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*The Longest Day*
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Spoilers: This is the fourth story in my series – if you haven't read any of my work before, you'd be best off going back to read and understand. The first story was Shattered Trusts and Whispered Confessions. The second is Remembering to Forget and the third, which I only just finished, is Events That Lead To Greatness. 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: Ideas are mine based on the brilliant work of the Dark Angel team – so don't sue me! I wish I owned Alec, but I don't. So I have to settle for writing fiction about him.
Authors Note: Just a general shout out thanks to all the great readers who have been reviewing my work and totally keeping me motivated. If it weren't for you guys I wouldn't be writing this stuff. I am trying out a new style of writing in this one; let me know what you guys think.
When it says someone's name over the top, it means that the chapter is in their point of view. It wont be like that for the entire story, just when necessary for what I am doing. Have fun and remember to review!
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CHAPTER SEVEN: We Are More Than That
1400 hours and counting...
Original Cindy smiled at Hope as she rocked her back and forth, while Gem sat next to Auris, squeezing her hand supportingly,
"You're gonna get through this okay."
"Oh God, make it stop."
"It will all be over soon, I promise."
Mole shot her a sympathetic look as he walked past, OC chuckling as she handed Hope back to Mole, looking at the pregnant woman on the couch,
"Please tell me that he is not the baby daddy."
She shook her head,
"No. He is an ordinary. He was."
"What happened to him?"
"When he saw the barcode on my neck, he freaked out – tried to kill me. I hit him too hard, he hit his head. There was so much blood."
She made a retching sound and rolled her head to one side, looking at Gem,
"What about you?"
"He was another X-5. We were breeding partners."
Original Cindy made a face,
"That sounds real romantic."
"It wasn't. unless your idea of romantic goes somewhere along the lines of M&S and rape."
"That's what it was like?"
The two X5's exchanged looks, Auris answering,
"It was unless you wanted to do it too. They were just ordered to copulate, Manticore didn't care how the males had the process done."
"My boo, Max – she never told me it was like that. She refused Alec and he didn't do anything."
"Alec?"
"Him, over there."
"494. That's a entirely different story."
The transgenics nodded at one another in understanding and OC looked on, completely confused.
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Max looked over at Alec again, sentences and memories racing through her head. She gasped as he met her stare, then gave her a weird look.
The phone was ringing again.
"What do you got?"
It was Detective Clemente again,
"A headache. And I got the vehicle. Now send out the hostages."
Max looked back at Alec for confirmation, knowing he could hear the phone call. He nodded as a van with Seattle Metro Police written on the side pulled up. Her face became serious as she hung up the phone,
"It's on."
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Lydecker nodded at Ben as the van pulled up,
"You know what you have to do."
"Yes sir."
"Get it done then."
The X5 walked off towards Clemente, as Lydecker reached for his cell-phone, calling Alec on his.
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Alec partly opened the front door of Jam Pony. All the transgenics inside gathered around the door, yet nobody was visible from the outside. Max peered out cautiously as Alec answered his cell phone,
"Yeah?"
"Its Lydecker."
"Now's not the best time."
"Look, I've got a warrant to be in charge of this situation. I can get you safe passage out of here. Where is it you want to go?"
"Terminal City."
"So it shall be. Won't you get it for letting us go?"
"The Government wants situations to be contained, as though transgenics don't exist. You were all foolish enough today to create unnecessary exposure. It is going to be hard for me to cover your asses when you just walk out of there."
"What do you want?"
"I want the anomalies in my custody. The rest of you can go."
"Not an option."
"Then I'll settle for you Alec."
"You had your chance at that back in the day. You let me go."
"Your destiny is fulfilled 494. Why don't you be a good soldier and come home to base."
"Like I said before, not an option. If you wont help us out of the goodness of your heart Lydecker, then we'll fight our way out."
"How about I cut you a deal? A quid pro quo – I get you out, you run an errand for me."
"I wont be your assassin lackey."
"Not what I'm asking. Just some simple recon work I want to know how many transgenics are in Terminal City. You let me know that and I'll let you go."
"I don't know how many."
"You give me your word you'll tell me and I'll help you."
Alec paused, considering the options. He had no idea why Lydecker wanted to know, but what harm would it do really?
"Why do you want to know?"
"Because I have to accept the fact that most of my kids don't want to come home. And because of that, I have to do what I have always done, cover theirs and yours backs. I wont risk the public hurting you all. You aren't just soldiers to me. You never were just that."
"Then you have my word."
"Thank you and you have my assurance you will get out of here alive."
"Okay, so how does it look out there?"
"I don't know; it's dicey. They got shooters on the roof and the bus door's on the exposed side."
"Yeah, looks pretty messy."
"All right, you're going to have to use the messengers as shields. I'll stall the shooters as best I can. The Detective in charge doesn't appreciate my 'butting in'."
"Okay."
He sighed, turning to yell outside,
"Clemente! I'm gonna need the snipers on the roof pulled back, or no deal!"
Some crackling and shouting ensued outside, and Alec put the phone back against his ear, listening to Lydecker's gravely voice,
"All right, you're clear."
"Thanks."
"I'll be in touch soon."
Alec hung up the phone, making eye contact with Max. Her chest tightened as she moved closer to him, sticking her head next to his,
"First group's coming out!"
He opened the door wider and she turned to speak to the messengers chosen to leave,
"Okay, guys, come on. Keep your arms in the air and go slow, all right? Be careful."
Max let out a whoosh of relief as they walked out slowly with their hands in the air, Clemente coming to greet them,
"This way. Come this way. Keep your hands in the air. Come towards the barricades."
He raised his voice to address Max,
"Okay, 452, the keys are in the vehicle. Your ball."
She waved everyone over to the door,
"Okay, guys. They're not going to shoot at us. We got a kid and a pregnant girl. They don't know which ones are transgenic and which aren't."
Mole grabbed at Normal, putting his arm around his neck,
"Yeah, well, a couple of us they got a pretty good idea."
"Come on."
Original Cindy stepped up to her friend, eyes full of worry,
"Max, you sure they don't know who you are?"
"Yeah, I'm sure."
"Whatever happens boo, I got your back."
"Thanks. All right, let's file in, guys. Come on."
Cece wrapped one arm around Max's neck, the other around Alec's. He looked at her,
"What are you doing?"
"My barcode's come back up, I have to otherwise we'll be caught."
She glanced over at Joshua as he copied her, using Auris as one shield, Sketchy as another. The human grinned at them,
"This is my cover story, man."
Alec eyed them all, praying silently in his head,
"Let's do this."
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