To Lemel, for makign Jacey and I guest star in BHM, for Jacey for helping me sort out the end of this fic. Shan, for being the genius she is. And for the WONDERFUL person who said my Logan characterisation was kick-ass. You all rock.

Reviews keep me thinking. I want to wind this story up in the next two weeks, so yeah.

*~*~*~*~*~*
We all sat in the van, waiting for orders. This was the place. And I'd just totally worked out why it was said, 'the tension was so thick, you could cut it with a knife.'

"Okay," Zack said. "From the blue prints, it looks like Max, Jace, Evie and Case will be held on the third level - that's where the old holding cells are."

"Good to know," Zane said sarcastically, and tensely. "Okay, so how are we going to do this?"

"Oh, breathe," Brin snapped. "Let Zack do his job, Zane."

"Yes, Brin," Zack said, dryly. I think he would've been teasing here if the situation hadn't been so desperate. "Okay, Syl and Krit go in via the easterly fire escape. Brin and Alec, go in the first floor south exit. Tinga and I'll go in via the west fire exit. Zane, you need to stay here - if someone notices the van and attacks, you'll need protection.

"Jondy, security is on the tenth floor, which is the top level. You can get up there and go in via the roof exit. You need to get in there, feed in some security video loops and shut off the main electricity - most of the electrical cables meet in the security room. A place of this size will have a generator, but they'll need to have the main electricity source pretty quickly. Then join us on Level Three. We get Max, Jace, Case and Evie out with major back up. Any questions?"

Logan and Charlie (well, Charlie was watching) were hacking into security camera via a satellite. You see, the security video loop I was apparently going to rig up, would only work internally. Logan would see everything that was happening.

I began handing out comm. Links - wonderful black and silver ones, latest model - brought in from Russia (a lot of the best technology came from Russia these days.)

"Okay," I said, sliding my comm link on -basically they are a headset with a micro phone around the face. Pretty funky. Shame this is like the only time we'll ever use these new toys.

Maxa sat next to Tinga, her sweet little face pale, and she looked scared. We couldn't leave her with anyone in case someone came to 'retrieve' her.

"What about me?" Rain complained, looking vaguely annoyed.

"Stay here with Charlie, Logan, Maxa and Zane. They'll need the back up, Rain," Zack said gently. "We've been in this situation before, and I can't have you there, making any mistakes."

"Yeah, okay," Rain agreed, shrugging. Maxa's face brightened a little when Rain said that. Rain is really one of those people everyone feels comfortable with.

"Lets do this," Syl said. "Show 'em what the old models can really do."

That comment actually made me burst into laughter, which started Syl and Brin laughing, and finally Krit and Zane stared to chuckle - Zack and Tinga were too tense and concerned to laugh. I'm pretty sure for the rest of us, it was more like a nerves thing - the laughter broke the tension. But I could understand Tinga and Zack's point of view. Tinga's was because her son, whom she hadn't seen in years, was captured (that was kind of a given) and Zack…well, because even after all these years, he still felt responsible for every single one of us. Loosing Ben was hard on him.

We crept together towards the warehouse (which was absolutely enormous. Huge, in fact) and we split up when we reached the first entrance. Zack never told me exactly where to get it, so in the words of a very good clothes label, I would make my own way there.

I looked around for something I could use as a makeshift climbing rope…um…okay, electrical wire was really my only choice. It was thick, like cable, so it would hold my weight; Zack would kill me if the whole mission had to be abandoned on account of me not bringing climbing ropes.

Man, I hope it doesn't rain.

I looped it around my left leg and up around my waist, and knotted the other end around a pole and began to scramble up - this way, as I climbed up the wall, the knot around the pole would tighten. So, in the unlikely situation I'd fall, I swing back against the pole, the cable-wire would pull tight and I'd dangle there. But then, I never fall. At least, not physically.

Very profound, Jondy.

I scrambled up the warehouse wall like that Pre-Pulse cartoon dude, Spiderman. I reached the roof, couching down low, as I unlooped the electrical cable-wire from myself.

"I'm on the roof, Zack, all clear," I said into my comm. link.

"Okay, Jondy. Brin, Alec?"

"We're clear. Took out two guards several moments ago," Brin said.

"Oops," came a voice. Krit. "Zack, Syl and I don't have…shit…" There was the sound of more choice language, the smacking of flesh and bullets echoed. "Um, don't have a silencer."

"Too late now," Tinga said tersely. "I swear, Krit, if any of your weird antics give my son so much as a scratch, I will disembowel you with a melon baller."

"Nah, Tinga," I warned, grinning. "A melon baller is too classy for our Krittens. Maybe a rusty spoon."

"Hey! I protest that, Jay!"

"Jondy," Tinga half hissed, half spat. Wow, cat genes are coming out to play much.

"It's like the 'if you don't laugh, you'll cry' syndrome, Tinga," Zane warned.

"Yeah, yeah," Tinga said sourly. "Okay, I suppose I can be nice."

I tuned out of the conversation via comm. link that went on, and finally, silence flowed through my headset. I slipped down the roof exit (easy finding it). My sneaking skills are seriously good. And I'm sooo modest. Slipping down the internal staircase from the roof exit and a red and grey sign - 'Welcome to Level Ten'. Perfect.

I waited round a corner and heard what I'd been expecting. "…Green hasn't radioed in…"

I slipped out from the corner. Damnit, I wasn't wearing a ski mask. Oh well, guess it slipped my mind. In a matter of seconds (a spin kick, and one of Max's special moves called the Elbow Suicide), and they were unconscious on the floor. Muahahaha.

And I also only just realised my gun doesn't have a silencer either. Damn, damn, double damn. Maybe I am losing my touch.

I slipped down the hallway, and found the security room - with seven guards inside. I didn't really want to be that noticed. I slipped back to the stairs leading up to the roof exit. "Zane, I need a distraction. Can you…?"

"Sure thing, Jondy."

I waited with baited breath and, like magic, then a small explosion lit up the windows. Cool. None of us X5s can resist blowing something up. I have joy blowing up Milo tins in Logan's kitchen.

I heard yells and footsteps

And The Evil Soldier Dudes scarpered. Yay. I slipped back down the hall and bit my lip from saying a naughty word. Two of them were still there. Shit.

I strolled into the room, casually pulled my gun from its holster and the two guards soon lay unconscious and bleeding on the floor.

"Jondy?" Zack's voice came through the comm. link.

"I lost my patience. And no, I didn't kill them. Just shot to wound," I said, plonking down in one the seats. Oooh, padded. Being bad pays off nowadays. "I'll be a good girl now."

"Hurry up, Jondy, there are too many guards in the holding area to attack without you. We need you to watch our backs," Tinga said.

"Okay," I agreed and hunched over a keyboard. I need a loop, lalala. My crowning computer achievement was hacking Bill Gates when I was seven and turning him bankrupt; it was one of those tests Lydecker gave us to see where our skill level was. I didn't understand how big it was till I was thirteen. Now I just gloat about it.

I found an acceptable piece of past footage and loop it. You know, it's actually really sad how easy it is, especially considering how high-tech these computers are.

It really is hard to find smart people these days.

"And we have our loop," I said sweetly into my comm. "I'll come down now."

"Nice of you to fit us into your schedule," Zack said dryly. "Level three."

"Of course." Slipping out of the very comfortable chair, I snuck out of the security office. If I ever did, hypothetically, settle down in Seattle, I don't think I'd be a doctor. I think I'd be bad. Like, Hench girl work for a ridiculous price. You can get away with anything in Seattle, like charging twelve dollars for a cup of black coffee.

But that was if I was going to stay in Seattle, and to stay in Seattle, I'd totally need a reason. As charming and wonderful as my family are, I need more than that.

Getting down to the fourth floor was a cinch. Except, the morphine was wearing off and, yeah, that was painful. Ow… ow… ow…

Unfortunately, I got careless. There's no other way to put it. I totally wasn't concentrating when I was running down a hallway. If I had, I probably wouldn't have run smack into the five guards Zane distracted for me.

The words going through my mind weren't exactly ladylike.

It took them a minute to grasp the situation, and aim their guns at me. I moved slowly against the wall, so not to give them any idea I was genetically enhanced, or who I was. I was pressed up against the wall, watching as they decided whether or not to shoot me.

Then I just sprinted - not quite a blur, I was in a bit of pain and my head felt like it was full of wet cotton wool. Bullets ricochet off the walls, floors and everything in the hallway. I managed to dodge all of them, just barely.

I leapt down the last flight of stairs, almost ended up falling to my knees (I am so not graceful) and kept running. Unfortunately, there was a guards' office at the bottom of the stairs, so I had about eight armed guards following me. Tinga and her rusty spoon were going to kill me. If the G.I. Joe dudes didn't get to me first.

Finally, I reach Level Three, where Zack and the others were. The morphine was nothing but a distant memory. My knees felt like the joints were steel balls.

"Zack!" I half yelled into my comm link.

"Jondy, what's wrong?" Zack said, via his comm.

"I got caught. I have at least eight guards trailing me," I said. "And the morphine has worn off, so I can't take them out alone."

"Jondy, breathe," Zack ordered. "You can take them out; the pain can't be worse than napalm. We've managed to locate Evie and Jace but not Max or Case." His voice was steady, but I could sense that he was worried.

"Okay," I sighed, slightly embarrassed about my panicked babble. And I span around in time to face the eight idiots (do you know what I totally love? The way the Irish say idiot - eejit. That is so cool!) and prepared to take them out, my gun in my left hand, that funky little knife in the other. I let bullets fly into the front three. They fell to the ground in almost slow motion, limbs flailing wildly. Their blood made intricate patterns on the concrete.

In the dim light the generator produced, I could see them evaluating the situation and preparing to attack me. I fell into a defensive position, ready for them.

The attack came in the form of a shower of bullets, which I successfully managed to dodge. The onslaught began to slow, and I started on the hand-to-hand combat. They were so totally no match for me, I don't mean to brag.

Punch, punch, step, side kick, spin kick, back flip, punch. As I knocked out two more, I managed to use my momentum against the last three, and throw them over the railing, to the solid concrete floor of Level One. There was a dull thump as they landed. I froze up for a brief moment and then flew to find the others. I think I'm losing my touch.

I found them hunched down in a hallway, I stayed on the other side. I could see Evie slumped in a cell. I couldn't see Case, Max or Jace anywhere.

Zack caught my attention, signing messages to me with his hands. Ahh, the old Manticore sign language. I'm surprised we all still remember it.

Must be too risky to use comm links. I watched Zack's hands carefully.

"Jace has been moved," Zack signed.

"Obviously," I replied.

"Jondy," Tinga signed. "Remember that Ms Black and George who captured us at the other facility? They are the ones running this place."

"Well," I signed back. "We get out and blow the place up - I'm sure Zane and Syl could rig something up."

"Okay," Krit added. "We get in, get the others and eliminate any authority figures for Vivisys and we get out. Zane will have some sort of explosives worked out and anyone who is a major player in this will go ka-boom." Ahh, the ka-boom sign. That was Zane's creation when we were younger, and liked to make up the signals. I think it was the best one.

We all looked at Zack for approval of Krit's plan.

"That works," Zack agreed. "Brin, fill Zane in. Jondy, evaluate hallway situation."

I stood slowly, keeping to the shadows. Some guards were still charging around like headless chickens in the dim generator supplied light. The light was getting dimmer every few minutes. Slipping along the hallway, I motioned for the others to come out - just as Ms Black and George reappeared. Guns magically appeared in hands of my siblings.

Ms Black looked marginally surprised. George's reflexes were better. In one movement, he registered who we were and raced back, to get some sort of weapons, I guess. Zack moved quickly, shooting Ms Black in the leg and missing George by the with of a hair. I heard Zack swear under his breath - he likes to consider his shot flawless.

Like any well-trained military squad, we moved to Evie's cell.

"Aunty Tinga!" Evie cried out, practically throwing herself across the cell at us. I'd never seen her look so bad - her hair was tangled, streaks of grimes were abstracted by tearstains, a crisscross of cuts up her arms and on her face, a huge bruise across her forehead and she cradled her right arm. "W-Where's my M-Mommy?"

"Calm down, Evie," I said evenly. "And step back." Sliding more ammo into my gun, I motioned for Evie to back up more and I let the bullets fly into the padlock. Finally, the dented, bullet hole ridden padlock fell to the floor with an almost foreboding clank. Evie leapt into Krit's arms. I patted her hair, trying to be reassuring and failing miserably.

"Logan," I spoke into the comm.

"Yes, Jondy?" His voice was breaking with worry.

"We've got Evie."

"Thank god," Logan's voice caught and he took a deep breath, trying to recover. "Can I speak to my little girl, please, Jondy?"

Wordlessly, I unhooked my comm link and settled it on Evie's head. "It's your Dad," I said to her. Then I turned to Zack. "We need to move now."

He nodded and we moved forward, Evie in Krit's arms was reaching hysterical levels as she recounted her 'adventure' to Logan. I looked at the way Evie was cradling her right arm and glanced at Syl. We both nodded in understanding. Evie would be damn lucky if her arm wasn't broken.

The hallway echoed with a scream that shot fear through me. It was so familiar. I felt the blood drain from my face. Jace. She had to be okay. I saw Syl try to sprint to Jace's rescue and Krit missed, having Evie in his arms, when he tried to grab her. But Alec managed to grab Syl around the waist.

"Calm down," Alec hissed at Syl, but I knew it was directed at all of us. "Jace is an X5, who was there for almost as long as Brin and I were. She can cope another two minutes - she hasn't been in there long." It was a statement that made me feel like crying - I felt like I was back at Manticore, those words were so bitter.

We slipped forwards and burst into the make shift infirmary. Jace was strapped to a chair, a laser aimed in her eyes. Oh, Jace always detested the lasers as a child/ The doctors and scientists surrounding her gaped at us - I bet we looked pretty lethal. Krit, Zack and Alec dove at the doctors, Tinga gripped Evie, Syl watched the door to make sure George didn't come back. Brin and I flew to Jace's side, ripping her restraints and I shot out the laser. As Jace stood up wobbily, I crushed her into a hug.

"Jondy, Maxine… is she okay? Is she alive?" Jace asked me hoarsely, her eyes red.

"Maxa's fine. She's with Rain, Charlie and Logan," I reassured her as my brothers made short work of the surrounding morons. Traditionally, when a group of gun-toting genetically-engineered soldiers burst in on you torturing their sister, you don't stand there impersonating a goldfish. That way, you get killed. Actually, you'll probably end up dead whether you do the goldfish impersonation or fight us. None of us are known for our patience.

Brin and I helped Jace walk for a few paces. "Jondy, either let someone else help me or let me walk by myself - whatever you did to your back looks painful from all the wincing you're doing," Jace said in her Bossy Voice.

"Yes Jace."

I noticed she hasn't asked to speak to Maxa via comm - that's so like Jace, focus on the mssion and all.

"Where's Max and Case, Zack?" Syl asked. "This is taking way too long."

"We'll go left," Zack said. "Come on."

We pretty much ran up the left hallway - many of the cells were empty.

"Maxie?" Krit called desperately. "Maxie?"

"Case!" Tinga cried out, almost panicked. "Where are you, Case?"

"Mom?"

"Case?"

"Jondy, come on," Zack grabbed my wrist. "Rest of you stay here and keep watch."

We sprinted up the hall until we came to Maxie's cell. She leapt to her feet and we shot out the padlock. No words were exchanged between the three of us as we kept running to find Case. I almost died when I saw Case. Bruises, cuts and grime - more so that Evie. He was as white as chalk.

"Jondy," Case almost grinned. "Is my mom okay?"

"Other than being terrified for you, she's fine," I ruffled his hair. "Come on, we need to get you to a hospital." We had them back. Finally. We were home safe; well, almost. We caught up with the others.

"We need to get out of here," I said.

Brin nodded and spoke into her comm. "Zane, ready with the explosives?"

She waited and then nodded. "Let's get out."

The minute we got out, to where the railing was, we were in trouble. Four guards and George. With major guns.

"Tinga, Alec, Brin," Zack ordered. "Take Max, Jace, Case and Evie to the van. Make sure we're ready to leave damn soon. We'll get rid of these assholes."

I stepped forwards to one. Kick, step, punch. My guy was down. Ha.

"Syl!"

Zack and I jerked around as a gun shot rang out. Syl was on the ground Krit hunched over her. Just as I went to refocus on another guy that totally needed his ass kicked, I saw George pull the trigger of a gun - with a silencer - aimed at Zack whose prime concern was Syl.

With a spin kick and a leap that would make any ballerina jealous, I threw my body against Zack's and we collapsed in an ungraceful heap on the concrete floor. Unfortunately, my head bounced off the gun in Zack's outstretched hand and I was dazed. My vision spazzed for a moment.

There was the pain in my back and my head. The after affects of the morphine had kicked in, and I wasn't as alert as I should've been.

"Jondy," Zack helped me stand, but I slipped back to the floor. Oooh, I have the consistency of jello. Have you noticed how cats ooze when ever you try to move them? You can't get a grip on them… have you also noticed the wonders of bleach?

"Jondy, can you hear me?" Zack's hands (yes, I know, his hands - let your imagination run wild) cupped my cheek gently.

"Zack! What your back!" Krit cried out.

I managed to get back with it, and I got to my feet. George looked particularly sinister. His back was to the railing. I leapt at him, still vaguely disorientated and punched his backwards as hard as I could. It was like slow motion, him trying to regain his balance, Zack grabbing me by the waist and pulling me back. Krit shielding Syl, and Zack shielding me as George managed to pull the trigger of his gun on last time.

We heard the dull smack of his body hitting the floor below, as I felt a roaring pain shoot through my shoulder. My head felt like it was floating.

"Come on," Zack ordered. Krit scooped up a fallen Syl and Zack tried to help me.

"I'm not a child," I said snappishly, as my vision wavered a little, surprised how rude I was. "I can walk by myself."

Zack took my nastiness in his stride. "Can you run like hell, then?" he said in his Arrogant CO Voice.

"Damn straight I can," I snarled back. Running, stumbling and half-blurring, we made it to the first floor.

I heard Zack' comm burst to life and he swore. "Zane says we have sixty seconds before detonation."

We sped up, and I almost dropped to the ground with relief as cool air hit my face - I didn't know how hot and clammy I was till I got outside. I did freeze for a second by Zack yanked me along almost violently; I stumbled and lost my balance but with Zack pulling me along, I managed to keep running. Something sticky was running down my side, and I felt like I couldn't breathe as another wave of red-hot pain hit me.

Just as we were at the same stride, I heard the explosion and instincts too over. I ducked and Zack covered me, his arms around my waist as we threw ourselves to the ground. I saw the van on a short distance away but it might as well be on the moon.

I saw Krit carrying Syl vanish and tried to call for him but dirt and mud filled my mouth as Zack and I hit the ground. Zack a dead weight on top of me. It might have been the concussion I guess I had, but the noises from the warehouse were huge, almost bursting my eardrums and I cowered under Zack. There was a sucking noise, like gas or helium being pulled in and bits of debris landing - I could feel Zack's hands around my waist, his face in my neck, and his legs entwined with mine.

Then Zack rolled off me and pulled me to my feet. "Jondy, are you okay?"

I nodded owlishly and we began moving again. Krit was okay, Syl was even more unconscious than she had been.

Nine metres, four metres and we all collapsed into the van (not as much room any more).

I sat there, my head pounding and sweat pouring down my side. My shoulder was so sore, so painful. I must've dislocated it or something. My thoughts were focusing around. 'if you've got a concussion, you can't go to sleep. Stay awake.' But my eyes were drooping. I tried to focus on the voices around me.

"How's Syl?"

"What happened?"

"Broken arm."

"Serious therapy."

"Um, pregnant."

"Oh, congrats!"

"Every one okay?"

"Jondy?"

"Jondy? Jondy?"

I jerked up, my hand dropping from where it was resting against my shoulder. Zack, who was next to me, shifted. "Have you got a concussion?" he asked in a low voice.

"Yeah," I managed. "A-And my shoulder."

Zack swore again. "Logan. Jondy's been shot in the shoulder; can someone make sure Dr Carr is at the hospital when we get there? Ok, Jondy, don't go to sleep. You can't sleep if you've got a concussion."

I don't remember much else. Except that I passed out on Zack's shoulder and flashes from waiting in the E.R.

When we were called up in the E.R., Dr Carr was there, waiting. Pretty much the last things I heard was that I'd be okay. I knew that, but it was very reassuring any way.

Me being tucked into a bed that smelt of antiseptic, needles being jabbed into my wrist, Zack kissing me gently and the satisfying slumber of me when I'm being pumped full of morphine.