Summary: Three groups of people are making plans for the party.
Disclaimer: DA yada3x belongs to Titanic guy and this Eglee person. Obviously I'm not making any money from their creation.
A/N: This is kinda an intermission chapter. It should've gone with the previous chapter but I thought that it'd make the chapter way too long. It kinda explores other characters beside Max and the TC trannies. The next chapter shouldn't be too long coz I'm very excited in writing it. The scene has been in my head for ages.
Chapter 13: Plan, Plan, and Plan.
Mess hall is already packed when the four X5s enter. Good thing Joshua still has room on his table. Syl and Krit have gotten into an argument on the way over and are now sniping at each other, seemingly oblivious to their surroundings.
"I'm tellin' ya Syl, we should've lifted those."
"They were fake boobs, Krit!! They were in her chest before she probably decided on an upgrade! They're worth NOTHING on the market."
"Still, there's nothing wrong in keeping a souvenir."
"They were three pounds each!"
Max just rolls her eyes. She nudges Joshua and Gem on the shoulders. They follow her out of the table.
"Listen, I'm going with those three to pull a job in about a week from now. Do you think you guys can manage here on your own for a little while?"
Gem looks worried, "Pulling a job? Do you think that's wise, Max? They're still out there hunting for you."
"It'll only be for a few days. We've done this sort of thing dozens of times before. By the time they figure out what happened, we'll be back here already. Besides, the pull's pretty big. We kinda need the money."
"But, Max, what about here? What if they stormed in while you were gone?"
Max gets slightly distracted when she sees Alec approaching Nina back on their table.
Oh his turning on his charms now. Look at him. With his cheeky grin and his eyes all lit up. I don't know what chicks see in him.
I don't.
Really.
She suddenly realizes that Gem's said something. "Uh… don't worry. I'll get Mole to stock up the perimeters, get more men on sentry duty. I mean they've set up base here for almost a year before being discovered. I don't think the four of us being gone for a couple of days is going to make much difference. You guys are tough, you can hold this fort."
Gem is about to protest when Joshua interrupts, "Max's going with siblings. They watch your back. Joshua's not worried. Lil' fella just come back safe."
"Thanks Josh. Listen, I think we better keep this under wraps. Inform only a few people. Minimize chance of it leaking out." She looks at Gem, "We'll be fine, Gem."
"Just be careful, Max."
Max sneaks a glance at Alec again. He is now talking animatedly and is eliciting some giggles from Nina. Max swallows her uncalled-for annoyance. "So how's it going with Nina?"
Gem shrugs, "Like any other X5. She gets along with Liberty. That's good enough for me."
"Nina is very curious X5. Sad because other X5s don't remember her." Joshua makes his observation.
"Yeah, that's the strange thing about her."
The three of them shrug and make their way back to their table.
***
"Logan! Logan, are you in here?"
The tall blonde otherwise known as Asha walks into Joshua's former house. She has important information that she knows Logan will be really interested in. She is still with the S1W but lately finds herself doing increasingly more work for Logan and Eyes Only. It's not like she minds, really. Any time spent with Logan is good in her book.
Asha doesn't really know what it is about him. Maybe it's because he cares so much. He doesn't need to be. Unlike most of the people he and Eyes Only are fighting for, Logan actually has enough to survive more than comfortably in the post-pulse world. But instead, he throws himself for the cause of humanity: to right the wrongs and help the downtrodden. It's just so… noble.
She walks around the house and is surprised to find that he's not perched in his usual spot in front of the computer. She finds him in the next room, bent over in his shorts and T-shirt, trying to strap on his exoskeleton.
"Oh, hey, Asha."
Asha smiles and walks over to him. "Here, let me get that for you."
"Thanks." Logan watches the blonde as she kneels in front of him and carefully fixes his legs on the support machine. "So what do you have for me?"
"Well I met up with that guy who contacted Eyes Only a month ago. Apparently, he just uncovered some very shady practices going down in his company. 'Sounds like it's something big. He'd like to come forward but he doesn't have any proof. So he wants Eyes Only to do a little digging, get some solid evidence, and expose them. In return, he promised to get his top scientists to look at Max's DNA markers." Asha finishes her job and stands up. She extends one hand to pull Logan up.
"Do you think he's the real deal?"
"Seems to be, Logan. He's pretty scared."
"What about the virus? 'Think he can get a cure?"
There you go. His top priority. No 'Thanks, Asha. That was a good job you did.' Nope. It's always about the cure.
Asha decides to swallow her annoyance. "I don't know. But he IS one of the CEOs for Hermecon. It's a company specializing in viral and biological engineering. 'Sounds like a pretty good shot to me."
"So when have you arranged the meet?"
"Well, like I said, he's pretty scared. He'd be crossing some very important people if Eyes Only came through. So he wants us to meet him in a public place, on this big social event."
"Which one?"
"This Riley Fox guy is having some sort of party on the 31st. Most of Hermecon's big shots are invited. He said he'll meet us there to exchange info. Do you think you can score tickets?"
Logan is now sitting in front of the computer while Asha stands in front of him. "I might be able to. My uncle Jonas used to have a business connection with Fox a while back. I'll just have to pull some strings. I should be able to get us invited."
"Great. So… am I going with you?" Hmm, a night alone with Logan… I wouldn't mind that… Even if it is to get info for helping him shack up with his 'not-like-that' girlfriend. Does he ever think about ANYTHING besides Max??
"You're the one who recognizes him, Asha."
Asha gives him one of her sweetest smiles. "Ok, then I need to borrow some money to buy a dress."
***
In another part of town, a room filled with techie guys buzzes with activity. One of them – a fellow named Agent Darrow – has just discovered a very important development that he knows will greatly interest his boss.
Ever since the transgenics have been exposed, Darrow's superiors have changed their directive. Instead of wiping any evidence for their existence, the big suits have ordered the agents to consolidate the genetically-engineered super soldiers. They figure, since the public already knows about them, why not take advantage of their superior skills and continue with what Manticore planned. It's not an easy job, considering the military's willingness to blow them all to smithereens and the public's obvious opposition in using the 'mutants' as super soldiers. That's why the agents' operation has been as covert as possible. They've been told to only target at the apparent leaders of the transgenics. X5-452 is one that greatly interests the special agent in charge of this operation. And the information that Agent Darrow holds in his hand happens to involve her.
He carefully knocks on the door that leads to one of the back room. As he enters, he catches the last part of his boss' conversation on the phone. The special agent in charge seems to be saying something in a foreign language; it sounds very much like 'Fedostol'. Agent Darrow shrugs his curiosity away. He's been taught not to wonder too much when it comes to his superiors.
Special Agent in charge White turns to look at the intruding agent, "This better be good."
"Sir, our mole has indicated that X5-452 – along with X5-494, 701, and 471 – is leaving Terminal City to pull a heist on the Fox Estate in a week."
"Do you have confirmation for this?"
"Affirmative, sir." Agent Darrow then proceeds to show White the proof for his information.
White smiles, "Excellent. We'll deploy three units to recover them in the middle of their 'heist'. Contact Fox and inform him of this development. I'm sure he'd be more than willing to set up an arrangement with our agents."
"Yes, sir."
When Agent Darrow doesn't budge for several seconds, White grows impatient. "Well, what are you standing around for?! Go do what you are paid to do! I need to make some phone calls."
A/N: For the record, I like Asha. I dunno why so many peeps hate her guts. But then again, I am an M/A and most Asha-haters are M/L. It's kinda fun for me to see Logan from her perspective. Must be frustrating for her though I completely understand why she likes him. I think I'm turning into a L/A. Anyway, whaddya all think of Asha & Logan? Also, I'm getting more into White's situation (and his mole). I don't really wanna get into the whole familiar thing coz I'm honestly not that interested in them. I know I've asked this before, but what do ya think should happen with good ol' Ames? Also, I see that I'm approaching review number 100. So please review, guys, I really wanna hit that hundred mark. Otherwise I won't know if people are still interested/not.