DISCLAIMER: In no way do I claim these characters for my own, in this particular piece I also stole some dialogue… but no-one really care. This situation, this story and these word in this particular combination are mine.

A/N: Well here we are. Chapter 3 of STI, will this be the last one… thanks to Milla for the extreme beta going above and beyond the call of duty with speed and last minute edits, who also inspired the ending and Trice, who kept asking if it was done yet forcing me to write it.

"You know I have to do this," she said, her eyes bruised with worry as she willed him to understand.

"She's your sister," replied Logan, his eyes conveying his understanding, telling her she wasn't to worry about his reaction.

"I promised her little boy he'd get to see his mom again…"

"I know," he spoke gently, his voice soothing as she fought to control her emotions and focus on the mission. "I want to help. I'll hack into some surveillance on the place." Opening a nearby drawer he removed a small item, reaching to hand it to her.

"We can stay in touch on comms." He folded her fingers around them, holding her hand as they stared silently at each other.

"This will wait, right?" she asked, after a moment. Somewhere deep inside she realised if she had to choose between saving her sister and never being with Logan, she'd choose Logan.

"We have all the time in the world," he reassured her, letting go of her hand, and she took a deep breath and headed for the door. As she reached it she stopped and grinned, before coming back and planting a hot kiss upon his lips.

"Can't expect me to go fight without a goodbye kiss." she said, then she was gone.

Logan turned to the computer and began locating satellites coverage of the area. A few moments later the comms crackled to life and he heard Max's voice.

"You got me?"

"I've got you," he replied, adding under his breath, "I just don't wanna let you go." He heard her laughter on the other end and cursed her transgenic hearing.

"Testing," came Zack's hard voice.

"I hear you," Logan said, keeping his tone impersonal. He'd much rather be talking to Max, but there was a job to be done.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** *

Logan watched the screen, struggling to see through the cloud cover as Max and Zack approached the silo. Max was on her way to the top, while Zack had decided to approach the front door.

"I'm down front, Max. Close in," Zack ordered.

Silence reigned as Logan waited for a report, when suddenly the cloud cover moved to reveal a convoy of vehicles surrounding the silo.

"Max, Zack. Full military convoy," he said urgently.

"I'm hit," Zack replied, his voice tinged with pain.

"Get out of there," ordered Logan.

There was no response from Max.

"Max?" he asked, desperation growing. "Max, pull out."

"Max, you've got to go."

His only response came in the form of a huge crash as something shattered.

Max's voice came brokenly over the comms.

"Tinga… I'm sorry… Tinga."

After a few moments another voice spoke, and it took Logan a few seconds to place it as Lydecker.

Frantically he tried once more to get Max to respond, to have her answer and tell him she was safe.

"Max."

She screamed ferally and then the comm went dead, leaving only an empty crackle as Zack demanded to know if Max was on her way or not.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Max shoved Lydecker into the backseat and pulled the strips she'd torn from the motel sheets from her pocket. After making sure the blindfold was secure, she snapped on the handcuffs that he'd used to restrain her. She didn't trust him not to disappear if she gave him the chance, and since she intended to go back to Logan's it was better if he didn't know where he was.

Starting the Hummer she pulled out of the lot, heading to the nearest checkpoint, which led into Sector nine. As she drove toward Logan's she spotted a pay phone that actually looked like it was working. Quickly she pulled over; better to let Logan know she was safe sooner rather than later.

"I'll be back in a minute, stay put," she commanded, leaving him locked in the car while she used the phone to dial the penthouse.

"Hello," said a voice over the line; a voice that wasn't Logan's. It took Max a moment to place it.

"Bling?" she questioned, surprised that he was in the penthouse. Ever since Phil had given Logan the exoskeleton, Bling had reduced his visits to once a month. "Where's Logan?"

"Hey Max, he's planning a rescue party for you. I said I'd man the fort here while he and your brother went after you."

"You know where they are, by any chance?"

"A warehouse in Sector five, by the waterfront. Want the address?"

"Yeah, I guess I'd better let him know it's unnecessary."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Thanks." Hanging up the phone, Logan turned towards the transgenics. "That was a contact of mine. Military convoy just swooped in on some motel in Sector eight."

"That's got to be them. Let's move out." The three X5's collected their weaponry and started to move toward the door, stopping as a Hummer smashed through the door.

Max jumped out of the front seat, smiling as they slowly put their weapons away.

"Krit," she said, hugging him, and she was surprised at how much emotion she felt. It wasn't every day you got to see two of your long lost siblings for the first time since childhood.

Syl was only a step behind Krit, grabbing her into a hug the second he let go.

Looking up she met Logan's eyes, smiling at the joy it gave her to see those beautiful eyes once more.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself." he said, stepping forward to hug her. As he pulled away she kissed him quickly, enjoying the rush it gave her before she met Zack's disapproving gaze.

"How'd you know where to find us?" Logan asked, letting her go. She turned back towards the vehicle, figuring this was as good a time as any to spring her surprise.

"Bling told me there was a party." Opening the door she pulled put Lydecker.

"Look what the cat dragged in," drawled Syl, sarcasm colouring her words as Max pulled off the blindfold.

It took a while but she managed to convince them that they needed to take Manticore down. While Zack and Syl questioned Lydecker about the facility, Max took Krit to locate the tracking crew. It would really spoil the surprise if Manticore crashed the party too early.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Logan glanced up and met Max's eyes as he and Lydecker worked on the Animal Control van, making the modifications necessary for the operation. For a moment they shared a secret smile, before Logan turned his attention back to the vehicle. Max looked around the room; Syl and Krit were cleaning their weapons, and Zack was… behind her.

"Can I talk to you outside?" he asked as she turned to face him.

"Okay." Following him from the warehouse she wondered what was up.

"I want you to leave Seattle after tonight," he said, after a moment. "It's not the right place for you, Max."

"Zack, I've told you before that I'm not leaving." The words were blunt. "My life is here, I'm happy and I've built something I don't want to lose."

"You mean you don't want to leave Logan," Zack said. "Why him? You need to come with me. We could look after the others together. That's what you want, isn't it? To be with the others? To be with me?"

Max stared at him in shock, struggling to comprehend his words. Her brother – was in love with her, and he was trying to use her siblings to bribe her into a relationship with him.

"Zack, I don't love you that way. You're my brother," she said finally, her eyes begging him to understand that she could never love him the way he wanted, begging him to just be the brother she needed instead of this person she'd never met.

"Max," he whispered, and grasping her by the arms he pulled her to him, kissing her desperately. She had to feel the same; he'd prove it to her.

"Don't," she said, roughly pulling away. When he grabbed her again she punched him in the stomach. "What do you think you're doing? Don't even think about doing that again."

When he simply stared at her, she sighed sadly.

"Tell the others I went to get dinner." Then she walked away leaving him gasping as he tried to regain his breath.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The shot echoed in the confines of the warehouse, as memories echoed in the minds of the X5's. As the crow flew away unharmed, Max made a decision.

"I need some fresh air." Looking at Logan she smiled when he nodded slightly before following her from the warehouse.

She'd taken the trip to get dinner as a chance to pick up her bike and she enjoyed its power beneath her. The added benefit of Logan's arms wound tightly around her was nice, too.

She drove aimlessly for a few minutes, switch backing across the sector as she took advantage of the mostly empty streets. Finally she turned the bike toward the Space Needle; she'd always wanted to take Logan up there, and now seemed like as good a time as any.

It was only a few minutes work to get to the top, although the elevators had long since been taken by thieves. A board she'd attached to the cables worked just as well.

Logan was obviously nervous as he sat watching her perched on the edge of the needle.

"You okay?"

"Sure. This is fun." His voice cracked slightly, revealing his discomfort. Max smiled as she looked out over the city, getting her mind back into order after the events of the past few days and centering herself for what they were about to do.

"I look down at the people and I think about how everybody's got problems. Maybe not a secret government agency on their ass, but, you know, problems, and if I sit up here long enough I start to feel like I'm just one of those people, a regular girl." She glanced over her shoulder at him, trying to explain what this place meant to her.

"Well, I hate to break it to you, Max, but...you're never going to be a regular anything." His eyes were telling her he got it, that he understood her, that he loved her. Realising she didn't need to stand here alone anymore, she moved to sit next to him.

"I know you're not too chill with what's going on tonight and I thank you for keeping your concerns to yourself. It's a bitch psyching yourself up for battle when people are throwing around words like 'deathwatch.'"

"Well, I think I know you well enough by now. There's no stopping you if there's something you need to do, especially when it comes to your family." He turned toward her, forgetting they were on the Space Needle, forgetting everything except this woman, this moment, as he reassured her that he'd be there for her.

"You're my family as much as anyone, only we're never going to be any kind of anything if it keeps on like this."

"I know."

"One way or another, after tomorrow the world's going to be a different place for me. For both of us." She reached out and grabbed his hand, holding onto it like he was a lifeline.

"Everything's going to be all right," he promised, leaning in to kiss her. The passion between them sparked to life as they breathed each other in.

"Right," she said breathlessly, pulling away and looking out over the city once more.

"Anyway, it was just a bird."

Together they sat there in silence; each thinking of what the future held, each looking into the darkness covering their city – the city they protected together, and wondering if they'd ever sit here again.

But for now they were together, and that was the important thing.

Added Authors note: BTW chapter 4 is written, reviews will make it appear faster… Hint, Hint…