I hope I don't bore you guys too much, maybe I'm writing too much about Logan's issues. But this chapter will be a little more exciting! I don't understand much about computer technology, so I hope the story makes a little sense nonetheless. Let me know what you think!!!
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"Good morning. Sorry I'm disturbing, but I need your help, Logan." Nic looked shaken. "Look, I don't know if you are still... doing what you used to do..." His eyes wandered to Max.
"It's OK, Nic. She knows all abut Eyes only."
"So you are still..."
"Yes."
"They have Virginie."
Logan looked at him in shock, suddenly wide awake. "Who?"
"It's a long story..."
"Listen, if we shall help you, we need to know."
"We?"
"Max is the one doing the legwork. I obviously can't do that anymore."
Nic looked at Max, for the first time this morning really seeing her.
The young woman smiled at him reassuringly. "I'm better than Logan ever was."
"Eh bien. The whole story?"
"Oui." Logan sat up, using the head of the bed to support his back. Max sat down on the edge of the bed, a hand resting on the blanket. Probably she could feel his thigh through the bedding, he couldn't tell. But before he could think about that any further his attention was drawn back to his old friend.
"The company I'm working for, the do illegal business. They use chips engineered in Taiwan for high-quality computers. Doesn't sound too bad, but those chips can't do the same amount of work as the purchasers are made to believe. They will simply shut down. Problem is those chips are used in computers controlling nuclear power-stations. I don't think I have to outline the consequences when one of the chips shuts down."
Logan nodded. "And?"
"I swear I only found out last week by chance." Nic sat down on a chair, staring out of the window. It reminded Max of Logan.
"Apparently they found out I'd been checking the wrong file. I got fired the day before yesterday, out of the blue."
"But they don't trust you to keep your mouth shut." Max glanced at Logan.
"No, they know how much Virginie means to me, so they kidnapped her. If I say anything, she's dead."
Logan was all in business mood now. "But why have they taken her, they can't keep her forever."
" I don't know..." Nic hid his face in his hands.
"Max, my laptop is in the suitcase..."
She only needed seconds to bring it over to him.
"What are you doing? You can't..." Nic hovered over his friend. "They'll kill her."
"I don't intend to let them know I'm there." He looked up at Nic with steady blue eyes. "Trust me."
Nic nodded, he knew Logan was a genius and that he would never put Virginie in danger.
Max meanwhile ordered breakfast, knowing Logan would need his time.

Half an hour later Logan let out a whistle.
"That's the reason." Nic and Max turned to face him. "They've found out themsleves that those chips are bullshit, apparently they are planning on removing them and attach good ones. They only need you to keep your mouth shut until that's done. Afterwards, nobody will believe you."
"But we can't just let them get along with that! They have to pay!" Max eyes were dark and glancing with determination.
"Right, but we also need to get Virginie out of this safely." Logan looked at Nic. "I need to do some more research. Maybe you two want to get out of my way. Nic, explain to Max how she can get to the headquarters, then go back home. We don't want them to grow suspicious." Logan awkwardly leaned over and tried to grab a small bag. He sighed at his inability to reach it. "Max could you just...thanks."
he retrieved a small cell phone and tossed it at Nic. "Use this one to talk to us, maybe they bugged your apartment and phone. Look for bugs at your place."
"Ok, merci."
"De rien." Logan smiled at him encouragingly. "It's gonna be fine, we'll bring her back."

Max preceded Nic to the door, then turned around. "Could you wait here for a sec?" She went back inside and closed the door behind her.
"So Eyes-only is no longer on holiday, huh?"
"We have to help him, Max."
"I know, I didn't accuse you. We're going to bring her back and the bad guys will have to pay." She kissed him on the cheek.
"Be careful, Max."
"Like always. I'll hurry."

Max took a cab to the company, had the driver park a safe distance away and paid him. She'd find another way to get back.
Living in Seattle paid off, there were hardly any security measures, at least for American standards. Getting in would be a piece of cake.

An hour later she was back at the hotel room. Logan seemed to have worked the whole time but had finally decided to take a shower.
Max sat down and waited for him.
"Hey."
"Hey yourself. Found anything?"
"Well, the laptop isn't exactly as well equipped as my computer at home, but nevertheless I found what we need. How about you?"
"Not gonna be a problem."
"Ok, here's the deal." Logan wheeled over to the suitcase and grabbed a blue turtleneck shirt. He awkwardly got further dressed in his chair, but in front of Max he needn't hide. Everything was fine between them and Max grinned a little. She knew he wouldn't voluntarily let anybody but Bling and her witness his weaknesses.
"Max. You listening?"
"Yeah, sorry."
"Apparently they've already begun to exchange the chips. According to what I found, they have exchanged all but two. So we have to get it done tonight."
"But we have to find out where they keep Virginie first, we have to get to her right after exchanging the chips."
"That's the task for the rest of the day."
"Ok, where do we start?"
"Warehouses?"
Max shrugged. "we don't have that many options, do we?"
"Right. I already rented a car, it should be in the parking lot." He looked down at his legs for a moment only, but Max still noticed it. "You'll do the driving."
"Sure thing, big boss."
Logan smirked, then let her precede through the door.

They drove from warehouse to warehouse, Logan grew more and more nervous.
"Ok, we have only two more. What are we gonna do if.."
"Shh," Max laid a finger on his lips, then motioned to tracks of tires in the sandy ground.
"The warehouse seems to be abandoned, but those are new."
Logan let out a sigh of relieve.
"I'll check." Again Max left the car, as each time with a twist in her guts. If something went wrong, Logan would be trapped. He wouldn't be able to set up his wheelchair fast enough and he couldn't drive the car. But he'd ensured her over and over that he would be fine, not really believing his words. Those were the moments he hated the most, moments which made his impairing so glaringly obvious.
Max was back before he could give it too much thoughts.
"She's in there, and it seems like they won't bring her anywhere else. There is a bed, food. She's OK as far as I could see." Max squeezed Logan's hand before she started the car.

"Max..." Logan broke the comfortable silence after a few minutes. "There's another problem." He closed his eyes. "You won't be able to exchange the chips. That's too tricky and risky, if something goes wrong- boom."