From Syl's point of view, the drive flew by in moments. No amount of travel time could have been long enough to let the information she'd just received sink in properly. Tinga was dead. But she'd just been in Canada with Zack. He'd saved her from Lydecker. But she was dead.

"It was Zack on the phone, wasn't it?" she asked when they were halfway through Washington.

"Yes, Syl," Krit said gently, his voice quiet. "For the third time... it was Zack."

"And he's alright?"

"He's fine."

"But she's dead."

He stiffened. "Yes," he whispered.

"Why?"

"I don't know, Syl."

"Where's Case?"

"I don't know."

"Where's-"

"I don't know, Syl," he said again, harsher, tearing his eyes away from the road to look at her, plead with her to stop pressing him for the same details he'd been saying he didn't know for hours. She bit her lip and waited for tears to come, but they didn't. There weren't any left.

"She's dead?" Syl whispered. Krit pulled the car off the road and turned to her, pulling her close. She wrapped her arms around him and felt her shoulders shaking.

"More tryptophan," Krit said, finally releasing her. He smoothed the hair from her face and gave her what must have been her seventh dose since they'd left Montana. She swallowed, felt the trembling stop, looked out the window at the cloudy sky. It had started raining. Seattle was just over the horizon.


They were there by nightfall. Zack looked very, very agitated when they arrived at his rendez-vous point, an upscale penthouse apartment in the financial district. Syl's eyes immediately slid around the room as they entered, her gaze falling on an unknown man sitting at a computer; he was in a wheelchair, therefore weak and easily incapacitated, but he still made her edgy.

"Who's this?" Krit asked as soon as he walked in behind her, voicing her own concerns. Syl watched Zack toss a look to the man, barely-contained hostility in his eyes. Immediately she was in complete defensive mode.

"I'm a friend of Max's," the guy spoke up. "My name's Logan Cale." Syl narrowed her eyes at him and looked to Zack for confirmation. He nodded so she relaxed her stance slightly, but Zack was giving mixed signals.

She extended a hand. "Syl."

"One of the twelve that escaped in '09," he said, nodding as he shook her hand. She withdrew it from him slowly.

"How did you know that?"

"He knows all about who we are," Zack said, sounding very annoyed. "Max told him."

"Where is she?" Krit spoke up, not bothering to tell Logan his name.

"Lydecker has her," Zack said. Syl sat down on the arm of Logan's sofa- hard. Zack went on firmly, "She's alright. We're running a search on her location now."

"I've got a guy trying to pinpoint her location," Logan said. "I'm expecting a call within the half-hour."

"And Tinga's dead?" Syl whispered. Krit glanced away as Zack walked over and touched his hand to her shoulder lightly.

"I'm not going to let them do anything to Max," he said softly. "We won't lose her too." Syl turned and hugged him close.

"It wasn't your fault," she whispered with conviction. Zack let her hold him for a moment, then pulled back and cleared his throat.

"How was the drive?" he asked.

"Good," Krit answered.

"Need anything?"

"We're both working, we have money," Krit said. "Could use some tryptophan if you've got some though, we're running low." Zack's eyes slid to Syl with concern.

"I'm alright," she said. He nodded and reached for his bag, pulling out a bottle and tossing it to Krit.

"I have extra," he explained. Krit nodded and pocketed it.

"So what, we just wait?" he asked, edgy.

"We could order in pizza," a new voice said, and Syl and Krit both jumped to their feet. Two handguns were already out and trained on the man who entered the room. He froze.

"Bling," Logan said quickly. "A friend. He's on our side." Krit's eyes narrowed at the man and Syl didn't move. "Zack," he warned.

Zack glared but nodded. "It's alright." Krit and Syl lowered their weapons slowly.

"Maxie certainly has made herself comfortable here," Syl remarked, her voice envious and disapproving at once. Then Logan stood up.

"What. The. Hell?" Syl bit out, her gun pointed at him now. "What, you just like to pretend to be disabled?" Zack didn't seem to be in any hurry to call her off, so she held her ground.

"It's okay, Syl," he said finally. "It's a long story, but it's okay." She lowered her gun again, holstering it this time, and sat back in the sofa.

"Fine," she said, annoyed.

"I was going to ask if anyone wanted a drink," Logan said after a moment of silence. Krit and Zack nodded and asked for 'whatever,' and Syl requested water. "I could use a hand in the kitchen," he said. She sighed and stood up, throwing Zack a frustrated glance with which he seemed to agree.

"You sure you don't want some wine?" Logan asked as he pulled out a bottle. "Chardonet, 2016."

"I don't drink," Syl answered.

"Why not?" he asked, reaching for a corkscrew. Syl sat down on one of the stools pulled up to his bar counter and shrugged.

"Used to be an alcoholic," she said suddenly. "The taste reminds me." He raised an eyebrow at her, pausing.

"I didn't think that was possible for an X5."

"If you drink enough," she said. "If you start young enough." She didn't know why she was telling this to a stranger, Krit didn't even know. Like most events of her past, only Zack had been a witness to that particular chapter in her life.

Logan handed Syl a glass of water and she sipped it. He didn't seem to be in a big hurry to go back into the living room and neither was she. He took a seat across from her.

"Are you and Zack an item?" he asked after a moment of silence. Syl laughed loudly, and she would have choked had she not swallowed just before he'd said it.

"He's my brother," she said, smiling into her glass of water. "What kind of family did you grow up in?" Logan had the decency to blush slightly.

"You two just seem to have a rapport," he said. "Zack doesn't seem the same with you as he is with the others." He shrugged. "Not that I've had the pleasure of meeting all your brothers and sisters yet."

Syl's smirk softened a bit, nostalgia entering her eyes as she thought about the others, some of whom she'd never see again... She cleared her throat. "I'm with Krit," she offered.

"But isn't he your brother too?" Logan asked after a moment. Syl chuckled and stood up, giving his shoulder a slap.

"Don't even try," she suggested, heading back into the living room with her water.

"I don't think I will," Logan said, following her. She sat down next to Krit and handed him his glass of wine, Logan giving Zack his. Syl leaned her head against Krit's shoulder and yawned.

"You can crash in the guestroom tonight," Logan said. "There's a double in there and I doubt Zack is going to sleep."

"How long are we going to wait before we get her out of there?" Syl asked, looking to Zack.

"We don't know where they are yet," he said, frustrated. He softened a bit. "But go ahead and sleep, I'll wake you when it's time." Syl opened her mouth to protest, but a yawn came out instead.

"Tired?" she asked Krit. He smiled.

"Not really."

"I'm going to take a nap then," she said. "I'll see you in an hour or so." She reached out and squeezed Zack's shoulder. She wanted to hug him, but they were both in mission-mode.

Syl went into the guest room and shrugged out of her leather jacket, kicking off her shoes and slipping between the soft sheets. Her eyes closed and she started to drift off; then they snapped open again, her whole body freezing. She turned her face into the pillow and her breath caught sharply, tears stinging her eyes. She got up slowly, finding her shoes and jacket again, heading back out of the bedroom despite her exhaustion and making a bee-line for the door. Zack and Krit both stood up quickly as she went by. Logan gave her a curious look.

"Syl," Zack spoke up. She paused, turning back, her eyes flitting between the three men.

"The bed smells like Tinga," she said. "I'm going for a walk."

"Stay close," Zack answered, sitting back down, his face weary. "We might have to mobilize within the hour."

"I'll go with you," Krit spoke up, but Syl shook her head. He slowly sat down next to Zack, looking at him pointedly.

"I can't go," Zack said.

"I'm an adult and I'm X5," she muttered angrily, pressing the elevator button. "I think I can handle going outside by myself."

The phone rang just as the elevator doors parted, and Syl groaned, but turned back dutifully, eyes locking with Zack's as Logan spoke on the phone. She walked over to him and touched his hand, and if it had been anyone but Zack he would have jumped, but he just turned and looked at her affectionately, which was as much as he could manage right now. Syl was just glad to be close to him again, with his presence so safe beside her.

Logan hung up the phone. "My guy's still searching on her location," he said, which made Zack tense with disappointment and helplessness.

"He can call us in the field," Zack said, standing up and turning to Krit and Syl. "Now that you're here we'll prepare for mobilization." He glanced at Logan. "The waterfront."


Zack allowed Logan to drive them to their destination, something which surprised Syl, as she and Krit sat quietly in the back. They pulled into an old warehouse on the oceanfront and Zack went outside to make sure they were alone. Krit set his duffle bag on the table.

"I lifted this from the sector police on our way into Seattle," he explained at Logan's surprised glance as Krit began to pull weapons from the bag and set them on the table. Syl grabbed a handgun and tested its weight as Logan pulled out his cell phone, dialling his contact again. Zack reentered the warehouse and walked over to them.

"Krit, Syl, what do you got?" he asked. Krit held up a small machine gun and frowned.

"Packs a punch, but I've only got forty rounds."

"I'll track some more down," Zack promised, turning toward Syl. "What about you, little sister?" She smiled to herself, trying not to show how incredibly happy she was to hear him say that again after so long. She grabbed one of the grenades and her smile turned to a smirk.

"Russian-made RGN-3s, fragmentation pattern explosion." She tossed it to Zack and he caught it, gave it an appreciative look.

"Nice," he said, and Syl smiled to herself again, feeling content to be back in a mission, back with Zack, even under the circumstances. She glanced up as Logan rejoined them, clicking off his cell phone.

"That was a contact of mine," he said. "Military convoy just swooped in on some motel in sector eight."

Zack nodded. "That's got to be them. Let's move out." Syl stood immediately with Krit at the order, sliding the clip into one of the compact handguns. They headed for the doors, but before they could reach them they burst open. Syl raised her gun first and registered the Manticore hummer second, Zack and Krit doing the same. Logan was off to the side, but Syl was much more concerned with what was right in front of them. The car stopped and the glare fell away from the window, and even after the many years of separation it was easy for Syl to see Max in the beautiful girl smiling at them. Krit turned and grinned at Syl, and all three lowered their weapons, though Zack was still tense. Max got out of the truck and hurried over to them.

"Krit," she breathed, running into his arms.

"Hey Maxie," he answered, his voice soft with love and delight.

"Syl," Max said next, hugging her. Syl squeezed her tightly and closed her eyes, giving her an affectionate slap on the back. When Max released her, she smiled at Zack and greeted Logan with a soft, "Hey."

"Hey yourself," he answered, and immediately Syl knew they were in love. "How'd you know where to find us?" Max turned and went back to the hummer, opening the door of the backseat.

"Bling told me there was a party," she answered, pulling out a man, handcuffed and blindfolded. He staggered forward as she tugged the blindfold off, blinking against the light.


BANG! ... Eva fell to the ground, dead, her blood spilling against the floor, splattering on the children behind her. Syl clamped her hand over Krit's eyes and looked up to see who was holding the gun, who had killed her sister...


"Look what the cat dragged in," she breathed, feeling a little sick at seeing him after all this time, feeling even more sick as he dragged his eyes over her, knew exactly who she was. She hated the ownership in his eyes as he sized her up, then did the same to Krit and Zack. He had no right to look at them like that.

"You said you needed a few perfect soliders," Max said to Lydecker. "Well, here we are." Syl's eyes flew to Zack and he looked angry.

"What are you talking about?" he snapped.

"He's going to help us," she answered calmly.

"Help us what?" Krit demanded, and Syl could tell from his voice that he didn't think Lydecker could help with anything but dying at their hands for a deep, satisfying revenge. She couldn't agree more.

But Max, apparently, had other plans. She raised her chin and said, "Take down Manticore." Syl stared at Max for a moment, then exchanged a look with Krit. They both looked at Zack for some sort of explanation for this insane statement, but he just set his jaw very firmly, and glared at Max as she walked over to a platform with another table on it. He followed her immediately, and Krit and Syl were right behind him, not loosening their grips on their guns for a second. Zack sat down in one of the chairs and Krit on the stairs, but Syl leaned against the railing, seeming lazy, her handgun held at her side, but she was coiled and ready for anything.

"This is crazy, Max," Zack snapped after Syl watched her try to stare him down. "We've made it this far by staying under the radar. Blending in."

"Always on the run, constantly looking over your shoulder..." Max was pacing, and she stopped in front of Zack. "You said it yourself, they'll never stop looking for us. They'll hunt us down one by one until we're either dead or in a cage." There was a pause out of respect for Brin and Tinga, and as Syl suddenly realized, Ben. He was dead, too. Max went on, "It's time to bring this war home."

"Maybe you're right," Syl spoke up. She nodded in Lydecker's direction. "But what about him?" Zack picked up her train of thought immediately.

"You expect us to believe he's had some kind of epiphany because of what happened to Tinga?" Again, the pause of respect.

"Maybe," Max relented. "Or one of his bosses wants him dead in a big way."

"Take a number," Krit spat.

"Either way he's going to help us," Max said stubbornly.

"Or double-cross you," Logan spoke up, for the first time making Syl consider that he might actually be useful. He added, "Again," and Syl filed that away for later examination.

"I don't expect you to trust me," Lydecker said, and Syl, though she appeared calm, wanted to strangle him just for thinking that he had any right to speak. "But remember what I taught you. The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"Shut up," Zack snapped, seconds before Syl was about to retort. She smiled briefly over at her brother in support and turned dispassionately back to Lydecker. Max had given him a cup of coffee; Syl hoped he spilled it down his chest and scalded himself.

"I know that facility and its capabilities like the back of my hand," he continued, raising the coffee cup. Syl tried, but telekinesis was unfortunately not one of the things programmed into her genetic code, and it lowered again, leaving him unscathed. "I can get us inside."

"Then what?" she asked. Her respect for Max was rapidly declining; she loved her, but what was she thinking listening to his lies? "There are only four of us," she pointed out. "What kind of damage can we do?"

"You take out the DNA lab," Lydecker answered slowly. "Destroy their ability to develop a new generation of soldiers." As he spoke he reached out and grasped the air like he was crushing something. Syl was about ready to crush his head.

Zack did not look impressed with the suggestion. "And what's to keep our enemy, or the enemy of our enemy, from starting over?"

"You remember when you kids escaped?" Lydecker asked. Now Syl really wanted to kill him, wanted to scream, Of course I remember, you murdered my sister and tried to drag us all back there, and even when we got away, you never stopped, not ever, I'm twenty-one years old and you still haven't stopped! Instead, she remained silent, impassive.

"They almost shut the place down," he went on. "That's nothing compared to what will happen if we can take out the lab. There'll be a war of finger-pointing, funding will disappear, and Manticore..." She hated how he trailed off dramatically, like he was giving a speech, like they were supposed to be impressed. Finally he finished, "Will cease to exist." They all absorbed that for a moment. How he spoke of Manticore as just one project which could lose funding, interest, like any other, influriated Syl. Creating children and putting machine guns in their hands as soon as they could walk was not a project, it was a crime, and it shouldn't have been treated in such an offhand way. But as much as she hated it, that's how people like Lydecker and his superiors thought of it, and her- a project. An experiment. Syl's eyes slid to Krit, watching him gather his thoughts, and he was the first to speak.

"It's worth a shot," he said, and that made Syl sad because he was right.

"I'm getting tired of running," she added.

Zack said, "I don't like it." Syl knew the words were coming long before he ever said them.

"There is no 'I' in 'team,' Zack." Syl could have killed Lydecker for that; Zack just ignored him.

"I don't like it either," Max said. "But we don't have a choice."

"You so much as breathe wrong," Zack hissed at Lydecker, "There'll be four of us to take you out."

"Make that five," Logan spoke up. Syl respected that, but it wasn't really much of a threat.

Lydecker took a breath. "Got it," he said.

Now that Zack had givne the okay, the thought actually excited Syl, to be rid of them, rid of it all. The thought of living a life where you weren't always looking behind you, making sure your hair was covering your neck, making sure you didn't leave a trace, didn't make any impressions... it would be nice to throw that all away. And if she died trying? Syl knew very well that there were far worse things than death.