TITLE: Genetically Empowered (My Finale & Season 3)
EPISODE: 11 "CURED" 11/11/02
WRITTEN BY: Heather Ferguson (fergus80)
EMAIL: hferguso@niu.edu
WEBSITE: http://eric_greta.tripod.com (Jensen)
RATING: PG-13 (For now, will post alternate chapters if ratings change)
SUMMARY: How 'Freak Nation' and S3 should have been. M/A
SPOILERS: Everything!
DISCLAIMER: All Dark Angel characters belong to James Cameron, FOX, etc. etc. etc.
FEEDBACK: PLEASE!!! I CRAVE IT!!! It makes me want to write more.
DEDICATION: To all the Nuns at the Church of Alec, and the Blue Lady! And a special thank you to those who read, and corrected my spelling, grammar, tenses, etc. You know who you are, you wonderful nuns you. ;)
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Mel looked up from the computer next to Dix when she heard the door slam. She caught Vin's eyes and she swallowed hard, "What's wrong?"
His jaw tensed, "Max and Logan found a cure."
She heard his words, and then watched him move over to Dix, asking if he found out anything else about where Alec had gone. Her eyes widened and her mind raced. *A cure? Oh shit!* She closed her eyes, and ran her fingers over her forehead. She knew that this wasn't good, *Alec, where the hell are you?*
One of the phones rang, and all of the transgenics turned towards it. All of them hoping that it was Alec. Luke picked it up, "Hello?" His face turned serious, and Vin mouthed to him, asking if it was the missing guy on the phone. Luke shook his head no, and mouthed… contact.
Mel and Vin moved closer to Luke, the whole room going silent as they listened in on the conversation. As he heard the words being said, he used hand signals to Dix, giving him the information. Most importantly, the location. Then the phone cut off quickly. And Vin rushed back over to Dix, "Did you get all that?"
"Yep, bringing up the area, and map now," the transgenic said typing away at the keyboard.
"Oh my God," was all that Mel could say standing behind Vin. "That damn supplier. How did White know?"
Vin shook his head, "Only the people in Headquarters knew about the meeting.. Alec's supplier had no idea he was a transgenic, so he didn't go looking for White."
"You know what this means don't you," Mole said, looking at everyone. All eyes turned towards him, "We have a traitor in our mists."
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*He left?* Those words echoed in her head. She tried to shake them away, "No." She wouldn't believe it, she couldn't. "He wouldn't do that."
"Max… you KNOW he would. You can't let your emotions from some bout of hormones that you had change your views."
She looked up at him, and shook her head. He really didn't get it, did he? "Bout of hormones? You consider Heat a bout of hormones? And you think THAT is the reason I feel the way I do?" She threw up her arms and moved away from him. "Logan did it ever cross your mind that maybe I'm with Alec because he understands me? That you never have, and never will."
His jaw tightened, "That's not true Max. I understand you. I understand what you want, what you need. I'm here for you, always have been. And what has he done? He's always been a pain in your side. Always making you rescue his sorry ass. Always getting him out of the trouble that he created. And now… he's left. He's left you."
She shook her head, "No. I don't believe that. He wouldn't leave me. He wouldn't leave Joshua. He wouldn't leave his own kind."
Logan moved closer to her, "Oh, right! He was willing to kill you, Joshua, and his own kind for White!"
Max cringed at his words. "But he didn't! He didn't do it! And he has changed since then."
"Yeah, right. He can't be trusted Max."
Her temper was flaring, "Trusted? Do you know how many times he has saved my life?"
He looked at her hard, "So have I."
She closed her eyes and let out a long breath. She didn't have the strength to fight like this right now. She had more important things on her mind. The knot of worry in her stomach was getting bigger and bigger. And the more that Logan said, the more she felt like something was wrong. The more she believed her own words, her own thoughts. "Listen. I'm not going to talk about this now."
With that she turned towards the door, grabbed the knob and turned it. She jumped back when she saw Vin there about ready to knock. Her heart raced again at the look on his face, "What's wrong?"
He gave her a hard look, "Oh, you do care."
She closed her eyes, realizing what was going through his head. "Of course I do. Where is he?" And then she felt the world spin at his next words.
"White has him."
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They designed her to be the perfect soldier--a human weapon. Then she escaped. In a future not far from now, in a broken world, she is haunted by her past. She cannot run; she must fight to discover her destiny. --- DARK ANGEL
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"What?"
Vin watched the color drain out of Max's face, and then she ran past him out of the room. He looked at Logan standing there, with a somewhat shocked expression on his face as well. A small smile came over Vin's face as he turned around and followed her back over to Dix.
Mel had a comforting hand on the brunette's shoulder as she leaned over Dix. Vin stood behind the two women, "We've got his location."
Max turned to look at him, "Then what are we doing standing here?"
"I'm pulling up the blue prints and other information. You don't want to go in blind," Dix told her as he continued to work at the computer. The screens showing satellite feed, and government access screens.
Max nodded, and closed her eyes taking a breath. "What happened?"
"His supplier turned on him," Mel told her, while no one noticed Logan slipping out the door.
"But how did he…"
Vin didn't let Max continue, "Someone told him."
Her eyes widened up at him and she stood up straight, "Who? Who would do that?" She couldn't comprehend it. *Who would turn Alec over to White?*
"I'm looking into it," Mole said from the corner as he was talking to a few other X5's.
She nodded at Mole, and then turned back to Dix. "How much longer?"
"Almost in," was his response.
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Logan shut the door behind him and leaned against it. *This is not good.* They had figured out where Alec was, and were now more than likely going to go and find him. He looked around the medical building. It was empty. He took a deep breath and pulled out his phone. He quickly dialed a number, and put it up to his ear. "It's Eyes. We have a problem."
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"Got it!" Dix yelled.
Max and Mel stopped their pacing and ran back to the computer, coming to stand next to Vin. "Okay. Print and let's go." Max said. She already felt like they had wasted too much time. She didn't even want to think about getting there too late. She couldn't lose him now, not after she had finally figured out how much she needed him.
Mel's eyes danced over the screen, "Wait… what's that?" She asked pointing to the satellite feed, seeing small blurbs moving towards something bigger. Dix focused the image and zoomed in. It was hard to make out. "People?" She asked squinting, "A van?"
"Yeah, looks like it," Vin said his eyes trying to focus the computer image, even though it was impossible.
Max's heart sunk, "Don't tell me they're moving him."
"We don't even know if he is one of them," the dark haired man said next to her.
Dix pushed a few more commands and the screen turned to show thermal images. "We do now," he said as they watched the one figure in the middle, the blur the others were carrying, turn into a much brighter color than the other figures.
Max swallowed, *At least he's alive.* Then her eyes widened, "How far away is this place? We can catch them on the road."
"Too far. By the time you get there, they'll be long gone," Luke said from over by the table with all the city maps on it.
Vin nodded. "Okay. Dix… keep a track on him, try and figure out where they are taking him." Dix nodded and turned back to the computer. "Joshua…"
"Yeah?" he answered standing up quickly from his seat on the couch, worry obvious in his eyes.
"Go gas the van. Get the guns, ammo, and supplies ready." Josh nodded and quickly headed out of the building. He turned back to Mel, and he just let out a small breath.
"I know," she answered. "I'll go get everything ready… just in case." He nodded and she turned heading out of the building.
He turned back to Max, saw the worried look on her face and his anger at the sight of her with Logan before instantly vanished. "We'll get him back." She nodded and he pulled her to his side, hugging her, surprised slightly that she hugged him back as she mumbled against his chest.
"We better."
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Logan hung up his phone putting it back in his coat pocket. Hopefully that would work, or at least slow down their process. His mind raced. He knew he needed a back up plan, but what?
He moved over to the refrigerator units and opened the door he knew so well. His hands fingered through the packets until they found what he was looking for. He grabbed the two bags sitting there, and shut the door behind him. His eyes moved around the room, trying to remember where things were located. Remembering he walked over to one of the medical cabinets and took out one of the coolers.
Mel opened the door to the medical building and was about to turn the light on when her eyes caught Logan. *What is he doing here in the dark?* Her mind asked quickly. A bad feeling washed through her and she silently crept up behind him. Her eyes shifted from the cooler to the bags he was holding. Zooming in on the numbers she held back the gasp that tried to come to her mouth. *Alec's blood?* It didn't make any sense. "Thanks… I was just coming in here to get that ready."
Logan jumped, turning around quickly to the blonde. He didn't know what to do, what to say. He tried to quickly think of something, an explanation.
"Why are you in here with the lights off?" Mel questioned, looking at him pointedly. She tiled her head, "Why aren't you in Headquarters trying to help find Alec?" She watched the anger fuel in his eyes at the mention of the name, and then everything clicked into place. "You…"
He knew he was caught. There was only one course left now. His hand gripped the handle of the metal cooler tightly, the blood in his veins pumping. He quickly swung the cooler upwards, hitting Mel in the side of the head.
Her world exploded into a sea of stars as the metal connected with her temple and she reared backwards, dazed. Her eyes widened, looking back at Logan as he descended on her. Her arm came up to hit him, and shock washed over her features as his hand grabbed her wrist quickly and twisted it painfully. Then she realized what was going on. *Alec's blood… transgenic blood…* But her thoughts didn't stay there long as she tried to block the metal cooler coming at her again with her other hand.
He swung at her with the cooler again and again, his hand squeezing, holding her wrist, turning it purple in his grasp. Her leg came out to kick at his and he swung at her again. The metal hitting her knee, a cry of pain coming from her. He tugged on her wrist hard, a snap echoed through the room along with her whimper.
She could barely think with the pain raging through her head, arm and knee. She couldn't get away from him with his firm grip on her wrist. But she couldn't get close enough to him to do damage without getting hit by the swinging cooler. She couldn't believe she couldn't kick the human's ass, but with another hit of the metal to her ribs she started to scream out for help.
Logan saw her about to scream, and swung again. Connecting the edge of the cooler with her jaw, just as he pushed her into the wall hard, the back of her head hitting brick. Her eyes closed and she slid down the wall, a tail of blood following her head on the way down to the floor.
He looked down at her for a second, and then walked back to where he had set the bags of blood. He put them into the cooler and shut the lid. He then walked out of the building back to headquarters.
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"Okay, with the direction they are going there are two buildings that they could be taking him too." Dix said as he looked over the computer. Luke walked over with the copies of the blue prints handing them to Dix and Vin.
Vin nodded looking at them, "Okay. We'll start heading towards them while you keep track of where they are going. Once you get confirmation on which one, let us know."
Dix nodded as Logan walked back into headquarters coming up behind them. Max looked at him, and saw the cooler. "What's in there?"
"Blood and supplies. Mel wanted us to bring them… just in case," he responded.
Max swallowed and nodded hoping that they wouldn't need them. Her attention then focused back on Dix as he started to speak.
"Okay. Both buildings have high security. You'll have to probably hack your way around some very heavy government security codes as well as interface with the central computer if they take him to this building." Dix held up the one copy, "Luke could watch over this, and I could go."
Vin shook his head, "No, we need you and Luke here to give us the information we need."
Max looked at him, "Why don't you just do it?"
He gave her a strange look, "What do you mean? I don't know how to hack into the central computer, do you?"
"Of course I don't. But Alec knows. I would have thought it was basic training."
Vin laughed, "Yeah… right. Let a bunch of soldiers know how to hack into a government central computer. Especially after the '09 escape? The government might be stupid, but they aren't that stupid."
"Then how does Alec know?"
He shook his head at her, "Because they trained some of the CO's for it. The best, most trusted got those classes."
"Alec was a CO?"
Vin looked at her like she had grown a second head, "Yeah, duh. Where have you been?" He shook his head at her shocked look, "As much as I'd like to go into all this, we have to find someone who can get us in there."
"I can."
They both turned to Logan, and Vin shook his head again, "Oh, no. Way to dangerous."
Max agreed, but… Her hand went to Vin's shoulder, "What choice do we have? We need to do this now."
Vin looked from Max to Logan and back again. He sighed, "Okay. Let's go." They started to walk to the door, "Dix… you have the number." He said holding up his phone and heading out the door with Max on his heals. Logan smiled, his hand gripping the cooler tightly as he shut the door behind him.
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"Gem. Will you knock it off," Sonya said as she walked towards the medical building with Gem right beside her. "Really, I can make it here on my own."
The other woman just shook her head, "Oh no. I know you. If I don't come with you, you won't go. And that burn isn't nice."
Sonya sighed as she opened the door and flicked on the lights, "If only I had been more care…" but she stopped as she walked into the room.
"What's wrong?" Gem asked stopping behind her in the doorway.
Sonya's eyes scanned the room, her nose sniffing, and her eyes on alert. Then she caught it, a foot sticking out behind a corner. She ran over, with Gem behind her. They both looked down at Mel laying there, a puddle of blood seeping out around her. "Oh my God," Sonya gasped.
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"I copy that Dix," Vin said with his hand at his ear listening to transgenic over his earpiece. He looked over at Max as he drove the van down the street, heading out towards the country. "They are moving him to the heavier security building."
Max banged her fist against the dashboard. *Great, just great.* But it didn't make sense to her. Why move him out of the city? "I don't understand it. White always uses transgenics as a trap to get me. And this is Alec… he knows that I would go after him. Why are they just not making a trap in the city?"
Vin looked over at her for a second and then turned back to the road. "This could still be a trap. But it does look like they want to keep him. I'm not sure really." The question had already entered his head. The situation itself was just too strange. If White wasn't using Alec as a trap, then why didn't he just kill him? What was he keeping him alive for?
Logan listened to them from the back as he picked up one of the guns and pocketed it. He was actually curious too. The plan had been for Alec… the transgenic pain in the ass to bite the so-called bullet. At least that is White had told him, but now he was keeping him alive. *Why?* He looked back at the cooler and sighed. It certainly would have made his life easier, his hands less bloody. But now… He sighed to himself. He only had a few options. His eyes shifted towards the dark haired man with an angry look, then over to Max and his eyes softened. *This is for you. I'd do anything for you.*
Vin pulled the van over behind some trees. He stood up and moved into the back, Max behind him. They gathered up their supplies and then hopped out the back. Logan grabbed the computer bag and followed them. They slowly made their way through the woods and up to the building. They ducked behind some trees as the two X5's scanned the area.
Vin's hand came to his ear, radioing into Dix. "I don't see any outside guards." He looked at Max and she nodded that she agreed.
{{There isn't any. Everything is basically automated. Hence the need for the computer hook up. You just need to avoid the cameras until you can get to the access hatch on the blue prints.}}
"Copy." Vin looked back at Logan. "Okay, keep your head down, move when and where we tell you." Logan nodded. Vin was about to move when Dix quickly spoke into his ear.
{{Vin!}}
"What?" He could hear the commotion of headquarters in the background, but Dix wasn't answering him. "Dix! What is it?"
{{Oh God.}}
Max looked up at him with worry. She could tell by the look on his face that something was wrong. "What? What is it? Is it Alec?"
"I don't know…" He told her, his fingers going to the earpiece again, trying to make out the people talking in the background. "Dix…"
{{It's Mel…}} Dix trailed off.
Vin's heart raced, his body stilled, "What? What's wrong with Mel?"
{{They found her… Someone attacked her.}}
"What? Who?"
{{We don't know.}}
"Is she…" he couldn't even go on, the fear that was gripping him made him lose the words.
{{She's unconscious…}} Vin closed his eyes in relief. {{She lost a lot of blood. They are transfusing her now.}}
He felt a hand on his wrist and turned back to Max, her eyes questioning. "Someone attacked Mel. They just found her." Her eyes widened.
{{She's going to be okay.}} Dix chimed in a moment later. {{Vin… do you copy?}}
Vin closed his eyes, "I copy." He opened them again, looking back at her, "She'll be okay. But she's unconscious."
Max let out a relieved breath as well. *What the hell is going on?* she thought. *Who's doing this?* She looked back at Vin, and could see the conflict in his eyes. She knew he wanted to get back to TC, back to her, but he also wanted to help Alec. She decided to take the choice from him. "She's in good hands. Alec's not."
He nodded, knowing that she was right. "Okay Dix… we're going in. Keep me posted."
{{Will do Vin. Good luck.}}
Vin turned back to Logan, "Ready?" The older man nodded. The three took off towards the building. Dodging the camera angles and moving around the building to the location they needed from the blue prints.
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Gem softly moved the wet washcloth over the back of Mel's head trying to clean the blood off of her hair. Sonya was changing the bags connected to her IV. Switching from blood over to saline. The blond moaned slightly, and the two other women looked at each other. "Mel?" Gem asked quietly. "Mel… who did this?"
They could see her cut lip move but nothing could be heard. Sonya leaned over her, trying to move closer, to see if she could hear. Looking at her bruised face she winced. Mel's lips moved again, her face looking like it was struggling.
"That's it, come on. Wake up," Sonya told her. Her hand reached for Mel's and then decided against it. The wrist had just been reset and the bruising was almost black. She actually wasn't sure where to touch her, to comfort her.
They watched again, as the blond struggled through her unconsciousness to speak, and when she finally managed to get out the words, their eyes widened in shock. "Logan…."
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The trio traveled down the hallway quickly now that the security cameras were turned off. They turned right, going towards the holding cells. They quickly peered into each window as they went, Vin on the left, Max on the right, Logan behind them, his hand clenching the gun in his pocket, his blood pumping.
Max's heart was racing. She knew they were close, she could feel it, and then she saw him. She stopped and looked in the window. She felt the other two move up behind her, looking through the glass. She watched Vin pull out his tools from his bag, and he started to work on the door.
Her eyes kept looking through the window, watching him laying there on the metal grate. She could see his chest rise and fall slightly, confirming that he was alive, but more than likely drugged. Her hand went out, knocking on the window, trying to wake him. But he didn't respond to the noise.
With a click the door opened, and Vin quickly put his tools back in his bag as they moved into the room. Max rushed past him and over to Alec as he looked around the room.
Max's hand came to the side of his face, "Alec… Alec wake up!" She saw him struggling, "Come on, wake up. We need to get out of here," she told him, her hands moving to his chest, shaking him gently. His head moved, and he started to look like he was coming around. Whatever drugs they had put into his system were definitely strong.
Logan looked at Max, then over to Vin who was standing at Alec's feet. He gripped the gun in his pocket. He knew this all had to stop. It all had to end now or he wouldn't have another chance.
Vin looked at Max trying to wake Alec up, and then his hand went to his ear in slight pain as Dix screamed into it. {{It's Logan! Vin… it's Logan!}}
His eyes widened in shock and then pure rage as he turned to the other man. But it was too late. As he turned he heard the gun go off, his whole body jerking and falling backwards, hitting the wall.
Max screamed at the shot and turned seeing the gun in Logan's hand, her eyes traveling to Vin then back to the man she thought she knew. "Logan…"
He turned back towards her, the gun pointed right at her. "They don't understand you. They can't protect you. Come with me."
Her eyes widened, "You're insane. I'm not going anywhere with you."
Logan looked at her. Saw the look in her eyes. The disgust in them, staring at him. He knew he had lost. He had lost her. He looked at the man lying on the bed, then back to Max. But there was no way in hell he would let him have her. He moved the gun up, holding it at her. "If I can't have you Max…" he shook his head with a sadistic smile, "No one will."
Her eyes widened at his words and then more so when she saw his finger pull the trigger. Then she was falling, a heavy weight pushing her, as another loud shot rang out. Her body hit the cement, the sound of another body and the metal of a gun hitting the floor echoed in her ears.
Her eyes opened looking up into a dark pair of hazel ones, "Alec…"
His eyes were slightly foggy, but he responded. "Are you okay?"
She nodded and turned her head to the side. Her whole body and mind going numb at seeing Logan laying there, a large pool of blood forming around him. She looked up to see Vin sitting on the floor, his gun trained on the man on the floor, his other hand holding his stomach, blood pouring around his fingertips.
"We have to get out of here."
Max looked back up at Alec and nodded again. He slowly stood up, and she could tell he was still groggy from the drugs. He moved over to Vin, helping him up. The dark haired X5 gave his gun to Alec, and wrapped his arm around his shoulder. Alec pulled him up to his feet. Max turned back to the body lying on the floor. She leaned down, her fingers going to his neck. Nothing. A single tear ran down her cheek.
"He did it all… didn't he?" She asked closing her eyes, not even needing the confirmation but getting one anyway.
"Yeah," Vin said through gritted teeth. Max stood up, ripped the sleeve from her shirt and pressed it to Vin's wound. He winced at the pressure, but wrapped his other arm around her shoulder as they moved to the door.
They walked through, and Max took one more look at Logan laying there. His eyes still wide open, his blood running out around him, and she closed her eyes for a second. She swallowed, took a breath, looked over at Vin, then up into Alec's eyes. "Let's get out of here."
The two men nodded at her, and the new trio tried to quickly make their way back out of the building.
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Her lids slowly fluttered open, and she winced at the bright light. "Take it easy." She heard, feeling a soft touch to the side of her face. Her eyes started to focus, and settle on a pair of concerned dark ones.
Her eyes widened with fear, she had to tell them, "Logan…"
Vin nodded, "We know. You already told us. He's not a problem anymore."
Mel closed her eyes and leaned into his hand on her face. Then opened them again to look at him, "You look like shit."
He chuckled and then winced, "Yeah, well… being shot will do that too you." Her eyes widened again, but he continued, leaning down to her. "And you don't look so hot yourself."
"Yeah… well you have a crazy man hyped up on Alec's blood attack you with a metal cooler."
"What?" The two both turned to Max as she walked over to them, Alec right behind her.
"My blood?" he asked in disbelief.
Mel nodded, and then wished she didn't. Her hand went to her face, and she tensed again, looking down at her wrist. *God, does anything not hurt?* She looked up at Alec. "I found him in here. The lights off. With two pints of your blood. I started to piece things together. He must have figured out that I was onto him. And he attacked me."
Max shook her head, "He attacked you?"
"Yeah," the blond responded. "Damn… he was strong too, along with that frick'en cooler." Her good hand came to the side of her head at the thought.
Alec shook his head. "So he was taking transfusions of MY blood. He informed White of my supplier…." He shook his head in disbelief. He looked at Max, "I mean… I know he was hung up on you. But with the virus…"
Max swallowed and her hand came to her forehead, "He got the cure… today." Alec's eyes widened at her. "I didn't even question how he got it."
"White," Vin said. "He must have gotten the cure from White."
"Fair trade?" Mel asked. "But what would White want Alec for?"
"Wait a minute," Alec said looking back at Max. "You had the cure. You took it?" She nodded at him. "With me gone… you took the cure?"
She saw the flash of hurt go through his eyes, "Alec… it wasn't like that. I barely even knew what was happening…" She stopped when he raised his hand.
He shook his head at her closing his eyes, pain seared at his heart. "I should have known."
"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked him.
He shook his head moving towards the door. "I was just a substitute," he said as he opened the door, and walked through it, slamming it behind him.
Vin and Mel looked at each other. Max started to move to the door. "Max... wait." She turned back to Vin as he slowly stood up. "Let me talk to him." She started to speak, "Trust me." He told her, then patted Mel's hand and walked out the door.
Max watched Vin's injured body walk out, then she looked back at Mel, saw all her bruises and marks. She remembered the sight of Alec in the holding cell. Remembered Logan injecting her with the cure. Replayed the image of him holding a gun on her. She closed her eyes tight, and leaned against the counter for support. "Why didn't I see it?" Guilt started to consume her, and her hands went to her face, as tears started to stream down her cheeks.
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Scenes from an All New DA on 11/25/02:
*IN TWO WEEKS ON THE NEXT ALL NEW DARK ANGEL*
WILL THERE BE…..
Alec's fist punched the wall as the image of Logan flashed though his mind.
ANYTHING LEFT…..
"You're job?" Mel questioned looking at Alec, her eyes squinting slightly trying to read him.
TO BE….
Max's eyes widened as she stared up into Alec's eyes, and felt her heart breaking.
THANKFUL FOR?
Max spun on her heal and marched down the stairs in a huff.