The meaning of the runes

By Sinful Starlet

Disclaimer: everybody! "Not mine, never will be, wish it was, etc etc"!

Rating: Erm, maybe R for violence? Dunno really, it's not that bad but it's not exactly kidsy either!

Summary: Alternate take on events around and following 'Love Amongst the Runes' - certain aspects of the storylines around that time really bugged me! Basically Max discovers the runes, but they aren't quite as unique as she thought. What do they mean and what will that revelation mean to her and the ones she loves?

Author's note: Finally, chapter six is here! I'm living in denial that I have uni work to do because I just had to get on with this story! This chapter's kind of long, but it does round off the Jam Pony episode, and includes a few interesting revelations. Let's just say, it's not great to be Logan right now, and M/Aers should be reasonably happy - that's all I'm saying.

I've stuck to 'Freak Nation' more or less, but reworked it a little so it fits my story. Oh yeah, and one reviewer asked why I 'jumped' to the Jam Pony siege. I'll just say that basically, all this stuff is happening around the same time, and I'm following a storyline based on important moments for my characters rather than strict day-by-day action. Hope that clears that up and I hope you enjoy the chapter anyway! *SS*

6

Logan stood there for almost a minute afterwards, his face the picture of surprise and miscomprehension. He couldn't believe what had just happened. He knew things were less than perfect between him and Max right now, and that she was bound to be upset because of CeCe's death. Still, she had just yelled at him in defence of Alec, of all people, and stormed off without even letting him reply. He really didn't understand what was going on, but he knew he had to try and talk to her, especially after what he had found out that morning.

*

Translating the runes had been slow going, though Logan hadn't exactly been able to concentrate. However abstract the photos may have been, he kept returning to one in particular. It showed the whole of the design as it had appeared on her back, his fingers slowly tracing the outline of her figure on the surface of the picture, knowing that he would never be able to touch her like this in reality. Even before he had found out about her and Alec, he had almost given up on the hope of finding a cure for the virus. He swore under his breath - of course, that was the real problem after all. Not the virus - Alec.

He had never had that high an opinion of the other man to begin with, and he absolutely hated him now. He just couldn't understand what Max saw in him - ok, they were both X5, but surely she knew that where she came from didn't matter to him? At first, he hadn't even believed it, it hadn't seemed possible to him, but now he had the definite proof in his hands. The photos were a constant reminder of all the ways that Alec was close to Max that he couldn't be.

He shook off that thought, after all, there was nothing he could do about it. Could he really begrudge Max her happiness, if that was truly what Alec was for her? Cursing himself for allowing his mind to wander again, he turned his attention back to the translation in front of him. It was almost there, he was just missing the last few symbols. He leafed through the pile again, searching for what he was looking for, and at last he found it. He had to try a few different variations, but eventually the meaning lay clear in front of him.

It read like a prophecy, if it could be called anything at all, making Max out to be some kind of Messiah-like figure - the "one" to save them all. He sat back, momentarily stunned into silence. It was only then that he actually heard the TV report playing away in the background. That was Jam Pony, and wasn't that……….? Max. Surfing into Jam Pony on a hover-drone for God's sake, right into the heart of the frenzy building up around the building. If his translation of the runes was really correct, then he had to let her know.

He snatched his car keys and was almost out the door before he remembered the other set of runes. Alec's runes. For a moment he really hesitated. Could they really be that important in comparison to Max's? There was only that one set after all, and he really needed to get down there and talk to Max. He waited less than a minute more before he ran back to his desk, throwing the photos on the floor in his hurry to find the right one.

He sat down and immediately started searching through his list of the translated symbols. Once it was done, he stopped and stared, actually checking twice more that he had got the translation right, but it seemed that he had. Well wasn't that just perfect, he thought, just so fitting………….Minutes later he was in his car, heading over to Jam Pony, trying to figure out how he could get inside. All he knew was that he had to get to Max. As far as Alec was concerned? Well that was another story………

*

So now he waited, he retreated over to the sofas where the rest of the hostages were sitting, keeping out of the way until he could get Max on her own. That looked like it was going to take a while. She moved through the building, purposefully ignoring him as she went. She checked on Gem, spoke to Sketchy and some of the other people from Jam Pony - trying to keep them calm, and then she spent an agonisingly long five minutes (as far as Logan was concerned) deep in discussion with Alec and Mole. Finally, she moved away from him, and Logan took his chance.

"Not now, Logan," she said as he stepped out in front of her, though her voice no longer held any anger, "I just don't have time for this - maybe I shouldn't have gone off at you, but I've got a little too much to think about right now". Well, it wasn't exactly an apology, but Logan was happy for whatever he could get. "I'm not trying to tell you how to run things here," Logan said, holding up his hands in a symbol of surrender, "but I do need to talk to you".

"Logan--" Max started again, but he cut her off on whatever objection she was about to voice. "It's about your runes," he said simply, seeing that he finally had her attention. "You've translated them?" she asked, her voice tired but urgent. "Well I've got as close as I'm going to get," Logan admitted reluctantly, "they seem to be some kind of account of an event that's supposed to happen - something bad". "Bad like how?" Max asked, finding an empty bench by the lockers and sitting down on it. "Like biblically bad," Logan said, sitting down too, but at the opposite end of the bench, "something potentially devastating for the human race".

"But why was all this coded into me?" Max asked, struggling to comprehend what Logan was saying. Logan hesitated, but knew it had to be said, "Because you're the one that's supposed to stop it". "I don't know how," he said quickly before she could interrupt again, "but you're the one, Max - it's all you". Max had no idea what to say, how could she? Someone just tells you that you're the saviour of mankind? How do you even begin to deal with that? Eventually she said, "Are you sure?" but from the tone of her voice, Logan could see it wasn't really a question.

She sat in silence for a few more seconds, before she eventually remembered, "What about Alec's runes? Have you translated them too?" Logan didn't answer immediately, looking down, avoiding her gaze. "Logan?" she prompted again, her voice becoming a little more insistent. Logan looked up at last, but before he could say anything, he saw Alec running over to them. "Max," he said quickly, "we've got to move - they're coming".

"What?" Logan questioned, not understanding. "I don't know what he's talking about," Mole said as he ran up too, "it's all quiet, front and back, there's nothing---". "He's right," Max said, locking eyes with Alec, immediately understanding, just as he had, "we've got to move - now!" "Get everybody upstairs!" she called over her shoulder, already up and running towards the 'hostages' to get them moving. "Max there's nothing--" Mole tried again. "You heard her!" Alec yelled back, helping Gem to her feet so he could carry her up the stairs, "Now move!"

Logan was as lost as everyone else as he followed the group up the stairs, he didn't understand Max and Alec's behaviour any better than Mole did, but one look at their faces told him not to question either of them now. As soon as they were upstairs, and the hostages were hidden, Max and Alec got the remaining transgenics into attack formation. Logan immediately went over to them too, but he was unceremoniously moved back by Mole, on Max's orders no less, so he reluctantly got out of the way.

Alec quickly ran through the plan, taking command of Mole, Joshua and even Max herself, who was looking to him with real nervousness in her eyes. It seemed that she and Alec were the only ones who understood how serious this was going to be, and he had absolutely no idea how they knew that. He saw Joshua and Mole move to the left and right to take up their positions, but only realised that it was Max left beside him as he felt her slip her hand into his, squeezing it tightly. He looked down at her, smiling grimly, it was only that he realised the truth. She was scared.

*

The battle that had followed had been brutal. White's goons, whoever they were, were stronger than any of them expected - if they were going to get out of there, they were going to have to fight to the death. Alec gasped in pain as one of the group landed a lucky blow to his injured arm. She didn't get a chance to exploit that weakness though, she was down in less than ten seconds. He cast around the room, searching for the others, knocking another of White's team to the floor with a single kick. Joshua and Mole seemed to be doing ok, but he couldn't see Max.

He kept low and ran as fast as he could threw the abandoned rooms, checking every body he came to, but still he couldn't see her. His heart leapt into his mouth as he rounded the last corner. Max was in trouble, the woman she was fighting (obviously the leader of the group) really had her on the ropes. He saw her knock Max to the floor, leaving Max sprawling with blood coming from her mouth. He tensed to launch himself at the woman, but before he could even move he heard another shout, and Logan beat him to it.

Alec swore and ran forwards. If the woman had knocked Max on her ass, Logan had no hope, and he was really getting a pasting. He fell to the ground, clutching his side and gasping in pain, leaving the woman free to go after Max again. But she never got the chance. Logan managed to pull himself up against the wall in time to see Alec arrive, and he was horrified by what he saw. Alec was on fire, moving so fast his arms and legs blurred in Logan's vision, though from the woman's screams of pain, he was inflicting some serious damage.

But she wasn't alone for long. Logan only had the chance to shout, "Look--" before the other man arrived. He took one look at Alec beating the hell out of his leader and threw himself at the X5. Logan almost screamed with the pain as he tried to get to his feet to help Alec, to do something, anything - but he couldn't move. He could only cry out, when the new man spotted Max, also struggling to get to her feet. He immediately broke off his attack on Alec and ran towards Max.

But Max was not an X5 for nothing, she had been feinting her attempt to stand, so when the attacker reached her, she was more than ready. The man screamed as she grabbed his leg and broke it with a swift chop of her right hand. In an instant he was down and she was up, completely ignoring Logan and running straight to help Alec. She needn't have bothered though, the woman was on the floor before Max could reach him - out cold and completely unmoving.

"Max, are you alright?" Alec said immediately, breathing heavily from the fight, but paying no attention to his own injuries. He stood right in front of her, running a hand over her face, brushing the trail of blood away from her lips. "I'm alright now," Max said, managing a weak smile, her eyes slowly trailing down to the hand that was still caressing her cheek. Alec noticed where her eyes had fallen, and eventually removed his hand, remembering at last, even if Max wasn't aware of it, that Logan was still in the room.

"You had me scared for a moment there, Maxie," he said, his voice just on the edge of a joke, a smile starting to form on his lips. "I know how you feel", Max said, avoiding his gaze and swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat, completely missing the look that crossed Alec's face as he guessed what she had meant by that. Logan had watched this whole exchange without saying a word, feeling more out of it than he ever had before. He tried to stand up again, coughing with the effort as he did.

"God, Logan," Max breathed, apparently only just realising, or remembering that he was there. She shot a look at Alec who understood exactly what she meant, and he rushed forward to help Logan stand, grabbing his hand, as Max could not. "We have to get out of here," Max said, "get back to Terminal City before they can send in reinforcements". "Well, we should--" Alec started, though he never finished as a sharp howl pierced the relative quiet of the room where they were standing. "Joshua!" Max cried, running back out of the room, Alec right on her heels with Logan struggling to keep up.

They all came to a halt as soon as they reached him, understanding what exactly had made him cry out. It was White. White that had murdered his Annie. None of them had ever seen Joshua like this. He was going to kill White. Max ran forward, trying to separate them, succeeding just in time for Alec to catch White as he fell backwards, knocking him to the floor, and keeping him there with a foot pressed against his chest. Joshua immediately advanced on White again, snarling, pushing Max aside as she tried to stop him.

"No, Josh," Alec said, struggling to hold him off and maintain his position holding White down. "I know what he did, but trust me, you can't do this - I won't let you have his death on your conscience". Joshua howled in pain, why could none of them understand? "He killed Annie!" he roared, renewing his attempt to dislodge Alec. "I know!" Alec yelled back, still not letting Joshua anywhere near White, "And he deserves to die for that, but if you kill him now then the only thing that people will remember from today was that a transgenic killed a human being in cold blood". "And believe me - if that happens, they will never stop hunting us".

"I know how much it hurts," Alec went on, sensing Joshua start to weaken, "but this is not the way to end it, ok? Not like this". Joshua stood there, breathing heavily for a moment, not backing down, but eventually his shoulders sagged and he nodded to Alec, stepping back. Max exchanged a look with Logan and then went over to Joshua, hugging him tightly to her. White smiled cruelly, sneakily trying to push himself up, but he found to his surprise that he couldn't move under the pressure that Alec was exerting on him.

Alec only moved his leg to reach down and pick White up by the shoulders, grabbing his neck in one hand and holding him off the floor before White even had the chance to react. "Don't make the mistake of thinking you won something today," Alec said, not loudly but enough for Max, Joshua and Logan to hear him, "I stopped Josh killing you because he's a good person, he shouldn't have to carry that". "Me, on the other hand? Well I was born to be a killer. Manticore spent twenty years teaching me how to do it, and I got very, very good at it". "And I wouldn't have hesitated," he went on, "but like I said, it can't happen now".

"But I tell you this," he said, tightening his grip on White's neck, making Logan almost start towards him, though one look from Max told him not to move, "you come near Max, or Joshua, or any of us ever again, and I will kill you - remember that". He threw one punch at White's head, dropping him to the floor where he remained, unconscious. For a moment, none of the others spoke, not even when Mole arrived, nursing a broken arm. "Gem had her baby," he said, taking in the sight before him and not knowing quite what to make of it, "the little girl's fine but we really need to get her out of here". "Yes, we do," Max said, stepping forward, the idea coming to her immediately, "and we're getting out right now".

*

Switching uniforms with White's guys had been easy enough and between the five of them, with Sketchy and Original Cindy's help, they'd commandeered a van and an ambulance and they were back on the road to TC. Of course the police had tried to stop them, but after Max had done a little persuasive negotiating (involving every other member of the TC population turning up, armed to the teeth) they had taken off, ensuring one small victory for the transgenics that night.

Gem and her baby, and Mole with his broken arm had been sent straight off to the med centre, and after much protesting, so had Alec - Max insisting he had his arm properly looked at. So it ended with just Logan and Max left, neither speaking at first. "Max---" Logan started eventually, needing to say something. "Not now, Logan," Max said, shaking her head, "we've all been through enough tonight - and I've got to get over to the med centre - and so have you".

Logan just nodded, seeing in that perhaps more meaning than he should have done. They walked in silence to the med centre, only speaking again once they reached it. Max directed an X5 doc to have a look at Logan's injuries, and then immediately headed for the door. "Wait," said the X5, a guy called Stat, who used to be in Alec's unit, "you look like you could use a little attention yourself". "Soon," Max said, ignoring the looks from both him and Logan, only one thing on her mind right now, "where is he?" "Right down the hall," Stat said, "he's already asking for you". Max nodded once, weakly returning the smile on Stat's face, and walking out before Logan could say another word.

Right! Well I know that was kinda long, but I didn't want to break it up, mid-battle. I hope ya enjoyed it anyway, we're pretty close to the end now, so I'll try and update soon. *SS*