A/N This takes place about a month and a half after Alliance. You don't have to read Alliance but it would help for background. For those who haven't read Alliance the virus was cured in it. Not to say things are happy ever after because after all this is the world of Dark Angel.
A special thanks to aerie for the title!
Logan pushed back from his computer and stretched his shoulders to work out the kinks. For the last month he had been working nonstop to find out more about White and why he seemed so determined to kill the transgenics, especially the X5's. He had been hitting one brick wall after another, which was unusual for him. The information had become especially critical of late since White had switched tactics. Lydecker might be able to help but all he ever got was his voice messaging system. Deck appeared to have vanished from the face of the earth. Like Max, Logan refused to believe he was dead absent a body but he might as well be for all the success Logan was having in locating him.
Max and Alec had managed to get the word out about Whites activities and the transgenics had been lying very low making it difficult for White and his goons to find or eliminate any of them. That had been a good thing but there were ominous new developments that were worrying Logan.
Shortly after their raid on Whites base of operations, articles on the transgenics had begun appearing in legitimate newspapers and on the state run television stations. It seemed every crime in Seattle was now being attributed to a transgenic. That was bad enough but several weeks ago an up and coming politician,
Alan Redmond had suddenly made the transgenics into a personal crusade. His face was everywhere denouncing them and warning the citizens that the transgenics were out to take over and eliminate ordinary humans. The city was on edge and Logan was worried about Max and her friends. It wouldn't take much to ignite the citizenry. The economy was worse than usual and any scapegoat would be seized on as a target for anger and frustration. Redmond and his media machine were effectively playing on the sense of dissatisfaction and fanning the flames. Logan was afraid that the next little thing might set off a firestorm.
A week ago he had broached his concerns to Max as they enjoyed a late dinner together. She still refused to move in with him and he was getting worried about her safety in her apartment.
"Max, I really wish you would reconsider moving in here." He had tried once more as they sat relaxed at the end of the meal, sipping after dinner liqueur.
"Logan, you know how I feel about that. I'm just not ready. Maybe it's still the Manticore training in me but I can't do that yet." She had looked at him her eyes begging his understanding and patience. Logan understood completely but he was working on a gut sense of worry so he had pushed a little more.
"Max I do understand. What you don't understand is this…feeling…I have. I'm worried. Look you can have the guest room and come and go as you please. I'd just feel better if I knew you were in a secure location." His blue eyes were full of concern and Max couldn't doubt his sincerity. Rising she went to him and sat on his lap, looping her arms around his neck.
"Duly noted, Logan. Look I'll be extra careful and if I see or sense anything off I'll be here. I don't think I need to move in yet." She smiled gently down at him "You're talking about a Manticore designed genetically enhanced killing machine. I've got the designer label ass kickin' genes to prove it."
With that she leaned in and kissed him softly. Sighing Logan had given in and the rest of that particular evening had been spent in more pleasurable pastimes than worrying about White and his crew. Finishing off their dinner they had soon moved to Logan's bedroom. Still in a pensive mood Logan's lovemaking had been slow and sweet and Max had gently teased him about it afterwards.
"Keep treating me like I'm made of glass and I may just quit my job, move in here and make you wait on me hand and foot 24/7."
"And that would be a bad thing?" he had teased back. Max made a face at him and their mood swiftly changed to playful as he lunged at her pulling her down on top of him as his expert fingers quickly reduced her to a state of quivering eagerness. Their passions quickly kindled and in short order he was demonstrating to Max that he in no way considered her fragile or easily breakable. In the process he acquired a few minor scars of his own as Max enthusiastically reciprocated. Logan often teased her about her feline DNA and in her saner moments she had to admit that she got a certain thrill from lightly scratching him or gently biting his skin as they made love. She supposed it was her way of marking Logan as her mate, not that she was about to let him know that particular fact.
Once sated they had fallen asleep in each others arms and Max had ended up staying that night and others; even though she crashed at her own crib often enough to worry Logan and keep her from feeling caged in.
Shaking his head to clear it of his nebulous worries, Logan rose from his chair and headed for the kitchen to grab a drink checking the time on the way. Max should be here for dinner soon and he would feel a lot better once he had her safely in his sight. As he poured his drink a shrill beeping from the television caught his attention.
"This is an activation of the emergency broadcast system. Citizens of Seattle stay tuned for an important public safety broadcast. The broadcast will begin shortly. Stay tuned…"
Logan felt his heart plummet and a sick feeling in his stomach as he swiftly headed for the television pulling out his phone and hitting Max's speed dial code as he did. Before the call even went through his front door flew open with a crash and he turned to see Max stagger in. To put it mildly she was a mess covered in mud and what looked like blood. Logan reached her swiftly and pulled her into his arms, running his hands down her body to check for broken bones or worse as she stood for a moment slumped against him.
"Max. What happened?" Max pulling herself upright and shaking her head cut him off.
"Not now Logan. In your elevator. Joshua. We need to get him in here." As she spoke she was headed to the elevator and Logan followed. Max had pressed the emergency stop button to hold it on Logan's floor and Joshua lay in a heap inside of it, unconscious. Max tried to lift him but she was injured as well and a task that normally would have been easy for her was now impossible. Logan gently pushed her aside and went to kneel by Joshua.
"Max, get my chair. We can get him into it together and bring him to the guest room." As he spoke he found Joshua's pulse, which appeared to be strong. There was a large gash on his head matted with caked blood and mud and Logan guessed it was that head wound which had rendered the big transgenic unconscious. Within minutes Max was back with the chair and shortly they had Joshua settled in the guestroom. Logan quickly cleaned his wound, which mercifully was no longer bleeding. Turning to Max he gently said,
"There isn't much more I can do for him right now. His pulse is good and he's breathing okay. Let me take a look at you." Max started to brush him off but as she turned to leave the room she staggered and would have fallen if not for Logan catching her. He swore under his breath as he shifted his grip and saw fresh blood on his hand.
"Max, goddamnit you're bleeding." She tried for a grin, which came across as sickly.
"No big dealio. Took a bullet in my thigh getting Joshua away. I'll be fine…" Logan swore under his breath as she swayed in his arms and closed her eyes. He swept her up and carried her to his bedroom laying her gently on his bed. That done he thought for a second then punched a number into his cel phone.
"Hey look I need you to get over here now. Bring your medical kit. No I can't talk. Just do it."
Turning back to Max he began to strip her of her filthy outer clothes. When he came to her pants he saw no option but to cut them off which he did, leaving only the bloody patch over the wound. He didn't want to risk tearing the wound any further so he brought a basin of warm water and by soaking the cloth he was able to remove it piece by piece. That done he sponged the worst of the filth off of Max and checked his watch. Max was unconscious and he supposed it was better she remain so for now.
"Logan?" Asha's voice was a welcome sound. In her work with the S1W she had trained in field medicine and should be able to help him with his two patients. He had briefly considered calling Sam Carr but until he knew more of what was happening he was reluctant to risk it.
"Asha, in here." Asha strode into the room, first aid kit in hand and gasped at the sight of Max.
"Gunshot in her thigh. I don't see an exit wound so the bullet must still be in there" he briefly explained as she knelt to look at Max.
"I can handle this Logan. Doesn't look too bad. At least it missed the artery." She was busy pulling out equipment as she spoke. Logan sighed in relief. Since the debacle with White Asha had been anxious to make amends and he was grateful for her help.
"Once you're done with her I have another patient. Remember Joshua? He's unconscious with a head wound in the other bedroom." Asha frowned at that.
"This I can handle. Head wounds… I don't know Logan."
"Just take care of Max then we'll look at him, okay?" Asha nodded busy once more, preparing a needle, which she injected into Max's thigh.
"Local anesthetic to numb the area. I have to extract the bullet and it's going to hurt like a hell without this." Logan watched as Asha cleaned the wound and began to probe for the bullet. Max stirred restlessly but remained unconscious. With a grunt of satisfaction Asha pulled out the bullet and held it up to show Logan. "Got it. Now just let me clean and dress this and she should be fine."
Logan left Asha to finish up with Max and went to check on Joshua who he found unchanged from earlier.
Shaking his head he pulled out his phone once again and dialed another number.
"Alec? Where are you? No I don't know…all hell is breaking loose here too. I was calling to suggest you get over here. Do you need help? Okay see you shortly." Closing the phone he strode to the living room and grimly looked at the television. A blonde anchorwoman was standing on a devastated street and it appeared that a block or two behind her a riot was taking place. He listened to her words for a moment.
"…. is under control. Seattle authorities are taking steps to contain the problem Remain in your homes or places of business. Do not go out until notified it is safe. Sector police will be checking for barcodes, cooperate with all sector police requests. Seattle authorities have it under control…."
Logan focused on the comment about barcodes. What the hell was going down out there?