Cindy fought her way through the crowd. Crash was packed tonight, for some
reason, and she fought not to spill the four jugs of beer she was carrying.
Finally, she made it through to the back room, and over to her table. She
raised a jug towards Sketchy, who was playing pool with Max, and losing.
The boy just didn't get it. Playing pool with transgenics was never a good
plan. Particularly when money was involved.
"Hey. Beer" she nudged Alec, who was staring vaguely in the direction of the pool table. "Thanks" Alec replied, not moving to take it from her. She sighed, and put the jug on the table.
"What's up, Boo?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing" he replied slowly.
"Nice view?" she commented, following his gaze to where Max was taking a shot, sinking the black, and grinning at Sketchy. Alec shrugged.
Max and Sketchy headed over to the table, grabbing a jug each and taking a seat. Alec kept staring in the same direction. Cindy caught Max's eye, and nodded towards Alec. "Hey" she said pointedly, then smiled as he said nothing. She stepped up behind him, and slowly slipped her arm around his throat, as if to choke him. her other hand rested in his hair. She pulled her arm slowly back towards her, tightening against his neck. Alec reacted, reaching up to grab her hand with his, and pulling it down away from his throat, so that it was resting on his chest. He turned to look at her. "There are better ways of getting my attention, you know" he told her, smiling slightly.
Sketchy laughed. "Transgenic foreplay, huh?" he muttered, glancing around to see if anyone could overhear him. Alec laughed. "You think that's foreplay?" he asked, grinning. "Never been with one of us, huh?"
"I wish." Sketch replied, taking a drink. Max laughed, taking seat near to Alec. He glanced over at her and smiled, before grabbing his jug and pouring himself a drink. He thought twice, and slid the glass over to Max, grabbing another one for himself.
"Boy's learning" Cindy commented. Alec smiled sweetly, and held out his newly poured beer to her, looking with mock concern at his nearly empty jug. She returned his smile, and took the beer from him. "I'll say one thing for Manticore," she spoke in a low voice. "They did one thing that mother nature couldn't do, created a man with manners"
"On behalf of the human race, Hey!" Sketchy commented, taking another drink. "You're letting the side down, man" he told Alec. Alec shrugged, downing his beer. He smiled genuinely, this time, enjoying the fact that both of his friends, the only human friends he really had, were comfortable enough with him to joke about his transgenic past.
"Speaking of people who don't have a clue" Sketch was sitting facing the door, and nodded towards it. Alec turned slightly, and groaned. Logan. Just great. He moved his stool slightly away from Max.
"Hey guys" Logan greeted, joining them and grabbing a stool from the next table. He moved it between Max and Alec. "Can I get some room here?" he asked Alec. Alec smirked at him. "just push Max out of the way" it's only a virus, he thought to himself, go on, Logan, touch her. It won't hurt. much.
Sketchy choked on his beer, and OC hid a grin. Max glared at him.
"Fine, whatever" Alec stood up. "I need a real drink anyway"
"Looks like you've had enough" Logan commented, looking at his empty jug, and at the other jugs on the table. Only the one in front of Sketchy had even been touched.
"Get out of my face, Logan" Alec smiled, pushing past him. "Want anything?" he asked Max, pausing behind her, and putting his hand on her shoulder. Logan glared.
"I'm fine" Max replied, with her standard "I'm-so-going-to-kill-you-later" expression. Alec shrugged, and went to the bar. Logan took the empty seat and turned to Max. "So, I thought you were coming over last night." He asked her. Oh. Max frowned. That's right. They had made plans, kind of. Her and Alec were supposed to do some mission for him, get some intel, then she was going to drop it at his place.
"We weren't able to complete the mission. Something came up." She told him
"Something came up?" Logan frowned. "Like what?"
Max thought quickly. she was not going to tell him that Alec got sick. No chance. And she definitely wasn't going to tell him that she didn't do the mission herself because Alec had spent the night in her bed, and she was watching over him. "Uh, just something I couldn't get out of" she glanced at Sketchy, trying to hint that it was transgenic related, and that since Sketchy didn't know about them, to Logan's knowledge, anyway, they should drop it.
"How about tonight?" Logan asked. "I really need you to do this for me"
Max searched frantically for an excuse. She needed Alec with her for this one, and he wasn't 100%.
Alec picked that moment to return with half a bottle of Scotch, and a few glasses. He looked over at Logan, who had stolen his seat, and shook his head, grabbing the other stool and moving it beside Sketch.
"There's something I have to do tonight" Max replied finally to Logan's question. Logan sighed. "Look, Max, it's just, this is really important"
Alec laughed, and started to drink, downing two doubles.
Ten minutes later, Logan was still trying to convince Max that the mission was important. OC and Sketchy were watching Alec slowly empty the bottle of scotch.
Alec felt the urge to hit something. Preferably Logan. He took another drink, then reached for the bottle. He thought he had his hand on the neck, but as he lifted the bottle, his hand spasmed and he dropped it. The bottle fell to the ground, shattering, spraying himself and Logan with glass and scotch.
"You stupid moron!" Logan stood quickly, turning to face Alec. "God, what the hell is wrong with you? Can you do anything besides get drunk and screw up? What was Max doing last night, anyway? Saving your ass again?"
Alec glared at him, taking a step closer to him. "Take your best shot" he felt his self control slipping away from him. his hand started to shake, and he clenched it into a fist. Logan saw this, took it the wrong way, and shoved him. Alec moved, but not fast enough. he staggered back against the pool table, grabbing it with one hand to hold himself up.
Sketchy was on his feet instantly. No matter how genetically enhanced he was, Alec was obviously still recovering from the seizure the day before. Sketch moved between Logan and Alec.
"Go through me." He offered, glaring at Logan, for once his face serious.
"You don't know what's going on here" Logan told him.
"Let me guess" Sketch spoke angrily. "You're pissed at Alec, because Max was too busy with him last night to use her transgenic skills to do some stupid mission for you." Logan stared. Slowly, Alec stood up and moved to stand beside Sketchy.
Max stood quickly, and moved between the three of them. "Keep this up, and all of us get a lot of attention we don't want."
Logan refused to back down. Alec looked at her, and sighed. "I need some fresh air" he turned and walked out.
"Max" Logan said pointedly. "I really need." She turned on him. "Not everything is about you. Touch one of my friends again, and you'll figure that out" she spun away, heading after Alec.
"Friends?" Logan asked Cindy. She glared at him, and followed Sketchy to the door.
Alec paused in the alley outside, leaning against the wall. His hand was still shaking, and he leaned his head back, breathing deeply as he fought to steady it.
"Alec" he heard Max's voice and opened his eyes. "Max, listen, I didn't mean." he tried to explain himself quickly.
Max shook her head, and moved closer to him, pulling him into a hug. At first, Alec stood there, stunned, then hesitantly put his arms around her, and lowered his head to rest on her shoulder.
"Are you okay?" she whispered. "Yeah" he replied. "No, not really" he modified his reply. Max tightened her arms around him.
"Hey, Boo. Never thought Original Cindy'd see the day, Logan could take down a Manticore graduate" he looked up, saw OC and Sketchy standing there, and smiled weakly. "Yeah, if they ever find out, they'll give me detention" he let go of Max, and hugged OC briefly, before clapping Sketch on the shoulder. "Thanks, man"
"No prob. You okay?" Sketchy looked at his friend worriedly.
Alec nodded, before sliding down the wall to sit on the ground. Sitting down was much better.
"Hey, get up" Max knelt beside him, putting her hand on his knee. "If you pass out, I'm not carrying your ass back to your apartment."
"Pass out? You think I'm gonna faint or something?" Alec glared at her. Max smiled. "I know, you're tougher than that. So get up."
"Give me a minute, okay?" Alec closed his eyes for a second. Max nodded, sitting beside him.
From the doorway, Logan watched, growing angrier by the second.
"Hey. Beer" she nudged Alec, who was staring vaguely in the direction of the pool table. "Thanks" Alec replied, not moving to take it from her. She sighed, and put the jug on the table.
"What's up, Boo?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing" he replied slowly.
"Nice view?" she commented, following his gaze to where Max was taking a shot, sinking the black, and grinning at Sketchy. Alec shrugged.
Max and Sketchy headed over to the table, grabbing a jug each and taking a seat. Alec kept staring in the same direction. Cindy caught Max's eye, and nodded towards Alec. "Hey" she said pointedly, then smiled as he said nothing. She stepped up behind him, and slowly slipped her arm around his throat, as if to choke him. her other hand rested in his hair. She pulled her arm slowly back towards her, tightening against his neck. Alec reacted, reaching up to grab her hand with his, and pulling it down away from his throat, so that it was resting on his chest. He turned to look at her. "There are better ways of getting my attention, you know" he told her, smiling slightly.
Sketchy laughed. "Transgenic foreplay, huh?" he muttered, glancing around to see if anyone could overhear him. Alec laughed. "You think that's foreplay?" he asked, grinning. "Never been with one of us, huh?"
"I wish." Sketch replied, taking a drink. Max laughed, taking seat near to Alec. He glanced over at her and smiled, before grabbing his jug and pouring himself a drink. He thought twice, and slid the glass over to Max, grabbing another one for himself.
"Boy's learning" Cindy commented. Alec smiled sweetly, and held out his newly poured beer to her, looking with mock concern at his nearly empty jug. She returned his smile, and took the beer from him. "I'll say one thing for Manticore," she spoke in a low voice. "They did one thing that mother nature couldn't do, created a man with manners"
"On behalf of the human race, Hey!" Sketchy commented, taking another drink. "You're letting the side down, man" he told Alec. Alec shrugged, downing his beer. He smiled genuinely, this time, enjoying the fact that both of his friends, the only human friends he really had, were comfortable enough with him to joke about his transgenic past.
"Speaking of people who don't have a clue" Sketch was sitting facing the door, and nodded towards it. Alec turned slightly, and groaned. Logan. Just great. He moved his stool slightly away from Max.
"Hey guys" Logan greeted, joining them and grabbing a stool from the next table. He moved it between Max and Alec. "Can I get some room here?" he asked Alec. Alec smirked at him. "just push Max out of the way" it's only a virus, he thought to himself, go on, Logan, touch her. It won't hurt. much.
Sketchy choked on his beer, and OC hid a grin. Max glared at him.
"Fine, whatever" Alec stood up. "I need a real drink anyway"
"Looks like you've had enough" Logan commented, looking at his empty jug, and at the other jugs on the table. Only the one in front of Sketchy had even been touched.
"Get out of my face, Logan" Alec smiled, pushing past him. "Want anything?" he asked Max, pausing behind her, and putting his hand on her shoulder. Logan glared.
"I'm fine" Max replied, with her standard "I'm-so-going-to-kill-you-later" expression. Alec shrugged, and went to the bar. Logan took the empty seat and turned to Max. "So, I thought you were coming over last night." He asked her. Oh. Max frowned. That's right. They had made plans, kind of. Her and Alec were supposed to do some mission for him, get some intel, then she was going to drop it at his place.
"We weren't able to complete the mission. Something came up." She told him
"Something came up?" Logan frowned. "Like what?"
Max thought quickly. she was not going to tell him that Alec got sick. No chance. And she definitely wasn't going to tell him that she didn't do the mission herself because Alec had spent the night in her bed, and she was watching over him. "Uh, just something I couldn't get out of" she glanced at Sketchy, trying to hint that it was transgenic related, and that since Sketchy didn't know about them, to Logan's knowledge, anyway, they should drop it.
"How about tonight?" Logan asked. "I really need you to do this for me"
Max searched frantically for an excuse. She needed Alec with her for this one, and he wasn't 100%.
Alec picked that moment to return with half a bottle of Scotch, and a few glasses. He looked over at Logan, who had stolen his seat, and shook his head, grabbing the other stool and moving it beside Sketch.
"There's something I have to do tonight" Max replied finally to Logan's question. Logan sighed. "Look, Max, it's just, this is really important"
Alec laughed, and started to drink, downing two doubles.
Ten minutes later, Logan was still trying to convince Max that the mission was important. OC and Sketchy were watching Alec slowly empty the bottle of scotch.
Alec felt the urge to hit something. Preferably Logan. He took another drink, then reached for the bottle. He thought he had his hand on the neck, but as he lifted the bottle, his hand spasmed and he dropped it. The bottle fell to the ground, shattering, spraying himself and Logan with glass and scotch.
"You stupid moron!" Logan stood quickly, turning to face Alec. "God, what the hell is wrong with you? Can you do anything besides get drunk and screw up? What was Max doing last night, anyway? Saving your ass again?"
Alec glared at him, taking a step closer to him. "Take your best shot" he felt his self control slipping away from him. his hand started to shake, and he clenched it into a fist. Logan saw this, took it the wrong way, and shoved him. Alec moved, but not fast enough. he staggered back against the pool table, grabbing it with one hand to hold himself up.
Sketchy was on his feet instantly. No matter how genetically enhanced he was, Alec was obviously still recovering from the seizure the day before. Sketch moved between Logan and Alec.
"Go through me." He offered, glaring at Logan, for once his face serious.
"You don't know what's going on here" Logan told him.
"Let me guess" Sketch spoke angrily. "You're pissed at Alec, because Max was too busy with him last night to use her transgenic skills to do some stupid mission for you." Logan stared. Slowly, Alec stood up and moved to stand beside Sketchy.
Max stood quickly, and moved between the three of them. "Keep this up, and all of us get a lot of attention we don't want."
Logan refused to back down. Alec looked at her, and sighed. "I need some fresh air" he turned and walked out.
"Max" Logan said pointedly. "I really need." She turned on him. "Not everything is about you. Touch one of my friends again, and you'll figure that out" she spun away, heading after Alec.
"Friends?" Logan asked Cindy. She glared at him, and followed Sketchy to the door.
Alec paused in the alley outside, leaning against the wall. His hand was still shaking, and he leaned his head back, breathing deeply as he fought to steady it.
"Alec" he heard Max's voice and opened his eyes. "Max, listen, I didn't mean." he tried to explain himself quickly.
Max shook her head, and moved closer to him, pulling him into a hug. At first, Alec stood there, stunned, then hesitantly put his arms around her, and lowered his head to rest on her shoulder.
"Are you okay?" she whispered. "Yeah" he replied. "No, not really" he modified his reply. Max tightened her arms around him.
"Hey, Boo. Never thought Original Cindy'd see the day, Logan could take down a Manticore graduate" he looked up, saw OC and Sketchy standing there, and smiled weakly. "Yeah, if they ever find out, they'll give me detention" he let go of Max, and hugged OC briefly, before clapping Sketch on the shoulder. "Thanks, man"
"No prob. You okay?" Sketchy looked at his friend worriedly.
Alec nodded, before sliding down the wall to sit on the ground. Sitting down was much better.
"Hey, get up" Max knelt beside him, putting her hand on his knee. "If you pass out, I'm not carrying your ass back to your apartment."
"Pass out? You think I'm gonna faint or something?" Alec glared at her. Max smiled. "I know, you're tougher than that. So get up."
"Give me a minute, okay?" Alec closed his eyes for a second. Max nodded, sitting beside him.
From the doorway, Logan watched, growing angrier by the second.