3 motorbikes roared into Seattle through a secret entrance that the transgenics had set up in order to avoid checkpoints. Maxie had Isabelle on the back, Jondi had Max, and much to both their fury, Alec had Michael, who had only agreed to come after much pleading by Isabelle. Maxie lead the way to the safe house they'd also set up.
"We have to wait til dark, then we can sneak in." she said when they arrived. Alec, who was surveying the scene from the window of the 7th storey apartment, called over to Maxie,
"Maybe not, Max. Come see this." Maxie joined him at the window.
"Oh sh*t!" she exclaimed, "They found it!" she spoke of the one entrance/exit of terminal city that only transgenics knew about and could therefore still use, until now that is. "It doesn't look like they got in, but this makes things more difficult." but she grinned at Alec. "Looks like we're gonna have to do it the fun way." Only the aliens didn't understand this. Alec looked round at the confused faces and filled them in,
"We're gonna have to go through the front door, through the protestors, cops, and national guard, thus, the fun way." He grinned.
"Your shield will be useful." Jondi suggested to Max, who nodded.
"And all three of us can help clear the path." Smiled Isabelle. All Maxie could think was, Damn the media will love this! Ordinaries flying every which way and transgenics that can deflect bullets. She let out a short laugh.
"Whatever." She said. " But we should still wait til dark."
Maxie split away from the group to sit in a corner, gazing out of the window. Shortly, Jondi joined her.
"You ok baby sister?" she asked. Startled, Maxie looked up.
"Yeah, yeah, just thinking." She smiled. Jondi sat beside her.
"When you said there were people you cared about in there, you meant some one in particular, didn't you?" It was a statement, not a question, and Max was annoyed at how well her sister could read her.
"Kinda." She said simply.
"Come on! Details!" Jondi laughed. Max couldn't.
"It's…complicated."
"Boyfriend?"
"No… not exactly."
"Hmmm, not exactly? He either is or he isn't. Do you love him?"
"Yes." Maxie breathed. "I love him. But we can't be together, ever." Jondi lost the smile.
"Baby sis…" she said quietly, "Why?"
"Manticore…"
"He wont be with you because of Manticore?!" Jondi exclaimed in outrage.
"No, no. It's not like that. That's not what I meant. Manticore put a virus in me that is genetically targeted to his DNA. If I touch him, then it transmits. If I touch the man I love, then it will kill him." Jondi was speechless. She knew how it felt to not be able to be with the one you love, but this…
"I'm so sorry Maxie." Then it hit her. "You said it was a virus, right?" Maxie nodded, "As in something in your body that shouldn't be there?" another nod. "Then Max could heal you." Jondi gasped. Max just starred.
"You think?" she asked. "It's engineered, it's not natural."
"I don't think it matters, I'm not sure, but it's worth a try, right?"
After explaining the situation to Max, they, plus Alec, headed out to a lab Maxie had found during her previous searches for a cure. Max wanted to see the virus first. The lab was abandoned, but it still had all the right equipment. Looking down a microscope at a sample of Maxie's blood, Max identified the virus.
"Yep, that's it." Confirmed Maxie. "Can you do it?" Max bit his lip,
"I think so. But you have to understand that I've never done this with an engineered illness before. In fact, I've never done it on a transgenic, except Li… Jondi."
"Just do what you can." Maxie pleaded. He nodded and asked her to lie down. As she did, Maxie noticed the worried look on Alec's face. He always acts like a pratt, but he really does care. She thought. Somehow this comforted Maxie as she had also noticed an unpleasant sensation- she was scared. Over the past couple of years she had faced death many times, but faced with this, she was terrified. She took Alec's hand as she closed her eyes. Even though this shocked him a little, Alec sat beside her and held her hand firmly.
"It'll be ok." He said in a voice only she could hear. Jondi was standing back, and max stood over Maxie. He held out his hands, palms down, over her heart.
"Ready?" he asked. She nodded without opening her eyes. Max's hands began to glow white. Alec could see beads of sweat forming on his brow. He also noticed that Maxie's breath was coming quicker. As the light brightened, Maxie's grip on Alec's hand tightened, and a yell was torn from her. Alec put a hand on her forehead, smoothing back her hair, trying to comfort her.
"Are you done?" he demanded of Max, as Maxie's body began to shake. "I think you should stop." Max kept going. Alec was furious. It pained him to see Maxie like this, but he knew that he could not force Max to stop if Maxie wasn't protesting. Eventually the light faded, and Maxie's body relaxed. All looked at her expectantly. Her eyes fluttered open, to see Alec looking terrified. She smiled.
"It's ok." She whispered. He nodded. "Did it work?" she asked Max.
"I hope so. I can't say for sure, but I felt it. That thing was strong, but I think I got it."
"Let's see." Maxie said, sitting up and rolling up her sleeve.
"Wo, wo." Interrupted Alec. "Do you think you should be taking more blood? You'll need to be strong for tonight."
"Alec, if this has worked then nothing will keep me out of terminal city tonight. Not even the friggin' National Guard." Alec smiled, realising that she really was ok. They took another sample.
As Max looked through the microscope, Maxie repeated,
"Did it work?" Max came up slowly, impassively.
"Take a look for yourself" She did, and Alec held his breath.
"Oh my god." She said as she looked at Alec, her face emotionless. His heart sank, but seeing this in his eyes, a grin broke Maxie's features, "It worked!" she shrieked, throwing her arms around him. He hugged her tight, knowing what this meant to her. She then hugged both of the others, planting a kiss on Max's cheek. "Thank you so much!" she squealed.
"Hey there girly!" Jondi laughed, "That space boy is mine! Get off!"
Hours later, after night had fallen, Mole called to Logan over the control room in terminal city.
"Logan, you should really see this." Logan watched the screen, seeing an extraordinary sight. Three motorbikes were ploughing through the crowd outside, without hitting a single person. Protestors, police, and soldiers flew out of the way in front of the bikes, and the bullets hailing down on them from every direction were deflected before they got close.
"Oh my god!" he exclaimed, "Is that Max?"
"Uh-huh, and Alec. Don't know who the other chick and the passengers are though." So they just watched in awe as the bikes easily reached the gates, which sprung open ahead of them and closed behind.
Reaching cover at last, Max dropped the force field and they all whooped and cheered.
"That rocked!" yelled Alec, "Even with you on my bike." He added turning to Michael. He ignored the comment and gave Alec a high five. Even he couldn't say anything bad about that experience. Maxie smiled. That was fun, she thought, remembering the looks on the faces of all onlookers. They all dismounted, seeing a group rushing towards them, some heavily armed.
"It's ok guys." Maxie called out, "It's me and Alec. These guys are friends." Logan came away from the group.
"Max, what was that?!" He asked.
"It's complicated. Oh, and this is my sister." She grinned, "Jondi, this is Logan."
"Jondi?" repeated Logan, knowing how much Max had wanted to find her. "Nice to meet you." He said, shaking her hand, slightly dazed. Maxie smiled at her, then turned back to Logan.
"Now I have a surprise for you… another surprise." The grin got, if possible, broader. "Close your eyes."
"What?"
"You always make me! Close your eyes." Logan sighed in resignation and closed his eyes. Maxie stood on tiptoes and kissed him. His eyes flew open in shock. "Surprise." She said. Starring at his hands, realising that he was totally unaffected, Logan stuttered,
"How?"
"I'll explain later." She answered, wrapping her arms around his neck. He held her back and they kissed passionately. Even Alec couldn't help smiling. Jondi was almost crying, and held onto Max, who kissed the top of her head. Isabelle, overcome by the emotion of the situation, grabbed Michael and kissed him on the cheek. He just stood there, bewildered, really not getting what all the fuss was about.