-by Infie
Dix's fingers slowed on the keys of his keyboard, and he rubbed a hand across his eyes. Zane looked over at him. "You should take a break, Dix." The diminutive transgenic had been going for two days straight, since Mel had turned up so terribly damaged. Max and Alec had returned to Terminal City that night with grim faces, and the division between them was plain to see, although they had made a show of solidarity that night and since.
"No, no. I'm so close to finishing this set of comparisons..."
Rhys and Zane exchanged a look, and together they scootched Dix's chair backwards. "We'll finish." Rhys told him gently. "Go get some sleep."
Dix looked at the other two men and blinked owlishly. "Yeah... all right." he said. "I'll sleep over there." He made his way to a nearby couch and collapsed, asleep almost immediately. Zane shook his head sympathetically and moved into Dix's place in front of the computer.
"How are those codes coming, Rhys?"
"Almost there." Rhys replied, focussing back on his own terminal. "I'll have the Prevention codes soon." He tapped the enter key, then blinked in shock. "Or, now."
Zane laughed, his own screen filling with the results of Dix's analysis.
"Good timing!" he exclaimed. "Let's see what we're got."
Four hours later, they were still absorbed, as Terminal City began to wake around them. "Hey, Zane... do you see this?"
Rhys pointed at a single set of genes on Maia's genetic assay. Zane glanced at it and nodded. "Yeah. So?"
"So.. all of the babies have this. But none of the parents do."
"Really?" Zane frowned, his eyes sharpening. He examined the code sequence again. "I've seen that before." He flipped through the mound of paper that had built itself over the past hours, and finally held up a sheet triumphantly. "Here!" Rhys snatched it out of his hand.
"This is Alec's entry from the Prevention files." he said. "But.. there it is. The same code." Rhys' brows drew together. "This doesn't make any sense."
Zane rose, and began to pace. "Hand me the Prevention files again, ok?"
"Yeah." Rhys handed them over, and Zane scanned them again. He whistled softly, rubbing behind his ear, then looked at Rhys.
"Time to go talk to Alec."
Rhys and Zane found Alec sitting with Mel. In the past two days, he and Max had each spent several hours sitting with her, but she hadn't roused. Rhys caught Alec's eye and gestured for him to join them. Max caught the motion and lifted an eyebrow, and Rhys nodded for her to come too. They gathered together in the hallway, and Rhys flipped a set of papers nervously between his fingers. Zane began to pace, and Max and Alec exchanged a look.
"Okay, guys. What have you got?" Max sounded tired.
"I don't exactly know where to begin." Zane's brows drew together. He looked at Rhys, who shrugged. "I guess... we should start back at Manticore."
Alec leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms. "Why do I have the feeling this is going to be a long story?"
Rhys shrugged again. "Good instincts?" he suggested, sliding down the wall to sit comfortably on the floor, arms across his knees. Max shook her head.
"Get on with it, Zane."
"Rhys cracked the Prevention codes, and what we found is a little bizarre." Zane ran a hand through his hair. "Essentially, Manticore experimented on you, Alec, using smallpox. As a result, you had a spontaneous genetic mutation, that has rendered you at least partially immune to smallpox and its derivatives. You've... er.. experienced the benefits of that before."
Alec snorted and straightened. "Benefits! I think that might be an overstatement."
Zane's eyes darkened minutely. "Manticore was able to use you to create vaccines for the other transgenics, and presumably for themselves, against each of the virus exposures that you went through. Smallpox, Orono, and Argent. Rhys had a file too, Argent only. There were two other files on smallpox experiements, subjects deceased."
Alec nodded, and Max frowned as she followed the story. Rhys continued for Zane. "We also found a file on you, Max, that indicates that you were also tested, but had a natural, full genetic immunity. Zane and I think that's why you were unaffected this time."
Alec's eyebrows lifted. "This time?"
Zane licked his lips. "We found an image, of an electron microscope rendering of Argent," he said, and Rhys handed Alec one of the pages he was carrying. Alec found himself looking at a tangle of lines that slowly resolved itself into a recognizable shape. His lips compressed and he passed it to Max, who blinked.
"It's a caduceus." Rhys confirmed, nodding as Alec shook his head in disbelief. "We think Argent is the same as the snake virus."
"So, I'm genetically immune." Max spoke slowly. "And Alec and Rhys were used to make a vaccine for the other transgenics..."
Rhys interrupted, breaking her train of thought. "That's not the part we're here about, Max. We're here about the babies."
"We finished the DNA assays on the infants." Zane said. "And they all... all have the same mutation as you do, Alec."
All four of them wore expressions with varying degrees of puzzlement. "Great... so they'd survive smallpox. What the hell does that mean?" Alec heaved a sigh and raked his hands through his hair. "Fuck! Why couldn't Sandeman have just left a goddamned diary? Preferably with a big fucking neon sign saying 'Master Plan Here'."
"I think it means that he built us that way." Rhys spoke up, curling back up to his feet. "I think he made us so that we would have children that would be safe." He paused. "And normal."
Alec's eyes narrowed. "I think that he knew what they were planning." The others could almost see the gears shifting. "And that means they must be planning a biowarfare attack. To eliminate the competition." He nodded again, not noticing the other three pale. "To eliminate the weak. And if Sandeman was designing this to go to work now, then they must be close to putting the plan into action."
"Manticore... Sandeman... made a vaccine for the other transgenics, so they would be safe." Max's voice shook, drawing their attention to her. "But we'd already left then, Zane. That means..."
"It means that I'm not even partially immune, Max. And neither are any of the others."
"I can not believe that you're leaving." Alec's voice was bleak, angry. "That you're running away from this."
"I'm not running away, Alec. I need to warn them." Max rummaged in her backpack. "They need to be told, and brought back here so they can be vaccinated."
"So do an Eyes Only broadcast!" Alec shouted in frustration. "Take out an ad! Don't leave."
"They'll think it's a trick." Max's face set in stubborn lines.
"Then send Zane." Alec closed his eyes. "Max. Do not leave. It's going to undo all the work you've put into this."
Max laughed bitterly. "You mean the work you're willing to throw away yourself? 'You'll do it without me', you said." She flung her hair back over her shoulder. "Zane's needed here for the tattooing, anyway."
Alec gritted his teeth. "I never asked you to leave, Max. I don't want you to leave."
Max slung the bag over the back of her Ninja and turned to face him squarely. "It's my family, Alec. I wish you could understand..."
"I will not understand." Alec's face was hard. "I think they left the 'run away' gene out when they made me, Max. Maybe they just gave you an extra one, instead."
Max flinched, and tears stood out in her eyes. "Goodbye, Alec." She straightened, moved to mount the motorcycle. The next instant she was in Alec's arms, with his mouth slanted across hers almost desperately. He kissed her passionately, wildly, and she responded in kind. He tasted the salt of tears against his lips and pulled his mouth away reluctantly, curling her into his body. She hugged him hard, then tugged herself loose. She pulled her helmet on and a moment later was gone.
Alec turned on his heel and strode towards the main building, body stiff with anger and pain. He hit the door of the central room with both hands, swinging it back on its hinges explosively. The transgenics inside turned to look at him in shock, and Alec stared straight ahead, not looking at any of them.
"Max," he said hoarsely. "Is gone."
Max opened up the throttle on the Ninja, glorying in the speed that thrummed through the bike in response. She hadn't felt this free in ages, and for the first time she felt that maybe not leading Terminal City would be the best thing for her, as well. She felt a flash of pain at the thought of leaving Alec, but supressed it with the anticipation of seeing her family again. Rhys' words about Alec's priorities had stung her, and she had decided to put her own family ahead of herself, too.
She saw a grey van coming up to pass her, and frowned in puzzlement. It was unusual for anyone to be on the streets at this time of night, let alone trying to pass a speeding motorcycle, but she shrugged internally and moved over. The van passed her in a whoosh of noise and air, rocketing ahead. When it got a half block ahead it screeched to a halt, turning to block the roadway. Max locked the brakes, all but standing the Ninja on its head, and managed to stop inches away from the side of the van. She ripped the helmet off her head, scanning for others, but no one else materialized. She swung her leg and dismounted the bike, opening her mouth to spill invective at the driver.
Zane came around the nose of the van.
Max blinked in shock. "Zane? What the hell are you trying to do? Get me killed?"
Zane grinned, a quick flash of white teeth in the darkness. "No, Max. Never that."
"Well, you sure gave a good impression of it." Max shook herself a little, trying to dampen down the adrenaline rush. "If you're trying to talk me out of this, Zane, don't."
"I'm not going to try and talk you out of it, Max." Zane half turned away, and when he moved back, he had a Taser in his hands. "I need you right where you are."
Max's eyes widened in shock. "Zane? Wha-..."
He shot her.
Zane looked at Max's shuddering body, and gritted his teeth. He knelt beside her and tenderly picked her up, depositing her in the van. He left the Taser beside the Ninja, climbed into the cab of the van, and headed out.
Johan burst into the Terminal City computer centre at full speed. Alec didn't stir from his position sprawled in an office chair behind Rhys, watching him work on breaking the Separation codes. Joshua sat on the steps near Alec, grieving Max's absense, and Alec's hand rested on Joshua's shoulder. Rhys and Dix turned at Johan's entrance.
"Alec!" Johan was frantic. "We found Max's bike."
Alec rose, turning to face Johan, eyes hard. "And?"
"And she wasn't with it."
Alec came down the steps. "Not with it? Just tell me."
"Max has been taken." Johan gulped for air. "There were skidmarks on the pavement. And this was beside the bike." He handed over the Taser.
Alec took one look and cursed. He spun on his heel and pointed at Rhys. "I need you to find me a frequency."
"It happened, Ames. They took her." Zane drummed his fingers against the arm of his chair, distaste on his face.
"Good. Good." White was practically purring with satisfaction. "Who turned?"
"I'm not sure. It could have been almost anyone." Zane paused meaningfully. "I'm sure that when you set up the meet, you'll find out exactly who turned traitor."
White laughed. "As long as I have that little bitch in my hands, I don't really care. It's time for you to come in, Andrei."
Zane nodded against the cell phone. "Yeah. I'd like to know more of what you're hoping to achieve with 452, other than beating the location of your son out of her."
"Oh, 452 is going to be very useful. Come on in, and I'll fill you in. Fenest'ol."
"Fenest'ol, Ames." Zane flipped his cell phone shut, staring at Max's unconscious form huddled in the corner of his van. "C'mon, Alec. Figure it out." He paused and scrubbed a hand over his eyes. "And don't take too long."