A/N: OK, this is the next part. I had basically written it in advance, but I try to react on your reviews and comments and maybe put in some additional lines before posting. So keep reviewing, criticizing, whatever- it's greatly appreciated!
By the way, people from outside the USA who also follow ALIAS maybe shouldn't read this story right now. It's third season material and it might spoil the fun of watching the show!! It's not exactly the same plot, but the basic idea is the same!!
Disclaimer: See other chapters!
**
Chapter 3
Logan had spent all morning in front of the computer, digging frantically for any information. He couldn't remember the last time he had been that determined, besides work help him focus and not think about the feelings Max's sudden appearance stirred in him. The confusion and shock that had threatened to engulf him last night, when he lay in bed, listening to Asha's steady breath next to him.
*
He had gotten up early, brewed a pot of coffee and had booted up his computers. Some of them hadn't been in use for months. Asha had been surprised, but had guessed the reason correctly and had left for work after giving him a deep kiss.
He had called Original Cindy at work and she had eagerly told him everything Max had told her – what little she remembered. Utah- that was new. He'd never checked files from there. Wyoming – sure, Washington State – obviously. But Utah…
And suddenly he held his breath. "Oh my God." He checked again and again, there was no doubt about that! He knew his Max too well. He automatically grabbed the phone and dialled Cindy's home number.
*
"What is it?" Max suddenly stood in his office and Logan turned his wheelchair around to face her. She was obviously feeling uncomfortable, looking pale and tired.
His heart stung, he hadn't realized how much he really missed her, but he refused those feelings to surface. "Thanks for stopping by," he said casually. "I found something – disturbing." He took a deep breath. "But before I show you, I need you to know something."
"Shoot."
"I want you to know two things. First that I was so in love with you it nearly killed me. And second," he swallowed, fighting back the tears. "That I don't regret moving on with my life."
Max stared at him, biting her lips as she realized that this was final. She had had her chance and she had messed up years ago. Her fairy tale would never end happily. Like her life had ever been like a fairy tale!
"What did you want to show me," she asked coldly, hiding her emotions. At least Manticore had taught her to do that!
Logan just nodded, swivelling his chair around. "I warned you. This might be hard."
"Just let me see." She stepped closer and Logan could smell her, that unique smell he had longed for. He shook his head and forced himself to focus on the footage. "Okay." He pushed play and leaned back, still tense.
Max watched, her eyes growing large with confusion
There was a young woman with her back towards the camera, he vision was slightly blurry, but Max could clearly see the figure of the woman as she raised a gun and shot a guy in h is late fifties straight in the head. He sank to the ground, dead. The camera zoomed in on the girl's back and when her blond tail fell over her shoulder, for the split of a second, a barcode tattoo was visible. Unless you knew what you were looking for it was probably assumed to be a crack in the transmission. But Max immediately recognized it for what it was.
"Oh my God," she said tonelessly. She felt her legs weaken and had to hold on against the desk. "This is …me."
Logan topped the video and stared at the blank screen for a long moment. "I found this in the morning. Original Cindy gave me some information and when I knew where to dig…"
Max didn't really register what he said. "I shot a man, a defenceless guy. I never do guns. Logan, what's going on?" Her voice sounded so lost and scared that Logan needed all his willpower not to take her in his arms and hold her forever. Instead he straightened up in his chair and answered. "I don't know, Max. What I do know is that we should keep this a secret. Do you know that guy?"
When Max shook her head, Logan explained. "This is… was Mr Barenson. He ran for governorship in Utah when he was murdered. It was apparently a huge case in Utah, but the killer was never found, despite this footage."
"Logan, I…" She shook her head, breathing hard. "I sweat I don't remember this. I can't believe I did this!"
Logan looked at her. "I know Max. And this will stay between us, you and me. Nobody is allowed to know this, okay? I'll hack in and try to make the barcode invisible, though when they haven't found it by now, they probably won't."
"How did you?"
Logan shrugged. "I know you, max. The way you move; there was something about it that made me check more closely. And then I just zoomed in the barcode."
"Thanks." She didn't know what else to say.
Logan smiled at her for a moment, and then turned back to work. Max leaned against the desk again, trying to collect herself. Logan kept on working, giving her some time.
"So, now that I'm back," she started clumsily. "If you ever need me for a job, legwork, you know where to reach me."
"I'm not doing Eyes-Only anymore," he answered matter-of-factly, emotionless. Then he felt the need to explain himself further. "After you were gone, I didn't have the strength anymore. I'm a real journalist now."
"But…"
He shook his head. "Asha doesn't know and I want to keep it this way."
"Eyes Only was your life, Logan," Max tried.
"You were."
Suddenly they heard the apartment door open and Logan closed his eyes, cursing the timing in secret.
"Logan? I'm home! They didn't need me this morning so I figured we could have a late breakfast!" Asha called, making her way into his office. "Oh, sorry. I didn't know you had company."
"It's okay. I was about to leave anyway." Without looking back Max slipped past Asha and left.
"She okay?" Asha looked genuinely worried.
"Pretty confused and scared. But she will be, I hope."
**
TBC…
By the way, people from outside the USA who also follow ALIAS maybe shouldn't read this story right now. It's third season material and it might spoil the fun of watching the show!! It's not exactly the same plot, but the basic idea is the same!!
Disclaimer: See other chapters!
**
Chapter 3
Logan had spent all morning in front of the computer, digging frantically for any information. He couldn't remember the last time he had been that determined, besides work help him focus and not think about the feelings Max's sudden appearance stirred in him. The confusion and shock that had threatened to engulf him last night, when he lay in bed, listening to Asha's steady breath next to him.
*
He had gotten up early, brewed a pot of coffee and had booted up his computers. Some of them hadn't been in use for months. Asha had been surprised, but had guessed the reason correctly and had left for work after giving him a deep kiss.
He had called Original Cindy at work and she had eagerly told him everything Max had told her – what little she remembered. Utah- that was new. He'd never checked files from there. Wyoming – sure, Washington State – obviously. But Utah…
And suddenly he held his breath. "Oh my God." He checked again and again, there was no doubt about that! He knew his Max too well. He automatically grabbed the phone and dialled Cindy's home number.
*
"What is it?" Max suddenly stood in his office and Logan turned his wheelchair around to face her. She was obviously feeling uncomfortable, looking pale and tired.
His heart stung, he hadn't realized how much he really missed her, but he refused those feelings to surface. "Thanks for stopping by," he said casually. "I found something – disturbing." He took a deep breath. "But before I show you, I need you to know something."
"Shoot."
"I want you to know two things. First that I was so in love with you it nearly killed me. And second," he swallowed, fighting back the tears. "That I don't regret moving on with my life."
Max stared at him, biting her lips as she realized that this was final. She had had her chance and she had messed up years ago. Her fairy tale would never end happily. Like her life had ever been like a fairy tale!
"What did you want to show me," she asked coldly, hiding her emotions. At least Manticore had taught her to do that!
Logan just nodded, swivelling his chair around. "I warned you. This might be hard."
"Just let me see." She stepped closer and Logan could smell her, that unique smell he had longed for. He shook his head and forced himself to focus on the footage. "Okay." He pushed play and leaned back, still tense.
Max watched, her eyes growing large with confusion
There was a young woman with her back towards the camera, he vision was slightly blurry, but Max could clearly see the figure of the woman as she raised a gun and shot a guy in h is late fifties straight in the head. He sank to the ground, dead. The camera zoomed in on the girl's back and when her blond tail fell over her shoulder, for the split of a second, a barcode tattoo was visible. Unless you knew what you were looking for it was probably assumed to be a crack in the transmission. But Max immediately recognized it for what it was.
"Oh my God," she said tonelessly. She felt her legs weaken and had to hold on against the desk. "This is …me."
Logan topped the video and stared at the blank screen for a long moment. "I found this in the morning. Original Cindy gave me some information and when I knew where to dig…"
Max didn't really register what he said. "I shot a man, a defenceless guy. I never do guns. Logan, what's going on?" Her voice sounded so lost and scared that Logan needed all his willpower not to take her in his arms and hold her forever. Instead he straightened up in his chair and answered. "I don't know, Max. What I do know is that we should keep this a secret. Do you know that guy?"
When Max shook her head, Logan explained. "This is… was Mr Barenson. He ran for governorship in Utah when he was murdered. It was apparently a huge case in Utah, but the killer was never found, despite this footage."
"Logan, I…" She shook her head, breathing hard. "I sweat I don't remember this. I can't believe I did this!"
Logan looked at her. "I know Max. And this will stay between us, you and me. Nobody is allowed to know this, okay? I'll hack in and try to make the barcode invisible, though when they haven't found it by now, they probably won't."
"How did you?"
Logan shrugged. "I know you, max. The way you move; there was something about it that made me check more closely. And then I just zoomed in the barcode."
"Thanks." She didn't know what else to say.
Logan smiled at her for a moment, and then turned back to work. Max leaned against the desk again, trying to collect herself. Logan kept on working, giving her some time.
"So, now that I'm back," she started clumsily. "If you ever need me for a job, legwork, you know where to reach me."
"I'm not doing Eyes-Only anymore," he answered matter-of-factly, emotionless. Then he felt the need to explain himself further. "After you were gone, I didn't have the strength anymore. I'm a real journalist now."
"But…"
He shook his head. "Asha doesn't know and I want to keep it this way."
"Eyes Only was your life, Logan," Max tried.
"You were."
Suddenly they heard the apartment door open and Logan closed his eyes, cursing the timing in secret.
"Logan? I'm home! They didn't need me this morning so I figured we could have a late breakfast!" Asha called, making her way into his office. "Oh, sorry. I didn't know you had company."
"It's okay. I was about to leave anyway." Without looking back Max slipped past Asha and left.
"She okay?" Asha looked genuinely worried.
"Pretty confused and scared. But she will be, I hope."
**
TBC…
