Ames walked into the large conference room, where lots of people involved with his plans, was. "Thank you for coming. Now if I may, get down to business." Ames replied pressing a button on his laptop, which was hooked up to a projector. A picture of Max and her status on the side appeared on the wall. "This is 452. The target, the victim of my wrath. She is the one that let loose all the mutants and took my son away from me. I want to find her very, very badly. If any of you have a chance to grab her, do it and bring her to me, alive." Ames replied then pressed another button. A picture of Alec and his status came up. "This is 494, the best fighter that Manticore has. He is friends very close friends with 452. Basically her bodyguard. It's like a chain reaction people, if we get him, we get him, we get her, and we get almost all mutants in Seattle. Without 452 telling them to lay low, they will be easier to capture. Any questions?" Ames asked.

Some one raised his hand and Ames nodded his head telling him he was allowed to speak. "Mr. White, how can you be so sure that if he kidnap 494 that 452 will come for him?" a man asked. Ames just stared at him. "Because I know 452. If one of her friends or even any other transgenics is in trouble with us she'll come for fear of exposer or something happening to someone she cares for." Ames answered.

Ames walked into another room where a girl was sitting. Once he entered she stood up. "What the hell do you want now?" she asked. "Take a seat 453." He warned. "You came in and took me from my family again! Why don't you leave me alone!?" she screamed. "I need your help to capture someone." Ames replied taking out Alec's photo. 453 snatched it and looked at him. "That's 494, I need him. And you could be of some use to this situation." Ames replied. 453 looked up at Ames. "Ames no, this is 494, he kicks butt, he'll kick mine and yours too." She replied giving him back the photo. Ames took the picture and paced around the room. Suddenly a flashback from his dream came back. Ames slowly smiled. "Let me take care of him, but you have to lead him to a place. Now here's what you do and where you go." Ames replied.

Alec walked into Jam Pony. He walked past the counter and to his locker. 453 walked in and looked around. She scanned the area then she saw Alec. She took 2 steps then suddenly Cindy blocked her path. "Hey Max. Girl if you're late for work one more day I think Normal will have to go insane." she replied. 453 looked at her. "Hey" she finally said. "You ok girl?" Cindy asked. "I'm fine, but I need to talk to 494." She replied. Cindy made a face. "Max, don't say his number in public, you'll give him away." Cindy replied stepping closer to her so only she could hear. 453 gave a face. "Then what should I call him." She asked. Cindy gave a face. "By his fake name, what else Max?" Cindy asked. 453 only stared at her. "Alec?" Cindy replied. "Oh yeah, well I have to talk to Alec." 453 replied then walked off towards him. "

Alec." She replied once she got close to him. Alec turned around and faced her. 453 felt like someone slapped her, he was so handsome. Alec waved a hand in front of her face, making her ending her daydreaming. "Max, are you ok? Maybe you should sit down." Alec replied shutting his locker, and gently taking her arm and sitting her down. "Alec?" she asked. "Yeah, what?" he asked. "Nothing, just noticing how incredibly gorgeous you are." She replied.

That scared Alec and he gave a weird face. "Max, are you feeling ok?" he asked smiling. "Um no, I think I have to go home and rest, can you take me, I feel light headed." 453 replied standing up, Alec did also. "Sure Max, I'll take you home." Alec replied touching her back and gently pushing her forward. "Hey Normal, I'm taking Max home, I'll be back in 15 minutes." Alec shouted at Normal. Normal was about to complain but they were already out the door. Once out in the streets 453 started walking. "Max" Alec hollered. 453 turned around. "What?" she asked. "You're going the wrong way, your house is this way." Alec replied. "Oh, right, but I just want to go to the park first." 453 replied then returned to walking. Alec sighed and followed. They entered the park, and walked into the woods.

Suddenly Ames and some of his men walked out in front of them. Alec stopped dead in his tracks. "Max, run!" he replied. 453 didn't move. "Max!?" he shouted at her. Suddenly she kicked him hard in the face. Alec flew to the ground, having no time to loose he kicked her legs underneath of her. Quickly he moved her hair and looked at her barcode. "Your not Max." he replied shooting up. Suddenly a man tried to punch him, Alec grabbed his arm and flipped him over his shoulder. Another man tired to kick him, Alec grabbed his shoulders and flipped over him then kicked him hard in the back, sending him flying hardly into a tree. Instinctively he knew another one was running at him from behind, Alec did a 180 and kicked the man in the face. Another man came running and kicked up near his face Alec dropped to the ground the once his leg went over his head he jumped up he kicked him in the stomach and then in the face. Ames watched as he pulled the cap off the needle with his teeth. Once Alec's back was to him Ames grabbed him and jabbed the needled into the back of his neck. Pain jolted through his body, sending him to his knees, he sent both hands behind his neck to see what hit him. Ames quickly pushed the liquid through, into his skin and tore it out. Alec then dropped to the ground unconscious. Ames watched his men recover and looked down at Alec, who was on his side, knocked out.

"Wow, if you wouldn't have done that he would have probably kicked everyone's butt." 453 replied also looking down at Alec. Ames bent down and grabbed his chin and pulled his head so that it was looking at him. His boyish face looked like he was sleeping. Ames smiled then let go and allowed his head to fall back on his arm and stood up. "Get up and get him in the car now!' Ames shouted walking to a car with 453 following.

Alec slowly opened his eyes, pain in his head welcomed him . He tried to reach up toward his head to comfort it but noticed his hands were handcuffed behind him. He was in a cage, a cell, and his hands were cuffed behind him around a bar. He tried to get out of them but it was no use. Knowing he can't escape he hung his head so it rested on his shoulder and tried to let the pain go away. Suddenly a light above him flashed on, the only light in the room. He squinted his eyes and slowly raised his head up as Ames walked in. "Up finally?" he asked sitting in a chair in front of the cage.

Alec didn't say anything. "Where is 452?" Ames asked. Alec shook his head no. "I'm not telling you." He replied giving a mean face. Ames sighed. "494, I am tired of playing this game, I am NOT a patient man SO TELL ME WHERE SHE IS NOW!" he shouted then slammed his hand on the cage. Alec jumped then slowly closed his eyes and reopened them. "No." Alec replied quietly. Ames was breathing hard. "No?" Ames asked standing up. "No?" he asked again walking around the cage to the corner where Alec was cuffed. "NO!?" he shouted loudly as he quickly dropped to his knees and grabbed his chin hardly through the bars. "Listen 494, do you have ANY idea the hell you are going to go through if you don't tell me right now where she is?" Ames asked breathing hard and trying to keep his anger in. Alec was forced to look into his hateful eyes. "Do your worst." Alec said bravely. Ames's frowned eyes turned into shock and then punched him hard in the face the stood up. "Do my worst?" Ames asked walking to the door the turned around to faced Alec. "494, I ALWAYS do." Ames replied then left, slamming the door loudly behind him.

Alec's head hurt worse now, so he just gently laid his head up against the bars.

It has been 45 minutes since Ames had sent some of his men in the room with Alec, once they walked out he thanked them then went in himself. Ames walked up to the cage and walked in. Alec was lying on the ground. Blood was on the floor and all over him. Cuts, gashes, ripped cloths and sweat covered him. Ames squatted down and looked at him. "Had enough? I can go on for days, months, I could do this myself, and to stop your suffering all you have to do his tell me where 452 is." Ames replied quietly. Alec raised his eyes to his then laid his head back down on the concrete. "No." he murmured. Ames eyes widened. "No girl is worth all this pain 494, better yet no one is. She is the same person who sent you to evaluation, she was the one that was selfish to escape and not care what they did to you." Ames replied trying to get him to tell. Tears filled in his eyes as he saw flashbacks from that terrible time. "Come on 494, pay her back for your pain, this time and in the past." Ames replied. Alec squeezed his eyes shut. "NO!" he shouted as loud as he could as if he was screaming over a crowd. Ames's face turned into a frown as he stood up. "Very well, I will be back soon, then we'll see how high your pain management is 494." He replied the walked out of the cage, locked it and walked out of the room.

Ames stood outside of the room when 453 walked up to him. "May I please go now?" she asked softly. Ames looked at her. "Yes, but before you go, I want to know if you know anywhere 452 could be located. Do you?" he asked. Ames saw 453 think. "Well when I went to Jam Pony to go get 494, a girl came up to me and started talking to 'max' like they were best friends. She said that if you're late for work one more day I think Normal will have to go insane. I think she works there." 453 replied. Ames nodded. "I'll get a chopper to take you back to Canada, and thank you." Ames replied. 453 looked down at her feet and walked away, kind of feeling bad for what she had just done. She thought about the last time she had met 452 and 494. his words echoed in her ear. If Manticore didn't go down you wouldn't even be with them.. And you know who took it down. 453 shook her head and continued to walk away. Ames then walked back into the room. Alec was still lying as he was before. "Get up now." Ames replied kicking him in the stomach. Alec gasped and tried but he couldn't get up. Finally Ames yanked him up.

"W..What are you doing?" Alec asked. "You're coming with me to Jam Pony." Ames replied. Alec's eye widened, he knew what Ames was up too. "Ames, please don't use me as bait. Anything don't do that, please I am begging you." He replied. Ames smiled and looked at Alec. "Why 494, is it because of the fact that you know what she will do, you know this will work?" Ames replied looking into him eyes. Alec did also with a sad look on his face. "Ames, please." He said quietly. "It will ruin my life." He added. Alec was lying he knew Max wouldn't let Ames take him away with a fight, that's why he didn't want to go. And it would let everyone know he was a transgenic so I guess it would ruin his life. "You will have no use of that life." Ames replied. Alec looked at him confused. "What?" Alec asked. "That's right. I restored Manticore." Ames replied evilly. Alec's mouth dropped. "What!? But how?" Alec asked. "At the old building we found some unburned files, we rebuilt the building and we have our own scientists." Ames replied. Alec looked at Ames. "I am NOT going back there." Alec warned. Ames laughed. "To hell your not, I'll make sure you get in there and stay there! Now let's go!" Ames replied grabbing him.















Max walked into Jam Pony. "Hey Normal." She replied walking past him. Normal jumped out and stopped her. "Where the hell is he?" Normal asked. Max gave him a weird face. "What?" she asked. "Alec? Where is he? He took you home over 2 hours ago and hasn't came back like he said he would." Normal replied "Normal I have no clue what you're talking about." Max replied. "It's true boo, he took you home cause you weren't feeling well." Cindy replied. "Guys I wasn't here I just got out of bed a couple of minutes ago." Max said seriously. Suddenly someone busted down the door. Max saw White's men coming and with Cindy's help she hid behind the couch.

Soon White walked in the with a good grip on Alec and a knife to his throat. Everyone gasped. "No one move!!!" Ames shouted. Max peered around to see what was going on, she gasped as she saw Alec. "Where is she?" white asked Alec moving the knife closer to his throat. "I don't know!" Alec lied. Ames shoved him hard against the wall. "Don't lie to me damn it, where the hell is she!" Ames shouted. Some of his men were ushering Normal and some other people away from them. "I told you I have no clue where she is!" Alec shouted at the same tone Ames yelled at him. Ames the punched him in the face. Max winced as she watched Alec fall to the ground. Ames looked around. "Where is she? Max?" Ames replied. No one spoke. "Ok, I guess I'll just have to get it out of you." Ames replied to Alec. "You're going to get nothing." He warned "Unless she wants you dead she better step forth." Ames replied.

"You won't kill me." He replied. Ames tuned to him. "Don't be so sure." He replied. Max then stood up. "Ames let him go." Max replied. "Max! Run!" Alec shouted. Ames smiled at her. "Max, he built a new Manticore and he's going to put you in there you have to-'' Alec's words were cut off by Ames kicking him in the face. Ames then started walking towards her. Suddenly Alec tackled him to the floor. "C.C, Cindy, get Max out of here!" Alec ordered pinning him down. "NO!" Ames shouted. C.C and Cindy grabbed Max and tried tugging her away. "Max come on!" Cindy shouted. "I can't leave Alec!" she shouted trying to get to him as he fought White. "Boo, you have too! You can rescue him later!" Cindy replied. "NO! I can't!!!!!!!" she screamed. Alec managed to get away from White. "Max, go!" he shouted shoving her out the glass door. The 2 fell to the ground.

Just at the same time Logan was coming. "Hey guys I have to get a package. WHOA! Alec what happened!?" Logan asked. Alec looked behind him and saw Ames and his men running toward them. Alec opened the door and shoved Max in, and C.C, then Cindy. By this time Logan had restarted the car, his front seat beside him was lots of his computer parts. Max rolled down the window and gripped his hand. "Alec, please." Max replied. "You have to go he wants you don't give him what he wants." Alec replied. Soon Logan took off and he let go of Max's hand, just at the same time Max watched White grab Alec's throat and threw him down to the ground.

Max started out the window, tear slowly coming down her cheek. "I think someone needs to explain." Logan replied driving. "If you didn't have those parts, Alec could have saved himself as well as me. Now he's going to get the crap beat out of him." Max replied crying. "Boo, you don't know that, they could be following us and shooting at us if Alec was here. Plus he looked like he already had the crap beat out of him." Cindy replied. Max closed her eyes. "Why were you calling him 494 this morning?" Cindy then asked. "CINDY, I TOLD YOU I WASN'T HERE I WASN'T EVEN- oh god." She stopped herself. "What?" C.C asked. "My clone! It was my clone ,god, Ames must have gotten my clone to lead him into a trap." Max replied holding her forehead. "And he was in bad shape probably because he refused to tell Ames where you where." Logan guessed. "Oh this is all my fault. I'm killing him." She replied. "Max, if he shoved you in this car and helped you get away, then he is killing himself willingly cause he doesn't want you hurt." Cindy replied. "He doesn't deserve this." Max replied. "Maybe not..but he's accepting it." Logan replied looking at her through the rear view mirror. Max sighed and looked out the window.

"WE ALMOST HAD HER!!!!!!!!" Ames shouted as loud as he could then looked at Alec who was standing, chained to the wall. "Do you know how many times I had the chance to catch her but then you SOMEHOW stopped me!!?? You did it again! I had to walk away! But now I can take my anger out on you!" Ames shouted then left the room. Hours past and Alec was getting hungry.

Max peeked in and saw Alec asleep. She carefully opened the window and ran quietly next to Alec. She squatted down and gently raised his head. Alec's eyes opened. "Max, you shouldn't be here." He said, his voice sounded tortured and he was breathing hard. "Shh, I'm going to get you out." Max whispered and tried to pick the chains. "Hello 452." Ames replied. Max stood up startled. Ames walked a couple of steps. "Let him go. He doesn't deserve what you're doing to him." Max replied. Ames laughed at her request. "Please, I won't run." She replied. Ames pressed a button and a net underneath her feet pulled her up tangled. "Ah! Let me go!" Max yelled. Ames laughed at her. "Yeah you won't run. I knew you would come to us 452. Seeing your friend at Jam Pony all beat up, not well nourished, bleeding, I know you. So I just waited and looks like I got you." He said evilly while gripping Alec's chin.

White unchained him and threw him in a cell. And got Max down and threw her in one as well, then left. Max looked at Alec and grabbed his hand. "I'm sorry." She replied. "Don't be Max. But why did you come back here?" he asked. Max winced once she looked a his face and cuts covered with dry blood. "I had to get you out of here. I am sorry I didn't." Max replied ashamed. "It's ok, but I wish I didn't have company." Alec replied smiling. Max smiled too. "Has Ames really come up with a new Manticore?" Max asked. Alec shook his head yes. "Alec I am truly scared I don't want to go back to Manticore or anything similar to it." Max replied "I know Max, this is very serious, but you can't be scared, you just have to look him in the eye and just give him that look that means you can't stop me from escaping." Alec replied. Max grinned. "No doubt you're a solider." Max said smiling. Alec smiled too. "What can I say, they molded me into what I am now." Alec said situating himself so he was more comfortable on the floor. Max looked down then at him. "I saw you frightening White and his thugs, when my clone led you into the woods. That was brave, what you did there and that was the best frightening I have ever seen you do." Max replied. Alec looked at her. "How did you-'' Alec began. "I stole the video tape from one of those dumb hovercrafts that the police use." Max interrupted.

Alec shook his head yes telling he understood. "I can't believe I let him catch me." Max then said changing the subject. "You shouldn't have come. It's my fault he caught you." Alec pointed out. Max shrugged. "Doesn't matter, I am tired of all this crap I have to deal with any how. White, Normal, Logan, making sure no one exposes us, finding food for myself and Joshua, scared that someone might see the barcode, scared of people turning on us, the hunting, the hate, everything." Max replied. Alec shook his head yes, he understood that too.

White then barged in and gabbed Max and yanked her out of her cell. "Where are you taking her?" Alec asked. White looked at him, Max was struggling hard. "You are no longer apart of this, so I suggest that you shut up and sit down." White warned. "You have Max, that makes this my business and I suggest that you let her go right now." Alec warned. Amused Ames turned and looked at him. "Oh what are you going to do? Your behind bars." Ames asked, eager to see what he will do. "This," Alec replied then with that jumped up and grabbed the bars above his head. And with one powerful swing he quickly squeezed through the bars and jumped on to the ground, kicking Ames in the process. Ames threw Max to the ground so he could fight back. Ames and Alec fought hitting and kicking each other. Soon Max joined in. Somehow they managed to pin him down and handcuff his hands behind his back. Alec and Max stood up and looked for a way up.

Ames jumped up and jumped through his handcuffs so they were in front of him. He the set a gun, aimed, and shot. Alec knowing that a bullet was coming, he shoved Max out of the way into a window, him following behind her. As glass shattered, they fell outside onto the ground. They heard Ames running and they quickly got on Max's bike and sped away, leaving Ames watching, his head boiling with anger.