Diclaimer see first chapter.
Ok in this chapter things are still slightly angsty but not as much as chapter 6 and I promise you A KISS IS COMING, not in this chapter but it is coming.
Part 7
Alec watched as Max's eyes filled with pain at seeing Zack in such tumult and unrest. It was ripping him open at seeing her so desperate for forgiveness for something that had never really been her fault.
Maybe there was more to them than he knew. Maybe Max knew that Zack didn't feel for her like a sister as so many people had noticed. Jealousy overtook him as he watched the older X5 pace; his face in his hands, his eyes squeezed shut as he fought with the flashes that surfaced.
She was so upset when she'd realized she had to make the choice between Logan and Zack, while she'd been so happy when she'd gotten him back. The happiness was buried somewhere deep in her as the guilt and sorrow and self- pity over clouded her cocoa irises.
Max had Zack now; she'd never even consider him anymore, he thought cynically. She hadn't even really so much as looked at him since they'd gotten airborne. All her attention had been on Zack the whole time.
Alec could see Seattle's smoggy skyline in the distance and he ran a hand through his hair. It was getting long; he'd have to cut it soon.
He had to give them the chance of the doubt. For the concern that shone in her eyes for her 'brother', though tripled, was exactly the same she gave anyone else. One thing changed, in there, shone understanding.
Now wasn't the time for petty little thoughts though. Their main priority was staying alive and Alec had promised himself he'd be her friend, there when she most needed him, and he would. He'd be fooling himself if he told himself that no Max was better that having her as a friend, a partner in crime, whatever they were to this world.
Max's eyes brimmed with tears as Zack whispered, "I remember. I died for you," before crumpling to the floor of the chopper.
She was by him in an instant and Alec realized he was too. She held his head in her lap as she pleaded with him to wake up.
Alec placed his fingers to his neck and released a huge breath of relief he didn't know had been holding when he felt the strong pulse beneath the pads of his fingers.
With Max's help he lifted Zack and placed him across three of the seats with a pillow beneath his head. Sandeman sat beside his head and trickled some water into the X5's semi-closed lips.
Zack stirred but didn't awaken and Max and Alec watched as Sandeman checked all of his vitals.
"He'll be fine. He's gone without food for over 24 hours and the stress on his body and mind at all the memories re-surfacing was just a little too much. Too much information in too little time and his body couldn't take it. When we land put some food under his nose and he'll wake right up, be as good as new," at his words Max visibly relaxed and with a soft kiss on his forehead she left him in the care of the older man.
Alec drew her in a hug and she readily threw her arms around him, holding on like he was her lifeline and though he wanted nothing more than live in that moment forever he pulled back, "You ready."
Max nodded a soft smile on her lips, a silent thank you, "Yeah thanks Alec."
The words never made it past his throat as Max placed a single feather soft kiss on his cheek. Maybe there was hope.
*****
Spartacus sat ready on the back of Napoleon who snorted excitedly. She could hear the banging as the locks were undone and the door opened. Jondy's head popped around it and smiled as she pushed it further.
The duo jumped out and with a quick mock yes ma'am galloped off.
Jondy blurred re-shutting the doors and locking the locks. The truck was already a few inches off the ground when she jumped grabbing hold of her sister's outstretched hand. She smiled as she climbed up and grabbed hold of one of the straps to steady herself while Wesley expertly maneuvered the chopper through the high buildings.
Spartacus reveled in the wind that ripped through her hair whipping it behind her as she galloped towards her destination. People jumped out the way and pointed as Napoleon's hooves pounded the pavement and guided his master through obstacles and over what might have once been a wall.
The messenger threw himself sideways as the duo turned the corner sharply and came through the door. The whole of Jampony stopped to look at the gray horse and rider.
Spartacus ignored the looks as she walked to the front desk smiling at a frozen Normal. His mouth was partly open and his eyes wide as he looked at the horse then to Spartacus. She answered his unspoken protests with a wave of her hand, "Don't worry, he's totally house trained. Napoleon sit!"
The horse whinnied in objection but obeyed at his master's look, "I need to find OC, I have a message from Max. You know where the girl is?"
"Original Cindy's here. Where's my gurl? She aiight?" OC's loud voice asked threateningly.
"She's fine. Says hi. You need to take this; it's a vaccine against the toxins at Terminal City should you ever need to come to our place. I'll see ya around, I've got to get myself some pizza and be a distraction in ten minutes. Oh almost forgot here," Spartacus replied handing OC a piece of paper.
OC put it in her pocket and watched with a small smile as Spartacus swung a leg over Napoleon and climbed on with practiced ease.
Again Napoleon's feet seemed to gallop on wind as she rushed towards her second destination. This time she was being chased by police cars, two of them.
But Napoleon glided over objects and darted in and out of tight roads quickly losing their pursuers. The crowd at the gate got closer and closer as her horse came to a skidding halt at the edge of it.
Everyone went quiet as they watched Spartacus dismount and walk to a pizza shop that resided in the closest building. The horse followed her and patiently waited at her side.
The chief of Police approached her catching the last bit of her order to the dumbfounded shopkeeper, "I'll give you 300 for them if you have them ready in four minutes."
She turned facing the man taking a bite out of an apple she must have had with her. She spoke interrupting whatever the cop had been going to say and it seemed everybody there shuffled closer to hear, "You know, I'm really wondering, what do you guys have against transgenics anyway, they haven't done nothing to you."
A woman with ridiculous taste in clothing spoke up and everybody jeered and yelled in her support, "One of them killed that poor blind girl a few weeks ago, they're after our children!"
Spartacus rolled her eyes and fed the apple to Napoleon, who snorted happily at his treat, "Did you see it? NO. You guys are believing everything you're told and following the first fool like sheep. There used to be a time when people believed nothing of what their government said, people still believed in cover ups, after all Manticore existed right? Now if that's a cover up don't you think there'd be others?"
A pile of pizza boxes began to grow on the counter beside her as she captivated her audience without really trying; "The government tried to create soldiers, to protect you. They stripped those people in there of their lives. They couldn't decide whether they wanted to be what they were created for. They never had a childhood, instead relentless training and propaganda, beatings and torture if they cried. Do you have proof that they want to eat your children? Get your facts straight before you make judgements and don't listen to the first mayor or senator because you like him! Get your own facts, see it for yourself and then make up your mind. Those people aren't monsters any more than you or me in fact, they're probably more humane than most of us."
The pizza boxes tied together Spartacus balanced it while she climbed onto Napoleon's back. The sound of helicopter blades meant she was right on time as she saw Wesley fly over their heads and land out of view inside Terminal City.
The crowd gasped and Spartacus took her exit as she jumped the police barricade and entered her new home for now.
"You are committing a felony. Retreat back past the barricade or I'll be forced to arrest you," commanded the chief of Police through a megaphone.
"Then cuff me officer," Spartacus drawled kicking the horse's sides and galloping further within.
*******
Max, Jondy and Alec jumped off the roof and Rook shut the door to the driver's side as they watched the chopper maneuver as if it was a sparrow down to the ground. They'd chosen the spot carefully and indeed it had been the best choice. It was smack in the center of Terminal City and with buildings surrounding a sort of main square no bullets shot from the perimeter could get to it and they would be few and far in between should an attack start.
Max smiled as transgenics began to appear, X-series and anomalies alike and more. They seemed to be all flooding out of one building and from the satisfied looks on their faces she guessed they'd just eaten. One group spread out going towards the perimeter adjusting their comms and lookout gear, it wasn't hard to realize what was happening; shift change.
As everyone came out of the helicopter Alec went inside coming out with a still unconscious Zack over his shoulder in the classic fireman hold. As if already practiced Max and Alec took the lead side by side walking towards where all the transgenics had come out.
Though they smiled and greeted their little tribe the transgenics stepped aside letting a path break through the crowd.
Jondy giggled as Zyme deepened his voice and began talking like a documentary narrator, "The Alpha female is highly regarded among the pride and other females and young males will unconsciously move aside to let her pass. This is a show of respect towards their leading female. The Alpha male alike is a strong position guarding defensively anywhere between two and several hundred females though favoring only one, usually the Alpha."
Max didn't even turn and kept walking forward with the little group following but Zyme heard the chuckle that she tried to smother in vain, "You keep on talking and you'll be the outcast after the Alpha female visits her wrath upon you."
Alec stole a glance at her as everyone laughed and he couldn't help but smile at the grin that was spread full-fledged across her lips.
Sandeman walked in the middle protected by Wesley and Kahlua on each side, Rook and Bintz a few steps in front while Jondy, Mint and Zyme took up the rear. He watched in wonder at all the people he had created interact and laugh and how she had taken, it seemed like destiny, her place at the top.
Lydecker would be proud, he thought but buried the thought as soon as it surfaced, and he wouldn't bring him up. Some of the kids shuddered merely at his name.
Alec pushed the doors open letting Max pass first and then going through himself, immediately followed by the rest.
The room must have been a restaurant; a very big restaurant. Max remembered it as broken tables and chairs with a musty and mould covered kitchen out back. It had been transformed; tables for about six to eight started at the doors and went right up to the other end of the room where a table longer than the others sat horizontally rather than vertically in line with the others. It must be able to hold at least a thousand people, though cramped. Maybe it wasn't a restaurant. A mess hall?
The walls had been painted and Alec chuckled at the design. Pacman's with barcodes were flying around chasing trails of food and desserts, painted skillfully under the heading on the left wall; 'Mission: consume all food in the vicinity, and do so with gusto.'
The tables were clear and the only sign that someone had eaten here was the bench that ran across the right wall. Soap suds and a few splashes of water and a several huge piles of cleaned plates and a large bin filled with food scraps.
"I re-decorated. I hope you don't mind," a warm soft but deeper than she remembered voice echoed across the room and Max smiled turning in the direction from which it had come. Though older he was the same mischievous brother she remembered. except for the hair.
She basically ran into his arms holding him close and she had watery eyes when she pulled back, "It's so you. I missed you."
*******
There was one good thing that had come from the transgenics victory over them White mused. At least the conclave didn't think it was him that seemed to continuously fail. Ames sat there silently, looking blankly into the darkness, wondering about his son and for a second he understood why his father had disappeared with CJ. Watching his only son there on the table, so pale and not being able to do anything about it but knowing you could. Screw tradition. A harder gust of wind blew past snapping him out of his trail of thought, like a slap to the face. Ames chuckled at his own little thoughts, he was getting soft. It was because of tradition that the Familiars would come out on top. He wasn't going to quit. He'd find 452 and he'd find his son and then he'd kill her till there was nothing left. The meek would not inherit the earth; he'd see to it if it killed him.
****** Please review. should anyone care I am feeling better and for now there aren't anymore spontaneous screwed chapters. Whatever feeds your cat right?
Ok in this chapter things are still slightly angsty but not as much as chapter 6 and I promise you A KISS IS COMING, not in this chapter but it is coming.
Part 7
Alec watched as Max's eyes filled with pain at seeing Zack in such tumult and unrest. It was ripping him open at seeing her so desperate for forgiveness for something that had never really been her fault.
Maybe there was more to them than he knew. Maybe Max knew that Zack didn't feel for her like a sister as so many people had noticed. Jealousy overtook him as he watched the older X5 pace; his face in his hands, his eyes squeezed shut as he fought with the flashes that surfaced.
She was so upset when she'd realized she had to make the choice between Logan and Zack, while she'd been so happy when she'd gotten him back. The happiness was buried somewhere deep in her as the guilt and sorrow and self- pity over clouded her cocoa irises.
Max had Zack now; she'd never even consider him anymore, he thought cynically. She hadn't even really so much as looked at him since they'd gotten airborne. All her attention had been on Zack the whole time.
Alec could see Seattle's smoggy skyline in the distance and he ran a hand through his hair. It was getting long; he'd have to cut it soon.
He had to give them the chance of the doubt. For the concern that shone in her eyes for her 'brother', though tripled, was exactly the same she gave anyone else. One thing changed, in there, shone understanding.
Now wasn't the time for petty little thoughts though. Their main priority was staying alive and Alec had promised himself he'd be her friend, there when she most needed him, and he would. He'd be fooling himself if he told himself that no Max was better that having her as a friend, a partner in crime, whatever they were to this world.
Max's eyes brimmed with tears as Zack whispered, "I remember. I died for you," before crumpling to the floor of the chopper.
She was by him in an instant and Alec realized he was too. She held his head in her lap as she pleaded with him to wake up.
Alec placed his fingers to his neck and released a huge breath of relief he didn't know had been holding when he felt the strong pulse beneath the pads of his fingers.
With Max's help he lifted Zack and placed him across three of the seats with a pillow beneath his head. Sandeman sat beside his head and trickled some water into the X5's semi-closed lips.
Zack stirred but didn't awaken and Max and Alec watched as Sandeman checked all of his vitals.
"He'll be fine. He's gone without food for over 24 hours and the stress on his body and mind at all the memories re-surfacing was just a little too much. Too much information in too little time and his body couldn't take it. When we land put some food under his nose and he'll wake right up, be as good as new," at his words Max visibly relaxed and with a soft kiss on his forehead she left him in the care of the older man.
Alec drew her in a hug and she readily threw her arms around him, holding on like he was her lifeline and though he wanted nothing more than live in that moment forever he pulled back, "You ready."
Max nodded a soft smile on her lips, a silent thank you, "Yeah thanks Alec."
The words never made it past his throat as Max placed a single feather soft kiss on his cheek. Maybe there was hope.
*****
Spartacus sat ready on the back of Napoleon who snorted excitedly. She could hear the banging as the locks were undone and the door opened. Jondy's head popped around it and smiled as she pushed it further.
The duo jumped out and with a quick mock yes ma'am galloped off.
Jondy blurred re-shutting the doors and locking the locks. The truck was already a few inches off the ground when she jumped grabbing hold of her sister's outstretched hand. She smiled as she climbed up and grabbed hold of one of the straps to steady herself while Wesley expertly maneuvered the chopper through the high buildings.
Spartacus reveled in the wind that ripped through her hair whipping it behind her as she galloped towards her destination. People jumped out the way and pointed as Napoleon's hooves pounded the pavement and guided his master through obstacles and over what might have once been a wall.
The messenger threw himself sideways as the duo turned the corner sharply and came through the door. The whole of Jampony stopped to look at the gray horse and rider.
Spartacus ignored the looks as she walked to the front desk smiling at a frozen Normal. His mouth was partly open and his eyes wide as he looked at the horse then to Spartacus. She answered his unspoken protests with a wave of her hand, "Don't worry, he's totally house trained. Napoleon sit!"
The horse whinnied in objection but obeyed at his master's look, "I need to find OC, I have a message from Max. You know where the girl is?"
"Original Cindy's here. Where's my gurl? She aiight?" OC's loud voice asked threateningly.
"She's fine. Says hi. You need to take this; it's a vaccine against the toxins at Terminal City should you ever need to come to our place. I'll see ya around, I've got to get myself some pizza and be a distraction in ten minutes. Oh almost forgot here," Spartacus replied handing OC a piece of paper.
OC put it in her pocket and watched with a small smile as Spartacus swung a leg over Napoleon and climbed on with practiced ease.
Again Napoleon's feet seemed to gallop on wind as she rushed towards her second destination. This time she was being chased by police cars, two of them.
But Napoleon glided over objects and darted in and out of tight roads quickly losing their pursuers. The crowd at the gate got closer and closer as her horse came to a skidding halt at the edge of it.
Everyone went quiet as they watched Spartacus dismount and walk to a pizza shop that resided in the closest building. The horse followed her and patiently waited at her side.
The chief of Police approached her catching the last bit of her order to the dumbfounded shopkeeper, "I'll give you 300 for them if you have them ready in four minutes."
She turned facing the man taking a bite out of an apple she must have had with her. She spoke interrupting whatever the cop had been going to say and it seemed everybody there shuffled closer to hear, "You know, I'm really wondering, what do you guys have against transgenics anyway, they haven't done nothing to you."
A woman with ridiculous taste in clothing spoke up and everybody jeered and yelled in her support, "One of them killed that poor blind girl a few weeks ago, they're after our children!"
Spartacus rolled her eyes and fed the apple to Napoleon, who snorted happily at his treat, "Did you see it? NO. You guys are believing everything you're told and following the first fool like sheep. There used to be a time when people believed nothing of what their government said, people still believed in cover ups, after all Manticore existed right? Now if that's a cover up don't you think there'd be others?"
A pile of pizza boxes began to grow on the counter beside her as she captivated her audience without really trying; "The government tried to create soldiers, to protect you. They stripped those people in there of their lives. They couldn't decide whether they wanted to be what they were created for. They never had a childhood, instead relentless training and propaganda, beatings and torture if they cried. Do you have proof that they want to eat your children? Get your facts straight before you make judgements and don't listen to the first mayor or senator because you like him! Get your own facts, see it for yourself and then make up your mind. Those people aren't monsters any more than you or me in fact, they're probably more humane than most of us."
The pizza boxes tied together Spartacus balanced it while she climbed onto Napoleon's back. The sound of helicopter blades meant she was right on time as she saw Wesley fly over their heads and land out of view inside Terminal City.
The crowd gasped and Spartacus took her exit as she jumped the police barricade and entered her new home for now.
"You are committing a felony. Retreat back past the barricade or I'll be forced to arrest you," commanded the chief of Police through a megaphone.
"Then cuff me officer," Spartacus drawled kicking the horse's sides and galloping further within.
*******
Max, Jondy and Alec jumped off the roof and Rook shut the door to the driver's side as they watched the chopper maneuver as if it was a sparrow down to the ground. They'd chosen the spot carefully and indeed it had been the best choice. It was smack in the center of Terminal City and with buildings surrounding a sort of main square no bullets shot from the perimeter could get to it and they would be few and far in between should an attack start.
Max smiled as transgenics began to appear, X-series and anomalies alike and more. They seemed to be all flooding out of one building and from the satisfied looks on their faces she guessed they'd just eaten. One group spread out going towards the perimeter adjusting their comms and lookout gear, it wasn't hard to realize what was happening; shift change.
As everyone came out of the helicopter Alec went inside coming out with a still unconscious Zack over his shoulder in the classic fireman hold. As if already practiced Max and Alec took the lead side by side walking towards where all the transgenics had come out.
Though they smiled and greeted their little tribe the transgenics stepped aside letting a path break through the crowd.
Jondy giggled as Zyme deepened his voice and began talking like a documentary narrator, "The Alpha female is highly regarded among the pride and other females and young males will unconsciously move aside to let her pass. This is a show of respect towards their leading female. The Alpha male alike is a strong position guarding defensively anywhere between two and several hundred females though favoring only one, usually the Alpha."
Max didn't even turn and kept walking forward with the little group following but Zyme heard the chuckle that she tried to smother in vain, "You keep on talking and you'll be the outcast after the Alpha female visits her wrath upon you."
Alec stole a glance at her as everyone laughed and he couldn't help but smile at the grin that was spread full-fledged across her lips.
Sandeman walked in the middle protected by Wesley and Kahlua on each side, Rook and Bintz a few steps in front while Jondy, Mint and Zyme took up the rear. He watched in wonder at all the people he had created interact and laugh and how she had taken, it seemed like destiny, her place at the top.
Lydecker would be proud, he thought but buried the thought as soon as it surfaced, and he wouldn't bring him up. Some of the kids shuddered merely at his name.
Alec pushed the doors open letting Max pass first and then going through himself, immediately followed by the rest.
The room must have been a restaurant; a very big restaurant. Max remembered it as broken tables and chairs with a musty and mould covered kitchen out back. It had been transformed; tables for about six to eight started at the doors and went right up to the other end of the room where a table longer than the others sat horizontally rather than vertically in line with the others. It must be able to hold at least a thousand people, though cramped. Maybe it wasn't a restaurant. A mess hall?
The walls had been painted and Alec chuckled at the design. Pacman's with barcodes were flying around chasing trails of food and desserts, painted skillfully under the heading on the left wall; 'Mission: consume all food in the vicinity, and do so with gusto.'
The tables were clear and the only sign that someone had eaten here was the bench that ran across the right wall. Soap suds and a few splashes of water and a several huge piles of cleaned plates and a large bin filled with food scraps.
"I re-decorated. I hope you don't mind," a warm soft but deeper than she remembered voice echoed across the room and Max smiled turning in the direction from which it had come. Though older he was the same mischievous brother she remembered. except for the hair.
She basically ran into his arms holding him close and she had watery eyes when she pulled back, "It's so you. I missed you."
*******
There was one good thing that had come from the transgenics victory over them White mused. At least the conclave didn't think it was him that seemed to continuously fail. Ames sat there silently, looking blankly into the darkness, wondering about his son and for a second he understood why his father had disappeared with CJ. Watching his only son there on the table, so pale and not being able to do anything about it but knowing you could. Screw tradition. A harder gust of wind blew past snapping him out of his trail of thought, like a slap to the face. Ames chuckled at his own little thoughts, he was getting soft. It was because of tradition that the Familiars would come out on top. He wasn't going to quit. He'd find 452 and he'd find his son and then he'd kill her till there was nothing left. The meek would not inherit the earth; he'd see to it if it killed him.
****** Please review. should anyone care I am feeling better and for now there aren't anymore spontaneous screwed chapters. Whatever feeds your cat right?