Disclaimer: I still don't own Dark Angel. I still wish I did.

 A/N: Thank you very very much to all those that reviewed my first two chapters. I really appreciate reviews! In answer to a question, I am planning to bring Max back, probably around chapter 5. (Yep, I'm going to write more chapters!) What's the consensus? Virus or no virus? It's up to all of you- let me know!!!

Sorry there hasn't really been much in the way of action yet. Hopefully, the story will get more action-ish soon!

Chapter three – Communication Breakdown

*** Fogle towers, DAY ***

"Do you understand what I'm saying? He has the access code. It wouldn't be hacking if he knew the access code!" Logan exclaimed, frustrated. He had been trying to get the same message across to a stubborn X5 for the past ten minutes. Zane grinned at him in reply.

"Do I understand? My IQ's off the chart. It's you, you're not doing it right. If you'd just let me touch your computer for five seconds…"

"Out of the question." Logan said firmly. "I keep telling you, it wouldn't be any use. If Manticore got the access code from Zack and used it, it wouldn't seem strange. It wouldn't show up as a hack into the phone line."

Zane sighed. "Promise you. Five seconds. That's all I need. It's not like I haven't used your computer before." Logan glared at him.

"No." Logan crossed his arms and stared at Zane, who smiled broadly, making Logan raise his eyebrows. "What?" Logan demanded.

"You gonna stay here and guard the computer, or answer the door?" Zane replied, cocky. There was an immediate knock on the door. Zane laughed. "Cause I'm not getting that." He crossed his arms and pretended to be engrossed in what was already on the screen. Logan shook his head, and started toward the door. Knowing full well Zane could hear him, he cursed X5s everywhere.

"Funny!" Zane called over his shoulder. "Bingo" he said more quietly, as telephone records displayed on the computer screen. "Four and a half seconds." He smiled to himself.

Logan smiled to himself as he walked to the door, exoskeleton humming. As stubborn as Zane was, Logan was really enjoying the company. And having something to do. He made a mental note to continue searching for Manticore's location. Maybe he should call the S1W for help. They'd probably be interested in checking out the VA office.

Logan opened the door. A short blonde woman stood on the other side of it. S1W, Logan thought to himself. What was her name? Anna? Ashley?

"Asha." Logan greeted warmly. "Just the person I wanted to see." The blonde smiled back. Logan was suddenly very aware of the door to his office being open. He struggled to remember if he'd left anything around that would 'incriminate' him as Eyes-Only. He smiled, somewhat awkwardly, and turned away for a second.

"Zane, shut the door." He whispered, knowing that the X5 would hear him. He turned back to Asha, smiling again. "Come in, Asha. How are you?" Logan headed back into the penthouse, and headed for the kitchen. Asha followed, eyes on Logan, for a moment forgetting why she had come. She stared after Logan, and looked around his home.

"I, ah… good. I'm good. Thanks." She answered, then nodded when Logan held up a package of tea.

"What can I do for you?" Logan asked. The S1W were good to have as allies, but Logan didn't like their 'shoot 'em up' attitude. S1W had helped Eyes-Only out a couple of times, and Logan had returned the favour. He hadn't called Asha or her friends since Max had died. Logan blinked. Max had died. He took a deep breath and turned around.

"Hadn't heard from you in a while. Thought you may have heard from the boss, that he might have a job for us. I mean, a job for the S1W." Asha blushed, but Logan, having turned again to make the tea, hadn't noticed.

"Actually, he does have a job for you. He called this morning. He's following up a story, a favour to me. Suggested you and yours for the job." 

"What is it?" Asha asked, taking the cup Logan offered. She looked up at him, catching his glance toward the study. He looked back at her quickly.

"VA records. Thinks they're running Manticore through the system. Pretty corrupt stuff happening there aside from that, withholding of ration cards, non-acknowledgement of war widows, thought your guys might be interested. Two birds…?" Asha was already nodding. She took another sip of her tea, and noticed Logan's eyes dart to the closed door again.

"Are you busy? Am I interrupting something?" Asha asked, taking Logan by surprise. He looked at her, keeping his expression blank. "That's the second time I've seen you staring at that door." She continued. Logan looked up guiltily, and gave her a small smile.

"Nothing too urgent. Just a job we're doing for the boss." Didn't hurt to sneak in mention of company, Logan thought. As much as the S1W were useful, and as nice as Asha was, he didn't want her surprise visits becoming more frequent.

"Oh, you have company?" Asha asked in reply. In answer, Zane, having heard the entire conversation, burst out of the study, waving a sheet of paper.

"Got it. No problems. Office layout, staff roster and- oh" Zane cut himself off, pretending he had just become aware of Asha's presence. Logan smiled, amused. If he didn't know better, he would have believed Zane's performance. In fact, he knew better, but still found it very hard to believe that he was acting. The X5 had genuine excitement written across his face, and waved what looked like the blueprints of an office. Zane was looking from Logan to Asha, as if in question.

"It's ok. She's a friend. Safe. Go ahead." Logan stated, playing along with Zane's act. "Asha, this is…" Logan paused, unsure of what to call Zane.

"Zane Walker." Zane said, extending a hand. "I'm Logan's brother-in-law." Logan looked at Zane in surprise. Brother-in-law? Just where had that come from?

"Oh! Nice to meet you, Zane. I'm Asha." She was looking from Logan to Zane. "Are you married to Logan's sister?"

Zane smiled. "I'm not married." He answered, seriously. Asha looked confused, but didn't ask anymore about how the two men knew each other.

"Zane, Asha's with the S1W." Logan explained, pretending that Zane hadn't already heard their conversation. "I was just asking her about the VA job for Eyes-Only."

"Excellent. He wants to get moving on that one. I've just got the office layout and the staff roster. I'm still working on the traffic that goes through there. Do you think your people would want to hit it during a busy time?" Zane looked Asha over. She didn't look tough enough to be a member of the S1W. Though he was sure he didn't look like a genetically engineered killing machine either.

"I'll have to discuss it with them. In fact, I'm late for a meeting. I'd better be going. Logan, I'll call you and let you know about the job. Zane, it was nice to meet you."   

"It was nice to meet you too, Asha. Don't rush off on my account." Zane protested, though weakly. He wanted to get moving on the contact line. He looked Asha up and down and nodded again. Better to get her out of the place as well. Logan was still messed up over Max. Not a good time for Asha to try and make her move, which Zane could tell she wanted to, and was planning. He looked at Logan. Not interested, he decided, and probably has no idea. The X5 looked back to Asha, breathing in air through his nose. She was very interested. He could smell it on her.

"No, I'd really better run. Have to get moving…" She smiled at Zane, then turned her eyes to Logan, who was standing, getting ready to walk her to the door. She looked briefly disappointed that Logan hadn't tried to talk her into staying.

"Brother-in-law?" Logan asked as he entered the room, after seeing Asha off. "Where did that come from?"

"Close enough to brother-in-law. How else was I going to explain it? Hi Asha, Logan here used to date my genetically engineered sister. I suppose she's not really my sister, when you come right down do it, but we were created in the same lab, and we were both part of the same military unit. Oh, did I mention that? We were created to kill people. You know, assassinations, that sort of thing…" Zane laughed, and Logan, after a short hesitation, joined in. "Sorry, it just came to me. Did I ruin your chances with Asha?" Zane teased, bursting into laughter again at Logan's shocked face.

"My chances with Asha? We're not like that." Logan immediately cringed at his choice of words. It was what he used to say about Max, and things were definitely 'like that' with her. "I mean," he corrected, "I don't think of her that way." He looked at Zane's face. "But of course, you knew that, and you were just teasing. Again." Zane grinned. Logan smiled wryly. "It's great to know that I can be a source of entertainment to X5s everywhere." Zane laughed again, and once more, Logan joined in.

"She wants you ba-aa-d." Zane managed to get out, while still laughing.

"Sorry, I'm married!" Logan shot back. Then, remembering something, Logan stopped laughing. "Where did you get those plans from?"

An hour later, still slightly annoyed, though grateful that Zane had practically stitched up all of the planning for the VA job, Logan sat reading phone records. Zane sat a few metres away from him, having already read the phone records, and making a map of all of the places the phone number had been called from, and where the access code was used.

"I still can't believe that phone companies keep these kinds of records." Logan stated, breaking the silence.

"Privacy means nothing in a broken world, Logan."

"This is something Eyes-Only would want to know about." Logan continued, scanning the phone records. "What are you doing?"

"Mapping the locations and dates of phone calls that used the access code. Almost done." Logan shook his head in amazement, wishing for the millionth time that he had the abilities of an X5.

"We're sure that the number can't be accessed without the code?" Logan asked for what seemed like the thousandth time.

"Yes." Zane answered simply.

"Then how can we access it?" Logan answered, smugly. Zane looked up from the map he was making. Logan thought he'd won, Zane could tell. Eyes-Only didn't like being outsmarted by him, with his own equipment, with his own work, in his own time.

"Well, gee, Logie, hadn't thought of that." Zane said, dumbly.

Logan got up and walked towards his computer.

"I suppose it depends on the length of the code. I'm thinking that Zack wouldn't make it too easy, considering the amount of numbers X5s can remember. Maybe if we…" he caught sight of Zane's cocky face. "What aren't you telling me this time?" he asked, wondering how easy it would be to murder an X5. Zane's joking nature was a welcome change from his brother's, but it was taking Logan some getting used to.

"I have the access code." Zane said simply, grinning at Logan. "Now how about making me lunch?"

"We're not finished." Logan countered. He didn't know if he should be mad at Zane, or happy that they'd just been saved from days of work.

"Yes we have. The last time the code was used was two days before you last saw Zack. He dialled it from my home city, while he was visiting me. Manticore hasn't touched it." Zane put down his pen. "Just finished." He grinned broadly.

"Should I even ask how you got the code?" Logan asked. "Or what, if you already had the code, you needed me for?"

"I got the code while you were talking to Little Miss S1W. Zack gave me a password that I could use to access a different file, where I would find the encrypted access code, but I needed better equipment than what I had. And I told you, I need you to broadcast that the line's up again. The 5s wouldn't risk checking in all the time, especially if the line looks compromised. I need to give them a signal." Zane rolled his eyes. "You know, for an underground hero, you don't remember details very well." He teased. "Now how about making me lunch?"

Logan sighed, giving in. He set about making them both lunch, going over details in his mind. A line of conversation came back to him, and he jerked his head up, shooting Zane a nasty glare.

"Did you just call me Logie?"

*** Space Needle, NIGHT ***

"To all of those that have fallen before us, and died fighting the good fight." Logan said quietly, holding up a glass in toasted tribute. He was standing with Zane on top of the Space Needle, watching the streets of Seattle.

It had been Zane's idea to get out of the apartment. They had been working all afternoon, picking through the VA stuff, as well as working on the contact number. Zane had brought up the Space Needle, and Logan, (though later regretting it) mentioned that it was Max's favourite place for reflection. Zane had immediately suggested they go up to 'say a proper goodbye,' something Logan couldn't argue with, despite his fear of heights.

"To brothers and sisters that went before us, now dancing together in the good place." Zane toasted, holding up his glass. The champagne had been Logan's idea, and the bottle not cheap. They each looked out into the skyline, saying nothing. Logan, not quite trusting the exoskeleton to keep him steady on his feet, sat down, and sipped his champagne.

"To Max." Logan whispered. Zane looked at him, and nodded.

"To Max." The X5 repeated.

The two men watched the broken city silently, each consumed by their own thoughts, each calling on different memories, and replaying them in their minds.

*** Fogle Towers, DAY ***

"Would you trust it if you heard it?" Logan asked quietly. He'd been arguing with Zane for the past ten minutes, and was getting tired. Zane seemed to be putting a lot of faith in the Eyes-Only broadcast, and it was worrying Logan.

"Yes." Zane stated simply.

"X5s, sorry, but your CO is dead. I'm the new one, and the contact line is up again. Please check in. By the way, this definitely isn't Manticore, so no need to worry, your safety isn't being compromised." Logan said sarcastically, swinging his chair to face Zane.

"Maybe not if it sounded like that…" Zane answered, with a small smile. "I get your point. I just, well…" Zane's voice trailed off. "I don't want to lose them again." He finished quietly. "We should be connected, even if it's only by one person. And they should know when, no, if they're in danger. I have a responsibility to them." Logan shook his head.

"Zane, you didn't ask for that responsibility. It was forced on you over ten years ago! They'll understand if you don't want to give up everything just to go chasing after them." Logan countered. "What about your job? Your friends?"

"What about my family?" Zane smiled. "They're my family. I can't desert them. I won't desert them." Logan recognised the look on his face. He'd seen the same look on Max's face many times in the past. He nodded his head.

"So the broadcast…" Logan started. "What should it say?" Zane smiled, and grabbed a pen.

"How about… X5s, re-establish contact with command. Line is secure. Repeat, line is secure." Logan laughed at Zane's attempt at a broadcast. "What??" Zane demanded, a mock-hurt look on his face.

"You don't think that would seem suspicious? I'm already questioning whether or not your family is going to believe that they can trust this thing. You wanna throw in 're-establish contact with command?'" Logan smiled. "Keep it simple, to the point. Don't mention anything about a phone number. Or a secure line." Zane put the end of the pen in his mouth and chewed it.

"How about just saying 'This message is for those known as X5,' the same way your last broadcast to us started." Zane began. "Then you can say 'check in with your CO' and then something about the message repeating until everyone checks in, like last time." Logan considered the message for a minute.

"Nothing to prove that you're not Manticore?" He asked. Zane thought for a minute.

"Ok, how about 'this is a message from the blue lady. Check in with your CO.' I'm almost certain that nobody at Manticore knew about the blue lady."

Logan nodded, though still unconvinced. "Brin knows about the blue lady." Zane looked thoughtful, and then shook his head.

"They'll trust that. For sure. They don't all know about Brin. It'll work." He nodded his head again. "It'll work."

"Ok," said Logan, hitting a final few keys on his computer. "It's complete. The access number has been changed. Secure line, all ready. Just tell me when." Zane was visibly excited, pacing back and forth across the room.

"It works?" Zane asked, fiddling with the cell phone Logan had given him.

"You dial the number, you dial the access code, it works. Did you record the message?" Logan asked. Zane nodded, and Logan raised his eyebrows, as if in question.

"I said that it was me, the SIC, and that the CO had been compromised. Then I said that any contact with Zack since the date that you last saw him should be considered suspicious. I said that I wanted to see them, to assess their situations. That's it. I didn't ask for details." He looked hopefully at Logan. "What do you think?"

"Sounds good." Logan replied, and he saw Zane let out a breath, which surprised him. Having an X5 need his approval was a new experience.

"And the broadcast is ready?" Logan nodded.

"You just need to hit the button to transmit. You want to do it?" He asked, laughing at Zane's eager expression.

Zane looked from the phone in his hand, to Logan, and finally to the computer. He grinned and pressed the button to begin the transmission.

"Do not attempt to adjust your set. This is a streaming freedom video bulletin. This hack cannot be traced, it cannot be stopped, and it is the only free voice left in this city. This is a message for those known as X5. It is a message from the blue lady. Check in with your CO.

This message will repeat every hour, on the hour, until all of you have checked in. This has been a streaming freedom video bulletin. Peace. Out."

Zane's grin spread wider as he saw the broadcast interrupt the program on Logan's television.

"It's done." He whispered. He grinned at Logan. "Thanks Logie," Zane exclaimed. "I owe you one!"

"You can start by not calling me Logie." Logan replied, before being interrupted by the ringing of his phone. Zane had jumped, thinking it was his cell phone, and had scrambled to answer it, becoming disappointed when he realised it was Logan's phone and not his own that was ringing.

"Could you get that? If it's Asha, take a message." Logan asked Zane. "But be nice." Zane grinned, heading for the phone.

"Yeah?" Zane picked up the phone, wanting to annoy Logan by not being nice. The colour drained from his face as he listened to the person on the other end. He stayed silent throughout the conversation, then replaced the phone softly.

"Who was it?" Logan asked, not looking up from the screen of his computer. He froze when the cold blade of a knife was pressed against his neck. "Zane?" he whispered, trying not to move. The blade was pressed harder, cutting into him.

Zane answered in a low growl that Logan barely recognised as belonging to him.

"You wanna tell me why Donald Lydecker is calling you at home?"