Max studied the mirror in front of her. Her bruised face stared back at her, eyeing her suspiciously. She felt like an impostor. The person that was looking back at her wasn't her. It couldn't be.
But if it was, then she had become the very thing that she promised her self she would never become. Detached from over people's emotions. Unable to see past her own feelings. Inhuman.
Pushing strands of her hair behind her ears, Max closed her eyes and for a second felt Alec's body against hers. Trembling as he silently cried. She had felt guilty for not being able to comfort him with words.
She was totally unprepared for Alec to show his emotions, especially to her. But the fact that she put her own emotions before Alec. Not realising he was hurting inside. That's what made her inhuman.
She couldn't live with guilt. It eats you alive until there's nothing left but bad memories. When she had watched Alec cry over Rachael's deathbed. There was nothing for her to say nothing that she could say. So she had left Alec to mourn on his own.
So when Alec's tough exterior was slowly being unravelled in front of her, she had comforted him the only way she knew how. She held him. And she eased him to sleep until, she herself had finally given into her tired body. That was the humane thing to do.
She placed her hand onto her reflection and gently ran her fingers along a bruise that had started to appear around her left eye. She then placed her fingers onto the real thing. Wincing as her cold hand touched bruised tight skin.
Even if she had felt inhuman for only a couple of seconds. It was still there. It would never leave her. It would hold her down. She could scream as loud as she could. Kick as hard. But she would always remember how it felt. She would never let it happen again. Alec needed her. And in a way she needed him.
Her feelings were jumbled up in her head. She didn't know how she felt. Whether what she felt was real. The more she thought about Alec, the more confusing her feelings got. Seeing Alec in a different light, then to awaken to the jerk that she met back at Manticore.
Max was jolted from her thoughts by the sound of her alarm clock. As she turned to look at it, she realised she could do with a long walk before heading to work. Grabbing her coat she raced out her front door, leaving her hellhole behind.
***
Alec felt suffocated and alone when he arrived at Jam Pony. The morning noise of chatting people crushed him further into his black bubble that he had created around himself. The one that stopped the outside world from seeping in. He felt like all eyes were on him. Their voices seemed to load, yet distant. He was unable to make out what anyone was saying. His head was swimming in the nothingness of paranoia.
He rotated his shoulder muscles, trying to get rid of the sudden cramp that was building along his back and across his lower neck. Putting on his best grin he steered him self toward were Normal was sorting out the morning deliveries.
Normal's mouth literally dropped open when one rather tired looking Alec stepped in front of him. "Jesus Christ" Normal moved from behind his desk to meet Alec
"You look like you slept in them all night." Norman pointed a finger at his unattended clothes. He watched as Alec shrugged him of, then take another step forward until he was close enough to sit on his desk. Making himself convertibles he covered his mouth and succumbed to what seamed like lack of sleep.
His eyes were heavy and his face seamed a weird grey colour. He was surprised the guy wasn't coming down with something again. Or still not fully recovered from his last sick leave.
"Sorry about the disappearing act yesterday. Something came up." Alec fiddled with one of Normal's pens that he had left unattended. Then ran his hand along the back of his neck, still trying to get rid of the unwanted cramp that seamed to be eating him alive.
"No problem, just don't let it happen again." Normal headed back behind his desk. Then took another look at Alec. Concern filled his eyes, then a sense of panic.
"Hay, you haven't been fighting without telling me, you know I'm your biggest fan."
Alec would have smiled, but the knots in his stomach seemed to tightening their grip on him. To the extent where his lungs didn't seem to want to function properly. Thinking it best just to dive right into the deep end, Alec went strait to the point.
"Hay, I need a favour. Yesterday a friend of mine left something in my locker. For a practical Joke." Alec looked into Normal's eyes hoping he was buying the lie. "Any way I haven't seen this friend in forever. I was hoping you saw someone during work, before. Anything. It's kind of important. To both of us."
Alec searched Normal's facial features hoping to get a clue to what he was thinking. The silence between them was unbearable. He new Normal had something to say. Normal just didn't realise how important to Alec this something was.
Normal stopped what he was doing to look up at Alec. Connecting with his eyes for a second he saw a glimpse of desperation. But it was gone before he had time to react to it. He thought for a while before answering.
"You now what. I did see some one. Short block, beard. Didn't say much, though mentioned he was lost."
He stopped to think, not realising the suspense was killing his young friend. "I could tell he wasn't one of mine. Ow and he stunk of Salt." Normal's eyes seemed to light up. "Maybe he works in the salt factory. Or with fish" Alec considered this. The knots in his stomach were slowly disappearing allowing him to breathe again. Uncertainty was a killer.
He had to stay one step in front of his opponent.
"This friend of yours, is he visiting, or hear to stay." Normal looked back at his desk as a call came in.
Once I'm through, the only reason for them to stay would be to visit graves that I'm going to fill out.
"No, they're just visiting."
Normal covered the mouthpiece. After telling the person on the over end of the line that Jam Pony was the fastest and best delivery around.
"They" Normal, took down the address that was being given over his headset.
"Well I'm hoping that this one friend will lead me to more of my friend's. Kind of a large group. Were really close." To the extent where I blew up their homes and they killed off some of my family.
Alec could feel the anger building up in his system. He didn't like how it felt. He could feel it consuming him. Mocking him. He didn't know where it came from.
"Sir, I'm being watched" Her frantic voice filled my ears. I cried out to her but she didn't answer me. I ordered to answer me but the line went dead. The failed connection buzzed in my ears. It told me that I had failed. I grabbed another line and hooked it up to the computer. Still nothing, the silence was agonising. It threatened to consume me.
I saw more of my unit franticly trying to retrieve the connection. Then I heard the orders. STAND DOWN. Every one stopped, looked at the officer that ranked higher than me. But the words didn't mean anything to me. I raced forward but was held back by two guards. I spoke without permission. I abandoned protocol.
"Permission go in and retrieve X5 426 Sir?" He told me to stand down. Then he looked at me as if I was an annoyance. He looked at me like I shouldn't be there. Like I did not mater. Like 426 didn't mater. But she was my family.
What was I still doing here? Standing still. But I couldn't move. I didn't no what to do. I had never had to think this way. Why wasn't I trained to deal with this?
My training had to be wrong. This was wrong. Manticore was wrong. I'm wrong. Broken.
He opened his eyes to see normal smiling at him holding up a package. Broken. The memory flashed past his eyes again. The feelings that he had felt. He couldn't remember it happening like that. It hadn't happened like that. That's not what he remembered.
Brainwashed. Feelings of helplessness filled his head, unable to do anything. He'd been brainwashed. He had started to question Manticore. He had started to question himself. So they stole from him, his thoughts, his feelings.
They had allowed him to keep the main parts of the mission, but taken away the thoughts that made him question it.
Brainwashed by Manticore. That's where the anger came from.
He was no longer dealing with the loss of a soldier, someone that was in his unit. He was no longer upset because they had killed people that he had grown up with. He was upset because they had killed someone he cared about.
He didn't realise it, but had cared about 426. That's why he had cried in front of Max. Why the photo got to him so much. The cult had killed someone he loved.
That's why he wanted to protect Max, why he felt so protective over her. He wanted to stop it happening again. Stop the cult from killing someone he loved. Someone he loved more than just a friend.
"Hay you still with me." The voice was distant. Alec looked up to see Normal waving his hand in front of his face, trying to get his attention.
"I'm good. Just tired." He grabbed the package from Normal. "I'll get this done early." Normal didn't seem to be buying it. I need to improvise.
Who am I kidding improvise is my middle name. Well, actually I don't have a middle name, or last. But hay. We all like to be special.
Different. And a complete freak. Broken. I had feelings for 426. And she died. Then they took the feelings away.
I had feelings for Rachael. They made me not care. I didn't understand what I was feeling. Unable to adjust. Why wasn't I trained to deal with this?
I have feelings for Max, unable to adjust. Unable to understand. Will I loose those feelings to? Have them ripped out of my soul. They all died. Every one I loved died.
Max?
"I was with a girl" well it was kind of true. Had to improvise. Normal smiled. Buying the excuse. For being tired. Detached. "Well, next time I won't mix business and pleasure."
"We all need social lives." Normal patted Alec on the back. It seemed to be turning into a habit. Good job he was an X 5. Over wise he probably would have had permanent damage by now. Feeling the air between them start to harden. Alec felt it was now time to bale.
Turning around he walked strait in a surprised Max. He felt his heart skip a note as he looked into her beautiful eyes. He mentally punched him self for letting his black bubble split open. He looked down to see his package lying on the floor.
He looks so lost. Max bent over to pick it up. Alec just stared at it. She had seen him look at her. But he had turn away. Like he was unable to keep the eye contact. She held onto his package for a couple of seconds to allow Alec to adjust his backpack. He seemed so tense. So alone. Afraid.
"Sorry" He took the package from her and headed out into the busy world. Max could just watch. Her mind seemed to blank out. Making it impossible for her to say anything. Follow him. As her brain seemed to kick into gear, she grabbed her bike and followed Alec out into the real world.
"I hope you're expecting double shifts. Make up for yesterday." She vaguely heard Normal call out to her, but was to preoccupied to think twice.
"Alec wait up." She could feel the desperation in her voice. She sped up so that she was riding beside him.
"Max, please. This isn't a good time." When was a good time? He tried to hide the pleading. It made him sound weak. But it was there. And he knew that Max had heard it. Because when he looked at her, he could see sympathy in her eyes. But he could also see something else. He had seen it before, but couldn't place it.
He looked into 426's eyes. Saw the twinkle that meant she was thinking about him. He smiled and watched as she smiled back. He felt her hand run down his left cheek. Saw the confusion on her face. The same confusion that mirrored his own face. The feelings meant nothing to him. Had never felt them before. Why wasn't I trained to deal with this? But they made him feel good. Worm inside. Wanted. He could tell she felt the same. He continued to look into her eyes. Max stared back…
Alec nearly gasped. Max was staring at him. He saw her eyes. Saw the same twinkle he saw in 426. Ow god.
"We need to talk," Max stepped of her bike to get closer to him. For some reason it made her feel safer.
"God, Max. Didn't you hear me? I said this is a bad time." Don't make eye contact.
She's just looking at me. She looks hurt. I've hurt her.
"When is a good time" Max felt her emotions begin to seep through. Seeing him like this. He looked so helpless. "Alec this is important. We have to deal with this. We can't just hide and wait for it to go away." Max didn't now whether she was taking about the cult or her feelings. But all he did was stare at her. His eyes gave away volumes.
"I am dealing with it Max. But you need to keep out of my way."
God, why are you being such an asshole over this?He thinks that if he can create enough aggravation. Cause enough annoyance. Then the people like herself would be pushed away. She was the only person he could relate to. The only person who could understand what he might be going through.
She was the only one like him. An X5.
This is how Alec deals with pain. Being an asshole and pretending everything is ok. This is how I used to deal with pain. She continued to look up at him. Allowing their eyes to bond. She slowly watched as his face features softened. But then he looked down, he was still unable to keep the eye contact.
What are you afraid of? She already knew the answer to that. They had encountered them yesterday. But there was something else. Something he found more terrifying. She just hoped Alec would eventually come to trust her enough to tell her.
"We'll do our rounds, then I'll phone Logan. See what he's found out." Max watched to see Alec nod. That was not what she wanted to talk to him about. She wanted to talk about the night before. Her feelings. But all she could do was watch him as he headed out to complete his round. She rode behind him at a distance. Watching his back. In a way protecting him.
***
"He's in series denial. Or he's trying to avoid me." Back at Jam Pony. Max watched as Alec looked through some more packages Normal had just given him. She eyed his movement and watched as he looked up at her. She waited to hear Logan's voice through the phone receiver.
"Or Both" Max frowned at Logan's answer. She listened as he continued. "These people that you ran into. I think I've got an I.D on one." Why would he be avoiding me? What else does he have to hide? His emotions. Her thoughts confused her. She looked at Alec again. Saw the way he seemed to repel over people around him. He didn't seem to blend in. He didn't seem to want to blend in. Why?
"David Gavings" it took a second for the name to register. When it did. She found her self wide-eyed and very confused.
"No wait, isn't that the guy Alec said was working from the inside. I don't think he recognised him. I thought that he would." Logan considered this.
"Max imagine that you spent your whole life at Manticore. You were trained to follow orders. You don't think for your self and you have no reason to doubt who and what you are. Manticore has power over you." Logan checked Max was still following. "As far as your concerned there is only Manticore."
"Ok. My imagination isn't all that great, but please tell me there's a point to this." Max began to get the feeling that this was going to turn into a very long conversation.
"But then you encounter a group of people, who think you're an abomination. Your friends and family are killed because of what they are." Logan let his words seep into Max before continuing.
"Now these perfect soldiers are going to start to run this through their mind. Manticore can't afford to have soldiers thinking like this. So they erase anything that they feel will undermine the power that they have over them."
"Alec and his unit were brainwashed after their mission because Manticore was worried they would loose their hold over them." Max could feel anger steadily coiling its way up her spine, it rapped its way around her throat and squeezed the air out of her lungs. Basterds. It made her wonder what else Manticore had stolen from him. What parts of him they had taken. Whether the parts left were still broken. No wonder he was the way he was. So detached.
"Now that Alec is out of Manticore, all of these hidden memories have the chance to surface. He probably remembered key parts of the mission a while ago. That's why he was able to tell us about it. But the bigger details are only starting to resurface."
"Anything on where they may be hiding out." She watched as Alec moved towards her. He leaned on the wall but looked out towards the open door.
"No, not yet. But I'm working on it." Max said her thanks and put the phone down.
***
The silence between them was unearthing. It held them together yet pushed them apart. Max could hear Alec's low even breathing. She turned to look at him but he continued to stare forward. The sun was slowly starting to set. Covering them in a powerful glow of white and yellow. Soon the moon would rise through the clouds to watch over them. Alec could sense Max watching him. He could here her breathing as if it was his own. He wasn't the best of people to make drastic decisions, but if he didn't act now. He wouldn't be able to.
Steering her into an alleyway he moved against a set of dustbins. "I'm sorry about last night, I was being a jerk." He saw confusion light up her face, then it was taken over by surprise. Hadn't she expected him to apologise? Didn't she think he was capable of emotions? He moved away from her. But she followed him. Took his arm in her hand. So gentle and caring. He wanted her to hold him. Her hand seemed so small. So perfect. But he new it would come with a price.
So he snatched his arm away. He couldn't look at her. He didn't want to see the hurt in her eyes. See it on her face. He didn't see the hurt turn to disappointment then anger.
"It's never another is it." Max could here her voice braking. She had all of these emotions in her, but didn't no were to but them, were to aim them. "I go out of my way to try to help you and all you do is blow me off. God Alec you wont even let me near you. Do you hate me that much?" The anger that had filled her voice seemed to take over. She felt her blood bubble when he turned away from her. "You can't even look at me."
He turned on her then. Moving faster then she fought possible. He slammed her into the wall. Her back hit it hard, pushing the air out of her lungs. She gasped as she tried to regain her posture. Fighting back, she brought her knee into his stomach. She then flipped him onto his back. He got up but she wrestled him to the floor. Bringing her body down onto his. He fought her as she held him down.
He kicked at her but she didn't budge. Then he stopped. Alec looked up at Max. He could feel her breath on his cheek. See the twinkle in her eyes. It was like looking at 426. The memories flooded him. Blocked his senses and took over his brain.
"Get off of me" he harshness of his voice frightened him. The look on Max's face devastated him. But he kept his own face hard. He couldn't get to close. Couldn't let Max get to close. When she didn't budge he did the only thing he could think of. He pushed her, hard as she slammed backwards. She lost her footing and crashed to the ground. Her face features hardened. Her eyes gave away her thoughts. Don't you ever come near me again. She turned away. Heading no doubt to Logans. It was for the best. Please tell me it was or the best. Mental agony washed over him as he watched his only friend disappear.
***
Normal's voice filled his head. Maybe he works at the salt factory. The place had been abandoned due to a chemical leak. The cult had to be housed out somewhere. At this moment in time this was his only lead. The dense woodland that surrounded the building blocked him in. The fading light couldn't make it through the thick trees. The darkness closed over him. Making him feel alone. In a way he was alone.
His trained perception didn't give away any clues to why he couldn't see a chemical leak, or even a clean up squad. But this was Seattle. Every thing was left in ruins. Nothing was fixed. Alec stared at the abandoned building. The wired mesh that surrounded it loomed down at him. A warning sign hung down from the sharp metal. DANGER, CHEMICAL LEAK!
The metal fencing had only recently been put in, as he could still see the dug up dirt and dying weeds. Who ever had but that up had gone through a lot to keep people out.
This would be a perfect place for a large cult to hide out. Or better still for a small cult living and making home. They must have gone through a lot of trouble to get in. If there was a chemical leak. Please don't tell me I have to deal with mutated men. Maybe they got help. The government finally found out about us and formed with a religious cult to help eliminate all transgenics. It sounded a bit far fetch. The government couldn't even join dots.
One thing that he had learnt from his last encounter was that they liked to post men at every corner. Alec wasn't going to take any chances. He was in full control. He scanned the fence looking for a weak spot. He followed it towards the back of the building hoping to find the way in. After no luck Alec placed his hands onto the cold metal. I guess the best way is up.
Something cracked. Alec looked behind him to see two figures coming out of the surrounding bushes. Looking back at the building he waited until they were inches from his position. Then he kicked out his legs, continuing to hold onto the metal fence, it supported his weight allowing his feet to make contact with both men. They flew backwards, surprised by the sudden attack.
Alec held onto the fence again as he swung his feet around to make contact with a third man that had turned up. He felt the guys jaw give way under his boot. The crack made him wince. Someone lunged at him, hands grabbed both of his shoulders. They pulled him of the fence. His right shoulder hit the floor hard. His back scrapped against the broken metal. It dug into his skin causing him to yell out.
Alec tried to roll, but found his self pinned. "This really isn't a good time for me, maybe we could finish it tomorrow." Alec flipped his self over and punched one of the men holding him down. He used another man to block a blow. Two more men turned up. One holding a baseball bat. The increasing total surrounded him. Alec realised coming better prepared would have helped. Then he remembered 426's picture. What they did to her. He lunged forward. Diving at the guy with the baseball bat. But two people dived at him. Again he was brought to the ground. A foot connected with the side of his face. He winced and for a second lost focus. He realised his muscles were beginning to get tired. Again the foot made contact. This time his stomach. Hard, because as he couched he saw blood. He looked up at the person the foot belonged to. White stared down at him.
I guess they got help. The thoughts formed in his head. Moving would be good thing. Alec slammed the palm of his hand into one of the men. It didn't make much difference as the downed man was replaced quickly. All he got for his efforts was a hard punch.
"494, Well you found us quicker then we thought, I guess the extra patrols searching for you were a waste of time" He knelt down beside Alec and grabbed his hair turning his face towards him. "Make sure he doesn't try anything" White let go of Alec and stood up. Moving aside Alec caught a glimpse of a knife been taken out of a pocket. The man that it belonged to smiled down at him. The guy moved forwards, kneeling beside him.
I am going to rip that smug grin off your face. But he couldn't move. His tired muscles screamed at him. And his slashed hand throbbed. The broken metal had done more damage than he first thought. This would be a good time for a very pissed Max to turn up. Yelling at him about dealing on his own and getting into trouble because of it. But Max wasn't going to turn up.
The people holding him down pushed on his wrists and ankles. He tried moving again but found himself completely pinned. He saw the knife and closed his eyes. His scream pierced the still air. But was cut of by a rough hand slammed over him mouth. Blackness engulfed him before his blood touched the ground.
To be continued.
A nice long chapter. With a cliffhanger. Well I guess it's a cliffhanger. Gets kind of boring though. I'll start the next one as soon as I start getting lots of your reviews.