AS2.06 Paper Caper by Star24

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are property and copyright Twentieth Century Fox and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003 Star24.

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Chapter Seven

Max's Crib

Max was sitting on the couch watching, as Logan paced. He seemed to be unusually agitated as he explained the situation to her.

"Ok, hold on right there. You lost me somewhere between your Cousin Janine's marital problems and this missing manuscript. What does one have to do with the other? And what exactly did Melanie do?"

Logan stopped pacing and looked at Max. He took a breath. "Janine and her husband are having marital problems, I told you that last night."

"Yeah, but you said that they're always having marital problems." Max answered patiently.

"They are. But according to Melanie's note, things are worse than normal. So she took this rare manuscript that I had for…safekeeping…to help out her mother."

Max noticed Logan's hesitation about the manuscript but let it pass for the time being. "What does the manuscript have to do with Melanie's mother? Is it some kind of Cale family heirloom thingy or something?"

Logan ran a hand through his hair. "Not exactly," he hedged. "It's valuable, maybe priceless. My guess is that Melanie took it to sell. Maybe she wants to give the money to her mother.  Maybe Janine did something stupid with money, and Melanie thinks that getting her the money that the manuscript could bring in will help her out. How I am supposed to know what a confused sixteen year old is thinking?"

"Whatever. So what do you want me to do?" Max asked him, already guessing the answer.

"I need your help to get it back." Logan hesitated, "It's not an Eyes Only thing. It's a personal favor."

Max smiled at him. "And there's something wrong with asking me to do you a personal favor? That's why you're pacing this floor like some kinda caged animal, instead of being Mr. Cool and Calm, I've-Got-it-All-Under-Control, Logan Cale?"

Before Logan could answer her, the door to the apartment opened.

"Boo, Sketchy said you took off outa Jam Pony like somethin' nasty was hot on your tail. Is everythin' okay…" Original Cindy trailed off as she spotted Logan standing next to the sofa. A frown crossed her face. "I had better be hearin' that you came over here to apologize to my home girl about last night. You ain't ever heard of such a thing as a taxi cab?"

"O.C." Max warned.

Logan stood there looking at Original Cindy. He appeared taken aback at her words.

"Max, Original Cindy calls it as she sees it. And as she sees it, last night was not the night to be worryin' about babysitting a spoiled society brat." Cindy stood there looking at the two of them, her hands planted firmly on her hips.

Max was blushing now, and she glared at Original Cindy.

"No, Max. Original Cindy is right. That's what I've been trying to tell you." Logan hastily interjected. He shot a warning look at Max. "I should have packed Melanie up and sent her home to her parents. Letting her stay was definitely a mistake."

Max shot him a look and muttered under her breath so that only he could catch her words, "Yeah, right. But not for the reason O.C. thinks it was."

Cindy missed Max's comment, and a smile crossed her face. "That's more like what I should be hearin' from you, Logan Cale. You two spent more than enough time dancin' around, and it's about time you done somethin' about it." She looked at Max, "And don't you be arguin' with me, girl. It appears your boy done stepped up and done the right thing, and you better be goin' along with him. Original Cindy has a hot date tonight at Crash, and she does not want to be seein' you when she gets home from it. Now you get in there and get yourself changed into somethin' special for your man. You look like a drowned rat."

"Yes, Mom," Max said sarcastically as she rose from the couch.

Logan smiled at her disgruntlement as she took her time leaving the room.

As soon as she was gone, Original Cindy turned to Logan and gave him a hard look. "My girl's been through hell the last few months and you have been a part of it."

Logan opened his mouth to protest, but was forestalled by Cindy.

"Don't go telling me about your own troubles either. Now the way I see it, you better be planning on givin' her the full Monte. We're talkin' hearts and flowers and makin' her feel like she's queen of this screwed up world.  Do I need to lay out the road map for you?"

"I think you've pretty well done that already." Logan observed mildly.

"Good." Cindy met his eyes and then she allowed herself a small smile. "Somehow I got the feelin' that you're a man who knows how to take care of his woman. I expect to see that care happenin' to my homegirl. But you know that. 'Cause if it don't happen you're gonna have Original Cindy all over your ass. And not in a good way."

"Don't worry about Max." Logan said. He suppressed a small chuckle.

"What?" Cindy said suspiciously.

"I feel like a fifteen year old boy who just got the lecture from his date's father about taking care with his daughter," Logan confessed.

Original Cindy looked at him and laughed. "You okay, boo. But you better be takin' real good care of my homegirl, and I don't mean that the way that her daddy would. I meant what I said about not seein' her back here tonight." With that final shot, she turned and headed into her room to get ready for her evening.

Logan smiled as Cindy left him alone in the living room to wait for Max.

End of Chapter Seven