11. The Full Monty

Alec snapped awake and was on his feet, reaching for his weapon. He was standing before he realized he didn't know what was going on, or where he was. He was unarmed, and undressed.

"Hey," Logan said cautiously, wheeling himself back a bit.

Alec was startled. The older man had been sitting so quietly, Alec hadn't seen him. He looked around. It figured. Logan was usually the last person he wanted to see. He seemed to be missing some time. His pulse quickened. There was a sensation of urgency; then it passed. He felt strangely vulnerable.

"I don't know what you got dosed with," said Logan. "Max had a hell of a time getting you back here."

"Max?" said Alec. "Where is she?" He didn't want to talk to Logan about Max. Mysteriously, he could smell her, as if she had been evoked at the mention of her name. He wished he could see her. He wanted to talk to her.

Logan regarded him carefully. "Work, where else? Then a mission tonight. I wanted you to be able support her, but we couldn't roust you."

"You should have tried harder," said Alec irritably.

"Max was all for poking you with a sharp stick, but we decided to let you sleep it off," said Logan.

"And I'm naked because . . . "

"We threw you in the shower with your clothes on," said Logan, wheeling toward the bedroom. "You can have something of mine."

Logan had never expected to see Alec unwrapped. He felt a sharp stab of envy. This was Max's breeding partner, after all. Manticore had chased Max for years. She was a valuable resource. When she had finally been caught, her handlers weren't going to assign just anybody to service her. In the pale afternoon light, the young soldier was whole and strong and perfect. He gave Logan a headache.

Alec turned, and found the glare from the main window to be painful; it sent a sharp crack through his skull. He held up a hand to shield his eyes. He was confused, so he seized upon the concept that made sense. "What mission?" he asked. "Did you send Max into danger?"

"What's with you?" said Logan hotly. "You were the one with the bright idea to rip off Frankie Sullivan's mansion."

"She's a big girl," said Alec. "She made up her own mind." His balance was off, so he shifted his feet. "Breaking into Frankie's was just a minor excursion."

"That was clear and present danger," said Logan, sarcastically emphasizing the words.

"Oh, right," said Alec, "only you get to use the government issue soldier doll."

"Max can't afford to take any chances right now!" said Logan, provoked.

Alec said, "You could get her killed, Logan. All because she feels guilty about you being in that chair!"

"She told you that?" said Logan, dismayed.

"She didn't have to!" Alec was on his toes, ready to pounce. His motor was revving. He felt caged in, uneasy. An image chased through his mind, two cannons flanking a palm tree. The floor seemed to be rolling slightly, like the deck of a ship.

Alec had traveled by sea twice in his life, on Manticore away missions. He flashed on his first grim view of the coast of Haiti, a beleaguered nation clinging desperately to life with desiccated, claw like fingers. He smelled salt sea air and diesel fuel. He looked down and saw that he was wearing a wetsuit. He had a long swim ahead of him.

Manticore had been contracted by an international consortium to ensure that pending democratic elections not take place. Alec didn't know why. He couldn't have cared less, although he did have fun watching decadent French films during his crash course in idiomatic linguistics. His assignment was to pose as a Christian relief worker, and take out the populist candidate with a poison trans dermal patch concealed in a handshake. He was looking forward to it.

Logan was further away from him now. It was like a jump cut. Alec had missed the last thing the other man had said. Logan was talking very softly, as though to an injured animal. He said, "I think you need to lie down again." It cost him to say that, he was getting anxious, and he wanted Alec to get the hell out.

"I'm good," said Alec. It seemed important that Logan, of all people, should know he was all right. And having said it, he was suddenly fine. "Where is Max? I'll catch up, keep her out of trouble."

"Alec," said Logan. "Max can handle it."

Alec stepped forward so fast he blurred, suddenly menacing. "I asked you where she was," he said. He drove his fist at Logan's head.





To be continued. . .