Part 7. Greetings from LA.
Slowly Max turned to face everyone. She knew that she already had
everyone's attention. "That was an old friend of mine. She needs help. I
told her that if she ever needed me to call the secure line." Max lowered
her eyes to read the notes she had taken. As she did so, Logan asked the
question she was waiting to hear. "What does she need help with?"
Max sat down, motioning for everyone else to do the same. "First of all you
need to know that my friend Buffy, she's not like other girls..."
Once Max had finished explaining everything they all sat in stunned
silence.
"I'm going to LA to help her. If anyone else wants to come they'll be most
welcome." she looked around at her family, her friends.
Jondy raised her hand, followed by Zane, Syl, Krit, Ty and Li. Jace shook
her head. "I can't. Not with Maxie being so small. I'm a mom first, a
soldier second now."
Ling looked around at everyone, "I'm gonna stick with Jace, in case she
needs anything. And if you get really stuck you can always call and I'll
come right away."
Jace and Ling had always been close. Max had known that neither of them
would go to LA.
Alec stood up, "If you want me to, I'll go."
"I'm going too." Logan interrupted.
Max paused, counting. "So that's..."
"I'm going too." Original Cindy announced. "I can at least make sure you
all feed yourselves while we're away."
Bling looked up, he had been lost in thought for the past few minutes. "If
this turns out to be anything like your usual activities Max, you're gonna
need a medic. I'll go if you want me."
Max smiled as she picked up the phone. "I think that's a great idea." She
dialed and waited for the other end to be picked up. "Buffy? It's me. I'm
bringing a team of 11 to LA with me. No we're just getting our gear
together. We'll be on the first flight out. Yeah, miss you. See you soon."
Max stood tall as she began giving out orders. "Everyone first priority is
to pack a bag of clothing. Second is to pack your specialist gear. Jondy,
explosives. Bling, medical supplies. Logan, computer equipment. Zane,
tools. Everyone else won't have much to do until we get there, but I'd say
you're gonna be busy. Cindy and Alec go across town and pack some stuff.
Cindy pack some for me. Also bring the trunk in my closet, we'll need it."
As soon as she had finished everyone split, hurriedly packing bags and
equipment.
**********
In LA.
As soon as Buffy hung up, she was bombarded with questions.
"Who was that?" Riley demanded, "What do they want and why were they
calling here?"
Once again Buffy settled into her icy demeanor, glaring at him. She then
raised her voice and called to everyone. "Hey, we finally have some good
news. Help is on her way."
Dawn looked curiously at her older sister. "Who's coming?"
"An old friend. If I remember rightly she like to call you 'Marmalade."
Buffy answered her.
"Max is coming? That is so cool, she's great. She's gonna kick Zachariah's
ass." Dawn shouted cheerfully.
"Who's Max?" Angel asked.
Buffy smiled, "You'd know her if you saw her. Dark hair, dark eyes, about
5'5. She patrolled with me when I was first called."
He nodded, "Pretty sure I remember her. Are you sure you want to bring her
into this? Some of those military guys don't look to polite. And from what
I remember..." he trailed off, as though embarrassed.
"She's very attractive." Buffy finished for him, "I wouldn't worry about
her. She tends to be very good at beating the crap out of people she
doesn't like. Max really doesn't like the military." Buffy laughed.
Slowly Max turned to face everyone. She knew that she already had
everyone's attention. "That was an old friend of mine. She needs help. I
told her that if she ever needed me to call the secure line." Max lowered
her eyes to read the notes she had taken. As she did so, Logan asked the
question she was waiting to hear. "What does she need help with?"
Max sat down, motioning for everyone else to do the same. "First of all you
need to know that my friend Buffy, she's not like other girls..."
Once Max had finished explaining everything they all sat in stunned
silence.
"I'm going to LA to help her. If anyone else wants to come they'll be most
welcome." she looked around at her family, her friends.
Jondy raised her hand, followed by Zane, Syl, Krit, Ty and Li. Jace shook
her head. "I can't. Not with Maxie being so small. I'm a mom first, a
soldier second now."
Ling looked around at everyone, "I'm gonna stick with Jace, in case she
needs anything. And if you get really stuck you can always call and I'll
come right away."
Jace and Ling had always been close. Max had known that neither of them
would go to LA.
Alec stood up, "If you want me to, I'll go."
"I'm going too." Logan interrupted.
Max paused, counting. "So that's..."
"I'm going too." Original Cindy announced. "I can at least make sure you
all feed yourselves while we're away."
Bling looked up, he had been lost in thought for the past few minutes. "If
this turns out to be anything like your usual activities Max, you're gonna
need a medic. I'll go if you want me."
Max smiled as she picked up the phone. "I think that's a great idea." She
dialed and waited for the other end to be picked up. "Buffy? It's me. I'm
bringing a team of 11 to LA with me. No we're just getting our gear
together. We'll be on the first flight out. Yeah, miss you. See you soon."
Max stood tall as she began giving out orders. "Everyone first priority is
to pack a bag of clothing. Second is to pack your specialist gear. Jondy,
explosives. Bling, medical supplies. Logan, computer equipment. Zane,
tools. Everyone else won't have much to do until we get there, but I'd say
you're gonna be busy. Cindy and Alec go across town and pack some stuff.
Cindy pack some for me. Also bring the trunk in my closet, we'll need it."
As soon as she had finished everyone split, hurriedly packing bags and
equipment.
**********
In LA.
As soon as Buffy hung up, she was bombarded with questions.
"Who was that?" Riley demanded, "What do they want and why were they
calling here?"
Once again Buffy settled into her icy demeanor, glaring at him. She then
raised her voice and called to everyone. "Hey, we finally have some good
news. Help is on her way."
Dawn looked curiously at her older sister. "Who's coming?"
"An old friend. If I remember rightly she like to call you 'Marmalade."
Buffy answered her.
"Max is coming? That is so cool, she's great. She's gonna kick Zachariah's
ass." Dawn shouted cheerfully.
"Who's Max?" Angel asked.
Buffy smiled, "You'd know her if you saw her. Dark hair, dark eyes, about
5'5. She patrolled with me when I was first called."
He nodded, "Pretty sure I remember her. Are you sure you want to bring her
into this? Some of those military guys don't look to polite. And from what
I remember..." he trailed off, as though embarrassed.
"She's very attractive." Buffy finished for him, "I wouldn't worry about
her. She tends to be very good at beating the crap out of people she
doesn't like. Max really doesn't like the military." Buffy laughed.