Logan had answered the door, revealing his choice of costume: a rabbit suit. He looked over Max's pirate costume and couldn't help but smile. "So, what are you supposed to be? A Johnny Depp knockoff?"
"Funny." Max faked a scowl. "And you are... Peter Cottontail's bastard offspring?"
"Looks we had the same idea." Logan smirked.
Smirk's not so bad now that I think about it. "Guess so." She grinned back. "You ready to go?"
"Of course." He replied then stepped out of the apartment. He looked her up and down, wondering something.
"What?" She asked as they began walking down the hall, arm in arm.
"It's just..." He stopped and pushed the button for the elevator, then turned to her. "Where are you going to put all the things you steal?"
She grinned at him. "The sword sheath is empty. The sword handle twists off, so I can fit some nice jewelry inside it."
"Genius." He grinned back.
"Thank you."
* * * * *
Logan scanned the room for Max then sighed. She had already disappeared four times already on him and he had only found her once, in the coat closet going through all the jacket pockets. She had been gone much longer this time and he was starting to get worried that Dan's men had found her and she had to make a hasty exit.
"Logan?"
He turned at the sound of his name and saw a woman with long blonde hair dressed as a turtle. For a moment he didn't recognize her, but then it dawned on him. "Clara? Clara Waters?"
"You remember." She smiled. "And to think, everyone told me that once Logan Cale was over you that was it, your name was forgotten."
"There were a lot of stories about me that weren't true." He frowned, then lightened up. "But anyway, what's new? Why're you here?"
"Oh, well, nothing is new." She said, her smile still in place. "I'm actually here with my cousin William. He's been bugging me lately about getting out and about, so I came. Hmm, I just noticed that together we make the tortoise and the hare."
"Weren't the tortoise and the hare enemies?"
Logan looked over his shoulder to see where the familiar voice was coming from, then watched as Max grabbed a glass of champagne from a tray a waiter was carrying and walked over to them. She sipped the champagne lazily, raising her eyebrows at him while she did.
"Um, what?" Clara asked, confused by Max's comment.
Max stopped drinking and looked at her as if she were addressing a child. "The tortoise and the hare. They were enemies. They were racing against each other."
"They were still a pair." Clara replied.
"A pair of enemies." Max shrugged. "But a pair nonetheless, so I guess you're right."
"Right." Clara smiled fakely then turned to Logan. "Well, it was nice seeing you again, but I really must get going. William told me to get mingling, so a mingling I will go."
"All right." Logan smiled and watched her go, then turned to Max and cocked an eyebrow. "What was that?"
"What was what?" Max asked and sipped her champagne.
"It looked like you were ready to rip her head off."
"Don't be ridiculous." Max snorted. "I wouldn't rip it off. I'm a sophisticated soldier, Logan. I probably would've used some sort of device or possibly just - what? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"It's just... curious, is all." He shrugged.
She switched her stance so she was supporting all her weight on one leg, then put a hand on her hip and cocked her head. "What's so curious, may I ask?"
"Nothing, nothing." He said, then snatched the empty champagne glass from her hand and placed it expertly on a tray that was being carried away by a waiter. He knew she would protest, so he held his hand out to her before she could say a thing. "Dance with me?"
"Not until you tell me what's so damn curious." She said, crossing her arms.
"Don't worry about it." He said and put a hand on her arm. "Come on, dance with me."
She regarded him for a moment, then rolled her eyes and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor. Her stony expression remained for some of the dance, but when Logan wiggled his eyebrows and spun her, bringing her close, and began doing the tango, she couldn't help but smile.
"I'm not a tango type of girl." She smiled at him as they sharply switched directions.
"Of course you are." He grinned down at her. "Everyone can do the tango."
"Not me." She said as they slowed and returned to a regular pace. "I'm not exactly a ballroom person."
"Neither am I." He told her. "But anyone can do the tango."
"Would you like to prove that theory?" She dared.
"Yes, I would." He smiled at her, then rushed off into the sea of dancing people.
Max had to admit that she was a little surprised when Logan came back a few minutes later, a small train of people behind him. There were three different couples: a couple that looked in their sixties, one that looked in their twenties, and a couple of kids who couldn't have been more than ten years old. She couldn't help but smile down at the kids who were grinning up at her, glad to see that someone was able to enjoy their youth.
Logan flashed her a smile, then turned to the couples. "And... tango!"
Max watched, quite amused, as each of the couples began to tango before her eyes. She vaguely realized that Logan had walked to stand next to her as she watched, almost in a trance, and watched the pairs dance all around.
"I told you everyone can do the tango." He whispered in her ear, then offered her his hand. She smiled up at him and accepted it.
* * * *
Logan hung his coat up on the hanger then turned to Max and told her that he'd go make the coffee. She watched him go, then took it upon herself to wander into the living room. She sat on the couch and yawned.
Haven't done that in a while. She thought, then laid down. Maybe just a quick cat nap, then I'll drink my coffee and head home...
When Logan walked into the living room a few minutes later, two cups of coffee in hand, he smiled at the sight of Max sleeping. He set the cups down on the coffee table quietly, then grabbed a blanket from behind the couch and carefully draped it over her, not wanting to wake her for he knew that she didn't sleep often and would probably need it. He grabbed his cup of coffee, then went into the computer room.
He took a sip of coffee, then opened the files he would need for his latest hack. He sorted through the information, figuring out what he really needed to include and what details he could leave out without hurting the content of the hack. After deciding all that, he removed his glasses and set up the equipment.
Finally, he cleared his throat and began, "Do not attempt to adjust your set. This is a streaming freedom video bulletin. The cable hack will -"
"I thought your eyes looked familiar."