Disclaimer: The world of Dark Angel does not belong to me. All characters that do not appear in the TV show do, so please leave Kia, Brianna, Rush and Jai to live out their happy little lives in my fic unless you ask first.
A/N: The payoff for this chapter taking so long is that it's mammoth- absolutely huge! It's taken ages to write, but I wanted all of the Sacramento stuff to happen in this chapter. Please forgive me for inaccurate fighting terms. I really have no idea when it comes to fighting!
Timeframe: Somewhere between 'Designate This' and 'Bag 'Em'
Reviews: Welcome, encouraged, necessary!
The story so far: Zane tracked down Logan after the events of AJBAC, and broadcasted to the '09 escapees. Zane left when Kia (X5-426) checked in on the contact number and is currently at the mercy of a self-defence class in Sacramento, while a newly returned Max is getting 'reacquainted' with Logan in Seattle. (I thought I'd better include this summary because it's been so long since my last update. Enjoy!)
Chapter 8
Defence Mechanisms
*** Phoenix School of Martial Arts, DAY ***
"Ladies," Kia began, turning to face her self-defence group. "As a final treat for you today, I have a little something special. I'd like you to meet your real life attack dummy. Now, who would like to volunteer to be attacked?"
Zane blinked, not quite sure he'd heard right. Attack dummy?
The group of women in the room talked nervously among themselves at the thought of taking on a man rather than a dummy.
"Come on ladies, I'm offering you a free shot at him! Do your worst." Kia looked around at her class, and Brianna grinned evilly, enjoying the terrified look on Zane's face.
"Don't I get a say in this?" He asked with a strangled voice.
"No." Kia and Brianna answered at the same time, sharing an amused glance. Kia looked around at her class again and sighed.
"Are we sure nobody wants to take him on? It seems a wasted opportunity…" She said, disappointed. None of the students spoke. Zane breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'll take him on." Brianna grinned. Kia looked at her, eyebrows raised.
"We have a volunteer." Kia smiled and the ladies in the class clapped their hands. "Brianna has just finished teaching the children's class, now she's volunteered to take on Zane, who happens to have great skills in defence. Now, she's going to need all your help. Remember what I've taught you, ladies, and we'll see how well Brianna applies it." She grinned at the look on Zane's face. He caught her eye and gave her a nasty expression.
"And just for the record," Kia continued. "My money's on Brianna."
Unable to believe what was happening, Zane stood staring at his sister.
"Ok. Zane, I want you to come up behind Brianna and attack her." Kia began, and Zane shifted his eyes to her in a glare. She returned his expression, eyebrows raised. Shaking his head in disbelief, Zane walked slowly up to Brianna and assumed a position that he thought an attacker might take. He moved closer to his 'victim,' reaching out to grab her in a headlock as she had done to him earlier.
Without warning, Brianna grabbed Zane's arm and swung herself around to face him, at the same time as applying her knee to a very delicate area. Zane's eyes bulged, and he doubled over in pain.
"Brianna has hit back at one of the three most vulnerable areas of a man. Can anyone name the others?" Kia asked her class with a smile. Zane recovered and started toward Brianna again. She ducked out of his reach and forced a blow to his throat.
"Throat!" One of Kia's students called out, and Kia nodded approvingly.
"Right. The groin and throat are two. And the other?" Zane spun quickly out of Brianna's path and stared at Kia in disbelief.
"Eyes." A different student cut in, just as Brianna launched herself at Zane, who ducked her blow. Deciding that Brianna was capable of defending herself, Zane swept her feet out from under her with a kick. The ladies in the class let out cries and exclamations of outrage, and began yelling encouragement at Brianna. Zane looked around nervously.
"Remember that fighting back is our best form of defence." Kia was saying as Brianna got to her feet. "Most attackers are looking for easy targets. They're unlikely to stay around for a fight." Zane looked at Brianna warily, not wanting to strike the woman, but forced to protect himself. She circled him, eyes shining.
"Zane, I want you to attack her again. Don't worry about hurting her, she's able to defend herself." Zane turned to look at his sister, shooting her another glare. She gave him a bright smile. He sighed heavily and turned to face his 'victim' again. Brianna was waiting, and landed a punch square on his face. He staggered back momentarily, and then caught her hand with his own as she tried to hit him again. He drew her in, pinning her arms to her, and holding her away from him in an awkward embrace. She struggled, trying to free her arms, and kicking her legs at him. Zane was happy he'd faced her away from him, the memory of her knee fresh in his memory.
"Brianna's struggling, she's not going to let him off easily. Now, Zane appears to have the upper hand, but can anyone suggest a way for Brianna to escape?" Kia continued. Zane was holding Brianna tight, trying desperately not to notice how good her hair smelled, and how soft her skin was. The women in the class looked at each other, unable to answer their teacher's question.
"She could try a head butt." Kia suggested, and Brianna snapped her head back before Zane had a chance to defend himself. Her skull collided with his eyebrow ridge, and he groaned in pain. The X5 felt blood begin to run down his face, but ignored the pain and kept his tight grip on the enemy.
"Hmm, that didn't work. Maybe she should try again." Kia smiled, and this time Zane reacted before Brianna did. He pushed he across the room with all of the strength he could manage, and she stumbled, falling to the floor. The women in Kia's class gasped again, and a few started booing. Zane rolled his eyes and made his way over to Kia, assuming the fight was over. He touched his face lightly, pulling his hand away and staring at the blood on it. He looked up at Kia, who was looking back at him.
"Thanks for being such a good sport, Zane." Kia smiled, and the class clapped obediently.
"But what makes you think the fight's over?" He turned quickly, but not quickly enough, and Brianna landed a blow to his jaw. Zane swayed backward, but stayed on his feet and avoided Brianna's second blow.
"Zane has broken two big rules of attack and defence," Kia began. "Don't underestimate your enemy, and never turn your back on them." The 'rules' were straight out of Manticore, and Zane turned to give Kia a quick dirty look, immediately regretting it as Brianna struck him again.
"That'll have to do for today, ladies. I'm afraid we're terribly over time. Can we give Zane and Brianna a big thank you?" The class broke into applause again, several members congratulating Brianna on their way out the door. Brianna laughed off their praise and gave Zane a glance over her shoulder.
"It was nothing." She smiled.
*** Kia's apartment, NIGHT ***
"Just hold this over that bruise." Kia said gently, holding the icepack to Zane's forehead. He groaned. Brianna looked up from the mail she was flicking through and gave him a bright smile. Kia laughed and turned back to her brother.
"How is it you two come to know each other?" Brianna asked innocently. Zane studied her. She appeared bored, now skimming a letter she'd just opened, but the X5 could tell she was giving them her full attention. He flinched as Kia applied pressure to his bruised face, and tried desperately to recall the lie he'd concocted for this situation.
"Zane and I know each other from when we were kids." Kia explained before Zane had the chance to. "We both had fathers in the army, and we grew up on the same army bases." She had moved on to applying cream to a cut above Zane's eyebrow and didn't look up as she answered her friend.
"When the pulse hit, they broke up the base we were living on and reassigned the soldiers. I haven't seen him since." Zane was impressed by the explanation. He nodded, wincing as he bumped Kia's hand back into the ugly bruise on his forehead.
"Closest thing to a sister I've got," he added, again looking at Brianna, who seemed to almost accept the explanation.
"She's never mentioned you." She said accusingly, the letter forgotten in her hand. Zane was immediately drawn out of the comfort Kia's story had given him. He looked at Kia, who had dropped her head, and was looking at the floor. He raised his eyebrows, immediately regretting it when he felt the cut re-open.
"Happier times." Kia started. "Reminiscing about happy times always makes remembering the bad times harder to handle," she finished cryptically. Brianna was watching her, concerned. Kia looked at her friend and gave her a shaky smile.
"My dad was killed in the line of duty right after the pulse. My mother died trying to protect me from these men that were..." She looked down again, and Zane was incredibly impressed with his sister's acting skills.
"When I think about life on bases, it always leads back to watching my mother die. I don't like to think about it." Brianna had crossed the room and was hugging her friend tightly. Kia gave Zane a look over Brianna's shoulder, a look that told him she didn't like lying. He pointed at his face to tell her that he was far worse off.
Brianna and Kia broke apart, Brianna still looking concerned for her friend.
"Maybe I should stay here tonight." She said softly, looking at her friend's sad face.
"I want to talk to Zane. I haven't seen him in a while." Brianna nodded, looking at Zane briefly before turning back to Kia.
"You know where to find me."
"Right across the hall." Kia smiled, hugging her again. "Good night B."
"'Night." Brianna answered. She looked over at Zane, smiling at her handiwork.
"'Night Zane." She added in a sweetly sarcastic voice, making no attempt at apology.
"Fantastic to meet you, Brianna." He answered in the same tone. "Nice left hook," he added as an afterthought, rubbing his jaw. She smiled, eyes sparkling, and left the apartment.
"You," Zane grinned at his sister, turning to face her, "owe me big." He swept her into a hug, lifting her off the floor. She squealed in delight, wrapping her arms around him.
"I can't believe you're really here!" She exclaimed, gripping him tightly. "I've got my brother back!" Zane spun her around and set her down near the brightly coloured sofa. She fell backwards into it, and he joined her, his injuries forgotten.
"And I can't believe that you fed me to a pack of wolves." He answered, his grin betraying his angry tone.
"Just one angry wolf. Count yourself lucky that was a beginner class. Two more weeks and those pups would've eaten you alive."
Zane touched his face and winced. "You're lucky to have her as a friend."
"Don't have to tell me that." She looked down at her lap, folding and unfolding her hands nervously, the smile gone from her face.
"Give it to me straight, Zane." She blurted out suddenly, keeping her eyes down.
"Give what to you straight?"
"How long before you make me leave all of this?" She waved her hand over the apartment, and Zane took in the place as well as her question. Brightly decorated walls, mismatched but comfortable looking furniture, photos of friends, all of it a reflection of Kia and her life. He looked at her questioningly.
"That's what you're here for, right? To make me leave? Zack was going to relocate me just before he left. Said I've been here too long, that he'd been careless."
"How long have you lived here?"
"Almost three years"
*** Flashback, Two years before ***
"But I like California." Zane protested, defending his decision to his brother.
"You've never been to California." Zack responded roughly.
"Yeah, but I think I'd like it." Zane joked.
"This is not funny, Zane. I need to relocate you. You're moving to Canada."
"I don't want to move to Canada. I've been to Canada. You moved me out of Canada last year." Zane whined. "I was talking to a guy the other day said Sacramento's a real nice place, even after the pulse. You know, Sacramento, California. Sounds kind of pretty, huh? Sac-ra-men-to. I could live in Sacramento."
"You don't get a say in this." Zack's voice was harsh.
"You always give me a say in this." Zane replied, confusion in his voice.
"You are not moving to California. That's it. This is not a discussion we are having."
"Yes it is" Zane grinned "Right now. That's what it is, this backwards and forwards dialogue that's happening here. It's called a discussion." Zack's face was stony, and he glared at Zane.
"You're moving to Canada. Now. That's an order soldier. End of discussion."
*** Flashback, Six months later ***
"What are you doing here? This move is unauthorised." The force and anger in Zack's voice immediately put Zane on the defensive.
"You found me, what's the problem?" He replied with a shrug.
"If I found you, they can." Zack tore through the apartment, looking for something.
"You finding me had something to do with the fact that I checked in and told you I'd moved to LA." Zane called into the bedroom at his brother.
"You need to move." Zack replied, rejoining Zane, apparently satisfied that he had not found what he was looking for.
"I just got here." Zane protested.
"Zane, do you see this?" Zack pulled up his shirt to show his brother a taped up cut.
"Nice. Cut yourself shaving?" Zane quipped.
"I got this fighting a Manticore soldier in Sacramento, on my way here. California is crawling with Lydecker's men. It's not safe."
"What were you doing in Sacramento?" X5-205 asked with a confused frown.
"I thought that's where you'd be." Zack didn't give excuses. He rarely explained his actions. Zane wondered again what was going on.
"I told you where I was." Zane insisted, sure he'd caught his CO in a lie.
"We are not having this discussion. You need to move."
*** Kia's apartment, NIGHT ***
"Zane? You just spaced out there." Zane was frowning, having just realised that Zack would never have let Kia stay if Lydecker's men were anywhere near Sacramento. He'd lied to Zane to keep him away from Kia. He turned back to his sister, remembering the conversation.
"You own this place?" He asked, shaking off the memories.
"Yeah." She was growing irritated at his refusal to answer her question.
"Kia, I'm going to give you this 'straight.'" Zane began, and Kia took a deep breath.
"I've always done what Zack said. He moved me around thirty-seven times. Thirty-seven. And every time, I got a new job, a new place to live, then just as I was getting comfortable, I'd move again. I've never spent more than one season in any city." Kia watched him, her face expressionless as she waited for the 'straight' answer he'd told her was coming.
"I've never had a really good friend, Kia. I've never had a real home, or a boss I liked, or a city that I was comfortable in." She looked away from him, recalling Zack's constant rants of 'phoney sentimentality' and dreading what Zane was about to tell her.
"Tinga had a husband and kid. Max had a favourite hangout and great friends. You've got this place, people that care about you, and a job you love. I'd kill for the same things, Kia. I'm not going to take them away." She'd jerked her head back in surprise at the mention of Tinga's family, and now her mouth was hanging open.
"Just be careful. If anything happens, you'll have to leave." He finished, as she threw her arms around him again. Zane felt the pain in his shoulder from the gunshot resurface, and the fresh wounds from the days events scream in protest, but he didn't care.
"Tinga has a kid?" She repeated, excited. Her face fell at his expression.
"Tinga…" he began, not wanting to finish. He shifted his eyes to the ceiling.
"Oh." Kia whispered sadly. "Max?" Zane shook his head. She frowned, shaking her own head as she tried to comprehend what he was having trouble saying.
"Syl? Krit? Ben? Brin?" She fired out, waiting for answers. "Rush? Jondy?" She finished, wanting to shake him for his silence. Zane closed his eyes and turned his head away.
"Brin was recaptured by Manticore. She had progeria. It causes spontaneous aging and would have killed her. They reindoctrinated her." He said, his voice so soft Kia had to strain to hear it.
"Ben…" Zane looked at his sister, the tears in his eyes mirroring hers. She nodded encouragingly.
"Jondy checked in when I was on my way here." He said suddenly, leaving her wondering what had happened to Ben. "She's safe." He smiled at her. She couldn't smile back.
"Krit and Syl are fine, 's'far as I know. They haven't checked in yet, but they survived the mission that took Max and Zack." At the last part of the sentence, Kia cocked her head to the side curiously.
"Mission?"
"They took out the DNA lab." He explained briefly. Kia nodded, impressed.
"Nice. Explosives?"
"Some of Syl's finest work." Zane replied with a smile. He looked at his sister, who was still looking at him expectantly.
"I haven't heard from Rush yet. But the broadcast should still be repeating, so it should be ok. Probably out jogging." He joked, but Kia didn't smile.
"Ben's dead." Zane said simply. Kia's eyes widened, and she frowned at the simple explanation.
"How did he-" Kia began, before being cut off by her brother.
"Ben's dead, Kia. That's it. I don't know anything else about it. I don't know how, so don't ask." Kia nodded slowly, unconvinced, but unwilling to press the matter. She'd often been jealous of the close relationship Ben and Zane had shared back at Manticore, and was sure that Zane's reluctance to talk had something to do with that.
"I know something about someone else though." Zane said teasingly, his mood suddenly lifting.
"Who?" Kia demanded instantly.
"Why didn't you ask about Jai?" Zane quickly changed the subject, pretending not to hear his sister.
"Is that who the information is about?" Kia asked.
"No." Zane grinned.
"Who then?"
"Don't you care about Jai?" He teased, indulging a feeling he had that his sister was hiding something.
"Of course I do. Now what's the other news?"
"Why do I get the impression you know all about Jai?" He continued with a smile.
"Why do I suddenly understand why you have no friends?" Kia shot back.
"Tell me about Jai." Zane demanded, good-naturedly.
"Tell me first." Kia exclaimed, frustrated.
"Now now, X5-426. Hold up there a minute. Are you withholding information from your commanding officer?" He asked, leaning over her.
"Because we have ways of making you talk." He leaned in closer, and her eyes widened.
"No Zane, not that. Please" she pleaded.
"Jai."
"Never."
"Now."
"No- ow- ah!" Kia squealed as Zane began his attack, tickling his younger sister so that she fell off the couch. She hit the floor with a thump, breathlessly begging for mercy.
"Jai" Zane repeated, not ceasing his attack.
"I- I-" Kia began. "Know-" she gasped out. Zane withdrew his fingers.
"You know…?" he repeated. Kia looked at him angrily, and in defeat.
"I know where he is."
"Jace is out." He replied simply, watching Kia's eyes widen. He paused for effect.
"And she has a baby."
They talked long into the night, about their childhood, their post-Manticore life, and their siblings.
"What about the stalker?" Zane blurted out suddenly.
"Stalker?" She repeated in surprise.
"Brianna mentioned a stalker. Thought I was him. Three am phone calls, sick letters?"
"Oh, that stalker." Kia grinned. "I beat the shit out of him almost a year ago. He left me alone."
"Then why does Brianna think…?"
"I used the stalker story to explain Zack. Reason for the phone calls and running off for long stretches of time." She explained.
"Running off?" Zane winced again when he raised his eyebrows.
"Zack tried to convince me to leave here a million times. Sometimes he almost had me." She grinned at him. "But I'm my own person. The soldier is part of me; I'm not part of the soldier. I've got things here that are worth sticking around for." Zane nodded, looking around the apartment.
"A martial arts school. Guess you fancy yourself a fighting champion?" He teased.
"I don't do too badly." Kia replied with a smile.
"Care to relinquish your title?" He grinned, standing up.
"Or die trying." She replied eagerly, heading for the door.
"I wouldn't go that far." Zane laughed, following his sister down the stairs. Kia scoffed at his hesitation.
"That's why I'm gonna win."
X5-426 snapped on the downstairs lights, and Zane recognised the blue room. His mind briefly flashed back to the first time he'd seen Brianna, and a light smile danced upon his lips. Zane blinked when Kia waved a hand back and forth in front of his face.
"Ready for this soldier?" She teased, and Zane nodded. Kia's eyes were flashing, and she began to circle her prey. Zane met her eyes with his own and matched her motions, so that the pair were circling the room, neither taking their eyes off the other.
He anticipated her first move, the tension building until she launched into a spin kick. Zane caught it easily, grabbing her leg and throwing her to the floor.
"You're gonna have to do better than-" Zane began, before being swept off his feet by Kia's sweeping kick. She grinned at him, trapping his legs with her own.
"Going to have to do better than what, dear brother?" She teased, before withdrawing her legs and flipping back to a standing position. Zane followed her lead and flipped himself back up.
"Forgot I wasn't fighting a mere mortal," he said by way of explanation.
"There's a difference? I saw your performance this afternoon. You get your ass kicked by mere mortals too!" She grinned at him and deflected a punch, landing one of her own in his ribcage.
"I was holding back for the audience. Plus, she's not a mere mortal. She's amazing. Uh, she's an amazing fighter." He covered quickly, but Kia caught the slip-up. She grinned mischievously as she exchanged punches with her brother.
"I heard that. No denying it." Kia landed a kick square in Zane's stomach and grinned.
"Heard what?" He replied breathlessly, every muscle already screaming in protest at yet another fight.
"That you're hung up on the mere mortal that kicked your ass." She teased. He ignored her.
"Enough with the pleasantries." He grinned at her. "You're going down, Phoenix."
Zane gave the fight all he had, which, after the events of the past few days, wasn't much. Though he could have easily taken down a civilian, he was no match for an X5 soldier. He stumbled through the fight, deflecting the blows that he could, but catching too many- his movements became more sluggish, and the fight slowed down.
Zane realised with disgust that Kia was holding back. He pushed himself harder, fighting back with a strength she wasn't expecting.
"Still got some fight left in you? Do your worst, big brother." Kia teased, though with a slight change in her voice that suggested she was ready for any challenge that he could throw at her.
Zane moved quickly, running in a blurred circle around his sister so that he was behind her. Kia spun to face him, and caught the first of his punches on her jaw. She reeled backward, then dodged her brother's next move, a kick aimed at her stomach.
"Is that all you've got? Come on, you're the CO. You must be able to do better than that." Kia teased, blocking another kick. "Really, Zane. I'm getting bored. Can't you give up? There's no shame in losing to a girl." She grinned at him, taking pleasure in the pained expression on his face.
"Who said anything about losing?" He asked stubbornly, returning her grin.
"You may want to let your ego know that I've just kicked your ass." Kia sighed, delivering her foot to Zane's chest and sending him to the floor.
"Get off. That's an order." Zane gasped out.
Kia had her knee on her brother's chest, pinning him down. She laughed, and reached out a hand to help him up. He took it and pulled her to the ground with a smile.
"Suppose I had to let you get something back," Kia reasoned from the floor. "You know, you're not the fighter you once were. You've gone soft, Zane."
"I'm injured." He protested by way of explanation. Kia laughed.
"Couple of bruises got you down?"
"Don't forget the gunshot." Zane threw in, getting the desired shocked look from his sister.
"Gunshot? You were shot?" He proudly lifted his sleeve to show her the gunshot wound, which was covered in a dressing.
"Two days ago."
"By who?" She demanded.
"Lydecker." Her eyes went wide.
"But you said - you said - the mission… that he's a good guy." She asked, confused.
"I said he's on our side. He's still an asshole." Kia thought about it for a moment and nodded. She grinned teasingly, and slapped his injured arm. He winced, flopping back to the floor with a groan.
"Gunshot. You're revealing your weaknesses, soldier." Kia teased. Zane gave her a pained expression.
"The battle is over, 426."
"Did I win?" She asked eagerly.
"Do you really have to ask?" He replied, gesturing to the darkening bruise on his arm, and re-opened cuts on his face. His lip was busted, and one eye was closed more than the other.
"I look like I've been in a fight with a truck." She grinned at him, rolling on to one elbow to face him.
"Thank you. I'll take that as a compliment. Consider it payback."
"For what?" It was Zane's turn to look confused.
"It'll come back to you." She answered cryptically, flipping into a standing position and heading for the door.
The pair staggered up the stairs, Zane happy to notice that Kia was limping and that he had, in fact, done some damage. She reached the door to her apartment and pushed it open, retreating to her bedroom. Zane stared after her, waiting. She returned after a moment with mismatched but clean bedding and threw it on the sofa.
"Fold out. Night." Kia called over her shoulder as she headed back into the bedroom. "Sweet dreams… of mere mortals!" She exclaimed and slammed the door to her room.
*** Flashback, Manticore ***
"No, no, no!" Kia mumbled into her military-issue pillow. Zane continued to shake her and took her by the feet, threatening to drag her.
"Kia, get up." He barked.
"Ten more minutes." She pleaded, burying her head. It was the third time in a week that X5-426 had refused to leave her bunk in the morning. Zack had refused to deal with the 'unsoldierly behaviour' and had delegated the responsibility of Kia to Zane. Owing to that, Zane had run an extra seventy laps of the training ground alongside Kia as punishment for tardiness.
"Kia, get up!" Zane repeated, and took hold of her legs by the ankles.
"Noooo." She protested. The doctors hadn't found anything wrong with Kia that made her sleep any longer than the others. Tinga had joked that Kia had more feline DNA in her genetic makeup, which made her lazier, just like a cat. She'd heard a doctor make the joke first, and repeated it. The others had laughed, though none of them had ever seen a cat, and didn't know if they were lazy or not.
"That's an order, soldier!" X5-205 tried, but his sister did not budge. He pulled on her ankles, dragging her off the bed. She groaned as her head hit the floor and stared up at him.
"I'm going to hurt you for that. Just wait."
*** Kia's apartment, NIGHT ***
Zane fell into the fold out sofa, exhausted from Kia's 'payback'. He'd remembered the incident from their childhood at the same time as he remembered his sister's love of sleep. She'd once claimed to be jealous of Max and Jondy for needing little sleep, but Zane could tell that she loved sleeping more than anything else back at Manticore.
The X5 stretched out, waiting for sleep to find him. Zane didn't have an excess of shark DNA, and needed sleep on a regular basis. He also had injuries that needed to heal, and sleep was the best way for that to happen. He grinned at the door to his sister's bedroom.
"I guess it's my turn to pay you back, little sister." He whispered into the night, rubbing at the bruise over his eye.
*** Kia's apartment, DAY ***
Zane woke to the sound of footsteps in the apartment, and was immediately poised to attack. He kept his eyes closed, listening to the noises and assessing the situation. He smelled female in the air, one that was familiar. Thinking it too early for Kia to be awake, he opened one eye.
Brianna was in Kia's kitchen, opening cupboards randomly, not seeming to care how much noise she was making. She jerked the refrigerator open then slammed it closed. Zane pulled himself up onto his elbows and watched the brunette tear the kitchen apart.
"What are you looking for?" The X5 asked, causing Brianna to jump. She turned her gaze to him, remembering he was there.
"Uh, strapping tape." She answered quickly, taking in the sight of him lying on the bed with his hair messy and without a shirt.
"You don't think the bathroom would have been a better place to start?" He replied, bringing her attention back to his face.
"Oh yeah." She darted a look towards Kia's room. The door was still firmly closed. The tall brunette sighed.
"Actually, I was trying to wake her up." She explained, looking guilty.
"Did you consider going into her bedroom?" Zane asked, amused at Brianna's discomfort.
"No. She keeps a knife next to her bed, and she's not a morning person. If I do it this way, she wakes up and doesn't blame me for it. She writes it off as coincidence. I've done it a million times." Brianna continued, gesturing at the kitchen as she spoke.
"Ok, but what do you want?" Zane asked, intrigued by Kia's friend.
"Company." Brianna answered, looking him up and down. "I don't suppose you jog?"
*** Sacramento, DAY ***
The pair jogged in comfortable silence, having exhausted polite conversation. They had been jogging for almost an hour, issuing silent challenges to each other by setting a faster pace or sprinting for short periods. At one point, the pair had fallen into a bizarre game of 'follow the leader', Brianna leading Zane through an obstacle course of houses, backyards and, finally, a rundown fire station.
Brianna stopped in a park, stretching her arms over her head. Zane followed suit, stretching out his muscles while watching Brianna. She was staring at something not too far away. Zane followed her gaze and stared down an alleyway at a man feeding animals. He looked back at Brianna, whose eyes were still fixed on the man as she continued to stretch.
"See that guy?" She asked suddenly, holding one arm across her body and locking it tight with the other. She nodded toward the man in the alley. Zane nodded.
"He's one of the toughest lawyers in the city. He's known for defending rapists, murderers, basic scum. But every morning he comes out into this alley and feeds stray animals. Strange, huh? I did some checking, and found out that he's the highest contributor to three different charities. All under a different name." She paused, still watching him. "I guess there's beauty in everyone." Zane looked at her face, which was flushed from the run. Brianna was staring down the alley, lost in her own thoughts, and the X5 couldn't take his eyes off her. He leaned forward slowly and kissed her. Brianna's eyes widened, and she jerked away, kneeing Zane in the groin with all the force she could manage. He groaned and leaned over, tilting his face up to her in question. Brianna was staring at him in silent fury. Ignoring the pain, Zane straightened up, preparing his apology.
"Brianna-" He began, before being cut off by a stinging slap to his face. He raised his hand to his cheek and rubbed at it furiously.
"Ok, I deserved-" He started, stopping to catch Brianna's hand, which was attempting a second slap. She stared at him angrily, jerking her wrist to make him release it.
"I'm sorry. It's just that you're so beautiful, and the look on your face when you were telling that story, I just-"
"There's no excuse for that. You don't attack a woman, even with a kiss. You ask permission. You insult me with your attempts at excuses or flattery, if that's what you call what you just said." She interrupted angrily. Zane looked at the ground, nodding slowly. He raised his head to apologise again and was surprised by her sudden closeness, and even more by her sudden kiss.
The pair broke apart a few minutes later, Zane incredibly confused over what had happened and unable to keep the smile from his face. They jogged back to the martial arts school in silence, the X5 not daring to speak, instead replaying their kiss over and over in his mind.
*** Phoenix school of Martial Arts, DAY ***
Still confused, Zane followed Brianna into the school, pulling the door closed behind him. They arrived at the top of the stairs and she pushed the door to her apartment open, ignoring him. He watched her as she walked through it and slammed it closed, still without saying a word to him. He shook his head in disbelief, staring at the closed door. Shrugging, he turned to Kia's door, spinning quickly when he heard Brianna's door re-open. She crossed the hall in one step and met his mouth with her own. Startled, Zane returned the kiss, drawing Brianna closer, still not knowing quite what to think.
Zane closed the door to Kia's apartment softly, the kisses still very much on his mind. He slowly walked toward the sofa, still folded out into his bed, and began converting it back into its couch form.
"Brianna talk you into her morning jog?" Kia asked from her bedroom doorway, startling him.
"You're up early." Zane jumped in surprise, snapping out of his daze and taking in the sight of his sister, awake and fully dressed before noon.
"Don't remind me." She groaned, patting her ponytail and adjusting the collar of her polo shirt.
"Busy?"
"I have a morning class. You want to play attack dummy again?" Kia grinned at Zane's murderous expression and studied his injuries. The X5's eye was back to normal and the bruise on his face had dulled to a yellow colour. He shook his head in answer to her question and Kia nodded.
"I have a television in case you get bored." She said proudly, walking over to the ancient set and switching it on. The picture didn't appear, and Kia frowned at the screen before thumping the top of the TV set with her fist. The picture appeared and she grinned.
"It doesn't have a remote. Kind of pre-dates that convenience. You have to switch the channels by hand. Not that there are too many to choose from." She settled on a light comedy show, and looked at the clock in the kitchen.
"I'd better head downstairs for that class. Are you sure you don't want to-" Kia was cut short by Zane's sudden leap forward. He pushed her out of the way and knelt down in front of the television. She looked at him, startled, then turned to the screen.
…casualties are unknown as yet. The fire was reportedly started by the terrorist group S1W, who are said to have had some grievance toward the veterans' hospital. Authorities are currently investigating a link between the fire and an earlier incident involving the S1W and a local VA office…
"Zane?" Kia was standing behind him, trying to get his attention. "Zane? What's the matter?" His face was white, eyes wide as the news update ended.
"VA hospital. Days ago." He stammered, and Kia kneeled in front of him.
"Zane?" She repeated. He turned his eyes to her, snapping out of his daze quickly.
"The VA hospital," he said slowly, "was a front for Manticore. They've burned it down."
"It's gone?" She whispered, staring back at the screen. The comedy show was back on the screen.
"Where's my phone?" Zane sprang up from the chair and looked around the room wildly. He spotted the cell phone and attacked it, punching in the access code and holding it to his ear. He listened carefully, ignoring Kia's questioning look.
Not hearing what he wanted, Zane ended the phone call and put the phone in his pocket.
"I have to go." He said quickly, moving around the apartment and gathering his things. Kia's eyes widened in alarm.
"What's the matter? Who is it?" Zane stopped and looked at his sister, who was barely containing the emotion in her voice. He crossed the room and stood in front of her, giving her a tight smile.
"Not an X5. Syl checked in, but that's not what this is about. The VA hospital, the fire, the S1W. It all leads back to a friend. He's probably dead because of us. I have to go back." He abandoned his search for his belongings and headed for the door.
"Now." Zane finished, looking over his shoulder.
"You think it's really gone?" Kia blurted out suddenly.
"Sounds too good to be true." Zane answered, giving his sister a quick hug.
"What if it's still there?" She asked softly as Brianna came into the hallway where the two X5s were standing.
"Then I'll know our enemy." He replied, just as softly. He turned to leave and acknowledged Brianna with a quick glance.
"Kia, you'll be late for your class." Brianna warned, looking from Kia to Zane.
"And if it's gone?" Kia asked, ignoring her friend.
"Then I'm going to dance on the ashes." He said simply.
"Zane…" Kia looked at him worried.
"I know where to find you Kia. I'll see you soon. Bye Brianna." Brianna nodded at him, and he smiled briefly before heading back to the stairs.
*** Flashback, Zane's apartment, DAY ***
"Zack, as always your timing is impeccable." Zane noted dryly from his position on the sofa. His neighbour was sitting beside him, the two of them having been drinking beer and watching the replay of a football game.
"You have to leave." Zack's order was directed at the neighbour, who looked confused. He looked from Zack to Zane, shrugged his shoulders, and left with his beer. Zack watched him leave as if telekinetically forcing him out, and then turned back to his brother.
"So do you. It's time to move out. They're close." Zane rolled his eyes.
"They're always close. Could you let the paranoia go for five minutes? This is a really good game." Zack's expression grew colder.
"We're leaving."
"No Zack, this time I think I'll stay. I like this place; it has less grime than some of your other choices for my home. Work pays well, and if you give me half a chance, I may actually make some friends." X5-205 stood up and faced his brother.
"You don't need friends."
"I want friends. I'd like to talk to someone whose vocabulary extends past 'you have to leave' and 'that's an order.'"
"You're a danger to every person you speak to." Zack retorted, not blinking. "You'll get them killed. They'll get you killed. You don't need phoney sentimentality to survive." Zane shook his head in disgust.
"We're moving out." Zack barked. "That's an order."
*** Sacramento, DAY ***
Zane continued down the road, headed toward Seattle on the stolen motorcycle. He sped up at the memory of the news broadcast. Manticore had burned down their facility rather than be exposed. What would they do to the person that had exposed them?
You're a danger to every person you speak to.
You'll get them killed.
He thought of stopping and checking the contact number again, but ruled it out as a waste of time. The 'hospital' had burned down almost three days earlier, giving Logan plenty of time to have checked in already.
You'll get them killed.
Zane's thoughts darted briefly back to his sister and Brianna at the martial arts school, but he pushed them away and focussed on the mission at hand. The X5 hit full speed and continued riding toward his friend, the words of his brother repeating over and over in his mind while he tried desperately to convince himself that Logan was safe.
You'll get them killed.