"Ma'am, 452 has decided I'm different."

"Do we need to abort mission, 494? Are you incompetent?"

"No, ma'am. I've distracted her with emotions."

"Good."

"Well, ma'am, she's given me a name."

"Other than Ben?"

"She says the name 'Ben' doesn't suit me."

"What is your new designation?"

"Alec, ma'am."

"What is that reasoning, soldier?"

"I'm a smart-aleck, ma'am. She says her second choice was Dick."

"494, it would do you well to stay on her good side. She is the main reason we sent you on this mission."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Dismissed."

***

The two of them stood out on the porch by the door. Both were nursing Styrofoam cups, which informed them to take "Caution" because, of course, "The contents of this cup may be hot." Everyone else was inside.

"I make you uncomfortable, don't I?" Max asked, twirling a lock of hair around her finger.

"Yes."

"Why?"

He smiled slightly at her. "Because you remind me of someone."

"Is that good or bad?"

"Neither. Just… slightly nerve-racking."

"I know what you mean."

"You do?" He looked at her in surprise.

Max suddenly stood and began to pace. "Ben, you're my brother."

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

"Right! So, if you're my brother, I should feel immediately close to you."

He just watched her pace.

"But not the way I do—I mean, I love Krit, and he's my brother. I love Zane, he's my best friend… but you … it doesn't make sense."

He stood up and grabbed her arms as she walked past him again. "Max."

She looked at him, seeming scared, trapped, and confused all at once. "Ben. You've just changed so much… I don't know…"

He stared at her, and gently placed a finger to her lips. "You don't have to know."

Max stared at him, not comprehending as he began to lower his head to hers. His lips touched lips, and she immediately began to respond.

As her hands fisted his hair, pulling him closed, his arms encircled her waist. Her senses were filled with his taste as his lips opened to her… his hands slid under her shirt as he backed her to the stairs. As they pulled apart just long enough for him to slip the shirt off her, she gasped as what she was doing hit here. It was wrong—he was Ben—but, oh god, if he was Ben then why didn't that disgust her, why did it feel like heaven instead?

He kissed his way down her shoulder bone, and reached to pull her closer, turning harsh in his haste.

She pulled away in a mixture of disgust and shock, backing away from his fingers and his lips and her heaven.

He looked at her, nervously. "Max?"

"You're-" Max's voice cracked. "You're not Ben."

494 stood, staring at her. "I'm not?"

"You're not Ben." Max challenged again.

"Why not? What do you mean?"

"You've changed. You're not our big brother anymore."

They paused. "Are you still Max?"

"Yes."

"Why, then?"

"Because I'm the same."

"You are?"

"Yes, I am."

They began to circle, Max eyeing him warily.

"Why am I not the same?" 494 inquired, hoping to rectify the situation.

"You're more sarcastic and… you're just different. You have a different aura around you. You can't be Ben. You're… someone else now."

"Who?"

"You're… Alec."

"Why?"

"As in smart aleck."

494 smirked. "All right. I like Alec."

"Good, 'cause my second choice was Dick."

"Haha, very clever." There was another uncomfortable pause "You do realize they'll keep calling me Ben."

Max nodded. "I know." She eyed him. He looked so adorable, bewildered yet in complete control. His blond hair fell into his eyes messily and she had a desire to reach out and brush it away, to shock that smirk off his face and kiss the innocently mocking pout of his lips.

So she did.