DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of these characters; they are the brilliant
creation and property of James Cameron, FOX etc. I do own Faith and some
minor characters, but you know the rest.
SPOILERS: Takes place after Freak Nation - the imaginary season 3.
Chapter Seventeen:
"Okay, welcome to Terminal City. Let me just snap a photo of each of you for the database and then you are in. So, Syl, Krit and Jondy... alright.", Dix welcomed the three X5s as he clicked away at his computer, barely lifting his head. Jondy looked at him, her blue eyes flashing curiously, "So who's in charge around here?" Dix pointed in the direction of Alec's office, his eyes still fixed firmly on the computer. He was smoking one of Mole's cigars, a habit he had adopted since losing his close friend. Krit made a move towards the door and Dix finally looked up, "You won't find him in there. He doesn't really spend a lot of time in there these days." "Any idea where we can find him?" "Try the hospital."
Alec awoke with his head cradled against Max's stomach to the feel of soft hands running his hair back. He looked up blearily and glanced up at her face. She was looking intently back at him. "Max? Oh my god. Hey! You're awake. I...hey!" Her brown eyes continued staring at him, analysing his gaunt, yet still stunning face. "Can you hear me?" Max squeezed his hand gently. She opened her mouth to speak, but was too weak to summon words. "Hey. It's okay. I'm so glad you're awake. Do you remember what happened?" His green eyes searched hers anxiously as he awaited a response. Nothing. Her brown eyes clouded over." "Okay. Don't worry. Um...I don't know what I am supposed to do." He leaned over and buzzed Jet, then relaxed in his chair grinning down at Max, "I knew you'd be fine."
Alec examined his surroundings, staring around at Terminal City with an almost elated expression. He looked back at the hospital and beamed to himself, Max was okay. She was okay. "So I hear you're the one we suck up to round here. but lets get one thing straight, we haven't taken orders from someone for over a decade." Alec turned to at the feisty voice to see three X5s standing before him, facing him expectantly. Jondy looked at him curiously in the eye before throwing herself at him in a tight hug, "Oh my god Ben! You're CO? This is amazing. Brother, it's me, Jondy. We had no idea you'd be here. Ben. It's me. And Syl and Krit. It's us." Alec unravelled himself from her and shook his head, "What? No. Uh, I'm not him. I'm not Ben. My name is Alec. Designation 494." He turned and briefly flashed his barcode at them. They blinked at him in shock. He looked just like Ben, well an older version of Ben, but those eyes. They were completely identical, eyes so full of hope and belief. "I'm his twin. Clone. Whatever." Krit eventually answered hoarsely, "Of course. It's nice to meet you. We...sorry." Alec shook their hands eying them all scrutinisingly, "Ben huh? You must be Max's siblings." "Max? Yeah. Did you know her?" "I know her. She just woke up. I am sure she'd love to see you guys." Krit looked up at him as though he were mad, "What do you mean she just woke up?" "Inside. I know it's bizarre. Must be like she knew you were here. but Max is a fighter and she's okay." "She's okay?" "That's what I said." Jondy, Syl and Krit looked at one another, before dashing speedily into the hospital. Alec looked over them, with a smirk, "Weird family."
Max shrugged slightly, she hated hospitals. But she knew this was going to be a long stay, the nurse told her it would be a slow recovery. She had been in a coma. Her head ached and she felt lonely. *I wonder where Alec went*, she thought idly. She closed her eyes, hating how sore she was. "Max! Oh god, Max! You're alive, Maxie! Baby sister!" Max opened her eyes to Jondy, Krit and Syl all smiling down at her affectionately. She opened and closed her mouth in shock, her eyes glassing over. "We thought you died in the raid on Mantecore. Lydecker, that bastard, we never should have trusted him. He told us you were dead. You'd been shot. That liar. He told us you didn't make it." Max closed her eyes and summoned all her strength to speak, "I...I did. I died, but they brought me back. A donor heart." "At least Mantecore came in handy for something. Lucky or should I say coincidental that there was a donor at that time." Max smiled weakly at her brother and sisters. It wasn't the right time to tell them about Zack. There was so much more to catch up on. "So tell us about the cutie outside, Alec?" She grinned toothily at them, where would she start.
Chapter Seventeen:
"Okay, welcome to Terminal City. Let me just snap a photo of each of you for the database and then you are in. So, Syl, Krit and Jondy... alright.", Dix welcomed the three X5s as he clicked away at his computer, barely lifting his head. Jondy looked at him, her blue eyes flashing curiously, "So who's in charge around here?" Dix pointed in the direction of Alec's office, his eyes still fixed firmly on the computer. He was smoking one of Mole's cigars, a habit he had adopted since losing his close friend. Krit made a move towards the door and Dix finally looked up, "You won't find him in there. He doesn't really spend a lot of time in there these days." "Any idea where we can find him?" "Try the hospital."
Alec awoke with his head cradled against Max's stomach to the feel of soft hands running his hair back. He looked up blearily and glanced up at her face. She was looking intently back at him. "Max? Oh my god. Hey! You're awake. I...hey!" Her brown eyes continued staring at him, analysing his gaunt, yet still stunning face. "Can you hear me?" Max squeezed his hand gently. She opened her mouth to speak, but was too weak to summon words. "Hey. It's okay. I'm so glad you're awake. Do you remember what happened?" His green eyes searched hers anxiously as he awaited a response. Nothing. Her brown eyes clouded over." "Okay. Don't worry. Um...I don't know what I am supposed to do." He leaned over and buzzed Jet, then relaxed in his chair grinning down at Max, "I knew you'd be fine."
Alec examined his surroundings, staring around at Terminal City with an almost elated expression. He looked back at the hospital and beamed to himself, Max was okay. She was okay. "So I hear you're the one we suck up to round here. but lets get one thing straight, we haven't taken orders from someone for over a decade." Alec turned to at the feisty voice to see three X5s standing before him, facing him expectantly. Jondy looked at him curiously in the eye before throwing herself at him in a tight hug, "Oh my god Ben! You're CO? This is amazing. Brother, it's me, Jondy. We had no idea you'd be here. Ben. It's me. And Syl and Krit. It's us." Alec unravelled himself from her and shook his head, "What? No. Uh, I'm not him. I'm not Ben. My name is Alec. Designation 494." He turned and briefly flashed his barcode at them. They blinked at him in shock. He looked just like Ben, well an older version of Ben, but those eyes. They were completely identical, eyes so full of hope and belief. "I'm his twin. Clone. Whatever." Krit eventually answered hoarsely, "Of course. It's nice to meet you. We...sorry." Alec shook their hands eying them all scrutinisingly, "Ben huh? You must be Max's siblings." "Max? Yeah. Did you know her?" "I know her. She just woke up. I am sure she'd love to see you guys." Krit looked up at him as though he were mad, "What do you mean she just woke up?" "Inside. I know it's bizarre. Must be like she knew you were here. but Max is a fighter and she's okay." "She's okay?" "That's what I said." Jondy, Syl and Krit looked at one another, before dashing speedily into the hospital. Alec looked over them, with a smirk, "Weird family."
Max shrugged slightly, she hated hospitals. But she knew this was going to be a long stay, the nurse told her it would be a slow recovery. She had been in a coma. Her head ached and she felt lonely. *I wonder where Alec went*, she thought idly. She closed her eyes, hating how sore she was. "Max! Oh god, Max! You're alive, Maxie! Baby sister!" Max opened her eyes to Jondy, Krit and Syl all smiling down at her affectionately. She opened and closed her mouth in shock, her eyes glassing over. "We thought you died in the raid on Mantecore. Lydecker, that bastard, we never should have trusted him. He told us you were dead. You'd been shot. That liar. He told us you didn't make it." Max closed her eyes and summoned all her strength to speak, "I...I did. I died, but they brought me back. A donor heart." "At least Mantecore came in handy for something. Lucky or should I say coincidental that there was a donor at that time." Max smiled weakly at her brother and sisters. It wasn't the right time to tell them about Zack. There was so much more to catch up on. "So tell us about the cutie outside, Alec?" She grinned toothily at them, where would she start.