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 EIGHTEEN:
Seattle; Terminal City; September 24th 2022
1200 hours
Alec swaggered into TC with his usual cockiness. Mole greeted him with a grin and a headlock, as usual, burying his fist into Alec's hair. Lucky he had been expecting it and hadn't put any effort into it this morning.
"Good to see your lazy ass here Alec. Feeling better?"
"Yeah, 100%."
"Nice. Where's the other half?"
"At work. Normal hates her ass, so she couldn't afford to take any more days off. She'll stop by later. I hope."
"Sounds like a plan. Been teaching dog-boy over there how to shoot a gun."
"Anyone been hurt?"
"Nah. Nearly clipped me though, so I gave the baby back his paintbrush, in an attempt to live another day."
"Sounds like something I'd say."
"Guess you've worn off on me."
They made their way indoors, Alec nodding in recognition at the transgenic sentries posted around at various points,
"Luke here?"
"Yeah. See a computer with a head attached to it? That'd be him."
"Good. Got some things to discuss. Speaking of, the place looks good - getting organised. Sentries are in place, keeping an eye out. All good."
"Yeah, Dix has organised the gang to carry out everything you suggested. It's on its way. We're doing is as fast as we can, the restoration is the one that's taking it's time."
"Well never the less, everyone should be proud of what's been accomplished here."
"Wouldn't have ever happened without you."
"Yeah it would. I was just the mother bird giving you all the push out of the nest. Fly my babies..."
"I thought you might have been gay!"
"Oh crap Mole, my secret's out..."
They laughed as they entered the as always busy headquarters. Alec patted Mole lightly on the back, leaving him to talk to Luke,
"Hey."
Luke tore himself momentarily from the computer screen to smile briefly at Alec, before looking back,
"Hey. How are things? Everything sorted between you and Max?"
"Yeah. Of course. Everything's going pretty good. Except that..."
"That?"
"This."
Alec peeled off his jacket, showing a series of characters trailing down his arm,
"There's more on my back."
"Your runes are complete?"
"How the hell should I know. All I do know is that I look like some wimpy biker with Chinese tattoos covering me from head to toe. I'd like them gone, and I figure scrubbing at them ain't gonna achieve squat. And as much as I'd like to laser them off, I figured you'd have a heart attack. So examine them already so we can avert the apocalypse and I can go back to wearing t-shirts."
"Will do boss."
"Tell me where you want me."
Mole smirked as he walked past, looking at the two transgenics,
"What did I tell you? He's a faerie."
* * * * *
Seattle; The Space Needle; October 10th 2022
2300 hours
Max sat down on the Space Needle, her knees brought by habit into her chest as she reflected on life, love and above all the transgenic situation.
*Here in post-Pulse Seattle, my home, my friends, and my family are under fire. See, I was cooked up in a gene-splicing lab by an outfit called Manticore. They trained us to be soldiers, but really, we were slaves. Over a year and 7 months ago, I torched the place and set everybody free - let them out into the world. Government's been trying to catch us ever since. The public is afraid; we are hunted, hated, and living in fear.*
*Thank God for Alec. Even though I'm a bitch to him, beat him up - hell get him stabbed, hounded, whatever, he's still there for me, and he's helping me figure out what my destiny is according to runes that link the two us together in a destiny sort of way and also what the black-ops government guy in charge of hunting me down really has to do with it all. Turns out he's part of some weird ancient cult dealio - several thousand years of selective breeding, so they got some pretty nasty tricks up their sleeves.*
*For some reason, they want me dead in a big way, and I've got a bad feeling they're not going to give up until they get what they want.*
She brought herself out of her thoughtful state, standing as her cell phone rang,
"Go for Max."
"Max, it's Luke."
"What's up?"
"I think you better get down here. Alec's runes have been deciphered and well, just get down here okay? Hurry!"
"Yeah, I'm at the Needle. I'll be there, okay."
She hung up, taking one last look at the familiar view, before making her way down and to her motorbike outside.
* * * * *
Seattle; Terminal City; October 10th 2022
2310 hours
Max whirled into the enclosed sector seven area, her hair tailing behind her as the wind blew her along into the city. She breezed off the bike, blurring into HQ, the door slamming behind her. Luke jumped as he looked up to see her standing next to him, her breath in tact, not a hair out of place,
"You got here fast."
"Sounded important. Where's Alec?"
"Pulling a job. I thought it might be best to tell you what I found, before I let anyone else know."
Max surveyed the unusually empty room, they were the only ones here.
"Did you send everyone else out too?"
"Restoration, we tend to get more done at night - ordinaries don't see us fixing everything up, hence doesn't attract so much attention to us."
"Exposure. Sounds smart. How is all that going?"
"Buildings have been set up so that they are actually liveable. Got hot water that works some time, but we do have electricity. So that's a plus. Got all the different kinds sticking to their own, housing in separate areas to one another."
"What do you mean?"
"Freaks are all down this end. Your kind, X5 - the few we have - they're all near the south exit. The next block down houses X6. And so you see my point in sticking to themselves. You and Alec are the only transhumans who actually socialise with our kind."
Max nodded at Luke in understanding and he turned back to the computer, his fingers flying across the keys,
"I'm just pulling up my findings for you...here we go."
She stared at the screen, her eyes scanning the screen and taking in everything as fast as he was bringing it up. Finally he finished and seconds later, she stared at him, her eyes wide with shock,
"What is this, a joke?"
"No. It's as serious as can be."
"It can't be. You translated it wrong."
"Can be. Is. It's what is to be. I'm not wrong, I checked it over and over again. Hell, I cross-referenced so much I don't even like computers any more."
"Well then you made a mistake Luke!"
"Max, what you're reading is correct. This is why I brought you here, why I got you to read it before Alec finds out. Because this is serious and I needed you to know."
She slumped into a nearby chair, her mind reeling as she whispered,
"He's gonna kill them all?"
"That's what it says. Alec is going to bring it about.
She trembled as she finished his sentence,
"The end of the world."
* * * * *
To be continued...
Author's Note:
I know, I know - you all hate me for ending it like that. I could be an even bigger bitch and not update for a couple months or so too...but I'm not that mean! (or am I?) Guess you'll have to wait and see...
Review okay?
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 EIGHTEEN:
Seattle; Terminal City; September 24th 2022
1200 hours
Alec swaggered into TC with his usual cockiness. Mole greeted him with a grin and a headlock, as usual, burying his fist into Alec's hair. Lucky he had been expecting it and hadn't put any effort into it this morning.
"Good to see your lazy ass here Alec. Feeling better?"
"Yeah, 100%."
"Nice. Where's the other half?"
"At work. Normal hates her ass, so she couldn't afford to take any more days off. She'll stop by later. I hope."
"Sounds like a plan. Been teaching dog-boy over there how to shoot a gun."
"Anyone been hurt?"
"Nah. Nearly clipped me though, so I gave the baby back his paintbrush, in an attempt to live another day."
"Sounds like something I'd say."
"Guess you've worn off on me."
They made their way indoors, Alec nodding in recognition at the transgenic sentries posted around at various points,
"Luke here?"
"Yeah. See a computer with a head attached to it? That'd be him."
"Good. Got some things to discuss. Speaking of, the place looks good - getting organised. Sentries are in place, keeping an eye out. All good."
"Yeah, Dix has organised the gang to carry out everything you suggested. It's on its way. We're doing is as fast as we can, the restoration is the one that's taking it's time."
"Well never the less, everyone should be proud of what's been accomplished here."
"Wouldn't have ever happened without you."
"Yeah it would. I was just the mother bird giving you all the push out of the nest. Fly my babies..."
"I thought you might have been gay!"
"Oh crap Mole, my secret's out..."
They laughed as they entered the as always busy headquarters. Alec patted Mole lightly on the back, leaving him to talk to Luke,
"Hey."
Luke tore himself momentarily from the computer screen to smile briefly at Alec, before looking back,
"Hey. How are things? Everything sorted between you and Max?"
"Yeah. Of course. Everything's going pretty good. Except that..."
"That?"
"This."
Alec peeled off his jacket, showing a series of characters trailing down his arm,
"There's more on my back."
"Your runes are complete?"
"How the hell should I know. All I do know is that I look like some wimpy biker with Chinese tattoos covering me from head to toe. I'd like them gone, and I figure scrubbing at them ain't gonna achieve squat. And as much as I'd like to laser them off, I figured you'd have a heart attack. So examine them already so we can avert the apocalypse and I can go back to wearing t-shirts."
"Will do boss."
"Tell me where you want me."
Mole smirked as he walked past, looking at the two transgenics,
"What did I tell you? He's a faerie."
* * * * *
Seattle; The Space Needle; October 10th 2022
2300 hours
Max sat down on the Space Needle, her knees brought by habit into her chest as she reflected on life, love and above all the transgenic situation.
*Here in post-Pulse Seattle, my home, my friends, and my family are under fire. See, I was cooked up in a gene-splicing lab by an outfit called Manticore. They trained us to be soldiers, but really, we were slaves. Over a year and 7 months ago, I torched the place and set everybody free - let them out into the world. Government's been trying to catch us ever since. The public is afraid; we are hunted, hated, and living in fear.*
*Thank God for Alec. Even though I'm a bitch to him, beat him up - hell get him stabbed, hounded, whatever, he's still there for me, and he's helping me figure out what my destiny is according to runes that link the two us together in a destiny sort of way and also what the black-ops government guy in charge of hunting me down really has to do with it all. Turns out he's part of some weird ancient cult dealio - several thousand years of selective breeding, so they got some pretty nasty tricks up their sleeves.*
*For some reason, they want me dead in a big way, and I've got a bad feeling they're not going to give up until they get what they want.*
She brought herself out of her thoughtful state, standing as her cell phone rang,
"Go for Max."
"Max, it's Luke."
"What's up?"
"I think you better get down here. Alec's runes have been deciphered and well, just get down here okay? Hurry!"
"Yeah, I'm at the Needle. I'll be there, okay."
She hung up, taking one last look at the familiar view, before making her way down and to her motorbike outside.
* * * * *
Seattle; Terminal City; October 10th 2022
2310 hours
Max whirled into the enclosed sector seven area, her hair tailing behind her as the wind blew her along into the city. She breezed off the bike, blurring into HQ, the door slamming behind her. Luke jumped as he looked up to see her standing next to him, her breath in tact, not a hair out of place,
"You got here fast."
"Sounded important. Where's Alec?"
"Pulling a job. I thought it might be best to tell you what I found, before I let anyone else know."
Max surveyed the unusually empty room, they were the only ones here.
"Did you send everyone else out too?"
"Restoration, we tend to get more done at night - ordinaries don't see us fixing everything up, hence doesn't attract so much attention to us."
"Exposure. Sounds smart. How is all that going?"
"Buildings have been set up so that they are actually liveable. Got hot water that works some time, but we do have electricity. So that's a plus. Got all the different kinds sticking to their own, housing in separate areas to one another."
"What do you mean?"
"Freaks are all down this end. Your kind, X5 - the few we have - they're all near the south exit. The next block down houses X6. And so you see my point in sticking to themselves. You and Alec are the only transhumans who actually socialise with our kind."
Max nodded at Luke in understanding and he turned back to the computer, his fingers flying across the keys,
"I'm just pulling up my findings for you...here we go."
She stared at the screen, her eyes scanning the screen and taking in everything as fast as he was bringing it up. Finally he finished and seconds later, she stared at him, her eyes wide with shock,
"What is this, a joke?"
"No. It's as serious as can be."
"It can't be. You translated it wrong."
"Can be. Is. It's what is to be. I'm not wrong, I checked it over and over again. Hell, I cross-referenced so much I don't even like computers any more."
"Well then you made a mistake Luke!"
"Max, what you're reading is correct. This is why I brought you here, why I got you to read it before Alec finds out. Because this is serious and I needed you to know."
She slumped into a nearby chair, her mind reeling as she whispered,
"He's gonna kill them all?"
"That's what it says. Alec is going to bring it about.
She trembled as she finished his sentence,
"The end of the world."
* * * * *
To be continued...
Author's Note:
I know, I know - you all hate me for ending it like that. I could be an even bigger bitch and not update for a couple months or so too...but I'm not that mean! (or am I?) Guess you'll have to wait and see...
Review okay?