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 SEVEN:
Seattle; Terminal City; September 10th 2022
1000 hours
Max, Alec and Biggs entered Terminal City cautiously, all of them peering around suspiciously. Max turned to make a face at Alec as sounds emerged from the shadows completely surrounding them. She gasped as figures melted out from the depths, guns trained on them from all angles.
"No. Stand back."
A loud growling voice boomed across loudly and she breathed a sigh of relief,
"Joshua? Is that you big fella?"
"Max! Max is here!"
He ran over to her, clutching her in an attempt at a hug. Alec stepped up, slapping him on the back,
"Easy there big guy, you're squeezing the life out of her there."
Joshua let go of Max, flashing a happy doggy-grin and making a successful grab at Alec,
"Max and Alec. You taking care of my lil fella?"
"Always...Okay boy, breathing is becoming an issue!"
Alec took a struggling deep breath as he was released and Joshua smiled eagerly, his lips pulled back over his teeth. A strange looking anomaly stepped forward and Max sensed the tension coming from Biggs, giving him a reassuring look. Alec glanced at the transgenic, his reaction demonstrating nothing out of the ordinary,
"Hey I'm Alec."
"Luke. X5s?"
"Yeah, we all are. This is Max and Biggs."
"Hey."
"So what's your deal Luke?"
"Logistics and Statistics."
Alec looked over at Max, a wide grin stealing his face,
"Well it looks like we just found our man..."
* * * * *
"I want to see their barcodes!"
Max and Biggs shifted awkwardly as a reptilian anomaly puffing on a cigar stared them down,
"Mole, they're okay. Back off."
"I know this one is."
The lizard man pointed at Alec before continuing,
" I recognise him as CO of Unit Alpha One. But these two, who are they?"
Joshua placed a restraining hand on the transgenic's shoulder,
"They're okay."
"Well gee dog boy, if you say so it must be true!"
Alec looked back and forth between the two, deciding that this Mole character seemed to be the designated force amongst these anomalies,
"So Mole, what were you made for?"
"Desert Ops."
"Guess that explains the heater and the layers of clothes."
"Oh he's quick! I like you pretty boy."
"You're not going to eat me now are you?"
Mole laughed gruffly, pulling Alec into a headlock and rubbing his fist into his blonde locks,
"Agh help! Angry lizard soldier attacking me!"
He let go, handing the X5 a cigar,
"So what brings you here?"
* * * * *
"It's pretty packed."
Max surveyed the bustling inner streets of Terminal City, transgenics everywhere staring back at her, Alec and Biggs. Another irregular transgenic crossed into her field of view,
"Yeah, several hundred. Not many of your kind."
"My kind?"
"X5. The most we have are the experimental first class, like Joshua; Desert Ops like Mole here; and the logistics team - like Luke there. Lately there's been an inflow of X6. Probably the least we have are X2, seeing as there are only 4 known in existence since 26 of them were executed when they were found mentally unstable. We also don't have any X7."
Alec looked up from his seat, pausing his conversation with Luke to comment,
"Don't expect to have any. They're all back at Manticore."
The transgenic addressing Max gave a brief laugh, shaking his head,
"Manticore's a crispy charcoal."
Alec glared at him, causing the anomaly's eyes to widen and make him take some steps back in fear.
"Not anymore it's not. There's a new facility. Been around for about 7 months at least."
"You're serious?"
"Hard to believe isn't it? But stranger things have happened."
"Wow a new Manticore! It's enough to send chills up your spine. But I guess that's it boys and girls, we're going home."
Everyone remained silent momentarily, before doubling over in laughter. Alec wiped at his eyes, facing the commentator,
"What's your name?"
"Dix. I'm from Electronics and Engineering."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Alec."
"I know who you are. X5-494. Or should I say 331845739494. Your legend precedes you."
Alec flashed him a curious look, before returning his attention to Luke, who was photographing his runes. Max mirrored the look, surprised as to why he didn't press Dix about how he knew so much about Alec. Well, if he wasn't going to ask, she was,
"How did you know that? How did you know his entire barcode?"
Dix laughed at her, his eyes flashing as he looked over at Alec,
"She's kidding, right?"
Alec responded quietly, everyone falling silent to hear his hushed tones. Not just because they struggled to hear him, but also through habit drilled into them courtesy of Manticore,
"She doesn't know. Max is an '09 escapee."
"Oh, well that explains it, sorry."
Dix nodded understandingly and Max spiralled around to confront Alec,
"What don't I know?"
"It doesn't matter."
"It does to me."
Biggs stood awkwardly between the two, he could feel the heat radiating off Max, and Alec feigning indifference was not helping.
"I want to know what you're talking about. And I think that because everyone else is silent, they already do."
He looked over at Alec, mouthing retreat at him. Max angrily punched his arm,
"Either tell me what Alec wont or stay out of this Biggs!"
He sighed, rubbing the spot; the girl sure could pack one, "Maybe you should just tell her."
Alec glared daggers at him, and he found himself shrinking away from his eye line, falling into a chair away from the action. Max watched dazed as Alec crossed the room, leading her outside. She frowned at him, it was raining and anyone with half a brain knew that cats hated getting wet. Same went for her. Except for baths, but that was just her way of licking herself clean. Without the licking, coz gross...Damn feline DNA.
"Are you going to tell me or do I have to smack it out of you?"
"Hasn't anyone told you violence isn't the answer?"
"Well..."
"You see all those people in there, how they respect me? I earned that. Don't ever question me in front of them again Max."
"We're not at Manticore anymore, you have no authority over them and you certainly don't have any over me!"
"Fine. But you have to understand that sometimes I don't tell you everything."
"I'm starting to notice that a lot lately."
"Oh big deal."
"It is a big deal! This is a relationship Alec, no secrets!"
"You keep secrets from me."
"Do not!"
"Yeah you do. But I am secure enough and I am not a nosy person so I don't ask."
"Fine Alec, fine. What do you want to know?"
"Nothing."
"Don't give me that crap, there's always something."
Alec stopped moving, letting out a shaky breath, as he ran his hands through his hair,
"Answer me this Max...do you still love him?"
"Who - Logan?"
"You know who. Of course you know. He's the only one who even entered your mind."
"I don't."
"Now who's keeping secrets?"
* * * * *
To be continued...
Author's Note:
I am a lost little sheep right now. I kind of know where things are going, but yeah they are definitely taking their time. I was going to write more today, take advantage of summer holidays off school, but I had my stupid job (nah I love it) and then I went to the gym, so really I got squat done, just wrote this chapter on the bus - hence the suckiness. I think ive lost my muse. I need DA back on the air. Owell, I think I'm gonna buy the series on DVD, except it is so damn expensive over her, it turns out it will cost me like a months pay or something (and no I don't get that crappy wage, I only work like two or three times a week.). but we'll see yeah? Keep the reviews coming, god I'm a begger...
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 SEVEN:
Seattle; Terminal City; September 10th 2022
1000 hours
Max, Alec and Biggs entered Terminal City cautiously, all of them peering around suspiciously. Max turned to make a face at Alec as sounds emerged from the shadows completely surrounding them. She gasped as figures melted out from the depths, guns trained on them from all angles.
"No. Stand back."
A loud growling voice boomed across loudly and she breathed a sigh of relief,
"Joshua? Is that you big fella?"
"Max! Max is here!"
He ran over to her, clutching her in an attempt at a hug. Alec stepped up, slapping him on the back,
"Easy there big guy, you're squeezing the life out of her there."
Joshua let go of Max, flashing a happy doggy-grin and making a successful grab at Alec,
"Max and Alec. You taking care of my lil fella?"
"Always...Okay boy, breathing is becoming an issue!"
Alec took a struggling deep breath as he was released and Joshua smiled eagerly, his lips pulled back over his teeth. A strange looking anomaly stepped forward and Max sensed the tension coming from Biggs, giving him a reassuring look. Alec glanced at the transgenic, his reaction demonstrating nothing out of the ordinary,
"Hey I'm Alec."
"Luke. X5s?"
"Yeah, we all are. This is Max and Biggs."
"Hey."
"So what's your deal Luke?"
"Logistics and Statistics."
Alec looked over at Max, a wide grin stealing his face,
"Well it looks like we just found our man..."
* * * * *
"I want to see their barcodes!"
Max and Biggs shifted awkwardly as a reptilian anomaly puffing on a cigar stared them down,
"Mole, they're okay. Back off."
"I know this one is."
The lizard man pointed at Alec before continuing,
" I recognise him as CO of Unit Alpha One. But these two, who are they?"
Joshua placed a restraining hand on the transgenic's shoulder,
"They're okay."
"Well gee dog boy, if you say so it must be true!"
Alec looked back and forth between the two, deciding that this Mole character seemed to be the designated force amongst these anomalies,
"So Mole, what were you made for?"
"Desert Ops."
"Guess that explains the heater and the layers of clothes."
"Oh he's quick! I like you pretty boy."
"You're not going to eat me now are you?"
Mole laughed gruffly, pulling Alec into a headlock and rubbing his fist into his blonde locks,
"Agh help! Angry lizard soldier attacking me!"
He let go, handing the X5 a cigar,
"So what brings you here?"
* * * * *
"It's pretty packed."
Max surveyed the bustling inner streets of Terminal City, transgenics everywhere staring back at her, Alec and Biggs. Another irregular transgenic crossed into her field of view,
"Yeah, several hundred. Not many of your kind."
"My kind?"
"X5. The most we have are the experimental first class, like Joshua; Desert Ops like Mole here; and the logistics team - like Luke there. Lately there's been an inflow of X6. Probably the least we have are X2, seeing as there are only 4 known in existence since 26 of them were executed when they were found mentally unstable. We also don't have any X7."
Alec looked up from his seat, pausing his conversation with Luke to comment,
"Don't expect to have any. They're all back at Manticore."
The transgenic addressing Max gave a brief laugh, shaking his head,
"Manticore's a crispy charcoal."
Alec glared at him, causing the anomaly's eyes to widen and make him take some steps back in fear.
"Not anymore it's not. There's a new facility. Been around for about 7 months at least."
"You're serious?"
"Hard to believe isn't it? But stranger things have happened."
"Wow a new Manticore! It's enough to send chills up your spine. But I guess that's it boys and girls, we're going home."
Everyone remained silent momentarily, before doubling over in laughter. Alec wiped at his eyes, facing the commentator,
"What's your name?"
"Dix. I'm from Electronics and Engineering."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Alec."
"I know who you are. X5-494. Or should I say 331845739494. Your legend precedes you."
Alec flashed him a curious look, before returning his attention to Luke, who was photographing his runes. Max mirrored the look, surprised as to why he didn't press Dix about how he knew so much about Alec. Well, if he wasn't going to ask, she was,
"How did you know that? How did you know his entire barcode?"
Dix laughed at her, his eyes flashing as he looked over at Alec,
"She's kidding, right?"
Alec responded quietly, everyone falling silent to hear his hushed tones. Not just because they struggled to hear him, but also through habit drilled into them courtesy of Manticore,
"She doesn't know. Max is an '09 escapee."
"Oh, well that explains it, sorry."
Dix nodded understandingly and Max spiralled around to confront Alec,
"What don't I know?"
"It doesn't matter."
"It does to me."
Biggs stood awkwardly between the two, he could feel the heat radiating off Max, and Alec feigning indifference was not helping.
"I want to know what you're talking about. And I think that because everyone else is silent, they already do."
He looked over at Alec, mouthing retreat at him. Max angrily punched his arm,
"Either tell me what Alec wont or stay out of this Biggs!"
He sighed, rubbing the spot; the girl sure could pack one, "Maybe you should just tell her."
Alec glared daggers at him, and he found himself shrinking away from his eye line, falling into a chair away from the action. Max watched dazed as Alec crossed the room, leading her outside. She frowned at him, it was raining and anyone with half a brain knew that cats hated getting wet. Same went for her. Except for baths, but that was just her way of licking herself clean. Without the licking, coz gross...Damn feline DNA.
"Are you going to tell me or do I have to smack it out of you?"
"Hasn't anyone told you violence isn't the answer?"
"Well..."
"You see all those people in there, how they respect me? I earned that. Don't ever question me in front of them again Max."
"We're not at Manticore anymore, you have no authority over them and you certainly don't have any over me!"
"Fine. But you have to understand that sometimes I don't tell you everything."
"I'm starting to notice that a lot lately."
"Oh big deal."
"It is a big deal! This is a relationship Alec, no secrets!"
"You keep secrets from me."
"Do not!"
"Yeah you do. But I am secure enough and I am not a nosy person so I don't ask."
"Fine Alec, fine. What do you want to know?"
"Nothing."
"Don't give me that crap, there's always something."
Alec stopped moving, letting out a shaky breath, as he ran his hands through his hair,
"Answer me this Max...do you still love him?"
"Who - Logan?"
"You know who. Of course you know. He's the only one who even entered your mind."
"I don't."
"Now who's keeping secrets?"
* * * * *
To be continued...
Author's Note:
I am a lost little sheep right now. I kind of know where things are going, but yeah they are definitely taking their time. I was going to write more today, take advantage of summer holidays off school, but I had my stupid job (nah I love it) and then I went to the gym, so really I got squat done, just wrote this chapter on the bus - hence the suckiness. I think ive lost my muse. I need DA back on the air. Owell, I think I'm gonna buy the series on DVD, except it is so damn expensive over her, it turns out it will cost me like a months pay or something (and no I don't get that crappy wage, I only work like two or three times a week.). but we'll see yeah? Keep the reviews coming, god I'm a begger...