"So you need to come?" Max showed no signs of shock.
"I fear so, yeah."
"Well, makes it a little bit funnier. That way I don't have to go alone."
"Max, you don't seem to get it, you can just walk in there like that with me, see, I can't walk."
"Yeah, that much I noticed." She padded his thigh. "Don't worry. I can carry you. We just have to figure out how."
Logan muttered under his breath, and Max couldn't help but concentrate on what he said. Any normal person wouldn't have been able to make out his swearing.
"Logan. It's OK, I know you don't like the idea, but we has this discussion before. It's all fine between us, you don't have to feel embarrassed. It's me, Max, your girlfriend." She grinned. "Besides, if you want to save the world you have to deal with the side effects."
"You're right. How about we stop by at Nic's? We're just friends from overseas, and me sitting in the wheelchair won't exactly raise their suspicion, even if they are watching."
Instead of an answer, Max left the highway.
Nic greeted them warily, looking tired and exhausted.
"Hi!" Max showed her best all American girl grin. "We are in Paris for a few days and thought it would be nice to surprise an old friend. Are you OK? Worked a little too much lately?"
"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. That's really a nice surprise." Nic played along. "Why don't we go for a spin in the park. I think I can use some fresh air?"
"Cool." Logan glanced around.
"OK, we can talk safely here. You were right, there are two bugs in the living room and sleeping room. But that's all I found."
"Ok, we have aplan, it's not necessary you know about it. But we have found Virginie, ,and she seems to be OK. Max will free her tonight."
"I don't know how I can thank you. Sophie is already looking for her, but I cooked up a story, she won't miss her until tomorrow."
"Don't worry. Max will get her outta there." Logan looked up at his genetically engineered friend. "OK, we better go back to the hotel, I'd like to catch some sleep." He wheeled back towards the house. "How about we meet tomorrow n the city and you show us around?" Logan used the worst slang he could. They'd not make it any easier for those guys to understand them.
"I'll see if I can squeeze it in. I'll give you a call. Au revoir."
Max unlocked the passenger seat door and waited until Logan was inside, then grabbed his chair. "See you."
"OK, what do you think we have to talk through?" Logan was back at his laptop.
"Basically, it's all clear. I get a chip, then we both enter that power station and you are going to exchange them. After that we can free the girl."
"We need to hurry, they are not allowed to get to know about the chip thing before we have her bin safety."
"Sure." Max stepped closer. "May I?" Logan looked up, not sure what she was up to. Before he could react she'd lifted him from his chair and into a fireman's position. "That's fine as long as I don't need both hands. But in case we have to climb, we need another solution." She sat him down on the bed, then bent down so he could lay his arms around her neck. She lifted him with ease, holding his legs on each side of her body with her hands. "We have to find a way to secure your legs around me."
Again he found himself on the bed.
With the bed sheet, Max constructed a sling and finally had both hands free with Logan on her back.
"You think your ego can take that?"
"Very funny. It's nothing I want you to go through."
"I know, but it's the only option we have."
"I know. Gosh, how I hate that."
Max sat him back down on the bed and kneeled in front of him. "I know how you feel, but right now we can't change the way it is. I'm the superwoman, remember. Even if you were on your feet, I'd be stronger."
"I know that, Cape Haven taught me well enough I'm just the sidekick."
"A good one though." She sat down next to him." You know, back then, with BC and his gang, I didn't really understand what that was all about. All I knew was that you drowned in self-pity and wouldn't accept my help."
Logan nodded. "When BC knocked me over, I felt so ridiculous and helpless. I've been through a lot since the accident, but never ever was I shown that clearly how useless I really am. I can't defend anybody, not you, not myself. That hurt like hell."
"But you did safe Sage, me and yourself out there."
"Yeah." Logan smiled at his girlfriend as she caressed his cheek. "Thanks god."
For the next five minutes it was just the two of them, no wheelchair, no superhero, no troubles, just the love between two people.
"Wow, that was fun." Max stood up. "But you should get some sleep." Logan didn't bother to undress, he just sat up to get rid of his boots, then laid back again and was out in mere minutes.
"Logan, come on. We have to go." His eyes slowly opened. Max stood in front of him, dressed in her tight black suit. "Didn't know you packed that." She just shrugged, throwing black pants and a black shirt on the bed.
"Come on, sidekick. Get dressed like a burglar."
He glanced at her while he struggled with his pants as she leaned to the wall, calm and relaxed.
"Ok, ready to go." He closed the bathroom door behind him.
Max drove the car in silence, concentrating on the task ahead.
"Ok, I won't need long." She turned off the lights and opened the door.
"Be careful."
"Sure, don't worry."
She sneaked into the huge building, if she was in Seattle she'd get suspicious. That had been too easy. But Europe wasn't half as down-rotten and corrupt as America, people still had trust in their own kind. Max had to grin at that thought. Right, that was where Logan has his optimism from.
"Oops." She stopped in her track. Apparently those people knew better. Three guards stood sentry in front of the office area.
Max spotted a large plant making its way up on the wall of the foyer. The floors lying invitingly next to it. Carefull she made her way over. She knew she couldn't afford being spotted, or even caught. If that happened, Logan would be trapped. She made it up on the third floor and headed to the right office. It only took her seconds to spot and open the safe, and the chips were there. She couldn't help but smile.
Silently, she closed the safe, righted the building, what a dull place to hide a safe, and made her way back out without incident.
"Ok, I got it. Now we just have to exchange it, huh?"
Logan smirked. "Yeah. No big deal. We might destroy a continent, but apart from that, no problem."
Max speeded up the car and it even took them less time than calculated to get to the power station.
"Ok, I'll go over first and check out how we can get in there."
Logan took deep breaths to steady his nerves. His hands were shaking when he reached in the back of the car to prepare the sling.
Before long, Max was back. "There are only few cameras, one guard and a couple of dogs. I took care of them already." Logan raised an eyebrow.
"They're just sleeping." Max shrugged and bent down to help Logan out of the car. "Got the chip?"
"Yeah."
"Ready?" Max didn't wait for an answer, she simply threw him over the shoulder. "In case we are about to be spotted I might drop you. There are plenty of bushes and the grass is pretty high." She felt him tense. "Trust me, I won't leave you."
"I'd appreciate that."
She ran over to the fence and stopped a few feet in front of it. "There is a little bit of electricity cursing through it," she explained while steadying Logan on her back, tightening the sling so his legs were secured around her waist. "Hold on to me- and keep your mouth shut." Logan was about to ask what she was up to when he felt her move again. The next thing he knew, they were on the other side, lying in the grass. "Sorry, never done it carrying somebody. She stood up. "Are you OK? Any broken bones?"
"Not as far as I can tell. Wow. I'M fine, I feel slightly ridiculous, but that's ok." He sighed. "But I really don't wanna be seen like that, so don't get spotted."
"Sure, never intended anyway."
As fast as Max dared, they moved towards the building, for an experienced thief like her it wasn't too difficult to break in. "You would expect them to have better locks, it's harder to enter your place." She looked around. "Which way?"
"Left." Logan knew the way by heart. "Third floor."
The silently moved up the stairs
"Ok, one guard should be in there. It's probably a guy, so mind if I leave you at the ladies' room for a minute?"
"Do whatever you need to do."
Logan found himself on a toilet seat moments later. With a sigh he leaned back.
Max made her way to the control room, she'd been right, there was only one guard, and he was reading a newspaper. With a little bit of chloroform he was out in a second. It took her another minute to tie him up, just in case, and carry him to the storage room.
Then she went back to get Logan. "Ok, now it's your turn, Eyes only."
Logan let himself be carried over to the control room and be sated in the guard's chair.
"Which computer?" Max looked around, she was grateful Logan was here to deal with that.
"This one." Max rolled the chair over, then squeezed Logan's shoulder. "You can do it."
With that she stepped back and eyed the corridor. The couldn't use company right now. "Logan? Whatever happens, concentrate on the chips, OK?" He groaned as an answer.
He knew what e had to do, and he knew there was basically nothing that could go wrong- basically.
It took him a few minutes to get ready to change the chips, and right at the moment when he was about to open the computer to retrieve the old chip, Max hissed. "Logan. There's somebody at the entrance. Hurry up." She could only hear noises, couldn't see who it was. "Come on."
"Nearly done. This isn't a piece of cake, Max."
"I know, but still..."
She looked from her boyfriend to the corridor, so far she couldn't see anybody, but the noises came closer.
"If they come to close, run and get Virginie out of there. I'll be fine."
"Hurry." Max didn't even consider what he'd just said.
"Ok, done."
She was at his side immediately. "We need to get outta here." She took a few steps when the noises became distinct enough for Logan to make them out.
"Damn it!" Randomly she entered a room and ran over to the window. They were on the third floor only, but with the dead weight of Logan, who couldn't cushion his own fall, and without anything to hold on to she didn't want to risk that.
"Max! Do something!"
She heard the door open, now she had no choice. "Trust me."
Instead of jumping, she held on to the ledge of the window. She could feel Logan desperately trying to maintain his grip around her neck without strangling her. The sling still was bound around Max's torso, but Logan couldn't move enough to use it, and so couldn't Max.
"Ok, they closed the door again. Listen, I need you to hold on to the ledge now. I can't climb in again like that. I'm not Superman."
Logan swallowed. "I don't know, I can't..."
"Logan, we have no choice. It won't take long, just a sec." She knew how helpless he must feel. "I'm here, trust me again. I haven't failed you, have I?"
"No, it's just..." He never ended his sentence, instead he slowly released his grip and groped for a safe hold next to Max. "Ok, let me go. Hurry."
Max swung into the room and immediately got hold of Logan's arms "Got you. Come on." Seconds later they were lying in a heap on the floor. Logan's face was pale. "Oh my god, that was close."
"Nothing happened. Now let's go."
Without further incident they made it to the car. When Max settled Logan in the passenger seat, the lights suddenly went on behind them.
"Guess they found the guard." Max started the car and raced over to the place where Virginie was held hostage.
"Ok, you wait. I'll be back right away."
"Be careful."
This time, Max didn't bother to be silent. Soon, they would be here anyway. She knocked four guys out on her way, threw the girl over her shoulder, like she'd dome it with Logan a little earlier, and ran.
Just as she'd reached the woods she heard cars pull up, men jumping out. "Be quiet." She simply kept running, never turning around.
"Get in the car!" She shoved the girl in the back and jumped in herself. They drove for a few miles, Virginie sobbing in the back, Logan slightly trembling next to her. Finally she dared to stop at an empty parking lot.
"You ok?" She turned around to check on Virginie. "Hey, it's over, you are safe." But the girl couldn't stop crying, all the anxiety and tension broke out of her. "Shh, it's OK, let it out."
She turned towards Logan. "How about you? Everything's OK?"
"Yeah, if I could feel it I'd say my knees feel like pudding, but basically I'm fine."
Max gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, then turned her attention back to Virginie. "Do you want Logan to hold you for the rest of the ride home?" The girl nodded warily. "OK."
Max walked around the car and bent down to allow Logan to lay his arms around her. "Come on my hero. Let me carry you one last time."
"Glad you don't want to make a habit out of it."
"Nah, I like it the way it is."
"I fear so, yeah."
"Well, makes it a little bit funnier. That way I don't have to go alone."
"Max, you don't seem to get it, you can just walk in there like that with me, see, I can't walk."
"Yeah, that much I noticed." She padded his thigh. "Don't worry. I can carry you. We just have to figure out how."
Logan muttered under his breath, and Max couldn't help but concentrate on what he said. Any normal person wouldn't have been able to make out his swearing.
"Logan. It's OK, I know you don't like the idea, but we has this discussion before. It's all fine between us, you don't have to feel embarrassed. It's me, Max, your girlfriend." She grinned. "Besides, if you want to save the world you have to deal with the side effects."
"You're right. How about we stop by at Nic's? We're just friends from overseas, and me sitting in the wheelchair won't exactly raise their suspicion, even if they are watching."
Instead of an answer, Max left the highway.
Nic greeted them warily, looking tired and exhausted.
"Hi!" Max showed her best all American girl grin. "We are in Paris for a few days and thought it would be nice to surprise an old friend. Are you OK? Worked a little too much lately?"
"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. That's really a nice surprise." Nic played along. "Why don't we go for a spin in the park. I think I can use some fresh air?"
"Cool." Logan glanced around.
"OK, we can talk safely here. You were right, there are two bugs in the living room and sleeping room. But that's all I found."
"Ok, we have aplan, it's not necessary you know about it. But we have found Virginie, ,and she seems to be OK. Max will free her tonight."
"I don't know how I can thank you. Sophie is already looking for her, but I cooked up a story, she won't miss her until tomorrow."
"Don't worry. Max will get her outta there." Logan looked up at his genetically engineered friend. "OK, we better go back to the hotel, I'd like to catch some sleep." He wheeled back towards the house. "How about we meet tomorrow n the city and you show us around?" Logan used the worst slang he could. They'd not make it any easier for those guys to understand them.
"I'll see if I can squeeze it in. I'll give you a call. Au revoir."
Max unlocked the passenger seat door and waited until Logan was inside, then grabbed his chair. "See you."
"OK, what do you think we have to talk through?" Logan was back at his laptop.
"Basically, it's all clear. I get a chip, then we both enter that power station and you are going to exchange them. After that we can free the girl."
"We need to hurry, they are not allowed to get to know about the chip thing before we have her bin safety."
"Sure." Max stepped closer. "May I?" Logan looked up, not sure what she was up to. Before he could react she'd lifted him from his chair and into a fireman's position. "That's fine as long as I don't need both hands. But in case we have to climb, we need another solution." She sat him down on the bed, then bent down so he could lay his arms around her neck. She lifted him with ease, holding his legs on each side of her body with her hands. "We have to find a way to secure your legs around me."
Again he found himself on the bed.
With the bed sheet, Max constructed a sling and finally had both hands free with Logan on her back.
"You think your ego can take that?"
"Very funny. It's nothing I want you to go through."
"I know, but it's the only option we have."
"I know. Gosh, how I hate that."
Max sat him back down on the bed and kneeled in front of him. "I know how you feel, but right now we can't change the way it is. I'm the superwoman, remember. Even if you were on your feet, I'd be stronger."
"I know that, Cape Haven taught me well enough I'm just the sidekick."
"A good one though." She sat down next to him." You know, back then, with BC and his gang, I didn't really understand what that was all about. All I knew was that you drowned in self-pity and wouldn't accept my help."
Logan nodded. "When BC knocked me over, I felt so ridiculous and helpless. I've been through a lot since the accident, but never ever was I shown that clearly how useless I really am. I can't defend anybody, not you, not myself. That hurt like hell."
"But you did safe Sage, me and yourself out there."
"Yeah." Logan smiled at his girlfriend as she caressed his cheek. "Thanks god."
For the next five minutes it was just the two of them, no wheelchair, no superhero, no troubles, just the love between two people.
"Wow, that was fun." Max stood up. "But you should get some sleep." Logan didn't bother to undress, he just sat up to get rid of his boots, then laid back again and was out in mere minutes.
"Logan, come on. We have to go." His eyes slowly opened. Max stood in front of him, dressed in her tight black suit. "Didn't know you packed that." She just shrugged, throwing black pants and a black shirt on the bed.
"Come on, sidekick. Get dressed like a burglar."
He glanced at her while he struggled with his pants as she leaned to the wall, calm and relaxed.
"Ok, ready to go." He closed the bathroom door behind him.
Max drove the car in silence, concentrating on the task ahead.
"Ok, I won't need long." She turned off the lights and opened the door.
"Be careful."
"Sure, don't worry."
She sneaked into the huge building, if she was in Seattle she'd get suspicious. That had been too easy. But Europe wasn't half as down-rotten and corrupt as America, people still had trust in their own kind. Max had to grin at that thought. Right, that was where Logan has his optimism from.
"Oops." She stopped in her track. Apparently those people knew better. Three guards stood sentry in front of the office area.
Max spotted a large plant making its way up on the wall of the foyer. The floors lying invitingly next to it. Carefull she made her way over. She knew she couldn't afford being spotted, or even caught. If that happened, Logan would be trapped. She made it up on the third floor and headed to the right office. It only took her seconds to spot and open the safe, and the chips were there. She couldn't help but smile.
Silently, she closed the safe, righted the building, what a dull place to hide a safe, and made her way back out without incident.
"Ok, I got it. Now we just have to exchange it, huh?"
Logan smirked. "Yeah. No big deal. We might destroy a continent, but apart from that, no problem."
Max speeded up the car and it even took them less time than calculated to get to the power station.
"Ok, I'll go over first and check out how we can get in there."
Logan took deep breaths to steady his nerves. His hands were shaking when he reached in the back of the car to prepare the sling.
Before long, Max was back. "There are only few cameras, one guard and a couple of dogs. I took care of them already." Logan raised an eyebrow.
"They're just sleeping." Max shrugged and bent down to help Logan out of the car. "Got the chip?"
"Yeah."
"Ready?" Max didn't wait for an answer, she simply threw him over the shoulder. "In case we are about to be spotted I might drop you. There are plenty of bushes and the grass is pretty high." She felt him tense. "Trust me, I won't leave you."
"I'd appreciate that."
She ran over to the fence and stopped a few feet in front of it. "There is a little bit of electricity cursing through it," she explained while steadying Logan on her back, tightening the sling so his legs were secured around her waist. "Hold on to me- and keep your mouth shut." Logan was about to ask what she was up to when he felt her move again. The next thing he knew, they were on the other side, lying in the grass. "Sorry, never done it carrying somebody. She stood up. "Are you OK? Any broken bones?"
"Not as far as I can tell. Wow. I'M fine, I feel slightly ridiculous, but that's ok." He sighed. "But I really don't wanna be seen like that, so don't get spotted."
"Sure, never intended anyway."
As fast as Max dared, they moved towards the building, for an experienced thief like her it wasn't too difficult to break in. "You would expect them to have better locks, it's harder to enter your place." She looked around. "Which way?"
"Left." Logan knew the way by heart. "Third floor."
The silently moved up the stairs
"Ok, one guard should be in there. It's probably a guy, so mind if I leave you at the ladies' room for a minute?"
"Do whatever you need to do."
Logan found himself on a toilet seat moments later. With a sigh he leaned back.
Max made her way to the control room, she'd been right, there was only one guard, and he was reading a newspaper. With a little bit of chloroform he was out in a second. It took her another minute to tie him up, just in case, and carry him to the storage room.
Then she went back to get Logan. "Ok, now it's your turn, Eyes only."
Logan let himself be carried over to the control room and be sated in the guard's chair.
"Which computer?" Max looked around, she was grateful Logan was here to deal with that.
"This one." Max rolled the chair over, then squeezed Logan's shoulder. "You can do it."
With that she stepped back and eyed the corridor. The couldn't use company right now. "Logan? Whatever happens, concentrate on the chips, OK?" He groaned as an answer.
He knew what e had to do, and he knew there was basically nothing that could go wrong- basically.
It took him a few minutes to get ready to change the chips, and right at the moment when he was about to open the computer to retrieve the old chip, Max hissed. "Logan. There's somebody at the entrance. Hurry up." She could only hear noises, couldn't see who it was. "Come on."
"Nearly done. This isn't a piece of cake, Max."
"I know, but still..."
She looked from her boyfriend to the corridor, so far she couldn't see anybody, but the noises came closer.
"If they come to close, run and get Virginie out of there. I'll be fine."
"Hurry." Max didn't even consider what he'd just said.
"Ok, done."
She was at his side immediately. "We need to get outta here." She took a few steps when the noises became distinct enough for Logan to make them out.
"Damn it!" Randomly she entered a room and ran over to the window. They were on the third floor only, but with the dead weight of Logan, who couldn't cushion his own fall, and without anything to hold on to she didn't want to risk that.
"Max! Do something!"
She heard the door open, now she had no choice. "Trust me."
Instead of jumping, she held on to the ledge of the window. She could feel Logan desperately trying to maintain his grip around her neck without strangling her. The sling still was bound around Max's torso, but Logan couldn't move enough to use it, and so couldn't Max.
"Ok, they closed the door again. Listen, I need you to hold on to the ledge now. I can't climb in again like that. I'm not Superman."
Logan swallowed. "I don't know, I can't..."
"Logan, we have no choice. It won't take long, just a sec." She knew how helpless he must feel. "I'm here, trust me again. I haven't failed you, have I?"
"No, it's just..." He never ended his sentence, instead he slowly released his grip and groped for a safe hold next to Max. "Ok, let me go. Hurry."
Max swung into the room and immediately got hold of Logan's arms "Got you. Come on." Seconds later they were lying in a heap on the floor. Logan's face was pale. "Oh my god, that was close."
"Nothing happened. Now let's go."
Without further incident they made it to the car. When Max settled Logan in the passenger seat, the lights suddenly went on behind them.
"Guess they found the guard." Max started the car and raced over to the place where Virginie was held hostage.
"Ok, you wait. I'll be back right away."
"Be careful."
This time, Max didn't bother to be silent. Soon, they would be here anyway. She knocked four guys out on her way, threw the girl over her shoulder, like she'd dome it with Logan a little earlier, and ran.
Just as she'd reached the woods she heard cars pull up, men jumping out. "Be quiet." She simply kept running, never turning around.
"Get in the car!" She shoved the girl in the back and jumped in herself. They drove for a few miles, Virginie sobbing in the back, Logan slightly trembling next to her. Finally she dared to stop at an empty parking lot.
"You ok?" She turned around to check on Virginie. "Hey, it's over, you are safe." But the girl couldn't stop crying, all the anxiety and tension broke out of her. "Shh, it's OK, let it out."
She turned towards Logan. "How about you? Everything's OK?"
"Yeah, if I could feel it I'd say my knees feel like pudding, but basically I'm fine."
Max gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, then turned her attention back to Virginie. "Do you want Logan to hold you for the rest of the ride home?" The girl nodded warily. "OK."
Max walked around the car and bent down to allow Logan to lay his arms around her. "Come on my hero. Let me carry you one last time."
"Glad you don't want to make a habit out of it."
"Nah, I like it the way it is."
