I inhaled a single breathe of fresh, toxic air. My love needed me again,
her hell was my heaven. I took the stairs to at a time, exoskeleton
whirring lightly. Now was the time to become her knight in shining armor,
the time that she would need a shoulder to cry on.
His presence at Max's door pricked a small hole in the balloon of my happiness. No matter, I was sadly becoming a master at putting on this mask of indifference.
"Alec, how is Max doing? Up for a visitor I hope." My light laugh holds the minimum trace of bile. For some ungodly reason he just stares blankly at me, pale eyes roving over me as though sizing up a potential threat.
"Max wishes that she get some undisturbed rest, no one is allowed to see her for another three hours and twenty eight minutes. You may return then." His tone is eerily flat, he might have been giving me the weather forecast for the week for all the emotion his words held.
"Hey man, you're starting to freak me out a bit here. Now why don't you just let me in to see Max, I saw the standoff on the news but it was over by the time I got there. I'd like to make sure that she's okay." Irritation wells up and heats my cheeks. The bastard is treating me like a piece of furniture.
""Max commands that she get some undisturbed rest, no one is allowed to see her for another three hours and twenty seven minutes. You may return then."
"Alright so this is sort of a broken record deal, I get it." With a martyred sigh I push around him and place my hand on the doorknob.
Air exploded from my lungs in a great rushing typhoon while lights flared brilliantly in the periphery of my vision. A fine sheen of plaster coated me from head to toe, sticking viley in my hair gel and choking my nostrils.
Triumph filled me bleakly, I had been right about him. Alec was no better than a beast. Gloating gave way to a slight sense of panic when I realized that the "beast" had me pinned to a wall by the throat.
The bedroom door slammed open and Max charged out, only to halt in stunned silence. "Logan what did you do?"
Wait what? What the hell does she mean, what did I do.
"Oh, yeah. Drop him soldier." Like an overeager puppy, Alec drops me to the floor and stands staring patiently at Max. "This ordinary won't harm me, he may assist us with intel sometimes." The last seems to be added as an afterthought.
I wait patiently for Max to pull me to my feet; then, feeling rather stupid I hoist myself to my feet. Somehow, Max's eyes look a bit glazed, as though her head were a million miles away. Growing impatient, I clear my throat.
Max starts a trifle at the sound. "I'm awake now, bring me some breakfast, and also an icepack for Mr. Cale's throat."
"Ma'am." Without another word, Alec trots away leaving me alone with Max.
Nodding abstractly in my direction, Max motions me towards the bedroom. A wrongness permeates this whole situation, I have the indelible impression that I'm missing something. Well Max just isn't getting rid of me so easily this time. I seat myself on the edge of a chair, back righteously stiff, and Max curls herself, feline, on the corner of the bed.
Something in innocence of that cat-like pose touches my heart and evaporates my irritation. How easy it is to forget that this indomitable woman, is a mere child. An odd paternal feeling stirs my soul. I can vent my annoyance at my reception into other channels.
"So what did you do to Alec, lobotomize him?" Shit, not the right thing to say. Her inner reserves break, and a tidal wave of tears flood down her cheeks.
"He's gone." That doesn't make any sense to me. Then an idea strikes me.
"Oh god Max, was that another clone? I thought he was acting bizarre." What a relief that would be, if Alec had left, to be replaced by another twin.
"No, I mean he's gone. I mean, I mean that was Alec, or it was what was left of him. I mean, shit, why is this so damned hard. Alec did something to himself, to let his training take over his personality. It's something that Manticore taught them, the ones that stayed that is. Anyway, he did this thing, and now his personality or his soul, it's gone. Now he's just some feelingless supersoldier.
Feelings rush through me at high speed. Sadness for Max's sadness, bewilderment over her story and seeming lack of coherence, and lastly, a shameful sensation of relief at having my rival disposed of so neatly.
At second thought, my position was a precarious one, this heroism might make Max idolize Alec. All those inane clichés ran through my head, absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that bull.
No, this situation could be turned to my advantage. I may not be able to lend her a shoulder to cry on, but I could provide a sympathetic ear while wining and dining her as I had done during the spring of our relationship.
Adding a little more melancholy to my expression, I lean forward. "Talk to me Max, I'll always be here for you, you know that. }{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{
The sounds of a minor explosion wake me from my deep sleep. Struggling from a tangle of blankets, I stumble across the room and fling open the door.
I'd thought that Logan would try to come to see me. What I hadn't anticipated was his obvious willingness to try to evade my personal security.
It doesn't matter, none of it does. Can't they see that? Why can't they just leave well enough alone?
I realize that Logan might need rescuing. I order his release, and send 494 away so that I can get this interview over with.
The explanation is necessary, can't leave Logan wondering. Bile chokes my throat, and I know that I am stumbling badly over my words. Somehow I must have made my meaning clear though. Now he is leaning in towards me, face glowing in sympathy.
Desperately, I wish that he would leave me alone with my thoughts. Clutching a hand to my mostly healed wound, I let out a small sigh. It is enough. With voluble wishes that I rest and heal, he finally leaves me to my solitude. }{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{
I watch the fool's parade on my imaginary tv. Anger gnaws at me as I watch the other man fawn over the goddess to whom I have sacrificed myself. The unfairness of the situation eats at my sanity. }{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{
494 held the breakfast tray, perfectly balanced across his healing arm. He stood outside his mistress's door, listening intently to the conversation within. The man, the Mr. Cale, was in love with his Max; he could here it in the quickening pace of the man's heart, the flaking earnestness of his voice.
It posed quite a quandary. Could the love an ordinary be good for her? Was the man a threat, despite Max's assertions of his goodness? No, a leader could afford no such distractions, let alone the kind of cloying attentions that this man seemed to offer. He had been charged with acting in Max's best interests. In his opinion, the man would have to be kept away from her.
His presence at Max's door pricked a small hole in the balloon of my happiness. No matter, I was sadly becoming a master at putting on this mask of indifference.
"Alec, how is Max doing? Up for a visitor I hope." My light laugh holds the minimum trace of bile. For some ungodly reason he just stares blankly at me, pale eyes roving over me as though sizing up a potential threat.
"Max wishes that she get some undisturbed rest, no one is allowed to see her for another three hours and twenty eight minutes. You may return then." His tone is eerily flat, he might have been giving me the weather forecast for the week for all the emotion his words held.
"Hey man, you're starting to freak me out a bit here. Now why don't you just let me in to see Max, I saw the standoff on the news but it was over by the time I got there. I'd like to make sure that she's okay." Irritation wells up and heats my cheeks. The bastard is treating me like a piece of furniture.
""Max commands that she get some undisturbed rest, no one is allowed to see her for another three hours and twenty seven minutes. You may return then."
"Alright so this is sort of a broken record deal, I get it." With a martyred sigh I push around him and place my hand on the doorknob.
Air exploded from my lungs in a great rushing typhoon while lights flared brilliantly in the periphery of my vision. A fine sheen of plaster coated me from head to toe, sticking viley in my hair gel and choking my nostrils.
Triumph filled me bleakly, I had been right about him. Alec was no better than a beast. Gloating gave way to a slight sense of panic when I realized that the "beast" had me pinned to a wall by the throat.
The bedroom door slammed open and Max charged out, only to halt in stunned silence. "Logan what did you do?"
Wait what? What the hell does she mean, what did I do.
"Oh, yeah. Drop him soldier." Like an overeager puppy, Alec drops me to the floor and stands staring patiently at Max. "This ordinary won't harm me, he may assist us with intel sometimes." The last seems to be added as an afterthought.
I wait patiently for Max to pull me to my feet; then, feeling rather stupid I hoist myself to my feet. Somehow, Max's eyes look a bit glazed, as though her head were a million miles away. Growing impatient, I clear my throat.
Max starts a trifle at the sound. "I'm awake now, bring me some breakfast, and also an icepack for Mr. Cale's throat."
"Ma'am." Without another word, Alec trots away leaving me alone with Max.
Nodding abstractly in my direction, Max motions me towards the bedroom. A wrongness permeates this whole situation, I have the indelible impression that I'm missing something. Well Max just isn't getting rid of me so easily this time. I seat myself on the edge of a chair, back righteously stiff, and Max curls herself, feline, on the corner of the bed.
Something in innocence of that cat-like pose touches my heart and evaporates my irritation. How easy it is to forget that this indomitable woman, is a mere child. An odd paternal feeling stirs my soul. I can vent my annoyance at my reception into other channels.
"So what did you do to Alec, lobotomize him?" Shit, not the right thing to say. Her inner reserves break, and a tidal wave of tears flood down her cheeks.
"He's gone." That doesn't make any sense to me. Then an idea strikes me.
"Oh god Max, was that another clone? I thought he was acting bizarre." What a relief that would be, if Alec had left, to be replaced by another twin.
"No, I mean he's gone. I mean, I mean that was Alec, or it was what was left of him. I mean, shit, why is this so damned hard. Alec did something to himself, to let his training take over his personality. It's something that Manticore taught them, the ones that stayed that is. Anyway, he did this thing, and now his personality or his soul, it's gone. Now he's just some feelingless supersoldier.
Feelings rush through me at high speed. Sadness for Max's sadness, bewilderment over her story and seeming lack of coherence, and lastly, a shameful sensation of relief at having my rival disposed of so neatly.
At second thought, my position was a precarious one, this heroism might make Max idolize Alec. All those inane clichés ran through my head, absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that bull.
No, this situation could be turned to my advantage. I may not be able to lend her a shoulder to cry on, but I could provide a sympathetic ear while wining and dining her as I had done during the spring of our relationship.
Adding a little more melancholy to my expression, I lean forward. "Talk to me Max, I'll always be here for you, you know that. }{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{
The sounds of a minor explosion wake me from my deep sleep. Struggling from a tangle of blankets, I stumble across the room and fling open the door.
I'd thought that Logan would try to come to see me. What I hadn't anticipated was his obvious willingness to try to evade my personal security.
It doesn't matter, none of it does. Can't they see that? Why can't they just leave well enough alone?
I realize that Logan might need rescuing. I order his release, and send 494 away so that I can get this interview over with.
The explanation is necessary, can't leave Logan wondering. Bile chokes my throat, and I know that I am stumbling badly over my words. Somehow I must have made my meaning clear though. Now he is leaning in towards me, face glowing in sympathy.
Desperately, I wish that he would leave me alone with my thoughts. Clutching a hand to my mostly healed wound, I let out a small sigh. It is enough. With voluble wishes that I rest and heal, he finally leaves me to my solitude. }{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{
I watch the fool's parade on my imaginary tv. Anger gnaws at me as I watch the other man fawn over the goddess to whom I have sacrificed myself. The unfairness of the situation eats at my sanity. }{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{
494 held the breakfast tray, perfectly balanced across his healing arm. He stood outside his mistress's door, listening intently to the conversation within. The man, the Mr. Cale, was in love with his Max; he could here it in the quickening pace of the man's heart, the flaking earnestness of his voice.
It posed quite a quandary. Could the love an ordinary be good for her? Was the man a threat, despite Max's assertions of his goodness? No, a leader could afford no such distractions, let alone the kind of cloying attentions that this man seemed to offer. He had been charged with acting in Max's best interests. In his opinion, the man would have to be kept away from her.