The Moon is Not Enough by ThePekingNoodle
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Chapter Eighteen: Suspicion
In which our hero and heroine must decide what to believe about their guest…
The next morning found Max and Logan working together companionably in the kitchen of the cabin. Max was making a pot of coffee while Logan mixed up a large bowl of pancake batter. Soft classical music was playing on the cabin's CD player, and Logan was humming along with it softly.
"Is our guest still asleep?" he asked Max as he beat the batter by hand with a wooden spoon.
"She was last time I checked, which was about fifteen minutes ago." Max opened a cabinet and began to pull out plates and cups.
'I expect she should be waking up soon," Logan observed. He set the bowl down on the counter and walked over to check if the griddle was heated enough to begin cooking the pancakes. "I didn't give her that strong of a dose of sedative last night." There was a sizzle as he dribbled some water onto the griddle to check its temperature.
"What have you found out about the Colonel? Do you know his whereabouts yet?" Max wanted to know.
Logan was busy pouring out some pancakes and didn't answer immediately. Before he finished and could answer, there was an audible gasp. The two looked over to see Jondy standing in the doorway with a fierce look on her face.
"What Colonel are you talking about? Why did you give me a sedative? And who the hell are you?" She demanded.
"Jondy…" Max began to walk towards her sister.
"Where did you hear that name?" Jondy dropped into a fighting stance and Max stopped a few feet in front of her.
"We're friends." Logan said calmly. "We don't intend you any harm. In fact we want to help you."
"Whose friends? The Colonel's friends?" Jondy didn't relax.
"What Colonel are we talking about here?" Max responded.
"Why don't you tell me, and then I'll decide if you're friends, or if I'm going to kick your asses and get out of here." Jondy snarled.
Max and Logan exchanged a look. Logan shrugged, leaving it to Max.
"Colonel Donald Lydecker." Max answered.
Jondy spun and started to leave the room but Max was faster and blocked her way. Jondy didn't waste any time on questions, but instead lashed out with a sweep kick. Max avoided it and blocked the blow that Jondy aimed at her. The next few minutes were a blur of motion to Logan as the two X5s sparred across the living room of the cabin. Finally there was a thud, and Logan looked over to see Jondy pinned on the floor with Max sitting on top of her.
"Go ahead. Knock me out again with your drugs or tasers, or whatever and call in the troops. Do your worst. You might have me now but I won't stay. I'll get out anyway I can." Jondy spat at Max.
"We aren't calling in anyone. The Colonel isn't any friend of ours." Max said to Jondy. "Don't you have any idea who I am?"
"You're one of the Colonel's pet X5s sent to bring me in. Is he your handler?" Jondy looked over at Logan with scorn.
"If I let you up will you hear us out? I promise you'll be free to go if you want to afterwards." Max said.
Jondy stared stonily at Max.
"If we wanted you knocked out, you'd already be there." Max pointed out. "You might as well listen for a minute or two."
"This had better be good." Jondy finally said reluctantly.
Max jumped up and turned so her back was to Jondy, who had also leapt to her feet. She reached back and swept her hair up and off her neck. Logan frowned but it was too late to stop her.
"Read that." Max was saying to Jondy who was staring at Max's barcode. There was silence for a moment.
"Max?" Jondy said slowly, "Max, is it really you?"
Max turned back to face Jondy and there was a huge smile on her face. Once again the two launched into motion, but this time they ended up in a hug. Logan watched for a minute.
"How about we continue this reunion over breakfast? The first batch of pancakes are ready." He finally interjected.
"Come on Jondy, Logan's pancakes are to die for." Max grabbed her sister's hand and pulled her toward the kitchen. "Jondy, this is my husband, Logan. Logan this is my sister, Jondy."
Logan didn't think he'd ever seen Max look happier than she did in that minute.
"So he is your handler then." Jondy teased Max.
Max snorted. "We're equal partners."
The three were seated at the table with plates of pancakes and steaming cups of coffee in front of them. For a few minutes there was silence as they all dug into the food.
Logan broke it, "How did you end up on the side of the road?"
Jondy sighed. "I've been living in San Francisco the last few years. But a week or so ago, I got word that the Colonel was closing in and that I should get out. I did and I made it as far as a little town in Washington. I figured I'd be safe there for a few days, and I needed some money. When I got the word to run I didn't have time to grab anything more than my emergency stash. I got a job as a waitress in a truck stop. It was cool until two days ago. I was in the kitchen picking up an order, and I didn't realize that a military convoy had pulled in. If I had I would have ducked out the back. When I came out I realized it was Manticore. I still would have been okay, if some local yokel hadn't decided to hit on me. I guess I was distracted, because he managed to grab me and pull me into his lap. Anyway, the moron saw my barcode. So then he starts yakking out loud about my hot tattoo, wanting to know how much I cost. You can imagine what happened next."
She paused to take a gulp of coffee. "To make a long story short, I managed to get out of there somehow. Took out a few soldiers, kicked some ass, you know the drill, Max. But along the way, one of them managed to get in a pretty good blow to my head. I ignored it and took off down the road on foot and managed to jump into the back of a semi hauling logs. Rode that for a couple of hours and then figured I'd better drop off before we hit a roadblock. Last thing I remember is jumping off the truck and hitting the ground hard. Then waking up here yesterday."
Logan and Max exchanged glances. "You were lucky we spotted you. If we hadn't Manticore would have picked you up for sure." Logan commented.
"So who exactly are you?" Jondy wanted to know, looking straight at Logan. "How did you end up with Max?"
"I've known Max since she was sixteen years old. We met again a couple of months ago and here we are." Logan answered, giving Jondy the truth but not going into details.
"How do I know I can trust you?" Jondy was still wary of Logan especially. "How do I know you weren't recaptured and that this isn't all a trick?"
Max stared at her. "Because I say so. How do we know we can trust you? How do I know you weren't recaptured by Lydecker and sent out as a decoy to trap me?"
The two girls locked gazes for a few minutes, neither one giving an inch.
"So I guess we're all in the same boat." Logan observed mildly. "You don't know if you can trust us and we don't know for sure that we can trust you. Fortunately I think I can solve this. At least on our side. If you're willing to give me a hank of your hair that is."
Jondy stared at Logan. "Why?"
"I have a friend who can use it to confirm your identity through a DNA match. Once we do that much we can see where we go."
"And if I won't do it?"
"Then we knock you out again and leave you somewhere safe, but away from us." Logan's look was suddenly hard and his voice was unyielding.
Jondy realized that Max had jumped up at some signal of Logan's and was now poised behind her, holding a hypodermic needle lightly against her neck.
"Which is it going to be, Jondy?" Logan asked her.
"Take the hair." Jondy gave in. "But once you're satisfied, I want something to make me satisfied as well."
Logan smiled calmly as he watched Max pick up a scissors and cut a hank of Jondy's hair. "We can do that. But for now you might as well finish your breakfast. Max, you too. I didn't spend time cooking these pancakes just to have them go to waste." He took the hair from Max and left the room with it, leaving the two girls locked in an uneasy silence.
End of Chapter Eighteen…TBC…