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 Nine

Sector Nine, Club Radium

Max pulled her Ninja alongside the curb and surveyed the line waiting outside of Club Radium, Seattle's current hotspot for the younger moneyed set. She sighed and started the bike back up, and then rode it into a convenient alley half a block down from the club. She climbed off and made sure it was well secured before she walked back toward the club.

Outside the club, velvet ropes defined a waiting area. At least a hundred young people ranging in age from mid to late teens crowded into it, all hoping for a chance to get into the club. Max glanced down at her jeans and tight cropped T-shirt and compared her attire to the slightly glitzier outfits worn by the club hopefuls. With a shrug she tossed her hair back and strode confidently toward the husky bouncers who were trolling the crowd, selecting the lucky ones who would be allowed entrance to the club.

"Hey." She caroled softly to the nearest bouncer. He turned at her seductive tone and his eyes swept her appreciatively as she stood there with one foot slightly in front of her causing her right hip to jut out, her right elbow bent, and her right hand resting on her out thrust hip.

"Hey yourself, baby." The bouncer said with a smile. "You lookin' to join the action inside?"

"Depends. Is it worth my while?" Max asked, making a show of disinterest.

The bouncer shrugged. "You go in and relax and when I get off shift in an hour I'll join you. That'll definitely be worth your while." He flexed his muscles for her benefit.

Max smiled. "How can a girl pass up that kind of an offer?" She walked past him as he held up the rope for her to pass, working his obvious interest. "Don't forget to come look for me."

"Not to fear, baby." The bouncer looked after her lustfully as she vanished into the club entrance.

As she stepped into the club she was hit with a blast of loud rock music. The room was dim, lit by spots that swept in random arcs across the crowd. There was a large bar to her right that appeared to be standing room only, about thirty small tables, and a large dance floor that was packed with people gyrating to the music. Max spotted not a few tiny silver spoons lying on the tables, along with packs of pills, and of course drinks.

"Can I buy you a drink?" A boy, who couldn't have been more than seventeen, was at her elbow, flashing a wad of cash.

"I'm looking for a friend. You know a girl named Melanie, one of the Cale family?" Max answered him.

"Everyone knows Mel. She was here earlier. Haven't seen her in while though. What about that drink?"

"See the thing is I have an insanely jealous boyfriend. He's a biker. Just as soon take off your head as say hello, especially if he heard you were hittin' on me. Got the picture?"

The boy stepped back. "Oh, right. Nice meeting you." He quickly retreated, as Max chuckled to herself.

She surveyed the club for a moment more, and as the crowd on the dance floor parted, she caught a glimpse of a blond head streaked with burgundy highlights. Within moments she had pushed her way through the crowd and grabbed the arm of Logan's cousin. Before the girl could protest, Max had dragged her off the dance floor and into a hallway that led to the rest rooms and a back entrance.

"Hey…what's the idea." Melanie glared at her. "Oh, it's you." Her voice dripped condescension as she let her gaze sweep over Max, taking in her attire. "Didn't they tell you that the biker bars are over in Sector Six? This place is for the better classes."

"Close your mouth before you get me mad." Max said ignoring the girl's attempted digs. "I'd kick your ass just because it would do you some good, and I'd enjoy doing it, but Logan wouldn't like it. That's the only thing keepin' you safe right now. Keep talkin' though and I'm gonna forget about Logan's likes and dislikes. You understand?" Max gave the girl a deadly look.

Melanie stared back defiantly, but couldn't hold out under Max's steely gaze. "Yeah." She finally said sulkily.

"Say you understand." Max tightened her grip on Melanie's arm and the girl winced.

I understand."

"Good. Now I have one question to ask you, and you better give me a straight answer, or the ass kickin' is gonna commence. What did you do with the manuscript you took from Logan's?"

Melanie stared straight ahead, stubbornly. Max sighed and dragged her into the ladies room, ignoring her protests. She reached behind her and twisted the latch on the door so no one else could enter, and then pulled Melanie over to a sink. She turned on the cold water and before Melanie guessed what she was up to, she pushed the girl's head down under the cold stream of water. She held it there a moment and then let her up.

"Wha…how dare you…" Melanie sputtered as water dripped from her now soaked hair and streaks of black eye liner ran down her cheeks.

"You're too young to wear all that makeup. Just helping you clean up some. Now do you want more, or are you going to tell me what I want to know?" Max stood there calmly. "You can scream, but I doubt anyone will hear over the music. So what's it gonna be?"

Melanie stood there for a minute, and then her shoulders sagged and she gave in. "I gave it to my mom."

"Why?"

"She needed it. I told Logan in my note. She…got into trouble. I had to help her. She's my mom." Melanie looked like she was about to cry.

"What kind of trouble? Why that manuscript?"

"She made a mistake. She was mad at my dad and she kind of…went out with someone else. The guy turned out to be a sleaze and he got her drunk, and took some pictures. He was going to give them to my dad, unless my mom got him that manuscript. He knew Logan had it." Melanie stopped.

"So she sent you over to give Logan your little sob story, and steal the manuscript. Nice. Having her kid do her dirty work." Max said.

"No. I mean she told me what happened, but it was my idea to go to Logan's. She's my mom." The last was practically a wail and with her dripping hair and streaked makeup, Melanie looked like nothing more than a scared kid playing at being a grown up.

"When was she giving the guy the manuscript?" Max wanted to know.

"Tonight. She probably already did. She left the house about three hours ago."

"This guy have a name?"

"I think it's Carl or Carlos or something like that. I heard my mom talking on the phone and that's what it sounded like. Can't you leave it be? Logan doesn't need it as much as my mom. If my dad finds out about the pictures, he's gonna walk out on both of us." Melanie was pleading now.

"It's up to Logan. I'm just doing him a favor by talking to you. Now, I suggest you wash your face and go home. This place is out of your league." Max couldn't help giving the girl some advice.

Melanie stared at her. "My friends are here. It's the place to be. But you wouldn't know that." Some of her earlier scorn had crept back into her voice.

"Little girl, I know a hell of a lot more than you'll ever know. If you know what's good for you, you'll head on home out of this sewer. I'm layin' that on you only because you're Logan's cousin, and I think he cares about you. You keep hangin' out with this crowd, and you're gonna be a slave of the nose candy, and a whore to whoever gets it for you, before you hit twenty. That's the freebie. Take it or leave it. But you better not come around Logan lookin' to rip him off again, or you will get that ass kickin' I'm just dying to give you. You got that?"

"I got it. Now can I go?"

Max twisted the lock to the ladies room door and opened it. "You're on your own. Wash your face before you go back out there."

Before Melanie could respond, Max was gone.

End of Chapter Nine