Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story that appear in the hit syndicated TV show, Dark Angel, owned and created by James Cameron. I do, however, own any and all original characters that appear in this work of fan fiction.
Summary: Just as Max and Alec begin to believe that the siege will soon wear itself out, the once-dormant threat of Manticore makes itself known in the form of an ambush with dire consequences. The casualties hit dangerously close to home, and Max realizes that it's up to her to stop the potential genocide situation quickly approaching.
The Siegeby
Brin"You make a decision and you take charge of your life. You don't need a higher power to help you. You don't need a sponsor. What you need is a strength of mind, willpower, and character." –Lydecker
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You know what's strange? There are so many ways to say simple things… like the word 'angry'. 'Furious'. 'Maddened'. 'Enraged'. I mean, come on. They all produce the same effect… but when it comes down to saying those three defining words… 'I love you'… there's only one way to say it. And it sticks. I guess the English language is just weird like that, but it's fine with me, because I was never a big talker anyway. I love Alec.
Chapter 5: ShatteredRain dribbled down a cracked window framed with fraying off-white curtains, and through it you could see the dark night sky and a quiet city. For the citizens of Last Hope, it seemed that all the troubles of the outside world were beginning to fade away… almost.
Max lay peacefully underneath the window, staring at the sleeping form next to her. She pulled the soft woolen covers tighter around her bare body and snuggled closer to him, his light breaths tickling her neck. Alec looked so adorable when he was sleeping. He lay with one hand tucked underneath his head, the other resting lazily in the middle of his bare chest. His face was content and relaxed with a smile pulling at his lips. It seemed like he didn't have a care in the world… Thunder rumbled and Max glanced outside the small window. She picked up Alec's watch. 9:00 P.M. Hadn't Syl asked her to come to some kind of party at 9:30 earlier? She sat up and quietly scooted towards the end of the bed, but a hand reached up, grabbed her arm, and pulled her back into place.
"I don't think so," mumbled Alec sleepily, rolling over so that she was pinned underneath him. He wrapped his arms around her bare shoulders. "Where do you think you're going?"
Max smiled and gave him a little kiss. "Syl said that there was a party. I thought it would be nice to go and see what they have planned. I mean, they don't exactly have the best supplies world…" She laughed as his hand tickled her side.
"Hmm… party… stay here… party… stay here…" He sighed and rolled off of her. "Well, I can tell you that staying here definitely wins the popular vote, considering the various activities that we could do in the comfort of home, but I see that you want to hang out with your siblings… who are creepy, by the way."
Max watched as he stood up and searched for his clothes. "They are not!" she protested with a laugh. "How are they any more creepy than you?"
"Well, I was busily minding my own business when big brother Zack started staring at my ass. Yes, he was staring at my ass," he explained, picking up his jacket and soggy shirt. "Where did you throw my boxers?"
"Umm…" Max bit her lip and looked around. "Aha!" She crawled to the edge of the bed and pulled his boxers out from underneath.
"How did those get under there? Wait… don't answer that." Alec put them on and flinched. "Cold. Wet. I need to find a change of clothes."
Max laughed and started searching for her own clothes. "You have enough time to stop by the clothes storage and get a new set." She sniffed. "I need a shower."
Alec shrugged and put on his shirt. "Well, anyway, your brothers were watching me and when I went over to see what their problem was, they went all psycho on me. I felt like I was in some pre-Pulse mafia movie or something." He handed Max her pants. "It was freaky. Do they treat all your boyfriends like that?"
"No. They drove Andy to insanity, convinced Eric he was a skitzo, and tried to kill Logan," replied Max with a shrug and a wink.
"Oh right. I forgot," Alec replied with a laugh as she slipped on her shirt. "So… I'm going to stop by the storage center and you are going to go take a shower… right?"
"Right."
Alec winked and pulled her close to him. "I love you." He kissed her, then released his hold on her waist and backed up towards the door, holding it open for her. "If we don't go now we'll never get out of here."
"I agree," Max said as she hurried out of the room.
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Max put her long hair up into a ponytail as she exited Terminal City's shower house. She silently thanked the brilliant transgenics who came up with the idea of collecting rainwater and using it for showers. Of course, she would've preferred a warm bath, but a girl can't have everything. The night air was crisp and cold, making Max wish she still had Alec's leather jacket to keep herself warm. She rubbed her arms as she walked towards the main building.
"Hey! Max!"
Max stopped walking and turned around to see Eddie and Pick coming down the street towards her, their hands grasped between them. "Hey, guys. Where're you headed?" the X5 greeted.
"The party," replied Eddie with a toothy grin. She was wearing a black t-shirt, hipster jeans with a chain for a belt, scuffed high top sneakers, and her hair was pulled back into a braid. "You too?"
"Yeah," responded Max. "Don't you two look nice."
"Found an old crate full of pre-Pulse stuff," explained Pick nonchalantly. He wore a red band t-shirt marked Dashboard Confessional (but that didn't really mean anything to the three of them), faded blue jeans, and red sneakers. "The rest of the stuff we shipped down to the clothes storage."
"Well that was nice of you," commented Max, smiling at the two. "So where you been all day?"
"I think the question is… where have you been all day," Eddie shot back. She raised an eyebrow. "You look so satisfied… that glowing smile… I wonder… are you getting some?"
Max started laughing nervously. "No! No I'm not… getting… anything."
Eddie scoffed and exchanged a knowing glance with her partner. "Yeah, right." They shared a laugh at Max's expense.
The X5 crossed her arms indignantly, but kept smiling. She couldn't escape the truth, as it were… but she really didn't have a problem living with it.
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Meanwhile, just outside the perimeter fence, Briggs walked up and down his row of fourteen transgenics, inspecting them with carefully. They all stood to his height or above, even the girls, and that was saying something—he was definitely not a short man at six-feet-nothing. Their bodies were fully developed though some were as young as sixteen, and it was not hard to see that all were in tiptop shape even through their Kevlar armor.
"This isn't going to be an easy in and out like the other missions we've had. You are to go inside and present a physical threat to the AWOL transgenics so that they know we mean business. While you're at it, you can also do some reconnaissance duty for the rest of us. Whoever goes in there will not be coming out," Briggs was explaining as he eyeballed his soldiers. "You must understand and accept that this is a suicide mission."
"Sir! Permission to speak, Sir!" said one of them.
875, the colonel noted. He was the biggest male, standing at 6' 8" and weighing around two hundred pounds. Aggressive and powerful, the boy had been under Brigg's command for several years now. "Granted," said Briggs, stopping in front of the addressed adolescent.
"Sir! I believe am capable of this mission!" declared 875, saluting. "I am willing to sacrifice myself, Sir!"
Briggs nodded thoughtfully. 875 was a good soldier; had always been unquestioning and loyal. He was perfect. "Alright. Get yourself wired with a mic and earpiece. You're going in," announced the colonel with a smile that was crooked in more ways than one.
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At the party, Eddie and Pick were swept away from Max's side by a wave of friends almost as soon as they entered. They somehow ended up next to Axle, Hank, and Junky – which was to be expected anyway.
Max, still at the door, took in the sight before her. She was more than just a little impressed. They hung curtains and blankets around a large area, creating a makeshift ballroom. Someone had set up about five tables against one of the 'walls' to give the effect of a bar, and there were several other round tables set in random places, all of which were occupied. Music blared from rickety speakers made new by Dix and his bunch. Adding to the effect, hundreds of transgenics stood around with, of all things, drinks in their hands (she made a mental note to check that out).
"Hey! Max! Max! Little fella!" called Joshua from the bar.
"What's up, Big Fella?" replied Max as she approached him.
"I – uh wanted to introduce Max to new friend. New friend named, named uh… Pandora," proclaimed the dog-anomaly proudly. He waved his hand towards another doggish anomaly, this one distinctly female. "Pandora is special – first."
"I thought you were first, Josh," Max said with a laugh as she shook hands with Pandora. It was hard to imagine a dog woman looking feminine at all, but this 'nomlie somehow gave off the impression of being a very sophisticated woman. Strange.
"Yeah, but, but Pandora first female," declared Joshua proudly.
Max chuckled and kissed him on the forehead. "Glad you've found a friend, Big Fella! Have you seen Alec around?"
Joshua nodded. "Uh huh. Alec said… 'Give Max message' and, uh, 'knock yourself out.'"
"What was the message?"
"Umm… eh…" Joshua scratched his head a moment, then pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. "This – this Alec's message."
Max accepted the crumpled letter and rose. "Thanks, Josh." She moved a few seats down for a little privacy and opened the letter.
Hey Maxie,
Tell ya what: If you can find me, then I'll give you a present and a kiss. If not… well then I'll still give you the present and kiss… but this is much more romantic than just standing around waiting for you in plain sight, isn't it?
Alec
Max closed the letter and shook her head amusedly. "Very funny," she muttered to herself. Sliding off the stool, she headed off to find her lost lover. Not too long after leaving the relative safety of the bar, she bumped into someone. "Sorry."
"Hey! Watch where you're going! I'm walking here!"
"Holy shit!" cried Max, jumping back. Standing there in front of her was a fully-grown leopard. Not an anomaly, no! A leopard! A regular old, nearly-extinct leopard! "What the hell?"
"What? You never seen a leopard before?" replied the big cat in a scratchy voice.
"N-n-not a… talking one…" stammered Max, her jaw slack. He had a voice like that short Pre-Pulse actor… what was his name? Danny Devito.
The leopard laughed and stood up on its back legs, looking Max up and down. "I know you! You're 452, that hot X everyone's been talking about." He held out his paw. "The name's Leo. Leo the leopard. Laugh all you want."
Max couldn't help but chuckle as she shook his paw. "What… what are you, exactly?"
Leo got back on all fours and sat on his haunches. "I was designed to the companion of some prime minister in South America and report back to Manticore about the information I gathered. But I never got sent out, so I guess you could call me Manticore's big, universal joke." He licked his paw and slicked back the fur between his ears. "Handsome, don't you think?"
"Dashing," Max replied with a laugh. "It was very nice to meet you, Leo the leopard, but I must be off to find my boyfriend."
"Boyfriend, eh? I bet I could kick his ass. Ever think about dating a cat? You're pretty cute," rambled the big feline without any seriousness.
"I don't know if I'm into the whole cross breeding thing, but I'll give you a call," answered Max amusedly. "See ya around."
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875 cleared the perimeter fence on a dark, quiet side of Terminal City with ease, landing with nothing more than a soft thump. He sniffed the air a few times and looked around for any indication of life. Finding none, he ducked low and crept deep into enemy territory, his MP5 automatic held ready.
He paused behind a pile of twisted metal as he came to the junction of two streets. A sentry stood in the middle, his shotgun shouldered and a cigar held between his scaled lips. 875 frowned at the hideous, lizardlike creature in front of her. Sliding his MP5 into his holster, the Centurion waited for the anomaly to move. Minutes slipped by before the lizard anomaly finally moved. He spat out his stump of a cigar and walked several feet forward. So that he was watching the street opposite 875. With speed unmatched by any other living creature, 875 sped across the street and into the safety of a dark building. The only inkling that the anomaly received was a slight breeze across the back of his neck.
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It wasn't long after her run-in with Leo that Max found her lover, who was by himself, swaying back and forth to the music. He had on a pair of black slacks and a white wife beater that clung to his muscular chest. All thoughts of being annoyed with him left Max without so much as a g'bye.
"Hello, Maxie," he greeted softly, planting a kiss on her cheek. "You found me."
Max smirked and put her hands on her hips. "What's up with the scavenger hunt?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
Alec shrugged cutely. "Joshua needs a little time alone once in awhile." He slung an arm around her shoulders. "I had an interesting little chat with some other Xs."
"Did you now?"
"Yep. I found out a few interesting things…"
"Like what?"
"For instance," he began, "the wine and other alcoholic beverages provided here at this lovely little party were discovered buried under a three-story building. Dix and Leg contacted Mole about the find who contacted some psy-ops who contacted a few X7s who contacted a menagerie of X5s who planned this entire thing. They call it a 'social get-together.' Why not let people enjoy themselves?"
Max laughed. "Really? Have you been gossiping, Alec?"
"The most sacred sport known to womankind?! I think not," Alec replied, eyes twinkling mischievously. "I leave all that up to you."
The female X5 swatted him on the head. "Funny."
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"Infiltrated main sentry patrol patterns," 875 whispered into his mic. "Sentinels are armed with handguns and no armor. ETA approximately forty-five seconds."
"Keep your head in the game, 875," Briggs' voice said through 875's earpiece. "The number one rule is not to underestimate them. A group of several hundred transgenics are not to be taken lightly. Watch your back."
"Yes, Sir," replied 875 quietly. He pulled his goggles down over his eyes as he neared the main building of Terminal City—a crumbling old parking garage. His keen ears could hear the pulsing music loud and clear, along with the rumble of hundreds of voices in one area. This was disappointing. He had been expecting more out of the infamous transgenics of Terminal City.
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"So tell me about the music. How can we afford using this much power?" Max asked. She and Alec were pressed together, bouncing up and down to the beat of the music but not really dancing.
"One of the psy-ops kids developed a solar power collector and solar powered generator. So far we've collected enough power to light up the entire city for a day. How do you like them apples?" answered Alec with a wink. "Never underestimate what those guys can do."
Max laughed and stopped moving as the track switched to a slow song. She breathed a sigh of relief and put her head on Alec's chest, reveling in the feeling of his arms as they wrapped around her waist. "I've never heard this before. What is it?"
You've got a way with me
Somehow you got me to believe
In everything that I could be
I gotta say, you really got a way
"The X6s have been pillaging houses for pre-Pulse CDs. I think this one is called…" He chewed his lip as he thought about it. "Oh yeah, some singer called… Shania Twain or something like that. Ring a bell?"
Max shook her head. "Must've been pretty far back… but I like it."
You've got a way it seems
You gave faith to find my dreams
You'll never know what that means
Can't you see, you got a way with me?
Alec leaned down and kissed the base of her neck. "Love you, Maxie."
"Love you, too." She smiled and ran a hand down his muscular back. There was a fire burning in her chest as he held her close. It was like nothing she had ever felt before…. intoxicating, addicting, pleasing, and painful all at once.
It's in the way you want me It's in the way you hold meThe way you show me
Just what love's made of
It's in the way we make love
Meanwhile, on the other side of the love chain, Alec was enjoying himself just as much. Here he was with the first woman he had ever stuck around with after having sex. After Rachel, he had liked to think of his heart as stone cold and indestructible. Then came Max Guevara, all steel bras and tough-as-nail attitude. He hadn't seen it coming. She hadn't seen it coming… but BAM… here they were. Wrapped in each other's arms in public for the first time.
You've got a way with words
You kept me smiling even when it hurt
There's no way to measure what your love is worth
I can't believe the way you get through to me
So here they were, two slightly-above-normal adults trapped in the siege of the century. There was nowhere to go but up or down—victory or death. That was the bottom line… and every transgenic in the city knew it. In a way, this party was meant to be a final return to normalcy. The government wouldn't let them sit unopposed much longer. With the same thoughts dancing across their troubled minds, Max and Alec leaned forward, lips connecting.
Oh, how I adore you like no one before you I love you just way you areIt's in the way you want me, it's in the way you hold me
The way you show me just what love's made of
It's in the way we make love
It's just the way you are…
The song ended, and so did the kiss. Max, seemingly in a trance, fell slack into Alec's embrace.
"You want to go home?" he asked, rubbing her back.
"Home," Max repeated groggily. "Home… I have a home." Her warm brown eyes wandered around the room. It was like heaven—momentary though it was.
Zack and Jondy danced together, hips touching. The former CO of the '09 escapees looked rather nervous as he held her close. He was whispering something in her ear as they moved. Every now and then Jondy would start laughing and lean her head against his shoulder while he just smiled timidly and continued to dance.
Syl, of course, was with Krit. They each danced with one hand on Syl's rounded stomach, smiling at each other and talking spiritedly. There was a priceless sparkle in their eyes as they looked at each other, giggling and making faces like love-struck schoolchildren.
Across the room, Pick stood behind Eddie with his chin on her shoulder, arms draped around her waist as they gently swayed to the music; not exactly dancing. Her head was turned slightly toward him; her lips grazing his cheek every now and then. The young teens had there eyes closed and remained silent, seemingly mesmerized by the other's presence.
Even Joshua had his girl, who was nearly as tall as him, and he was looking especially happy as he blabbered on. She just smiled at him.
"This place is good for us, Alec. We don't have to worry about secrets, about hiding, about running… we're almost free spirits here," Max commented, raising her head to look at Alec. "I mean, besides the mob that wants to kill us at the gates."
Alec laughed. "You're right, Maxie. Being stuck with all these transgenics is really… how would you put it? Enlightening. I mean, some of them are pretty damn interesting." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "But there's this one… damn, she gets to me."
Max smiled mischievously as she replied, "Mm… same here. I mean, this one just drives me crazy. His name is Mole and I'd like to pop him a good one someday."
"Ha, ha," grumbled Alec. "Very funny."
"Yeah, I thought so," Max responded with a smirk. "You know—" She suddenly froze as a sense of dread washed over her. "Alec… Alec, do you…"
Alec had stopped moving as well. The hair on the back of his neck bristled in the response to the eerie sensation going up his spine. "Someone's watching." He looked up and his heart dropped to his feet as he spotted a shadow on the ceiling. "There!"
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875 saw one of the transgenics spot him with a shout. Instantaneously, the rest lifted their heads and started going mad. "I have been compromised! I repeated, I have been compromised! Order to terminate requested!" he yelled into his mic.
"Request granted. Take them out."
Grinning devilishly, 875 emptied his gun into the crowd.
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"Get down! Get the kids outta here!" Alec shouted over the mass chaos that erupted as bullets started flying. Blood was spraying and people were falling over themselves in a frenzied attempt to leave. The curtain walls collapsed and the speakers were smashed in by thundering feet. Everything was falling apart. Alec ran through the folds of people, towards the assailant, who was hanging outside the building from the upper story. The X5 vaulted himself into the air as the aggressor was preoccupied and struck the man full-force, sending them both tumbling to the ground.
Max held back a cry as she saw her fellow transgenics get mowed down, screams of pain and anguish filling the air. When she turned to find Alec, he was nowhere to be seen. Her heart stopped cold as she called for him. "ALEC!" She planted her feet, a rock in a river of moving bodies, and turned to the attacker, fairly sure she would find her lover there.
Sure enough, Alec and the attacker were circling each other menacingly.
"Where the hell did you come from? I thought Frankenstein was just a story," sneered Alec, fists clenched.
"Never been called that before," replied the armored attacker. He lashed out at Alec with staggering speed, managing to punch the X5 right in the face. Alec saw colors as he went flying back into Zack and Krit, who were coming to join the fight. "I am 875, your superior."
"You okay?" asked Max as she rushed to her lover's side. Alec lay disoriented on the floor, eyes rolling around in his head like marbles. Blood was leaking from his busted lip.
"I've been sent here to kill you all," explained 875 as pulled out his machine gun and aimed it at Max's head. "Stand down." Before he could pull the trigger, however, he was tackled from the side by a small flash of color.
"Brin!" Zack yelled, jumping up as 875 and Brin slid across the floor, wrestling all the way. He looked at Krit, who nodded at back. They launched themselves into the fight, pulling 875 off a thoroughly beaten Brin and shoving him into the wall, each holding down one of his arms. "Don't move!" instructed Zack, pulling out his gun and placing it at 875's temple. "Or I swear I will blow your brains out."
875 scoffed. "Think you're that fast? Or that strong?" He threw his body forward, causing the gun to go off. Zack and Krit flew away from him, landing near their unconscious sister. As quickly as they had been disposed of, the two were replaced by Max, Alec, and Jondy, who tore into 875 with all their might. He ducked Jondy, clipping her on the feet as she flew over his head so that she went crashing headfirst into the wall; then he kicked Max as soon as she was within range. The young woman went sprawling. Alec, however, was a different story. With blinding speed, Alec managed to land a good hook to 875's face, then his foot made solid connection with 875's stomach.
875 fell back, surprised. He put a hand to his busted lip and grinned, though there was little humor in it. "No one's ever drawn my blood before," he growled as straightened himself to his full height.
"Yeah, well get used to it. There's a lot more where that came from," Alec replied, running towards him again. He struck high, but 875 caught his wrist and kicked him in the stomach. Blood spilled from Alec's mouth from the force of the blow and, almost reflexively, he jumped forward and kicked 875 in the chest, knocking them both to the ground. 875 twisted Alec's arm behind his back and punched him. Alec smashed his head into his opponent's and they separated, quickly getting to their feet.
Meanwhile, the other X5s helped each other up. "Do something!" Max was repeating as she watched her lover fight for his life.
Zack cocked his gun, aimed, and fired.
875 fell to the ground to avoid the bullet and, while he was down, kicked Alec's feet out from under him.
Max watched, frozen with terror, as 875 jumped to his feet and started kicking the living daylights out of her lover. Zack, Krit, and Jondy jumped into action, but she remained where she was, her body like lead. Other transgenics started coming back to join the fight, carrying the guns they had run to fetch.
As they neared, 875 pulled out another gun and pointed it at the three advancing X5s. Krit and Zack ducked out of the way, but Jondy got a bullet in a shoulder and went down.
"Hold your fire!" shouted Jondy to the other transgenics as she struggled to sit up. "Wait for the clear shot!"
875 threw Krit across the room, then got punched across the cheek by Zack. He stumbled backwards, but quickly gained his footing. "Nice shot," 875 said with a smirk. "Now feel this." He darted up to Zack and punched him so hard in the chest that the X5 went flying through a wall and kept going until he hit another wall about fifty feet away. As the X5 crumpled to the ground, 875 turned to the opposing transgenics. "Any more takers?"
"Fire!" yelled Jondy and Max at the same time.
The transgenics pulled their triggers, but before the bullets could even leave their guns… their target was gone.
Jondy's eyes widened in shock. "Hold your fire!" She looked around for him, but then she felt cold hard steel pressing into the back of her neck.
"Let's see if barcodes are bullet proof…" 875 sneered, his finger tightening on the trigger.
Another trigger cocked and 875 suddenly became still.
"How about we see if whatever the hell you are can survive with a bullet lodged inside their brain?" growled Alec, pressing the barrel of his gun into 875's temple. "Let her go. Now."
"I suggest you lower your weapon. I'm not afraid to die… and I'm not afraid to kill. You're not afraid to kill. So why don't you kill me?" 875 pressed, the smirk never leaving his face.
"Don't think you're safe just yet," Alec warned. He shoved him to the floor and pressed his foot into his neck. "Don't move."
875 smiled up at him. "Think this'll stop me?" Grabbing Alec's leg, he threw him onto the floor and jumped up.
"Bad idea," Alec said with a smirk of his own.
Before 875 could realize what Alec meant, something ripped through his chest. He looked down to see the blood gushing from a baseball-sized hole in his torso. Turning around, the air was suddenly filled with the sound of guns firing. As a bullet penetrated his skull, then another and another, 875 fell to the ground, finally dead.
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