Web of Lies

Calypso

Disclaimer: Logan, Max, Alec, Joshua and White do not belong to me. This is being written for entertainment purposes only. As I have no money, please don't sue. Anastasia, and Jon however do belong to me. Do not use them or any part of this story without contacting me first. My AIM is on my profile page.

Set after the episode Exposure - S2x16

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Chapter 1: Chance and Discovery

In the darkness of the early dawn Alec lay still and extended his senses, deliberately he forced himself to focus on every strand of sound and every fiber of scent the night possessed until at last he found what had roused him. It was the uneven thumping of something outside his door, the sound was muffled and strained and further concentration made him realize that whoever it originated from was leaning heavily against said door and was hurt. Rising with a speed and celerity breed from years of training he dressed and slipped to his door. "Who's there?"

"X - " The voice was raspy, so much so that a normal person would never have heard it. "5- 7" The breathing was labored and the words were strained, but Alec had recognized the voice and did not need to hear the rest of it. Opening the door he caught the man who feel without its support. Dragging him indoors he slammed the door shut.

"Were you followed?" The man shook his head and it didn't take long for Alec to see the dark stains on the man's clothing. "Were you shot?" The man nodded. Putting him gently on the floor. Alec tried to get to the wounds, but found his arm caught by the X5 lying on the floor.

"Don't - too late." He struggled for breath but even so his hold was strong. "They've got her." The words were strange, and Alec didn't understand, but he let the man continue, who knew how many breathes he had left. "Take this, if she's - alive, - she'll contact you here." The man pressed a bloody beeper into Alec's palm. "Promise me - you'll save her."

"Who?" Alec took the beeper from the X5 but it didn't serve to answer any of his questions. "Who is she? And who are they?"

"Ana -" The man struggled once more, but this time he lost. Air would not come to lungs filled with blood, but the name he'd meant to say filled Alec's brain with shock. Anastasia

***

"Hey Joshua, you up?" Max let the door to Joshua's place bang closed behind her. Her arms were filled to the brim with Grocery bags. Walking to the Kitchen she deposited them unceremoniously on a table before resuming her search. "Yo big fella, you in here?" Strolling into the room where Joshua kept his paintings Max found him asleep in front of a half finished canvas with brush still in hand. Smiling to herself she took the palate from where it lay next to him and deposited it on a table where it would be less prone to accidents. As she was about to turn back and wake him, she caught sight of a picture on the desk with the corner of her eye. Curious, she pulled it out from under the tables littered contents and nearly dropped it in shook. The photograph was old, in her judgement it was likely it'd been taken at least fifteen years ago. There was a woman, or rather a girl in it with long black hair. Behind her stood a man whose face could not be seen thanks to water damage in that corner of the photograph. In his hand he held a cane with a monkey at its top. At her side stood a young man - whom though smiling and quite young - was unmistakably Ames White.

Getting over her initial shock Max moved over to Joshua and shook him. "Time to wake up Joshua."

"Ahhh!" Still not used to being woken by someone else, Joshua jumped awake and then fumbled to catch his paintbrush, which had been thrown in the air as he awoke.

"Hey, it's only me." Seeing Max, Joshua tilted his head rather sheepishly.

"Sorry - little fella startled big fella." Rubbing the top of his head as he was prone to when embarrassed Joshua averted his eyes from Max.

"It's ok." Max smiled and moved till she was besides Joshua. "Could you tell me where you got this picture of White"

"Not of White - Picture is of father. See - that father's cane." Pointing to the man whose face was ruined Joshua ran his finger up and down the cane he held. "Found picture in one of fathers books - downstairs."

Max studied the picture a moment longer, trying to figure out what implications it might have. "Look, Joshua, I gotta get to work. You mind if I hold on to this?"

"Joshua don't mind." Smiling broadly Max thanked Joshua and gave him hug before turning and heading to the door.

"Oh - by the way. Food's in the kitchen." Smiling again, Max turned and left. Making a mental note to drop by Logan's place after work that day.

***

"We found her when we were extracting an X5 last night - or rather early this morning sir. When she started fighting we assumed she was another one of them." A tall young man in a military uniform stood before White at strict attention, yet even though his posture and voice were clear, White could sense the disease flowing through him. "Apparently we were wrong sir."

"Wrong?" Not one to let a mistake go by unpunished White let his voice drip with menace and disgust. "Let me get this straight, the X5 you were sent to extract got away, and the one you did get you were wrong about?"

"She fought like an X-series sir. - Almost better then 452 - but after we'd brought her down, we found that she had no barcode." White's eyes narrowed on the man, if looks could kill this man could've kissed his next five reincarnations good-bye.

"You're sure she didn't just have the barcode removed?"

"No sir, there were no signs in her DNA that a barcode had ever been there." No bar code. If there wasn't a barcode then she probably wasn't Manticore, but the alternative didn't seem much better - could one his own kind really been stupid enough to have gotten caught by this bunch?

"Well then, I guess I'll just have to see this anomaly." Getting up White followed the lt. out of his office toward the holding area where this one was kept. "Is she conscious?"

"No sir." As the young man stopped walking a guard unlocked the door to the cell in which this woman was being kept. Walking in alone, White first pulled aside her hair to make sure that his men were right. When he saw that she really did have no bar code he turned her around onto her back.

When he saw her face, he barely concealed the sharp intake of breath that came with recognition. Outwardly he managed to remain impassive though turmoil roiled inside him. He was sure one of the men outside said something but the roaring in his ears was too loud to be heard over. Rising he spun sharply on his heel. "Leave her there, let no one see her and keep a guard on that door at all times." Barking out orders he marched back towards his office and slammed the door behind him, too disconcerted to even think.

As he sat there the image of her face branded itself on his brain, tormenting him with confusion and anger. Was it really her? Could the woman in that cell really be Anastasia?

AN: Please review and tell me if I should continue this. I'm pretty sure where this is going, but if no one's interested in reading then I probably won't waste the time writing. Also, I'm not very good with dialogue so I wouldn't mind a few pointers. Thank you.