Disclaimer: I don't own the characters that appear in the hit syndicated series Dark Angel (dagnabbit) , I only own the characters that I have created myself.
Summary: At the end of the season finale, we were left with a siege between the national guard and the transgenics. Now what? Inside the transgenics' new home forms romance, treachery, and an adventure none of them will very soon forget. M/A eventually.A/N: My season 3.
The Siege
by
Brin
Chapter 1: The Gathering
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Alec tossed some more shards of wood onto the fire. They were running dangerously low on fuel. He wiped the dirt off his hands on his pants and plopped down next to Logan. "After the wood is gone we'll have to use the battery-powered heaters and lights. We want to save the generator and gasoline as long as possible," he declared, warming himself on the flames.
Logan, deep in thought, only grunted in reply.
"Alrighty then. Moving on," muttered the X5, standing up and going over to Mole. "Is everyone okay?"
Mole took the cigar from his mouth and glanced around. There were twenty or so fires dotting the floor of the parking garage they had taken refuge in, most of them surrounded by about ten transgenics. "Seems so. We could be better."
Alec nodded and let out a deep breath.
After a few more moments, seeing that he was not going to get anything more out of the brooding anomaly, Alec went over and sat down next to Max, who was talking in hushed tones with Joshua next to a slightly larger fire. "Hey, guys. You okay?" He patted Joshua on the shoulder. "Holding up, big fella?"
"Joshua holding up," replied the dog-man softly.
Max looked up at Alec and shrugged. "I'm fine, too. Thanks for asking. You wanna sit down?"
"Oh sure," he said, thankful that at least one person still had their manners intact. "So what's going on? Any plans yet?"
"Nope. Right now we're hoping for a miracle," Max replied sadly. "I don't think anything short of that will get us all out of here alive."
"Not all of us will walk away from this, Max," said Alec gently. "Sometimes it's the price you have to pay." He put his arm over her shoulders. "There's always a price to pay for happiness."
Joshua twiddled his thumbs. "Alec right. Anything worth keeping is never kept without a fight, Max," he said, remembering the words from one of Father's books. "You've got to battle for what you want."
"I know, Josh, but…" She waved her hand towards the other transgenics sitting around the fire. "Look at us. I don't want to lose anyone."
Alec glanced around warily. Across the fire was an anomaly with three babies—two in her arms and one in her lap. There were a few X6s huddled together a few feet away, sharing one dirty woolen blanket. A lizard-like transgenic sat chatting with Original Cindy, his mate sleeping peacefully with her head in his lap. Some younger anomalies laughed and had lively chats as they played a game of checkers. This building was seemingly the most tolerant; housing at least one of every different kind of transgenic.
"We shouldn't be here," said Joshua quietly. "None of us deserve this."
Before Max could reply, she heard Sketchy calling her name and quickly ran over to where he was focused intently on the television.
"Look," he said, his voice grave.
Max turned to watch.
"…chaos erupted today on the siege front as five transgenics armed with machine guns and carrying backpacks full of items stolen from a local convenience shop were apprehended by the national guard as they tried to enter Terminal City. The leader of them, wanting to be known as simply 599, injured ten police offers in his attempt. With the permission of the national guard, we were able to interview one of the prisoners," the reporter was saying. Behind her, a mob of people jeered at the camera, waving their anti-transgenic signs meaningfully.
The camera then switched to another reporter, standing next to a person who had a brace around his neck and his hands handcuffed behind his back. A police officer held a gun to his side.
Max's jaw dropped. "Krit," she whispered, touching the screen gingerly.
Krit glared at the reporter, who shied away a bit. "What do you want?" the X5 barked.
"I, uh, wanted to know if you were willing to answer some questions that the public has just been dying to know," replied the reporter, adjusting his glasses uncomfortably. "First of all, what's your name?"
"Let's keep it simple and you just call me 471," Krit replied, his voice hollow.
"Okay…471. Tell us… why you are trying to get into Terminal City?"
"My family is in there. We were trying to get them supplies since you assholes are content to just let them starve to death in there while you sit out here drinking your wine coolers and complaining about how your toast is too hot," growled the X5, his eyes void of emotion.
The reporter looked more than a bit taken back by this, but he continued his interview determinedly. "And what do you know of the transgenics inside?"
Krit raised an eyebrow. "Now why would I tell you that?"
"It's for the people. They want to know the truth."
Krit glanced over his shoulder at the jeering crowd. "Looks to me like they want to tear my head off."
"Please, just a few words, 471."
"Well," began Krit with a sigh, "I've been told that they have adults, teens, children, infants, and a few pregnant females." He paused long enough to shrug. "Just like a small town."
"Thank you," said the reporter, adjusting his glasses again. "Back to you, Sheryl."
Joshua turned off the television. "No more. They want us dead! Like Biggs! They will hang us!"
"Calm down, Joshua." Max put her hand on his shoulder. "We'll make it, buddy. It will be alright," she said softly, but her voice sounded hopeless even to herself.
"What was that about 599?" asked Mole, who had come over to the television halfway through the interview. "Isn't that the one called Zack? Your brother? I remember having a run-in with him once back at Manticore. Tough guy."
"Yeah, yeah it is," whispered Max her throat suddenly dry.
"Look, guys, leave her alone," said Sketchy, putting his arm around Max. "This is hard on all of us. Let's just try to keep our sanity, alright?"
Mole and Joshua nodded before lumbering off.
"You alright, Maxie?" Sketchy asked.
Max's face went from sad to determined. "I'm gonna get Zack, Krit, and whoever else is with them inside." She took a deep breath to regain her composure. "The number one rule is that you never leave a soldier behind or stranded in enemy territory."
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After arming herself with a few handguns and a knife, Max walked through the groups of transgenics searching for people to accompany her. She had turned down Joshua and Mole's offers of coming with her, too afraid that they would get carried away by what they saw and/or heard. Besides that, Mole, given his temper, was very likely to just begin shooting into the crowd randomly. She couldn't risk any more tension between them and the public. Logan had offered to come, but she refused because, though his bionic legs gave him extra strength and speed, his upper body strength held no comparison to that of a fully-grown transgenic.
She found what she was looking for in a group of teenage transgenics roughhousing around in a dark corner of the parking garage. Teenage transgenics weren't necessarily as strong as the older ones, or as wise, but they had natural street-smarts and tended to be a bit more nimble than the transgenics who had reached 20-30 years old. Some of them looked like normal humans, but the majority resembled either cats, dogs, lizards, rodents, and some just deformed. Currently, a lizard-like girl and a young man with black spots all over his skin were arm wrestling. It seemed to be a stalemate; their arms remained vertical and almost completely still, but their faces were tight with effort. The rest of the teens were hooting and shouting or booing and jeering. One of them, a doggish young man of about 19, spotted Max and walked over.
"What can I do for you, beautiful?" he drawled.
"I'm looking for a few capable 'genics to help me spring five X5s from the police barricade," she said crossly. "You got what I want?"
"Xs… not my problem," declared the young man, crossing his arms over his chest and giving her a cocky grin.
"Don't give me that bullshit. I see those Xs over there cheering right along with you, and probably throwing most of the money on the board," barked Max, glaring at him menacingly. "Shall we do this the easy way or do you want me to bash your face in?"
The anomaly winked at her, then yelled over his shoulder, "Hank, Junky, Pick, and Eddie, come 'ere."
Max looked up as the four young transgenics jogged over.
"The name's Axle, by the way," said the first teen. "I was one of the less-successful models that came in-between the X5s and the X6s." He waved his hand over the three boys and one girl he had called over. "Hank, Junky, and Pick specialize in undercover ops and perimeter security. They're X6s."
Max nodded. The three boys looked as normal as could be.
"And this is Eddie, our lock pick," he put his hand on the shoulder of a young anomaly of about sixteen with cattish features and, of all things, a tail sticking out of a hole in her ratty jeans. "She'll get you in and out unnoticed."
"With that tail?" asked Max, incredulous.
Pick glared at the X5 and took a step forward menacingly. "She can tuck it away."
Max held up her hands submissively. "Just asking." She looked them over. "Is this the best you have to offer?"
Eddie scoffed and swished her tail. "You think he'd call us if we weren't?"
Max grinned at the girl, then tossed each of them a loaded gun. "Let's go. We'll work out the details on the way."
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Amos Mantilla of the national guard knelt behind a patrol car, his automatic fixed on Terminal City. He hated this work; it was like sitting there waiting for a monster to come out and eat him up. The past four days had been uneventful and slow, but he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. This side of Terminal City had no protestors since it was the side farthest away from where the main transgenics were said to be camping; an old parking garage. Helicopter scouts had reported than there were several transgenic camps within the twenty blocks that made up Terminal City, but they had kept this information from the public to prevent the chaos from spreading.
"Hey, look!" called one of his comrades, jolting Amos out of his thoughts.
Amos looked up to see something jumping from roof to roof, coming towards them. "What the hell is that?" he mumbled, looking through his binoculars. At first glance he perceived it to be a large cat bounding from building to building with its long, heavy tail and pointed ears, but then he saw that it stood like a human and had hands and feet. "It's a transgenic!" he yelled, taking aim.
The group of guardsmen all readied their guns, but before the lot of them could get a good aim on the transgenic on the roof, four more sped out of the darkness in front of them and pummeled the surprised guardsmen senseless in a matter of seconds.
Max let her last victim slide to the ground. "That was too easy," she commented.
"Yep," replied Junky whilst arming himself with the abandoned guns. "I bet you they have snipers around here somewhere."
Eddie caught up with them and accepted an automatic from Hank. "The old distract and attack. Most basic strategy in the book."
"You see any snipers up there?" asked Max, stashing some bullets.
"There are three of them on the roof and they've got a lock on us as we speak," said Eddie, carefully adjusting her hood so that it better hid her face and darting her eyes to the building behind them.
"I'll take care of that," said Pick, cocking the trigger of his gun. He held it up and shot three times, but as he did two of the snipers also shot, striking Hank in the shoulder and Junky in the thigh. No more bullets, came, however, as Pick's aim was true and three guns fell from the sky. Curses and shouts of pain could be heard from the three snipers, as they dealt with the pain of having their hands shot.
"Shit," growled Junky through clenched teeth as he leaned on his good leg, pressing a hand into the hole in his thigh to stop the bleeding. "That'll leave a mark." He accepted a piece of cloth from Max and tied it around his wound while Hank did the same for his.
"All right?" asked the X5. "Good thing I brought bandages or else you two would be in for a nasty couple of days."
"We'll be fine," replied Hank.
"Okay. Let's go."
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Max pulled her hood down so that it covered all sides of her face as she maneuvered through the crowd of angry Ordinaries, slowly but surely making her way towards the front where the prison truck was. Behind her, Pick and Junky followed, though they kept their heads up because they were not yet known as transgenics. Hank had been posted as a last-resort sniper while Eddie, not exactly normal-looking, rode on Pick's back with her face buried in his jacket her tail tucked away underneath the oversized sweater she had borrowed from Junky.
"Almost there," Max mumbled, knowing that her companions' enhanced hearing would pick up her words. "Keep it cool."
They passed by a few reporters and finally came to the police barricade, where the anti-transgenic chanting was the loudest and most violent. On the ground were burning pictures of Joshua, Max, and Alec.
"That's sick," Eddie growled, though she didn't lift her face. "We oughtta take them all out."
"Ssh!" urged Max nervously. She peeked at the prison truck, which had been pelted with rotten fruits and vegetables and a few eggs, creating a rancid stench. "There it is. The only question is how to get there…" She glanced around and spotted at least ten more snipers situated on the roofs around them. Hank nodded at her from his position inside the second story of one of the warehouses. "Watch for the snipers. They're everywhere."
Pick looked around warily. "They could take us out in half a second and they're not going to hesitate."
Max's head snapped up as the prison truck suddenly began to sway back and forth, nearly tipping over and causing the crowd to panic. A smiled crossed her face. "They've seen us."
"Who?" asked Pick, moving from behind Max to her side.
"The other X5s. They know we're out here and they're helping us by making an escape attempt. Come on. This is gonna be quick and it's gonna be dangerous, so be on your toes," she announced. "Junky and Pick, I want you two to get the guns away from the cops. Don't take them out, though; the Ordinaries would storm the place. Eddie, come with me."
"What about my face?" asked the girl, peeking out from underneath her hood.
"Don't worry about it. As soon as we cross the barricade, it won't matter," said Max with a small grin as she pulled a gun from her jacket. "On two… One… t—"
Before she could say 'two,' however, the prison truck totally capsized and five familiar figures jumped out. The snipers fired and the police rushed to contain the panicking crowd while the national guard tried their best to figure out what the hell was going on.
"Go!" shouted Max. She, Junky, Hank, and Eddie joined the disarray. Bullets rained around them, but they moved so quickly the snipers could barely keep them in sight.
Max sped over to the five figures who had jumped out of the truck, nodded towards Terminal City and ran off. The other X5s were hot on her heels to escape the rain of bullets from the snipers. Eddie remained behind to help Junky and Pick while Hank jumped from the warehouse he had been stationed in, flying over the heads of the crowd and landing next to Junky. They stole guns from eight of the police officers then ran back into the safety of Terminal City.
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"I've got injured soldiers over here, people!" called Max as she entered.
Joshua and Alec came rushing over, along with a few other anomalies carrying medical packs.
Max turned and, for the first time, looked over the five she helped to escape. Her jaw dropped. "Krit…Zack…Syl…Brin?"
Krit didn't say anything at first, but embraced his little sister in a tight bear hug. "Maxie, we were so damned worried about you! Your face was all over the national news. CNN, NBC, CNBC, ABC, MTV, you name it. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, but I don't know if I can say the same for you," she said, gesturing to the bleeding hole in his shoulder.
"Just a scratch," he joked before going over to one of the anomalies holding a medical case.
Eddie, Hank, Pick, and Junky had returned by now. Hank was shot in the hand and Junky's kneecap had been shattered after a bullet had ricocheted off of one of the patrol cars, injuring his other leg. Eddie and Pick were fine and had helped their ailing friends get back into the city.
Max, after making sure that the X6s and anomaly were okay, turned to the remaining four X5s staring back at her. Zack, Brin, and Syl she recognized immediately, but the last one, a brunette, Max had never seen before… or had she? She peered more closely at the last transgenic. Her face was familiar. Dark hair and blue, far-set eyes… Max gasped as realization hit her. "Jondy?"
"Last I checked," said Jondy with a playful grin as she pulled Max into a hug. "I would cry, but you know it's just so unbecoming of an X5…"
"You're Jondy alright," Max declared. "Who could mistake that sarcasm?"
"What, no hug for me?" interrupted Syl.
Max looked up and gaped. "Well what happened to you?"
Syl turned sideways and showed off her expanding belly proudly. "Do I really need to explain where babies come from, Max?"
The younger X5 laughed and gave Syl a hug. "Congrats, Syl!"
Syl winked at her. "Don't forget to tell Krit that, too. And from now on, I am Mrs. Krit Guavera."
Max gasped excitedly. "Are you serious?"
"As hell," replied Syl, displaying her wedding ring with a humongous diamond sitting on top of it. "We would've invited you, but it was a sort of last-minute thing."
"Excuse me, Miss?" interrupted a young transhuman with eyelids that blinked from side to side instead of up and down. "Are you hurt?"
Syl and Jondy turned to look at him.
"My back aches," said Syl with a shrug.
"I got nicked by a bullet on my arm," Jondy piped in.
"If you'll step this way, we have medical units waiting."
Jondy and Syl gave Max farewell glances before allowing themselves to be led off by the young anomaly, leaving Max alone…
With Brin and Zack.
Max uncomfortably shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Hey."
"Hey yourself," replied Zack, taking a tentative step toward.
"I… um… I thought you were working for that old farmer, Buddy, nowadays," said the younger X5, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear nervously.
"Me too," he said quietly. "That is, until I saw my little sister's face all over national television. It was a slap in the face. Then, three days later, Syl and Krit turn up on my doorstep telling me that we had to come here to help you out. The Manticore insert in my brain did its job; my memories were slowly returned. Only this time, I won't be trying to kill Logan, or anyone for that matter… well, with the exception of the Ordinaries intent on hanging us, of course."
"You remember trying to kill Logan?"
"Nope. Not a thing. Krit told me about it. He heard it from an X6 who heard it from an X5 who heard it from an anomaly who heard it from another X5 who heard it from Joshua who must've heard it from you or someone else here in the ever-lovely Seattle." He chucked and held his arms out invitingly. "Basically, it was the word on the street."
Max couldn't help but smile as she embraced him. "Glad to have my big brother back," she whispered, tears forming in her eyes. Over her shoulder she spotted Brin, who was looking back at her with apprehensive eyes.
Zack nodded, then looked between her and Brin, as they stared at each other without emotion. "I'll just be over here while you two sort things out." He pointed to his bloodied leg. "Got one in the thigh."
Max grinned at him ruefully as he limped away, then turned to Brin, who was gazing at the ground with a guilty look upon her face. "Look, Brin…"
The shorter X5 shook her head and held up her hand. "No, Max. Whatever you're gonna say… I just want to cut to the chase and say I'm sorry. I'm sorry I got you killed. If I hadn't slowed you down then your X7 clone never would've caught you. I'm sorry."
Max just stared at Brin, astonished. "Baby sister… it's alright. It's not your fault. They brainwashed you."
Brin smiled tearfully. "Nevertheless, I'm sorry." She paused long enough to wipe her eyes. "Krit and Syl 'showed me the light,' so to speak, after Manticore was destroyed. Those two have really helped out, and now that we have you and Zack back on our side… I think we'll be okay."
They hugged each other, and Max was surprised to find something wriggling in the pack on Brin's back. "What's this?" asked the taller X5, turning Brin around. She started laughing when a little baby peeked out at her from inside its carrier. "How come everyone is having babies nowadays? Did I miss something?"
"Well, for most of us it's because of the breeding program they started before you burned the place down," said Brin with a shrug. "But for the lucky ones like Syl and Krit, it was by choice."
Max tickled the baby's chin and he giggled, grabbing her finger with pudgy hands. "He's a cutie. What's his name?"
Brin took off one of the carrier's shoulder straps and gingerly pulled the infant from the carrier, placing a kiss on his cheek. "His name is Ben."
"It's perfect," said Max, her smile widening. "Little Ben."
They stood in companionable silence a little while before Alec trotted over and handed Brin a change of clothes and some cotton blankets. "Here. You can freshen up downstairs; one of the special unit people put together a water purifier and we've been collecting rain. Thank God we live in Seattle."
"Thank you," said Brin, accepting the items. "See you, Max."
"If there's anything you need, just ask. Most of the people around here are friendly," called Alec as she left.
Max smiled up at him. "Since when did you become Mr. Hospitality?"
Alec raised an eyebrow and flicked her nose. "Since you became the transgenic queen."
"Is that good or bad?" she asked, looking slightly disturbed by his statement.
"Good. Definitely. Would you rather have Mole as our leader?"
Max cringed. "I see your point."
"As you should, because the Smart Alec is always right."
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That night, Eddie and Pick sat on the rooftop of the parking garage, watching Joshua's flag wave in the chilly night wind.
"You think we'll ever be free?" Eddie asked, laying her head on his shoulder.
Pick played with a lock of her dark hair, twirling it around his fingers. "I think it'll cost both sides a lot, but one day we'll be free. Or maybe the new generation; the new babies without the barcodes will be free. Either way, one day this will have to end."
Eddie snuggled up to him and began purring. "We could start our own nation in Terminal City. Humans would die within a matter of months of being here. I bet even the people who guard the perimeter are gonna get sick from being so close."
"We should rename the place," Pick suggested, the idea making him grow excited. "A cool name that shows our pride, like Transgenic Central."
"Sounds like a high school," snorted the anomaly with a grin.
"Okay then, what about…" he chewed on his lip. "The City of Dark Angels?"
"Enticing, but without a beat."
Pick sighed. "Alright then, you try it."
"Me? I don't even have a name appropriate for my gender!" she exclaimed.
The X6 laughed and kissed her on the top of the head. "Well, it was a good idea anyway."
"I got an idea for ya," interrupted a voice, causing both teens to jump.
"Mole!" shouted Pick, embarrassed at having let his guard down. "What are you doing up here?"
"We have to make sure no one is missing," he said, taking the cigar from his mouth as he looked down at them. "Are you two lovebirds okay up here?"
Eddie blushed. "We're fine," she mumbled, turning away from the older anomaly.
Mole laughed heartily. "Good. I'll tell Max." He began to walk away, then, as if thinking better of it, turned back around and said, "If you guys want to rally the troops with a good name, try taking a good look around." With that, he turned and went down the ramp, leaving them alone.
Pick glanced up at the night sky, seeing only the brightest stars shining down upon them through the smog of Seattle. He put his arm around Eddie and whispered, "This place is our last hope. Some of us will die here and some of us are born here. It is our city. Our home. Our Last Hope."
TBC…
