Disclaimer

Part 9

Two weeks later

"Sir? We may have found our key to the girl," explained Otto ignoring his sweating palms.

The agent handed a photograph of Alec to White and proceeded to explain at his boss' questioning look, "He was seen in the control room with the girl sir. He's another X5, designation 494. He's one of the '09 escapees. From previous information we managed to download off of Manticore's database before it burnt we knew his location to be Seattle, sector 5 but that is how detailed we were able to locate him."

White smiled dangerously and rasped looking at the nervous operative, "And what makes you think he returned there and that he'll know where the girl is?"

"Well sir, using the police database we found evidence of a hummer with the registration of Elizabeth Renfro's car passing through two sector check points ending in Sector 9. It's likely it was sunk. Ms Renfro had planned to leave with the girl the same night of Manticore's burning," Agent Otto finished suppressing the urge to flinch waiting for his superior's words.

"Excellent work Otto. You've earned yourself this weeks paycheck," answered White.

If this girl was linked to all the transgenics this would be over in less than a week, "Maybe I'll play a round of golf on Sunday."

*********

The music was loud and thumping as he let it wash over him calming his nerves. He swiveled the glass in his hand letting a small smile coy his lips as the amber concoction swished against the glass walls that trapped it, shimmering a million colors.

Alec figured that when someone began associating himself with a Jack Daniel's that person had to be on the fast track to a mental institution. Amusing himself with his thoughts he brought it to his lips letting the burning liquid sear a path down his throat to settle in his stomach and he welcomed the tiny buzz it gave him.

Sitting at home had only made him think about OC's words and they'd been the last think he wanted to grovel on. In fact at the moment he didn't even want to be able of conscious thought. Thinking meant thinking about her and Alec didn't want that. That's why he was there in the first place, to sit in half darkness, watch the girls and ignore his problems.

'I don't like her. Not at all.' he told himself even as a second voice in his head chanted 'In denial.' over and over; it was OC's voice and Alec chuckled at the idea that she was in charge of his inner conscious.

Despite his thoughts he couldn't stop the image that built inside his mind of her from passing past his eyes. He was entranced at the large smile across her full bee stung lips as she entered the club. Immediately every male eye in the place drew to her but she seemed oblivious and unperturbed at the glares from every other female. He shook his head attempting to clear the hallucinations he saw of her, of what he'd seen happen repeatedly for the past two weeks.

The tight sand-colored pants she wore resided low on her hips, almost too low and the plain blue top she had didn't quite reach the waistband, showing golden silk skin as she carved a path through the crowded room over to the bar. Spellbound by her, his gaze never wavered. He watched, jealousy growing as men swarmed to her like drones to a queen bee. Anger claimed him seeping into his mind as he watched her play along with the flirting, laugh at their jokes that he had no doubt were horrible toilet humor.

He scowled at the images, sinking farther and further into his seat, as he pictured her simpering and flirting, manipulating the men to her advantage. Laughing and drinking and soaking up all the attention and he couldn't help the childish urge to mimic her fake giggle.

******

No words were uttered. No grin, no raised eyebrows, no flirting or teasing. Normal looked worriedly as his Golden Boy sat on one of the benches he provided for the useless bums that worked for him.

He watched as the younger man fitted with precision the dozen packages into his bag. Not that he was complaining, it was about time someone worked hard, but even he had grown concern for Alec's all of a sudden work ethic.

With a small nod in his boss' direction Alec straddled his bike and rode onto the streets of Seattle. Two weeks. It had seemed like a life time but in fact had been no more than fourteen days since she'd last so much as spoken a word to him that wasn't a hey or a hi. And even as he bristled at this fact he scowled asking himself why he even cared.

Why did he want to see the face of his serial killer sister traipsing around? The sister that he had killed to save himself. And yet, he wanted to see her, talk to her, touch her . . . Alec shook his head at the trail of his thoughts and gripped the handlebars tighter.

She was just a transgenic. That's why he wanted her company, no her presence. Because he needed someone else like him around. Happy with his conclusion over his controversy feeling he smiled a tight smile ignoring the voice that screamed in his mind that had grown anything but smaller over time.

*******

The sheets were rumpled and torn, shredded in the shape of fingernails. In the middle lay a sweat soaked body curled in the fetal position clutching the covers to her shaking form. 452 didn't sleep, never had much. Max didn't sleep much either, plagued from dreams, nightmares that were no more than unchangeable memories of the past.

Her brow was crinkled in terror and grief as the dreams once again took over.

She looked down at her hands and her chest and realized she was 6 all over again. Her head rose hesitantly knowing already what she'd see.

Her fists were clenched and she controlled her breathing.

Jack.

He laid dead, cold to the touch on the metal surface of the operating table. The doctors stood over him with metal tools and blades that shone blinding light into their eyes. The frightened members of her unit stood in a circle around the table, watching their fellow soldier be opened and tested on as if he were no more than a lab rat.

With a silent shudder she realized they *were* no more than lab rats. Her young confused eyes sought those of their colonel, the person that held their life in his hands.

In a sense he'd been their god, the one with imminent power. She schooled her features and blocked the sight in front of her refusing to see it. This would make them strong he'd said. It would make them wiser.

She refused to show weakness, just like she'd done back then.

The room was painted a blinding white and she found herself growing dizzy as everything spun and blurred together and she clinched her eyes close trying to focus.

She could hear whispers and screams like those from the basement, getting louder and louder and her hands flew to her ears blocking the sound trying to stop it.

Her eyes darted open and she found herself in the barracks.

She shot up from her cot and her heart began pounding. Palpitating so hard in her chest she could feel it in her throat. She was 9 and they were coming. She could hear their pounding feet running down the hallways, coming to get her. She knew that they'd take her, again to that place. The place where you can't sleep or eat or drink and the place where you forget time. Where you forget everything but the blinding white and the obscure darkness. Where the only thing you knew for certain was that you wished you'd never been given life.

They were closer, almost upon her. The whole barracks were awake, sitting up in their beds, scared looks on their faces. The doors burst open and for only a second her eyes met with Jondy's. A second that felt like a lifetime as everything slowed to a stop. There was no more noise but she could hear music playing, calming.

She felt the tugs of rough hands grab her, reviving her from her lapse in time and she opened her mouth to scream, no noise escaping. She pulled and writhed at their holds as they dragged her and Ben kicking and screaming.

She shot up in bed with a scream and still felt the touch of hands on her body. In a blur of movement she'd pinned her attacker to her bed the gun that lay under her pillow pressed against Jondy's temple.

With a disgusted gasp she jumped off her sister falling to the ground looking at her hands in horror, "I'm sorry Jon . . . I'm so sorry."

Max watched her sister smile reassuringly and wrap her arms around her and she collapsed against her burying her head in her shoulder but refusing to let the tears fall. Jondy sighed and kept whispering comforting words, knowing that when she was ready the tears would come.

******

He sat on the steps that led inside his apartment building staring at an imaginary dot across the road.

He caught the movement from the corner of his eye but he didn't turn to acknowledge the person. Only when they cleared their throat did he finally turn his face. His eyes met a pair of mischievous blue ones that at the same time were filled with a deep sadness.

He raised an eyebrow at Jondy but she smiled and shook her head, "I wanna talk to you."

Her tone had a sense of full authority and Alec found himself nodding.

The silence was comfortable yet held that air of anxiousness and he knew that she had something she wanted, needed to say. So he bit his tongue and waited for her to start.

"You like her don't you?" her voice after so long a silence startled him but he successfully resisted the urge to jump. Schooling his features he placed a cocky grin upon his face and faced her, "As much as anyone loves a photocopied painful memory that just so happens to have a big mouth."

Jondy smiled and shrugged turning to face him, "You knew she was different. From when you met her you knew she wasn't like every other lab-rat in that hell she torched."

His face marred in confusion and his eyebrows furrowed he looked for a clue on where she was going with this conversation, "And you liked that," she continued grinning.

"She likes you, you know?" he snorted in response and didn't let her interject, "Yeah, that's why she's hanging off of every word some scumbag is feeding her just to get her into bed. And she'll pick the least nasty and go fuck his brains out. That's why she's been avoiding me for two weeks. Oh yeah Jondy. She REALLY likes me!" he drawled in anger and rolled his eyes.

The other X didn't contradict anything instead she smiled standing up once again, "And you like her too."

Alec watched her turn and head back in the direction from which she'd come, a dumbfounded expression still on his face.

*******

She wasn't avoiding him. Yeah right. Of course she was avoiding him. She sighed once again as she slipped the black top of her cat-suit on and she fastened the zipper on the back. Fastening the laces to her boots she pulled them tightly scratching any possibility that they'd come loose during the mission.

Braiding her hair with fingers fast like those of a ferret she tied the end and adjusted the black beanie on her head. It was an easy in and out thing. Go in, avoid contact of any kind, find office, take files and leave. Easy peasy japanesey. 'Then why am I getting a bad feeling about this one?'

Shaking the troublesome thoughts away she convinced her mind that it was just pre mission jitters, just cold feet. This guy was far from Mr. Bad Guy himself but he wasn't quite normal. And if someone who wanted them dead in a big way was stupid enough to leave a trail then she had every right to follow it and end his existence before he tried to end hers.

Even with the call system they had set up and the monitors each with a different news station it was hard to keep track of her fellow kin. Luke spent hours with his ears to a headset listening for any calls on the Sector cops' communication frequency but the few stragglers still got caught.

Max looked at the briefcase that sat beneath her bed hidden to an extent beneath some spare clothes and then to the still torn sheets on her bed. Shaking her head she cleared her thoughts, all she had to worry about was keeping her family safe.

******