AN: Long author's note. This is the first copy of this chapter. Will be redone at a later date. I would like to apologise to anyone I offended by using the phrase 'this is gay.' I have nothing against gay people, just a phrase in my school used to say how much something sucks. I have tried to edit it out of any future chapters and if you still see it in this fic its because I havent found it yet : )

Review peoples! I don't mind requests, people who think Im weird etc. I want opinions! Critism. Please.





I don't know why I smiled at Zack. He was standing there, watching me with this look on his face…kinda like a naughty puppy. So, forlorn and…sorry.

Okay, I'm giving up with the sentimental lovey dovey crap now. I'm not good at it. We need to go.

"Pair off – Alec and Jace, Syl and Krit, Tinga and Zane…" Zack pauses, realising his mistake.

Max looks up. "I'll be 911 back up if an emergency occurs," she says quickly. I know she's scared something will go wrong and she'll never see Evie again, so this is a good plan. But I think she's also playing matchmaker.

"Okay, Jondy and I," he nodded. "Move out."

The van Logan has was from the first raid on Manticore when Tinga died. I mean, they brought her back and we got her out and all, but I know Manticore creeps her out a lot. The van is still set up with the equipment we need and Bling is waiting as we all climb in.

The drive to Manticore is silent. Syl and Krit are cuddling and Logan and Max are murmuring sweet nothings under their breath. There's tension between Alec and Zack here and it's almost palpable.

"So, what are we aiming to find?" Krit asked suddenly, detaching his mouth from Syl.

"The code that was used for scrambling Evie's DNA," I said. "What I don't understand is how they got the DNA code from Evie in the first place."

"Blood tests," Logan said, realisation dawned on his face. "When Evie got her blood tests done a couple of years ago, the results just never showed up."

I nodded. "Common scenario – someone who worked in the lab heard a buyer wanted Evie Cale's blood results and sold them for a very nice sum. Quiet common in LA."

Max looked more worried than ever. "I thought Manticore was gone forever," she asked.

"If they can get a hold of Case, Evie or Maxine," I said, noticing both Ting and Jace's eyes widening, "They can take bloods, and I think from the blood they can create X11s. In fact, if they catch us, they can take blood and then we have even bigger problems."

Everyone looked at me confused. "Our DNA – virtually all that ended up wrong with the X5s are seizures – and the odd case of insanity. All they need to do is rev up our pain tolerance and senses and voila! Manticore can track down every single one of the rogue prototypes," I said, brushing my hair away from my eyes.

I can see none of them have thought of this and I roll eyes.

Alec began laughing, "We weren't designed to be smart, Jondy."

"I know," I retort. "Added bonus of being me."

Alec and I trade insults until we get to Wyoming. I make a dig at him being Ben and all. It provokes him just as we pull up.

"At least I'm not the CO's whore," he snaps and then looks incredibly guilty. "God, I'm so…"

"Get out," Zack growls at him, everyone silent. I feel myself begin to turn red.

"At least my completely identical brother wasn't bested by Max," I say tartly, grabbing my gun and standing up. "C'mon guys, lets get this over with." I knew my comment fell flat but it broke the tension – which was so thick that you could cut it with a butter knife.

Zack's jaw was set and he looked pretty mad when he got out of the van.

Just as Alec got out, Zack's fist connected with his jaw with a crunch. Alec toppled backwards into me and he landed on top of me when we fell, I never was terribly co ordinated even for an X5, – which made Zack's bad mood even worse.

"Come on," Tinga said impatiently. "Lets get this over with."

We all stood up and connected our comm links and peeled off our sweatshirts. I pulled on my leather gloves and we nodded.

The perimeter fence had collapsed in large areas – all bent and twisted out of shape. Large sections were missing. We climbed through a large gap and crept through the forest.

"Zack, Jondy?" Logan spoke into the comm link.

"Clear to Sector 7G," Zack replied.

"Syl, Krit?"

"Clear, 7E and F."

"Tinga, Zane?"

"Clear – 7A."

"Jace, Alec?"

"Clear 7C."

Finally, Manticore came into view – and I blinked. A white building with mirrored windows. Very plain and inconspicuos.

We crept towards it, shadowing each other. The fence was easy to climb and we were in quite easily.

The halls were long and white with shiny black lino floors. Each door had a name label and a window to see out of – a bit like a 1970s mental institution.

'Experiment 2009-678' was the first one. I peered in and saw a wild looking girl twitching and flinging herself against the padded walls.

Finally, we made it to the Record Room – some old training room. Files and files were stored here in filing cabinets. And there were beams across them – red security beams, if you walked in front of them, security came running.

"We've from the DNA labs and the barracks of the soldiers for VivSys," Syl said into the comm link. "Very messy stuff."

"Pretty bad section as well," Krit added.

"We've found the files," I said. "Left wing, last hall on your right from the main entrance in Sector G."

"Copy that – give us three minutes," Zane said.

I began work on the security system – to shut it down or disable it – while Zack tried to work out how to get around them.

"Jondy, have you got a metal plated watch or some jewellery?" Zack asked suddenly.

"Yeah," I nodded and tossed him my id bracelet.

"If this works, we're in – if it doesn't, we need to be out of here in 2 seconds," Zack said. "Zane, Tinga, on stand by."

"Copy that Zack," Tinga said. "We're in the main hallway."

"Get out of there, Alec," Logan suddenly said. "Security and an official."

"Armed?" Jace asked tensely.

"Very. Tazers, guns, the works," Max said. "And that woman looks worse that that bitch Renfro."

"Are we in any danger here, Max?" I asked, as Zack held up my bracelet.

"I give you 60 seconds, at the most. Get the hell out of there," Max sounded urgent.

Zack held the bracelet in front of the laser beam and the whole thing shut down. All the red beams turned off.

"Anything on the X series," Zack ordered. "Now."

I strode over and began grabbed files – huge paper ones. I stuffed them in my backpack as fast as I could.

"Tinga, Zane, Jondy, Zack, get out now!" Logan yelled.

I nodded and grabbed one last file. Something small and colourful fell to my feet. I stuffed in the file and snatched up the small object and stuffed it in my bag.

Zack and I sprinted from the hall, him clutching my slightly melted id bracelet and me holding onto a bag full of Manticore information.

Tinga and Zane were waiting. Just as five security men and a tall woman appeared in front of us.