Coming to attention.
"Sir? Agent Sandoval has a message from her. She wants a DNA work up on the five X's that we are sending to her."
Lydecker nodded "I'll get 452's done immediately; I wanted to tell her that she has been selected personally."
He walked out of the Command centre and down to the barracks where he knew her unit would be at rest in the recreation room.
"Colonel Lydecker." 261 saluted and stood to attention followed by the rest of the squad.
"Where is 452?" he asked looking around for the dark haired beauty. His suspicious mind went into over drive as he registered the state of the X-series in front of him. It looked like they had been in the wars. Most sported blood somewhere on their person or furniture and now he was looking it seemed like the furniture had just been put back to its original position.
"Well? Can you explain her whereabouts?"
"Unknown Sir." The boy said and winced as the action split his lip.
"You have no idea Soldier? She is under your command isn't she?"
He heard a scoff from a corner and raised an eyebrow.
"What happened here?"
"Group sparring." A boy said from the corner and they all slowly nodded.
"Do you want me to locate her?"
"I'll find her." He waved, "As you were."
"Yes sir!"
Lydecker walked away his mind whirling. They did encourage sparring within the units to keep them sharp but his finely honed senses told him that there was something else here.
He made his way back to command centre where all the trainers were waiting to discuss who would make the grade to be chosen for the mission.
"Commander O'Hare."
"Yes Sir?"
"Do we still have camera's set up in the recreational areas?"
"Yes Sir."
"Hook us up to rec room 5a, I want to playback the footage of the last half hour."
O'Hare tapped a few commands and pointed to the large screen that adorned one wall of the Command centre. Immediately there was an image of the empty recreation room in all its glory. One pool table, one large sofa, a punch bag and exercise mat, a foosball table and darts board.
"Sound?" Lydecker asked and O'Hare tapped in a few more commands and a static filled the room.
He didn't see what the big deal was, it was just an empty rec room.
Then in walked a group of the X-series, fourteen good looking soldiers all walking close together.
Then few seconds later another X5 walked in and the reaction was startling. If O'Hare didn't know better he would say that their hackles had risen.
Everyone in command turned to watch as the scene played out on the big screen; the small girl facing off with the entire room full of transgenics.
Lydecker seemed frozen in place as she reeled off a list of atrocities and the more wary among the Commanders and trainers took a step away from the granite statue of their boss.
When the first punch was thrown a deadly silence fled over the room and the only sounds were that of flesh hitting flesh and reverberation of grunts.
As the image finally showed a triumphant dark haired girl standing bloodied and bruised over the cowering form of a boy whilst the rest of the unit lay in various states of disarray every pair of eyes in command were fixed on Lydecker.
But he remained immobile until with a parting growl 452 had left the room.
"Get me 452's medical file, she's in unit 6." He ordered his voice colder than steel and the nearest lab tech hurried to obey and get out of the possible line of fire.
He reappeared to the same silence that he had left meaning that no one had wanted to break the calm before the storm. He held out the file to Lydecker who barely glanced at it.
"I said 452's. Not the whole unit."
The tech swallowed "This is just 452's."
Slowly Lydecker turned around and took the file. It was as deep as his hand.
He opened and began flipping through it, his eyes getting harder with each turned page, the only sound in the room rustling of the paper in his hand.
He glanced up at the trainers, his gaze colder than icicles.
"Can anyone explain this to me?"
Silence.
"Explain to me how a fifteen year old girl has had her arm broken no less than fourteen times in five years? Three broken legs and over two hundred black eyes… by my calculations, that's one a week…for FIVE years."
"We encourage competition and sparring." One trainer who was braver- or more stupid than the others said "It helps with training."
"46 broken ribs isn't training, its TORTURE!" Lydecker yelled and they jumped. "Look at this, 82 visits to the pit ranging from an hour to a week. A week? Two admittances to the hospital wing for malnutrition. Since when do we advocate starvation? Over 300 visits to solitary? 4 visits to Psy-ops. FOUR? It's a marvel she has any free will left. What the HELL has been going on?"
His thunderous look mad even the bravest of them take a step away.
"This is CHILD ABUSE!" he pointed at the screen "Do you mean to tell me that not one of you knew about this?"
"We…suspected." One said when it was clear that Lydecker expected an answer.
"46 cracked ribs and you…suspected?" they shifted from foot to foot looking like scolded children their glances from his murderous look to the image of 452 disappearing under a pile of bodies as the tape got stuck on a loop.
"It looks like the X-series aren't the only ones under review. I will be personally checking all of your files. Those unfit will be summarily dismissed, now get the hell out of my sight."
He spat and they fled.
Max sat on the wall outside in the bright sunshine listening to the sound of bird call and the far away yells of the drill sergeant. She was deep in her book when a shadow passed across it pages. She glanced up and then jumped off the wall to stand to attention.
"Sir!" she saluted and winced as the action pulled on her sore side and pain erupted in her chest. Lydecker looked down at her.
"At ease soldier." His tone was concerned as his gaze flickered over her bruised features and still posture.
"I need to ask you a question Soldier."
"Yes Sir?"
"Do you have loyalty to your unit?"
"Yes Sir." She replied immediately without hesitation.
"Do you trust your unit with your life?"
"Yes Sir."
"Do you love your unit?"
"Yes Sir."
He paused for a second.
"Let me rephrase that 452, do you love Unit 6?"
Silence.
"Ah." He nodded and Max braced herself.
"I watch some interesting television footage today." Max remained impassive as she wondered what he was talking about.
"I bet you weren't aware that all the rec rooms are hooked up to the surveillance system."
Max sagged, all of the small hope that he had been coming to tell her that she was going, leaving her. She was going to be punished for losing her temper and inciting her team to fighting, disharmonising in the unit, saying one…two…three or possibly all of the forbidden words. Maybe he'd send her to the pit or maybe even Psy-Ops.
"How long has this behaviour been going on?" he gestured to her bruises.
Max was finally too tired to lie. She'd rather die and be disassembled than stay with the unit any longer.
"Since I was first assigned to the unit Sir."
"Why didn't you inform me?"
"A good soldier doesn't complain about their lot, they do or die." She repeated tonelessly and without apology.
"Dammit Max!" She looked up startled "You think I want that for you- for any of you?" he started to pace.
"It doesn't matter sir." She felt the need to say, to assure him that she wasn't whining. "What's my punishment?"
"No punishment, I think you've had enough of that. I came to tell you that you are one of our elite. You're going to Seattle."
Max's face ran the gamut of sadness, disbelief and barely burgeoning hope before a beatific smile lit up her exotic features.
"Thank you sir!"
"Don't thank me 452, you damn well earned it, many times over if that tape is any indication." He patted her shoulder "You leave tomorrow for Seattle."
He paused as he went to walk away.
"I have to know something 452, I saw the tape I know that at any time you could have turned the tables on them. How did you survive?"
"When the enemy hands you lemons you make lemonade." She retorted "I looked on it as a prolonged exercise in exposure to hostile territory."
His lips twitched and she saw him turn his head to hide his laughter.
"You are being pert 452, I think you need to spend your last night here in solitary."
Now it was her turn to twitch her lips. He, knowingly, had just handed Max her favourite punishment- time away from her Unit.
"Very well sir."
"Go pack your things."
As she walked away with the bright sun on her back and a light bounce in her step she heard his faint words.
"I'm proud of you 452."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~~*~*~**~*~
Brynnmissy- wicked awesome- thanks
Ev- I also loved that chapter, it really showed what Max is capable of.
Acb- but a good cliffhanger huh! Maxie makes me proud too, she's is cool and I'm glad that you think I'm getting better!
Dokushoka79- but quick update!!
Sigma1- feel afraid as the author continues to grin, only one more chap to go after this. The we sequel-ise- stay with me on this! We get to Alec-y goodness.
Gamgirl452- welcome to my psychosis! Hope this answered your questions!
Raven- He means her present family, he thinks that because she was so family orientated before that she has the same feelings for Bulli and Unit 6- all together now HAH! You review- I update…that's the plan!
Ru- Aw I always knew Lydecker had a heart under all that Parka, we just had to dig for it. Glad you like.
Et- Here another Chapter before Christmas- hope you appreciate!!
_Data_- written more quickly- thanks for feedbacking!
Amanja- stay with me- it will happen!!! Promise!!
Freedom Angel- I know I stopped there, couldn't help it! but more now and I promise more within a week. So glad you decided to join me on my Max adventure.
Angel21- didn't have to wait long see.
Aren't I good to you? Now you know what to do, the faster you review the more quickly I update. Sweet how that works ain't it?