Disclaimer: Don't own any of them (except Alan Redmond – he's mine) and don't make any money from them. Just like to play with them !
A/N: Sorry these first two chapters may seem a bit slow but they're setting the stage for events to come which will include lots of action and shippiness as well as an old and a new bad guy. This is my AU with the virus cured but I warn you things still aren't going to be easy for Max and Logan because…well because of who they are. They aren't the easiest characters to get along with as we all know so be prepared for some bumps in the road. It'll be all good in the end but I hope true to character.
Alec snapped his cel phone closed and slipped it back into his pocket, checking quickly to see if its ringing had drawn any attention. Damn Logan and his sense of timing. Of course he should have made sure to turn off the ring earlier but that small detail had slipped his mind. The street remained quiet and from his vantage point Alec could see that the Sector Police, at the checkpoint 25 feet from his hiding place in a deep doorway, hadn't noticed anything. Taking a deep breath he concentrated on his present predicament and how he was going to get out of it. As he stood there two pedestrians approached the checkpoint to be met by two officers, guns drawn.
"Hands on your heads and turn around" was the gruff order. While one of the officers held his weapon on the two, the other cautiously walked up to them and inspected the backs of their necks. Satisfied he nodded and signaled to his partner.
"Hands down and produce identification." The two hastily pulled out their papers and with a brief inspection they were waved through the checkpoint. Alec didn't know what was going on but obviously it wasn't an isolated incident related to the checkpoint halfway across Seattle where he had come close to being caught earlier in the day. The word was out to find and detain all transgenics and the word had also been put out that they could be identified by a barcode on their neck.
He had been lucky. Out on a routine run for Jam Pony he had pulled up his bike at the end of a long line at the Sector 4 checkpoint. Resigned to the usual boredom attendant on passing the checkpoints, he hadn't been paying a lot of attention and had narrowly missed being identified as a transgenic. Only the commotion caused by a young girl dressed all in black and sporting numerous tattoos had alerted him. The word about the barcodes must have just come out and unsure of what exactly they were looking for the officers had detained her based on a butterfly tattoo covering both her left shoulder and the back of her neck. Indignant the girl and her similarly adorned male companion had created quite a disturbance when the cops had tried to bring them inside the checkpoint box. Not sure what was happening but catching the word barcode with his enhanced hearing Alec had quickly dropped out of his place in line, just two back from the couple and made tracks quickly away. He had headed for the next checkpoint, the one leading to Sector 5 only to find the streets several blocks from it barricaded and swarming with what looked like military personnel. This was the 4th checkpoint he had tried, thinking because it was an obscure one lading to a rather nasty neighborhood, it might be easier to get through. No such luck.
Nothing to do but wait until dark and slip by the old fashioned Manticore way he supposed. But he wasn't going to waste his time doing that here. At this point he wanted to get to Logan's. He still wasn't sure how he felt about the guy but he did trust him and his apartment would be as secure as anywhere until they figured out what was going on. Alec wondered what hell was breaking out at Logan's but then figured it probably had to do with Max. Maybe she had played hero again and rescued some transgenic from whatever was going down. In any event he needed to get to the border of Sector Nine before it grew dark so he could slip over the Sector boundary at first opportunity. He felt too exposed right now. When in doubt of a situation head for cover and gather intelligence had been drummed into his head for as long as he could remember. At least he had that military training to fall back on. Some of the more exotic Manticore creations were lost out here in the world away from their human handlers. They were easy prey for White and anyone else out to get their hands on them.
A rowdy group of teenagers approached the checkpoint and for a few minutes all was chaos as they hassled the guards trying to check their id. Alec quickly left his doorway, pretending he had just emerged from the building and casually walked around the corner to where he had left his bike. There was no outcry and he was headed away from the checkpoint so he was clear for now. Jumping onto his bike he began to peddle in the direction of Sector Nine, picking a route that would require passing only one border in order to get into the high-rise district where Logan lived. He made sure to hang his pack with the Jam Pony logo prominently on his back figuring it was as good a cover as any as long as he wasn't heading through a checkpoint. By tomorrow if things hadn't settled down they might be checking citizens randomly on the streets but he saw no indication of that taking place just yet. He figured he should reach the crossing point he had in mind within 20 minutes and there was a place he could lay low until dark when he would make the cross. Satisfied with his plan he began to whistle cheerfully as he rode as a further cover should any suspicious eyes be watching his progress.
*****
Logan popped his head into the spare room where Asha was checking on Joshua.
"Any change?" he asked.
"None. He has no temperature, his breathing is normal and his pulse is strong. If you don't want to get him to a real doctor all we can do is wait and see if he comes out of it."
Logan nodded and as Asha packed up her equipment he headed back to his room to check on Max. Halfway there he stopped as she emerged from his doorway, dressed in a pair of loose sweatpants and a tank top, feet bare.
"Max you shouldn't be up." he began only to stop as she gave him a look.
"I'm designed for this Logan, remember? We don't have time for me to be lying around in bed." She was headed for the kitchen but he stepped in front of her and pointed to the table.
"Fine but at least sit down. Let me get you some food. Then we can talk." Weaker than she let on, Max didn't protest and slid into a seat at Logan's dining room table, pushing aside some papers he had obviously been working on before her arrival. Logan quickly returned with food and drink and he slid into the chair next to her. Leaning over he gave her a brief hug, wrapping his arms around her, and she leaned into him for a moment, glad for the warmth and security she always felt in his embrace.
"You had me worried." His eyes were their usual crystal blue as he watched her begin to eat. She paused and smiled at him.
"What? Over that little thing? You're talking to the girl who took a bullet point blank in the heart and is still sitting here next to you." Logan frowned at the reminder of that ill-fated night and the following agonizing months of thinking her dead.
"Exactly why I worry. Zack was right about one thing Max. You can be too reckless and I'm always afraid that one day you won't come back to me." Suddenly serious Max reached over and took his hand.
"Believe it or not I do try to be more careful these days, Logan. Not only do I have you to live for, I have the responsibility for my family now that Zack can't be around for them."
Logan sighed then continued. "So what the hell happened today? You and Joshua show up looking like refugees from WWIII. He's still unconscious and you took a bullet in the leg. Was that being careful?' Logan was as surprised as Max by his outburst but realized suddenly how frightened he had been when he had discovered that Max had been shot again. Suddenly exhausted, Max tiredly responded.
"Do you want to know what happened or do you just want to yell at me Logan? If it's the latter I'm tired and I'm going to crash for a few hours. Maybe you'll be in a more reasonable mood when I wake up." Not giving him a chance to respond she rose and headed for his room. Logan sat and watched her; struggling with the conflicting emotions raging through him, relief that she was okay, worry for her continued safety and anger that he hadn't been there to protect her.
"That was well done Logan." Asha's dry words cut into his thoughts. "But then you always did have a quick temper didn't you? Next time I'd suggest you let her explain before you start up on her."
"Since when is my relationship with Max any of your business? " he retorted.
"I thought we were friends? When I see you making a big mistake maybe I thought I ought to give you a word to the wise. Far be it from me to tell the great Logan Cale what to do." Shrugging she walked away leaving Logan to absorb her words. Annoyed he rose from his chair and went to look out the window at the now dark city.
"Remind me not to take any lessons from you on how to please women." Logan groaned inwardly at Alec's voice.
"How long have you been here?" he asked.
"Long enough to see you piss off both Max and Asha within the space of about 2 minutes. That might be some kind of record. I'm not sure." Alec grinned at him taking the sting out of his words and Logan reluctantly smiled back shaking his head.
"Women. Revved up or not I'll never get them."
"Logan my friend, that's the point. Don't even try. Keep it light and have your fun. When it stops being fun, move on to the next. Works for me."
Logan shook his head. "Been there done that. That lost its attraction for me a couple of years out of college. Anyway, Max and me? That's complicated and has been from the first time I laid eyes on her. Light is not a word that anyone could ever truthfully apply to our relationship."
"Then you're screwed my friend to put it mildly." Alec had helped himself to a sandwich and a drink as they spoke and now he lounged back in his chair seemingly with no cares in the world.
"Yeah but I found out the hard way I'm screwed without her." Logan's muttered words would have been inaudible to a normal human but Alec picked them up easily. Deciding not to comment any further he changed the subject.
"Did you find out what's going on?"
"My hands have been full the last few hours Alec. Joshua's unconscious in the guest bedroom with a head wound and Max took a bullet in her leg. I caught bits and pieces on the news but I haven't had a chance to sit down and make sense of it all."
"Something happened. They're checking for barcodes at all the sector checkpoints. I almost got caught myself earlier today. Had to resort to rooftops and black ops to get here tonight."
"Well then let's try to find out." Logan headed for his computers and Alec rose and went to see what he could find on television. The emergency bulletins had tapered off and what passed for regular programming filled the airwaves. There was a brief news bulletin but all it really said was to tune in the next hour for the news and an update on the current "transgenic situation". Asha walked in as Alec flipped to yet another channel and snorted as Bart Simpson's voice filled the room.
"Might have known I'd find you watching cartoons at a time like this."
Stung by the injustice of her comment Alec glared at her. "So what useful thing are you doing? Baking brownies?"
"Extracting a bullet, cleaning and dressing the wound, monitoring Joshua, refilling my medical kit…just dumb stuff like that." Despite their outwardly harsh words there were sparks flying between the two. Alec insolently swept his glance over her from head to toe. Asha was startled by the heat that swept through her as he did so.
"And you still manage to look like you're set for a hot night on the town. Nice tattoo by the way." This last as she turned her back on him and went to sit down, her short top and low khakis revealing an intricate tattoo on her lower back.
"Too bad I can't say the same for you." she returned his look in full as she lounged back on the couch. Alec came and sat next to her throwing his arm along the top of the sofa behind her but she refused to budge. Their eyes caught and held and for a moment neither one of them could look away. Alec felt an odd lurch in the pit of his stomach as he tore his eyes from her and stared at the cartoon now playing on the television. Asha for her part wondered what had happened since that night he had brought her home and they had stayed up talking until nearly dawn.
She had felt comfortable with him then but his guard had been down and the cocky arrogant side of him hadn't been showing. Tonight that persona was in full evidence making her feel the need to somehow push past that. At the same time she was aware of him as an attractive man in a way she hadn't been a few weeks back. Of course her mind had been full of Logan at that point in time but after watching him with Max over the last month and a half she had resigned herself to the fact that Logan would never be hers.
Alec was laughing at the Simpsons episode, the one in which Bart holds up a convenience store, and Asha watched him curiously.
"It's that funny?" she asked at his sideways look.
"Just reminded me of a dumb stunt some of my relatives once pulled." he explained still chuckling. Asha knew he had to be referring to some of his fellow transgenics since he had no real family in the usual sense but decided to let it go not sure if he would freeze up if she probed. The air seemed to clear and the two sat quietly relaxing and enjoying the rest of the show.As it ended the station advised them to stay tuned for the news and Alec called out,
"Logan, you might want to come catch this." Logan called out an acknowledgment and several minutes later joined them as the television blared out commercials. Alec moved closer to Asha making room for Logan on the couch and the three sat in silence waiting to find out the meaning of the day's events.
The stations news logo showed briefly and the opening music played as the camera panned in on what appeared to be a press conference. Alan Redmond was prominent at the podium as he prepared to speak.
"What the f*** ?" Logan glanced over at Alec's muttered curse. "Look behind Redmond. What's Ames White doing in his entourage?"
A/N: This went longer than I planned but I promise next chapter you'll find out what's going on. The games will begin in earnest at that point.