A/N: Hi! I forgot to thank Laura for beta-ing part 7, so thanks Laura : ), oh yeah and Jaci too for subtly telling me how to spell jhondie, LOL. Thank you for the reviews and if you have any suggestions and stuff, please e-mail me at raydyan@yahoo.ca.
**Part 8**
Logan hated giving toasts, especially in front of hundreds of people. Nevertheless, he managed to take a deep breath as he emerged from the side of the elegantly decorated stage filled with silk drapes and flowers in the shade of blue. Cheers from the staff thundered inside The Royal York's pavilion, the venue where the yearly celebrations to commemorate the founding of Biotech Publishing was regularly held.
Logan took the mike and nodded at a few colleagues who were chanting his name with the intent to embarrass him even more. With the unlimited supply of alcohol, this was what he got and he had a bad feeling that it was about to get worse.
The crowd hushed as he began his speech. "Twenty five years ago, my father had a vision to create something that would encourage advancement in the field of scientific research. But most of all, he wanted to create a tool to inform the public of how science was progressing to change their lives. So with his best friend, Mr. Marlon Guevara, Biotech Publishing came to be and we all stand here today to honour the duty that we are privileged to have." Raising a glass of champagne, "Here's to us continuing to educate the public and providing a social context into scientific research." The crowd applauded in length, giving Logan enough time to cue in Max for her entrance.
With elegance, Max retraced Logan's steps and posed herself beside him. Logan met her eyes and she smiled, reassuring him that he was doing a great job filing in his fathers shoes as the master of the ceremony. Max's black dress molded her body perfectly and revealed some cleavage that complimented Logan's black suit and earthy coloured tie. Together, the two of them created an image so precious that everyone in the room quieted down, as if the noise would spoil the rare sight presented to them. A picture. A captivating picture of youth, intelligence, power, beauty and something quite more that couldn't yet be defined.
"Max would like to say a few words." Logan informed everyone as he handed over the mike and made room so Max could take center stage.
"Hello." Several men responded with a whistle intended to compliment her. Max would have been offended if she wasn't in such a shock to see the usually sedated and stressed crew having a good time. She gave them her most charming smile and continued, "I just wanted to let you all know how much I appreciate everything you've done to make me feel welcomed. I know there's been a lot of changes with me coming in but you'd all been patient and cooperative. So, here's a big thank you for being so great at what you do." It was then her turn to raise her glass of champagne and everyone joined her in loud agreement.
The music immediately followed Max's toast and everyone resumed their drinking bouts and chatters around the round tables with flowers on the center and half eaten meals on the side.
Still on the stage with the mike off, Max teased. "That wasn't so bad."
Logan, pretty pleased with himself, responded "Nah, it was alright."
It was then or never, "I didn't see you come in with anyone."
That was because Logan wasn't with anyone. "No, I didn't bring a date." He hoped Max wouldn't either but reality settled in soon enough. Indicating the blonde man standing near the steps with his hands in his pockets, Logan commented, "But you and him will definitely be the talk around the water cooler tomorrow."
Max shrugged. Logan just confirmed her suspicions that he didn't have a girlfriend. Interesting. Filing that fact in her memory for later use, "Come on, let me introduce you to Zack."
***
Zack shook Logan's hand firmly when Max introduced the two men. "It's nice to meet you."
"You too." Logan resisted the urge to ask the many questions that had been plaguing him the whole evening. Fortunately, his curiosity was satisfied when Max volunteered some information.
"Zack and I know each other from school, he was in Greece doing some research at the university."
When Max offered no more, Logan gave up and bluntly pried. Question number one. "Oh, so how did you two meet?"
It was Zack who replied. "Max helped me out a little with the language barrier, but we don't like to talk about that."
Max jumped in, starting to enjoy the subtle play of male ego she was witnessing. "No Zack, *you* don't like to talk about it. I, however, am very fond of the story."
Not wanting to look like an idiot in front of the man he had already sized up as competition, Zack tried pulling Max away, "I'm sure Logan has better things to do than hear that story"
"You're right." Max declared then turned from Zack to Logan. "Anyway, It was summer so I was by the beach, you know getting a tan, whatever. Anyway, I hear this American guy..."
"Max, I really don't...." What was the point of arguing with her? Zack knew personally how determined Max could be. She always got her way, always. Did anyone think they would still just be friends if he had anything to say about it?
As if not hearing Zack's protests, Max went on. "...confirming the directions to the bus station while the girl he was talking to was thinking that he just offered to have a one night stand with her. You know, your usual public solicitation of a minor."
Logan chuckled, score 1 for him! Moving on to question number two. "So Zack, when are you going back to school then?" As in 'When are you going back to Greece-5000-miles-away-from-here?'. Logan couldn't wait to get rid of the guy, a few minutes with Zack ogling at Max was all his heart could take, thank you very much.
"Actually I'm done my Ph.D. I'd be continuing my research with a private laboratory in Wyoming now." Wyoming, as in a few hours drive away from Seattle. And the score was tied!
"Oh that reminds me, you have a message on the machine. Somebody called when you were taking a shower. I was all in a hurry so I forgot to tell you." Max wasn't sure yet who she was rooting for so she gave both Logan and Zack equal opportunities to outscore the other down.
Zack was deviously content at Logan's shocked blink when Max insinuated that he was staying at her place. "Thanks Max, it's probably from the lab. I'll check it later when *we* get home." And Zack was leading by one!
Max was about to help Logan gain another point when Sebastian politely interrupted them. Apparently, he and Logan had some EO business to discuss. Poor Sebastian, he had no idea what he just wheeled himself into.
Logan, on the other hand, was quite relieved to leave the company of the man who he had grown to dislike. Another second there, he would have lost his cool. Zack was staying with Max?!? It was worse than he thought! But the reason he was even *thinking* about it in the first place bothered him more. Logan helped wheel Sebastian back to their table, but before settling in on one of the chairs, he sneaked a peek to where Max and Zack were standing. Finding that they weren't there anymore, he searched the expansive (and beautifully decorated) room and found the pair out on the terrace with their backs turned on him.
Zack put an arm across Max's back to her waist and pulled her closer to him, very much aware that a certain someone was watching his every move. He then heard Max in her condescending tone, "Zack, play nice."
With one arm resting on the rail, Zack faced Max with feigned innocent, "Whatever are you talking about Maxie?"
Max bit her lower lip and gave Zack the evil eyes, but even that didn't keep her from bursting out laughing. "Zack, you haven't changed at all have you?" She shook her head. "I really missed you. When you aren't in your task-oriented mode, you're actually a lot of fun."
Zack smiled. "So that's the infamous Logan Cale."
Max nodded and took one step away from Zack. As much as she was having fun with Logan that night, she didn't want to give him the wrong idea. Why she was even deceiving Logan for laughs and giving thoughts about Logan's view concerning her personal relationship were just beyond her. She probably just missed teasing him that's all. "Yup that's him."
Interpreting Max's signal that their game was over, and he had won mind you, Zack's expression changed to its usual pensive state. "How are you holding up?"
Zack was one of the few people who knew about Max's history with Logan. Not everything about him of course, but enough to realize that his absence caused her a lot of pain. Max was one of the few Americans in campus who spoke Greek fluently so Zack spent a lot of time with her learning the language. They were having coffee one afternoon when Max slipped and mentioned Logan's name. She refused to say anything more about it but Zack persevered. During the course of the year, he tried to find out more about Logan but only to have a melancholic Max brush him off.
Then one day on their way to Milos for an expedition, Max said out of the blue, 'He was someone I trusted very much. But I was six years old then, I didn't know any better.'
Zack finally learned about Logan during a handful of sporadic moments like those. At first he would wait for her to elaborate but she always kept it brief, walking away after her little revelation or simply bringing up another subject. Zack tried to look for the pattern in the stimuli that would trigger a memory of Logan but he never came up with any. The only constant thing though was the reminiscent look on Max's face. A look of painfully recollecting something wonderful that she hated to treasure but do so nonetheless.
"I've been here for more than two months Zack. I'm dealing with it just fine. Don't worry about me." It was thoughtful of Zack to care but that wasn't a surprise.
"How can I not Max?" Zack reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind Max's ears. They had known each other for more than three years, long enough to build a genuine friendship that they both valued. Zack knew that Max cared for him deeply, though not in the way that he wanted to. And the very reason for that being the man sitting at the other end of the room. He had never backed down before, especially not with the people he loved, so he was not about to hand Max over generously. If Logan wanted Max, he would have to fight him for her.
"C'mon, let's not get into this. Tell me about Wyoming." Max grabbed a pate from one of the servers and munched on it.
"I see you haven't lost your healthy appetite." Zack received a bite-me glare so he backed off with a mischievous grin. "Well, it's a genetic laboratory doing research on DNA splicing. They thought that my work on predicting the interaction between the allele from each gene locus would help them to be more accurate at controlling the phenotype."
"So pretty much your standard I-wanna-play-god kinda work." Max rubbed her hands together. She was getting a bit chilly being out in the open air.
"Yeah, pretty much. You cold? Do you want to go back inside?" Zack looked in the room and was caught off guard when he saw that Logan was still examining him. He forgot about Logan for a moment there. "Tell Logan that it's not polite to stare."
"What?" Max's line of vision followed Zack's and she saw Logan quickly turning to Sebastian at the last attempt to save face. "Oh, you're still under the guard dog watch are you? He's just curious, don't mind him. Besides, I think you're enjoying this just as much as I am."
"Wanna give the guy a show? I bet that we're getting pretty dull here to watch." He raised an eyebrow suggestively.
"We are, aren't we? Aiight, how about a dance?" Max suggested before Zack voiced out his own idea.
"Not exactly what I was thinking of but since the lady asked nicely." He then lead Max to the dance floor.
Logan had spent the last fifteen minutes analyzing each of Zack's moves, much to Sebastian's dismay. He had never seen his friend so distracted, especially not when talking about EO. It was actually called Eyes Only, a tribute to an inside joke between their crew in high school. If they 'only' let their 'eyes' do the reading, there wouldn't be any proof that they were hacking into the school's terminals and getting access to confidential materials like, say, the Psych evaluations of their teachers. To that day, he could honestly say from experience that to think your teachers were demented was one thing, to have it proven was another.
Logan was actually the leading perpetrator of it all so it was a big shock for everyone when he started working for Biotech because it was so science based and had nothing to do with computers. Little did people know that Logan joined his father's company so he could start publishing EO, a journal that critiqued the implications of controversial experiments. After learning his way around, Logan then slowly steered beyond science and went into other areas that had been too stagnant in it's ways and values. Since then, his investigative reporting skills had been put to use, not to mention the collective expertise of his friends to hack into virtually any computer that had a modem. His little project is not without consequences though. Logan knew that EO was getting a bad reputation in several political circles and was raising a few eyebrows around Wallstreet. He didn't care, as a matter of fact, he was just fine with that.
"Logan!"
"Logan!"
"Logan!" Sebastian finally smacked Logan's head for the third time that evening.
Logan scowled at him, rubbing the sore spot on the side of his head. "Seb, you gotta stop doing that."
"I would if you pay attention to what I'm saying." Sebastian really wanted to tell Logan to just go over to Zack and have it out with him. He didn't for obvious reasons, the primary one being that Logan might actually do it.
"Alright." At last convinced that there was nothing he could do to get Zack's hands off Max, Logan forced himself to focus on Sebastian. Well, he didn't have much choice actually, it was either he talk to Sebastian or ponder *why* he wanted Zack's hands away from Max. The former seemed a much safer answerable task. "Give me a run through one more time."
"Ok, we have a source from accounting at the Federal reserves. He claims that some money allotted for military and defense is by passing Pentagon and going to a different account." Persuaded that he finally got Logan's complete attention, Sebastian continued. "The money is going to a bank here in Seattle as funding for a government agency."
"Which government agency? There's at least thirty five in the city."
"That's the thing, none of these agencies are getting the money."
"Then where is it going?" Logan loved nothing more than a good government conspiracy! Well, that's debatable.
"That is what we need to find out. I just need to break one more password and we're in." Sebastian's cell phone rang with the display stating the caller. "...sorry Logan, it's Rachel. It looks like she didn't find a babysitter. I might need to call it an early night."
"Yeah, no problem, we'll talk later. Tell her I said hello." Logan turned her attention back to the dance floor but was disappointed to see the obvious. Max and Zack called it an early night too.
***
Zack looked over his shoulder as he put a pillow case on one of Max's plush pillows. Max had tapped her traditional knock-knock and stood languorously by his bedroom door, a smile of contentment gracing her pretty features.
"I'm so glad you're back." He heard her say as she walked beside him to help him spread the sheet over his bed.
He too smiled, noticing how Max's simple presence always elicit him to do so. Well, it was that or seeing Max in her Winnie the Pooh pajamas. "Me too." he said as he reached out his hand for Max to take.
With a naughty glint in her eyes, Max took the hand offered to her and with both hands, she knocked Zack on the bed with her resting on top of him. "Can I sleep here tonight?"
Zack expertly flipped her under him, her arms locked around his gentle grip. "I don't know Maxie, I'll have to think about that."
Max wriggled to her side and tilted her head up to plant a quick kiss on Zack's lips. "Think all you want, I'm going to sleep." And with that, she rested her head on his chest and pulled him to her, snuggling close. "Night babe. Turn the light switch off, would you?"
Zack did as Max ordered and in an instant, darkness surrounded them and his predicament became obvious once again. Zack wondered, as he had done so many nights before, how Max could come to him so easy yet stand so far away. And as always, he came up with one conclusion, or name he should say, Logan. But it didn't matter, it was Zack who was with Max, at least at that moment and it was good enough for him. Zack absentmindedly stroked Max's back to lull her to sleep as he thought of the first time he held her in his arms.
~~~Flashback~~~
"Come on Zack, play on my team!" Jhondie yelled as she ducked from Charlie's tag to throw the ball to Tinga.
"No thanks!" After all, it was more fun to watch Krit, Charlie and Max beat the hell out of his sister and her best friend.
"I will get you later! I swear I...!" Before she could finish her empty threats, Krit body checked her so Max could cross to the finish line.
A series of profound swearing was heard from both Tinga and Jhondie as Krit and Charlie roared to declare their manly supremacy. It wasn't long before Max was over Krit's shoulder, parading their victory and laughing at their own silliness.
"Put me down!" Max shrieked but Krit continued to taunt Jhondie who now had her feet buried in the sand, amusing herself with what could only be called a live testosterone display. Poor Maxie, caught in the middle of it.
Krit finally found that tormenting Jhondie with his howls was not fun anymore so he decided to join Charlie who had a torch in his hand, mimicking a pagan victory dance. Depositing Max beside Zack, he went wild pulling Jhondie up to her feet to join him and Tinga.
"Your brother is crazy!" Max said after she caught her breath. She took the towel that Zack handed her and wrapped it around her waist, covering her string bikini and bare legs. She and Zack had taken her uncle's yatch to St. Tropez to meet his siblings and friends who were in France backpacking.
"See now why I moved 5000 miles away from him?" He teased but Max knew of the bond that Zack shared with his siblings, she heard it when he spoke about Krit and Jhondie, his voice always tender with annoyance and love.
The two of them were startled when Jhondie blasted up the volume of the speakers, sending waves of dance music into the chilly air. Joining the rest of them, Max and Zack moved their bodies with the hip hop beat to party the night away. So, in the middle of the night in the exclusively rich area of the French Riviera, the six of them hopped, screamed and swayed their hips in their skimpy bathing suits and their all too perfect forms. And with the waves of cold water hitting the soles of their feet and the torch lighting their way, they enjoyed the freedom of youth - - knowing no hurt in their hearts and having no care in the world.
After hours of wild music and dozens of beer, the six of them lay spent on the sand, having no energy left to even go back up to the house they've rented. With all their heads touching in the middle of a circle they've made, one by one dozed off to asleep until it was only Max and Zack that laid awake.
"Thank you." Max whispered.
"For what?" Zack turned on his side to face Max.
"For asking me to come with you. I'm having a great time." Max saw Zack inviting her closer to him. She rolled over and nestled her head on the crook between his shoulder and chin. "Night Zack.", Max said, feeling comforted and warm, something she hasn't let herself feel in a long time.
"Night Maxie." And with that Zack closed his eyes to sleep, relishing the rare occasion when Max put her guards down to let herself feel.
~~~End of Flashback~~~
**Part 8**
Logan hated giving toasts, especially in front of hundreds of people. Nevertheless, he managed to take a deep breath as he emerged from the side of the elegantly decorated stage filled with silk drapes and flowers in the shade of blue. Cheers from the staff thundered inside The Royal York's pavilion, the venue where the yearly celebrations to commemorate the founding of Biotech Publishing was regularly held.
Logan took the mike and nodded at a few colleagues who were chanting his name with the intent to embarrass him even more. With the unlimited supply of alcohol, this was what he got and he had a bad feeling that it was about to get worse.
The crowd hushed as he began his speech. "Twenty five years ago, my father had a vision to create something that would encourage advancement in the field of scientific research. But most of all, he wanted to create a tool to inform the public of how science was progressing to change their lives. So with his best friend, Mr. Marlon Guevara, Biotech Publishing came to be and we all stand here today to honour the duty that we are privileged to have." Raising a glass of champagne, "Here's to us continuing to educate the public and providing a social context into scientific research." The crowd applauded in length, giving Logan enough time to cue in Max for her entrance.
With elegance, Max retraced Logan's steps and posed herself beside him. Logan met her eyes and she smiled, reassuring him that he was doing a great job filing in his fathers shoes as the master of the ceremony. Max's black dress molded her body perfectly and revealed some cleavage that complimented Logan's black suit and earthy coloured tie. Together, the two of them created an image so precious that everyone in the room quieted down, as if the noise would spoil the rare sight presented to them. A picture. A captivating picture of youth, intelligence, power, beauty and something quite more that couldn't yet be defined.
"Max would like to say a few words." Logan informed everyone as he handed over the mike and made room so Max could take center stage.
"Hello." Several men responded with a whistle intended to compliment her. Max would have been offended if she wasn't in such a shock to see the usually sedated and stressed crew having a good time. She gave them her most charming smile and continued, "I just wanted to let you all know how much I appreciate everything you've done to make me feel welcomed. I know there's been a lot of changes with me coming in but you'd all been patient and cooperative. So, here's a big thank you for being so great at what you do." It was then her turn to raise her glass of champagne and everyone joined her in loud agreement.
The music immediately followed Max's toast and everyone resumed their drinking bouts and chatters around the round tables with flowers on the center and half eaten meals on the side.
Still on the stage with the mike off, Max teased. "That wasn't so bad."
Logan, pretty pleased with himself, responded "Nah, it was alright."
It was then or never, "I didn't see you come in with anyone."
That was because Logan wasn't with anyone. "No, I didn't bring a date." He hoped Max wouldn't either but reality settled in soon enough. Indicating the blonde man standing near the steps with his hands in his pockets, Logan commented, "But you and him will definitely be the talk around the water cooler tomorrow."
Max shrugged. Logan just confirmed her suspicions that he didn't have a girlfriend. Interesting. Filing that fact in her memory for later use, "Come on, let me introduce you to Zack."
***
Zack shook Logan's hand firmly when Max introduced the two men. "It's nice to meet you."
"You too." Logan resisted the urge to ask the many questions that had been plaguing him the whole evening. Fortunately, his curiosity was satisfied when Max volunteered some information.
"Zack and I know each other from school, he was in Greece doing some research at the university."
When Max offered no more, Logan gave up and bluntly pried. Question number one. "Oh, so how did you two meet?"
It was Zack who replied. "Max helped me out a little with the language barrier, but we don't like to talk about that."
Max jumped in, starting to enjoy the subtle play of male ego she was witnessing. "No Zack, *you* don't like to talk about it. I, however, am very fond of the story."
Not wanting to look like an idiot in front of the man he had already sized up as competition, Zack tried pulling Max away, "I'm sure Logan has better things to do than hear that story"
"You're right." Max declared then turned from Zack to Logan. "Anyway, It was summer so I was by the beach, you know getting a tan, whatever. Anyway, I hear this American guy..."
"Max, I really don't...." What was the point of arguing with her? Zack knew personally how determined Max could be. She always got her way, always. Did anyone think they would still just be friends if he had anything to say about it?
As if not hearing Zack's protests, Max went on. "...confirming the directions to the bus station while the girl he was talking to was thinking that he just offered to have a one night stand with her. You know, your usual public solicitation of a minor."
Logan chuckled, score 1 for him! Moving on to question number two. "So Zack, when are you going back to school then?" As in 'When are you going back to Greece-5000-miles-away-from-here?'. Logan couldn't wait to get rid of the guy, a few minutes with Zack ogling at Max was all his heart could take, thank you very much.
"Actually I'm done my Ph.D. I'd be continuing my research with a private laboratory in Wyoming now." Wyoming, as in a few hours drive away from Seattle. And the score was tied!
"Oh that reminds me, you have a message on the machine. Somebody called when you were taking a shower. I was all in a hurry so I forgot to tell you." Max wasn't sure yet who she was rooting for so she gave both Logan and Zack equal opportunities to outscore the other down.
Zack was deviously content at Logan's shocked blink when Max insinuated that he was staying at her place. "Thanks Max, it's probably from the lab. I'll check it later when *we* get home." And Zack was leading by one!
Max was about to help Logan gain another point when Sebastian politely interrupted them. Apparently, he and Logan had some EO business to discuss. Poor Sebastian, he had no idea what he just wheeled himself into.
Logan, on the other hand, was quite relieved to leave the company of the man who he had grown to dislike. Another second there, he would have lost his cool. Zack was staying with Max?!? It was worse than he thought! But the reason he was even *thinking* about it in the first place bothered him more. Logan helped wheel Sebastian back to their table, but before settling in on one of the chairs, he sneaked a peek to where Max and Zack were standing. Finding that they weren't there anymore, he searched the expansive (and beautifully decorated) room and found the pair out on the terrace with their backs turned on him.
Zack put an arm across Max's back to her waist and pulled her closer to him, very much aware that a certain someone was watching his every move. He then heard Max in her condescending tone, "Zack, play nice."
With one arm resting on the rail, Zack faced Max with feigned innocent, "Whatever are you talking about Maxie?"
Max bit her lower lip and gave Zack the evil eyes, but even that didn't keep her from bursting out laughing. "Zack, you haven't changed at all have you?" She shook her head. "I really missed you. When you aren't in your task-oriented mode, you're actually a lot of fun."
Zack smiled. "So that's the infamous Logan Cale."
Max nodded and took one step away from Zack. As much as she was having fun with Logan that night, she didn't want to give him the wrong idea. Why she was even deceiving Logan for laughs and giving thoughts about Logan's view concerning her personal relationship were just beyond her. She probably just missed teasing him that's all. "Yup that's him."
Interpreting Max's signal that their game was over, and he had won mind you, Zack's expression changed to its usual pensive state. "How are you holding up?"
Zack was one of the few people who knew about Max's history with Logan. Not everything about him of course, but enough to realize that his absence caused her a lot of pain. Max was one of the few Americans in campus who spoke Greek fluently so Zack spent a lot of time with her learning the language. They were having coffee one afternoon when Max slipped and mentioned Logan's name. She refused to say anything more about it but Zack persevered. During the course of the year, he tried to find out more about Logan but only to have a melancholic Max brush him off.
Then one day on their way to Milos for an expedition, Max said out of the blue, 'He was someone I trusted very much. But I was six years old then, I didn't know any better.'
Zack finally learned about Logan during a handful of sporadic moments like those. At first he would wait for her to elaborate but she always kept it brief, walking away after her little revelation or simply bringing up another subject. Zack tried to look for the pattern in the stimuli that would trigger a memory of Logan but he never came up with any. The only constant thing though was the reminiscent look on Max's face. A look of painfully recollecting something wonderful that she hated to treasure but do so nonetheless.
"I've been here for more than two months Zack. I'm dealing with it just fine. Don't worry about me." It was thoughtful of Zack to care but that wasn't a surprise.
"How can I not Max?" Zack reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind Max's ears. They had known each other for more than three years, long enough to build a genuine friendship that they both valued. Zack knew that Max cared for him deeply, though not in the way that he wanted to. And the very reason for that being the man sitting at the other end of the room. He had never backed down before, especially not with the people he loved, so he was not about to hand Max over generously. If Logan wanted Max, he would have to fight him for her.
"C'mon, let's not get into this. Tell me about Wyoming." Max grabbed a pate from one of the servers and munched on it.
"I see you haven't lost your healthy appetite." Zack received a bite-me glare so he backed off with a mischievous grin. "Well, it's a genetic laboratory doing research on DNA splicing. They thought that my work on predicting the interaction between the allele from each gene locus would help them to be more accurate at controlling the phenotype."
"So pretty much your standard I-wanna-play-god kinda work." Max rubbed her hands together. She was getting a bit chilly being out in the open air.
"Yeah, pretty much. You cold? Do you want to go back inside?" Zack looked in the room and was caught off guard when he saw that Logan was still examining him. He forgot about Logan for a moment there. "Tell Logan that it's not polite to stare."
"What?" Max's line of vision followed Zack's and she saw Logan quickly turning to Sebastian at the last attempt to save face. "Oh, you're still under the guard dog watch are you? He's just curious, don't mind him. Besides, I think you're enjoying this just as much as I am."
"Wanna give the guy a show? I bet that we're getting pretty dull here to watch." He raised an eyebrow suggestively.
"We are, aren't we? Aiight, how about a dance?" Max suggested before Zack voiced out his own idea.
"Not exactly what I was thinking of but since the lady asked nicely." He then lead Max to the dance floor.
Logan had spent the last fifteen minutes analyzing each of Zack's moves, much to Sebastian's dismay. He had never seen his friend so distracted, especially not when talking about EO. It was actually called Eyes Only, a tribute to an inside joke between their crew in high school. If they 'only' let their 'eyes' do the reading, there wouldn't be any proof that they were hacking into the school's terminals and getting access to confidential materials like, say, the Psych evaluations of their teachers. To that day, he could honestly say from experience that to think your teachers were demented was one thing, to have it proven was another.
Logan was actually the leading perpetrator of it all so it was a big shock for everyone when he started working for Biotech because it was so science based and had nothing to do with computers. Little did people know that Logan joined his father's company so he could start publishing EO, a journal that critiqued the implications of controversial experiments. After learning his way around, Logan then slowly steered beyond science and went into other areas that had been too stagnant in it's ways and values. Since then, his investigative reporting skills had been put to use, not to mention the collective expertise of his friends to hack into virtually any computer that had a modem. His little project is not without consequences though. Logan knew that EO was getting a bad reputation in several political circles and was raising a few eyebrows around Wallstreet. He didn't care, as a matter of fact, he was just fine with that.
"Logan!"
"Logan!"
"Logan!" Sebastian finally smacked Logan's head for the third time that evening.
Logan scowled at him, rubbing the sore spot on the side of his head. "Seb, you gotta stop doing that."
"I would if you pay attention to what I'm saying." Sebastian really wanted to tell Logan to just go over to Zack and have it out with him. He didn't for obvious reasons, the primary one being that Logan might actually do it.
"Alright." At last convinced that there was nothing he could do to get Zack's hands off Max, Logan forced himself to focus on Sebastian. Well, he didn't have much choice actually, it was either he talk to Sebastian or ponder *why* he wanted Zack's hands away from Max. The former seemed a much safer answerable task. "Give me a run through one more time."
"Ok, we have a source from accounting at the Federal reserves. He claims that some money allotted for military and defense is by passing Pentagon and going to a different account." Persuaded that he finally got Logan's complete attention, Sebastian continued. "The money is going to a bank here in Seattle as funding for a government agency."
"Which government agency? There's at least thirty five in the city."
"That's the thing, none of these agencies are getting the money."
"Then where is it going?" Logan loved nothing more than a good government conspiracy! Well, that's debatable.
"That is what we need to find out. I just need to break one more password and we're in." Sebastian's cell phone rang with the display stating the caller. "...sorry Logan, it's Rachel. It looks like she didn't find a babysitter. I might need to call it an early night."
"Yeah, no problem, we'll talk later. Tell her I said hello." Logan turned her attention back to the dance floor but was disappointed to see the obvious. Max and Zack called it an early night too.
***
Zack looked over his shoulder as he put a pillow case on one of Max's plush pillows. Max had tapped her traditional knock-knock and stood languorously by his bedroom door, a smile of contentment gracing her pretty features.
"I'm so glad you're back." He heard her say as she walked beside him to help him spread the sheet over his bed.
He too smiled, noticing how Max's simple presence always elicit him to do so. Well, it was that or seeing Max in her Winnie the Pooh pajamas. "Me too." he said as he reached out his hand for Max to take.
With a naughty glint in her eyes, Max took the hand offered to her and with both hands, she knocked Zack on the bed with her resting on top of him. "Can I sleep here tonight?"
Zack expertly flipped her under him, her arms locked around his gentle grip. "I don't know Maxie, I'll have to think about that."
Max wriggled to her side and tilted her head up to plant a quick kiss on Zack's lips. "Think all you want, I'm going to sleep." And with that, she rested her head on his chest and pulled him to her, snuggling close. "Night babe. Turn the light switch off, would you?"
Zack did as Max ordered and in an instant, darkness surrounded them and his predicament became obvious once again. Zack wondered, as he had done so many nights before, how Max could come to him so easy yet stand so far away. And as always, he came up with one conclusion, or name he should say, Logan. But it didn't matter, it was Zack who was with Max, at least at that moment and it was good enough for him. Zack absentmindedly stroked Max's back to lull her to sleep as he thought of the first time he held her in his arms.
~~~Flashback~~~
"Come on Zack, play on my team!" Jhondie yelled as she ducked from Charlie's tag to throw the ball to Tinga.
"No thanks!" After all, it was more fun to watch Krit, Charlie and Max beat the hell out of his sister and her best friend.
"I will get you later! I swear I...!" Before she could finish her empty threats, Krit body checked her so Max could cross to the finish line.
A series of profound swearing was heard from both Tinga and Jhondie as Krit and Charlie roared to declare their manly supremacy. It wasn't long before Max was over Krit's shoulder, parading their victory and laughing at their own silliness.
"Put me down!" Max shrieked but Krit continued to taunt Jhondie who now had her feet buried in the sand, amusing herself with what could only be called a live testosterone display. Poor Maxie, caught in the middle of it.
Krit finally found that tormenting Jhondie with his howls was not fun anymore so he decided to join Charlie who had a torch in his hand, mimicking a pagan victory dance. Depositing Max beside Zack, he went wild pulling Jhondie up to her feet to join him and Tinga.
"Your brother is crazy!" Max said after she caught her breath. She took the towel that Zack handed her and wrapped it around her waist, covering her string bikini and bare legs. She and Zack had taken her uncle's yatch to St. Tropez to meet his siblings and friends who were in France backpacking.
"See now why I moved 5000 miles away from him?" He teased but Max knew of the bond that Zack shared with his siblings, she heard it when he spoke about Krit and Jhondie, his voice always tender with annoyance and love.
The two of them were startled when Jhondie blasted up the volume of the speakers, sending waves of dance music into the chilly air. Joining the rest of them, Max and Zack moved their bodies with the hip hop beat to party the night away. So, in the middle of the night in the exclusively rich area of the French Riviera, the six of them hopped, screamed and swayed their hips in their skimpy bathing suits and their all too perfect forms. And with the waves of cold water hitting the soles of their feet and the torch lighting their way, they enjoyed the freedom of youth - - knowing no hurt in their hearts and having no care in the world.
After hours of wild music and dozens of beer, the six of them lay spent on the sand, having no energy left to even go back up to the house they've rented. With all their heads touching in the middle of a circle they've made, one by one dozed off to asleep until it was only Max and Zack that laid awake.
"Thank you." Max whispered.
"For what?" Zack turned on his side to face Max.
"For asking me to come with you. I'm having a great time." Max saw Zack inviting her closer to him. She rolled over and nestled her head on the crook between his shoulder and chin. "Night Zack.", Max said, feeling comforted and warm, something she hasn't let herself feel in a long time.
"Night Maxie." And with that Zack closed his eyes to sleep, relishing the rare occasion when Max put her guards down to let herself feel.
~~~End of Flashback~~~