I just wanted to say that this story is far from over. I have a lot of issues and memories I want to get into. I have a lot more story to cover, not sure if I will do it all here, or my website because this is actually the first story in a series of three. Anyways, thanks for the feedback and replies, especially Black Rose J

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"So this is where the X5 series live." Max pointed to a five-story building to their immediate right and left. "We call them barracks, just so everyone understands. There are still a few that prefer Manticore ways, then those that are just confused."

Jondy looked at the other buildings that surrounded them. "So how many transgenics are here?"

Max shrugged. "It varies from day to day. Some are out on supply runs, so are out making contact with others, and some are at other bases in other cities."

"It all seems a little unorganized."

"It was at first, but there are a few of us that always know what is going on at all times. We have excellent communications with those outside and at other bases…but let's get you inside and comfortable then I'll begin to tell you all about it."

Jondy followed her to the building on the left. The climbed the four stories of stairs and down the hall. When they stopped at room 452, she couldn't stop the roll of her eyes. At any other time she probably would have smiled, but now it just seemed a little egotistical. "So I'm rooming with you?"

"Just for a couple weeks, see how well you do." Max explained after choosing her words carefully.

"I guess you want to make sure I'm a good little girl." She shrugged when Max turned and gave her a pitiful look. "It's okay I understand. I would do the same."

Jondy took in the apartment and decided it wasn't half bad. The walls looked a little old and peeling away in sections, but the carpet looked surprisingly clean, and the furniture, while aged, looked decent. She couldn't help but wonder if all the rooms, like most hotels, looked somewhat the same.

"Here's your room." Max threw open a door to her right, "I put you in the room closest to the bathroom."

Jondy peered into the room over Max's shoulder. It held a bed that had already been made up and a small desk with drawers. "That'll work."

Max nodded. "If you want more furniture or something, let me or Logan know. We'll see what we can do otherwise we just take what we are given. It's not the greatest place…"

"It's fine Max. All I really need is a bed…maybe a chair, but I can make one myself." Jondy dropped her bag on the floor and walked through the living room. There was no TV, which was okay. She really wasn't much of a TV watcher. She dropped onto the dark green couch that was ripped in a few places. "So tell me more about this place. I may as well learn it all now."

Max took off her jacket and draped it over the back of a brown chair with wooden armrests and a high back. She could almost imagine that tiny gold tassels once dangled freely from the bottom. "Want something to drink?"

"Water is fine." Jondy picked at her fingernails, deciding that she would fix up her own room once she got there.

Max handed her a bottle of water and dropped down into the chair with a sigh. Her feet instantly came up and rooted themselves on the old oak coffee table that creaked in protest. "So you know where the X5 series live…well the other series are all around us. The X4 series and the X7 series are the closest to the perimeter. They are the ones that volunteered to patrol. I don't really trust those X7's but so far they've behaved. The X8 are just kids. I think the oldest is around nine. They are next door to us, between us and the X6's."

"Hold up, what's the difference between the series…I mean are they better then us?" Jondy sipped her water and laid her head back.

"The X7 are better. They are the perfect soldiers Manticore wanted, but they are still young. It wasn't hard to get them to start seeing things our way…that's where the whole I don't trust them issue comes in." Max paused, collecting her thoughts. "As for the X6's…from what I can tell they are just like us, maybe a little smarter, but then we are the superior officers so they don't have a problem letting us run things."

"So the X5's are in charge?"

"Yes and no. We have given each of the series, except the X7's, a commanding officer and second in command. They are even broke down into squads, just so that we have an idea of how many soldiers we have here. It just makes things easier to have a structure, even if it is a Military structure." Max took a long drink from her water and shifted in her seat. "The X8's are just kids, like I said…we still give them a say though, it is their future too."

"What about the other series…"

"There are no living X1's, X2's well I'm assuming they all died in the fire or maybe were killed. There are only a few X3 here and they usually just stick to the sewer tunnels. They guard them as well as a few X7's. X4's are hard to handle. They are like us just not as smart and nowhere near as strong. They are more like civilians then anything else."

Jondy watched a little smiled play over Max's features. "And…"

"And then there are the special ops soldiers. Joshua, who is more of a breakthrough then a soldier, is one of my good friends. You'll meet him when the time is right, he can't wait to meet you. Then there are tech soldiers…they look a little funny but they are the nicest people you'll ever meet and incredibly smart. Then there are the donor soldiers that were made specifically for the purpose of blood transfusions for injured soldiers. Some excel in logistics and statistics, some can control minds…I mean they even made mer-people, desert op soldiers…which may freak you out a little, and even cold weather soldiers." Max sighed sadly. "We were only guinea pigs to them. Some of them look a little different, but they are each special."

"So this place is just like one big freak show to everyone outside of it." Jondy took another long drink from her water and stood up. "Well I'm going to take a nap I supposed."

"I'll go and get us something to eat. If you need anything, Syl, Krit, and Zane are right across the hall."

Jondy kicked the tennis shoes she wore off and grabbed her notebook. She shut the door halfway then fell onto the bed. She sighed with content. This bed was a hell of a lot more comfortable then the one she'd been in previously.

Terminal City, Seattle WA :: 12 March 2022

I can't help but wonder what's going to happen. Hope a little, fear a lot. My entire life has changed over the course of a few hours and it scares me and excites me at the same time. A world unlike I've ever experienced awaits, full of new people, new races and hopefully new friends. But I know that along with it will come the new stresses, the new worries and problems. The possibility of new pain. It's there in everything you do. Every choice you make, every choice you don't.

It's crazy really. The really fucked up part is that if I'm honest, all I want to do is get away from this place and go back to San Francisco. I'll probably never stop saying that. Never. And I'm sure I'll like it here but…this is so fucking scary. The past few weeks that I've spent with Max and the others have been a living hell but they have also, in a very small way, been so comforting. And for the first time since he walked out the door I'm starting to feel safe. But now I'm racing into the fear all over again and I'm not sure if I'm ready. At least I won't be alone. I hope.

Then on top of the fear comes the "what ifs" about the other Manticore freaks. What if they don't like me? What if they think I'm a druggie and they don't trust me? What if they are just the dicks I've always assumed they'd be? What if Max goes back to the way she was and I end up alone and bored and what if I can't control the urge that I still feel at times.

And if they think I'm just going to sit in the damn building in some room all day long, they are crazy. And if they think I'm just going to be their lap dog, following them around all day, then they will soon learn that I don't have patience for anyone who treats me like a child. Even if I do tend to act like one occasionally.

I'm not sure I like how this place is run. She was trying to convince me that it's organized and that she knows everything that is going on, but I know she doesn't. She claimed there were people guarding the sewer tunnels but that was how we'd gotten into this god-forsaken place and I hadn't seen one soldier guarding it. I had seen soldiers on the roofs and I thought I had seen a few patrolling, that will let me sleep easier.

And as for the chain of command, the whole system seems…

Jondy sat straight up in her new bed and looked around the room. Her pen had jumped when the first thump had startled her. She'd lain stark still and waited to see if something moved in her room. Several minutes passed and she began to relax and then it had come again. Thump. Something was outside her window.

Tap. Tap. Tap. "Jon." She barely heard the hissed name before she saw a series of flashes and realization hit.

"Jesus Christ." She mumbled as she flung the covers off and dropped her bare feet to the floor. That moron was at her window.

The window was slow to open and she had to help with one hand once she got it started. "Have you lost your god damned mind? What are you doing up here?"

"Remembering. Were you sleeping?"

"Almost…you scared the ever lovin' shit out of me you freak. What are you doing here?"

"Remember that time me, you, and Ben got in trouble because we snuck outside to catch fire flies?"

"What the hell are you talking about? Yes, of course I remember."

"You never told Lydecker it was my idea. I always felt so bad. I never said thank you though."

He was quiet for several seconds. Something was wrong. No, this wasn't that person. This was her Zane…she knew it with every fiber of her being. She reached for the table a few feet away and switched on the lamp to its lowest setting. His face appeared, eyes red and swollen from tears and she felt her heart crumbled.

"Oh Zane…"

"Remember how you got put on restriction and psy ops for a week? I think that was the longest seven days of our lives. Ben and I snuck down there twice to see you. Remember?"

"Yes…you brought me fireflies in a jelly jar. You two almost got caught stealing it from the mess hall."

"I guess that was our thank you. For not telling on us."

"Come in here. Before you fall. You should have just come to the door."

She reached for his arms and instead she ended up with a hand full of something cool. As she pulled it into the window her breath caught as she realized what it was. A mason jar…full of fire flies.

"Well now I'm saying I'm sorry for not being there for you. I'm sorry I let you down…"

By the time he pulled his lanky frame into the small window and had tumbled into a pile in the carpet Jondy was bawling. Zane tried to pull the jar away and set it aside but she wouldn't let go of it. Instead he pulled her against himself, Jondy's hot tears caused her shirt to cling to her skin as they disappeared somewhere down her neck beneath her collar. Hours later she lay sleeping in Zane's arms neither of them having said another word. Zane carried her to her bed and tucked her beneath the covers. When Zane opened the door to leave her room, he looked back at Jondy who was still holding the jar of fireflies, and he was happy.