Spoilers: Set after Hello, Goodbye - so anything prior to this
episode is spoiled and as the story continues, it may impinge
slightly on other episodes after unintentionally.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that we owe
thanks to James Cameron, FOX and anyone else associated with
Dark Angel.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
CHAPTER EIGHT
Flashback:
"Have you been briefed on your target X5-494?"
"Yes sir, Robert Berrisford, 58 years old. Widow. CEO of Mercidyne and one of Manticore's subcontractors."
"We've established a cover for you."
Alec writhed in his bed, the sheets wrinkled and twisted around his naked body. His face became contorted with anguish, the features curled up as he tossed and turned. His eyelids fluttered from, as images of Rachel and Psy- Ops haunted him. Suddenly, Alec sat up screaming,
"RACHEL!"
Max awoke with a start on Joshua's couch and found herself running up the stairs to Alec's room before she could comprehend what was happening. She bounded onto his bed and gently steadied him by his shoulders.
"You're okay, it was just a dream."
"Memory."
"It's over now."
"It never should have started."
Max leaned in and draped him into a tight hug. They sat there for what seemed like forever, but at the same time felt like it was over too fast; both comforted by the other's presence and warmth. Alec pulled away moved his mouth near her mouth whispering,
"Thanks Maxie. I really don't know what I'd do without you. You're my best friend."
"You're mine too."
They joined in their hold again and lay down, falling asleep in one another's arms.
* * * * *
"He he.Alec! Stop! I.I cant take.STOP!"
Max panted heavily as Alec tickled her toned stomach. He eventually gave up and rolled off to lie next to her on the floor of Logan's apartment.
"Have you found anything Logan?"
"Yeah. I think I have.actually no. Alec, could you run downstairs and grab my mail, I'm expecting something."
"Uh.sure."
Logan waited until Alec left before speaking,
"Max, come here. I've analysed the crime-scene evidence over and over again. And there's something I need to clarify with you."
Max nodded her comprehension and gestured for him to continue,
"When you brought Alec back to the scene, did he go near the bodies?"
"No.no.He stayed at the clearing entrance."
"Hmmm.okay."
"Why do you ask Logan?"
"His DNA is a match to some found there. Skin under the nails, stray hairs. I have deleted it off the police files, but we need to sort this out. It wasn't just one thing, it was several examples of DNA."
Max fell silent as she contemplated what Logan had told her. She knew that the hair could have been planted, but the skin under the nails would be harder. She had been right in her initial reaction.
It was 494.
* * * * *
"What's going on?"
Alec entered the tension filled room and placed a pile of letters on the computer table. His handsome face was tinged with concern, as he looked between Max and Logan,
"Well? What did I miss?"
He moved next to Max and she jumped nervously.
"You okay Max? Logan, you guys. Someone wanna tell me what's going on?"
"Alec, take off your shirt."
He looked at her and lowered his voice so that Logan couldn't hear,
"Don't you think you'd rather wait until we were alone?"
He held his hands in his air and flashed her his trademark smile, sneaking a look at Logan as he spoke,
"Whoa! Maxie, you sure this is the best time?"
"Just do it - OK?"
"Okay."
Alec tugged off his shirt and twirled around like a model, his golden sculpted body rippled in the dimming light and Logan experienced an unpleasant pang of jealousy. Whilst, Max's breath caught in her throat, as it always did when she saw Alec like this. She circled him and touched his back lightly, causing him to shiver under her graze.
"Nothing."
"I suppose even X5s wouldn't heal that fast."
"Not without leaving a faint mark of some kind. The cuts would have been really deep, these people were fighting for their lives."
Alec studied the two as they spoke, becoming increasingly perplexed. Max and Logan's faces matched his and he sighed in frustration,
"Uh guys? Wanna give me the 411 on what you are talking about and why I am standing here near naked?"
Max threw his shirt at him and proceeded to once again clue Alec in on what he had missed, chiding herself silently as she saw the heartbreak overcome his face. Logan sat in quietly, unsure of what to say. Alec finally spoke, his voice ridden with anger,
"I guess as always, it was so easy to accept that I could be possible of such a thing."
"Alec, what were we supposed to think?"
"Give me the benefit of the doubt. You say that I am your best friend, that I understand you? Well then you should know that I could never be capable of this."
Max trembled , tears welling up in her dark eyes as she whispered to him,
"I'm so sorry. I didn't know what to think."
"So you thought you'd do what you always do, what comes naturally. BLAME ALEC."
Logan squinted at the last icy comment's deliverer,
"Why shouldn't she, given your record."
Alec raised his fist, but then lowered it. He stormed out of Foggle Towers, his normally beautiful face marred by pain. Max glared at Logan irritably,
"What the hell did you say that for?"
"It was the truth."
"You have no idea."
She stormed out after Alec, leaving Logan fuming at her having chosen Alec over him.
* * * * *
"All phases have been carried out and successful, sir!"
"Excellent. Prepare to complete the final stages."
"Yes sir!"
"And be reminded that great care is to be taken when dealing with the X5. There have been very interesting discoveries with their DNA and we need them alive."
"Of course sir!"
"Dismissed."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
CHAPTER EIGHT
Flashback:
"Have you been briefed on your target X5-494?"
"Yes sir, Robert Berrisford, 58 years old. Widow. CEO of Mercidyne and one of Manticore's subcontractors."
"We've established a cover for you."
Alec writhed in his bed, the sheets wrinkled and twisted around his naked body. His face became contorted with anguish, the features curled up as he tossed and turned. His eyelids fluttered from, as images of Rachel and Psy- Ops haunted him. Suddenly, Alec sat up screaming,
"RACHEL!"
Max awoke with a start on Joshua's couch and found herself running up the stairs to Alec's room before she could comprehend what was happening. She bounded onto his bed and gently steadied him by his shoulders.
"You're okay, it was just a dream."
"Memory."
"It's over now."
"It never should have started."
Max leaned in and draped him into a tight hug. They sat there for what seemed like forever, but at the same time felt like it was over too fast; both comforted by the other's presence and warmth. Alec pulled away moved his mouth near her mouth whispering,
"Thanks Maxie. I really don't know what I'd do without you. You're my best friend."
"You're mine too."
They joined in their hold again and lay down, falling asleep in one another's arms.
* * * * *
"He he.Alec! Stop! I.I cant take.STOP!"
Max panted heavily as Alec tickled her toned stomach. He eventually gave up and rolled off to lie next to her on the floor of Logan's apartment.
"Have you found anything Logan?"
"Yeah. I think I have.actually no. Alec, could you run downstairs and grab my mail, I'm expecting something."
"Uh.sure."
Logan waited until Alec left before speaking,
"Max, come here. I've analysed the crime-scene evidence over and over again. And there's something I need to clarify with you."
Max nodded her comprehension and gestured for him to continue,
"When you brought Alec back to the scene, did he go near the bodies?"
"No.no.He stayed at the clearing entrance."
"Hmmm.okay."
"Why do you ask Logan?"
"His DNA is a match to some found there. Skin under the nails, stray hairs. I have deleted it off the police files, but we need to sort this out. It wasn't just one thing, it was several examples of DNA."
Max fell silent as she contemplated what Logan had told her. She knew that the hair could have been planted, but the skin under the nails would be harder. She had been right in her initial reaction.
It was 494.
* * * * *
"What's going on?"
Alec entered the tension filled room and placed a pile of letters on the computer table. His handsome face was tinged with concern, as he looked between Max and Logan,
"Well? What did I miss?"
He moved next to Max and she jumped nervously.
"You okay Max? Logan, you guys. Someone wanna tell me what's going on?"
"Alec, take off your shirt."
He looked at her and lowered his voice so that Logan couldn't hear,
"Don't you think you'd rather wait until we were alone?"
He held his hands in his air and flashed her his trademark smile, sneaking a look at Logan as he spoke,
"Whoa! Maxie, you sure this is the best time?"
"Just do it - OK?"
"Okay."
Alec tugged off his shirt and twirled around like a model, his golden sculpted body rippled in the dimming light and Logan experienced an unpleasant pang of jealousy. Whilst, Max's breath caught in her throat, as it always did when she saw Alec like this. She circled him and touched his back lightly, causing him to shiver under her graze.
"Nothing."
"I suppose even X5s wouldn't heal that fast."
"Not without leaving a faint mark of some kind. The cuts would have been really deep, these people were fighting for their lives."
Alec studied the two as they spoke, becoming increasingly perplexed. Max and Logan's faces matched his and he sighed in frustration,
"Uh guys? Wanna give me the 411 on what you are talking about and why I am standing here near naked?"
Max threw his shirt at him and proceeded to once again clue Alec in on what he had missed, chiding herself silently as she saw the heartbreak overcome his face. Logan sat in quietly, unsure of what to say. Alec finally spoke, his voice ridden with anger,
"I guess as always, it was so easy to accept that I could be possible of such a thing."
"Alec, what were we supposed to think?"
"Give me the benefit of the doubt. You say that I am your best friend, that I understand you? Well then you should know that I could never be capable of this."
Max trembled , tears welling up in her dark eyes as she whispered to him,
"I'm so sorry. I didn't know what to think."
"So you thought you'd do what you always do, what comes naturally. BLAME ALEC."
Logan squinted at the last icy comment's deliverer,
"Why shouldn't she, given your record."
Alec raised his fist, but then lowered it. He stormed out of Foggle Towers, his normally beautiful face marred by pain. Max glared at Logan irritably,
"What the hell did you say that for?"
"It was the truth."
"You have no idea."
She stormed out after Alec, leaving Logan fuming at her having chosen Alec over him.
* * * * *
"All phases have been carried out and successful, sir!"
"Excellent. Prepare to complete the final stages."
"Yes sir!"
"And be reminded that great care is to be taken when dealing with the X5. There have been very interesting discoveries with their DNA and we need them alive."
"Of course sir!"
"Dismissed."