Smoke & Mirrors by Star24

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are property of Twentieth Century Fox and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is property and copyright 2003 Star24.

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Chapter Five

Max's Crib – next morning

Max stretched lazily as the morning sun hit her eyes.  "Ouch." She grimaced as her shoulder gave a slight pop.  Looking down she could see the bruises and scratches on her arms and legs from her rough trip through the woods.  As she sat on the edge of the bed and looked around for some clothes, a familiar voice intruded on her.

"You're a sight, and Original Cindy has gotta say, not exactly a pretty one. There's hot water waitin' in the bathtub with your name on it – why don't cha take a nice long soak?" Original Cindy was smiling at her from the doorway.

Max smiled back. "Sounds like a slice of heaven. Thanks, boo. Hey, you don't happen to have any shaving foam?" She looked ruefully at her bare legs. "Manticore wasn't exactly big on the girly arts."

Original Cindy laughed, "Get your ass in the tub and I'll see what I can find." With that she left Max who headed for the bathroom and the promised hot bath.

* * *

"…so anyway  you shoulda seen Normal's face yesterday when he realized it was my girl back again. Looked like he was gonna have a heart attack and drop on the spot."  Original Cindy was talking to someone as Max opened the door of the bathroom and headed for her room.  She was wrapped only in a towel, and as she came into view of the living room, she heard someone take in a deep breath at her appearance.

"Max."  The voice was male and husky, and sent a quick shiver down her spine. She stopped dead, and for a moment she stood there, seemingly confused. Shaking it off she looked over to see who was sitting on the battered sofa.  He was tall, even seated that was obvious, with dark blondish hair that was in need of a cut, and what looked like several days growth of beard.  Behind glasses his eyes were an intense blue, or maybe gray, it was hard to tell since the color shifted even as she watched.

"Logan?" The name came into her head unbidden. "What are you doing here?"

He had started to rise to come toward her, but at her words he sank back down and a look of disappointment crossed his face. He quickly shuttered it and smiled at her, saying a bit too casually, "I was in the neighborhood and managed to score some fresh hot cinnamon rolls, so I figured I'd share them with Original Cindy.  She was just telling me that you were back."

Despite his casual tone, he was staring at her intensely as if waiting for a reaction to his presence, and suddenly she was keenly aware of the skimpiness of her covering.  Glancing down she pulled the towel a bit more tightly around herself.  Her movement drew his attention, and his eyes swept over her body before coming back up to meet hers. As their eyes met, Max flushed slightly, and with a murmured excuse she quickly turned and headed into her room.

"Whew, it suddenly got kinda hot in here." Original Cindy observed sarcastically. "What happened to playing it cool and givin' her time?"

Logan looked at her helplessly, "Do you have any idea how hard it was for me not to go to her just now?"  His voice was low and the tension he felt was evident.

"So maybe you shoulda. Maybe you layin' a lip lock on her is exactly what she needs to remember ya?  Original Cindy isn't much for hidin' things from her boos, and accordin' to the view from here, you two spent way too much time hidin' from each other already."

Logan ran a hand through his hair, "And maybe if I did what you said, she'd kick my ass into next week and I'd never see her again. I don't understand the Manticore memory techniques well enough to know for sure, and I won't take that chance. I've waited this long, I can wait a bit longer. Look, I better go. Tell her I'll see her later if she wants."  Before Cindy could respond, he rose and was out the door, letting it close sharply behind him.

* * *

"So, Logan, how'd you manage to score fresh cinnamon rolls?" Max called out as she emerged from the bedroom a few minutes later. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and a midriff skimming navy blue t-shirt.

"Boy had to run but he left you some goodies." Original Cindy answered gesturing towards the counter.

"Oh." Max sounded disappointed. She ambled over and picked up a roll, biting into it and smiling at the sweet taste. "Mmmm. Didn't get these at Manticore either. Where'd he run off to in such a hurry?"

"He didn't lay the 411 on Original Cindy, but he said he'd see you later if you wanted."

Max brightened at that, "Yeah maybe I can stop by his place at…" She stopped, at a loss, and then looked in puzzlement at Original Cindy.

"You don't remember where he lives?"

"No." Max wrinkled her forehead. "I know I should. I mean I remember being at his place, but I can't remember where it is. I know Manticore was playin' tricks with my head while I was there but you'd think I'd remember that. I remember you and Jam Pony and the rest of the gang…Weird…"

Cindy didn't comment on Max's erratic memory.  "He hangs out at Fogle Towers, boo. The penthouse."

Max let out a whistle. "How'd I manage to hook up with a hot boy from the right side of the tracks?"

"Dunno. You never gave me the skinny. Just introduced him one night in Crash." Original Cindy paused and then probed, "so you do think he's hot?"

Max grinned, "Like what female wouldn't? C'mon OC, I mean I know you swing the other way, but you always had an eye for a fine lookin man. Strictly observational, I know."

"Yeah. He's hot aiight. Just never heard you admit it before except…" Original Cindy stopped, not sure if she should go on.

"Except when?" Max was clearly curious.

"Except that time you were feelin' your feline hormones and had to go do some errand or somethin' with him. You didn't think you were gonna make it without jumpin' his bones that night. Don't you remember?"

"Hmmm, it's kind of there but hazy." Max frowned. "So I guess I made it without jumpin' his bones. Don't think I'd forget that."

"S'posedly nothin' went down. At least according to you." 

Max was silent. A slow smile spread across her face.

"What you lookin' like the cat that swallowed the canary about?" Cindy asked suspiciously.

"Maybe its time I got to know Logan Cale a bit better." With that she bit down into her roll and silence fell as Max ate, and Original Cindy sat lost in her thoughts.

Fogle Towers – later that day

Max slipped the lock pick back into her pocket and slowly eased open the door to Logan's apartment.  It was a gray day, and this late in the afternoon the apartment was dim, except for the flickering blue glow coming from a room to her right.

Max slipped inside and headed toward the light.

"…this research has gone on for the past twenty years funded by taxpayer money. Manticore, as the facility is known…"

Max froze at the word Manticore.  She eased herself down the hallway and peered into the room that was the source of the light and the voice.  Logan was sitting in front of a bank of computers speaking into a headset as he looked into a camera. He wasn't wearing his glasses. On the monitor in front of him, his eyes appeared, encased in a streaming red, white and blue banner.

"…this has been a Streaming Freedom Video. Peace. Out." Logan stopped speaking and reached forward to the keyboard. 

Max quickly retreated to the front door and let herself out as silently as she had entered.

End of Chapter 4