Spoilers: This is the third in my series of stories. The first
was Shattered Trusts and Whispered Confessions. The second,
which I only just finished, is Remembering to Forget. This
series is set after Hello Goodbye but does reveal spoilers from
the rest of the season, as I incorporate it into the story.
Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine except for some minors. The ideas are pretty much mine though but I just want to say thanks to those who have reviewed my previous works, it keeps me writing!
Authors Note: If you really want to understand this story and enjoy it, then be sure to read the original parts one and two.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
CHAPTER FOUR:
Flashback:
He strutted down the hall; nodding at the various transgenics and guards he crossed, knowing that they were all watching him with awed expressions. Some even saluted. 494 winked at the guard as he opened the door to 452's cell, she was a rogue from '09, someone the director thought only he would be able to handle. He stepped inside and she looked up at him, her voice flushed with shock,
"Ben?"
494 was flustered, this girl looked exactly like Sam,
"What?"
"You look like someone I used to know."
"Well, my designation's 494."
"His was 493. You must be twinned."
He nodded at her, well that explained who she was too,
"493...Your fellow traitor. Went psycho."
"What do you know about it?"
"I know that because of him I had to spend six months in Psy-Ops. They wanted to make sure it wasn't genetic. Looks like ten years in the world finally got to him."
"It was this place that got to him."
"Whatever. Well, let's get this over with, huh?"
He removed his shirt, flashing a washboard display of tanned, muscular and smooth skin. He was not looking forward to this like he had been; she was radiating anger and disgust, not at all like all the other transgenics that crossed paths with him. And to make matters worse, she looked like 453. He smirked mentally; Biggs was going to kill him. She gave him a look of revulsion,
"What are you doing?"
"We've been paired off. I'm your breeding partner."
"My what?"
"We're supposed to copulate every night until you get pregnant."
"That's sick!"
"It's your own fault. If you and your friends hadn't blown up the DNA database, they'd still be whipping up embryos and putting them into surrogates. Take off your clothes."
"Get out of my cell."
"We've got our orders."
494 stumbled into the door as she kicked him in the stomach god she was so much like her twin,
"What the hell was that?!"
"The only kind of physical contact you and I are gonna have."
"You know, this isn't exactly a plum assignment for me either. You spent half your life out there in filth and degradation. I could catch something."
"Whatever you need to tell yourself. Just as long as we understand each other."
"Fine. Don't 'freak out' on me."
She gave him a weird look and he felt a sudden need to explain himself, which did as he put his shirt back on,
"I took Common Verbal Usage when I got cleared for my solo missions."
"Oh, you mean assassinations."
"It was my job. If you're gonna 'bust my chops' about it, go ahead."
A guard peered in through the door window and she looked at him, speaking sarcastically,
"He's reading love poetry. You know, to get me in the mood."
The guard was more interested in 494 than her,
"You got something for me?"
He handed the guard a package through the bars and the guard handed him some money. Then he handed him some cigars,
"Do me a favour, give these to Vic. Tell him he can pay me later."
"No problem."
"Thanks."
He turned back to 452 as the guard walked away, placing the money in his already excessively fat wallet,
"He's got a thing for those vitamins they make us pop every morning."
"I'm not even gonna ask about the cigars."
"I got a few things working. Listen, I've got an hour to kill before I head back to the barracks. Why don't you wake me up at 0100?"
He lay down on her bunk, closing her eyes, but completely aware of her sinking onto the floor sulking. At least he wouldn't have Biggs on his back about this.
* * * * *
Her voice rose and he winced, feeling pain brought about as a result of his enhanced hearing,
"All this time, all this time you knew that I had a clone and you didn't tell me?"
"What was I supposed to say? Wow honey, you're so damn beautiful. Just like your clone 453, who is most likely dead because she disappeared in action several years ago?"
Alec lowered his eyes in shame and Max calmed her voice down,
"I'm sorry, you're right. I just...I wish you'd told me. She went missing?"
"Never returned from a mission. Went AWOL. My guess, she liked the taste of freedom. But most others in my unit were sure she was caught, killed."
She clambered to sit under his arm and wistfully pulled at a strand of hair,
"What was she like, what was her name?"
"She was kind of like you. Rebellious. Fiery. Stubborn as hell. 'Cept she had curly hair that always used to fall in her eyes when she was angry. She gave herself a name, named Biggs too. The rest of us never really went for it. We weren't a close unit like yours, we pretty much just kept in little huddles. She called herself Sam. Special Agent Manticore."
"Clever. I was never one for acronyms with names. What does Biggs stand for?"
"Oh...that's no acronym..."
Alec caught the blush that crept onto her cheeks and grinned, taking in just how cute she was when she wasn't laying punched on him.
"Did they?"
"It was a one off thing. Built up over time though. Just one night when the three of us and also this chick Cece were on a recon mission. Man, that was a crazy one. Great times..."
"I know Cece. She's that new blonde at Jampony?"
"Yeah, wasn't sure if you'd met. Haven't told Biggs she's working there too. She was a member of my unit as well."
"Were you and...Sam close?"
"Not as close as her and Biggs. They were inseparable, you couldn't mention one without the other. But it was only that one time it went beyond friendship. Well, that I know of."
Alec smirked, rubbing the back of his neck, his fingers lingering on his barcode,
"And there wasn't much happening in my unit I wasn't aware of."
Max ignored the cocky attitude he was displaying, her mind still blown away by the whole concept of another unit with her clone. The thought had never crossed her mind before, even when she had met Alec and discovered he was Ben's clone. The whole situation was really twisted,
"So what about you and Biggs?"
"Us two...after Sam disappeared, he and I became best friends. Not that I really knew what that was, the true meaning of it, but in retrospect, he was. Like a brother. Him and this other girl Lela. But...there's been no sign of her by anyone since the fire. Her and Sam were the babies of our unit, they depended on us. As sad as it is, I doubt they could have survived out here in this broken world. But enough about that..."
"...The world will still be broken tomorrow."
Max's voice came out in a dazed whisper, memories dancing in her eyes. She shut them painfully.
"What?"
"Nothing Alec. It's nothing. Just something I once heard."
"Uh okay."
He gave her a strange look, followed by a chuckle. He then stood, heading for the toilet. Max let out a shaky breath, cursing herself for thinking about Logan, why was she even? She realised that her first impulse when Alec had told her about Sam had been to run to Logan and tell him, allow him to do that annoying, yet meticulous analysis of it all. But she didn't want to, that was a habit and it wasn't like she even could. Anyway, she had Alec...
*Maybe you still love Logan..."
Her mind argued persistently.
*Or maybe it's just because he used to be such a big part of your life and now he's as good as dead. You need time to mourn properly. Your life is just constantly too dramatic, why do you think you broke down in tears just because Alec wasn't in the same building as you the other night?*
That settled it. Max threw her face into the pillow. She hated it when her mind attempted to rationalise the mass of thoughts she constantly had. And worse was the fact that it was always right...
* * * * *
To be continued...
Author's Note:
Okay, before you say anything, no Max isn't gonna choose Logan over Alec, like she would (hello, crazy!). I just realised that this girl isn't completely a brick wall and she needs some time to sort out her feelings, hence the ranting brain waves. If you have no idea what I am raving about, I can't help you, I don't know either...
Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine except for some minors. The ideas are pretty much mine though but I just want to say thanks to those who have reviewed my previous works, it keeps me writing!
Authors Note: If you really want to understand this story and enjoy it, then be sure to read the original parts one and two.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
CHAPTER FOUR:
Flashback:
He strutted down the hall; nodding at the various transgenics and guards he crossed, knowing that they were all watching him with awed expressions. Some even saluted. 494 winked at the guard as he opened the door to 452's cell, she was a rogue from '09, someone the director thought only he would be able to handle. He stepped inside and she looked up at him, her voice flushed with shock,
"Ben?"
494 was flustered, this girl looked exactly like Sam,
"What?"
"You look like someone I used to know."
"Well, my designation's 494."
"His was 493. You must be twinned."
He nodded at her, well that explained who she was too,
"493...Your fellow traitor. Went psycho."
"What do you know about it?"
"I know that because of him I had to spend six months in Psy-Ops. They wanted to make sure it wasn't genetic. Looks like ten years in the world finally got to him."
"It was this place that got to him."
"Whatever. Well, let's get this over with, huh?"
He removed his shirt, flashing a washboard display of tanned, muscular and smooth skin. He was not looking forward to this like he had been; she was radiating anger and disgust, not at all like all the other transgenics that crossed paths with him. And to make matters worse, she looked like 453. He smirked mentally; Biggs was going to kill him. She gave him a look of revulsion,
"What are you doing?"
"We've been paired off. I'm your breeding partner."
"My what?"
"We're supposed to copulate every night until you get pregnant."
"That's sick!"
"It's your own fault. If you and your friends hadn't blown up the DNA database, they'd still be whipping up embryos and putting them into surrogates. Take off your clothes."
"Get out of my cell."
"We've got our orders."
494 stumbled into the door as she kicked him in the stomach god she was so much like her twin,
"What the hell was that?!"
"The only kind of physical contact you and I are gonna have."
"You know, this isn't exactly a plum assignment for me either. You spent half your life out there in filth and degradation. I could catch something."
"Whatever you need to tell yourself. Just as long as we understand each other."
"Fine. Don't 'freak out' on me."
She gave him a weird look and he felt a sudden need to explain himself, which did as he put his shirt back on,
"I took Common Verbal Usage when I got cleared for my solo missions."
"Oh, you mean assassinations."
"It was my job. If you're gonna 'bust my chops' about it, go ahead."
A guard peered in through the door window and she looked at him, speaking sarcastically,
"He's reading love poetry. You know, to get me in the mood."
The guard was more interested in 494 than her,
"You got something for me?"
He handed the guard a package through the bars and the guard handed him some money. Then he handed him some cigars,
"Do me a favour, give these to Vic. Tell him he can pay me later."
"No problem."
"Thanks."
He turned back to 452 as the guard walked away, placing the money in his already excessively fat wallet,
"He's got a thing for those vitamins they make us pop every morning."
"I'm not even gonna ask about the cigars."
"I got a few things working. Listen, I've got an hour to kill before I head back to the barracks. Why don't you wake me up at 0100?"
He lay down on her bunk, closing her eyes, but completely aware of her sinking onto the floor sulking. At least he wouldn't have Biggs on his back about this.
* * * * *
Her voice rose and he winced, feeling pain brought about as a result of his enhanced hearing,
"All this time, all this time you knew that I had a clone and you didn't tell me?"
"What was I supposed to say? Wow honey, you're so damn beautiful. Just like your clone 453, who is most likely dead because she disappeared in action several years ago?"
Alec lowered his eyes in shame and Max calmed her voice down,
"I'm sorry, you're right. I just...I wish you'd told me. She went missing?"
"Never returned from a mission. Went AWOL. My guess, she liked the taste of freedom. But most others in my unit were sure she was caught, killed."
She clambered to sit under his arm and wistfully pulled at a strand of hair,
"What was she like, what was her name?"
"She was kind of like you. Rebellious. Fiery. Stubborn as hell. 'Cept she had curly hair that always used to fall in her eyes when she was angry. She gave herself a name, named Biggs too. The rest of us never really went for it. We weren't a close unit like yours, we pretty much just kept in little huddles. She called herself Sam. Special Agent Manticore."
"Clever. I was never one for acronyms with names. What does Biggs stand for?"
"Oh...that's no acronym..."
Alec caught the blush that crept onto her cheeks and grinned, taking in just how cute she was when she wasn't laying punched on him.
"Did they?"
"It was a one off thing. Built up over time though. Just one night when the three of us and also this chick Cece were on a recon mission. Man, that was a crazy one. Great times..."
"I know Cece. She's that new blonde at Jampony?"
"Yeah, wasn't sure if you'd met. Haven't told Biggs she's working there too. She was a member of my unit as well."
"Were you and...Sam close?"
"Not as close as her and Biggs. They were inseparable, you couldn't mention one without the other. But it was only that one time it went beyond friendship. Well, that I know of."
Alec smirked, rubbing the back of his neck, his fingers lingering on his barcode,
"And there wasn't much happening in my unit I wasn't aware of."
Max ignored the cocky attitude he was displaying, her mind still blown away by the whole concept of another unit with her clone. The thought had never crossed her mind before, even when she had met Alec and discovered he was Ben's clone. The whole situation was really twisted,
"So what about you and Biggs?"
"Us two...after Sam disappeared, he and I became best friends. Not that I really knew what that was, the true meaning of it, but in retrospect, he was. Like a brother. Him and this other girl Lela. But...there's been no sign of her by anyone since the fire. Her and Sam were the babies of our unit, they depended on us. As sad as it is, I doubt they could have survived out here in this broken world. But enough about that..."
"...The world will still be broken tomorrow."
Max's voice came out in a dazed whisper, memories dancing in her eyes. She shut them painfully.
"What?"
"Nothing Alec. It's nothing. Just something I once heard."
"Uh okay."
He gave her a strange look, followed by a chuckle. He then stood, heading for the toilet. Max let out a shaky breath, cursing herself for thinking about Logan, why was she even? She realised that her first impulse when Alec had told her about Sam had been to run to Logan and tell him, allow him to do that annoying, yet meticulous analysis of it all. But she didn't want to, that was a habit and it wasn't like she even could. Anyway, she had Alec...
*Maybe you still love Logan..."
Her mind argued persistently.
*Or maybe it's just because he used to be such a big part of your life and now he's as good as dead. You need time to mourn properly. Your life is just constantly too dramatic, why do you think you broke down in tears just because Alec wasn't in the same building as you the other night?*
That settled it. Max threw her face into the pillow. She hated it when her mind attempted to rationalise the mass of thoughts she constantly had. And worse was the fact that it was always right...
* * * * *
To be continued...
Author's Note:
Okay, before you say anything, no Max isn't gonna choose Logan over Alec, like she would (hello, crazy!). I just realised that this girl isn't completely a brick wall and she needs some time to sort out her feelings, hence the ranting brain waves. If you have no idea what I am raving about, I can't help you, I don't know either...