Title: Harm's Way
Author: Bent137
Chapter: Three
Rating: R, Violence, Language.
Genre: Angst, Humor
Pairing: M/A Friendship with undertones, M/L angst
Summary: Max finds out how Seth came to die, and she's none too pleased.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything at all to do with Dark Angel, if I did it would still be on the air.
Author's Note: First, Thanks to Adrolien for taking a chance an unknown and new writer and betaing. This is a response to a challenge posted at NWP. It's the "After Seth" challenge posted by Vanessa_TaleWeaver, and includes spoilers for the entire run of the show and the first book "Before The Dawn."
Challenge: Here are the parameters:
1) Can be set anytime season 2, after freak nation, or in an alternate universe.
2) Alec and Joshua must help Max work through the fall out. OC would be nice too, but that's not compulsory.
3) Sketchy must make an appearance, in which he shows he's not as dumb as he usually acts. (long or as short as you want.)
4) Max must confront Logan about not telling her about Seth, and they need to have a rip-roaring fight.
5) Someone needs to point out to Logan that the deal he made with Max was extremely heedless of her safety, given what happened to Seth.
6) Logan cannot be portrayed as stupid or maliciously selfish. Narrow-minded, blinkered, and not nearly as accepting of Max's special abilities as he pretends to be, sure!
7) One of Max's other siblings must be mentioned. Living or dead, real-time or flashback, mentioned in passing or full-blown guest appearance - anything goes.
8) Whether Max forgives Logan or gets together with Alec is up to you. BUT she cannot blame any part of this mess on Alec, and they must be friendly, at least, at the end. Hot love and steamy sex are always preferred, however.
9) Alec cannot be the one to tell Max about how Seth died. He can be the first to know, but he cannot be the one to actually tell her.
Chapter Three: Somethin' Ain't Quite Right
"So what was up earlier?" Alec casually asked Max as they hid their bikes in an alley near Crash.
"Can I tell you later?" Max questioned.
"It is later, Max," he said, becoming agitated as he joined her near her bike.
"Okay. It's going to sound foolish though."
"Try me."
"I've been wondering about something, something that happened a long time ago, just when I came to Seattle. In a way it was the reason I came to Seattle." Alec nodded for her to go on. "I saw one of my brothers, Seth, on the national news. They were showing a clip of him fighting with police officers here in Seattle. So I made my way here to try and find him."
"Did you?"
"Yes, the same night he died. I found him at the Space Needle, there was a deal going down there between this computer tycoon and some Japanese business men. He was selling them a piece of American art. There was a bit of a struggle and some of the men went over the edge of the Space Needle, including the computer tycoon and Seth. For a while I blamed myself. Especially after what happened with Zack and Ben, it seemed like I was cursed. Cursed to kill my brothers either indirectly, or directly."
"That's not true. Max. You had nothing to do with Seth being there."
"Exactly. That's what's been bugging me. Why was he there? I was there because I knew that he would be. But why was he there? Was he there for the money and the painting to fence? Was there some other reason?"
"I don't know Max, but if you want, I can help you find out."
"Thanks, but I have Dix and Logan looking into it already. I'll let you know if I need help though." That said, the two transgenics made their way into Crash.
*
The way Original Cindy was looking at Max may have escaped Max herself, but it didn't escape Alec. He knew that Cindy knew something was up. The only difference was Alec had an inkling as to what it was. If Max kept up the distracted way she was acting even Sketchy would know.
"Max," OC said, "you a'ight?"
Max's head swiveled from looking at the other patrons of Crash to look at her, "Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because you're acting like somethin' big is on your mind."
"I guess I'm just tired, all the excitement the past few months is catching up with me. I think I'll go home and get some rest. See you guys tomorrow?"
They all nodded their affirmatives and Max left the establishment. OC immediately turned to Alec, "Okay Baby Boo, tell OC what's going on."
"Honestly, I'm not 100% sure."
"But you do have an idea don't you?"
"I think it has to do with one of her brother's, one that's dead now."
"Ben?" OC questioned.
Alec was almost shocked, "You know about Ben?"
"Yeah, it's a long story, but I know 'bout Ben."
"It's not Ben, it's another, named Seth."
"Never heard of 'im."
"I hadn't either, but she was asking Logan to look up stuff on him. Why he died and stuff I guess. She was there when he died so she knows the what, when, where, and how, but not the why."
Neither noticed Sketchy had been watching the exchange with mild interest until he spoke up. "Maybe he's in a league with that Eyes Only guy."
Alec and OC looked at him in surprise and then exchanged a glance with each other, Alec raising an eyebrow. "I suppose that's possible," Alec said slowly.
"Yeah, if anyone in Seattle needs a transgenic bodyguard it's him. He's gone after all kinds of bad guys. Political, law enforcement, business men, drug dealers, even mobsters."
"That's true," OC said. "Sketchy, you surprised me just now."
"I did? How?"
"You had something really intelligent to contribute."
"Hey, it happens," he protested.
"But the times are few and far between right?" OC arched an eyebrow.
"Well yeah."
"Guys," Alec interrupted, "though I greatly enjoy Sketchy's rare bout of intelligence, I'm beat. I think I'm going to head off."
OC nodded knowingly, "A'ight, be careful, Baby Boo."
"Always."
"Bye Alec."
"See ya Sketch." Alec got up and walked out of Crash he paused on the sidewalk before heading in the opposite direction as his apartment, whistling lowly as he walked.
*
Alec didn't even bother knocking on the door, he just walked in and took Logan by surprise. "What do you know about Seth?" he demanded.
"Don't you knock?"
"I said, what do you know about Seth? Now answer."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Logan feigned an innocent look, but Alec didn't buy it for a second.
"I'm not Max, Logan. I'm not going to buy that innocent act, because I know better. Now answer my fucking question."
"I don't know anything about Seth."
"Wrong answer. You see Logan, I have this inkling that you know a lot more than what you're saying. That you know all about Seth, because you knew him. Because he was working for you." Logan opened his mouth to protest but Alec plowed on. "Like I said Logan, I'm not Max, and I am rapidly losing patience here, so you'd better start confessing."
Logan was quiet a moment as he examined his options, it was no big secret he didn't trust Alec, and the feeling was mutual. If Alec was losing his patience there was no telling what he would do, so it would probably be safest for Logan to tell him something, anything. "I knew him."
Logan's voice was so low a normal person might not have heard, but Alec of course did. "I figured as much. What did you do? Find him and keep him as your little toy soldier just like you did Max."
Logan looked up sharply, "Max is nothing like Seth."
"She's exactly like Seth."
"She's beautiful and smart."
"We all are Logan."
"Besides, she wouldn't kill anyone unless it was in self defense."
At that Alec snapped, he picked up a small box off a nearby table and with lightning speed and precision hurled it at the wall next to Logan's head. It shattered and dropped to the floor. "She killed Ben, Logan. So don't tell me she can't kill. God, do you have any idea what you are dealing with. Max is not a normal girl."
"Sure she is."
A few steps and Alec was standing directly in front of Logan, "No, she's not. She's one of us, and she'll never be normal." He paused for dramatic effect. "She'll never be like you," He spat before taking a few steps back. "I'd hate to see what she does when she finds out you're responsible for her brother's death. You see, us X5's have a tendency to go a little loco."
"I didn't kill him."
"But he was working for you wasn't he. Running you're little Eye's Only errands, going on your missions, shaking down the bad guys."
"Yes."
"He was doing that the night he died wasn't he?"
"He was supposed to be, how am I supposed to know he actually did it."
"What was the mission Logan?"
"There was this guy, Sterling."
"The computer conglomerate."
"Yes. He was selling pieces of our Americana to overseas buyers."
"So?"
"It's blasphemy, and against the law."
"So you sent Seth to stop him how?"
"There was a deal going down. Seth was supposed to stop it by stealing the painting."
"Oh and that's so much more above the law?"
"If the ends justify the means."
"But they didn't Logan, because he got killed."
"You don't know that."
"Yes I do. I'm sure he went to that meet. He would have stolen the painting for you, knocked the guys all out, and taken the money to build himself a nice little nest egg to help keep Manticore off his tail."
"Do you think that's what happened?"
"Yes Logan. I do."
"Oh god."
Alec narrowed his eyes. "Oh god is right. You're supposed to be a smart guy, Logan, a guy with connections. How come you didn't find out about it until now?"
"Someone covered up the tracks real well."
"Manticore," Alec breathed.
"I suspected as much."
"You had an idea about all this and still you engaged Max in this little quid pro quo thing you have going on, which as far as I'm concerned isn't working much in her favor at all."
"What do you mean?"
"You haven't actually found most of her siblings, they found her. Besides that you're knowingly putting her life in danger." Logan groaned. "I bet you never realized that huh?"
"Are you going to tell her?"
Alec only needed to think about it for a moment before deciding to give Logan a chance. "No, I'm not. She ought to hear it from you. But Logan, remember, if you don't tell her someone else will. Because it won't be long before she has Dix or someone besides you looking into it too." Just because he knew Dix was already looking into it didn't mean Logan needed to know. So it was with those words that Alec turned and left Logan's apartment.
To Be Continued...