Disclaimer- The characters don't belong to me, they are property of James Cameron and Charles Eglee
A/N- I got the flashback from Dark Angel: Before the Dawn by Max Allan Collins, if you go onto Amazon.com and search for it you'll find a look inside! One and I read the first few pages.
MirellaM- Thanks. Of course they're together! Wouldn't have it any other way *grin*
Thanks to anyone else that reviewed. It helps a lot.
A/N 2- I experienced a serious case of writer's block while writing this so forgive me if it doesn't flow. I'm not quite sure how to continue this, but continue it I will. Enjoy!
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Chapter 8- Évasion
Cell- White's current HQ
Max sat on her bunk staring into space and slowly but barely rocked back and forth. Alec was sitting opposite her and was busy banging his head against the wall. They both sat in absolute silence, the only sounds to be heard were the incessant dripping of the ceiling leaking, the muffled thumps as Alec continuously banged his head against the wall and the distinct creak of Max's bunk as it protested against her slight movements.
She broke first. "Damnit!! We have to do something to get out of here!!!" she sprang off her bunk and began to pace.
Alec stopped his banging but merely stared at her blankly, his eyes following her pendulum-like movements. She turned to face him "Well?"
"Well what?" he finally responded "This place might not be an impregnable fortress Max but it's chock full of powerful, murderous, fanatical familiars that are just itching to get their hands on our throats. Escape would be suicide".
"Yeah and I can see how staying here would have its appeal" she snapped
"There's no point in dying"
"There's no point in living"
He got off his own bunk and closed the space between them until they were just 6 inches apart. "And why the hell would you think that?" he asked calmly
"Because there isn't. We're of no use to anyone here. Their going to get something out of us eventually, you don't think they left us here for what? Two days by now I guess, just because they wanted to give us a break, do you? Face the facts Alec, White's gonna come back from whatever stupid mission he's on right now pretty soon and then he'll deal with us. Not so nicely this time. My scars are healing, I have no intention of getting anymore"
"So you're willing to recklessly charge out there and get yourself killed, just because?"
She faced him defiantly "Yeah, just because"
Alec pretended to process what she just said "So what you're saying" he said slowly "is that you're willing to walk right to your death. To bend over when White asks just so you can get kicked in the butt because you're sick of standing straight and to hell with all the hundreds of transgenics that are depending on you, right? Correct me if I'm wrong"
Max turned pink and hung her head "You're right. I guess not"
Alec put a hand to his ear and pretended that he hadn't heard her "What's that? I don't believe I heard correctly. Did the great and fearless Maxine actually say that I was right? Surely I must be mistaken?"
That made her smile "Shut up pretty boy" she thwacked him on the shoulder. He held his injured arm amiably.
"I guess the bright side is we've had time to recuperate, White probably ordered the familiars and his men to stay away from us. Probably wants to deal with us personally."
"Yeah, but it's still worrying"
"What is?"
"Max this guy's been after you for a number of reasons, you captured his son, you're the bane of his rock band, they're his orders, you have no junk DNA and would make a wonderful gift to all the scalpel-happy geeks back at whatever base they have that's dissecting every transgenic that comes their way. You've got to wonder, what was so important that he abandoned us for?"
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Junkyard
"Fe nos'tol" White scanned the area as he talked. His cell phone flashed in the sunlight. He was standing between piles of junk at the junkyard.
"Yes, of course. I'll tell her" he snapped the cell phone shut and kicked the nearest object, a box labeled Keveral, it kicked up a lot of dust that settled on his suit. He started swearing.
"You know, the chimneysweep look doesn't become you" a stunning blonde stepped out from behind a pile of garbage. She had a tattoo on the back of her right hand, it was the Chinese symbol for peace.
"X5-438" he growled
"How nice of you to remember my designation. Nice job by the way, somehow I doubted you could do it"
"It was easy" he snarled
She turned businesslike "I gave you the dynamic duo. Now where's my money?"
He looked at her then pulled out his phone and keyed in some numbers "This is White, do it"
The nameless woman pulled out some kind of monitoring device, a rectangular screen with handles at the side. She smiled in satisfaction as she watched the numbers in her bank account increase, abruptly the smile dropped. She grabbed him by the collar "Where's the rest?"
"All in due time. I have another job for you" he calmly pried her hands off his shirt.
She assessed him carefully with expressive grey eyes "What's in it for me?"
"Fifty thousand dollars" he enunciated each word.
She smiled "Must be a big job. What about the rest of this payoff?"
"You'll get all of it after this"
"So what's the job?"
He handed her an envelope, she quickly opened it and saw a disc plus a sheet of paper obviously containing instructions. Transaction complete. She patted him on the shoulder "Until next time!" however before she could move away a blob of goo hit her and she vaguely saw one hit White before she blacked out.
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His arms encircled her small waist, pulling her closer; the heat radiated from his body warming her as she was pressed up against him, her scanty clothing allowed her to feel every burning touch. Her arms slipped around his neck and her hands entwined in his hair
drawing him closer still. His lips softly brushed hers sending tingles down her spine. His hand moved up her bare back causing yet more shivers while his lips wandered, barely grazing her.
The feel of soft velvety skin under his fingertips was killing him. All he wanted to do right then was take her in his arms and blow her away. She moaned as his lips brushed against hers again. He undid the clasp of her dress that was at the back of her neck. It didn't fall because he was pushed up against her so tightly that it was held on.
She desperately tugged his shirt off and began to exercise some of her own skills. Their mouths finally met in a breathtaking kiss. The lip lock was sending different sensations tumbling down inside of her, overwhelming her. She couldn't think, she was captured in the moment. So lost in his arms, enraptured by him.
Max sat up in bed, left with pleasant but vague afterimages of her dream Next to her Alec was similarly started out of his sleep. They had decided to rest on the same bunk again to keep warm. They faced each other.
Alec regained his voice first "Did… um did you…?" he gave up and jumped off the bunk.
"Did I what?" Max asked innocently.
"Did you have the same sort of dream as me?"
"Depends. What were you dreaming?"
"Uh, nothing much. You?"
"I dreamt that, well um, that I was" she lit up "at a restaurant with Logan!"
His expression darkened "Really? And what were you guys talking about?"
"Nothing important really"
"Sure"
"Wait. Do you hear that?" they could make out vague scuffing noises of soft soled shoes against the concrete floor. She whirled around to face him "There haven't been guards down here in days!" she hissed.
"Wonder what they're here for?"
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"You know Alec, if you weren't such an IDIOT!!! We wouldn't have gotten into this in the first place" the distinctly feminine shriek emanated from behind the barred door.
The familiar looked at his partner in puzzlement. The latter shrugged his shoulder and listened.
"Why are you always picking on me! It was your fault!" this time the yell was definitely male.
"Yeah? How so?"
"If we'd just left when I said we should, we could've gotten out of there!"
"Hey you were the one that was wondering which ca…"
"I really don't care Max!!!!! You're always blaming things on me!! Let's have it out now. You wanna beat me up? Just try"
The definite sounds of fighting floated out to the alarmed pair. They heard a crash as if a chair had just been smashed against a wall.
"We have to break this up!" the first whispered.
"Stupid transgenics. Just like animals" the partner spat, "Fine come on"
They hurriedly drew back the bolts and unlocked the door, wary of a set up. They saw that the transgenics were indeed duking it out in the middle of the room, one of the bunks had been torn from the wall and was lying on the floor. Shards of splintered wood lay around the room. They were seemingly engaged in fierce combat.
Max gave him a roundhouse kick and a swift uppercut. He staggered under the first blow but blocked the second. The familiars rushed to put an end to it afraid of what White would do to them should the transgenics be harmed. The first got to Alec just as the other got to Max. They dragged the two away from one another, they both struggled trying to continue the fight. Then in sync (no reference to boyband) they shook off the familiars' grips and knocked them out.
They wasted no time getting out of the musty cell. It took a minute to adjust to the bright light. "Max" Alec tapped her shoulder.
"Yeah?" he pointed to a window. She smiled, suddenly sirens started blaring; she saw a faint stir of movement from one of the familiars "Damn it!!!"
"C'mon. We have to go!"
"Just one thing" she strode into the cell and kicked the phone out of the familiars hand. It shattered against the wall. She kicked the familiar even harder and knocked him out yet again.
She ran for the window, Alec at her heels. "We're on the fifth floor"
"You've got to be kidding" they heard footfalls coming from the stairwell below "Do it!"
Max jumped out the window, shattering the glass. The shards showered down around her as she plummeted to the ground, she bent her knees on contact to minimize impact and prevent damage. She moved out of the way, soon Alec landed behind her.
"Move it"
They sprinted towards the twelve foot tall wire fence with barbed wire at the top. A strobe light flashed across the ground. They took cover behind a shed. Alec used military signals to indicate that they split up and go around in different directions then meet up outside the fence.
A young Zack made signs to split up and indicated that she and Jondy should move out. She shook her head wanting to stay, she didn't understand- wasn't there strength in numbers? Again he indicated that she should leave, Jondy grabbed her and they ran, they reached the fence and scrambled over. She turned back for a moment and saw Zack convulsing on the ground as Tazer darts struck him and red laser dots played over his face.
"Max?"
Jondy tugged at her nightgown. The lights were still sweeping the compound and they'd be after her soon. They ran. Two snowmobiles came after them. They scampered across the ice, Max felt it crack beneath her then she disappeared under the icy deluge. Jondy turned back "Max!"
"Go!"
"No we stick together!"
"Go, Jondy. I'll find you, just go"
She ran. Max desperately scrambled for a purchase on the frozen surface the cold seeping through her bones…
Max gasped and her eyes opened wide. "Alec I can't do it"
"What?"
"Shhh. I can't. I don't want to lose sight of you. This is like..." she hesitated "back in 09 we split up, so many… died. I don't want to risk that again."
He nodded in understanding. "OK, we're clear. Let's make a break for it"
They sprinted across the open ground making for a clump of trees. They reached and dived for cover just as the light swept across the open ground. They sprinted behind a building as soon as it had passed. They continued like that for a couple of minutes. They were just heading across more exposed territory when the strobe light reversed direction.
They were caught like deer in headlights. They gave up on the zigzag method and cut across the terrain directly moving from side to side to avoid bullets. The projectiles whistled through the air as they headed for the escaping fugitives. They ripped up the earth around the transgenics' feet, sending up clods of dirt to ruin their nice clothes. Suddenly a bullet tore through Max's leg, she yelled in pain. It was either a brilliant shot or just dumb luck.
"You ok?"
"Yeah" she gritted her teeth and continued to run as best as she could, ignoring the searing pain "I'm fine"
They were almost there. Alec was about to scramble up the fence like the 09ers did.
"Wait!"
"What?"
She picked up a steel rod and threw it at the fence, there was a sharp sizzling sound as tendrils of electricity consumed the rod. She pointed to the body of a poor unassuming squirrel that had met the unfortunate fate of colliding with the fence.
"Shit. What're we going to do?" He spotted scaffolding and an idea struck him.
"Max" he said excitedly "We can use the scaffolding"
She eyed him like he was insane. He ran over to it and pulled it apart then took up two poles and tossed one to Max. She got it.
"Damn" she groaned.
They vaulted over the fence and ran, Max with a noticeable limp.
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Junkyard
The blonde lady had been waiting for hours, trapped in the car and covered in a sticky gooey material. She sighed in frustration, beside her Ames White was in a similar predicament.
"Somehow I doubt that extra wind from your smart mouth is going to help us get out of this"
She glared at him "No I didn't think so either. Damned Gossamers" she muttered
"What are they?"
"They're from Manticore. Bred for either elimination or retrieval, the goo that they shoot from they mouths is meant to paralyze
and this substance that's currently tying us up is spun by them. It's meant to
last, takes months to disintegrate"
"Perfect"
"Oh hello" a man was peering in through the window. He opened the door of the corroded vehicle and quickly cut the bonds tying down the X5. "Eddie does this sometimes"
She stared at him incredulously "You're keeping it as a pet? And you named it?!"
"Sure, why not?"
He cut White's bond as well. He sprang out of the car and pushed the man aside (same one that adopted the Gossamer before in Borrowed Time) he pulled out his trilling hand phone "White"
"You what? Incompetent idiots. I'll be returning soon, everything had better be in order"
The phone snapped shut, he nodded at her and walked away without a second glance. She acknowledged it and walked off in the opposite direction.
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"Here, let me see that" Alec looked at her, concerned.
"It's fine" Max said stubbornly.
"Yeah right. Show me"
Max reluctantly showed him her leg. He carefully examined it and whistled "Crap Max, the bullet went right through. We need to cauterize or it'll become infected"
Her only response was a groan. He pulled out a knife and a lighter.
"You had a knife all this time and you didn't use it?!" she exclaimed.
He looked sheepish "I kind of forgot I had it. Now shh" He ripped off the bottom part of his shirt and stuffed it in her mouth.
"Ready?" she nodded. He heated the blade and plunged it in, cleaning the wound. She struggled with the pain, her body jerking slightly. Her eyes rolled about in their sockets and she perspired, she was biting down hard on the cloth and inadvertently bit her lower lip, drawing blood.
They were sheltered in a ramshackle old barn, a couple of Klicks away from the road. They'd managed to shake their former captors in pursuit. They had no means of getting back to TC and didn't even know where they were.
Max relaxed in relief when he finally removed the knife. He ripped up more strips of his shirt and used it as a tourniquet. He removed the gag and smoothed her brow "You ok?" he asked softly.
She nodded weakly "Get some rest" she closed her eyes.
Alec checked the windows, he couldn't see any thing. He sat on a crate, ready to keep watch. He remembered the last time that they had sheltered in a barn. *Every time we shelter in a barn someone has to be cauterized. Maybe we should just avoid them* he smiled wryly.
All of a sudden Max sat up from her makeshift bed of hay. "Alec!"
"What is it?"
"The necklace! We went through all that trouble just to pay off Damario, if we don't find something fast TC'll go under. We can't survive without supplies"
"Relax" he crouched down beside her and hugged her, Max was understandably and hesitantly returned it. Of course, when he pulled away…
"Alec, you perv! You unhooked my bra!" she scrambled to hook it back up.
He grinned at her wickedly from his place on the crate "I've been waiting to do that for a while, besides I wanted to test your reaction. And I already made it up to you"
"You did not, and…" her voice trailed off, he was staring pointedly at her throat. There was a foreign weight there, a cold metallic object. She looked down at the sparkling necklace. The amber burned with a bright flame from within, warming. The jade burned with a darker flame contrasting beautifully with the glinting gold that shined brightly in the few rays of moonlight that managed to penetrate cracks in the wall and unfogged parts of window. She gasped, it was beautiful.
"Alec…" she looked up at the grinning male. She threw a bit of wood at him.
"Hey!"
"You have some nerve. You scared the hell out of me! I thought we'd lost this" she glared at him.
"You know Maxie. You're really cute when you're angry" she smiled catching him off guard.
She twitched her finger, indicating that he come here. For someone that just got shot, she looked pretty seductive. He gulped and complied, once he reached her. She dropped the smile and grabbed him by the throat "Ever do that to me again and I'll mangle you"
He smiled uncertainly "Uh Maxie? That kinda hurts"
She raised her eyebrows and squeezed harder for a second then let him go. He rubbed his throat "Talk about touchy"
"What did you say?"
"Nothing" she smiled a satisfied smile and burrowed down in the hay, getting comfortable. She closed her eyes.
He was kissing her again. She was pressed up against the wall, and him against her. Their hearts going at a mile a minute, she looked up into his deep hazel eyes…
Max opened her eyes, woken by sunlight. She tried to wave away the offending beam and then declared it pointless. She was on her side in some hay, in a random barn that they had found. She looked down and noticed a hand draped around her waist, dazed as she was she realized that there was no way that she could have three hands. She picked it up, got up and then dropped it. Alec was fast asleep, his hair was in disarray sticking up everywhere. He smiled as he slept, looking positively angelic. He stirred from his deep slumber as his body felt the body heat of Max left his side. He opened his eyes and peered at her.
"Admiring the scenery Max?"
She started and blushed "Absolutely not Alec. Now move your butt, we have to get out of here"
"How's the leg?" he rubbed his eyes and yawned then proceeded to stretch, he ended his daily ritual by brushing off hay from his clothes.
"Fine. Now c'mon"
They peered out the door to see if it was all clear then sprinted out and headed for civilization.
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Max knocked out the man talking on the cell phone. "Sorry. I need to borrow that"
She placed a call "Mole, this is Max"
"Max!" the reception was kind of bad "Where are you? What happened?"
"No time now. Apparently we're some miles away from Seattle. We'll be there in no time."
She disconnected and threw the cell phone on the guy, "Thanks"
Alec rode up to her on a bike. She just looked at him "And where's my bike?"
"Aww c'mon Max, we're in the middle of nowhere. We were lucky to find anything that could move faster than a snail. We're just going to have to share"
"Fine" she got on behind him "Let's go"
"No problem" He gunned the engine and zoomed off.
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"Report"
"They escaped sir" Otto said
White smiled "Good"
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