A/N- this part and the next get a little darker than before. Remember more reviews get faster posting of chapters.
Hells child.
Max was shaking so hard she thought the trainer was able to see it but he remained not so blissfully unaware.
"So 452, you think that rules are meant to be flaunted?"
"No Sir."
"You think that what the rest of us have to do, you are somehow exempt from? Shirking your duty? Thinking you're better than us?"
"NO SIR." She yelled back.
"Then explain these." He kicked at her feet. The boots that she had spent hours polishing this morning covered in mud. She'd only left the room for a second- a second but it had been enough. When she returned it was to find her immaculate boots covered in filth and grime and twenty seconds left until inspection. Dammit she should know by now not to leave anything untended. She could see Bulli smirking by her side and a few of her team mates sniggering.
"Eyes FRONT." The Trainer screamed. "Well what can we expect from an oh niner? Runaways, strays, traitors and deserters and now shirkers."
"Not traitors." She mumbled and immediately wished she hadn't as the Trainer turned purple.
"INSUBORDINATION. It's the pit for you; you little bitch until you learn how to be a player."
He grabbed her by the ear and hurled her towards the guards.
The two burly guards dragged Max away and stopped in front of a steel door set in the side of another room.
"See you in a week." One grinned and they slammed the door.
The pit was a cupboard only just big enough to stand in. you couldn't move, couldn't sit and couldn't really lean since there were spikes in the wall, it was pitch black and the door was steel so they couldn't hear you scream. You had to stand to attention for as long as they kept you in here. Max was a regular visitor and usually stayed for a few days. But this time it seemed that she had pushed the Trainer too hard.
No. This wasn't her fault. This was Bulli and his stupid, pathetic band of cowards and bullies. They couldn't find another way to amuse themselves so they made her life hell. And it was hell. Zack had said that Manticore was bad before when Jack got dissected and Eva was shot but this was so, so much worse.
Each and every day was an exercise in survival. Just getting through each day without getting sent to punishment detail was a success and every time she managed to hold both her temper and tongue; a triumph.
Still she refused them the pleasure of breaking. She was strong no matter what they said and she would live through this and one day be reunited with her brothers. Her brothers...oh god Zack where are you when I need you? I'm alone and I'm scared and I need you.
It was the monotonous sound that grated. All she could hear through the steel door was crunch, crunch, and crunch. The marching of soldiers down the corridor as they went to drills.
Crunch.
From drills.
Crunch.
To the mess halls where they'll be eating. Don't think about food.
Crunch.
To the dorms where they would bunk down. Don't think about sleeping.
Crunch.
The cycle starts again. The only thing real is the nightmares.
Crunch.
And again.
Oh Ben, I'm hungry and tired, oh so tired. Are they going to leave me in here to slowly die?
Crunch.
And again. Don't leave me!
Crunch.
And again.
ZACK?
Her heart raced as she heard the bolt being slid across and as light pushed in she had to move her shaking arms to shield her sensitive pupils.
"452, time to come out."
"H-h," she swallowed trying to get her dry throat to work again "How long?"
"Seven days." The guard blanched at the pale girl with big black circles under her squinting red eyes.
Max shivered as her cool clammy skin came into contact with the air conditioning. Her teeth chattered.
"Commander Evans wants you to go directly to session 15."
"15?" Max grabbed the wall as her legs almost gave way. She hadn't moved in a week and they had cramped. The pins and needles pain that shot through them made her eyes blur and her breath catch in a hiss of pain.
"Directly." He nodded.
Max nodded and then waited for the hall to stop spinning. She clutched the wall for support as she staggered down the corridor she could feel the guard watching from behind not sure whether to come to her assistance or not.
Keeping her eyes straight ahead she continued painstakingly down the hall.
Session 15 was a large room set in an old block of Manticore. It took her almost five minutes to reach it in her crippled state but by the time she had reached it her limbs were in working order again and she could walk without staggering.
She stopped in front of Commander Evans "Sir. I apologise for my appearance Sir but I was told to report to you directly."
"That is correct." He didn't even glance up at her from his papers. "You begin training again now; we wish to time you in the tank."
Max was sure that she hadn't heard him right. She hadn't eaten or washed or slept or even been to the toilet in seven days and he was expecting her to get into the tank?
The tank was a huge Olympic sized swimming pool with heavy chains at the bottom and an observational panel. The idea was to see how long the X's could hold their breath, they were chained to the bottom to give them anchor and assurance and then the trainer stood there with his stop clock timing them. The chains would only loosen when they had fulfilled whatever the trainer's expectation. If they didn't, then they wouldn't make it.
Max had lost a sister- Merie to the tank. She had been unable to hold her breath as long as the trainer wanted and she had been so panicked and drained they were unable to undo the chains in time. She got them twisted around her ankle and no amount of CPR had helped. She had died.
Max still had nightmares of being chained to the bottom of the murky water and watching her sisters' dead body floating helplessly nearby. Jondy had cried all night.
But you needed to be fit and aware and awake to survive long in the tank. Max was dehydrated, malnourished and exhausted. There was no way that she would live through this.
"Sir?"
"In the tank soldier." He ordered and she walked to the edge of the pool and slid in. Taking what was probably her last breath she kicked off and drifted to the bottom of the pool, shackling her feet to the heavy metal chains.
The observation deck was open and she could see the commander and a few men watching her. She closed her eyes to them and sought refuge inside her head. The water helped her aching muscles in her arms but her legs were shaking again as they protested being cramped in that position and with chains around her ankles.
She felt sick. Sick to her stomach and sick to her head. This was wrong, so very, very wrong.
One minute passed and she looked up to see the Commander pointing to something on his papers. He wasn't even watching the water.
Two minutes. Were they going to watch her die? Maybe this was an exercise in just how expendable she was- she got it really.
Three minutes. Her body sagged wanting to give up but she had been trained by Manticore. No giving up. If she was going to die she wouldn't give them the pleasure of watching her flag and flail around like a startled horse. But her body had other ideas and it hit out for the surface as the timer hit four minutes. The chain on her leg held her down.
Let me out.
She was tied to the solid concrete floor.
I need air!
She was going to be just like Merie.
Help!
The commander looked up like he was bored and glanced at the timer and her frantic expression. He paused like he was deliberating and then pushed a button. The chains undid and she hurtled for the surface. Breaking through and gasping for breath.
She looked up as dark boots came into view.
"That was poor 452, I expect better."
"S-sorry sir." She coughed as she got out of the pool. "I'll try to do better next time."
"See that you do. Training in two hours, go get cleaned up."
"Sir," she managed a salute and walked away.
A hot shower made her feel marginally more human but not enough to make up for her hungry stomach. She turned the water to cold once she had finished and moved her mouth underneath catching stray drops of water to quench her thirst. It wasn't much but it would have to do until lunch.
She joined her Unit who glared at her for continuing to breathe and exist as she waited in standard formation for the trainer.
"This morning we will be trying hand to hand basic. Pair up."
Everyone scrambled to get into pairs while Max waited for them to decide who would get stuck with her.
It was Bulli. Her blank eyes turned to him.
"Aww poor 452, what's wrong? Hungry, tired? Weak?"
Max ignored him and let her body remember the basic blocks to his attacks. Punch, block, turn, twist, block, arm up, elbow out, catch twist fall, up, block. All the time he taunted her but she refused to let herself hear him. Stop, drop, kick, block, smack, swing, block.
Suddenly she was hit with a surprise snap kick and she tuned back in to the fight.
Bulli grinned maliciously and she felt her dormant temper spike.
As he moved in to try another kick she snapped her fist out and caught him a cuff on the jaw. He jerked back and rounded on her furiously.
They met in a flurry of fists and came out of the formation in a wild pace.
"452, 261 what the hell are you doing?"
They both snapped to attention so quickly her hair was still flying as she saluted.
"Got carried away Sir." She said hurriedly not trusting Bulli not to drop her into another punishment.
He eyed her warily "Alright. Well watch what you do next time."
"Yes sir." She turned back to Bulli and no amount of provoking got through her defences this time. She was not going back to the pit today.
The mess hall was the usual melee of noise and confusion as hundreds of soldiers simultaneously ate lunch. They marched up to the service hatch and a prune faced old lady handed out slop that was supposed to be high in nutrition and vitamins and whatever the hell else they put in there to disguise the fact that it wasn't enough to feed a mouse on a diet.
Max finished her meal and looked around. The hall was clearing quickly as they wanted to get a few extra minutes to polish boots or catch up on reading or whatever it was they needed to do before they had to report to their C.O.'s.
Max looked down at her empty plate and up at the service hatch and made her decision.
She slowly stood up and walked to the hatchway and stood in front of the haggard old lady who peered at her through horn rimmed glasses.
"Yeah?"
She swallowed "I'm still hungry."
The old lady raised an eyebrow "One serving per person."
Max leaned forward "Please." It was a word that Bill had told her was magical and she hoped that it worked some of its magic here.
"I haven't eaten in a week, I'm tired and dirty and I'm hungry. Please?"
Max's wide eyes met the woman's and she watched as they softened.
The woman had to be in her late sixties, her hair in a net and her skin wrinkled, most of the kids ignored her except to wonder at how old and worn she was and mock her acid manner and drab clothes. None of them had ever really taken any time to get to know her or they would have been surprised that she was a grandmother three times over and that she basically lived for her family. Right now she was looking into the scared, tired face of this young soldier, the only one who had ever spoken to her in this place and all she could see was her youngest granddaughter.
Her eyes softened some more and she took Max's plate and filled it to the edges with more of the lunch meat and vegetables.
"We have some left over." She passed the plate back and was rewarded by a shaky smile.
"Thank you."
The lady nodded and watched as the small girl straightened her shoulders and walked away.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
WOW, thanks for all the great reviews for this.
m/a fan- i love Alec too but first Max has to deal with Gilette Wyoming and her Unit first. Bill did give her the perfect opportunity though.
Fair cate- Thanks, i was a bit unsure about my original characters but they seem to take on lives of their own.
Diamond Dust- Other charcters will eventually show up. Guess who?!
Raven- Is just liek Max to do that isn't it. Make lemonade from what they have given her. she will get a chance to exhibit her skills but has a way to go first. Glad you like Bill.
Brynnmissy- Thanks!! That is so sweet for you to say.
Jane- Cheers pet.
feyechelon- Your making me blush, so glad that it has had such a great impact. More soon.
Kitty- I'm a big M/A shipper too so he will be in it eventually. I wrote this because, like you, i found so many Max stays at manticore stories kinda dull.
Lyndsay- Thanks again pet, I'm glad that Bill has been so well recieved.
Hells child.
Max was shaking so hard she thought the trainer was able to see it but he remained not so blissfully unaware.
"So 452, you think that rules are meant to be flaunted?"
"No Sir."
"You think that what the rest of us have to do, you are somehow exempt from? Shirking your duty? Thinking you're better than us?"
"NO SIR." She yelled back.
"Then explain these." He kicked at her feet. The boots that she had spent hours polishing this morning covered in mud. She'd only left the room for a second- a second but it had been enough. When she returned it was to find her immaculate boots covered in filth and grime and twenty seconds left until inspection. Dammit she should know by now not to leave anything untended. She could see Bulli smirking by her side and a few of her team mates sniggering.
"Eyes FRONT." The Trainer screamed. "Well what can we expect from an oh niner? Runaways, strays, traitors and deserters and now shirkers."
"Not traitors." She mumbled and immediately wished she hadn't as the Trainer turned purple.
"INSUBORDINATION. It's the pit for you; you little bitch until you learn how to be a player."
He grabbed her by the ear and hurled her towards the guards.
The two burly guards dragged Max away and stopped in front of a steel door set in the side of another room.
"See you in a week." One grinned and they slammed the door.
The pit was a cupboard only just big enough to stand in. you couldn't move, couldn't sit and couldn't really lean since there were spikes in the wall, it was pitch black and the door was steel so they couldn't hear you scream. You had to stand to attention for as long as they kept you in here. Max was a regular visitor and usually stayed for a few days. But this time it seemed that she had pushed the Trainer too hard.
No. This wasn't her fault. This was Bulli and his stupid, pathetic band of cowards and bullies. They couldn't find another way to amuse themselves so they made her life hell. And it was hell. Zack had said that Manticore was bad before when Jack got dissected and Eva was shot but this was so, so much worse.
Each and every day was an exercise in survival. Just getting through each day without getting sent to punishment detail was a success and every time she managed to hold both her temper and tongue; a triumph.
Still she refused them the pleasure of breaking. She was strong no matter what they said and she would live through this and one day be reunited with her brothers. Her brothers...oh god Zack where are you when I need you? I'm alone and I'm scared and I need you.
It was the monotonous sound that grated. All she could hear through the steel door was crunch, crunch, and crunch. The marching of soldiers down the corridor as they went to drills.
Crunch.
From drills.
Crunch.
To the mess halls where they'll be eating. Don't think about food.
Crunch.
To the dorms where they would bunk down. Don't think about sleeping.
Crunch.
The cycle starts again. The only thing real is the nightmares.
Crunch.
And again.
Oh Ben, I'm hungry and tired, oh so tired. Are they going to leave me in here to slowly die?
Crunch.
And again. Don't leave me!
Crunch.
And again.
ZACK?
Her heart raced as she heard the bolt being slid across and as light pushed in she had to move her shaking arms to shield her sensitive pupils.
"452, time to come out."
"H-h," she swallowed trying to get her dry throat to work again "How long?"
"Seven days." The guard blanched at the pale girl with big black circles under her squinting red eyes.
Max shivered as her cool clammy skin came into contact with the air conditioning. Her teeth chattered.
"Commander Evans wants you to go directly to session 15."
"15?" Max grabbed the wall as her legs almost gave way. She hadn't moved in a week and they had cramped. The pins and needles pain that shot through them made her eyes blur and her breath catch in a hiss of pain.
"Directly." He nodded.
Max nodded and then waited for the hall to stop spinning. She clutched the wall for support as she staggered down the corridor she could feel the guard watching from behind not sure whether to come to her assistance or not.
Keeping her eyes straight ahead she continued painstakingly down the hall.
Session 15 was a large room set in an old block of Manticore. It took her almost five minutes to reach it in her crippled state but by the time she had reached it her limbs were in working order again and she could walk without staggering.
She stopped in front of Commander Evans "Sir. I apologise for my appearance Sir but I was told to report to you directly."
"That is correct." He didn't even glance up at her from his papers. "You begin training again now; we wish to time you in the tank."
Max was sure that she hadn't heard him right. She hadn't eaten or washed or slept or even been to the toilet in seven days and he was expecting her to get into the tank?
The tank was a huge Olympic sized swimming pool with heavy chains at the bottom and an observational panel. The idea was to see how long the X's could hold their breath, they were chained to the bottom to give them anchor and assurance and then the trainer stood there with his stop clock timing them. The chains would only loosen when they had fulfilled whatever the trainer's expectation. If they didn't, then they wouldn't make it.
Max had lost a sister- Merie to the tank. She had been unable to hold her breath as long as the trainer wanted and she had been so panicked and drained they were unable to undo the chains in time. She got them twisted around her ankle and no amount of CPR had helped. She had died.
Max still had nightmares of being chained to the bottom of the murky water and watching her sisters' dead body floating helplessly nearby. Jondy had cried all night.
But you needed to be fit and aware and awake to survive long in the tank. Max was dehydrated, malnourished and exhausted. There was no way that she would live through this.
"Sir?"
"In the tank soldier." He ordered and she walked to the edge of the pool and slid in. Taking what was probably her last breath she kicked off and drifted to the bottom of the pool, shackling her feet to the heavy metal chains.
The observation deck was open and she could see the commander and a few men watching her. She closed her eyes to them and sought refuge inside her head. The water helped her aching muscles in her arms but her legs were shaking again as they protested being cramped in that position and with chains around her ankles.
She felt sick. Sick to her stomach and sick to her head. This was wrong, so very, very wrong.
One minute passed and she looked up to see the Commander pointing to something on his papers. He wasn't even watching the water.
Two minutes. Were they going to watch her die? Maybe this was an exercise in just how expendable she was- she got it really.
Three minutes. Her body sagged wanting to give up but she had been trained by Manticore. No giving up. If she was going to die she wouldn't give them the pleasure of watching her flag and flail around like a startled horse. But her body had other ideas and it hit out for the surface as the timer hit four minutes. The chain on her leg held her down.
Let me out.
She was tied to the solid concrete floor.
I need air!
She was going to be just like Merie.
Help!
The commander looked up like he was bored and glanced at the timer and her frantic expression. He paused like he was deliberating and then pushed a button. The chains undid and she hurtled for the surface. Breaking through and gasping for breath.
She looked up as dark boots came into view.
"That was poor 452, I expect better."
"S-sorry sir." She coughed as she got out of the pool. "I'll try to do better next time."
"See that you do. Training in two hours, go get cleaned up."
"Sir," she managed a salute and walked away.
A hot shower made her feel marginally more human but not enough to make up for her hungry stomach. She turned the water to cold once she had finished and moved her mouth underneath catching stray drops of water to quench her thirst. It wasn't much but it would have to do until lunch.
She joined her Unit who glared at her for continuing to breathe and exist as she waited in standard formation for the trainer.
"This morning we will be trying hand to hand basic. Pair up."
Everyone scrambled to get into pairs while Max waited for them to decide who would get stuck with her.
It was Bulli. Her blank eyes turned to him.
"Aww poor 452, what's wrong? Hungry, tired? Weak?"
Max ignored him and let her body remember the basic blocks to his attacks. Punch, block, turn, twist, block, arm up, elbow out, catch twist fall, up, block. All the time he taunted her but she refused to let herself hear him. Stop, drop, kick, block, smack, swing, block.
Suddenly she was hit with a surprise snap kick and she tuned back in to the fight.
Bulli grinned maliciously and she felt her dormant temper spike.
As he moved in to try another kick she snapped her fist out and caught him a cuff on the jaw. He jerked back and rounded on her furiously.
They met in a flurry of fists and came out of the formation in a wild pace.
"452, 261 what the hell are you doing?"
They both snapped to attention so quickly her hair was still flying as she saluted.
"Got carried away Sir." She said hurriedly not trusting Bulli not to drop her into another punishment.
He eyed her warily "Alright. Well watch what you do next time."
"Yes sir." She turned back to Bulli and no amount of provoking got through her defences this time. She was not going back to the pit today.
The mess hall was the usual melee of noise and confusion as hundreds of soldiers simultaneously ate lunch. They marched up to the service hatch and a prune faced old lady handed out slop that was supposed to be high in nutrition and vitamins and whatever the hell else they put in there to disguise the fact that it wasn't enough to feed a mouse on a diet.
Max finished her meal and looked around. The hall was clearing quickly as they wanted to get a few extra minutes to polish boots or catch up on reading or whatever it was they needed to do before they had to report to their C.O.'s.
Max looked down at her empty plate and up at the service hatch and made her decision.
She slowly stood up and walked to the hatchway and stood in front of the haggard old lady who peered at her through horn rimmed glasses.
"Yeah?"
She swallowed "I'm still hungry."
The old lady raised an eyebrow "One serving per person."
Max leaned forward "Please." It was a word that Bill had told her was magical and she hoped that it worked some of its magic here.
"I haven't eaten in a week, I'm tired and dirty and I'm hungry. Please?"
Max's wide eyes met the woman's and she watched as they softened.
The woman had to be in her late sixties, her hair in a net and her skin wrinkled, most of the kids ignored her except to wonder at how old and worn she was and mock her acid manner and drab clothes. None of them had ever really taken any time to get to know her or they would have been surprised that she was a grandmother three times over and that she basically lived for her family. Right now she was looking into the scared, tired face of this young soldier, the only one who had ever spoken to her in this place and all she could see was her youngest granddaughter.
Her eyes softened some more and she took Max's plate and filled it to the edges with more of the lunch meat and vegetables.
"We have some left over." She passed the plate back and was rewarded by a shaky smile.
"Thank you."
The lady nodded and watched as the small girl straightened her shoulders and walked away.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
WOW, thanks for all the great reviews for this.
m/a fan- i love Alec too but first Max has to deal with Gilette Wyoming and her Unit first. Bill did give her the perfect opportunity though.
Fair cate- Thanks, i was a bit unsure about my original characters but they seem to take on lives of their own.
Diamond Dust- Other charcters will eventually show up. Guess who?!
Raven- Is just liek Max to do that isn't it. Make lemonade from what they have given her. she will get a chance to exhibit her skills but has a way to go first. Glad you like Bill.
Brynnmissy- Thanks!! That is so sweet for you to say.
Jane- Cheers pet.
feyechelon- Your making me blush, so glad that it has had such a great impact. More soon.
Kitty- I'm a big M/A shipper too so he will be in it eventually. I wrote this because, like you, i found so many Max stays at manticore stories kinda dull.
Lyndsay- Thanks again pet, I'm glad that Bill has been so well recieved.