They were gorgeous.  There was no other word for it.  Power radiated from their perfect bodies.  Self assurance wrapped their every movement like a flow of Japanese silk.  Sadness emanated like a mystique.  Sadness both for the atrocities that they'd committed at the behest of my government, and for the suffering that they had endured at the hands of their progenitors.

Besides all that nonsense, I'd also never before seen such physically perfect specimens.  I was beginning to wonder if Manticore had been creating soldiers or living, breathing Barbie and Ken dolls.  The pair before me could have been poured from plastic moulds, except that no modern marvel of technology could have created such obvious force of personality.

With easy nonchalance they submitted to the weapons search.  I suppose a gun didn't matter much to a being who was in essence a living weapon.  Being a senator did involve certain risks, and this meeting was one of them.  After passing inspection, I wave the guards away and shut the door behind them.

"Please, have a sit.  Can I get either of you anything, some water perhaps."  Maybe some milk for the nice kitties.

"Thank you, but no."  The boy smiles charmingly at my offer displaying perfect, even, white teeth.  I want to ask what their names are, but then I'm not really sure whether they have names or numbers, and whether it would be politically correct of me to ask.

"I'm Alec by the way, and this is Maxie."

"Max, actually."  The girl glares good-naturedly at her companion.  My smile tightens in response and the irrational part of my brain starts to fear mental telepathy.  I take a deep breath to ground myself, I can't start freaking out before we've even begun negotiations. 

"Well Max and Alec, I'd like to thank both of you for putting your faith in me by coming down here today.  Obviously whatever decisions are reached between us, the final outcome rests in the hands of the entire Senatorial body.  Think of this as a preliminary meeting to get everything out on the table.  First of all my main goal, which I'm sure that both of you share, is to end this situation without any bloodshed."

They continue to stare at me in a slightly predatory manner.  Not sizing me up for dinner, but constantly analyzing my intelligence and honesty.  As a senior member of the senate, even despite America's great downfall, I've become unused to being challenged by other people.  These two certainly weren't like the ass kissers that I had been surrounded with for so many years.  Frankly it's kind of refreshing.  The girl smiles sardonically.

"I can assure you of two things senator.  The first is that my people wish to avoid violence at all costs," she bares her teeth daintily "the second is that my people will fight to the death if they are forced to, and I really don't think that anyone would like the results of such a confrontation.  We were trained to defend ourselves quite powerfully."

For such an innocent looking little thing, the girl before me certainly isn't afraid to bare her teeth and claws.  I get the distinct feeling that she isn't going to appreciate my proposal, but I didn't make it to senior senator by dicking around the tough issues.  Putting on my most earnest face I lean towards them, and they unconsciously mimic my behavior.

"Well, as you both seem to favor plain speech, I'll lay it all out for you.  Firstly, as you probably both know the United States Armed Forces have been largely depleted in the years since the pulse.  We no longer have the manpower or equipment to be a global power."

"No."  The girl's voice shakes with cold restraint.  "I know what you're going to suggest and the answer is no.  We didn't escape just to get turned into killers again."  Panic balloons through my chest as they rise out of their seats, I seem to have backed myself into a corner.

"Please just hear me out."  They exchange dark looks, but the boy finally nods his head and they sit down again.  "Your people," it seems funny talking about these two all American looking kids as though they were another species, "they are used to a structured and disciplined environment.  It has occurred to me that some of them might be more comfortable returning to such an environment on a provisionary basis.  What I plan to recommend to my colleagues, is that volunteers be allowed to join the army on a provisional basis.  They would be given the same rights and responsibilities of any other enlisted person."

"And those who don't feel like volunteering?"  The boy's eyebrows tilt sardonically as though expecting the worst from a politician.  Considering what they knew of the government, the attitude didn't really surprise me.

"Those that feel more comfortable in segregation from society would be free to remain in your city.  Anyone brave enough to live outside may feel free to do so."

"That's it, you just let us all go?"  They wore identical looks of disbelief on their perfect faces.

"Not quite."

"Oh here we go."  I suppressed a laugh as the girl punched the boy in the shoulder.

"It will be mandatory for anyone under the age of eighteen to either remain in Terminal City, attend a state run military school, or go through the adoption process and be assigned to a willing family, either transgenic or human.  In addition, every one of you will be required to carry a card with you at all times, which identifies your transgenic status.  The card needn't be displayed, it is simply to identify you to the authorities."  The girl's eyes narrow dangerously and the boy places a restraining hand on her arm.

"Well Senator, I have to say that on the surface it seems to be a very generous offer.  So what's that catch, what is it that you want from us in return."

"Maxie."  She silences him with a glare, and my pent up mirth escapes in a small chuckle.

"Actually, Max is right.  I do have something like a favor to ask of both of you."  This is the moment of truth for me.  In all honesty I admire the transgenics and I do believe that they've gotten a raw deal from the country.  Back in my youth I'd marched in anti-war protests and chained myself to trees, and somewhere deep down the activist spirit hadn't died out.  I'd become a senator to make a difference and it had won me enemies along the way.  It had all lead me here to this room.  "I have a favor to ask specially to the two of you.  In appreciation for what I am offering to your people, I would like you to act as my personal army."

"What you've got some political enemies you need killed?  I haven't done a hit like that in a couple of years, I might be rusty."

"What I'm asking my dear boy, is that if I might happen to need some intel gathered from a colleague, or some spare protection during a particularly important public speech, the two of you would be there to provide assistance."  They share a look, and so quickly that I miss it, some secret thought passes between them.

"Well Senator Burnhart, we'd like to thank you for your time and especially your generous offer.  Obviously, the decision is subject to senatorial approval on your side, and I of course need to confer with my people.

"I'll be flying to Washington next Monday."

"You'll have our answer by then."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why is that just when life is starting to pull together, something always has to drop on you to screw it up?

"Mole is never going to go for it, you know that Maxie."

"The hell with Mole, what are we going to do about adopting out all of those children?"

"Are you cool with it?  Doing this woman's dirty work?"

"Well it isn't so different from doing Logan's Eye's Only work.  If it will get our people their freedom, wouldn't you do it?"  His eyes catch mine in that way that takes my breath away and makes my skin flush.

"I would do anything, you know that."

"I do."  So fast he must have blurred he stands inches from me, face leaning delicately towards mine, hands stroking gently down my arms.  Now is the moment of truth, I can tell him about Logan and the tingly feeling he gives me when his skin brushes mine.

"I have to ask you something Maxie."  His breath tickles my face softly.

"First I need to tell you something."  The signature grin spreads over his lips, and he leans impossibly closer, his lips brushing against my hair and cheeks.

"Something good?  Do I have to guess?"  My face tilts towards his, as if with a life of its own.

"I…"  The metallic screeching and wail of sirens behind us drown out my words with horrendous finality.

"Hands up and back away from the girl slowly."  Bright lights shined into Alec's eyes turning them into deep wells.

"Yeah, its him.  You have the right to remain silent, anything you say…"

"Stop, stop, what the hell's going on here?"

"You might want to back away from that guy honey, believe me when I say that he isn't your prince charming."

"What's he charged with then?"

"You kidding lady, this guys a regular psycho.  Killed a half dozen people and ripped their teeth out."  Oh great, just what we needed right now was this shit again.

"It wasn't him."

"Right, it was his evil twin, huh."

"Look Maxie, we don't need bad publicity right now.  Really can't afford to beat the crap out of a dozen policeman," said policeman were either looking at us suspiciously or taking in my physique and laughing their heads off, "I'll just go down to the station quietly and we'll get this sorted out again."  His eyes are solemn beneath the devil may care expression, and I nod my head in acceptance.

"I'll have you out by tomorrow morning."

"I know."

His fingers brush mine one last time before he's shoved head first into one of the attendant police cars.  I wasn't really worried, we'd dealt with this crisis once before.

It was only that, when I turned away I saw in the distance a flash of brilliant crimson skirt and the flicker of moonlight on long, dark, black hair.