, sitting up in his chair.
"SÃ, Señor," the girl smiled, typed somethings into her computer. "Number 456, a red convertible?" she asked, double checking the information.
"That should be it," he said.
"Here are your keys, and sign here please," she grinned even bigger, until she saw Cass coming up, a very pissed look on her face.
"Gracias," Logan smiled, then quickly turned at the nervous look on her face. He grimaced at Cass's look.
"De nada," the girl quickly fled with the signed release form.
"The airline lost my luggage. They said they'd find it as soon as possible and then page me. The airline lost my luggage. It's official, I hate flying. I hate traveling, I hate Puerto Rico," Cass finished her diatribe.
"Cass, it's okay. We can go shopping," Logan's voice became one of total calm. "Don't worry," he smiled at her and turned around to find the car.
"'Don't worry,' he says, 'Puerto Rico will be fun,' he says, 'Nothing can go wrong,' he says," Cass mumbled under her breath, then she scooped up his suitcases and followed him to the car.
"Come on, Dear," he tried the word very carefully, surprised at how the word rolled off his tongue.
"Coming, Darling," she too was shocked at the ease the word had in flying out of her mouth.
*******************
*Meanwhile, Somewhere in Canada*
"So, we have another sister," Krit said, leaning back.
"We do, let's just hope Lydecker doesn't know about her yet," Tinga leaned forward. "What happened Zach? Please, tell us," she gestured to all of the X-5s that were seated somewhere in the room. For the most part, all were there. A few exceptions were Brin, Ben, his brother, and a few others that were still in Manticore or in Mexico. It was a safehouse they guarded like they guarded their past.
"I heard rumors of a girl who could jump tall fences with a single leap, take down four or five men twice her size without breaking a sweat, but she's untrained, I've seen her fight, she's not trained," Zach frowned. "She has had no training, none. I deliberately picked a fight with her, just to prove she was one of us. If she had been trained she could have beat me, as it was I almost lost..." his eyes got a faraway glaze to them.
"You keep saying that. *What* happened?" this time it was Jace who spoke up.
"I confronted her and she demanded to know who I was. All I did was show her my barcode and she freaked. She said she remembered seeing me a coupla years ago, in that bar *Crash,*" his face made him look twice his age. He had seen too much for his years, "To say she was shocked is an understatement. She was mortified and continued to ask me questions for two days straight. I think she has some of that shark DNA that a couple of you are lucky to have as well."
"When can we see her? Did you bring her with you? What is she like?" Sly's questions came out in rapid succession.
"*We* don't get to see her, it's a good chance that Lydecker doesn't even know she's alive. It's not fair to endanger her life by increasing our activity in that area. I didn't bring her with me, she has a number and if she's ever in trouble, she knows she's free to call. She's...a better human than any of us could ever hope to be; she's with this cyberjournalist and works for Eyes Only. 'Saving the world one person at a time,' she calls it. And she is," Zach gave his smirk that meant a smile to him.
"Zach's got a crush," a voice in the corner taunted.
"Shut up, Moron," Zach called to her, "but she's pretty. Dark, curly hair, dark brown eyes, and legs that go on-"
"We *get* it, Zach, shudup." Jace teased him. They all laughed at Zach's expense. "Take care of her, Zach. We're all counting on you to introduce us all sometime," Jace's voice had dropped down and become deathly serious.
"When have I *ever* failed you, Little Sister?" Zach asked her.
"Did Zach 'Mr. Brooding,' himself make a joke?" Tinga asked.
"'Fraid so, tell anyone and it'll be your last words," he growled.
They all gathered in the center of the room, "1-2-3, Break." With that they all went to the door and left in the same shifts they had come in.
"Be careful, Big Brother," Jace whispered in Zach's ear, giving him the biggest hug she could.
"Always, Little Sister," he whispered back, hugging her even harder.
"So, where to this month?" she asked, returning his hug.
"Puerto Rico, wanna come?" Jace smiled, and at her nod, they left together, on their seperate bikes of course...
*****************
*San Juan, Puerto Rico, Really Expensive, Big Hotel*
"Thanks," Cass said, placing the phone back on the reciever. She was standing in the middle of their room clad in a pair of Logan's sleeping pants and a tank top she had in her carry-on.
"What was that call about?" Logan asked, rolling out of the bathroom clad in pants and a towel around his neck. His hair was even more crazy and his glasses were slightly askew.
"They found my bags," Cass said, licking her lips while looking at Logan's body. 'And it's not even heat time,' she said to herself, amazed.
"Do you want me to go get them?" he inquired, correcting his glasses and drying his hair.
"Always trying to save the damsel in distress?" Cass raised an eyebrow and gave him a half-smile.
"I would never mistake you for a damsel in distress," Logan corrected her. "I was just asking because I actually have clothes," he threw out the line hoping she'd pick up their banter.
"Not right now," she muttered. She had accepted his proposal and countered. "Not for long if you keep that up," she pursed her lips.
"Uh-huh, and just what do you expect to do about it if I do?" he fired back, and their good-natured bantering continued on for a little while. They turned at the knocking on their door; both got a deer-in-the- headlights look. "I'll answer, you stay on guard," Logan whispered to her.
"Right, back-up, gotcha," Cass fumed slightly and walked over to a non-descript corner of the room. She nodded when ready.
Logan opened the door and was greeted by a young man from the airport holding Cass's bags. "Cassandra Cale?" the young man said in heavily accented spanish.
"That's me," Cass said, jumping from behind the plant. "Gracias, adios," she handed him a small tip just before he left. She shut the door behind her, then leaned down to Logan's ear and hissed, "Bathroom, now."
Logan and Cass hurried into the bathroom, where Cass started running the water. "Turns out the room's bugged," she said, her jaw set. "Found one in the corner, and it's top notch, better th'n Eyes Only has gotten his hands on."
"Do you think-?" Logan started. "I mean, is it be-? Why?" he stumbled out.
"They might know who one, if not both of us are?" he nodded at her finishing of his statement. "I don't think so, I just think its some guy trying to get his kicks outta a married couple. Then again, maybe not," she said as she bent down and pulled a camera from behind the toliet.
"Fantastic," Logan murmured, "what a way to ruin a vacation." He sighed as he moved closer to the tub.
"Technically, we aren't on a vacation, and I bet it's a sick man who wants to hear two young people going at it," Cass corrected him. "And secondly, you," she paused, "picked out the room, any reason why?"
"No reason, had nothing to do with the room. All I said was my wife-" he stopped mid-sentence. "Oh...Whoops?"
"Ya got that one right," she hissed. She sat down next on the tub next to him. "This sucks. Who knows how much they heard, or what they heard, or when they heard it," she sighed as she rested her head in her hands.
"Well, what have we really discussed that they could use against us?" Logan asked outloud as he turned towards her.
"Nothing much, just the fact that we've been here on our honeymoon for a couple of days and we haven't so much as kissed, hugged, or...ya know..." at Logan's almost clueless look Cass finished as she looked up, "bangedthegong."
"Ah, yes, not a very good honeymoon if you ask me," he remarked calmly.
"Well, I didn't, so there!" she stuck her tongue out at him in a very childish manner that she had out grown, a while ago.
"Temper, temper," he smirked. Then, very slowly he leaned closer to her, and for a moment she thought he was going to kiss her, but he just whispered in her ear. "So what do we plan to do about it?"
"Make a big scene in public, complete with the kissing and the hand holding and the mushy eyes and the yucky sayings," she said, her voice betraying her anger with him and his almost *kiss*.
Logan's face looked puzzled for a moment, then he smiled, "We gotta get ready, we have a show to do."
Cass watched him leave and then groaned, "Damn the man, damn the man for lookin' so fine in his cute little glasses, with the cute little mussled hair-do, and the shirt-less part is just a perk."
"Come on, Darling, we need to get ready," Logan called to her.
"Have I ever mentioned how much I hate you," Cass muttered, then she turned off the faucets and went to get her toiletries. "I get the bathroom now, or do you wanna do a full body cavity search?" her voice was tight with frustration.
"No search needed, I trust you completely," Logan grinned as he buttoned a dark blue shirt he had put on.
"You are way to trusting," Cass said, and then she grabbed some clothes out of her suitcase as he rolled to the French doors leading out to the balcony. "Looks like it's gonna storm, don't you dare open those doors before we leave."
"It's not gonna rain," he countered, then looked up at the sky as a dark cloud was spotted on the western horizon. "How did you- never mind, I don't wanna know, do I?"
"You can smell it in the air, or at least I can," she shrugged, then winked at him before dashing into the bathroom.
"You just might be the single most gorgeous, annoying, aggravating, self-contained, intelligent, gorgeous woman I have ever met," he muttered at the door. He got a pair of dark blue socks and a pair of loafers, hoping they would go with his shirt and khakis. He had been waiting about thirty minutes, catching up on e-mail, and checking up on his contact in San Juan. Everything had been prepared for Cass and him, now all he had to do was wait for her. He was looking out the doors onto the patio, where very large rain drops had been falling for awhile.
"Hey," Cass whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. She rolled her eyes and groaned when she looked outside. "Is it so much to ask that when I'm on vacation there is no rain?" she snarled at the rain.
Logan laughed, "Well, I tried my best to order the best weather, but apparently you have to order very far ahead in advance, and, my dear, I'm afraid we were to late." He patted the arm she had wrapped around his neck, and then, pushing it further than he ever thought he could, he kissed her hand. At her gasp, he quickly pulled away. "We better be on our way."
Cass was still in shock at what had just happened, 'Oh, get over it girl, it was a peck, on your hand, not even on your face.' She covered gracefully and pulled away, when Logan turned around. "I gotta grab my shoes anyway."
Logan froze as he turned completely around, she looked even more stunning then usual. She had a slight smile on her face, and her hair was pulled into a loose braid. Her make-up was minimalistic, but it was her outfit that really made him have to remind himself to breathe. It consisted of a tight spagetti-strap shirt in a deep red that blended right into the wrap around long skirt she was wearing with white flowers on it. Her tight stomach just barely showed and her toes were painted in the same deep red.
"Hel-lo, come on, we gotta go, times a wastin'. Plus, I wanna leave before the storm gets even worse," she put her feet into a nice pair of flipflops and grabbed a pair of sunglasses with red/pink lenses in silver frames. As they left, she picked up the room key and her small purse.
*****************
*Puerto Rican Airport, Same One Logan and Cass Arrived In Just Days Earlier*
"Zach, this is not FUNNY!" Jace exclaimed at her laughing "brother." "If the airlines had lost YOUR luggage, a few people would have lost their lives already!" Jace stormed around the ticket counter. "I can't believe I agreed to this "T-R-I-P!"" she started to raise her voice. "Of course, 'Don't worry,' he says, 'Puerto Rico will be fun,' he says, 'Nothing can go wrong,' he says. Yeah, well, I say sit on it and twirl! This is fun, my ass! I can't wait 'til I get ahold of the dumbass that lost MY luggage! He will SO PAY FOR THIS!" Jace was on a rampage now. "I am so gonna kick your ASS for this, ZACH! Do you realize that I packed every piece of clothing I owned for this, every, single piece! You had better not close your eyes tonight, or God show mercy, because I WON'T!!"
Zach quickly stopped laughing, Jace had always been better than him at hand-to-hand combat. Plus, when she gave out a threat, you took her seriously, she was very dangerous. "Okay, I'll buy you a couple of outfits, my treat, and then when we find your luggage, I'll buy you anything you need," he bribed, whoever said the way to a man was through his stomach was right, but the way to Jace was money. A lot of money. "Come on, you know we'll have fun."
"FINE, but just this once!" Jace lowered her voice so much that even Zach had to strain to here the next part, "But, if I find you were behind this, I will kill you." Her eyes had narrowed and her lips were pressed firmly together before she smiled. "So where are we going?"
"Could we get lunch first?" Zach asked.
"Always thinkin' with your stomach," Jace shook her head before turning to the doors leading out into the rental car's parking lot. "I'm driving."
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Well, what do you think? If you want more, review, or not. But I have to have at least 7 reviews before I'll even start on the next chapter.
Question: Do you want
A. Logan and Cass to meet up with Jace and Zach?
B. To have only one meet up with one of the other?
C. Me to leave the Jace/Zach plot behind?
D. To chose another situation than the ones listed above?
**Peace to all in this time of need**
