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Buses & Trains
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Forget Me Not
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The air around Alec was chilly and smelly; like disinfected surfaces. His eyes opened lazily and he groaned, as his head demanded more sleep. The room didn't have too many colours thankfully so he could make out the off white and the black man-shaped figures around him. Unfortunately Alec could feel his vision refocusing and adapting to the stinging light; and his vision showed Mest sitting in front of him. "Finally, you're awake. I thought you X5's were supposed to be enhanced"
"This is your plan of attack? You hit them while they're down?" Alec ignored his question, replying with one of his own as he tested his hands, finding they were behind his back, held by cold steel, he sighed.
"I've told you before and I'll tell you again. Rule number one: Never admit your weakness, you're enemy will take advantage of it."
"Yeah, and you've had plenty of practice at that haven't you?"
"Taking advantage of weakness? Of course, how else do you think I get by in this world?" Mest's ice blue eyes loomed in front of him, then a bright light flashed in his eyes, blinding him. Even after the blinding light had gone the after shocks still made the room change colours from white, to blue, to purple and finally his eyes readjusted.
"How did you know my name?"
"You think that's a name?" A laugh. "You weren't trained to have a name."
"I was trained to kill. Untie me and I'll do my job." Alec growled tugging against the handcuffs; all he was rewarded with was a tug of pain on his wrists.
"I wouldn't do that. You'd be shot before you could even attack." At Mest's words, Alec felt the cold barrel of a gun pressing against the back of his neck, over his barcode.
"I'm valuable to you."
"Ah, don't kid yourself. You're expendable. Do you know how many transgenics are on the loose out there? You're simply the first we've come across, that I've had extensive study on, of course." Mest paced, back and forth and then turned to look at Alec's reaction.
"Well would you do what you're going to do already? I'm a bit tired of the whole... talking thing your trying to set up here." The dull throb of anger began in the back of his skull, spreading rapidly through his entire head.
"Alright, just trying to be polite." Alec wanted to start with his usual witty comments but knew Mest's quick temper well. That was the problem with this situation, they each knew things about each other but the things Mest knew would more than likely damage Alec's standing. Mest nodded to one of his cronies who sat at the table beside Alec's chair. "We're just going to have to take a few DNA samples, skin, hair, some blood. Whatever. Then, we're going to do a few tests." The sinister tone shot straight
to Alec's danger nerve.
"What kind of tests?" Alec asked, the sick feeling in his stomach was increasing by the minute.
"Just to determine some theories. I'll let you in on a secret, you going to tell anyone?" When Alec didn't answer Mest grinned, "Good boy. Well, there was more information that they didn't keep at Manticore. And as an investor, I have access to that information. It's a huge file. You know whose files are the thickest? The rouges from '09 and you."
"Me?"
"Yes, you. Seems that they knew what was going on, how you had your little circuits." Mest sat in the chair just opposite Alec once more and regarded him with a burning curiousity.
"So, the idiots were smarter than I gave them credit for."
"You under estimated them. Idiot. Didn't you listen to your training?"
"Tried my hardest not too."
"Alright then lovely little creation. This will hurt a bit. I'm sure you can handle it."
"I'm sure I can." Alec watched impassively as one of the mindless men in black prepared a syringe,
"You know just by curiousity. What's in that?" There was silence, no reaction from anyone but Mest. A cruel smile spread across his captors face as he nodded to the crony on his left.
====
Max watched warily as the two enemies were communicating with each other on the subject they both agreed on. Since the first enemy knew so much and the second was sending her malicious laughing looks; Max came to a decision; they would both have to die. And she told them so.
"Oh, come on Max. Honestly, you'd think we're plotting against you." Jace exclaimed as Max was trying to plead her case.
"Are you?" She played it innocent with wide bambi eyes. It didn't fool either of them.
"Nope. We just trying to help a sista out." Original Cindy said simply then turned back to her evil plots. It was a relief Jace had accepted Original Cindy's slight eccentric tastes and attitude easily, Max had been literally holding her breath. Things had been a bit rocky at the beginning when Jace was taking in the surroundings; but she'd soon seemed to accept and like Max's friend.
"So; the problem with the two is that they're still in denial?"
"Straight up."
"Damn, Max." Jace looked at her with a touch of sadness. Max recognised it and felt her own sadness cry out silently, it wasn't denial it was just never the right time. Besides--
"We're not like that." They just looked at her; just as Max found she was squirming under the probing gazes she began to worry about the time. "We aren't. Jace, we gotta get going."
"Where you going?" Original Cindy asked suspiciously and Max felt like a guilty child that had her
hand caught inside the cookie jar.
"A road trip of sorts."
"To?"
Jace found this exchange amusing for some reason and spoke up; "Apparently Max has upset a transgenic."
"Alec?" Cindy asked turning her head to look at her friend who responded silently with a sheepish shrug. "Girl; what has he done now?"
"I'm not that sure. But he took off--"
"This is new?"
"And I want to know if it was my fault." Max realised how dry that excuse was but soon came to realise it was the truth. Compared to her usual bitchy justifications on her exploits that one was
pretty mild.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Original Cindy quipped and pushed up her sleeves. "Got any messages for anyone in Seattle?" Max just looked at her, overwhelmed at the thought of going to explain this to Logan. She just wanted to get going. Whatever trouble Alec had got himself into it had probably blown up in his face and Max would go in; kick some ass and come home just in time for a deliciously boiling hot bath.
"Want me to tell roller boy?"
There it was. Her chance to escape it. A small part of her head was telling her not to take the chance. To go tell Logan what was going on and not end up in another sideroad of awkward explanations. Of course a much larger of her brain was impatiently telling her to get herself moving and to find Alec; she realised there was a nagging worry at the back of her brain that was propelling her mind along it's patterns.
"We'll stop by."
Should have taken the goddamn chance and ran.
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The two X5's moved silently along the roof; Jace was a little unnerved to be the chaperone of what was obviously going to be a tense situation but she sensed there was no stopping Max once she got herself into something. Good thing too, because otherwise her sister would have turned out like a lot of their siblings, constantly on the run. Dropping through the skylight first, Max quickly began looking for Logan. She came across the dining room table and gulped. It was set up, at the ready for fancy dinner and she was supposed to be the special guest.
How could she have forgotten? Logan was one of the most important people to her, one of the few she had allowed herself to get close too. Well, as close as she could she seemed to have a permanent closeness barrier that didn't let up even when she told it too. Lately all she had been feeling is pain and a slowly widening chasm between them. Jace was in the dark but had a bit of a gist about the situation.
"He expecting someone?"
"Yeah, me." Max went into the computer room and there was the cyber-journalist lying asleep on his keyboard. Jace couldn't tell much about him except he probably hadn't shaved for a while. That and the drool pooling on the keyboard. Not a very good first impression but Jace had experienced worse.
"Uh, he's not always like this. Usually he's awake." Max felt like she had to defend Logan's honour or something because the way Jace was looking at Logan right now. Like he was some little creature that was totally beneath her and that really didn't have a chance against the world was kind of unnerving because that was the way Max herself had looked at him upon first meeting him.
"That's good."
"Do you think I should wake him?"
"Not my decision." Jace was staying neutral, if Max wanted to leave without telling him then Jace wouldn't stop her but she wouldn't have anything to do with giving her an excuse and Max knew these.
"You're not helping."
"You owe him that much. You did miss a pretty nice looking dinner arrangement."
"I know."
"Do you?"
"Stop it."
Raising her hands in surrender, Jace backed off and started to look around the appartment as Max stood there contemplating whether or not to actually wake him up. Deciding to leave a note; since it would be easier, Max grabbed a pen and paper; scribbling a quick but obviously evasive note. When her sister came wandering back in finding nothing that interested her she held it up for her to inspect.
"What do you think?"
"It's a bit evasive isn't it?" Were the first words from her mouth. Max shrugged.
"It'll have to do."
"Is your boyfriend the jealous type then?"
"Logan? No… No." Max knew he could come off as that sometimes but she knew he knew how she felt
for him. It hadn't changed. Or had it? "No way. Why?"
"Keep trying to convince yourself then. And I noticed no mention of your supposed boy toy."
"What? Oh, he doesn't need to know."
"Does he resent helping out?"
"Couldn't do it without him." Max admitted and turned away from the semi-pitying look Jace gave her. When she was like this everyone gave her those kind of looks, and it was something she didn't expect from Jace, the least she could do was to treat her as an equal and not some kind of girl in distress over a broken nail or anything.
"Then why the big awkward prissy act?"
"We got a virus."
"Have some chicken soup."
Max had to smile at Jace's deliberately misinterpreting her words. "Not that kind. It's from good ole Manticore."
"They suck like that."
"That they do. Let's get going." The pair made their way to the floor just underneath the skylight.
"Do you ever use the door?"
"Shut up." Leaping up through the uncovered hole Jace set off at a walk and left Max to cover the skylight once more; just before it sealed over completely she detected the sounds of Logan stirring from his sleep and a murmur that sounded suspiciously like her name.
Max now felt horribly guilty. She'd make the dinner up to him somehow; when she got back. Yeah. Now if she enforced that half hearted promise to herself when she did get back she would have something to cheer up about 'cause she didn't see anything worth being happy about on the horizon
right now.
For now she had to go see what was up with Alec. He would've probably been in a bar somewhere, if Jace was okay with it they could go ask 'politely' if anyone had noticed him around. Jace looked like she wanted a little action in her life and Max knew she needed some. Alec would either be drinking or with some prostitutes. Those two seemed to be his favourite pass times, also annoying Max. But he hadn't been doing that for a while and it felt kind of weird without his constant teasing and riffing off her life. Max had become accustomed to it in a way.
Then Max realised she had a justification for seeing if it was her fault for him going off, she'd never say it aloud but it was a justification that she knew about. Max would also be able to kick his ass like she had promised she would to herself.
There she was feeling better already. Even the guilt over the dinner was receeding and her focus was coming back sharply. Maybe she'd even get some traces on Mest on the way; Logan had said he'd had something to do with Manticore, might fit into the puzzle of the Familiars, none of the other puzzle pieces seemed to fit right now, everything was out of place in that jigsaw.
If I were Alec, where would I go?
The answer came to Max out of the blue
New York, The city that never sleeps
How fitting.
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R E V I E W
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Acknowledgments: Deb: I was thinking about the Jondy/Jace thing as well. I thought I'd try something different. I got the whole sticking with what I know and all, although people paint Jondy as a bit of a rebel :) And no, unfortunately no imagined skin shots for Alec. Maybe later ;) And tasters? I have absolutely no comment. Teehee. By the way; thank you for your consistent reviews! ::huge grin:: Rose85: I can't tell you if he's Manticorian before its time. :) Cause if I did I'd have to use the whole red-laser-beam forgetting type thing that the doctors at Manticore seemed to favour. I tried not to spend too long on the chapter, but it's quicker than last time.. I think. wondertross: ::blush:: Your comments are very well appreciated and I thank you so much :) I hope this chapter is okay. chic: Here's the next chapter :) MagnusXXN: Snap like Ben? ::evil grin:: Thanks for your review :) simpleplan2me: ::beams:: We do. They're my fav DA ship. Although I do get sappy over M/L when there's no happy endings. Life's Scar: Here's more! krimson: Here's one more? All Mighty Terrestrial: I nearly gave up a couple of times but I tried my hardest not too. You give up? Never! I'll hunt you down ;) I tell you about Evil Mest? I'd have to kill ya. :) And this username is here to stay. I like it the best. I'm so flimsy when it comes to willpower. I say to myself 'you won't change' and then I get a great idea.. ::rolls her eyes:: AntipodeanOpaleye: ::huge beaming grin:: Thank you :) Space-Man: Helps you up from crawling position and hands you next chapter. I tried to lengthen it but I don't know if I managed.