Disclaimer: Do you really need to ask? Only the story is mine, the characters belong to Cameron etc.

Authors Note: Sorry for the delay in posting but I'm in the middle of writing my dissertation. My degree unfortunately rates higher on my priorities than fanfiction, but only just ; )

DARK TERROR

Chapter 12 - Too Close

3 weeks later:

Alec gasped for breath as he ran through the darkened streets. He had been running, too hard, too fast, too long. His muscles screamed in protest as he forced his unwilling body to keep going. Alec's mind was in panic. He couldn't lose her, God how had he let this happen, let them get this close?

The black van was accelerating now, they must have seen him still in pursuit. Desperation surged and added a shot of adrenaline, Alec increased his pace, managing to keep sight of the van that held Max prisoner. Blood pumped through his veins and his heart pounded in rhythm to his running feet. There! The van took a left and Alec knew where that street went. There was an alleyway that should allow him to cut off the van. Alec thanked God that his Manticore training had installed in him the necessity to learn his environment from a militaristic point of view.

A faint ringing was sounding in Alec's ears by now, a sure sign of the abuse he was putting his body through. He had never pushed himself this far before, had never known he could push through the limits he had learned at Manticore. Fear was a great incentive however and Alec was terrified that he would lose Max. They had been so careful. So careful and it just hadn't been enough. A group of well trained mercenaries had found them somehow. They must have learned from their old colleagues mistakes because instead of going in for the strong arm approach with him, they had watched them before taking advantage of Alec going out for food and leaving Max alone in the motel room. If Alec hadn't realised he had forgotten his wallet half way down the street, he would never have had a chance. They would have been gone and Max would once again be in hell.

It had been weeks since he and Max had made that vital change in their relationship. The first time he had made love to Max had changed everything. Alec hadn't known it was possible to love Max anymore than he already did. He hadn't known the closeness that would come of sharing her body. He had never made love before, it had always been sex to him. To be so close to her physically that he could swear he felt her heart beat inside his own chest, feel her breath in his lungs. It hurt so much to leave her body afterwards and he would clutch her to him, wishing he could melt into her very being and simply stay there.

Now as the very real possibility of losing Max was here, all Alec could think was how he had broken his promise to her. He had promised to protect her from them, promised to kill her before letting them take her and now it was all hanging in the balance. If he couldn't reach her before his body gave out… If he couldn't save her from them - what would he do?

Alec kept running, the punishing pace killing him. He ran through the filthy alleyway and came out on the other side. The van was right there. Acting instantly, with a primal roar, Alec threw himself onto the side of the van as it passed. The van didn't slow and Alec grasped the edge of the smooth metal, clinging on as they hurtled through the deserted roads. The driver saw him and swerved the van violently, trying to knock him off. Alec hung on with grim determination before drawing one fist back and smashing it through the drivers window.

The man yelled as Alec's hand found the fabric of his shirt and pulled him towards the shattered window. A single punch and the man was out. The passenger was yelling and trying to grab the wheel. Alec opened the car door and threw the driver out before starting to fight the passenger for control of the van. They skidded erratically on the wet street as they fought.

Suddenly there was an enormous jolt as the car struck a large pot hole in the badly maintained road. Both men lost their grip on the steering wheel and the van hurtled out of control. It skidded in circles before inertia did its work and flipped the van in the air. Screams came from the back of the van as the they crashed over several times.

Alec fought to maintain consciousness as he was thrown around inside the small driving compartment like a rag doll. Alec could swear he heard Max's scream above all the others and he squeezed his eyes tightly shut as he tried to block out her terror from his mind. The van's crashing came to an abrupt stop as they hit a brick wall of an abandoned building.

The silence that followed immediately after the crash was broken by Alec's harsh breathing. He opened his eyes and groaned, tentivly trying out his body to see if he was injured. Nothing too bad. The van had come to rest on its side. Alec looked over at the passenger, still held in place by his seatbelt, and saw from his open eyes and blank expression that he was dead. Max. Her name reminded him why he was here.

"Max!" Alec called, hoping to get some kind of response from the back. There was nothing. Alec reached for the car keys that were still in the ignition, he would need them for the doors to the back. Alec tried to open the drivers door but it was stuck. Then he hesitated, what was that smell? "Oh God." Gasoline. He could smell gasoline. Working harder Alec fought with the crumpled metal of the door. "Come on…Come on!" Finally working the door open, Alec crawled out of the wrecked vehicle and fell to the concrete ground.

Standing Alec felt a nasty sting across his leg. He hardly processed the pain as he limped around to the back of the van and struggling with the keys he pulled open the doors.

It was so dark inside. Alec's pupils dilated, using his enhanced vision to see Max. There were several bodies inside, none of them moving. Alec saw a small familiar hand resting by the crumpled form of a body. His heart stopped for a split second. "Max? Max! Can you hear me?" Desperation tingeing his tone Alec crawled in to reach Max's still body.

"Max." Alec turned her body over gently, his fingers pressing into her throat to feel for a pulse. There it was. A steady beat beneath his touch. Alec wanted to cry in relief but the smell of gas was growing and he knew time was running short. Alec tried to lift Max in his arms when the jangle of chains caused realisation to set in. They had chained her down. The sons of bitchs had chained her down.

"Shit!" Alec swore, the momentary relief giving way to panic again. There was no time! Alec looked around at the other still bodies in the van and started to search them for the keys. One of the men started to come around with a groan and Alec didn't hesitate in knocking him out again. These basterd had abducted Max, what did he care if they burned?

The seconds ticked by slowly as Alec searched. Finally in the pocket of the third man he felt his fingers close on the cold metal of the keys. "Yes. Yes." Alec muttered and he scrambled back to Max and fumbled with the locks that were chaining her to the floor of the van. It took his shaking fingers a few moments to still enough to unlock her and then he gently lifted her unconscious form into his arms, backing them out of the van.

Max moaned softly as he moved her, the pain of motion stirring her into consciousness. Alec looked down briefly at her face, twisted in hurt. He wanted to pause but then he saw the inevitable flames spring to life at the front of the van. It wouldn't be long before it reached the gas and the whole thing would explode. It had only been minutes since the accident but he knew the van could blow at any minute.

"I'm sorry Max." He whispered under his breath as he pulled her over the bodies of her abductors. "Just hang in there." Alec pulled them free from the van and cradled her close to his chest as he once again started to run.

His whole body cried out for him to stop but the light weight of Max in his arms reminded him of why he had to keep going. His leg was bleeding, he could tell from the dripping fluid soaking his jeans but he kept his pace despite the excruciating pain. Max. Max. Max. Max. Her name reverberated through his brain, keeping him running against all odds. His mantra. He couldn't think any further than that.

The explosion rocked out over the deserted area, throwing Alec to the ground. He reacted instinctively covering Max's body with his own, protecting her from the debris falling around them. Alec felt a searing pain as a sharp piece of metal struck his back and he almost collapsed his weight onto Max's semi conscious form. Only the knowledge that this would hurt her kept his weight braced on his forearms.

He felt time pass and the world started to swim before his eyes as the events and pain caught up to his body. "Max." He mumbled. There was no more debris to fall. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the van that had almost stolen Max from him, burning peacefully. "Max." He spoke her name once more before succumbing to exhaustion. With his last strength he pushed himself over onto his back, lying beside Max. One hand remained grasping Max's arm as though he was afraid to let her go. His eyes shut as he let the adrenaline and fear go.

Max felt her body before she opened her eyes. She ached all over and felt like she had been beaten to within an inch of her life. Her thoughts were confused as she tried to place where she was. The men… White, Oh God no. Please no… But that wasn't right. There was a fight, Alec had gone out to get food and these men had attacked her. There was an accident. She was in a van and they had crashed. Max tried to open her eyes. They felt heavy, like weight were holding them down. Alec had been there, he had pulled her out.

At that thought Max forced herself to open her eyes. "Alec?" Her voice was weak and hardly audible. "Alec?" Max tried to sit up but a shooting pain in her chest immobilised her and she cried out in pain.

Alec was drifting off into unconsciousness when he heard something. My name. Who was calling him? There was something familiar about the voice…Something… A gasp of pain penetrated the cloud in his mind. Max!

Dragging his body up at the recognition, he turned to her. "Max? Are you okay?" He felt so drained. The van was burning, they had to leave before the emergency services arrived. Thanking God for the Pulse that meant emergeny services were stretched thin and would be delayed in coming, Alec leaned over Max, reaching his fingers once again to check her pulse.

"Alec." She whimpered. "Alec they had me." Alec felt his heart wrench and he pushed her hair back off her face.

"Its okay Max. They're dead now, its okay." Max looked at his hazel eyes searchingly.

"Are you okay?" She whispered. Blood was running from a cut in his scalp and his face was bruised and streaked with dirt and soot. Max didn't look much better.

Alec managed a small smile for Max, hoping to reassure her. "I'm fine. I'm gonna get us out of here." In spite of his strong words, Alec wasn't convinced he could. He had used all of his strength getting to Max, and then escaping the crashed van.

C'mon Alec! Pull it together soldier! Alec ordered himself. He knelt his body beside Max, grimacing at the pain. Max didn't miss much and her wide dark eyes saw he was injured as well.

"Alec?" Her voice was frightened as she allowed Alec to pull her into a sitting position against his chest.

"Its okay Max." Alec tried to sound convinced. He braced himself and tried to stand with Max in his arms. A muffled cry of pain escaped his lips as he stood and stumbled, almost dropping Max onto the hard ground.

Max sucked in a pained breath at the jostling as Alec steadied himself. Gritting his teeth Alec started to walk towards another car he saw nearby. It had better not be broken down. He reached it and didn't even put Max down to break in, just elbowing the glass and reaching in with one hand to pull open the door.

"Here. See, its okay." Alec whispered as he settled Max in the passenger seat. "Hang on." Max managed a small nod and Alec limped around to the drivers side. He got in and tried to concentrate on hot wiring the engine. His vision was blurry and Alec was afraid he had a concussion from the crash. He couldn't afford to be hurt, Max was depending on him.

The wires were doubling to his sight and he could hear the faint sound of sirens. Fuck, c'mon. Finally the engine sparked to life. Leaning back Alec floored the gas and shifted the gear, getting them the hell out of there.

As he drove them away he spared a glance for Max. She was still staring at him, her eyes black with pain and fear. "Alec."

"It's okay." It was all Alec could say in the wake of the near disaster. "How badly are you hurt?" Max shook her head slightly as she silently inventoried her body.

"Broken ribs, maybe broken arm, shoulder hurts…" Max trailed off as she looked at him. "What about you?"

Alec clenched his jaw as he tried to clarify his vision. "I'm fine." He lied, concentrating on putting some distance between them and the crash. "I'm just fine." He said as the world faded to black before his eyes and he passed out at the wheel.

TBC.

A/N: Review!