By Valjean
Dante
"Max, I know you don't want to hear this, but I'm not sure Alec's the way to go this time."
Max looked up from the clipboard she'd been reading. "Why not? He's certainly capable of pulling off a job like this. Jacking semis from grocery store loading bays is a lot easier than some of the cat burglar stuff he's done. And, more importantly, I trust him. Well, I pretty much trust him."
Logan pushed away from the computer monitor, rubbing his eyes. "Trust issues aside, which you've got to admit are pretty big issues where Alec's concerned, I don't think he can keep the other X5's in line."
Max was frowning. She hated to admit it, but she kind of agreed with Logan, especially after Alec himself had expressed doubts regarding his relationship with his brethren. She looked out over the main warehouse, noting the many mutants busily going about their business, maintaining equipment, setting up computer terminals, distributing what little supplies they had to hungry people standing in line ...
"Logan, I've already asked him. I can't just go tell him I've changed my mind, that I don't want his help after all."
"We still need his help, Max. Like you said, he's a pro cat burglar and good at what he does. Once we get that forgotten tunnel to the ocean shored up he can come and go as he pleases, help us as he wants. That way he's helpful but expendable. If we lose him it won't disrupt your chain of command."
Logan was watching her closely, obviously gauging her reaction to his words. "There's another X5 I've been hearing about," he said. "501. Calls himself Dante. They say he's the one really in charge down on Oak Street. He'd probably be the better choice to lead the X's. He's already got their respect. I say we bring him up here and at least talk to him."
Max didn't like what she was hearing. Logan had never been extremely fond of Alec, but he'd never actually spoken against him -- until now. "Alec's not stupid, Logan," she said quietly. "He'll be hurt, really hurt, if I take the mission away from him." She stared out across the cavernous room, watching the speedy yet controlled activity. "And he's not expendable."
"Dante!" Alec said. "What the hell does she want to talk to that pig for?"
"Don't know," Joshua said. "Mole just says Max sent word for him to come to the command center."
"Yeah, well Max had better be careful. She was gone from Manticore long before the big boys like him came out to play. She doesn't know his kind. He doesn't just like to fight, he likes to kill. And I hear he's gone a little nuts out here in the free world, taking what and who he wants, giving all the X's a pretty bad reputation." He looked at Joshua. "She'd call me an angel compared to that jackass, and you know what an amoral jerk Max thinks I am."
"Max doesn't think you're a jerk, Alec," Joshua said. "Max trusts you, likes you. You're her friend."
"Maybe so. But Dante's no one's friend. My squad went on a mission with his a few years ago. We were supposed to take out a stockpile of biological weapons in Iraq. They were being kept in the middle of this village." Alec looked off into the distance, forcing himself to remember things he'd tried so hard to forget. His voice dropped lower. "My team blew up the caverns where the weapons were. 501's squad was in charge of keeping the Iraqi troops off our backs. They went through that village like a pack of wolves. I never saw so many bodies in my life. Women, children, old people ... a few soldiers." he looked up at Joshua. "Manticore called it collateral damage. 501 wasn't even reprimanded. Hell, I think that's why they promoted him to team leader. Everyone was so friggin' scared of him ... Manticore saw that as an asset."
Joshua was nodding in sympathy. "I hear things about him too," he said slowly. "They say he hurts women."
"Women?" Alec said. "What women? The only women down on Oak Street are X5's. Even that shithead couldn't rape one of them. They'd kill him first."
"Don't know," Joshua said. "Just hear things. They say he's hurt one female really bad. Since then the others do what he says."
Alec had at first been miffed that Max was going to talk to Dante. Now, he was getting scared. "I'd go down there myself and take this fucker out except--"
"Except what?"
"Except short of shooting him in the head there's probably no way I can. He's got six inches and a hundred pounds on me, built like a pro wrestler -- one of Manticore's bigger series. My body was designed more for stealth, speed, and beauty. 501's pure power."
"Alec is a good fighter. Strong. Alec could beat Dante."
Alec laughed and flung his good arm around Joshua's shoulders. "You know what Big Fella, you have no idea how great it makes me feel, you havin' faith in me like that. Too bad Max doesn't agree. Maybe I could beat Dante in a fight if I had to. But the fact is, I really don't wanna hafta try." He flexed his sore shoulder. For some reason it was bothering him more today. Joshua noticed.
"You need time to heal, Alec."
"Give me three more days and I'll be good as new," Alec said, glancing up at the command center. Something was going on up there. A group of X5's were ascending the stairs and it looked like Logan and Max were waiting to greet them.
"That Dante?" Joshua asked, pointing to a large, dark haired X5 male surrounded by five other X's -- three male, two female.
"Biggs hated him," Alec said quietly. "Said he was really bad news. Max shouldn't even be talking to him. She should have left this to me."
"Logan probably told her to."
"Of course," Alec said, his eyes never leaving the large X5 who was now being greeted by Max. "Logan would."
"We asked you here so we could fill you in on what's been happening," Max said to the group of X5's who'd just arrived. She nodded at the activity below. "We've got a lot of things going for us. Power, water, plenty of ammo. The news on television says the government doesn't know what to do for now so they're just going to wait. That buys us some time. However, we're still short of food."
"That's where we come in, right?" a big X5 male said. Max couldn't help but be impressed by his size. She had to literally crane her neck to look into his eyes. But when she did, she wished she hadn't. They were the kind of eyes she remembered from Manticore. Emotionless. Dead.
Had Alec's eyes ever been so cold? Now they're so warm and green and laughing.
"What are you staring at?" Dante challenged.
"Nothing," Max said, caught off guard in the moment of awkward thought.
"Max?" Logan said.
"We need your help," she continued. "I've heard you're the leader of the X's on Oak Street. We're going to soon be sending foraging missions through a tunnel we're opening up. The mutants can't venture out for obvious reasons, so that leaves it up to our kind."
"My squad's getting hungry," Dante said. "But what we find we keep for ourselves. That's how it's always been."
"Well, things are different now," Logan said. "We've all got to stick together if we're going to survive."
Dante stared at him. "And what's an ordinary got to say about anything?" he said, his lips pulling back in a mirthless grin. He looked Max up and down. "I figured you were a stupid little bitch when I heard you'd shacked up with 494, one of Manticore's most glaring failures. But now here you sit takin' advice from ... this." He pointed at Logan, then glanced around. "Where is 494 anyway? Heard he was the one you put in charge, which makes me wonder what you want with me."
"He's right here," Alec's deep voice said from the top of the steps. "Max, what are you doing?"
"My job," Max said sharply. "I didn't send for you. Go away."
"No," Alec said. "You're about to make a big mistake and I'm not gonna let you."
"Alec, go away. That's an order."
"Yeah, go away traitor," Dante said. "We don't need defective soldiers here."
"Alec's not--"
"Max, leave it," Alec said as his lips quirked up in a smile. "I can handle this just fine."
"There's nothing to handle," Max said tensely, not liking the look in Alec's eyes. He was about to do something stupid.
"The bitch said for you to get lost," Dante snarled. "But if you wanna stay, that's fine. It's the excuse I've been waitin' for." And then with the speed of a striking snake, he lunged across the balcony, knife in hand.
Dante was quick, but Alec was quicker. The swipe of the blade barely touched him as Alec spun backwards, nimbly avoiding all but the very tip. A streak of blood appeared on his belly, staining his grey t-shirt crimson, the wound superficial.
Max yelled, "Hey!" and started forward, but found one of the other X's between her and the two fighting males.
Alec danced aside, feinting first right, then left with his injured arm before whirling and knocking the knife from Dante's hand with a crescent kick.
"What's wrong 501," Alec taunted, his green eyes on fire. "Can't beat a defective soldier?"
"Alec, stop!" Max shouted, still trying to get around Dante's man without causing the fight to escalate. The last thing they needed was fatalities.
501 roared and charged Alec, arms wide, trying to grab the slimmer man, intent on defeating him by sheer force. Max didn't doubt that he could snap Alec's spine, but catching hold of 494 was another matter. Alec blurred, getting behind his enemy, grabbing hold of the bigger man's arm and bringing it back and up. There was loud crack of bone splintering and Dante's scream of agony reverberated through the warehouse.
Everyone down below stopped what they were doing and stared up at them.
Max couldn't help but be impressed. When had Alec gotten so good at hand-to-hand? She'd seen him beaten several times in the past, but today he was fighting like he really knew what he was doing.
And then Dante's men were moving in, attacking Alec from behind. One of them viciously clawed his wounded shoulder and Max heard Alec cry out. Enough was enough.
Punching the X5 holding her in the nose, she waded into the fray, landing blows with hands and feet. Alec spun free and was by her side. Even with one arm out of action he was good. Within 30 seconds everything was over. Dante was leaning heavily against the balcony railing, eyes glazed over, holding his broken elbow. His three man lay groaning on the metal landing floor. The female X5's, however, had never joined the fight. Instead they were standing to one side, smiling.
"Ladies," Alec said, breathing hard but still taking note of their admiring glances in his direction.
"Don't you ever stop?" Max muttered under her breath.
"Never," Alec replied with a cocky grin. He looked at her. "Oh, thanks for helpin' me out there. Four on one are a bit much even for me. Not that I couldn't have taken 'em."
"They were going to kill you," Max snapped. She looked at Alec and suddenly found herself uncomfortable. "And that's the only reason I didn't let them beat your ass into the ground. I need you intact."
Logan, who'd watched the whole thing from his seat by the computer terminal, was shaking his head. "Well, that went well," he said dryly.
The X5's were leaving, headed down the stairs supporting their leader between them. One of the females paused on the landing to blow Alec a kiss, the look in her eyes promising more if he wanted to come and get it.
Max rolled her eyes. Alec. Always Alec.Why did he have to complicate her life so much? "Guess we won't be getting any help from them after all," she said, bitterly. "Thanks to you."
"Ah, let 'em go," Alec said, waving to the female as she reached the bottom of the steps. "I can round up enough X6's and 7's to get the job done, plus a few independent X5's. We'll manage." He was holding tightly to the balcony railing with his good hand, supporting himself.
Joshua had come up the other set of steps and now stood behind them. "You're hurt again," he said to his friend.
"What?" Max said, for the first time taking a really good look at Alec. "You're bleeding." She reached out and touched is t-shirt.
"It's just a scratch," Alec said, referring to the knife graze on his stomach.
"No," Max said. "Your shoulder. You've opened the wound up."
Alec glanced down at the rapidly spreading crimson, and swayed slightly on his feet. The adrenalin was wearing off.
"You need a medic," she said.
"I'll be fine," Alec said, his words slurring as he putt a hand to his head.
Joshua caught him in his arms as he went down.