Title: Secrets, Lies and Betrayals
Rating: PG, for now, DOES contain a few swear words
Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Dark Angel, Cameron & Eglee, etc. I own nothing and I'm gaining only valuable writing experience.
Summary: Logan has a secret, which ultimately puts both Max and Alec in danger. M/A
A/N: Jg: I took your comment into consideration and re-read chapter 8. When I found myself searching for the next chapter button I realised that you were correct. What was I thinking?! Oh well at least it ties in with the name of the chapter lol.
Chapter 9: Fighting
It was time to fight back and that's exactly what Max planned to do. The two familiars she had previously disposed of had regained their composure and were advancing on her again. Max hurled the large metal chair she had been strapped into not so long ago, at the one on the left of her with relative ease. It knocked him to the ground and landed heavily on top of him, instantly knocking all the wind out of him. While he was struggling to get the chair off of him, regain his breath and get up, Max attacked the other familiar. In a flurry of ducking and weaving, kicks and punches, the other familiar quickly joined his colleague on the floor of the torture room.
Max was moving and fighting as if she had received a double dosage of super human strength and ability. She was a woman possessed. Possessed mainly by the fear that she had given up on her life and, therefore, the lives of so many others that depended on her, both transgenic and otherwise. She was ashamed beyond belief and vowed that no one would ever know what had happened in the cell and, more importantly, that it would never happen to her again. Max had regarded herself as being strong before but she realised now that simply wasn't enough. She had faulted. Now she made a silent promise to herself that she would never let that happen again, no matter what the cost. She was going to shut herself off from all that compromised her strength. In her mind however, she wasn't quite sure what that was at this exact moment in time. But under the circumstances she really didn't have a chance to think about it. She decided to concentrate on the more pressing matters at hand and deal with her weaknesses later.
Issuing orders for the familiars on how to best deal with the intruders on the facility had momentarily distracted White. In that short amount of time, Max had dealt with the two familiars who were sent to finish her off. Now she had her sights firmly set on White. White had heard the commotion coming from the room and had dismissed it as simply being the familiars carrying out their orders while getting some enjoyment from it in the process. When the room fell silent, however, White began to get suspicious. Although 452 was now weak and had no passion to fight even she wouldn't go down that quickly. He decided to go and investigate.
Max had counted on White coming back to the room. She hid behind the door and waited until he entered the room fully. While White was momentarily occupied by surveying the scene of the two familiars before him, Max took the opportunity to push the door until it closed. The door slammed shut and the metal echoed throughout the room and down the hall. The sudden loud noise startled White and he spun round to face his captor. A small smile spread across his face when he saw 452 standing in front of the door in a fight stance with a determined look on her face.
"Well, well 452. You appear to have gained some of your fire back"
"Yeah I'm a real barbeque." Max retorted, gaining a short laugh from White.
"At least there'll be a half decent fight now."
A slight smirk tugged at the corner of Max's mouth, "Now, now Ames, don't put yourself down. You don't suck that much."
White and Max had begun to circle each other during their pre match conversation. The room was already small enough and the two familiars littering the floor, along with the large metal chair didn't help matters.
"I will kill you 452" White sneered full of confidence.
This time it was Max's turn to let out a short laugh.
"Yeah," she queried cocking her head ever so slightly to one side, "Go ahead and try."
White and Max lunged at each other almost simultaneously and met in the middle of the room, accompanied by several kicks and punches by both parties. Despite what either of them believed, they were quite evenly matched. They continued to fight in the small room seemingly taking turns at attacking and defending. They used every inch of the room to their advantage, not that the small room held many secrets, hidden or otherwise. Despite the impressive fight taking place between two highly skilled and motivated opponents, neither one appeared to be either winning or losing.
*
The five intruders had made their way onto the base with relative ease. They had made it across the courtyard separating the southern and northern buildings undetected. It was only when they reached the inside of the northern building that the alarm had been tripped. Familiars came running from all directions to investigate and defend the facility if necessary. They all knew that 452 was being held there and a possible rescue mission for her could happen at any moment.
"Shit" Alec yelled when he heard the shrill alarm sound all throughout the facility.
"Looks like it's show time people" he said to the others who were following close behind him.
"Just hold on a little longer Max" Alec whispered to himself, forgetting that he was wearing a headset meaning the others had heard him.
"Little fella a fighter" Joshua's soothing yet worried voice came into Alec's ear.
Alec cursed himself inwardly for forgetting the earpiece was there. He hadn't wanted to show his concern for Max during the mission. Now was when he had to be at his strongest. As much as for his sake as well as Max's. There would be time to be emotional, worried, hurt, concerned and all the other emotions that they were bound to experience later. But now was certainly not that time.
"One person can only fight so much," Alec said sadly, " even if that person is Max."
He tried to push the sudden wave of dread and sadness that washed over him. He had a really bad feeling about this. Several familiars came running down the hall that Alec and the 4 anomalies occupied. They turned to retrace their steps down the hall but found that another bunch of familiars had entered the hallway behind them, thus blocking their escape route. It was time to fight.
"Let's get this over quickly," Alec whispered to the others.
They all nodded in agreement. The familiars on both sides of the small group advanced all at once. It was hard to tell everyone apart in the brawl that quickly broke out. It was just a good thing that neither party had opted to use their guns. The familiars seem quite satisfied to fight one on one with the transgenics. Joshua and Mole had been cornered by two of the familiars. They stood back to back and were working off of each other to fight against the familiars. Dix was in the process of circling around one familiar eyeing him off, as the familiar seemed quite content to do the same to Dix. Pepper on the other hand was fighting as much as he could, as hard as he could and to whoever got in his way. Despite the fact that he was trained as a medic he didn't seem to mind inflicting a considerable amount of damage on the familiars. Alec was doing much the same. He had already disposed of 3 familiars, who now lay strewn across the short width of the hallway. Several other bodies soon joined the pile on the floor and Alec stopped to survey the scene and see if any of the others needed his assistance.
As he turned around to look Alec witnessed all of his friends and fellow soldiers on the mission to rescue Max, dispose of their familiar attackers. Dix had ceased simply circling around the familiar and had attacked him with tremendous speed considering what he was. There was no disrespect meant to any of the anomalies but Alec knew that they were built and trained for a different purpose than himself and all of the other X-series. Having thought that, Alec found himself being surprised and pleased with the efforts of the 4 anomalies. Pepper had run out of opponents and had taken great joy in disposing of one of the familiars that was fighting Joshua and Mole. Mole seemed slightly annoyed and took the opportunity to roll across the wide expanse that was Pepper's large back and kick the remaining familiar in the head sending him crashing into the wall. He then slumped to the floor in a heap, unconscious and surrounded by the bodies of his comrades, all of who were unconscious also.
Alec was again pleased with his friend's efforts. It meant that now they could move onto finding Max instead of wasting time fighting off the familiars who were, basically, no match for them. They were currently on the ground floor of the northern building which meant that according to Alec's recollection of his capture they needed to head to flights down into the basement. They all headed to the stairwell and made the short journey down to the second basement level. There they all hoped they would find Max and they could leave without any further encounters with familiars and especially White, who they hadn't come across as of yet.
*
White and Max were still battling it out and by the looks of things both were quite content to. They both appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the fight. For White this was what all his work, all his efforts boiled down to. If he could kill 452, the rogue transgenic who had caused so much trouble over so many years then surely it would break the spirits off all other transgenics, making his job of recapturing and killing them all the more easier. For Max, though, it obviously meant something completely different. White represented all that threatened her strength and, most of all, her life. If she could stop him than surely that would mean that she was stronger than she and everyone else thought. That thought alone was enough to drive her on.
*
Alec, Joshua, Mole, Dix and Pepper made their way silently along the corridor on the first level of the basement. They were in search of the stairwell. Alec was the only one who had been here previously but he didn't remember leaving since he was unconscious. The plans Logan had provided Alec with and subsequently the plans that the mission was based on were missing a few basic details. While it did show both of the basement levels, it failed to show any of the vital details, such as rooms and stairwells. It couldn't be fixed, now however so Alec and the rest of the crew were silently slipping along the corridor in search of the stairwell that would lead them to Max.
Alec soon located the door that opened up into the stairwell. He motioned for his 4 accomplices to make their way down the stairs. Once the four anomalies were on their way down the flight of stairs Alec followed making sure that they hadn't been spotted. This was the crucial part of the mission. Once at the bottom of the stairs Mole, who was at the front of the group, opened the door ever so slightly and looked out into the corridor. He looked for a few seconds then closed the door softly behind him so as to not make any noise. Mole spun round to face the group, a concerned look etched on his face.
"There's 10 familiars in the corridor" he said in his quietest voice.
That statement was followed by a collective groan from the remaining four.
"What should we do now?" Dix asks, slightly taken aback by the situation they faced.
Alec shrugs his shoulders and said simply, "I need to get to Max"
The others nod their agreement. It has occurred to more than one of them that they haven't seen White at all during their time at the facility. That can only mean that he is with Max doing god knows what to her. She could already be dead and if that is the case, the 4 anomalies know that Alec has to face that. He needs to know, whether it's good or bad.
Mole interrupts the group's moment of being lost deep in thought.
"Us 4," he says gesturing to himself, Dix, Joshua and Pepper, "will distracts the guards while you go and find Max"
The other 3 anomalies all nodded their heads as Alec shook his. They stared at him in wonder and confusion.
"I can't let you do all the fighting. After all I'm the one who got you all into this."
Alec had a determined look on his face.
"She can hold on a little longer"
Joshua stepped forward and placed a large hand on his friends shoulder.
"Little fella needs you."
Alec started to dismiss the statement but Joshua continued, effectively cutting him off
"You said it yourself, one person can only fight so much, even Max"
Alec sighed in defeat. Joshua was right. It appeared that Joshua was always right.
"Fine, lets do this"
Mole, Joshua, Pepper and Dix quickly decided on a plan. Mole kicked the door open, which then went flying into the wall making a loud crashing noise, catching the familiars off guard and startling them for a few seconds. This was the opportunity that the anomalies had hoped for. Mole ran out into the corridor and began to fight the familiars. Pepper eagerly followed Mole after a minute of standing impatiently by the stairwell door. A minute later Joshua followed and after another minute had passed, Dix joined the fighting in the corridor. They had planned to stagger their attack to, hopefully, catch the familiars off guard time and time again with their sudden entrances and their appearances. It seemed to have worked and the familiars were being thrown to the ground left, right and center. They weren't giving up without an adequate fight, however, and the 4 anomalies had their work cut out for them.
Alec watched from his position in the stairwell. He was to bypass all the fighting, hopefully undetected, and head down the corridor to get Max. By the time that he had found Max and gotten her out, the others would have finished fighting, thus clearing the way for their escape. At least that was the plan. Alec just hoped that it would go something like that. Alec spotted the exact moment he needed and, with a burst of speed, he blurred down the corridor. The familiars didn't notice. In fact, not even his own friends noticed him.
*
Max and White had been fighting for a good 25 minutes now and it was starting to show, even despite their strength and abilities. With her hearing, Max had heard the commotion taking place down the corridor. White on the other hand, hadn't. However, a large familiar was being thrown into the wall by his ankles by an equally large transgenic. This caused a loud thumping sound and even shook the building slightly. White heard that and he was momentarily distracted. He turned to look if anyone had come to the door. At this stage there was no one. Max took the moment of Whites distraction to jump up and grab onto the ceiling beam that Alec had been hanging from.
When White turned round to face her again she kicked him swiftly in the face sending him to the ground. There was a loud cracking noise as Whites nose broke, sending blood streaming down his face. Satisfied, Max dropped down from the beam and pounced on him immediately removing the gun from his holster that he hadn't bothered to use on her yet. She then began to punch him repeatedly in the face not noticing the blood that splattered up from Whites face with the force of her blows covering her hands and face.
*
Alec made his way down the corridor and stopped in front of a door that he instantly recognized. He had only seen it briefly and from the inside of the cell but he knew this was where he had been held, which meant that this was where Max was being held, he hoped. A noise from inside the room broke him out of his moment of reminiscing and he peeked through the peephole in the thick metal door. What he saw shocked him. Max had White in a chokehold, effectively cutting off his air supply, and there was blooding pouring down White face. She was also holding a gun to his head. He assumed that it was White's gun since Max would never touch one or bring it on a mission, even one against White.
Despite that, however, Max was now, seemingly quite happily and with all the ease of someone who used guns all the time, holding a gun to White's head. Alec was frozen to the spot, unable to move. No one had ever gotten the better of White mainly because no one had tried. They simply subdued him as best they could while trying not to get hurt and then left so as to not be captured and killed. Max on the other hand was taking this to a whole new level. This wasn't Max at all. She would never usually take on White to this extent or use a gun. Alec looked on in horror at the events unfolding before him.
Max was pissed mainly with herself but being able to take it out on White was great therapy indeed. She needed to cleanse herself of what had happened, or what she had almost let happen in the cell.
"I'm not weak" Max screamed startling both White and Alec. Alec was confused. He had no idea what that meant or why Max was screaming it at White. All he could do was watch.
Max waited for White to answer but when he didn't she screamed again,
"I'm not weak, say it"
After several attempts hindered by the chokehold Max had around his neck, White managed to grunt out, "You're not weak 452"
Max seemed somewhat pleased that White had said what she wanted but he continued.
"Your not weak 452," White repeated, "But are you strong enough to pull the trigger" he added.
"Oh don't tempt me Ames" Max spat out
Even in his current situation, White simply couldn't help himself, "If the roles were reversed you'd be dead and being dissected by now"
Max wasn't surprised or shocked by the news as she knew what kind of sick mother White was, instead her eyes immediately darkened. White couldn't see that from his position but Alec certainly could from his. He knew that look and he instantly knew what Max was about to do. Max was going to kill White. He had to stop her, as she would, no doubt, hate herself later for it. He ripped open the door and burst into the room.
"Max no" he yelled catching both Max and White off guard.
Max didn't falter or loosen her grip on White. Her eyes lighten and the urge to kill had left her but she still needed to do something. So instead of killing him, Max flipped the gun round and smacked the butt of the gun into the base of Whites skull. She watched on satisfied as he slumped to the ground unconscious. She then turned to Alec who stood in shock staring at White on the floor. He tore his eyes away and looked over at Max who was now staring at him.
"Max…" he started to stay but trailed off when he realized that he didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to think either. Max made her way to the door of the cell. She stood in the doorway and looked back in. This was the sight of two of the worst moments in her life. Where she almost lost Alec and where she almost lost herself.
"Let's go Alec" Max said softly as she left the room and made her way down the corridor. Alec stood for a few more seconds, still in shock and then followed Max out of the room and down the corridor.
Max and Alec soon caught up to the rest of the group.
"Hey guys" she greeted them in a friendly manner as if they were passing each other on the streets of Terminal City. The 4 anomalies looked shocked and confused. They watched Max walk past them and disappear into the stairwell and then looked to Alec for some answers. He simply shrugged, shook his head and continued to follow Max. The others fell into step behind Alec, all very confused.
The group of 6 now made their way back to the perimeter of the facility. They didn't encounter any more resistance from the familiars. They basically had free run of the facility and walked right out the front gates. Those guards that were left were in such shock at the sight before them that they didn't move or put up any fight at all. Once outside the facility the group made their way through the woods towards their transport. Mole, Joshua, Dix and Pepper all made their way over to the van while Alec headed to his motorcycle. Instead of heading for the van with the others, Max made her way to her motorcycle, which was parked near Alec's motorcycle, hidden by a group of shrubs. She hoped on and was about to start up the engine when Alec placed a hand on her shoulder.
"What are you doing Max?" he asked obviously not amused with her stubbornness.
"Going home," she replied casually while putting her gloves on.
"In the van, yes so Pepper can take a look and make sure you're alright" Alec replied through gritted teeth, rapidly losing his patience.
Max looked at him as if he'd grown an extra head. Alec could tell that she was about to argue with him, like she always did, but this time he had to put a stop to it before she even got started. As Max opened her mouth to protest, Alec cut her off
"No Max, no arguments, just go" he ordered her.
An angry look spread across Max's features. 'How dare he!' She thought to herself. He had no right to boss her around. Max desperately needed to be far away from here and especially far away from Alec. She started to start up the motorcycle and just over the roar of the engine she heard Alec say,
"You leave me no choice"
in one swift movement Alec grabbed the gun that was tucked into the waistband of Max's cargos and shot out the front tire on her motorcycle. Max continued to sit on the motorcycle in shock. The rest of the group gathered by the side of the van looked on in amusement. They knew that Alec was only trying to protect Max but they also knew that Max would never let herself be protected, especially by Alec. Alec stepped back a few feet, as he was sure that Max would lash out at him. That he could handle. That he was used to. But nothing could prepare him for what happened next. Alec watched as Max cut the engine and slid off of the machine. She took a few steps forward towards Alec and he took several more steps backwards away from her and her deadly reach.
Max tilted her head to the side and smirked at Alec. He was surprised. Max closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms around Alec's waist under his leather jacket. She rested her chin on his chest, looked up at him, into his eyes and smiled. Alec was dumbstruck. He shoots her motorcycle and she hugs him? It was just too weird. The onlookers were all surprised as well. Alec was slow to react and just as he was about to savor Max being pressed up against his body and wrap his arms around her to prolong the experience, she pulled away. Max had to laugh at the look on Alec's face. He was like a puppy dog that tilted their head to one side when they were confused. It was priceless.
Max then started to move slowly backwards, one step at a time away from Alec. He simply stood there frozen to the spot and watched as she slid onto his motorcycle. She turned and smiled again at him as she held up his keys for all to see. She had hugged him to get his keys. Mole let out a loud laugh breaking Alec out of his trance.
"Shit" he yelled as he watched Max gun the engine and roar out onto the road.
She wasted no time in putting as much distance between herself, the facility and Alec. Alec would have chased after her but he knew that it would do no good. The van was no match for his motorcycle and Max's bike had a tire shot out, thanks to him. Alec sighed. He turned to see 4 rather amused faces staring at him. He sighed again. Max was going to pay for this one.
"Let's get going," he said as he tried to drown out the laughter of his friends who were all finding the situation highly amusing.
As they made their way back to the facility, Alec had time to think. Why had Max almost killed White? Max was hardly the killing sort, she never even used a gun, so for her to be about to kill White with his own gun meant something major had to have gone down there. Alec desperately wanted to know what that was. He was concerned for Max and wanted to help her. That's all he ever wanted to do. Just be there for her and help her if she needed it, even when she wouldn't admit that she actually did need help. It seems though that she hadn't needed his help in escaping from White. Alec was concerned about that as well. Why had she stayed and fought him when she should've, and obviously could've, just escaped? There were far too many questions and it was beginning to make his head hurt. Alec closed his eyes and rested his head against the cool metal of the van. His thoughts were soon interrupted.
"Why did we have to bring this thing back?" Mole grumbled and kicked the motorcycle taking up most of the passenger space in the back of the van and squashing him against the side of the van in the process.
"Because she'd kill me if we didn't" Alec replied simply looking over at Mole.
Mole continued to grumble to himself, despite the fact that he knew Alec was right. Alec again rested his head against the side of the van and began to try and answer some of the questions that were racing thought his mind as they sped towards Terminal City.
Max was doing much the same thing. She had stolen Alec's bike so she could be on her own and have time to think as she made her way back to Terminal City. The wind rushed through her hair and it gave her a sense of freedom that couldn't be copied anywhere else. Max had scared herself with the behavior she had displayed back at the facility. Now she needed to know why she had done what she did.