EP3 CHAPTER 7: MIND YA OWN
MAX'S CRIB IN TERMINAL CITY
Cyd had woken up well before Max and Logan did. Knowing that it would take some time before Max woke up due to the seizures the previous night, she decided to make some pancakes and eggs from the available ingredients she could find in Max's cabinets and fridge. Logan's cooking lessons were not useless after all, she thought. After eating breakfast, she headed for the HQ to see what she could do to help.
An hour later, Logan woke up to find himself in an unusual room. Turning his head, he saw Max asleep on the chair beside the bed and smiled despite his tiredness. He scanned Max's sleeping form to look for traces of her seizures only to find her sleeping soundly. He sat up on the bed and just as he did, Max came awake alert. She almost jumped out of the chair in shock as she saw Logan staring at her.
Logan smiled as he said, "I'm glad you decided to join me this time."
A shadow passed across Max's face. She should have woken up earlier, asked one of the transgenics to take over - maybe Vibe from the infirmary. She should be away from Logan. well outside of Terminal City at least to prevent anymore contact between them. She should have.
Logan moved so that he was directly facing Max. She realized that some reply was needed and so she forced a smile out, "Nobody else would. Figured it's the least I could do with you bringing the tryptophan and all." She knew full well what Logan was not saying. The last time they had accidentally touched, she had told him the lie. Trying to dodge any questions from Logan, she pasted a smile on her face as she got the breakfast tray left behind by Cyd and placed it on Logan's lap.
She looked doubtfully on the food, "Here. It might not be edible, but it'll have to do."
Logan looked at her, "I thought you had different skills?"
"Wasn't me. If it were, we'd have sounded the fire alarm. if this place has one."
Logan scanned the place again, "Probably Cyd. She got free lessons on my culinary miracles. I figured since she'd be on her own sometimes she should be able to watch her back on the food category." Having finished his visual scrutiny of the room, he turned his attention to Max, "Where are we? Last thing I remember we were in your crib."
She was still looking at Logan, only this time, the wariness was slowly creeping in, "We're still in my crib. in a room in my crib. I was too busy running the show back at the HQ, I never bothered to check my crib except for the essential grid check for anything unusual. Alec discovered this a few hours ago. Since you needed some space, we figured you can crash here until." She let it trail off.
Logan nodded his approval, "Good call. You know this here is one fine place."
Max was already trying to figure out a way to get away from him. She could not take staying in the same room with him knowing what had happened. that Logan had again faced death because of her. She nodded distractedly as she turned to go back to her space, "Yeah. You mind being left alone? I need to get back to HQ for recon on Alec's duty."
Logan indicated his food, "I have my food before me and all the things I need just a few steps away. I think I could survive without my cat burglar. for a few minutes that is." His laughing eyes met Max's wary ones. He knew Max's worry and was trying to make light of the situation so as not to frighten her. Their eyes locked onto each other before he said, "Max." Both understood what was not being said.
Max's hands could not remain still as she nervously whispered, "I. I need this, Logan."
Logan nodded in understanding, "I know." He closed his eyes before holding her gaze again. "That's why I'm letting you go - for a while." She gave him a weak smile and turned to leave.
She was by the passage towards her crib when Logan called, "Max." and she stopped. "I just wanted you to know. you don't have to carry this alone."
Max gripped hard on the doorframe her knuckles turning white as her face almost betrayed her emotion. She whispered as she nodded, "I know. I always know. But if I stay here now - "
Logan smiled, "I know. always do. and I'll wait."
With that, Max fled out of the room and out of her crib.
STREETS OF SEATTLE
Max was riding her baby at full speed ahead. Normally the ride would give her back her high spirits, the wind blowing on her face would be refreshing as water, her speed and velocity eating away the tension she was feeling. But not tonight. Tonight, Max could ride all night to the ends of the earth and not feel anything. Nothing but the constriction forming on her chest. Her thoughts were racing faster than the Ninja. She knew she was pushing her baby too hard and so she eased a little, but the tension never left her.
It was strange, really. Here she was, normally at this stage she would be lashing out on Alec or picking a fight with anybody who crosses her path. But she's not. She was too numb. She didn't know what to feel, how to feel. except for the constriction at her chest and what to do with that feeling.
She nearly killed Logan - AGAIN. That was the real problem. It was hard not to touch Logan and be near him. That was the reason why she told him the lie. Maybe she should have stuck with it. NO! She did the right thing in telling Logan.. and giving him the opportunity to know the truth. But what now? Without the lie, they had no reason not to spend time together. She had no reason to avoid him. not that she even wanted to. But again, where did it leave them? They were not closer to any cure now than they were before. They could spend an entire day together, even hold hands using gloves or have their arms touch if they were wearing long sleeved shirts or jackets. They could breathe the same air, share the same cause, be in the same room. but that's really the problem.
She turned right and made her baby fly.
They created her to be so intelligent she was almost stupid! It was hard enough not to touch Logan when they were in the same room when she had all her discipline and control over her body as near intact as it could be around Logan. But she never once considered her seizures would not only endanger her, but also Logan. She never considered the possibility of Logan contracting the virus as he tried to help her through the glitches in her brain. Her lack of control during the strongest seizure yet that she experienced nearly cost Logan his life. A close call with death - again caused by no other than herself. She never thought of this - of what happened tonight. That was the real problem - she DIDN'T THINK.
Just then, a pair of headlights almost blinded Max as she hit the brakes. Max's body shook as she tried to bring the ninja to a screeching halt as an SUV almost run her down. It took instinct for her to keep her baby balanced as she stopped realizing that her seizures had not reached the climax she thought they had. The SUV stopped in front of her and another one blocked the other path. She quickly scanned the area for an escape route as White stepped out of the first SUV. He was walking towards her. The NSA guards quickly surrounded her, their guns pointed at her.
White smiled slyly, "So we meet again 452." He walked around her. "Funny how useful hacking skills are when you have Korean hackers using the Chinese satellite."
MAX'S CRIB IN TERMINAL CITY
Cyd had woken up well before Max and Logan did. Knowing that it would take some time before Max woke up due to the seizures the previous night, she decided to make some pancakes and eggs from the available ingredients she could find in Max's cabinets and fridge. Logan's cooking lessons were not useless after all, she thought. After eating breakfast, she headed for the HQ to see what she could do to help.
An hour later, Logan woke up to find himself in an unusual room. Turning his head, he saw Max asleep on the chair beside the bed and smiled despite his tiredness. He scanned Max's sleeping form to look for traces of her seizures only to find her sleeping soundly. He sat up on the bed and just as he did, Max came awake alert. She almost jumped out of the chair in shock as she saw Logan staring at her.
Logan smiled as he said, "I'm glad you decided to join me this time."
A shadow passed across Max's face. She should have woken up earlier, asked one of the transgenics to take over - maybe Vibe from the infirmary. She should be away from Logan. well outside of Terminal City at least to prevent anymore contact between them. She should have.
Logan moved so that he was directly facing Max. She realized that some reply was needed and so she forced a smile out, "Nobody else would. Figured it's the least I could do with you bringing the tryptophan and all." She knew full well what Logan was not saying. The last time they had accidentally touched, she had told him the lie. Trying to dodge any questions from Logan, she pasted a smile on her face as she got the breakfast tray left behind by Cyd and placed it on Logan's lap.
She looked doubtfully on the food, "Here. It might not be edible, but it'll have to do."
Logan looked at her, "I thought you had different skills?"
"Wasn't me. If it were, we'd have sounded the fire alarm. if this place has one."
Logan scanned the place again, "Probably Cyd. She got free lessons on my culinary miracles. I figured since she'd be on her own sometimes she should be able to watch her back on the food category." Having finished his visual scrutiny of the room, he turned his attention to Max, "Where are we? Last thing I remember we were in your crib."
She was still looking at Logan, only this time, the wariness was slowly creeping in, "We're still in my crib. in a room in my crib. I was too busy running the show back at the HQ, I never bothered to check my crib except for the essential grid check for anything unusual. Alec discovered this a few hours ago. Since you needed some space, we figured you can crash here until." She let it trail off.
Logan nodded his approval, "Good call. You know this here is one fine place."
Max was already trying to figure out a way to get away from him. She could not take staying in the same room with him knowing what had happened. that Logan had again faced death because of her. She nodded distractedly as she turned to go back to her space, "Yeah. You mind being left alone? I need to get back to HQ for recon on Alec's duty."
Logan indicated his food, "I have my food before me and all the things I need just a few steps away. I think I could survive without my cat burglar. for a few minutes that is." His laughing eyes met Max's wary ones. He knew Max's worry and was trying to make light of the situation so as not to frighten her. Their eyes locked onto each other before he said, "Max." Both understood what was not being said.
Max's hands could not remain still as she nervously whispered, "I. I need this, Logan."
Logan nodded in understanding, "I know." He closed his eyes before holding her gaze again. "That's why I'm letting you go - for a while." She gave him a weak smile and turned to leave.
She was by the passage towards her crib when Logan called, "Max." and she stopped. "I just wanted you to know. you don't have to carry this alone."
Max gripped hard on the doorframe her knuckles turning white as her face almost betrayed her emotion. She whispered as she nodded, "I know. I always know. But if I stay here now - "
Logan smiled, "I know. always do. and I'll wait."
With that, Max fled out of the room and out of her crib.
STREETS OF SEATTLE
Max was riding her baby at full speed ahead. Normally the ride would give her back her high spirits, the wind blowing on her face would be refreshing as water, her speed and velocity eating away the tension she was feeling. But not tonight. Tonight, Max could ride all night to the ends of the earth and not feel anything. Nothing but the constriction forming on her chest. Her thoughts were racing faster than the Ninja. She knew she was pushing her baby too hard and so she eased a little, but the tension never left her.
It was strange, really. Here she was, normally at this stage she would be lashing out on Alec or picking a fight with anybody who crosses her path. But she's not. She was too numb. She didn't know what to feel, how to feel. except for the constriction at her chest and what to do with that feeling.
She nearly killed Logan - AGAIN. That was the real problem. It was hard not to touch Logan and be near him. That was the reason why she told him the lie. Maybe she should have stuck with it. NO! She did the right thing in telling Logan.. and giving him the opportunity to know the truth. But what now? Without the lie, they had no reason not to spend time together. She had no reason to avoid him. not that she even wanted to. But again, where did it leave them? They were not closer to any cure now than they were before. They could spend an entire day together, even hold hands using gloves or have their arms touch if they were wearing long sleeved shirts or jackets. They could breathe the same air, share the same cause, be in the same room. but that's really the problem.
She turned right and made her baby fly.
They created her to be so intelligent she was almost stupid! It was hard enough not to touch Logan when they were in the same room when she had all her discipline and control over her body as near intact as it could be around Logan. But she never once considered her seizures would not only endanger her, but also Logan. She never considered the possibility of Logan contracting the virus as he tried to help her through the glitches in her brain. Her lack of control during the strongest seizure yet that she experienced nearly cost Logan his life. A close call with death - again caused by no other than herself. She never thought of this - of what happened tonight. That was the real problem - she DIDN'T THINK.
Just then, a pair of headlights almost blinded Max as she hit the brakes. Max's body shook as she tried to bring the ninja to a screeching halt as an SUV almost run her down. It took instinct for her to keep her baby balanced as she stopped realizing that her seizures had not reached the climax she thought they had. The SUV stopped in front of her and another one blocked the other path. She quickly scanned the area for an escape route as White stepped out of the first SUV. He was walking towards her. The NSA guards quickly surrounded her, their guns pointed at her.
White smiled slyly, "So we meet again 452." He walked around her. "Funny how useful hacking skills are when you have Korean hackers using the Chinese satellite."