Chapter 4

"Hold still Max," said Alec as Max sat in what had become the infirmary of Terminal city.

"It hurts a lot," said Max.

"I would guess so," said Alec, "See, THIS is why I avoided 439 in Manticore. She has a BAD temper. She's done that little move before. She was really mad at that girl…Brin, I think you called her."

"She did this to Brin?"

"Yeah," said Alec, popping Max's shoulder back into place, "And then the two of them were all good. Maybe now she'll talk to you."

"I don't know if I wanna talk to her."

"Come on Max, all you've talked about for a week is getting to speak to Frankie. Now you should try."

"I really can't afford to get my shoulders popped out of their sockets again," said Max as Alec taped some ice onto her shoulders.

"Just take some painkillers," said Alec, "You're gonna need'em."

"Thanks…" said Max.

"You really should come work out with me sometime," said Alec, "I've fought Frankie a few times. She kicked my ass a few times."

"Really?" said Max sarcasticly, "She kicked the all-mighty Alec's ass?"

"Yeah, then I saw her problem and we became on even footing."

"Yeah, yeah," said Max, walking away.

*+*+*

"You're baby's fine," said the X6 nurse who found Trigs and Cree. The two of them manage to climb over the fence together while carrying the baby. Trigs had collapsed from exhaustion, and Cree almost had to carry her into the heart of Terminal city.

"Thank you," said Trigs, smiling as she sat comfortably on a couch.

"WHERE IS SHE?" shouted a loud voice from the hall.

"What the hell is going on?" asked Cree as she woke up from his power-nap on the nearby couch.

"Someone is pissed off in the halls," said Trigs, "I'll go check."

"I will," said Cree, "I need to go see whose in charge here anyways."

"It's Max, you know that."

"Yeah…I need to know if she's shown up yet."

"Adam will come here."

"And I need to know if Finn made it too."

"You recognize the voice," said Trigs as Cree left.

"The girl Trigs is in THERE!" said a quiet voice to the louder one, "Go see your boo already."

"Trigs!" the loud voice shouted. The curtin that was pretending to be a door moved back to reveal a beautiful young woman with long red hair who looked like she just came from the workout room.

"Frank," said Trigs, "You made it."

"I've been waiting a long time to see you."

"Nine months love."

"Nine long, agonizing months. I had to spend them with Finn!"

"I had Cree."

"Cree doesn't sing."

"I didn't know Finn could sing."

"Finn CAN'T sing."

"I know. I remember the time Adam was in deep-cover as a singer and we all met at that bar. Adam was singing her guts out, and Finn was singing along. That was horrible."

"My ears still bleed when I think of it."

"Damn…" said Trigs, "Do you hear that?"

"What?"

"No guards, no cameras, no rules," she said, motioning for Frankie to sit down on the couch. Frankie slipped over and tightened her pony tale quickly before Trigs leaned in and began to kiss her. Frankie kissed back, enjoying the freedom she never had at Manticore. Trigs and Frankie had told each they were in love when they were just young teens, and had been faithful ever since, with the exception of the breeding partners program.

And now they were together.

*+*+*

Rose Willard walked along the streets of Seattle towards the warehouse the Priestess told her to go to. Rose was the third daughter of a Third daughter, and she acted the part. She showed more hatred for the Transgenics then anyone else, and now her new job was to track them down with Ames White and Thula.

"Fe'nos Tol," said Thula as Rose walked in. Thula was still a little upset about the loss to 452 and Rose knew it.

"Fe'nos Tol," Rose answered, tossing her blond curls back.

"It's good to be working with you," said Thula, "Another girl."

"The men don't understand us," said Rose, "Without us, they're nothing."

"I know," said Thula, reaching down to pull back Rose's sleeve.

"What are you doing that for?" asked Rose.

"Gotta be sure," said Thula.

"Here," said Rose, pulling back her sleeve and holding up her arm to reveal the snake and sword sign burned into her forearm.

"Heh," said Thula, "White said that I should check. You look an awful lot like one of those nasty little transgenics."

"584," said Rose, "Don't REMIND me. That Sandeman, he took my DNA. He was my doctor and he used ME to create two of his nasty little things. 493 and 584."

"Isn't 493 the crazy one?"

"Not my fault Sandeman can't keep his little monsters sane," said Rose.

"Can you actually pick them out of a crowd."

"I look for the tell-tale thoughts. The fear, the suspicion, the web of lies. It's rather easy work when there's not a crowd, but in a crowd it takes me a while, but yes, I can."

"Awesome," said Thula, smiling at the young girl. She was going to be the death of 452, the young blond haired blue eyes cherub.

*+*+*

"I match your ten and raise you twenty," said Finn as he sat with Luke, Dix, Mole and Alec playing Poker.

"I'm so calling your bluff," said Mole as someone sauntered up behind Alec and Finn.

"Finn's got a royal flush," said Cree as he looked at Finn's cards.

"I'm out," said Luke.

"Damn it Cree," said Finn, "I could've won a lot more."

"I know," said Cree, "But that would be stealing and we don't do that."

"Yeah right," said Alec.

"Shut up," said Cree, pointing to Alec, "You aren't part of this."

"Yeah," said Finn, "This is a family affair."

"Whatever," said Alec, "You just keep telling yourself that."

"What's his name?" asked Cree.

"He's Alec, as in Smart Alec," said Finn, glaring at Alec, "He's a friend of Max."

"Yeah," said Alec, "Who I meant to speak to you about."

"Why?" asked Cree.

"Come on," said Finn, getting up and dragging Cree away, "I should tell you about this."

"Let me guess," said Cree as the two of them walked down a hallway, "Frankie got to her."

"Dislocated both shoulders."

"She did that to me once," said Finn as he walked towards Trigs room.

"We shouldn't go in there," said Cree, "Think about it. Frankie and Trigs are in love, and have never been allowed to 'show' it to one another. Now they are. You wanna go in there?"

"No," said Finn, "No, no, no, no, no, no."

"Let us walk," said Cree, "And talk."

"About what?" asked Finn.

"She hasn't check in with me," said Cree, "And Dragon has, but he refuses to tell me where she is."

"So?" said Finn.

"I know you," said Cree, "And I know you don't want people to know about you and Dragon yet. He doesn't care, but I know you do. I might let it slip."

"That's blackmail," said Finn, "Fucking BLACKMAIL Cree. You KNOW why I don't want that out."

"Why?" said Cree, "Why?"

"Because you know that it's bad enough I'm a transgenic freak, do you have to make me even more ostracized by my peer group by telling them all I'm a homosexual?"

"Then?"

"I got a call from her a few days ago."

"Let's hear it."

"I don't…"

"You always saved your messages before."

"Damn," said Finn, pulling out his cell-phone and pressing the play button.

"This is 330920072584. I'm in Seattle. I need to see someone. Tell Cree I'm worried about her."

"Max…" said Cree, "She had some dreams about Max being hurt."

"She's not with Dragon," said Finn, hanging his head, "She left him in Portland and said she had one more mission to complete."

"What?" said Cree, "She just up and left?"

"He gave her a gun and a hug and she left," said Finn, "He called me just after that. I use the phone I got on the last mission. I tiefed it from the storehouse and activated it."

"She left him," said Cree, turning around and banging his fist on the wall, "She could be anywhere and in all sorts of danger."

"She'll be fine," said Finn, "She's stronger than you think. We've all realized that."

"She's a child."

"She's nineteen Cree," said Finn, "She's X5. She can handle herself."

"I'm worried for her," said Cree, "What if something happens."

"Then her knight in shining armor will rescue her," said Finn, patting Cree on the back..