Chap 8

Max followed the black Lexus through the meandering evening traffic, surprised that White had not yet spotted her. The brownout yesterday had set Alec's plan behind by over 12 hours and now Max feared that they might actually have to produce Ray to get in touch with Anastasia. When the electricity had resumed this morning, the signal had not at first appeared, at about seven A.M. however the tracer began functioning again while White was in en-route to work. Max's first concern had been for Logan's safety - what if during the brownout White had found the tracer? What if the time the lights had been out they had traced it back to Logan? However Logan and Alec had both said that such a feat was not possible since their end of the tracer had been off. However, if they suffered anymore set backs they would loose this insane game that Alec had seen fit to play.

With a renewed vigor they had decided that they would place a tail on White - and now hours later Max found herself unable to believe that he had not yet spotted her. As far as she knew his senses were every bit as heightened as her own, which meant that he should also be every bit as aware of being watched as she usually was. Genetically, she was not yet ready to believe that she was the superior of the two - so what then did he seek to gain through letting her follow him? Was she being led towards a trap? Suddenly Max's stomach began to clench and she prayed that the tracer was still up.

***

A few feet ahead of her, Ames was perfectly aware that he was being tailed, he was also perfectly aware that it was 452 who followed him. He did not bother trying to elude her, that did not serve his purpose. What served his purpose was the letting her see Ana for herself. What he wanted to do was to throw a wrench in the transgenic's carefully laid out plans.

After nearly a day of wracking his brains White had finally figured out why they were so desperate to get their hands on Ana. Ironically that bit of insight had been gleaned off of the very solider who he had at first harassed for capturing Ana by mistake. He remembered that Anastasia had gotten herself captured protecting an X5. If Ana had seen fit to defend the X5 then she was obviously either one of them or a highly valued ally. He knew that they didn't want her for the same reason's the conclave did - they could not possibly know that she was a familiar or if they did they trusted her. If he let them get Ana, there was a very good chance she would be safe. However he, would not be. His best route of action then would be to let them think Ana had betrayed them.

He let 452 follow him to serve that very purpose. Ana stayed with him for the time being because she had no other choice, but to an outsider it would not appear so simple. He knew that while his chosen route might ensure his and Ana's safety - it would not do the same for his son. Ray's reclamation remained to be seen to, but if he knew 452 he knew that for the time being she would not kill him.

Her pity might have disgusted him at one time, he might've even seen it as a weakness. But for once in his life he was grateful, not because it was an enemy's weakness but because it meant the life of one he loved.

***

Ana was seated upon the floor of White's living room drawing on the sketchpad he had given her that morning. Though the lights were on it was not the room or the lines the pencil left she saw, but a rain-covered landscape through the glass panes of a window. The image branded itself into her mind, it had since early that morning, but the memory it went with refused to yield itself to her.

Distantly she heard a key turn in the lock and remembered suddenly that she had forgotten to make dinner. But even so she didn't look up and didn't stop drawing, too focused on her task to notice much of anything until Ames' chin was rested comfortably above her head, his arms gently around her shoulders. "What are you drawing?"

Though surprised by his sudden warmth, she didn't start at his touch or his voice. "I don't remember - do you?" She showed him the drawing, pulling her head away from his slightly, settling back into him comfortably; watching his face for any expression at all. She saw confusion written there, though it soon faded into nonchalance.

"No." He was lying, she could tell, but for once she let sleeping dogs lay and didn't complain when he pulled her sketchbook away and shut it. Sighing deeply, Ana pulled away from him and walked to the large windows, not caring who did or didn't see her.

"Ames, I can't do this anymore." Ana watched the brief look of Panic that her words elicited as it reflected off of the glass, enjoying the power she possessed over him. Just now, she had to play every card right. "I'm going to go stir crazy if I have to stay here much longer." She gauged his reaction to her words - and unlike what she'd expected the look he gave her was not one of loathing or anger, but one of despair. Rounding on him, Ana draped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. "Don't look at me like that… I didn't mean I'm going to run away. I just need to get out of here for one night - or even just a few hours. I just need to get some air."

"Oh." His relief was visible, and he silently berated himself for letting his emotions be so apparent. "Look Ana - I really don't think that's such a good idea, you know very well that people are after you, the conclave, my men, possibly even whoever's left of Manticore. If anyone recognizes you -."

"You're friends didn't recognize me." Ana's logic was meant to give him pause.

"They weren't familiars." Unfortunately he shot it down immediately. Pretending not to care she quickly dredged up another reason to get out of the apartment.

"Then I - then we'll go somewhere familiars don't frequent." Ames couldn't think of an immediate rebuttal and in truth he himself was beginning to think that it had been a long time since he'd spent time at any place other then home and work. "Please?" He heard the soft voice and even without looking he could see her pleading look and wide liquid brown eyes. Letting her get out didn't seem like such a very bad idea especially since he now remembered Otto saying something once about some place called Crash in sector nine…

"Oh Alright. I think there's some place called Crash in Sector nine where you might not be noticed." He didn't like giving in this easily but unfortunately Ana knew him far too well. "But even so you're going to have to disguise your appearance a bit." She gave him a brilliant smile, and suddenly letting her win this one wasn't at bad at he'd first thought.

"Great! Give me an hour and I swear you'll barely recognize me." She was across the room almost faster then he could blink, and when she turned around he found out why. "Oh, and don't wear that - cuz I really hope you something other than suits in your wardrobe." Her tinkling laughter remained for a second, and while he wanted to be angry with her, he found that he couldn't. Especially since she'd helped put on such a good show for 452.

***

"And then she put her arms around him I don't think she kissed him but even so… Logan, I'm beginning to think that we've got this all wrong." Max paced back and forth in front of Logan's wheelchair as she recounted what she'd seen. Too tense and worried to stand still or sit down.

"I agree." Logan tilted his head back, looking up at Max in that calm and patient way of his, Forcing Max to stop and listen. "Max, I've been thinking about that letter you found. If Renfro was keeping an eye on her for Sandeman then she may not have been one of Sandeman's alley's after all. What doesn't make sense is that if she's a familiar - why doesn't she hate transgenics like all the others?"

Max opened her mouth to answer, but instead she only shut it and shrugged before dropping back onto the couch. "I don't know Logan… but I'm worried about Alec. He's taken this too much to heart… he sees it all as a debt of honor." She sighed, looking more defeated then Logan wanted to admit. "He's thrown himself into this heart and soul. You saw him when the tracer went out… I'm not sure we should tell him about this." Logan watched Max intently, wandering if her concern for Alec was as plutonic as she seemed intent on making it sound. Feeling a pang in his heart at the thought, trying to banish it but finding that he couldn't.

"Yeah, sure." Max sensed the change in his tone and looked up at him, catching the last of a wistful look drift through his eyes. She wanted to comment on it, but found that she couldn't find the words. We're drifting apart. The realization came upon her suddenly, like an anvil falling out of the sky. It fell hard, shattering some of the hope that she had held out, making her think that even if Ana did manage to help them find a cure there wouldn't be much left to save. What she missed was that the anvil didn't shatter any of her love for Logan.

"Max, I - " Logan's words were interrupted by the opening of his front door and Alec's sudden appearance. Mentally Max berated Alec for his bad timing and while she wanted to know what Logan was about to say she turned her mind to what to tell Alec instead.

"Hey, how'd it go?" Alec saw immediately that he had interrupted something, but he also realized that it was too late to bite his tongue and walk back out. He saw the quick glance that Max and Logan exchanged and chalked it up to whatever he had walked in on.

"He ugh - noticed I was following him and ditched me. Sorry." Max's answer came a little too quickly for comfort but Alec accepted it, thinking that she was embarrassed at having been spotted.

"And the tracer?" It was Logan's turn to think up an inventive lie, and as a journalist he'd had plenty of practice.

"He left it at work." It was a simple enough answer, but it was a good thing that Alec didn't bother glancing Logan's computer to screen to check it's validity. "But don't worry, we still have two days. I know we're tight on time but if we play this right we'll be fine." Alec barely suppressed a curse, and Max saw his building temper. Deciding that a different topic might be in order she made the only suggestion she could think of.

"Hey, since we can't do anything more tonight anyway why don't we head over to Crash?" Logan agreed readily, and Alec only shrugged. As the three of them walked out the door they were all too preoccupied to notice that the little red blip on Logan's computer had began to move again.

***

AN: Sorry, about how long this took to get out, not to mention how short it is. There was supposed to be more to this chapter but I a) didn't have to time to write and b) figured that it was safer to get this out now then to wait until I'd written everything and everyone had stopped reading. I hope no one minds. (And if so - too bad j/k)

Tab's - I think you were asking about Columbia? Well, I actually didn't hear from them yet (that can't be a good sign huh?) but I'm still keeping my fingers crossed.

Thank's to everyone for reviewing and I hope you keep reading!