This is part two- and now it is really about Max and Logan! Enjoy!
**
"I'm gonna need your help. I can probably support some of my weight, but won't be able to walk on my own." He cursed loudly. "Damn it."
"It's Ok, no big dealio. Just let's get movin'!" Alec laid Logan's arm around his shoulder and supported him at his waist with his other arm. "Come on."
Together they made their way through the knee deep water, Alec dragging Logan along.
Suddenly there was another voice. "Logan!" Max ran towards the two men. "What are you doing here?"
"Trying to get away from that maniac." Alec glanced over his shoulder.
"Get him outta here, I'll take care of Isaac." Max frantically looked around.
"Max, no, he is stronger..." Logan tried to break free of Alec's firm grip, but the X-5 didn't let go, he knew Logan wouldn't be able to keep himself upright.
"Logan, just..." Her features softened. "Don't worry." She watched Alec help the man of her dreams to safety.
Then, suddenly, there was a loud growl closing in and she prepared herself for the battle. Isaac launched himself at her and she fought him with all her strength, but in the end it took Joshua to safe her. He killed his own brother to safe Max.
The young woman sat up, shaking with the adrenaline still cursing through her system. That had been a close call. "Thank you, Joshua." Her eyes fell on a small bottle that was rolling towards the dirty water. She grabbed it and looked at it, her heart suddenly beating faster. "What is this? Joshua!!"
The dog man kneeled over his brother, mourning. At the urgency in Max's voice he looked up, with a quizzical expression on his face he examined the bottle. "Father gave it to Isaac, to help him feel better when he was sick. He had to take it often. Not nice..." He turned his attention back to the dead body.
"I can't believe it...Joshua, do you know what this is?" The transgenic didn't react. "Never mind." In a daze Max stood up and made her way out of the sewers, looking for Alec and Logan.
*
She found the two man on the street, Logan sitting in the open hatchback of the Aztec, shaking. "Max!" His voice sounded reliefed. "Are you Ok?"
"I'm fine." She still stared at the bottle, not believing what she held in her hands.
"What's up?"
"I...I just found this, Isaac had it with him...Logan, I think this is it..."
"What?" Alec draw a deep breath. "Come on folks, this guy is about to freeze to death, he needs a hot shower- and I have a date. So let's get going."
Max ignored Alec completely. "We have to see Sebastian."
Logan's teeth chattered, the exo was now jerking slightly and he switched it off furiously. He would rely on Alec to get him into the seat anyway, with or without the exo. "What are you talking about?" He pulled the blanket Alec had laid over his shoulders closer around his upper body.
"The lable says the same as the bottle with the antidote said, the one Renfro gave me. Do you remember?"
"No, I was pretty much out of the picture..." He looked at her, curious. "But what do you want to tell me?"
"This might be our chance to beat the virus." She smiled at Logan. "If we can find out what is in this serum, we might find a permanent fixture."
Suddenly the coldness and wetness was all but forgotten. Logan looked up at the beautiful girl, for the first time since she arrived really seeing her. "Are you sure?"
"Not 100%, but it at least gives us a chance. Let's go. Alec, help him!" She already sat down behind the steering wheel, deciding Logan wasn't up to driving. And for once he didn't argue. He let Alec carry him to the passenger seat and settled in. "Thanks."
"Anytime, buddy. Good luck, and get out of those clothes. You're both smelling awful! With some luck you can have a shower together." He still grinned when Logan closed the door, casting the younger man a dangerous look.
*
Max pretended to concentrate on the road ahead while Logan eyed her from the side, not daring to break the silence.
Finally he couldn't hold back any longer though. "Max?" There was no reaction, unless the blinking of her eyes could be considered one. "Where are we going from here? What if it's true?"
She swallowed hard. "I don't know Logan. It's just...I can't think about it. I can't get my hopes up, Ok? It would hurt too much."
"Sure." Logan leaned back, disappointed. She had seemed so excited at first, and now they seemed to be back at square one. An awkward silence spread in the car. Logan bent forward to switch on the heater, his shirt clung to his body,and his feet were probably frozen by now. Max noticed that Logan was in discomfort.
"Are you ok?"
"I'm fine, just a little wet and cold." He answered shortly.
She glanced at him. "We can go by my place and you can have a shower. It's not even a detour."
"The exo doesn't work..."
"You have a chair in the back, don't you? And the elevator worked yesterday." She smiled slightly. "Besides I think Alec was right, we don't exactly smell good. I think Sebastian would appreciate if we cleaned up first."
"Ok." Logan sighed. She was right. He would probably catch a cold otherwise- or maybe worse. And he didn't want to deal with something like that. His life was messed up enough as it was. And if there really was a chance they could beat the virus, he didn't want to spend the next few days in bed.
*
A few minutes later Max stopped at the curve in front of her rundown building and jumped out of the car to get Logan's chair. Unsure of how to set it up she handed him the wheels and the seat, careful not to touch him.
Original Cindy sat at the kitchen table when they entered the apartment. "Hey boo..." She looked sceptically at the two. "What happened to you?"
"We took a bath." Logan squirmed.
"I see, they didn't tell you guys the sea's all polluted?"
Max returned from her room, throwing a towel in Logan's lap. "You go first." She stepped out of his way so he could wheel towards the bathroom. On second thought she followed him and hesitantly stopped in the doorway.
Logan turned his chair to look ather. "What?"
"Do you need some help, I mean..."
"Max, even if I did, you couldn't help me."
"Yeah, right." Her voice was sad. "Sorry I asked. I'll try to find some clothes for ya. I'm pretty sure there's something left in the closet from Kendra's boyfriends."
"Thanks."
She nodded and closed the door behind her, leaning against it for a moment. When she stepped into the living room Original Cindy looked up, expectantly. "Whazzup, Boo?"
"We had a run in with Joshua's brother."
"I assume it wasn't a friendly family meeting?"
"No, but that's not the point..." Max reached for the bottle in her pocket and showed it to her best friend. At the quizzical look, she explained.
"This might be the solution for the virus."
"Wow. You really think..."
"I don't know, I'm too afraid to let it sink in." She sat down on the old sofa. "It has to be. I just has to be."
"Remember what Herbal used to say? It's all good. I'm sure it's gonna be all good." Cindy sank down next to Max and embraced her.
"Thanks, Cindy."
"That's what I'm here for."
"I have to get Logan some clothes. Where is Kendra's old stuff?"
"I'll get it. You get undressed yourself, you are all wet and stinkin'." Cindy twisted her features in disgust.
*
Max waited in the living room for Logan to return from the bathrom. Fortunately they had found sweatpants and a New York Knicks sweater for him. Two minutes later he wheeled out, his hair still wet, a towel across his shoulders. "Sorry it took me so long."
"'s OK." Max got up and walked past him, careful to keep her distance.
"The exo is still in there, I would have had trouble carrying it out!"
"I'll put it in my room for now!"
"Thanks." Logan grinned for a second then looked around to find Original Cindy watching him.
"What?"
"Nothin'," she answered, smiling.
"Cindy, what's up?"
She made sure the bathroom door was closed and the water was running. "You think this is it?"
"It could be." He answered, evasively.
"Let's say it was, what..."
"Cindy, I love Max. I wouldn't give it another thought. But you know her, she is probably trying to run first of all. I won't get my hopes up high, I don't know if it is a cure, and I don't know how Max is going to react."
*
In the shower Max had just started to wash her hair and with her enhanced hearing, she made out the last comment. A gulp formed in her throat, she suddenly felt guilty. She wasn't mad at Logan for saying this because she knew she had given him every reason to be suspicious. It hurt that she hadn't made clear how she felt, that Logan apparently didn't know. She would be happy, no way she would run...right?
Max sank down in the shower, holding her knees close to her chest. Trying to imagine it actually was a cure, she could feel panic engulf her. But this time she had to fight the urge to run. This time she had to stand her ground and admit how she really felt. She couldn't risk losing Logan, and if she turned him down again, she wasn't sure if he would forgive her or if she would forgive herself for that matter.
Forcefully she got back to her feet and washed the grime and dirt from her hair and body.
*
"Ready?" Max returned from the shower, feeling more sure of herself. She openly smiled at Logan and he stared at her in surprise. "What's up?"
"I don't know, you just haven't looked at me like this for months." He wheeled towards the door without waiting for an answer. Nor did he see the encouraging nod Cindy gave Max.
**
TBC
**
"I'm gonna need your help. I can probably support some of my weight, but won't be able to walk on my own." He cursed loudly. "Damn it."
"It's Ok, no big dealio. Just let's get movin'!" Alec laid Logan's arm around his shoulder and supported him at his waist with his other arm. "Come on."
Together they made their way through the knee deep water, Alec dragging Logan along.
Suddenly there was another voice. "Logan!" Max ran towards the two men. "What are you doing here?"
"Trying to get away from that maniac." Alec glanced over his shoulder.
"Get him outta here, I'll take care of Isaac." Max frantically looked around.
"Max, no, he is stronger..." Logan tried to break free of Alec's firm grip, but the X-5 didn't let go, he knew Logan wouldn't be able to keep himself upright.
"Logan, just..." Her features softened. "Don't worry." She watched Alec help the man of her dreams to safety.
Then, suddenly, there was a loud growl closing in and she prepared herself for the battle. Isaac launched himself at her and she fought him with all her strength, but in the end it took Joshua to safe her. He killed his own brother to safe Max.
The young woman sat up, shaking with the adrenaline still cursing through her system. That had been a close call. "Thank you, Joshua." Her eyes fell on a small bottle that was rolling towards the dirty water. She grabbed it and looked at it, her heart suddenly beating faster. "What is this? Joshua!!"
The dog man kneeled over his brother, mourning. At the urgency in Max's voice he looked up, with a quizzical expression on his face he examined the bottle. "Father gave it to Isaac, to help him feel better when he was sick. He had to take it often. Not nice..." He turned his attention back to the dead body.
"I can't believe it...Joshua, do you know what this is?" The transgenic didn't react. "Never mind." In a daze Max stood up and made her way out of the sewers, looking for Alec and Logan.
*
She found the two man on the street, Logan sitting in the open hatchback of the Aztec, shaking. "Max!" His voice sounded reliefed. "Are you Ok?"
"I'm fine." She still stared at the bottle, not believing what she held in her hands.
"What's up?"
"I...I just found this, Isaac had it with him...Logan, I think this is it..."
"What?" Alec draw a deep breath. "Come on folks, this guy is about to freeze to death, he needs a hot shower- and I have a date. So let's get going."
Max ignored Alec completely. "We have to see Sebastian."
Logan's teeth chattered, the exo was now jerking slightly and he switched it off furiously. He would rely on Alec to get him into the seat anyway, with or without the exo. "What are you talking about?" He pulled the blanket Alec had laid over his shoulders closer around his upper body.
"The lable says the same as the bottle with the antidote said, the one Renfro gave me. Do you remember?"
"No, I was pretty much out of the picture..." He looked at her, curious. "But what do you want to tell me?"
"This might be our chance to beat the virus." She smiled at Logan. "If we can find out what is in this serum, we might find a permanent fixture."
Suddenly the coldness and wetness was all but forgotten. Logan looked up at the beautiful girl, for the first time since she arrived really seeing her. "Are you sure?"
"Not 100%, but it at least gives us a chance. Let's go. Alec, help him!" She already sat down behind the steering wheel, deciding Logan wasn't up to driving. And for once he didn't argue. He let Alec carry him to the passenger seat and settled in. "Thanks."
"Anytime, buddy. Good luck, and get out of those clothes. You're both smelling awful! With some luck you can have a shower together." He still grinned when Logan closed the door, casting the younger man a dangerous look.
*
Max pretended to concentrate on the road ahead while Logan eyed her from the side, not daring to break the silence.
Finally he couldn't hold back any longer though. "Max?" There was no reaction, unless the blinking of her eyes could be considered one. "Where are we going from here? What if it's true?"
She swallowed hard. "I don't know Logan. It's just...I can't think about it. I can't get my hopes up, Ok? It would hurt too much."
"Sure." Logan leaned back, disappointed. She had seemed so excited at first, and now they seemed to be back at square one. An awkward silence spread in the car. Logan bent forward to switch on the heater, his shirt clung to his body,and his feet were probably frozen by now. Max noticed that Logan was in discomfort.
"Are you ok?"
"I'm fine, just a little wet and cold." He answered shortly.
She glanced at him. "We can go by my place and you can have a shower. It's not even a detour."
"The exo doesn't work..."
"You have a chair in the back, don't you? And the elevator worked yesterday." She smiled slightly. "Besides I think Alec was right, we don't exactly smell good. I think Sebastian would appreciate if we cleaned up first."
"Ok." Logan sighed. She was right. He would probably catch a cold otherwise- or maybe worse. And he didn't want to deal with something like that. His life was messed up enough as it was. And if there really was a chance they could beat the virus, he didn't want to spend the next few days in bed.
*
A few minutes later Max stopped at the curve in front of her rundown building and jumped out of the car to get Logan's chair. Unsure of how to set it up she handed him the wheels and the seat, careful not to touch him.
Original Cindy sat at the kitchen table when they entered the apartment. "Hey boo..." She looked sceptically at the two. "What happened to you?"
"We took a bath." Logan squirmed.
"I see, they didn't tell you guys the sea's all polluted?"
Max returned from her room, throwing a towel in Logan's lap. "You go first." She stepped out of his way so he could wheel towards the bathroom. On second thought she followed him and hesitantly stopped in the doorway.
Logan turned his chair to look ather. "What?"
"Do you need some help, I mean..."
"Max, even if I did, you couldn't help me."
"Yeah, right." Her voice was sad. "Sorry I asked. I'll try to find some clothes for ya. I'm pretty sure there's something left in the closet from Kendra's boyfriends."
"Thanks."
She nodded and closed the door behind her, leaning against it for a moment. When she stepped into the living room Original Cindy looked up, expectantly. "Whazzup, Boo?"
"We had a run in with Joshua's brother."
"I assume it wasn't a friendly family meeting?"
"No, but that's not the point..." Max reached for the bottle in her pocket and showed it to her best friend. At the quizzical look, she explained.
"This might be the solution for the virus."
"Wow. You really think..."
"I don't know, I'm too afraid to let it sink in." She sat down on the old sofa. "It has to be. I just has to be."
"Remember what Herbal used to say? It's all good. I'm sure it's gonna be all good." Cindy sank down next to Max and embraced her.
"Thanks, Cindy."
"That's what I'm here for."
"I have to get Logan some clothes. Where is Kendra's old stuff?"
"I'll get it. You get undressed yourself, you are all wet and stinkin'." Cindy twisted her features in disgust.
*
Max waited in the living room for Logan to return from the bathrom. Fortunately they had found sweatpants and a New York Knicks sweater for him. Two minutes later he wheeled out, his hair still wet, a towel across his shoulders. "Sorry it took me so long."
"'s OK." Max got up and walked past him, careful to keep her distance.
"The exo is still in there, I would have had trouble carrying it out!"
"I'll put it in my room for now!"
"Thanks." Logan grinned for a second then looked around to find Original Cindy watching him.
"What?"
"Nothin'," she answered, smiling.
"Cindy, what's up?"
She made sure the bathroom door was closed and the water was running. "You think this is it?"
"It could be." He answered, evasively.
"Let's say it was, what..."
"Cindy, I love Max. I wouldn't give it another thought. But you know her, she is probably trying to run first of all. I won't get my hopes up high, I don't know if it is a cure, and I don't know how Max is going to react."
*
In the shower Max had just started to wash her hair and with her enhanced hearing, she made out the last comment. A gulp formed in her throat, she suddenly felt guilty. She wasn't mad at Logan for saying this because she knew she had given him every reason to be suspicious. It hurt that she hadn't made clear how she felt, that Logan apparently didn't know. She would be happy, no way she would run...right?
Max sank down in the shower, holding her knees close to her chest. Trying to imagine it actually was a cure, she could feel panic engulf her. But this time she had to fight the urge to run. This time she had to stand her ground and admit how she really felt. She couldn't risk losing Logan, and if she turned him down again, she wasn't sure if he would forgive her or if she would forgive herself for that matter.
Forcefully she got back to her feet and washed the grime and dirt from her hair and body.
*
"Ready?" Max returned from the shower, feeling more sure of herself. She openly smiled at Logan and he stared at her in surprise. "What's up?"
"I don't know, you just haven't looked at me like this for months." He wheeled towards the door without waiting for an answer. Nor did he see the encouraging nod Cindy gave Max.
**
TBC