Disclaimer: see chapter 1
A/N: OK, I'm going away for 8 days, so this is my final offering before
then. Enjoy!
Seattle 2021 Sebastian's lab 11:46 PM
I sigh as I watch the virus in Max's blood reproduce under the microscope. Little bugger is nasty. Not only does it cause a deadly reaction in its victim (Logan), but the bloody thing reproduces like rabbits on Viagra. I sigh again. I'll be lucky if I'm able to tell Logan anything he doesn't already know about this virus.
I really regret that actually. After all Logan has done for people that he doesn't even know, surely he deserves to have some happiness. Well, if Max is what Logan needs to be happy, then I'll just have to find someone who can cure this virus.
Seattle 2021 Logan's penthouse 11:59 PM
I watch as the fluorescent numbers click over to midnight. Another day gone. Another day that I can't hold Max. Oh stop it Cale! I need to do something. I walk over to my computer, and I start to look for something, anything that could help with the virus.
Seattle 2021 Outside Logan's penthouse 12:01 AM
I watch Logan type furiously on his computer. He's looking for something. Now is the time that I sit back and wonder if this is a bad time to approach him about the virus. Oh well, too bad. I have to do this now.
I climb onto the roof above his head. Thank God he lives in a penthouse apartment. I open his skylight as quietly as possible. Wouldn't want to scare the poor guy.
I look up from my typing. I've got that weird prickly feeling, like someone's watching me. I stand up and get my gun, looking around frantically for any possible intruders. There is definitely someone here.
Logan is searching frantically for me. I guess I should make my presence known.
"Who's there?" Logan asks, trying not to sound as scared as he is.
"It's OK." A quiet voice answers. "I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to help."
"With what?" Logan scoffs.
"The Virus."
I cannot believe what this voice is saying. Help me with the virus? Should I trust her?
"Who are you?" I ask cautiously.
The young singer from the Crash emerges from the shadows in my apartment. She offers me her hand.
"I'm Six." She introduces herself, smiling. "Or should I say XL-6452"
"You're Manticore?" I ask, shocked that this young girl would actually come out with her designation, not even trying to hide her identity.
"Yeah." She answers, somewhat guarded now, probably due to my reaction.
Seattle 2021 Max's apartment 2:00 AM
I can't believe someone os knocking on my door at this time of the morning. On a SUNDAY might I add. I walk over to the door, ready to kill whoever is on the other side. Logan. It's Logan. Why is he here. And why is the girl with him? Suddenly I feel dizzy.
Once Logan explains the situation, the dizzyness doesn't go away. Why is she here. I knew she was Manticore! Yet, she isn't trying to hurt me or anything. Maybe I should trust her. After all, she says that she can cure the virus. Which I will believe when I see it. Still, I guess it's worth a try. I agree to go with Logan and Six (Weird name.) to see Sebastian.
Sitting in the car, I think about the virus. Maybe, if Six cures it, I'll eventually be able to work out how I feel about Logan - I mean, past the fact that I love him. I mean, if the virus is cured, I have to work out what I want. Do I want to date him, marry him, have kids with him?! OK, now I have to work that out before the virus is cured, if it ever gets cured that is.
Seattle 2018 Backstreets of sector 4 1:09 AM
Black, it's all black. Damn! Why did I come out here tonight?! I need to get home - NOW! I need Tryptophan.
I chuckle when I think of home. It's really just the basement of our band's manager's place - but still, pretty good for a 13 year old.
I am walking, as fast as I can, considering the fact that I'm shaking so hard. It's not really that far now - 5 clicks or so. But still, I'm not sure if I can make it. The seizures are bad enough, but the reason that I came out here weighs even more heavily on my cloudy mind. I come out here, to the poor parts of the city, to try to understand human emotion. In any normal situation, I can (and have) felt many of the possible human emotions. Yet, I've always known that I was missing a feeling or two. So I come here. These people, they feel so different. It's like a whole new world for my enhanced senses. I know that Meech worries when I just disappear, but sometimes. I just need to feel something.
I snap out of my pain and of my thoughts, when the barrel of a gun confronts me. I gasp, thinking - what can I do, I can't defend myself when I'm having these seizures! The guy that pointed the gun at me demands that I give him something valuable, or he'll shoot me. I cry, I don't have valuables, and I'm in so much pain. The guy gets angry now, ranting and raving. Suddenly, he shoots.
And I wake up.
Seattle 2021 Sebastian's living quarters 5:36 AM
I wander through Seb's place, admiring his many expensive paintings and such. Sebastian has been a very good friend for a long time. Hell, he's known me since even before my parents died. I grimace at that thought. Not a topic for today.
I decide that I'd better check on Six. Like Max, she doesn't need much sleep (Or so she says - It must be something that Manticore put into a lot of its 'soldiers'), but she went to bed awhile ago.
I quietly open the door to Seb's guestroom, and peer in. Six is thrashing about on the bed. It looks like she might be. Seizing! Why didn't I think of that??! I run back into the lab, quickly taking Max's tryptophan, and giving some to Six. She seems to settle down a little, until she starts crying. I look over at Max, desperately seeking help. I mean, crying is something that girls are good with. I can't deal with. My thinking stops there, and I realise that I can help this girl. I take her in my arms, thinking. She's going to help Max and I with the virus, so the least I can do is comfort her.
Seattle 2021 Sebastian's guest room 6:05 AM
Logan, yet again has surprised me. When Six began to cry in her sleep, I expected him to sort of go 'there there' and run away quickly - as most guys would. But no, Logan took her into his arms, trying to comfort her. She's still upset though. She's crying in her sleep, and Logan seems upset because of this.
Six wakes up quickly, looking around wildly. Logan just tells her that it's OK. She sits up quickly, and Logan backs away, apologising. Six says it's OK, but I know that she's uncomfortable for some reason. I want to try and talk to her, but she leaves the room. I just look at Logan. I know he's wondering what he did wrong, but I guess he's learned from me: some people's walls take longer to break than others.
Seattle 2021 Roof of Sebastian's Lab 6:45 AM
As I watch the sun rise, I wonder why Logan made me uncomfortable. I mean, it's not like he was hitting on me, or anything. It was more of a big brother gesture I guess. Whatever, it just felt safe to be in his arms.
Now there's a novel concept - to be safe. I've actually only felt this very rarely. As a Manticorian, maybe I don't deserve to feel safe. All I know is that the next time I have one of those stupid flashback dreams, I hope Logan is there.
Seattle 2021 Sebastian's lab 8:03 AM
I watch Six working, and I wonder how such a small person can hold such knowledge. I mean, I'm a guy who has a lot of time on his (Useless) hands, and I still come nowhere near to her intelligence level. Oh well, at least Max and Logan have a chance to be happy now. At least, I hope they do.
I do find it hard to believe that this virus can be cured, after looking at it under a microscope. But hey, I'm now convinced that if anyone can do it, Six can.
This girl really is something.
OK, so Quarkz won the song cometition - a big cyber cookie for you hon! Thanx to everyone else for the reviews. :)
Seattle 2021 Sebastian's lab 11:46 PM
I sigh as I watch the virus in Max's blood reproduce under the microscope. Little bugger is nasty. Not only does it cause a deadly reaction in its victim (Logan), but the bloody thing reproduces like rabbits on Viagra. I sigh again. I'll be lucky if I'm able to tell Logan anything he doesn't already know about this virus.
I really regret that actually. After all Logan has done for people that he doesn't even know, surely he deserves to have some happiness. Well, if Max is what Logan needs to be happy, then I'll just have to find someone who can cure this virus.
Seattle 2021 Logan's penthouse 11:59 PM
I watch as the fluorescent numbers click over to midnight. Another day gone. Another day that I can't hold Max. Oh stop it Cale! I need to do something. I walk over to my computer, and I start to look for something, anything that could help with the virus.
Seattle 2021 Outside Logan's penthouse 12:01 AM
I watch Logan type furiously on his computer. He's looking for something. Now is the time that I sit back and wonder if this is a bad time to approach him about the virus. Oh well, too bad. I have to do this now.
I climb onto the roof above his head. Thank God he lives in a penthouse apartment. I open his skylight as quietly as possible. Wouldn't want to scare the poor guy.
I look up from my typing. I've got that weird prickly feeling, like someone's watching me. I stand up and get my gun, looking around frantically for any possible intruders. There is definitely someone here.
Logan is searching frantically for me. I guess I should make my presence known.
"Who's there?" Logan asks, trying not to sound as scared as he is.
"It's OK." A quiet voice answers. "I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to help."
"With what?" Logan scoffs.
"The Virus."
I cannot believe what this voice is saying. Help me with the virus? Should I trust her?
"Who are you?" I ask cautiously.
The young singer from the Crash emerges from the shadows in my apartment. She offers me her hand.
"I'm Six." She introduces herself, smiling. "Or should I say XL-6452"
"You're Manticore?" I ask, shocked that this young girl would actually come out with her designation, not even trying to hide her identity.
"Yeah." She answers, somewhat guarded now, probably due to my reaction.
Seattle 2021 Max's apartment 2:00 AM
I can't believe someone os knocking on my door at this time of the morning. On a SUNDAY might I add. I walk over to the door, ready to kill whoever is on the other side. Logan. It's Logan. Why is he here. And why is the girl with him? Suddenly I feel dizzy.
Once Logan explains the situation, the dizzyness doesn't go away. Why is she here. I knew she was Manticore! Yet, she isn't trying to hurt me or anything. Maybe I should trust her. After all, she says that she can cure the virus. Which I will believe when I see it. Still, I guess it's worth a try. I agree to go with Logan and Six (Weird name.) to see Sebastian.
Sitting in the car, I think about the virus. Maybe, if Six cures it, I'll eventually be able to work out how I feel about Logan - I mean, past the fact that I love him. I mean, if the virus is cured, I have to work out what I want. Do I want to date him, marry him, have kids with him?! OK, now I have to work that out before the virus is cured, if it ever gets cured that is.
Seattle 2018 Backstreets of sector 4 1:09 AM
Black, it's all black. Damn! Why did I come out here tonight?! I need to get home - NOW! I need Tryptophan.
I chuckle when I think of home. It's really just the basement of our band's manager's place - but still, pretty good for a 13 year old.
I am walking, as fast as I can, considering the fact that I'm shaking so hard. It's not really that far now - 5 clicks or so. But still, I'm not sure if I can make it. The seizures are bad enough, but the reason that I came out here weighs even more heavily on my cloudy mind. I come out here, to the poor parts of the city, to try to understand human emotion. In any normal situation, I can (and have) felt many of the possible human emotions. Yet, I've always known that I was missing a feeling or two. So I come here. These people, they feel so different. It's like a whole new world for my enhanced senses. I know that Meech worries when I just disappear, but sometimes. I just need to feel something.
I snap out of my pain and of my thoughts, when the barrel of a gun confronts me. I gasp, thinking - what can I do, I can't defend myself when I'm having these seizures! The guy that pointed the gun at me demands that I give him something valuable, or he'll shoot me. I cry, I don't have valuables, and I'm in so much pain. The guy gets angry now, ranting and raving. Suddenly, he shoots.
And I wake up.
Seattle 2021 Sebastian's living quarters 5:36 AM
I wander through Seb's place, admiring his many expensive paintings and such. Sebastian has been a very good friend for a long time. Hell, he's known me since even before my parents died. I grimace at that thought. Not a topic for today.
I decide that I'd better check on Six. Like Max, she doesn't need much sleep (Or so she says - It must be something that Manticore put into a lot of its 'soldiers'), but she went to bed awhile ago.
I quietly open the door to Seb's guestroom, and peer in. Six is thrashing about on the bed. It looks like she might be. Seizing! Why didn't I think of that??! I run back into the lab, quickly taking Max's tryptophan, and giving some to Six. She seems to settle down a little, until she starts crying. I look over at Max, desperately seeking help. I mean, crying is something that girls are good with. I can't deal with. My thinking stops there, and I realise that I can help this girl. I take her in my arms, thinking. She's going to help Max and I with the virus, so the least I can do is comfort her.
Seattle 2021 Sebastian's guest room 6:05 AM
Logan, yet again has surprised me. When Six began to cry in her sleep, I expected him to sort of go 'there there' and run away quickly - as most guys would. But no, Logan took her into his arms, trying to comfort her. She's still upset though. She's crying in her sleep, and Logan seems upset because of this.
Six wakes up quickly, looking around wildly. Logan just tells her that it's OK. She sits up quickly, and Logan backs away, apologising. Six says it's OK, but I know that she's uncomfortable for some reason. I want to try and talk to her, but she leaves the room. I just look at Logan. I know he's wondering what he did wrong, but I guess he's learned from me: some people's walls take longer to break than others.
Seattle 2021 Roof of Sebastian's Lab 6:45 AM
As I watch the sun rise, I wonder why Logan made me uncomfortable. I mean, it's not like he was hitting on me, or anything. It was more of a big brother gesture I guess. Whatever, it just felt safe to be in his arms.
Now there's a novel concept - to be safe. I've actually only felt this very rarely. As a Manticorian, maybe I don't deserve to feel safe. All I know is that the next time I have one of those stupid flashback dreams, I hope Logan is there.
Seattle 2021 Sebastian's lab 8:03 AM
I watch Six working, and I wonder how such a small person can hold such knowledge. I mean, I'm a guy who has a lot of time on his (Useless) hands, and I still come nowhere near to her intelligence level. Oh well, at least Max and Logan have a chance to be happy now. At least, I hope they do.
I do find it hard to believe that this virus can be cured, after looking at it under a microscope. But hey, I'm now convinced that if anyone can do it, Six can.
This girl really is something.
OK, so Quarkz won the song cometition - a big cyber cookie for you hon! Thanx to everyone else for the reviews. :)