Max had dozed off somewhere between 4:30 A.M. and dawn. No one disturbed the three, not even Mole. Terminal City bustled around them, but they didn't seem to notice. Alec was the first awake and for once, he was ecstatic to be a genetically engineered superhuman. He could consume a considerable amount of alcohol and have absolutely no hangover. Of course, a headache would be a welcome distraction compared to the shooting pain in his side. He rolled over, groaning loudly at the discomfort when he saw Max by his side. She looked unusually peaceful, her feet propped up on the table, her head lulling to the side. Alec debated waking her up or not. He was already feeling fairly miserable this morning, and awakening her could be like awakening a beast; he could come out of it with more injuries than he had now. Max ended the warring in his mind when her eyes fluttered open gently. Alec flashed a smile, "You just can't resist bein' near me, can ya, Maxie?"
Her feet crashed to the floor and she rose from her seat. "I was walking around last night and stopped-I don't have to answer to you."
"I didn't really want you to answer. I enjoy my peace."
That recieved a crisp slap upside the head. Riles let out a frustrated growl next to Max. She opened her blue eyes and glanced at her watch. "It's 7:30 in the morning and you two are already at it!"
Riles stalked away from the pair. Alec felt a pang of guilt as he watched Riles exit the room. He hadn't intended to force her to leave or make her angry. Max was the only one he had fun angering. Max stood towering above him, the usual scowl on her face.
"I need you to help Dix with the computers today. You think you can manage that without getting shot?"
Alec narrowed his hazel eyes at her, his gaze hinting at his obvious feelings.
"Yeah."
The two glared at each other until Alec tried to sit up.
"Oww..." He trailed off, grimacing at the pain. She watched him for a moment and then wordlessly slipped her arm around Alec, helping him off the table. Alec allowed her to aide him off the table before walking ahead of her, just to prove that he could take care of himself. Max couldn't help herself watching him from behind.
*Stop, Max. This is Alec.* Her inner voice said bitterly.
Unfortunately, it fought back. *Exactly.*
Lucy avoided Biggs all morning. She managed to slip out of the apartment before he reawakened and she'd explore Terminal City up until she noticed a majority of transgenics headed for a room neatly labeled MESS HALL. She entered and saw Max standing in line by the dog man named Joshua. Alec and Biggs were in line behind them and Lucy didn't see a way she could politely disappear before they spotted her. Lucy trudged to the row of people and Alec immediately allowed her in front of him. Biggs couldn't take his eyes off of her, memories of the night before plaguing his brain. The sight of Lucy Barrett cowering, shivering, and crying had seriously affected him. A sudden well of protectiveness spurt forward like a geiser, a need to keep her safe overwhelming him. Lucy seemed to have lived in a prison that compared to Manticore. Biggs was so lost in thought he hadn't noticed that the line was moving forward or that Alec's constant babbling had stopped. Alec's hazel gaze swiveled back and forth from Biggs to Lucy back to Biggs. Alec started to grin and he patted Biggs on the back to snap him out of the reverie he appeared to be in. "C'mon." Biggs smiled. "Sorry. I was just..."
"Staring at Lucy like a puppy dog."
Biggs shrugged nonchalantly and lowered his voice to a decibal hopefully only Alec could hear. "She's done something to me, Alec. I don't know how to describe it." Alec handed him a glass full of water before nodding. "Yeah, I know what you mean."
Biggs raised an eyebrow. "Do you?"
Alec fumbled with his reply, "Or at least I assume I know what you mean."
Biggs chuckled knowingly as he raised his battered tray off the rack. He headed to the table where Max, Joshua, Mole, Dix and Lucy were already seated. He sat down across from Lucy, who instantly lowered her head, seemingly fascinated with the half-flavored food. Biggs sighed, frustrated. Why wouldn't she look at him? She couldn't possibly be ashamed. She had no reason to be. The two sat in silence for several moments before Lucy started to chatter with Max. And yes, Max was chattering. The last ten years held a lot to be caught up on. Dalton, the young X6 from the takeover at Jam Pony, stopped in front of Max, saluting crisply. In unison, Max and Alec commanded, "Don't salute!"
"Yes, M'am! Luke sent me. We are having trouble with the perimeter cameras. He's afraid White may be scrambling the transmitter. He wants to know what you want done."
Max groaned and took a long gulp of her watered down coffee.
"Alec, Biggs, come with me. Mole, do a scanning of the area. You may take a small unit with you. Dix, you help Luke see if you can find out if White's hacked into our cameras. Umm...Lucy, Joshua, why don't you two get to know each other?" Lucy stared at Joshua, who gave her a wolfish grin. Lucy took a deep breath.
"Okay. If you need anything Max, just let me know."
"I will. I'll see you both later."
The trio walked away to find the command center while Mole started barking orders to some already in the mess hall, including the little boy that reminded Lucy of an elf.