Diclaimer: chapter 1
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EP2 CHAPTER 2: COUNTRY ROAD
JOSHUA'S PLACE
Max got up from a "guest bedroom" that Logan concocted up in Joshua's place. They were to leave the city this morning for Montana. She showered and dressed before Logan woke up. Deciding that she had better make herself useful, Max started loading their supplies to the Aztec.
Logan woke up wincing, careful not to over exert his abdomen so as to keep the stitches from his bullet wound firm. Even after two weeks, he is still not completely healed. What happened last night. It was the first time that he and Max shared that kind of companionable silence in months. Ever since the virus. they are going to find a cure for it.
Max has just finished loading the Aztec when Logan emerged from his room, bathed and carrying his traveling bag on one arm. Clad in his leather jacket, turtleneck shirt and a pair of jeans, Logan proceeded to cook some bacon and eggs for breakfast as well as blueberry pancakes and grapefruit juice.
"Hmmm!" Max said as she went and propped herself on the table, wearing jean jacket, black turtleneck similar to Logan's and her jeans. "I see you're all set."
Taking the pancakes from the pan, Logan replied. "Uhuh. Just gotta finish with this breakfast and we're off to Montana."
Max reached out for the plate from Logan, their hands touched briefly as the plate was passed from one to the other. They look at each other for a few seconds as they stared into their gloved hands. Then, Max pulled the plate with a bit more force and Logan let go.
"We gotta get going soon. We can't afford to leave after the sun rises." Was all Max could say as she tried to calm her nerves down after that brief touch with Logan. They have not even touched each other - techinically coz of the gloves - and yet her blood is boiling!
All Logan could say was, "Yeah," as he tried to calm himself down from that brief touch. He needs for them to go and leave soon to get some fresh air into his Max-clogged brain.
AZTEC
Driving along the countryside, Logan looked at Max knowing that the silence now was due to Max fidgeting with her hands as she thought of something that's been bugging her.
"What's up?" Logan asked.
Max looked at Logan. She knew she had not so much as uttered an uneven breath so how could the man know something's bothering her?"
"Need to tell me about it?" Logan asked another time, taking another glance at Max. Max merely looked blankly at Logan.
"Huh?"
"What you are thinking about. You look like you want to ask for something."
"Well." clearing her throat -
*Uh oh! Here it comes again!* Logan thought. He knew what was coming was another confession of some sort. She did that too when she told him about Alec - and the lie. He looked pointedly at her, "Max."
"You never told me. 'bout you not hooking up with the exo." Max looked intently on Logan.
"Guess I never had the chance." Logan said as he looked onto the road. Max silently acknowledge the hidden meaning behind those words. Since she had been avoiding him and with the lie. she didn't know how Logan would have been able to tell her. Still, it was a big deal - to him, at least - and he never told her about it.
As Logan drove, he kept thinking of how different this was. Almost 2 years ago, when he had decided to surprise Max with the exo, he had been very excited about it. Back then, he even prepared for it to be surprise for their first anniversary of meeting each others. Now, he doesn't even know if Max remembered that they've known each other for two years - two years on the day she had discovered the runes on her. it wasn't the time to celebrate anything. except. Max had entered his life 2 years ago and it still means a lot to him - yes even with Alec. better yet, even with the lie about Alec. So why didn't he invite her for dinner? He may be crashing at Joshua's, but that's no excuse! .the lie .always the lie. He looked towards Max before returning his eyes on the road. Finally, the car enters into a town.
"Finally." Was all that Max said. She continued to look out the window and couldn't help, but remember Cape Haven. Here in this town was another one of those big clocks. It was, like any other device after the pulse, timed to 12:05. "Every time we go out on the countryside. It's like the pulse never happened," she observed.
Nodding his agreement, Logan stopped by a small hotel and then looked at Max, "We don't want any suspicions this time," he looked at her pointedly remembering the incident when they came after Rey.
"Have I ever given our mission to anyone before?" Max asked innocently, remembering fully well the incident with the hotel manager the last time they went out on the country. Logan merely continued to give her a pointed look as they went to check in the hotel.
HOTEL
Logan and Max entered the hotel, bags on hand. A man in his 50s is at the reception, watching TV. "We're here for the weekend? We've booked before." Logan looked pointedly at the man.
The man reached out his hand, "I've been expecting you. Ramon called. You're not gonna be needing those bags in here." Logan and Max looked at each other and then at the man. "Name's Frank. I'll take you to the cabin." Frank Forseblad grabbed his hat and shouted towards the back of the hotel, "Marla! I need you here at the reception. I just need to bring our two guests to the cabin!"
CABIN
Frank got out of his truck and led the way towards the cabin. Max and Logan followed him inside with their suitcases and looked around. Frank motioned around the cabin, "It's not much, but it's a roof over your heads."
Logan said courteously, "It's a nice place," as he looked over at Max.
"I'll have some groceries delivered -"
"No. That's okay. We brought supplies with us."
"If that's all, then."
Logan took out his wallet and got some cash, "Here."
Frank waves off his hand, "No. I don't -"
Logan looked at Frank, "Please, take it. for the cabin-"
"No. Really. We all do our part, son. Besides, out here in the country, we can live off in the farmland. It's you city folks that need it more."
Logan uncomfortably tries to decide whether to give the money for the cabin or keep it to prevent offending thwe man. Max took Logan's hesitation as a cue, "We'd like to thank you for all your help, Frank." She looked pointedly at Logan, who seemed to come out of his reverie.
"Uh. yes, thank you." He offered his hand and shook the older man's.
"I'd best be leaving you, then. Marla left the linens in the bedroom." Frank walked towards the door.
"Wait!" max called out, stopping Frank in his tracks.
"Uh. is there a. guest bedroom?"
Frank smiled at that and nodded, "There is, my dear and it has already been arranged for you."
"Uh. thanks. We really appreciate it." At that, Frank left the cabin and once again Max and Logan were left alone.
LATER
Logan fixed lunch while Max went and donned on her cat suit, ski mask to hold her hair in place and her gloves as she made the bed in Logan's room. Having finished, she went and sat on the stool beside the kitchen counter. Logan placed a salad from the fridge, steamed fish with lemon sauce, herbed bread baked to perfection, swiss cheese, and various fruits arranged artistically for dessert. He smiled at Max's wide eyes.
Motioning to the food, Max asked in wonder, "Where'd you get all these?"
Logan merely smiled, handed down their plates and utensils, went towards the fridge for the last time and brought with him 2 glasses and a pre-pulse white wine. He sat down at looked at Max, "Told you I have my sources!" He grinned.
"That you do, Logan. that you do."
Turning to their meal, Max and Logan savored the food before them.
"I was looking out the window while I was fixing the rooms, I saw some horses running about on the other side of the lake. Is that -?"
"Must be. I don't know any other ranch within this place. Besides, Clemente did say that the place he got was near the ranch. Now, how near this place is if we go around the lake is another matter."
"I could go there tonight -"
"Too risky, Max." Max looked at Logan pointedly. He amended, "If you had seen some people manning the horses we could always pretend to be tourists interested in them. though Clemente did say it was abandoned."
"Better start on it soon. We don't have much time to waste."
Logan sighed, "Right. There's always the possibility that some people took over - seeing how abandoned it is nad everything. We'll go out right after lunch. I'll let you out before we reach the ranch and I'll drive to the place alone. We can't be too careful."
"After all, Logan Cale never lets a mission be compromised." Max said, slightly teasing Logan.
"Hmmm." was all Logan could say, looking at Max and then eating the food on his place.
RANCH
Logan stopped the car just before the road turned towards the ranch. Max got out and was about to run into the trees her denim jacket covering her barcode aside from her long hair, when Logan called out, "Max!"
She stopped and turned towards Logan, walking back to the car and bracing herself on the window as she bend and asked, "Yeah?" Logan was about to speak when Max cut him, knowing fully well what he intended to say, "I know. Be careful." She smiled, "Always am." With that, she left Logan who was starting to grin inside the Aztec.
Logan then started towards the path into the ranch as Max ran her way through the trees surrounding it. She had to get there before Logan reaches the ranch to ensure that everything was in order. *What was it with Logan and his 'be careful' stint? It's not as if she couldn't take care of herself. Well, considering the past year, Logan does have a cause to want her to be more careful What with the familiars and everything.? Still it was a great feeling knowing that someone. Don't go there now, Max!*
Logan's blood was pumping as he tried to suppress the desire to speed up and find out the information he needed to find Sandeman. He needed to give Max the time to scan the ranch before he reach it. "Max. You there?" he asked.
"I'm looking at the place now." Looks deserted, but I detect some movement in the house. Two, maybe 3 people."
"Okay. I'm heading for the turn."
"Logan."
"Yeah?"
"Be - . never mind."
"I know." Logan said in understanding. Turning towards the ranch, Logan slowed the Aztec to a stop.
He got up, scanned the surroundings, knowing Max would be monitoring every movement around the area. He went and walked towards the cabin. Not knowing whether he should call out for someone or simply enter the house, Logan stood in front of the door and stared at it. Then he called out, "Anybody home? .I saw the horses." letting his sentence trail behind him. He went and opened the door, turning the knob. He went inside thinking about how well the knob turned and didn't squeak. *Somebody is in here. or has been here recently.*
He looked around the house and saw that the fireplace had recently been put out. Other than that, the house seemed to be empty. In fact it looked like there was much extra care placed in order to make it appear as thought the house is empty, which for Logan indicated just how much recently someone has been in the place. He tires his steps. He had been in the house for a good 5minutes now and he had not heard any creaks, which was odd considering that this has been abandoned for 22 years.
Logan walked up the stairs, his heart beating wildly. Logan turned towards the hallway, noticing that the doors hadn't gathered as much dust as 22 years would have indicated. He turned and opened the door as a fist collided with his face.
------------ Author's Notes: I put up a web page for the fic: http://www.geocities.com/drey_c21/index.html. Go to FICTION DARK ANGEL FICTION. Thanks to NATTERS and JOJO for their prompt reviews.
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EP2 CHAPTER 2: COUNTRY ROAD
JOSHUA'S PLACE
Max got up from a "guest bedroom" that Logan concocted up in Joshua's place. They were to leave the city this morning for Montana. She showered and dressed before Logan woke up. Deciding that she had better make herself useful, Max started loading their supplies to the Aztec.
Logan woke up wincing, careful not to over exert his abdomen so as to keep the stitches from his bullet wound firm. Even after two weeks, he is still not completely healed. What happened last night. It was the first time that he and Max shared that kind of companionable silence in months. Ever since the virus. they are going to find a cure for it.
Max has just finished loading the Aztec when Logan emerged from his room, bathed and carrying his traveling bag on one arm. Clad in his leather jacket, turtleneck shirt and a pair of jeans, Logan proceeded to cook some bacon and eggs for breakfast as well as blueberry pancakes and grapefruit juice.
"Hmmm!" Max said as she went and propped herself on the table, wearing jean jacket, black turtleneck similar to Logan's and her jeans. "I see you're all set."
Taking the pancakes from the pan, Logan replied. "Uhuh. Just gotta finish with this breakfast and we're off to Montana."
Max reached out for the plate from Logan, their hands touched briefly as the plate was passed from one to the other. They look at each other for a few seconds as they stared into their gloved hands. Then, Max pulled the plate with a bit more force and Logan let go.
"We gotta get going soon. We can't afford to leave after the sun rises." Was all Max could say as she tried to calm her nerves down after that brief touch with Logan. They have not even touched each other - techinically coz of the gloves - and yet her blood is boiling!
All Logan could say was, "Yeah," as he tried to calm himself down from that brief touch. He needs for them to go and leave soon to get some fresh air into his Max-clogged brain.
AZTEC
Driving along the countryside, Logan looked at Max knowing that the silence now was due to Max fidgeting with her hands as she thought of something that's been bugging her.
"What's up?" Logan asked.
Max looked at Logan. She knew she had not so much as uttered an uneven breath so how could the man know something's bothering her?"
"Need to tell me about it?" Logan asked another time, taking another glance at Max. Max merely looked blankly at Logan.
"Huh?"
"What you are thinking about. You look like you want to ask for something."
"Well." clearing her throat -
*Uh oh! Here it comes again!* Logan thought. He knew what was coming was another confession of some sort. She did that too when she told him about Alec - and the lie. He looked pointedly at her, "Max."
"You never told me. 'bout you not hooking up with the exo." Max looked intently on Logan.
"Guess I never had the chance." Logan said as he looked onto the road. Max silently acknowledge the hidden meaning behind those words. Since she had been avoiding him and with the lie. she didn't know how Logan would have been able to tell her. Still, it was a big deal - to him, at least - and he never told her about it.
As Logan drove, he kept thinking of how different this was. Almost 2 years ago, when he had decided to surprise Max with the exo, he had been very excited about it. Back then, he even prepared for it to be surprise for their first anniversary of meeting each others. Now, he doesn't even know if Max remembered that they've known each other for two years - two years on the day she had discovered the runes on her. it wasn't the time to celebrate anything. except. Max had entered his life 2 years ago and it still means a lot to him - yes even with Alec. better yet, even with the lie about Alec. So why didn't he invite her for dinner? He may be crashing at Joshua's, but that's no excuse! .the lie .always the lie. He looked towards Max before returning his eyes on the road. Finally, the car enters into a town.
"Finally." Was all that Max said. She continued to look out the window and couldn't help, but remember Cape Haven. Here in this town was another one of those big clocks. It was, like any other device after the pulse, timed to 12:05. "Every time we go out on the countryside. It's like the pulse never happened," she observed.
Nodding his agreement, Logan stopped by a small hotel and then looked at Max, "We don't want any suspicions this time," he looked at her pointedly remembering the incident when they came after Rey.
"Have I ever given our mission to anyone before?" Max asked innocently, remembering fully well the incident with the hotel manager the last time they went out on the country. Logan merely continued to give her a pointed look as they went to check in the hotel.
HOTEL
Logan and Max entered the hotel, bags on hand. A man in his 50s is at the reception, watching TV. "We're here for the weekend? We've booked before." Logan looked pointedly at the man.
The man reached out his hand, "I've been expecting you. Ramon called. You're not gonna be needing those bags in here." Logan and Max looked at each other and then at the man. "Name's Frank. I'll take you to the cabin." Frank Forseblad grabbed his hat and shouted towards the back of the hotel, "Marla! I need you here at the reception. I just need to bring our two guests to the cabin!"
CABIN
Frank got out of his truck and led the way towards the cabin. Max and Logan followed him inside with their suitcases and looked around. Frank motioned around the cabin, "It's not much, but it's a roof over your heads."
Logan said courteously, "It's a nice place," as he looked over at Max.
"I'll have some groceries delivered -"
"No. That's okay. We brought supplies with us."
"If that's all, then."
Logan took out his wallet and got some cash, "Here."
Frank waves off his hand, "No. I don't -"
Logan looked at Frank, "Please, take it. for the cabin-"
"No. Really. We all do our part, son. Besides, out here in the country, we can live off in the farmland. It's you city folks that need it more."
Logan uncomfortably tries to decide whether to give the money for the cabin or keep it to prevent offending thwe man. Max took Logan's hesitation as a cue, "We'd like to thank you for all your help, Frank." She looked pointedly at Logan, who seemed to come out of his reverie.
"Uh. yes, thank you." He offered his hand and shook the older man's.
"I'd best be leaving you, then. Marla left the linens in the bedroom." Frank walked towards the door.
"Wait!" max called out, stopping Frank in his tracks.
"Uh. is there a. guest bedroom?"
Frank smiled at that and nodded, "There is, my dear and it has already been arranged for you."
"Uh. thanks. We really appreciate it." At that, Frank left the cabin and once again Max and Logan were left alone.
LATER
Logan fixed lunch while Max went and donned on her cat suit, ski mask to hold her hair in place and her gloves as she made the bed in Logan's room. Having finished, she went and sat on the stool beside the kitchen counter. Logan placed a salad from the fridge, steamed fish with lemon sauce, herbed bread baked to perfection, swiss cheese, and various fruits arranged artistically for dessert. He smiled at Max's wide eyes.
Motioning to the food, Max asked in wonder, "Where'd you get all these?"
Logan merely smiled, handed down their plates and utensils, went towards the fridge for the last time and brought with him 2 glasses and a pre-pulse white wine. He sat down at looked at Max, "Told you I have my sources!" He grinned.
"That you do, Logan. that you do."
Turning to their meal, Max and Logan savored the food before them.
"I was looking out the window while I was fixing the rooms, I saw some horses running about on the other side of the lake. Is that -?"
"Must be. I don't know any other ranch within this place. Besides, Clemente did say that the place he got was near the ranch. Now, how near this place is if we go around the lake is another matter."
"I could go there tonight -"
"Too risky, Max." Max looked at Logan pointedly. He amended, "If you had seen some people manning the horses we could always pretend to be tourists interested in them. though Clemente did say it was abandoned."
"Better start on it soon. We don't have much time to waste."
Logan sighed, "Right. There's always the possibility that some people took over - seeing how abandoned it is nad everything. We'll go out right after lunch. I'll let you out before we reach the ranch and I'll drive to the place alone. We can't be too careful."
"After all, Logan Cale never lets a mission be compromised." Max said, slightly teasing Logan.
"Hmmm." was all Logan could say, looking at Max and then eating the food on his place.
RANCH
Logan stopped the car just before the road turned towards the ranch. Max got out and was about to run into the trees her denim jacket covering her barcode aside from her long hair, when Logan called out, "Max!"
She stopped and turned towards Logan, walking back to the car and bracing herself on the window as she bend and asked, "Yeah?" Logan was about to speak when Max cut him, knowing fully well what he intended to say, "I know. Be careful." She smiled, "Always am." With that, she left Logan who was starting to grin inside the Aztec.
Logan then started towards the path into the ranch as Max ran her way through the trees surrounding it. She had to get there before Logan reaches the ranch to ensure that everything was in order. *What was it with Logan and his 'be careful' stint? It's not as if she couldn't take care of herself. Well, considering the past year, Logan does have a cause to want her to be more careful What with the familiars and everything.? Still it was a great feeling knowing that someone. Don't go there now, Max!*
Logan's blood was pumping as he tried to suppress the desire to speed up and find out the information he needed to find Sandeman. He needed to give Max the time to scan the ranch before he reach it. "Max. You there?" he asked.
"I'm looking at the place now." Looks deserted, but I detect some movement in the house. Two, maybe 3 people."
"Okay. I'm heading for the turn."
"Logan."
"Yeah?"
"Be - . never mind."
"I know." Logan said in understanding. Turning towards the ranch, Logan slowed the Aztec to a stop.
He got up, scanned the surroundings, knowing Max would be monitoring every movement around the area. He went and walked towards the cabin. Not knowing whether he should call out for someone or simply enter the house, Logan stood in front of the door and stared at it. Then he called out, "Anybody home? .I saw the horses." letting his sentence trail behind him. He went and opened the door, turning the knob. He went inside thinking about how well the knob turned and didn't squeak. *Somebody is in here. or has been here recently.*
He looked around the house and saw that the fireplace had recently been put out. Other than that, the house seemed to be empty. In fact it looked like there was much extra care placed in order to make it appear as thought the house is empty, which for Logan indicated just how much recently someone has been in the place. He tires his steps. He had been in the house for a good 5minutes now and he had not heard any creaks, which was odd considering that this has been abandoned for 22 years.
Logan walked up the stairs, his heart beating wildly. Logan turned towards the hallway, noticing that the doors hadn't gathered as much dust as 22 years would have indicated. He turned and opened the door as a fist collided with his face.
------------ Author's Notes: I put up a web page for the fic: http://www.geocities.com/drey_c21/index.html. Go to FICTION DARK ANGEL FICTION. Thanks to NATTERS and JOJO for their prompt reviews.