Okay.  Here's part four.  We find everything happening all at once.  It literally is a busy day.

Not much to say about this one.  I'm upping the rating to an 'R' because of sexual situations that have reared their ugly heads.  Nothing explicit but mad passion and delirious pleasure are implied so beware.  You have been warned.  Also, I'm not up on my Ancient Minoan and my working knowledge of Sumerian dialects is quite non-existent so the few lines of the familiar language I made up will have to be close enough for Jazz.  Other than that I hope the story passes muster.

I want to thank everyone that has reviewed.  It's really fueling my ego and making this all worthwhile.  I hope everyone enjoys this chapter.  The next one will be up by Tuesday at the latest but most likely tomorrow evening.  Let me know what you think.  By the way, if someone knows where I can download a copy of the DA Seattle Sector Maps or maybe even e-mail me one I'd appreciate it.  I'm working from memory when Deck and the South Africans were tracking Max in season one.  

Enjoy!

A Busy Day

       Oh my God… I can't believe this is happening.  Of all the times this could have…

          "So that was Eva?"  Logan asked.  "I thought Lydecker killed her."

          I'm not doing this Logan.  I can't.  I won't do this to you.

          "This is going to complicate things."  Logan continued.  It appeared that he was oblivious to the turmoil within Max at the moment.  Truth be known he was far from oblivious.

          "Ya think?"  That the best you could do Maxie?  You're stronger than this.  Look at him sitting there.  He's worried about everything that just happened and all you are worried about is scratching the itch that just popped up an hour or so ago.  He smells wonderful.  He really does clean up nice.  I realized this thing was inevitable when I watched him get dressed this morning.

          "So what are we going to do about the other thing?"  Logan asked.

          I wanted to rip his clothes off the minute he put them on.  I knew then but he needed me here.  I should have sent Jondy.

          "We obviously have to deal with this."  Logan said.  I not listening Logan.  I'm smelling.  I smell that scent of yours.  This muscle in your left arm is tight and you aren't even flexing it.  My god, you taste wonderful.

          "Before there is anymore licking of my neck or nipping at my ears."  He says but I interrupt him with more.  I'll nip whatever I want to dammit.  Am I straddling him?  Looking down I see that I am.  Oh well.  He's not pushing me away.

          "Right here?"  He asks.  He's smiling though.  I know he doesn't care.  I know he wants this as much as I do.  I need this.  "We could go somewhere and do this privately."  I don't want privacy.  I want you.

          "I know you have to do this."  Logan says to me as he thrusts his tongue into my mouth.  "I know you need to get this out of your system."  I pull back and look at him.  I know I have that glazed 'shut up and do it!' thing going on in my eyes.  I want to fight it but he's not.  Why should I?  "I just want to know that you are sure you want to do it here."

          My tongue is possessed of a mind of its own.  My body presses against his trying to become a part of him.  My mind is racing with thoughts of only one thing.  Logan Cale.  My mate.  Our lips press together in the same shadows we just used against Lempkin.  Nothing else matters right now.

          A moan escapes my control.  He smiles and pushes against me.

          Nothing matters at all...

          Logan throws a stack of bills on the table and we leave quietly.  His arm is around me.  Right now I don't care about feeling safe.  Right now I want the whole world to know this man belongs to me.  It's pretty obvious with my panties sticking out of his shirt pocket.  I play with his fingers as we walk through the restaurant while everyone stares.  I know I made noise up there.  I know he made noise up there.  I also know neither of us cared while we were making those noises.

          "So is this over now?"  He asks.  I look up at him.  I still feel flushed and I've got that shiny sweaty thing going on with my face and upper body.  Glancing down, I notice the shiny swell of my cleavage.  When I look up I notice he's seeing it as well.  He's smiling.

          "The worst of it."  I admit.  It is.  I just need to get it out of my system.  Since the day I met Logan, I never wanted him to deal with this but he's done fine by me these last two times now.

          "Worst?  You're kidding right?  That wasn't bad at all."  Logan says as we walk out the door.  The hostess is staring at him with one of those looks on her face.  I can't help myself.

          He's mine.  I think switching sides and putting myself between her and Logan.  I don't think he even noticed the girl.  How could he?  "Where are we going now?"  I ask when we get outside

          "Over to the safe-house.  Sebastian had something delivered there yesterday and a courier is dropping off some related materials in about an hour."

          "What is it?"  I ask.

          "You'll see."  Logan said.  Ten minutes later we were at the safe-house.  Logan was on the phone with someone having a strange conversation.  I realized after a sentence or two that it was Sebastian.  The courier was going to be late.  Logan led me inside and there in the middle of the floor was a large wooden crate on a palette.

          "What's in it?"  Logan looks at me with a smile that becomes a grin.

          "The rumors are that Eyes Only can control hover-drones.  Those rumors aren't true."  He smiles.  "But I at least own one now."  He pulls the cover off the crate and I look inside.  It's the attack drone from Cale Industries.  "So maybe someday soon I will control the drones."

          "I thought I destroyed that thing."  I know I did.  I was there.

          "That was the prototype.  This is the full version with all the bells and whistles and flashy things."  He sounded almost happy about having this.  It wasn't typical Logan Cale to like something made simply for killing.  I realize the weight of that statement as soon as I think it.

          "It cost me a lot of money but at least I got it off the black market.  I traced the records at the company and found there were two of these completed.  The prototype was being tested and almost used on me.  The second one, this one, is the full monty."

          "What are you going to do with it?"  I can't help worrying that he might want to use it.  I wouldn't put it past him if a situation or scenario demanded it.  It's not within his nature though.

          "I'm going to lock it away in a safe place where no one will ever find it."  Logan said.  "I have everything.  I hacked what didn't have hard copy on.  I dug up every single bit of data on this monster and I'm going to make sure that no one ever knows it exists."  He wasn't smiling now.  I know what that means.

          "How are we going to do that?"  I ask.

          "We aren't."  He says.  "I'll get others on it."  He closes the box and walks to the desk against the wall.  His cell phone rings.  My cell phone rings.  "Hello."  Logan takes his call as I walk into the hall to take mine.

          "Max here."  I can't help myself.  It's not how I usually answer the phone.

          "Girl?"  Original Cindy had an inquisitive tone in her voice.  "Whassup, Boo?  That's not how you answer a phone.  You sound funky."

          "Hey Cindy, Wha'cha need?"

          "I was just wondering if you wanted to grab some lunch.  I'm delivering in sector nine near Fogle Towers and thought maybe I'd bring up some gyro's or something."  OC said.

          "We're not at the tower.  We had a meeting this morning over the Cale Industries takeover.  We're at the safe-house in sector five.  A courier is delivering something in a little while and we have to wait for it."

          "Why don't you come over for dinner tonight?"  I glanced in the door and noticed Logan was arguing with someone on the phone.  He had a look of power about him.  I was impressed.  He looked…  "Logan can whip up something yummy and…"

          "Yummy?  Did you just say yummy?"  OC asked.  "Girl?  Are you…"

          "I'll see you tonight."  I say.  I probably shouldn't have done that but Logan just gets to me.  His biceps flex as he lifts his arm and runs his fingers through his hair.  He sits down in the chair at the desk.  Leaning back, he stretches his legs out to the sides.  It's a man's posture.  He's leaning one elbow on the desk and closing up his phone call.  I walk into the room staring at his legs, following their angle at the knees…

          "That was someone I didn't expect to hear from.  He's going to call back though and I was thinking.  Since the courier is going to be late, I was wondering if you wanted to make out with me while we wait."

          That brought on a flashback and I couldn't help giggling.  I wasn't happy about infiltrating the nuclear facility but Logan needed the microchip for his legs and I would have done anything he asked me to that night.  "There are no guards here Logan.  No gates."  I smile.

          "Who said anything about guards or gates?  I asked if you wanted to make out while we wait."  Logan smiled.  I giggle.  I actually giggle this little girly noise that freaks me out.  Logan's smile widens.  He really did ask it this time.  I can't disappoint him, can I?  He reaches up and takes my hand in his as I approach.  I feel the warmth shoot up my arm and expand into the rest of my body as he pulls me onto his lap again. 

          I'm barely dressed when the courier knocks on the door.  Logan answers with just his pants on over his exo-thingy.  He hands the courier money and takes a medium sized box.  I'm only half dressed when he turns back to me.  We're both smiling as I put on his shirt.  He puts on a tank top and pulls his jacket over it.  I put my jacket on and we head out.  He's got the box under one arm and I've worked myself under the other.

          The penthouse is quiet when we get back.  No one is around.

          "Logan."  I need to talk.  I need to explain some things.

          "Are we through with this heat thing?"  He asks.  His voice is almost disappointed.

          "More or less."  I say.  "The first time I scratched.  The second time you did."  I don't need to do it again.  I want to.  I just don't need to.

          "You want to do it again?"  He asks.  I'm in his arms with my legs wrapped around his waist before he finishes the thought.  I don't need to but I want to.

          Two hours later, I roll over sliding off of Logan where I had fallen asleep and look at the clock.  Someone is pounding on the front door.  I hear other noises and realize someone is using a key.  It has to be Jondy or Cindy.  They are the only one with keys to this place.  I smile when I hear both of their voices.

          "Someone's been having sex."  Jondy says.  I groan and Logan stirs.

          "You know, she sounded funny on the phone earlier."  OC said.  "I wonder if she's in heat again."

          "She could be.  It's about that time for her."  Jondy said.

          "What are they talking about?"  Logan mumbled.

          "Us."  I answer.  "I'm going to take a shower."

          "I'll join you."  Logan says.  I can't resist him.  Not like this.  I go turn the hot water on and he rolls in a minute later just as his cell rings.  He looks at me and I look at him.  The shower is going to have to be quick. 

          "Hello."  I answer the phone.  It's Lempkin.

          "This is Pierpont Lempkin."  He demands to speak to Logan.  I demand that he be more polite.  He argues and calls me a bunch of unflattering names so I make fun of his name and switch off Logan's phone.

          Almost an hour later Logan rolls into the living room.  I follow him and find Original Cindy and Jondy having a conversation with Krit and Syl.  OC looks up at me.  Jondy looks at Logan.

          "You two had sex."  Krit says.

          "Is it out of your system?"  Syl asks.

          "Do all of you know about this?"  Logan asked.  They nod the affirmative.

          "We just got here."  Krit explains.  "Jondy told us you two were making quite a racket in the john."

          I feel my face flush with embarrassment.  Logan is his usual calm self, just a little more fidgety than I'm used to seeing him.  I reach down and touch his shoulder.  The warmth is still there but the last few hours have covered the immediate need.

          "KRIT!"  Syl slaps him on the shoulder.  "That's crude."  She says.

          "Thanks, Syl."

          "So how many times did you guys do it?"  OC asks.  "Never mind.  Don't answer that.  I don't want to know.  Someone dropped this package off a little while ago at Jam Pony.  Max, it was Lydecker."  She hands the package to Logan.  He opens it and reads a couple of pages.  I read them with him.

          "Lydecker?"  Jondy looks at OC.  "Are you serious?"

          "He called me this morning and asked for information about something called RCF something or other.  I told him I'd look into it.  He was abrupt.  I wasn't exactly polite."  Logan tipped the box and a digital camera dropped into his lap with a couple of discs.  He wheeled over to his rig in the office and started to hook up the camera.  I went to his bedroom and grabbed his phone.  Logan traces all his phone calls through his cell so it is easy to find Deck's number.  It was the one he received when OC called me.

          I dial his phone and he answers on the first ring.

          "Yes."

          "What the hell are you trying to pull?"  I demand.

          "Hello Max.  I trust the package arrived with your friend."  He asks.  "Has Logan had a chance to look over that information?"

          "Yes."  I tell him.  "He's still looking it over.  What are those pictures all about?  I want to know what the hell is going on."

          "Everything is on the discs I sent with the digital camera.  Logan will know what to do with it."  Deck explains.  I hear noise in the background.  I hear someone talking and some sporadic gunfire.  "I've got a situation here in sector six.  I have to go."  He announced before disconnecting the call.

          "LYDECKER!"  I shout his name and everyone looks at me.  I look at Logan.  "He said he had a situation in sector six.  I heard gunfire."  Logan nods reaching for the phone on his desk.

          "Alec and Biggs were on that side of town, today."  OC offers her info to help.

          "The four of you get over there.  Cindy can stay here with me."  He pulls the phone to his ear as I run to the bedroom to get my leather on.  "Yeah, Alec.  It's Logan.  I need you to find Biggs and head over to sector six.  Max just spoke with Colonel Lydecker and she heard gunfire in the background…"

          I tuned Logan out and put my game face on.  I couldn't believe I was running out the door to go save this man from whatever crap he got himself into.  Krit, Syl and Jondy followed me and we took the stairs because it was faster than the elevator.  Jondy took Syl and Krit rode with me.  We buzzed traffic and headed out of sector nine into eight before heading into sector six.  There were several unconscious gang members lying around.  Most were with Ridin' 40.  I recognized some of them.  A few hundred yards away there was a gunfight going on but it had nothing to do with the gang wars in the sector.

          I watched while Krit stashed my bike with Jondy's.  Syl was standing beside me.  "There's Alec."  I say.  He rolls out from behind a car, fires off a round dropping a heavily armored soldier, then disappears behind it instantly.  Very smooth.  I can see others fighting these armored soldiers.  There seems to be a group lightly armored and less heavily outfitted fighting them.  Jondy and Krit run up.

          "What's the plan?"  Krit asked.

          "Is that Biggs?"  Jondy asked.  I look where she is pointing.  Biggs rolls out from the others side of the same car Alec was behind and fires off a burst at one of the soldiers.  A second one is trained on him.  A third is moving toward the car but is still thirty seconds from the car and she is taking fire, too much fire to be standing.  The others notice as well

          "What the hell?"  Syl is as confused as I am.  "She just took about eight bullets directly into her armor and didn't even flinch.  Did you see that?"

          "We all saw it."  Jondy said.

          "Jondy.  You're with me.  Krit, Syl.  Move around and catch up to Biggs over there."  I watch as a hand reaches out and grabs Biggs.  I can barely make out Deck's head at the front of the car as he takes one in the arm.  I see a fourth moving toward them as Biggs sprints off toward the larger group of the troops a second later.  "Go get him."

          Jondy and I move around the perimeter of the battle and make our way toward Deck's position.  Alec dives over the car and runs into the combat arena with a last glance to Deck.  I can see nothing but a soldier approaching his position.  I charge with Jondy right beside me.

          The adrenaline fuels my movements and I charge the burned out husk of a car Deck's using for cover.  Gunfire sounds from behind the car as one of the soldiers approaches.  I see the body fall and hear an angry gasp from Lydecker.  I run faster.

          "I can see her approach.  She can see me.  She looks down and smiles preparing to fire.  I see Jondy charging in from an odd angle as I jump for the top of the car.  When I land, Deck is weaponless and wounded.  The bitch in front of him is squeezing the trigger.  Continuing forward I kick high and hard aiming for her nose.  Jondy races in from the side and dives over the colonel pulling him out of the way as the bullets rip into the car where his upper body had just been.

          An angry scream roars out of the Amazon's throat as I kick hard, square into the center of her face.  Using my momentum and her momentary stunned stance, I spin in the air and kick her in the back of the head as I land, facing Deck.  She crashes forward over her partner's dead body.  Deck picks up his rifle and shoots her twice in the neck before she has a chance to react.

          Jondy pulls Deck out from under them and I kneel down to check his wounds.  He tells me it hurts but he'll live.  I'm not so sure about that.  The ricochet was close to his kneecap.  He may not walk again.

          "Go.  I'm fine.  You have to stop them."

          "Who are they?"  I demand answers.  Deck hands me a patch he took from the other one.  I look at it.  "Phalanx?  What the hell is the Phalanx?"

          "I don't know.  The Fifth Column must survive.  They have all the answers."  Deck said.  "Now go."

          I look at him for only a second before Jondy grabs me and we head off.  I survey the area as we run.  Jondy drops and rolls in mid stride coming up beside me with a rifle in her arms checking the clip as we run.  "There's another one."  She points to it but I ignore it.  She knew I would.

          Biggs is coming up on my right.  Alec is about twenty feet away.  "Six!"  Biggs shouts at Alec.  Alec growls as I run past.  He drops another one.  I hear Alec shouting the number four behind me.

          A Phalanx warrior is wounded and down on one knee in front of me.  I'm approaching fast.  He's raising his gun to shoot the other guy standing in front of him clutching at his stomach.  I grab and twist his neck relishing in the loud pop as his necks snaps.  Jondy opens fire on a position spraying two Phalanx warriors in a hail of gunfire.

          "Clip."  She shouts and I grab the nearest weapon throwing it to her.  She drops hers and catches the new rifle just in time to open up on some other giant female looking thing.  Biggs is behind me now.  Alec is approaching fast.

          "Shoot the neck."  Alec shouts.  "It's exposed!"

          "No shit, Sherlock."  Jondy shouts.  "It'd be easier if they weren't moving around so much."

          I looked around and noticed there were only three left standing.  Two Phalanx and one of them was falling. The third guy was tall and wrapped in black and grey.  Biggs and Alec moved in on the two soldiers.  They lined up on either side of the tall guy facing off against the last standing Phalanx warrior.

          "Fe'nos Tol."  The tall guy said.

          "Me tubi irit beney."  The Phalanx warrior spit on the ground at the tall guys feet.

          "You're choice."  The tall guy muttered and pulled the trigger.  Bullets ripped into the warrior's head and he died instantly.  "It would have to be this way."  He muttered before looking at me and the rest.

          "Who are you?"  I ask.

          "I am Jon Cooper."  He said.  "I was a member of the board of directors of TDNet before the dissension among my people forced a separation in our ranks.  We are at war now."

          "War?"  Jondy asked.  "What war?"

          "The silent war."  He said.  "My people are thousands of years old.  We have lived peacefully throughout most of our history.  There was only one other time in which we fought our own kind.  It almost destroyed this planet.  We will not let this happen again."

          "Who are you?"  Biggs demands.  "What exactly do you mean by your people?"

          "I am a leader of the Fifth Column.  We are fighting this war to protect all of humanity.  Ourselves, the humans and even the transgenics."  He smiles.  "We will not let them win.  We cannot let them win."

          "How do you know about us?"

          "We know everything."  He said as a helicopter roared over a building and hovered overhead.  A rope dropped in front of him.  He wrapped it tightly around his arm and the chopper moved up and away pulling him and his mystery with him.  I watched for a minute before remembering Deck.

          "What the hell was that about?"  Jondy asked.

          "You know as much as we do."  Alec said.  "The Phalanx arrived before The Colonel could get his questions answered.  We weren't in the motel room two minutes before they showed up and the Phalanx Warriors showed up just minutes later in those hummers over there."

          "Let's go get the Colonel."  Max said.  We headed back over to Deck's position.  He was slumped over against the car.  "He's unconscious."  I noticed.

          "The bleeding has stopped in his leg."  Krit said.  "We should get him a transfusion though.  He's lost a lot of blood."

          "Take him back to Logan's.  He has equipment there for a transfusion.  We can use it and get some questions answered when he comes around.  Krit.  Go with them and give them a hand.  Syl, Jondy and I will search the bodies and meet you back at Logan's."  I say.  "It's getting dark so take him up in the service elevator and carry him the last few flights to Logan's.  We don't want to draw any attention to the penthouse or us."

          As I walk around I can't help wondering what he meant by his 'people.'  They seem human.  They look human and they certainly bleed like the rest of us.  My cell phone beeps Logan's number and I feel my body relax just a bit at the sound of his voice.

          "Hey Max."  He says.  "Are you okay?"

          "Fine.  You?"  I ask.  I know he is.  The penthouse is secure.

          "Yeah.  What happened?"

          "Alec, Biggs and Krit are bringing Lydecker back.  He needs a transfusion but he'll live.  We're all okay but there is something going on.  There are two groups.  One called the Fifth Column and apparently their mortal enemies are called…"

          "The Phalanx."  Logan finished for me.  "It's on Deck's discs.  These guys, both groups are dangerous.  They belong to an ancient cult of some kind.  I'm still researching all that Deck gave me but you have to get out of there.  I'm led to believe there will be a crew in to clean the battleground."  I should have known that Logan would have more information about this than I did.  That's why he's the brains and I'm the…

          "Someone's coming."  I whisper.  Three trucks are pulling across the sector.  I snap my fingers and Jondy and Syl disappear.  I duck and run for cover.  "Got to go."  I say.  The warmth of the link we share leaves a small void but I have learned to use it, to channel that energy into something.  The phone is tucked away as I see several men and women moving in to clean the battlefield.  They are efficient and thorough although quite oblivious.  It is easy for me to move away from them and head back to the bikes where I meet up with Jondy and Syl.  We are on the road and out of the sector in minutes.

          The warmth and comfort of the penthouse washes over me as we enter.  The first thing I hear is Logan arguing on the phone.

          "I don't care."  He snickers at someone on the other end.  I walk into the office and lean my hip against his shoulder.  He wraps his arm around my waist and hugs me close.  "It doesn't matter what you want.  My father built Cale Industries and I will not let you have it, Pierpont."  He said.  "End of story."  He listened for a minute or two.  He laughed.  He looked up at me and I smiled.  I could hear Lempkin complaining about the things I said to him this morning.

          "I don't really care.  I own the business now.  You don't.  You're Mother lost the Marcastle account to my Dad and now you are losing the takeover to me.  Cale Industries stays within the Cale family.  Deal with it."

          I reached down and took the phone from Logan.  He laughed as he pulled me into his lap.  I laughed into the phone instead of saying what I had intended to say.  The laughter would have the same effect.  When I disconnect the call, Logan kisses me.

          "You know Eva's going to be here tonight."  I tell him.  I know he knows.  We expect her.

          "I know."  He says.  "With everyone here though, she may not go through with it."

          "She will."  I say.  "How can she not?  The business day closes tomorrow and you will be in control of Cale Industries.  She has to attempt the hit tonight."

          "Do you think this will be another assassination attempt?"  He asks me.

          "What do you mean by another?"  I ask him.

          "Never mind.  We'll be prepared for her arrival."  Logan smiles.  His choice of words haunts me.

          "Krit and Syl could watch the rooftop and report when she is drawing near.  We can move everyone into the office and wait for her arrival and when she drops in the sunroof then we can surprise her."  Logan nods at my plan.  I smile and kiss him again.  "I'll fill in the others.  How's Deck?"

          "He's unconscious.  Original Cindy has Biggs transfusing him now.  Krit already gave him a pint."  Logan explained.  "He should be up later tonight.  We can talk to him then.  Did you learn anything new?"

          "Not really.  They seem two sides of the same group.  Opposing forces within a larger force."  I give him the only answer I have.  Alec wanders in.

          "Can't help but eavesdrop on you two."  Alec says.  I roll my eyes and push myself off of Logan.  Logan sighs.  He's so cute when he can't hold me close.  Kind of like a little boy losing his toy… I groan to myself.  It must be the heat.  I just referred to myself as a toy for a rich boy.  At least he's a hot one.  I smile and reach out to touch him.

          "MAX!"  Alec yells breaking my reverie.  "Are you listening?"

          "Not really.  I need a shower."  I say.  "You two figure this bitch out and fill me in later."  I walk away listening to Alec and Logan.

          "What's wrong with her?"  Alec asks. 

          "She's in heat."  Syl says.  "What were those soldiers and who do they work for?"

          "She's in heat?"  Alec asked.  He looked at Logan.  "Lucky bastard."  He said.

          I closed the bathroom door not wanting to hear anything else about my freaky DNA.  I'm just glad I'm finally comfortable sharing it with Logan and that he can deal with it.  I smile looking myself over in the mirror as I remove my clothes.  He can deal with it quite well for… well, Logan is no mere mortal.

          The shower nailed the anomalous feeling perfectly and I was completely refreshed when I returned to the busy late afternoon penthouse atmosphere to see what was going on.  There seemed to be some sort of argument in progress.  The apartment smelled fantastic and I found Logan in the kitchen stirring a giant pan full of homemade tomato sauce.

          "What's up?"  I ask Logan.

          "Alec and Biggs can't decide who killed who."  Logan snickered.  I laugh.  I remember them counting down bodies as I ran in there toward the end of the battle.

          "Biggs was ahead if I remember correctly."  I say.

          "You do."  Jondy said.  "Six to four."

          "You mean out of twenty or so troops, Biggs and Alec can account for half of them?"  Logan asks.

          "Yes."  I answer him.  I knew where he was going with this.  It was impressive considering… "What do we know about this Phalanx and The Fifth Column?"

          "Not much.  They appear to be a part of some seven thousand year old cult or some such.  I've got Sebastian digging through files trying to find out what he can.  He's got some of his university contacts working on it as well and I'm waiting for responses."  Logan explains, on top of things as usual.  He's got an apartment full of genetically enhanced super-soldiers arguing over who killed who.  He's fighting a straight up corporate war against his life-long enemy.  He is himself the great and powerful Eyes Only, an enemy of the state and savior of the human race and here he stands in the kitchen making enough homemade spaghetti sauce to feed an army.  I can't help myself as I wrap my arms around him.

          "Where do you find the time to do all of this?"  I ask.

          "Do all of what?"  He asks me.

          "Early yesterday we were leaving for a four day getaway into the mountains and today you are dealing with a corporate takeover, a seven thousand year old link to some cult, the possibility that an x-5 assassin may have been hired by…"  Oh my god.  I forgot all about the assassins Matt warned us about.  "Logan.  The escapees from Langford.  I forgot about them."

          "You know.  They slipped my mind as well."  Logan said.  "I've had so much going on these last several hours that I didn't think about them.  I'll follow up on that after I finish dinner."

          "No need to, son."  Everyone turned at the sound of his voice.  Colonel Lydecker was rolling out of the bedroom in Logan's wheelchair.  I'll have to remember to change the covers.  "The assassin's that escaped from Langford were not actually prisoners.  They were part of the team my boys have been hunting."

          "What exactly do you mean?"  Logan asked.  He handed me the spoon as everyone gathered around Lydecker near the hall on the edge of the kitchen.  I was watching Deck until Original Cindy walked over and pulled the spoon from my hand.  She continued stirring the sauce like Logan had intended me to do.

          "Thanks, OC."

          "You got business, suga."  She said.  "I've got dinner."

          "My teams tracked a group moving into LA ten days ago.  They came in off of a boat out of Mexico posing as crew.  They arrived and hit a Homeland Security squad busting gang wars in old Hollywood.  One of my team was staying in the area and contacted me about the hit.  He stayed with them until they secured FBI credentials before moving north to Seattle.

          We picked them up in Frisco and tracked them to Langford.  They split up there and my team moved on three of them.  I lost eleven of my men in that fight.  There were only three of them.  It's how I found out about RCF and the cult's activities In this sector.  I sent the documents to Logan in case anything happened to me but when I got to sector six where the soldiers were staying, Fifth Column had already taken them out."  Deck finished his explanation.

          "What is Fifth Column?"  Jondy asked.

          "I don't know.  They are involved with the cult somehow.  I think they are the good guys.  My people are working on blood samples we got from the three we took out yesterday.  I have a contact inside of the cult who can help but he's hard to track down."

          "Maybe I can help."  Logan said.  "What's his name?"

          "His name is not important.  I can find him if and when I need to."  Deck said.  "He's in hiding at this time and must remain there.  His life depends on it.  What we need to figure out is where this Phalanx is operating from."

          "I've got my people on it right now."  Logan said.  "I put the word out on the IN and Eyes Only's people are looking into it.  He's taken a personal interest in the case."  Logan said.  I looked around the room.  I was pretty sure that everyone in here knew Logan was Eyes Only or at least suspected but I wasn't going to bring it up.  Neither Renfro nor Manticore could get his identity from me.  I wasn't about to just spill it to everyone I knew.

          "So who's this guy looking to hire professional assassin's to hire you?"  I ask him.  "Matt and Sebastian both told us there may be a professional hit on you, Logan."  Logan reached out and took my hand in his.  Some lingering effects of my feline DNA came screaming back to me.  Maybe it was just the thought of losing Logan.  Whatever it was I found my hand squeezing his a little harder than necessary.  He squeezed back.

          "I put out word yesterday after I talked to Sebastian.  The man he spoke of is Warren Martino.  He's a local crime lord and an old friend of both Mayor Steckler and Edgar Sonrisa.  He's trying to rebuild what I took from both of them.  I've already got someone inside digging up information.  He's not worth worrying about right now."  Logan assured me with a squeeze from his hand.

          "Didn't we do the Sonrisa thing over a year ago?"  I ask.  I have a perfect memory.  I know we did.

          "Yeah.  But you take down one criminal and two more take his place.  You have to wait until they battle it out before you can go after the winner and take out the real bad guy."  Logan said.

          "You two took down Edgar Sonrisa and Mayor Steckler?"  Lydecker asked.

          "Sort of."  I say.  I can see the recognition on the Colonel's face.  He realizes for the first time that I am the one carrying the girl out of there that night.  "It was me."

          "With the girl…"  He says.  I smile.  "Good work.  I'm impressed.  I've always been impressed with you kids but that was outstanding work, Max.  I wasn't sure that was you but now that I know.  I'm proud of you."  He said.  That left me with a strange sort of weird relief.  It felt good, yet creepy to know that the Colonel was proud of me for walking right in front of him with the girl in my arms.  I felt a chill run down my spine and needed to change the subject.

          "So we don't need to worry about Martino?  What else do we know about this cult and their two warring factions?"  I ask.

          "Nothing.   At least, not until my contacts get back to me on this cult's history."  Logan said.  "I haven't had time to study the three discs the Colonel sent me but after he gets some rest maybe we can both go over them and figure some things out.  I figure we'll be seeing our guest soon so we should eat."

          "Well, it's a good thing dinner is ready, then."  Original Cindy said behind us.  "Grab a plate and dig in."  She walked over and handed a small plate to the Colonel.

          "You're the courier from Jam Pony."  He noticed.

          "Original Cindy's the name.  Use it wisely."  She smiled offering him the parmesan first.

          "Thank you."  He said.  "Thanks for everything today."  He smiled.  She smiled back.  I notice they are hitting it off.  I assume it's a military thing since they both worked Special Operations in the army in their time.  I can't help wondering if Colonel Lydecker has a clue about her training.

          "This is good."  Jondy said.  "Another Cale masterpiece."  She said.  I smile.  Alec and Biggs were arguing again.  This time it was about meatballs and some girl named Bambi.  I noticed Krit fixed Syl a plate before getting one for him.  I stepped in and grabbed a plate.  OC walked up and reached for a plate so I handed her mine and took hers for Logan.  When I turned, I realized he was gone.  I caught a glimpse of Lydecker wheeling into the office.

          I headed into the office just as someone knocked at the door.  I opened it and see CeCe standing there.

          "Is Logan here?"  She asked.

          "He is."  I pointed to the office and secured the door.  I followed her into the room.  She stopped short as soon as she noticed Lydecker.  She was almost frozen in place.

          "What did you find out, CeCe?"  Logan asked.  Lydecker checked his plate and wheeled out of the room.  I noticed he hooked up with Original Cindy in the kitchen and they started talking.  "CeCe?"  Logan said her name again.

          "I…"  She stopped and looked out to the kitchen.  "I'm sorry, Logan.  I didn't expect to see him."

          "None of us did, but he's here.  What did you get?"

          "I got the wiretap you asked for.  The link is in place so you can listen whenever you want.  It was weird though."

          "Explain weird."  Logan said.

          "Two men wrapped in black, soldiers, apparently twins, walked in and started to speak in a strange language.  I know my military facts and I excelled in language back in Manticore.  I speak twenty-three different languages and can understand over two hundred dialects.  This wasn't a squad patch I'm familiar with and I've never even heard the language before."  She produced a disc and handed it to Logan.  "I recorded it for you."

          He pushed it into the reader and we listened.

          "Fe'nos tol."  CeCe identified that voice as Warren Martino.  "Condu tiri nos tudunno."

          "Condu midira dutira.  For our father and his father before him."  CeCe identified as the twin soldiers he was meeting with.

          "Why have you come here?"  Martino asked.

          "The Manticore Colonel.  He got to our squad."  One of them said.

          What about your back-up?"

          "Fifth Column intercepted them at the rendezvous in sector six.  The Colonel was there as well with a squad of those transgenics.  Fifth Column sent in a cleaning crew to sweep the area.  There's one more thing."

          "What is it?"  Martino asked.

          "She was there."

          "Who?"

          "X5-452."

          "452." A third voice spoke up for the first time.  I recognized it.  Jondy recognized it.  Logan did, too.

          "I don't know who that was.  I couldn't see him from my location."  CeCe said.  She looked worried that she had screwed up.

          "That's okay.  We know who he is."  I said.

          "You do?"  She asked.  I noticed the others had entered the office to listen to the recording.  Even the Colonel and Original Cindy were standing there.

          "Ames White."  Jondy said.