Spoilers: Bag 'em; Medium is the Message & Exposure. Can't think of any others but there might be.
Bad Day Underground
Max slung her backpack into her locker as if it were full of rocks or something. Last night had been one of those nights when she had to lock herself in her apartment for fear of jumping on the first guy she came across. Not to mention the problems if she ran into Logan!
That really didn't bare thinking about.
'Hey girl.' Cindy greeted her. 'I see you managed to survive last night.' She smiled. 'You know I don't mind keepin' ya company when you're stuck in.'
'Trust me, I wouldn't have been good company.' Max warned.
'Good morning. Ooh Max, heavy night last night?' Alec grinned cheerfully.
'Get lost.' She snarled. There was no need for anyone to be cheerful when they had a whole day of deliveries ahead of them.
'I miss something?' Alec asked Cindy.
'As usual.' She walked off.
'Hum. Hey Normal, I got a couple of errands to run later, how 'bout getting the afternoon off?' He shouted.
'Of course you have errands to run, that's what errand boys do. Package.' Normal tossed him a parcel and walked back to his desk.
'So that's a no then? Just checking.' Alec said to no one in particular.
'Why does he even bother?' Cindy inquired. 'Does he actually think Normal's just gonna turn round and say yes?'
'He's Alec.' Max shrugged.
'Come on missy, gossip on your own time.' Normal walked past.
'You know girl one of these days you are going to have to kick his ass, all I ask is it that you wait till I'm there to do it.' Cindy frowned. They'd barely got through the doors before he started.
Sure Max tested him from time to time. Most employers did like their employees to show up on a regular basis. Max had good reasons, not one of which she could tell Normal. 'Deal.' Max nodded.
'Bip bip bip people, packages don't move themselves you know.' Normal was pacing.
'I wish!' Max groaned. After the night she'd just had all she wanted was to sleep. It was amazing how much just trying to relax and wait out the night took out of her. At least she only got a couple of nights like that a year. Still you'd have thought those genius's at Manticore could have done a better job. They were probably all guys, she theorised.
'Later.' Max tossed over her shoulder as she headed out to make her first delivery of the day.
'See ya girl.' Cindy nodded back.
The breeze as Max headed out on her bike was refreshing, probably not healthy but refreshing anyway. If she could just get through this day and get a good night sleep she'd be fine. These were the only nights when she really needed sleep. She would have liked to stay out at Crash all night with Cindy, but that would have been a very bad idea.
Max's first delivery was to an office building, the second and third too. The forth was to a block of apartments, and the fifth was to a house not far from her own building.
She stopped outside the front door and climbed off her bike. She idly wondered how many more packages she would have to deliver today before she could go home.
She banged on the door.
'Who is it?' A man's voice shouted through the door, he sounded kind of old.
'Jam Pony messenger. I got a package for this address.' Max replied.
'Leave it at the door and go away.' The voice demanded.
'Sorry I need a signature.' Max insisted.
'Just leave it and go!'
'Look, no signature no package pal.' Max hated people like this. 'Look if you just sign for it I can get outta here and you can have your package.' She pointed out.
The door opened a crack, but only a crack. 'Slide it through here.' A sullen voice instructed.
She slid the clipboard through the crack in the door.
'And the package.'
'Not till you sign for it.' She refused.
The clipboard slipped back out through the crack, she checked and it had been signed.
'Here's your package.' Max posted it through the gap in the door. She'd barely got her hand back before the door slammed shut again. 'Your welcome!' Max said petulantly. Like, she was doing him a favour!
She shook her head and climbed back on her bike. She had to head back to Jam Pony to pick up the next package.
More than anything right now she wanted to go get her motorbike and head out of the city for some real fresh air.
She thought about the look Normal would give her if she tried to get off early and decided it probably wasn't a good idea, she was on thin ice anyway when it came to her job.
On her way back she saw a large crowd gathered blocking off one of the streets entirely.
She frowned and headed in that direction. It could be interesting. It took only a moment for her to push her way to the front just as men in suits were moving the crowd on. Whatever had happened she'd already missed it.
She was about to head back when she saw a man using his cell-phone back behind the suits. He had his back to the crowd but Max recognised him anyway.
Her suspicions were confirmed as he turned round ending his call and glaring at the phone like it was his archenemy or something.
She smiled a little at that, it looked like whoever he'd been after had got away. Good for them.
She slipped back into the crowd hoping that none of White's men had seen her.
'Sir?' One of White's men approached, he looked a little nervous. His boss had quite a volatile temper, he wasn't sure how he would react, wasn't even sure it was her but if it was and he said nothing and White found out he would be in real trouble.
'What?' White demanded. Ames White didn't like being interrupted when he was thinking, especially after such a disappointing hunt.
'I think 452 was in the crowd sir.' The agent stood perfectly still waiting for White's reply.
'You think?' Ames demanded. 'Was she or wasn't she and where is she now?'
'I saw her backing through the crowd a moment ago.' The man confirmed.
'And you've done what to capture her?' Ames looked at the agent like he was his next meal. He knew full what he would hear next.
'I thought it best to tell you first sir.' The agent looked worried. He was new to White's team, Ames couldn't even remember the guys name, come to think of it he hadn't really bothered to find out.
'Get out of my site! You're off this team.' Ames dismissed him. He didn't have time to deal with incompetent and inferior subordinates.
'Otto get over here!' Ames called. '452 has been spotted in the crowd. I want a perimeter established for a six-block radius. Move.' He ordered.
He still had his earpiece in so he could hear and communicate with the rest of his team. Why the hell hadn't that damned agent thought to use it to alert him? The odds of catching her now were slight. The only thing in their favour right now was that she probably didn't think they'd seen her. She would be almost right. How the hell did he miss her? He should have known she was there.
This could be his last chance to find out if Ray was alive or dead. If he lost 452 now that agent was going to wish he'd never been transferred to his team.
He got in his car and headed in the direction she had gone. It would help if he knew if she was on foot or had some sort of transport. He knew she had a motorbike but was she using it or not?
'Anything?' He asked into his earpiece.
'Nothing yet sir.' Came the reply.
Ames gripped the steering wheel until he heard it groan under the strain of his grip. He released it, destroying his car was not going to help him find his son. Only 452 could do that and he would make sure she did before he sent her off to the forensics team that was waiting for her and the rest of the transgenic scum.
He doubted that his team would be able to catch her, but maybe he could, he'd got her before after all his first time on the job.
