Title: Separated
Disclaimer: I don't own any Dark Angel characters…unfortunately.
Rating: PG-13 (language)
Summary: Set after Hello, Goodbye. My version of life after Max and Logan split. M/A or M/L?…read on and find out!
A/N: Hello all!! I am so sorry for not updating sooner…I'll try and do better (more reviews = quicker updates *hint hint*) Thanks for all your great reviews – they really cheered me up and your ideas and opinions gave me some great ideas for upcoming chapters. I've decided what type of story this will be as well, but I'm not gonna tell you just to keep you all hooked *evil laugh*…there should be enough M/A and M/L to keep everyone happy! Someone also pointed out the story lacked action, so I've added some potential adventure into it…tell me whether you like it and want more of it. Finally, this chapter is much longer than my previous two because I agreed with one of my reviewers that they have been a bit short. Now onto Alec's fate…
Dedication: To all my reviewers!!
****
Crap, he has a gun.
Alec was already on the move as soon as the thought entered his head. He blurred out of harm's way and charged towards Logan, knocking the older man over. As Logan's head hit the ground with a thud, the gun slipped out of his grasp and slid across the polished wooden floor, finally coming to a stop several meters away. Alec hopped off Logan, grabbed the gun and unloaded it. He turned around and saw the bullet embedded in the wall at his head level. He stifled an involuntary shudder at what could have happened.
"What the HELL do you think you're doing?" he cried, waving the now harmless gun in his hand. His eyes flashed with anger and disbelief.
"Get out of my apartment, you asshole." Logan started pushing himself up off the floor, then stopped as the world began to spin around him.
Alec was taken aback. He made his way over to Logan and offered his hand to him. Logan stared at it, then deliberately stood up slowly by himself. Alec withdrew his hand, hurt and confused.
"Didn't you hear me?" Logan snapped, rubbing his head gingerly. He made his way unsteadily to the kitchen. "I want you out."
"I think you've had a bit too much to drink, buddy," Alec said gently.
Logan's head snapped around.
"Don't you dare call me buddy," he hissed. "Get out of here, get out of my life, you bastard!"
Alec shook his head.
"If this is about Max…" he began.
Logan's whole body suddenly seem to exert rage.
"Get out," he said slowly and deliberately. "You arrogant shit. You cocky, arrogant shit. You're unbelievable." Out of the blue, he picked up a mug and threw it at Alec. Alec ducked quickly and the mug whizzed over his head.
Alec stared at Logan with wide-eyed incredulity. He slowly made his way to the door, walking backwards to ensure he could keep an eye on Logan. He grasped at the doorknob and exited, shutting the door softly behind him. He leaned against the door and exhaled heavily, mind whirring with questions. He closed his eyes and whispered the message he'd come to deliver.
"Max loves you."
~*~*~*~
"Hey big fella," Max smiled warmly at the giant creature towering over her.
Joshua beamed back at her.
"Hello little fella," he said. His dog instincts kicked in, and he sniffed curiously at the grocery bag in Max's arms. "Max bring Joshua food?"
Max nodded and dropped the bag on the nearest table.
"Yeah. Figured you'd be getting hungry by now."
Joshua tore into the bag eagerly.
Max raised an eyebrow.
"Looks like I was right."
Joshua looked up at Max, arms filled with packages of food.
"Joshua have information for Max."
Max's interest was perked.
"What do you mean?"
Joshua walked in giant strides over to a desk covered with books.
"Joshua reading Father's books. Joshua find file in book." He held up a document wallet proudly, as if proving his point.
Max took the folder and opened it, noting the yellowed edges and crinkles and tears in it. It was filled with plans and computer disks, as well as a single piece of paper right on the top. The paper was frail and brown, and the writing was barely decipherable.
14th August, 2009
MEMO: Attn. Sandeman
Time is growing short. I fear our facility shall soon be discovered by unwanted visitors. Should that ever happen and all of us are apprehended, it is vital that Manticore's work is continued. There are only three copies of the file you now hold in your hand; you have one, Donald Lydecker has another and the final copy is with Sam Lawson. It is imperative you examine all plans carefully. Addresses and names have been included on the disks. Find these people, and they will help you set up a new Manticore, one that is more inconspicuous to the human eye. On the rare chance that we remain secluded, these plans are to be kept should Manticore's life ever be endangered.
Yours sincerely,
Max squinted, trying to make out the signature, but it was obvious it had faded many years ago. Max looked at Joshua.
"This was written a few months after the escape," she murmured, more to herself than Joshua. "They must have been worried that one of us would go and report them."
Max placed the piece of paper down on the table.
"Joshua, do you know what this means?"
Joshua looked up from his bag of crisps, face covered with little chips.
"Manticore still alive?"
Max nodded slowly.
"Obviously Sandeman didn't want any part in this, otherwise he would have taken the files with him when he left this place. Lydecker…" she trailed off. No one knew where Lydecker was. His car had been found in the in the water near the docks, but his body was never retrieved.
"Lydecker?" Joshua asked quizzically.
Max shook her head.
"He's gone, which means this Sam Lawson guy must be behind a second Manticore."
Joshua thought for a second, head tilted slightly.
"Max going to bring Manticore down?" he asked.
Max picked up the file.
"Yeah, big fella. I'm gonna kill that bitch once and for all."
As she headed out the door, her thoughts began to whir.
I'm gonna need help with this.
And the only person who could help her with this was the person she least wanted to see at the moment.
With a sigh, she hopped on her bike and started pedaling to Logan's.
~*~*~*~
Alec was still shaken by the whole incident at in Logan's. So shaken, in fact, that he wasn't really listening to Sketchy at Jam Pony several hours later.
"So she goes, "Sketchy, I think we need a break. I don't think this is working out.". So you know what I do?"
Sketchy looked at Alec's glazed over eyes. He snapped his fingers in front of Alec's eyes.
"Earth to Alec," he shouted. "You haven't been listening to a word I've been saying, have you?"
Alec grimaced.
"Sorry, Sketch. I'm just out of it."
Sketchy winked knowingly.
"Girl problems?"
Alec was saved from answering when his cell rang.
"Alec speaking."
"Alec?" He immediately recognized the voice. "It's Max. I need you to get to Logan's ASAP. I've got something major to talk to both of you about."
Alec's heart sank and his pulse began to race at the sound of Logan's name.
"Max, I'm kinda busy right now," he said hastily.
"Oh," came the short response. She sounded disappointed.
Alec sighed. He couldn't understand why she had such a hold on him.
"Actually, scratch that. I'll be there."
"Great. I'll wait for you outside the building." She hung up.
Alec closed his cell and put back into his pocket.
"I gotta go, Sketchy."
Sketchy nodded.
"Meeting Max, huh?" he asked.
Alec nodded as he shrugged on his jacket.
"Yeah."
Sketchy nudged Alec.
"Always knew something was going on between you two." Before Alec could correct him, Sketchy was gone. Alec sighed. He wished Sketchy was right. He shook himself free of his thoughts.
"Normal, my man, I'm going for my lunch break!" he called out.
Normal stuck his head out the dispatch counter and nodded.
"Sure thing, golden boy. If you see that lazy good-for-nothing pathetic-excuse-for-a-human-being also known as Max, tell her to get her ass back here pronto or she's gonna be out of a job."
Alec nodded.
"Will do." He headed outside and hopped on his bike, thinking only of how he was going to get out of Logan's alive.
~*~*~*~
"So, Max, you just couldn't get enough of me?"
Max turned at the familiar voice.
"Shut up, Alec," she snapped. She looked at the building in front of her, eyes finally resting on the top apartment. "This is important. I don't have time for your crap."
Alec only smirked.
"What's the deal anyway?"
Max started making her way towards the door and Alec automatically followed.
"Joshua found some stuff in one of Sandeman's books. It seems Manticore had a back-up plan in case anything ever happened to it."
Alec raised an eyebrow.
"You mean, like a rogue X-5 setting fire to it?"
Max pushed the button for the lift.
"Yeah, something like that. Anyway, some Manticore guy designed this whole plan for a second Manticore if the first one failed."
"So, there's a new Manticore and somehow we haven't heard about it?"
Max shook her head.
"That's the thing. This guy was smart. He knew better than to build a second Manticore identical to the first." The elevator 'dinged' and the two transgeniccs stepped through the open doors. Max pushed the button for the top floor.
Alec wrinkled his nose.
"Hate to burst your bubble, Max, but this might not even been happening. The plan was probably discarded. The Manticore I knew was very careful about this type of information leaking out."
"I know, but there was a memo addressed to Sandeman. It said that he had one copy, which I now have, Lydecker had another and a Sam Lawson had the third and final copy. Lydecker's gone, so unless this Sam Lawson guy is dead, he's probably set up the second Manticore already."
Alec tilted his head in thought.
"It's possible. So how inconspicuous is this new Manticore?"
Max smiled at him.
"It's an orphanage."
The elevator doors snapped open with a ding. Alec looked at Max like she was crazy, temporarily forgetting about the fact he was meeting the man who had just a few hours earlier tried to kill him.
"An orphanage? We're gonna destroy an orphanage?"
Max frowned.
"That does sound bad. Which is why we need Logan's help on this." The two transgenics found their way to Logan's door. Max took a deep breath and raised her hand to knock. Alec was touched by the sudden vulnerability that overcame her. He realized she wanted to be here no more than him.
"You don't want to see him, do you?" he asked softly.
Max let her hand fall down to her side.
"No," she whispered. Images of Logan and Asha ran through her mind. She shook her head, trying to clear them. She ran a hand through her hair. "But it's the right thing to do," she added determinedly.
Alec smiled inwardly. Max was amazing. She was willing to put aside her own personal problems in order to help her 'family'. He threw an arm around her shoulders casually.
"I've got your back," he said committedly. Max smiled at him, a smile that warmed Alec's heart. She leaned unconsciously into his hug.
"Thanks." The door opened suddenly and startled them both. They pulled apart and looked up at the intruder. Logan stood before them.
"Max." He didn't even seem to notice Alec was there. "Hi."
"Hey."
Logan looked at Alec, and blinked, as if noticing him for the first time.
"Alec," he said with a nod.
Alec let out an imaginary sigh of belief. No guns, no name-calling.
"Logan."
An awkward silence ensued. The tension in the air was obvious.
"Come in," Logan finally said. Alec and Max made their way into the penthouse and sat down side by side on the couch. Logan sat opposite them.
"Logan," Max began, "I've got some information that I need help-" She was interrupted by another voice.
"Logan, was there someone at the door?" The bathroom door opened and a wet-haired Asha stepped out, towel wrapped around her…
A/N2: OK, so I've used the Asha/Logan cliffhanger before. But it was the only one I could think of…blame it on writers block! I had trouble linking Chapter 2 to Chapter 4. I already know what I'm gonna write in Chapter 4, so it should be posted soon! In the meantime, a review would be much appreciated!