Reaching for The Moon by ThePekingNoodle
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Chapter Seventy-Seven: Trust No One
In which the realities of her situation are brought home to our heroine…
Max looked at Zack expectantly when Logan left the two of them alone. "Don't you want to sit down?"
Zack glanced at her and remained standing next to the window. "I prefer to stand."
There was a silence as the two studied each other. Finally, Zack gave her a small smile. "You turned out okay, Max."
"Thanks. I was lucky I guess." Max smiled shyly back at him.
"What happened to you after we got out?" Zack went straight to the point.
"I hitched a ride with some people out of Gillette." Zack didn't miss Max's slight hesitation as she spoke, but he didn't comment. "It was the middle of a blizzard and they ran their car off the road, but I was lucky. My adoptive parents came along and found me. They took me back to Idaho with them, and I lived with them until just a couple of months ago."
"How'd you end up hooked up with him?" Zack glanced towards the kitchen and Logan.
Max shot Zack a look at the disdain in his tone when he spoke of Logan. "His name is Logan, and I happen to be married to him, Zack."
"He's a normal. It isn't safe, Max."
"He was good friends with my father. Manticore killed my adoptive parents, Zack. They almost found me but Logan got me away from them, and he's been watching my back." Max said indignantly, glaring at Zack.
"He's involved with Lydecker. I heard it myself. I don't like it. It's too coincidental. How do you know that he didn't get in with your father to get to you? Maybe your rescue was a setup. He hooks up with you and uses you to get to the others. Then when he has us all located, he turns all of us in." Zack glared at Max.
"That isn't true." Max said stubbornly.
"Why? Because he's screwing your brains out? Stop thinking with your hormones, Max and start thinking like a soldier."
"I stopped being a soldier a long time ago." Max ignored the first part of Zack's comment, but her tone was icy.
"Tell that to the Colonel when he comes knocking at your door." Zack stared at her. "Max, none of us can ever stop being soldiers. We can never stop looking over our shoulders. Escape and evade, that's our life. Face the reality."
"That might be your reality Zack, but it isn't mine. I don't want to live that way. I might as well go turn myself back in to Manticore. At least I'd get three squares a day and room and board for it."
"You just might find yourself back there sooner that you think, if you don't get your head on straight about this guy, Max."
"I'm not discussing this with you Zack."
The two glared at each other. Logan walked back into the room and glanced from one to the other, taking in the tense atmosphere.
"Food's ready," he said mildly.
"I have to go. Sorry I can't stay and join you." Zack said abruptly.
"Zack…" Max said rising from her seat.
Zack's face softened slightly as he looked at her. He walked over and pulled her into a hug. "I can't stay, Max. Seattle isn't safe for me, and it isn't safe for you either. The Colonel's too close here. Come away with me, and I'll settle you somewhere safe and away from him."
Max pulled back at his last words. Logan held his breath as he waited to hear her response.
"No, Zack. I won't do that. I'm staying. Logan has my back here. I trust him." Her voice was soft yet determined.
Zack shot a glance at Logan. "If you really cared about her you'd tell her to go. You know it isn't safe here."
"Where is it safe Zack? What is she supposed to do? Run from place to place every couple of months?
Max is safe with me. The day she isn't is the day I'll send her away myself." Logan refused to give ground, meeting Zack's stare head on as he stepped to Max and dropped his arm around her shoulders. "And by the way, Max's head is on straight. If you ever insult my wife again like you did earlier by implying that she's some mindless bimbo who can be manipulated by sex…"
"You'll what?" Zack interrupted.
"Stop it now. Both of you." Max stepped between them and stared them both down. "Zack you're my brother and I've missed you, but Logan is my husband, and I'm staying with him. You're welcome here anytime you want to come but I'm not leaving."
Zack shrugged. "I better get going then."
"How can I contact you?" Max asked him.
"I'll be in touch. I know where to find you. That's risk enough without you knowing how to find me."
"Zack just tell me one thing. The others…are they okay?" Max sent him a pleading glance.
"Most of them are."
"I want to see them."
"That isn't safe. I'll be in touch." Before Max could reply he had left the room. The apartment door closed after him seconds later.
Max sighed.
"I'm sorry. Max." Logan said gently. "I know how much you wanted to find your siblings."
"At least I know that Zack's okay. He hasn't changed much either." Max smiled bravely. "Still the CO."
"Yeah, well it can't have been easy for him since the escape. You were lucky in Nathan and Annette."
"I know. I just wish he'd tell me where the others are. I want to see them."
"Just because Zack won't tell, doesn't mean we stop looking, Max."
"Maybe we should. Maybe he's right and it isn't safe to know. What if the Colonel did get his hands on me?"
"I'm not going to let that happen, Max." Logan's voice was strong as he looked down at her. "I promise."
He pulled her close. Max curled against him letting his closeness ease her jumble of emotions.
"I'm sorry he insulted you, Logan."
Logan smiled. "Doesn't bother me, Max. Anyway turnabout's fair play. You put up with my relatives, so how can I complain about yours? Besides, it's good to know that there's someone else who can watch out for you just in case."
"Just in case what?" Max looked at him suspiciously. "What are you planning?"
"Nothing." He gave her an innocent look. "But you never know. I could get hit crossing the street or something. If that were to happen, it's good to know there's someone else you can turn to."
"Don't think you can put one over on me, Logan Cale." Max warned him.
Logan shrugged. "Let's eat. No sense letting my culinary miracle go to waste." He pulled her along with him to the kitchen.
End of Chapter Seventy-Seven…TBC…
