When they arrived at the hotel, Virginie was asleep in Logan's lap. Max set up the wheelchair, then cradled the girl in her arms and eyed her boyfriend as he warily and shakily transferred to the chair. The fact that he was in the backseat didn't make things easier.
"Are you ok? Need some help?"
"No, I'm just tired. It'll take a little longer."
Finally Logan was settled and Max could situate the sleeping girl in his lap. "I'll park the car."
Logan just sat there, waiting. Finally he was able to take a deep breath.
When Max returned she pushed Logan inside, the fact that he didn't complain showed how exhausted he was. Carefully she lifted Virginie from his lap and laid her down on the bed. After spreading a blanket over her she turned her attention to Logan who still sat there, motionless.
"Are you OK?" She didn't know how to deal with that. "Do you want to share the bed with Virginie?"
Logan shook his head and warily rolled over to the sofa. "Can you please help me, Max?"
She was by his side at once and silently supported him. He seemed so tired and small. She sat down and made him put his head in her lap.
"You've been great tonight. Done your own legwork, huh?"
He tried to smile, but failed. "That's been too risky, Max. What if I hadn't made it? That would have been a catastrophe. I don't wanna think about how many people might have died, including you."
"Logan, if you wouldn't have risked that, it might have happened sooner or later."
He sighed. All the pressure he'd felt that night fell from him, and it left him incredibly tired.
"I think I'm gonna sleep a few hours before we prepare the broadcast." Suddenly he struggled to sit up. "We have to call Nic, he's probably going crazy."
Max tossed the cellphone at him.
"You sure they won't be able to..." Max stood up. "I'll go over to Nic's place." She dressed her jacket again "They might get angry."
Logan was wide awake again. "God, why haven't we considered that?" He watched Max race out of the room. Now it would be his turn to sit and wait- again.

When Max arrived at Nic's place everything was dark, carefully she sneaked to the backyard. Making sure nobody was watching she climbed on the balcony. There he was, sitting in tha dark living room. She let out a sigh of relief.
"Nic? It's me, Max." He opened the door immediately.
"Is everything alright? Virginie? Logan?"
"They are both fine, but we gotta get out of here, those guys might come..." She stopped in mid-sentence and grabbed Nic's arm. "Come with me." And then they heard it, somebody was trying to break the door open.

Getting back to the car was not an option, instead they made their way through backyards until they'd reached a Metro station.
"They don't know Logan and I are involved, we should be safe at our hotel." Nic nodded and lead her down to the trains. Minutes later they sat in a nearly empty wagon, taking them downtown.
"Is she OK?"
"Yeah, shocked, scared, tired. But she's gonna be fine."
"Logan?"
"He'll pull through, like always."
"Thanks to you, huh?"
"Sorry?"
"He wouldn't have made it without you, right?"
"Did he tell you anything?"
"No, but I know him. He is strong, but when it comes to expressing feelings, he is not good. He rather bottles everything up. And I can imagine how hard that all must have been, losing his independence and all...I'm pretty sure he'd have exploded without you."
"You really know him well, huh?"
"I did your job when his parents died." Max looked at him in shock. "He never told me."
"I lived in the States back then, the accident happened shortly after we met. It was a hard time, and we were only kids then. It took a long time to make him open up. His aunt and uncle weren't much of a help." He smiled at Max. "And going through this was probably even worse. Without you, no way."
"He also had Bling, his therapist."
"OK, but the way he looks at you, he loves you, he trusts you." Nic took her hand. "I knew Val and Daphne and all those superficial lady-friends. With you, he is different."
"Why do you say this?"
"Because it's true and I want you to stay with him, he needs you."
"I need him aswell, I won't let him go."
"You think you can live with that chair?"
"It never mattered to me, he hates it so much that I hate it, too. But to me, it makes no difference."
"Good." The rest of the way they rode in silence, each with their own thoughts.

When they entered the room, Logan was back in his chair. "Hey, are you ok?"
"They arrived when we were about to leave. We were faster."
"Did they see you?"
"No, we are still a mystery."
"I already checked, they don't have a vacant room in this hotel. We have to share this one."
"No problem. I don't need to sleep anyway, and Nic can share the bed with Virginie."
Logan nodded his agreement, leaving Nic no room to argue. He borrowed boxers and a shirt from his friend and retrieved to the bathroom.
"Ok, and now you are gonna catch some rest aswell, you look like hell."
"Thanks." But he didn't argue, he even let Max help him lay down on the sofa. She stayed and cuddled close to him. "I thought you won't sleep."
"No, but I'd like to be held if that's OK."
"Sure, I'd love that."
Moments later she felt his breath relax, he was finally asleep. Max felt a wave of admiration and love wash over her. This guy was everything she'd ever dreamed of - or even more. She couldn't believe how lucky she was.
She heard Nic return from the bathroom and lay down, but eventually she drifted off herself. Logan's presence helped her relax and feel safe.

Logan awoke and heard the shower running, Nic and Virginie were both still sound asleep. Groaning he pulled his chair closer and set the breaks. In one fluid motion he transferred and wheeled over to the bathroom. Max was still in the shower.
"Morning angel."
"Morning yourself. Feeling better?"
"Yeah, a lot."
"You need a shower though." Invitingly she opened the curtain further and watched him get undressed. Then he joined her, sitting on the small board that was used as a shower seat. In order to maintain his balance he had to grip the handle with one hand. Losing his balance was definitely not what he needed this morning.
"What do you need for your transmission?"
"A camera and Bling." She looked at him curiously. "We'll tape it and then send it to Bling via e-mail. He will prepare it and send it back. Then I can broadcast it."
"I see, so we need to go shopping?"
"Yeah."
"Cool."

When they left the bathroom together they found Nic and Virginie in a tight embrace on the bed. "Good morning. Everything OK?"
"Yeah, I think so. Thank you so much." Virginie got up and embraced Max and Logan.
"You're welcome." Logan became serious again. "Listen, you two are going to stay here. Those guys are still out there, we don't want to risk anything."
Nic and Virginie nodded their agreement.
"And don't call your parents, that's probably what they are waiting for."
"What if they do something to them?"
"Don't worry. I called police yesterday night and asked them to watch over them. Nothing's gonna happen as long as a police car is right in front of the house."
Max looked at him in surprise.
"How did you convince them to..."
"Matt helped."
"You are really incredible. Do you know that Logan Cale?"
"Yeah, I do know. But it's nice to hear..." That earned him a slap over the spiky hair. "Ouch..."
Giggling she opened the door. "Come on sidekick, let's go shopping."

They found what Logan was looking for at a store in walking distance. With the camera they hurried back to the hotel, eager to get done with the whole thing.
While Logan figured out how to explain everything Max and Nic set up the camera. Virginie stared in shock, she did not understand what was going on.
"Ok, ready?" Logan wheeled over to a spot on the wall and collected himself.
"This is a streaming freedom video..." After a short explanation in English he repeated everything in French. "...Peace.Out."
He returned to his laptop. "Ok, now we need some nice pictures of those guys and then Bling will take care of the rest." He called Seattle and woke Bling, he explained the main points and his therapist promised to take care of it immediately.
"Greet Max. Au revoir, that's what you say in Paris, right?"
"A bientot, Bling. Merci."

An hour later Logan's laptop announced mail. "Wow, that was fast."
Together they watched the broadcast before Logan typed in the commands to air it.
"Max, could you please take that to the police station? I think they'd like to have it." He handed her the chip along with a note.
"Sure. I'll be right back."

Virginie decided to have a shower and Logan and Nic settled on the balcony.
"I don't know how to thank you."
"You're welcome. That's what friends are for." He played with the wheels of his chair again. "You've helped me more times than I can count. With my parents, Daphne, Val..."
Nic nodded. "Why didn't you call me?" Logan averted his gaze. "Damn, Logan. You are like a brother. I could've helped you."
"Yeah, but I wanted to go through that alone."
"That's not true, there is more about it."
Logan finally looked up, he'd never admitted what he was about to say. "May that's what I deserve. My crew got killed that day, I was the only one who made it. Why me?"
"Don't talk bullshit, Logan."
"Listen, I've brought so much sorrow, the blood of so many people is on my hands."
"And what about all the good things Eyes only accomplished? You have saved more lives than you can ever imagine." When Logan didn't answer, Nic continued.
"Logan, stop looking back. There's so much ahead of you. There is Max, friends, your work. You are one of the most amazing persons alive. Just live the life you have, you can't change it, and you shouldn't either. You're a good guy, you deserve to be happy."
Nic stood up and went over to embrace his friend.
"And don't let Max go." He felt Logan tense even more. "What's up?"
"I don't know."
"You two are happy, right?"
"Yeah, I've never been more in love, she is different to all the women I dated before."
"That she is."
"And that's why she should have somebody who can challenge her. Not someone like me."
"Logan, she loves you, and apparently she doesn't care half as much about that damn chair than you do. Don't let it get between you."
Logan nodded hesitantly. "You are right."
"Look, I've known a different guy. You have changed a lot. And I like it, esp. When it comes to your taste of women."
He saw Logan grin "OK, I'm not your Dad, so I guess I better shut up. How about we order food. Chinese?"
"Fine by me."

++++
What do you think so far? I can either end the story right here, you know. I have some more chapters, but the action is pretty much over, and maybe it would be better to just leave it like that. Might get really boring. What do you think?